2014 // A YEAR IN REVIEW

Oh hey there old friends of mine. I just couldn't end the year without posting a little year in review. I can't even begin to say how crazy this year has been. Emotionally its been a roller coaster (to say the least). But I'm going to look at it as a year that made me a stronger person. Truly. I look back and realize that I actually made it through (somehow I made it thruuuuu)!!! ;)

// SOME HIGHLIGHTS // 
Davis turned 3!
Henley turned 1!
Traveled to Dallas, Bear Lake, St. George, Park City.
I started doing custom house illustrations for friends, one thing led to another, and now it's turning into such a fun little business!
Davis started preschool & soccer.
Henley started crawling in April & walking in November.
Ty & I both turned 30!

So, now enjoy some pics that I've so lovingly collaged for your viewing pleasure (but more for me, because really it's just for my ever-fleeing memory).

Also, I posted a pic of a little project I did with Davis via Instagram, and some of y'all were asking for it...so here it is below! Just print it and add pom poms or sequins! Easy peasy!!  Pin It

Thanksgiving Advent Calendar & WIN a Cricut Explore!

I'm not really sure how it's already the holiday season...but it's all of a sudden just...here! It happened oh so F A S T!! So, that means...it's time to put your crafty pants on & make some awesome new holiday decor!

This month, I am back to show you what I whipped up for the Cricut Design Star Challenge! This machine has seriously changed the way I craft. It's pretty much amazing. Just like last month, my team is making some pretty crafty little things with their machines too (so make sure to head over & check theirs out too!). Later in the post, you'll have a chance to WIN YOUR VERY OWN CRICUT EXPLORE!!! Shut the front door. You want need one of these bad boys, trust me.




You know how I looooove me some Bucket Lists. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter. The whole she-bang. This time I decided to make my bucket list for Thanksgiving/Fall into one cute advent calendar! It makes it so much more fun for me to pull out a new "to-do" from each day.



It was SO EASY to just head to Cricut.com and design some little cards to print out. I also made the numbers & pockets with the Explore too. Cricut's Design Space is seriously so easy to use. That's one of my favorite things - ease of use. Because if it's not pretty simple to use, I'm out. ;)





The little pockets hold cards that have different activities or things to do on each day. I can't wait to see Davis pull out each card & get excited as we check off each thing.



Some examples of what I wrote on each card: 

PLAY IN THE LEAVES // TAKE COOKIES TO A NEIGHBOR // WRITE DOWN 5 THINGS WE ARE THANKFUL FOR // MAKE A THANKSGIVING-THEMED CRAFT // MAKE HOT APPLE CIDER // DO 5 NICE THINGS FOR OUR NEIGHBORS // SEND A LETTER TO SOMEONE // GO ON A DRIVE TO SEE THE CHANGING LEAVES // etc....

Add whatever is on YOUR HOLIDAY BUCKET LIST!

They are all just simple things that will really get us in the mood for this wonderful season ahead. I think it's even better than getting a piece of candy each day! Even though Davis might not think so... ;) 

Cricut also has a FABULOUS new feature called Print then Cut! I am now officially obsessed with the Print then Cut feature! You guys. They have over 50,000 (yes 50, 000!!!!) images that you can choose from! You just choose your image, then hit GO! I want to make so many things now!


Now for the giveaway....enter below and you too can whip up some super-fantastical things!!! Good luck, peeps!! :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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DIY FELT BANNER

When I got asked to be a part of Cricut's Design Space Challenge, I was absolutely thrilled! You KNOW I love to get my craft on!! Every month, a group of super amazing bloggers are given a theme, and asked to design something with their Cricut Explore machines! One design is chosen to win each month (and YOU GUYS get to vote on your faves!). How fun is that?? I'm in Group #16 with some pretty talented girls -- you can check out their projects at the end of my post (the competition is stiff, I tell ya)! :)

I didn't have a chance to participate last month, so this will be my first official month of joining in. 

The theme this month was Celebrations. I am hosting a little "Girls Night Craft Party" with some of my friends next week, and I thought this would be a fun project for all of us to do. We are all going to make our own FELT SIGNS. Each one with a different saying!

I wanted to test it out before the party next week, so I quickly got to work designing my first one. This is the one I made, and I kind of (ok..totally) love it! You can really put any phrase you wanted to on it.



Once you have the supplies, you are golden.

I had most of these on hand already. The easier, the better I say.



WHAT YOU NEED

> Felt (any color)
> Wooden Dowels 
> Hot Glue Gun 
> Fringe or PomPoms (optional)
> Cricut Explore
> Super Stick Mat 


DIRECTIONS

1. Open Cricut's Design Space, go to "open new project", and "add text." Then, simply type out the phrase of your choosing (ie "Celebrate Life"). Play with the sizing, font, etc.. until you get the design you want. 
You can seriously do SO MUCH in that place! 

2. Stick your felt onto the SUPER STICK MAT. I cannot stress this enough - get a Super Stick Mat for Felt. Press and hold that felt on there until it will not budge (you will thank me later)! I found that the bigger the letters you are cutting, the easier it is. 
Hit the "Go" (Cricut symbol), line up your mat & press the Cut/Cricut symbol on your machine. 




3. Once the letters are cut, peel them off the mat and arrange them how you want on your large piece of felt. You can shape the banner into any size/shape you want. I just chose a simple square frame. 


4. Get out that hot glue gun, and glue your little heart out until all of the letters are stuck on there good! 

5. Wrap the felt at the top of your project around the dowel, and hot glue it shut. Tie some string at the top, add pompoms or tassels or whaetever you want to make it yours! And voila! DONE!

I hung mine up right in my entrway...and I love that little reminder to me every time I walk past it!

So what do you think? This is just the beginning! Get ready for even more beautiful projects coming up in the next few months!!



Now head on over to my other team members sites, and check out their fantastic projects!! I mean...they're kind of genius, right!? Can you believe it was all done with a Cricut!!?

1 -- Kiki and Company 
2 -- Stay & Co. 
3 -- Kristi Murphy 
4 -- Beauty Babbler
5 -- Two Thirty Five Designs
6 -- A Ruffled Life
7 -- Frenchie Wraps
8 -- Girl Inspired
9 -- Sweet C's Designs

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Family Pics

If you are already sick of seeing these pictures on my Instagram, click away now. Cause I'm about to blow up my blog with even more of our family pictures.

Cause, people. I. AM. OBSESSED. No really, I can't stop looking at them!!

Our friend, Michelle Cluff, took these for us...and oh man...she did SUCH a good job!!!!
If you EVER need a photographer in UT, she is your girl!!
She also did Henley's Newborn pics (which I was obsessed with too). 

There is just something about my little family RIGHT AT THIS MOMENT that makes me so happy. We are in such a good place, and I so wanted to remember this exact time in our lives. Plus, these are our first pictures as a family of FOUR, which is so crazy to me!!

I will cherish these pics forever and ever.

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All Things Pineapple

I'm not only OB-sessed with eating pineapples right now, I'm totally obsessed with anything and everything pineapple! It's might be a disease, actually. Pineappleacidosis? Yup. I've got a major case of it.

So, behold...my current fave PINEAPPLE PICKS...straight from the grove to you.


Yup, I've already bought those shorts for Henley. They're from my friends shop, This Freckled Girl...and are currently on GroopDealz for just $22! I mean...score!

1//Pineapple Print    2//Phone Case   3//Pineapple Lip Butter   4//Pineapple Shirt   5//Pineapple Print

Tell me, are you as in love with all things pineapple right now as I am?

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