Monday, November 28, 2011

music monday.

i have listened to 'the lights and buzz' by jack's mannequin many, many times, but for some reason i had never acknowledged the fact that it is kind of a christmas song. that's until i listened to it on this christmas cd... 'gift-wrapped: 20 songs that keep on giving' [which is an amazing and quirky holiday cd].


looking at it, you would think that it had christmas classics by dean martin or dolly parton [i don't know, just go with it...], but once you push play, you're pleasantly surprised by the quirkyness of it. it has upbeat remakes by regina spektor, my chemical romance, and tyler hilton - as well as originals from melee and relient k. if you're into country, the cd even has songs from randy travis and george strait :]

so if you get tired of the same ole' christmas songs that play over and over on the radio, check this album out - you won't be disappointed!

Friday, November 25, 2011

house tour - dining room edition!

the time has finally come to show you all our dining room and kitchen! it took us an extremely long time to finally find everything and put it together [and we're not done - we still need bar stools!], but we're so excited and proud of it thus far. hope you like it as much as we do :]

 

this table was once our coffee table. a. cut the legs off of it and put new ones on - then i shabby-chic-ed it with white and gray paint, and polyurethaned it. we found these amazing bruno chairs on craigslist a couple weeks ago [for a steal!].

 

i found this woven rug at anthroplogie - it's actually a table cloth, but the pattern and thickness was perfect for the floor. the 'gather' banner was something i made a week or so ago for thanksgiving - but i love it so much, i may keep it up there permanently!

 

these chairs were found at a little garage sale near work - i really wanted four but couldn't pass up the two, especially at such a good price. i set these at the far end of the room with two vintage suitcases, to create a sitting space for extra friends who come over.

 

this kitchen shelf is one of my favorite things in our house. it's super simple, but i love that i can change it up whenever i feel like it. the new orleans sign was found at a flea market - i'm fancy and adam gambles... it's perfect! the clipboards were an idea i stole from pinterest, all furnished with pictures i took.

 

i know it's weird to take a picture of one's fridge, but i couldn't wait to show off my instagrams magnets from stickygram! you just log in to your instagram account, choose the pictures you want and then wait a week or two for them to show up at your door. i love them.

you have now seen the living areas of our home - next up will be our master bedroom! it is basically done, but i found some things via pinterest that i would love to add... so stay tuned for that! :]

Thursday, November 24, 2011

giving thanks.

happy turkey day! thanksgiving isn't just about food, football and friends - it's also about appreciating the big and small things in your life.


i am thankful for:

my mother's unconditional love.

the smiles our kittens bring to my face.

the change of the seasons.

our home.

my pretty new car.

the upcoming christmas season.

soy dirty chai's.

our friends - near and far.

adam.


what are you thankful for? <3

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

happy turkey day!


hope everyone has a safe, fun & filling holiday <3

Monday, November 21, 2011

apology + music monday.

so it's 8:00 [at night] and i feel like a complete loser for not posting my dining room tour like i said i would. we had a little leakage underneath our kitchen sink, so everything is out on the counter air-drying. ugh - im sorry! instead, i have decided to post it when it is decorated for thanksgiving. can you wait that long? :]

back to the [late] music monday post...

today my friend kate posted a video on my facebook wall. it was this song by the crane wives. i listened to ten seconds of it and was hooked. after that, i spotified and listened to their whole album. to me, they are a mix of the head and the heart, and the civil wars. needless to say, i am forever a fan ['october' is my favorite song <3]. but it gets better - i learned that the whole band is from west michigan! primarily, grand rapids! [side note: i stalked their facebook fan page, and i am pretty sure i have met/have talked to/have seen almost everyone in the group. crazy.]

so if have spotify/youtube or are in the grand rapids area, check the crane wives out - you won't regret it. if you have listened to the album, what is your favorite song on it?

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

teaser!

all week, i have been working diligently towards finishing our living room. not only because thanksgiving is coming up, but also because several people have asked to see the finished product on my blog.

well, the wait is almost over. i think by the end of the week, everything will be set to show!

until then, here are a couple of photos to whet your appetite :]

 
 

Monday, November 14, 2011

music monday.

today is the start of the holiday season at starbucks! to amp up for it [because i will be doing the floor set this afternoon], i have been listening to she & him's new christmas album :]


i love that their versions of the songs sound christmas-y, but not over the top - which is perfect, because it's only november 14th! 

are you listening to christmas music yet?

