Flashback Friday: Candids From Europe

I know it's been awhile since I've done a formal Five Friday Favorites, but today & for the rest of August I'm mixing things up and doing "Flashback Fridays," featuring some tidbits from my European travel this summer. I just got around to downloading all the pictures I took on my phone to my computer (yay! now I finally have room for more pictures!) so I came across a ton of fun pictures that never made it on the blog, or on my Instagram. But they are so fun, I must share them!

Today's theme is funny candids and the stories behind them! So lets get started...

"Look how pretty this place is! Just look at it!" I believe that's pretty darn close to what I said when this picture was taken, on our first weekend trip outside of Florence. We went to the Cinque Terre, but stayed in a nearby town called Moneglia, where we spent the entire afternoon of our arrival exploring the rocky beach area. We acted like we were 10. It was great.

"Do I look like a Medici?" In Florence, we got the chance to tour the Chapel of the Medici's and the Basilica of San Lorenzo, and admired the richness of the marble inlays (called pietra dura) and and intricate woodwork. I paused from my sketching to pretend like I was a wealthy Medici, and a classmate snapped this picture... I definitely pulled it off. 

"Let's touch the butt!" We pulled a Finding Nemo while in Prague, at the Piss statue by controversial artist David Cerny. One of my favorite of his pieces throughout the city, the two men stand on a pool shaped like the Czech and you can text in whatever you want them to spell with their stream. Kind of a cool community interaction piece. But anyway, yes, we had to get cheeky with it. 

"Look how relaxed I am..." This picture itself isn't funny, but the story of what happened not more than 5 minutes later is. I was at the Milan Expo, about to meet up with all of the FSU group to head back to Florence so I was chilling with a drink in my hand (non-alcoholic, just to make that clear for what comes next) at the Czech pavilion with my tired feet in their little pool. It was time to go meet up, so I stood up to leave and splash, my whole bag slipped off my shoulder and into the water. The bag contained not only my student ID, my passport, and money, but also my camera and cell phone. Thank the Lord for the nice gentleman sitting right next to me, because he grabbed it before it started to sink! Everything survived without damage, except all my paper pamphlets from the pavilions and my empty spare sketchbook. So it ended up being kinda funny, especially since I can't even blame alcohol for this one!

"How do you fire a cannon?" When touring the Edinburgh Castle in Scotland, I had my friend take a picture of me standing next to the big cannons to send my dad and brother (they love stuff like that). Then I also decided I wanted to fire it, but quickly realized I had no idea how to actually make it look like that's what I was doing. Oh well!

My Europe travels definitely were anything but boring, and I hope you enjoyed a few laughs while reading this! Happy Friday & Happy Weekend!

--Caroline

Five Friday Favorites

Most of this week was spent either laying in bed or sitting up in bed with a horrible case of sinus allergies, but with spurts of energy and allergy meds kicking in, it still managed to be a fun week!

1. While putting away clean dishes, a certain rambunctious kitty boy by the name of Berlioz discovered a "fun" new spot, much to his mom's dismay.

2. The debate about which book to start after finishing The American Heiress still continues, even after seeking out help on social media. (Help me choose! Her Fearful Symmetry or One Thousand White Women?)

3. I wore this cute outfit, accessorized by Premier Jewelry of course!

4. I dug up this candid shot from years ago in celebration of my dad's birthday... Classic Amy family antics here, circa late 1990's. Notice my headphones, choker necklace, and bandanna hairpiece. Oh so stylish!

5. I have cooked these eggplant pizzas twice this week. Recipe to come soon! They are so so yummy!

Have an awesome weekend, my stylish readers!

--Caroline

Five Friday Favorites

Phew! This week went by so fast! Can you believe it's already Friday?

It was such a treat to have my mom and my brother here in Tallahassee for a bit. I'm so excited for my brother as he prepares to attend FSU in the fall! Here's a little of what happened this week...

1. One of the things my mom wanted to do while they were here was get my brother a suit. When I went off to college and joined a sorority and had weddings to attend, nice events to go to, she made sure I have a collection of dresses to pull from. Same goes for my brother; he's not going to rush a frat (as of now) but he might go to events with me, or get asked by other sorority girls... you never know! But regardless we headed to Men's Warehouse and got him all set up. I have to say, they do a very good job of selling there. Our sales guy made sure we had everything Forrest needed, down to matching pocket squares to go with his shirts and ties! I'd definitely recommend them to any man in need of suits!

