Beginner’s Calligraphy

Calligraphy is an art that I have fallen in love with. I always have been interested in writing letters in different sizes, fonts, and styles. Calligraphy was one of the things I loved even before I knew about it. It is an art that we are seeing more often on cards, paintings, and envelopes. Whether you’re looking to teach a calligraphy class or just address your christmas cards, I’m here to help you get started. I’m starting Beginner’s Calligraphy so I thought we could learn together.

STEP 1. GET GOOD SUPPLIES

Beginner's Calligraphy from TheHillHangout.com

My mom got me these pens off of Amazon for Christmas. They are amazing! You have a lot of control with them (even if it doesn’t seem like it at first) and they come in 10 vibrant colors. They have the brush end that you use for what we’re doing, but they also have a small marker end that is perfect for addressing the street name on an envelope or changing up the fonts on a piece of art. For paper, I just used some scrap paper we had left over from when Patterson was learning to write her letters. It was the perfect size! It’s probably not what you’re supposed to use, but we already owned it so I’m going with it.

STEP 2. START PRACTICING

Beginner's Calligraphy from TheHillHangout.com

Calligraphy requires a lot of practice. It is hard at first, but I promise it’s not just you. Everyone struggles at times, and this is one of those times. The goal of this step is just to get a feel for how the pens write. When you bring the pen up, it should be a thinner line, and the down stroke should be thicker. Just zig-zag your heart away.

STEP 3. PRACTICE SOME MORE

Beginner's Calligraphy from TheHillHangout.com

You didn’t think I was going to let you off the hook with one line did you? Nope! Make lines and lines of zig-zags. Fill up pages and pages of them until you’re comfortable with the pen and you like how the lines are looking.

STEP 4. PRACTICE CIRCLES

Beginner's Calligraphy from TheHillHangout.com

Now that you’re comfortable with lines, we’ll start to do some circles. Many letters have circles in them, so this is a great thing to practice. Make sure to do just like the lines and fill up pages with Os. Get a smooth transition from the thick-to-thin lines before you move on. This is also a great time to practice writing letters over and over again.

STEP 5. START WRITING WORDS

Beginner's Calligraphy from TheHillHangout.com

At this point you’re probably getting pretty good with individual letters, but you haven’t started connecting them. The next step is to start writing words. You can do Bible verses, names of friends, random words you think of, anything! The goal of this step is to get comfortable with writing words.

STEP 6. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE

Beginner's Calligraphy from TheHillHangout.com

The only way you’re ever going to get any better at this skill is by practicing. You have to write words over and over to get them just the way you want them. In the picture above, I’ve used different fonts to add to the beauty of the verse. Calligraphy is a tedious task, but well worth it in the end.

I hope you’ve enjoyed Beginner’s Calligraphy with me today! I hope you learned something! I by all means am not a pro at this, but I gave ya what I got. If you’d like more tutorials on anything artsy, let me know in the comments and I’ll see what I can do! Thanks for reading today!
XOXO, Mary Anneliese

Beginner's Calligraphy from TheHillHangout.com

Summer Dresses for Teens

I don’t know about you, but summer is one of my favorite seasons! I love being out of school (that’s no surprise), and I love being able to go outside. I go to a lot of church events, baby showers, and meetings with my mom that require a little dressier appearance than shorts. I’ve put together some of my favorite summer dresses that’ll keep you cool and dressy this summer. Now I bring you Summer Dresses for Teens…

Summer Dresses for Teens from TheHillHangout.com

1. This cute find from Target is a great summer choice! It has pastel pinks and purples with bell sleeves and tassels. It would be a great option for any summer Sunday, especially if the morning is a little chilly.

Summer Dresses for Teens from TheHillHangout.com

2. I found this cutie at Lizard Thicket. It is a minty green dress with bright red floral accents. It is a great dress and the style of it is super trendy. If you’re looking for a bright and colorful dress, then ding-ding-ding! You’ve found one!

