Our Personal Goals for the New Year

Over the past few weeks, I've repeated over and over again that I want to live intentionally in 2016. To achieve some of my creative goals, like finishing a draft of my book. To pay down debt and live within our means. To be more mindful of and less wasteful with my time. Of course, we can't be too strict or rigid with our lives. After all, we never know what's around the next corner. But that doesn't mean we can't set goals for ourselves.
Here are a few of our personal goals for the new year...
1. Eat at home more often  As I mentioned in our Financial Goals post, we've been trying to save money by eating out less often. The biggest help in this area is meal-planning. I've been meal planning for about a year, and I can't tell you how big of a help it is! It takes all of the guess-work out of cooking and makes grocery shopping a less haphazard process. 
2. Eat cleaner and greener I know I'm an adult, but I have the taste-buds of a little kid. Like seriously, why can't pizza be a vegetable? I will admit that I do not eat enough vegetables; so this year, I've been trying to fix veggie sides more often. So far, I've been eating a lot of salad and sweet potatoes. But this week I plan to experiment with roasted cabbage and cooked carrots. And, you might have noticed there are tomatoes up there in that picture. Do you have any yummy veggie recipes to share? I'm all ears! Yes, that was a sad attempt at a corn joke. 
3. Reduce household waste I've been trying to reduce our food waste by packing more lunches and actually eating our leftovers. Additionally, I've been aiming to do a better job recycling and using reusable grocery bags rather than piling up the plastic bags. 
4. Exercise regularly  Mark and I usually exercise together at least four times a week. I have to say, I love it. It's a great way to unwind after a long day and is a healthy way to just connect as a couple. It's something we share together. Plus, it is a definite mood-booster.
5. Get outdoors more often I sometimes turn into a hermit during winter. It's just so cold that I don't want to venture outdoors, but we all need our vitamin D, even in the winter! Over MLK weekend, Mark and I visited both the Monocacy and Gettysburg battlefields. It was so much fun in spite of the chilly weather. 
6. Be more intentional with time A.k.a., less pointless phone browsing. I can't lie-- I love Instagram and Snapchat. Maybe because I love photography? But I do tend to find myself pointlessly browsing on social media in the evenings. Lately, I've been trying to do things like read, write, or knit instead. Something that engages my mind rather than blurring and crossing my eyes instead. 
7. Finish our final home renovations and touch ups Owning a fixer-upper is not easy. There always seems to be a long list of to-do's. But lately, our list has seriously shortened. This year, I hope we can actually FINISH everything on that list and finally have no renovations looming ahead of us. 
8. Finish a full first draft of my novel THE BIG ONE... dun dun dun. I've got a whole year though, ya'll.... Surely I can do it! Wish me luck! 
What are some of your goals for the new year? 

