Check, check, and check

Almost exactly a year ago, I wrost a post about my 2012 resolutions.  As it is the last day of 2012 (eeekk!), I thought I should reflect back and see how I did on them!  :)

1.  Create Knitting for Confidence and sustain it throughout the year.

I've written a total of eight Knitting for Confidence posts this year and am thoroughly pleased with where it's taken me.  It's so fun to look back and read about projects that were particularly challenging!

2.  Make at least 3-4 blog posts every week.

For the most part, I've succeeded with this.  During the semester, I was sometimes down to two a week, but overall this year it's been about three or four a week.

3. Start and finish at least five items I've never made before.

This year I've made colorwork gloves, a shawl, wrote my own pattern, made a brioche cowl,  a tote bag, a shirt, and a sweater (ahh!).  A pretty productive year!  Hopefully 2013 will be just as much.

4.  Pull off at least a C+ in my precalc class this semester.

This is a bit of a gray area!  I ended up dropping that class halfway through the semester because I didn't end up needing it.  I had a C+ (I think) until then though!

5.  Post at least 7 comments a week on others' blogs.

I think everyone has been guilty of this at some time or another, but sometimes this has fallen by the wayside....  oops.  I try to make an effort though!

6.  Make more graphic art.

Check!  I did pieces for Knitting for Confidence, all of my buttons, and my blog header!  Success!

7.  Make a profit off of my Etsy shop.

Check!

8.  Grow out my hair.

Check!  I'll be permanently straightening it in two weeks, so it'll be even longer, eeek!

(taken in December '11 and November '12)

9.  Create a layout for my blog that is more streamlined and put-together looking.

Check!  It took me a few tries/months, but I finally made a layout that I loved.  You're looking at it right now!  Yay!

All in all, I'd say I did pretty well for myself and my New Year's resolutions.  :)

Well, that's it for 2012.   See you in 2013!!   xxx

Best of 2012

As 2012 draws to a close, I thought it only appropriate to compile a "best of" post for the year.  Without further ado....

ps.  I'll be back tomorrow with one final post..!   xx

jan: 1 // 2

feb: 3 // 4

mar: 5 // 6

apr: 7 // 8

may: 9 // 10

june: 11 // 12

july: 13 // 14

august: 15 // 16

september: 17 // 18

october: 19 // 20

november: 21 // 22

december: 23 // 24

Chevron Painted Mug DIY

Well, I am finally putting together this post...  The last DIY of 2012.  I hope the wait was worth it!  I came up with this idea when I noticed that the girl I was a secret santa for put "chevron mug" on her wishlist.  I found these fabulous mugs at Target, on sale for $3 a pop!  You don't find deals like that just anywhere, people.

I made a total of four chevron mugs: one for my secret santa, one for my friend Emily, one for a holiday gift swap, and one for me of course!  You didn't think I'd actually go to all this trouble and not have a treat for myself at the end, did you?  ;)  A girl needs a good pick-me-up every once in a while!

Anyhow, hope you enjoy this DIY!   xx

Materials

1 //  A mug of your choice

2 //  Multi-surface paint

3 //  Stencils

4 //  Brushes

5 //  Masking tape

1.  Punch out the initials you want, and do a test run.  It never hurts to be safe!

2.  Tape your desired stencil onto the mug, and paint accordingly.  I encircled a pair of initials with a dotted circle.

3.  When the paint is dry, use your masking tape to create a chevron stripe and paint accordingly.  Have fun with it!

4.  Continue in this manner until you have as as many or as few stripes as can fit or as you want!

Bright Daze

sweater & necklace | forever 21   jacket | christmas gift; free people   boots & legwarmers | madden girl

I wore this darling outfit to a friend's going-away-party on Wednesday night, which was a treat!  She's moving to Idaho so I won't see her for a while.  But it gives me an excuse to drive up there and shred some slopes.  ;)  (I've been snowboarding for seven years!)

It happened on accident, but this outfit ended up as such: black boots with gold studs, black purse with a gold chain, black jacket with gold zippers, gold necklace, and gold makeup.  Pretty awesome.  And then there's this fabulous red, statement sweater!  I picked it up for $6 at Forever 21 this week - it's one of the three on-sale sweaters I mentioned in this post.

The other thing is this jacket: my mom gave it to me for Christmas, and I totally hated it, but then she made me put it on with this outfit, and it ended up fitting with it perfectly, so now I kind of like it.  A little bit.  ;)  I'm still undecided, so what do you think?  I'm not sure if it completely fits my style..  That's why I'm asking your opinion!  Help a girl out!  :)   xx

currently listening to..// Tremble for my Beloved - Collective Soul

Vlog // Secret Santa Recap !

I forgot to mention in the video, but this vlog is in response to the swap Katlyn and Paige held.

Come back later this evening for an outfit post!   xx

ps.  this sweater is not really such an ugly color: you can see it here!
pps.  if you're curious, you can see what I sent my secret santa, Victoria, here!

Merry Christmas ! // How I came to be cursed

Okay I lied.  I never got to the holiday post I promised.  I got home late that night and spent the rest of it researching how to transfer over random, uncooperative bits of data to my new iPhone.

Funny story about that.

A few months ago at school, my phone fell out of my jacket pocket into a toilet, while I was bending over to pick up my books off the floor.  Somehow it survived (I credit the 10 hours it spent in a bag of rice immediately after the incident for that), but as more time passed, it became glitchier and glitchier.  I'm not trying to be the spoiled kid who has to have perfectly working, top-of-the-line devices, but it was starting to get on my nerves.  Sometimes it wouldn't ring when someone called me.  More than once it shut down with  16% battery still remaining.  Things like that.  It doesn't have to be perfect, but I want it to work.

Since I have insurance on my phone, I told my dad that all I wanted for Christmas was a replacement.  On Christmas morning, after I pulled up at his house and started to get out of the car, my phone fell into the gutter.  Which happened to be full of rushing water.  Luckily it landed upright, so the damage wasn't too bad.  I torched my sound though: no music, no ringtone, and silence on the line during a call.

Excellent timing on my part:  not 15 minutes after my phone fell in the gutter did I open my new one.

I am now the family joke.  Literally.  This was the fifth time my cell phone had fallen into water (twice for the iPhone, once each for the other three).  I swear to god, I am cursed.  I don't know what I did, or how having my phone fall into a body of water FIVE TIMES isn't pennance enough for whatever I did, but I'm cursed.  Karma, if you're listening, I'm sorry for whatever I did wrong.

Disclaimer:  you can laugh at my misfortune.

And that is the story of how it all came to be.  xx

Warm Eve

cardigan | forever 21   boots & legwarmers | madden girl   purse | modcloth   earrings | h&m

Never underestimate a woman when she sees a "SALE" sign.  Never ever.  I snagged this beauty at Forever 21 (if you know me at all...where else?) for - wait for it ......  $8 !  I stopped in to pick up some goodies for my sister for Christmas tomorrow, because I feel guilty that I won't have time to knit her present for another week.  Oops.  Since I was already there.. I had to shop.  Obviously.  I picked up this sweater, along with two beautiful knit others for a whopping total of $35.  Merry Christmas to me!

Tomorrow I'll be in the East Bay with my dad's fam celebrating, and I'm sure I'll put together a holiday-ish post about it in the evening.

What are you doing for the holidays?  I'd love to hear!   xx

currently listening to..// Our Song - Taylor Swift