A Year Of Gratitude

1 Year. 12 Months. 52 Weeks. 365 Days.  What will YOU do with your today? With the clean slate that we've been given at this time of year, I LOVE thinking of new ways to be better.  I am so excited about this new kit from Compendium books!  It's called: A Year of Gratitude.

It's an amazing little kit. You open it up to see this! 52 blank Thank You cards with cute gold envies & a little Journal that has blank sheets, but also takes you through prompts that really bring out the gratitude.

I love this quote on the inside of the box: 

"Each act of gratitude starts a ripple of kindness that begins with you & reaches further than you can imagine.  Every letter you write adds joy to the world, so take out your pen & begin."

I LOVE the colors, love the fonts & designs & LOVE this entire concept. It goes perfectly with my One Little Word & One Little Goal concept for 20.thirteen.

I love these steps outlined in the journal:

1. Start noticing and listing the things you are grateful for.

2. Include things you normally take for granted.

3. Keep track of the thank-you notes you send each week.

4. Write down the ways that your life changes.

With each of these steps, it takes you a bit further & really makes you think about it.

Then, the journal has different sections about: 

1.What makes a good thank-you note.

-which I LOVE! 

2. People I'm grateful for this year.

3. Some thoughts on living everyday as a thank-you.

4. sections with different 'gratitude' quotes that are so lovely!

I'm looking forward to taking the steps to be STRONG...in everything I do.  

And, even though I feel like I am grateful...this focus throughout the year will make me stronger. It will help me be strong in my focus, time, & sharing as I write personal little thank-yous!

Gone are the days of personal correspondance & I think this is just so heartfelt.

So...you'll be hearing about my experience here each week! 

I'm off to begin!

Happy New Year! One Little Word & One Little Goal

twenty. thirteen. In an instant!

it's here. & I'm ready for it! I look forward to what this year has in store for me...but, I also recognize that I have to do a LOT of work in order to make it the year I want it to be! I have a sweet friend, Ali, who introduced the concept of choosing One Little Word -many years ago!.... and I do it every year. Last year my word was 'savor'....& it was just what I needed! After being so sick & feeling like my life was just me going through survival mode...going through the motions...I realized I needed to savor every little good, bad & ugly bits of my life...it's my life after all.  

Well, as I look back at 2012, I see that I DID savor. I savored every bit...& as a result, the word grew in my heart & life until I'm actually feeling a bit better. I feel hope & I can feel a regeneration of my body, heart, soul & mind!

So....this year's word is: STRONG!

This past weekend, I had a cReative retreat w/ some dear dear friends. We laughed, cried, created & shared...& I came home feeling so ready to take on twenty.thirteen.  We made leather cuffs w/ our words on them.  I  made 2 in fact (this one (neutral, raw leather & another one: white pearl shimmer) ....both with STRONG stamped into them! I'm seriously loving this. wearing it every day to remind me I need to be STRONG in everything I do.

My approach to New Year's Resolutions has evolved.  I've had years where I just feel overwhelmed w/ that word: resolution...& I don't even feel like I can do it for fear of failure. But...I've found something that works!  .

...an approach to my One Little Word that takes it even a bit further w/ 

One Little Goal. & it makes me happy!

You see, w/ my One Little Word in mind....I take it day by day. I figure...I can DO that! *wink*

I look at my 'to-do' list that I have...because we always have one- every day, right? 

I choose ONE thing that I"m going to do anyway & I focus on my approach to that task or experience w/ my One Little Word...this year: STRONG.

For instance, I know I will need to fix a meal for my family, or do carpool, or have a conversation w/ a family member or friend, or go to the grocery store, or reply to emails, or design, or work out...you get the jist, right?

If I take ONE task & do it with strength...I will get stronger everyday. 

I started this last year...& decided that even if I was in pain, in bed or whatever..i STILL had to do certain things..so I chose ONE thing I was doing already & savored it!

It works.

I saw it.

I felt it.

I loved it!

so....this year...I will be doing that, too! My One Little Word will go hand in hand w/ my One Little Goal.

and....I'm excited to share some NEW Insta fonts this week...they go hand in hand w/ goals & will enhance your photos!

Merry Christmas cReative Tuesday

Merry Christmas! 

And...Jing has got something to really uplift & inspiRe you today on this Merry day: LOOK at how she used Rhonna Designs to create this darling Christmas Guestbook for your Holiday parties!

 Using the Christmas designs, she created tis amazing guestbook filled w/ cards & envelopes that her guests can sign...how creatively brilliant is THIS? wow! LOVE Jing's amazing creativity!

The envelopes are created w/ Rhonna Designs Christmas printable papers...isn't she simply brill? I'm dying over this...

Jing, thanks so much for inspiring us all!

and....all of you cReatives...here's wishing you a very Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

enjoy the day & spread love & cheer!

12 Days of Christmas: Day 6---SecRet elf THANK YOU!

I love the secret acts of service that goes on during the Christmas Season. This year, we've been so blessed to have a Secret Lil' Elf leaving gifts on us each night before Christmas.  

