Wonderful Weather Wednesday

It's a shame today is national Video Game Day because the weather in Texas is fantastically wonderful. It is currently 70 degrees outside! And the high is just under 90! Considering the record for today is above 100, I'm thinking I need to spend this day outside. Can't pass up a cool day in the lone star state!

All that's missing is a cup of coffee and a good book!

Project DIY

      Welcome to the Fall!

       This week the weather had been MUCH cooler and it got me in the mood for fall. I am usually in love with Spring, but I am excited for this fall much more than usual. I got into the storage unit and pulled out my fall decorations, including the halloween window clings, and dressed up the house. Then I got on Pinterest! And then I got crafty!


   I loved what I made so much that I decided to share it with you!



Here's what you'll need:
- a ruler
- scissors
- tape
- a pen or pencil
- exacto knife
- rubber cement or glue stick
- a couple of pages of thick cardstock
- a bunch of colors of scrapbook paper
- an eraser




Step One:
Go online and find some clip art of leaf shapes. I found my mine by 'binging' leaf clip art. I right-clicked on the one I liked an hit print. That way the leaves fit to the paper size. Here is the link: leaf cip art.

Step Two:
Cut out the shapes you want to use, carefully trimming close the the edges. This will make it easier to transfer the exact shape to your thick card stock. Once you have the shapes cut out, trace them onto the thick cardstock. Now, I used the paper that is inserted into the scrapbook page protectors because it was the thickest I had lying around. But you can use what ever you want. Because you are tracing around the shape multiple times, you'll need a cardstock with some weight so the shape doesn't alter as you use it. Okay, once your shape is traced on the cardstock, cut it out with your exacto knife. I suggest using an exacto knife because it cuts through the card stock without bending the edges like using scissors will.

Step Three:
Trace your leaves onto your scrapbook paper. I was cautious about where I placed the shape on the print of each paper but if that doesn't matter to you then trace away freely. Cut out your leaves.

Step Four:
Following the template below, make your wreath base of you heavy cardstock and cut out, using the exacto knife for the inner circle so you dont bend the outer ring.

Step Five:
Place the leaves around your ring/wreath base randomly. Try to mix up the colors! Once you are happy with the look, tape down the bottom layer of leaves. Place the leaves remaining leaves on top using a glue stick or rubber cement. Let dry.

Step Six:
Add details, like ribbons, wood letters, cardboard letters, etc., using rubber cement or glue stick. Let dry.

Step Seven:
Hang and enjoy!


What crafts do you enjoy doing in the fall? Have any ideas for me to do?

xoxo,

CLB

Engaged Encounter

John and I are on retreat this weekend! Yay for being engaged and getting married! The purpose of this weekend is to connect with each other and learn to communicate as a couple. Oh the things I learn on my way to being married!

Hey! Happy Hump Day!

Welcome to Wednesday!

      Yesterday I hoped to hear from either of the places I interviewed with last week, but sadly I did not. I hope that I hear from them today. Especially, the American Cancer Society since it is so important to me. In case that doesn't happen, I applied for three mom jobs with a different non-profit close to my heart. Literally. The American Heart Association. For those of you who don't know me personally, both of these non-profits are special to me. Cancer runs in my family and I have worked for four years to support the mission of the ACS. As for the AHA, when my mother had a heart attack 19 years ago, I was the one who found her lying on the bathroom floor and call for help.
     Although my degree is in fashion, I could see myself being happy working for a great organization like these. I have linked to the websites in case you all feel like learning more!

     As for my day-to-day activities, I get to play home maker today. Shopping, cooking, cleaning and laundry are all on my list of things to do. I enjoy days like this, surprisingly. I stay busy all day and get to play 'house' with John. I am also going to try to get some blog organization done so if things start to change on you, don't worry. I did it. Hope you don't mind!

xoxo
   CLB



P.S. Today is "Be Late for Something" Day. So if you have any meetings, dates, or appointments, go ahead and be "fashionably late" today.

Thumb Twiddling Tuesday

      It's Tuesday!
      I have yet to secure a job in Texas. Although, I've had several interviews and filled out about a billion applications. Still no job, even in spite of being called and offered a part-time job. Unfortunately, this coincided with an interview for a full-time position at a non-profit I absolutely adore! So I wait, twiddling my thumbs, for a call back about either one. Hopefully, the non-profit will call and make my day today. It's still early right?

     It's Newspaper Carrier Day!
     So, in the event that you still receive your paper in newsprint, say a little thank you to the unknown person in the van who selflessly awakes at the crack of dawn to drive for hours in the minimal light of day break, simply to throw your paper, just beyond your reach, in the bushes. Interesting fact about Newspaper Carrier Day: No one knows who created this day exactly, however, the Newspaper Association of America takes ownership and publishes the date in which carrier day is to be held each year.

     Happy Birthday!

     If today is your birthday, you share it with my Uncle Rick, Dr. Drew, and Beyonce. 

     Let the count down begin...

     There are 118 days left in 2012. Only 111 days left in the Christmas shopping season. 

xoxo,
  CLB

My Senior Year

     It is hard, if not impossible, to sum up an entire year with one post. But guess who is crazy enough to attempt it!? THIS GIRL!

Our story begins last August...

     After completing my internship, and having a less then exciting end to said internship, school started up for me for the last time. Taking 18 hours, chairing a Relay For Life event, and teaching a class can really damper ones social life! But none the less, I was excited for my last fall semester! I had a wonderful roommate (who inspired me to be a better person), my boyfriend was back in town after a summer apart, and I was beginning the culmination of my fours years of fashion education: my senior collection. 

