How do you feel about goal setting, friend?

I quit making New Year’s Resolutions, because I could never keep it up for long. Honestly, sometimes setting goals feels very similar, especially since we tend to make our goals year by year.

Anyone else??

But on the flip side, when I don’t set any goals, I don’t have a clear picture of what I want to work towards. I get distracted by all the shiny new ideas that come along, and feel overwhelmed by all the options and I end up just drifting and not making any progress at all. So, I definitely think I need to have goals.

A couple years ago I was introduced to the “Word of the Year” concept, and it is my favorite way to set goals now. My word of the year acts as an anchor, a touchstone — the only word that I have to remember and filter every big decision past.

But, I don’t want to pick a word out of the air that has no deeper meaning for my life and what I want to accomplish. This year, I followed an actual goal setting method and my word of the year came out of that. I also made a printable graphic to highlight my word and hang it up in my office as a reminder for the year. Since these things have been helpful for me, I want to share them with you!

The method

I heard this from Steph Crowder at the 2017 Maker City Summit in Knoxville, but she also shares about it here on the Fizzle Podcast. I highly encourage you to check out their blog post for more details, but here’s the gist:

1. Set a timer for 15 minutes. Dream on paper everything you want to do in the next year. Don’t edit yourself, just brain dump!
2. Flip the page. Make two lists. On the left, list what worked and on the right, list what didn’t work last year. Looking back can help us look ahead!
3. What are you going to say “no” to, and what are you going to say “yes” to? This is where you can let go of the things that are no longer working for you.
4. Then, look at everything you’ve done so far, and make 10 goals. Write down the goal, the why, and some mini steps to accomplish each one. The idea is to set 5 personal and 5 professional goals, but I only have 5 total. They were pretty big goals for me, so I thought it was better to stop at 5. The why is what will help you stick to your goals when things get tough!
5. Then, looking back on everything, is there a word that floats to the top? This is the word that can tie everything together and help you stay on track. My word for 2019 is PERSIST.

Again, Steph goes into more details on the blog/podcast, so I highly suggest you check it out! Then when you’ve got your word, you can download my free gift to you! Use the Word of the Year 2019 printable so you can write your word and stay inspired.

Download your free printable here

If you need more help goal-setting help, I also recommend checking out Cultivate What Matters and The Next Right Thing Podcast to get started. Cultivate What Matters has a suite of products to help you set goals and reach them, as well as a great blog. I have never used the Powersheets personally, but a lot of my favorite people do and rave about them! The Next Right Thing Podcast by Emily P. Freeman isn’t specifically about goal-setting, but has been invaluable to me personally. Emily offers wonderful advice and tips to help me clear my head and make space for what matters.

I hope this free printable helps you keep your goals front and center, and that your year is full of great things!

For me, one of the most wonderful things about this time of year is picking out special gifts for the people I love most. Part of the fun is spending a couple hours wrapping everyone’s gifts in pretty paper, bows, and cute tags. And if there’s glitter somewhere on it, even better!

This year I wanted to give you all a gift too! To celebrate you and my love of all things gift wrap, I created these sweet and simple printable gift tags. There are four designs included, just download, print on sturdy paper, and cut out!

{ Download your printable gift tags now! }

I hope you enjoy! Merry Christmas!

September is here, and in the US, the first Monday is a holiday set aside to take a break in our work and enjoy the fruits of our labor.

But, what if you look back, and it seems like you’ve been working and working, but getting nowhere? There are only four months left in the year, and maybe you’re not even close to hitting the goals you set for yourself on January 1.

Maybe that relationship isn’t working out how you hoped. Or your career seems stalled. Or being a parent is just extra tough. For me personally, the last month has been a bit of a discouragement, and I’m tempted to just throw in the towel on my dreams.

But as I was thinking and praying about the way forward, God brought this sweet quote to by Elisabeth Elliot to mind:

“Don’t dig up in doubt what you planted in faith.”

Don’t give up. You’ve taken steps forward in faith. Just because you can’t see any growth, doesn’t mean nothing’s happening below the surface. Keep going. God’s got this.

Raise your hand: is this for you too? I see you there friend! So, in honor of Labor Day and all the steps you’ve taken in faith, I made a free digital wallpaper download for you (and me).  Let this be a reminder to us to take one step at a time, forward in faith!

Want the download? Tap below to get your desktop and phone wallpaper right in your inbox.

Do you have a large blank wall in your home, and don’t quite know what to do with it? Maybe it’s in your living room or entryway — or even a stairway visible from multiple rooms. Gallery walls have been a huge trend over the past few years, and for good reason: they are great way to add visual interest and fill up a large blank space. They’re fun and can look beautiful when done right.

However, putting one together is much easier said than done. You can spend hours and hours on Pinterest falling down the rabbit hole of stunning gallery wall inspiration (ask me how I know), but HOW does one actually go about choosing the items to display?

It’s easy to feel paralyzed when looking at so many options. There are several different ways to go about choosing the art for your gallery wall — how do you even know where to start? Never fear! Follow these steps to equip yourself to select the pieces you want and feel confident that you can design your own stunning gallery wall.

Figure Out Your Style

Everyone has different personalities and tastes, so the first step is to figure out what type of gallery wall fits your space best. For the purposes of this post and keeping it simple, choose between two different styles: grid and eclectic.

• Grid: This style of gallery wall works best for spaces that are clean, modern, and minimal. Achieving this look is pretty straightforward. Select the same size and color frame. To make it more cohesive, keep the same style of art and photography in each frame, and hang in a consistent grid.
• Eclectic: This style of gallery works well in many kinds of spaces, from rustic farmhouse to vintage to casual. It can also be a bit trickier to pull off, so I’m going to spend a bit more time breaking down a simple thought process to help you select your items to put on your wall. Read on!

