with three pencils

My Favorite Words

2011-09-06T20:28:00.000-07:00

Serendipity
Sparkle
Hoppipolla
Love
Paris
Destiny
Bubbles

Orange Goodness

2011-09-02T21:13:00.000-07:00

Oh, how I love pretty things! I love shopping in stores. When I see a pretty store my heart melts like butter sitting atop warm toast. Anthropologie and JCrew would have to be my top favorites. I am in love. But to tell you the truth, as of late, I am finding myself loving yet another store....Home Depot. Gotta love that bright orange goodness! The smell of fresh lumber, colorful paint chips you can have for free, and walking down isles with people covered in sawdust and paint. I love the general feeling in the store because everyone going into the store has a project that they are working on. They are fixing something, they are making it better, they are making something pretty, they are accomplishing the task at hand. I love hard working people who are just trying to make the world around them better.

Missing the Magic

2011-08-15T10:11:00.000-07:00

This year has brought major change. Good change. Life changing kind of change. I got married. Best day of my life. I married my Mr. Tollstrup. But like I said before, it has brought major change in my life. I am learning to grown up even more. I couldn't go to Disneyland with my family this year. It was so hard to see them go and I wasn't going with them. I miss Disneyland so badly. I just want to walk down Mainstreet, sit under the sparkly castle, laugh with my family, eat churros, and ride my most favorite rides in the whole world. I have made so many memories over the years with my family in that park. It's my home away from home. I can't wait to take my Mr. Tollstrup to my most favorite place and begin memories with him. Disneyland is truly a magical place. I can't wait to walk through its gate again.

Freckles & Fun

2011-07-01T22:22:00.000-07:00

Somehow I have surrounded myself with redheads. My mom is a redhead. One of my best friends is a redhead. And (my favorite), my husband is a redhead. They make up 2% of the population. They are a rare breed. They are different, they stand out, and they are unique. All the qualities I love in a person! Some might remember how Charlie Brown was in love with a little redheaded girl at school. He would always be sitting on the school bench, eating his peanut butter sandwich, and wishing the little redheaded girl would come and sit with him. How cute and romantic. I think once in her life, a woman is entitled to fall madly in love with a redheaded man. And that's just what I did.

Paper Pages

2011-07-01T21:35:00.000-07:00

I love bookstores. A bookstore is one of the only pieces of physical evidence that people are still thinking. And I like how these bookstores break everything down real simply for you. Fiction and nonfiction. In other words, these people are lying, and these people are telling the truth. That's the way the world should be I think. I would say the main competition for a book is a video because for some reason people feel they need to bring home a big rectangular block of something they don't know the end of. But I must say the big advantage of a book is it's very easy to rewind. Close it and you're right back to the beginning. I could spend hours meandering through those isles of pages (and sometimes I do) and find all sorts of treasures. I love the smell of an old or new book, I love the crackle it makes when you open it and start to split the spine, and I love that reading a new book inspires me and teaches me all at the same time. Oh, how I love books!

"There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate's loot on Treasure Island." -Walt Disney

Little Spaces

2011-07-01T20:56:00.000-07:00

The movies will always be on of my absolute favorite activities. But to be honest, my favorite part of the movies is going to the movies. You're in the car, trying to make it on time. Maybe you'll snag good seats. Maybe it'll be a good movie. Maybe you'll love it. You don't know yet, and when you're on your way it's still possible. I love that I'm definitely doing something and haven't done it yet. That's a pure life moment. After you get a job and before you have to do it. It's the spaces between life that I love the most.

Freshly Canned

2011-07-01T20:46:00.000-07:00

Dinner of Champions!

I don't cook. I do have a kitchen, I've been in it. To me, a kitchen is just a room to hold a toaster and a microwave. That's the way I think of our little place. Bedroom. Living Room. Toaster Room. I wish I could cook these amazing dishes and beautiful meals, but quite frankly, I just don't have the time. And when I say I don't have the time, I really do have the time. I just don't have the patience to spare 45 minutes to prepare a meal and end up with an empty plate. I love good food and I really admire someone who can cook. To carefully add ingredients, time everything just right, and create a beautiful and yummy masterpiece is a work of art. But at the end of the day, I am very satisfied with my bowl of Spaghettio's.

LIFE

2011-06-16T16:21:00.000-07:00

This is your life. Do what you love, and do it often. If you don't like something, change it. If you don't love your job, quit. If you don't have enough time, stop watching TV. Stop over analyzing. All emotions are beautiful when you eat, and appreciate every last bite. Open your mind, arms, and heart to new things. And people, we are united in our differences. Ask the next person you see what their passion is, and share your inspiring dream with them. Travel often; getting lost will help you find yourself. Some opportunities only come once, seize them. Life is about the people you meet, the relationships you make, and the things you create with them. So go out and start creating. Life is short. Live your dream. And wear your passion.

Lizzie Love Photography

2011-06-07T23:21:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends!! I have finally started my photography site! I love photography mainly because I can dive into the unknown. I can create something new that is fueled with passion and curiosity. When we see through the eyes of imagination, anything can happen. You never know what you are capable of doing until you start dreaming and doing it, I always say. So here goes my new journey of creating myself. Enjoy! New edits will be up all the time.

http://lizzielovephotography.blogspot.com/

Life's Little Pleasures

2011-04-18T04:17:00.000-07:00

Flipping through art books

IMAGINATION

The sound of scissors cutting construction paper

Putting on clothes freshly from the warm dryer

Laughing so hard no sound comes out

Listening to rain inside a tent

Hitting all of the green lights

When you arrive at your destination right as the good song ends

When the grocery store attendant opens up a new lane

The feeling of rain on my face

The perfect pair of high heels that make you feel sexy if need be

My brother’s big blue eyes

Water ripples

Daring haircuts

Driving at night and rolling the window down to just let the cool air rush past your face

Going out of your way to crunch a crunchy leaf

Rainbow sprinkles on donuts

The crunch sound the snow makes when you step in it

Black straws at fancy restaurants

Dreaming passionately

Spelling words correctly

My best friend who is obsessed with Disney Princesses but listens to Nelly Jay-Z and LL Cool J (among others)

Loving Completely

Manly man chests

Getting an eyelash out of your eye

Figuring out how the hotel shower faucet works

Tortoise shell glasses

Finally remember that word that is on the tip of your tongue

The smell of the coffee isle in the grocery store

Taking that first scoop from the peanut butter

Letting sand run through your fingers

Glitter shoes

Soft whispers

Tangled Snuggles

The feeling of lightness your feet get after a pedicure

People watching

Being optimistic

Marshmallow mustache from Hot Cocoa

Watching the bubbles rise up from a newly poured drink

The perfect amount of fry sauce on a French fry

JCrew

A long walk with no where to go

Quoting movies

Walking slowly through Disneyland because you’ve done everthing you’ve wanted for a day

ANYTHING Audrey Hepburn (how I wish I was her..)

The cool breeze that is just the right temperature

Peeling that thin plastic film off electronics

Getting the prime movie seats in a theatre

Licking the cake batter off the spatula

That one really good pen that never gets lost

Squeezing through a door thats shutting without touching it

Tim Burton

Squirting your shampoo bottle and a thousand little bubbles explode out of it

Great Danes (I will own one some day)

Willy Wonka’s nonsense

Mickey Mouse's giggle

Laughing to yourself and then having people stare at you

Clean & fresh bed sheets

Tripping while walking and turning your half fall into a little jog to cover up the trip

Listening to music that gives you an extra bounce in your step

Hearing a smile in the dark

Old Batman cartoons

Candy colored hair

When the person you love is willing to fight to keep you no matter what.

Sunlight that glitters through the trees

The soft space nestled just between being awake & asleep

Dr. Seuss

Pastel colored nail polish that goes on smoothly the first time

Fluffy flouncy tulle

Old musty books

Natural looking makeup

Umbrellas

Long car rides to get some good thinking done

GENUINE AFFECTION

Helena Boham Carter, James Franco, Tom Hanks, Goldie Hawn, Steve Carell, Tea Leoni, Jim Carrey, Rachel Weiz, Dustin Hoffman, Johnny Depp, Robert Downey Jr., Hugh Grant, Sandra Bullock, Merryl Streep

Mini coopers & Smartcars

Jane Austen

Listening to someone speak another language (so beautiful)

Having a crouton is each bite of your salad

One or two finger hand holding that shows you're absolutely comfortable being together

Newport Beach

Getting a wrapped present and its so neatly wrapped you don’t want to tear the paper

Becoming who you are

Finding treasures in unexpected places

Wearing tennis shoes with dresses

Living what you love

Not waiting but doing

The sound sequins make on your clothes when you move

Tasting the salty air when at the beach

Getting everything done on your list

After spending a day with him and smelling him on your clothes

Living your bliss

Colorful balloons

Receiving real Hugs

Black and white movies

Christmas lights

Wrestling/tickle fights

Rocking out to Disney music

Thriller

Getting dirty then taking a hot soapy sudsy shower afterwards

Dancing cheek to cheek

Typography

Random texts that make you smile

Listening to a heartbeat

When the sunlight trickles through the water of a swimming pool

Wishing that one moment would last just a little longer

Saying “I love you” and MEANING it

The spray of water on your face when boating

Sparkly city lights

Clothes wrapped in tissue paper after buying them at a nice store

Slow dancing

Bite sized ice cubes in your soda

Hugs from your mom

The first sip of a newly opened soda can

Knowing its true love when the tiny details about another person, the ones that seem insignificant to most people, seem incredible and magnificent to you

Remembering dreams

Sitting next to someone and not having to talk to fill awkward space because there isn’t any awkward space to fill

Kisses for no reason at all

When he makes me twirl like a circus girl

Perfume bottles

Chocolate dipped strawberries

British accents

Falling asleep and someone covers you up with a blanket

Looking at the little details

Catching snowflakes on your tongue

Eiffel tower pictures

Really soft oversized sweaters

Tiffany & Co.

