etsy shop announcement!

I am SUPER EXCITED to announce the grand opening of my new Etsy shop, Annika Likes !!! 

Check it out and let me know what you think!

So far I'm selling knit scarves and original watercolor stationery. I'll be adding more and more inventory-- next up is Valentine's cards. 

I'm looking forward to seeing where this little entrepreneurial adventure leads!

2013 week one

Chicago lights

I can't believe we're already part way through the second week of the year! I spent the first week trying to recover from the nasty cold/flu bug everyone is getting (luckily Ben escaped it, probably due to his just-in-time flu shot...) while also teaching a winter science camp for grade schoolers at the Arboretum, babysitting, and running around downtown with my family who were visiting the city on a mini-vacay.

And I straightened my hair just for fun to go to a friend's goodbye party at a super swanky high rise apartment with two private elevators. 

It's always interesting to see how long the hair is getting, since curls bounce it up about 2-4 inches. And it's also interesting to see how the "other half" lives...

And I have been working hard on my newest endeavor. I caught the knitting bug last November and I've decided to open an Etsy shop to sustain my hobby. I'll be selling cozy chunky scarves (some including sparkles of course) and also watercolor stationery since I had so much success with my DIY wedding invitations.

I'm hoping to open the shop by the end of this week ahhhh!! It takes so much work to open! I'm super excited.

I hope your year is off to a productive and happy start! 

(And I hope you've managed to avoid this plague flu thing, ugh.)

holidays 2012

Well. 2012 definitely went out with a bang.

Ben and I spent a long action packed week road-tripping around the Midwest to celebrate Christmas with both of our families. (One of the unexpected perks of being married is getting a double holiday!) I'm very glad that we got to spend time making fun memories with so many people we love, and I'm not taking for granted that our grandmas are still healthy and "with it". We were only missing my sister Ella who is teaching English in Slovakia (hi Eelie!).

 Well, all the revelry finally caught up to me and on Sunday I got hit by the cold virus that's apparently making rounds like the plague. I'm looking forward to getting back into a healthy normal routine again!

From Indiana to central Illinois to Michigan and back to Chicago, here's a few shots of the laughing, eating, drinking, animal snuggling, and celebrating that happened.

2012 was a huge year full of extremes. Moving three times, getting married, multiple jobs, and making it through a quarter life crisis (yes, they definitely exist) will take it out of you, and I'm happy to be able to look back on the memories from the other side.

I have absolutely no idea what 2013 has in store. For the first time in...possibly ever?... there are no graduations, weddings, moves, or other big events pre-scheduled on the calendar. I'm wishing for a calmer, happy and healthy year for myself and everyone. Cheers to a fresh start!

Happy New Year!