Monogram Monday: Makeup Bags

Happy Monogram Monday everyone! Sorry I missed last week but last Monday was a very hectic day for me, getting back from the lake and have rehearsal till ten, I just didn't have time. Today I am focusing on monogrammed makeup bags. These bags are absolutely perfect and adorable to store your makeup in no matter where you are going and will never be lost because they are personalized just for you! I love my monogrammed make-up bags and use them mainly for the shows that I am in. Morgan gave me the one on the left and I used it this past weekend to tote my stage make-up back and forth from home to the theater for TARZAN (also see this and this) and was perfect because on a counter filled with make-up bags, I always knew which one was mine! 

Happy Monogram Monday!

Good Thoughts

It's Friday, finally. I would be lying if I were to say that this week has been stress free because it most certainly has not! Not only was has TARZAN's opening been rescheduled . . . TWICE, I injured my knee again and have been struggling all week. I am just glad this week is over and I am excited to start anew with this upcoming week and have this weekend to just de-funk (and perform which will take away the majority of my stress).

Whenever I am in a funk like I have been in this week, I have a hard time finding seeing the good in the little things. Since I hurt my knee I have been pretty much confined to my home and haven't been out to get any fresh air. Therefore, I have spent a lot of time watching movies, reading, and on Pinterest and Tumblr. While on Pinterest I stumbled upon this that has helped me begin to beat my funk.

Just a little something to remember when you find yourself in a funk!

The Show Must Go On!

So school is canceled tomorrow but that doesn't mean that TARZAN is! That is right, the show must go on and will go on! Tomorrow, Friday, January 24 at 7:30 Theatre on the James will open Disney's TARZAN: The Stage Musical! Tickets are $5 for students $10 for adults! Please share this as much as you can, we want an amazing audience tomorrow! That's tomorrow, January 24 at 7:30!

"There's no business like show business, like no business I know . . . lets go on with the show!" Irving Berlin, There's No Business Like Show Business

Liebster Award

I have loved blogging and one thing that I absolutely love about it is getting recognized for my work. Like any blogger, some days are better than others but, overall, I have been working really hard building up my content and I feel pretty confident about what I have done here at Catty Cornered Cafe. That is why I was so excited today when I found out that Abby from The Preppy Coxswain nominated me for The Liebster Award.

The Liebster Award is an award given to new bloggers who have a small following. Other bloggers nominate blogs which they feel have potential and the nominees have to answer their questions! So, here I go!

1. What is your favorite accessory for the Winter? Summer?

For the winter my favorite accessory would have to be a scarf. The only problem is that I have so many of them it is hard to choose a favorite of them. For the summer my favorite is, undisputed, my Jack Rogers. I love them and I practically wear them everywhere!

2. Why did you start blogging and what do you like/dislike about it?

Blogging is always something that I have wanted to do but I never had the right motive so, whenever I would start I would end up quitting after a few posts. Finally, after a convicting conversation with Leigh, a motivation speech about regrets from my youth pastor, and a little bit of encouragement from The College Prepster (more about that here) I decided that, sink or swim I was diving in. One thing that I love about blogging is that I get to share my ideas with the world and, whenever I am writing I am so happy. One thing that I dislike is when I go for a while without posting because I have absolutely ZERO inspiration. Those days are the lows of blogging for sure.

3. If you had one word to describe yourself, what would it be?

Sparkly. I feel like I have a very sparkly personality. I am loud yet quiet, outgoing yet very much introverted. A major prep and classy girl with a secret nerd side (yes, yes I am a complete nerd. Just ask Morgan). I hate romance novels but can't get enough of romance movies, unless the novel was written by Jane Austen. I am clean and sharp on the outside but a chaotic mess on the inside. As soon as I hear music I must dance, I yearn to dance. There is so much more about me. Everything I am is a contradicting but isn't that what glitter is. Everything about glitter is unique; not one piece is alike and each piece contradicts itself, like my personality. That is why I am sparkly.

4. What is your dream job?

I would have to say that my dream job is a Broadway actress and lifestyle columnist on the side. I can see it now: "Catherine McMullan, writer by day, star by night!"

5. What is your favorite quote?

"Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut." Ernest Hemingway

6. Silver or gold?

Is that even a question? Ummm, GOLD!

