-- Thrifty Thursday -- Polyvore --

Today I have a new found love!  It's called Polyvore!  You can use it for FREE!!!  Design outfits, rooms, mood boards, etc!  It's kind of lovely!  Check it out here!

Below is a room I'd love to design!  I wish my house looked like this all over!

Twigs and Such by november61280 on Polyvore.com

I love that you can bring your ideas to life and see if you really like them!  Now off to find pictures to make my own "mood board" for the back bedroom!  :)

-- Doing It All Over Again Part 1 --

Wedding Wednesdays come so quickly. 
For some reason I was looking at bridesmaid dresses today... OH, I know why.  I was looking at one of the event blogs that I follow and the bridesmaids looked like they were wearing J Crew in the most recent coordination they did.  Which made me wonder about my choice for BM Dresses...  Hmmm....

Here's what I chose for my girls...


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I was watching something the other day and someone was totally making fun of this dress.  I wish I could remember what it was, but it kind of made me cringe.  Did I do what I said I wouldn't do?  I thought everyone looked really nice in them and I thought they were flattering and classic... but did I pick the ultimately worst BM Dress Ever?! 

There was kind of a bow theme at my wedding.  My dress had a bow, the girls had a bow, and even the flower girls dresses had a bow.  They were all modern bows though...not like 1980s big bow on your a**.  I thought I did good. 

But today I started to look at BM dresses because this thought crossed my mind.  If I did pick an awful dress, what would I do next time around... even though there won't be a "next time around."  I think I would have done what I originally intended to do.  Picked 3/4 dresses and let everyone choose their own.   Originally these were the 3 I was letting everyone choose from. 

Now, if  I had to do it all over again...or help someone else decide on BM Dresses, I think I'd go with something like this...

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Or maybe something like this... I think this is truly unique. 

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Or lastly, maybe something like this...
Love the color...

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So now comes the question...  How did you feel about your bridesmaid dresses?  Or what would/will you should for your wedding? 

Happy Wednesday!

-- Chicago --

Ok, so I just have to share some of the new items that I learned about this weekend at Stella & Dot Back to Basics Bootcamp in Chicago. 
First of all, Jessica Herrin is absolutely lovely.  I think I love her.  I know I say that about a lot of people, but I really find her story inspiring.  It also makes me think more and more that I should have gotten a degree in graphic design or computer technology of somesort. 

Anyways, Jessica was one of the top 10 featured entreprenuers in Inc 500 this month.  And Stella & Dot was one of the top 100 fastest growing companies.  Jessica shared her story about starting The Wedding Channel website which became one of my Greatest friends during my wedding planning process...all my registries were through there..., how that website was then bought by The Knot, which also became a close friend o' mine, and then how someone told her that you can't build a great BUSINESS by just doing startups you will need to know what it's like to work in a big company.  So she went to work for DELL and then decided she wanted to start a jewelry line. 

At first it was called LUXE Jewels.  Then after a couple of years of literally making jewelry in her living room, she met with a designer, got some investors, and Voila - Meet Stella & Dot. 

I'm a sucker for these kind of stories.  I love smart savvy women.  I hope to be one someday.  haha.  But seriously, don't you think it's funny when you hear that all these people just had an idea and wouldn't take no for an answer?!  I love that!  Now, if I only had an idea... 

But we also got to see some of the new products that were just launched last week!  They are very cool, hip, and loveable!  The best are these leather bracelets!  I think they are the best because they can be catered to just about any age group!  You can buy one or 3... the layering aspect is very cool, especially right now. 


Get them HERE!!!


There are also some lovely new delicate options...  See all new arrivals here.  :) 
Make your wish list while you look here!!!  :)  The holidays are just around the corner. 

-- Good Morning --

Ok, so I just have to tell you a little about how my day has gone...

