Fall Must Haves | Outerwear

It's already freezing here in New England, but I refuse to bust out the snow gear just yet. I wait (not so patiently) all year for fall fashion to arrive, and it's finally here!

Here's my picks for the best fall outerwear of 2013 (in my opinion) and why, if I had a bajillion dollars, all of these pieces would be sitting comfortably in my coat closet right this second. 

1. Tan Leather-Look Waterfall Jacket. (newlook.com) I mean just look at her, she's beautiful. This is the perfect jacket to throw over your day time look. Going to the office? Bam, you look great. Going out to lunch with the girls? Bam, they all want to know how you always look so put together. Meeting a hunk for coffee? Bam...you get the idea. 

2. Funnel Neck Leather Jacket. (alexandermcqueen.com) Talk about high fashion! This piece is a mix of rough and ladylike. The color and peplum waist makes it soft, but the hardware and the collar spice the look up with a little bit of rock and roll. I could see myself rocking this out to bars and nightclubs through out the cooler seasons. 

3. Burberry Prorsum Shearling Aviator. (dressed.ru) My grandfather builds and flies his own planes, so aviation has always been close to my heart. There's nothing like the soft interior that lines these jackets to keep you warm on those brisk days. To me, this is a day or night piece and one that will make you feel on top of the world. 

4. Khaki Drawstring Trenchcoat. (cichic.com) When I'm in a hurry and I don't want to spend the time to put together an outfit, this is the kind of coat I want to reach for. Can you imagine running errands and walking the aisles of your local grocery store in this stunning trench? I mean, come on, the sleeves even roll up. Talk about cute and convenient. To top it off, this jacket is under $50! 

I'm off to work on some DIY projects for future blog posts. I'm currently covered in mod podge and glitter...

Until next time!

Birthday #24

Getting older is something that I've been having a hard time with. I'm only twenty-four but I feel like life is passing by way too fast and like I just can't hold onto it tight enough. 

For past birthday's I've tried to plan my special day out weeks and sometimes even months in advance, but they would never ever work out. My birthday had always come and disaster came right along with it, no matter how hard I tried to plan everything out down to the most minuscule details. 

This year I sat back and let the universe take the reigns, and you know what? It was perfect. 

Even though Mike and I had nothing planned for the day, I was wide awake by 7:30, and just in time because my phone rang as my feet  hit the floor. My annual birthday call from my grandparents. They never fail to ring me bright and early to make sure that I'm up and enjoying my day. We talked for awhile and by the time I was saying goodbye, Mike was peeking his sleepy-eyed face into the living room where he sang me Happy Birthday. 

We left the house to get Mike coffee and stop by my stepdad's work to pick up my present from him and my mom. Unwrapping the brown paper package the minute I got back into the car (because I couldn't possibly wait until I got home) I found a notebook, and to others that may seem like a funny birthday gift, but you'd have to really know my mom to understand. 

My mom has given notebooks as gifts for every occasion as long as I can remember, but it's not the notebook that's special, it's what's inside. I've been taught from a young age to never give someone a card or journal without taking the time to write something thoughtful or inspiring in it. You'll never receive a card from me with just a name signed at the bottom. 

The notebook started out with a letter from my mom on the first page, and then opening up to the next page I found a gift certificate with instructions to treat myself to a day of shopping. I opened to the next page to find another gift card...and another...and another...and another, until I reached a gift certificate for lunch where the cards ended. 

Later that day, I checked the mail when I heard the mailman's footsteps on the porch where there was a card from my dad (who lives in Vermont). Inside I found a gift certificate to his recording studio for four hours of free recording...another amazing birthday gift!

My parents definitely spoiled me this year.

Mike and I lounged around the house for a bit before heading to lunch. I was in the mood for Greek food, and we enjoyed a quiet meal out of town.

After lunch we drove to Bullmoose, our favorite place, to buy 'Sleepy Hollow'. We'd both been dying to see the movie again, and neither of us owned it already. We found a copy for seven dollars and then drove to Walmart where we picked up some ingredients for dinner and where I couldn't stop myself from buying a few acrylic paints for a new DIY project I'm working on. 

