Category: Fashion & Creativity

walls of our minds (this open room) ~ hma

Hailey Madison6 Comments

I decided to visit this room again

for what must be the thousandth time.

Gave me a sense of comfort

like you were still here.

My heart won’t accept that you’re gone.

~

It felt like everything was the way it used to be

left the way it was meant to play out

but it lead us through a different story,

now the silence has never been so loud.

~

In this room, dust is left upon each thing

each memory I dared not touch

for I was afraid to mess more up.

I wanted to keep as much as I could

the way it once was.

~

Thorns and thistles have taken over

the flowers that once bloomed here.

This room is plain and small,

but it was everything to me.

It once had color, when you were here.

~

Before you decided to leave,

to leave it all and walk out,

there was safety in the air.

Now it’s all empty

and I’m not sure if I want to be here.

~

I walked in that room

and felt along the wall for the switch.

Ah, there it is.

Lights strung across the ceiling flicker on,

and everything comes back.

~

It’s colder here now

but I guess we haven’t come here in awhile.

cold weather,

a gentle and sweet

autumn breeze

always makes me think of you.

~

The hum of our music still fills the room

your footprints still there in the dust

from where we danced.

~

Your footprints are left across the floor

and fingerprints across my heart,

and now they’ve turned to scars.

The lights here in this room are on,

but with you it was never this dark.

~

Your laugh still fills the empty space

the most lovely sound in existence.

I’d give anything to hear it once more.

~

I’ve closed up this room

so nobody may come inside

and touch what belongs to me,

but was never rightfully mine.

My mind has always known

I couldn’t keep it forever,

but to the things this room holds,

my soul is tethered.

~

I know I shouldn’t still be here

wallowing in the longing

for what I cannot have.

It’s unhealthy and suffocating,

but oh, how I want it back.

~

I stand in this very room

where we used to dance

and sway to our own melody

that only we could hear.

But all of it feels so far away,

just a distant memory.

~

Pictures cover the walls,

glimpses into the best moments,

though they’ve begun to fade.

Crumbling to pieces

I cannot make them stay.

I cannot bring back the color

to what those moments were.

~

Too many times i’ve come back here

letting the longing take over my soul.

Too many times i’ve sat and cried

on this floor where we once stood together.

Too many times has my heart

broke for you all over again.

~

Too long have I held onto someone

that already let go.

~

This empty place

has been the home of both happiness,

and hurt too.

Here I now begin to pick up these pieces

and tuck them away another place.

Here in this room I begin to clean

and wash away the hurt

of what was once here,

but is no longer.

~

Here in this room,

I begin to make space

for something new.

~

Someday,

someone else may come

to heal the wounds left by you

and make this our room.

~

someone for my heart to hold to.

gardens

Hailey Madison5 Comments

I’m gonna build myself a garden

filled with marigolds and roses

oh, to run in green pastures

and hay meadows golden.

there may come fear and hurting

but let it be that it all flows freely

in the rivers that keep this garden growing.

tears that stain and sting but later on made

the flowers oh, so sweet

the brightest colors rise from the dirt.

I’ll lay in these grass fields

and gaze up in wonder at the stars

while I inhale the aroma of the earth

beneath my pounding heart.

tears are the rains that flood the grounds

and reap beautiful things.

sunshine on my skin that warms my soul

and reminds it there is still more coming

it gives peace and reassurance

through unknown and painful things.

gonna have trees to climb with branches up high

rooted safe and strong in the ground

if i should slip and fall

I pray you’d catch me, don’t let me stay down.

give me the strength to let go

to surrender and let it be

please show me this hope and this peace

cut these ropes that hold me captive, set my soul free.

you just watch

you’ll wait and see

one day these seeds will sprout

and flourish from the scars of the ground.

let go of this ego

and their standards of living

planting seeds every place that I go

shifting things in this big world.

watch this garden grow

reaping beautiful things that

were sown from sorrow.

uprooting trees that have fallen long ago

blocking paths into new things unknown.

slowly watering and reviving

the flowers of my past that have wilted

and ripping away the thorns that once overtook them.

I’ll live something different from

anything ever seen

sharing the pure joy and love

of the One who walks these paths with me.

