Secret Shine Project

You've all heard of The Shine Project, right? Ashley is the bomb. Seriously. She is changing the world because she dreams big.

When she posted on Facebook asking about some help with a secret project, I got so excited. And now, I get to tell all of you about this secret project.

Pass It Forward was designed to get people to do little things, everyday, that makes an impact on the community around them. Pass it Forward is designed around a card (read card that I've attached now so you understand). Each card is given a unique ID number. Lets say we're at McDonalds, and I decide to pay for the person behind me in the drive through. I'd give the cashier the card, and tell them to pass it along to the next car when the give them the food that has been paid for. I then go home and log into the website that was on the card, and find my unique ID number. I log into it, and add my information... My first name, city, and a description of what I did....
Let's say the person behind me was you, you would pass it forward to someone else, and then would go home and do the same thing. From the very beginning, you will be able to track where your card goes, and how many people you affect just by doing one simple act of kindness.

Sometimes, I get bogged down with being too busy, not wanting to offend people, etc. I justify not serving people and make up excuses. But every time I overcome that and I serve, I am so filled with joy that I don't know how I can ever make up reasons to not serve again. Last weekend I went to a special needs dance. I was nervous to dance with those amazing people because I wasn't sure what to say to them. I focused on how different they are and I let myself feel uncomfortable. But, when I let myself relax and just have fun being with them and dancing with them. And I found pretty quickly that I was learning from them. There I was, serving them and supposedly blessing their lives, but in the end I was the one being served.

In my opinion, that's the point of Pass It Forward. Creating service opportunities and inspiring other people to serve. Are you feeling the excitement that I'm feeling?

This is what the back of the Pass It Forward card looks like. I can hardly wait for mine to come in the mail! Next Friday, I get to blog about what I did with my card and link up to The Shine Project blog. 

Also, I highly suggest reading Ashley's post about this project on The Shine Project blog.

room sweet room

I've lived in the apartment that I live in for 4 years now. I also have moved out to work at summer camp every summer though. So, each year when I move back in, I redecorate. Because, let's be honest, I love the excuse to buy/make pretty new things for my room. Decorating a college apartment on a college budget can totally be fun. Even if I didn't move out and back in every year, I'd still find excuses to redecorate. I'm way too flighty to be happy with my color scheme for very long.

Welcome to my bedroom. :)

That cute aqua table used to be a sewing machine table. I bought it at DI last year for under $10 and spray painted it with Bahama Sea Krylon. 

Funny story about the E hanging on the table: I bought cute grey chipboard letters at a boutique in Vernal but somehow managed to get the letters E, L, I, S, and F. I got an F instead of a second E. I didn't realize it until we were far away from Vernal though. So, I ended up buying a wooden E from Hobby Lobby and mod podged it. It was too heavy to hang with sticky tac though, so it's been hanging out on that table ever since. 

My bed spread was on clearance at Walmart, I sewed both pillows,

 and all the milk glass vases on my table were thrifted. 

Made these beauties with Kamille. You better believe we jammed out to JB and talked about how excited she was for her magical adventures in Taiwan while we wrapped our letters.

I have a secret love for water colors. Not in an I'm-a-professional-watercolor-artist kind of a way but more in an I-like-to-use-water-colors-the-same-way-I-did-in-kindergarten kind of a way. Pretty sure this picture was inspired by a craft Thursday on the Whatever blog.

This is the cleanest my table ever gets. I try, I really really do, but I'm a clutter kind of girl. Mandatory bedside table items: Scriptures, Journal, cup of pens, vase of pens, milk glass bowl of jewelry, zebra stripped eye mask (I've become a sleep diva since this post.), and my princess book. Not mandatory, but oh so exciting all the same: My sparkly frame with my song lyric water color art and the card I got from my favorite missionary today.

Photo heart collage that I've seen all over Pinterest...

Found that beautiful frame at Down East Home. It's Velcro-ed to the wall so I can use it as a photo prop. Just like the heart chalk board in the frame. Also in the frame: my valentine from my family and my bumper sticker that I got for cleaning the sink last night. (For you non-cache valley people: that means you eat a ridiculous amount of ice cream out of a metal sink at the local diner.)

The white board was made for me by my roommate, she found it on Pinterest and made it because she knows I love Pinterest. The Ken doll is also from her. She gave me a boyfriend for Christmas. 

Probably my two favorite things on my dresser: 

My Apricot Vanilla body spray from Bath and Body Works and the IWA theme. 

My room is crazy. I pretend to have a color scheme, I post my own art work like my walls are my mom's fridge, and the only reason my bed is made is because I was taking pictures for the blog. But, I love it. It's my space, it's who I am.

dear boys 24

Dear Nikon,

Good luck with Ella. Woo her guts out.

Love,

Master

Dear Nachos,

Pinterest. Tee Hee.

Love,

Elise

Dear tall boy in institute,

Perhaps if you keep coming to class, I'll maybe actually speak to you.

Yep.

Maybe.

Love,

Elise

Dear Superman,

You are by far one of the nicest, kindest, most thoughtful boys I have ever met. 

Love,

Elise

Dear 4-10,

Thanks for being a good sport. 

I'm okay with us not being in love. 

Your pal,

Elise

Dear boy in the Bollywood movie we watched last night,

You're dreamy. Don't tell Christina, but maybe I don't hate Bollywood.

Love,

Elise

Y'all know the drill. Write a dear boys (or dear girls) post, put the appropriate button on it, and come on back to link that baby up! 