Mike cooked me an amazing dinner and we sat on the couch in our pajamas enjoying Johnny Depp's performance in Sleepy Hollow. It had been long enough since we had seen the movie that we both forgot the ending. 

This wasn't the kind of birthday where I paraded around the city wearing a sequin dress and binge drinking my way into a birthday coma...it was so much better than that. I can go out any night of the week, but having a calm relaxing day with the love of my life, snuggled up on the couch was exactly where I wanted to be, and you know what? It was the best birthday I've ever had. 

No planning. 

Until next time!

Sincerely, Aspen

Fall Bucket List

I know that I said today would be my birthday post, but I forgot to take the pictures off of my camera before I went to work tonight, and Mike is using the camera at his gig in Downtown so the b-day post will have to wait one more day. (HUGE SIGH)

Instead, here's a list of all the things I want to do before fall ends! This is my favorite time of year, I can't get enough of it. Leave me a comment below and tell me some of the things you'll be adding and checking off of your fall bucket list!

1. Pick up coffee and a magazine for a friend. I love the idea of bringing one of my friends a steaming cup of coffee and a tabloid magazine while they're at work! 

2. Make Caramel Apples. I actually don't even like caramel apples, but they're so pretty!

3. Try a new hard cider. Confession: I have an addiction to hard ciders. Anytime Mike and I are out, I'm searching for one I haven't tried before. 

4. Get lost in a corn maze. I love doing this, but I really really want to do it at night. Extra scary!

5. Go to a bonfire. Our friends have a fire pit at their house, so I know this will happen before the fall is over. 

6. Bake a pie. Wish me luck, it'll be my first one!

7. Apple picking. It's not really fall until you've plucked a few Macintoshes off a tree. 

8. Go leaf peeping. How touristy, but really, New England is the best place for this. It's magical. 

9. Donate to a food bank. It's good for your community and your soul!

10. Carve/Paint pumpkins and bake the seeds. Because I'm so damn crafty and I love pumpkin seeds!

11. Have a scary movie night. Mike and I have already gotten started on this, but I foresee a full day of scary movies and cuddling on the couch in our pajamas in the very near future. 

Until next time!

Sincerely, Aspen

This or That

It's my birthday! Today I am twenty-four years old. I spent quite a few extra minutes in the mirror today trying to see if I looked any older, but alas, I think I still look twenty-three. I had an amazing day with my boyfriend, with lots of love being sent from my friends and family both close and far away. I took a few photos throughout the day, but I want a little bit more time to write in better detail about everything, so I'll wait and put up my birthday post tomorrow. 

For tonight, I'd like to share a few answers to a survey I found on another blogger's page. I remember answering quite a few of these on myspace (yes, I can admit that). I'm still new to the 'blog world' and I'm having a lot of fun searching around the interweb to find other's online journals!

The Survey

Vacationing in Florida or vacationing in NYC: I've gone on vacation in Florida before, and it was one of the best times I've ever had...but I have to say NYC. I'm in love with the chaos of large cities, and New York really has my heart. 

iPhone or Droid: That's like asking puppies or spiders. iPhone. 

NSYNC or Backstreet Boys: I was in love with the Backstreet Boys, they were my first cassette tape and my first concert! 

Being forced to delete Facebook or being forced to delete Twitter: To be completely honest, I'd love to delete both. Over the past year I've really tried to put some distance between me and the book. 

Fireball or Miller Lite: I don't even know what a Fireball is, but it sounds dangerous! I'm going to go with Miller Lite on this one. I heart beer. 

Full House or Family Matters: Considering I thought I was the long lost Olsen triplet...Full House. 

Dumbledore or Gandalf: Albus, hands down. If you choose Gandalf you "need to sort out your priorities." Ahhh...Potter humor. 

Dying Easter eggs or Carving pumpkins: Pumpkins! You can bake the seeds, and light them up, and decorate your house with them and throw them at oncoming traffic...you get the picture. 

