Happy Friday!

Fun with my 50mm + some flowers for my mom

Hello all + happy Friday! Can you believe it's May already? Almost three months exactly until I get married, and I'm just like whaaaat?! So crazy how time is flying. It's both exciting + daunting, but I cannot wait to marry my best friend. Anyway, enough sap from me! How is your week going? I hope well. I'm having a pretty good week myself, and exciting too since I introduced my first rubber stamp in my shop! I'm looking to have a pretty low-key day. Might be headed to the movies tonight, not sure yet, and possibly going to Tulip Time tomorrow. I'm really hoping I can, just for a couple hours, because I would love to see all of the beautiful tulips + maybe eat a corn dog, haha!

Here are a ton of links if you're in the browsing mood this weekend! Enjoy. :)

Some pretty embarrassing photo shoots of celebrities that will haunt them forever. Ha!

Make Them Visible. A beautiful, and somewhat sad, social experiment regarding the homeless.

Which city should you live in? I got Amsterdam + I'm packing my bags right now (I wish!). So perfect.

30 gorgeous photos of Michigan that will make you want to move here (if you aren't cool + live here already). ;)

Band names turned fun pictionary-esque puzzles.

This dog hates the mail.

Lip sync battle with Jimmy Fallon and Emma Stone.

I can't get enough of these "Celebrities Read Mean Tweets" videos. Here is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, + 6! Waste your time watching these... you won't regret it.

26 real places that look like fantasies. So beautiful.

A fun and thoughtful Disney secret concealed from us all.

In love with this tiny bathroom makeover from the folks at A Beautiful Mess.

50 fun things to do in Michigan this summer. Looks like a great list!

Happy Friday!

Late post coming at you again, for good reason though! I spent my day cleaning my room, wooh! You know, it's funny though, because it looks worse than it did when I started. Do you ever have that happen when you're cleaning a room? It's like the disaster gets worse before it can get better. It's crazy + a little bit frustrating to be honest, but I'm definitely making progress. It feels a little better. I'm thinking I might continue to clean after this post a little bit, so it feels a little less hectic for tomorrow.  I also went on two walks, one with my friend McKenzie and one with my mom. It was a really nice day out today, and I'm glad I got to take advantage of that this evening. Did you have a good Friday? 

Enjoy some links if you need a little pick-me-up. :)

Kids react to (an apparent) controversial Cheerios commercial. Their reactions are awesome.

A peek into the past.

For you locals, this is the summer guide I'll be using to make my summer a little bit cooler.

This guy dances down the street + has a blast.

A little boy's night was totally just made by a Griffins' hockey player. So cute.

Happy Friday!

via my instagram

Did you know it's National Letter Writing Month? I was going to participate in a 30 letters in 30 days challenge, but I've epically failed. I've written 3 letters so far, and it's the 18th day of the month. Wow, Julie, really? I know, I know. It's sad. I'm a procrastinator and very unmotivated person, so it's really no surprise to me that this happened. I did enjoy writing those three letters though, and two of those I have to thank to the Letter Writing Workshop I went to this past Sunday hosted by Codi Ann Thomsen at the cutest little shop, Have Company, downtown. She was such a delight and so inspiring. We all worked on writing letters to whoever we wanted, and I was thankful to get a couple letters written in that time. It was so lovely to meet so many inspiring and awesome ladies, it was a really positive atmosphere and I'm so thankful I snagged a spot that opened up at the last minute. Codi Ann actually created the leather U.S. Mail clutch you see above + gifted it to us attendees. She is such a talent! I can't wait to use the clutch for a long, long time.

This week has been a good one, and I've got something good hopefully happening behind the scenes right now. It's a little up in the air as I have to check some things out to see if it's a good fit, but I'm excited and crossing my fingers. I'm currently making some stir fry for lunch before Nicholas heads to work. And later I'll be checking out that thing I just mentioned that I can't really talk about yet because who knows if it'll work, but I'm looking forward to it... haha. Otherwise, we have a relaxing weekend ahead with family time on Sunday for Easter. I'm looking forward to the food, ha. Enjoy these links + your weekend!

