a klassy lady

New Blog

2009-09-23T15:45:00.003-05:00

I have been wanting to change the name of my blog for some time now, and just had the motivation to do that today. The new blog name will be Meet the J.Rays. This blog will continue on with our DIY projects, design ideas, wish list items and so on, but there will be more content on me and my husband, instead of just me. I feel like this will be my "grown-up" blog, ha.

So, if it's not too much trouble, please change our name in your blog roll and add the new blog to your daily reader, JonRoss and I would be very appreciative. And thank you blogger friends for daily coming to my blog and leaving comments. It is quite a highlight of my day and has brought about alot of encouragement and inspiration! So, come on and join me on the new blog.

p.s. There is absolutely no content on the other blog as of right now, I am heading home for the day, but will be working on it tonight!

IF...

2009-09-21T09:39:00.005-05:00

Just a few wish list items for the month:

{both via LuLus}

{both via Ruche}

Hope you all had a great weekend. We had some dear friends in town, threw another wedding shower, watched football, ate homemade eggrolls, and visited friends who had just had their baby. Maybe soon I can add one of these items to my wardrobe?!

Googling

2009-09-16T10:26:00.005-05:00

I love Google. It really does make life easier at times. (it's the simple things, really)
Well, thanks to Google I ran across a fabulous website called The Fashionable Housewife. Ever heard of it? They dish out must have looks with pretty decent price tags. I also love online shopping, and I love even more when I find blogs that help me with that.
Thanks to a post written about make-up, it led me here, where I bought these items for a great price.

Mocha eye shadow. ($1)

I love a good smokey eye. This kit is the perfect beginning tool for me. ($5)

I love dark nail polish for Fall, and currently have plum on right now, but I also enjoy just a plain, nude color as well. ($1)

I will report back to y'all and let you know quality versus price.

A Z Gallerie gift card

2009-09-14T12:01:00.004-05:00

I'm having a bit of a problem. A good problem, mind you, but a problem nonetheless.

We received a gift card from our dear friends John-Mark and Ashley for our wedding, almost 8 months ago, to Z Gallerie in the amount of $75. Amazing gift, right??

Well, I have no idea what to use it on. But, it is burning a hole in my wallet! If any of you have suggestions on what I could spend this on, PLEASE feel free to comment. Our home is still pretty much a blank canvas, so don't worry too much about colors/themes.

Un-related to this topic, we had a wonderful weekend. Our dear friends Lori & Chad gave birth to their precious baby girl, Bevyn. We watched some Alabama Football and went on date night. We also started our small group: Mentoring Young Married Couples. We're pretty stoked about diving deeper into our marriage and learning from the incredible small group leaders and the other couples in the group.

Adorable nephews in their Alabama gear.

Ok bloggers, help me spend this money!

My goody bag

2009-09-11T08:52:00.008-05:00

My goody package arrived this week from Lola B's Boutique! I am so thrilled! (I won a $100 giveaway from Sa Sea Boutique) Kasey and I decided that I would just let her surprise me and she'd send a random assortment of items from her shop.

My husband loves the smell of this candle.

Thank you again Kasey for all of my goodys!!

Oh, and I got the watch from Target as a gift from my dear husband!

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Guest Bedroom

2009-09-09T09:03:00.010-05:00

Our guest bedroom had to have a quick overhaul after we invited my sister to come live with us. We had planned on this room being our next project anyway, this just sped things up a bit. With that said, we had nothing in that room except for junk. While my husband went away two weekends ago, I got down to the nitty gritty and tackled that room. I got rid of so much junk, and then some stuff to take to his parent's yard sale they will be having. I made way for new furniture to come in. All of which we were gifted or already had. How wonderful is that?

The room is not quite complete, but I will show you a few things just to give you an idea.

First I painted the room a lovely shade of light gray. Paula, from two ellie, graciously came over one night (with her adorable children in tow) to help me choose just the right shade. (thank you Paula, you saved me from many more headaches!)

We were gifted this headboard and mattress with white sheets from our dear friend Hannah.

This side table was in our bedroom, and quite the eye sore. All it needed was a fresh coat of white paint. The hardware was already black, but I gave them a fresh coat as well. Looks great now!

This t.v. had to stay for a little while, so I had to incorporate it into the room. I decided to treat it as a table and put a skirt on it to cover up the ugliness. I couldn't use a staple gun, so I used fabric tape. The fabric I had was just a bit dark for the color scheme I was going for, so I flipped it over and used the backside. This idea came my way from LindsB at Everything LEB, who suggested this to me a while back.

I haven't finished the bottom so it is a bit sloppy looking. And yes, I attempted a pleat down the middle. You can also see the gray of the walls we painted. Just compare the walls from the headboard picture to the ones above and you'll see the difference.

We recently got a black dresser for her room and some black shelves. There is still quite a bit to be done and I will post pictures as we complete it!

All these projects can really wear a girl down, but they are oh so rewarding!

what time is it?

2009-09-06T21:44:00.006-05:00

Reaaaally wanting one of these watches, which were first posted about over at The Budget Babe. Merona has a new collection of boyfriend watches at Target for only $14.99. I haven't worn a watch in years, but I feel it's time to take the plunge again!

Yes please, I'll take this one:

And this one:

They remind me of something Marianne from Haven & Homes would love too!

making it our home

2009-09-03T10:42:00.013-05:00

If you have ever lived in an apartment, then you know with it comes endless lists of pros and cons. Here is a very short version of mine.

Pros:
1.No out of pocket expenses for things breaking
2.They come with all of the appliances
3.Most come with a free gym and pool

Cons:
1.White walls
2.Ugly cabinets
3.Same ole, same ole floor plans

Well, for my husband and I, the pros are outweighing the cons. He travels a good bit, which leaves me home alone. Personally, I do not care for all of that responsibility of home ownership right now. We are still saving and searching for one, but like I have mentioned in a previous post, we are content where we are (for now).

So, what's a girl who loves to decorate, paint and constantly find new ways to jazz up a boring apartment to do with the cons??

Well, I started with #2 on the list. Our cabinets are the first thing that had to go. I could NOT stand one more moment of their ugliness. (the bottom cabinets are still on until I can figure out what to do there) Since I love the open shelving look, it didn't take long to figure out what needed to be done, take off the cabinet doors! All it took was a little coercing my husband, a couple of trips to Home Goods, and poof... a look that has me smiling again.

If you are a renter, house or apartment, what are some other tricks you did to personalize your home??

Oh, one more thing I did. Because of our aparement's layout, we have no official "mudroom." So, I took a wall hook and added it where I always seem to be plopping my purse down. My instant "mudroom."

Thank you so much for your comments on yesterday's post. I am always anxious to share my projects, so it really means a lot to me!

DIY: Dresser

2009-09-02T08:57:00.006-05:00

Finally! I am finished with the dresser. Well, I have been and just forgot to snap some photos. I really love how it turned out. Being that this was my first piece to re-invent, I have learned some lessons about painting furniture. And I also learned that I am not as much of a perfectionist as I thought I would be with it.

Remember the before pictures:

And after:

(The black frames on top of the dresser will be going into the guest bedroom)

I am happy that I went with lighter knobs and pulls. We are going to be painting the room a dark gray-brown soon, and these just help the dresser to stand out a bit more. I'm glad this is over though, and I look forward to taking my "lessons learned" and starting on another piece of furniture.

keepin' busy

2009-08-31T10:59:00.006-05:00

We had another shower this weekend that we helped to host. I am at the mercy of other people for their pictures, which is why I have yet to post the pictures from the gift card party we hosted last weekend. That's what I get for leaving my camera at home. Hopefully I will have some to post for the baby shower we hosted Saturday.

In the meantime, this hot man I call my husband has been keeping me busy as well.

He's been on the road a lot lately, as well as playing at our church every Sunday and two nights during the week. It's no wonder my projects don't get finished...

Crossing my fingers I have more pictures to post soon! Just wanted to update you all!

Color Inspiration: Amethyst

2009-08-27T06:49:00.010-05:00

In the recent issue of House Beautiful, I was re-introduced to the color amethyst. That's one of those colors I had long forgotten about. It's the crayon I would wear down to nothing when I was a little girl and because of that, I probably grew tired of the color. Plus, my husband is fairly open to most colors I choose, but this one would be harder to persuade him with. Until now. ;) I know it may sound silly, but after I picked up this issue, my wheels starting turning and that's when I knew I had painted the wrong color in our guest bathroom. Just like my ADD with DIY projects, I am easily bored with accessories. If I wanted to change colors in my guest bathroom, it would have been hard. The gray I chose had too much blue in it.

Not that I plan on overloading on accessories just because I want a change now and again (wouldn't that be nice??). But, this lovely towel is what got me re-thinking my paint choice. And I would take two of them.

I hope there are fellow bloggers who have been where I am now (that is, painters remorse). My sweet friend Paula, from two ellie, has offered to help me find that perfect.neutral.gray.paint color. THANK GOODNESS!! It is definitely something I am thinking about a lot.

