Giveaway: Peach Tree Designs

What better way to start off the (almost) start of a new month than with a giveaway?  This week, I teamed up with Laura from PeachTree Designs to  giveaway this great pair of stud earrings. What I love most about her shop is that everything is perfectly priced for one of those days when you need a pick-me-up. Be sure to enter the giveaway below. And even if you don't win, you can treat yourself to 15 percent off with the code: liveandmove15. Enjoy your weeks, friends, I can't wait to hear from you!


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Taylor

High Five for Friday: Exhaustion

The busyness of this week leaves me feeling the most tired I have in a while and possibly the most sleep deprived I've been since being in college. But Friday is still one of the best days, so I'll take the opportunity to tell you why.


1. One of my classmates told me about The Skimm a couple of weeks ago when my Public Policy class was talking about Syria.Every morning I get a short email with the highlights from the news and a simple explanation. I feel so much more informed about the world.  All thanks to this little email.


2. I rediscovered one of my favorite 8tracks playlists and rekindled my love for this song.

3. As mentioned earlier, this week was the craziest week academically and non-acadmically. I decided to make Psalm 71:14 my theme verse. God was faithful in showing me all the reasons I had to praise Him increasingly.

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4. Discovered this print from fellow blogger, Reva. With some of my favorite Mumford lyrics, this is on my "want" list.


5. Oh the joys of long distance relationship. This pin gets it.




What shaped this week for you?

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Taylor




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DIY: Washi Tape Decor


Before my freshman year, I bought this acrylic wall decor from Container Store. It's been my goal to style it differently every year. Washi tape made all the difference for this year's variation on a theme. I've fallen in love with Washi tape as an inexpensive game changer. Between my bookshelves and this makeshift wall frame, I'm quite happy with my dorm look this year. What would you do with Washi tape?

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Taylor

Music Speaks: Home



So I will help you read those books
If you will soothe my worried looks
And we will put the lonesome on the shelf
Don't know if I've formally introduced him yet, but this is Matthew. He's my boyfriend, my best friend, and my partner in adventuring. This photo was taken almost exactly a year ago on my fall break.I get to see him in two weeks. That simple fact is getting me through a busy week. What's getting you through this week?




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Taylor

Getting There: 3 Reasons to Volunteer Abroad


If my pictures from South Africa weren't enough to convince you that you should consider volunteering abroad, maybe this article I wrote for the Flairist will be the push you need.

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Taylor


Getting There: Transitioning from Dorm to Apartment


I don't know if you remembered, but I am a contributor over at the You Are Project. I'd love for you to check out my article on creating a beautiful space on a budget!

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Taylor

I Love Friday

And it's Friday, I'm in love. I have no classes on Friday, so it's a pretty wonderful day! Here's what caught my eye this week.

1. My roommate started a web series called University Ever After. The show is a mocumentary following Disney princesses attending Walt University. The episodes are just five minutes long and make perfect study breaks.



2. This article by LearnVest that my mom sent me earlier this week. It highlights companies we tend to shop at and how they treat their workers and the earth. It's a useful tool for me in my pursuit of ethical shopping.
Brand/StoreSustainabilityLabor
American ApparelPlenty of organic clothing. Recycles and donates extra materials, has solar panels on factory, subsidizes public transportation for employees and provides a bike share.Manufactures exclusively in U.S.; provides health insurance, English classes and meals. But CEO accused in several lawsuits of harassing female employees.
American EagleNo eco-friendly items. Matches employee carbon offset donations; sends damaged goods to charities for recycling. Working on more initiatives.Has code of conduct; inspects factories; works with noncompliant suppliers to improve or terminates relationship.
Ann Taylor LoftNo eco-friendly items. Energy-efficiency initiative in stores and offices; reduced packaging and shipping energy used. Working on more initiatives.Has principles and guidelines for suppliers; conducts third party unannounced audits; works with noncompliant suppliers to improve or terminates relationship.
ASOSGreen Room website section features eco-friendly and fair trade clothing and accessories. Is carbon neutral; reduced carbon footprint by cutting air freight from 75% to 10% of goods.Part of Ethical Trade Initiative association of companies, trade unions and organizations that work to improve global working conditions. Has code of conduct; has independent audits of suppliers; works with noncompliant suppliers to improve or terminates relationship.
Charlotte RusseNo eco-friendly items or sustainable practices.Has guidelines for suppliers; hasn’t started independent audits yet.
ExpressNo eco-friendly items or sustainable practices.Has standards for suppliers; conducts independent audits.
Gap Inc.No eco-friendly items. Part ofSustainable Apparel Coalition. Working on more initiatives.Has code of vendor conduct; makes unannounced visits to suppliers; works with noncompliant suppliers to improve or terminates relationship.
Forever 21No eco-friendly items or sustainable practices.2002 lawsuit alleged sweatshop conditions; currently being sued again for labor practices. Accused of using child labor in Uzbekistan along with Urban Outfitters and Aeropostale by International Labor Rights Forum.
H&MAfter being found out for destroying wearable clothing in 2009, stopped that practice and pioneered affordable sustainability withConscious Collection; #1 user of organic cotton worldwide; part of Sustainable Apparel Coalition.Has code of conduct with independent audits; works with noncompliant suppliers but no stated policy on termination for non-compliant suppliers.
TargetSome eco-friendly items and food. Reduced energy use at stores; reduced operating waste; collects consumer e-waste. Working on more initiatives.Conducts unannounced audits; works with noncompliant suppliers to improve or terminates relationship.
TopshopFew eco-friendly items. Reduced energy use at stores and offices; reduced gas use in shipping; increased recycling. Working on more initiatives.Accused in 2007 of using slave labor by newspaper investigation; published Code of Conduct in 2009; conducts independent evaluations.
Urban OutfittersNo eco-friendly items or sustainable practices.No labor guidelines; accused of using child labor in Uzbekistan along with Forever 21 and Aeropostale by International Labor Rights Forum.
Victoria’s SecretNo eco-friendly items. Reduced paper and energy use; increased recycling. Working on more initiatives.Has sourcing standards with independent audits. Currently being inspected by U.S. investigators for using child labor.
ZaraFew eco-friendly items. Improved energy efficiency; has sustainably-built stores, including a LEED-certified one. Working on more initiatives.Has code of conduct with inspections. Accused last fall of using slave labor by Brazilian TV report; responded saying it would “strengthen supervision.”