One dad turns his son's superhero fantasies into reality.

I know it's way late, but the best classroom April Fool's Day prank ever.

Portraits of Reconciliation. Wow.

The world, from above.

The most beautiful "volcano" eruption.

35 Things you'll never see again in your life. Ah, I miss the 90's.

A thoughtful video for those with (one of) the world's toughest jobs.

Happy Friday!

via my instagram

Hey everyone. I'm just sitting here as it's a pretty slow morning in my neck of the woods. The rain is falling and it is very relaxing. In a little bit I'll be heading downstairs with Nicholas so he can continue to teach me boxing. I've been having a lot of fun with it + I'm definitely improving, which is great. I'm very thankful for him helping me get in shape in a fun way. I've got a few things to do today, including sending out another order (yay!) that's heading to Texas, catching up on my letter writing (I'm a slacker), + later I'll be picking up some food to take to Nicholas while he is at work on his lunch break. When I get home, my mom and I have plans to finally watch Frozen, so I'm excited about that! It should be a good Friday. I don't really have any plans for the weekend, but here's to a good one. What are you up to this weekend?

Last night I was hit with a little bit of inspiration and created the two doodles you see in this post. The first is a quick, messy wreath I created that I'm really digging. I look forward to furthering that design. The second is a little magic for my sidebar to make finding the link to my shop a little easier + more pleasing to the eye than just in the upper-right corner. I really love how these turned out, + I'm thankful I was hit with that inspiration. It feels so good to create.

via my instagram

Here are some links! Enjoy. ♡

Stunning photos of children and their bedrooms from around the world.

Silly and fun photos of dogs shaking their heads.

13 things only siblings will understand. Funny!

The best 13 things about having a sister. I'm lucky and I got 3!

How one plus size woman is changing the way we see beautiful.

12 creative barcodes that actually work.

A great post by Bethany of Love Grows Design about why she's still on Facebook.

Happy Friday!

via my instagram

Hello folks! I hope your week is coming to a good end like mine is. I don't mean to brag, but I just have to say that I have had a truly great week. It probably helped that my birthday party was Sunday, I turned 22 on Wednesday, received some thoughtful gifts + finally bought myself a 50mm lens that I love. It could also be that my workouts are going awesome this week, Nicholas has been really supportive in my off moments, + I'm just grateful to be alive and healthy.

Last night I was hanging out on the internet + feeling so inspired by countless pictures of nature + motivational things. I got to thinking, and I realized a lot of the time I find I compare myself to others. To other people, to other businesses, to other ways of life. I do it far too often + it's really something I want to change. Comparison really is the thief of joy--it will never bring me peace. Therefore, I've decided to start working on stopping the comparisons. I want to stop looking at other people's success + thinking I'll never get there. There are a million factors as to why someone is where they are with their business, + even if it's just that they're better than me, it doesn't matter. I'm doing my thing, learning in my own way, having fun, and loving what I do. Isn't that something to be excited about? Isn't that something to be proud of? I want to stop looking at people's lives + thinking I'll never be that happy, I'll never get to travel that much, I'll never have a life that looks like theirs. You know, I might be right. Those things might never happen, but instead of focusing on them, I'm going to focus on me. I'm going to focus on being the happiest I can be, traveling the best + most I can, living a life I'm proud of and happy with. This won't be easy. It's going to be really hard, especially since it's so ingrained in me to compare. However, I'm going to try + I'm going to try hard. There will be days where I do good + there will be days when I still compare... but if I'm going to compare myself to anything, I want to compare myself to who I was yesterday. I want to be a better + happier person that she was. And I will be.

Here are just a few links. Enjoy!

Paint in water... it can't get any more beautiful than that.

Artist making damaged cities beautiful again.

