hands and feet

my trip to new york was not just any ordinary trip, it was a mission trip. my youth group at my church went with a organization called mission serve that we go with each year. we normally go somewhere in the south, but every few years we save up for a big trip, like new york. so everyday of last week did not consist of site seeing, shopping, or time square. monday through thursday we worked with kids in brooklyn. we would do backyard bible clubs, basketball camps, some home repair, and building. i mostly did the backyard bible club with younger kids and played basketball with inner city boys. it was a lot of fun and i loved impacting these kids lives even in the smallest of ways. they taught me so much about being grateful and accepting life. these kids had basically nothing, yet they were still always happy and eager to face to day, when i would get mad that we did not get to go shopping. this was a totally new and exciting experience for me- i did not know what was next. last week really impacted my life and the lives of those kids. God truly did amazing things by letting our youth group be the hands and feet of Jesus. here are some snap shots i took during the day as i worked with these little youngsters.

i did not decide to look cute while working with the kids because, well kids and a park all day= dirt and sweat. it just would not make sense. i loved working with all the sweet kids each day, and adored forming relationships with them.

xo. cate

first impression

new york, oh new york. you have been on my bucket list since i was born it seems, and this past week you were checked off. it was the best feeling i've had in a long time.

i arrived in new york city, new york last sunday, july 15, after a long day of travel. it really was everything i had imagined... big, beautiful, amazing, and so much more. it didn't really hit me that i was actually there until i stepped out of the of the plane and saw the city in it's lights, color, and movement.

my friend, parker, and i got these wish necklaces back in march at a local store and decided it would be the perfect thing to both wear as we enter the city of our dreams. you are supposed to make a wish when you tie it on and when it falls off it supposedly comes true. ours both fell off on that tuesday!

wow. that is all i could say with a big grin on my face when i saw the city for the first time on the plane. wow.

one of our first stops was central park. we had a few hours before we could check into our room in the hostel, so we just walked down the street, grabbed a bite to eat and got to see a little bit of the beautiful park. i felt as if i was in a movie... it was just so amazing.

as i just mentioned we stayed in a hostel. originally, i thought it was going to be extremely plain, and just like a old hotel or something... oh no. it was the coolest place i have ever stayed! the hostel was very creatively decorated, and i loved that there were people from all around the world staying there too. when i would go to the restroom, i would hear someone speak french to my left and Chinese to my right. it was very eye opening and cool!

one of my favorite things i loved about new york city was the architecture. where i live, i normally see a neat building every once in a while, but here they were everywhere. i appreciate and love really old, detailed buildings.

my first impression of new york was like a really good cup of hot green tea... and that is saying a lot.

xo. cate

the top knot

today my hair was a mess... and I mean a foot wide on each side kind of mess. so what better to do than wrap it up on top of your head? well maybe straighten it and actually fix it like a normal person. but that is over rated anyway. with just a few Bobbi pins, a hair band, and a squirt of hairspray (or 17) you have a easy hairstyle that looks like a million bucks. you're welcome.

today= normal

today's outfit is normal. nothing special (well maybe the hat!), nothing too exciting (okay... my new purse is pretty exciting) but just something that looks like me on a regular bases. today I helped take care of kids at my church, so I wanted my outfit to be kid friendly but still cute and fun! I am wearing my new fedora (target), a gray tank top (aerie), coral shorts (loft), my sandals (ae), and i am carrying my new bag (urban outfitters). you have no idea how obsessed I am with my hat... I absolutely love it. oh and my new beautiful bag (sadly you didn't see much of it in the pictures...) will be featured in an upcoming blog post of my Dallas haul! glad to share with you my simple yet lovely outfit today!

xo. cate

sneak peak: DIY dotted shorts

here is a little sneak peak into what I am doing today. I am bored of the basic regular shorts everyone has... so I am adding some fun to a pair of navy shorts I already own today! with a bit of paint, a pencil, and shorts (or any item of clothing) you can add polka dots to your outfit! I don't want to show the final product yet because in the near future there will be a DIY and a 'how I wear it'!

xo. cate

recap

I know I haven't posted in a while... but I have been so busy lately! two weeks ago I had a weekend girls trip with one of my friends, and last week I went to camp. oh and it's been hot. very hot. which makes Cate tired and not want to do anything consisting of being outside for more than 30 seconds. above are a few photos I've taken of my life these past few weeks.

