31 Days of Coastal Style- announcement

Public Service Announcement-- As I am busy preparing for our church's Autumn Blast and a weekend of guests, Days 30 & 31 of the 31 Days series will be posted on November 4th & 5th. Thanks for following along! :)

{31 Days of Coastal Style} Advice from the Ocean

Pinned here

"Be shore of yourself." "Come out of your shell." Take time to coast." "Avoid pier pressure." "Sea life's beauty." "Don't get tide down." "Make waves." And I'll add one more oceanic word of wisdom: "Roll with it."

As a kid, I remember being nearly swept out to sea by an unexpected rip tide. My brother and I (we were probably about 12 and 10 at the time, though I don't remember) were swimming along with the rest of my family when an offshore storm started creating a strong rip current. The two of us found ourselves slowly being pulled farther and farther away from the shore.

My mom, an avid swimmer, quickly swam out to where we were, and, calmly but firmly, directed us NOT to swim straight toward the shore-- as our natural instincts were telling us. Instead, she said, to get out of the rip current we had to swim SIDEWAYS, parallel to the shore, till we reached a spot where the current was weaker, and then we could work our way to shore. Working as a team, together the three of us made it safely back to the beach. 

Desktop wallpaper, found here

That day I learned that we had to "roll with" the current, rather than fight against it, or else we would never make it back to shore! Through my whole life, that same lesson has continued to shape my attitude. When unexpected situations pop up, plans are changed at the last minute, or crises arise, fighting against the "tide" rarely produces beneficial results. Rather, as we "roll with" what we are given, cheerfully adapting to our circumstances, we are able to rise above those circumstances!

This is especially easy to do when I know that I'm not the one in control-- God is! "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God; to those who are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28) "In every thing give thanks, for this is the will of God is Christ Jesus concerning you." (I Thessalonians 5:18) In every situation, no matter how dire, there is something to be thankful for! Find that something, and you have found the key to cheerfully "rolling with it"! 

Desktop wallpaper, found here

Today (or rather, at midnight last night) I was reminded of this again, as hubby, three kids, and I sat by the roadside in our truck, knowing that we had a full eight hours to wait for morning, and the opening of the auto parts stores so that Mr. Superman could replace the fuel pump on our truck. Just now, 23 hours later, we have finally reached our destination-- a trip that normally takes only 5 1/2 hours (hence the late blog post!) :) How very thankful I am that at a young age, I learned this lesson from the ocean: to "roll with the punches" and cheerfully adapt to my circumstances! So many things could have gone wrong today that DIDN'T, we did make it safely to our destination, and we actually enjoyed some special family time along the way!

Desktop wallpaper, found here

Life is an adventure. It may not always be the adventure you expected, but it's always an adventure!

Have you ever learned a valuable lesson from the ocean? Or from any other part of nature? (Psalm 19)

P.S. This week my family and I are attending a conference! While I will do my best to post each day, I will be "rolling with" the circumstances as they happen, which may mean I might miss a day. Rest assured, though, "31 Days of Coastal Style" is still full-steam ahead! :)

Did you miss any of the other 31 Days of Coastal Style posts? Check the list out here!

P.S.P.S. Check out the rest of the "31-Dayers" over at The Nester's blog!

Creating. Beautifying. Loving. (and Organizing!)

We interrupt this regularly scheduled series to bring you this Public Service Announcement!

As you may have noticed, my blog got a whole new makeover this week, thanks to my aMAZing blog designer (who also happens to be my sister, Sharon!) Today, we've done a bit more tweaking! 

(pause to allow you to scrutinize the entire page to see what you think is different...) 

As you may have noticed, the "Project Gallery" page has been replaced by three categories : "Creating," "Beautifying," and "Loving." (which also happens to be my blog tagline!) All my blog posts are now categorized under these three labels:

• "Creating" = crafts and tutorials. 
• "Beautifying" = general decor posts and inspiration. 
• "Loving" = family, and marriage! :) 

Even better, the handy links to each category are right at the top of the page, for your perusing pleasure!

So go ahead, check 'em out! What are you waiting for? ;)

P.S. I've also added a "my home" page, which will feature my home tour as it is published. Stay tuned...

We now return to our regularly scheduled programming. Thank you. :)

I'm back in a BIG way! (and Introducing 31 Days of Coastal Style!)

