Curated / 19

I'm a day late publishing this post, but I have to say that I'm not even sorry because my sister got engaged last week! It was a big surprise and it's been lots of fun sharing the news with everyone. Other than that, this week I've just been starting to wrap up work, train my replacements and start saying goodbye to everyone before I head back to North Carolina (home) for a few days and then back to school in Florida! The next week and a half is going to be a crazy whirlwind between all of the travel and then sorority recruitment and starting a new school year. But I'm excited!

• This beautiful new design on Brooklyn's blog done by Breezy + Co Design Studio. How beautiful!
• 10 reasons to become an early riser [MindBodyGreen]
• Challenging yourself as a blogger [Gina Alyse]
• 5 favorite journaling supplies [Hello Neverland]--I think I need #3!
• Combining your passions into one thing you love [Kory Woodard]
• How to feel + look awesome when it's ridiculously hot outside [Yes and Yes]
• 15 quick + easy lunch ideas [poverty luxe.]--YES THANK YOU!

This week I've been revisiting some of my favorite past songs from Eurovision, a music competition in Europe that picks out the best song from Europe each year. Here are a few of my favorites! And you just have to watch the videos with them...some of them are quite entertaining ;)

• Fly on the Wings of Love / Olsen Brothers
• Hold Me Now / Johnny Logan
• La Det Swinge / Bobbysocks
• Making Your Mind Up / Bucks Fizz
• Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi / Celine Dion (skip to 1:30)
• Rock Me / Riva (an especially great video)

This cotton candy sky and the caption that goes with it: "You have to be vigilant about keeping your own fire alive." -Tift Merritt

Isn't that a great quote? How's your week been? Tell me one thing that made you smile this week!

Crushing On Vintage Stamps

I mentioned in a post a few weeks ago that I've started exploring the world of stamps. I know it sounds like something your weird 80-year-old great uncle would be into, but bear with me for a second.

First off, it all started when I found out about these beautiful stamps that you can get at your post office, right now.

They're gorgeous, right? And so I started looking around, wondering what other pretty stamps I've been totally missing out on all these years. I write tons of letters and postcards but I'd never really noticed the stamps that I use!

That's when I found out that you can use old vintage stamps (i.e. before forever stamps) and combine them to equal the value of a current stamp. I just love the look of this!

(source)

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(Antiquaria)


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What do you think? Would you ever use vintage stamps for a special occasion? Which envelope is your favorite? I love that last one all in blue!

Goal Getters / August

This month is going to have a lotttt of changes. In the next few weeks, I'll be finishing up my summer job here in Michigan, going home to North Carolina for a few days, and then moving into my new apartment in Florida and starting my next year of school! Because my month is so split in every way possible, I'm going to make goals for each half of the month.

Michigan goals (first half of the month):

+ Try to spend at least ten minutes every day in the Bible. I used to do this every day before I went to bed, but these days I'm so tired by the time I get to go to sleep that I honestly skip it pretty often. So it's just something I want to try to be a little more intentional about. 

+ Keep my bloglovin' feed below 100 and comment more often on blogs! I'm also looking to read new blogs--a couple new ones I've been reading are Ready or Not, Ever Emma, and From Roses. It's easy to feel like you've read all the interesting blogs out there, but there are really so many still out there. Comment below with your favorite blogs!

+ Keep posting at least three times a week, and work on getting ahead of schedule on my blog posts. I'm anticipating a crazy first couple weeks at school and I want to make sure my blog is on solid footing while I'm settling in!

Florida goals (second half of the month):

+ Put together a list/binder of healthy, easy recipes. I'll be cooking every meal for myself for the first time ever in my life and, well, I really don't want to get fat. I plan on taking some time to meal prep and collect recipes and make sure that I treat my body well in the way that I eat.

+ Be crazy outgoing. If you've been reading this blog for any amount of time, you probably know that I'm an introvert and that being in big groups where I don't know a lot of people sometimes makes me nervous! But I'm convinced that this is just because I haven't had enough practice with that kind of situation. So I want to make it a goal not to shy away from scary situations and events and just have fun!

+ Focus on getting in a biphasic sleep routine. I'll talk about this more soon, but in short, I'll be trying different sleep schedules in order to get up early for my classes AND stay up late for fun events. I'll let y'all know how it goes!

What are your goals for the month? Any favorite blogs to share?

Goal-Getters / July Wrap-Up

IT'S AUGUST. I feel like most months I tend to say that time has flown by, but for once it seems like summer has been lasting forever. Between all the work and class, I can't say it's been all that relaxing! But that's okay, sometimes. :)

Just really quickly today, I want to review my goals I made for July. And I saw quickly because...well, I didn't do so hot on all of them. *cue that emoji gritting his teeth*

+ Read four books. I did complete this one, if you include a book that I got about 2/3 through and quit. I'm also halfway through a fifth so I definitely think that should count, right? For the record, the one that I hated was Tigers in Red Weather. I also read The Husband's Secret (terrible title, okay book) and Stiff (absolutely fabulously weird), and now that I'm trying to come up with it, I have no clue what the fourth one was. Oops!

+ Maintain good study habits with class. Pretty good! I didn't leave anything totally to the last minute and I'm almost finished!

+ Exercise three times a week. Not even close. We're just gonna leave it at that. I don't know what to do with myself without a gym. :(

+ Develop an hour's worth of kickboxing material for my group fitness class. Ehhhh I had forgotten just how much time it takes to choreograph new material. But I probably got five or six new songs done, so I'll take that. 

Enough on that. I'm still working on my goals for August but I'll write them up soon! In the meantime, how did you do on your goals this month?