enJOY it

pretty cool.

January 4, 2014

It was so fun to see a photo of my hanging planter project in the January West Elm catalog yesterday. My plant obsession was just beginning when I made those and happily, both the original plants are still thriving. We're big West Elm fans around here but I didn't realize how big until I started thinking about this post; every room of our house features something from the store.

In my office it's this lamp.

In the dining room it's this one (the greatest lamp ever whose sister stars on Scandal #namethatscene).

In the living room it's our couch that we've had for two years and doesn't even show wear despite Ellerie's best efforts.

In the breakfast nook it's the chairs (one & two) and coffee table.

In Ellerie's room it's the hamper.

And in our bedroom it's the bed frame and the hanging planters of course.

Not to mention my favorite candlestick holders, hand towels and the bear head bottle opener (sadly not available on the website) that I gave Paul for his birthday. (I'm doing some serious wall of shelves re-arranging to start the new year.)

Yep. Huge fans. Plus I love that they give a 10% discount to military. #checkplus

links throughout are affiliate…which makes sense, I'm obsessed & highly recommend.
around here.

January 3, 2014

Three cheers for a new year.

On a whim, I decided to document my mornings in 2014. Very un-official. Very hashtag-able (#eliselovesmornings). Just a photo a day shared on (what else?) Instagram. This book is still one of my favorite creative books and totally inspired this project. I doubt I'll get 365 photos, but maybe I'll get 200 and an awesome coffee table book (pun intended) by the end of this year.

Speaking of photos, I am loving my new photo printer – an Epson PictureMate Show. I bought it based on this review from Ali and have found it so easy to use and am thrilled with the quality. It prints true to size 4×6 photos and works with any paper (as long as it's cut down to 4×6). I plug it into my computer and print directly from iPhoto. I have been using the A Beautiful Mess photo app to create a collage of two 3×4 iPhone photos so they are ready to print as a 4×6. (So easy – but this video will give you a walkthough of how to do it. I just minimize the borders all the way.)

I wrapped up #mileaday this week and as always, am glad to be done. Not that I don't hope to keep running or walking often, but I'm so tired of the shoe photos. I am happy to report that I ran most days and walked all the others. I got a question on IG if this is a challenge I'd redo in the spring or summer and the answer is no. This time period – between Thanksgiving and New Years – is such a notoriously busy few weeks with painfully short days. It's the time I am least likely to exercise which means I absolutely need it the most.

The stamp shop is open again…for just a few weeks. Yep! It's time. This idea started as a "pop-up" shop and turned into such a fun adventure. But I'm ready for the next thing. You can order stamps from now until January 19th and then I'm going to be preparing my website and shop for what's next (debuting in late February). I am looking forward to switching gears and heading somewhere different.

I am so excited to be getting some extra help with Ellerie this year. We have found the sweetest nanny who will be coming two mornings a week in 2014. We did a "trial" in November and December. Ellerie loved her (hooray!) and it was unreal how much I could accomplish in those three dedicated-to-work-and-only-work hours. The hope is that this will help provide a bit of balance AND keep me sane. (Sanity is number one.)

Next week I am sharing my "official" list of goals for 2014. I've got seven BIG things I'd like to accomplish (plus keep all my plants alive).
here’s to 2014.

January 1, 2014

Thank you for following along in this space. My blog turned EIGHT on Christmas Day. That's eight years of memories and photos and thoughts and stories. After millions of words, and nearly 3000 published posts, it's still an honor and a joy to write here. I appreciate so much that you drop by to see what I have to say.

I have a feeling 2014 is going to be excellent. Not likely mellow, but excellent for sure. I'm all in.

Happy New Year, friends.
best of 2013.

December 31, 2013

Without a doubt this was the craziest, biggest year of our lives. A deployment, a new home, a growing business, a new residency and right in the very middle of it, a healthy baby girl. 2013, you were a beast.

And I mean that in the very best way.

Clicking on most of the photos above will take you to the relevant blog post. If you're interested, here's the best of 2012, 2011, 2010 & 2009.
one little word for 2014.

December 30, 2013

My word for 2013 served me so well.

