Recent Refashion

Well, Sarah, you're going to be peeved, but I did a refashion.

Ok so this adorable Anthropologie light blue sweater(ish) thing has been in my sister's closet at my parent's house for YEARS! My sister no longer lives at the house because she is married and lives with a boy now, but this little number didn't make the cut when she made the move. I have been crushing on it every time I've been home this semester, trying to figure out what the dang thing looks right with. I came to the conclusion that it looks right with NOTHING...so I had to fix it.

Here's how it started. Really cute, but when you put it on, the sleeves are excessively long and won't stay pushed up on me.

So I cut them shorter and made a cuff

Lastly...I had some extra fabric left over from the shortened sleeves, so I added little bows to the sleeves!

So, anyway, I'm excited to finally be able to wear it! And Sarah, feel free to take advantage of the update....or I guess you could technically take it back if you really wanted to......................... : /

Happy Holidays! I'm hoping to be able to do a lot more refashion projects over the break, so stay tuned!

Nothin but love,
Bethany

Home sweet construction site

Hey y'all! Finals and Songfest {I'll explain} are over so I am a real person again! I just arrived in Dallas this afternoon after finishing up the semester at A&M. My parents are doing a lot of work on our house, and the three times I have been home this semester, it has made a little progress after each visit! The house looks great so far, but we're keeping our fingers crossed to not be hosting a crew of sweaty, paint-covered men for Christmas dinner.


So Songfest...let me try to wrap this up in a nutshell for those of you with question marks above your heads...{ya know...where the hypothetical "idea light bulb" would go} Songfest is a philanthropic event put on by the Chi-O's at A&M that all sororities and men's organizations are invited to participate in. Each sorority participating pairs up with a men's organization to make a team. Generally, each group chooses their own theme/story line and gets 7 minutes to put on a mini show. People sing some, and dance a lot!

I have always loved Songfest, and have been attending ever since my sister was in charge of Theta's show when she was at A&M. Well, this year I was in charge! I lead with my friend, Amy. We were paired with BCA {Brotherhood of Christian Aggies}. And when I say "paired", I mean that I pressured my friend, Matt who is in BCA, to be in charge of it on his end and do it with us. Theta is pretty notorious for putting on a good show at songfest. When Sarah (my sister) was in charge, they got first place, and then second. As long as I have been a Theta at A&M, we got second place my freshman year...first place my sophomore year (!)...and FIRST PLACE THIS YEAR!!

It was a LOT of hard work, but when we got that trophy, and giant check for our own philanthropy it was well worth it. I'm going to try to post a video so that y'all might be more understanding of my absence for the past month...

My friend, and fellow KAT, Grace took a video of us performing on stage, but since it's not my video, I can't post it. I'll have to post the one I took at our last practice. Please believe me that this video does not do the actual performance justice. Promise!

I'm the one in the blue tank top nervously putting my hair behind my ears in the beginning

Songfest!

Enjoy :)

Nothin but love,
Bethany

Halloween!

It has become a tradition (after doing it once last year) to dress up for Halloween in ballet class. Last year I dressed up as Buzz Lightyear...

And this year I was a Twinkie

Not everyone in the class played along and dressed up...which is fine I suppose. But it really made me miss the girls from last year who aren't dancing anymore :( 

I'm notorious for having one of the more obnoxious costumes in the bunch. I take it very seriously, and already have my next two costumes planned for halloween '12 and '13. I will tell no one what they are. 

On a different note, it was a good thing that my house wasn't visited by more than two trick-or-treaters. 1- because we forgot to buy candy, so I just used some of my birthday candy, and 2- because, as a result of the excessive amounts of Criminal Minds I have been watching, I was convinced that every trick-or-treater at my door was plotting to kill me. Sure, none of them were older than 12, but that doesn't mean they aren't working for someone. My guess is that the culprit pays them in candy. They could obviously sense my awareness and dominance over the situation. It's the only reason I survived.  

I'm just saying....

Nothin but love,

Bethany

Better late than never!

AMC Barn Dance is this Friday, and even though Travis asked me last night, he sure did a great job!

I said I'd go

Nothin but love,
Bethany

Also...

These...

These,

These,

These,

And these,

www.bonlook.com

Nothin but love,
Bethany

Freak show

Today in Pilates we were learning some new moves on our reformers. If you don't know much about pilates, the apparatus (equipment) we work out on is called a reformer. {It's basically like a bowflex for dancers} Anyway, everyone uses the reformers, but I have to use what's called a cadillac because my legs are longer than the rest of the class's . Not to mention, they are too long for my body, so things get a little tricky.

Reformer. Don't you just love this guy?

