Friday Happies!

Friday rainbow!

Hello my lovely dearies! What's your plan for the weekend? I'll be trucking along at the shop, hopefully it will be drama-free and go by quickly so I can hurry up and enjoy my Monday off! Because I'm super ready for a long hot bath and bed, I'll jump right in to this week's list of happies, funs, pretties, interestings and what-nots to usher you into a rad weekend of happiness and hilarity!

*This guy does 10 second songs in a bunch of different styles. It's a little bit mind blowing.

*I love this guy! Alan Rickman talks about working with strong, talented, brilliant women. Oh you!

*I loved Alice Gao's interview on A Cup of Jo. What great simple style!

*This is one of the funniest artist series I've seen in a minute. "The Distance I Can Be From My Son". 

*This started out as an article that I wanted to roll my eyes about. Parents who think their kids' Minion toys in their Happy Meals were cussing. It turned out to be a great article on words and their meanings and how we, as adults, sometimes cause more harm than good in teaching our children about what's "good" and "bad".

*Bruiser just wanted to belly flop in the pool. He certainly succeeded.

*SO COOL! A Sun Printing Kit!! I want one!

*Weird things couples are thankful for. HA!

*These lovely gals tried on Victoria's Secret bathing suits, and this is what happened!

*A five step guide to Making S--t Happen!

*To Basil on your 10th birthday! My heart!

*Comedians talking about fatherhood.

*Both impressive and creepy! This guy can do makeup so well, he can transform himself into celebrities!

*Common entertaining mistakes and how to avoid them! I've done 'em all, y'all!

*And to round it out, 10 Ways to Remind Yourself You're Worth It!

Awesome! Have a wonderful weekend friends!!

Friday Happies!

It's over y'all. You've made it to another weekend! Got any plans for Father's Day? I have to work all weekend, but I'll be calling my Papa in Nashville (can't say his gift on here because my folks are my most devoted readers- you cutie patooties) and spending time with my B after I get off work on Sunday (I'm lucky enough to have two men in my life to honor- though with wildly differing tastes). So, in honor of those great men in our lives, I've put a few fun gift ideas, some inspirations and some regular ole Friday Happy regulars to get you stoked for your weekend! I hope you enjoy!

*I <3 Dad chocolates! Because he's sweet and deserves a treat!

*This homemade shirt for Father's Day too, because Awww!

*James Taylor releases his first new album in over 13 years! It's great and what a good gift for a Papa in your life (or really anyone, because its so good!).

*How about keeping his favorite radio station pumping out the great music he loves? Donate here!

*A modern classic for him to enjoy. 

*A classic classic for him to enjoy.

*Why not make him a watermelon grill? He may just laugh himself silly! I almost did.

*A great cookbook for him too (as he loves to experiment in the kitchen)! I'm partial to the John Besh one myself.

*Awesome site of dads and kids! Like Iron Man & Iron Son above. Sooooo good!

Now on to the rest of the list!

*I want to try Graze.com's snack line!

*This is a great article not only on the tiny house movement, but on the "New Old" house movement (of which I am super into!).

*The cast of Gilmore Girls reflect back on one of the best episodes of the series, the dance marathon episode (*geek out*).

*Meet Lenore. She is 99 years old, and very interesting and self-sufficient.

*Have y'all heard of a She-Shed? Let's all go have these now, please!

*Well, here's one way to make lemonade. Due to her dog's rampant stealing of food, this photographer created an adorable series of...her dog stealing beautifully photographed food.

*I saw Jurassic World this week. I loved the action, could not ignore the sexism (really Hollywood?) and delighted in the references and Easter eggs hidden throughout. Oh, and I LOVED Jimmy Buffet's cameo! Loved it!!

*Then zookeepers around the globe began making memes teasing at the the image of Owen and the Velociraptors from that very film. It's called Prattkeeping. Silly and fun!

*I am super intrigued by this group of boys (The Wolfpack) and this documentary about their entire young lives spent locked in a tiny apartment together in NYC. Fascinating and resilient young men.

*Why is this photograph of Professor Sydney Engleberg holding a student's infant child during his lecture sparking conversations on parenting? Check it out for yourself, it's pretty great!

*The Elf Whisperer of Iceland?! Yes please!

*There is a facility/day school in Seattle that is for the very young and elderly to be together. It is awesome and makes me very happy to know it exists.

