gettin' crafty

Christmastime equals craft time in my book.  So I've been busy (you know, when I wasn't writing papers) crafting my little heart out!

{I do wish I could take credit for all of these ideas, but alas, all of the tutorials can be found on my Pinterest craft board.}

 Coasters! (they aren't finished here...but they're insanely easy to do.  And I gave a set to each of my aunts for Christmas and they were all impressed!)

 Felt headbands (so easy, and so fun!)

Monogrammed mugs (super fun, and again, pretty easy!)

CW Practice

I've done a lot of shooting for the Chromatic Wakeup guys over the past few months. 

My brother's the bassist, my cousin is one of the guitarists, and I'm friends with the rest of them.  

They're releasing their first album tonight, and we've all been busy getting ready.  I took a bunch of shots during their practice yesterday.  

Here are a few, but to see some more, head over to my photography site!

 

Instagram update! {finals & Christmas edition}

First, finals:

1.  My finished (65-page) 5th grade Colonial America unit

2.  Sometimes, I write the whole alphabet out

3.  Tea...I drank 6 cups a night

4.  Some sustenance.  Only the best ice cream ever

5.  A good reminder

6.  When I had finally gotten into bed, I heard cries coming from my closet, only to find that this little one had climbed up the back of my hanging shoe organizer and perched herself up here

7.  Homework, homework, homework!

8.  The whiteboard to-do lists (this was mid-week)

And now....Christmas!

1 & 2. Live Nativity from our Christmas Eve services at Church

3.  Chromatic Wakeup caroler cookies!

4.  One is missing (but it wasn't my fault!)

5.  Alex, Natalie, & Betsy cookies

6.  The photo booth set-up from our Christmas Eve services at church

7 & 8.  Mugs I monogrammed for our youth group leaders!

a few shots from our Christmas

Merry Christmas!

I hope you've all been able to spend a day with friends and family celebrating the birth of Jesus!

Here are a few shots from our Christmas...

Some from last night at church:

And from today:

This year, my family decided that we'd only give each other one gift.  My parents asked for a wish list of a few things from my brother and I, and he got a kit to fix up his Rhodes piano and a set of speakers.
I got my 50mm f/1.4 lens (I'm already in love) AND this BEAUTIFUL Kelly Moore Mimi bag!
(It's a camera bag....isn't that AWESOME?!)
 I already fit my wallet, my D7000 with the 50mm attached, my 18-105mm lens, gloves, AND I still have lots of room!  This bag is magic.
My brother and I cheated a little on the giving one gift thing.  I got my mom a soup cookbook, a set of hand-made coasters, and soup mugs (which I justified by saying it all went together) and then we both refurbished our MacBooks and gave them to each of our parents.  They were pretty excited.
And this was an excellent Christmas.

hair.

I do apologize for my absence around here this week.

Remember how my life was a little topsy-turvy earlier this fall?

Well, lets just say the topsy-turvy giant came back into town and started to make some waves again.  But no worries, things are fine.

Anyway, I just got my hair cut yesterday (nothing too drastic, just a little trim!) and I've been avidly searching for some fun Christmas hairstyles.

And then, I found It's the Small Things.

This girl's hair is to die for.  

Seriously.  I think I might just take my computer to my hairstylist next time and tell her to make mine look like that. 

Isn't it gorgeous?! 

It also just so happens that I needed a new hairdryer, so I went in search of her recommendations (she's a hairstylist herself, so she has a TON) and acted on a few of them!

Go check out Kate's blog.  Not only does she do tutorials and videos, she's also a total sweetheart!

How are you wearing your hair this Christmas season?