Home for the Holidays

Hello! I'm home!! YAY!!!

My agenda since I've been home...Hugged my parents, slept, talked at church with my mom, slept, died my hair blond, slept, went to the RFKC camp Christmas party, drove to Moscow, slept, saw all my friends at Theta, slept, slept, applied for jobs, slept, and applied for my new visa (everyone pray). So let's just say I slept a lot :) When I finally went to bed after I got home it was 8:30 am on my body clock so it's taken some getting changed over :).

Leaving London was an adventure from having to clean my roommates three week old fungus infested dishes, to taking out their 20 bags of trash they so graciously left me, to running (literally) with Jita to Primark to buy a zebra print suitcase so she could bring everything home that I couldn't fit. It was quite the sight...Jita and I sprinting down the road with this suitcase catching air behind us. But it was all worth it b/c we ran into the Vitamin Water van and Jita ran up and asked if he had inside what was printed on the outside...he ended up giving us each one of every flavor for free :). So we energized ourselves and ran up and finished packing Jita with all the stuff that wouldn't fit in my suitcase. :) We then proceeded to take the tube to Heathrow, Emelie and Jita were so sweet and came with me. Only the problem was that we had by now drank at least 5 of the vitamin water between the three of us and were stuck on the tube for 40 mins....with no Loo... So we realize we are on the tube to the wrong terminal and jump off and have to wait for 20 mins while these two adorable old men entertained themselves by watching us chuck all our belongings off onto the platform and fling ourselves out as the doors shut behind us. So we finally get to Heathrow and Jita finds a loo at the platform. So we go to check in and I'm pretty sure my bags are over...so Jita walks up with me and does her little charming act of telling the man about how she just loves this new terminal b/c it has a loo and is going on and on about the loo in terminal 5. Meanwhile he is weighing my bags, putting on the tags, and shipping them off with out a second glance...This girl really works magic lol. Only Jita could keep the ticket counter distracted by talking about the Loo! :) So then once again Jita worked her magic and helped me sneak an extra carry-on on the plane by hiding my backpack from the lady checking my ticket. :) So I said my farewells and was off. I took a bus to my plane and lugged my stuff up the steps and snuggled into my AISLE seat, watched the Duchess, and was off to America. But of course it didn't go that smoothly...look at who we are talking about. Of course I was the only person on the plane whose dinner was forgotten. And when they apologized and asked if their was anything they could do...I froze and didn't have the guts to ask to be upgraded...I needed Jita. lol So then we touch down and I go to recheck in my bags at Southwest. Of course I don't have Jita to distract them...I find I still need to have a few courses of the act of distraction. She asked me to place my first bag which I think is heaviest. So I but my big blue duffel. It's 6lbs under! So off it goes, my next one is 7 lbs over...so I ask her to bring the other bag back. She tells me no it was at full weight I argue and say it was only 46 lbs. so annoyed she brings it back I start moving stuff into it when I realize I must have grabbed Jita's trainers instead of mine b/c these shoes are too big to be mine and then I see all this hiking gear...OMG not my bag...I have some smelly boys bag! Thanks goodness I made her bring that bag back... So then I run to British Airways and try to explain to this rude Korean lady what has happened. She gives me this lecture that makes me feel really stupid, and calls about my bag. It turns out that the bag I picked up (which is identical to mine) happened to be a bag that was shipped w/o a passenger so luckily no one else had picked up my bag...what a God thing. So then I was back up to southwest and weighing my bag that was 9 lbs over...so here I am with three carry-ons and 16 lbs extra...and a mean ticket lady that won't go for the "I'm a student moving home from college and this is my entire life in two bags...will you give me a little break?" And then she didn't get why I wouldn't just pay the extra $20 to get extra weight. I was determined to show my dad that I could get home with in my luggage allowance. So I took one of the clear bags filled with compressed clothes, emptied it, filled it with heavy stuff and strapped another 16 lbs to my carry-ons. I snuck through security, boarded the plane, had them put my one of my carry-ons below in the belly of the plane, and I'm proud to say I got off the plane hugged my parents, went to baggage claim and for the price of two normal weight bags...I picked up three! :) It was great. So I am official a flight con artist :) lol. But even though it was a bit bumpy I made it home in one piece and was sooooooooo excited to see my family. So now I have to find job...uggg

Well I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and I will look forward to posting new adventures next year about London part 2! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

XX (they don't have O's in the UK b/c they don't hug....only kisses)

-KL

(Look I'm blonde!) :)

I'M FINISHED!!! Here's the end of the semester and Paris...

I know I probably win the worst blogger of the month award, but if anyone out there hasn't given up on me...here's everything you've all been missing :).

So I'll start today and work backwards...backwards usually works best for me :)

One word can only describe how I feel at the moment...exhausted. Classes finished today and I have slept a total of three nights out of the last 7 days...so you should feel honored I am cutting into my nap time to write you...

I finished my corset...I'm not sure my figures will recover...or stop bleeding...I guess beauty really is pain.


Ok sorry I didn't last... I went ice skating and then fell asleep...but I'm back. Thanksgiving was good...I ate Domino's pizza and spaghetti. I spent the day working on Costumes for a pantomime theatre for Peter Pan. One of my profs asked Cailin and I to come in and help her, so we went to her house and made animal costumes. I left covered in fur but had a fun day. :) (Who knew there was a pink Monkey in Peter Pan..there was..)

