Originally Me

Fill in the Blanks ... Friday!

2012-02-03T09:32:00.000-05:00

1. If money wasn't an issue, the first thing I'd cross of my life list is taking a year to travel the world .

2. ketchup on my potato chips is something I like that other people think is weird.

3. If my life were a movie right now, the title would be "Every Day is a New Adventure" I never know what to expect from day to day, but I'm just living life and loving every minute of it!

4. Three things I am looking forward to this month are my blog turning 1 year old! , celebrating birthdays with my family and being one month closer to finishing grad school!

5. My favorite song to sing in the shower is hmmm I'm not much of a singer in the shower, but in the car is a different story.

6. If I found out that the production of Chips Ahoy! (the original kind in the blue package) was ending this month, I'd go out and buy as much as I could tomorrow.

7. One thing I'll never grow tired of is being outside. I'm loving the weather we're having now and want to spend every single minute of my day exploring or sitting on my porch .

Hope you're enjoying your Friday as much as I am. I'm heading home tonight to spend the weekend with my family. It should be fun!

what i wore . print

2012-02-01T07:00:00.004-05:00

skirt // Francesca's

leggings // ummm not sure

tshirt // Gap

flats // kenneth cole

necklace // vintage

earrings // Originally Me

Can we just talk about something for a second. I've been without internet at home for 3 days now. I only have internet when I'm at school (aka I'm doing this at school right now... oops) The repair man is finally supposed to come out today (hoping and praying), but honestly, it's made me grumpy! That's a little sad, but so true. I can't keep up with my TV shows which I normally watch online. I can't do homework at home anymore. It's crazy how dependent we've become on this little thing called the internet! Anyway, that's all!

Hope you all are having a fab Wednesday!

see like Him

2012-01-31T22:53:00.000-05:00

Today, I want to give you a little encouragement... the kind of encouragement that I need to hear myself as well... so honestly, this is just reinforcement for me!

I mean, this has been on my heart so much lately and it just keeps getting thrown in my in my face (in a good way) like every single day!! I can't tell you how many sermons I've heard on the in the past couple of months and yet it's still something that I struggle with.

This post is all about having courage, being bold, and sharing your faith!

For me, sharing my faith is hard!! I'm not perfect! My faith is so very important to me, but when it comes to sharing it face to face with someone, it's sure not easy! Honestly, there have been times that an opportunity has been put right in front of my face, and I failed to take it. But, God takes us out of our comfort zone and asks us to do these things. We have to obey!

God puts us in certain people's lives to share the gospel with them. Everyone that you pass on the street is either saved or lost. We're called to talk to those who are lost.

When I'm at church, it all seems easy, but as soon as I step outside of those doors, being bold is hard!!

We can believe all we want that our actions speak wonders and I truly believe that we should pray that our faith does come through in our actions alone, but in most cases, it requires more than this. We have to be bold enough to speak up and share!

This song, well, it really hits every single point. We're not perfect by any means! but Jesus did everything he could to save us. He loves us through our flaws! We should show this same love!

Jesus friend of sinners ...

Jesus, friend of sinners
We have strayed so far away
We cut down people in Your name
But the sword was never ours to swing
Jesus, friend of sinners
The truth’s become so hard to see
The world is on their way to You
But they’re tripping over me

Always looking around but never looking up
I’m so double minded
A plank-eyed saint with dirty hands
And a heart divided

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners
Open our eyes to the world
At the end our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners
Break our hearts for what breaks Yours

Jesus, friend of sinners
The One whose writing in the sand
Made the righteous turn away
And the stones fall from their hands
Help us to remember
We are all the least of these
Let the memory of Your mercy
Bring Your people to their knees

Nobody knows what we’re for
Only what we’re against
When we judge the wounded
What if we put down our signs
Crossed over the lines
And loved like You did <<<< wow, how true!!!! Can you imagine!?

You love every lost cause
You reach for the outcast
For the leper and the lame
They’re the reason that You came
Lord, I was that lost cause
And I was the outcast
But You died for sinners just like me
A grateful leper at Your feet

‘Cause You are good
You are good
And Your love endures forever

And I was the lost cause
And I was the outcast
You died for sinners just like me
A grateful leper at Your feet

When we believe something with all our heart, we have to share it!!

Are you ready to BE BOLD?!

People are so valuable to God that he couldn't just sit there and do nothing. He sent his only son to save us. If we cared about people like that, just imagine what could happen!!! Crazy!!

So, now, I wear this bracelet that says "be bold" to remind me every day to put myself out there and be bold with my faith! I encourage you to do the same!

And when someone is saved, celebrate like God celebrates!!

I'm linking up to Call Me Blessed for a little encouragement

homemade mac and cheese

2012-01-29T07:00:00.002-05:00

per request from some of my twitter friends, I've decided to post the recipe for what I had for dinner last night. And let me go ahead and apologize ahead of time because I really only have one fairly unattractive photo of this meal... fail!

So, my sister and I always get in an argument about which is better homemade mac and cheese or the Kraft kind from the box. She's a Kraft girl and I say homemade all the way!

Anyway, I love me some homemade mac and cheese, so when one of my mom's friends gave her this recipe, I just had to try it. And it's pretty much the easiest thing to make ever!!

The whole thing is done in a crock pot, well except for boiling the pasta. So, all you have to do is sit and wait.

The Ingredients
2 cups of uncooked elbow macaroni (8 ox bos)
1/2 stick of butter cut into pieces
2 1/2 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3 eggs beaten
1 cup of whole milk (recipe calls for whole milk, I used skim which seemed to work just fine)
1 can Carnation evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
1/2 teaspoon of salt

Here's How:
Boil the macaroni with plenty of water until tender
Add all of your other ingredients to the crock pot and stir
Add in pasta
Set the slow cooker on low and cook for about 2.5 hours, stirring occasionally

piece of cake!! (ohh that just made me hungry)

Tastes just like grandma's house :)

and here's the slightly awkward, why am I putting this on my blog, iphone photo that I took while eating dinner... no I'm not weird at all!

You'll have to let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear what you think

things that matter

2012-01-27T12:44:00.000-05:00

things that matter, things that don't...

When Ashley wrote, this week, about enjoying the small things and remembering the things that are important to you and what really matters in life, it got me thinking about this song.

Sometimes he lets that boss get in his head

He can't past that mountain of deadlines on his desk
5oclock he's that last one out of the gate
And he gets cut off flipped off ticked off out on the interstate
And he wonders why this world won't leave him alone
Till he hears that little voice "daddy's home"
Things that matter
Things that don't

She's held on to that grudge all her life
And thirty years of anger
Since her dad walked out that night
She thinks of all the moments that he's missed
All the birthdays ballets first date
That seems too much to forget
She gets that call that said he don't have long
She walks in
He starts crying
The past is gone
Things that matter
Things that don't

Time ain't on my side
Don't want to leave this world
With why didn't I?
Why didn't I?
Yeah why didn't I?

Sometimes I take on this world by myself
Thinking I got all the answers
Don't need anybody's help
Well god was right there waiting for me all along
To fall down on my knees surrender all

Things that matter

Things that don't

Things that matter

Things that don't

So often, we get caught up in the day to day. We forget all about all of the little things things that really matter to us. We let the events of our day rule our lives. We let things from our past, people we don't particularly care for, and tasks that don't really matter in the grand scheme of things control who we are. We try to handle this whole world on our own. We all need to take a step back, and realized who and what is important to us, what life is really about, and not let those things go unnoticed in or day to day chaos.

Well, maybe I veered a little bit away from the original theme from The Shine Project, but hey, it was on my heart and I just had to share, so I hope you enjoyed reading.

/////////

by the wayyyy I have some WINNERS to announce!!

birthday bash giveaway: Amber from Replicating His Love

jooniebeads giveaway: Taylor from TaylorMade

what i wore . short sleeves in winter

2012-01-25T08:50:00.000-05:00

oh my, it is SO warm here... and it's January!

What's the deal?

But, I'm not complaining

jeans // Joes

necklace // c/o Jooniebeads Treasure

boots // Fryes

sweater // Gap (probably vintage by now hehe)

belt // target

earrings // awesomeness and handmade, but I can't remember the artist's name... oops

This weather in Charleston is absolutely gorgeous!

and I just wanted to share this. Yessss, it's from Gossip Girl, I know, but I still think it's a pretty good quote to live by. Sometimes you just have to step away from it all and think about who you are and who you want to be. What do you want out of life? Are you trying to be someone other than yourself? Don't let the world take over and tell you who you're supposed to be. Remember to go back to that stillness, refocus and remember who you really are.

Also,
If you didn't see my post yesterday, check it out here.
I'm going to do my very first vlog and I want to answer questions from you!
So start to asking!

ask me anything!

2012-01-24T07:00:00.001-05:00

So gals (and guys), I'm thinking of stepping out of my comfort zone a bit. I value you all as my readers so much. Like for real, you make my day every day with your sweet comments. So, I thought I would give you guys the opportunity to ask me ANYTHING! ... (well, within reason)

What's something you want to know that you've never seen on the blog. Let's be honest, I don't tell every little detail of my life on here. It can be something about me, my shop, my life as an architecture student, my faith, my favorite color, favorite flavor of ice cream... the sky is the limit!!

I'm going to attempt to be an open book and answer every question honestly. (of course, I reserve the right not to answer a question)

You can ask your questions here in the comments or send me an email (loveoriginallyme@gmail.com) if you'd rather be anonymous ... your pick!

I can't wait to see what kinds of questions you have for me!

I'm thinking maybe a vlog response if I can get over my awkwardness about vlogs so you guys can see the real life me and hear my sweet southern accent... haha... you're gonna love it! ... it's not that bad, really!

p.s. enjoying those goofy photos? I sure hope so :)

sponsor spotlight: CITLALLI from SewBeastly

2012-01-23T07:00:00.000-05:00

Today, I want you to meet Citlalli from SewBeastly. She was one of my first ever sponsors on this little blog adventure of mine and we've been great friends ever since. Citlalli is so talented and makes just the cutest little bags and she's got such a neat story too, so I thought I would ask her a few questions so you all can get to know here a little better.

