I can't believe I forgot it was Monday. This is technically 0:09 on Tuesday in Copenhagen but it's not in my heart or at home. So I will give you this last minute picture. I went on a photo adventure with a new friend, Helgaard, and one of his friends, Quinten. We just walked the main street in Copenhagen so I wasn't completely inspired but that doesn't always stop me. I did turn out with this fellow. And I think he's quite adorable! Plus I got to spend time with some pretty cool people.  

Win.

Also, you should check out Hello Fresco. After this find, I think I've found some new favorite tshirts.

Super win.

I'm finally getting to share my London pictures! The trip was super fun. I went with Erica, a friend I met in Copenhagen. She lives in London but was studying here for the fall term. When she went home, I decided to follow her. Her family let me stay with them and let me tell you, they were really, really enjoyable. Her parents were very nice and made me feel comfortable. And her sisters? They were full of noise.. I mean JOY! Haha! But seriously, they were great. I got to see Erica in a different role and have a different personality than I had before. I could tell she loves her family and they love her just as much back. Being a part of the family for a long weekend was great. Shout out and thanks to them! 

The trip was full of bus-hopping, eating, running around, taking pictures, and laughing. And here's the proof:

I had to take a break and talk about Tate Modern. If you're in London, GO!! Talk about heavy-hitters in the art world... and more, heavy-hitters to my heart: Warhol, Matisse, Picasso, Richter, Dali, Monet, Lichenstein, Laurens, J. Mitchell, and more. I didn't now what to expect when I went in, though when I got there, I saw the sign for Richter and knew it'd be a good collection. (And I didn't want to pay for the Richter exhibit, but they had some free parts. SCORE!) Walking the halls in Tate made my heart come alive. Places like that remind me why I need to be creating. Beauty.

It was a day of inspiration. The window displays at Harrods were amazing. I wanted to have them in my house. It was like an art installation. We also went to another shop where I got to see a mustard yellow Alexander McQueen dress. I almost passed out. Sometimes a dress like that makes me as happy as a Warhol.

As far as London goes, it was strange being back there. It was the first European city I visited when I was 18 and traveling with my high school. The whole time I couldn't help but think about how much my life has changed. I mean, I LIVE in Europe now. I thought about the friends that I went with, Cassi and Alicia. SUCH a great time. While we were in London (we later traveled to Paris and Madrid) there was a play starring Julia Stiles showing in a local theater and I was DYING to go. The review said it was intended for mature audiences for language.. but since I was 18 and stubborn, I argued that I should be able to go and that Cassi should be able to go as well. And, for some reason, the teachers let us. So, that night Cassi and I set out into London on our own. We got to see the play and even ended up seeing Julia Stiles on the street and met her, after I started screaming, "Julia! Julia!" and waving as if I knew her. (I was such a dork. If I were her, I would've kept walking.) Well, we ended up getting a bit lost and were probably down the wrong streets but with the combo of being raised in the South, being 18, and everyone speaking in that adorable British accent, I was oblivious to any risk of danger that we could've been in. Looking back, that night made my trip. There were certainly other great nights like filling the bathtub with balloons and getting a cake for Alicia's birthday in Madrid. But through all of it, I remember thinking about how badly I wanted to travel and live in different places. I wouldn't say my life is better or worse since then. I've just been through things and are surrounded by much different things. 

Though it's been a while, I wanted to get one post in before the years ends. By the by, does anyone know when they say the world's going to end? It's supposed to be 2012, right? I'd really like to get a last post in before that happens as well. I wonder what I'd write about... 

