Free Sticker Friday // Santamoji Stickers

If you haven't started your Christmas shopping yet, what the heck are you waiting for?!?! Christmas is only over a month away!! In all seriousness I am loving doing my holiday shopping online because Ebates rocks.  If you haven't signed up for Ebates, check out one of my posts on saving money on high end make up here!  but head over to this link and sign up to get cash back on your holiday shopping.  The best thing?  When there is a sale you can get an additional percentage back!  I also love to use it on Etsy - especially if there are any great Black Friday sales.  It won't take any hard earned moolah from the Etsy owner and usually it is 1% cash back..but every penny counts, right? (Seriously, sign up here.  It is 100% legit!  I promise.  Plus if you invite friends, you get moolah too!)

(this post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here)

Anyway, this post is about some free Santamoji stickers great to mark any and all frustrations with holiday shopping.  Or holiday cooking, holiday planning, or holiday fails & successes.  These little dudes will help you keep track of all the holiday emotions you may be feeling in this crazy, crazy time.

Included in the download is a PNG file to cut with your Cricut Explore, a PDF file to cut by hand or with this tool I hear awesome things about, and a Silhouette file to cut with your Silhouette Portrait or Cameo.  If you haven't already, head over to my new Cricut Ready Planner Stickers group on Facebook to find some inspiration, ask questions, and some free basic printables.

DOWNLOAD SANTAMOJIS HERE

As always, the printables and freebies offered on this blog are for personal use only.  Do not claim any work as your own, sell the printed or digital copy of the file, or share the file itself.  If you would like to link to or Pin this free printable, please link to this post.  Do not print and disseminate in mass quantities.  Thanks for playing nice.

I can't wait to see what my Ebates check will look like after the holidays!  Maybe I can spoil myself.....

Looking for more Christmas pintables? Here is a printable + DIY personal size countdown & here are printable count down stickers.  Find all planner printable posts here.

xoxo, Moe

Wednesday Decor // Cozy + Happy Holidays

There hasn't been a serious Wednesday Decor post on the blog in ages...but since it's the holidays it is high time to bust one out.  I am loving the coziness of the last few months of the year.  Once we get out of the holiday season though (January - March), I'm ready for the cold weather to be over!  October - December is the most wonderful time of the year, honestly.  And if it weren't for the holidays, I don't know if I could make it through the winter!  

Here are my six must haves for cozy, wintry decor:

find this set on Polyvore here.

this post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here.

Mistletoe Candle

This is the scent of the season for me.  I have a candle in every room.  It is so pine-y and so Christmas-y that I can't just have one.  This is the only scent I consistently burn and would burn it all year round too!

Tart/Candle Warmer

Since I like to have this candle in every room, I have assorted candle warmers so that I can have a house filled with scent, but isn't on fire.  You can find these any old place for $20 or less (here is one on Amazon).  Some come with dishes and some come with just the flat surface for the candle.  I find it's better to use a candle near the end of it's life for the most scent throw.  (Or tarts, of course).

Cozy Throws

Crochet throw, fleece throw, tartan throw, any throw...give them all to me.  If I'm not walking around I'm under a blanket on the couch.  Bonus points if it is a heated blanket.  Oh yea.

Comfy Slippers

I can not stand when my feet are cold.  I can not stand when my feet are hot.  And that's why I like slippers over socks.  Socks are way too hard to take off when I suddenly decide my feet are too hot.  Slippers are extremely easy to slip on when I decide my feet are too cold.  Bonus points if they are cute as hell!

Christmas Decor

Our Christmas decor fits in 4 total boxes...one of which is the tree.  And I like it that way.  Not only is there not too much to store but everything is important.  Everything was chosen with care.  I will however continue to collect Christmas ornaments until my tree topples over.  My favorite decor items are the Miley Cyrus Wrecking Ball ornament, the Kim K 'break the internet' ornament, & the Gnome Gnativity set.  