Our Financial Goals for the New Year

This year, one of our main goals is to be more intentional with our time and our actions. That would include being more intentional with our lifestyle and our money. 
Most newlyweds aren't exactly flush with cash. You're working to establish your own home, typically are working an entry level job, have student loan debt, and usually don't have much in savings. And all that is perfectly fine and normal -- after all, everyone has to start somewhere. But at what point do you start making efforts to establish some sort of "nest" or begin working toward financial viability? 
Mark and I decided that this year, we really want to make an effort to budget and save. To be more mindful of how and where we spend our money. I was inspired by this post published by The EveryGirl which talks about seven steps to take to become "financially fit in 2016." Additionally, some of our close friends have been following the Dave Ramsey Plan, which focuses on budgeting, paying off debt, building an emergency fund, and starting college and retirement funds. 
Here are some basic financial goals Mark and I hope to achieve in 2016:
1. Determine a reasonable household budget. We sat down and listed our bills and expenses, rounding up slightly to provide for margin of error. Then, we calculated what percentage could go toward paying off debt and what would need to go to savings and "miscellaneous." The hard part? Actually accounting for all the cash flow. Bills are easy to record and keep, but little purchases like a "oh shoot we're almost out of toilet paper" are harder to keep track off. I've started saving receipts, arranging them in categories (gas, groceries, eating out, etc.) and tallying them all at the end of the week. 
2. Pay down any debt.  Luckily, Mark and I don't have a ton of debt. That being said, last year was not our easiest year financially. We kept getting hit with random expenses that left us both feeling drained and disheartened. Plus, we've been renovating a 100 year old house for two years.  Together, we listed our debts-- smallest to largest-- and determined how much $$ each month will go toward paying each bill off, from credit cards to car loans. I've always heard to go from smallest to largest, since doing so frees up more and more money and actually make you feel like you're making progress. Just formulating our plan made me feel so much more empowered and confident for the new year. 
3. Live simply and within our means.  Mark and I have never been big spenders, but everyone can always simplify. Lately, I've been asking myself "Do I really need that sweater?" or "Do we really need to buy new when the old still works?" Asking myself questions like these has made me more mindful of little indulgent splurges and has had a visible effect on our bank accounts. 
4. Start saving regularly, instead of sporadically.  Even if it's a small amount, you know what they say "a penny saved is a penny earned." My parents and grandparents-- all self-employed-- always stressed that you should pay yourself before you pay your bills. In other words, put a little aside into savings, even if all you can afford to save that month is $20 bucks. That's your $20 bucks, and no one touches it. This year, I really want to focus on making saving a regular, budgeted thing, not just something we do in one big chunk when "Oh hey, we have a little extra this month." Here's where paying down debt is nice, because the less debt you're paying off, the more money you can pay to yourself, aka save. 
5. Don't be too hard on yourself.  I  loved this oh-so-true reminder from The EveryGirl article. Emergencies come up, and spontaneous things happen. Every now and then, you just want to splurge on a nice dinner out or buy that perfect gift for yourself or your loved one. None of us are perfect. None of us are automatons wired to perfectly obey every nuance of our budget. Every. Single. Day. After all, life is meant to be lived!  But we can always be more mindful of what we're doing, whether it's productive or not-- including being too hard on ourselves. 

What are your financial goals for 2016? Have any budgeting or financial tips to share?

Our Creative Goals for the New Year

A few days ago, I shared this post regarding my goals for the new year. Today, I thought I might share some of my creative goals for the new year. It seemed a good place to start. After all, the creative side of things is my favorite part! 
This year, one of my main endeavors will be to live more intentionally. Perhaps this is more of an attitude than a goal. What I mean is this: I want to live each day with intention. To be more mindful of and purposeful with my time, to use it wisely and well. Obviously, every day will have some spontaneity in it, but I do want to be less wasteful. Not just wasting time scrolling mindlessly on my phone, for example.
I hope to apply this intention to my creative work as well. This year, I'd like to be more focused with my creative projects, specifically my Etsy shop. Here are a few of my creative goals, for the year
1. to work on my Etsy shop images: better lighting and photography
2. to utilize better shop strategies such as promoted listings, coupon codes, and giveaways.  I know that I haven't used all this tools as much as I could have in the past, but I'm working toward utilizing more in the coming months. 
3. to grow the shop's social media following (of course-- isn't that always the case?) I recently employed some of Hilary Rushford's strategies for growing your Instagram following and saw my followers increase by 100+. I defintely plan to continue using her tips and highly recommend her free classes! 
4. to start marketing my murals and hopefully get a few clients See my Birch Tree Statement Wall in this post. It was one of my most popular posts in 2015 and I hope to complete more like it! 
5. to work on my photography skills and eventually begin offering photography sessions. 

What are some of your creative goals for the new year?