Cell phone crashing in Disneyland. You gotta see this.

A perfect impersonation of your everyday drunk girl. Ha!

30 big cats caught being absolutely adorable.


Also, don't forget about my birthday sale! Receive 20% off your total purchase with code MYBDAY2014! Sale ends March 29 @ Midnight. Hurry to the shop! :)

Happy Friday!

Hello everyone. Today I've been doodling a little bit, working on some new ideas + a project for a friend. Soon I'll be heading out to our local mall to pick up a gift card I won to H&M which I'm super excited about! Also gonna go get me a slice of pie, because... Happy Pi Day! I am definitely a pie lover, and a local (Michigan) pie place, Grand Traverse Pie Co., has the best pies ever. They're delicious, sweet, tart, + have the best crumble topping ever. Man, I'm salivating thinking about it... TMI? Sorry guys. If only you knew. I also keep telling myself I'm going to finally pot the two plants I have since I've been putting it off for weeks... but we'll see if that happens. I'm hoping I stop being so lazy and just get it done for their + my sake!

What are you all up to this weekend? I hope you have a great one. If you get bored, I rounded up a nice list of links I think you'll enjoy.

Lea Michele's "If You Say So" is a beautiful tribute to her boyfriend Cory Monteith, who passed away last year.

The Vanity Fair Hollywood Portfolio with images by Chuck Close. Beautiful.

One very, very good dancer.

Colorgasm, anyone?

18 Things Highly Creative People Do Differently. I don't do all of them, but I definitely do some.

Slightly awkward + definitely adorable are a few words I would use to describe strangers kissing for the first time.

Two cousins from the Philippines perform "Dance with My Father Again" + it definitely hit home and brought tears to my eyes.

New International Dark Sky Park opens up in northern Michigan... and I cannot wait to go!

Remember Ellen's record-breaking Oscar selfie? Here is a drawing of it.

21 Things You Suddenly Start Wanting in Your 20s... definitely, oddly true.

Happy Friday!

It's the weekend, guys! This week has been very exciting for me with the opening of my etsy shop + hosting my giveaway! It feels so good to be doing this, and it keeps giving me so much excitement to receive support from all of you awesome people. I've also got some great new things coming to the shop next week, so keep your eye out for that! This weekend is going to be a pretty busy one. Today, Nicholas and I have a couple of errands to run, and I've got a project to work on. Tomorrow I'll be heading to my best friend Aricka's house for her going away party. :( She is going to Greece for three months, and I am so excited for her! Although, I'm also going to miss her a ton + I'm totally jealous, because duh, Greece! I know she is going to the have the time of her life though, and I can't wait for her to have this experience. On Sunday, my family and I have a baby shower for a family friend, so that will be nice too. Overall, it looks like it's going to be a really great weekend. Do you have any fun plans?

Can't wait to use this awesome house plant guide for current + future house plants!

If you grew up watching the best show ever, you'll definitely want to find out which Boy Meets World character you are.

Four-year-old makes sweet paper dresses with her mom.

A guy who practically only ate pizza for the last 23 years? The life.

Which crazy, racy, Dawson's Creek character are you?

Happy Friday!

Hello, my friends. It is finally Friday and I am so thankful for that. However, I've got quite the to-do list today, and I'd really like to get most of it done so I have less to do this weekend. Most of it is in preparation for Monday... remember I said to keep that date marked? You won't be sorry. ;)

Other than my giant to-do list, I don't have much going on. I might actually try to squeeze in some reading time since I have a small stack of helpful (business) books that I really need to start reading! Also, it's crazy outside. The last couple of days, the weather was warmer and less snowy, but yesterday it rained just about all day. Rain? In February? Yep, that's Michigan. And today... well, let's just say it's windy and white outside. And when I say windy, I mean WINDY! I have a couple errands I need to run, but I'm thinking I might save those for later/tomorrow to avoid going out in this mess. I better get started on that list, so enjoy these links and your Friday!

