Fact: iPads are COOL!

So if you couldn't tell from the title of this post I bought myself an iPad for Christmas. Yep. I took my Christmas money, my bonus, traded Dave my amazon money, and gave him an IOU and bought this for me. And I LOVE it. It's totally replacing my crummy old Toshiba laptop. And officially we have become Apple snobs. Ha! Now I will use my iMac for all photo edits and this little babe for my everything else. Dave has his iPhone (which I'd have too if I was due for an upgrade - watch out August) and is planning to get a Mac Air or or MacBook Pro. Then we'll be total Apple snobs. Ha!!! 

I hope you all had a great Christmas. I'm looking forward to New years eve... Where Dave and I swear we're going to go out but end up buying a grocery store pizza and sit at home, watch the ball drop for those east coasters and fall asleep at 11 central time. Ha! We are wild and crazy. Also I'm excited for January 2nd cause I start 60 days of Hot Yoga! Yew! 

Ok folks. Off to be productive. Hope you have a fab day. And... Here are some Instagram photo. Ya know, cause I'm hip and can do that now.

xo, Steph

Merry Christmas!!! Tomorrow!

Since I know I wont be on here much tomorrow I thought I'd share our Christmas Card today. Hope you and your family have a wonderful and amazing Christmas!

And I'm out!

xo, Steph

Girls Night in. What What!!

Thanks to Duncan Hines for sponsoring my writing. There's no limit to the baking possibilities, so grab your favorite Duncan Hines mix and Comstock or Wilderness fruit fillings and Bake On! www.duncanhines.com.

Fun Fact: I'm not as young and wild as I used to be. I've replaced credit cards with debit cards (or cash). I've replaced drinking fun beverages for coffee and water. I've replaced staying out till the late night hours with sitting at home with friends and crafting or going to bed early - dare I say it 8. The fact is, I've grown up.  So now instead of going to parties where drinks are served I go to one of my besties and drink coffee and eat cake all while we craft. Its the perfect Girls Night In (GNI ya know.. for us cool kids who say things like this). We used to do this a lot before someone had a baby, but we've been getting better over the past year, especially over the holidays since we had LOTS OF CRAFTING TO DO!  Its beginning to become really exciting because the babe (hers, not mine, cause my babes are cats) is getting to the age where she might be able to start crafting with us. Ok. Maybe thats a bit of an exaggeration but she's started sitting at the table with us while we craft so thats a step in the right direction. HA!

The big thing about us is that we like... ok... LOVE to drink coffee while we're hanging out. So as a surprise to my bestie I made her some super fancy coffee syrup for Christmas. I've told her not to read this post till after Friday when we exchange gifts so she best not be not trying to get a sneak peak of her gift yo! See what I did there... I tried to act like a gangsta... I'm sooo not a gangsta. 

Like I've said in many many MANY previous posts. I'm pretty much addicted to Elsie Larson's Blog: A Beautiful Mess and if she makes it and posts directions, 9 times out of 10 I will try it out. So a few weeks ago I kept this post in the back of my mind and pinned it onto Pinterest. It is super simple and easy to make. THE EASIEST DIY GIFT EVER!!! It was inexpensive and fun! I kinda wish I'd let it thicken a little more but I think it will work out perfectly. Oh and one other tip, go to Ross or somewhere cheap and buy the bottles, I found mine at Ross for less than five bucks.

DIY Flavored Coffee Syrups

Image via: A Beautiful Mess

For the vanilla syrup you need: 2 cups water, 2 cups sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (the clear kind is much preferred here). In a small pot heat your water and sugar over low/medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar has dissolved. Now stir in your vanilla extract and pour into your dispenser.

Check out her blog for the other flavors.

I'm really excited to give this to her so we can have some fancy coffee with fancy flavored coffee syrup to go with our fancy desserts (she's the best baker known to man... or woman) during our Girls Night In!

xo, Steph

*****
Remember to check out Duncan Hines' website www.duncanhines.com to find some great recipes for your holiday get-together! I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective.

Sailboats and Santa.. Oh My!

