I'm Graduating!

I spent a couple hours designing a couple different styles of brief announcements for my graduation today. It's really weird to me that I'm graduating. I don't feel as ecstatic as I think I should, but I'm also not completely blah about it. To me, graduating seems like just another thing to do. I'm not sad about leaving school, but I'm not jumping up and down about it. Most of my friends say that they are beyond ready to just get out, but for me it's almost like it doesn't matter either way. 

I am waiting to get more information on a few very exciting internships for summer. If I am able to get even one of them, it will be a fantastic experience for my summer and open up a world of opportunities. I'm very excited and determined to make this summer not only the best, but my most productive. I'm going to be pushing my business with BeautiControl, as well as working on improving my photography. I am planning on attempting to become healthier as well, and do new things that I have never tried before. 

It's a little weird to know that I'm through with all of the school that is required of me. Of course I plan on going to college, but the fact that I have completed my time in high school is strange. Maybe I'm just so used to the structure and order of having a schedule that I don't know what I'll do when that schedule is uprooted. Not that it will cause me to have a hysterical breakdown, it will just be something different, unknown.

My last day as an official student of Beaufort High School is May 30th. Then all I have to get through are the graduation practices, Passing of the Mantle, and Senior Night. Then Graduation. Then... poof. Done. Wow, that's really weird to think about.  I guess it's time to get ready to move on to the next chapter in my life. 

~♥

Gabby

What I Wore: Senior Prom Edition

Okay, don't even try to tell me that my senior prom dress isn't gorgeous. I have never been THIS in love with a piece of clothing. The dress was $308, but shipping was free and it fit like a glove. At least 10 people told me that I looked like Tinker Bell, and  a dozen more told me I looked like a little doll.

I wore the same shoes and carried the same clutch as last year, but it really didn't matter because the dress was just PERFECT. I seriously don't think I'll ever get rid of this dress. You know how some people frame their wedding dresses in a shadowbox? Yeah, that's going to be my prom dress.

Joe took me to dinner at Wren, and the food was fabulous. We had their Pei Mussels to start (the sauce was FULL of bacon chunks.... yum!) I ordered the fried oysters trio special, and Joe got some eggplant stack that looked amazing. We split a Tiramisu for dessert (delish!)

Prom itself was a bit of a disappointment. They played basically the same 10 songs about getting drunk and having sex OVER and Over again. Joe and I stayed until 20 minutes before the end, even though most everyone else had cleared out. It wasn't until we had walked out and were walking to the front of the school that we heard them playing music like "Mambo Number 5" and "Cha Cha Slide" and "All-Star." And the worst part? They didn't play a SINGLE SLOW SONG.  No bueno. So I decided while we waited for our rides to turn on Pandora and he and I slow-danced all on our lonesome. That was basically the best part of Prom.

Dress: Hannah S 27610 (Missesdressy.com)

Shoes: Unlisted 

Clutch: T.J. Maxx

I'd LOVE to see everyone else's prom pictures!!! Leave a link to your posts in the comments!

~♥
Gabby

Life Lately: XOXO

This is by far NOT the best picture of me but...

I FINALLY got my hair dyed red! It looks a lot better and brighter than it does here, and I absolutely adore it! AND my prom dress came in and fits like a glove. Life is good.

Reading: I have been plugging away at my 400 book goal. Right now in my AP English Lit class, we are reading Macbeth, but I'm going back to 8th grade and rereading Animal Farm for pleasure. Now that I'm older and have spent a year in AP US Government, maybe the book will hold a more profound meaning for me (or at the very least be more understandable.)

Watching:  Gossip Girl (Anyone catch that from the post's title? No? Okay.) I've made it into Season 3 on Netflix in a little over a week. I'm a little addicted. I now have a serious guilty pleasure.

Thinking About: AP Exams. I had my AP English Lit test yesterday morning. Monday I have AP Biology, and Tuesday I have AP Government. I get really stressed during testing time. 

Listening To: I've been totally sucked into the past and putting Evanescence on repeat. Don't judge me.

Links I Love

• I can't go without posting a link to my BeautiControl Beautipage! I'm so excited to be starting my own business with BeautiControl!
• I know Pentatonix was on The Sing Off a couple years ago, but I mean come on: THIS is awesome. And THIS. And THIS.
• Okay, this Doctor Who Cast video makes me happy. Just watch it please.

~♥
Gabby

Star Wars Day

Okay. Nerdy, I know.

I've been really busy lately, but I promise there are some better posts coming.
But this week I begin my AP exams (3 this year, ugh) so I may be stressed out and short with it.

~♥
Gabby

Woman Crush Wednesday: Billie Piper

So this is another segment I've decided to introduce to showcase some of my female idols/crushes/obsessions. I wanted to start with the lovely Billie Piper.

If you had asked me about her 3 months ago, I would have replied with, "Who?"
Of course, I began watching Doctor Who about then. Billie Piper's character is BY FAR my ALL TIME FAVORITE of the Doctor's companions. She was witty and compassionate and unique. There has never been a companion as devoted and perfect as she was and there never will be.

I'm basically in complete awe of how strikingly beautiful she is. She has such a prominent face with her high cheekbones and full lips and eyebrows. I honestly could stare at her for hours. And the best part is that in all her interviews and behind-the-scenes clips, she seems so real and genuine and fun... like someone you'd seriously LOVE to be best friends with.

