Absent Note

It's been a while! Lately I've been pretty busy. I work 50+ hours a week, explore my new city, write to my pen pals, watch a lot of Netflix and Hulu+ on the Apple tv with Andrew... you know, important tasks. Honestly, I don't think I will ever become a consistent blogger. I've been really enjoying my time away from the internet, and while I peruse my Bloglovin' feed almost daily, I like to keep that time to an hour or less to focus on real life. My blog is more like a journal, and at times my outlet to share more creative endeavors like crafts and favorite outfits and such. I don't think I'll ever have a blog routine, or scheduled posts, or a consistent weekly feature. But, whatever right? Who cares. I'm here when I'm here and that's what counts.

Here's some more of what I've been up to lately!

 

Hanging out with Melanie, Sam and Alex a few times a week has become one of my most favorite past times. I'm so happy that Melanie and I found each other. We're instant friends in the most genuine way. We call each other "kindreds", because we are kindred spirits. We like to work on projects, watch movies, drink fancy beers, and just hang. It's the best, and Sammy the basset hound is just icing on the friendship cake. 

Friend art is the best art.

Oatmeal squares & Sabrina.

Pete Campbell, I can't hate you.

If loafing around my apartment with this boy and making hilarious videos with the VidRhythm app wasn't a notable activity before, it certainly has become one. It's yet another one of my favorite things to do. I've been nesting lately. Adding pieces (like free geometric shaped wall hangings from my store's last floor set, Halloween decorations, and cute baby succulents re-potted into thrift store glassware) to the walls and the table tops. I spent a good part of the weekend intensely cleaning, and last night as I was getting ready for bed, I took a look around the apartment. It's warm and cozy and reflects a lot of our interests and tastes. There are things like exposed wires and the lack of a kitchen table that I would change, but regardless, I love our home. Our friend James has been sending us some of his art, which I adore and we display it wherever possible.

Revived an old charm for a new necklace

 

I have been doing my fair share of shopping. Working for Urban Outfitters has a lot of perks, especially this month because of Employee Appreciation. Mel and I got drinks and pizza at Whiskey Kitchen on Friday and then did some shopping at Urban in The Gulch. I only needed a few pieces to spruce up my fall wardrobe (which has already been my favorite part of my closet). The temperature has dropped here a little bit in Nashville, and today I'm wearing tights and boots and a cardigan (last photo above was taken this morning), and my new favorite shirt which Melanie actually bought for me because I'm driving her to the airport next week. She's the cutest. I'm stoked on this entire outfit.

We're ready for fall at Free People too! All of the new fall items are so lovely.
It really is the most wonderful time of the year.

Aside from autumn (and crisp air and falling leaves and pumpkin spice and Halloween and sweaters), I am also excited for: a new car come September 1st!, birthday season (my dads, my sisters, and Andrews), more hikes and bikes and kettle bells, a Nashville coffee shop tour, dog sitting Sammy while Melanie and Alex are on vacation, my Romwe mysterious universe skirt to arrive at my door, and my cousin's wedding in Manhattan! yay!

Thanks for taking the time to catch up with me! What have you been up to? And what are you excited for?!

Last Week on Instagram

Patterns, Miles, vintage signs

pen pals, gifts, Breaking Bad

Sammy, breakfast, postcards

<3

New Homes

 

 

 

 Some more of our furniture and things were delivered this week, and the feel of our apartment has been coming along nicely. I'm so happy that Andrew and I both get to have our respective creative spaces - though tonight we just colored in my sketchbook on the living room floor with a 24 pack of Crayola's. Andrew's sister, Laurie (who is actually one of the few people who I know reads this - hi Laurie!) said that my space is so much more soothing than Andrew's, which is funny, and also true. My "office" doesn't really have a theme, I just hung up a bunch of stuff that I liked (my Lemuria set list needed to be displayed) that also inspires me and makes me feel good. I think all we really need is a couch and some curtains and we can start feeling really at home here.

