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Can you believe it? It seems like it just turned 2008! What?! Any how, I am so excited for 2014. I have never before made, what I like to call, plans ( eff, resolutions!) I have been making so many plans, as you may have noticed in the blog, for next year. It is going to be a whole new way of life for me! I am cutting out the negativity and starting fresh! I will be ringing in the new year with fellow blogger Tess, at our local art museum! I think it will be just the perfect start to the new year.
You want to see my 2014 plans?

1. Stop wishing the days away, enjoy school and work, each day is really a gift.
2. Avoid negativity at all costs. Figure out what my stressors are and avoid them.
3. Commit to a lifestyle change regarding how I eat.
4. Spend time with loved ones.
5. Everything on my 26 before 26 list.

Ya'll ready for this?
xJAY

J A N U A R Y

 So excited for this next year. January is by far one of the best months. I think it just brings on so much excitement for the upcoming year. I usually am pretty reluctant to make a "resolution" they seem so cliche and as if they are set up to fail! Screw it, I'm making plans for this year to come. I want it to be a year of crafting and planting and dressing. I want to invest in my over all outlook. I think I can achieve this by surrounding my self with pretty things, happy people, good music and great books.

 I can't wait to start adding to my collection of house plants, which currently consists of two (dead) cacti and one beautiful thing that I have no idea what it is. But it is alive and huge so that counts!

I really want to find my style, stop focusing on what is in. Start focusing on what makes me comfortable and makes me feel like I am lookin' good.

Organizing the home is something that is constantly going on in the house hold. It almost seems as if when fall comes and goes and we enter winter I get lost in how I want my house to look. The image above is from last year and it just seems so crisp and clean...I am pretty sure those drawers were all organized too!

Can't wait to keep updating you all on how the new year plans have turned out!

xJAY

ARCH.

Photography is my jam. Here are just a few shots of mine from the GRAM.  I have been really inspired by the architectural photography of Julius Shulman. Watch the film if you get a chance he is such an interesting fellow and the views he has of all the great mid century modern marvels is really a unique one.

xJAY

T W E N T Y S I X

This year has gone by so fast, I turned 25 this past July and I have to admit it really threw me off. By no means do I think 25 is old, but it really is a turning point. Most people have got their life somewhat together, and are done with school, have careers, ect. Here I am, 25, still in school (which is OKAY!) and working on making my life the best I can. July seems like, well, yesterday. I can't believe Christmas is almost a week away and I think it is time to jump on the bandwagon of making a 26 before 26 list.


(what better way to celebrate being older but with a super old picture of the boy and me circa 2008)

1. Get associates degree (almost done, almost done!!)
2. Apply to Grand Valley
3. Eat better the whole year
4. Blog Blog Blog
5. Go on a little (or big) trip.
6. Photograph more.
7. Clean my basement (it is really terrible)
8. Find my fashion voice.
9. Watch more documentaries
10. Read more
11. Make new friendships
12. Spend time with family
13. Invest more into my hair
14. Remove negativity
15. Give up aimlessly browsing facebook (such a time waster)
16. Learn more about architecture
17. Try new things
18. Learn how to drive -- This might not ever happen!!!
19. Go to the beach as much as possible!
20. Show nick I love him every day
21. Enjoy the little things
22. Start to pay off my debt
23. Go to detroit
24. Make 5 year plan.
25. Spend less money on going out to eat.
26. Make more

I could have started this list closer to my birthday, but I let the months pass me by! Oh well. Can't wait to see where the year takes me.

Anyone else have any great goals for their year?

xJAY

F O O D ?

I just want to talk a bit about my plan for next year. Over the past five years I have gained a ton of weight. I plan on next year loosing 50 pounds, and getting on a healthy track. I thought I might as well start to get on the right track now (with the exception of Christmas, I will eat all of the food). I have been saying, out loud, I am going to loose 50 pounds. I don't like saying "I plan on" or "when I do" or "if I do". I think the more confident I am with my goal the more likely I am at attaining said goal.

Today (and yesterday) I think I did pretty good. I went grocery shopping and not only purchased good for me foods but foods I would actually eat. I think often times when we set ourselves up with "dieting" we try and restrict ourselves far too much. When really we just need to figure out a way to eat as a necessity and not out of boredom or laziness. Eat to fuel our bodies, in a great way.

I know realistically for me it won't all happen at once, I might have bad days. I do know that I need to let my self have some of my guilty pleasures, like cheese and chocolate. I gave myself today three slices of swiss cheese, and plan on having a square of dark chocolate from the freezer ( I haven't even craved it yet!) I really think that I am off to a positive start and I can't wait to see how 2014 goes. Hopefully I can get some encouragement from the blog world!

Another one of the most important things about this lifestyle change is not calling it a "diet" I think there are some heavy negative connotations with that word and it usually leaves us feeling empty and ugly. Eating should be fun and natural. Eating good, real foods is so important.

Happy eating everyone!

xJAY

CARD MAKING

Merry Christmas one and all!

It is that time of year again where we all frantically find time for everything; gift getting, decking the halls, cooking, the list could go on for ever!

I usually try and make my own cards, or at least add my own little touches to them.

This year I did a few different styles of cards and each and every card is a tad different from the rest!

I had so much fun working on them this year.