     Jump to mid semester and life was crazy hectic! I had taken a trip to Dallas, Texas with Relay for a summit, and was playing catch up in anticipation for another trip. This time to Chicago for career day. I was pulling leads for my news reporting and writing class, working on senior collection sketches, being tutored for a math class, assisting in another and all the while, trying to keep in touch with friends and family when I could spare a moment to relax. Of course, I made time when my St.Louis Cardinals made the playoffs, and then the World Series! Before I knew it, my "red October" was over and we were staring down at Thanksgiving break. 

And some break that was! 

     Upon returning from Chicago, my boyfriend was planning a "date day" to be had once we were back in St. Louis. Turned out that he was actually planning a proposal! Shocked and in awe, and near tears, I said yes! (I'm sure you all are thinking: that's it? But don't worry. I'll post the entire story at a later date) 

My Beautiful Ring!

      Returning to school as a fiancé was amazing and on a new high, I finished the semester with a bang! Well sort of, I passed with flying colors anyway! 

      Spring took off before I knew it and I was knee deep in fabric and Relay purple.  Relay consumed A LOT of time in the spring. A lot. We had meetings with our committee, team captains, and chairs almost every week. And we were such a close committee that each meeting lasted way longer than needed! I didn't mind too much though. And the weekend of our event, we were hustling and bustling to tie up loose ends and get everything just right. Of course none of that mattered when FOUR hours before the start of our event we were rained out of our outside location. We had to race inside and set up for Relay in a fourth of the time it usually takes... No worries guys, we are so amazing that we pulled it off and it ended up being a way better event! Our total... $60,000. Triple what we raised the last 3 years!

    I have to pause here an shout out to my amazing co-chairs, TRICIA, KATIE AND WHITNEY,  who made it possible for me to do both the things I loved this Spring, Relay and my senior collection. Without their help and understanding, I would of had to give up Relay and I am so thankful for them! Not to mention how AWESOME each of these ladies are! We pushed each other so hard to raise $1000 each. And we did it!! 

    


      Anywho, the semester was blowing by like the wind and I was caught up in the storm of life. My senior collection was kicking my ass. An undertaking that I look back at and realize just how big and overachieving it all really was. Between fittings, and fabric samples, and missed deadlines that I had made for myself, I was in tears with all the stress. Not to mention the lack of clean laundry and a house that looked like a construction zone. I have no idea how anyone put up with me! Especially my roommate, who had to live amount the mess and chaos! 


I finally made it to Fashion Show weekend with a collection I will be proud of all my life!

My Collection and WONDERFUL models!

Thanks Tricia, Nikki, Lexi, Anna and Shannon!

     It seemed like once my collection was finished, so was school. Before I knew it, I was getting ready for graduation!  Graduation is such a feat and I have to admit I am proud of myself. There were times when I thought I'd never make it to that point. And I had so much help getting there. I will forever be grateful to those who helped me get there. I still have dreams where I think I am going to fail school because I haven't been to class in three months but, I wake up and realize that I DID graduate and I am no longer in school. Its a strange feeling!

My best friend, Allie and I. 

My "Lucy"! My roommate, Kelsey and I outside our home!

My full family: My dad and mom, my John(fiancé) and his mom and dad!

     So that brings us to now...

             Don't worry, I will spare you the moving details... for now.       :)

xoxo,

     CLB

Sleepless In Fort Worth

Finally, at over a year since I last talked with you guys, I am getting back to this whole blogging thing! Ironic since my last entry was about coming back too. But sadly life got in the way and I left. But as I sit up at 1:15 in the morning I realized just how left out you all have been and thought, well here goes nothing.

Here's an update, in short, as to the happenings of my life since a year ago. I'm ENGAGED! Yay! I've graduated! Yay, again! And I'm living in Fort Worth, Texas! Also yay!
I'll give you all the deets later on about each one. I promise. 

Now to the most current of happenings: I am lying awake at 1:15AM. In the quietness, and coolness of a dark room you are surprised at what goes through your mind! Like the lyrics to certain Disney songs in which you haven't seen or heard in years. Or the unfinished prayers to God you forgot to say last Sunday. Or the blog you completely forgot about! 
Of course none of these are the reason for my sleeplessness, I'm sure. What I'm not sure of is the route of the said sleeplessness. Could it be that after waking up at 5AM with my fiancé all week, only to go back to sleep at 6AM when he leaves and sleeping until 9, 10, or even 11, has thrown my schedule off? Sure, why not!? 

The remedy? 
Easy, blog. Blog until your eyes can no longer stay open. Blog until the sleeplessness is sleepy! 

I think I'll start with another post. 

Mission Possible: Organization

This week my project was all about organization. 

Monday it started with scheduling the interns. Because space and machines are limited at work, we needed a better system so no one was wasting time waiting on someone else to be done doing something. (Surprisingly, this happened quite often) So I started with to-do lists, figuring what everyone had left to do on each of their projects.  Once that was finished, I made everyone deadlines. Once the deadlines were set, I made a schedule based on who needed what space and when. It took me about the whole day, but it helped us out so much! 

And I finished the week by organizing the fabric in the studio. We have a lot of fabric in the studio. And it takes up A LOT of space. We are all in the production phase of the collection and need all the room we can get! So I tackled the project that was the fabric wall. Unfortunately there is no before picture. But trust me, it looks a lot better now. Plus, now we can find what we are looking for!