Almost every few days I drive down this one side-street, to clarify its not a one way street its a side-street but it's a specific one. It makes driving in the annoying afternoon traffic just a little bit more bearable. Every year I am welcomed by this gorgeous sailboat that is decorated with lights.  There was one year that it wasn't there. I so so sad. I made Dave drive by it all the time, just in case they happened put it up, but they didn't. Well ladies and gents... this year they don't have just 1 sailboat, not just 2 but 3 decorated SAILBOATS!!! I actually squealed with delight when I saw this. I'm pretty certain Dave laughed, possibly out of embarrassment, possibly cause he thinks I'm a little kid (which is true), or possibly because he thought it was super cool too. I think it might have been all three. HA! Anyways... Isn't this pretty? YEP! Oh and yes I was THAT person who stopped in the middle of the street while I was driving to take this photo. No worries people, no one was behind me to get mad.

And my hubs... hes a regular ol' Clark Griswold. So Proud! This is like a 9x9 backyard and its not all of what we usually put out. You like my pumpkins on the left by Santa? I still haven't gotten rid of them, I think it adds character.

Did you check the bulbs Clark?

This is my most favorite outdoor Christmas light thingy we have. Its like a cheesy creepy Santa. I love him!

Ho! Ho! I'm Santa!

Ok. Thats all for today. Hope you're having a wonderful Christmas week! HO HO HO!!! Santa's almost here!

xo, Steph

25 Day of Christmas - Day 13: Music NKOTB You know!!

I've told you this a trillion times but I love Christmas music.... probably more than your average person. Once I tried to spend the whole month of December listening to Christmas. It was fun at first but then I started getting tired of it, and hearing Dalilah and that one time during her show that we heard a sweet dedication from a listener and she said she had the perfect Christmas song and then she played Jewels Foolish Games, which if you didn't know is NOT a Christmas song. Anyway... what I'm saying is don't dedicate an entire month to ONLY listening to Christmas music, it will take away from the awesomeness that Christmas music is. 
 

 

 A few months back while at McKay's I found the 98 Degrees Christmas cd for like 2 bucks and I forced Dave to buy, actually I think I had monetary credit at the store so maybe he forced me to use my credit and not our money. I couldn't believe that a. it was so cheap and b. that I didn't own this amazingness already. So it was snatched up and put into our growing Christmas music collection.

Then when Borders was closing Dave found me the New Kids on the Block Christmas CD. We joked about how I needed it, but I didn't so I didn't buy. BUT then when they were like a day out from closing and things were super cheap Dave went and while looking around he found it again and of course I forced him into buying it for me for dirt cheap. My review: It's horrible, but Funky Funky Xmas is AWESOME in that its so bad that it's awesome. Would I buy it again. YOU BET YOUR BOOTY I WOULD! How can one NOT own the NKOTB Christmas CD? Thats just wrong.

Oh and NSYNC. I wish I had a funny story about this but I don't. Well I guess I kinda do. It's my husbands. THE END. Now that's funny. I guess its not if you know my husband, but if you don't then you'll think it's funny. EDIT: Dave said he bought this for me... I don't remember this.






xo, Steph

p.s. cause outtakes are funny. I asked my friend at work to take my photo and clearly I was not ready. ha!

SURPRISE!!!

OPEN YOUR EYEBALLS!

25 Days of Christmas: Day 12: Wardrobe of AWESOMENESS!!

Here's my Holiday Fun time outfit. When I go to parties I have a habit of wearing black... or maroon... but this time. This Christmas I am wearing this bad boy... or girl out to parties. I haven't yet, so if you see me at a party and I'm wearing this don't make fun of me for wearing it again. I'm just one of those peoples... the kind that like to re-wear outfits. Oh and I totally wore this to work all day and I wanted to spin around like a five year old on Toddlers and Tiaras, not that I watch that show or anything. Oh and when I asked Dave how my outfit looked he told me I looked like I should be on Grease. I'm not sure if its a good thing or not but I'll take it. And now all I have in my head is the scene where Olivia Newton John says "Tell me about it... Stud". HA!

