Babies

Last night my husband and I were talking about holiday plans and I mentioned to him that my mom invited us to come to Disneyland with them over Christmas. It's what we did two years ago, and I'm excited about the mini vacation. I also mentioned that my mom invited us to go to Florida with them over the summer after my sister graduates from college.

And he says, "Is that a good idea? Won't it be hot? And you said you didn't want to be hot when you are pregnant?"

It kind of hit me like a ton of bricks. We might be pregnant this time next year. In terms of kids I've been telling him that I wanted to get started on #1 before I turned 30. Next year (well, in like another four months) I turn 29. So according to logical math, that would mean that this time next year, I could be knocked up (in the good way of course).

And though I don't really admit it, I had a slight case of baby fever. It's mild really. But with so many people getting pregnant and popping about babies, I can't help but think about it too. But then I think about all the practical stuff, like babies being expensive, income, and blah blah blah.

The timing thing kind of snuck up on me. I didn't think we were that close to starting to try. Although, then my husband says, "Well then this means you just gave me an extra year." Maybe so. Maybe not. Weird thing about growing up. It's exciting and terrifying all at the same time.

Halloween

This month has flown by and I almost can't believe that Halloween is so soon. I'm not a huge Halloween fan, except for the candy component, but I saw this floating about the Internet and wanted to share. These pumpkins are pretty hilarious!

Have a fun and safe Halloween weekend!

Turbo Fire: One Month Update

So, I've been doing Turbo Fire for the last four weeks.

And while the results have not been drastic in the first 30 days, I have lost about 3lbs and 5 inches overall. To be totally honest, I was hoping for more. I figured that being on WW coupled with intense workouts would lead to faster weightloss, when in fact, I feel like I'm more stuck at a certain weight. And I'm thinking that I shouldn't have hit a plateau....yet.

However, I think it also has to do with my nutrition plan. I haven't been quite as vigilant as I should be. I have been tracking everything, so I know that I fall under the calorie goal, but I've also allowed myself to rationalize certain choices because I have worked out. The wonderful thing (and what makes it worth it) about Turbo Fire is that the average 45 minute workout burns about 800 calories. which. is. awesome.

But, it's super frustrating to not see the number on the scale go down. I guess I'm more frustrated because I feel like I was consistently losing more weight (or consistently losing weight each week) while on WW (which I'm doing through at least the end of the month), but now I'm not. And I know that it's probably attributed to gaining muscle, but I'm a numbers kind of girl, and the scale going down definitely motivates me more. AND, I'm thisssss close to 10lbs down. I keep teetering at 8-9lbs....

I'm still hoping to be down another 10lbs by Christmas, and I know that I need to step up my nutrition game if I'm going to lose more weight. But I'm not giving up. I know that it would be easy to give in after the first 30 days, but no, this program will be over by December 11.... I CAN DO THIS!!

One Day Bathrooms

One day, I will have a bathroom with a clawfoot tub.

I don't know when, but one day I will.

Source: None via Catie on Pinterest

Source: styleathome.com via Catie on Pinterest

Source: s1198.photobucket.com via Catie on Pinterest

What home item do you dream of having one day?

Starting Turbo Fire on Monday...

So to add in a little more oomph to my daily routine, I'm starting Turbo Fire on Monday. I joined a group started by a friend of mine to keep each other accountable and to encourage each other. And not let each other quit.

I'm both excited and slightly terrified.

Seriously. But I'm DETERMINED.

I'm determined to make a difference. I hope to continue on this streak of losing pounds, and now also building more muscle. I lost another pound last week, even with my family in town and throwing my eating habits out of whack. Thankfully, it's really all about being conscious of what I eat, so when we went to Chick-Fil-A, I had determined what I could eat and did not go over that.

Self control is HUGE.

And for the the next 90 days, WILL POWER will also be HUGE.

This program is going to take commitment.
This program is going to take determination.
This program is going to take pure will.

And to help track my progress, I took BEFORE photos. Let me just say, that is definitely a special kind of torture. And a definite reality check. I don't think I have the traditional body dysmorphic disorder, where the person is usually really skinny and they think they are overweight. I am overweight, but I don't think I know how big I really am. Taking these photos let me see that undeniable truth.

The program is set to end right before Christmas, where I hope to be able to buy a new pair of jeans in a smaller size. That's the goal! By my birthday in February, I hope to have a new outfit!

