All the Belles & Whistles

art art art

2012-02-08T19:41:00.001-07:00

It has been a wild past two weeks. I've been so consumed with school and my art classes, I haven't had time to do much else. Even though I'm extremely busy and a wee bit stressed, I'm completely happy. I love art. I love making it. I love seeing it. I LOVE talking about. I'm happy that this is my life right now.

I'm so lucky to be doing what I love.

speaking of art

I have two invitations for you!

The first is to check out this show:

Opening night is tomorrow (Thursday) and the show will be up for one week. I'd love to see you at the opening! All of the videos are amazing and made by my fellow students whom I admire so much. And my video is maybe one of my favorite works I've done. oh, and Brittany's bringing hummus, so if anything come for that.

The second invitation is to be a part of my friend, Jessica Li's, BFA show. She has a bunch of assignments on her website you can participate in which will later be shown in gallery 303 of the Harris Fine Arts Center. The assignments are really fun! I'll be posting some of mine here as I do them.

check it out:

Winner!

2012-02-06T17:38:00.001-07:00

congrats to Sarah, the winner of the pretty swell 25% off hair-do giveaway!

(chosen via random number generator)

to schedule your appointment contact:

Jordan McKell

Amara Salon

870 N 980 W

Orem, UT 84057

801-226-2300

*If you didn't win, make an appointment and say that Claire sent you. I promise she'll treat you right :)

Thanks to Jordan! For offering her wonderful services to needy heads of hair like mine :) I really don't know what I'd do without her.

claire

happy monday!

more/less

2012-02-01T08:41:00.003-07:00

It's been 1 month since I filled my journal with pages of resolutions. But this pretty much sums up any goals I have that are worth keeping. I first posted it here, but thought it deserved a re-issue. I even added more.

more doing

less sitting

more saving

less spending

a very swell giveaway

2012-01-30T18:45:00.003-07:00

You know when you find some great treasure and you kinda/sorta want to be selfish and keep it all to yourself? But then you start to feel guilty cause it's just too good not to share?!

yeah, I have one of those little gems for you today:

Jordan McKell has been a lifelong friend of mine. We grew up in the same neighborhood and our birthdays are just a day apart, so we'd always have a double party together (coolest parties on the block I might add!). Well she's got this special talent, nah, it's more like a GIFT. She does hair. And she does an amazing job! and {excuse me while I mini brag here} I've never had more compliments on my hair IN MY LIFE than from my last visit with her. When I ran out of the stack of her business cards and began writing her contact on napkins or books or movie tickets for complete strangers (true stories), I knew I had to share her with you blogging friends.

SHE IS THE BEST.

and guess what?

Jordan's offering 25% off one cut&style to one lucky reader!

to enter, leave a comment below! It's just that easy :)

(open to all Utah county residents, or anyone willing to travel to Orem Utah)

I'll randomly pick a winner on Monday .

can't wait?

call her NOW and schedule an appointment:

Jordan McKell

Amara Salon

870 N 980 W

Orem, UT 84057

801-226-2300

I trust her with my life, I trust her with my hair. and lets be honest, thats a scary thing to do! Finding the right stylist is sooo hard! A bad hair cut can ruin the way you feel about yourself. But a great one? A great haircut makes you feel like a rockstar. That's how I feel when I get my hair done by Jordan, I walk away with my head held a little higher and more confidence in my stride. Oh, and I can't help but catch my reflection in every shiny object around..... :)

anyway, good luck!

xoxo

claire

oh my! how embarrassing...

2012-01-24T22:34:00.002-07:00

I had the previous post scheduled.....but put the wrong date! I didn't notice it was up until today, Sorry! Giveaway coming real soon! And it really is a good one :)

also, I loved this documentary. I think both right & left brains will find it interesting. you can watch it for free here.

instagramed today: I love these rocks

hey hey hey

2012-01-22T08:46:00.000-07:00

facts and confessions

2012-01-19T23:34:00.003-07:00

I always heard of girls crying their way out of tickets and thought "yeah, I can do that". And the other night, I had my first chance ever. Thats right, 22 years: pristine driving record {almost} ruined by my naivety. I forgot/(never got the reminder in the mail) to re-register my car. tears were shed, hands were shaking, officer was the sweetest guy ever. I drove away with a stern warning and a few self inflicted slaps on the wrist.

I played hooky today. well, actually I was feeling a bit under the weather (perhaps mentally more than anything else) and called it a sick day. A sick day that I spent re-registering my vehicle. vehicle is the weirdest word ever, just look at it: vehicle. I'm a little disappointed I've let school stress get to me so early in the semester...

B has been working a lot of extra graveyards at the hospital which means we RARELY ever see each other. I even slept at my parents two nights since I was so lonely. Today was his day off, we packed a weeks worth of laughs to make up for lost time.

we've been on a plant-based diet for 5 days now. I might talk more about this later, but probably not. alls I can say is happy happy tummies over here!

we only see movies when they come out in the dollar theater (unless we can bum off our parents). Tonight we saw moneyball, and snuck our vegan treats in with my oversized purse. Brad Pitt is brilliant.

In the past month I've quit one job and gained another. Was released from one church calling and got another (that I'm soooo excited about). And gained another year+ of school that I hadn't planned on but am very grateful for.

and now you know.

crush

2012-01-18T18:34:00.000-07:00

Let's just say we've been waiting for this for months. Brandon and I both have a crush on Wes Anderson and all that he does, (we've planned half our future home based on homes in his films). He's on my list of top 10 people I really want to be friends with, up there with Jack White and Miranda July.

yup, this one looks like a keeper.

lately on instagram

2012-01-14T00:26:00.005-07:00

//primary colors//

//painting in bed// //my weakness//

//clown feet// //daily breakfast//

//practicing my penmanship// //practicing my danny guitar//

//keeping my hands busy// //keeping my tummy happy//

//follow me @belleandwhistle//

color study

2012-01-12T15:19:00.002-07:00

winner winner!

2012-01-07T15:24:00.002-07:00

The winner for the YES YOU CAN giveaway chosen via random number generator is.......

ERIKA RAE!

Congratulations! Please send me your shipping info & which color you prefer: electric berry, mint green, or pink.

(yes I totally just made up those names.....I mighta got a little lazy on the last one/two, could you tell?)

And thanks to everyone who entered! I loved hearing about your goals for the year!

Also, I'll be selling journals and other handmade goods in my shop (to open this spring!) so if you didn't win, not all is lost!

What are your plans for this weekend?

I'm:

-shooting a wedding all day saturday (brrrr)

-trying to recover from a lousy cold

-going to church with my husband

-doing laundry

-reissuing some news years resolutions I've already slipped up on......

-homework {welcome back to school!}

maps

2012-01-06T21:27:00.004-07:00

I finally put my ever growing collection of maps to use this last semester and made these studies for an art class. I don't know what they mean, if they mean anything at all. But I like them alright, and Brandon is rather fond of them. He says someday, we'll hang all 30 of them (yes, I have 30 of these) in a grid on a wall.

p.s. this giveaway ends soon!

Today

2012-01-03T22:48:00.003-07:00

what I did today:

-slept in for the first time this holiday break!

-woke up to brandon saying "your gonna be late for work" followed by "take these" (my dreaded vitamins. bleh)

-went to work & dressed a bazillion naked mannequins

-bought myself some uber cute jeans from Gap (I plea "back to school" as my excuse)

-picked up another shift and dressed even more naked mannequins (your welcome, mall)

-came home and broke a new years resolution by eating half a jar of nutella

-thought about running

-ate more nutella instead

-caught up on emails (one of my least favorite things to do)

-exchanged a handshake with my poor sick husband before he left to work a graveyard shift.

-said a little thankyou prayer for the worlds best husband

-played minesweeper on my phone

-stalked everyone's instagram

-completely changed my school schedule {it's a day-before-the-first-day-of-school tradition}

-planned my outfit for tomorrow

and then had a little ol' chat with myself about my life. which, as mundane and unexciting as it is, I happen to love.

xoxo

looking back

2012-01-01T00:05:00.000-07:00

all in all, it was a pretty great year.

yes you can: A GIVEAWAY!

2011-12-31T14:33:00.004-07:00

have you seen "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown?" or more importantly have you heard Kristin Chenoweth preform "My New Philosophy" {go watch it NOW}. I like philosophies, mottos, catch phrases what have you. I like them. I write them in my planner or on little sticky notes I put up on mirrors. I have weekly mottos, monthly mottos, minute mottos. I'm a list maker and note taker. Something about writing things down makes them more real to me. oh, and it has to be in pen (no digital/techy notes for me!) I need the satisfaction of physically crossing things off as I accomplish them. Is it no surprise that I LOVE the new year? I love a fresh start, a time to reflect on the ups and downs of the previous year, a time to make goals and pick new philosophies.

my motto for 2012?

It's simple, maybe even cheesy. But it's just the motto I need. Way too often I underestimate myself (and I don't think I'm alone). I (we) have lots to offer but fear and doubt somehow always get in the way. Well not this year! No, not 2012! This year I don't hesitate. This year, every idea is a good idea and every goal worth running wild for. I'm all kinds of excited for 2012! And I hope you are too! Which is why I wanted to share this GIVEAWAY with you:

It's a hand-bound notebook made by yours truly ;) It's part of a collection that I'll be selling in my shop (to be opened in 2012!!) It's cover is recycled card-stock and includes 30 blank pages, perfect for writing all your goals for 2012! And to top it off: an embroidered "YES YOU CAN" to remind you of just that, that you really can do and be anything you want. This is our year!!!

k enough with my graduation speech.

here's how to enter:

{must be a follower}

1 entry: leave a comment below of a goal you have for 2012

2 entries: share/link this giveaway on facebook & leave a comment saying so/link

3 entires: post this giveaway on your blog & share a link in the comments

thats a total of 6 possible entries! Or I suppose more if you have like a bazillion blogs or something.....

giveaway closes Friday, January 6th @ midnight. a winner will be randomly chosen and announced Saturday.

good luck & have a happy new year!

Christmas 2011

2011-12-28T19:30:00.004-07:00

B and I have worked too much to consider this past week a break (he worked Christmas eve & Christmas day, hospitals don't close on holidays.....) But we did get to spend some quality time with family, which is what it's all about anyway right? Because our parents both live 15 minutes away (and 6 houses apart) we usually spend the holidays hopping back and forth. The highlights?