Other "amethyst" eye candy:

I will definitely be rocking some purple eye shadow this fall to compliment my green eyes.

Love this bowl.

And if I felt myself getting extra crazy over this color, I could just go ahead and paint the entire bathroom this color. Ok, not really.

Enjoy your day!

I am a better blog-reader than a blog-poster...

2009-08-24T12:39:00.004-05:00

This weekend was another busy, busy weekend. I can't wait to show you pictures of the gift card party my husband and I helped to host. I loved the decorations, so fun and creative. It's amazing what you can do with twine, cardboard and a sharpie!

The best part of the weekend was getting to hang with some of my favorite ladies. I stayed up til 3:00 chatting and laughing with Kimberly and Taylor.

I spent most of yesterday cleaning. And I mean, deeeep cleaning. We're getting ready to re-do our guest bedroom, but first we have to declutter and organize our "stuff."

I did take pictures of the guest bathroom for show-and-tell, but after a couple of weeks and looking at the photos, I have decided I don't like the paint color. Thank goodness it's a small bathroom and a quick coat of paint will be just the ticket.

Hope you all have a wonderful Monday. Just so it's not all words, here are my precious kitty's lounging in the sunlight.

I have the fever

2009-08-19T08:56:00.014-05:00

I have baby fever. BAD. Both of my sisters and my sister-in-law are pregnant right now. How can I not have baby fever?? My husband and I are in no hurry to have babies (for now), but I can't help but wonder how we would design the nursery. Of course it would lean more towards the modern side, but I would want it to feel as comfy as possible (which can be hard in a modern room).

I came across some fun and interesting nurseries this morning. Here are a few of my favorite ideas:

I know we have all seen this room before, so I posted it first. It really is one of the cutest nursery's I have seen. I love love that black wall.

I enjoy the simplicity of this nursery, and the colors.

Creativity is key when trying to personalize the nursery.

A lot going on here, but I love the shapes and textures in this room. I also like the idea of having a bed in a nursery if the room allows.

This is probably one of my favorites. I like the punches of color, the striped rug, and of course the light fixture.

The other side.

More rooms like these can be found here.

Engagement Party

2009-08-17T08:52:00.013-05:00

This weekend was quite a whirlwind. Friday my husband and I drove to Marietta, GA to meet up with some friends. We ate chicken salad sandwhiches, toured the Coca-Cola Factory, shopped at cute boutique stores, walked to Midtown, ate some more chicken salad sandwhiches, went for drinks at the Westin, and finished up the night laughing and talked while watching "So you think you can dance." The next morning we went to the Farmer's Market at Marietta Square and ate at a cute restaurant called Sugar Cakes.

We quickly headed back to Birmingham to get ready for the engagement party I was helping to host that night. I didn't take pictures, so I had to steal from the other ladies there.

The beautiful cake and the cake maker, Ashley. Fabulous job!

Guest book and our hostess gifts.

To save money, we made the food ourselves. Delicious!

Wine, and our incredibly cheap wine "glasses." It was a last minute addition.

Table decor. I wish there were more pictures of the tables. Each table had it's own centerpiece. (I will see if I can get other pictures to post)

The girls. We have been friends since highschool. Leah is the last of us to get married, so we wanted to make this extra special.

And the beautiful and wonderful couple of the night. Chad and Leah. I couldn't be more thrilled for my dear friends. They really deserve all the happiness this world can offer them. (and don't ya just love her dress??)

Sunday was spent celebrating my "baby" sister's 25th birthday. I can hardly believe she isn't still 3 years old and we're playing dress up with each other. Well, I suppose we still "play" that, because we do love to shop! Happy Birthday Erica!!

IF...

2009-08-12T08:55:00.004-05:00

... I were shopping today, these are the items I would grab up in a hurry.

{both via Urban Outfitters}

The leather jacket is a bit of a stretch for me since I feel leather jackets are very masculine, but the ruffle is just the ticket for me!

{in tan via Victoria's Secret}

Enjoy your Wednesday blogger friends!

Local Artist

2009-08-11T08:57:00.006-05:00

I wanted to share a local artist, meaning Birmingham, AL, and a friend to my blogger friends.

Her name is Katherine, and is a new friend of mine I met at our church. Her and her husband Jonathan are just the neatest people. They have two ADORABLE children, Eli and Lydia. If I've ever met a couple to be walking in their faith, it is these two. Katherine stays at home with her children, while Jonathan is finishing an internship program at our church. In an effort to bring in more money, she and her sister opened up an Etsy store called bakd-handmade children's clothing and gifts. Right off the bat they were flooded with orders. She is remaining busy and has even asked for my help a couple of times. (No, I don't know anything about sewing, but I can cut patterns!)

Here are a few of my favorite pieces modeled by her extremely beautiful daughter, Lydia:

Look at those sweet cheeks!

You really should go and check out the rest of her items!

I am thankful

2009-08-09T18:45:00.004-05:00

My recent IF post featured this lovely necklace from Etsy shop my lavaliere. Well, as it happens a friend of mine purchased that necklace! She received the necklace and then asked if Daniele wouldn't mind shortening the chain it originally came with. When she got her necklace back, she was surprised to see two necklaces in the package.

Here it is for reference:

So, what did sweet Natalie do with the extra necklace??

She asked me if I would like it! (I really think I had shed a tear when she asked me) Of course, I couldn't turn that down! I was so excited. Not only to get that beautiful necklace, but because I felt like it was my first, if not only, gift from a blog reader, not just a friend. (silly I know)

Sometimes I finish a post and think how silly it is that anyone is actually reading this blog?! But, I love reading blogs and hope others love reading mine too. It's an outlet for me to discuss the things I love and have y'all agree, or give opinions, or maybe even inspire someone. (and this is where I think how much I really love comments and feedback!!)

Thank you again Natalie!!

(right now my husband is cooking me dinner. I truly love that man!)

hardware

2009-08-04T09:57:00.004-05:00

I finally bought knobs for our DIY dresser. I know, I know. I move at a snail's pace when it comes to these makeovers. I have some sort of DIY ADD. I started on the dresser, and then finished the guest bathroom. Then back to the dresser, then back to the bathroom. This probably relates to many other areas of my life, but for now, we'll deal with the dresser. Ok, so I bought two knobs for the doors. Now, I just need four pulls for the drawers.

Here they are, and I love them.

{via Anthropologie}

I love how feminine they are, since the dresser has such straight lines. Once I find those perfect pulls, the dresser will be ready for show-n-tell. Thank you for being patient dear ones.

I also need to show the guest bathroom off. Of course, there are a few pieces I want to get before it's complete, but that will probably be the story of the whole apartment.. so I'll show rooms unfinished from now on. Just promise not to judge too badly =)

Confessions...

2009-08-03T08:37:00.005-05:00

...of a shopoholic. Now that my husband and I are a little relaxed about house hunting, we're not penny penching AS MUCH. We still are being very conscious about where those pennies are going. (paying off debt, what little we have, is the first place) But, we do like to reward ourselves every once in a while.

This time is was at Urban Outfitters. We scored 2 album art frames for $10 a piece. (My husband is a huge Beatles fan, so we had the White Album and then a Radiohead album he received as a wedding gift framed)

Then, because he(my husband) loves me so much, he bought me this dress:

Which I wore with skinny jeans, gold sandals and a coral/gold necklace.

The rest of my shopping over the next few weeks will be for an engagement party, a couple's gift card party, and a baby shower. All of which I am helping to host. Phew!

Oh, and I really need a dress to wear to this engagement party. Semi-dressy. Anyone have ideas on where to look? Send links if you can!

Wood Veneer

2009-07-31T10:45:00.006-05:00

What are your thoughts about wood veneer? Have you ever used it?
I picked up the do it YOURSELF (a Better Homes & Garden Specialty Publication) magazine last night and they had a pretty fabulous section devoted to wood veneer. Wood veneer first crept up in my mind when I was googling what I could do to my cabinets in the apartment. (We are still house hunting, but taking our precious time. In the meantime, I'm tired of looking at these awful cabinets)Which led me on a google hunt searching for cabinest that other people put veneer on. I have to admit, they didn't look all that bad!

Back to the magazine... they had some neat ideas on where to use it.

Such as here:

This grid wall really caught my eye:

(and if you couldn't guess, most of the accents in this room are via Anthropologie)

And this leaf motif would make for some great decorations:

I know Lowes has rolls of paper-backed veneer for easy installation.

What do you think? I must say, I am more impressed than I thought I would be!

Photography Love

2009-07-29T09:52:00.006-05:00

I came across photographer Ted Yarwood today while googling something, and I can't remember what. I'm glad that I did though, because I love his work. He "shoots residential and commercial interiors for editorial and advertising" clients, such as Metropolitan Home.

Here are a couple of my favorite:

You can see the rest of this gorgeous home here .

With all of this hot weather Alabama has been seeing, I wouldn't mind a chilly morning. And I could see myself here with a warm cup of coffee, a blanket and a good book.

Speaking of books, I need a good one to start reading. Any suggestions?

