Hello all! I don’t think I’ve posted much about it on my blog, but I’ve been on a major upcycling spree lately. Yes- we’re talking about vintage carboys, old fruit crates, discarded cable spools (all of which I have projects planned for) and, of course, PALLETS. Because pallets are the first lesson in Upcycling 101.
I had a few pallet projects planned, including a set of shelves and a wine rack, but they all took a backseat when I moved into my new apartment and my bed was uneven with the wall due to both an unfortunate heating vent and windowsill. My pillows kept slipping behind my bed in my sleep. Solution? Pallet headboard.
Hey guys, welcome me back to WordPress! After a two+ year hiatus, I’m migrating my blog back to this host from Tumblr. I absolutely love Tumblr’s simplicity and my current layout, but due to the simplicity, I just can’t exactly do everything I need to do with it.
I relied on WordPress to build my college newspaper when I was its editor, so I’m moving back over here because I know this host will do everything I need it to.
I’m also hoping to expand my blog into what it needs to be: my personal brand. As a young professional slash graduate student with quite a few hobbies and a love of traveling, my life has been scattered across the web since the 90’s. I’m hoping to collect everything personal and professional right to this hybrid blog-site.
So bear with me while I make this transition. I’m glad to be back!
One of the things I absolutely love about my new apartment is the gorgeous corner windows. My bedroom is always incredibly bright, I have a great view of University Avenue and the beautiful pink Emma’s building and I never have to turn my obnoxious tube lights on.
But- my windows came with blinds. Horrible, terrible, yellowing, hard to maneuver, tacky and gaudy blinds. Have I mentioned how much I hate blinds?
Luckily, the previous tenant had left a ton of curtain rods stashed in my closet, and the mounts already stuck into the cement walls around my windows.
I’m trying to keep a theme of vintage industrialized rustic (aka: Pinterest) going in my apartment, and I knew I wanted to throw in a touch of burlap. Ceiling-to-floor burlap curtains sounded wonderful, not to mention easy.
I made a pretty big commitment the other day, guys. Ready to meet him? OK. This is Henrik.
I finally moved to downtown Mount Pleasant. Granted, it isn’t Boston or New York or Chicago, but for right now with work and school keeping me in the middle of the mitten state, it’s the best I can do. So far, it’s already been a huge experience. Let’s recap:
I come from a small town with two stoplights. I graduated with a class of 80-something, and my backyard was a cornfield. Mount Pleasant is vastly larger than the Village of Clinton. I moved into the dorms at Central Michigan University for two years, then a student apartment complex on the outskirts of town, a party house right off of campus, a family housing apartment complex in Grand Blanc and back to a student apartment complex on the outskirts of Mount Pleasant. As of a week ago, I’ve been living in a downtown loft apartment, and it’s been an adjustment. I’ve learned a few things.
We took the ferry from Princeton, New Jersey to New York City for a day trip.
I barely took any photos, but we saw Ground Zero, the MET, Central Park and Times Square.
As much as a selfie can make a girl feel glamorous at times, nothing beats a full out photoshoot.
I met my friend Daighna a few years ago when I was a waitress at an Ann Arbor restaurant. She asked me to model for one of her class assignments (she was a photography student at the time) and I’ve stayed in touch with her ever since.
Now, she has her own photography business (book her now).
Daighna told me once that her dream job would be be a photographer for Vogue, and I truly think she’s beyond talented enough to one day reach that goal.
So, in addition to shooting weddings, engagements and senior photos, she also loves to go all out and put together crazy high fashion photoshoots, just because.
I accompanied Daighna for a two-day shoot at the old Detroit Boat Club on Belle Isle, “Good Girl Gone Glam Rock.” This location was amazing. Plaster was crumbling from the pink hued lavatory walls, wood was peeling from the ballroom floors, cobwebs hung from broken chandeliers and walking into the building was like taking a step right into the early 1900’s.
The shots Daighna got on location were phenomenal.
It was so exciting to head back to Washington D.C. to lobby for Invisible Children again!
Basically the only time I travel is if it’s something Invisible Children-related. Because, you know, I’m a poor college student and all. I visited D.C. once before to lobby, and made it out to California twice for different organization camps and conferences.
Exactly one week from today, I will be meeting with district representatives to discuss why I think it is so vital that the U.S. play a part in ending Joseph Kony’s war on central east Africa.
I’m excited! And a little nervous as well. For those who don’t know, I’ve been to D.C. to lobby for this cause (then H.R. bill 1067- the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act 2009) before. I was with friends from my hometown.
Greetings from Amsterdam!