Celebrities read mean tweets about themselves #6... one of my favorite things ever.

Dad records kids falling on ice. Kind of cruel but totally funny.

Swapping clothes with mom and dad.

A couple "breaks up" using only movie titles. I guess He's Just Not That Into You... see what I did there? ;)

What Kind of Dog Are You? I got a sweet ol' mutt.

What is Your Inner Potato? You read that right. I love potatoes and I couldn't resist this weird quiz. I'm Tater Tots.

Happy Friday!

Some lovely books I picked up this week (via my instagram)

Sorry this post is coming so late today (and not so sorry, because it's for good reason!), but here I am! Today I had an eventful and wonderful day. I woke up to some chocolates my mom got for Nicholas' and me, then we headed out shortly after to pick up something special that I can't quite mention yet! After that, we ran a couple errands, grabbed some lunch, and saw The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.  Have any of you seen it? I absolutely loved it. It was both what I did and did not expect, and it was wonderful all the way through. The cinematography was beautiful as well as the message... and I'll admit, I like looking at Ben Stiller a little bit (especially as he gets older)!

After the movie, we ran another errand to pick up the ingredients to make this recipe, which is in the oven as I type this. Fingers crossed it turns out! I also started a Couch to 5k program tonight, and it went really well! It feels good to have something to aspire to, and it was a great workout. It's perfectly timed out to end on the day I'm doing The Color Run with my family on April 12 in Kalamazoo! I can already tell that's going to be fun, and I'm looking forward to (hopefully) being able to run the whole thing.

Also, let me just mention that these last few days have been some of the greatest, positive, and most exciting days I've had in awhile. When I told you good things were coming, I wasn't kidding... and as each day passes, the good gets one day closer. Have a great night!

A scientific/medical breakthrough. Although it's from 2011, it's still remarkable. (A bit graphic too, just fyi!)

Seven scenic aerial photos of my beautiful home, Michigan.

Drunk Ron Swanson on repeat forever? Yes please.

Happy Friday!

Hello! I have some exciting news... I've finally created a Facebook page for Whimsy + Wild! I'll be posting news, blog posts, and other fun stuff. I hope you'll join me. There are some very exciting things in Whimsy + Wild's near future, and I don't want you to miss out on them, so go ahead and like the page if you want! I really appreciate you all, and it feels so good to have so much support behind me. Thank you!

I have a very busy day ahead of me, as well as the rest of this week, as I'm gearing up for something very exciting for Whimsy + Wild! I've got some fun projects I'm working on right now, as well as a new look.. so keep a look out for that. Tomorrow is Nicholas' birthday and we're all going out to eat some yummy bbq! The rest of the weekend, I'll definitely be keeping busy. I hope you have a good one!

Some national flags made from each country's traditional foods... so neat!

Amazing video using only still shots, but they look like they're moving.

Flat Design vs. Realism.

21 truly upsetting vintage recipes... um, ew.

What career should you actually have? I got writer, which isn't exactly right, but it fits in with my creative personality. :)

29 eerie photos of Detroit. So beautiful and so sad.

Which Parks and Rec character are you? I'm Andy, haha!

A post on distinctiveness by Molly Jacques.

Cats taking selfies! Haha.

Happy Friday!

Testing out new pens (via my instagram)

Hello everybody. I hope your week is ending on a high note. I've been having a good week myself. On the wedding front, I found the most beautiful Erin Fetherston dress on eBay (new with tags!) and won the auction for it, making it really affordable and absolutely perfect. I got it in the mail yesterday and it is everything I dreamed it would be. It is only making me that much more excited for our wedding in August! I also decided to take yesterday off from babysitting my niece in order to get some much needed work done... well, that didn't work out so well. On the plus side, Nicholas and I went on a lunch and movie date yesterday. We saw Thor: The Dark World and I really enjoyed it! Then we got some food and free pie(!) from Grand Traverse Pie Co. And let me tell you what, it was killer as usual. Today I'm actually getting down to business and finishing part 1 of a very secret and exciting project I'm working on. All I can say is that I think it's going to make up for my absence as of late (fingers crossed!).

