Gratefulness; Day One

Not surprisingly, Thanksgiving is this Thursday. I’ve been focusing a lot lately on just how much I have to be thankful for. Honestly, I have no words for how blessed I am. I was at a loss at how to even start articulating how I feel. I want to shout it from the rooftops, but I get so caught up in finding the right tone. Am I being trite or cliché? Does that come across the way I want it to? On, and on. Lately, though, I’ve been hit with so many messages about the importance of sharing your journey, where you’re coming from. Not least of which was during Sunday’s sermon. Growing up in the church I’ve heard thankfulness preached all of my life. Different ways to express it. How-to lists from the complex to the simple. This time though, it hit home in a new way. Why am I not singing from the rooftops? Why do I let myself get so caught up in the method that I just throw it in the towel all together? Ridiculous.

What this means is that I have some changes coming, both big and subtle. What this means for now is that I’ll be taking a feather from the cap of Oh, Hello Friend and her week long thankfulness challenge. Each day this week I’ll be posting a list of 10 things that I’m thankful for. Some will be serious, some will seem silly, but they’re all heartfelt expressions of my gratitude. I’ll also be sharing snapshots of what my daily life looks like. Those trips to Starbucks and strolls to work. The little things that make up my life. And I invite you along. What are you thankful for? I’d love to see your lists in the comments or on your blog.

I am thankful for…

● Grace. Without this, nothing else would matter.
● Friends. I couldn’t have asked for a more amazing support system. To have people that love me even when I’m at my worst still boggles my mind.
● Family. Ditto with my family. Particularly my mom. Her strength to never give up no matter what the situation and her amazing, unconditional love amaze me daily.
● Opportunities. These past two months have shown me more and more how blessed I am to have the opportunities I’ve been given.
● Laughter.
● Trials. The times that test my limits and grow my perseverance. Knowing that I have God’s strength to rely on along the way, because without it I would crumble.
● Hot coffee on chilly days. And the time to sit, think, and read that goes along with it.
● Connections. I am so thankful for the amazing connections I’ve made through the internet. To be able to meet and get to know people from around the world.
● Good books.
● The holiday season. I love seeing people come together. I love the music. I love the food. I love all of the extra opportunities to get together and celebrate.

Twelve by 2012

I've been a little out of sorts this past month or so. Not so much in a bad way, but with all of these major changes happening in my life right now I've found myself floundering while I wait for some of the details that are out of my hands to finish processing. In that way, I've found myself with a distinct lack of direction, even though there is so much that I want to accomplish. Enter Danni from Oh, Hello Friend. As a lover of lists I've decided to participate in her Twelve by 2012 project to, hopefully, get in gear before the year is out. My list is primarily little projects that have been sitting around (some for years) just waiting to be finished. When the new year begins, I'd like it to dawn on a fresh start of sorts. What would you like to accomplish before the year is up?

1. Write letters. At least twelve of them.
2. Finish folding cranes with the paper I have.
3. Figure out how to do a fantastic, metallic eye look.
4. Submit at least one photo to Somerset Life.
5. Go apple picking and bake a pie with the results.
6. Make truffles again. Experiment with new flavors.
7. Finish knitting a scarf.
8. Master crepe making.
9. Take at least one photo a day until the end of the year.
10. Catch up completely with my Google Reader.
11. Finish memorizing up through at least through James 1.
12. Debut the new layout for Quirky Charm and Quirky Girl's Las Vegas.

On the Right Foot

1. Amigurumi Bat, 2. i'm a hoarder, 3. leaf&clover journal, 4. Fête foraine

Happy Monday everyone! Welcome to my weekly post where I will be sharing some of the flickr photos that inspire me, things I loved about the previous week, things I'm looking forward to, and some of my favorite links. Please feel free to join me either in comments or via your own blog, I would love to see what's inspiring you ❤

★ Studio Ghibli | Studio Ghibli films, particularly Kiki's Delivery Service, were a major part of my childhood. They're fill with magic, wonder, and whimsy and they always left me filled with awe. This past week I had the desire to start re-watching my favorites, both past and present thanks to both my personal collection and that at the library. Starting out with My Neighbor Totoro I am being taken on a journey through my childhood and I am loving every minute of it.

