"Falling in Love with Fall" Giveaway

I think I teased y'all enough the past several days leading up to this giveaway,

 so now it is time to reveal what this giveaway entails!

For Such A Time Designs has partnered up with the wonderful Tillie Polish to bring

you another giveaway! 

Andréa and I were both college suite-mates and are now both pursuing our own small businesses, so we figured that every now and again, we might as well partner up together and give our wonderful fans a chance to win some things, along with the chance to get to know another small business!

Tillie Polish is a nail polish company owned by 3 sisters, one of them being Andréa! Their polish line is amazing and if you search around on Instagram you are likely to run into photos of people using their polishes and ADORING them!! This is their first year in business and they are doing very well! Its so exciting to see your friends succeed in their endeavors! 

If you would like to see Andréa's video for the giveaway you can view it HERE!

Back in February, you had the chance to win some of their winter collection, so this time around, you will have the chance to win their fall collection! 

So pretty!! I love the names they come up with!

This collection includes the following polishes that one lucky winner will receive:

Fall Fête- a tangerine orange with subtle golden shimmer

Who Let the Divas Out?- dark and vampy, a dramatic plum

Leaf It to Me- an olive green with warm, golden shimmer

Forbidden Fruit- the perfect classic red

Espresso Yourself- rich and delectable, a chocolate brown

Along with this gorgeous collection of polishes, one lucky winner also has the chance to win some product from my shop:

I chose some of the most ornate and detailed pieces that I could find! Some of these are the most beautiful I have ever happened upon! 

This giveaway is open to everyone and will last from Tuesday October 22nd until 11:59pm on Tuesday October 29th. Winner will be chosen at random using Rafflecopter. To enter, use the widget below. If you have never used RAFFLECOPTER before, do not fear, it is pretty easy and makes things so streamlined! Click on each entry and just follow the steps and directions. 

Have fun and good luck!!! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Refuge

" May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge. " 

- Ruth 2:12

Refuge. 

In definition, this means, "a condition of being safe or sheltered from pursuit, danger, or trouble." This verse in Ruth, specifically the ending, has had such meaning for me this past year. To be honest, I have struggled with it. I have struggled to fully believe and trust that God is truly...truly, my refuge. And, as we are coming up on what marks ONE YEAR of living in Texas... I am reflective. 

This move has caused me to grow on so many different levels. Some small and some so deep that they require more than a blog post to explain and express. I have been in awe of God's fingerprints on my life and how He has used each and every situation to mold, sculpt, teach, grow and direct me. Through big mistakes, through loneliness, through new friends, new living situations, new experiences and strangers...

I have seen how MIGHTY my God truly is. 

In a few short months, Andrew will be leaving his full time job and going full time with his pursuit of his masters degree. This means that I will be the main source of income for us...

Yes, thats what I said. Me, Aly, owner of a business of which I stamp spoons and forks and personalize them to make every day life a little more intriguing .. this business of mine will carry us through these next few years. 

This concept...astounds me. 

I am beyond grateful. I am insanely scared. I am excited. I am honored. 

I am amazed that God has decided to give me this fun business For Such A Time Designs, "for such a time as this" to allow it to provide for us while my husband is in school. It puts even that much more worth into each and every person I serve and each and every piece I create. 

This past year has had so many exciting moments of growth and increase for my business. And though as a business owner, it is so important to see increase in sales, ultimately, my main goal has never been for myself...but for the people I come into contact with. My goal, has always been to show each and every person love and to show them that I care about the details of their life. My desire is that when I receive an email from a customer about personalizing a spoon or fork for an event or time in their life, that they would feel that I gave them the time and energy that they deserve. 

That I cared for them. 

That I loved them.

That their life has meaning and is important to me. 

This is what drives me everyday. 

This is what I am after. 

My greatest hope has always been that no matter how successful or big my business becomes, that I would never forget the process, the people, the relationships that I have formed along the way and that what comes first is always the individual PEOPLE I serve and my success comes second to that. 

