I saw a post like this on my blogging friend Whitney’s blog a few weeks ago and I thought it was so fun to read about her favorite things. A LOT of ours matched up. By the time I was at the end of her post I knew I wanted to write my own list. So here we go: some of my favorite things in 2013. 🙂 So here, in no particular order, are some of my favorite things from 2013.
Just in case you are wondering, this is NOT a sponsored post and I was not asked to promote any of these or compensated for promoting them. (Although I hope you know that I never promote or say things about sponsored products that I do not mean. Never. I only promote them if I truly like them!)
Now on with the show!
Dr. Pepper
This will make the list every year. Seriously. EVERY year. I am an addict and have been for, oh, about a decade. I love the stuff. When I was teaching school one year a student brought me a miniature six pack of DP for my birthday. Her family was so so poor, but she had noticed what drink I always had on my desk and they had bought me some. It was so thoughtful that I may have shed a tear or two. She knew me well. The only thing that may be better than a DP? A DIRTY DP. Yummmmmm. And no, I do not do diet soda. Yuck.
Bling
As you may have guessed, love bling. I love that it is “in” right now—-big necklaces, big earrings, sparkly scarves, blinged out clutches, sequin tops….MMMMMMMM!!!!!! I love it all!!! I make jewelry (Bombshell Bling Jewelry, as shown above, can be found on Etsy and FB), so I have been wearing big stuff for years. I’m glad that now my insanity is fully embraced by society. Well….almost. 😉
The Bachelor {Night}
Ok, now, we all know that The Bachelor and The Bachelorette are pretty much the lamest premise ever. I mean, seriously, these girls sobbing over how they loved someone they had known for mere weeks—-who happened to be dating 24 other women at the same time as them, by the way?!?! Yeah, give me a BREAK. HOWEVER, when I first started making jewelry I got together with one of my dearest friends every week to make jewelry together (we always sold together at in-person sales) and watch The Bachelor because she loved it. When we moved far away from one another we still watched it every week and texted and emailed about it. Too fun. The fluffy stupidity is quite addicting and enjoyable once you start watching it! Well, as it turns out, one of the gals that I go to church now also loves this silly guilty pleasure show. She invited people over for the premier of it last year. Many people came, despite not enjoying the show or never having seen it. And then people kept coming. And then people started inviting more and more people. Soon enough it became a “thing.” Every week a bunch of the younger moms from our church gather, after their kids are in bed and husbands are home, and we watch The Bachelor (or Bachelorette) and make snarky comments about it and then talk late, late into the night. I am not able to make it every single week—none of us can—but it is such a fun tradition and I have gotten to know so many more fun women through this silliest of traditions. Sometime four people show up, sometimes twenty! Anyone and everyone is welcome, and it is always so refreshing to talk and laugh with friends. I LOVE IT!!
S’mores
Duh. See my S’mores Saturdays series. I have problems. Enough said. (This blog used to be called Craft Quickies, by the way. I rebranded this fall to reflect my true, blingy nature.)
Philosophy Supernatural Airbrush Canvas
I came upon this miracle face powder quite by accident. My sister bought it for herself after hearing rave reviews from her friends, but she ended up being allergic to it (which is really not surprising—the more thing has very serious allergy and dermatological issues). So she gave it to me for my birthday since we have the same skintone. Did I feel that it was ghetto to get used makeup for my birthday, you might ask? Ummmm heck no! I got a practically brand new container of makeup that is AMAZING! I can’t believe how well it covers. I slap it on and look so different! It’s pricier than I usually go for makeup ($35), but it’s so good that when I ran out of the one she gave me I didn’t hesitate for a second: I went and bought a new one!
My church calling in the Young Women’s Organization.