7. What are three things on your wish list right now?

1. Louis Vuitton Speedy 30

2. These G.H. Bass & Co. Weejuns

3. The 13" MacBook Pro with retina display

8. What trait is your biggest strength?

My ability to take charge and to let my desire to be the best trump my desire to be viewed pleasurably by others. This answer really applies to my abilities as a leader in a group setting more than anything else but I believe it is what makes me a great leader and, therefore, is my strength.

9. What trait is your biggest weakness?

My shyness. I know it is hard to believe but I am an extremely shy person and usually keep to myself. Because of this I have always had a hard time making friends, which is something I regret and wish I could change.

10. What is your biggest fear?

I fear putting my trust in the wrong person. I have put my trust in so many people before and have been let down that I never know who to trust and when I feel I can trust someone I am reluctant to do so.

11. What advice would you give to someone just starting up their blog?

Don't write solely for the purpose of attracting viewers. Write for you, and only you and what happens, happens and you need to be okay with that. The only way to be successful in blogging is by realizing and accepting the fact that some will fail and some will lose when it comes to how popular your blog gets but none of that matters if everything you did was for you and no one else.

Now for my nominations!

1. Leigh at Sparkles & Solutions

2. Kate at Microscopes, Pearls, and a College Girl

3. Holly at Holly Jolly Blog

4. Morgan at J'Adore La Vie

5. East Coast Diaries

6. Kate at Simply Kate

7. Sydney at Peonies & Pearls

8. Hunter at Prep on a Budget

9. The Preppy Sisters

10. Sarah at Ballerinas and Buttons

11. Poised and Preppy

Okay nominees, here's what you do! Answer my 11 questions for you and then nominate 11 more bloggers with less than 200 followers and ask them a new set of 11 questions. This award is really just designed so bloggers can help other bloggers get more viewers.

Now for my questions. You ready? Here we go!

1. What blog or blogger inspired you to start blogging?

2. What is it about blogging that keeps you going, what keeps you blogging?

3. What would song would you consider your theme song?

4. What would you say your all time favorite post is?

5. Lipstick or Lip-gloss?

6. Writing or sharing a story with pictures?

7. What book has inspired you the most and why?

8. Do diary or no diary?

9. What would you consider your biggest weakness and why?

10. What is your passion?

11. Where do you see yourself in 15 years?

I am really looking forward to reading everyone's answers to my questions and getting to know a few more bloggers. Thanks again Abby for nominating me, and my nominees . . . have fun!

TARZAN Opening

So as y'all know, TARZAN is scheduled to open tomorrow night at 7:30. Unfortunately, due to Chesterfield County Public Schools being closed tomorrow TARZAN will not be opening. Instead, if all goes well, we will be opening on Friday, January 24 at 7:30 and adding a performance on Sunday, January 26 7:30. If you have already purchased tickets for Thursday's show, you can either trade them in for a Friday night ticket or use your current tickets for Sunday's show! This show is going to be fantastic and is going to happen (for more on how fabulous this show is see this and this)! For now, here are some sneak peek photos of the action of the show, courtesy of  Leevans Photography.

"I wanna know, can you show me? I wanna know about these strangers like me!" TARZAN, Strangers Like Me

TARZAN . . . 3 Days Away

That's right folks, James River High School's Theatre on the James production of Disney's TARZAN: The Stage Musical is 3 days away! The show is looking so good and I couldn't be more excited to show the community all that we, as a cast, have been working on for the last couple of months and I just know the rest of the cast feels the same way!

Holly made an amazing video to promote the show that I just had to share with y'all!

This show is going to be so great! As the video said, we are running January 23, 24, 25 at 7:30 at James River High School. Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for adults and CAN be purchased at the door (if you are a JRHS student, tickets will go on sale during lunch on Tuesday, January 21 in the open commons is you want to buy tickets a head of time. If you plan on doing this come on Tuesday because that is when I am working the booth!). I would show up early to purchase tickets because we are planning on selling out! This is going to be a fantastic TOTJ show and you don't want to miss it!

