Movers: Emma Grager

I'm really excited to bring you a new series on the blog. "Movers" gives me the chance to highlight people who are living and moving in extraordinary ways. Let me introduce you to Emma Grager. She's a singer-songwriter and an English major, a true creative. And as much as I love creative people, Emma's creativity is not what inspired me to write about her. I've had the honor of sharing meals with Emma and I leave every conversation challenged because of her sincerity. Most people worry about having too little. Emma worries about giving into capitalism and having too much. It can take her six months to finally buy an item that she really needs. She gives away as much money as she spends on herself. She's the embodiment of the phrase, "Live simply so that others may simply live." And her life is all the richer for it. I encourage you to check out her music. More than that, I think Emma would want you to take a moment to consider your blessings, material or otherwise, and how you can use them to bless others.

Share the love,

Taylor

P.S. Don't forget to enter the giveaway!

Giveaway: It's Bow Time!

Happy Monday everyone! I hope I can brighten your week with a giveaway. I love wearing simple outfits with a pop of something fun. As a sorority woman, I've seen my fair share of bows but I had yet to try wearing one. That's why I was so excited to team up with Shelby from the Small Grey Cat shop on Etsy to style one of her adorable bows. It's the perfect dash of whimsy to an otherwise drab outfit. The good news is, you have a chance to win this bow! The contest starts today and continues through Sunday night. Click here to enter and come back to enter every day! May the odds be ever in your favor. And check out Shelby's shop. It's the perfect way to treat yourself during finals week.

Share the love,

Taylor

Adventure is out there

It is (almost) officially summer for me! There's a small matter of a Spanish final paper due Tuesday, but I'll be headed home on Sunday. This summer, more than ever, is going to be a summer of adventure. Here's what I (and you!) have to look forward to:

-Two weeks in California for a mini-internship

-Summertime in Chicago

-Adobe Creative Suite (so many possibilities!)

-Free time

-Possibly studying for the GRE, in the off chance I decide to do more school...

-More outfit posts since I'll have people to help me take pictures

- A month in South Africa!!!

I could not be more excited for all the adventuring God has in store for me this summer. Do you have any exciting plans?

Also, I've just started a Facebook page for Live and Move. Give it a like and follow along!

Share the love,

Taylor

Linking up with:

A Lesson in Economics

Today, I take my Economics final. These are the two only concepts I plan to carry with me from that class:

Opportunity cost: Your next best option, what you're giving up when you make a decision. I think about this a lot now. My time is limited. Where am I investing it?

Scarcity: Our wants are bigger than our ability to satisfy them. Whoa. I can't help but think of a C.S. Lewis quote: “It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”  The truth is, we can't can't satisfy our desires. That's why there so large. We were created to be satisfied in Christ.

That, dear friends, is the only useful knowledge you will learn from economics. Thoughts?

Share the love,

Taylor

P.S. I have a penchant for bridge pictures this week. This one is a picture of Canada taken from Detroit. Trade... Economics... See what I did there?

Photo Shoot with Angela!

Here's one thing I realized when I started blogging: I've been so busy taking pictures of things and people that there aren't very many pictures of just me, especially with my natural hair. When Angela mentioned she was offering portraits a few weeks ago, I was sold. As you can see, she's a wonderful photographer. What you can't see is that she has such a kind-hearted and passionate spirit. Check out the rest of her photography here. It's well worth it! I'm so grateful to Angela for helping my blog look a little bit more like home! Enjoy your Wednesdays, friends.

Share the love,

Taylor

Breathe

Breathe is such a funny looking word if you stare at it long enough. Maybe that's why it is so hard for us to do. It's finals week for me. The tendency is to compulsively study and slouch and stay up late and stress. Literally, it's hard to breathe at times. Then I looked breathe up in the dictionary and saw that the second definition meant, "to live." Deep stuff. What does breathing look like for me this week? I plan to study hard but not feel guilty for taking a break or a much deserve bubble bath. More importantly, I'm going to breathe in these final moments of my sophomore year. What does breathing look like for you, friends?

Share the love,

Taylor

P.S. I took this picture at Belle Isle, an island nestled in the heart of Richmond. It's one of the most beautiful places I've ever been and the memory of it is helping me breathe a little easier.

To live a creative life

In case you forgot,this blog started as an outlet for creativity. Now that I'm actively pursuing creativity, I've realized how many thoughts just float around in my head. A lot of creative people seem to always have a notebook on hand. It works for them, so I've decided to give it a try. I bought a miniature Moleskine notebook and made it my own with a metallic Sharpie paint pen. I love having the verse that started it all on the cover. So far, my notebook has my goals for summer as well as a few thoughts for blog posts later this week. How do keep track of all of your creative thoughts and ideas? I'd love to hear.

