Ten June

Friday Find

2012-03-02T08:37:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday, friends! Wow, it's been a craaazy week. Our house is officially on the market... hooray! And that means David and I are spending every waking hour making sure the house is perfectly clean and in tip top shape for showings. Exhausting but so very very exciting : )

Usually I try to keep my Friday find to a deal on a retail item that you guys can jump in on as well. But today, I just had to share my latest thrift store find... it's a good one.

Welcome to Ten June, little wire bin. At the fabulous bargain of only $2.72, I think you'll fit right in.

Isn't it great? It's really tall, so I could use it in so many fun places... to hold magazines or newspapers, to store toilet paper rolls, as a makeshift umbrella stand... the possibilities are endless! Right now I've got it sitting on top of my hacked Ikea shelf, adding some height to this little vignette.

What kind of deals have you found out in the world lately?!

My Colortopia

2012-03-01T07:38:00.000-05:00

Hello hello! I've got a fun treat for you guys today... a little peek into the world of My Colortopia!

It's an amazing site I can't wait to tell you all about. And I've even got a fun quiz lined up for you to take, so you can learn alllll about what colors work for you.

Based upon agreements with some of my affiliates, I can't have the post on my main blog. But, the post can be found over on my ad free page... right here! I hope you'll stop by!

I know, having to click over again is kind of a pain in the butt, but I have to play by the rules... so thank you for bearing with me!

My Project Gallery

2012-02-29T08:41:00.002-05:00

Hello hello! I've recently seen a lot of my blog friends (like Cassie, Courtney, Michaela and Megan) creating project galleries over on their blogs. So I decided to take a leap of faith and join them in creating one! I think my project gallery will be a great way to organize all of the projects that you see over here at Ten June. Plus, it's a fun way to look back at all of the oldie-but-goodie projects we've done!

It's definitely still a developing thing (and I certainly still have a lot of projects to add!), but right now you can find categories such as DIY Decor Projects, Furniture Makeover Projects, Painting Projects, Holidays, Recipes, Organizational Projects and Other DIY Projects. And I'm definitely up for suggestions if you think there's some helpful ways to keep things organized and user-friendly!

I plan to get a button up on the navigation bar so that you can access the gallery, but until then, go ahead and check it out here!

Loving... A Cozy Cottage

2012-02-28T08:08:00.000-05:00

As David and I are starting to look at new homes, I can't help but be drawn to every little cottage that I see. Just like our 1952 ranch, there's something about the quaint, historic structure of a cottage that makes me feel at home.

So it's no surprise that I absolutely fell head over heels for this cottage house tour over on Apartment Therapy. Let's check it out, shall we?

The ceilings! The layered rugs! The bright funky wall in the backyard! I love it all. And I clearly cannot get enough of that amazing living room. Just beautiful! Are you listening, Atlanta? I need one of these available and at a reasonable price, mmmkay?

To see (lots) more of this beautiful home, check out AT's article here.

Psst! Speaking of Apartment Therapy, some sweet soul nominated Ten June to be in the running as best DIY blog over at their 2012 Homie's page! Head on over and check out all of the amazing nominees. It's a great place to find new blogs. And I won't be mad if you vote for me while you're there : )

Guest Bathroom Makeover: The Final Before & After

2012-02-27T08:10:00.001-05:00

Hi friends! Hope your weekend was fabulous.

As you all know, David and I are selling our house. Fingers crossed, it should go on the market at some point early this week. As one of our many "before we list" projects, we decided to do a little makeover of our guest bathroom. Basically, the goal was to take it from dramatic + dark to light, neutral and bright.

So without further ado... our new guest bathroom!

BEFORE

AFTER

We bought a new mirror and sconces for a total of $50 (more details here) and hope to sell the old fixtures on Craigslist, so we'll actually make some cash!

BEFORE

AFTER

In case you missed it, check out what went into the great shower curtain debate. More details below!

BEFORE

AFTER

Oh, that purple ceiling. Mad props to David for repainting it!