Along with serving people in my business. Another opportunity has come about for us that I am beyond excited about in relation to our living situation and social life.

Andrew and I, along with him pursuing school have taken on a big commitment as a married couple. We are in the last stages of being placed in a specific & chosen apartment community (yes, we will be moving AGAIN) for us to serve in. 

Basically, we will be the "face" of the community there.... Pouring ourselves into the residents that live there and caring for them. We will plan events and basically love on each and every person that lives and/or works in the apartment community. My prayer is that God will bless our time devoting ourselves to this ministry and the people we will serve here as well. 

As I move forward into these two big roles of owning a business that is our main source of income and serving with my husband in an apartment community, I want to always remember of the blessings that got me here and the road that God put us on that led me here. I feel I have come to find refuge in my Savior and trust Him with the next steps moving forward, better than I have before(though still learning every day).

 Ruth 2:12 has become a theme verse for me. I know that the road will not be easy moving forward and that there will be challenges.... but I will trust in my God, that He will be my refuge and will be faithful, just as He always has been. 

. . .

I created the necklace in the beginning photos as a reminder to myself that God is my faithful refuge...and when you see me wearing it you will now know the depth of its meaning to me. I hope it will encourage you as well. 

Birthday Giveaway

Today marks the beginning of year 24 in my life. There are many things that I am personally celebrating as I enjoy this birthday...AND to celebrate with all of your, I wanted to hold a little giveaway! I have teamed up with some very special shops! One lucky person will win all of the items you see below and I will be SO JEALOUS of whomever wins all of these goodies. So, take a look at what YOU could win!!

GOOD LUCK!! LET'S CELEBRATE

From The Honey Shack you have the opportunity to win of these darling "Sarita" style mason jar dispensers - and you will get a set of 2!! I have one of their mason jar dispensers and I absolutely ADORE it!!

Click HERE to see item details

Next, we have Degno Di Nota, which is another absolutely fabulous shop that I was recently introduced to and totally fell in love. My husband and I, as you know, love to travel, so this shop fits right in with what we love. From this shop, you have the opportunity to win these 2 journals: 

Click HERE to see item details

Click HERE to see item details

Next, we have the shop Sugar Plum Essentials. I love visiting this shop every now and then because the photography is just amazing. It makes you want to own everything in the shop! Stop on by...you'll see what I mean. From this shop, you have the opportunity to win Orange Citrus Foot Scrub & All Natural Lavender Body Spray: 

Click HERE to see item details

Click HERE to see item details

And finally, from my shop, For Such A Time Designs, I am giving away a few different items:

Click HERE to see item details

Click HERE to see item details

Click HERE to see item details


So there you have it!! 4 lovely shops bringing you a little summer, birthday celebration giveaway! This giveaway will go from June 17th - June 24th(next monday) and winner will be chosen at random using rafflecopter, which I have used for giveaways in the past. Spread the word, have fun and thanks for coming by to celebrate!!

Enter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

GRACE

"There, when you stand firm in the Home of Glory,

And all life's path lies open to your gaze,

Your eyes will SEE the hand you're now trusting,

And magnify His love through endless days."

"God Meant it unto Good" - Freda Hanbury Allen

I began this morning with my iced coffee and my 4 different books, along with my Bible, I am currently reading. Yes, I said 4...because, when you come out of one of the driest times of your life thus far, you need to dive back in. 

No matter how far away you feel, no matter how numb, bitter, hurt, shamed, you feel,

...you need to run back home.

 Back into the arms of the One who will ALWAYS take you back. 

In March, I posted about how I felt I was "Forever Changed" and had an experience that fueled my desire for change in my heart. And, it was true. However, after about a month, I ended up slowly failing at that. I wasn't actively working at my relationship with God and I slowly began to decline. But, instead of realizing it was my fault, I began to blame God and accuse Him of not "helping"me. This began to cause my way of thinking to shift and I lost sight of my goals...

