Amanda Rose Zampelli | the blog

september : currently

• trying to catch up on Project Life, Happy Planner™ spreads, blog posts, etc.
• sticking gold & white mambiSTICKS all over the inside cover of my third (!!!) 6x8 album
• drinking Cafe Bustello coffee from my pink 'crazy cat lady mug'
• posting about his & hers coffee on Instagram
• pushing myself at the gym...even on Saturdays!
• sitting next to John on the train to NYC to see The Tonight Show w/ Jimmy Fallon
• missing Jimmy because we showed up too late
• hunting for a couple of dresses for a Baptism and a wedding coming up
• obsessing over this video, this couple, this dress, this dancing, and THIS SONG (!!!)
• distancing myself from a toxic friendship
• staring at my workspace shelving with more ideas running through my head than time to execute them
• preparing for my first LADIES CRAFT NIGHT
• dancing Bachata on Sundays with John <3 <3 <3
• wanting to dance Bachata everyday (not kidding)
• loading my sister's things into my mom's car b/c drama drama drama
• commuting back and forth to my mom's with my two kitty boops
• seeing a mouse run under my dishwasher (!!!)
• thinking about a Halloween costume
• thanking God for the blessings that have come my way these past few months
• looking forward to October's bunch of parties

recent pins // SEPT 2015

sources // 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9

These are some pinned images I've recently added to my Pinterest account. To look at them collectively, you can tell what mood I'm in and where my brain's been at. This month I am finding myself looking ahead to the next three and the holidays & celebrations they bring.

I've been pinning autumn things and patterns. I've been thinking about crafts & painting & sharing my creativity with friends around my new dining room table.  I've been cooking in my new kitchen and thinking about meals to makes. I've been wondering where to hang shelves and put potted plants and framed art. Also, navy dresses in the cooler weather. Contented, satisfying happy, simple things. Cats. Always loads of cats. Hope your September's been lovely, and it's more than halfway over...

Any particular thing(s) recently inspiring you?

snippets / august 2015

 

• the ladies at Mike's MMA Fight Night
• the night my new apartment first felt like home
• an evening jog with mustangs
• "Life is short, buy the (JLo) shoes."
• James & Sandra's upstate pool party with John
• Saturday afternoon cocktail, bowl of popcorn, new tray from sis, and my DIY Coasters
• new office space in the apartment
• finished my six DIY chairs (!!!)
• tables are for glasses, not asses, Alejandro

a bit about snippets:

Blogger Manda Townsend posts snippets of her life every now and then, and after reading her ode to snippets post back in January 2014, I commented that I would join her in 'snippetting'. :)  

I posted snippets of my month on the last day of every month in 2014, and I'm back doing the same for 2015 (see Jan & Feb & Mar & Apr & May & June & July). 

See 2014 snippets of Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec.

pineapple tea light holder DIY

Hi, lovie! Just popping in today to tell you that I shared some images and a little backstory of this sweet pineapple tea light holder DIY over at my website: amandarosezampelli.com Click on over to read it, if you like, and thanks so much for visiting here and there and anywhere I might be. I have lots of ideas and stories and crafts and fun things I want to share, and am slowly but surely working them in on the new site. I'll be sure to let you know when they all come together! <3 <3 

Have a great day!

august : currently

• loving that my new apartment is starting to feel like 'home' 
• sticking a 'HOME SWET HOME' jumbo me & my big ideas sticker on my bathroom mirror
• reading 'The Alchemist'
• writing about a year ago when I left for Texas (!!!)
• pushing myself at the gym...even on Saturdays!
• building an IKEA shelving unit with my mom
• buying the (JLo) shoes b/c life is short & sister had a $15 off coupon
• needing to finish just two more of my DIY dining chairs
• goaling to revamp the blog & REALLY 'comeback' to the routine of it all
• feeling overwhelmed by all the craft projects I need to catch up on (EEK!)
• questioning a friendship
• protecting my peace ...like Jaime says
• Skyping with John while he's away in El Salvador
• DVRing Fear The Walking Dead so John can watch it when he gets back
• thinking about Fall is going to be like with him
• jogging with Mustangs
• decorating with pineapples 
• thanking God for the blessings that have come my way these past few months
• looking forward to September's Amy Schumer show and Bachata classes (!!!)

One year ago today, I left for Texas.

One year ago today, I left for Texas. Many of my family and friends did not understand this journey, or the need for it, or judged it to be wrong or excessive or 'unlike' me or good for me or whatever they thought. I've come to learn that people will judge the decisions you make for yourself no matter what the decision is, especially people who love & care for you. Anyway, one year ago today, I left, and I still remember everything I was feeling sitting in that airport with one kitty in a duffle bag on my right shoulder, and the other kitty in a duffle bag on my left. I felt utterly consumed by uncomfort & anxiety & sadness & fear, but like it was EXACTLY what I needed to do. 