Every day I wake up and head out, I'm so thrilled to be somewhere fresh and new. I felt a little bit homesick when I started listening to a friends band while driving the other day, but it went away pretty quickly. I'm excited to make more friends and further explore our new city. A cashier the other day gave me back my ID and said "This is a long way from home!" to which I replied "Yeah, but this is home now.", and it felt good.

Home is where the heart is :)

Last Week on Instagram

One of my most significant recaps yet!

Remember how excited I was about that little baby top knot? Yeah, then I went and cut all of my hair right off. The transition was painless and easy for me, and I love my new hair (or lack thereof)


On Sunday, I packed out my little Jetta and ventured down I-81 South to start my move to Nashville. I stayed over in Virginia with Andrew's sister, Michelle. She fed me and let me sleep for a very long time. The next day, I drove 600 miles into Tennessee and after two very large iced coffees, I finally made it! I was so pumped to see Andrew, as well as Laurie and Ed. It's really nice having family here, makes the transition a bit easier.

On Monday, we got our keys and moved into our BEAUTIFUL apartment. It's the perfect size for the two of us, and everything is so new and clean. After living in basement apartments and college houses, it feels so good to have a place to really call my own.


So, we don't have any furniture or a TV set yet, but we're having fun just laying on the living room floor and watching Netflix. We've become excellent bargain shoppers and our cabinets and fridge are stocked. I'm in such a comfortable place, despite my lack of a couch. Or anywhere to sit that isn't our (very comfy, brand new king sized) bed. :)


Yesterday we ventured downtown for the first time since I visited last year. Walked over the pedestrian bridge into Cumberland park and sat for a while. And then we drove to 8th Ave. South to browse at Pre to Post Modern. Such great stuff there!

Last night we hung out at Andrew's friend Paul's house. It was nice and instantly calmed my fear of getting out there and meeting new people. Plus drinking a tall boy by a fire gave me an immediate familiar sense of "home". I'm truly enjoying every minute I've been spending here, and it's only just begun.

xo, Corinne

Last Week

Andrew got a tour of our apartment building and so graciously is handing over the sun room to me. It will be my office and my craft room and I will set up my record player in there and thrift a big cozy chair and live happily ever after. I am so excited to move in, you have no idea.

Zoe and I had a nice rainy Sunday, part of which I spent listening to records.

Ainsley led me on to travelmath.com, and now I know precisely how much my road trip to Nashville will cost! One less thing to worry about (the whole driving 17 hours alone thing is now my one and only worry)

Monday was Administrative Professional's day and my boss treated us to lunch and COLDSTONE! Got a really large size and birthday cake remixed it all week.

Ali and I ate cheeseburgers by the bay on Tuesday.

Can I talk about Nashville any more?! I made a countdown on my phone using big day lite. Fourteen days!

Today I was treated to brunch and my first bloody mary at Fifth Season thanks to my mom and my aunt Kandy. Then we went to this rad store downport where my aunt had me choose some healing stones. I picked out blue lace agate (A gentle, calming stone that engenders tranquility. Blue lace agate brings with this calm and tranquility a lessening of anger, even deep anger issues, and a calming of nervousness) and rhodochrosite (A stone that integrates physical and spiritual energies, stimulating love and passion while energising the soul. Rhodochrosite opens the heart, lifting depression and encouraging a positive and cheerful outlook.  It improves self-worth and soothes emotional stress. Rhodochrosite encourages a positive attitude, creativity and innovation, and enhances dream states.)

I can't believe I only have two weeks left on Long Island! It's a strange, but really really refreshing feeling. Andrew and I talk about our new apartment every day. I already bought sheets for our brand new king sized bed (!!!!!) and he's been so good with picking up housewares that we're going to need. Aside from our physical living situation, I just cannot wait to be in a brand new city, in a brand new state, and moving forward completely with our lives. Ahhh! I'm so excited.

xo, Corinne

Me in Manhattan

Yesterday I had a total "me day". The kind where you go into the city, visit a museum, stroll around the most beautiful park ever, have some drinks during happy hour, watch one of your favorite bands since forever perform, eat pizza, and meet Macaulay Culkin.