Crochet Stockings

I know this is part of the decor part above but I'm keeping this separate because I crocheted our Christmas stockings.  We don't have a fireplace so they hang off the bookshelf.  The way they look on our bookshelf next to the tree just gives me all the feels!

These are just a few of my favorite (Christmas) things.  I honestly love this time of year.  Everyone thinks it is so hectic and stressful but I just see it as full of cheer.  Even when I worked retail - I didn't like working Christmas eve - but I also liked all the Christmas decor, all the last minute shoppers, etc.  No one was ever overly ridiculous to me, it was a pleasant experience.  Around this time of year I am always a little more patient and a little more helpful.  But it is my favorite time.

What are your holiday decor favorites?  Anything you put up or pull out year after year?

xoxo, Moe

Make it Monday // Christmas Countdown Planner Insert

If there's one thing I love making, it is planner inserts.  Not only do I love making functional ones (peep the ones in my shop here) but I also love making fun ones.  I would say that this insert falls under the category of fun + functional though.

this post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here.

Today I wanted to share with you how to make another fun planner insert using my favorite online design tool - PicMonkey!  If you've read or seen any of my planner insert tutorials using PicMonkey, this will be familiar.  But I wanted to share another take on this DIY and offer some more things to you free!  If you're not down for making this yourself, don't worry - I've got some freebies at the end of the post!

First, start off in the collage feature offered by PicMonkey.  Hover over each box in the collage and click the 'x' until you have a collage of only one image.  Navigate to the Swatches category & pick a background to be added to the collage.  

Be sure to remove the white border by using the slider under the Background category.  At the top of the screen, there is an Edit button.  Click this to navigate to the editor.  This step eliminates the step of saving to your computer and then re-uploading the image to PicMonkey.  One less image file save on my computer is a blessing!

Once the editor screen is active, select the crop tool and move into crop the image.  Select the iPhone 6 Plus preset to get the perfect height to width ratio for personal sized planner inserts.  Be sure to uncheck scale photo as scaling it may cause quality loss.  Be sure to apply the crop.

Next, from the Overlays category, select a rectangle.  Change each color to white - the rectangle border and the fill color - then increase the transparency until the background is visible.  To create a page with room for punching on the left hand side, eyeball the placing of the rectangle to the right of the image.  To create a page with room for punching on the right hand side, eyeball the placing of the rectangle to the left of the image.  Create both a left and right hand page and save both images.

Open the image with the space on the left hand side to create the countdown.  Add a title using the text of your choice, I chose to use a new font added to the collection on PicMonkey called Coffee Break to title the page.  One of the best parts of using PicMonkey is that you can use the fonts installed on your computer.  However, if you don't have anything fun to use, you can always find great free and Royale fonts to fit your project.  Personally, I love the Royale feature!  You get access to many more fonts and overlays with a Royale subscription!  For just $33/year or $4.99/month you can get an all access pass to amazing design tools!  Sign up here.

Next, using the Themes category (the snowflake at the bottom) select Santa Land and overlay some of the Christmas ornaments in a pattern with in the rectangle.  Obviously you'll need to lay at least 24 down.  I reserved the 25th place for a big Christmas tree, also found in the Santa Land theme.  Using the font Budmo Jiggler, I added the numbered countdown.

To create the reverse Santa's List Page, open the image with the room for the holes on the right side.  Using the same font, Coffee Break, create the title.  I used a sans serif font called Lato to lay down the lines.  Add another Christmas tree overlay for a decorative touch.

Be sure to save your work to your computer.

Finally using the tail end of this tutorial, place the two images you've created into word (or another word processing document) to create the file to print from.  Because this tutorial places the images on either side of the word document, when you print the page back to front, you'll end up with two Christmas countdowns with a notes page on the back.  Not a bad thing to have.............but it may be more than you need!

