My Productivity Depends On It..

It's almost a sin how much I have coveted this desk from Restoration Hardware. I have a picture of it on my iphone and on every computer I own, and sometimes I just stare at it when I am feeling blue. Britt has a little nook in his living room that this little beauty would fit perfectly in, and my Mac would look so good sitting right on top of the thick glass top. It is the perfect mix of modern and rustic and so unique. The corbel is made of hand carved reclaimed teak wood (drool). I can only imagine for now how amazingly productive I would be if I could work from this very desk. Now I have to mention the only bad thing about this beauty - and you probably guessed it - the price is ummm ouch. Hope you all enjoy!!!

Here is a picture of the desk all installed and decorated - get out of that picture and into my house!!!

Because SNOW is in the Forecast...

And I am so over this cold weather.

Pink Sands Beach in the Bahamas and fingers crossed this could quite possibly be our destination spot come August. Yes, the sand on the beach really is pink and its 75 degrees and sunny right now.

A Sixpence Richer

I have never been satisfied with simply doing something for tradition sake. While I love tradition and consider myself a traditional girl I always have to know the reason behind the tradition before I step out and just do it. Weddings are steeped in tradition, and I have done my research on just about each tradition. So when my stepmother said she would let me "borrow" the lucky sixpence that has been in her family, I began to question just what and why I needed a coin in my shoe.

So I think just about anyone on the planet has heard "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue" and I, just like most of you, though the poem stopped there but they have a part that is often left out ".......a lucky sixpence in her shoe!!" This coin symbolizes the promise of a lifetime of good fortune for the bride and a lifetime of good health, happiness, and wealth for the newlywed couple. Don't get me wrong I am marring Britt for true love sake, but what sane person would not want to beckon wealth on her wedding day?

Something old represents the link with the bride's family and past. Something new represents good fortune and success in the bride's new life. Something borrowed is to remind the bride that friends and family will be there for her when help is needed long after the wedding is over. Something blue is the symbol of faithfulness and loyalty. A sixpence in her shoe is to wish the bride and groom wealth.

My something old - my mother's diamond from her engagement ring

My something new - a new pendant neckless to put the diamond in to wear for the big day

My something borrowed - the sixpence coin in a lace envelope

My something blue - ribbon on the coin

And I now have a lucky sixpence for my left shoe!!!

Here are a few random facts that I found very interesting:

In 1775 a law was passed that a wedding was not legal if the bride wore any make-up during the ceremony. It was considered entrapment and so the groom would be trapped by the illusion.

Brides stand to the left of the groom because long ago the groom needed to keep his sword hand free to defend his bride from attack.

Bridal veil were first used when arranged marriages were common, the bride would keep the blusher covering her face till after the vows so the groom could not back out.

Stay tuned for more traditions to come.

Thinking Outside the Box

For all my fellow wine snobs I completely understand if you hit the little red x button on the top of your browser and never visit me again. Yes, it's true, today I am going to do the unimaginable and blog about wine out of a BOX.

Boxed Wine? Ewee

But times have changed from the cheap boxes I used to buy in my college years. It's time to move on, put the bottle behind us and experience the future. The collapsing bag-in-box, fresher than ever premium boxed wine. My go to label is "Black Box" and while I always keep a box on my cabinet I must admit to not yet having the courage of bring it to a dinner party or a nice restaurant for fear of being banished, shunned, and shamed.

Advantages: Stays fresh longer (an open box can last up to six weeks), better for the environment, less expensive than bottled wine, safer to carry around, great for trips on the beach or anywhere glass is forbidden, etc.

Tell me bloggers are you jaws wide open in disgust and disbelief or you willing to give it a try. Cheers from my box to yours!!!

Ikat It

Let me start this post with a confession: I am addicted to throw pillows. While I realize that this is not as bad as being addicted to other illegal or highly expensive things it is still a problem. The top of my closet is filled with little throw pillows that have been replaced by my habit of buying a better one. With that said I have brought my nasty little habit to Britt's house and yes one of his closets has the beginnings of being filled with pillows. So back to the reason behind this: finding throw pillows for this brown sofa has been nothing short of a thorn in my side. I have tried and tested many different styles and pillows but nothing worked like the image I had in my head. It's been almost a year and still not the perfect choice, but some good ones.....

Ikat believe it, think I may have found the solution to my design dilemma on ebay. I found this beautiful fabric that I will re-cover some of my "old" pillows with. It's Victor "Barbados" Ikat-design upholstery fabric.

Ikat is a style of weaving that uses a process kinda like tie-dye on the threads before the are woven. This process creates these amazing designs seen in the fabrics below. When used in moderation Ikat fabric can turn a boring room into something to talk about. Here are some of the professionals using this fabric in rooms.