Hello, dear blog! Did you miss me? Yes, I know five months is a looong time-- TOO long-- but I promise, I haven't forgotten about you! And to the one or two of you that are still hanging on and checking this page every few weeks to see if I'm still alive, I promise I am. Barely, after the crazy busy summer we've had up here, but yes, alive! ;)

So here is me, re-emerging from under my rock, to announce that not only am I back, but I've actually committed to something scary-- posting for 31 days straight! Yes, I've taken The Nester's 31 Day challenge as my personal summons to reenter blogland!

If you've seen my posts about finding my personal style, or checked out my Pinterest boards, you know that one of my absolutely favoritest subjects of all times is ANYTHING coastal, lake, or beach-themed! So what else does a beach fanatic choose to write for a whole month straight about, but 31 Days of Coastal Style?!? :)

For the next 31 days, I'll be featuring everything from my own DIY beachy decorations, to favorite coastal blogs, rooms, and merchandise! So follow along for a beachy ride!

Today I'm going to give you a sneak peek of my NEW HOME! Yes, you heard that right-- in the time that I have been "absent" from this here blog, my little family and I moved into a brand-new (to us) apartment here at our church! I've had SOOOO much fun decorating, tweaking and adjusting everything to fit my casual coastal style! :) If you follow me on Instagram, you've probably already seen this picture I posted yesterday...

I absolutely LOVE the way our whitewashed plank walls turned out! They add the perfect subtle coastal cottage touch! Of course a few starfish here and there don't hurt, either...

Come back tomorrow as I continue the home tour of our lovely "lake cottage" abode! (No, it's not ON a lake, but seeing as we're approximately 1,000 miles from the nearest ocean and only 7 miles from Lake Michigan, this is what I choose to call my version of inland coastal style) ;) 

I'll be adding the link to each of my "31 Days" posts here, so feel free to pin this post to make sure you don't miss any of our 31 Days of Coastal Style!

Day 1: Intro & Sneak Peek of my "Lake Cottage"

Day 2: "Casual Elegant" Coastal Home Tour
Day 3: Formula for a Coastal Entryway [Buy or DIY]
Day 4: DIY Faux "Ceramic" Coral
Day 5: "All Things Coral" Decor Round-up
Day 6:  Weekend Daydreaming: Cape Cod Relaxation
Day 7: Coastal Color Schemes-- Nautical Navy
Day 8: "Modern Transitional" Navy & White Coastal Living Room Tour
Day 9: Easy DIY Driftwood Sign Tutorial
Day 10: 5 DIY Driftwood Projects
Day 11: Elements of a Coastal Kitchen
Day 12: Beach Wedding Inspiration
Day 13: Weekend Daydreaming-- Sunny Island Beach
Day 14: Advice from the Ocean
Day 15: "Modern Cottage" Coastal Home Tour
Day 16: 10 Ways to Decorate With Maps and Globes
Day 17: Coastal Colors-- Beachy Neutrals
Days 18-20: Weekend Daydreaming-- Two of My Favorite Things
Day 21: A Whale of a Tale
Day 22: Sarah Richardson's Lake Cottage Tour
Day 23: Coastal Colors-- The Warmer Side of Coastal
Day 24: Beachy Bathroom on a Budget- Reveal!
Day 25: 15 Beautiful Beachy Bathrooms
Day 26: 10 Sea Creatures You Can Make Yourself!
Day 27: Weekend Daydreaming-- Beachside Lounging
Day 28: "The Lilypad Cottage" Home Tour
Day 29: Dressing Coastal Style
Day 30: COMING SOON!

I'm so excited for this fresh start! Aren't you?

P.S. Stay tuned for a whole new look here on the blog! My lovely blog designer (who also happens to be my sister), is working hard on a completely fresh design, to go along with my fresh start! :)

My First Giveaway-- "Getting It Together" e-book by Kayse Pratt

Woohoo! I can't believe that I'm actually conducting my very first giveaway! If you're a mom, dad, home-owner, baby-sitter, blogger, or anyone else who has information to keep track of, this one's for YOU!

Kayse is a witty wife and momma of one (soon-to-be two!), who had the same problem I have-- figuring out how to keep all of her important info (meal plans, cleaning schedules, account information-- including web usernames and passwords in a concrete, non-hackable format-- yes, even blogging post schedules for all us bloggers!) in one, CUTE place!

Her solution? A Home Management Notebook!

In Kayse's words:

An organized home is a happy home.

Right?

Well, it’s at least a happiER home.

