Reverb10 #fail

December 28, 2010

If you haven't noticed, I'm a little behind on my #reverb10 posts.  What can I say, except that life seems to be flying by at an unprecedented rate.  So... I'll be posting the prompts I've missed in the next few days and hopefully finish by 1.1 :)  I feel like these are really more for me than for you, so I'll try to get my Christmas pics uploaded soon (so it's not all words and thoughts around here).

Day 7:  Community.  Where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2010? What community would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2011?  

My first thought would be Weddingbee (even though I technically discovered that last year).  I feel so blessed to be part of such a great community of wonderful women.  Instead, I'll say twitter.  I know some people think that it's incredibly lame to be on twitter and see no point to it, but I feel like I've "met" some wonderful people who I would never would have connected with otherwise.  I really can't state enough how
much admiration I have for my fellow tweeters.

In 2011, I would like to find a local sewing/craft/art circle to join.  I feel like those activities are truly what I'm passionate about and I would love to find some fellow Austinites who feel the same.  I think it would motivate me to invest more time in them too, because sometimes I feel like every day life just exhausts me to the point of wanting to do nothing. 

Day 8:  Beautifully Different.  Think about what makes you different and what you do that lights people up. Reflect on all the things that make you different – you’ll find they’re what make you beautiful.

Honestly, I really hate this question, mainly because I hate focusing on myself.  I guess if I were to ask my husband this question he would probably say either my thoughtfulness or my creativity.  I really like combining the two to create homemade items for people.  I love putting thought into gifts (whether it's birthdays or Christmas or just because).  I try my best to help my peeps out when they need it.  I love spending time with my husband, friends, and family.  I love doing things for other people to show that I, that someone, care(s).  I love learning about my family history and learning (and carrying on) family traditions.  I love seeing people smile, I love making people smile. 

Day 9:  Party. What social gathering rocked your socks off in 2010? Describe the people, music, food, drink, clothes, shenanigans.

I would have to say my friend's wedding that was back in April.  The weather was perfect, the music was great, the food was yummy, and it was great to see my friend happy, happy, happy (and look so very beautiful). 

December 10: Wisdom. What was the wisest decision you made this year, and how did it play out?

This is a tough prompt too.  I can name a million wise decisions that I made in 2009, but for 2010.....  I wouldn't necessarily call this a "wise" decision per say, but one of the best decisions of 2010 was going to Vegas in April for a Weddingbee meetup.  It was so much fun seeing and talking with the women I had previously only chatted with online.  Other than that, I would have to say deciding to postpone my big exam until April was my wisest decision.  I was able to celebrate my one year wedding anniversary with my husband stress and worry free (the previous exam would have been the weekend following our anniversary) and I now have more time to study.  I guess I'll find out in April if the extra study time was really worth it :)

December 11: 11 Things. What are 11 things your life doesn’t need in 2011? How will you go about eliminating them? How will getting rid of these 11 things change your life?

1. Stress.  Emotionally, I tend to naturally stress about every. little. tiny. thing.  The yucky part is that affects more than just my emotions- I feel it in my bones and muscles.  I'm going to attempt to tackle this in the coming year through two methods. 1) Adequate planning.  I think by becoming better organized, I will be more able to take on tasks with less worry and anxiety.  2) Exercise.  I want to incorporate more cardio and yoga in my life in the coming year.  I really just need to create a schedule so that exercise becomes a part of my every day routine. (After you do something 5 days in a row, it becomes a habit? easier?  lets hope so...)

2.  Caffeine.  (see item 1, I'm sure caffeine and stress don't mix).  This is going to be tough because I. Love. Coffee.  I think I've finally cut down on my soda intake to a point that I'm happy with, so now I need to cut down on the coffee. The only solution I see to this is incorporating more decaf into my daily coffee intake.  I'm also hoping that by establishing a regular exercise routine, I'll have more energy/ less need for caffeine too.