I will flourish and thrive

blossom and grow in every aspect of this life

complete enjoyment with peaceful sighs.

hear the beautiful song this garden of mine sings

that has risen from the ashes

of love, and broken things.

my life is a garden.

The lovely gifts I received this Christmas:

Hailey Madison17 Comments

Hiya hiya beautiful people! I hope you are having a wonderful day, and welcome back to the blog! xD

Ahhh, it’s good to be back. (even though ive only been gone for, what? 4 days?)

Welp, anyways I needed to make this post sooner or later because I would like to post a Christmas related post sometime before new years xD So, here I am with everything I got for Christmas this year! Christmas was actually pretty great this year, and I had such an amazing time. From getting to spend time and stuff your face with dessert with family, to ripping open some lovely gifts, it was altogether a beautiful Christmas!

I adore every gift that I received, and I am very excited to be sharing it all with you guys! (and isn’t it always just so fun to see what others got and to display what you got? xD)

So, let’s just make like bunnies and hop right in shall we?

  • Record Player & Record Vinyls

I actually used a very pleasingly aesthetic picture of my record player as the image at the very top of this post! Ahhh I got so excited when I opened this, and you can guarantee I’ve been blasting music all week.

I got a white Crosley record player, and oh my gosh it’s so prettyyy!! It also has built in bluetooth speakers that connect to my phone and this thing can get amazingly loud! (ahh i am so in love with this thing)

Ahhh, for those of you who don’t already know, Switchfoot is my absolute favorite band. Like you don’t even know my love for them. Native Tongue is by far one of my favorite albums, and I was so happy to get this vinyl!! (yep this definitely gets blasted. yep.) I really hope to get more Switchfoot vinyls soon!

I got one more vinyl record, and this one is Lecrae’s newest album, Restoration. I love this album and for some reason there is something really great about blasting Lecrae from a record player xD

  • Work Boots

Oh gosh these boots are a new obsession. These are literally SO ADORABLE, and I was so happy to get these since I have wanted some nice boots that can be both casual & dressy!

I actually wore these on Christmas day and gurl, I felt fabulous 😂

adorable amiright??
  • Lots of yummy stuff

I got a bunch of sweet treats & snacks, which I mean who wouldn’t love food for Christmas? Ha, #Bonus

I got some chocolate chip Bobo’s Bites (which are delicious)

Here you will find Lara bars (yum), Chewy candies, (yum), peppermint gum, (yum) Hershey’s kisses, (yum) and some wittle tiny off brand Sour Patch Kids xD (YUM)

I also got a bunch of these different flavored Organic suckers,

And some mini Dark chocolate & peanut butter cups!

  • A Lap Desk

YAS ahhh, I wanted one of these so badly! I read and write alot in bed and this thing is so useful for both of those. (and look it even has a wittle holder for a tablet or phone)

  • A mini Recording/Podcast studio

This thing is actually so cool! Me and my Dad (and i mean my dad mostly) have messed around and experimented with this a bit, and I actually think it’s great having my own little studio! I can do music and voice recordings with this, and hey, maybe even a future podcast…….

  • AHHH YES. BOOKS.

I read all of these books awhile ago from my library and OH MY GOODNESS, they were so good I had to have them on my shelf! I am so happy to have these as my own now, and I cannot wait to re-read and enjoy all 4 of these. (definitely still have a bunch more books on my wishlist though xD)

My gosh, all of these are so beautiful I could cry. *sniff sniff*

  • A couple Funko Pops

Ahhh yes, I love my PoPs. These are the newest additions to my collection! Lovely Edward Scissorhands (#Love) and Cavity Sam from the game of Operation xD Oh my gosh it’s so adorable and I love that game so much! He even has wittle tushy at the back 🤣

  • Flamingo Razor

My goodness this thing is just goregeous!! I have wanted a nice new razor for awhile now, and I am so glad to finally have one. The lavender color with the rose gold oh my gosh, it’s just so freaking pretty. I haven’t actually used this one yet, so maybe I could do a full review on it once I try it? xD

  • Vans Skate Shoes

I love these so much!! I have wanted to get some nice Vans for skating (and because they are just beautiful shoes) and I am so happy to have some yellow ones too! Unfortunately, they didn’t have the ones I originally wanted in my size, so these were my next option and I am in love with them! I hope to get more Vans soon in some more pretty colors! xD

  • Accessories

I got some gorgeous hair clips, and jewelry this Christmas! These hair clips are my new obsession (i have alot of new obsessions every day okay) they are literally so adorable! The one on the left I got from my brother, and the on in the middle from my Mom and Dad!

