{flickr *love*}

Today I went a little crazy browing through the tons of photos on flickr.com...look at this inspiration!!! I love the bright greens and reds agains white walls and that first picture makes me want to paint my living room fireplace and built-ins white asap! The oil cloth cover on the dining room table is genious...so practical and adorable at the same time! The open kitchen shelving is just what we are planning for our kitchen...hopefully ours will look that *cute*!

I'll be posting pics soon of my stairway renovation. I started painting the bannister over the weekend and it looks so good (if I do say so myself ;). I still have quite a bit to do, but I can already tell that it is going to brighten up the hallway.

Hope you have a wonderful day!

xoxo

{I *heart* Etsy}

I've become *quite* obsessed with surfing Etsy lately...and these are my three latest purchases. I can't wait to get this adorable green coffee cozy...so chic and earth friendly :) These headbands are so comfortable and they both reverse to a solid brown fabric which makes them so versatile. I have a bunch more things on my wish list...soon to be mine! Enter Etsy at your own risk...it is addictive!!

xoxo

{brrrrrr}

It's freaking freezing here today! I don't know what the exact temp is, but my hands still haven't warmed up and I've been inside for 20 minutes...ugh. Oh well...other than that it is a good Monday morning. I got some great cleaning and organization done yesterday, as well as some fun scrapbook pages done over the weekend. Here are two of my favorites. Oh...and great news...we're getting over $1,700 back on our taxes...new kitchen here we come!! :) Hope everyone has a fabulous day!!

xoxo

{c'est v-day}

Just wanted to share a fun layout I did last night of our Valentine's Day celebration...had fun using a lot of different products on here...even a real stamp. :)

xoxo

{eye candy}

I just discovered Pop Ink and I'm drooling over these paper goods, cute soaps and plates! I'll take one of each, please!

{finally!}

I finally got some scrapbooking done on Wednesday...Christmas photos and my favorite photo of Liz and I from her wedding. I loooove the new BG Fruitcake papers...so pretty! Thanks for looking!

xoxo

{the best day}

Yesterday was such a perfect day. I woke up to find out that we were under a level 3 snow emergency, which meant no work! So, I made blueberry muffins and enjoyed a relaxing morning. I dragged a ton of my scrapping supplies downstairs and went to town...it felt so good to create again. I finished four layouts of Christmas photos that I've been wanting to get my hands on. *pictures to come soon!*

Dan surprised me with *the* sweetest gift...a small heart shaped box of chocolates. Might not seem like much, but when I was growing up, my Dad always left my sister and I a heart-shaped box of chocolates outside our bedroom door on v-day morning. I told DH that I really missed that...and he must have been listening! :) I made him a card, but wasn't able to get him a gift because of the bad weather. Last night we made our first bellinis and they were soooo good. We made some yummy appetizers and watched a movie...a great way to end the day.

Here's to snow days on V-day every year!!

xoxo

{rooms with a view}

Thought I would share some beautiful rooms on such a dreary day. Isn't this bedroom so tranquil? Looove the floor in the second pic...so retro. The all white dining room is super soothing, and I love the botanical prints in this last one. Looking at photos like this give me so much inspiration for my own home!

{fancy}

I just made a banner for my etsy shop...whatcha think?? It cut off part of the top and bottom, but I'm pretty happy with it...now my shop is all fancy-shmancy! :)

{inspiration}

First of all...congrats to my fave girl group, the Dixie Chicks! 5 Grammies last night!! They are proof that you can come back from anything and be succesful. I love the CD and this was so well deserved.


Button rings!! How cute are these?! I've just found a favorite new online shop...Inspire Company carries these adorable rings and all sorts of whimsical finds.




Look at these adorable shadowboxes from Curious Bird...the colors and prints are mesmerizing!





I just loooove this cabinet...the pink and brown combo is just so beautiful...if I have a little girl she won't be able to escape this color palette!

xoxo

{new}

I made these two art canvases today for my etsy shop and they were so much fun to put together. I used vintage family photos (my mom and grandmother) and some fun, quirky sayings. Here's to hoping someone will want to take them home!

Not much else going on this weekend...wish it wasn't almost over. We went shopping yesterday and I got some great finds...a pair of dress pants and a skirt for work, plus THE most adorable olive green dress...it is too dressy for work but Dan promised we would create an occassion for me to wear it. :) I got all of it for less than one of the items was originally...gotta love that!