As you can see, I chose the classic white waffle shower curtain. You guys were amazing at weighing in with your two cents about the curtain! So thanks again! The final vote tally from you guys was four votes for the striped curtain, thirty-six votes for the white waffle and forty-three votes for the patterned curtain. And I'm not gonna lie, I was totally going to choose the last patterned option, just like the majority of you. I was really scared the bright white waffle curtain would make the rest of the cream colored trim look blah. But our realtor thought it was too busy with the patterned wallpaper, so we opted to keep it simple with the white waffle. And I actually think it really works! No blah, just fab ; )

But guess what room doesn't have patterned wallpaper and also needed a shower curtain? Our master bathroom! Woot woot. Pretty little bird curtain got to stay at our casa.

So there you have it, friends. Our little guest bathroom makeover. With $50 in new fixtures, plus about $30 in paint for the ceiling and $20 for the shower curtain, the entire project ran us right at $100. I think it's definitely a good investment! We actually really like it. And hopefully you guys love it... but hopefully the potential buyers love it even more! : )

Friday Find

2012-02-24T08:05:00.001-05:00

I've been on the prowl for a new iPhone case lately. For Christmas, I bought these absolutely adorable cases for my sisters from Pretty Smitten. They were a hit! But I was thinking something slightly less preppy with a little more funk for me. And then I found Society 6.

This amazing site hosts the work of various artists. And what's incredible is that you can get the art as a print, on a canvas, on a t-shirt and even on... an iPhone case! There are hundreds of beautiful designs to choose from. Trust me, I searched for days trying to find the perfect case. But I found one!

This little beauty should be on my doorstep this afternoon! I love it. The colors are so me. And at $35, I think it's a pretty reasonable price. What's even more exciting is that if you order through Sunday, Society 6 is giving free shipping to all orders world wide! That means even all of you awesome Canadians out there (and even you over in Africa, Ashley!) can get free shipping on their art or cases. Faaaaabulous.

You can see more of their hundreds of phone cases here. I'd go ahead and say goodbye to the next hour or two of your life... there is so much gorgeousness to look at!

Have a great weekend, friends!

The Inside Scoop

2012-02-23T08:03:00.000-05:00

Last week, my sweet friend Carmel tagged me in a questionnaire game. I know... most of the time I see those and it reminds me of the chain mail notes we used to get back in middle school. You must resend to 47 people before third period or else you will never have a date to the spring formal! But then, of course, I proceed to read each and every word of the questionee's answers. I love finding out more about other people and the random tidbits of their life! I guess I'm just nosy like that.

So today, let's put aside guest bathroom shower curtains and moving preparation and I'll spill the beans on some random, fun facts about me!

1. If you had a time machine, where or rather when would you go?

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Maybe I've just been watching too much Pan Am or Mad Men, but there is something so romantic about the early 1960's. I think I'd hop in my time machine and take off to that era in my little pillbox hat, Jackie O shades and full circle skirted dress.

2. Diamonds or Pearls?

Well, I do live in the south... it's gotta be pearls, baby.

3. What's your favorite movie?

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Ah, this is a cheesy one. Love Actually. Love... actually is... all around.

4. When you were a kid, what was your favorite television show?

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Ooh, a tough one. It's a toss up with Clarissa Explains It All, but I think the winner is Hey Dude.

Ted was smokin' hot!

5. Let's pretend you found $50 in your couch cushions, what would you run out and buy?

I'd add it to the stash I've started to buy myself a one way ticket to Hawaii. I am craving warm weather, people!! How is it only February?!

6. What is your favorite color?

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For a long time, it was yellow. (Duh. I did have a big ol' yellow rug in my living room!) But I'm thinking all shades of blue are what I tend to love these days.

7. Why did you start your blog?

When friends and family started asking David and I if we ever left our house, I thought it was a good time to start sharing with them what, exactly, we were working on all the time. So I started a blog all about the renovations of our little 1952 ranch. And here we are!

8. What is your favorite home decor store?

Hm. Probably HomeGoods. It has so many different types of items that are all great quality with a killer price tag. Really can't beat that.

9. Name one thing in your make-up bag you can not live without?

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Clinique City Base Foundation. I've been wearing since I was 15... old habits die hard I guess!

10. Do you watch Revenge?

YES! That show is goood. Can't wait to see what's coming up in the story line. And I consider it quality TV compared to the other trash shows I watch (ahem, Bachelor).