"With every ending comes a new begining. Two worlds, one family. Trust your heart, let fate decide to guide these lives, to guide these lives we see! Put your faith in what you most believe in. Two worlds, one family!" Disney's TARZAN, Two Worlds

Perfectionism

So my friend Emilie shared this quote on Goodreads and it really resonated with me and inspired me to share it with y'all.

"We are the girls with anxiety disorders, filled appointment books, five-year plans. We take ourselves very, very, seriously. We are the peacemakers, the do-gooders, the givers, the savers. We are on time, overly prepared, well read, and witty, intellectually curious, always moving . . . We pride ourselves on getting as little sleep as possible and thrive on self-deprivation. We drink coffee, a lot of it. We are on birth control, Prozac, and multivitamins . . . We are relentless, judgmental with ourselves, and forgiving to others. We never want to be as passive-aggressive are our mothers, never want to marry men as uninspired as our fathers . . . We are the daughters of the feminists who said, "You can be anything," and we heard, "You have to be everything." Courtney Martin

I know this is a long one but I feel it applies to the lives of most young women today. We always feel like we have to do everything, we can't say no, we must be absolutely perfect in every aspect of our lives and we beat ourselves up when we don't achieve that perfection. Pretty screwy isn't it. 

Why are we the only one to get upset when we get a B on a test or don't make that sports team. Why do we put so much pressure on ourselves to be and do everything and then convince ourselves that this is what society wants from us, this is what everyone expects. None of it makes sense but we still do it. The question is why?

Obviously, not all of Martin's quote applied to my life but the general gist of it really resonated with me on a personal level. Just Friday I was beating myself up because I have a B in my AP Government Class. Never mind the fact that it was still a really good grade, nor the fact that it is a AP course: it was a B, and I was better than that. I was freaking out and I was trying to figure out everything that I could do to bring my grade up because the fact that I had just B.S.ed my way through a pop quiz was not going to help that grade at all. I began to put a BUNCH of unnecessary pressure on myself because I was striving to reach perfection, something I subconsciously knew I was never going to reach. Why did I do this? Because I am a perfectionist. I must stay up as late as possible to get all of my work done - flawlessly - excel at every activity that I participate in and maintain an active, busy social life. No time for myself and definitely no time for imperfection.

I know I am not the only woman who does this. I know plenty of young women who deal with kind of self-inflicted pressure everyday only to gain nothing but additional, unneeded stress. We all strive to be perfect, we are all perfectionists.

Lazy Day

It is either late Saturday night or early Sunday morning, depending on how you look at it. I am one of the last people at the house awake and I am absolutely exhausted after a busy day of relaxing. I am not kidding, all we did was relax. We ate breakfast, fixed a puzzle, ate lunch, read/napped, ate dinner, played games. It was seriously the most relaxing day I have had in a long time. The day went by so fast; we hadn't even sat down to relax after lunch before it was 5 o'clock and time to start helping prepare dinner! It was honestly a blast.

I love weekends like this because I get to spend much needed time with my friends. Today (or yesterday) was great for just sitting back and relaxing. We had absolutely zero plans and we literally just did what most would call, "nothing". I spent some quality time with my mom while fixing a challenging puzzle, got to start a book that I am really excited about reading (Heart of Darkness . . . what, what!) and got to play an awesome game of Taboo - girls against moms - proving that us girls are just as good as the moms at Taboo . . . even if we are playing with an ancient set. It was such an amazing day filled with great food and even better company. The lake is beautiful and even though it feels like below zero outside, we are still making perfect fun inside. This weekend has turned out to be exactly what I hoped it would be and has proven, thus far, to be exactly what I needed!

"Now that I'm lazy I've never been more successful." Bauvard, Some Inspiration for the Overenthusiastic

P.S. I am in no way promoting laziness but, every once in a while, it is necessary. And, hey, I got a lot done  by being lazy. Maybe it wasn't "productive" but it was something worth much more.

Sweet Escape

I love being able to just kick back and relax. I especially love it when I am able to get away for the weekend. This weekend I am lucky enough to make the sweet escape to Smith Mountain Lake for a relaxing long weekend. I am so excited for this trip, we are staying in a cute, unique cabin that I absolutely adore and this is something that I absolutely needed.

