new chapter

Warning: this is somewhat lengthy rambling post.

So.. josh and i are moving to washington! After discussing our future plans and life and hopes and dreams about five months ago, we decided moving would be best for us at this point in our lives. I'll briefly tell you why!

Josh is in a band, its his career but even more so its his calling in life. His passion. And part of this, a huge part in fact, is being on the road.. most often times, for months at a time. Previously, I had always gone on tour with him. And while touring is extremely fun (imagine a 2 month long road trip with your best friends, going city to city and being mostly care-free), it is also not for everyone (now imagine what i said above, and add no sleep, eating exclusively packaged food, being in a vehicle ALL day, and no hobbies, ect ).. even with all those cons, touring is still a pretty good time. however, its not MY calling or career or passion so it can suck the life out of you… Which is why most, if not every wife with a touring husband stays home. Looking back I am SO grateful for the opportunities to go with him, so many countless memories and experiences, not to mention, i met some pretty amazing people out there. But i'm ready to move on, and work toward my own career and passions and dreams, and luckily i have a husband who not only understands but pushes me to do so. Which is where washington comes in… I have my cosmetology license in washington state and i have yet to work in a salon because a few days after graduating we moved to georgia.. and then tours, and then later realized that i couldn't just transfer my license, i would have to go back to school here. So that is one of the main reasons we're moving.. living there we'll both be able to do what we love to do… (since he's able to live anywhere and still do what he does)

The other big deciding factor in moving is the church we LOVE is there. It's really important to us to be involved in and part of a church, which we haven't had since we lived here. and we've been avid podcasters of solid rock for years and it was a dream of ours to be able to actually go there and be involved. i am so excited about this.

Another thing, it is extremely (incredibly, awfully) hard to be away from your spouse for months at a time.. like something i will NEVER get used to. But it is so so so helpful to have a support system in the form of friends and family, and i honestly don't have that in georgia (the only friends i have here are the guys in the band and band wife, vanessa). i think i would've turned into a compressed mess of tears had i ever tried to stay home. in fact, last summer i had plans to stay home from the 2 month tour but days before they were supposed to leave i had a full on panic attack and breakdown and we quickly realized that staying home while we lived here wasn't really an option.. and i ended up going!
but i grew up in washington and my entire family and tons of friends are there, so my support system is already in place.. (and boy do they have their work cut out for them)

This is going to be an incredibly exciting and sad and happy and crazy year. But i'm definitely ready for it!! I am a workaholic at heart and as much as i've enjoyed the past three years not working, i am SOOOO ready to be a busy working woman again.

Of course, I will miss things about georgia.. the guys in the band are like my brothers (and they better call me at least once a week!), and i'll miss josh's family whom i love dearly (the in-law stereotype must've skipped us, i seriously adore his parents). There will be things i don't miss though, like the humidity… good riddance to you.

So here's to this new chapter in our lives!


p.s. I would like it to be known that i didn't force josh into this decision, or give him an ultimatum or ask him to quit the band, or any of those horrible things wives do… in fact, it was his idea and decided on after much prayer on the topic.

DIY camera purse/bag

Hi friends! After a few days of being really sick i finally feel good enough to stare at the computer again and share this DIY.

Somewhat recently my camera bag was stolen (luckily JUST the bag, not my camera) and I was bummed since I would have to re-buy but I also saw it as an opportunity to get a better (read: cuter) one. I often would not bring my camera places because I didn't want to carry around a camera bag with my purse and whatever else.. Either that or wrap egg crate or scarfs around my camera and stuff it in my purse. Neither were cutting it for me. I looked online and i found some good non-traditional camera bags that look like purses, but all of them were well over $100 and up to $300.. (if you put all the purses i've ever bought in my life together it still wouldn't come close to that total). Procrastination eventually lead to an idea in the back of my head of just making one myself. And after christmas I found the ideal shape/size purse at target on clearance. I got the rest of the supplies at joann fabric and made it in a night, while watching the beauty and the beast blu-ray. This purse probably wouldnt have been my first choice if I were just picking it out as a purse, but it looks a million times better than any plain camera bag so i'm very pleased! And it all cost less than $20.