11. Will you still be my friend even though I made you suffer through this little game of tag?

But of course! : ) And now YOU still have to be MY friend because I am tagging all of you! Here are three fun questions I made up for you to answer in the comments to this post... and be honest!

1. Would you rather... sky dive or race a NASCAR?

2. What's your favorite topping at the yogurt shop?

[And yes, you can choose 2. When I'm there, I choose about 13 different toppings, so we're even ; )]

3. What's the coolest thing you've done lately? C'mon, brag!

Can't wait to hear all of your answers! And thanks again for tagging me, Carmel! xo

Loving... Chevron!

2012-02-22T08:08:00.001-05:00

Well, aren't you guys an opinionated bunch?! I love it! Thank you so much for your votes and comments about the guest bathroom shower curtain dilemma. I'll give you guys a couple more day to chime in with your two cents and then I'll tally up the votes... there isn't a clear winner yet! I need to start asking you guys for more help like this because you certainly deliver. Thanks again!

I know some of you may feel that chevron is a little "overdone." Especially in the blog world, where we tend to grab onto a trend and love it to death (peonies, anyone?!). But lately, I've had a revived interest in all things chevron. As you know, I've got a chevron pillow (from The Lacey Placey) in my living room.

But recently I realized I'm itching to do a fun chevron-inspired project around my house. If you follow me on Pinterest (come check me out here!), you'll notice I've been pinning a lot of chevron lately. Check out a few things that have been inspiring me!

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Yes, I literally said holysmokes when I saw that chevron tiled kitchen backsplash. Amazeballs. Maybe once the dust settles and we're done with all of the "before-we-sell-our-house" projects, I'll dive into a little chevron project of my own. Until then, stop on by for more inspiration over on my Pinterest account!

Guest Bathroom: Help Me Pick A Shower Curtain!

2012-02-21T08:18:00.001-05:00

With a freshly painted ceiling and some new shiny fixtures, we're on the road to making over our guest bathroom so that it's a neutral-happy place ready for potential purchasers to love. (And hopefully buy!)

Next up? It's time to accessorize. Starting with a new shower curtain!

I'm a girl who likes options, so I went to a couple of my favorite home stores (Target, Bed Bath & Beyond and HomeGoods) and picked up some potential candidates for the new shower curtain.

Let's get a closer look, shall we?

#1: The Neutral Stripe

This is David's favorite pick for the room. The lighting in this picture is a little off (it was raining for like 36 hours straight, so I couldn't get a sunny shot!) but the colors of the curtain complement the neutral colors in the room. Quite well, actually. If we went this route, I'd add a few pops of color in with accessories (like maybe a green potted plant?).

Here's option #1 with the whole room.

Option #2: The Classic White Waffle

Another great neutral alternative. The bright white balances out the cast iron tub and white porcelain sink and toilet. Plus, it's such a classic, you can't go wrong.

And a full room view.

Option #3: The Funky Splash of Color

This fun guy is the same pattern we have for the hand towels in our guest bathroom (from Tarjay). The curtain has a lot going for it- neutral colors + bright white + splash of color + some fun, modern patterns. Me likey.

Here she is with the whole room.

And just in case you forgot what we've been working with in this space, here's Paula the Plaid Monster.

So friends, what do you think? Give me a vote! Do you like shower curtain #1, #2 or #3?!

Psst! No, my shower is not dirty there at the top where the ceiling meets the tile... some of the dark purple paint from the previous ceiling got on the tile so we're working on cleaning that off and recaulking the space so it's so fresh and so clean, clean!

Guest Bathroom Update: New Fixtures

2012-02-20T07:23:00.003-05:00

Hello hello! I hope all of you had a deliciously lazy, rainy weekend like I did. It was nice to catch up on some much needed sleep! David and I also tackled a few things around the house to prep us for selling our house. We're still not officially listed, but hoping to make that happen within the week.

As you know, we decided to do a mini-makeover of our guest bathroom. With it's purple ceiling and somewhat medieval fixtures, it was definitely an intense room. Not so buyer-friendly, needless to say. But with the help of a roller and some fabulous paint + primer in one, we were able to repaint the ceiling last week. Wowzers. What a difference just that made!

