No, this is how it works,

"You peer inside yourself
You take the things you like
And try to love the things you took
And then you take that love you made
And stick it into some
Someone else's heart
Pumping someone else's blood
And walking arm in arm
You hope it don't get harmed
But even if it does
You'll just do it all again..."

This is how it works:

"You're young until you're not,
You love until you don't,
You try until you can't,
You laugh until you cry,
You cry until you laugh,
And everyone must breathe,
Until their dying breath."

lately, whenever I feel down(for whatever silly reason) I decide to be awesome instead. 

When life gives you grapefruits,

I hope you pour as much sugar on them as you possibly can.

I mean...hey, they are better than lemons. Although, lemonade is tasty and grapefruit juice is not so much(in my opinion). Eh?

The point is- take the things you love with great pleasure, change what you don't like in your life and don't let things that are out of your hands bother you.

People will not always be who you thought they were. What you can do is make sure you know who you are. If you REALLY don't know who that is...at least know what you don't want to be and focus on that.

"Are you who you say that you are?"

I have some tricks up my sleeve.

Dearest Melissa,

yours truly,

YOU

P.s. Getting a serger soon. It's a birthday present from my lovely parents! Let the fun begin!

Make your way through

the world. 

Celebrate you.

If YOU are not your biggest fan, you've got some work to do.

This life is sensational. 

Start today.

The last few weeks I was so spoiled to spend time with my beautiful cousin Joy. She is an amazing woman. I look up to her in almost every way and yet still feel on the same level. It is such a strange connection we have. Although, we grew up living on opposite sides of the country you would think we were raised in the same town. Stick that in your cup and sip on it for a while. The most Joyful things in this world you can't really understand(no pun intended).

8,760 days...

Equals a whole 24.

The the year 23 was my biggest learning and growing year thus far. However, I have set a promise and a goal that 24 is going to be my most positive, productive and proud year I have ever had. I will grow more than ever and take my own and and any advice to heart. I will be the person I was made to be. 

Hello, world. Pleased to meet you!

Now, excuse me for a second while I go be awesome and enjoy you YOU YOOOUUU!!!

Oh, thank heaven for 7-11.

Did I mention that my birthday was totally magical? I spent it at the Oregon country fair surrounded by amazing beautiful hippies in the middle of the trees! Hot summer day, thank you!

Cupcake me!

before I float away!

You better believe I will be a copy kitty this week:)

balloons+cupcakes+Melissa+camera=

Meooowwww.

I got a Kiari, WAY over town

She's good to me. Oh, YEAH.

This is my amazing friend Kiari(kiarisafari). She is a super photo genius from another planet(Okay, really just Hawaii) you get the point. We are about to turn 24 together which marks two awesome happenings... the beginning of our 25th trip around the sun AND that we have now been friends for exactly half our life. I am going to give special thanks to the universe and forces of nature for giving this incredible soul to share my life with me. I love you Kiari Ari Safari Atari. Thanks for capturing my image over and over again. 

Who the heck

said hard work doesn't pay off?

Discipline is the greatest tool, friend, love, sorter, STRENGTH.

In the words of Kiari: Frrrrickin' A. 

This last week has been awesome, hard, lovely, exhausting, weird, CRAZY. I have been so far behind since I moved to Seattle. It has been a constant high speed run trying to grasp my goals, dreams and standards. It has not been easy by any means but I'm now a little more than half way(GASSSSP, sigh of relief)!!

I started working a part time job at a moving company so I could catch up and make some extra cash. As far as skills go the work is a cake walk because I did it every summer through high school and then some. However, there were a few things I forgot about...such as:

-You never know what kind of customer your going to get or what your going to have to pack up...the other day I picked up this jewelry box looking thing and said to the lady "Whats in here?" She replied "Oh, that's my husband." AHHHHH, then I packed some pics of him too and I felt like he was going to jump out of the box and wanna tango with me or something.

-You work on a dirty truck where your co-workers throw swear words around so much you start to daydream that your on a sail boat in the navy in the year 1942.

-When your done for the day your so tired that you feel like you ran a marathon.

-You work a 12 hour day just to go home and get out of bed like a sore zombie at 5am to do it all over again.

-Your fingers start looking all cut up like a crazy beast from outer space.

My room is almost finished being painted the most amazing spirit lifting tangerine, lavender and bright raspberry a woman could dream. It truly makes my heart SING! Now, I will be able to feel happy when I'm in my room this will motivate me to stay in and be a worker bee. I just want to stay home and make clothes and take photos. I don't want to have to pack up burnt dead people again.

My advice for the day, week, MONTH: If you find something that's "Good enough for now." Don't keep it around for long, work on the things that are "Good enough FOREVER."