Amanda Rose Zampelli | the blog

Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Dad had talked about going to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden to see the Japanese cherry blossom trees since all the way back in February.  We thought the Cherry Blossom Festival was March 27 and 28th for a good while, but then understood it was April 27th and 28th.  

Well, yesterday was the 28th, and we went, and it was one of those great father + daughter day trips that dad surprises us with sometimes. (One back in Feb 2012.) 

The weather was fine, the plants were plentiful, and I truly realized that they heal me. I found a few favorites that will make up pots around my future home for sure.

I walked around and admired nature and thought of which plants my nana and grandma would like. When I went into the Bonsai Museum, I had to fight back tears. It made me think of him and when I bought him that Valentine's Day bonsai tree a few years back. I thought of him the whole day, actually.  I thought of how much he would've loved it, and how awesome it would be if I came with his mother and father, too.  I even imagined visiting with our potential kid, and setting up picnic blankets, and asking friends with their families to join us.  Why does my brain go there?

It was a lovely Sunday morning. I will be going back, although I don't know when.  I'm grateful for this past weekend, and not so ready to start a new week, but here we go.

God bless & enjoy your Monday, all!

OUT TO SEW // 3

With my APRIL one little word {MAKE} quest to MAKE A KINOMO-STYLE ROBE in my mind, I set out yesterday for the third Saturday sewing class out of four at Sew Right.  It should have been my fourth class, but last week Pat - our teacher - was sick.  

I plan to come to you every Sunday after and give a little post about what I wore and the experience and etc.

I wore: The same few items I wore to dinner with the girls the night before.  Whoops! (Nobody knew.)  I wore my new magnificent palazzo pants. (A full outfit post must be dedicated to them soon.  They are FABulous!) I layered on top: an Old Navy tank under a butter yellow short-sleeve shirt; red polka-dot cardigan over it; my jean jacket over that.  Accessories were open-toe sandals...the ones worn here / Amy Tangerine's Limited Edition Tote bag / sewing machine.  I twisted my knotty head o'hair in a big ol' cinnamon bun.

The experience: was anticipated and content. What I mean by that is the experience no longer garnered the feeling of anxiety that comes with new adventures like the last two classes had.  I no longer felt pressure to be 15 minutes early, alone in the first seat, sitting up straight with my hands folded in front of me when everybody walked in.

I would have rode my new Biria if I didn't feel this garsh darn sinus cold coming on again.  I thought I shouldn't exert myself, so I drove.  I also had to bring the sewing machine, and there is no way I could have biked with it.

Our tiny class of eight worked on deciphering the sewing instructions yesterday.  Pat showed us a straight stitch, a zigzag stitch, and how to know when to use both.  I saw how to 'load' a bobbin; I saw how to thread a sewing machine; I found out there's a little toothpick-like device that picks out stitching if you've messed up (only had to use it once). 

Hot damn, I sewed for the first time!

etc:  I sewed alright! I sewed my first imperfect pockets! I sewed those pockets on to the front of the garment!  I folded, pressed, and stiched belt loops...and sewed them to the garmet!  I even sewed the two front pieces to the back!

I was so grateful for this project yesterday, and now more than two weeks ago: I'm so excited for the end product.  

While time with friends yap-yap-yapping (like Friday) was much needed to flush out of my system all the bull- that's been going on in my brain, the perfect compliment to that was yesterday's sewing class.  I got the negative floating around out of my system, and was able to relax and meditate through the hum of the sewing machine.  Solely me, teaching myself with Pat's guidance, in my world, focused on a series of steps, creating, making mistakes...it was a bit of magic. 

I shall come to you next week with...gasp!...the final product!

As always, thanks for reading!

>> OUT TO SEW // 2

>> OUT TO SEW // 1

an April Friday night w/ the girls

My two friends, Elisa and Nat (seen here in this karaoke post) and I spent our second Friday in a row together last night to celebrate the end of the damned New York State testing baloney.  (All three of us are teachers.) We clanked wine glasses, and chanted "two more months"!

We talked about everything you see above, and that hummus was delicious.  I found out we've all been having 'a week' and for each of us, last night was needed.