Weekend Recap

2009-07-27T09:52:00.005-05:00

This weekend was quite eventful! Friday night I hung out with my dear friend Hannah. We painted, ate dinner, listend to the Wicked Soundtrack and watched "Twilight." It was an absolute blast. And I finally convinced her to go get the first book. As of yesterday, she can't put it down and is obsessed with Edward, like the rest of us.

So, the painting part of our night was the guest bathroom in our apartment. It's looking so fabulous! I decided to go with a cooler gray color, brown accents and antique brass hardware. Who knew this modern-style gal would love antique brass?! But, I do. It's so lovely. I'm very excited to show the final result, but I'm waiting on a few items to arrive to finish it up.

(next up will be the guest bedroom)

On Saturday, I headed south for my nephew's 5th birthday party. (wow, he's really starting school this year) He had a GIANT inflatable water slide. Those children had the most fun I've ever seen a child have. And, I want one for my birthday next year. That night, I went to my good friend David's wedding. It was beautiful. The bride's family is very talented musically, and they each contributed to the ceremony. For their first dance, she pre-recorded a song they would dance to. I love personal touches like that.

Sunday was spent lounging with my husband after church and the final coat of paint was put on in our bathroom. It was a late night as we had "movie night" and ate way too much candy!

Hope y'all had a great weekend too. I'll post some pictures later. I really didn't carry it around with me this weekend, so I'll have to steal from others!

my livingroom: furniture

2009-07-22T08:54:00.004-05:00

Remember this post where I fell in love with this room featured on Benjamin Moore's website? Well, since then, I have been trying to replicate it on a serious budget. It won't be identical obviously, as we don't have that size living room (and definitely not the same budget). But, I'm pretty excited about what I have found so far.

This table (which I bought in white) is from Walmart. And it only cost me a whopping $14. It's actually very sturdy. Now, if I could put a coat of laquer on it, I'd be set.

Just as a reference, these were the original tables in the inspiration room from Jonathan Adler for $1000. phew!

And then I found this black chair from Overstock.com for $135. The inspirational room had two black leather chairs. The look of them was completely different, but I'm very happy with this one I found.

Since we could be looking for a house for quite some time, we've decided to go ahead and paint the apartment. My next task is just that, finding the right paint color.

I have so many new things to show you all, but they must wait until I'm finished. Just know, that is where my time is being spent right now. Party planning, and sprucing up our apartment.

the art of hanging art

2009-07-20T11:11:00.008-05:00

Today I am loving art hung from floor to ceiling. It's unusual and quirky. We have a wall in our apartment that would be perfect for doing this. Collecting the art will be harder than creating the wall once I get more pieces.

{via here}

{via MA Belle}

And, this is what we have been up to all weekend... Meet Lennon. (As in John Lennon. My husband is a musician, remember??)

A.dor.able. So far, Tigger is adjusting to the little fur ball. Ah, I wish I were at home with them now!

I'm a sucker...

2009-07-16T09:58:00.006-05:00

...for centerpieces. Until my wedding (which happened to be 6 months ago as of today), they were not something that ranked high on my "Things I Love Most" list. That is a completely different story now. I love them. And I love finding new ways to make my dining room table beautiful as much as possible. I really should snap a picture of how it is now... I have to come up with some ideas for an engagement party I'm helping to host in August. I have plenty of time, but it's so fun to search for inspiration now.

I found these images on the Hostess with the Mostess blog this morning:

Don't ya just love these ideas? I know most of them seem relatively "simple" in design. But, that's exactly what I love about centerpieces.. the simplicty of them, yet eye-catching.

IF..

2009-07-14T08:57:00.006-05:00

If I were shopping today, I would buy these items:

{Love Birds Wall Art by Gennine Zlatis via Urban Outfitters}

{Parrot Pillow Cover via West Elm}

{Penelope necklace from Etsy shop mylavaliere's}

You should go check out more of her items. They're so very cute and a great price. And, part of the proceeds go to charitites or organizations listed on her profile. Can't beat that!

So, today I have a thing for birds.

you could say...

2009-07-13T08:56:00.006-05:00

I am a little behind, and a little obsessed right now. I've started the Twilight books series. I didn't have much interest in them prior to receiving the 4(!) novel series from my sister-in-law over the weekend, and now, I am hooked!

I become enthralled, entranced and in love with the characters I read about. Scary, I know. I can't seem to help it. (I also do this with movies, and therefore have a hard time watching them without consuming myself) *Let me stop right here and say...I do not become engrossed in them because my real life is 'blah,' because I really am in love with my own life...I just have a vivid imagination and it's nice to get lost in it sometimes!

I feel the need to dedicate a post to this for two reasons. One, to say how much I am enjoying these books. And two, this is where I have been lately. The posts have been light I realize, but my husband picked up The Count of Monte Cristo, and we find ourselves reading every chance we get. (Man, are we getting THAT old??)

And, I could very happily throw some comfy pillows on this daybed and read for hours:

{Twilight Sleep Sofa via DWR} (did ya catch the name of the daybed??)

Or this one:

{via Restoration Hardware}

We did pick up the supplies needed for the dresser make-over and are both ready to get our hands dirty and beautify it tonight.

just a little update

2009-07-07T09:21:00.004-05:00

How is it that when my husband goes out of town, I seem to be even busier?? Well, first of all.. two of my best friends just got engaged and we must celebrate, right? Second, I find that much needed time to complete projects! I hope to reveal the dresser soon, probably next week.

As far as the Shopping Hiatus is going... well... I might have slipped. Ok, no might about it, I did. But, my husband was right there with me slipping too. Sheesh. They were small purchases, both under $30. However, I've been seriously saving us some money with groceries and toiletries! It's a bit time consuming, though!

We are still hunting for that perfect starter home, and think we have found one we both love. It's a bit above what we had originally thought, but it's so perfect. So, we're taking these next two months to save just a bit more. With a lot of prayer, we're hoping to be in a house in October!

I have a few events coming up that I am helping to plan. A baby shower, an engagement shower and a wedding. Things are about to get crazy! I love it!

Take a look...

2009-07-02T14:01:00.006-05:00

...at what I came across.. this Flickr photostream!! I was googling a paint color and this pulled up, and boy oh boy, does it has some yummy eye candy!? And tons of inspiration. Here are a few of my favorites. I'm really leaning towards dark walls lately. (you would think with it being summertime, I'd be going for the opposite??)

Pure yummy-ness:

The bold colors makes me so happy:

So much to love about this room:

And for the lighter side of me:

I'm off to Atlanta tomorrow, which is where my husband has been rocking it out all week. I have missed him terribly and am about to go nuts for lack of sleep...(does that ever happen to y'all? Your love leaves and you have a hard time sleeping?)

I hope you have a fabulous 4th of July weekend! I know I will!!

just breathe...

2009-07-01T08:54:00.005-05:00

I heard a quote last week at church and it has yet to leave my mind, so I thought I would share:

"Hurry kills everything from compassion to creativity." (anyone from Church of the Highlands remember which pastor this was?)

Since my husband has been out of town, I've had a lot of down time. By choice. I took my own staycation for a couple of nights, and it has proven to be needed. Things have been happening so fast for us, with all of our changes going on (jobs, school, the HOUSE). Most of which I have left out of this little blog, so as not to bore y'all.

I hope you have found time to rest your pretty little heads some. It's worth it. It really helped me to re-think some decisions and I even came up with a design for our bedroom, which the husband loves. (I had been having a hard time putting together what I wanted)

So, off I went to explore "gray" paint colors over on Benajamin Moore, and came across this room:

This room is gorgeous to me. And exactly how I want to model my living room after. The neatest part is they offer where you can look for the accessories and furniture, plus the colors of the wall. (they just made my life so easy... hey, don't judge!) And yes, that is a black wall. LOVE IT!

Tonight will be another 'restful' night of cleaning our apartment. Strange how I find cleaning relaxing, eh?

I like a good deal...

2009-06-29T18:33:00.005-05:00

If you are in love with this Anthropologie dress like I am, but not in love with the price tag of $128.00....

...then check out this dress from LuLus for only 34.00 bones..

I like the savings here!

I'm going on a chair hunt..

2009-06-26T09:17:00.007-05:00

THANK YOU, coco + kelley (don't ya just love her incredibly inspiring blog??) for your Style (E)scapes post today. First, it was definitely a glam garden, and second, it led me to this lovely website, Gardenhouse. Where I found this lovely chair (I promise, I'll be off my chair soap box soon).

I love this chair. It has the traditional lines and modern print. I will take two of these please for my living room. However, with the way too high price tag, I must move on. So, I'm on a hunt for the perfect chairs that I can give some love and new fabric to.

A few finds from Birmingham's Craigslist:

I like this chair, and it would be super easy to recover. But I'm looking for a little more comfort for when friends come over for "Game Night."

This is a neat chair, but the back sits pretty low.

This wingback chair has caught my eye, though.

A dark picture, but this is a retro chair. Great lines!

I have plenty of time to search, so I will start trekking around Birmingham, stalking all yard sales and flea markets for chairs that are calling my name. I know they're out there somewhere.

