What did the RUG say to the FLOOR?

Don't move. I've got you covered! 

Hahaha! Shouldn't everything start with a classic Laffy Taffy joke? I think so :) 

Since last summer, when we painted all of the brown trim in the foyer and up to the second floor white, this is your view upon walking into our home:

Uber attractive isn't it? 

On a happier note, I'm still 100% head-over-heels in LOVE with our black and white banister! That's partially why the rest of the stairs are killing me. The old carpet with the icky brown color lurking from behind is NOT what a dead sexy banister deserves as it's counterpart. It deserves glamour! style! a completed paint job!

With this new found ambition, and the fact that we haven't tackled any major house projects in months, I am DETERMINED to find a runner rug and scratch this task off the to-do list. Knowing this is not something we'll be able to bring with us if/when we move, I have to take into consideration the taste of future buyers. So when my addiction to anything animal print lead me to drool-worthy images like these:

Source/Source/Source

Eric had to gently pull my hand away from the computer mouse, and remind me that although these homes look unquestionably stunning, leopard may not be the best option for us....

HA! JK, his exact words were "HELL NO!"

A few of the more practical ideas had similar themes of neutral colors, and a geometric pattern. 

Source/Source/Source

Currently I'm leaning towards either a grey, or black and white pattern. My only reservation for the black, is how easily hair, lint, and dirt shows. I had a black rug in my room all through college, and I can't begin to guess how many lint rollers I went through trying to keep that dang thing clean. Yes I used lint rollers instead of a vacuum. I was young and lazy, so sue me. With the stairs being a decently "high traffic" area, I'd hate to deck it out with black carpet, and then curse my brains out when I'm sweeping it for the 20th time that week. But you GUYS!!!! How absolutely sharp would these black and white stripes look?! Jenny from Little Green Notebook used these IKEA rugs on her stairs ages ago, and as low the cost for the rugs are, that's how high the level of style is. Of course I had to Photoshop my own stairs to see how they'd look in a similar fashion. 

Totally digging it. 

At $25 a pop, we could get the whole stair case done for around $150. I think that's pretty reasonable, considering some of the other options I was looking at started at $150 for ONE RUG. 

Then there is this guy. Another geometric pattern, but in a lighter grey that could maybe hide dirt and grime a bit better. Plus with the sale Overstock is currently running, and our in-store credit, this option would actually be cheaper. 

I'm so torn. 

I feel like it's going to be almost impossible to make a decision without a sample or something to physically see in the house. We could always order one of each, and just lay them in the foyer for a while to see how we like them after a few days. 

What do YOU think? 
A) Can't go wrong with classic black and white! 

B) Go the sensible route with a grey! 

C) Ignore Eric and give leopard print a try!!!

Insanely Easy Fresh Garden Salsa

I'm back at STRONG IS OUR SEXY sharing a healthy dish that's also a true crowd pleaser!

My husband and I have these friends who are super fun. The reason they are super fun is because they always invite us over to their house. While over at their super fun house, we play lots of pool, listen to music, drink yummy beverages, and eat a TON of food. And because they are super NICE as well as super fun, without fail we will end up bringing home as much, if not more, food than we showed up with. Like my husband and I, our friends are major foodies, which is one of the reasons we love them. People who are willing to try anything and everything have a special place in my heart. Truth time: picky eaters drive me bonkers!

When they asked us to join them again last Saturday, and requested we bring a snack or appetizer, I knew I needed a game plan. Personally I have yet to shake that “constantly full” feeling from the holidays. I know I know, that all ended weeks ago, but we still seem to have so many desserts lingering around, I find myself constantly snacking.

So while searching for a dish to bring, I tried to focus on something light and more on the healthier side. That’s when I stumbled upon a recipe my cousin had shared with me years ago; Fresh Garden Salsa! This stuff is delicious, and so quick and easy to make its ridiculous.

For the full recipe and instructions, visit STRONG IS OUR SEXY!

I just love the variation of color this salsa has, it’s absolutely gorgeous! With fresh veggies, and lots of protein, this dish is truly a winner for anyone trying to please a crowd while also keeping things nutritious.

Enjoy!

Full recipe at STRONG IS OUR SEXY!!!

Bargains and Buyouts and Beds, OH MY!

Last weekend, my friend Maria and I took a little adventure to Bargains and Buyouts on the West side of Cincinnati. Neither of us had been there before, and we really didn't know what to expect walking in.

If you enjoy a warehouse packed full of discounted furniture and home goods, then this is the place for you! Bargains and Buyouts is a liquidation company with their products mainly consisting of overstocked items that their suppliers sold to them for low rates, which in turn means low price for us! Woop!

Maria was on the hunt for a rug, and I was really impressed with their amount of selections. These huge area rugs started as low as $99! 

How absolutely perfect would this pink one be in a young girl's room? And I LOVE the color combination in the one on the right. 

Along with the rugs they had a huge selection of couches, desks, lamps, head boards, chairs, bar stools, art, you name it. These two pieces in particular were my favorite. Can't go wrong with a gold end table, and that white chandelier has the perfect amount of whimsy without being too excessive. 

If we hadn't driven in a super small car, this orange rug would've come straight home with me. It would look PERFECT in our bedroom. 

Speaking of our bedroom, THIS happened Saturday morning...

Good morning mover men! 

We got ourselves a brand new CALIFORNIA KING MATTRESS!!! This was our gift to each other, last year we bought furniture, so this year it's a big kid bed! 

We're still on the hunt for a bed frame, I'm thinking one of those with the drawers underneath would be SUPER convenient. 

Our former queen is now in the guest bedroom, which has gone under a mini makeover and looks about 400% better than before. 

So let it be known that from this day forward, if you stay at the Wellman household, you will have an ACTUAL BED to sleep in and not our air mattress.

Snaps for progress! 

My design plan for this room involves dark blue walls (like in the pic below), a killer headboard/accent wall, and of course lots of beautiful pillows and decor. 

Who knows when operation Guest Bedroom Transformation will actually happen, but having all of our "junk" condensed from two rooms to one is still extremely satisfying. 

Change makes me so giddy! I keep opening the door to snag a peek, just because it FINALLY looks different than it has for the past two years!

2015 is already turning out to be pretty fabulous. 

15 Stylish Organization Options for 2015

Happy 2015 everyone! I don’t know about you, but I LOVE the thought of a brand-spanking-new year just bursting with the promise of new possibilities. If there is something that drove you nuts or wish you could’ve done differently last year, NOW is the time to make that change!

For me, one of my 2015 goals is to finally get those last few rooms in our home figured out. Since we moved in (a few summers ago), we still have a Guest Bedroom and Office that serve more as a “catch all” space than their intended purpose. So, once the holiday decorations get cleaned up, I’m going to strap on my big girl pants and FINALLY tackle all of those boxes and piles of craziness that still need a proper home.

While planning my strategy for Operation: Organize All the Things!!! I started daydreaming about the beautiful bins, baskets, files, and folders I’ll need to complete my project. That eventually lead me to a 2 hour interweb plunge, and I can’t believe all of the beautiful products I found!

So here, for your complete categorizing pleasure, are 15 stylish organizing options for you to kick off 2015 with!

Now that you have the tools, it’s time to get to work! Check out the full article at Strong Is Our Sexy to get the details about each of these fabulous items! 

Good luck with all of your organizing goals, and if you still don’t get around to straightening up the mess that’s been mocking you for ages, well, there's always next year!

The above products and links are in no way associated with the brand Strong is Our Sexy, nor was I paid to promote them. All opinions are 100% my own.