*This restaurant decided to restructure their financial system by barring tips April 1st. What happened? Their profits tripled, y'all! Their employees and customers all report better experiences all the way around. Check out their cool story!

I hope you have a truly wonderful weekend, y'all! Don't forget the first day of Summer is this weekend!

 Keep the love and positivity flowing. Pour your gratitude out every day and make sure you always tell those special people in your life that you love and appreciate them. 'Specially those daddies! Ciao!

New Obsession

Admission. When I was a little bean I took my handy dandy faerie identification guide out into Grandma's gardens and spent HOURS looking for signs of faerie life. I built houses and left flowers and fruit and it was genuinely magical.

As I've gotten older, I've always kept them in my pocket. The idea of faeries. But I never liked the tattooes (thanks Britney) or the hokey tchotchkes that forced me to keep my love of that childhood magic a secret.

In fact I've even been known to roll my eyes and scoff at the myriad of faerie accoutrements I've seen in my local favorite nursery...until recently.

Recently I've been thinking of making a seasonal planter to celebrate the changing of the seasons. See, I come from a long line of decorators. My mother, grandmother and great-grandmother's seasonal decor was something to be wonderstruck by. I've never been good at that whole-hog type of decorating because- quite frankly- I don't want clutter and I don't want to store a lot of things.

However, I believe celebrating the seasonal changes is beautiful and simple and kind and good for the heart. I want to do that like the women before me.

But in case you haven't noticed a trend with me...I gotta do it my way!

All of this to say, I want to make a Summer faerie planter for the first day of Summer, this weekend!! I'm super geeking out about it and have been researching like a lunatic about it. Ahem. At least I'm honest about my lunacy.

Check out these awesome sites for making faerie gardens or "miniature gardens" as the grown-ups would say...

*The Garden Glove.
*The Juice. (Or gardening with adorable little ones!)
*The Magic Onions (great name for a gardening site!!)
*This, That & Everything In Between.

Would you do something fun and whimsical like this or is your garden a more structured type of homage to the seasons? How do you acknowledge the passing of the months? I'd love to know!

Friday Happies!

Throwback. Savannah, 2008. I simply cannot believe that was seven years ago. Seriously!

Hello friends! How was your week? Mine went by in an utter blur! This weekend is the BIG yard sale. I am so excited to get rid of all the stuff I've gone through during my KonMari adventure. I have a sneaking feeling I will be getting rid of much more afterward. Anyway, here's this week's list of happies, funs, interestings and what-nots to get you stoked for your weekend adventures!

*An anonymous man donated his wife's wedding dress after she passed. He pinned the sweetest note to it and now it's gained worldwide attention.

*Fascinating. A woman vowed to wear the same outfit every day for the month of May as an experiment with "Decision Fatigue". Here is what she had to say!

*Where you lead... GILMORE GIRLS REUNION!

*This mom owned the dance floor at her son's wedding.

*I (and everyone else on the planet) love this little girl's sassy dance recital! Work it girl!

*Heh. Harry Potter and grownups.

*These guys described what they'd like to see their girlfriend's makeup look like to a makeup artist. The results were...mixed.

*I have been drawn to these simple linen aprons lately.

*I tried this scarf trick yesterday at work and we are all obsessed now.

*I'm going to make these for the hubs for his morning nosh this week.

*Coffee ground soap...I'm super intrigued.

*Every time I find this on the interwebs, I get so dang tickled my eyes water. Mischief managed!

*You know I love these "100 years of" videos! The '05 outfit was straight up Lorelai Gilmore!

*The kitchen registry items we still use today (and the ones we wished we had and hadn't registered for).

*"I tried living like every Instagram fashion girl".

Have a great weekend y'all!!

Plated Experiment #1

Hey y'all! Last week I was feeling a bit unorganized and an email popped up directing me to the food delivery service, Plated. I had a discount code so I browsed their weekly menu and selected three dishes to try this week.

What is Plated? Well, it is a really cool site that creates a menu every week. You select what meals you would like delivered and it comes as a serving for two pre-measured with comic strip-style directions.

Last week we ordered Tamarind Chicken with vegetable "fried rice", Salmon with Asparagus, Charred Lemons and Couscous and Vietnamese Pork Buns. I waited all week with baited breath for this package to arrive and it did this Saturday!

The first recipe we made was the Salmon. Here's how it went!

My beautifully photographed recipe cards.

My not as beautifully photographed ingredients.