Pardon me while I get a bit religious on you for a moment. In my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we all pitch in. There is no paid clergy and we all help to care for and minister to one another. We have leaders who are asked to organize and serve our congregations for certain periods of time, and they do it all as volunteers in addition to their regular jobs and lives. I think it’s pretty awesome, actually. We really know and take care of one another, which I love. This year I was asked to serve in our congregation by being in the Young Women’s organization, the organization for teenage girls. Ever since we found out while my husband was in medical school that we were moving back here I have felt that I was coming back so that I could work with this particular group of teenage girls. I had some tough teenage years and have had some significant trials to which many of them could related, such as my mother dying too young and my struggles with major depression. And yet, when we moved here I was asked to help with the music. I did so, but I always feelt drawn to those Young Women. I felt that they needed me, and that I needed them. Finally, after a year and a half and much deliberation and prayer from our congregation leaders (they thought I was too busy for the calling because of my husband’s insane schedule) I was asked to serve in the Young Women’s organization. I have loved every second of it. I love those girls. I love teaching them on Sundays, interacting with them at activities, and reaching out to them during tough times. I hope that they can feel my love for them and that they can benefit from my sharing candidly with them about my mistakes and struggles. I feel so blessed to be a part of their lives.
Glitter Tape from American Crafts
Thank you for indulging me for a moment there on a serious, religious note. Now back to fun and frivolity. Have I mentioned that I love bling? No? REALLY? 😉 J/k. We all know that I have bling problems. So it should really come as no surprise that I adore glitter tape! This glitter tape is in such pretty colors and sticks SO well. I was sent some as part of a sponsored post for American Crafts and I became so enamored with it that when I saw a bunch on super duper clearance at JoAnn’s Fabrics that I bought fifty ahem, a FEW rolls of it for myself. Wow. Serious, serious problems. 😉
Infinity Scarves
I love them, I just do! I have always been a scarf gal, and I am loving the infinity take on scarves. I have stocked up on them at World Market and Target, and I also bought some super cheap but pretty scarves from Walmart and chopped off the ends of them and sewed them together to make them infinity scarves. (The one shown above is from World Market.)
My Nikon D90
I bought my Nikon D90, an amazing DSLR camera, four years ago, and it is still performing beautifully. I have always wanted a nice camera, and I longed for one before my son was born. It is still one of my biggest regrets that I didn’t get one until he was 9 months old. I missed those precious newborn days. Yes, I have pictures, but the pictures of him on my little point & shoot camera really can’t compare to the pictures of my daughter as a newborn that were taken with my D90. After he was born I was consistently disappointed with the picture sharpness and light that I was getting from my point and shoot, and I had just started selling jewelry that year. I worked my tail off and did a couple of in-person sales that year around Christmas and took all of that money, combined with all of the Christmas money that my husband and I got from my dad, and bought my D90. I have never regretted it for a SECOND! It is pricey. Very. BUT since that time they have released newer models, so you could actually purchase it quite a bit cheaper than I did! It shoots beautifully even on auto (although it’s better on manual, obviously), and it even takes high def video! I bought it to get great pictures of my kids and my jewelry, and my favorite thing about having it is still the pictures that I can capture of my children, but since I started blogging it has become absolutely invaluable! I love that camera. Love.
Project Runway
How did I not start watching that show until season 8?!?! I LOVE it! It totally inspires me. It inspires me to sew and create, it inspires me to be more fashionable, and it inspires me to not be a crazy, bossy, emotional jerk-face when I am working under pressure. Haha. I love it so much that I unintentionally started a tradition of folding my laundry while watching it every week. It’s the only way I can motivate myself to fold that dang laundry. I hate folding laundry! Seriously. Hate. Oh, and here’s a fun little fact: my super serious, attorney father watches the final runway with me every week. HAHAHAHA!!!! Love it.
Chick-Fil-A
I know the restaurant is a bit controversial these days, but have you tried the chicken? Or the breakfast biscuit? Or the SHAKES?!?!?! Oh, the shakes! I had never had Chic-Fil-A until a friend insisted that I try it last year. THEN I was in trouble. There is one right by my son’s preschool, and I will never admit how often I get breakfast at the drive through there. May explain a bit of the weight I need to lose lately….. 😉
The SNAP Conference (and my fellow bloggers)
If you have been reading for awhile you know that I feel like attending the SNAP Blogging Conference last year changed my life. Literally. I know that sounds silly. Read the post I wrote about it and you will see what I mean. Not only did I “find myself” again at that conference, but I also made so many valuable networking connections and learned so much there. My pageviews have grown 10X since the conference. Literally. Granted, they were quite low when I attended, but still. I am so grateful for the things that I learned and for the connection that I made with other bloggers who have been so supportive to me in helping me to grow and get additional exposure, and, most importantly, that they have become my true, blue friends. I love this community, I really do. They really are “my people.”
