Crafty Again

Just wanted to show the crafty things I've been at recently... nothing too special!

This is the mask I made for ADPi Masquerade! I used black paint mixed with black and silver glitter for the base. Then I sprinkled more black and silver glitter on top. Next I laid strips of lace over the eyes and set black sequins in the corners. A trimmed black feather to top it off! (I also painted a wooden stick black and sprinkled it with black glitter!!) The mask started off as a plain, white mask and I cut it down to this "sweat-heart" shape!!!

I decided I wanted to hand all my hair bows on the wall! So, I took a pretty, orange ribbon and hung them up on a bare spot next to the window!

Love you to the moon and back!

It's "Reel-y" a Shame I Haven't Seen These!

So, there are some films, classic films, that I have still NOT seen! Most are films I love and know all about. However, I've never actually watched them! Some are old, new, famous, lesser known, etc (you get the point! Anyways, I'm going to make a list of films I want to see, no, NEED to see. Though my life seems to be consumed with studying a good 87% of the time, I do hope to make somewhat of a dent in the list. (Now don't judge me on my list - some of these are movies I just haven't seen all the way through. But mostly, it's me be honest and saying, "I haven't seen this classic that everything should see!")

I'd really love to hear what some of the films on your list are!! Or, if you have suggestions for me - please let me know!!!

Dead Poets Society

The Graduate

Casablanca

A Clockwork Orange

Sophie's Choice

The Shining

The Messenger

12 Monkeys

Pulp Fiction

Annie Hall

Rebel Without a Cause

Schindler's List

American Beauty 

Amelie

The Hurt Locker

-so there's a start though I know I have many more!

Love you to the moon and back!!

techNO!

This morning I had an interesting conversation with a friend of mine about how technology has seemed to take over our world today! She and I both agreed that it was kind of unneeded and can even interrupt  daily interactions. So it got me thinking - why are we so dependent on our iPhones and iPods? Do we really need 5,000 songs on hand? Would life not go on if Words with Friends ceased to exist? Personally, I have an old school iPod (not the original, but the version that came out right after it). It's nothing fancy, but I have noooo need for anything more. It holds 1,000 songs and I doubt I could listen to even half of them in a day! I couldn't find a reason for any more than that. I'm sure the battery would die before I could through all of them! And my phone you ask? Well, I find that it call make calls and send text messages. That's about all a phone should be used for in my opinion! I really don't understand the need for all different "apps." Really, with my laptop I'm reading emails and checking Facebook more often then I'd like. I'm pretty sure if I used the internet on my phone (which I haven't even tried to figure out) that would be Facebook overload. I'm not going to climb up on a soapbox here, but I just feel that if we can't walk from class to another without bumping into each because we're too busy playing with out phones - we have a bit of a problem! I understand some people need fancy, high-tech phones for their jobs. For instance, my dad needs internet on his phone to be able to check into flights when he doesn't have access to a computer. But SOMEBODY PLEASE take that dang blackberry away from him! When people (AKA my dad) are reading their work emails at home, when it time to relax and spend time with your family, I vote it's time to take internet away from phones (at least for certain hours of the night!)
Well... now that I've gotten all preachy... which is not what I intended... apologies!
Anyways, my whole point was, why is all the new technology so necessary? Don't you think it takes away from relationships?? I do!! Thoughts??
Welllllll... I guess I should get back to class!!

Love you to the moon and back!!!

Penny For Your Thoughts

See a penny, pick it up! All day long you'll have good luck!
Well in my family that has a lot more meaning! February of my Junior year of high school my Grandad passed away. It was the first big death for me, but it was more than that. I was extremely close with my Grandad and loosing him was like having a part of me torn away. I'll never forget the last time I saw him. Why? Because as I was saying goodbye to him, that last time, I knew I would never hug him again. That is one of the hardest things to do. To say goodbye to someone knowing it will be permanent. Especially when they are one of the most important people in your life.
My family's lives were rocked the day he left us. We lost the cornerstone of our family - a father, a husband, a grandfather. It was scary to move on from that even though we knew it was coming.
Now, we get on fine. Yes, everyday we miss him. My mom, grandmother and I agree that these later years we seem to be missing him more and more. I catch myself thinking hard on how much I miss him and wish he could be here to see what I've grown into. And I know everyone in my family feels the same way too.
However, he left behind an amazing legacy to help us feel his love daily. In my family we believe that every time see a penny on the ground - he dropped it for us. Those pennies are little reminders for us that Grandad is still with us! It's a special way for us to remember him in our daily lives. Now, you can't find one when you're looking for one. They come to you when you least expect and when you need it the most. For instance, I was having the WORST day last week. I had AT LEAST one thing due or one test in every class (some classes I had more than one thing) and I was getting next to no sleep because I was up late every night (studying or writing papers!). So, during the day I was stressing and trying to making from one second to the next without going crazy from my awesome (that's sarcasm!) migraines and lack of sleep hysteria! What do you know - I spot a SHINY, NEW penny right in front of me on the ground right before I'm about to lose it. Another example: The other weekend I went to Mexico on a missions trip (which of course maybe my entire family sick with worry!). Now this is probably pretty obvious, but you don't commonly use pennies is a Mexican neighborhood where you won't find a lot of Americans. What do you know? As I'm helping move furniture, I look down and see two pennies that were (legit) brand new. As if they had just come fresh from the mint (penny making factory??).

Sooooo dear readers - I'd like to know what is it that's is unique and special to your family? Do pennies remind you as well of your Grandad? Or is there something else that your family has that is special to you?

So next time you see a penny, you can think of my Grandad and how much me meant to my family. And who knows, maybe you'll leave it there so I can pick it up incase I need to cheering up!

When doing the laundry the other day - I looked down at the bottom of my laundry basket and saw this! (Two pennies just sitting there!)

Love you to the moon and back!