NFL or NCAAF: What is The Red Sox? (Not a sports junkie)

A hangover forever or sobriety forever: You're killing me! Ugh...I guess sober forever, but I sure would miss my hard ciders. 

January or July: July, no question. I am not a fan of the first 4 months of the year and maybe I'll write about why sometime. 

Hannah Montana or Miley Cyrus: I have a very unpopular opinion on this girl, meaning I don't have one. Let her do her thing, it's her life, who are we to judge?

Shark Week or Fashion Week: Sharks in evening gowns. I cannot choose here. 

Fresh Prince of Bel-Air or Saved by the Bell: Iiiiiiiiiiiiin West Philadelphia, born and raised....

Britney or Christina: Christina's voice. Britney's red leather one piece outfit.  

Burrito or Burrito Bowl: Burrito -> Me. We don't need to bring bowls into this. 

Reading blogs on your phone or reading blogs on your computer:  Computer! I'm so blind that I end up holding my phone right up to my face whenever I'm reading something. I get the strangest looks from people. 

Angelina or Jennifer: I'm no fan of home-wreckers. Gotchya' back Jen. 

Doug Funny or The Rugrats: This is so tough! Looking back, I watched The Rugrats more...I grew up with six younger brothers and I thought I was Angelica Pickles. 

An open mouth chewer or a heavy breather: Ew...I guess a heavy breather, but I can't say I wouldn't go absolutely mad around them. 

I'm off to enjoy the rest of my birthday night!

Until next time-

Sincerely, Aspen

DIY Fall Decor | Dollar Store Crafts

It seems like we can't even blink without the seasons changing, and surprise, another holiday is upon us. Fall is my favorite time of year though, so you won't hear me complaining!

Christmas decorations seem to last forever, but when Autumn rolls around, it feels like I never have anything to hang up around the house to get us into the spirit. I wanted to try and bring some faux foliage indoors without breaking the bank, so I headed to the dollar store to see what I could find. 

The Dollar Tree always has an aisle filled with glassware and candles for, well, a dollar. I picked up two fall candles in scents that seemed appropriate, as well as two glass candle stick holders and a pair of glass bowls. 

It was so simple to take a hot glue gun and put these pieces together, and it took me less than a minute to do it! You could also use E-6000 glue, but I'm a huge fan of the glue gun. 

I threw some white pebbles from a previous project (but also from The Dollar Tree) into the bottom of the bowls before adding the candles on top. This tablescape is perfect for bringing the change of seasons indoors, and the best part is each piece only cost one dollar. 

Next I found this mini orange notebook while I was searching through the aisles, and I'll admit, I am a total sucker for notebooks. I couldn't leave him there all alone!

These felt shaped leaves were sold in a package, and I thought they'd be great glued onto the front.

And now I have the cutest fall to-do-list notebook!

Decorating is so much fun, but it doesn't have to be expensive! 

Until next time-

Sincerely, Aspen

Sincerely, Aspen Writes | Unaware

I don't mind falling for love

but I don't want to fall for anything.

Keep your head inside they say

but if I do I can't see the sun light my way.

Gotta keep my mind alive.

Gotta keep the noise to the back of my grind.

Hitch a ride, don't be scared

takes you tomorrow and the best feeling's unaware. 

Keep on moving strong

the path gets tricky but the rituals are almost gone

and I'm alive

the wind in the air and my eyes open wide

open eyes, open heart, open doors

-to the fork in the road of existence-

What are we here for?

DIY Fall Decor | Yarn Covered Vases

Autumn is racing in, leaving us no time to mourn the end of summer's brief visit. This time of year the do-it-yourself/craft bug gets under my skin and all I can think about is decorating for the upcoming holidays. 

I save any glass bottles that end up in my recycling throughout the year, and I'm so glad I do, because they work perfectly for this project! 

All you'll need to recreate this DIY project is:

- Glass bottles of different sizes and shapes. 

- Yarn in fall colors. 

