imperfections.

sometimes i like to just sit down and paint.

sunday was one of those days.

we call her 'sunday imperfection.'

i really like her.

when i got done, i sat back and almost found my yogi self in her.

being able to have time for creativity is the greatest.

it's rare that i have those weekend hours to just have a cup of tea or iced coffee, stretch out in my comfies, and create a painting or art project.

someday i'm gonna take up ceramics.

i think i need to quit making that statement about the future and just take one already.

"emily, if you don't make time for something, you are not making it a priority." (repeat, repeat, repeat)

enjoy your wednesday my friends.

now let's both go out and try something that we've been wanting to do for a while.

ready, go.

watercolors.

when i am not exercising my sciency-nursing brain i like to watercolor paint.

it's relaxing, creative, and an easy little hobby with minimal setup.

(via)

a few of my recent doodles.

nothing to write home about but a fun little creative outlet.

do you paint? sculpt? craft?

nursing + crafting.

like every other nursing student, i have a little stress in my life.

one of the ways that i have found helpful for calming my (ridiculously crazy) nerves is a bedtime ritual.

i light my capri blue volcano candle, brew a cup of lavender chamomile or mint tea, spray my lavender spray, and chill out in my bed with the lights off while i do something non-school related.

it has become 'my thing' and i really like it.

in efforts to give some of my nursing friends a little bit of 'relaxation in a package', i conjured up a crafty and grad school budget idea to put together lavender nursing sachets, my favorite herbal teas, and a candle in a mug for their six week break enjoyment.

and here they are.

nothing says 'thank you for all of your support, poop jokes, study guides, pre-sunrise clinical carpooling, and friendship' like a little handmade, red cross, lavender sachet.

happy holidays to all my nursing friends- may you sleep a little better knowing that 4:30am alarms are still two months away!

wrap it up.

gosh, i just love the christmas season.

everything just seems better in red and green with hot chocolate, jingle bells, and good company.

in combination with mondays post on gift giving, i find it fitting to introduce you to some of my favorite and potential gift wrapping solutions for this years presents.

the crafty, paper lover in me likes for the outside of the present to be just as well put together and beautiful as the gift. super cute wrapping inspiration, right?

(via my holiday pinterest board)

so put on some 'bing crosby holiday' pandora music and get to wrapping my friends!

advent inspiration.

in our family, we love the christmas countdown. 

there are always quite a few advent calendars, countdown signs, and other measures of the closeness of christmas all around our house.

as we speak, i am working on a little-itty-bitty advent calendar for my apartment until i head home for the break.

hope you enjoy the advent calendar inspiration-

i must still be a child because the anticipation of christmas eve and day is almost too much for me.

simple love notes

red envelope wall

an ornament a day

clothespin packages

photo reveal

pop on over to one of these sites and make yourself a fun little one-

there are still a few days until the 1st.

happy advent crafting!

vision.

recently, i have been inundated with newness.

everyday is a new thing, new person, new adventure, new lesson, new something.

i am at the peak of my 'want to change the world/healthcare/peoples lives/etc' and i promise myself daily that i will remember this fire that i have for nursing and carry it on into my life, despite the callous and jaded approach that many seasoned professional acquire.

i want change, hope, newness, and innovation daily.

i am flooding over with project ideas, healthcare practices, educational tidbits, and random thoughts.

thus, i have decided to vision board.

it think its my only way to narrow down my ideas and focus a little bit of my crazy creativity that i have pent up from all of the time that i spend doing scientific, technical, specific focus type school work.

this weekend, it shall begin and i hope to keep it as a way to collectively work towards all my goals and hopes. 

i found a few pretty awesome ones on pinterest that may serve as my inspiration.

more to come.

maybe you want to give it a try too?

happy visioning!

life lately.

iPhone pictures to fill you in on the non-studying time.

let's be honest, nothing is too exciting around here- just lots of studying:)

fabulous birthday gifts.

