31 days: pinterest

since i haven't made posting a priority (well, it's a priority in my head, but the execution...not so great). anyway... i thought i would share what i have been doing with my time. with some help from pinterest. which is rocking my world right now.

flooring: once again, matt and i are trying to tackle the decision for new flooring in our main living area. we tried this once already and never pulled the trigger. because i suck at making big irreversible decisions. (and i suck at not using the word "suck").

we have dark cabinets. i want white. but i can't have them, so we are trying to find the best solution. wish us luck. we need it. this is a time sucker. numerous trips to lowe's and home depot + too much time online looking for inspiration. not to mention i'm getting a crick in my neck from staring down at our floor for long periods of time.

 studio: an ongoing struggle is the room in our house that was a scrapbook studio in a previous life. now it's a disaster begging for some serious TLC. my birthday present was for matt to help me get it in order with some new shelving, etc. my birthday was in july. i've struggled with decision making here too (see a common theme?). the good news is that i think i finally know what i want. i feel a trip to ikea coming...

organization: i have been in a serious purging mood the last few months. and that is awesome!!! it is such a good feeling to drop off a car full of crap to goodwill. and i'm not done. i've been tackling small organization/purging projects and it's paying off...slowly but surely.

fashion: not all of my attention has been on our house. i've also been kind of obsessed with fashion lately, though i have no idea why. stripes and cardigans and plaid button downs and tall brown boots and splashes of color. happiness. i have a (childless) shopping excursion planned for this weekend. kind of excited.

come follow me on pinterest. it's fun!

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this post is part of  a thirty-one day series.

my goal is to get my story telling groove back.

photos + words = chronicles

find links to all the chronicles here

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product recommendation {faux tan}

i don't recommend product very often. but, once in a blue moon i find something that i love so much, i have to share the information...this is one of those times.

i first learned about faux tan by bare essentuals last summer when my (equally pale) sister used it and i was totally impressed by her natural-looking, yet fake, tan. when spring rolled around, i decided i needed to invest. unfortunately, it truly is an investment, as it's pretty pricey. but, i have found it's totally worth it. plus it's way cheaper than a tanning bed if you are considering that route. and the stuff works so much better than any other sunless tanning product i've used (and i have tried several over the years).

i tried to find photographic evidence...this doesn't do it complete justice, but hopefully you get the idea.

this first photo was taken in june of last year...i'd had some sun exposure and developed somewhat of a natural "tan" (no tanning bed...this was 'dark' for me). 

and then this was taken in may of this year...no tanning bed. any natural sun exposure was with 50 or 70 spf sunscreen. this is all faux. 

if you are interested in purchasing the product, i highly recommend qvc. you get more product than elsewhere, making it a better value, PLUS you get a brush for applying it, which is really awesome (and i think it's exclusive to qvc).

the product is far from perfect. i still struggle around the tough areas (ankles, knees, etc)...but it is by far better than any other i've tried!

complete sidenote: if you look closely, these photos also are a pretty good representation of my weight loss. i didn't realize how much thinner my face looks. 


{{cheers}}

web wednesday {5.4}

***organization + menu planning***

i love this menu board tutorial from ucreate foods. it's a little involved and not something i plan to tackle in the near future. but i do think it's super cool!!!

***fashion fun***

as most people know, i'm a serious scarf lover. when i saw the above graphic on elsie's blog, i think i may have jumped for joy! i have already printed it out and will hang it in my closet near my scarves!!!



***organization***

i discovered a cute office supply website via stacy julian's blog: sorting with style 

my favorite thing is this adorable iphone notepad!!

***writing***

marta writes is one of my favorite blogs. and this is one of my favorite recent posts of hers. i adore the photo above which she included (and the others in the post are awesome as well). this is the first paragraph of the post...totally had to share in case you don't click over to her blog (which you should):

what is a blog for if not a modern diary for the details of your days, the thoughts in your mind, the dreams in your heart, the goals you have set, the photos that illustrate who you are, the person you inspire to be, the documentation of the right now.

***yummy food***

i haven't tried it yet, but this turkey penne pasta salad from mckmama looks delicious. i need to convince my husband that it would actually be tasty.

***free download***

a great free download from simple crafter. i miss the art of the handwritten letter.

***for the kiddos***

love this super easy idea of making your own sidewalk *paint* instead of chalk.

seen at the idea room

speaking of kids and cool art stuff... enjoyed this interview with Christie of Childhood 101 over at The Artful Parent. she has authored an e-book (pictured above) that might an interesting read!

***free word art***

super cute free easter/spring word art from ali edwards.