Jacket: Target (Black Friday Special), Dress: H&M, Belt: Goodwill, Tights: DKNY, Shoes: Marshalls

Ok. That's all.

xo, Steph

25 Days of Christmas - Day 10: Movies Home Alone

I realize I'm behind but yesterday was a busy day at Help Portrait and then we got some sad news from a close friend and I wasn't in the mood to be me and peppy. So here is what should have been yesterday's post. I'll catch up on the extra day later this week. :)

I've told you we have about a bajillion Christmas movies at our house, right? We have so many that hubs told me we were going to do a 12 days of Christmas movies, and we were still not going to have watched all of them. We also have a bajillion times 10 Christmas CDs but I'm not going to get started on those.

My Most favorite Christmas movie is Home Alone. Somehow we didn't own that movie. WHAT THE!?! I know, my thoughts exactly. I finally saw it at Best Buy for super cheap so we bought it, I wanted the Blu-Ray but they didn't have it.  I swear I can quote this movie word for word. Its almost as bad as when I quote The Labyrinth (my most favorite movie EVER). This morning I was having a conversation with Dave, I don't remember what I was saying and at the end of it Dave said "I bought the milk, eggs, and fabric softener", I totally had sounded like Kevin from Home Alone at the end. Apparently... I speak Kevin McCallister.

Oh and if you wanna know what it's about then you should go to the store and buy this right now. RIGHT NOW!!! I wont even give you a hint because you just need to own it. Don't be like me and not own it... until now.

xo, Steph

25 Days of Christmas - Day 7: My Christmas Wishlist

Dear Dave or any other family member that would like to gift me a present that is not in the form of a gift card, below is my Wishlist! I don't actually think anyone will get me this, especially not the clock or the shelf, although I'd like it. Dave made fun of me for wanting it! HOW RUDE! I know it's a jumbled bunch of everything but its a lot like my blog a bunch of randomness! :)

1. Bamboo Doily Clock/Etsy, 2. Flower Cutout Mini Shelf/Urban Outfitters, 3.Porcelain Bird Ring Dish/West Elm, 4. Stussy - Women's Lace Collar Dress/Amazon, 5. Like and Dislike Stamps/Urban Outfitters, 6. Starbucks Gift Card/Starbucks, 7. Smashbox Click You're It Eye Palette/Sephora, 8. Birds on a Wire Photo Clip - Set of 8/Urban Outfitters, 9. Womens Wellies EVEDON/Joules, 10. Tarte - The Starlet Limited-Edition Makeup Vanity/Sephora, 11. iPhone 4s/Verizon, 12. Tea Lovers To Go Cup/Urban Outfitters, 13. Wood Camera Tape Dispenser/Wanderlust (now that I look at this site again it appears to be under maintenance), 14. 2012 Calendar Little Foxes/Etsy, 15. 60's BRITISH ENVY Navy Blue and Floral Mini Dress/Etsy, 16. Beautyblender/Sephora, 17. Michael Kors Wallet Clutch for iPhone 4S (Red)/Apple, 18. Fujifilm Instax MINI 7s White Instant Film Camera/Amazon

I fully don't expect to get all, or any of this, but I've always been one to make a Christmas list and even at the ripe old age of 28 I still intend to do this.  What are you wishing for this Christmas? Doesn't have to be as much as me, I'm one who gives lots of options to my family. :)

xo, Steph

25 Days of Christmas - Day 4: Music by Travis

Some of you may not know this already but hubs and I are from California originally. We've been in Nashville for about 5 years, 5 LONG years. Nothing wrong with Nashville, I love it, but nothing is as good as home.   Out in LA there is a radio station called KROQ and their morning show, Kevin and Bean, has always been my favorite. In fact, we both love it so much that we listen online so we can still get our bit of home.  For quite a few years they would put out a Christmas CD. A collection of artists that we like, singing rad Christmas songs that we love.  All the songs are awesome, all the cd's are awesome, and if you can find them somewhere online then you should buy them. We own them, we're lucky enough to have friends local that would buy them for us and send them. My most favorite song from ANY of the albums is River performed by Travis. Oh goodness. Its amazing. I can't find the actual song because its exclusive to the cd, so buy it at the link I found on Amazon. Hopefully you'd find it and actually get it. Anyway... I DID find a clip on Youtube. So you can listen to whole clip, or skip to 3:35 in when the song starts but I listened to the whole clip cause its kinda neat to hear his accent. ;)  Ok. Hope you enjoy.

