2011 Wrap Up

Well, I thought it seemed fitting to do an update before we ring in the New Year tomorrow evening. And what a better way to wrap up the year than to do a run-down of my 12 Before 2012 list. Also, as a way to celebrate change, what a better way to ring in the New Year than with an updated blog layout- you like?

Let's refresh our memories about my list of goals I wanted to accomplish before the year's end, shall we?

• Re-read the entire Harry Potter series
• Have an afternoon outing by myself- Go out for lunch and a movie shamelessly solo and enjoy it!
• Finish the in-class portion to my final year of University 
• Put $500 away for my “someday” fund
• Lose my final 20 pounds for a total weight loss of 75 pounds
• Get professional photos taken 
• Go to an antique flea market (like Aberfoyle) for an afternoon of inspiration and unique purchases
• Bake a pie from scratch (pie crust, filling, and all!) without Mom’s help
• Make some major decisions about where I want to be next year with my career (this obviously will be an ongoing process, but I want to have a semi-concrete idea about my plan by the end of this year)
• Invest in a few high quality wardrobe staples (i.e., a pair of leather shoes, a structured handbag, and tailored blazer or jacket) for pleasure and profession 
• Get crafty! Make home bracelets like the ones here, a necklace like this one, a DIY dry erase board, and other goodies that I come across in my travels (cough, cough Pinterest)
• Attend a cultural event (like a symphony or a theatre production) ... and get dressed up! 

My progress as of the end of September was as follows:

Re-read the entire Harry Potter series (progress & progress)

Have an afternoon outing by myself- Go out for lunch and a movie shamelessly solo and enjoy it!

Finish the in-class portion to my final year of University 

Put $500 away for my “someday” fund

Lose my final 20 pounds for a total weight loss of 75 pounds (progress & progress)

Get professional photos taken 

Go to an antique flea market (like Aberfoyle) for an afternoon of inspiration and unique purchases - I went to St. Jacobs with my mom and sister and spent over an hour in an antique mall, wishing I could purchase so much more than I could afford. Read about that trip here. (I also went to Aberfoyle! Read about that in this post.) 

Bake a pie from scratch (pie crust, filling, and all!) without Mom’s help (read about that here)

Make some major decisions about where I want to be next year with my career (this obviously will be an ongoing process, but I want to have a semi-concrete idea about my plan by the end of this year)

Invest in a few high quality wardrobe staples (i.e., a pair of leather shoes, a structured handbag (read about that here), andtailored blazer or jacket (I purchased a wool peacoat for winter, and a jacket, read here) for pleasure and profession 

Get crafty! Make homemade bracelets like the ones here (I made some bracelets here), a necklace like this one, a DIY dry erase board, and other goodies that I come across in my travels (cough, cough Pinterest)

Attend a cultural event (like a symphony or a theatre production) ... and get dressed up!

So, how did I end up faring in these absent past few months with my list? 

  

Re-read the entire Harry Potter series I finished the 7th book on December 22nd. I can't believe how after all this time, the books still evoke such strong emotions from me. Harry Potter forever! I'm so glad that I made this a goal. 

Have an afternoon outing by myself- Go out for lunch and a movie shamelessly solo and enjoy it! I didn't specifically go to the movies, but I did enjoy quite a bit of time with just myself. Shopping, watching movies at home, and reading all allowed me to be shamelessly solo... and I loved every minute of it! 

Finish the in-class portion to my final year of University I had my final exam on December 16th, and moved home the next day. To say that I felt relieved, sad, anxious and accomplished all at once is an understatement. I'm still trying to deal with the fact that I will never have to sit through a University lecture again, but I'm embracing the future with open arms! 

Put $500 away for my "someday" fund- Sadly, I did not accomplish this goal. My monetary funds were sadly lacking this year, to the point of poverty on most occasions. I do not feel badly about this one, because money isn't everything, and I know that to have accomplished this goal would have put me in an even more severe financial situation. 

Lose my final 20 pounds for a total weight loss of 75 pounds I accomplished this goal, and I could not be prouder of myself. I feel amazing, and I know that I never want to go back to my "before" weight. This is the goal that I am most proud of... not only this year, but EVER. 

