office space.

This past week was rough, long hours at work plus trying to get the apartment together has been a lot on my plate.  I did manage to get a lot done though and am excited to get started on some projects this weekend  But first I wanted to share some of the before pictures of the office I am currently working on.

Bad?  Yes.  Potential?  Hopefully (keep your fingers crossed)!  Drywall is going in this week as well as painting so that will fix the paneling.  The floor on the other hand is a lost cause as there is no money in the budget for it.  I'm on the search for a large rug and some other key pieces to transform the space and cover up some of the things we can't replace.

What are your thoughts?  Anyone have any ideas for making offices look less sterile?  I hope this Friday finds you with a smile on your face!

xo

a little wedding photography.

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The whole thought behind this shot is to take while getting ready and send it to the groom.  I think no matter what you did with it, its a great wedding shot to have.  Some might consider it risque, but I feel the anonymity of the shot makes it sweet and simple.

xo

console.

Remember when I said I found a console that needed a ton of work well here she is.

I love it!  My mom said it looks like what my grandparents had in the 90s...I disagree. 

Just think of it painted a glossy white with light gold handles.  I love all the depths the drawers have and I think it would be awesome to paint the inside of the drawers a navy blue or perhaps a bright pink!  And the best part...its $40.  Yes $40.

Emily A. Clark's TV console is sort of the image I want for mine.

What do you think?  Has potential?  Or ugly with no hope?

How was your weekend?

xo

weekend.

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Does this not make images come to mind of the perfect Saturday morning?  Even though I’m not a huge coffee drinker this makes me want to curl up in a bed with a good book and a cup of jo! Needless to say most of my weekend will be spent running around with lots of things to do.

Lately I have been waking up and my mind is racing with all the different tasks I need to accomplish so yesterday I went out and bought a notebook (it has a cat on the cover which I love!) to start writing out to do lists.  I have yet to cross out a single task but it did feel good to put everything down on paper and really look at what needs to be done now and what can wait.  My weekend plan includes...

…Looking at an office space I’m helping a friend design

…Searching for a TV console.  I found a great one today but it’s going to need a lot of work which I’m not sure I’m up to the task, so the searching continues.

…Working out.  One thing I hate more than anything is working out on the weekend but I am determined to turn that around.

…Making a fresh summer corn salad

…Work on getting the gallery wall up

…Finish 50 Shades Darker and onto the next!

What are your plans for the weekend?  Anyone else reading the 50 Shades trilogy?  What are your thoughts?  I think they are a little overrated but nonetheless good books, everyone but me seems to love them though!  Happy weekend!

xo

beauty.

I have a pretty specific beauty routine that I follow every day.  It’s simple and makes my morning easier which for me is a good thing as I am the world’s worst morning person.  

I have a number of things I use that I change out from time to time but these are my favorite staples. 

Diet Coke- I cannot function in the morning without this.  I’ve never been a big coffee drinker so this is my wake up and start functioning drink.

Murad Shampoo- I like my hair to be extremely thick and this helps create volume and makes your hair grow like crazy.

Pureology Conditioner- It’s sulfate free which is good for my highlighted hair and the lavender scent is a really nice addition.

Caress Body Wash- I love this body wash.  Its classic, smells great, and keeps my smooth incredibly soft.

Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew Sun Damage Moisturizer- I started using this a few years ago to try and undo some of the damage I did to my skin while I was a teenager.  I’m not sure if it works to turn sun damage around but it’s a great thick lotion that goes on smooth and soaks into your skin.  It leaves the perfect surface to apply makeup and keeps my skin oil free.

St. Ives Apricot Scrub- I love this scrub it leaves my skin soft and is great for the face as well.

MAC Studio Fix NC30- This powder base foundation is perfect.  Its full coverage so it hides any imperfections and is light as it is not a liquid base.

Eye Lash Curler- Makes me look instantly awake and adds length to my lashes

Covergirl Blush- I use to buy MAC blush and ran out one day on vacation and grabbed this.  I never was able to notice the difference and have since stayed with this color.  I usually mix all three colors together to get a little more dimension.

NYC Black Eyeliner- Adds a little dimension is easy to smudge and stays put.

Maybelline Colossal Volume Mascara- I have tried a ton of different mascaras and this was the first one I found that I really loved.

What beauty products do you use on a daily basis?  Anything that you recommend?


xo

wedding wednesday.

I love this idea.  Tulle over linens.  The look is so romantic.  I believe the best part about this is tulle is extremely inexpensive usually running around $1 a yard you could do around 15 tables for probably $300.

This would work perfectly if you didn't want to spend extra money on custom linens but wanted a little more of a custom look.  Tulle can be difficult to work with as its very flimsy and hard to cut but the end result is so beautiful it would be worth it. 

 

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p.s. Does anyone else notice the tent liner?  How much more beautiful does this look without steel beams ruining the pictures!  Always a great investment if your using a tent for your wedding.

xo 

the move.

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Well the move is officially over.  It was rough and I am glad it is done.  However, the new place is amazing.  It feels like home instead of an apartment which is nice as I have yet to feel like I was living in a home since I moved out of my parents’ house six years ago.  I will be sharing pictures soon.  The layout is completely different than anything I’ve had before so it’s taking some tweaking to get everything right but so far all the furniture is in place!

As for my list for the weekend I crossed off quite a few things…

…Celebrating Father’s Day and my Mom’s Birthday since my parents will be in town

…Finish the move!!

…Go see Rock of Ages (Does anyone else think this looks insanely good?)