If you follow this tutorial, you will design a page intended for a personal sized planner.  However, if you're willing to play around in Word, you may be able to get this to fit near A5 size.  Because you unchecked the scale photo box you have a lot of quality to work with.  So increasing the size shouldn't be a problem.

If you're not keene on making your own inserts, don't fret - I've got you covered.  Click here for the free PDF download.  I've also created a set of printable stickers that you can use to mark of the dates.  Annnddd because I didn't want you to waste a whole sheet of sticker paper I've also added some headers and heart checklists, too.  (Click here for the stickers!)  These will fit perfectly in your ECLP (sign up here for 10% off your first order, must create a new account!) or in any vertical style planner you may have - I have some personal sized planner inserts in my shop!

Remember that all the printables on the blog are intended for personal use only.  So don't copy, distribute, or disseminate these for profit.  Please share this blog post instead of the file and I'll appreciate it!

I am so happy to start my countdown tomorrow!  So be sure to print yours out tonight!

If you'd like to find more PicMonkey tutorials, click here.  If you're looking for more planner printables, click here.

What are you looking forward to this holiday season?  Anything fun to countdown to other than Christmas!?!?

xoxo, Moe

Favorite Places for Custom Holiday Cards // Zazzle & Minted

Now that Thanksgiving is officially over and we can now freely admit that our trees are up (and have been up for about 2 weeks), it's time to start on the holiday cards you know you should send out each year.  I have to say - this year is the year to send them.

this post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here.

all images are used from minted.com and zazzle.com

There are two places I highly recommend ordering your holiday cards from - Minted and Zazzle.  And don't forget this weekend is prime savings time (details below!)

Minted

this card features real foil detail!  Find it here

Minted is an A+ place to order anything from, in all honesty.  This site offers artwork, notebooks (and planners!), holiday cards, wedding invites, and much more (like, look at this fabric!) all created from quality artwork and customized by you.  This amazing online market places sources talented artists to create works for you to purchase as designed or customize yourself.  The curated works on the site are truly inspiring and breathtaking.  The images appeal to a vintage meets modern aesthetic while offering a wide variety of designs.

this card features silver foil!  Find it here.

An interesting part of the site is that the artwork and designs featured aren't just curated by the site itself, but by the consumer.  Artists submit their works and the consumers of the site rank and vote on each design.  Minted then curates the most popular designs for customization and print.  Each designer can upload to their design shop and have Minted fulfillment process turn the design into a reality.

find this design in assorted colors here.

When it comes to Holiday cards, the designs are limitless.  Choose from a modern postcard to a chic letterpress and wow your relatives with your custom creation.    You can even get free printing of addresses on the envelopes!

Right now, they've extended their Black Friday pricing - 20% off holiday cards & gifts $150+, 15% off no min. Code: BF2015, exp 11/29 (see details here)

Zazzle

A broad market place for all things custom, Zazzle offers countless products to be customized countless ways.  From acrylic trays (see a DIY here) to custom flasks, to wedding invitations (check out the wedding suites offered in the Five Sixteenths shop here.), to holiday cards, Zazzle is a market place for anyone any everyone with a creative bug.  Catering to a wide variety of aesthetics, the endless products on Zazzle allow for any Plain 'Ol Joe to Design Team Suzie to create and sell their creations.

Through Zazzle's fulfillment process anyone can post a design for sale - meaning that the variety is clearly endless.  Choose from post cards, folded cards, die cut cards, matching postage, and envelopes - there are combos galore.  Feel like you have what it takes to design your own card?  Use your favorite design machine (or even PicMonkey!) to create a design 100% custom to you!  Zazzle's fulfillment process will bring your dream into reality!

find this design here.

I love the new die cut cards feature.  The different shapes make your holiday cards (or any cards or invitations) very unique.  Creating a one of a kind holiday memory to send to your friends and family.

Right now Zazzle has an assortment of sales going on, including 50% off site wide!  Details are here.

