MOVING MY BLOG!

Hello folks. For those of you who peek at my blog every once and a great while I have some info for you. I won't be posting here anymore (not that I really did anyways) because I am moving over to this one!


----------> New blog


It's exactly the same as this one, only I have a new web address to streamline my photography business a bit. So if you will, please watch the new one instead! Thanks loves!


<3

Explosions.

Explosions., a photo by alexstoddard on Flickr.

Good Lord, Jesus blessed him with photography powers.

Something We Like

I have news, late news, but good news!


Back in January I was surprised to be contacted by a fellow artist on DeviantArt (an online community for artists to share their work) asking me if I would like to participate in an interview on his website. At first I was kind of skeptical, but I checked out the site and realized that I was being given a great opportunity and honor! Something We Like is a wonderful site that features talented artists and their work on a daily basis, giving three artists the spotlight at a time. I honestly was surprised that I was being asked to be featured, but I gladly accepted the offer and filled out the questionnaire that day!


After I sent in the interview, I was told that due to the high number of artists that they feature, it may take some time until mine pops up. In my mind, I thought this meant a couple weeks, but after waiting for about a month I began to doubt myself. "Oh, they probably decided they didn't want to feature me after all." So I forgot about it and moved on.


Oh silly me. Today I was browsing over the work of some of my favorite photographers (which I've shared below!) and remembered the interview. I decided I'd go see if they had ever posted my interview, and what do ya know? I had been featured on March 7th!! Oops! That was a while ago! haha


So I'm a little bummed that I missed that actual day I got featured, but I still find it to be a huge honor and I'm definitely excited that these chaps liked my work enough to share it with the world!


Go take a peek! My "Chit Chat"

Yup yup! Now I'm going to eat a Kit Kat bar from Easter and not feel guilty about it!


Now enjoy these beautiful photos! And maybe eat a Kit Kat bar for yourself.

Escape by Cafeine-Toism

Play With Origami by Holunder

Lady A by Alinasoloviova

No Birds by Supermalade

Ode by Supermalade

<3

Seventh Birch Jewelery

Well, I am rather unimpressed with my lack of activity here, but I am hoping to change that, I do miss it!


Anywho, the reason for today's entry is a rather important one to me! 


Awhile ago I began my own line of jewelery which I call Seventh Birch Jewelery! I am very inspired by old, small trinkets, things that aren't big and flashy, but that are worn and were once beautiful and have a story. I love how something small can carry so much beauty and capture all your attention. This is why I began making jewelery! 

 

All of my pieces are made only from vintage buttons, brooches, keys, broken toys or whatever I can find at local antique shops that catch my eye. I've also recently been making small makeup/jewelery  pouches that I hope to put up in my shop.

As for right now, I have a few earrings and rings up in both my shop and on Etsy! Please go take a look and tell your friends! 


One of my pieces got some attention the day I first posted on Etsy, check it out! (Mine are the black retro cash register earrings!)

• Under Lock And Key

• French Word For Vintage - Millesime

So yes, there it is, my shameless plug for my own jewelery! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!


Much love and happy weekend!

Quel q'un se es assis sur les eclairs?

Quel q'un se es assis sur les eclairs? Meaning, did someone sit on my eclairs?

Today my younger sister, Lilly, asked me what kind of cupcakes she should bake for her class this week (her birthday week). I myself like the idea of being different and everybody makes cupcakes on their birthday. Not original. So, me in my out-of-the-box way of thinking suggested we make eclairs instead! How cool would my sister look if she walked into school with a plate of French pastries? Too bad for her, I'd never made them before.

I started out with a very classic French pastry dough, pate a choux which is made simply from water, butter, flour, salt, sugar, and eggs. It's actually surprisingly easy to make, but of course that's where I messed up! We ended up doubling the recipe because we had to make these for 27 sugar crazed kids. Bad idea.

Pate a choux in my ghetto piping bag.

My sister Morgan, who shares my passion for cooking, has a professional piping bag and tips, but lucky me, the one tip I needed was missing. Thus the Ziplock bag. This led to a not too lovely looking piping job.

I know. I know.

I was hopeful, however, that these little slug-like buddies would puff up into cute, hallowed out lovelies just waiting for a creamy pastry filling. Ha.

Can you say.... flat?

