Looking back.

This time last year (Christmas eve) was when Nolan proposed. One of the top 3 best days of my life so far. I can't believe that was a year ago. It's hard to fathom how much can change in such a short amount of time. Our lives can dramatically change with just one question!

Looking back, these are some of my highlights from 2011...



It's really amazing looking back and seeing all of the great changes that have come my way in 2011.
I have been so blessed and feel so fortunate looking back on the year. I have a husband who is more loving, thoughtful and caring than I ever could of imagined. I have my own business that I am loving watch grow, I have wonderful friends and family who support me through everything, and most importantly, a God who knows me in and out, loves me unconditionally, and will ALWAYS be by my side, ready to catch me
when I fall.

So thanks to everyone who has read this blog, your support means so much. I'm so thankful for the people who I've been able to meet here, it brings me joy that people actually want to read this stuff :) I hope you have all had a good year, and if not, I hope you have immense hope for 2012.

So all that being said, Merry Christmas everyone! I'll meet you back here in 2012!! Eat a lot of cookies!!

The other day I played hookie from working and headed out to Carpenteria with my cousin and my sister. It turned out to be a great choice.




Even though the beach was freezing, we took a little stroll on the sand. There's something about being near the water that is just so rejuvenating and refreshing. This day was no different.



One of the reasons we went to Carpenteria was because we were craving burgers and onion rings from The Spot. And it was definitely closed. Something about a break for the holidays... who does that? ;)



We explored the many antique shops and I fell in love with this old sign. I would have bought it right then and there, but it was just a bit out of my price range... maybe one day I'll go back and get it :)



After hanging out in Carp, we went home, watched Christmas movies and baked cookies.
Good day. Very good day.

I've got to wrap presents and take care of some last minute Christmas stuff today. Is anyone loving this time of year as much as me? I sure hope so! Merry Christmas guys!

Christmas is SO here. Yesterday I spent the day at my parents house- both my brother and sister are in home for the holidays- so we all just hung out by the fire, went antique store shopping, and ate cookies and chili. It was great to just hang out with family I don't get to see all the time- just sitting and soaking in the holiday bliss. sooo goood.

Guess what?! I FINALLY printed out our wedding pics!
I'm so excited to frame these babies this weekend.
The walls in our house are pretty bare, their needing some photo love.
Looking at these photos is so much fun, it just brings me back to that amazing day.

Christmas last year was really special for Nolan and I.
Christmas Eve 2010 was when Nolan proposed :) we went from being boyfriend and girlfriend to fiances!
Now look at us- we're husband and wife.  Its amazing how time flies.
I feel like I say that much more as I get older...

Have an amazing weekend and continue to soak up the holiday season!
I hope you are all finished with finals and such, and you are able to spend the next few weeks relaxing and drinking hot chocolate. Happy Weekend friends!! Eat some cookies!

A Christmas Night

This past weekend Nolan (my husband) and I got in the Christmas mood and turned our house into
a Christmas wonderland. I love Christmas and this is the first time I've had my own place to decorate-
so I was pretty stoked.

Since this is our first Christmas living together, we have no Christmas decorations and had to go out to the store to get some. First stop was the dollar store, (love that place) where we found these pretty sparkly glitter ornaments. They had so many colors I was loving... I really wanted to get these cute pink glitter ones, but someone didn't think they were manly enough for his tree...

Anyways, we then went to Home Depot to get our tree, (as a girl who grew up always cutting down our tree, I was super hesitant to go here, but the prices and convenience were just too good to turn down! So yes, I sold out.) we got some lights, and this pretty gold glitter star for the top of our tree that I'm totally in love with it.

We came home, turned on some Christmas music, made cider and put little candy canes in our mugs.
Ended the night with a movie from Netflix. It was super Christmasy with the sparkling lights and good
smelling tree surrounding us.

Now our house is all decorated and feeling oober cozy. I love sitting on the couch by the tree in the mornings, bundled in a blanket, sipping my coffee. (Can you tell I love this season??)

Anyways, Merry Christmas and Happy Thursday friends!
Hope you're finding time to embrace the Christmas spirit!

oh no you didn't. Now I have to make this.
Not only does this blog post beautiful food photos, but they post the recipes too! sooo good.
Mine will never look this pretty, but at least I'll have the means to try...

check it out here :)

Loving these simple cards from this little place. You can say so much with one little illustration,
and the patterned envelopes balance out the understated cards. (There's that balance I love so much!)

I've been thinking Noland and I should send out a Christmas card this year, since it will be our first Christmas together as married folk.

But I just realized tomorrow is December 1st! So if this is gonna happen, I should probably
get on it... hmmm...

Hope you all enjoy the last night of November!

gettin in the spirit...

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend! Mine was great- lots of food and family,
I even had the chance to intern once again for Blogshop with Bri Emery and Angela Kohler.
It was a great time. Now its back to normal for a while, but there is one little difference...

Now that Thanksgiving is over, we can totally celebrate and embrace CHRISTMAS! I love
Christmas time. Listening to Christmas music, baking cookies, cuddling up and watching Elf,
its all so good. Holiday partys are so fun too.

So to celebrate, here are some Christmasy gems to get you in the spirit :)



Hope you enjoy! Merry Christmas time!

The lovely ornaments are from here. Dress 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5

my guest post on craft snob!

i had the opportunity to do a guest post over on this lovely craft blog today.
its confession time- i'm really not that great of a crafter, i just really want to be and totally
pretend that i am. so i have to admit i was a little intimidated when sara from Craft Snob
asked me to come up with a tutorial for how to make a Christmas tree ornament!

i originally thought i would just do a pdf download of something i designed (that i can do!)
but then once i got going, i thought, "i can totally make this in real life!" so i did. and you
can see how i did it right here!

i think it came out lookin pretty good! its full of patterns and color- so i like that :)



so head over to my guest post on Craft Snob, learn how to make this baby and show some love!

Happy Thursday everyone!!

wacky wonderful winter wonderland

i just recently finished up a project for one of my clients- an invitation to their "wacky wonderful
winter wonderland" employee party. sounds pretty epic.

i asked them to send me one of the invites so i could see how it turned out and have it for my
portfolio. i don't think i'll ever get over the awe of seeing your work in print after spending hours
staring at it on a computer screen. i was really pleased with how it came out! and it kinda put me
in the christmas spirit, which i liked a lot too :)



what do ya think? i hope it brings you a little christmas this morning!

we ran out of coffee yesterday- so i'm headed to starbucks to get my caffeine fix.
i might even get really christmasy and get a gingerbread mocha. i've never had one,
and everyone tells me they're pretty yumms.

happy monday everyone!

not too early!

There are so many things I wanted to blog about from this site. The first thing being these
chalkboard garden labels! (They would be perfect for the spices I have growing in jars on our
window sill)

But then there were these little faces that kept catching my eye in the sea of goodness...
And I couldn't help but show you guys the cutest ornaments ever known.



I know we haven't had Thanksgiving yet, but to me, the only thing fun about the cold and
rain is that you get to bake and play Christmas music! Without it its just cold and rainy-
add Christmas stuff and it gets warm and cozy!

So here's some Christmas cuteness to "warm up and cozy" your Wednesday!

You can check out all kinds of wonderfuls- including more ornaments here.

Maybe you could even get really risky and play some Christmas music.
You know I'll be doing it.

Happy Wednesday friends!