Let's Put a Pin in That...Why I Never Throw Anything Away

Ever have a thought enter your brain, and no matter how much time passes, just refuse to let it go? I've personally lost track how often this has happened. I can't help it! I've got millions of plans, and thousands of ideas. When inspiration strikes, I'm overcome with this crazy urge, and have to do everything within my power to bring it to life! 

Pin all the pictures! 

Make all the lists! 

Organize all the supplies! 

Occasionally the idea dies, and that random thrift store purchase gets tossed, because reupholstering an entire chair turns out to be WAY harder than it looks. But for the most part, I'll eventually circle back to the idea, and my hoarding tendency comes in REAL handy. When I find myself rummaging around for that certain SOMETHING, I've usually got it stored away from that one time...I thought about doing that one thing...with that other thing.

Example A: Teal Hairpin Legs circa 2014. So here's the back story. While trolling Craigslist, I spotted this super basic desk for $20. My random-project-idea at the time was to find a side table for our entryway, and when I saw those legs, I figured I could build it. Weeeeelll I ended up just buying one from At Home, and sadly those legs never saw the light of day. 

But I didn't give up! Every time I went downstairs, saw them propped up in the corner just begging to be used, the creative cogs would start turning. So recently when my heart screamed "YOU NEED A PLANT STAND!", my brain calmly responded "Shhhhhh remember that desk you bought off CL three years ago?".

YES! I hustled over to Menards for a round wooden panel as the top, slapped on some white paint we had a sample of, and used the hardware already included with the desk to secure all the legs. A couple episodes of "Scandal" later, I had myself a plant stand! 

Isn't he the CUTEST?!! 

The downside is I only used three of the four, so now a single leftover leg is lying around. But what have we learned? DO NOT THROW AWAY THE THINGS! Just put a pin in it, you never know when you'll need it again.  :) 

Check out more craft projects, by visiting the GETTING CRAFTY page!

Greenery + Glam Florida Dream Home

It's only the middle of April, and technically Spring, but these random days of toasty temps have me jonesin' for Summertime SO hard core! All I can dream about is our trip to Florida this coming July. The sway of palm trees in the breeze, squishing warm sand between my toes, relaxing on a tropical paradise while sipping ice cold Mai Tais garnished with fresh pineapple...

Heaven.

Could you imagine actually LIVING in such a place? Never having to leave, whimper "bye bye beach...", or make the depressing journey back up North? Well thanks to Douglas Elliman, I was the given chance to imagine my little heart away!

I was recently contacted by their Florida real estate team to create my own personal dream space featuring Pantone's 2017 Color of the Year; greenery. I'm currently OBSESSED with greenery and plant-life, so in the words of Barney Stinson; "Challenge accepted!" 

Since this is Florida we're talking about, the traditional solution would be to do something with a cool "coastal" or "seaside" vibe. Well. I am anything BUT traditional, and my vibe was groovin' to the tune of GREEN and GLAM! 

Curtains | Paint | Hanging Planter (similar) | Pothos Vine (similar) | Fiddle Leaf Fig (similar) | Snake Plant (similar) | Jute Rug | Hide Rug | Sofa | Lamp | Accent Chair | Coffee Table | Side Table | Agate | White Pillow | Pink Pillow | Gold Pillow

When decorating a space, one thing to take into consideration is how to enjoy it all year long. As I was searching for the perfect wall color, I knew it had to be something light and airy. Florida isn't called "the sunshine state" for nothing, the sky is blue, the palms are green, and what color doesn't accent those two any better than PINK!? I found a beautiful tint by Benjamin Moore, and paired it with ALL OF THE PLANTS! 

Greenery is such a simple way to breath fresh life into a room, which is convenient, because palm-leaf is SUPER on trend right now. Don't have a green thumb? No sweat! These patterned curtains bring in some organic whimsy, don't need watering, and look stunning behind that blue statement sofa with it's classic lines. Jute and hide rugs provide a level of texture, along with the metal elements from the coffee table, lamp, and accent chair. Finish things up with a punch of color via a throw pillow or two, and this room is as gorgeous as the tropical beach it resides on! 

Watching a room come together is SO SATISFYING! All the elements fall into place, you take a step back, and everything just jives. PS I've been fantasizing about curling up on that couch, watching the dolphins and mermaids play in the ocean, ALL DAY LONG! But I guess that's why they call it a Florida dream home, it's just that, a dream. 

Now excuse me while I go back to my IRL home in Ohio, where there are absolutely NO mermaids, and count down the days until Summer vacation. 



For more design love, visit the DESIGN page!

Come Fly With Me, Let's Fly Let's Fly Away.

GUYS! I'VE MISSED YOU SO MUUUUCH!!!! 

It's been awhile since we've talked. That's my bad. Recently I've been doing a LOT of traveling. Some for work, some for fun, and some that was technically for work but ended up being super fun. 

First up, Colorado! A while back, Dad asked me if I could spare a long weekend to hang out with them in the mountains over Kim's Spring break. I had just submitted my paid-time-off request for our trip to Europe, so I was timid to ask for more. Fast forward to watching all my sisters leave the house, not knowing when I'd get to hang out with them next, and I was completely wrecked. Who cares WHEN I use my PTO days? They're MINE dang it! 

