Heavens to Betsy

corrie ten boom

2012-02-09T10:00:00.000-05:00

Corrie ten Boom is one of my heroes. She and her family, Christians in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam, helped Jewish families escape during WWII. They were caught and put in a concentration camp, and Corrie survived. After the war, she helped set up rehabilitation centers and services in the Netherlands.

She's written quite a few books, but one of my absolute favorite Corrie ten Boom quotes is this one.

Sponsor Spotlight: Erin of Captivated by Grace

2012-02-07T10:00:00.000-05:00

I've got the lovely Erin of Captivated by Grace in the spotlight today!

Erin & I found each other's blogs this fall and we've both been regular readers of the other for the past few months.

I love that Erin regularly shares her faith and that I can always find some Biblical truth or inspiration on her blog!

I'm pretty sure that we'd be fast friends if we didn't live on opposite sides of the country.

My name is Erin and I am a twenty-something girl with a passion for life, love, and above all else, my faith in Christ. I enjoy all things beautiful in this world and look for God's blessings all around me. I just graduated and I am currently looking for a teaching job!

I am from sunny Arizona, but I spent the first 16 years of my life in a small town in a Chicago suburb!

My blog is a place that I share the daily lessons I am learning in my walk with Christ. Life is full of ups and downs, but God is with us through them all!

(In response to the question: "if you could own any type of store, what would it be?"): Hmm...that is hard. I would love to sell something that encouraged others in their faith...not sure what that would be...

I am obsessed with Starbucks iced coffee! If I don't have one by 2 in the afternoon...I get a really bad headache! I have a problem.

Check out more from Erin at Captivated by Grace!

shalom

2012-02-02T09:00:00.000-05:00

In my freshman year of college, our chapel series was focused on this idea of shalom.

We all used to joke about not really understanding what shalom meant, that it was just this phrase that was thrown around Christian academia and no one could ever really define it.

I spent a lot of time during my sophomore and junior years doing a lot of reading and discussing what work and vocation and calling really meant in the framework of being a Christian.

And finally, shalom was defined by this quote:

It's a lot to chew on. But if you take some time to think about the gravity of these two sentences, I guarantee you'll come away feeling challenged, inspired, and with a little more purpose and perspective.

the last two weeks according to my iPhone

2012-02-01T12:21:00.000-05:00

1. Desk decorations // 2. Time for homework again! // 3. Coffee in a Nutella mug.

4. These two bums promised me adventure and then fell asleep // 5. Skirt, tights, boots

6. Kitten // 7. Devos // 8. Best friend's new puppy // 9. Sleepytime tea

10. Sunlight on a winter day // 11. Books // 12. Camp t-shirts.

13. Spring cleaning in January! // 14. Meetings, meeting, meetings // 15. A favorite verse

16. Sumo wrestling at our elementary small group leader party at church

17. Jane. Favorite. Coffee table. // 18. Urban Ed meets Psych meets Sociology. Love it.

Sponsor Spotlight: Annelise from Aunie Sauce

2012-01-31T09:00:00.000-05:00

Today's sponsor spotlight is for Annelise from Aunie Sauce!

Check her out!

I was born in Seattle, Washington, but I have lived alllllll over. To be specific, Spokane, WA, Hot Springs, AR, Edmond, OK, Mason, OH, Redlands, CA, Boise, ID... and that's where I am currently! My dad had a job that moved us all over when I was younger so I have a LOT of friends. It always taught me to "bloom where I am planted."

If I had a shop it would be selling bouncy balls (I collect them and have over 800) or bonsai plants or something. If I could own a "business" I would want to have a dog rescue. I LOVE dogs.

Um... I collect bouncy balls. When you knock on my head, it sounds hollow. I have absolutely no sense of dancing coordination. In the shower I swear I sound exactly like Colbie Callait.

Check out Annelise at Aunie Sauce!

For info about how you can sponsor and be featured on Heavens to Betsy, check out my sponsorship details!

Haaaaaaaaaavvvveeeee you met Nick?

2012-01-30T14:45:00.002-05:00

This weekend, it looked a lot like my blog was going to reach the triple digits in followers. (woohoo!) I was pretty pumped. I don't often talk about this little blog in real life, but I couldn't resist sharing this exciting news with some friends.

Somewhere in that conversation, I told one friend that if he was follower #100, I'd do an entire post on him. Honestly, I wasn't counting on it actually happening. But it did, soooo....

Nick is in my brother's band, Chromatic Wakeup. He plays the keys. He's also a pretty funny guy.

And ladies, he's single. *hint hint*

(Hey, if I have to post about him, I at least get to embarrass him a little, right? Right. So email me if you want his number.)

Here are some fun facts about Nick:
1. He just had a birthday earlier this month.
2. His favorite dessert is apple crisp or apple pie. And he knows that I like to bake, so he works that to his advantage.
3. He and I fake-dated on Facebook. Just for laughs. But some people thought it was real, and sometimes we like to reference our "painful breakup".
4. He's studying engineering.
5. He can do a headstand. He's been working really hard on it.

So there you go, Nick. There's your post. You can't say I don't keep my word.

And if you've stuck with me this far, bless you. And thanks! This little blog has grown so much over the past few months, far beyond what I ever intended for it, and the blogging community is such a fun one to be a part of!

oh how pinteresting!

2012-01-28T11:39:00.001-05:00

Have I mentioned how much I love pinterest?

Because I do, I really, really do.

via

via

Now I'm feeling inspired (hooray!).

happy friday!

2012-01-27T10:21:00.000-05:00

Hello hello & happy Friday!

I'm over at Her Umbrella today talking about one of my favorite trips of all time.

Come check it out and leave me & Grace some love!

(wondering where I went on this trip? here's a hint:)

via

your love

2012-01-26T09:00:00.000-05:00

I love this song by Jesus Culture.

Specifically, these lyrics:

I just can't even handle it.

This is pretty much one of the most humbling thoughts ever. No matter what I throw at Him, God never gives up, never runs out on me. No matter how many times I decide that I know best or that my plan is the right one or that I've got a situation covered. No matter how many times He needs to reteach me the same lesson I just promised I finally learned.

His love

never fails

never give up

never runs out

on me.

This is currently my desktop on my computer, and oh, what a good reminder it is!

a photo shoot

2012-01-25T10:00:00.000-05:00

I got new bedding last week and was attempting to take a few photos of it, when this little stinker decided to steal the spotlight...

At first, she was just interested in my camera strap...

Then, she figured out that the clicking noise of my shutter was directed at her...

And this is where things get funny...

Just look at the little poser....

She would sit up, realize I was still taking photos of her, and then flop back down...

I promise I'm not a crazy cat lady who does photo shoots with her kitten on a regular basis. This was just too cute...I had to share!

Sponsor Spotlight: Fran from Small Bird Studios

2012-01-24T09:00:00.000-05:00

It's Sponsor Spotlight Tuesday!

Today, I'd like to introduce Fran from Small Bird Studios.

Hi! My name is Fran, and I am a wife & mommy of two. During nap time I squeeze in my design work & blog time.

I'm from Texas!

My blog is a place to share the beautiful mess our sweet girl left behind when she left this world. A place of healing, inspiration, photography and glimpses of our day to day life.

I recently opened up an etsy shop to share words that inspire.

I look for hearts in the clouds everywhere I go. Sometimes - every once in a blue moon there will be one. It makes Heaven feel a little closer. :)

Go check out Fran at Small Bird Studios!

a visit with friends

2012-01-23T10:01:00.000-05:00

Last Sunday, I got a call from Nicole (below, in the black coat), asking what my lunch plans were for Monday. Nicole's in grad school at NYU, so I figured she probably just wanted to have a phone or Skype date over my lunch break. Turns out, she had a very different plan in mind.

She happened to have a car for the week and the day off, so she swung by Hannah's (below, gray sweater, red scarf) house, picked her up, and they both drove all the way to PA to spend an afternoon with me!

Words can't describe how blessed I am to have friends like these two. We all spent a semester living in an apartment together last fall, and when I graduated in December, the biggest heartbreak of leaving Gordon was leaving people like this. As I've adjusted to life back at home, I've realized how valuable surrounding yourself with like-minded people truly is. Gordon was a place where I grew and changed, and was really known. I'm definitely still learning and growing here in PA, but spending a short afternoon with these girls renewed a part of me that hadn't gotten a lot of attention in a while. Our conversation drifted from boys to racial stigmas to life in our parent's homes. We grabbed lunch and a cupcake, took a tour of Reading, and ended up at my house drinking tea and reflecting on all the ways the Gordon community changed and molded us and our world views.

In a lot of ways, it was the perfect afternoon.

questions, questions.

2012-01-22T11:00:00.000-05:00

Grace over at Her Umbrella recently tagged me to do the blog buddies questionnaire! I thought it was fun, so here goes!

The rules:

1. You must post these rules.

2. Each person must post 11 things

about themselves on their blog.

3. Answer the questions the tagger set for

you in their post and create 11 new questions

for the people you tag to answer.

