A Modern, Rustic Holiday Set Up Inspired by Hallmark + a Simple DIY Holiday Card Holder

Did you know that Christmas is only SIX weeks away? That means it's time to start getting your Christmas decor ideas pinned and the craft materials to make it all... and it's probably a good time to start buying Christmas gifts for the one's you love while you're at it!

I cant wait to share all kinds of awesome gift ideas over the next few weeks in my Holiday Gift Guide, but today I want to share how I'm decorating for Christmas and how I'm using the holiday cards I've received in the mail as cute Christmas Decor this year!

I was shopping at Hallmark for decor inspiration, they always have the cutest items so it's easy for me to find pieces that I want to center my whole holiday decor around and this year I found so many amazing and adorable ways to decorate for the holidays, I had trouble deciding what I wanted to do in our entry way.

I had a handful of mugs and some adorable cake plates in my hands at first but then I decided I wanted to get those items later when it's time to decorate the kitchen. Then, I had a caboodle of stuffed animals and itty bitty's but that just didn't feel right. Finally, I decided I wanted to keep things simple and do something that involved a modern take on rustic decor and it was all inspired by the Welcome the Wonder Enchanted Art Decoration! With an adorable little snow man in the center of a winter wonderland, I wanted to bring some of that "chilly goodness" into my Florida home and I'm so glad I did.

With so many locations nearby me, I'm always stopping in to Hallmark, and I constantly find cute stuff that inspires me, but I'm really proud of the way my house is decorated this year... it's just too cute! The way the cards from my family members hang and the adorable bow accents centered around the most wonderful sign, I'm just so excited for Christmas I can't stand it! I'm waiting for more Christmas cards to roll in and I can't wait to see more of our family and friends smiling at us when we walk in our front door! Do you want to have the same little set up? I can't wait to help you make this super simple craft!

It's easy to make a card display like mine! Make a trip to Hallmark for red burlap ribbon, tape, and the most adorable pre-made Christmas bows! Don't forget to grab one of the adorable Enchanted Art pieces or some of the cutest sweater covered mugs you've ever seen... and as I mentioned, gifts are always a good idea while out shopping for craft supplies so grab some holiday cards to send out or a candle or two from the Crafters & Co line while you're at Hallmark!

If you want you can watch the video above for a visual tutorial or I've included the step by step process in text/photos below!

Once you have the supplies, you'll begin by cutting two pieces of the red burlap ribbon to equal lengths. Then cut out a small triangle on ONE end of each of the pieces of ribbon.

Tape the ribbon to the wall, with one piece at the top and one piece folded into a tube and taped onto the back. Take off the sticky part of the pre-made bows and press them gently on top of the piece of tape at the top of the ribbon.

Place cards onto the ribbon with tiny clothespins, paperclips, or even a piece of tape. Now show off all the love you've been sent and smile in delight!

With the Welcome the Wonder Enchanted Art sign and the simple little craft I made, as well as a plain wooden Christmas tree, a bright golden deer, a little bit of burlap, some christmas lights, a few candles, a couple of gold glittery gift tags, and a plant or two - I think my entry way looks just spirited enough and perfectly rustic with a modern twist.

So tell me, have you been into Hallmark yet this season? They have SO many amazing items, I'm certain you'll fall in love - go ahead and check out the site and let me know which item is your favorite!

As I said, I can't wait to share some awesome gift ideas over the next month in my holiday gift guide - make sure to subscribe to my social media channels so you can stay in the know on upcoming giveaways for all kinds of companies over the holidays!

Look good, Do good, Feel good with Paul Mitchell: Do Your Part & Use the Hashtag #GivingIsMyStyle!

Big thanks to Paul Mitchell for sponsoring the discussion on doing good deeds today.

Great hair associated with a good cause...? I'm all about supporting people going out and doing good things in the world so when I heard about the movement Paul Mitchell® started I was more than intrigued!

An amazing brand, celebrating their commitment to living beautifully by giving back... Does that sound like someone you know...? I like to think of my blog along the same lines, so I was more than on-board when I found out that doing my part in the "giving" involved me sharing how I give on social media. Whether I'm donating gently used clothing to local charities, handing a few dollars to a homeless guy as I drive by, or just lending a hand when I see someone in need... I'm always trying to do good deeds and help those in need.