Get professional photos taken I didn't have a "photoshoot" necessarily, but I did get my grad photos professionally done, and I'm considering them as successfully completing this goal. 

Go to an antique flea market (like Aberfoyle) for an afternoon of inspiration and unique purchases As I stated in previous posts, I went to not one, but two flea/antique markets! So inspiring, and so much fun!

Bake a pie from scratch (pie crust, filling, and all!) without Mom’s help I made a Dutch Apple Pie and it was amazing! 

Make some major decisions about where I want to be next year with my career (this obviously will be an ongoing process, but I want to have a semi-concrete idea about my plan by the end of this year) I'm not going to cross this one off because as I stated, it's an ongoing process. I have looked into various avenues that I may very well pursue. I am in the process of applying for my Social Security Number so that I can work in the States, but I've also looking into teaching in the UK with a friend. All the possibilities are still open to me, and as I complete my 13 week placement this year, I will look into each further. God knows where I'm supposed to be, so I can't let myself get too worried yet, because He will look out for me. 

Invest in a few high quality wardrobe staples (i.e., a pair of leather shoes, a structured handbag, and tailored blazer or jacket  for pleasure and profession  I did indeed have to buy a whole new wardrobe because of my weight loss. In the coming weeks you will get to see my new pieces as I post them! 

Get crafty! Make homemade bracelets like the ones here, a necklace like this one, a DIY dry erase board, and other goodies that I come across in my travels (cough, cough Pinterest) I used Pinterest as inspiration for DIY crafts and goodies more times this year than I'd like to count. I'm considering this one successful, even though I may not have created those items that I specifically mentioned in my original goal post. 

Attend a cultural event (like a symphony or a theatre production) ... and get dressed up! Sadly, because I was so poor this year I was not able to attend something that cost too much money. I look forward to accomplishing this goal in 2012! 

2011 was a successful year. Bring it on, 2012! 

Well, I know this post was quite wordy, but I hope you enjoyed following my progress as the year went on, even though I took extended periods of absence on more than one occasion! Needless to say, 2011 was, by far, the best year of my life! I can only imagine what 2012 has in store for me, and in the next few days, I hope you'll stop by to follow me in my new adventures! 

It's been awhile...

I suppose I haven't had much to say. I've been stuck in a rut, not really feeling the desire to write blog posts and be creative on top of everything else I've had to do. I only write when I'm inspired, or when I need somewhere to put all of my thoughts. I guess I just thought I'd pop in to say hello. I'm not promising daily or weekly postings, but I guess I just wanted to say thank you to all those who have read/continue to read my posts!

autumnal bliss

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Give Thanks

Today my family and I will be feasting on delicious food (turkey for them, tofurkey for me!) and enjoying each other's company. I give thanks for my amazing family and friends, our safe country and everything that the Lord has blessed me with. Please excuse me while I prepare to indulge! Happy Thanksgiving loves!

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juicy red

An old post I had written (think August) that never got published, so here she be!

 

Curled my hair, painted my lips red and put on some heels. Feeling a little fierce! 

12 Before 2012 update!

Hey y'all! I just thought I'd drop in today to share a quick update with my 12 Before 2012 progress!  

• I finished reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets last week, and am about halfway through Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The funniest part of my experience while reading last night was a reminder of my 12 year old obsession. This newspaper clipping fell out while I was getting my HP on:

Oh yes, I was madly in love with Ben Afleck (think Pearl Harbour)! This is part of the reason why I love re-visiting things from my childhood!

• I made 2 bracelets two weekends ago, but never got around to sharing them with you. Here they be: 

Beads, wire and a clasp.  

Braided yarn with a clasp.

• I've lost 5 more pounds since my last weigh-in, which brings me to 65 total pounds lost! Only 10 more to my goal weight! I think I can manage that before the dawn of the new year!

That's all I wanted to share today. I'm so glad that I'm slowly ticking things off of my "to do" wish for this year- it makes me feel as though I'm accomplishing something! 