Piper as Rose Tyler in Doctor Who ♥

My favorite Doctor and my favorite Companion ♥

~♥

Gabby

10 Things I Love: Chevron Edition

10 Things I Love: Chevron Edition by a-whispered-wish featuring linen tops

Chevron print dress / Missoni Mare scoop neck dress / Kate Spade linen top / Neon top / Charlotte Russe striped shorts / Bangle jewelry / Bebe bangle bracelet / Amrita Singh jewelry / C. Wonder c wonder

Adventures in DIY-ing

Sometimes I get on these kicks where I just HAVE to DIY something. I love sewing and crafting, and sometimes I just can't get to doing something, or I don't have all the materials I need. In about the past week or so, I have done a couple different projects that I wanted to share with you all, my lovely readers! 

I made this really cute pink A-Line skirt by following this tutorial over on Extra Petite. The only difference is that I didn't put in pockets on mine. It's a teeny bit see-through, but if I wear a slip under it, it will be perfect for summer. 

If you can pardon my awful duckface in the above picture, you will see my slight obsession with daisy trim accessories à la Coachella. I dream of going to Coachella one of these days.

This last project I already posted about. I took my costume shirt from Les Misérables, removed the sleeves at the shoulder seams, hemmed the raw edges, and gave it a thorough washing. Now I can wear it all throughout the easy summer days down here in good old Beaufort, SC.

And yes, ladies and gentlemen, this is the same Beaufort, SC that Candice Glover from American Idol is from. (Go Candice!!!!)

I hope you enjoy! Have you done any DIY projects recently? I'd love to hear about them and see pictures!!! Sound off in the comments, my pretties!

~♥

Gabby 

What I Wore: Soft Shell Crab Season

For those of you who don't know, soft shell crabs are just blue crabs that have molted their hard exoskeleton. They are harvested and cooked up before their new exoskeleton has a chance to form. This is a roughly 2-week period out of the year, so they're something of a southern delicacy. The best way to eat them is fried. And Dockside has the biggest and the best. 

This year, Dockside is making fried soft shell crab sliders. I was craving them SO BAD that I completely forgot to take a picture before I practically inhaled it. I swear, they are one of my favorite things to eat.

Okay, I'm not even going to lie to you and tell you I wore these shorts today. It was like... 65 degrees out. But it was REALLY hot in my house. So before we left to go to Dockside for dinner, I changed into a pair of skinnies and my new booties.

These booties are amazing. They've got a 5-inch heel, which makes me 5'6" which is a blessing to me. And the best part is, I got them for $20.99 (normally $68.99)!!!

Shirt: Thrifted & DIY 

(This is the shirt I wore for #VoicesDoLesMis. All I did was wash it, remove the sleeves, and hem the armholes!)

Jeans: City Streets

Booties: Gilt to Thrill Booties from Modcloth

Necklace: Freedom Divine (this was a recent gift from Joe)

~♥
Gabby 

Est-ce Que Tu Parles Français?

Salut! Comment allez-vous?

Even though I have been a member of the French Honor Society for the past 2 years, I had never been officially inducted until this past Monday! I was super excited to finally be able to become an "official" member (even though I was already voted Historian, haha!) 

Our Induction Feast included: Bacon and Ham Quiche, Meringues, and Croissants with Nutella ♥

 Here is what I had to recite to be officially "inducted:"

"Je prête serment de respecter et de soutenir les idéaux de la Société Honoraire de Françaid

Je serai fidèle aux principes qu'elle représente.

Je serai loyale à mon école et je m'engage à continuer sans relâche

mes efforts pour m'instruire et transmettre aux futures generations

mon amour pour la langue et la culture françaises."

In my Easter post, I promised that you would be seeing this outfit again soon. Even though you can't see it too well, here. Bah. Anyways, I got the dress on clearance from Target for $19.99. The sandals are from KMart, and the belt is a thrift shop find. I'm in the photo above with my friend Rebecca, who I've known since we were in 1st grade together. It's weird how she's so much taller than me (not that it's hard to be!)

Most schools require students to take languages in order to graduate. Are you involved in any languages? Are you a member of an honor society?

~♥

Gabby

At the End of the Day

 Have you ever been a part of something for so long that it seems like it's in your blood? That's what being a member of the Choir has been like for me. I've been in it for 4 years. This Wednesday and Thursday was the very last Spring Show that I will ever sing with the choir. Yes, we have many other small performances coming up, but this really was the end. Graduation will be my last time as a choir member and my first day as a Voices Alumni. 

Thursday night was the hardest. Before the show, Seniors had a chance to give speeches, and I could barely speak. I was tearing up and crying already. I love everyone in the choir so much, and it really breaks my heart that soon I won't be seeing them all every day. I was in tears on stage during our second set, the songs we took to D.C. this year, and I had about lost my senses completely by the very last song we did. 

This year, we did Les Misérables as our musical at the end. We all had to dress as French-Revolution beggars. Below is my costume.

This right here was the finale, where I started to cry my hardest. My accompanist and director had seniors step forward at the very end and gave us all flowers. I completely flew off my rocker then, and was basically the center of a giant sobfest. I'm pretty sure I was crying harder than anyone else. 

Ms. Norris, Ms. Lea, and I ♥

One of the guys in the choir asked his girlfriend (who is also in the choir) to Prom during Intermission! He had some friends get up on stage with him and they serenaded her with "My Girl." Probably the cutest thing I've ever seen!

So at the very end of it, 26 Seniors had their last show. It was wonderful and perfect and sad and amazing all at once. I'll never forget this group, and I will always show my support. We got #1 in the Nation for a reason. The BHS Voices are the best!

~♥

Gabby

Our Full Set:

"Africa" by Toto

"Your Smiling Face" by James Taylor
"When I Fall in Love"
"Some Nights" by fun

"The Word Was God"

"Afternoon on a Hill"
"Homeward Bound"

(Les Mis)

"At the End of the Day"
"I Dreamed A Dream"

"Castle on a Cloud"
"Do You Hear the People Sing?"

"On My Own"
"Bring Him Home"
"Finale"