I hope to be posting more this coming week before I leave again... for NEW YORK! I honestly cannot contain my excitement for this trip if you can't already tell. just wanted to share with you snapshots of the life of Cate over the past weeks... hope you enjoyed.

xo. Cate

(p.s. these photos are very out of order [technical difficulties] ... so food and food and cute stuff-- girls trip. gravel background and sweat-- camp.)

why not?

someone asked me the other day, "why are you wearing that?". my answer to that \and to most questions lately has been "why not?". why not wear a bright dress/skirt when you do nothing all day? why not buy those crazy shoes? or why not have a piece of cake... or 3? on sunday, i had a pretty normal day: woke up late, did who knows what for a few hours, and had dinner with my family that night. however, i decided i could either wear a t-shirt and nike shorts with my hair in a bun all day or wear my new maxi skirt and look somewhat cute, even if i am overdressed. the choice is quite clear...

 

i have been wanting a maxi skirt or dress for way too long, and thankfully old navy recently had exactly what i have been looking for. its extremely bright and fun and perfect for cool summer days. i wore it with a gray tank top from aerie layered over a coral one. to highlight my waist, i added my extremely long belt from target that i doubled. my everyday shoes, sunglasses and jewelry finished off the look and kept it casual.

came across a quote that said, "stressed, depressed but well dressed." well said, well said. wear something that makes you happy even if others smirk at you or do not like it. it is your opinion that matters... unless you are wearing crocs... then your opinion does not matter at all. you are simply saying to the world, i give up. don't give up. don't wear crocs.

xo. cate 

my inspiration board

what inspires you? a good recipe, beautiful scenery, or a thought provoking book? well, story time. few months ago i popped into a local shop which was decorated with newspaper flowers, and i got that feeling. you know, the feeling when you think, hey i could do that. so even if it is the smallest of things (like newspaper) you can be inspired, and once you are you begin to build on that original inspiration until it becomes something wonderful and others are inspired by YOU.

after lots of brain storming, i created my inspiration board with those newspaper flowers and other things i adore. enjoy...

 

a bit messy, but hey what isn't?

 made from old book pages, i created these little flower/fan type things. i also covered the entire door with the pages as the back round.

yes, even chocolate and cupcakes inspire me.

 

i have begun to save all of my fortune cookie fortunes and put them on my board.

one of my favorite quotes(:

 

hope you enjoyed taking a peek into what inspires me and find something that inspires you.

 

xo. cate

home not house

when i first started this blog i thought it would consist of mainly fashion & style (check!) and home decor. so better late than never... i am finally doing something home related. here you go, my home decor style (or what i hope it to be some day) in 3 photos.

my pet peeve in a house it that when i walk in it feels like it is out of a magazine and nothing... i mean nothing has been touched or used. that, my friend, is a house. i want a home. i love the picture above for so many reasons: the crisp white bed, the clear box displaying magazines, the subtle yet unique wallpaper, and the whole atmosphere of the room that makes you want to walk in, light a candle and read a book or chat with a friend.

the kitchen is always the best part of the home for me, whether small or large, new or old, everyone always ends up in the kitchen. when i have a home of my own, i want my kitchen to be inviting and reflect my style. i love the colors in this room above (not too girly or manly), the way they display their utensils and supplies, and with just a few little changes from the original kitchen (the teal nobs, red and white tile, pretty towels) i can clearly see who lives here.

my family calls it a den. my friends call it a living room. my grandmother calls it a sitting room. whatever you call it, this is a place one can rest, play, and enjoy in. i love the simplicity of the room in the picture above, the mixing of colors and patterns, and the open and fresh feeling it gives off.

contrary to this post title, i would call this post "the you home". i believe that it is not the house you buy, how much it was, or what neighborhood it is in that makes it your home. it is simply the way you portray it... so how do you do that? well, decorate of course! find something you love and style your home around that. i hope you have enjoyed my home decor style, and have a lovely day!

xo. cate

photos from: lilacandgrey.com /poppytalk.blogspot.uk.com

base6: white tee

to start off my "base6" series, i am showing how i wear a white tee. keep in mind that this is how i style my top; i hope you are inspired by how i style it, but make sure you add your personality into your outfit. 

 

my basic white tee is a burnout white v-neck that i wore over a coral cropped tank. i have seen a lot of people wearing their tops in a knot, and have really adored this trend lately. so i knotted my white tee to the side to show off my high waisted shorts. i also layered a few necklace together (telephone one from forever 21, butterfly one from aeropostale). my shoes... i absolutely love them. i got them a few weekends ago at ann taylor loft. they are kinda crazy and consist of a lot of trends: rattlesnake, neon, t-strap. however, they are so fun to pair with simple outfits like this one! to go with the laid back feel of this outfit i wore my hair in a messy side braid.

i hope you have enjoyed how i style my white tee and there will be more base6 style guides to come!

xo. cate