I MET MACAULAY CULKIN.

At the MoMa.
The one celebrity I care enough about to frame a photo of for my room. Yep, met him.

Photo sets to come! Me and my Canon had a really pretty day.

Weekend Update: St. Patty's & * Thoughts *

St. Patrick's Day weekend was a beautiful one to have my family home and celebrating. As you can see, we celebrated the "traditional" way. McSorley's was my grandfathers favorite beer, and it's very good, and we've been drinking it in his memory since he passed. I don't think he'd really have it any other way. Joking around with my dad and endless hugs from my mom made for a really nice time. I miss them so much when they're in North Carolina, but it makes their homecoming that much better, and it's going to be great when I'm in Nashville because I'll be about ten hours closer! We've already chosen a meeting place in Gatlinburg near the Old Smoky Mountains. I cannot wait for the family weekends to come.

Source

I've been doing some thinking about this here blog, and it's content. It kinda hit me tonight when I realized that I do not have the time, nor the desire to become a real "blogger". I thought I did, and I would feel like I was letting myself down when I'd go weeks without a real post, but once I realized that it's because I'm living my life.. I let myself off the hook. Julie at Orchid Grey wrote a great entry about this same thing recently. And I've decided that I'm going balls to the wall, starting right now, to work hard at all of my goals again. I've lost some focus. I'm going to get my body in the shape that I know it can be in (started day one of my new fitness regimen tonight! Feels good!). I'm going to create, for me, and not just to have something to share here (though I will still be doing that, I haven't been drawing or writing as much as I wish I was. I feel I've actually dumbed myself down to make my content universally reader friendly and that sucks). I'm not going to post just to post. That's silly and if I were aiming for success here, that's not the way to do it. I'll post an outfit here or there, like I have been. I'm going to share my thrift store wonders and my favorite songs and things I make with my hands.. but when there's some quality behind it, when it's not forced, and on my own time. And I'm not sure why I felt the need to publish this thought, but at least it's honest and really that's all I'm going for. That's the point.

Next time my email disappoints me because there aren't any new comments from the blog to read, I'm going to slap myself.

See you soon :)

In like a lion, out like a lamb

It's been quiet on the blog front this week. A lot of it has to do with ten hour work days in front of a computer at my job. When I get home, the last thing I want to do is sit and stare at a little screen. I've been crocheting bows, making pen pal presents, and spending a lot of quality time with friends. On Sunday, I got my hair colored. I couldn't wait for it to grow out to try the ombre thing. Photos of Alexa Chung and Drew Barrymore helped me lock in my decision for the change. We're going to go lighter with it in a few weeks. I've been having blonde fever for a while.

Andrew and I have been spending a lot of nice time together too. We walked around Port Jeff the other day, got iced coffee and sat by the water for a little, and he made dinner for me on Friday night. It was really nice. I'm kind of holding onto my time with him with a tight grip because... he's moving! To Tennessee. In three weeks. And then you know what...

I'M MOVING. TO TENNESSEE. IN MAY.

So as you can see, I've been a little bit busy lately. With Nashville daydreams and crafts and yarn and what not. And I'm really excited for Spring. My birthday is on Thursday, daylight savings is on the 11th, and there's so much good to come. <3

What's Up, Pup?

Last week, on Instagram..



From my shoots with Ashley. Can't wait to team up again!

Stephanie's jewelry box is one I'd love to raid borrow from.

I love when my boy friends wear lipstick and then kiss me.
Are you guys sick of seeing this dress yet?


Hang over hangs.

Naps with Zoe <3

Never thought I'd buy another graphic tee again in my life, but this one was so hard to pass up. I love Cameron Frye.

Andrew took me on a sweet little Valentine's date, because he flew to Nashville today and will be gone on the 14th. He's apartment hunting for us. Fingers are crossed so hard you don't even know!

xo, Corinne