A few clicks later and my tickets were booked.

Since Eric had school, I got to take this trip all by my lonesome. And you know what? It was AWESOME (not a dig at my husband...promise). I read my book, explored the airports, and tested my carry-on-only skills with our new fancy backpacks! 

We all arrived in Denver at different times, but once the tribe was united, we shifted gears (literally) and headed into the mountains. Up, and up, and up, we drove, until finally arriving at our destination; Copper Mountain.

This place is a snow bunny's dream. The sky is such a vibrant blue against the stark white snow, pictures don't do it NEARLY enough justice. We had beautiful weather, and the sunshine kept things toasty even while surrounded by ice. Mom and I got pretty good at cross-country skiing, while the rest of the clan tackled the big hills.

Overall a super quick trip, I left Friday morning and flew back on Monday. But every moment of late-night talking, glass-of-wine-in-hand giggling, and side-splitting laughter made it 100% worth it.

So back to work I went, doing a little "it's already Tuesday!" dance, and what do we discuss during the company meeting? The opportunity to visit our Scottsdale office, and attend a training session that very next Monday. 

Umm sunny Arizona? Sign me up! 

I couldn't leave OH until around 3pm Sunday, so by the time I arrived in AZ (with one delayed flight, a change of airplanes, and hotel switch) it was well after midnight when I got to bed. 

Since the original hotel overbooked, they arranged for me to stay at The Phoenician, which is gorgeous and made me feel like a princess. I didn't really have the opportunity to enjoy it though, since my schedule consisted of going to work, and my stay totaled just over 48 hours. Still, the view right outside my room was pretty epic. 

One of the reasons my boss invited us to a day of training, was to discuss attending the Landmark Forum. My coworker and I signed up to attend our forum in St. Louis mid April, and that's where I recently returned from!

I won't get into details about Landmark now, it's difficult to explain, and I hope to have a post about my experience in the future. As for the city of St. Louis? We totally owned it! Every free moment we had was spent exploring and taking it all in.

Of course I have a few suggestions if you plan to visit...

FOOD:
Taze Mediterranean Street Food - Think custom made gyros prepped like Chipotle, with a side of pita and hummus.
Mango - My first dip into Peruvian cuisine, but all it took were the sweet plantain chips to win me over.
The Drunken Fish - Located in Ballpark Village, this sushi was perfectly paired with me not-realizing the Reds were playing the Cardinals next door...oops. 
Sauce on the Side - This restaurant's calzones are huge, mouth watering, and conveniently connected to our hotel. 
Rooster - Best crepes I've ever had...well really the only crepes I've had. Nutella + bananas = sweet sweet victory.
The Mud House Coffee & Kitchen - Nestled in the middle of Cherokee Row, this cafe's cold brew is on point. Not to mention the selection of fresh lunch options, and quirky animal table markers.
Blondie's Coffee, Wine, & Dessert Bar - Here's to the ladies who brunch. If I could start every morning at Blondie's, being serenaded by classic 90's pop, I'd die a happy woman.
Bailey's Chocolate Bar - You sit down, they pour you a glass of water, and give you two mini chocolate chip cookies before you even say a word.
Mission Taco Joint - All the tacos!!!! BBQ Duck wins, hands down. 
Pappy's Smokehouse - Damn. Good. Meat. Just ask the over 2,000 reviews on Yelp. 

TO DO: 
St. Louis Zoo - Beautiful from trunk to tail, and admission is FREE!
The Gateway Arch - Although the tram to the top is closed until late April, it's still an incredible sight to see. 
Ballpark Village - Am I a baseball fan? Not entirely. Am I a have some drinks, socialize, and enjoy the atmosphere fan? Absolutely!
Three Sixty - Even if you're not hungry or thirsty, the view alone is worth the trip up.
Cherokee Antique Row - Located in South City, this historic neighborhood is the home to almost 40 unique vendors and shops. Many of which are also the home to adorable dogs. 
City Museum - Literally the most unique place I have ever experienced, and I still have bruises from climbing everything and anything I could get my hands on. 

One of the best parts of the trip? This guy DROVE FIVE HOURS for the final night of my forum. We were encouraged to invite guests, so I did, with absolutely no anticipation of anyone coming. I mean c'mon? They're in Ohio, and I'm in Missouri. 

Well give ALL THE POINTS to the husband because he won.

I felt bad we couldn't stay longer, he didn't even get to be there an entire day. But I was able to cancel my flight, and drive back with him, so we spent a long time planning our next trip to St. Louis.

On the journey back, we stopped in this teeny-tiny town called Casey, IL. They're currently the Guinness record holder for 7 of the "world's largest" items, including a mailbox, rocking chair, wind chime, and golf tee. 

My 6ft 8in hubby can attest, bigger really is better.

After being away so often, I can't even express how excited I am for these next few weekends at home. It feels like forever since I've had a chance to do anything to the house, and it's in desperate need of a cleaning (...ew). Guess it's time to open the windows, rock out to some classic Spice Girls, and get to it!


Check out all of my misadventures and randomness, by visiting the EVERYDAY LIFE page.