3.  Eating out.  We do it, a lot.  It's expensive and not necessarily the healthiest of choices.  Husband X and I both need to do a better job of making a daily menu, taking sack lunches, and eating left overs.  I've found that I really hate grocery shopping, but I'm so picky about what veggies, etc. we buy... I have to do the shopping.  Uh, and the same goes for cooking:  I feel like I have to do it.  Call it being independent or anal, but it needs to change. 

4.  Stuff.  Husband will be the first to agree with me when I say I have a lot of it.  I really would like to go through my crafting supplies and clothing and finally get rid of the items I don't use/ wear.  They take up too much space and cause the rest of the items I do use to become disorderly and messy.  Must. Organize.

5.  Smelly dogs.  They will be getting a bath on a regular basis.  Regular as in at least every two weeks.  Good for me, not so good for them.

6.  Perception.  I happen to worry quite a bit too.  I worry about what people think of me and how I'm perceived.  It's not as bad as it used to be, and it's getting easier as I get even more comfortable in my skin.  My confidence has always been a little lacking, but I build it up a little bit each and every day. 

7.  Chapped lips & dry skin.  Burts bees wax and lotion.

8.  Dull moments.  If ever there are any, I hope that I can come up with an adventure to keep life interesting. 

9.  Plaquenil.  Really, this is an item I need for right now to treat my autoimmune disease.  It helps me not feel pain every day.  It prevents me from requiring a nap or two every day.  However, I hate that I have to take it and I would really like to cut down on my dose (not that it's really that much anyways...)  This item is definitely dependent on items 1 & 2 because I know they make my every day symptoms worse.  I think this year will be about paying better attention to my body and becoming healthier.  I really hope that I can improve on those things so that 9 can be eliminated :)

10.  Wasted time.  I want to be better organized with my time management.  Creating a set schedule will definitely help me improve in this area. 

11.  Wasted money.  I think I'm fairly good about money management, but I still feel like I need a tighter budget.  I think I can be putting more $$ towards retirement or savings, so I want to work on making that happen.  Eliminating item 3 will contribute to more $ in my bank account and I'm sure there are items that can be cut from my every day/week/month spending (ahem, starbucks....).

Many of the items I've listed are for a healthier me.  Emotionally, physically, financially.  I really want to have my ducks in a row as I near the 3-0 mark (as of now, I have 1.5 years).  And I really, really, really want to have my ducks in a row before the husband and I start seriously discussing the "b" word (and no it's not happening anytime this year or next year, thank you :P).
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DIY Wall Clocks

December 15, 2010

Lately, I've been thinking about must-have-items for our walls.  A while back, I ordered a print from Canvas on Demand (using my groupon).  I'm still trying to find the perfect spot for it.  I'm also thinking that we need a clock somewhere in our house, since obviously the clocks on the microwave, stove, coffee pot, and my phone -um, which is on my person almost 99% of the time- still seem to have no effect on my tardiness.  oops.  Plus, I think a wall clock is sort of an adult home's staple. 

I briefly searched for a clock on two occasions:  when we were registering for wedding gifts and for our anniversary.  I really didn't find anything I really loved.  And the ones I did love were $$$$.  Who knew clocks were so expensive?!  Thus, I may end up going the DIY route....

I'm loving these:

source (w/ tutorial!)

Oddly enough, the first thing that came to mind when I saw this was that it would be an excellent way to reuse framed DIY wedding table numbers (especially if you used pictures for your table numbers - unfortunately, we did not *sad face* ). 
In other words:  Please someone do this so that I can live vicariously through you.


via Design Sponge (w/ tutorial)



The numbers shown above were purchased from Anthro, but I think these numbers would look just as lovely:


Or maybe I could do a clock collage on one wall.  If I could create plate clocks, it would be a great way to display them.  And a wonderful reason to indulge in all the pretty plates I see at Anthro. 


It really seems like the options for number designations and clock hands are endless..  I think I will probably go with something similar to the first or third image just because I think they would be easier to change out the numbers if I get tired of them.  Looks like another project is getting added on to my list of DIY items...