You can follow the goings on over on my Instagram feed (@rhonnafarrer) or on FB or  my tweets!

I take NO CREDIT for any of this...it's our amazing Secret Lil' Elf who is doing this for us!  I believe our Secret Lil' Elf would agree that it's all about uplifting & inspiring at this time of year...because they are doing it for us! so...thought I'd share a bit more info on this secret service project!

On Dec. 13, we got this stocking on our door w/ a note that explained it all. It instructed us to leave the stocking on the door each night so our Secret Lil' Elf could fill it w/ special treats!

Each night, a gift from the heart has been in this stocking...they kids get excited to check it out each morning! It's adding a fun & festive feel to our holiday season----> Each gift is so creative. Each poem is so funny! & Each wrapping job is jaw-dropping-ly amazing!

BUT

most importantly...

we FEEL loved.

THIS is what Christmas is about...the Christmas Spirit . We FEEL it through these sweet acts of service from someone we know...someone preparing little gifts, poems & wrapping them up so beautifully it's hard to open! In this busy time of year, they are thinking of someone else besides themselves. They are giving their hearts & love to us!

THIS is what has touched me the most. 

IF we find out who it is, I'll shout it out...but, I have a feeling they want to be filled w/ the Christmas Spirit & remain anonymous, cuz they deliver it around midnight-ish! I don't think they want to be caught! *wink*

I will share more as the 12th Day of Christmas wraps up...but, sweet Secret Lil' Elf ...let it be known...
we are so thankful for your Christmas Spirit...& giving the gifts from your heart. It helps us think of the REAL reason for the Season...Jesus Christ- who gave of his heart & love to US! 
Thank you...from the bottom of my heart!

cReative team tuesday...ChRistmas caRds w/ Rhonna Designs

Have you got your Christmas cards out? in the mail? Every year it's quite a labor of love. I ADORE getting the mail every day to see faces of our friends & family! It really brings the spiRit of Christmas in our homes...& reminds us of the LOVE we share with you! So...to those that have sent yours...thank you!   Today, I thought it would be fun to share a few of our cReative Team's Christmas Card designs using Rhonna Designs!

Here's mine...front & back. I had them printed at my FAVE place: Persnickety Prints.  On pearl cardstock, double-sided w/ rounded corners. I couldn't have been happier w/ their fast service & gorgeous quality! They are easy to use & ship all over! Check them out if that's your vibe!

And...here's Susan's! I LOVE how she created a hybrid Christmas card w/ Rhonna Designs. Simply BRILLIANT & oh- so festive! 

Everything Jamie does is just plain exquisite...& I LOVE the black & white chic she's got going on her photo Christmas Card...the front & back...perfect for addressing quickly & sharing your gorgeous family's photo! She created  this w/ a bunch of my Rhonna Designs brushes...just adore it!

And, our very own Nancy cReated this darling photo card w/ Rhonna Designs. Now...I LOVE how she designed it...but, what's even MORE amazing is her heart. 

You see...this is a card she created for a friend who just had this cute lil bundle of joy- a *miracle baby* as she called him! And, she knew her sweet friend had her hands full, so this was her gift...talk about a gift from the heaRt! I love it! I love Nancy! I love her Christmas Spirit!

& speaking of the Christmas Spirit...this lil video touched my heart. I LOVE it. I LOVE centering everything around Jesus Christ...the REAL reason for this season. ENJOY!

heaRts knit together....love for CT

Chalkboard aRt cheeR ----> Rhonna Style

I've been having far too much fun cReating Christmas presents this year w/ my handwriting, chalk, & chalkboards.  

As I've mentioned before...I get much inspiRation from the master chalker: Dana Tanamachi. LOVE her work, style, & watching her time lapse videos.

LOVE.

I'm a doodler at heart. I used to steal my mom's calligraphy pens & paper & sit for hours listening to music & just 'practice' writing. I started by scouring her Calligraphy Books. You know...the old school ones that would teach you strokes, etc. But, soon I got the hang of it & started to add my own style & flair to it.  I experimented w/ tons of different styles of 'type faces'...I'd scour magazines & find one I liked & write & write & write until I got it down.  All the while, adding my own flair to things. I didn't follow the rules & I still don't. To me...that's part of putting the 'Rhonna Style' into it! *wink*

I loved it. It made me happy....brought me CHEER!

So...at this time of year as I was thinking of a gift that was from my heaRt...I thought of cReating my own chalkboard cheer for my friends & family.

1. I took my 6 Chalkboard Tips to heart as I created these little gifts of LOVE & CHEER!

2. Chose a small sized chalkboard that would make a cute gift....made a little KIT for each person...

including chalk, a sharpener, eraser in a little muslin bag &

3. Added uplifting & inspiRing Christmas word aRt. Each is different. Each is unique. & Each is my own little woRk of heART this Christmas Season!

Want to see more of the kits?

They turned out so cute! Love them!

I'll share on Monday....off to finish addressing my Christmas cards...are you on my list?