Day 11 – What’s in your makeup bag?

I don't really have a "bag," but I do have a make-up box. It's mostly full of nail polish and various lip balms. I have a few tubes of mascara, a few sticks of eyeliner, a few eyeshadows (though not a lot - I seem to be afraid of getting away from natural colors), and some foundation-y cover-up stuff.

Lately my make-up routine has been [1] moisturizer, [2] bronzer, [3] light pink blush, [4] eyeshadow in light pink and peach, [5] mascara, typically black or brown/black, [6] lip balm/pink lipstick. And I only put it on when I'm working. 

I can rock the natural look like it's nobody's business. I hope...

Day 10 – A photo of our favorite place to eat.

 

Downtown Bethlehem. There are so many good restaurants. My friend Zak and I have been getting lunch on Tuesdays, each time trying a different restaurant. So far, everything has been delicious. Still, I miss Tortilla Flat (this awesome Mexican restaurant with cheap food and a live Mariachi singer.)

I'm getting hungry just thinking about it =]

-G

Day 9 – A photo of the item you last purchased.

Last purchase: two new refill bottles for an air freshener for my apartment in the fall. Bath and Body Works was having one of those ridiculous sales. Gotta love me some sweeeet pea.

Day 8 - Asong that matches your mood

Summertime - Billie Holiday. It's just so nice out.

Day 7 – Your dream wedding.

Every little girl dreams about what her wedding is going to be like. She thinks about the flowers she wants, the dress she'll wear, the hideous things she'll force her best friends to wear, etc.

My dream wedding has changed over the years. I find myself watching shows like "Say Yes to the Dress," and wondering how I'll ever decide what kind of dress I want. It's a big decision, your wedding dress, how does anyone know when they have "the one"? I guess all I really care about for my wedding is that [1] I make myself an awesome dress, [2] that all my friends are there, [3] that the music does not include songs like "The Chicken Dance," "Cotton Eye Joe," "We Are Family," or worst of all "She Thinks My Tractor is Sexy," but that I do get to dance with my dad to "Gracie" by Ben Folds. At this point, I've only got one person in mind [4] who will be waiting for me at the end of the aisle.

Although, I will insert here that my best friend, Mark, and I decided that if neither of us are married by the time we are 37, we will be 'safety spouses,' so that we will have someone to grow old with. Later on, my friend Kevin volunteered to be my backup in case Mark couldn't make it. [Both of them I'll want at/in my wedding.]

That's pretty much all I want for my wedding. Oh, and if the priest speaks like the one in Princess Bride, I will be happy faw-ehv-ahh.

<3 -G

Day 6 – A photo of an animal you’d love to keep as a pet.

<3

Day 5 – A photo of yourself two years ago.

As you can see, my fashion sense has declined in the past two years. haha.

Day 4 – Your favorite photograph of your best friend.

I'm so lucky I'm in love with my best friend <3

I mean, in reality, I have a lot of really close/practically best friends. Still, I think this picture shows the closeness of two people so well, and that's why I love it.

=]
-G

Day 3 – Your idea of the perfect first date.

Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt in (500) Days of summer.

So, I don't know if going to Ikea would be ideal for a first date (although this article has a few good reasons why it would be.) Still, I love the movie (500) Days of Summer (and love the soundtrack even more) and since I've seen it I've really wanted my boyfriend to take me to Ikea so we can discuss Chinese families in our bathroom.

Nothing like Swedish Furniture to set the mood, eh? ;)
- G

Day 2 – A photo of something you ate today.

COFFEEEEE,

So, technically, coffee is something you drink, not eat, but I didn't get the chance to post anything yesterday and I'm up earlier than normal because I start training at my new job =) So here I am, pre-noon, with my straight-up black cup of joe.

I truly miss the days I'd sit for hours in Commonplace Coffeehouse, making fun of my guy friends for putting sugar in their coffee. <3

Day 1 – A photo of yourself and a description of how your day was.

IUP Fashion Association formal last fall, where I won an award for "Most Outrageous/Creative Mask." Yes, those are birds and neon pipe cleaners in my hair.

My day has been pretty excellent so far. I spent this morning and early afternoon shopping with my mother, getting ready for father's day tomorrow (and also shoe shopping!) When we got home, we ate leftover guacamole and watched Greek. I then went to my new job, an adorable boutique called Shuze. I am so excited to start working there, my face must have obviously lit up when my boss told me I get a free pair of shoes after working there a while, because she sarcastically said "That isn't a problem, is it?"

I'm going to love. it. there.

I came home to my mom making potato salad. Today is an excellent day. =]

30 day challenge.

