Christmas Card

I wanted to do Christmas cards this year. But we didn't have time with school and trying to graduate and all. So today I made a Christmas card of what we've been doing for Christmas. Just to make all of you in the snow jealous :)

Actually, I made two. You can pick your favorite.

Ok, sorry to rub it in. But we are really having a wonderful time in sunny Florida. It's been a blast so far and feels like exactly what we've needed. I feel so blessed that we were able to pull this trip off. The memories we've made are so much more precious than any gifts we could have received.

I hope you all have a wonderful time this season, and spend as much time with your loved ones as possible. 

*amber*

Enchanted

Some of you may not know that I started my college career as a dance minor at BYU. Dance has always been an important aspect of my life, but I found the dance program here missing something. If you're a BYU dancer, I have nothing against you. There are many amazingly talented dancers here. The problem was I just didn't feel the sense of artistry that I so love in dance. I didn't feel, in my experience, that any boundaries were being pushed.

That is why I was so delighted when I saw this. It was a collaboration between BYU animation professor Ryan Woodward and dance instructor Kori Wakamatsu.

(Please watch in full screen.)

Thought of You from Ryan J Woodward on Vimeo.

At last! That was beautiful. No, it wasn't the most technical or challenging dance, but it is so refreshing to see someone stepping out of the normal bounds of the art of dance, and taking it to a new medium.

You can read the whole story here.

And here some behind the scenes footage:

Thought of You - Behind the Scenes Preview - ROUGH CUT from Cambell Christensen on Vimeo.

Bravo BYU! You've made me very proud. And inspired.

*amber*

Dear Santa...

For Christmas I want:

1. Long luscious locks.

I miss the feel of my hair whipping in the wind. Like this.

Or this. Actually, if you could just insert my into this picture, I wouldn't mind. The hair, the dress, the cardigan, the scenery... take me there.

Or, if you can't just give me the hair, can you at least make mine grow faster? It takes FOREVER!

2. Cozy sweaters and boots. To keep me warm. 

Like this.

And these.

3. And finally, could you please just slow time down? Or maybe stop it altogether?

I need a good long vacation in Italy. So I can pass my Italian final tomorrow morning! Really, it's not a want, it's a need!

And so I can have time to work on all the projects I have planned in my head. Like making amazing reversible sweater stockings, inspired by these.

And do this to our bedroom wall.

That's all, ok? Simple requests, really. Ready... Go!

*amber*

To get you in the Christmas spirit...

Here is a holiday classic. I know you'll enjoy it.

Isn't it fantastic? In a perfectly creepy yet awesome sort of way?

"I was vaccinated against all known poisons." Classic.

Merry Christmas...

*amber*

Announcement! With some visions of sugarplums on the side.

Ok, are you ready? Here it is...

We're going to Disneyworld for Christmas!!! 

I seriously cannot wait. This is going to be me.

Yes, the one on the left. Furreals. She is my idol and I've wanted one of those dresses since I was 3. I'm determined to find one in my size this time.

We're smack in the middle of finals, but all I can think about is, "Florida, here we come!" It doesn't help that I've had major travel fever since this Summer. I've never been to Disneyworld (or Florida), so if you have and have any good advice, please share!

* * *

In other news, because of finals and the fact that we won't be here for Christmas, I decided I didn't feel like decorating. Not even our tree! I don't know if you realize how big of a deal this is for me. I'm a decorating freak. Seriously. Any given day, you can ask me what decorating projects I'm planning or thinking of and I'll talk your ear off. So it's no wonder that when I told Seth I didn't feel like putting up our tree, he asked me what I did with his wife.

Anyway, that's just how I felt this year. Then, last Saturday, I went to the Festival of Trees with some friends from work.

Yes, Seth was photoshopped in hehe. He couldn't come because he had too much homework :(

The Festival of Trees is a charity event where people donate decorated trees, wreaths, gingerbread houses, quilts, and other crafts to be silent auctioned and all of the proceeds go to Primary Children's Hospital. It's a fun Christmas event. They have some of the most creative trees I've ever seen there.

So I started getting into the Christmas tree spirit. Except, I still didn't feel like doing it. Mostly just thinking about Christmas trees. (Still weird. In my mind, any form of creativity or expression is totally worth the work.) So I decided to post some pictures of our lovely tree from last year. So I can still look at my beautiful tree. Maybe I can't bask in the warmth of the magical glow it casts throughout our house, but at least I won't be lint rolling fake snow off my clothes for the next three months.

Here you are.

Mmm... lovely. I love Christmas trees.

Merry Christmas everyone! And if you have a tree, enjoy it for me!