Summer Dresses for Teens from TheHillHangout.com

3. This dress from Altar’d State is a super fun pastel pink color. I love the detailed lace around the sleeves and down the middle. This one also looks like a great “spin-y dress” 😉 (As my cousin Kiley Page likes to call them)

Summer Dresses for Teens from TheHillHangout.com

4. This fun dress is bright blue with vibrant pink flowers. This dress is so cute that I got it for my Easter dress this spring. If you’d like to match with me this summer, you now know what to wear. I got this one at Lizard Thicket.

Summer Dresses for Teens from TheHillHangout.com

5. This pastel dress is a great one! It has white embroidery on it and little white puff-balls along the ruffled trim. It has the cold shoulder style which is super popular right now. I found this one at Francscas.

Summer Dresses for Teens from TheHillHangout.com

6. Anthropologie is one of my favorite stores and so when I saw this dress online, I snatched up the chance to show y’all. It is a little more of a casual look, but a great short sleeved dress that can look great all summer long. It’s a great dress that I would highly recommend.

Summer Dresses for Teens from TheHillHangout.com

7. I love this pink dress from Anthropologie! It is a soft pink color with a thick, white border around the bottom. If you want to keep things simple this summer, this one’s a good one.

Summer Dresses for Teens from TheHillHangout.com

8. This creme dress from Altar’d State is another cutie! It is light and bright and gets you in the mood for summer.

I hope this gives you an idea of something to wear this summer! If you like my fashion posts, be sure to let me know in the comments below! Also, don’t forget to follow our social channels @TheHillHangout.
XOXO, Mary Anneliese

Summer Dresses for Teens from TheHillHangout.com

Summer Swimsuits for Teens

Summer is just around the corner, (Hallelujah!) so that means it’s swimsuit season!!! I don’t know about y’all, but I for one am super pumped that it’s here! Below I have linked some great swimsuits to help you get some cute finds. I decided just to look them up on the internet, because I am better as a soccer player, not a swimsuit model. 😊 So without further ado I bring you Summer Swimsuits for Teens…

Summer Swimsuits for Teens from TheHillHangout.com

1. This rust-colored top from Target is a great find! I actually bought this one a few weeks ago and love it! It is different than any other swimsuit I’ve had before because of the crochet fabric. It has a very durable feel, so this one will probably last a few years. It is really cute on and the color is amazing!!

Summer Swimsuits for Teens from TheHillHangout.com

2. Let’s face it, we all have those church camps that we go to that require a one-piece. It is so hard to find one-pieces that are actually cute! (can I get an Amen?) So, I thought I should include one so that you’d have an option when you need one. This cute one from Kingdom & State is a great option!

Summer Swimsuits for Teens from TheHillHangout.com

3. This floral beauty is from Cupshe and it is adorable! It is so bright and fun! I don’t know about y’all, but this one makes me want to go to the beach right now! I’m in love with the pink and purple color scheme and y’all, it’s $20!

Summer Swimsuits for Teens from TheHillHangout.com

4. Another great find at Altar’d State! This swim top reminds me of summer exactly! With the bright oranges, blues, and reds, how could you not love this one? Only the top is linked, but the matching bottoms are on their website as well.

Summer Swimsuits for Teens from TheHillHangout.com

5. This coral swimsuit is from Francesca’s. It is covered in turquoise leaves that will make you thing of palm trees all summer long! The matching bottoms are on the site as well.

Summer Swimsuits for Teens from TheHillHangout.com

6. I have another one from Cupshe! This one is a adorable floral-y print on a forest green backing. It is high necked, which is trending this year. It would be a great addition to anyone’s closet, and for $19! I’ll take it!

Summer Swimsuits for Teens from TheHillHangout.com

7. This swim top from American Eagle is so cute! It has a denim look, which is something I haven’t seen very much. It is a high-necked swimsuit which is super flattering on anyone! It has matching bottoms too, but only the top is linked.

