Strokes of Serendipity ♥

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T11:06:00.003-05:00

For those of you that celebrate it, Merry Christmas! I have been enjoying time with my family and friends this holiday as well as recovering from the craziness that is finals week at RISD. It's been a nice break so far.

I will be back very soon with new DIYs and updates on life. I haven't actually fallen off the face of the earth yet, though it may seem like it!

I hope all of you have a wonderful holiday season no matter what you are celebrating!

♥ Kenzie

p.s. That's my first Instagram photo (yay!!!!!)

String Theory

2011-11-21T09:34:00.001-05:00

I know it may seem funny, but I'm not all about color ALL the time. I do love me some classic black and white and that is exactly what String Theory loves too.

String Theory is run by two amazing designers from Montreal, Canada. Using their limited color palette and seemingly simple patterns, they create these beautiful scarves and shawls that transform an outfit. Check out their winter collection here or purchase one of your own here.

♥ Kenzie

Annie Larson

2011-11-21T09:23:00.001-05:00

^^^ The inspiration ^^^

^^^ The knitwear ^^^

Annie Larson is a knitwear designer and obviously amazing. I love the super bright colors she uses and how happy her models look in the photoshoot. If I had a clothing line, I would love to have bright, happy products like these!

I also love that she included her inspiration for these pieces on her site. It's so fun and interesting to see where artists get their inspiration from. This time being from a sheet of vintage mix-and-match stickers. Awesome!

Hope you are all enjoying your Monday!

♥ Kenzie

Hey there stud.

2011-11-20T23:19:00.001-05:00

I may or may not be a little obsessed with these. Studs on heels remind me of spurs on boots. Dangerous but super hot. I saw a pair like this today and almost died, so, of course I had to google it when I got home. I smell a new DIY?

♥ Kenzie

The view from my balcony

2011-11-18T15:54:00.001-05:00

I love fall in New England. It's so full of color and so nice to look out my back window and see this view in the middle of November!

I have been very busy in studio lately working on projects for class. It's been a little crazy. After Thanksgiving break, finals are in full progress which is even more crazy, so I'm trying to keep my motivation going to get as much work done before break as possible. It gets hard to keep the motivation when break is so close you can smell it. And oh, it smells so good! Like, freedom and sleep.

♥ Kenzie

A little inspiration.

2011-11-16T14:08:00.000-05:00

Love this.

♥ Kenzie

p.s. I'm kind of obsessed with Pinterest these days. Can you tell?

Straight from the Pinterest folder :: Prints

2011-11-13T13:14:00.001-05:00

{1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.}

♥ Kenzie

Head over to WHT!

2011-11-09T12:22:00.000-05:00

Hey guys! I did another DIY over at We Heart This! I made this no-sew fleece poncho >> perfect for the chilly weather that's been happening lately. Go check it out!

Have a great day!

♥ Kenzie

The last two weeks of my life.

2011-11-06T17:14:00.001-05:00

Well, hey there! Can I update you on the past two weeks? Here goes nothing...

Lots of these.

Lots of time in here.

Weaving lots of "pavement"

Hanging out with this pretty girl as much as possible

And thennnnn ---

This weekend was Artist's Ball which is our huge costume party at RISD. I was a Hershey's Kiss!

I was getting putting on eyeliner and so not ready for this photo obviously... or maybe that's when I messed up my make-up... again.

A photo from Artist's Ball

And then there were yummy cupcakes with wonderful people!

Nine super yummy cupcakes from Duck & Bunny

And fifteen minutes later...

I wouldn't say I've been busy, would you?
One more midterm to go. Are any of you in midterms right now? or as busy as I am?

♥ Kenzie

{Side note: Thank you to my friends for taking such great pictures that I can borrow :) Love you guysss!! hehe}

WHT DIY :: Lacy Plaid Shirt

2011-10-31T13:14:00.001-04:00

I did a DIY over at We Heart This! Lacy plaid shirt = definitely a fall/winter essential!

Go check it out and let me know what you think!

♥ Kenzie

There's a little witch in all of us.

2011-10-29T17:53:00.001-04:00

Practical Magic has to be one of my favorite movies, especially during this time of the year. First of all, the house. I mean, it's amazing. I want a house just like that one day - A creaky old house with a big garden and that herb room!? Ugh. The aunts are awesome and meddling. Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as the main actors. And magic. I could just watch it over and over again. And even though I love all the magical scenes, I think my favorite scene might be this one:

And of course, you *must* read the book. Alice Hoffman is one of my favorites. Just a great author.

I hope you all have a magical Halloween weekend!

♥ Kenzie

Tea and Tell Tuesday :: White Chocolate Mocha

2011-10-25T23:08:00.001-04:00

It was definitely a coffee kind of day folks. White chocolate mocha that is. And a pumpkin cream cheese muffin on the side sounds good too. The lunches of college students are always so healthy, are they not?

Midterms are in full swing around these parts and you can feel it in the air. Everyone is and has been, back in the RISD mode, working their little behinds off. Luckily for the textiles department, we have the best teachers ever and they decided to space out the midterm due dates, so that we're not all going crazy and not sleeping for full weeks at a time. (not kidding. This happens often.) Really, best teachers around. We love them.

But, nonetheless, coffee was a necessity today. It usually is at the beginning of the week. I always feel like coffee gives a nice comfy feeling when it starts getting chilly too. White chocolate mocha is probably my favorite warm drink from Starbucks, but, I must say that I still need to try the pumpkin spice latte. It looks delicious. That will be soon I promise!

What's your favorite Fall Starbucks treat?

♥ Kenzie

I'll be accepting presents for the rest of the week.

2011-10-20T02:59:00.004-04:00

Wednesday was my half birthday. Oh yeah. I celebrate it.

Below are some things that may be as ridiculously awesome as the Mad Hatter but, I wouldn't mind getting them for my half birthday. Or any day really. Feel free to take a peek and promptly place your order. You can email me for my shipping address. Just kidding, unless you really want to...

I've seen a couple of these before {Jenna Marbles anyone? *PARENTAL ADVISORY... BUT REALLY FUNNY*} and just love them. TMNT are amazing.

Awesome. I can scratch them off while I go!

Okay, so, he's already sold. {And yes, he is a "he". He goes by Henry.} But he's super freaking cute.

Um. There are very obvious reasons why I love this.

Someday, when I'm a cat lady, I will obviously have this. My kitty is going to be the coolest cat on the block.

I kind of need this shirt...

Whenever I see stamps like these, I always think about if I was a boss of some awesome company and I needed to approve people's articles {or something... idk} that I would definitely have these on my desk. That's how I would grade tests if I was a teacher too.

A tea infuser that's a submarine. Do we really need to question this?

Ha. haha. Best tote ever.

If you know what this is, you've got to be as excited as I am that it exists. Yes, it's a Spyro Gyro pen. It's amazing.

And of course, I need a cardboard deer head for my wall. Duh.

So obviously, all the things that I'm longing for are extremely important contributions to my ~~ridiculousness~~ well-being. Very, very important.

I hope the next half year is even more ridiculous than the last.

♥ Kenzie

Learn

2011-10-19T00:36:00.001-04:00

LEARN from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

I just ran into this series and it is beautiful. It reminds me of all the reasons I love traveling - meeting new people, eating and especially, learning.

Experiencing a part of a different culture, while immersed in that environment, has always been one of my favorite things about traveling. It's like a drug to me. I just want more and more. I keep asking questions and trying to dig a little deeper. I have never really liked the tourist bit. I think it definitely has it's place, but as a lover of languages also, I would rather be struggling to learn the language while living in a native's house than listening to a tour guided in perfect English. I think that by living with a family in a foreign environment, even if you can't understand everything, you can come to respect the people and learn so much more about what's around you, wherever you are, whether it's across the US or across the world.

Even just sitting down for a family dinner at someone else's table is an eye opening event. It's an experience that I hope every person gets to enjoy, really listen and learn from at some point in their life. It is truly one of my favorite things to do in other places and where I feel I learn the most about the family dynamics and how the culture works as a whole. Amazing what you can learn in a few short hours.

Tell me about your experiences. Near or far. Across town or across the world.

Share your stories or a little about your culture. Wherever you are from.

♥ Kenzie

Home Textiles: End Table

2011-10-17T02:24:00.000-04:00

We're back again for another quick and inexpensive way to make your home more home-y by using textiles in just a few minutes. Before, I showed you 5 easy ways, now we have one that will change your living room for sure.

I had these plastic drawers that I use to store studio supplies in just sitting in my living room with no other place to live. Since my apartment isn't that big, I need all the storage I can get, but I didn't like being able to see all the clutter through those drawers.

My solution: Throw a sheet over it.