Anyway, 2011 has been one of the most exhausting years I've ever had. Straight up rollercoaster of emotions. I'd like to put it up there with my senior year of high school - and if you've stuck with me this long, you probably know how ridiculous that was. I sat down to think about what I was doing this time last year and here it is: I was living in Knoxville at the apartment on Central and, as of that night, I still lived with two of the greatest friends ever, Britta and Crystal. At the beginning of the night, I was at the Museum of Appalachia because Crystal and Luke were having their rehearsal dinner and after-party-shindig-deal. But by the time it was almost midnight, the three of us ladies were running up and down the stairs taking stuff inside the apartment. There were people all over the sidewalks and in bars and restaurants celebrating. Each time we'd come back up the stairs, we'd look at the clock to make sure we hadn't missed it. When it actually did turn midnight, we celebrated and yelled and Luke called Crystal and the guy I was dating called me. I cannot express how dear to me that night was. It was the last night that we were all roommates. I have to admit that I was bummed at the time to not be having that "magical midnight kiss" but looking back, I'm thankful it was just the three of us. You can't get memories like that back. That year someone told me that however you spent the time turning over at midnight to the next year, was how you wanted to spend that next year. To think about ALL that has happened from that night until now, I can't imagine what this next year will be like. I mean, I live in DENMARK so clearly those girls aren't my roommates anymore. I'm not dating that guy nor anyone else. And, honestly, I'm spending this New Year's Eve alone. Though that makes me want to say to heck with the idea of how you spend your night meaning ANYTHING, I can't. And here's why:

That night last year was a closing on a HUGE step in my life and in my faith. Living with Britta and Crystal taught me how to listen to God and make movements toward Him instead of always waiting for Him to come along and catch my attention. That night I was spending time thanking God for His will in my life. So this year here I am: single and in a new place and doing the same thing. I would've never guessed this is where I'd be. And if someone had told me, I probably would have tried to do anything to stop it from happening because sometimes, if we knew what God had planned, we'd run like crazy! But moving to Denmark was the best choice I could've made for myself right then. That is why I'm not sad about spending the night by myself. I need to. I need silence and I need to find value in the time spent between me and God. For my entire life, I've let outside factors give me value and worth. I can't do it anymore. It's too much.

I'm not even going to imagine what next year will be like. I will, however, seek God and without doubt, I'm sure I'll be amazed yet again at how He has moved in my life in just 365 days. I never want to stop being in awe of Him.

The card above was given to me and it has stuck around. Maybe it will stick for one of you also.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

"every morning upon awakening, I experience a supreme pleasure: that of being Salvador Dalí." - Dalí

When you start naming mustaches, there are a few that are named specifically for the man that wore it. The Chaplin, The Hitler, The Selleck, and The Dali are some of the ones that bring a very clear image of a mustache - and yes, all are preceded by "The." You gotta show some respect. 

Well, I love Salvador Dali not only for his art but for HIM. He had a personality that matched his work: bizarre and unforgettable. He was a surrealist which only leads to a mind that wonders in places not many have dared to go. He has two paintings that most are probably familiar with. The first being The Persistence of Memory which has been used as inspiration countless times. You can actually have pieces in your home that pay homage to it. The second is The Sacrament of the Last Supper which was done after his departure from Surrealism and into his classic period. If you know a little about Dali, those are the images you think about, but there is so much more, with works in just about every type of style and media. Google him. Wiki him. Watch the video of Adrian Brody* playing the part of Dalí in Midnight in Paris. He was a genius and even he himself said the he was immortal and would never die. It's true. He lives on any face that wears the stache.

*As a side note: Adrian Brody? Incredible. If he had a famous stache, I'd be all about making an entire post about him. I've got a major, MAJOR crush on the man... and he doesn't even have scruff.

Since I've been sick, I haven't gotten into taking pictures of Danish style. So for this week, I figured I'd share how I've been coping with not having and heat-stylers. My hair naturally has a slight wave to it but sometimes I just want more! How can a girl get some ring curls?! Well, I googled and youtubed and tried a few different ways. I've found the one that works best for me. The best part? It's super easy and fast. And if done right, you can wear it out as a hairstyle while it dries. Just shower in the morning and stick a bow or pin on the band and go! Sounds great to me.

Side note: I left my bangs out on purpose because they tend to do the "Farrah" without any outside help. You can try it however you'd like. If you have any questions, just ask me. I tried to make it easy to understand.

Hope this was helpful!

It doesn't sounds as fun as Happy Fall, Y'all but that would seem weird to say now that it's over. Most of the fall colors and leaves are gone here in Denmark, and I'm assuming they are in Tennessee as well. I'm happy to say that Fall here delightfully surprised me. It had beautiful shades of warm colors and crisp sweater-begging temperatures. I got to celebrate Halloween and Thanksgiving, neither of which are common here... one for clearly a good reason. But, now that it's over, I've been unmotivated to get out and about. The high temps are in the upper 40's and it gets dark at 4:00pm. It's made me sick for the past week or so and I'm really lame when I don't feel good. However... I tried to find the bright side of all this. I've still been going and doing stuff with friends and pretending that my head didn't feel like it would explode at any moment. :) Want to know what I've learned from being sick?