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St. Nicholas Day

December 7, 2010

(A Day Late)

When my sister and I were growing up, our stockings hanging over the mantel would be empty on Christmas morning.  This is because we celebrated the stocking portion on 12.6.  We would hang our Christmas stockings on the outside of our bedroom doors before we went to sleep on 12.5.  In the morning, we would wake up to find them filled with an apple, an orange, some sort of nuts- usually walnuts, sweets, and usually a "stocking stuffer" item.  After reading up on St. Nicholas Day, I found out that European countries celebrate this holiday differently.  It seems that our celebration most closly resembles the German holiday (makes sense, my heritage is German).  I'm happy to say that we never found coal in our stockings :)
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Moment Wonder Let Go Make

December 6, 2010

So, I took a short break from blogging this weekend.  Primarily because we were so busy (again)!  I decided to combine the last four #reverb10 topics into one post, and, without further adieu, here they are:

Day 3: Moment:  Pick one moment which you felt most alive this year.

Hmm, I don't think there was only one moment where I felt this way.  I think I feel most alive when I'm surrounded by my friends and family.  On nights when it's just my husband and I, and we're on the couch watching one of our shows.  My weekly visits with my papa and my in-laws.  Family get-togethers.  Meeting my girlfriends for drinks and .  When I get to see the people I love- the people who really make my life joyful.  These are the moments when I feel all my worry subside and I can just be.

Day 4:  Wonder. How did you cultivate a sense of wonder in your life this year?

Yet another hard question to answer.  I think just experiencing marriage for the first year has created wonder in my life.  Even though X and I have known each other for quite a while, marriage brings this whole new perspective to how we live day to day.  I try new things because of him and he tries new things because of me.  On the whole, we get to have many experiences we would not have had we not met. 

Day 5:  Let Go. What (or whom) did you let go of this year? Why? 

In a few weeks, we will be letting go of cable.  I grew up not having 1000+ useless channels, so I don' t think that it will be too hard for me to adapt; however, I think it will be a harder transition for X to make (we'll see).  The primary reason for deciding this was $$. It seemed like a waste to be spending $120 a month on cable when we only watch a handful of channels and shows.  I think it will be good for us not to have that "crutch" to lean on when we can't think of anything else to do.  I'm looking forward to spending more time crafting, reading, exercising, or just spending quality time with my husband and pups.

Day 6:  Make. What was the last thing you made? What materials did you use? Is there something you want to make, but you need to clear some time for it?

This weekend I worked on two big craft projects.  The first was an ornament for an ornament exchange.  I used glass, glue, glitter, fabric, Modpodge (for the first time!!), paper, & ribbon.  I really liked how it turned out in the end and I think I'll be posting a tutorial on here in the near future (maybe after the recipient receives it :) ). 

The second project I worked on was creating some holiday floral arrangements to take to the cemetery for my mom & my Oma.  Both projects were relatively simple.  For my Oma, I purchased a Christmas wreath from Michael's and hot-glued some red pine cones and a bow to it.


For my mom, I found a twig spray at Hobby Lobby and hot glued pine cones, greenery, red berry branches and an angel ornament to it.


In addition to these projects, I have a long list of items on my "to-make" list.  Who knows when I'll get around to actually doing them though...

* please excuse the horrible iPhone pics...

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Writing

December 2, 2010

#Reverb, Day 2 – Writing. What do you do each day that doesn’t contribute to your writing — and can you eliminate it? (Author: Leo Babauta)

My initial response to this was work, since I spend most of my Tim there during the week. However, I know I could dedicate more time to writing when I get home from work. Sometimes I'm just tired, or don't want to look at a computer screen any longer, or just want to spend time with my friends or family. However, I need to write when I really want to- not as some regular scheduled activity. I know that will eventually lead to a "do I really have to?" attitude towards blogging. And really, as much as I love writing and blogging, spending time with my loves ones is always more important. So I don't think there is much I want to do to provide more time in my schedule for writing.
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Reverb 2010

Remember yesterday, when I said I'm kind of relieved not to be blogging every day?  Um, yeah, well I've decided to participate in Reverb10, a daily reflection on the past year.  After reading other bloggers' responses to yesterdays questions, I spent so much time thinking about my own response that I figured I may as well blog about it too :)
Yesterday's Prompt was:  One Word (to describe 2010 and hope to describe 2011)