I never use the top sheet on my bed, {I know, I'm weird. Whatev.} so, I always have one lying around. Covering the end table with it was an easy way to add some color and hide the mess in 2 minutes. I just tucked all the extra fabric behind the back. They are still easy to get to if I need something and just as easy to cover back up!

I also have used a cardboard box covered in a sheet for an end table. As long as your box is taped and not flimsy, it works great!

Think about using a printed sheet too. Or even print or dye your own.

Whatever matches your taste and style.

♥ Kenzie

Carmel Apple Spice

2011-10-11T01:53:00.000-04:00

To me, fall is apples. Apple pies, apple cider, raw apples, apple cake... I could keep going.

I grew up in Upstate NY a.k.a. apple country so I can't really help it. Every year, around this time, my body starts craving them. Upstate apples are something you have to try. Soon after, you'll be craving them too. I promise.

Because my cravings can't be fulfilled by NY apples at the moment, I settle for Rhode Island apples and Carmel Apple Spice from Starbucks. The drink = so delicious, though very sweet. It's hard for me to finish a whole one. It definitely fixed the cravings though.

And on a cool fall day, it's perfect. I took mine on a walk through the park. It was a really great afternoon.

♥ Kenzie

Braided Pigtails

2011-10-10T18:00:00.000-04:00

I've never really been great at braiding hair. Pigtail braids are fine. French braids are... messy. I'll go with the pigtails, thank you.

I usually feel like a little girl again when I wear my hair like this, but I'm ok with it.

Anyone have braiding tips?

♥ Kenzie

Do you freeze your fruit?

2011-10-10T12:57:00.001-04:00

I love frozen blueberries. If you've never had them, go get some, throw em in a plastic bag and into the freezer now. You won't be disappointed later today.

These blueberries are from this summer. My mom had bought a whole bunch when they were in season and froze them to use later. Luckily, I grabbed a bag before I left for school.

They are super yummy to snack on, especially on warm days like today. {83 degrees!? What happened to fall??} And even though there are sweet and cold like ice cream, they are healthy too. Awesome. What fruits do you freeze and use later?

Today will be filled with text books, knitting samples and lots of sun.

♥ Kenzie

Pumpkin Pie Fro Yo

2011-10-10T01:41:00.000-04:00

Kirsten came and hung out in Providence with me this weekend. We had a great time filled with thrift shops, yummy food and lots of laughs. Oh yeah, and of course there was plenty of DIY talk!

We both got pumpkin pie fro yo right before she left along with a few other flavors and toppings mixed in. It was so delicious and the perfect way to finish out her visit.

♥ Kenzie

Friendship Bracelets meet Feather Hair Clip, your new best friend.

2011-10-08T21:45:00.001-04:00

There's been these trends lately of masses of friendship bracelets on arms and feathers in the hair - I love it. So, I decided to combine them to get something a little different but still in style. Plus, it's super quick and easy to do.

You'll need:

- a friendship bracelet

- feathers

- a bobby pin

- a hot glue gun

1. On one end of the bracelet, I had two longer strings. Tie one feather to each string at different lengths.

2. Secure each knot and feather with a few drops of hot glue (not too much) and cut off the tails of the strings.

3. If you don't have a loop on the opposite end of your friendship bracelet, tie one. Put your bobby pin through the loop. Add another drop of hot glue to secure that.

4. Wait for everything to dry completely. Pin at your roots any place in your hair.

Think about using natural feathers, making your own bracelets or adding beads.

Send me photos of your hair clips!

♥ Kenzie

Things I'm Lovin' :: Essentials for your Fall Wardrobe

2011-10-07T23:21:00.001-04:00

A sheer-y top.

A faux fur coat or vest and animal print.

A turban headband >> DIY one here.

A lace dress.

Awesome nails.

A Southwest inspired bag... or Southwest inspired anything really.

A maxi skirt.

Lace up boots.

A bralette.

Of course you need spiked boots. And you can probably DIY these... just saying.

And a fringe bag that you can DIY :)

What are your favorite fall essentials?

♥ Kenzie

Home Textiles

2011-10-03T14:22:00.003-04:00

Living in on-campus apartments in college is a little difficult. There are all these rules that you have to follow when it comes to decorating your space - no nails, no painting/wallpapering, etc, etc. This may be true of some of you who rent apartments in the real world also. The landlord does not allow you to really change the space to make it your own. Even if you live somewhere where you are able to change the room with paint, it can get expensive and time-consuming very quickly.

Well, since I have been in college and don't have a whole lot of time myself, I have found ways to get around those rules in quick and easy ways using textiles. I have a lot of quilts and other fabrics anyway - it's what happens when you are a textiles major - so why not put them to good use?

In this post, I'm going to show you five ways that you can make your home feel more home-y in five minutes!

In my bedroom, I had this very large wall that was empty. I wanted to keep the space open but it needed something.

My solution: Tack up a large wall hanging.

It fills the wall space without using any room space. I bought this one at a local Indian gift store.

And that's right, I said tack. I use clear tacks to hang a lot of things in my apartments -- they leave very small holes and can be put in and taken out without using a hammer. And they stay in just as well as nails!

{I kept the fire alarm in the picture to remind you not to cover anything that might save your life!}

I wanted the light that came through the blinds on this window as I wasn't going to open them much in my bedroom.

My solution: Lace curtains.

I bought them at Saver's for $2 each. {Or cut some lace to make your own!} This one doesn't exactly match the other but they are close enough that you can't tell when they are on two different windows. Don't have a curtain rod? I tacked this one up too :)

I had this b-e-a-utiful breaker box right in my kitchen. I can't paint it to make it blend into the wall.

My solution: This super cute tea towel I found at Urban Outfitters.

It fits over it perfectly. I just tacked the top two corners so the box is still accessible but hidden.

I bought this couch last year at Salvation Army. Love at first sight. It definitely makes a statement on it's own but there's got to be a way to make it a little more home-y other than just adding pillows.

My solution: Hang a quilt on the back.

I love mixing patterns and because these had similar colors anyway, it was a perfect combination. And I can't thank this quilt enough for being there when I was cozying up on the couch and wanted a blanket to snuggle with. You'll appreciate it when you're feeling too lazy to get up off the couch and grab one.

{Print above the couch by Deborah Teska - my fabulous art teacher from high school}

This chair is the comfiest thing I've ever sat in. I bought it at Bed, Bath and Beyond during their annual college sale. But honestly, it's not the prettiest thing I've ever seen. {I'm not a big mesh person}

My solution: Throw a sheet over it.

When I saw the pattern of this sheet, I knew I had to get it. I bought it at Urban Outfitters a few years ago and was first planning to use it to cover my open closet, but that didn't really suit my fancy when I tried it. When I tossed it on my chair, I knew it was perfect. It's quite a bit of fabric, so I just tucked the rest underneath as I didn't want to cut it.

Side note: Don't be afraid to mix patterns and colors! Mixing bold patterns with more intricate patterns can work very well, but go with your gut. If you don't like how it looks, change it. Or try something for a week. If you're not convinced, try a different arrangement the next week. It's your space so make it inspiring for you! Nobody else has to like it but you!

Some places to score sweet textiles:

- fabric/craft stores

- thrift/vintage stores

- small local gift shops

- flea markets

- grandma's attic

- home good stores

If you have any questions/ideas/comments, please let me know below!

♥ Kenzie

Fall Wreath :: DIY

2011-10-01T20:45:00.000-04:00

I've been wanting to make a wreath to hang on my apartment door and I wanted something cute and fall-y. This is what I came up with after I found these leaves at home depot.

I hope you love it as much as I do!

You will need:

- faux leaves

- foam core or cardboard

- scissors or an Exacto knife

- a pencil

- hot glue gun

- a pizza pan

- a bowl that has a smaller diameter than the pan

- a piece of string (to hang)

- ribbon or lace (not shown)

1. Put the pizza pan face down on the foam core and trace.

2. Repeat with the bowl in the center of the large circle.

3. Using scissors or an Exacto knife, cut out the wreath shape. {I found it was easier with the knife.} This part does not have to be super neat - you will cover up the edges anyway.

4. Fire up your hot glue gun and stick down those leaves! {Be more careful than I was - burned my finger...} Use dots of glue to stick down the middle of the leaves so they still have some body and stick out - you want them to have volume.

When you've got your first layer down, go back and cover up any holes or to add volume to some areas.

5. Make a loop with your string and knot it. Glue it to the back of your wreath.

6. Make a big bow with your ribbon or lace and glue it to your wreath.

Then hang it on your door to enjoy this fall!

I smile every time I get to my apartment door. Fall is my favorite!

♥ Kenzie

Happy October!

