Etsy Picks

A cute treasury I put together today. =)

Katelynn Goes to Europe

Hi Everyone!
So a couple weeks ago I decided to join my professor on a trip to Europe in May 2012. It is one of those EF Tours. We will be going to Rome, Florence, and Paris! All of which thrill me to know end. I smile everything I remember " I am going to Europe!" Even if it is a year away, I love knowing that I really will be going there and it is not just a dream anymore.

Here is a look at my "itinerary" if you are curious.
(pfff well I tried uploading a screen print I took of the page, but it comes out too small. lame. I'll just copy&paste)

Day 1
- Fly overnight to Italy

Day 2 - Rome

Arrive in Rome

Day 3 - Rome

Take a guided tour of Rome
Visit the Colosseum
Visit the Forum Romanum

Day 4 - Rome

Take a guided tour of Vatican City
Visit the Sistine Chapel
Visit St. Peter’s Basilica
Optional: Caravaggio art tour

Day 5 - Rome • Assisi • Florence

Visit the Basilica of St. Francis
Continue to Florence

Day 6 - Florence

Take an art-themed walking tour of Florence with an expert local guide*
Visit the Accademia

Day 7 - Florence

Visit the Uffizi
Board an overnight train to Paris

Day 8 - Paris

Arrive in Paris
Take a guided tour of Paris:

• Place de la Concorde
• Champs-Élysées
• Arc de Triomphe
• Eiffel Tower
• Les Invalides

Visit Notre Dame Cathedral

Day 9 - Paris

Take a guided tour of the Louvre with an expert local guide
Visit an atelier*

Day 10 - Paris

Take a guided tour of the Museé d’Orsay with an expert local guide
Optional: Giverny

Day 11 - Depart for home So if you have been there before and have tips, please feel free to share.
The only people I know going so far are my professor and a lady from my drawing class. Both I know will be a riot to travel with.
I have decided to opt out of the optional excursions because 1)they cost a tad extra & 2) so I will have more personal time to explore/do as I please.
While in Paris I really want to find one of the stores that sells Belle&Boo stuff. That is just one thing on a long (mental) list of places I want to go. Definitely will be going into used bookstores. I will blog much more about all I want to do there. It is unfortunate that it is so short of a trip, but it will help when I want to go back again because this is all planned out by someone else and I will learn a lot while there.

This trip will cost about $3,400. $3115 for program fees. $145 for required traveler's insurance. $135 for a passport. I am trying to save and plan to pay it all by myself, but, if you would like to help me, that would mean so much to me.
Here is a link to donate to my Europe fund. You can donate as small as you like if you choose. every tiny bit adds up and helps.

Another way to help is to buy something from my etsy shop. UrbanEnchantments.Etsy.com so you get something in return. I will be adding much more to my shop over the next week so look out for that.

back. again

Once again, worst.blogger.ever.
I was doing so well in November. I want to get back to that.

Current events in my life:

-I got into the University of Florida for Architecture!!!!!!!! aaaah! I still cannot believe it. I have orientation April 15th and I start May 9th. (I only have one week break after I graduate/get my AA from SFC)

-I renewed my lease and decided to paint my apartment. Will definitely be putting up before and after pictures for that.

-I have decided to get back into a good excise routine. Debating whether or not to blog about exercise and healthy eating. Maybe if I have success after this month I will.

-Now that I am into UF and know I will be living here for at least another 3 years, I am on a serious job hunt. So far I have filled out online applications for Starbucks, Target, Fresh Market, Subway, and CVS. 2 of which I just did this morning. All places I am familiar with and would be thrilled to work at. I NEED a job. to live. Considering I pay for my college/rent/food/etc.. Since UF is more expensive than Santa Fe, I can no longer just live off my extra financial aid.
Plus I want something productive to do.

- Next weekend (9&10th) is the Spring Arts Festival and I will be selling my jewelry and other things at the art club's booth. I will be working frantically this week to have more items and I want to make things to decorate the booth with so it will be more appealing.

-I have been debating whether or not to start a youtube channel. Well I have an account, but I want to make videos.

-Last but certainly not least, I have decided to go to Europe next summer (2012). Will blog about this next for more information.