In fact, I started a whole new pinboard on Pinterest to pick out looks I'd one day like to be able to wear. When I have my waist back. You can check out the board here.

And if you have any interest in doing Turbo Fire, let me know! It's not available in stores, but I am a Beachbody Coach and can order it for you. 

Weight Watchers: The First Month

Every time that I step on the scale and the number has gone down, I kind of can't believe my eyes.

And I just get SO excited.

 I'm at the one month mark, and so far, I have lost 6lbs.

 6 POUNDS! And while that might not seem like a lot, it is a huge stride for me. It's the first time that I've weighed what I do since I put the weight on about eighteen months ago.

Through all the things I've tried, P90X, 4 Hour Body, and counting calories, I've never lost weight consistently, and I've never stuck to it.

So I'm excited.

It all started like this. I lost a few pounds prior to our wedding. We were in the honeymoon phase, eating out all the time, eating whatever we wanted, and unlike my husband, who seems to have the metabolism of a bumble bee, I do not. And the weight started to creep up. And up. AND UP, to the point of the highest weight I've ever seen. It was horrifying.

And I said "Enough is enough." Seriously.

Of course, it took me almost two years to gain all this weight and because it was gradual, I guess I didn't really notice it. Or I ignored it. Probably a perfectly mixed concoction of the two. That was probably the kicker.

So I finally decided that I couldn't just be complacent anymore. I couldn't continue to make excuses because I'd never lose the weight that way. Last month I saw the promotion to join Weight Watchers online for free with a prepaid 3-month membership. And I figured that if Jennifer Hudson could do it, so could I.

I was a little skeptical at first, but when after the first week a pound came off, I thought, "Well maybe this is working." Then the following week another two pounds came off, and by the third week another pound!

Just by tracking my food and doing some exercise has been great in enabling the pounds to come off slowly and safely. I plan to continue steady with this, and the best thing is that I haven't had to sacrifice anything, I haven't had to eat only certain foods, I just have to keep track of what I'm eating. Obviously, I can't eat a quart of ice cream, but I can have the allotted serving size of 1/2 a cup. Which, when I'm craving something sweet is just perfect.

If I'm on track with my weightloss, I'm hoping to hit 10lbs lost by the end of the month. Which is just SO EXCITING! Thank you Weight Watchers.

And eventually, I'll have a waist again. Goodbye muffin top!

Source: mskstreetfashion.ru via Catie on Pinterest

Office, please.

Oh the office.

Okay, so I have an office, but it's just not living up to it's potential. Of course, that's entirely on me, and sometimes I wish that I had that innate interior decorating talent and could just whip up an amazing space in no time. But I'm no Jane-of-all-trades, so I digress.

I found some of these pretty office spaces and I'm just dreaming about what I could turn my space into. The thing is that I don't have a whole bedroom to work with. Instead, it's more of a small space that's like a large walk in closet. I'm not really sure what it used to be...I believe the previous owners of our house remodeled, which included my office being created.

So I've been looking for examples of great small office spaces. I really want to get a cubby-bookshelf, the Expedit from Ikea, and just finish painting the walls. Yes, I've been complacent with half painted walls.

Source: bhg.com via Catie on Pinterest

Source: houzz.com via Catie on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Catie on Pinterest

Source: 24.media.tumblr.com via Catie on Pinterest

What does your ideal office look like?

Weight Watchers: Week 3

I signed up for Weight Watchers the day before their "Sign up for $1" promo ended. This is what I told myself, "If Jennifer Hudson can do it, so can I." Granted she also has access to personal trainers and probably a nutritionist, but still I thought I would give Weight Watchers a shot. I joined the online only program and have been tracking my points for the last three weeks.

Well, I'm ecstatic to report that I've lost 4.5 pounds so far! All without depriving myself and eating foods I like. This is the most weight I've lost on a program, in a slow and steady manner, which is great. I know that it's not much different from just counting calories, but there's something about paying for a program that makes you stick to it.

I'm a member of SparkPeople.com which is a great website for tracking your nutrition and workouts and it has so many amazing resources and articles for losing weight. Every which way you browse there's a great success story. And it's FREE! That's probably the best incentive. However, for me, I think because it is free and I know that it'll always be there, I took it for granted. Actually, the when I first joined SparkPeople, I followed the meal and calorie plans and tracked all my food. I think I lost about 10lbs. Awesome, right?! Then I became complacent and lazy...

