Baby Kakes

Kayla's Portrait Studio: Tess

2012-02-08T10:37:00.000-05:00

Oh hey, remember me? I was hibernating for a while and rightfully so: it's friggin cold outside!

I think I'm going to call my posts about my photo sessions Kayla's Portrait Studio because I just think the phrase "portrait studio" totally ridiculous and outdated and yet it is still widely used (I'm looking at you, Sears). Anyway, my most recent session was with Tess, who bravely volunteered to venture out on a freezing afternoon to be my model so that I can get more photos in my portfolio. I believe that with the wind chill, it was around 25°F (that's about -4°C for all of my friends in other parts of the world)! We were both freezing our butts off and at one point I couldn't even use the camera because my hands were too cold to function, but I think I got a good set out of the day. Take a look:

You can see more on my Flickr!

2012-01-02T11:40:00.000-05:00

I'm very excited for the New Year. Despite the fact that I started it off on a great foot (traveling the word and living in another country), the latter half of it has been much less than wonderful. I'm looking forward to a fresh start where I can get my priorities sorted, so I've started thinking about some goals I want to set for myself this coming year. The thing with New Years' resolutions is that people make them impossible to stick to: "I'm going to lose twelve pounds in two weeks" or "I will be a master blogger in three months time." I want to set some goals that aren't empty promises to myself, so here's what I have so far:

1.) Appreciate the little things. I tend to be very sensitive to whatever emotions are floating around me, so when things are mostly negative, I absorb all of that. I think this past year has been so rough for me because I've only been looking at the bad: I had a crappy birthday, my beloved childhood dog died, I found out I couldn't graduate when I had planned... so it's easy to forget that I'm still lucky for a lot of the things that I do have.

2.) Just do you. It's taken me way too long to realize that I'm not a conventional person. I've had people tell me I'm quirky and eclectic before, but I assumed they were speaking relatively. More and more, I'm coming to own who I am and not shying away from it. If I want to get more tattoos or dye my hair a funky color or indulge in my fascination with serial killers, I should just go for it. I've only got one life to live, and I should really be living for myself and not based on what others might judge me for.

3.) Don't stop believin'. I think I've said before that I don't think anyone should ever give up on their dreams. My high school friends were a bunch of bohemians, but now that we've grown up a bit I think many of us realize that the dreams we once had aren't as easy to reach as we used to think they'd be. Don't get me wrong--I've thought on several occasions of how much simpler it would be to live a comfortable life doing something that will keep me financially stable, but all along I've had a nagging voice telling me that's not really what I want. This year, I'm going for it. I'm taking a stab at my photography and some other business ventures that I'm very excited about. A lot of people around me have done the same--why can't I?

4.) Give to others more than you give to yourself. I'm definitely in a very selfish stage of my life where I am constantly pampering myself. I don't think it's healthy to give so much to others that you forget to take care of yourself (or worse yet, become spiteful for not being appreciated or getting anything in return) but sometimes I'm so wrapped up in my own thing that I forget that there are others that need my help or just my company.

5.) But do be selfish...sometimes. You work hard, you take care of other people, you do so much you barely get adequate sleep at night--you deserve to spoil yourself every now and then. Whether it's splurging on something you've been wanting for a while or stepping out in your favorite a-little-over-the-top outfit or finally taking that trip to get out of your hum-drum town, do it. Being selfish sometimes is not a bad thing--if you constantly put everything else before yourself, you're almost guaranteed to get burned out or depressed. Be good to yourself!

Hoping you all have a happy, healthy New Year full of fun and intrigue and good surprises!

♥

Neil Gaiman: Nicholas Was...

2011-12-23T22:27:00.001-05:00

No one knows what actually goes on up in the North Pole. Neil Gaiman, one of my favorite writers, brings us a twisted version of our favorite holiday fable.

39 Degrees North Presents: Nicholas Was from 39 Degrees North on Vimeo.

Happy Holidays (and farewell to your childhood)!

