My Current Obsessions

Hi all! Things have been pretty strange around here lately. It still hasn't quite hit me that I've finished school. I feel like it really won't until August rolls around and my roommate starts hitting the books without me. I've been trying to figure out what non-students do with their time and I've been spending a lot of time just doing some of my favorite past-times like thrifting and crafting. I'm looking forward to sharing some of my projects on here in the near future. Also, I've seen other bloggers do posts about thrift hauls and I was considering doing something like that on here.

I went to a couple outlet stores earlier this week and I'm planning on doing some more bargain shopping in the next few days. That being said, you can expect a "finds of the week" post coming up soon. I can't wait to show you guys some of the great goodies I found! Anyhow, that was just a brief update on what I've been up to. So, moving on, here are some of my current obsessions:

1) Crock pot recipes- To say that I'm not much of a cook would probably be an overstatement of my abilities. The only thing that I can consistently make with any degree of success is ramen noodles. But thanks to a tight budget I've been forced to eat in more often. And, trust me when I say that having ramen every night gets really old really fast. On a recent thrifting expedition, I discovered a really nice crock pot and thought "why not?"It's awesome! Seriously, it's super easy to make really yummy dishes and I've been collecting crock pot cookbooks like mad. I must have at least six of them by now. It's probably kind of sad how much I love my crock pot but I don't care. If having a variety of hot and delicious meals is wrong then I don't want to be right.

2) Tattoos- I'd like to preface this by saying that I don't actually have any tattoos...yet. Every summer since I turned eighteen I've spent about a month telling everyone that I was finally going to get one. I spend this month obsessively considering the perfect placement for whatever tattoo design I've currently decided is "the one." Maybe I'm just engaging in my yearly ritual of deluding myself into believing that I have a bad ass side or maybe I'll actually take the plunge this year. Who knows?

3) Saturday Night Live- I love this show! It's well written, well acted, smart, and entertaining. I've been watching some of the old episodes from the early 2000's on netflix lately and I can't get enough! When I was in NYC a few weeks ago, my mom and I went on the NBC tour. While the tour in general was an overwhelmingly disappointing experience I would still recommend it to hardcore TV fans. I got to see the SNL set and I almost died. I got to see the stages where the host speaks and the band plays and best of all I got the see the Target Lady set. I was this happy about it.

4) Top knots- This is the perfect hairstyle for summer. I wear my hair like this all the time. It keeps my hair up off my face and neck which is great for the hot weather we've been getting lately. I really like that I can make the bun look really neat and elegant for nicer occasions but I can also make it pretty and messy for a more casual look. It's great!

5) Pretty Little Liars- I know, I know, this is probably really lame but I can't help it. It's just so compelling! It's one of those shows that you can't stop watching once you start. The new season just premiered two nights ago and I'm so happy. I can't wait to see what happens and more importantly, I can't wait to see what the liars are wearing. I would love to raid the costume department of this show. There's some seriously great fashion going on there. If you aren't into stories of murder, mystery, and romance, you should at least watch for the clothes. So needless to say, I will be incommunicado from 8-9 p.m. every Tuesday in the near future.

So, that's what I'm doing right now. How have you been spending your summer so far? Feel free to let me know what you think in the comments.

Until next time,
Cait

Graduate

I'm really sorry for the radio silence around here lately. It's been an incredibly hectic few weeks for me. May has proved to be a month full of changes. Some of these I was ready for, and some of them I was (panic-attack-inducing) not. You see, on May 9 I graduated college.

 It's hard to believe that four years of work have led up to this moment of utter happiness and confusion. I'm not sure what I'm doing right now or where I'm going but for once, I think I'm ok with that. This is the first time in my life that I haven't had a goal, a next step in mind. It's both terrifying and extremely exciting.

Since my own graduation, I've had the pleasure of watching some of my favorite people take the momentous step that I had just taken. Luke received his degree in Media Studies and my roommate/best friend got her degree in technical theatre. Graduation week was a whirlwind of family friends and food. I promise to do a post featuring pictures of everybody on our graduation days once I can compile them all from various cameras and people.