I also got a super cute necklace set from my sister (on the right) I get the one that says big sis, and she has a smaller one that fits inside the heart that says lil sis!

I also got this gorgeous bracelet from my parents, and I absolutely adore it! #ChooseHappy

  • Artsy Fartsy Stuff

I got some really nice artsy & stationary related things this year! First I got some really great Pilot Juice pens which are actually two different sizes! One is a 0.5, and the other is a 0.38. Both of these are amazing for bullet journaling!

Next my cousins got me a super cute bullet journal! The pattern is soooo pretty!

These Brush pens are amazing! There were 36 different colors and all of them are very pretty! They are actually also Dual brush pens so one side is a brush tip for calligraphy, and the other side is a super thin tip for writing! (hey how about a full review on these too? xD)

And lastly in this category of artsy fartsy things, I got a big pack of Dry-erase markers! I use these alot for my calendar and mini dry erase board so I was very happy to receive these!

  • Facial Roller & Lip Balm

This Rose Quartz facial roller is actually so cool!! This benefits the skin in a bunch of different ways, but my personal favorite benefit is it helps get rid of dark circles ;D It’s so pretty, and it feels so soothing on the skin.

Haha I got this lip balm as well as a couple others that aren’t pictured, but this one is hilarious. Yep, it’s called chicken poop, But don’t worry, it even says it contains no poop. This lip balm is actually really great in keeping my lips moist, even though the name is a bit strange xD

  • Bracelet kits, Camera film, & Erasers

Ahhh, haha these kits are sure to last quite a long time xD I had a Rainbow loom kit a long time ago and then got rid of it, and I almost instantly regretted it! So I asked for another, and here I am with 3 big ole kits. xD

Of course I loved receiving some more instax film for my camera, I was starting to run out so thankfully I got some more!

(OOH I just remembered another thing I got but forgot to take a picture of! I got a sweatpants & fuzzy jacket set from my Nanna & Papaw and oooooo I am totally in love. Comfy clothes are amazing.)

And lastly, in my stocking I found 3 erasers from my lovely Father. He decided to pitch in a little more. 🤣

Welp, haha that is everything I got for Christmas 2020 y’all! Thanks a bunch for checking out the latest here on Sunshine & Rain, and if you enjoyed this post, you should totally Subscribe to the blog because I mean why not? xD

This was a very fun post to put together, and I cannot wait to return with another post very soon!

Until then, I am sending much love to all of you beautiful jelly beans. Have a wonderful day loves! *blows kisses* 😘

Blogmas Day #22: beauty through the shadows

Hailey Madison8 Comments

(3 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS GUYS. 3. FREAKIN. DAYS.)

*oh, and btw all the images displayed in this post are my own. please do not use without permission. thank you ;)*

Hiya hiya my beautiful, and lovely beans! Happy Tuesday evening, and I hope that you have had a wonderful day. Welp, I would like to welcome you to Blogmas Day #22 here on Sunshine & Rain! (like wut. we’ve already done 22 DAYS?!)

I cannot believe how far we have come with blogmas, and how SO VERY CLOSE TO CHRISTMAS WE ARE!!

For Blogmas Day #22, I wanted to share a mini photoshoot I did today, with simply some shadows on my bedroom wall. I sat on my bed when I realized a beautiful patch of sunshine pouring in from my window onto the wall. The tree branches left shadows that danced, and swayed, and almost made it glitter with light.

I then picked up some flowers, and let the creativity spill onto the wall.

I adore all of these and will most likely do another photoshoot whenever I see the sunlight peeking in to say hello another day.

Just stopping in the moment to capture some beautiful photos in the sunlight, brought me so much happiness. Stopping in the moment in general just to take in the beauty of it, brings me so much happiness. Because once a moment is gone, it’s gone. It doesn’t come back. It is your own choice and responsibility, to enjoy the moments you are given. I think that is so important, and we cannot just let these things pass us by. Every moment is so important, in so many different ways.

