SALVATION MOUNTAIN

when i was recently back in LA i took my mom on a spontaneous adventure to {almost} mexico to check something off my bucket list-- visit salvation mountain.  i had seen pictures of the art installation all over the internet, in ads and on other blogs so i wanted to see it for myself.  a week with absolutely no plans was the perfect opportunity!

a brief background on the mountain: artist leonard knight has been creating this mountain for years in niland, california with hay, plaster and donated paint.  a pilgrimage for some and a sight of fascination for others, the mountain draws thousands of people a year to the absolute middle of nowhere, california.  knight who recently passed away has left the mountain to the desert.

though what my mother considers "too hippy-ish", this piece of art is something i find completely amazing.  so grand in size, color and concept it is truly inspiring and was such a great adventure.  check out some pictures from my visit below!!

me me me

**warning this post is just some self promotion, but a little of that every once in a while ain't a bad thing!!**

if you're like me and kind of addicted to social media {both a blessing and a curse in my book} i would be totally flattered if you'd check out me on other social media platforms!  my favorite, of course, is instagram but you can also find me on sites like facebook, twitter and tumblr!  

>>at my instagram you'll find lots of pictures of crazy adventures and flowers {i mean a lot of flowers}

>>on twitter you'll be able to stay updated when i post new things on this blog and that's pretty cool!

>>facebook is where you'll be able to conveniently click on links to new posts and inspirational things i find on the web including and not limited to other articles, recipes and fun photos!

>>tumblr is my collection of photographs, words and other things that truely inspire my artwork and aesthetic.... somethings are very artistic while others lean to the personal side

i hope that you find yourself scrolling through my feeds and staying updated with my creative process called life!

xoxo

¡¡¡alexander wang!!!

so this is a really horrible quality photograph and i'm really small in the back with Jojo on my back but i am in the official scad group photo with alexander freaking wang!!!!! if this doesn't up my cool factor, i don't know what will!!

always a wishlist // never a shopping list

1 // Zara

2 // Zara

3 // Urban Outfitters

4 // Zara 

5 // Zara

6 // MVNGMTNS

7 // Asos 

click through to read about my pathetic confession about my need to go shopping.... (i'm rolling my eyes too)

its always flowers

If you know me well enough... or even just follow me on any social media, you will know that I am obsessed with flowers.  I always have been but it wasn't until recently that I have full fledge embraced my obsession as I'm trying to embracing the real Caroline this Spring.  (Try it, its really great to just be you and not anything else.)

Everywhere I go in Savannah I always find myself picking flowers and tucking them away in my notebooks.  I think every journal or book I have that I take with me is filled with flowers from my daily adventures.  While I love collecting flowers along with words and thoughts, I do love to take photographs of these little things as well.  Its so important to capture every days' moments and things that are important to you.  At this point in my life some of the most important things in my life are friends, food and flowers!

what i've been up to

hi all!!  i've been up to a lot lately and i don't want you to miss out!  a new quarter of school just started and i can already tell that my life is going to be consumed with projects.  i am super excited though especially since this term i am taking some pretty great courses!  for my major i am taking a digital presentation class where i'll be learning more about computer programs, branding and great presentation techniques.  for my minor i am taking a draping and pattern making class which i am sure will kick my butt!  in less than a week we've already learned how to drape a basic bodice which is like insane to me!  i am so excited to see the work i will have at the end of this quarter and i'm even more excited to share it with all of you!!

before this quarter goes ahead full swing i wanted to let you all know that you can keep up with my work on my behance page.  there you'll find all work i've done recently including school projects, commissioned projects and self-done work.  i will be updating my behance as frequently as i have work done and ready to present so don't forget to check back regularly!

here is a sneak peak at my most recent project up on my page!!

park tunes

the past two days in savannah have been absolutely, outstandingly beautiful.  its been 80° and humidity free, which for me as a californian is dream weather.  like there are a few things better than a warm day, especially spent with friends, a frisbee and a rockin' playlist!  after our classes, jojo, emily, ethan and i headed to forsyth park to hang out with the rest of the city!