My questions for Cassie, Emily, and Amy:

1. Do you have any nicknames? What are they?

2. If you could move to any state/city/country, where would it be?

3. What's the best book you've ever read?

4. Do you prefer writing with a pen or a pencil?

5. Who was your favorite teacher you've ever had and why?

6. Where did you go on the best trip you've ever taken?

7. If you could own any type of pet, what would it be?

8. What's one thing you can't live without?

9. Favorite warm beverage....

10. What was the last thing you ate?

11. What's the worst/most embarrassing CD you've ever owned and do you still have it?

Have fun, ladies!

what's in my camera bag

2012-01-21T10:00:00.000-05:00

Over the past year, my stash of camera equipment has grown exponentially.

Besides maybe my laptop, my camera is probably the one material object I'd save in a fire. It goes almost everywhere with me (thanks to my beautiful Kelly Moore bag!).

I'm a Nikon gal, and, as you'll see, I'm pretty loyal to the brand.

Here's a run-down of my most-used equipment!

I do most of my shooting with the D7000 and my favorite lens is the 50mm f/1.4. For a good mid-range (and fairly inexpensive) zoom, the 18-105mm really does perform nicely.

Adding the Bower battery grip to the D7000 not only makes it feel like an even more solid camera, but it balances it nicely. There are shutter release and aperture/shutter speed control dials on the battery grip, so when you're shooting in portrait, you don't have to bend your wrist around the top or bottom of the body.

Finally, the bag. Oh, that bag. I've talked about it before, but it's the most wonderful bag ever. It's incredibly stylish (people don't believe me when I tell them it's a camera bag!) and it's oh-so-roomy! I love it, and highly recommend it!

Are you a photographer? What's in your camera bag?

baked oatmeal with fruit

2012-01-20T10:00:00.000-05:00

A friend and I made baked oatmeal with fruit last week and it was ah-mazing!

My mom makes a pretty kick-butt baked oatmeal, and this recipe gives it a run for it's money.
The warm blueberries, the slightly-crispy oatmeal and pecan top, the layer of bananas on the bottom. Yum.
Also, you can tailor the recipe to fit whatever sorts of berries might be in season.
(Though using blueberries sort of makes it seem like you're eating blueberry pie)

Ingredients:
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecans, lightly toasted, divided
½ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
¼ cup maple syrup
1 cup milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2-3 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced ½-inch thick
1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen), divided

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375˚ F.  Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish.  In a medium bowl, combine the rolled oats, half of the nuts, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.  Stir with a fork to combine.  In a liquid measuring cup, combine the maple syrup, milk, egg, butter, and vanilla.  Spread the sliced bananas in a single layer over the bottom of the baking dish.  Top with half of the berries.  Sprinkle the dry oat mixture over the fruit in an even layer.  Pour the liquid ingredients evenly over the oats.  Sprinkle the remaining nuts and berries over the top.  Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top is browned and the oats have set.  Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

source: Super Natural Every Day by Heidi Swanson via The Curvy Carrot

another quote

2012-01-19T09:00:00.000-05:00

I love finding a good quote on Pinterest.

And recently, I've also been working on flexing my Adobe Illustrator muscles. They're pretty tiny, and I'm working on regularly doing some bicep curls...figuratively speaking.

And the combination of those two means I've started creating things like this when I've got some spare time on my hands.

lately {via iphone}

2012-01-18T10:00:00.000-05:00

I feel like I haven't been saying much in this space lately. Sure, I've been blogging a lot, but I feel like they've been pretty empty posts. I apologize for that, and I promise I'll get back to writing some at least semi-substantial content soon.

Christmas and the holidays just sort of threw me for a loop. They came, they went, and even though it all happened a few weeks ago, I still feel like I haven't caught up in some ways. I think it's due in part to technically being on break from school but actually being busier at work than ever before. While I've been out of college for a year now (gasp!), I'm still adjusting in a lot of ways (it really takes me a while to adapt to change...don't judge).

But anyway...here's an instagram update from life since the holidays!

1. Apple earrings from a dear friend from Ruche!

2. Asparagus stuffed toy from Ikea

3. Back to work after the holidays.

4. Baked oatmeal with blueberries (recipe coming soon!)

5. New bedding! (thank you, Target)

6. Bokeh-y Christmas lights

7. Glasses from BonLook

8. My gear for shooting the Chromatic Wakeup EP Release

9. The boys doing what they love

10. Glasses & a high bun

11. The creamiest chocolate ice cream ever + peanut butter

12. My kitten in my dad's hoodie pocket

13. Cat napping

14. I've been calligraphy-doodling a lot lately

15. All snuggled in

Sponsor Spotlight: Janette from Janette the Jongleur

2012-01-17T10:00:00.000-05:00

And another Sponsor Spotlight!

This week, I give you....

Janette from Janette the Jongleur!

Janette is a super fun blogger...and a sweet girl to boot! I won a package of all of her favorite things and she bought herself one of everything she sent me, so now I just feel like we're friends. And twins. (Is that weird? I promise I'm not a creeper.)

HI! Bonjour! HOLA! My name is Janette. I’m a wife, photographer, blogger, and Instagram hogger. I live in perpetually-sunny, southern California and enjoy food, kissing my hubaloo, taking pictures, and prancing round God’s creation.

My blog was birthed a little over a year ago after reading some random fashion blogs recommended by a friend. Did I want to be a fashion blogger? Nah! I just wanted to share some of my life with kind strangers and in the process make some fun collages of my offline and online adventures. (I LOVE collages!)

I'm a photographer some days. Check it out at www.daneshmandphotography.com!

I would sell vintage clothes, my mom’s tamales, chai tea lattes, Thrifty’s brand ice cream, art, and Hanukkah decorations…And I would live there and probably eat and or wear the entire inventory and go bankrupt. Boo!

I’m the crackiest person I know. Meaning, I can crack practically everything on my body. I think I’m going to regret this greatly in about 30 years…but for now, I just pop away. Pop. Pop. Pop. Oh yeah…and I think Betsy is super cool. Just sayin’.

So check out Janette at Janette the Jongleur. Trust me, you won't regret it.

happiness is...

2012-01-15T10:00:00.000-05:00

I came across this quote the other day and loved it.

I just had to share.

(and I'm linking up here today, so if you're feeling inspired, you should too!)

typeface

2012-01-13T09:00:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure if I've ever mentioned this, but I love fonts.

A lot.

It might be an unhealthy love.

I might be able to spend hours downloading new fonts.

I might need an intervention.

I'm currently enjoying block lettering fonts. So, I give you....

most of these can be found on dafont. my favorite is Sketch Block (can you tell?)

a verse

2012-01-12T09:00:00.000-05:00

a friend sent me this verse a few months ago and it's been saved on my phone ever since

its such a good one. i can always use a reminder that God has my times in His hands.

He is trustworthy today and always.

Sponsor Spotlight: Tiffany from The Paisley Tab

2012-01-11T22:55:00.004-05:00

It's been a while since I've done a Sponsor Spotlight, but I'd like to introduce to you...

Tiffany of The Paisley Tab and Coffee Talks and Cat Walks!

I'm a thirty-something year old girl, crazy in love with Jesus Christ, my husband and kitty: vera. Obsessed with coffee, fashion, sewing, and traveling. I live a blessed life.

Originally from central Illinois, but am now living north of Indianapolis.

My blog started back in 2007 - I picked up blogging and dropped it soon after. I dabbled in it here in there in 2008, 2009, but finally became serious about blogging in September 2010.

In the beginning, I mostly blogged about fashion and coffee (hence the name coffee talks and cat walks) But over the course of the past year, I picked up sewing and started blogging about my new hobby and the stuff I was making.

If I could own any store, I'd sell...Probably, sell what I currently sell...handmade clutches, wristlets, etc.

A weird quirk would be...I kiss my cat on the lips! :) Ha, ha...it's true, but don't tell anyone. :)

So go check out Tiffany at Coffee Talks & Cat Walks!

And check out her cute handmade clutches and wristlets at The Paisley Tab!

dear spring,

2012-01-10T15:17:00.000-05:00

please come soon.

i know it's a lot to ask, and that i will likely have to just be patient, but a girl can hope, right?

i want to go on picnics and take pretty sunlit photos and wear clothing like this:

1 2 3

4 5 6

A package

2012-01-08T20:51:00.001-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, I won a package of all of "A Jongleur's Favorite Things" from Janette at Janette the Jongleur.

Janette's blog has quickly become one of my favorites. She's so sweet and genuine, and she leaves the best comments.

I was excited to win, and even more excited to find it sitting on my bed when I got home on Saturday!

Here's what the package contained:

The package was filled with some of Janette's favorite things like White Chocolate Kit-Kats, a new box of crayons, knee socks, a camera keychain, handmade earrings, and other fun treats!

It was like Christmas all over again!

So really, you should probably go check out Janette's blog!

home.

2012-01-08T18:42:00.000-05:00

I'm back!

We had a lovely couple of days down by the shore. It was so wonderful to spend time with friends! Not only did we discover the best sale ever at J.Crew (I got three shirts for $15!!) but we also ate way too many mint Oreos, had way too much ice cream, and watched just the right amount of Ryan Gosling movies.

I've been blessed to get to know these girls first as campers together when we were teenagers and now as counselors at that same camp for a week each summer. Though we're split between Pennsylvania and Delaware, we've made a great (and successful) effort to see a lot more of each other this year. Time with them is always a blast.

