You Can Stand Under my Umbrella


Here's the thing.  I'm from California and I'm now roughin' it in Washington.  Seattle, specifically.  Let me tell you something.  When it rains in California, we whip out our umbrellas and put a little pep in our step to get to our car a half second quicker.  I've never really liked the rain...although it's never been a huge problem.  Growing up, when it rained, it was deemed a TV and hot chocolate day.  Obviously.

The end of senior year in high school I got my acceptance letter to Seattle Pacific University. I was so excited I screamed YAY at the top of my lungs without knowing my dad had a realtor at our house.  Oops!  He congratulated me and said, "Better buy an umbrella!"

That's the first time it happened.

Every person I told about going to SPU always said it.  Always.  It never failed. Where are you going to school?  Seattle.  Oh, it rains there a lot, huh?!  Bring an umbrella....or five. Duh.

Then at my high school graduation party I received two umbrellas as gifts.  That's a good one, real creative (:

Do you know what, friends?  I'm in Seattle now, I own three umbrellas and yet I cannot use them.  I can't because if I do, people will know I'm not from here.  Dead giveaway. You see, people from Washington are used to all this water.  They throw on their hood, or not, and continue walking at their slow-paced stride until they disappear into the rain storm. {I exaggerate.}  

The other day I was waiting for the bus and this cute older lady was there.  It began to pour sprinkle, so I took out my umbrella because I felt brave.  She's staring at me now, so I asked her if she wanted to join me {kind of jokingly, just to lighten the mood.}  She says, "Bless your heart, you're not from here, are you?" Nope. {Is "bless your heart" the nice way of saying, "You're really embarrassing?" If so, I might start saying it to other people.}  So I guess she didn't want to come stand under my umbrella. ella. ella. a. a. {I just went there.}

So here's to me braving the rain with no help from my girly, brightly colored, Coach umbrella. Thoughts?

Oh- I'm also over at Tatertots and Jello today sharing my cork board calender tutorial!
Love,
Michaela

42 comments

  1. I checked out your tutorial at Tatertots and Jello and I lovedddddd it!!! You are so creative! I can't wait to see more of the fun things you create on your blog! :)

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  2. Ok, so now I will be singing that song all day! LOL Too funny about the umbrella. Oh, and I'm not sure SHE was from around those parts as "bless your heart" is HUGELY southern!!

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  3. Michaela, I used to live in Kodiak, Alaska and the same is true there, lots of rain, no umbrellas! It's crazy itn't it??? I say carry the coach, maybe it will rub off on some people! Came from Tatertots and Jello and yes you are adorable!

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  4. Hey Michaela,
    Great seeing your blog on Tatertots and Jello. I'm a new blogger from the other side of the state. SPU is a terrific place, lots of my friends have gone there!
    I'll now be checking on your blog!
    Blessings,
    --Katie
    Creatively Living Outside the Box
    www.blah2beautiful.blogspot.com

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  5. Hi Michaela ~ I came to your blog from Tatertots & Jello this morning and I've had a lovely time looking around. You and your blog are adorable. :o)

    I love your video a few posts down and am totally inspired. I have been wanting to do something just like it. I live in Arizona and many of my blog friends are in Europe and Australia.

    Keep on blogging! xo

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  6. oh girlfriend...I SO relate...I am from sunny so cal as well...where the slightest rain cloud can cause the population to go into a frenzy...now I am in England..and yes, every.single.time. someone found out we were moving here, OR when someone finds out where we are from, the immediate reaction is "oh...how are you handling the weather" well let me tell you..i am NOT handling it. it is stupid. and i want to punch the cold in the face. And there is no point in using an umbrella because i cant hold onto it because of the wind.

    and no car.

    the icing on top of my dark wet cake.

    the end.

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  7. bahahaha!! i love this!!!
    after she laughed did she say "oh me" thats what my grams does!!

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  8. How sad that they don't use umbrellas. I would hate to be wet all day!!

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  9. I'd definitely be carrying around a cute umbrella too! Have a great day girlie!