How I long for those rolling hills: Pastoral shoot with Aly

2011-12-20T10:00:00.000-05:00

I have been absolutely horrible in editing and posting photos. Now that I'm no longer constrained to a 60-hour week of work-school-homework (and spending what little free time I had doing nothing because I needed to), I have no excuses for not catching up. Anyways, here are some favorites from my pastoral-themed photo shoot that I did with my good friend Aly over the summer. We had a lot of fun!

The only problem I had when editing the photos was that a lot of them were over-exposed. I guess that's what I get for shooting at high noon on a sunny summer day. Lesson learned.

These are my favorites, but you can see more over at my Flickr.

Lazy Sunday

2011-12-04T18:06:00.003-05:00

This Sunday wasn't exactly lazy as its typically the day I finish up all of my homework. Specifically, today has been dedicated to tackling a 10-page research paper on globalization. That doesn't mean I didn't take (several) much needed breaks, however!

Meowmeow napped on my freshly cleaned blanket while I did work.

I cleaned out one of my drawers and found several peculiar items, including these three duct tape wallets that I made back in June (I need to get around to selling them).

Finally, I wanted to show off my fridge magnet collection, which I think is what this post was originally going to be about. I collected them while I was travelling around Europe, although interestingly enough I did not get one from London when I had been living in England for five months. The Magnet with the painted faces is a portion of the East Side Gallery (of the Berlin Wall) in Berlin, Germany. The little crest is from Amsterdam and of course the leaning tower is from Pisa, Italy. I'm expecting to travel more and continue picking up fun and interesting magnets!

What do you do with your lazy Sundays?

I know you can believe in yourself!

2011-12-02T23:09:00.003-05:00

What a stressful time this is. We're now entering the "finals" period of the semester, or as my English friends would call it, "revisions." Personally, I like to think of it as the time of the semester where I'd like to curl up in a ball and let stress consume me until it's all over. Luckily, I've got this little guy to give me a pep talk.

What I Wore 11/27/2011

2011-11-27T21:54:00.002-05:00

My friends Jill, Sami, and I met up in a park today for a photo shoot for Sami's blog!

When I'm not working I like to have fun with my outfits because the only clothing I have for my work wardrobe is drab and boring and unflattering. Luckily it was a warm(ish) sunny day and I got away with a dress and tights!

Sweater--bought from Gap a bazillion years ago

Dress--Forever 21, $22

Tights--Chinese Laundry (from TJMaxx) $10 for a set of three (and they are soft and amazing quality)

Shoes--Target a long time ago. I don't think they were more than $15

I wish I could keep Jill around to photograph all of my outfits. Her pictures come out a lot better than mine do when I have to set my camera on timed release!

It's Up to You, New York

2011-11-22T10:50:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to give you a few snippets from the New York City trip I had last Friday. I went down with the intention of seeing some friends and visiting Occupy Wall Street (a movement that I vehemently support by the way), but as usual New York surprised me.

There was no one there when we went to see OWS. I had a hard time finding their location on their website, so we ended up going on a wild goose chase throughout the city to find it. Here's what we saw when we stopped at Wall Street--nothing, but you can be sure that there were horses and police everywhere just in case those pesky protesters came back any time soon.

I heard conversation from a doorman who said "You know what's going to stop those protesters? The weather." I find that extremely doubtful, but we'll see. When I finally got news that OWS was in Liberty Plaza, not far from Wall St., my friend Courtney told me that she was at Penn Station (about 25 minutes uptown) so we left immediately.

We met Courtney between tracks 15 and 16 FO LYFE at Penn Station, then proceeded to wander around the city, finding Koreatown and this awesome Christmas window display at Macy's for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
It was complete with music and dancing puppets, the meaning of which I have yet to discover.
Glamour shots by Kayla.

Here we are at the end of the day, bringing Courtney back to Penn Station, looking cold, tired, and sleepy. We had a good time, though. Courtney and I are soul mates and we don't get to see each other often.

