It Bloomed!

- Melody

Monday night my family came over to help us install a new water heater after our old one nearly burned our house down while we were gone to our family reunion. Yeah. We came home to a house that smelled like a giant Sharpie, opened the laundry room closet and found a black water heater. Scariest moment so far in this house. Thank you JESUS for protecting our home and for allowing us to have an emergency fund to pay for a new water heater. He is good, no?

So since the manly men were installing the tank my sisters and mom and I finally potted the cacti and plants I bought over a month ago. When I went out the next morning I saw my little prickly one had bloomed a flower! If you look close in the last picture you’ll see another little bloom sprouting. Mom says I have a green thumb with cacti. I’d say I do. šŸ™‚

Have you planted any flowers this spring? Blooming yet?

Free-Lensing

- Melody

I first learned about free-lensing from this post by the gals over at A Beautiful Mess. I tried it out but my Nikon kept saying “No lens attached” and wouldn’t let me shoot! I googled it and figured out I needed it set to something other than ‘auto’. Bam! I could start free-lensing. The post was right-it’s tricky. Especially since everything has to be manually focused as it’s not attached to the camera body. That was a little odd to get used to. And I know these pictures aren’t the greatest examples but I was so excited I got to try it I had to share it with you!

The post warns that if you’re shooting outdoors that dust can enter the camera body and to be aware of that. I shot the pictures of my cactus outdoors but didn’t have any trouble that I noticed. The post also says that after a lot of practice you can achieve a tilt-shift effect, kind of like the picture of the dinosaur above. I was really impressed with the swirl effect on the second picture of the cactus.

So, what do you think? Would you try free-lensing?

I Made It!

- Melody

I promise Iā€™m still alive. I just finished my last final Thursday afternoon then drove straight to my sisterā€™s school to help her move, which is a story all in itself. So please enjoy perusing the archives while I put the pieces of my brain back together and rid myself of all this informationā€¦

Rusty Jeans

- Melody


cardi: F21, shirt: Pacsun (old), jeans: F21, boots: Urban Outfitters

Well, one big project down and one more to go. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Meanwhile, I will continue to pick up whatever clothing is in my floor and put it on. Except for this one. I actually planned this one.

Jason and I have been some pretty stressed out people this week. The school got a new principal which brings changes and new policies that Jason is having to get used to. For me, Iā€™ve got a big paper and finals to worry about. At least for me my stress ends at 5:30 next Thursday. Poor Jason has to muddle through this into the summer. šŸ™ Poor guy. Iā€™ll be sure to make plenty of homemade mashed potatoes to keep him happy.

On a happier note, what are some of your favorite colors to wear? These jeans are becoming my favorite thing ever. Thanks, mom!

I Make My Stuff Live in a Bag

- Melody

This is all the stuff I carry with me every day, well, besides the cat. No, a lot of it isnā€™t pretty but itā€™s functional, hah. Including the cat.

Lipstick: Please appreciate the amount of lipstick I have. Thatā€™s probably my favorite part of each morning; picking out which one to wear and then dangerously applying it in the car on the way to school because Iā€™m too impatient to wait until I get there.

Coins: That strawberry coin purse is hilarious. Target had a banana and a watermelon too for the same price, but I compared them all and this one seemed to have the most space. Thatā€™s really sad isnā€™t it? Comparing coin purse sizes? haha. (Not online! $5 in store.)

Headphones:Those headphones are the GREATEST earbuds Iā€™ve ever had. They are Marshmallow by JVC, I think. They never hurt my ears when I wear them for a long time and the sound is really great. Plus, your neighbor canā€™t hear your music! Win win!

Wallet: Cheap-o Wal-Mart wallet. The only reason I bought that coin purse was because the coin part of the wallet kept opening in my bag and spilling everywhere.

Pen: I always have a pen either for class or to write random things down wherever I am. I got tired of asking whoever was around me if they had a pen!

Target bag: I really love this bag. I got it before my trip to NYC in high school because our teacher said if we carried shoulder bags we would get mugged. Well, jokeā€™s on her because someone tried to mug me on the subway even with this bag. So I donā€™t think that prevented me from being mugged. But thanks. (I think Target still sells one just like it!)

iPhone 3g: Slowest. Phone. On. The. Planet. But I looooove it. I hear that Appleā€™s iPhone 5 is debuting this fall so Iā€™m holding out until then. Also, weā€™re cheap.

Purple Mystery Pouch: Once was a pencil bag. Now used for nail files and random things. But at least all the random things are together. Are they still random?

Cat: This is her life.

One. More. Week. and Metallic Shorts

- Melody

shorts, lipstick: Stormy Pink by Revlon

Iā€™m always so self-conscious when I wear shorts. Iā€™ll wear a skirt or dress all day long but put me in shorts and I feel like everyone is staring at my legs! I almost didnā€™t even wear these but then thought when will I actually wear them if not now? So on they went!

I went to my last recital Friday night! No more will I have to worry about getting enough recital credits for the semester! Iā€™M DONE FOREVER! Iā€™m going to save so much gas and time now! Hooray! And only one more week of class! šŸ˜€ Now if youā€™ll excuse me Iā€™m going to go make some french toast and procrastinate doing my paper.