Another big change came in the form of a brand new job at Anthropologie! It's only a part-time gig for now, but hopefully I'll be elevated to full-time or able to land a second job in the near future. I'm really thrilled about this and I can't wait to get in the swing of working there. I love their stores and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to join such an inspiring and creative team.

The week after my graduation, my Mom swept me off to New York City for a fabulous week of vacation. I had a blast! My Mom is one of my best friends and I love spending time with her. This trip was our third adventure into the Big Apple and I think I love it more and more every time I visit. Even after three trips to the city I feel like there's so much that I still haven't seen there. I promise to do a trip recap post soon.

Now that I have more free time, I'm hoping to start posting more goodies here on the blog. I'm starting to get back in the swing of crafting and I'd like to share some of my projects here. Also, my wonderful boyfriend has promised to play the role of photographer and will hopefully help me take outfit pictures.

Until Next Time,
Cait

P.S. My graduation pictures were taken by my friend Lane. You should check out his photography page. He's pretty talented.

Deals of the Week

The only thing I love more than clothes and beauty products is finding an awesome deal on these things. So, I thought I woud take a page out of Penny Chic's fabulous book and start a new feature where I periodically show you guys some of the great discounted items that I find.

I won't be doing this every week, because unfortunately, my college budget will not support that much shopping. I'll try to pick stuff from major chain stores so hopefully all of you can benefit from these bargains at a store near you. Also, whenever I do one of these posts I'll make sure to only show items that I've found recently. That way, if you guys see something you like here, you can go get it for yourself! So, here's my first batch of deals!

My first great find is this super cute pair of western inspired ankle booties. I found them at, wait for it, Kmart! Seriously! I couldn't believe it. I wandered in there to kill some time and I found all sorts of goodies.

Sorry about the weird alignment of this next picture, I forgot to flip it. These boots were originally $34.99. I found them on the 50% off rack and I was thrilled to get them for that price. But, when I got to the register I found out they'd been marked down even further. I got these boots for $9.99! Ten dollars people! These boots are a steal! I can't wait to wear them with dresses and a jean jacket for a fun springy look. These boots are also versatile enough to translate over into fall as well. Overall, I would highly recommend running out to purchase these.

My second find of the week is a sweet little open knit sweater, also from Kmart. You can't see it very well in the picture, but the knit here is really loose, the sweater is actually almost sheer. And the best part is, it'll only set you back $3.99! This is a perfect little springy knit. It'll be a great transition piece for spring and fall. I'm planning on layering it over a floral dress for a really pretty and fun look.

My third find of the week is a lovely little blue number. I got this dress at a Dilliard's outlet store over my spring break. It was originally $90 but it'd been marked down until it was only $9.99. I saw the lovely color, noticed the price, and I snatched that dress up! 

 This dress reminds me of the one Zooey Deschanel wears in the party scene of "(500) Days of Summer". I can just imagine twirling around on a rooftop wearing it with a pair of pretty wedges. Speaking of "(500) Days of Summer", some friends of mine recently re-made a scene from the movie for a film competition. You should check it out, it's pretty cool. Plus, they filmed part of it in my apartment, and I got to be an extra so you can see my front door and the back of my head, which is clearly the most important part of the scene.

Find number four is a super sweet top that I found at Ross for $11.99. You can't really see in the photos, but this shirt is sheer. I love that this balances the girly cuteness of the peachy collar with the sheer trend and a funky exposed zipper in the back.

This top is really great because it looks just as good with jeans as it does tucked into a skirt. I think this piece will look good year round, you can put on a jacket or sweater to make it more weather appropriate on colder days.

The fifth find I have for you lucky lovelies is a super fun pair of color block sandals. Color blocking is always big for spring and I think these sandals interpret the trend in a really versatile way.

I found these pretty little goodies at, you guessed it, Kmart! I think I love that place. At $19.99, these were a little more expensive than I was hoping but I just couldn't say no to the great color palette on these babies!

