Take A Walk

Go for a walk. Really, I'm not kidding. It has become such an underrated activity, but it opens the world. It is catching snip-its of people's lives. Gathering observations. Soaking in the elements.

Ironic that I live in one of the most spread out cities in America. The car is the most ideal form of transportation, yet I prefer walking, whether in the occasional (let's be honest) rain or in the blazing heat. 

It is my therapy.

My time to process.

Every moment and every decision is so fragile. So volatile. One step. One decision to stay or go. It can all drastically affect our journey. That's what makes life beautiful. The walks. The twists and the turns. The paths we choose to invest our time along.

Stars In My Eyes

I've always been fascinated with the stars. When I was a kid, I would walk around my neighborhood at night with my head thrown back, staring at the stars. They made me feel very small, but in the best way possible. Not much has changed as I've grown up. I'm still drawn to the those far away balls of light. Funny that I now live in a place where they're mostly hidden. But those moments they do peak through are like falling in love. They remind me that all my worries are so insignificant, that we are a part of a universe bigger than we could ever fathom.

I recently discovered the artist, Summer Heart, and his music would be the perfect soundtrack to laying under under the stars, imagining the future and dreaming in the present.

And if I could wear the galaxies, I would only be the happiest! I believe opals are little bits of space in tangible form. It's only natural they are also my birth stone. My connection to the stars began early and continues to entwine itself beautifully throughout my life.

Picture 1&2: Romwe
Picture 3: Etsy

Life In Color

I've been itching to write another blog post for weeks, but the month of July demanded my undivided attention. All my ideas and thoughts are dying to spill out now!

I thought after I finished school summer might lose a little of it's magic, but it is just as sunny and full of possibilities. Days spent with friends and family in the company of art, music, movies, and the gorgeous outdoors. It's a beautiful time. I've missed staying indoors crafting, although I've found time for a few small projects I can't wait to share soon. My August must incude more arts and crafts for the soul, you know?

Living in a place where the actual seasons are so mildly different, you could blink and miss the change, has caused me to appreciate the seasons of self. They aren't defined by a calendar or weather pattern. For the past year, I've been in what I would define as "winter". A little icy, a little fragile, maybe even a little treacherous, yet allowing for perseverance and cleansing. Full of spring's seedlings peaking out. But now is my time to appreciate life's color. Now is my summer. Not just in the temporal, emotional sense, but deep in my heart. The kind of feeling that comes from the inside out, where I am giving rather than receiving. Every season is one of beauty, and with this change I appreciate my new season even more profoundly. What season are you in?

<3 Taylor

Life Through Frosted Glasses

It's been pretty quiet here on the blog, but I've missed sharing my creative thoughts. Trust me, they haven't stopped. I've just been busy investing in friends and family and exercising my concert junkie tendencies.

I've also been learning hard lessons about love. Like, sometimes the person you choose to love, doesn't choose to love you back. And that's all it is, choices that don't align. If anything, the person who lost is the person who did not accept being loved. This world is caught up in temporary emotions and desires, but love is an eternal action. So let's never stop choosing to love.

Through all this, I've come to realize the value of perseverance. Especially when crafting on a regular basis, this has become a common word in my vocabulary. Projects don't quite turn out how imagined. In fact, I would dare to say none of mine have ever gone as planned. Part of this could be due to my impatience and inclination to jump into projects headfirst. Oops! I originally intended this DIY for frosted wine glasses (to drink from), but food-safe glass sealants are not readily available. This is exactly where perseverance came into play. I wasn't ready to ditch these pretty glasses, so I brainstormed an alternative use... mini succulent garden! Perfect for my Mom's birthday present. So here's how to turn something gone wrong into something gone right.

Materials:

• Frosted glass spray paint
• Rubber bands
• Wine glasses
• Optional Materials: succulents and soil, candles, flower clippings

1. Start stretching the rubber bands around the tops of the wine glasses. 

2. You probably need to put at least 4 or 5 on each, but keep going until you have the design you want.

3. Turn the wine glasses over and spray on a few coats of the frosted paint, so they're fully coated.

4. Let the glasses dry completely. 

5. Remove rubberbands.

6. Unless you mark off space around the lip of the glass, these wine glasses won't be food-safe. I used them as planters for succulents. You could also turn them into candle holders or vases. Wherever your imagination takes you!

My mom loved her birthday present! 

DIY: Idea Jar

Today was one of those days I couldn't wait for work to end so I could run home and play with paint and popsicle sticks. That's normal right? It was definitely worth the 9 hour wait, because now I can finally put this little project to use.

Do you ever have that hour, that day, that weekend you need a little help figuring out what to do? I'm constantly taking note of activities I want to try later, but when later comes, suddenly all those ideas fly out of my mind. Anyone else have this problem? Or is it just me? Well, I hope you can relate, so you can be as excited about this DIY as I am!

Idea Jar:

Materials:

• Jar
• Paint (craft paint or spray paint)
• Paint brush
• Popsicle sticks
• Cloth
• Twine
• Pen (not pictured)
• Scissors (not pictured)
• Ideas and creativity**

1. Pick your idea categories and color coordinate. I chose red (costly/24 hour+ activity), purple (arts&culture), green (outdoor activity), yellow (inexpensive/no planning needed), and blue (food&drink).

2. Paint those popsicle sticks! It might help to make a list of your ideas first so you know how many of each color you need... or improvise!

3. Pick a fabric to wrap your jar in and cut it down to fit your jar. I folded the edges, wrapped the fabric around the jar, and tied the twine around it. If you want it to be more solid, you could put a few stitches around the edges and/or at the back. If your jar has a label, you might want to take it off. I just covered it to save time.

4. Write down all your creative ideas on the popsicle sticks and stick them in the jar.

Last is the best part: go find (or make) some free time in your schedule and see what activity you pull out of that jar first!

<3 Taylor

I Promise

With work, planning for my Etsy shop, graduations, birthdays, weddings, and lots of dates and phone conversations with my favorite people, life has been full of distractions. Sometimes your life looks wonderful on paper, but your heart is shattered. Putting those pieces back together is the most beautiful experience though, because you can only start that process when you are completely honest with yourself. It starts with a foundation: promises that I want to define my life and hold true in my heart.

I promise to treat myself with kindness and respect.
I promise to hold myself to realistic expectations and forgive myself if I fail.
I promise to be honest with myself and with others.
I promise to feel my emotions with all their intensity but not to dwell on the negative.
I promise to stay true to my heart and my soul.
I promise to challenge myself even when I don't want to be challenged.
I promise to stop holding back when I need to let go.
I promise to stop trying to control what only God can.
I promise to trust that God has my best interests at heart.
I promise to give the Lord my past, present, and future.
I promise to never stop asking questions.
I promise to never judge.
I promise to always create, imagine, and dream.
I promise to never stop trying new things.
I promise to always have an open heart.
I promise to love others the way Jesus loved and love with my whole heart.
I promise to never cease praying or forget its power.
I promise to never live in a bubble and to never stop exploring.
I promise to never settle for the ordinary.
I promise to stop being scared.
I promise to be content in the present.

What have you promised yourself?

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day! If there's one thing in the world I know, it is how special mothers are. There's no one else on this earth who knows you from the very moment you were created. I'm very blessed to have a mom who loves me so unconditionally. I have never felt more accepted, supported, and encouraged than by the words and actions of my mom. I've been through some rough times in this past year and I would never have survived without my phone and a mom who is willing to talk to me whenever I need her, however long I need her. Hope your Sunday was filled with beauty and appreciation of the love in your life.

Here's a little project I worked on for my beautiful mother (and she definitely liked it!):