<center><a href="http://eliseypants.blogspot.com/search/label/dear%20boys"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-OHuERUFE-hE/TlLBQi4llOI/AAAAAAAAC9I/c6bW28tgzwE/dear-boys.jpg" /></a></center>






<center><a href="http://eliseypants.blogspot.com/search/label/dear%20boys"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/--8VwchQJtrk/TzwyseRcLwI/AAAAAAAAFWc/cYff_uG_0rU/s225/deargirlsbutton.png" /></a></center>

call me maybe

It's been a while since I had a JB fangirl moment. I discovered this song on Pandora the other day and have been lovin' it ever since. And NOW, there's a music video with my girl, Selena and JB? Shut the front door. Seriously. I don't know what it is about this song, but I'm totally diggin' it.

Oh, and that Selena and JB almost kissing moment?? What?

Happy Monday!

happy

You know how sometimes you just need a reminder? Or three?

#1 was that video. Thank you, Natasha Louise.
#2 was this article. Thank you, Alexis.
#3 was this article. Thanks, Ashley.

I've always believed that life is way too short to waste time being unhappy. Today, I am so grateful for a Lord who loves me enough to place these 3 little reminders in my blog-stalking path so that I could remember to be happy.


What's making you happy today?

a lengthy introspective post about creativity

Lately, I've been less than happy with my photography, my blogging, etc.

I felt like my creativity up and went out the window, down the street, and on a plane to somewhere far far away. I was getting super antsy before all my photoshoots, I was blogging because I was expected to, I posted less pictures on my blog because I wasn't pleased with how the pictures looked or I was too lazy to take pictures. Most of all, I was only doing things to meet people's expectations, not because I wanted to.


Then, I was talking to this girl about this girl who we went out for froyo with. (Aren't we all cute and tall and BFF-y?)

Anyway, Elisabeth (on the left) was saying that she loved reading Ashley's (on my right) blog because Ashley had posted once saying that she didn't blog for other people, she did it for herself. She blogs what she wants when she wants. As Elisabeth was saying this, I thought to myself "That's totally what I believe! If you don't love what you're blogging about, you shouldn't do it."

And then I had to admit to myself that I wasn't blogging because I wanted to anymore. I was blogging because I felt like I owed it to my sponsors and to my readers. But let me let you in on a little secret: When I post the most random things at 11:00 at night just because I felt like blogging, those posts get a way better response than the posts that I write at noon when I know people are most likely to be online to read it and I force myself to write something. Funny, huh?

I also have been realizing that I'm less pleased with my photography because I spend the time in the photoshoot trying to impress the client with my awesome photographer-ness and professionalism. While that's great and all... I was so worried about impressing my client, that I stopped getting to know my client and trying new, creative things. So, I had photography down to a formal, professional routine. And that is not what I love about photography.

So, a couple weekends ago Elisabeth tagged along as my assistant for a photoshoot with our beautiful friend, Whitney. I was determined to take my time, be creative, and not worry about impressing her but just have fun. And when I did, I got this:

I think life just gets this way sometimes. We put limits on ourselves and do things for other people- to impress them and try to live up to their standards. But life is for us- to make out own choices and create our experiences. If we rush things and only do things to impress others, we lose the beauty of it all and lose sight of the true happiness of life.

Be yourself. Do things because you want to, because you love them. Learn and grow on your own time schedule. Create your life the way you want it.

dear boys 23

Favie from last week comes from my like the hurricane friend, Katrina:

Dear Dream Boy,

'Nuff said.

Love, Over it


It helps that I looooove me some Demi.


Aaaand now,




Dear Superman,


You're super and all, but I'm maybe not feeling it. 
But the other day I was. 
So maybe tomorrow I will be again?
Awh man.


Love,
a very confused elise




Dear Show Off,


You're getting married this weekend and I really am very happy for you.
Really.
All the same, it'd be nice if Pandora would stop playing our song.


Love,
Elise




Dear Chick-fil-a (the actual restaurant, no code name here),


Thanks for being my valentine and being so delicious. 
Also for having chick-fil-a sauce for me to drown my i-am-single-on-valentines-day sorrows in.


Love,
the new foursquare mayor of the local chick-fil-a




Dear J-Dub,


I'm not proud of you at all, unless you want me to be. 
If that's the case, I'm so blasted proud of you.


Love,
Sensei




M@,


Look! I made you urbandictionary famous!


Love,
35173_1337




Dear Nachos,


What the what?


Love,
Elise


Dear Pizza boy,


Thanks for hitting on me with extra garlic sauce. 
It made my day. 
Just remember that I use a whole lotta garlic sauce on my pizza and that might just make me a little less smooch-able.


Love,
Your favorite customer






Last week I got an email from my new pal, Elder Mighill. He, being a boy, writes dear girls posts and requested a button more appropriate for his posts. So, check out my little DB man's new best friend!




And now, dear boys is no longer gender exclusive. Woot. Plus, it's really only fair to allow boys to write us letters back, amiright? So, same drill: Write a dear boys/girls post on your own blog, slap the most appropriate button on there, aaaand come back here and link your post up. 







<center><a href="http://eliseypants.blogspot.com/search/label/dear%20boys"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-OHuERUFE-hE/TlLBQi4llOI/AAAAAAAAC9I/c6bW28tgzwE/dear-boys.jpg" /></a></center>






<center><a href="http://eliseypants.blogspot.com/search/label/dear%20boys"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/--8VwchQJtrk/TzwyseRcLwI/AAAAAAAAFWc/cYff_uG_0rU/s225/deargirlsbutton.png" /></a></center>