2011-10-01T16:53:00.000-04:00

I'm so excited for October. I'm planning on seeing some old friends, wearing lots of plaid and boots, thrifting, weaving, knitting and eating yummy comfort foods that make the chilly weather wonderful. I'd like to start some new fall traditions and do DIYs during my free time. My kitchen will be filled with yummy baked goods and warm cider. It's going to be a great month.

What are your plans for October?

♥ Kenzie

First Day of School :: A Peek in My Studio

2011-09-29T10:35:00.000-04:00

As you probably know, I'm back at school and have been for a couple of weeks. This was my outfit for the first day of school which needed to be documented for a couple of reasons:

A. My mom wanted my "First Day of School Picture". Cute huh?

B. First day back outfits are usually the best of the year.

Now, I don't have a printing studio this semester, meaning: I won't have to wear too many terrible clothes this year, but between dyeing and just being tired, it gets hard to pick out nice clothes sometimes. Or to want to wear nice clothes when you can be so much comfier in jeans and a tank top. {I wear tank tops so much more than t-shirts}

I was so excited to come back. Especially because I got to come back to this:

The weaving room

Weaving yarn room

Natural dyes

Natural dyed yarns

I love this natural dye poster that they hung up in our dye lab this year. So beautiful!

I love being back here :)

Where are you?

♥ Kenzie

T&T :: Black and Green Breakfast Blend

2011-09-28T12:46:00.000-04:00

Sooo, I missed T&T on Tuesday but I have a great tea blend for you today!

When I was home this summer, I found a tea called Breakfast Blend. It was black and green tea and it was delicious.

When I came back to school, this tea could not be found in my local grocery stores and I had no more in my tea box or in the tea overflow that fills my cupboard.

Until yesterday.

Back in the depths of my tea-filled cupboard, one little lonely tea bag popped it's head into sight and I was instantly ecstatic. I had totally forgot about this amazingness in my life.

Since I only had one tea bag left, I decided to make my own blend since I have lots of black tea (obviously) and some green tea around. So, here's what I did:

You'll need:

- black tea

- green tea

- a tea diffuser or you can make these cute tea bags to mix your blend

1) In a diffuser, mix 1/2 teaspoon of black tea and 1/2 teaspoon of green tea.

{You can add more if you like it stronger}

2) Add boiling water.

3) Let infuse for 3-5 minutes.

4) Enjoy with a yummy breakfast!

What are you blending today?

♥ Kenzie

On repeat :: We Owned the Night

2011-09-24T16:55:00.001-04:00

This song has been playing over and over and over... in my apartment. I can't stop listening. Lady Antebellum is a great band {in my opinion} and they just recently came out with this song.

I admit that not everyone loves country music, but it's what I grew up listening to, so it reminds me of home and makes me happy. I make no apologies. I love it. :)

Anyone have music suggestions? I'll listen to anything, not just country!

♥ Kenzie

Happy Fall Ya'll!

2011-09-23T17:47:00.005-04:00

It's the first day of Fall and I'm super excited. It means October is right around the corner and do you know what October is? It's my favorite month, that's what!

{Well, second favorite - my birthday month, April, is my favorite.}

October for SOS is going to be spectacular. I want to share everything about my favorite month with you! Here are a couple things I love about October for a start:

:: Color - So much color everywhere! From the trees to the mums to the bright orange pumpkins on everyone's doorsteps. I can't get enough of it!

:: Boots - Obviously this is one of my favorite things about this season! I can't get enough of boots. Even when it's warm, I want to wear them. I may have a problem...

:: Apples - I come from apple country, so sue me. I love love loveeee apples. I get a craving for them right around this time. I hardly eat raw apples any other time of the year but I can feel the cravings coming. And don't forget apple cider -- Yum!

:: Layers - I love layering combinations of clothes so this is the perfect time to experiment with my wardrobe and try out the new styles coming off the Fall runway.

:: Cozy Quilts - Something about the crisp air makes me want to bundle up in a quilt with hot cider and read a good book.

What are you looking forward to this Fall?

♥ Kenzie

Things I'm Lovin' :: Sosie

2011-09-23T10:43:00.002-04:00

Today's "Things I'm Lovin'" is a short one but there will be more later today! {Fun surprises!} My cold thingy has come down to just sniffles and a red nose {super attractive, I might add} so I'll be around here more. Yay!

I just ran into a new site {new for me} --- Sosie. They have a beautiful site and lookbook that you really should go check out. Here are some of my favorites::

^^^ I'm *in love* with these patterns! ^^^

The chic school girl look! So cute.

This skirt *killed* me when I first laid eyes on it. I love orange!

And these are just my favorites! The rest of the lookbook is so wonderful. Head over and let me know what your favorites are.

♥ Kenzie

Not feeling super colorful today for T&T...

2011-09-20T09:07:00.001-04:00

Don't ask me what brought this on but all of a sudden I'm sick.

I've been sleeping enough.

Eating well.

No cough, nothing.

Then, BOOM I'm feeling like crap.

I'm guessing it's the colder weather we've been getting. I love it but apparently my body, not so much.

But I'm drinking a Yogi tea today which will hopefully help me feel better. It's called Cold Season and it has ginger and licorice root in it which should help. It's not my favorite tea to drink {for obvious reasons} but it helped last winter when this happened.

I'll also be gargling salt water today for my throat and keeping a scarf on. I usually sleep with a scarf on when this happens to keep my neck warm. {though I was skeptical at first}

What do you do to feel better when you're sick? I'd love to know!

Hope you all are feeling healthier than me today!

♥ Kenzie

Pretty-jewelry-aholic

2011-09-18T14:14:00.001-04:00

A recent obsession of mine is really big jewelry. And lots of it.

But not just really big jewelry. Really big *awesome* jewelry. And I just came across a boat load of it to share with you! {Aren't you excited???}

{here}

Ugh. I want all of them.

I hope you enjoyed the wonderful jewelry I have been finding. I'll be at studio today, weaving away. What are you guys up to? Have you found any amazing jewelry lately?

♥ Kenzie

Things I'm Lovin'

2011-09-16T09:11:00.001-04:00

The lookbooks over at Spanish Moss. Such beautiful inspiration!

Loveee these shorts. Found here. From here.

This DIY by Lune. So beautiful!

These boots are to DIE for. I can't even deal.

Lace coffee table DIY? Um... YES, PLEASE.

Isn't this the cutest?

I love this tattoo. OH so much.

What are you lovin' this week?

♥ Kenzie

Ohhhh back to school, back to school, to prove to Dad that I'm not a fool.

2011-09-15T09:35:00.000-04:00

I always think of that song when I think of going back to school...

I have History of Western Music and Weaving II today. Excited :)

Are you doing anything fun and exciting today? What is it?

♥ Kenzie

DIY @ WHT

2011-09-14T09:11:00.000-04:00

I'm over at WHT today with a fun DIY that I can't stop carrying around with me! It's my new favorite thing! I hope you love it and make it too.

If you have done any of my DIYs, I would love to see them. Send them to me here: strokesofserendipity@yahoo.com

♥ Kenzie

Tea and Tell Tuesday

2011-09-12T19:51:00.000-04:00

I have a story for you today. It's not super exciting, but I'm going to tell it anyway.

It was exciting for me.

Ever since I spent that semester in Argentina, I have loved club soda. {also known as sparkling water or agua con gas} It's a nice refreshing drink without all that weird stuff that soda has in it.

Today, since it was a little warm outside, I decided to pour myself a glass of club soda. As I sipped away and was thinking about the remainder of the day, I thought about zee blog and T&T and had this *genius* idea to mix two of my favorite drinks. Club soda and tea. Genius, I know.

Okay, so it's been done before, but at the time, I was pretty darn proud of myself.

Step two was to find the perfect refreshing tea to mix with the club soda. I immediately thought of a green tea and to make it even better, I had Harney & Sons Citron Green tea which is simply fantastic. Citrus-y iced green tea. With club soda. I mean really.

Final result? Perfection.

Perfectly light. Perfectly flavored. Perfectly perfect.

It might be my new favorite drink.

It's nothing too complicated >>> Brew the green tea and let fully seep. Then, in a glass with ice, pour half green tea and half club soda. I poured even a little more tea then club soda.

I think it would really be good with some mint leaves in it too! Or a lime to compliment the citrus in the tea! Oh the possibilities...

Have you guys ever tried this? Or something similar?

Tell me about it!

♥ Kenzie

Five Things :: Goals for this month

2011-09-07T07:35:00.001-04:00

{source}

- Do little things to be healthier

- Take more photos

- Try out more hairstyles

- Plan the work and work the plan

- Make daily rituals

All of these things may be a little general but I feel like they will help me start this semester out right.

What are your goals this month?

♥ Kenzie

Tea and Tell Tuesday

2011-09-06T20:10:00.000-04:00

You all are in for a treat if you take my advice and go grab a tin of this tea. I promise!

