Julie's Thoughts

Tips for Choosing Paint Colors

2012-02-12T11:23:00.000-07:00

I spent some time yesterday

looking for an accent paint color for my house,

and picking out some colors suggestions

for my darling nieces room.

As an interior designer,

help with paint colors

is the number one thing that friends

ask me for help with.

and I thought it was interesting

as I was standing at the paint chip color selections

at Home Depot

watching strangers struggle to select colors.

{it was hard not to stay there all day helping people!}

I thought I would share some of my

thoughts on color selection here.

Maybe it will be helpful to you?

First, never choose a color based only on the in store light.

The fluorescent light in the store is NOT the same as the lights in your house.

Take a sample chip home and look at it under the light in your house.

Be sure to look at it at different times of the day as well.

{even better if you are willing to buy a small can and paint a larger sample on your wall}

Take samples of everything you can to the store with you.

It's always helpful to have a sample of your carpet,

existing paint, furniture fabrics, etc.

Don't pick your paint color FIRST.

There are unlimited hues and shades of paint,

but carpet, tile, furniture etc are more limited.

Pick them first.

When a color stands out to you,

take a step back, and look at that color in both directions on the color swatches.

You might end up liking a version that is a step or two more muted,

or possibly even brighter and more saturated.

Don't be afraid of color!

You don't have to go outrageous, but

pick something with some personality...

save and reliable is boring.

For whatever it is worth?

I'm seriously considering

a bright copper/tangerine color for my living room

{one accent wall}

I'm thinking it will look beautiful

against my aqua blue drapes.

This MUST be the Best Face Cream EVER!

2012-02-06T22:20:00.004-07:00

Seriously.

at $155 for 1 ounce....

what would you expect?

The reviews are,

well....

HILARIOUS.

Here's a sampling:

"I can't even tell you if this stuff works because the smell is AWFUL. I cant even describe what type of smell this is, but I thought I was going to lose my dinner. Thats how bad it is."

"I was very excited to receive a sample of this product, as I am currently in the market for a great wrinkle reducer.
This could have been water from the fountain of youth, and I wouldn't use it...smells like raw chicken or chicken fat. Disgusting! I threw away the sample after 2 uses."

"I received a sample and was excited to use as I love Perricone's Face Finishing lotion that has a scent of rose petals. Mistake! I opened the sample, patted on my face and almost threw up. This cold plasma smells beynd horrible. Rotten fish. It's disgusting."

"I got a little sample an put it on my face. It really does smell like dead fish--it is not an exaggeration--I gagged a little and washed it off immediately. It is now 15 minutes later and I can still smell it on my face. Perhaps one could get used to the smell if it really has such fantastic results, but since it lingers, friends and family will have to grow used to it as well. I, for one, don't want to smell like a trout pond."

"I can't get passed the stench of this product to find out whether or not it's worth the price. It stinks so bad, I dry heaved during application. There's no way I'm keeping this product due to the stench...I don't care if it turns my skin into that of a dewy 16 yr old's."

Anyway...

If you want to buy some?

You can get it here...

{also you can read some of the other 347 reviews!}

I loved this!

2012-02-06T16:14:00.003-07:00

A little bit about the founder of Shabby Apple

{which...AMAZING dresses}

anyway,

I just LOVED her story...

"I believe that a lot of happiness is determined by choosing fear or choosing faith"

An Update on Ferris...

2012-01-31T21:22:00.003-07:00

I got a "sneak peek" from Honda on their Superbowl ad...

{I guess because I own a CR-V?}

Anyway,

totally made me laugh.

I loved Ferris as a teenager.

{even if his rule-bending ways gave me hives...}

I'm Better!

2012-01-30T20:20:00.001-07:00

{my view from my bed in recovery...}

It was a long morning in outpatient surgery...

Mostly I was just happy to be there,

on an IV,

It seemed like it took forever

to finally take me back for the procedure

(technically called an "esophagogastroduodenoscopy")

It was a bit of a surprise that it was my surgeon

(Dr. Richards)

who did the procedure.