2010:
Milestones

My husband and I experienced many milestones during the past year.  X and I worked through our first year of marriage.  We took our first vacation as husband and wife.  We have experienced living together (just the two of us + pups) for the first time.  X started a new job at a new place in July and LOVES it.  It has been just the right amount of motivation for him to decide to take on grad school in 2011.  I have been lucky to have many, many doors open this year that will abeit success in  my career (still can't believe I have one of those).  On top of all that, X turned the big 3-0 in September, and I'm not far behind ;)

2011: 
Balance

In my own life, I want to find balance between my career, my personal relationships, and my "me" time.  I feel like I neglected many of my own hobbies during 2010 (for different reasons- trying to sell our house, burnt out from wedding planning, b-u-s-y).  I guess it just boils down to time management, something I've always kind of failed at.  Emotionally, 2010 was pretty stressful for me and for a good chunk of it, I was really strung out.  For 2011, I want to be able to control my stress.  I want my husband and I to continue to balance our finances together.  I want us to continue to work together to find a balance between spending and saving.  With us both studying or in school for the first half of 2011, I want us to be able to both find balance in our lives to be able to put aside time to work on our marriage.  I feel like a marriage needs to continually grow and it's all about the time you put towards it. 



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12.1

December 1, 2010

Ah December.  I'm sort of relieved that NaBloPoMo is finally over.  I've realized that while I really enjoy blogging, doing it every day is a bit much for me.  I think overall, it's been a good experience, and I will be making a better effort to allotting more of my time to blog than I had been in months before this.  Hope my topics weren't too dull for everyone out there and you'll continue to follow me along :)

In other news, I can't believe we only have four weeks until Christmas.  I've developed a strong urge to bake and craft in the last few days, so you can be sure to see lots of that in next few weeks.  Our Christmas tree is up, but I still feel like we need more holiday decorations around our house.  I hate buying more stuff, so I think I will just dig through my stockpile of crafting supplies and come up with something Christmasy from them. 

Despite the busyness of this season, I'm looking forward to spending time with my loved ones and enjoying lots of yummy food (which I may regret on 1.1).  What's in store for everyone else this month? 

And Happy Hanukkah to you and yours!
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Blue Christmas

November 30, 2010

This past Sunday, my father and I attended a service at church appropriately titled "Blue Christmas".  We attended last year too.  As horrible as it is to be missing someone during this season, I am comforted to know that we are not alone.  People go through this every. single. day.  And they get through it and they eventually find some sort of new happiness again.
Even though I know this Christmas will be a teeny tiny bit easier to get through than last year's was (it will be year #2 without my mama), it still feels like there's a huge gaping hole during the holiday season that I'm struggling to fill.  With what? I'm not sure.  I take comfort in the fact that our last Christmas with her was nearly perfect.  Our family did the usual:  sit around the tree while drinking coffee, play the parades on tv and mute the sound, put Christmas records (Bing Crosby anyone?) on while we opened presents, shared smiles, and allowed my mom to take pictures of us.  She loved taking pictures. 
I guess I'm just trying to figure out our new routine for the holidays.  Do we scrap everything we did before and start all over?  Come up with some new tradition to carry forth into future Christmas's?  Probably not, but it is hard trying to find a balance between new and old.  And I'm still trying to find the meaning in this season that brings so much happiness and sadness our way, all at once. 
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Fabric Woes

November 29, 2010

I am still in the process of making our living room less manly.  This project is dragging- partly due to the holidays, partly due to the fact that we have suddenly become super busy, and partly due to the fact that I'm indecisive.  Since I ended up not purchasing a colorful floor rug (*sad face*), I am planning on adding color to the room via throw pillows. I've finished sewing half of the pillow covers, using this fabric*:


*It's actually more of a light greige in person.