Here are the top things:

Honey is addictive.
     I'm not sure on the rational idea of this but all I want is HONEY. First I was just putting it in tea, like normal people. Then I went with the harmless homemade honey latte. Next I just straight up put it in hot water. Who needs another flavor, right? Right? Yesterday I put it on my toast. This morning I put it in my oatmeal. I'm really not sure what's next. I'm thinking now if it's okay to put on a sandwich or hotdog. (Okay maybe not really but I'm seriously wondering what's next.) In my defense, it's delicious honey. The grandmother of the kids makes it.. which means we have endless supply. Crap. 

Carry something to drink with you at all times.
     I can't count the number of awkward places and times that I've been caught in a coughing fit and didn't have something to cure it. Last week I spent a 30 minutes train ride home coughing like crazy. At that point, people are looking at you like you just gave terminal cancer. Sorry, sir, you can't catch that from a cough. (Side note: If he finds out later that he can, I really am sorry.) So shove it. It's even more awkward when you're cooking of handling food. Yesterday I was baking Christmas cookies with the family and Pernille's mom and kept coughing. In those moments, you want to explain that you're not really sick.. it's just that you still have this cough that won't go away but, really, everything is fine. But stopping to get a drink of water and washing your hands obsessively doesn't give the impression that's true.

Biking at night might actually be the issue.
     To get to the train station, biking is so much easier and makes leaving a few minutes later SO worth it. If you leave late and have decided to walk but end up having to run to catch the next train, you look ridiculous. If you chose the bike, biking faster just makes you look like you're in a hurry and could make it. But without fail, the bike ride home always stinks. The air at night is so cold and damp. It's like breathing icicles. I'm usually bundled in lots of layers but how many can you really have on your face? There are times when I weigh the pros and cons of biking or riding. Biking is faster and you'll be home sooner, thus being in the cold for a shorter time but you breathe heavier which hurts. Walking you can take your time and breathe correctly and save your throat but then you're on the cold for a lot longer and then the rest of you gets cold. It's a battle I constantly argue. The bike has always won. I don't know why I still think about. I certainly don't want to walk back to the station in the morning for no other reason to but to get the bike.

Running is a lot harder.
       This probably could've been put under the last one but it needed to be stated separately. I went for a run yesterday.. and it didn't go so well. I barely went the same distance I normally do and walked for half of it. It hurt. It felt like I didn't even know how. I didn't want to lift my feet or bend my knees. I couldn't even give myself a pep talk. It was pathetic. The worst part? I was sore today. SO lame. I'm going to keep trying to build it back up. Endurance... woo.

I'm not a part of the mom's club.
        This one doesn't have anything to do with being sick, just came to the conclusion during that time. So while the 1yr old was sick, I'd take him for a walk around the block to take a nap. I know that sounds horrible because of the cold weather, but the Danes are fully prepared. The boy gets to sleep in a magical cocoon in a carriage. He is so wrapped up that he stays warm for hours. I secretly want one for my hammock to take naps in the backyard. ANYWAY.. on these walks, I see some other moms, and in some cases dads, out for a walk as well. In my Southern habits, I say hello and smile.. and I get nothing. One time a dad looked so disgusted that I questioned whether or not I had somehow asked him something inappropriate. I still can't figure out if they just aren't friendly or maybe my slight hello is going to somehow wake up their precious baby. Or maybe even if they secretly hate American au pairs. I mean, how could they even know that I am? It's crazy how paranoid I get about all this but I do. Is it that hard to say hello back? Maybe even a grin? You could even just nod? I'm just so used to the states where the mom's club applies to ANYONE who has a kids or is even near a kid at some point. People will talk about kids for hours after just meeting someone in the checkout line because they saw a certain pack of diapers and wondered if they liked that one better than the other brand which brings on topics that can even lead as far as how to raise a teenager. I'm serious. I've seen it happen and if you're in the mom's club, you've either done it or been subjected to it. All I know at this point is that the Danish mom's club is exclusive. And don't say hello.


Okay so now that you've stuck around to (maybe) reading all that, I'm gonna share my holiday pictures.

