Saturday, December 22, 2012

DIY Monogrammed Gift Tags

My inspiration for this idea came from my love of all things monogrammed and our dwindling supply of gift tags! This is also probably the easiest Do It Yourself ever!


To start head on over to maybooks.com and begging "designing" a notebook!

Next choose a monogram style, type in the letters (in the order you want them to appear), choose a shape (squares work best), and a color that matches your wrapping paper!

Once you have done that right click on the image and hit "copy image."

Now open up a word document and paste the image onto the new sheet.

After that crop your image so that all you can see is the square containing the monogram.

Resize the image to a size that will properly fit your present.

Print the sheet and cutout the monogram. Position it onto your present and adhere it with some tape and you are good to go! I recommend printing the monograms onto card stock so that they won't be so flimsy but regular copy paper works also!

Viola, you have just made yourself some monogrammed gift tags!

dWa

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

My Rooms Holiday Decorations, Colorful Ornaments, and a Giveaway!

I am so excited to share with y'all how I've decorated my room for the holidays as well as a giveaway all in one post!

As I walk upstairs to my room I am greeted by holiday decorations from the start! I have has this wreath on my door during the holiday season for as long as I can remember! It is pretty clever with all of the Wizard of Oz characters and I can't imagine the Christmas season without it!


As I walk through my door and enter my room I have a strand of white lights draped along my shutters! I love the way these look when my other lights are off and the only thing missing are some stockings!


Now for my favorite part, my colorful christmas tree! Not only did I want to share with you how it turned out but I also wanted to share with you some fun colorful ornaments I found on etsy! Sadly I took this photo a while back before there were wrapped presents under it!


 How cute is this whale ornament from ReLoveProjects. Not only is it bright and fun, but it is also made to of recycled material! I can't help but want to keep this ornament out all year long! Anne, the owner, also sells the CUTEST octopus ornaments as well! The best part about the ornament is that it is completely one of a kind!


Felt ornaments add such a unique look to any tree and this ornament from I am Craftish is no different! The traditional christmas ball style mixed with modern colors and designs allows this ornament to fit right in among my mix of old and new ornaments! The colors in this ornament really seem to tie my tree together and it definitely draws the eyes in! The owl ornaments in this etsy shop also add fun colors and a unique shape to any tree!


The detail within this one ornament is hard to believe! The background of this owls skin is a watercolored design that seems unique to lots of BittyBits&Baubles ornaments. I can't help but smile when I spot this ornament getting some shut eye while hanging on my tree!


This Vineyard Vines inspired felt whale is a necessity for any preppy christmas tree! I squealed when I saw how closely it resembled the actual Vineyard Vines whale! This cute ornament was found on LexiFeltique where I also spotted a precious pinterest logo ornament, how fun! Fortunately for y'all this ornament came with a buddy who is itching to find its home on one of your trees! All you have to do to enter to win this ornament is comment below and I will email the winner next week!


I hope y'all enjoyed this peak into my room!

dWa

Monday, December 17, 2012

It's Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas: My House's Decorations

Christmas time is my favorite time of the year! One of my favorite parts is putting up and admiring decorations! Today, I decided I would share with you the decorations at my house and tomorrow I will show y'all my rooms decorations!

Here are our outside decorations. We put our garland above our front door and place two christmas trees in planters on either side!




We have a very natural looking garland equipped with pinecones and poinsettias.


We also put large red bows on either lantern to add some more red to our front porch.


Next we have our living room. This year we didn't do our typical wrap the garland up our staircase and hang the stockings accordingly and sadly our stockings were left completely out of the decorations. That is okay though because our stocking at my grandparents house are hung and ready!

Above our fireplace we have a garland and blue and white decorations dispersed among the branches.


We also have this gorgeous winter flower arrangement in the living room!


On our dinning room table we have a tree with silver ornaments and some fun holiday decorations around its base.


And last but not least we have our Christmas tree! This is in our "formal" living room and is decorated with white, gold, and silver decorations.


Around the base we have some fun boxes that look like presents so it doesn't look so bare underneath! We usually don't see our real wrapped presents until we are loading them in the car to head to my grandparents house.


Tomorrow you will see loads of colorful decorations and lots of colorful ornaments when you get an inside peek at my rooms holiday decorations!