(Edited to add updated pictures and note: December 2011

p.s. This has held up surprisingly well.. i've been using it for exactly a year now. I use it daily and have also taken it on MANY trips and its still in great condition.. no wear on the padding, no tears or anything. easily one of the most useful and fun projects i've done!)

a better picture of the inserts out of the purse ^

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and a photobooth picture to show my camera inside

Here we go, I'll try to explain this the best i can..

You'll need:

a purse/bag - i wanted something very specific..ie: just tall enough for a DSLR, just wide enough for the camera to sit flat, a tapered top so its easy to carry, zipper closure, room to fit other lenses and camera equipment and also room for a small wallet and other everyday things.

3/4 inch foam - 1/4 yard
1/2 inch foam - 1/4 - 1/3 yard, depending on how many inserts you want.
1 yard of fabric to cover foam - you might not need a whole yard, but i wanted to make a whole bunch of extra inserts just in case some get lost.
Velcro - one package should do

Opt: velcro glue

I measured the inside of my bag, and decided i wanted foam on all sides (bottom, both long sides and both short sides).
These are the measurements i used for my foam, yours will probably be different but overall it should be around the same size.
Bottom pad: 13 1/2" x 4 3/8" using 3/4" foam
Short sides: 4 1/2" x 4 3/8" (make 2)
Lens dividers: 7 1/2" x 3" (make atleast 3)
Straight divider: 4 1/2" x 3 1/2" (make 2)
Long side pads: 10" x 4 1/2" (make 2)

Now, use all these foam pieces as a pattern for the fabric, adding about an inch to all sides for seam allowance. Cut two pieces of fabric for each foam insert (obviously!)..
Note: For the lens divider, add 2 inches to the short ends so you have little flaps to sew velcro onto.

Decide where you want your velcro and cut to size and sew onto right side of fabric.
Now, sew three sides of the fabric, and stick the foam in, making a pillowcase type thing for the foam, then fold in and pin the opening closed and sew shut.

(Alternately, you could use velcro glue to glue the velcro anywhere you wanted to save you some trouble.. but i opted to sew my velcro on)

When you are done sewing all your pieces together use velcro glue to put velcro on the inside and bottom of the purse to keep your main foam pieces in place. Add your dividers and you're set.

If you have ANY experience sewing you can definitely do this, and even you don't, i bet you could. I just made it up as i went along and made it work and it turned out extremely well!

There are so many little parts to it, it can seem overwhelming but it was actually super easy and quick. I have a hard time explaining things like this all at once, so if you have any questions, feel free to email them to me. vanillaandlace@gmail.com

2011 goals..

I'm back this year with a new set of goals and a crazy drive to accomplish them. I am constantly making goals throughout the entire year, even on daily basis, so new years is basically just an excuse to share some. Also, on my birthday this year i wrote down down 21 goals i want to accomplish before my next birthday.. so this is a mix of everything... in no particular order.

1. Stop complaining -
i wouldn't consider myself a big complainer but i've noticed small things i complain about.. like josh is driving 10 miles under the speed limit, or the neighbors music is blasting through the walls, ect. If you make a conscious effort to not complain, even about the tiniest things, chances are you'll forget about it within a few minutes and you'll have a whole lot less negativity in your life. (When you do this you'll start to notice how much people around you complain, but don't be tempted to point it out.. lead by example.)

2.Absolutely, positively no high fructose corn syrup
3.work on more advanced sewing projects
4. do the 365 bible reading project
5. study physical fitness and nutrition for fun
6. go to yoga classes weekly again
7. get a new (small) tattoo
8. make money doing something i love - i will be getting a job as a stylist soon, but i'm also opening an etsy shop, and starting to take clients for photography.. all of which i LOVE. hooray for working again!