This *may* be my favorite, FAVORITE black tea ever. {Well, that I've ever had} Harney & Sons is amazing and no matter what tea you buy from them, it'll be delicious. But, this tea... this tea I love to pieces.

It's a great afternoon black tea. Not too caffeinated that you'll be up all night, but just enough for that afternoon boost. It has a little touch of vanilla and is a little fruity. It doesn't make your mouth pucker like some black teas do either - it's nice and light. The scent is just *amazing* when you open the tin too.

It is a little on the expensive side {for a college student} but honestly, it's worth it. Even if you just buy one tin once a year. Which is probably what I'll be doing...

What are you drinking tonight?

♥ Kenzie

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy DIY :: Scarf to Vest

2011-09-05T18:05:00.000-04:00

Try this with any of your scarves! I do this whenever I want a little extra something added to my outfit. Have any of you done this before?

♥ Kenzie

Hello again!

2011-09-05T12:19:00.000-04:00

This has been my life for the past couple of weeks. Let me tell you a story.

A couple thursdays ago, I traveled to Rhode Island. My car was loaded full of all of my things and I was headed back to school. My mom was going to arrive the next day to help me pack up and move my entire apartment two buildings down to my new apartment.

About halfway through the drive, I got a call from the RISD Housing Coordinator saying that I might not be able to move in the next day and that they might have to turn off the power in my apartment for the weekend if the hurricane hit bad. Cool. I drove the remaining 3 hours and was so tired that I collapsed on the couch upon arrival, drinking some tea to wake up a bit in order to pack up my apartment in case I did end up moving the next day. I flipped through a few cable stations and made it to the weather report. Irene was headed our way and she was not happy, nor was I about her visit.

In the next couple of hours, I got a bunch of emails from RISD telling the students that were in summer housing how to prepare for a hurricane and be safe. I called my mom - "I don't know what to do." We talked and decided to wait until the next morning to look at the weather report and see if Irene got any happier. It wasn't looking good though.

I woke up the next morning, watched the weather and still was not happy about what I saw. Being alone in my apartment through a huge hurricane was not what I had expected for this weekend. I called my mom again and we decided that I should come home. I drove the 6 hours back home, my car still packed full and felt a little relieved to not be in the Ocean State for a huge hurricane.

So my car has been packed for about two weeks and my life has been crazy for the past two weeks. I'm back in the Ocean State now and finally have my new apartment a little settled. Thank god my parents came to help me because I could not have done this alone. They were amazing. It was insane. Honestly.

I expect things to get back to normal around here this week. I'm excited to be back! It was a great break though - thanks for the understanding guys :)

How have ya'll been??? Does anyone have hurricane stories? I missed you guys!

♥ Kenzie

Oops.

2011-08-17T00:20:00.001-04:00

{This photo is from the winter at home. Too funny. Yes, that's a refrigerator.}

I've been a bit absent lately, I know. I have things for you guys, but I may need to take a few days break from the blog in order to catch up on the life right now. Going back to school next week so I need to get ready for that too! The next week is gonna be busy!!!

Are any of you heading back to school? Or have a busy life around this time of year?

♥ Kenzie

WHT DIY ♥

2011-08-09T09:03:00.000-04:00

I've got another clothing DIY over at We Heart This today!

Go check it out people!

I'll be back later tonight with some T&T Tuesday and other fun stuff to share :)

Have a great day!

♥ Kenzie

A Full Weekend

2011-08-08T11:23:00.000-04:00

This weekend has been a little nuts. {Apparently, my whole life has been nuts lately, huh?} I had lots to do and got lots done! Monday is included in my weekend this week which is great because I still have lots to do...

... but I made this awesome DIY from Lune and I'm in love with it! It makes me super happy and I hung it up immediately after it was finished.

So things to finish today?

- send package of goodies for a friend

- photo a tutorial for ya'll :)

- get a new phone {mine died... again}

- paint wall {will share!}

- laundry

- help Hannah prep for her upcoming show

Lots to do -- Hopefully, I'll be able to get the majority of this done today. *crossing fingers*

What's on your to do list today?

♥ Kenzie

Things I'm Lovin'

2011-08-07T15:02:00.000-04:00

This DIY from a Pair and a Spare. So cute!

I might have shared this before, but it's worth doing it again. It's amazing - Sweet Potato and Black Bean Stew. To die for.

Isn't this beautiful!?!

Gorgeous.

I found this amazing music a while ago. It's definitely worth listening to.

DELICIOUS.

Thunderstorms... love.

What are you lovin' this week?

♥ Kenzie

I'm a Busy Flippin' Girl.

2011-08-05T08:33:00.001-04:00

{source? anyone?}

I think I may have posted this photo on here before, but this is what I've been dreaming of lately. A huge chalkboard wall!

So, this week has been a little nuts and awesome. I started an internship at the costume shop of a local theater and it's amazing. The people are so nice, I'm having a great time and in two days have already learned quite a bit about costuming! {cause I don't know that much}

But, in acting like a real person, I now have to reestablish a schedule. And I'm not a pro at schedule stuff. At all. So, that's my goal for this weekend: Make a real person schedule. Wish me luck!

What are you doing this August?

♥ Kenzie

Tea and Tell Tuesday :: and some ridiculousness

2011-08-02T13:37:00.000-04:00

I bet you've been anxiously awaiting these videos since I mentioned them last week, huh? I have been too. And Blogger finally stopped being mad at me or maybe it just got annoyed that I didn't give up. We'll never know...

Above is the actual, sane video response to Miss Malori's Vlog.

Below, well, that's what happens when you drink too much tea and your video isn't going the way you want it too... you get bored and just leave the camera running. It provides for some awesomely embarrassing material to show the world.

If you know me personally, below is every day with Mackenzie.

If you don't, I promise I don't bite. And, sorry if you were expecting something different, but this is me. {And honestly, what were you expecting when you looked at that header?}

I hope you enjoy them!

And tell me - Whatcha drinkin' today?

♥ Kenzie

Road-Trippin' :: Part 1

2011-08-01T23:14:00.001-04:00

Just some photos from my NYC trip to visit Miss Kirsten a few weeks ago. It was *such* a great time filled with lots of jewelry making, fabric shopping, mess making and PhotoBoothing (duh). Oh and Starbucks... lots of that.

{Thank you Kirsten!}

Where are you traveling to these days?

♥ Kenzie

A few **Things I'm Lovin'* before I hit the road.

2011-07-29T12:35:00.000-04:00

Dontcha love all the activity around here lately? If you haven't been round these parts recently, I've been posting a lot in the last couple of days. This could be for a number of reasons:

A) I really wanna give zee blog some lovin'.

B) I have wayyy too much time on my hands.

C) I'm going through withdrawl already without being able to text certain people all day because they decide to go to Canada... ahem. {hehe just kidding. But not really...}

D) I love you guys.

E) All the above. {I think it's this one.}

Anyhoo, before I actually head back home. I got a few summer lovlies for you!

Have you ever heard Jack and White? Just found them. Beautiful. Great summer music!

Practically everything from Free People these days... *sigh*

Cowboy boots and shorts. Perfect summer look. It's just super comfy and it's practically all I've been wearing lately... P.S. Isn't this girl adorable?

Starbucks Shaken Lemonade Iced Tea. Delicious.

What are your favorite summer things?

♥ Kenzie

I told you all lies...

2011-07-29T02:36:00.000-04:00

So, I lied. I didn't go home today. Still in Providence... :)

But I *did* go to an AWESOME show tonight. Like, these people are too cool fo school.

Check em out:

Super glad I stayed for the show. I'm actually going home tomorrow though, after postponing my trip for a week. I really am, I'm not kidding this time. I swear. Cross my fingers, but I don't wanna die... or stick a needle in my eye.

Anyone have fun music to share?

♥ Kenzie

It's Thursday isn't it?

2011-07-28T12:13:00.000-04:00

I'm leaving Providence today. And surprisingly, to me, I'm a little bit sad. I've had a great time here just relaxing, which is a new concept for me in this city as I'm usually running around like a crazy person trying to get projects done. But here I am, more relaxed and feeling like myself than I have all summer. So nice.

This is my favorite tree. Probably ever. I don't think I have ever found a tree that I stumble down the street for every time I see it. It is in Providence and on one of my favorite city streets. The street just calms me down whenever I walk it. It's not super busy, so it reminds me of home and I can get away from some of the city noise for a short while. Those fire sirens can get annoying after a while.

I've always wanted to jump the fence and climb this tree. But I haven't on the off chance that the... police are called. So, I figured it wouldn't be a good life choice. But wouldn't it be an *amazing* treehouse tree?

Do you have a favorite place in your city or town?