Oh & arrg, my webcam does not work bc I had to reload Windows and I cannot find the disc to reload the webcam software.


Have an enchanting day!
-Katelynn

(PS. please comment. need encouragement. I feel like I am talking to myself)

ABCs of Me

Hey! So it has been like 3 months since I have posted anything. I saw this post on Searching for Serendipity and thought I would make one to get myself back into the groove of blog posting. This is just the ABCs of me, answering a fun questionnaire.

A. Age: 20

B. Bed Size: Full

C. Chore You Dislike: Taking out trash. I am grossed out by the apartment dumpsters.

D. Dogs: I miss my doggy at home. I would love to get one of my own to have at my apartment but there is an expensive fee by the apartments and I am going to be super busy starting this May.

E. Essential Start to Your Day: morning news and good music.

F. Favorite Color: Purple! But I am picky, there are a lot of shades of purple I despise (Like in clothing. Neons and such) And I prefer red-violet over blue-violet.

G. Gold or Silver: Gold. It has more of a vintage feel.

H. Height: 5'5”

I. Instruments You Play(ed): I was in piano classes at school 8th-10^th grade. I wish I still played.

J. Job Title: ...Self-employed(Etsy) /unemployed(searching for a real job)

K. Kids: Not now. One day. I want at least 2 and at least 1 needs to be a girl. And if my future man and I can afford it, adopting would be nice after we have at least 1 of our own.

L. Live: Off-campus housing(sort of. Apartments only for college students) in Florida.

M. Mom’s Name: Barbara

N. Nicknames: Kate. Katibug. Kat-lynn.

O. Overnight Hospital Stays: None.

P. Pet Peeves: Little unnecessary noises. Clicking/tapping/loud chewing of food and my mom does this thing in which she like sucks at her teeth to get stuff out of them, rather than getting a toothpick or something, and it makes such an annoying noise. She is well aware that it bugs me.
Also I think it is annoying when people curse in every other sentence. I do not mind cursing, I curse, but when it is the main part of your vocabulary, I think it says something bad about you.


Q. Quote from a Movie: Oh dear... umm... Well the only one that comes to mind is like a super long monologue. The one at the beginning of The Holiday, from Kate Winslet. You know the one I am talking about.

R. Righty or Lefty: Righty.

S. Siblings: One brother. He is two years older than me. I like to think we are pretty close.

T. Time You Wake Up: Between 7:00 and 9:30 am.

U. Underwear: Uh, personal. Ah who cares. I prefer comfy cotton ones that do not give me a wedgie. And have lace around the lace band, they are comfortable and cute.

V. Veggies You Don’t Like: Are beans a vegetable? I hate beans.

W. What Makes You Run Late: Anything interesting that distracts me. Or other people I am waiting for. Or traffic. I am usually on time like a lady should be, I hate when people are really late.

X. X-Rays You’ve Had: Ankle when I fell of a skateboard when I was 13. Finger when I fractured it playing basketball when I was...11? And dental stuff. I sound like a tomboy... I wasn't, clearly because I failed at all that.

Y. Yummy Food You Make: Brownies. And pumpkin bars, I got the recipe off craftzine last October. So good.

Z. Zoo Animal Favorites: Elephants are my all time favorite, always have been. I also like watching the penguins and otters. And I love the dolphins and seals/sea lions(never sure) at Sea World.

Please comment and follow. and if you choose to do this too, leave the link in the comments. I love finding new blogs to read.

Have an enchanting day!

goals

Goals for the week:
Study and do well on all exams.
Turn in my "grammar quizzes" and essay revisions.
Finish the sewing my Christmas gift projects
clean room
clean car
go home

Goals for the next year:
Get into to the College of Design for Architecture at the University of Florida.
Get a job.
If I get into UF, finally sign up to be a "Big Sister" for Big Brother Big Sister, since I can guarantee I will be here for at least one year.
Volunteer more in general.
Continue to eat healthy and work out more ( a lot more) and get my jean size down to a single digit. (I currently wear between 12 and 14 depending on the brand)
Improve my sewing skills.
Improve my crochet skills. or learn to knit.