Woke up this morning.  Did not want to get out of bed.  Typical Monday. 
Clothes were wrinkly.  Of course.  Threw in dryer...no time to iron.<--would ever happen at 5am anyways
It's freezing outside <-- complete exaggeration, it was 50 degrees
I'm dying for coffee.  Thought Mike set the coffee maker last night since he'd cleaned it.  Bad Assumption.
Come downstairs half dressed to make the coffee. 
Make coffee.
Finish getting ready.  Dogs are following me everywhere. 
Make lunch.  <-- grab healthy choice, apple, string cheese and throw in bag.  Very complicated.
Coffee is finished.  Grab a traveller mug.  Oh wait, there isn't any.  They are all dirty and/or lost. 
DAMN.
Grab a mug.  <-- always a bad idea for a 5:30am drive to work
Attempt to leave
5:35 <-- only 5 min late
Attempt to leave
5:37 <-- by the time I get in my car will be 10 min late
Decide that even though I have coffee in my hand, I'll need to stop at Starbucks for a coffee...  I know, don't ask.
Get in car.  5:52 by my car clock.  On MY time, not really on time. 14 min fast for whatever reason. 
LATE.
Hit the steering wheel as I get in the car.
Spill coffee all over my leg. 
Thanking god that I'm in almost all black. <-- not going in to change
Start car. 
Pull out of driveway. 
Almost to highway when I realize I forgot my lunch.
DAMN.
Drive. Drive. Drive. FAST. 
Hoping there are no cops.
Pull into Starbucks.  
Apparently Starbucks is having a party.
Maybe all these people who are never here at this time on other days have has the same last 30 min like me?!?
Grab my Grande Pike.
Go to work. 
Starving. 

Here's to a great start to the week.  Yea Right.

 

-- Sunday Morning --

Since I missed Friday's post, I thought I'd post today. 

Yesterday I went to Chicago.  I love Chicago, but I couldn't enjoy it yesterday.  We drove up, sat and listened for a few hours, then drove back. 

We went up to do a Stella & Dot Back to Basics Boot camp.  Guest Speakers Jessica Herrin - CEO and Danielle Redner - Director or Training.  Love them both.  They are very real people who love our product and want us to be able to do what we want with it.  The more we put in, the more we get out!  I'm really excited for the next few months!  The sky's the limit with this company.  I love that!!! 

Then last night Mike and I went out. 

Then this morning I woke up and THERE WAS NO COFFEE!!!  What?!  That's my favorite thing about Sunday mornings!  Coffee!  It is a must!  I had to go out and get it... ugh.  Hair gets pulled back and sweatshirt thrown on.  Time to quickly run out and grab the grinds. 

Now working on random other things that I'm falling behind on. 

What you guys LOVE about Sunday mornings?!

-- Mirror --

I bought my mirror today for my Sunburst Mirror attempt.  Will post results soon. 

:)

-- Thrifty Thursday -- Lighting --

Today I'm thinking lighting.  Who doesn't have those brass fixtures either in your house just waiting to be replaced or just lying around somewhere.  I know I have a couple. 

I'm always thinking...hmmm, what should I do with those.  Well, now I'm thinking, replace them with another BRASS Light Fixture.   Kind of. 

Here are a few re-dos that are on the el cheapo and are actually stunning and very visually pleasing. 

The first one comes from Centsational Girl.  She is one of my new favorite blogs.  She's not new, but I'm new to her.  Here she takes an antique brass chandelier from Drab to Fab in like 2 seconds flat (well the time it takes to spray paint)...  AND she got it for FREE!!!  Who doesn't love a bargain.  Click here to see how she did it. 


Pictures from Centsational Girl

  The next fabulous lighting redo is from The Painted Hive.  This is awesome.  I know we've all seen these!  Even if it was at a thrift store while looking for other bargains, but now you don't have to walk right by it!!!  Click here to see how she made this transformation come to life!!! 

Pictures from The Painted Hive

This next redo is a bit summery for me, but it could be done in any color.  I was thinking that turquoise that is really hot right now.  Anyways, it's from Billie Monster.  She takes this old brass lamp from brass to bright!  Love it! 

Pictures are from Billie Monster

What do you think?  I think even with that fabric turquoise would look AWESOME!!!  Click here to see how she did it. 

Ok, and last for today's thrifty idea for lighting...  We have this Shabby Chic Lamp Revamp from Remodelaholic.  I kind of love this blog too.  She does her own stuff, but she is also featuring others all the time.  She also posts like ALL DAY LONG!!!  You can barely keep up.  But anyways, with her revamp, she had her eye on this Pottery Barn Lamp, and who doesn't?!

Picture from Pottery Barn

I personally love the floor lamp.  She had a brass lamp on hand that she thought she's makeover.  Below is how it turned out and click here to see how she did it. 

 Hope these have inspired you!  I keep looking for good shaped lamps and am coming up dry!  :)

Send me lamps that you've redone if you'd like!