I also thought you'd enjoy this little video from our escapades this weekend. Our beach house has a couple of golf carts, and we decided to take one for a ride around 10pm on Friday night. About 3 minutes after leaving the house, we realized that the battery was quickly dying, and that we were on the slowest golf cart ride ever.

so long, farewell...

2012-01-05T01:59:00.003-05:00

via

I'm headed to the beach for the next few days to spend some much-needed quality time with friends!

No, we won't be swimming (or spending much time on the beach, for that matter).

We've got a lot of movie-watching, game-playing, outlet-shopping, girlfriend-gabbing time planned, complete with a couple of packs of Oreos and some warm beverages.

So, until the weekend....so long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, adieu!

Hope you have a great start to the first full weekend of 2012!

A Winter List

2012-01-04T10:00:00.000-05:00

Because I posted a fall list, I thought I'd come up with a winter list as well!

(Can't have any seasons feeling left out now, can we?)

Happy New Year! (and an engagement)

2012-01-03T09:59:00.000-05:00

...no, it's not my engagement.

My cousin (he's really more like my brother), Matt, got engaged over the winter holiday!

And New Year's Eve meant our traditional pajama party plus a little engagement celebration for Matt and his new fiancee, Chelsea (whom we're oh-so-happy to be welcoming to the family!)

It also meant an engagement shoot for the two of them.

You can head over to my photography site to see more, but here's a few shots!

Yay for Matt & Chelsea!

P.S. I just realized that I missed at least tying 2010 in # of blog posts by 1.
1 stinkin' post. Boo. I meant to write more last week, but with all of the wedding planning and concert planning and family gathering, it just wasn't in the cards. Maybe 2012 will be more eventful than 96 blog posts.

gettin' crafty

2011-12-30T00:30:00.000-05:00

Christmastime equals craft time in my book. So I've been busy (you know, when I wasn't writing papers) crafting my little heart out!

{I do wish I could take credit for all of these ideas, but alas, all of the tutorials can be found on my Pinterest craft board.}

Coasters! (they aren't finished here...but they're insanely easy to do. And I gave a set to each of my aunts for Christmas and they were all impressed!)

Felt headbands (so easy, and so fun!)

Monogrammed mugs (super fun, and again, pretty easy!)

CW Practice

2011-12-28T11:52:00.005-05:00

I've done a lot of shooting for the Chromatic Wakeup guys over the past few months.

My brother's the bassist, my cousin is one of the guitarists, and I'm friends with the rest of them.

They're releasing their first album tonight, and we've all been busy getting ready. I took a bunch of shots during their practice yesterday.

Here are a few, but to see some more, head over to my photography site!

Instagram update! {finals & Christmas edition}

2011-12-27T11:28:00.000-05:00

First, finals:

1. My finished (65-page) 5th grade Colonial America unit

2. Sometimes, I write the whole alphabet out

3. Tea...I drank 6 cups a night

4. Some sustenance. Only the best ice cream ever

5. A good reminder

6. When I had finally gotten into bed, I heard cries coming from my closet, only to find that this little one had climbed up the back of my hanging shoe organizer and perched herself up here

7. Homework, homework, homework!

8. The whiteboard to-do lists (this was mid-week)

And now....Christmas!

1 & 2. Live Nativity from our Christmas Eve services at Church

3. Chromatic Wakeup caroler cookies!

4. One is missing (but it wasn't my fault!)

5. Alex, Natalie, & Betsy cookies

6. The photo booth set-up from our Christmas Eve services at church

7 & 8. Mugs I monogrammed for our youth group leaders!

a few shots from our Christmas

2011-12-25T22:22:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas!

I hope you've all been able to spend a day with friends and family celebrating the birth of Jesus!

Here are a few shots from our Christmas...

Some from last night at church:

And from today:

This year, my family decided that we'd only give each other one gift. My parents asked for a wish list of a few things from my brother and I, and he got a kit to fix up his Rhodes piano and a set of speakers.
I got my 50mm f/1.4 lens (I'm already in love) AND this BEAUTIFUL Kelly Moore Mimi bag!
(It's a camera bag....isn't that AWESOME?!)
I already fit my wallet, my D7000 with the 50mm attached, my 18-105mm lens, gloves, AND I still have lots of room! This bag is magic.
My brother and I cheated a little on the giving one gift thing. I got my mom a soup cookbook, a set of hand-made coasters, and soup mugs (which I justified by saying it all went together) and then we both refurbished our MacBooks and gave them to each of our parents. They were pretty excited.
And this was an excellent Christmas.

hair.

2011-12-22T21:46:00.001-05:00

I do apologize for my absence around here this week.

Remember how my life was a little topsy-turvy earlier this fall?

Well, lets just say the topsy-turvy giant came back into town and started to make some waves again. But no worries, things are fine.

Anyway, I just got my hair cut yesterday (nothing too drastic, just a little trim!) and I've been avidly searching for some fun Christmas hairstyles.

And then, I found It's the Small Things.

This girl's hair is to die for.

Seriously. I think I might just take my computer to my hairstylist next time and tell her to make mine look like that.

Isn't it gorgeous?!

It also just so happens that I needed a new hairdryer, so I went in search of her recommendations (she's a hairstylist herself, so she has a TON) and acted on a few of them!

Go check out Kate's blog. Not only does she do tutorials and videos, she's also a total sweetheart!

How are you wearing your hair this Christmas season?

Sponsor Spotlight: Amanda from Little Tranquility

2011-12-20T10:00:00.000-05:00

It's Sponsor Spotlight Tuesday!

Somehow, this has become a weekly feature these days. Probably because I have so many lovely sponsors to showcase!

Today, I'd love to introduce you to Amanda from Little Tranquility.

I'm a 23 year old kitty-loving-chai-drinking-book-reading girly living in Washington, DC who has a passion for photography and an obsession with pretty dresses. I love learning new things and exploring new places. I'm always up for an adventure! I moved to the East coast a few months ago from Wisconsin, and so far, I'm in love!

I'm from Racine, Wisconsin which is a very sad little city near Milwaukee. I can't say I miss it too much, though I do miss the people quite a bit! I feel more at home on the East Coast. I think it suits me well. :)

Originally I intended for my blog to be a mixed bag about life and things that interest me to keep my friends and family back home up-to-date on my new life out East, but since I've started blogging, I've been doing a lot of traveling, so it sort of turned into a travel blog (which I'm okay with!) but I plan on changing that up a little bit and writing more about the things I love and think about.

I have an Etsy store where I sell vintage and handmade things. Here's the link!

Oh man, I have this crazy fantasy of owning a thrift store/vegan bakery/no kill kitty shelter. Can you imagine the chaos??? But I would be in heaven! Someday...

I'm dating a very sweet guy who I actually met on the internet! I never thought I'd find such a perfect match, but he really is a dream come true. You can read our story here.

Check Amanda out on Little Tranquility, or on Bloglovin', Twitter, or Pinterest!

dear me,

2011-12-18T02:45:00.001-05:00

Will you do yourself a favor and hold on to the lessons that you're learning here and now?

See, they're not all that fun to learn the first time around, so it would be a really good idea to save yourself the aggravation of having to learn them again later on.

The lessons that are teaching you to:

let it go

choose happiness

lean on the ones you love

do everything with grace

The lessons that are tough to put into practice:

to not be angry

to control your emotions rather than letting them control you

to speak the truth in love

to give God complete control

Here's the thing...you've been learning these lessons for a while now. And maybe you'll never be at a point where you can say "I now know that. There's no more to learn on that subject."

And that's okay.

The point here is to keep these lessons in the front of your mind. Give them prime real estate.

Because I have a feeling you'll need them again someday, and they'll be a lot easier to utilize if you're already practicing them on a daily basis.

love,

me.

Guest Post: Savannah's Christmas List

2011-12-16T10:00:00.000-05:00

Savannah is a sweetheart, and was one of my first sponsors.

She blogs over at Rolled Up Pretty about life with her hubby.

(Oh, and she posts great DIYs!)

I asked Savannah to tell me about a few things on her Christmas Wishlist and here's what she had to share:

1. Some cute new boots

2. A little vacation with my husband to get the HECK away from work

3. An amazing dinner with just the two of us

4. Maybe some new sheets

5. A new laptop

6. Adobe Suite (is that what it's called?) :)

7. To spend more time just relaxing...

8. The newest season of Modern Family and Brothers and Sisters

9. Maybe some sentimental jewelry?

10. To sleep in on xmas morning... that's the best gift of ALL! :)

I love it. New boots are always welcome in my house!

I particularly like that Savannah has things on her list that are simple, sweet, and mean a lot...like a dinner with her hubby or sleeping in on Christmas morning.

Thanks for sharing, Savannah!

Check out Rolled Up Pretty to read more from Savannah!

Sponsor Spotlight: Lauren from Tastes Like Love

2011-12-14T10:00:00.000-05:00

Hello hello!
I'm over at A Cup of Subtle Tea today talking about my favorite Christmas-y things, but here its....

Time to meet another one of my lovely sponsors!

Today, I give you Lauren of Tastes Like Love.

Lauren lives in Australia (how cool is that?!) and has a super cute blog...check her out!

