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Thursday, June 5, 2014

Taking Risks

     

   Hey everyone, this post is a special one that is mostly just going to be talking and discussing topics and things that come to my mind. It's going to be a "journal post". A type of post where you don't know which one of us cacti is writing it. It makes it easier to discuss more intimate things and feelings, but also is comfortable because it's sort of anonymous.

   So i suck at taking risks. Most people probably wouldn't think that or know that, but i do. It's not even really fear of rejection,  or the actual action, it's just that paralyzing fear the second before of being utterly exposed and opening yourself up. Whether it's cliff jumping, or pursuing a passion, or telling someone you think they're cute, risks are essential to change in your life. Change is one of the biggest stressors in our lives yet it usually results in something happy.For example say you want to be friends with somebody. I can guarantee you that people are so caught up in their own insecurities and awkwardness that they are not even aware of yours. Just go up and talk to them. The worst that can happen is that they turn out to be an asshole and you can move on. It sounds so cliché but usually the way I get myself to take risks is to think about what the absolute worst scenario could be, and realizing that I would be fine. 

Our culture is really weird if you think about it. It has to always be a secret when you are attracted to someone, platonically or not, and it's made to be such a big deal. A whole load of time and worries could be cut off if we could all just be honest with each other. Telling someone "I like you" can feel like being naked and exposed, but that's just for a brief amount of time after which you can move from there.We've all conditioned each other to keep our feelings hidden and concealing our happiness and sadness, to figure out our thoughts on our own, when sharing and conferring in others is the best kind of release. I've been trying a lot lately to be more open and connecting with people more, trusting them to trust me. Honestly it's a slow process but it's made me someone that I like more! Feeling yourself connect with other people on an intimate level is one of the best in the world. Knowing you can trust someone unconditionally is too! So I challenge you to go out there and be open to trusting people. Don't go blindly into it though, find someone and let them earn your trust, but please be open to it. I can vouch for the fact that it is very nice to have people like that.

 Anyways that was my little rant of the night. I hope you can relate or this can help you in some way. If you ever need help or personal advice you can always email us at cactus collective@gmail.com, goodnight!!

(ps this was some art I made while bored, it's on adobe illustrator)


   


Wednesday, June 4, 2014

This Weeks Summer Playlist: Boy Crush

Summer is here!! For most of us at least. It's time to head to the beach, hang out with friends, and listen to some sweet tunes. This weeks playlist is baised off of artists that sing about romance. Whether it's about falling in love, or breaking up, these songs all create a cute and summer-y mood. Enjoy!


Song Links-  
5. http://peru4u.bandcamp.com/track/shrapnel-wow   (ALL ALBUMS ARE FREE)
-Olivia

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Mini Post: New Nova and Cher Video up!

Yo yo yo! So, due to your requests, Gigi and I decided to do a new video about all the Jeffrey Campbell shoes we have in our closet. There are 6 in total. We talk about the comfort, the sizing, price, and even dance a little (a lot) to show how easy they are to walk in. Whether you are looking for an informative, or entertaining video, this is sure to be fun to watch. Check it outtt!

Watch it here!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLdNUP9B188

-Olivia

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Luna Laces Updates!!

Gaby and I are super excited to launch our new online store www.lunalacesstore.tictail.com!!! We were originally using Instagram to sell them to some qts at our school but our little business has become more popular and successful then we thought it would!! Now people from all over the world can buy them!! We're excited and if you are too, head on over to our online store for some cheap goodies. We have three collections for our charm chord necklaces and we're going to add a new collection soon! (I'll show you a little sneak peak at the end of this post) I'm only including our most popular charms from each collection, so you're going to have to check out our online store for more!



Birthstone Collection



Garden Collection



Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Nova and Cher shoot: Sami

This weekend my friends and I took a trip down to LA. One of the highlights of the trip was this store, Pygmy Hippo. The store is made up of very cute novelty gifts and hand made goodies. Everything is small, cute, and extremely girly. The owner was kind enough to let us have a shoot in her shop! If you wanna visit the store, I put the address below. Enjoy the shoot!












-Olivia
Store address- 306 N. Stanley Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90036

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Good Hobbies for Relaxation, Creativity, and 'Me Time'.


Whether you are sticking magazine cut outs into a book, or repeating 'om' in your head according to your breathing, hobbies are great activities to slow things down and think. They can support calm and relaxing feelings, or can promote creative and fun ways to both record and organize your thoughts. Most importantly, hobbies create 'me time'. They enforce time for you to do something for yourself and this is something that I think is very important. It is easy to get lost in the redundant pattern of the everyday, whether it's school, or just hanging out with your friends (now that it's summer for some of you guys), but, it's good to stop and take some time out for yourself. This doesn't necessarily mean that you need to be doing these hobbies alone (though you can), I simply want to suggest some activities that I find to be really beneficial and important to myself personally. Lets get started!

