blogging?

So I have this blog that I update about once every four months...

Yeahhh. I should maybe use this more.

I happened to browse through my posts today because I needed to update my list. Now that 2o12 is just around the corner, the November 2012 end date is starting to look A LOT closer. And so far, I've only managed to knock out 40 of the 101. LAME.

New goal: Attempt to complete one item per week (I still have over 30 books to read, ya know?).

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Watch out Kansas

Michelle has arrived.

For those of you that don't know, I am now working and living in Wichita, KS. As a Mizzou graduate, the thought of moving to such a horrible state was never in my plans. But now that I'm here I have definitely been adjusting and getting used to the town. It's honestly not that bad (but I won't deny that the drive here is boring). Fortunately, I haven't crossed paths with too many kU fans, so life here hasn't been too painful.

So far, my favorite part of this transition has been MY NEW APARTMENT. For anyone who has ever met me, you know I'm a crafty, creative person. So naturally, having an entire place to myself is basically a giant blank canvas for me. Which is way fun.

Speaking of blank canvases, I've already done some projects with a few of them. I left my college apartment with a large canvas painted blue that was supposed to go above my bed and a small white canvas with the outline of my face sketched on it. Needless to say, both of these projects were never finished before I moved out. But I brought them here, painted them white, and thought up new projects for them.

And that's how this little beast came about:


I got this idea off of pinterest, and it was too cool looking not to have one of my own. So I literally ran to Wal-Mart my first weekend here (even though I hate shopping there), bought the biggest box of crayons I could justify paying for (which was actually a tough decision), purchased my first official glue gun (I really don't know how I've made it 22 years without having my own), drove home and started crafting.
PROJECT SUPPLIES:
1 canvas
select crayons from 128 count box
hot glue
blow dryer
patience I managed to scrounge up somewhere

Originally, I wanted to do a monochromatic piece. That wasn't working for me, so I decided to pull from my 3 favorite colors. I picked out they crayons, arranged them in the order I wanted, then used a glue gun to attach the labels to the canvas (I've seen people who have peeled theirs first, but I liked the idea of having the wrappers still on). Once that was set, I propped the canvas at an angle and used the lowest setting on my blow dryer to begin the melting process. Some of the colors reacted faster than others, and some of them seemed like the wouldn't melt at all. But overall, I think this project was definitely worth the time it took hovering with a blow dryer to get a one-of-a-kind piece to hang on my bare walls.

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Day 2

So the living room looks like a disaster zone. I kind of have craft ADD going on right now, and I may have gotten a little too excited with starting projects. Nevertheless, I managed to finish one up this evening.

DAY 2 Project:

Again, I originally found this idea on this blog. (What would I do without all the things I discover from StumbleUpon and Pinterest?)

I would like to thank Miss Amelia for the 1AM shopping trip last night where I found some darling scrap fabric. It inspired me to work on this craft ASAP (obviously).

I got a rotary cutter this weekend. This may be my favorite crafting tool ever. Seriously.

No step-by-step pictures here. I had to hand sew this puppy since I don't have a sewing machine. It took approximately 3 movies to finish. I need a sewing machine...

Finished product! I have one more identical towel I plan to jazz up as well.

BONUS CREATION:
I made a pizza from scratch for dinner. Next time, I'm going to use some kick-ass cheese. The kind I used sucked and I think it really brought down the overall quality. I won't be letting that happen again...

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Day 1

Let me start out by saying this is the first summer in eight years that I haven't had anything to do - volleyball, conditioning, camp, job, internship, etc. It's not surprising that I don't really know what to do with myself. Lucky for me, I discovered the 30 days of creativity project, which I could not be more excited about.

This weekend I made an EPIC shopping trip to Hobby Lobby to stock up on some new crafting supplies (my poor bank account) and made it over to Best Buy to finally splurge on a new digital camera (that I absolutely LOVE). I could not be more than ready to do this!

DAY 1 PROJECT:
I stumbled upon this craft A LONG TIME AGO on this awesome blog. I've wanted to make my own since I found it, but never did. And now that the rooms are moving out, and we're about to completely leave the apartment in a couple of months, I FINALLY MADE ONE. Oh well, it can move with me :) Here's some pictures of the process:

Sporting the cute green undies

I believe the last time I embroidered anything was in 5th grade...


Not bad for never doing it. I'm pleased



Finished product on the dishwasher.


LOVE IT!


Currently on clean. You know what that means:
I need to go unload the dishwasher :/

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graduation

so I done did got me my edumacation this weekend.

now I need to find something to entertain myself with. any ideas?

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one week

I stumbled on this picture today. I love being a Mizzou Tiger.

