STARTING OVER | 2018

Hello, blog! It’s me. So...it’s been a while! Some things have happened since I’ve last posted...actually a lot has happened. But a recap wouldn’t really do it justice so I guess I’ll start with where I am right now and what I’m trying to do.

Not too long ago I bought some new art supplies with the hope of getting right back into the swing of things. I sat at my desk, cracked open some stiff paint tubes and to my surprise the watercolor paints were just as vibrant as the day I first got them. Maybe even more so. But equally to my surprise, it didn’t come easy.

I tried a simple drawing and watercolor of a home front only to realize this is much harder than I thought. My skills aren’t the same place they used to be. Watercolor is difficult, the colors don’t mix the way I want them too first time around but they take work. This whole process is more difficult than I remembered. Getting back into the swing of things, starting over.

I can’t go back to the artistic levels I was at before (at least not immediately or without practice), the same way no one can go back in time to be the people who they were once before. Before life knocked you down, before you knew heartache or sorrow or trauma. Sometimes looking back at some of my favorite blog posts is like looking at a ghost. We can’t go back, we can only go forward.

We can start over.

So that’s what I’m going to do. Start over with my art, start over with my poetry, start over with my writing, start over with how I create.

So allow me to reintroduce myself. My name is Lizz, and I’m starting over. Welcome to my blog and I hope you stay a while.

2015 | GENERAL

1. Spring - "The Game Played Right by Emarosa"

"The rain didn't end
until clouds parted slowly
and summer began."

In terms of how I remember spring and what I wrote in my journal (I'm considering spring to be from January - April), I had a pretty rough spring. The beginning of the year was a bit off kilter for me. I had a somewhat rough time adjusting to taking six classes during the spring semester and everything was just weird in my personal and school life. That is also probably the only explanation I can give to the complete lack of blog posts during that time.

If you listen to the song and see the photo I used that's kind of the reflection I wanted to give. The song I chose to represent this season is from a band one of my friends introduced me to in high school. I think it really captures the angst I was feeling in the spring.

I was kind of reinvigorated when I finished school in May (graduated with my Associate's degree holy smokes how did that happen?!) and summer began. I tried to let go of all the baggage from the beginning of the year and start fresh.

2. Summer - "Landslide" (LIVE) by Fleetwood Mac

"A distance in time,
she takes the reigns of the horse
and learns to let go."

What do I remember about the summer? It was short. And reflective. Nothing too crazy. I was almost done with a rough spring. I was ready for a change. I was looking back on the last year. How much had I changed since the summer of the previous year before? There was almost a calm after the storm but everything was still murky and cloudy. There was also a lot of trying to return to normalcy.

I don't actually have as many journal pages from the summer as I hoped I would to give me a better sense of what happened and what I did.  (I'm considering summer from May - August). It was also my 20th birthday that June and I was trying to figure out what it felt like to no longer be a teenager (although nothing really drastically changed, everything kind of had...). Also learning to let go of things and move on.

Summer was also when I decided that I would be putting more of a concerted effort into my blog. I felt like I was done being unhappy with unpleasant circumstances and ready to take the reigns in my life. I was really preparing to go my own way, emotionally with my personal life and professionally with my blog.

3. Autumn - "Bridges" by BROODS

"Rays of a new sun,

Sight of a bloom leads to the

End of an era."

If had to describe Autumn with a single word it would probably be 'change'.

This is also when I personally started to realize how much I've changed. My work ethic was a little better from last semester and I changed my style a little bit too.

Autumn has always been my favorite season. I think by the time September rolled around I was ready for...something. I definitely have a lot of journal pages from the fall season (which I'm considering from September - November). But overall what did I learn during this season? I guess how to adjust with movement and change.

I definitely took time out at the beginning of the season to write out a little list of things I wanted for myself and I'm glad to say I actually worked towards some of them these past couple of months. Like trusting myself and my decisions and forgiving myself for not knowing better about certain situations in the past.

Although there were some tumultuous, emotional times from this fall, I'd like to think the good outweighed the bad.

