Some laughter for your Thursday and SALE!

Hey there friends! I don't know about you, but where I'm at, today is FREEZING! High of 11 degrees. Yep. Staying inside with my large green tea by the fire :) Grab your favorite drink and settle in for a fun couple videos! Make sure you stay until the end because I'm excited to announce a SALE! So, first off, have you guys seen this VISA commercial lately? It cracked me up! SO FUNNY! Next, do you follow BreAnna from Peacoats and Plaid? She is HILARIOUS! Anywho, she posted a vlog on "How To...Be a Blogger" yesterday, and I just had to share! Click HERE to head over to her post. Thanks for the laughs and truth BreAnna! Now for my vlog! I'm linking up for

This week's prompt was to video your most hideous clothing item in your closet. And here's mine! (sorry for the bad video quality!)
And now for the sale! This is a great thing for all my TEACHER friends!

While all your significant others are watching the Superbowl, and in between commercials and the half-time show, you can be shopping on Teachers Pay Teachers! You can get 28% off all the products in my store SUNDAY ONLY! Click the picture above to head over now and get your cart ready for the SALE!

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Break the Ice!

Hello lovely readers! First of all, let me say that I am OVERWHELMED by all my new readers!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for joining me on this journey called life (and blogging). Somehow within 24 hours of the Jammin Jan Jiveaway starting, my readership grew to 300! Holy cow! I'm so excited to have you all, and of course for all my faithful followers. Because of all my newbies, I thought I'd write a little icebreaker post- so you can get to know me a little better! And, because I'm a teacher, we're going to do the ABCs of me! Here goes: Age: 22 years young!
Baker: I love to bake and cook! I post recipes I've tried on the blog, and love getting inspiration from Pinterest! I've loved to cook since I was little- baking with my mom! The food network is one of my go-to TV channels :) Here's an example:

Chicken Pot Pie

Career: teacher! I hope to teach around the world one day, right now I'm working on getting my certification in Nebraska, so I can start teaching!
Dog: Sophie- she's a bichon aka a little white fluffball full of spunk!

Entrepreneur-  I started my business a couple of years ago, and it is called Dipstix! I make chocolate-covered pretzel rods with all kinds of delicious toppings, wrap them individually, and sell them by the dozen. I love doing different themes, like right now, I'm selling my Valentines Day Stix to friends and family where I live, AND on Etsy for all of you!

Family- family is super important to me! Here was our christmas card picture this year- :)

 God- I wholeheartedly believe Jesus is my Savior and have a relationship with Christ. He is my everything!

Hair- I'm not trying to be conceited, but I am blessed with great hair! I've been growing it out for a couple years now, and it's long, and thick, and it's one of my favorite physical features. If you follow me on social media (and here) you will see pictures of the fun hair styles I try out. My favorite is braids of all kinds!

Instagram- Instagram is BY FAR my favorite social media outlet and iPhone app! I'd love for you to follow me! I try to post a picture once a day.

Jaw surgery- I had jaw surgery 2 summers ago and it was pretty intense! They broke my top jaw in 2 places and bottom jaw in 3. I was SO swollen for weeks and had to drink liquids for a few months.

Kids- not yet! I'm still single, but when I do find my husband, I want kids of my own, as well as to adopt children from all around the world.

Love Language- Quality Time. I love to have my alone time, but I also love spending time with the ones I love!

Mom- my mom is my role model, and one of my best friends. She and I have grown closer as of late, and I love her so much! She has such an amazing artistic eye for design, and her love of people is inspiring!

Nebraska- Yes, I reside in the state of cornfields! But we're not all cornhuskers- believe me!

Optimistic- I am definitely an optimist. I try to find the good in most situations. If it sounds superfluous by reading it, please know that I really do mean what I say.

Pinterest- I'm a huge Pinterest addict :) I love to pin anything from teaching ideas, recipes, crafting ideas, home ideas, wedding ideas, etc! Follow me here!

Quote- Here is one of my favorite quotes:

Source: 29.media.tumblr.com via Allie on Pinterest

Read- Reading is one of my favorite hobbies. I love to get engrossed in a book! Currently I'm reading

and I'm loving it! Every once in a while there's something not so great, like bad language, but I absolutely love the storyline! I'll have more of a review for you once i finish it! I'm always looking for more good books, so if you have any recommendations, let me know!
School- growing up, I was homeschooled most of my elementary years. I also went to a private Christian school for some. For high school I went to a private school. And then for college I went to Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma!

Twitter- another favorite social media of mine. Follow @allieelliott
Up- My life growing up was great! As I said before, I have an awesome family, and I grew up in a home who loved God. I have a great foundation on which to build my life, and my future family.

cheVron- yep- I'm obsessed with chevron. It's my favorite pattern EVER.
Wanderlust- My wanderlust grows by the moment! I first went on a missions trip in my first year of college to Colombia, and 2 summers ago I went to Togo, West Africa. Since then I just want to see the world and travel.

