moving on up.

I can't even believe how fast time as flown by. Our contract is up with our 1920's bungalow and I feel like I could curl up in a ball and cry. Of course, we can always renew our contract but the argument is, do we want to continue living it up in Provo? Eh...  as great as this city was to mature, go to collage, meet my lifelong friends and my now husband, having my first home with him... I can confidently say, we need to move along.

I wailed like a baby in March and April knowing that the possibility of us moving out of the Bungalow sooner than July was almost a 90% chance of happening. The pathetic reason for my tears was that, I was so badly looking forward to living in this charming home for the summertime - with our backyard and our fire pit. I have been dreaming of throwing parties. Such a lousy excuse huh? I am such a dreamer though and it can really cause some issues most of the time.

I think what is really hard for me to move on is the obvious fact that this is our first house together. There have been so many firsts in this home. I put a lot of work into this bungalow to really make it feel like my own. I really did my best to make it feel like the South. I did my best to make it a comfortable place that would be welcoming to the Zoo when he comes home from work and for our friends when they come over to play countless number of games and tell stories. I put a lot of character into this bungalow that really tells a story, that shows a reflection of who I am. There are so  many details, nooks and crannies in this home that I dare not forget.

I'll miss the characteristics of the windows that open out into the side yard with rose bushes and the sounds of birds chirping, cats meowing and our neighbor's kids laughing. I love hearing the sprinkler systems turn on as it's a sign of summer. I'll miss our deep brick porch and the cool nights spent on it watching the clouds roll in while the Zoo and I place bets on our games of scrabble. I'll miss cuddling up on our awkward small couch as we watch scary movies by the fire. I'll miss our backyard and inviting friends over for some marshmallow roasting, taking naps on blankets in our backyard during Sunday afternoons after church, watching the Zoo perfectly manicure the front and backyard like a man. I'll miss our 1950's kitchen appliances, especially the oven which I didn't use until three months ago due to intimidation and fear of burning the house down. I'll miss living in this house during Halloween and the perfect mood it sets. I'll miss our friends finding treasure in our yard that confirms the people who did live in this house in the twenties as we find their 1920's Gillette razor buried deep in the ground just right outside the bathroom window. So many stories have been collected in this house.

Can you tell I'm going down memory lane? I know myself though. Once I get settled in with my something new, all will be well. The Zoo and I have made big steps and have made our first big purchase together - we bought a town-home. And yes, it's still in Utah County and it's not far from Provo but the scene is quite different and the homes have been built within the past couple of years, so we will loose the charm but we've still got each other and that's all that I need. We don't know how long we will be in this town-home for, as life is always changing, but we plan to make the best of our change.

For the records, for myself, and to keep myself sane, I've made a little video tour of our bungalow so that I can really keep the memories of our first place. I wanted to remember every detail of it, so I'm sorry if you find yourself really bored while watching it. You really don't even have to watch it. It's just more so for myself. This first home has become a big part of my life so I wanted to keep it as alive as possible for the years to come. So without further adieu -- I give you, the bungalow, and may it be a part of our family forever and ever. We've been blessed having this place as our home. I'll never forget it.

party for the bride!

Remember when I said I was done throwing parties after my Southern Birthday Dinner? I lied, but this party was well deserved for my best friend Marissa. I have been waiting for the day that she gets married. She is such a special person to me and deserves love like no one else.

She's always been the friend in everyone else's wedding. The one to always throw the bridal showers. I don't think she can even count on both hands how many showers she has thrown and I am sick of it for her! I've always just thought to myself, and I know others have thought the the same thing too, that this girl deserve the world. And I cannot wait for when the day comes and bam, it's here just like that. And we couldn't love her fiance' any more. Dan is such a gentleman, with some really great hair and pacific ocean blue eyes. And he adores Marissa, he genuinely loves her to the moon and back. You can tell easily just by the way he looks at her, speaks to her, touches her, everything. And I couldn't be happier that she found someone as great as him to take care of her.