☆ Frozen Yogurt | The weather here has been pretty much miserable lately so any way to beat the heat is appreciated, especially if it involves something sweetly delicious. Frozen yogurt fits that bill perfectly. While I like to experiment with interesting flavors like raspberry pomegranate, I'm also loving classic combinations like mint/chocolate and peanut butter/chocolate.

★ New Opportunities | I've not been having the best of luck with my job hunt so far, but this week I've found some new opportunities that I'm really excited about. This whole process has been teaching me that despite the setbacks I need to keep my head held high because the best possibility is waiting just around the corner.

☆ Things I'm Anticipating | exploring new libraries • ngreat new movies • sunrise at the laket • ... and so much more!

cute web games @ orisinal • love bugs in a candle holder @ a fanciful twist • love story meets viva la vida • a dream of a day @ the lost princess

On The Right Foot

1. gift box cake, 2. let it rain stars, 3. Awaiting Doors, 4. Walruses bento

Happy Monday everyone! Welcome to my weekly post where I will be sharing some of the flickr photos that inspire me, things I loved about the previous week, things I'm looking forward to, and some of my favorite links. Please feel free to join me either in comments or via your own blog, I would love to see what's inspiring you ❤

★ Blogathon 2009 | Now that I'm nice and rested I can look back at this weekend and declare the blogathon a success. Though I was tired (and starting to not feel well) I think this was the best year yet. I was able to raise $20 for First Book (and their link will be staying in the sidebar if you're interested in donating, but aren't able to right now) and I had a blast posting and talking to some awesome people. I would like to give special thanks to the site maintainers that made this year possible, my awesome monitor (and everyone who stopped by with a comment) for keeping me going, and an extra special thanks to Dave and Noelle for their donations. I already have some fun ideas brewing for next year.

☆ Family Staycation | Both my mom and stepdad had the week off last week for the sole purpose of staying at home and relaxing around town. It was a blast hanging out, going shopping, spending hours with good books, watching movies, and trying some new spots of interest around town. Bliss.

★ Good Football | This weekend had quite a lot of hit. The two highlights for me were Seattle v. Chicago and AC Milan v. Inter Milan. Neither of my favorite teams pulled a victory, but both put on a fun match to watch.

☆ Tasty Cupcakes | I plan on doing a full post on this, but I couldn't resist mentioning it in the meantime. Recently there was a post on Bakerella about Retro Bakery in Las Vegas. I don't live in that area of town and therefore hadn't seen it before so mom and I felt that a little drive was in order. It was so worth it. We both had the Milk & Cookies variety and it was simply amazing. I'm looking forward to sampling the Maple Bacon next (I am intrigued by the thought of bacon in a cupcake).

☆ Things I'm Anticipating | getting my transcripts in so I can apply at the school district • new books to read and movies to see • making a dent in my new to-do list • ... and so much more!

bright pink peony love @ green wedding shoes • paper flower madness (a tutorial) @ a fanciful twist • picking perfect pink paint @ making it lovely

Notebooks

1. Moleskine ... the legendary notebook of Van Gogh, Chatwin, Hemingway, Matisse and Céline~, 2. Bird perched upon my notebook, 3. 'Vintage Autumn' notebooks, 4. Pocketsize notebooks

It's no secret that I love notebooks. They're definitely one of my biggest shopping addictions, I can rarely leave a store without at least browsing the notebook section. I have dozens of them around my room (many have yet to find their purpose) for various uses. I have minis for to-do lists and to stash in my purse before leaving the condo. I have a hardcover beauty to use as a journal. I keep larger ones filled with lists of all sorts. I use large sketchbooks for keeping track of inspirations and I always have a small one by my computer for moments of inspiration. I love reading through pages of old notebooks, filled years ago. Even now I have an open notebook keeping track of what I've posted so far today. Are you a notebook fan?