That's all for now. 2010 was a good year, and i have a feeling 2011 will be even better.

baby calvin

Yesterday was so bittersweet. My sister hannah called me in the morning to let me know my other sister jasmine was in labor. I was super happy the day was finally here (and about 2 weeks early) but so sad at the same time because i wouldnt be able to be there, since i live thousands of miles away.. 2817 miles to be exact. She brought the laptop so i could skype with them off and on throughout the day.. I got to "be" there through a couple hours of labor, chatting in between the contractions. Although she had gone through about 6 hours of natural labor, her doctor didn't think things were moving along fast enough for baby so he suggested a c-section and the next hour my sister and her husband became parents. She had a few hours of recovery so i skyped with the family out in the waiting room (all 13 of them!). Finally, hannah texted and said they were back in the room and i could see him.. and when they pointed the computer screen at him, with the whole family gathered around the bed and computer, i barely got out an "awww" before i erupted in tears and sobbed for a second with my hands in my face. i finally pulled it together and admired his adorable face and long hands, and how happy my sister looked as a mama. I stayed in the room and visited with them for over 2 hours, and i am so so so thankful for the technology to do so. It was definitely the hardest day in 3 years of living away from family.
I'll get to see him and smother him in kisses in about 3 weeks, which is when we're moving there. Oh! thats other big news.. i'll explain later..

For now, welcome to the world little Calvin Shane Lee






with my sister hannah


with my dad


my mom and dad
(pictures taken from various friends facebooks.. thank you!)



...counting down the days

our christmas

It came and went so fast! But it was such a great day.

Josh and i couldn't fall asleep on christmas eve, not because i was "excited" but because our sleeping pattern has been really messed up so we tossed and turned for a few hours then at 2am we got up and watched a christmas mass on ABC then the blindside. After that i was finally sleepy enough, then got a whole 2 hours of sleep before the alarm went off. We opened our presents from each other and my whole family, then drove to Josh's parents and opened gifts from them and watched our nephew enjoy tons of little toys. Then we napped for a LONG time and ate lunch, played a game and went to see black swan (which was AMAZING)..

Santa brought me:
an ikea giftcard, UO owl catch-all, UO labratory vases, built by wendy dress book, moleskine, an 11X14 print of this amazing painting, the black apple paper dolls book, Seychelles clogs, vintage style oxfords from jshop, an ikea muffin tin, matroyshka doll measuring cups, this paper trimmer, and more super sweet and thoughtful gifts.

The day after christmas I got up pretty early and went to target to pick up some christmas clearance.. its the best way to build your christmas decor collection! And when i came home it was snowing.. it didn't stick for long but it was still fun.

How was your christmas?? And what was your favorite gift?

merry christmas.

¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Luke, chapter 2

advent calender: psl

Christmas is in FOUR DAYS! (i still cannot believe how fast this year went by, ive said it a thousand times i think.. but i need to say it again)
We've watched just about every christmas movie made.. quite literally. We've been drinking hot cocoa and cider as much as possible. And each day coming up with clever things to put in the advent calender. Today josh put a note in there that said "pumpkin spice date". I haven't had one yet this year, so i was over due. it was delicious. and over priced.

i made peanut brittle to send my grandparents this year but i didn't have anything to put it in so i stitched up the sides of parchment paper and added some ribbon and a tag. it ended up looking cuter than expected.
(grandparents if you're reading: i hope you enjoy it!)


and this is our kitty being naughty and climbing in the tree. he gets sprayed with water every time, yet still does it multiple times throughout the day... sending the ornaments flying..



hope the beginning of your week has been stress-free.

weekend in black and white

and a little color:





over the weekend:
i put finishing touches on some handmade gifts that i sent off today.
made caramels and reindeer cake pops
drank some coffee that didn't hurt my stomach
went shopping at the mall to get one present i couldn't online (it was crazy, and i won't ever do that again)
read a whole lot. (the glass castle and josh's upcoming memoir)
wore a cute dress i got for my birthday.
but other than that was in pajamas most of the weekend.


tomorrow we're going ice skating with friends, which i'm super excited about. i love ice skating, even though i tend to fall a whole lot.