2. Another thing on my moms list was sheets, towels, other dorm stuff. I think Forrest did a pretty good job of finding a pillow! lol!

3. Berlioz is definitely a cat of mine. He loves all the things I love... Premier Jewelry & shoes!

4. I took my mom & brother by the interior design building to look at the gallery show that features my furniture design class's final project, as well as the final project for the students in lighting design. Pretty cool stuff! 

5. I spent a good part of the afternoon yesterday getting some of my ducks in a row as it pertains to my Premier Business. Whether you work from home like I do or not, I think it's always a good idea to take an hour or two and clean up & organize your work space. Plus there is a huge sense of accomplishment after!

Happy Weekend! Hope y'all have some fun things planned! 

--Caroline

I Could Stay Forever In The Sun

Hi y'all! I'm back!! 

Technically I've been back from Daytona since Monday for classes, but I was busy getting some ducks in a row here.

I had a wonderful little vacation in Daytona. Not only did I obviously get to see my handsome man for an entire week, but the weather was absolutely beautiful and we definitely made sure to enjoy it! Because it was Kyle's birthday, he had already decided that we would be parasailing. I'm not a huge fan of heights and I'll admit I was a little apprehensive but he really wanted to go so I told him I would too (begrudgingly lol). Boy, can I just say I am so glad I did! It was the coolest experience ever! Once you're up there, there is no wind, just looking out over the water and the land... pure bliss! 

Not a cloud in the sky!

Up in the air!

They dunked us in the ocean on our descent back to the boat... a birthday dunk for Kyle!

After that, we just kept going with the outside adventures with jet skiing and a boat ride on a catamaran. It was such a fun week, and we capped it off by going to Improv Comedy Club in Orlando, my birthday gift to Kyle. We laughed our butts off, me especially when Mark Viera (the headliner) started making fun of women and our massive shoe collections... guilty! It was a great night, and if you are ever near Orlando and like to laugh I highly suggest checking it out. I know we will be back!

Have a great Wednesday!

--Caroline

Reading Is Important

Last week, my furniture design class turned in our handmade cardboard chairs to a local elementary school! The school's teachers had selected books, which we were then given to draw inspiration from for our chair. My book was Wild About Books, a fun tale about animals at the zoo going "wild, simply wild, about wonderful books!" It's truly a cute read--I highly recommend it for any children in your life!

If you've been following, you might have seen the progress my giraffe chair has made...

From sketches, to a process model, to last minute design changes, I have to say it was a fun project and also a great learning experience. Overall, I'm very pleased with how it turned out, but I did see some room for design changes after meeting with the kids. In the design world, there is always room for improvement! That is why process models and tests are so important. 

My finished chair & a look into the hallway of our furniture building...

Here's a look at some of the fun with the children upon delivery...

There are 40 of us, so the elementary school now has 40 awesome cardboard chairs, some going to classrooms and some staying in the library I think! The kids had so much fun interacting with all the different designs--it was so rewarding to see our "clients" happy!

Along the reading note, I came across this info graphic the other day which startled me.

As a kid growing up, my parents read to us every single night, and my mom was always reading for her book club (still does), so my brother and I were constantly exposed to reading. I love to read! Granted in college I haven't been able to read quite as many "fun" books as I would like (although I know I could make time), I still enjoy at least 3-4 non-school related books a year. The fact that so many people my age or older haven't read since their schooling is sad. And the notion that many families are not buying or reading books... those kids aren't experiencing the fun, the knowledge growth, the excitement of a new book that others are. Reading is so important!!

So sit down in my giraffe chair, crack open a book, and get lost for 30 minutes. Have your kids do the same! Let's not let the art of reading die!

--Caroline

Not Your Everyday Chambray

(J. Crew Factory)

The chambray button down is a classic staple in closets across America, mine included. I have two chambray shirts, one from J. Crew Factory almost identical to the one above, and another from LOFT Outlet that has more of a blousey look. Currently, the JCF one is in purgatory (see this post if you have no idea what I'm talking about!) because I simply don't wear at as often. What I love about my LOFT shirt is that it's original, it's not your everyday chambray button down. Yet it still has a classic look to it. 