Nothing new to report this time around beyond that I love the playlist that I've put together to listen to this year.

On the Right Foot

1. earringshoops, 2. little boy hoo, 3. rainbow and cloud cupcakes, 4. My Birds

Happy Monday everyone! Welcome to my weekly post where I will be sharing some of the flickr photos that inspire me, things I loved about the previous week, things I'm looking forward to, and some of my favorite links. Please feel free to join me either in comments or via your own blog, I would love to see what's inspiring you ❤

★ Getting Back on Track | These past couple of weeks have been chaotic (in both good and bad ways), but it's nice to start finding my routine again. I'm looking forward to working on some projects and getting back into the flow of things. I have a long list of new goals waiting to be accomplished! Now I can get back to more regular posting again too.

☆ Demi Lovato Summer Tour '09 | This is how I spent my Saturday night. The concert was amazing, it completely exceeded my expectations. All three acts had such amazing energy, I've never clapped along to so many songs in one concert. There wasn't a single lull. KSM was a lot of fun, I'll definitely check out more of their music as it's released. David Archuleta blew me away with his voice and energy. Demi was fantastic live. I came into the concert most familiar with her music and seeing it live made me an even bigger fan. I'm looking forward to her new CD. Also awesome? My seat! I though I was going to be towards the middle of the stadium seating, but I was in the first row off the floor. The perfect vantage point.

★ Summer Storms | We had quite the storm on Saturday complete with impressive lightening, loud bursts of thunder, and pouring rain. I had the window open and spent the time watching it all from my bed. Absolute bliss.

☆ Things I'm Anticipating | this week's family staycation • new books to read and movies to see • spending even more time at the pool • ... and so much more!

nancy zhang's fashion illustration • butterfly bouquet @ martha stewart weddings • ballerina inspiration @ luphia loves

On the Right Foot

1. a few things, 2. pretty maids, 3. little bunnies, 4. weekend creative : punch collage

Happy Monday everyone! Welcome to my weekly post where I will be sharing some of the flickr photos that inspire me, things I loved about the previous week, things I'm looking forward to, and some of my favorite links. Please feel free to join me either in comments or via your own blog, I would love to see what's inspiring you ❤

★ Walking in the Rain | When I woke up Thursday morning it was looking a little stormy out and I was excited at the possibility of rain. While I was at the track it did just that about halfway through my first lap. By the time I was finished I was soaked and in an amazing mood.

☆ Night Swimming | The pool in my condo complex closes at 10PM and leaves a couple of hours open for night swimming. I love the feeling of floating serenely in the pool and gazing up at the moon. It was cloudy most of last week so the moon was peeking out from behind the clouds on and off, it was magical.

★ Breakfast Picnics | Mom had the day off on Friday so we decided to make the most of the morning by taking a picnic to the park for breakfast. I baked some fresh croissants (from the Trader Joe's freezer section, they are amazing) and scrambled some eggs and we were good to go. It was so relaxing and quiet with only the chirps of birds to keep us company. Bliss.

☆ Fresh Starts | As you can see I'm working on the design here. I have most of it set and I'll be tweaking things on and off through the week. I'm going for a cleaner aesthetic, something more reflective of a broader range of my style.I'm really excited about the change.

★ Holiday Weekends | I'll have a full post up tomorrow with pictures (and video!) after I get everything off of my camera, but I couldn't create a list of what I loved about last week without mentioning what an amazing time I had at the Star Spangled Spectacular this year. Even the weather cooperated. Definitely the best Independence Day of recent memory (even without fireworks).