And here is our traditional awkward tourist picture, which will be going in the awkward tourist photo album.

The Big Move: A Little Decor

2011-11-19T11:00:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to show off the small amount of decorating I've been able to do in my room so far. I've not had much time and I'm waiting until after the holidays to spend more, but I really needed to add something to the blank and empty walls of my room.
This is something I've seen on decor blogs around Tumblr. I picked my favorite phrase (look familiar?)which is a snippet of my favorite Henry David Thoreau quote, "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." (from Walden) All you've got to do is cut out words from the ads in your favorite fashion magazines!
I made some fake Polaroids of my favorite pictures by simply cropping 4x6 pictures into squares and adding a Polaroid-esque white border with regular poster board. Many of these pictures are from England, the other ones are old. A few of my close friends are missing from the collage too, so I made so to leave room to add more. This only makes me want to go out and make new memories and take new pictures!
I even added some handwriting underneath to make them look more like real Polaroids!
This particular day, it was unusually warm out, so I opened up my window to let in some fresh air and my roommate, MeowMeow, jumped up to watch the leaves blow around outside. He's not part of the decor, but he definitely liked watching me put it up!

Underwater Romance: Heather Landis

2011-11-18T10:00:00.000-05:00

I found these gorgeous photos of an underwater photo shoot from Heather Landis (via Tumblr) and I cannot get over how awesome they are. Someday when I have the money for underwater camera housing, I'm totally doing something like this!

Get Ready For It: I Came to Win

2011-11-17T10:00:00.000-05:00

This semester has been one of my toughest. There have been a lot of times thus far where I've felt like giving up or giving in, half-assing my homework or skipping class, enraged that all of my free time goes to reading boring assignments and doing math problems. Add in all of the other minor bumps, like friends who seem to disappear right when you need them, and you've got one major problem. Luckily I haven't got that much further to go, so every time I get down, I try to tell myself to keep pushing.

"Fly" has been on repeat on my iPod for this exact reason. I've already gushed about how much I love Nicki Minaj, but Rihanna is a favorite of mine too, mostly because of what she's overcome and how successful she's been in spite of it. Aside from all of that, this song has got everything I need to keep going on a bad day. And the music video's got just the right amount of ridiculous couture to watch over and over as well.

Cried my eyes out for days upon days
Such a heavy burden placed upon me
But when you go hard, your "nays" become "yeas"
Yankee Stadium with Jays and Kanyes

It Does Get Better

2011-11-11T10:00:00.000-05:00

The "It Gets Better" campaign first caught my attention when Ellen Degeneres contributed on her show.

This occurred around the time when our nation began to take notice of just how bad bullying has gotten in our country with a new onslaught of young people taking their own lives because of it. Recently, the It Gets Better Campaign sparked my interested again when I saw a contribution from my favorite True Blood cast member, Deborah Ann Woll.

A message from my favorite Scandinavian, Alexander Skarsgard

From one of my favorite comedians, Stephen Colbert

And even our President

You can visit the It Gets Better project on YouTube or at their website to watch more of your favorite famous people telling their stories and letting you know it does get better. Although it is directed at LGBT+ youth as we still fight for a world that's safer for everyone, the bullying of anyone is still a prominent issue in our nation so keep in mind that these messages can and should be generalized. Take it from me: I was bullied pretty intensely when I was in middle school; it was the longest academic year of my life. I dreaded going to school and I lost a lot of my self-esteem, some of which I'm still working to get back 10 years later. But thank goodness I stuck it out: I've met amazing people, I've traveled the world, and I still can't wait to see what else is out there. Where my bullies are, that they haven't experienced the awesome things I have, become the amazing person I am, or that one of them is currently in jail is not what matters. What matters is that I'm happy now, and that's the best revenge. There will be change, and as Ellen said, you should be around to see it. It will get better. ♥

The Big Move: Almost Done!

