So...I decided to skip the New Year's Resolution this year

Before the hustle and bustle of celebrating tonight, I wanted to take some time to wish you a HAPPY NEW YEAR and to thank you for reading my blog for the past 3 months. 

This year, has been a really difficult year on some levels but then an amazingly fulfilling year on others.  I spent my first year of marriage with a man my dreams couldn't even hold a candle to.  Marriage has been amazing!  I turned 30, and I find myself basking in a different kind confidence and self-assuredness (and I like it!).  On the other hand, I found myself unemployed and unsure of what I wanted to do with myself.  For the first time in my life, I had no project, no goal to work on and felt like I had no vision or direction anymore.  Frustrating can't even begin to describe how I felt.  But each day I battled for my sanity and self-esteem and am victorious (thank you, Jesus!).

I decided to skip the New Year's Resolution this year.  Instead, I'm going to continue to love God, love people and myself a little bit more and a little bit more every day, from tomorrow until forever.  I'm going to continue to be excited about my future but find happiness, satisfaction, gratefulness and peace in my present.  I'm going to continue to no longer wait until I have "arrived" to celebrate my life or feel worthy of loving myself.  I'm going to continue to allow myself to feel more and walk in freedom.  I'm going to keep on resisting the urge to compare myself to others and rest in the contentment of my journey and all of the things that God has for me.  

My wish is that you would do the same, always have more than enough, keep dreaming and succeeding, keep loving and believing and allow nothing to steal your joy.  This is my wish for you not only in 2013, but from tomorrow until forever....

Huffington Post

Wants & Wishes

Happy New Year!!!

More of My Favorite Ikea Hacks...

I woke up this morning still thinking about Ikea hacks and some projects of my own.  I had so much fun looking at other hacks and adding to my inspiration board that I decided to keep the party going today!

Let's start with side tables...

Erin at Clementine and Olive Lifestyle blog was in love with this Clayton Grey Bungalow 5 Table below

The only problem was that it cost $455.  She decided to purchase two Ikea lack tables at $7 a piece and added some nail head trim...

As you can see, she took apart one of the tables and used the top as a bottom base shelf for her new table.  Creative, simple, doable and it works!

For a brand new etagere you could spend upwards of $1200 (you may get lucky and find a vintage one in a thrift store or Craigslist), but take a look at what Ana Antunes did with her Ikea Vittsjo Shelving Unit

These units run at about $70.  She painted them gold and the result is so elegant and pretty

If this is not the look you are going for, you can paint these shelves any color that makes sense.  Maybe navy or a mint green, orange, fuschia or yellow...

I never would have imagined using Ikea rugs to update a rundown stairway but Casey at Loft and Cottage used an Ikea Hessum Rug (runs about $24) to create a stair runner

Here's another cool idea from Sarah Fisher at Matters of Style blog.  Sarah took an Ikea Malm Table  and upholstered it...

Happy Friday everyone!

Ikea Hacks!!!!

Ikea continuously proves over and over to me why it is THE furniture store of the century.  Seriously.  Not only does Ikea offer really inexpensive furniture and accessories, but it has started a new movement of Ikea hackers.  I would describe Ikea hackers as creative, ordinary people who don't want to spend that much money but want to have one of a kind, cool furniture pieces. They're like you and me!

I have always been a fan of reworking furniture and today, I came across some Ikea hacks that I'm adding to my DIY inspiration board. Literally, hackers take an Ikea piece of furniture and transform it from this...

to this...

Pinterest

Amanda of Amanda Carol at Home started out with a basic Ikea Malm 6-drawer ($140) dresser in white.

Add some overlays (you can find some at My Overlays for really reasonable prices), slap on some gold leaf spray paint and viola!

Amanda Carol at Home

Here's another grecian key overlay...

Home Modern

Nancy Marcus over at Marcus Design took some cues from my favorite designer Dorothy Draper and reworked her Ikea Rast Dresser into this Draper inspired night stand

Marcus Design

You can check out her tutorial here

The Abundant Abode

The Abundant Abode used nail heads and a custom marble top to rework that same Ikea Rast.  Step by step tutorial here



Crafty Sisters

Small Shop Studio

This one has to be my favorite! 

Did any of these get your wheels spinning on a DIY of your own?

The Battle of the Christmas Tree 2012

Yes, we are T minus 4 days away from Christmas day and we still don't have a tree up (Don't judge us! lol).  Why, you ask? Let's just say we couldn't come to an agreement on what our Christmas tree should look like this year.

Bruce wants a real tree full of tradition

Inspiration Lane

While I didn't want to get stuck cleaning up pine needles all year.

I would prefer a more creative, modern approach to our tree.  A faux tree of course, small in size but big in personality and elegance.  Something like this...

Martha Stewart

A nice, small Scandinavian-esq tree

Or this...

Martha Stewart

With no winner in sight, we called it a truce. So tonight we'll pump up our holiday tunes and deck our halls using our 4 foot faux tree and traditional red, green and gold ornaments from last year.


Merry CHRISTmas everyone!

Grown Up Room for Little People

It seems like I am quickly becoming the only one of my friends without children--children are everywhere!  I have often said that when I have kids, I want to make sure their rooms flow seamlessly with the rest of our home.  While I want their rooms to reflect their innocence, I also want it to be more of a "grown up room for little people".

Designer Amanda Nisbet seems to understand exactly what I mean!  Take a look at her son and daughter's room.

Amanda Nisbet Design

Such a big girl's room, right?!!

And here's her son's room...

Amanda Nisbet Design

These two rooms below scream cool!  The little girls must be so full of their own little personalities and unique.  I love both beds! 

Elle Decor

Elle Decor

Here's some more...

Houzz

I think this room is absolutely adorable for a little boy!

Peter Pawlak Photography

A more modern approach!

Decor Pad

Zoldan Interiors

Caldwell Flake

Amanda Carol Interiors

Decor Pad

Little Crown Interiors

This is my favorite!!!

Decor Pad

Who knows--maybe I'll feel differently once I see their little faces.  Do these rooms make you feel like your kids are growing up too fast?  What do you think? Too grown up or just right?

Eye Candy: Goodman Hanging Lamp

Today, I discovered the Visual Comfort's Goodman Hanging Lamp.  I know, I'm late! It's a part of the Thomas O'Brien collection, and designers have been putting them up for quite a while now....

{Visual Comfort Blog}

{Bespoken and Rooted}

I love the white shade with the gold peeking out at you from the inside. 

{Images via Coto de Texas}

I'm so distracted by the calcutta marble countertops!

{Circa Lighting Blog}

{Visual Comfort Blog}

Love the clean lines and that they come in different finishes and will mix well with any style.  

{Image via La Dolce Vita Blog-Pinterest}

I like them in the kitchen--I mean, they look like a "kitchen light".  However, I think I would switch it up and put them in another room, like a home office...

{Image via Decor Pad}

Or maybe even the corner of a living room

{House Beautiful}

Mid-Week Inspiration: CWB Architects

It's hump day and here's a little inspiration to take you through the rest of the week! Friday is almost here!

I have absolutely no words to describe the amazing-ness and talent that is CWB Architects (they're based in NYC)!   I pulled some pics from their projects in Brooklyn just in case you don't believe me ;).

That stove!

Loving the mirror and the ottoman

How's that for NYC living!

Images via CWB Architects