Merry Christmas!

dWa

Monday, December 10, 2012

Exam Week Necessities

My exam week starts tomorrow and let me tell you after six other exam weeks to think back on you are quick to realize what works and what doesn't. Fortunately this year my exam week is less stressful because I am exempt from some of my exams. (Being exempt is one of my schools senior privileges and you become exempt if you have a 93 or above in the class. Unfortunately, you can not be exempt from AP classes). I exempted out of ADV Calculus and Government and I have to take AP French, AP Environmental, and AP Lit. Over time I have figured out what my exam week necessities are and I thought it could be helpful to someone so I decided to share it with you!

Exam Week Necessities

1. COFFEE: Not sure if I could get through exam week or school for that matter without it! I like to make Peppermint Mocha Starbucks Via when I need a caffeine fix.

2. Index Cards: I find index cards helpful when I need to memorize key facts. These are great for classes with lots of information. For my AP Environmental class we were given an exam review sheet so I wrote each question and the answer on flash cards and it has made memorization easier!

3. Hair Ties: This may sound silly but I have to have my hair up to study otherwise I find myself playing with it which distracts from fully focusing on studying.

4. Highlighters: A must in my mind! Highlighting key words and separating them into categories (for history for ex. people in one color, wars in another, etc.) helps you remember the color as well as the word. Especially helpful if you are a visual learner like me!

5. Pandora: I don't know what I would do without my Instrumental Holiday station. The perfect way to put you in the Christmas spirit while still staying focused!

6. Socks: Warm and Comfortable when studying! Cold feet would be a distraction so I avoid that from the get go. I advise finding a fun pair to wear so that everything involving exams are not boring!

7. Colored Pens: Similar to highlighters, while working on study guides I find it helpful to break lists and other topics into different colors. 

8. PJ Pants: Similar to 6, if I am not comfortable studying will not come as easily. Although studying on my bed would be so nice, it is not practical to getting things done. Sitting at your desk while wearing PJs, leggings, or sweatpants is the next best thing!

I hope these tips help some of you! What are your exam week necessities?

dWa

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Bubble Necklace Giveaway

* Rafflecopter for whatever reason won't let me announce the winner (Hannah W.) but I have emailed her! *

Recently I was contacted by Southern Luxe to review and giveaway a product! Who would turn that opportunity down? I got to choose a product to keep and a product to giveaway and I chose the ever so popular Bubble Necklace. I got it for myself in black and white for y'all. I had never heard of Southern Luxe before but am now so glad it has been introduced to me. Not only do they have an etsy shop but they also have a Facebook page that you can look for products on!





Want to win?
Enter Below using the Rafflecopter widget!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck,
dWa

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

DIY Monogrammed Ornaments

I wanted to share with y'all the perfect personalized gift for around $5. I made 22 monogrammed ornaments to give out at Cross Country Christmas. I think they turned out great so I wanted to share the easy process with you!
DIY: Monogrammed Ornament

You will need:
-ORNAMENTS: I purchased mine from Hobby Lobby for $5.99/box but at that time they were 50% off
-ORNAMENT HOOKS
-DECALS: I purchased mine off of an etsy shop called Cuttin Crazy and it turned out to be a little over a dollar per 2" decal, I suggest going with a smaller decal size in order to ensure smooth application
-RIBBON: I went with two different ribbon designs and I thought each went well with the ornaments
-SCISSORS: to cut the ribbon
-LIGHTER: used to heat seal the ribbon edges

Here is an overview of the supplies:

To begin, take your first ornament and make sure the surface is clean.

Then, peel the white backing from the decal while being careful not to touch the sticky side of the letters.

Now, position the decal to the middle of the ornament and press down. To smooth it is best to use a credit card but be sure not to push down too hard or your ornament might break.

After that, I cut my ribbon into 6'' pieces and heat sealed the ends. After the ends are heat sealed thread the ribbon through the ornament hook and attach a longer hook around the ribbon. Viola, you have just created an adorable christmas gift in a matter of minutes!

To package, I placed the ornaments in a clear plastic cup and placed the cup inside of a plastic gift bag and closed it with some gift string. 

I hope you found these instructions helpful and I hope you enjoy making your own monogrammed ornaments!

dWa

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Cross Country Christmas

Cross Country Christmas is a tradition my schools girls cross country team does the night before our state meet! This has been going on since before I joined the team six years ago. Each girls brings enough gifts for all of the girls on the team and we all gather in a hotel room and exchange them. Everyone looks forward to this event and it is a great way to occupy our time without worrying about the race the next day.


