A new word for my new year....and a giveaway to celebrate it.

The last couple of years I decided to join the growing number of bloggers and friends that chose a word to focus on for the year. (You can find my post about my word from last year here.) I'm also doing the same Banner Giveaway that I did last year as well!

For my Giveaway:

To refresh your memory on what you need to do to enter for my Giveaway, here are the rules, in three easy steps:

1. comment on this post before Friday, January 27th at midnight, sharing the word you've chosen, and why.**Make sure you leave an email address if you are commenting as "Anonymous" so I can get a hold of you if you win!**

2. Saturday, January 28th I will draw one comment and pick a winner.

3. The winner will get a custom banner sent to them in their inbox of their word for the year.

Last year, my word was BALANCE, which was the same word I used in 2010. In many ways, I think I did an admirable job of achieving that word. Okay, maybe not actually achieving it, but I definitely inched a little closer to it, and for me, that's no small feat. Having that word was a good reminder to me all year long of what I was trying to move towards, at any rate.

So.

I am still kind of in the same mindset these days..and so many words work towards similar things...at any rate, after thinking long and hard, I made my choice.....

My word for twenty-twelve is ORGANIZE. I think I have the Joy, Bliss, Happiness, and Trust areas in check, but I am constantly finding myself over-booked...with commitments made, work, family, chores, fun...not to mention,a gajillion ideas of more things I want to do. (See? It seems like a slight variation on last years word of Balance, I know...but for me it's about time management,and planning for things that really matter, and making time count. That, and the fact that I felt like I shouldn't pick the same word THREE years running...)

This year I plan to hone in on putting more order in my life...and striving to become more organized seems the natural progression after striving for balance.

Okay, now how about you? Are you choosing a word for the year? If you are, what is it, and why?

I'd love to hear from you and maybe you'll win my custom made banner!

Spreading the Christmas love...with a lil' inspirational Give-Away!

Ohmygosh,People! A week from today many of you (by you, I mean not me) will have warmed up your car to head out shopping at 2:00 A.M. for all of those crazy-mad day after Thanksgiving holiday deals. The rest of you (by you, I mean me) will be recovering from eating far too much stuffing and cranberry sauce, enjoying my Christmas Playlist, and getting things holly-jollied around the house.

I came across this absolutely inspiring Christmas Book in my ginormous craft book stash when I was making my last move, and I decided to share it with you in a chance to win it as a Give-Away prize....(If I get any more inspired for holiday decorating than I already am, we won't be able to move around here.) 

The book is full of charming ideas and vintage charm, and I know you'll love it! Here's how the contest will work:

Leave a comment here finishing this sentence: My favorite way to spend the weekend after Thanksgiving is __________________. Be sure your comment links to an email address or include it in the comment. (I have to be able to contact you if you win!)

Link this contest blog post to your blog and/or FaceBook page and come back and post another comment sharing that link for a second/third chance to win!

I will announce the winner on Friday, November 25th in my blog post!  

Good luck! I know you are going to love the book!

I am so thankful for all of you out here in Blogland!(I know I already listed that on the first day, but I can't say it enough.