Marissa's shower couldn't have been more perfect. The weather was beautiful with a slight cool breeze, all of our girlfriends (with a few missing) came to shower her with gifts, laughter, stories and love and it was just a nice, mellow, low-key social gathering in the backyard of the bungalow and we just had a ball.

It's so fun to see everyone grow up and find their man and their new homes, and jobs and begin to have babies. It's scary because I still feel and act sixteen at heart, and so I feel like this all shouldn't be happening quite yet, but it is and though scary, it's an adventure and a fun one at that! I just am so excited and happy to see the success with my friends and their futures and where the road will take them and I wish them all nothing but happiness!

We just adore Marissa and I cannot, for the life of me, wait to board on the plane in a week and a half to California to be a part of my best friends wedding. It's going to be pure bliss!

scoot scootin' with the "benson's!"

I'm pretty pumped whenever I get to spend some last minute moments with Marissa before she weds her sweetheart Dan. The other night was just the perfect no big deal of an excursion that took  me back to the days of being collage roommates with all of my girlfriends, which really wasn't too long ago.

The Zoo always goes to play tennis or mountain bikes after work, so I was killing time in my bungalow when I heard a toot tootin' horn and peeked out the window to see one golden-eyed motorized scooter, and there they were... the soon to be Benson's in all their glory. Keep in mind, I was in my pajama's and quickly threw on some pants and a hat and jumped on board wondering where we were heading, only to find we were going to the most ghetto grocery store in all of Provo.

And that's all that the excursion was. It was just a block behind mine and the Zoo's bungalow and around the corner and we were probably gone for no more than twenty minutes but I still was having a blast, tossing my head back in the wind and sandwiched between the two lovebirds. I couldn't help but think, even though what we were doing was nothing special, I was still having a feel good time. And it's little moments like that which make you happy, happy with the everyday happenings in your life be it big or little.

So many exciting things lay ahead of me in life. I was talking to my Dad on the phone the other night and we've both come to the conclusion that life is really good right now. We are very blessed with the people in our lives be it family or friends. I am one lucky girl. That's all that there is to it.

summer is here, i can officially cheer!

Goodness gracious! How amazing is this photo? Yes, it's of Utah! You would think it was somewhere over seas, some land foreign and exotic, but it's not - it's right there in my backyard. No, no, I can't take credit for this photo as I took it from one of the Zoo's friends but it's Utah and this is where I have currently been living for the past six years. Crazy to think that the number has now reached to six. Where the time has gone... I'll never know.

All in all, I always give a bad rep on Utah. I shouldn't. Because I know this place isn't permanent. And I do know that wether it's snowy, orange, or green it's a wonderful place. I wouldn't have chosen to be anywhere else in my collage days. And when I look at this photo I am reminded with how beautiful this land is and how majestic the mountain ranges are here and I find myself amazed.

The weather has been perfect. I can confidently say, summer is here and it's one of my favorite seasons in Utah. Provo especially dies down, it's not as crowded and concerts in the parks begin, bike rides through the old homes and neighborhoods happen. Eating hotdogs and burgers outside at fun little joints is what I long for. It's just a happy time and I can't complain one bit. We have been cracking our windows open and our house is now filled with the sounds of sprinkler systems, lawn mowers, kids laughing, birds chirping and I can't help but find myself really giddy. This is my favorite time of year. June is my all time favorite month and its just a week away.

