holiday photo time!

thanksgiving is over.  and it's time for christmas.

this thanksgiving, right after the turkey had settled, my sister and i changed into our christmas outfits to take the the family portrait for the christmas cards.  since jessica and i used this chalkboard in our fall essentials posts, my mom wanted to use it in our christmas pics.  so we used it, writing, "Merry Christmas 2011," to all our loved ones.  however we also took some without the chalkboard too.

 

and we took some sitting on an old stone fireplace {that was left over after tearing the building down around it} with a snowman...

 

and using these branch lights...

 

and using a low shutter speed...

 

 

and some silly ones...

 

and here we are saying "OMG IT'S ALMOST CHRISTMAS!!" lol

 so have you taken the christmas portrait yet? do you have any neat-o ideas?  i wanna hear them!!  so comment bellow!!  and if you haven't yet, just remember the most important thing is to have fun!! GOOD LUCK and Merry Early Christmas from the Phillips family!!

mackenzie

a response to senioritis

today i was reading a post from a fellow blogger & friend,  jessica tingle.  she posted about her symptoms and how she copes with "senioritis."  and she has every right to be feeling senioritis & to want to drop everything now, because she is a senior and she has put up with college for 3.5 years, that's 2 more years than me.  even so, i am here to tell you that senioritis can be felt in a 19 year old sophomore, who in actuality only dreams about graduation.

so here is the deal: i dread going to class, i hate the work load, & i want to do what i want to do right now because somedays i can not see the point.  before you write me off as a wining, immature, & selfish girl, let me explain myself.

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1)  i know that i'm very lucky to be able to go to college & invest in my education.

2)  i know there is value in a degree {no matter how minute it may seem right now in this economy}

BUT

3)  i know there is something BIGGER out there for my life that is just around the corner and it's hard to focus.

4)  and i would MUCH rather be fulfilling the dreams that God has for me than pulling my hair out over a stinkin' exam or a paper i have to write.

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i'm restless, anxious, stressed out, and very claustrophobic whenever i think about my upcoming week at school.  if God were to bless me with an opportunity to fulfill His {and my} dreams & plans for my life, i would go without hesitation.  i would be out of here.  because i am so "ready" to go!

but at the same time, i know i am nowhere near ready because if i were, God would say "go."  UGH, do you see my dilemma?  so it's in times like these that i need to take a breath.  and this morning jessica helped me do just that.

i have a God that has a perfect plan for me.  and as long as i seek His will and listen to His voice, He will never lead me astray.  it's at these moments where i picture Jesus two inches away from my face with his hands on my shoulders, saying, "Yahweh" meaning "I am."  He then says, "restless child, be still, and know that i am God!"  - Psalm 46:10 mackenzie revised version {our paster always says that; except insert his name instead of mine lol} 

so jessica, i feel your pain.  for different reasons but i'm still feeling it.  thanks go to you girl, for opening up on your blog and for making me stop and think.  i know that i posted something similar to this earlier this semester on my previous blog, but i desperately needed a reminder!!

if you have issues with senioritis, link to jessica's blog in the comments or link below! 

mackenzie

twi-hards

so this past wednesday i went to see a wonderful movie with my mom and my little sister, and yes, it was BREAKING DAWN!  we LOVE twilight!  my mom claims to be team jasper {even though she knows there is only a battle between jacob and edward lol}, i'm team edward, and even though my sister says she's switzerland i think she pulls for jacob but can come to terms with edward marrying bella {in short- she things he's attractive lol}.

 
ANYWAYS, i'm usually a pretty tough critic on the twilight movies just because the books were so good, but i understand the limitations of capturing the book in its entirety on film.  i have to say that each movie has progressively gotten better.  eclipse is still my personal favorite though.  it was my favorite book, and as of now, my favorite of the movies.  even when i was reading breaking dawn, when it came to the delightful surprise on the honeymoon, i was like "really? your going there, stephanie?"  but once i got into the second half of the book i thoroughly enjoyed it, which should be presented in part two of the films.  because breaking dawn was a tad of a stretch, i think that's why it felt like some of the scenes were a little cheesy, but it still was not bad AT ALL.  it was just a little weird seeing this part of the story on screen for the first time.