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  10. This kind of reminds me of my neck of the woods... minus the Umbrellas. I live in Florida, so it's comical to see people come here in shorts and TShirts in the winter. That's when you know they’re not from around here, because everyone thinks 'Oh sunny Florida'. Well Sunny FL drops down in the 20's at times in the Winter LOL.

    -Although... even if I was a Seattlin [ya I made that up] I would probly want to carry an umbrella. I wouldn't want to walk around all wet lol.

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  11. haha this post totally made me laugh (and i'm at work so it was awkward) ;) i would be busting out my umbrella too! even a light mist and i go from straight locks to a curly poodle! good luck with all the rain lady!

    PS - I LOVE your umbrella!

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  12. Haha I went to Penn State, and people always told me that they had more rainy days than Washington, which made me nervous to go there! But after the first week, I never, ever, ever left my dorm or apartment withuot an umbrella. I had one in my bag at all times. The thing at Penn State though was that it would usually rain off an on all day, but in between it would be nice and sunny! I don't think Seattle is like that, so I would probably not be a fan of that either! Luckily everyone at PSU used umbrellas though. Hope the sun comes out!!

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  13. hahaha! I say just go for it, embarrassed is much better than wet hair. :)

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  14. Bless your heart is a Southern phrase! I use it all the time.

    Like when I saw Michelle Williams at the Golden Globes... "bless her heart in that daisy dress!" Ha!

    PS. I would totally use the umbrella! And stand under your umbrella, ella, ella, a. :)

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  15. randomly found you threw TTJ! Really put a smile on my face! I'm from WA now living in Florida. Here It drops a dump of rain and then 15 minutes later the sun is out. I do have to tell though that some days I miss the constant Grey clouds and the rain that just kind of spits on you. Thanks for the little piece of home.

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  16. Hi! I just found your blog from Tatertots and Jello. I'm so glad I did!!! Hope you have a fabulous day!!

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  17. When moving to the south I quickly learned that "bless your heart" was a polite way of mocking me ;) oh well, it sounds so sweet while it's being said!

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  18. I say sport that umbrella proudly. Who wants to be soaking wet all day? Soggy clothes are not fun. :)

    It can definitely be tough getting used to new weather. I feel your pain. Try and stay dry in Washington.

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  19. So this is a random question but I saw your tutorial on Tatertots and Jello and she showed the picture of your bed, on your shelf you have a print that says "Im a child a God" do you mind me asking where you got that. I love it.

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  20. Just came over after reading your tutorial on TTJ! What a cute idea! I'm in the process of re-vamping my home office and just might use it! :)

    Off to read some more of your posts and get to know you better!

    ~Lauren

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  21. That's adorable. I don't own an umbrella and I finally got a rain coat for Christmas. 28 years in Washington. I wonder why we don't use them more, our hair would certainly look better ;)

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  22. Oh goodness, this is hilarious! What are those crazy people thinking, not using an umbrella?!? I say you just use your pretty little umbrella anyways!

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  23. Just found you from Tatertots and Jello and I'm so glad I did! I'm your newest follower!

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  24. i'm from Toronto and it rains here. i have an umbrella in my car at all times. another in my closet and my fancy coach umbrella is currently being held hostage by my cousins until i come visit. that's three umbrellas for one person. i also own two pairs of rain boots and a rain coat from Lululemon.

    Walking from home school one night the wind was so bad my umbrella was flipped inside out with no hope of being salvaged. i walked further up the street to a sporting life and bought another one. by that point i was so drenched i could only laugh. i had to hang my clothes to dry before i could put them in the hamper when i got back to my apartment that night. i ended up getting REALLY sick, but i still remember stopping after a car splashed me and just laughing to myself at how powerless i was to the rain that night.

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  25. I grew up in Seattle and after living elsewhere for 7 years I moved back 5 years ago and for the first time I thought 'this is weird, why don't we use umbrellas?' and I went out and bought a raincoat and a cute umbrella and now I use them proudly, and answer yes, I AM FROM HERE :)

    Found you from TT&J, looks like I definitely have to subscribe!