This weekend, David and I added some new shiny fixtures. We replaced the antique mirror and sconces (which are both now on Craigslist- email me if you're local and interested!) with a polished nickel mirror and sconces that match the beautiful fixtures already in the room, like the adorable faucet on my beloved pedestal sink. Check it out!

And a couple of shots without the sconces on.

Looking good, right? Especially when you compare it to what we started with. We've come so far!

BEFORE

AFTER

Of course, David and I are kicking ourselves, thinking why didn't we do this mini-makeover sooner?! We had some bigger plans for this space if we planned to stay in the house... but these small changes could have made a world of difference two years ago! Ah well, you live and you learn : )

For those who are wondering, the mirror is from HomeGoods ($40 - $20 gift card I had) and the sconces are from Home Depot ($15 each). Yeah, we roll on $50 makeovers around here.

Don't forget, we've got a couple more things to cross off the to-do list!

GUEST BATHROOM TO DO LIST:

~~1. Paint the purple ceiling.~~

~~2. Switch out the antique mirror.~~

~~3. Change the sconces.~~

4. Replace the shower curtain.

5. Add some accessories to the space.

Sharing with: Under the Table & Dreaming, The Girl Creative

Friday Find

2012-02-17T08:04:00.001-05:00

For years, I have kicked myself for selling back my Art History 101 textbook in college. What was I thinking? A beautiful hardcover book showcasing amazing art from the beginning of time to current. Hundreds of pages of gorgeous, glossy photos of the world's most valued pieces. And I'm pretty sure I sold it back to the bookstore for a measly $30. Ugh!

Well, my friends, my favorite discount store has saved me (again). While perusing HomeGoods a couple of weeks ago, I spied The History of Art. Hard cover. Hundreds of glossy art photos. $15 bucks. Yayuhhhhh! (And yes, I said that out loud in the HomeGoods aisle, of course).

Now this beautiful gray hard covered book sits in a pile with some of my other favorites, including my Nate Berkus design book, my autographed copy of Design *Sponge At Home, the Audrey Hepburn book my little sister gave me for Christmas and the Picasso book David and I picked up when we visited the exhibit in Seattle two Thanksgivings ago. And you all know that this little vignette is one of my favorites in my house, complete with my Craigslist nesting tables and my Nana's refurbished milk glass lamp!

So tell me, what amazing finds did you come across this week? Any good book deals?

She's Wearing New Duds: Our Painted House

2012-02-16T08:03:00.001-05:00

Hello hello! I've been out of town on business all week, so I apologize for being a little disconnected. But I'm back at home now and (although exhausted!) ready to pick back up on blogging. I'm looking forward to catching up on my DVR + all of your blogs tonight! : )

While I was away, guess what happened? Our sweet little casa got a new outfit in the form of a fresh exterior paint job! Woot woot. Our realtor recommended that we go ahead and invest in getting her painted before listing the house for sale on the market. And we agreed- she had some spots that were certainly showing her wear. But now she's freshly painted and all sparkly for potential buyers.

Previously, I did pretty good about editing my pictures of the house to hide the "wow, I need to be painted" views, so I'm a little lacking in before pictures. But who wants to see peeling paint anyways, right? On to the beautiful after shots!

We chose to stick with our current colors- white siding + black shutters + red front door. I think it's such a classic combination, don't you? And no, we did not paint the brick base white- that was done by the previous owners. At first it wasn't my favorite- I love red brick! But it's just about impossible to get paint off of brick (we've tried). So we've made it work and I've even grown to love it a little bit. All part of our sweet casa's character.

Have I ever mentioned how much I love our slate + moss covered sidewalk? I love it. A lot.

Here's a never-before-seen shot of the side of our house, all freshly painted.

The back of the house is looking all sparkly and new, too!

Thanks to our paint guy for giving our casa a new paint job! I think it definitely ups the curb appeal and will attract a lot of buyers. Now hopefully some of our beautiful spring landscaping will start coming through to really show off how gorgeous this house can be!

Have you done anything to spruce up your curb appeal lately?

It's Love Day, Baby

2012-02-14T09:36:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day, friends!

