These call for a 2nd post today...Inspirations!

Guess what?! I have neat things for you to see! So, how about an Inspiration post? This one is devoted to cool backgrounds and photo ops!

Check out how artist Mariko Jesse used drawings as backdrops for these stellar bridal photos! This spread was featured in Martha Stewart Weddings. I personally love this magazine. Great for sweet inspirations.And here we have a photo straight out of Real Living magazine. Has anyone seen this magazine available in the US of A? Anyway, I just love this idea...cute, cute.Last but not least...I just have throw some fashion in the mix! Can't help myself from these gorgeous 70's inspired threads from Target! Jovovich-Hawk designs for GO International.

Honey, I'm home!

I'm back from Spring Break '08 and it was...GREAT! The secret destination location was Rockport, Texas! Meg and I left on Saturday, drove all day, and then arrived on the beach! It was such a fun week filled with fun on the beach (like laying in the sun, playing in the waves, and flying kites!), shopping trips, ferry rides, renting a new movie every night, DELICIOUS food (including my favorite restaurant: Charlotte Plummers!) and the Texas State Aquarium! Wahoo! I needed a week like that. :)

Pictures/Videos will be coming soon!

Now it's back to reality, and I'm really not complaining. I feel more focused after having a week of total fun and relaxation. I'm a little nervous about how much homework I have to do before Monday...and the week after that, teaching every day...but I'll get it done!

Right now I have photography fever! My creative juices are flowing, and I want to make some stellar shots! I've got a few engagement sessions coming up the next few weeks, and I'm SO excited about them! I keep getting lens/equipment lust though! The 24-70mm is a'callin' my name. ...Caroline... But don't forget about my exciting news from my last post. Still a "secret" but I'm sure if you run into me somewhere, I'll spill the beans. :)

I really can't explain how refreshed and refocused I feel after this week. Simply wonderful. :)

One night, after hanging out on the beach all day, I ran across this verse: "Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, when I made the clouds its garment...when I fixed limits for it when I said, 'This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt'?" Job 38:8-11

The next day, that's all I could think about while watching the ocean waves roll in and out. God, my God determines exactly where those waves stop. Wow. Our God is so powerful and so in control! And He is good. In the deepest sense of the word, He is good. I got to experience some of His goodness to me this week. Beautiful.

Make sure to watch out for some photos from the week in a day or two!

Spring Break is upon us!

My blog post average per month is going down fast. Looks like we have a critical situation on our hands. I have a really good reason though...but it's top secret. So...sorry. I can't share it. But I'll give hints.



Hint #1: There are two reasons.

Hint #2: One is .net

Hint #3: One is blu.

Hint #4: You'll see both of them very soon.



I bet half of you can make an accurate guess now. :)


Well, in other news, Spring Break is coming up! That's so exciting. I can already tell you it's going to be a good one-- full of wholesome, non-alcoholic fun. :) And hey, my birthday is coming up too! I won't be blogging in honor of Spring Break this coming week...


But don't lose hope in the dear ol' blog...exciting things are in the future.



In the meantime, here's an simple, classy outfit that you'll LOVE for Spring Break!

The Dress that is WAY comfy, on sale for $15, and even cuter than it looks in the photo.
The Jean Jacket that provides for the cool nights and everyone needs one anyway.
Lastly, the Shoes that make the outfit!

The top 5 for March! a.k.a The Longest Post in the World!

Sub title for this post: Oh no, I'm a blog slacker!

Instead of blogging this month, I've been taking advantage of the purely lovely warm weather, basking in the sun, taking long drives to the lake, dancing around the house, and staying up too late. Oh yes, and doing school work of course. :) But to make up for my absence, I have some of the coolest things to bring you in this month's edition of le premier cinq. AKA the Top Five! (Can you keep a secret? This is more or less an inspiration post than a Top 5 post...but shhh, don't tell.)

1. Wanting some new tunes for your iPod? Welcome Rue Royale into your life with a big hug and a few high fives! I can't even describe them, you'll just have to listen and be delightfully surprised (if you have music taste that's anything like my own). They have a new album out on iTunes that was just released the day before Valentine's Day! Where have I been!?
2. Yay for gorgeous! Check out the photos for New York Magazine's new airy Spring line. Click on the slideshow.

3. Hello J. Crew with your inspiring photography and wonderful argyle sweaters made just for Spring. I personally don't have $128 to drop on one, but maybe you do. :)
4. Lines and Shapes connect us. Cool design and I just like this website's line of thought. No pun intended.
...Okay, the pun was intended. I like corny jokes :)

5. Whoever invented the alphabet had no idea what kind of artform they were providing the world with. Make your own or find some inspiration searching "typography" on Etsy! (We all love Etsy!!)