So, if you haven't yet decided on your holiday cards this year, I urge you to fiddle around with both of these sites to find the one design that makes you feel merry and bright.  And, like I mentioned above...don't forget that it is sales time!! Not only are both sites having AWESOME sales, Zazzle has 10% cash back through Ebates!  So if you haven't signed up for Ebates - an awesome, no joke way of earning cash back on your online purchases - do so here!

Hope you had a wonderful holiday with your friends and family, and I can't wait to get started on the Christmas posts!

xoxo, Moe

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!

I'm so glad to have you all reading my blog & coming by every once in a while.  I can't wait to go into 2013 with new ideas and have new adventures.

Wishing you all the best!

Connect on Twitter // Follow on Pinterest // Peep me at Hello Cotton

Home for the Holidays

I seriously can't wait to head home for the holidays!  It's been very hard being away from my family & especially being unemployed.  All I want is a week of no worries, a week of no stress, & a week of good food and family.  I just want to be home, enjoying my family and drinking hot cocoa.

What are you looking forward to doing while we've still got 2012 left?

Connect on Twitter // Follow on Pinterest // Peep me at Hello Cotton

Sum Up Sunday // The Holidays

I didn't get a chance to post about Christmas until now.  Christmas is my favorite time of year!  Sometimes the week between Christmas & New Year's is so long and sometimes it's too short.  This year, the week was short, but here is a photo recap:

Hope you enjoyed your Christmas time & rang in the New Year in style!  Best wishes for the New Year!

Oh, the best gift I got? My room mate donated to the World Wildlife Foundation in my name & adopted a hippo for me! I even have a fluffy little hippo stuffed animal!

Merry Christmas

I hope your Christmas was merry & bright! I also hope Santa brought you everything you wanted!

To You & Yours // Happy Holidays

In an hour or so I'll be sitting down to enjoy a yummy home cooked meal made by my aunt and gramma. Each year we have Christmas dinner on Christmas eve and settle in to wait for Santa. Tonight will be filled with yummy desserts, laughter, and excitement for Christmas morning.

To you and yours, I wish a happy holiday. I'll be posting loads of things in the coming week, too!

Happy Christmas!!

Fan Fridays // Holiday Season

I am so excited the holidays are growing near!! I love Christmas time, it is one of my favorite times of the year. I've mentioned that about 231684 times on this blog this month alone!

Any holiday that involves glitter makes the holiday even better.  Glitter goes with any holiday, but Halloween & Christmas take the cake. Any decor, ornaments, wrapping paper, or even gift that has glitter makes me squeal. I am sure if you covered a dollar store something-or-other in glitter & gave it to me as a present, I would cherish it.  Glitter = Awesome.

So this Fan Friday I am hearting all the glitter that is this Holiday Season:

this awesome glitter house that reminds me of my Grandparents' home around the holidays

be sure to click through to see the awesome tutorial!

If life ever hands you accidentally broken glass ornaments, turn them into glitter!

Read the story here & check out the great tutorial!

I've always loved this great take on glitter ornaments in non-traditional colors for Christmas.

Peep the tutorial here

Glitter just gets me going! I'd put it on everything if they'd let me.  My room mate complained after I showed him his gifts (along with everyone else's) were wrapped in glitter paper.  He didn't want to get gold flecks all over his nice boy stuff.

I also had to try to figure out my student loans this morning....talk about a hassle.  And I thought the studying & projects were the hardest part about college.  I was wrong, it's the fact that one company sells your loans to another company and now you have 203857203 companies you have to pay so they don't take your first born child!  Gah! Hopefully I will have a few small ones paid off soon....but I'll be feeding Uncle Same some dough for quite a while.

Hope you enjoy your weekend!

Do you have the glitter bug?  Or do you just hate the stuff?

Fan Fridays // It's Christmas Time in the City

We are all decorated up for Christmas right now & have a few presents under the tree.  I got a few in the mail yesterday that I need to wrap for my room mates & boyfriend tonight.  Hopefully I'll be able to get them done before anyone gets home from work!