And my home? Well, it needed some organization, no doubt about it. As wife, mommy, and homemaker, I desperately needed to get it together.

I have a few issues, as far as homemaking goes:

1. I stay home with my daughter, work full-time from home, and write on the side. Time is this elusive concept that I never actually have.
2. I DO have a toddler who likes to tornado through the living room, topple the towers of folded laundry, and throw her unfinished food on the floor.
3. I am emotionally allergic to cleaning.

But I DO love organizing.

And I get a tad obsessive excited about systems. Planners, schedules, calendars, I love them all.

Enter the Home Management Notebook.

Basically, a Home Management Notebook is a resource for your home, keeping all your important paperwork and organizational wizardry in one place. I’d read about them on other blogs, seen all kinds of printables, but I could never find anything that totally worked for me {read: I couldn’t find all the documents I wanted in matching fonts and coordinating colors}.

So I made my own.

Meal planners, cleaning schedules, babysitter cheat sheets – I created everything I needed. And I’m more than excited to share it with you.

In this e-book you’ll find a few things. First, my soapbox on why having a Home Management Notebook will change your life. Then, a complete tutorial with step-by-step directions on how to create your own notebook. And finally (my favorite!!) – over 30 printables for you to download and use within your notebook. All in matching fonts and coordinating colors, of course!

No, being organized won’t accomplish world peace. It won’t make you love cleaning, and it won’t counteract the tornado-toddler issue.

But it will most definitely bring a little more peace to your home.

And we could all use a little more of that, am I right?

Right, sista! So when Kayse gave me a copy of her e-book to review, and one to giveaway, I was sooo excited! 

See my cute little binder? Thanks to Kayse's simple instructions and easy printables, this baby now holds EVERYTHING I could ever need (including the phone # for Poison Control, which I have needed several times lately for Little Monkey-- thankfully nothing serious!)

Kayse even shows you how to cover your dividers with scrapbook paper to add that extra "cuteness" factor! 

Want to find out how to put together your own Home Management Binder? Getting It Together includes…

• The top 5 reasons why you need a home management system.
• A step-by-step tutorial on creating your own home management binder.
• 30 printables that you can put to use immediately!
• Kayse's witty sense of humor. ;)

Even better, you can enter to win one RIGHT HERE by using the easy-peasy Rafflecopter widget below! I'll be (randomly) picking one lucky winner only 5 days from now, on Tuesday, April 2nd!


Don't want to wait to find out if you won? Here’s how you can…

1. Purchase Getting It Together as a PDF! For just $3.99, you can immediately download the book and start using the printables. Easy peasy! Click here to buy now.
2. Purchase Getting It Together for your Kindle! Also just $3.99, you can get this wirelessly delivered immediately. This version includes a link to the printables, so that you can download the PDFs onto your computer and print them off. Click here to buy now.

So what are you waiting for? Enter away!!! ;)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

It's a New Year... Now What?

Is it just me, or does the "new year" bring some sort of requisite "life revamping" with it? When the bustle of the holiday season (somewhat) fades, and the Christmas baubles are packed back into their snug boxes for another year... that is the time that I sit back and look at the empty space and go, "hmmmm... I think I want to do something different here!"

I've always loved soft, grassy greens, but lately I've found myself
being drawn to the soft, rejuvenating blues of the sea and sky.

Source: bhg.com via Kathryn on Pinterest

At the beginning of January, I chose "FOCUS" for my "word of the year. Hey, if multi-tasking was an Olympic event, we moms would ALL have gold medals, right? But lately I've been realizing that sometimes multi-tasking robs my attention from the really important things-- like my three precious littles who are growing up so fast. Just because I can blog, talk on the phone, fold laundry, and keep three kids from killing themselves at the same time, doesn't mean it's the best idea! Yes, I still find myself checking the email on my smartphone while folding laundry, but when one of my kids needs my attention, I need to give it to them fully. And I need to take certain times of the day to just be with them-- look them in the eye, smile, and play with them! (The same goes for my husband, too!)

Source: spirituallythinking.blogspot.com via Kathryn on Pinterest

Which led me to my next "word of the year": SIMPLIFY. I actually confess that I have done NOTHING yet for after-Christmas decorating. Decorating blasphemy, I know. But, for the first time in my life, I'm actually enjoying some empty space-- some room to breathe. In the past, my decorating philosophy has been "something beautiful to look at in every view". But now, I'm beginning to believe that even the most beautiful things need some breathing space around them to let them shine!

