Die Pfirsiche

^^ Is probably the one word in German that I will never be able to pronounce.
And that's saying something since I'm the girl who can now say
"Shiftfahrtskapitänskajutentürklinkenputzmittelverschlussöffner"
THAT word means something like the cleaner for the door handle of the captain's quarters on the ship.

"Pfirsiche" means peach.

Besides ridiculous German words. Why do you think I'm so educated in the language now? Perhaps because a few days ago I came back from my AWESOME TRIP TO GERMANY!
woot.
Needless to say I loved it. I fell in love with the country and with the people.
I was only there for a little over two weeks, but it felt like I was there for a month.
It was crazy and hard teaching the kids and being there for them when there was a language barrier. But even if some didn't know much English, there were always those around who did and who could help translate.
I also relied on intonations and situations quite a bit. I could tell what someone was saying based on what was going on and how they said it. It was actually quite funny when I reacted to something like that because then they all stopped and stared at me and said "you understand what we say?"

Maybe I should tell this story in order......
Okay. So.
I drove up with the lovely Amber to LA and met up with parts of the team the day before we flew out of LAX. Met Christine at the airport the next day and, after a slight scramble to find her passport that ended up being in her wonderful bf's car, we were off!
The day it took to get there felt like a million years, and the next week we spent at the E-camp (English camp) in the beautiful East German country side by an amazing lake while being completely surrounded by German forests filled with birch trees.
It was difficult being thrown into a group of about 50 German kids all at different levels of English  comprehension, and being given the responsibility of teaching them English, a bible study, and getting them to just talk to you all while living and eating with them 24 hours a day.
It was difficult at first because of my shyness and inability to be able to strike up a conversation.  But soon I was able to just get them excited and talking to me just by asking them to teach me some German. After that I got to know them well enough to talk and hang out with them.

It was an amazing week. There were so many things that God taught me the entire time. He gave me confidence and talent to get up in front of everyone and play and sing my uke not only for my English class, not only for the girls in my room, but for the entire camp, AND the church service the last Sunday we were there in front of the whole Guben congregation.
I've been told I have a beautiful voice and that people are mesmerized when I sing and play. I still don't get it. I hate hearing myself sing. But It's something that I am unable to go a day without doing.

It was difficult to say goodbye to everyone when camp was over, even though turns out we ended up spending the second week with a good chunk of them. There were still some people that we didn't see again, like Börni. He became like one of the team. Crazy, German, and loved by Brandon. That about sums it up. He became a pert of our little American family, and we all miss him.
There were two girls that I got very close to while at camp. LeJo and Thea. They were both in the room that Amber and I were in at camp, and we ended up staying in their amazingly fairy home after.

I keep talking about after camp, I should just tell you.
After two crazy days of running around Berlin, seeing the sights (some of them several times). We went down to Königs Westerhausen to hang out and do church work with some of the kids from camp. When we got there we were told it was better if we just stayed there instead of taking the train from Berlin every day, so we were all set up with homes that we could go and stay in. Ian, Brandon, Alysha, and Christine all went to stay at Viktoria's house (who is a complete sweetheart and only 16, even though I though she was 19 the entire time), and Amber and I went to stay with Thea and Leonie.
We had an amazing week there, hanging out with the kids every day, going to the beach with them, doing prayer walks, and the last day we were there we all went to the Pergamon Museum and then to the other side of Berlin to a church BBQ.
The Pergamon was awesome, and heartbreaking at the same time. Our group got split up so it turned into a museum trip that had us trying to find the other half of people as we tried to keep our half together at the same time. 
But I know I'll be going back to Berlin someday.
I'll be back to Germany, for sure.
Most of us are already counting on going back to the camp next year.
So I'm going to be studying German like crazy this year on top of my schooling.

Also, Germany is the MOST inspiring place ever for an artist. If you're creative in any way. I'm going to tell you right now.
Go.To.Germany.
the forests that are broken up with sudden fields of sunflowers or wheat. the houses that all look like they were ripped from a story book. I swear I even saw Rapunzel's tower rising above the rolling tree tops right outside of Guben.

I'm excited to see what comes of my art after all of this. Also what happens with my relationships with other people, especially since I've grown incredibly closer to the 5 other people I traveled with these past 2 weeks.