Then I headed to Connect Group for church with Jita and Lauren. It was a lot of fun and good to finally meet people from church my own age. Crazy small world too because I met a girl that goes to WSU and even attended Resonate (my church at school). It was funny we couldn't believe we had sat next to each other the entire night in London and then found out we live 7 miles apart in the States! I really enjoyed being in fellowship again...I had missed it. So Thanksgiving Dinner at connect group was spaghetti and I brought some Thanksgiving decor, but it just wasn't quite the same as being home...:(

Then Friday we had graduation. I had to model my corset and display my draping work. I still can't believe the course is over. I've learned so much, grown and changed so much, and now it is over. A couple of my friends leave in the morning and it's sad to think I may never see them again...but thank goodness for facebook!
(My Final for Draping...it was inspired by an Artichoke)


I feel so behind on my blog that I can't even put any personality in it b/c I have so much to say and no time for the fun little stories :( So I'm sorry if this isn't quite as entertaining. Ok so the last few weeks have been great but so stressful...so much work. I felt as if nothing was expected all semester and then wham your entire grade is your final project, but you're out of the mode of working b/c nothing has been due...so I was a little upset and it was hard to get back in the swing of things...I did probably an entire semester's worth of work in 3 weeks. But I survived :). So now back to what you've all been asking for..PARIS!

It was freezing...rainy...gray...and all the buildings matched the sky...It was quite strange. But still beautiful in only a way that Paris could be in these conditions. I really want to go back and discover it myself...it was hard going with a group of 26 b/c we spent a lot of time waiting and moved really fast through everything. I couldn't just stop and look at things...it was as if everything was blurred. I did have fun in the evenings though when we had free time. Jita and I spent a lot of time at the Louvre and exploring cafes and other museums. I even went to Vespers at Notre Dame. It was beautiful...so incredible...I had never seen anything like it. Some other highlights were:

1. Forgetting my coat and umbrella one day and freezing until one of the girls bought a sweater and then had bought so much she couldn't carry it so she was nice enough to lend it to me. I looked real fab... a nortic sweater with my floral skirt...

2. Pretending to speak french.

3. Getting use to having no idea what people were saying and then being afraid they couldn't understand me when I ordered. It was the strangest thing to be back in England...for the longest time I got nervous before I ordered anything! :)

4. The Eiffel Tower...so amazing but too windy so the top was closed :( but it was beautiful and lit up like the European Union flag.

5. Crepes, Croque Monsieur and Croque Madame, and baguette with jambon et fromage...all day everyday...:)

6. And I developed a taste for wine as well...even the 3 euro Rose was yummy! lol

7. I learned all about perfume and learned how to identify the different ingredients in them...that was quite interesting.

8. I got to go to the top of the Louis Vuitton Headquarters. They have an art gallery up top and we had a private tour of it.

9. I got to see Marine, if only for an hour. We were suppose to meet up earlier but we missed each other :(. But she came over to our apt. and I was able to see her and take a picture :) Hopefully if I go back I can spend more time with her. She's hilarious and I miss her.

10. I went and saw Chanel's original shop!

So now I head home in a few days...I'm packing and getting ready for Idaho...I'm not sure if it's ready for me but we will find out! I'm so excited to see you all and get my hair cut...the water has trashed it. I'm going to eat my last fish and chips for the semester, do some last minute shopping, and then say goodbye to London for a little while...but don't worry I will be back...:)

Love you! -KL

I promise more is coming soon!

(In Denmark Feeding the Deer...I felt as if I was in Idaho)

Dear Friends...I haven't forgotten...I just have been so insanely busy since the moment I set foot on English soil again. I'll have all the news about Paris and being held at the boarder either this coming weekend or the Tuesday after...that is when my last main project is due I believe. Classes are going well I just have sooooooooooooooooo much homework...:( but I did get one of the highest grades in draping for our midterm assessment before break :)...She said I had the best pattern work and the only one with straight lines...:) Wish me luck and say a prayer I survive and find at least a little sleep this weekend...:) Also pray for my roommates...I live with someone ten times as messy as me...who new it was possible...and it's gotten to the point where you can't go in the living room b/c it is filled with her crap...I ended up cleaning it all up today...the Queen of Mess has officially been knocked off her throne...Thanks. Love you all.

Love KL

Denmark home of Danish butter cookies and legos...

Ok so I think I've found my new love...it's name is Denmark. I think it is the most amazing place I've ever been, so clam and peaceful and surreal. For those that don't know, I came to Denmark to visit my friend Lisa who is from Denmark but was an exchange student at my high school in Coeur d'Alene. Her family is absolutely amazing and has taken fabulous care of me. :) Her mother is an unbelievable cook and fixes the most amazing breakfast and dinner. Here is our meal schedule at an average day at their house:

9:00 Am- Breakfast- multiple options of Danishes (that's where they get their names from), rolls with at least 5 different types of cheese to choose from, Tom's choc. (so good), peanut butter (so we would feel more at home), then soft boiled eggs (so good), scrambled eggs, bacon, pancakes....and the list keeps going...

Lunch: eat out at a Danish restaurant (I ate smoked salmon for the first time...not by choice...it was in Danish so I didn't know what I was ordering...and I ended up with raw looking fish...but it wasn't that bad)

Dinner.....omg...yumm...anything ranging from Homemade gourmet pizza to veil to pig skin (sounds gross but once again proved itself) to homemade sweet cabbage.

Dessert...Danish Butter Cookies of course!

So now that we've all gained 10lbs from reading that... I've done so much I think I'll just go day by day...

Day one: We flew into Billund in the early evening and Lisa picked us up from the airport with a really cute sign...:) We then went home and had dinner with her family. Then She took us on a tour of the cookie factory! Yes as in my favorite cookie...Danish Butter cookies...Lisa use to work there so we were able to peak in a see how it works...

First you have to put on the gear...Hair hat, coat, and shoes...

Then the mix the dough choose the cookie shapes and press them out...Then they get sent into a giant and very long oven....

