Where the Journey Begins...

This Friday my friends and I that use to eat lunch together every Monday and Wednesday at the institute last semester got together for a beginning of summer/end of the school year bash. The night started tame enough but escalated to the point that we were rolling on the ground laughing over an advertisement of an RPod camper that was pinned on the fridge with the slogan "Where the Journey Begins..." we deemed this the theme of the night as we parted ways to experience the journey that this summer will take us on (I know, it was highly sappy and sentimental of us. In our defense it was 11:30 at night, some of us had been at it since 6 and our voices were actually hoarse from talking/laughing so much).

I don't think I have laughed as hard as I did that night in a very very long time. By the end of the night my cheeks and head hurt and it honestly felt like I had just gone and done a face work out...if that even exists. (Just remembered this video. Face workouts do exist. At least in the 80's.) If only I could actually lose pounds by sitting and eating donut pie, chicken salad sandwiches, and pasta salad. I'm pretty sure that would be heaven on earth.

We had planned on the night being an "Introduce those who have not seen Avatar the Aime series to these poor souls" (yes I am one of those poor souls, sue me) but in the end we opted for sitting around and talking all night instead.

We played a great game called Social Beach Ball (We gave it this name and decided we are all going to quit school to start our own company. We are going to make millions guys.) that is kind of like truth and dare with out the dare part. It's a great ice breaker game and got us all rolling on the funny comments. I was going to share some of them, but I'm pretty sure for most of them you had to be there.

One running joke of this group though has to do with the difference between boys and girls (I would say men and woman, but after deciding that our next party would be breakfast for dinner, Phineas and Ferb and a reading of There's a Wockit in my Pocket by Dr. Suess, we really are just boys and girls). Our friend Shane saw this motivational speaker on a YouTube video talking about men and women and the differences in the way they think. Let me give you a quick run down of this eye opening theory:

Men's brains are full of boxes. They can only take out one box at a time. There's the food box (claimed to be the biggest-some say it takes up over half of the brain cavity ;) ), the work box, the sleep box, the bacon box, etc. So when they are watching TV and they don't answer your question, it's because the sports box is out and their "mow the lawn" or "listen to my day" or "do you like the new curtains" box is not on center stage. And honestly there probably isn't even a box for that last question. In order for a new box to come out, the other box has to be put away. They also have this box called the "nothin' box".  And it's full of just that: nothing. So when you ask a man "what are you thinking about?" and they say nothing, there is no need to think they have some sort of ulterior motive or they are bored with you or your company, they are honestly just thinking of nothing. At all.

Now women, well, we are a little bit different (shocker, I know). Women's minds are like the Internet-everything is connected to everything and we have a million tabs open at once and nothing ever really turns off. Sometimes the system might get so jammed that a slack look goes on our face. This is called buffering. If you look closely you might be able to see our iris' spin like the pinwheel of death. ;)  This is why we are so good at working, checking a text, chewing bubble gum, walking (in heels mind you), talking about our cats and saving the world, all at the same time. This is also why we are so confused by the fact that men can have a "nothing" box. That fact does not compute and usually results in a blank white screen and the need for a reboot.

In the end we also decided this is why all Monks are men. As they sit and meditate in the cathedrals of the world, they can just pull out their handy dandy "nothin' box" and sit for hours. Women on the other hand would be crocheting blankets for the poor, writing their first novel on proper methods of meditation, and whispering about the latest church gossip "Did you hear? Sister Kathrine got a new robe today and it's blue. Not black, blue. I've heard they might make her read the book of Isaiah for the next month during scripture meditation as punishment. I think they should make her do it for two and not let her join in on choir practice. I mean, the audacity!" Had the scribing of books been left to the women to copy over for hours and hours we may not have the Bible today. Or it might have taken the other route and be twice as big as it is now because we just can't seem to leave anything out or throw anything away. Like the Rpod advertisement. And how sad the night would have been without a catch phrase.

The journey is just begining guys.

Hobey Ho let's go!