☆ Things I'm Anticipating | finishing my redesign • seeing The Proposal • the International Drifting Championships at the speedway this coming weekend • ... and so much more!

drink parasols @ martha stewart • shrink plastic photo jewelry @ photojojo • this beautiful wedding @ green wedding shoes • a beautiful mobile @ pam garrison • enchanted felt cottage @ dream, create, inspire

On the Right Foot

1. Cupcakes and tea!, 2. Star Cookies, 3. yellow shoes, 4. "I like sitting over the roofs"

Happy Monday everyone! Welcome to my weekly post where I will be sharing some of the flickr photos that inspire me, things I loved about the previous week, things I'm looking forward to, and some of my favorite links. Please feel free to join me either in comments or via your own blog, I would love to see what's inspiring you ❤

★ André Rieu | I expanded on this in my last post, but I'm still feeling the effects of the concert. I've been feeling inspired by the concert all week.

☆ Running | Or, more accurately, I should say speed walking. I finally found a park close enough that actually has a track so as of Saturday I've started up a new routine that's goal is to ease me into running. I'm a little sore, but the effects have already been fantastic. My mood has been through the roof.

★ Early Mornings | This is tied into the above point because I have to get up at 4:50AM to get to the park (to accommodate my mom's work schedule - we're keeping each other accountable by being exercise buddies). I used wake this early throughout high school when I used to walk before school, but after moving to an unsafe area I let the habit lapse. I love that time of day though and I'm finding such bliss in getting back into that groove. Everything feels so fresh and new. The air is cooler (an important consideration in the desert summer) and full of possibilities. The birds are chirping. It's wonderful.

☆ Things I'm Anticipating | crossing off things on my new list of things to accomplish • working on my inspiration books • all of the fun activities planned for next weekend's holiday • ... and so much more!

bella pilar's portfolio • flower headband tutorial @ homemade by jill • fingerless gloves @ knitty • felt rose ring how-to @ cout out + keep • a fun carnival wedding @ green wedding shoes

On the Right Foot

1. cherry blossoms, 2. The show must go on, 3. face cupcakes 028, 4. 7_14_07 177.jpg

Happy Monday everyone! Welcome to my weekly post where I will be sharing some of the flickr photos that inspire me, things I loved about the previous week, things I'm looking forward to, and some of my favorite links. Please feel free to join me either in comments or via your own blog, I would love to see what's inspiring you ❤

★ Vintage Shops | Over the weekend I got my first taste of vintage shopping in quite some time. Many of the shops in my city are in areas of town that I don't frequent so I never seem to make the time to go to them. This weekend I decided to head down to Main St. after reading a recommendation in the AAA magazine. The shops were so beautifully decorated and I was so inspired by the clothes (especially the dresses from the 1950's). They weren't a "normal" thrift shop in that everything was expensive (most items fell into the $100-$200 range), but I had so much fun browsing that I wasn't disappointed. Now I'm excited to try and find some good thrift shops in the area.

☆ Sunshine | Normally I'm a rainy sort of gal, but the sunshine this week has been beautiful (and blissfully not too hot thanks to a steady breeze). This facilitated a whole host of activities from cleaning the patio to outdoor window shopping to slurpee drinking, to swimming. It's been a truly summery week and I've had a blast.

★ Craft Books | A little while ago I picked up a few new craft books (Pretty Little Felts and Creating Your Perfect Wedding - both of which I am completely enamored with) and going through them this week led me to going through a bunch of my favorites from my collection. I love looking at all of the colorful projects and visualizing how I would use them. I have a new list of things I want to try and I'm excited to get started.

☆ Things I'm Anticipating | seeing André Rieu in concert for the second time • working on a notebook collage project • filling in the first page of my new journal • going to see the new Transformers film • the debut of Princess Protection Program on Friday • ... and so much more!

how to take consistent action @ the positivity blog • my milk toof • vintage teacup pincushion @ craftzine • yummy cakes and sweets @ daisy pink cupcake • use the good stuff @ simple mom • post script... @ a fanciful twist • fireworks cake toppers @ wisdom of the moon

101 in 1001 Days

Start Date: April 16, 2009
End Date: January 12, 2012

Big Things
• Get a job with the library.
• Pay off my credit card.
• Open a savings account.
• Learn how to drive.
• Write a personal code.

