I've Got Sunshine On A Cloudy Day

I've Got Sunshine On A Cloudy Day

Friday, September 1, 2017

Dress: Made 

Shoes: Old Navy (old)

Purse: Vintage

Belt: Vintage

Earrings: Vintage

It feels like FOREVER since I have posted something on the blog! Student teaching has definitely put my life in a while different gear work and time wise. Oddly enough however, I have actually had the entire week off, but blogging just didn't seem like a top priority with everything else going on.
If you keep up with the news you might have heard about Hurricane Harvey that hit the coast of Texas and Houston. Thankfully my family and I didn't have any damage from the storm, but sadly we know a number of people who lost their homes.

Seeing the destruction that hit Houston and other towns was heartbreaking and seeing the number of people who lost their homes and all their possessions made me realize how fortunate and abundantly blessed I am. While it almost seems horrible to realize that my family and I were spared while others lost so much, it gave us an opportunity to go out into our community to volunteer, pick up supplies for local shelters, and help those who were hit hard by the storm.

Despite the horrible events and aftermath of a disaster such as a hurricane, it has been AMAZING to see people come together and lend a helping hand, financial support, supplies, and prayer....often times for complete strangers. Even more incredible, is that in the midst of a divided nation whether it be in regards to government, religion, or anything else, people were willing to drop everything, forget about their differences and help one another. Sometimes it takes storms (physical and metaphorical) to teach us lessons and pull our focus off of ourselves and instead focus on others and the world around us. Even amidst this devastating destruction, my hope for the American people has truly been restored this week! Yes, there is still much to recover from and our country is still divided, but if the events of Hurricane Harvey have taught me anything it is that people still care for their neighbors and for complete strangers, and above anything there is still HOPE!

I pray that in the aftermath of this storm and in the midst of Houston and other towns recovering and rebuilding, that people will hold onto that hope and that it will become our focus every day!

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In regards to this outfit, these pictures were actually taken back in June (I know....why has it taken me this long to share them)! However, this is definitely one of my FAVORITE sheet dresses.....yes, you heard me right, I said sheet dresses because I do in fact have 7 dresses (all my favorites) made out of sheets (see here, here, here, and here). I don't always wear things that are fully, cheerfully colorful but this dress reminds me of a lollipop and I LOVE it! Plus it's ridiculously comfortable and cool and twirly so:) I decided that with color comes color and paired it with a cheerful bouquet of flowers from Trader Joe's (who doesn't love their flowers), heels from old navy, vintage clip on earrings, and this colorful embroidered vintage purse. Plus an pop of pink lipstick and a milkmaid braid (which my hair is long enough to do now) didn't hurt either!

-Madison

Iced Coffee & Life Update

Iced Coffee & Life Update

Monday, August 14, 2017

Shirt: Old Navy

Shorts: Thrifted & DIY

Shoes: Shoe Carnival

Purse: Thrifted Coach

I've definitely drank my fair share of iced coffee and iced latte's this summer! We have the cutest hipster coffee shop in town and their Iced Latte's are to die for. Speaking of coffee places, our town is also getting a "Common Grounds" which is a well known coffee shop in Waco TX and I am freaking out!

However, let's talk life. I feel like I haven't shared much about life on here recently so here's an update. First off, I rescued a kitten + now kind of adopted him (full on catlady + cat mom mode). Went on 5 camping trips this summer with my family & I actually got tan at the beach and lake (not sure how I feel about it). Read a few books, taught two sewing classes & a dance camp, went on a road trip, visited family, hung out with friends, and watched a lot of TV show!

With that being said however, I am now in my last semester of college and this fall and will be doing student teaching, which means I will be in the classroom with students for 14 weeks. Student teaching is basically like being a full time teacher without getting paid, so as of next Tuesday its full on teacher mode!

While I am excited about student teaching, my semester is going to be pretty busy, which means the blog will be put on the back burner for bit. That doesn't mean I won't be blogging, but I will probably be posting less (which will be hard). I've gotten into a good rhythm this year with the blog and I am pretty proud of the content that I have created and posted, so to cut back will be a stretch.