Birmingham ladies, if you happen to see some and don't need/want them for yourself.. please think of me =)

have a seat, please

2009-06-24T10:14:00.005-05:00

Now, I know these chairs are completely out of our price range, but they are exactly what I have been searching for. I've needed some modern chairs to fit our modern couch, and with a touch of color/fabric. These are divine. Darn that price tag!

Mademoiselle Chair with Missoni Fabrics via AllModern.com

I wouldn't mind having a more traditional chair and have them re-upholstered in modern fabric. I just have to find the right ones. Ideas??

wishful thinking?

2009-06-23T14:27:00.007-05:00

Excuse me dear husband, can we break our Shopping Hiatus for these adorable items, pretty please? With sugar on top?

Oh, and I thought my friend who wanted gray dresses for her wedding, could tie in this one, as well. Maybe add some trim to the bottom if it's too short?

all images via Anthropologie

House # 3

2009-06-23T10:06:00.006-05:00

We are going to look at this house tonight. For those in Birmingham, it's located in Pelham. It's the farthest down I-65 we are willing to go, but this particular home has easy access to the interstate.

Looks like a townhome, but isn't attached.

Kitchen leads into the Living Room

This is a 2 Bedroom 2.5 Baths with a Laundry Room. Not too much, other than painting, that needs to be done. We like that part the best! It's adorable and all we would need really. We'll know more tonight!

Thank you again Brooke for hosting a lovely (and yummy) dinner last night!

manic monday...

2009-06-22T09:57:00.007-05:00

Today feels scattered. Well, most of the past three weeks have been scattered. My thoughts haven't quite been on design as much as I like, and most of my house projects are on hold. So, I do apologize for no updates on those and a thank you for letting me use this blog as more of a personal diary at times!!

We had a great weekend with family, and more house hunting. I am also on the lookout for gray bridesmaid dresses for a friend... I really do love event planning!

{via J Crew}

I would love to see the bridesmaid wearing different dresses in the same shade (not all from David's Bridal either) as seen here:

{first seen at In Style}

Had I had bridesmaids at my wedding, I would have done something quirky like that. I really do need to do a post on our wedding. It was pretty non-traditional, and absolutely intimate. It was all I had wanted and more. Our wedding photographers did our wedding as a gift to us (we really were so blessed when it came to our wedding), and they recently had a baby, so we're still waiting on the edited pictures.

Ok, I'm off to go read your blogs to get my mind off of houses for now!

happy friday!

2009-06-19T09:46:00.003-05:00

If/when we get our first home, I would like to hang something like this in our dining room:

{via Lamps Plus}

I had a glorious week spending time with my sisters (my older sister lives in Virginia and came in for a visit) but I am exhausted. Tonight will be a lazy night, as my husband will be off recording. I'm thinking a good book and some kettle corn popcorn.

Have a lovely weekend!!

House # 57,896

2009-06-17T09:05:00.010-05:00

House hunting... boy am I tired emotionally, mentally and physically (we are having some hot and humid weather here in Alabama). BUT, it is so exciting as well. We are extremely fortunate to have friends to help us along in this process, offering advice and issues they had dealt with when they had purchased.

My husband and I always swore we would never purchase a "cookie-cutter" home. There is no character in these homes, and if you know me and my husband we are full of that...personality. However, a good friend offered up these wise words "It may look the same on the outside, but you can make it completely yours and unique on the inside." The house we are looking at is built really well, and another plus is we would know practically everyone who lived in the neighborhood.

Here are some pictures. We're waiting to hear back from the loan officer. (we were already approved with a different loan officer, but if we go through their realtor, we have to be approved through them)

We would end up painting our shutters a dark color

Dining area looking into kitchen and living room. We'd opt for the black appliances.. we actually prefer those over the stainless steel ones. I know, the terror. They also are offering a $3500 deco incentive, which would allow us to upgrade to hardwoods and other things, but we'd rather take that off the asking price. We know too many people who could get the job done for cheap later on.

This is actually an eat in kitchen, but plenty of space for us

Living area, so neat. To the left in that hallway is the place for the washer and dryer and to the right are the 2nd and 3rd bedrooms with a full bathroom

Master bathroom, and my cute husband being a camera hog

Tub and shower

Master walk in closet. This picture does not do it justice. We went by last night and it's bigger than I had remembered. You can fit a twin size mattress and still have room to wiggle!

The one downfall to this lot, are those giant green sewer things in the back yard. We like this lot the best for many reasons, but are wondering if there is anything they can do about those. If not, we may look at a different back yard. Those are such an eye sore and completely annoying. So, we'll see!

It's quite an adorable home and there is no doubt we'd start painting and changing things up right away. But, it has great bones and no major renovations needed!

And the winner is...

2009-06-16T08:37:00.002-05:00

ME!! Remember this give-away I entered last week?? Well, you guessed it, I WON!!! I am extremely excited and grateful to go shopping over at Lola B's Boutique with 100 bucks, especially during my own Shopping Hiatus. It seems this is just perfect for me, since we are also house-hunting.

I am truly thankful to Katie at Sa Sea Boutique for my first win, and wow, what a way to start out, right?? Katie, you are such a lovely and talented blogger, and I congratulate you on your 100th post!

Speaking of house hunting, I have a few pictures to show you ladies later on today. My sweet husband and I took the day yesterday bouncing around neighborhoods, and I think we have found one we can't live without. EEE!!

Hope you ladies had a great weekend and Monday!

going green

2009-06-12T09:37:00.007-05:00

I know the color white is so timeless and perfect for any room to brighten it up, whether it be curtains, pillows, vases or just odds and ends. However, I am more of an ivory color kind of gal. I love how the white looks in homes, and white trinkets are so available these days, but what about ivory trinkets?? They are a little harder to come by, or maybe this is just "not their season." Whatever the case, whenever I see adorable pieces I love in white, I just picture them in ivory and start a mad hunt to find them.

Such as these lovely textured white vessels:

I've done just a little more to the dining room (the big green painting is going to have a drastic make-over soon, meaning the color is going, but this picture had the table and shelves together. And those vases will have flowers in them soon, I hope)

If I could add more of these amazing vases to my green collection, I'd be one happy girl:

{vases via West Elm}

It's been such a busy week. I never knew how much time and energy went into the possibility of purchasing your first home could be! Hopefully we'll know more with that over the weekend.

Just a funny little picture to leave you with. My adorably kitty, Tigger, during his bath.

Have a great weekend!!

well of course...

2009-06-11T11:50:00.003-05:00

I'm going to post about this fabulous give-away!! The ever so lovely, and beyond talented Katie, at Sa-Sea Boutique is celebrating her 100th post as a blogger. And in honor of that, she is giving away 100 buck-a-roos to one lucky reader, to go towards the equally talented, Lola B's Boutique.

How amazing, and generous is that?? Go on over, and enter your chance to win as well! With the shopping hiatus most of us are in, this would be a real treat!

This one makes me particularly happy:

Good luck and have a wonderful day!

Shopping Hiatus

2009-06-10T10:54:00.005-05:00

Since we are looking to purchase a home this year, I am officially starting our Shopping Hiatus. We were told to save our pennies now, since we have been loose about that before. So ladies, I'm officially on the bandwagon and let me be honest here... I'm nervous. I am the spender of the family and my husband is the saver. So, this will be a very hard concept for me. Like any other hiatus, we have our exclusions.

*New contacts for me
*Supplies to refinish the dresser (still shouldn't cost that much)
*Husband is recording 2 songs for a new band him and a friend started, and since he knows friends in the recording business they're giving him a break, but I believe it will end up costing $100
*One cute outfit for my sweet niece who will be here in October
*CHEAP birthday and wedding gifts for those events coming up

That's really about it. We are going to stop eating out, unless he's on a business lunch and I'm out for a girl's night (about 3 times a month). Other than the dresser, no other house projects will go on.

Also, a friend gave me this website to help with coupons and deals for the day to get me started...after all, I am a newbie to all this. My time will now be spent clipping coupons. (how crazy that I'm excited about this??)

Lucky for me, I have a few gift cards left over from the wedding and birthday for when I am on the brink of pulling my hair out and my husband finds me rocking myself in a dark corner, ha. I am reminding myself of the bigger picture and know this will help me in so many ways.

Here's where the Shopping Hiatus began...

need a little...

2009-06-09T09:18:00.007-05:00

empowerment?? Go on over to the inspiring blog, Perfect Sentiment, where the lovely Erin speaks some truthful and encouraging words.

Things have been quiet, yet busy here. I've been just busy enough that I haven't had time to tackle the dresser I've been dying to get my hands on. We live in an apartment, so it takes a lot more than being able to go to a garage to sand and paint. But, I'm working on that.

My husband and I have been toying around with the idea of purchasing a home this year. Over the weekend we went and looked at an adorable home. I know it could be possible we don't get this house, but just the possibility of getting into our very own home this year makes me absolutely giddy! I feel like a "big kid" now! And of course, I'm already daydreaming about colors I would use to paint and dinner parties we'd have on our back deck.