Relaxing Hobbies
1. Hikes  
There's something about the sound of crunching dirt under my feet that I love. The wind blowing at me, and the smell of fresh air. I can walk anything off, that's what I have began to learn this year. Hiking is a great way to empty your mind, or to think over something important. It's a good social and anti-social activity. And, it is beautiful. Hiking is open to changing depending on how you feel, because the activity puts a lot of the power into your hands. You decide on the environment, the path, the pace, even the distance, it's all in your control. Not to say that if you enjoy hiking you are a control freak, my point is that it is an activity that shifts according to your mood and personal preference. What a great way to exercise, while also getting thinking time into your day. 

2. Yoga
Though I myself rarely participate in any form of yoga, many of my friends practice it like a religion. After school they are always pumped to sweat (what is usually equal to a limb) in their hot yoga class, or to relax and breath in their meditation yoga lesson. Yoga comes in many forms; there's restorative yoga, Vinyasa yoga, hot yoga, Anusara yoga, and even partner yoga! All focus on different parts of the body and mind, though I can imagine that after any kind of class, you would feel great.

Creative Hobbies
3. Embroidery 
The art of embroidery has really began to be recognized this past year. Many artists, students, and creative individuals have been highlighted in this practice, and it is beginning to become a highly experimental art form. For my birthday I got an embroidery kit (best gift ever) and since receiving it, I have been sewing away. The act of sticking my needle through fabric and slowly drawing an image out of thread really is fun and calm for me. The practice is very slow, and not for extremely impatient people. However, I find myself to be picky with long term projects, yet there is just something about finishing an embroidery project that I get so much satisfaction out of. I keep starting more, so that must say something. You don't have to know what you are doing to start. There are many blogs and videos that give helpful advice on techniques and materials that you need. Plus, it's fun to see your art get better as you grow and improve as an artist. 

4. Photography
Documenting events, friends, and basically your life is an important part of growing up. We are constantly getting older. As we age, we all look back at our old self and say 'Was I really that stupid?' or 'Wow, I was annoying!'. But how did we grow into the people we are today? Don't you want to remember the version of 'you' that you are right now in this moment? Photography is a great way to record that. With visual images you can see many changes that have occurred throughout your life. You can see small changes like the clothes you wore, or how you did your hair and you can also see drastic ones, like the friends you hung out with and your changes in lifestyle. Photos hold priceless sentimental value that can help you remember and discover things from your past or present. You can snap a photo of anything, and once you look at it, no matter how long it has been, memories will start to come back. 

Me Time
5. Journal
When you hear the word 'journal' maybe people jump to the idea of a diary. Well, this is not what I am talking about. I am talking about the kind of journal that is a book for your creative side. Yes you can write your thoughts and about your day in it, but you can also create collages, and paste in song names, and draw portraits of your boy/girl crush (next to the page where you wrote their name 30 times in a row). Journals are more than just a recap of your day, they are creative outlets. They can substitute as a sketchbook (another important hobby) and are made to be wrecked. Draw on every page. Spill food onto it. Take it everywhere. Your journal should turn into a book filled with inspiration.  
  


6. Discover Music/ Make Cd's
When was the last time you made a playlist, and burned it onto a Cd for a friend? If it was this week, then skip this paragraph because you are already set in this topic. Music is big part of many peoples lives. It is a great way to connect with others, and yourself. Though enjoying your favorite song is fun and nostalgic at times, it is good to make sure that you are constantly discovering new stuff. Share bands you love with your friends. Make collaborative summer playlists together. There is no better feeling than when you find a new favorite artist because a friend showed you. Now they're connected to that album, or that song, and you have made that track even more meaningful. Expanding your itunes library can be only beneficial, until it is too full and you need to start finding other ways to store your tunes ;).

7. Self-Assigning Projects
Lastly, projects. It's good to always have something to work on or fall back to when you're bored. Projects make you grow as a person and help you expand and learn. Self assigning projects are the best because you're giving yourself time to work on something that you are genuinely excited about. Have yourself learn a new song on guitar, or plan a photo shoot with your friends. Once you can play with ease, or finish developing your photos, you know that you've expanded on your knowledge or practice of something you enjoy, and that should feel pretty damn good. 

-Olivia


Sunday, May 18, 2014

A Trip to the Aquarium

I've always been fascinated by any life or ecosystem that I do not get to experience on a day-to-day basis. The greatest earthy mystery to me: the sea. Although these aquatic creatures are constrained in plexiglass tanks, I believe aquariums are an important educational experience to truly understand the beauty and preciousness of life under the surface.











The unsurpassed beauty of the ocean is being destroyed by commercial fishing practices and careless pollution. Simply, the issue is that our society largely views these gorgeous collective spaces as a distant mystery, that pose no immediate harm to them when polluted. Just a little food for thought of what you can do to be one less human who is contributing to this phenomena. 

~DALLAS~