First up is halloween. I know I shared a bit about it before but here's the whole story: The Danes don't really celebrate Halloween. Sure it's just now hitting the kid scene over here, but it's still not the same. And most over the age of 12 don't care enough to dress up or carve a pumpkin. Who doesn't love carving a pumpkin? I think I'll be doing it along with my kids when they are doing it with their kids. I hope to never grow out of my desire to be creative and that slides over to having a costume. In knowledge of how things go here, I decided to spread some of my love for the day. I made some chocolate bat treats and carved some pumpkins with them. The kids went out trick-or-treating and had fun. Overall, I think it was a success.

Thanksgiving: The family that I stay with, Pernille and Søren, are friends with Lotte and Claus who have an au pair named Rebecca, who is also American. Well, to make us feel at home, Rebecca's family invited us all over to their house for Thanksgiving dinner, the first for them EVER. Alex, a Canadian au apir also came. It has to be said - Rebecca is an incredible cook. She made everything from scratch. No Stove Top here, kids. Her grandma would be proud. (Her gramdma actually called after dinner to see how everything went. Adorable.) It was even her first time cooking a turkey. Apparently, if you cook it upside down until almost done then turn it over, it lets all the juices go to the breasts and then will still let it brown and get crispy. Genius. Though I'm not much of a cooking from scratch kind of gal, I made bread from scratch from the dinner, with help from Pernille. :) It turned out okay. I'll do better next time. What I did have to offer was my craftiness. In loads of it. I decided to go for the infamous hand-turkey and feather headbands. We didn't have feathers so I opted for nature! We gathered leaves and sticks from outside and taped everything on. There also might've been some glitter glue in there. :) It took a bit of enthusiasm but the kiddos finally got into it. It was a lot of fun and turned out pretty cute. Anyway, the holiday family atmosphere was certainly there. Kids were running around, a baby puked everywhere, red wine was spilt, and we sat around talking after dinner to wait to eat seconds. I was so thankful to have a family away from home. I definitely missed my family at home though. There was no one calling for Sissy or a Nana asking if you've had a third plate yet or even any famous Aunt D's brownies. Change is okay but I think I'll have to make up for it the next time I'm home for Thanksgiving. Oh, I was able to Skype with my family on the real Thanksgiving. It was awesome. And how I'd imagine it to be if I was there. Definite Musgrave family. Love them.

OH! Geeze. i almost forgot the best moment of the night for me. It was only one of the awkward ones, but it certainly stuck out. So Rebecca was cooking the gizzards to make gravy (I didn't even know people did that.) and kept trying to get Alex and I to look at it. Me, being quite squeamish, wouldn't do it. That kind of stuff really grosses me out. Well, after dinner I was helping wash dishes and I stuck my hand into the water to get the silverware out when... I GRABBED THE FREAKIN TURKEY HEART WITH MY BARE HAND!! I can still feel it. Blah. I threw it back in and almost gagged/did that whole laughing-it-off-while-slightly-terrified-thing. Scarred for life. And I don't think the family takes me as seriously anymore. Oh well. That's how I roll.

See you tomorrow! For this week's Wardrobe Wednesday, I'm gonna post how to have ring-curls without using heat.

When one kids gets sick.. the rest follow. For the past two weeks, someone has been home sick just about every day. I hopped on the end of the train and haven't felt like doing much the past week. I've made myself go out and be social, which I think had led me to not getting better, but I haven't spent much time online. Now I'm back in action!

First up: Can I have this shirt, please?! Though I'm not sure about how it's be on a girl.. maybe a mustache wearing guy could just wear it around me?

Next: I've known about this song for a while.. and I love it. it makes me happy on rainy days.

Well, that's all for today. It was a quick one. Tomorrow I'm posting about my Fall holidays here in Denmark! Check back!

The Danes have style. And lots of it. It's one of the first things I noticed. Girls can be seen in black leggings, chunky sweaters, oversized jackets, skinny miniskirts, boots, Converses, slouchy trousers, and the-perfect-messy-hair-bun all in varying shades of neutrals but somehow keeping their own style. Guys are just as knowledgable. They have basics that make them sound like old men but can keep it young and fun in person, for example: fitted pants, button downs, cardigans, blazers, and nice shoes, which can be subbed in for Converses effortlessly. The things is, written, this all seems a bit boring, but it isn't at all. Sure sometimes I've had enough of seeing a slicked back ponytail on a girl wearing the same dress as me from H&M but then again, she probably isn't even Danish. A friend was telling me that H&M has to cater to the Danish market differently than the American one. In Denmark, they have to promote items as separates and ideas as opposed to the US where clothes are presented as outfits so there is less personal choice. I can actually see that as being true, though not an absolute.

