The Art of Moving Forward: Enjoy Getting There

It's been just over a week since I made the move from Wordpress to Blogger and I have so much to tell you! It's going to be a longer post but (I hope) it's worth reading.This opportunity to start anew allowed me to do things I probably should have done since the beginning. I sat down and asked myself why I was writing, who I was writing to, and what Live and Move would look like. I set a lot of goals for myself as blogger. Honestly, it was incredibly refreshing. You may have noticed intermittent changes on the page this past week and I thought it was time to do some explaining. First, I added a faith page. My relationship with Christ is important to me. That page can answer some questions you may have or maybe spark some new ones! Next, I updated the about page. It shows exactly the direction that Live and Move is taking. Live and Move is for the person who may not know where they want to go in life but knows that they want to enjoy getting there (my new tagline).  My new goal is inform and inspire you so you can enjoy getting there as you live and move. Finally, you observant ones may have seen that I added a sponsorship page. In addition to offering blog swaps, this page outlines the fact that my blog is now a for profit blog. Don't let that throw you off. Most of your favorite bloggers are probably for profit as well. Simply put, sometimes I make money off of blogging. As a new member of Social Fabric I'll have opportunities to participate in sponsored posts and will receive compensation for posting. If  a post is ever sponsored, I'll let you know. And I'll always give you my honest opinion. Finally, I've been invited to be a contributor for The Flairist! They are all about empowering women and taking the shame out of female ambition. This means that you'll be able to see more of my writing throughout the month on their website. I'll let you know when a new article goes up! Phew, that was a lot. Thanks to those of you who made it to the end. I always want to be upfront with you, my friends and readers. If you have any questions, shoot me an email at taylor.liveandmoveblog@gmail.com. Enjoy your weekend and take a minute to enter the Indica Jewelry giveaway.

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Taylor

P.S. If you're as excited as I am about the future of Live and Move, be a friend and add me via Google Friend Connect. You don't need to be a blogger. All you need is a Gmail or Twitter.This starting over deal is no joke! I appreciate the help!

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The Things I Thrifted: Flea Market Finds

Guys, I am beyond excited to share this post with you! I went to my first flea market on Memorial Day morning. They're pretty fun if you enjoy thrifting like I do. I've been toying with the idea of getting a record player for a while now. My mom said I shouldn't get one until I was settled down after college. Fate had other plans. I found this gem within the first half an hour of shopping. We walked away, but I had to come back. It's called a Show N' Tell. Kids used to watch slides that corresponded with the stories on the record. This record player is just quirky enough for me. I spent the rest of my time at the flea market searching for records to start a collection. By the end of the trip, I had Bach, Mozart, West Side Story, Nat King Cole, the Temptations, and Whitney Houston. Not a bad start. If you're curious as to how much I spent, I'm more than happy to oblige. The player was $17. The records were $7. I spent a grand total of $24! It's a rainy week here in Chicago and listening to Nat King Cole croon "Ain't Misbehavin'" is the perfect complement. Have you had any amazing flea market finds?

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Taylor

P.S. The Indica Jewelry giveaway continues until next Tuesday. Don't forget to enter and tell your friends!

DIY: Fern Antlers

Any trip to visit my family includes admiration of my aunt's impeccable aesthetic. She's a great dresser (which is perfect because I get her hand-me-downs)! She also has a spot on eye for interiors. Although I have a while until I  have an apartment, I couldn't resist sharing this with all of you. If you've ever wondered how hanging antlers could fit your style, staghorn ferns could be the answer for you. It's a fresh (no pun intended) take on the lodge look. My aunt bought this plant already mounted from a nursery, but there's no reason you couldn't craft this look on your own. You'll need to pick up a staghorn fern, some type of board to mount it on, and some moss. The plant itself is easy to care for. You just wet the moss every few months. I hope someone tries it out and lets me know how it looks! Here are some great posts that go more in depth into the construction and care process:

Ask
Apartment Therapy

Don't forget to enter the Indica Jewelry giveaway! That necklace (a $20 value!) is too cute to pass up on.

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Taylor

Giveaway: For the Dreamers

Hello friends! I hope you enjoyed your holiday weekend. Mine was full of family, food, and much needed rest. I thought I'd brighten the start of your work week with a giveaway! I'm pleased to partner with Indica Jewlery to give away this adorable Voyage Necklace. They describe themselves as jewelry for the wanderers, bohemians, and dreamers. How perfect. The giveaway goes from now until next Tuesday. Get your friends to enter too! Honestly, I'm a little jealous that I can't enter.  You can enter to win by pinning the image of the necklace, checking out the Indica website and commenting here with your favorite item, or joining me on Google Friend Connect. Best of luck!