- Glue (I found Elmer's glue works best)

- Scissors

- Flowers or Vase Filler

- Little Embellishments (Optional)

Step 1: Find the bottles you want to use and clean them out. I suggest removing the labels as well. I didn't end up taking the labels off of mine and you can see them through the yarn in a few spots. 

Step 2: Pick out some yarn!

Step 3: Wrap your bottles or vases in yarn starting from the bottom and working your way up. I started out using hot glue, but it was much too messy and thick. Elmer's glue worked perfectly, it allowed me to move the yarn around and dried overnight. 

Step 4: Add some embellishments and flowers! Since the labels were still a little visible in some spots through the yarn, I found these felt leaf cut outs at the dollar store and hot glued them onto the areas that I wasn't happy with. These silk flowers are also from the dollar store. You could always use real flowers...if you're not a plant murderer like me. 

Step 5: Style! I'm using these as a centerpiece for right now, paired with an old globe my Mom found at an auction and some garland from the dollar store! Be creative! 

What do you think, is this something you would try out? What are some of your favorite fall decorations to decorate your home with? Let me know in the comments below! 

Until next time!

Sincerely, Aspen

My Bucket List

I'm a huge fan of lists. I make to do lists, grocery lists, lists of ideas and things I want to try, but I've never sat down and hammered out a 'Bucket List'...until today. At twenty-three years old there is so much I have yet to experience, and although this list is very very long, I really do plan to accomplish it all and blog about it in the process. I know this list will change frequently. I'll scratch some things off, and then tack some things on, but it's here, and these are my dreams laid out in text for all to read.

Here it is!