I started sewing because...I wanted some "me" time.

My favorite thing about blogging is...the community. I have met some wonderful people!

I dream about...having my own brick and mortar shoppe someday.

My most embarrassing moment was...Wow, there's more than I would like to recall, but maybe the time my skirt got pulled up by my backpack and I walked down the hallway showing my short shorts until a good friend let me know what was going on.

The last book I read was...It's a tie between Last Call by Daniel Okrent and Permission Marketing.

If I could live anywhere in the world, it would be... by the beach, Hawaii maybe?

One thing I couldn't live without is...my family.

If I could give one piece of advice to other handmade small business owners it would be ....believe in yourself and your talent!

A little something that most people don't know about is... I am licensed massage therapist, I love working on cars, I play the saxophone, I am a licensed mixologist.

Check out these pretty things!!

Citlalli's shop is full of lovelies like this!

blog / shop / facebook / twitter

You should totally go check her out!

7 pretties

2012-01-22T12:42:00.000-05:00

so, it's a dreary rainy Sunday here, so I thought I would take a moment to link up with some amazing ladies and share 7 pretty things with you <3

they make my heart go pitter patter

that's for sure! ...

beauuuutiful nails

I need some major patience or a maybe a professional to do these pretties

but I love them SO very much!

I'm seeing a pretty nail post in the near future

always remember this

His timing is perfect

and beautiful!

must make these pillows soon

they're made from old sweaters!

no way right?

And this sofa is pretty much to die for too!

So very true!

and I'm learning and realizing this more and more every single day

loving this color combo right now

do you think it has anything to do with the fact that I'm a Clemson girl?

mayybeeee .... hmmm :)

sparkles I love!

and this skirt is just long enough to be classy and very pretty

and the texture combination ... yum :)

get in my mouth now please!

Wouldn't these just be darling for Valentine's Day?!

It just might happen!

Hope you all are having a happy happy Sunday...

rest, relax, enjoy time with family and friends, and prepare yourself for a productive week

much love!

a lot excited, a little nervous

2012-01-20T02:13:00.000-05:00

ahhh so much happening in my life right now! let's just say, God is good and so many amazing things have just been falling into place for me lately... I won't get into everything right now. It's just a lot of things that have all seemed to start coming together for me and make sense... so many emotions from happy and excited, then to just a little nervous...

Change is a fabulous thing, but sometimes trying new things is scary!!

So, a couple of days ago, on a whim, I signed up for my first blog conference!!

This particular conference just happend to fall during my spring break! It honestly couldn't have been better timing... once again God's timing is perfect!

I'm going to Creative Estates!!! (If you're going, pretty please comment! I can't wait to meet you all!)

I am beyond excited about it and can't wait to meet everybody, but then, the more I think about it, it makes me just a little nervous inside... eek!

What if no one likes me?

What if everyone else is already bffs?

I can run my mouth all day long on here, but at the end of the day, I have a computer to hide behind.

My real life friends will tell you that I am in no way shy, but in my childhood, I was definitely the shy kid and it still comes out every now and then. It just takes getting to know me a little and then you might be asking me to shut up.

So, I'm going to toss those nerves out the window, go confidently in this and just be me :)

I have a feeling I'm going to come away from this with some life long friends!

(source)

This week the challenge from Ashley at the Shine Project was to do something that you've never done... I think I pretty much accomplished that. I'm sure you all will hear me talking about Creative Estates more in the upcoming weeks and, of course, after I go. I'm sure it's going to be an experience to remember!

p.s. the XL sponsor spot is now sold out for February and March. If you're interested in sponsoring the blog in February, find out more info here and here. I would LOVE to work with you. I already have an exciting group of sponsors lined up and my blog will turn 1 year old in February. It's going to be a fantastic month!

February sponsor call

2012-01-19T09:46:00.000-05:00

Well, it looks like January is flying by just like every month in 2012. I was hoping I could slow life down a little this month, but it's just not possible. Anyway, it's time, again, to think about advertising for next month and I would LOVE to have you here on Originally Me!!

You can find all of the advertising information here {Things changed a little for February!! We are now offering one XL featured ad, so you'll have to act fast if you want that one!}

February is going to be a fun month... of course with Valentine's Day goodies, and lots more great surprises!

This month, I set some new goals for the blog which you can find here, and so far, I'm doing a fabulous job at sticking to these, so if you like what you see and you think your blog or shop would be a good fit for Originally Me, send me a email. I can't wait to hear from you :)

Inspiration Workshop: my bedroom

2012-01-19T07:00:00.001-05:00

So, today Gussy Sews is hosting another Inspiration Workshop. This time, the theme is ...

bedrooms

This is a little post that I'm very proud to share with you all, because it's not just some room that happens to inspire me... it's MY room and I created it all by myself with DIY projects, artwork, etc., and I absolutely love living in this space. Sharing a home with 3 other girls, this is the one space that I can call my own.

You can totally tell it's an artsy fartsy person that lives here right?! I love it! The yellow walls bring me happiness every day :)

that painting... an original by me which you can find a post about here

the pillows and shams all handmade by me and grandma... I picked out all of the fabrics and I love the unique combination!

my bed... the only piece of furniture that I purchased, the rest come from grandma's garage or yard sales

refinished blue night stand... I love it with the yellow walls!

DIY lamp shade... tutorial here

love that little piggy bank!

Easy Canvas print of me and my sister :)

my lack of closet, but hey I actually like to see all of my clothes and shoes... I think they're pretty

my desk/craft studio space... it's a tiny amount of space, but hey at least I have somewhere pretty to work

I love pictures! they bring back so many happy memories

These jewelry hangers are a fantastic way to display my new creations

I love the prints hanging over my work space!

pretty flowers from my roomies :)

and yes, more pictures!

So there you have it, my bedroom! It's a bright, cheery space for sure!

I'm going to hate the day that I have to move out

I'm linking up with Gussy Sews for this fun post!

what i wore . purple pants

2012-01-17T21:51:00.000-05:00

how awkward is it to take pictures of yourself?! pretty darn awkward :)

but I'm slowly getting more and more confident.

sweater // Anthropologie

purple pants // 7 for all mankind

boots // frye
bracelet // who knows ... world market maybe?

So, how about some words of wisdom because maybe I'm weird but if I do a post with just pictures I feel just a little stuck up, so I like to include something a little more meaningful too.

So, I thought I would share a verse that I happened to stumble across during my devotional the other day.

In view of all of this, make every effort to respond to God's promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self- control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed for their sins.
"So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things and you will never fall away.
Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
2 Peter 1:5-10 (NLT)

I mean, let's be honest, who doesn't want a grand entrance into heaven? How amazing does that sound? This is such a powerful verse where we are reminded of ways to grow our faith and wow, those things aren't easy, but we should be attempting to grow stronger in this way every day. This week, let's work to show patience, self control, moral excellence, and a love for all!

Happy Wednesday friends :)

sponsor spotlight & giveaway: AMY from Jooniebeads

2012-01-17T07:00:00.001-05:00

Hello friends!! Today, I want to introduce you to one of my fab sponsors, Amy who is the creative mind behind Jooniebeads Treasures. This is Amy, she did a little interview to tell you a little more about herself.

3 words that best describe me are...

Wow thats hard!! creative, impatient, inquisitive (The Iphone was the worst thing to happen to me, Im constantly looking things up because I HAVE to know how things work, or how to make something, what something means..... there is always something new to learn about and Im sure ti drive my husband crazy!)

I got started making jewelry because...

When we lived in San Antonio a friend taught my daughter how to make jewelry and I just fell in love with it, after helping her make some Christmas projects one year. I love playing with color and texture and finding interesting ways to put them together and beading provides an almost never ending source of materials.

I find inspiration in...

Everything!! I am also a photographer, of sorts, so Im always looking for interesting color patterns, grouping of objects, or color palettes and snapping pictures of them. Sometimes I will find an interesting pattern on an items packaging in the grocery store and it will spark an idea.

I do spend a lot of time in craft stores though and am always looking for a new project, a new color or just an idea.

My favorite materials to work with are...

Natural materials and anything distressed or just plain old. I find that natural materials and aged materials bring their own personality to a project that factory made supplies just dont have. I love hand made findings and thats one of my husbands next projects, actually. He is going to learn to make jewerly findings and metal stamped pieces and I cant wait to see what he comes up with!! He spent most of the last 2 years in Iraq and he has lots of ideas hes been carrying around wanting to try out, with no outlet, so hopefully I will have some of his work in my shop before long.

One thing that most people don't know about me is...

Hmmmm...... I guess it needs to be something interesting. Maybe that I was a homeschool mom for 18 years and recently retired and sent my only child off to college. Other than that Im probably pretty boring actually. Im a bookwork and have turned into quite a home body, especially since moving to Kentucky last month, because after living in Texas and Georgia for the past 7 years Im not used to the cold weather.

I just couldn't live without...

Books!!

My day to day life consists of...

Im not a schedule person, it just doesnt work for me, so every day is different at our house. Even when I was homeschooling we never stuck to a schedule! So every day is unique. My goals right now for every day are, make something new, take a picture of something interesting, post a new listing in one of my Etsy shops, answer all my email, spend some time with my husband, get some healthy food on the table and read something I enjoy. Sounds pretty simple I know, but between cleaning house, laundry, grocery shopping and the million other things that seem to come up in the course of a day Im happy if I get that much done.

Now for some fun ones :)

Beach or mountains?

Beach!! The beach is my favorite place in the world!!, not even picky about which one!! I like mountains too, basically I never turn down a vacation. LOL

Color or neutrals?

I love color, but I guess neurals it is. My wardrobe is built around neutrals and then I add in some color with a bracelet or a scarf. My furniture is neutrals because with every move we find our selves in a few place with new paint colors and new and interesting carpet colors, some not so interesting, we fell in love with a house with smurf blue carpet once (we turned it down).

