I Inspire

Due to current events my blog for today has taken a different but unique twist.  Today on campus students and faculty were informed that a man was in the library with a gun.  Being that my only other lock down was in high school because of a hungry bear, this came as a big deal to me.  And unfortunately I don't exactly agree with how CSUN handled the "campus still open, library closed...but we don't know where the suspect is" situation.  Anyways, it felt like the majority of people weren't taking the situation seriously and the teachers went along like it was any ordinary Tuesday.  I, along with a good friend of mine, were a little freaked out and wanted to leave campus and go home.  To a place where we felt was safer since the school wasn't on locked down and not all teachers were taking the "alert" very seriously.  Unfortunately, I was unable to follow my instincts and leave class due to a project being due and a presentation needing to be made.  But my friend after having received some flak from her teacher decided that it was safest if she left campus.  She was sitting next to an open door that her teacher didn't necessarily see the need to close and lock and she didn't feel safe.  So unlike myself, she follow her instincts and left.  I know this is a long way of saying that following the masses isn't always the best idea.  Sometimes its best if we stand out, be a leader instead of a follower.  In this instance no one got hurt thank God, but what if someone had?  Does it really take a situation to reach its worst for people to follow their gut?  I don't want to be one of those persons who waits for everyone else, who follows the crowd and believes it's ok to be a follower.  I want to inspire, not only others but more importantly myself.  I was inspired by my friends guts and leadership to go against her fellow students, peers and even her teacher in an effort to listen to her instincts.  If you can't inspire yourself, if you can't follow what your heart is telling you, then how do you expect others to?

Courtesy of Chanel

So today I finally made it to the Melrose Trading Post!  I've been wanting to check this out for a while now.  So early this morning my mom and I with our Starbucks in hand went to go do some treasure hunting.  After getting a little over whelmed and disgusted we finally found 3 amazing items that I am super excited about!  I bought my dad a 2nd edition of The Beatles live at Hollywood Bowl, then my mom bought us 2 vintage (70's) Chanel purses!!!!!!!!!!!  Both of them are navy, over the shoulder type designs and beautiful.  Well, actually the one in the photo is in excellent condition but the one that I had her sneak into buying too is a little more "loved" and needs some conditioning.  But its a vintage Chanel purse that I got a ridiculously good price on and will love/appreciate it more than a new one.  I'm not your typical designer, I need to look beyond graphics to really get me motivated.  I've probably mention this before and it sounds cheesy but I literally get inspired by everything!  And not a whole lot can be more inspiring or more beautiful than Beatles music and Chanel handbags.  So a flea market this like one  was just what I needed for a little inspiration on a look at a long/tedious week to come.

p.s. keep the Beatles alum hush, hush his birthday is Oct. 2nd so its a surprise :)!!!

Save the Japan Dolphins Project#1

Water bottle label mock up

Front version of water bottle mock up

Back version of water bottle mock up

Website Mock Up - (Landing Page/"Home")

Something Sparkly

                        

          

 My entire room inspires me, daily.  It's really changed since the time we moved into this house.  It started with light purple walls with a white picked fence with sunflowers intertwined in them and clouds (one shaped like a dolphin-I painted around it so I still have it today).  And now the walls are a dark taupe color with special images and paintings on the walls.  And although I love imagining how I can constantly redecorate my room, at the moment I am pretty content with the way it is today, having added a few pieces from my apartment when I moved back home, which include a few sparkles (pillow & disco ball-yes I actually bought one) to go with the chandeliers (yes plural, I have 2 just in my room), a couple of faux fur blankets (because there so cuddly & comfy), and a bunch of pops of purple (my favorite color) through out my entire space.   One of my chandeliers is in my closet and I love this type of light fixture and believe that every space could really benefit from one.  Even in the most odd spaces, like a kitchen, I feel this lightning fixture just adds such sparkle and glamour to a room.  Although its changed dramatically since the clouds and sunflowers, parts of that little girl taste remains in my, like the color purple still finds a way into my spaces, my love of sparkles and faux fur is a constant in whatever I do (fashion, room decor, etc.).  With all the growing that I keep doing, some things will just always remain a constant, and although both are inspiring in their own rights (the same and the changing), it is also comforting to know that who I am even from an early age has not changed all that much.

United We Stand

It's a family tradition to go to the USC games every Saturday.  This past Saturday was the day before the 10th anniversary of 9.11.  Like many other games on that day there was a fly over and a moment of silence before singing the national anthem.  It was amazing to see the way an entire stadium filled of people from all walks of life were able to come together.  After the anthem was sung, a cheer began throughout the crowd, "U.S.A."  It sounds cheesy now but I had a heartfelt feeling when this occurred.  It just surprises me when I see a large amount of people (who most likely disagree on a good amount of issues) uniting together on one major issue.  When 9.11 first took place our entire country bonded together as one, but over the past ten years we have grown apart over issues such as the war, politics, and so forth.  So for one day it was deeply inspiring to see us all go back to how it was ten years ago.

Fashion Fabulous

     

Lately I find myself digging into my closet to find classically baggy tops.  I've always been inspired by the 60's and 70's clothing, but it just hit me hard this September.  Having just watched the first episode of the latest season of The Rachel Zoe Project last night I'm even more in awe of the glamourous stylist.  Clearly she has a gift that I aim at coping, even the tiniest bit would transform my style/closet/appearance.  Not only are loose fitting clothes ridiculously comfortable, but at the moment I find them amazingly fabulous to complete my outfits.  Now if your preggers or trying to hide a weight gain they without a doubt help, but that's not my reason for automatically going to them this Fall.  I think it adds a touch of mystery to one's appearance.  Instead of showing off everything we have in tight revealing clothes, the looseness leaves somethings to the imagination.  And being mysterious is never a bad thing.  In addition, my eye makeup in the past month has definitely reached a Twiggy effect (model from the 50's/60's era) my adding large amounts of mascara I think I've almost perfected this look without having to add falsies.  Further more, while adding to my girl crush, I must add Kristen Stewart's latest cover shoot for W magazine.  If you haven't got a glimpse of it yet then I recommend running to your nearest Barnes and Noble to grab a copy.  She looks unrecognizable, like a Blue Lagoon version of Brooke Shields.  Which is another topic of inspiration I'll reach another time.  Kristen's eye makeup along with that Bridget Bardot hair is making my mouth water with envy.  It's a good thing I'm getting my hair done tomorrow because these pictures are defiantly being shown to my hair dresser!     

Become Your Dream

"Become your dream" written words from a central park walker.  I was in New York for my very first time this past Spring.  When my brother was showing my around the city one of my main destination spots to visit, of course, was central park.  While we were walking and he was pointing things out to me I noticed somebody had written in chalk on the sidewalk "become your dream."  These words were so random to just walk upon but as a person who believes in fate/things happen for a reason it meant more to me.  For one, why did some random person write this down in the middle of a park?  And why this specific statement?  Did they perhaps need inspiration that nothing or no one was giving them?  I'd like to think that whomever wrote this was in a giving mood and wanted to give a word of advice to uninspired people in the world.  Another reason I was/am really inspired by this is its simplicity.  Chalk and a saying was all it took to stir up one's emotions, inspiration, and drive.  Who knows how many people read and were inspired by this or how many changed their entire lives because they read this one day.  So as cheesy as this first post may be, live life to its fullest.  Its a short journey and if we don't "become (our) dream" then what is the point?