And so I sit, and do nothing (decorating-wise, that is). Well, not NOTHING. I'm actually embarking on a purge-fest-- getting rid of anything and everything that isn't absolutely necessary. Okay, maybe not quite that radical, but I am trying to take to heart the William Morris quote:

Source: contentinacottage.blogspot.com via Kathryn on Pinterest

(The same goes for life in general, as well-- doing nothing that does not improve or bring beauty to my life!) And so my "word of the year" has actually become two: FOCUS, and SIMPLIFY. Resisting the urge to constantly multi-task, and paying attention to the job/person at hand-- and reducing distractions in my home and life.

Hence the reason that I haven't been around here as much lately-- I've come to accept that this blog, as exciting as it is, must take a "back seat" to my children, home, and our church ministries. :) As much as I'd love to have hundreds of followers here on "A Heartful Home"-- and maybe even bring in some sort of income-- I just don't have the time to write 3-4 posts a week, juggle sponsors, or host a link party (*sigh*)-- at least not and still have meals cooked, dishes washed, lessons taught, and clean clothes for my family. :) (I'm not saying that if you do any of these things, you're neglecting your family-- just that, at this stage in my life, I haven't mastered that yet!) ;) I won't be stopping, but I will be keeping it in it's place as a hobby, and I'll be content with posting 1-2 times a week-- rather than taking time away from something more important, or beating myself up for not posting "enough."

"Focus and simplify"-- that's what my New Year is about! :)

What are your "resolutions" or "words" for the New Year? Any major life epiphanies going on? Or just minor goal adjustments? I want to hear them!

P.S. Another reason for my mid-winter decorating stalemate is that I'm still trying to figure out my decorating style... but that's another post in and of itself :)

The Christmas Cards That Weren't

I had very high hopes for our Christmas cards this year. I've never gone the professionally printed route (mostly because I'm too cheap... LOL), so each year I spend hours designing the "perfect" Christmas card to remind all of our far-flung relatives what our family looks like ;) This year was no exception-- I laboriously selected the photos, created a layout, and tweaked it over and over again until I was happy (I always have a hard time being "satisfied" with my own work, but this one I actually liked!)

But then, the unthinkable happened. When I hit "print," our printer gave a cough, shuddered, and collapsed. (Well, okay, maybe it wasn't that dramatic. More like, I pressed "print", walked away (fully expecting it to do its job like always), and returned 5 minutes later to find a stack of photos with hideous white streaks across them!) One way or the other, after much research, troubleshooting, and weeping, our printer was declared deceased-- and the soonest we could afford to replace it was AFTER Christmas. :(

This meant that December 25th came and went with nary a Christmas card in the mail. This in itself is, unfortunately, not a new thing for me-- I am known to deem it acceptable as long as the cards are in the mailbox by December 31st! But when the calendar changed to 2013, and my Christmas cards were still giving me the stink eye from my computer, I gave up and went to Plan B-- New Year's cards!

Granted, these are not nearly as fancy-- I literally threw them together (on Microsoft Publisher) in less than 15 minutes! But the best news is, with a blank inside, they double as "thank you" cards for all of the gifts and cards we have received! I think I may have just started a new tradition!!!

So here's my big holiday tip to you: if you want to cut extra stress before Christmas, skip the "Christmas cards"-- just mail a New Year's thank-you card that contains the annual family picture/relative-reminder as well! Hooray!!!

So what is your holiday card M.O.? Do you design your own Christmas card, or do you fork out the money and let someone else handle it for you? Do you adhere to the traditional schedule of pre-Christmas card mailing, or do you (accidentally or on purpose) choose to wait until a different time to send your annual letters?

2012: In My Rear-View Mirror

Wow, where did this past year go?!? I've heard people say that time flies faster as you get older, but I sure hope that's not true, because 2012 went by so fast it made my head spin! So I guess I'll join the "Year-In-Review" club, and refresh your (and my) memory about what went on here at "A Heartful Home" last year!

May 2012:

I started this blog! ;) My very first post was, Home Is Where My <3 Is. My personal favorite post of the month was my first furniture makeover: My "Chair" Lady! My most popular post of the month, however, was my 99¢ Goodwill chandelier-- it has received 893 pageviews so far, and is currently the third most-viewed post on my entire blog! I guess people like crazy-good thrifty finds! ;)

June 2012:

June kicked off a summer of nautical inspiration: from my nautical thrifting finds,
to my nautical bookshelf, and my neutral nautical "mantel"!