Sweet or salty?

Sweet

you should stop by and say hi!

shop / blog / facebook / twitter

and guess what?! She's offering my lucky readers a giveaway too!!!

how to enter (leave a comment for each):

1. mandatory: you must be a follower of this blog

2. Follow the Joonie Bean blog

3. visit Joonie Beads Treasures and tell me your fave item

4. Follow Amy on Twitter

5. Follow Originally Me via Bloglovin'

6. Follow Originally Me on twitter

This giveaway will run through Sunday, January 22nd at midnight (EST)

winner will be announced shortly after ;) good luck!

valentines gifties

2012-01-16T10:18:00.001-05:00

So, I realize that on this little blog, you rarely get a peek into my shop unless you venture over and click on the button in my sidebar, so I thought I would share with you, a few of the pretty Valentine's creations I've been making recently so that you can add them to your wish list :)

Valentine's Day is a time to show someone how much you love them, but I love the thought of a gift that can be worn all year long as a reminder of this.

heart wrap bracelet {silk and copper}

heart necklace {silk cord and terra cotta w/ sterling silver}

infinity wrap bracelet {silk and copper}

heart wrap bracelet {silk and sterling silver}

You can find more heart and infinity bracelets here

use code ILOVEYOU10 for 10% off your order

so, pass this link on to your hubby or bf... I'm sure they'll appreciate the assistance :)

As of right now, there's only one of each of these items in the shop. I can do custom orders as well, but I will need to know what you want asap so I can get it to you in time for heart day :)

birthday week in instagrams

2012-01-13T09:06:00.000-05:00

So, this week I... moved back to Charleston, had a full day of painting pottery and hanging out with family, started a new semester with all new classmates, celebrated my birthday with these new classmates and my roommates, opened my first bottle of champagne, spent hours in the ER with a kidney stone and still made it to class... wow it's been a long week!!!... TGIF!

Here's a peek at my week in instagrams

birthday cookie cake with a building on it ... hehe

mom's home cooked birthday dinner ... yumm

pottery painting (I'll share a whole post when I get the finished piece back from the kiln)

birthday flowers from the roomies... how sweet!

And they got me champagne and strawberries :)

riding my bike to class after I was in the ER all morning... hard core

Happy Friday... This week has seemed to go on forever!! hope you all enjoy your weekend.

sponsor spotlight: ERIKA from Rouge and Whimsy

2012-01-12T07:00:00.001-05:00

Hello friends! Today I want to introduce you to a new bloggy friend, Erika who blogs over at Rouge and Whimsy. She's one of my amazing sponsors this month.... check out that pretty sidebar people >>

Anyway, Erika and I decided to trade blog spaces today :)

I asked her a few questions for you to read here and I did a little interview over on her blog. You should probably go check it out too.

So, meet Erika! Oh yeah, she's a fellow redhead too! So, we're pretty much meant to be friends!

I started blogging because... I love to write. I started writing at age 4. I scribbled bunny stories on paper. In 2nd grade I wrote these long, horrible soap-opera-like stories about horses. The horses always died, or were captured by poachers.

My favorite thing about blogging is... writing. I am endless source of words and ideas and just random stuff and I like that I have a place to curate it all. I also LOVE the blogging community. Holy crap have I been blessed by some people out there, which is awesome. I also LOVE to read blogs, find new blogs... I probably read way too many blogs.

If I could live anywhere in the world it would be... the Loire Valley, France in a chateau turned bed-and-breakfast within biking distance to a good-sized town and a short train ride to Paris. Otherwise, I really do love where I live (Seattle) but I think eventually I want to live a little farther outside city limits-- like a couple acre property in an old farm house. :)

Something that always makes me smile is... my doggie sleeping. It's the only time he is not getting into trouble.

My favorite thing about me is... my red hair. (I used to hate it!)

My day to day life consists of... early mornings, bus commuting downtown, coffee, corporate life, more coffee, commuting home, making dinner, blogging and surviving whatever life throws at me with the husband as my partner-in-crime.

My biggest fear is... being left alone. Like that one movie with Will Smith? Oh my goodness that gave me nightmares.

The last book I read was... Unbroken. HIGHLY recommend it. Honestly I don't like war stories but this one is a true story of people surviving the unheard of. Read it.

If I could give one piece of advice to other small business owners it would be... figure out the finances thing because I sure don't have it figured out. Also, do not be discouraged when it doesn't take off right away. Good things take time. Success is not born in a day and all those other cliches about patience.

If I could trade places with anyone in the world for a day it would be... my dog. He has a really good life. Minus the whole eating kibble thing.

Sometimes I wonder... why I am lucky enough to be where I am in a great city, with a college education and job. I am blessed and I didn't really do a lot to deserve it.

My favorite color combo... changes all the time. It was turquoise and coral, then gray and yellow and now I think it's orange and white. Or maybe navy and yellow? Hmmm.

places to find Erika

blog / shop / twitter / facebook

If you want to read my interview on Erika's blog, hop on over there :)

p.s. if you're interested in sponsoring the blog in February, there are a few exciting changes in sponsorship! Check them out here!

what i wore

2012-01-11T07:00:00.002-05:00

tshirt // Madewell

vest // eight sixty

pants // Ann Taylor Loft

boots // Lucky brand

Yesterday, I started a new semester in school and in this unique program that I'm in, that meant meeting a whole new group of people that I will be spending the semester with as well as beginning all new classes. It's quite an overwhelming thing.
I went into the day thinking about the worship song that we sang on Sunday
"And if Our God is for us, then who could ever stop us
And if our God is with us, then what can stand against?"

Wow, that just really made the start to the semester so much easier, knowing that it's all in His hands and with God on my side, I can conquer all!

GIVEAWAY it's my party

2012-01-10T07:30:00.001-05:00

yipeeee yipeee yipeee it's my birthday!!

The big 23 baby!

Let's celebrate!! It's giveaway time!

Some of my awesome sponsors and a other fab handmade sellers are offering some items up for you.

A $5 Starbucks giftcard and a medium ad space on Sunny with a Chance of Sprinkles

blog / facebook / twitter

A pair of fused glass cross earrings with a filigree style back

shop / twitter / blog

A beautiful Origami Calendar 2012 by Ilovedielines Studio. Each month has different Origami Pattern. You can hang it on your own wall, give as a gift, or do both - as many times as you like!

shop / facebook / blog

how to enter:

1. mandatory: follow my blog and leave me a comment
2. follow Sunny with a Chance of Sprinkles
3. Check out Jooniebeads Treasures and come back and tell me your fave item!
4. Check out Ilovedielines Studio and tell me your fave item in the shop!
4. Follow Originally Me on bloglovin'
5. Follow me on twitter.
5. Tweet / Blog / Facebook about this giveaway and leave me a comment for each

Oh yeah, and if you want to give me the best birthday present ever, you should probably head over to my shop and do some shopping :) just kidding, but for real, go check it out if you want :) love you all!!

Giveaway will end Monday January 16th at midnight and the winner will be announced on the 17th! Good luck!!

blogging goals in 2012

2012-01-09T07:00:00.001-05:00

With the beginning of a new year comes thought about changes that we should make in almost every aspect of our life. So lately, I've been thinking about this little blog and what I want it to become in 2012. And while I tell you what I have in mind, I also want a little feed back from you!

Be more open and honest I want to not only share the sugar coated pretty pieces of life, but also the struggles we all go through, I plan to include more faith posts in 2012 for sure. I've done a couple already and you guys seemed to enjoy seeing that side of me, a side you don't see too often here on the blog, but one that is extremely important to me in real life.

Integrate more fashion... I love clothes! I love mixing and matching outfits, shoes, and accessories. I have a unique style that makes me happy, but you often don't see what I wear because let's be honest, I don't have a hubby, a bf or a professional photographer to take pictures for me, but we're going to make this work. I'm going to do the best I can to get some good pictures and share them as often as possible.

More tutorials I love being crafty and I want to show you more projects and tutorials. Sometimes I'm too lazy to take pictures of all of the steps of the process and I go back and kick myself because of it, but I'm going to do better, I promise!!

Better pictures... I feel like I've already started to improve my graphics and my pictures. This blog is forever evolving and getting better in that sense as I learn more and more.

I would LOVE for you to comment with what you love about this blog, and the things that you don’t enjoy reading so much. Tell me what you would like for me to add, what you want to see more of, etc.

I can't wait to read your comments... happy monday!!

Check back tomorrow for my birthday giveaway!!!!

sponsor spotlight: ERIN from Captivated by Grace

2012-01-08T11:45:00.001-05:00

Today, I want to introduce you all to one of the sweetest people I've met in the blogging world. Her name is Erin and she blogs over at Captivated by Grace. She's constantly pouring her heart out on her blog which I just love.

So I asked Erin a few questions so we could all get to know a little more about her.

I started blogging because... that is quite a story. Growing up, I have always believed in God. I cannot say that I always had a deep relationship with Him or trusted Him with my life. During college, I met a great group of Christian friends, who encouraged me to think about my relationship with God and want better for my life. I slowly became closer to God, but still not fully placing everything in His hands. This past May, I lost one of these dear friends in an accident, which turned my world upside down. I sought God harder than ever before and wanted to have the deepest relationship and trust in Him. God placed the idea of blogging on my heart, in hopes of encouraging other women who may be struggling with their faith as well. So that is why I blog. :)

Something that always makes me happy when I'm having a rough day is... Logging on to blogger and reading all of the sweet posts and comments by you lovely ladies. You have brought my life so much joy.

My favorite thing about me is... that I am forgiving. I never give up on my relationships, no matter what the hurts are. I believe in showing grace to everyone.

oh yeah, she's wearing some Originally Me earrings!!

My typical day consists of... Well, right now...it's pretty different! I just graduated and I am waiting for substitute teaching calls. So my day consists of waking up, blogging, grabbing my Starbucks, working out, hanging with family and friends, and catching up some more blogging and favorite TV shows. I miss teaching!!