my beautiful new wrap watch, farmers market tote, and orchid.

in addition to lots of other great things!

 little strolls here and there to grab a coffee or groceries.

and a little sunday brunch and trip to the ferry building with a friend (al!) on sunday was a pleasant break.

 i heard nursing will drive you to drinking but so far nursing school has driven me to painting.

when you lay in bed and repeat the classification, brand name, trade name, indications, dosage, pharmacokinetics, side effects, adverse effects, special nursing consideration forty times over before you fall asleep, getting out of bed and getting your mind off of drugs (that sounds good- not) isn't such a bad idea.

i now have a little collection of 6x6 inch watercolors.

plus it's a fun little switch from pathophysiology and pharmacology.

nothing too fancy- just being a nursing student most of the time- and loving it!

study break.

pinteresting as a study break and finding some awesome crafts and projects.

gonna gather up some supplies from my craft cabinet (that i left at home- what a shame) next weekend when im in slo for easter and bring them back to sf to do for some study breaks.

already excited.

jewelry holder.

paper crafts.

succulent, bulb, and herb planting.

wall decor.

just to gather a few together for your enjoyment.

more ideas found on my pinterest.

check it out- and check me out on 'find me elsewhere' on the right side of my blog.

im such a little social media wanna-be.

have a great tuesday! happy pinteresting!

leap year post.

random ramblings for wednesday, february 29th.

::: another 'fave find' that i will share with you later this week. an incredible art store right around the corner that some how finds its way into almost everything i do now... art class? bored at home? wishing i wasn't studying? blog inspiration? they all lead me to believe that i may need to make a few purchases and have an art day this weekend.

::: pathophysiology and pharmacology. you tricky devils you. i am quite positive that i have cumulatively made more flashcards in the past six weeks than over my whole life. too bad i aced your first test. boom roasted.

::: slight addiction to all things involving photosynthesis. succulents, herb pots, raised bed miniature garden via pinterest, hanging crate plants. i think 'sloat' did this to me and now all of a sudden i am only drawn to the apartments online that have garden/backyard access or large porches. maybe a trip to the 'japanese tea gardens' in golden gate park this weekend?

::: shots. (a year ago this would be a different kind) but for now, a painful amount of shots yesterday has me feeling yucky and achey (i guess last years kind does the same thing) but really, the kind with the needle. thanks for humbling me usf student clinic after i learned how cool it was to give them last week. officially grounded again.

::: shout out to my walnut girls, b, han, and the fam in slo. especially since you guys are the only ones reading this. miss you all and fyi you're awesome.

::: scrolled thru my entire blog the other day and was pleasantly surprised to be able to look back a year or two or three ago to see what i was up too. pretty cool embition, pretty cool.

::: remember how i told you i was getting off crutches, well not so much. still on them (super lame). yes, i am on week eight. but get to start physical therapy next week. hallelujah for movement.

::: an overwhelming amount of indulgences this past weekend served me well but has shot my motivation to do anything productive this week. thin mint girl scout cookies, instyle magazine purchase, girl dinner date, oscars cheese and wine night, farmers market veggie buys, and first experience with a cappuccino on a wonderful brunch outing (i love caffiene). studying doesn't quite compare when you put it next to those goodies. too bad emily, its time to study again.

happy leap year!

whoops.

so maybe i was supposed to be studying and i got a little side-tracked and found some christmas inspiration. but can you blame me? its frank sinatra, dean martin, and bing crosby's fault.

left-to-right and top-then-bottom

1. dyi advent calendar

2. herbal homemade fire starters

3. perfect christmas sugar cookies

4. rosemary wreath

5. cranberry scones

6. kitchen rosemary trees

7. homemade marshmallows 

8. diy craft tape stocking and tree cards

9. diy glittered decorative stars

10. salted caramels and perfect packaging 

(all found on my pinterest)

happy decorating/crafting/baking/holidaying!

officially a gawker.

i have a new problem.

i gawk way too much.

if you haven't heard of the gawker sites... you should probably check them out.

they are super addicting and a great way to get some inspiration.

foodgawker

craftgawker

dwellinggawker

weddinggawker

just a warning tho. hours may fly by and you may lose sleep over their greatness.

hope you enjoy them as much as i do!

happy inspiring!

today is beautiful

today, sunday, may 23rd has been a great day. heres a few of the reasons why...

