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2020 Reflections
What can I say about the year that is 2020? Like many, I STRUGGLED this year. My mental health took a major hit at several different points and I found it difficult to deal with stressors coming at me from several directions. Stressors that normally give me a hard time but felt like they were amplified because of the circumstances of this year. Accepting that it was okay to not be okay is something I found most difficult this year. I couldn’t go onto social media without seeing all the bread baking, exercising, etc that people were doing and not feel like there was something wrong with me because my…
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My House at Christmas
After a long year, Christmas is finally here! Here’s how I decorated our house this year! I was very inspired by the greenery of the evergreen Christmas trees and you’ll see a lot of it on my porch and in various parts of the rooms, I decorate year after year. I think the decorations this year are my favorite ones that I have done yet! I hope you like them and I am wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas!
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My Porch at Christmas
It’s only in recent years that I have focused more on decorating our front porch for the holidays. It’s not a very big space but I have felt so inspired to make it feel as festive as possible (see my Halloween decor post here)! I am so proud of the Christmas design this year that I thought I would make my porch decorations their own post! My Christmas decor aesthetic is very Christmas traditional. I love greenery, deep reds, cream and off white, and some natural elements and colors thrown in. Last year on the porch I bought some faux garland from Michaels and started it on the small brick…
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DIY Wrapping Paper
I love wrapping the presents I have bought for my friends and family and picking super cute wrapping paper out every year is essential! This year I thought it would be fun to try and make my own so I hit up Amazon for some Kraft paper and got to work! I have two different designs to share with you today! I used a simple sponge for my stamp and picked up some paint from the craft store! If you try these, take a photo and share them on social media and tag me in your photos, I would love to see your creations! What you’ll need: Craft paper (I…
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My Christmas Tea Collection
My favorite drink this time of year is a cozy cup of tea. I love it in the morning, the middle of the day, and in the evening! I have a nice flavorful selection of herbal teas and one spicy black tea to share with you today. I love the seasonal flavors and I think you guys will too! Twinings Christmas Tea This is the only black tea and it is literally Christmas in a cup! Twinings Peppermint Cheer Twinings Winter Spice Twinings Holiday Berry Celestial Seasonings Gingerbread Spice What is your favorite seasonal drink?
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DIY Christmas Sweater
Who doesn’t love a good Christmas sweater?! When I was younger, I put my degree in Costume Design to good use and created an EPIC ugly Christmas sweater for a party that my friends and I used to have yearly. This is a project I did last year but never got around to sharing it so I thought this year is as good as any! I did this project in one afternoon, it is kind of involved with all the cutting and gluing but I put on a good audiobook and went to town. This sweater turned out better than what I imagined and I will be rocking it again…
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What I am Thankful for This Year
What a year this has been for all of us! Whenever I am having a rough time I like to practice a little bit of gratitude and what better time of year to do that than this?! Here are a few things I am thankful for this year! Therapy/My Therapist I have said it before and I will say it again, therapy is one of the best things I have ever done for myself. I will be forever grateful to my therapist for being able to seamlessly switch our meetings from in-person to video calls at the beginning of the pandemic. Having my regular meetings has helped keep me grounded…
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Weekday Wardrobe #4
It was quite the PNW photo session for this weekday wardrobe. I wouldn’t let the rain stop me though and my husband was a good sport about it! This outfit is comprised of all old pieces that I have had in my wardrobe for quite some time and I love the way this look turned out! It brings some sunshine to a rainy PNW day! Polka dot top: Old Navy (old) Sweater: Target (old) Jeans: Old Navy (old) Booties: TJ Maxx (old)
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My Fall Decor
One of my favorite things to do with Halloween and Fall decorations around my house is to use pieces that can pull double duty for both occasions. This year I bought so many pumpkins and to me, they really are the symbol of the season. For Halloween, I spread the pumpkins out to different areas of the house but for my fall decorations, I concentrated the real ones and the various faux ones to my mantle. For the porch, all I did was switch out the standing sign, the welcome sign, and the welcome mat. The pumpkins out there fit in perfectly with the rest of the fall decor! I…
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My Favorite Baked Oatmeal Recipe
Baked oatmeal is relatively new to me. Usually in the mornings I like to just make mine on the stove but on a cold weekend like this one, baked oatmeal seemed like just what I needed. If you like banana bread you’ll love this recipe! INGREDIENTS 1 1/2 cups rolled oats (not quick oats) 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped Sprinkle of cardamom Sprinkle of cinnamon Good pinch of salt 1 1/2 cups milk of your choice 1/2 melted butter 1 egg, whisked 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup maple syrup or liquid sweetener of your choice 1 banana Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease and 8″ x 8″ baking dish…