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  26. So I found you through Tatertots and Jello and oh my goodness you are so stinkin cute. After browsing through your cute blog for a while I am loving it. You are a fantastic writer and I love all the design you go through along with fashion. Since I just got done with College I feel l like I can connect with you remembering what it is like to be a student away from home. Thank you for all your cute ideas and I hope you don't mind that I will probably be a regular blog stocker from now on. You are on my blog roll :) WBBFF (Wanna Be BBF) haha. Loves-Whit

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  27. Your Umbrella is to cute not to use! i saw your tutorial on TTJ, love it!! Im excited to follow you!

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  28. Girl, you go on and use that adorable little umbrella. I'd be using one too! With wet hair and smeared make-up, I'd look like a hot mess. Who cares what people think? You're the one who's dry!! They're the silly natives who are WET! ;)

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  29. I LOVE the umbrella...it's too bad it's pretty much outlawed in WA...I say, why pass up the chance to use a fabulous accessory??? (c:

    http://loveallthingsbrightandbeautiful.blogspot.com

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  30. ha! i love the umbrella! and great tutorial girly--you are so creative and fab~

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  31. Ha! I'm from Northern Ca and still live here, it can rain a lot during the winter here in SF but I always use my umbrella and I swear to you it is almost always 100% of the time in my purse with an extra in my car b/c that's how much I loathe the rain ;) Thanks for making me giggle, that little old lady made me laugh out loud! xoxo

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  32. I could ditto your entire post. Except I live on Oahu. It sprinkles and/or downpours here at least once a day, and only foreigners/mainlanders and old people use umbrellas.

    Cute blog, and I'm definitely becoming a follower. (linking from T&J). I was going to start "Fashion Forward Fridays" next week. Ha! I love finding like-minded bloggers. Helps me remember I'm not as clever as I think I am... ;)

    Aloha,
    charlie

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  33. Great blog and best wishes with the rain. I say are you kidding? rock out the umbrella! (it's darling!) and I can relate...I went to school in southern OH, it rains sideways there! :)

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  34. Found your blog through Tatertots and Jello and I have to say great blog.

    Very few people from Seattle own umbrellas. Before moving to So Cal I lived in Seattle for over ten years and the rain never bottered me. Now that I live in CA I cringe everytime it rains. Imagine that!

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  35. hmmm....raining? no umbrella? I say be different & start the umrella-ella trend

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  36. loved this post. every word. I know how you feel about the umbrella...except in my world, it's snow for three months of the year. I don't know if I'll ever be able to brave the snow like you do the rain. I wish I was so strong!

    btw, I tagged you in my blog...would love if you played along ;) xoxo {av}

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  37. You're so cute...I think you should just use the umbrella and use it proudly!!

    Us Southerners, yes I know that's terrible grammar, say "Bless your heart" when what we really want to say is, "She's crazy," "What is she thinking," "Oh my gosh," etc. Haha!

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  38. Love love love your calendar! I'm making my own now! =)

    And I've spent the last few years living in NY, and let's just say that people often knew that I wasn't a native NY-er. ;)

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  39. too funny! I really don't like the rain either, and it's been raining quite a bit here too, lately. Girl, I would just use the darn umbrella, and not care if they think I wasn't from around there. Better a nice and dry "tourist" than a wet and cold local...

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  40. This is hilarious! I'm from Portland, so I totally understand the rain issue. I normally don't have an umbrella with me, true Oregonian, BUT if it's a special occasion and my hair is looking good, you better believe I'm working the umbrella:-)

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  41. I love your cheery umbrella! I begged my dad for an umbrella when I was a kid, but because we're native Seattlites, he told me "Umbrellas are for tourists." Such a funny, awkward Seattle thing!

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  42. You're in WA now?? Or have you been for a while? I'm sorry I am so out of it. I also live in Seattle and let me tell you, I own 2 umbrella's and use them constantly!! People probably think that I am a "visitor" also, but I hate getting all cold and wet from the rain!

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Thank you for stopping by! If you have a specific question, please email me at hello@michaelanoelledesigns.com. I always reply to emails! Have a blessed day! xoxo

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