- - -

Have you ever sat before someone and had to tell them something painful? A mistake you made.

Have you ever found yourself so lost in lies, rebellion, and deceit that you felt like you had no other choice but to continue down that road because you couldn't face yourself in the mirror, or anyone else for that matter?

Have you ever felt so passionless and without vision that you didn't care what choices you made next?

Well, this has been me.

When I got back from vacation, after spending a week in the desert and mountains with Andrew, I can honestly say, though I had fun, I had no joy and peace in my heart. My heart was so numb and burdened by who I had to look at in the mirror everyday, that I felt hopeless. 

I was suppose to open up the shop right when I got back, but I couldn't. My heart needed more time and I am just not the kind of person who likes to pretend and paint a fake picture before people....Or, I should say, even if I try to paint a different picture, I can not do it for long. 

So - I took more time, a few extra days and I spent them forcing myself to pick up my Bible, read and look inside my own heart. Look into the darkness and ugliness that had been welling up inside me for several months. It took hours and hours of forcing my heart and my mind to focus on the task at hand... because I was so ashamed of choices I was making and I felt alone in them. Though I tried reaching for help from a few people, it never seemed to actually help. I had once again, pushed God away so that I wouldn't have to open up.

But, on Friday night after a week of pursuing and pushing myself beyond my emotions, feelings, and the lies that were in my head, and as I lay wide eyed in bed, with my husband beside me... I felt a pull. An ache in my soul and I knew that in order for Andrew and I to rekindle our marriage and get back to a place of beauty between us, that I needed to confess some of the ugliness of my heart to him.

I went into the living room and prayed and then, I woke Andrew...

Tears. Heartache. Pain. 

And then...

Grace. Forgiveness. Love.

I married a man of great strength. A man with self-control. A man with love in his heart. 

A man who shows me the grace of God. 

And best of all, I married a man, who could bring me closer to God. 

Though the things that I needed to bring to light were painful for me to share and reveal... He held me close and gave me hope. He gave me grace. He gave me love. 

He gave me God.

- - - 

Marriage. Oh, how much I have learned in 2 years. I angrily wrote to a friend last week as I battled with myself, "Why didn't anyone tell me how difficult marriage was before I got married!!" And, why doesn't anyone talk about the difficulties of marriage. We all paint a picture before the world that we are happy, that nothing goes wrong, that we don't argue and and we don't act like children. And because of this, we find ourselves alone, because we are too scared to tell people that we are failing at the commitment that we made on our wedding day. The commitment that before hundreds of people, we promised FOR BETTER OR WORSE, GOOD TIMES AND BAD, SICKNESS AND HEALTH. 

But when the WORSE comes, and the BAD, and the SICKNESS... we crumble. We think..."this isn't the life I expected!" and "this isn't what I signed up for" and "Well, because of HIM or because of HER it is this way and if they don't CHANGE then this just isn't going to work."

One of the books I began reading is called, "What's it like to be married to me?". 

And have been slammed in the face with conviction and I am only about 20 pages in. One of the biggest things that has hit me is when I was asked me to consider my funeral someday...and the speaker, would be my husband.

What would I like my husband to say about me?

What character qualities would I like him to have seen in me?

What kind of love relationship would I want him to describe?

What kind of love would I have wanted him to have received from me during all those years?

And as I considered these questions, I was also encouraged NOT to compare with what HE does... but only what I have done and what I am responsible for. Because, really, when I got married and said my vows, I did not say, "for better or worse (AS LONG AS HE LOVES ME), in good times and bad (AS LONG AS HE TREATS ME RIGHT AND TREATS ME LIKE A PRINCESS), in sickness and health (AS LONG AS HE ISN'T SICK FOR TOO LONG OR AT INCONVENIENT TIMES). 

NO!!! I said... NO MATTER WHAT, I commit to LOVE you. Forever. No IF, ANDS...OR BUTS! 