…Get the kitchen completely unpacked and functional, I hate not being able to cook or at least make a salad and know where a fork is

…Start working on getting the gallery wall rehung

…Potentially a cookout on Sunday!

Some things were completed some things weren’t, but that’s okay.  I plan on taking my time to get this apartment together.  The last time I moved I rushed to get things decorated, bought a lot of things I didn’t love and ended up changing everything.  This time around I plan on taking my time and making sure I love something before going forward with it.

One thing I am really excited about doing is creating an inspiration/mood board to cover the shelving on the built in desk.  I never use the desk and I hate the look of it so I figured this time around (I had one in my last apartment) I would cover it up completely.  The picture at the top of this post is my inspiration.  I just need to figure out where I can find a piece of cork or canvas large enough to make this project possible!  I’ve heard that ceiling tiles work great for this type of project so I will have to see if I can get my hands on some of those.

Anyone else ever create a large scale inspiration board or something similar to it?  How did you do it?

xo

p.s. Rock of Ages was awesome, if you like musicals go see it!

weekend.

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What a week this has been! 

…I am in the final stages of moving, everything is almost packed and ready to be taken to the new place; now I just have to finish taking apart my furniture… 

…I got back in the water again.  I was a year round swimmer for about 10 years and last year started swimming with a Masters team, took a six month break and now am back.  Needless to say my whole body is sore!

As for the weekend I plan on…

…Celebrating Father’s Day and my Mom’s Birthday since my parents will be in town

…Finish the move!!

…Go see Rock of Ages (Does anyone else think this looks insanely good?)

…Get the kitchen completely unpacked and functional, I hate not being able to cook or at least make a salad and know where a fork is

…Start working on getting the gallery wall rehung

…Potentially a cookout on Sunday!

All in all it should be a pretty good weekend!  What are you doing?  Anyone else moving?  I’m hoping the move painless and quick.  Wish me luck!

xo

braised cucumbers.

Is anyone else out there a huge fan of Julie & Julia?  It is one of my favorite movies that I can watch over and over again and seems to pop up on my Netflix cue at least once every two months.  Whether it be Julie Powell's self-deprecating yet humorous depiction of the real Julie Powell, the amazing food, or her very real breakdowns, its a film that warms my heart.  And let's not forget Meryl Streep as Julia Child, could they have picked someone better?  I think not. 

To the topic at hand I am not a very adventurous cook, I rarely if ever cook but upon looking up Braised Cucumbers and seeing how easy they were I am determined to try it.  Butter, cucumbers and a frying pan I can handle, boning a duck not so much...

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You can find the recipe I'm going to try here.  I promise to give an update as I have yet to cook them because every kitchen utensil and cooking product I have is currently in a box...somewhere in the black hole that has become my apartment.  However, good news, today we signed and got our keys so the moving begins!

Have you ever cooked a Julia Child recipe?  I looked through her cookbook once and was pretty intimidated.  Maybe one day I'll make Beef Bourguignon...maybe!

xo

wedding wednesday.

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I love these options for a rehearsal dinner dress.  You can either opt for something more traditional bride like dress #1 or go for something a little more daring such as dress #4.  I personally love dress #2.  The great thing about all of these dresses is they could easily be packed in your honeymoon suitcase and would work perfectly for a nice dinner out or drinks at sunset.

What did you wear for your rehearsal dinner?  Was it a dress you already had that you loved?  Or did you buy something new?  As much as I love the bride always being in white for wedding events I think I would go for something fun and comfortable.

xo

broccoli salad.

I love a crisp summer salad on a hot day and this one was absolutely perfect for a friend's birthday party this past weekend.  The temperatures were in the 90s and the last thing anyone wanted was something super heavy.  Fresh, clean and organic, its delicious.

The recipe is extremely simple.  I love that it uses Miracle Whip instead of mayo, its much healthier and gives it a little bit of a twist.  And no worries if your not a Miracle Whip fan you'll still love this!

Ingredients:
2 big bunches of fresh broccoli
1 cup sharp shredded cheddar
1/2 lb bacon - fried and crumbled
1 small red onion - chopped

dressing:
1 small (8 grams) jar miracle whip salad dressing
4 tbsp vinegar
1 cup sugar

chop broccoli
pour dressing over broccoli and refrigerate 
enjoy!


xo

drum it up.

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The big move in underway.  Things are starting to get boxed up and my furniture is painstakingly being taken apart.  I'm slowly starting to dislike Ikea, taking apart all of my hard work=not fun.  I'll be sure to share the entire process once we really get underway, for now its mainly boxing up all the frames (I never knew I had as many as I do) kitchen and closets.

In lieu of my pending move I wanted to share this awesome idea for all of you apartment dwellers.  How many ugly light fixtures are in your apartment?  Every single light fixture we have is heinous and guess what...the new place has the same fixtures!  This idea however is a great way to hide said ugly light fixtures and is relatively inexpensive.  I'm a huge drum shade fan so this is something I plan on implementing in my new place.

Anyone else in the midst of a move?  Or maybe you have ugly light fixtures in your apartment?  

xo

weekend fun.

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It’s Friday, which means the weekend is here!  I’ve been looking forward to this weekend since the weather turned warm, as it is the first official summer cookout that I will be attending.  A good friend is celebrating his birthday with a big birthday cookout and I couldn’t be more excited.  I plan on making a big broccoli salad, help getting all the decorations up and spending some much needed time in the sun!

What are you doing this weekend, any special plans or just relaxing?  

xo