4. Winter - "Back To You" by Twin Forks

"She's come to the end,
a rough road 'round the bend pulls
her back from the edge."

Well, here we are at the end of December. The winter has been a little cold but not too bad.

I spent this winter working hard, trying to finish strong with schoolwork and still adjusting to some major changes in my personal life. Also doing a lot of dreaming.

This was also the time I realized that I'm going to start making goals and plans for the new year. Maybe that's what went wrong with the beginning of the year. I wasn't really excited because I didn't have anything planned. Now I'm moving more into the planning and goal setting state of mind. I have a lot of things I want to accomplish in 2016 and I'm ready for it.

I think in the winter I've come to know myself more, which is kind of a relief. I refuse to spend 2016 feeling like I'm wandering aimlessly in the dark. In the winter I found a new light, a new hope, and a new direction in working to solidify my intentions for the new year.

♡ BLOG TWITTER // BLOG INSTAGRAM //  BLOGLOVIN  ♡

♡  PERSONAL INSTAGRAM // PERSONAL TWITTER  ♡

CURRENTLY AND CONCURRENTLY - vol. III // 1:08 PM // GENERAL

Image: Justina Blakeney, edit by me

Hey guys! Just a quick currently post. My blog schedule will be changing and updating very soon. I have some plans in the works to make this blog bigger and better. Trying to make this thing more solid. Onward and upward!

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Listening: "Girls Love Beyonce" By Drake feat. James Fauntleroy, "Exchange" by Bryson Tiller, "I Know" by Big Sean feat. Jhene Aiko
Making: Plans to get more organized.
Cooking: Rice and pasta with sautéed vegetables and mushrooms.
Drinking: Pineapple orange juice.
Reading: (In very slow process lol) The Prospero's War series by Jaye Wells and The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron
Wanting: More time to get everything done.
Looking: At a pile of moving boxes.
Wasting: Nothing (I hope).
Wishing: For a calm weekend.
Enjoying: Getting breakfast from from Dunkin Donuts. Snapchat (My username: lizzvisions). The moodiness of my photography in the fall/winter season.
Growing: Up, hopefully.
Watching: Quantico and Scream Queens.
Collecting: More notebooks to write in.
Wearing: Grey socks, brown moccasins, grey leggings, my favorite at-home hoodie and a black scarf
Noticing: How time is flying by...
Thinking: About the future.

How's everybody doing? :]

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♡ BLOG TWITTER // BLOG INSTAGRAM //  BLOGLOVIN  ♡

♡  PERSONAL INSTAGRAM // PERSONAL TWITTER  ♡

BLOGGER GIFT SWAP // GENERAL

Hey guys! So I've got a super exciting post today! I did a gift swap with my blogger friend RG and I want to share with you what she got me!

CHECK OUT RG'S BLOG HERE - http://rgmendoza.blogspot.com

We decided to do a themed gift box swap where we would choose gifts for each other based on each others blogs and also around the theme of "Summer of Wonder". I got home from work to a large package waiting for me (!!!) and decided to take lots of unboxing photos. Okay, so here are the gifts:

one // some lovely cute gift wrapping by RG, it was so pretty I almost didn't want to unwrap anything!
two // a kindly written letter that accompanied one of the gifts with a floral cover
three // a charming letter by RG given with the amazing art paper pads she got me
four // all of these paper pads have different textures so they can be used for multiple art mediums!
five // one of my absolute favorite things she got me - hand lotion in my favorite scent vanilla and a lovely eucalyptus spearmint body spray that I've been wearing everyday since I got it! both have really cute notes attached to the top!
six - nine // an adorable blue and pink floral cosmetics pouch filled with nail art goodies; two lipsticks with an attaching cell phone mirror; (in the wrapped package) a dual charger and fragrance clip for my car.
ten - eleven // my other absolute favorite thing she got was this beautiful gold pattern notebook with a sweet note attached to motivate me to keep writing, it literally glitters in the sunlight I cant wait to start writing in it!

I can't say thank you enough to RG for her creative and thoughtful gifts. She really is an amazing girl so make sure you follow her blog and other social media links!