The first bite on a piece of pizza (the pointy part)

Sparkly stars

Squishing sand between your toes

The crispy sugar layer of Crème Brulee

Uneven old fashioned glass windows

The clicky sound chalk makes when writing on a black board

The perfect pair of sunglasses

The smell of a newly sharpened PENCIL

Living beautifully

Bold glasses

Walking in a museum and getting lost in your thoughts

Opening up a brand new box of crayons

Finding highlights in an old book

Looking at your best friend and knowing exactly what they are thinking

Wandering in libraries reading random books on far off topics

Modern Architecture

Cobble stone streets

Snuggles, nuzzles, and burrows

Lush gardens

Deep conversations

Giving people random nicknames

Feathers and 500 thread count

Listening to Christmas music throughout the year

Taking that most perfect candid picture

Cottages with wild flowers in the garden

Having two different colored eyes

Black and white stripes

The crunch of rocks under your feet while walking

Two straws in a drink

Inspiring music

When he makes my heart go boom boom

Looking past the junk and finding the prettiness behind things

SERENDIPITY (my most favorite word)

How the rainbows of disco balls dance off the walls

Fresh paint

People who honestly love you for you

Seeing an elderly couple holding hands

Flowy dresses that billow in the wind

Imaginary friends when you are little

Seeing old friends and acting as though you havent spent a day apart

Organization with just a hint of chaos

LOYALTY

Full kissy kinda lips

A hand written letter on pretty paper

The perfect pair of jeans that fit your butt so perfectly

The Office

The sound of his deep voice

The smell of wet cement during a rainy day

The sound of clacky high heels on a tiled floor

Girly ruffles

Flowers (nobody can ever be uncheered by a flower)

Big windows that let in the natural light

Putting a pin down on a map of places you will visit

The smell newborn babies have

Seinfeld

Having the exact amount of change when buying something

Real wood floors

Soft pillows

Ridiculously curly hair

Muscley man arms

A good book & time to read it

Crowns

That perfect Little Black Dress

Soft kisses

Spooning

Fireworks that crackle and sparkle like crazy

Unexpected generosity

Number 14 and 2

Beautiful clothes

Mist

My glass fish

Wishes that actually come true

Birthday candles

My iMac

Fluffy clouds

The crackly sound an old book makes when it’s opened

When other drivers smile at you for no particular reason at all

Going to bed with a dream and waking up with a purpose

Creating something new

Rummaging through my dad’s old boxes

Squishing Silly Putty

Hugs from behind

The cool side of the pillow

Making up your own lyrics to songs because you have no idea what the singer is actually saying

Guys holding babies or playing with little kids

Originality

My dad’s postcards

People with no awareness of PDA and you go out of your way to let them know you are right there just watching them

Making funny faces on rides that take your picture

Being able to “fly” when you are underwater

Finding the perfect name for a inanimate object

Multiple visits to Disneyland

When he makes my dopamine levels go all silly

Being able to take care of someone when they really need you

Falling asleep and someone covers you up with a blanket

Watching peoples head's bob when they fall asleep in class

Laughing so hard you snort and then laughing harder till your face cheeks hurt….not those other cheeks..

Exposed brick on interior walls

Fluffy 80s hair

Being told you look "beautiful" "amazing" "gorgeous"

When someone has the job of “Official Spider Smoosher”

Cereal talks with mom in the middle of the night

Listening to a heartbeat

Desperately needing a bobby pin or gum and finding one in a random place

Fortunes in a fortune cookie

Mix matched sheets

When the characters meant for each other on your favorite show FINALLY hook up (Pam + Jim)

Flowers that show up on your doorstep

Surprise notes left on your car and in your lunch bag

Waking up to find that its snowing

Being right on time for something

Reading books you loved when you were little

When your head fits perfectly in that amazing nook between his shoulder and neck

When friends are patient with you and your weaknesses

Catching cheese puffs in your mouth

Roasting marshmallows

The slow drips coming off umbrellas

Feeling the cool water rush past your face when swimming

Charcoaly fingers after drawing

Finding excitement in the mundane

Real smiles from people

Celebrating your Unbirthday

When people are not afraid to wear clothes that truly express who they are

Movie marathons

Fashion and the creativity it offers

Seeming a dream but proving real.

Diving into the unknown

Trying on 20 different perfume samples at once

Alice in Wonderland

Quotes (I LIVE for quotes)

Simplicity, timeless elegance, and the perfection of imperfection.

Listening to Frank Sinatra when missing my dad

When he makes all my saved up wishes come out

Loving puppies and bunnies but thinking zombies are cool, too

Having a torrid affair with my new Nikon camera

Being inspired by things that are not always considered fashionable

Not having a favorite color because it changes everyday

Cracking your knuckles

Slight scruff on a man
Vintage ribbons

Numbers & Color

2011-03-27T23:39:00.000-07:00

My Mr. Tollstrup and I are so in love and so alike. We love, like, and enjoy so many of the same things. But he thinks in numbers. I think in color. He is left brain. I am right brain. I stumbled upon these two sayings while surfing the internet. They explain almost exactly how we work and operate. So different but still one soul. I love my Mr. Tollstrup.

Stuck With Me

2011-03-02T02:05:00.001-08:00

Ya know sometimes I compare myself to others. No wait, I always compare myself to others. And I always put myself down in the process. I know that by doing this I become vain and bitter (and i hate that). There will always be a prettier girl than me. There will always be someone who is more creative than I am. There will always be someone who has accomplished more than me. Basically, I need to suck it up. Instead of thinking about what I am missing, or how ugly I am, I need to think about what I do have and what I am blessed with. There is a couple who live in Provo, Utah who are both returning from a nearly fatal plane crash. The wife,(Stephanie Nielson) burned 80% of her body. Her husband,(Christian Nielson) was burned as well, but not as severely. Stephanie looks like a completely different person. She compares herself to Sally on 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' and needless to say, she looks very much like her. It is so inspiring to read about this woman and her husband on their blog. They struggle everyday but they look for the positive in everything. She is beautiful. She truly is a beautiful woman. She may look like a stitched up doll to the world, but to her husband, she is the most beautiful thing in this world. He loves her for her. Not her face. He loves her for her spirit. She may not look like Audrey Hepburn or Natalie Portman, but she is beautiful because of her spirit and her faith. And most importantly, her husband is in love with her for being her. Her posts are very inspiring to me. She has taught me that we are not our bodies. We are our spirits. I am learning to ignore my body's many faults, and focusing on making my spirit beautiful. I need to be the best me that there is. I need to love me. I might not be very beautiful or the most talented, but I am me. No one is the entire world can be a better me than me.

New Chapter

2011-02-28T23:24:00.000-08:00

Alrighty, I have a lot to write about. So inhale........and go! So before I get to the big stuff, I'll start with the sweet little tid bits first; This last week I have been seeing heart shapes everywhere. I mean EVERYWHERE! From the bubbles in my sink, the burned splotches on my french fries, the cracks in the sidewalk, and even a heart shape in my bowl of cheerios. It was a week full of love! Now on to the big stuff. A new chapter in my book of life has opened. Two days before my birthday (which was over 18 minutes ago) my Mr. Tollstrup of almost 2 years proposed to me! It was a total surprise and I had no idea it was coming so soon! (although I couldn't be more overjoyed) My heart is still pitter pattering. The love of my life wants to spend the rest of his life with me! I could never ask for anything more. Needless to say, I can't sleep much because my mind is jumbled on everything wedding! Love really is better than anything. I am going to start a new blog along with this one to write the next chapters in my and my Mr. Tollstrup's life. I will have all the delicious details about our proposal story on it, along with engagement pictures, wedding pictures, etc. Stay tuned! Lots of love fellow bloggers!

