Tuesday Tunes: Nineties Flashback

I feel like reminiscing. Here's a fun playlist to take you back to the 90's!

Everything You Want- Vertical Horizon

Absolutely (Story of A Girl)- Nine Days

Wonderful- Everclear

My Own Worst Enemy-Lit

Hey Leonardo (She Likes Me for Me)- Blessid Union of Souls

Almost Perfect-Ingram Hill

Blinded When I See You -Third Eye Blind

My Friends Over You- New Found Glory

Why Don't You Get a Job- The Offspring

Save Tonight- Eagle Eye Cherry

You're a God- Vertical Horizon

If I Am- Nine Days

Smells Like Teen Spirit- Nirvana

Bitch- Meredith Brooks

I Don't Want to Wait- Paula Cole

Hand in My Pocket- Alanis Morissette

Under the Bridge- Red Hot Chili Peppers

She's So High-Tal Bachman

Semi Charmed Life- Third Eye Blind

Bittersweet Symphony- The Verve

These songs defined my angst-y middle school days of passing notes in class, walking around the mall, parting my hair in the middle, bracelets that we're supposed to look like tattoos and butterfly hair clips. But they are still so fun!

Weekend Wedding Highlights

This weekend I took a mini vacation. I flew up to New Jersey to see my parents. We went to a baseball game the first night there and saw the best fireworks I've seen in a while, which was so much fun because I didn't get to see any fireworks this past 4th of July. We did a little shopping, saw the movie The Other Guys-hysterical- and I got to celebrate my dad's birthday with him.

Last night the three of us went to a friend's wedding! I LOVE weddings. I always tear up during the ceremony, and I love champagne and wedding cake and dancing the night away. If I am being honest though, my favorite part of a wedding is probably dissecting all the different parts of it and thinking: "I would have done that differently" or "oh my gosh I am soo having cotton candy at my wedding."

The ceremony was around 3 in the afternoon and then there was a couple hour gap before the reception since it was a little bit further away. This meant I got to do a wardrobe change! For the ceremony I wore this: (doesn't my daddy look handsome!?)

Um... can someone tell me when it is ever appropriate to wear shorts and a tank top to a wedding. Or when an un-tucked golf shirt became an adequate substitute for a coat and tie- because I never got the memo! (Granted there were only two offending couples rudely dressed and they did change for the reception, but I am sure my family was not the only one SHOCKED).

I would have just stayed in my cute ruffly BCBG dress but then I wouldn't have gotten to wear my hot pink heels that make me tall and that I love so much: (doesn't my mom look pretty!?)

Weddings are also prime people watching places- and this wedding just so happened to have plenty of fist pumping!

I am not judging though. It was so much fun! There was amazing food, the location was spectacular (the bride's parents were also married there, which I think is so sweet), and most importantly the bride and groom were totally, completely, happily in love.

Mission Year and a Technical Question

Hey folks.
Time to share something important with you. My friend and fellow graduate has made the awesome decision to participate in Mission Year.

"Mission Year is a year long urban ministry program focused on Christian service and discipleship. We take teams of young people, place them in an area of need, and help them to serve people and create community. We are committed to the command of Jesus to “love God and love people,” by placing the needs of our neighbors first and developing committed disciples of Christ with a heart for the poor."

Learn more about the program here.

I am so excited for her and I am going to live vicariously through her blog which I am inviting you all to follow as well.

Her name is Becky by the way. And she was also an art major with me. Wonderfully enough, she is using her artistic awesomeness to raise support for her year. She has set up an etsy website where she is selling all kinds of handmade goodies- scarves, hats, aprons, totes, photographs, ceramics. Check it out and support a really great program and a really great girl.
...
Question for you now,
Can you see my blog background?I am not sure it is loaded properly, and it's my first official background design so I'm a little concerned. It appears to work fine on my laptop (which is a Mac) but nothing shows up on my work computer (a really old Dell). What do you all see?

First Day of Class

Today is the first day of class....for everyone but me.

I cannot believe that for the first time in 19-ish years I am not starting school today. What the heck? This is so weird. My boyfriend is going to class, my sister is going to class. But I'm not. I'm going to work. Just like I did all summer. Just like I'll do for the next indefinite number of years.

How did I get from this....

to this....

to this?

Actually I am even farther away from that smiley college graduation picture because the reality that I wasn't going back to school hadn't sunk in yet. I was still blissfully unaware of how I would feel on this day, the first day of class for everyone else but me.

Oh but don't worry...the welcome sign on campus which now says Class of 2014* has made me acutely aware!