3.  This doodle I made in class this week. 


4. This yummy meal my friend made. 



5.  This Kate Spade watch I pinned earlier this week. In Vandy colors, of course.

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I'd love to hear how your week went!

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Taylor
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Summer Snapshots: The Last of South Africa



 I ended my time in South Africa at the same place where I began, Pretoria.  Most of these pictures are from my final day. I went to the Freedom Museum with my host and her friend. It's a beautiful place the chronicles South Africa's history, starting with a tribal creation story. The apartheid parts of the museum were hard, especially because the women I was with lived through it. In a sense, it catalogued part of their own stories. South Africa, I love you. I hope to see you again soon.
We went on a hike and I must say that these are some of the prettiest thorns I've ever laid eyes on.

Beautiful words at the Freedom Museum


Apartheid all caught up in a net

These are supposed to look like reeds which represent rebirth. 

This is Freedom Park.

The names of people who died in all of South Africa's wars while fighting for freedom. This wall was of people who died fighting apartheid.

The gallery of leaders.

This was my last day in South Africa.

The eternal flame.
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Taylor

Music Speaks

It's not a silly little moment,
It's not the storm before the calm.
This is the deep and dying breath of
This love that we've been working on.

It's a busy week and John Mayer is helping me get through it.

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Taylor




Musings: What If Disney Princesses Went to College?



What if Disney princesses went to college? That's the question my roommate asked. Most people would leave it at that. But my roommate isn't most people. She created a youtube series! By created I mean, wrote the script, wrote the music, edited the video, and is acting as the role of Belle. She's one talented chica. The best part is that the episodes are only five minutes long. It just premiered this morning so you can go ahead an check out the first episode. There is so much more to come. You can like them on Facebook and that will let you know when new episodes are out. I'm oh so proud of my sweet roommate. Go watch the show and tell your friends! Let me know how you like it.

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Taylor

Musings: Your Life Isn't The Norm

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Lately I've realized that everyone thinks their life is the norm. People will say that they went to grad school right after college and that's best because they were still in school mode. People say that gap years are valuable. People say that it's best to get married after you graduate college, after grad school, after you have a career. People have an abundance of opinions of what worked or didn't work for them. That's wonderful, it is. Hearing the wisdom of others is more valuable than many people realize. But I have to say, life isn't about these experientially based norms and no one's life (except arguably Jesus') should be the norm. Life is dynamic and humans are too. We move. We grow. We fail. We grow some more. I'm making a conscious decision to stop worrying about the norm and to start doing life with Jesus. Furthermore, I am going to start admiring the nuanced beauty of what life looks like for others. The God I serve is creative. He wants to showcase different parts of Himself in the lives of others. Let's stop boxing Him in with the norm.

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Taylor

It's Friday, Friday...!


Another week, another round up of pretty places, things, and moments.


1. These earrings that I got care of the Tiny Bee Shop. I'm giving away another pair of studs here.
2. I pinned this lovely print from one of the verses I attempt to shape my life around.


3. Yesterday was absolutely overwhelming but God managed to catch my eye with this sky on my way home. You can catch other snapshots of my week by following me on Instagram.


4.  I made my first quinoa dish this week. It was delicioso! These black bean lettuce wraps seem like a likely contender for my next attempt at culinary art.


5. This is technically from last week but I fell head over heels this song. 



Tell me about your weeks, friends. Can't wait to hear about your own adventures.

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Taylor

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