Saturday, November 12, 2011

nostalgia.

for almost five years, my saturday nights either consisted of heels & booze, working, or heels, booze & working. i used to be able to drink until the wee hours of the morning, get a couple hours of sleep and then go straight back to work or homeworking. i used to be able to drink a lot of people under the table. and when a friend asked me to go out, i would never say no.

nowadays, i'm a completely different person.

my saturday nights now consist of movies and dinner, rather than crowded, over-priced bars. they might even consist of staying in and playing games. if i do drink, i cut myself off at two. my bed time is 10:30; 11:30 if i'm feeling daring.

i am not really sure how or when this transformation took place, but it's sometimes disheartening. most times i am content with this new life, but on occasion, i miss the old carefree, fun me.

this saturday consists of moccasins, green tea, laundry & harry potter.

lame or grown up?

pinterest finds.

another week has come and gone, leaving me to wonder where the time has gone. is it really the 12th of november? i just can't believe it. i have so much that needs to be done, but i must take a moment out of my day to show you some of my favorite pins - because, let's be honest, no matter how busy i am, i always have time for pinterest :]


the cutest teacups EVER!


i have no idea what kind of puppy this is, but i am so in love with him and must have him someday.


it's almost christmas season, so what better way to decorate than to use paint strips? such a great idea.


owlie handwarmers! these must be mine.

have a pinterest? follow my boards!

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

open studio project.


this morning i was lucky enough to visit the open studio project in evanston to take some pictures, meet some people & to get a feel of the organization. open studio is a non-profit, social service organization who's mission is to "utilize and bring the creative process to individuals of all ages and backgrounds, and to empower people to turn to art for personal growth". they encourage individual creative processes, as well as activities through collaborations with different community organizations. the studio offers various art classes for both adults and children and occasionally host events and exhibits. they're pretty much an amazing local studio, and i am so happy to announce that i will be planning their annual fundraiser for next year! i am starting the planning process now - choosing the venue, picking the theme, getting the budget finalized, etc. then once the new year hits, we will be in full planning mode until june when the event takes place. i'm so excited to be apart of putting together such a fun event to raise money for a great local investment :]

stay tuned in the upcoming months to learn more about this event!

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

music tuesday.

music... tuesday? wait, what?

yep!

today is the official release date of the breaking dawn [part one] soundtrack!


i am obsessed with the twilight saga - the books and music, not so much with the movies. the past soundtracks have been so deeply connected to the books and the music was outstanding. hence my excitement for the release of this soundtrack.

i have listened to the majority of it so far [yes, i know it's only 9am] and i find some of the songs a bit too pop-y for my taste. however, there are a couple songs that i thought i would hate because of who the artists are, but in fact i love them. christina perri's "a thousand years" is quite beautiful, and bruno mars' "it will rain" is so catchy that i want to listen to it over and over.

another thing i love about soundtracks in general, is that you get introduced to new artists. imperial mammoth is someone i had never heard of before, but i will be listening to them more because their song 'requiem on water' is breathtaking. as is aqualung and lucy schwartz's "cold".

so don't take my advice, listen to the soundtrack for free on spotify! after your done, let me know your thoughts & favorite songs :]

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

halloween inspiration.

halloween in our house was a bust this year.

i mean, we visited the pumpkin patch, ate donuts & drank cider - but the halloween day itself was a bust. we didn't dress up, didn't pass out candy, nor did we watch scary movies [which i wouldn't do anyway]. i didn't feel well at all yesterday and we didn't want to spend money on costumes, which quite frankly are crazy expensive. all in all, we were lame.

but next year will be different!

you know the day after halloween when you're browsing everyone's drunken facebook pictures and you see a ton of great ideas for costumes that you vow to remember - but you never do?

well i've decided to make a list of great ideas, so that next year i can look back at it for inspiration.


yesterday i was working at starbucks & i saw the cutest little girl ever dressed up like madeline. she looked JUST like her! and even seemed to have the accent! such a great costume for a little one [or for me... :)]


i love almost famous. i love penny lane. why wouldn't i be her for halloween? duh!


these might be the sweetest owlie cupcakes i have ever seen! i will definitely make these next year.


this is originally what i wanted a. and i to be. unfortunately, i had this idea a week before halloween, so i didn't have much time or money to focus on making the outfits. maybe next year? :]

what were you dressed as this year? i would love to see pictures!
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