Not only is June a week away but that's when all of the shinanigans hit and I am one anxious girl! I can't even handle myself I'm too excited for what's in store! I get to babysit my aunts kids next week for five days and we are ready to party. I love her kids (my cousins) so much. They make me so happy and we have such a blast when we are together. Then I hop on a plane for my best friends wedding and I get to reunite with all of my best girlfriends without our husbands/fiancé's - no offense to the zoo, but it's going to be a riot! THEN on top of that I fly directly home to Georgia! HALLELUJAH! I've been waiting for this moment all of my life. There is nothing else like home. When the zoo arrives we are gonna eat our brains out, go to a Braves game drive to Savannah and the next thing we know, BAM - we are on the island that I grew up on with all of my family for a week taking day trips to Charleston and pit stops on the way home in Savannah. There is nothing that sounds better to me than this. Not to mention, I get a week to myself with my parents afterwards and any time spent with my parents is memories I cherish because they are a party to be with. And then, before you know it, it's my favorite holiday - The Fourth of July. And then weeks later, another reunion with my girls for my other best friends wedding. I mean, the list goes on and on. Clearly, you can tell and clearly I have bored you to death with my itinerary that probably only I care about.

So with that said, may this next week fly and the month of June SLOW DOWN because I won't ever want it to end.

ready to splash like a fish in the deep blue sea.

Four weeks I tell ya! Four weeks until I am finally basking in the heat of the island in South Carolina with my favorite people in the whole wide world - my family! I can't tell you how this week out of the whole year tops off everything about Christmas! Hilton Head Island is my second home that I have been going to for almost eighteen years now? Is that right?

Once April hits, I start preparing for this vacation. Its the mother load. If you don't know by now, my fetish is swimsuits. I have an awful obsession with them and I have to buy more and more every summer. The best part is that I keep every single suit I own, clear back to middle school days. You could say I have some great old school J.Crew treasures in my suit box that are still just as cute today! Some girls have shoe fetish's, I have a swimsuit addiction and I own up to it proudly.

I know the time has come when I have finally gathered together my swimsuits for the week of Hilton Head. Only four more weeks and I can hardly stand it. This year I was on the hunt for a starch white suit to mock the one and only Grace Kelly. Bam, I got lucky and found it at Anthropologie. It won't be original, as it's a popular item and I know many will rock it this summer but I am glad I was able to find a modest and classy one with a little flirty spunk to it. And I can't stay away from floral. I'll never walk away from any sort of floral pattern and when J.Crew describes their floral print as something that they took from curtain panels in a french home, or the inspiration came from botanical photos from the 60's and 70's or better yet, from perfectly manicured rose bushes out of the backyard of a socialites palm beach home, I'm sold and say I do.

I love reading J.Crew's descriptions of where their inspirations came from for their textiles and prints. It makes it all the more fun and chic while wearing it to know the story behind it. I love it because I completely connect with J.Crew and get what they are saying. I do believe Jenna Lyons and I have a lot in common when it comes to interests in things around the world, inspirations and color palettes. I too find all of my inspirations from the beautiful small things in life that might just be right outside of your own backyard.

Creativity and summertime, there is nothing else quite like it.
The countdown begins and I can't wait to splish-splash in these one piece beauties!

color palette inspiration

I'm constantly finding my inspiration from J.Crew. Especially when I'm swooning over things that I unfortunately can't and wont ever afford and with how beautiful they are, I know that what makes me love them is the color palettes and patterns so I'll whip them up into an abstract painting if I have to! I can't wait to get up on it with this color palette! Here's to a summer of painting whatever the heck I want!

J.Crew Jules Dress in Scroll Print For Sale!

Here we go! Another item outta my closet and into yours... that is, if you win it! Go check out my ebay account and press your luck with making a bid on this J.Crew Jules Dress in Scroll Print! It's in perfect condition, only worn once and ready to be worn throughout the summer with its bright cheerful colors! This is a size 2 dress and comes from a smoke-free and animal-free home! Don't miss out for it's no longer available at J.Crew! Ends in about six days! 

shop here!

life with no deadlines, no rhyme or reason.

My summer has officially begun. With school done, over and out about two weeks ago I have been graced with nothing but sunshine, a mix of thunderstorms, paintings for the sake of painting rather than crossing my fingers to get a decent grade. And well, numerous trips to the grocery store. Par-tay.