Goals for the next 10 years:
Get my undergrad degree at UF for Architecture. Get my masters somewhere up north. Preferably University of Cincinnati or anywhere in New England.
Get a career.
Be married.

Goals for life:
Have a wonderful married life with 2-4 kids.
If we can afford it, foster or adopt a child.
Turn at least one beautiful, run-down/trashed building into something new.
Open up a small store and sell only handmade items. Open it up to local artists and writers to sell their things also.
travel the world
Make a difference.
Be happy.

What are your goals?

Have an enchanting day!
-katelynn

dream home

I hope to at one point in my life live in a city loft or row house. Other than that, these are some of my favorite things:



How enchanting is this place? It looks straight from Nanny McPhee.



I love how these ones (above and below) are a cross between Victorian and modern.





The view! Riverside property with a riverside sidewalk to jog on, and it looks like a rooftop deck. I believe this is in the Pearl District.



All the details on this place! (which are kind of difficult to see) A lovely corner, multilevel, massive, homey Victorian.



an office for two, its cute (and from Ballard Designs!)



a city loft! a brick wall! steel & wood kitchen!



a book room. the chair, table, chandelier. and purple



bbiiiiiggg kitchen. tons of room for friends&family to hang out



entry way for a family



entry for me =)



an attic room! I think these are so cool. this one is super cute



Have an enchanting day!
-Katelynn

what's in my bag?

This is one of my main purses/my schoolbag. Not exactly my style(the studs) but it is large enough to shove my school books in which is why I got it. and it has a really sturdy bottom so I feel fine with it on the floor and such. (not to be confused that is a "whats in my schoolbag?" thing. I switch most of this stuff to my other bags when I used them.



The pile



Now lets do this
1. 3 things of Stride spearmint gum. THREE. really Katelynn? how did that happen.
2. 2 pens(cannot believe that is all) 2 pencils(I never use these) a highlighter(oh I do have one) and a double ended sharpie. total of 6 writing utensils.
3. gum wrapper trash and a piece of Haskell graphing paper (Haskell is a Design-Build company)
4. 2 recently sprayed (on both sides) scent card tester things. and my ticket stub from seeing HP7 again, but in IMAX this time, on Thanksgiving. I still cannot believe I spent $14. I love HP...but that was stupid of me to do. zero thought process there.
5. usb cord
6. a nickel
7. two Burts Bees chapsticks and Revlon lipstick in soft nude
8. compact mirror. I never use that.. I actually bought it back in high school because it was in the dollar section somewhere and about once a day someone would ask me if I had a mirror they could borrow.
9. Gold Bond hand lotion / sanitizer
10. deodorant
11. water. I always have water
12. my camera case
13. This Old House magazine
14. my wallet. I love this thing
15. $1.50 gloves
16. two scrunchies

I am now wondering where my bath&body works hand sanitizer is....


aaaaa I want it to be December 11th. I will be 100% finished with this semester.
I want to be baking. and watching Christmas movies. OH that reminds me, I made a playlist of my favorite Christmas songs :

Have an enchanting night!
-katelynn

fail.

so I definitely failed this whole 30 day blog challenge thing. It started with my not having internet and then I got used to not posting and just kept forgetting. School is crazy write now, technically next week is finals week, but I have so much due this week.
1 essay due Wednesday for 1102
4 online reading activities & a 4-6 page essay due Friday for Multicultural Communications
Physics and Art History 2 final next Monday
1102 final next Wednesday and essay revisions/corrections for that class to be submitted no later than 12/10.
and the whole MUSE thing. 12/9 is the next museum night so I have to prepare for that
& working on making Christmas gifts

It does not sound like a lot but it is. All of this is in the next11 days. and then I am free for Christmas!!!!

To get back on track with the challenge I am going to skip down to my Christmas Wishlist to keep it light and easy (and because I once again have misplaced my camera)
This year I do not really care to get that much. I want a lot, but I can live without it all too. (same way I was last year)

-The main thing I want is a black (or gray) peacoat. I have a long green one and a navy one (which I bought myself back in high school) & I want a classy one that goes with everything.
Other than that I gave my parents my Amazon wishlist which has been a note to self for years, it is just easier to give them that. On there the main things I hope to recieve:
- Architecture books
-Interior Design books
(each above is a long list of many I would be happy to receive)
-Lost final season
- Lost season 1
-The Audrey Hepburn Treasures
-Lost Encyclopedia
-Printing by Hand
and I would be so stoked to get the Urban Decay Naked palette, however I doubt I will and completely understand because it is always sold out.
I must now sleep.
Have an enchanting day/night!
-katelynn

memory lane

You have to watch this trailer!!!