P.S. I hope you're enjoying my Daily Christmas. I know it's a bunch on nonsense, but its stuff I think is cool so I hope you think its cool too.
P.P.S. If you like my posts and want to stay up to date follow me on Bloglovin here:  

Until tomorrow.

xo, Steph

25 days of Christmas - Day 2: DIY Calendar

Calendars are like one of my most favorite things ever. I have this bad BAD habit of buying between 4-5 different calendars. When Dave and I got together we combined our calendars, he's just as bad as I am, I swear we had about 10 of them and I'm not even exaggerating, so we decided that since we had no where else to put that we would decorate our entire bedroom with Calendars. We did not have any decorations, just calendars. So we always knew what day it was. Currently in my office I have 5, 2 hanging, 2 daily and 1 day planner dealy. I'm really bad at changing the daily ones, even bad at changing the monthly but by the 15th I've usually gotten tired of looking at the tiny calendar in the corner of the previous month that I change it and then the cycle continues. So when I get the chance to be crafty with my calendars I am excited. Monthly I get this printable calendar email from Scout Creative, but I never put them together because I'm at work and I don't have glue. Well people... this month was MY month, I didn't have glue but I didn't care. I printed that bad boy off and swore up and down, crossed my heart that I was going to do this calendar and it was going to look great.... WELL.... I'm not so sure that it turned out quite like theirs, but it turned out at least. Oh and they do these calendars monthly so sign up for their newsletter cause its fun to get these in your inbox.

Here is what you need:

• Print off the Scout Creative Monthly calendar found here.
• Scissors
• Glue (probably a glue stick and not tape like I did)
• Nimble fingers

Then follow the instructions that are on the print out. First of all, I'd recommend not using tape like I did. I swore I could get away with it. You can't. Now you know. Second, you should probably learn what Mountain fold and Valley fold mean. I didn't, I just folded it where ever I wanted. Probably not a good idea. Thirdly, is thirdly even a word (?), don't get discouraged when your fat fingers can't make the tape stick. Its normal I bet, but you shouldn't have the problem if you follow my first tip. Thats all my tips for you, here are some pictures I took while doing it over my lunch break the other day. There aren't many photos cause I made this on a whim and self timer on my phone = not so good and easy to work.

Cut Cut Cut...

Fold Fold Fold

Nutcracker Head and Crown

All finished... Now can I go eat my greek yogurt?

This is where it will live till the end of December... Or the middle of January.

xo, Steph

P.S. This isn't a sponsored post. I'd tell you if it was, its just a cool freebie project. Fun for the holidays.

Wordless(ish) Wednesday... but posted on Thursday

Starbucks=LOVE <3

I didn't want to bombard you with a bajillion posts yesterday so I saved this one for today. :)

P.S. Today starts the 12 days of Holiday Gift Giving at Starbucks! Score!  So much for wordless-ness.

25 days of Christmas - Day 1

I have this plan. The plan is to write about 25 Christmas things over the next 25 days. I was fully intending of doing 30 days but then remembered when I was 28 days out from Christmas that maybe that wasn't going to happen. So we're going to stick with 25, and you should forget that I just told you that. HA!

Okay, today is Music. I was recently exposed to Phil Wickham, and his Christmas album Songs for Christmas.  Its a pretty awesome album, like SUPER AWESOME!!! Currently it is the only CD sitting in my car... That's not entirely true, its the only CD sitting in my CD player that I've been listening too. Gooo Christmas!!!

Anyway... today's song is O Come O Come Emmanuel, and its amazing. I usually like that song, its not one that I would put on repeat but I like it enough. There is just something about the way it was arranged on his CD that is just amazing- keep playing it on repeat amazing. Check it out here yo! And if you like this, then check out the rest of the album and buy it on iTunes or try to find it on CD. :) P.S. It sounds really awesome when its cloudy and dark and you have loud bass in your car, not that I would know, its just what I heard... from my car.