Then they come out and inspected and put sorted into cups...also all the accidents come out...notice the pile of cookies on the floor due to a jam in the machine...

Choc. Cookies....

Packaging

Ready to ship!

Jin and I getting away with some goods...we're not sure how we are going to fit them in our carry ons that can't weigh over 10lk...and they actually way them before you go through security now!

Day two we went to a prison! They built a new prison about 5 years ago so the old one was turned into a museum. So we went and toured it. It was originally built in the mid 1800s. It was huge! and all I can say is if anyone is thinking of going into a life of crime...go to Denmark to do it...

Reasons for becoming a Danish Criminal:

1.You can bring your own TV and decorations for your cell.

2.Your cell is an actual room with a real door.

3. You can paint your walls.

4. All the walls around the prison are painted in bright colors and patterns everywhere.

5. There's a store so you can go shopping with the money you make working.

6. When you have visitors there are actual rooms with couches you sit in...no glass screen.

7. Beautiful chapel inside.

8. Huge grounds to walk on and play soccer on.

Who's moving in?

After the prison we went and I had my first Danish hot dog...and all I can say is I now eat hot dogs...(so Theta's if you don't want anymore in your mailboxes we better have the cook switch brands and import from Denmark)...They are these really long red hot dogs in normal size buns then they have three different sauces and fried crunchy onions, fresh onions, and pickles. I now eat onions (only on these though...sorry potato salad makers...I will still pick them out).

Then on the way home we picked up some pumpkins and went home and carved away. Of course one of my zones came over me and I was left in the freezing cold by myself unaware that I couldn't feel my fingers. Everyone else was done and mocking me from the window. :) But they were beautiful and glowed so nicely...except the wind kept blowing them out and I said we should move them to the front porch and they kept avoiding my suggestion and finally Lisa told me that it was b/c it was embarrassing. I was extremely offended that my beautiful pumpkin was embarrassing! It turns out the danish aren't big on carving pumpkins and in the past when Connie, Lisa's mom, carved one the neighbors never let her live it down. But then they ended up out there in the end b/c it was the only place the wind didn't blow.

ps I'm back in London now and it's snowing!!!!!yay!!!

Day Three:

We went to the old town, a traditional danish town that has been preserved. It was so beautiful, it was in its of season so no one was there, so we had it to ourselves. I got hissed at by a goose and we sat in a carriage. We ate traditional danish pactries and disgusting licorice. They had some hats and shoes that were fun to look at also. It was very interesting and we took some really cute pictures. :)

We also went shopping before the old town. I thought I'd lost Lisa's earrings she bought...and in the process of looking for them Lisa set her coat down. We found that Jin was holding the earrings...but then we lost Lisa's coat. So we back tracked through the mall and all possessions were found luckily. :)

Day Four:

We went to Hans Christian Andersen's birth place. He came into the world in intense poverty; the seven room house held 5 families. He once had his fortune read when he was really young, she said he would be famous and come into great wealth...and well it came true. He was kind of an out cast in life though b/c he was really tall and tall wasn't in that season. He also had a really big nose and so he was called ugly...maybe his inspiration for the Ugly Duckling... He also really feared becoming insane like his grandfather b/c they had similar traits. His grandfather during his insanity hid away tons of money he earned over his life time and then died and told no one. When it was found it was all worthless b/c all the bills were dated before the great bankruptcy, so the family was put into poverty.

Then Lisa and her boyfriend's mom planned him a surprise party for his 25th birthday so we took him to it and met all his family and friends. I have to say I've never been in the kid who didn't speak the language...and well here I was. I found out afterwards that the reason they sang happy birthday in English was in Jin and I's honor...so sweet but the only words we understood all night :). I used my only two Danish words a lot that night...tak which is thank you and kuling which is chicken....luckily they all speak English, but only when talking directly at you...so they were probably talking about me and I had no idea...lol but it was a lot of fun. And we carved more pumpkins :)...then we went home and did facials :)

Day Five:

We went to LEGOLAND!!!! It was so fun! Even though it rained almost the entire day, it was a lot of fun. It was the last day the park was opened and since it was raining there were very few people so we walked onto every ride. It was great! I took tons of picture. Everything was built out of legos...imagine that, "so what's you job?" "Oh I build with legos all day, like yesterday I built a 10ft high Statue of Liberty." So awesome...I really picked the wrong major.

Day six:

It was our last day in Denmark :( and so we just had the morning and early afternoon. We went to this deer park where you can walk around and find deer and then feed them! So we brought raw spaghetti and went searching for the deer in this wonderland that should have been in Narnia. It was sooooooooooo surreal....it didn't look like it could be real it was so perfect. It was on the coast and surrounded by HUGE Aspen the size of big Idaho pine trees, and then these wild deer would come and eat out of your hand. Then as we hiked back to the car it started to rain and our feet where covered in mud. It rains a lot there...

We jumped on the plane and were off to London...I'm home now and am heading to Paris early in the morning! It was and amazing trip and really hope to go back soon. Also since I will be moving there you can all come too....:) Lisa and her family were sooooooooo amazing and really made me feel at home. So it helped my get over my homesickness. :) Ok well I'm off to pack for Paris. xx

LoVe YoU aLl!