1. Host a theme party.
2. Take up voice lessons again.
3. Join/Start a band.
4. Perform at an open mic night in NYC.
5. Record a song.
6. Join/Start a sports team.
7. Make a viral web video.
8. Have a fundraiser.
9. Adopt a dog.
10. Travel somewhere alone.
11. Go on a cruise.
12. Start a travel scrapbook/journal.
13. Ride in a hot air balloon.
14. Buy a car made before 1980.
15. Live in NYC for a month (or more).
16. Drive to a different town and learn it in & out.
17. Eat dinner at a restaurant alone.
18. Go to a concert alone.
19. Get another degree. (In anything)!
20. Live in a downtown loft.
21. Buy a boat.
22. Get professional photos taken of myself.
23. Do a Boudoir shoot.
24. Pay for a stranger's meal at a restaurant.
25. Pay for someone else's groceries.
26. Name a star after my brother.
27. Take a dance class.
28. Be in a flash mob.
29. Give a speech.
30. Be the first one on the dance floor.
31. Master a difficult recipe & cook it for friends.
32. Learn sign language.
33. Start my own business. 
34. Invent something & patten it.
35. Write a book.
36. Be on (non-local) t.v.
37. Take a helicopter ride.
38. Go parasailing.
39. Touch a shark.
40. Swim with dolphins.
41. Zipline.
42. Learn to sail.
43. Snorkel.
44. Perform for tips in a large city.
45. Design a piece of clothing.
46. Visit random colleges.
47. Crash a party.
48. Run/Walk for charity.
49. Take a cooking class.
50. Have a picnic in the park.
51. Crash a lecture.
52. Gamble in Las Vegas.
53. Be an extra in a movie.
54. Be in a music video.
55. Beat a video game.
56. Read 100 books in a year.
57. Be on the front page of a newspaper.
58. Live in a different city.
59. Take a cross country road trip.
60. Win 'Trivia Night' at a bar.
61. Visit another country.
62. Be in a magazine.
63. Delete my facebook account.
64. Wear pink for the entire month of October. (Breast Cancer Awareness Month)
65. Be someone's mentor.
66. Bartend.
67. Take a yoga class.
68. Finish the '100 Beers' list at my local pub.
69. Brush up on geography.
70. Direct something.
71. Be in a bikini contest.
72. Ride on a jetski.
73. See Beyonce in concert.
74. Go to a Celtic's game.
75. Ride an elephant.
76. Ride a camel in Egypt.
77. Attend a masquerade ball.
78. Make my own street art.
79. Backpack Europe.
80. Go grape stomping.
81. Wine tasting at a vineyard.
82. See a Cirque de Solei show.
83. Visit the White House.
84. Drive a convertible.
85. Set a world record.
86. Pet a kangaroo.
87. Do the "No Pants Subway Ride"
88. Watch the ball drop in NYC.
89. Visit the Sydney Opera House.
90. Leave a note in a library book.
91. Run 'The Color Run'
92. Pay for a child's cleft lip surgery.
93. Make a documentary.
94. Start a YouTube channel.
95. Ride a gondola in Venice.
96. Visit a renaissance fair.
97. Visit and collect something from all 50 states.
98. Learn to play the piano.
99. Go to a blues bar in Chicago.
100. Go to Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
101. Go rock climbing.
102. Drive down Route 66.
103. Visit the San Diego zoo.
104. Go whale watching.
105. Visit Giraffe Manor.
106. Visit Coney Island.
107. Climb the Statue of Liberty.
108. Go to Oktoberfest in Germany.
109. Step foot inside a castle.
110. Go to the Tomorrowland festival.
111. Go to Coachella.
112. Learn to play poker.
113. Meet Seth Godin.
114. Own a piece of Banksy Art.
115. Shop on Rodeo Drive.
116. Research my Ancestry.
117. Flip a house or Apartment.
118. Help build a Habitat for Humanity home.
119. Donate blood.
120. Volunteer at an animal shelter.
121. Donate children's books to a hospital.
122. Get an article published in a newspaper or magazine.
123. Be in the audience of a t.v. show.
124. Ride a segway.
125. Have my portrait painted.
126. Participate in New York's Village Halloween Parade.
127. Visit Salem, Massachusetts on Halloween.
128. Ice skate at Rockefeller Center.
129. Bet at the Kentucky Derby.
130. Go to BlogWorld.
131. Go to a Broadway play.
132. Go to the Sundance Film Festival.
133. Be in a "Humans of New York" photo.
134. Go to a Hookah bar.
135. Visit Graceland.
136. Visit the Eiffel Tower.
137. Be on a talk show.
138. Interview someone famous.
139. Take a bar-tending class.
140. See the Mona Lisa in person.
141. Explore the Colosseum.
142. Hold a koala bear.
143. Explore the Redwood Forest.
144. Visit the Grand Canyon.
145. Go in a submarine.
146. Go to a TED Talk.
147. Get a massage at a spa.
148. Have a song written about me.
149. Celebrate St. Patty's day in Dublin.
150. Go to DisneyLand.
151. Make my own wine.
152. Throw or host a charity concert.
153. Host a fashion show.
154. Receive an award.
155. Be asked for my autograph.
156. Get a tattoo in memory of my brother.
157. Buy an air conditioner for someone in need.
158. Fly first class.
159. Experience zero gravity.
160. Shop at the Mall of America.
161. Throw a surprise party for someone.
162. Buy stock.
163. Rent a limo for an un-special occasion.
164. Sell a piece of my own art.
165. Horseback riding on the beach.
166. See the pyramids.
167. Join a disaster relief program.
168. Visit a ghost town.
169. See the Northern Lights.
170. Go "Zorbing".
171. Help someone cross an item off of their bucket list.
172. Try indoor skydiving.
173. Play laser tag.
174. See baby turtles hatch and run to the ocean.
175. Wear a shirt that says "Life" and hand lemons to everyone.
176. See the Golden Gate Bridge.
177. Go to Fashion Week in either NY or Paris.
178. Go to the top of the Empire State Building.
179. Go somewhere tropical for Spring Break.
180. Go to Carnival in Rio de Janeiro.
181. Shoot a gun.
182. Go to the Super Bowl.
183. Walk on the Great Wall of China.
184. Meet Gerard Butler.
185. Be in two places at once.
186. Go behind a waterfall.
187. Shark cage diving.
188. Go to a drive in wearing and driving full 50's gear.
189. See Stonehenge.
190. Go to the Olympic Summer Games.
191. Meet Jenna Marbles.
192. Ride a mechanical bull.
193. Throw tomatoes at La Tomatina.
194. Get married.
195. Watch 100 documentaries in a year.
196. Go to a rooftop party.
197. Drive "The Great Ocean Road".
198. Visit the Ben & Jerry's factory.
199. Hunt for treasure with a metal detector.
200. Build a giant sandcastle.
201. Go through a haunted corn maze.
202. Watch a sunrise.
203. Rollerblade in Venice Beach.
204. See a famous comedian live.
205. Become a vegetarian (for at least a month).
206. Write an anonymous letter to someone saying how great they are.
207. Make and bury a time capsule.
208. Get a characacher drawn of myself.
209. Dress up fancy and walk around Time Square.
210. Slide down a water slide.
211. Go to a concert of a band/musician I've never heard of.
212. Release sky lanterns.
213. Learn how to use chopsticks.
214. Send a single friend flowers from 'an admirer'.
215. Contribute to someone's Kickstarter.
216. Get a book signed by the author.
217. Visit a farmer's market.
218. Ride in a horse drawn carriage.
219. Go to the movies alone.
220. Visit the Taj Mahal.
221. Attend a murder mystery party.
222. Dance on a bar.
223. Play roulette.
224. Leave a $100 tip.
225. Party at UVM Springfest.
226. Visit Santa Barbara.
227. Go to Aspen, Colorado.
228. Be someone's Maid of Honor.
229. Visit Boulder, Colorado.