For the remaining pillows, I decided to use a teal/blue fabric.  Originally, I found some teal, linen look-alike fabric from JoAnns, but I recently decided that I didn't like the color or texture. So once again, I am searching for fabric.  I ordered these two prints, in the colors shown below, from here:


I love, love, love this print and I was really hoping that the colors would have worked (even though deep down, I knew better), but the first was too neutral and the second was too dark.  However, I will definitely be using these in another sewing project soon.  It actually comes in yellow too, which is very tempting.... Can you tell I'm a fan of Alexander Henry fabrics?

Then today, while I was browsing for Cyber Monday deals, I came across these two prints- Dwell Studio for Robert Allen Home, found here:


I am crossing my fingers that I like this fabric when I finally get it.  I love the print and I think the color is what I've been looking for.  Plus it's decorator weight!

I also found this Rosemarie Lavin fabric here:


I'm not really a "red" person, but again, I really loved the print.  Since we just put our tree this weekend, I am all about getting in the holiday spirit.  I know the print isn't very "holiday", but the color is.  In other words, I will find a way to include this print in my holiday decor.

And finally, I found this Kitty Yoshida print (also found here):


Teal? Yes, but I'm not sure if the texture is what I'm looking for.

Hopefully I'll have a solution to my fabric problem within the next week or so!
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The Best Hot Cocoa. Ever.

November 28, 2010


Prior to my introduction of this product, I made my cocoa the old fashioned way:  Swiss Miss.  Little did I know what I was missing, until I met my husband who pretty much laughed at my prepackaged, individualized, chocolate powder with mini dehydrated marshmallows.  Now I know better, so I wanted to share my love my this chocolate treat with y'all.

Usually Abuelita can be found in the hot tea/coffee section or the Mexican food section of your local grocery store.  Each container of Abuelita contains about six of these paper-wrapped chocolate rounds:  I usually split mine in half because 1) it's easier to make half a batch of cocoa and 2) I don't feel quite as bad for consuming it all by myself. 


They're kind of hard, so cut them in half with a knife.  Bring 2 cups of milk to a boil and add half the chocolate to your pot.


Stir your cocoa until all of the chocolate is dissolved and your mixture is nice and warm.  Now get out your blender (this is KEY).  Pour the cocoa into the blender, until it's about half full.  


Grab a towel (that you don't mind getting dirty).  Hold the lid on with your towel and blend. (Liquid shouldn't come spewing out of the top, but during the blending, hot liquid will hit the lid of your blender and it's HOT- I may or may not speak from experience).

Here's the result:  Foamy, chocolate-y goodness.


Pour into your favorite mug. Add cinnamon and marshmallows.


Enjoy!

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It's the Holiday Season

November 27, 2010



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Black Friday

November 26, 2010

So this year, we decided NOT to hit up the 4 a.m. sales at the stores. After doing some online research, we thought it just wasn't worth it and instead enjoyed our coffee at home, in our pajamas. We did venture out in the afternoon to scoop up some holiday candles at Bath & Body Works (snow apple mint and twisted peppermint- yummy, it smells so festive in our house now!!). We also indulged in Turkey Day leftovers and visited with family. I think tomorrow we'll be taking down out harvest decor and putting up our tree!!!
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Thankful

November 25, 2010

I am so grateful for the many many blessings I have in my life. It's once to have a day to remember this, however, I realize how important it is to see these blessings each and every day. Above all, today I am thankful that my family was able to spend time together and that I was able to see those close to me genuinely happy. I only wish there would have been enough time to see all the people I love. I hope everyone had a very enjoyable holiday!!
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Happy Turkey Day!!

November 24, 2010

Hope everyone is enjoying the start of their Thanksgiving holiday. I kicked off mine by baking pies and listening to holiday tunes. Its not cold here yet, but I'm hoping the cold front arriving tomorrow will bring on the holiday spirit a our house :)
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Holiday Cards

November 23, 2010

I really want to send out holiday photo cards this year.  I wanted to send them out last year too (a good excuse to use our wedding photos).  But after the wedding, time seemed to disappear and before I knew it, the new year had arrived.  So this year, we're absolutely taking a family portrait (Oso and Kingsley included) and sending them to our loved ones.