Nothing against the Hellman's they sent us for the mustard sauce, but Duke's is all we use in our house.

Mustard sauce with thyme and lemon zest. So yummy!

Browning the couscous (I know, not Paleo, but there aren't a tremendous amount of Paleo options, my only complaint).

Seasoned Salmon cooking away. Doesn't that look good?!

Charring the lemons and cooking the asparagus.

So what do y'all think? It turned out pretty and just like the picture!

All in all, I'd say it was a rousing success. The flavors were great, the directions were simple and the recipe says it serves two, but we had a serving leftover for the hubs' lunch the next day.  I can't wait to try the other recipes. I think we'll start picking one or two a week (it keeps me more organized so I don't go to the grocery store and waste money on food I don't prepare).

Would you guys try something like this? It was a little out of my comfort zone and I felt a wee bit silly ordering food, but I"m glad I tried it. Oh, and this post is in no ways sponsored by Plated. I just like it.

Have a wonderful day y'all!!

Friday Happies!

Southern Belle vintage Valentine!

Good Friday, kiddos (and a Good Luck Friday the 13th too)! I cannot believe how fast the weeks are flying by these days! Geesh! I hope you have a nice relaxing weekend planned, I'll be working for part of it and celebrating ValenGras (Valentine's + Mardi Gras) for the other part! Woohoo! So, without further ado, here's this week's list of sweets, funnies, pretties, happies, interestings, and what-nots to get your weekend off to a great start!

*The hubs and I enjoyed this speed dating prank...and how awfully cheesy these guys were on a supposed blind date. Ouch.

*Photographs of sweet pits with flower crowns to help people see the sweetness there beneath the bad reputation (it's the people who hurt them, not the pups themselves, y'all!). I think Mr. Fantastic is thinking "Yeah, that's right- I own this look!".


*I go nowhere on Valentine's Day on principal (traffic, crowds *shudder*). However, this would be a beautiful number to wear for a romantic dinner for two any old day of the week.

*Dear Potatoes...Will you be my Valentine? I love you so!

*While we're at it...Valentine's Day is apparently totally different for "Millenials". Technically I am a part of the "Millenial" generation (though I definitely have some thoughts on that), but I have to say...it's totally true!

*Y'all know I loved Anne of Green Gables in 2015! Check out my girl Lizzy Bennet in 2015...totally nailed it!

Mardi Gras beads in the trees!

*Oooweeoo! A DIY Mardi Gras statement necklace (that doesn't have to be so tacky or "I think I have too many beads" suffocatey").

*Sniff! Oh my goodness! This commercial is so sweet and so heartbreaking! I couldn't even remember what it was for! Whoopsie!

*I'm in big-time need for stationery and thank you cards these days. I really liked these. Call me old-fashioned but I am a bit turned off by cards that say "Thanks". Is it too much trouble to say "Thank You"? It's like saying "Yeah" to the Queen or something. I guess it's better than no thank you note at all thought, huh? I've totally been guilty of that before!

*What a cool little birdhouse! This would make a good gift for my Mama. We both have a thing for acorns.

*I thought this was kind of cool. Three woman of various ethnic backgrounds get transformed to look like a royal ancestor.

*Who knew John Reilly could sing like that?! The hubs and I have been listening to this over and over for a few days now!

*Y'all know I'm a candle whore. Every candle on Terrain needs to be at my house right now.

*Well, if this didn't come along right when I needed it. Geez Louise!

*I don't have the best track record for baking...but I wanna make these. Should I even try? I miss New Orleans right now (because that means I can eat them but don't have to attempt to make them)!

Have a great weekend, y'all! I hope it's an awesome one and super relaxing and lovely!
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pssst...And here's one for only those with a slightly foul sense of humor. You have been warned (I no likey to upsetty).

Okay, so obviously I'm a movie trailer nerd. But, I love a romantic comedy that's not a romantic comedy, and Amy Schumer and Bill Hader are both my jams, respectively. Enter "Trainwreck". Super not safe for work because of language and hilarious raunch. It looks so funny!!

Fleur 101

February is a special time for me. Not only is it nice, chilly and crisp weather- it's also the month of my birthday, Valentine's Day, and Mardi Gras (all fun & festive days of food and flowers... yay alliteration!).

