Monday, December 13, 2010



Song that I am loving right now:
“King of Anything” by Sara Bareilles

Quote of the day:
“Even though we’ve changed and we’re all finding our own place in the world, we all know that when the tears fall or the smile spreads across our face, we’ll come to each other, because no matter where this crazy world takes us, nothing will ever change so much to the point where we’re not all still friends.”

I am so glad that I finally made a framed chalkboard. I think it adds so much glamour to a room and makes any sparse space and instant hit. I looked for my perfect frame for a while. I would look anywhere I thought might have wonderful, vintage-looking frames, since that was the look I was going for. I looked of course at the major craft stores and it took me way longer than normal to leave Michaels. I also looked at thrift stores to see if they had any great deals. Hobby lobby was my next stop and nothing seemed to be pleasing me that day. I decided to hold off on my journey until the next day when I had a new perspective. The next day I ventured to one of my favorite antique stores in Woodstock. There it was, hanging on the front wall, directly when I walked in…the frame I had been imagining. It was not to vibrant and not to dull, it was perfect. Placed inside the frame was a funny looking giraffe that for the purpose of the ride home, I named Ralph. When I got home, I turned over the frame surprised to see that there was no way to get the picture out of the frame. However, I did not let this discourage me. I immediately started covering the edges of the frame with trash bags. Once I was certain that the frame was completely covered, I said goodbye to Ralph and started painting the glass with chalkboard paint. I used the spray paint kind, which I found has been easier to use. Every hour or so I would go back outside to add another coat. By the end of the day, I had added about five coats. I let it dry for 24 hours before writing on it and then, va va voom! A masterpiece was created. My mom hung it up in our kitchen and decided she wanted to be the first to write a sweet note on the board. I can’t wait to have it hanging in my own house one day! Have a beautiful day.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Friday, December 10, 2010

Song that I am loving right now:

“Somewhere over the Rainbow” by Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwo

Quote of the day:

“This is my wish for you: Comfort on difficult days, smiles when sadness intrudes, rainbows to follow the clouds, laughter to kiss your lips, sunsets to warm your heart, hugs when spirits sag, beauty for your eyes to see, friendships to brighten your being, faith so that you can believe, confidence for when you doubt, courage to know yourself, patience to accept the truth, and love to complete your life.”

Many people keep a list of things they want to do before their lives come to an end. I think that one of these lists is very important to have and allows you to notice that you have made certain accomplishments. I do something similar to this that keeps track of the things like I like and would love to see in my future home. In addition to this, I add crafts and do it yourself things that I would like to make. When something catches my eye, I want to remember it without adding it as a bookmark, because I already have way too many things bookmarked. What I do is print the picture out and paste it into a journal. I add a little detailed note to the side of the picture to make sure I remember what the decoration and craft requires. Not only do I print things that I enjoy off of the Internet, I also look through some of my favorite decorating magazines to get ideas. I add things from “Southern Living” and “Better Homes and Gardens.” They always have beautiful rooms and ideas for crafts. Eventually, I may even begin to put recipes I find attractive in the journal. It is a safe way to know that I have all of my favorite things pieced together. Hopefully, one day I can create or find all the things that reside in this journal. I genuinely enjoy adding things to the pages and enjoy it more when I get around to making the pictures into reality. I have already created a few things that I have in the journal including a framed chalkboard piece and a note card calendar. I will post about these creative little crafts later on! Have a beautiful day.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Fabulous Finds



Song that I am loving right now:
“Baby its cold outside” (glee version, of course)

Quote of the day:
“Promise that you’ll never forget me because if I thought you would, I’d never leave.” WTP