Save The Date

One night we decided to have a little fun with the timer on my camera, this is the first time I had a reason to use the timer - so simple. I printed out some signs on my computer with our save the date information, set my camera up on a huge stack of books, and made a bunch of silly faces. It was fun. I converted the pictures to black and white, put them on a strip to make it look like we had been in a photo booth and voila.....

Is it not the cutest and cost efficient save the date idea you have ever seen. It's not an original idea, I found it on the internet (I love the internet). I had a few printed so we could hand them out to a few of the wedding guest we run into before the wedding!!! So I guess this makes everything official, I get to marry the man of my dreams on August 7th - sounds like a great day!!!

QUOTE

David Gray

He's coming, He's coming!! All the way to New Orleans and we just bought tickets (insert huge smiley face here!!!). I love him, I have loved him for many years and he's coming. Did I mention that he is coming and I get to go see him!!! Sit back, press play, and enjoy!

This years love had better last

Heaven knows it's high time

And I've been waiting on my own too long

But when you hold me like you do

It feels so right

I start to forget

How my heart gets torn

When that hurt gets thrown

Feeling like you can't go on

Turning circles when time again

It cuts like a knife oh no

If you love me got to know for sure

Cause it takes something more this time

Than sweet sweet lies oh no

Before I open up my arms and fall

Losing all control

Every dream inside my soul

And when you kiss me

On that midnight street

Sweep me off my feet

Singing ain't this life so sweet

This years love had better last

This years love had better last

So whose to worry

If our hearts get torn

When that hurt gets thrown

Don't you know this life goes on

And won't you kiss me

On that midnight street

Sweep me off my feet

Singing ain't this life so sweet

This years love had better last

This years love had better last

This years love had better last

This I Promise

I am feeling so blessed and so in love today. All the wedding planning in going smoothly (knock on wood with me - do it!!). Our date is confirmed for a lovely Saturday afternoon in August. Missing the presence of my parents through all this is the only ache in my heart. I would love to see the look in my dad's eyes as he walked his baby girl down the aisle, and I would give my left hand to have my dad shake Britt's hand just once. And my mother, just to see her smile at the fact that I have finally found the perfect partner for my life's adventure. I am comforted by the knowledge that they will both be there in spirit watching from above. Life is so uncertain and the plans we have for our lives are not always in accordance with the plans of God. But through all the uncertainty I know that the only thing that I can promise is to love beyond measure. I found these poems/quotes I wanted to share with you. Image below are via DigiPics Photography, make sure you check out their blog, they will be with us on our wedding day taking some more amazing pictures of us!!!!!! Enjoy.

"Doubt thou the stars are fire; dount that the sun doth move; doubt truth to be a liar; but never doubt I love you. I love thee, I love but thee with a love that shall not die. Till the sun grows cold and the stars grow old." - William Shakespeare

I cannot promise you a life of sunshine;

I cannot promise riches, wealth, or gold;

I cannot promise you an easy pathway

That leads away from change or growing old.

But I can promise all my heart's devotion;

A smile to chase away your tears of sorrow;

A love that's ever true and ever growing;

A hand to hold in yours through each tomorrow.

Yes, I'll Marry You.

There are three things that last : faith, hope and love, and the greatest of these is love.

-1 Corinthians 13:13

Rubber Ducky, Your the One

The third and final bathroom is more than half way done. I love before and after pictures and I can not wait till its completely done to share the progress we have made. So here is a little spoiler from our master bath. The rest of the project could take months considering most of the finances are allotted to the upcoming wedding, and the antique mirror that I want in the bathroom is very expensive. Good things come to those who wait.

Before:

After:

I painted the entire room BM Rockport gray and the vanity an expresso color. After having my heart broken over some fabric I fell in love with and could absolutely not afford we finally settled on these curtains from Ikea. Pottery from Paul Michael's and my art from Picasso depicting my favorite literary character Don Quixote. Its a great start, don't you agree????

To Do List: Save money to get that gorgeous mirror at the antique shop, convert fixtures to brushed bronze, new towels to replace the stinky mildew ones Britt uses now, get that asian stool from Kayu furniture I have been eyeing for months, new vent, hardware, and rug.

You Are What You Eat

Yesterday the Oprah show shed some much needed light on the truth of where our food comes from. In response I wanted to share with you a little excerpt from Tyler Florence's cookbook "Dinner at My Place." Warning: you will want to become organic after reading this post....My man Tyler Florence has done it again, captured and wooed me!! I received the cookbook as a christmas present from my future in-laws (how cool are they!!). I made his carrot cake for a football party last weekend and the crowd gave it two thumbs up. So many more great recipes in the book that I can not wait to try. Go get yourself a copy - it is well worth the money. No lie I have read this cookbook from cover to cover on a six hour drive back from Dallas. The second chapter is an awesome chicken recipe, but what caught my attention was how he explained so eloquently the difference between all these confusing food labels and what they actually mean.

