october 8th

Two years ago on October 8th, Ted and I went on our first date.  I wore this skirt, so being Kaylie, naturally I had to wear it on our anniversary.  So much has happened since then... We're juniors now.  We're going to London in the spring.  Not to mention my hair has tripled in length. I am so lucky I met Ted when I did (about a month or so into freshman year) because college certainly would not be the same without him.  It certainly would not include as many musicals (we spontaneously saw Anything Goes the other day.  Life with Ted, man.  Anything goes, indeed) or as much happiness. 

To celebrate our anniversary, we went to the coast this weekend.  Thankfully Fall Break fell conveniently this Wednesday night (Ted's birthday) through Sunday, so we were able to enjoy Ted's birthday and our anniversary at a leisurely pace.  I have so much to post about the coast--it was so beautiful and a much-needed escape from school and reality.  It was the perfect way to celebrate the last two years together.  It restored my energy and soul to be near the water with one of my best friends.

Top/Anthropologie, Skirt/Urban Outfitters, Cardigan/handmedown, Barrette/Anthropologie, Scarf/Anthropologie, Necklace (worn as bracelet)/Kate Spade, Belt/thrifted, Tights/H&M, Shoes/Minnetonka, Photos/Ted

winning london

Yesterday I found out that I was accepted to the Spring 2014 London Arts program!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

I've been waiting for months to find out, and finally read the decision email on my plane after I landed in Portland (I went home for spring break).  The email stayed blank for what seemed like an entire minute as it loaded.  My heart pounded, my eyes teared up and I stared super intensely at my phone that I was holding in my hands like it held the secrets of the universe (I bet the mom and her teenage son to my right thought I was going insane).  Once it loaded and I processed the information, I felt such a relief wash over me (and fought the urge to tell everyone sitting near me who were impatiently waiting to get the okay to get their carry ons down).  The London program is one of the most competitive study abroad programs offered at my school, so it was an intimidating and stressful application process.  It was worse than applying to colleges.  Really.  So it is such a honor that I am one of the 28 people selected.  And guess who else is one of those people?  

TED! I get to have my adorable bearded boyfriend there with me the whole time. THIS IS REAL LIFE, YOU GUYS.  WE ARE GOING TO LONDON.  AND WE ARE GOING TO STUDY THEATRE, ART, AND MUSIC AND TRAVEL TO LOTS OF PLACES IN EUROPE AND MY FAMILY IS GOING TO VISIT ME AND I AM GOING TO FINALLY ENROLL AT HOGWARTS.

So yeah, it's pretty cool I guess.

hearts day happiness

It's cold and gloomy, and I had a canceled class, so what better way to brighten up a groggy Wednesday afternoon than with a dip into the sparkly business of Valentine's Day?  I've already made a few things to hang up in the room, including a banner (OBVIOUSLY). The great thing about hearts day crafting is that you can basically cut out dozens of hearts in all sizes and throw them everywhere and it's golden.  I will post pictures of the room once it's attacked by hearts.  In the meantime, listen to this Valentine's Day 8tracks.  It's pretty perfect, and I'm not even half way through it.

Looking forward to more lovey-dovey-ness, glitter glue, rom coms, and festive treats.  xoxo

one year

A year ago (October 8th), Ted and I went on our first date.  He showed me around downtown Portland (because he lived here a year before starting school), we ate Italian food, and we talked on a bench (our bench) in the street park.  I can't believe how much has happened since that day.  I mean, we're well into our second year of college now!  I am so thankful to have met Ted when I did, because he has made my college experience so full of happiness, love, and musicals.  I couldn't have asked for a better boyfriend and best friend.  He is the Marshall to my Lily, the pumpkin to my spice, and the Teddy to my bear.  Or something like that.

because elmo is the best

My love for this can't be described.

coming soon to a computer screen near you

Tonight I got home from an extremely lovely stay in Orange County.  I had such a wonderful time, and I can't wait to share the pictures (Ted took the one above) and memories, because I would like to remember every one of them!  But now, I need to get ready for bed and clock in some sleep.  Stay tuned for lots of posts.  xoxo Kaylie

11 things that make me happy

These adorable New Girl pictures.

AVOCADOS ALL DAY EVERY DAY. (I have to try this!!!!)

Waiting for Wes Anderson's new film.

When my friends dress up as Glee characters with me (Klaine forever) for my finale party.

Adorable proposals.

Having a yummy lunch & shopping date with my stylish grandma.

Daydreaming about having long hair again.

Hanging out with Izzy in my room.

This awesome typography channel on Vimeo.

The fact that I will get to see this silly bear in less than two weeks. (Sad face=this vintage blazer doesn't fit me.)

This part from the second to last episode of Glee.  How can you not be happy after you watch this?  Happy tears for days.