I only have a few links for you today, but I hope they're worth it. Have a wonderful weekend.

Crazy photography illusions. Sure to fool your eye!

Say anything.

Grand Rapids city guide through the eyes of a local photographer, with the help of VSCO film.

Happy Friday!

Hello all, happy Friday. I hope your week is coming to a close nicely. I just got back from a short shopping trip with my sister. Although I shouldn't have, I may have bought myself a couple things... but I kept the cost low. And, I finally found the perfect casual, black maxi skirt, so I ain't gonna feel guilty at all! I am now home and told myself I have to post today because, other than my post on Tuesday, I haven't posted since Christmas and I feel pretty badly about it. We don't have many plans this weekend, but I'm going to be checking out a few local shops with my friend McKenzie tomorrow and my family and I will be celebrating my brother-in-law's birthday tomorrow evening. I hope your weekend is a lovely one, and I hope these links make up for my absence! (probably not...)

21 kids that sold out their parents.

Chicago's magical piano.

The strangest Christmas "card" I ever did see... but it's pretty cool!

When someone does something good and gives his trust, this is what happens.

I'm a Hobbit (of course)... what are you?

Saving a homeless dog. Giving me all the feels.

32 people who nailed it in 2013.

How you speak can say a lot about where you're from, so... where are you from?

Snow art. Too cool.

New Year's resolutions that are actually realistic.

Real women DON'T have curves... and real women do. An important article.

The weirdest optical illusion ever.

The best anti-smoking ad ever.

Happy Saturday!

So, here's the thing. I haven't posted these last two weeks because I'm a lazy bum. I've had most of these links for the past two weeks just sitting in my bookmarks. I could have posted them, I just didn't because I suck. I'm not going to give you any excuse besides the truth. I haven't been up to much other than babysitting and making a few Christmas gifts. I've gone on a few errand runs recently too. Nicholas is backpacking for the day/night up in Manistee with his friend, and I'll be home making things probably. On Monday I have the annual Christmas party with my friends, and I cannot wait to see everyone. Anyway, enough stalling... enjoy these billion links!

Top 40 songs turned holiday... it's great.

15 time-lapse gifs that will change the way you see the world.

Awkward dog photos.

When you let your kid play ball in the house... it can be awesome.

Korean artist transforms her studio space into dream-like worlds without photoshop.

Goats decide to climb a dam and blow our minds.

Most of The Great Gatsby was computer graphics... say what?! I haven't seen it yet, but this is too cool.

24 hours of happy. If you need cheering up, this should help a little.

Westjet Christmas surprise will make you believe in Santa.

Shaming your naughty dog can be really funny...

I want to live in this treehouse trio.

20 dogs going home from the shelter. Too cute and heartwarming.

Surprise gas pump rock stars.

And last, but definitely most important:

Grand Rapids and Lake Michigan's Gold Coast were named the #1 place to visit in the US in 2014 by Lonely Planet.

I love my city. I love my state. I love my home.

Happy Friday!

It's getting late, and I'm about to start doodling. We finally put together my new Ikea desk, and I'm really excited. Although one of the corners is busted (thanks a lot UPS, this finger is for you)... but we're not going to get into that. I just stopped by quick to say that I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving, and to post the links for the weekend. Have a good one, guys.

Mean Girls and Harry Potter mash up.

Super mind-blowing Chinese wood carving about to change yo' world.

Lions vs. Nikon.

Chatroulette with Miley Cyrus? Definitely not...

When dogs forget how to dog.

Father photographs his autistic son and it's beautifully unique.

15 viral photos that are actually fake. Sorry guys.

Happy Friday!

