Pretty little things

Check out these lovely little numbers from Anthropologie:

 

  

  

  

  

And these sweet little pieces from Mod Cloth:

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

   

 I love all the sweet florals and the bright cheerful colors.  One of the many reasons I love spring... it's dress season and I want them all!!!

 

What a gorgeous day!

It was in the low 60's today and I was outside wearing a tank top, capris, and flip flops!  Oddly enough, there is supposed to be a snow/ice storm tomorrow.  That's NC weather for you.  Let's see... I did two of the things that were on my list for today:  I got a haircut and went vintage shopping.  I bought a blue 60's style scooter dress, a sheer white blouse and a really awesome necklace with an enamel flower pendant.  Pictures to come tomorrow, most likely.  Here is a not-so-great picture of my haircut:

 

Honestly, it's a little bit shorter than I really wanted, but it's layered nicely and should look pretty decent as it grows out.  My hair is so thick that without any length to weigh it down, it has almost too much volume.  Sounds silly to complain about volume right?  With the time that I spent not doing the things on my list, I went to visit my friends at Wolfgang A Cappella.  I had a good time singing with them for perhaps the last time before I leave.

 That's really all the news I have for today.  It has been a pleasant and uneventful sort of day and I am really looking forward to going to a couple of parties this weekend as long as the weather isn't too bad.

I hope your weekend is just as fun/relaxing/productive as you hope it will be!

Love,

Amanda G.

Artist spotlight

I was just randomly browsing some blogs and I came across a bit on a photographer called Chris Schiavo.  He has a few photos posted here on Moco Loco.  My favorite is the one entitled Grapevine.  Isn't it gorgeous?

Click on the link above to see more of his photos.  So cool!

I had a fabulous weekend...

Okay I realize that it is now Wednesday, and that the weekend ended three days ago, but I just haven't quite gotten around to making a weekend post yet.  I have mostly been busy spending lots of time with my wonderful boyfriend and other friends from school.  Last night I attended a rush info night for Phi Sigma Pi.  For those of you who don't know me, Phi Sigma Pi, or PSP, is a coed national honor fraternity of which I am a member.  I got to hang out with a few of my brothers (yes the female members are also called brothers) and meet some of the potential new initiates.  We had a promising couple days of warmth here in Cary, but now temperatures are dipping back down and the weatherman is calling for snow/ice on Friday.

So back to the weekend.  Like I said before, my boyfriend and I went up to Boone for the weekend for some snowboarding.  We arrived in Boone around 10:30 on Friday night.  We quickly checked into the room (which had a MASSIVE bed, btw) and then left to visit one of the few bars on that main road near the university.  We had some food and beers at Macado's, which is a really great little place with a very large menu of tasty sandwiches and a warm, friendly atmosphere.  Saturday morning we got all bundled up in our snowboarding gear and went to rent my snowboard.  I have yet to buy my own board, which is definitely something that will be on this year's Christmas list.  We snowboarded all day and all evening until around 9:30.  I definitely made a vast improvement to my ability to switch from heel to toe.  By the end of the day I was even carving a little... but I still have yet to get off a ski lift without falling.  Oh well, that gives me something to work for next year.

It rained all day Sunday, so we headed back to that main road (I can't remember what it's called) for some breakfast and shopping.  I had so much fun wandering around a shop called Artwalk, which is much more colorful than its website suggests.  This shop was full of jewelry, clothing, accessories, and home decor made by talented local artists.  At every turn, I kept wishing that I still had an apartment to decorate because there was so much wonderful artwork.  I did score a few really great pieces of jewelry, including three pairs of earrings and a ring.  Check em out!  One of the pairs of earrings is missing because it is too small to really get a good picture of.

I really love my silver flower ring and I have been wearing it every day since I bought it.  I also got to peruse my first every antique shop!  I can't remember the name of the shop, but its display windows were so colorful that I was just drawn in.  I had so much fun wandering around the three floors of shelves of junk and treasures.  I really really wanted to get this vintage stained glass coca cola lamp but alas, I would have nowhere to put it and I really need to save money for Australia.

Speaking of which:  I finally booked a room in an apartment.  It ended up being in Varsity Apartments since Unicentral was all booked.  I have exactly two weeks left til departure and I am sooo excited!!!

Tomorrow I will be going for a haircut.  I think I will be getting the front a little bit shorter so that it will still look good as it grows out.  Since I will be in the area, I will also be stopping by a vintage shop that I have been wanting to visit for a long time.  Haircut pictures will be posted of course.

Here is a little bit of randomness:  Take a look at this really awesome dress that I got from American Eagle during a random impulse shopping trip.  I love love love the bright floral pattern.

                                    

Tomorrow I will:

Get my hair cut

Bake some cupcakes

Go vintage shopping

Go for a jog

Make a new play list for the blog

Do this adorable hair bow DIY from Elsie's blog.

I would love to make a few in lots of colors with some of the fabric scraps that I have lying around.

Have a great week everyone!

Love,

Amanda G.