I can't wait to take pictures and document my sweet escape on the lake! Smith Mountain Lake is so beautiful (although we got here at dark so I haven't actually seen the lake but, it looks beautiful in the moonlight) and seems to be the best place for me to relax this weekend. And, who knows, maybe I will gain some seriously needed perspective while I am here! Happy weekend y'all!

"Perhaps the truth depends on a walk around the lake." Wallace Stevens

Disney's TARZAN

"Put your faith in what you most believe in. Two worlds, one family. Trust your heart, let fate decide to guide these lives we see." Disney's TARZAN, "Two Worlds"

These are the iconic words of Disney's TARZAN, a movie that I grew up with and have always loved (fun fact: it was actually the first movie I saw in theaters). I love the story line and the general aesthetic of the movie which, I think, was very well animated. The music from the movie, and musical, is absolutely phenomenal as well!

This academic year, I was fortunate enough to be cast in Theatre on the James' production of TARZAN. This process has been a lot of work but we, as a cast have pushed through and made this one of the best rehearsal experiences that I have ever been a part of. I am blessed to be able to perform in this show beside talented performers, and fellow bloggers, Morgan and Holly, and to finally get perform in a show with my sister!

The show follows Tarzan, everyone's favorite ape-man (yes, he beats out George of the Jungle . . . mainly because he DOESN'T bump into any trees) as he grows up and discovers who is really is and where he belongs. The show has all of your favorite Tarzan characters, minus Tantor (it's okay though because our Terk has enough personality for both characters and Timon and Pumba combined!), and all of the iconic TARZAN songs - including "Son of Man", 'Two Worlds" and, everyone's favorite, "Trashin' the Camp" - along side new numbers.

The cast of James River High School's Theatre in the James' production of Disney's TARZAN: The Stage Musical has been hard at work for months tackling this show and are ready to show it off to the world. So mark your calendars because the show opens next week and will be running January 23, 24, and 25 at 7:30 PM. Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for adults and can be purchased at the door! This show is going to be excellent so, you better be there because we don't want to perform to an empty house (we do that enough in rehearsals)!

"Son of man look to the sky. Lift your spirits, set it free. Someday you'll walk tall with pride. Son of man a man in time you'll be!" Disney's TARZAN, "Son of Man" 

Monogram Monday

So today was a little something Morgan and I like to call . . . Monogram Monday. It is this really exciting day of the week tat is entirely dedicated to the wearing of monogrmas. For a crazy, monogram fanatic like myself, what could be better?!

Today Morgan, Carey, Meredith and I all wore matching monogram headbands and vests from our monogram collection to celebrate! It was so much fun because the four of us were all matching and adorable and what not! People kept coming up to us saying, "Whoa! You're all wearing the same thing!" and we would respond with, "Really? Well, it is Monogram Monday!"

I am completely determined to make Monogram Monday a thing so prepare yourselves for a completely monogramed post every Monday. This so going to be so much fun! Happy Monogram Monday everyone!

"My sheets are monogrammed, so is my silverware, and pretty much everything else I own. My rule is, if it's not moving - monogram it!" Resse Witherspoon

P.S. Sorry for the awful quality photo. Meredith wouldn't send me the pictures because we took them on her phone and I just don't feel it is safe to bring my camera to school . . . do you?

Closet Purging

So recently I have been doing some closet purging. This has been an on going process that I starting over break and I have just recently finished. Pretty much, what I did was I went through all of my closets and dressers and I organized and got rid of old clothes. This was the first time I have ever really done this because I usually leave it up to my mom or it just doesn't get done at all. But this year I wanted to start out fresh and along with starting out with a fresh attitude, I wanted a fresh closet.

Through this process I found that closet purging is a great stress relief. I listened to music and looked through all of my clothing (some stuff I had had since 6th grade) and just had fun with it. I organized and then reorganized my drawers for days and even woke up in the middle of the night with an overwhelming urge to organize my closet . . . again. It was an amazing couple of weeks as I watched the number of bags filled with my clothes pile up outside of my room ready to be sent to the Goodwill. I felt so satisfied, so clean, so fresh!

Closet purging was so much fun and I think I am going to make it a biannual tradition for me!