Until next time!

Sincerely, Aspen

23

I woke up from a vivid dream this morning, wrapped in my oversized white comforter, a little too warm, but comfortable. I opened my eyes to see a face lying beside me, eyes closed, breathing in and out slowly, morning scruff accentuating the strong jawline of the man I love. I blinked a few times in a row to assure myself that I was awake, and that he and I were both real, and then I began to quietly weep. I wasn't sure why, on all days, that this morning I should feel such heavy emotions crippling my thoughts, weighing down on my reality, but it flooded over me until my vision was blurred by liquid heartache. 

After a few minutes passed, my sleeping giant awoke rubbing his eyes, and mid stretch, he kissed me on the forehead before making the courageous leap out of bed and heading for the shower. I laid flat, staring at the ceiling, willing time to stop for just a moment so that I could catch my breath, face facts, size up the world and what it wanted from me, but the tick of the clock mocked me as the hands crept forward, out of my control. 

Today I am twenty-three. I'm not sure what the age means or what the number represents other than that it is a time capsule of all my fears and loves and memories, this double digit number. It loops me into a category and holds me down under it's thumb, pinning to my chest a list of things I should and should not be, things I should and should not do, and places I should and should not visit at twenty-three. It defines me. 

These numbers that we wear pinned to our chest tell us how we should act and what we have achieved in the years we've been allotted. They weigh us down and remind us how much we have left to do, and they drive us mad as we try our best to fit everything that we've put off into the short year we have left before that number changes again. The number pinned to my chest reads twenty-three, but somedays I feel seventeen, and other days forty-seven. The constant ticking of the clock sets in motion a deadline for each meaningless task we set for ourselves, weighing down our freedom and our creativity. 

Maybe we're all twenty-three, and maybe we're all fourteen and thirty-eight and seventy-two. Maybe we're made up of the people and places we meet, see and dream of, and maybe we pin these numbers to our chest to hold us down from ever getting too ahead of ourselves.

But here's the thing, we're allowed to get ahead of ourselves. 

We're allowed to dream big and make plans that we don't intend on keeping. We're allowed to create and love and constantly change, and that's the beauty in being human. The beauty is that we are only defined by what we allow to define us, be that numbers or degrees or the small minds of others. We set the stage for the chaotic play we perform for an audience of one, and no matter how much we try to over think it, we are blank canvases displayed in a gallery filled with fiends who live to tear us down and tell us that art must be colorful and pricey. 

This morning I woke up twenty-three, but tonight I am free. 

Sincerely, Aspen

Green Thumb or Just Dumb?