June was the month of super rummage sale-ing, and I scored BIG, both in thrifty finds AND in pageviews! My two most popular posts of all time were Thrifty Treasures Monday: What A Haul! (when I found a console table for $5 and five dining rooms chairs for $20), and the reveal of the Chalk Paint Console Table makeover (with homemade chalk paint!)-- both have received over 1,000 hits!

July 2012:

My favorite post in July (and quite possibly my favorite furniture makeover EVER) was the neutral Union Jack/Jacques side table! The most popular posts of July, according to pageviews, were my DIY Seashell Topiary, as well as more thrifty treasures- Ironstone and Old Gates!

August 2012:

August also featured this wicker basket-chair makeover, and my first pillow-making attempt!

August was another month with several popular posts! I showed you how I freshened up my kitchen by changing out the accessories above the cabinets, and confessed to some serious Target envy (& acquired my first ceramic owl!) I also did my first "blog-techie" tutorial, on "How To Truncate Your Blog Posts".

September 2012:

September was another successful thrifting month-- I hit the Junker's Jackpot (aqua Mason jars, old windows, and RH-look-alike pendant lamps, oh my!), plus I found a giant original canvas painting for $5 and a real vintage "Farmer's Market" sign!

October 2012:

I shared my neutral autumn bookshelf, plus a FREE printable fall sign!

October was a month of makeovers-- I turned a humongous green vase into a Pottery-Barn style lamp, spray-painted a pair of ceramic owls (to replace my poor Target owl, who suffered a tragic fate), and rescued my under-sink kitchen cabinet. But the month's most popular post was my first (and only) "recipe" post, for "Cream of Anything" soup mix! (It is also my most-pinned post!)

November 2012:

Call the tabloids! In November, I got a facelift and confessed to a love affair-- though it didn't seem to bother my husband, thankfully! LOL ;) I also shared some pictures of the world's cutest kiddos (though Guinness hasn't ruled on that one yet)

December 2012:

I never did formally "reveal" my blue-and-green Christmas tree (oops...),
but you did get a good glimpse of it in my post on decorating with camouflage!

In December, I didn't blog as much as I wanted to... but I did manage to share an easy DIY Christmas tree garland (that also happened to be FREE)! I also posted a round-up of 10 Christmas Gift Ideas under $10! (Go ahead and pin it for next year-- because if 2013 goes by as fast as 2012 did, you'll need it sooner than you could ever think!)

So there you are-- 2012 in review! (Of course, that's just a basic overview-- check out my Project Gallery for an exhaustive list! Trust me, I'm exhausted just reading back over everything!)

Thanks SOOOO much to all of my awesome followers! Whether you follow through GFC, Linky, or Facebook, you make me so happy! And I can't wait to see what 2013 has in store for A Heartful Home! One of my goals is to start a link-up party (woohoo!) I also plan on doing more room reveals-- even if the room isn't quite "perfect" (in my eyes) ;) (Will it ever be?)

Sooooo... what kind of posts would you like to see in 2013? 
Do you salivate over garage sale/thrift store finds? 
Are you more of a craft person? 
Or do you prefer the big picture of room reveals? 
Maybe you'd like to see more "personal"- type posts? 
And why, do people say "a penny for your thoughts", but you put in your "two cents worth"-- isn't that a ripoff???

Either way, happy 2013, folks!!! :D

Calling All Camera-Heads...

Okay, so I know I promised all you dear, patient readers a better look at my lovely Christmas tree, or at least a tutorial on a cute, easy Christmas craft! However, for the last few days, I have been extremely busy, working on something of UTMOST importance! I have been burning up computer bandwidth, trying frantically to decide what to tell my husband that I want for Christmas! (After all, if he gets to tell me exactly what he wants for Christmas, then I should be able to be very specific in my wish list, as well!) This shouldn't be so hard, since I do know what I want-- a better digital camera-- however, I don't know exactly which one!

The Canon PowerShot SX1 IS currently owns my wish list ;) Though it lists on Amazon for  $274-$590, on eBay they are generally under $200-- only $30-$50 more than the SX10.