Now I'm at a point where changes must happen. We're starting to think about having kids and I don't want to have any complications due to my weight. So I'm taking the steps to change it. And since I've paid for three months up front, I know that I'll stick with it for at least that long. Longer, really. If I'm being totally honest, I have about 60lbs to lose to get to my first goal weight. This is just the beginning.

Someday. A Dog.

Oh, I have totally been thinking about dogs lately. I really want to get one. But there's a partial commito-phobe in me that is worried about getting a dog! But Having grown up with two dachshunds, I know that it would be awesome. I'd love to have a little companion to hang out with all day!

I'm thinking about a dachshund or a corgi or a maltese. I've only ever had dachshunds, so they are definitely the front runner. I've been looking into rescuing a dachshund from one of the Dachshund Rescue Organizations in Dallas. There are tons!

And there are so many dogs that need good forever homes. I'm hoping that sometime next year we can get a dog. I found a few adorable photos of cute pooches on Pinterest. My heart melts.

Source: andmiscellaneousthings.tumblr.com via Catie on Pinterest

Source: fuckyeahcorgis.tumblr.com via Catie on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Catie on Pinterest

Source: weheartit.com via Catie on Pinterest

All Good Cowboys

I'm so excited for my cousin who just released her first album, All Good Cowboys.

You can listen online and purchase from the same website.

Happy Monday!

Prayer please...

On Tuesday, while I was getting my tire repaired and another replaced (I so hate car troubles!), I received some devastating news. I learned that a former co-worker and friend of mine was just diagnosed with lymphoma. Cancer. That's all I know for right now, I don't know what type, what stage, or what the prognosis is. It really came out of nowhere.

She's 27.
She exercises and eats healthy.
She has her life ahead of her.

And probably most challenging of all, she's been unemployed for about a year and has no health insurance. I can't even imagine the stress she could be going through on top of finding out that she is sick.

If you're the praying type, please pray. If you're the well wishes type, please send those.

I'm so heartbroken for my friend. I hope that they found it early...

Done with Lemons

When life hands you lemons, make lemonade, right? Well, this girl is totally over squeezing.

I know that this post could be really angry, but I don't want to go in that direction. I think I believe in karma too much. So, I don't want to wish ill things on others, but I am upset. I didn't get that job. But I think that the worse thing is that I know who did. It's like getting punched in the gut and then kicked in the face for good measure. And to top things off, an important potential client meeting was cancelled. That was supposed to be tomorrow.

I know I should learn from this and move on. But it all happened today. I feel like I got rained on. And then hailed on. I feel like I should run and take cover for fear of being struck by lightning next. I know that my not getting that job is nothing personal. But it totally is. That job was (at least it seemed to be) a great fit. A ten minute commute! A small office! And income to supplement things.

I guess it wasn't meant to be. Maybe God is saying, "There's something even better coming." I sure hope so, because I think I've become so accustomed to disappointments at this point that anything good would be welcome relief. And the thing is that I can't really talk about this anywhere else. Because while I'm sad that I didn't get that job, I am happy for the person who did (at least I will be in the future). But this isn't something I can talk about on my professional blog or on Facebook or Twitter. So I'm thankful I have this space. Even if no one reads it.

I'm just so discouraged. I know that tomorrow is another day and I will get through this, but I was so hopeful. I was feeling really encouraged. And now. Well crap. Darn it, I need to catch a break when it comes to these life altering moments. I need a "sign" of some sort that will let me see that, YES, I am moving in the right direction. It's moments like these that my faith is tested.

I'm thankful to have encouraging friends and family who support me and try to make me feel better. I'm thankful to be in good health. I'm thankful to have a roof over my head and food to eat. I'm so thankful. I'm looking for that silver lining while I spend the next couple of days wallowing. Don't mind me. 

101 in 1001 Coming Soon

I started a 101 in 1001 list a few years ago. And after a while I kind of just lost track. I think it might have been listed on an old blog that I don't write on anymore. I really want this blog to be the home of all the things that I don't blog about on my photography blog. While I do share bits of personal aspects of my life over there, I needed an outlet that would allow me complete freedom to write whatever I want.