Rain rain go away

It's all rainy today... blech.  But, this weekend I get to go snowboarding!!!  My boy is taking me up to Sugar Mountain in Boone for the weekend.  It has been almost a year since the last time I went snowboarding during spring break last year.  I went with five friends from Phi Sigma Pi and we had a blasty blast!  This will be my third time ever snowboarding and my goal is to master the transition from heel side to toe side.  I have no problem going down a mountain on my heels but it seems that every time I try to switch to my toes, I completely eat it.  Anyways, here is a pic of me in my snowboard gear from last year:

That was taken in our condo in SnowShoe WV.  Aaaahhh I'm so excited.  I would really love to buy my own board but for now, a rental will have to do.

Today I am scheduled to get my picture taken for the NCSU yearbook.  The yearbook people invite all seniors to have their picture taken for free but I don't think they are aware that I will not be graduating this year.  Oh well.  I'm going to wear my pretty blue and white shirt dress from The Limited.  You can see most of the dress in this pic:

I know you love my goofy face.  I think shirt dresses are great because they have such a timeless style to them and I love the fun print on this one.

Check out my super cute buddha lamp:

People always blog about stuff they love that they don't have, so I thought I would be 'different' and post about something I love that I already have.  I got my buddha lamp at a really cool eclectic lighting and knick knack store in Cameron Village called Accipiter but you can get one at the Buddha Buddha Life website.  They also sell key chains and coin banks and other neat buddha things... sweet!

Well I think I am going to venture out into the cold and rain to run a couple errands now.  Have a great week!

Love,

Amanda

Just saying hi

Hi :)  Yep I think I'm pretty darn cute today.

 

Just in case anybody wants to know, I get my hair cut at this really amazing place in downtown Raleigh called Alter Ego.  I most recently had it done by Julia.  You can't tell from these pics but there are a lot more layers on the sides and in the back.  I've had a pretty lazy day, which is nice.  Hope yours was good too!

Love,

Amanda

Really awesome TV shows that should have never been cancelled

 I just got back from the dentist so my mouth is looking rather lopsided at the moment.  As soon as the numbness wears off, I think I will go to the gym.  I have been feeling sluggish and tired a lot lately so I'm hoping a little physical activity will help. 

So the theme of this post today is TV shows!  There are several TV shows that I love that were started, but never quite finished.  Sadly, we will never know what happens to the lovable characters in these shows because they have all been canceled after only one or two seasons.

My So Called Life (1994-1995):  This is a really great show that follows the trials and tribulations of high school student Angela Chase and her best friends, Rickie and Rayann.  This show features the young Clare Danes and the drop-dead gorgeous Jared Leto before his scary goth days.  My So Called Life is a very touching and surprisingly candid look at youth in the '90s.

Middle Men (2008):  This show must not have been very popular since it was canceled as soon as it started (only 12 episodes were made) but I absolutely loved it!  This show revolves around Wendy, a young woman who is offered a job as a top secret super hero saving the world from aliens.  This show is slightly ridiculous and always quirky.  There is plenty of witty banter, action, and romance to satisfy any type of viewer.  I highly suggest you check this one out if you are looking for something to do.  Learn more about this show by clicking here.

Dead Like Me (2003):  I loved this show!  This one played for a full two seasons before disappearing forever.  Ellen Muth plays a young college drop-out named Georgia who is suddenly killed by a fallen piece of space debris and is given a job as a grim reaper.  Georgia and her fellow reapers must visit people who are going to die and pull out their souls to lead them to the next life.  This show takes a look at death from the perspective of someone who has already died.  It is, at times, serious and sad, but mostly this show is funny and extremely enjoyable.  Look for full episodes on Hulu.

Pushing Daisies (2007-2009):  Pushing Daisies is just magical.  Lee Pace plays Ned, a young man who makes a living making pies but has the ability to make dead things alive again with just one touch.  There are only two problems; if a dead person is brought back to life for longer than one minute, someone else must die to take their place, and if Ned touches a person who has been brought back again they will be dead for good.  This becomes an issue when Ned revives his dead childhood sweetheart, Charlotte Charles.  With it's quirky dialogue and beautiful imagery, Pushing Daisies is one that simply can't be missed.  A few full episodes are available on the WB's website.

Eli Stone (2008):  Eli Stone is a lawyer who, due to an inoperable brain aneruism, experiences bizarre visions that cause him to behave rather erratically.  However, he discovers that these visions can show him the future and give him guidance about what court cases to take.  Eli quits representing large companies in favor of doing pro bono work for people who really need his help.  This show, while not my favorite, is very touching and entertaining with some elements of a law drama and some elements taken from musical theater.  Great fun!

 I am about to check out Wonderfalls now!  What are your favorite TV shows?

In other news, I am buying this really awesome necklace that is made by Brighton.  It has a red enamel painted frog on a lilly pad and it is soooo cute!  I found one on ebay for significantly less than it would cost in the store.  Check it out!

 Well that's all for now.  Enjoy this beautiful Monday!