Anywho, I've always been intrigued by beautifully arranged flowers. Though never really had them in my house or gardens until recently (very recently). I've started adding fresh flowers to my house about once a month, but they never look particularly "arranged" when I get them into their little vases/containers.  I try, but usually it just looks like I dropped them into the container willy-nilly even though I actually try to make them look nice. It's amazing how some people just have that gift to see an arrangement in their mind and just make it happen. That floral je ne sais quois. I don't have it necessarily, but I do think I'm capable with a little nudging (and many online tutorials and magazine tear-outs) to pretend like I do!

So for funsies today, I thought I'd share some tips and things I found to make store-bought grocery store flowers look beautiful and expensive.

From My Soulful Home:

        *Filling the base of the container with something to stabilize the stems. Der. I've never done that.

        *Using tape to create a grid for keeping the flowers in place. (Totally works, I have used this trick).

        *Adding a bit of sugar to the water. It makes sense, though I've never tried it. I've heard of an aspirin being used. Don't know the science behind it. Would love to know if any of y'all do!

        *Three types of flowers make an arrangementt: Line, Mass & Filler (as well as a focal flower...so technically four types of flowers).


Some tips for single flower-type arrangements from A Cup of Jo.

How to make fancy-schmancy centerpiece-y arrangements. I would totally put something a little outlandish like this in a teeny powder room just for giggles.

My personal favorites: loose, asymmetric arrangements. It's oh-so Rosemary & Thyme!

Having beautiful flowers in my home is a small luxury in my life, but I want to make the most of it. It doesn't much and it makes me smile every time I see their little flower faces.  Do you have any tricks or tips to make cheapo blossoms look better?  I'd love to know!

It seems like a pretty good metaphor for the P&PPS anyway, you know? Taking what you have, recognizing its inherent beauty then figuring out a way to make it really stand out in all its glory!


I hope you have a truly wonderful day, little blossoms!

Two Week Check In!

DIY Rotating Goal List

Alright y'all, can you believe we're already two weeks in to the new year?! It's going by too fast already! So, how are your resolutions going? Whether it's weight loss, organizing that spare bedroom, learning a new craft or skill or getting through Julia Child's entire cookbook; before you give up on the goals you set for yourself, have you tried making an organized "goal at-a-glance" so you can keep track as you go along? I found this the other day and I thought it was a complete gem for a few reasons:

1. It's simple. You won't do it if it isn't simple!

2. It's manageable. It's small, no special supplies are needed other than a stack of post-it notes and a pen. However, six tasks seem so much more feasible when they are written in big lettering on small pieces of paper. And! It forces you to choose the six most important tasks instead of the dozens of minute ones that seem important but really aren't.

3. It's visual. Each task is assigned to a small square piece of brightly coloured paper. The at-a-glance benefits cannot be denied! Especially if you're really trying to get organized.

4. It's efficient! Each week you update it with the simple changing of a slip of paper. It minimizes the perceived workload to make each task achievable.

Alls ya gotta do is write your goal as your heading and six things you can do to move forward with that goal every week (oh and DO THEM)!

What do you think? Do you think you'll try it out? I think it's a peach of an idea to keep one motivated and in control of their goals (and plain ole to-do's too). We've gotta get going on our year's list, we're already 1/26th done with this year! Aaaaaaagh!! JK, fifty weeks is nothing to sneeze at!

Also, I'd love to know what works for you! I'm always game to try something new! Have a wonderfully organized and productive day!

Colour Therapy- Saffron!

I am all in the mood for the bright, happy cosiness of saffron today! Maybe because it's been so cold and grey, my Vitamin D deficiency kicked in or something.  Just for funsies, I thought I'd spend a little time today sharing some beautiful things to (maybe, hopefully!) get you to feel the metaphorical sunshine on your face too!

In feng shui, a warm happy yellow is a color for health. In meditation, the yellow and orange chakras represent positive use of personal power, meditation and digestion as well as the utilization of creative forces in all aspects of your being (gotta love that!) respectively.  

After this harried holiday season and during this long stretch of cold, and grey we all naturally grow a little internal. I think that's great and really important; but while you're at it, you can at least have a little manmade sunshine in your life. Just because you're cozied in, doesn't mean you have to get all Season Affective Disorder-y on us.

Just think of the daffodils popping out of the frosty ground y'all, they're little shoots of sunshine during the harshest time of year!

Like this punchy saffron sofa!