Although I've never ordered from Shutterfly, I've heard many good things about them from people who have.  I'm in the process of organizing an anniversary photo album through their site and just need to find the time to finish it!  In addition to photo books, they do photo printing, calendars, and they have a great selection of cards.

Here are some of my holiday favorites:

I like that 10% of the sales of this card are donated to the American Lung Association.  I think it would be a great way to include pictures of us from throughout the year.


Love the simplicity of this one:


And I like these because they're a little more colorful and festive:



Now I just need to decide on which one I like best!

* I will be receiving 50 free cards from Shutterfly for writing this post.  However, the thoughts and opinions posted here are my own.

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Photoshop

November 22, 2010

So, I finally purchased my sweet sister purchased photoshop CS5 with her student discount and is letting me borrow it (permantly).  I had a really really old version before this (version 7, anyone?), so it's nice having software that other people actually use.  Also I thought it was time to invest in some nice software to pair with my DSLR camera.  I had a lot of fun Thursday, going through the Pioneer Woman's photoshop page and practicing the tutorials.  I know it's going to take some time and effort, but I think I would rather learn through this method as opposed to taking a class.  I like the idea of going at my own pace, at my own time.
So my question is this:  What other online photoshop tutorials have you found helpful? 
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The Weekend in Review

November 21, 2010

Friday night X and I went to the IMAX to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. So long awaited and so good! I've read the books a number of times and I was impressed with the way the events were portrayed. Although I do wish there would have been more coverage on Fleur's wedding :)
Saturday was spent lounging around the house. On Sunday we had lunch at the Salt Lick and caught up with a good friend of ours. And finally we ended the weekend by visiting our parents and watching our Sunday night shows. A very nice weekend, overall. I'm looking forward to a cold front later this week and, of course, Thanksgiving!!
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iPhone Hipstamatic

November 20, 2010


I discovered this app today and I have to say I love it. I hope everyone is having a fun and relaxing weekend!
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Stress

November 19, 2010

I have a really difficult time dealing with stress.  I get incredibly anxious over simple matters.. in hindsight, it's really silly.  I know there are things that can help with this, but I have trouble finding the time fitting them into my schedule (meaning:  I find other, better, more fun things to do).  My most recent experience with this may cause a change in my lifestyle.  For the last month I've been feeling really anxious/ stressed out about various stuff going on in my life (sorry to be vague, but it includes both professional and personal items).  As a result, I had been experiencing a horrible back pain near my neck that would not go away.  Until yesterday, when a majority of the stress/anxiety I had been feeling finally subsided.  Last night I slept through the entire night, without being woken up by pain.  I can't remember the last time I was able to do that.
As of now, I haven't had any serious side effects from the stress I put my body through.  I know that it's possible this will not always be the case.  I'm realizing the importance of setting aside a specific amount of time each and every day to simply relax my mind and body.  I'm going to try to accomplish this through meditation and exercise, so we'll see how that goes.  I've tried some yoga, and, though I really like it, I worry I'm doing it wrong.  So, I may take a class to make sure I'm not causing additional damage.  In the past, I would talk to my mom about stress.  Obviously, this isn't possible anymore, so I need to adapt and try to find other outlets for venting.  If not to my husband, then to a friend or counselor. 
I know I'm probably not the only person that has a difficulty with this.  Anyone else have suggestions for managing stress?
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Computer Problems

November 18, 2010

Sorry all, I am having a few problems with my computer and will not be able to post anything today :(  I hope to get these fixed this evening and have some posts up tomorrow.  Hope everyone has a great Friday!!!
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Sofa Pillows

November 17, 2010


I finally started sewing some pillow covers for some throw pillows I'm adding to our sofa. Tutorial soon to come (seriously, the easiest sewing project ever!!)
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Tall Chairs

November 16, 2010


I came across this page in the new issue of House Beautiful that was in my mailbox today. I. Am. In. Love. They all remind me so much of Alice in Wonderland and the Mad Hatter's tea party. I think more than one or two is probably overkill, but I think they would make great eye candy for any room. I love the bottom center chair- it's purple!!
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It's Only Monday....