C.R.M.
xoxo

I Guess I'm Deprived

Some of my coworkers are planning a camping trip to Moab over Memorial Day at the end of the month and have invited me to come along. At first thought it sounded like a blast: a chance to go to Arches again, get some sun, try not to come back looking like a lobster (you can get really sick of people trying to spread butter on you and crack open your shell), and jamming out to music road trip style. You know, the perfect summer vacation weekend trip. As I was contemplating again this morning the pros and cons of joining the trip, I realized something rather surprising:

I have only been "real" camping a handful of times and only twice that I can remember where it wasn't something church related where the leaders of my church group planned everything for us and supplied the important things like tents and marshmallows.

My family has never been the camping type or to be completely honest, the "let's-go-outside-in-the-mountains-and-have-family-bonding-experiences" type. For recreation we would rather go play a game of three on three basketball at the church (where my dad just stuffs everyone and we foul uncontrollably) or even better, watch BYU basketball on TV and dream about the Jimmer glory days.

We see hiking the "Y" in Provo as a challenge.

Going on a "bike ride" = a couple turns around the cul-de-sac.

Climbing is only mentioned when stairs are involved.

So what are the two camping experiences my family has had you might ask? Well, let me 'splain.

Trip One:

I honestly don't remember much of this experience. I was only 6 or 7 at the time, it was a ward camp-out, we probably ate some smores, pretty sure my mom didn't sleep at all, and I recall a lot of snoring. Not sure if the snoring was from my father or other ward members. Possibly both.

We also have some excellent home video footage of all of us wide awake in our tent at 11pm (my little brother and I can hardly hold in our excitement at the chance to sleep on cots, in a tent, in the mountains, which of course equals two wired children not even close to falling asleep), 1am (my little brother is asleep, I'm getting there and my mom has that "we are never doing this again" look in her eye and some awesome 80's inspired glasses adorning the look), and then somewhere around 3am (mom and dad are still awake, but to their relief I am sure, the kidos have drifted off to dreamland and my dad blinds my mom with the video camera light which results in much squinting and whispered complaints).

Trip Two:

I guess my mom and dad either had some sort of out of body experience that made them forget how horrible the first camping experience was, or decided to give camping the benefit of the doubt and accept it's request of a second date--"everyone deserves a second chance"--because when ward camp-out time rolled around, we were packing our sleeping bags. I had my baby bags full of enough toys to entertain myself for months, let alone two days and one night, my childhood innocence having masked just how uncomfortable those cots really were. 

I'm sure the majority of the first day went much like the year before: exploring, dinner, smores, campfire, bugs, bear sightings (I wish) and restless excitement when bedtime rolled around. There was also probably some snoring and blinding from the video camera lazer light.

But there was one difference: the rain.

And I'm not talking a soft sprinkling, I'm talking a wash-away-your-cat-down-the-gutter type of downpour. At one time in the past (stone age maybe?) our tent had been waterproofed, but needless to say any preemptive actions had long ago been washed away (pun intended). We didn't really understand just how bad the situation was until pools of rainwater started forming on top of our tent...and the dripping began. Then the rain came down and the floods came up and the bottom of our tent was starting to dampen our backsides. This was not good. In my 6 or 7 year old memories I imagine it looking something like this:

I believe (surprisingly enough) that I was asleep for most of the decision making period of what to do with a tent full of rainwater at 4 in the morning, but I remember being rudely awakened, told to grab whatever I didn't want to get wet, being wrapped in a blanket or sleeping bag and being carried to our minivan my dad had pulled up and parked (probably illegally) close to the campsite. My parents ran back and forth from the tent grabbing the essentials as if the rain was acid and anything left behind would be dust before we could retrieve it in the morning.
We waved goodbye to our tents, gunned the engine, and headed home in the downpour. I like to think that the other ward members woke up the next morning in their dry little tents and came out to see our abandoned campsite and panicked, thinking it must have been a bear attack that took us away. I mean, nothing else would make you leave a perfectly good campsite in the middle of the night, and abandon your tents right?

I guess my parents learned their lesson the second time because we have not joined in on a full fledged camping trip in the mountains ever since (at least that I can remember...my mom will probably remind me of some later that have been erased from my remembrance). I feel as if I can rightly blame my parents for my lack of interest and participation in anything that has to do with sleeping on the ground.

I guess you could call me deprived. But maybe I'm just lucky.