What's making you happy this weekend?

my favorite christmas songs

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Such a sweet song. This version is covered by She & Him.  Side note: As if my love for Zooey wasn't embarressingly huge already, watch this (boy, can she really sing!) and read this (score-she really is as cool as I think she is!).  Love her!


Baby, It's Cold Outside
Your quintessential fun, romantic Christmas song. I loved seeing Blaine and Kurt sing it together--too precious!


Last Christmas
What can get better than 80’s music and Christmastime? Not much, that’s what. Rachel and Finn’s version was so fun! (Uh oh, my Gleek is showing.)


Sister Winter
This is actually an original song by Sufjan Stevens--beautiful.  Definitely worth a listen.


It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
Because when it is, I am so thrilled to sing along.

today i am thankful for...holidays that remind you what you're thankful for

Life is fantastic!  And yes, I have officially started listening to Christmas music...and started decorating my room. Also, in less than four hours, I will be experiencing MY FIRST BLACK FRIDAY EVER.  I am so excited (and a little terrified).  Time to try to sleep...  Wish me luck--I'm usually going TO SLEEP at midnight.

Oh well, because guess what?

It's the most wonderful time of the year.

Happy Thanksgiving, my friends.

today i am thankful for...harry potter (yes, again!)

Today my dad picked me up early from school to see Harry Potter, just like we did back when I was in elementary school.  IT. WAS. THE. BEST. ONE. YET.  Probably one of my favorite movies OF ALL TIME.

Let me tell you--I cried my eyes out.  I started crying within the first two minutes!  It was so freaking good, I am beside myself.  Everything--EVERYTHING-was just...just brilliant.

I laughed, I cried, I cringed, I jumped--I cried some more.

And now I wait.  For the end.

Yet, as much as I want to see the second part, I am okay with waiting.  Because for me, this is more than just the end of a series of books or movies.  For the past nine years--half of my entire life--I have invested myself in these characters, these books, these movies, these actors.

When I was in third grade, I wanted desperately to be a part of the magical world of Harry Potter...and to be honest, I have never stopped.  I collected Harry Potter legos, the Time-Turner, Harry's wand.  I wore my pink zip-up sweater with my rainbow belt and jeans, my hair parted in the middle (I would leave my hair in braids at night to achieve Hermione's curly locks--of course now my hair is plenty curly of its own accord) to look like Hermione in Prisoner of Azkaban...I also spent a lot of time trying to figure out how time travel worked.  I visited MuggleNet every single day, preying on all that is Harry Potter.  I obsessed over what Emma Watson wore (it's thanks to her I discovered my love of ballet flats in fifth grade) and copied her hairstyles.  I made shirts that said things like "I'd rather be at Hogwarts" and "Weasely is our King."  I waited for the fifth, sixth, and seventh book to come out at midnight (even if I was in Hawaii) and read for days, listening to Hedwig's Theme on repeat.  I went to the midnight premeire last Harry Potter summer (I'm so planning a three day HP festival for this summer...  Kidding.  Sort of.) and dressed up as Mrs. Weasely.

So in a way, I feel like I have been initiated into a magical world of sorts; a world that people all over the planet relate to and love just as much as I do.  Harry Potter is a comfort to me, one that I will always hold onto even as I grow old enough to have kids of my own to read the books (and they WILL read them).  Harry Potter is my past, present, and future (I so just stole those words from Tom Riddle, didn't I?).

To this day,
I reread the books over and over, discovering new connections each time.
I listen to Harry & the Potters, every word memorized.
I watch the movies, saying lines out loud (Izzy looks at me like I'm mad).
I frequent Harry Potter tumblrs like my life depends on it.
I make Harry Potter metaphors, allusions, similies, and puns like nobody's business.
I gasp when I see or hear anything relating to Harry Potter.
I can hear someone utter the words Harry Potter from across a room.
I try to knit, in hopes of one day knitting sweaters as lovingly as Mrs. Weasely.
And yes, right now I am watching Potter Puppet Pals.

It all boils down in the cauldron  to this:
I still love Harry Potter as much as I did nine years ago....and yeah, I just cried some more writing this post.

today i am thankful for...life

Life is just way too much fun.  Seriously.  My little sister thinks I'm crazy for getting so excited about things such as the newest episode of Gossip Girl or deciding which Hermione hairstyle I should go with for my costume tomorrow...  But really, it's the silly things that make life so fantastic.  Like today in 4th hour yearbook when we played Harry Potter Clue, or last Thursday when I heard a Christmas song slipped in while we were shopping at Old Navy.  Or yesterday, when it finally hit me:  I'm going to college next year. Uh, WHOA.

Life is full of silliness and wonderfulness, and bit of seriousness in between.  But mostly it's a lot of getting extremely excited when your AP government teacher puts on his Harry Potter soundrack station on Pandora.  One thing is for certain:

Yes, I get a little carried away when it's Harry Potter season. 
Yes, I get a little carried away when it's holiday season. 

