Mr. Anderson

 

 

Over the past few months, I've been watching all of Wes Anderson's films. While being a HUGE fan of Fantastic Mr Fox and loving Moonrise Kingdom over the summer, I had actually never seen any of his other (infamous) films.

 

 A few years back, I'd watched The Darjeeling Limited, but wasn't really impressed. Then I found out, I wasn't really the only one who didn't enjoy it. I may give it another go if the opportunity presents itself; sometimes I'll re-watch a film I had watched a while back and end up liking it more the second go round.

Everyone I know loves The Royal Tennenbaums...but it wasn't my favorite, if you're looking at all of his films as a whole. I really enjoyed the storyline between Margot and Richie and Gene Hackman is a guilty pleasure of mine, so of course I enjoyed Royal's crazy adventures. But somehow, it just didn't stand out to me as much as I thought it would. I probably had way too much expectation going in, you know?

 

Bill Murray was definitely something I got excited about and looked forward to every time I would pop in one of Anderson's films. Rushmore was a really good flick all around, there wasn't anything I'd change. It felt like one of the few films of Anderson's that really showed his voice and what something he creates looks like. Jason Schwartzman is one of my favorite actors and it was both adorable and hilarious to see him in the role of Max.

 

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou is probably my favorite film of Wes Anderson's collection thus far, tied with Fantastic Mr Fox and Moonrise Kingdom. (Really, you'd expect me to pick just one? You're a silly goose.) I loved the way it was shot, the characters, the silly 'underwater' stuff and of course, those damn dolphins. It was surprising for me, to enjoy this just as much as I did. I feel as though its one of the few films that Anderson has made that leaves you feeling content; not only that the film was amazing, but that all the characters had good ends.

 

I know I'm no expert on Mr Anderson or his films, but just felt I had to share my little project with you. No, I have not yet seen Bottle Rocket, I've picked it up once or twice, but somehow have not yet been able to watch it. Mostly because I don't want this little adventure to end.

 



what i'm working on

Lately, I've been working on my embroidery; and am planning to open an Etsy shop within the next month or so.

Above, is an eight by eight inch piece I made for a friends' birthday recently and plan to add it to my shop as a custom order option. I've always done embroideries like this or similar for friends, and I think they make lovely little gifts.

Something I plan on doing is making everything affordable. Yes, the embroidery takes a great deal of time; but I see how overpriced some embroidery shops are and it makes me sad. There should be a happy medium between selling yourself short of your talent and overpricing things to the public.

I have about 5-10 designs in my head and a small handful already finished. Lots of fun and silly designs for nursuries, kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms; all of which you can buy for keeps or give to a special someone.

Well, I'll keep you updated! I'm quite excited for this venture and have been hard at work prepping for my upcoming opening.

If you want to see more of what I've been up to and future embroidery designs, stalk follow me on Instagram!

(Made for a friends twenty-fourth birthday. Almost didn't want to give it away!)

dear friend

 

Dear lovely friend,

 

Thank you for your wonderful friendship.

 

I think of you quite often lately as the arrival of your darling girl comes closer and closer. That little lady will have so much love around her and for her, you'll have to keep some tucked away in a jar to give to her when she's older and goes through her more tough times. It will be so exciting, getting to see her grow and become a beautiful and true-hearted person, just like her Mama. I can't wait to meet her and read her stories and teach her things; someday, someday.

 

You and your world inspire me so much and make me smile bigger and more often in a weeks time than most people can get out of me in a years' worth of friendship. I love whom you both are and all you stand for. I wish I had a tight-knit family like you share together and love hearing all the stories about your memories with them. You both teach me almost daily that it's okay to be completely open and that it's not such a bad thing to be silly, openly. And the love and friendship you show for each other and others oozes onto me and makes me a better person.

 

But you, just you my dear are amazing. There's not even enough people to count on one hand that I trust as much as I do you. I value you and your friendship emmensly and I feel so honored to know you. Your soul shines bright with all the kindness that you show to not only your friends and family, but everyone you come in contact with. You are many, many lovely things but most of all you are: caring, compassionate, a great listener, wonderful advice giver, sweet, smart, daring, kind, and just when it comes down to putting it all together - one of the greatest friends I've ever had.

 

Thank you for sharing all your kindness with me along with all the tears, fears, laughter and love shared through love notes and late night phone calls.You're my constant companion, someone I can always count on and whom I do belive is a true soul sister.

 

Sending you all my good thoughts and prayers as your world flies in tonight. And for little lady, as she is expected any day now.

 

XOXO

 

 



lately

While I sit here in this coffee shop, enjoying the most lovely blustery day reading blogs, I thought I might as well take some time to blog myself.

Life has changed quite a bit in the past month. It's less stressful and more joyful.

I've moved in with C, taking 90% of the stress in my life away that was a cause of my previous living situation. The transistion has been easy, but tiring. No matter how close or far away, moving is a pain and I've found that it's actually less enjoyable. When you move to a different state, you get the fun road trip along with moving. When it's just down the road, it's boring as bugs; you're just filling and re-filling your car with your belongings, dumping everything at the new place and then starting all over again. Know what I mean? Nevertheless, I'm so much happier and life has been so much more enjoyable now that I'm living with my best friend.