Hi my name is Lauren, I'm 22 & I live with my husband Luke. I like going to new cafes & restaurants, playing card games with Luke, movie & box set nights, going on picnics, riding my vintage bicycle, drawing illustrations of cute girls and animals, wearing animal masks with my best friend Lara & blogs. I blog over at Tastes Like Love, stop by & say hello!

I am currently living on the Central Coast, NSW, Australia with my husband Luke.

My blog is a place where I share my illustrations I draw of cute girls, and animals. I also like to post about my adventures with my husband, and my friends. I have a weekly feature every Monday 'Start Your Week Off With..', that I link a handful of blog posts that I have liked during the week.

I would like to have store that sold ethical products made by local artists & brands. I would like to stock home wares, zines, local pressed books, organic treats, knick knacks and illustrative prints.

Lauren's weird quirk? I can't eat lettuce in front of people!

Read more from Lauren at Tastes Like Love!

pardon me.

2011-12-12T17:08:00.001-05:00

please excuse my absence around these parts this week.

i've got some writing to do.

scratch that. lots of writing to do.

as in, i've-already-written-98-pages-and-easily-have-fifty-more-to-go.

wish me luck!

Feeling nostalgic? {a giveaway} WINNER ANNOUNCED!

2011-12-10T10:17:00.000-05:00

And the winner is....Sami!
Sami, shoot me an e-mail at elizabeth.gettis@gmail.com to receive your free download code! And have fun scrapbooking!
If you're not Sami, don't worry! You can still win the My Memories software over at A Cup of Subtle Tea!
And you can still get $10 off any purchase on the My Memories site with the coupon code:
STMMMS45367

What: My Memories Digital Scrapbooking software (a $40 value)

When: This week (closes Friday 12/9/11 at midnight); winner will be announced Saturday!

The My Memories Digital Scrapbooking software is seriously cool. I got a copy to play with and it's totally user-friendly. You can create entire books, individual pages, and even buttons and badges to use on your blog or website! If you like scrapbooking, but just don't have the time to do it or the space for all of the supplies, this might be the answer for you!

So....here's how you can enter:

Follow Heavens to Betsy and comment on this post, telling me one holiday memory or tradition you'd like to scrapbook

Additional entries:

1. Head over to the My Memories site and tell me something that you saw that you liked

2. Follow me on twitter and/or pinterest (and comment telling me you did!)

3. Comment telling me whether you like hot chocolate, tea, or coffee the most

Hannah, over at A Cup of Subtle Tea is also giving a copy of this software away, so head over to her blog for additional opportunities to win!

Oh, and if you're going to make a purchase from the My Memories site (on software or on other things in their store)...use the coupon code:

STMMMS45367.

It'll get you a $10 discount off the purchase of the My Memories Suite Scrapbook software and a $10 coupon for the store!

Oh, and you can check out My Memories at:

twitter // facebook // blog // youtube

Guest Post: Grace's Christmas Wishlist!

2011-12-09T10:00:00.000-05:00

First off, today is the last day to enter this week's giveaway! So check it out and enter now!

I asked Grace to tell me a little bit about what's on her Christmas Wishlist...

check out her top picks!

1. Free People Chunky Knit Poncho

2. Jane Eyre

3. Juliet: A Novel

4. Hello Kitty Brush Set from Sephora

5. Panda 2-Tiered Bento Box

I love the poncho! Check out more from Grace at Her Umbrella.

'tis the season {of being single}

2011-12-08T06:00:00.000-05:00

I was blog hopping the other day and found this post on Tales for Karina. I love how real Emily is...she's not afraid to talk about what's on her heart. So, Em, if you're reading this, forgive me, but I'm stealing your post.

It seems that a lot of my friends are in a season of life where they're getting into relationships, getting engaged, getting married. (And I truly am happy for each and every one of them!)
But sometimes, it's hard to not be jealous of those friends, because I'm in a season of life where I'm single.

via

So....here are a few little lists about being single:

5 things that I like about the land of singledom:
1. I can watch chick flicks without shame. No more action movies unless I want to watch them.
2. I can take this time to continue to learn about myself! I once heard an Andy Stanley sermon about "becoming the person that the person you're looking for is looking for." Yep, take a moment to unpack that.
3. There are doors that God is opening for me that I might not want to walk through if I was in a relationship.
4. I can watch whatever I want on TV without having to worry about someone else's preferences (I do love baseball, but sometimes I want to watch something with a plot)
5. Having time. Not that I really do, with school & all, but you get the idea.

5 things that I dislike about this singleness business:
1. Those awkward conversations with my family, my parent's friends, my dental hygienist, with the "no, I'm not dating anyone", followed by the obligatory "oh, well, you'll find him someday!" Gee, thanks.
2. No one to snuggle with. Let's be real...cuddling & holding hands isn't something to complain about!
3. Not having anyone to share the details of everyday life with. Not in a crazy, clingy way, but in a cute, talk-all-day-about-nothing sort of way!
4. The emotional roller coaster. The "should I still hope?"; "is this guy interested?"; "I'm perfectly happy on my own." (which is usually closely followed by the sight of a cute couple, and then self-doubt)
5. The going to weddings & family functions & church events on my own. Especially when the people there are not on their own.

5 things I've learned/am learning by being single:
1. How to hand my heart over to God. I'm not so good at guarding it. He is. But I have a hard time letting Him do that.
2. This sounds weird, but I think I'm learning a lot about the commitment that marriage is. Sometimes I think about it, and realize how much I need to work on myself to someday be ready for that commitment.
3. To keep my expectations high and not to settle for something less than God's best just because I'm afraid something better won't come along.
4. To trust in God's timing and be patient. Easily the hardest lesson I've ever tried to learn.
5. That life is so much better when you take time to adjust your attitude and instead of being sad or bitter or angry about this season, find something to be grateful about and learn from it.

craftiness

2011-12-07T10:00:00.000-05:00

Remember how I shared 5 things I need to bake from Pinterest?

Wellllll....I decided to keep with that trend and share 5 things I need to make!

So...here are some of the top things on my Pinterest craft board.

(I do so love that site...don't you?)

1. Lace scarf

This is just GORGEOUS. I wear scarves like it's my job, and I have more than enough, but this would be a lovely addition to my collection.

2. DIY Terrarium

I think terrariums are super cute. I love the ones at Anthropologie, but they're super expensive, so why not make one on my own?

3. Classic Felt Flowers

I love flower adornments. These are just so pretty and would look great on a headband, bobby pin, or pin for a coat, sweater, or bag!

4. Knitted Cowl

I want to knit myself a scarf that eats my neck! I get all cozy just looking at this!

5. Honeycomb Shelves

These are great! And I think they'd be fairly easy to make...

A thankful list.

2011-12-06T11:42:00.001-05:00

Today, in the midst of the craziness of the last two weeks of the semester, I'm taking a moment to be thankful and appreciate the start of the Christmas season.

via

here's a little random list of the things I'm thankful for today:

tea

playful kittens

being stronger than I was two months ago

friends

cozy sweaters

being single

the privilege to learn

a supportive family

this video

my first graders

that finals will be over eventually

cameras

christmas music

warm scarves

office volunteers

felted flowers

creativity

encouraging friends

homemade soup

running

snail mail

also, I'm guest posting over at Simply Us today! Check it out!

Sponsor Spotlight: Jahnavi from A Beautiful Feather

2011-12-06T10:00:00.000-05:00

First off, if you didn't see it yesterday, check out this week's giveaway below!

Today, I'd like you to meet Jahnavi from A Beautiful Feather!

She's another one of my international sponsors (that seriously makes me feel so cool...oh you know, just an international friend...she lives in Dubai, no biggie.)

Anyway, enough of me being a dork...check this girl out!

Hi! I'm Jahnavi, I live in Dubai with my lovely husband, photography is my passion (i'm addicted to it), I take all of my own pictures. I'm a management graduate, fashion lover. I enjoy travelling,reading and painting.

I was born and grew up in India,currently living in Dubai.

A Beautiful Feather is about the things I love and the things that inspire me in my daily life. I love to blog about personal style and share bits of my life.

I would love to own a vintage shop where I can sell the beautiful vintage collection.

I'm absolutely obsessed with the totes and clutches. I just can't stop myself from buying them :)

Head on over to A Beautiful Feather to read more from Jahnavi!

Guest Post: Andrea's Christmas Wishlist

2011-12-03T10:00:00.000-05:00

I asked Andrea to share some things that are on her wishlist for Christmas this year. It's a pretty sweet list, if you ask me. Check it out!
(oh, and side note...be sure to check back on Monday and enter a giveaway just in time for the holiday season!)

Hi there, Heavens to Betsy readers! I'm Andrea, from Love is..., where I talk about a little bit of everything - Food, DIY projects, beauty, fashion, wedding... I run the gammet! = )

Come on over & say HI, I'd love to meet you! = )

I'm so glad Betsy asked me to do a guest post! I'm here to tell you some things that are on my Christmas Wishlist! So, let's not waste any time & get to the goods! = )

1. Eucalyptus & Me Bag from ModCloth

Ok so I don't need another bag, but look at that thing!? Isn't it just adorable? Well, I think so anyway! I love that the color is a little different & that there are different ways to carry it. Love!