A new Winne the Pooh movie!! I WILL be seeing this in theaters.
That trailer just made me tear up
one of my favorite memories from elementary school was getting the library pass and walking to the library ALONE and picking out one of the Winne the Pooh chapter books. I wish I could find those to buy. they were not typical picture story books, they were hardback and rectangle. I loved sitting in that corner reading them, it was my "me time" as a 7 year old at school.

dream wedding

Today I have a MUSE meeting at the museum. I am not at all prepared.
Tonight is HARRY POTTER!!!!!!!!!! Midnight premiere with my roommates!!!! I am so excited, I cannot believe today is the day!!!!!

30 Day blog Challenge Day 10 : dream wedding

oh dear.
what did I get myself into.

well...
My dream wedding would be to my dream man. That is what matters most on that big day. I have yet to find him.

So far this is how I see it, though it could very well change by the time I get there. which sadly will not be for another 5 to 10 years. I pray no longer. I hope I do not turn out to be one of those single thirty year olds that so many novels and movies are about these days.

Dress: lace. lots of lace. that is really the only vision I have there... so it will get worked out when I have a ring on my finger and am officially shopping for one.
Month: late September/ Early October (autumn is my favorite)
Colors: probably a shade of purple.

Everything else I kind of got from this website a friend of mine told me about. it is greenweddingshoes.com
My favorites:


I like the idea of a "photo booth" area that has a piece of fabric hung and maybe some cute props set around (like above and below)

in addition to this being a photo booth, I also would like to have photos taken outside around trees with the bridal party. they look so artsy and make much better photos than stiff ones inside the church.


how cute are these grooms in vests?! I love wool vests.


I like these centerpieces.


paper cranes hanging around, so cute. It would be cool if I send a piece of paper each of the invitations and ask everyone to mail back a folded paper crane with a wish written in it


desert table! screw just a cake, I want a whole table of lovely deserts. desert is my favorite. I am a very healthy eater when it comes to main meals, however I LOVE DESERT. This seems to be a common thing on greenweddingshoes


I like this table with old photos from weddings in their family, all in vintagy frames. It would be a nice table just to have for guests to stop at and adore.


an awesome guest sign in that I would actually keep and look at. if you cannot tell what exactly it is, I would paint a bare tree on white paper and have a couple different ink pads set out, and the guests will make a fingerprint on the tree (like a LEAF!) and sign their name in it. I would frame this and hang it on my wall and just adore it forever.


I also think it would be cool for the groomsmen to all wear Toms. & gray suits( I think the gray and purple will look great next to each other). no tuxes with tails, not an attractive cut. I might wear toms. Though my girls will probably not.
I also like the idea of the bridesmaids all wearing different dresses, just in the color/style scheme. & the dresses be something that looks like it is from (if it is not) modcloth or anthropologie. I want them to be dresses that they WILL wear again. No one wears traditional bridesmaids dresses again.
I like the look of outdoor weddings, however weather is so unpredictable. That is only a good idea if you live in California. I would most definitely have an outdoor wedding there.
I want it the decor to include mostly handmade items. I want people to come to wedding and just be in awe of how it looks like me and my groom, has personality. I do not want it to look like a typical traditional wedding in which the main decor is flowers.

I hope the time in which I am planning my wedding is as calm as it can be, no freaking out about little details that in the long run do not matter. I want it to be fun, lots of good memories.

have an enchanting day!
katelynn

Gatsby & Day 9

I just read last night that there is going to be a remake of The Great Gatsby!! Ever since I have been in such a jazz age mood (yeah, its a mood) and I want to break out my copy of The Great Gatsby.









I want this publication!!!!!!!!!!!! A new hunt, now every time I see a used bookstore, I will go in searching for this.









