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

wedding wednesday.

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When thinking about every specific detail regarding weddings things can get a little crazy.  One of the best ways to make sure everything goes smoothly is to stay organized but there are a few things that I found here that a bride could easily overlook.

• Buy a pretty hanger for your dress.  Nothing will look worse than a dinky wire one in your photos.

• Make sure your phone is charged and then designate a bridesmaid or friend to answer all calls.

• Pack an overnight bag for your wedding night so you have all of your essentials no matter where you are staying.

• Bring extra cash.  You never know who might need to be tipped last minute.

• Make sure you have all your international documents.  Passports can take over a month to obtain.

• Assign someone to collect your gifts from the reception and keep them until you return from your honeymoon.

• Arrange all day-of transportation, including getting you to and from appointments.  It will be one less thing you have to worry about.

• Make sure you arrange to have someone take home your dress.  The same person taking all your gifts might also be able to do this.

• Pack an emergency day of kit.  This kit could include Band-Aids, hairspray, clear nail polish, Advil, hem tape, protein bar, deodorant, bobby pins, Tide-To-Go, breath mints, lotion, and any other item you may need.

• Eat at the reception!  What fun is doing all the tastings and then never actually getting to enjoy the food.

• Feed your bridal party.  Make sure to provide lunch for everyone, not just hors d’oeuvres.  You could be getting ready for hours and the last thing you want is someone feeling wheezy from lack of food while they are standing during the ceremony.

• Give each one of your bridesmaids and groomsmen a gift for being a part of your special day.

• Bring your own cake cutter.  The one the caterer has may not be that nice.

• Create an itinerary and make sure everyone has a copy.

• Enjoy your day!

xo

decorating tips.

 

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I was reading Shape magazine the other day and came across some tips for home decorating.  They are great tips for the everyday decorating we do and put that finishing touch on our homes.

55-60 Inches- The approximate measurement for where frames should be hung.  Another way to remember this, always hang art at eye level.  If it’s too high or too low you won’t enjoy the piece as much.

4- The maximum number of kitchen appliances that should be left on kitchen counter tops.  If at all possible keep counter tops completely clear; however in most of our lives this makes things even harder so 4 should be the max.  At my house we keep out a toaster and a blender.  Both my roommate and I do not drink coffee and we have so little space that even having two appliances out can look cluttered…but you deal!

3- The perfect number of objects when grouping things.  This is the same in photography; odd numbers are more appealing to the eye therefore more pleasing to look at.

4-9 Feet- The amount of space you should position a couch and armchair so as to allow for easy conversation and flow.

30-34 Inches- How far kitchen light fixtures should be hung above the table.  Have high ceilings?  Add an inch for every additional foot over the traditional 8 feet.

30- The percentage of shelving space that should be left untouched.  Things look better when they have a little room to breathe.

All these tips came from Sabrina Soto’s new book Sabrina Soto Home Design, love her!  One of my favorites on HGTV is her Get It Sold show, I can watch episode after episode!

Do you have any tips on everyday decorating?  These are great for me as the big move is happening in a little over a week and we will be rehanging and positioning everything in our new place. 

xo

the bedroom.

I try and make my bed every morning, sometimes it gets done, sometimes it doesn't, but nothing feels better to come home from work and have a clean bedroom at the end of the day.  In my opinion even if your bedroom has all your things laying around if the bed is made it automatically looks clean.  

I have had a lot of different arrangements with all the pillows on my bed in the past and have never really found a combination that I love.  I played around a little and think I found something I like...

Option #1

I have 2 King pillows and 2 Queen pillows that I sleep with each night.  The two Euro pillows and shams are purely decorative.  I like this combo, its simple, easy but the contrast of the black and white with the all white I was not loving.  On to the next

Option #2

Basically the same as option #1 but with my Target pillows added on.  This is how I have been putting my bed together for the past few months and I am not in love.

Option #3

 Can you say frumpy...Next...

Option #4

This one was okay I still don't like how the Queen pillows look so messy.  I did a little rearranging again and came up with this...

Option #5

 

I really like this one.  It's simple, crisp, and easy to throw together in the morning.  I stacked my daily use pillows right at the headboard, propped my two euros against them, then finished it off with my one pillow from Target.

What do you think?  Do you have a favorite?  Or maybe another combination you can think of?

xo