blog break.

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I've decided to take a little break from blogging (if you couldn't tell already). Keeping up with this has started to feel more like a chore than a pleasure, which completely goes against my reasons for starting it in the first place. Maybe it's the winter, or maybe it's my over-saturation with all things internet, but it's time to take a step back. I'm sure I'll find blogging inspiration again, but in the meantime I'll be reading more (real books!), doing more personal writing, and working on some fun new Etsy projects. Thanks for reading.

house resolutions.

When I was making my list of resolutions last week, a lot of them had to do with the house. So I thought I'd list what I hope to accomplish at home this year.

 I want my patio to feel like this.

Our front and backyard gardens are small, but they need a lot of work. Out front, I want to fill the bed with rosemary, lavender, mint, and other herbs. Out back, I hope to have built a patio by the spring and to surround it with lush, tropical plants.

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I want to paint the front porch ceiling haint blue.

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I want to incorporate more fun textiles into the decor, from homemade pillows to rugs to roman shades.

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Our bedroom is boring. With a wash of grey paint, some art, and better closet organization to decrease clutter, I hope to make it feel more like a hotel room.

Speaking of art, I want a lot more of it. I've been trolling Etsy for affordable prints to use for a gallery wall.

 

I'd love to find something like this for extra storage in the kitchen.

Or this for the dining room.

We've bought mostly new furniture in the past year, mostly out of necessity — we had a lot to replace after the fire. From now on I'd rather keep my eye on Craigslist, yard sales, and thrift stores for unique, quality pieces that can be customized for our home.

2012.

I've seen a lot of anti-resolutions posts this year, saying it's better to take a daily approach to bettering yourself. I agree on some level, but I love to set goals for myself at the beginning of each year and then at the end look back to see what I've accomplished. I feel good about 2012, since it's the first year I don't have something huge (like a wedding or house-buying) looming on the horizon, so I can focus my attention on other things.

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Get Lost. In 2011, I spent my vacation days and travel budget on visiting family, and it was wonderful. But I'm in desperate need of an adventure. I'd love to commit to going somewhere new each season — whether it be New Orleans, Asheville, or Venice.

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Get Crafty. I've found so many projects (mostly via Pinterest) that I want to try but rarely get around to doing. Whether I have to force myself to go to Michael's or host a craft night with friends, I will get my craft on this year. Starting with this, this, or this.

Write. After more than 10 years, I think I'll start keeping a personal journal again. I also want to do more freelancing and maybe even write some poetry.

Get Strummy. I got Todd a ukulele for Christmas (two actually, long story), and I plan to borrow it and learn how to play. I've always wanted to play a musical instrument and this one seems easy enough to learn.

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Stay Home. Todd and I both stayed so busy this year that a weekend at home with absolutely nothing to do seemed like a luxury. We have so many plans for this little house, and we can't make them happen if we're running around town like hooligans. Here's to porch-sitting, dinner parties, painting, gardening, and patio-building.

happy holidays.

Happy holidays to everyone. I hope if you're going home, you've arrived safely (and without two flat tires, like we did). Tonight we're tasked with making the Christmas Eve meal, so I'm looking up recipes that should please some picky palates.

What's your favorite Christmas dish? Is it basically Thanksgiving deja vu or is it completely different? Does your family booze it up or do you stick to non-alcoholic beverages? Do you get to open a gift on Christmas Eve? (Me: Pretty much deja vu, and happy with it; maybe a glass or two of wine, although I'm considering a specialty cocktail for tonight; yes, but I already opened my gift at 1 a.m. this morning — a bike basket from Todd!)

wrap stars.

I've been quite the procrastinator this Christmas, waiting until this week to buy most of my gifts. And half of them aren't even wrapped yet. At this point I doubt I'll even put much effort into wrapping, but if I had a little more time, I'd be all about making them so pretty you wouldn't even want to unwrap them.

simple but pretty.

put a name on it.

I love this because it's reusable after unwrapping!

How could you even consider unwrapping these? They're little works of art.

white christmas.

I really want a white Christmas. I've only experienced a handful in my lifetime of Southern winters, and it's currently 75 degrees and sunny outside, but I still have this tiny unrealistic childish hope that we'll wake up to a blanket of snow on Christmas morning.

These photos are all from my Tumblr.

dogs at the beach.

On Sunday we took Muni and his cousin Sammy to Sullivan's Island to play in the water. Although technically dogs aren't allowed off-leash on local beaches (unless you're a crazy early bird), the beaches are fairly empty in the winter so you won't be hassled.

Sammy enjoyed chasing his ball into the tidepool, while Muni preferred to wait in the shallows or run along the surf. Seriously, there's nothing more joyful than a dog allowed to run free on the beach.