Yes.  I get a little carried away. 

But can you blame me?

today i am thankful for...tumblr

Just looking at my "archive" makes me smile.

a tally of two cities

Love these!  So clever and awesome typography.  Funny, because at the moment I'm finishing up Tale of Two Cities.

via Cup of Jo

happy things!

the world's smallest library



One of my favorite books in movie form!  With Zach Galifinakis!

sparkly kate spade shoes


singing to this song

Appreciation for the finer things in life (such as Nancy Drew)

Funny guys Demetri Martin, Zach Galifianakis, the cast of Stella, Jason Segel, Paul Rudd, Jason Schwartzman, Seth Rogen, and Jonah Hill

pretty soap on etsy -- So unnecessary but too cute!

i ♥ Penguin Books

Nerdiest thing ever, but I kind of got pretty excited when I saw these mugs on a blog. This made me think of another nerdy thing I saw a while back on Cup of Jo--a Penguin Books-inspired wedding invitation!  "Unabridged Celebration." Now THAT'S what I call cute.

OH MY GOSH.  I was just rereading the information on the invite.  They got married in the public library!  I am so happy people like this are out there and are in love.  Sure does my heart good.  And oh my!  They aren't married yet---they're getting married next weekend!  How lovely!

today was a perfect spring day

I went to the movies with the family, then spent the afternoon reading until going out with my grandma Mimi.  I swear, I couldn't have asked for cooler grandparents.  Each one of them is unfathomably awesome.  Case in point:  We went to Mill Ave for the remainder of the day, scoping out the shops and enjoying the light spring air.  Aside from analyzing eachother's zodiac signs upstairs on a couch in the apartment section of Urban Outfitters, I found a book at the small used bookstore (I loved overhearing the old man who owned the store with his wife discussing a book with a customer from his comfy-looking armchair as I spotted a gray cat on a stack of books looking at me questioningly) and we scrambled through records at Zia.  And don't forget an ice cream cookie sandwhich from Cookiez!  What a wonderful way to spend a spring day.  Yes, I know it's not officially spring yet, but in my mind it started weeks ago.  Hooray for the beautiful Arizona weather!  I fall in love with life all over again this time of year.

volume two

To my surprise and utter delight, Volume Two, the She & Him record I preordered about a month ago, was waiting for me at the door when I got home from work today.  I've never preordered anything in my life (other than Harry Potter books to be picked up at the bookstore), so I'm not sure if it's normal that a week before the release date, I get my copy in the mail.  Regardless, what a lovely surprise!  I adore it.  Zooey's voice sounds very natural floating from my record player, although maybe this is because the album reminds me a bit (or a lot) of my Nancy Sinatra record.  This is a good thing though.  I am quite pleased with their retro sound.

I ♥ quotes

Back in the day, I used to spend a lot of free time (what's that, right?) on Brainy Quote reading quote after quote, being so darn thoughtful.

Luckily for me, it's Spring break, so I can revel in the Kaylie-ness I sometimes don't get the chance to humor because of, you know, real life. ( Because instinctually, I am a dreamer--not an AP student.)

So I've been catching up on my reading.  Reading!  For fun!  It's such a lovely thing, really.

And I've been sewing every day, keeping true to my resolution.  I even finished a dress today, thanks to the fabric my awesome friend Rachel gave to me for my birthday.

This all makes for a very happy Kaylie. 

Anyway, I think this quote continues to be my favorite (I'm a sucker for the Transcendentalists):

Our life is frittered away by detail... simplify, simplify. -Henry David Thoreau

it's that time of the year again

Friday was my seventeenth birthday.  As far as I am concerned, this has been my best birthday yet. I'm pretty positive each year of life just keeps getting better and better (even though it may not seem so at times).

As always, I went CRAZY and planned a party. I ADORE planning parties. Because Alice in Wonderland came out on my birthday, I decided to have an Alice in Wonderland party. Thankfully, my friends were nice enough to oblige. They're the best!

(Yeah, those ARE giant cards.)

After the party, we went to see the movie.  I really loved it!  That's another post for another time though.  Right now I need to convince myself to leave Wonderland and start my homework.  What a bummer.  But I shant despair because spring break is near; how lovely a thought!  My goodness, I'm beginning to rhyme--that means spring fever is coming at full force.  Next I will be trying to substitute my homework with reading  Emily Dickinson.  (It takes a lot of effort for me not to succumb to Spring's invitation to lie in the grass to read and forget everything else.)

just so it is clear, i ♥ Jason Schwartzman

Hey, this is so nice (although it does take a minute for the music to begin).  I love when designers make creative videos for their collections (like Zooey in Erin Fetherston).