thoughts on: creatives

i often times describe myself as a creative person. yes, it was my go-to word when asked in 
elementary school to name an adjective with the same first letter as your first name-- creative cate. so original, right? however, others often describe me as creative too. this compliment is honestly hard for me to take most days as i try to mumble out a "uh, sure, thanks" a few minutes too late. as i have been reflecting on this characteristic of myself and other "creatives", i got to wondering:

what does it mean to be creative?

in my opinion, everyone is creative. dictionary.com describes creativity as such: "the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create 
meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc." i like the way they say 'transcend traditional ideas', as to state that to be creative we must go a step further, work harder, and think differently than the in-the-box kind of people. it requires extra effort and extra work (and extra mistakes-- lots & lots of mistakes). to be creative means to crave the unknown and the to-be-discovered. 

in most's minds', creativity is only associated with artists. whether that be fine artists, photographers, designers or just your artsy ig-ers & bloggers, why are we so quick to assume that these titles are the only ones who can obtain & succeed in creative pursuits? maybe we could blame it on pinterest with those dang diy's or even on it over-use of the term "creative" when describing people who can those do so called "crafts". (i am hesitant to say this because i feel like half of the girl-world will hunt me down, but completing a step-by-step guide to how to paint a flower is just. not. creative. sorry to break it to you to the hard way, i really am.) let us expand our minds to people who are creative outside of traditional art & classic mediums. think about the cook who arranged the food on your plate at dinner last night or the teacher/boss who formed the seating arrangements of your classroom/office away from your friends you could "meet new people" (yeah, thanks for that teach'. sincerely, all introverts). those are crazy creative individuals. also, appreciate the people who you interact with on a regular basis who are creative: your family & friends, who despite busy schedules, make intentional time to spend with you. again, crazy creative individuals. you can also be creative with how you speak-- choosing to be kind and encouraging to others rather than talking about the weather. you can be creative with how you dress- choosing to express yourself in a modest way (yet with mad style, of course) through something as materialistic as clothing. you can be creative with how you act-- choosing to be confident and true to yourself despite circumstances. we are all created to be creative people. take time to slow down and realize how innovative and artistic ordinary people are-- whether that be on your drive to the store or just in your own home. learn to acknowledge the 'creative' in everyone, even yourself.

all this to say, yes, you, are creative. you, the math geek and the basketball player. you, the netflix-enthusiast and video-game player. even you, the party thrower and party goer. all creatives, just in different ways. 
so, heck- let's embrace it!

yours truly,
cate 

styling lessons (for the everyday girl)

hey hi hello, friends! 

unrelated note: long time no see. you can say that again, cate. yes, i know. i have taken a little blogging hiatus this past month or so. due to the immense amount of school work, family + friend obligations (well, not all obligations), and honestly a lack of sleep & desire to whip out the ole laptop for a post, this site has been taking a much needed cat nap. but nonetheless, school is out for summer (do not make me break into song) and i am more than eager to blog again. with a mind full of ideas and unlimited creative boundaries-- let's do this whole blog thing once more.

styling. the art of the perfect composition and freedom to make ordinary objects & actions look beautiful. styling is one of my favorite creative outlets to pursue, so i am constantly learning and growing in the process & outcome. whether i do it for the 'gram or just for kicks and giggles, it is something i genuinely crave & thrive in. in an ideal world, i would have a pretty studio (think ban.do or rifle paper co.), a plethora of backdrops, and endless props. but, plot twist: we do not live in that world. surprise, right? through this i have learned how to create the most with my current circumstances and make do with my available resources. 

through just a white desk, a window, and so much washi tape that it makes you think i have a problem (i do)-- let's dive into the creative process of styling for the everyday girl, doing everyday things.

while browsing through the aisles at target (which, as you all know, i do on a semi-regular basis), i came across this funky washi tape and thought well if that doesn't say summer, then i don't know what does. so i bought it. being the girl i am, i have this desire to use/wear whatever i buy immediately. i thought that the pattern would work well as a mini-backdrop for a shot, so i taped about 12 strips of this fun-fetti washi tape to my desk. 

then, i gathered supplies! i had stamped two pieces of art the previous day (they turned out quite wonderfully, too) so thought that they might look appealing on the backdrop. also, i collected this polaroid from the night before of abigail & i at anthro (surprise, surprise). 

i tried out the stamped 'hello's' first. after i took 10-12 shots shifting each of them in and out of the frame, i ended up not loving the way it looked. 

quickly, i tested the poloroid and realized the colors of the photo match the washi tape. can you say match made in heaven? again, i shifted the photo every which way...

...and even did the 'so instagram hip' shot of holding it...

... thought it may have needed another aspect, so i added these pretty pink packaging peanuts...

... and shifted those out...