This is where YOU come in! Ya see, I currently have a plain-Jane point-and-shoot camera (the Nikon Coolpix S3000), which I use for all my blogging as well as family picture taking. While it is a great pocket camera for things like zoo trips and family outings, I am NOT satisfied with the quality of the indoor photos that I take for my blog. (And trust me, I've tried every scene setting on that thing...) I really want a camera with manual controls, so that I can adjust things like depth of field and ISO. However, I know my budget of $100-$200 will not permit me to touch anything like a full-featured DSLR (*sigh*), so I know I'm looking for a couple-year-old bridge camera. I've actually narrowed it down-- I think-- to a Canon Powershot SX10 IS or, preferably, an SX1 IS (if I can snag one within my price range on eBay).

Both of them have 10 megapixels, with 20x wide angle, image stabilized (that's important, 'cuz I have pretty shaky hands) optical zoom. The SX1 has a CMOS sensor, which I am told is better than the CCD sensor that the SX10 has. The SX1 can also shoot HD video (vs. the SX10's standard 480p video)-- a BIG plus-- and can shoot in RAW format, as well (though that really isn't as much of an issue with me). Most importantly, they can both be found on eBay for under $200!

The Canon Powershot SX10 would be my second choice, I think...

Of course, there's always the option of getting a newer camera within the same price range (such as the Canon Powershot SX500), with more megapixels and more zoom , but with smaller aperture, CCD sensor instead of CMOS (like the SX1), and no hot-shoe to attach an external flash. (Oh, and no flip-out screen either, which, while not a must, is still pretty cool) ;) I HAVE done my research enough to know that more megapixels does not equal better pictures, especially if the sensor is still the same size; so the megapixel # doesn't make as much difference to me as the zoom might. :) (As long as I don't plan on printing out billboards, I think I'm fine with the 10.1 mp size of the SX1 or SX10)

Oh, and just so you know, I'm not being paid/compensated/reimbursed by Canon or anything, and I'm certainly not stuck on the Canon bandwagon... they just seemed to have the best reviews and the best features within my price range. :) If you think otherwise, please let me know!

So, all you photography/blogging buffs out there, what is your opinion? If you had to choose between an older camera with less megapixels but more features, and a newer one with more mps/zoom, but less "higher-end" features, which would you choose? What is your favorite camera for blogging purposes?

Please, HELP, so I can get this Christmas list to my hubby before he gives up and goes to Bath & Body Works (not that I mind B&BW products for Christmas-- it's just that this time I'm really hoping for something ELSE!) ;)


UPDATE: My decision has been further complicated by the discovery of TWO new frontrunners: the Nikon Coolpix P500:

and the Sony CyberShot DSC-HX100V.

Again, both can be found on eBay for under $200, used. They both seem to be fairly equal, with a few minor differences, and each reviewer seems to have a different opinion on which is best. This is only making my decision harder... HELP!!!!


Grateful for your opinion,

Deck the Halls... with Camouflage?

Hey all! Sorry I've been pretty AWOL from blogland over the last two weeks. The 15th of November marked the start of hunting season here in Michigan, which here in the UP is akin to a national holiday! They even call off school for opening day! And for two weeks straight, EVERYTHING and EVERYONE, it seems, is wearing camouflage!

This, of course, means that for two weeks straight, my entryway looks like this (see above). In case you were wondering, the orange vest in the middle is mine; and yes, I've gotten out to the hunting blind two times so far; but, no, no fresh deer antlers to show for it-- yet. Hubby, however, was more successful, shooting a buck the day after opening day, with his PISTOL, no less! (Yes, that's legal; it's just a lot more difficult-- my Superman likes a challenge!) ;)

In spite of the "Great Camouflage Takeover", I've still managed to get our Christmas tree up, and most of my Christmas decorating done. I mean, really, how are you supposed to decorate around "hunter orange" and camouflage? But somehow I managed it! Here's a sneak peek:

This has to be my favorite Christmas tree yet! It also happens to be my first foray into decorating with non-traditional Christmas colors (no red in sight!) I feel like a positive heathen! LOL ;) I also spy a kid's tree decor craft that I can't wait to show you!

(Hint: it involves soda can tabs--LOTS of them! Don't worry, we didn't drink all those cans of pop-- they were all given to us) ;)  HOPEFULLY I'll share that project, and the full Christmas tree "reveal", before the end of the week ;) (I've also got a couple of proofreading jobs I'm working on, hoping to earn some extra cash for hubby's Christmas present-- so I'm trying to get those done ASAP)

Anybody else experiencing the great "Camouflage Takeover" for hunting season? ;) Any other ladies out there participating in the hunting experience? Or do you prefer to take your two weeks and hit the malls, like the rest of the "Hunting Widows"? :)

I Got A Facelift!