Here are few posts from last Christmas, just in case you want a peek: Here & Here

Christmas time is one of my favorite times of the year.  I love the decor, the horrible sweaters, the wrapping paper, the lights, it's all pretty much the most magical thing ever.  This weekend I am going to visit my Gramma & hopefully I'll be able to share with you her awesome decorations.  Her house always looks like the North Pole around Christmas. & I've always loved it.

Here are some ideas I may try out this holiday season:

try adding a layer of glitter between two layers of solid nail polish.

Does that looks so Christmas-y?

source

Check out the rest of my Manicure Must Do pins here

I still don't have a stocking hung by the fire place.  I need to either grab one up or make one.

I have a few that I have made but I think they are all packed up & still at my parents house!

Check out the DIY here at the Complete Guide to Imperfect Home Making

I love this glitter shoe DIY from Little Glass Box.

I am looking for a fancy pair to wear for Christmas or New Years.

I don't really do anything fancy, but it would be nice to look fancy!

Just searching Glitter Shoes on Pinterest you get a whole load of inspiration.

What are you loving this week? Any Christmas themed things you are still waiting to do?

Tempted Tuesdays // A Few of my Favorite Rings

If there is one piece of jewelry I can't get enough of, it's rings.  I love gaudy costume & cocktail rings to classic & vintage pieces.  New or old, I love 'em!  Rings are my jewelry of choice because I can see them while wearing them.  They sure are sparkling & great to look at.  Its a shame to wast something cute on a place you can't see!

So, if Santa wants to bring me one of these I'd wear it every day!

A few of my Favorite Rings by fivesixteenthsblog featuring gold rings

Clockwise from the left: Amethyst, Blue Topaz (my birthstone), Emerald, Fire Topaz, Citrine, Opal

I already have a Fire Topaz ring, necklace & earring set my mother gave to me a few Christmas' ago.  I wear the ring nearly everyday.  My new obsession is Opal! My sister is born in October which Opal is the birthstone & I've always loved hers..  It's so pretty the way it reflects the light! This stone is supposed to bring good luck.  I don't like my birthstone too much but some rings just make the stone look gorgeous.

I am also fond of the art deco style of the Citrine ring.  I had a ring that was lost a while ago that had a sort of art deco feel.  I am still on the hunt for a close replacement.

Do you have any favorite gemstones? Are you a fan of a certain type of ring?

Dorm Dec Wednesday // It's Beginning to Smell a lot like Christmas

(Whoops!! A little late on the Dorm Dec Wednesday!)

In my house we've got a thing for candles especially beautifully scented ones.  The other day my room mate came home with some delicious candles from the big Yankee Candle store in town.  We did some re arranging & put out a Mistletoe and Sparkling Snow candle for the season.

While decorating the tree this past weekend, the house just smelled wonderful.  Now I can't get enough of it! I light the candles in the morning, when I get home from work, on my lunch break.....any time I have a minute to light a match!

Two of my fave ornaments: A Margarita one given to me by Katie & the Pine Cone Ornaments given to Katie & Jason by his Grandparents.

The stockings are hung by the chimney with care in hopes that St. Nick will soon be there.  Visions of sugar plums are dancing in my head. And I hope the mail man comes soon so I can wrap some gifts!

Have you started decorating for the holidays?


p.s.  Have you seen Kaelah Bee's loft tour? So freaking great! And check out the greatest blog design I've seen this side of November over at Maryam's blog Pamplemousse1983

Tempted Tuesdays // Around the House

I don't need anything more for my house! I swear I don't! But if Santa wanted to bring me a few things he could bring me some of these things:

This rad Gnome Bottle opener

A lovely Terra Cotta Blue & White Mug

This lovely teapot

You know, because I need to fill up the already full shelves at my apartment!

Happy Tuesday!