I found out over dinner last night that a few months ago my boyfriend called my friend Elisa and talked to her for 3+ hours about me. ? ?  It kind of ticked me off because a lot of the things he said to her, I wish he had told me.  Things I needed to hear from him, she knew, but I didn't.  ? ?
I also found out a misunderstanding we had back in November 2012...NOVEMBER!...could have been avoided or mended if he had told me what he planned.  He never did that day, back in November.  I found out from my friend yesterday...ummm...5 MONTHS LATER...that he had planned something for us that never happened because of the miscommunication and misunderstanding that happened on that November night.  ? ? I don't know.  

Doesn't make sense to me, but whatever. I cried, but only after Elisa cried. Nat disclosed that she hasn't 'thought' so much in her life.  Elisa and I welcomed her to 'the club' so to speak: the Over-Analyzers Not-So-Anonymous.

Our night winded down back at Elisa's place, and right before we left, us three were cozy under blankets on Elisa's couches.

I'm so grateful for these girls.

Over dinner, that's one big thing we talked about:
learning to be more in the moment,
and grateful for the good in everyday.

I'm grateful I have only a mild hangover this morning. ;)

Hope you all enjoy your Saturday.

what a week

What a week!  Really, the past two weeks...

Between my crazy sentimental heart breaking into a million pieces, coming home last Monday to bombings in Boston, the stress of the New York Statewide Tests this and last week, weird sleep patterns, dreaming about him, my principal pressuring me about next year even though I know I'm not coming back, the possibility of an unwanted pregnancy (not me) really close to home, one of my students calling my other student's late dad a fat ass, a teacher in my school's husband had a stroke...I know we must all be trying to keep calm and...oh, what's that saying?  

Instead we're all a bit sad, stressed, and freaking out.  I know I am.

My upcoming weekend should help me a bit.  Tonight I'm with my girls Elisa & Natalie again like last week. Tomorrow: it's back to sew class and I finally get to hop on the sewing machine.
Sunday: a morning trip with dad & sis to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden to see the spring blossoms should be Awesome McAwesome. Plants have been healing for me this year.

I try to count my blessings everyday...and if nothing else, I'm going to do what I can to point my mood in the same direction I pointed my iPhone for these photos: UP.
I'm hoping the same for you.

Happy Friday.
Have a lovely weekend!

It's a mere 10 days away...

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Sister and I have called and tried and tried and called and tried to obtain Late Night with Jimmy Fallon tickets for the longest time, and next Friday, May 3rd, we are GOING!

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It's a mere 10 days away, people, and I hope something AMAZING happens like Jimmy leans himself right in front of me and I'm singing "BALLS IN YOUR MOUTH" to his cheek! Gah!

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Let's get through this Wednesday.

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their third.

To my two baby loves -- 

I am inifinitly grateful for your love in my life.
I am so happy I'm your mama.

Yes, I am a big sap.

Happiest 3rd Birthday.

xOxO,

your Mama 

P.S. -- After thought later on in the day:
My two babies are 3 years old!  What am I going to do when they're 18 and they're driving! ;)

PL 2013 |week 16|

Where yesterday's |week 15| spread took me all of last week to complete, today's |week 16| spread was printed, layed out, and embellished all yesterday morning.  

The first card I made for the spread was that Boston one.  I can't believe the week Boston's had.  This insert is my way to say "we are with you."

LOTS of digital journalling for |Week 16|.

...mainly because it was the week of terribly missing him, of emotional ups and downs...

One definite 'up' was my lucky thrift store dress find on Sunday afternoon! Yay!

My love affair with magnolias began.

I printed the pics and words from this post.

The right side of the spread:

My 'Week in Review' was switched up to a 4x4 card:

...and I pulled some colors from the eraser pic to coordinate.

Some images and words from my black&blue MAXi post made the top of the page.

Two images from my Friday & Saturday night out with the girls, drinking, eating, looking presentable was included. Both nights were a great change from my normal boring weekend nights of straight to bed.

The bottom portion of the spread was a homage to the freakin' tests my students took this week.

Their 'YOU CAN DO IT' pencils I passed out to each of them...

...and the 'TESTING SUCKS' insert.  It so does.

That's all for this spread.

I can't believe it's Monday.
Only eight more Mondays after this one of school left.
Let's do it! 

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For more of my past Project Life spreads, go HERE.

For more on Project Life itself, go HERE.

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PL 2013 |week 15|

|Week 15| of 2013...with it came the first FULL WEEK back from Spring Break, and the need for escape.  Starting that first temperate spring Monday, my sister and I set off on our walk/jog/run trail and it was on!

The weather got warmer Tuesday, and even warmer still on Wednesday! It was just what |week 15| needed...that launch into springtime, and the open invitation for sandals & anklets! 