♥ Kenzie

Five Things::I love about Road Trips

2011-07-28T02:20:00.000-04:00

{from Home ♥}

I can play my music superrrrr loud and sing even louder and as bad as I want.

I can talk to myself. Oh, you know you all do it too.

{I talk to Maurice too though - he's the moose you see in the picture.}

Get my "alone time" in.

Drink and eat things that are really bad for me.

{because they're the "only" option. Though I really just use that as an excuse...}

I can pretend to be whoever I want to be.

Have you ever done this? If not, I highly suggest it. Even just on trips in general. It's not that I don't want to be me, cause I would definitely be my friend. ha. But it's fun to dress a certain way and completely take on a new "identity" for a while. My friend and I did this once in Boston and though we probably sounded really stupid all day, we put on the British accent and walked proudly and talked very loudly. It was sooo much fun and so worth the sore throat at the end of the day. We laughed a lot and that's all that really matters!

What are your favorite things about road trips?

♥ Kenzie

Amazing. Like, whoa.

2011-07-27T16:39:00.000-04:00

{I'm a terrible sourcer today...}

Yeah, so I know this happened, like, FOREVER ago... sorta, but I needed to comment on it since I haven't.

Marriage is legal for **everyone** in New York. Amazing. Simply amazing.

So proud of my home state!

♥ you NY, Kenzie

P.S. I'm a terrible person to talk about politics with. I'm a terrible sourcer too. I just hear/see things and I say - Oh. That's cool. So deep, I know. And if you have sources for me on anything I post - please let me know? I will be eternally grateful!

Tea and Tell Tuesday... is postponed. for now.

2011-07-27T13:17:00.000-04:00

... but bunny in a mug?? Sooo cute!!

{sorry I don't have a source!! :x}

My laptop sat open all night and blogger tried really hard, I swear it did, but my video has not been able to upload... sad. And I tried today too... a couple of times. I think Blogger is mad at me for some reason but I'm not going to hold this against it because we've never had an argument before, so I'll let this one slide. I know you all reallyyyy want to see my video. Like ants-in-pants excited right?

Well, guess what? There's TWO. Oh yeah. I made two. One is the normal one and the other one is the one you really wanna see that shows you how truly nuts I am. Good stuff. Be excited.

Until the day that Blogger stops being mad at me and lets me upload my video, I'll post other good stuff.

And just to keep you wondering, the tea I'm going to share has to do with a "weed" that nobody likes in their lawn during the summer. Can you guess what it is?

(I love guessing games!!)

♥ Kenzie

Traveling Lady

2011-07-24T04:43:00.002-04:00

Apparently, I can't sit still. I left home once again to hang out in Providence with friends, get some work done and play guitar. It's been a great trip so far and I still have to fill you in on the past one! There is promise of pictures and much other lovin' in the coming week my dear readers!

And keep cool! This heat has been nutssss this past week... I suggest pool, a/c and iced tea. It's the only way to survive. And I'm in the North East! You folks down South - I tip my hat my friends... good luck.

Stay tuned!

♥ Kenzie

P.S. Is it funny that my two favorite app games are tiny tower and mob wars? I'm an odd duck...

P.P.S. That photo is from my trip to see Miss Kirsten - just a sneak peek :)

Shoot, I was cute...

2011-07-20T14:32:00.000-04:00

I know what you're thinking. Who's that super adorable girl in that hot ride?

My friends, this is a much younger, less dorkier version of myself. I grew into the dorky part quite quickly though. No worries. Although, I did stop eating soap, which was probably very beneficial to my social life...

Hope you're having a wonderful, reminiscent day like I am :)

♥ Kenzie

My stomach is making funny noises.

2011-07-19T01:02:00.000-04:00

Guess what I'm doing tonight? Can you tell from the picture?

And it's Tea and Tell Tuesday again! And from that title, some of you might already know that I'm drinking my beloved peppermint tea. Why? {some readers might ask} Well, let me tell you:

Peppermint tea is probably my 2nd best friend after my car {click here if you wonder what the hell I'm talking about} It solves all of my achy breaky stomach problems. {see what I did there? Went all Robbie Ray on you guys.} And because my stomach decided it wanted to talk to me tonight, I decided that it might be a good idea to brew a cup of this delicious goodness.

I sometimes drink it after dinner too as it helps with digestion. {I think I talked about that here -- p.s. how about that model face? dayum.}

Anyway, in other news - don't you love that photo up there? I used the ClassicTOY app on my iPad. {I swear I'm not trying to brag... but it's really awesome.} It's amazinggggg and free! It has sooo many different films and is super fun and I highly recommend it. I might carry this thing around and use it all the time instead of a camera. I think it's a good idea... although people might look at me funny... ah well.

Do any of you have this app? And what are you drinking tonight folks?

♥ Kenzie

Posts from the road

2011-07-16T12:46:00.001-04:00

My car and I have gotten pretty close this past week. I mean, we always have been with all the traveling we do together {home to Providence, Prov to home} but this past week has been insane. I have lots of pictures that I need to share but for now, here's a photo of my other companion, Maurice. He's been traveling with Max {car} and I for a few years too.

I promise I'll be back in a day or two and you'll be overwhelmed with photos and stories, but until then, I may need to recover a bit...

♥ Kenzie

P.S. I've got a wicked trucker tan. On my left arm and leg. I know. You're jealous...

oh HEYYYY :: Good News

2011-07-07T21:24:00.000-04:00

I just mayyy be the new DIY writer over at We Heart This! I'm partnering up with Miss Kirsten in the DIY department - it's so fun! I'm really excited and I've been waiting until my post was up to break the good news. If you haven't checked out We Heart This you definitely should because it's pretty amazing :)

Hope you all are having a great Thursday!

♥ Kenzie

I feel like a little bit of a geek today and I'm okay with it.

2011-07-07T11:24:00.002-04:00

Oh yes. It's that time again. Time to pick out those lovely awkward moments and awesome moments of the week. And share awkward photos of Mackenzie with the rest of the blogasphere. Cause awesome ones aren't as fun. {P.S. Like my snake puppet I made freshman year? I forgot his name... oops}

Awkward:

- I just used the word "blogasphere" {I don't think it's actually a real word either... must ask Webster}

- Having someone talk to you in Spanish after a full year of not speaking it and even though you were once fluent, all you can answer is "si" cause you're too nervous... I feel so cool.

- Being run out of the woods by bugs. My mom and I ran all the way to the car. It was insane.

- Seeing a person that you met once, a year ago, making full eye contact for 30 seconds and still not knowing if it's that same person... I still don't know...

- "Can you give my number to your friend for me? But if she doesn't want it, feel free to use it." Um. No. Thanks?

- My snake puppet's bubba gump lip. He's too cute. And p.s. that's his tail in my other hand. haha

Awesome:

- I'm going to see Miss Kirsten in 2 dayssss! {I'm obviously really excited... especially because I keep talking about it.}

- Finally figured out the singing part to a cover I've been working on. Yesssss.

- Raspberries. One of my favorite summer treats.

- Seeing old friends that I haven't seen for years! It's so nice to reconnect with people you used to be so close with.

- Ice cream dates with your best friend every Wednesday. That may have been my best idea to date.

What's been awkward and/or awesome in your life lately?

♥ Kenzie

Five Things

2011-07-06T23:44:00.002-04:00

There are sooo many great DIY books out there and it's hard to choose sometimes! I have a few here that I own and a few that I found recently at Barnes and Noble that would find a warm welcome on my bookshelf. Here are the five I love:

Sew U

I loveeee this book. It's any woman's guide to sewing your own clothing. Any woman. Even if you haven't sewn *anything* before! That's what I really love about it - about half the book is teaching you the basics of sewing - the terms, the skills and how to think about customization. In the last half of the book there are three different pieces - a skirt, a blouse and pants - and each have multiple ways to customize them and make them your own. It also helps you plan your projects with project cards and patterns. It's a great book and highly recommended if you would like to learn to make your own clothes and either are a complete beginner or have been sewing for a while.

Generation T: Beyond Fashion

I just picked this one up and it's great! I have the first one too but I think they did a reallyyy great job on the second one. It's not just transforming tees into girl's clothing, although there still is a lot of that. It's guy's clothing, pet accessories, car accessories, kid's clothing, home decor, etc, etc. In other words, it's got a lot of ideas and good ones - and they're all made from t-shirts and are very simple!

Printing By Hand

Okay, so I might be partial to this because I'm a textiles students but I love this book. I don't own it but it would be a great one to have even though I have learned a lot of this in school! It teaches you how to print... by hand, obviously, but it gives you different ways you can use the fabric and how you can apply the techniques to actual products. So you're not just making loads of really pretty hand-printed fabric, you're seeing how it can be used as a final piece. Love it. This is definitely on my wish list.

