New Mercies, New Year,

     As 2017 comes to a close, I wanted to write my last devotional & Blogpost for 2017. This year has been amazing in so many ways. It also has been bitter after loosing a very close loved one a couple months ago,  but it has also been oh so sweet! As I reflect on all of the good things, I become more and more thankful- for my Family, Career, this amazing world we live in, and most all Jesus! He has taken such good care of me and my family beyond what I deserve; he has also bestowed an amazing amount of mercy and grace to me. And for that, I am forever grateful. Psalm 145:9 says,
The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

As 2018 approaches, I hope to be a much better person than I am today. Sharing, loving, kind, and giving mercy as I have been given. I hope appreciate whats really important and not superficial. I hope for all things good. I hope to travel and explore this beautiful country that I live in and document each and every beauty with my camera. I hope to bring joy and positivity to someone. I also hope to make a good difference in our world. 

Happy 2018 and Blessings to you all and thank you for following along my little blog and reading.

Put a Bow on it (Thrifty Sweater Craft Project)

         If you like bows, you'll love this DIY  craft tutorial. Over the weekend I went to Goodwill and picked up a couple of sweaters for a fun craft project. I got the idea from one of my favorite Instagram accounts Allison Scraper-You can check hers out, its super cute.
So first things first, I got this ivory colored chunky sweater for less than $5.

I picked up a cute piece of red and black polka dot fabric. Super classic.The other supplies are a good pair of scissors, Embroidery floss, a marker (I used a water soluble pen from my sewing stash)

a large sewing needle and a cute Bow template. I went to google and found mine- it has cute Minnie vibes.

I cut my bows out for both of my sleeves. I then marked where my elbows were so that I sewed my bows in the right area. I did a very simple hand stitch. (Remember its a craft project; its supposed to be fun)

The final project was so cute. This project cost less than $7. This would make a great girls craft night project. I plan on wearing this cutie to a very cold place I'm traveling to this week. I hope that you try this little craft project. If you do feel free to leave a comment. I have more for craft projects to come. 

Homemade Ginger Snap Cookies recipe

         I recently tried some homemade Ginger Snap cookies at my local Farmers Market and I loved them.  As I went to buy more, I thought to myself that I could make these myself and share them. So I pulled out my baking supplies and starting baking. There are a few recipes out there for these delicious cookies. I wanted mine soft so I went for this recipe, but if you want yours with a snap this recipe is a good one. Theres also a vegetarian option, as well.

                                                                       Ingredients


                                3/4 cup of softened butter
                                1 cup of granulated sugar
                                1 egg
                                1/4 cup molasses
                                2 cups all purpose flour
                                1/4 teaspoon salt
                                2 teaspoons baking soda
                                1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
                                1 teaspoon ground cloves
                                1 teaspoon ground ginger
                             
And  additional 1/2 cup of coarse sparkling sugar for rolling, which is the fun part.
My family loved them when I shared them. They have a nice snap of ginger which is my favorite.
Thank you so much for stopping by and reading. I'll be enjoying ginger snaps and milk this weekend and staying cozy.

Sun Days

       So with the cooler weather we've been experiencing here in Florida- I wanted a cute yet comfortable sweater to lounge around in. Thats where this cute sweater comes in- from Lilly Pulitzer. It says" Sun Days," with little gold pineapples on it. I want to get the one that says " Seas the Day" for our annual family Southwest Florida trip coming in a couple of weeks. I love the loose fit. It can be layered if its a lot colder of outside. I'll be lounging around in this comfy top all day with a cup of vanilla coffee and possibly some work (busy season) and running errands or reading a book.

Thanks for stopping by and reading. I love hearing from you feel free to leave a comment!

Happy Sunday!

Amethyst Sweater

           We have been having some cold weather here in Florida. Which makes me all kinds of happy because I get to layer up and wear pretty sweaters. And speaking of sweaters- I recently bought this Amethyst colored sweater from Lilly Pulitzer ( it also comes in a bright pink).  My favorite color is purple so this color was perfect for me. Its on the lighter side, so its perfect for cooler days.

I paired mine with a neutral colored skirt, knitted hat and my new favorite Tory Burch ballet flats that have a cute bow on top. And they're also Amethyst colored. 

In Florida you can get a way with wearing colorful, yet warm clothes. 

I love taking pictures near the water and I love these colorful buildings. Thanks so much for stopping by and reading.

Travel Essentials

       I'll be doing some traveling in the next couple of weeks- Some for work and some with Family. So, I decided to write a little post on my travel essentials- things that I must bring with me anytime I travel.  First things first, a cute travel bag is a must! I like to bring my own blanket from home, so I usually put my blanket in a big tote. I recently bought this one at Lilly Pulitzer. In the winter my hands get really dry, plus I was my hands a lot while I'm working. So this Shea Butter hand cream from L'Occitaine is extremely moisturizing.

Stress relief essential oils because sometimes there are stressful days! This was a bday gift.

My laptop because I work from it almost everyday. My camera- because you never know when you will see the most beautiful sight.

I personally don't wear makeup, so I try to take really good care of my skin. I love this skincare line from Mario Badescu. The beauty expert at Ultra recommended the eye cream and I fell in love.  Its extremely moisturizing. I liked it so much I decided to try the night cream. Not only do I try to take care of the outside. But I ( try to) drink a lot of water to stay hydrated and moisturized.  

Was anyone else able to pick up a Lilly for Swell bottle? I love mine! They sold out so quick. I love hearing from you all feel free to leave a comment on your favorite travel essentials.

Beach Days in December

       One of the best things about living in Florida is that we have more warm days than freezing cold days. So when that happens, I like to go to the beach!!!! The weather was so pretty- to me the water was too cold to get into. (Native Floridian problems. Gets cold when its 75 degrees. LOL) But, I loved sitting by the water and relaxing. We are in full busy season at work so relaxation is what I needed. I also wore my favorite new maxi dress that I found in Georgia.

Lots of Blue!!!!

Clearwater Beach.

Thanks for stopping by and reading!