My new cards from Emily McDowell via my instagram

Sorry this post is coming so late in the day. Last night Nicholas and I saw Catching Fire in IMAX, and I thought it was really good. We were really close to the screen (hello first row) so it was kind of hard to watch with your eyes trying to take in the whole screen but we managed. I'm thinking I might go see it again in a regular theatre so I can experience it better and just rewatch it. I just finished re-reading the book yesterday to give myself a refresher, but I think having read it so close to seeing the movie kind of messed up the experience for me, as well. I think having the book too fresh in my memory made it hard to get as excited as I wanted to be in certain parts. For the next movie, I'll definitely leave more time between re-reading the third book and seeing the movie. The movie was really good though!

This morning... well, today, I woke up at noon (whoa!). I made some yummy waffles for breakfast for both Nicholas and I before he headed off to record a band. A little while later after getting the mail (yay cards!) and spending some time on the internet, I started cleaning my room and I've been doing that ever since! I'm glad I'm finally doing it though because it NEEDS to be done... seriously. My room is a mess full of things I don't need or use, so it feels good to purge myself of all these unnecessary things and pieces of furniture. Plus, I bought a new desk from Ikea recently and I cannot wait to finally be able to put it in my room so I can draw and make pretty things in a more comfortable and inspiring space! :)

Enjoy these links and your Friday night!

Awesome and inspiring speech after a 4 year old asks a lesbian if she is a boy.

A powerful and beautiful Skype ad. 

Miley Cyrus covers "Summertime Sadness" by Lana Del Rey.

The coolest and classiest mugshots you'll ever see.

Do you know your USA? These people obviously don't. Yikes.

Coolest parents ever or coolest parents EVER?

Engineering isn't just for boys and these girls prove it.

An a cappella group covers "Royals" by Lorde... amazing.

31 hilarious gifs you need to see.

Happy Friday!

via my instagram

Hello and happy Friday! Not a lot is going on around our house today. I have a few errands to run, and Nicholas and I are going to go to this paper store downtown called 6.25 Paper. I found out about it a couple weeks ago, and I'm really excited to check it out. I love all things paper, so I'll be shocked if I don't walk out of there with something pretty and new. I'm also going to be purchasing (online) my Ikea desk today, and I'm so happy. I've been thinking about doing it for awhile now and have been saving money, and I can't wait until it finally arrives. I'm looking forward to having a space where I can draw and feel inspired. Currently, I can really only draw on my lap or at the kitchen table which is really uninspiring and impractical. I can't wait to decorate the corner in my room so I can create beautiful things and feel good while doing so.

Speaking of creating things, I have a few ideas in the works currently, and I can't wait to make them happen. It's something I've been wanting to do for awhile now, and it's slowly becoming a reality. Looking forward to it progressing and being able to share it with you once it's real! For now, here are some links to make you smile and laugh. Have a great day.

San Francisco will be Gotham City for one deserving little boy.

Kids react to gay marriage.

Black and white photos in color. Beautiful and interesting.

The 29 whitest family photos. Oh, white people.

Musicians read mean tweets about themselves on Jimmy Kimmel.

Happy Friday... er, Saturday?

Oops. After posting my desktop calendar yesterday and forgetting about my friday links post, I realized I should've switched the two. Friday links for Friday and hand lettering post for Saturday... like it should be. Ah well, I guess I just want to make sure you're paying attention. ;)

I don't have much to say since I already explained my weekend in my last post, so I'll just get right into the links. Have a lovely weekend.

We Can't Stop a cappella... you may not be a fan of Miley, but I sure am, especially this version of the song.

90s kids and earlier, here are 50 things you won't forget. Ever.

If you know me, you know how much I love my home state of Michigan. Another reason.

Random acts of kindness always bring joy to my heart.

A perfect and realistic comic.

BLERG.

The History of Typography.

This is too funny not to share.

Nick Offerman/Ron Swanson/Moustache man of all time.

They've got the eye of the tiger.