Yup, my poor little eclairs were less than excited looking. After doing some research I came to the conclusion that we had too many eggs going on up in there. Moral of the story, don't double your eclair recipe, especially if it's your first time! But it's ok, because I refused to give up on my flat friends! I decided to dub them as profiteroles by cutting the bottoms off and creating sandwiches with them instead! Lilly whipped up some pastry cream, I melted up some ganache and viola! 

I call them, Lauren Eclairs.

While they didn't turn out the way I would have liked, at least they turned out into something! And I love the learning curve. Usually I get frustrated when I don't get something right the first time, but when it comes to cooking I welcome the learning opportunity!

Now, go cook something yummy! And bring me some, I'm starving. ;)

P.S. Lilly is taking cupcakes to class.

Hearts

Valentine's Day. Yes, I am late, it was on Monday. However, my boyfriend and I have a little theory about Valentine's Day, well more of an opinion... While it is all in all a wonderful holiday, putting an emphasis on love and expression of that love to those around us (or just chocolate), we like to think that that sort of expression shouldn't be emphasized on just one day, but every day :] 

Sweet Love

In a time where true love is for movies and sex defines what a relationship is, it's even more important to show how much you genuinely love someone by selfless acts. It's really so simple, but has become very foreign in our culture. It breaks my heart to see girls throw themselves at men and men throw themselves at women and give up everything to anyone to feel loved, even if it's momentary. Looking at our culture you truly wonder if any "love" isn't momentary. That is so sad to me, because love doesn't have to momentary.

Jesus offers eternal love, meaning, it lasts forever, is ceaseless, enduring and immutable. How beautiful is that? God promises this to us, that, "I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me," Proverbs 8:17. We too often look for love "in all the wrong places," causing the perpetual cycle of heart breaks, divorces, and affairs when God is waiting for us to simply turn around and realize He's there offering the most gratifying, more fulfilling, absolutely everlasting true love that we could ever hope for! Having a relationship with Jesus puts you in the shoes of a Disney princess being swept off her feet by mister Prince Perfect Charming himself, but all that pumped up on some serious love steroids. 

All my ranting to say, my heart longs so deeply for all the hurting hearts out there to realize and accept that there is an Almighty God who's heart longs for theirs. The Creator of all the universe is so in love with us that wants to spend an eternity with us! {John 3:16-17}

On that note, I want to share a personal story. When I was 17 I had very strong feelings for my best friend, but it was all so very complicated in my mind and felt hopeless. My heart was convinced that it wouldn't work out the way I was hoping and that longing to be with someone, to be loved by a man, felt so far away. I was upset and decided to take a prayer walk down a trail on the hill of our property. As I poured my heart out to Jesus, I rounded a corner on the trail where it opened up to grassy hillside and on that hillside were thousands of beautiful, yellow buttercups. I'd never seen so many golden flowers, all glowing in the sunlight, I stopped in my tracks and stared in awe. In that moment I felt Jesus speak to my heart, he told me something that has and will forever bring me comfort. He told me, "See all these flowers? They're for you, from me. No man could ever give you the love that I can give." I felt so much peace after that and still do in knowing that no matter what happens in any relationship I have, whether it be a friendship or marriage, Jesus will give me all the love I will ever need!

So during this time where store front windows are covered in red, lacey hearts and you can find chocolate for sale pretty much anywhere, remember that Jesus is the best Valentine you could ever hope for! :]

Hello, I love you.

P.S. I also want to thank my love, Nate, for being the most amazing and loving man Jesus has ever put into my life. My heart is so full because of the love you so willingly give to me :] I love you!

Mister Boyfriend got me these wonderful dresses and shoes!

l'amore mi ha ispirato per vivere.

I am feeling... inspired :] Today the sun came out to play and let me use it's light to paint. It took a dive through the transparent greens of young ferns and danced along the luminous threads of the spider's home. It was warm against my pale skin while my feet felt cool among the leaves and dirt. Each ray of light were like strings attached to my soul, lifting it ever upward and out of a quiet lull. It all was so refreshing :] 

I was then further inspired by each of the following...

This wonderful song my love showed me. Push play, but I warn you, you may get stuck in a routine of pushing play again and again after each time the song ends. ;]

This lovely blog post that my friend wrote on Beauty. If you need an motivational boost, give it read. <3




The many beautiful words from the love of my life that have taken up permanent residence in my heart. God has truly blessed me with an amazingly loving man :}

And these beautiful pieces of art. Enjoy, friends and be inspired :]

Mon-artifice

Psychiatrique

DarkGomo

Supermalade

Oer-wout