*2014?! are you kidding me?

Hippie Urban Chic

Happy Wednesday Friends!

I have been in a hippie mood lately. I want to braid my hair and play my violin/guitar/learn how to play the mandolin. In fact, yesterday I took my guitars and my violin to be restrung and tuned. I play my guitar pretty often, but I haven't touched my violin since freshmen year of high school. I think its all the folksy Nickel Creek I've been listening to that has me motivated to relearn-I might even take a lesson.

Along those lines...I love online window shopping. I have a gigantic online "wish list" at Urban Outfitters which contributes to my hippie mood. Here are some lovelies I want for early fall (to wear with my new boots):

Tuesday Tunes: Nickel Creek Nap

Having trouble falling asleep at night? Exhausted from a long day?

I recommend taking a Nickel Creek Nap at your earliest possible convenience.

What's a Nickel Creek Nap you ask? Well its a special kind of nap where you slip into your sweats, snuggle up on the couch with a blanket or climb into bed early. What makes it a "Nickel Creek Nap" is that you push play on your computer/speakers/whatever you have that plays songs, and out comes soft, sweet, musical goodness called Nickel Creek.

The Nickel Creek trio is ideal nap music- not because it is so dull that it puts you to sleep but because its so awesome and chill that it relaxes you and totally calms you down. It is the best nap-trust me!

Here are some of my favorite Nickel Creek songs:

- Jealous of the Moon

- Out of the Woods

- The Lighthouse's Tale

- Why Should the Fire Die

- When in Rome

- Ode to a Butterfly

- Doubting Thomas:

"Sometimes I pray for a slap in the face,

Then I beg to be spared 'cause I'm a coward,

If there's a master of death I'll bet he's holding his breath,

As I show the blind and tell the deaf about his power,

I'm a doubting thomas,

I can't keep my promises,

'Cause i don't know what's safe,

oh me of little faith..."

Some Days Are a Marathon

Some days work flies by, like yesterday. I was so productive and felt really good about all the work I did.

Other days are a test of my endurance. Like today...

I have to push myself. I have to see how long I can go without realizing I'm bored, or without looking at the clock.

Today was one of those days and it was only heightened by the fact that today is actually my Friday. I worked all weekend and now I have Tuesday and Wednesday off.

Plus.... Peter has been out of town for over two weeks and he's coming home tomorrow!!! Can I get a woo woo?!

Now it's time for my reality TV fix of the week:

Tonight is episode two of the Bachelor Pad. Seriously, no good can come from 20 or so ex-bachelor/ette contestants all sleeping in the same bedroom. Who's idea was that? I'm going to get myself a mini butterfinger blizzard and enjoy the train wreck that is this show. Peter thought once the Bachelorette was over I'd be free on Monday nights again...little does he know ABC has sucked me right back into another two-hour show* about scandalousness they are trying to pass off as love.

*The trick to really enjoying these shows is to not watch the previews or the "coming up on this episode" because they give it all away right there. I honestly believe this show could be half an hour long so to stay interested for the full two hours, its best if I keeps things a surprise.

It's been a long day. I am sorry this post has been about nothing.

PS. Today is my aunt's birthday! I think I've mentioned her on here before but she is also a fabulous blogger, mother and photographer. Go check her out!

Endless Shoes

I'm sorry this post is all about shoes...

I have been looking and shopping around forever for a pair of nice leather boots. I have Uggs and I love my Uggs. They make my feet happy in the winter and I probably wear them too much. But I am looking for boots that can dress up a dress/skirt or a pair of skinny jeans. Boots that are a little less casual than Uggs and can be more work appropriate (that's not to say that I haven't worn my Uggs to work in the past). I have high expectations for these boots. I want a nice brand that I know is good quality and will last and so I'm willing to spend a little more on them to get just that right pair.

So my friend has this great pair of camel colored leather boots. They are beautiful and I love them. They are my standard for good boots. When she lived close by I used to borrow them because they actually fit me and my chicken legs. They went great with a cute dress at tailgates and football games in the fall. Now she lives far away which sucks (and not just because she took her boots with her).

It's time I had my own pair.

Now I briefly mentioned my chicken legs but I'm not sure you really understand. Usually what happens when I find a pair of boots that I like they are always way too big around my calves and when I walk they make a slapping/clapping noise as they hit my legs. My rain boots do this. It's quite loud. This is my biggest problem with finding boots. So my solution was to text my friend with the awesome boots and find out what brand they are.