P.S. I Made This

Erica is a fellow blogger and fabulous at DIYs. I really love how simple her projects are and how she lays out the whole DIY on one page. She finds inspiration from high end fashion or home decor and makes it with very inexpensive materials. {You'll never look at the dollar store the same.} This has been on my wish list ever since I found it in our school store.

Craft Wisdom & Know-How

Most of the DIY books that I like have been a little favoring sewing and fabric {just a little} but this is where the tables turn a bit. This book is full of *so* much stuff that I don't think I can buy it because I would have too many ideas. It is 480 pages of small print explaining sewing, knitting, paper crafts, woodworking, glasswork, jewelry, pottery, candle-making, etc. It's insane how much craft goodness is packed into this thing. There are projects but it explains the basics so you can take those skills anywhere! I love books like this. I have a book by the same publishers {they have a series of these Wisdom and Know-How books} and it's so great. They really tell you everything you need to know.

What are your favorite DIY books? I'd love to find more for my wish list :)

♥ Kenzie

Tea and Tell Tuesday

2011-07-05T23:42:00.000-04:00

Today's tea: Chamomile. with brownie on the side.

I love me some chamomile tea. When I was in Peru, we had it every day - cold and warm. So, the smell and taste reminds me of the week I spent there every time I make it. It's a super happy memory.

The brownies were sitting on the counter right below the microwave. Why my mom had to make them, put them there and tempt me is beyond me, but it happened. And the brownie went down nice with a bit of warm tea. Yummm.

In other news: today's events involved housework, going on a hike and getting chased out of the woods by bugs {literally mom and I ran to the car} and making yummy pasta with yummy sauce for dinner.

It was an eventful day.

Oh and I'm super obsessed with a new guilty pleasure tv show - Heartland - a Canadian drama about a horse ranch. Basically the characters are living my dream...

What are you drinking tonight?

♥ Kenzie

Things I'm Lovin'

2011-07-04T18:33:00.000-04:00

Happy 4th everyone! Here are some things I've been lovin' lately :)

I loveeeeee maxi dresses. So comfy. And this is just beautiful.

I just got this from Limette a few weeks ago and I'm in love.

DIY from Lune. I've been wanting to make a dreamcatcher...

This DIY from Honestly WTF. I mean, how perfect are these for summer?

Loveee these shoes. Would fall over instantly, but I love them.

This is a hair clip. But not any hair clip. A microchip hair clip. And it is adorable. And $3? Um, yes.

This shawl - I reallyyy want a shawl lately.

{found here. from here.}

If you've been around here long enough, you know my boot obsession. And these are incredible.

{found here. from here.}

Anddddd I'm going to visit Miss Kirsten this coming weekend!! I'm sooooo super excited about that! Can't wait to get on the road!

What are you lovin' this week?

♥ Kenzie

Awkward and Awesome Thursdays

2011-06-30T16:05:00.000-04:00

Awesome:

- Made strawberry jam this week with my mom and friends.

- Rode a mechanical bull for the first time ever.

- Went to Lake Placid and hung out with my dad all weekend.

- Got a sweetgrass candle and my room smells sooooo good.

- Moccasins. They're just amazing.

Awkward:

- I got a new phone/lost all my contacts therefore every time someone texts me, my response is: That's cool. Who is this?

- Wearing sports clothes/pjs/messy hair/probably smell cause nobody really looks nice in Keene, NY right? It's an outdoor place so I don't have to look good... whoa that is a cute boy... hide... trip... hide again.

- Riding a mechanical bull at a bar on a Wednesday night.

- Telling my mechanic he should have me on speed dial since I've been there three times this month.

- Almost hitting a turkey on the way home from Lake Placid - they are hilarious. You should probably watch this video to understand why I laughed so hard - this is the best video I could find of one running. I didn't get attacked like this guy though haha

What's been awesome or awkward for you this week?

♥ Kenzie

Five Things

2011-06-29T17:09:00.000-04:00

I have never seen Star Wars.

Probably the only foods I don't like are yogurt and olives. But I loveeee olive oil.

I am extremely comfortable around taxidermy (that's a fun one to explain).

I'm very interested in Native American culture.

I really love playing songs acoustically on guitar that were never meant to be played on guitar.

(ex: Waterfalls by TLC including the rap part)

Your turn -- Tell me five things about you!

♥ Kenzie

Tea and Tell Tuesday

2011-06-28T20:30:00.001-04:00

That's right folks. You heard it here first. Tea and tell has moved to Tuesday!

Why? Well, it sorta rhymes so I think that's a good enough reason, don't you?

If you've never been around these parts before, T&T is a day when I take goofy PhotoBooth pictures with my mug, drink tea and write a post about what's in that mug. And since I drink tea like they were throwing it off the Boston docks again, I'd say it's a pretty good day. I like it anyway.

So today's tea is just what the were throwing off the Boston docks {maybe} - English black tea - Tetley to be exact. I got a big ol' box of this caffeinated goodness at Wal-mart. What better place is there to buy a huge box with 80 tea bags?

This tea is excellent is you'd like to replace coffee. After two cups in the morning, I've been shaken awake. But literally, I shake. And like I said - I drink black tea constantly and I'm pretty much done with the box. So, no, you don't build up an immunity to it. If you're like me, and you leave your tea bag in the water until it's super dark, you might experience the same problem.

What kind of tea/coffee/drink are you drinking tonight?

♥ Kenzie

p.s. Did you check out that fabulous earring I'm wearing? Limette is pretty awesome...

This is all about YOU

2011-06-15T23:01:00.000-04:00

{source}

... things will be changing a bit around here. Physically and content wise. Good changes only :)

Some things will stay the same, there will be new things and fun things and some things might be left behind. But overall, it will be better for me and for zee blog.

I just need you all to bare with me over the next few weeks as I make my changes and please give any suggestions that you think would provide for a better experience for YOU as the reader.

Because ultimately, I would like to connect with YOU.

So, I have ideas of my own but this is where YOU come in. Thoughts? Please?

How can I make this blog a place that YOU want to come back to?

Thanks for bearing with me :)

♥ Kenzie

My plan for the night

2011-06-13T22:41:00.000-04:00

and

Can you believe I've never seen this movie before?
Crazy.
♥ Kenzie

{p.s. click the pic for DIY!}

Things I'm Lovin'

2011-06-12T21:40:00.001-04:00

So many things to love this week!

This photo from Something Monumental. So beautiful.

DIYs at Studs and Pearls are always awesome, of course... I'm pretty sure I'll be making some Jamestown Settler necklaces {p.s. if you have no idea what I'm talking about and think I'm nuts, go read the post and you'll get it ;)}

Etsy congratulated RISD grads on their blog and gives them Artreprebeur Kits at graduation? Can't wait to graduate :)

This fabulous new card design by one of my very best friends, Miss Katie :)

I know this is tiny, but I loveee how Readymade makes these diagrams for recipes and such. So cool. {*Nerd Alert*: I am a little obsessed with diagrams...} See the full version and the delicious recipe here.

Really, really, REALLY want to make these necklaces from Honestly WTF. So in love.

This bathroom = ♥

Found here. From here.

Art made with a typewriter? Um, yes please. Incredible.

This is such an amazing song. Adele is an amazing artist.

OMG this chair!! WANT.

What are you lovin' this week?

♥ Kenzie

♥ Happy birthday Mom! ♥

2011-06-11T15:02:00.000-04:00

My mom's birthday is today. She is such an amazing woman and I only hope to be as amazing as she is when I'm her age. I love you mom!

♥ ♥ ♥

Graduation Weekend

2011-06-11T12:22:00.001-04:00

Last weekend was fun, happy, difficult, sad, proud and crazy.

My freshman class graduated. Minus me.

So a little background if you didn't see this little post:

Last summer after I returned from my trip to Argentina, I decided that I wanted to change my major from Industrial Design (ID) to Textiles. Such a difficult decision.

The reason it was a difficult decision? I was coming back to school as a senior if I continued in ID and as a sophomore if I changed to Textiles. Sophomore year at my school was definitely the hardest and a very emotional year in ID for me, therefore, going back to that and *choosing* to go back to that was daunting. Along with the idea that the people were totally different (as in personalties, age, dress, gender - I had gotten used to hanging out with dudes and tomboys), totally different things to think about in design and that in a year most of my best friends would be leaving RISD without me.

It was a great decision in the end - I love my major now and actually am *truly* enjoying my work. Nonetheless, seeing my friends graduate was hard. I was and am so proud to know such amazing people and see them all so excited and happy for real life. But there were a lot of tears. Mixed happy, sad and a little scared tears. I don't know what RISD is without them and though it is scary to watch them leave, I know that they are going to do **such** amazing things and that I will see them again. They are too great of friends to let slip away :)

It was a great day and here are some happy photos:

I was acting like a proud mama all day :)

What has been happening in your life lately?

