2017 in Review: My Favorite Posts of the Year

At the start of the new year, I do a round-up of my favorite posts of the year. These are sometimes my most popular posts, sometimes my least popular posts, or sometimes just posts that I want to include. It's always fun to look back and see the different tips, tricks, and stories I've told, and I am always reminded of the great things that I've accomplished in a year. 

2017 brought one huge change for us: we renovated our home. It's hard to imagine that at the beginning of 2017, we did not have a roof, but by the end of the year, we not only have a roof, walls, floors, and decor, but we also hosted family here for Christmas. It truly is crazy what happens in a year. 

As I move into 2018, I'm reflecting on the past year both personally and for the blog. I am hoping to bring content that is worth-while and not what every other blogger is doing because frankly, I'm sick of reading the same stuff over and over. I'm determined to only share when I feel like I have something to say. I am also determined to share more personal posts that don't gloss over the important things happening in the world around us. 

Personally, I'm sure like most of you, I'm hoping to consider self care. I know that's such a buzzy word right now, but it is what it is, and it is something I need to pay attention to. And self care doesn't just mean diet/exercise. I want to read more. I want to say no more. I want to sleep better. I want to get back to my daily scripture reading. I want to see my friends more. I want to travel more. Basically, I want to do what I want to do, not what I feel obligated to do. 

I'll let you know how it goes. 

In the meantime, here are my favorite posts of 2017. Enjoy them and cheers to the New Year! 

January: 5 Reasons Why Bachelorette Parties are Better in your 30s

February: How to Wear Joggers in Public

March: My Current Favorite Podcasts

April: 5 Favorite Online Home Stores

May: PPD Renovates: The Outside is DONE

June: Genius Trick to Revolutionize Summer Beverages

July: 30A Hidden Gems

August: How to Make an IG Stories Graphic

September: Fall Style + Closet Overhaul

October: A Personal, Political, & Perhaps Unpopular Post

November: Caramel Baked Apples

December: Christmas Home Tour

Cherry Bourbon Sweet Tea Floats

With Christmas this weekend (!!!!), I wanted to take my annual blog break with a little holiday treat perfect for your Christmas or New Years Eve parties: Cherry Bourbon Sweet Tea Floats. Want the scoop on this boozy treat? I'm so glad you asked. 

I have to admit it: I am usually not a bourbon/whiskey drinker, but we always have it in the house because my husband loves Manhattans. I'm also regularly jealous of the gourmet cherries he gets in his cocktails when we go out to dinner. When I was dreaming-up the perfect Southern cocktail for the week's festivities, I immediately thought of combining the South's best elixirs: bourbon and sweet tea. 

This cocktail calls for my favorite sweet tea, Southern Breeze Sweet Tea, whatever bourbon (or whiskey) you have on hand, and a few scoops of cherry vanilla ice cream. Put these cocktails in fun mason jars or pretty them up in your favorite cocktail glasses. Don't forget to add a sparkly drink stirrer and give your guests a straw, too. These are a little too thick to sip strawless. 

What I love about this cocktail is that it's perfect for all tastebuds, and you can easily leave out the bourbon for kids or other non-drinkers. Like I say, a family that sips together, stays together. Have an absolutely wonderful Christmas and New Years! I'll see you in 2017! Cheers!  

Cherry Bourbon Sweet Tea Floats

serves 1

You will need:

- 3 scoops cherry vanilla ice cream, softened (I used Haagen Dazs) 

- .75 oz of bourbon (use a full shot for someone who likes a stiff drink)

- 4 oz Southern Breeze Sweet Tea, original

Directions:

Add three scoops of cherry vanilla ice cream to an empty mason jar. Add bourbon and top with sweet tea. Serve with a festive drink stirrer and a straw. Enjoy! 

This post is sponsored by Southern Breeze Sweet tea. All opinions & recipes are my own. 

