Scatter Brain

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this bear is really unrelated to my life currently, but its super cute and the mascot of my school. ;)

i know i've been sketchy with posting but i have devoted a blog to things i like and a blog to the happenings of my life, i'm getting more motivated to share what i'm up to and my current obsessions. since i have been focusing on getting ready for college and seeing the people i'll miss dearly, i haven't been keeping up reading my favorite blogs or updating mine for that matter. so i'll devote this post to things i plan on getting done by the summer's end.

+ i will be selling off most of my supplies to purge my office. the prices will be cheap and i must say i'm kind of sad some beautiful pieces go!

+ i will redecorate my living space. my parents, being traditional vietnamese people, don't think

much of decor and i hope to have this place magazine ready if not by the end of summer than

surely by christmas

+ i will dress up more when i go out. no more jeans and a sloppy shirt for me!

+ i will leave more comments on my fave blogs

and lastly, i will fill out those darn college applications and write those essays. whew that's a lot for a month!

Lately...

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Ahhh. Summer has finally started. Well. Sort of. School for me ended the last week of May. Bust shortly after school let out, I was carted off to Girls' State. And I when I came home last Friday, I had a joyous reunion with my bed. Glorious stuff.

Nowadays, I'm currently making plans to go biking, mastering my tennis skills ( hence the picture above ), swimming, getting my driver's license. I really need to learn how to park! :/

I'm currently working on a new project, slowly adding new items to the shop, and reopening the supply shop soon. Now that school is over and summer is here, I will be able to keep up with posting more often :) I'm super excited about this because I have time to catch up on all my favorite blogs!

What are your summer plans? I'd love to hear!

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. :)

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!

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.

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.

Oh Hello!

<3

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!

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! )

(500) Days of Summer

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

Hello July!

( source : <3 )

So I am super belated on this one. How are you, dear readers? So sorry I took such a sloppy break from blogging! How was everyone's 4th? I spent mine helping my parents clean out the old house so we can get it listed and have a new family plant their roots. Not much of a weekend. My brothers did light some firecrackers. I stayed in my room and studied for my permit. School's out and I'm still in study mode!

Anyway, I would like to thank everyone for your support! I ended a very long relationship with a person very dear to me. I spent a few day reflecting on everything that had happened and how I have grown and matured. Then I spent a few days doing things that I had put off for a very long time. Let me tell you, unpacking is the worst! I still am not completely done and it's been almost three months since we've moved into this place!

You guys are the best! Thank you for the lovely comments and messages! You guys make my day :)

Dear Friends

( image <3 )

I will be taking a few days off from blogging. I have parted ways with a very dear person to me and I need a few days to recollect and busy myself for a while to keep me from being a human waterspout. I have decided to postpone blogging until the shop has lots of new pretties and I am in a happier place.

Thank you for your continued support & don't forget to enter the giveaway happening at YellowGoat.

Love,
Melissa

Free Shipping and YART!!

hello. guess what?

I'm having free shipping for most items in the store for the month of June. And I have a few items for the YART sale. Get it while the getting's good!

Also, I mentioned something about my bank account in an earlier post. I'm awaiting for my new account info, but it should come soon...I hope... boo. :(

So please, while I'm poor. Take advantage of the sales going on in the shop.
:)

P.S. The bank account and the sale are totally coincidental. I find it really ironic, don't you?

Blog Changes

Hello readers! :)

I added a third column to my blog! If you didn't notice my constantly changed blog look, here's a rough review:
+ I changed from a right column to a left
+ I pushed the left column all the way to the left
+ I changed to color, then the fonts

Now I have a third column! I did this because I didn't like the way my Daily Reads were all the way at the bottom, where most people wouldn't even see them most of the time.

So now on the left you can find my stuff, on the right you can find blogs and other things I like :)

By the way, has anyone had a problem with the new embedded comment form? I can't comment on lots of peoples blogs, which makes me feel like I'm giving them the impression that I'm ignoring them. I'm not really. I would reply, but the new comment form is preventing me from showing you how much I appreciate your comment.

Sad. :( If you know how to fix this, I'd be happy to hear! Actually, I'd be really really excited.

Tagged!

I was tagged by the lovely Anabela of Fieldguided :)

So here's to the questionnaire

What is your current obsession?
Kittens! I am hunting down some vintage prints and paint by numbers to decorate my room :)
And doilies. I feel like throwing them on everything!

What is your weirdest obsession?
Well, I really want a bunny. I really do. I just love how cute they are! My days are spent stalking Daily Bunny just so I can imagine that I have one. Or two.

It may sound completely normal, but a friend gave me a little Dove chocolate in the shape of a bunny and I kept it in my bag for weeks until it melted and I had to give it to my little brother.

What do you see outside your window?
The driveway to my home and lush grass. *swoon* It's summer out

What is your favourite colour?
Oh my! This is a hard...I love soft blue against white and grey currently. But I'm usually more of a cobalt blue with charcoal grey and black.

What is your weakness?
Shopping. I need to tuck my wallet away for it seems to have issues with keeping its weight hehe. I have a huge soft spot for candy too.