Love,

Amanda

Just for fun

Hello world,

So I was in Raleigh today, and I decided to stop by the only bubble tea shop in the area because I have never tried bubble tea before but I have always heard about how good it is.  So I navigated my way down Hillsborough St. (which is a complete mess right now due to the construction) and found a place to park, only to discover that the shop was closed!  I don't know if they are remodeling or if they are closed for good but, needless to say, I was very disappointed.  The next closest place is in Chapel Hill.  While I love Chapel Hill, I feel like it would be silly to drive for 30-40 minutes just to get a drink.  Maybe I will do it if I get bored enough.

In other news, I had my eye exam today and, unfortunately, I have perfect vision.  "How is that unfortunate?", you ask.  Well, as it turns out, my insurance will only cover the cost of new sunglasses if I require a prescription.  So, sadly, I do not have new designer sunglasses to model for you today.

I did get a new web cam so that I can keep in touch while I am away in Australia, so I will be spending some time playing around with that.  It seems like a lot of bloggers take daily web cam pictures of themselves and post them on their blogs, so I figure I should do that too.

Here ya go:

Oh lucky you, you get two for the price of one :)

And yes, my room is always that cluttered.

Ok, enough playing around.  Today I want to share with you a real gem of a website that I stumbled upon earlier this week.  I saw it advertised in an interior design magazine that I was perusing while sitting in one of the many waiting rooms that I have seen this week.  I don't know about you, but my favorite room to decorate is the bedroom.  I believe that a girl's bedroom should be like her little sanctuary... a bit of the world that is entirely her own.  This site sells gorgeous bedding that I love so much I almost wish I was back from Australia and moving into a new apartment already so that I can decorate.  Ok not really, but you get the idea.  These bedding collections are awesomely awesome.

So without further ado, here is the link:  1891 By Sferra

This one is my absolute favey.

Woooww I talk too much.  If you know of any websites that sell pretty and girly home decor or any bedroom decorating ideas, please post them in the comments, just for fun.

I think that's enough for today

Love love love love love,

Amanda

Busy, busy bee

Goodness, it seems like lately, even though I am still kinda on vacation, there is so much to do.  My mom has been giving me daily chores to do so that I can make myself useful while I am just waiting to leave.  Yesterday I had to take my grandma to the dermatologist at 8:15 IN THE MORNING.  Even she agreed that it was way to early to have appointments to do anything.  It was one of those days when it is so cold that it almost hurts to go outside so I rolled out of bed, brushed my teeth, and threw on about 3 sweatshirts on top of each other and headed out expecting to be one of the only people on the road.  To my surprise, the roads were just as busy as they are during the evening rush hour!  During my four-year hiatus from the real world (aka: college), I seem to have forgotten that the majority of society begins its activity at obscenely early hours of the day.  I just might move to Spain.  I hear that nobody starts working until around 10:00 there, and takes two hour lunch breaks.

Anyways, after sitting in a waiting room for 45 minutes, trying in vain to block out the endless mom chatter about PTAs and school buses, my grandma and I headed out to take her poor little kitty to the vet again.  Unfortunately he is still not doing well, but we are hoping for the best.  After I deposited both grandma and kitty back at their home, I returned to my own home to take a nap.  This 'nap' ended up lasting about 5 hours, and when I woke up, it was already dinner time.

Later that evening, I had the pleasure of watching a really sweet movie that has just recently been released on DVD.  If you have not seen 500 Days of Summer, you should go rent it right now.  It is a romantic comedy, but as the narrator states at the beginning, it is not a love story.  The movie is filled with lovely imagery (not to mention miss Zooey's impeccable taste in fashion), memorable quotes, and a really delightful soundtrack.  Just watch it.

They are so adorable together.

Anyways, today I went to the dentist and the hygienist just raved about how beautiful my teeth are... only to tell me, five minutes later, that I have several small cavities that need to be filled.  So there is another thing that I can add to my growing list of things to do.  One of these chores, I am a little bit excited about, however.  My mom has informed me that if I get an eye exam, our insurance allows me to get sunglasses worth up to $300 absolutely free.  I have an eye exam appointment set up for Thursday.

I have also been doing quite a bit of shopping lately.  My excuse is that it will be fairly warm in Australia, and my summer wardrobe could use an update.  I've snagged these adorable shorts from J. Crew:

In case you can't tell, they are gray with yellow/white polka dots.  I am still searching for the perfect white blouse to wear with them.

I also got this dress from Express, which I am so in love with.

I am hoping to visit this vintage shop that I 'discovered' called Get Dressed Raleigh.

Here is a picture from Christmas, which I promised in my last post:

I'm wearing this ridiculous Christmas tree hat that I found in a really expensive boutique when I was in Williamsburg.

And last but certainly not least, an Australia trip update!!!!  I have been offered a room in Varsity Apartments which is nice because up until last week, I did not have a place to live.  I have also been awarded a student visa, and I have successfully enrolled in two classes.  Things are really falling into place now and I am sooooo excited.  Also, I am really enjoying watching all of my friends at NCSU hurry off to class while I lounge around in my PJs.

Well, that's it for now.  I will keep you updated more often when more exciting things happen.  Until then, stay classy, San Diego.

Love,

Amanda