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Taylor

Free

I spent the weekend hanging out with my family out of town. It's a family tradition on road trips to listen to country music for the majority of the ride. When Free by Zac Brown Band comes on, my dad   and I sing in harmony. I'm reveling in freedom right now. Freedom in so many ways: in Christ, in my country, in summer. Enjoy your freedom today.

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Taylor

P.S. I'm still needing friends on Google Friend Connect. Check out the left sidebar and add me por favor.

Oil Dependent

No, this is not a political post about American dependence on oil. And no, that's not champagne in that darling miniature glass. It's almond oil. I have to put oil into my hair to keep it moisturized as an African American. Since being natural, I've been using natural oils. Almond oil is my current favorite. I work it into my hair in the mornings. I use any extra to moisturize my hands. I love using baby oil instead of lotion after showers. Although most natural oils can do just as good a job, if not better.  In short, I'm oil dependent. I think oils are a natural, economical, and slightly more luxurious feeling way to keep all of your body moisturized. You don't have to be black, natural, or even a woman to partake. What are your favorite oils and your favorite uses for them?

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Taylor

P.S. Consider joining me on Google Friend Connect please! The link is on the left sidebar. With the move from Wordpress, I'm feeling a little lonely over here :)

Start of Something New

If you're reading this, you may have just found my blog today or you may have followed this link from my old blog to my new online home. No matter how you got here, thanks for coming! You may be wondering why I moved. Long story short, I chose Wordpress because I'd used it in the past. It worked for what I was doing in the past. Now that I have a much clearer vision for my blog and for the capabilities I'd like to have, Blogger is where I need to be. It's a bit of a risk starting from the ground up again when I was just starting to get comfortable. Comfortable is overrated. (A lesson I too often forget.) Thanks for stopping by today. Things are a little wonky but I'll get the kinks ironed out soon enough. If you look around, you'll see that all my old posts and comments made the move with me. You'll find the link to subscribe again by email. You can also follow me on my new Bloglovin page. The rest of my links are still the same. This change only means that both the blog and I are growing. Thanks for being a part of that.

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Taylor

The Things I Thrifted: California

When people ask me where I buy my clothes from, I generally reply I bought it from this thrift store/consignment shop, that so-and-so gave it to me, or that I got it on sale at x,y,z place. I like the thrill of thrifting. It's also good for the environment and avoids a lot of the exploitation of the clothing industry. Of course I couldn't go to California for two weeks without stopping by a few thrift stores! I found two brand new Target shorts, a brand new Target skirt, and a pair of Lucky brand jeans. The total between the four items was... $17.25! The jeans were by far my favorite find. I love the way Lucky jeans fit me. The best part was that they only cost me $6.25. What are your thrifting victories?

DIY: Penchant for the Past

Sometimes DIY projects just fall into your lap. That's what happened with this one. All of these slides ended up in the recyclables at my house after some garage cleaning. I rescued some of the more scenic ones. Each slide captures sights from Europe or beautiful landscapes. After punching two holes in each slide,  I took some button thread (stronger than normal thread) and sewed the slides onto the thread.  I decided to make two tiers but you could do so much more with these slides. I'd love to use them as a vertical backdrop for a soiree. I could even see them used to make an updated stained glass look. The way each one catches the light and tells a little story, it's inspirational. What variations on this project would you make?

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Taylor

A Perfect Day for a Picnic

Hat- Vintage Shirt- (old) GAP Shorts- thrifted, originally from Target

I spent yesterday afternoon at a creekside picnic in my favorite park. This was the first time I could debut this adorable vintage hat. I paired it with my trusty white tank top, my brand new shorts that I thrifted in California, and my favorite Sperry's. Just like that, I was ready for a picnic. I only have two more days left of real summer before I start working full time. Off to seize the day!

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Taylor

Hold On When You Get Love

Today is my last day volunteering at Joni and Friends. I am more sad than I dreamed I could be. I'll miss these people who became dear friends after two weeks. God has used them to change me for the better. This song, Hold on When You Get Love by Stars, ran through my head throughout this week. And the only way to last, and the only way to live it, is to hold on when you get love and let go when you give it. I'm holding on to every conversation, every hug, smile and piece of advice that I received during these two short weeks. I'm letting go of all of the pieces of myself I've shared and hoping that my sweet friends will find that they are worth holding to. That's all we can do. I'm off to enjoy the last hours of California.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SYO6a6PaTs

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Taylor

Take a Hike

Remember that 7.5 mile hike I took last week? I did it again this week and it was far easier. I'd like to start hiking more often once I get home. More importantly for y'all, I edited some of the photos I took so you could enjoy the beauty of the area. The Creative Suite makes photo editing so much more fun although I have plenty of learning to do. Here goes nothing.