On Spotify here: Phil Wickham – O Come O Come Emmanuel

xo,Steph

Beanies for Preemies | Now thats something I can get behind

The fact is that I have an amazing friend, Kayla Aimee, who has an amazing daughter, Scarlette, who was born at the age of 25 weeks. She was a super micro-preemie, weighing in at 1 pound 8.6 ounces. I have yet to meet this wonderful babe, this amazingly strong babe, but I am forever changed by her strength and thankful that she was one of the very very lucky ones who survived being a micro-preemie and that I will have the opportunity to meet her when the winter quarantine has passed.  :) You hear that K.A. I'm coming to get ya. ;)

K.A. shared a story on her blog yesterday that really tugged at my heart, it actually made me cry... while in public.  Don't judge, I'm an emotional girl.  Its just a really touching thing. I'll let you read it here and then you can come back... Don't worry, I'll wait. I even made the link open in another window. ;) So since you read her story you know what I'm about to ask you to do. Please take a moment to make a Christmas or holiday beanie.  They are pretty easy to make. You could probably even use one of those knitting looms from Walmart and double up the yarn to make it tiny. Those knifty knitter looms are super easy to use.  You can donate it to her NICU and comment on her blog post about it, or you can even donate to one of your local NICU's. It won't bother me one bit, just do it. Sometimes, and 99% of all times, it's the little things that can make your day brighter, so why not bring just a little sunshine to someone who doesn't expect it, or someone who is having a rough time knowing that their little babe is sitting in the NICU on one of those holiday's that mean the most to you.  Wow. That was an intesnsly long run-on sentence. But really guys and gals, this would mean so much to me, but more for K.A. if you could do this!

xo, Steph

Pinterest Pretties - A Collection of Christmas Crafts

I don't know about you but I love love LOVE Pinterest.  I'm know I'm not the only one who is highly addicted to it. It's been a major inspiration for my outfits of the day, for craft ideas, food ideas, pretty much its been an inspiration for everything. Last weekend my Mother in law and I went to Michael's and scoured the store for supply products from my Christmas DIY board. I had about 5 or 6 things I wanted to make, but some of these projects get pricey. Sure my Mother in Law is awesome and she paid for my crafting supplies but there are just some things that even I wont let other people pay for. :)  Anywho... Here are the projects we're planning on doing on Thanksgiving for our fun Christmas Decor.

Glitter Candles with Double Stick Tape: This looks super easy and really rad. You can't go wrong with Tape and candles. Not sure if I will light mine but who knows. We got white candles, and I think I'm going to use this really pretty green glitter on them.

Glitter Pears : These seem pretty easy to do too. We bought some fake pears and some silver glitter. I already have tacky glue and I'm planning on following the same tricks that I did with my Halloween pumpkins. That idea can from Martha Stewart, and I'm just gonna change it up a bit.  EDIT: I made a little tutorial on making these. Check it out here.

Christmas Subway Art and Glitter Trees : So we're not making the sign. I am, but MIL wont be. I love this blog because they posted the download link for that sign, and I've already got a frame that I'll put it in. Now comes the fun part. GLITTER TREES!!!! Here is the DIY (Do it yourself, for those who don't know what that means, we all do but I wanted to sound fancy) ha!  I can't wait. Hot Dang those little Styrofoam cones are expensive! FOR REAL! That was one of those moments that I was glad I wasn't paying... and that I had a 20% off total purchase coupon.

Here are some things we aren't going to make, but I still want to.  I'm doing a craft day with one of my best girlie friends next week so maybe I'll try to do some then.

For sure I'm going to make these:

Maybe I can make this:

I already made one of these (the one of the top left) I still need to add one thing to it then I'll be done.

This is super adorable and I totally want to make it.

Those are all the crafts I want to make. I can't wait to actually try to do some of them. I'll take some photos when I'm done. Oh and if you want to follow me on Pinterest you totally can. I have lots of pins that I think are super rad!      

xo, Steph