Balance is Key

The key thought to keep in mind is to balance variety with consistency. In other words, you want to have some things that are different and some things that are the same.

The word “eclectic” means a collection of things selected from a variety of sources and styles, which can create a fun and interesting look. But, if you’re just selecting things at random, it’s easy to have a collection that looks chaotic and cluttered. That’s why it’s important to also have a framework in place that ties the eclectic elements together, so everything you select works well as a whole.

There are a few ways to achieve this balance. The following steps are just one thought process you can use to help you curate an eclectic but cohesive gallery wall.

1. Vary the Kind

Choose different types of things to display on your wall. This is one way to help create visual interest. Below are some examples to help you get started:

• Paintings: so much variety here between medium, style, and subject matter
• Art photography: abstract, landscape, black and white, or color
• Portrait photography: your family, friends, special events, and candid shots
• Lettering art: a beautiful way to remember the good things in life — your favorite inspirational quotes, scripture, and even your family monogram
• Decorative items: choose from Grandma’s china, wall tapestries, flat baskets, decorative metal work — the sky’s the limit!

2. Vary the Size

The second kind of variation is in the size of your various objects. Another tip: when aiming for an eclectic look, collections tend to look better in odd numbers.

• You want to have a focal point for your gallery wall. Choose one to three larger items, depending on the size of the wall.
• Choose a few small items as well.
• Most of your objects should be various sizes in-between your large items and small items to balance them out.

3. Add Balance With a Cohesive Color Palette

Now that you have some variety, the way to bring balance is through a cohesive color palette. Some tips:

• Having similar colors repeated in each item helps tie everything together.
• Choose colors that relate to the rest of your the decor in the room. Not only will this tie the items in your gallery wall together with each other, it ties your gallery together with the rest of the room.
• Even if your frames are different sizes and styles, keeping the color of your frames consistent helps tie everything together.

The Final Tip

Don’t just buy everything from Hobby Lobby (or any one source).

This goes pretty much for everything in your house, not just a gallery wall. I know it’s so easy, because retailers do such a great job of having cohesive collections where everything in a room goes together, but you want your home to have your personality —  not a retailer’s.

It’s totally OK to shop at your favorite major retailers, but visit different stores, add in antiques, thrift shop finds, and work from your favorite artists. That way your space truly reflects who you are and your style and tastes!

Do you have a friend or family member who has moved recently? Or maybe you have a new neighbor and want to welcome them to the neighborhood? You want to get a housewarming gift, but do people even do that anymore? What types of gifts would even be appreciated?

I know from personal experience that moving house is not for the faint of heart. (I tried to count, I think I’ve moved around 15 times!) The organizing, the packing, the relocating (across town, the country, the ocean), then un-packing … it’s a physically and emotionally exhausting endeavor to be sure.

That’s why there’s something so sweet about family, friends, and new neighbors who come around you to support you and help you during a stressful and chaotic time. Having help moving and unpacking is definitely a blessing, and if you’re in a position to help your friends and family in that way, I suggest doing that. But also, there is something so sweet about a friend or new neighbor who brings you a small housewarming gift to make your new house more homey!

But what to get? Well, from someone who has moved a ton, here are a few ideas that your recently relocated friend might appreciate!

1. Gift cards

Ok ok, settle down. I can hear the outcry, “a gift card!? How impersonal!” But, just hear me out!

Moving is expensive. Even if you DIY your moving day, there are always unplanned expenses that pop up. Maybe your friend will need to buy new shower curtains, or new shelving because she lost her built-ins, or lots and lots of shelf paper.

A gift card to a place like Target, Walmart, Home Depot, or Lowes can relieve a little bit of financial burden, or she can just treat herself after a stressful move. Gift cards to a local restaurants are also a great idea — you show your friend a new favorite and give them a nice meal so they don’t have to worry about cooking.

2. House Plants

There is something so lovely about having green plants in a room. Not only are plants pretty, they help purify the air in the house so they’re practical too! A small, hard to kill plant like a spider plant, pothos, or succulent in a cute pot make a great addition to any room.

If your friend has animals, make sure your selection is non-toxic if gnawed on by their cat or dog. If you know your friend has a black thumb, a bouquet of in-season flowers adds a nice touch of color, and they don’t have to worry about keeping them alive.

3. Local Edibles

If your friend has a get-together in their new house after they move in, help them celebrate by bringing a food or beverage gift. Head to the local farmer’s market for some locally made honey, jams, or cheeses. A nice wine, gourmet cheese and crackers, fresh coffee from a local roaster — any of these things are a thoughtful little treat to someone who’s just gone through the headache of moving.

4. Soft and snuggly throw blanket

What’s more warm and welcoming then crashing on the sofa with a snuggly blanket? Especially if your friend moves in the colder months, a warm throw can be a comfort to her as well as all the friends and family she invites into her home.

5. Lettering art from Rachel Writes Fancy

I may be a little partial to this one, but a lettering art print or custom lettered gift item can be a great way to say “welcome home!” From your friend’s favorite inspirational quote to their family initial on an art print or note cards, lettering art can be way to remind your friend of the good things in life — God’s love for her, the beauty of nature, peaceful colors, and inspirational wisdom.

Think your friend would like some lettering art for her home? Visit my shop to see more! Don’t see what you’re looking for? Send me a message, and let me create something just for you!