Custom Holiday Cards with Minted

If I know anything about myself, it's that I am a girl who likes routine. My morning starts the same way everyday, if I find a sweater I love, I buy it in three colors, and I always always always get my custom holiday cards from Minted. This is my third year getting our holiday cards at Minted (and yesterday happened to be my 3rd wedding anniversary!). Since we got married December 1st, and I knew I wanted to have a few wedding photos for our first holiday card, I started the tradition of sending New Years cards instead of Christmas cards. 

Even though that means our holiday cards come a little after the rush, I know that it also means that our friends and family get snail mail later in the holiday season. Gotta stretch the holiday spirit, right?! 

Minted offers tons of customization options. Every card usually offers several colorways, and you can always change the text. This year, I noticed more cards than ever before can be designed with sayings like "Happy Holidays" or "Happy New Year." It's great to see options that fit everyone's beliefs and traditions. 

The card I chose this year can be done in six different colors or six different foil options. It comes in postcard size, petite size (4.5 x 6), or classic size (5 x7). You can choose rounded corners or square, and there are several options for the back and for envelop colors. So. Many. Possibilities!  

Perhaps my favorite part of using Minted for custom holiday cards is that they print envelopes for you. Envelopes always stress me out, so it's a huge relief not to have to handwrite all of them. Instead, I can add a custom note to the back, or if I'm being totally honest, place a stamp on the coordinating envelope, pop it in the mail, and call it a day. If you're still in the market for holiday cards, be sure to check out Minted. They're often running sales and specials, and their gorgeous quality can't be beat. For now, enjoy a sneak peek at our 2017 New Year's cards.

P.S. If you're not quite sure how to write your name on your Christmas cards, this guide will answer all of your questions. Bottom line: no apostrophes catastrophes.

I received my holiday cards in exchange for this post, but all opinions about this brand are my own! 

Ten Items to Improve Productivity

It's the middle of the week which means most of us are in a little bit of a midweek slump. If you're struggling to be productive today, I'm bringing you ten items that just might help you make a turn for the better. Some of these items you might already have, and some you might need to pick up. Take a look at the ten items you need to improve productivity in 2016:

1. Water Bottle: Keep a water bottle at your desk (the bigger the better) to keep from having to get up to go back and forth to the kitchen for a glass of H20. A larger water bottle is perfect for this because it allows you to fill up once or twice and be done with it. 

2. Desk Calendar: Closing your tabs or opening up your Google calendar just to see the date is time consuming (and annoying). Pick up a desk calendar for quick glances at the date. I love mine from Karen Adams Designs because it doesn't take up a lot of space (and is beautiful, too!). 

3. Comfortable Headphones: Tune out distractions with a pair of comfortable headphones or earbuds. I never knew what I was missing until I scooped up a pair of over ear Bose headphones. They are so comfortable that I can wear them for hours at a time. 

4. Notepads: Pick up cute notepads as you come across them. I love finding mine in the dollar section at Target or in paper boutiques around town. My fresh list notepad from Matrick and Eve is one of my favorites!

5. Lamp: While it might not seem necessary with overhead lighting, the soft glow of a lamp can be so much more soothing and easier on the eyes. I use mine daily, and it casts the most glorious glow on my desk. 

6. Jawbone: I mentioned earlier that I received a Jawbone Up3 as one of my Christmas gifts. Set reminders on your phone to have your Jawbone buzz slightly at opportune times throughout the day. 

7. File folders: Like notepads, file folders help keep things organized. Since starting my business, I am trying to be dedicated about keeping receipts, invoices, and other paperwork in specific, designated places. Plus, cute file folders can be found just about anywhere (although I've seen some some of the cutest at TJMaxx).

8. External hard drives: Clean up precious computer space with external hard drives. A few hours spent transferring files will be well worth it once you have more space (and zero anxiety about crashing computers). 

9. Colorful pens: If you are a paper calendar kind of gal, colorful pens are your new BFF. Designate certain colors for certain obligations. Pink for meetings, blue for appointments, green for personal events. Your calendar will be so fun you'll actually want to fill it in (and look at it later!).