That's why Paul Mitchell and I are spreading the word! We want to help the world and we want you to help us!

How can you help? Share why or how you give back on social media with the hashtag #GivingIsMyStyle and Paul Mitchell will donate a $1 to one of six charities!

Which Charities will they donate to? Here's a little information about all six of them:

Bright Pink: Bright Pink is the only national non-profit organization that focuses on the prevention and early detection of breast and ovarian cancer in young women. We are proud to support their mission to educate, equip and empower women of all ages to be proactive with their health. @BeBrightPink

Waterkeeper Foundation: For more than 10 years, Paul Mitchell has supported Waterkeeper Alliance in their mission to protect rivers, streams, coastlines and other major waterways around the world.@Waterkeeper

Morris Animal Foundation: Morris Animal Foundation is a global leader in supporting scientific research that advances veterinary medicine. We're proud to support the organization's commitment to improving the health and quality of life for dogs, cats, horses and wildlife around the world.@Morris_Animal

Grow Appalachia: In 2010, Paul Mitchell co-founder John Paul DeJoria teamed up with Berea College to establish Grow Appalachia, a non-profit initiative that helps Appalachian families plant a healthy future. Over the last few years, the organization has produced more than 1.1 million pounds of healthy, organic food for thousands of people in five states. @GrowAppalachia

Boys & Girls Club: Paul Mitchell co-founder John Paul DeJoria grew up in an underserved Los Angeles community. During his youth, the local Boys & Girls Club provided a safe place for him to socialize, learn and grow. Today, our company is proud to give back to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and their efforts to create great futures for young people.@BGCA_Clubs

Reforest'Action: Paul Mitchell Tea Tree proudly supports Reforest'Action, an environmental organization that plants trees worldwide, in the areas where they're needed most. Join The Green Takeover and help us plant 500,000 trees by 2016.

Now that you know where the money is going and how you can do your part, it's time to take action! Grab your phone, click on over from your laptop, or use your tablet and log in to Instagram and Twitter - express yourself and share how giving is your style with the hashtag #GivingIsMyStyle!

Look good, do good, feel good w/@PaulMitchellUS. Use #GivingIsMyStyle & $1 will be donated to charity!

— Lauren Paints (@tinylittlebows) November 11, 2015

Want to learn more about the partnership? Watch this video!

Enhance Your Photography with Adobe Creative Cloud

The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.

I love taking pictures, of everything from the view out a plane window on a red eye flight to the intricate plating of my dish at a posh restaurant, I'm always pulling out my phone or my camera and snapping a quick photo to share with others.

Some may say it's best to live in the moment and not take pictures, while I understand that mindset - part of living in the moment for me is taking pictures. I love being able to document the exact moment I'm experiencing. Whether it's talking with my niece about how she recently turned two or a long walk on the beach with my hubby, these are moments I want to remember forever - therefore I want to capture them via a lens, as well as my memory.

The issue with always wanting to snag a picture, as some of you fellow photo enthusiasts may know, is that the quality of the photo isn't always great straight off the camera. Sometimes you have to adjust the lighting, play with the contrast, or even use some serious editing skills to remove or add something into a picture. I've always been a big fan of using Photoshop to complete these edits, it's the best editing software on the market. Notice Chrissy Teigen and Pippa on a stroll on their way to hang out with me below - this picture wouldn't be possible without Photoshop!

I use the Creative Cloud, specifically Photoshop for almost every single photo I share. I don't always do serious edits - sometimes I just want to add my logo to the corner of a photo, which is easy to do once you create a brush! If you're a small business, a blog, an internet celebrity, or anyone that just wants to stake claim on your photo, you should be adding just a little watermark to make sure your content is claimed as yours! Want to make a logo brush and add it to all of your photos?

First you'll need to download Adobe Creative Cloud so you can have access to Photoshop and Lightroom, which retails $119 for an entire year subscription!

Next you'll open your logo in Photoshop.

Then click on edit > define brush preset.

Name the brush whatever you prefer.

Use your logo on any and all photos you share, now they'll never end up used without your permission. I circled the use of my logo below, just to display it as an example - the red line obviously won't be there when you choose your brush from the brush options!

