Long Distance Relationships

I have confession to make. I've been seeing someone. For years. And to be honest, it hasn't just been one person... I've been maintaining multiple relationships with all sort of people for a long time and keeping them all separate from each other by having all different kinds of booty calls all over the country-- keeping them at bay so they never find out about it each other. It's just who I am, I guess... a down ass shorty who keeps all kinds of honeys on the side.

Ok. I think that joke has run it's course.

But really-- I am so lucky to live in a time where moving across the country didn't require a Covered Wagon, months of travel and or the potential of Scurvy. Whether I've been in Georgia or California or Philly or New York, the most important people to me are only a phone call or a FaceTime or Skype away. I've done my best to get a screenshot of every single one of those conversations through the years and these are my favorites. I have wanted to post these pictures for so long because the folder on my computer just gets bigger and bigger and bigger as life has taken me all over the country. 

These are in no specific order and admittedly, the very first one was taken from Lindsay's phone because I loved it so much, but the rest are authentic and wonderful. Also, one more shocking catalogue of the insane amount of times I've changed my hair in the last 5 years. Homegirl needs to cool it. Another consistency being that it seems I either make these calls immediately after waking up or moments before falling asleep. Or maybe I'm saying that to justify the fact that I'm in my pajamas for 99% of these but in actuality I'm just a super crazy loner who never leaves the house. More likely. 

(ALSO PS, IF YOU CLICK THE PICTURE, IT GETS BIGGER!)

Graduate (Savannah, GA) > Family (Savannah, GA)

Claire (Somewhere between Charlotte and Savannah) > Oli, Spencer, Julia (Home Depot)

Julia (Savannah, GA) > Don and Linda (Bed, Costa Mesa, CA)

Julia (Costa Mesa, CA) > Oli's Bun (Fishers, IN)

Julia (Costa Mesa, CA) > Oli (Fishers, IN)

Julia (Savannah, GA) > King Donald (Costa Mesa, CA)

Julia (Philadelphia, PA) > Don's Gin and Tonic (Happy Hour, Costa Mesa, CA)

Julia (Philadelphia, PA) > Don's Gin and Tonic (Happy Hour, Costa Mesa, CA)

Julia (Savannah, GA) > Kaitlin and Kaytee (Seattle, WA)

Julia using computer for image, phone for audio (Savannah, GA) > Don and Linda using computer for both image and audio (Newport Beach, CA)

Julia using computer for image, phone for audio (Savannah, GA) > Don and Linda using computer for both image and audio (Newport Beach, CA)

Julia with Bangs (Newport Beach, CA) > Frances pre fly fishing trip (Dallas, TX)

Julia with Bangs (Newport Beach, CA) > Frances post Tonsil Removal (Dallas, TX)

Julia with Bangs (Newport Beach, CA) > Frances post Tonsil Removal (Dallas, TX)

Julia with Bangs (Newport Beach, CA) > Spencer (Pawley's Island, SC)

Julia (Newport Beach, CA) > Spencer (Pawley's Island, SC) > Flerm (Dallas, TX)

Julia (Newport Beach, CA) > Spencer (Pawley's Island, SC) > Frances (Dallas, TX)

Julia (Sun Room, Savannah, GA) > Kaitlin (La Mirada, CA)

Julia (Sun Room, Savannah, GA) > Breakfast (La Mirada, CA)

Julia (Savannah, GA) > Lauren, Cat (Eugene, OR)

Julia (Savannah, GA) > Kaitlin, Casey (HANGING OUT WITHOUT ME)

Julia (Newport Beach, CA) > Frances (Dallas, TX)

Julia, Spencer, Oli Pink Hair (Savannah, GA) > Don, Linda (Newport Beach, CA)

Julia, Spencer, Oli Pink Hair (Savannah, GA) > Don, Linda, Gin, Tonic (Newport Beach, CA)

Juliaboy (Savannah, GA) > Bunny, Marchetta (Mother's Day, Newport Beach, CA)

Juliaboy (Savannah, GA) > Mom (Mother's Day, Newport Beach, CA)

Julia (Dungeon, New York, NY) > Kaitlin, Linda, George Hamilton (Newport Beach, CA)

Julia (Dungeon, New York, NY) > Claire, Pocket Sized Frances (Lacoste, France)

Julia (Dungeon, New York, NY) > Susie, Claire, Frances (Lacoste, France)

Julia (Dungeon, New York, NY) > Linda, Kaitlin (Told-You-So Beach, CA)

Julia (Dungeon, New York, NY) > Slack Jaw, Claire (Lacoste, France)