2. Swooping Swallow Necklace from ModCloth

I love the look of this necklace & the price isn't so bad either! I have a new found love for ModCloth, { I know, I'm like the last person on the planet }, but at least I'm there now, right?! = )

3. Lauren Conrad Style

I've heard great things about this book & ever since Linda, at Rose a la Mode, raved about it, I've decided it's worth the buy! Have you seen Linda's style... Ah-mazing! If this book helps be dress like her or Lauren, I'm golden! = )

4. Infinity Scarf from Nordstrom

I love me a cowl infinity scarf! This color is great & would go with many things I have. Also, the price of $22, is great!

Thanks again, for having me Betsy! It was a blast! = )

i wish i may, i wish i might

2011-12-01T10:00:00.000-05:00

Yay! It's December!
Which means it's really really officially time for ACATT (All Christmas, All the Time...thank you, Jeanette Keylor for changing my life with that one.)

I haven't put together a Christmas list in a long time. Whenever my parents ask me what I want, I usually have no idea. But Grace over at Her Umbrella asked her sponsors to put together a Christmas wish list, and so this year, I have one! Here it is:

1. Marcel the Shell with Shoes on: Things About Me.

Marcel might be one of my favorite youtube videos of all time. This book is a must-have.

2. The Betsy camera bag.

It shares my name AND it's the most beautiful chocolate brown ever AND it will keep my DSLR safe while looking stylish? Sign me up. We were made for each other.

3. Schilling Sock Monkey.

I think they're adorable and I've always wanted one.

4. Nikon 50mm f/1.4 lens.

This is actually a picture of the f/1.8, but I changed my mind and decided I'd rather have the f/1.4 since I put this list together. Trust me, the extra $$ is worth it.

5. The Storymatic.

This new discovery is probably the most portable and fun game ever. Potential for absolute hilarity, right here.

6. Ariat Heritage Boots.

I've been on the hunt for the most perfect pair of cowboy boots, and these just might be the ones.

What do YOU want for Christmas?

5 things I MUST bake.

2011-11-30T12:24:00.000-05:00

I'm a baker.

Sometimes, I bake to relieve stress. In college, I always made a cake when I should have been studying for a big exam. It became known as study cake, and last fall, my apartment of 6 girls would stand in our kitchen just eating the cake straight off the pan with forks at midnight. When everyone is doing it, there's no judgement, no shame.

Since Pinterest entered my life, I've found tons of recipes that I need to try, so here are 5 that are at the top of my list!

1. Hot Cocoa Cookies

can you say heaven in a cookie?

2. Coconut Chocolate Pie

I'm not a huge coconut fan, so I'm wondering if I could omit that?

I had this dense, delicious chocolate pie in North Carolina last spring, and I've been searching for a recipe that looks the same ever since. Can any of my southern ladies help me out?

3. Peppermint Patties

They're my absolute favorite candy...

4. Homemade Thin Mints

Because chocolate & mint is always good for Christmas, right?

5. Cinnamon Roll Cake

The one thing on this list that doesn't incorporate chocolate...what does that say about me?

Sponsor Spotlight: Andrea from Love is....

2011-11-29T10:19:00.001-05:00

Today I'd like to introduce you to one of my newest sponsors...

Andrea from Love is...

Andrea is a sweetheart, and will be guest posting later this month, so read on to learn a little bit more about her!

Hi there! I'm Andrea from Love is... I'm a newly married twenty-something, who loves reading, crafting, all types of music, & the outdoors. My dream is to one day become a event planner... Hopefully, in the near future!

I'm a born & raised Minnesotan! { And yes, some of us do have that crazy accent... And we make fun of ourselves! }

My blog is a place for me to let out my creative juices & talk about all the goings on in my life! =)

If I could own any store I would sell my DIY creations. I made a BUNCH of stuff for our wedding & had such a great time doing it! I shared some of our DIY projects in this post. I would be so happy if I could just create things all day long & I love how the things I make, make other happy. That's the greatest gift!

A weird quirk I have, is that I love the smell of old books. Like a lot. I can't explain it, but it's something that makes me so happy! =)

Go check out Love is... to hear more from Andrea!

Lately.

2011-11-28T09:54:00.001-05:00

So life was a little busy this past week.

Thanksgiving happened, and as I said, it was a pretty large ordeal with the Gettis family.

My brother's band practiced all week in my basement, which meant lots of noise and watching movies on my computer with my headphones while trying to write lesson plans.

I did 3 photo shoots this weekend, which translates to a whole lot of editing.

So while I work on all of that stuff, here's a "my-life-through-iPhone" update!

I went to an outdoor potluck a few weeks ago with lovely decorations, including candles in mason jars hanging in the tree!

I fully intend to recreate this at the Craft Night I'm hosting this weekend.

These were from my first-graders in Sunday school. I'm the one in the blue cape and the one with the blue hair. Adorable.

I found this on Pinterest the other day. It's now the lock screen on my phone. Lord knows it's the anthem of my life right now and the constant reminder is definitely helping!

Pumpkin cookies! (this is pre-caramel icing. But seriously...this recipe is divine!)

My cousin, Matt, & I decided to have an adventure and go Black Friday shopping at midnight. After 20 minutes of driving around looking for a space, we found prime parking. And documented our success.

Gobble Gobble!

2011-11-24T16:54:00.001-05:00

Our Thanksgiving has consisted of over 40 people,

turning the garage into a dining room,

3 turkeys & a ham,

and lots and lots of dessert.

Happy Thanksgiving to you!

sponsor spotlight: Cassie from Life in Technicolor

2011-11-22T15:20:00.000-05:00

Ok, so remember how I said that these sponsor spotlights are some of my favorite posts these days? Well....this is probably one of my ultimate favorite posts. Because it features one of my ultimate favorite people!

Cassie (from Life in Technicolor) and I lived together in college and bonded over grocery shopping, rolling eyes across the classroom, and a mutual love of Friends. On top of all of that, we're also blogging buddies!

Hi friends, I’m Cassie from Life in Technicolor. I’m a new wife, writer, traveler, bike-rider, nature-lover, wanna-be-freelancer, and just your average free-spirited vagabond. I grew up 40 minutes north of Boston, but now we reside on the city’s beautiful North Shore in our home by the sea.

I originally started this blog when I spent a semester in Australia and I adored documenting my travels and experiences in an exotic foreign land. I felt like there was always something new and exciting to see and so many lessons to be learned. The ultimate dream would be to turn this blog back into a travel diary, with Will (my talented hub) snapping photos throughout our journey. I currently work full-time behind a desk and I’m (we’re) aching to get out and explore the world. Stay tuned, because more adventures are on our horizon, no doubt.

In the meantime, I blog about our whatever tickles my fancy – particularly fashion, design of all kinds, the goodness of being green, music, the great outdoors, and my freakish obsession with typography. Don’t judge.

Time to enter my favorite dream world: If I could own any shop or business, there would be multiple.

1. The online store would be cleaning and selling antique beauties that we come across in our travels and in our own life. So many pretty things, but our home can’t contain them all (mostly because we’re hardcore minimalists who constantly purge our belongings). But you’d want to buy these vintage items, so don’t worry, I’ll have a shop someday.

2. The real live shop would be the Baldwins’ breakfast place/coffee shop. Not only am I obsessed with beverages of all kind (teas, coffees, chai, lattes) but Will and I both cook a pretty mean breakfast. I am self-proclaimed omelet queen of the world. We already have ideas of what we’d want it to look like and we have an adorable name in the works, but I’m not telling. Oh, and I’d also be a potter and you could buy my mugs, bowls and teapots.

3. As a constant source of income, I’d be a freelance marketer and writer. Alas. I dream on.

Now that I’ve spilled my soul and we’re best friends, come by for a visit and follow!

Well, you heard the girl....go check out Life in Technicolor!

photoshoots galore.

2011-11-21T12:47:00.001-05:00

In the past two weeks, I've done two (very different) shoots for friends from church.

DJ Soto of Sonata 7 Studios asked me to be a production assistant/take some background shots of his music video shoot with Dan & Lauren Smith.

Andrea & Dave asked me to shoot some portraits for them in order to "redeem their wedding photography" from a few years ago. Let's just say their photographer should stick to snapping candids at family holiday gatherings rather than masquerade as a wedding photographer. (He actually photoshopped their faces onto the Liberty Bell. The Liberty Bell, people! They didn't even get married in Philly!) So we did a super fun shoot and we sure did redeem those photos. And I may have edited them onto the moon, just for kicks.

Head over to my photography site to see more!

Oh, and here's some fun that I had with Andrea & Dave's photos:

I'm not even joking. This is a recreation of what was in their wedding album.

phila-phila-philadelphia

2011-11-20T16:56:00.001-05:00

I spent Friday in Philadelphia with my aunt, and we perused the Reading Terminal Market. I love snapping photos of the things people do as a part of their daily lives!

And I decided that I wouldn't mind living in Philly.

The thing I love about Central Park..

2011-11-17T09:54:00.001-05:00

I love the fact that in the midst of one of the busiest cities in the world, there are scenes like this one. There are places were all you see is green. I love that Central Park (at least in the day time) isn't at all like what you see on Law & Order, where the casual runner is jogging along and sees a pair of feet sticking out from under a bush.