This one special moment practically made me glow inside, as bright as the sun that was shining so beautifully on the wall. All was quiet in the house, and all I heard was my soft breathing while I watched the shadows dance. It was quite calming, and filled my heart with genuine peace and joy.

Just that one glimmer of light on the wall, made me stop, and slow down to appreciate the beauty of life.

I couldn’t let this moment go forever without capturing a few pieces of it.

I call it beauty through the shadows.

I shall return tomorrow loves, until then, I wish you sweet dreams tonight, and lots of happies. *blows kisses* Happy Holidays! 😘

(also, shadow photography is so much fun. like seriously, I had an amazing time.)

Blogmas Day #21: Sunday Morning – Lecrae (dance)

Hailey Madison2 Comments

(OH MY GOSH GUYS. 4 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS)

Hiya hiya my beautiful beans! Ahhhh, I am very gald to have returned guys. (i mean, even though I was just here yesterday and multiple days before that) Well I hope you have had a great day, and welcome to Day #21 of Blogmas!

Today I am very excited to be showing you, well, an dance haha! For our Christmas service at church, the dance team wanted to perform for it. We decided not to do a Christmas song this year like we have done before, but instead did a song that related more to the craziness of this year. It basically is saying that even though things have been messed up, and stressful, we should thank God that every day we get another day to wake up, and another chance to have a good day.

The choreography was filmed at the service and I am pretty proud of how we did. I was also so happy to have a dance teacher who was an amazing choreographer, and such a lovely, sweet lady. The choreo turned out so well as it always has, and although we are not professional dancers, I think we were great.

This coming year, I really want to pursue dance (i’m thinking more high energy dancing like hip hop which I will talk more about in another post) because I literally love it so much. It makes me feel so good and excited, and ahhhh I love it. just love it. xD

Haha we were quite nervous so in this one our energy levels were a little low, and it wasn’t quite in sync sometimes, but it was still so much fun and we did really well.

Anyways, I thought it would be really cool to share this with you guys! You can find the link for the video down below, and I am the one in the green sweater by the way ; D

Here’s the link for the video: Sunday Morning – Lecrae (Dance)

Welp, I guess that’s all for Blogmas Day #21! So thanks a bunch for checking out the latest here on Sunshine & Rain! I love you guys so much, and appreciate all the love and support you’ve been giving back! If you enjoyed this post, you should totally Subscribe to the blog because I mean why not? xD

I can’t wait to see you guys again, which will be tomorrow, and I am sending much love until then! *blows kisses* Happy Holidays y’all! 😘

Blogmas Day #19: Easy & Affordable Last Minute Gift Ideas

Hailey Madison4 Comments

(6 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS. OH MY CHEESEPUFFS WE ARE SO CLOSE!! xD)

Hiya hiya and good evening my beautiful beans, I hope you have had a wonderful day and welcome to Day #19 of Blogmas here on Sunshine & Rain!

Today I have put together a list of some great Easy & Affordable Last Minute Gift Ideas that would be great for basically anyone! These are actually so easy to do, but are still super amazing and thoughtful gifts to give.

So please enjoy, and take inspiration for anyone on your list this year! 😉

  • A bunch of yummy treats & snacks

Anyone will love a basket with some candies and small goodies in it! Places like Dollar tree has plenty of snacks for just a dollar each, and it’s super easy to throw a treat basket together!

  • Candles or Essential oils

Sweet smells are always something to be loved

  • A special handmade painting/drawing

A handmade craft is always special, and I love being able to sit and take the time to make something special for someone, even if it’s small it’s really special. I’m actually doing some crafty things myself this Christmas xD

  • A cozy blanket

I mean who wouldn’t love a soft blanket to snuggle with?

  • Jewelry

Nice jewelry and any accessories are easy to find, and will absolutely be loved!

  • Gift cards

What’s an easier last minute gift than a gift card? If you aren’t sure what to buy for a specific person, let them use the cash and buy whatever they choose! Sure takes a load off ;D

  • Beanie & Scarves

You can find some absolutely adorable beanies & scarves, and it’s always nice to be able to bundle up!

