My new toy!

1.10.13-

  Life will never be the same.  I finally took the plunge {decided to join the rest of the world} & upgraded to a smart phone. {My 1st one ever!}I am one happy Honeybee!

Oh, the possibilities & excitement! I've had fun playing around with & discovering all my new little buddy {iPhone} has to offer.  This has been a long time coming. 

-My first pic, in the car after purchasing the phone. Already loving the reverse camera so I can actually SEE what I'm taking a picture of instead of guessing.- 
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?Honeybee wants to know- what are some of your favorite apps that YOU love that you just can't live without? 
Tell me where to start, this is all so NeW to me. 
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  What a fun thing to write about for my 600th post. 
{Wow, I can't believe it!} 
The news of a smart phone for the honeybee. 

Can't wait to hear what all your favorite apps are. You can tell me here or over on the H&H FaceBook page. 
{thanks!}

{M}

Looking around

1.7.13- 

  Hi everyone.  I'm totally loving 2013!! I'm smitten with my OLW for the year & I can already feel it's power in my life.  I'm discovering things right & left & realizing how much I enjoy certain things.  Wanted to share a few of the things I've DiSCOVERED in the 1st week of 2013 with you. 

I realized that the picture on the H&H FaceBook page ties in perfectly with my word of the year. 

{how convenient, glad I discovered it & made the connection between the 2}

I'm ready to look ahead & discover many new things, have fun all around wherever I go 

{oh, I did last week, I can't wait to share with you.  Ideas for future stuff all over the place- so excited!} 

Discovering new things I want to know about & going places & seeing people. I love being out & about & connecting with people.  Really.. it thrills me to met friends & see inspiring places. Feeds my soul! 

Another thing that feeds my soul & makes me happy is CoLORS!  

Found this beautiful book in the bakery at the Grand America {a couple of weeks ago} was drawn to it right away for a couple reasons: the colors, photographs & Paris.  I've always had a desire to learn French 

{maybe this will be the year, I already looked up a website to learn how to pronounce the colors in French, so fun!} 

I also have a daughter who DReaMS of going there some day & with her interests & talents I'm sure she will get there.  

{go HERE for a sneak peek inside the book} 

Interesting story about the author of this book & how it came to be.  A Mom living in Paris, taking pictures while out pushing her children in a stroller around the city streets.

Did you know that Emerald is the color of the year? 

{Dorothy & Toto must be so thrilled!}

I will admit I don't use alot of this color but I'm excited to look for ways to bring it into my home decor, wardrobe &  H&H products this year. As you're out & about look for it & I'm sure you will see it starting to pop up everywhere. 

My freshly washed red car is so much happier to drive!  Looking out clean windows puts me in such a better mood. Are you like me?  The "Mom" car gets so neglected & abused from constant running errands, taking kids here & there that it kind of gets forgotten about? 
Glad that my favorite car wash gives discounts on Wednesday {the day I'm out running errands} 

this might have to become a weekly ritual. 

Got this lotion as a Christmas gift from a sweet friend & I love it!  It smells so good. 

It's quickly becoming my new favorite lotion & scent. 

I've also discovered that I accomplish so much more when I have music on.  I guess it just gets my blood flowing & I'm able to clean, cook or whatever so much more quicker & it puts me in a great mood. The tunes I'm listening to right now {thanks to the girls Christmas gifts to one another} is Taylor Swift's new CD, Red.  It's great. 

I haven't busted out the One Direction CD to listen too yet. 

Glad that I'm feeling invigorated so far in 2013, hope you are too. I've enjoyed keeping my eye open to some new things & noticing things that bring me joy & happiness & excitement. 

{such an amazing feeling} 

I look forward to sharing things I've Discovered throughout the year.  Maybe it might even be something new for you too. 

Thanks for all the sweet comments lately. I love hearing from you. Glad this blog is a happy place for you to hang out for a bit- that is my goal!  A positive, uplifting place to be.  

Thanks for stopping by. 

{M} 

A-ha moment -decor inspiration ahead!

1.4.12- 

Baby... it's CoLD outside! {-15 degrees at my house right now}  I wanted to share some of my Winter decorating ideas in case you are having a little bit of a brain freeze after the Holidays & don't know how to decorate now that all the Christmas has been boxed up & stored for another year. 

-Mini winter wonderland- 

  I love to decorate for the Holidays. My house is decked {in someway} in every room.  I used to go ALL-OUT putting up any & every winter/snow related item.  But I found that I would either get sick off it by the time Christmas came around or when it was time to put it all away the house felt so empty & sad.  So last year I figured out a solution to my decorating problem.  I simply didn't put up everything & set some aside to savor & welcome in January. 

