how many backgrounds of photographs?

Have you ever wondered how many backgrounds of photographs you are in? How many saved programs and yearbooks people have with your name or photo in it. What about how many people think about you on a daily basis? How many people cannot forget something you said to them, whether it had a positive or negative affect on them. How many peoples lives have been changed because of you. How many people wonder if you even remember them. The people in your life that moved away, do they still think about you in the same way you think about them? Do they remember you? How many grade school friends still have the notes they kept that you passed in class. How many parents of those friends still remember the slumber parties you attended at their house. How many people do you pass by every single day and not speak to, but they know exactly who you are.

Sometimes these things amaze me. I'm a small town girl and sometimes I think my view of the world tend to reflect that, I tend to picture my world as this small little circle of people. Sometimes I'm amazed when people actually know who I am or know my name. I know their name, but I thought they probably had no clue who I was. I don't know why I tend to think that way sometimes. The reality is that so many people are affected by me everyday. Whether I let someone over in traffic or not may set the tone for their entire day. Sometimes saying hello, or not saying it, can make a difference in the way someone feels about themselves. I can't even imagine how long the list would be if God handed over to me a list of names of people I have affected in my life, whether positively or negatively. I'm sure it would be a huge list. And honestly that scares me. I'm not saying life should be lived as if you are walking on pins and needles, and I'm definitely not claiming that I can go without ever having a bad day. But, how much of an impact could I possibly have if I started thinking about all the little things that are going to affect people and actually putting forth the actions to make a change. It could be the one thing that turns someone's heart around.

thrifting finds

Hubby and I went on some thrifting dates a few weeks ago and found some really fun things. The best part about thrifting is it's gorgeous, unique things that don't break the bank! That little tea tin...$1 was totally worth it and I plan on putting some silk flowers in it and making it gorgeous. Or maybe I'll put a house plant in it after reading some how-to posts on some of my favorite blog posts lately. And I'm thinking that plaster floral piece will look lovely on top of a stack of books on a coffee table or bookcase.


1. a vintage radio, and it works just lovely.
2. a set of 6 vintage paper masks
3. vintage bingo cards
4. a rustic vintage tea tin
5. a vintage plaster wall piece

life according to my iphone

a pretty cabinet at a friend's // their lovely couch and my lovely pup



worn out from playing with friends // loving rides with the windows down



journal + calendar // a lovely house



pretty couch pattern // my two favorite boys



hot pink vintage shorts // sunglasses and the ride to work



reading material // funny face



scent-sation // a wedding clutch



a little florist work // a DIY project


Oh and I wanted to share some knowledge for those of you that post instagram pictures on your blog...
First I was uploading these to Photobucket and then I thought, "wait, these are already being hosted on the internet, so I'm wasting space!"
Then I tried using followgram to post them but they turned out a little blury
Finally I used instagrid to grab them and it has worked perfectly.
Hope this helps.

awkward & awesomeee

awkward
- Going to the grocery after attending a wedding and someone asking us if we had been down to the prom yet. Yes, four years ago.
- Being trained on a new job and the ever awkward eyes over your shoulder.
- We used to have Mr. and Mrs. pillow set. Now it is only Mr. because I came home to a shredded pillow and a puppy in trouble.
- Dog Walks, not the action, but the designated areas. Watch where you step.
- Dog hair. On my clothes, my couch, in my car. Well, we're dog owners, what did you expect?


awesome
- Bear is getting all his big boy teeth and now weighs 30lbs! My little guy is not so little anymore. (okay, in some ways that is not awesome, but I love watching him grow)
- We purchased a new quilt for the bed and I'm completely smitten with it. Oh and husband is too, which is extra brownie points for me.
- My sissy in law made cake balls that tasted like dreamcicle. YUM.
- The amoung of house cleaning that happened last week.
- Dreaming up DIY projects.
- Dreaming up blog posts.
- Having actual free time now.
- Husband. Enough said.

ascot & lace

You see that little gorgeous ascot there? I was pretty excited to wear that. You see, it actually isn't an ascot at all. It was a belt on a pair of jeans I bought way back in my freshman year of high school. Needless to say, those jeans don't fit anymore and I'm not really sure if this would be that fab as a belt? So I tied it around my neck. And I kind of loved it, pattern mixing and all. Stripes on the shirt, dots on the ascot. Oh and a lace skirt, because you can't go wrong with that. Well, I guess you could, but I like to think you can't.