Velvet pillows! I don't usually like velvet because it makes my teeth hurt to touch it, but the color is fantastic; and if you're not afflicted with the weird velvet/teeth situation then I highly recommend adding them for a comforting texture in your living room or bedroom.

A stunning shade, "Nasturtium" ,to add a pop of color to your walls. I think it'd be pretty painted 3/4 of the way down a wall with a rough border (not with painters tape but kind of eyeballed instead). 

Like this!

This lovely and soft-looking rug from Anthropologie!

Pretty glass beads to wear with a winter white or grey outfit maybe?!

A little bucket/basket to brighten up the inevitable laundry malaise or use as a planter for a leafy friend!

The ultimate soft tee for lounging about in leggings or jammie bottoms (and big wooly socks) watching Netflix marathons.

And last but not least! A delicious recipe to make that will warm your heart and your senses! I truly want to try this! Cardamom & Saffron Pears. Yum yum yum!!!

I hope you have a truly wonderful day, y'all! Don't forget to let the sunshine in!!

Friday Happies!

Fleecy Flock Ribbon (see below!!)

Hey y'all! Can you believe it's only 5 full days until Christmas? That's nuts. It seems like this season has been slow (helloooo retail!) and very fast at the same time. This weekend I'm working like a damn hound, but it's okay. It's almost done and soon it will be New Year's! What a whirlwind of a year!!

Anyway! You know what Fridays around here mean! Here are some funs, happies, heart-warmies & pretties to help usher you into your weekend (and hopefully put a smile on your face too).

*It met with mixed reviews, but this year's tree in Reading, Pennsylvania was pardoned even though some city council members and residents thought "it was too ugly". Not only has it been saved and is on display in the middle of town, but they embraced it's Charlie Brown Christmas Tree-ness and placed a blue blanket around the base (think Linus' security blankie) and a single red ornament. Everyone in the town has been invited to help jazz it up (just like at the end of the Charlie Brown Christmas Special) on Christmas Day and they've even started an essay contest so people can submit writings on the real meaning of this season. Now talk about getting it right, y'all! Way to go guys!

*Fleecy Flock Ribbon Sheep?!?!?! I didn't realize it until now, but now that I know it exists; I must procure it for loved ones!

*A possibly transformative New Year's Resolution (more on those next week).

*These parents got together to give their kids' crossing guard a new vehicle when his was repossessed due to mounting hospital bills for his sick wife. What a lovely gesture!

*As you know, I dream of having a smidgen of "grown-up" in my bohemian, quirky & inner-child friendly apartment. I really liked this makeover for a newlywed couple feeling the same way. Though the realist in me wonders just how much that makeover actually cost.

*This would be so perfect for the hubs' bedside table (and one for me too...*ahem*).

*Check out this Japanese man's totally zen gift-wrapping style. I cannot even figure out what shape the wrapping paper started out in but woah!! I'm impressed! While you're at it, check out this Japanese man's incredible ironing skills (I'm baffled by most garments myself- though cloth napkins I've got down), and this Japanese man's shoe-shining skills. As my husband says, "there is something so soothing and gratifying about watching someone do something with their hands, and do it so masterfully." Japan has definitely gotten some things figured out!

*Minus the bows, I would totally wear these and pretend I was Phryne Fisher.

*In that same vein, these bad boys would work too (but in a champagne colour like she wears)!

*Nine year old girl writes a kind letter to her teacher. "It's just your life."

*We love Ray Blount Jr. at our house, and his hilarious commentaries on Southern life always make my day better. His take on Christmas songs is a winner for me. Love it!

*This is (literally) one of my favourite holiday songs (other than all things Vinve Guiraldi & Nat King Cole). I don't know what that says about me. I also love that the video for it is from an entirely different song. Hilarious.

*Never underestimate the power of egg whites. From pancakes, cookies, soups & cocktails, this surprising ingredient is Best in Show for many a recipe. Check some out here!

*Contrary to my love of the 20's, I know I'm a nerd and thiiiiiiis close to being a macaroni necklace-wearing earth-muffin...but I still totally want this (and have for years now)!

*Remember that delightful chunky knit throw from Tuesday's post? Here's a way to make one yourself!!

Have a wonderful weekend, y'all!

Here we go!

Rabbit Rabbit wishes you good luck for the whole month if you say it on the first day! Bunny in a hat.

