I have always been an optimist. I tend to collect all of the tiny good parts of a day and suddenly realize that it is the best day ever. A lot of days are like this and I’m so thankful for that.
life
Weekly Instagrams
My week long hiatus is probably due to the fact that I’ve had such an eventful week! That, and I have been living in my head a little too much.
Sometimes things just work out. And sometimes they don’t. This week, I stopped looking for a job. I said, “I’m gonna be self-employed someday and until that happens, I am going to just get by!” I was super motivated. Then, as I was about to meet with a couple whose wedding photos I’m taking, an elderly man approached me. “Workin’ on homework?” “Nope I just graduated!” we talked a lot. I told him I didn’t have a job, but that eventually I wanted to run my own business. He told me I had an entrepreneurial spirit. Then he said he would contact me so we could talk about possible business opportunities! Turns out he’s the CEO of a big consulting firm. And I thought, “Oh my goodness, I’m getting a job!” I told everyone. My mom. My dentist. I was so excited. This man and I met again a couple days later. Long story short, he wanted me to be his client. And he kept referencing McDonalds and Walmart. I was so bummed.
So that happened… and then I went to a country concert. Here are some happier stories brought to you by my instagrams:
1/2. Renegade was so fun! I can’t wait until the winter fair :)
3. Got some good coffee in Portland! Also, greek yogurt is my best friend.
4. My mom almost adopted this kitty at the farmer’s market.
5. The college I went to got super fancy. I mean, it’s always been fancy. But the new cafeteria that conveniently arrived after I graduated. Dang.
6. I almost adopted this kitty two nights ago. Someday, I hope this works out because my mom and I are both having the worst luck.
7. I found a wonderful yarn store!
8. Someone decided to name a yarn “Expresso.” Clever.
9. My week ended in a free VIP concert to see The Band Perry (Yay!!! They were so good! It was amazing. Really.) and Brad Paisley (So full of himself. I’m not really a fan.) It was wonderful though! So much fun. My friend let me borrow her cowboy boots (grey ones on the left) which belonged to her grandmother :) I’m still looking for a pair of my own.
Happy Weekend, everybody. I hope you’re doing what you love to do and just enjoying summer :)
Renegade Craft Fair 2012 – SF
I’m so happy that I’ve finally attended a summer Renegade Craft Fair! I’ve made it to the winter show three times, but something always comes up during the summer. Last year, we drove around for hours looking for parking before giving up. So this year, we conveniently parked at a friend’s house and took the bus in.
Some of my Jessup friends came by, including Alyssa (left), which was such a pleasant surprise!! So fun. And then, this lady (right) was the talk of the town with her adorable bunny, Shiro.
Also, big news, guess how much money I spent? Six dollars. On lavender lip balm from Etta + Billie. And seven on a glass of way too potent wine. Oops. Anyway, I’m proud of myself!
Although I didn’t spend much money there, I picked up lots of business cards for potential future purchases. I’ll share some noteworthy stuff later :)
Have any of you gone to Renegades this summer in your neighboring towns??
Summer Trip #3 | Washington
My trip up north was the greatest! And such a nice time to have my new camera handy.
We spent most of the week in the yurt and in my aunt and uncle’s 400 square-foot house. A few times, we went out to town or to visit other family, and we managed to fit in two showers (yay).
I finally read the second half of East of Eden. Timshel! And I started a new book, Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer. It was in the pile of books my aunt was giving away, and come to find out, it addresses my biggest ambiguities and stresses in eating meat. I’m not a vegetarian. I am a “sometimes vegetarian.” And I want to sort through that. I also realized I’m the kind of person who impulsively buys books and never reads them. What, who does that?! Yeah, I think everyone does. I’m excited to get through my stack of unread books :)
Some other magical things happened up there in the woods. First, there were a lot of puppies. Well, two puppies and a beautiful lab/greyhound named Sadie who I love and adore. When I was little, I changed my name to Sadie and wrote it on every school paper. My classmates would yell at my teacher and say, “Her name isn’t Jennifer, it’s SADIE!!!” Awesome. So, that’s one reason why I love this dog.
Magical moment #2: We slept in the yurt and had a few dance parties to salsa, reggae, and gypsy punk (which is crazy). Also, my cousins Zendryn and Zeydriel are really fun and adorable.
Magical moment #3: Realizing more and more how much I love my camera. I didn’t edit these three photos because they turned out so clear and colorful. Yay!
Magical moment #4: Our second layover in Portland. This one was delayed a few hours, but we still didn’t have enough time to go explore the town or anything. I felt so, so happy. I get this ridiculously whimsical feeling in Portland, and I know that I’ll have to move there eventually. But there’s rain. And it’s far away… I have excuses. This time, my mom suddenly saw the light and realized all of the reason why I should move up there! We had some dinner and wine and talked about the future and all of its possibilities. Portland isn’t too far away. It’s the most beautiful city, ever. And it is the location of all of my hopes and dreams! I’ll go back up to visit again soon and hang out in the rainy weather before I decide anything :) It would be a year or two. But anyway.
I’m so rambley! Forgive me. I’m just excited about life, and stuff. Today, I’m making products and accomplishing goals. Tomorrow, farmer’s market. Sunday, Renegade Craft Fair. I’ll be blogging about it all :)
The Portland Blues
Layout Changes & Packing my Bags
I have come up with a rule called “Don’t change your blog layout without a good night’s sleep first.” That also applies to blog name. I’m happy with the decisions I have made so far regarding this Earl Grey dealio, but I am always dissatisfied with the layout. At one point, I almost hired some lovely ladies to fix it up, but I was so mixed up and didn’t know what direction to go to. I also wanted to be able to change it on a whim during this fresh new branding period. I’m learning so much about branding, thanks to the Dream Job e-course and the many blogs and shops I am inspired by.
Anyway, as you can see, there are a lot of changes going on around here! And I waited a week before making any impulsive decisions. I’m so excited. HTML has been on my side today, seriously. Notice that the banner now includes a teacup. Maybe now my mom will stop saying, “Earl Grey! But! You’ve gotta sell TEA!” I love tea. And Earl Grey tea, specifically. I want to be continually inspired by all things cozy :) But I’m not selling tea.
I’m so thrilled about the blog graphics and ideas I have found lately. I feel like it’s Christmas. I hope this layout is simpler and prettier than before. With my track record, it might only last two weeks.
So, tonight I am getting ready for a week long trip to Washington! At least I should be getting ready. My aunt lives in the country and she and her husband just built a yurt, so we’ll be sleeping in it! Super fun. It’s way out there in the boonies, without electricity and running water. It is a good way to refresh and just experience peace. I’ll be sure to take a lot of pictures of their tiny cute cottage and the woodsy surroundings.
On the way to the airport, I’ll be having a small job interview. Fingers crossed it works out this time :) I’ll keep you guys posted.