For some reason,

I was expecting just a technician?

But I felt much better knowing she was there.

She's amazing

(as I've stated before)

and I trust her a lot.

At any rate the entire thing lasted less than 20 minutes.

I was out the entire time,

{thank you, Propofol}

and now?

All better.

Technically, I had a "stricture"

which means I had scar tissue build-up

between my stomach and my intestines,

hence all the nausea and vomiting.

It has now been fixed and I am better.

{although, in all honesty, I'm still afraid of eating...}

The only negative?

Worst.IV.ever.

It was SO painful,

going in and coming out.

I can only guess it was problematic

because I was so dehydrated.

I still have a giant bump under my skin

where it was.

I am guessing it will turn into such an ugly bruise.

But I couldn't be happier

to be back to feeling "normal"

and back to my happy energetic self.

My biggest Phobia

2012-01-29T20:46:00.000-07:00

I've discovered my biggest phobia.

It's throwing up.

I don't know how to explain it,

but basically,

I would rather lay curled up in my own

personal ball of misery,

holding it all in,

for as long as possible.

I always cry when I throw up.

and I absolutely HATE IT.

I've been pretty sick for the last week or so,

pretty much constant nausea.

and I've decided that THIS

is my own personal purgatory.

If anyone ever wanted to get information out of me?

this would be the perfect torture scenario for me.

The last few days,

even water has been making me sick.

I'm scheduled for a little out-patient procedure

tomorrow,

{an endoscopy}

And hopefully we can figure out

What is wrong and fix it.

In the meantime,

I'm living in my own personal

Worst nightmare.

I have to keep drinking water,

even if it makes me sick,

because I DON"T want to have to check myself

into the ER.

(although, I will confess...

yesterday I considered it,

thinking the ER might be a better option)

{again...I have an irrational fear of throwing up}

At any rate...

Here's hoping I feel better after tomorrow.

One awesome thing that has come out of all this?

On Friday,

when I was really feeling miserable,

and just a little scared,

I got some guys from my office to give me a priesthood blessing.

{in the middle of all our construction,}

and you know what?

I absolutely LOVE

that I work with such awesome men.

Oh...

and if you are so inclined?

I could use your prayers.

{I believe in the power of prayer...}

How can I handle work on a day like today?

2012-01-27T13:16:00.002-07:00

Ferris Beuller?

Still Awesome!

Although....

If he is now this old?

What does that make me?

P.S.

This is a "teaser" trailer, apparently for a Superbowl ad,

starring,

yes, Ferris.

(I can't wait to see it!)

Someday

2012-01-26T22:15:00.002-07:00

I saw this on a friend's blog today,

and I just had to share it too!

You just have to love Sarah Bareilles...

Custom Word Clouds

2012-01-19T21:21:00.002-07:00

I discovered the most fun site today!

I've long been a fan of wordle

{which, I still totally love}

but today I discovered tagxedo!

You can customize your word cloud

and put it in a shape.

{I just created the one above out of the Proclamation to the Family.}

They have preset shapes,

or you can also upload your own shape and create a wordle out of that.

Of course,

like wordle,

you can select your font,

select your color scheme,

etc.

So many fun possibilities!

Construction Underway

2012-01-18T21:31:00.000-07:00

This morning when I walked into my office space...

there were TONS of workers buzzing around.

basically...

where I was sitting yesterday:

and check out our conference room!

{nice, huh?}

later this afternoon...

this is where my new office is going to be.

{seriously...already framed in}

I'll say this for us...

we may be terrible about the careful PLANNING,

but we ROCK at getting work done,

and FAST.

I love walking through the job site!

love the mess

{because it means good work is happening...}

Here's my new temporary spot

small.

but it will do.

of course,

right now it is relatively uncluttered.

{moving made a mistake and put ALL of my boxes in storage}

so, now I am waiting for them to find my 3 boxes that were labeled

for this space.