Minky Fabric
I am a texture junkie. Big time. I am weird about textures that creep me out, and when I like a texture I can’t stop touching it. Just ask my kids! My MIL made them cheetah costumes and a dragon (dinosaur) costume from minky fabric and anytime they wear them (which is often as pajamas and for play) I have to hold them and snuggle them and rub their tiny arms and legs. MMMMM……so soooooft. My MIL also helped me make several quilts with minky while the kids and I were living with them for a month during my dad’s remodel. Don’t worry—pics and tutorials to come! My favorite brand of minky is Shannon Cuddle, and I am NOT just saying that because I have done some work with them. My kids wear their minky costumes and use their minky blankets all the time. Shannon Cuddle quite simply washes up the best. It’s not bally, doesn’t get matted, and still feels new. I love it.
Baby Girl Accessories
I can’t resist a sparkly pair of tiny boots, and I can’t resist a feathery headband. I love love LOVE dressing my little girl in dresses, faux fur lined coats, tutus, sparkles, and feathers. And I love that SHE loves it! She find her petti skirts and brings them to me to wear and then she twists and turns admiring herself. I realize that I am going to be in BIG trouble when she is older, but for now I am soaking in every minute and making baby headbands to my heart’s content. Need proof? HERE are a few things that I have made her. It’s not even close to all of them. Seriously. My favorite supplier is an online shop that also happens to be local, Fleuriste Supplies. My favorite places to find cute shoes and things for cheap are Old Navy, Target, and, believe it or not, Walmart! They have great little sparkly boots and things all at super low prices! If you want to spend a bit more then BabyGAP and Janie & Jack can’t be beat! A darling boutique that I found online that is super affordable for things like ruffle rompers and petti skirts is The Hairbow Company.
Chocolove Almonds & Sea Salt in Dark Chocolate
& Coldstone Chocolate Cherry Almond Sundae
I have a sweet tooth, of that you can be sure. As a kid I ate anything I could get my hands on with sugar in it, but over the years my taste buds have slowly been maturing, and now I am a bit pickier about my sweets. This year my husband and I discovered two perfect chocolate brands: Coldstone Chocolates and Chocolove. The only difference is that Chocolove is accessible to me in stores, so I eat it much more often than I do Coldstone Chocolates, which I have to order online. My favorites are the Coldstone Chocolate Cherry Almond Sundae bar and the Chocolove Almonds & Sea Salt in Dark Chocolate bar. You can find Chocolove bars at Whole Foods and World Market.
Movies & TV
I looked at the list I had made of my favorite things, and multiple tv shows that I watch were listed, along with going to the movies with my husband, and a bunch of kid movies and shows that save my sanity and aren’t annoying. So I decided to lump them into one category. Apparently, we love visual entertainment in this family! I have so many “favorite” shows that I can’t even begin to name them all. There are tried and true classics—like Friends and Seinfeld—there are reality shows—like PR and SYTYCD—there are current shows—like Modern Family and The Big Bang Theory—and there are shows I am just now discovering on Netflix—like How I Met Your Mother. Soooo many good shows out there!! Among the honorable mentions for shows that my kids love but I don’t hate are Sesame Street and Wild Kratts on PBS, Winnie the Pooh (the vintage movie), Despicable Me, and How to Train Your Dragon. There are many more fab animated films, especially Disney, but these are the ones I have watched/heard a LOT this year. I can’t wait to own Frozen!! Speaking of Frozen, we love going to the theater. It’s not a super cheap indulgence, but we love it. We have taken the kids (yes, both of them!) to a few animated matinees this year and kept them quiet with “poppy,” as the little princess would say. My husband and I also see a lot of movies. He has a wretchedly busy schedule, and my dad works like a dog as well, but we live with my dad, so on nights when my husband doesn’t have to work the next day and my dad is already home for the night we put the kids to bed and head to a late movie. It doesn’t happen as often as we would like, but it’s one of our favorite things to do together.