My sixth find of the week is a really great blush. It's from Physician's Formula, so it's definitely good quality and at only $11.45 I couldn't turn it down. It comes in either a lovely natural color or a pretty rose, which is the one I picked. This blush is called the Happy Booster because it contains endorphins that create a sense of joy every time you brush it on! Also, the sweet and subtle violet scent doesn't hurt!

 My seventh, and final, find is this pretty bottle of Revlon nail polish. I know it looks a little bright in the picture, but it's actually a super pretty emerald color. Emerald is really on trend for spring and nail polish is a perfect way to inject a little trendiness into your outfit without breaking the bank.

 So that's all I've got for you today. I hope this was helpful! If you have any questions or suggestions about this feature, feel free to let me know in the comments!
Until next time,
Cait

This is my...

Whoa, sorry about the break there! I had spring break off from school, then Easter weekend and the schoolwork keeps piling up. Hello, last semester of college. Anyway, enough about how busy I am. On to the second installment of this feature, so with out further ado...this is my boyfriend.

His name is Luke. He's sort of a goober, but I'm crazy about him anyways. We met when we were wee little teenagers. He was a weird emo kid with a penchant for hiding in dark corners and laughing at bad jokes. I was an awkward, hyperactive cheerleader who secretly read Sylvia Plath. After a few years of being friends, a confusing conversation about butter, and some of the most awkward hand holding known to man, we started dating. We've been together for 4 years now, and it's been truly fantastic. The above picture was taken not too long after our one-year anniversary. 

He always looks so unhappy to be in pictures with me. He assures me that it's because he doesn't know how to smile genuinely in pictures, but I think it's because I've talked so much that he's lost the will to smile.

He's big into making movies and music, he's one of the most creative people I know. The picture above is a screen shot from a short film he recently starred in. You should definitely check it out. It's pretty awesome, the film was made by Luke and bunch of his movie making friends. It won a few awards and is going to be screened at the CMF film festival in Hollywood this summer! So, that's a little bit about my boyfriend. He'll probably be a little miffed if he ever sees this, but oh well. He's such a big part of my real life, I can't imagine him not being involved in my blog. 

Til next time,

Cait

This is My...

I'd really like to become a more regular blogger and in order to encourage myself in that direction, I'll be starting a new feature! This feature will (hopefully) happen weekly and it will be called "This is my...". Each week, I'll be introducing you lovely people to different aspects of my life. For the first edition, I'd like to introduce something that is very important to me...Me! So without further ado, here I am!

As you already know, my name is Cait and I'm a 21-year-old college student living in North Carolina. I love books, clothes, and obscure 90's movies references. I'm a senior English major at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. I can usually be found wandering around the local Goodwill or Hobby Lobby.

 I'm pretty much a homebody, which my netflix account can definitely attest to. So, if you're ever in the Greensboro area and are looking for someone to take you on a tour of the nightlife hotspots, I'm probably not your girl. Unless you consider eating massive amounts of queso dip and talking about "Clueless" to be a good time, in which case you should e-mail me, because we'll probably be best friends. 

I'm kind of a giant doof, seriously. No one will ever mistake me for being cool. I trip a lot and say things like "Oy with the poodles already!" (p.s. if you get that reference, you're officially awesome). I watch a ton of tv and I have an unhealthy love for Scooby Doo. I guess that's about all I have to say for now, so I'll leave you guys with this little gem of a photo. (btw Scooby kissed me on the cheek about 3 seconds before this picture was taken, am I the luckiest girl or what?)

Until Next Time,

Cait

My Current Obsessions

I'm taking an intermediate poetry writing class this semester and one of our recent homework assignments was to read a chapter of our book titled "Obsessions". In the reading, the author proposed the idea that all writers go through phases of obsession. This particularly resonated with me because I feel like it partially explained my obsessive nature. I have a tendency to let my mind become consumed with these obsessions. Natalie Goldberg, the author of our text (Writing Down The Bones) encouragers writers to make lists of their current obsessions, to get them out of the way of more salient thoughts if nothing else. So, I suppose I'm saying all of this as sort of a justification for why I do this. My current obsessions may be silly and frivolous but they're my thoughts and in order to become a more effective writer in other places, I should get them out. So, here it goes...

