and the world spins madly on

dress: thrifted // cardigan: borrowed // leggings/boots: forever 21




Some days (most days) I look into my closet and think, "Man, I have nothing to wear!" or "I have so few clothes." I'm sure you have thought the same thing too. For me at least, it's really not the fact that I don't have enough clothes, but too many pieces that I'm not completely in love with. When I first started blogging my outfits on tumblr, I would buy every quirky piece I could find at thrift stores, and now pieces that I've never worn are still in my closet. This dress was one of those pieces, though it's not as outlandish as some of the things peaking out from inside my dresser. It makes me sad to say it, but this is only the second time I've worn this dress since purchasing it. The first time was when I was into my second month of blogging on here (oh just look at Lauren trying to be all model-y and serious looking for the camera, haha), and I forgot how great of a piece it actually is! It inspired me to go through and look for other pieces that I haven't actually worn in a long time, and hopefully they will get to come into the lime light once more.




Man, this week has been so so busy. I've been running on about four hours of sleep nearly every night, waking up early, and running nonstop throughout the day just barely getting all my work turned in on time. Who ever said being an art major was easy has never done it, because it takes a lot of hard work, dedication, sheer luck, and really really good time management--which I'm not very good at as of yet. But the thing is, now that I'm beginning to take more classes that I'm interested in, the more I want to do the projects for them instead of putting off something that I don't like until the last minute. It's a really great feeling. But feeling tired and hungry from not sleeping and skipping meals to work--not so great. Time management is key. (And don't worry, Mom, I'm getting plenty of rest and macaroni and cheese now!)




Hope you have a great weekend!

p.s. I haven't redyed my hair for a while, which is why it's currently this interesting dark brown/purple/gray color. I like it, but I need more purple in my life!

bellarive + digital age concert

bellarive + the digital age

There's just something about going to a concert, being surrounded by other people, and feeling completely washed over by the music. It's a little bit different to run around as the photographer, like you're looking on the outside of a department store window set up, only you can still hear the music and feel the energy. You even dance around a little bit as you run from one end of the stage to the other, snapping away photos and being so energized you don't even look to see if they're coming out or not. You just look through the viewfinder and you know the picture is perfect. Concerts are always a strange way of escapism. All the world's problems can't break into the throng of people jumping up and down, and your own thoughts are drowned out by music and bass notes. And even when it's over, the energy still lingers on like a haze, giving you courage to talk to strangers and strength to stay up late and process photos.

Ah yes, the photographer life. It's a good one.

my week in instagram #60

My face after learning that my time as an intern has paid off ... a cell phone company purchased a stock photo of me laughing on a cell phone. Gotta love stock photos. //

A trip to the Portland Art Museum. I could spend all day in that place. There were so many beautiful and interesting pieces. //

A foggy Oregon morning. Even when covered in clouds, this place is still absolutely gorgeous. //

The woes of being left handed. I get charcoal all over my hand. //

Got to pet animals! Matt and I went to a friend's house for dinner and I finally got my furry fix. //

Late night fast food runs, which usually includes some fun music to sing to, a sun roof, and a pretty moon. //

Goats at the Pumpkin Patch! They were soo cuuute! //

Cows during the drive. It took everything in me to refrain from playing the cow game. //

This has been a very good week.

film friday: adventure is calling

Adventure Is Calling from Shane Black on Vimeo.

I had the privilege of meeting Shane about a year ago, and this year he set out on an adventure to create some really fantastic art. On his vimeo page:

"This summer, two friends and myself all left our comfortable jobs of six years to spend two months traveling across the country and teaching photography workshops along the way. We all felt that it was time to take a risk and get out of our comfort zones... adventure was calling us. It was a trip filled with endless hours cooped up in a van, exploring breathtaking landscapes, sharing stories and laughs, meeting some of the nicest people, making new friends, getting to meet old friends from around the country, and sharing our love of photography with others.
This trip was a constant test for me, as we had such short and limited time in nearly all of the spots we visited. In most cases, I'd have to hurry out of the van with all of my gear and find a decent composition in a very short amount of time as soon as we would arrive at the location. It was a constant race against the light.
During those 2 months, we traveled across 32 states , visited 13 national and state parks, and drove nearly 13,000 miles in a (somewhat) trusty old Dodge Caravan... with no cruise control. It was an adventure that gave us many memories that we will all hold onto for many years to come. I think that everybody needs to take a trip and have their eyes opened to just how beautiful this world is and how much is really out there."

Ever since I was little I've wanted to explore like this. Just hop in a car and not know where I'm going and spend months and months on the road. Thankfully my family has been able to do that a couple of times, traveling across America and Canada, but I would love to do it again, just driving along back roads and couch surfing and creating beautiful art and exploring my country. It's videos like this and stories like Shane's that give me hope that that is possible and that I can do whatever I set myself to do.

Hope you have a wonderful Friday!