... then i started from scratch and took the photo from a different angle so the tape lines point diagonally...

and at the end of it, i decided to go with the first shot of poloroid. clean, simple, and just what i wanted to capture. i actually ended up posted it on instagram*, but just used an iphone photograph because i am, well, lazy.

though a posed shot (thank you, self-timer), this is a pretty accurate representation of  what my personal process looks like. i am sure i get a great deal of looks from my neighbors and passing cars, but heck-- i have way too much fun doing this to even care.

i have learned that through styling (and most creative pursuits) sometimes most of the time you do not get your desired look on the first try. it's a process. it takes time. it takes patience. it takes trying and believing in your every idea. and through it all, and an abundance of practice, the process shortens & you actually long for your initial frustration of coming up with the next best idea. the key to success is learning to love the growth and progress-- embracing every mistake, laughing at failing ideas, and mostly realizing the art of "not yet" but "close".

~

hope you all enjoyed seeing a little peak into one of my passions. and thanks, friends, for sticking around through the lack of posts, but get ready for operation: take over the blogger-world.

 just kidding, i am not that ambitious. pretty ambitious, but not that crazy.

yours truly,

cate

(*p.s. shameless plug: missed me so much? follow me on instagram @cate.marg for almost-daily posts of my un-instagram worthy life.)

the art of the weekend.

weekends are one thing i am particularly pretty darn good at. just ask my alarm clock. 

last weekend, cate succeeded yet again. friday night, my friend, "AB", and i went totally & completely seventeen-year-old-white-girl on ourselves and saw "the longest ride" on it's opening night. at the end of the movie, we were both in tears. AB asks, "are you crying because they are finally together?", to which i say "no, i'm crying because of all the art." then i ask her the same question, and she answers, "no, i'm crying because of the hot guy." nonetheless, it was an A+ movie in our teenage hearts. 

 plus, we went to anthropologie. i got a glance at their new spring stuff and oh my heart. pretty things everywhere, i tell you. forever my favorite place. forever.

saturday was spent with family & good food. my little brother works at a special needs camp on some weekends, and he normally has a break during the weekend for a meal. so graham, my mom and i hard-core brunched. and by "hard-core" i mean i had croissant french toast. did you hear that? i said CROISSANT FRENCH TOAST.  later that day, my mom and i ate at a new pizza place downtown and stopped by my favorite coffee shop for a treat. 'twas a good time. 

real, non-instagram-worthy activities: i did have to spend a few hours of the afternoon doing standardized test prep. i swear it will be the death of me. seriously, if i am ever MIA just check underneath the stack of ACT packets on my bed and maybe you will find me. 

yours truly,

cate 

note to self.

via design love fest

here's a little known fact about me: i'm a list maker. i love lists. i love goals. i love crossing things off lists. i love accomplishing goals. annoyed yet? i have learned through the years of becoming a professional list-maker that the most successful way to get things accomplished is to be specific and intentional about a goal. for example, instead of "make an A on a test", you say "cate, you are going to listen in chemistry class. you are not going to cry. you are going to take notes, then study your notes, and study some more. you are going to take the test. and you are then, going to make an A." yeah, it's tough. accomplishing real problems no matter how small or big they may seem is not all flowers and butterflies. it's hard. it's easy to give up. it's easier to not even start. however, the reward is so, so much sweeter.

here are a few of my note-to-self's lately:

_____

1. don't take everything so personally.

aka, everything is not about you. people are often times too wound up in their own mess to even dwell on yours. 

2. people will disappoint you. 

the kicker here is to not let your standard of others be something they are not. my mom would always say "you cannot make a cat bark". and it's true. i've tried it.

3. do not judge a situation by how it looks on the outside and how it feels on the inside.

because feelings are only temporary & not the truth. and someone else's outside may be the opposite on how they feel on the inside.

4. smile, darn ya, smile!

you seriously cannot ever go wrong with smiling. ever. also, there is scientific proof (click here) that even if you fake smile, it will boost your mood and simulates something in your brain that allows you be happier over time of smiling. obviously, i am super scientific.

5. this world is not our home.

yet again, i need to remember that this earth and my time on it is only fugitive. not that it does not matter, but that we should find joy in that fact that we belong in a much more beautiful place-- and that my friends, is with Christ. oh, what a day.


happy friday!

yours truly,
cate

forever friend.

outfit details: tee-shirt dress: beehive boutique in little rock, ar. | poncho: urban outiftters | shoes: anthropologie | purse: marc by marc jacobs (borrowed from mom) | necklace: vintage via grey dog boutique in fayetteville, ar. 

let's play honesty hour.

there have been times throughout my high school career that i just think this is not my place. i often times have a difficult time connecting with the typical 16 year old gal, and have never had a large group of friends that are together every weekend. i am constantly awaiting and yearning for the day that i find "my people". those who just get me, and i likewise with them. not that i am discontent with my life as of late, but do not have the normal high school friend group that i you see in movies. however, i do have a few friends that i truly do confide in-- i think about sophie, my bestie who lives 15 hours away from me, i think about sara, my friend who is in college that i get to see every holiday. i think about taylor swift... who, uh... (oh wait, you can't be best friends with someone you have never met? oh.). and i think about my dear friend, abigail. 