Share the love,

Taylor

Summertime

I loved sharing a song with y'all last week. I think I'll keep up this Friday  tradition to get everyone excited for the weekend. This weekend is even more exciting because, in six days, it will be summer! This song, Five Years Time  by the Noah and the Whale, never fails to get me in the summertime mood.   Enjoy the music and take a peek at some of my favorite memories from last summer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8YCSJpF4g4

 

 

 

[caption id="attachment_411" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Trips to Navy Pier[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_406" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Concerts in Millenium Park[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_412" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Going to the fountain with my familia[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_409" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Lollapalooza[/caption]

 

 

Not a school person.

I go to Vanderbilt . I recently discovered, well embraced, the fact that I am not a school person. I felt disillusioned this semester. I chose classes I thought I would love and was disappointed when I still felt bored and restless. People talked about doing research. I did not understand the appeal. My conclusion? I must not like to learn. Now I know that this could not be further from the truth. I love learning! What bothers me, is "learning" things because some people a while back decided to create institutions that would give us pieces of paper so we could get jobs. Where's the intrinsic motivation? I started this blog and dove headfirst into learning everything I could about blogging and websites. It brought back memories of my childhood where I would get as many books as I could about a subject just so I could learn. Yesterday morning, I woke up and decided that going into brand management sounded pretty cool. (I'm impulsive like that.) What did I do? Well, conveniently I work in the Managerial Studies department and they're moving. I picked up some old textbooks and started to teach myself marketing. I talked to a senior who I knew had similar interests and got advice. I learned. This year, I asked God more than once to let me drop out of school. He told me, "No, you're here for a reason." And I am. I still work hard and try glorify Him through my work. But at the end of the day, I strongly dislike school. That's okay. For me, going to school is not how I get my education. I'm learning to accept that. I'm really interested to hear your opinion. Leave a comment with your thoughts.

Share the love,

Taylor

DIY Monogrammed Purse

I bought this Dooney and Bourke purse for $7 dollars at a thrift store last summer. It lasted pretty well until the logo part fell off during a game of football with my nephews! Either it wasn't real or it was really old. Whatever the case, it's still a nice purse that I love wearing. I grabbed my Sharpies and reworked it. It's my slightly more indie take on the Southern monogramming trend. I can't wait to wear it for summer adventures. What do you think?

Share the love,

Taylor

Rites of Music Festivals

With Rites of Spring coming up at my university, music festival season is officially kicking off. I recruited fellow blogger and California native Annie to give her tips for staying comfortable and stylish at music festivals like Coachella. Annie's stays carefree and true to her style. Follow her lead and take some fashion risks this festival season!

Share the love,

Taylor

Let's DTR

 

Well friends, it's been about a month since we've started this journey together. I think it's about time we define the relationship. I started Live and Move knowing that I had blogs I loved to read and that I missed having opportunities to be creative. I didn't have a sense of direction. I think that's healthy when you're starting out. This weekend, I thought about who I wanted to be as a person and a blogger. Here's what I came up with:

- Fashion is great as a form of self expression. You'll see my style here. You won't see me coveting a bunch of designer labels. That's not what I'm about. Live and Move has become more of a lifestyle blog than a purely fashion blog. I like that.

-I value creative people. In the future, I'm looking forward to introducing people who are living and moving in exciting ways. This could mean anything from me partnering with fellow bloggers, Etsy shops (giveaways?!), or interviewing people and promoting organizations who I think are notable.

- Photography is a skill I've always wanted to develop. Lately, creating graphics has been a huge source of excitement as well. This blog is a great place for me to catalogue my development. I'm learning and growing and I hope you'll walk with me. (It won't always be pretty. Bear with me!)

- Music understands me. That's a strange way to word things, but it's true. I'm excited to share some of my beloved music with y'all.

- I'm not a person who generates ideas out of thin air. But occasionally lightning strikes and a DIY comes out of it. These will be pretty rare, but they'll still show up every once and a while.

- Last but not least, my hope and prayer is that this blog has that "something more." I want you to leave this page feeling inspired, loved, encouraged, or even questioning what I said. If my blog is ever purely fluff, please call me out on it. Now that we've DTR'd, we have that kind of relationship.

I hope this cleared things up. I'm excited to have you all along for the ride. If you're especially excited to follow along, you can follow me on Bloglovin, on Wordpress, or by email. Now that I've said my piece, let me know what you'd like to see!

Share the love,

Taylor

New Look

I'm trying a little something different in an attempt to make the blog feel more like home. I hope the changes make it easier to navigate. Let me know what you think and if there is anything you'd like to see! This weekend, I plan on doing an overwhelming amount of paper writing and a fair amount of reflection. I thought I'd leave you with my current favorite song to listen to as you head into the weekend.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fz4ZOAsjW6g

Share the love,

Taylor

Me,Unfocused

 

This is me, literally and figuratively. I'm unfocused and hazy but still somehow dancing through life. I'm taking a class on Spanish Literature of the Boom Era. A common theme is that authors incorporate multiple story lines with a nonlinear timeline. My teacher says its the authors' way of showing that life is fragmented. I could not agree more. Life is a conglomeration of little moments and interactions that we don't have the context to fully understand. Right now, I'm thankful for a God who sees my life in focus even when I can't.