I would probably purchase some outdoor chairs like these because they are cheerful, like my mood:

{via cb2, of course}

Will keep you all updated!

feeling lucky?

2009-06-08T09:18:00.007-05:00

Lucky Magazine just came out with their "Everything under $100 issue," and I am positively giddy with it. If you haven't gotten your copy ladies, I'd say it's a fashionistas dream magazine. Everything in this issue is truly under $100, and I'm not talking about things being $99. It gives a list of websites perfect for bargain hunters. I haven't officially begun my shopping hiatus, and I don't plan on going wild, but I do "need" a few more summer pieces.

Perfect for a summer wedding

{via LuLus}

Poolside with your man

{via Forever 21}

Lunch date with your girlfriends

{via Miss Me}

And of course, something for your home

{via cb2.com}

Hope you ladies had a great weekend. Mine was pretty eventful and I hope to share more of that soon!

a leap of faith

2009-06-05T08:54:00.005-05:00

I think I'm officially in love with decorator, Jonathan Adler's interior design. I could post a hundred pictures to prove my point, but I will stick to the ones I saw in May's House Beautiful Mag. Adler designed most of these furnishings and accessories in fashion designer's Liz Lange's house in Westchester County, New York.

Holy kitchen, I am in love. The thing I love most about this are the bold patterns and colors he uses against an otherwise "stark" white kitchen.

And if money were no object, I'd like to buy this please.

I've been absent this week for a few reasons, most I won't bore you with. But, I am excited to report that I will be going down to working only 4 days a week starting in July. As I mentioned in this post, I have been wanting to pursue other dreams of mine, and after having a heart to heart with my boss, I've taken one small step toward making these happen. This one little day will free up so much time for me. I'm so giddy. And I wanted to thank you blogger friends for your kind words and encouragement. Y'all are extremely sweet and I truly appreciate the time you all spent by commenting!!

So, everyone raise your glasses and let's toast, to whatever you want, but I am toasting to taking a leap of faith...no matter where it may lead.

CHEERS!

black walls

2009-06-02T10:01:00.005-05:00

The lovely Marianne from Haven & Home posed the question "Is Black the new Pink?" And then went on to show some lovely fabrics she scored with black as the main color. I would have to say YES! However, my husband wears nothing but black and I have a closet loaded down with it as well. If I'd let him, he'd probably have our living room painted like this, living up to his rockstar image, of course.

{image via House Beautiful}

Marianne also posted this picture of a black wall...

...and I could definitely see my husband and I being the odd couple to put this in our child's room. I love it!!

So, I pass the question along.. Would you be so daring as to put a black wall in your home?

daydream believer

2009-06-01T11:05:00.005-05:00

Totally don't mean to be debbie downer today, but I'm having a very un-motivated Monday. That probably could be considered redundant by most. I'm not entirely sure why though. I had a relaxing and productive weekend, it's absolutely beautiful today, and I enjoy working (for the most part). However, lately I have this burning desire to dive into something new. Two of my dear friends are getting married this year and I have been asked to help plan/decorate/whatever they need for both. After planning my own wedding, it's like this new passion has come alive inside of me! I can multi-task like no other, and I know this is key to party planning. My friend Kimberly, whom I've mentioned before is a wonderful decorator, and we sort of team up for these events. We all went swimming last night (one of our Summer rituals we're picking back up) and we sort of joked about starting a business for couples planning a wedding on a t i g h t budget. I know that everywhere I turned, planners/venues/caterers/florists were expecting $10,000 minimum budget for the wedding. I know that's not a lot to some, but to those of us NOT wanting to spend that much (and use our money in other places), it is.

My point is, I'm daydreaming about this a lot today. Probably because this dream could easily be attained. I already know of several girls who would want our help. But, it would be a huge step and one that didn't make much money for a while. This is what is on my mind today. Just a lot of daydreaming and no motivation to sit behind this desk! So, thanks for listening. I'm off my soap box for now =)

{via Martha Stewart Weddings}

I fell in love with this picture when browsing ideas over the weekend. And I love that tea-length dress!

yes or no?

2009-05-29T09:13:00.003-05:00

I am loving this anthropologie top. And it's on sale for $39.95. I'm thinking it will be mine today, especially since our Shopping Hiatus is about to officially begin. I will do a post on our exclusions and such, soon. I'm desperately refraining from going crazy today and buying every cute shirt I see.

In other news, I've got a few projects I will be working on this weekend while my husband is off being a rockstar. Can't wait to share!!

Have a great weekend!!

it's the little things

2009-05-28T09:45:00.004-05:00

Look how fancy I am with my tiny changes to my blog!! Thank you Paula, at two ellie for sharing Amanda's tutorial love. Now, if I could only figure out how to change my header... it's driving me crazy. I'm really slow at all of this, but I'm learning! But, I'll take the help from ANYONE who wants to help a sista out =)

Did this picture give you enough warm fuzzies and giggles to help me out NOW?!?

this + that

2009-05-27T08:57:00.010-05:00

Just some updates here and there for y'all (yeah, I'm from the south...) The original fabric I chose for my framed fabric idea, can be seen here, was not quite what I was wanting once I received it in the mail. The fabric is beautiful, but the color grey is much darker than I was expecting. So, I've decided to go with this very neutral pattern and color, and work other colors into the bedroom. I'm completely satisfied with the simplicity of it and look forward to getting it on the wall!

A few shots of us on our beach trip.

Who doesn't love having a pinata at their birthday party?? Oh, and we had cookies instead of cake, because Taylor and I do not like cake. Weird, I know.

You should be completely jealous of our airbrushed t-shirts. They are super sweet, and v-neck to boot!

The ladies of the trip. Jordan (who's getting married in October!!), me, Kimberly and Taylor.

And, last, just a little glimpse into our obsession with ice cream. (please excuse our hair. It was pouring on us the last day there)

I'm sorry my blog has been lacking in the eye candy department. There are so many home projects going on, that's really where my mind's attention has been. I'm looking forward to starting my dresser make-over this weekend. Have a great day ladies!!!

happy, happy birthday

2009-05-26T09:43:00.002-05:00

To Me!!!

I have missed my blogging friends and look forward to catching up on everyone's blogs later tonight. I had a fabulous time at the beach and will share some photos later!! I have truly had the best birthday month thanks to my wonderful husband, family and the best friends a girl could ask for. I feel blessed and absolutely in love with this precious life God has given me.

Cue the sun!

2009-05-20T10:15:00.007-05:00

I honestly have no design inspiration today. Why, you ask??? Because I am leaving for the beach in the morning and that is really all I can think about. I even wore a 'beachy' blouse to work today. We are going with some incredible friends of ours and staying at a beautiful house in Seaside, FL. The very same area they filmed The Truman Show.

Absolutely charming little town with million dollar homes. The sort of place where riding your bike is more of a treat than a chore. And the people aren't stuffy millionares. You know what I'm talking about here. They're friendly and welcoming. I feel as if I am independently wealthy when we are there, and being that I'm a social worker and my husband is a musician, we're far from that. (although very, very happy with our lives)

This beach trip is purely for vacation. No plans, no weddings, no obligations. We're also celebrating mine and my dear friend Taylor's, from The Adventures of D and T, birthdays! It shall be a weekend of absolute bliss and fun, rain or shine!

So, ladies... Enjoy the rest of your week. I shall be back next week refreshed and ready to tackle my new DIY project!

the dresser

2009-05-19T09:49:00.005-05:00

Ok, here are two pictures of the dresser (which was originally a china cabinet) we just bought. My husband put it in our bedroom last night, just to see how it looks, and we both are 100% satisfied with our purchase! Refer back to this post to see the dresser that is my inspiration, but not in our budget, if we want to finish the rest of our bedroom out.

I am quite smitten, and proud. Not too shabby, eh? The lines are exactly what I was looking for. It has a good 6 inches on the west elm dresser, but with the size of our bedroom, it is a much needed 6 inches. Our plan is to paint, or stain it a dark chocolate brown and get some fancy shmancy door knobs and pulls from anthropologie. We're going to take the dark brown curtains from our living room and put in the bedroom. We have a street light just outside both of our windows that lets a lot of light in, so light and airy is not the feel we are going for. As we finish the bedroom I will post pictures!

Have a lovely Tuesday! Tonight I will be shopping and packing for our trip to the beach. We leave Thursday morning, rain or shine!

a home in the making...

2009-05-18T09:35:00.006-05:00

I'm very happy to report I DID get that piece of furniture I posted about on Friday! I forgot to snap a picture, though. I promise I will soon! It will take a couple of weeks before I can really get my hands on it to vamp it up. In the meantime, I've been making a few purchases for our apartment.
The first being this rug from Urban Outfitters for our kitchen. I needed something this big to cover the ugly tile that is standard with most apartments, and it works well with our color scheme.

I also- finally- decided on the fabric I wanted to frame as mentioned in this previous post. It's from Amy Butler's Nigella collection: a great mixture of classic feminine with a modern design. I'm particularly excited about getting our bedroom together, as it is the only room in the apartment I'm being frilly with. And that's not because of my husband, but more because we both like very clean and frilly-less design. So, I'm branching out ladies!