Charity
• Participate in the Great American Bakesale.
• Earn at least $50 for charity during a blogathon event.
• Create a list of causes I'm passionate about and find ways to support them.

Computer
• Sell something on Etsy.
• Earn more page views for Quirky Charm, having a day with at least one hundred views. ( 345/100 )
+ 345 on July 25th, 2009
• Completely organize my iTunes music.
• Create pages for Quirky Charm.
+ 101 in 1001 page
• Research and incorporate personal branding.
• Redo my journal tags.
• Create a comprehensive list of movies I want to watch.
• Create a Las Vegas guide through regular posts at Quirky Charm.

Creativity
• Create twenty five pieces of random acts of kindness art. ( 00/25 )
• Fold one thousand paper cranes. ( 0000 / 1000 )
• Sew ten new pieces for my wardrobe. ( 00/10 )
• Complete Project 365. ( 000/365 )
• Make an amigurumi.
• Design a series of cute mascot characters.
• Submit a piece of art or a photograph to Somerset Life.
• Create a doll wardrobe of at least ten pieces. ( 00/10 )
• Learn to create clay charms.
• Expand my knitting repetoire by trying three new projects. ( 0/3 )
• Complete five new embroidery projects. ( 0/5)
• Learn calligraphy.
• Take five new crafting courses from JoAnne's. ( 0/5 )
• Learn how to make my own candles.
• Fill a sketchbook.
• Pick up acrylics again.
• Improve my jewelry making by successfully finishing a challenging project.
• Take a good profile photo.
• Create a keepsake plush.
• Fill a journal.
• Put all photos in scrapbooks.
• Use the three canvases I am currently storing away.
• Purchase a tripod.

Education
• Learn conversational Japanese.
• Improve my French.
• Read or re-read all Jane Austen novels.
• Study my family ancestry (biological).
• Learn all of the world flags.
• Pick up my Latin studies again.
• Create a comprehensive resource guide for subjects I'm interested in.

Friends + Family
• Bake five gifts for others. ( 0/5 )
• Send cards for all birthdays for a year.
• Make my own Christmas cards.
• Get and keep up with a penpal.

Games + Sports
• See a football match live.
• Own a Manchester United jersey.
• Be able to clearly explain the offside rule.
• Learn how to play Mahjong.
• Play an RPG videogame from start to finish.

Health + Beauty
• Take control of my health by creating positive eating habits and an exercise routine.
• Learn to create deco nails.
• Have my ears pierced.
• Create a natural beauty regimen.
• Research natural healing.

In the Kitchen
• Purchase a crepe pan.
• Design and create three charaben designs. ( 0/3 )
• Create a signature ice cream dish from scratch.
• Enter an Iron Cupcake competition.
• Learn cake decorating.
• Learn cookie decorating techniques.
• Make a Gâteau de Crepes.
• Learn how to make macarons.
• Create a personal cookbook of my favorite recipes.
• Purchase a French press coffee maker.
• Try at least one new food each month. ( 04/33 )
+ blackberry latte
+ various mushroom varieties
+ lychee
+ gummy tummy penguins
• Learn how to make homemade candies.

Local Happenings
• Attend a performance of the local symphony.
• Attend a ballet.
• Take a wine tasting course.
• Eat at the Eiffel Tower restaurant.
• Attend all community theater performances I'm interested in.
• Keep up with library bulletin events.
• See Phantom of the Opera live.
• Go on another bus adventure.
• Attend high tea at the Ritz.
• Visit the Bellagio gardens for each display change for an entire year

My Room
• Purchase a Blythe or Pullip doll.
• Complete my inspiration books.
• Create an organized wishlist.
• Read through my entire book collection and donate materials that I am no longer interested in.
• Catalog and organize all of my possessions, donating anything that I no longer love.
• Find a way to incorporate fairy lights into my room.
• Create a pretty bed canopy.