 Life with no obligations other than family and friends has been bittersweet. I have luckily conquered the sleeping in phase and I actually get up at a really decent hour and go to bed early with the Zoo, making my days with not much to do, long and beautiful. I have been focusing on staying healthy and have taken great advantage of the outdoors and I have come to love running through the neighborhoods on a morning basis. It wakes me up and it gets me a energy boost start for the day. I can't say I feel productive though. Don't think I'll be living this simple life forever with no rhyme or reason. At times I get so bored that I find myself dreaming of having a job, but with all of the weddings and family summer vacations ahead of me for a month and a half straight, I thought it would be best to make some mula once everything calms down towards July.

The weekends are what I long for as it's time where the Zoo and I can grab some delicious grub to eat out in the sun, be it Mexican to Indian or a flat out yummy American cheeseburger. We are making plans to hit up the Mummy Exhibit at the Leonardo Museum this weekend and I cannot tell you the anticipation that is building up inside of me.

Sometimes I feel pathetic not having an agenda, as though I am wasting so much of my time. But numerous friends have commented to me to not feel bad about it and love this aimless amount of time while I've got it because I wont have it once kids start rolling in, and so I guess I can't feel too bad.... eh?

Life is good, what can I say?

new shop to purchase my artwork!

Hello all of my beautiful friends! I have news for you all involving my artwork. I am currently focusing on my new artwork shop, which is

Rachel Anne Shop

I'm currently deciding wether or not my big cartel shop will take over my etsy shop. I just love the design and cleanliness of this one and would rather showcase my work on it over my etsy. Unfortunately, there is not much work to be purchased at the moment, but I am currently, and slowly working on a series of smaller abstracts that would add a splash of chicness and color to a gallery wall or work space, whichever you desire. So do stay tuned! I will be adding work randomly on a weekly basis. All work is original therefore, there is only one of each! 

Thanks for you support and love!

favorite pinned photos of the weekend.

I just felt the urge to share with you my favorite photos i've collected on my pinterest from the weekend. I'm a sucker for beautiful photographs, images that are captured in the most beautiful light of beautiful places, people and animals. It gives me the simple joy I love to have beaming each and every single day. The little things.

I have nothing really more to say, I just want to ooo & ahh, and I do plan on printing, framing and making these wonderful images keepsakes in my workspace and home.

mums the word!

I'm so happy that there is such a thing as "Mother's Day" because it's a well deserved day for all of those hardworking, selfless and loving women out there, especially my one of a kind mother. I love my mom like it's nobody's business. She really is the cat's meow. I am so grateful I chose to be her daughter. I am her number one fan and I adore everything she does and who she is.

I hope to be just like her some day. I couldn't think of anything more wonderful. She is a contagious woman, one who naturally calls the company of others through her spunkiness, smile, youthful energy and her out of this world dance moves. Her company is a treasure to hold and I love her with all of my heart. The world just can't get enough of her. And I don't blame them. I am so proud to be your daughter.

I love you Mom, happy Mother's Day, you deserve to kick your feet back and wear a crown.

xoxo,
Rach

she's got that charleston swag in her brush strokes, i tell ya.

Oh heavens to betsy. I've found a new obsession/inspiration to my artwork. Here is the amazing work of Charleston artist, Teil Duncan. Known for her color block nudes and beach scenes, I can't even begin to tell you how inspired and in love I am with her work. This photo right here of her wall space in her studio just dripping in her work is nothing short of marvelous and I'd dream to have this in my home. I can't tell you how bad I've been swooning over her color palettes. This girl has got her color palettes down to an art, no pun intended.