And that's it... Photoshop is that easy to use, just a few steps and you're already a professional with watermarked photos! With so many abilities, Adobe Creative Cloud is the ideal way to create and access your vision from any device, anywhere.

Retouching, manipulating, transforming in just about any way you can imagine- it's all at your finger tips with Photoshop and Lightroom, that's why I love Adobe so much! It helps me create what I want so easily, allowing my imagination and creativity to truly flow!

Plus, you can organize, edit & share images from anywhere: on your computer, on the web, on your tablet and on your cell phone! Another reason to love the Creative Cloud, you can make an edit or flag a favorite in one place and it's automatically updated everywhere else through Adobe CreativeSync technology.

Once you download the Creative Cloud, you'll have access to so many more programs than you can imagine. Not only can you create amazing work, you can showcase your work, organize images in web galleries or share them on your favorite social site! Adobe Slate mobile app is the best way to craft visual stories and animated videos and you can use the Adobe Voice mobile app to add your own voice for narration.

Are you ready to gain access to your Creative Cloud? Find the plan that's best for you here. I'd love to hear what you would create with Photoshop and/or Lightroom, tell me all about it in the comments below!

Macy's Rwanda Path to Peace Baskets Help Families and Build Stronger Communities for the People of Rwanda

I am a member of the Everywhere Society and Everywhere has provided me with compensation in the form of the beautiful Baskets from Rwanda  for this post. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Since 2005 Macy's has been selling hand-crafted baskets from Rwanda, this year marks the 10 year anniversary of something truly special and they celebrated in a big way - with a Rwanda Path to Peace pre-sale on their beautiful line of baskets, hand-made by the hard-working people of Rwanda! It's hard to imagine the journey the baskets (and these women) have been on; it's as though each of these baskets is a weaving together of cultures, a reconciliation of sorts - and that's what makes these colorful baskets even more beautiful. Basket-weaving allowing former enemies to come together and make something beautiful, I'm all for a Path to Peace for Rwanda...

After the terrible events that took place in the 90's, Rwanda and Macy's are trying to focus on the future. By focusing on poverty reduction through job creation, improved incomes, access to global markets and job skill training, the women of Rwanda can help lift their family (and their entire community) out of poverty. Macy's didn't want to offer the women a "hand out", but instead wanted to assist the strong and capable women with a hand up and that's' exactly what they are still doing 10 years later...

The purchase of each item from Rwanda provides the basket weavers an opportunity to improve their quality of life and puts a one-of-a-kind craft directly into your hands, it's a win-win situation for all involved! With the basket weavers earning nearly TEN times the average Rwandan wage, it's a huge help to the families in need.

As you can imagine, each women tediously works to hand weave these baskets; with such intricate detail and a process that has been practiced in Rwanda for centuries - these baskets are truly a treasure. Each design is unique and painstakingly created from sisal and grass by women who learned to weave from their mothers, aunts, grandmothers, and other maternal figures.

The project employs thousands of weavers who are organized throughout Rwanda. What's amazing about this fact is that every group consists of women from both sides of the 1994 Rwanda Genocide conflict, working side by side. This proves that anyone and everyone is capable of working together towards economic stability.

With beautiful red hues and stunning intricate patterns, I absolutely adore my new baskets and will begin collecting these baskets each year - because helping out a good cause and indulging my basket hoarding habit are two fun ways to kick off the holidays! Plus, each basket is signed by it's creator, giving me an indirect look into the life of the strong women in Rwanda.

Do you want to give a gift this year that truly gives back? Get all the details on these beautiful baskets and snag one for yourself and your favorite friend here.

Are you interested in getting your hands on the same baskets I have pictured? The red basket on the top (in the photo below) is Macy's Special Commemorative Basket, woven to represent 10 years of peace and prosperity and is absolutely beautiful. The bottom basket is the shining star fruit basket and it's absolutely stunning as well, no matter which basket you get from Macy's Rwanda Path to Peace program, I'm certain you'll love it!

Want to find more awesome gifts to give over the holidays?

Check out my holiday gift guide!

The Perfect Gift for Every Girl: Spirit Lockets Personalized Jewelry

While I'm a huge fan of Spirit Lockets regardless of my connections, I need to disclose that the links listed below are my affiliate links. I sell these cute little lockets without investing anything other than my time and you can too, find out more about the affiliate program by clicking here.

