Friday, January 31, 2014

heart shaped donuts + weekend happiness

happy weekend babes!!!

this morning I saw this video for the first time...don't know how I hadn't seen it before! nonetheless- it is amazing and sure to brighten your weekend
& I wish my husband and I had seen this before we got married...


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I also wanted to share with you these adorable heart shaped donuts from the alison show
perfect little treat to make this weekend considering the first day of love[february] is tomorrow!! they are BAKED, not fried-- which basically means they're healthy...right??

 click here for recipe

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#feelgoodfriday

amen khoolhaus. enjoy life + be happy + learn + grow

see you monday, hope you all have a wonderful weekend
+ go seahawks!!



Thursday, January 30, 2014

w h i t e out

I am so in love with white these days. 
I think it is so classic, clean and always brightens up a room!

here are some white out inspiration pictures...beautiful.





via 8rd // glo


Wednesday, January 29, 2014

adding a touch of [diy] gold


who doesn't love a little [or a lot] of gold these days??
I think gold adds just the right amount of glitz and glam into the home without having to be sparkly or cheap looking. 

I rounded up a few of my favorite DIY gold decor from some awesome bloggers that I will definitely be making--
 they are all super easy, cheap and a few literally take 5 minutes to complete = perfect combo
enjoy!


one // two // three // four // five // six // seven // eight


now get crafting.







Monday, January 27, 2014

new & improved >>> shared bedrooms

happy monday babes!
hope you all had a lovely weekend. I have unfortunately been under the weather for most of it....hoping it's not the flu-- but feeling pretty "flu-like" [I even got the flu shot this year!! :( ]

so it may just be a little bug...so please- pass quickly you ugly, nasty bug.

today I wanted to share with you some beautiful & practical 
shared bedrooms
one day when we have a few littles, I want a shared room just like a one of these--enjoy!

images via gusandlula // via houseofturqiose

symmetrical rooms with different images/pictures above each bed


images via mediacache // 4bpblogspot

different wallpaper/decals to define each child's space-- love this idea.


image via pinterest

different defined spaces for each child- boy & girl room.


images via laybabylay // 2bpblogspot
images via bigredclifford

these last 4 images are each of a shared room with child and baby- I think that might be a hard thing, but these are each so beautiful, makea me think it'd be a great idea!








Friday, January 24, 2014

diy honeycomb wall >>> + #FGF

happy friday lovelies!
I always find myself subconsciously gravitating to something "diy" for my friday post. it makes sense I guess-- that's when we all have got a few days to get stuff done..right?!

today I found something I really really want to do. one is a little more permanent than the other, but both are fantastic ideas and really make a statement in your home. these would be perfect for a child's room or maybe an office, or reading nook. anywhere that needs a little dimension.

here's the first wall by my sister's suitcase

+ the second by vintage revivals

in love!!!


#feelgoodfriday
[image via printablesfree.com]

hitting home.
to me this says stop living so rigid in your life schedule and life "plans". be spontaneous, do something out of your comfort zone, do something you are scared to do. stop sweating the small stuff in life- the things that don't really matter. make sure you have a happy life, and one you can look back on and say "yeah, I really lived".

be safe, see you monday! xo



Thursday, January 23, 2014

shop this classic master bedroom for your home

I found this beautiful master bedroom this morning via pinterest and thought it is so classic & clean. 
I would love to have a serene, neutral bedroom like this and I'm sure most of you would too....and you can!



I have found items similar to those in this room where you can purchase! 

click images below

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

save up to 50% off >>>on all furniture!

happy hump day babes!
boy oh boy is this a great deal--- up to 50% off on ALL FURNITURE from world market
click on image below to check out the entire sale



here are a few of my favorite on sale picks!
+ FREE shipping on orders over $150, use code: WMFS1502
click on images





Tuesday, January 21, 2014

5 habits to maintain a clean home

the older I get, the more of a "clean freak" I've become. 
but the issue here is that I am not a "super clean & tidy" person by nature, I'm actually quite messy if I let myself-- so it's kind of a struggle for me. 

this weekend, my husband and I cleaned our kitchen from clutter as well as our living room. It was quite necessary, because our little man is 8 months now and crawling everywhere, grabbing and pulling himself up onto everything. so we really needed to take out the extra "stuff" and keep it pretty simple, as far as decor goes. we still have a ways to go, but it feels so nice to do some spring cleaning!

