Friday, January 13, 2017

Making January Beautiful



Let's face it: January is the most boring month. It's always been my least favorite because it follows on the footsteps of the most celebrated, anticipated holiday, it's usually (with the exception of this year) the most miserably coldest month, with nothing seemingly to look forward to. 

I've always struggled somewhat with the post-Christmas blues. Packing away the ornaments, throwing out the tree (or using it as a bonfire which some of our friends did recently...wouldn't recommend! haha), and saying goodbye to loved ones that you won't see again for another 6 months or until next Christmas. 


I began feeling pretty blue right after Christmas and even posted something about it on Instagram but was met with encouragement and even some pretty amazing ideas to cure the winter lull. I had the idea (along with my friend Bethany) of coming up with some fun things to look forward to and some goals to challenge myself in a new way. So far, (granted we are only on day 13...yikes, just realized it's Friday the 13th!), January has been a pretty lovely month. 

One of the main goals I set for myself in 2017 is to read more. My challenge to myself is to read a book a week this year. I am already on book 3 and am loving it! Instead of staying glued to my phone or trying out a new show on Netflix, I've sat time aside to read and expand my knowledge. I'm hopefully going to be sharing at the end of each month the books I read that month and recommend some to you book lovers out there! 

God has blessed me with already more photo shoots this year. I just did my first maternity shoot and LOVED it! So precious. I've also got my first birth photo shoot lined up for next month. Thank you, friends, for those who have put my name out there and tried to promote my photography. It means the world. I will have a website coming soon so stay tuned! 

Ok, back to making January desirable again....

Here are a few ideas I came up with (and a few suggestions from my friend) to help get over the winter blues, Christmas blues, and make you excited about the simply beautiful things ahead!





  • Pick up a new book (or an old one!). This is my favorite time of year to cozy up with a good book on the couch or in the bathtub. I recently joined Goodreads and it's been so fun to keep track of my books and challenge myself to read more.
  • If you are married or dating, begin planning something special for Valentines Day that you and your significant other can do together! If you are single, throw a party with girlfriends with all your favorite junk food and movie flicks (minus the romantic ones).
  • Plan a garden! Be thinking of what flowers you'd like to plant this year. It's always fun to research which ones are the best for your area and considering your lighting conditions.
  • Pick up a new house plant. This is one of my favorite activities when cabin fever starts setting in. Pictured above is a snippet of a corner in my bathroom. Plants always make any space instantly cheerier!
  • Choose a new hobby to try! Mine is classic calligraphy. I just recently purchased a few supplies to get me started and I am so excited to try my hand at it (no pun intended, ok, maybe a little). 
  • Find a new period piece to indulge in! I love period dramas and this girl has some great suggestions!
  • Clean out your closet! It's a new year and it feels so good to be organized! Donate or consign those items you just don't love anymore but want to pass along to someone who will. It's so freeing!
  • Open an eBay, Etsy, or Poshmark account and start selling! eBay has been a great way for me to sell unwanted things and earn some cash from home. I may be a little addicted.





I hope I was able to give you just a little of inspiration! What are some of your favorite things to keep winter beautiful?

Warmly, 
Hannah 







4 comments:

  1. A adoreeeee this post, lady! I will start tackling the list now!

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    1. I'm so glad!! I've enjoyed your posts so much lately! And your wedding video was absolutely beautiful!

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  2. Loved reading this! I agree, January is definitely a boring and depressing month. I've started trying to teach myself French as well getting back into the hang of cursive writing, so I've been practicing that a lot more too! I suppose I could start making something to give my husband on Valentine's Day too.. x

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    1. I love that you are learning French! Good for you! Thank you for stopping by and for your sweet words.

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