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Taylor

Catch me if you can

I'm not  posting here today because I'm over at Kristyn's blog, Poppy! I hope you take the opportunity to learn a little bit more about me and to explore a great page. She's amazing.

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Taylor

P.S. I spy Vanderbilt's Kirkland Hall hiding between the pillars at Centennial Park.

Gatsby

Rereading the Great Gatsby brought me back to my high school AP English class. I love this book because it's still relevant. People today have every material thing and still fail to find true happiness.  Daisy Buchanan is one of my favorite characters for that reason. She wishes her daughter would grow up to be, "A beautiful little fool." Her voice sounds like money. One minute she's carefree and the next minute she's bored to tears. In many ways, Daisy is the incarnation of American society. I wanted to use the Creative Suite to make something interesting and this quote stuck out to me. Daisy, whose identity is wrapped up in temporary material possessions, still has the depth of understanding to say, "You can't live forever." Her possessions won't last. She won't last. I've been contemplating what I want my life to look like and this verse stands out to me, "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world but forfeit his very soul?" --Mark 8:36. I love Daisy Buchanan. She's got a depth that many people don't give her credit for. But I don't want to end up like her.

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Taylor

P.S. A special thanks to my best friend and boyfriend for talking to me on the phone at the airport while I worked on this graphic and finding me the perfect font and tutorial to make the vision in my head into a reality. You're the best

And the winner is...

My new friend Madeleine took this picture at the Reagan Memorial Library. I'm giving his Inauguration speech off of the teleprompter. I thought it was fitting for the announcement of the winner of the  Small Grey Cat giveaway. Thanks for your patience and flexibility. I figured it would be better to wait a week until the blog was back to "normal" and announce the winner. The Rafflecopter results are in and the winner is... Melissa Ashley! Congratulations! Shoot me an email with your information and I'll mail it to you when I'm back at home. I also wanted to talk about winners today because I feel like I have "won" so much. The blog is up to 50 followers! It's crazy and humbling that people would choose to read my musings. Then this past week I have been absolutely overwhelmed with the kindness and generosity of all the people I've met in California. These people gave me a place to stay, invited me on outings, and shared their stories and their lives with me. I call that winning. I feel like I have grown, changed, and refocused in such a short period of time. I'm quite thankful to my Father for all these blessings. I'm quite thankful to you, loved ones, for choosing to follow even just a part of my story. Go out and celebrate all of your "wins" today!

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Taylor

P.S. If you don't have a Wordpress blog, feel free to follow me on Bloglovin. I'd also love it if you contacted me with your thoughts, opinions, ideas,  and stories. I love making new friends!

Slavery Happens

In case you forgot, I’m volunteering for two weeks in the Development department of an international nonprofit. Development basically means fundraising. I’m there to do whatever needs to be done and also learn about their process.  A huge part of their philosophy is building relationships by personally thanking the donors. Every note is signed, some get a handwritten P.S., some are completely handwritten. This is mostly what I’ve been doing, working on thank yous. Around four yesterday I was half feeling really sorry for myself and half canonizing myself. I am so thankful to help in any way necessary but the work can get tedious. Sign the letter, tear off the receipt, fold the return envelope, put the contents in the envelope, glue it shut, put the stamp on, repeat.  The repetitive nature of repeating the movements for four days physically hurt. My back ached. My wrists were in pain. That’s when I got it. I chose to put myself in this position because I believe in the cause of the organization. However, there are people who have far more physically demanding work. They are paid very little or aren’t paid. They may be sexually exploited. As spoiled as I sounded complaining about doing the envelopes, I often need that physical connection to empathize. I’d heard about IJM, Not For Sale, the End It Movement. I thought they were all great causes but they never tangibly struck me that way. What is most convicting about the modern day slave trade is that I can guarantee you that you have participated in some way. Have you ever taken this quiz to see how many slaves you employ? I just downloaded the Free2Work app so I can make more informed buying decisions.We have so much power to create change. I have this power and yet I often choose to buy that cute, cheap dress from a certain chain, knowing full well that it’s cheap because someone else paid for it in sweat and pain. One quote I love says, “Everybody wants to change the world, but nobody wants to change.” For me, change looks like a lot more thrift store shopping and intentionally informed shopping of mass-produced items. Let’s take small steps together. I would love to be held accountable by all of you. In light of the topic, today’s song is Waiting on the World to Change by John Mayer. I think this is a song of my generation: a lot of opinionated waiting and very few people who act.

 

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Taylor

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBIxScJ5rlY

Let the Sunshine In

There's something about natural light, isn't there? It makes everything look softer, more beautiful. The sun rises in the window of the room I'm staying in this week. It caught my eye. The funny thing is, the sun rises in the window of my room at home too. I never stop to enjoy it. Why is it that getting away makes you enjoy the little things more? I like seeing God in the details. I hope this becomes a lifelong habit for me. Life is better when you let the sunshine in.

