Paper, Scissors, String... and a little magic

A couple weekends ago a friend of mine and her mother were putting on a Bridal Shower for their soon-to-be sister and daughter-in-law. They held it at my friend's grandmother's house which already has a special feel to it with the antique decor (which you can see in the beautiful chair pictured above). So, we kept the decorations for the shower super simple. I made this "Bride" banner to hang over the Bride's seat. It was fairly simple to make and really was a special touch.

Make sure to use a nice thick paper for the letters so they hold up nicely, but use any color you want. You could even find a nice patterned paper. For the little flower looking additions on either end I used regular copy paper so I could bend and mold it more easily. For those I just followed template I have for headbands I do with fabric, but it worked great for those as well. You can go without the additions or make whatever you want for the ends.

A teacher or two

There's nothing I love better than a true character, somebody that makes life a little more interesting. The professor for my Disasters & Failures class was the definition of character. If you think of what a mad scientist looks like, my professor would probably match up to about 9 out of the 10 descriptors you think up. The wild hair, large glasses, button up shirt partly tucked in, pleated khaki pants, and a touch of crazy. He was such a character I couldn't help but do a quick sketch of him. Glad I did.

I wish I could find my syllabus for my philosophy class because there were five different professors for that class (everyone of them an extreme character) and to help me remember which one was which I did a sketch of each of them next to their name. It was like they had to pass a "character" exam to be able to teach the class.
One of my sketches of a teacher ended up as their facebook picture. In my psychology class we had a quiz every week and after it was done I, like most students, would doodle on the back of the quiz. Our professor told us that sometimes he liked to share what students sketched out on the back of their quizzes with the class. So, one time the TA was there to teach the class and gave the quiz and he had this funky little hair-do. I did a little sketch of him and the next week the professor said he wanted to share some drawings with the class. Up on the screen was my sketch of the TA and a nice stick figure of our professor. He wondered why the TA got a real portrait and all he got was a stick figure, kind of funny. Then he told us that the TA had made my sketch his facebook profile picture... who knew?

Every Chapter has a Song...

Every Chapter has a song, and this is the song to my present chapter in life.

I definitely have a soundtrack to my life. A song can play and I am suddenly transported to a certain time or place in my life or I'm reminded of an event or friend. Like Salty the Song Book and Sandy Patty are definitely my early, early years. Then there's Amy Grant (baby, baby, baby) and Carmen which were the next step in my music exploration. And yes those are all christian artists. My parents kept it clean for us. My first secular song that I can remember listening to and knowing it was different was "Don't go Chasing Waterfalls" by TLC. I was over at my cousin's house playing downstairs in her bedroom and she played this song. We dressed up and pretended to be TLC without a third member. "Get Low" by Lil John and the East Side Boyz ("From the windows to the walls..." that song), I hear that and I'm suddenly at my first dance in the seventh grade and all it's uncomfortability. "Cotton Eyed Joe" - Cheerleading competition at MU. Colbie Caillat's debut album (actually it was a burned CD from a friend before her album had even been released) - Spring Semester, Freshman year of College working in the 3D lab on my oversized fishing lure project late into the evening. Grits - Hanging out at best friends' neighborhood pool during one of our last summers of true freedom before driver's licenses and jobs, laying out and sharing headphones listening to her Grits album. Natasha Bedingfield "These Words" - one of Kinsey's (my best friend) and my songs, blasted in the car going everywhere, her first entry in our book we passed between us was a drawing of a boom box like the one in the music video, this was our "Anthem" song, still kind of is.

Some of the songs/artists that would have to my included in my life's soundtrack: Amy Grant, Carmen, Grits, Relient K, Switchfoot, TLC, Beyonce, Missy Elliot, Black Eyed Peas, Jeremy Camp, Natasha Bedingfield, Colbie Caillat, Michael Buble, Hillsong, C+C Music Factory, Vanilla Ice, Matt Wertz, and on and on, you know I'm forgetting a bunch. And yes, I know what a crazy mix all those songs would be together, but it's that the way life is, a crazy mix?