You, Always

2011-02-15T00:13:00.000-08:00

This has been an amazing day. My Mr. Tollstrup gave me a beautiful bouquet of fresh roses wrapped up in a red velvet ribbon. (I can never be uncheered by flowers I've decided.) He then proceeded to make me dinner and he even hand dipped chocolate covered strawberries. I love him. Plain and simple. I love him. Sometimes I think that we are so fairytale it could make people sick. He just gives me the feeling that people write novels about. I honestly don't know what I thought about before I met him. Love is better than other stuff, really. Happy Valentine's day friends!

Cupids & Hearts

2011-01-31T03:12:00.000-08:00

Valentines Day is coming up! The holiday filled with flowers, chocolates, sparkly hearts, and stuffed bears. I never really cared for V-day growing up. I never shared it with someone special. It was just another day of going to school and seeing the popular girls getting bouquets of roses stuffed into their lockers. But now that I have found my other half...well...it's my turn to be wooed. My man was living in Africa last year, but this year I get him all to myself. I don't understand how he does it, but somehow he makes my eyes sparkle, my heart beat just a little faster, and my lips to pucker. I am definitely looking forward to spending Valentine's Day with my cute redhead. On another note; Why was Cupid chosen to represent Valentine's Day? When I think about romance, the last thing on my mind is a short, chubby toddler coming at me with a heart shaped weapon.

Biting My Own Teeth

2011-01-27T01:28:00.000-08:00

Here I am again, tapping away at the keys of a laptop trying to spill out the words swimming around in my skull. So here comes the downpour.... This time in my life is tough. I am trying to figure out what to do with the rest of my life. I am trying to create myself. I know that people often say that this or that person has not yet found himself. But the self is not something one finds, it is something one creates. Everyone tells me to model, and quite frankly I don't want to model for a living. The industry is wonderful and I love it a great deal, but it is also chalk full of stupid little stick figures with poufy lips, who think only of themselves (thank you Edna). It is a very materialistic world. I don't want to be surrounded by that. I want to be around people who love who they are, who don't need people to tell them how pretty they are to value their own self worth. The value of identity is that so often with it comes purpose. I want to have a purpose in my life. I come to the conclusion that trying to define yourself is like trying to bite your own teeth. I think at times our Heavenly Father hides things from us by putting them right in front of us. Sometimes I feel like I can reach out and touch what I want to be, and where I want to be going, but then there are times I sit and stare in a stupor, trying to rethink my whole perception of my life. I have a good idea where I want to be, unfortunately, I haven't hit the jackpot yet. I haven't heard the clattering of the gold coins rushing out of the slots of my heart yet. I haven't jumped up and down in joy yet. When I graduated from high school a friend of mine gave me a brown metal bird and attached to it was a light blue ribbon with a tag saying "it's your time to fly". That little gift holds dear to me and I will always treasure it. Unfortunately, it seems to me that I haven't found my wings yet. I know I will find my wings. I'm just hoping that I will be flying happy soon.

Bob Ross & Happy Little Trees

2011-01-25T10:00:00.000-08:00

I remember when I was in Elementary school and even when I was in Junior High, my mom and I would sit down on our green leather couch with our cheese and crackers, and watch Bob Ross from 3 to 3:30 every afternoon after school. We would always giggle to ourselves when we watched him paint. He had a very patient and calming demeanor. Each painting would start with simple strokes that appeared to be nothing more than colored smudges. As he added more and more strokes, the blotches transformed into intricate landscapes. I will have great memories of watching him paint because it was precious time spent with my mom, and precious time appreciating art and how it can influence your life.

Some of my favorite Quotes of his....

In painting, you have unlimited power. You have the ability to move mountains. You can bend rivers. But when I get home, the only thing I have power over, is the garbage.

Gotta give him a friend. Like I always say ‘everyone needs a friend’. (on painting trees)

Any time ya learn, ya gain.

Any way you want it to be, that’s just right.

Clouds are very, very free.

Let’s do a little cabinectomy here.

Oh, green water… oh that’s pretty. Boy, I like that, just alive with algae.

People look at me like I’m a little strange, when I go around talking to squirrels and rabbits and stuff. That’s ok. Thaaaat’s just ok.

People might look at you a bit funny, but it’s okay. Artists are allowed to be a bit different.

Shwooop. Hehe. You have to make those little noises, or it just doesn’t work.

The secret to doing anything is believing that you can do it. Anything that you believe you can do strong enough, you can do. Anything. As long as you believe.

We don’t make mistakes, we just have happy accidents.

We’re gonna make some big decisions in our little world.

You can do anything you want to do. This is your world.

I can’t go over 30 minutes, because we have a mean ol’ director with no sense of humor.

Well, the little clock on the wall says we’re just about out of time. Happy Painting and God bless

Words That Make Me Smile

2010-12-13T00:08:00.000-08:00

I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, it's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, and that enables you to laugh at life's realities. ~Theodore Geisel

The creative person is both more primitive and more cultivated, more destructive, a lot madder and a lot saner, than the average person. ~Frank Barron, Think, November-December 1962

There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept. ~Ansel Adams

Things are only impossible until they're not. ~Jean-Luc Picard, Star Trek: The Next Generation

Trust that little voice in your head that says "Wouldn't it be interesting if..." And then do it. ~Duane Michals, "More Joy of Photography"

It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see. ~Henry David Thoreau

Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought. ~Albert Szent-Györgyi

Vending Machine

2010-12-13T00:00:00.000-08:00

Change is inevitable - except from a vending machine. Continuity gives us roots; change gives us branches, letting us stretch and grow and reach new heights. I am excited for what the future brings...and scared out of my wits.

Elastic Waistbands and Gratitude

2010-11-25T01:13:00.000-08:00

Through the years, I have come to find that Thanksgiving dinners take over eighteen hours to prepare and are consumed in twelve minutes. I have also deduced that it has been an unchallengeable American doctrine that cranberry sauce, a pink goo with overtones of sugared tomatoes, is a delectable necessity of the Thanksgiving board and that turkey is uneatable without it. I am quite excited to eat nummy food that is Thanksgiving Dinner!! I am grateful for what I have been given.

Little Moments

2010-11-25T01:01:00.000-08:00

"I love listening to your heartbeat. Every beat is mine."

-NGT

Colorfulest

2010-11-07T22:03:00.000-08:00

I am a synesthete.

Synesthesia (also spelled synæsthesia or synaesthesia, plural synesthesiae or synaesthesiae)—from the Ancient Greekσύν (syn), "together," and αἴσθησις (aisthēsis), "sensation"—is a neurologically-based condition in which stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to automatic, involuntary experiences in a second sensory or cognitive pathway.

I see numbers, letters, days of the week and month in colors. I also see people in color. Now I don't mean black and white as in skin color. I mean actual color. My mom is orange. My dad is black. My brother is yellow. My grandma is royal purple. My best friend Whitney is violet. My friend Sammie is light green. My friend Chase is brown. My grandpa is hunter green. I could go on about the different people in my life and their unique color. But there is one person in my life that seems to have multiple colors. My Nick. He isn't just one specific color. He has so many. When I see him or picture him in my head a whole slew of colors splash across my mind. I am not exactly sure what that means but if I were to guess.....I think he just might be my other half. He is the one that colors my life.

This is the closest thing I can show you of what I see when I think of him.

Kate Nash

2010-11-07T21:24:00.000-08:00

I attended my very first live concert last week! the flashing lights, musky air, and the skeleton dress that Kate wore was awesome! If you haven't heard of Kate Nash stop everything right now and listen to her tunes! Her songs are stories. They are something you can connect with in a very personal way. I can see myself in her songs. I like that. The electricity between her and the crowd was amazing. My boyfriend, who is an avid music listener came along with me. Just having him by my side with his arms wrapped around me made the night even more special.

Eat, Drink, & Be Scary

2010-10-31T19:30:00.000-07:00

Mysterious Madi

Beautiful Sammie

Me being a creepy creeper

Where there is no imagination there is no horror. ~Arthur Conan Doyle, Sr.

I took these shots a few weeks ago in the barren wasteland that is the Great Salt Lake. Minus being surrounded by the smell of brine, the shoot was so fantastic and my two cute friends were absolute perfection. The real kicker..... I was the makeup artist. I can't even put on my own makeup without messing up so I was really pleased with the outcome of their makeup and hair. Happy Halloween!!

Somewhere In Time

2010-10-28T23:13:00.000-07:00

I just bought this romantic little flick for $7.50 at the drugstore and la la love it! The love he has for her in this movie is overwhelming. Im such a sap. And the quote towards the end of the film just stuck out to me and I had to post it.

"I want to be everything to you"

-McKenna

Hazy Dreaming

2010-09-07T03:28:00.001-07:00

I had a dream about my dad. I haven't have a dream about him in years. I have only had 2 other incidences where I remember dreaming about him. I have walked around in a daze today trying to figure out this dream and the little details it had within it. I have been missing him more than usual lately. Im not sure why. Some days are better than others. Time really doesn't heal wounds in my opinion. Time numbs our wounds. I miss him.