I'm not too big on this day of love (yes, yes, I'm one of those "this is a Hallmark created holiday" + "you should show your love everyday" cynics) but I'm happy to share in all of the fun treats that come with it! Those Dove shaped chocolate hearts have pretty much been my best friend over the last week ; )

I probably should have pointed this out sooner, but if you're looking for some last minute gift ideas (or have an upcoming birthday or anniversary gift to give), check out my "Not So Valentiney" series from last year! I featured some fun DIY love projects, including:

special to your heart DIY art

small love reminders for around your home

the start-to-finish scrapbook

Hope all of you have a great day sharing something sweet with the ones you love! xo

photo via

Guest Bathroom Update: A Neutral Ceiling

2012-02-13T08:28:00.002-05:00

Happy Monday! I'm back today with a small update in our guest bathroom makeover- the ceiling is painted! That's right, goodbye purple ceiling!

BEFORE

AFTER

I know it's neutral overload right now, but I think it looks pretty good! And don't forget, the sake of this makeover is to please those looking at our house once it goes on the market. So this is definitely safer for potential purchasers. No more- oh... is that a purple ceiling?! from those shopping to purchase our home. And of course I plan to add in some splashes of color with accessories. I'd say this little guest bath makeover is on it's way!

Friday Find

2012-02-10T07:51:00.004-05:00

Earlier this week, I was flipping through my latest issue of Country Living magazine (great publication, by the way) and saw the coolest thing. I just had to share!

Have you ever picked up an old, funky lamp base from Goodwill, hoping to come up with a project for it someday? If you're like me, the answer is: yes, about 12 of them. Well, here's a new idea!

Sorry for the grainy iPhone pic, but you're looking at a light bulb candle! This candle (which you can pick up here) actually has a metal base so you can screw it into any old lamp base. With no rewiring needed, of course. How genius (and easy) is that?

Looks like I need to pick up a few of those candles for my lamp base stash!

How much do you love this idea? What other deals and great ideas have you found this week?

Moving Makeover: Our Guest Bath

2012-02-08T07:58:00.003-05:00

Hello hello! Thank you guys so much for your sweet, encouraging words yesterday about our big news. David and I looked like two goofy kids with big ol' smiles on our faces as we read through each comment last night. You guys are the best! And all of you are right- while we are so sad to leave our beloved dream ranch, we are certainly excited for the blessings and adventures in front of us.

Oh and thank you, thank you for spreading the word about the sale as well! If you know of anyone moving north of Atlanta, send them my way! : )

As all of you know (probably better than anyone!), we've done a lot of work to our house. In fact, we've been consistently improving our 1952 ranch since we purchased it almost two years ago. And we couldn't be more proud of how wonderful our home is. But there are a couple of small projects we want to finish before we put the house on the market. Just so it's in tip top shape for potential purchasers.

And one of those small projects? A mini-makeover of our upstairs guest bath.

You can see the "before" shot of our guest bath on my house tour page. Interestingly enough, it's one room we literally haven't touched decor-wise since moving in! And it's not like we don't use the space... it's right next to the living room so we use it while we're hanging out in there most nights and we actually used the bathroom as our regular bathroom for the ten or so months our master bath was out of commission due to its renovation! Crazy that we haven't touched it yet, right?

It seems especially crazy when you find out the room is a little bold. Like, medieval lighting + mirrors, a gigantic custom plaid shower curtain and a purple ceiling bold. Check it out.

Wait, I think we need to see that purple ceiling a little closer in action.

It's actually a pretty cute space, even if it's not my style. But I think most buyers would walk into the room and say: Wowza. That's a purple ceiling. And a heavy antique mirror. We might need to rethink this room. So our goal for this space is to tone it down a notch (or two) and make the room more inviting.

The bathroom has amazing bones- the classic (fabulous) pedestal sink, beautiful polished nickel fixtures, some gorgeous tiling in the shower (that I forgot to take a picture of for you), a good sized linen closet and a gorgeous view of the backyard and pool. I'm lucky I have a lot to work with!

So here are the few minor changes I have in store for the room:

~~1. Paint the purple ceiling.~~

~~2. Switch out the antique mirror.~~

~~3. Change the sconces.~~

4. Replace the shower curtain.

5. Add some accessories to the space.

*Psst! I updated this list with what we've done so far! Check it out!

Not too bad of a list, right? What do you think- did I pick all of the right things to switch up?

