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Happy Tuesday, and happy new year! It's a gorgeous snowy day here in southern Oregon, which is a rare treat for us. It's been coming down like crazy the last couple of days and I'm almost giddy over it! I love snow so much, but we're lucky if we get one snow storm a year. This winter I got my wish and it's a dreamy white wonderland out there today! I'm trying to soak it all in before it melts off in a couple days.

Today I thought it was time for a first post of the year, and I wanted to share my sort of resolution.

I decided this year to choose a word I wanted to focus more on, instead of a typical new year's "resolution." I don't usually make them because I they're hard to stick to, and every year I seem to have the same goals!

I always have some holiday (or year long) weight I want to lose, organizing to do, and goals to reach, but I have those year round. I always enjoy that jump start the new year brings for those things, and I do get a good dose of motivation to better myself, but I never really consider these things resolutions.

This year though I've been seeing others choose words of the year they want to focus on and I liked that idea because it can apply to so many different aspects of my life!

As you can probably tell, my word is moderation. I recently read Liz Marie's blog post about her work, balance, and while I really love that word too, it brought the word moderation to my mind.

If there's one major thing I'd say my life is missing, it's that. I'm a person of extremes and Dane teases me for it pretty often! I'm either eating completely healthy, or treating my body like a human garbage can. I either follow a strict workout program, or I'm a couch potato for months. I let chores go to the point of driving me (or Dane) crazy, and then I'll clean everything spotless! I've been this way my whole life, as long as I can remember, and I'm always wishing for that middle ground but never really trying that hard to reach it.

So this year I'm going to try to be a little more moderate. A little more veggies and water, but still some goodies here and there. Posting my lettering on instagram once a week or so instead of feeling like a loser for not posting every day. Trying to do something to get my heart rate up a few days a week, whether that's yoga, a walk, or a jog. One cookie instead of five (or ten!). Try to follow a cleaning schedule, but knowing if life gets busy and things slide for a day that's ok. Just not to get overwhelmed and let it slide for three days! And a bit less time mindlessly browsing the internet...

I think if I really put my mind to it, I can find a bit more moderation in my life and I think it will be a lot better for it!

I'm curious, do you set new year's resolutions or choose a word for the year? Or do you feel like I normally do, that your goals are constant year round, not just at the beginning of the year? Let me know! :)

As always, thanks for stopping by!

P.S.- I know it's late, but I made this video instead of a typical Christmas card this year, (I know, weird coming from a paper enthusiast, haha!) and I didn't get a chance to share it on the blog. So check it out if you'd like :)

This afternoon, you may have noticed that the blog looks a little different!

I was so tired of how it looked, and I've been in the process of re-desgning my logo and brand all summer. With other projects, house renovations, and work, it's been a slow one! So, I decided to go ahead and make some of the changes now that were a little easier to do, and when I do get my new logo done,  I will update my header here on the blog :)

Also, I made my August recipe of the month last week, as part of my 26 before 26 list! So I should be sharing that later this week. It was a good one!


Reading- About some of the cutest little doggies over at Wit & Whistle, and highlights from the NYNOW Stationary Show over at Oh So Beautiful Paper! Such great inspiration :)

Drinking- Water! So, so much water!

Listening- Nothing really this week. I keep thinking I should put on A Fine Frenzy though! Her music always makes me think of fall :)

Loving- This sweater from Target! I've been (over) wearing it so much lately, but it's definitely my new favorite! I bought it in green, but they have it in several colors and I want to go buy another one. Also, the fact that we started tilling up our backyard this week! We should get to plant in a couple of weeks, which will be super awesome! It's been a weed patch all summer, and having actual grass will be nice.

The last couple weeks have been a blur of slump-y-ness for me. (Yes, I know that's not a real word, haha!)

Every afternoon it seems I am sluggish and tired. I've been getting head aches, and just feeling blah.
I decided that it's because I'm in almost the worst shape of my life! It's been years since I have been this inactive, and it's taking it's toll.

With so much going on with the house and work, I've been too busy to make too much of an effort in the working out department. So, I'm making it a goal to start walking more, and utilizing my gym membership (oops!).

But, my gym doesn't offer one thing that I really used to love doing, and that's yoga!

I got started with a very cool yoga program on Youtube from Yoga with Adriene a few months ago (recommended by my awesome s-i-l Emily! Hi Emily!), and then life got busy. So I have just started back in and it is just the boost I needed!

So now when I get into my afternoon slump, I just get in my yoga session and I feel much better!

She has a Thirty Days of Yoga program that is a great place to start for anyone wanting to get into it as well :)

I also decided to give a leeetle bit more structure to these afternoon session posts of mine, like I used to back in the day, so here goes!


Reading- Lots of blog posts! (That's all I read these days ;) ) Gorgeous floral sketches from Shannon Kirsten, Emma Chapman's house buying story over at A Beautiful Mess (which I totally understand, since we just went through the whole process ourselves!) and all things branding related from Elle & Co. Also, I can't forget to shout out to my friend Toni and her new blog, Home Sweetly Home! She posts a lot of great recipes and tips (plus beautiful pictures of her house!) so you should definitely check it out!

Drinking- Iced lattes. Yum! And La Croix, to try to break my diet soda habit!

Listening- To Lullatone. I heard of them from Amanda at Wit & Whistle (she uses their songs in her videos!), and they are so relaxing!

Loving- That the weather is cooling down. Fall is on it's way, I can feel it! I've already been busting out my sweaters! Also, those little succulents pictured above that I bought for my kitchen! I may move some of them to my office, but until it's a little more organized, they'll stay put. And can I let you in on a dirty little secret?.....They're fake! I bought them at hobby lobby because, you know, brown thumb and all.

What have your afternoons consisted of lately? Do you ever get into slumps, and what do you do to perk yourself up? Let me know! I'd love to hear :)

Thanks for stopping by!

A couple months ago I had the pleasure of doing some adorable baby shower invitations!

A friend of mine reached out for me to design the shower invitations for her best friend and the little girl she is having soon.

The theme was gold and coral, which is such a gorgeous, feminine choice and just perfect for a baby girl! I love pretty much all things gold, so I was very excited about that.

I was even asked to calligraph the envelopes which was very cool. I hadn't ever done that for someone else (only my own personal projects), so it was a great experience, and I enjoyed the practice! I may even list it as an add on option in the shop soon for future potential orders.

I love doing invitations so hopefully you will be seeing more of them featured here in the future!

Thanks for stopping by!