{top image via/text edit by pinkazaleaparadise}

(royal) weekend recap

Well loves, it's Monday again. This past weekend I took a jaunt to my parent's for some TLC (television, laundry, cooking- haha!). We went to Aberfoyle's Special Antique Show, and it was quite the sight. There were hundreds of vendors and tons of people milling around. I saw quite a few oddities and beautiful things. I didn't purchase anything, but I got a ton of ideas for my future dwelling (and it was also something I wanted to do on my 12 Before 2012 list). Later that afternoon, we went to the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington. I can't put into words how gorgeous and relaxing it is there, so I will let my pictures do the talking:

 I will be channeling the inner peace I found there during this hectic week. I highly recommend going there if you ever get the chance!

Dreams

Thinking about the future...

picture via/text edit by pinkazaleas

red + emerald

Almost a week since I last posted? Shameful. I'm here today to share a colour combination that has been inspiring me for the last few weeks. There's nothing more dramatic and elegant than vibrant, red hair contrasted with a deep emerald or teal. Since I've been known to have red hair (albeit not as deep or rich as these ladies), I've been taking cues from them and wearing deep jewel tones more often to really contrast my hair. It makes a bold statement, and screams confidence- just take a look at them!

Emma Stone takes it a notch further with deliriously sexy red lipstick. 

Drew Barrymore in an Emilio Pucci gown. Fabulous. 

Jayma Mays looks classy and cute with a sparkly scoop neck. 

Russian model Ulayna Sergeenko looks vintage-y sleek in her fall 2011-12 lookbook. 

Blake Lively always looks stunning, and her new red hair is no exception. 

Pantone's fall Fashion colour report for fall 2011 has also been providing me with some guidance for the "it" colours of the season. It's no surprise that deep teal is red hot this fall. I'm also loving "phlox" and "cedar" which I think would look equally gorgeous on these red-headed celebs. 

Which Pantone fall colours speak to you? Do you think red hair and emerald is passé, or ingenious? I'd love to hear what you think! Have a colourful day, loves!

12 Before 2012 update!

Settling back into routine at school has kind of put my 12 Before 2012 list on the back burner, but I have managed to accomplish some small feats. One of my goals is to re-read the entire Harry Potter series. Last night I finished reading the first book in the Harry Potter series (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone for those of you who don't know). I plan on starting the second one tonight. It's a great way to relax and unwind after a busy day because it's an interesting and easy read. I can't believe there are so many details I'd forgotten over the years! 

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Another thing that I've been working on from my list is my weight loss. As of a few days ago, I had lost another 5 pounds, which puts my total weight loss at 60 pounds! It's surreal that I've accomplished this, but I intend to keep going. I don't own a scale here, because I found it far too easy to become a slave to the scale. I've started a combined workout regime of walking and pilates, and I keep eating healthy food choices, so hopefully the pounds continue to come off. Even if they don't come off as quickly as I would like them to, I feel great because I'm taking care of myself, and I feel accomplished, proud, and confident. 

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Now you're all caught up on my progress so far... 3 and a half months left of 2011 (that feels almost unbelievable as I type that... because that means I'm only in class for that much longer- eek!). 

Fall Porch Decor

Fall is just around the corner, and I am slightly obsessed with seasonal porch decorating. There's something so home-y and inviting about a wonderfully bright and textured entry to your home. The vibrant colours of fall make me want to snuggle up with a good book and a tea. 

Here's what my friend and I did at my parent's house last year:

After browsing through the interwebs, however, I have an itch to try something new! Maybe something like this:

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Or something artistic like this:

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Or something rustic and country like this:

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I'm feeling super inspired with all of these lovely photos. There are so many different ways to decorate your porch for fall, but they all leave me with warm and fuzzy feelings!

hittin' the books

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Today is my first day of Teachers College! I'll be hitting the books and learning about what I love the most (besides fashion, beauty and interior design). If only I could look as glamourous as this lady does while doing it. I love new beginnings- they're a chance to prove to yourself that you have grown as an individual, and this new beginning is one of the most exciting ones I've ever encountered! 

Until later lovelies,