If I could trade closets with anyone in the world it would be... Man that is hard....it would have to be a mix between Lauren Conrad and Vanessa Hudgens (is that how you spell it?!).

My dream job is... I am a teacher! Love it! :) Although a professional blogger would be pretty great too!

3 songs on my playlist right now are... Move Like Jagger (Maroon 5) Good Life (OneRepublic) Listen To Your Heart (DHT)...so random!

anything else you want to tell the world? I am addicted to iced coffee!

You should definitely hop over to Erin's blog. You'll probably find yourself reading for a while. Tell her I sent you her way.

blog / twitter

Erin is one of my sponsors on the right over there >>>

If you're interested in sponsoring in February, you can find details here.

saturday snapshot: bikes

2012-01-07T11:27:00.000-05:00

So as some of you know, I'm just a little obsessed with bikes. They're just the prettiest little things.

So this week, when we were at a new Mellow Mushroom (ps if you've never had Mellow Mushroom pizza, it's a must!!! So far it's my fave pizza, American pizza that is) anyway, they have the most awesome fence around their outdoor dining area!!

Check it out! Isn't this like the coolest thing ever! It's made of old bikes, tires removed and welded together. Then they're all spray painted silver. Pretty awesome. Wouldn't it be totally sweet to have that in your back yard!? Not sure I could pull it off, but it would be fabulous!

Hope you all are having a nice and relaxing Saturday!

Much love!

be the change

2012-01-05T23:40:00.000-05:00

{this pretty little image is by me}

When the beautiful Ashley from The Shine Project posed this question,

"If I could change one thing in the world, what would it be?"

This song was the first thing that came to mind.

This is one of my absolute favorite songs and these two verses touch my heart every single time! Every time we're singing this in worship I pour my heart and soul into it, and I often find myself just humming it to myself randomly. It's something that I pray to God often, to break my heart for what breaks His. So many things in the world that just aren't right. And so much I wish I could change.... that absolutely break my heart!

my heart is broken for those who let culture define who they are.

If I could change one thing in the world, it would be to show people that it is ok to be different. It's ok to stand out for your beliefs. It's ok not to fall into the trash of a lifestyle that culture tells us is acceptable.

And honestly, you are all the much more beautiful, for standing up for what you believe in and being the change!

It's a crazy culture we live in today and I think far too often we let this culture define and tell us how we should be and what's acceptable. This is pretty much insane if you ask me and it hurts my heart to see people who lets the ways of this world, the picture in magazines, the stories of celebrities, and the things that other people say are ok influence their own opinions.

Everyone wants to see change in the world, but are you willing to make the change?

All too often we think about all the change that we feel needs to happen, but just wait around for someone else to make the first move

but without initiative, change will NEVER happen.

How can little me make the change that I dream of? ... be different! Just be me! don't care what anyone else thinks! Stand up for what I believe in... and be the beautiful person inside and out that God created me to be!

Be the change you want to see in the world!

Let's be the change!

linking up with the beautiful Ashley from The Shine Project and the sweet Casey Wiegand

makes my heart go pitter patter

2012-01-05T07:00:00.001-05:00

here are a few things that are making my big heart go pitter patter at the moment... ohhh love!

oh my word these shoes!!! ... {image credit}

oh, hello friend always has the prettiest little packaging. She's such an inspiration in terms of that and many other things. Click here to see more of this gorgeousness.

Find the tutorial here

This is one of my biggest goals in life... and one of my spiritual gifts. I'm the kind of person that pretty much always has a smile on my face. It really take a lot to get me down and I just love sharing that happiness with people.

{image credit}

p.s. do you like the little changes that keep happening on the blog?

/ bigger pictures

/ pretty post titles

/ new sidebar graphics

... and lots more coming :)

It gets prettier by the day! Part of my goals for 2012 and I'm learning so much in the process!

a child like faith

2012-01-04T07:00:00.001-05:00

I think we all have days where we question our faith. Satan puts doubt into our minds. In the world we live in today, it's not easy to have unfaltering belief. There are so many people that we may cross paths with that verbally or nonverbally inform us that what we believe could never be true and ask us how do you believe that? What's your proof? Well, God's word is my proof, but if that isn't enough, the book I just finished reading sure is! Take the faith of a child, one with no doubts, no pride, and no bogged down mind full of the culture that we live in. That type of faith speaks a crazy amount of truth.

I just finished reading Heaven is For Real about a young boy's short travel into heaven and all of his experiences there. It truly is amazing!! It's incredible to see the faith of a child in action.

As we grow up, we develop a sense of pride where we care too much about what the rest of the world thinks about us. Do people think I'm crazy for the things that I believe? It brings doubt to your mind. You may start to question things, but when we step back take everything else out of the equation and truly have faith like a child, we can see without a doubt, the truth!

Through Colton's story, it's comforting to know, that this thing we believe in, this place that we plan on spending the rest of our life. It really is true and it really is just as amazing as God describes it to be!

This book has been on my "to read" list for quite some time now, ever since my aunt told me about it over the summer, and so many people since then have spoken highly of it, but I finally, with this little break from school picked it up and just started reading. It’s a quick and easy read and definitely a page turner. I read it all in a matter of a few hours. So, I highly suggest it to anyone who is looking for a good read, one that will reaffirm everything that we hope is true about this great place we believe in.

an exciting announcement!

2012-01-03T07:00:00.000-05:00

Hi sweet friends and family. It’s time for one of the first of hopefully many exciting announcements coming in 2012!!

I have a brand new storefront for Originally Me and isn’t it just darling?!?

I'm super excited about this new storenvy shop because it because it allows me to customize everything about my shop to look exactly the way that I want it to!

There will be lots of new products coming throughout the year, but for now, these pretty little pieces are ready to find homes. So, in honor of the new year and this exciting new storefront take 10% off your entire purchase with the code 10in2012

Stop by, take a look around, and maybe you'll find something that just has to make it's way to your jewelry box. Remember Valentines day is also just around the corner ;) (wink wink) ... give those hints!

My etsy shop will still be around (at least for a while) though it will probably not stay as well stocked as the storenvy shop.

And as if this isn't good enough, I'm also on the front page of Storenvy right now. I couldn't be much more excited!

hello 2012!!

2012-01-01T17:00:00.000-05:00

and welcome to my life!!! I can't wait to see the crazy awesome things that are going to come out of this year!

I'm typically not very good at setting resolutions, but this year, I just went with it because there's a lot I would like to accomplish!

In no particular order, these are my big goals (resolutions if you want to call them that) for 2012. You ask, why am I telling you this? ... because you guys can hold me accountable. Throughout the year, I'll be sharing my accomplishments (or lack of accomplishment) I need you to be my cheerleaders! Ok? Let's go!

1. Do a better job at staying in touch with my sweet friends

It's not an easy thing to do, and it takes time and sometimes. It's those people that are the nearest and dearest to you that get forgotten in the day to day life because you know they will still be around no matter what. But this year, I want to do a better job keeping up with all of the little things going on in everyone's lives. Those things really show someone you care... just a simple notecard, a text, etc. means so much... I know it does to me :)

2. Lose 8 pounds by March 1st

This time, I decided to not just say "lose weight". That's the standard New Years resolution that no one sticks to. I set a concrete goal and I'm going to reach it the natural way, eating healthy and exercising. This would get me back to the perfect weight for my height.

3. Learn to paint with oil paints

I got a beautiful easel for Christmas and can't wait to use it! I've done lots of painting in my day with acrylics and watercolor, but never with oil and I'm super excited. I'm starting on it this week and I'll be sharing for sure! That is if it looks good!

4. Spend more time reading my Bible

To be entirely honest, that often gets pushed aside in my busy days. That's something I have to change. I throughly enjoy getting into scripture and learn so much by doing it.

5. Learn to use my nice camera that I got forever ago and take pretty pictures

I've always wished that I was a better photographer. Of all of the artsy things, that's just one thing that doesn't come easy to me. So, I want to learn to take better pictures when I'm traveling and such and take more of them!
And, although I think my product photos look pretty good, I've been reading tutorials on how to take better ones, so look for some amazingness coming in the new year.

6. Cook more

I love to cook, but cooking for one on a very tight schedule, I rarely make time to cook. It's really not ok! I just got a Crock Pot for Christmas, so I'm hoping that will make my life a little easier!

7. Double the followers on this blog!!

Tell everyone you know!

That's all for now, hope you all are having a fantastic first day of the new year!

dear 2011,

2011-12-31T08:00:00.000-05:00

Dear 2011,

Though we've had our ups and downs, overall it's been a fantastic year. I've grown as a person, continuing to learn more and more about who I am, why I'm here, and what I want to get out of my life.

We have had many great memories together.

I celebrated my birthday with a super sweet party thrown by my friends and wore and sparkly dress.

I started this fantastic blog and have met so many incredible and inspiring people. You guys continue to amaze me!

I graduated from college ... and decided to go back again.... yipeee for getting a masters!

I moved to a new city.

I joined my church and started volunteering. It's been one of the best things I've ever done!

I completed a super awesome architecture project built in a park.

Those are just a few of the things that have made 2011 absolutely great!

I have loved you dearly and will miss you, but the memories remain and I cannot wait to see the exciting things that this new year will bring!

xo,
Lindsay

guest post: Christa on becoming a spouse and a parent

2011-12-30T07:30:00.002-05:00

Today I want to introduce you to Christa who is visiting from the Young&Restless blog. She's one of my beautiful sponsors this month. She's going to share a little about being a spouse and a parent (2 things I am not) so I thought it only fitting to let someone else share on these experiences. Hope you enjoy reading what she has to say and head on over to her blog to share some love! I know she would appreciate it :)

Hello readers of Originally Me blog! My name is Christa and I blog over at the Young&Restless Blog! Today I am guest posting and decided to talk about being a wife and mother! But first, let me introduce myself. Im 22, been married for 4 years, with him for almost 6 years. We have a 2 year old daughter named Braylee, and 2 babies in the sky (miscarriages). I have hypothyroidism (no metabolism), LOVE the color pink, love dirtbikes, and just got into doing photography! Now that you know me so well (ok so maybe not WELL) lets get on with the good stuff.