Summer Swimsuits for Teens from TheHillHangout.com

8. I found a great one at Urban Outfitters! It is a simple top that would go great with any patterned bottoms you might have. They have it in 7 different colors, so you can match it with anything! I linked the white one because it is so versatile and could be worn with anything else already in your closet.

That wraps up our Summer Swimsuits for Teens! If you’d like to check out any of MY other fashion blog posts, you can click here or here. Stay tuned! We have more fashion suggestions to help get you ready for summer! Happy shopping!
XOXO, Mary Anneliese

Summer Swimsuits for Teens from TheHillHangout.com

Favorite Teen Fashion Stores

Shopping. It is something everyone has to do {unless you’re super crafty and can sew}. I like shopping to some extent, but when I look and look and don’t find anything, I get discouraged and tired. I thought it might be helpful for me to give y’all some of my favorite stores, so you can get some new ideas. Comment below some of your favorites so we can both get ideas!

Favorite Teen Fashion Stores by TheHillHangout.com

1. Altar’d State– Altar’d State is a really cute store! They have super trendy things and I just know y’all love them as much as I do.

2. H&M– This store is definitely hit or miss, but they always have so much content I buy something almost every time I go in there. They have great basics and I get ALL of my pants there. I’m not kidding.

3. Lizard Thicket– A new one of these just opened up a few moths ago near us and I’m in love!! They have great shirts and sweaters, and also great warm hats and headbands.

4. Forever 21– This store is hit or miss as well. I find a bunch of sweaters there that are really cute and I got a new pair of shoes from there that are ADORABLE!

5. Old Navy– I get at least half my wardrobe from Old Navy y’all. They have shorts and tops that are so darn cute. For the amount of clothes vs. the amount I spend there, it ends up being a steal!

6. Kinnucans- This store is so great! They have fantabulous t-shirts and athletic shorts. I get almost all of my t-shirts from there and if you know me well , you know that is a lot of shirts.

7. Target– I love target so much! It ends up being my go-to for swimsuits and I also find a lot of dresses in there as well.

8. American Eagle– I find trendy pieces here as well. I love their summer shorts, but they sometimes can be too short, so be careful. I love their summery tops too!

9. Gap Factory– You might be wondering why in the world I would prefer the Gap Factory Store over the normal Gap,so I’ll tell ya. The normal Gap seems to have an older and more professional generation of clothes and the Factory Store is more casual and I personally like it better. I get tops, pajama pants, and super cute socks here.

10. Nike- Nike isn’t really a fashion store like you’d think, but I do get a lot of stuff here. I get my tennis shoes of course, but I also like getting athletic shorts here as well as soccer cleats.

Thank you all so much for reading! I hope these stores gave y’all some ideas on where to shop for clothes! Don’t forget to tell me your favorite stores below!
XOXO, Mary Anneliese

Favorite Teen Fashion Stores by TheHillHangout.com

Favorite Sweaters for Winter

Down here in Alabama the winters are pretty mild. If we ever have a slight chance for snow or ice, all the schools, banks, and businesses close up shop. Most days we stay in the 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s. I don’t get super cold during that weather, so most of the time a sweater will fit the occasion. Today, I’m here to tell you about some of my favorite sweater finds for winter. If you live somewhere cold, you might want to save these for a little warmer weather, but all our southern friends can use them daily.

Favorite Sweaters for Winter from TheHillHangout.com

1. This Khaki green sweatshirt form H&M is the perfect addition to anyone’s wardrobe. It’s plain, which makes it very versatile. You can wear it with a white, lace scarf, or just yoga pants for a day around the house. It’s also only $10!

Favorite Sweaters for Winter from TheHillHangout.com

2. This pullover sweater from Amazon is a fun dressier piece. It would be adorable with jeans and boots if you’re going out to dinner with some friends 🙂

Favorite Sweaters for Winter from TheHillHangout.com

3. This gray and white sweater from Altar’d State is darling! It’s a great neutral piece to add to your closet!

Favorite Sweaters for Winter from TheHillHangout.com

4. This sweater from Lizard Thicket is a good one! It has more of a loose fit and a cute metal snap button. It is great for when you’re running out the door and it was colder than you thought, so you have to run in and grab a sweater before you’re late!

