a tour through my journals

I really like journals. And journaling. Whether it's writings, entries from day-to-day, quotes, etc., I've pretty much accumulated a journal for every category. So, today I thought I'd give a little tour through the journals I currently keep.

1. See that one that's bigger than all the others? That's called a Smash Book, and I highly recommend you get one. It was a birthday present from my grandparents this year and it's been a lot of fun to fill. I've put magazine pictures and articles, little bits of this and that, a few pictures, doilies, etc, etc. in it. Sometimes a whole page is filled up in a day, other times it takes a couple days.

2. Now for the little black book. I got it at Staples. It's my "everyday" kind of journal. Events from the day, things that are going on, are all recorded inside. I don't always write an entry everyday, but try to keep it pretty up-to-date. I've had it since October (when my other one like it, except in brown, was used up) and it's about one fourth of the way full.

3. This is a journal that I got from my pen-pal in the birthday package she sent me. I use it as my prayer journal for following along with the KBR Ministries plan that is included in their 2013 calendar. Within every entry, there are four categories: Worship/Praise, Confession, Requests, and Thanksgiving.

4. This journal is kind of hard to describe. I've put a lot of things in it from quotes, writings, poems, and more. This is a journal that I recovered with black paper and instagram pictures, then covered the spine and edges of the cover in pretty tape. (I used this tutorial for inspiration.) This journal is very worn from use.

5. This is my most recent one. I found a notebook lying around, tore out the few pages that were written on, and painted the whole cover in gold metallic paint. When it dried, I put some pretty tape on the spine and painted black lettering on the front cover. I keep quotes I like inside. This idea actually came from not wanting my whole Smash Book to be filled with quotes, but still wanting to write them down and keep them somewhere handy.

What kind(s) of journals do you keep? Happy Wednesday! xo.

simple little pleasures

“After all," Anne had said to Marilla once, "I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens but just those that bring simple little pleasures, following one another softly, like pearls slipping off a string.”

L.M. Montgomery | Anne of Avonlea

Hey there. Remember me? Though this is only the ninth day since I last posted (and have gone far longer than that before), I feel like it's been a very long break.

The flu has been in going through our house lately. So, we've haven't been going many places, or doing many things -- but that's not all bad. I've been reading the hobbit to Addy. We're on chapter six now. After going to see the movie, we both really wanted to read the book. Our grandpa loaned us his copy and we've enjoyed reading through it and seeing what is like the movie, and what's different.

While going woodcutting with dad the other day, I found these two (above) slates of wood lying around. So, I took them home and painting quotes on them. One's on top of my dresser, the other is on my bedside table.

Speaking of quotes, I've really been liking them lately. So, I painted the outside of a notebook with some gold metallic paint, covered the spine in pretty tape, and painted black lettering on it. Now I keep little quotes I find, and like, taped inside.

So lately, though the weather's been cold and there's not been a whole lot going on, there's still simple little pleasures like these.

xo.

things to smile about

THINGS TO SMILE ABOUT | January 15, 2013

• vanilla flavored iced coffee
• stacks of journals, books, et cetera on my desk
• golden hour light and shadows in my room
• learning spanish
• kittens
• sunshine-y weather
• instagraming (@imhaleyjane)
• jars of paintbrushes
• reading
• mom's homemade chocolate chip cookies
• waking up when the sun has just started rising
• taking photos just for fun
• smash booking (a birthday present!)
• getting seed catalogs in the mail
• painting

addyson grace | new glasses

Addy's my sister. She got new glasses. They're really cute. So is she.

Happy weekend! xo.

chapter fifteen.

I seem to recall when you were small
All of a sudden, you're tall
It didn't happen overnight
That you've become a wonderful sight
And I know it's going to be all right

Because this is the way it was meant to be
First born in your family tree,
A picture of responsibility

But don't you worry
And don't you fret
Remember the good times
You're not old yet!

poem written by my grandpa. given to me on my 13th birthday.

Today is my fifteenth birthday. It's funny how quickly fourteen went by. I feel like I just sat down to write about my last birthday. It's also funny how much older fifteen sounds, than fourteen. But even though it seems like the year went by quickly, I know I'm older.

Right now I could go into how there are hardships -- trials and temptations. But that's a given. And today I want to tell you all how thankful I am. Thankful for God's grace. For Salvation. For forgiveness. For my family. For life. I don't deserve it. 

Fifteen years ago today, at 2:04 pm, I was born. I'm happy to be fifteen.

5 on 5: january

In 2013 I'm starting a new blog series. On the fifth of every month I'll try to post five pictures from that day. Here's installment one:

01. We're in the middle of re-doing my room and Addy's room, slowly but surely. One of my Christmas gifts this year was a new bedspread (a duvet cover) I'd been looking at. We also have plans for lace curtains (!!!) and a gallery wall.

02. In December we went a little crazy with making paper snowflakes and putting them all over windows. (Also, apparently, Addy has some serious paper snowflake-making skills we didn't know about.)

03. This glitter feather garland is hanging above the desk in my room. I made it around Christmastime  but I think I could get away with leaving it up all year long, right? (Tutorial here.)

04. Ad and I have started doing a photo a day challenge on instagram (for the month of January). And it is a challenge, but it's also been fun.

05. Over Christmas/New Years break I read more than I have in months. And now I am in the middle of four books right now. Yeah. (See books I'm reading here.)

Happy weekend! xx.