And of course, sneaky me has already gotten started on a few of these.... ; )

Speaking of, this pretty antique mirror and two sconces are going up on Craigslist today (along with our bronze dining room pendant light you can find here). If you're local to Atlanta and interested, shoot me an email!

Psst! You may have already figured it out, but we won't be going forward with our plans for the laundry room makeover. We are definitely still making a few tweaks to the space though, so stay tuned!

Big News: Who Wants to Buy My House?

2012-02-07T08:55:00.002-05:00

Betcha didn't see that one coming, did you? Well don't worry, David and I didn't either! But, in an incredibly whirlwind turn of events over the last few months, David has been approached, interviewed, offered and accepted a new job! I couldn't be more proud of him and the opportunities that lie ahead for him, his career and our family.

Unfortunately, this amazing new job lies about 75 miles south of where we currently live. That's right, he's driving just over 150 miles each day through some major Atlanta traffic to get to work. No bueno.

When we decided he would accept the new job, we did some major soul searching and praying about whether or not we should move. It just doesn't make sense for us to stay in our current city for a few different reasons. Of course, there's the obvious 150 mile round trip trek for David, but I also drive about 25 miles south to get to work. And most (ok, all!) of our family and friends live south of us. But EEK! Leave our beloved, beautiful, blood + sweat + tears dream home?

It's been a tough decision, but I think it's the right one. We've decided to list our sweet little house for sale. Hopefully, the house will go on the market within the next week or two (the "for sale sign" picture above is just doctored!). We've already met with a real estate agent and the process is underway. If you've been wondering why it's been a little quiet over here on the house project front, now you know why... instead of painting furniture and decorating rooms, I've been busy organizing, cleaning and prepping the house to sell! Of course, I'll be sharing the process along the way.

Now let's get to the fun stuff. Who wants to buy our house?! All of you know how much love David and I have poured into our sweet 1952 ranch. It really is a dream home! For those interested, we're located in a city north of Atlanta in an adorable historic area, within walking distance of several parks, trails, a lake and a downtown square with shops and restaurants. We're in city school districts as well. Of course, you can check out our house tour here.

If you know anyone who is looking to purchase a home in north Georgia, pretty please shoot me an email (tenjuneblog@gmail.com) and send them my way!

Like I said before, I'll be sure to share the process ahead of us, including the work we've done to prep the house for listing, and hopefully the process of moving (and decorating!) a new home down the road. We've got so many amazing blessings ahead of us... thanks for being along for the ride!

Spicy Sausage Cheese Dip

2012-02-06T08:03:00.003-05:00

Armed with a Superbowl food hangover, I'm here today to report on my absolute favorite treat from last night. And by the way, I'm totally that girl who sits in front of the TV for the entire football game, only looking up from her plate of junk food when the commercials or half-time show comes on. So don't get any crazy ideas that I can chat scores or plays with you... but food? Oh yes.

This little gem of a recipe was shared with me by my friend Shanna. It's so easy. And fat free. I swear. Here's what you need to make it happen.

Much to your chagrin, I didn't make this dip for a Superbowl party. Nope, last night it was just me and David. Wait, you don't make entire crock pots full of cheese dip just for you and your hubs? Hm. Yeah, yeah, we didn't either... I promise, this was just the appetizer for our super healthy dinner we had later.... Ok fine. You caught me. I ate an entire bowl of this for my dinner. Judge away. It was goooood.

If you actually are making this for a party (ie. more than two), I'd double the recipe.

Step One. Brown the sausage.

Step Two. Mix the sausage + cream cheese + (drained) tomato mix together in a crock pot.

Step Three. Simma.

Step Four. Serve with tortilla chips. Oh and then proceed to eat enough for you, your hubs, your neighbor... heck, your whole neighborhood. Why not.

It doesn't look like much, but I promise it's amazing. Like, so amazing that we ate half of it before I remembered to take a picture.

So there you have it, my favorite Superbowl treat. What did you cook up last night?

Sharing with: The Girl Creative

Friday Find

2012-02-03T09:35:00.001-05:00

Yup. I'm all jazzed up over a banana stand. It's the little things, right?