With my twenties starting to come to a close (it's true I can no longer say "mid-twenties"), I thought it would be a perfect time to start a new 101 list. Stay tuned. I plan to keep to it. I think I'm also going to see if I can find my old 101 in 1001 list. Hmmm. I wonder where it is.

Chalkboard Ideas

So to get my mind off of the whole job thing, I thought I'd blog some of my favorite chalkboard ideas.

I have a wall in the house that is totally blank. It's right across from the kitchen and would be perfect for a chalkboard of some sort. Maybe for the week's menu, a weekly schedule, or maybe just a to do list. There's just something about chalkboard and the invention of chalkboard paint that is totally awesome!

It might even help up be more organized. I know I could totally use something that would help us stay on track for our weekly menus. Usually, I'm pretty good Monday and Tuesday...and then by Wednesday I lose steam. With a menu on the wall, I think we could stick to it. Or at least it would be pretty.

All images found via Pinterest. Check out my stream for more inspiration!

Waiting and Patience

Oh. It is so difficult to be patient. Seriously.

I also know that there's no point in worrying because everything will happen as it happens and there's nothing I can do about it. So really, I should just sit back, relax, and see how life unfolds.

Right.

Well, that job interview went really well, I know that my references were called, and I have a second interview on Tuesday. I think the thing that is killing me is that I (unfortunately) found out that I do have a contender for this job. I mean, I suppose that I thought I would, but today it was confirmed. So that means that I don't for sure have that job. I still need to knock it out of the park again. Great.

And if I'm being totally honest, this is the first time that I really, really, really want this job. I think it showed during the first interview. Now I just need to bring it again and show that my intentions are true and good and that I. WANT. THIS. JOB.

Oy. I know. I need to relax and chill out. Because, really? I can't do anything more than do my best. And as Tony Horton of P90X says, "Forget the rest."

So I'm just going to do what I know I need to do. Let go and leave it up to God. F'reals. That's the best bet.

The Job Interview

So it's been about five years since I've been on a real, live job interview. I had a few interviews in between, but they were all for internal positions, so the pressure was a lot less. A LOT LESS. And then when I moved I took a trip around in the world of self-employment. I love it. I really do. But, it's no joke that the pay can be sporadic and completely unpredictable, and we're at a point in our lives where we need a little more stability as we move into the next phase.

No, I'm not giving up photography. That's hardly the case. But yes, I am and have been applying for a full time job that would supplement our income while my business grows. I really didn't know what I was getting into starting my own business, but I love it 110% and wouldn't give it back for the world. However, there are realities, like paying bills and also having a little thing called fun. And money is required, of course.

All this to say that I had my first real interview in five years last week. It was actually the first time that I was really excited about the interview and I think I might just have aced it. If that's possible with interviews. I was able to talk about my passion, instead of keeping is swept under the rug, and I'd be able to talk photography in this job until I turn blue in the head. So, suffice to say, I'm super duper excited about this job prospect. I also have to mentally prepare myself for the idea that I may not get it. While I think I did well, I don't want to get all cocky and think that I'm in just yet.

However, the hiring manager asked me for some references, so I'm thinking that's a definite good sign. And now begins the waiting game. Patiently waiting for some good news via email or phone. Or the other type of news. But I'm staying positive and optimistic without getting overly excited. And praying. I'm definitely praying for this one. I don't think I've ever wanted a job as much as this one because it just blends my passions together nicely and it's just all kinds of good. Plus, the commute would only be 10 minutes! Seriously.

If you're reading this, please send your thoughts, vibes, and prayers. Thank you so much! I so appreciate it!

Weight Watchers

I saw a commercial last night, and not that it was very different from their other commercials, but something about it hit me. Maybe it was because I was watching TV with my husband. Maybe it was because I said, "Maybe I should try Weight Watchers," and he said, "Me too." I don't know. A friend of mine (who just had a baby) just started on Weight Watchers and she said it was very doable. So...I'm thinking about it. Seriously.

If anything, I might lose weight, and that certainly would not be a bad thing!

Has anyone else out there tried Weight Watchers? What did you think? How did you like it?

Happy Bastille Day!

To all my French friends and ex-pats living in France, bonne fete nationale! 

And if you're in Dallas, check out Bastille on Bishop in Oak Cliff!

Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead

This weekend I watched a documentary on Netflix on recommendation from a friend called Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead. It's about Joe Cross' journey from being (aptly named) fat, sick, and nearly dead at 41, to going on a 60 vegetable-fruit juice fast and totally reversing his ailments, losing 90lbs, and feeling better than ever. The documentary also chronicles another man's journey, a truck driver that Joe Cross met on his cross-country drive who asked him for help. The truck driver went from fat, sick, and nearly dead at 42 and 429lbs, to becoming an advocate for eating real foods and losing over 200lbs!

My aunt had told me about the benefits of juicing a few years ago and I kind of just brushed it off. Probably because she's fit as a fiddle and didn't really have any weight to lose. But seeing the results of two men who started overweight and sickly and making progress over time, and making a LIFE CHANGE, was huge. It's worth a try, and goodness knows that I need more vegetables in my life. Maybe the juice form will make them much easier to eat!

You can check out the documentary website here and the movement here.

Has anyone ever gone on a juice fast? Has anyone ever juiced before?

After watching this documentary, I'm interested in trying out a juice fast for ten days. The least that would happen is that I'd be getting my vegetables. The best that could happen is that I drop a few pounds, which I really need to do!

Window Treatment, Anyone?

This window treatment is soooo amazing, and exactly what I'd want for a window in the kitchen or bathroom. Be sure to check out Brooklyn Limestone for the DIY Tutorial.

Photo via Brooklyn Limestone

Totally want to do this!

Budget Habits...

This is one of those sensitive topics that is so difficult, and yet so necessary to breach. Especially when you're married. I mean, clearly, we had to discuss money before we were married, but a few weeks ago, we really got into the nitty gritty of things. And it was hard.

But now I think we both feel a little better about it, although, we do wish that our situation was better than it is. But who doesn't? I mean, I'm so happy that we have a roof over our heads (that we own), food to fill our hunger, and enough to enjoy life. I couldn't really ask for that much more. When I get in that place of thinking we need more, I just remember that there are people out there with so much less. People who really do need more. When I get that reality check, I remind myself to be thankful for all that we have.

If you are newly married or newly engaged, I definitely recommend taking a day to sit down with your spouse/fiance and having a frank conversation about your finances. There's nothing worse than being on different pages and then having to deal with any consequences of bad spending habits later. Have you ever seen that episode of How I Met Your Mother where Lily and Marshall are trying to get a loan to by an apartment? It's the Dowistrepla episode. (On a side note, HIMYM is one of my favorite TV shows, so funny!)

In order to keep our finances in order, we use Mint.com. I actually started using Mint maybe four years ago after reading about it in Money Magazine. It's a great tool for tracking expenses, setting goals, and keeping budgets in check. OH and it's FREE.

It's an ongoing process, and I think that money is something you MUST be open to discuss. Otherwise, the relationship will suffer, undoubtedly. Stress will mount. Resentment may fester. It's just not healthy.

Fun DIY Vases

Gotta love the things you can find on Pinterest.

I love the idea of upcycling - especially for glass jars. I found this idea and just had to share.

To see the full tutorial, visit The Colorful Living Project

Car Trouble...

Oh for the love of car trouble.

Seriously. It's something I dread worse than the dentist. Or the OB/GYN office. Or home improvement problems.

Yikes.

Saturday, on our way to church, my car died. We got into my car and it wouldn't start. Dead. Kaput. Nothing. I could hear a little clicking noise and the power wavered. So my best car instincts (what little there is) told me that it was the battery.

Great. Luckily, between calling AAA, waiting for a tow, and figuring out what was up, the tow company that partners with AAA gave me a deal on a new battery with warranty. Phwew. This is not the time for having to spend an arm and a leg on car repairs. And my car has been soooo good to me for the last three years. The tow truck guy told me my battery was corroded! Yikes! And that it was about time for a new battery anyway. So it was coming.

That day just happened to be today.

Lovely.

Sometimes, I wish I was a mechanic. Or, at least had some of the rudimentary expertise of a mechanic.

Mocha Crepe Cake!

I saw this recipe and just had to share! I love crepes. I love cake. It's a match made in heaven!