  • Cozy socks

Soft and warm socks are a must have. Just yes.

  • Blue light glasses

Blue light glasses are actually something i’d like to have, and you can find so many cool & cute patterns! These are great for anyone who works with screens often.

  • A fun family game

Family games are a great idea! Scattergories, Clue, Life, etc. Absolutely such a fun thing to give!

  • Movie night in a box

Just throw a couple movies, drinks, a blanket, popcorn, and candies in a basket and boom! An entire movie night in one kit!

  • Back scratcher & Scalp massager

Ahhhh, these things are heavenly. The scalp massager feels absolutely amazing, and I’m sure that anyone would love it.

  • Water bottle

Nice water bottles to travel with are definitely a must have!

  • Mug with tea & hot chocolate packets

Another yummy gift of treats to put together!

  • Notebooks & Planners

A 2021 planner surely has to be something EVERYONE wants this year amiright? A nice planner or notebook, or journal to write thoughts in is a great gift!

  • Headphones or a bluetooth speaker

My headphones, and bluetooth speaker are my techno best friends. (next to my phone though) and you can find some great ones that are pretty inexpensive! My headphones are by the brand Mkay on Amazon for about $30 and they are INSANE.

  • Homemade sweets

Bake a batch of cookies, or a pie, and wrap it up for someone else to enjoy. Always a nice thing to give.

  • A kind handwritten card

What’s sweeter than a heartfelt letter or note simply stating what they mean to you? You can even make a list of “All the reasons I love you”, and that’s surely a great gift for anyone.

  • Something to stay warm

A heated stuffie, heated blankie, a warm jacket, anything to stay cozy during these cold days will be an amazing gift.

  • Printed pictures

Printed pictures hold the memory of a moment, and that’s a beautiful thing. You can even make a mini scrapbook full of memories!

  • A Good book or Magazine Subscription

I love my Brio magazine, but of course there are soooo many different mags out there. A good book or devotional is also a great gift for anyone.

Welp, that’s it for today’s Blogmas post, and I shall return tomorrow my loves. I hope you enjoyed the latest here on Sunshine & Rain, and if you did, please be sure to Subscribe to the blog so you never miss out on any future posts!

See ya again very soon my loves, have a wonderful evening. 😉 Happy Holidays! *blows kisses*

Blogmas Day #15: DIY (gluten free) Baked Oatmeal (12/15/20)

Hailey Madison10 Comments

(ONLY 10 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS GUYS. I COULD LITERALLY PEE MYSELF RIGHT NOW.)

Good evening MY BEAUTIFUL LITTLE BEANS!! (see isn’t calling you my beans adorable?!) I hope your day has been wonderful, and welcome to Blogmas Day #15! Ahhh, a 15 day streak on the blog makes me so satisfied xD

I am so excited today to be sharing with y’all a super delicious recipe for (gluten free) Baked Oatmeal! OH MY CABBAGES GUYS. Baked oatmeal will literally change your life if you’ve never had it. I myself love oatmeal in general and this recipe makes it 10 times more delicious.

My sweet Mama actually made this for us yesterday morning, and this morning for breakfast and it definitely gave my day a great start. This is an amazing breakfast recipe for the holidays, and I can never seem to eat enough of this beautiful stuff.

Totally let me know if you try this recipe, and let me know how you like it! xD

Estimated time: 35 mins

Serves: 8 people

Ingredients:

  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup of applesauce unsweetened
  • 1/3 cup of coconut sugar
  • 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt
  • 2 teaspoons of baking powder
  • 3 cups of gluten free rolled oats
  • 1 cup of milk or non-dairy milk
  • 1 cup of fresh or frozen fruit (optional)

Instructions:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees & spray 9×13 pan with non-stick cooking spray
  • Whisk eggs, applesauce, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. Stir in oats & milk. At this point, if you are adding any fruit, gently fold it in so that it doesn’t get mashed.
  • Spread in pan & bake for 28-34 minutes until oatmeal is browned and not jiggly in the middle.
  • Now, enjoy! ; D

Ahhhh, this stuff is literally so delicious. We added in blueberries but you can add in any fruit you’d like!