Favorite Sweaters for Winter from TheHillHangout.com

5. This simple sweater from Charming Charlie is another excellent piece. It is two-toned, being white in the front and gray in the back panel. It has a scooped neckline in the back, which is tied together.

Favorite Sweaters for Winter from TheHillHangout.com

6. This sweater from Cupshe is adorable! It is super simple, and I see this being a great one to wear with yoga pants around the house or to the grocery store on a chilly day.

Thanks so much for reading today! I hope this helped to spark your imagination in your own closet. Check out 5 Winter Dresses for Teens for more from me. I’ll see y’all next week!
XOXO, Mary Anneliese

5 Winter Dresses for Teens

I personally love shopping for dresses! Even though I don’t wear a dress everyday, I love to have a handful of them in my closet. . They tend to be handy when it comes time for church, dinner with friends, weddings, or any other dressier occasion. Below I have styled for you some of my favorites from my closet and don’t worry, I’ve linked them so you can get them too.

5 Winter Dresses for Teens from TheHillHangout.com

1. This rust colored, lace dress came from Target and I was in love with it when I saw it! It is high-necked and sleveless, so I wore a sweater {similar} with it.// shoes // necklace {hand-made}

5 Winter Dresses for Teens from TheHillHangout.com

2. This navy blue dress is from Old Navy and is seriously the most versatile dress I’ve ever owned. Sadly, they are out of this color, but the gray is super cute too! It is so simple you can pair it with a cute necklace, sweater, vest, or even jeans or leggings. It is a little thicker than many knit dresses, which is great for chilly days.// shoes // necklace {similar}

5 Winter Dresses for Teens from TheHillHangout.com

3. This dress from Target is one of my new favorites!! I just got it a few days ago and I’m in love! It has tassels in the front and “laces up” at the top. This can also carry over into spring with the fun colors.// shoes // necklace {similar}

5 Winter Dresses for Teens from TheHillHangout.com

4. One trend going around right now is tie-dye. Not all tie-dye is cute, though, so you have to be careful when choosing a pattern. This pink and green dress came from amazon and is adorable! It’s sleveless, so I wore mine with a sweater. You can also pair this with jeans or leggings. // shoes // necklace {similar}

5 Winter Dresses for Teens from TheHillHangout.com

5. This small floral print dress from Old Navy is another favorite of mine. One I washed it, it shrank a little so beware. I wore it over a lace extender to make it a little longer. I’m wearing it here with short boots, but I also love this one with tall boots.// shoes // necklace

5 Winter Dresses for Teens from THeHillHangout.com

Thank you so much for reading! I hope this helped you create some ideas for your own closet. Make sure to come back next week for another fashion post from me.
XOXO, Mary Anneliese

Fashion Over Forty: Scarves, Scarves, and More Scarves

Welcome to a new edition of The Hill Hangout! The new year is off to a great start around here, and we have some exciting new content planned for 2017. And by “we” I really do mean “we!” Since most everything is a family affair at our home, we decided the blog should be, too. You’ve already heard from Mary Anneliese with her first couple of fashion posts, so you can look for more posts from her in the coming year. Together we will dive into a few new areas for us (fashion!!), as well as bringing you more posts about faith, travel and homeschooling. However, we will also continue to bring you the recipes and food posts you continue to come back for. Thank you for hanging out with us!

And now onto a new segment for us, Fashion Over Forty: Scarves, Scarves, and More Scarves. The other day the girls and I were at Target, and they had a terrific sale going on scarves. We picked up 5(!!!) because they were so darn cute. Most were around the $19.99 price point originally, but they were marked down to $13.99. That’s a huge bargain for the quality of these beauties.