Julia (Savannah, GA) > Don (uninvited) Linda, Kaitlin (Newport Beach, CA)

Julia (Savannah, GA) > Kaitlin Lips (Newport Beach, CA)

Julia (Savannah, GA) > Don's Skin Cancer (Newport Beach, CA)

Julia (Savannah, GA) > Don, Linda, Kaitlin, Chocolate Covered Banana (Newport Beach, CA)

Julia (Savannah, GA) > Kaitlin, after hospital (Somewhere in Europe)

Julia (New York, NY) > Kaitlin, Don, Linda (Newport Beach, CA)

Linda, Julia (Costa Mesa, CA) > Oli (Fishers, IN)

Julia (Savannah, GA) > Kaitlin (Seattle, WA) > Don, Linda (Costa Mesa, CA)

Julia, Spencer (Savannah, GA) > Kaitlin (Seattle, WA)

Julia (Costa Mesa, CA) > Frances, Unruly Puppy (Bathroom, Dallas, TX)

Julia (First Floor, Savannah, GA) > Frances (Fourth Floor, Savannah, GA)

Julia (Costa Mesa, CA) > Lindsay, Susie (HANGING OUT WITHOUT ME, NY)

Julia (Costa Mesa, CA) > Oli (Emotions)

Julia (Costa Mesa, CA) > Oli (Fishers, IN)

THE END FOR NOW!

Looking Forward

The end of melancholy
Ukulele lessons
Moving out of my parents house
Giving more time to others selflessly
Visiting Savannah
Seeing Grace and Ben get married
Seeing Frances and Zach get married
Seeing Sarah and Wesley get married
Creeping on other people get married (thanks, wedding hashtags)
Growing Julia Patton Dressmaker (more on this later)
Starting new work
Facing new challenges; the mental kind, the physical kind, the sewing kind, and, where would this blog be without the emotional kind?
Taking more pictures?
Going on more dates?
Let's throw a road trip in there at least once, please
Let's also throw some good parties
Visting Almanor
I want to be in New York at least once
Saving all sorts of money
Cooking more
Buying less
Blogging more
Simplifying life
Creating new

My Favorite Pictures of 2014: Part II

Graduation to New Years Eve

Ok, so I didn't handle graduating very well. 

Or saying goodbye. Looking at this picture actually kind of makes my stomach hurt. After three years, this was the last morning Frances, Oli and I lived together and four years for Spencer, Claire and me. Minutes before parents came ready to pack up rooms and disassemble furniture, we gathered in our little gray kitchen that I loved so much and with watery eyes, took this final picture together as roommates. This blog has been there for every step of our friendships and I am so grateful for that, but for the rest of my life, no amount of posts or videos or pictures will be able to explain how much these four girls mean to me. 

Saying goodbye to Savannah proved to be just as difficult. 

Mom and I driving to Philly by way of every milkshake drive through on the east coast. 

Spencer and Claire in NY.

Visitors to Philly on the 4th of July.

Summer 2014 was officially the summer of the selfie for me. With all of my instagram muses suddenly gone, looking back at photos now, it seems my coping mechanism was to take angsty photos of myself and my very blonde hair.

And then I dyed my hair back to it's natural color. Which apparently is this light shade of brown. Who knew? I'm not going to go to deep into this because it's just hair, but let's be honest, with me, it's never just hair. I'm sure I'll talk about this more later, but in the time since graduating, I've felt my life becoming more and more about simplification and realistic goals. Perhaps a bit too much, but I've been enjoying this time of overall quiet. 

The one selfie I snuck at work. (Self timer, hidden on a shelf, covered in lace) Just because Anthropologie wasn't for me, doesn't mean that I don't deserve a photo in remembrance. 

Goodbye, Upper East Side. 

Goodbye, Brooklyn. 

Goodbye, Savannah.

Hello, West of graduation. 

Jenny Lake, WY

Charlotte, NC

Wouldn't miss 1D for anything.

A quick pee in the forest after the concert. 

KP in Seattle.

One of my main persons and her small version that I'm starting to learn all about. 

2014 was the definition of change, but it's cool to know that some things stay exactly the same. 

The beginning of Julia Patton Dressmaker. 

KP and my new beanie. 

Merry Christmas from the Pattons. 

Headquarters of Julia Patton Dressmaker. 

Patton Construction. 

Goodbye, 2014. You've been one stone cold bitch of a good time. A lot of good, a lot of bad. But I'm ready for what's next. 2015 could be the best year yet.