Being young and care free is great fun, sometimes a little too fun, but EVENTUALLY, whether it comes sooner than later, or later than sooner, we all settle down, find our soul mates, and maybe start a family! Sometimes these milestones in life happen unexpectedly but none the less, they happen.

Tying the Knot:

Marriage is a BIG step in life. Going from single and care free, to having ONE person to have and to hold FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE is HUGE! Marriage isn’t like being boyfriend and girl friend or even engaged. You can always break up, and even call off wedding. But marriages are not intended to ever end. Yes it happens, all too often, but you don’t go into a marriage expecting it to ever end. Some people never even get married because they cant handle the commitment. And honestly, I think those people are SMART. You have to be READY for marriage. So many people jump the gun and get married, and soon realize they made a mistake, or fall apart over small things. Marriage is NOT easy. You will hit many bumps. But you gotta work through them. Don’t let them get worse. Marriage counseling is NOT the devil. ITS OK to need outside help! You have to realize that sometimes YOU are the problem too (I know, crazy right, we are perfect!). You cant always blame your spouse. You have to be big enough to know when you are the one in the wrong. Treat your spouse like when you were in your “honeymoon” stage. Keep the fire burning. GO ON DATES OFTEN! And always remember, put the toilet seat down, and make your husband buy your tampons cuz its funny J

Creating Offspring:

Don’t worry im not talking about the creating process cuz we all had our maturation program ;). Bringing another life into this world is INDESCRIBABLE. If you have not had this experience yet, I cant even express how amazing it is. Adoption is just as amazing. What I mean by “bringing” a child into the world is just becoming a parent in general. Its not easy. it’s a HUGE adjustment also. You no longer think about yourself first. This tiny little person is not your number one priority. Movies dates slow down, Dinners out become slim to none, vacations are minuscule, your high heels turn to sneekers, the contents in your purse turn into binkis, diapers, rattles, kid snacks ect. When you go out shopping for yourself, you majority of the time come home with things for your kids instead. Sleep becomes a thing of the past, messy hair and sweats become your new style, and bathing is a joke. Haha I bet all of you parents laugh at these things, and all you kid-less people are thinking “is that supposed to make me want kids? Cuz im scared now”. The truth is though, that all that stuff doesn’t even matter. NOTHING in this world is better than holding your baby in your arms for the first time. Smelling their baby breath. Seeing their first smile. Hearing them call you mommy or daddy. Hearing them tell you they love you. Seeing how concerned they get when you cry. Running around playing with them day in and day out. See them grow and learn. Having them cuddle with you. Its seriously SO amazing. There are NO words to describe how POWERFUL your love and bond for your children is. Nothing more joyous than having their sweet presence in your home filling it with all the love and laughter that comes with it.

If you havent experienced either of these things you are in for a treat. They are GINORMOUS steps in life. They will be your most challenging times and your most rewarding. But you have to be ready for them both.

a yummy recipe i'm guest posting

2011-12-29T09:07:00.000-05:00

Wondering where I am??! haha... as if it matters that much to you

(but let's just say, I miss you if you're not around!)

I'm guest posting over on Jenna's blog It's Just Called Spicy while she's off getting married!

And I'm sharing with all of her readers (and all of you), my recipe for "homemade" (kinda) Oreo ice cream

Add caption

You should go check it out and mark this one under your faves

You're definitely going to want to make some later :) It's making me hungry just looking at this picture!

Enjoy!

cozy

2011-12-28T07:00:00.001-05:00

oh my... close up on my face

just a day doing chores around the house and out running errands (p.s. I will not go to the mall again for days... it was SO packed today you couldn't move, crazy people, just crazy!)

oh how I LOVE that plaid flannel shirts are back in! I mean I probably would have worn this one anyway, but whatever. It's just so stinkin' cozy! When I woke up this morning, it was raining and I just wanted to stay in bed all day so this was about as much effort as I could manage to put into my outfit.

earrings // Originally Me (you can buy them here)

flannel top // Urban Outfitters

jeans // 7 for all Mankind

shoes // Clarks dessert boots

bits and pieces of my Christmas

2011-12-27T17:50:00.000-05:00

(1) yummmmy chocolate covered pretzels that we made :)

(2) getting our decorating on!! mmm sugar cookies

(3) the tray of Christmas goodies

(4) let the tacky Christmas begin! My family decided that our Christmas Eve celebration would consist of tacky Christmas sweaters and Christmas them games... SO FUN!

(5) building things with my cousins :)

(6) such a cute doggie wearing his Christmas sweater too!

(7) mmm s'mores

(8) I got an easel for Christmas... yipeeeeee!!!!

(9) Our "charlie brown" christmas tree with little fishing bobber lights... We celebrated Christmas Eve in our aunt and uncles 2nd home on the creek so we had a baby tree.

I hope you all enjoyed every single minute of your Christmas as much as I did! It truly was a blessing to get to spend so much time with my family. They mean the world to me!

And while the gifts that I received were absolutely fantastic, we took time to remember the true meaning of this season and the HUGE gift that was given to us when God sent his son to this earth to take away our sins. That's the best gift we could ever ask for!

merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T12:34:00.000-05:00

Hello dear friends.

I'll be taking a couple days off from the blog to enjoy some time with my precious family and remembering the reason for the season.

I hope you all have a fantastic Christmas. I love you all!

Talk to you in just a few days :)

(my sister and me before the Christmas service at our church)

and the winner is...

2011-12-24T00:39:00.000-05:00

Drumrolllll please...... it's time for a little early Christmas gift for Chelsae from Sunny with a Chance of Sprinkles!!!

She's the winner of the Merry Christmas giveaway!! Yayyy!!! I'll be emailing you shortly!

January Sponsor Call

2011-12-22T07:00:00.001-05:00

It's almost a new year, and time for new sponsors on Originally Me!

This is my first New Years on the blog and it's sure to bring lots of exciting things!!!

Time to set those New Year's resolutions and if one of them includes bringing more traffic to your blog or shop, I would love to have you as a sponsor next month if you think that you would be a good fit for this happy little blog of mine :)

I have 2 different ad sizes available as you can see in the right sidebar. You can find info here with pricing and how to contact me! I look forward to hearing from you. It's going to be a great year!!!

p.s. Don't forget to enter the fab giveaway from some of my December Sponsor here!!

a little Christmas Quiz

2011-12-21T11:03:00.000-05:00

So with Christmas just 4 days away, I thought it was only appropriate to share this cute little quiz with you ... I found it on Abby's blog Diligent Joy

1. Egg nog or hot chocolate? Hot chocolate for sure! ... White chocolate hot chocolate is the best!! (If you haven't tried it, be ready to have your life changed forever!)

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? hmm usually just sits them on the floor in our living room. Each child has their own pile of goodies, but there has been the occasional event of gift wrapping.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? white lights with lots of precious handmade ornaments

4. Do you hang mistletoe? nope... maybe one day

5. When do you put your decorations up? Sometime after Thanksgiving... this year, we were way late though... We just got ornaments on the tree about a week ago.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? My mom makes my favorite thing. It started as a holiday dish, but now we have it a lot of times throughout the year because it's just SO yummy. It's a pretzel salad made with layers of pretzels, cream cheese, and strawberries with jello. It's pretty much the best thing ever! (and when I read Abby's post ... the source of this little quiz... her favorite is the exact same thing!!! I was like NO WAY and I felt like we were instant friends haha)

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child? Spending Christmas Eve with my cousins. We take turns all staying at their house or everyone coming to our house and got to share the excitement of Christmas Eve and Santa with each other.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? hmm I can't remember, but I was probably way too old to still be believing in Santa.... maybe 4th grade??

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Yes, my immediate family exchanges gifts in the calm of Christmas Eve so that we can really enjoy some time together. Our Christmas day is so hectic running from place to place so it's nice that we have this tradition.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? Our tree is simple. It's a fake tree :( but it's covered in pretty gold ball ornaments and then all sorts of meaningful handmade ornaments and ornaments that have been given to us as a gift.

11. Snow! Love it or dread it? I LOVE it! I live in the south, so I don't see snow nearly enough! It makes me so happy like I'm a little kid again. Last year, it showed on the day after Christmas and my birthday and I was beside myself!

12. Can you ice skate? Yes, I love ice skating! ... except it hurts my ankles. I usually go a couple times a year. I used to pretend I was an ice skater as a child on roller blades. I think that's where all of my ice skating knowledge came from.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? hmm... this year, I got an early Christmas present... a brand new mac (my first one!!) and I'm in love! I'll never go back!

14. What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you? Definitely the time that I get to spend with my family. I cherish every moment of it!

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? yummmm I have a major sweet tooth, so this one is tough... but I think the homemade sugar cookies are my favorite because it's something that we only make at Christmas time.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? I love so many things about the holidays... christmas eve services at church, riding around and looking at christmas lights, watching christmas movies with my family... the list goes on and on.

17. What tops your tree? A big gold bow

18. Which do you prefer: giving or receiving? giving of course! I love picking out gifts for the people I love and seeing their faces when they open them.

19. Candy canes: yuck or yummy? I'll eat them if they're around, but I'm not a huge candy cane fan... I love all of the fun flavored ones though!

20. Favorite Christmas show? I absolutely have to watch Elf and the Grinch every year around this time.

21. Saddest Christmas song? Interesting question... I have a love for this Christmas song by Jimmy Wayne. A lot of people probably don't even know it, but it touches my heart every time, thinking about those kids out there who don't experience Christmas the same way that we do.

22. What is your favorite Christmas song? I think my all time favorite is Breath of Heaven. I grew to love this song when I was much younger and our church used to do a Christmas performance and this song was always one of the solos. I fell in love. ... but this year, I've got to admit I've been listening to Bieber's new Christmas album on repeat... addicting!

merry christmas GIVEAWAY!!!

