Tiny Prints

For some individuals, it's an overwhelming experience when trying to figure out the "perfect" way to say thank you, congratulations, get well soon, your invited or happy holidays. But for me, composing a heartfelt message through a holiday card, party invitation, thank you note or special announcement pulls on my heartstrings in all sorts of magical ways!

Over the years, I have been searching high and low for a website that offers chic and modern stationary for all occasions, and it was a few months ago that I came across Tiny Prints, a part of the Shutterfly family, that had me at hello and met all of my stationary expectations (and more)!

Tiny Prints is a premier online stationary website that offers unique designs and is always up-to-date on current and popular trends such as golds, glitter, foiled words, confetti designs, and anything that screams glitz and glam, or in my opinion, The Great Gatsby. With Tiny Prints, you can be assured that high quality paper is being used, your options are endless and everything comes at an extremely good price.

Just recently, I was browsing through pages of festive holiday-inspired designs and it dawned on me that 1) Christmas and New Years are both within arms reach and 2) Will and I never did a moving announcement when we finally settled down in Charlotte. So I got to thinking, why not find a holiday card that I can also use as a new home announcement? Not only would it show the versatility of the cards, but it would also capture the essence of my creativity and showcase the importance of family and the holidays to me all in one :)

So after hours of playing on this oh so wonderful website, I narrowed down a handful of cards that I wanted to share with y'all today (and the card that I finally picked is also one of the one's mentioned below)! My goal for customizing any card is to add some personal touches through the use of photos, different trim options and background colors.  For my card, you can expect to see photos of Will and I, and of course, our little pup Miller. I can't wait to share what the final product looks like and would be interested in knowing which of the below cards is YOUR favorite!!

 

BaubleBar Wishlist

Confession. I have a slight obsession with BaubleBar but have never made a purchase (yet). It's not because of the prices, because those are in fact spot on. It's not because of the selection either. I think it's because I wasn't sure how often I would wear those ever so eye catching statement necklaces and questioned if the quality was "up to par". But after seeing so many of my friends sporting those dazzling bracelets and precious necklaces, I think it's about time that I cave in to this fashion crave!

One of the other things that I absolutely love about BaubleBar is that you can "Get the DOWNLOAD" of how others style and wear their recent purchases! To me, that's a bonus. Who doesn't appreciate being able to see how something really looks when it's actually on you?! So without further ado, these are just a few gems that are on my 2014 Wishlist.

Bow Link Bracelet in Gold worn by shopper Ingrid Nilsen 

Pearl Dahlia Strand Necklace modeled by Morgan

Mini Pave Links arm candy sported in Gold by Courtney Chan

Adorable Pave Grace Hoop Earrings sported by Alexis

So what are some of your fave items from BaubleBar? What other websites would you recommend for statement jewelry? This gal (aka ME) is all ears and ready for any and all recommendations and opinions!

Girls Weekend

Happy Monday, y'all! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend :) Saturday morning I woke up bright and early, packed up my Vera Bradley overnight tote, met up with my sweet LifeGroup girls and headed to our weekend destination: Lake Norman! On our way, we made a quick stop for lunch at Panera and then headed by Michaels to pick up some yarn for scarf making later Saturday afternoon. 

It was raining most of the day, which I was fine with for once because it meant our day would be spent inside, munching on all sorts of yummy treats that the girls brought, playing games like Heads Up and Mafia, relaxing in comfy clothes while watching Christmas movies (such as Elf and Four Christmas's) and plenty of time for girl talk and testimony sharing!

I can't help but laugh when I think back to all of the girls sitting around the living room, with Jill trying to teach everyone how to make a scarf. The first hour into crafting, everyone seemed like they were getting the hang of things, and then some girls got frustrated and started over, while others just laughed at themselves and sat around with yarn wrapped around their arms trying to figure out what to do next...I was kind of glad that I decided to document the scarf making experience through taking photos instead of trying to make a scarf myself because I can guarantee I would have gotten frustrated and given up on the spot!Thanks to our wine selections, the girls poured themselves a glass or two and continued on! So proud of my girls for not giving up ;)

The next morning we woke up to cinnamon rolls, breakfast casserole, strawberries and a slew of other things that helped jump start our day. After everyone ate, we sat around chatting for awhile before cleaning up, packing our bags back up and hitting the road. Our LifeGroup leader, Holly (pictured right above) sent us a GroupMe message later in the day on Sunday that said "Thanks for a GREAT weekend ladies! I had an absolute blast. I am so incredibly thankful that each of you was hand picked to be in this LF! All of you are such blessings in my life" and I couldn't agree more! I am so thankful that I get to call these girls my friends. Being in a LG has changed my life for the better and challenges my faith everyday. It's something I encourage everyone to be a part of, because it's so important to have a group of individuals that can hold you accountable and love on you when you need to be shown your true value in this world...