It was the first day of this new adventure.

and actually,

not bad.

Writing....

2012-01-18T15:46:00.005-07:00

Writing,

it's a gift.

some people are really good at it,

others, maybe not so much.

I've been thinking that i would like to write more.

I used to really enjoy writing.

Like, when I was in college.

{I know...I am was a nerd}

Lately I've totally been taking this pencil

{seen above}

and a moleskin notebook

with me to meetings,

and I've discovered that I really enjoy writing in pencil.

I also love sharpening the pencil!

{go figure}

anyway.

today I saw this essay online.

written by a high school student...

who was later accepted into NYU.

I think it is crazy fun and hilarious.

{I wish my imagination was this awesome}

3A. ESSAY: IN ORDER FOR THE ADMISSIONS STAFF OF OUR COLLEGE TO GET TO KNOW YOU, THE APPLICANT, BETTER, WE ASK THAT YOU ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION:

ARE THERE ANY SIGNIFICANT EXPERIENCES YOU HAVE HAD, OR ACCOMPLISHMENTS YOU HAVE REALIZED, THAT HAVE HELPED TO DEFINE YOU AS A PERSON?

I am a dynamic figure, often seen scaling walls and crushing ice. I have been known to remodel train stations on my lunch breaks, making them more efficient in the area of heat retention. I translate ethnic slurs for Cuban refugees, I write award-winning operas, I manage time efficiently. Occasionally, I tread water for three days in a row.

I woo women with my sensuous and godlike trombone playing, I can pilot bicycles up severe inclines with unflagging speed, and I cook Thirty-Minute Brownies in twenty minutes. I am an expert in stucco, a veteran in love, and an outlaw in Peru.

Using only a hoe and a large glass of water, I once single-handedly defended a small village in the Amazon Basin from a horde of ferocious army ants. I play bluegrass cello, I was scouted by the Mets, I am the subject of numerous documentaries. When I'm bored, I build large suspension bridges in my yard. I enjoy urban hang gliding. On Wednesdays, after school, I repair electrical appliances free of charge.

I am an abstract artist, a concrete analyst, and a ruthless bookie. Critics worldwide swoon over my original line of corduroy evening wear. I don't perspire. I am a private citizen, yet I receive fan mail. I have been caller number nine and have won the weekend passes. Last summer I toured New Jersey with a traveling centrifugal-force demonstration. I bat 400. My deft floral arrangements have earned me fame in international botany circles. Children trust me.

I can hurl tennis rackets at small moving objects with deadly accuracy. I once read Paradise Lost, Moby Dick, and David Copperfield in one day and still had time to refurbish an entire dining room that evening. I know the exact location of every food item in the supermarket. I have performed several covert operations for the CIA. I sleep once a week; when I do sleep, I sleep in a chair. While on vacation in Canada, I successfully negotiated with a group of terrorists who had seized a small bakery. The laws of physics do not apply to me.

I balance, I weave, I dodge, I frolic, and my bills are all paid. On weekends, to let off steam, I participate in full-contact origami. Years ago I discovered the meaning of life but forgot to write it down. I have made extraordinary four course meals using only a mouli and a toaster oven. I breed prizewinning clams. I have won bullfights in San Juan, cliff-diving competitions in Sri Lanka, and spelling bees at the Kremlin. I have played Hamlet, I have performed open-heart surgery, and I have spoken with Elvis.

But I have not yet gone to college.

Some spaces I am remodeling...

2012-01-17T22:05:00.000-07:00

randomly...

I just wanted to share,

two very different spaces I am working on.

{both DESPERATELY in need of some good interior design!}

First, how cool is this very retro desk?

It's hard to tell in the photo,

but it is a really awesome

green color.

{I think it would go for good money on ebay}

and then there is this space...

ahhhhh!

{where do I even begin?}

These are both very good examples of what I love most about my job.

Helping make complete transformations,

on spaces that are in desperate need.

And also?