*amber*

Thrifty Gift Guide 2010: Anthro Lookalikes

Did any of you get the December Anthropologie catalog recently? If not, I highly suggest you look at it here. I got mine in the mail a few days ago, and the whole thing made me swoon! The main spread was shot in a forest in Sweden. The scenery was all trees and moss and fog... mother nature at her prime. The ethereally beautiful model was lucky enough to wander around this breathtaking landscape, clothed in the most perfect and cozy sweaters, dresses, and tights. In case you wanted to know how I wish I could dress every day, just look through the catalog :)

Although I can honestly say I loved nearly every single item in this issue, there was one thing that caught my eye. Remember these little booties from page 18?

I can't quite decide how I feel about them. They are darling and simple and outdoorsy, all at the same time, but I'm not sure if I'm daring enough to wear something so outside my personal style comfort zone. Maybe. Someday. Either way though, I think they're fantastic.

Anyway, today I stumbled upon their lookalike at Forever 21!

 

Rasmus Booties from Anthro: $148

Lace Up Suedette Boots from F21: $25.80

So if you are one of those who DID recieve the Anthro catalog, and decided you can't live without these cuties, you're welcome. My Chrismas present to you is $122.20 that gets to stay in your wallet.

Happy Holidays!

*amber*

Oh Ingrid...

How do you always write songs that fit me so perfectly?

Dearest Seth,

We might not have any money, but we have our love to pay the bills.

So... 

Let's get rich and buy our parents homes in the south of France,

Let's get rich and give everybody nice sweaters and teach them how to dance,

Let's get rich and buy a house on a mountain making everybody look like ants,

Way up there, you and I... you and I... (will actually have time to spend together!)


* * *


Ok, I'm not that superficial or money obsessed... but wouldn't it be nice? Seth is two weeks away from graduating. I, on the other hand, feel like I will perpetually be haunting the BYU campus. We are both going crazy. Seth, because he has 5 days of classes left to finish about 3 weeks worth of work. Me, because I just want to graduate, get a wonderful job in public relations, and start living a normal life. The college student life can really wear on you.

Perhaps this isn't the best time to be feeling this way. Finals are a week away. But I just can't help thinking of the day when I'll be free and we can do what we want with our time. Maybe I feel like this because my week has been ridiculous and Wednesday night I got a grand total of 2 hours of sleep, because I spent all night putting together two group projects. Ugh.

Yesterday, I felt run down and burnt out. Seth totally didn't have time for it, but he took the time to take me on a date. We went wandering through a thrift store, then got frozen yogurt. It was wonderful to spent time with him, because we hardly have time for date nights anymore. Now today is one of those days where I just want to snuggle under the covers all day. Unfortunately, that is SO not an option.

Blah... but listening to this song over and over seems to be helping some :)

Also, we are going on an amazing vacation very soon. More on that later.

*amber*

Thank You

The last three weeks have been the craziest of my life. I've been through many experiences that have changed who I am and the way I see the world. In many ways, I feel years older. I have been through emotions I didn't even know existed. But, I have loved deeper and more profoundly than ever before. I am so thankful for all of the help my family has received, and continues to receive. There are so many people that have touched each of our lives, and I don't know how to adequately say thank you. 

So thank you, to all the close family member and friends who made sure we had food, help with hard things, or just company whenever we needed it. Thank you to distant friends or friends of my dad who sent their love and support without even knowing us personally. Thank you to random strangers who have been kind on the street, or considerate on the freeway. No small act of kindness has gone unnoticed, because each one has helped us survive. And finally, thank you to our Father in Heaven for all of the miracles, reassurances, and knowledge of this beautiful plan. Death is a part of life. It has brought some darkness, but has also brought to my attention all of the beauty in this life. 

*amber*

My Amazing Father

  Saturday night, we found out my dad had passed away. It came as a complete shock because as far as we knew, he was completely healthy. This week, we have been so busy with arrangements and have barely had time to let it sink in. Today, the obituary was published. Ironically, who would have thought my first time being published in the newspaper would be for my father's obituary?

* * * 
 
Chad Randy Christiansen 

Son, Husband & Father 

Randy, age 49, passed away on October 23, 2010 in the mountains near Duchesne, Utah, his favorite place on Earth. He was born July 6, 1961 in Murray, Utah to Kelten W. and Carole Louise Christiansen and married Natalie Nelson November 6, 1987 in the Salt Lake Temple. They have three children; Amber (Seth), Austin, and Alyse. Funeral Services will be held Saturday, October 30, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. at Sublette Chapel, 2115 Sublette Place Sandy, UT. Friends may call from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. prior at the place of service. In lieu of flowers, a donation account has been set up at Wells Fargo for the children's college funds under the name of Chad Randy Christiansen Memorial Fund. Online condolences at CannonMortuary.com. 

* * *

I love you dad. Thank you for teaching me to be so strong and faithful. 