Rabbit Rabbit! It's the first day of the month. Can you believe the year is almost over? It seems like it flew by- like January was three weeks ago or something. Anyway, I like to treat the first of each month like a little New Year. I make little goals for myself and my hopes for the end of December/end of 2014 is to be more organized. We've been doing great on the house, but we could still be doing better (especially since we're looking for a new, smaller place). So here is my list for the month:

*Donate two more boxes of "stuff" by the end of the month. We've steadily been taking at least a box a month all year. I'm thrilled with how much unnecessary stuff we've gotten out of the house. I can breathe better.

*Stick to the meal plan. It's there for a reason. I usually stick to it pretty well half of the month and the other half I'm derailed and ordering pizza I don't even like because I don't feel like cooking. It's the meal plan + a few fun nights = staying in the 2015 debt reduction plan!

*Finish my jewelry holders from this post. We're at 80%, and I can't wait to get them hung and to arrange then rearrange my jewelry ten times!

*Get all my holiday shopping done before the 15th, that includes shipping off the stuff that needs to be shipped off.

*Stay on top of my recycling. We don't have a service here at my apartment so we save it up and walk it over to the industrial recycling bin- in theory. We get kinda lazy about it. I'd like to remedy that so my kitchen can look pretty and doesn't look like the room where legends die.

Have you started thinking about your new year? Is getting organized on your list? I think it's always been on mine, but this year we made some major impact and I'm crazy motivated to keep that up. I'd love to hear what's on your mind today, friends!

I hope you have a truly wonderful day!

Gettin' Ready!

Happy Monday, y'all! I hope your weekend was lovely and relaxing. In the retail biz, this week is nucking futs and as always, I'm trying my best to remain as calm and positive as I possibly can.

Have y'all started shopping yet? I'm almost finished and occupying the fleeting free moments I have looking for beautiful eco-friendly wrapping options. What do you guys use? Every year I try something different. Almost always it involves recycled brown paper because I'm a predictable ole earth muffin. One year I used old sepia postcards as name tags. Another year I wrapped presents to look like faery tale toadstools. Today I pooled a few options that have tickled my brain. I'd love to share them with you and I'd love to hear about what ideas have too!

And in the meantime, let me remind you that this is the time set aside for gratitude (which should be daily, honestly) so please remember what Black Friday really means too: hard-working family-having retail workers are working their asses off this week (and the five weeks following) so please be kind while you're out doing your thing. You can get wonderful discounts and still not treat people like trash. I've been doing this for 16 holiday seasons now. It's hard and we really don't give a shit about your discounts. We want you to be happy and to get out as quickly as possible so we can spend time with our family members and loved ones.

Let us all make a pact to be kind to each other no matter what. And with that...here's some fun-

I love to give wine. A gift that keeps on giving. And this is such a lovely handmade way to present such a thoughtful (and easy gift).

Super cute polka dots.

Gifting with buttons!!

Celery print fabric wrapping paper!

Metallic Sharpie on brown paper. Love.

And last but not least...for the bibliophile in your life...

I truly hope you have a beautiful day!

Friday Happies!

Little mouse print!

Happy Friday, y'all! How was your week? Mine was filled with work and getting a head start on holiday gift shopping. I can't believe they are creeping in so soon!

*As the holidays loom ever closer, I think I may need this mitten flask to get through...just kidding...maybe!

*This seems like a cool gift or thing to try on a blustery, cold night!

*Let me tell you a story about the best socks ever. Boom. They're just the best for your snuggly tootsies! I absolutely live in mine (cold tile floors, brrrr!).

*I really want to make this for my pitifully orchestrated kitchen! Clever and chic, no?

*I've had this song in my head for a day or two now. I had forgotten how utterly awesome this video was!!

*Well, damn! Aunt Bill's brown candy sounds just amazing. What a nice thing to give to neighbors and to have stashed for emergency "oh my god! I forgot to give so-and-so a present!" moments this holiday session.

*Unconventional but awesome wedding ideas, indeed! I particularly like #9, it made me laugh out loud.

*As if I could afford these...but aren't they so lovely and classic?!

*I wouldn't mind this bad boy in my stocking this Christmas. It looks so delicious!

*What an interesting story!! I can't wait to see this documentary!

*And I would top off that with a couple of these! Dang that sounds so good!

And last but not least!

*Welp, this is pretty much the plan for me this Winter!


I hope you have a truly wonderful weekend!

Friday Happies!!

Cute kid!