-KAT

I'm sorry I'm a busy Homework Mess...

ok I'm really sorry I haven't written...I keep meaning to and then I get distracted...big surprise I know. :) Ok so I'll start off with my help the homeless progress...I GOT USED BY TWO HOMELESS PEOPLE! These are the people that give homeless people a bad name. I had a lady comes up to me and asks if I had anything to give her. I had just bought muffins to give out so I said yes, would you like a muffin? and she looked at me like I was scum and said sure I guess. Then as I reached into my bag to grab one she says to me, "do you have anything else instead, like money?" And I said no sorry, so she grabbed the muffin out of my hand a walked off to ask the person behind me. Then I didn't realize she had a friend with her behind her. So her friend comes up and puts out her hand and looks at me with a "give me one" look. It was the strangest experience...I kind of went numb and was speechless and was like a robot as I handed away muffins...there were no grateful smiles or thank yous...it was almost an inconvenience to them that I had wasted their time giving them a muffin. So I went and prayed and then the sermon at church the next day was on how we can't serve until we let God serve us first...ex we can't go out and do his works with an empty heart...so God and I talked it out and then I was back on track with my muffin giving on the way home. :)

Ok so now for a more entertaining story...So my friend Jita was over at my apt hanging out and we realized it was past when the tubes close so she would have to ride the bus, but the bus is in a scary location so I didn't want her to walk by herself so I went home with her. We stopped by KFC b/c we realized we hadn't eaten and went in and got some popcorn chicken. By this time it's almost 2am. We are about to leave when this guy comes up and grabs a chair and sits down next to us, then his friend does the same, but he is like leaning up against me and putting his head on my shoulder. Can I just say I have no idea who these boys are or where they came from and neither does Jita...they just popped up. Jita was talking to one of them about art while I kept having to peel this guys arm from around my shoulder and keep placing it in his lap. Jita wasn't paying attention to to what was happening to me across the table and kept missing my looks of LETS LEAVE! I finally caught her eye and we said we had to go. I once again peel his arm off me and say I have to go and he asks why? and I say b/c I don't know you. and he says why? and I say BECAUSE I JUST MET YOU! so then he confesses his love to us and Jita draws him a little heart in the air and we walk out. It was so strange. PS they were so drunk...their eyes were bright red. I don't know if it was a cultural thing (the put your arm around some random girl you meet in KFC)...my guy was from Estonia (Jita's was from Sweden) but really creepy. Mom don't freak out...remember I took self defense and plus the chicken man has a little crush on Jita and would have come out and fried them if he thought we were in danger... It was really funny after we laughed the entire way home, and came up with a code word for we need to leave...she had no idea my side of the table was happening. Oh and I almost forgot the worst part! I don't know if all of you have seen the Left Behind movies (yes the ones with the horrid acting), but the guy who plays Nicoli Carpathia aka the Anti-Christ...this Estonian guy look just like him! And in the book isn't he from some country like Estonia??!! I was freaking out...I was like omg the anti-Christ is touching me!!! It was quite a night.

Anyways...I've recovered. And now been drown with homework and learning french in a week...we'll see how that works out. I am excited though. I learned how to render with markers! So neat and I learned some new water color techniques. So that has been fun to play around with. You all might be getting artwork for Christmas....

Well today Jita and I bribed the security guards to not be mad at us (we came out late after the school was closed) with food. We gave them an apple and banana with a note that said thanks your the best! Love, the girls that break the rules. We were getting a very rude mean lecture about coming down 10 mins late, and then we plopped our gift down and they giggled and said they guessed it was ok, and to have a nice night...they were still laughing as we walked out. See kindness/acknowledgement can go a long way. They had been really nice and let us stay in the lab even though we didn't have three people...and then we were late...so we weren't on their best side, but our note fixed everything! :)

So I leave for Denmark on Wednesday!!! I'm so excited! and then I get back Monday and then leave for Paris on Wednesday. So it should be fun, I'm excited. I'm going to see my friend Lisa who was an exchange student at my high school and then over to see Marine who was an exchange student that lived with us. I guess it's go see foreign exchange students week. :) I've missed them a lot so it should be fun. OK well I have got to get to bed. I'll post pics soon. Love you!

<3 KL

Orange maybe my favorite color....but that doesn't not mean I like everything that abuses it's name....

So I just got back from class...they served us beer and we watched Clockwork Orange...the strangest experience of my life. All I have to say it no matter how much alcohol they could have fed us...it never would be enough to make that movie any less disturbing. I think I'll have nightmares...I don't recommend it. Did you know that when it came out the producer actually pulled it from theaters in 1973 because the youth violence level in Britain became so high as a result?! So crazy.

It just wasn't a great day...it started late...as usual...so I had to get ready in 10 mins to catch the tube in time, then I stayed after draping class to work on my assignment and got in one of my "zones" and didn't head home till I realized it was 4:45. So after 7 and 1/2 hours of draping...I run home and up to my room, only to realize....I forgot my keys and all my roommates had left for the movie. So here I am with two huge bags of fabric and supplies about to be late for the movie that is down town in 30 mins. Luckily our doors have about a 2 ft. entry way so I could kind of hide my stuff against the wall and go to class and pray no one would steal my scissors... Then only to go and have to sit through this disgusting movie...oh and then come home to an apt. that looked like a hurricane hit...one of my roommates had a project due today...it was so messy...it even bothered me! The queen of mess! So that was about all that happened today...oh except I forgot...I did something I've never done before. I bought my first Coca Cola... The girl that hasn't drank pop in 4 years! I swear it must have coke in it here still. All I had was a sip of my friend's the other day to wash something down and I couldn't get it out of my mind! So I bought a can today. Of course afterwards I felt sick, but seriously where did this come from?! I hate pop, especially Coke! Well it won't be happening again :) lol

Here are some pictures of some of the shoes I had to drape for my footwear design class. We were given a last (shoe form) and had to drape 20 different "looks" that incorporated our theme. My theme is stones.

And here are some of the things I draped to day. (As you can see we didn't have access to an iron today...and the reason the cowl neck doesn't have armholes...I was being resourceful and reusing my fabric...reduce, reuse, recycle!) Bias cut dress skirt with Bow bodice, Side view of cowl neck, and front view of cowl neck.