For years, I've been looking for the perfect banana stand. Most everything I could find has been chrome and I really wanted a black stand to match the rest of my kitchen. Plus I didn't want something straight out of the 1990's... I wanted a little funk to my banana stand. Clearly I have high banana stand standards.

Wow. I just said that.

A few weeks ago, I was browsing through all of Target's new home decor items (some fabulous stuff!) and saw this little beauty. Wood grain base + black stand + a modern touch. And it was all kinds of cheap at something like $7.99. Cue the angels singing, the banana stand search was over.

What good deals have you found lately?

C'mon, don't be shy... you can share your love for banana stands too.

A New (Cozy) Friend

2012-02-02T08:05:00.004-05:00

There's a new guy around our living room.

Yup, Santa (aka my madre + padre) gifted this gorgeous cable-knit throw to me for Christmas!

(apparently How to Style A Room Before You Take A Picture and Blast It Out On the Internet and Basic Pillow Fluffing 101 escaped me... my bad!)

I know I was just chit chatting yesterday about how awesomely warm the weather has been, but let's pretend it's appropriately an artic cold February day. Enter my new, warm friend.

The new blanket hangs out on the back of our couch, just peeking over for some fun texture. Well, let's be honest, most of the time it's wrapped around yours truly... it's ridiculous how c.o.m.f.o.r.t.a.b.l.e. this thing is. Soft as buttah, baby.

Nothing like a little cable-knit love to make dreary winter days just a little bit better!

Pick up your own over at Pottery Barn in lots of fun colors right here.

Loving... Spring Colored Interiors

2012-02-01T11:57:00.000-05:00

Well it seems like much of the US has had some unseasonably warm weather lately... and let's just say, I'm not complaining! I welcome the ~~January~~ February (um, holy cow, when did it get to be February already?!!) sunshine and sixty degree temps with arms wide open.

But all of this warm weather has me yearning for the colors of spring. Don't you just miss looking outside and seeing a soft yellow here, some baby pink there....

It got me thinking, maybe it's time to bring some of that pastel passion inside! So I hopped over to my Pinterest account and found some fabulous spring-inspired inspiration.

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What's inspiring you these days?

Vintage Chic Master Bedroom for Maria

2012-01-31T09:07:00.004-05:00

(you can click on the photo to make it larger)

Hello hello! I'm excited to share my recent e-design with all of you today. Maria asked for some help redesigning her master bedroom. Our goals for the room include incorporating Maria's style- vintage chic- into the room, and also adding warm tones and texture.

Currently, Maria has some black furniture, including a dresser and nightstands, so I worked with those pieces for the space to keep the project budget-friendly. One trouble spot that I addressed in the room was the outdated closet doors- they were definitely dragging the room down. I suggested that Maria replace the old doors with modern bi-fold doors and colorful vintage knobs.

I think my favorite part of the space has to be the scene-stealing drapes from Pottery Barn I listed in her full source list. As a side note, the drapes are actually on sale right now!! They're fabulous.

Are you interested in a Ten June e-design?

Check out my e-design tab, my previous e-designs or email me for rates!

My 2012 Planner

2012-01-30T08:09:00.001-05:00

Ever since I can remember, I've used a planner. Back in middle school and high school, we called them agenda books. In college, my planner was chock full with ~~party~~ study dates, classes and homework. Even in law school, I kept all my school information organized in a planner.

These days, I've upgraded to Outlook on my computer to calendar all of my work appointments, hearings and meetings. But I still like to keep my personal information written down the old-fashioned way. Enter Erin Condren. This year I received an Erin Condren planner in my stocking and wow, am I impressed.

You can customize the cover of your planner with your name, your color choice and even photos. I got this exact same chevron cover except in a bold, punchy red. I love it!

The beginning of the planner has all of the awesome spots for special dates, monthly at-a-glance calendars, note taking etc. It's an easy way to get a good big picture idea of your month.

The design of the planner is absolutely perfect for me. I love that it has a "morning," "day" and "night" section so that I can organize my to-do lists and appointments throughout the day. Perfection!

This bad boy even has stickers... it's easy to mark and remember important events this way!

Oh and don't forget the pocket + zipper pouch in the back of the planner to hold your random assortment of items... coupons, stamps, pictures... it all fits!