I chose BRAVE for a long list of reasons, but mostly because I knew becoming a mother was going to be a challenge. I was naive to how great a challenge it would be. There were many times this past year when I struggled and while sometimes I felt like my word was mocking me, most of the time I felt like it was giving me strength. Oh BRAVE, I am so thrilled that we got through it.

I have been serious about picking one little word as a guide and inspiration since 2011 and have lived with MAGIC, CHOOSE & BRAVE since then. Each year I am amazed at how such a simple exercise can help shape my attitude and my character. I know this is something that I will keep up forever and love that each year I get to add a new word to my collection.

I never go searching for the words, they tend to find me and this year, my word is WHOLE.

I am sure it will change and twist and expand as 2014 moves forward, but right now it's about going all in on a few different business ventures. It's about being present in my role as a Mama and creating space between work and life. It's about valuing how my daily attitude affects my whole family. It's about wanting less and loving more. It's about aiming for complete & whole over flawless.

Welcome to the family WHOLE. No doubt, MAGIC, CHOOSE & BRAVE are glad you're here.

ps. I'm sharing a bit more about what one little word means to be in a short video on Ali's blog today!
my 2014 project life title page & plans for the new year.

December 27, 2013

I am very excited to be documenting our 2014 with Project Life® again this year.

This will be my third year using the Project Life® approach which to me means combining photos and journaling into pocket pages and displaying them in an album. In 2012, I just dove right in and worked primarily from what I had on hand. In 2013, I have worked mostly from the Seafoam kit and added on other kits as the year went by. Over the past two years, I have learned the value of recording our everyday through this project and as I move forward I really just want to have fun with it.

Enter my 2014 title page. I decided to get a little outside of the box (and into the triangles).

This took some planning for sure.

I printed a bunch of 3×4 photos (some of us, some of favorite things in our house and some of palm trees because… obviously). Then I picked some of my favorite cards from the Studio Calico Copper Mountain kit. I chopped the cards and the photos on the diagonal and stuck them into the pockets, sewed the pockets closed from corner to corner and then stuck other halves on top. It's like a paper quilt and I love the result.

I had to think about the backside as well because once the pockets were stitched I wouldn't be able to make any changes. I decided my title page will have a front and back and I will most likely use a full 12×12 photo of the three of us for the next page. But we'll see.

Obviously, I'm changing things up this year.

Here is what I know : I will be keeping the same 12×12 size for sure (I'm using a black We R Memory keepers album) but I'll be switching up the type of pocket pages (hopefully often!). I am going to be documenting on a monthly basis (meaning not necessarily following the weekly spread model).

After two years, I know that the point of this project for me is collecting my family's photos and stories but it's also about having a creative outlet. I am hoping that letting myself off the hook of weekly spreads will help bring back some of the fun and yep – magic – back to this venture.

I am honored to be joining the Studio Calico Creative Team this year, so I do know that one spread per month will be made exclusively from the monthly kit. The rest of my spreads will likely be a mix things including the Seafoam, Midnight and Sunshine core kits. I will be sharing my progress here on the blog just once a month instead of every Sunday. This is going to be a good thing. Monthly sharing will guarantee I am bringing something new to the table instead of just a weekly re-hash.

I'm excited and more inspired than ever. If you think you'll miss my weekly Project Life updates, follow me on Instagram! I will for sure be sharing sneaks and progress shots there often – along with 7,000 other craft project, plant and Ellerie photos.

AND…I wrapped up my 2013 PL album last week. I decided to skip most of December since those photos and stories were in my holiday album. I had a spread for Thanksgiving and a spread for Christmas week and then just an end page. Feels amazing to just call it good enough and be done. 🙂

products used in this spread – Studio Calico's Copper Mountain Project Life® kit, khaki cardstock, this pen, these pens & a Project Life® design F pocket page.
merry, merry!

December 24, 2013

Signing off for a few days to enjoy some time with Paul and Ellerie. Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas!

p.s. Santa delivered my minnetonka mocs early and I'm obsessed. Size down one full size and give them a wear or two around the house to properly stretch to your feet. You will not regret it.
half cake for half a year.

December 23, 2013

One of the family traditions that I would like to start is celebrating half-birthdays for Ellerie and any future kiddos. No real reason other than I think it's a very simple way to make an extra day of the year special. We won't do presents, but when they are old enough to "get it" I will let the little one pick what they want for dinner and I plan on cutting a birthday card in half (just down the center) and giving it to them with breakfast.