there are not many people in this life that compare to abigail. she's kind, she's intelligent, she's beautiful, she's encouraging, she's a giver, she's authentic, she's confident... and the list goes on. this past weekend i had some time to spend with this girl. people who are perfectly content with sitting on your bed and just talking about how messy life can be at times are those who simply get it. then we went out for tacos & stuffed our faces (and took too many selfies along the way, too). i am beyond thankful for such a loving, consistent friendship like this one. abigail, you are someone who, no matter how inconvenient making time together is, is such a blessing to have be apart of my life. 

heck, you're a forever friend. 

yours truly,

cate

spring break road trip.

hello friends!

last week was my spring break from school and i thought i would share a little insight as to what is going on in the life of yours truly. my older brother, jackson , and i took a little road trip to neighboring states for a few days. with little to no expectations (and planning) those few days were one for the books. full of laughter, car jamming, city hopping, and way too much mexican food, it was a major bro/sis bonding experience. here are just a few snip bits of our travels. 

our first stop was st. louis. i have always wanted to visit this city and since jackson has a good friend who is in college there, we thought it was a good time to go. when we first arrived mid-afternoon, we met up with j's friend for lunch and a tour of washington university. later that night, we went to the city museum and let me just tell you: this place was ah. maz. zing. i didn't take many good shots, but it is basically a gigantic jungle gym. 

[ dare i say-- i got my chucks on with saint laurent... jk about the ysl part. ]

the next day, we got up early (the '9 o'clock' kind of early) and headed downtown to wander around the city gardens. these were seriously so cool-- over a dozen huge sculptures covering just a few blocks in the center of downtown. very interactive & photo-worthy.

[ no, thank you, horse & carriage for making this photo perfect. ]

[ st. louis skyline from 630 feet up in the gateway arch. we crazy like that. ]

then we walked over to the arch. after trying (and failing) to get a decent photo to capture it's beauty, we took a tram ride to the top. 630 feet later & hearing our fellow passengers life story (j likes to ask too many questions to strangers), we arrived at the top of the arch. this tiny room (with even tinier windows) provided us with the best view of st. louis. is there anything better than a city skyline?
hint: the answer is no.

the only downside to the arch, was that the grounds are currently in construction. so, it did not make for the prettiest photographs & left your shoes a bit muddy, but hey, even more reason to return!

later that afternoon we went to the st. louis art museum. short story: since there was no parking spot close to the museum and being the princess that i am, j dropped me off at the front while he parked about a half-mile away. i had no idea what this city's art museum was known for beholding, so i just went in with open arms. however, somehow i ended up paying $14 for just the exhibit that i was not even interested in while the rest of the museum was free. after probably complaining about the waste of money on the two-roomed show of river boat paintings (i am sorry, artist who spent hours working on these, i just do not care), i ended up in the comtemporary art room. ahhh, joy. happiness. love. all words that come to mind when i hear the words "comtemporary art". i was one happy girl.

afterwards, i grabbed a cup of tea and j & i walked back to the car. *here is where i tell you how scary it was walking within 10 feet of a man holding a very large snake. plot twist: i asked to hold the snake. wait... no, i actually did a mad dash down to the car and avoided any eye contact *

right before closing time, we hopped over to the missouri botanical gardens. i did not know what to expect, and was blown away. it felt as if we were in a safari. huge greenhouses adorned with the richest hues of green and vibrant flowers were everywhere you turned. i wish we could have stayed longer. 

the next day we drove two hours over to kansas city. upon arriving, we were met with some hotel complications. (apparently, you have to be 21, not 18, to check in at certain hotels.) so, we just adventured around kc for a few hours. we walked around the grounds at the nelson-atkins museum of art (again, the sculptures were to die for), ate too much cheesecake, and popped in urban outfitters (thank you j, for letting me "make the rounds one more time" 20 times). 

off to fayetteville, ar we went!

[ it wasn't even wednesday. (har-har) ]

being in the town where j lives, we had a slower couple of days, which was much needed. one morning we (me, jackson, and his friend) visited the gentry drive-thru zoo. you were suppose to keep your windows up at all times, but when a camel comes up to your window, you have to roll it down. call us rebels. ;)

then i had my 3rd meal of chicken tacos for the past 3 days thanks to a local taco truck. hey, not complaining. 

later that night, j and i went to a coffee shop that he has been wanting to take me to for a while now. we sat there and chatted about school, future, friends, and just life in general. very thankful for a older brother to talk with and listen to.

the next morning, all three of us went on a short hike in the fayetteville area. it supplied us with a vast overlook filled with trees ready to bloom. the weather was perfect and i only tripped once. i call that an outdoor-success for this one.

shortly after, we stopped for snow cones & headed home.

until next time, you beautiful open road. 

yours truly,

cate