Category Archives: Hobbies and Activities

Happy Holidays from Atlanta

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IMG_5858We didn’t have a long holiday season this year – Thanksgiving was later in November, I was out of town the first weekend in December, and Sean traveled for work the week before Christmas.

Nonetheless, we made the most of our time together and tried to have as much holiday merriment as we could. We checked out the holiday lights at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, decorated our house, went to see Christmas at the Grove, watched several holiday movies and decorated a gingerbread house with friends. Not bad for only having one week and weekend together before traveling to see family for Christmas, huh? Continue reading →

Handmade Holidays: Dam Fine Designs

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il_570xN.526921039_toyfIn this third post in my series on Handmade Holidays (read posts one and two), I was introduced to a little business called Dam Fine Designs. My friend Cherish connected me to her colleague who had been sharing around her mom’s Etsy site to help give it some visibility. I was struck by the beautiful, handmade scarves and lovely pillows – and then I got the details of how this small business came to be. I knew I had to write about this for my final post in this short series. I hope you enjoy it and get some great ideas for gifts for your loved ones.  Continue reading →

Handmade Holidays: just add honey tea company

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slide_5This is the second post in my series focusing on local/small businesses and handmade, quality goods for holiday gifting (read the first post here). When I had the idea for this series, I knew I’d need to get some recommendations from friends who know the people and businesses I wanted to feature. My friend Wendy over at ATL Events connected me with Brandi Shelton, the owner of just add honey tea company and I knew this was a perfect fit for my site – for more reasons than my love of tea! Continue reading →

Handmade Holidays: Seneca Hills

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wreath1This is a series for the holidays that will focus on several small businesses and/or people who make quality, handmade or locally produced items. I asked friends to ask their friends if they knew anyone who fit the bill, and the responses I received were wonderful. I want to share the beautiful and quality creations of people in my community and life. I’d like to encourage others to consider purchasing these amazing gifts for the holidays instead of mass-produced and low-quality products at mass retailers.

All these handmade items have a story and smart, passionate people behind them. The first post is about Seneca Hills, an Etsy store where a dear friend sells wreaths, t-shirts, block print-stamped napkins, onsies, pillows, and other crafty items. While I love all of her work, her holidays wreaths are stunning and will be highlighted here. Continue reading →

Juice Fasting 101: Getting Started

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This is part 2 of my mini series on juice fasting. After completing my Arden’s Gardens 2-Day Juice Cleanse/Detox, eating raw foods for breakfast and lunch for two weeks after, and doing my own juice fasts each week for three weeks in a row, I received a lot of questions. The first post covered the basics – what is a juice cleanse, why juicing is important, and the main benefits/results you can expect.

This post will focus on the how-to: how to do a juice cleanse, what you need to get started, and some recipes to keep you going. Continue reading →

“Sew, a Needle Pulling Thread”

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That’s right, y’all – I have a new hobby. Sewing! I took my first sewing class from The Sewing Studio here in Atlanta, where we made pillows. The class taught us all the basics – cutting fabric to the right size, sewing seams, reinforcing stitches, etc. to create a beautiful, handmade product.

I’m beyond pumped to learn this new skill and am planning on taking several other classes to learn more. I definitely feel there is infinite value in knowing how to sew. Beyond hemming pants and sewing buttons, I’m hoping to make custom gifts, home decor, and maybe even clothes! Continue reading →