The idea for making this belt an ascot was definitely inspired when I re-read this post from Elsie's blog. She mentioned finding a sash from a vintage dress, and I tried looking for a bit but had no success, then, in the process of trying to find my cap and gown for graduation, I found this little belt (and some others that might be ascots too) and I tied it around my neck and we've been best friends ever since. ;)

forever vs. the end of my life

So this is what I wore on my last day of class. I was kind of excited because that blouse is a mint color + it has horses all over it. So naturally, that makes it awesome. The last day was a little bitter sweet, torn between being glad I was done but also thinking about how I'll miss seeing some of the people I met and I'll actually kind of miss some of the buildings. The lobby in my main classroom building has so many memories in it, I've spent so many hours before, between, and after classes sitting in that lobby. But nonetheless, I was glad it was over. No more cramming, studying, or keeping binders full of notes and handouts. I happened to think today that it's a little ironic, the feeling of forever vs. the end of my life. College kind of felt like it was going to last forever, even though I knew it had an end, I thought it would talk forever to get to that end. Now that I'm out, I have this sense of freedom like I have the rest of my life to do whatever I please with. It feels like there are so many more options and possibilities now and I'm looking forward to seeing what God places in my life next. Now that I have the rest of my life ahead of me, it feels more like I can take things one step at a time, even though that's basically what college was. It'd all a little weird and ironic but I kind of love it this way.

life according to my iphone

hubby's hands // s'more delight



little Bear // a peek in my closet



floral // favorites



a little magazine reading // a keyboard hog



last day of class smiles // southern style



a suitcase full of things for my etsy shop // possibly a keeper



"whacha doin, mom?" // somepuppy lost a tooth



I married the son of a florist // "no more pictures please"



if you want to see more find me on instagram: @mrsjesstingle

I'm D-O-N-E

I'm not really sure that the feeling has completely sunk in yet. I'm really done. Like, I'm really really done. For good. Done. I just keep reminding myself of that over and over again. Maybe it will sink in Sunday at graduation, or maybe it won't sink in until next September when everyone else has started their semester and I'm still just working. Either way, I'm officially done NOW. No more stressing over exams, no more trying to remember deadlines for 5 classes at a time, and no more cramming during finals week. It feels so good to have that weight lifted off my shoulders. Thank you to everyone that has prayed for me, and thank you to everyone that has left encouraging comments on all my posts about college.

what I learned in college that wasn't in the textbooks

1. There is absolutely a 100% difference between having class at 8am and being at work at 8am, I'll take the latter.
2. No matter how long they have been in college, some people just cannot grasp the concept of sitting in the same seat every class for smaller classrooms.
3. Some teachers are there to educate you and see you succeed, others are there for the paycheck and because there was nothing else available at the time.
4. When it's raining, wear shoes with grip on the bottom in order to prevent yourself from almost doing the splits in front of everyone in the lobby.
5. And actually, carry an umbrella with you every single day, even if you don't think it will rain, better safe than soaking wet.
6. By no means should you ever expect to register classes with the exact schedule you had hoped for.  That will rarely happen, and if it does, consider yourself one of the lucky few.
7. It is actually possible to not participate at all in a class and still receive the same participation grade as your friend who talks on a regular basis.
8. Attending a large campus means that by your last semester you can still find pathways and short-cuts that you never knew existed.
9. Campus food is actually pretty delicious, although slighty overpriced.
10. You will not receive college snow days as frequently as you did in high school.  For this reason, on those days you really shouldn't be having class because of the weather, but you go anyway because you're "that student," make sure to avoid all sloping sidewalks as they are likely still covered in ice.

Kinda glad those experiences are over, but at least I have a lot of life experience now. ;)