{weekend find}

Don't you love it when something on your wish list ends up in the clearance aisle?

This little canvas came home with me from Hobby Lobby over the weekend and it fits in just perfectly, don't ya think?

And it was $4. Yep.

This is my favorite little nook in the house right now. I love how all of the elements work together. I think I have this vignette thing down now...it is all about layering and moving the eye from one element to the next. Adding in items with sentimental value, like my Grandma's training case and milkglass lamp, and the retro clock that was a housewarming present from our first home, make it even more special. And of course a little owl, my button flowers and my DIY chalkboard pull it all together.

But that canvas, oh it is my favorite at the moment. :)

What is your favorite little nook in your home right now?

Linking up with...

{boxed in}

Just a typical Saturday night...playing in boxes...

And Ben demonstrating his acting skills. Who knew sitting in a box could bring out so many emotions?

Happy...

Angry/frustrated...

Excited!!!

Goofy...

And one more for the ladies...

Hope your Saturday night has been equally expressive!

{DIY or buy}

We all know that I love a good DIY project. But with the demands of being a full time working mom, lately I just don't have the energy to make stuff. Which totally bums me out by the way. But life is crazy right now, and I have to cut myself some slack, right?

Enter one of my latest obsessions...

Source: theletteredcottage.net via Danae on Pinterest

The starburst mirror.

I reeeeeally really want one to hang over our record player cabinet in the dining room.

Yeah...I'm already over my funky gallery wall. I want to simplify.

There are TONS of DIY starburst mirrors in blogland right now. Just search on Pinterest and you will find a nice array, from ones made with shims, others with dowel rods, and even versions using free paint sticks. Here are a few DIY ones that I've pinned...

Source: thethriftyabode.blogspot.com via Mandy on Pinterest

Source: thejollyjames.blogspot.com via Mandy on Pinterest

Source: ourhumbleabowed.wordpress.com via Mandy on Pinterest

All of these are very affordable projects and probably wouldn't take that much time. But do I have the energy? Especially when Hobby Lobby has a really gorgeous wood one that I could snag when the mirrors are 50% off.

So what would you do?

DIY or buy?

Remember I'm a 8-5 working girl with two insane three year olds at home. :)

{loving}

Simple things are making me happy today.

Like the flameless candles Aunt Debi got me for Christmas...

A fun new picture frame on my desk at work {from Mom #2}...

And my new mittens and purple tights...

Love how they turn into fingerless gloves...

The mitten part is like a little blanket for my fingers. Love. 


Where have these things been all my life?!


Tell me...what are you loving today?


Linking up with...

{the year ahead}

Source: elembee.com via Cherie on Pinterest

I don't know about you, but January is usually a rough month for me. The mixture of cold weather, letdown from the holidays and short days all can create quite the debbie downer.

But this year for some reason I feel different. I feel so optimistic. Hopeful.

Dare I say excited?!

Maybe it is the fact that the weather here in December was unseasonably warm. Maybe it was because we had a really wonderful Christmas and I'm still on a high from all of our time spent with family. Whatever the reason, I'm so pumped for this new year and everything that it could hold for me and my little family.

Last year, I started off 2011 by participating in Ali Edward's One Little Word challenge, and my word was action.

Looking back on 2011, I did take a lot of action, especially here on This Girl's Life. I started participating in What I Wore Wednesday, which was a big leap for me. I interviewed a Project Runway alum. This time last year I would have never thought that was a possibility.  I was featured on at least 10 different blogs and websites, including Ohdeedoh, Tip Junkie, and The Frugal Girls. Whoa did I have a really amazing blogging year.

I am also very proud to say that I took action at home to be a better wife and mother, which any spouse or parent knows is a daily challenge. Along with my hubby, we have made it halfway through the thrashing threes {which are MUCH harder than the terrible two's}. Some days I wonder if we will make it out with our sanity, but we are tackling it as a team and that feels really good.