My [ shoe shot ] stamp is the perfect compliment to all those pics of this season's hottest sandals. Get yours here.

Wednesday, I broke out my sparkly Target sandals.  I love 'em love 'em.

On the other side of my [ shoe shots ] is my OUT TO SEW // 2 pics.

The right side are some randoms from the week: the 'Get Well Soon' frame I made for one of our classroom buddies that was in the hospital for over a week, Mom's 55th Birthday card, my sister turning into a walker, the happy accident that was my usual strawberry-banana smoothie without the strawberries (SO GOOD!), our classroom garden's first sprout (yay!), the happy yellow birdhouse spied up in a tree, and of course...my Week in Review.

Oh, my Week in Review...I keep finding new ways to present it...and it's morphed since that first 3x4 insert I created back in |week 8|.  Above, I took a 12:4 portion of one of my recent instagram shots and floated the 'week in review' over that.  

...and you know what's so FUN?!?! I can think back to when I took that shot, and spent a minute or two editing it with apps, and never would I have known what it would become. Look at it now!  It's an awesome awesome backdrop for |week 15|'s 'Week in Review'...who knew?! So fun! 

Alright, lovies, thanks for visiting.
Thanks for viewing, as always.

I'm coming to you tomorrow with |week 16|'s spread,
and I (again) switched up how I did the 'Week in Review'.

Stay tuned for that. :)

If you want to see a little sneak of my |week 16| click HERE.

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For more of my past Project Life spreads, go HERE.

For more on Project Life itself, go HERE.

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 ♥

black&blue MAXi skirt , black&blue sentimental HEART

01 Sentimental Heart

You know when you bang yourself hard you think, "Well THAT'S gonna bruise", and then a day or two goes by, you forget about it, but when you accidentally hit the same spot again the pain is like WHOA?!?!  That's kind of been my week.  

The incident in Boston on Monday, having to put my students through testing, missing the boy (real bad, as mentioned in this post), weird boughts of sudden awake-ness at 1 and 2 in morning...

...it has all effected me and my sentimental heart.

To combat it a bit, Thursday night I cleaned my room, cleaned the craftroom, took the garbage out, gave myself a gold mani/pedi, took the flat iron to my messy mane, and goaled to wear my new black&blue maxi skirt the next day.  

It was a well played strategy, as the skirt lifted my spirits all day long...was like a silent buddy.

It ended up beng an okay teacher-Friday.  I went on an early dinner date with dad.  We visited the new Dollar Tree that opened up after that.  Later on, I changed my denim shirt to a black long-sleeve one, and met Elisa and Natalie for a girls' night of crazy teacher shenanigans at K.Pacho.

♥ The day fleshed out to be the perfect medicine to treat my overly sentimental heart. ♥

Have a happy...

STEAL Magnolias

Since the Monday sister shenanigans that occurred last week on our walk/jog/run trail, every day that's felt like spring, my sister and I have gotten out to scale our neighborhood.

...and every time we have, we've seen more and more beauty blossoming in these magnolia trees.

The color, coupled with the blue sky...it's definitely pulling my inner color dial that spins wildly with the changing of seasons, trying to land on a go-to palette for the next few weeks/months.

The blues, pinks, and purples have already inspired a bunch of my recet instagram images, as you can see above.  My favorite part is this is not even a conscious decision.  The magnolia trees have no doubt left an impression, and effected me more so this year than any year before.

I think it has a lot to do with the break-up (1, 2, & 3).  I'm doing really well in a lot of ways, but am truly broken in very unobvious ways.  Things that normally wouldn't bother me, have lately.  I've gotten incredibly emotional after hours of strength.  I'll be ecstatic that it's spring one minute, then be flooded with one of our many spring memories, and need to stop and catch my breath the next. People around me talking to me, not talking to me, about him, about work, about their love problems...I physically can't seem to take any of it lately.  My sleeps's been off.  Dreams of him. Time feels frozen.

But everyday we walk...and every time I past these magnolia trees, I feel lifted.  All the struggles I've been going through in missing him, in being alone - -truly a palpable loneliness- - for those brief traveling moments walking under the magnolia tree, I am at peace.

I'm truly grateful for their presence in my life this year.

I had made up my mind that I wanted to steal a couple of magnolias.

At the end of our walk yesterday, that's what I did:

God bless.

Happy Thursday.

Thanks for visiting.