New Year, New Goals, New You

One of my favorite things about a new year is that blank-slate feeling. Everything ahead is new, untold, unexpected. Anything is possible. 
I've never really been one for making New Year resolutions. At least not simply for the sake of having a resolution just because everyone else does. We all know that adage "If you want to hear God laugh, tell him your plans." I guess I've always had the attitude of whatever comes, comes, but lately I've been thinking more about goals. Obviously, we can't see the future, and we don't know what lies ahead. We can only plan so much and so far. Yet, I do think it's important to have a goal or two: short-term and long-term. It gives us direction, let's us know what we're aiming for. It adds to our sense of purpose and direction.
 Last year, I started working on a goal that has lived within me for years: the goal of writing a novel. Before I could even write, I would scribble squiggle-lines onto stacks of paper, staple the sheets together, and then proudly march the finished product around the house as my "book." At the end of last year, Mark and I decided that I should take a few months to actually work toward making this goal a reality. Now, I'm 12 chapters in and, although the process has been filled with ups and downs, I don't know that I've ever felt more fulfilled as an individual. Or more grateful to my husband who has been nothing but supportive as I work and write. 
As the new year began, I debated whether to actually post any resolutions for 2016. But the reality exists that we need to have goals toward which we steer ourselves. After all, we will never accomplish something if we never aim for it, if we never even try. As Erin of the blog Reading My Tea Leaves stated, "You'll never accomplish what you don't attempt. Literally. And thinking of something to attempt, well, that's the first step." 
Rather than present a long, meandering list of goals (which frankly would bore both you and me), I plan to share a short series of posts regarding the main goals I have forged for the new year. Each goal somehow relates to the main topics of this little space: living creatively and being more intentional with my life and time. The upcoming goals will fall under three categories: personal goals, financial goals, and creative goals. 
Along the way, I'll share my progress, whether its forward or backward. I hope that my little efforts will somehow inspire you to lay out and aim for your own personal goals as well, come what may!
Thanks for following along thus far. And Happy New Year! 

Happy New Year from Patina & Purl!

Happy New Year from Mark and Abi!
Hope your celebrations are safe and happy!

Our Year in Review

For so many in our family-- us included-- the year 2015 was a whirlwind of good and bad. Mark and I faced some of our toughest situations yet as a married couple, but so far we've managed to pull through each one. I learned a ton about myself, about marriage, and about life. I won't go into all the "lessons learned" since I waxed eloquent on that topic yesterday. But I did want to share a quick look back at our year. So much happened-- I can't even wrap my mind around it all. 
My blogging friend Whitney of Hey Whitney Blog shared her End of the Year Digest this week. I loved the idea and decided to do the same for Patina & Purl today. Writing for this blog has been a great way to immortalize our lives together. It was so fun to look back and see what we were thinking, feeling, and experiencing as the year went by. If you're new to the blog, this post will help you get a feel of who we are, where we've come from, and where we're going. 
January

This month marked not only the beginning of a new year but also the decision to make a major life change. I decided to leave my M.A.T. program at Mount St. Mary's University and went to work as the Assistant Director of Financial Aid at McDaniel College. I think our early twenties are definitely a time to flounder around, figuring out who we are and who we want to be. It took a lot of courage to jump off the proverbial cliff and try something new. 
My favorite posts: Deciding to Change First Snow of 2015
February

Because I was busy learning my new job at McDaniel College, February and March were the lean months for the blog. It seemed like this month was determined to freeze us to death-- we got so much snow and bizarre sub-arctic temperatures. I became convinced that we had moved to Alaska rather than Maryland. 
My favorite post: Self-Portrait in Third Person
March

March was a hard month for me. Naively, I thought March meant the arrival of spring. Instead, it meant more snow and ice storms. In the spirit of authenticity, I'll admit that I became really discouraged and depressed this month. I wasn't happy with my job, my health, or the weather. My life seemed to revolve around work and icky snowy mess. Looking back, I'm so grateful for a husband who unconditionally supported me through a hard month. In happier memories: we found a Civil War battlefield behind our local Target.  My favorite posts: Our Dining Room Tour Bully: Owning a Pitbull Our Weekend in Photos: Monocacy Battlefield
April

With the arrival of spring, I made another big change and leap of faith. Keeping our budget in mind, Mark and I decided that I needed to work in a creative capacity in order to truly be happy. I went to work for a local vintage furniture company. Simultaneously, I began writing a novel, working on my Etsy shop, and blogging again in earnest. Like the winter fog melting away, I felt my depressed mood finally begin to lessen. 
My favorite posts: Morgan & Newman // A Springtime Wedding Photography: Baby Girl Harper Creating a Capsule Wardrobe
May 

