New Years Mood Pinning

I'm all about mood pinning (see here) and for this New Years I let Pinterest guide me. Here is how I feel New Years should be like!

All images are on Pinterest and when I'm all better from this dreadful cold I'll link it all up!

I hope you have an awesome New Years Eve! Be safe!

- Chick Tyler (aka Tyler Anne)

Oh My: Ban.Do & ModCloth

I'm returning home tomorrow and back to the office in the afternoon. My vacation is drawing to an end but I can't help but not be too disappointed--I can get back to blogging everyday. Tomorrow I will make a post with some fun & exciting announcements but until then here are some things I wouldn't mind owning!

Hailing from ban.do we have: a party pack of headbands (here), sparkle and shine bobbi pack set (here), superstar bobbi (here), and fame headband (here).

And, of course, the Count on Me glass set (here) from ModCloth.com!

I mean, really, can I have these?

-Chick Tyler (aka Tyler Anne)

Merry Homemade Christmas

You may have noticed from our 12 Days of Christmas Craze, but just in case, I'll go ahead and tell you that I'm pretty into Christmas.

I get so excited about it every year and I start to go handmade crazy. This year I crafted up my fiance a sweet little book of cards, made my mom a birdhouse out of pottery and baked like crazy!

I'm sure no one out there is still making any Christmas presents, but most of these are universal for any time of year, so I thought I'd just share my version of a homemade Christmas!

You may have seen some version of a 52 Things I Love About You book before on Pinterest. This is the one I was inspired by.

For my book, I just flipped the cards over on their pretty sides and wrote in a Sharpie. Then I cut up paint chips and glued them in between the cards onto paper and put them in a photo album. My fiance (and his whole family) loved it.

For his family, we did a ton of baking because really, who doesn't like a bunch of junk food for Christmas?

We made peanut brittle, rocky road fudge, sugar cookies and chocolate peanut butter cookies. We also geniusly took the caramel popcorn out of one of those popcorn tins (because they always have way more than the butter and cheese popcorn) and drizzled it in melted chocolate.

The recipes for peanut brittle and rocky road fudge can be found here. The chocolate peanut butter cookies are ritz crackers with peanut butter in them dipped in melted chocolate. Brilliant, delicious and so simple!
The sugar cookie recipe is a family favorite, but I forgot to bring it with me so I'll blog about those cookies later. We painted brown bags and packaged up all the goodies in there.

Finally, I took a pottery class last year from my friend Walter Black. He doesn't have a Website yet, but when he gets one I'll probably blog about how cool his work is. Anyway, I made my mom a birdhouse because she likes them, and it's a sweet tradition she and I have where I get her birdhouses at Christmas.

 How has your Christmas been? Did you give away any handmade presents this year?

-Holli Anne

From our hearts to yours...

May you spend your holiday time with the ones you love! Be safe, be loving, be merry!

-Tyler Anne & Holli Anne

Efficient Desktop Background (Freebie!)

I work almost solely on my computer. ONE computer to be specific. So before I know it, my desktop transforms into my college dorm floor--cluttered & chaotic. I don't know how many times I've told myself that I will not just drag, drop, and forget about the many pictures I find online and I will not just save all of my files to my desktop. 

But then a few days go by and my desktop is crazy cluttered and I become very lazy about organizing it. 

So, today I made myself get my stuff together and design a desktop background that would help keep me a bit more organized. 

I wanted it to be simple because I get distracted pretty easily. I also wanted it to have color but more on the subdued side. For inspiration I pulled up my Pinterest (okay, who am I trying to fool...Pinterest was already up) and the first picture I saw I just fell in love with.

This picture's colors were just what I wanted and meshed well with the handwritten feel I love.

So, I made four color blocks and labeled them as Work, Play, Life, and Random. Because, really, that's what I have going on!

Then I took my crazy desktop and put each file in their respective blocks!

It may not look like a lot but it does help me! If you want to use this background, just click on the picture below and save it to your computer! Then make it your desktop!

Enjoy!

-Chick Tyler (aka Tyler Anne)

The Yes! Book

Sometimes we just need a little positivity, right?