Cadilac

So back to the new moves.....we learned something called "prone arm extension"...or something. Usually when we learn a new move, we all gather around someone's reformer and she explains it while someone demonstrates it, and then the more tricky moves, we all try under the group's supervision so that we know what to watch out for/avoid doing before we attempt them on our own. So everyone tries this move, and then before we go to the next one, I say "hey what about me?" She had forgotten. ugh.

Anyway, I get up there to do it, on my stomach, arms reaching behind and above my body, holding onto springs suspended above my head...and she stops me, adjusts me. Typical. But then she and the other teacher in the room stop me and get me straightened up because I was all crooked. When they did, I told them that I felt like I was in a zig-zag. Only one of my hips was touching the surface. It felt weird, but they swore I was straight. So after another attmept, they both freaked out and made me stand up.

They were all like "oh my gosh, do you see that?!" She had the class gather round me while I stood with my back facing them. They started going to town pointing out things that weren't right in my body and poking around to feel my bones and muscles.

I've got one hip that is way higher than the other, but the opposite shoulder (from that hip) ((the left shoulder)) is wayyy higher than the other, BUT my right scapula sticks out of my back more. (I cannot keep my scapulas in my back for the life of me) {{how have I never noticed all this??}} and all of that is because my right femur is severely longer than my left one. They think I've got tibial torsion or scoliosis...or something.

So they recommended only lifting things with my left arm.

And then we kept going...except that took like 20 minutes so it was pretty much time to go.

Turns out I'm a zig-zag. I don't think I'll ever be able to look in the mirror the same. Now all I see is a steep slope from my left shoulder to my right.

Welcome to the freak show

Nothin but love,
Bethany

As of late...

My Theta family got a new baby! I'm so excited about my grand-little, Natalie Zachary! She's fun, cool, and cute to boot ;)

I laughed when I saw this picture. We are all dressed the same. 

AND my sister, got a new baby! A baby puppy, that is. His name is Harold and he is an Austi-doodle. (A mix of an Australian Shepherd and a black Poodle) He is the cutest, most cuddly thing you've ever seen. And if I was choosing between him and a reeses peanut butter cup, I'd pick him every time!

AMC had a date party. Theme: thug. Yes, those are corn rows in my hair. And yes, that is Travis.

We went to the State Fair of Texas in Dallas!! It was Travis's first time, and he's from Houston so he didn't like referring to it as the state fair of TEXAS. Sorry, it is what it is.

Pasty legs- me. Tan legs- Travis. 

How's that update? A little better? Imma try to keep it up. Wish me luck on the rest of this week- it's a crazy one!

Nothin but love,
Bethany

Hello old friends

It is with shame that I bring you a very un-exciting, long over due, uneventful update. I have been feeling blog pressure for a while now (only from myself, no one else). I haven't blogged in so long, and it's been driving me mad.

I've taken a few photos in the past few weeks that I've been meaning to post, but I just haven't found the time to follow through. Until NOW!

Life as a dance major this semester has looked a lot like this...

Icing my tendonitis-stricken ankles. But on the bright side, I think dance is shaping up to be a great year! We're already a few weeks into rehearsals, and concepts and movement are really interesting- I'm excited!

So, like I said- super boring post but I needed to do somethin......I'll be back soon!

Nothin but love,
Bethany

Ring Day

Here at Texas A&M, we make getting your Aggie ring quite the ordeal! {That is not me saying that I don't think it should be made as big of a deal as it is}

Travis got his last Friday, so I made cookies for the occasion

It really is cool how they work. They're so great and meaningful when you get them as a student, but even more so when you leave. No matter where you end up after graduation, Texas or beyond, if you're at a job interview or studying abroad or working far from home, and on and on, if another Aggie sees your ring, you make an immediate bond.

There is a return system for Aggies who have lost their ring. I'm not even sure if it's an official system, or if it is just an on-going tradition for an Aggie who finds someone's lost ring to contact them and return it. {We're still holding out for the return of my sister's ring in this situation} Similarly, when the bonfire tragedy happened here many years ago, lots of Aggies left their own rings at the memorials in honor of the 12 students that died that night.

Soo...I was excitied to get to go with Travis and his family to watch him get his ring!

It is true that not getting my own ring when my time comes has crossed my mind......say THAT to the right person, and they'll write you off as unAmerican and foolish. I'm the kind of Aggie that they call a "2 percenter". I suppose that since they're not exactly just pocket change, I have thought that I like the rings that I already wear enough to be ok not spending the money to get my own. However, after being a part of ring day, I do feel like I might be missing out....haha we'll see, we'll see

Nothin but love,
Bethany

Wish List '11

Last year (around what time, I'm not sure) I made a public wish list. This really is meant for my benefit only, just because I always seem to think of the perfect thing to ask for on my Birthday or Christmas, but before I get a chance to jot it down, it slips my mind just as quickly as it entered. And then when my mom, sister, and aunts ask me what I want this year for my birthday, sometimes all I can say is, ".....well I knew once..."