On a side note, check out my guest post over on Tales for Karina Marie today!

I'm blogging about life after undergrad, in case you hadn't already heard enough from me on that topic.

a reminder that i really do love my job:

2011-11-16T16:40:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, I was kinda sorta feeling a little restless.

Here's what's what:

I work at my church.

I'm an administrative assistant, and I'm pretty overqualified for it, and it's not what I want to do with my life, and sometimes, all of that gets a little frustrating.

But there are moments that I'm SO glad that God has me here, at this time.

Today, when I got an email saying: "Sumo wrestling competition, NextGen Center, 2 pm", I was really really glad to be here, now.

(That's our senior pastor in the red. He pastors over 3,000 people, but still

found time to don the sumo suit on a random Wednesday afternoon)

It's funny how God sends little reminders to be thankful and to be present in the most random ways.

Oh, and I love my job.

sponsor spotlight: Stephanie at Artfully Craft

2011-11-16T00:12:00.001-05:00

Stephanie (from Artfully Craft) approached me about sponsoring HTB just a bit ago. She's blogging her way through a series of crafts...and this girl is seriously creative! Check it out!

I’m a fulltime student and I work in after school child care at the local YMCA.  I suppose I've always been a crafter (even at Halloween when I was just a tot!). It became apparent at a very young age that I was not a prodigy in art class. Even today, my stick figures are alarmingly devoid of any identifiable features. I never seem to get the arms the right length... But I always had a passion for the art supplies and the potential they held. It was in my early days as a Camp Fire Girl that I learned the magical art of crafting. I always find that the best place to stir up a little spark of creativity is a craft blog. I've been obsessively searching for and following many for years. It's my love of these that inspired me to start this very blog. I've been making crafts for so long, that it's only fair I share a few with the community that inspired me.

Right now, I live in Eugene, Oregon where I’m attending school as a Marine Biology and Environmental Science double-major. Home is in Southwest Missouri, a little town just outside Springfield.

My blog is called Artfully Craft.  It is meant to inspire those who want to get into crafting. I just love how accessible crafting is and want to share that.  I will include some recipes, but only if they fall under the category of “If you knew how quick/easy/cheap this was, you’d do it too!”

I’ve been to camp every summer since I was 5, and that makes 19 as of this past one.  I have been an arts and crafts director for 3 summers.  I made my acting debut on stage at the Springfield Little Theater in Springfield, MO with a starring role as Noleta Nethercott in Sordid Lives.  Just weeks after the show closed, I was packing up and moving across the country, so I’m looking forward to getting involved in local theater here if I ever find the time.

So go check Stephanie out at Artfully Craft!

i dig yo' style.

2011-11-15T23:16:00.001-05:00

This is a first...an outfit post!

As I was heading to lunch today, I thought I'd stop and take a few photos of my outfit because:

a) I desperately need some new pictures of myself

b) I particularly liked my outfit today

And I guess I should tell you what I'm wearing..cause that's what you do in an outfit post, right?

Sweater: Target
Dress: Ross
Tights: I couldn't even tell you. I might have stolen them from my mom.
Boots: Target
Socks: Target
Scarf: Oxford, England ('twas a gift from a friend!)

So clearly, I shop at Target.

Sponsor Spotlight: Emily from Tales for Karina Marie

2011-11-14T15:46:00.001-05:00

I've got another sponsor to introduce you to!

(and I'm really starting to love these posts...I love getting to know new people!)

Emily blogs over at Tales for Karina Marie. She's actually the real life friend of one of my real life friends, so we're like, two degrees removed from one another or something. Anyway, she's a sweetheart, has great style, and also has some pretty awesome diy projects going on. Oh, and did I mention she's having me guest post later this week? Yeah, I like this girl.

I'm a 23-year old executive assistant by day, and by night, I'm a violinist/vocalist, part-time Journalism student, a crafter, a folk-bluegrass lover, a film-buff, and a subscriber to Vogue since I was 15 years old.

I grew up in Haverhill, Groveland, and Newburyport, MA. In fact, I spent a lot of my time in Haverhill with the young lady from Life in Technicolor.

I started Tales for Karina Marie with a different name about a year ago. I wasn't completely committed to it, and it was completely directionless. A little less than two months ago, my best friend died in a tragic car accident. I felt God's push towards the blogging community and decided to immerse myself into it full-time It has been extremely therapeutic, and it is starting to grow rather rapidly. Right now, I'm focusing Tales for Karina Marie more from a personal/lifestyle aspect, along with crafting and outfit posts.

I'm REALLY trying to find my voice in the blogging world, and in the "real world" I am an extremely honest and frank person. I am finding it difficult to share anything too personal or close to my heart right now. Hopefully that will change eventually. Gah! Stay tuned.

Oh, and when I asked Emily what type of store she'd like to own, she said "I would probably own an Anthropologie store. I'm kinda obsessed with that place. I just wish it wasn't so darn expensive!!"

Girl after my own heart.

So go check out Tales for Karina Marie!

eleven:eleven

2011-11-11T17:23:00.001-05:00

I missed it.

I completely forgot today was 11/11/11 and I didn't make a wish at 11:11am.

And I'm headed to NYC tomorrow bright and early, so I'm not expecting to see 11:11pm.

The worst part is that I don't think I actually care about the superstition of making a wish at 11:11, but when I was younger, (heck, who am I kidding? I still do this), I played this game with myself where I'd give myself different "points" when I happened to catch the clock at different times (on the hour, half hour, 11:11, 12:34, etc.)

For example, I'd be like "oh! it's 12:34, that's 1,000 points!" or "5:00! that's worth 500 points!"

There was/is absolutely no method to my point system, and the points don't mean anything, and I never kept track of how many points I had.

In summation, I'm a dork.

And I forgot to give myself the most epic amount of points ever at 11:11 this morning.

Goodbye.

sponsor spotlight: katrina at simply us

2011-11-11T00:28:00.001-05:00

Hello hello! Sorry that things have been quiet around here this week.

I took the Praxis this morning, and between that and work and this kitten (who, by the way, has currently wedged herself between me & my computer and is resting her head on my arm...it makes tying difficult, but it's oh-so-adorable), my time and mind have been a bit preoccupied.

BUT...I have a new sponsor to introduce you to!

Katrina, at Simply Us, approached me a few weeks ago about becoming a sponsor on HTB and also asked me to guest post (it'll be up either later this month or in December).

She's super sweet, and blogs about life with her hubs and puppy. Go check it out!

I married my best friend, I am the mommy to the most adorable puppy in the world, I could eat swedish fish and drink coffee all day long, you rarely ever see me without a camera, I love trying new foods, and I really miss living on the east coast.

I lived in California until I was about 12. I then moved to Utah and lived there until I got married. However, I would like to claim California as my home. All my family still lives there and I frequently visit.

Our blog was started as a way to document our lives and adventures while living in New Jersey. It seemed like the perfect way to keep in touch and share pictures with all of our family and friends back home. We share the trails of grad school, little things that we love, lots of pictures, and all of our crazy adventures.

I am a photographer here in Utah. Go follow my blog and receive all the latest updates and promotions that I offer.

I also run an etsy shop that is stocked with original photographs and cute necklaces.

Go check Katrina out at Simply Us!

the weekend

2011-11-06T22:38:00.000-05:00

Forgive me, friends, for yet another update via instagram photos.

Can I let you in on a little secret? These posts are some of my favorites.

They're insanely fun (I looooovvveee this app), and insanely easy.

{a beautiful anthro mug and a beautiful homemade coaster from two dear friends}

{calligraphy. see the original here. what can i say? i'm a copycat who loves fonts}

{i'm kitten-sitting. my friend, Jen, rescued this snugglebug, but she can't keep her, and right now, she's not home, so I'm adopting her for the week. she might not get her back}

{crafting! finally....}

{these last two are from a shoot i did today. i'll be sharing some of the shots here and on my photography blog later this week!}

It only took 144 hours.

2011-11-04T15:21:00.004-04:00

It's baaaaaccccckkkk!

And this is my last post about my electricity, or lack thereof. (at least until the next storm)

Now I can get back to enjoying fall properly.

I've got a busy weekend full of studying for the PRAXIS,

a girls' night with two of my oldest & best friends,

and a shoot on Sunday!

HAPPY WEEKEND!

96 hours.

2011-11-02T15:34:00.001-04:00

It's been 4 days. That's 96 hours. 5,760 minutes. 345,600 seconds.

But who's counting?

Really, I do have quite a bit to be grateful for.

1. It's not February, so while it's cold, it's also bearable.

2. No one in my family was hurt by the storm.

3. I have awesome friends and family who are feeding me dinner, letting me do homework & bum their internet, etc.

4. Panera didn't kick me on Monday even though I stayed past 9:20 and they closed at 9. Gee, they're swell!

It could be worse.

steps to surviving an unseasonable snowstorm (without electricity)

2011-10-31T15:07:00.000-04:00

Step 1: Play a family game of Monopoly

Step 2: Make a fire & read on the couch

(that's my bro & his girlfriend Natalie...they came home from school for the weekend and got snowed in.)