And for the past several months, I found myself saying, "Well, this isn't what I signed up for and you weren't like this before we got married." and I was again, slammed in the face with a quote in the book that said, "So, are you saying that he is like this because he's been married to you then?"

Proverbs 14:1, "A wise woman builds her home, 

but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands".

I have a responsibility. 

I have a calling. 

I am a wife. 

And because I have made the commitment to be a wife. I need to wake up each day and consider...

how am I actually doing as a wife? 

Am I loving enough? 

Am I giving enough? 

Am I spending daily time with God so that he can strengthen me to be able to love this man every day to the best of my ability?

And, above all else, will I love, give, and serve my husband, even if I am not getting anything in return?

These are hard questions.

And these are the VERY questions that caused my soul to dry up.

I felt I deserved more.

I felt I wasn't being filled up and loved enough.

I started to compare what I had to what I didn't have.

I let lies creep in and the world tell me that I could be happier.

And I was NEVER more wrong.

My name is Alysha Rene' Nickerson. 

I am the wife of Andrew Paul Nickerson.

We were married on April 3rd, 2011.

We aren't perfect. 

We have our struggles.

We fail.

We lack the ability to love some days.

We are selfish.

We get angry.

We loose sight of our calling.

But it is an HONOR to be committed forever to this man. 

And I pray that I can hold tighter  to this truth that I have been as of late. 

I pray that all of us who are married can hold tight to this truth.

It is an honor that we have committed ourselves to another. 

That we decided we found the one our hearts loved.

and that we would forever promise to make that love work... no matter what.

So, as I leave behind year 23 of my life and press on to year 24 next Monday (MY BIRTHDAY!). I pray that this year be a year full of love. A year filled with Christ as the center and a servants heart towards my husband.

This year...I am going to take back all the enemy has stolen from me last year.

I ask that you hold me to that. and join me.

Road Trip 2013 : No Internet, Long Recap

Well, I should have realized that when you are driving through the desert, internet service isn't going to be as strong as I am used to. This is the reason why I have been MIA with the updates the past few nights. We also have been doing a lot more hiking than I was expecting. The past 2 days we have hiked more than 14 miles. Its been amazing and such a good workout, also allowing us to see so many things. But, by the time we get to our hotel at night... I am WIPED OUT and do not have a ton of energy! 

For all of you reading this that live out in the west near these places... I am officially jealous of you. I am SO in love with everything out here. As if I was meant to live out here and somehow just didn't get the memo!! Maybe someday... :) 

The Grand Canyon. We took a 7 mile hike around the South part of the Grand Canyon. 

It was perfect weather and truly just so amazing. 

There weren't a ton of people on the trail that we were on, which made it really peaceful and more real. However, that meant we were not able to get a ton of pictures of both of us. This photo above was at the very end...we finally got someone to help us out!

Our next destination was Lower Antelope Canyon! Absolutely stunning! The walls of the canyon glow with the light and it seriously was unlike anything I have ever seen... I mean... LOOK AT THE PICTURES!!! 

Isn't it just AMAZING??! God's creation is just unexplainable! I couldn't get enough.

Next stop was Zion National Park. 

We ended up hiking up to Angel's Landing, which had me face some fears of heights and being close to the edge of cliffs. We then did a bunch of other little hikes. 

We ended up hiking to the top of that rock mountain!!! 

and made it up and back down in one piece!!

After hiking all day, we stopped for a quick lunch and then jumped in the car and headed 

to Bryce Canyon National Park.

The ride and views just blow me away... literally, I feel like my photos look fake! And they aren't!!

Gorgeous views!!

thats Andrew walking down there to give some perspective. 

The sun began to set on our day and we headed to our hotel...where I am now finishing up this post and will be shutting off the light. We are getting up at 7:30am tomorrow and heading on our 5 hour drive to Arches National Park. 

Have any of you visited these places? Share your stories in the comments!! 