30 day challenge
Day 9 : favorite places to eat

Well my favorite type of food is Italian. Unfortunately Italian restaurants are super expensive so I rarely eat at them, and prefer home cooked Italian over the places I have ate at (especially over Olive Garden. yuck.) soo... my # 1 favorite place to eat is home.

2nd favorite is Chick-fil-A. Best fast food chicken & amazing milkshakes!

3th favorite is Panera. My favorite from there is the tomato soup. & asiago bread.

4th is a tie between Subway & Firehouse.

5th is Chinese, which is really limited to just my love for sweet & sour chicken with white rice. I like most Chinese take out places.

I really want to try more local places, especially since I live in a college town there are a lot of unique restaurants, however I am poor & really do not eat out unless I go home for the weekend.

Have an enchanting evening!

day 8 : magazines

Magazines! I love magazines!

They ones I read every issue of:
Marie Claire
Glamour
Real Simple


I recently picked up the fall issue of The Nest & I think it is really neat. it is supposed to be a couples magazine, made by the same people who make The Knot, but it has a lot of fun tips for homes & such, which is my favorite.


Occasionally I will pick up Nylon, BOHO, Bust, Elle Decor, or Dwell.

My all time favorite magazine is Domino, however it was canceled a couple years ago, I was devastated. It needs to come back.
I also wish they would bring back Blueprint, which was extremely similar to Domino (except domino was better!) and it was canceled a little bit before Domino. I feel like they canceled each other out or something. It makes me sad.


A tip for those who read a lot of magazines like me but do not want to throw them away:
buy clear sheet protectors and binders and go through your magazines and rip out pages you want to keep (& the cover too). I currently have 5 binders, 1 each for interior design, fashion, tips from Real Simple, recipes, and travel. I need more binders because my interior design & fashion ones are too full. I do keep a couple full issues in tact, September issues mainly, & all the Domino issues that I had not torn up before they went under (about 10)

have an enchanting day!
-katelynn

day 7 : fun commercials

Okay, I made this one up, only because I actually have commercials I love to watch.

Viewers discretion: some of the following ads pull at your heart and send chills down the spine

Bacardi



Macy's 150th



Liberty Mutual : Helping Hand
(this has 2 in 1)



This one is not a commercial for a product, but a promo for the 5th season of my favorite show Lost



I am off to school now. Registered for spring at midnight
MW I have 3D Design and Drawing 2 from 1:00-4:40
TH I have Tech Comm and Stagecraft from 9:30-12:15
& Statistics online. No more 8 am class!! or Friday!

Have an enchanted day!
-katelynn

musique

FYI

if you scroll to the bottom of my page there is a nice little (long) playlist of some (a lot) of my favorite songs

I thought about putting it on autoplay, but I know how I hate it when I go to a webpage that has music playing and it takes me forever to find where and how to stop it. so I chose not to do that to the few sweet people who take time to read my rambly & typo-filled blog

so yeah, you should listen to it. pretty awesome stuff

-katelynn

day 6 : books

Now, this should be my favorite blog post yet, but if you have not figured it out yet, I am 1. indecisive. & 2. have many favorites (or none.ha)

I can tell you that my favorite series from 2nd-5th grade was the Little House on the Prairie books by Laura Ingles Wilder. And from 6th-8th grade was the Fearless series by Francine Pascal. Then 8th-9th grade my favorite book was I Can't Tell You by Hilary Frank. & Harry Potter is another favorite series, though I am sad to say that I did not start reading them until my sophomore year in high school. I was so afraid to ruin the movies once they started coming out! I have read them all now. Then junior/senior year my favorite book was The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffeneger (I am sure most of you have read it) I suppose that is still my favorite, it had just been awhile since I read it.
One of my favorite authors is Henry Rollins, he writes short stories, my favorite is "124 Worlds" from Black Coffee Blues.
I also enjoy Dawn Powell & Jane Austen.


Currently I am reading (do not make fun of me for this) Hunt (#5 of the House of Night series) by P.C. & Kristin Cast. My roommate owns the first four books of the series, I thought the first two were lame, but it was so easy to read, a true guilty pleasure, so I kept reading, and the 4th became really interesting and when it ended I had to buy the 5th because it was left on sort of a cliffhanger. I only have about a chapter left of this. This series is basically Harry Potter but with vampires. & the main character is "accidentally" a slut. So if you want an easy to read, guilty pleasure, I would recommend this. It is even really cheap since it is a teen novel! I got mine from target for 7.99!