-seeing the Muppets Movie, even though it wasn't as funny as hoped for
-watching my cousins put on their famous nativity scene
-cobwebbing for presents with the in-laws
-christmas pj's!
-last minute gift wrapping
-sleeping on the comfiest mattress christmas eve
-applesauce puffs christmas morning
-watching dad-in-law laugh so hard he cried
-exchanging gifts with siblings
-receiving Sundance film festival tickets -thanks Dane & Brit!
-dad pretending to be scrooge (and doing a poor job)
-listening to grandma's childhood stories
-mom's christmas dinner
-playing cards & eating too much pie

B and I are saving, so we had a small christmas. for him: soap making classes. for me: new (old) cameras to add to my collection. after exchanging gifts we smiled that smile that says "you know me too well".

how was your christmas? What was your favorite gift, or better yet, what was your favorite gift to give?

merry merry merry

2011-12-27T14:02:00.000-07:00

*it should say {belated}
hope yours was nothing short of lovely

xo-claire

Jewelry Sale + giveaway!

2011-12-15T11:25:00.003-07:00

PLEASE COME!
I've been making/selling jewelry since I was 12. I'm clearancing out my old inventory to make room for a new line (coming this spring!) prices are ridiculously low! (Most everything is between $1-$10.) I work in crystal, glass, silver, and semi-precious stones like jade and turquoise. In the spirit of Christmas & In honor of my Aunt Steph, a portion of all proceeds are going to The Care Center in Vegas to aid cancer patients!

there will be lovely music and delicious cookies too :)
see you saturday!

claire

p.s.
GIVEAWAY!

don't live in utah? feel left out? DON'T! my friend Sarah is giving away the necklace (featured in the photos above) to one lucky reader! To enter, visit Sarah here (she styled the necklace so wonderfully!) and leave a comment saying who your hero is and why you'd like to give them this necklace. How fun & easy is that?!

22

2011-12-14T20:09:00.003-07:00

my man brought this to me at 12:01 this morning.

It was quick little party and then back to finals...
normally I'd be a baby about my birthday (just ask my family about last year....) It falls at a very busy time, I'm usually nose deep in finals, and family and friends are busy too so celebrations get postponed (sometimes till January!). This day was no different, busy busy busy. I pulled another almost all-nighter (I did get two hours of shut eye) had a scheduled final at 7 am came home and slept. I woke up to Denny's country fried steak (my favorite) and snuggled with my man for a good hour before he left for work. I just finished my 4th out of 5 finals! And am now going to finish watching Breakfast at Tiffany's and eat more ice cream "with my by myself" ;) . not a very birthday-ish day but somehow I'm ok with it all. I think 21 year old me grew up a lot. I'm ok with myself, I'm just happier. even if that means being alone on my birthday, It just feels good to be alive ya know? To look back and see I've survived 22 years on this crazy earth and that I might have accomplished some things and become a bit of a better person too is just a bonus!

Thank you to everyone whose made me feel so special! I'm happy to have phone calls/texts from friends and family who are equally busy with life, just to wish me an extra special day. Happy for dinner with my besties last night and counting down the seconds till 12 this morning with Brandon. happy for my date with brandon tomorrow and dinner with family on friday. I'm even happy for silly facebook birthday wishes. yup.

happy happy happy

hey 22 year old me! I have a feeling this year is going to be big :)

hey you!

2011-12-13T18:59:00.002-07:00

you are invited to:

and yes that would be this saturday because I believe in living on the edge.
{finals+birthday+jewelry sale}
yes, I'm wild.

I'll share more info on the whys and whats later + a chance to win a loverly necklace!!

mark your calendars and check back soon!

xo
claire

2011-12-10T14:45:00.002-07:00

I was running around to and fro gathering supplies and working on final projects when I found myself pulling up to a tree lot. within 5 minutes I had found/paid/and packed the perfect little tree into my car and had forgotten any notions of being productive.

1. on our front door // 2. the perfect tree // 3. colored lights // 4. memory, 2 years ago // 5. we didn't have a star, or an angel // 6. apple cider // 7. pink vintage poms // 8. tree skirt // 9. all packed up in a little suitcase

2011-12-09T19:22:00.002-07:00

I made I gif. And when I say "I", I mean Brandon. Brandon and I are opposites in many ways, but we are alike in that we are both artists. A lot of people ask me how that is, "an artist married to an artist" sometimes it can be a challenge, like agreeing on a paint color, but during finals week it's a straight up blessing. I just say "here's a bunch of photos I'd like made into a gif" and voila! presto-magic-husband makes my wildest dreams come true! I could tell you that this gif is actually art and you may not believe me. So right now I'll just say it is what it is. Maybe someday I'll tell you more.

Isn't it kinda cool though? maybe? or maybe I'm just overly excited that I (husband) made my first gif and it's blinding me from the reality of the un-coolness of it.

my words are all a jumble.
meh.
it's finals week.

Warby Parker

2011-12-05T17:27:00.004-07:00

My eyes are getting worse, and it's time to bid these lovely beauts adieu. I heard about Warby Parker from a number of blogs and thought I'd try out there "home try-ons" aka: coolest deal ever! They send you 5 pairs (I had 5 sent to me and 5 sent to B cause I couldn't narrow it down) and you play dress up for 5 days! Then you send them back. easy peasy lemon squeezey. I may be having too much fun with these bad boys, I wear a few pairs a day. I may have even used them in a photo shoot! But alas, it's time to send them back. now which pair to pick....I have a few favorites, one of which is the harry potter pair in the bottom right. I got them as a joke at first, turns out I LOVE them! Do you have a favorite? I will hold your opinions at the highest esteem :)

**oh and something neat: for every pair of frames Warby Parker sells, they give a pair away to someone in need. Watch the video here.

"Back to School" Photo shoot part I

2011-12-02T11:11:00.003-07:00

My family is getting real "family photos" for the first time since little sis was 2.....ha....with me always behind the lens lets just say....it's hard to catch us all in the same frame. We are getting them done by Kristina Curtis Photography, the same photographer who did this fun "back to school" shoot a while back. She was so great to work with and I love how the photos turned out! If you are looking for a photographer for any event, I highly recommend her :) you can check out her site here.

what we wore

his: shirt/gap jeans/deisel via Downeast Outfitters boots/texas (?)

her: blouse/gap skirt/made by yours truly tights/gap shoes/nordstrom rack glasses/urban outfitters

**also I had my hair cut & dyed by my talented friend Jordan McKell at Amara Salon just the day before. Don't you love the color?! Stay tuned for a fun hair giveaway coming soon!

HELP!

2011-11-30T15:07:00.003-07:00

Hey friends! My amazing S.I.L., Brittany, has organized a service project opportunity and would love you all to help! Here's the invitation from her:

Hello friends and family,

I'd like to invite you to participate in a service opportunity wrapping Christmas gifts to earn money for charity taking place December 9th to the 21st. Altogether we'll be wrapping gifts for 70 hours, so I'm asking for all the help you can give. The gift wrapping will take place at the Orem Barnes & Noble (330 East 1300 South), and all proceeds go to Community Action.

All you need to do is go to this link, sign up for the hours you'd like to help, then email me your name and contact information so that I can get a hold of you with the other details. The day of just show up, wrap presents, and encourage people to leave donations for Community Action. What could be better?

If you're unable to help, please forward this along to whoever might be interested, or come

in to have a gift wrapped and leave a donation yourself (check the link to verify that the Community Action group is there at that time).

Thanks and have a very Merry Christmas,

Brittany

bb.thorley@gmail.com

This is such a wonderful opportunity to step away from the busy hustle and bustle of the holiday season and practice your gift wrapping skill while giving back to the community! Check out more about Community Action here. Brittany has organized this event all on her own and I admire her so much for thinking of others {while I'm making my wish list....} I really do believe that service teaches us more about ourselves than any other action, and it's this time of year when people are in most need of help. Please, if you are able, sign up for a time, even just an hour, or bring your gifts to be wrapped and leave a donation. I'm signed up for one night so far, but I'd love to join YOU on the nights you volunteer. E-mail me with the dates you signed up for and I'll join you :)

*yarn gift wrapping image via

colors

2011-11-29T11:16:00.002-07:00

do you ever think in colors?

last night it was a bunch of dark blues and yucky oranges, but this morning I woke up to yellows. not a lot, just glints and hints here and there.

oh, and I cut bangs again! it's been almost a year since I've had them and woke up thanksgiving morning with my mind set. and get this: brandon did the deed! He cuts his own hair and has for years, I trust him with these sorts of things. I think he did a pretty swell job.

happy tuesday

hopes it's full of yellows

x-claire

2011-11-28T00:18:00.002-07:00

This is Maura.
She's a fellow artist.

We went to NY together.
Doesn't she look pretty on the brooklyn bridge?

2011-11-24T10:30:00.003-07:00

I love this holiday. I love a day dedicated to expressing gratitude.

today I am thankful for my Heavenly Father. He knows me so well. He's given me blessing after blessing catered to my needs, needs I didn't even know I needed. He gave me amazing parents, who raised me to be loving and good through their constant example. He gave me two amazing siblings who have been my closest friends. And a few years ago he gave me Brandon, who is a constant calm in my life. Although I am thankful for so many "things", it's really the people in my life I rely on the most. They strengthen me and encourage me. They love me and I love them. And that love has taught me so much.

I hope you all have a lovely thanksgiving, and that you get to tell the people you love just how grateful you are for them.

*image by me

next week

2011-11-19T15:39:00.005-07:00

{a little collection from NYC}

I often find myself saying "if I can just make it through till next week...." but life is always going to be a bunch of "next week"s. I'm ready to move on. Does that even make sense? Maybe not. how about this: I'm tired of always playing catch up. But alas there is always catching up to do: homework to be done, art to be made, photos to edit, chores (yes, I have chores) to be completed, work to be worked and thoughts to be thunked (haha thats for you mum!). In my mind next week sounds like this amazing thing. next week I'll relax. next week I'll have time. is anyone else wondering when next week is going to come?! news flash: next week is always a week away. oh reality why must you be so cruel?!

so...about all those NYC & photoshoot photos I was going to share? How does next week sound?!

happy saturday!

happy winter-ish weather!

xo-claire

p.s. your welcome to check out my instagram for photos and meaningless updates :) I'm @belleandwhistle. Do you have an instagram account? lets stalk each other!!

p.p.s. here are two instagrams from my trip! gallery in chelsea and brooklyn bridge

home & featured!