.got to wake up without an alarm and go for a swim with my mewy (roomie). best of all i was done working out and ready to tackle the day by 10am.

.went back to the old coffee shop stomping grounds in PCV peets where i lived last year and had a fabulous iced soy latte.

.ive been watching every penny and today i got in on a good bargain. i "won" this liberty for london wallet on ebay. its originally fifteen dollars from target but i got it for thirteen and a few with shipping. horray!.

.took a trip to beverly's craft store and bought a canvas on sale for five dollars. what shall i paint?.

.splurged at world market for these "essentials". i love them so much and they are perfect for argentina! i only wish i was had some time to make these myself. next time.

aren't those the cutest little sunglass bag and jewelry holder that you've ever seen!?!

.mom and dad bought a baked brie with almonds and sun-dried tomatoes wrapped in buttery pastry dough over for dinner. heaven.

.now i am sitting in my great room, with a fancy new birthday candle that smells amazing, crafting a bit, drinking hot tea, and brandon is coming over to say a sweet goodnight!.

god sure blessed me! have a happy and productive week!

mayday, mayday

you guessed it! its time for this mays monthly loves. ive been in "planning mode" big time recently for summer jobs, argentina, grad school, and anything else that i can schedule into a planner or make a to-do list out of, but here are a few things that i am finding pleasure in this month!

:::iguazu falls! i just got a bunch of buenos aires and argentina books in the mail and they have taken over my life. i am more than excited! i want to do everything... im not sleeping for the six weeks there i decided. but iguazu falls, really? i get to go there? i cannot wait!!!!!

courtesy of google... but pretty soon youll see a picture from yours truly!!!

:::gallery.me.com/epalm25 so its not completed by any means yet but i created/found out about making your own web page of pictures. i think it will be great for argentina for all of you that dont have facebook and ill be able to put up tons of pictures easily!

:::papersource blog. we all know that im a sucker for papersource.com and all of its fabulously simple and beautiful products but little did i know that they have a blog with templates and everything! i pulled a little idea from them this past weekend when i needed a quick craft fix. its a coupon/gift certificate holder made from envelopes with my all time favorite matryoshka doll paper. thank you papersource, you feed my soul.

:::granada "the best thing that happened to slo" bistro. remember how i turned twenty-one the other day, well ive been getting some use out of my trusty ID and making an appearance atgranada bistro. its the tiniest, cutest, most european inspired, deliciously simple, little hole in the wall serving wine, beer, tapas, paninis, cupcakes, and the cutest cheese, fruit, and meat platters. i could sit in that little place for hours and thats just what i got to do earlier this week after my neuroanatomy midterm. thanks roomie mia for a great date!

:::organization finally! put together all of my magazine clippings of recipes, templates, craft tutorials, etc. in some binders this week. ahh i love a good cleansing feeling!

::: looking for inspiration- in need of some suggestions and im hoping for some comments to help me out.

-triathlon in september or october

-great non-profit in slo to volunteer with weekly

-fabulous book to read while i travel this summer

have a great rest of may!!! enjoy the last bits of spring!!!

sweets, hearts, and love

unfortunately, i have more studying this weekend than i have time for...

fortunately, i have already prodded around and im thinking that i will need to make the following during study breaks.

some valentines originals and some fun new ones,

all with a little "emily" twist!

chocolate-strawberry ice cream sandwiches

buttercream "xo" cupcakes

classic lollipop flowers

lovers teabags

cute? adorable? simple? lovable?

i thought so:)

away in a manger

every year our extended family draws names to see who they will be giving a gift to on christmas day. this year i picked aunt mary! along with a set of vietnamese newspaper angels and a pair of handmade earrings made by poor, rural guatemalan montessori teachers (!!!!!) i made this nativity scene as a part of the present. thanks to hannah and dad's help we jig-sawed the wood and then i painted, glue, etc. until baby jesus looked just right! might i remind you that aunt mary is a lover of nativity scenes and all things handmade... hopefully this will be a great new addition to her collection of thousands!

merry christmas everyone! may your days be merry and bright!