***free polaroid templates***

if you use photoshop, these are some cool templates to get the look of a Polaroid or Instax camera.

***teacher appreciation***

i'm infactuated with subway art right now and eighteen25 always has cool free ones for every holiday, season, etc. the newest is this teacher appreciation version. love it.

***dr. seuss party***

i love dr. seuss. i love parties. this is the most adorable combination of the two.

found at hostess with the mostess

book club {incourage}

i want to share with you something very cool that i'm doing right now. i am participating in an "online book club"... that's a first for me. i originally read about this at inspired to action. i was lead over to (in)courage where the club is actually taking place.

the book is called one thousand gifts by ann voskamp, who also writes the blog a holy experience. the book club reads two chapters per week. each sunday & wednesday there is a relevant blog post and a video with the author herself.

i am two chapters into the book and truly enjoying the experience. i have figured out my reading plan and it's working well, so far. first, i read a chapter. then i read the corresponding blog post and watch the video. then i read the chapter a second time, while i also do some journaling that is inspired by all of those things. i feel like i'm getting so much more from the reading by not rushing and making sure i do all of these things to really soak in what's being shared. (please note, i am not doing all of these steps together. i never have that much free time. i divide them up into mini steps and squeeze them in however is realistic).

it's not too late to participate. you can easily catch up, or do this at your own pace, referring back to past posts. the first two chapters have been posted and chapter three is tomorrow. the book can be purchased at amazon (for only $9.23), as well as many other places.

one little word {focus}

as in years past, i decided to stay on the ali edwards bandwagon of choosing one little word. i knew my word early this year, but i wanted to live with it for a short while before sharing it. (you might remember that i changed my 2010 one little word mid-year). i mentioned it back in early december and surprisingly, it hasn't changed yet. (sidenote: ali even has a year-long class to support this idea now.)

so, yup...that's the word - focus. it's not a very exciting word in and of itself. but it's packed full of meaning and intent. let's start by looking at it's actual definition:

fo·cus   [foh-kuhs]

–noun: a central point, as of attraction, attention, or activity

–verb: to become focused.

—synonyms: center, heart, core, nucleus.

i was a little disappointed that the dictionary definition of my dear word wasn't more exciting. and then i saw the synonyms. and it all made sense. it was perfect. focus is about the heart, the core. last year, i strived for balance and was able to eliminate some less important things from my life. things that were stealing time from the core. now that i know what matters most, it's time to focus, focus, focus.

it can seem like a harsh word but that's not how it feels to me. it feels right. it feels like hugging a child or lounging with my family. it feels like pushing aside the grocery shopping so we can hang out in the front yard (something i did this past weekend). it's connotation is actually comforting to me.

and just in case there was any doubt about my word, as i went onto the smashing magazine website recently to choose my free monthly desktop wallpaper, i ran across this....

so, here we go -- 2011 -- the year of focus.

cheers.

web wednesday {2.2}

today is a special heart day version of *web wednesday*. i'll start by reminding you of a couple of past posts here at the chronicles:

last year's list from around the web

easy pencil goodies - i made these last year for spencer's (5th grade) classmates
these are a great solution because they aren't *too girly* or *too young*

hybrid valentines with a pencil treat - i made these last year for coleman's daycare buddies

my heart day decor from 2007. sometimes i forget about my own great ideas. i love that i used red hearts in those vases/candle holders...something i haven't done since. silly me!

and now for valentine's day goodies from around the web...

free candy bar wrapper printable from eighteen 25

tutorial for some fun "tissue art". definitely want to do this with coleman. from sunny side up.

this post has tons of great valentine kid's craft ideas!

i'm pretty sure this cupcake fondue idea is the best thing ever. we have to do this. this could be about valentine's day or totally not. i'm thinking this would be a great treat on a child's birthday to show them they are special! something relatively easy to pull off at home on a weeknight or whatever!

i never thought of painting heart cookies before you cook them. what a fabulous (and easy) idea!!! i'm always struggling for age-appropriate activities for coleman. i think decorating cookies this way would be way easier for him than the standard icing way. from the same site: coffee filter hearts


eighteen 25 always does a great job with seasonal posts. they have several valentine's day things up already (and i expect more will follow):
valentine's frames (pictured above)
peanut butter blossoms (recipe)
here they link up tons of ideas from other blogs
free digital valetine card downloads!!! (three options)
use the downloads for a sweet treat valentine
adorable DIY candy dish idea



Valentine's Day Party Ideas...
Love Rocks


heart shaped marshmallow treats

marriage & love: a holy experience is focusing on *the practice of marriage* the two weeks leading up to valentine's day. links from other blogs are also at the bottom of this post.

enjoy this season of hearts and hugs.

web wednesday {prizes won}

this week's web wednesday is a bit different than normal. in the past two months, i've won two different giveaways online so i thought i'd share them here and publicly thank the bloggers who hosted them! giveaways are very common in the blogworld. you could spend hours a day entering them, if you chose. i try to limit my entries to things that would be truly exciting if i were to win. needless to say, i was tickled pink about both of these.