As you can see, this year's Cross Country Christmas exceeded all expectations. Everything pictured, including the white fuzzy blanket all the gifts are on top of, was received during our cross country christmas. We also received TONS (a ziplock bag full) of candy which I did not picture.

Socks are always a hit during this event and this year we got three different fuzzy pairs! Two of the pairs are aloe infused and they are the softest most comfortable socks ever!

Monograms have become quite the hit among the cross country team (I may have helped expedite this...) and we received a plethora of monogrammed goodies! The biggest of these being the blue and green (our school colors) monogrammed backpack. The backpacks are so cute and our team looked intense (as intense as you can look with a monogrammed backpack) walking to our tent at the race. Another monogrammed goody were the monogrammed ear warmers. Sadly it was not cold enough to wear these during the race but I know it will be so nice for soccer season. Monogrammed Nalgene water bottles were also a hit for the hydrating conscious team. I gave monogrammed ornaments which I will have a DIY post about in the near future.

One of our teammate's dad owns a t-shirt shop and he created t-shirts for us that turned out so cute! They are super girly and looked good with our running shorts.

Picture frames are also a favorite among the cross country girls. I have never left cross country christmas without a picture frame and am glad this year was no exception!

Other happys include mason jars with our teams sticker on it, headbands, chapstick, race ribbons (not pictured) and ear warmers with headphones attached.  

My favorite gifts were the sweet notes some of my teammates wrote me. I'm not going to deny the fact that I cried while reading them. With six years devoted to this sport and team it is sad to see it end but I am so grateful for every moment of it!

dWa

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Halloween Favorites

Happy Halloween Friends!

Happy Halloween

Sadly, this year I am not able to go trick or treating. Instead I am going to school, running our cross country workout, and then getting on a bus and heading 2 1/2 hours away for cross country sectionals which occur tomorrow. No candy for us! I am also sad that I won't get to pass out candy to all of the precious tots in my neighborhood, but you gotta do what you gotta do!

Since I can't take part in all of the typical halloween festivities, I am instead going to list all of my favorite things about halloween below!

Movies: Hocus Pocus and Halloweentown! You can't go wrong with either of those so I recorded them so that I can have my own little solo halloween party this weekend while watching them and enjoying some of my other favorites!

Candy: I love Halloween candy! I definitely have a sweet tooth and love almost any halloween candy whether it be chocolate, fruity, or anything in between.

Candy Corn: Yes, I know this can be considered candy, but around Halloween, it deserves a space of its own! I love that you can grab 5 and have your sweet tooth solved! I also love mixing candy corn with M&Ms and peanuts for the perfect holiday treat!

Pumpkin Bread: I am seriously considering having a post all about my love for pumpkin bread, but am realizing that that may be a little extreme although it does show how much I love it. I can eat pumpkin bread whenever and in my opinion, it optimizes fall!

Decorations: At my house, Halloween starts the decorating cycle. We have always decorated our front porch for Halloween and the decoration cycle usually doesn't end till Mardi Gras, which I love!





Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Fall Study Essentials

As the weather is becoming crisp, I become more and more tempted to curl up in my bed to study or do homework. I know that if I do end up sitting in bed instead of my desk, I become more tired and feel less obligated to complete the work that needs to be done. I have put together two of my favorite outfits that I find myself gravitating to that keep me warm and productive while studying.

Fall Study Essentials

If it is really chilly out, I tend to grab leggings, a long sweater, and moccasins to cozy up in while completing assignments. I like this combination because my whole body is covered therefore I am not worried about the temperature and instead am able to remain focused.

The second option is a great transition outfit. If it is moderately cold I tend to put on old reliable (aka nike shorts) and a sweatshirt or a jacket. I love my monogrammed pullovers as well as college sweatshirts which tend to encourage productivity since it keeps my future goals near to focus. 

Both of these outfit choices are great but without proper "study companions" they will not do the trick. I love studying with warm hot chocolate and all of my supplies within my reach! If necessary I will have my computer nearby but if it is not required then I put that distraction aside! With all of my supplies in one place, my study time is better managed.

What are some of your study essentials?
dWa

Monday, October 29, 2012

POPSUGAR

I've heard of monthly subscription services before and have never really been that interested. That is, until now! Recently I discovered POPSUGAR and am so glad I did! You get over $100 worth of full sized products for $35 a month. To me, at first, $35 sounded like a lot of money but then I saw what was in the box last month!