So, I could go on and on with different songs and I'm sure as soon as I click "Post" I'm going to kick myself for forgetting to include something 'super' important, but this will have to do and I'm sure you get my point.

Right now my song is "I Smile" by Kirk Franklin. It is just so perfect for where I'm at right now. Life is rough and I could focus on all the things that aren't going the way I'd like them too, but instead, I smile. "I know God is working, so I smile"



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Royal Love

Yes, I was one of the 2 billion people that tuned in to see commoner Kate Middleton marry Prince William Arthur Philip Louis. I was busy working on projects so, I just stayed up the rest of the night to watch the wedding. Mom woke up at 3 a.m. to join me and we watched it all together. I tweeted along the way commenting on all the fun details. It was exciting to share this moment in history with my mom. I will forever remember this moment in time, and that's special. That's why I watched. What really made this whole wedding thing so fun to watch was the fact that you can tell the couple is truly in love. They both just seemed extremely happy. You could sense the pure joy and love.

Favorite parts were of course the dress that I am in love with, Harry sneaking a peak of the bride and whispering to William, and then the couple taking moments to look and smile at one another.

This dress was straight out of my dreams. Seriously, it's like Kate knew what my dream dress was in my head and had it created. I am in love with this dress and Kate wore it beautifully. She wore the dress, it didn't wear her. Every detail of this gown was perfect. Just enough lace, but not too much. Conservative and yet a touch of sexy all at the same time. Read more about the gown here.

As Kate walked down the isle William kept his back to her to save the moment of seeing her until she was right beside him. But his brother Harry just couldn't wait and took a sneak peak. After catching a look he smiled and turned to William and whispered something with a chuckle. A great sibling moment. Read about it here.

This is so fun that the couple left the palace in a convertible, with balloons intact. Clearly a modern day Royal couple.

Loved watching the whole event and of course I am still watching all the specials being aired today.

And No, I didn't forget the HATS! or the crazy fans watching there in London, I just didn't want to load it all on in this post. So, yes... more to come.

5 Little Things... (part 2)

Here's the next edition of "5 Little Things You May Want to Know About Me."

I get asked a lot if I wear fake eyelashes. The answer is no. In fact I've never worn fake lashes, ever. I was blessed with long lashes. I do have to curl them because they naturally stick straight out so I use an eyelash curler to get them to curl up. I also get asked a lot what mascara I use. Now, I've used a bunch and I can't say there is a huge difference between them but right now I use Maybelline's Volum'Express Mascara, the Falsies: Black Drama. I really do like it. So, if you're looking to try something new you might give it a shot. Depending on your hair color and skin tone you may want to use a different color and not the Black Drama.

One of my fondest memories of college was getting to serve on the executive board for HIS. It was such a joy. I was the New Member Educator which means I worked with all the girl who wanted to join HIS. I just loved it. The whole thing, the 7 hour exec meetings, the tuesday night new member meetings and big meetings, the wednesday night new member assistant meetings, the checking of e-mails all the time, all of it, all the extra stuff. Planning events, problem solving, game playing, fundraising, all of it. And I know that all that enjoyment had to do with my amazing exec that I had the privilege of serving with and the beautiful girl of HIS that we served. From left to right in the picture above we have: Jenica (Growth Coordinator/Bible Studies), Lauren W. (Treasurer/and our official DJ), Allison (VP Standing), Jackie (President), Lauren S. (VP Social), Nikita (Secretary), and me (New Member Educator). These women are truly amazing and I hope to be friends for a very long time.