Check out RG's BLOG HERE - http://rgmendoza.blogspot.com

Check out what I got RG for the gift swap - http://rgmendoza.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-blogger-swap.html

I'M BACK!! + 50 Facts About Me for 2015 // GENERAL

Hello all! My blog has been pretty quiet due to college + work + family stuff taking up most of my time but I'm back and ready to continue with this lovely little space of the Internet. I think a great way for us to get reacquainted would be a nice 50 Facts About Me post! Keep reading for more :]

1. My first name is Elizabeth but my most of my friends call me Lizz.
2. I am a Gemini sun sign with an Aquarius rising/ascendent and Scorpio moon sign.
3. I'm also an INFJ (so I'm not as chatty as most Gemini's).
4. If you couldn't tell from that last fact I'm really into astrology.
5. I'm not really sure if I fear anything but I get teary eyed thinking about being without my family and I get super freaked out around bugs. Especially spiders. Me + Spiders = no bueno.
6. I am one of four children. I have two sisters and a younger brother.
7. I am 20 years old.
8. I was born on a Friday.
9. I place my glasses on the windowsill of my bedroom every morning.
10. Autumn is probably my favorite season.

11. Although I don't really like picking favorites, I think they are too exclusive.
12. Three things I love are hanging out with my siblings, traveling and connecting with people.
13. I went to see Jurassic World in 3D opening weekend and it was phenomenal.
14. The last song I listened to was "Work Song" by Hozier.
15. I have been keeping journals/notebooks/sketchbooks since elementary school.
16. I think pretentiousness and ignorance are the most unattractive traits in a person.
17. I have zero tattoos (probably the fickle Gemini in me) and my only piercings are my ears.
18. Confession: I've lived in New Jersey almost all of my life but have never been to the Jersey Shore.
19. I don't have any pets currently but I would love to have some in the near future.
20. I'd say I'm pretty talented at writing and drawing.

21. I love to read.

22. I have a pretty large magazine collection (which I'm hoping will grow even bigger).

23. I can spend hours just watching funny Vine videos and laughing the day away. 

24. The book that inspired me to start journaling/writing/keeping a diary was Amelia's Notebook by Marissa Moss which I read in the second grade. 

25. My dream career would involve traveling, drawing, reading, writing, editing, photographing, creating stuff and communicating with people.

26. I love experimenting with makeup and skincare.
27. I'm currently trying to figure out the best routine for my oily/acne prone skin.
28. More often than not I'm referred to as "the quiet one".
29. My taste in trap music tends to surprise people.
30. I despise trips to the dentist.

31. I am the worst when it come to maintaining my natural nails and hair but I'm getting better at it.
32. I didn't get my drivers license until I was 19.
33. I did ballet for a little bit when I was in second grade.
34. I still get excited when I see squirrels or deer in my front yard.
35. I'm not really into sports but I'm slightly obsessed with hockey players, particularly the Chicago Blackhawks, the Philly Flyers, The Dallas Stars and The Montreal Canadiens.
36. I watch a lot of television.
37. I'm not very good at watching the entire season of TV shows, even my favorite ones.
38. That being said, I haven't missed a single episode of Teen Wolf on MTV and I'm super excited for the new season.
39. I think the people who make fan photo edits, compilation videos, gifs, etc. on Tumblr and Youtube for TV shows/fandoms deserve an award.
40. I love getting letters, cards and packages by postal mail and I'm looking for a way to do it more often.

41. I think it would be pretty cool to have a pen pal from another country.
42. I'm (slowly) learning to not judge myself.
43. I am a (slightly struggling) vegetarian who hopes to become an amazing vegan on day.
44. I'm kind of obsessed with taking pictures flowers and posting them on my Instagram.
45. I'm kind of obsessed with Instagram in general.
46. I had braces throughout most of high school.
47. I didn't really enjoy high school at all.
48. I have been wearing glasses since the 5th grade.
49. Every year I try to get the frames bigger and rounder.
50. One of my goals this summer is to get back into making art every day.


Well that's all...for now at least. Make sure to leave one fact about yourself in the comment section!