2011-11-14T16:42:00.004-07:00

I'm home! And what a whirl-wind-wonderful trip to NY I had! I can't wait to share some of the highlights, but.... I didn't take my camera with me **cue gasps and looks of complete shock. I KNOW!? I deliberately left it home so that I wouldn't stress over getting the perfect image or capturing every tiny bit with that trigger happy finger of mine. It was refreshing to just take it all in mentally and emotionally. I did cheat a little bit and took photos on my phone, which I'll be sharing, and I also took 1 roll of film with my konico (cross your fingers some turned out!). The trip was so amazing but can I tell ya, it feels so good to be home. It felt soo good to hit the snooze button 20 times this morning, miss classes, and snuggle with my man.

In other news: Brandon and I did a shoot with Kristina Curtis Photography that was featured on Utah Bride Blog today! I can't tell you how fun this shoot was (even if we were freezing!) and how much I admire Kristina's eye! I'll be sharing more images and info from the shoot later this week but for now check out the feature on Utah Bride Blog and check out Kristina's site & blog! I promise it won't disappoint :)

2011-11-04T16:01:00.003-06:00

I'm running around like a crazy person, trying to get ready for my big trip! Did I mention I'm going to NEW YORK!? I'm so extremely excited, I've been looking forward to this trip for weeks! And now it's just around the corner (tuesday!)

I'm making a mini bucket list for my trip there and need your help! What do I not want to miss? Where are the best places to eat? cheapest thrift stores? best kept secrets? Any travel tips!? I'd love to hear from you!

The only thing missing from making this trip absolutely perfect is my husband. :( if only he could come. We are squeezing in a fun date tonight to make up for missing each other next week. He planned the whole thing which promises to be an adventure :)

xo-kitty

p.s. thanks (in advance) for the NY tips!

HAPPY HALLOWEEEEEN!

2011-10-31T14:05:00.002-06:00

{look how short my hair was!}

two years ago, before our married days, we went all our for halloween. I was Amelia Earhart and the mister was a Newsie. We went to parties (yes, as in multiple), handed out candy, Brandon even played in a halloween show with a bunch of other great musicians.

Last year I passed a kidney stone on halloween. nuff said.

and this year we are getting super creative:
I'm going as a waitress and he's going as a psychiatric technician!

oh wait....maybe we are just going to work....

isn't growing up just soooo much fun?!?!

hope you are all party-ing it up for me!
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

xo
kitty

Kitty Bonding

2011-10-27T12:55:00.000-06:00

if brandon weren't so pathetically allergic to them, I'd totally be a cat lady.

Puma has such an attitude. He looks like he isn't enjoying my company but I know he misses me :)

2011-10-25T16:20:00.003-06:00

THANK YOU

I just wanted to say thanks to you all. Thank you for the sweet comments you leave when I post about my art. I'd like to say that I'm so artsy fartsy that I make art for arts sake only, that I eat sleep and breath art and that I do it for myself and no one else. But I'd be lying. I think it's safe to say that we all want our efforts and our work to mean something to someone else. Art is important to me, it's my life medium of choice. And I just wanted to thank you all for boosting my confidence when I need it most. For being such great supporters :)

In other news the husband and I feel like we are running around with our heads cut off. It's that time of the year (that seems to never go away) where things are just crazy. I've got midterms, we've both got semi-new jobs we are still adjusting to, and we've had our fair share of health dilemmas. At the end of the day we are so exhausted all we can do is watch an episode of Parks and Recreation and hit the sack! and then it's waking up way too early and starting all over again. Bleh. But I do have lots of catching up to do because somehow fun manages to sneak it's way into our mundane lives here and there :)

heres to more posting and more art!

xo-claire

and another self portrait....

2011-10-19T15:26:00.003-06:00

****

this was an assignment for my photoshop class....is it just me or does making something "assigned" take all the fun away? For the project we had to add interpretive color & texture and portray something about ourselves (duh). Basically this was all way beyond me which is where my handsome stud of a husband comes in a saves the day! He's had less experience with photoshop than I, and he still kicks my butt. I thought it would be fun to do a 40's themed hollywood glamour shot cause lets be honest....who didn't look good back then right? I also thought it would be fun to add color to the photo like they used to with black and white photos (ya know the type, your grandma's eyes look sky blue but in real life they are all dull...) it was like oldfashioned photoshop :) oh, and I took out the texture in this version cause I prefer it that way.

It's a little tribute the the "old soul" in me. Anyway it turned out to be a pretty fun project but I wouldn't brave it again, or on my own. Seriously, Brandon, I LOVE YOUR GUTS!

Oh, and my hair may be 50's-60's and the shot may look 40's and the re-coloring may be pre 30's but hey, give me a break, I didn't live back then, I did the best my hollywood warped mind could do :) Also, my photo teacher didn't recognize it was me. He said I look "45 years old, maybe older" WHAT THE WHAT?

sisters

2011-10-17T10:25:00.003-06:00

This is part II of this film project. I originally used about a million words to portray this concept, and now only one seems fitting to me: sisters. I'll be posting part III later today (or as soon as I get a bigger flickr account....)

p.s. thank you so much to my lovely models: Becca, Sarah, & Ashlee, you were truly wonderful to work with!

2011-10-15T15:17:00.002-06:00

It's feeling/looking a lot like fall over here

{especially on my instagram: @belleandwhistle}

thank-yous

cardigans

fall shopping

gourds

warm baths

& silly halloween decor

HAPPY SATURDAY!

2011-10-14T13:23:00.002-06:00

I made this magazine cover

meaning I took the photo and wrote all the text to look like the real deal all for a photoshop class (which I'm hating/loving). And I was pretty proud of myself, though I did initially spell practical wrong....
come on, are we not at all surprised?!

a bit of fall

2011-10-12T15:07:00.002-06:00

I collect a lot of things: cameras, suitcases, tins, old postcards. Brandon collects guitars, harmonicas, and anything else that'll make a tune :)

yesterday I collected a bit of fall.

what do you collect?

as of late

2011-10-11T10:20:00.002-06:00

I've have about 10 drafts in my box that could have been published this last week. Do any of you do that? I'd write something, get distracted by who knows what, and then when I'd come back to it the next day it wasn't current anymore, at least to me, so it didn't make sense to publish it. Instead, I did this. Which kind of explains my life as of late. Lots and lots and lots of work.

but here's a small recap, here's what's been on my mind:

I entered one of my favorite personal works into an art show yesterday. It's weird how my work becomes my baby. This particular baby I have protected and kept to myself. Maybe I do that because I'm still too attached, because it's still doing what it needs to do for just me, or maybe I'm just too protective. I'm scared for this little part of me to go out into the big world (meaning my campus/community) did I prepare it enough? Will the other art be nice to it? (ha....this is why we don't have kids yet. I'm too busy babying my art). I know that the chances of my work being selected for this show are pretty slim, but I'm proud of myself for pushing it in that direction. It's the first work I've felt I'm saying something about myself that others can relate to. Basically, it's the first work that really means something.

I got a job as a waitress. I don't care for it much for a bajillion reasons. I've already cried, correction, BAWLED in front of a customer. It was horrible. maybe I'll share the story, but probably not. I have to remind myself how lucky I am to even have a job (and two at that!). Someday when I'm more heated up about it (it depends on the night) I'll do a little "tipping 101" guide on here. Apparently Utah doesn't know how that all works...

PHOTOS! I'm so desperately behind on posting my work here. I'm in the process of creating another blog/website for my photography work and that will hopefully make things a bit easier. In the meantime I've got a few weddings and other business to share! stay tuned! And for those who have inquired, I still do photo work, contact me at cathorley@gmail.com for rates. Also, this blog has needed a little TLC for some time, bring your hard hats.

giveaway: I recently read something that said "the easiest way to see if you are a person of your word is to think of the last few promises you made, if you've done them, you are a person of your word!" since the house still isn't clean and my homework still isn't done that that darn giveaway SILL hasn't happened, I'm thinking I need to work on this one. Here is a promise though: it will happen. And it will be better and bigger than ever :)

I'm going on a big trip to one of my favorite places in the world!!! more on this later :)

Fall: I'm loving it! I went on a mini walk yesterday and gathered some lovely leaves for a little shoot I did. It's funny how the season where everything is dying feels the most renewing to me. I love the rain, I love the colors, I love this time of year!

now I'm going to post this silly picture-less thing before I change my mind!

blah blah blog

2011-10-09T00:20:00.005-06:00

all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl. all work and no play makes claire a dull girl.

2011-10-03T11:12:00.004-06:00

dear fall,

how did you sneak up on me so quickly?!

happy you are here.

xo-claire

2011-10-01T15:12:00.003-06:00

wedding: zach & erika {film}

2011-09-29T18:30:00.003-06:00

The love these two have for each is the kind we all hope to find. I'm so happy they found it!

*Brandon took a bunch of these photos since we shot film and digital. I'm so glad we did both. There is something magical about film...don't you think?

*also shout out to Richard for having the world's best backyard!

I've been booking a few weddings this past week and I'm giddy with excitement!

I love being a part of that big day.

are you and your lovehead tying the knot?! I want in!

let's chat

cathorley@gmail.com

field trip

2011-09-28T23:47:00.004-06:00

tomorrow I'm taking a field trip with some classmates to one of my favorite works of art: the spiral jetty.

The Spiral Jetty is a site specific installation made by Smithson in the 70's. It was a huge debate then and some may consider it even now to not be art. I, for one, think it's fantastic. (Though my love for it may be a bit bias: B and I took a trip there on one of our very first dates.)

If you live in Utah or ever visit Utah, I highly suggest checking it out.

I'll no doubt report tomorrow with an overwhelming amount of photos :)

Happy Thursday!

