weekly wrap-up #7

reading // a lineage of grace {i finished it yesterday} // mansfield park {the only austen novel that i have not finished yet}

listening to // gaither vocal band {better day} {daystar} {the King is coming}

making // this headband // this notebook cover // crumb cake

enjoying // visiting with my grandparents // going on a daytrip with my family // only having one more quarter of school left // cleaning out my dresser // drinking raspberry lemonade // planning surprises //

favorite posts // so about the hunger games... // wood walks // rain, rain, rain // real vs. fake // how to create a header {using pixlr} //

p.s. mini smarties are the best things ever.

how was your week?

my to-do-ness

I make to-do lists. Rather obsessively. I have a to-do list for my day on my dresser, a calender by my bed, a planner on my shelf by my bed with my books and Bible, an agenda book for schoolwork, not to mention my mental list. Sometimes I will plan out my day, including approximate times for everything. I have been known to add things to my to-do list after I have done them just to feel that I have accomplished something. I have so much that I need and want to get done. 

The problem is, many of my plans fall through. My time gets sucked away into other activities. Lately, my big time waster has been the computer. I justify it by saying that it's okay because I was editing photos, getting inspired *cough*pinterest*cough* or any other number of excuses, but I need to stop that. I need to focus on getting all of my homework and other tasks done first. Because of this, I am going to be blogging less. I will attempt to keep up with my 365 Blog, but you will hopefully see me less around here. I also want to work on real blog posts, not just photos and meaningless words. I love blogging and you, my dear followers, are so sweet in your lovely comments, but I just need to get my focus right and my priorities in the right place. 

Thanks so much for understanding!

p.s. there are going to be a few blog events going on and i would just like to share them with you:

simple delights

i hope you all have a good day!

tag

I was tagged by Kathleen over at The Messy Desk of Me. Here we go:

1) post these rules
2) you must post 11 random things about yourself
3) answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post
4) create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer
5) go to their blog and tell them they've been tagged

11 random things. Go!

1. I love patterned knee high socks.

2. My favorite movie is "It's a Wonderful Life".

3. My backpack is purple.

4. I am wearing my coat in my house (I am cold and my sweatshirts are all upstairs).

5. I am having a hard time coming up with random facts, and this is only number 5!

6. I have a Tangled fleece blanket.

7. I have a stash of chocolate sitting on the shelf by my bed.

8. I am excited because we have late arrival tomorrow.

9. With a hot glue gun and earring materials in my hands, I am unstoppable.

10. I love snow. If it is going to be cold outside, I want snow. End of story.

11. I have lotion that smells like gingerbread and other lotion that smells like sugar cookies.

Now for the questions:

1. what is your favorite book? Hmm...I would say Jane Austen books.
2. Do you have a favorite movie? If so what is the name? "It's a Wonderful Life".
3. Are you a sports fan? Kind of...I'll get into sports when I am watching them, but I am not a big fan.
4. What is one of your favorite sports to watch? Football, soccer, and hockey.
5. What is your favorite color? (if you have more than one you can say what they are) Purple and orange (just not together!!)
6. Do you like inspirational quotes? I do. They are pretty amazing.
7. Are you a fast knitter? I have been told that I am.
8. Do you like sewing, crocheting or knitting? Knitting is my favorite, I can sew a little, and hardly crochet at all.
9. Are you a crafty person? If so what do you like to make? I am. I like knitting the best, but I like many other crafts.
10. What is your favorite kind of animal? Umm...puppies, as long as they're not mine. :P
11. Do you like playing sports? I used to play soccer and that was a lot of fun, but I didn't this past year and I didn't really miss it.

Now for the questions that I am asking those whom I am going to tag:

1. What is your favorite quote?
2. Do you prefer sunrises or sunsets?
3. What is your favorite dessert?
4. Do you have a favorite subject in school?
5. Did you have snow on Christmas day?
6. Do you have a favorite Jane Austen book/movie adaption?
7. Do you prefer patterned socks, solid colored socks, or bare feet?
8. Do you make your bed every morning?
9. What color is your bedroom wall?
10. What are your top five favorite colors?
11. Do you prefer sandals, sneakers, boots, or high heels?

Now, to tag people to answer these questions:

Autumn from An Autumn Day

Emily from Emily the Industrious

Hope from Hope's Treasures

Gabby from Inspired

Hope from Live your Life

Rachel from Rachel Images

Hayden from The Story Girl

Eowyn from Think Inside the Box

Tirzah from Tirzah's Delights

If any of you choose not to participate, that's okay. :)

Edit: I was tagged again by Kelsey at A Ray of Sunshine. I won't do another 11 things, but I will answer her questions. :)

1. What is your comfort food/drink? Chocolate (isn't that everyone's answer? :P), ice cream, and popcorn. I don't really have a comfort drink, but if I had to pick, hot chocolate would be mine.

2. If you inherited a million dollars, what is the first thing you would do with your money? Donate some of it to a favorite charity...and then buy a whole lot of yarn. :)

3. What is one of your favorite things to catch a whiff of? Pretty much anything baking.

4. If money wasn't a factor, what stores would you shop in? Hmm..Anthropologie, my favorite Etsy shops, and little yarn shops.

5. What are your favorite animals? Puppies and kittens (as long as I don't have to take care of them :P)

6. What movie or book character can you most relate to? Hmm...I don't really know...I am a lot like Emma in Emma, but not completely. But I can relate to her.