I remember in High School my Mom was always outdoors working on our yard, and as much as she would ask me to help her, I would do anything to stay out of the dirt. Back then I much preferred buying new shoes to getting my hands dirty. 

Now that I'm older and Mike and I rent our own home, interior decorating and remodeling has become something I actually enjoy. Living in the city is something I would never give up, but what I sacrifice in return is not having a yard to decorate or landscape. Luckily, Mike and I found an apartment in the fall of last year with a decent sized porch, which is rare where we live, and because we moved in after summer was over, we never utilized it in 2012. Now that Spring is upon us, we've been coming up with ideas of how we want to spruce up our little outdoor oasis, and greenery is one way we think we can make a huge difference. 

Now, I have absolutely no clue what I'm doing when it comes to gardening, but I decided to wing it. I ran over to Walmart this week and picked up a few cheap items to practice with. I figure if they work out, great, if they don't, no hard feelings. Except for from the plants, because I think they'll be a little peeved. 

I found some bright colored pots for less than a dollar each, two bags of soil for a dollar each, and I bought a dollars worth of twenty cent seed packets in random flowers. On my way out I spotted an herb growing kit for only four dollars, which I couldn't pass up. Just the thought of not having to buy herbs every time Mike and I cook made me giddy. Now I just have to make sure I don't kill them. 

My theory is that I just have to water these babies and try not to emotionally abuse them until they sprout. 

"Your brother grew 2cm this week. Why can't you be more like him?"

My Mom gave me some hanging plants for our porch which we hung, and I think they look beautiful, but really only because I didn't have to do any work. 

We just scored a few outdoor furniture pieces from an auction this week, so once those are refurbished, I'll post some pictures! 

Until next time, stay green! 

Sincerely, Aspen. 

Road Trip: Bucksport, Maine at Sunset

Now that the sun has finally decided to stick around, Mike and I ventured out on a little road trip to bask in the warmer temperatures. One of our favorite things to do together is explore, and something about long trips in the car together, jamming to hip-hop or sitting in silence holding hands, has become a piece of who we are as a couple. 

I grew up in Maine, but I have not even come close to seeing the entire state, which I love! It's exciting to venture just an hour or two from home to stumble upon a place you had never seen or heard of before. I imagine it's how those British kids felt when they found Narnia in the wardrobe...except there's no lions or witches trying to kill you...unless you travel far up north towards Canada. 

A week or so ago, we drove the forty minute stretch of road from Bangor to Bucksport, Maine. Mike went to school in Bucksport and it was so exciting to drive around the town while he pointed out where he and his friends would play (get into trouble), his old house and some of the places he used to work. Watching someone relive memories as they tell you stories from their younger years is almost magical in a way, it's as if you can see inside of who they are just a little bit better, and feel a part of the life they led before they met you. 

We stopped at a tiny little drive up restaurant where Mike started working his first summer job as a teenager. We pulled up along loads of other cars packed with Bucksport locals waiting for their orders to be called from the little screen window that fronted the building. 

Here's a photo of Mike's burger! 

After devouring dinner, and before heading back to Bangor, we grabbed some ice cream at a cute little parlor. As we walked up to the tiny window to place our order, I noticed that all of the employees were young, all being in high school or their early twenties, and it reminded me of all of those books you read as a teenager on the beach or poolside about the kids who work in a tiny shop on the coast of Maine during their summer before college and how they all fall in love with each other. I know it's silly, but it made me smile. 

I'm so thankful that Spring has graced us with her presence, and I'm ready for, hopefully, dozens more road trips across my beloved state through out the next few months. 

Until next time -  

Sincerely, Aspen.

Sickly Creative

Over the past week I've been fighting off a cold that has crippled me and left me in bed, and of course, this is the week that the sun has finally decided to venture out and re-inhabit the great state of Maine. Don't worry though, I'm much better now, although I will still be accepting 'Get Well Soon' balloons and care packages through out the month. 

There's absolutely nothing I hate more than being trapped indoors, because I go absolutely mad. After about six straight hours roaming around YouTube in bed, I stumbled upon a tutorial on how to turn an old t-shirt into a tank top. That one video sparked two days of me rummaging through my home to find every old t-shirt Mike and I own, so that I could turn it into something useable again. 