10. Trays, pencil holders, etc.: Make sure everything on your desk's surface has a home. That means pens and pencils in a holder and stray papers in a tray. Not only will this make your desk cleaner, but you won't be too easily distracted. Just don't forget to clean that tray out from time to time! 

2016 Word of the Year

A few years ago, my blogging friend Mandy, started a tradition for her new years resolutions. Instead of listing several resolutions, she committed to having a word to guide her throughout the year (you can read her most recent post about it here). At first, this idea seemed way too broad for me. I thought I needed specifics that I could hold myself accountable for. But then, after some reflection, I thought about how much easier it would be if I just had one word to manage and to take into consideration as I entered a new year. 

While I am doing somewhat of a combination of specifics and generalizations, I've decided to use one word to guide my year, and therefore, guide my new years resolutions. Like Mandy, I made a list of words that I felt like matched what I was going for: I wanted to spend more time reflecting, pare down my commitments, try to be more positive when my first thoughts are usually negative, and of course, lose a little weight. After looking over my list, I decided that I wanted a word that was active, not passive; a verb that encouraged me to think before acting...so my word for 2016 is: consider. 

Consider reaching for the fruit over the cookie.

Consider donating some of my vast book collection to Goodwill (or even a charity). 

Consider volunteering some of my time. 

Consider saying no to that event. 

Consider making smarter wardrobe purchases. 

I was amazed how "consider" really represented everything I wanted to try to do in 2016. So far, I've used the word a ton to guide my decisions. I think this will be a great way for me to stick to my resolutions! 

Do you do traditional resolutions or choose a guiding word? Both? Would love to hear! 

photo via

2015 Year in Review

One of my favorite things to do in the new year is a round-up of my favorite posts from the previous year. 2015 was a big year for me personally, but even more so professionally. I love that I have the blog to document everything that has happened in the past year. Here's a quick trip down memory lane:

January -  No sew Valentine's Day placemats

February - Unique ways to make money blogging

March - Chambray in the city 

April - Girl power podcasts you should listen to

May - Cha-cha-changes!

June - A fabulous trip to Mexico 

July - Summer's must-have to beat the heat 

August - A healthy, dairy free quesadilla 

September - Apple picking in Ellijay

October - A French delicacy in our own backyard 

November - A bar cart twist 

December - A party for the record books 

Favorite Healthy Finds from Across the Web

Happy 2016 everyone! I cannot believe it's already time for a new year. I hope you all had a fantastic holiday season sipping cocktails, eating great food, spending time with loved ones, and above all, relaxing. 

As always, a new year means health and fitness is on everyone's mind. While some people roll their eyes at things like resolutions, I happen to think the focus on improving your health is a good thing. In fact, for me personally, I just want to be nicer to my body after all of those yummy sugary foods and beverages from December. Who ever said that was a bad thing? 

Over the past week or so, I've been scouring the web looking for my favorite healthy finds. In today's post, I've rounded up a few of my top health-related sites for you. Take a look:

Best Healthy Eating Sites:

SkinnyTaste - Gina has been my go-to for yummy recipes for years. I'm certain you've seen her pins all over Pinterest, and I have never had a Gina meal that I didn't love. Usually, at least two or three of our meals each week are SkinnyTaste recipes...they're that good!

The Wholesome Bowl - If you haven't seen Amalia's beautiful Instagram, stop what you're doing and follow her. Not only are her creations gorgeous, but they look delicious, too. I've tried a few of her bowl recipes, and I am looking forward to adding more to my arsenal. 

Against All Grain - Danielle is the paleo queen, and while we don't stick to a paleo diet, I love trying paleo recipes. Danielle has many many cookbooks under her belt and a bevy of recipes on her blog. And let's talk about this marshmallow s'more tart she recently posted. Don't mind if I healthily do...

Best Juicing Plan:

Annette Joseph Style - Annette Joseph is a lifestyle expert, cooking extraordinaire, teacher, photo stylist and more. Every January she does a 21 day juice cleanse which she refers to as Juice January. Even though her program started on January 1st, you can still incorporate juices into your daily routine! Check out her site for great recipes. 