2011-11-06T18:52:00.001-05:00

If you had been following along at Say, Dolly! you might already know that I'm moving in with my sister in the new house she purchased last June. I started out with decor ideas back then, but it's been a very long process, especially with our busy schedules. Happily though, I've got most of my stuff moved over here and the decorating is going great.

In this picture are a bed frame, book shelf, duvet cover, and vintage alarm clock from Ikea. The desk you see next to my bed is thrifted, an old school desk with a hole for an inkwell (and only $15)!

You can't really see the color of the wall from this crappy iPhone picture, but it's "sea foam pearl," a pastel greenish blue, and I really like the way it goes with the pink flowers on my bed. The other furniture in the room is temporary; I'm going to be re-finishing it. I've also yet to get permanent window treatments but the wall decorations I have now are going up as soon as possible! I'll keep updating.

I'm also very excited about my new roommate, MeowMeow (yes, that is his name...he likes to talk). I've never had a cat before and I'd still say I'm more of a dog person, but this guy is very friendly, cuddly, and has a pretty wacky personality. He's been doing a good job of being my companion since I lost my beloved family dog about a month and a half ago. Meow doesn't exactly fill the big, black labrador retriever sized hole she left in my heart, but he keeps me company at night when he curls up at the foot of my bed or while I'm working when he spies leaves and bugs outside of my window.

Then again maybe he's just wondering when I'm going to get rid of those ugly temporary blinds.

Nevermind, I'll Find Someone Like You

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

I've always loved the sound of Adele's voice, which brings us back to jazz singers of the past like Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday. Her newest US single, Someone Like You, has been overplayed on the radios in Connecticut, but since I don't listen to the radio too much (for that exact reason) I really can't get enough of it.

Perhaps what I love best about this beautiful ballad is that it's so easy to relate to. At least once in everyone's life, we'll have a love that we will never forget. Fairy tales and movie scripts tell us that this kind of love is the one that lasts, that this person is "the one" you will be with until the end, but the tragic truth is that this not the ending everyone gets.

Nothing compares, no worries or cares
Regrets and mistakes, they're memories made
Who would have known how bittersweet this would taste?
Nevermind, I'll find someone like you
I wish nothing but the best for you two
Don't forget me, I bet I'll remember you said,
"Sometimes it lasts in love
But sometimes it hurts instead."

An Introduction

2011-10-12T15:34:00.000-04:00

Hey there! Welcome to my little corner of the world. This is a re-incarnation of Say, Dolly! and if you've previously followed me there and have consequently moseyed on over here, snaps for you!

For those of you who are new here, my name is Kayla and I am a 22-year-old psychology major and general weirdo from Connecticut. I like photography, alternative fashion, Riot Grrrrls, DIY, antiques, horror movies and...I'd say long walks on the beach but I actually don't like the beach, so instead I'll say I like long hikes in the woods.

Why the change?

I found Say, Dolly! to be way too confining. It started out as a foray into rockabilly culture as inspired by the blogs of my Lolita friends, but I'd rather not contain myself to one small fold or perspective of the world. I've also been quite busy lately and I had the idea that recreating my blog and my image might push blogging to a priority in my life so I'd actually squeeze in time for it. Therefore I'm not really going to promise that this blog will be about anything in particular, but some reoccuring themes might be alternative fashion, my thoughts and opinions about current events, advice articles (I really love writing those), body mods, DIY, my attempts at cooking and baking, and just general fun things I find here and there.

I'm entering a new phase in my life and so my whole goal here is to capture all of the fun and upbeat things happening around me that I might otherwise miss. If you were hoping to see rockabilly and 50s fashion and memoir here as you once did on the old blog, have no fear! That's still a main focus of my life and personality and so you will find it here as well.

I'm really excited about this new endeavor so I hope everyone enjoys! If you have any questions or comments please feel free to ask them here or contact me!

Have a lovely day!