The Things He Does

2010-09-04T23:45:00.000-07:00

You make my insides get all wobbly when you kiss me.

You make my dopamine levels go all silly.

You make my heart go boom boom.

You make all my saved up wishes come out.

Click

2010-09-04T21:50:00.000-07:00

You found me. I found you. In this world of 6,692,030,227 (six thousand six hundred and ninety two million people on record apparently. I googled it), we found each other. Imagine that. I floated around in cyberspace as you were, and we lived 2 decades floating around in the real world without any knowledge of each other, and suddenly my soul saw you and it kind of went "Oh there you are. I've been looking for you."

Miss You

2010-07-31T18:08:00.000-07:00

Braids & Mud

2010-06-04T13:40:00.000-07:00

So this is from a photo shoot I did a while back. The "mud" smeared all over my face is actually bright red lipstick. Photo taken by the amazing Michael Scott.

"The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful."

Champagne Fizz

2010-06-02T05:19:00.000-07:00

So I have had all of these thoughts jumbled up in my skull these last few weeks and I need to get them out into the great void. If you can't make sense of this you are probably not the one going crazy. Don't worry, I am. My mind is like the bubbles in a bottle of champagne. The more I'm shaken, the more I need to let my thoughts out. So here goes..... All creative people need something to rebel against. Talent helps, but it won't take you as far as ambition. Make your vision of where you want to be a reality. If, instead of making approval of things I ask myself, 'What's wrong with it? How can I make it better?' If I ask myself the right question, I know I will get the right answer. When it can't be done, do it. If I don't do it, it doesn't exist. If I cant solve certain problems I am facing, it's because I am probably playing by the rules. I need to constantly remind myself that failure is a major contributor to success. Knowledge comes from the past, so it's safe. It is also out of date. It's the opposite of originality. I need to give myself some more spin. How I perceive myself is how others will perceive me. I am on my own. Fly or Die. To be original, I need to seek my inspiration from unexpected sources. I will be true to my subject(s) and then I will be far more likely to create something that is timeless, not fashionable. That's where the true art lies. I don't have to be creative to be creative. I am on my own, just do it. Better.

Colorful Days

2010-06-02T05:11:00.000-07:00

So I had a fleeting thought today while I was driving home in the rain. When I think of certain days of the week, I think of them in colors. Sunday: Brick Red. Monday: Bright Pink. Tuesday: Yellow. Wednesday: Lime Green. Thursday: Dark Blue. Friday: Grassy Green. Saturday: Purple. Now I don't know how I came up with these colors, I just know that when this certain day comes about, a certain color comes about with it.

Just Me

2010-06-02T04:21:00.000-07:00

I have been to Paris.

I find excitement in the mundane.

I don't get jealous.

I celebrate my Unbirthday quite frequently.

I try to take one picture every day.

I like puppies and bunnies, but zombies are cool, too.

I am having a torrid affair with my new Nikon camera.

I am in love with a handsome redhead.

I would wear tulle and sequins every day if I could.

I am inspired by things that are not always considered fashionable.

I don't have a favorite color because it changes everyday.

I have a weird obsession with balloons and umbrellas.

I want to go to New York more than anything.

I love laughing with my best friend.

I can't wait to design my own house.

I am never uncheered by flowers.

I love the crackly sound an old book makes when its opened.

I will be able to fly like Peter Pan someday.

Genie

2010-05-05T23:30:00.000-07:00

i wish i was prettier

i wish i was braver

i wish i was smarter

It's True

2010-04-27T12:30:00.001-07:00

Stuff To Do

2010-04-27T12:29:00.001-07:00

Morning Light

2010-04-27T12:28:00.000-07:00

White Petals

2010-04-26T23:46:00.000-07:00

This little shot I took while lying in the grass and it instantly reminded me of Alice In Wonderland when she is singing about a world of her own. "All the flowers would have very extra special powers, they would sit and talk to me for hours..."

Hi Dad Soup

2010-04-26T23:25:00.000-07:00

I love him

I love my mom

I love my best friend

I love my dad

I love my brothers

I love my grandparents

I love music

I love art

I love smiles

I love dogs

I love rain

I love soft kisses

I love fashion

I love love

I love photography

I love snuggles

I love flowers

I love sunshine

I love paris

I love candy

Simple Fact

2010-04-18T18:29:00.000-07:00

Feathers and 500 Thread Count

2010-04-18T18:28:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite places.

Pretty Pink

2010-04-18T18:26:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you gotta look past the junk and find the prettiness behind things.

Hi there!

2010-04-18T18:04:00.000-07:00

I decided that I would go crazy and paint my nails different colors. Welcome Spring!

Curiouser

2010-04-02T23:46:00.000-07:00

I have never understood why photographers criticize other photographers work. I simply don't get it. Photography is Art. People don't look at an abstract painting and say 'ya know that yellow splatter really shouldn't be there.' Photographers are sharing their art. Their creativity. Their view of that certain object, person, or place being shot. Why should others tell them that it is wrong, bad, ugly, or not 'professional'? Don't criticize art. We are not perfect. Art does not have to be perfect. Art does not have to be made to fit others expectations. It is meant to be appreciated. Not understood.

LOVE is.....

2010-04-02T21:26:00.000-07:00

Noticing the little things

My middle Name

How I feel about him

Soft Tickles

An ideal thing

Rereading texts and letters

Being able to hear smiles in the dark

Everything it's cracked up to be

Makes the world go round

Giving each other random nicknames

Never feeling like saying good-bye

Two straws in a drink

Stealing a kiss at a red light

My Perfect Day

2010-04-02T21:20:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been asked what your perfect day would be? What would happen? What would you do? Where would you go? As for me, this is all I need for my perfect day.

Visually Greedy

2010-03-24T19:58:00.000-07:00

What constitutes great personal style? We tend to think that to achieve great personal style someone must have perfect clarity about who they are and what they stand for. I disagree. I think conflict about who you are often leads to ever greater expression. That is why young people, or the young at heart are those that inspire or move fashion forward. They are struggling to find themselves; "Am I a rocker?" A Jock? Or a little bit of both?" These contradictions produce the most interesting looks. I think most of us are stylish hermit crabs, we change our outershell to camouflage our way into certain social positions. We 'dress the part'. When you accept this idea, people/fashion watching becomes less about what that person is wearing and more about the elements of the look can mean to your own personal style. In a way, being visually greedy allows you to separate the personality from the 'look' and puts the pressure on you to figure out how to harness that stimulus instead of just grading others as 'pass' or 'fail'.

Snaps For Cameras

2010-03-16T20:19:00.001-07:00

I want to be a photographer. I want to take pictures. Plain and simple. When I look at a photograph I instantly notice how it is an expression of what one feels about what is being photographed in the deepest sense, and is, thereby, a true expression of what one feels about life in its entirety. I'm a beginner. I am definitely not pro material but who's to say who is pro and who isn't? One photo out of focus is a mistake, ten photos out of focus are an experimentation, one hundred photos out of focus are a style. So who knows, maybe I will be the next Fuzzy Photographer! To me, photography is an art of observation. It's about finding something interesting in an ordinary place... I've found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them. Photography, as we all know, is not real at all. It is an illusion of reality with which we create our own private world and as some people know, I am trapped in my own little world. For me, photographs take their power from memory and emotion. A picture tells its own story, shaped by the mood or insights of the person you are at the time you see it. It becomes layered with the past and the present. I want to create something new, and there it is, and it will be me, out in the world, outside of myself and I can look at it, feel it... and I will know a little more about me. A little bit more than anyone else does. I will be my own person, my own me. Lizzie Love.

Davey

2010-02-17T05:36:00.000-08:00

On February 21, 2010 will mark the ten years that my dad has been gone. For half of my life, I have somehow survived the passing of my cute dad. While feeling nostalgic and rummaging through some of his old boxes, I found a postcard that he wrote to me in '98. In the far right corner, my dad wrote, "We made it Shorty!" If I have made it this far, I can make it until I see him again. I love my pop. And I know that we will both make it until we see each other and survive this earthy separation between us. There is a plan.

On a Cold Day

2010-02-17T01:18:00.000-08:00

Just a few of the shots from one of my very cold photo shoots where I am pretending to know what I'm doing. Thank you, Michael Scott! You're amazing at what you do!

Frosting on the Cake

2010-02-17T01:13:00.000-08:00

One of my favorites.

Hearts & Other Stuff

2010-02-17T01:06:00.000-08:00

Doodled this while sitting at my desk. Obviously, my mind wasn't on homework.

Yes, Please

2010-02-16T20:10:00.000-08:00

Jewels and Gems

2010-02-16T19:50:00.000-08:00

Most Whimsical Postage stamp I have ever come across. I would love to see these on letters more often.

