Nov 6, 2012

And So It Goes

Madeline Beard Fashion, Other Adventures bundled up, checked button up, cold, cold weather, fashion, white jeans, winter 0 Comments

Hey everybody! Remember that time I said I was getting back into my blogging routine? Well this is me officially eating my words. I forget that when November hits, all of a sudden life seems to become a marathon sprint to the finish line that is Winter Break. Not as if that’s any excuse for leaving SLB out in the cold, but as I sit here drinking a big mug of tea in my pink fleece onesie (with dogs on the feet no less), writing feels like catching up with an old friend. I have so many things I have been saving up to post, including a belated outfit from last week and the rediscovery of a band that I am falling in love with all over again…

It is finally cold in DC. I am talking red nose, seeing your breath in front of you, bundled up kind of cold. Coming from hot climates (Texas and then Vegas, you really can’t get much warmer in the States) I think I get crazy excited for the real cold to kick in. Of course, I needed to outwardly reflect my excitement with an outfit that made me want to go sit in a ski lodge, sip hot cocoa and roast marshmallows by a blazing fire.

You might be thinking to yourself “Well, that shirt looks familiar…” (see my post from a few weeks ago). I hate to choose favorites, but my black and red checked shirt probably ranks in the top 5 of pieces I reach for most often. Backstory: I “borrowed” this shirt from my mom when I was maybe a sophomore in high school. Before I acquired it, she had owned the button up for years and years and years. It feels worn in and perfect and seems to transition through trends and seasons pretty seamlessly. Never getting rid of this shirt (unless one day my future daughter steals it from my closet).

To finish off this post, I want to include a video from the band Foster the People. Now I completely understand that they are not the hot “new” thing anymore (I mean, “Pumped Up Kicks” was everyone’s anthem for months last year). However, today I was listening to a playlist on 8tracks that had an acoustic version of one of their songs and I was blown away. I immediately looked up all of their acoustic stuff on YouTube and spent the rest of the afternoon jamming out to old favorites with a new twist:

Stay warm, stay happy, and more adventures to come… pinky promise this time.

♥

Oct 31, 2012

Moving in Slow Motion

Madeline Beard Other Adventures hurricane sandy, music, slow motion 1 Comment

The last two days have made me feel like I was moving in slow motion in the best way. Classes were cancelled today and yesterday thanks to Hurricane Sandy, which meant 10+ hours of sleep per night, catching up on work and enjoying the Hurricane-induced confinement. It’s so rare for my roommates and I to all sit under the same roof together for extended periods of time, what with our various internships, organizations and commitments during the week. Yesterday we baked, indulged in bad TV, watched the crazy wind and rain whip around from our balcony and had some nice, slow moments of simply enjoying each other’s company. This morning post-Sandy was cold, grey and drizzly — perfect weather for a walk to a favorite local restaurant for burgers and hot cocoa from Starbucks. The unforeseen craziness of the past few days have thrown me off a bit — I am looking forward to sinking back into my routine with school and SLB, feeling much more well-rested and on top of my life than before. For those in the mood to make the most of this lazy day, here’s my advice: turn off your electronics for an hour, light a candle that smells like the holidays, put on a pair of warm wooly socks, and listen to this playlist. There’s nothing quite like a staycation to bring you back to balance.

To everyone who was in places hit much harder by the hurricane, my heart and thoughts go out to you. I feel lucky to have been somewhere that experienced minimal damage, but I know other areas weren’t as well off. Stay strong and stay warm.

♥

Oct 23, 2012

Weekend Recap + Life at the Moment

Madeline Beard Food, Other Adventures adobe creative suite, chicken pot pie, weekend recap 1 Comment

This weekend feels a little bit like a happy distant memory — it’s hard for me to think that yesterday (or should I say two days ago now?) was only Sunday, a sure sign that it’s going to be one of those weeks. I have a website due next Tuesday, so the next four days will be made up of final design edits, rapid fire coding and troubleshooting. My main motivation: Halloweekend 2012. In an effort to prepare myself for all of the crazy, I stayed in on Friday and cooked enough food to feed myself for a solid week (so if you’re reading this mom, rest assured I am not going hungry). I decided to take a few culinary risks this time around, baking a whole wheat chicken pot pie from scratch — this glorious fall weather had me craving something hearty and filling.

Things were pretty hectic in the kitchen (my roommate Lindsey was prepping for a dinner party) so I didn’t get a chance to document a step-by-step, but you can find the recipe I used for the crust here and the recipe I used for the filling here.

Tonight I have had some serious one-on-one time with my computer. Here is a look at the site I am creating, definitely in a similar style of things I’ve already done, but I am finally getting around to utilizing my tablet! A small step towards moving out of my “DIY design” comfort zone, but a step nonetheless.

Any feedback would be great, after hours of staring at it, a set of fresh eyes is always welcome. Stay tuned tomorrow for a sneak peek at a very fun Fashion Friday post, for now it’s time to kick my Adobe Creative Suite into overdrive.

♥