ALWAYS

SOMETHING

DIFFERENT.

{I never know what to expect with each new project}

every single client is different,

and every single project is unique.

Plus,

I almost always walk away

having made some great new friends.

I thought it was worth sharing,

because I feel like I have been fairly

"complain-y"

lately about my work.

and while it has been crazy lately,

and yes, sometimes it makes me cry,

at the end of the day,

I do get a lot of satisfaction

and happiness from my job.

I love what I do.

I love being an Interior Designer.

I think it is the best job in the world.

Faces of JOY

2012-01-17T21:52:00.001-07:00

I found these photos today

as I was browsing my camera roll

on my cell phone.

They just made me smile.

I mean seriously...

PURE JOY.

Those girls just make my heart melt.

Back into the Remodeling Fray...

2012-01-16T22:40:00.000-07:00

ugh.

I'm SO not looking forward to going back to work tomorrow.

Which is really saying something.

Because today

on what is a holiday from my work?

I had an appointment with my OBGYN.

{FUN!}

Which,

does anyone enjoy those appointments?

I really, really, really like my doctor,

which is good,

because I REALLY dislike going to see her.

At any rate,

tomorrow means more of this:

{messy moving process}

but on the upside...

I finally got to bring home this:

carpet samples!

I've been saving them for

{well forever}

to carpet my basement.

now to just get them all downstairs...

Joy

2012-01-15T22:46:00.002-07:00

I found this magnet,

at Deseret Book the other day.

and seriously,

I love it.

It feels appropriate

for my life lately.

Since I was recently

scheduling our next Stake Pioneer Trek,

plus, I've spent some time recently

dealing with some issues,

I've been thinking a lot about the

last time I went on Trek.

Our theme then was,

"Fresh Courage Take"

{from the hymn, "Come, Come Ye Saints" - a personal favorite}

which,

while I won't discount the importance of

Courage

in facing trials,

right now,

for me,

it's all about Joy.

So there you go.

have courage,

but with JOY,

wend your way....

Work

2012-01-13T13:42:00.000-07:00

argh.

Work has been just insanely crazy this week.

My office is being remodeled,

and while you might think we would be GREAT

at this sort of thing

{I mean, it's what we DO afterall...}

We are proving to be a disaster.

Hopefully the end result will be great. :)

In the meantime,

with almost NO notice,

I've had to pack up my entire office,

sort through what I might need in the next three months,

and send everything else to storage.

All in three days.

We are temporarily moving into a tiny space

{I personally have 8 sq. ft.}

and you can IMAGINE

that we need a LOT of space.

{all those SAMPLES...

Carpet, tile, fabric, etc...}

At this very moment I have

22 BOXES

packed and sitting outside my office,

ready to go to storage.

Heaven help me.

{oh...and the worst part?}

Because of my surgery,

I'm not supposed to lift anything more than 8 pounds.

I have been hating having to sit and

watch, while people help me.

{receiving help is always hard}

The next three months are going to be an ADVENTURE.

Some Pinterest Love...

2012-01-11T22:29:00.001-07:00

These are some random things

I've "pinned" on pinterest lately.

{I've been loving all the great quotes out there}

In fact,
over the holidays,
as I was recovering,
and even when I was in the hospital,
I didn't really feel like doing much,
but I did LOVE
browsing Pinterest on my Ipod Touch.

At any rate,

in case you AREN'T on Pinterest,

or maybe you aren't following ME on Pinterest?

I thought I would share some of my favorites

{or at least some that today are striking my fancy}

{I need to keep this in mind...}

{love, LOVE, love Elder Holland...he is....amazing.}

{also something I need to keep in mind...Thank you President Hinckley!}

ahhhh.....Mr. Darcy.{smile}

This one,

today,

seems especially apropos for me.

Martin's Cove

2012-01-06T13:24:00.000-07:00

Just booking my Stake's reservation

for TREK 2014!