Upside Down Crown

2010-02-16T19:43:00.000-08:00

I found this ironically appropriate at this point in time.

Bad Apple

2010-02-06T19:50:00.000-08:00

I am a lover of anything classic Disney. Disney runs in my blood. So I say this with the upmost respect but I must speak about something of great importance. Snow White. For one thing, she manages, as the title character in the film, to be the very least interesting person in it. Her only proactive moment in the movie is when she decides to pretend she is the hired help. Otherwise she spends her time apologizing for making a fuss when she was kidnapped, almost murdered, and abandoned. When she's not doing that, she's accepting candy (apples, whatever) from strangers, taking long naps, and marrying the first guy who's willing to kiss what appears to be a corpse. And I'll bet her tall collar is constantly getting in the way of her peripheral vision. The real problem with Snow White, though, is her voice. Even when speaking her voice is unnaturally high and grating, and when she sings, her voice reaches octaves that shatter my eyeballs. To put it bluntly, Snow White is not a favorite of mine, but I still appreciate it for what it is as a Walt Disney Classic.

Yipes! Stripes!

2010-01-26T20:05:00.000-08:00

“Once you can accept the universe as being something expanding into an infinite nothing which is something, wearing stripes with plaid is easy.” -Albert Einstein

Oh how I love Black & White Strips. They just make me happy. I love love love the contrast. When I see them on clothes, home decor, fabric, etc, I am in love.

My Red Egg

2010-01-26T18:48:00.000-08:00

My putty sculpture that melted in just a few seconds

My purple putty dots

So those of you who know me, are well aware that I have Silly Putty on my person day in and day out. I am constantly stretching and squishing the stuff. I love Silly Putty, plain and simple. I just put all of my stress into that little piece of dough. Now we won't mention the things I have ruined or the clothes that have had to be trashed because of my "forgetfullness" from leaving the putty in random places, but I believe happiness is simply, a little red egg.

Otterpop

2010-01-26T18:01:00.001-08:00

ITS WHAT HE CALLS ME

Faith

2010-01-26T16:31:00.000-08:00

Our View

His View

To Name a Few

2010-01-22T18:16:00.000-08:00

The Keys to My Heart

(In no particular order)

love KISSES sweet dreams CHOCOLATE laughter ANTIQUE STORES my little brothers HOT COCOA glitter SHOES SHOES SHOES whispers PEDICURES tickles KISSES smiles CREAMY BUTTER lazy afternoons PHOTOGRAPHS cuddles HUGS a long walk with no where to go LOVE pajamas SCRAMBLED EGGS honey GARDENS clean sheets FILM FILM FILM kisses SLEEPING IN day dreaming LOVELINESS honesty LEMONS tenderness COOL BREEZE baths TREES chocolate KINDNESS ribbons PAINT the soft space nestled just between being awake & asleep NAIL POLISH tulle OLD MUSTY BOOKS makeup UMBRELLAS long car rides GENUINE AFFECTION poetry SWEETNESS long talks with my mom FINDING TREASURES IN UNEXPECTED PLACES balloons CITY LIGHTS sparkling water TENDERNESS kisses for no reason at all PERFUME BOTTLES down comforters MUSIC humility FRIENDSHIP sweet peas LEMONGRASS my really old green convertible MOVIES strawberries EIFFEL TOWER really soft sweaters SAND BENEATH MY TOES sunglasses PENCILS glasses MUSEUMS libraries ARCHITECTURE cobble stone streets COTTAGES simplicity DRAWING black and white stripes SERENDIPITY disco balls FLOWY DRESSES organization with just a hint of chaos LOYALTY full lips ANEMONE hand written letters on pretty paper LIP GLOSS the perfect pair of jeans VINTAGE ANYTHING stars KISSES the sound of his voice RAINY DAYS affection TRUTH mainstreet PICTURE FRAMES ice cream RUFFLES memories FAMILY chirping birds HANDMADE ANYTHING high heels LIFE artists FLOWERS deep dark chocolate truffles SELFLESSNESS long car rides TRAVELING unexpected blessings ANGELS windows DOGS blowing bubbles APPRECIATION headpieces & veils GENTLENESS holding hands WEDDINGS newborn babies LAUGHTER real wood floors CURLS pillows HOPE a good book & time to read it CROWNS soft kisses SPOONING talking on the phone with friends FIREWORKS unexpected generosity FRIZZY HAIR beautiful clothes FOG my fish LOVE wishes INSPIRATION almost any shade of grey TEARS sprinklers LIMES birthday candles CLOUDS and kisses

Finding My Fish

2010-01-21T23:34:00.000-08:00

While visiting my mom one weekend, she handed me this glass fish that fit in the palm of my hand. She found this little treasure while she was in China. I asked her why she would give this little prize to me and she replied, "You're on your own now. Go out into the world and find your fish." I didn't quite understand what she meant by that until I pondered it later that night. I was in bed, staring at the ceiling, when I finally realized what she meant. The fish is my magic. It's that blissful moment when I meet my magic, whatever that may be. The fish is now on my nightstand. I am reminded of how I need to find my magic, and of how much my mom cares for and loves me. I love my mom more than anything in this world. And I am going to find my magic.

The Hiding Place

2009-12-27T21:08:00.000-08:00

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom is an absolutely extraordinary book. Never have I read a book in which the spiritual beauty of the author so resonated throughout the story. The purity of heart that manifests itself in this inspiring saga of a heroic, Dutch family in Nazi occupied Holland during World War II is stunningly beautiful. Of all the books I've ever read, this is the one that has remained in my mind and my heart for many years. I encourage all to read this magnificent and inspiring story.

Stripes & Smiles

2009-11-03T21:35:00.000-08:00

I was the Cheshire Cat from Alice In Wonderland for Halloween this year. I decided to dress up as this devious cat because Tim Burton's Alice is coming to theaters this March. Of course I am ecstatic over this and I am planning on attending the midnight showing dressed up in my costume. So here I come...smiles, stripes and all.

"All the mimsy were the borogroves and the momeraths outgrabe."

I Miss Reagan

2009-11-03T21:17:00.000-08:00

I desperately desire for the days when a President’s promise was his binding word. When his greatest asset at stake was not his popularity or public recognition, but rather the maintenance of his personal honor and dignity. If government were ran with those simple ideals, we would all live in a very different country. What ever happened to "by the people, for the people"? There has been a shift of power which would now make that statement read "By the elites, for the elites". It's as though the government no longer trusts us to make our decisions regarding our country. They'd rather fill our head with empty promises while campagning, and once they take office, they'll make radical changes that insult our responsibility, and limit our freedom. No one doubted him when he said he'd make "all of our problems go away". And instead of doing that, he seems to have created more problems. It's time someone let him know this country belongs to me as much as it belongs to him.

Cakes and Powder

2009-10-02T18:34:00.001-07:00

I found this little doll in my grandmas basement.

She reminds me of a little Marie Antoinette.

No Corsets for Coco

2009-09-22T11:41:00.000-07:00

"In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different."

-COCO CHANEL

"Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening."

- COCO CHANEL

"Fashion is made to become unfashionable."

-COCO CHANEL

"A women who doesn't wear perfume has no future."

-COCO CHANEL

"Those who create are rare; those who cannot are numerous. Therefore, the latter are stronger."

-COCO CHANEL

True Colors

2009-09-22T11:31:00.000-07:00

I love Cyndi Lauper! Look at her! She is so fun. Who can have candy colored hair like she does and get away with it? She is so comfy to be in her own skin and all of those colorful beads.

Dream Dress

2009-09-01T11:36:00.000-07:00

Why yes, I will be wearing a Vera Wang dress.

So Pretty.

Quote of the Day

2009-08-22T01:11:00.000-07:00

All you need is faith, trust, and pixie dust.

-Peter Pan

Love Fern

2009-08-17T15:33:00.000-07:00

If anyone is a chick flick fan like I am then you have definitely seen How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. In one scene Andy, played by Kate Hudson, shows up unexpectedly to Ben's apartment, played by Matthew McConaughey, with a "Love Fern" in her hands. She tells him it's just a little plant now but with tender loving care it will grow, just like their love. My best friend Whitney and I thought it would be hilarious to buy a "Love Fern" for us. Of course we had to buy a plastic fern so it would never die just like our friendship for each other. We bought it at a cheesy craft store where all they sell there are fake flowers, and we purchased our 1.99 plastic fern and brought it home with us. Cute huh? I know.

My Skeleton Friend Jack

2009-08-17T10:53:00.000-07:00

I had an imaginary friend when I was really young. He was Jack Skellington from the Nightmare Before Christmas. I felt safe when I thought about Jack being right there by my side. He was my tall, skinny, non-eyeballed friend. I always made my cute mom put him in his seat belt whenever we went in the car, he always had a place setting at the dinner table, which of course was just an empty plate but nonetheless he would still get hungry, and he would always go down the dark basement stairs first so as to make sure nothing was going to jump out and scare me. There is a song by Kate Nash called the Skeleton Song.The song is about her imaginary friend who is a skeleton and she can't seem to get rid of him because she loves him too much. It is one of my favorite songs of all time.