P.S. Brian Kershesnick and two other of my favorite artists have a show opening on BYU campus tomorrow (thursday 29th). I've met all three artists in person and they really are inspiring (and hilarious too!) It promises to be an amazing show. hope to see you there! (more info about the show here)

thoughts and things on changes and rings

2011-09-27T00:44:00.006-06:00

I like change.

the non-bill cash kind & the simple "rearrange the furniture" kind.

I like the big change that makes you a girl one day and a wife the next.

I like a new color of polish (forest green) and a new hairdo (heidi braids).

and I like a new season, it always comes when I'm getting bored of the previous one.

and then there is the change the happens that is good but also hard.

Like getting a new job and saying goodbye to an old one.

or husband getting a new job that takes all of his time away from fixing me dinner and driving me to and from school.

and school and hard classes with real-life-hard-core-artists and trying to fit in.

and then there are decisions that need to be made that lead to change.

like graduating this april OR going another year for a higher degree OR switching majors.

pursuing a dream you have knowing you might have to get rid of another one to make it happen.

taking leaps of faith (though I tend to take baby steps) because you can weigh out the pros and cons till the cows come home and still not know what to do.

somehow a lot of the uncomfortable hard and unpredictable changes are happening right now. It's taking a lot of my mental energy to sort it all out...

oh and on rings:

my wedding ring is a few years shy of 100 years old. I don't trust myself with it at my new job so I wear a simple golden band instead. This means I'm often mistaken as single, which I hear will help me get more tips, (though my wallet would argue after tonight)...

are you married? engaged? does your ring ever leave your finger? do you have a substitute for travel or work? and for the BIG question: does your husband wear his ring?

my Brandon rarely wears his. He's just not used to it and frankly I'm not too concerned (though I'm sure he is eyed by many a girl, he wouldn't know flirt if it hit him in the face, believe me, I know :) He wears it every Sunday along with his Colonel Sanders tie and I'm satisfied.

photo taken by Mr. White at my friends wedding. More on this wedding coming...someday....

2011-09-24T15:42:00.002-06:00

loving my messy bed today and new (old) map hanging above it.
I plan on sleeping in tomorrow :) can't wait.

my latest

2011-09-21T10:19:00.002-06:00

film.
{more on this project later}

happy wednesday!
xo

fall people

2011-09-19T12:10:00.006-06:00

brandon loves taking photos with me. can you tell??

I think we might be fall people (as far as our wardrobe is concerned). Brandon doesn't own a pair of shorts besides his basketball shorts, which we wouldn't be caught dead in. shorts just aren't his thing. Me? I'm more of the sweatery layer type gal. That is why we love fall, we get to wear the clothes we want without being too hot. Yesterday did not feel like fall, it felt like the middle of summer, but we wore our fall clothes anyway. ((hint hint fall! we're ready for you!!!!))

and this is about as fashion post as we get over here. (remember this sad attempt?! what a bust. And when I say bust I mean I busted out laughing when I looked at it again. We won't bore you with clothes....often. But incase you are curious, both tops are from Gap. (I'm an GAP INC. employee.....i'm almost always in gap.) My pants are Anthropologie via DownEast Outfitters (which means I got them for about 1/4 the price), and shoes are Franko Sarto via TJmaxx (again....fraction of the price).

and want to know a little something funny about my mr? rarely does he get an item of clothing that he just "lets be". He "Brandon-izes" everything! whether it's too light of denim (like this shirt) so he dyes it, doesn't like a pocket so he takes it off, adds a little something here or there, has me take it in or let it out, almost everything he owns he customizes!! I think it's wonderful :) and even though about 50% of the time I think it's not a good idea, it always turns out looking SOOOO much better. oh, and it's not limited to clothing! Wait till you see his guitar transformation! I think he should open up shop: "brandon's customized stuff! Bring it in drab, take it out fab!"

gee...that was corny. ...

what is your favorite season to dress for?

breathe

2011-09-15T22:48:00.002-06:00

“Listen--are you breathing just a little, and calling it a life?”
― Mary Oliver

playing major catch up over here. trying to get used to too many new things at once. the typical college/working girl/weight of the world mantra, you understand. right?

RRR

2011-09-12T15:38:00.002-06:00

My extended family participated, for the third year in a row mind you, in the Red Rock Relay this last weekend. It's 187 miles of running bliss (or in my case...blisters....) You have a team of 12 runners who run 3 legs each and it lasts 2 days. It starts at Brian Head ski resort in southern Utah and ends in Zions national park. Needless to say it's GORGEOUS. It's also long, tiring, exhausting, painful, and exhilirating. I didn't train for this race. I repeat I DID NOT TRAIN FOR THIS RACE! at least not to the extent I should have. Which means my body is barely functional right now. It might be a few days till I get back into the swing of things on this here blog....or life for that matter....

photo of my soul-cousin, Janet, and I before we got all sweat and stinky. Don't worry, more sweaty photos from the race and other news coming soon! oh...and that darn giveaway that keeps slipping through the cracks....

9/11

2011-09-11T15:43:00.002-06:00

I was rolling into surgery, loopy and happy from the drugs that were starting to work on me, when I heard one nurse say to the other "a plane just hit one of the Twin Towers" and then I was out. I was young. I didn't know what the Twin Towers were. But I was old enough to understand that it was a bid deal, that is wasn't ok. When I got home from surgery later that morning, I propped myself in front of the TV and changed from channel to channel watching the disaster unfold. I felt helpless. My mom said all we could do at that time was pray. So we prayed all day, out loud and in our hearts and we cried for those who had lost.

When I got back to school (6th grade) I started up a fundraiser to help pay for some of the damaged fire trucks. I went from classroom to classroom with fellow friends and a refrigerator box-turned fire truck, collecting donations in black rubber firemen's boots. Throughout the rest of my primary education I was involve in groups that wrote letters to soldiers, folded flags, helped make care packages for children in Afghanistan. Every year in highschool we took a week to reflect and honor our freedom: Freedom Week. We'd decorate the halls, held an assembly where we honored vets, had inspirational speakers come and we bonded together around the one similarity all of us have: we are Americans.

We may be young or we may be small but we all play a significant part in a bigger picture. That is what I learned from 9/11. That we can all do something, that even if all we can do is pray, we can all do something, and that something will and does make a difference.

I am truly proud to be an American.

2011-09-07T21:19:00.006-06:00

summer 2011 likely won't be on my list of favorites. it was a rough one for me. Though it wasn't fun in the moment, I'm glad I can look back and see the major growing I did. Summer school will pay off (hopefully) I learned a lot but mostly learned about myself. I learned I need chill, lazy, totally unproductive time to stay sane. I learned I need to have a routine and a system, but that I also need to break it sometimes.

There were a lot of things I did this summer that slipped through the cracks on this blog. I made art, lots of it. I practice my film photography like mad. I grew my bangs out and parted my hair down the middle. I got highlights. I photographed weddings, families, kids and lovers. I redecorated our little cupboard and re-arranged the furniture. I started some new projects and business endeavors. I hiked. I missed two family reunions and crammed as much summer into two weeks as humanly possible. I got really sick and then got much better. I went down a water slide (that I'd been scared to go down for years). I ran, but not as much as I should have. I went to arizona with my hubby to try it on for size (we think it will make a good temporary home in the not-so-distant-future). I went antiquing all over I15. I spent time with my family and a lot of time with brandon. I watched 4 season's of MadMen. I got an iphone and a new job. I ate a ridiculous amount of snow cones and a hefty amount of Mountain West Burrito, I read a few books (solely for pleasure), learned to cook a few new meals, and made some extremely big life plans.

I'll be running the Red Rock Relay this weekend {wish me luck!}

The Back To School giveaway to air Monday Morning.

*all images by me

yesterday, two years ago

2011-09-06T01:05:00.005-06:00

labor day, two years ago, B and I were rookies to true love.

we had only been dating a few weeks (okay, not even two) when I decided we should trek to the spiral jetty and make a gigantic day date out of it.

this day trip was important. in fact, it was monumental.

We learned a lot about each other on the long drive there and back. We learned a lot while we got lost. I learned a lot as we sat there side by side in a car, barely speaking. I was surprised how I was comfortable with the silence, that I didn't feel any pressure to speak. It felt like we were friends once before, some long time ago, and we were just picking up where we left off. it was all so comfortable. After a long day of driving, little words, enjoying each other's presence, and experiencing some amazing art, we said I love you for the first time.

labor day will always mean a little something more to me.

hope yours was nothing short of lovely.

xoxo,

claire

p.s. you win! the give-away must go on! Hopefully I'll get everything going in the next few days before I leave town, if not....early next week for sure :)

p.p.s. I pinky promise I'll do a photo giveaway soon!

hello, hi

2011-09-01T20:11:00.004-06:00

remember how I was going to have a back to school giveaway? welp, school has started. Is the hype over? Do you still want it? {I kinda still want to do it....}

I have this bad habit of biting off more than I can chew.

I'll probably kill myself by overdoing life.

My tombstone will say

here lies Claire

the girl who did too much

not that I accomplish a whole lot (just ask my pile of dishes, undone homework, and under-kissed husband). But I want to do too many things. sigh...it's my downfall in life and I'm afraid I'm not willing to give it up. which means this blog will never have a constant stream of posts and will often have yet-to-be-fulfilled promises. I hope you can deal.

so giveaway?

circle yes or no

(if you fight yes for the giveaway and I get enough interest to do it, I'll count all the comments from this post as an extra entry! thats a hecka deal people)

hope you are having a lovely thursday evening :)

big kiss, little kiss, little hug

claire

p.s. to my dear friend who said "you can't take a bad picture!" if these photos don't prove you wrong, I don't know what will....

seriously, I have the worst luck with ID cards. I'd share more, but I'm pretty sure I burned my highschool/jr high IDs. and is it just me or did they zoom up in my grill for my drivers license? when I compare it to others, my head is twice theirs in size...

first day of school

2011-08-29T11:02:00.003-06:00

When I got home from my first class today, Brandon asked what this semester is going to be like. I responded "more doing, less hesitation." This semester will be my hardest yet. Not because I'm taking 18 credits. Not because my classes are all seemingly "advanced". But because I'm going to work harder than ever before. Because I want to be somewhere I'm not. I want to be someone as an artist. And getting there is going to take a lot of work. The weirdest part about today: I wasn't mad to be back in school after only 2 weeks of summer. I was happy and grateful. I'm paying for this. I want this. If I didn't want this I could stop at any time. My degree is not my motivation. My development as a human being is what matters most to me, and school is helping shape me.