♥ Kenzie

Awkward and Awesome Thursday!

2011-06-02T11:45:00.000-04:00

That's right. It's the thing I've missed/forgot about for weeks due to that silly thing people call college. Who does that anyway? I've got blog posts to write. Silly people.

So let's do this thing, shall we?

Awkward:

- How bout we start with this photo? I was going to take an equally awkward photo just now, but then I found this beauty and thought it would be a good contribution. This is what I do when I'm in a bad mood sometimes to cheer myself up. Then I laugh at how ridiculous I am. It works.

- The fact that I was supposed to move into a new apartment yesterday but, *sigh* I am sitting on the couch in my old apartment as you read this. (maybe not as you read actually, but as I type) Am I okay with my old apartment? Absolutely. Am I okay with the millions of boxes piled in my room? Not so much. Am I okay with having absolutely no idea what's going on up in that Residence Life office at my school? Not so much even more. But here I sit.

- This kid I keep seeing around campus/not on campus. We run into each other EVERYWHERE and this has been happening since January. It's getting ridiculous and I don't even know if he notices. But he must, right? And it must be fate, right?

- Call to order yarn Friday - not there. Leave a message. Call to order yarn Monday - Holiday. Leave a message. Called back Tuesday afternoon - Oh sorry. Don't want yarn anymore. Wednesday - Run out of yarn. Call Thursday morning - Hi Chuck? Can I order some yarn? Change shipping address 5 times and yarn is coming Friday. Win.

Awesome:

- Twitter.

- The amount of clothes I have. Holy smokes... packing it all into boxes makes me look crazy... and we all know that isn't true... yeah.

- The amount of free stuff you get when you're staying at college longer and you know the senior class. I love this time of year. Free. Free. Free!! So far: a brand new slow cooker, a recliner and ottoman, a small electric guitar and a LOOM. <<< FREE!

- Getting to hang out with all my friends from school whenever I want. It's a great feeling and great company :)

- Summertimeeee and oh so warm!

What is your awkward/awesomeness for the day?

♥ Kenzie

Hey! Guess What?

2011-06-02T02:20:00.000-04:00

I'm a tweeter now. Yup, as in Twitter.

Like, crazy right?

I mean, I was one of those people who would always be like - Twitter is kinda weird. I don't get it.

(p.s. I never actually tried to get it, but I just decided that I didn't want to try. Cool huh?)

Anyway, had a little convo with one of my fave girls - Kirsten from Studs and Pearls - and she tells me it's cool. So I say - okay, how? And she says - It just is, you gotta do it. So I say - Okay. I trust you.

Guess what? It is pretty cool. Sorta addicting. But cool.

And guess who's the last to know that it's super cool? This girl right here.

It's okay. Don't feel bad that I'm the last to know about this super cool Twitter thing. I'm used to it.

Anyhoo - if you're a cool tweeter like me now you should follow me here cause I like it, so I'm probably gonna keep doing it. And if you're not a cool tweeter, ya might wanna get on that.

Now, I just have to figure out how to use it...

♥ and tweets, Kenzie

Giveaway Alert!

2011-06-01T11:45:00.000-04:00

You really need to hop over to Little Chief Honeybee and check this out.

Look at that lil beauty. Well she's giving away 20 of them! And I want one! I know you do too!

So go now! Go. Don't wait. Now. :)

♥ Kenzie

DIY::Lace Shirt

2011-05-30T09:52:00.000-04:00

Good morning everyone! Look who somehow got back to a normal sleep schedule!

Hope everyone is on a normal and rested sleep schedule too. It's a nice thing.

I had a guest post over at Searching for Serendipity this past week that I wanted to post up on here too. It's super fun and easy - just how I like DIY's to be. Let me know what you think!

You will need:

- about one yard of fabric - I used lace for a breezy summer shirt.

- scissors

- needle and thread or a sewing machine

Take your fabric and fold it in half so that the fold is on the top.

Now take your fabric and fold again from left to right. The original fold should still be on top with another on the left.

Cut the corner off where both folds meet. This will be your neck hole. You may want to make it large or small depending on the look you want.

Unfold your fabric once so that it is still folded on the top. Now you're going to sew the sides leaving room for arm holes. I started sewing about 8 inches from the fold on top towards the open edge on the bottom.

It can be tighter or looser depending on the look you like. Just make sure that if you make it tighter, that the fabric is a little bit stretchy. I made mine pretty loose.

And you're done! Easy right?

Hope you loved it! I wear mine all the time :)

Have a wonderful Memorial Day!

♥ Kenzie

Guest post!

2011-05-28T16:18:00.000-04:00

I recently did a guest post DIY over at Searching for Serendipity!

I have been sponsoring her blog for May and she's a recent mama so go check out how adorable her little girl is and how awesome she is too!!

Hope you're all having a great week! I'm so relaxed now that finals are done!

♥ Kenzie

Quick Inspiration

2011-05-25T23:33:00.000-04:00

Animals + textiles + so much color = ♥ ♥ ♥

How's everyone doing tonight?

♥ Kenzie

I'm back!

2011-05-25T11:43:00.000-04:00

{source}

Hello there! My finals are officially over and I will now officially have a real life again!

I hope all of you are wonderful and that you're last couple of weeks weren't as crazy as mine.

I thought this photo was super fun and such a cute and easy DIY! I'm so excited to do these things alllllll summer - and of course I'll be posting them when I do!

I'll be back very soon so don't go very far.

Until then, I'm going to try to get on a more normal sleep schedule.

♥ Kenzie

Summer Dreamin'

2011-05-18T22:59:00.000-04:00

Finals are looming around here but I am constantly planning for the summer.

Here are a few sites that I'm planning to do some major DIY-ing from:

{here}

If you haven't checked out these blogs, there is **amazing** DIY inspiration here. These girls are incredible - go check it out.

Wish me finals luck!

♥ Kenzie

Something for you to ♥ ♥ ♥ ...

2011-05-15T16:10:00.000-04:00

So, I know I said that I might not be around a whole lot, but the weekends give be a little more time to provide you with some pretty things to look at. Besides my last post, I wanted to show you my friend's website who is a ***fabulous*** textile designer.

Her name is Brittany Bennett and you should really go check her out.

Brittany is a senior in my department at RISD. We went to Peru together 2 years ago to help build houses and paint a mural after an earthquake.

{Our group minus one at the mural we painted in 5 days}

We met and became friends during the planning and going on the trip but I'm happy that I've gotten to know her better as a person and designer since I switched to Textiles. She works really hard and it shows in what she produces.

Brittany has a love for costume design, faux fur and sparkly fabrics that we both share. Trips to our local fabric store together have proven that as we both stop and stare at the glittering, sequined fabrics and talk about what we could make. It's always fun fabric shopping with her.

She {obviously} is an amazzzzing designer and these are just some of my favorites on the site! I'm very sure she could provide you much inspiration as she has me.

You can see her work here or check out her tumblr here.

It's so worth it.

Hope you're having a great weekend!

♥ Kenzie

Things I'm Lovin'

2011-05-14T17:18:00.000-04:00

Hey ya'll! It's been a while right? Well, as you may have guessed {or if you have "liked" S.O.S. on facebook} finals have started! Which means, things are crazy around here.

So posts may be few and far between in the next couple of weeks but I will be around every once in a while so be sure to check back! After finals, S.O.S. will be back full swing, but until then, bear with me!

Here's some inspiration that should keep you busy for a bit.

This fabric collection from Monaluna. So fantastic.

This photo is amazing. Anything sheep related is sooo good! hahaha

{Got it from here, but it's from here}

The pillow case dresses that Rachel made. Her daughter is the CUTEST model ever.

This **amazing** necklace from Style Scrapbook. In. Love. Guess what it is...

These curtains/room. This is what my life should look like.

The flowers appear with the heat! I want thissss!

I also am recently obsessed with this lipstick/all lipstick. But I got this in Monte Carlo and it's wonderful.

That's all I have for now but I'll be back soon! Have a great week lovies!

♥ Kenzie

Happy Mother's Day Mom!

2011-05-08T15:07:00.000-04:00

She's definitely why I am the way I am. And I love her for it.

Happy Mother's Day Mom! I love you!

♥ Kenzie

Tea and Tell, Thank Yous and first Vlog!

2011-05-07T22:39:00.000-04:00

First vlog ever! {a.k.a. "video blog thingy"}

It's a little weird listening to yourself on video, but enjoy!

That tea again is called Yogi Cold Season. It's pretty good at helping me breath a little better and stop coughing so much. Recommended!

Also - Thank you again to my wonderful Aunts and Mother for *all* the great gifts! Love them all and miss you guys!