{I'm kind-of excited!}

Honestly,

I LOVE my calling as the Trek Coordinator,

and it makes me happy to be

planning for the next Trek.

For the record, I'm tired of eating sugar-free jello

2012-01-05T12:33:00.000-07:00

I know I don't typically delve into much

"personal stuff"

here on my blog.

I mean, it's my blog, so sometimes I share personal things,

but mostly this blog is light and fun,

and full of my random thoughts.

At any rate,

I decided last night,

that I really should share some of what is going on with me,

hopefully explaining why I have been so sporadic at posting.

Here's the deal.

For a long time,

I have been thinking very seriously about having gastric bypass surgery.

I know it is not for everyone,

It is a major surgery,

{complete with LOTS of risks}

and fairly life altering, on many levels.

It is not without serious consideration that I made the decision to do it.

{and by "serious consideration", I mean lots of research and LOTS of prayer}

I've been jumping through hoops for my insurance

for about a year now,

and in early December I was finally approved for surgery.

This meant a crazy month for me...

Getting ready for Christmas,

gifts sent, delivered, etc.

all while mentally freaking out,

and being on a strict clear liquid diet.

{which, can I mention, was not super fun to do in December...}

I also had to make some arrangements for people to help me,

take me to the hospital, drive me home, drive me places while I was still on pain meds, etc.

All this was pulled together in about a 2 week time frame,

with my surgery scheduled for December 20th.

I have an amazing medical team that I am working with,

my surgeon

(Dr. Christina Richards)

is great.

{I really like her a lot!}

and all in all

{despite some minor craziness}

everything went well

and I am doing great.

Back to work this week,

finally, starting yesterday, moving on from liquids

to somewhat more solid foods,

and hopefully back to blogging more regularly.

My Mom is crazy.

She insisted on coming up to stay with me,

{which, was SUPER nice}

but crazy, because SHE had surgery

on both her wrists for carpal tunnel

the day AFTER my surgery.

So, she traveled up to my house,

and basically we hung out together,

sitting on the sofa, zoning out on Lortab,

while her husband went shopping.

She couldn't open doors, or basically anything,

I couldn't lift anything over 8 lbs.

We were quite the comical duo.

I think she is excited to come back though...

since both she AND her husband

both lost 9 lbs
{yes - 9 pounds!}
in 5 days of hanging out with me.

{I think they felt bad eating in front of me - despite me telling them it was okay}

At any rate,

This definitely is the beginning of some

interesting new directions in my life.

I can't wait to see where things go from here.

A Happy Keyboard

2012-01-05T10:15:00.002-07:00

Saw this today online....

Wondering....

Could I get away with this on my work keyboard?

(because I really do think it is pretty amazing)

Apparently just washi tape on the keys...

hmmm....

{keyboard image found here)

A fun video...

2012-01-04T13:30:00.002-07:00

I have no idea how this guy ever

arranged all this,

and kept it a secret...

But kudos to him,

because seriously?

This is one epic proposal!

2012

2011-12-31T22:01:00.003-07:00

I don't know about you,

but I,

for one,

am really looking forward to 2012

with great anticipation.

Good things are in store....

Have you heard this version of Nancy Wilson's song,

"What are you doing New Years"

Love it!

Happy New Year!!

Post Christmas Pedicure

2011-12-26T16:44:00.001-07:00

It's there anything better
Than a holiday
Pedicure?

{I think not!}

Crazy Humor

2011-12-26T15:29:00.001-07:00

ok...

I'm not usually a SNL viewer

{at least, not since my college days}

but I heard about this skit

and I had to go find it on Youtube.

I know,

slightly sacreligious and all,

but worth the watch for the comment at the very end.

"Mormonism....all true"

{I love some positive media attention once in a while!}

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T20:15:00.001-07:00

It's been an interesting week for me,
{for lots of reasons}
But I couldn't let Christmas come
Without wishing you all
A very Merry Christmas!

Tonight,
I am grateful for family
Friends,
And most importantly,
My Savior.