Ashley @ AP Free Writing 101 hosted a DaySpring Giveaway. And I WON! i had a blast shopping on their website using my $35 gift card. their site is full of wonderful faith-based products. i was able to purchase a few gifts, as well a couple of treats for myself. here are two of things i bought for me:

i love these so much, i opted not to put them up with our christmas stuff so that i can use them year-round.

Michelle @ So, I Married a Mennonite hosted a Tommy Nelson Giveway. and I WON! i have heard a lot of wonderful things about tommy nelson's children's book but we didn't own any! i'm excited that his title, a christmas prayer, is now a part of our christmas book collection. i was also pleased to realize, when it arrived, that it's a board book - perfect for coleman!

thanks to ashley & michelle!!!

web wednesday {1.19}

it's been a while since i've done a *web wednesday* and i have a lot of good stuff hanging out in my google reader. i hope you enjoy...

***crafting + home decor***

this fabric wreath was posted as a fall tutorial, but you could make it work for any season, holiday, event, etc. just but changing the fabrics you choose. i hope to try this one day. i love it!

***parenting + writing***

The Write Start

i'm intriqued by this book. as someone who loves to write, i hope to foster a similar love in coleman. i highly recommend reading this Q&A post as well. i love her comments about beginning a journal for your child early on. i would've never considered doing that for coleman (yet). i'm inspired :)

 

***digital scrapbooking + photo editing***

free download: mom overlays

 

***parenting***

behavior charts - love that these are practical for young kids

 

***parenting + faith***

two good reads at the mob society:

-- one sentence that invites good behavior

-- teaching sons the power of forgiveness

color crush {yellow + gray}

for a short while now, i've had a huge color crush on the yellow/gray combination. it came about very accidentally. we painted our bedroom yellow a long time ago (matt's choice), but didn't really do any other design changes. then we painted our master bathroom gray (my choice), and again, didn't make any other design improvements. after many months, it clicked.

we had unintentionally created the most wonderful color combination for our bedroom. but i love the colors in many other facets and have worked it into my wardrobe a few times. as we make small improvements to our bedroom, i find myself constantly searching "gray and yellow" at etsy. so, today...i thought i'd share some of my favorite finds.

these colors make me happy. if i were getting married right now, i'd totally use this for my colors. and if i were having a baby girl...perfect nursery. but since neither of those is happening, i will stick to bedroom design and my wardrobe.

clutch by frankielloyd ~ save the date announcement by kimscustomgifts ~ wedding invitation set and wedding tree by inviting moments ~ hand blown glass vase by solidified breath ~ 5 little elephants print by amandakindregan ~ alphabet print by appleblossomprint ~ optic blossom pleated bag  ~ polka dot posy ~ rain or shine rosette bib necklace by sweetapple30 ~ lemonade rain cabled scarflette by kerreraskye ~ ruffle diaper cover by raegun ~ coupon organizer by jimmypickles ~ poppy flowers headband by vivatregina ~ wool felted bowl by thelandofg ~ pom pom hat by mocha922

christmas {gifts}

i decided to post a list of gifts we received. my main reason for doing this is just to have a personal record of it. i hope it doesn't "look bad" to do this, and i don't expect many folks to care...so feel free to skip on over to the next post. but, i know sometimes i enjoy reading what others have given or received because it can often inspire a gift idea for someone i love.

disclaimer: these are gifts from a variety of folks, not just within our immediate family. we actually did a pretty good job of keeping the gifts a bit more under control than we have in the past.