Road Trip 2013: Sedona

Ahhhh... VACATION!!! We woke up yesterday and made our 6:15am flight to Phoenix and arrived at 6:20am! Only missed 5 minutes of time because of the timezone difference!! Though, I was exhausted due to the fact I had finished packing up final orders at 11:57pm the night before and then packed up my suitcase and did not go to sleep until about 2am(to then wake up at 4am!!) All to say, I was running on fumes!! 

But, I am loving being on vacation and being free to just sit and not think about anything!! I am debating taking a few extra days off when I get back, just to make sure I am geared up and ready to go for the summer months, as we have another break for a dear friends wedding back home at the end of August!

The views around here are amazing! I am in constant awe of the creation around me. This morning, I was able to wake up at 7:30am and went for a nice long run soaking in the views! I came back to the room after and made Andrew do some extra workouts with me...pushups, crunches, jumping jacks, and squats. He was a trooper and joined me. Even though, I was pretty determined and he, hesitant to what I was going to make him do. Below is what we did after my run...

50 jumping jacks

50 crunches

45 jumping jacks

45 pushups

40 jumping jacks

40 squats

35 jumping jacks

35 crunches

30 jumping jacks

30 pushups

and on and on and on until we had only 5 of each left!! 

One of my favorite things about the trip so far is that we have a 2013 Convertible Camaro that we are driving around. We have had the top down EVERYWHERE we go. I am just hoping I do not get addicted to it and feel the need to beg Andrew to buy my one for my birthday next month! ....though, we could never afford that!!

Today was filled with some good food at The Wildflower Bread Company and then an Indian restaurant, along with a great hike to the Devils Bridge and a few other spots that we found. I am looking forward to staying active on this trip, as its been my goal since March 5th to EAT CLEAN and put in more effort for working out... less ice cream and thinking I can eat whatever I want! So far, so good!

I am pretty tired tonight... from the run, the hike, and all the sun we are getting being outdoors and in the car (since the top is always down!!!). So - this post is going to be ending now with some pictures to give you some visuals and then we are going to probably take a little walk down the street to unwind & enjoy our last night here in Sedona!! Next stop.... GRAND CANYON and a 6 mile hike tomorrow! See you in the next post!! 

Now I can cross "get picture with a Convertible Camaro" off my bucket list.

Its gonna be a windblown hair kind of trip.... and I am LOVING it!!

Gorgeous view from my early morning run!!!

I love just sitting and looking around... I can't believe these views are actually REAL!! 

Yup... thats me...looking over the edge!!


Thanks for stopping in and following our trip! 

Guest | Erin of Dusty Daylight

I am beyond excited today to be introducing you to a girl who started off as one of my customers and now I consider to be a friend! Though we have never met, she has quickly become someone that I admire and think the world of. 

This is one of my favorite things about owning an online business. I get to meet some of the greatest people. Someday, I swear I am going to throw a big party and invite EVERYONE I have met! And of course, I will have Katy Moran of KATHERYN MORAN PHOTOGRAPHY to take all the pictures because she is just amazing! 

Erin is the owner and creator of Dusty Daylight. Through talking with her, she had told me that she opened up her shop a while back, but really as of late, was inspired to really take it to the next level. She sent me her link and I fell in love with her Elizabeth Lace Journal. So, naturally...I had to have it!! Not long after, it arrived in the mail and I opened up the mailing envelope to find this...

Aren't you in love??? Her attentional to detail is amazing. The journal is such a piece of art. Now the question is, what will be deemed worthy enough to mark the pages of this with! I might be mulling this one over for several weeks before I touch my pen to the pages. This journal is worthy of some professional calligrapher out there! 

I asked Erin to answer a few questions so that you could all get to know her a little better!

<><><>

The most darling little shop ever: Dusty Daylight

What inspires you?

In terms of design, I tend to gravitate towards things that are clean, pretty, and have great detail. Floral fabrics, textured linens, and delicate laces are a few of my favorites to work with. Hand bound books have become somewhat of a lost art and I love creating something new with a nod to the past. There is something so lovely and personal about a handmade book and I love mixing that with a slightly old-fashioned, dainty design.