And these pillows for our living room from Etsy shop Maries Cosey Cushions for whopping $20!

I've noticed I have a thing for grey and have somehow incorporated the color into almost every room in our apartment. I'm now on the hunt for grey curtains for our living room to match that grey in the pillows. Any suggestions (at a reasonable price of course) ??

diy project found

2009-05-15T09:05:00.007-05:00

Oh my gaaaa, I am excited. I have been scouring local flea markets, thrift stores and other (cheap) furniture stores over the past 3 months looking for the perfect dresser to go in our bedroom. I wanted it to be a DIY project because I love the challenge and so I could stretch our budget for other pieces. First let me show you the dresser that I had originally fell in love with.

{via West Elm for a whopping 800 buckaroos}

I do not have a picture of the piece I am *hopefully buying as soon as I get off of work, but I will snap one tonight. I found it at our local Salvation Army Store. It's actually a china cabinet and hutch set for $200. We have no need for the hutch, so we will either talk down the price, or pay the $200 and donate the hutch right back to them. I am more than thrilled my friends. It is the same height and look as the dresser with a few changes here and there. I am wanting to paint it a grey/brown color and get some anthropologie knobs to gussy it up a bit. Just a couple of pictures for reference.

So, that is my project for the next few weekends. Any tips or tutorials that will help me is gladly appreciated.

*I say hopefully only because someone else may have their pretty little eyes on this piece as well. So, cross your fingers and send little thoughts and prayers my way in hopes that no one is =)

exciting news!

2009-05-13T12:32:00.013-05:00

My younger sister, Erica just informed me she is having a GIRL!!! I cannot tell you how excited I am. I have 4 nephews (all under the age of 4) and a little brother (age 4), whom I'm deeeeeeply in love with, but I have waited 5 long years for a precious niece. My whole family knows my shopping addiction, so they keep joking that I will literally break the bank for this sweet little miracle. And you know what? They're right. Erica also has a 16 month old named Klayton. She will be one busy little mommy, so I will be Aunt Rachel to her rescue. This definitely helps with the baby fever I have been battling lately.
Here are some pictures of my sweet family.

Here is Erica and her husband Jon

Uncle JonRoss and Ethan (age 1)

Me and Klayton (I'm playing peek-a-boo and he's sporting his rad mohawk)

Henry (little brother age 5 next month) and Landon (age 3)

Carrie (stepmom) and Caleb (age 5 in July)

Caleb, Landon and Ethan belong to these two Josh(brother) and Emily

Henry belongs to my Dad and Carrie

This is my beautiful Mom and me

And my hunky husband with his parents Judy and 'Kid'

Just a little glimpse into my wonderful world. Sorry for the poor quality of pictures, bad lighting and no cropping of pictures. Partly lazy and partly camera. I am excited to get our new camera soon!

20x200

2009-05-11T21:29:00.003-05:00

Most of you bloggers have probably heard of Jen Bekman's 20x200 Project. If you have not, please go check out the website as you will not be disappointed. If you are like my husband and me, we love art and are always on the hunt to expand our puny little collection, when we can afford it. One of the great things about 20x200 is it bring artists to you and you to the artist, all with this great technology we call the internet. How fabulous?? And, you can choose how much you want to spend according to the size of the prints. I love her formula: (limited editions x low prices)+ the internet= art for everyone.

These are the two my husband and I love:

artist: Valerie Roybal

artist: David Corbett

For $20, I am sold!

all things owls

2009-05-11T10:01:00.009-05:00

I've been seeing owls all over the place. Earrings, purses, sculptures, and prints. What is it with these mysterious creatures that we think are adorable enough to decorate our homes and outfits with?? Who knows. I do know I think they are a fabulous addition to any ensemble or room.

{made by Feisty Elle first seen at Modish blog}

{Vintage Owl via dear golden's Esty shop}

{Kenneth Jay Lane necklace via My Wardrobe}

{via LuLus}

{via Fruit Fly's Etsy shop}

This would look adorable in my green dining room, perched on a shelf!

I had the BEST weekend!! Quality time with my family and friends, became an official college graduate, and I slept until 11 am on Sunday! More pictures about my weekend soon!

it's so hard, to say goodbye...to yesterday

2009-05-07T09:07:00.005-05:00

My dear friend Hannah and new blogger from This is Only the Beginning, sent me an email last night with a lovely surprise inside. A link to Etsy shop The Brass Hussy. LOVELY!! And, I think I will just add these to my ever-growing birthday wish list!

A few of my favorites:

I will be taking off tomorrow, as I am spending the day with my mom before she heads home to Virginia. I've thoroughly enjoyed having her here (Alabama) for the past 3 months, but she misses her husband and home terribly and is quite ready to tend to her garden- I don't blame her one bit. I know they are hard for everyone, but 'goodbyes' are really hard for me. So, I am not looking forward to this one, knowing the next time I get to see her will be sometime in October. aggh. Thank goodness for emails, facebook and phone calls!!

*sorry for the cheesy title of this post... i couldn't resist. i remember listening to that song so many times after a break-up in highschool. It makes me giggle to hear it now.

Have a lovely weekend!

birthday wishes

2009-05-06T11:17:00.004-05:00

No, it's not my birthday today, but it is in 20 days! I have an absurdly long "wish list," which is ever-changing. These two are definitely on it, and may get them early. My husband said I have a surprise coming my way Friday.

{via anthropologie}

In other news: My sweet husband has already told me what I'm getting as a graduation present. A DSRL camera!! EEEEP! So, we're trying to decide, Canon or Nikon? And I am an amateur, and by amateur I mean I've looked at these cameras and that's about it. But with the camera will come photography classes or just a lot of help from one of our several friends who are in to photography. So, suggestions for which brand/model?

melissa moss

2009-05-05T09:25:00.005-05:00

I went to visit my dear friend Kimberly (who would be an amazing blogger given she is in school now for interior design and has the wittiest humor of anyone I've ever met) over the weekend, as she was very excited to show me some prints her and her husband bought while on their 4yr anniversary trip to Asheville, NC (which is definitely on our top list for the next vacation spot). The city is home to many cutting-edge artists and there is always some art festival, concert or happening event going on. side note: Kimberly said the city smells like hemp, interesting.
She was absolutely giddy about this new-to-her artist Melissa Moss. And after reading her blog and checking her artwork out, I was hooked. She states that she left the "publishing world to study color psychology and during my course work discovered my true passion…painting. I use color as my primary artistic element. I’ve studied the meanings and associations of colors and their subtle shades and tones and use this knowledge to convey the mood of each painting." And, she is true to her word. If you get the chance today, go check out her gallery. How lovely to have a few of her prints/art mixed in on your gallery wall??

There is also a hint of humor in her paintings, which is probably what first drew Kimberly to her work. The print they bought was called "Lemony Goodness" and is quite lovely.

Enjoy ladies!

another side note: I am getting the boots mentioned yesterday! YAY!

these boots were made for...

2009-05-04T10:26:00.003-05:00

Question: Cowboy boots. In or Out??

These are from the Steve Madden collection and are on sale, but the point isn't should I get these, rather are they even considered "in style?" And if they are, will they continue to be for some time?

oh, what a day!

2009-05-01T10:38:00.005-05:00

Since this is me at work today, I've decided to pretend I'm here, with my husband.

{photo by Debi Treloar}

Have a lovely weekend!

all things bird cages

2009-04-30T10:05:00.008-05:00

{Plumer Bird in Cage necklace by Moss Mills via CandyStore Collective first seen at contended me}

{via Maisy's Market}

Very interesting and lovely bird cage for a little girl's room
{via Nest Pretty Things}

{via we heart it}

We used one at our wedding to hold gift cards and such. Then we had white chocolate doves for our wedding favors. It was quite lovely. I'm wondering what to do with it now?? Any suggestions?

love at first sight.

2009-04-29T13:30:00.008-05:00

These adorable gemstone rings from Lindley's Recessionista by Korcula line

New York City, where my lovely friend Laura is for the week. I love the hustle and bustle, having the starbucks barista ask me to order something again because he loves my southern accent, Broadway shows,huge billboards, and the many different cultures one comes in contact with in a single minute. I do hope to go back soon.

This fabulous necklace the lovely Laura purchased today at Tiffany's.

This classic swim suit from J.Crew

Ocean blue vases from Tina Frey Designs, first seen at design public. I love all things blue right now, really.

And last, the bed frame I want is on sale at West Elm. I really need to see someone about my West Elm obsession.

"Love of beauty is taste. Creation of beauty is art." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Room to Outfit

2009-04-28T12:21:00.011-05:00

As previously posted, I am starting a new series called Room to Outfit. The lovely Paula at two ellie started the series Outfit to Room (which are all so wonderful), so I thought it would be fun to reverse that thought and start this new series Room to Outfit. Here is the room that I previously mentioned, and two outfit options. (sorry I didn't keep up with the designer of the room)

Outfit 1:

{via net-a-porter}

{via anthropologie}

{via bakers shoes}

{via LuLu's}

{via Tom Design's etsy shop}

and if you want some green add this!
{via master gold craft's esty shop}

Outfit 2:

{via mod cloth}

{via J.Crew}

{via bakers shoes}

Keep the same jewelry and bag if you prefer.