  ♡  BLOG INSTAGRAM // BLOG TWITTER // BLOGLOVIN  ♡

♡  PERSONAL INSTAGRAM // PERSONAL TWITTER  ♡

Bon Voyage 2014 + 4 Actions To Bring Into 2015 // LIFESTYLE

As the year comes to a close I can only be grateful for the good and the bad. From the new beginnings that taught me universal life lessons to the weird endings to situations that no longer served their purpose.

It's strange to think back to things that happened in February as it feels like an entirely different year altogether. Maybe it's being in college and everything being separated by semesters or maybe it's just my memory but everything feels like it happened so long ago.

Every year I think I've learned all there is to learn and every year I learn a little bit more than the last. 

One thing that I've learned this year is that writing really helps. It helps especially when I skim back through my Moleskine's and see how many goals have actually come to fruition. I think that's something to be proud of and something to continue doing in 2015.

When I was looking for a title for this post I opened up the dictionary app on my computer and searched words that mean 'goodbye' or 'farewell'. I came upon the beautiful phrase of 'bon voyage'. The french phrase originated in the late 17th century and literally means "good journey". What a beautiful way to end 2014. Not with feelings of regret but with sincere hope for the future. I wish you all a good journey on your way into the new year.

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Here are some actions that I want to bring into the new year. Be sure to tell me some of your own in the comments!

1. Patience
I hope to be more patient in the new year, with myself and with others.

2. Persistence 
I hope to be persistent with my goals, my dreams, my morals and values.

3. Practice
I hope to practice my craft more often. I haven't practiced as much as I wanted to with my art recently but I am grateful for the times that I did practice and got to feel the wonderful elation of creating art.

4. Peace
I hope to bring peace into the new year. I hope all of you find peace in the new year as well.

Cheers. Smile a little :]

Currently and Concurrently - vol. ii // 2:46 pm // GENERAL

Listening: "Take Me To Church" by Ed Sheeran (Hozier Cover), "Mother & Father" (Live Version) by BROODS, and several songs from Ariana Grande's latest album

So today is the weird time during the middle of the week called Wednesday (or if you like memes - 'hump day'). I've got quite a bit of homework that needs to be done and I really don't want to procrastinate but I think I've been due for a blog post for a couple of weeks now so I thought I'd share what was happening currently in my life. I did a post like this a while back (adapted from this post by the artistic and poetic Raych Pony Gold) and I love the easy list format of the post. It almost reminds me of those Scholastic Mad-Lib books my sister and I use to read in elementary school. Anyway, feel free to tell me what your up to this week in the comments! :]

The Autumn Tag // GENERAL

The Autumn Tag

Hey all, so I decided to take part in this tag because it was short and sweet and fit so well with the season. The last tag I did was pretty lengthy (it was The Liebster Award Tag which you can read HERE). I enjoyed this tag a lot after reading Gabrielle's answers on her blog - A Glass Of Ice (plus I have a ton of autumn-y photos saved on my computer just waiting for the interwebs).

With all the newness that comes with the fall season I've also been thinking a lot about change. Fundamental change - things with school, work, family, etc. Things feel like their moving in slightly different directions but I guess I'll just have to show up everyday and see how it all works out. Okay, enough of the intro - here's the tag:

INTO THE F A L L - PART II // GENERAL

Some more nature goodness, enjoying the sights of fall. :)

 SONG OF THE DAY: "Meet Martin Riggs" by Eric Clapton, Michael Kamen and David Sanborn 

(or actually song of the last couple of months - this song is number 02 on my Top 25 Most Played on iTunes!)

The F A L L // GENERAL

This is the time of the year that my side of town starts looking real picturesque...

The Liebster Award Tag! // GENERAL

This is my first time being tagged so thank you Laiah for the Liebster Award!

ORIGINS + WHAT IT IS

It's essentially a tag for bloggers to get to know one another better and share a little blog love, similar to tags on YouTube. When I googled what the Liebster Awards were I found several descriptions from various blogs. The word "liebster" means 'dearest', 'sweetheart' or 'beloved' in German. It was started by a German blogger in 2010. There are multiple versions of the rules too but I think the general gist of it is getting to know other bloggers better and sharing some information about yourself.