emily's tank // free people

my cap // jcrew 

to get in the mood for spring time, listen to these classic park-day tunes!  

birthday wishings

so my 20th birthday is practically one month away which is super cool but also very scary because it means i will be saying goodbye to the beloved teen years and will no longer be able to become a famous teenager.  unless i earn some sort of stardom in the next five weeks, i will never get to have that title.  on the other hand, hopefully this means people will take me super seriously because i will no longer be a teenager but a "real adult" since i will officially be dropping the "teen" aspect of my life.  either way, it'll be my birthday and i have a few things i've been eyeing.  surprisingly enough when i was putting together this post i found it very difficult to decide what i actually wanted.  ultimately i would just love money for traveling but since that's a little too far fetched for my loved ones' caroline-birthday-gift-funds, i've put together a few things that i find super delightful!  

anthro pull over // 88 

toms snake skin classics // 120

dr suess print // 25

zara yellow dress // 40

white arizona birkenstock // 129

{mom, i hope you see this!!}

CY TWOMBLY INSPIRED DESIGN FINAL

during this most recent fall quarter i took my first fashion design class and i absolutely love-love-loved every moment of it... i'm now officially minoring in fashion design thanks to this course!

for our final project we had to be inspired by an abstract piece of art and create a full avant garde garment based off of it.  i chose to be inspired by a piece by cy twombly (unfortunately the piece is untitled but you can see it here).  i love cy's work and he has surely become one of my favorite artists.  

i am so lucky to have such an amazing group of friends who helped me more than anything with this final.  my best friends emily, tori, jojo and victoria helped me so much.  emily was my beautiful model, tori photographed my garment to make it look better than it actually looks, jojo was a fabulous assistant during the shoot and victoria was always there for me for support and constructive criticism!!

check out my talented friends>>
Tori Mercedes Photography
Designs by Emily Oot
Jojo Boling Fashion
Victoria Strong - Style Guru

NOW ON YOUTUBE

just your luck... me and my friends made a youtube account about our daily adventures that you can now subscribe too!!  the six of us are always up to no good, and by no good i mean we eat a lot of cupcakes and dance in our apartments to old men music at 2 a.m.  all of us pretty much have the viewpoint that life is all about adventure and trying new things and enjoying every moment.  recently we downloaded the app spark and have been filming our daily activities nonstop.  we wanted to share our videos with all our friends but couldn't on facebook so we started a youtube channel!! even though we've only had our videos up for less than like five days, the one of me giving everyone haircuts almost has 1000 views!!! ...that means we're famous right???

subscribe and watch our videos here!!



have a lovely weekend!! xo

CURRENTLY FLOATING TO...

so this morning i spent my time sleeping in, reading poetry, cooking a nice breakfast, sipping coffee with a dash on cinnamon, listening to music and writing down my thoughts.  as i sit here on pinterest, again on the search for more inspiration, i'm listening to my favorite playlist ·old men music· and thought i would tell you all my favorite songs right now.  first from this playlist then a few other i'm currently dancing around my kitchen to.

Danny's Song by Kenny Loggins and Sam Messina

Night Moves by Sam Morrison and Turn the Page

Sweet Thing by Van Morrison

Run-Around by Blues Traveler

Where Are You Now by Mumford and Sons

Honest Song by Noah Gundersen

We Were Us by Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert

{also, kind of embarrassing but i cannot stop listening to the frozen soundtrack... its just way too catchy!}

// photo source here //

INSPIRATION ONE

so lately i have been mad crazy about finding inspiration, being inspiring, surrounding my things by inspiring people and things, finding inspiration in others and on and on and on.  i have really been trying to focus on being a positive light in peoples light and this has really helped me live a more positive lifestyle.  i have found that inspiration, at least for me, is one of the most super important things in life.  whether its being inspired in the sense of finding beauty in the simplest things or the wise words of the people of this world, being inspired constantly is something i believe everyone should strive to live like.  i thought that i would share some quotes every once in a while that really hit home with me, so i want you to be inspired by them too.  

here are three quotes that i've been inspired by lately, to find more inspiring quotes you can follow my words pinterest board here!