I'd like to thank all of you who read this...b/c it would be extremely lame to write this for no one. :) Hope you all enjoy it! Night All. LOVE, KL

Fruit vs. Muffins....

Sorry I actually would have posted earlier....but my computer hates me and likes to freeze at least every half hour. :) Oh technology.

Sunday I fed my first homeless person! After I wrote last time I put a banana in my purse when I left in the morning for class and was determined to give it to someone by the end of the day...it didn't work so well...I left too early so none were out, then was in too nice of a part of town all day, and then by the time I got home it was too late and they had all disbursed...plus my beautiful banana had turned rather brown from being bumped around all day...and who wants an ugly banana? So the next day I switched to apples...and the same thing happened!!! No one...So then on the way to church on Sunday I saw about 15 and declared that we were not allowed to go home until we had fed someone. So on the way home we stopped by the grocery store and purchased some choc. muffins (I felt God was telling me that healthy wasn't the way...sorry Estrella...I'll try the apples again tomorrow) and as we walked we kept looking and there was no one...here I was walking down the street w/ this beautiful choc. muffin and no one to give it to. So I prayed and then she appeared, a sweet middle aged Muslim woman dressed head to foot in a black veil. I got all these butterflies and turned to my friend Dianna and was like, "What do I say?? Have a muffin?" her response was to try,"Are you hungry?"...needless to say I settled on a smile. She had her hand out as she sat and I walked up and did a little do you want this dance and she smiled and slightly nodded, so I tentatively put it in her hand, smiled, and scurried off. After I realized she didn't chuck it back at me (another reason I'm not sure apples would be a good choice...they would hurt) I realized how great that was. One down...millions to go... After we walked away, Dianna decided she was going to start doing it too. Then when I came home and announced that I had actually done it to my roommates (they thought I'd chicken out and I that I was just joking) Lora, a girl from next door, got really excited and wants to help me cook dinner for them. :) So who knows...maybe we'll turn into a feeding the homeless fashion group and call ourselves Fashion Feeders (well maybe something a little cooler...).

OMG before all this, this crazy guy came up to me on the street when I was on my way to church! He was rambling and I couldn't understand him and I tried to ignore him b/c he was making me super uncomfortable (standing in my bubble)...and then he said something about serial killers (after he helped me not be hit my a crazy taxi, something about the taxi almost killing me must have triggered something in his mind) and I was like who's a serial killer?!!! (I thought he told me he was one) and he goes I love serial killers, Ted Bundy is my favorite! So I said the prayer...GOD, I'M TOO YOUNG TO DIE! and thank goodness I had convinced my friends to go with me to church and they were able to rescue me from being murdered!!! so crazy...CREEPY!!!! It must be something about the intersection...it must make people go crazy...it's the same one where the lady that talks to pigeons all day is. Oh London...

Well I have to head to bed...I'm exhausted...I was up till 4:30 am tacking my corset for 8 and 1/2 hours...now I understand why girls in factories during the 1800s use to loose their sight by age 15...SLAVE LABOR...oh the pains of fashion...my eyes are still blood shot. Ok well I'm off to draping in the morning and then to some cultural movie in the evening.

oh and will everyone please pray that all the complications I'm having with my VISA for my internship next semester will go away and unstress my mother and I? Thanks.

ok lots of love!

-KAT!

London, India...

So for the last year I've bee milling over questions of what God's will for my life is, and how fashion design can be incorporated, and how I can justify spending thousands of dollars to move to London to go to fashion school when there are starving children in India and Africa that need my love and attention.

Did you know that there are 1.6 billion people in India. 24 million of those people live in Mumbai (that's twice as many people than London). 300,000 of them are street children, that by the age of 7-9 are addicted to drugs and by 14-15 their lives are so screwed up that they are pretty much over. I learned all this at church on Sunday when a man Hillsong sponsors in India spoke. It really hit me hard as he told stories about some of the people they had helped get off the streets. I realized that all those people that I walk by everyday begging have a story...a reason why they are there on the street. In India you are usually born into poverty and can't get out, but in London they can get out. So I've decided to help them. This was all revealed to me as I was walking home from dinner one day with my friends and then the next day when I was church and it all kind of came together in my mind. It actually started about a week ago when I was walking to the tube by Marks and Spenser's. There was this cute little old man sitting on the ground outside the store. I really wanted to just go sit next to him and talk and find out his story, but I was running late as usually and had to make sure I caught my train so I just kept walking. He was on my mind on and off all week, then Saturday night on my way home from having pizza with friends I ran into a girl about 14. She came up to me begging for money for food. I was so shocked b/c I was talking and not paying attention and I didn't see her approach, that I got all weird inside and flustered and said sorry no I didn't (all I had were cards on me b/c I'd changed purses and left my change in the other one) and walked really fast. She followed me and so we hurried away. I could not stop thinking about her (I mean why is someone so young begging for food...she has her entire life in front of her) and we were standing on the corner by where I live and talking and saying bye to our friend that had come. I was looking down and realized I had 1/2 a pizza in my hands. I really wanted to run back and give it to her but she was gone. I had been so consumed on what I couldn't give her that I didn't realize what I could give her. It bothered me all night. Then at church as I listened to him speak I realized I could help India. I live on Edgware road aka India capital of London...all the homeless people around where I live are Indian also. I was walking home that night after church and the same girl came up to me again. I didn't have anything at all this time, but I decided next time I would. So I think I'm going to feed the homeless on my road. Jita said she'll come help me b/c she's done it before and it can get a little ugly. Once she bought a woman a sandwich and the lady threw it back at her and called her some rude things...so some only want ur money but others really do appreciate it. So I think I'm going to cook some veggies and divide them into baggies and then go hand them out (need to keep it nutritious), maybe get to know some of them. So we'll see...but I feel that God has really put that on my heart and may become my mission while here in London. Operation Kat feeding the homeless...