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validation

It has been a very long time since I've written a blog post. I've wanted to on multiple occasions, but actually typing up my feelings has seemed counterproductive for the past few months.

This semester has been incredibly emotionally draining. Being repeatedly disappointed, overwhelmed and rejected is defeating. And I'm not the only one that's felt like this throughout the semester, which has helped some. But it's still been hard.

Surprisingly, the good stuff has started trickling into my life, and I'm thoroughly enjoying it. This weekend at the national conference for MESC we won the award for Best Council.

I am the President of the best engineering student council in the nation.

I know in the grand scheme of things it's dumb, but to finally be acknowledged for something I've put so much effort into is exhilarating. I'm excited to feel this happy right now. And let me just say, "it's about damn time."

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they're all part of the list

A little over a year ago (1 year + 1 week to be exact) I created a 101 in 1001. In case you're still not aware of what this is, it's a list of 101 goals you set for yourself that you have 1001 days to complete.

I've decided I need to dedicate a little more effort into actually accomplishing some of these things, seeing as I haven't made that much progress. Therefore, I'm re-pasting my list to a more current post to help motivate myself. My completion date is still: November 18, 2012.

1. Apply to be on be on Amazing Race with Emily

2. Finish my painting for above my bed (it now hangs outside my kitchen... but close enough)

3. Finish the mini scrapbook set
4. Print pictures for my jewelry box 
5. Finish face portraits (this did not happen, but I did something AWESOME with the canvas. pictures to come soon).

6. Post at least 2 projects (with pictures) to blog within one week

7. Track EVERYTHING for one week (7/7)

8. Not say anything bad about a friend for one week (0/7)

9. Not say anything bad about anyone for one week (0/7)

10. Score 100% on a test

11. Leave my phone number for a cute waiter, bartender, etc.

12. Get to my goal weight

13. Go skiing

14. Not complain for one week (0/7)

15. Run a 5K in less than 25 minutes

16. Run a half marathon

17. Visit one of the bridges from my book

18. Print pictures for photo album (added in 6-5-2010)

19. Attempt to recreate crab lasagna (2-22-2011... good attempt, it can still be perfected)

20. Not drink soda for one month (40/30ish, somewhat still doing it)

21. Grow my hair out to the middle of my back

22. Don't cuss for one week (0/7)

23. Get a car wash (6-6-10... that took long enough)

24. Paint my dresser (my mom did this for me, but that's okay)

25. Attend a cooking class

26. Go to a spa

27. Take a road trip (OKC with Chris 7-18-2010)

28. Buy something big (plane ticket to Hawaii)

29. Own a kitchenaid mixer (January 2012. So. Freakin. Excited.)

30. Get my own pet

31. Learn to drive a stick shift

32. Buy a nice digital camera

33. Learn to play the guitar

34. Get a passport

35. Learn to solve a rubik's cube

36. Go berry picking

37. Clean/organize my email account (6-16-2010)

38. Go see a movie by myself (I Am Number Four 2-28-2011)

39. Find a lipstick I can pull off

40. Wear a skirt/dress to an engineering class

41. Buy an exercise ball to use in place of a chair

42. Visit Washington DC

43. Visit Seattle

44. Visit NYC

45. Get lasik eye surgery

46. Buy a pair of green high heels

47. Get my bangs cut again (4-3-2010)

48. Have my hair professionally dyed

49. Get a massage

50. Eat at a 5-star restaurant

51. Grow all of my nails out past my fingertips (I cheated and got fake nails, but whatevs)

52. Take a trip out of the country

53. Finish the slideshow

54. Take out recycling 10 weeks in a row (0/10)

55. Host a girls night

56. Go rock climbing

57. Don't eat fast food for one month

58. Eat at five locations off of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives (The BBQ Shack, Ingrid's Kitchen, Iron Barley, Brint's Diner, Paul's Cafe)

59. Transfer all of my iTunes music from my other computer

60. Go paintballing

61. Buy an original piece of art

62. Read Wicked

63. Go see five movies at the ragtag (Super, Jane Eyre)

64. Reread the Harry Potter series (3/7)

65. Sew something (I did and it fell apart in the washing machine...)

66. Go paint pottery

67. Go to a concert with someone I've never gone to one with before (The Elders 3-15-2010, E-Week)

68. Run 20 miles within one week (3-6-2011 - 3-11-2011)

69. Take a cake decorating class (I'm on track to take 5 of them within a few months. woah, buddy)

70. Bake a cake from scratch

71. Read 50 books (36/50, Cocktails for Three, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, Moon Called, The Rules, Looking for Alaska, The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay, Stuck in the Middle, Speed Dating, Bossypants, Zeitoun, Jemimah J, Skinny Bitch, Every Woman Should Have a Blowtorch, The Book of Awesome, Are You There Vodka? It's me Chelsea, My Horizontal Life, The Art of Racing in the Rain, The Sweet Potato Queens Book of Love, MWF Seeking BFF, The Happiness Project, All of My Friends are Dead, I've Got Your Number, Is Everybody Hanging Out Without Me, F in Exams, The Power of Habit, More Chinglish, Hot Guys and Baby Animals, Fifty Shades of Grey, Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang, Let's Pretend This Never Happened, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, Why Mr. Right Hasn't Found You, The Four Man Plan, Shit My Dad Says)