I don't know about you, but I'm one of those people that want to give the best gift ever, for every occasion, to everyone. Whether it's my bestie celebrating her birthday or my mama celebrating the move to her new place, I want to reward my family and friends with the best presents possible.

The thing is, I sometimes have trouble finding that perfect present for everyone on my list. Sometimes you just want to express how much you love someone through a gift and when it comes from a store, pre-packaged, I feel like I can't find the right way to express myself. That's where Spirit Lockets come into the picture, they aren't cookie cutter necklaces but personalized creations for everyone in your life...


I want to shout it from the roof tops, Spirit Lockets are the perfect gift for everyone... They are so cute, so affordable, and so much fun to personalize! Whether your best friend just tied the knot or your grandmother is celebrating being cancer free for yet another year, they have a charm for every occasion and a locket perfect for everyone! Necklaces or bracelets, gold or silver, rhinestones or rustic, polished or punk, there's a little bit of everything!

I love the variety of charms they offer, making necklaces for all ages a possibility and also making designs so unique, for each and every woman in your life! I think my next creation will be for a certain mermaid loving lady in my life, my mama. She deserves to be spoiled and I know with charms like the one's shown below, I can make her something so beachy she'll be keen on it for years to come!

So, if you haven't already, now is the time to check out the most adorable accessories on the market and spoil yourself and your favorite gal-pal with something fabulous! Head on over to Spirit Lockets and let me know which necklace design is your favorite and what charms you would love to add in your locket in the comments below!

Interested in joining me
& becoming part of the Spirit Lockets team?
Check out how you can earn money and sell adorable lockets without any investment here.

Essentials for THAT Time of The Month: #SaveTheUndies With This Gift Basket

Today's Discussion is sponsored by U by Kotex, regardless all opinions expressed below are my own.

Let's be frank, we all know during that time of the month most women tend to be a little moody and many are experiencing quiet a bit of pain. While there's really not much you can do about mother nature, being spoiled with a gift basket full of useful and comforting items is the perfect way to help ease the pain or at least distract from it a little.

Aunt Flo is such a pain, this gift basket with U by Kotex is just what the doctor ordered. Head on over to the store, grab everything on this list and relax. Whether you're the boyfriend trying to help cheer up your girlfriend (brownie points!!) or you just feel like treating yourself to these goodies, I guarantee you'll love everything about being spoiled with these little delights!

1. Protect From Leaks - Grab a pack of U by Kotex - Security Ultra Thin featuring 3D Capture Core and never worry about leaks again. These super thin pads quickly draw in and lock away wetness, leaving for a clean feeling with super-soft sides for your comfort! All the U by Kotex products are awesome, you should really try them and lucky for you, they are giving out FREE samples! Score an awesome #SaveTheUndies free sample today!

2. Go Herbal!- I swear by herbal therapy. Packs filled with a special stress-relieving aroma-therapeutic blend of herbal essences, these little babies are designed to calm and comfort both the body and the mind.

3. Eat All The Chocolate - Sweet treats like candy bars, cupcakes, etc will satisfy cravings and make for a happier girl! Especially if you grab dark chocolate - it's actual good for you!

4. Stay Watered - Grab something hydrating with vitamins. I personally love Propel or Vitamin Water. Each girl has her own drink. Remaining hydrated is important, no matter what time of the month it is!

5. Get Polished - Painted nails don't really seem like something significant, but having a nice mani-pedi is the perfect way to add a polished touch to the yoga pants & t-shirt wearing look.

6. Comfort is Key - Buying new comfy clothing is an essential part of feeling comfortable during this time of the month. The softest sleep dress you can find and cozy undies are the perfect apparel while cramping and just hanging out around the house.

7. Catch a Flick - Grab a rom-com, a cheesy girly movie, or a feminine classic and spend the evening relaxing with all the new goodies while watching the movie and cuddling!

While this basket may not relieve the pain entirely, little surprises like this are always appreciated and may help distract from the aches a bit. I actually love giving baskets like this to my friends that just gave birth as well, it's such a creative way to give a new mommy something special made just for her. No matter who you plan on giving a basket like this, be sure to add some U by Kotex! What other goodies would you like to receive in a gift basket?