*amber*

Dickson Dream Home: Purple Bedrooms

Lately, I have found myself really loving purple bedrooms. It is a deep, rich, luxurious color. And on top of that, it is a restful color. Studies show that people have more restful sleep in purple rooms. How could you say no to that? The chosen color palette for this inspiration is varying shades of purple, crisp white, and a silver-gray-pewter color.

I stumbled upon this guest room photo in a Country Living photo spread, and fell in love. I've now decided that we will have a purple bedroom someday.

I love the simplicity and cleanliness of this bedroom. The light gray tulle on the sheets and curtains is so charming. And the texture and color of the throw looks ridiculously comfortable. I just want to take a nap here.

 Mmm... this photo is my absolute favorite. I'm a total sucker for upholstered headboards. With all the great tutorials for them, I'm sure I'll be making our own someday. The antique bed is beautiful. The metallicy pewter and the pattern of the wallpaper are stunning.This room is unbelievably beautiful. It feels like an amazing European retreat. That's how I'd like to feel every time I walk into my bedroom.

This is the bathroom attached to the room above. Amazing right? Look at that freestanding tub! I even love the whimsical little chandeliers, or whatever those are.

Before I decided I wanted a purple bedroom, I'd known for years that I wanted a purple master bathroom. The color is just too soothing to ignore. Now it seems obvious that we can tie the two rooms together with a related color palette.

So this room actually has the colors I would like in our master bathroom (and what we have in our bathroom now.) Deep purple, bluish sea green, and creamy white.

Also, the fireplace. Our dream is to have a fireplace in our bedroom :) And the master bathroom actually. It would be placed in the wall between the two rooms so it could heat both at the same time.

The striped wallpaper by Graham and Brown behind the fireplace is also great. I live a nice bold stripe on a wall, and those vertical stripes make your ceiling look much higher.

Around the fantasy fireplace, there would be a cozy sitting area with a small sofa and lovely little chairs like this one. Photo Credit: Amanda Nisbet Design.

With a color this deep however, lots of lightness and natural light is a must. That means big windows, gauzy white curtains that let in dreamy diffused sunlight, and crisp white furniture.

I just love the contemporary simplicity of this one (found here.) The lighting and unique artwork make this feel so sleek and chic.

A beautiful architectural mirror like this artistic circles piece, or this classic venetian mirror adds brightness and glitz to the room.

I heart these pillows from Thomas Paul. Seriously, isn't purple such a delicious color? I think my favorite color, green, may be getting jealous.

And perhaps a vase of these, no?

More purple inspiration was drawn from this wedding inspiration shoot by Victoria at The City Cradle.

* * *

Now don't get me wrong. I love our bedroom now. I mean we are still students on a tight budget, but thanks to generous wedding gifters, we were able to get a really nice bedding set.

 It's the DKNY Wildflower Field bedding. Now, don't be fooled. That's not our room. Ours was a little too messy for photography, so I had to use the catalogue picture. Our bed has the pretty comforter with some different red sheets and none of the decorative pillows. (It was all a little pricey, but I'm working on making some.) Ours is much simpler than this, but you get the idea. 

I think it's beautiful and fell in love with it the first time I saw it. Which is weird. For me. See... I'm not a huge fan of the color red. Now before you decide to kick me off the island, I do not HATE red. And in my defense, I did pick this bedding. But I'm just usually attracted to cool toned colors and red is almost too warm and overpowering for my personal taste. Don't hate me, ok? 

I just think it's interesting that I, of all people, picked red. (The contrast with the white helps.)And though I still love it, I think when it's time to get new bedding, I may have to go for something a little more me-ish.

* * *

What colors/styles/textures do you like for a bedroom? Or am I the only person that thinks so much about stuff like this? Hm... Well I need to have decided what I like before I have to decorate a house, right?

*amber*

While visions of lovely things danced in her head...

Wow, I'm blogging alot lately. That means my life is just very exciting right now! On Saturday, a friend invited me to the Bridal Fair with her. She got engaged a few weeks ago and isn't getting married til the Spring, but she wants to start getting ideas and figure out what she wants. Knowing how much I obsess over all things wedding, she graciously invited me to come with her :)

The fair was so much fun and I loved seeing all of this year's new dresses, sampling yummy cake, and checking out creative photography. Weddings are so fascinating to me. I love seeing people find their individual aesthetics as they meticulously pick each element of the biggest day of their lives so far. However, this was the first time I've ever been able to talk to a bride about what she wants, discuss details, and give suggestions on things I've seen in my years of wedding blog stalking. :) It was such a blast.

Now, I have lots of images like this floating around in my head...

Inspiration board made at Polyvore.com.

That's kind of the overall look that I picture at this point. Of course, it could be a very long shot from her vision, because so far, we haven't talked that much about it. But still... I have a feeling this will be one lovely garden tea-party inspired wedding. Congratulations my friend!