Over the past couple of weeks, C and I have been spending a lot of quality time with his best friend Sumi (pronounced SOO-me). She's one of the coolest people I've ever known and one of the most genuine as well. Sumi is also greatly obsessed with Anthropologie just like me and we spend hours upon hours in our local store just browsing and picking out a few lovely things to take home. Sumi's a trained chef and grew up in South Korea; she said that Anthro is very similiar to most shops they have in Korea and that's why she loves it so much. I love Sumi so much, she's one of those few people you meet in your lifetime that you'll hold onto forever, she's a wonderfrul human being.

It's only been a week since Caela announced the gender of baby Maxham and I've already spent way too much money on things for little Felix. Baby girls' clothes are the most adorable things on the planet, seriously. C picked out a couple things he thought were cute while we were at Target in the baby section, it was kind of cute. I've also written a list out of other things I want to buy for Felix, and that list is extensive. I love little, itty-bitty baby things, always have. Growing up, I loved stuffed animals (and still do, haha) and therefore I'm planning on building a small collection of cute little plush toys for baby Felix; and I am SO excited about it.


Savannah - one of my best friends - had an awesome picnic on the beach a few weeks back and it was so lovely to spend some good quality time with her. Our work schedules hardly ever match up, so we rarely get time together outside of either of us visiting each others' work places. Really good times with really good friends makes me (yep, you guessed it) REALLY happy.

My favorite Toms & the ring I wear everyday and share with Savannah. 

 Savannah & I and our fantastic picnic!

A corner of C & I's back-porch; C's Iguana, Miss Clyde; close up of our cacti; my feet, a piece of driftwood and the cacti out on the porch. 

C, Sumi and I went to Five Guys after an afternoon of Anthro shopping a couple weeks ago. Best hot dogs and fries ever. 

A really neat white, black polka-dotted spider out at my parents house.  

Sumi had a cooking class for the first time in a year or so last week and she rocked it! 

Butterflies in our backyard. 

 The sun was perfect that day down by Collier.

Another outing with Sumi & C; we went to eat Thai food, local ice creams and had another Anthro shopping date. Top to bottom -  delicious thai iced tea, pad thai with shrimp, a sad broken ice cream freezer, C and Sumi being adorable, Sumi and her sherbet, my array of awesome ice creams (watermelon sorbet, kalhua coffee chip & mint choc chip, my favorite) and C with his 'don't disturb me while I'm eating ice cream' face.

A house on our street has their entire yard lined with tall bushes, a chain link fence and 'no tresspassing' & 'beware of dog' signs. It kind of creeps me out.

What have you all been up to lately? Had some good times with friends? Link me to a blog post if you've got one, I'd love to read about it!



Deactivate

Today, after stating a strong opinion I have of current culture, I deactivated my Facebook account. For business reasons, FB doesn't allow it's users to just freely delete their account, thinking they'll come back to use it once more.

I want to say is that I'm glad to live in a country where we can freely state our beliefs and opinions without being convicted for it. However, I am not glad that when you choose to, whether it be on a social networking website or a blog or wherever you may choose; you can set yourself up for ridicule because a popular opinion may outrule yours of the moment.

No one's opinion is greater than the person sitting next to them; not even the President or Queen of England. This, I know.

But it seems as if whenever you try to say something about what you've been thinking, and it's a little bit different, then your opinion's value/worth decreases.

In my life, I've had the best luck of always having bad timing. I want to get something off my chest, and I do, then it somehow creates an issue with the people I care about. If I want to go somewhere and have saved the money for it and planned it, something happens with the event or the city I want to go to (or like my -un-trip to England, I'm accused of having the wrong papers and get detained). Or say, I purchase something I'd really wanted for a while and feel overjoyed to have this item in my possesion, only to find out a couple days later, it's gone on an incredible sale (this has happened to me many times).

Needless to say, I'm going to take a break from the online-social world. Maybe post a few blogs if I feel up to it and read posts I find of interest from time to time. But I've become increasingly tired of feeling like absolute shit for being myself and trying to be brave with what I have to say and getting shot down for it.

My life is good, for the most part. And I am so grateful to have what I have including shelter, food, clothing and most important of all, love.

But my life hasn't been a piece of cake lately either. And this just seemed to be the icing on it. Like that one last punch to knock me down and make me realize that I need to figure out what I really want to do in this life and where I want to go; including in my personal life, career and where I'll live.

This post is not getting written for attention, at all, whatsoever. I was accused of that a few years ago when I fell into a depression because people didn't like what I was doing and saying. You're thinking, 'Maybe this is a sign that you should keep your mouth shut and just enjoy life'. Yeah, maybe so, but if you live in fear of saying things and acting on things you feel most important, then you really aren't being who you're meant to be.

I hope I've never offended anyone, truly. And I also hope that you take the time today to count all your blessings, because they are there for a reason. Don't ever take them for granted.

And also?

"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face."

"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."

- Eleanor Roosevelt (Both Quotes)

Package, For Caela

The past year and a half, or so, I'd been hoarding items to give to my soul sister, Caela. Yes, year and a half! But I finally got around to getting everything sent to her and I was so happy when I got a plethera of text messages from her stating their arrival.

Here are the pretty gifts I sent her; I loved packaging everything up for her, knowing she would appreciate the wrapping as much as I do. And, I hope you do as well!