Canon Camera Bloopers

Rise and Shine! It's Saturday morning, and a lovely one for that matter! While you are reading this, I am probably driving to Lake Norman with my LifeGroup gals :) I am excited for a weekend full of laughter, girl talk and relaxation. So to start the weekend off, I wanted to share some of the first few photos that I took with my new camera! And please don't judge me...I am new to the "big girl camera" and am still learning about the different functions, buttons and filters! But hey, I'm having fun exploring and learning something new and wanted to share these bloopers with you today! If any of y'all have advice, resources or know of some helpful tips and tricks please share them with me! I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and I can't wait to chat again on Monday! Enjoy!!

5 on Friday

It's F-R-I-D-A-Y, y'all! I hope you are able to set aside some time this weekend to catch up on blogging, go Christmas shopping, sleep in, get warm by a fire, watch holiday movies, cuddle, bake cookies, hang out with friends and family and sip on some hot chocolate :) To me, all of that sounds pretty ideal! But whatever you do, I hope it makes your heart happy as this is by far the best season to CELEBRATE and be CONTENT with all that you have! So without further ado, let's get to my 5 on Friday!

ONE
Last night I attended the 2013 Blackarch Christmas Party (where Will works) that was held at one of the MD's homes and boy was it a fun filled night! Some of the highlights included the stocked bar, delicious food (a biscuit bar, shrimp and crab legs and potato leek soup being my favorite and also pictured below) and the oh so hilarious Christmas video made by all of the Analyst and Associates! I wish I had gotten photos while there, but we were having to much fun to even think about stopping to take a picture...I'll defiantly get a few next year though!

TWO
Tomorrow, I will be heading to Lake Norman (about 30 minutes from Charlotte) for my LifeGroup's girls weekend! I can't wait to spend a full 24 hours with these girls that bring so much joy to my life. I can also say with 100% confidence that I believe every single person should have a group of Christian friends that you can lean on and trust with your emotions, feelings and thoughts. Praise God for giving me a group of 13 gals that I get to see every week!

THREE
Three new books on three of my favorite things (Jesus, Photography and Blogging) arrived on my doorstep earlier this week. As soon as I saw the box at my door, I immediately got it and ran back inside and tore it open so that I could get to reading them ASAP. So far, I have been reading a few pages each night of Blog Inc. which is filled with lot's of valuable information and a handful of tips and tricks that have already been a huge help. I think every blogger should go ahead and put in your order for this book or add it to your "wishlist" because it's THAT good! Later on in January 2014, I plan to do a book review post on my thoughts on some of the books I have recently been reading and plan to read :) Hope it's a post that will be enjoyed by many!  

FOUR
Yesterday I received an email from Tiny Prints regarding a potential opportunity with them and I couldn't have been more giddy when I received an email y'all! We plan on chatting and brainstorming up a few ideas, so be on the lookout for more details next week :) To say I am excited, is a complete understatement. I am THRILLED!! ECSTATIC!!

FIVE
This will be the first year that I don't wake up at my parent's house on Christmas morning. Even though Will and I have been dating for going on four years, this whole splitting the holidays thing is new to me. It's exciting, but also makes me kind of sad. Not because I don't look forward to a change of things this Christmas...but because it's requiring me to change how I've spent Christmas for the past 24 years of my life. But that's part of being in a serious relationship. You have to give and take. You have to compromise and make things work. And that's exactly what Will and I are doing! Thanksgiving is a holiday that my parents really enjoy going all out for, so we spent Thanksgiving with my family this year. Will's Dad's family goes all out and has a small get together on Christmas Eve and Christmas day, so we decided that this year we will spend those days with them. It's a win-win really. We get to see everyone, spend time with those we love, and I couldn't be more excited! I just have to remind myself as the days get closer that CHANGE IS GOOD...

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