Goals 2014 in Review

I totally forgot I even had a list of goals until today. I did remember my photo a week though. 

Well let's see how I did:

"This year I decided to go simpler since this year will be bringing a lot of change."

♥ Read a book every month ♥

Um..... I didn't quite make it. Counting off the top of my head I read 9 books this year. Not enough but I did have a busy year.  I need to get better at reading books again though....goal for 2015?

♥ Craft & Design ♥

I think I did well here....had more creative months than others but between my wedding and making a home I designed, crafted & sewed quite a few things.

♥ No social media past 11 o'clock ♥

Oh my.....I totally forgot this goal. I remember being very faithful in the beginning of the year and it became a habit. I do it without thinking now because I want my sleep.

♥ Work on relationships ♥

Mhmmmm....did good I think? The goal here was to reach out to my friends and family even while I am busy. I try....I am thankful for social media & skype that makes that possible. I will continue to work on this though.

♥ Guest Posts ♥

Total fail here. Did I even have a single guest post this year?

♥ Finish College ♥

Hahahaha.....I made it guys! I graduated!

♥ Ready for Changes ♥
"I am planning and expecting many changes this year. One happened already as you can read here (?). Here is a list of changes I am planning on and some that look might happen. Finishing classes, student teaching, graduate, travel to US, get engaged, get married, move into a new apartment, start working....who knows what else might happen."

I had to keep this for you to read.... because all of this happened!!! ☺

♥ Photo a Week ♥
Ok.....So I was not faithful in selecting and editing my photo a week but I DEFINITLY took a photo a week. I stopped choosing and editing in Week 12.... yep... lots of catching up to do.

How did you do with your New Year Resolutions?

How To Center Post & Date Titles

OK....so I accidentally hit publish. Did the pictures to this tutorial a LONG time ago but never got around to explaining it. So here we go.


I love having things centered and if you like your titles centered on your blogger blog here is a quick fix.... less than 2 minutes.

Go to your Blogs account. Click on →Template and then on the orange button →Custamize.
Now you will see →Advance on the top left.
Now look for →Add CSS

Here is where you will paste the code you see bellow:

  .post-title {
text-align:center;
}
.date-header {
text-align:center;
}

If is doesn't change right away just hit the enter button and you should see the post and date titles go to the center.


Did it work? Looks much better doesn't it!?

Follow along:

Who taught me? Cinsarah.com

Christmas Tour 2014

I copied the lyrics board idea from a picture I saw on pinterest

A nativity scene we've had a long time but never used at my mom's house....

My Christmas pillows....

Who doesn't like Candles to relax?

My living room....pick a seat.

Cookies anyone?

My advent Candles

In the Kitchen

Peaking into the Kitchen

Let it snow...let it snow...let it snow

Do you celebrate on the 24th or 25th?

May I say I am proud of my little apartment? It's so cozy....that's the perfect word to describe my apartment under the roof...with all the wood.

And I must say that Christmas is my favorite holiday...the only holiday you can go all out with decorations....and that is what I did. Ok...not overwhelming but just touches of Christmas scattered throughout my little home.

Welcome to my little home...would like some tea, coffee or hot cocoa?

Merry Christmas 2014

Just wanted to post and say Merry Christmas... May God bless you & your family.

My Christmas Pillows

So I finished one of my goals for my time off before Christmas and made 3 Christmas pillows! I totally love the wintery/christmasy feel of my living room! Accent pillows can really give a room a new feel! ☺

So which pillow that I made do you like best? Silent Night, the one with the gloves or the polka-dot one?

Pondering // Guest Post

Kelley from "Sincerely, Kelley", a real life friend, retold the Christmas story through different eyes and shared it on her blog. And I just had to share it with you dear reader...

 

 

"But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart."

The weather that night was so insignificant in light of everything else that she promptly forgot whether it was cold, hot, or just right. The things that stood out in her mind were details – the smell of fresh hay mixing with the musty, dirty scent of the animals.  The incredible clearness of the night sky. Her husband wrapping his tired and blistered feet after their long journey. The look in his eyes: a mix of fear and the responsibility ahead, disappointment in his inability to provide more than a stable, and awe at what had just taken place. And love. Lots of love.

Even more, the details of her new son. The silky dark hair, the incredibly fine eyelashes and nearly invisible eyebrows. The tiniest of finger and toe nails. The unbelievable softness of his face that she couldn’t stop touching. The warm puffs of new breath on her hand as she memorized his features.

She couldn’t remember any pain or discomfort from her journey or experience – she knew it had happened, because it was forever ingrained in Joseph’s memory due to his fear and doubt. Perhaps it was her joy and relief at the safe delivery of her son, perhaps it was the mighty hand of God, relieving her of memories best put away. What she did remember was how soft the hay felt under her exhausted body, how attentive her young new husband was, bringing blankets and cool water.  How she couldn’t stop staring at the tiniest of miracles. Her miracle.

She remembered his hand wrapped around her finger, how peacefully he slept, and how for a minute, he wasn’t the Messiah, he was simply her baby son. She was filled with more joy than ...

To Continue

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Pinterest Board- Sweets

My family is coming over to our house in the eveing of the 25th and I was looking for some Christmassy deserts that look fun but are easy to do..... Where did I go to look for ideas? Correct! Pinterest....here are someideas I found that look sooooooooo good! I am planning on doing those Marshmallows on the stick, Christmassy rice crispies & the reindeer pancakes.

Do you like decorating & having fun with food?

DIY Neighbor Gift

Today I made these simple little hot chocolate with marshmallow snowmen. Of course I was inspired by Pinterest! ☺ They were fun to make and simple to do.....and everything I used I already had at home.

So like giving little gifts to friends & neighbors?

Pinterest Christmas Board- Pillows

I LOVE decoration....I LOVE Christmas decorations. I am so inspired by the ideas I find on pinterest. I am wanting to sew some Christmas pillows for my living room and these 9 were my favorite. Some are of course a little harder to do than others but I still have lots of burlap from my wedding.... can't wait to make one or two pillows in time for Christmas...

What's your favorite pillow out of the 9 above?

The Time Before Christmas

The time before Christmas is probably the most busy time....everyone is looking forward to their time off and there is sooooo much preparation. But in middle of all the business it can be a really fun time of.... fresh mini donuts, datenight at the Christmas market, cozy nights with hot chocolate & candy cane, Christmas lights, caroling with the school, Christmas movies & music, Christmas decoration, crafting....and who doesn't like shopping?

What have you been up to during the days before Christmas?