in mourning

My dear darling Jessica;

You will always be my first love {err, car}. I dreamed about you all through my teenage years and was thrilled when you were mine. You were my dream car and perfect in every way. Except for your occasional breakdown, of course...

Still, for your age and the length of time I had you, the few breakdowns I had really weren't all that bad. I knew you like the back of my hand, every whirr and clank and rattle.

You've been there for me through a lot of years, and we're going to miss you. 

We may have added another car to our family, and we're excited as all get-out, but we'll never forget you (although we are very smitten with your "replacement"!)

At least you're staying in the family. I delivered you this weekend to your new owner, my little brother! He knows you better inside-and-out than I do, and he'll make sure you're healthy and happy.

Side note, anyone in the market for a 1978 Corvette Stingray? My brother is looking for a buyer.

in between

photo via

Big news: I gave my notice at work last week.

I've been thinking and praying about this decision for several months, so it's not like it was a spur-of-the-moment thing. Still, it's just now starting to hit me: I won't be coming back next year. This spring semester will be my last here as Lab Coordinator.

These students, these coworkers, this place that has been my world  the past three years will no longer be at the forefront anymore. After seven total years, I'm finally leaving Westmont.

For those of you who don't know, I received my bachelor's degree in Psychology three years ago and immediately started teaching in the department from which I had just graduated. The people I'd been taking classes with immediately became my students, and my professors and I were all of a sudden on the same level with each other. It was a trip, to say the least, but it was perfect for me.

However, I've known since the beginning that I don't want to teach Psychology labs forever. While it's been a wonderful experience and I wouldn't trade it for anything, it is time to move on. I'm ready to try something new!

photo via

Tim has been incredibly supportive during the whole do-I-or-don't-I progression, and I am forever grateful for it. I am incredibly anxious for what's next {because as of now that's a big huge question mark and that's pretty nerve-wracking!} but am excited for the process. The next few months of soul-searching are going to be a trip.

junk mail never looked so good // DIY

Hey there pretty :)

I don't know about you, but I get a TON of junk mail. As soon as I turned 18, the credit card applications started rolling in, and they only continued to increase as I've gotten older. Usually I just shred them {Because I'm paranoid like that}, but lately I've been saving the reply mail envelopes to make these lovelies.

{I still obsessively shred the rest of the applications, but these envelopes are like gold now.}

They're really simple to make. Just take the envelopes apart as carefully as you can, turn them inside-out, and tape them closed. If they're huge {or if I rip them}, I'll trim them down a little so they're of a more manageable size. Just follow along the actual pattern of the envelope and create new folds, and voilà! 

Address them with a thick marker or use an address label, and you're good to go! If the envelope has a window I usually will cover it up with a label, but you could always leave them there. To close them, just tape shut or lick and tuck the flap inside.

We have to mail our rent in every month, so these are awesome to have handy. Just pop the check in, address them, stick on a stamp, and send.  No worries about security with these! 

Check out this version using washi tape to hold the envelopes together: Aren't they pretty? I need to get me some washi STAT.

photo via

You could buy these on etsy {here}, but I'm sure you get about three or four business reply envelopes every week already. Why not make them instead?

#weekendrecap

// burned half the saved branches from the Christmas tree.
// conquered our overflowing laundry "issue". We are currently a load-a-day couple until it's under control. Who would have ever thought? #andIjustdonatedhalfmyclothes #howdoesthishappen? We made it more glamourous with champagne and candles, but it's still laundry.
// went on an afternoon date that included beer tasting as well as a trip to the dollar store #heknowsmewell
// slept in a ridiculous amount. #totallyworththeneckache
// me-time that involved both crafting and The Bachelor catchup #theonlywaytowatch #imsofarbehind
// people-watched at the International Film Festival. We didn't actually go, but it was almost more entertaining to sit outside and watch the crazies.
// watched way too many episodes of Dexter #wecantcontrolourselveseither

Glamorous, it was not, but exactly what we needed? Totally.
linking up here and here

currently

time: 10:43
location: my office
mood: pretty dang chipper
eating: Vanilla Bean Greek Yogurt from Trader Joes {GET IN MAH BELLEH}
drinking: motor oil coffee
watching: Sherlock, Season 2 {at home, not at work, of course!}.
reading: Dearly Devoted Dexter. I'm losing sleep over this one--can't put it down!
loving: the paper project on which I'm currently working {see photo; can you guess what it is?}
learning: that my parents really are always right, most of the time.
thinking: that shorter weeks really feel like the longest ones. Also, I need a haircut.
wishing: I had all the answers

Idea from here

ps. We've made the switch to www.brittanysjoy.com! All your bookmarks should redirect to here; let me know if you have any issues :)