One thing my mom and I are constantly doing together is going to craft shows and antique stores in hopes of discovering some fabulous finds. We excitedly walk through the isles admiring every ones work and discussing which items could go where in our houses. The funny thing is that we rarely ever purchase the items. It is almost as if we are creating the outline of a picture on a pallet in our heads but never adding the paint. However, there are a few times when we see an item that is too gorgeous to let slip away. This is what happened with the wonderful wreath. Over the summer we went to the Yellow Daisy Festival. One of the biggest and best craft shows in Atlanta. The show has hundreds of vendors and thousands of buried treasures. The treasure that captured our eye was a paper wreath topped with a grandiloquent red ribbon. This, was definitely a fabulous find and we both agreed that we had to have it. Since she spotted it first, the claim was all hers. She found the perfect spot for the wreath right above a red cabinet that is in our living room. Jealous, I began my search for my own special wreath. While mine is slightly different, it adds unbelievable charm to my apartment. Mine is made out of coffee filters, how perfect for me, and so I am forever getting a scent of brewed coffee every time I pass my little wreath. I found mine on one of the most brilliant websites ever created, etsy.com. I am always amazed at the trinkets people can create and it is so fascinating to see artist at work. The wreath is something I can display year-round and I am so happy that we didn’t let this fabulous find get away! Have a beautiful day.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Song I am loving right now:
“Hey Soul Sister” (glee version)

Quote of the day:
“A little consideration, a little thought for others, makes all the difference.” WTP

The calming feeling of turning the pages in a new book is one of my favorite feelings. Reading has now become one of my favorite pastimes now that my life consists of doing noting all day, thanks to the job market and my lack of motivation. A book over time can become one of your best friends. Sometimes I get so involved in a book that I start to think about what my character would be like in a book. What kind of personality would people portray me to have? What kinds of things would I do? What would be my purpose in a novel? One of my recently found loves is “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett. This page-turner allows the reader to immerse themselves in the lives of women that lived in the 1960’s. The emotional stories take the spectator by the hand and lead them through passionate, colorful tails of the trials of that era. It is undeniably a remarkable page-turner that I will remember reading for a long time. You know an author is brilliant when they can plant the book pages in your memory and allow them to be velcroed there for years. I am always interested in reading the authors bio because I try to place myself in their position. What an amazing feeling it must be to complete a lofty book and then actually have it published and enjoyed by others. I would have to guess that that is one of the absolute best feelings in the world. After reading her bio, I was instantly a forever fan. I found out that not only was she a graduate from the University of Alabama but also that this was her first novel. Incredible and RTR. After 451 pages, Kathryn has now proved herself to the writing critics and ended up on “The #1 New York Times Bestsellers’ list.” I applaud this fledgling writer and look forward to reading more from her in the future. Have a beautiful day.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Song I am loving right now:
“Free” by Zac Brown Band
Quote of the day:
“How many cares one loses when one decides not to be something but to be someone.”
- Coco Chanel


Every girl knows that there are those two staple items that are an absolute necessity for her closet. Number one: the perfect black dress for any occasion. Dressed up with a set of pearls or down with a simple headband, this piece in a wardrobe is essential. Number two: those form fitting black pumps. The perfect black pump is the one you can slip onto your frigid foot to spice up the night. I have completely fallen for my new black pumps. I have been searching for a new pair since mine tragically lost their life due to Keegan’s ferocious appetite. I finally found a pair that I absolutely adore and convinced myself that they were worth the purchase. This new obsession is made by my favorite fashionista, Michael Kors. The Presley pump is not florid but simple and elegant. The small little gold button in the heel of the shoe gives it just the right flare needed to impress any shoe enthusiast. I wore them today for the first time and the fit was comfortable and unique. I don’t think anything makes a girl feel sexier then sliding on the perfect black pump. The shoe brings a sense of sophistication and beauty that is unmatched by any other accessory in a girls’ closet. Whether paired with a simple choice of skinny jeans and a sweater for chilly nights or the previously mentioned black dress, Presley pumps are a pleaser. I am glad that I now have a new pair and will hopefully remember to keep them out of Keegans’ reach; she apparently loves fashion just as much as I do. Have a beautiful day.