:) Well that's all I can type out right now. I'm sooooooo tired. So miss you all and love you! xoxo

Love KL

The lesson of why Thimbles are a good investment...

So my fingers almost bled today from basting...It was like being in a sweatshop...not really but it could have been! I never want to hand baste stitch anything ever again...except my homework is to baste all the seams and boning lines on my 30 piece corset. Well actually it is only 10 but it's three layers so you have to do all three. It took me 4 hours to do the first 10 in class today...and that was without taking the 30 min break to go get breakfast she gave us! (I guess that makes up for my sore finger tips...we get coffee breaks in all my classes...) But all I can say is my corset might have some blood shed, but it will be stunning I guarantee! I love my teacher. She is sooooo sweet and absolutely amazing. By the end I'll be able to produce a 1860s full boned corset that fits me! Very exciting...something I design that I can actually wear!

Tonight I had drawing and Illustration...we first drew a model...I kept having to start over b/c I have a problem with drawing too big...no matter how hard I try I always try and draw full scale and a 5'7" person does not fit on a 3ft drawing board... Then we drew only the outline of the model with our left hand and without lifting our charcoal...it was actually better than the one I spent an hour on...as my teacher says...it shows true line and movement...it speaks louder than our previous pieces...or something like that. Then we drew the outline of people with our nose touching our boards so we couldn't see what we were doing, then with each hand doing each side at the same time in two different colors of chalk, then we drew in the dark, and all of these were the ones where your charcoal never comes off the page, a continuous line... It was very entertaining and I actually learned a lot! :)

Ok well I have to endure draping class tomorrow at 9 am (aka I have to leave my apt at 8:00am to catch the tube on time) so I better be off to bed...hope you all enjoyed a little peak at my classes. :) loves.

<3 KL

Skip down...

you have to skip down a blog to read my latest...it posted from when I started it not when I finished it...

I'm an awful blogger I know!

(museum of natrual history)

So sorry about the delays...my Internet forecast has been a bit cloudy and it's been a bit chilly sitting on the floor in the hallway to reach the Internet...

Anyways or should I say anyway (like the English...my friend Jita loves trying out her American accent around us and that was her word of the day yesterday...) I have some really exciting stuff to tell but I'll post it later b/c it's like a week old and 1/2 written in a saved draft I never finished...

So Classes...they are great! I love them. My corsetry class is going to be phenomenal. We are making an original 1860's corset....with 36 pieces of boning in it! a lot of work but it will be gorgeous! My draping classes is really neat too. This week we worked on draping collars (or colors as I swear she calls them lol). We started on peter pan ones and then she made us drape one that was our favorite from the clippings we had brought in. It was neat b/c she didn't give us instruction on the second one, b/c she wanted us to be creative and try and figure out how to make our own ideas on our own. Then my shoe design class. We are working on a theme for our line this week and drawing lasts (the form that gives the basic shape to your shoe) so we can understand the proportion of the shoe. It's nothing like you'd think, fyi... And then I LOVE my drawing and Illustration class. It's really going to help me develop my own style of design and drawing... it's very free not a lot of life drawing. Then my mandatory classes are exciting. One we have a different speaker every week form the fashion industry, so that has been REALLY interesting. Then the other one is going to museums, we went to the Barbican last week and I'm just getting ready to leave for the Vand A. Then I have EIP which is learning about the History of London mixed with today's London and we go on really long walks around the city...last week we went to Parliament and around there. And by the end of the semester I am going to have more 'inspiration' books that I will never run out of inspiration...it's just crazy...:)

Sorry I can't tell more at the moment but I'll try to post all about my adventure this weekend. Miss and love you all! xoxo

-KAT (me at the museum of natural history...)

OMG...NO WILL BELIEVE WHO I MET TODAY!!!

ok so it was like a week and 1/2 ago...I'm just a really bad blogger with lots of saved drafts...anyways

Viktor and Rolf...as in the Dutch Designers...I know sooooooo exciting right? I went to their exhibition at the Barbican for my European Cultural History class on Friday and my roommate notices in the small print on the back of the pamphlet that it said they were going to be at the Barbican speaking the weekend of London Fashion Week...aka the next day! We asked about tickets and it was sold out, but they said if we came early we could check for any tickets that were returned. There were 8 so we bought 4 and called 2 of our friends and made them jump on the tube and come. It was so AMAZING! The beginning was kind of boring. All these people read papers they had wrote on them. One guy was relating their work to Plato...I just kept looking at Viktor and Rolf and kept wondering what was going through their heads...I'm pretty sure they were not thinking about Plato when they designed that dress. After intermission it was the interview with Viktor and Rolf...and you didn't have to sit in your assigned seat...meaning I got to sit in the third row and listen to them at eye level...it was amazing. Did you know that their boutique in the Netherlands in completely upside down? Literally the ceiling is the floor...the archways have cushions on them to make them benches. It is great! Afterward they were so kind and signed every one's programs. They signed my sketch book and my program. They were getting ready to leave and we asked for a picture with them. Their PR agent said no they needed to leave to catch their plane...and Viktor (well I think it was Viktor...they do everything together...they sign their name Viktor and Rolf not just one or the other...) leans over and says "Ve can do one picture." So we all jumped in and did the runway face they always do at the end of all their shows. It was great. I think they thought we where stalking them b/c we kept walking into them after we got off the elevator and then followed them out the front doors...and then I just had to take one more picture...so I have them getting in the car and then we waved frantically as they sped off to the airport. What a day. It was more like what a weekend.