What animal would you be?
I am very jealous of my kitties. I want to be lazy and sleep on tables and chairs too! And they get to hop and hide in crazy places. Plus they're cute :D

What would you like to learn how to do?
When I was younger, I would watch my sister make little patterns with her embroidery threads and I was so amazed at what she could do. Now I kind of wish she still did it so she could teach me. I suppose spending hours on YouTube and Google will suffice at the moment hehe

What do you want to never happen in life?
I don't like seeing pain or crime or death or drugs. So nothing bad? hehe I cheated on that one.

What is on your bedside table?
A lovely headband that I just recieved from the sweetest shop ever, a tie I need to give my boyfriend ( also from Fieldguided ), my glasses, and a mess of things that I need to take care of

What's the last thing you bought?
A spot to sponsor a lovely blog. The first outreach advertising I did to get my shop out there. *fingers crossed*
Before that, I bought myself a very sweet headband

And my sweetie a tie :)
What do you think about the person that tagged you?
Obviously I'm a HUGE fan of her blog & shop! Anabela's got such a nice personality. She's very nice too :)

What was your favourite children's book?
I'm going to go off subject for a bit. I love how favorite it spelled right there. The "u" always gets me.
Anyway, my favorite children's book is Peter Rabbit and Owen. I have a thing for cute little mouseys in children's books. And I love bunnies.

Who do you want to meet in person?
I really want to meet Erin Fetherston and Richard Chai and Phillip Lim and Thakoon. They make pretty clothes :)
I would also like to meet my readers. They make me happy. You guys are so lovely! Thank you <3

What did you want to be as a child?
I wanted to be a fashion designer/boutique owner. I still do. Whole heartedly.

What did you dream about last night?
I don't quite remeber. I remeber feeling fuzzy though. Odd...

Which do you prefer, day or night?
Day because it's brighter out and I don't get scared walking to my door and it being super dark. But I don't like mornings because I love sleep. It's the best.

What's your favourite piece of clothing in your closet?
I have this high waisted floral skirt that my sister got me. I try to wear out as much as possible ( I know it's not to be an outfit repeater, but I love that thing so much! ).
Oh and this Thakoon for Target shirt that I've also worn more than 3 times a month...I think to the same place also. heh heh

What's your plan for tomorrow?
I might visit my sweetie. He only lives two blocks away but we're so busy these days!
Other than that, I will probably be preparing posts for the blog and take photos and list things.

What would you like to get your hands on right now?
Hmm...perhaps a thousand dollars so I can get some Polaroid film, this paint by number kitten painting I've been looking at for ages, a nice bed for the kitties, bribe my parents into letting me have a bunny... this, this, this, and this...oh dear...I think I need more money!

Or maybe quite simply thicker curtains to block out the sun in the mornings when I'm still drowsy.

What is your must have of the moment?
A nice pair of sunglasses and a light dress with pretty sandals.
And a popsicle. Yum.

What's your favourite tea flavour?
Rasberry and pomergrante. I can't remeber the brand, but it was light and sweet. I had it once and I loved every last sip. And I don't usually drink tea.

If you could go anywhere is the world right now, where would you go?
I would visit my cousins again in Australia or go to Paris and finally eat macaroons and stalk fashion designers. Or maybe California and see my hometown and relatives.
Any would be nice.

Where do you get your inspiration?
i get mine for various blogs. you can find them in the "Daily Reads" section of the blog :)
I love crafting blogs. As for the wedding blogs...I'm far too young to get married. But I love floral arrangements and pretty invitations. :)

I tag : Jessica, Jasmine, Sofia, Danni
( you're supposed to tag 8, but most peoples I know have already been tagged & I don't want them to do it again! you are not obligated to do this in anyway!)

Ahh...Summer

Well, for my age (which I decline to tell you dears, for you would probably gasp and question me for being so darn mature...to which I will not be able to answer you), I believe that you can never stop being excited for school ending. It may be really childish of me, but forgive me as I have time to grow. I finished a very exciting school year and now have to clean and organize my room. And as my childish instincts tell me, "I don't wanna!!!." But as the mature side of me says, " Stop being sulky and do it already! It's been almost a month since you have moved into your new home and you still have yet to pick everything up."

So I am creating a studio/bedroom so I don't have to harass my dad into making me a work area in some remote corner of the hose. I figured that since I have a rather large closet space now and a dresser in which I can use as some sort of desk area, might as well give it a shot. But I do love clutters. I do. Subconsciously. I love organization, but too much organization can cause me to become really anal about things. Which is not good. Not good at all.
Here are some lovely places I have seen:
+ Oh this place is adorbs! I love it ( above ).
+ I LOVE this wallpaper. I NEED it.
+ Hehe. I think this just fits my mood perfectly.

BLOG CHANGES

hello readers!
to help me keep up with posting, here is a new lineup of things. it's not set since i need to focus of schooling and such, but i promise i will try extra hard in getting things done. :)

here's my rough sketch:
( monday - tuesday ) weekend summary
( wednesday - thursday ) today i like... & daily inspiration
( friday ) links!