I am also reading I Wish to Inform You that Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families: Stories from Rwanda by Philip Gourevitch. It is a book for a class, though I am glad I am reading it, as gruesome as it is. I definitely recommend this. An eye opener.

do you have recommendations for me? I like a variety, so just through your favorites at me please.

have an enchanting day!
-katelynn

day 5 : favorite quote and some pumpkin

well... I suppose I could say my favorite quote is --

"The woman who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. The woman who walks alone is likely to find herself in places no one has ever been before." - Albert Einstein

-- partly because it is the only quote I have on my facebook page. ha. I like this quote because I feel like it pertains to me a lot. this is good and bad. Good because I have discovered a lot about myself being alone. they say who you are when you are alone is the person you truly are (as opposed to how you act around others) and I love who I am when I am alone. One thing I love to do since I have moved away from home and gotten a driver's license is to take scenic routes and "wrong" turns just to see what is there. (I do not do this at night) From this I have found some great stores and houses and beautiful parts of town I would have otherwise never seen.
This quote is a bad thing because I walk alone a lot. I am a loner that way.
I look forward to the day when I am not.

& for my picture of the day, a photo of some tasty pumpkin bars I baked this evening. I got the recipe from craftzine.com


Have an enchanted evening!!
-katelynn

p.s. GO BUCKEYES!!!
&(not to confuse you but...) GO GATORS!!!!

day 4: a song that matches my mood today

The Christmas Song : Nat King Cole

I am in a big Christmastime mood today.
If I were rich I would have spent thousands of dollars today on decoration and donations, baking and craft books.
I love the smell of Christmas.
The decorations.
The spirit.
& the person whose birthday is being celebrated :)


I seemed to have misplaced my camera, so instead I give you this awkwardly taken photo from my webcam, which shows my participation in "To Write Love On Her Arms Day"
originally there was only one "love" on my arm but I had to rewrite it to get a picture without looking like I am from the Grudge.



Have an enchanted night!
-katelynn

Day 3 : favorite movies

This is a difficult one for me, I have not been able to name a favorite movie since I was 15. The first favorite movie memory I have is of Andre. I still love Andre. & Homeward Bound, I would go back and forth on those. Then Parent Trap came out in 98 and that was my favorite movie until How to Deal came out in 03.

And now all I can do is list a bunch of movies. (in addition to still watching and loving the movies listed above)I suppose if I could pick only.. 2, it would be The Family Stone and Funny Face. After that I cannot choose.

The Family Stone is one of those movies that I watch all the time and never get sick of it. It is also my mom's favorite movie. Ever since I was little her and I, one of our mother-daughter times is watching movies. & The Family Stone became one of those movies that we pick to watch 1/3 of the time. something about it.. I cannot even say because I do not know.


Funny Face! Oh Audrey Hepburn. I love your sunny funny face. Paris! Fashion! Books! Music! Think Pink! My favorite Audrey movie. It make me happy. I do not know what else to say.


a list of my other favorites (in no particular order)
The Devil Wears Prada
The September Issue
The Jane Austen Book Club
Stranger than Fiction
Watchmen
The Dark Knight
Harry Potter (all)
Love Actually
The Holiday
Garden State
(500) Days of Summer
Mona Lisa Smile
Forest Gump
Back to the Future
The Santa Claus
Miracle on 34th Street
Home Alone 1,2 &3
Spider-Man 1&2
Paris, Je T'aime
Love Me if you Dare
La Vie en Rose
Peter Pan
101 Dalmations
You've Got Mail
Stepmom
A Star is Born

Visually (meaning the style of clothes and houses), I like movies like The Young Victoria, The Duchesss, Bright Star, An Education, The Notebook, Pearl Harbor, Penelope, Becoming Jane, Marie Antoinette, etc... I like these movies but I usually find myself watching them to be inspired.

....I should stop.

What is your favorite movie? any not well known movies I should watch?

Have an enchanted day!
-Katelynn