*photo taken in the HFAC in front of a student show: Reflectology by Amber Rogers. check it out.

package deal

2011-08-26T21:13:00.004-06:00

today there was a wedding.

we shot digital, film, and video.

it. was. amazing. {all the above mentioned to come soon!}

i'd love it if this package deal could be a regular thing: me+him photographing together. it was so rewarding doing the thing I love most with the one I love most by my side.

instead of resting our tired heads tonight we will be putting the finishing bits together for out HUGE yard sale tomorrow. guys....I'm almost embarrassed about the amount of clothes we have for sale. Lets face it, I love clothes. Now won't you be so kind and adopt some, give them a good home, love them too?!?

see you bright and early!

SATURDAY 27th

8am-12pm

1865 N 690 E

Orem, 84097

ANNOUNCING....

2011-08-24T12:40:00.002-06:00

DEAR FRIENDS, FAMILY, AND BLOGGING BUDDIES:

I'm proud to announce my third annual

PRETTY CLASSY YARD SALE

SATURDAY, August 27TH

8:00 am- 12:00 pm

1865 N 690 E

Orem, Utah

84097

(sorry out-of-staters)

Both our families have donated (LOVE YOU GUYS) to this wonderful cause so there is a MASSIVE selection of clothing, particularly MY clothing. I might have to join a nudist colony after it's all done....

mens suits dress shirts jeans shirts shoes

women's dresses skirts tops blouses swim sports wear coats jackets SHOES (sizes 8.5-10) purses hats scarfs accessories jewelry

most of which are high-end/name brands

home goods/decor, bedding, furniture, art/craft supplies

all at cheepo yard sale prices!! wahoo!

THE WORKS!

+ the totally random typical yard sale finds :)

and of course there will be music playing and dancing around and such. So if nothing else...come for the PARTY and let me convince you to buy something you don't really need :) !

Like I said, It's going to be a pretty classy yard sale! Hope to see you all there!

xoxoxo

Kitty

2011-08-23T13:25:00.002-06:00

I spent this last weekend in Vegas with my mother, visiting my wonderful aunt and family. It was exactly what the doctor ordered: sleeping in till embarrassing hours, promising myself I'd go running every day and breaking that promise without feeling guilty, eating amazing food and too many red vines, IBC rootbeer (my favorite) by the pool. having no sense of what time of the day it was, or the day of the week for that matter. no schedule.

a real vacation

my mom and I took our time there and back, stopping at all the small towns between provo and vegas, exploring antique store after antique store. My favorite find? A vintage picnic basket. I read Stephen King short stories aloud and my mother told me stories of her childhood. it's times like these I wish I were rich and could hire someone to document my life. and then again, I know that no photos, no words, no moving images could ever do justice to the memories I've made.

now I'm home. and I'm happy to be home, because that vacation was everything it could have been. it was rejuvenating. I feel ready to be a better me.

2011-08-22T17:45:00.002-06:00

home :)

and I brought a tan with me!

bliss

2011-08-17T01:49:00.003-06:00

a favorite: the moment right before I open up a newly thrifted suitcase to reveal it's insides. The case can be bland and worn but inside it's a party dressed in neons of pink, yellow, and blue. I love owning things that belonged to a previous life. I like to think what Bliss Elmer might have carried in her suitcase. Where did they go together? What experiences did they share?

I'm carrying swimsuits, some good reads, sketchbooks, and a lazy attitude.

be back soon

xox

claire

we have a winner!

2011-08-16T22:13:00.004-06:00

congrats to Freckle Faced Lauren, winner of my latest litho print! She said:

Well, Claire, Summer is lovely.

Wanna know why?

Love.

That's all.

{chosen via true random number generator: random.org}

Lauren-

I couldn't agree more! of all things to love about summer, love takes the cake. email me your shipping info and I'll get that print off to you zippidy quick.

xoxoxo

Claire

2011-08-15T17:07:00.002-06:00

hey friends!

happy happy monday :)

I'm guest blogging over here today!

xoxo

claire

p.s. want to win an original print by yours truly?? check it out here

p.p.s. didn't you hear? I love this man:

isn't he wonderful to behold?

huzzah!

2011-08-12T16:47:00.005-06:00

last night I finished my last final for summer semester!

the feeling is better than a birthday. seriously! It's like I'm a new person today. I probably slept all night with a smile on my face and I haven't been able to wipe it off since. It's funny how one big thing can make the rest of your life seem so...out of control. Now that school isn't on my mind, I just feel plain happy.

I have two official weeks of summer before the school routine starts up again (18 credits....eeek!) and you better believe I'm cramming in all the good stuff: picnics, parties (finally decently celebrating the Misters big day), swimming, a mini girls trip to Vegas, family, friends, hiking, camping, a wedding, photoshoots, sewing projects....... I might even get a tan! And I'll likely be throwing some pretty swell GIVEAWAYS into the mix so stay tuned!

heck, I'm feeling spontaneous.

lets have a giveaway RIGHT NOW!

{CLOSED}

here my very most recent litho print!

"lady-alike"

it's a limited edition print and that makes it extra cool right? right.

this pretty little thing would look lovely hanging in any YOUR home.

you want it?

comment on your absolute favorite thing about summer

*must be a follower

and I'll randomly pick a winner next Tuesday, the 16th.

wow......this blog gets a whole lot more fun when I'm not in school :)

*lighting/coloring is slightly off. thats what you get with a spontaneous giveaway though....

homecoming

2011-08-05T20:45:00.003-06:00

Welcome Home David!

not here

2011-08-05T11:01:00.004-06:00

this weekend is my Thorley Family reunion. It's something I look forward to every summer. We go to the ranch, ride ATVs, play cards, hike, don't shower, sit around the fire and sing songs, and most importantly get in some good cousinly bonding. But I wont be there this weekend for a number of reasons, all of which bite. I'm trying not to be too bummed about it but I miss my family. I miss the mountains. I miss driving through the third gate and kissing my cell phone service goodbye. If I ever needed a vacation: IT WOULD BE NOW. But such is grown-up life right? we make decisions and they come with sacrifices.

I'm trying to keep busy so I don't get bummed thinking about the fun I'm certainly missing by treating myself to mini vacations all day. So far I had a nice morning walk, brunch to celebrate kara's belated birthday, and a trip down memory lane of past reunions via photographs. Tonight, B.I.L. David comes over (which promises to be a riot). Tomorrow, we go to the temple and hang out sissy (who is in the same boat: school instead of reunion) and end the night with Tanner and Brighton. Maybe I can squeeze a picnic in there somewhere too. And every moment in between the mini vacations? STUDY STUDY STUDY.

I feel like a jackson pollock

2011-08-04T13:51:00.003-06:00

the one with the grays, blacks, whites and bits of cream.

(probably called "number 12" or something.)

I feel like I'm standing in front of the canvas, with my nose almost touching. The lines are harsh and the splatters are chaotic and it's all around me. It's all I can see. It's too much. Too much to process.

I know when I take a step back, far enough to see the edge of the canvas wrap around the frame, that it will be ok. Seeing all the chaos encompassed, seeing the patterns and trends and methodical splatters is all right, maybe even beautiful.

though I know there is a border, and I know the paint stops somewhere, it's hard to remember when my nose is wet with grays and blacks.

but I must.

I must remember there is a therapeutic result in process.

I must be patient.

2011-07-30T16:55:00.002-06:00

Hello saturday!
& hello friends :)

here's some blog love to make your saturday even sweeter:
and maybe your mon-fri aswell (I've got a brother-in-law coming home from russia, a trip to my favorite place in the world, lots of shoots, and finals to prepare for/procrastinate on. I might be MIA for a bit.) so please show these bloggers some love! Stalk, comment, and be inspired.

dottie angel
nothing makes me want to put on my grandma's apron and pick up a pair of knitting needles like this blog. Her home is AMAZING, her crafts are ingenious, and they way she writes is just...."peachy".

speaking of totally cool moms

bleubird

is so stalk worthy. This mom isn't willing to give up fashion, even with a babe on her hips and two others running around. She's such a rocker and I wish I had the daring style she does.

color me katie
proof that although we may get older, we don't really have to grow up. Street artist and photographer, this girl's vibe for life is contagouse. I dare you to try not to smile whilst perusing her blog. oh, and her cat, moo, is pretty neat too :)

enjoying the small things
"Van Gogh used paints to portray what inspired him... Me? I like photos and words." Both of which are lovely. I especially like reading about her relationship and dealings with her daughter, nella. I feel empowered and motivated to embrace my life more from her blog.

bean tree
I've had the privlidge of being in an art class with this miss. her work is so raw and real, and I basically want to be best friends with her. I've even thought up plots of her marrying one of Brandon's friends.... check out her film photographs.

no two fish are alike
also and artist friend! If you want to make photos on your blog all big and cool like mine check out her tutorials here {she basically holds your hand through the whole process, which is just how i like it}. Thanks Brit! Also, she's training for a triathlon. what the what?! i know....

andrew+carissa
a film maker and photographing couple. Their little videos and lovely lit photos document their life in virginia and the process of adopting a girl, Rhina, from africa. I pray their little girl can come home to them soon.

kinfolk
gah! spread the word on this one! It's a collaborative work of over 40 artists creating a magazine specializing in simple small gatherings. I'd die for an invitation to one of their parties...

a meg story
in her own words this girl "has an old soul". Her amazing writing will make you question her young age. 18 really?! she pens emotions that are hilarious, real, deep, raw, and altogether captivating. she also was a winner of my sr. photo shoot give away and you better believe I can't wait to meet her!

coffee flavored satire

by none other than my little sis. she's a hoot. just check her out ok?

dolor haze

this photographer is a mere 16 years old?! She's becoming a big deal in the fashion industry! I love seeing talented people make it places. oh...and we are totally friends on FB. and yah, that makes me feel a little cool.

love you long time

mandi is a poet. I want her to write a book so i can take it with me everywhere and open it up anytime I need my soul to be tickled. she also lives in my neck of the woods; I've ran into her a few times but have been too bashful to introduce myself. I'll be brave next time Mandi!

per aspera

every post has me thinking "man, I wish i drew that..." Someday I'll commission a portrait of my lover and I from her, and I'll hang it above my mantle. And when people see it they will tilt their head and scratch their chin (cause that's what one does when observing good art.)