Hope you enjoy ladies. This was fun and a challenge -when looking for specific pieces. I look forward to doing more, and getting more creative! If you have a room you'd like to see turned into an outfit, please email me at jrnraldridge@gmail.com!

opinions wanted...

2009-04-27T11:15:00.011-05:00

Ok ladies, I need some opinions/help. I am loving the framed wallpaper/fabric look right now (and my husband also likes it- yay!) and need your expert opinions on which direction I should take.

Here is our bedspread:

{from West Elm}

Now, as far as the pattern goes, should I stick with something basic but classic like this (can be in any color, I can't get enough of yellow right now):

Or have a little fun and go with bold patterns/colors:

{via fabric.com}

This may too girly for my husband, but I love it:

{via designyourwall.com}

It will be a fairly large piece of fabric being framed as shown in the last picture of my previous post. Or, if you have come across wall paper/fabric you think I should take a look at, please link it to me! Any advice is welcome really.

Thanks!

the bold and the beautiful

2009-04-24T09:30:00.011-05:00

I'm feeling bold and empowered today-mainly because I completed my final class last night and I have a sense of accomplishment and freedom! In honor of my mood, I wanted to post some pictures with beautiful, bold colors.

{via Livingetc first seen at sarah klassen}

{via trevor dixon}

{via kerri's kreations}

{via CB2}

{both via Jessica Klewicki's photographyblog}

I'm completely in love with the framed wallpaper and am off in search for some to go in my bedroom behind our bed!

Happy Friday!

Red + Yellow

2009-04-23T09:50:00.009-05:00

Last night I did a little spring cleaning. I'm a bit like Monica from Friends in that I am quite OCD about my home being clean and de-clutterd. It's a tough job, but somebody's gotta do it. I truly don't mind it being me. And yes, I love to sing while cleaning such as Cinderella.

However, I do not like feeling like this now. I'll be 27 next month, I shouldn't feel 77?!

After finally sitting down to relax, I started watching HGTV and one of the designers was using a red+yellow color scheme for a living room. I wasn't sure how I felt about these two colors together. So, this morning I started browsing magazines and came to the conclusion that I am not keen on the basic primary colors yellow and red being paired together, such as the designer was doing last night(they tend to look too Ronald McDonald), rather variations of the colors together. UNLESS, they are the accessories. Make sense??

Well, here are a few shots I do like:

{via apartment therapy}

{via Polly Wreford}

Using this color scheme, the yellow and red would make great accessories

{via LuvCharlie"}

I'm sure there are other fabulous red+yellow rooms out there, but I am short on time today. What is your take on this color scheme??

do you ever...

2009-04-21T20:12:00.007-05:00

think you could be best friends with someone famous, with what little you know them? Well, I have a few people I adore, and think we could be the best of friends. One being Jennifer Garner. Through any interview I've watched or read, she was completely down to earth and HILARIOUS! She's a mommy first, and has seemed to find the right balance between her career and family. Which for any mommy, I can imagine it is a tough road. Now, throw in cameras following you everywhere you go... I just can't imagine. Anyway... InStyle Magazine will be featuring her on their cover. The photos I saw online are breathtaking.

Stunning. Dramatic.

I love the jewel tones.

Just so gorgeous.

Ok, ok... I'm off my soap box. I am looking forward to the issue coming out!

And in honor of Earth Day tomorrow, I wanted to share a green brand of make-up Cargo with the mantra, "Red Lips. Green Conscience." Their new line is eco-friendly and "is truly beauty with a conscience. From natural and organic ingredients, to its environmentally award-winning compostable packaging, Cargo PlantLove™ lets us go green glamorously."

And isn't the packaging delightful??

Happy Earth Day!

all things lovely..

2009-04-21T10:21:00.008-05:00

Only three more days until I am finished with school, super excited! Crazy week, so this post will just be a few random things that make me smile. And I really haven't been good about keeping up with where I first saw things, so I apologize for the lack of credit given...

Decoy Lab's hanging wall clock

Sam McAdam Photography love the wall color

My nephew, Landon turned 3 over the weekend. The boy loves to eat!

This will be my first Room to Outfit post. Really kicking myself I didn't remember where I first saw this, or who the photographer is. SORRY!

My hunky husband, and my cute dress I wore to a beach wedding this past weekend.

"Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing." Mother Teresa

trying to complete the bedroom..

2009-04-20T10:21:00.005-05:00

I would love to have a headboard similar to this...in more of a brown/cream color scheme.

And ideas from you lovely design bloggers on how I could achieve this look? On a friendly budget!?

{photo via Livingetc.}

Pleated Petal Tank ANTHROPOLIFICATION GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-04-16T15:23:00.006-05:00

Pleated Petal Tank ANTHROPOLIFICATION GIVEAWAY!!!!

The beautiful and inspiring Kathleen over at Grosgrain is hosting this fabulous giveaway. It seems all too perfect, since there is nothing I love more in the fashion world than anthropologie on a budget! I have been reading her blog for a few months now and she is always hosting wonderful giveaways. Like most of us, she lives on a budget and Anthropologie's prices are a bit steep. She turns thrift store finds into "anthropolification's" at an extremely low price. Her work and talent is truly amazing. Oh, and she also has giveaways from her featured sponsors. I wish I could win them all!

After reading about her post on Tiffany from Muntedkowhai, I knew I NEEDED one of her amazing necklaces. I was going to post a picture of the one I bought, but it must be sold out. It's adorable though! I'm completely happy with my purchase and I received quite a few compliments when I wore it.

Pop on over to her blog, you will instantly fall in love as I did! And enter the contest for your chance to win!

SIDE NOTE: If you have the priveledge, such as I did last night, to go see Wicked... PLEASE do. I love musical theatre so so much. I used to be really invovled when I was in highschool but pursued other dreams in college. Last night sparked such a deep passion in me that had been buried for so long! I won't be quitting my day job or anything, but I do plan on going to as many shows as possible and may get involved with a local community production. My husband's first musical was last night, and he absolutely loved the experience. YAY for me.

Have a great weekend my lovely's! I'm off to the beach for another wedding!

all things ruffled

2009-04-16T10:21:00.010-05:00

Do you ever find yourself standing in your closet just staring at your clothes? Wondering what to wear today? Wishing you HAD bought that cute little shirt to go with ________. Well, I did that this morning. And as I was picking through my clothes, I noticed I have a thing for ruffles right now. Interesting, but they are just so pretty!

The first being the J.Crew skirt I mentioned getting here(although I got it in the color shown below). I wore it with an orange tee and an adorable orange flowered necklace with bone colored pumps.

This adorable t-shirt, also from J.Crew

And finally, these strappy sandals from GAP

And I'm sure I won't stop with just these. I do adore all things ruffled.

pretty little things

2009-04-14T09:23:00.002-05:00

I am in love with Anthropologie's 3-D Nursery jewelry collection. We have quite a few weddings to attend this summer, and I think this necklace would be the perfect accessory for a simple little dress.

The posts will be light this week and possibly next, as I am finishing up my last two weeks of my undergraduate degree at UAB. Finally!

welcome home

2009-04-13T09:36:00.008-05:00

I love being a newlywed. Well, more importantly, I love my husband and the marriage and life we are building. . We've gone from hand-me-down furniture to buying pieces that reflect our design styles. It's truly been a lot of fun, and a bit challenging on a budget. Right now we live in an apartment, and as busy as our first few months of marriage have been, I've been grateful not having to deal with the up-keep of a house. However, if any of you have lived in an apartment, you understand my frustrations style-wise when dealing with ugly walls, carpet, cabinets...the list could go on.

Our dining room in the making...(PLEASE excuse the awful photography job I did. I was in a bit of a hurry and the pictures looked better on my camera, I promise. Well, I'll just keep telling myself that.)
The table and chairs are from West Elm. The painting is a work in progress. I love the color green and am now deciding on what else to do with it.

I love collecting salad plates with fun designs on them. The tea pot is from my grandmother and my inspiration for the color of the painting. And don't you just love fresh flowers?

The chairs I love, two green and two brown.

There's still so much we can't wait to do with this dining room, and I'll add pictures as we update!

could you...

2009-04-09T15:27:00.005-05:00

...imagine this peaceful night's sleep?

And speaking of paper lanterns... I would love something like these for my dining room. Anyone know where I could look? I think they'd look perfect with the rest of the furniture. (we are getting our Parsons table tomorrow!!)

{photos by Nicolas Matheus}

Lauren & Wesley's Wedding

2009-04-09T10:23:00.007-05:00

So, this past weekend my husband and I traveled to Rosemary Beach for our friends, Lauren and Wesley's wedding. There is nothing more beautiful than having the ocean as your backdrop. I have told my husband I want to renew our vows in 5 years, on the beach (he thinks I'm silly at times). It is simply beautiful. Their story is a beautiful one, and I have said before this couple has more love in their pinky's for each other than anyone I know. The photographer, Anne Wade Parrish did a fabulous job capturing their special day and moments. Interestingly enough, she attends the same church as my husband and I. Stop by her blog for the complete story of their wedding day and her wonderful pictures. Here are a few of mine.