1.Thin Mints- It's that magical time of year once again...girl scout cookie season! I used to be a Girl Scout when I was younger and Thin Mints have always been my favorite. I have absolutely no will power when it comes to these cookies. Seriously, I've already bought 2 boxes. I think I have a problem.

2. The Black Keys- I can't get enough of this band, they're absolutely fantastic! I've been listening to them nonstop lately, their music is perfect for walking to class. They're playing a concert in Charlotte right before my birthday and I want to go so bad! I've spent the past 2 weeks not-so-subtly hinting at the boy to take me for my birthday. I'm fairly confident in my ability to wear him down so hopefully, come July, I'll be standing close enough to make the band feel like this.

3. Essie Nail Polish- Confession time: I love painting my nails. It's one of my favorite ways to relax and I pretty much always have my nails painted. I recently discovered the wonder that is Essie, just sitting all daintily at the end of the beauty aisle in Walgreens waiting to tempt a broke college student. It's getting to be a problem, I can't go to the drug store anymore without spending close to 10 minutes standing there ogling all the colors. And somehow, I always end up racing to the register with one of those precious bottles clutched in my greedy little hands. I think it's a nail polish induced adrenaline rush, or something equally sinister.

4. Freaks and Geeks- Am I the last person to discover how awesome this show is? Seriously though, it rocks! If you haven't watched it, you should probably do so immediately. Trust me you'll be this happy you did. 1990's James Franco, Jason Segel, and Seth Rogan playing teenage burnouts in the 1970's. It's impossible to not love this show.

So that's what I'm loving right now. I hope this has been at least mildly interesting. Is there anything you can't get enough of lately? Feel free to let me know in the comments!

Until next time,
Cait

Valentine's Day

I'm going to let you guys in on a not-so-little secret about me...I love Valentine's Day. Actually I love any holiday that gives me an excuse to dress up in a themed outfit. It's a whole day where it's socially acceptable to leave my apartment wearing a costume, and I love it. Halloween, St. Patrick's Day, New Years, etc. I'm all over it. I wear red and green for a solid week every Christmas. I'm the proud owner of candy cane printed sneakers, black cat earrings, and light up shamrock glasses.

Obviously, I love all holidays, in an admittedly ridiculous way, but Valentine's Day has always held a special place in my heart (pun intended). I know there are a lot of people who like to hate on Valentine's Day, and I get it, it sort of blows some times, but I think the idea of a day dedicated to love is absolutely, for lack of a better word, lovely. It's not that I need a special day to know that I'm loved because I know that the people who love me, do so every day and I hope that they know I love them everyday too. It's just a day dedicated to celebrating that love, and I think that's wonderful.

This is not to say that I take Valentine's Day to be an entirely serious holiday. I mean, how can a holiday that involves Spongebob greeting cards be viewed seriously? I take Valentine's Day with a grain of salt. I love it and I proudly celebrate it, but I don't force it on others. I look at Valentine's Day the same way I look at birthdays. You're allowed to make a big deal about it if you want to, but no one can make you celebrate it and no one gets to be mad at you if you're super psyched about it.

Valentine's Day is an admittedly silly holiday, and I accept that. I'm not deluding myself into thinking that having a date on February 14 is the end all-be all of my existence, because it isn't. Honestly, it just comes down to the fact that I enjoy celebrating things for the sake of celebrating. Who doesn't love a good celebration? What's not to adore about a day where I can feel totally justified in wearing a pretty red dress and stuffing my face with chocolate?

All of that being said, I'm really excited about what the boyfriend and I are doing tonight! I love going to see ironic movies on holidays that are supposed to be super romantic. For example, last Valentine's we saw "The Woman In Black" with Daniel Radcliffe and on our anniversary in September, we watched "The Campaign" with Will Ferrell and Zach Galifinakis (no idea if I spelled that right). So following this trend, tonight, we are going to watch "Warm Bodies", that new zombie movie. It looks like it should be pretty good in a dark humor kind of way.

How do you guys feel about V-Day? Love it, hate it? Any exciting plans for tonight? Let me know in the comments!
Til Next Time,
Cait