72. Visit a new theme park (Universal Studios, FL)

73. Make greek yogurt

74. Beat Mario on Wii (thank you, snowpocalypse 2011)

75. Donate blood 5 times (5.5/5)

76. Shop at a farmers market 5 times (3/5)

77. Save $XXXX

78. Try 10 new restaurants (11/10, Sky High, International Cafe, Boone Tavern, Deuce Pub and Pit, Maggie's, The BBQ Shack, La Luna, Freddie's, Ingrid's Kitchen, Red Snapper, Iron Barley)

79. Go on a trip with just my mom

80. Take a float trip with friends

81. Get a pedometer

82. Donate hair to locks of love

83. Visit a winery/ go wine tasting

84. Grow a sunflower

85. Make pasta from scratch

86. Write a letter to someone I care about and snail mail it

87. Pay for the person behind me in a drive-thru

88. Dance in the rain for no reason

89. Figure out how to consistently make black bean brownies

90. Avoid riding an elevator for one year (I really did try...)

91. Convince someone else to make a 101 in 1001 (Emily)

92. Make my own facial

93. Go rollerskating (and not injure myself) {Fun fact: Kansas is flat which makes it easier to not fall!}

94. Learn to do 100 pushups

95. See a live taping of a tv show

96. Make the sugar cookie recipe with healthier ingredients (splenda, margarine, etc.)

97. Go to a museum in between classes

98. Take a bubble bath

99. Work out for 6 hours in one day

100. Ride the tiger before I graduate

101. Donate $5 to charity for each item not completed

"And all the stars can disappear without a trace. I'm so glad that this has taken me so long, cause it's the journey that's made me so strong." - Snow Patrol, Warmer Climate

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sorry, I must complain

bahhh. I've been far too overwhelmed for anything else to happen in my life. so naturally, my lovely apartment complex decides that we need to the good ol' 342 renovated RIGHT NOW. not cool.

Here is an excerpt of the email my roommates and I received instructing us on what we need to do:

-REMOVE All personal items on coffee tables, end tables, entertainment centers, dining tables, couches and chairs

-REMOVE All items in the living room closet, including the shelves

-REMOVE All items in the laundry room, including the shelves

-REMOVE All items on the kitchen counter tops, stove, top of fridge and within the pantry

-Within your bedroom, please remove all belongings and clothes within the closet and on the shelves

-REMOVE All items on top of the chest of drawers, desk, desk chair, window sill

-REMOVE All Items on your bathroom vanity and back of the toilet

Additionally, please remove any art including posters, shelves, word stickers, window treatments, mirrors and etc. from all walls and ceilings.

Ridiculous? I would say so. I'm so unmotivated to do all this, so I'm just going to lie on the floor in the middle of my living room and pretend I don't have to do it...

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I won't hold my breath

I've been out of my element lately. Nothing has quite been like I've expected this semester. Which, honestly, I should have expected... Basically anytime I assume something, the complete opposite happens.

I suppose that's why I already feel so overwhelmed with everything. I'm only in twelve hours; my activities should be winding down some; I should have a job; I should be having fun before I have to graduate and grow up. It doesn't feel like anything is going my way right now. I need to stop imagining everything happening perfectly, because I've gotten my expectations too high.

One day at a time.

One event. One mile. One homework assignment. One project. One challenge.

I'm going to take a step back and take on the small things. This big picture is too much for me to handle right now. I'll be sure not to hold my breath while I wait for it all to come together.

And right now, I'm going to continue drinking obscene amounts of Mt. Dew while I plow through these boring applications. *Note to future MESC president: if a record number of people are going to apply, ask more intriguing questions on the application. Some of these answers are mind-numbing...

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time

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seven days

I feel like I have so much brewing in my head right now, but I can't figure out how to write any of it down. I'm riding the struggle bus on this blogging thing lately... I need to hop off.

I'll be back in Columbia by this time next week. It's going to be crazy when I don't have returning to Mizzou to look forward to after this semester. *Can't think about it*

Found this picture stumbling this week. It makes me want to take more charge of my life...

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