Look at this wonderful dress that's being given away at Grosgrain. Thought I'd share it, (and hope to win).

Here's the link:
http://http//grosgrainfabulous.blogspot.com/2009/05/shabby-apple-marseilles-dress-guest.html

Love, Clara

flower pressing

A few days ago I was outside enjoying the sunshine and I realized it was a perfect day for pressing flowers... so I went into my room and searched for my flower press (which I never did find) and my basket (which I did find), for as you know, both are necessary for pressing flowers.

Once my basket was found, I quickly ran back outside and collected flowers of all kinds, many of which I don't know there names (I must work on that!).

I do know lilies of the valley, aren't they amazing? And they smell like heaven.

The collection grew and grew...

and grew and grew.

Until I was sure I had enough, since my flower press evaded me, I decided to use my old journals instead, and I think they worked very well indeed!

So I layed out the flowers...

and closed each book...

and now I wait until they're done.

I hope you've all had a wonderful summer so far!

Love,

Clara

Sorry about the sloppiness of my last post, I was in a rush, I might go back and fix it later, but I'm not sure. Tonight is opening night of the show that my dance company has been working on all semester. I'm so excited! It's two shows in one, the first act is called Alaska, the narration is Robert Service poetry and the dances are of the Aurora, Gold mining, Oil, and "Alaskans." The second act (the part I'm in) is called When the Northern Lights Come Out to Play and it's based off of the children's book by the same name. It's a very simple story, all about three vole children that are told how when the northern lights dance all the animals of the Arctic come out and dance too, then of course there is a dance for all of the different animals. Muskox, Polar Bears, Moose, Hares, Foxes, Ravens, and Wales, I'm a Fox and a Polar Bear. The fox dance isn't that surprising as far as how they interpret the animal, but the polar bears is a different story. We're flappers. Don't ask why, because I'm not entirely sure, it's supposedly something to do with that's how polar bears see them selves on the inside? I'm not sure. It's a really fun dance though, and I wish you all could see it. My mom took some pictures last night at the dress rehersal, they didn't turn out great, but I might post them anyway after this weekend is over. Any way, I've got somethings I must do before tonight, wish me luck!

Love,

Clara

The sky as been a consistent form of fascination to me lately, so I thought I'd share some of the pictures I've taken of it. Oh and just in case anyone was wondering all of my photos are just how they were straight out of the camera, except for a tiny bit of cropping. The main reason is I don't know how to successful edit. With that said, enjoy!

Sometimes I just want to run away from everything, school, people, and on occasion dance, but mostly from the world.

One of my favorite things is to imagine how I will live in say, five years. I don't hope for anything flashy or expensive, just a quiet freedom. A way to escape from all of the pain in this world and to try to change it in my own quiet way.

My current dream (for it does change) is to live in a little cabin in a far away woods somewhere probably by myself and just write and create things. I suppose the reason is I want to live like the books I read. To have my Rose Cottage or Blue Castle, my hounds Ash and Merritt.

Restless, yet I don't want to go anywhere, I just want to stay home. Is it bad to want to hide from the world?

To want to dance alone, to try to forget everything and just live in make believe.

Graduation is in a year, and then I'm not sure what will be next, college I guess, and I know I want to travel a bit.

But mostly I'd like to hide, to spend my time finding the magic in life and to help people to see it. Show them the beauty in nature and in each other, to promote the preservation of life, because each life is beautiful and magical in its own way.

There's so much out there, yet all I want to do is hide from half of it. Ach! Life is such a process. I just wish I could understand more and see more and feel more and know more.

I hope this hasn't been to dreary or confusing, if you can't tell I'm feeling pretty confused myself. I'd also like to say thank you for the comments I've been getting, they all mean so much to me and make each day brighter. I love you all!

~Love Clara

(photos by me)

What I Want to do Now

1. I want to read Taliesin (again)

2. Go to Creamer's field and take pictures

3. Go to Value Village (must find vintage swim suit!)

4. Knit a beret

5. draw pictures (think I'll do that during church tonight)

6. Go on a really long walk

7. Find myself a bike

8. sew!! PJ's, blouses, dresses...

9. make biscotti

10. Read poetry while sitting in a big tree

11. Finnish dance bag

12. Buy Fabric at Joann's (they have some super pretty prints on clearance!)

13. Hide in the playhouse

14. Eat dark chocolate

15. Run in the wind

Cool, that came out to exactly fifteen, and I hadn't even counted first. These were taken from a list I made this morning while writing a report, and boy do they sound nice. It seems to be a universal thing that you guys like vintage swim suits so I thought I'd show you some from my magazines. They are all from the sixties, sadly my none of my older ones are summer issues, yet they still are fun to dream over!

There are stripes,

and buttons on white

and patterns in blue,

and a swim cap that reminded me of Rebbecca,

and cute kids too!

Hope you all have a fabulous week end!

Love, Clara

released

Photo by me