A Thing of Beauty

Here are a few more pictures that I found, that I find beautiful and inspiring. I took them all off of Google and Flickr.

I love the mix of old and new...gray and color. I think Ian and I might need to go Thrifting soon! Yay! :)

Love,
Miranda

Fog and Lace

Photo taken from Google Earth.

                                        

This morning, when I got up at seven, there was a fog settled about the city, like old lace. It was magical...the birds had not woken up yet, and the people were still tucked in their warm beds. There was a calm right before everything began. It only served as a reminder to me that winter is taking its last breath, and spring is coming soon.

My favorite season is Fall. I love the spiciness to the air and festivities, and the colors (not just in the trees, but in the fashion choices of those who embrace the cold.) If you ask my husband, he would tell you that all through summer I told him, "I can't wait until Fall!"  Waiting for spring is not the same feeling...there isn't the anticipation of holidays and warm food. But it is a good feeling. Something that I am looking forward too.

Here is what I am looking forward to the most:

- Iced Tea.
- Wearing the skirts I made yesterday afternoon. (I will get pictures up really soon! They are so cute!)
- My fingers not being super cold as I type.
- Moving into the new apartment!!!
- Taking pictures in the city...
- ...and enjoying walks around the city with Ian.
- The sun staying out longer.
- Wearing high heels (now that I won't slip on ice!)
- School ending for the summer. (I know that is technically summer...but school stops in May.)
- And last, but not least...seeing grass again!

Yup. I am very much looking forward to spring. :)

Love,
Miranda

What I Want...

Since I have started cleaning out my closet, I now have a need for new jeans. I am loving the 70's comeback for this summer - and now have a want to get some long flare jeans. They would be perfect to wear with some of the blouses that I decided I wanted to keep.
 
I found some at Gap  that are vintage throwback...and I think I might get them! :)

Other than the jeans thing, I have sent at least three paper bags full of clothes to Good will, and I still feel like I have too many clothes. I am still in the process of weeding out the things that I don't like, and acquiring items that I love. I have also found that I love vintage pieces, skirts, and floral print. Absolutely beautiful!

Love,
Miranda

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

I know it has been a REALLY LONG TIME since I wrote - and believe me, I wanted to write. I actually had a valid reason for not writing. I was on a media fast for a month and a half. This year, as I have done for the past two, I went to Mardi Gras to minister and talk to people about Jesus. One of the requirements is that we partake in a media fast before the trip. North Central does a month long media fast to get ready - and with me traveling and being extremely busy, mine extended until this week. The trip was great, but boy am I glad to have my media back! I cannot express how difficult it is for me to do my homework without my music.

On another note - Ian and I are moving! Ian was offered, and accepted a position as Caretaker of Christ Church International here in Minneapolis. In addition to an increase in salary (which is awesome) he will be working full time - and we get to move into the apartment in the Church rent free! I am very excited that Ian has a job, but the artist in me is even more excited that I get to paint and decorate a two bedroom apartment! Ahhhh! This move will be so good for us. :)

Since I have been dreaming about decorating the apartment ever since I heard about the position, I have a lot of ideas (Ian does too) about what I want to apartment to look like. Here are a few pictures I found that I find beautiful and inspiring.

Most pictures were taken off Google - and some from Apartment Therapy. (I love that blog!)

As you can see, I am in a light an airy mood. :) Ian and I like the color gray - which is surprising, because it is usually such a nasty color; but the wonderful thing about gray is that you can pair it with almost any accent color. Right now, I am thinking a bright yellow for the kitchen and light green for the bedroom. :)

Now that I have gotten all of this off my chest (I have seriously been dying to post a blog since the media fast began!), I hereby declare that I will post more often. :) Not that I have anyone to be accountable to but myself - but who better to please? :)

With that being said...have a lovely afternoon!

Love,
Miranda

Yesterday...

I had a wonderful day yesterday! I got the quiet afternoon that I cherish. :) One of my good friends, Taylor, came over. She is a girl after my own heart - a true soul sister. After a catch up, we sat around and read magazines and clipped out coupons. It was glorious. After she left, I was going to write a paper - but then I realized that the paper (which is just a little one) is due a week later than I thought! So with that happy thought in mind, I deep cleaned the apartment. It looks beautiful. So warm, so inviting...so clear of clutter. :)

Love,
Miranda

Internal Exploration

I had to do this exersises for one of my classes: Group Dynamics. I thought I would share it here, because it fits into my theme of learning more about myself. For the first exercise, I had to write twenty things beginning with "I am". For the second, I had to finish the sentence. Enjoy!

Exercise 4:

I am a girl.

I am a wife to Ian.

I am generally happy with my life.

I am Caucasian (Norwegian and British).

I am a world traveler.

I am not happy when I wake up early.

I am a morning person (contradictory to the previous statement.)

I am an introvert.

I am an actress.

I am smart and do well in my classes.

I am happy with my figure, but wish I could loose a few pounds.

I am a great cook. 

I am a better baker than a am a cooker.

I am a good listener.

I am a nerd.

I am Disney FREAK!

I am self conscious when I do not dress nicely.

I am growing my hair out.

I am a painter and artist.

I am Miranda.

