Liebster Award!

~not my image~

Grace Anne, guys. She is a whirlwind of sparkles and love and she nominated me for the Liebster Award!! (THANKS LOVELY) I am super excited to do this, so here we go!!

RULES

1. Thank the blogger who nominated you.

2. Share the award on your blog.

3. Answer the ten questions you were asked.

4. Nominate at least ten other bloggers.

5. Ask ten new questions.

GRACE ANNE'S QUESTIONS

1. What is the book you've read most often?

Ok. I used to be extremely mega obsessed with the Percy Jackson series. Like, really, *really* obsessed. So obsessed I didn't sleep, eat, or even breathe until I was able to force my brother into reading them too (jaaaaaaaykaaaaaaaaay I did breathe guys... and sleep.....and eat.....) So probably any of those five books.

2. What is your favorite childhood memory?

Oh, SO many. But one memory does stick out in my mind. When I was like, I dunno, five, six, seven... around there. We rented this gorgeous house that was literally on the water and stayed there with my cousins for a few days. I remember kayaking with my family and playing in the hot tub or even just running around in this yellow sundress I'd stolen from one of my cousins. Good times. x)

3. What is the biggest lesson you've learned from blogging?

Commitment. Time management. Being more confident. Anything along those lines, really.

4. Worst book that you have ever read?

Oh man.... I'd have to think about that... Actually, okay, I read one of my brother's comic books once, I think it was one of those Diary of a Wimpy Kid books? And that was pretty terrible. Don't judge me, it was a time of temporary insanity. And I don't have anything against comic books, I'm a sucker for Calvin and Hobbes. But that particular comic book could definitely be filed under "Worst Book I've Ever Read". 

5. Go-to outfit?

Oooh. Leggings and a flannel. Or leggings and a t-shirt, depending on the season.

6. What is your favorite hot beverage?

A really good cup of tea. Yes. It can't be a weak cup of tea, like a wanna-be cup of tea. It's got to be a really good cuppa.
I also like mochas, though...

7. Who was the last person you texted and what was it about?

My mom. Telling her I'd been to Subway for lunch.
And if you were wondering, it was delicious.
I bet you were all wondering that.
You're welcome.

8. How would your friends describe you?

*calls every friend asking this question*
Probably crazy. Insane. Both are accurate.

9. What are five things you like about yourself?

-I like my eyes. My eyes are pretty cool-looking.
-I like that I've gotten a lot more confident over the years.
-I like that my top-most goal in life is to have a good relationship with God
-I like that I love to read.
-I like that I'm looking to do something creative with my life.

10. What is your motto?

"One day at a time."


I NOMINATE

Emma
Vanessa
Monica
Olivia
Claire
Jo
 Josie
Emma Grace
Katie

Elizabeth


MY QUESTIONS

1. What/who is something/someone that inspires you daily?
2. If you could travel to anywhere, where would you go and what would you do?
3. What comes to your mind when you hear the phrase, "Going to my happy place"?
4. What was the last movie you saw in theaters and what did you think of it?
5. What is your favorite season?
6. What are your favorite things about blogging?
7. What advice would you give to your younger self?
8. What is your favorite memory?
9. Pancakes or waffles? (THE ULTIMATE QUESTION)
10. If you had a time machine, what time period would you travel to?

Thanks again, Grace Anne, for nominating me! Had such a blast with this. And if you'd like to do this tag but don't see your name above, do it anyways! Leave me a link in the comments to I can check it out :)

Characters and Collages (and how obsessed I am with both).

I'm out of the weird funk I was in a few days ago which produced my latest (rather depressing) post. So now I'm back here with exciting news!! (I dunno how excited y'all will be about it, but I'm excited so it's cool) 

I made. another. character collage. 
another one. 
is this normal. 

My first one I did a looong while back for the first ever novel I finished. It felt like quite an accomplishment at the time, but the last time I read it, I think I went into a brief coma from crying over how terrible it was (I doubt that's actually how comas work...). I needed a lot of chocolate to recover from that. 

This was my first one: 

I'm still rather emotionally attached to these four, but I think I gave them all a happy ending. I'm so nice.  

This next one I made when I was writing during NaNo 2015. I haven't even finished the first draft of that one, and it's just sitting in my computer gathering virtual dust. Maybe someday I'll pull it out of the abyss that is my procrastination and finish it (and edit it??). 

I really liked the concept for this story and its a shame I have no motivation to finish it right now. 