Nature + Green Living
• Successfully grow a plant from seed.
• Learn the language of flowers.
• Obtain canvas shopping bags.
• Visit an orchard and pick my own fruit.
• Participate in a community cleanup.
• Create recycle bins for the condo.

Writing
• Study poetry writing and write five new poems. ( 0/5 )
• Complete a fanfic challenge.
• Write a children's book.
• Retool a classic fairy tale.
• Finish writing Fairy's Delight.
• Finish a short story prompt challenge.

On the Right Foot

1. Goldfish, 2. Red Envelope Pocket a, 3. itty bitty bunny, 4. Mixed Drink Cupcakes and Truffles

Happy Monday everyone! Welcome to my weekly post where I will be sharing some of the flickr photos that inspire me, things I loved about the previous week, things I'm looking forward to, and some of my favorite links. Please feel free to join me either in comments or via your own blog, I would love to see what's inspiring you ❤

★ Making Changes | This is a little vague (though some of this will become evident in time), but it's the thing that made the biggest difference for me last week. Towards the end of the week I was feeling mopey so to snap myself out of it I opened up a notebook and started plotting. This is one of my favorite activities on any day, but this time I couldn't turn off the flow of ideas, I can't wait to see what comes of it.

☆ World Cup Qualifiers | It's no secret that I'm a huge football fan and last week started off another series of qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup. By a wonderful stroke of fate some of the matches were televised on my cable package so I was able to watch a few of them to. An absolute luxury that I'm hoping to repeat this week.

★ Fun Shopping Trips | In the chaos that was my weekend I was able to squeeze in some fun shopping. I came away with some adorable Hello Kitty merchandise (a couple mini-plushies, a set of stickers, and some konpeito) as well as a couple of new crafting books thanks to some wonderful coupons. I'm looking forward to trying out a few of the projects once I round up some supplies.

☆ Things I'm Anticipating | putting some refreshing new changes in motion • relaxing with a good book • finishing some sewing projects • making regular use of my sketchbook again • trying some fun new recipes • ... and so much more!

a charming baby shower @ the pleated poppy • coffee filter rose tutorial @ angela harris • pretty pink cottages @ dream create inspire

On the Right Foot

1. bedroom, 2. Amigurumi Autumn chickie bird w/leaf, 3. anascakes, 4. ballpen tiger

Happy Monday everyone. For me Monday's have always been a least favorite. This is something I'm trying to change. I want to look at Mondays as the gateway to a week full of wonderful possibilities, a fresh start where anything can happen. From this point on I will writing this series to do just that (as inspired by Gala Darling's Things I Love Thursdays). I will be sharing some of the flickr photos that inspire me, things I loved about the previous week, things I'm looking forward to, and my favorite links from the previous week. Please feel free to join me either in comments or via your own blog, I would love to see what's inspiring you ❤

★ Getting Organized | Last week a large portion of my time went to getting my life in order. My room is blissfully clean and my computer files are starting to follow suit. I love being able to find exactly what I need (and I love rediscovering some amazing things along the way). Organization is still a major goal for this week and I'm excited to see where it takes me.

☆ UP | I saw UP on Saturday and I was instantly charmed. My expectations were high after hearing so many amazing things about the film and I was not disappointed. The animation was gorgeous (I would love a print of the scene where the house is floating against the blue sky) and the story the perfect mix of touching and funny. The film's message is still rolling about in my mind and I feel inspired to craft my own adventure. I don't normally recommend films as everyone has different taste, but I will make an exception for this one.