And let's talk about the nudes. I normally don't go crazy over nude paintings. I'm not offended by them if they are tastefully done, but most nude artwork is tastefully done. Therefore, I'm really never offended. I don't view it as pornography and having been in numerous figure study classes, I have a new view and take on it, which I won't get into. Would I ever become a nude painter, no, probably not, but when someone chooses color palettes such as these and this color blocking technique, I'd buy a gazillion nude paintings. There is something so effortlessly chic and feminine with this work. It's more so abstracted brush strokes that give a beautiful take on women and their femininity. I would love to have this in a powder room, or even by a vanity area. I cannot stop day dreaming about her work and how talented she is.

Her medium consists of Gouache and Acrylic. I used to be so anti-acrylic since I was so in love with oil, but after working with acrylic here and there this past semester in my Watermedia IV class, I've grown to ease into it and form a little crush, if I don't say so myself. Gouache, I LOVE. So, I'm inspired to play around with these two mediums as Duncan does, and give it a whirl.

I haven't really produced much new work so far since the semester ended. I did put an end to my Vintage Americana Vogue painting that I began a year ago and I fell in love with the ending results. I'll post later. I want to start selling my work, but the larger the canvas, the pricier it becomes, both for me and buyers. Oil's are just so whopping expensive that working with large scale canvas takes a load of paint, especially when I work with palette knives which is my numba one tool for abstracts. So, I wanna try something new, and start working on smaller canvas, take a break from oils and experiment more with acrylic and gouache, which dries in no time so the amount of work I can get done will double. They are also less expensive and you use less paint, and the double plus, shipping will be less expensive and easier to ship! You see where I am going with this? I wanna create smaller abstracts that people can hopefully swoon over for their office space, or a gallery wall. Just a beautiful little nic nac for their home. You got it?

So wish me luck, Im off to the studio today.

the seventh of may.

May 7th has always been a special day for me, just as any birthday would be for anyone else. But I truly love May. Everything about the month brings such happiness and it's always a joy to start the month off with my birthday.

May is one pretty little lady, with her flowers blossomed and lush, with occasional southern thunderstorms treating me every so often growing up. It was the month school was let out so it was the best of both worlds, it was spring one week and summer the next. Every thing and every one is so alive and giddy.

I wanted to bring that back to Utah this year for my twenty-fourth. People say twenty-four is a good age. I can't help but believe them, and I have to remind myself that any age in your twenties is going to be a good year. So I'm taking it all in. I told myself by making a New Years Resolution that I'd practice my southern cooking and learn to master the food I grew up on and share it with my friends. What better occasion then your birthday? I always corner myself into a project that's very much over my head, but I secretly think I love a good challenge. I'm pretty sure I get it from my mama.

So with that said, I made up a menu of fried cajun pickles, with a remoulade sauce, jalapeno cheddar cheese grits and bbq chicken, and Minnie's Chocolate Pie. I was going to attempt beignets, but when I realized the heavy load I was carrying already and the fact that my friends had actually piled into my bungalow on time, I just had to throw in the towel at some point.

It was good though, real good. The original plan was to eat outside under the trees in mine and the Zoo's backyard, and I have been dreaming of this day in the warm weather since we set foot in the bungalow, but it didn't happen when thunderstorms decided to roll in, forcing us to move inside. At first, I was pretty bummed, I can't lie to you about that. But when I was alone by myself today, cooking familiar smells from back home with Ray Charles singing in the background and all of a sudden the ground shook with thunder, I got a little giddy and was instantly flooded with memories of home. And I accepted it, and treated it as a birthday gift from above.

Tonight couldn't have been more perfect. It was low key, I had great company, and the Zoo couldn't have been any more wonderful. He was such a big help, coming home early from work to help me finish cooking - eh I admit, I didn't fully make all of the food completely by myself, but I was desperate on time here. But I loved that he wanted to make it work for me. I can say, as much fun as I had, I won't be throwing parties anytime soon. Like forever. They are great and all but boy do they kick the can right out from under you. I can tell you right now, I am spending my day tomorrow doing loads of dishes and watching my tv shows in bed and I don't even care. Im whooped. Im whooped and I'm happy. Happy to be alive.

Happy Birthday to me.