Source: weheartit.com via Allie on Pinterest

X-rays:  I've had more x-rays than I could possibly count. My body is a mystery to doctors. No one can figure me out. I've had more issues with hormones and my thyroid, that have lead to other things, than I would like to deal with. But I get through it one step at a time with God as my rock.
diY: I am a crazy crafter! I've always loved arts and crafts, and I love crafting and DIY now. You'll see lots of DIY posts on my blog- because that's what I love to do!
craZy for- organization, pretty things, makeup, nail polish, scarves, iPhone, missions.
I hope this helped you get to know me better! I'd love to get to know you too! By the way, just putting this out there for my new followers: if you would like to spread the word about your blog/shop, I'd love for you to guest post for me! Leave a comment with your email and I'll contact you!

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Impromptu Hello!

 

I just wanted to stop in and give a warm welcome to my new readers, especially those of you who have come over via the Whispering Sweet Nothings giveaway! I'm SO glad you're here! I'm working on a get-to-know-me post, so you can better know me, but it's not quite finished. Instead, why don't you head over to my Etsy shop and use the code HELLO for 20% anything in my store! And this is for you, too, my faithful readers! Click on something below and you will be directed to my shop, The Allieway!

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Happy and Healthy

This week has been great! I'm linking up again for

Did I mention last week that I LOVE their glitter button!? SO awesome! Happies *Less than two weeks until I'll be in Hawaii! YAY! *Started going to a small group at my church...and LOVED it!  *Sold two more clothing items on ebay! Here are some of the things I'm selling right now- I'd love to sell them to you! *Got a babysitting job one day this week- making the $$! *Started a Daniel Fast on Tuesday- more on that later!
Crappies *It was WAY TOO COLD this week- BRR! *Daniel Fast isn't the most fun thing- but at least I'm shedding a few more pounds before vacay *work has been SLOW and few and far between :( *started organizing my craft supplies earlier in the week, right now they're sitting on my floor still needing organization. Plus, my room is a MESS.
I love this link up because its such a great way to count your blessings at the end of the week! -- Now for...

As I hinted at earlier, I started a Daniel Fast this week. That means I am only eating things that have grown from the earth- no processed junk, no meat or animal products, basically just fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, water etc. Though its been hard, it's been really good for me! It's a cleanse that isn't too tough to do, but still challenges you. It's a perfect pair with working out every day. This is a great way to reconcile those new years goals that you may have put on the back burner. I'm doing mine until February 5th, which is when I leave for hawaii. And I'm already seeing results on the scale after just 3 days! Are you looking to do something like this? Here are a few tips I have: 1. Stock up Don't be afraid to stock up on your fruits and veggies! You go through them fast when you only eat those things!
2. Superfoods Focus on getting lots of the superfoods in your diet- like spinach, blueberries, and even sweet potatoes!
3. Protein Even though you're not eating animal products, its important to still get that protein in to make you feel full. Nuts and nut butters, as well as beans, are a great way to do so!
4. Prepare If you spend most of your day out of your home, make sure you prepare your meals AND SNACKS beforehand so you're all set for your day on the go! I like to bring a fruit and nuts with me for a great in-between or post-workout snack!
I'd love to answer any other questions you have! Are you doing something like this? How's it going for you?

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Thirty Seconds and Input!

Hi everyone! So about a week ago, I saw something really fun happening in the blogosphere, and this week I just had to join in!

It's a fun new way to learn more about the bloggers you love! This week's question was, What is the worst gift you've ever received?
And here's my answer... -- Also, as you know, I'll be out of town in about a week and a half, and would love your input on what you would most like to see on the blog!

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three, awesome tutorial, and FUN!!

I'm linking up this week for This week it's all about the threes!
Top 3 Favorite Kinds of Food (in random order) Thai Fresh/Healthy Sushi
First 3 things you do in the morning check my phone turn on my space heater lay in bed for 5 more minutes Figure out what I'm going to wear
Last 3 things you do at night Brush teeth Set alarm Read 3 TV shows you NEVER miss New Girl The Voice Shark Tank 3 Places you want to visit Paris Rome Anywhere in Latin/South America 3 people you can always count on my mom

my BFFs Alicia, Ann, and Emily

(Sorry, I guess that's four :) -- You may have noticed recently that whenever your mouse hovers over one of the pictures on my blog, the little Pinterest icon pops up in the top right corner! Well, as I was pinning this week, I stumbled upon this great tutorial on how to make your pictures do it! Because if you click on the ICON, you can automatically pin it! This is great because it get rids of those annoying pins that take you just to the main website that the picture is on. When you pin the website via the picture, it automatically pins the correct website, where the good info can be found! So, instead of reinventing the wheel, I'm just going to direct you to the tutorial so you can put it on your blog!