This post was a bit shorter than usual, but I still hope you all enjoyed because I sure enjoyed putting it together 😉

Thank you for being the lovely person you are and checking out the latest here on Sunshine & Rain! If you liked this post then be sure to subscribe to the blog so that you don’t miss out on any future content!

I love you guys and appreciate all of you so much. Have a wonderful rest of your day, and I shall return tomorrow ; D Happy Holidays! *blows kisses*

Blogmas Day #13: Igniting Inspiration Week #16

Hailey Madison5 Comments

(GUYS. 11 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!! xD)

Hiya hiya and good Sunday evening beautiful people! I hope your day today has been wonderful, and welcome to Blogmas Day #13 which is also Week #16 of Igniting Inspiration! I am so happy to be back once again and to still be going strong with the Blogmas streak ; D

Today as usual for the weekly Igniting Inspiration post I have gathered some beautiful (not to mention pleasingly aesthetic) quotes, and some hilarious MEMES to bring some encouragement and laughs to your day, and to kick off the new week ahead! I always love making these posts every Sunday, and cannot wait for the new week ahead, because it’s a week that I have never seen before. 😉

Alrighty, we are gonna start right here! Please enjoy these beautifully empowering quotes, and I hope they bring some light into your life 😉

I would definitely love to hear which of these quotes spoke to your heart the most, I can definitely say they all spoke to mine!

You should know the drill by now if you are a consistent reader of this blog ; D

It is time for the lovely MEMES.

As always, I challenge you to go through all of the MEMES displayed and try not to laugh! If you accomplish that, comment down below #NotAGiggle! But if you’re more like me and can never keep in a laugh for the life of you, then comment down below #…lotsagiggles xD

I also must bid my farewells before this post officially ends, so you can get on with cracking up xD

So thank you so much for checking out the latest here on Sunshine & Rain! If you enjoyed (and I sure hope you did) make sure you are subscribed to the blog so that you don’t miss out on any of the future content! I love you guys so very much, and I appreciate all of your love and support of the blog! Can’t wait to continue this Blogmas series tomorrow, so have a lovely evening 😉 *blows kisses* Enjoy the MEMES 😘

*busts out laughing*

otay goodbye now 🤣

Blogmas Day #12: A Christmasy Q & A for you beautiful people (12/12/20)

Hailey Madison19 Comments

(12 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS GUYS. WE ARE ALREADY HALF WAY THERE!! xD)

Hiya hiya my beauts! It’s yo girl here, and welcome to Blogmas Day #12 here on Sunshine & Rain! xD Oh and I hope you have had a wonderful day 😉

Today I have brought to you lovely people a (somewhat) Christmasy Q & A! Yep, I ask questions and you give your answers down in the comments, because I would absolutely love to use this to get to know you guys better! also because I am working on gaining back post inspiration but we won’t really mention that

I love talking and engaging in conversation with all of my lovely people out there, so I thought this would be a great way to do that.

Welp, I guess we can go ahead and start. There’s quite a few but I like learning about people and their personalities! (i promise i’m not just some creeper 🤣) Can’t wait to hear your answers. 😉

  1. Favorite song/artist at the moment?
  2. 3 top things on your Christmas wishlist this year?
  3. Books you have loved recently/any recommendations? (I would love to discover some new books to read ;D)
  4. Favorite bloggers/blogger recommendations? (I also love discovering new bloggers!)
  5. 3 happy moments from this week?
  6. One thing you love most about Christmastime/Winter?
  7. Your favorite catchphrase/things to say? (Mine is OH MY CHEESEPUFFS or SWEET CABBAGES. Yeah. There’s alot more)
  8. What are you wearing as you read this? xD (YAS gurl, show off that OTD)
  9. A dream that you had this week or recently? (Yeah i’m weird, I like hearing stories about dreams)
  10. Something you are proud of having accomplished this year?
  11. Something you enjoy doing in your free time?
  12. 3 future dreams you have?
  13. How long have you been blogging? (if you have a blog)
  14. Something or multiple things you love about yourself? (Hey never a bad time to practice self love)
  15. Honest thoughts on my blog? Future posts you’d like to see from me?

Have a day as beautiful as you are (if that’s even possible ;D) and I shall see you again tomorrow! *blows kisses* Happy Holidays! (yep, i’m saying that now.)