So where does that put me? In an effort to show you what I mean, week by week I'll be choosing a piece of clothing that I feel like is a "key basic" in Danish style and will show you the different ways it could be worn. Hecks, I might even try some of them out myself. Some weeks I'm sure I'll throw in some other stuff, just be ready. I'm actually kind of excited about the mission I've given myself and will be using my best creeper camera moves. Get ready, Copenhagen! 

For this week, I'm going to give you and overview. (Mainly because I didn't think of this until I started typing.) So here are some pictures I found online at H&M, Copenhagen StreetStyle, and The Locals. (NONE of them are mine.)

So just to let you know what I'm swooning over today, I found this at H&M. I can't read anything on the page but I can read Versace. I'm assuming Versace is designing for H&M and I NEED this dress. Check it. Those are little studs all over it. (And as you can tell, Denmark hasn't taken away my love of color.)

See you soon!

Good morning! I can't believe a week went by already. It's been an eventful one for sure! It's made me leave my beloved milk for a dark cup o' Italian Roast.

On Thursday, I was talking to some friends and I just mentioned that I get weirded out about having a blog. Sometimes I think, "Why am I assuming people WANT to read what I have to say? And, if so, what do people actually WANT to read about?" I don't like thinking like that. One of the girls told me to not write for others but for me. It makes sense. I mean, I can tell when I'm posting for me or for you. It's a thin line for me, though. When I'm going through the day and I get an idea, I first ask if someone would like it. I wonder if someone would care. But when I really want to say something or talk about what's on my heart, I get nervous. It hits deeper than if someone would like it. I start getting nervous about how people will judge me. It's internal then. I now am at the front of my blog and not behind a funny or artsy picture. I think about how it will come across to my friends or if it will have an effect on them. So, usually, I tend to stay safe and post a bit about my day. Don't get me wrong, I like sharing my days with people, sometimes I just want to put a little meaning behind it.

Where does that bring us? I'm hoping to find that out. I'll be posting my thoughts and where I've come to. I'm going to post the things that are on my mind. I'm thinking people will want to read those more anyway. I think today is a good start. I like mustaches, coffee, and oreos. Sometimes, but not always, in that order.

In case you were wondering, the mug was handmade by my wonderful and talented friend, Erika Chidester. She's the bomb. AND she humors my obsessions, even better.

Are you really that surprised? As mush as I love facial hair, I thought someone else might also!

To start it off, meet the mascot! He doesn't have a name.. yet! Email me or comment below and tell me your clever suggestions. He is the product of my need to finish projects. It happens all the time around here... the kiddos and I will be doing a creative project and then an hour later, they're sitting on the couch and I'm still at the kitchen table making sure the details are right. Well, I think it worked out this time. When I had finished my regular lion, I decided me needed more character. But what gives a lion more character? A beard. I think he looks distinguished.

oh, and yes, a beard is included in Mustache Mondays because a beard withOUT a mustache is lame.

Now, one of the reasons I know Copenhagen is a good second home for me, I saw the poster below in the city one day, and guess what caught my eye? The mustache. Honestly. (I might have issues.) I then noticed the half-naked guy wearing a mustache. Could it be that someone was campaigning for No-Shave-November? Well, I looked it up and found out that it was. And it gets better. It's an organization to raise awareness about men's health issues. It's called Movember. Check out the website. They took something that is fun and made it something that could actually be used. If you liked the month before, you'll like them more. If you didn't then you might appreciate the month a little more. If you're Leandra, you'll always hate it. (love you.) The men who participate are called Mo'Bros and the girls who support them are called Mo'Sistas. Sign me up. I'm a Mo'Sista.

Mustache Monday's Product of the Week: It's a mustache baking mold! Imagine the possibilities! 

Mustache of the Week: I couldn't decide on which one to start off so I picked a beard and a mustache. What? I can do what I want.