I picked up a new gray knit dress at Amazon the other day, and I needed a great scarf to go with it. This one from Target was perfect! (The dress is super comfy, inexpensive, and comes in a ton of colors.) This gold cuff is similar to the one I’m wearing.

Fashion Over Forty: Scarves, Scarves, and More Scarves from TheHillHangout.com

Ever since I purchased this gray wool coat a few years back, I have needed a scarf to wear with it when the weather turns cold enough. I was pumped to find this one in such a subtle pattern. It’s so subtle, in fact, that it’s hard to photograph. However, it is just the right amount of pattern to look perfect with my coat.

Fashion Over Forty: Scarves, Scarves, and More Scarves from TheHillHangout.com

This is one of my favorites! It would go with so many things, but I love it with dark jeans and a white Piko top. Throw on a cute pair of short boots, and you are ready to go! And since this is Fashion for the over forty crowd, you can get the reading glasses here.

Fashion Over Forty: Scarves, Scarves, and More Scarves from TheHillHangout.com

I love to wear neutral colors with just a pop of color. This mustard scarf was the perfect punch of color when I paired it with gray on gray. The top is from Old Navy, and the pants are from Target. Boots are TOMS Desert wedges in desert taupe suede. If you need a good versatile pair of short boots, I can highly recommend these. Super comfy and will go with anything.

Fashion Over Forty: Scarves, Scarves, and More Scarves from TheHillHangout.com

This is another one that photos don’t do justice. It’s a terrific thick wool-like feel, which is lovely paired with a green Piko top. I also threw on a pair of black pants I got in my last Stitch-Fix box, and a pair of tall black heeled boots. I am so into cuff bracelets right now. I found this one at a local market, but I also LOVE this one. How many cuffs can one person buy before admitting it is an addiction?

Fashion Over Forty: Scarves, Scarves, and More Scarves from TheHillHangout.com

The blanket scarves above are all a nice large size, which means they can all be used as a wrap as well as a scarf. I think you will be well pleased with the style and the quality of them. And if you use your Target debit card, you will get an additional 5% off!

Want to pin this post for later? I have it on my winter fashion board, or you can pin it here:

Fashion Over Forty: Scarves Scarves and More Scarves from TheHillHangout.com

This post has affiliate links, which help keep this blog FREE to our readers.

Teen Fashion Finds on Sale

Hey y’all! I don’t know about you, but I feel like clothes can get so EXPENSIVE. Sure, you can get cheap stuff, but doesn’t it just fall apart the first time you wash it? One of my favorite ways to buy clothes is to get good, quality brands on sale. This way you still get quality items without breaking the bank. Below, I’ve linked some of my favorite finds that are on sale right now!

Teen Fashion Finds on Sale from TheHillHangout.com

1. This dress is a fab find from Francesca’s and it is on sale right now for $20! It comes in the indigo color shown above, and also in rose. This would also be super cute as a tunic worn with jeans and short boots.

Teen Fashion Finds on Sale from TheHillHangout.com

2. Check out this cute dress from Anthropologie! It’s on sale for $99, and it has a really cute keyhole cutout in the back. 

Teen Fashion Finds on Sale from TheHillHangout.com

3. If you don’t have a good pair of short boots, then these from Zappos are a must! They are by Sam Edelman, and they come in tons of colors and patterns. They are 33% off right now.

Teen Fashion Finds on Sale from TheHillHangout.com

4. Lizard Thicket might be a new store for some of you, but its definitely worthwhile. A new location opened close to us, and we are already big fans. I found this cute top there for only $16.25!

Teen Fashion Finds on Sale from TheHillHangout.com

5. Every girl needs a good pair of jeans and these are adorable!!

Teen Fashion Finds on Sale from TheHillHangout.com

6. Sweaters are a must have for winter! I found this cute one from American Eagle. It’s a terrific neutral color, and it is less than half of the original price.