C.R.M.
xoxo

I Think I'm Getting Stupider

I know guys, it's been what, 4 months since I last posted? Pretty sad. Especially considering my last post was all about how I was going to be better about blogging. The only responses I have for that is the following: school and work. Which is translated to: the end to life. But guess what? It's SUMMER TIME BABY! And that means I get to make another whole-hearted attempt at blogging that may or may not die off by the end of the month as slowly and painfully as the cheese I threw away this morning that was so covered in mold I could have mistaken it for a mouse. But hey, at least I can say I tried.

Lately I have been inspired to write again because of this wonderfully hilarious blog called It Just Gets Stranger. If you have never read it, you really should. Like right now. I've spent many a minute being distracted by island adventures and rather spunky sense of humor that has me laughing in my swivel chair at work like a madwoman trying to hold it all in and make me look productive. It's made me think to myself: 

Funny things happen to me too! I'm calling my mom about them all the time! Why not put this writing bug that's gotten inside of me to good use and share the hilarity with others. Or at least try. 

So that's the plan folks :) I may or may not also include shameless plugs for my Etsy site: Stylish Stitchings and of course tutorials if I ever get around to sewing again (I have a mound of fabric the size of Mount Everest that is trying to be contained by boxes in my apartment and my room at home. It's almost as large as the pile of laundry that desperately needs cleaning.  Almost.)

So to start things off, a conversation today at work:

Ms. Wayne  (my roommate and coworker, she's practically married to Batman *cough* Bruce Wayne. No big deal.): I think we need to up the prices on the website so people will stop ordering. I keep getting emails from people who have never used the Internet.

Me: They say they have never used the computer before in their email?

Ms. Wayne: No, they just complain that they can't see their tracking information, I mean hello, it shipped two minutes ago!

Me: I'm sorry?

Ms. Wayne: It's not your fault. I just feel stupider by the second! Is stupider even a word? See! They are already working on me!

Me: At least you have a job!

30 minutes later

Ms. Wayne: I'm nervous to pee.

Me: Why??

Ms. Wayne: It's dark and scary outside!! So I'm nervous!

Me: And going to the bathroom is related to how dark it is outside?

Ms. Wayne: YES!

Me: Ain't nobody got time for that.


C.R.M.
xoxo

A Backwards Glance at all the Firsts: 2012

This past year has held a lot of firsts, beginnings, endings, excitement, disappointment, and soul searching. I feel like I have grown more as a person the past year than maybe any year before. On that note, here are a couple of the highlights from 2012 (the year the world was suppose to end. Also, sorry this post is so long, but everything is better with a lot of pictures, right?):

I went to my first crazy college New Years Dance (ok, it was at the SLC Institute so it wasn't THAT crazy).

I went to my first Brain Regan Concert. It was worth every penny and my cheeks were sore all night! If you ever get the chance to go, DO IT!

This wasn't my first, but it was a first none the less! I accompanied my roommates to go see Parachute when they came a second time to Salt Lake City to a sold out show. It was beyond amazing! It was two of my roommates first concert! I am such a concert junkie that it was fun to see them at their first one. 

I planned/went on my first Spring Break vacation without parental supervision. A group of us hopped in cars and went to St. George. It was also my first time driving for longer than an hour at a time (leg=sore). It was by far one of the funnest trips I have ever been on. 

Hugh's Family (Peter was the dad, I was the mom, the rest were our kids :P )

I experienced my first Color Festival. Man was it crazy! But SO much fun. I totally plan on going again this year!

I was bold and had my first "break up" hair cut--everyone says you'll regret it later, but I sure didn't!

I met the guy who plays Elton in Singles Ward. It was a big deal ok?

I posted my first DIY shirt to my blog and Pintrest (it is still my most viewed post and pin).

I started my first full-time summer job that extended into the school year at US Novelty and Party (this was a pic on my first day of work).

I successfully pranked a boys room for the first time with a whole bunch of left over yarn. 

I became a member of the Latter-Day Saint Student Association (LDSSA) at the SLC Institute as head of the Historian committee. I also designed the t-shirts that you can see everyone wearing around the UofU campus!

The first of my best girl friends got her mission call: California ASL speaking. She is in the MTC right now and I am so proud of her!

