organize / maintain

L - iphone / T - iphone

Do you make New Year's resolutions? I don't formally make them, but I do think about the things that I would like to change or improve over the next year.
This next year is going to be a year of big changes. Taylor will be graduating from college and I will be getting married. What exciting new changes, but these two things are going to bring much change in our household. One thing that I need to start working on immediately is organization. Does anyone know of a great book or tips on getting a household organized for good? I've seen and read several books on the subject but there's certainly magic solution to it I don't think. One tip I read recently seems a good place to start. "Always subtract before you add."- Make a rule for yourself that you will not add a new commitment until you either finish or eliminate a prior commitment and, similarly, no new books or magazines until reading and or giving away unread books; and purchases - for every new article of clothing, at least two rarely worn articles will be put in the give-away bag.
it's been an awesome holiday break but i have to say i am ready to get back at it. my fortune on new year's eve couldn't have been more appropriate - "you will obtain your goal if you maintain your course." i love this. i immediately put the little slip of paper with my fortune on it in my wallet. but just the other day i went to take my debit card out and the wind blew my fortune away. : [ can't let my goal slip away in the wind.

creative / stylish

L - Nikon / T - Nikon

"Express your unique creative spirit."

This is one of the keys to happiness. * Lately I have been expressing my creative spirit with new ring designs inspired by nature. This one is inspired by the gently-flowing creek I hike beside on the weekends at Big Trees Forest. / I believe Taylor expresses herself creatively partly through the clothes she chooses to wear. Putting items from thrift stores together in such a unique way. I love it.

/ the weather was perfect this past weekend and that was a very nice birthday surprise [: so on sunday we decided to take advantage of it and go visit our tried and true abandoned house. we hadn't been back for over a year and it seemed like the perfect opportunity. everything was mostly as we had left it – there was something comforting about that. something very settling about the presence of something that hadn't changed in over a year when i know that i definitely have changed from year 20 to 21. this week we've had such warm temperature which makes me a little sad since i have so much studying to do. i would much rather be outside enjoying the sun! but spring will come soon and i'll get my chance.

*I found a book at the Goodwill store titled "Choosing Happiness" by Alexandra Stoddard. I just picked it up by chance and started flipping through because I saw highlighted quotes that I thought would be good for the heart garland I was making for Taylor. So I bought it. Later I found at the back of the book was a list of 54 keys to happiness. I liked them so much I decided to keep the book intact and to copy the key phrases in order to create 54 hearts - each one having one key to happiness - one a week for a year. Georgia B. suggested I do a series using the 54 Precious Keys to Happiness. I think that is a good idea. do you?

notes / memories

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Ok so I'm the one coming up short tonight, so I took this photo. This is what I see right beside my computer. As you can tell, I love accents of red - my favorite little red pen, a big red heart, tiny red berries, bold red books (just because they look good on the shelf) - and there's more red all around the room. The quote that is sitting there is something I wrote on a post over 10 years ago and it's been around ever since. "Do not wish to be anything but what you are, and try to be that perfectly." - St. Frances de Sales. That's a good motto don't you think? / "she carries a lot of suitcases but all of them are empty because she's expecting to completely fill them with life by the end of this trip & then she'll come home & sort everything out & do it all again"- story people
mom surprised me by ordering this for me from a vintage etsy shop. my friends were with me when i got it and we all took guesses as to what was inside the big bubble wrapped package. we were right. i'm going to fill mine with college memories. (and there will be some epic photo shoots to come using this bright orange suitcase.)