* * *

Tonight, I decided to be spontaneous and try making homemade donuts. I got home from work and felt like being a culinary genius... (ha) so I dug right in and promptly turned our kitchen into a disaster area. I used the Food Nanny's Spudnut (the dough is made with potatoes) recipe, and they turned out amazing! Thanks for the recipe Liz! (This recipe isn't posted on her website yet. It will probably be in her next cookbook though.) 

The glaze is pretty good too, and I usually hate the glaze on donuts. Mmm... Tasty.

Happy Monday!

*amber*

Autumn

Honied yellow dripping gold

Leaf of autumn

in the cold

Dancing on

in crisp despair

Whirling on

enchanted air

Falling silently to

earthen tomb

Away from tree's

rooted arm

Perhaps the silence

broken then

By hollow cries

of autumn grief

 Synchronized with

the falling leaf

- S.K. Lindeman

 * * *

I just took these photos in our yard. No fancy camera. No editing. (Obviously no photography training.) Nothing but the beauty created by Mother Nature herself. Breathtaking. Autumn is truly magical.

*amber*

Chya!!!

Last night Seth rented the new Karate Kid. (Why is it called Karate Kid? It's not karate; it's kung fu! Hm... anyway.) I fell asleep about 15 minutes in. I guess at some point, I got up and walked into our room and got into bed. I don't even remember it, but that in itself was strange because usually Seth ends up carrying my unconscious body into bed. When the movie was over, he came to bed too. Around 3am, we woke up because the girls upstairs were blasting their movie as loudly as humanly possible. Seth informed me that for the last hour or so, I had been flailing around like crazy. At some point, I punched him in the face. I'm sorry honey. But... you DID rent Karate Kid... Just Sayin. Who knows what that caused me to dream about?

Now you know to think twice about what movies you choose to rent. That's a warning.

Love,
*amber*

Dickson Dream Home: Spooky Daydreaming

Hm... isn't daydreaming usually pleasant? But it can't be nightmaring because it's daytime. Ok ok, today I have been daymaring.

I've finally caught Halloween fever! Oh don't worry, I've been working on our costumes for weeks. But I'm finally getting into the Halloween spirit! Took me long enough... Halloween is one of my favorite holidays!

Today, I was walking home from school, and as I passed our neighbors' yard, I admired all of the Halloween decorations that positively coat their front yard. I began daymaring about all the things I would love to do... someday... when we have money to spend on frivolous things... *Sigh* I fear it's the eternal struggle.

So, because our house won't be adequately decked out this year, I decided to post some of my dream (or mare) decorations here. Welcome to the Dickson's Nightmare Manor of Horrors. Mwahaha!!!... Sorry. Carried away.

Upon entering our spooky abode, you will come face to face with a foreboding knocker.

In the entryway, you are greeted by a buffet covered in sinister looking terrariums. Full of everything from creepy giant spiders, to stacks of miniature skulls, to unidentifiable plants floating in sickly colored liquids.

via: Country Living 

 You then walk down a hall, lined with old family portraits. But wait, when you glance back at them, they've taken on a ghostly form!

Seth and I saw some spooky portrait holograms when we were grocery shopping this week. Set in antique frames, they would be a perfect haunting element for any Halloween home.

 Everywhere you go, candelabras cast eerie shadows all around. 

What is so great about Halloween is that almost anything can look spooky, if staged right. Especially if you have pieces that are antique or worn. For example, put tall black candles on an elegant antique candelabra, and you've got the perfect light source for any haunted house. 

In the dining room, you find the table piled with gilded pumpkins and gords, and lined with fall leaf garlands. 

The centerpiece is a huge floral arrangement full of deep fall-colored flowers, accented with dark feathers and draping strands of black pearls.

 The wall above the sofa is covered in a collection of masks, staring down at you.

These masks can be bought, or very easily made. In high school, we had a masquerade themed dance and we all made our own masks. Just use those plastic dollar store masks, cut them to the shape you want, then use acrylic paints. Splotched metallic paint looks great on top of a deeper color. Then accessorize with feathers, glitter, ribbon, or whatever else you have lying around. If done well, they can look very expensive.

 Ravens are perched sporadically through the house. 

 And of course, everything is adequately covered in cobwebs.

 As you exit, you must walk through rows of  tombstones and ancient statues, lit only by the glowing jack-o-lanterns at their feet. 

Ideally, there would be big spooky statues in the forms of angels and demons. Inspiration here was drawn from Phantom of the Opera.

Happy Halloween Season! 

Now I'm off to work on our completely DIY costumes... they're taking so much work. But they'll be worth it. The unveiling will be coming soon.


PS: aren't you so happy I've broken out of my lazy blogger-video posting rut? I am :)

*amber*