Have a great Sunday everyone!

♥ Kenzie

These boots were made for walkin'...

2011-05-07T00:52:00.001-04:00

I wear my cowboy boots all the time. They are my favorite. And I realized that they end up in my photos a lot. Probably because we have such a great relationship.

This is from last semester when I was working on a print.

This photo is from this post but these are definitely my favorites. I bought them in Argentina last Spring and I wear them all the time.

Some cowboy boots that are definitely on my wish list:

{found here}

{here}

{Ahhhhh}

{love love loveee}

And the ultimate - Frye boots. Named Daisy Duke. How appropriate.

Anyways, just wanted to share my cowboy boot love.

And even though I'm a little bit country, {or a lot a bit} I'm a little bit rock 'n roll too.

Have a great night ya'll :)

♥ Kenzie

Studio/Home Visit

2011-05-05T00:16:00.000-04:00

*Warning: Crappy cell phone pictures ahead*

Some of the students in my knitting class and I took a little field trip today to our teacher's home and studio. It was fantastic.

She has soooo much beautiful yarn that the girls and I were drooling over.

And six knitting machines. SIX people.

I really loved all the colors and the cute little touches in her studio.

It was so her and so wonderful. We were all super jealous.

Little books! So adorable.

This little animal collection was on one of the many shelves of yarn. So cute.

We were also there to look at her hugeee collection of art and textile books.

This one I found soooo inspiring.

It's like me in book form - tradition craft with bright colors.

I loveee quilts.

These are some of the pages that I took pictures of. If you look closely {at my clearer bad photos} the large blocks of color have stitched patterns in them. Subtle and wonderful patterns.

Once I realized I had taken photos of half the book and wanted to take more, I figured I should probably just put it on my wish list...

Also looked at this book that she had on her coffee table. In. Love.

Again, bad photo but great illustration.

The fish ones made me realize that I really want to revisit my main inspiration in high school art class - marine life. So many things I still want to do with it...

There were a couple other books I looked at, like this one above, {the first one - which is fabulous} but there was no way to go through them all. It was like a library of wonderful in her house!

We all had a wonderful time drinking tea, eating cookies and getting away from the reality of how much work we had for a minute. We talked about knitting, yarns and fabrics and had a great time - each dreaming about their future homes and studios.

What a nice night :)

What have you been up to?

♥ Kenzie

Where is SOS this May?

2011-05-03T23:46:00.000-04:00

I'm over here sponsoring Miss Kami's blog this month!

You can "Meet me" here.

Not that you don't already know me.

But if you don't, or just wanna read my profile thingy, go there!

Or I have one on my page too.

^^^ up there. On that bar under my banner.

It says "About Me".

You get the point.

;)

♥ Kenzie

A Peek in my Studio

2011-05-01T13:19:00.000-04:00

***New Feature Alert!!!***

I have a new feature for ya'll! It's called "A Peek in my Studio" {surprise!}

I have three main studios that I am working in right now at school - Screen printing, Weaving and Machine Knitting. They are all fun and super cool and I want to give a little peek inside to show what I'm doing because I'm constantly working on new stuff.

Anyway, I have already done a little introduction but, this week is the *drumroll please* weaving studio!

This is my section's half of the studio. There is one other section.

Here's my loom. She's decorated now for spring so I must take an updated photo of her.

This is all my crap behind my loom. And obviously, I wasn't working on anything when I took this photo. Although I am now. And it's super messy back here.

I will take photos soon of what I'm working on and show you guys.

That's our first introduction down! Two to go!

Have a wonderful day!

♥ Kenzie

Have I ever told you...

2011-04-30T21:28:00.000-04:00

... about my obsession with Disney?

Yup. I'm a Disney nut. I've got it bad.

I have all my VHS tapes at college with me and I use to pop em in when I was doing things around the apartment. The only reason I don't anymore is because I'm usually not home long enough to watch one. I know almost the whole script of Tarzan, Hercules, and Aladdin because of this. {I'm proud.} When I'm at home, I fall asleep to the Disney channel at night and I once had a dream that I was Hannah Montana because of this. I love Wizards of Waverly Place. And yes, I really am 22 years old.

I'm a little bit ashamed. But I kinda only say that because I know people my age want me to. {I kinda love it actually...}

Do have any embarrassing things that not a lot of people know about?

♥ Kenzie

Tea and Tell ♥

2011-04-27T18:46:00.000-04:00

Little late this week but better than never right? :)

I have some fun tea that I got from Tealuxe at the mall.

It's pretty. That's right. Pretty tea. Just look:

Starts as this weird lil ball thing... then...

Magic!

It's called "Peach Momotaro" and it's delicious.

You can also go to Tealuxe and just taste free samples. That's fun too :)

I have more updates later! Pinky promise.

♥ Kenzie

Things I'm Lovin' & Happy Easter!!

2011-04-24T21:32:00.000-04:00

ummm do you love this? Or do you love this?

Teacup bracelets? Yes. Please.

Mmmmm...

So cute!!

Oh my, how I want this.

Did ya'll see this DIY by Kirsten? So cute! She has the best ideas!

That's all I have for right now. But I promise there will be a Tea and Tell tonight!

♥ Kenzie

Phew.

2011-04-22T22:03:00.000-04:00

{found here}

Whoa have I been M.I.A. or what this week? For those of you wondering where I ran off to, I had midterm projects due this week and it was so crazy.

Tonight is my night off. No work. Just me and my bed and maybe a movie > I've been dreaming of this day all week.

So just in case you were wondering, yes, I'm still alive. Just barely.

And I have soooooo many updates this weekend and fun stuff to share so check back!

I missed you all but I'm back baby!

♥ Kenzie

Blog Baby Shower!!

2011-04-17T12:02:00.001-04:00

Hello lovies! As you know, I'm sponsoring Pamplemousse 1983 this month and she is having a blog baby shower this Monday! Listed below is the schedule for the day. I have a DIY and there are some *fabulous* ladies on here so you should definitely go check it out!

I'll be back later tonight with Tea and Tell!

Have a lovely day!

♥ Kenzie

Spring Sale!

2011-04-15T10:48:00.000-04:00

I'll be here tomorrow! Probably spinning yarn for my project/selling pillows seen above {in my header}. If you're in the Providence area you should come out!!

Also, don't forget to check out my birthday wishlist. It's so soon!!

Have a great day lovies!

♥ Kenzie

Birthday Wishlist

2011-04-14T12:23:00.003-04:00

Just some things I'm wishing for on my birthday {Tuesday}... :)

A couple macarons. Love them. Maybe I'll make some...

I started reading this book on my mom's iPad when I was home. Instant love.
Cause you all know how I want to live on a farm someday, right?

The Big Bang Theory Series. This show cracks me up and they just don't have many episodes online. I started watching it in Argentina, surprisingly, but I loved it instantly.

A wall mount for my guitar. Now, I don't have a super cool Fender Stratocaster like the person who took this photo does {jealous.} BUT my guitar is pretty too. And I think she should be on a wall. {Her name is Rosalee. And I have two others but this would be for her.}

*sigh* Just love.

Gahhhh!!

Also wishing for a wonderful garment to show on Tuesday for my knitting crit, a wonderful print to show on Wednesday for my print crit and a wonderful tapestry to show Friday for my weaving crit. Also, a good outcome at the Spring Sale this Saturday. Yup. I'm busy this week... maybe I'll celebrate my birthday in a week.

I can't really think of anything else I would like. Besides something like this:

But a knitting machine is kind of out of the question at this point.
{And yes, that's a knitting machine for those of you who have never seen one. And yes, they are amazing and sooo fun. Doesn't it look like a piano keyboard?}

Or this:

But again... ya know.

Or this:

But all of these things are just far down the road.

Someday maybe. For now, they are on my "if only wishlist" :)

What are you wishing for?

♥ Kenzie

Mus-ak

2011-04-13T10:13:00.000-04:00

So over at Malori's blog she's vloggin' away and talking about music today. I thought - Self, {remember this is how I start every convo with myself} ok. *ahem* Self, you like music. You should post music stuff.

So here I am, posting some of my recent YouTube finds cause I like em. You should too. :)

So this one has a little intro but soooo worth listening. Love them.

This one is pretty chill. :)

These are a couple of my friends. I've been going to listen to their band - The Sugar Honey Iced Tea- in Providence and I was looking for a video but couldn't find one I could share on here/I don't know how to if I could... But you should go like them on Facebook cause they're super cute and watch the videos they do have there. :)

These people are just amazing singers. I always come back to this video. *sigh*

This one is silly/awesome. I think so anyway.

Hope you like some of what I listen to! I have a pretty varied taste as you can see but I like it :)

What are you listening to?

♥ Kenzie