2011-12-20T07:00:00.002-05:00

eeek!! I can't believe that Christmas is just right around the corner!!

To celebrate, we're having a fun little giveaway here today with some sweet prizes from some pretty amazing sponsors! ... a $55 value!!

One lucky gal (or guy haha) is going to win all of this!

A pretty little ruffled clutch from Petunia Blooms. It's perfect for carrying around the necessities and just oh so cute!!... a $20 value!!

blog / shop

A thread wrapped bangle from the Glossy Queen. The Glossy Queen's bright, bold and colorful thread wrapped bangles will add an insta-party to your arm! Each bracelet war patiently wrapped with three different colors of thread to create vibrant, tribal inspired, colorblocked stripes! ... a $24 value!!

shop / twitter

A large ad space on Originally Me for the month of January. This comes with a sponsor feature post and the opportunity to do a guest post! ... a $10 value

To enter this sweet little giveaway, you must be a follower of my blog! If you're not a follower yet, just click the join button right over there <<

ADDITIONAL ENTRIES:

.>> Follow Originally Me on twitter

>> Like Originally Me on facebook

>> Visit Petunia Blooms and tell me your fave item!

>> Visit the Glossy Queen and tell me your fave item!

>> tweet about this giveaway!!

>> share this giveaway on facebook!

{{Winner will be chosen on Friday 12.23 at midnight!! Good luck!! }}

meet the sponsors ... december!

2011-12-19T11:04:00.000-05:00

I have to admit, I'm pretty sure I have the cutest sponsors this month!! And they are all super talented young ladies to say the least. I've been so blessed to get to work with each and every one of them and look forward to continuing to get to know them! I know it would put a smile on their face if you would stop by their blogs or shops and give them a little love! Trust me, they deserve it!

...........

blog /// shop /// facebook

.............

blog /// shop /// facebook /// twitter

..............

blog /// shop

............

blog /// shop /// twitter /// facebook

............

blog /// facebook /// pinterest

..........

blog

........

shop // twitter

........

shop // blog

Be on the lookout for a giveaway from some of these lovely ladies coming soon!!! They sure do make some pretty things!

p.s. If you want me to help promote your little blog or shop in the new year, check out my sponsor page... email me if your interested!! January is my birthday month, so this could get exciting!!!

hanging the ornaments

2011-12-18T17:24:00.000-05:00

Decorating the tree is such a special time for my family... Yeah, I know we're a little late with only a week left until Christmas.

Most of you have probably been decorated for weeks. The rest of the house has been decorated, but my parents love to wait for my sister an I to be home for the holidays to decorate the tree. We turn on lots of Christmas music and enjoy some family together time.

Our tree is nothing super fancy. It's simple with pretty gold accents and a hodgepodge of ornaments that were made by me and my sister all throughout our school years and special ornaments that have been given to us as gifts. While it may not be the Christmas tree that a decorator would pick out, it sure is special to us and that's all that matters!

my kindergarten thumbprint ornament

beautiful snowflake ornaments made by my great grandmother. We have probably 50 of these all over our tree

a snow baby and my elementary school popsicle stick reindeer

the Christmas spirit

2011-12-17T18:15:00.000-05:00

It's funny how it's little things can be what really make you smile. :)

I feel like I’ve been completely sheltered from all of the holiday cheer going on around me over the past weeks as I was trying to wrap up my last school projects to finally be able to feel the freedom that I’m feeling now which I must say is great and I'm cherishing every moment of it!

On top of that, it's still 75 degrees down here most days which I kind of weird for December. I'm just not sure quite how I feel about it. It's not really ok! So much for dreaming of a white Christmas!

Yesterday, I had plans to spend the day Christmas shopping with my family. and a we pulled into the parking lot and my eyes caught hold of the Christmas tree on top of Macy's and it instantly brought a smile to my face and I finally feel like it's Christmas time! (even if I was wearing short sleeves)

We spent the day hopping from mall to mall and enjoying all of the people watching and Christmas cheer that went along with it.

I loved every moment of standing with my dad while my mom and sister were shopping and watching the children below as they took turns sitting on Santa's lap ... oh and aren't those giant trees just gorgeous!?

Now, as I sit here typing this, I'm in a slight food coma. It's been a day full of festivities once again as we had our annual celebration with part of my Dad's family. Of course I stuffed my face with lots of yumminess ... ham delights, pineapple casserole, pasta salad, fried chicken, and chocolate chip cake just to name a few

Could this day get any better??

Making Time

2011-12-15T23:46:00.005-05:00

Hi there my dear friends.

Once again I feel the need to apologize for not blogging for more days than I would like to count.

I seriously do miss you all and all of your sweet comments when I don't have the time or energy to write a post!

Today, I'm linking up with my sweet bloggie friend Casey from Casey Leigh in her On My Heart post. She has the most beautiful heart and I love her honesty of sharing it. I truly believe that the way that she exposes her heart changes lives.

She has inspired me to really open my heart up on my blog and share exactly what I'm feeling.

So here it is... what's on my heart

Grad school has absolutely consumed my life for the past 4 and a half months. While I've loved every minute of it (scratch that, almost every minute). It has drained all of the energy out of me.

I find myself constantly struggling to find balance in my life. I don't have time to fit all of the things that I love into my daily routine and I feel guilty about it no matter what I choose to leave out. And, let's be honest, most times it seems to be my blog that gets neglected. I love this space I love all the people I've met through blogging and I love sharing my heart with you guys along with lots of other fun things. And I know that in the grand scheme of things that hearing from me through my little online home may not have a huge impact on the world, but I do like to think that what I shared maybe made someone smile or had some sort of affect on someone. So, when I just cant seem to make time to write a post, I get a little bit down about it.

There are just so many things that I'm passionate about that it is absolutely impossible to fit them all into a day. By the time I get home from a long day at school (typically 12-15 hrs) I'm physically and mentally exhausted.

My friends get neglected. I get snappy with my family. My quite time gets forgotten. I am too tired to write a blog post. My shop doesn't get updated when. My health is compromised by lack of appropriate food and exercise.

I don't know that there's any easy fix for this, but I just try to remember, at all times when I find myself busy beyond belief to be thankful... thankful that I have the opportunity to go to school, thankful that I have friends that I want to stay in touch with, thankful that I have family that supports me, thankful for the incredibly awesome life and opportunities that have been given to me.

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As I write this, I'm finally having the opportunity to relax with my family as my break for the holidays just began at noon today. This is a very much needed break and one that I am cherishing. I will certainly be using this time to do the things that I love, things that have been neglected in the past months.

Loving Life

2011-11-30T07:22:00.001-05:00

Today I'm just loving life in general. It's going to be a super busy day, but a productive and somewhat fun one I think. If I have to be doing school, it better be hands on and that's what most of my day is looking like! Sometimes busy days are the best!

Today, I will...

Be at the park working on my giant architecture project for most of the day, but it's almost done!! yipeee

How awesome is this??

Run errands to pick up supplies for project #2 ... a crazy wall system of shelving and a white board panel that goes up and down like a garage door which is part of the redesign of the director's office that I'm helping with.

Paint a wall! For some reason, painting, to me, is kind of relaxing!

Write a 2 page paper on what makes a good city... a little icky but that's ok

and now for the super fun stuff

A trip to the post office to mail out a few Originally Me packages

post all of the ads for the new awesome ladies I'm working with for the December ad trade!

(p.s. If you still want to participate, let me know asap!!)

Send my ad to all of these lovely ladies!

List some new items in the shop... yayyyy!!

Oh what a fun day... here's to hoping and praying I actually get it all done!!!

December Ad Swap

2011-11-28T13:03:00.003-05:00

So I've decided to do something a little different this month because I'm in the holiday spirit!

Instead of selling ad spaces, I want to spread the love and give you all the opportunity to swap ads with me... it's that easy!

It can be an ad for your shop or your blog :)

If you're interested, email me at loveoriginallyme@gmail.com

This will be a one month only opportunity, so take advantage of it while you can!

p.s. There are a limited number of spaces, so depending on the interest that I receive not everyone may be given a space. I will be in touch with you in the next couple of days if you were chosen and let you know what size ad I need from you. I will be trying to get a variety of different types of shop so please don't have your feelings hurt if you don't get chosen.

I promise I love you all!!!

Also, don't forget about the CYBER MONDAY deals going on in the shop right this very minute... 20% off, free shipping, free earrings, and a free $5 gift certificate!

Could it get any better??

CYBER MONDAY sale!!!

2011-11-28T07:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Cyber Monday friends!

Today is a day to sit around (or secretly shop while you're at work), shop online and cross off all of the names of people you have to shop for this year without having to visit a single crazy busy store and fight all of that mess... so I'm here to tell you about a pretty awesome little deal going on right now in the Originally Me shop!

I'm encouraging you to support handmade this Cyber Monday!

ANDDDD just because I'm feeling in the giving spirit since I've been doing a lot of fun shopping myself, I've decided to announce a special surprise just for Cyber Monday ... eeek!!!

If you can't tell, I'm just a little excited!! shhhh!

With every purchase today (Cyber Monday only) you will receive a $5 gift certificate to be used on any future Originally Me purchase... yipeeeeee

(no code necessary! It will come on a cute little card in your package)

Happy Cyber Monday shopping!!!

Love you all! Thanks for making my dreams come true!

a peek at my thanksgiving

2011-11-25T23:40:00.006-05:00

Wow, I have so much to be thankful for, I don't even have the time to sit here and make a list of all of it. Just to name a few... my family, my friends, the incredible opportunities that I've been given over the past year, and this blog and the people I've met through it. As much as I complain about being stressed all the time, LIFE IS GOOD! I wouldn't change a thing about it!

So, I wanted to give you all a little taste of what my Thanksgiving looked like... what a day!

Let's just say it was a typical down south, slightly redneck, tummy filling feast, perfect thanksgiving kind of day!