I know I definitely do, so when I heard about my high school friend Jessica Sabo's The 1,000 Yes'es Project, I got really excited!

What the what is that?

Well, Jessica is an art student and decided to spend a semester writing the word "yes" 1,000 times. She also opened the project up for other people to participate. The project was intended as a "study of the word, a meditation on its meaning and because (she) had a giant NO! stuck in (her) gut for too long."

I can often relate to that giant no!, so I not only think that the project was a beautiful one but that I definitely need in my life.

So I made a Yes Book!

What the what, AGAIN?

My yes book, which I covered in yes'es cut out from magazine letters, is a journal where I write things in when I need to suppress that negative "no" voice inside me. It's a no to self-doubt or doubt from others and it's a big, giant, burst of positivity instead.

I write things that I need to believe, like my abilities or even things like the need for someone to get a job.

The latest thing I've written?

Tyler and I are so passionate about this blog, our current community and our future community. We are in a big stage of growing Almost There, and while I don't doubt it will happen, I definitely don't mind sending a big YES in its direction.

Jessica wrapped up her yes project this summer, but I don't think it's time for it to end. She intended this project to have an ongoing, lasting effect anyway. So, let's help her grow it even more.

I personally love having a yes book because it's something me and Joseph can use throughout our lives, and we can look back on the things we've said yes to and literally count our blessings.

What do you need to say yes to? Write it out, paint it, sketch it, carve it, sculpt it—whatever! Make a yes, send it to us and we'll gladly post it here on the blog. 

—Holli Anne

Almost There's Holli Anne

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you may have heard mention of some girl named Holli starting to blog on here…and you may have thought to yourself something like, "Wait, I thought this blog belonged to that chick Tyler?" Well, it does, but now I'm joining in the fun, and I couldn't be more excited about it.

While I've introduced myself briefly on the About page, I thought it'd only be fair to give you a more thorough introduction.

So Hi, I'm Holli, a 20-something freelance writer and blogger from the south. 

My background includes a Bachelor's in Journalism with a minor in Photography and for some reason, a masters degree. 

Like Tyler, I worked on the same college newspaper as a reporter, News Editor and Editor, but we weren't really friends that spent time together back then. Now we are bestie boos who talk everyday.
After graduation, I took a job working as a reporter and then News Editor of a local newspaper before deciding to go to grad school.

During grad school I learned one really important thing: I just want to be a writer.

So now, that's what I do. I live a fun, creative life and I write about it. I also write about a bunch of topics for a bunch of different people, and it's great.

I am definitely in that almost stage of life. I'm almost married (March 9), and I almost have a house. 

Besides writing, I spend my days crafting projects, cooking food, thrift store shopping, Pinteresting and hanging out with my dog Charley. 

I'm joining Almost There (besides the obvious fact that I just love Tyler) because I really believe in its purpose: being "there," living creatively and dreaming big.

-Holli Anne

I Got a Tattoo

So I had one heck of a weekend! I took a road trip to Florida with two of my best friends to celebrate a graduation and boy was it fun! I would post ample pictures normally but it was one of those weekends where I certainly will do no such thing. However, I did take a few pictures of the tattoo I finally got!



This simple triangle tattoo is all about balance (and a few other sentimental things)!
(M3 Design, I told you I was getting a triangle tattoo too!)

Work, play, and love. Finding a balance between these three has been a constant struggle for me, but I'm learning to do better. One of my goals for the new year (and the rest of my life) is to keep the stress to a minimum and learn that happiness can be simple and easy to obtain.

Because I'm almost there...right? :)

-Tyler Anne (aka Chick Tyler)

Yummy Floors

Holli and I both had busy, busy weekends! We are getting back to schedule though and soon you'll have so many posts you just won't know what to do!

Until then, drool over these beautiful flooring pictures.

Enjoy!



All pictures can be found repinned on the #hgtv board here.

- Tyler Anne (aka Chick Tyler)

Hope

Our hearts are truly broken today for all the little children, victims and their families. This really is an unfathomable act. All we can do is stand together, support our brothers and sisters in need and most of all, keep hope.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected by the shooting today in Newtown. 