Simple Green Smoothies - The Simple Green Smoothie girls are some of my favorite people to follow in Instagram. Their smoothies are DELICIOUS and their feed is beautiful. They just kicked-off their 30 day challenge to incorporate 1 green smoothie per day into your diet. It's a totally do-able feat especially given that they post so many of their recipes on their Instagram. 

Best Inspirational Podcast:

One Part Podcast - I've talked about how much I love Jessica Murnane's One Part Podcast before, so just trust me on this one and subscribe. Jessica interviews some fascinating people (both inside and outside of the blogger/foodie world). The one thing that she always does is have each guest end with a plant-based recipe they want to try! 

Best Online Snacks:

2 Moms in the Raw - Thanks to One Part Podcast, I recently discovered 2 Moms in the Raw. Their granola bars and other snacks are supposed to be incredible (hello chocolate truffles), and I can't wait to scoop some up at my local Whole Foods.  

Perfect Fit Protein - Brought to us by the Tone It Up ladies, Perfect Fit Protein is supposedly some of the healthiest and tastiest proteins around. I ordered some last weekend, and I'll be sure to let you know how it is ASAP! (P.S. it's on sale!) 

Of course, if you need even more inspiration, be sure to follow my Healthy Eating & Motivational Pinterest boards. Lots to see there!  I got a JawboneUp3 for Christmas, and I can actually say that it's helping me be more motivated (yesterday's devotion to Netflix aside). What is helping you stay on top of your game? And if you have other healthy sites you love, please let me know about them in the comments! 

Unique Table Runners: Setting your table for 3 major holidays

Wrapping paper is one of the most versatile things in your entertaining arsenal. While it can of course be used for making gifts look lovely, wrapping paper has many other uses, too. My personal favorite, is using it for a quick table runner. Not only will it bring instant color to your table, but it makes clean-up a breeze. 

Last week I took a stroll through my local Hallmark to check-out their wrapping paper section. Not only was I greeted with fabulous paper, but I also found an incredible selection of accessories and tags which, as you will see, make great table accessories and name plates. Plus, Hallmark was running a special in which if you bought one roll of paper, you got an additional roll for $1...not to mention several of my wrapping paper choices were already on sale for 30% off. Two thumbs up, Hallmark. 

Since I found so many beautiful wrapping papers, I decided to show you how to achieve an easy table look fit for the next three major holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Years Eve. Since I wanted to make it a point to use what you have, I didn't change any of the items I used other than the wrapping paper & name plates (all from Hallmark). Everything else is straight from my own collection of china & glassware. In my opinion, you don't have to buy something new to host, especially with these gift accessories from Hallmark. 

Take a look at my video showing a quick glimpse into each tablescape, or scroll down for more information on creating three beautiful tables of your own:

Thanksgiving: Use brown craft paper from Hallmark for this table runner. The best part? It is the perfect width, so you can easily add it over your favorite tablecloth without having to worry about cutting a straight line. Add a leaf with guests name (from your own yard) for a splash of color. Oh, and don't forget to have to-go boxes readily available to send guests home with leftovers. I love these brown boxes tied up with ribbon. 

Christmas: For Christmas, I'm loving classic red this season, so I chose a plaid wrapping paper for my table runner. I also picked up two red bells & two red ornaments to serve as place cards. I love that each guest can take their place setting gift home and add it to their own tree. 

New Years Eve: New Years Eve is an excuse to get glamorous. Use silver chargers (seen in every other tablescape) against metallic scallop paper from Hallmark. I love the glimmer that dances off of the stemware from the paper. I also used gift tags as place cards. Instead of writing guests name, write fun New Years Eve inspired words like "cheers," "clink," "pop," and "fizz." 

There you have it! Three tables without changing more than the table runners & takeaway gifts! All thanks to the amazing selection of Christmas decor at Hallmark. 

What are your tricks for setting your holiday tables?