matt: gas fire pit * drill * trimmer/shaving set * SEC tee * gamecock tee * gamecock glass * gamecock sunglass strap * ford hat * nautica tee * nautica pullover * button down shirt * reese's ornament * coke ornament * gamecock hoodie * beer brewing kit * PJs * iphone case

holly: bedspread * outfit from talbots * lots of socks * underwear * gamecock bracelet * mini notebooks * boymom tee * christmas bucket * "h" necklace * casual ugg-style black boots * PJs * slipper boots * travel coffee mug

spencer: ps move * bobcats/celtics tickets * celtics hat * long sleeve gamecocks tee * bunch of clothes from aeropostale * PJs and robe * long sleeve red sox tee * under armour sweatshirt * christmas book * newest diary of a wimpy kid book * witch & wizard and the gift books by james patterson * gum * espn christmas ornament * two gamecock christmas ornaments * espn magazine subscription * gamecock duct tape * gamecock toboggan * bunch of gamecock books & magazine subscription * backyard baseball video game

coleman : small table & chairs * floor puzzle * board books * alphaberry * two shirts * christmas PJs * gamecock PJs * small puzzle * little people circus set * tent with tunnel * ball pit and lots of balls * tee ball set * bookbag filled with school supplies * caterpillar ride-on toy * lots of art supplies * little people christmas ornament * several books * plastic animals * plastic dinosaurs * sock monkeys * golf set

rio & cooper: our dogs both have stockings and had three gifts each (toys and treat). in years past, we have gotten them gifts if there are "bigger" things that made sense (like a new dog bed). this year it didn't seem necessary. two days after christmas, matt and i realize that at least one of them desperately needs a new dog bed. oops.

gifts given:
i'm not going to list all of the gifts we gave, but there were a few that i was particularly excited about. i ordered personalized necklaces for my mom and sisters. i put together a photo album for my in-laws. matt's niece, who is engaged, was given a bottle of wine, two wine glasses and a wine stopper that has the monogram of her new last name. i also found a shirt that my mom really liked (i think). some artsy gifts for a few of coleman's friends.
it always feel good when you think you've really figured out a gift for someone.

i love shopping on etsy so here are a few things i ordered as gifts:

the first four are perfect stocking stuffers.

camera wristlet for my mom

camera wristlet for my sister

coffee sleeve for my sister

glass holder for my mom

bible cover for my other sister

these were ordered from three different shops and i had good service/quality from all three :)

reverb 10 {day 1}

you know i love a project, right? well, i just learned about reverb 10 from a post over at ali edwards' blog. what is it? in their words:

Reverb 10 is an annual event and online initiative to reflect on your year and manifest what’s next. The end of the year is an opportunity to reflect on what's happened, and to send out reverberations for the year ahead. With Reverb 10, we'll do both.

i'm going to try to participate as close to daily as possible. but i also am shooting for (close to) daily posts about the christmas season. so, i'll do what i can! let's get started...

december one: one word
Encapsulate the year 2010 in one word. Explain why you’re choosing that word. Now, imagine it’s one year from today, what would you like the word to be that captures 2011 for you?

well, my "one little word" for the year began as strive but was changed to balance. looking back, i can't say that either of those words really describes how my year shook out. i think i needed balance, but i never got there. i think the better word would be adjustment. we experienced some pretty big things with spencer that took adjusting on our part, as parents. then later, he began middle school...more adjustments. as with all small children, coleman's needs and abilities have changed, requiring us to be flexible. but the one, largest adjustment was work-related. i had to adjust to a new schedule, new demands, and new responsibilities. i'm still working on it.

i'm nor committing quite yet, but right now i'm feeling that my 2011 one word might be focus. i feel like i've managed to rid my life of  some time-sucking activites. however, i still feel like things are under control. next year, i want to focus on what's important. pinpoint the things that matter and focus my time, energy and heart there.

wine {middle sister}

let me tell you about a cute little company called: middle sister wines

this is the wine that started it all... "drama queen" pinot grigio. matt was SO proud of himself for finding this marketing genius wine (he knows how i buy my wine...based on the label's cuteness quotient). at first, i was insulted that he seemed to think i was a drama queen. but since i specifically requested pinot grigio, i let him off the hook.

after seeing the brand "middle sister" and knowing i was going to visit my own *middle sister* that weekend, i HAD to make a trip to target. i surveyed the sister selection and settled on *goodie two-shoes*. it was a pinot noir. i had no idea if she even likes that type of wine, but i had to get it anyway! we shared some of the bottle while i was there...turns out she likes it :)

on their website, you can even take a quiz to see which sister you are...

turns out i'm a *mischief maker*...i don't think so :)

You're a Mischief Maker. You like to stir the pot. And because it's usually filled with one of your fabulous culinary creations, you have lots of friends. Maybe sometimes your schemes go a bit awry, like the time you tried to fix up your brother with Cameron Diaz. But whereas the rest of the world is gray, you are a brilliant, shining rainbow of bodaciousness. We toast your unquenchable spirit with Middle Sister Mischief Maker Cabernet Sauvignon.