--

Okay, so now, to add a little fun in your life, here's my tip of the day. Go to your nearest Bath and Body Works store and ask for a fruit smoothie!

SAY WHAT?

Yes. A fruit smoothie. We just learned how to do them today at work, and it's my new favorite thing! you put a scrub, shower gel, and lotion all on your hands at the same time, and wash them at a sink, and your hands will be SO SOFT. It's so much fun!!

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New Linky and Follow Friday

Do you follow your favorite bloggers on social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram? Personally, I feel that you get to know bloggers through social media better than on their blog sometimes! I personally prefer Instagram and Twitter, and that's how I've gotten to know several of my bloggy buds better! So, before I get to the other part of the post today, I'm going to give you a chance to follow me on all of my social media outlets. Everyone who follows me today will get the follow back! i'd LOVE to get to know you and you get to know me! Follow @allieelliott Follow @allieelliott Next, a new linky coming from two fabulous bloggers!

Stephanie and Sarah are launching this new Friday linky to share the highs (happies) and lows (crappies) of the week with each other! My family would do this around the dinner table a lot while I was growing up, and it's a fun way to reflect on the week! So here goes:

Happies

     1. Losing 5 more pounds- I'm almost to the 40 pound mark since I started losing weight this summer!

     2. Working over 20 hours last weekend- You read that right! between friday night, saturday, and sunday I worked over 20 hours. YAY FOR MONEY!

     3. News on the braces- I've had braces since I started college in 2008, and they are FINALLY coming off in March! I had an appointment with my orthodontist on Wednesday, and he gave the go-ahead!

     4. 3 sales this week- I sold 2 clothing items on eBay, and 1 on TPT. Not too shabby!

     5. Keeping up with my goal- I've been doing good making sure I spend time with the Lord every day, reading my chronological Bible and devo, and in prayer. Makes the whole day so much better!!

     6. Snuggle time- For some reason, my family dog, Sophie, has started to come sleep with me in my bed at night! It was so random- she scampered into my room one night this week, and hopped onto my bed, and snuggled with me all night. I didn't mind at all!! :)

     7. Boots- I got my boots this week! They fit and I LOVE THEM.  2 pairs- so happy!

Crappies

     1. Burnt to a crisp-I got a really bad sunburn sunless tanning this week! they must have just changed the bulbs in the bed I was in, because I was only doing a level 1 and  my back is still hurting! OUCH.

     2. No hours- My schedule at work has gone WAYYYY down in hours now that shopping season is back to normal. Time to find a second job. :(

     3. Writers block- I've had zero inspiration for new products to make for my TPT store. I need some inspiration PRONTO. K? Thanks.

This was so very fun! But now it's time for me to get ready for my lunch date with my best friend! What a perfect Friday activity! What are your happies and crappies this week? Did you follow me? Where would you like me to follow you? I'm still looking for some guest bloggers!

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{FINALLY} Made It!

I'm embarrassed to admit this, but it has been MONTHS since I've linked up with Tara for

I've meant to, I really have, but somehow crafting has gotten put off a bit. But today, my Made It is a Pinspiration from several pins...

Source: flickr.com via Allie on Pinterest

Source: debbiehodge.com via Allie on Pinterest

I've really wanted to make a calendar journal since I pinned it, and finally did for this year! Basically, I kinda made it up as I crafted, but here's my take on my Calendar Journal.

I must admit that I forgot to take pictures as I went along, but I'l!l try to give you a basic idea of how you can make your own! My favorite part of this project was that I could do whatever I wanted! And all you have to have to make it is a basic composition notebook, scrapbook and scrap paper, Mod Podge, and any stickers/letters you want to use! It's a fantastic way to use up those extra scraps and crafting supplies!   I started with the cover- I just used 2 pieces of 12x12 scrapbook paper and Mod Podged them onto the cover using a sponge brush.

The, I took a couple of scrap pieces of paper from the same collection to make my title rectangle, and sharpied on my word for the year "STRETCH" and the year. Another layer of mod podge, and your done!!

Once your cover is dry, you can start on your first calendar! I used the first full two page spread in the notebook to make mine, and just kind of did as I saw fit. I started by using another piece of scrapbook paper to make a background, then attached letters and numbers to the top left, and then cut out and organized rectangles to use for each day of the month. With sharpie, I put numbers on each box. Then I found some fun little add-ons to personalize my calendar! 

Now I can use my calendar to schedule my blog posts, make a little note about each day, etc. I never was someone who would journal each day, but I love having somewhere to keep my thoughts and memories! I'm actually using this notebook for all my journaling needs for the year: to-do lists, jotting down notes, sermon notes, journal entries, etc.!  

Once it's february, I'll make my next calendar for that month!

Remember, if you decide to do this, feel free to have fun with it! I'm always adding new things to mine to make it work for me! Have you created your own calendar journal? I'd love to see it! Leave me the link, or email me at allieelliott(at)yahoo(dot)com.

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