No, no, I didn't get plastic surgery! ;) But my blog did! Now the changes may not be monumental, but as a  newbie, self-taught Blogger, I'm pretty excited at the stuff I was able to tweak without totally crashing everything! ;)

Grab my new button here:

<center> <a href="http://aheartfulhome.blogspot.com"><img border="0" src="http://i1069.photobucket.com/albums/u474/kesiegwart/aheartfulhomebutton2.png"/></a></center>

I kept the same header (created by my awesome blog-designer sis, Sharon), but I added some aqua brackets around it (with my ultra-fancy photo-editing program, AKA Paint), and updated the blog button to match. I also swapped out the turquoise gingham background for a more neutral sage quatrefoil design (not a big surprise, seeing that practically my entire house is green!) ;) Yep, pretty basic changes.

I also created a blog Facebook page and Twitter account! (I know, it's about time, right?) I feel like a real blogger now! ;) With a little help from Google, I even figured out how to add the Facebook widget on my sidebar-- and the Twitter and Pinterest buttons as well! (Go check 'em out... you know you want to!)

But the most exciting change, to me, is the addition of the "Recent Posts" thumbnails at the top of the page! Woot woot! I was totally jealous of the ones on Karianne's and Trish and Bonnie's blogs until I found out that there's a Blogger gadget for that, too! It took a little bit of experimenting and tweaking, but now you can see at a glance what's been going on here lately! ;)

So whaddya think? My little blog might not be quite as fancy as others, but I'm still all kid-in-a-candy-store excited!

P.S. Check out my "Project Gallery" up on top bar, and see if there are any projects you've missed!

Keep Calm And... Make a "Keep Calm" Poster

Warning: this post is NOT about an incredibly designed DIY project, thrifty find, or any other productive project. As a matter of fact, reading this post may result in large amounts of time wasted spent indulging in flights of creative frivolity, along with quite a few belly laughs.)

Source: keepcalmandcarryon.com via Kathryn on Pinterest

What's more addicting than pinning all the awesome "Keep Calm" posters cropping up all over Pinterest? Why making your own, of course!

This week, while seeking to satisfy my curiosity about the origin of this ubiquitous and much-parodied poster, I came across www.KeepCalmandCarryOn.com. 



The original version

Source: keepcalmandcarryon.com via Kathryn on Pinterest

Not only did this website confirm what I had figured-- that this poster was a WWII poster, commissioned by the British government as part of the homefront morale-building efforts-- but even more importantly, it has an incredibly addictive Keep Calm and Carry On Creator. Yes, that's right, you can customize your own "Keep Calm" posters-- everything from the text, to the background, and even the little picture at the top! You can then pin the results of your brilliant creativity, or even have it made into anything from a poster to a coffee mug!

Here is a small sample of the ones I made while I should have been cleaning my kitchen:


(Sidebar: Interestingly enough, according to KeepCalmandCarryOn.com, the original "Keep Calm and Carry On" poster was intended only for use in the event of a German invasion of Great Britain. Therefore, it was never seen by the public. It wasn't until 2000 that it was discovered by a UK bookseller, who decided to print copies of it for sale. And, as they say, the rest is history. Now you can find parodied versions of it plastered everywhere, like "Keep Calm and Call Batman"-- or the hilariously flipside version, "Now Panic and Freak Out".

 

Source: keepcalmandcarryon.com via Kathryn on Pinterest

Source: keepcalmandcarryon.com via Kathryn on Pinterest

Source: keepcalmandcarryon.com via Kathryn on Pinterest

Source: keepcalmandcarryon.com via Kathryn on Pinterest

Source: keepcalmandcarryon.com via Kathryn on Pinterest

If you want to have as much fun as I did, making half a million of your own "Keep Calm" posters, go here.

If you'd like to follow my "Keep Calm..." Pinterest board and see more of these hilarious posters (and repin them... thereby validating all the hours I've spenting conjuring them up), go here (pretty, pretty please?!?)

If you do end up making some of your own, feel free to share your links in the comment section! I'd love to see your creativity!


(Please note: I have been in no way compensated by, nor am I in any way connected with, the owners of KeepCalmandCarryOn.com. As a matter of fact, I highly doubt they even know I exist! If you ever do see this, though, whoever you are, I sure wouldn't mind a free poster or two! LOL)