Cropped tanks and braided racerback tops have been big for awhile, especially around festival season, and since Maine is becoming home to more and more festivals during the summer, I figured this would be a perfect way to make some items that I could work into my wardrobe without going out and buying new pieces. 

Here's a few of the tees I chopped up. 

Some of these are just old junk tees that I slept in or used to work out, others are a little more sentimental. As you can see, my very first Red Sox shirt is now a muscle tank crop top, and I can't wait to wear it to a game this summer! Also, one of my Dad's old tour t-shirts was made into a loose fitting crop top, and I'm so glad it came out the way it did. It's a shirt I hadn't worn in years because it had faded and looked funny on, but now that it's restructured, it looks like something you could pick up at American Apparel for thirty bucks. 

This is definitely something I'll keep doing, I could barely stop myself from disassembling every shirt I owned. I think a trip to GoodWill or a local thrift store is in order. 

Bring on summer!

Sincerely, Aspen

Introduction to Insanity

I suppose this is where I introduce myself. My name is Aspen Victoria, I am 23 years old and I live in the beautiful state of Maine. Now that the formalities are over, I can tell you that I love sharks, have a fear of silence and am crippled by the cuteness of any puppy. That pretty much sums me up. 

Just kidding, I'm a girl, you can't do that. 

For most of my life I felt bad for myself, and I hate to admit that. I woke up every day dreading what would go wrong rather than being excited about the things that could go right, and further more, not looking for the good in events or people, but picking apart those events and people until I couldn't bare to think about them. I was one of those people, yes those people, who thought that nothing was my fault, and anything that came my way was out of my control. I wish I could go back and punch myself, but then again, the new me wouldn't do that. 

My opinion on life, and myself, changed when I met Mike (my boyfriend of two years). Now I know that "they" say no one can change you, and Mike didn't, but he did make me take a look at who I was and I realized that I wasn't at all who I wanted to be. Mike helped change my outlook on life with his positive energy, forward thinking and caring composure, and I thank him every morning when I wake up with a smile on my face. 

Are you gagging yet? Hold on, there's more. 

Mike and I started a company in 2011, focusing on marketing businesses in our area as well as spreading the word that the city we live in is an amazing place with so much to offer. It sounds boring, but it's the most amazing thing I think I've ever done, and it brings me joy every day to be doing what I love with the man I love. 

Okay, now you can barf. 

Although I love our business, I find it hard to settle myself on one thing. I have so many hobbies, and so many interests, that I can barely keep my mind focused on one thing before I'm running for the next. I think I take after my Mom in that aspect, that woman is on more committees, has started more businesses and organized more events than I think one person should physically be capable of doing. She is one incredible woman that I consider my best friend. 

My Dad is a rocking guitar legend from way back, who now owns a recording studio in Vermont, and I grew up wanting to be like him in so many ways. I write music almost daily, and I may be too terrified to perform in front of anyone now, but I plan on working through that this year. Mike, my boyfriend, is a drummer, or as he calls it, a "musician". (Just kidding!) My Dad always told me growing up that he would support any man that I fell in love with, as long as he didn't play the drums. (I guess guitar players have a thing against drummers. I think it's because drummers get more chicks.) Luckily, my Dad and Mike get along really well. 

My other passion, is fashion. (Not rhyming, surprisingly). You may think, "You're a girl, of course you love shoes and makeup!" Well, I'm different! No, actually I'm not, I just obsess over fashion at a much larger scale than most women would ever admit. I've had big dreams to start blogging and making beauty videos for a long long time now, but something's been holding me back. My goal for the year of 2013 is to bust through those insecurities and force myself to do the things I've wanted to do for all of these years. 

I think that's all I can put into words now, and if you made it this far, what's wrong with you?

I'm joking, this is riveting stuff, I don't blame you. 

Until tomorrow, or next week, or four years from now when I find this by googling myself...

Stay fly.

Sincerely, Aspen