What does this really mean for Minnie Muse? I am hoping to use part of my weekends for blog work, taking photos, editing, and creating content. However, with that, I will probably still only post once a week for now. Honestly, I have begun to realize how time consuming blogging truly is:) You might think that it takes less than an hour to put a post together but combining the time it takes for a photo shoot, plus choosing pictures, editing them, writing a post, and adding links it can be close to a 3 hour process or more! Therefore, while it's hard to accept that the blog can't be my top priority rest assured that I will not disappear!

I feel like there's more that I need to include in this post, but its already getting long :) so I  you all had a great summer and best wishes to the rest of the year or your new semester!

- Madison

A Day At Nasa

A Day At Nasa

Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Dress: Vintage (Thrifted)

Shoes: Rackroom Shoes

Bag: Vintage Coach

Earrings: Vintage

**Pictures by my Brother**

I've never been the most scientific person in my family. While my brother could recite everything about the solar system, black holes, space travel, etc. I am more apt to just watch space shows with a thriving interest and curiosity. Interstellar, The Martian, Apollo 13, and Hidden Figures (which features my favorite Astronaut) are movies that interest me because they are filled with adventure, suspense, space travel, and loads of scientific language that I don't understand (but greatly appreciate). With that being said, as I have shared on the blog before, Astronaut Wives Club is one of my favorite TV shows because it centers around the start of the NASA space program and follows the first astronauts and their wives as they are part of the Mercury pivotal Mercury 7 program.

It is because of my great interest in the history of the NASA space program that I was so excited to take a field trip to Space Center Houston with my brother and parents. Both my parents are science teachers and my brother has always wanted to be an astronaut so taking a trip to NASA with them was such a fun day (even if we got rained on). I am pretty sure I was only about 11 the last time I visited Space Center Houston so going back as an adult who knows more and appreciates history was such a treat. It was so cool walking around, looking at displays, and recognizing the names of the first astronauts in Mercury 7 and even a more current astronaut whose book I read for one of my college classes.

If you are not familiar with Space Center Houston, it is the visitor center of the National Aeronautics ans Space Administration's (NASA) center for human space activities. However, while the space center itself is more of a museum with exhibits and artifacts, you are also able to take a tour of the entire NASA headquarters located on site, including the original Mission Control Center and the astronaut training center.

With my undying love for the TV show Astronaut Wives club and the styles of the late 60's it was a no brainer that I chose to take cues from the stylish wives of past astronauts in choosing my ensemble for the day! Looking back on what the original astronaut wives wore, I settles on this blue vintage shirtwaist dress, a simple brown purse, close toed sandals, and an old pair of vintage clip on earrings.

I have always said that clothes have the power to transport you to a different place or era, and on this particular day that phrase was so accurate. I felt like I truly had stepped back in time and into the midst of the Mercury 7 program and I couldn't have been happier reliving pivotal points in our nations history and the science of space travel :)

P.S. these pictures were taken after I had been rained on three times!

Have you ever been to NASA?
Are you a fan of space shows?

-Madison

Down By The Seashore

Down By The Seashore

Monday, July 31, 2017

Dress: Vintage (grandmothers)

Shoes: old

Hat: Target

Purse: Thrifted

Sunglasses: Five Below

Watch: Sam Moon

**Pictures by my brother**

I have a dear affinity for the seaside, salt spray on my face, sea breeze in my hair, and the crash of waves upon the shore. I love the colors of the seaside islands in their muted earthy hues mixed with a pop of colorful houses and budding bushes. I love seeing the bustling sidewalks as people go to and fro with a destination in mind and a memory to make, but I also love to sit by the water with a good book and soak up the tranquility of the oceans song lulling against the sand. 

On our trip to Galveston this summer I made sure to soak up everything I love about the seaside, which really included me asking my dad to pull over by all the colorful beach houses to take pictures and then making my brother walk by all the old cottages on one of the main streets to snap more pictures. There always seems to be something simple about the seaside which is probably why I keep going back:)

I decided to go with simple and natural pastel vibes for our day exploring the island and settled on this vintage dress I inherited from my grandmother. Since the day consisted of walking in the sun I finished off my look with my summer boater hat, comfortable walking sandals, my brown woven leather purse, and well tinted black sunglasses. 

Are you a fan of the seaside?

-Madison