That was an incredibly jumbled review of my trip. It doesn't even come close to describing everything. I'll never be able to fully tell people what happened.
We were kings and queens in a wonderous land. Now we're just kids again.
I'm going to miss Narnia.
But I'll come back. No need to say goodbye

-Brenna Kathleen

Bowties Are Cool

I have to admit. I did not like the 11th Doctor at first. Granted this was before series 5 had started, and it was the episode where David Tennant left, and I was a puddle.
I missed the converse, the glasses that made him look cleva', and the new one is trying to coin the catchphrase "Geronimo."
BUT! now that series 5 has ended. I love him. He's quirky and the man can rock a bowtie...

 

He's setting a trend! 

One that I think is one of the best trends to come along in a while. 

Now I've made two out of scraps I've had lying around, have been strictly told several times 

that I'm only borrowing my dad's little red clip-on, and found a sweet skinny black clip on for 96 cents at a thrift store. 

I think I look rather dandy with my bowler hat and sweater+bowtie combo

 

I've only made a couple on a whim,  but I really like the simplicity of a process that has rather dapper and quirky results. In fact, I've been thinking of opening an etsy shop. 

It started with looking for cute bloomers.

 

Weird, I know. But I was thinking about wearing skirts while riding a bike, and how to solve the awkward "flowy fabric in the breeze is the only thing between me and extreme immodesty." And I thought, bloomers!

Too bad a quick search for them resulted in only three categories:

1. Weird vampy sexy lace-up bloomers
2. Plain white Ren Faire replicas
3. Perfect cute bloomers with pretty lace and bows.... for children.

 

So I thought about making bloomers for classy ladies who go for a cycle ride now and then (in fact, I think I still might, so no one out there snatch my idea. I'm a poor private college student who needs the profit for things like exacto-knives and shampoo). 

Then I made the bowties, and I was hooked. Or rather, "clipped." Haha. Get it?

Ehh....

So now I'm thinking over starting a little business. I would take this semester off to plan, sketch ideas, get some things made and ready to sell, and of course get school work done. Then after creation preparation and the actual creation part I would set up shop and try to keep it going in the midst of school insanity.

At least it would be flexible.

Oh.... remember what I said about not posting again until I'm back from Germany?

I lied... or rather didn't know that sudden bow tie inspiration and adoration would hit me later on in the same night.

I'm not going to make any promises this time.

-Brenna Kathleen

Outfit Post Brought To You By My Blurry Mac Camera

Since I'm home I've lost my most amazing photographer (and best friend and roommate) Jojo, who is working her little Lois Lane tushy off back home in Minnesota.

Also since I'm home, I've been hitting the thrift stores and been putting together outfits like crazy! It's why I love breaks. I don't have to worry about people staring at me and asking me why I'm so dressed up. And I don't feel like I'm parading around in the classroom or cafe. I'm just chillen' around Coronado or going to get last-minute travel items from Target with my Mom.

This outfit came together after I found an amazing striped top at a thrift store recently. There's been  a stripe bug going round the blogger circuit, and I'm afraid I've caught it.
This look is inspired by two of my favorite blogs  Lulu Letty and A Thought is The Blossom.
The two lovely ladies of these blogs always have the best looks, and they all look so comfy!

I don't have the best of legs to wear the cute high-waisted shorts that would complement the look better, and my modesty wont allow me to feel comfortable in shorts that go above my knee. But enough excuses. The pictures don't even show my whole body...

I was excited to be able to wear this great necklace from DearBeatrice.

One that I actually won in a contest at A Thought is A Blossom!

The bag is a new thrift find as well. It's weird. really weird. And that's why I had to have it. I'm pretty sure someone stitched that creepy cat and flower border by hand. I love the quirk and individuality of it!

Only one weekend separates me from Germany!! I'm driving up with a few of my teammates to Orange County on Monday, and then we'll be leaving Tuesday!!
My flight schedule says that we fly from LAX to Heathrow and spend about 3 hours until we catch our next plane to Berlin.
3 hours in England. The country I've dreamed about and waited to visit my whole life! ... and I can't leave the airport.

But that's alright. I'll be back. You can count on that :]

Besides, I'm going to GERMANY!! I'm not the type of person who gets excited about things. I am excited, but I'm a pretty reserved person. Things don't really make me show excitement unless it's like I'm there with someone I haven't seen in a while and means a lot to me, or Disney's new World of Color show (made me misty eyed that one did, and it wasn't mist from the 40ft. wall of water in front of me).
I'm sure I'll be excited when I get there.

I also don't really like airports. So the dreading of that could possibly be blocking the excitement at the moment.

I'll most likely update again when I get back, if the jet lag and almost instant work schedule doesn't completely overpower me.

-Brenna Kathleen