I've come up with 5 habits to maintain a clean home----
[I'm no expert, but these are helping me :)]


1// prep for tomorrow
throughout the day when you have some spare time [usually before bed, after kids are asleep] do some prepping for the next day. don't wait until the morning of to pack your husbands lunch or the diaper bag. maybe even shower the night before; if you know you're going to have a busy morning, pick out your outfit and set things by the door to remember to take them with you.

2// toss the trash
sounds obvi right? but one of the main sources for clutter is all that stuff you are meaning to throw away-- but haven't. random boxes from christmas, tags from new clothing, candy wrapper, etc. I have a habit of setting trash-to-be-taken-out by the front door- but try to it all away right then.

3// quick pickup before bed every night.
make sure there is a clear living room floor, toys are put away and dishes from dinner have been put in the wash. there is nothing worse than waking up to stacked dirty pans or wounding your foot on a stray toy left from the night before. this doesn't need to be a deep-clean, things should just look put away.

4// write it down 
I am a big to do list type person. I like to write down what needs to be accomplished that way I don't forget something. utilize your phone to help make notes as well. there are tons of free apps to help keep you organized, as well as a plain notepad for notes. plus we usually always have our phones with us- so it can be very helpful to type out your grocery list this way [I can't tell you how many times I've forgotten my list at the grocery store and walk around knowing I've forgotten items and just hoping I run into them haha]

5// designate tasks
choose particular days in the week for certain tasks. this way everything is sure to get done by the weeks end. for example do laundry every monday [if you have a little one who goes through multiple outfits a day-- choose 2 days a week for laundry]. deep clean things like the kitchen, bathroom, bedroom on a particular day, but make sure to still do a clean sweep of these every day. try to stick to a schedule and make sure to still clean necessary items everyday [like the bathroom sink for me- it is unreal how dirty it gets after o n e day]

Do what works for you and your family, if it's not working change it! try something new, not everything works the same for everyone. 
hope this is helpful for you!

Monday, January 20, 2014

valentines diy crafting

valentines day is coming right up; with the holiday season long gone-- hopefully you've had time to put away all of your christmas decor. 
because it's time to start decorating all things pink, red and lovey-dovey for valentines!
I rounded up some of my favorite diy ideas from other bloggers and I may just have to try them all

enjoy!

ombre heart wreath by ali lily blog //  glitter X and O by make life lovely

cross stitch pillow by craftberry bush // love wreath by tater tots and jello

oragami 3D hearts by how about orange // valentine countdown by create craft love

tissue paper wall heart by everything fab //  animal valentines by sweet c designs


happy crafting and happiest martin luther king jr. day! 

sharing one of my favorite quotes from this inspirational man



Friday, January 17, 2014

diy knockoff rug + feel good friday

another week has come and gone, time is still wizzing by for me it seems. today I am sharing a fab weekend diy project! I always find myself swooning  over the beautiful rugs at west elm, but they sure can run up your budget super quick. here is a tutorial I found and the rugs look almost  i d e n t i c a l. 

see for yourself.


all you need is:
a cheap plain rug [ikea]
+
stencil
+
paint

check out the tutorial here by pudel-design


and here are your friday words of wisdom...


don't compare yourself to others. only to your own self, and only to better yourself. period.

happy weekend babes!



Thursday, January 16, 2014

how to: achieve a timeless design in your home

a timeless home...isn't that what we all want? have you ever picked up a magazine and saw the spread on a beautiful home from years ago that looks like it still fits into the style of today?
how does a home from a different era still have the look of being fresh and current? how to keep your home up to date and not too "trendy" so in a few years it won't appear to be passe.


1// keep it classic
emphasize clean lines and shapes and your home's natural details. your background should be neutral, and not busy. so keep paint to whites and grays and add classic colors such as dark green, navy and black as they complement the neutrals. also include materials like wood (flooring and wall/ceiling details). invest in a few classic furniture items like a sofa and dining table; pieces that aren't a fad and will not go out of style. 


2// functionality
timeless design is functional and practical. steer away from over-sized furniture, busy patterns & unconventional colors. (however I do like to mix in things like this and when they do go out of style, buy new accessories for their spot. ex: pillows & small accessories) 
less is more.
. this style is one that is designed to be functional, yet not bland and boring. your timeless style is subtle, adaptable and outlasts. stay away from too many trinkets and accessories.