>About HIS, but you can skip< (While in college at Texas Christian University (TCU) I joined a christian sorority called Eta Iota Sigma (HIS). This opportunity was a gift from God. I went through the greek sorority rush system and after the third day I dropped out but not without a lot of nerves and worry. I wondered if I should just go through with it because I wanted to make friends and find my place, but in my heart I knew it wasn't right. The first day of rush was fun because you go to every house and meet all these new people and everyone wears the same t-shirt. Then the second day comes and I felt like I was walking through a Teen Vogue photo shoot that I did not belong in. And then you find out that you've been called back to houses you didn't really relate to the day before and not asked back to houses you really wanted. It gave me an unsettling feeling. All that to say I dropped out and I am so thankful I did. I heard about this christian sorority and was curious to find out what it was all about. I went to the first open meeting and as they started out with worship my heart became peaceful. I knew then that I had found my place. They didn't judge me on how I looked or how much money my parents make but rather they invitation was already there, it was up to me to decide and say yes or no. I liked that everyone didn't look the same. There were cool people and not so cool people, and that was Beautiful!)

My first Jodi Picoult book was "My Sisters' Keeper." A really great book that I would suggest to anyone. As an older sister I understand that strong bond that happens between sisters and was drawn into this book. Next I read "Plain Truth" and then "Nineteen Minutes" and then two others but these three are my favorites so far. I like her books because I enjoy the law and Jodi incorporates the law into her books really well, so it's easy to understand and she brings up interesting topics. I don't always agree with her perspective but I enjoy processing these issues in her books. She also incorporates a bit of mystery in them, in that you don't get all the answers up front and so you get to piece things together for yourself as you read and then figure it all out at the end.

In HIS they have have "Bigs and Littles" which is like Big Sis, Little Sis. It's a great way to get upperclassmen to take new members under their wings and created a relationship there. Now not all matches go as amazing as mine did, so I know I am super blessed. Pictured above is my Big, Michelle, and my twin, Stefanie, on inductions night. Michelle had gotten us these huge stuffed animal lambs to give to us. That's the kind of relationship we have. Michelle was just the best Big you could ever ask for and we made the perfect family. They truly did become my family and some of my best friends. So, I love this lamb and still to this day sleep with it every night. It is my cuddle buddy. It's looking a little sad but that's only because I've squeezed a whole lot of love out of it.

I grew up writing letters. My first pen pals were my Great Grandma Dorothy and my Grammy. Then me and my best friend Kinsey would right back and forth as well. I love writing letters and sending the love out different people wherever they are at as much as I love the feeling I get when I find a little letter in the mail for me. In the picture above I have my loads of received letters (I think that's most of them) and my basket on the right is full of card waiting to be sent out.

Click (here) to see my first "5 Little Things"

Umbrellas & Rain Boots

It just keeps raining. Nothing crazy, but just enough so I can't mow the lawn. Last week I helped my grandparents out at there house three days out of the week and the two days I was home and able to mow... it rained. Then this saturday I was ready to go cut down the forest (a.k.a. the grass) and I had someone ask me to do some last minute design work for them. And as we all know Sunday was a beautiful day, but it was also Easter and I was gone all day. So, as you can see in the picture above, the grass situation is getting a little out of control. It rained yesterday and a little this morning, but I'm hoping it dries up a little today so I can mow this afternoon.

While I was in Texas (Fort Worth) I found out that it rains there a lot. Not all the time or anything like Seattle, but it definitely rained there more than it does here in Kansas City. I think mainly that was because in the winter, instead of snow... we got rain. All that to say, it took me four years to finally get the rain boots I realized I needed the first year I was there. This is why: See with umbrellas and rain boots you forget that you need them, until you need them. So, every time it rained I'd tell myself, "Bethany, you have to get some rain boots. This is ridiculous walking around in flip flops." But then when I would be out shopping and trying my best to save money and be responsible I'd talk myself out of buying the rain boots. I'd tell myself I could do without and save the $30. So, finally by the fourth year I caved and got myself some rain boots. Thank the Lord I did. So, much better now. I think the same mentality goes on with umbrellas too. That's why when I worked at Target whenever it rained they put the umbrella display practically right next to the door when you walked in. Reminder: You need an Umbrella!

On another note someone ordered a lady bug onesie, so I got that done and created this adorable package for it. I just love it.