Mocha crêpe cake from Home Life 
Serves about 10
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes (plus 30 minutes resting and 3 hours chilling time)

4 eggs, lightly whisked
1 cup (150g) plain flour
1 1/2 cups (375ml) milk
2 tbs caster sugar
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
Melted butter, to grease
Filling
200g dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup (160ml) thin cream
1/4 cup (60ml) freshly brewed espresso
Mocha sauce
200g dark chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup (80ml) thin cream
1/4 cup (60ml) freshly brewed espresso
2 tbs coffee liqueur
2 tbs brown sugar

1. Combine the eggs and flour in a medium bowl. Gradually add milk, while continually stirring, until well combined and mixture is smooth. Add sugar and vanilla and stir to combine. Set aside for 30 minutes to rest.
2. Heat a 15cm non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Brush with melted butter. Pour in enough batter to coat the base of the pan. Cook for 1 minute or until lightly golden and just set. Use a spatula to turn and cook for a further 30 seconds or until golden. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining batter, reheating and greasing pan between batches.
3. To make filling, place chocolate, cream and coffee in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Use a metal spoon to stir for 5 minutes or until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat; cover with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until mixture cools and thickens.
4. Line a 20cm springform pan with plastic wrap. Place a crêpe in the pan. Spread with a little fi ling. Continue layering with crêpes and filling, finishing with a crêpe. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 3 hours or until chilled and set.
5. To make the mocha sauce, combine the chocolate, cream, coffee, liqueur and sugar in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir for 5 minutes or until sauce is smooth.
6. Turn the cake onto a clean surface. Use a sharp knife to cut into wedges. Place on serving plates and drizzle with hot sauce.

Photography: Steve Brown  Stylign: Jane Hann

Gorgeous bedroom wall

I'm having total WALL ENVY. Seriously. 

If I had another bedroom to spare, I would totally go for this wall treatment. Part of my heart is always in Paris, so I can't help but swoon over this wall! A map of Paris on a huge wall, yes please!!

{Photo via}

Oh Happy Day!

I know I'm probably late to the game, but I just discovered...or re-discovered Jordan Ferney's blog, Oh Happy Day. And she just embarked on my dream, a year in Paris! FRANCE. As she says, "The good one."

And there's a giveaway. Just check out the post here. If anything, her blog is a fabulous resource for DIY projects and all things for making your home pretty.

A New Mantra...

And it works for just about any endeavor.

1. Shoot what you love.
2. Pimp that work.
3. Repeat.

-Chase Jarvis

So "shoot" could also be:
-write what you love
-create what you love
-craft what you love
-draw/paint/design what you love

In essence, DO what you love.

Chase's blog post on the topic was about stop trying to get everyone to like your work.

WORD.

Guest Room Ideas

So last summer we finally decided to paint. The only color that we really agreed upon was to paint the living a light yellow color. Other than that, we had the two other bedrooms to paint and weren't really sure what color to go with. My husband decided to paint his man cave the navy blue of his school colors. I decided to paint the guest room a purple color, I guess because my sister said that would be her room when she came to visit.

After browsing some blogs, I came upon this fantastic guest room on 7th House on the Left.

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It's just so pretty and my kind of colors! I love the grey and yellow with turquoise. It's feminine, but not overly so, and yeah...swoon.

Cute Baby and Kids' Rooms...

So the Mister and I have breached the topic of kids. We talked about it before we got married, and now that we are almost two years into our marriage, we've revisited the topic. At first we said that we'd start trying in 3-4 years (from when we married). Then that became 2-3 years. And this weekend, he mentioned that he wanted to shorten the timeframe to start trying in 9 months or so. Not going to lie, I was both shocked and excited. Part of me is terrified to have a baby, but the other part of me totally has baby fever, especially with so many friends pregnant or with new babies. I guess it's just that time in our lives. First it was dating. Then weddings. Now babies!

Since babies are on the brain, I thought I'd share some baby room inspiration for when the time comes. Not yet though!

Photo via Young House Love

Photo via Pinterest

Photo via Pinterest

Photo via Chic Cheap Nursery

Happy Tuesday!

Bookshelves that Inspire

To say that I'm a bibliophile is probably and understatement. I love, love, love books. However, I probably don't have as many as I could. But I do love me a freshly printed book. There's just something about that new book smell, the crispness of the pages, and the dreaminess of the content (depending on the book, of course!). I really would love to have some built in bookshelves for books, collector's items, and accent pieces. I love the idea of having a wall of bookshelves.

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Ah, dreamy bookshelves, you'll be mine one day. One day...