And we're going to do half-birthday cakes because I love just about any excuse to make a cake.

I have searched Pinterest for half-birthday ideas (other random things I frequently search Pinterest for – DIY garden beds, chunky yarn & "wall of plants.") and "half-cakes" kept popping up. I loved that idea and it seemed simple enough – bake a circle cake, cut it in half, stack the halves and frost the whole thing.

I bought funfetti cake (because obviously) and a jar of chocolate frosting and on Thursday set to work. Turns out one box equals two 9 inch round pans so I wound up with four halves to stack (even better). I layered frosting in between each cake layer and then used a butter knife to frost the whole thing. I was shocked that it took the whole jar of frosting.

We ate it Friday night (sadly after E was already asleep) with our family in town and toasted to six months of my baby girl & six months of Parenthood. This is a tradition we'll be keeping for sure.

ps and super random giveaway: the garland was just freehand cut from the tons of solid color fabric I have. It's a mix of quilter's cotton, flannel, felt & duck cloth. I just ran circle after circle through my sewing machine. After it served as a makeshift table runner, I hung it in Ellerie's room. Do you want one? In honor of Ellerie's half birthday, I'll give one away. Leave a comment below and I'll post the winner here in this post on 12/26. Giveaway is open to anyone worldwide. as always, thanks for reading.

WINNER IS SARAH! Commentor #47 Thank you!!
around here.

December 20, 2013

Around here I made progress on some big and small things this week which means great news! My to-do list isn’t trying to kill me and instead we’re chatting like old friends. I am ready for Christmas which feels like a big accomplishment and I am so looking forward to relaxing a bit starting about 2pm today.

Around here I am knitting with fabric! I saw a photo on Pinterest (here is the original source) and about died (different sort of death than the to-do list had planned) of inspiration. I think I am knitting a rug but it’s turning out smaller than I expected so we’ll see what it becomes. Full tutorial on the blog (obviously) once I’m done.

Around here I am obsessed with my new office. I walk in and I take a deep breath and I celebrate that this is where I get to go to work every day.

Around here I am commited to finishing my #mileaday venture. Somedays Ellerie and I walk and some days I run. The past couple days, time escapes me and suddenly it’s 6PM and pitch black but Paul just got home and so I go. I never want to go out into the dark, but I am always exhilerated when I do. On those runs, I remember why I issue myself this challenge each year.

Around here I am prepping the house for Ellerie’s half birthday dinner tonight. I baked a “half” cake and we’re making pizzas (each half with different toppings, naturally) for our family in town. I am supposed to say I cannot believe my baby is six months old, but all I feel is “Of course, she is! What other age could she be?” She’s the greatest person ever and what I cannot believe is that the pleasure of being her mama is all mine.

Around here I am feeling so inspired and excited for a fresh new year. I’ve got “best of” posts and “goal-setting” posts and “what’s happening with Project Life in 2014” posts and “one little word” posts coming at you over the next two weeks. But first we enjoy this season. And then we dive into 2014 and get ‘er done.

Around here I am wishing you a great weekend.
our christmas stockings.

December 18, 2013

This year, my mom sewed up three Christmas stockings. One for each of us. I picked basic red and white fabrics (stripes, dots & a mod branch) from Joann's and she used a McCall's pattern (Crafts M5778).

The stocking shape that came with the pattern was a little wonky (too high of arch!) and so I drew a more rounded "boot" shape for her to use. They turned out so great – thank you, Mom!

I wasn't quite sure how I wanted to identify them. I considered stitching our names or appliqueing our initials. Then I found these wooden letters at Joann's and decided they'd be a fun 3D edition. I stained them, drilled a small hole and strung them up with baker's twine. I love the modern look AND love that if in a few years I'd rather add our names, I can totally still do that.

I was stumped with how to hang them (we don't have a traditional mantle) but ended up using command hooks (sturdy but easily removable) and hanging them on the side of the fireplace. I love how they're brightening up that corner. Oh man, 'tis so the season.

ps… yep. Our initials together are PEE. How awful, yet hilarious. I prefer the much more pleasant EEP.