Why settle for the everyday, seen-everywhere style? Chambray is a huge trend right now, and there are a plethora of other options for incorporating it into your wardrobe, like the ones below. I challenge y'all to think outside the box. Be original, be yourself. Don't be a fool for fashion... 

Dress / Wedges / Shorts / Watch / Tank / Blazer

Happy Chambray, Happy April Fools, and Happy Day my beautiful readers!

--Caroline

Lighthearted

I'm feeling like just sending some laughs and fun your way after yesterday's wordy post... So enjoy and have a fantastic day!

Hee Hee Hee "crotchless yoga pants"... SO TRUE!

--Caroline

Spring Break 2014: Facing My Fears

Spring Break was a blast! I spent the better half of it in Daytona with... my better half! Kyle is the fairly-recent owner of a beautiful Harley Soft-tail motorcycle that he loves and has put time into making it look good. He has a scheme going with black, lots of chrome, and skulls--it is a nice looking bike (and he looks pretttyyyy darn good on it too!). 

I have been a little nervous (okay, a lot nervous) to ride it outside the neighborhood just because he's told me so many stories of accidents he's both seen himself and heard of from other medics. I trust him, just not other cars. And with motorcycles, they always say "it's not if you get in an accident, it's when you get in an accident." But because Daytona Bike Week and Spring Break line up... there was really no putting off the inevitable any longer.

Us before the ride

On our way to the mass festivities & vendors at Destination Daytona

Kyle bought me a helmet, and I decided to match his

It was actually a lot of fun to ride on his bike, and now that I have my own helmet (and am not using his full-face while he settles for a sub-par get up) I can be at peace that our faces are both well-protected. I'm looking forward to riding it more for sure, and there might be a small part of me that is kinda a ballsy biker chick! lol! I am really proud of myself for facing my dears, and Kyle even said he was proud of me. :)

Other than bikes, we spent time hanging with his family, and his sister Krystal and I had a nice day of bonding on the beach. With my new tan, I finally look like I live in Florida!

It was a fun several days, and I really didn't want to leave. The break from schoolwork was such a blessing, and yesterday being the first day back was definitely a little hard. I'll just let my mind wander back to the fond memories and keep on moving along I suppose.

--Caroline

(6) Five Friday Favorites

Keeping it simple today, here are my five favorite things that happened this week:

1. My friend Kelsey and I determined we are going to England to become Kate Middleton's new BFF's. It's happening. 

2. Berlioz ran around my room acting like a crazy kitty after I gave him some catnip. It was too too funny and cute! These are what I call the faces of catnip addiction...

3. I sported this mixed neutrals and mixed metals ensemble this week.

4. Mid week, I got a wonderful care package from my friends back home! It totally brightened my day, and I love my new studio workout top from Karma Wear! Thanks Rach & Jess :)

5. I survived my large amount of homework's, essays, and midterms to study for this week. On top of it, I made fantastic progress on the chair I'm building in furniture design. A+ to me for managing to get it all done while still sleeping this week!

6. Yesterday was my 100th blog post! I've so enjoyed sharing my thoughts with y'all, thank you for listening and reading and letting me share with you my process as I explore style in all areas!

Hope y'all had a great week! Enjoy your weekend!

--Caroline

Weekend of Love

I got back yesterday afternoon from a lovely weekend spent in Daytona with my amazing boyfriend, and here's how our weekend went. Because of needing to do some homework Thursday night, I woke up at the crack of dawn Friday morning to get into town at about the same time Kyle was going to get off of his shift. When I finally made it to his house, we exchanged kisses and he gave me these beautiful flowers. :)

After hanging around the house for a bit, we went to go get lunch at my favorite restaurant in Port Orange, Our Deck. It was a beautiful day, so we sat outside and let the sun warm us as we looked out onto the channel. After consuming our delicious fish sandwiches, we took a long walk on the beach before heading to the movies.

Well, we didn't actually make it to the movies because we got to the theater and, still sitting in his truck, decided that really we were both so exhausted (me from my drive, and him from a long & busy 24 hour shift) that we would likely fall asleep in the theater. So we went home to nap! After our much needed nap, we headed to The Garlic in New Smyrna Beach for dinner, a great little place we discovered last year on Valentines Day. Such yummy food, and it was a beautiful enough evening for us to sit outside under the twinkly lights. The husband of the couple behind us ended up surprising his wife with a men's quartet singing group, so the whole area around us got serenaded by these 4 cute older gentleman in red bow ties and white suits! So cute!