★ Town Square | There will be a more in depth post about this soon, but this needed to be added to the list. Town Square (in Las Vegas) is one of my favorite places in town and by an oddly wonderful twist of fate I was able to get down there twice this week for both movies and shopping. The weather was gorgeous both times, balmy and wonderful versus the usual beginnings of oppressive heat that June brings, adding to the bliss. I love any occasion to walk around outside and browse pretty shops. Frozen yogurt is also a plus (I'm in love with Pomegranate Raspberry flavor right now).

☆ Things I'm Anticipating | my library reserves coming in • relaxing with a good book • finishing some sewing projects • ... and so much more!

delicious pico de gallo @ the noshery • origami cherry blossoms @ the flirty guide • super cute hello kitty cake pops @ bakerella

Warm Weather

The days of summer are nearly upon us (and here in the desert it feels as though they've already arrived). While I don't know if I would classify summer as my favorite time of year, though it certainly does have its advantages. This year in particular I am filled with excitement at the prospects of this coming season. These are a few of my favorite (summer) things:

• sipping ice cold lemonade on the patio on a hot afternoon
• ice pops in a rainbow of flavors
• swimming the day away at the neighborhood pool
• fun movies at the theaters almost every weekend
• playing at the park (I'm particularly partial to frisbee and badminton)
• the feel of my desk fan on my face
• afternoons spent exploring the world and beyond through the pages of a book simply because it's too hot to do anything else
• long days perfect for fitting in all sorts of new excitement
• participating in the blogathon
• the rare summer storm that lifts the oppressive heat, however briefly
• going to concerts, there always seem to be more of them in the summer
• deliciously crisp salads and refreshing sandwiches
• the blissful feeling of a light breeze on a sweltering afternoon
• ... and so much more waiting to be discovered!

In relation to the first item on the list (and the above photo) I'll share one of my favorite ways to make a simple, refreshing summer treat. This is one of those delightful accidents that has since become a frequent in my house. I purchased some pre-made lemonade from the market and it was a little bitter for my taste. A little bit of sugar and some defrosted frozen strawberries did just the trick (and now I can make my own without having to pay more for dressed up lemonade that can be difficult to find - I also love doing this with raspberries). After blending I do recommend straining the seeds out, they add an awkward crunch particularly toward the bottom of the carafe where they tend to settle.

Spring is Here

Happy Spring!
Spring is officially here today (though the weather in my little corner of the world has been warm for the past week or so). I am excited. It's the season of new beginnings and fresh starts and I am certainly all for that right now. New seasons always come with a feeling of excitement for me. I don't actually have a favorite season as each time of year holds a special place in my heart. Here are some of my favorite things about this particular season:

• Warm Weather: While I love the chill of the winter months, by the end I am always ready for the gentle warmth of spring. It's such a cozy feeling that makes me feel alive. I try and savor this as much as possible by spending time outside (or having my window open while inside).

• Open Windows: After having everything shut in for several months there's nothing quite like airing everything out with open doors and windows. As I type this I have a gentle breeze filtering in with the afternoon sun from behind my curtain. Bliss.

• Fresh Blossoms: How can I talk about spring without a mention of flowers? I adore flowers of all sorts and this is the perfect time of year to savor them in their newest, fragile state. I live in the desert so I often must live vicariously through photos, but this year I'm thinking of perhaps starting a small patio garden of my own.

• Lighter Evenings: I know that the time change can feel a bit like a drag, but this year it's completely reinvigorated me! I've been up earlier and the days seem blissfully longer as the sun starts to last longer and longer in the evenings. Soon it will be light enough in the evenings to enjoy dinner picnics at the park, one of my favorite treats.

• Time Outdoors: I love spending time in nature and this is one of the perfect times to indulge that whim. Just this past weekend I've spent time painting up in the mountains and reading magazines leisurely in the park. This weekend I plan on sweeping off the patio to give it some fresh sparkle.

Now that I've shared some of my favorite things, I would love to hear from you. What are your favorite things about spring? Any special memories?