I'm so glad it's Friday. I hope y'all have a wonderful, fun and relaxing weekend planned. I have to work and attend a 2 hour meeting I am dreading on my day off no less- ick- but I hope to squeeze some fun in there while I'm at it. Well, around here on Fridays I like to curate a list of happy, funny, awesome, inspiring, pretty and just plain interesting things to get you in a super positive mood for your weekend.

*Well I definitely know a handful of people that could benefit from this little gift.

*This made me laugh. And yes, it's quite true.

*This too!

*I'm oddly fascinated by mudras. I've tried them a few times when meditating or stressed out and it seemed to actually work. Perhaps its the accidental hand massage, or perhaps some amazing connection to the brain, but seriously- I've actually noticed an effect!

*Since I've been on this decluttering/organizing/crafting kick, this appeals to me very much. I want to make a version of this myself in harvest colors for Thanksgiving or multiple shades of pink, red, and purple for my birthday (around Valentine's Day). The possibilities are endless, really!

*Are you abibliophobic? I think I may be. Seriously!

*I post this pretty regularly, but if you can take some time every day to have a moment like this to show gratitude for just how miraculously badass your life really is, then it will only get better!

*Ha! This pretty much covers every moment I spent alone as a child.

*Hell yeah. Thank you Netflix. I've been streaming Gilmore Girls nonstop since they made it available. The hubs says "it's just fine", but we both know he really wanted Rory and Jess to end up together in the long run.

*A few more pounds and a few more dollars and this look could be mine. In my head I can totally wear it now, but in reality... a few pushups and sit-ups couldn't hurt the ole girl.

*Is it just me or is this time-traveling Taylor Swift from the 1960's? I saw this online the other day and its weirded me out a little ever since. It totally looks like her!

*Meditation. Yes! Exhale!

I hope y'all have a wonderful, peaceful and completely awesome weekend!

Project 3: Jewelry

Happy Thursday, y'all! I hope your week has been awesome. I'm day three (well, technically today is day 4, but- y'know) of the declutter challenge. So far the week has been awesome and inspiring, however, day three didn't go as great as I had hoped. That was mainly because I was absolutely exhausted after a closing shift at work while simultaneously training two new employees. Geesh. I'm still tired, to be honest.

However, miracle of miracles! I did manage to take a half hour or so to go through the house and harangue all the jewelry that I have strewn all over the place (I can admit I can be a hurricane at times- in fact, I have strategically placed bowls in every room to corral it all). I didn't get all the jewelry organized, but that's because I have a few boxes of sentimental and/or family heirlooms that will take a day. I did go through all my everyday jewelry and weeded it out a little bit then figured out about how much I had so that I could get all the supplies for...

...the awesome new jewelry hangers I'm going to make!!!

Aren't these cool?! I showed them to the hubs and he said he'd totally help me make them (i.e. he'll totally make them because he's cute when I start a project he wants to help then he ends up doing it himself). Regardless, I'm so excited!!

Now I know I said I'd be working on pi's and accessories etc. too, but I just couldn't. Tonight maybe!

Any great crafts or DIY storage ideas that have made your organization journey a little easier? I'd love to know!

I hope you have a wonderful day!

Project motivations!

Happy Monday, guys! How was your weekend? Mine was spent with family and friends and funny costumes and good food. Well, if you remember last week's post, you know that I've been super inspired to get organized and decluttered. While falling down the wormhole of Pinterest and the internet looking for tips and ideas to further move me along this wave, I've found all kinds of crazy awesome crafty projects I want to try too. That's silly, I know- the cart before the horse and what-not; but I think I'm going to use some of the cool ideas as a type of reward system for accomplishing my organizing/decluttering goals. Each time I knock one of those goals out of the way, I'll do something nice for my crappy little apartment. Nerd alert, as per usual.

I found this great hand towel ring project from a blog I love called Yes & Yes (check her out here). My apartment has the worst bathroom accessories. They come apart from their hardware and they just annoy me, frankly. I love this idea of a simple ring and a strap of leather. I'd make this for my kitchen and two bathrooms in a heartbeat!

The hubs and I use our laptops for everything. My blog, the online stores, banking/bill-paying, and all entertainment. I hate to even admit that, and it doesn't dominate our lives, but still they are in frequent use. However, I like a clean dining room table, I get very tired of have cluttered table tops and strive to have them clean for proper meals together with no screens. So this little project would create a space for our computers to rest when not in use. Seems pretty easy, right? Perhaps there is a dormant talent for carpentry laying in wait for the right project (I did make a pretty decent cassette holder in shop class in 6th grade).