"you don't always need a plan.  sometimes you just need to breathe.  trust.  let go.  and see what happens." - unknown, source

"every morning we get a chance to be different.  a change to change.  a chance to be better.  your past is your past.  leave it there.  get on with the future part." - nicole williams, source

go out and be inspired by everything.  inspiration is key to igniting so many things within yourself.  what's inspiring you??? let me know in comments below!

x, c

WHAT I WORE TO THANKSGIVING - LA

its been more than a few weeks since thanksgiving but i wanted to show y'all what i wore! recently i've been completely obsessed with wearing a lot of white if you couldn't tell from this outfit!  even though it was really warm on thanksgiving i threw on a little fur vest to make it feel a little more fall-ish.  also, by adding some black booties i was able to make the look a little more season appropriate!

also i might add that i was home for thanksgiving so it was a delightful 75º in LA!  and i can guarantee to you that i was no complaining because i am currently freezing in savannah right now!!

my look: vest - civvies // tank - bershka // skirt - bershka // boots - american eagle // bangle - paris street vendor

*photograph by my sister, rachel artime photography*

READ WITH ME

i love starting out my days reading poetry or other blogs to fill my heart and mind with inspiration (yes, more inspiration) and joy.  this morning my class was cancelled so i was able to enjoy some coffee and finish my poetry book up, clean my entire house, work on some laundry and spend sometime reading.  one of my favorite online (and print) reads is darling magazine.  since i am a poor college student i can't always afford getting my hands on a print copy so i more than gladly settle for their online articles.  today i wanted to share with you all (if there are any of you out there reading this!) some articles and books that i highly recommend reading to make ya think and go on the rest of your day with a new perspective.  the following links go to articles that i believe all women (and men) should be reading at the moment!  for book suggestions, i only have one today and that is new and selected poems: volume two by mary oliver.  enjoy!!

The Power of Affirmation via Darling Magazine
When Smallness is a Gift via Darling Magazine
How Does Your Closet Make You Feel? via The Chic Site
Mary Oliver quotes via Good Reads



photo source here

PRE BREAK FINALS SNIPS - SAV

snips from finals week.  me and my friends all had to design, create and photograph our own garments.

the top photo is my design being photographed by my dear friend Tori; the second photo is of us getting ready to photograph Jojo's design; the third photo is of my feet and Victoria working on her dress; the final photo is of Emily working on her design in the studio.

I will post pictures of my designs soon!

xx

WINTER BREAK SNIPS - LA

california has all {practically all} of my favorite things: sunshine, mountains, beach, real mexican food, my sister, downtown, beautiful flowers and so much more.  if you aren't from california, take it from someone who moved away.... its definitely the best place, i don't regret my decision to leave, but it does make me sad that i'm not there right now!!

anyways, this is a photo journal of my trip home for break.  i was in los angeles for six weeks and these are so pieces of my stay at home.

in order from top to bottom:

my sister & the 3rd street promenade at santa monica beach

my great aunts old book that i use to press all the flowers i collect of my hikes {the yellow ones smell the best}

my last shot of downtown on my way to the airport, i always regret not spending more time getting lost in the downtown area

a beautiful rock on a drive i took up to the mountains

view from the ski lift at mammoth mountain, barely any snow

street art found downtown

pier in ventura

i visited my sister at school in santa barbara, we went to the beach

la super rica {best mexican food} in santa barbara

my lovely little windowsill

i hope everyone had a lovely thanksgiving/christmas/new year!
xo car

SUNDAY FUNDAY - LA

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so one my dearest friends from back home, Austin, and i decided that since we were just about the only people home from school/life for the break (everyone got home weeks later) we would go on an adventure then to an evening church service at mosaic hollywood {if you're from the area and looking for a good, hip church then i would recommend; i'd go again!}.  our day started with lunch then adventuring began!  we went to the observatory where we saw a patch of trees amongst the city and decided to see what it was.... and our result?  this super cool museum!  it was a great day with a great pal!

my look: sweater - bp nordstrom // pants - bp nordstrom // boots - american eagle // purse - kate spade