The night before we went to an art exhibition where my friend Jin and I's work was displayed in a Gallery in the east end aka the art side of town. So now I've been published on a wall in London and had my photo with 2 famous designers! The exhibition was called Cinderella flash. We tried on really expensive dresses and took pictures. The idea is to take the photo ourselves with it over our face so there is a flash over our face. No one knows who it is, all they see is a beautiful gown on a beautiful, ordinary, everyday girl. It was really fun to shoot. A little intense and scary but we got through it! :)

So I think that catches everyone one up on all the exciting events that have happened. Oh I almost forgot. Jita and I went to some of the open houses in Westminster last week like the Banquet Room. On the way home we were having a photo shoot trying to find the pose that makes our legs look longest (yes we are just cool like that). We were posing by this statue by a Parliament building. There was a two foot wall edging this beautiful lawn...I thought it needed some life on if...it looked lonely. So I told Jita to jump over onto it and I would take her picture. So she did and then she runs back and says your turn! SO naturally I jump over and roll on it. All of a sudden we look up and the security guards are running over to us so I jump up and back over. They go back to their little security box and we are looking at the pics and they are all blurry so Jita says you have to do it again! So I scope it out and when they are looking the other direction I do it again. By now we have a crowd that are dying laughing, and know we are not suppose to be doing this. We are laughing really hard by now and I'm rolling around when all of a sudden Jita goes "RUN!"...we didn't see the guards at the other end...oops! They chased us down the street but we lost them and I don't think I have ever laughed that hard in my life. It was great...maybe a little illegal, but that perfect green grass needed some love. :) So that is all my adventures for now. I'm off to bed. Night! Love you all.

<3 KL

(Tower Bridge)

Pictures...

Some pictures...

OK so from top right to bottom left...Me at the Vogue House...Liberty, the oldest department store, amazing inside, the architecture is to die for...Carnaby St...Soho...Me at Harrods (notice the really cute shoes...they have strawberries on the toes)...Harrods chocolate, to die for, and their samples are whole pieces...Deepti and Me trying on lipstick in Harrods...MY 1st GOURMET DINNER!!! I made it my self, stuffed peppers and tomatoes...and then Church, Hillsong style (I finally got in)...

Ok sorry I haven't been keeping up...we have big Internet problems and on top of that my computer kept freezing b/c of all the photos I've been downloading, but I'm here! So I can't remember what I did Saturday or else I'd tell you, so I'll start with Sunday. My roommate Emelie, classmate Deepti, and I went to Harrods! It was even more amazing than I thought. Absolutely stunning...they literally sell everything. From Chanel to Diamonds to salmon to vegetables...it was kind of strange, they had a grocery store in it...I guess rich people get their apple's from Harrods? We walked around and looked at 9,000 GBP ostrich Prada bags and Jimmy Choos. I bought some chocolate and we had lunch there. It was amazing...and very reasonably priced. Afterwards the went to Harry Nichols and I rode the tube for the first time by myself...I came out alive and with all my belongings. I rode the tube to church. I went an hour and 20 mins early...so as not to have a repeat of last week. I met some really sweet people. They are sooooooooo friendly there and just walk right up to you and introduce you to people they think have the same interests as you etc. it was amazing...very homey feeling for a church of 10,000+. I sat next to a guy from Wales; he and his girlfriend had just moved back to Wales form Brazil. He works in a Christian Circus and now is going to seminary. They were very sweet and nice, and very interesting to talk to. The service was incredible. It was like being at a rock concert. They had neon lights flashing everywhere with smoke and an incredible worship team and band. They had a guest speaker form Ireland I think. He was really good and inspiring. It was funny listening to him speak b/c UK humor is so different and I had a delayed reaction a couple times b/c I couldn't figure out what he meant. :) or he would use phrases such as "sending out a negative report" (taking about the spys and moses) and that might sound normal, but how he was using it...it wasn't a phrase you'd never hear in the US. So it was a service full of cultural growth. :) But awesome...and a great message.

Classes Started Monday. They are awesome. After I finish Friday I'll give an overview of all of them and tell you all what I think. They are each only once a week, but a lot of intensive out of class work. The "essential reading list" for each class has over 10 library books! I'll be learning a lot...we have the largest fashion library in Europe. :)

Tomorrow I'm off to see Big Ben for my European Independent Project class and then on Friday we are going to the Victor and Rolf exhibition at the Barbican Museum. So it will be a very interesting end to my first week...

I need my beauty sleep so I'll tell you about the $6,000 dress I tried on today later. Hope everyone is doing well! love u all

love KAT...from a rainy London...

Touring around Tourist style...

So I'd like to dedicate this blog to my sister...since she never gets mentioned...Lindsay Elizabeth Swick...this one's for you. ;)

So yesterday I walked for 7 hours...all over London...literally...we were sporting the tape player guided tour. It was awesome. We were split into groups and followed an audio tour voiced by the best friend of one of my teachers. It was quite fun. He took us to a lot of secret favorite shops and cafes along with some famous tourist sites. I don't think I have ever walked so much in my life, but it was sooooo much fun and we saw some really neat things and only had a few wrong turns. We saw the biggest bookstore in Europe with an entire corner dedicated to fashion books. We went to a place with the best hot chocolate in London, and we went to this really cool place that had a court yard with shooting fountains that Jin and I played in (I can't remember it's name, it is an art museum now though). 5 hours of walking later...