I currently have six plants of varying life cycles in the window of my dark kitchen. I would love to make this hanging plant rack to store them vertically in the sliding glass door to keep the kitchen window decluttered.

Or perhaps I could expand the space of the kitchen window storage with these shelves. It doesn't solve the "clutter" situation, but it would keep the plants off of the windowsill, up and out of the way so it feels cleaner and less cluttered. Head space, folks.

Any DIY projects you know of that have worked for you, or have inspired you to get your butt in gear? I can use all the help I can get!

Have a good day, y'all! Hope your weeks starts out wonderfully!

Friday Happies!

I can't believe it's Friday again! How was your week, guys? Mine was good. I kept forgetting which day of the week it was, so I had something like three Wednesdays. The hubs and I are celebrating our 4th (legal) anniversary and I'm working the rest of the weekend, but I surely hope y'all have a great weekend planned with days of relaxing in the Autumn breezes, quality time with quality people and loads of positivity! Here's this Friday's lists of happies, pretties and funnies to get you started!

*I love the cluster of frames and what-nots (above). It's so pleasant, quirky and interesting. I like to have art in the house that intrigues me every time I see it. Maybe in the new apartment (whenever that happens), I'll put together something like this!

*This made me laugh, though there are a few edits I'd make.

*Just a delightfully cheeky reminder that it's Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and y'all- ya gotta feel your boobies!

*What I wish I'd done for my bestie's baby shower last April! So cool and chic.

*Fresh pumpkin crates in three color schemes?! Yes, please!! I can't tell which one I like the best. Maybe the green and white!

*I love this metallic DIY centerpiece for Fall. Seems easy enough! Famous last words, right?

*Just finished binge-watching the final season. I miss those guys. 

*What a stunning wind chime. Me wanty (for the prosperity gua in my house- I love Feng Shui).

*I found this video a few years ago and I just love it. This one too. So sweet and magical!

*Now that is a good looking iPhone case/wallet. I could care less that it's Buffalo leather (would prefer it weren't actually), but the design is cool and sophisticated in a pleasantly rustic way.

*What absolutely gorgeous lampshades. The detail! The colors! The whimsy! I don't know which one I love more. They'd be so great in a child's bedroom, or an ahem, adult woman's living room.

*I weirdly love this.

*I used to sell these candles in a shop I worked in, I love them and get all excited when I see the Fall colors. I think I'd get these for Fall, these for the Holidays.

*A knockout bourbon punch recipe. Wowsa!

*I need quite a bit more exercise before I can get away with this, but dammit, I think it's so pretty. Perhaps I should lay off the knockout bourbon punch...

I hope you have a truly wonderful day and weekend!

Love Yo'self!

My super up-close coffee scrub.

It Thursday, y'all! A good day to turn that amazing outward positive focus inward for a minute. You have to refuel your positivity, love and kindness reserves pretty regularly too, you know! Now, usually I post a bunch of fun self-care recipes and goodies here, but this week I'm doing something a teeny bit different. This week I tried one of the many recipes I've hoarded for homemade skin care products. I found this coffee scrub and decided (because I had all the ingredients in my pantry- otherwise I apparently can't be bothered) to try to duplicate it at home.

It just looks like a cup of old coffee grounds, but it's so much more!

It was awesome, if not a little messy. I don't know (or care really) about it's cellulite-banishing claims or whether it really works in that department. However, it does leave your skin feeling incredibly tingly and soft and smelling amazing.

I felt like I was brewing some artisanal hipster coffee brew though. Tub-infused lady coffee. Ew. You could make some money in Japan with that methinks. Ew again. I'll totally make this again though, it made me feel magnificently scrubbed and smooth and moisturized and it is a unisex scent so even the manliest of dudes can try it.

Give it a whirl, y'all! It took five minutes to make and the duration of a quick shower to use (preferred over an actual tubby soak because, ew ew ew!) and bada-bing, bada-boom- you've given yourself a lovely little pick-me-up.

Take the time to care for yourself today. Even if its just ten minutes. Ten minutes can be spared, I promise! It's simply ten less checks of the FaceTube, the Tweeter or whatever else you kids are doing online these days. You deserve the attention and the time, so does your psyche and- in this case, your skin.

I hope you have a truly wonderful day, y'all!