I'm realizing now that all my protagonists have been girls. My whole life. I guess it's cuz I am a girl, so it's easier for me to write about girls. I suppose I'll write a story with a male protagonist some day. That'll be interesting. 

So this is the one I made yesterday. These are the characters I'm most attached to and have worked the longest with. I finished the first draft last fall (took me over a year. #ProcrastinationFTW) Now I'm working on the second draft by doing Camp NaNo, which has been immensely helpful. I'm not writing as quickly as I'd like, but I'm ahead of where I should be by a few thousand words, which is great. 

Of course, non of these pictures are mine. Thank you, Pinterest, for being wonderful. 

also, I'm in love with Chloe's hair. It's so freaking cool. 

Fun little background story: I spend copious amounts of time trying to decide whether Brady's name was Brady or Bradley. I don't think I ever *officially* came to a decision as to which worked better, I just started using Brady and now even if I wanted to change it, it's too embedded in my brain. He's Brady and that's that now. 
Plus I put him through a heck of a lot. Changing his name now would be cruel. 

My stomach is loudly telling me that I'm hungry, but I also want to start thinking about a book review I'm planning for a future post (keep an eye out for that)(or don't and be surprised, that's good too.)
Happy Tuesday!

Trapped By Negative Voices.

I'm stuck in a phase where everything I can't do frustrates me. It's not good. I wrote about seven-hundred words today and gave up with a loud groan, wanting to melt into a puddle of despair. 

I've been reading a lot lately and just being totally awe-struck by how amazingly talented all these people are. I know it's not healthy to focus on all the things you can't do but I'm stuck in this phase where that's literally all I do. It's really bad and not healthy and I love writing and dancing and music and all these different things, but I can't make myself do any of it because a stupid little voice in the back of my mind keeps telling me I'm not good and never will be. 

this picture is so irrelevant but its so pretty x)

Guys, you're all beautiful. You're all loved. You're all talented. Don't let those little voices tell you otherwise. Shut them up. If you love something and think you're no good, that should just be motivation to keep trying, not to give up.

Abbiee wrote a beautiful song called "Mirror Girl" which basically just captures everything I'm feeling at the moment. I see now her inspiration to write it in a way I didn't before. 

I was trying to write the other day too. But the only thing I wrote was "Everything I can't do frustrates me." 

I need to get out of this. It feels like a cage and I don't have the key. 

:: :: :: 

I left this post sitting for a few hours and now that I've come back to it, it looks dreadfully depressing. I'm sorry for being a bit of a downer today. :p

But this is a real problem, so I guess I'm here now to say YOU'RE SUCH A BEAUTIFUL HUMAN BEING!! Because it's a nice thing to hear :). And I hope you believe me. You've got a light in you, and "if you are who you're supposed to be, you will set the world ablaze!" (-St. Catherine of Sienna) Don't become trapped by negative voices. It's just a cage that keeps growing stronger if you let it. 

You're beautiful. God loves you. Be happy. :)

Hello July!

My goodness, time flies faster than I can handle. 2016 is half-way over! How on earth is that possible?? 

JUNE IN REVIEW

June. June. Juuuuuune. Maybe if I keep saying it my brain won't process that it's over?? 

June was weirdly an intense month.

I applied for my first job (haven't heard back yet, but that's okay because there's this cafe I'm interested in working at... more on that later...) 

We had the Annual End of the Year Dance at school, which usually is a glow-in-the-dark dance, but this year it was a luau, and I was a bit skeptical at first, but it turned out to be a ton of fun. 

There was also the My Fair Lady cast party. 

I started dancing againnnnnnn 

I'm also slowly trying to teach myself ukulele? 

Signed up for Camp NaNo 

Saw a bunch of family and little cousins x)

... This is really random, but there was one week where I drank multiple Shirley Temples and Arnold Palmers because... they're delicious? But I never do that, but it was a special occasion I suppose. 


In other news, Camp NaNo has begun!! Forgive me if I don't post a ton this month, I'll do my best. If I'm absent for a while, just assume I'm huddled in a dark room somewhere in my pajamas wrapped in a cocoon of blankets, blinking the sleep away from my eyes in the blinding light of the laptop where I am writing the second draft of this story that's haunted my life for almost three years now... drinking an inordinate amount of tea... and eating PopTarts...

Yup. That's where I'll be x) 
Happy July guys!! 
(And Happy [almost] Independence Day) 
(The above doesn't apply to you if you live in a different country, but if you do live in a different country, particularly somewhere in Europe, just know I'm immensely jealous and I forever wish I could be as cool as you x)