My only complaint is that the planner is a little hefty in size + weight. But if you're unlike me and don't ~~obsessively~~ carry your planner with you everywhere you go, that might not be a problem. Oh and I absolutely love the little tabs marking each month, but mine have already gotten completely bent and ruined. Again, probably my fault for carrying the planner everywhere I go (what if you need to know when your next dentist appointment is while you're out a bar? I mean, seriously). Needless to say, those are small potatoes. I will definitely be ordering a 2013 planner from them as well. I love it!

So there you have it, my 2012 planner from Erin Condren. Check out all of their calendars here and the rest of the products in the shop!

*Pssst! I have no affiliation with Erin Condren. I simply adore their product and thought I'd share!

New York City (Part II)

2012-01-27T07:59:00.002-05:00

Since we pretty much saw half of the city on our first day in New York, we took the rest of the long weekend slow and steady.

Sunday morning, we woke up and headed to brunch in the Meatpacking District, one of NYC's "poshest" areas. We dined at the incredibly adorable Standard Grill, which sits at the base of The Standard Hotel. In addition the fact that I just about died and went to heaven with their french toast + berry bowl + freshly squeezed orange juice, I also fell in love with this cafe's adorable ambiance.

via

Next up, we stopped by the incredible Chelsea Market. We seriously need a hot spot like that in Atlanta... the colorful fruits & vegetables, the freshly baked bread, the Anthropologie... it was all amazing!

After our fill of amazing food all morning, we decided to take a stroll along the Highline, New York's newest park. The city basically took a set of raised (about 2-3 stories in the air) abandoned railroad tracks and turned the space into a walking trail and park. Genius!

We took the rest of Sunday to relax and prepare for my sweet friend Courtney's amazing Golden Globes party. She and her hubs Matt hosted us in their Upper West Side apartment with some amazing food, a little bubbly and a whole lot of red carpet fashion action.

The next day, we reserved tickets to see the World Trade Center memorial. It was truly amazing.

do you see the rainbow?!

yes, I know Sarah's hat is fabulous... I gave it to her for Christmas!

For those of you who might not have seen it before, the memorial consists of two waterfalls located in the base where each of the two World Trade Center buildings used to sit. Around each base is a list of names etched into stone. Such a powerful reminder of what we lost.

One thing I really liked is that while the memorial remembers the devastation that occurred, it also focuses greatly on rebuilding and regrowing. In fact, the new World Trade Center building is on its way up right now. Word has it that a new floor is being built every week. Incredible.

I feel really blessed to have spent time at this memorial. It was so moving!

The rest of the day, we shopped in SoHo. And yes, I did make it to C. Wonder! Such a cool store.

Sadly enough, the weather didn't permit us to make it over to Central Park as we had planned on Tuesday morning before our flight. Oh well, that just means we need to book another trip up soon!

PS. As I was editing these pictures in Picnik, I was reminded about how amazing all of your comments were on my no more Picnik post. THANK YOU, THANK YOU for all of your advice and tips! I am in the midst of checking out all of your suggested options and will report back with my findings : ) Thanks again, everyone!

$7 Million Dolla House Tour

2012-01-26T10:54:00.000-05:00

Something big has happened in Atlanta. Our beloved Braves pitcher, John Smoltz, has put his ~~house~~ ~~mansion~~ estate on the market. And for a mere $7.2 million, it can be yours!

Let's explore, shall we? Come on in.

Welcome. To all twenty-two acres, ten bedrooms, fourteen bathrooms and 18,000 square feet of it.

My marble foyer (prounced foy-yay, of course) greets you.

The first of our many living spaces.

The kitchen that's as big as your whole house. Just sayin'.

Another living space. In case the other six weren't large enough for you.

The master retreat.

Our master bathroom, also as big as your house.

The study. And yes it smells like rich mahogany and leatherbound books. Duh.

The theater.

Our humble backyard.

Why yes, that is an eighteen hole golf course, full sized baseball and football fields and a fully stocked fishing pond in the backyard. Oh and don't forget the tennis courts.

Insanely gorgeous, right? You can check out more pictures of ol' Smoltzy's casa (like the carousel pony, Braves themed basement game room and the incredible guest bedrooms) right here.

So who's lending me the cool $7 mill for this baby?