the second film is going to be epic.  and i am going to the midnight showing. {period} we will and forever shall be twi-hards.  i want stephanie to come out with some more to the story, but i know forced writing would NOT be good!!  so until the next movie, which will be a bitter sweet farewell, i think i will dedicate myself to reading the books again and awaiting part 1 on DVD.  

does anyone have any weird obsessive twilight stories?  i will admit that my room used to be filled with ALL of the cullen jewelry, my door was covered in black garbage bags, ticket stubs, and posters,  and yes, i owned an edward cullen cut out {life-size lol}.  these things have all been passed down to my sister {including the door, we had to trade lol}.  so, don't be ashamed, 'cause i've been there done that!! :)

mackenzie

a black friday sale!!

it's BLACK FRIDAY everyone!! i normally am and up and shopping right now but i recently started working in the local mall so i will be working today!!  and because i can't go shopping today {so bummed}, i decided to have a little black friday fun in my own etsy shop, the feathered owl! today and today only you can take an additional 10% off of our already reduced prices for Christmas!!!  here is the coupon code:

BLACKFRIDAY10

so now all you have to do is to go here, pick out your favorite vintage lovely, and redeem your coupon upon checking out!!!  take your time in looking around too!  there is more inventory coming in the new year!!  thanks guys and have a wonderful black friday!!

mackenzie

thankfuls

so today is thanksgiving and it's been wonderful!! i mean, turkey, stuffing, noodles, biscuits, ham, cheese, mash potatoes, GRAVY & PIE!! need i say more?

but on a more serious note: like many people in this world today, i take for granted blessings that i receive every single day.  things that give me happiness and things that bring me joy and things that allow me to be me.  i think thanksgiving is the perfect time to reflect on these things and be thankful for them.  so this is my thankfuls list!

-1- a hero and savior

-2- family

-3- laughter {giggles, the silent laughter that leads to tears, chuckles, snorts, and even fake laughter}

-4- good food

-5- friends

-6- a place to call home

-7- a four legged friend

-8- unconditional love

-9- talents

-10- creativeness

-11- blogs

-12- boldness

-13- dreams

-14- fashion

-15- hope

-16- the future

-17- compassion

-18- life altering moments

-19- my education

-20- movies

-21- journals

-22- music

-23- my camera

-24- christmas decorations

-25- country living

-26- purses!

-27- light {sunlight, candlelight, starlight...}

-28- SHOES

-29- starbucks

-30- nature

-31- owls

-32- vintage lovelies

-33- etsy

-34- a job

-35- warm and fuzzy clothing

-36- days of relaxation

-37- technology {cell phones, my laptop, etc.}

-38- DIY projects

-39- piped water

-40- Pinterest {if you don't know what this is, i need to talk to you lol}

like i said earlier i could go on and on, but these are just a few things that i am thankful for!  everyone can come up with their own never ending list too.  we all have thankfuls! so this thanksgiving what are you thankful for?

mackenzie

quirks and craziness

so for this post i wanted to let you in on some more qualities of myself and why sometimes it's hard to be me {this however is not a sob post lol}.  sometimes the qualities of my personality don't allow me to get things accomplished due to the lack of time, some are just crazy little details that i pay attention to, some are pet-peeves, and some are just quirks.  so just bare with me and your allowed to laugh and relate to these but let me know if you do because some of these only my roommate knows!

1. i sing very loud and off key on purpose sometimes because i'm sick of hitting every note. {if you don't know me i'm seriously not trying to be arrogant-- AT ALL lol}

2. it bugs me when things get stuck to my feet, like pieces of plastic bag or crumbies.

3. i absolutely hate the faucets in bathrooms that require you to push them down while rinsing your hands off.  it's a never ending battle of lather, push, hurry & rinse, push-- anyways i get frustrated cause i never win this battle.  {a guy once told a group that this was his pet peeve and now it's one of mine}

4. i CAN NOT STAND my dirty kitchen, even though i never have time to clean it, oh my goodness it bugs me.

5. i love movies.  any movie. except for inappropriate ones with no point.  but any movie other than those mentioned are awesome.