In 2012 I'm going to continue with a similar theme of action.

Source: sofiasjournal.com via Josie on Pinterest

My word for 2012 is commit.

Commit to all of the home decorating and organizing projects we need to complete. {with A LOT of help from Pinterest}

Commit to working every day to be an even better wife and mother.

Commit to treating my body better by eating healthier and exercising. {starting tomorrow with a smoothie for breakfast!}

Commit to adding new and exciting content to This Girl's Life.

Source: flickr.com via Barbara on Pinterest

So how are you feeling about 2012?

If you need some extra excitement, I think I have some to spare. :)

Linking up with...

{happy}

 Some happy thoughts for a Happy New Year...

Source: polyvore.com via Alyssa on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Ashleigh on Pinterest

Source: yellowbrickblog.blogspot.com via Ruth on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Tracy on Pinterest

Source: facebook.com via Natalie on Pinterest

Hope each and every one of you have the happiest year ever!

{2011 blog recap}

With 2012 right around the corner I thought I would do a little recap of the most popular, and my favorite posts on This Girl's Life for 2011. It is amazing to me how much more traffic I haven gotten this year, and I'm so honored and thankful for all of my readers and blog friends. 

Without a doubt, the most popular post from 2011 was my DIY t-shirt scarf. This post, thanks to Pinterest and Craftgawker, has received over 15,000 pageviews since I posted it in August! 

The second most popular post of the year, and definitely one of my tops faves as well, was my recap of the boys' Despicable Three birthday party. It has had over 5,600 views since I posted it on May 29th. 

And coming in third is my post about prettying up our fireplace mantel with a DIY chalkboard. It is amazing how much attention just a little bit of chalkboard paint can get! 

  

And now for my faves...

#1 without a doubt is my interview with Project Runway's Christopher Straub and my maurices giveaway. This was definitely the highlight of my blogging year!

 

Here is the interview again if you missed it...

 

I also really loved my DIY artwork for my son Ben's room...

And our super easy kitchen island project...

  

And finally I was very excited to share our little office space makeover...

It has been a fun and exciting year for this little blog of mine, and I can't wait to see what 2012 has in store. One of my resolutions is to complete a lot more home decorating and organizing projects this year, so stay tuned, and thanks for coming along for the ride!

 

{a little Christmas recap}

Who am I kidding...this will probably not be a little recap due to the 100+ photos I snapped between Christmas Eve and Christmas day and the three different present opening extravaganzas we had with the boys. To sum it up in a nutshell though...we had a truly wonderful and blessed Christmas. I feel like the word blessed can sound so cheesy but it is the only word I can think of to describe how I feel. Lots of family, more than enough love, and a plethora of presents and food surrounded us.

So here are just a few of my fave photos...I will try to edit...really I will. :)

Uncle John reading to Ben...

Spiderman!

Landon looking so grown up...

Back at home on Christmas Eve...the boys were looking up the fireplace for Santa...

Of course we had to leave him a little snack...

Took this one around midnight...all the presents finally wrapped and waiting!

I was actually a tad bit domestic on Christmas morning and made this yummy cheese danish that I found on Pinterest...

It turned out great!

Once the boys got up we went straight into unwrapping their presents. Ben's favorite was his Batman that he had been obsessing over for weeks...

And of course new trains!

And Nerf guns! {although I think the hubby might be having more fun with those ;) }

My Grandma got the boys snuggies and they are already loving them...

My Mom with her new monogrammed pashmina...

My parents got the boys a really cool barn playset...

 

Dan and I opening a sweet gift from my parents...

Later on Christmas day we headed back to my Mom #2's house to do the rest of our gifts and enjoy time together...including a super fun game of Apples to Apples.

My sister-in-law and nephew...

Candy Land!

And more trains of course...

My hubby makes the cutest psychotic faces ;)

Mom #2 and I...

And then when we finally got home around 12:30 {pm!!}we all crashed.

Hope everyone had an equally wonderful Christmas!