I used to do these on facebook, a little self-indulgement to see if I learn something new about my self. It's summer, I need something to blog about, so here goes:

Day 1 – A photo of yourself and a description of how your day was.
Day 2 – A photo of something you ate today.
Day 3 – Your idea of the perfect first date.
Day 4 – Your favorite photograph of your best friend.
Day 5 – A photo of yourself two years ago.
Day 6 – A photo of an animal you’d love to keep as a pet.
Day 7 – Your dream wedding.
Day 8 – A song to match your mood.
Day 9 – A photo of the item you last purchased.
Day 10 – A photo of our favorite place to eat.
Day 11 – What’s in your makeup bag?
Day 12 – A photograph of the town you live in.
Day 13 – Your favorite musician and why?
Day 14 – A TV show you’re currently addicted to.
Day 15 – Something you don’t leave the house without.
Day 16 – Your celebrity crush.
Day 17 – A photo of you and your family.
Day 18 – Something you crave a lot.
Day 19 – Another picture of yourself.
Day 20 – The meaning behind your blog name.
Day 21 – A photo of something that makes you happy.
Day 22 – A letter to someone who has hurt you recently.
Day 23 – 15 facts about you.
Day 24 – A photo of something that means a lot to you.
Day 25 – What’s in your purse?
Day 26 – A photo of somewhere you’ve been to.
Day 27 – A picture of you last year and now and how have you changed since then?
Day 28 – Your favorite movie.
Day 29 – Something you could never get tired of doing.
Day 30 – A photograph of youself today + three good things that have happened in the past 30 days

=] - G

because I haven't written anything optimistic in a while...

So recently, I read Sara Gruen's new book, Ape House. [Caution: this blog post may contain spoilers.] Gruen is the author of the book Water for Elephants, which I read and fell in love with last summer. I'd like to insert here that the film adaptation was really good, and also further proof that Robert Pattinson can be both attractive and a good actor, he really just needs to avoid vampire movies to do so.

Anyway, I was intrigued to read her next novel, which is about bonobos (most well known for being one of the few species that have sex recreationally.) I was excited because it made me think of my honors anthropology professor, Dr. Allard, who is probably one of my favorite professors I've had thus far. One of the main characters, John, is a reporter who follows the story of a language lab that gets blown up. In the story, his wife has to move across the country because she gets a job. At this point in the book, John worries and says to himself that long distance relationships never work out, everyone knows that.

Well.

At this point I got nervous, especially because the other main character was a woman (not his wife), and the book was set up in a way that John could have easily left his wife. So naturally, as the girl known among her friends as "the queen of long distance relationships," I did not put the book down until the end. I needed to know that his marriage would survive the distance.

Long distance is hard, I'd be the first to admit that. My boyfriend and I never live in the same place. His hometown is where I go to school, but he goes to Penn State. However, we've been happily together for almost 2 and half years. Still, there are moments of doubt, when I get scared that we won't be able to handle the distance. It scares me sometimes, because losing him would mean losing everything.

I was discussing my relationship with another friend the other day, and he told me that my boyfriend and I are going to make it. He said "you're the hope for the hopeless romantics, so don't you ever give up."

John didn't, and neither will I.

Thank you, Sara Gruen, for giving me an extra ounce of faith that the nearly impossible survival of long distance relationships is still, in fact, possible.

Finally Done!!!

It turns out that when you have a beginner sewing machine, a promise of sending an order of clothing that would normally take you two weeks turns into taking about six. I am so relieved that the battle between my Singer Prelude and Ben's canvas shorts is finally over!! Here they are, all packed and ready to be shipped to MO.

Here are some pictures I took of his shorts:

From left: Bleached Navy canvas, Camel canvas, and Teal Denim.

Take note that the pockets are made with recylced fabic (this one is a 70's floral, the teal denim shorts had pockets from an old tie-dye tee, and the bleached navy shorts had pockets made from an old "House of Blues" shirt.)

The back, with my new label (=D!) and my signature "G" pockets.

Wahoo!! Now to finish Forrest's messenger bag. Back to sewing!
-G

Saturday

I woke up early this morning (and by early I mean before 9) because I'm going to Appelfarm to see one of my mom's favorite musicians [Josh Ritter], and one of my favorite bands, GOOD OLD WAR! I'm so pumped!

Anyway, as I was getting ready (I'll be leaving shortly) I discovered this photo on Facebook:

These are my friends Danielle and Kevin on a yacht in the Mediterranean, and they're WEARING MY CLOTHES!!! The jeans and romper wear featured in my most recent fashion line [Grania S/S '11]. It makes me so happy to see this. Thanks for making my day, before 9 a.m. <3

cleaning.

So, with home stuff and college stuff crammed into my small bedroom, my room has been a little insane. I've been spending today going through clothes. I needed some shorts for this summer, so I turned som jeans that I no longer wear into cut-offs, like these purple ones:

Also, I found this sweet shirt from freshman year. The front says "I go to IUP...." and the back says "For the Guys!" Adorable.

Front and Back. It's a little wrinkled, but so awesome. 

Back to cleaning/organizing/hopefully sewing later.