-- Gifts --

How important was the gifts table for you at your wedding!?!  I almost forgot about it.  And good thing I didn't becuase we got more big boxey gifts than I expected.  I just always take cash to a wedding, enough to attempt to cover my plate so I figured most did the same. 

No worries for those who didn't, we enjoyed everything we've recieved.  :) 

But it got me to thinking...what did other gifts tables look like? 

-- Obsessions--

I know there are some of you out there with obsessions...

Well, I have a couple. 

1.  Goodwill.  I can't help thinking that I could make something look so much different than when I bought it.  I go in there looking for tables, chairs, anything to fix/change.  Mike hates it when I go in there looking for tables specifically.  He says we have too many.  I say they fill empty space. 

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2.  Craigslist.  Same thing.  I love looking for something that someone is probably replacing with new, but still has tons of life in it.  I've gotten a couple of chairs, tables, lamps, ottomans, etc off of craigslist.  I'm sure there will be many more finds.  Here's my latest score... Love it.  Don't mind the mess on top. 


 3.  HOME GOODS!!!  I mean, who doesn't LOVE this store!?!  I've found a rug in there before that I just couldn't splurge on at the time...well, baby...the splurge is on it's way!  I always find Lamps, Art, Sheets, Accessories.  Now, if they could just serve me up a Settee or Sofette in the right color we'd be on track.  I mean, who can resist this place?!?


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4.  Blogs.  I am seriously a blog hog.  I even started a blog that I haven't really started yet called Blogs and Coffee.  I need to get going on that.  I want to feature a different blog like every other day that you can sit and drink your coffee with.  Haven't you seen that Blogs and Coffee print?  I definitely need it in my house. 

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5.  Working...  Well, I should rephrase that.  Trying to work so that I won't have to work!  lol.  I am always doing 2-3 jobs at one time.  I have my full time job, my skating, and now my Stella & Dot.  I love the feeling of having my own money.  I also love the feeling of having play money.  I think that's why I can't stop doing things!  

What are your obsessions and why do you do the things you do?!?  I'd love to hear from you! 

-- Fall is (not quite) here --

Ok, so I think I need this coat. 

Soia & Kyo is one of my favorite funky outerwear designers!  LOVE!!! 

What do you think?

-- DIY Sunburst Mirror --

Today's Thrifty Thursday project comes to us from over at Isabella & Max Rooms.  I love Janell's Blog.  She is so creative, her rooms look AMAZING...all the time... and she makes everything look so simple. 

A little while back, she started giving sneak peaks on a new project she was doing...  It was a sunburst mirror.  Here's what you'll need. 

1. Bamboo Sticks or some Matching Twigs

2. Hand Saw or Cutting Utensil

3. Glue Gun

4. Painters Tape

5. Round Mirror (this one is from target)

6. Sand Paper

7. Spray Paint

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First, you'll cut all the twigs (thin bamboo sticks are suggested) to be varying lengths between 15 and 20 inches. Next, Janell suggest to tape guidelines on the inside of the mirror to follow while gluing the twigs onto the mirror. 

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Here is a close up of the gluing process.  She said she used a lot of glue to make sure that they stayed!  There was no messing around here.  When she was finished and all the glue had dried, she sanded inbetween the twigs to give it a smoother finish and get rid of any excess glue. 

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Once all the glue had dried, and she had sanded in between the twigs, it was time to tape off the mirror and paint.  She spray painted it an almost ivory color, but you could do whatever color you like. 

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And here is the finished project!  I know, looks so great and was so easy! 

This is definitely on my to-do list!!! 

Thanks Janell for the wonderful ideas.  I wish I had more time (and money) on my hands so that I could do more things like this!!! 

ALL PICTURES ARE FROM ISABELLA & MAX ROOMS

-- Wedding Wednesday -- At My Next Wedding --

So everything from our wedding was wonderful. 
The cake was delicious, the DJ was awesome, the photographers were amazing, our friends and family all showed up, along with Mike and I -- no one was really worried about that.  ;)

Here is a video that our DJ put up of the reception.  Love Nico at All Star DJs.  They were great!  Would recommend them to anyone! 

But...aren't there always things you'd do over?  I know I would.  Here's the list.