Come now—-do I really have to explain this one?? Who doesn’t love Pinterest? It is evilly tempting and yet magnificent all at once. Do you follow me on Pinterest? Well, why not?? Follow me HERE. And be prepared to see a lot of desserts being pinned…. 😉
My Memory Foam Pillow
(Image Source)
I am not a great sleeper, and I also get headaches. LOTS of headaches. I hate it. So when I discovered memory foam pillows several years back it was a wonderful moment for me. I am still as in love with my memory foam pillow today as I was when I bought it! It doesn’t fix my sleeping and headache problems, but it really helps both more than I would expect. I can’t remember exactly, but I believe it was sold at Target and it was one of the “cool” ones. Memory foam really DOES get hot. Spend a few extra bucks for the cool one. Not sure what is different about it, but I am less sweaty using it.
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
This is the best book that I read all year. Then again, I think it may have been the only book that I read this year. Once upon a time I was a MAJOR bookworm, but between kids, life, and this blog I have very little time to read anymore. One of my goals for the year is to remedy that little issue and read more. I am SO glad that I made time to read this book! It was a rich, detailed story of three generations of women. A mix of everything I love in a book: a good mystery, family history, a bit of romance, historical fiction, and a touch of scandal. OOOOOH it was good!! I got another book by this author, The Secret Keeper, for Christmas and I can’t wait to read it!
The Red Skin Potato Pizza at Mellow Mushroom
Mellow Mushroom is a pizza place across from our favorite movie theater, and the Red Skin Potato Pie there is the BOMB!! It knocks my socks off every time! Everything there is tasty, but this is my ultimate as far as pizza goes. It is just so delicious and comforting, yet surprising. Mmmmm mmmmm good! If there is a Mellow Mushroom near you then you should try it! I can’t promise that you will love it, but we sure do!
PicMonkey
Are you familiar with PicMonkey? It’s a FREE online photo editing service. I usually use Lightroom to edit my photos, but PicMonkey has become an absolutely invaluable tool for me in my blog work. I use it to create collages, title pics for Pinterest purposes, and even to create printables! I even made our holiday card on it this year, although I ran out of time to send it. Whoops. 🙂 I actually paid the $33 a year to be upgrading to their Royale service, which gets your more fonts, features, etc. Worth EVERY PENNY!
MAC Lipglass
Shall we end on a frivilous note? Ok! I have been addicted to MAC Lipglass for years and years. Since high school, I think! I have always felt that I could skimp on makeup everywhere else, but I needed my long-lasting, super shiny Lipglass and nice mascara (I go back and forth between Lancome Defincils and Benefit They’re Real). That is until I discovered my Supernatural powder, at least. Good thing I only bother with makeup one or two times a week so they last me a long time! (True story.) But, no matter how crummy you look, if you throw on some big sunglasses and some Lipglass people will think you are ready for the day! My FAVORITE color is Desire, but it is pretty dark on most people. I also love Lovechild, Oh Baby, and the clear. Head to a MAC counter and try some. You won’t regret it!
So tell me, what would make YOUR list of favorite things in 2013?
Crystal Nell says
Fun post!! I’m addicted to Diet Cherry Dr. Pepper. I love S’mores Saturday….super fun!
Liz @ Lizzie Jane Baby says
I love it! One of my favorite things last year was Pepsi. It’s not a favorite this year because I decided to try and cut out caffeine and so I quit my beloved Pepsi right before my baby was born in June. I wish I could say I cut out all soda, but those Cherry Limeades at Sonic help me quell the Pepsi thirst. 🙂 Netflix is one of our favorites and Chik-fil-a…LOVE. I usually grab a handful of mints and keep them in my purse!
Sarah Westover McKenna says
Mmmmmmmm……Cherry Limeade!
Danielle says
Totally hear ya, diet soda is just NOT the same, despite what many argue! So fun you’re in young womens! When we moved to Texas I left my YW calling, and miss those girls like crazy. I bet you’re a fabulous and fun leader!
Sarah Westover McKenna says
Thanks Danielle! 🙂