Photo of the Day

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A Christmas Wish

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Happy Holidays! I hope everyone has a safe and wonderful Christmas.

I promise my blogging will return after break. :)

Black Friday // Cyber Monday Sale

Hello all! So sorry for my absence! I would like to announce a little sale going on the shop!

Head on over there to check out the great deals available! Here are some items:

$5 <3

$6 <3

$5 *to be listed

BUSY BUSY!

WOW! I'm on a break for Thanksgiving from school and I've been using it up to practice for a tango that my church youth group will be doing. We chose this dance:


We're working really hard and can't stop practicing!

Get the Look for Less

Love the look? Buy it here. Hate the price?

Take a look at these:

Elasticized Tank
from Forever 21
$8.80

Poesy Printed Skirt
from Forever21
$14.80

Erin Fetherston S/S 2010

See more
here.

Fresh and New

Ez of Creature Comforts and Marichelle of Lifeflix have joined forces and made the most beautiful shop ever! A cute little shop dedicated to nice packages and sorts. It makes me happy just looking at the lovelies they have in stock.

Be sure to check out Nice Package.

I'm swooning over this, this, and this.

( image from <3 )

Bonnie Tsang

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Her work is absolutely AMAZING!
I have been following her blog for months now
and I suppose you can say I've been using it as a little
pick me up for those slumpy days.

Please do visit her blog.
You will be rewarded.

Self Centered

Hello all!

So sorry about the major delays in posting! but as promised, I will tell you guys a little about myself :)

Hello, I'm Melissa and I'm 16. I run Umbrellastand. It's pretty much my hobby/job/college fund. And boy, do I love every bit of it! I hope that this little shop will challenge me creatively and carry me through college, where I hope to study fashion design.

I'm a full time student, action packed with school work and activities and little time to devote to the shop or blog, but I am determined to continue both cause I love it so much!

Some random facts:
- I'm really short
- I'm working on getting my license ( I'm pretty awful at driving hehe)
- I love to read. Even the fine print on labels.
- I like to make lists for just about everything
- I should be studying for the PSAT right now
- My room is currently a hot mess due to my long hours devoted to staring at school work and not doing it.
- I was born in California
- Sometimes I wish I was really smart so I could finish school ASAP
- I love high waisted skirts

So there you have it folks! That's pretty much my life these days. Focus and school and trying to make up for lost time on this beloved blog and shop!

Tell me about yourself! Comment away! I'd love to hear about my readers :)

image from <3

Time for Change

( image <3 )

Well, as you guys have noticed, I've been a little MIA over the past few months. And I've been thinking about quitting blogging altogether. But I do love the blogging world so much I can't quite bear the thought of letting it go! So thinking this over for weeks and days on end, I've decided to merge my life with my shop blog, hoping that it will keep me motivted with keeping up with my shop and blog and ( new ) blogging friends. I hope that a new blog makeover and new content will help you guys connect with me more :)

I would also like to thank my new follwers for following me! I do appreciate you guys very much!

So to start off this very big blogging change, I would like to tell you guys more about myself in a later post.

Heart Handmade + Creature Comforts

Check out how to make a glittered paper fame here! Don't forget to check out two of my favorite blogs! Creature Comforts and Heart Handmade

Hello September

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Hello Dear Readers!

I miss you guys so much! But I'm so busy with my classes and such. I even missed Labor Day!
Hope you guys had the most wonderful weekend!

Just wanted to say hello.
I must get back to my studies.

I'll try to get back into my posting! But I think I'll have a Lovely Long Weekend Post that will be up on Fridays from now on with some pictures in between. But it's just an idea in my head.

♥

Busy Busy Busy!

Whew! On to my next year of school. Counting down the days till summer already....

A few announcements:
- The giveaway will keep going! I haven't been promoting it as much as I usually do. So keep entering for your chance to win! End date will be announced soon.

- I have a few spots left ( 2 ) for ads. Please do see the announcement here and email me if you are interested!

I do apologize for my lack of organization. Once I get back into the swing of things, I promise I'll gather my bearings and write about things worth reading hehe.

Hello Weekend!

Okay, so the shop is semi-updated! There's some new items and pictures. Do you like the new backdrop of the items? I used a mini teapot I found years ago and a ring I purchased from Forever 21.

1. Darling Dexter, such a lovely blog, is 2 years old! Whitney is doing an A - Z tribute to her blog. How cute is that? What a great idea. I hope this little blog grows to something as cool as hers! I just got to get over my love/hate relationship with blogging first heh.