(stay tuned to see more handmade gifts after then big christmas day!)

tutus from emaweee

anyone that knows me, knows that i L-O-V-E children.

and i have a especially soft spot in my heart for lisps, glasses, disabilities, and developmental delays

(i know... i just love them!)

this year its tutus for those that call me "emawee"!!! it wouldn't be christmas without a winter break full of living room ballet dances from my babysitties so i had to make tutus to further my fabulous five year performances. i hope you love them maddie and luna!

(sorry for the baby chair tutu holder, i promise that the tutus are much cuter on 32 lb. girls)

style your sole

as i have previously "blogged" about, i am the campus representative for the cal poly for the TOMS campus club (aka i am the liaison between the TOMS shoe company and the cal poly/slo community). the company was founded on a simple principle..."for every pair of shoes that you purchase, TOMS will send a pair to a child in need." simply awesome, right? i could go on and on about the company and everything but instead ill just let you check it out, here!

anyways, in the beginning of december, the TOMS campus club at cal poly with the help of a few very helpful and diligent people (shout out to sarah, paula, morgan, jennifer, and megan), put on a "style your sole party"!!! this is a social gathering in which people preordered TOMS shoes and then came to our event where we provided tons of paints, crafting supplies, do-dads, etc. to create their very own pair of TOMS shoes. in addition we screened the TOMS documentary called "for tomorrow" which was a bit hit!

idea: order a pair of TOMS for your sister, aunt, girlfriend, nephew, whoever for christmas and a pair of shoes will be sent to a child in need!

(btw this is the pair that i decorated for my sister for christmas... shh!)

girlie bark

the first batch of seasonal sweets have made their debut. peppermint bark for some sweet girlfriends of mine before we all part for winter break.

dip it in hot cocoa, swirl it in with some vanilla bean ice cream, grab a slab and take a bite, and enjoy girlies!

p.s. ill be hibernating for the next two weeks of finals. so sad, but have a great few weeks and i will chat with you soon!

not-your-average black friday

jealous yet...

while most people threw elbows for electronics, board games, and sweaters...

i was plowing my way through hobby store sales!

there's nothing better than a good bias tape deal! and i scored!!!

i got everything from scented soy wax to contemporary canning jars to pink tulle to antique fabric to blanket edging to red twine.

you name it, i got it... on double, triple overtime sale!!!

here are my favorite bargain deals of the day...

martha has outdone herself once again... the essential glass glitter set. oh where to begin!

i am throughly in love with amanda blake soule.

stay tuned for the end results. i have two weeks until winter break and then its nothing but baking, sewing, and crafting for this gal.

wanna-be-quilter

over the past few months i have unproductively been collecting/buying random quarter or half-yards of fabric to use for.... uhhh a quilt? so thats what i have begun tonight! cut the squares out tonight, moving the sewing machine to my nook in the near future, sew it up, and then have some nice professional quilter do their thing and make it pretty! this is one of those first time things so ill keep you updated... and hopefully there will be a finish product!

ill be honest... the quilt is just an excuse to you my gerber daisy rotary cutter... who doesnt love them?!? and here is the tentative outline for the quilt... creepy but im thinking i might need to stow it away for the future to use as my babies first quilt to play on... awwww! dont worry mom and dad, ill be saving it for the next decade!

again, i apologize for picture quality. i take most of them on my trust iphone but its not the best at lighting and such!