7. What is your greatest fear or strange phobia? Does disliking the smell of cooking cheese count as a strange phobia? If not, it would be that I am scared of driving on the highway.

8. Out of the four seasons, which one would you like to last all year around? Autumn. As long as the leaves lasted the whole time.

9. Do you like pickles? I LOVE dill pickles. Other kinds of pickles, well...

10. What is your favorite book? Persuasion by Jane Austen.

11. What is your favorite movie? It's a Wonderful Life.

Time is Priceless.

Hope you have a great Wednesday!

55 in 2012

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I put together a list of 55 things that I would like to do in 2012. I originally saw this idea on Flip-Flops and Polka Dots with 101 things, but that seemed like a lot. Plus, I had to try really hard to come up with 55. I borrowed a few items on my list from some different sources (this list, this list, and this list), but most of these I came up with on my own. I will be posting when I complete one of these. So, here it goes:

1. Go one week without the computer, except for schoolwork.
2. Start a 365 Photography Project.
3. Start and finish my Christmas crafting by December 11.
4. Journal at least three times a week.
5. Host a giveaway on my blog.
6. Become somewhat proficient on the mandolin.
7. Memorize at least 52 verses,
8. Have faithful devotions.
9. Craft every day.
10. Get all of my campers' addresses and write them at least one letter.
11. Keep a book list.
12. Read at least 52 books.
13. Try molasses on bread.
14. Watch the 1995 BBC version of Pride and Prejudice.
15. Get my driver's license.
16. Bake bread.
17. Complete Rosetta Stone French.
18. Wear my poodle skirt to school.
19. Make my blog a Facebook page.
20. Write at least two letters a month.
21. Have a photoshoot with each of my siblings.
22. Clean my room every week.
23. Get my hair cut.
24. Take sunset photos.
25. Make breakfast for my family.
26. Make doughnuts.
27. Refashion that stack of old clothes in my room. 
28. Wear more hats.
29. Reach 50 blog followers.
30. Watch Courageous. 
31. Walk through the woods while it is snowing or right after it has snowed.
32. Spend more time outdoors.
33. Go without Facebook for one month.
34. Wear skirts for one week.
35. Make something from Pinterest at least once a month all year.
36. Try coffee. 
37. Buy something from Etsy.
38. Sell something that I have made.
39. Make a daisy chain.
40. Knit at least three pairs of socks.
41. Knit something with a Fair Isle pattern in it.
42. Memorize a poem.
43. Put at least $100 in my bank account.
44. Eat a candlelight dinner.
45. Wear flip-flops for one whole day in the winter.
46. Read all of Jane Austen's major works.
47. Go to bed by 9:00 every night for a week.
48. Watch The Help.
49. Babysit someone for free.
50. Keep a quote notebook.
51. Get some photos developed.
52. Go one week without soda.
53. Read books on photography.
54. Learn how to use Gimp.
55. Have a photoshoot with some friends.

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Stylish Blogger Award

I was awarded the Stylish Blogger Award again!

This time, I was tagged by Hayden from Story Girl. Thanks so much! You can read my seven facts in my first tag post here.

Knitting Patterns

Christmas is quickly approaching! Now that it is December, this has really kicked in for me. I need to finish making my gifts! Not to mention wrap them. :) Just in case you need a little last minute inspiration or ideas, I have complied this little list of some knitting projects:

For children:

Cabled Baby Hats

Baby and Kids' Earflap Hat



Snake Sock Puppet

Optimistic Knit Gloves

  

Double Wrap Cowl

Kangaroo Tunic

Moebius Wrap

Knitted Wreath



Mug Jacket {Ravelry download}


I am linking up this post to:

How is your Christmas crafting going?
p.s. there are two giveaways going on at Discover Life: here and here.

Oh, How Pinteresting

Ah, Pinterest.

Pinterest has a way of making you waste time and feel creative all at the same time. Please tell me that I am not the only person out there who feels this way! :)

Now, on to some of my lovely Pinterest finds that would be good for the upcoming Christmas season: (oh, and please forgive me if I have posted some of these before!!)

Rustic Christmas Wreath

Sewn Yarn Scarf

Homemade Notebook

Little Red Riding Hood Doll

And now some inspiration for wrapping your lovely gifts:

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I am linking up this post to this Christmas event:

I encourage you to go on over and look at Miss Grace's lovely, Christmas-y Pinterest finds. :)
Are any of you in the Christmas mood yet?
Does anyone have Christmas decorations up?

Snow and a giveaway

Last Wednesday we got snow! It was so pretty...but now it's gone. :( Oh, well. I live in Maine. We'll get more. So, here are some photos that I took. 

Do you have a favorite?

Have you gotten any snow where you live?

p.s. there is a lovely holiday giveaway going on here.

Giveaways!

You may have seen a couple of my posts in which I was linking up to this lovely event:

There is currently a giveaway going on! Here is the prize that one very lucky winner will receive:

Isn't this just so lovely and Christmas-y? And Miss Grace, the blogger hosting this event, made all of the items. :) You should all go on over, enter the giveaway, and follow her lovely blog. :)
There is also a giveaway going on over at Live Your Life. Here is a preview of some of the prizes: 


Go on over and check it out!