Skeleton you are my friend

But you are made of bone

And you have got no flesh and blood

Running through you to help protect the bone

Skeleton we have been friends for years

And you have seen me through some trials

And tribulations and some tears

But everybody thinks I'm weird

And I should have known

That it wouldn't be long

Until you, you've got me standing in an awkward position

With unwanted attention and a need for explanation

And it's not that I'm letting go of you

But I don't know what to do

Skeleton we are so close

But you have got no body

So why do you insist on wearing clothes

Skeleton when we were young

It was easy

Even though the other kids

They would tease me

But I was only seven I had you

But now I'm twenty-two

And now it's different, when I take you out

And you, you've got me standing in an awkward position

With unwanted attention and a need for explanation

And it's not that I'm letting go of you

But I don't know what to do

'Cause sometimes at night,

I dream of the most terrible things

I take a hammer and I creep out of bed

And I raise it high

And I smash your head

Fibular and tubular

And ribs and cages, too

In fact, while I'm here

I'll smash the whole of you

Smaaaaaaaaaaash !

But Skeleton, you are my friend

And I could never bring your life to an end

Yes Skeleton you are, you are my friend

And I will be there for you until the end

And even though, when I take you out

You've got me, you've got me standing in an awkward position

With unwanted attention and a need for explanation

I could, I could never let you go

And that is all I know

And that is all I, that is all I know

And that is all I know, know

The Secret Life of Daydreams

2009-08-16T14:06:00.000-07:00

You get ideas from daydreaming. You get ideas from being bored. You get ideas all the time. When ideas float in our mind without any reflection or regard of the understanding, it is that which the French call revery, our language has scarce a name for it. If you have never stared off into the distance with a blank face and glassy eyes, then life is a shame.

Filmed DNA

2009-08-16T13:27:00.001-07:00

"What is Cinema? We might as well ask "What is life?", for film, like life, is made of moments; moments in time, held aloft for our perusal, imprinted on our soul, and then brought back to us from time to time as a memory -- by an event, a vision, a sound, an emotion. The separation becomes trivial -- cinema is life, and life cinema: around us, beside us, inside us. The cinema, then, is not to be consumed with haste; films are not to be digested simply as they unfold, like some plastic-wrapped fast-food. Created by light and celluloid, they live only in our minds and in our hearts, savoured both during and after the fact. Projected onto the screen and into our consciousness, where they are replayed over and over -- continually re-discovered artefacts which are constantly changing us. What, then, can we say is truly real? A memory? An event? A celluloid image? The answer lies in the cinema. All is real. Nothing is impossible." - Glen Norton

I have a passion for film. I fall in love with the stories, the emotional connections, the clever memorable lines spoken by the characters, the costumes, the makeup, the suspense, romance, I could go on. I love the passion the characters bring to life. I always have liked characters who were passionate and felt certain ways, but weren't who they perceived to be. There are so many characters in classic literature who are passionate and have a desire to do something in a way that isn't really acknowledged, just like the Don Quixote story, in which some character is on a quest for some sort of feeling, not even knowing what that is. It's a very primal thing to me, that kind of searching for something and not even knowing what it is, but being passionate about it. A visit to a cinema is a little outing in itself. It breaks the monotony of an afternoon or evening; it gives a change from the surroundings of home, however pleasant. Film can be bizarre, classic, normal, romantic. Cinema is to me the most versatile thing. I loves it!

Scissor hands for Edward

2009-08-16T12:58:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite movies of all time would have to be Edward Scissorhands. It is a moody and bizarre modern day fairytale of a misunderstood alienated artist. Here you have a character who wants to touch but can't, who is both creative and destructive, and I think those two contradictions can create a kind of ambivalence. The manifestation of Edward Scissorhands probably comes to the surface to teenagers because it is a very teenage thing. It has to do with relationships. Sometimes I feel I can't communicate my feelings. The image of Edward is a feeling that your image and how people perceive you are at odds with what's inside you. I remember growing up and feeling that there is a lot of room for acceptance. You are taught at a very early age to conform to certain things. It's a situation that is very prevalent and which starts from day one at school: this person is smart, this person is not smart, this person is weird, this person is normal. From day one you are categorized. I don't know why people do it because it seems to me that nobody would like it done to them. It's kind of frustrating and sad at the same time, because somebody is saying you're this and somehow it's removed from you. And the more quiet somebody is, or the more different people feel you are, the more they like to do it.

Top Three

2009-07-10T23:24:00.000-07:00

I sit here, hunched at the keyboard, banging away on an old ratty computer, which does not understand me at all, nor I it, especially with a million thoughts swirling around my skull on how to proceed with something as personal on my update on my relationship with my many a idols. Audrey Hepburn, with her wise words, class, talent, and beauty. Tim Burton, with his pale, frail looking, sad eyes, and hair that expresses much more than last night's pillow struggle. A clump to the east, four sprigs to the west, a swirl, and the rest of the unruliness to all points north and south. His unique way of showing the world who he truly is and not being ashamed of it in the least. Walt Disney, with his pure thirst for the impossible. His quick wit, his ability to dream big, and his passion. Now by seeing way beyond the novelty of my unique idols, I find profound respect for 'those who are not others.' All three, to me, are true geniuses. You can't label what they have done. It's not magic, because that would imply some sort of trickery. It's not just skill, because that seems like it's learned. What they have are very special gifts that we don't see everyday. They aren't just famous or celebrities. Their thoughts, insights, and ideas are so much more. They are artists, oddballs, brilliant, and brave. I have never seen people so out of place, so inordinate fit right in. Their way.

So Serendipitous

2009-07-10T23:10:00.000-07:00

I truly believe that everything happens for a reason, no matter how big or small the reason is. While I was sitting here thinking about this very thing, my thoughts began to wonder why I went to Utah State for those 4 stressful months. I have been racking my brain for so long, asking myself why I went... these past few weeks have now opened my eyes. I think I now know why I went... Serendipity happened to me.

The Wrath of Me

2009-07-05T22:02:00.000-07:00

When it comes to creativity, anything goes. Creativity, in its purest essence, means the mind is free to imagine any possibility. The sky is the limit. In its purest sense, there are no rules! And if there is a trick to harnessing that power of creativity, it is not to try to control the imagination, but rather set it free. When people are plugged into the power of unbridled creativity, our free-soaring imaginations always seem to carry us toward discovery and subsequent practical (and sometimes impractical, as the case may be) application. Fueled by the a mixture of passion and curiosity. I think we need to get over the fear of failure and dive into the unknown and try something new and different. When we see through the eyes of imagination, anything can happen. You never know what you are capable of doing until you start dreaming and doing it. I love fashion. I love the creativity it offers. I love it because people live their life in it. Everyone expresses themselves through their clothes. It is how they want to be perceived by the world. It is their unique way of saying, "Here I am world! this is who I am, this is what I have been through and done in my life." I am at heart a shopaholic. I love clothes. My closet is stuffed to the gill! I can't seem to get enough of the colors, textures, and the unique cuts of clothes. I am just in love with clothes! Here of some pics of me at my first photo shoot. Enjoy!

Uncle Blue

2009-04-19T12:30:00.000-07:00

My Uncle Chris, or Blue as we called him, passed away unexpectedly last week at 36 years of age. He had a passion for many things: Legos, Star Wars, Books, Disneyland, but most importantly, his beautiful wife, and three amazing children. He had a Tigger tattoo on his left leg. And just like Tigger, he brought joy, energy, and bounce to everyone who knew him. Chris was always in a bouncing mood and just like Tigger, he was expressing his zest for life and is a form which he often used as a technique to share his eagerness and happiness or even fondness amongst his dear friends and family.

TIGGER'S SONG
The wonderful thing about Tiggers Is Tiggers are wonderful things

Their tops are made of rubber The bottoms are made out of springs They're bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy Fun, fun, fun, fun, fun But the most wonderful thing about Tiggers Is I'm the only one The wonderful thing about Tiggers Is Tiggers are wonderful chaps They're loaded with vim and vigor They love to leap in your laps They're jumpy, bumpy, clumpy, thumpy Fun, fun, fun, fun, fun But the most wonderful thing about Tiggers Is I'm the only one Tiggers are are cuddly fellows Tiggers are awfully sweet Everyone else is jealous That is why I repeat The wonderful thing about Tiggers Is Tiggers are wonderful things Their tops are made of rubber Their bottoms are made out of springs They're bouncy, trouncy,flouncy, pouncy Fun, fun, fun, fun, fun But the most wonderful thing about Tiggers Is I'm the only one I'm the o-o-o-only one!!! Grrrr!