3.// staying power
meaning your home isn't just a fad, trend, or temporary
If you want your home to have that timeless look, one that is as fresh and relevant today as it was yesterday, and will be tomorrow, you'll want to seek out designs, styles and colors that are considered to be classic; that have been created to last, in style, color and materials.
pull in elements of traditional design as well as modern. traditional colors with a few modern pieces will create a balanced, timeless look.

all images via pinterest

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

shop this room >>>home office

needing some home office inspiration?
shop this look I put together to achieve a beautiful, airy and relaxing home office



click on images below to shop


Tuesday, January 14, 2014

how to find a deal on ex-display furniture

hey babes, happy tuesday! I hope your week is off to a good one.
today we a lucky enough to hear from our guest blogger- John Maguire [from boconcept]. 
today he is telling us how to find ex-display furniture, for a bargain! 


Most people these days have to watch the pennies but still want to be able to give their home a little makeover. One way to achieve this goal is to source ex-display furniture. But the question is how to find bargain ex-display furniture because you don't often see it advertised.

1/ check out the internet

Since the advent of the Internet people can find things they want or need that much easier. Luckily this is also relevant to sourcing ex-display furniture. Specialist sites cater to any furniture, as well as objects that have been used for display purposes. However, expect to pay slightly more for the furniture than if you sourced it directly from the shops.

2/ talk to your local furniture shops

If you approach the owners or managers of your local furniture shop, they are usually willing to listen to any propositions you may have about the furniture they use for display. Obviously you may not be the only person to approach them, which means you might be out of luck if someone else got there first. If you don't let the owners know you’re interested, you will never know if you can buy what you're interested in or if it has already be spoken for.

3/ furniture shops hold ex-display sales

Many high street retailers regularly hold ex-display furniture sales. Remember, as the seasons change, new furniture arrives in-store. The furniture previously used for display purposes is then put on sale at discounted prices. The most important thing to know is when these sales are happening. Emailing the company or speaking to a member of staff will allow you to find out the dates of these sales. 

4/ big names in furniture have massive online clearance sales

It is always worth checking the Internet, magazines and newspapers to see if any of the big name stores are planning to hold any of their massive clearance sales. This includes big names like Ikea or The Furniture Village. However, with this said the bigger names in furniture have also realized how valuable online sales can be for their bottom line. As such, many have gone down the route of selling ex-display furniture in special online sales. As long as you don't mind a scratch or two you can save a lot buying your furniture in this way.

If you are looking for a bargain, then you have to keep your ears and eyes open to when online furniture suppliers and high street retailers get new stock in. Once you know this, it’s more than likely a sale will be in the near future. Any furniture that's been used for display purposes will be included in the sale with massive savings on the original asking prices.
images via google


Friday, January 10, 2014

white chicken chili delishisness + FGF


happy friday babes!
today I decided to share with you a yummy recipe I made yesterday, that turned out better than imagined!!
I start to feel bad for my husband when I make the same 4 meals every week(spaghetti, tacos, etc. whatever is quick and easy) and with all the snow the past few days I decided to make a warm, chili soup.

I have to admit- I looked up a recipe online, where I wrote down the ingredients I needed to buy at the store. when I tried to go back to the page to see the directions and the rest of the ingredients, it was  
n o  w h e r e  to be found. 

so, I pulled out the "inner chef" and to my surprise my husband RAVED about it and I thought it was pretty delish too.


ingredients:
(I doubled this recipe so we could have lots of leftovers)

- 1 can of chicken breast (or you can cook 1-2 chicken breasts on stove)
- 2 cans on northern beans
-1 can of black beans
-1/2-1 cup of corn (depending on how much you like corn)
- 1 packet of taco seasoning
- 1 can of green chili's (4 oz.)
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 2 cups of chicken broth

- 1 cup sour cream
-shredded cheese


add all ingredients except sour cream and cheese into the crockpot. stir & cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6. the last half hour before serving, add sour cream and add shredded cheese as a topping when serving. 
hope you enjoy!!


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#feelgoodfriday

some wisdom for your weekend.
you have the power to change your current conditions.