What are some of your favorite blogs? I'd love to hear about them!

2011-07-29T13:31:00.004-06:00

It's been a long time since I've done one of these: But this morning, whilst looking for something particular in my purse, I realized it was time for some organizing. These photos are post me throwing away all the gum wrappers, ancient receipts, and other mysterious items....

here's what's in the bag:

personal groomings: my missing bobby-pins (I found their hiding place:my purse!) lipsticks in my favorite shades, lotion, a homemade hair bow for last minute accessorizing, and smelly-goods in sample form (for those days I forget to deodorize, please tell me I'm not the only one who does this....) oh. and toiletries + miracle pill of course.

snacks and such: mints (from bettos no doubt) and my favorite gum. Fruit leather and calcium chews. Usually a water bottle is crammed in there somewhere along with my daily vitamins, an apple and almonds.

other: wallet & loose change. my life (in the form of a planner), sketch book featuring work from artists such as Brandon, myself, and the curly haired kids who sit in front of me at church. Sharpie, my pen of choice, highlighter to help with all my studies, business cards/holder, and the sunglasses of the day (I own a bakers dozen).

***purse is HOBO international, though I purchased it at TJMaxx. (we are talking 1/3-1/4 of the price!) I own another from TJ as well. I seem to find one every time I go but unfortunately can't justify owning that many....I will say this though, now that I've touched leather, i'll never settle for anything less. This purse has lasted me a good 3 solid years, and still going strong.

What's in your bag?

a very happy un-birthday

2011-07-26T01:03:00.002-06:00

It was Brandon's birthday a few weeks ago (July 7th). And it was a very un-birthday day. I won't go into the details that made this birthday so NOT birthday-ish. But just imagine all the things a birthday should be. Now, imagine all those things not happening, and instead, the opposite. That was his birthday.

So I've been trying to make up for a lack of big hoorah by extending his birthday as long as humanly possible (and I'm getting creative on account of low funds).

July 8th "I'll pack your suitcase. Birthday boys shouldn't have to do that."

July 10th "I got ice-cream at the grocery store, ya know, for your birthday"

July 11th "7-11 is giving away free slurpees today cause it's your birthday"

July 14th "I'll do the dishes. After all, it's your birthday"

July 16th "I love you extra today, cause it's your birthday"

July 18th "I failed my test cause I was so excited for your birthday"

July 20th "good morning, I mean good birthday, I mean HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

July 21st "I guess we can watch that...it is your birthday...."

July 24th "all those fireworks are in honor of your birthday!" (pioneer day)

Sad thing about belated birthday celebrations is they can never make up for an actual day of birth. Next year will be different. Next year we will have family and friends to celebrate with! We will hopefully have $ for a decent gift. THERE WILL BE CAKE! Maybe even a pinata. And all festivities will take place on July 7, 2012.

oh, and you are all invited :)

2011-07-23T12:39:00.006-06:00

a little reorganizing does me much good.

I like proving to myself that although we only have one true corner in our cupboard (hard to process but true) that I can still make our little space functional and lovely.

Sometimes I dream of apartments with two rooms and several corners, but then I wake up to sunlight streaming into our space through our big window and I think: I could stay here forever.

****

on a completely different note:

I've decided It's time to part with miss rosie. I've had her for 3 years and haven't given her the loving she deserves. mostly she just sits looking pretty on account of 1. i don't even play guitar and 2. pink isn't B's color. She's quite the thing though: lovely to look at and lovely to hear. She's {almost} mint (see tiny nick on right tip of head stalk). Besides that, she hasn't had much playing at all. She comes with a gig bag (soft case). Brandon has replaced the strings and will tune it to perfection for whomever decides to adopt this lovely music maker. If you decide to give her a loving home, you must promise to call her by her given name: rosie. jk but really, it would confuse her if you called her something like "bluesy" or "green machine". after all, she is pink.

pink acoustic Fender

$75

pick up only (i'm in Provo, Utah)

contact me with inquiries/if you'd like to arrange a time to try her out in person.

I've shared her on facebook and have received some interest. I will sell first come first serve.

p.s. sorry for the saturated/blurry pics, I only thought to put rosie up last second.

p.p.s. how about that chair? it was my x-mas present to B. besides the bed and toilette its the comfiest (and only) seat in the house.

p.p.p.s. even if you aren't interested in Rosie, you should come visit anyway. I promise I won't make you sit on the toilette.

p.p.p.p.s. I like spelling toilet "toilette". thanks B.

D's get degrees

2011-07-21T15:03:00.002-06:00

Do you ever feel like you are so consumed with getting the grade, getting the degree, passing the class, that you completely forget to LEARN? Isn't that what school is all about? In my dream world school would be a place you could go to learn. not a place to be tested. You'd go to become a better person, not a lesser one by "playing the game" and "jumping through hoops". People would be people, not numbers. We'd sit outside and talk about stuff. and by talking, and sharing, and stuff-ful thinking, we'd learn. I supply all the art tools one's happy little mind could think of. Brandon would be on constant duty playing lovely tunes for us to enjoy and be inspired by. Brother and SIL would hold discussions about how to be better people in the world. Dad would be banker, which would be the easiest job cause money wouldn't exist. Sissy would talk philosophy and leave us all pondering deep ponders. My mom would be the cafeteria lady and we'd eat PB&J's every lunch. And I'd give gold stars out left and right.

I withdrew from a class today. A class I rather enjoyed. A class that was teaching me real-life-important-grown-up-stuff. A class taught by one of the best professors I've had yet. I withdrew cause I wasn't doing very well on the tests (big surprise there) and it would ultimately affect my GPA poorly which supposedly would ruin my future (you do know how important that GPA thing is right?! like life and death! or so they tell me....). And because I'm so consumed with the grade, I no longer get the benefit of learning.

and so higher education goes....

please tell me I'm not alone in my frustration.

the pretty one

2011-07-20T15:40:00.003-06:00

yup. little sis got the good genes.

she looks good even when she's not super pleased that I have a camera up in her grill.

she's my go to model.

i love me some love

2011-07-18T09:54:00.018-06:00

can't wait for the wedding!

thoughts rendering

2011-07-14T12:14:00.004-06:00

I walk home from school,

barefoot.

I don't avoid the sprinklers greening the lawns.

I let the water spot my blouse and drip down me,

observing the print my wet long bare foot leaves on the sidewalk.

I watch a butterfly catch it's breath after nearly being hit by a car. it makes eye contact with me, inches from my nose, then hurries on to do it's butterfly duties.

I stop to talk to an elderly couple about their garden,

mostly we smile and comment on the sun.

that strong sun

it warms me from the outside-in.

once home, I strip down.

lay on my favorite sheets, naked as I came.

I listen to the hum patterns from the AC

stare at the boxes from Brandon's birthday gifts

feel the blood pump through my body.

feel the pulse of the earth.

letting ideas and notions slip in and out of my head as they please.

this is how I want my mind to work.

not fogged up by the past.

not overwhelmed by the future.

but taking in the present.

processing the moment.

holding on to the thoughts that warm me and letting all else loose.

-claire

p.s.

thank you for your kind words, for your encouragement and love. this life is a wild thing. we humans are wild things. but we are warm and good. and I feel that from you. and it is a powerful thing. thank you.

*photo by me

i'm working on it.

2011-07-05T13:54:00.003-06:00

the thing about a blog is you can pick and choose the content. you can, in essence, rewrite your character based on how you'd prefer to be viewed. I don't think I've used this blog to hide behind cupcakes and frills of a perfectly charming life. If you thought my life was perfect, I'm sorry, and it's probably partially my fault. I started this blog in a time of dire need of happiness in my life. I had gone through a horrific breakup, was unemployed, was lost. blah blah blah right? right. i was sick of it too. I needed an outlet to focus on the good, since I knew the good was there, hiding, somewhere. I wanted to catch it, and share it here.

so that's what I did.

but there is much to be said about the raw truth.

my life, like any life, is not as easy as photobooth dates and red velvet cupcakes. Instead it's one doctor visit after another, health that hurts daily, isn't making progress, and scares me for the future. It's my old friends, depression and anxiety, coming back to visit, bigger and stronger this time, with the intent to defeat me. It's feeling like I'm breaking from the inside out. It's having support from every angle of my life and yet feeling so uncontrollably alone. It's a messy house with laundry from 3 weeks ago. It's comparing myself to anyone and everyone, It's feeling unimportant. It's working full time and going to school full time. It's failing as a full time wife. It's pinching pennies month to month. It's feeling lost in my ward, inadequate in my major, and totally and completely unprepared for the future, or even the next day.

I have a lot of things to work on in my life right now. The hardest part is that the majority of it comes from the way I process, the way my mind categorizes and prioritizes thoughts. To change the way one thinks is a difficult task. Sure, I can change the way I act, I can blog positive and keep those neg. thoughts to myself but then I would be hiding behind cupcakes and lace. I don't want to hide right now. But I don't want to show myself either. it's too hard to show. this, right now is just too hard for me.

I have a lot of things to work on right now.
and this blog belongs at the bottom of the list.
I don't know when I'll be back. It could be tomorrow, with some gushy post that puts cupcakes to shame. But right now, I need to focus on my life.

so thats where I am.
and thats what I've been doing.

I'm working on it.

one year has gone by

2011-06-28T13:41:00.003-06:00

a lot of it was bliss.

a lot of it was tough.

all of it was love.

and a bunch is just a blur.

kinda like these photos.

i'm so grateful I have this little blog to document B's and my relationship lest I forget all the details that tell our story. Because, after all, it's the details that make the story worth while.

from the moment i knew I loved him to the very day I told him so. so much of it is here. some hidden, little memos to remind just me, like little secrets. Much of it blatant, to share.

for that I am grateful.

x-claire

P to the S: the giveaway I keep spreading rumors about is certainly true. it is coming. i promise. but after a weekend of pure vacation laziness, I'm having a hard time dealing with harsh reality (aka school work school work laundry). you understand right?

that brandon....