May marked the beginning of my love of chalk painting, as well as my journey to physical fitness. Mark and I began working out together every day, which tremendously boosted my mood. Our house underwent some of its main renovations-- and we were nominated for the Apartment Therapy Small Cool Contest. 
My favorite posts: Paris Grey Dresser Makeover Industrial Pallet Coffee Table Our Patio Makeover
June

June seemed like a month of travel, planning, and family events. Our best friends had a baby shower for their first baby, while at home we began planning our kitchen renovation. I meanwhile sat down and gave the blog a serious once-over, determining its new direction and giving it a new look. Overall, Mark and I just enjoyed summertime in beautiful Frederick. 
My favorite posts: Around Town: Frederick City Guide Revitalizing Old Art Prints Baby Boy Shower & Bump Shots
July

In July, that peak month of summer, Mark and I enjoyed a family vacation to the North Carolina coast. While there, we received the scary news that our best friends were at the hospital, having their first baby over a month early. Luckily, everything turned out all right for the little baby boy. 
My favorite post: Photo Reel: Ocean Isle Beach, NC
August

August was a hot whirlwind. Mark and I took Solo on his first camping trip to Gambrill State Park, and I undertook two of my biggest furniture makeovers of the year.
My favorite posts: Old World Style Dresser Makeover Warm Industrial-Inspired Vintage Desk
September

This September, Mark and I seemed to go hiking almost every weekend. We just couldn't get enough of the perfect mild weather. I think September may have been cooler than our December! Everything glowed with a bright green vibrancy, seemingly in defiance of the coming autumn. We discovered new favorite hiking spots and explored an orchard.  My crafty side went into over-drive with fall craft ideas. All in all, September was a really fun month. 
My favorite posts: Around Town // Worthington Farm Hike Chalkpaint Pumpkin Pillow Hack Wheat & Berries Table Arrangement Stovetop Apple Simmer 
October

This month, Mark and I celebrated our third anniversary with an impromptu trip to Washington D.C and the exact spot where he proposed: the Jefferson Memorial. We explored Georgetown and found the oldest building in D.C.  On the renovation front, we tackled our kitchen renovation and other small projects around the house with the help of Mark's parents who came up for a visit. Meanwhile, I unlocked the secret to achieving a stained look with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. Finally, I had the honor of guest posting at Hey Whitney Blog. 
My favorite posts: Chalk Paint Makeover: the Stair Rail Bathroom Makeover Chicken Vino Bianco Recipe The Oldest House in Washington How Thomas Jefferson Changed My Life
November

November was the month of renovations. We finally completed the kitchen, and I transformed our dining room with a birch tree statement wall. To celebrate Thanksgiving, Mark and I traveled to Delaware where we ate too many carbs and explored Cape Henlopen State Park. Surprisingly, our kitchen makeover was subsequently featured on Apartment Therapy and Unfolded. 
My favorite posts: Kitchen Reveal Workspace Tour Birch Tree Statement Wall
December

This topsy-turvy year rounded out with a much-overdue trip to Georgia to celebrate the holidays with family. Opening presents with my two nephews added a whole new definition to the early morning Christmas excitement. 
My favorite posts: Cape Henlopen State Park Master Bedroom Makeover
Thanks for following along this year! I hope you enjoyed reading about our antics, furniture makeovers, and renovation adventures. It sounds like 2016 has a ton of new adventures in store for us already. I can't wait to see where it takes us and to share our discoveries along the way.
Have a safe and happy New Year!

This post format was originally created by Whitney Torres of Hey Whitney Blog in her post End of the Year Digest. I emulated the format for my own "Year in Review" post. 

Resolutions

A person I hope to be more like:

Although numerous names came to mind, one name stood out most clearly: my mom's. In this new year, I hope to become more like my mom. It's a change I joke about with friends all the time. Driving along, we'll make certain comments or use certain phrases, sounding just like our mothers, and we'll roll our eyes and say "Oh Lord, we're turning into them!" But really, being like my mom would be such a bad thing.