This morning, I finished reading "The Alchemist" - a book which talks about journeys and omens and realizing your Personal Legend - and (I won't spoil the ending) what a fitting book to finish on the one-year anniversary of the day I set off on MY journey to settle my heart. I've learned that sometimes life calls for you to venture off in the completely wrong and excessively opposite direction in order to get to the right direction for yourself, which -- ironically -- is usually exactly where you started. However the journey NEEDS to be taken because the knowledge you acquire from the wrong & excessive journey is what was missing at your original starting point. heart emoticon

This is what my journey to Texas and back did for me. This is what my journey in & out of teaching did for me. Each one of these "failures" was really a jolt to a greater success for myself. Looking back at this past year, almost everything was an omen - from people I met to things I wanted to try - and only when I was still & genuinely going through something uncomfortable & unknown did I intuitively feel a resounding 'YES!' about a decision I should make. 

I always say 'life is hard', but I've learned life is funny, too. ...when you don't try to distract yourself away from the hard stuff (and in this day and age there are SOOOOOOO many distractions), when you allow yourself to go through life's struggles & uncertainty, and you try to take lessons from them and acquire new knowledge about yourself and aim to get better and be better, LIFE WILL MAKE YOU BETTER. Life will give you the great things truly meant for you. 

I am a living testament to that. I don't think it was luck. I think one year ago today, sitting in that airport with both my kitties - feeling sacred & alone - that today's blessings were already destined. I had to be patient, I had to scout out the omens, and I had to go through it to get through it. I am so incredibly grateful for and happy about where I currently am, who I'm currently with, and what I'm currently doing with my days... but I'm here to say the struggle came first. Many struggles came first, and I'm sure more struggles will come, but today I am so grateful. I want to hold the hand of that version of myself from year ago and whisper in her ear "You got this. Just wait. Things are going to get really good."

I'm BACK!! What I've been up to & plans moving forward

"...and now HERE I AM. My work, home, and love life are good. I am flabbergasted and grateful and in awe of every single little piece of it. For the first time EVER in my life EVER I don't feel like I'm spinning out of control. For the first time EVER in my life EVER I feel like I'm still, facing the right direction, and standing with the right people. I am where I belong and who I belong there with. I set out at the beginning of this year with the phrase "Good Things are Going to Happen" and they've been happening, and I hope they continue to happen."

head over to my website to read the full blog post:
http://www.amandarosezampelli.com/blog/imback-summer2015

recent pins // JUNE 2015

sources // 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9

These are some pinned images I've recently added to my Pinterest account. To look at them collectively, you can tell what mood I'm in and where my brain's been at. This might be my favorite recent pins post to date. So much happy, so much pink, so much to look forward to.

I've been continuing to feel excited yet calm, and am still in awe of the timeliness that everything's falling into place (knock on wood). It still strikes me as nothing short of a miracle. I've been pinning summer things and patterns. I've been pinning clear dining chairs and pink neon lights. Speaking of pink...EVERYTHING pink. It's my love color. It's my fervent 'dreams come true' color.  Also, my new boyfriend's birthday is next month, so you best believe I'm brainstorming now. (All the hearts and 'sweet on him' giggles.) So BOOM. June. Let the beat roll on...

Any particular thing(s) recently inspiring you?

june : currently

• walking around barefoot in my new apartment for the first time
• dreaming up where furniture will go
• playing around with Paint Paper Studio app created by my friend, Olya Schmidt
• meeting his parents and family (!!!)
• wanting to learn how to dance Bachata
• visiting the me & my BIG ideas office in California for the third time
• hopping on the hotel treadmill at 5:30 in the morning (who does that?!) 
• listening to Romeo Santos's "Propuesta Indecente" on loop 
• attending my friend Natalie's Baby Shower
• eating cherries
• strolling the mall by myself on a Friday night and having THE MOST FUN
• buying high-waisted cotton shorts from H&M and...
• choosing a paint color
• cooking a meatloaf dinner for him
• bringing leftovers for him & his buddy the next day
• thinking about his birthday next month
• trying to catch up on craft projects
• planning to return to this blog/website/online identity of mine with focus and vigor
• thanking God for the blessings that have come my way these past few months
• crying watching this A Fault in Our Stars scene,  like OMG
• saying "I 'heart' you"
• meaning it

Project Life 2015 // april

Hey, everybody! A new blog post of the April pages in my 2015 Project Life album is up on amandarosezampelli.com today! Click >> HERE << to check it out!

(Side note: I've been a busy busy bee, and have a lot to catch up on with work and projects. Not to mention a new apartment and new boyfriend, so life's been happily hectic. :) I goal in these coming months to handle my blog business, get more specific in the content I create, and hopefully grow with you all on this space and the website. Stay tuned!)