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays of the year because of the traditions that my family has. We spend Thanksgiving at this little place we call "the farm"

"The Farm" is the little home in south Georgia where my grandmother and her 7 siblings grew up. It's surrounded by dirt roads, cotton fields, pecan trees, and plenty of room to run and play.

This year, we had 57 (plus a few that we forgot to count) for lunch and dinner and boy did we eat some food! It was a feast if I ever have seen one! yummmm

We spent the day reuniting with family members that we only see once a year. Sharing

accomplishments, family gossip, and special time together.

The children played until they were absolutely exhausted. We went fishing, road atvs, went for a walk down the dirt road. It was a fantastic day!

After stuffing our faces once more for dinner, the night ended with a huge bonfire, s'mores and star gazing... It sure is nice to be out in the open country and be able to enjoy these things!

I just love thanksgiving in the south!

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I am so thankful for all of the support that I get from each of you. You are truly allowing me to live my dream! So, to say thank you, I've been having a sweet little THANKSGIVING SALE!!!

so thankful!

// 20% off your entire purchase through midnight on Cyber Monday with code CYBERLOVE

// FREE SHIPPING on all orders over $50 (will be refunded via paypal)

// Every item you purchase enters you in a drawing to win a free pair of earrings!!

It's a fab time to cross off some names on the Christmas shopping list and get some pretty little gifts at a great price!!

Happy shopping!!!

I love you all!

Black Friday SALE!!

2011-11-25T11:12:00.003-05:00

Happy Black Friday!!!

Are you avoiding that shopping madness today as much as I am?? Well, lucky you! Today, a lot of handmade online shops are offering fabulous discount codes and you don't even have to get off your couch :)

So take a peek at my shop! Maybe you'll find something you love for one of those special people on your shopping list.

// 20% off your entire purchase with code CYBERLOVE

// FREE SHIPPING on all orders over $50

// every item purchased enters you to win a free pair of earrings!!

It's a great deal to get some of that Christmas shopping out of the way :)

Happy shopping!

Hope you all are receiving from eating like a you've never seen food before yesterday!

Love you all!

a thankful heart

2011-11-23T09:43:00.002-05:00

I am so thankful every day for all of the amazing people in my life, all of the opportunities that I have been given, and the fact that I have a God who loves me...

What are you thankful for??

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Also, if you missed the post yesterday... check here for all of the THANKSGIVING SALE goodness... it starts tomorrow!!!! Get your Christmas shopping on!

Thanksgiving SALE!!!

2011-11-22T11:37:00.004-05:00

Ok wow!! It has been way too long since I have been to my little online home and shared fun things with you guys and oh how I've missed you!!! I'm not even joking. My life isn't the same!
So, to make up lost time, I've decided to have a super awesome thanksgiving/black friday/cyber monday sale all wrapped into one...

details details details...

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_ The sale will begin on Thursday (Thanksgiving!) and run through Monday (Nov. 28th)

_ use code CYBERLOVE to get 20% off your entire Originally Me purchase!!!

_spend over $50 (after coupon code) and get free shipping which will be refunded to you via paypal!

ALSO, every purchase made between now and Monday (Nov. 28th) will be entered in a drawing to win a free pair of earrings of my choosing! I just love surprises!!!

WOW, that's lots of fun stuff!

All of the madness starts on Turkey Day!!

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Oh and by the way, have you seen what I've been adding to the shop lately?? It's good stuff!

wrap bracelets

more feather earrings

cross necklaces

and lots more!!!

And I will be back later to show you all sorts of fun pictures of what I've been spending every minute of my days working on (thus why I've been MIA in the blogging world)

where I've been... the wood shop

2011-11-08T23:28:00.005-05:00

So you might be wondering where I've been. I've kind of been MIA for a little, but let's just say getting a couple of hours of sleep was a little more important to me than getting a blog post up, even though I've missed you guys greatly!

So now I tell you... here's where I've been ... the wood shop!

I've been spending my days covered in saw dust, creating all sorts of fun things.

I'm taking an entire class this semester all about wood and it's so great! (even though it takes WAY too much of my time!) On top of that, as I've mentioned before my project for my architecture studio course this semester is a project that we're actually constructing in a park. So I am in full on construction mode right now. I'll share pictures of that later.

So my most recent project in my wood shop class was to design and build a box using some of the joinery techniques that we have learned in class. I went all out with a pattern that originated as a chevron pattern but slowly got less and less literal as I continued designing. I'm so proud of the way it turned out and I learned so much!

I'm becoming a pro at power tools!

I'm so proud of my little box... I'm a "box hugger"

These pictures totally don't do it justice, but oh well

These days, I love the few hours every now and then that I actually get to put on normal clothes and look presentable. I might even be dressing up a little more than usual in those moments because lately I've been spending far to much of my time in sweats or worn out jeans and tshirts.

Also, if you were wondering... which you probably were... it's time to announce the Dainty Hippo giveaway winner... and the winner is.....!!!!!!! Emily! I'll be emailing you shortly!

fill in the blanks friday

2011-11-04T12:12:00.002-04:00

1. My favorite thing about this week was/is having a little bit of time to relax. I finally got a slight breather from school and had a movie night with friends for the first time I can remember in a long time!

2. Colder weather makes me want to curl up on the couch with with a good book and not get up for hours... to bad it can't work like that .

3. Three things that make me terribly happy as of late are the amazing friends I've made this semester, sitting on my porch, my church .

4. If I could only wear one kind of shoe for the rest of my life, I'd choose boots... I love them! .

5. My personality type is pretty outgoing once you get to know me, but definitely a little shy at first.

6. I have a serious problem resisting sweets... How can you resist them?

7. My favorite color to wear is all of them! but I wear a lot of neutrals with a little pop of color. .

confessions

2011-11-01T22:34:00.003-04:00

This is me....

I'm a very happy person most of the time!
It take a lot to get me down or make me angry.
When I get a little bit stressed, I get kind of mean though.

I'm a perfectionist
Sometimes it makes things take much longer than they should.
But, no one is perfect no matter how hard we try to be.

Sometimes I lack in self confidence, but
don't we all have moments like that?

I sing in the car every time I'm driving by myself (and sometimes when I'm not.)
I love driving by myself mainly for this reason and the time it gives me just to shut everything else off.

I can be a social butterfly, but
Sometimes I just want to be alone.

It's the little things in life that make me the happiest
Like a text that just makes you smile
Or an hour to sit on the porch and people watch
Or getting a letter in the mail

love them!

2011-11-01T07:00:00.000-04:00

Hello lovelies... sorry I haven't been around for the past few days! I've missed you and your comments dearly! I need that extra little encouragement every day :)

I'll be sharing a post soon on why I haven't been around so much lately. School has been crazy and I have some awesome results to show from it. It's pretty exciting!

Anyway, if you haven't had a chance to check out these ladies and their blogs and shops, then you should get your booty over there and do it!!

Hope you all had a fantastic Halloween. How did October fly by SO fast?

This girl is so inspirational. It makes my day every time I read her blog. She shares the most beautiful thoughts and stories.
so check it out ... Mrs. T Naturally

Miss Ashley is a sweet heart so pretty please show her some love.
Here blog is here.
She has one of the cutest blog designs ever.

Amanda over at Flex Family Arts always has fun things to share. Lately she's been sharing lots of Fall goodness. Check out the blog here.
And they have a few great etsy shops too!!!
allnightdiner
squidflex
peliouspercilla

Kristan over at Adelyn Stone has a darling blog where she shares all kinds of cute stuff from recipes to crafts and lots about life.
She has an adorable etsy shop too where she sells all kinds of cute cards!

Liz over at the Blue Eyed Owl has a blog that I love to read and she's super sweet.
She also has a fantastic online vintage shop that you should visit!

And if you haven't entered the Dainty Hippo Giveaway yet, do it!!!

sponsor love & a GIVEAWAY: Dainty Hippo

2011-10-28T00:50:00.005-04:00

Today, I have a very awesome sponsor to introduce you to. Her name is Elyse and she makes really pretty things. I'm dying to have one of her paper flower wreathes. They are just too cute!

I graduated from college about 2 years ago from a school in New England and am back in Oregon now to be closer to my family. I majored in neuroscience, but I don't know if that's what I really want to dedicate my life to. I've been really inspired to work in the media and try to change some of the trends and attitudes that are damaging our national and cultural discourse, especially towards women and children. I want to do a million different things, so that might easily change again! I've spent the majority of my time here doing full-time volunteer work. During my free time, I run the daintyhippo shop on Etsy--it's been a great creative outlet for me to bring to fruition all the things buzzing around in my head.

I love to create beautiful additions to brighten peoples' lives. I began making simple bags using fun fabrics--makeup, toiletry, supply bags that so many of us need to organize all the little things in our lives...why shouldn't they have fun patterns and colors to reflect our personalities? I then added fabric flowers to my brand. I love finding bright colors and experimenting with new shapes and sizes. I wear flowers in my hair or on my clothes almost everyday, so it's an integral part of my style.

About 6 months ago, I saw a big box of battered books that were destined to go to the local incinerator. The bindings and/or covers were ripped or broken, but the pages inside were still beautiful and I wanted to give them a new life. From that experience, the paper line at daintyhippo was born. The vintage paper flowers, wreaths, etc. have definitely been the most popular items in my shop. I love how unusual they are and that I'm able to save the books from being thrown away. I've made a bunch of flowers for weddings and parties, as well as personal accessories and home decor. I've also started using maps to make the same items as well. Maps are great because I've been able to create customized orders from specific geographic locations.

I'm always looking for new things to experiment with. I just started selling coasters and lightswitch plates using fun papers, the vintage book pages, and maps. I have a bunch of new ideas I'm still itching to get started, so I'm excited to announce the new additions via my Facebook page as the holiday season progresses.

If I could give one piece of advice to small business owners/crafters it would be...Do at least one thing everyday...doesn't have to be anything huge. Diligently doing small things each day can make a huge difference!