{usually a bitter dreary month but not anymore in my home} 

I have started to collect Snowflakes 
{of every shape, color & size. No 2 are alike you know!} & Snowmen.  My collection {obsession} started at a Pottery Barn in No. Carolina 6 years ago when I spotted some cut glass snowflake ornaments & bought 8 of them.  Ever since then I try every holiday season to at least add 1 
{or more} snowflake to my collection.  

- A glittered postcard dangles from an old window pane- 

Come into my home & take a look at the Winter Wonderland inside 4011. 

Decorating Tip #1- Find new & unusual uses for things. 

{I'll show you a few ideas} 

- Love this glittery, sparkly Snowflake {that's actually a Christmas tree topper} that sits on our mantle upstairs.  The rays of the sun come in in the morning & strike it perfectly!- 

-Fill a vase or glass jar, any size, with fake snow & then toss in all sorts of Snowflakes for a wintery accessory-

Ooh, the infamous chicken feeder appears again.
{can't stop coming up for uses of this thing- post to come soon!} 
This time it's used to hold a blanket of fake snow & fragile, dainty & glass snowflakes. 

-Love how this glitters & shines on our kitchen table- 

-I like that I can look at these pictures & remember when & where I got each snowflake or which ones were given to me by friends & family.  Makes having a collection so fun!- 

Decorating Tip #2- Look around & see what you have to use. Don't go out & spend a lot of money to make a big impact in your home. 

I didn't know what saying to put up on our Marquee board so I asked the H&H FaceBook friends for some help.  Got this Japanese Proverb from my friend, Natalie, & I thought it was perfect!  I loved it because I could leave it up for the month of LoVE that is coming up too.  Such a sweet, thoughtful saying. 

{Be Kind everyone!} 

*Notice how I opened up the game closet & used the Uno & Rook cards.  Makes for a unexpected twist to the word board. Love it! Think about what you have & USE it. 

I didn't know what to put up on top of my mudroom shelf & then looked around & saw all the candlesticks I had.  Bundled them all together to make a great statement.  Love the mix of medals, wood, colors & heights together. 

-Again I just dug into my snowflake collection & hung some off of the hooks & off one another to create a dangling affect.  The vintage ice skates add the perfect winter touch.-

-Vintage Coolers!  Who knew collecting these years ago would tie in perfect to the winter theme around here. Paired with the Hot Cocoa tin sign- fabulous!- 

-Hector hanging out next to this adorable house winter scene.  Can't get enough of these glittered little snowballs!  Hope you got some at The H&H Holiday Show.  The boundaries are set by pouring them into a cake stand.  Again, look around & see what you have.

Decorating Tip #3- Group things together.  You've noticed that in the photos above but check these next ones out. 

-Group large & small things together. I always like the rule of ODD numbers together.  3 or 5 things together is my favorite decorating combo. I don't know why, it just looks better that way- 

-Hanging Snowflakes, with fishing line, from the chandelier above our kitchen table. Absolutely love this idea!  Makes for a fabulous conversation piece over dinner with family or friends.- 

-Again a grouping of 3 snowflakes placed in a little of an unexpected place- 

-The table in the middle of our great room.  Love the holiday poinsettia, another glass vase filled with snow & snowflakes & this fabulous owl dish I got as a Christmas present this year.  Love it because it reminds me of my little family of 5- 

-Isn't it the cutest?- 

 Decorating tip #4- Look high & low for decorating opportunities. Place things all over your home.  It's fun to attract your eye to different spots that are a bit unexpected. 

{Okay, this next collection is really want started my love for all things snowy, winter & wonderful. I used to have to really look for them but now they seem to be everywhere.}

-Placed some of my houses up on top of a green hutch- 

- I also filled every little cubby on the wire rack in our dining room with houses & bottle brush trees.  This I had up for Christmas but just left it up for the winter months.  

-again another snowflake stuck in a unexpected spot on the side of the rack. I think these snowflakes might just be my favorite but don't tell the other ones ;) - 

This display is using all the decorating tips in one- grouping, using what you have, unexpected way & setting up high. This little glass, snow globe display sits above our kitchen sink.  Love that each jar & bottle is filled with something different.  Love the variety.

Decorating Tip #5- Go Big! Sometimes I just like to put it all out there in a big mix matched grouping that is just fun & whimsical. This is the collection I put together this year on our stair case ledge. 