2011-06-23T12:31:00.004-06:00

I had blogging plans to finish up my wedding review (finally), have a giveaway {that I'm SOOO excited for}, and spend the weekend reading my american heritage textbook.

but it looks like I'll be away

with my sweet husband

celebrating our 1st anniversary!

see you next week :)

xoxox

claire

the men in my life

2011-06-19T13:58:00.000-06:00

I'm so lucky to have amazing men in my life. Happy fathers day to my 4 favorites:

Poppy: dearest dad, thanks for raising me to love nature and to love God. thanks for teaching me to be productive, work hard, make goals and accomplish them. thank you for being proud of my life, for pushing me and supporting me. I knew I had to marry someone as good as you, I just couldn't settle.

Daddy Gene: boy did I get lucky with In-laws! I love you and your constant example to me. You have such amazing faith in God. You have made me feel so important in your life and family. You raised one heck of a boy and I'll forever be grateful for that. He is soo good to me and I know its because he spent 23 years watching his dad.

Dane {brother}: I've always wanted to be "just like you". you are so brave with life, you set your mind to the seemingly impossible and you accomplish it. Thank you for being everything that a big brother should be. You'll make one heck of a dad someday to your dozens of adopted Korean babies :) I miss you and Brit already.

Brandon: I love you more than I ever knew I could love a person. You are my life. I know the thought of our own babies kinda scares the poo out of us but someday, when the time comes, I know you'll be the most amazing father. You'll raise our kids to dream big and to love all the little things in life. You'll support them and love the guts out of them because thats what you do for me. I knew early on (embarrassingly early on) that I loved you, that I wanted you to raise a family with, that I wanted you forever.

the greatest thing about the men in my life is that although they are "mine" their love extends far beyond family. they are father-like figures and examples to everyone they come across. They would all lay down their life for me just as easily as they would for a neighbor or a complete stranger. They are just plain good people and I'm so blessed to get to share them with the world.

Rosie the Riveter

2011-06-18T16:30:00.008-06:00

you should have heard B's and my conversation before this shoot.

"what if someone sees me?"

"it's not vain if its for fashion right?"

"I can't believe I'm doing this."

okay so it wasn't a conversation. I said all that stuff and Brandon rolled his eyes as he took my camera, prepping to document my wardrobe. I never thought I'd be one of those bloggers: the fashionable, if you will. There is nothing wrong with them, I just didn't think I would be one. BUT Truth is I like clothes. Truth is, I like creating outfits. Truth is, fashion is and always has been a part of me {not high fashion and big names, but wardrobing.in.general}. I like clothes. They are yet another means of expression. It's like wearing art.

I have a closet full of sewing projects, thrifty finds, mendings and up-cycles that have been tempting me to make this move. This move being: wardrobe posts. I'm going to test drive it out for a while and see how it feels. Your input is very much appreciated. {as always}

*this outfit happened miraculously this morning when I woke up late for work and had to be out the door in 15 minutes earlier. Jeans for comfort, loose blouse {as to not show my tacos from running around frantically), flats for the next 5 hours of being on my feet, hair scarf because my bangs were greasy and I didn't have time to shower.

The outfit of a working girl.

jeans: BR, blouse: GAP, shoes & scarf Jcrew {via DownEast Outfitters}

happy weekend!

xoxo

claire

p.s. give-away coming atcha next week!

p.p.s. 1 week till our 1 year anniversary!!

{I have a feeling next week is going to be just plain wonderful!}

bright pink chevron & the queen

2011-06-17T21:24:00.002-06:00

"of royalty and such"

dry point and aqua-tint print

intaglio final spring 2011

the idea behind printing is consistency in multiples. I hate that. I like the little differences that come up in printing, i like each work to have it's own personalty. I don't like following the rules. I like breaking out the magenta ink after a run of 25 prints, where each one the queen {elizabeth} slowly starts fading away to nothing. i like progression to be evident. I don't like getting a poor grade for breaking the rules. But I like walking away with something I appreciate. Something just for me: like bright pink chevron.

{finals are over!}

2011-06-17T11:00:00.000-06:00

Dear Husband,

thank you for putting up with stressy me this past semester (or 3 or 4). thank you for encouraging my art. for loving my art. for praising my art when I need it and critiquing it when I need that too. thank you for inspiring it. thank you for pep talking me when I'm about to give up. Thank you for assisting me at photoshoots and for helping me print in the print shop. thank you for running to the store to buy me ice-cream during all nighters and burritos after long days. just plain thanks.

i love you more than kooshballs, smores, the perfect shade of lipstick, and our red door marked #2 .

you are one heck of a babe.

and i love you.

xox

wife.

what I've been up to:

2011-06-16T18:08:00.005-06:00

It's a myth that those who do art can draw. I was good at drawing once: in the first grade. My teacher would sit at the piano and play and my fellow pupils and I would draw "what the music makes you feel". No matter what music was playing I'd draw a landscape: three mountains in the background, two smallish hills in front, a tree to the right side with a path curving up and through the middle, and always ALWAYS grass blowing in the wind. The music always made me think of wind. I even got so good others would hire me to draw grass for them. (Lala, Kait, remember that?). Then I went through a stage of drawing irises (the flower), cartoon pigs, and bubble letters. Then I stopped drawing. stopped cause I realized I'm not all that good. Naturally I'm my worst critic and all but the truth of it is: relative to artists, drawing aint my thing. So you can imagine my hesitation for signing up for a figure drawing class....but I wanted the challenge. I wanted to be able to look at a person and portray them more accurately than my signature stick figure. And {i hope this doesn't come off braggy} I'm really proud of my improvement! wanna see?

*I've cleverly titled them for your enjoyment.

photo of a drawing of a blue girl by a silly girl with long toes.

old girl body with a little girl head

I hope this bum doesn't offend anyone. {FYI we don't have nude models at BYU, speedos and bikinis is how we roll thank you very much.} I promise you won't see any other bums on this blog or in my art, this particular work was to copy a masters work.

girl with outstanding body strength who can balance on one foot and look like she is sitting in an invisible chair.

okay but in all seriousness, my favorite exercise was doing blind contour drawings. I loved them so much in fact I filled an entire sketch book full of them (I'll share these later)! For those of you who don't know what blind contour means it's the act of drawing something without looking down at your paper AT ALL. I took the blind part very seriously and even taped a paper towel under my eyes so I couldn't cheat and see out of my peripheral. tricky yes, but the results are soo fun especially when coupled with all nighters.

(you might want to click to enlarge them to their full glory)

My teacher called me "the blind contour master" so I'm changing my future plans to become a full time blind contour portraiture artist (cause there is totally an industry out there for that profession). I charge $1 for commissions

hehe

2 finals down, 1 to go!!

cantaloupe smiles

2011-06-11T09:35:00.005-06:00

I love mornings when neither husband nor I have something pressing to rush off to.

mornings where we share a cantaloupe in bed and browse netflix for a new documentary.

yes, I live for these mornings, even if the slowness only lasts a moment.

In a few hours life will get really fast.

I will have work, photo shoots, and then the dreaded finals to prepare for.

Finals usually turn me into an ugly person. So I will be taking a short blogging break until life gives me another slow moment. my computer needs a break too. he's on the brink of his life I fear. which means he's contemplating ruining mine. yuck.

wishing you a happy weekend!

claire

p.s. B didn't even do his hair this morning. what the heck.

I think I found the answer to my creativity drought

2011-06-08T13:12:00.003-06:00

thanks for the advice, gary

home

2011-06-08T07:18:00.006-06:00

the following was a final project for my 2D class a few semesters back. I originally had this huge super long and boring artist statement that explains the work in depth, but it might have been the wordiest post ever so I decided to not include it. Instead I've condensed it to a blog friendly size. It may be a little vague (I'm not good with using little words to describe things), but hopefully you'll get it. If you'd like to, go ahead and skip all the wordy stuff and scroll down to the good stuff! I promise I won't judge you one bit (nor will I know).

I don't consider my life to be picture perfect, though it is easy to portray ones life in that way when it is confined to just that: a photo. Rather than contrive a life I'd like to have, I'm learning to let go of that need for control and accept things as they are. I'm learning that life is a process of imperfections. a lesson of little control. an experiment of trial and error and a whole lot of trust. this work embodies a therapy of sorts for me. a challenge to embrace the unorganized chaos and reality that make up my life.

also! a super huge thanks to Trish for helping me crop sizes and for motivation!! you are awesome!!!

she really is all sorts of amazing: check out her awesomeness here!)

facts and confessions

2011-06-07T22:39:00.008-06:00

I gave up the gym pass,

sidewalks are free.

I have a love hate relationship with running.

I reward myself with mountain west burritos and cute workout clothes.

I swear they make me run faster.

I'm not very good at stained glass

it's ok. {my mom still helps me with my homework.}

I'm going to school.

and it's summer time.

and it kinda hurts my heart a little.

I'm learning about guitars.

next to B, a Gibson Les Paul Goldtop might be the sexiest thing on earth.

brandon wants a new guitar

but he wants one that looks like it should be on The Wiggles.

one time I accidently watched The Wiggles on tv.

I thought it was just a few minutes but it was a whole episode. maybe two.

it was scary.

I miss Mr. Rogers, Reading Rainbow, and Cookie Monster.

{poor kids being tricked into thinking vegetables are fun}

I'm the worst speller. don't believe me?

brandon had to help me spell vegetables.

he just asked me what I would do without him.

good question.

k-12 my mom made me a sack lunch.

she makes a mean PB&J.

things like this make me smile.

there should be an SNL best of Kristen Wiig.

I want to be her when I grow up.

I did a shoot for Bajio.

{I should say "we" since B did 1/2 or more of the work. Who knew he was so good with cameras?}

you better believe we stuffed our faces afterwards.

I LOVED all your music recommendations!

they might all be new favorites.

I never learned the states in elementary school.

don't worry, I have a placemat that quizzes me breakfast lunch and dinner.

