I enjoy being a girl

I've had this song stuck in my head for days.  Anybody remember that Gap commercial with Sarah Jessica Parker? Which, hey guys, was 7 YEARS AGO.

Anyway, maybe it's because I watched the Sex and the City movie this weekend (again).  But dammit, I do enjoy being a girl.  Especially lately.

I like flowers.  Everywhere.

On my nails and on a little vintage stashbox I got for my birthday.

I'm loving watercolors.

On my shoes, and as a new hobby.

I'm loving patterns, of all kinds.

 

Basically, I'm enjoying being a girl and having fun with life.  Pottery class starts tomorrow!

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A quick update on my 30 before 30 list.  I've been 27 for a week and I'm already making good progress!

1.  write a letter to my grandmother every month - July 2012 letter is in the mail!

2.  make a quilt - the squares are all cut out (it's possible I had this done before I made the list)

3.  make a beautiful piece of art - I got a watercolor set from my sett husband for my birthday, and used a gift card from my brother to but large watercolor paper.  I'm on my way!

19.  frame family photos in a beautiful way - I've been going through some pictures and am planning to spend the rest of my birthday money at least starting this.

22.  get rid of the clutter - kitchen cabinets, paint closet, our vanity, hurricane closet, and thank god, the pantry are DONE.  We threw away stuff from the pantry I swear we've been hanging on to since college (powdered milk? gross)

23.  stop biting my nails - for good! - so far so good.  Having a manicure helps.

So none of the big ones yet.  But I'm proud of myself for getting proactive and getting shit done.  Especially since I'll get nothing done other than sitting on my ass watching the Olympics for the next two weeks!

30 before 30

In eleven days, I turn 27.

How did THAT happen?

I have a swirling mix of feelings about it.  Pride at what I've accomplished, sure.  But it seems SO CLOSE to thirty all of a sudden.  I used to think thirty was so old.  I got married when I was 22 (we were too young, for the record), and I though I would wait a year or so and be done having babies by 25.  By thirty I'd be up to elementary school and be making cupcakes for PTA while working the perfect 50 hour week.

Yeah, that'll happen.

So, several years later and I'm so glad that none of that transpired.  Life and mental illness put any plans on hold, but it also helped us realize what a strong marriage is, how lucky we are with what we have, and how much we love each other.  We've also had a lot of fun that probably wouldn't have happened if we'd had a couple of kids running around.

So.  We're still not ready for babies.  Or to be full fledged grown ups.  But I'm ready to face the fact that I'm 36 months away from 3-0 and get some stuff out of my system before it hits.

I have three years.  Some of this stuff will be hard.  Some of it will be REALLY hard.  Hopefully I can make it.

personal fulfillment

1.  write a letter to my grandmother every month

2.  make a quilt

3.  make a beautiful piece of art

4.  have a bedroom that makes me happy

Louisiana experiences

5.  go to a baseball game

6.  ride a horse

7.  visit the Global Wildlife Center in Folsom

8.  pick berries at a you-pick farm

9.  go to Mardi Gras in New Orleans

travel opportunities

10.  climb a mountain trail

11.  see Lady Gaga in concert

12.  canoe a river with Brett

13.  travel somewhere with my mom

14.  go camping

15.  go whitewater rafting with my brother, dad, and cousins

16.  take a quick trip by myself - for play, not work!

beautiful objects

17.  own a piece made by Heath Ceramics (or by another ceramic studio I find equally beautiful)

18.  own an original painting by a "real" artist (I get to define real artist)

19.  frame family photos in a beautiful way

20.  learn to take beautiful pictures

dropping bad habits

21.  streamline and improve the quality of my wardrobe (mainly streamline)

22.  get rid of the clutter

23.  stop biting my nails - for good!

career fulfillment

24.  get my Six Sigma Green Belt certification

25.  mentor a young engineer

getting involved locally

26.  give time to a local charity

27.  donate $1000 to charity

the big ones

28.  get happy with my body

29.  have a baby (yep, apparently I didn't learn from anything I wrote above)

30.  buy our dream house - probably the hardest one on the list

So that's it.  It's pretty daunting.  Brett said I shouldn't have anything I've already done on here (5, 6, 7, 9 and 10).  But I disagree.  It's important that I have those experiences again, either because it's been SO long, like with the horse and the mountain, or because I want to replace a bad experience with a good one, like with Mardi Gras (don't ask).

Let's hope I can do this.  I'm already working on #22 and I bett have #24 done by the end of this year.  Oh look, I picked the two most boring ones on the list for first!

Sad day

I'm a fan of my outfit today (bright purple mullt hem skirt, black and white stripe tee shirt, favorite gray sweater, standby watch and bracelets, and my coral captoe flats).  But something is missing.  I jumped on the bandwagon a few weeks ago and ordered two of the bubble necklaces.

Since I didn't pony up $300 for these, of course they're knockoffs from China.  And that means it will be a while.  But for some reason (no idea why since their shipping estimate window is like a week and a half long, although it ends tomorrow, who knows) I thought they would come tomorrow.

I thought the turquoise would be a classic that goes with a lot.

But I loved, loved, loved the two tone coral.  I'm totally obsessed with pink, especially coral tones.  And although I kind of stayed away from this trend for a while, as soon as I found out this color was available I jumped in.

Gorgeous, right?  And I think the slight differences (the turquoise is supposed the be faceted ) will be cool too.

This has started a full on obsession with bibs and collar necklaces.  I'm usually very picky about what I wear.  Long, brass or gold chains with pendants or small clusters.  That's it.  But I love the color and cheeriness these bring to outfits.

But now I really, really, really want the milky white one.  Really.

If you're into colorful jewelry, check out bauble bar stat.  The prices seem really competitive, and all the color is so enticing.  Here are some of my obsessions.

Tangerine Triad necklace, $32

Tangerine resin links, $58

Candy Spike Collar by House of Noble, $110

Orange

I'm having a months long, well documented love affair with pink.  And I'll be honest you guys, I think it's TRU LUV 4EVER.  I remember a conversation I had with Brett once about my favorite color being gray and he said, no your favorite color is pink.  And I think he's right.  It's always been pink.  I just didn't want to submit to the girlyness and frillyness of it all.

But there's another color that's always been high on my list.  I took these pictures in my office on Friday.  And I realized, if I'm in a space that's mine, I'm never too far from flame orange.

From top:  my shirt, a painting I made for our house and moved here (also at right), my new calender

And the funny thing is, I know I wrote a post on my old blog (gray background, by the way) about how awesome cool toned colors are and how much I love them.  And I still do love gray.  But I also want to paint my bedroom pink and I'm seriously considering making some heart patterned fabric on spoonflower for pillows.

I'm in my late 20s, still young, but I feel more sure of myself and my style than ever.  Maybe some of the stuff I like is juvenile.  But maybe it's joyful, too.