two years & four months. . .

Just wanted to share a couple sneak peeks into my life right now. So sorry i haven't had time to post, school has gotten crazy. I have had to make more time for editing too, so here are some from the session I did a couple months ago with my BEAUTIFUL sister and her boyfriend. They have been together for 2 years and 4 months as of today, woohoo!!!!! That is so incredibly awesome. Hoping for many more wonderful times for them. Hope you enjoy these as much as I loved getting to capture these moments. . .

Painted Coasters. . .

As you can see, this has been a VERY productive week. Not only did I get to create, I also got a lot of editing done. I'm almost finished, yay!!!!!!! But these sweet coasters turned out so perfect for my room. . . On my coffee table I put numbers that correspond with a special date that month, like for February I did a 1 & 4 because the 14th is Valentine's day! Just a creative way of displaying festive love. There are 10 coasters total. I was so excited when I found these hardwood samples at Goodwill, they inspired me. So I decided that because I loved them SO much, I want to share them with you. So these items are also available on my Etsy as of tonight. Sorry for all of the Etsy postings, I'm just playing catch up on everything since school just started back. Hope you enjoy, and be sure to check them out here.

Lovely Rainy Day. . . Pillow Creations.

And here is another Etsy creation, it is also up in the shop, just click here. I just made this pillow this afternoon, and totally fell in love with how it turned out!!!!!!! Ah, it is a smaller size, but I thought maybe I could do big ones with it too! Here in South Carolina there have been many rainy days all week long. . .Gives me a perfect excuse to create. I love days like this.

B is for Bunny. . .

Oh hello! Look what I have added to the Etsy shop, just click here. . . A fleece/felt bunny. Ah, so soft and amazing, it turned out just like I had it pictured in my mind! This little guy is only $22, it is a must have. I'm starting a collection with woodland creatures, and can't wait to get started on the next animal! I might do a raccoon. . . Any other ideas? I love hearing from you guys!

A Little Bundle of Joy. . .

I had the absolute privilege of having a session with little 5 day old Rome. He was so beautiful and perfect, absolutely precious. Here are a couple of the shots I captured, oh what a gift it is to see a new life born. . .

DIY Ribbon Dispenser. . .

Back in the fall, I found this AMAZING tiny chair on the side of the road. I picked it up, and was planning on repainting for little King this Christmas. Haha I wasn't as experienced as I thought. The moment I tried nailing in a new seat, the entire chair began to crumble. . . rotten wood on the legs, great! It was sitting in my garage for forever, and I just didn't have the heart to burn it. Although King didn't get a cute chair for Christmas, I had an opportunity to use it for some of my daily needs. I decided to turn it into a ribbon dispenser. I've never seen anyone do this, so I didn't know how it would turn out, but it ended up being a favorite!!!!!! I was so excited. So, if you ever have an old chair or even a small wooden ladder that needs to be put to use, try this! Now I can see ALL of my amazing Baker's Ribbon from TJMaxx. Let the decorating begin!

Here is a little sneak peak into my projects for this next year. . . Thought I'd share, can't wait to get working on all of this!

After Christmas, my scrap basket noticeably increased. . .Hm, maybe from many nights of crafting?! Oh, how I miss being on Christmas break. Love love love saving extra scraps, they always come in handy for little creations.

A Little Minnie Mouse. . .

Had the joy of taking a couple shots of Kingston's cousin who visited this afternoon. . . She had on this ADORABLE knitted Minnie Mouse hat from Etsy, and it was too cute. Just had to share. . .Hope your weekend has been delightful.

Etsy. . .

So, here it is!!!!! Simply Smitten is finally on Etsy. I only have one item up in the shop now, but lots more to come. Be sure to check it out!!!! www.etsy.com/shop/aSimplySmittenlife

Simply 2013. . . {A Time for Resolutions}

This year, I was thinking about my New Years resolutions. I wanted a simple way to remember goals and changes that need to happen. So, I chose to create an acronym to help with that, and of COURSE it had to do with Simply Smitten. Find an easy way to remember yours, and pray that God would change your heart and life this year through your goals.

"Seek to show others the love of Jesus through my words, actions, and motives."

"Improve my nutrition and exercising habits. . . I need a change in the way that I spend my time, and prioritize the things that need to happen, like being healthy and fit."

"Make and create beautiful things that simply bring a smile, and encourage other people's lives."

"Put others first and abandon selfishness."

"Live each day with a grateful heart that is in awe of my God." Even through the hard points in life. And have a joy in Jesus that is rooted in His love.

{"YOUR grace is always enough for me."} Praying that this truth will impact me through every day this next year, reminding me to always be satisfied in my God above all else. May I never forget the unrelentless love and faithfulness of my Savior!

Happy New Year!!!!!!!! Welcome 2013. . .

Happy New Year from Simply Smitten!!!!! Hope your year is lovely and oh so wonderful. Can't wait to see what God has in store for this next year, I'm definitely ready for 2013 to start! I was thinking through this past year and all of the wonderful joys that God put into my life. There were heart aches and losses, but also so many wonderful blessings from God's hand. SO thankful for the friends and family that God has so graciously put into my life. This past year I had the privledge of seeing BOTH sides of the family, and that rarely happens all in one year. Such an amazing time to catch up with each and every one of my aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. This past year was also incredible with things like graduating from highschool, weddings for sweet close friends, the birth of little Kingston Sawaya, restoration with a best friend, the start of college, leading life groups at church with some incredible ninth grade girls, beginning an amazing relationship with Jason, beach trips with the girls, the start of a new business. . .Simply Smitten, and lots of laughs and smiles with over 20 shoots this past fall. Such an amazing year. I hope I learn to see each day as a beautiful, God-given moment to use the most of what I have for His ultimate glory. Love life and all the people who are right by your side to help you get through every second of it. . . Make some goals and achieve the unachievable. And most importantly don't forget to not take the small moments in life for granted.  . . Everyday is a gift.