***And just in case you were wondering what I'm up to these days***

Wearing: No make-up. I woke up late for work this morning :)

Listening to: Of course I'm listening to Rue Royale's new stuff!

Eating: A Hershey kiss...wish I could find more around here.

Photoshopping: Pictures for my dad's business website.

Loving: The fact that I got to dress up and go to a ballet last night!

Excited About: A family photo shoot tomorow...first in a while it seems!

Reading: Up on who I should vote for as Prez'08.

Feeling: Like making dumb abbreviations (as made obvious by that "Prez'08" up there).

New Hot Spot: Don't make fun, but the campus library. If I take my mac with me, I can listen to other student's shared music while I study. Not illegal!

Laughing at: Everything Obama is doing for me, like commenting on my blog and folding an origami crane for me. Do yourself a favor and go here. Relax, I don't know who I'm voting for yet. But it's still just funny. Keep refreshing the page to get more of what Obama is doing for you :)

Feeling Special because: My birthday is in March! Oh boy!

Love you all,

CarolineJoy

Homer Hiccolm & The Rocketboys

Here are the photos! The Homer Hiccolm Show on Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Well friends, I hope you all had a simply delightful Valentine's Day. As #5 on the last Top 5 post mentioned, I love Valentine's Day! And February 14, 2008 did not disappoint. Let me tell you all about it. :)

First of all, I got to sleep in which equals "YAY!" But I mean, really, what's new? I get to sleep in alot. :) I took the holiday as an excuse to look really cute, which meant I got to wear my new heels all day...wahoo! (Check out the link...if you're looking for ultra classy black heels, look no further than Payless!) Classes were fun and laid back, and around 5 o'clock I headed to Chase and Kassie's where they had prepared a delicious dinner for all of us singles, dating, or whatever your status may be! We started the night off right with some Communion, celebrating the Lord's love above all, and then enjoyed our "love feast." :) I love my friends!

After dinner it was off to the Homer Hiccolm & The Rocketboys concert!! YAY! It was incredible. If you've never heard them, go here and listen! The best part, however, was the fact that I got to be that girl who was smuggling pro camera gear in to the show. :) I had a blast meeting up with other photographers, swapping sick lenses, and walking past all those velvet ropes and "Balcony Closed" signs like they meant nothing. I got some sweet shots! I'd be posting them, but they are not on my computer yet. Kyle Trafton (who helped me SO MUCH as I started in photography) is the BEST for walking up to me and handing me his new $1500 lens. I had so much fun playing with it! So much fun, in fact, that I got kicked out of the balcony. :) I love it!!

Getting to try those new lenses gave me a renewed passion and excitement about photography! Using the same lens for...ever gets a little boring. Great! Now I have another really expensive something to add to my list of "To buy." :)

To top it off, I got to have a stellar phone conversation with my friend Shyla after the concert, AND I came home to a rose and iTunes gift card from my dad! Aw...I love my dad! :)

Much love to you all!

February's Top 5!

It's finally here!!

1. Not to be trendy, but this girl, Yael Naim, is pretty much amazing. Paris-born and Israel-raised, her music is a beautiful mixture of intimate pop and folk. I'm in love with her style! Of course, she's also the new cool girl in town because her song, "New Soul" is used in the ads for Apple's new MacBook Air (which is pretty dang sweet). Check it out here.

2. Simplicity and Springtime. Celebrate the budding beauty by buying fresh flowers. It doesn't take much!

3. It's no secret I love Loeffler Randall. Now I have even more reason to love it! Meet the Mazzy sandal in all it's effortlessly-chic glory. Unfortunately, these were not made for Target. Instead they are priced somewhere between $230 and $340 (depending on whether or not you find them on sale). But if you must have them, try eBay.

4. Designer Romona Keveza makes a statement in the wedding fashion world with her unique lengths and sweet gowns.

5. And finally...Valentine's Day. If you're one of those people who just hates V-day, has Singles-Awareness-Day parties, and think it was just invented just for greeting card companies...I'm sorry, but you, my friend, are missing out. I know, I know. Valentine's Day just has that cheesy ring to it, but think deeper about it. It's a day to celebrate love! LOVE! And not just romantic love either. Open your eyes and be grateful!

And one more: "Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his LOVE from me!" Psalm 66:20