The reception was held at The Preserver at Inlet Beach.

Her bouquet

My sweet husband played during the ceremony

I love his expression here
How adorable?
Centerpiece

We have another beach wedding next weekend we will be attending. This one is at Gulfshores, AL. Very excited about Jared & Elisha's wedding, as well as more time at the beach!

two ideas

2009-04-08T09:31:00.004-05:00

I have two ideas that popped into my head sometime driving down the road yesterday. The lovely Paula at two ellie started the Outfit to a Room series(which I adore so much), and I thought it would be neat to reverse that and do a Room to an Outfit series. If someone has already thought of this, then OOPS! But, I may still do one of my own?! As I continued to drive, I constantly found myself looking at nature around me and thinking, "ooh, i love those colors together" or "ah, those colors would be really neat together for a dress." So the other series could be something like Nature to an Outfit or Nature to a Room. Just ideas or thoughts I had. Any suggestions or comments??

I am still going to post pictures from the beach wedding we just went to, when I have more time today. But for now, I'll leave you with one that makes me smile. I love paper lanterns right now. I don't know why, I don't have much use for them. I think they're adorable though and would love to purchase some for my deck for those warm summer nights hanging out with my husband, catching up on the events of our day, with some iced sweet tea to drink.

just because...

2009-04-07T11:30:00.002-05:00

...these kitchen concepts and designs are blowing my mind right now, I had to share. I found them on Trendir's website and you can go and read more about the concepts and designs. Now, most of them are ultra-modern and are very inspiring to look at, but too minimalist for me (and most of you bloggers).

Although this one really caught my eye and would be something neat to think of during our "loft-living." I love the fireplace in the corner, but would have to add some more personalized "stuff" in this area to make it more cozy, some patterns and throw down a rug of course. (sorry for the small picture)

Ok, have a great day lovely ladies!

first or second?

2009-04-07T09:36:00.005-05:00

Exciting news today! Daniel Bashta, a worship leader my husband plays with, is being featured on the 700Club, and for today and tomorrow will be interviewed and then filmed while playing. Although they aren't called The Daniel Bashta band, they might as well be. My husband has been playing with him for almost 4 years now and they have been to many events and cities leading others in worship, mostly at youth events. He is also the worship leader at Riverstone Church, GA. Daniel's vision, "My Worship in Motion" can be read about on his blog. So, today I get to leave work early and be a part of this very neat and exciting process.

On a different note, I'm trying to decide between these two skirts for Easter Sunday, and of course for other fabulous occasions.

This skirt is from J.Crew and a little more expensive

This skirt is from LuLus (I seem to love most things from here lately)

Any thoughts??

hmmm...

2009-04-06T11:44:00.008-05:00

I'm sort of lost on inspiration today for my blog post. Not that I don't have a thousand ideas swimming around in my head, but I am so worn out from our wonderful beach weekend, that I can't seem to pull it all together. (ever have those days??) So, I'll just post a couple of pictures that made me smile and realize how quirky my taste can be. One dining room is very vintage and the other very modern. (I can be so extreme at times) I love them both, but seem to have a hard time marrying the two for my own home.

Vintage

Modern/Contemporary

{photos via apartment therapy}

Oh, and I am thinking about purchasing this adorable and simple dress from Lulus.com!

beach bound

2009-04-03T22:27:00.003-05:00

We're heading to Rosemary Beach early tomorrow morning for a very quick trip. My dear friends, Lauren and Wesley, are getting married! I am thrilled to see how her classy, sophisticated taste will be reflected in their wedding (will post pictures after). My sweet husband and I are excited to enjoy a day on the beach for a few hours, possibly shopping around, and definitely enjoying some yummy seafood!

I've always dreamed of living my life as a "beach bum," and should I retire to a beach to live one day, I'd like to have this oceanfront showhouse. And I just might actually enjoy to cook in this kitchen. I love the woven bamboo shades and the amount of light allowed in. The pop of ocean blue tiles is refreshing and would put a smile on my face each morning, especially after the first cup of coffee.

{kitchen first seen via Coastal Living}

phase one.

2009-04-03T09:01:00.004-05:00

I have seen other bloggers posting photos of a room that best sums up their design style. Not that I've been tagged, but I wanted to see what I could come up with. Right now, my husband and I are living in what we call 'phase one' of our lives. Meaning, very modern (and cheap) furniture and design.. soon to be living in a loft downtown.. clean lines and no fuss. As much as I adore refurbished pieces and antique accessories, for now, they are not a part of our design style.

So last night as my husband was doing his usual rockstar thing- recording for a cd- I went and visited my mom. I picked up her Better Homes & Garden and came across architect Robert Swatt. His residential work is right up our alley and is simply stunning. I can envision us living happily ever after here. In his designs, he "always strives to dissolve boundaries between inside and out." Which is why I fell in love with this work in the first place (and why we'll be loft-living very soon).So, for our phase one living, I believe this picture sums up our design style.

I wish the picture was wider in order to see the rest of the dining room table. But here it is, our modern style.
Happy Friday!

orange with a side of blue

2009-04-02T15:25:00.011-05:00

I was browsing apartment therapy today, and was thankful they had featured Interior Designer Palmer Weiss. I instantly fell in love with his color palette of burnt orange and sky blue (not to mention his overall style in general). I just knew I had seen these pictures somewhere before..then it hit me.. I had seen them here. I just love oranges and blues mixed together right now, and that is slightly hard for me to say because I do love me some Alabama Crimson Tide*.

After being inspired by these colors, I set off in search of an outfit with these colors-or variations of them- and came up with this for a casual date night with my husband...

Top by Wet Seal

Skirt by Anthropologie

Belt by Anthropologie

The shoes are up for debate, as I am not a good judge for the perfect shoe to complete an outfit. I would also add some oversized earrings and minimal make up.

*Being from Alabama, and growing up as the granddaughter of the owner of Bama Fever, college school rivalry's are a big thing down here, and a side is always choosed. Except for my husband, who could care less about sports.

Oops, I caught myself daydreaming

2009-04-01T13:23:00.004-05:00

If I had my choice, I would be wearing this outfit today. While perusing the streets/vendors of Santa Maria where my dear friend Blair lives. And since I have my choice right now, I would be able to afford these pieces as well!

It's a beautiful day...

2009-04-01T10:14:00.008-05:00

One dark and gloomy morning, my husband and I were driving along, when all of a sudden he says, "Today is a beautiful day!" Being the sarcastic man that I know him to be, I started to chuckle at this. He said, "no really, today is beautiful." Intrigued, I prompted him to explain. He then went on to tell me how he loved the shade of grey in the sky in contrast to the bright green of the trees. WOW! I thought, "today IS a beautiful day and he just helped me come up with a color scheme for our dining room!"

I thought about this most of the day and began browsing the internet for more inspiration. I started first with the lovely Paula's blog, two ellie where I found this cheerful home.

The dark putty wall color depicted in this picture is exactly what I had been looking for, with maybe a hint more of grey. And that green is just so fresh and adds just the right amount of pop that I love in a room. My dining room chairs are from West Elm and are a bit darker than the lime green, but who says you can't layer colors in a room??

And just to add a little more color (and happiness) to the room, I'd put some of these beautiful flowers on our Parson's dining room table. I will post pictures of our dining room upon completion.

{photo via D Magazine}

and the journey begins...

2009-03-31T21:03:00.003-05:00

After a few months of stalking, err perusing, the blog world, I decided to dive on in and start one of my own. I have found myself falling in love with other lovely ladies' thoughts, adventures, design inspirations, fashion choices and so on. How amazing that I can feel so close to these "strangers" thanks to them opening up their lives to ME? Well, I hope to do the same here. Who knows what will appear day to day, but it will mostly be what inspires me the most in my very own fashion or design choices. I love fashion, design and photography, none of which am I involved with professionally, but love just the same.

A little about me: I am married to a wonderful christian man who plays electric guitar for our church and an amazing christian artist, Daniel Bashta. He has such a heart for worship and helping to lead those to worship. I just adore him. In 28 days I will have my Social Work degree and will be going to grad school in January for my Masters in Clinical Social Work. We have a quirky kitty named Tigger, who likes to sleep in the sink or bathtub. Being that my husband is a musician and I won't be making the "big bucks" in the social work field, I love the challenge of finding things as beautiful as the overpriced clothes/furniture/accessories I easily fall in love with. Which is why I'm a dreamer by day and shopaholic by night. It takes me most of the day to find things I can afford!

Also, we've been extremely blessed with incredible families and friends, whom I will talk about quite often I am sure!

DISCLAIMER: I took a web design class in college, but I'm a little rusty at this. So, the posts will be more in depth and inspiring, I promise.

Enough about me, I have dreams to dream!