Hi, everyone! Long time, no see! I took a bit of a summer break from the blog to recharge and do a few things that I enjoy. Wanna know what I did on my summer break? Well, I'll tell ya! It'll be like those vacation slide shows, but way cooler!

I ran. A LOT! I'm running another half marathon this Saturday, so I got a lot of miles in this summer. I'm going to miss those late night summer sunsets. Time to adjust to an autumnal running schedule!

Each year, I try to outdo my own creative abilities to create the most awesome Readers' Choice cover. This year, I spray painted a pineapple gold, dabbed on some colorful paint, and photographed it in my driveway. 400 plus photos later, I had more than enough perfect shots. It was so hard to choose, but everyone loved the final pick!

I ate a lot of waffles, reaching my goal of eating at The Parsonage every weekend this summer.

I picked blueberries from the berry bushes my Papaw planted more than 30 years ago at the Mississippi home where my mom and her siblings grew up. They're more like trees than bushes now!

I had a wonderful birthday! Here's to another great year!

We found a field of sunflowers!

That solar eclipse was pretty awesome! In 7 years, Jonesboro is going to be in the path of totality and we're gonna be so ready!

I'm going to miss you, summer. You were great, but I'm so looking forward to fall!

This weekend, I packed up my markers and drawing paper, went back to my hometown for the Marvell Main Street Festival, and set up my illustration studio right in the middle of the action.

I drew many custom portraits while I was out there. Family members, friends and neighbors all showed up to see just how my pen would picture them! I started out sketching a rough layout with pencil before moving on to the ink details.

I was so happy to finish a drawing and reveal it after a few quick strokes of my pen!

In addition to drawing custom portraits, I also had a number of my more popular illustrations available as prints. I had loads of fun this weekend, Marvell! Thanks for making this hometown girl feel so appreciated and a little like a local celebrity!

Fun and Worth Mentioning:
My friend Lindsey of Have Clothes Will Travel recently featured me as her monthly Featured Fashionista! Read more about my outfit at the left and find out more about my artistic and fashion style on Have Clothes Will Travel! Just click here to check it out!

This past weekend, I time-traveled to the 1800s. Just south of Jonesboro, Arkansas is a recreated nineteenth century town called the Parker Homestead. Every October, the Parker family opens the Homestead to the public to showcase their collection of restored buildings and artifacts from long ago as part of the Parker Homestead Pioneer Festival. All throughout the year, the Homestead hosts school groups, weddings and events, but it's during this harvest festival that the Homestead really comes alive.

There are countless old tractors, from Farmalls to John Deere, surrounding the Homestead. Chickens roam freely among the festival goers, sometimes even running into the cabins for a quick look around. (I'm absolutely terrified of birds, but these fluffy babies didn't scare me one bit as they pecked at the ground for spilled corn!) Speaking of corn, visitors can even try their hand at milling corn and pick up a bag of freshly ground cornmeal to take home! Wagon rides, volunteers in period clothing, sideshow illusionists, and the smell of bubbling sorghum and popping kettle corn all add to the experience.

Here are some of the awesome sights I saw:

If you'd like to go back in time to the "good ol' days," check out the Parker Homestead Festival this Saturday, October 15 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., or Sunday, October 16 from noon-5 p.m. Admission is $7 per person, and children 6 and younger get in free.

Outfit details: Livy Lu "Arkansas Native" tee-shirt and Thread Supply flannel (both from The Refinery), Old Navy jeans, Minnetonka moccasins, Modcloth "Since You Been Hexagon" earrings in rose gold

Freebie Fun Fact: Arkansas is the diamond state. Crater of Diamonds State Park, located in Murfreesboro, Arkansas is home to the world's only diamond-bearing site accessible to the public. Arkansas is also the first place outside South Africa where diamonds were found at their original volcanic source! Isn't that fancy?