NEW: Inspiration Monday!

I decided to start doing 'Inspiration Mondays.' You know, things that inspire me? This week its subway tile in kitchens. I might have went a little overboard on the pictures, but I love it so much!!

This first picture might be my favorite. I LOVE the green/blue color of the tile.

I'm not a huge fan of this shade of blue, but I like the way the brighter color looks against an all white kitchen. So clean and crisp!

This one is cool because it looks so vintage! I mean, look at the water spout for the sink! So cool.

I'm always a fan of all white.

Again, I swear you can't go wrong with all white. Soooo pretty.

Lastly another green one. I'm not a fan of the kitchen itself, but I love that color. Its definitely my favorite.

Birthday Cupcakes!

This may be the most photos I have ever put in one post. But its well worth it.

Today I made cupcakes for my dad's birthday dinner. His actual birthday isn't until tomorrow, but due to scheduling, dinner is tonight at gram's!

It took me a bit to think of what kind of cupcakes I would make, but my decision is perrrrfect for the occasion! I decided on red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and black sprinkles! Why, you ask? Because my dad loves Dale Earnhardt, and his colors were black and red.

I even bought foil cupcake liners because they go better with a NASCAR theme than pastel-y ones. :)

First, I sorted out the black confetti from the green and orange. Ah, what a fun chore. ;) It really wasn't too bad. Except there was a little critter at my feet begging for sprinkles...

I might have given him a couple. :)

He was going back and forth between begging for sprinkles and dancing to our background music. A compilation of Mumford & Sons, Jon Foreman, Gungor and the Fourquare UG Band. All goooood stuff, and Cameron can dance to ANYTHING.

:)

Oh fresh, warm cupcakes. How I love you. Did anyone ever notice that red velvet tastes very similar to chocolate poptarts? I love chocolate poptarts so it works out, but they seriously taste SO MUCH alike.

I opted for the whipped frosting in stead of regular. Mostly because it was in a bigger container and on sale, but also because its delicious.

So this is how I frost cupcakes so I don't smear it on the liner and such. I'm sure tons of people have been doing this since the invention of cupcakes, but I just discovered it. First, a dollop of frosting.

I put mine in a plastic ziploc bag and cut a hole in the end so it comes out nicely.

Then carefully spread it out as far as you want. I wanted a bit more of the red than usual to show so that they did just look like morbid black sprinkled cupcakes. :)

Then you bust out whatever decorations you want. I used some Halloween sprinkles. Also where I got the black confetti sprinkles. Black sugar crystals on cupcakes? I wasn't sure how cute they would be.

And surprise! They're adorable.

A little variety with the confetti. I love them so much, I will be sad to see them go!

Yum!!!

Frameworthy.

While scanning through Anthropologie's website, I found this gem.

And she really is a gem. $698 dollars worth. Yeah right, I won't spend $698 on anything. Especially not something I can make for under $10.

So I went to Goodwill and Value Village in search of frames. [Sidenote: the one at Anthropologie is HUGE. Like 4 feet tall and 4 or 5 feet wide. I'm guessing so don't quote me on that. :)]I found these four right away. One dollar each. Okay!! The pictures were a little tricky to get out. I swear between the three, there were at least 70 staples. I am now a professional staple remover. :)

Anyway, I also have one of those thick square wooden mirrors from Ikea that will be added to the collage. And my favorite part, I am making some frames with wood from old pallets. Ahh. So excited. Obviously this is just the before picture. They are now in my garage, each with a beautiful layer of paint. I'm so excited for the after pictures. The colors will just have to be a surprise. :)

Lastly I found this really weird frame that I love. It kind of looks like bone, or hair. Or both. But its getting painted as well, and it looks so nice now! Once they are all done, they will be posted. Don't worry!

Dorm Decor

I never really wanted to live in a dorm. I shared a bedroom from age 5-12, and that was plenty of time for me. At least until I get married.

But now that I know I will have to be in a dorm, and sharing space with TWO other people [ahh!], I'm a little excited. I don't have a problem sharing or getting along, but I just like things a certain way. Scratch that. I sound like a terrible and snooty person. I'm not, promise.

I just really like to come home to a neat and cozy space. Cleaned up, decorated, comfy, organized... all those things.

So obviously a roommate could effect any number of those things. Which I will just have to get over. So for now I am loving designing my space in the room!

[All the photos below are from various blogs on dwellinggawker.com. I am obsessed.]

I just love everything about this room. Obviously I won't have this much space, but this is kind of my go-to inspiration.

I want the top clock. Or something very similar.

I don't know if I would want so much stuff displayed, but I like how this is done. Very neat straight lines. I have tons of pretty cards and letters and pictures that I want to somehow put up. And I love this.

Lastly how amazing would it be to make a teacup lamp for above my desk?? I am going to do it. I have to.

Ancient skies and hurricanes.