(The information below is not my own its straight out of Tyler's book which can be found here.)

"All Natural - You know better than to eat a rubber chicken, right? That's basically what this label promises you - that this chicken is not rubber. The USDA prohibits the use of hormones in raising poultry and most preservatives. But besides that, the chicken can be injected with just about anything else - from salt-water solutions to seaweed extract - and still be called "all natural." These solutions up your salt intake, change the chicken's flavor, and end up costing you more because they add weight to the chicken."

"Free Range - Sounds good, right? Vivacious white hens freely roaming sunny, grassy fields with fluffy yellow chicks in tow. Not so much. The USDA allows this label for any chicken that is allowed some access to an outdoor space. Said chicken may never see that outdoor space, and this designation doesn't address what's out on that yard - the conditions, the food, or the cleanliness. So it's a good start, but free range isn't the be-all and end-all we used to think it was."

"Certified Organic - I know there are those of you out there who think that organic is some kind of Hippie thing. But get that out of your head and start paying attention to organics-because they're here to stay. The Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 set forth requirements for products labeled as "organic" that ensure your chicken has lived a life dictated by government-mandated standards. It will have been fed only pesticide and chemical-free feeds of grains and soybeans, not animal byproducts. It also will have lived a life free of antibiotics and medicines. But guess what? It probably wouldn't have needed those antibiotics because organic chickens generally live a life free of the stress and contamination that can make other chickens sick. And of course, all organic chickens are both free range and all natural. See how that works? Whenever I can, I will definitely choose certified organic over the other options."

I don't know about you but that has cleared up years of confusion on the question we all get stuck with at the grocery store "which one should I buy?" I feel like I have been lied to with what all these nutrition labels aren't telling me. Yes organic is more money but by golly I am worth it!!! I feel like a paid advertiser here but on the Oprah show they highlighted a documentary called Food Inc. I just purchased my copy on Amazon, they are running a special on it till Friday at midnight only $9.99, and you can watch it instantly by download. You think this little post has stirred up some truth on the food we buy wait till you see the documentary (I actually cried). So lean into this adventure of organics with me and take a stand for your body and your family!!! I am now gently stepping off my soap box now before I fall off.

Picture Perfect: Window

Just wanted to leave you with this image for the day. It's so beautiful and very "spring like" outside today. I am stuck in the office but would love to be "stuck" in this kitchen instead. I am dreaming of new windows in my soon to be house and a lush courtyard!!! Have a wonderful hump day!!

Going to the Chapel

I have just created my first photo collage in Microsoft paint program. It was fairly easy and very free considering most if not all pc's have this program standard. I gathered all my pictures I wanted to use for the collage and put them in a separate folder. Open the paint program (start, programs, accessories, paint) and you should have a blank page staring at you. All you have to do is click edit, paste from, and choose your folder and a picture. You will have to play around with sizing the different photo which was kinda fun and a little irritating at times. Below is my final project, and yes it's all about the wedding (deal with it). A picture of the church we are getting married in is on the top left, my invitations, and a picture of the style I would love my cake to be - fingers crossed. I want pale blush pink flower to go with the graphite gray bridesmaids dresses from jcrew. On the bottom left is the cake topper for the grooms cake, my beautiful ring, and the reception hall right near the church. I am proud of my newly created collage and I am sure this will only be the start of many more to come. We could do fashion by putting together some cute outfits, or my favorite put together an idea for an entire room!!!

All You Need is Love

Today Britt and I celebrate one complete entire year of dating, or 365 days of falling head over heels in love with each other. It's been a whirlwind of fun, adventure, and surprise. I wanted to capture all the things we have done this past year so I surprised him with a photobook of our first year together. Looking back so much has happened in just one year. We did a lot of traveling, we "survived" all the holidays together, ran in a few races, and celebrated good times with some amazingly fabulous friends.

So back to my book.... I loved making this photo book. I spend hours putting this little thing together, collecting pictures, editing pictures, uploading and organizing them just perfectly. It was so worth it and I was so proud to give him this book of our first memories together. A huge tilt of the hat to Snapfish for printing the book in such high quality. Hopefully, this is the first book of many more milestones to a long wonderful life together. Next edition: The Wedding!!! (then maybe a baby carriage??!!??)

Cover

First Page

Trip to Vegas

Mardi Gras

Jump Jump

Back Cover

He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

I am worried about my little plants, we had a few days of freeze here in South Louisiana and everyone is feeling the effects. I took this picture back in October of my beautiful Ixora plant but now she looks sick with no blooms left in site and brown spots on her leaves. All my other 'babies' are wilted and cold but I am hoping the warmer weather will bring them slowly back to life. Just dreaming of the days I will be able to enjoy these beautiful blooms again.

Have a great weekend!!!

Ixora, Maui Orange