- Love the randomness & color scheme of the ledge.  I just put together a bunch of things that I love that I thought tied in well together for Wintertime- 

-A vintage H&H frame, holding one of my all-time favorite pictures of {A} playing in the snow. Makes me happy every year I put it up-  

-Some more of my favorite H&H things, blocks & a vintage blue frame with the word snow spelled out in different letters- 

-Like this little cluster on the ledge of a snowflake, wooden raw trees & a sledding book. Love the cover of it!- 

-Another cute grouping of this & that.  H&H blocks, star string art & snowflake frame- 

-In the family room I placed this vintage sled with some old family ice skates & a bucket of glittered snowballs. Again looking around & seeing what you have to work with.- 

-My snowman collection in all it's glory! Love each one of these guys.  They make me smile when I see them all set up & on display together.  Each with their own personality & flair.- 

-This little grouping shows off my philosophy about going big.  Look at the different colors, textures & styles  & they all work so well together-

-My favorite thing on the mantle downstairs.  A little scrap piece of wood that {E} saw & turned into a snow globe using some colored pencils, so precious to me-

-Some more of my favorite men hanging out together!  Some H&H goods in there as well- snow sign, blocks & Mr. Frosty in a frame, all so fun to create & make!- 

I hope this little tour around my winter wonderland has inspired you to shake off those winter blues & post Christmas let down & spruce up your home with some winter things. 

I'm so glad I don't put all this stuff out at Christmas I love giving it all their own time to shine, sparkle & bring us joy in the month of January.  

Hope you all have a wonderful day! 

Thanks for stopping by. 

{M} 

My one little word for 2013

1.2.13- 

HappY NeW YeaR! 

LoVE the start of a fresh new year with a clean slate full of wonder, goals & possibilities!  

  Have you ever realized how much one little word can make a huge difference?  For the past 3 years I've chosen a word to focus on & to have as my mantra for the fresh year ahead.  {Got the idea from Here} It's amazing as I reflect at the end of each year & see the silent impact one simple little word has brought into my life with out me even realizing it.  

here are my past words: 2010, 2011, 2012 

-SAVORing & enjoying every second of my surprise 38th birthday party- 

All my past words have served me well.  They each mean something so special to me. 

This past year I really tried to Savor & enjoy all that was going on in my life & around me.  I learned to let some things go {which is hard for me to not always be in charge or in control of things} 
& everything will be fine.  That was a great lesson for me to learn.  

I've thought, pondered, jotted down lots of opinions for my word of the year.  I've tried to listen for a word to speak to me that I should pick for 2013.  I've been thinking for awhile that it has to something with growing & learning. 
{I really want to embrace those concepts this year} 
But I wanted it to be a strong word & involving action. After some thought my word for 2013 is . . 

- Discover -
Oh, the possibilities..... joys, a love for something new, travel, try new foods, new opportunities, uncover hidden talents, interests, have an adventure, learn new things, expand, grow, explore!

Here is the official definition:

I love it!  I'm feeling energized & excited for the year ahead.  Not that I'm going to discover something that no one else in the world has ever seen before but DiSCOVER new things for myself. I really want to learn, discover hidden talents & explore new paths.  Think outside the box to grow & learn as I go. 

Here are just a  couple of the ways I'm going to Discover.
1- my One Line a Day journal
{jot down something everyday,I've discovered or learned}
2- Crossword puzzles 
{oh, help me!  I'm going to discover a new way of thinking & some new words along the way.  2 of the smartest ladies I know, both are 94, do crossword puzzles daily. So I thought it would be a good thing to try} 

I'd love to hear from you. Do you have a word for the year?  Have you ever tried this before?  If you haven't you SHOULD- I've seen the power of it in my own life & I love it! 
{* leave me a comment & tell my your word for 2013} 

If you want some help picking a word go over to Ali's blog & she has a list of words from her readers that might spark your interest. 
**the most important part is once you've picked a word to WRITE it down somewhere to see everyday!

Found this quote & thought it tied in beautifully with my word for 2013. 
"I've learned that everyone wants to live on top of the mountain but all the happiness & growth occurs while you're climbing it"
-unknown 

Thanks for stopping by- off to Discover & climb the mountain! 
{so excited!} 

{M} 

Hello.... 2013

1.1.13- 

Happy New Year everyone!  Hope you are having a wonderful 1st day of 2013. How was your NeW YeaRS EvE?  

-Ours was fabulous!  Lots of yummy food & sparkling cider.  I'm thinking of saving these green babies for a centerpiece for next year's party.  I think they will be cute with taper candles in them lined up on the buffet- 

Today I'm participating in a tradition around our home called - the Quigley Clean Out!  My hubby & I started this when we were first married of cleaning out a drawer, closet or something on New Years Day & now our whole family does it.  Love the feeling of getting rid of the old & welcoming a fresh clean start.  

{I'll be making a large deposit at the D.I. tomorrow } 

Can't wait to share with you my One Little Word for 2013 & a few other things.  Well... back to cleaning & organizing. Just wanted to pop in quick & wish you all a wonderful year ahead.  Thanks for following this blog & coming along on this journey with me.  

{xoxoxo} 

To 2013- YiPPee! 

{M}