Teen Fashion Finds on Sale from TheHillHangout.com

7. These caramel colored jeans from American Eagle are so fun! A good pair of colored jeans is always a must have in my closet. These are stretchy, so they would be super comfy.

Teen Fashion Finds on Sale from TheHilllHangout.com

8. Kendra Scott necklaces are a hot topic right now, and this color called brown pearl is on sale!

Teen Fashion Finds on Sale from TheHillHangout.com

9. These Hunter rain boots are so great! I love these in this bright coral color, and it just so happens they’re on sale!

Teen Fashion Finds on Sale from TheHilllHangout.com

10. This lace dress from Anthropologie is adorable! (UPDATE: This one just sold out, but Anthro has tons of cute dresses on sale.)

I hope you enjoyed all these items and hopefully they sparked your imagination in your own closet.
XOXO, Mary Anneliese

New Year’s Eve Fashion for Teens

Today, I want to introduce you to a new guest poster on my blog, my daughter Mary Anneliese. Mary Anneliese is 14, and she has already been learning about the inner-workings of a blog. Now it’s time for her to do a little writing as well. Fashion is a hot topic around our house, so she is here today to bring you New Year’s Eve Fashion for Teens.

New Year’s Eve is just around the corner, which means New Year’s Eve parties are coming up, too! Now is a great time to add some extra sparkle or dressiness to your wardrobe that you wouldn’t normally wear. I searched the internet to find New Year’s Eve fashion for teens, and here are some of my favorite finds for cute dresses to help ring in the new year.

New Year's Eve Fashion for Teens from TheHillHangout.com

1. This lace dress from Francesca’s is a perfect addition to anyone’s wardrobe.

New Year's Eve Fashion for Teens from TheHillHangout.com

2. This simple dress is perfect for any holiday occasion and beyond!

New Year's Eve Fashion for Teens from TheHillHangout.com

3. This flowy lace dress from H&M is another great one! It would be great for New Year’s Eve, but versatile enough for other occasions too!

New Year's Eve Fashion for Teens

4. This textured lace dress from Altar’d State is a great find!

New Year's Eve Fashion for Teens from TheHillHangout.com

5. This subtle pink lace dress is a festive addition to anyone’s wardrobe.

New Year's Eve Fashion for Teens from TheHillHangout.com

6. Another Francesca’s dress! This one is a ruffled, navy dress that is perfect for any party.

I hope this gave you some inspirational ideas for New Year’s Eve! Happy New Year, everyone!

XOXO, Mary Anneliese

Fall Community and Home Show

Fall Community Preview

Do you love a good home tour as much as I do? One of our favorite ways to spend a weekend is looking at new houses, especially if we can go in and take a peek around. If you’re local to Birmingham, you can take advantage of the Fall Community and Home Tour sponsored by the Greater Birmingham Association of Home Builders. It’s going on October 7-9 and October 14-16 from 10:00-6:00 each day.

There are over 20 builders on this year’s Fall Community and Home Show, including Harris Doyle Homes. They are the builders of this lovely home in Trussville Springs. Isn’t it gorgeous?

Fall Community and Home Show

This beauty is by Prominence Homes and Communities, and it is in Helena’s Riverwoods.

Fall Community and Home Show

I know I’ve shown you several Murphy Home Builders homes in the past, but can you blame me? You can check out this one in Highland Lakes!

Fall Community and Home Show

Until the Fall Community and Home Show, I wasn’t familiar with Gibson Anderson Construction. However, look at this great home they’ve just finished in The Ledges in Pelham.

Fall Community and Home Show

I keep coming back to this Ridgecrest Homes jewel because I think the design is so interesting. This plan is called The Brownstones. I’m a big fan of this one in The Preserve in Hoover.

Fall Community and Home Show

And while you’re in The Preserve, you can take a tour of this home by Fargason Building.

Fall Community and Home Show

It’s a gorgeous weekend, so who’s up for a few house tours? Y’all let me know what you like best.