I had such a great time making these and for some reason I really enjoy using kid made modern art supplies. I started buying them a few years back for Nick's daughter and I am so addicted to using them! The water color paper is outstanding and the water colors are rich in hue and have a great look to them. Super easy for kids and really convenient for on the go.

The pens are stabilo and come in a great roll up travel case (again I think they are intended for children)

Some of the best pens I have ever used, and I have used micron and prisma color. They even withstand the rough hand of a child! 

I hope you enjoyed this christmas update! and maybe next you all of you will think about making your own christmas cards!

xJAY

B E D

I have been living in the Baldwin house for a year and a half now. I really truly love it

It is the perfect canvas for me to change up my decor style.

I have been finding the bedroom to be a challenge since the start.

We have pretty limited space for the two of us and while we do host many a guest we really have to work with the space that we have.

I prefer the bedroom to be a relaxing space only, but with having only two bedrooms we had to work with what we have.

So our bedroom is a traditional bedroom with an office for Nick crammed into the closet.

It works but he never seems to have the same style(clean) flow as I do when it comes to his space.

The bed room currently looks like this:

I think the colors are to ROYGBIVy and not light and bright like the room was before.

I hope to this January, which is a time for change, change up this room.

I entered my bedroom into an apartment therapy contest last winter.

I really loved the way it looked but I have to be honest, this was a minimal version of my room.

Most of the junk had been pushed aside, all power chords were camouflaged and it was basically my room with "make-up" on. Hah!

Anyway, I really hope to get back to a more polished look, a more bright look this upcoming new year!

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Can't wait to start working on the house this upcoming year!

xJAY

N E W Y E A R

It is time to look back at the year we just had and look forward towards what is to come.
This time of the year I usually focus on, maybe what could have gone better, or what I would do different.
This time around I want to focus on the good of the past year and the good that will happen next year.
I want this next year to be full of plans and being busy.
I want 2014 to be a year of art.
A year of beauty.
A year of making my self and my life better.

I can't wait for all the changes to come.
2014 is going to be the best year yet.

Thanks for reading.

xJAY

A R O U N D

When ever I find time to clean or organize the house

(which I always WANT to)

I end up finding really awesome treasures to play around with.

This time I just happened to have a beautiful model to showcase said treasures.

How hard is it to get stuff done when there is so much to discover?

I'm thinking we need to do a updated house tour, this week?

xJAY

L I S T

Have you ever noticed this time of year people are making lists like crazy.

I always am making lists, but it seems like the cusp of the upcoming year makes planning much more serious.
So many more lists to be made:
Christmas lists
Resolutions
Yearly Plans
Fiscal Plans

It can be quite stressful to think about.

Lists can be great tools, if we take a few moments each day to think about our goals, our plans. It can really simplify our days, and weeks.
Make it a ritual, first thing in the morning, right before bed, lunch time.
Sit down with a (cute) notebook and (awesome) writing utensil, and write down your thoughts.
Good luck on the upcoming new year. I know it has to be better than the last!

xJAY

L I F E

Work. School. Work. Sleep?
Yeah, same old story been busy! But I did find time to go on a shoot with this lovely lady.
Fall has happened upon us fast and Christmas will be here in a blink!
Time to start thinking about gift giving(crafting) and family get togethers.
I really plan to start posting more and shooting more!


xJAY

S T O R E

Started spending some time at hunt & gather, helpin um' out.

It is a super cute vintage/new home decor store in the easthills neighbor hood.

It is such the perfect place for me to work, my boss's style is perfect!

xJAY

FALL AT HOME

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Alright, so this isn't even half of the stuff I am dying for this fall!

Basically I am just aching for tons of deep dark neutrals with a hint of witchy sexiness.

Hopefully I can fulfill all my fall shopping needs soon. 

I will be sure to keep you posted on my finds.

xJAY

A U T U M N

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Fall is already on its way I'm back at school and working at a new store!

I have been working for a boutique down town Grand Rapids for about a year now and still working there too! 

Art Prize starts this week and it will be a riot.

If you live in the area be sure to come check out all of the excitment!

Next we ill see an Autumn home wish list!

xJAY

L I G H T & A I R

Just this little shot for now!

xJAY

M A S O N C O U N T Y

 

Spent my birthday with my family in Ludington. It was delightful.

xJAY

K I T C H E N U P D A T E

Tulip table(base) I found on the side of the road with matching chairs. Had to screw on a new table top, but man was it easy! Love my new look in my kitchen.

In case you forgot what it looked like before

Nothing is safe in this house, at any moment I could change it all up again!

xJAY

P O R C H

So I painted my steps blue. The color is Catalina mist to be exact. I really thought it would be much brighter than this. But I am pretty happy with how it turned out. What do you all think?

It was so easy to do I only really taped off the bottom step, I could change it up whenever I wanted. I was even thinking of painting a geometric pattern on to them.

xJAY

T E X T U R E S.

This is just a sneak peak into my photo project I'm working on this summer;
A Study in Textures in the not so likely of places.

Most of this images are buildings, and streets.

xJAY

STORE

chchchcheck it.

                   

Here, is just a preview of what I have been adding to my shop. So much more to add as the days go on, as well. I have been really working on getting good images, and having a consistent look to what I post. Keep an eye out I will be adding more all the time.

SHOP CUCKOOBIRD VINTAGE

Hope you all enjoy.

xJay