Well let me first begin with this: I prepared really cool images for this post and then realized that I am either Mac impaired or the iPad won't let me post pictures on here. That being said, please still read my post. It's still good without pictures. :)

Now. I am not one of those people who can find cool music before it's cool. I wish, but no. I am the person who likes music aft it's already been cool and everyone is over it. Oh well. I have been stuck on the following bands/musicians/tunes for a bit and I love them so much, I can't possibly keep it all to myself! So whether you know them or love them or hate them.... here it goes:

Jon Foreman/ Switchfoot

I've known Switchfoot for quite some time, but I am so in love with their newest album, 'Hello Hurricane.' my favorite song is probably Sing it Out. So beautiful. I also recently (I said I am behind the times) fell in love with the lead singers solo stuff. I literally cannot get enough of Foreman's songs. They stick with me all day. My favorites: White As Snow, Soebody's Baby and House Of God, Forever.

NEEDTOBREATHE

I have kind of ehh-ed NEEDTOBREATHE in the past. I have liked a few songs but never really gotten into them. But then I heard 'These Hard Times' and found my love for them. Also they are opening up for Taylor Swift on her Speak Now tour... so.... yeah. Love them as well.

Gungor/Michael Gungor Band

I am stuck on Ancient Skies, You Have Me and We Will Run. All three are wonderful.

So, there's my latest musical obsessions. To my 3 readers (haha), what are you listening to?

Lynchburg, Virginia. Home of the Flames.

As of last Wednesday, I am officially a student of Liberty University. Yay!

'How did this come about?' you might ask. Well, let me tell you! I love typing and stories and this story is going to take a bit of typing, so here it goes.

Throughout the last year, I have been considering and praying about a few different bible schools. One in Germany [ahh!], Seattle, online, California... none were really working out. The one in California wasn't accredited, but had mentioned some of their credits transfer to Liberty. There, seed planted. [And maybe more officially the seed was planted when someone from my church, Carol, took classes online at Liberty. And then Parker. And then Hope went there. But through all that it was just some school I didn't care about.]

So all these other ideas started fizzing out. I was about to make myself go to Pierce [boo!] when my very best friend called and started going on and on about her week. Which is typical, she tells me all about her week, then I tell her all about mine... its what happens when you don't live near each other. Anyway, she had gone with David and Farah to their new church where David is serving as the youth pastor. And, what band was playing and offering free applications to their school for anyone at church that night? Oh yeah, Liberty.

I was like, noooo way. I have been thinking about Liberty! So we talked more about it and what not, and I decided to apply. After a couple weeks of writing and rewriting my essay and praying that they didn't think I was lame for applying 4 years out of high school, I sent in the application. Just two weeks of praying and calling Liberty for every little question, I was accepted.

Now begins the financial process. Then the moving process. Then the get-back-into-school-and-homework-mode process. I'm definitely looking forward to it.

Just some things I am looking forward to about Being at liberty/on the East Coast.

Going to New York City. Never been. :) :) :)

School supplies. Yessss.


Liberty Football games at this beautiful field at dusk.


Washington DC. Never been there either. But shouldn't everyone go to their country's capital at least once??

Photo challenge thing from FB shortened and more awesome.

A picture of yourself and 10 facts:

1. My favorite colors are pink, aqua and mint green.

2. I'm currently a nanny. Its intense.

3. I am planning on going to Liberty University in Virginia in just 7 short months.

4. I love lists.

5. I want to visit every state. I'm only halfway there, ish.

6. I would say what my favorite verse is, but I'm reading through the Psalms and it changes everyday. So lets just say my current favorite book is Psalms.

7. I love to cook and bake.

8. I have slight obsession with green beans. I love them so much I can eat them with every meal. But only the fresh, french style green beans. Not canned or frozen. I'm not trying to be stuck up. :)

9. I looove Taylor Swift. As well as Needtobreathe, Michael Gungor, Jon Foreman, Switchfoot, Coldplay and Copeland. Good mix, I know.

10. I've got a great family, and the best friends.

A picture of a good memory:

Summer mission trip to Louisiana. God, gators, swimming in the oil infested Gulf of Mexico, accents, VBS, people. It was wonderful.

A picture of the cast from your favorite TV show:
LOST.

A picture that makes you laugh:

It was June. In Georgia. We were sunburned and tired, as were Dax and Cole who were babysitting at the time. [They were asleep during our ridiculous photoshoot]. We were obsessed with the MIA song and what else can I say? Hahahahahaa.

+

A picture of a letter:

A letter from my grandpa to my grandma while he was in Yakima [I think] working and she was here in P-town. I love living in a town where your family has been for decades!

A picture of somewhere you'd like to visit:

The Austrian countryside! While I'm at it, I'd also love to visit Germany, Italy and the UK.

A picture of your favorite book:

Besides the Bible, Through Gates of Splendor by Elisabeth Elliot. If you haven't read it, I HIGHLY suggest it. So great and inspiring! I've read it at least 10 times in the past 4 years. Not exaggerating.

A picture of you and a family member:

Me and my baby brother Jarvis. We're obviously grown up now. And he is wayyy taller than me. No more baby Jarv.

A picture of your night:

The past few nights I have been finishing up season 6 of LOST. I am so thankful for Netflix on the ipad. Its perfect!

A picture of your day:

My everyday actually. Brody and Cameron. Today they played with bowls of water on the kitchen floor. "Cooking." They LOVED it.
A picture of something that can always make you smile:

Brody winking. This kid is a genius.