If I could trade closets with anyone for a day, it would be... Zooey Deschanel! Oh my word, I want to steal everything she wears! I feel a kinship with her anyway, since she's a fellow brown-hair, blue-eyed gal like me. I wear dresses and skirts everyday and love accessories and girly, lovely things. I always love the details on her outfits, like little ruffles or lace, etc. I also especially love how she dresses more modest than most other actors/celebs.

3 songs on my playlist right now are ... "All About Your Heart" by Mindy Gledhill, "Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster the Peple, and "Last Friday Night (TGIF)" by Katy Perry

Sweet or salty... Depends on my mood, but almost always I choose sweet! I'm a sucker for sugar. There is this amazing local company in Oregon that makes awesome caramel popcorn that is both sweet and salty--definitely my favorite thing to eat. Sometimes I think they lace it with drugs because I'm so addicted to it!

Beach or mountains... Ahh so hard! I went to college in the mountains of New England, so I definitely have a place in my heart for the mountains. But I'm always happiest when I'm near large bodies of water and I absolutely love the beach. I've always found beauty in every place I've lived or visited, which I guess makes my life a very happy one!

When I'm grumpy _____ always cheers me up Jesus Christ!!! The Gospel of Jesus Christ is my source of unending happiness! I spent most of my life without religion and decided to convert and join a church while in college. It has definitely blessed my life beyond what I had ever expected! Whenever I'm down, I love to read my scriptures and uplifting books from inspired authors (CS Lewis is a major favorite of mine).

The last book I read was... I recently finished Hungry by Crystal Renn. It's about her experience in the modeling world--being anorexic in order to find work and then eventually eating healthy, becoming the most successful plus-sized model in the world. She's my age, and about the same measurements as me, so I find a lot of inspiration from her story. I've struggled with body insecurity most of my life, so I'm trying to have the same confidence Crystal carries with her everyday. I think she's absolutely beautiful and I hope to be able to see that in myself with time.

shop / facebook / blog

GIVEAWAYYYYYYYY!!!!!
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And guess whattt??? Today, you have the chance to win a $20 shop credit from Dainty Hippo!! Yayyy

How to enter!

mandatory:
-be a follower of my blog and visit the Dainty Hippo shop . Come back and tell me your fave item. It's going to be hard to pick!

extra credit:
- "like" the Dainty Hippo on facebook
- "like" Originally Me on facebook
- follow Elyse's blog, My Little Brouhaha
- Add Dainty Hippo to your fave shops on etsy

giveaway ends on Wednesday November 3rd at midnight. Winner will be chosen by random.org

be creative ... inspiration

2011-10-26T01:13:00.002-04:00

Sometimes, we get in a creative rut... other times our minds are spinning with creative ideas, but not enough time to accomplish them all... here's just a few little pinterest finds that I've found inspiring.

Hope you enjoy!!

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Let your creativity flow. Let your artsy energy run wild!

Whoo are you??

2011-10-25T13:44:00.000-04:00

Today, I'm joining a brand new linkup that I've never done before because it was super cute and about fall and just sounded like fun :)

1. Do you like the season, Fall?
Yessss! Who doesn't like Fall? It's by far my favorite time of the year. The leaves are so pretty (even though it hasn't quite turned Fall in Charleston yet) and the weather is just beautiful! So many things about fall make me happy.

2. What is your favorite fall smell?
My favorite smell of all time is vanilla. It makes me think of Fall and Winter even though I love it all year round.

3. What is your favorite activity to do in the fall?
Anything outside! Hiking, biking, carving pumpkins, hay rides...

4. Do you dress in fall colors during the season?
Sometimes... I love fall colors like deep purples, turquoise, burnt orange, and mustard yellow, but for some reason this season, everything just seems so bland... I'm on a hunt for some bold colors.

5. Name 4 qualities about yourself that start with each letter in the word FALL!
(It's ok to brag yourself up)

Friendly
Artsy
Light hearted
Loving

Hop over to Night Owl Crafting and join the party :)

sponsor love : Amanda from Wayfaring Magnolia

2011-10-18T21:37:00.006-04:00

Today, I want to introduce you to a fabulous lady that I found on etsy recently. She's one of my newest sponsors too! Meet Amanda from Wayfaring Magnolia (an adorable vintage shop)... Gosh, I would love to have pretty much anything from her shop.

I've been eying this cozy sweater for a while!

Here's Amanda and she answered some fun questions for you all to enjoy!

Isn't she just too cute!?

My favorite thing about me is ... probably my musical talent. It always makes me happy and is a huge part of who I am.

My favorite fall accessory is ... definitely a good paid of brown leather boots.

If I could go anywhere in the world right now ... I would go to Africa or India, someplace exotic that I could learn about a new culture.

My best advice for small business owners would be ... to follow your heart. As cliche as it sounds. I think it is the only thing that'll make sure you're happy when you lay down at night.

If I could trade closets with anyone it would be ... Zooey Deschanel

Three songs on my playlist right now are ... "Cheers" by Rihanna, "Ain't No Grave" by Johnny Cash, and "Sweet Lorraine" by Patty Griffin

Sweet or Salty? ... Salty

When I'm grumpy going to the craft store always makes happy and makes me feel creative.

The last book I read was ... The Help
Take a look at her shop and pop over to her facebook or twitter and tell her I sent you. She's going to love you guys!

shop / facebook / twitter

And, if you're interested in being a sponsor for the month of November (the holidays are coming up!!) check out this page and send me an email.

tickle me tuesday ... rustic fall

2011-10-17T13:44:00.003-04:00

These days, I'm falling for things that are a little rustic with a little country charm. They are all things that make me think of fall and everything I love about this gorgeous time of year.
I love the colors of fall, the warm colors of leaves changing.
These beautiful textures and cozy feelings are so great!
All things rustic and warm make me think of fall, so that's what's tickling my fancy today!

this adorable little rustic pie markers

autumn love
This pillow is so fantastic!

these new feather earrings ... that are in my shop now!!

This pretty little farm girl clutch

Hope you love my pretty finds as much as I do!!

take time to stop and smell the roses

2011-10-14T00:34:00.003-04:00

When life gets crazy, take time to stop and smell the roses (literally).

If you've been reading my blog lately, you probably know that school has been absolutely insane and a little bit stressful for me recently.

But, one of my most recent design ideas for the shade structure that we're working on involved a study of the Noisette Rose which originated in Charleston. So I decided what better way to study the rose than to be able to hold it in my hand and see it with my own two eyes. I took a little break from working in the studio and ventured out into the city to get my hands on this pretty little gem.

Then it hit me, this is exactly what I've been needing all along, a little time away from my desk. A time to get out an, get some fresh air, and enjoy this beautiful world that God created for us.

So often, we get so bogged down in the mundane tasks of daily life and become completely unaware of the incredible surroundings that we live in.

So, I encourage you this week, while you're living that busy hectic life that most of us live, take time to notice the little things around you that really make life beautiful.

guest post ; Flex Family and some pumpkin bread

2011-10-13T09:35:00.002-04:00

Hello lovelies... Today, I want to share with you another bloggie friend, Amanda. She blogs over at Flex Family Arts and she's super cool. She's going to share with you a yummy fall recipe from her family. I'm so happy it's finally fall!

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Hi Originally Me readers! I am Amanda, one half of the Flex Family Arts team. I am so excited to be over here today on Lindsay's adorable blogging space! Today I wanted to share with you what is probably our FAVORITE Fall recipe. Fall, but particularly October is our most cherished time of year and as soon as the weather gets that slight crispness to the air I start to think about pumpkin bread. Chocolate chip pumpkin bread in fact!

Now, in our part of the woods you can only find pumpkin puree at this time of year...I know...crazy! I will never forget the year we decided to make pumpkin bread in the "off-season" and it was nowhere to be found at any of our local grocers. While this was extremely irritating, it made it something to look forward to even more!

I digress...on to the good stuff!

This recipe originally came from allrecipes.com, but we have made some changes to suit our tastes (less sugar etc). This recipe makes enough dough to make two smaller loaves of bread...which is the way we like it. This is also a bread that will freeze well for later!

What you will need:

1.5 cups of sugar (we use raw, but plain old white sugar will do as well)

1 15oz. can of pumpkin puree

.5 cup of vegetable oil

.5 cup of unsweetened apple sauce

2/3 cup of water

4 eggs (we use liquid egg whites)

3.5 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp ground nutmeg

2 tsp baking soda

1.5 tsp salt

approx. 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease (or spray) two loaf pans.

- In a large bowl combine the sugar, pumpkin, oil, water and eggs. Mix until smooth. Blend in the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt. Fold in your chocolate chips!

- Fill your loaf pans and bake for approximately one hour. Every one's oven is different, so i would suggest checking periodically with a knife to make sure you don't over or under bake your bread!

- Then cut into the bread as soon as it comes out of the over, burn your fingers and get messy, melted chocolate all over your hands because you are too impatient to wait for it to cool...life is too short!

We serves this for dessert, snacks, in lunches and sometimes as breakfast alongside soy sausages and fruit. Any time is a good time for chocolate and pumpkins!

I hope you all enjoy it as much as we do and hopefully it will become a seasonal favorite at your house like it has ours!

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Look at that cute face! This must be some tasty bread! I'm going to have to be trying it myself very soon. If you haven't already popped over to Amanda's blog, I think that's a must! You're going to love it!

cupcake craze! ... oh how pinteresting

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Staring at food on pinterest makes me hungry... especially when it's cupcakes.

Who doesn't like cupcakes?? ... especially when they look this beautiful and yummy!

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looks like a blueberry muffin with icing! ... YUM

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chocolate caramel pretzel cupcakes
The combination of salty and sweet sounds AMAZING!

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Andes mint cupcakes... whatttt!!! yes!

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chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes... it couldn't get much better!

Well, that's all for today folks, check back tomorrow for an awesome recipe from a sweet bloggie friend :)

ohhh yeah, and have you seen I finally started posting new items for the holidays. Here's the first necklace... more to come!