Happy Friday!

via my instagram

Hello and happy Friday! It's been a pretty good week over here. I watched my niece all week while my mom and aunts are on vacation, and it's been good! I thought it was going to be a long week, but I'm pretty shocked it's already Friday. With that said, I'm still stoked that it's Friday... aren't we all? Tonight Nicholas and I will be going on a dinner and movie date, and I can't wait. :) It's been a little while since we went on a real date, so it's going to be great. We're gonna grab a bite to eat at Buffalo Wild Wings, then go see Gravity! Tomorrow will be a day of cleaning/picking up before my mom gets back home tomorrow night. Always saving it for the last day. ;) What are you up to this weekend?

Also, here are awesome and (some) hilarious links for your weekend!

31 amazing abandoned places that are creepily beautiful.

Beautiful new notebooks from one of my favorite designers, Wit & Whistle!

12 People who just discovered they don't have magical powers.

A lady with telekinetic powers?! ;)

The 25 whitest things that have ever happened.

Awesome kids costumes for halloween. Their parents rock.

Happy Friday!

via my instagram

This week I started The Art of Modern Calligraphy -- a Skillshare class taught by the wonderful Molly Jacques. I am loving it! I've already learned so much, and it has only been a few days. I cannot wait to see how I progress and all that I learn throughout the course. The feedback I'm getting from peers is wonderful and very helpful, and it's so fun to take a cool class like this for such a small amount of money. Skillshare is awesome! If you're interested in taking the class, click here! If it's your first class, you will receive a $10 discount making it only $10! If you've taken a class on Skillshare before, you'll have to pay the full price, but luckily it's only $20-- so great!!

Tomorrow we are going to be walking in the Out of the Darkness Community Walk here in Grand Rapids. I'll explain more about it later, but essentially it's a walk to raise awareness and money for suicide prevention and to help erase the stigma surrounding mental illness. It's a wonderful cause that is very dear to my heart as I lost my dad to suicide in December 2007. If you would like to donate, you may do so here. Any and all donations are seriously appreciated.

Now, here are a few fun links for your weekend. All videos too... I don't know how that happened!

#Hashtags anyone?

Jimmy Fallon lip-sync off!

Hilarious voicemail left after witnessing a car accident. I know, sounds weird, but trust me. Hilarious.

Happy Friday!

via my instagram

Hello everyone. I hope your Friday is going well so far. Last night I woke up at 3am to order the new iPhone 5s and while at first I was annoyed, it was definitely worth it to make sure I got one. And finally, to say the least. I've been waiting to get an iPhone ever since I made the wrong decision to get my Android phone years ago. Don't get me wrong, I do like Android... but I've just always really wanted an iPhone for various reasons, and I'm just happy I'll finally have one.

Also today I have plans with my friends, Aricka and Taylor, to go out to lunch at our new downtown market and check out Artprize! Have you ever heard of/been to Artprize? It's this really big art competition (biggest in the world I think, at least prize wise), and people make art and display it all over the city for the public to view and vote on. I have some things I don't like about it, as an artist, but I really love how much attention it brings to my wonderful city Grand Rapids, and how it really brings a lot of people together for a fun competition. Taylor leaves tonight to go back to Boston, and I'm going to miss her so much. She says that they're coming back in January hopefully, so fingers crossed. :) Tonight I'm heading up to my sister's house to get ready for their housewarming party tomorrow that I'm helping to plan/decorate for. I'm really excited. I hope the weather is nice because we're supposed to have an outdoor movie, and I really want it to happen! I guess we'll see.

So those are my plans this weekend. Do you have any fun plans? My weekend is going to be pretty busy, but I'm looking forward to all of it. And here are some links to help you through your day, especially if you have no plans. ;)

Such a fun and bright studio tour. I'm sure this is seriously inspiring to work in!

Three minute commercial that is seriously powerful.

How to talk to your daughter about her body.

Kelli Murray is an amazing artist (I'll be sharing her work soon), and her house is seriously so beautiful.