That is a lot of stuff for one package, Christmas at your doorstep every month? Yes, please!
Here is a breakdown of all that was inside as well as how much each item was worth, again I was pleasantly surprised.

Brokedown Silver Marble Fringe Scarf- $84 retail value
The Perks of Being a Wallflower- $8.40 retail value
Two movie tickets to see The Perks of Being a Wallflower- $24 Fandango voucher
Rifle Paper Co.'s Lined Notepad- $8 retail value
Benefit Cabana Glam- $36 retail value
Becky's Blissful Bakery - caramels sample
Yes to Cucumbers Hypoallergenic Towelettes- $2.50
Kitsch Hair Ties- set of 4
Tarcie Martyn Skin Care Line- $25 gift certificate
Food Should Taste God Sweet Potato Chips
Must Have Pouch- Coin Purse
Cookie from Pop-Up Pantry

That is a lot more than the stated $100 value it is over double that and includes a fun array of products to try!
I love the idea and although the price seems steep I may dive in and order a box, I'm pretty sure I spend around $35 if I'm not careful during a single Target shopping trip so why not skip Target and have my money go farther with this box. 

With food, clothing, books, movie tickets and more I'm sure waiting for the box to come in the mail would be the only downfall!

I searched google for a coupon code and this is the only one I can find that works, it is for $5 off your Must Have box: REFER5
For more information, click here.

Are you going to try it?
dWa

Friday, October 26, 2012

Homecoming Court

Everyone should play this song while reading this post because the beginning completely described my grades lives last Friday night. It applies so well because it was written by a graduate of our school, Nick Gill.


Friday night was such a bittersweet night. I absolutely loved being on the court but it was our last home football game and this year seems to be going by so quickly!

This post is picture heavy so remember you've been warned!

Loved sharing the night with my dad, so fun to have him escort me even though there were many threats of him embarrassing me!

Sweet Cross Country friends.

Don't know what I would do without these two!

My soccer babies

RIS!

 Future Homecoming Queen right there!

Dad and I walking out.

Court.

Father Daughter Photo Shoot

Looking Spiffy.

Right before walking out!

More sweet friends

We had amazing weather for the game, it was chilly but not too cold! I loved sharing this tradition with all of the girls on the court and everyone looked so pretty. We all lined up and walked out onto the field during half time with our dads and were recognized. Then, the homecoming queen was announced and crowned and we all went over to the end zone to take a group picture. 

I was shocked by the number of people who came up to me after half time telling me that they had voted for me and knew many people that had done the same and were shocked I didn't win. The thought of people thinking I would be a good representation for our school and voting for me is so flattering. After the game (which we won by a landslide 47-6) we had our neon themed homecoming dance. Unlike most schools we do not have a formal homecoming and I prefer it that way!

I was so pleased with the way my dress and shoes turned out and can't wait to wear them again in the future!

Happy Friday!
dWa

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

DIY Monogrammed Rainboots with help from Pink Pineapple Vinyl Designs and Gifts

This past weekend I was caught in a bit of rain during a cross country race. Ew! All I wanted to do was shower and put on warm clothes, I was freezing!

A little yucky, huh?

One thing everyone wished they had on was rain boots. That got me to thinking, how can I make sure that wherever I go my rain boots will be unique and distinguishable? My idea, why not monogram them? Honestly, that is my philosophy with everything so why would it change then. Fortunately the etsy shop, Pink Pineapple Vinyl Designs and Gifts had sent me some monogramed decals that were perfect for this project! Her prices are great and she has lots of design options, vinyl colors, and sizes! The best part? Your decals usually ship within two days!


The two decals that I left un-pictured were the two I used to monogram my rain boots. These decals were 2 three inch decals in font 1B. The decal color is navy. 

I applied these decals to my Hunter high gloss rain boots and I am so excited with the way they turned out. Application was super easy and the finished product is sure to put a smile on your face on a rainy day!


Application is simple. All you have to do once your decals come in is: clean the surface you are applying the decal to, remove the backing, choose placement, and press firmly to surface. Voila, you have your very own monogrammed rain boots! So simple and so fun!

Hope you enjoy and be sure to check out Pink Pineapple Vinyl Designs and Gifts!

dWa

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