(We saw a couple pilots making hearts in the sky on our way to dinner!)

On Saturday, we had breakfast at Crabby Joe's, our favorite breakfast spot that sits on the pier. Then we drove around a bit, up to Palm Coast for Kyle to pick something up from work. When we got back, we finally went to the movies! About Last Night was so funny, I highly recommend it! The whole theater was laughing!

We concluded Saturday by attending the Palm Coast Fire Department Awards Ceremony.  It was lots of fun to meet the people he works with! I'm constantly proud of everything he does in his career. 

Yesterday Kyle worked, so he left early in the morning and then I headed back to Tallahassee a bit later. It was a wonderful weekend, and I couldn't have asked for a better man to spend Valentines with and to celebrate 5 years of love together!

Hope you had an amazing Valentines weekend as well!

--Caroline

Five Friday Favorites: 5 Best Years of My Life

Happy Valentines Day!

This morning I am driving down to Daytona to spend the weekend with Kyle. Our anniversary is Valentines Day, and today year marks FIVE years that we have been dating! Crazy!! I love him so much and it goes without saying that he is my best friend, my support system, the one who always makes me laugh, and my everything. I cannot imagine my life without him! :) Since I haven't shared our story yet, I thought today was an appropriate day to do so.

Our story starts back in 2008, when he moved to Colorado from Tennessee. We had a couple classes together, I thought he was cute & funny and that accent... he had a great southern accent, so naturally I developed a little crush (so very high school lol!). Well when 2009 rolled around I finally got sick of having this secret crush, so I asked him to the Sadie Hawkins Dance. I had prepared myself for any number of outcomes, but he said yes and I was so excited! (Of course I still freaked out and came to the class we had together just barely on time because I realized that I had no idea what to say to him now that he said yes!)

(Here we are before the Sadie Hawkins Dance!)

Our first date was golfing, as Kyle worked at a golf course. We had so much fun! It was my first date ever, so I was nervous, but he took all the worry out of me by making me laugh. At the time, my family and I were living in a hotel because of an asbestos outbreak at my house, and even though it was awkward because he had to take me "home" to the hotel, we bonded over the fact that he had lived in a hotel before too.

It became official Valentines Day of 2009, and we have been together ever since, most of it long distance. In 2010 when we graduated high school, I went off to Savannah for SCAD, he moved back to Daytona, but we made it work. And then I left SCAD and lived at home for a bit, but we made it work. And now I'm at FSU, but we make it work.

(At Prom senior year)

(Talking a walk on the beach on a weekend I came down from Savannah)

(Celebrating the start of Kyle's fire school!)

(Salty kisses last summer)

(Rocking our camo overalls for my sorority's Woodser event!)

Long distance isn't easy, but I can't picture my life with anyone else. There are plenty of ups and downs, but we are committed and know that our relationship will be made stronger because of it. I am so happy and blessed to have spent the past 5 years with this amazing man! 

I hope y'all enjoyed our story, and I hope you all have a fun Valentines Day surrounded by those you love!

--Caroline

Coral + Beads

As many of you know, I'm super excited that Premier Designs released their new spring line earlier this month! I got my jewelry samples in over the weekend, and this lovely necklace was one of the pieces I just new I had to order. Papaya is a great season-less piece, but I've paired it here with coral for a fun transition look into spring. I am LOVING this piece, just let me tell you!! (And if you don't let me, too bad, I'm telling you anyway!)

Sweater: Old Navy

Jeans: Guess Outlet (old)

Shoes: Vaneli c/o 6pm (other colors)

Clutch: Vintage from my Grandma

Jewelry: Premier Designs

I cannot wait to pair this necklace with other items in my closet, but as every jewelry lady knows you buy your closet each season to go with your new jewelry! (Any of you reading this? You know it's true!!) The pieces below would go great with this statement necklace, and who knows, one or two might end up in my closet soon... :P

Dress / Skirt / Tank / Blouse

--Caroline

Linking up With: Everyday Fashion & Finance