What are some plans you have for your business in the future?

My plan for now is to continue expanding on journal designs. I'd also love to begin working with brides to create customized journals as bridesmaid gifts.

What types of things do you do in your free time when not working?

Hang out with my husband, coffee dates with friends, read, eat dark chocolate, play violin, watch White Collar (the best show!).

When did you start creating?

I don't know if I can pinpoint a specific time that it began, growing up I was always making something. When I was 7, I was selling painted rocks (yes.. rocks.. and people really did buy them!). When I was 9, I was selling beaded hair clips and head bands at a consignment shop down the road. The desire to create things with my hands started long before these 2 business endeavors, and hasn't stopped since. I suppose it's in my blood! As for book binding, I tried it for the first time in October 2011. It didn't turn out very pretty, but I loved the entire process and the potential there was for a lovely end product. I kept at it, and I still love it.

Tea or Coffee? I like both!

Favorite meal? Artichokes. Or white pizza.

Favorite dessert? Rhubarb pie! Also, anything involving dark chocolate.

When did you get married? Our wedding was October 21, 2012! So we'll have been 

married 6 months in a few weeks 

What is the best quality about your husband? 

I know this is going to sound cheesy but I'm sitting here trying to choose just one and it's really hard! He has a lot of great qualities. Can we go with top 3? or 4? Okay. 1) He loves God. 2) He is incredibly patient (which comes in SO handy when we're driving somewhere and I'm in charge of directions.. and forget) 3) He hardly EVER has anything negative to say about anyone. If he has a negative impression of a person, I know to pay attention. 4) When he commits to do something, he truly commits to it. He's a man of his word. Added bonus: Sometimes he makes wonderful, fresh mozzarella cheese. Right in our kitchen. It's fantastic.

What is the biggest thing you're learning right now?

That no matter what, pleasing God trumps pleasing people in every situation in my life. If I live my life and make my decisions to please people, I'm ruled by their opinion. If I live my life and make my decisions to please God, I'm ruled by his opinion. Honestly, people don't always have your best interests at heart, but God always does. "I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for" Jeremiah 29:11 (the message).

<><><>

Erin wants to give one lucky person a chance to win a journal of choosing from her darling little shop! Yes, I KNOW!!! Exciting!! 

Go ahead...do a little happy dance! 

The giveaway will run from today 4/8 until Monday 4/15 at 12:00am.

Winner will be chosen at random using Rafflecopter (below). The winner will be notified by email and the name will be displayed on the widget below. 

Good Luck! And make sure to give Dusty Daylight lots of love for being so awesome!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Simple Recipe, Simply Amazing

I have had several people ask me for the recipe for the salad that I posted on Friday(which was a recreation of the salad I had for our Anniversary dinner last week!

Below is the picture that I took before I indulged.

MMmm.. My mouth is watering just looking at it!

So - In an effort to get this goodness in my mouth again. I decided to go to the store and pick up the SIMPLE ingredients to recreate it. Of course - the grocery store was out of pomegranates so I had to go without. TRUST ME... you will want them. It adds such a pop of flavor!

And with all good recipes. Of course, you need a good hand stamped utensil to accompany it. This is a salad recipe I hope to ALWAYS be friends with... (I know, lame joke). 

Recipe:

-Bibb Lettuce 

(I used a Spring Mix because the grocery store didn't have it, but it's better with the Bibb Lettuce. It is much softer and has a smooth taste. Really good!)

- Red Ruby Grapefruit

- Avocado

- Poppy Seed Dressing

(the one shown in the picture was good. I might try to make my own soon. The one at the restaurant was out of this world!)

- Sprinkle with Pomegranate seeds

And thats it!! I used half of a grapefruit and half an avocado, but you could totally use more than that depending on if you are having it for lunch or dinner. ENJOY!!

Let me know if you try it! Feel free to share pictures on my facebook page.

with love,

Aly