12 favorites from 2012

Just like every year, I am in shock of how fast this one flew by. Wasn't it just Spring? Where did this year go? It's so hard to believe that a whole year has really gone by, until I gather up my 12 favorites for the year. Then I'm able to see just how much has happened in the past 12 months, and it's nice to be able to celebrate all of the good memories from the year. Here are my 12 favorite memories from 2012...

January: This month was the start of a fresh year, and also my birthday month! I had fun making a 23 Things Before 24 list, and can't wait to do a recap in a couple weeks (plus more goals for the coming year!).

February: I was thrilled to debut my Spring 2012 collection for my shop, Indie Darling. It was really fun to try my hand at making some new pieces and styles, including jewelry! After such an inspiring creative season, I now have a new passion and am excited to put more of a focus on it in 2013.

March: This month was incredibly busy, and it made me super thankful for the little breaks I was able to take here and there to spend with family. This ice cream date was one of my favorites. Time with family is something I treasure dearly.

April: I started a new photography series this month based on capturing color. It was really fun, and a bit of a challenge, to have a strict theme to stick to while taking photos for the month. It put me in the habit of looking for details everywhere, which is something I'm grateful for as I work to improve my photography skills.

May: I discovered (and became addicted to) a local coffee shop called Dancing Mule. I love supporting local businesses, and their drinks are so good! I have a favorite for every season... iced vanilla latte for Spring, organic mango tea for Summer, pumpkin chai latte for Autumn, and eggnog latte for Winter. So yummy!

June: This was the month of our big move. Let me tell you, it was crazy. I've never seen so many moving boxes in my whole life. Let me also tell you, moving in the middle of summer is no bueno. It was incredibly hot and felt like the longest week of my life, but I couldn't be happier with our new house. We're all still settling in, and I might just have a box or two left to unpack. *wink*

July: After decluttering and getting rid of so much stuff to make our move easier, I was in full-on organizing mode. No more junk everywhere! One of my favorite things was getting all of my makeup organized and displayed nicely. I don't accidentally buy something I already have because I can see what I actually own now, plus it's a lot easier to put everything away when I'm done with it.

August: I had fun sharing one of my favorite collections, my toy cameras! These are one of the first things that I consciously decided to collect (instead of just accumulating over time), and I am very proud of my little collection.

September: This was the month that I got back into posting about my personal style. I overcame a lot of issues with my body and self-consciousness that month. It was a great experience, although a little tough, but I'm so happy with the person it has turned me in to. I feel more confident now than ever before!

October: Hands-down, favorite outfit of the year. I felt really cute that day. :)

November: Viva Las Vegas! I had an absolute blast visiting family in Vegas for a couple weeks. So many memories and laughs and sweet photos. ♥

December: This month has been very calm and peaceful. Lots of time spent with family enjoying our traditions for the season, and enjoying some rest before a new year begins. I've been making so many goals for 2013, and it's shaping up to be a very exciting, busy year. I can't wait to get started!

I want to wish every a very happy New Year's Eve, and I hope you all have a blast enjoying the last day of 2012. I'll be taking Miss Indie offline later this afternoon to start putting up the new blog design, so don't be alarmed if you try to visit and it says the blog is "private". It will be back up in time for January 1st, and a whole new year of exciting DIYs, outfits, and handmade living! xo, Mandy

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