January Loves*

A little look at what’s been inspiring me this month:

An Orla Kiely teal coffee cup dress? Pretty sure this was MADE for me. ;)

(seen via givemebows.blogspot.com)

This Diana+ photo lens from Photojojo (seen via A Beautiful Mess) and the super dreamy photos it creates (images also from A Beautiful Mess)

The gorgeous photos with swoon-worthy hand lettering in one of Modcloth‘s recent style books.

This beautiful paper cut artwork from Stealing Hearts

(I’ve added this to my One Little Word inspiration board at Pinterest.)

What’s been inspiring you this month?

* * *

The sun is shining this morning, and I’m looking forward to coffee + community at my church, worship, and preparing my heart for the week ahead.

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Hope & Happiness

Just a little something that’s been on my heart this week. ♥

Hope your Saturday is lovely.

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Life Lately: In Photos

Lately, life looks like this: icy weather; keeping cozy; brunch dates; art journaling; cocoa + creativity; writing and brainstorming; dreaming of spring; and lots of creative inspiration + refreshment at a local arts gala event.

I’m thankful for these moments.

What have you been up to?

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Remembering this…

This life.
This season.
These moments.

Even on the hard days, or the blah days, or the just-normal-everyday-kind of days, I want to see the beauty of His goodness.

Because even if it’s just in the quietest, subtlest of slivers, His blessings shine through.

Happy Friday, friends!

xo,

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Rainy Day Tunes

Discovering new music is a simple joy that brings me such happiness.

After seeing this charmingly sweet video over at Katie’s Pencil Box, I went in search of more music by the band featured in the video: Message to Bears.

Hope you love the sweet sounds of this band, as much as I do. It’s curl-up-on-a-rainy-day music. Perfection.

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5 Ideas for Journal Keeping

I love to journal, and I do so in quite a few different ways. Each one plays a different role in my creative process and spiritual growth.

1. Visual journaling   I love art journaling, in addition to keeping a simple handwritten journal. I find that visual journaling challenges me to express my thoughts in a completely different way. It’s a great place for me to explore collage ideas, as well, and it’s the perfect place for me to take risks with my art without worrying too much about the end result.

2. Prayers and prayer lists   In my day-to-day journal, I keep prayer lists (which include notes here and there that I can refer back to when I’m praying throughout the week), as well as complete handwritten prayers, where I write everything that’s on my heart and share it with the Lord.

3. Gratitude lists/things I want to remember   In both my handwritten journals and art journals, I enjoy keeping lists of things I’m thankful for, things I’m currently loving, and memories I don’t want to forget.

4. Inspirational quotes, lyrics, & scripture   I enjoy collecting quotes, lyrics, and scripture selections that inspire and encourage me. I save these in both my handwritten journals and my art journals.

5. Creative brainstorm ideas   I have a journal that I use specifically for blog/art/and creative writing ideas. It’s tiny, so it’s perfect for tucking into my purse. I’ve also used this journal to take notes during inspiring church messages.

In the past, I’ve also kept journal lists of books to read/books I’ve read. I’ve gotten away from doing that, but it was a lot of fun during one season when I was doing a lot of reading and wanting to keep track of everything I was reading and how it impacted me.

I love paging through old journals and giving thanks for all the Lord has done. It’s such a great way for me to keep track of hopes and dreams, favorite memories, my growth, and both the beautiful and bittersweet parts of my journey.

If you don’t keep a journal, I recommend giving it a try. If you’re not a big writer, try keeping a visual journal and pasting in little snippets from your everyday life. If you already keep a journal, think about fresh ways you can record your thoughts and ideas, your hopes and dreams, your memories, and what inspires/encourages you.

Happy Monday & Happy Journal Keeping!

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Quietness & Trust // Weekly Scripture Selection

Have a blessed week!

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Cozy Little Details ~ Mini House Tour

Just for fun, I thought I’d show you all some of my favorite little details around my home. :)

I love vintage treasures like cameras, chalkboards, typewriters, and milkglass; pops of color; and lots of artwork. Do you have any decorating favorites?

Happy Sunday,

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Beginnings

Lately, as the temperature drops, I’ve been enjoying my big, comfy robe, tea and cocoa, reading old journals, and creating new pages in my art journal.

My word for 2012 is forward, but there’s a bittersweet balance between remembering and looking forward.

When I first set up this blog, I wrote a little welcome post and said I wanted it to be a place where I could share the simple bits of life that inspire me on a daily basis, a place where I could share a little bit about what I experience as a 20-something writer, trying to find her place in the world. I said it was my hope that A Place to Dwell would be full of inspiration and possibility.

I’ve come a long way in the (almost) four years since I sat down and wrote that very first post. Setting up this blog was a new beginning for me during a season that was full of learning important lessons and growing in so many hard, but also beautiful, ways.

Life is full of little and big beginnings, and it’s meaningful to look back at where old beginnings brought us, in addition to looking forward with hope for the new beginnings that are yet to come.

xo,

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One Little Word Inspiration

As part of my One Little Word journey in 2012, I’ve started to collect inspiration that encourages me to look forward with hope this year, so I can really embrace everything God has planned for me. One of the ways I’m doing this is by creating in my art journal.

(Here’s a little peek at one of the pages I’m currently working on.)

I’ve also set up a Pinterest board to save ideas, inspiration, and encouragement.

I think it will be fun to look back on both of these things next year, because they’ll help tell the story of my journey and growth in 2012.

If you’re participating in One Little Word, what are you doing to make your word a part of your life this year?