Step 3: Give in and go for a walk. Storm Trooper helmet optional.

Step 4: Decide you can overcome this storm no matter what.

via

I apologize in advance if I'm scarce around these parts this week. We still don't have electricity (which unfortunately, means no running water) here.

While I do love sleeping under a pile of blankets, I don't particularly love doing it out of necessity.

Oh, and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
(If you find yourself with extra candy, feel free to send it my way. Really, I won't mind.)

This is NOT ok.

2011-10-29T11:22:00.002-04:00

This is my backyard at present.

I live in Pennsylvania.

I might have accepted, or even expected, this from Massachusetts; but not here, not in PA. I'm devastated. Fall is my favorite season, and I hate when winter tries to shorten it's glory.

This might be worse than the time that I was stuck in the Philly airport because of snow in Boston on October 18th.

I even wore the perfect fall outfit yesterday in hopes of warding off the snow storm.

Yes, I fully believe that my clothing choice could change the weather forecast. Don't judge.

(hey look! I took a semi-decent photo of myself!)

Is it snowing where you are? How do you feel about snow in October?

Sponsor Spotlight: Grace of Her Umbrella

2011-10-28T23:57:00.002-04:00

Today I'm presenting to you another new sponsor!

Grace blogs over at Her Umbrella, where she writes about "life's little decorations"

(um, how adorable is that?)

Oh, and when I asked Grace what she would sell if she could own any type of store, she answered "bridal gowns". I think I like this girl.

My name is Grace Fleming – insert “Lynne” when needed. Once December rolls around I’ll be graduating from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a B.A. in Communications. I’m from the outskirts of Nashville, TN and I couldn’t imagine calling anywhere else home.

Her Umbrella is just a collection of my life’s little decorations – whether it’s a love for sampling the world, empty candy wrappers, books filled with scribbled ideas or stupid people that keep showing up – they’ve all found a place underneath, adorning everyday with a little more sparkle.

Decorate your life!

Check out Grace at Her Umbrella!

And if you're interested in sponsoring & being featured on HTB, check out the details here!

Yeah, we're fierce. (Maybe?)

2011-10-28T01:11:00.001-04:00

It's occurred to me today that I really have no good recent photos of myself. Apparently, I've forgotten how to smile like a normal person. It's so sad, since only a year ago, I managed to make it through a photo shoot with my apartmentmates.

Most of the time these days, when I'm around a camera, I'm doing a shoot for someone else. But I found these photos from the day that I did the Chromatic Wakeup shoot in August, and they made me laugh, so I just needed to share. And trust me, these are the best from that day. Sad, right?

I don't even know. I'm hiding maybe? There's just so much going on here.

Are you watching The New Girl? I'm clearly channeling some Jess right here. "Hey Sailor!"

This last one showcases my "fierce face." Really, I just look disapprovingly at the camera.

Disclaimer:

It was hot. I just finished doing a shoot with 6 guys. I wasn't exactly prepared to have the lens turned on me. Seriously...I didn't even have my cute cream pearl-adorned cardigan on. Boo.

But really, this is proof of why I don't post pictures of myself on here these days.

Good ones just don't exist right now.

Sponsor Spotlight: Hannah of A Cup of Subtle Tea

2011-10-27T19:30:00.000-04:00

I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce you to the lovely Hannah of A Cup of Subtle Tea.

Hi! My name is Hannah and I am the girl behind A Cup of Subtle Tea. I am a crafter, baker, planner, diyer and all around sillypants enjoying life in a new city with my boyfriend and spending way to much time inside.

This blog is my little corner where I can share my adventures in a new city, recipes, DIY projects and my weekly feature Teal Tuesday. To say that I am obsessed with all shades of teal would be an understatement! Most of all this is my little world where I can record my memories and meet a few new friends.

So head on over to A Cup of Subtle Tea and check out what Hannah is blogging about!

Interested in sponsoring Heavens to Betsy? Click here for details!

currently I'm...

2011-10-26T23:32:00.001-04:00

hope is the thing with feathers

2011-10-25T12:37:00.001-04:00

I've been learning a lot about hope these days, particularly about having hope in a season where I think it would be easier to abandon it entirely.

But that's the thing about having faith in a God who has my best interests at heart.

In the times when I'd like to just walk away, I know better.

I once blogged about feeling like I didn't really know what it meant to hope after I heard a dear friend share her heart on the tough ways she learned to hope. On Saturday, I had a conversation with that same friend that put things into perspective once again.

I think Emily Dickinson hit the nail on the head when she wrote that hope never stops and never asks anything of us, but I think she was off a little when she described it as "the thing with feathers".

Because hope has a weight to it.

It meets you right where you are and picks you up and helps you walk on.

It whispers encouragement and holds you accountable.

It reminds you that the thing that you long for the most and search for so avidly won't be fulfilled by this world, but by Jesus Christ.

And most of all, it paves the way for joy.

my weekend according to my iphone

2011-10-24T17:31:00.002-04:00

{I went to TWO bonfires/hayrides yesterday! hooray for fall bucket lists!}

{pumpkins, because it's fall}

{my friend's new kitten, Rex & my pup, Kasey}

{Mums the word}

{tea & homework, as per usual}

{time for Uggs...aka the warmest things I've ever put on my body}

{dear friends saying their vows! hooray for love!}

I promise I took real photos with my real camera. And I promise I'll be sharing them soon!

Excuse me while I get on my soap box.

2011-10-21T15:00:00.000-04:00

Every once in a while, I like to write about the things that really get my fired up; the things that I'm really passionate about (see here and here). Last night, I spent an entire grad class talking and learning about critical literacy, or the practice of incorporating books that have some weight into your curriculum. Books about homelessness, socioeconomic class differences, racial tension, even Japanese American internment camps during WWII. The practice is meant to start young students on the path of becoming socially conscious people with a heart and mind for things like social justice. When my prof asked for us to line ourselves up on a continuum from 1 to 10 with 1 being "I love this, I NEED to incorporate it into my classroom" and 10 being "It's not for me.", let's just say I was as far on the side of 1 as I could go.

My time at Gordon shaped me into a lot of things, one of which was someone with a heart for social justice issues. There are a few that I'm exceptionally passionate about (namely urban ed and getting clean water sources into places that have none), but pretty much any issue can and will tug at my heart strings (and yes, I have two pairs of TOMS).

Right now, I'm working on my M.Ed in Multicultural Education. Eventually, I want to become a teacher in an urban center and maybe someday get my doctorate or law degree and go into policy writing or work for a NGO that champions education reform.

But right now, in this season, I'm learning. I'm learning what it means to be a compassionate and effective teacher. I'm learning how to get a first grader to understand that there is injustice in the world and that they can play a role in changing it. And I'm going to classes that (finally) are reminding my why I'm staying up til 1 am writing papers and rearranging my schedule to do observations and jumping through hoops to find someone to interview for this or that.

For the first time in a while, I'm remembering what God has called me to, and that answering that call, and answering it well, is what it's all about.

via

there's something you need to know about me.

2011-10-19T23:32:00.000-04:00

I'm fickle.

Maybe one of the most indecisive people you'll ever know.
I'm never able to choose a restaurant.

I can decide I'm going to buy something, and then, after 5 minutes, it's back on the rack.

I can talk myself in and out of going somewhere or doing something.

And I can change the layout or header of my blog 4 times in 2 months before I decide I like it.

My apologies for this last one.

I think its funny when...

2011-10-18T15:40:00.003-04:00

...I see social media worlds colliding. Por ejemplo: Earlier today, I saw a tweet from Joy the Baker about Midnight Black Chocolate Pudding. Later, I saw a friend pin the recipe on Pinterest.

...my dad texts me telling me that he forgot to use the Neti Pot last night. I introduced him to it on Sunday, and while he complained the entire time, I think he's hooked.

...I feel grown-up when I have lunch at Barnes & Noble so I can sit and do homework. Mostly because today, my homework consisted of reading "Everything You Need to Know About Geography Homework for 4th-6th Grade", which was written for 10-year olds.

...I find myself craving apple crisp. I've never liked apple desserts before this fall.

...a friend says exactly what's on my mind. I always feel sort of lame saying "I was just about to say that!", but I usually blurt it out anyway.

This photo has nothing to do with the rest of this post. But it seems to have turned into random Tuesday, so I thought it fitting to include it.

I hope your Tuesday is going well. Let's hear it for randomness.

senior portraits

2011-10-17T13:01:00.004-04:00

I've been busy shooting & editing two senior portrait sessions. Here's a sneek peak, but head over to my photography portfolio to see more!

Zac

Alex

History repeats itself.

2011-10-13T22:49:00.002-04:00

A few months ago, I was in a bit of a funk, and I posted this list. For the past few weeks, I've been in a similar funk (ironically because of pretty much the exact same situation) and without even really realizing it, I was feeling the tug of that same list again. Except this time, I can actually check a few things off of it.