I took the liberty of leaving out extraneous parts from the tag since it's been revised multiple times over the years. I know school is starting and we are all busy people so I can understand if the people I tagged don't really have time to do it. I think the best part of this is just recognizing new bloggers you like and showing them that you care. I think I had fun with it and I hope you do too! :]

F L E U R // Washington D.C. + Maryland Trip

Floral beauty in the Washington D.C. // Maryland area. I don't actually know what type of flowers these are but they are absolutely beautiful. What is your favorite type of flower? :]

19 // A Day in New York City

Little moments from the day I spent in New York City. 

It was my nineteenth birthday (June 9) so I did a little birthday shopping in SoHo with my dad and my sisters. We wanted an authentic New York City experience so we took the train, even though we had a car. 

(I now know that I prefer to take a car.)

My sister also surprised me with a watercolor paint set! I read a great art supply recommendation post about this paint set on Katie Rodgers blog, Paper Fashion. 

Walking around in NYC and taking pictures (with my dad's camera I might add) was a weird, cool experience. It felt good to be doing something creative yet different from my usual creative outlet. The experience just felt right.

New York City has endless amounts of inspiration for any budding photographer/illustrator/writer/artist.

I'm itching to go back again and storm the city with my photography prowess - next time hopefully with my own camera!

Currently and Concurrently // Looking Inwards, Spilling Outwards

Background Collage - Artsy Floral by lizzvisions on Polyvore

I've been feeling quite down on myself and uninspired lately. As this happens quite often I know that it's a sign that I need to: 

a) get some writing done, spilling my brain out on to the page usually helps 

b) listen to more music, usually while writing this helps me get in the zone // looking inward and spilling outward

c) get off of the internet for a little while. 

I've found that constantly refreshing what other people are doing makes me feel insecure about what I'm doing (or not doing). Generally the more I work, the better I feel - this especially helps me not feel like I'm wasting my summer days. 

So to combat that, here are some things I have been doing:

(Adapted from this post by one of my favorite illustrators/bloggers, Rachel Urquhart at Pony Gold.)

Making: To-do lists and timed schedules on index cards.
Cooking: Vegetables and rice.
Drinking: 20 oz. can of Mountain Dew.
Reading: Success Through Stillness: Meditation Made Simple by Russell Simmons and Chris Morrow.
Wanting: A BETTER QUALITY CAMERA! (Either in the form of an iPhone or a DSLR. I really want to take more of my own pictures for this blog.
Looking: For a job. A paying job. Just throwing that out to the universe.
Listening: To "Back To You" by Twin Forks, "Counting Stars (Cover)" by R5, "Stay" by Safetysuit and "Comfort Inn Ending" by Jhene Aiko.
Wasting: Time.
Wishing: For more time. Time to have fun. Go places. Meet new people. Breathe new air.
Enjoying: This song ("Back To You" by Twin Forks).
Growing: My hair out after damaging it/not taking proper care of it during the winter.
Watching: Lots of Modern Family. I'm four seasons in and loving it.
Waiting: For my clothes to dry.
Following: "...the signs right back to you / I know they wind right back to you..."
Liking: I'm not sure...I'm trying to love things. I guess I'm really liking blogging, communicating with the outside world.
Collecting: Books to read from the library. Might actually have to return those soon.
Wondering: What I'm going to do for my birthday in two days - June 9th.
Loving: The feeling of accomplishment when I finish something.
Missing: The fresh air outside.
Hoping: For a miracle. Which one? I don't know.
Marveling: At the art and success of the creative women who inspire me.
Needing: Some motivation to curl my hair.
Smelling: A little bit of fresh air wafting around the room.
Wearing: Shorts and a loose cotton tank top because its currently 80 degrees and partly sunny.
Noticing: That I'm need of a little pampering.
Knowing: Nothing really for certain.
Thinking: Of ways to change the future.
Giggling: At Kat William's videos and Vine compilations on Youtube.
Feeling: Quite alright.