This song defines my Uncle Blue. He was fun fun fun! and the only one of his kind. I will miss him greatly. I love him dearly. TTFN Uncle Blue ta-ta for now.

Quotes of the Day

2009-03-26T00:18:00.000-07:00

'Twas not my lips you kissed, but my soul.

~Judy Garland

Then I did the simplest thing in the world. I leaned down... and kissed him. And the world cracked open.

~Agnes de Mille

A kiss seals two souls for a moment in time.

~Levende Waters

I am still waiting for that moment where I will run up the door, open the stairs, say my pajamas and put on my prayers then turn off my bed tumble into my light, and all because he kissed me goodnight! -Lizzie Love (me!)

Lyrics of my Life

2009-03-18T15:04:00.000-07:00

These are a few of my favorite songs with "Feel Good" lyrics that keep me going and make me feel good to be Lizzie Love. The songs are not complete, just threw in a few of my favorite lines.

Crazy by Meredith Brooks
This town's always gonna think I'm a little crazy
Somebody's always gonna try to label me insane
Funny how I always seem to be the one who's crazy
I just wanna live, I don't wanna fit
If that makes me crazy, then I am...
I just want to live
I don't want to fit
I just want to try
I don't want to quit
If that makes me crazy, I am.

Mariella by Kate Nash
I'm far too loud
It's like, as soon as I've got an opinion
It just has to come out
I laugh at stupid things
Just 'cause they tickle me...
But Mariella just smiled as she skipped down the road
Because she knew all the secrets in her world.

Self Portrait by Stephanie Smith
All of these dreams in my head keep spinning round
I'm grabbing my paper and pencil to pin em down
I'll sketch my world as a prettier place
and draw myself with a smiley face
and make this picture perfect
But all of these lines on my page won't mean anything
until I learn to erase the one's that I don't need
I'm covering up the stupid mistakes and starting
over and over again to make this picture perfect
yeah yeah I'll start where I'm standing now
and begin shaping where I want to be
No one can tear my picture down
because it's me
and as long as I'm still proud of this self portrait I'm creating
I'm doing fine yeah I'm doing fine yeah
Every now and again someone comes along
they try to box me into a corner I've drawn
pushing the walls down struggling free
so I can keep making this picture perfect yeah yeah
I'll start with where I'm standing now
and begin shaping where I want to be
no one can tear my picture down
because it's me
and as long as I'm still proud of this self portrait I'm creating
I'm doing fine yeah I'm doing fine yeah
What I'm sketching doesn't have to be anything fancy
no I'm just shaping stronger sides of me of me of me
yeah yeah yeah I'll start with where I'm standing now
and begin shaping where I want to be
no one can tear my picture down because it's me
and as long as I'm still proud of this self portrait I'm creating
I'm doing fine yeah I'm doing fine yeah I'm doing fine I'm doing fine.

New Soul by Yael Naim
I'm a new soul in this very strange world
Hoping I could learn a bit 'bout how to give and take
But since I came here, felt the joy and the fear
Finding myself making every possible mistake
See I'm a young soul in this very strange world
Hoping I could learn a bit 'bout what is true and fake
But why all this hate? try to communicate
Finding trust and love is not always easy to make

That's Life by Frank Sinatra
That's life, that's what all the people say.You're riding high in April, Shot down in May
But I know I'm gonna change that tune, When I'm back on top, back on top in June. I said that's life, and as funny as it may seem. Some people get their kicks,stompin' on a dream
But I don't let it, let it get me down,'Cause this fine ol' world it keeps spinning around
I've been a puppet, a pauper, a pirate, a poet, a pawn and a king. I've been up and down and over and out and I know one thing: Each time I find myself, flat on my face, I pick myself up and get back in the race. That's life, I tell ya, I can't deny it,I thought of quitting baby, But my heart just ain't gonna buy it. And if I didn't think it was worth one single try, I'd jump right on a big bird and then I'd fly...

Sunglasses on my Face

2009-03-18T14:47:00.000-07:00

Wandering around in a department store, with nothing to do except browse the isles, I always walk out of there smelling like 20 different perfume samples and wearing new sunglasses.

A Wonderland for a girl named Alice

2009-03-02T02:04:00.000-08:00

Alice in Wonderland is one of my favorite stories. There is a mix of satire and wisdom from Lewis Carroll's timeless book. These quotes from Alice in Wonderland are humorous, yet enlightening.

I quite agree with you. And the moral of that is: Be what you would seem to be, or if you'd like it put more simply: Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise. - The Duchess

If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see? -Alice

Mad Hatter: Would you like a little more tea? Alice: Well, I haven't had any yet, so I can't very well take more. March Hare: Ah, you mean you can't very well take less. Mad Hatter: Yes. You can always take more than nothing.

Doorknob: Read the directions and directly you will be directed in the right direction.
Alice: It would be so nice if something would make sense for a change.
Mad Hatter: Oh yes mustard! That'll do... Mustard? Don't lets be silly. Now lemon, that's different...
Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser

Lizzie needs

2009-03-02T01:38:00.000-08:00

So I typed "Lizzie needs" into Google...and this is what I got!

Lizzie needs extra food. (I sure do!)
Lizzie needs a break. (Don't we all?!)
Lizzie needs a man. (Maybe one day...)
Lizzie needs acting lessons. ( I do?)
Lizzie needs our prayers. (Could'nt hurt.)
Lizzie needs more company. (More the merrier!)
Lizzie needs some help. (On what? Learning French?)
Lizzie needs happiness. (Can never have enough of that stuff!)
Lizzie needs surgery. (Eeeek on what?!)
Lizzie needs a chase. (I freaked out on this one! But it makes perfect sense!)
Lizzie needs a home. (So does my mom. We need a new start.)
Lizzie needs to nab a Darcy. (Keepin' my eyeballs peeled.)
Lizzie needs a kiss. (...So pucker up!)
Lizzie needs an intervention. (Why? because I'm a Shopaholic?)
Lizzie needs to add more stuff to her pages. (I definitely need to add more to my blog.)
Lizzie needs to change her name to Hottie. (...Need I say more?)
Lizzie needs transfusions. (Nah, I'll pass on that one.)
Lizzie needs to go to sleep. (Yeah it's way past my bedtime!)
Lizzie needs to take responsibility. (That's what my mom keeps telling me.)
Lizzie needs to make up lost time. (I really need to fix this one.)

Fashion Fabulousness

2009-02-05T15:16:00.000-08:00

I believe in simplicity, timeless elegance, and the perfection of imperfection. My definition of beauty, when it comes to the fashion world, is something between extremely ugly and extremely fantastic!

25 funny facts

2009-02-05T00:57:00.000-08:00

It's amazing how much you find out about yourself by just writing simple facts about you. I recommend that everyone give it a go!
Here are some facts that I just wrote down that make me...well...me.

1. I drink soda with everything.
2. I turn purple when I get cold.
3. I dance with the Swiffer when I clean the wood floors.
4. I wiggle my fingers when I get excited.
5. I get lost when I drive to my grandma’s…yeah I’m that bad at directions.
6. I love the beach, but I hate getting sandy.
7. I rarely cut off tags on new clothes. I just never think to do it.
8. The inside of people’s wrists grosses me out.
9. I twirl my hair around my finger before I go to sleep.
10. The moles on my right arm look like the Little Dipper.
11. I actually WANT to gain weight.
12. Tanning booths scare me.
13. I have pencil led stuck in my hand from the 4th grade.
14. I play with Silly Putty all of the time,
15. I hold my thumbs when I get nervous.
16. I never study for tests.
17. I quote movies in almost every conversation I have with people.
18. I trip on flat surfaces.
19. I am inspired by things that are not always fashionable.
20. I burst out laughing in dead silence from something that happened yesterday.
21. I love the smell of crayons.
22. I always read the safety instructions whenever I fly on a plane.
23. I never get sick of Disneyland.
24. I can never just sit down in a chair for too long.
25. I can click my tongue really loud.

Practically necessary

2009-02-01T22:08:00.000-08:00

My grandma's old sweatshirt I found in the back of her closet.

Whenever I walk into a vintage clothing store or a thrift store, I wonder why we ever buy brand new clothes. I think it's better to wear something that is not as recognizable as Prada. Vintage is timeless. Timelessness is important to me. I personally think it is better to be old-fashioned and right than to be up to date and wrong. But when it comes down to it, I base my fashion taste on what doesn't itch.

Colored Blue

2009-01-29T14:55:00.000-08:00

When people ask me about my favorite color I have to tell them a different answer every time. My favorite color changes everyday. Today it's blue. I got a little digital camera for christmas, and since I am on a high for the color blue, I went out and started taking quick snapshots of my favorite color for the day.