Love Letters

There is nothing I love more than getting a good, old fashioned, handwritten, snail mail letter. I get e-mails all the time but there is just something about the charm of opening of that paper envelope and pulling out a card that someone took the time to sit down in order to put their cursive down on paper to write to me. I remember when I was a kid I always used to wait anxiously for the mail to come every day, anticipating the letter that may of may not be in there. Getting a letter has never failed to make me feel special and loved. So, as the holiday thank you notes are starting to pour in and I am starting to send them out, I have some to the conclusion that I need more stationary.

The hunt has begun. The hunt to find the perfect stationary to write the perfect letter on. I have been looking at Paperless Post (remember this?!) because they have an abundance of customizable, designer stationary that is just absolutely adorable! Here are a few of my favorites!

1. "Many Thanks" by bluepoolroad
2. "Thanks a Million" by Kate Spade New York
3. "Hello Sunshine" by Kate Spade New York
4. "Oui Oui" by Kate Spade New York
5. "Hey Honey" by Hannah Berman
6. "Fan of You" by Julia Rothman

Okay y'all, so help me pick! I want to have new stationary in by the end of February and these are my top 6 choices! Any ideas? Which are you're favorites?!

"I'll write to you. A super long letter, like in an old fashioned novel," Haruki Murakami, After Dark

Breakfast at Panera

I have always wondered what the point of the two hour delay was. It had barely ever been used and when called, they would end of canceling school anyway so my county eventually just stopped calling delays and started canceling school. Now I understand the two hour delay. The past two days (Tuesday and Wednesday) have been freezing thanks to the Polar Vortex. Because of this ridiculously cold weather, my county called a two hour delay two days in a row. This was the biggest blessing I could have gotten this week.

Going back to school after winter break is hard enough as it is but I think the hardest part is training your body to wake up early . . . again. Monday was treacherous, having to get up and 6 in order to be at school by 7. I was like a walking zombie the whole day, the only thing getting me through the day was knowing I had showchoir rehearsal after school. While at showchoir I found out about the two hour delay and when I got home, Carey and I immediately made plans to go out to breakfast the next morning with Morgan  and Meredith.

The four of us had a blast at breakfast and went to school energized from our extra hour of sleep and anticipating the day! Tuesday went by in a flash and before I knew it, Holly was announcing to the cast of Tarzan (January 23, 24, and 25 at 7:30 in the James River High School Theatre. Tickets are $5 for student and $10 for adults) that we were having ANOTHER two hour delay. This time, I was ready. Carey, Morgan, Meredith and I made plans right then and there to get breakfast again.

Get breakfast was exactly what we did. This morning Carey and I braved the freezing weather and piled our stuff and our bodies into my car as we made out way to pick up the other half of the "McBeavers" (it's a thing . . . I swear!). When we got there, Meredith and Morgan were ready to go. Throwing their bags in my trunk, they hurried to join Carey and I in the warmth of my car. We then jammed out to the Positive Hits PER on the way to Panera Bread for one of the most delicious breakfasts I have ever had and some of the most amazing company I have ever experienced!

The point is, I wasn't sure about this whole "two hour delay" thing when it was first called. I remember thinking, Why not just cancel school all together right now, that's probably what they are going to do anyway. But, as a result I had two of the most fantastic days of school I have had this academic year, a breakfast from Panera I will NEVER forget, and precious time spent with friends that I wouldn't trade for anything. These two hour delays have been a blessing in disguise and something I really needed!

"Breakfast alone by gaslight is about as ghastly as champagne in daylight," Jessie Douglas Kerruish, The Undying Monster: A Tale of the Fifth Dimension

Ringing in the New Year

I am so excited for this New Year! New Years are so exciting! I have never really been one for creating New Years resolutions (remember this!) but this year I have decided to give it a try! Instead of a typical list of things to do -- or not do -- I decided to make a "Less and More" list. This list says what I want less of and what I want more of. They are both things and attitudes!

I am printing this out and writing this list everywhere that way I will be constantly reminded of it. I am really looking forward to this year, to all of the successes and mistakes to come! This year is going to be filled with excitement and I am more than ready for it! I know it is cliche to say but it is 2014, a new year, a new beginning, a new me!

"I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes . . . you're Doing Something." Neil Gaiman