- Holli Anne & Tyler Anne

Christmas Craze Recap

Christmas Craze may be over but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy our 12 days of holiday DIYs!

Here's a recap!

Enjoy!

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12

Christmas Craze: Super Thick Hot Chocolate

With Holli from We, Vagabonds bringing in the last day of Christmas Craze, I can't help but be sad it's over! However, it's a great, yummy note to end on! Plus tomorrow we will recap all 12 days of Christmas Craze!

Until then enjoy Day 12 of Christmas Craze here with a nice mug of super thick hot chocolate!



Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9 | Day 10 | Day 11

Ad Space Announcement!

Oh hey there! It's 12/12/12 so I guess we should do something special...how about letting you know that we are having great deals on ad spaces?

We want to help you out while continuing to do what we love!

Check out our Sponsor page for more info.!

Happy 12/12/12!

BHLDN Mini Wishlist

BHLDN Mini Wishlist

1. Dapper Bottle Stopper
2. Salut! Flask
3. Inscribed Numeral Vases
4. Rustic Number Sleeves

Christmas Craze: The Pass Around Book

Here we go, guys! It's my last day of Christmas Craze! (We, Vagabonds finishes the event up tomorrow!) I'm sad about it but it's definitely not my last DIY!

I'm going jump right in and say that this project was inspired by A Beautiful Mess' Song Lyrics Scrapbook DIY. I love how simple and easy it is to make! However, I put my own little spin on it. Instead of having song lyrics, I wanted to make a Pass Around Book!

The junk is that? It's a conversation starter! Each page has it's own little prompt. You can pass it around the dinner table or a party and everyone has to answer before turning the page! Since Christmas is almost here I wanted to make a Pass Around Book for my own family to use at dinner! We love to talk like crazy so I thought it would be fun.

What I like most about this project is that you can really use anything you want to decorate! It's all up to you!

I pretty much got most of my crafty things and put them on my desk!

Then I got out my file folders (of which I have TONS) and got to work.

First I drew off a little over a 4 x 4 box. I wanted them to be smaller but you can really do whatever size you like!

I wanted something short and sweet so I only made four "pages!"

Next decorate each big flap in any way you want and write down a prompt!

I laughed a lot when you did this...

I used a stamp, mixed paint, pen, and whiteout!

I cannot believe...

I used candle wax, pen, and a color pencil.

I like when you do this...

I used Sharpie, pen, a Like stamp, tacky glue, and paper.

The best gift I ever got was...

I used a gift tag sprayed with silver spray paint, pen, tacky glue, and ribbon from the $1 bin at Target.

Next you need to bind the book. You really need to use masking tape if you want it to be prettier than mine. I used duct tape because I couldn't find my masking one! Still packing in boxes I suppose!

First get each set of pages and run the tape along the the fronts. Do this to each set of pages and trim off the extra. Then fold them, stack them, and use as much tape as you want to bind the outside of the book!

Then you're finished!

I hope you enjoyed this DIY! 

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9 | Day 10

Christmas Craze: Christmas Cake

Can I just say YUM again? We, Vagabonds did it again on Day 10 of Christmas Craze! Take a look at this mouth-watering cake (Peppermint Chocolate Cheesecake Cake!!!!) and the recipe for it here!

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9

DIY: Bottle Caps in Action

I love candles. I don't know if it's the fire part of it or the oh-my-goodness-you-smell-amazing part but either way I'm more than hooked. There is always at least one on my side table/night table/any table and enough lighters around that people look at me suspiciously when they come over.




Other items you can always find around the abode are bottle caps. TONS of them.

Well, I didn't want them to go to waste and I needed a way to keep wax off of my tables! So, I came up with a solution--bottle cap candle coaster!

What you need:

*And a hot glue gun and glue OR super glue. 

The cork I got in squares from Hobby Lobby! Very cheap and the bottom doesn't scratch my tables!

All you do is pick out your favorite caps, hot glue the rim of each, and then place it where you want it! Let all of it dry and then there you go! Your coaster is made in no time!

It's an easy DIY project that can be used for drinks too! It's definitely unique and a conversation starter!

I hope you make one too!