So whether any of these things become gifts or something that I save up for in the future, here's to not forgetting them!

1) Dress Form

With all the crafting and sewing I've been doing lately, I think having a dress form would save me a lot of time and seam ripping. I am constantly taking things on and off of my body to make adjustments and sometimes it just isn't logical or time efficient....especially when the something that I'm making isn't for me!

2) A Ruffler Foot

Travis' sister in-law, Brittany gave me this brilliant idea! She is a super-seamstress (who actually just started her own business! Check her out- Blackalligatordesigns.com!) And she showed me her latest sewing purchase- a ruffler foot! She has been doing this way longer than I have, but I cannot imagine years of hand ruffling....it really is quite a meticulous job. This little contraption does it for you- all you have to do is tell it how big or small you want the gathers :)

3) A Serger Machine

Now, this might be something that I get/purchase down the line, but it really is cool how these guys work. There is a costume room up at school for dance, and when I was taking my dance composition class we had to make costumes, and they had these available for us! What's great about it is that it trims your excess fabric as you go. It gives more perfect lines and sometimes is a lot easier than a machine to maneuver .

4) A sewing book of sorts...I don't have one in mind, I just think it would be nice to have a book to reference for certain techniques or skills.

5) Fabric! I try to be so careful with some of the fabrics I have right now because they are ones that my mom has passed down to me. I love them because they are unique and kind of vintage-y looking. I know that some of them were born in my lifetime, but they're just different from ones in stores today. I would love to update my collection with some equally unique prints and textures!


Looks like I did a fantastic job of sticking to one genre...though it's not my goal, I guess you can tell where my head's at haha...

Nothin but love,
Bethany

Home Improvements

So there were a few things that needed to be taken care of around the house here at the Clementine and I took pictures so I could share with all my bloggies!

So much paint!

Heidi helpin out

Flag banner in the kitchen

Wall branch

A little closer

Soooo......we desperately needed something to take up space on the wall above our couch in the living room. And I didn't want to spend any money. So I went in the yard and found some wood. The next thing I know, Amy walks in with a branch the size of a tree that she snapped off a huge tree in our front yard, and I was in heaven! 

We took some single branches and washed them off, let them dry, and painted them...then (with some help) I nailed it up to the wall. We still need to do some more branch painting and wall mounting, but that is the general idea of what we're going for. 

Oh and the banner? I just wanted to make one. Seems like the cool thing to do these days. 

Haha, we had some left over paint at the end of it all, so Audrey told me I could paint her face. So check her out-

She walked into McCallister's like that to pick up our dinner. No one acknowledged it. We figured it was because we're in college and college kids are always doing crazy things like painting their faces and picking up dinner. No big deal. 

Nothin but love,

Bethany

Game day at the Clementine

I can't remember if I had made the official announcement on my blog yet, but in case I haven't, everyone please know that when I say "Clementine", I am referring to my home and the people in it.

We are called The Clementine....it's where the cuties at. {Get it? Clementines? Like those miniature oranges?}

Anyway, now that we have that out of the way, let's get on to the bigger point. I did not purchase a sports pass for my second consecutive year. Now it's nothing against Aggie football or traditions, I just can't justify asking my dad to spend the $300.00 that it costs to have a sports pass when I don't appreciate football the way I should to deserve or justify that pass. Not to mention, that aTm actually sold out of sports passes this year, and I'm not sure my conscience could handle owning one, and leaving some real redass football fanatic without one.

So instead, I will make everyone's game day shirts :)

(Sorry, had to do some advertising). Anywho, since I don't have a sports pass, and neither do 2 of my friends- Annie and Sarah, we had a dinner party! Now, this week, Heidi, Jadams, and Travis came because they didn't get tickets to the game, but unfortunately I don't think we can get our hopes up on expecting them every week. However, they are always welcome.

Travis and I made Pecan crusted chicken, Sarah brought a salad, I made a strawberry cake, and Heidi made water.

We were excited because we just finished our table decor :) Check it out!

It's too bad I didn't get a good picture of those water glasses. Heidi, really does put a mean glass of water together.

Watching aTm BTHO (beat the hell outta) SMU on television while enjoying something besides over-priced concession food really is the way to do it, if you ask me................Though there is a part of me that appreciates the orangey imitation cheese they put on the nachos.

Nothin but love,
Bethany