I went to my first Murder Mystery Party and it was a blast. 

I sang in a choir for the Relief Society Broadcast for the first time (though it was not my first time singing in a choir in the Conference Center).

I went to Nightmare on 13th for the first time (I'm the crazy looking one in hipster glasses almost hidden in the back :p What you can't see is that I'm wearing a cat shirt ;). )

I wore a wig cap and a wig for the first time for a Hallowen Costume. (LOVE this costume.)

Dress: Thrifted (such a good find), Beads: Claires and borrowed from my roommates, Gloves: Halloween City, Boa: Halloween City, Wig: Halloween City, Bracelets: Claires (way old), Ring: Forever 21, Tights: JCP, Lips: Sephora Lipstain

And last but not least, I threw my first ever Christmas Party that ended up being a SMASHING hit! 

So there are some highlights of the "firsts" I experienced this year. To wrap things up, a few firsts and highlights that I don't really have pictures for: 

I experienced for the first time what it feels like to find your perfect match and have them not feel the same.

I got into the Graphic Design program, so I have a concrete plan for the next 2 1/2 years for the first time since I didn't get into the program the first time. 

I was paid for my first design job. 

I created this blog.

I went fishing for the first time and LOVED it. 

I had my first summer romance.

I rode a moped for the first time. 

I ate sushi for the first time and actually liked it. 

I had my purse stolen. 

I spent a summer not at home for the first time. 

I got my first big paycheck and was tempted to blow it all. 

I experienced what it felt like to be loved back...and what it feels like to be the one to end things. 

I started an Etsy shop.

I signed up for my first boutique (more on this to follow).

Well there you have it folks. Here's to 2013 and all the new firsts that are just waiting to happen! I plan on grabbing each new experience by the horns and riding them till the next one comes along!

Happy New Year!

xoxo

CRM

Christmas Extravaganza!

Well it's been almost a week since my party last Friday and I am finally getting around to posting the results. I must admit I was amazed at the outcome. The changed location ended up being perfect, I had amazing helpers to set up and take down, the food was all eaten, and I think everyone had a great time. It just goes to show that even when everything looks like it's going to crash and burn, it really can work out in the end. 

Ok, on the fun part! The pictures :)

Here was my outfit for the night. I was hoping to make something new for the party, but time ran away from me and I had to scrounge through my closet to find something that I hadn't worn for awhile

Dress: Down East Basics (old), Belt: Wow, I can't even remember!, Shoes: Forever Young Shoes (old, like 8th grade old), Tights: JCP, Necklace: Gift from China, Lips: Sephora Lipstain

I was happy it turned out as well as it did for a very last minute holiday ensemble! 

The dessert table: definitely the favorite spot to mingle all night. 

The cute banner I made to add a little sparkle. A party just isn't the same without a banner! :)

The cute tree decoration I made using this tutorial. 

Hot Chocolate Station (Note to self: A small thing of Steven's would have been PLENTY.)

I think I ate more of these throughout the night then I did cookies!

I love these bowl pedestals! So much classier than just sitting the bowl on the table. 

Quick D.I.Y. tip: 

1: Buy a cute bowl or platter

2: Buy a glass candle stick (often on sale at Hobby Lobby)

3: Wash bowl/platter

4: Hot glue or super glue (I like to use the glue brand "Goop") the candle stick to the bowl/platter and "Ta Da!" you have an amazing platter your friends will want to take home with them it's so cute!

I had a bunch of leftover felt from making the first cute tree (they just took too long to make a ton of them), so my mom and I made up this cute decoration that was a TON faster. A step by step tutorial on this one will be coming soon!

We tried to dress up the walls as well as we could with some beads and twinkle lights. 

I stole the ever popular photo booth idea and it was a hit!

What can I say? I love a good fake mustache and top hat! (Also, props to Camilla who is pictured above for doing my hair for the night! She is amazing!)

In the end the party was a great success and even though it caused me much stress and loss of sleep, I'm glad I was able to pull it off and might even consider doing it again next year...maybe...

Or maybe it would just make me look like this again ;)

xoxo

C.R.M.