My favorite word

2009-01-28T23:06:00.000-08:00

My dream is to visit New York City, sit down in the Serendipity restaurant, and enjoy their famous frozen hot chocolate with my grandma Nina, my aunt Annie, and my wonderful mom. Serendipity is my favorite word. It's just such a nice sounding name for what it means... a fortunate accident. One facet of serendipity to bear in mind is that you have to be looking for something in order to find something else. It's kind of like putting a quarter in the gumball machine and having two gumballs come clattering out. Such a serendipitous moment!

Obamanation

2009-01-20T18:52:00.000-08:00

It was Barack Obama's Inauguration today. It has been a very trying day. To lift my spirits, I watched Ronald Reagan's Inauguration Address instead. The words that he spoke in 1981 still apply to us today. Here are some of the wise passages from his speech.

"In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem. From time to time we've been tempted to believe that society has become too complex to be managed by self-rule, that government by an elite group is superior to government for, by, and of the people. Well, if no one among us is capable of governing himself, then who among us has the capacity to govern someone else? All of us together, in and out of government, must bear the burden. The solutions we seek must be equitable, with no one group singled out to pay a higher price."
"It is my intention to curb the size and influence of the federal establishment and to demand recognition of the distinction between the powers granted to the federal government and those reserved to the states or to the people. All of us need to be reminded that the federal government did not create the states; the states created the federal government.Now, so there will be no misunderstanding, it's not my intention to do away with government. It is rather to make it work--work with us, not over us; to stand by our side, not ride on our back. Government can and must provide opportunity, not smother it; foster productivity, not stifle it."
"We have every right to dream heroic dreams. Those who say that we're in a time when there are no heroes, they just don't know where to look. You can see heroes every day going in and out of factory gates. Others, a handful in number, produce enough food to feed all of us and then the world beyond. You meet heroes across a counter, and they're on both sides of that counter. There are entrepreneurs with faith in themselves and faith in an idea who create new jobs, new wealth and opportunity. They're individuals and families whose taxes support the government and whose voluntary gifts support church, charity, culture, art, and education. Their patriotism is quiet, but deep. Their values sustain our national life. Now, I have used the words "they" and "their" in speaking of these heroes. I could say "you" and "your," because I'm addressing the heroes of whom I speak--you, the citizens of this blessed land. Your dreams, your hopes, your goals are going to be the dreams, the hopes, and the goals of this administration, so help me God."

Here are some quotes from President Reagan

"Don't be afraid to see what you see." -Ronald Reagan
"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free" -Ronald Reagan
"Freedom is one of the deepest and noblest aspirations of the human spirit." -Ronald Reagan
"I don't believe in a government that protects us from ourselves." -Ronald Reagan
"I know in my heart that man is good. That what is right will always eventually triumph. And there's purpose and worth to each and every life." -Ronald Reagan
"Politics is not a bad profession. If you succeed there are many rewards, if you disgrace yourself you can always write a book." -Ronald Reagan
"The government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it." -Ronald Reagan
"The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help." -Ronald Reagan
(one of my favorites) "To sit back hoping that someday, someway, someone (Obama) will make things right is to go feeding the crocodile, hoping he will eat you last--but eat you he will." -Ronald Reagan
"I've noticed that everybody that is for abortion has already been born." -Ronald Reagan
"A nation without borders is not a nation" -Ronald Reagan

I am on the right scale of the spectrum when it comes to politics. I am very conservative. Anyone who knows the history of our government, would never vote to enlarge it. I will not vote for the murder of innocent souls in a mother's womb, I will keep my money, I will keep the right to pledge to my God, I will keep the right to bear arms, I will work hard for my money and choose for myself how to spend it, I will keep my freedom! Obama can keep his "CHANGE"

Hmmmm

2009-01-06T18:02:00.000-08:00

So I started back to work as a lifeguard yesterday, and I already find myself daydreaming of things that I could do with my life. This I know... I want to create. I don't know what I want to create. All I know is, if I don't figure out this something, I will just stay ordinary, and it doesn't matter if its a work of art or a floor lamp, or a soda can! Just create something... new, and there it is, and it will be me, out in the world, outside of myself and I can look at it, or hear it, or read it, or feel it... and I will know a little more about me. A little bit more than anyone else does. I will be my own person, my own me. Lizzie Love.

Cheers! Let the New Year unfurl!

2009-01-01T00:23:00.000-08:00

Cheers to the New Year! And a fond farewell to the old. Here's to the things yet to come, and to the memories we will always hold in our hearts. This year while watching the famous Ball drop in New York, I found that in the younger generations you're allowed to stay up late. In the slightly older generations you're forced to. I hope many people look forward to this New Year for a new start on old habits!

Live in full color

2008-12-27T20:39:00.000-08:00

Color possesses me. I don’t have to pursue it. It will possess me always, I know it. Color is a basic human need…like air and water, a raw material, indispensable to life. I love how artists can get away with coloring the sky red because they know it's blue. Art is unquestionably one of the unique elements in human happiness. It trains the mind through the eye, and the eye through the mind. Art simply colors your life.

My To-Do List

2008-12-27T20:13:00.000-08:00

I didn't really know what to title this post and I don't really know what I want to talk about. I just felt like writing. I have so many ideas and things I want to see and create and experience and I don't know where to start. So here goes the random list that is flying through my brain right now.

My Life’s To-Do List
· Go to all my meetings at church
· Read my scriptures daily
· Write in my journal
· Go to the temple on a regular basis
· Exercise everyday
· Get my Patriarchal Blessing
· Get a college degree
· Buy a car
· Be happy
· Be grateful for what I have
Marry in the temple
· Teach myself French

Quote Of The Day

2008-12-21T20:30:00.000-08:00

To be is to do.

-Socrates

To do is to be.

-Satre

Do be do be do.

-Sinatra

Spoon full of Knowledge

2008-12-14T21:13:00.000-08:00

I wrote this paper my senior year of high school. I was applying for a scholarship and I wanted to explain how important an education is to me. Enjoy!

WHY I PLAN TO GO TO COLLEGE

My father. Passionate for his love of books, knowledge, history of the world, religion, sports, and family. Optimistic, yet realistic enough to know that life is a complex matter. Winston Churchill’s “Never, never, never give up” a guiding motto. Intelligent and self-assured. My father. A drug addict. He died one week before my tenth birthday due to many years of substance abuse. But he taught me something that no one else could: He taught me that life is worth living—really living—no matter how difficult it may be. He told me to grasp hold of opportunities whenever I can. And his death reminds me that I cannot afford to merely sit back and watch life pass me by because time is precious.
In my reflection on his life, I have gained a perspective that has allowed me to filter out those experiences that I do not want to have, to avoid the mistakes that caused him and those around him so much pain. Yet at the same time, his passions have infused in me the yearning to seek knowledge and understanding with every opportunity and experience that comes my way.
I want to gain experience and knowledge, and I feel college is the best step on my educational journey. I have many interests in many different areas. A role model of mine, Walt Disney, once said: “There are fashions in reading, even in thinking. You don't have to follow them unless you want to. On the other hand, watch out. Don't stick too closely to your favorite subject. That would keep you from adventuring into other fields. It's silly to build a wall around your interests." I have tried to remember this quote as opportunities have surfaced, and I strongly believe that college will break down the walls that might otherwise limit my vision for my life.
After being out of public school for several years and bouncing from home-school to charter school, I found myself presented with an invitation to join the high school swim team as a sophomore. Needless to say, I was intimidated and lacking confidence. But through reassurance and encouragement from a caring coach that believed in me and could see potential that I could not, I “took the plunge”. My swimming experience taught me hard work, dedication, teamwork, leadership, sacrifice, self-confidence and helped me to realize that I can accomplish whatever I desire. All of these lessons were learned because I refused to let life pass me by.
My father’s life—both successes and failures—have taught me many things. But most importantly, his life taught me that the search for knowledge and growth experiences is priceless. I believe that college will provide me with experiences that I will acquire nowhere else. I cannot, and will not, pass up this opportunity.

Daydream Believer

2008-12-14T20:41:00.000-08:00

Albert Einstein once said, "“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.”

I believe that nothing happens unless we dream. That is why Alice in Wonderland is one of my favorite stories. Without her imagination she isn't taken to a place of wonder. Imagination helps us to put our goals in perspective and it enhances our creativity. We must have the freedom to imagine because only through imagination can we bring our thoughts and dreams to fruition. Without imagination, I don’t think we shall ever come to realize our full potential, and therefore, never experience the happiness on earth we were meant to enjoy.

These are a few of my favorite things...

2008-11-10T17:12:00.000-08:00

My Own kind of Voice

2008-11-10T16:56:00.000-08:00

The Voice

There is a voice inside of you

That whispers all day long,

"I feel that this is right for me,

I know that this is wrong."

No teacher, preacher, parent, friend

Or wise man can decide

What's right for you -- just listen to

The voice that speaks inside.

-Shel Silverstein

Quote of the Day

2008-11-05T13:46:00.000-08:00

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."

- Dr. Seuss