Share the Love,

Taylor

Bubbles

As I mentioned in a previous post, taking baths is one of my new de-stressors as finals rapidly approach. I scoured Etsy for products that would make my bathtimes all the more enjoyable. Here are a few of my favorites!

[caption id="attachment_296" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Chill Pill Bath Bombs
$6 via Wizard at Work on Etsy[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_297" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Chocolate Truffle Soap Bar
$6 via Swanson Soapworks on Etsy[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_298" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Golden Honey Bubble Bath
$6 via AJ Sweet Soap on Etsy[/caption]

Share the Love,

Taylor

Why I Went Natural

I've been excited to do this post for a while. So here it is: why I decided to go natural. It all started at the hair salon. I was flipping through a magazine and there was a picture of Solange after her big chop. (That's the term for cutting off all of your hair to get rid of the chemicals and have it grow in its natural texture.) Solange looked fierce with her cut and my hairstylist told me I had a similar texture to hers.

[caption id="attachment_291" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Solange, Beyoncé's equally fierce sister.
Photo from curllove.blogspot.com[/caption]

The seed was planted. I watered it by watching Chris Rock's documentary, Good Hair. I also did my research by talking to people in my life who decided to go natural. Finally, I did some self-evaluation. For most of my life, I had a perm. (That means my hair was chemically straightened.) I was super self-conscious about how short it was and about how differently it looked from my white friends. (I went to a primarily white school.) I realized how I'd let that societal ideal define my self-perception for a long time. I figured college was as good a time as any to go for it. I cut my hair to quite literally return to my roots,to see myself as beautiful, and to rebel from what I felt like society was telling me to be.

[caption id="attachment_292" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The day of the big chop. It was so short![/caption]

I'm not going to sugarcoat it. It was really scary not knowing how I would look or how people I cared about would react. It turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life. Having natural hair has made me feel more "me" than I ever have. I guess God knew what He was doing when He gave me this hair. I'd love to hear your thoughts on societal pressures, on your insecurities, and what you did to overcome them.

Share the love y'all,

Taylor

Surprise!

 

I've loved having a Wordpress blog so far. However, I started wishing I had a little more flexibility to edit and format.  This weekend, I surprised myself by creating a self-hosted Wordpress website! It  took a lot of time and a lot of help but it will be up in the near future. At this time of year, a non-school related challenge was exactly what I needed! To stay sane lately I've  taken baths, cooked meals, worked on a website, all to switch things up and stay motivated. What do you do to keep your energy and motivation up?

 

Share the love,

 

Taylor

P.S. This is the new logo for the website!

Do Anything

This quote is written on my calendar in my room. There's some debate over who said it, but it was definitely someone wiser than me. This semester, I tried to do everything. It was tiring. It was stressful. As I plan for next semester, I'm making sure to only say yes to things I'm passionate enough about to enjoy the work that is necessary. Saying no can be rough, but it's freeing.

Share the love,

Taylor

P.S. Don't forget to scroll down and follow me on on Wordpress, by email, or on Blog Lovin'!

Creature Comforts

I used to have a pair of boyfriend jeans that I absolutely loved. They were like a chic pair of sweatpants. I'm on the market for a new pair and created a look  built around them. In keeping with my signature style, the look is really simple with an animal print head scarf to add pizzazz. With boyfriend jeans, there's no need to choose comfort over style. I can't wait to get my new pair!

1. H&M

2. New Look

3. A|Wear

4. Vince Camuto

Share the love,

Taylor

Fiesta

The sun is out. The birds are chirping. I celebrated with a Fiesta look. I paired a flamenco inspired ruffle top with a colorful necklace that was my Grandmother's. The look fits into my normal style of simple yet fun.  It doesn't take much to pull off a stylish outfit.

Share the love,

Taylor

P.S. My camera battery won the game of hide and seek. A new battery (and better quality pictures) are on the way!

Countdown

I love countdowns. At the time I am writing this post, I have 25 days, 18 hours, 9 minutes, and 22 seconds until I am done with my last exam and am able get ready for the summer. Countdowns can be dangerous. It's easy to build things up to a point that you can't help but be disappointed. For me, countdowns are a reminder that this is all that I have. I only have 25 days left to be a sophomore. If I'm being honest, even those 25 days aren't promised. I guess I love countdowns because, in the end, they remind me that this is all I have. "Today is the youngest you'll ever be and the oldest you've ever been."  Enjoy it.

Share the love,

 

Taylor