Panic

So I'm throwing a Christmas party tonight. The panic of pre-party-planning jitters have arrived and I'm not sure if I will live to see tomorrow. Or the end of tonight. 

Just kidding. 

But I'm pretty sure this is how I look right now: 

(Or at least that's how I feel like I look.)

I know I'm being overly over dramatic over this party (how many times can I say 'over' in one sentence ), but I want it to be a success and I don't want all of my hard work and money to go to waste. I'm sure you've all felt that way about an event at one point or another. You've tried to keep your expectations low, but in the end you just hope and wish it will be a smashing success.

Well I don't know which way it will turn out to be, but there will be pictures to follow and even a tutorial on how to make some cute centerpieces that are now not even being used as centerpieces because my venue got changed. (See, I have a little bit of room to panic, right? Right?)

xoxo

C.R.M.

Bloging Hiatus and Making a Comeback

I check Blogger almost every day to catch up on all the blogs I love to read and check out the outfits I wish I had the money to buy (And sometimes not. Even if I had the money, I think I would still have a hard time spending over $10 for a t-shirt no matter how cute it is.). But this time I checked up on my own blog and realized with dismay that it had been five months since my last post.

Pathetic much?

There are more than a few reasons why this little blog hiatus was inevitable to happen:

1: I got a job. Yay 9-5 work. (But really I am grateful for the work and the money.)

2: Summer ended. School began.

This is the first summer I have spent away from home and needless to say I felt the need to fill the void of family time with other things like blogging and ultimate frisbee. Well, once that ever elusive time of summer passed and the new semester started with me in my design program, all hobbies seemed to go out the window. Any free time was spent doing homework and spending time with my then boyfriend. I didn't touch my cross stitch, digital scrapbooking, sewing machine, or blog for almost the entire semester (as you are now realizing I'm sure). I never knew how hard it would be to balance work, school, and life...and still get good grades and some sleep.

It is defiantly an art.

3: Curve balls.

Life has a way of throwing us curve balls right when we are expecting a fastball. (That is about as far as I can go with the baseball analogies. I'm a football/basketball girl all the way.) It is amazing to me how hard some of these changes in life can hit us and rock us to the core. I have been what I can only call floundering for the past two months. There has been a lot of soul searching, decision making, tears and Taylor Swift songs. (Thank you RED for coming out at just the right time. How did you know almost 1/2 of your songs would be oh so applicable?) There was an easy way before me and a hard way. Two paths that would determine my strength and spirituality. Of course the hard way was also the right way. And in the end, after a long internal battle, that still has its little skirmishes sometimes, I chose the hard way. The right way.

Were there moments when I wanted to give up and give in?

Yes.

Are there still those moments when I let the insecurity and fear creep in?

Heck yes.

But I finally feel like I'm on the up and up.

There are many times, looking over the past semester, that I wish it never happened. Times when I wish life came with a remote all decked out with a huge rewind button. But when I really stop and mull over the things I've learned, the ways I've grown, I don't think I'd take it all back. Do I wish I would have made some different choices that could have saved some heartache? Yes. But we all have those times in life. The trick is to figure out a way to come out of them alive. Maybe not unscathed, but alive and aware of how wonderful life can be. Even if we can only recognize that in small tiny doses at first because our "sad song" playlist is deafening the beauty in our minds.

The only advice I have to those of you who might be in similar spots in your life right now is this:

Make the right decision, no matter how hard or painful.

Stick to it no matter what.

Keep moving forward.

It's the only way you will be able to make it through.

-------------------------------------

Ok, so the reasons for my hiatus did end up being only a few (3), but let me tell you, each is jam packed with reasoning and justifications out the wazoo.


I've made it through somehow, the semester is over, and the year is almost out. So let me publicly (You know, to my...8 followers?) declare this here post a COMEBACK. 

COMEBACK  [kum-bak]
noun
a return to a former higher rank, popularity, position, prosperity in all things
crafty, how-to, fashion, life and love

Maybe it will be just as awesome as Kelly Clarkson's comeback. Just sayin'.

xoxo
C.R.M.

p.s. Can I just say that the biggest reasons I am SO HAPPY classes are over are the chance to craft, be with my family and cuddle with my kitty. Bring on the eggnogg!