November 15, 2010

But I am sooo looking forward to this next weekend.

1. X and I are going to see HP at the IMAX on Friday!! (and I think I'm going to make a Gryffindor scarf in honor of it- sewn, not knitted/crocheted).


2. It means only a week is left until Turkey Day. We haven't finalized our plans just yet, but my MIL is ordering food from Central Market. Enough Said.

3. Whether the cold weather stays or not, I'm hoping to pull out our fire pit and make some s'mores.


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Sunday Night Shows

November 14, 2010

X and I have a regular routine of cozying up on the couch Sunday evenings to enjoy some of our favorite shows. We loved True Blood and Mad Men.  But now that they've ended, we've transitioned to Boardwalk Empire and Dexter.  I'm really not a regular TV watcher- most nights are spent away from it- but I do love this routine of watching our returning series once a week. It's a nice way to end the weekends.

What's your favorite way to end your weekend?
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Nordstrom Finds

November 13, 2010

A while back I entered a giveaway over at the Happy Hour with a Housewife, and I won!  I found some items on Nordstroms' website that I really liked, but I decided to pay a visit to their store front to scope out any other goodies.  Here's what I ended up finding:

Three shirts:  


They're all the same style, but they were on sale (yay, Nordy's Half-Yearly sale!).  Actually only one was really on sale, but since the other two were on the sale rack, they honored the sale prices.


Love the pretty patterns.


A cardigan, also on sale:


I also ended up picking up a tank to wear under the shirts and the jacket I posted about earlier.  I'm sad I didn't find any shoes I ended up loving, but overall, I'm really happy with my purchases!
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Happy Friday!!

November 12, 2010

I think Fall has finally landed here in Austin, or at least that's what I'm hoping.  I'm looking forward to a weekend filled with sweaters, cocoa, and crafts!


I hope everyone has a relaxing, enjoyable weekend!

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North x Northwest

November 11, 2010

This past weekend, X and I were in North Austin to run a few errands, and we decided to stop by a restaurant/brewery I've been wanting to try for a loooonnnngggg time:  North by Northwest.  Unfortunately, I have no pictures of the interior or exterior, but it was a very nice atmosphere for lunch (and I think would be for dinner too!).  I had a burger + garlic fries:


The fries were so, so good.  Garlic usually doesn't appeal to me, but it was just enough to add the right amount of flavor.

X ordered the pulled pork sandwhich + garlic fries:


Very tasty.  It came with a mango salsa on top, which made it a little sweeter than I've tried before.

And of course, we couldn't stop by and not try their locally brewed beer.  No pictures :(  But I had the Northern Lights (an light beer, tasting similar to Amstel Light) and X tried the Bavarian Hefeweizen (a pretty typical hefeweizen with a hint of banana- sounds weird, but it soooo was good). 

We were both really impressed with this place and only wish they were a little farther south so that we could visit it more frequently!

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Just a Reminder...

November 10, 2010

Tomorrow is the start of the Gap (includes Old Navy & BR) 30% off sale that will benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.


The sale is only valid for in-store purchase and you can find your coupon here. 

A few of my favorites:

Plain black ballerina flat that can be dressed up with handmade shoe embellishments (think fabric or beaded goodies).  I've been looking everywhere for plain black flats, this might be them:

I have this skirt in navy and I love it.  So comfortable and can be dressed up or down.  I might need a second one in grey, hmmm...




I love this sweater dress, and it's price.  Now if only it would get cold enough here to wear it.




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The Red Cup

November 9, 2010

I'll admit, I love the anticipation that comes along with the approaching holiday season. I could do without the fact that jingle bells and Christmas lights start showing up in retail stores as early as July; but, overall, their presence brings me that warm fuzzy feeling. One item that especially puts me in the holiday spirit is Starbucks' red cup. Although this year I have to say I'm less than impressed with their holiday cup design:

Last year:



This year:



Sad face.
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