Be Sure To Wear Some Flowers in Your Hair

I found an awesome tutorial by way of WhipUp. It's a picture tute and there is a written one on the author's blog, Still Dottie. It is a flower hair decoration/accessory or whatever you want to call it. I thought that this was pretty cute and awesome and knew that I had all the materials needed.

Materials used:

Scraps of silk dupioni from last year's Halloween Costume
Pearls previously bought for some unknown reason
Hair clip from a hair flower that was no longer useable
Felt
Cut up used gift card
Hot glue
Thread

Oh Plans, So Many of Them

I know, I've been MIA.

But that's because I've been focusing on the really important things in life. Like trying to get my career going. The truth is that I don't have one yet, which I know is okay. But I sure do feel like I'm getting a slow start.

I finally figured out, this year, what I want to do. I had quit going to school for my Bachelor's Degree in political science about 2 years ago. I just didn't have it in me anymore. Thankfully, I never actually quit school. I enrolled at a local community college and took some fashion classes and decided that I really wanted to do nursing. Well I took an intro course on gerontology because I was thinking of doing geriatrics and I wanted to learn how to understand the older generations a bit better. This class really stuck with me and I have decided to get my Master's Degree in gerontology. Good news is that I have finally decided to finish my political science degree so I can get my Master's, and the public policy and statistics knowledge that I have gained from it has actually helped with the gerontology courses anyways.

I am taking two gerontology classes right now, will be taking four more next semester and will be starting back at the university in April. I should have my Gerontology Certificate and my Bachelor's by the end of 2009. And then it's time to apply to grad school and nursing school! I am super excited and cannot wait to help make a difference in other people's lives, as well as my own!

So I guess this means I will not have as many things to show for here. But we shall see... In the meanwhile, I did make a super yummy shrimp cocktail the other night! So at least I'm still dabbling in the cooking arena.

This Year's Halloween Costume

So I decided on Monday what I wanted to be for Halloween. A Beatles Fan! I had the perfect vintage dress from the 60's, glasses, looked up some videos and tutes on styling a beehive hairstyle, and made a sign.



Well... Turns out that I decided to nix the glasses, because I put them on and was immediately reminded of a certain female vice presidential candidate... And I did NOT want that.


Ha ha oh well! But my costume was a success, everyone knew exactly what I was. I was kind of scared people (especially the younger ones) would not get it, but they did! I guess that it may have helped that I did go to West Hollywood. I agree with it being described as the world's biggest Halloween party. It was amazing and everyone was so nice and happy! I cannot wait to go next year! Already planning the next costume!

So I Had To...

I bought the shiney, leathery leggings. I had been eying them for quite some time and Sara over at Script&Serif finally convinced me! I think they are absolutely great and to be honest with you, fit it quite well with the LA fashion scene. I now need to find some more tops/tunics/dresses to go with them. Maybe I'll even be able to make some!

Purse

I am taking a Beginning Sewing Class at school. I must say, it is quite easy. Only three projects in one semester! I was the second person to finish the first project... A purse. It's made from a shiny denim and the pink optical cotton print that I bought from Reprodepot a while ago.

Inside

I have decided to give it to my very good friend Christen. I think she'll like it. Besides, she needs a bit of color in her ALL black wardrobe! I hope it comes in handy for her, she just got hired as a Physician's Assistant!

Knits and Bakes.

So I finished a knit something! After almost 2 years, I have finally finished Wendy from Knit and Tonic's Dream Swatch Head Scarf thingy. I knit it with Plymouth Yarn Royal Bamboo in silver. The yarn is so smooth and shiny and looks great in my hair! Tee hee...

I did some baking also. Pretzels and Lemon Sheet Cake.

No Staycations for Me!

Okay, so I haven't been doing any sewing at all... I know, for shame! I have done a little bit of knitting here and there and mostly baking. But really not a lot of this has been done in itself because I went on a road trip!