Hers are Frye, which is a really nice brand with a price tag to prove it. And while I really want good boots I can't justify spending the equivalent of my rent on a pair of shoes. But I have another solution!

It's like Zappos.com but instead it's called Endless.com. Maybe you've heard of it, it's associated with Amazon, but I just discovered it today and basically it has all the shoes you could want at discounted prices, plus free shipping within just 2 days and free returns!

So here they are....

Actually I haven't got them yet. But I am going to.... because aren't they beautiful!?And the great part, the part that convinced me these were the boots I've been searching for, is the reviews. The reviews that said the boots' shaft was super narrow! Yippee. It even gave the circumference and I measured my leg to compare so we should be good.

Now should I get them in Saddle (above) or the Dark Brown (below)?

What's that one item you're looking for this fall?

I'm Back!

Hello again. Long time no blog. I am sorry. I have been so unmotivated and really I haven't been doing anything but working and chilling in my apartment. Actually I was doing you a favor by not posting because it would have been really boring. So you're welcome.

While I was not blogging I finally finished my sorority scrapbook and I am so excited about it- it is such a great collection of memories. I can't wait for all my girlfriends to see it at homecoming. And one day I think it will be so fun to show my kids so they can see what their mama looked like in college. I love looking at pictures of my parents from college and I just think it's so fun to think of them at my age and wonder what they were like. Hopefully they say... "gee mama, you haven't changed a bit!"

My next project will be a young life scrapbook of all the pictures from my four years as a leader. Ideally I would like to make scrapbooks for the two other leaders on my team who also graduated this year. They are two of my closest friends and, lucky for me, they are also sticking around college town this year!

Speaking of college town and homecoming, I don't know if I ever really explained what I'm doing with my life right now. I am actually living in the same apartment I lived in last year. I have a different roommate but I still in the same town I went to college in This is partly because of a certain someone, partly because I didn't know where else to go. So I am here for now. Only thing different is I have a job and my rent is higher since I'm no longer a student.

While it was convenient not having to move, it's a little strange being so close to school and not actually being at school. I think it's going to be even weirder once everyone gets back to town and the term starts. It hasn't quite hit me yet that I'm not going to have a first day of class this year; right now it just feels like I'm on summer vacation like everyone else.

What I am most looking forward to is homecoming in just about two months. I can't wait for all my friends to come stay with me for a whole weekend and to catch up with everyone in person! God bless Facebook and cell phones and email and iChat and everything else that makes it easier for me to stay close to my best friends. Oh, and I refuse to think about what happens after homecoming. It's a little sad not knowing when everyone will be all in the same place again.

Wow sorry this was so long. That's what I get for not blogging in forever... too much to update you on. Here's a preview of my next post: online shopping and a beautiful pair of leather boots that I plan on owning. Not quite as heavy but equally important.

Bloggie Business

Because I have decided I really enjoy making blog headers and the like I am going to set up a design page. It will be making its debut soon. But I need your help first! I need a name. I know I could just use "Sincerely Shannon Designs" but here are the other options I have come up with, let me know your thoughts.

Yours Truly
(This sort of plays on the "sincerely" part of my blog name and also contributes to the custom aspect of my blog designs- they are uniquely and truly yours.)

Shannon Elizabeth Designs

(Elizabeth is my middle name, duh, and SED are my initials. Plus I kind of like the idea of using my name so that this could maybe grow outside of my blog as well. I may be getting ahead of myself a little bit...sorry.)

Sincerely Styled
(Or Sincere Styles, or Sincerely Styles or Shannon Styles...)

Your Brilliant Idea Here

(Your wonderful suggestion. Everything I was looking for in a name, just what was missing from my other options.)

In other news....I am about to post about some randomness.

My parents are coming to town tonight and staying until Wednesday. We are all going out for Indian food tonight. We use to get Indian food all the time in England (I'm talking weekly) and it's something we really miss a lot! Peter loves Indian food too which is a requirement in order to be my boyfriend and he's coming to dinner tonight as well.

Having my parents here also means I get to watch the Bachelorette finale with my mom (it's tonight! I am ready for the drama.)

So a couple of weeks ago I posted about my dream home office. Well this one takes the cake, prepare to be stunned/completely overwhelmed/jealous. Check out this bloggers amazingly organized scrapbook and craft room. Like it would make the cleanest, most OCD, person feel inadequate. Here's a snapshot but the details to her organization system are what is so impressive.

Awesome Scraproom.

Anywho...

I get my first day off in almost two weeks tomorrow! I hope my parents don't want to get breakfast too early so I can sleep in a little.