My mom because she embodies Southern hospitality, knowing how to make everyone, even strangers, feel at home. Because she is hands-down the best cook I know; her French onion rice and cheesy broccoli casserole would drive you to sonnet-composing. Because she has always been selfless in raising her two daughters. Because she knows how to judge a horse and weigh the spirit in its eyes. Because she knows how to dress down Richt and Bobo and gave Gurley the sternest television-screen talking to I've ever heard. Because she can stop misbehavior with one eyebrow raise. Because she's unfailingly kind. Because she always knows when to speak, what to say, and when to leave words unsaid.

A good deed I'm going to do:

Pray harder. I know, I know... this question aims at a specific charitable deed to do, but I truly feel that earnest prayer is one of the best ways to help others. No matter your physical or monetary state, you can always pray. Even though they may be slowly answered, a prayer's words are after all powerful enough to breach heaven. I know that in my own life I've been held up by others' prayers; my name has been uttered in others' hearts and echoed in heaven's halls. Yet I myself fall short in prayer for others. This next year, every day, I aim to work on this resolution.

A place I'd like to visit:

For this resolution, I have two answers: Jamaica and Glacier Park. One hot, one cold. One luxurious, one rustic. Both beautiful in different, exotic ways. Can you guess which destination I picked and which Mark picked?

A book I'd like to read:

This resolution category is such a loaded question to ask of an English major. Here are a few of my wish-list titles....

• Where'd You Go Bernadette
• Unbroken
• Flight Behavior
• Casual Vacancy
• Edge of Eternity
• 1Q84

A new food I'd like to try:

How about a new restaurant? Mark and I have lived in Frederick for over two years, yet we have never tried Isabella's, a tapas restaurant that our friends consistently complement and rave about. So in 2015, I resolve to finally visit this tavern and finally eat some tapas so that we can FINALLY tell people that "yes, we love it too."

I'm going to do better at:

Writing. For this blog and for personal purposes. So often, when life gets busy, I just let writing fall aside. But when I do take the time to write--even just a few lines-- I do feel better. Writing provides catharsis and focus. In 2015, I aim to set realistic writing goals that will fit around my work schedules.

A goal I aim to achieve:

Short-term: As with any fixer-upper owner, it seems my main goals are renovation related. In 2015, we aim to renovate the kitchen, renovate the bathroom, create a fun and cutesy outdoor space, and repaint the living room. Long-term: Continue to workout. For the past four months, I've buckled down and gone with Mark to the gym nearly every weekday. I hope to continue this trend. While they may complain, my thighs, butt, and stomach all thank me for it!

What are your resolutions for 2015?

Reader Favorites of 2014

image credit: Sarah Nelms

This week, I thought it would be a fun project to quickly scroll through our blog posts and see which stood out as the "Top Ten." These reader favorites were selected based on comments, views, and shares. Going through and seeing which posts y'all seemed to enjoy most was very interesting. Ironically, none of the ones that I expected to be the "most popular" even were among the 2014 Top Ten! Let's see if you were as surprised as I was by the results.

10. Reno and Garland: How We Met Two Dead Generals 

9. un, deux, trois

8. The Necessity of Kindness

7. Living Small

6. Dill House Diary: Bedroom Reveal

5. Who's Against Feminism? 

4. Our Cozy Guest Nook

3. Finding Your Place

2. Dill House Diary: Rail Works

1. The top post of the year was definitely Why I Chose to Change My Name, which was lucky enough to be featured on HelloGiggles' "From Our Readers" column! 

So from this list, I gather that you all like two things: when I provide home renovation updates and when I wax philosophical.... with the occasional cookie recipe thrown in for good measure. I hope to be providing more home renovation news in the new year; so be sure to stay tuned for additions to the "Dill House Diary." 

Thanks to all my readers for your interest, advice, and support! I appreciate every one of you! Happy 2015!!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year from Amp and Abi. 

Here's a toast to your 2015 being full of laughter, happiness, and love! 

Thanks to all my readers for reading and journeying with us. 

We're looking forward to a new year full of new possibilities.

Have fun and stay safe tonight, everyone!