Me and my honey definitely did not want to take a "staycation" this year. I think they could get a bit boring, I mean really, I take a staycation every weekend, don't I? Yeah gas is high, especially in California, but who does not deserve a little rest and relaxation with nature? We decided to take a weeklong camping trip up the California coast. Boy, was it amazing! I don't think I have seen so many different animals on a vacation in my life! And mind you, my parents took us on two to three week long camping trips every year when my brother and I were littleuns. Of course back then we had a trailer. This time around we took the trusty ol' tent, and my car...

We drove up Highway 1 (Pacific Coast Highway) most of the way. This has got to be one of the most gorgeous highways ever! There were so many places to stop off and look at the rolling hills, beautiful mountains, craggy cliffs and expansive ocean.

I planned the vacation only a week ahead of time. Hee hee... I know, it was so scary planning on such short notice! We started out driving in Santa Monica and drove all the way up to Santa Barbara to this small campground called Gaviota the first day.

Gaviota State Beach: Campsite, Sideways stone, Sunset, More Sideways Stone, Pelican.

The following day we went to Solvang, a nice little Dutch town with lots of touristy places and activities and then we drove up to San Simeon. San Simeon is home to the lovely Hearst Castle. We went there because I knew my honey would love it. He was not as fortunate as me as a child and he did not get to go traveling like me, so I try to show him things that I have already seen and that I know he would love. Even I learned all kinds of new things! The last time I took this trip I was 11 years old! We found out that W.R. Hearst even owned zebras at his castle and we saw the descendents of those zebras grazing by our campground! It was so strange, yet exciting to see African animals in California...

Solvang & San Simeon State Park: Windmill, meatball sandwich with mashed potatoes and pickled cabbage, the Red Viking Restaurant in Solvang, random sea creatures at San Simeon.

Hearst Castle & San Simeon: The Neptune Pool, Castle gardens, the creepy indoor pool, The Castle from afar, zebras, elephant seals.

We next drove up to Big Sur; which was recently devastated by massive fires. Thankfully the fires did not destroy the town, and I cannot help but think that nature was doing its job as it so often does. I forgot that there are so many cliffs here and winding roads! The pine trees next to the ocean baffled me! We ate at a nice little lodge called the Fernwood Resort. They had great homemade food and bloody mary's.

Pacific Coast Highway & Big Sur: A viewpoint, the burnt mountain from our campsite, more viewpoints.

Then we went off to the Redwoods via Monterey. We took the 17 Mile Drive in Carmel and then we stopped at Cannery Row (made famous by one of my favorite authors) and visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Let's just say that I think everyone should go here to learn about conservation, animals, the ocean and sharing among so many other things. What a wonderfully educational and fun place this aquarium is.

The 17 Mile Drive: Spanish Bay, Bird Rock, Bird Rock rock, Ghost Tree, a Cypress.

Monterey Bay: Canadian Geese, Jellies x 3, Penguins, Cannery Row.

The Redwoods were nice, we drove up this tiny, twisty road just to stay at our campground, Big Basin Redwoods State Park, which was outside of Santa Cruz. It was so beautiful and foresty, but some rascals, or more specifically, raccoons somehow got into our ice chest at night and snatched our bread! But I guess that's my fault for being too lazy to put the bread back in the car...

San Jose & San Fran: Winchester Mystery House and Alcatraz from Fisherman's Wharf.

The next day we got up and went to see the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose and then drove up to San Francisco and had dinner at Neptune's Palace on Pier 39 on the Wharf. I had not been to San Francisco since I was about 9 years old, and I must say that I loved Fisherman's Wharf! I only wish we had more the 5 hours to spend there. We did have to get going to out last destination, Fremont Peak State Park, before our long 6 hour drive home!

San Francisco & San Jose: Coit Tower, Player Piano, Sea Lions, view from Fremont Peak, Apple Farm in San Jose.

All in all we had a wonderful trip. It was very relaxing not to think about work, even if it was for a brief week. If anyone wants a new trip to take I recommend taking one up the California Coast, even if you have kids, I did this one with my parents when I was about 6 years old!