Red Velvet Shop: Springfield, MO

The main reason we drove 14 hours to Missouri was for one and only one reason: This shop. Some may find it crazy that we drove that amount, took the time off of work, and spent a good chunk of change, just so we could see this place. I firmly believe that it was all worth it. Totally worth it. 

I have dreams of one day opening up my own shop, much like this one in many ways. I needed a road trip away from the office and daily life for even just a little while. A fire has been lit once again inside of me. My dreams are big. They are scary at times. They are financially overwhelming most of the time. But, being able to see someone else that I don't even really know living out their dreams is greatly encouraging. It's trips like this and experiences like these that keep me awake at night. It has been so long since I have felt the urge to not shut my eyes at my early bedtime and dream with my eyes and my heart wide open. I will see the end of my office days. I will see the molding and shaping of things inside of me. It must happen. I cannot silence them now. 

I purchased the most amazing dress. I wore it today actually. It fits perfectly. An outfit post is definitely in the future. 

I don't really know what the future holds but I know I shouldn't quit preparing and dreaming. Visiting this shop changed so many things in me. 

Thoughts on Driving

Last week, we hit the road. No work for an entire week and the only thing in front of us were farms, the promise of BBQ from little hole in the wall places, and the realization that we didn't really have anything pulling us back to work. Paradise. 

I love road trips. I love the time that I get to think, to sort out all of things sitting dormant inside of me, and to dream about the details and future that I only get to grasp every once in a while when life slows down a bit and the office life isn't dragging me down. I was counting down to this trip for weeks, months. The countdown began somewhere around 80 days to go or so. I needed a vacation. We needed a vacation. 

We had one plan in mind: to visit this shop, where vintage dreams come true and where my creativity seemed to have a fire lit underneath it. 

Driving somewhere we've never been forces me to find some clarity. I wrote lists upon lists. Inspiration hit me like a freight train. After the last few months, I needed creativity to pulse through my veins once again. I needed to not sit at a desk for countless hours a day, all the while allowing my dreams to sit quietly next to me. 

This book challenged me to my core. 

It rained nearly most of our trip but I didn't mind. Rain has been a massive force in my life. It has washed me clean, metaphorically and literally, for many years when I lived in the northwest. It is the sign of creativity, a sort of nostalgic sigh of the life I once had and the life I now am blessed enough to live. 

With Every Pound Lost

For those of you that don't know, today is a grand day. I am a little more than half way to loosing the pounds I have set out to lose and to achieving my goal weight. (Which is the amount I weighed the day I graduated high school.) This is a little more personal than normal, but once I got married, I became quite comfortable with my wonderful existence and started to pack on the pounds. In a goal to become as healthy as possible for myself, my husband, and the potential kids we desire to have in the future, I made a major life change. 

I have been on a new, pretty intense eating plan for the past month or so. I am down 20 lbs today! The weight on the scale is one I haven't seen since sometime in college. It feels really good. I can't believe the discipline I actually have! Seeing the pounds come off a little more everyday is reason enough for me to continue on. 

I feel like I could take on the world! 

I have been daydreaming about some new outfits that I want to buy once I reach my goal weight. It is good encouragement to actually be working towards some wonderful new outfits! I tend to gravitate towards blacks and whites, but lately I've been trying to add some color to my wardrobe. Lots of oranges, reds, and floral. 

Here's some items on my wish list! 

From Red Velvet: 

(For my husband: this is what your wife would love for Christmas!) :) 

From Modcloth.com: 

And being a photographer, I have major bag envy for this....

From Jo Totes: 

Life is good. 

Stir Fry and Red Velvet Art

(My adorable husband and I. Notice the massive dents in my cheeks. I used to hate those dimples with undying passion when I was a kid.) 

I'm finally beginning to not feel like death and was able to go to work today. I love my life. Seriously. I am immensely blessed by job, my husband, and nights where we can just chill and rent a movie. It's nights like this when we make our favorite dish....STIR FRY! So good. It is nice to cook a meal, which we don't do nearly enough. And by cook a meal, I mean, my husband takes care of most of the cooking and I'm in charge of the brown rice. :) 

              

*THE MOST PERFECT MEAL EVER* 

And in some EVEN MORE exciting news.....I made a couple purchases today that make me want to jump out of my seat and start creating stuff. One blog that I have been following for a long time now is A Beautiful Mess, the blog home of Elsie. She is so inspiring and I finally decided to purchase some of her awesome creations. I can't wait to receive them in the mail. 

From Red Velvet Art.....

And on the wish list......

Christmas is coming...Right? :)