Exercise 5: Incomplete Sentences as Stimuli for Self-Disclosure

1. People who love me...take me for who I am.
2. One thing I really like about myself is...my ablility to forgive easily.
3. I dislike people who...dislike me.
4. When people ignore me, I...think that something is wrong with me.
5. The way I express my generosity to others is...to listen to them.
6. When someone praises me, I...blush.
7. When I relate to people, I...like them better.
8. When I don't like someone who likes me, I...worry about what is wrong with me.
9. Those who really know me...know that I need my space.
10. When I let someone know about the "dark side" of me...he fell in love with me.
11. My mother...is one of my best friends.
12. My moods...are stable – but circular.
13. I am at my best with people when...I have had time alone to think.
14. When I am in a group of strangers, I...get self-conscious and tired.
15. I feel lonely when...I am different than other people.
16. I envy...people who have carissma.
17. When someone is affectionate with me, I...appriciate it.
18. When I take a good look at my interpersonal life, I...generally am happy.
19. The way I handle jealousy is...try my best to either fix it, or deal.
20. I think I have hurt others by...overthinking how I answer.
21. Those who don't know me well...don’t know how nerdy I really am.
22. My brother...is non-existent.
23. The person who knows me best...is my mother. Ian is a close second.
24. An important interpersonal value for me is...?
25. What I am really looking for in my relationships is...truth.
26. I get hurt when...people don’t take the time to acknowledge my thoughts.
27. I daydream about...planning, projects, and lists.
28. My family...is new and exciting. J
29. When someone confronts me, I...listen, but stand my ground.
30. My favorite childhood memory is...playing dress up with my sister.
31. What I feel most guilty about in my relationships with others is...that I overthink things.
32. I like people who...take the time to hang out with me.
33. When someone gets angry with me, I...shut up.
34. My sister...is incredible, loving, and beautiful.
35. Few people know that I...like Family Guy.
36. When I think about intimacy, I think of...Ian.
37. When I meet someone who is very assertive, I...tend to follow, or get annoyed.
38. When someone gets to know the best of me...they like me.
39. When I'm not around, my friends...I am happy being alone.
40. Most people think that I...am smart.
41. One thing I really dislike about myself is...that I overthink things.
42. When I am with my group of friends, I...sit back and ovserve.
43. I get angry at others when...they take control of something creative, and don’t do a good job.
44. What I distrust is...people who have not proven themselves.
45. One thing that makes me nervous in interpersonal situations is...being in a new group.
46. When I really feel good about myself, I...am dressed well.
47. When others put me down, I...tend to believe them.
48. In relating to others, I get a big lift when...people tell me that I am fun to be with.
49. Regarding relating to others, this year I learned that...being myself is most important.
50. When I like someone who doesn't feel the same way about me, I...wonder why I am not good enough.
51. I feel awkward with others when...I don’t know what to say.
52. When others get parental with me, I...tend to get defensive, unless I am sick.
53. The thing that holds me back in my relationships with others is...my insecurity.
54. I feel let down when...someone doesn’t do what they say they will.
55. When I share my values with someone, I...expect respect.
56. I would like the person I married...to love me, and be there no matter what comes our way.
57. Others like it when I...use my talents to create things.
58. Interpersonal relationships are important, but...I still need my time alone.
59. When someone sees the ways in which I am vulnerable...they help me to be confident.
60. In interpersonal situations, what I run from most is...being open with people.

Love,

Miranda

Simply...Life

Over the last part of last week, and the WONDERFULLY long weekend, I have been inspired; I want to simplify my life.

How is came to this conclusion was through a series of things.

The first thing was a raunchy stink in my kitchen. Ian and I had been busy with leadership at our college for a whole week, and had not been able to eat all of the left overs that lived in our refridgerator. The stench was aweful. I knew I had to do something to eradicate it. So, I dedicated an entire afternoon to deep cleaning the kitchen; I scrubbed the fridge, I cleaned the cupboards, I emptied the garbage, and took stock of all the food that we have. The whole process was soothing to me. I forgot how much I love organizing and simplicity!

Later on that weekend, I was working (and in my line of work, I have a LOT of time to think) and mulled over this idea of simplicity. Now - I love using stumbleupon.com. It is a great way for me to explore topics and ideas that are new, without leaving one website. I was on there during my break, and stumbled upon a website all about fashion - not "fashion" per-se, but people's fashion - individual fashion. I was inspired. When I looked into my closet later that day, I realized that the my decision of what to wear that morning had hinged on "what do I have to wear", vs "what can I wear?"...and not just because we needed to do laundry. :)

I realized then that I wanted to simplify my closet. I chose one qualification: if I didn't LOVE what I had, it went. I now have a pile of twenty or thirty articles of clothing that other people will love when they find them at Goodwill. :) I am very happy when I look in my closet, because everything I see, I want to wear! It is so nice to love what I own. My closet is considerably smaller - and that is perfectly OK with me.

The last factor is not nice. Our car broke down - so now I have no way to drive - I have to walk if I want to go somewhere. The only saving grace to this circumstance is that I live in the middle of a city. I can walk anywhere that I want to go! And I will. I count this car-less experience as a blessing: I forget sometimes that I am independent and can go places on my own, that I can explore the place in which I live. I am excited to begin walking and re-exploring where I live. (Not to mention the benefits that come with daily exercise!)

With all that being said, I am learning that living simply is better. It is....well, simply wonderful. ;)

Love,
Miranda