1. Traveling: I was in Massachusetts last weekend, will be in Delaware this weekend, and in Mass again next weekend!

2. Camera: I bought myself the D7000 in July (I love it). Still no 50mm lens yet, but I've got my eye on this one.

3. Jetta: Not yet, but I still love them.

4. Apartment: Still living with Mom & Dad, but I'm so busy that it's really nice to come home to a familiar place. (And that whole no rent thing is pretty sweet too)

5. A certain nose piercing: that's for me to know and you to find out.

6. Day in the city: Going to NYC early next month!

7. Feather extension: been there, done that, early in the summer.

8. Making a Difference: We're about to launch a fundraiser at work to raise money for digging clean water wells in Kenya. Working on something that has some weight is invigorating. I love it.

9. Challenged by classes: this semester, this rings true! I'm learning things I'll actually use someday, and while I'm still not getting rousing lectures or heated debates, I do feel challenged.

10. Adventure: Hmmm...not so sure I've had an adventure lately, but maybe I'll be surprised in the weeks to come!

Sometimes it's good to be a little retrospective and take a look at what you've done and where you've been in the past few months. (And to check things off of a list)
But don't be fooled, I still have almost this entire list to check off. I'll be real, I haven't been doing so well with my fall bucket list.

This time, I think I'm going to come out of this funk stronger and happier.

thank you, iphone, for always being there for me.

2011-10-13T00:37:00.000-04:00

and by that, I mean being there to redeem me when I've once again forgotten to bring my camera with me, despite my "I will take my camera everywhere I go" resolution.

So here's what's new from my phone:

My first pie! Credit for the design goes to Christine Hunkler. I completely stole it.

I think that's a secret I'm still trying to learn, but verses like this give me hope.

the top 10 things that stand between me and finishing an assignment:

2011-10-10T20:21:00.000-04:00

Because I am the queen of procrastination, here are 10 sure-fire ways to burn some time while you should be doing homework:

1. blog

(duh! what do you think I'm doing right now?

I'll give you a hint: it starts with "p" and ends with "rocrastinating")

2. check out new pins on pinterest

3. facebook, of course!

4. read (and update) your twitter

{and now that all of your social networking bases are covered}

5. bake and craft

6. work out or go running

7. go out for ice cream or coffee with a friend (or dinner with your dad, as I discovered tonight)

8. edit that photoshoot that's been sitting in your "needs processing" folder

9. watch a movie (preferably as you tell yourself it'll just be "background noise")

10. do your laundry/dishes

(this is really out of desperation. You can try to justify this one as "I really need a clean and organized house/apartment in order to fully focus on my homework", but we all know you're choosing the lesser of two evils here.)

and then there's this:

via

And just one last thing. I'm currently sitting at the kitchen table surrounded by my laptop, folders, books, my open planner, and a mug of tea and my dad proceeds to initiate the following conversation:

Dad: Wanna go to Target?

Me: Oh gosh, you have no idea how much I'd like to say yes, but I've got 4 lesson plans, a paper, discussion board posts...

Dad: Meh, what's at Target anyway?

Me: Oooo...lots of things!

Dad: You'd just want to look at clothing and shoes.

{20 min later...after I finished this post}

Dad: Target closes in an hour and a half! We could go walk the aisles!

Me: Actually, they close in a half hour; they close at 9 on weekdays.

Dad: We could go to Giant and walk the aisles instead!

{I am my father's child.}

indian summer

2011-10-09T23:01:00.000-04:00

Here in the northeast, we're experiencing a bit of an indian summer.

I'm not complaining.

These are some photos that I took in Rockport, Mass this weekend while I was visiting for Gordon's homecoming (my first as an alum!). It was a beautiful weekend!

things to do when you are sad

2011-10-03T18:24:00.003-04:00

A friend pinned this on Pinterest today:

via

I love lists. That's all there is to it.

I particularly love this list because:

a) it makes me feel like its ok to be sad once in a while

b) it mixes activities that fall into the categories of "feel better" and "wallow a little"

I've mentioned in recent posts that life has been a little messy lately.

Have you ever missed having someone in your life in a way that makes you feel heavy?

It's the kind of heavy where it's fairly easy to put on a smile and go on living, but in the moments when you're alone or driving or getting ready for your day, you find yourself wishing you'd share what you're doing that day with them, even if it's nothing special, and you get that familiar pang somewhere deep in your chest because you know that's not going to happen.

It's really not my style, and I'm not sure what to do about it

but press on and trust that it will eventually go away.

Oh, and make and read lists that make me feel that its ok to be a little sad.

what the font?

2011-10-01T22:25:00.000-04:00

I found this little gem this morning:

Despite the fact that this text is NOT "old timey",

any gang (or hoodlums?) that chooses font choice as the subject of their graffiti

wins in my book.

Disclaimer: I'm not condoning violence or gangs or graffiti, for that matter. I just found this particular "artwork" humorous. And I have a sincere love of fonts.

those who can, teach

2011-09-29T00:36:00.000-04:00

at the moment, going to grad school for my M.Ed. full time means that

my bookshelves look like this & my desktop is laden with these

It requires:

extreme organizational skills

late nights of writing lesson plans while watching Bravo reruns

a touch of creativity

and a lot of coffee

Something tells me that with a career in education,

these things won't stop when I get my degree.

And I love it that way.

a fall list

2011-09-26T22:30:00.001-04:00

Fall is my favorite.

Here are just some of the things I love about it:

and check out this pin on pinterest. PERFECT fall bucket list!

c-dubs

2011-09-25T21:12:00.000-04:00

I know, I know. I've written about my brother's band before (here and here).

But they're just so good!

They played a concert on Friday night. I think it was probably the 16th time I've seen them play.

This summer.

So call me a groupie, but I like to think I'm a level above that.

You know, being their unofficial official photographer and all.

memories

2011-09-24T16:55:00.000-04:00

Its been a year since I was starting my senior year of college.

That means its been a year since I spent a fun afternoon doing a photo shoot with these girls.

These girls that can:

warm a heart,

talk about theology & philosophy & politics & food & boys at 1 am...any day of the week,

eat a cake that was baked out of coping with studying for a big exam,

and laugh at any hour of the day,

And right now, I find myself particularly missing them.

So, instead of doing the homework I need to be doing right now, I've instead pulled out old fabulous pictures and am reminiscing and laughing to myself about the memories that we made together.

If I'm ever so blessed as to share an apartment or house with some of my best friends ever again, I think I'll die and go to heaven.

dear future self,

2011-09-23T01:46:00.000-04:00

Can I get real with you for a second?

These days, I've been a jumbled mess of emotion & confusion. And I don't like it.

So here's the thing: you need to work on that being content thing. Maybe it's not even so much about being content as it is about being at peace and just living. Stop overthinking everything; stop worrying.

Learn to fully appreciate where you are in life when you're in the thick of it.

And for goodness sake, stop talking. Find the two or three people in your life who really do know you and your heart and share the details with them. Because Lord knows, unsolicited advice really only helps to confuse you more.

On the bright side, we both know you'll come out of this splendidly. Life gets messy sometimes, but in the end, you'll be just fine.

love,
me.

hello, fall!

2011-09-22T01:31:00.000-04:00

On Sunday, I got an overwhelming desire to make Apple Crisp. Maybe it was the fact that my parents had just left for a week-long cruise and I was home alone and felt like making things feel homey, maybe it was the crisp autumn air that had settled in. Baked apples aren't my go-to dessert, but there was just something about that day that made me want warm apple crisp with vanilla ice cream melting over it. So, I got myself some apples and put together a tray (and of course, documented it through photos. Sort of.)

life lately via iphone

2011-09-20T11:46:00.000-04:00

it's hat time of year again!

2011-09-19T23:22:00.002-04:00

See what I did there? "hat time of year"? Heh, heh.

Ok, I'm a dork. I know it, and I own it.

A few years ago, I decided I wanted to move on from just knitting scarves, or any sort of rectangular or square objects, and knit a hat. However, I was also too busy to teach myself how to knit on three needles or a circular needle, so I needed a pattern that was quick, easy, and could work with what I already knew how to do.

And so, I give you....

Go on, try it. I promise you, you can do it. It may take some playing around with needle size, yarn type, and how big to make it, but you'll get there, and at the end of it, you'll have a nice new hat that people will love and you'll be able to say..."Awe shucks, you like my hat? Thanks! I made it."

Weeps.

2011-09-03T12:12:00.000-04:00

Last night, three friends and I headed down to South Street in Philly to see the magical muscial makings of the acoustic folk duo, the Weepies. Their story is heartwarming (both had solo careers & were fans of one another, met at a show, started making music together, now they're married with 2 kids), and their chemistry on the stage was beautiful! My friend Cas saw them on Thursday night up in Beantown and loved them as well. Unfortunately, my camera was not allowed to enjoy the concert as well (it spent the evening locked in the box office), and so I have no photos to share with you all! Lets just say it was a wonderful evening and I highly recommend seeing them if you ever get the chance! We also ran into Steve on South Street after the show, and he took time to stop and chat with us about the show, their move from Topanga, CA to West Hollywood and how they dislike it there, and where we were from and our plans for the evening. SO personable, humble, and down to earth. I loved it!

Also, we had dinner at Max Brenner's on Walnut before the show. It. Was. Delicious. I highly recommend it! I had the veggie burger topped with avocado and tomato and an avocado chipotle mayonnaise, which came with their chili & cocoa powder dusted waffle fries and chili aoli. They may have been the best fries I've ever consumed. And don't even get me started on dessert....