Let the Transformation Begin

unicorn believer, originally uploaded by wine me up.

Sitting here at six in the morning I am contemplating the first day of the iCiNG Transformation Challenge. Ever since the post went up about six days ago I've been thinking about some things that I want to do to shake up my routine. This honestly couldn't have come at a better time since this is something I've been thinking about doing anyway ( and having a large number of others who are also working on shaking things up at the same time is just downright inspiring ). I wont lie and say that I think this will be easy, even this morning I struggled to not just role over and go back to sleep after my alarm went off ( note to self: find a more upbeat music for my alarm clock ), but I just know that this month is going to be amazing. Here are the areas that I've chosen to work on:

Waking Up Early • I used to be a morning person. I would wake up at some point between five and six without ever needing to set an alarm. Over time ( especially during college ) I started to wake up later and later. Now I just feel like I'm wasting my day altogether and I sincerely miss the soft light and magic of the early morning. Even as I type this I've just opened my curtain and the sun is just starting to rise. Bliss. This month I'm going to start the routine of getting up at six, everyday ( sleeping in on weekends only makes it more difficult to wake up during the week - plus I want my fun weekend time to be thoroughly maximized ).

Exercising Daily • One of my goals for the new year was to start treating myself with more respect, including physically. Unfortunately I've fallen into a rut when it comes to exercise. I find myself feeling like it's a chore ( and consequently slacking off ) when I know it can be turned into something fun. To shake things up a bit I've picked up a Salsa dancing DVD and as soon as the hula-hoops are out in stores I'm going to pick one up ( I was told next week is the schedule ). I'm also not going to limit myself to the usual, I'm going to dance like no one is watching and I think I'll hunt down some yoga instruction online.

Eat More Wholesomely • This ties into the above two goals. This was a part of my new year's intention to treat myself ( and my body ) with more respect. While I have improved over last year I still have a lot of work to do in this area. Part of the problem is I haven't been getting up early enough to have breakfast and that seriously throws my day off. I'm also looking forward to adding more fruits and veggies to my daily routine!

Create a New Beauty Routine • I have been seriously lax in this department lately. My skin is super-sensitive so I can't use most commercial products ( plus I want to go a more natural route anyway ). In light of that I've been doing some research online for beauty treatments that can be made at home with common kitchen ingredients. I'll let you know how they work when I do my wrap-up post at the end of the challenge.

Keep Things Tidy • This will be one of the easier challenges on my list. I'm already fairly tidy by nature, but I have the tendency to allow little messes to accumulate for a week or so, causing me to end up cleaning for a few hours over the weekend. Instead I want to get into the habit of cleaning up every night before bed / when I first wake up in the morning.

I'm excited to see what this month is going to bring. Posting here gives me the feeling of accountability so at the very least I can remind myself that I've stated my intentions for the world to see. At the end of the challenge I'll do a wrap-up post to let you know how things went ( and post any tips I've picked up along the way ). Best wishes to my fellow challenge participants!

Living a Charming Life

Tea party, originally uploaded by littlerottenrobin.

Instead of doing traditional resolutions I've decided to take a different route this year. I find that in the past my eagerness to accomplish my resolutions begins to wane around March, leaving me with feelings of guilt when the new year rolls around. This year I've created focus point as a substitution. Each point consists of a general statement of a direction I want my life to go in with a series of sub-statements detailing what I can do to work towards achieving the main focus. While I have a series of goals for myself one in particular lends itself to my mission here.

Live a More Charming Life
❖ Stop getting so caught up in the big picture ( and thoughts of the past and/or future ). Live in the present.
❖ Savor every moment.
❖ Find bliss in the little things.
❖ Purposely create special moments every day.
❖ Slow down, take a deep breath, and smile.

I will be chronicling this new journey through this blog and I look forward to seeing where it takes me. What are you planning to do this year? Do you have a new path or journey in mind?