Confessions of a Cookbook Queen

I recently discovered this baking blog Confessions of a Cookbook Queen through the Zite app on my iPad. And I've been hooked ever since. Kristan, the voice behind the blog, is just hilarious. Every post that she writes just brings a smile to my face or makes me laugh our loud, yes LOL in real life. I highly recommend her blog if you are looking for a yummy dessert recipe or for a good read.

Doesn't this Mississippi mudpie cupcake look heavenly?!

DIY Art for the Home

After browsing through Pinterest and all kinds of different art for the home, I stumbled upon a couple of pins that were of important dates. So that got me to brainstorming and designing. And after a little tinkering in Photoshop, came up with this. I think I'll print it as a 5x7 and frame it for my future gallery wall. It includes our birthdays, when we started dating, our engagement anniversary, and wedding anniversary.

I think it makes a great graphic keepsake.

I love these gallery walls.

I've been dreaming of what to do with our living room walls. And our dining room walls. And the blank wall right across from the kitchen. And the bedroom. Needless to say, we have a lot of blank walls that need some help!

I love the idea of a gallery wall. I grew up in a house without blank walls. I learned that blank walls are boring. But with fewer resources and still trying to figure out what our style is, I think I've been a little afraid to do anything with our walls. But now, finally, that we've had some recent photos taken, and I've been working on some art pieces, I think I'll have something great to put up on the walls!

Now I just need to DO IT.

Photo from The Nesting Place

Photo found on Apartment Therapy

Photo found here.

Photo by Young House Love

Happy Tuesday!

Window Seat Envy

Since I was a kid, I've ALWAYS wanted a window seat. From the time that I was old enough to know what a window seat was, I've been in love with them. However, I still do not have a window seat. Every time that I went house browsing with my parents, I'd always swoon over the window seats in the model homes. Because, clearly, model homes are the bomb.

And since joining Pinterest and finding this beauty (in fact, I made a whole board of JUST window seats), I can't help but still want one. It's the perfect spot to hide away to read or write or simply contemplate the world. It's perfect for those rainy days when all you want to do is curl up with a book and read. 

 

Photo found here.

One day. One day I will have a window seat in my home. I will sit there and read and write and contemplate the world. It will happen.

Gallery Walls

I absolutely love the idea of gallery walls. In fact, I'm in the process of getting a wall (or maybe more!) of these together. I love how it is clustered together with a variety of photography and art. We recently had anniversary photos taken and can finally hang some non-wedding photos. I'm not sure what art we'll intersperse....but it is sure to make our blank living room walls look like someone DOES live in this house! I will share once it's done.

 

Photo found here from here.

On blogging

I was thinking about it today and I've been a blogger for almost eight years, although, not a very consistent one. I've been looking at all the blogs I've started and then quit and I must have at least six. All of them have been hosted on Blogger, so it's not like I've lost out on hosting, but still. I realize, that's kind of sad.

I think I've figured out how to make myself a more successful blogger. For me, success at blogging is consistency, creating a community of friends, and gaining fulfillment through writing. It doesn't mean that I need to leverage having a million views or thousands of comments. Instead, I just want to build community with other bloggers, to learn and encourage each other.

In order for me to do this, I need to create a writing a calendar. I think that with this blog, I'll write at least twice a week to begin. I think I'll be spending most of this week figuring out what I want the focus of this blog to be. It'll definitely be about adventures in cooking, maybe some things I've learned since getting married, and eventually home projects. There's this headboard that I've been DYING to make. Have you ever been to Ana White's website? AMAZING.

I've been inspired by other food and home bloggers out there. I absolutely LOVE reading Young House Love. They are so real and write in a style that's fun. If I lived in Richmond, Virginia, I'm pretty sure I'd want to be their friends. Actually, I think I'd want them to want me to be their friend. (In the non-creepy, stalker sort of way!) For some reason I've been having a lot of baby thoughts on the brain (but trust me the hubs and I are totally not ready yet!) and I was reading about the Petersik's adventures in cloth diapering. They made it look so easy! And after looking at the cost of diapers over the lifetime of a child.... I think I'm sold. And we're not even trying to have a kid yet! Although, I'm thinking that this blog could also chronicle that...when we get there.

There are several food blogs that I totally drool over, and there are probably too many to list. Seriously, my Google Reader is bursting! So I'm going to take this one step at a time. Baby steps, so to speak...no pun intended.