6. politics are evil-- why can't we all just use a little common sense, not lie, and try to better the world?

7. i dislike religion-- don't get me wrong-- my God wants a relationship with me and you, not strictly ritual and knowledge-- it's more personal than that, but that's a different post entirely.

8. i sometimes let my imagination run wherever it wants to go.  sometimes this leads me to my prince charming and sometimes this makes me very paranoid. haha.

9. some of my favorite things are over 20 years old, making them vintage.

10. i like to be able to check things off a list.

11. i get very bored by sitting in classroom listening to someone speak.  i know i'm not the only one and i'm not trying to be rude, but my mind wonders WAY off the topic at hand to something more interesting to me.  {i'm sitting in my marketing class right now lol}

12. i don't like to be told i can't do something.  because i will and can.

13. i have a wide variety of hobbies and obsessions.  too many to list here.  :)

14. i like to distance myself from negative and intimidating personalities.  this isn't a good thing by the way.

15. i dream BIG.

16. i always have to be working on something. {i get this from my father}

17. i'm addicted to chap-stick.

18. i despise gum.  i mean you can chew it if you want but don't show me your chewed gum, it's gross. lol

19. i am detailed-oriented and almost a perfectionist.  this leads me to worry a lot about things, but it's only because i'm passionate and i care.  :)

20. i have stage confidence but in new social situations i start off quiet and lacking confidence until i get to know the people around me.  this is really annoying by the way.  i don't understand how i can get up in front of people and be loud and fun but when i start off with new people in a more personal setting i can't just be the confident stage me.  this is a puzzler.

so these are just some more qualities of my personality.  i'm sure i've left some out, but i thought 20 was plenty.  what about you? can you relate to any of mine? what are some of your weirdest quirks?  i really want to know!  so fill me in with some comments below!

mackenzie

a scripture log that's easy to keep

this weekend i went to the youth conference Hearts on Fire in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.  our youth group always has a lot of fun on this trip and i will be doing another post later on the trip and what happened there but for now i wanted to post about this nifty little idea that i had while i was down there.  even though i try so very hard not to be tempted to buy a new bible every time i go, i always seem to walk away with a new one from the book table.  they are usually at a pretty good price and i'm normally drawn to the unique and strange designs on the covers but this year i purchased a plain yellow one.  however, i intend to make it very unique.  let me explain:

 

 

 

 

 

 

{bible: $10;  scripture that i won't forget: priceless}

 

i'm going to write scriptures that i love ALL of over the front and back covers!  sometimes it's hard to remember verses and i hope that i can memorize these scriptures but if i can't they will always by there for me to look up.  my personal log will be on the covers & that's what will make my bible unique.    the great thing about scriptures is that they are so personal!  & anyone can do this DIY scripture log.  all you need is a leather bound bible and some sharpies!  right now i'm loving my bible and how it turned out, i know it will look even better when i get more scriptures on it!!  so it made me wonder, how do you remember scriptures and keep up with the ones that speak to your heart?? feel free to comment, i LOVE to hear from you!!  and like i said earlier there is more coming from hearts on fire, so stay tuned!!   :)

mackenzie

starting new

 

so at this point you might be wondering how i got here.  well i started a blog called mnp creations almost a year ago.  it was my first blog and it started to be a place where i could log my inspirations and creations.  this was nice but recently i was looking for something more personal.  this lead me to really reflect on my first blog and consider what i truly wanted out of a new blog, should i wish to start a new one.  after much thought and consideration, i realized that my life has much more to offer than others' projects and my inspirations.  i sing, write, and love music.  i strive to be unique through my style.  i am an artist who loves to take pictures.  i own an etsy shop for vintage finds and i love antiquing on saturday mornings. i live a life according to God and each and every day i grow closer to him.  i crochet and knit and love to do crafts and DIY projects.  i am a an older sister and a daughter and a woman.  i love design and decorating spaces.  i am constantly coming up with new ideas and struggle to actually get them from my brain to paper.  i am full of life.  i am me in every which way, and this blog is where i am gonna write it all down for the world.  so feel free to tell me stories, inspirations, and projects too.  i don't want to be alone!

mackenzie