1.  Make the reception venue cooler...it got a little hot. 
2.  Use bigger plates for the food.  We used small plates because it was supposed to be appetizer type food, but we both think bigger plates would have worked nicely.
3.  Hire help.  My mom and I basically did it all myself. 
4.  Save up more before so I could spend more on the big day!!! 
5.  Bargain/Negotiate more.  I feel like somethings I got taken on, but I guess you live you learn. 
6.  Apply for more sweepstakes. 
7.  Use different Suit/Tux shoppe.  Not really satisfied with how they looked. 
8.  Have better friends... I found out who my real friends were throughout the process. 
9.  Have more details -- I had a sign for the trolley, signs for our chairs, pictures at the entrance, but I wish I had done more heart to heart details.  I wish I could have done something special for Mike.  I wish I could have done something special for all our friends, etc.  I just wish I could have done more.  And I could have with more money...we just ran out. :(
10.  Take dance classes.  Looking back, I feel like our dance was boring...and it was.  But that was one of the last things on our list...  Totally worth it. 
11.  Hunt Harder for better deals.  I'm very quick to say OK.  I should have looked harder for deals on gifts, rehearsal dinner sites, items we used. 
12.  Let more people get involved (if they were around and willing)
13.  Make more phone calls. 
14.  Not make my own invites and splurge on them too!!! 
15.  Blog More.

Those are 15 for today.  I know that we've discussed other things -- where we would spend money and where we wouldn't have.  I know there are other things.  I can't think of them right now.  That will be at my next next wedding I guess. 

Are there things that you'd change about your wedding?  Or maybe I should rephrase that...if you could have another wedding (hopefully to the same person), more like a do-over, what would you do differently?

-- Dizzy --

This morning I woke up with a headache.  I went back to bed. 

Then when I got up, I was dizzy. 

So I will spend my day laying in bed and working on my laptop, watching movies and shows I love, sipping some coffee, and trying to get rid of this headache. 

The lineup is as follows:

Watch Weeds from last night.  Does anyone LOVE this show as much as I do?  I think I just love Mary Louise Parker and the kid who plays Silas. 

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Watch The American President.  One of my personal favorites...this is Annette Bening and Michael Douglas at their best!  Such a great movie!  I DVR-ed it over night. 



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Work on my Stella Stuff...from bed. 

Catch up on my emails.

Maybe take a nap after I take some more medicine. 

Probably schedule an appointment with the Chiropractor...my neck tension and knots are getting out of control.  I rub muscle relaxer on it every night before bed. 

Finish the last few trickling Thank Yous that are still lingering over my head. 

Sounds like a full sick day.  What do you guys do on your sick days?

-- Photo Booth --

I saw this on another blog that I read and I just had to share! 

It's an online photobooth.  Check it out!  It's called La Photo Cabine... 

All the instructions are in French (I think) and I couldn't read them, but you click the arrow, let it detect your webcam and then hit shoot!  Pretty easy and sassy if I must say! 

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And with my love of photo booth pictures this will be a regular visit for me I'm sure! 

-- Etsy Finds -- Coffee --

Hello Blog Hogs! 

Time for Etsy Finds!  Today's theme is coffee.  I LOVE COFFEE!!  I think that all people should drink coffee!  Coffee doesn't have to be all about coffee!  It's about the feeling it gives you, the boost it gives you, and usually the atmosphere that comes along with it!

Our first feature today is a coffee koosie!  I love these...  First of all, it's because they are reusable!  I have one...not like this, but it's going on my wish list.  Too Cute!  They are letting you recycle with out even thinking about it!  From Knit Storm, we have the Flowery On-the-Go Cup Cozy.  All their stuff is cute! 

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Ok, I'm not a big fan of folk art...I'm more modern or classic... but this might have to go in my kitchen!!!  It's too fun and true to pass over!  From Folk Art From the Harbor, this is actually a stencil.  It is the truth though...and anyone can do a stencil!!! 

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It's pillow time!!!  I love these accent pillows, don't you?!?  They are lovely!  They'd be perfect on a kitchen banquette OR in an office... see the correlation?  :)  These pillows are from Seed Stone Gardens.  Enjoy!

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This piece of artwork comes to us from I Shoot Nouns.  Don't you love everything that is "Keep Calm and Carry On?"  I know I do.  So why not "Keep Calm and Drink a Latte?"

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And last we have... COFFEE MUGS!!!  Did you think I wasn't going to feature any!??  How could I not?!?  I think these are classic.  I love the shorter mugs and these are sassy with little 'staches' on them.  What do you think?  These are from Sunny Dayz. 

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Alright kids!  I hope you've enjoyed!  See you all next time!  If you have suggestions for Etsy Finds, send them my way! 

Much Love!