2. Check out my latest addition to blogs I'm following! The Velvet Bird is bursting with vintage inspiration. I love the great thrifted outfits Vanessa posts. So lovely! And check out her Etsy shop. I'm digging that wooden bow necklace!

3. Have you seen the new Anthropologie catalogue? They used actual people as models. What a cool idea! And the clothes are pretty too. That never fails.

4. I think I'm going crazy with the idea of spending any more money lately, but this shop is so tempting. I've been looking for little trinkets and such to fill up my new room. Plus my parents aren't into decorating, so I pretty much took that over heh. Check out The Curiosity Shoppe. So cute!

5. And a little announcement! If you have a little banner for your shop or blog ( I'm looking for some new inspirational blogs and blogging friends! ) I would be happy to post it up for you! Free of charge! I am only going to have five spots up & it's first come, first served basis. I just wanted a little something to add to the right column of the blog since I worked so hard with html coding to put it in! Please do email me if you are interested.


Well I'm off to my last weekend before classes resume! Have a happy weekend all!

Daily Inspiration 3

Rebecca Miller

Oh Hello!

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Whew! Last weekend was super fun! I went camping in Carthage, Missouri and got a nice tan, then I finally learned how to drive! This week is packed with lots of things to do before school starts, which is next week, but we'll be back to regular blogging soon. Promise.

A few announcements:
- the sale in the shop has ended & I will update some pictures. I've gotten quite lazy and haven't done so in a while heh.
- new items will be added throughout the week, so check back!
- there will be a giveaway going on here on Friday! I haven't done one in a while, so I'm going to do another one. Giveaways make me happy :)


I hope everyone had a good weekend!

Daily Inspiration & Weekend Links

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A few of my favorite things! I will be out of town Thursday through Sunday, and I'm taking a few days off blogging to get ready for a lovely camping trip! So in my absence, I have posted a few happenings that will take place while I'm out and about with nature :)

♥ Oh, Hello Friend is having a customer appreciation week! How sweet! Check out this post for all the great deals and daily giveaways!

♥ see another one of my favorite blogs! tummy-ache


Have a happy weekend all! Sorry there's not a lot of links! My computer is being awful at the moment... :(

Shegreetstheday!

Hello lovely ladies! How was your weekend?

Here's a cute little giveaway from my newest blogger friend, Jane! She runs shegreetstheday and the sweetest little blog! Be sure to check it out! They giveaway ends 8.17.09!!

Summer Soul

( image by me )

Oh summer soul,
you are so delicate and pretty.
I hope you won't slip away
so suddenly.

( This little poem was to justify my abscence from this blog. I hope it works haha! )

Perfect Paper Airplanes

( image <3 )

Perfect Paper Airplanes is by far my favorite local band! I've never really paid attention to all the local bands playing at coffee shops, but I do enjoy listening to this one. If you're in the Fort Smith area, they will be playing again at Sweet Bay near Creekmore Park on August 2nd, so be sure to stop by!

Listen to their music here.

Leighton Meester Is So Lovely!

I'm no small fan of Gossip Girl. This is my favorite singer at the moment!

Emma Watson

( image via <3 )
I saw the latest installment of the Harry Potter films. What are your opinions?
I think Emma Watson is a pretty lady!

Friends?

Lula

(500) Days of Summer

I can't wait to see this move! I anticipate it even more then the latest installment of Harry Potter!

Weekend Shopping

rainboots is having a huge clearance sale on all items, even the newly listed ones! So if you're crafty, head on over and grab some great deals before the shop goes on a wee vacation!

umbrellastand is also having a huge clearance sale to make way for some new designs! There will be lots of great deals ( think black friday shopping, but a little earlier ) and the Summer 09 Collection is on sale!! So grab up some great buys tonight!


A little side note for sales on both shops : I will be in and out of town for a few days, so there will be some delays on getting your order to you as I won't have much time to pack and ship orders. If you need anything soon, let me know! See both shops for details! Happy shopping!

Friday Link Love

♥ umbrellastand is having a Super Summer Sale starting July 2nd! Be sure to check back then for some great deals!

♥ I love hearing about young talent! Nancy Lam is only a couple years older than I and she is amazing! Her photography makes me feel so light and entranced. Look at her website if you're feeling down! Very Peter Pan meets inner child. Brilliant!

♥ The most darling person ever, Luphia, just launched her own online clothing store. And it ships internationally. How great is that? Lots of beautiful Korean inspired wear. And if you know about Korean style, they know how to dress to impress! Very very great finds here and even better prices! Go shopping at luphia.co.uk.

♥ Don't you just love it when you think someone is attractive just by their hair? See more of Nicholas Haggard's work here.


Happy weekend dears!