I have a nomadic soul.

and it's feeling rather confined as of late.

winning this unbelievable giveaway might just fix that.

a to do list, more or less

2011-06-03T21:25:00.005-06:00

more doing

less sitting

more saving

less spending

back

2011-05-31T09:54:00.003-06:00

I'm back, though I didn't really go anywhere. B did. He left me alone ALL weekend. :( he took a last minute visit to see his Grandma Judy in nevada. him being gone put me in a funk of sorts {so desperately, pathetically needy: i know}. I spent the weekend at my parents eating my sisters baked good, seeing Les Mis with my other sissys and mom, and falling down the stairs. How do you limp when both feet hurt? anyway, B's home now so I can get back to being my cheery blogging self.

and he came back with presents!!

{like only good husbands do when they leave you for 4 days}

3 new vintage cameras to add to our growing collection

+ a CD of the most gorgeous old family photos!

oh what's that?

you'd like to see some?

I thought you'd never ask :)

here is grandma judy.

i love her very much

why don't nurses dress like this now?!

her bridal shower

so pretty

my absolute favorite photo ever.

and DARE told me smoking wasn't cool....

hoping you all had a lovely extra long weekend!

kitty

p.s. smoking is not cool. but if you are going to do it I hope you do it in style like grandma judy used to.

under the weather

2011-05-26T22:28:00.002-06:00

I've been in the process of passing yet another kidney stone (at least thats what Dr. me is suspecting) though it hasn't been nearly as bad as past ones. This time around it's like someone has poked their finger in my side and kept it there. so not technically painful, just plain obnoxious. this has been going on for about 2 months so I decided it's time I take part in the tradition and name the annoying stone:

pagoda.

{named after a little indian man}

pagoda, though nicer than my other stones, is a very fickle stone. One moment we're just chillin, just me and Pagoda. Next thing I know, that poking finger is stabbing my insides. also, he throws fits and hurts if I don't eat enough and throws even bigger fits if I eat too much. It's a constant battle trying to find that happy medium. its annoying enough to be debilitating but not painful enough to pull out the pain killers. bleh.

dr. me prescribed Haagen-Dazs chocolate ice cream and a movie.

I better follow the doctor's orders :)

2011-05-23T14:46:00.004-06:00

mother nature

thank you for bringing me back to earth

-claire

I'm a softie

2011-05-23T10:44:00.002-06:00

and the lucky winner{s) are:

Samantha said...

i would love to win this! not for me, but for my sister. she is a senior this year and it would be the best present ever! so i would pretty much be the best sister ever! and you're such a good photo taker so it'd be great!

meg. said...

count me in.

I decided last second that two give-aways are much better than one :) basically I'm a softie, if I could give away photo-shoots left and right I would, but a girl's gotta eat. For those who entered the giveaway, I'm offering $10 off for senior photo shoots {must take place before end of june} so everyone's a winner!! woot woot!

B and I had a blast on our river run! We came home late last night, sunburnt & beat and a tad under the weather {aka: potential kidney stone }. But I've got loads of photos/stories to share :) stay tuned

xoxo

kitty

p.s. Samantha & Meg: contact me and start praying for prettier weather!!

cathorley@gmail.com

whistle worthy

2011-05-21T09:38:00.001-06:00

recent woo-ful web finds

for your saturday

whistle worthy photography

whistle worthy print

whistle worthy sun kisses

whistle worthy view

whistle worthy suit

whistle worthy art studio

whistle worthy mother-to-be

*click image for source

one more day for this giveaway!

tunes

2011-05-20T09:06:00.001-06:00

if i were to turn my ipod on shuffle, it might go a little something like this:

blue spotted tail: fleet foxes

hotel yorba: white stripes

it aint me babe: june and johnny cash

these days: nico

chicago: sufjan stevens

fortunate son: CCR

look up: bradley hathaway

road sweet home: brandon white (aka my darling husband)

she belongs to me: bob dylan

wake me up before you go-go: wham

butterfly nets: bishop allen

white shoes: conner oberst

and then I'd likely put that last song on repeat and listen to it again and again and again.

what's playing on your ipod?

***it's a well known fact in my family that i'm no finder of great music. luckily both my sister and husband have good ears. so heres a shout-out to you guys! If it weren't for you my list would consist of B. spears and disney soundtracks...

***only a few more days till this giveaway ends!

Kitty: Blog Alias

2011-05-19T09:39:00.003-06:00

"Why Kitty?"

My given name is Claire Andra Thorley

I've always la la loved my name :)

My parents did a pretty swell job at picking it.

I really feel it suits me.

But growing up I was always a bit jealous of people with nicknames.

The only one nick-name I had was "Claire Bear".

and very rarely could I be called that without this rhyme following:

Claire the Bear.

Has no hair.

She wears funny underwear.

{which is just a bunch of lies...in case you were wondering: i happened to have fine taste in panties}

At some time my mom made note that my initials spell CAT.

Claire

Andra

Thorley

Because of this, my brother started calling me "Kitty". He did this for a few solid years during highschool. it became my family's pet name for me: "kitty", "kit", "cat".

and now it serves as a blog alias of sorts.

my name is now Claire Andra Thorley White.

{claire white}

which i LOVE.

but CATW doesn't spell anything.

& CAW sounds too much like cow.

so I think I'll stick with Kitty :)

What are your favorite/silly/most hated nicknames?

the senior photo shoot giveaway ends sunday!

facts and confessions

2011-05-18T09:44:00.003-06:00

I'm more confident in high-heels.

towering over everyone and taking longer strides.

I don't drink coffee.

But I just might be addicted to coffee ice cream. sinner. {i'm working on it.}

I haven't read a book for enjoyment since....I can't even remember.

My average test score is a 75%. A solid C, kids.

my final project in ceramics last semester exploded in the kiln.

My nail beds are super long.

Probably one of my favorite features.

My nails are ALWAYS painted.

Mostly cause I go nuts when they aren't clean (and when you are an art major....it's hard to keep them clean...)

I sometimes break promises.

Like that one time when I said I'd post all the ins and outs of my wedding...yah.

I'm choosy about who I sit by in Relief Society.

Kelsee or Brighton on one side. Woman with a baby on the other.

I stole a baby off a mother's lap in R.S. a few sundays back. Just swiped her. I've never spoken a word to the woman in my life except for the "thankyou" when I gave her baby back 30 min. later.

I love wearing the color red

but only in tiny bits here and there.

I once got sent to the principals office for "beating up" a boy.

he slapped my butt. he had it coming.

she doesn't know it, but I miss my best friend Kaitlyn every day.

She's probably the most quoted person in our home. her and nicholas cage (bleh)

I get jealous of freckled faces and true red heads.

i loved mermaids as a kid. I'd sit in my tub waving my head around in the water so my hair would go everywhere. my mom called it "mermaid hair". and then when my mom would put me to bed she'd tuck the covers tight around my body but loose around my feet so my mermaid flippers could move.

B told me that he was going to grow a mustache JUST for the month of november. the mustache is still here, and I hope it never leaves.

the senior photo shoot giveaway ends sunday :)

leaving on a jet plane..

2011-05-17T22:36:00.003-06:00

the title of this blog isn't very fitting because we are NOT leaving on a jet plane.

we are leaving in a car.

with B's aunt & uncle (aka our besties)

on a week of river rafting!

now i've only been riving rafting once, in jackson hole, with a tour guide who promised us life-threatening falls and such. but he lied, it was "putt-putt" and smooth sailing the whole time.

boring.

this trip promises to be much more....life threatening (?!). I kid. i mean we do have to wear helmets in certain parts of the river, and if we don't keep our food in air-tight cans we may wake up to some critters in our sleeping bags. oh, and big chances of rain. but besides that it's should be pretty safe :) (mom(s) don't worry, it's going to be SO safe and we'll take every necessary precaution. seriously, please don't worry)

i'm extremely excited for this trip.

i've needed a vacation: some self reflecting time.

and what better way to do that than get away from civilization: cell phones, computers, work and school demands, even roads! to sleep under the stars, forget make-up and hair, and sit around a fire with some of the people i love most and some strangers too.

to say i'm excited would be a huge understatement.

i wish you all a happy rest of the week!

i've scheduled some posts about a few of my favorite things , and little pointless facts :) please enjoy and feel free to comment your favorites too {so i can read them when i get home!}

love you!

{i really do!}

xoxo

kitty

p.s. don't forget to enter the giveaway!

p.p.s. for those of you wishing you could go back to high school just so you could graduate and enter this giveaway, stay tuned! I promise you a photo giveaway {that doesn't discrimiate} in the very near future :) I like this give-away business. I thinking of making it a monthly event. what say you?

a love letter

2011-05-17T09:28:00.000-06:00

dear little studio apartment,

oh how we love you.

sometimes we call you the cupboard under the stairs.

sometimes we call you our castle.

i love that you are ours, even if only temporarily. you are our home and have housed the first year of our marriage. and though you are small, we are grateful. in fact, we believe you've helped us with our marriage! when little tiffs arise (which they naturally do) one can stomp 5 stomps away into the bathroom where they can either sit on the toilet in shame, or in the bathtub and sulk. which is just silly. so kisses and "i'm sorry"s don't wait long.

it's ok you have no room for a table, we like eating breakfast/lunch/dinner in bed. it's alright you have no room for a tv, we get our alfred hitchcock fix on netflix. and i'll forgive you for not having a dishwasher cause your sink is so darn cute. and your walls! oh how i love your tall walls with layers of bubbling wallpaper. i think of others who've lived here, couples in the 20's, 30's, 4o's, who also stayed up way late one night putting up wallpaper and painting walls.

making it their home.

just like we have.

we even love your wooden floors, though they splinter.

because even the cracks serve a purpose

we hide love letters in them, so that someday, if the floorboards are lifted, people will know that

two young lovers lived and loved here.

*image source

steph & the wind

2011-05-16T23:08:00.003-06:00

this champ of a graduating senior {cough cough model} braved the cold, the wind, cat-calls and admiring looks from fisher-men, and a few unexpected hikes for this shoot.

worth it?

you tell me :)

I will certainly be featuring more from this shoot on my photo blog.

need senior photos taken?

want to win FREE SENIOR PHOTOS!?

click here to enter the giveaway,

{lets just say the odds are really in your favor}

the giveaway ends sunday.