I'm looking forward to Valentine's Day...not sure if Dan has anything up his sleeve or not. Last year he surprised me with a gift, even though he says he hates "hallmark" holidays. We'll see what happens...I guess I should get him something just in case!

Guess that's about it for today...xoxo

{fun}

I just ordered this adorable hat for my co-worker's baby shower gift. I want to buy one myself, but unfortunately I don't have a baby to put it on...yet. ;)

TGIF!!! I'm so looking forward to the weekend. I have tons of stuff around the house I want to do...#1 being the staircase. I at least need to start working on sanding this weekend.

{melodies}

I'm loving new music right now...I go through spurts where I just want something new and fresh to listen to. I got two new CD's today:

Regina Spektor "Begin to Hope"

and

Corinne Bailey Rae's self titled album

Both are amazing! Check them out :)

{pretty}

My new pretty living room...I love the new rug and curtains with the chocolate brown sofa.

{more inspiration}

Check out these cool buttons! I want one of every design...but what would I do with them?

I want these adorable birds from Ballard Designs...they would look so cute on our mantle!

Loooove this bracket from Anthropologie. Wish I could afford a bunch for the kitchen shelving we are planning.

{my salvation}

#1: This Burt's Bees lotion is my savior with the cold and dry weather we are having...I have one at work and one at home so I can slather it on after washing my hands and whenever I'm feeling really dry.

#2 is barrettes...my hair is growing out a little and pulling the top back is the only way to keep my sanity at work.

3rd thing I can't live without...My mother-in-law who helped me with my first major home renovation project yesterday...tearing out the stairway carpet! Here is a before and after shot...still need to stain them and finish painting the trim.

#4...my cats. They are so cozy and warm and keep me endlessly entertained.

My fifth favorite thing right now is kiwi...I've been eating one with a banana in the morning and it is oh so yummy! Plus I get two of my fruits out of the way by 8:30 am!

On to #6: the living room rug we are getting tonight. I hate when things don't match, and for over a month I've been living with a new sofa and old rug that grossly clashed. Tonight, I will be able to breath easy as I sit on my chocolate brown couch and look at my brown, green and blue matching rug....ahhhh.

#7 which should be #1...my new office space. I finally have my own private office space and I'm in heaven!! This week I get to move again to a space with a window...this is just too much for one girl to handle! ;)

Hmmm...#8...feeling healthy! I am back to a normal eating routine, drinking coffee and feeling great! After being so sick, this is like a miracle (I had an intestinal infection that kept me sick for a month).

The 9th reason I'm a happy camper: My hubby is coaching baseball again! Our high school has a new coach and he asked him to be the pitching coach!! He is so excited and I can't wait to see him out on the field again.

And....drumroll please...

The #10 thing that has me giddy with excitement...fun new blogs! Here are a few I just discovered that are so inspiring:

Print + Pattern
Oh Joy!
Etsypickoftheday
decor8
Another Shade of Grey
Scrappy Girl Decorates

What's your salvation?

{so relaxed}

I'm having such a great day today. I'm finally in my new office space, and it feels so good to have my privacy and a place to decorate and make my own. In a week or so I'll be moving to the space next door to me which has.....a window! :) Thanks to Carol who is leaving for giving me her corner window space!

I'm so excited that it is Friday night. I have some projects I want to do tonight....finish painting my kitchen shelf and get it hung, do some scrapbooking, keep looking online for a living room rug. I really want to continue my painting job in the hallway, but that requires ripping up the carpet from the stairs, and I don't know what is lurking underneath them. I guess a Friday is the best time to start though...gives me the whole weekend to work on it. I want to finish painting the trim and do the faces of the stairs in white, with the treads stained a dark brown.

I made some super cute V-day cards the other night....cut out felt hearts in chocolate brown, pink and white and sewed coordinating buttons on them, added some lace and voila! I can't wait to send them to our friends and family.

I'm so excited to get my hands on Elsie Flannigan's new scrapbook line from KI Memories...yummy stuff!! Check out her blog for pictures!

Guess that's all my chatter for today. I really need to get a fun banner for my page...if you have any suggestions or helpful tips...please share!

xoxo