We went back to the Davies Street campus to the Hub (student bar and cafe) and had welcome drinks that the school provided (I never would have believed a college to not only have a bar in it, but give you free wine as well!) I opted out of the wine (it was really gross and really strong) and went for the cranberry juice and some water. Then we heard some people talk and then it was time...time for my first sample sale... We rode the tube and then walked 30 minutes to this scary looking alley with a hidden sign that said designer sale. We went up some shady looking brick steps and after handing over out bags and jackets were in designer heaven with the likes of Viviene Westwood, a few other big names, and then some smaller new designers. It was awesome. There was also a live catwalk in the middle too. It was fun. Then we attempted to walk back to the tube but got lost b/c a few of us decided not to go out to dinner b/c we were so tired and just wanted to go home...an hour and 1/2 later...we gave up on the tube and found a bus. Only to miss our stop 40 mins. later and have to walk 15 mins home...the girls that went to dinner beat us. I was soooooooo tired but some how stayed awake quite a long while and finally crawled into bed and shivered for an hour b/c our apt. is ghetto and the heater isn't working and I couldn't fit my quilt in my suitcase...so I finally reached down and grabbed the comforter off the extra bed below me. Wow...what a day.

Then today I rode my first train! It was really fun, and we all had a lot of fun stories to share.... it was good bonding. :) We went to Brighton at the seaside. I never understood what true rain was till today...it poured...and blew...and poured some more. And of course I didn't wear my rain boots. I was soaked and my umbrella blew inside out about every 5ft. We all decided to go to fish and chips early b/c everyone was wet, cold, and miserable; only to find the wind was blowing to hard next to the peer you couldn't even walk...so we had to turn around and ended up at a pub that didn't have enough fish and chips for everyone. A group of us and my teachers braved it and went to another place that was around the corner...it ended up being the place we were going to originally and even though we couldn't use our umbrella's to get there, we got the best fish n' chips w/ mushy peas in Brighton. PS...my new favorite food...mushy pea's on fries. yum yum. We then walked around the antique shops a little, but our spirits weren't exactly in it, so a few decided to head back early. It was the funniest train ride I've ever experienced...ok so I've only had one...so my funniest ride on public transportation. There is a girl in my class who is actually from England and is just a riot. She says she's 30 but I can't really believe it. She looks 20...amazing skin I guess. :) but she's now searching for a new career. She was in India medicine before, and worked all over the world doing treatments. She has an amazing background and life. So now she is going to fashion school :). But this girl is amazing and we are trying to convince her to be a stand up comedian..b/c my cheeks hurt so bad from laughing by the time we got back to London. She can pick any famous person out of a crowd, like the other day we were walking and she goes, "That's the guy who won the apprentice!" and it was. She has also looked at the same dress w/ posh spice in a boutique once, and talked to Ice Q (she accidentally called him Ice tea and he goes, "the other ice..."), been hit on by the bald guy in lucky #7, been invited to one of Elton John's parties, and met some really famous British actors randomly on the streets. It's hilarious. So that was really interesting to get to know her better. A really sweet girl.

Then we came home and attempted to have movie night and ended up talking and laughing and then passing out from being so tired from our wet, rainy day. Did I mention I ate soup and cheese for dinner...jk sorry this was so detailed and not a lot of humor...I am so tired and am so excited to cuddle up in my freezing cold ghetto bed, where the springs dig into my ribs...I guess I have to have the real London experience and can go back to luxury at the Theta house when I go back to America the Beautiful...:) Good night from London and I'll try and post my pictures tomorrow...I'm just too tired...

love u all....
KAT

Orientation

Sorry I haven't written lately...:( I stay up too late writing on my blog that I am tired all day long! :) But I enjoy it so much so I'm going to have to get over it.

So orientation started yesterday. I got all the classes I wanted, so I was excited about that. Did I already tell you that? humm... anyway today we finalized that and then took a tour of London, so being the smart girl my parents raised...I wore comfy shoes instead of my really cute black boot heels...only to find that the tour was virtual aka slides in a class room...lame. Then we had a policeman (very cute...but married...) come in to talk to us about safety in London. I asked a few questions so I could avoid being hit by more buses (I won't tell that story or else my parents might make me come home). And afterwards I went to talk to one of my advisers and she asked me if I asked a question and I said yes and she told me he said I had a "lovely" voice...see that's the difference between rude Americans and the ever polite British (except when they drive). If I was in America he would have said, "You have a high voice." or "Squeakers?" or "Is that your real voice?"...in Britain...they think it's LOVELY...I think I like this country...

Then today we rode a double decker! I rode up top and in the front seat...quite a ride...here are some pics...

View from the top....
They like to get up close and personal...that's about 6 ins away from us...

And just as close on the sides...that's about 3ins...Cailin and I riding the bus...
Jin, Me, Emelie...eating at a cafe after a long day of big girl shopping....
Here's where we went...
Selfridges & Co this is where you get the good stuff...Chanel, Gucci, Armani, Dior, etc., etc....


And of course my friend Jimmy was there...oh Jimmy Choo shoes...
And then there was Louis and Chanel...and their stupid amazing purses...
And then we came back to reality and stopped by our ever faithful to be able to afford...Primark...it was so busy we couldn't even turn around. If you look close you can see all the people at the entrance...We decided to go to church instead and pray for Chanel bags...us in the tube on the way to churchJin, Emily, and Maggie waiting in the "Q" aka line for church...After being rejected at church we went to dinner and walked around China town...we found this...luckily we had already heard the sermon on temptation before we got kicked out of church so we resisted...
That night I think I truly caught the essence of London...Old and new...
OK now some fun pics...turn ur head to the right 90 degrees and you'll experience the view out one of the windows at LCF
and the GIANT apple store that is always packed w/ people...and this pic doesn't even do it justice...
OK well that's all for now.
love,
KAT