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Taylor

Breakfast of Champions

Yesterday after work I hiked 7.5 miles in the foothills. My legs are a little worse for the wear but the sights were absolutely stunning. (Pictures to come next week!) I stayed at a different house last night. At this house, they have two orange trees, an apple tree, and a plum tree just hanging out in their backyard. Their neighbors have an avocado tree! This morning I was greeted with a squash and mushroom omelette topped off with avocados and cheese. Delicious! I'll have to try something similar when I get home. What are your favorite omelettes?

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Taylor

Up on the Mountain

 

 


Growing up in Chicago, I did not get to see many mountains. Here, I can see mountains everywhere, even driving on the expressway. This morning I read the first part of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5. I'm rereading the Gospels right now because I needed to get back to Jesus, not the Jesus of the church or the Jesus who was "a really good person" according to the rest of the world. Just Jesus. The Sermon on the Mount is where Jesus really lays out what his idea of the kindgom is. It's way different than what most people, including churchgoers think. It's challenging, unexpected, and refreshing. It's great.

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Taylor

Notes on California

I've made it to California. Here's the view from the house I'm staying at. Gorgeous, isn't it? It's so high up in the hills that they don't even get wifi. Making phone calls is a struggle as well. That means that time on the Internet is at a premium. For this week, I'm just a girl with an iPhone, the VSCO cam app, and a few short thoughts. The time zone combined with my work schedule means that I won't be posting at my normal time. Thanks for understanding. God knew what He was doing because the break from social media was more needed than I knew. Enjoy your days, lovelies.

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Taylor

Etsy Roundup: Wanderlust

Passport Cover by GreenGrass2: $22.95 on Etsy

 Leather Luggage Tags by PrincetonJctForge: $19.00 on Etsy

World Landmark Card Set by Lala Grace Paper: $9.50 on Etsy

Next week, I'll be writing to you from (hopefully sunny) California! I decided to round up some adorable travel goodies. I love this passport cover! The owner of the shop sells the sewing pattern separately so I may just have to make my own before I head to South Africa. The leather luggage tags are so simple and kind of rugged. Imagine how they'd look after they're a little worn form travel. During my travels this summer, I'll be staying mostly with host families. I like to carry a nice set of notecards with me so I can leave my thank you note with them when I leave. I also need to start thinking of host gifts! Maybe the Etsy roundup next week...? Well, happy weekend! If you haven't entered the bow giveaway yet, you still have time! You can enter until Sunday at midnight. Enjoy today's song from this weeks Mover, Emma Grager, as you enter the weekend.

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Taylor

May Flowers

This week was my only week of summer in that stereotypical, lay around and do nothing sense. Next week, the adventuring begins! The first thing we did when I got home last weekend was purge my room. When you go a year with out using and wearing certain things, you are suddenly a lot less attached to them. While purging, we found a little terra cotta pot that is perfect for the fresh basil my mom is growing. I decided to paint it for her since I have abundant amounts of free time this week. There it is right in the middle, a little piece of Vanderbilt pride at home. I might like to grow some other herbs this summer. Any suggestions? Also, speaking of Vanderbilt, I wrote a guest post on the Vanderbilt admissions blog today! If you've got a few extra minutes, I'd love if you could check it out. I'm off to enjoy my last bits of "summer." You do the same, friends.

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Taylor

P.S. The giveaway goes until Sunday! Who doesn't want an adorable bow?

Running and Reading

I distinctively remember watching the Kids Choice Awards back in the day and hearing Will Smith say these words:

“The keys to life are running and reading. When you're running, there's a little person that talks to you and says, "Oh I'm tired. My lung's about to pop. I'm so hurt. There's no way I can possibly continue." You want to quit. If you learn how to defeat that person when you're running. You learn will how to not quit when things get hard in your life. For reading: there have been gazillions of people that have lived before all of us. There's no new problem you could have--with your parents, with school, with a bully. There's no new problem that someone hasn't already had and written about it in a book.”

So this summer, in keeping with my desire to self educate, I have a heap of books I'm planning to read. Some are career related. Some are faith based. Some are old friends. I can't wait to feel like I'm learning again. I've also started running again. I did track way back when and actually quit very dramatically when I realized, after 5 years of running, that I hated it. Honestly, running still sucks. But I love endorphins and the feeling of improvement. We'll see where this takes me. What's on your to read list this summer? And do you have any tips for my running endeavors? They are much appreciated!

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Taylor

P.S. There's still time to enter the giveaway and you can redeem some of the entries every day!