A Place for Us

30before30

noreply@blogger.com (Destiny) — Sat, 26 May 2012 02:27:00 +0000

I’m so excited to be doing this challenge as I head into my 30th birthday next May 2013! Why 30 things before 30? Why not 25 before 25? Ha! Well, heading into my thirties is exciting and so bitter sweet. So I just wanted a way to celebrate the past 10 years of growing up!

So what is it exactly and how did it all start? Well from what I understand Glamour a super fabulous magazine came out with an article about 30 things women should do and know before they enter into this new decade. It was so popular among its women readers that they even came out with a book…

From the original list, some must haves…

A decent piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in your family.

One friend who always makes you laugh and one who lets you cry.

A set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra.

A skin-care regimen, an exercise routine, and a plan for dealing with those few other facets of life that don’t get better after 30.

By 30 you should know…

Where to go -- be it your best friend’s kitchen table or a yoga mat -- when your soul needs soothing.

How to quit a job, break up with a man, and confront a friend without ruining the friendship.

I’m so inspired by this whole thing because it really gives me sometime to reflect about what I have accomplished up until this point and it allows me to really make an effort to MOVE and realize that I only have one life, a great and perfect gift from God himself. To take an hour or two to really reflect on how much I’ve done these past 10 years is just what my soul needs right now. It really makes me think about how many prayers have been answered and how much God has brought me through.

The past 10 years I've grown up A LOT, made so SO many mistakes, fallen down a mountain…literally (haha) and gotten back up on my feet. When I look back I have no regrets, just lots of smiles. Funny, because when your in the mist of your own drama filled life, something's feel like they’re never going to pass. Like getting through school, or finding that ONE guy your going to spend your entire life with, or actually trusting God that he will give you a child after two miscarriages. Here are 20 things I’ve accomplished in this youthful decade.

Twenty in my Twenties..

Fell in love {this seemed impossible at one point in my life}
Got married to Mr. Right{ I remember praying to God for this..he answered in one month..pretty amazing}
Bought a house { sure it was during the bubble…lol..but we bought one!}
Gave birth to three kids {can’t believe this..a true miracle}
Quit my job and started my dream job…stay at home wife and mom {best decision ever}
Graduated from college {I thought school would never end K-8, Freshman-Senior, 4 college years!! ahh I hated school..so then I became a teacher..ha}
Been on national TV {craziness}
Played college volleyball { fun}
Went to Puerto Rico {that’s what happens when you marry a man from the island}
Dated more than ONE guy at a time..playaplaya ha! { I was so fed up with guys, but my hubby was apart of this experiment and he made the cut! lol!}
Went to Alaska {college volleyball trip..it was beautiful!}
Rocked a baby to sleep {best memory ever..all three of them}
Went to NewYork {thanks to the Nate Show}
Moved away from home {college in Arkansas}
Ended a friendship and survived {so much better now too!}
Attended church on a regular basis{ finally..so not a church lady but LOVE my church community}
Became a bridesmaid {TWICE!}
Was baptized with my husband and two great friends{great day}
Taught 1st grade {I miss it sometimes}
Started a blog!!! {best thing EVER!}

So here it is, my thirty before 30 challenge..

Some of these are fun, some are super shallow, some will take a little more time and thought and others are just for my own enjoyment!

Spend a weekend by myself at a resort in town{exciting and weird but when it comes to relaxing I’m like a turtle}
Girls weekend with some of my best friends in NYC or LA {just to shop shop shop}
Go on a REAL honeymoon with Reggie {we never had one}
Have a fabulous skin, hair and exercise regiment {Lord knows I need one}
Lose 40 pounds…all my baby weight for GOOD {Really excited about this}
Get published in a national magazine {Better Homes and Garden..swoon!}
Start a blog ministry for women {close to my heart}
Pick apples from an apple tree and make an apple pie! this one makes me giddy! {I really just want the pictures..ha}
Have a true office space in my home {Need this SO bad}
Meet one of my favorite bloggers in real life. {Wouldn’t that be fun!}
Make a heirloom something to pass down to my daughter {I’m super sentimental, sometimes I want my life to be a movie}
Purchase a cookbook and try at least 20 recipes {I have a love/hate relationship with cooking}
Have a smashing 30th Birthday Party! {duh!}
Organize my photos on ALL my computers {this is a must!}
Finish family yearbooks { last one I finished was in 06}
Pray with a friend {always hesitant to pray in front of others}
Call my friends…I NEVER pick up the phone{my real friends are laughing}
Start a new devotional {getting back to reading the bible daily}
Watch a beach sunset or sunrise {again..pictures and memories}
Speak at a blog conference {even if I pee my pants..I gotta do it!}
Start a craft class {sounds like fun}
Do a mud run {once I’m in shape}
Decorate someone's home or room who is in need {would LOVE to do this}
Take the kids to Disneyland {who doesn’t love Disney?}
Get a bikini wax AHHHHH! { more like OUCHHH..never had one}
Build a piece of furniture {thanks to ANA WHITE}
Sell something on Ebay or Craigslist {shop on there ALL the time..never sold a thing}
Send 12 gifts to 12 different friends via mail {do you guys understand how much I adore mail, there must be others like me}
Invent my own cookie recipe {something with chocolate, and that’s actually edible would be nice}
Grow a garden of flowers {flowers are pretty and I want some around me}

Follow along with me this year! Anyone else turning 30? I would love for you to join me! Check out my friend Andrea over at Worley House! She’s been doing the challenge as well!

How do you guys feel about turning thirty. Are you excited, sad, or are you thinking…hmm not a big deal really! ha! Or maybe your already in your thirties. Did you read the article? What things do you know or have experienced? Does your body REALLY change? Do you feel more equipped to handle life? Help a girl out!

Memorial Day and Fourth of July Treat, FIC on a Stick

noreply@blogger.com (Destiny) — Fri, 25 May 2012 14:30:00 +0000

Frosting, Ice Cream and Cake! This recipe will work great for Memorial Day of the Fourth of July!

Use these simple ingredients…

Follow the directions according to the box and then add red food coloring! I let my mix sit in the fridge for a bit to let the color get darker. Bake the cake as directed in a rectangle 13×9! I used a square shaped pan.

After the cake cools, remove it from the pan and wrap the cooled cake in saran wrap. Let the cake freeze for a 2-3 hours or overnight. Use the same cake pan and wrapped in parchment paper. leaving about a 1 inch overhang.

Remove the cake from the saran wrap and level it out by cutting the top off …you should have scraps and little children may follow:0) Set the leveled cake in the pan of parchment paper.

Next empty a tub of vanilla ice cream into your Kitchen Aid mixer. With the paddle attachment starting on low, whip the ice cream to a creamy consistency.

Spread the whipped ice cream over the frozen cake. Freeze again for another 15 minutes or until firm. Add blue food coloring to your choice of frosting. Again to intensify the color, let the color sit. Spread the icing on the layer of ice cream. Refreeze another 2 hours or until it’s ready to serve!

After the cake is frozen and firm, SERVE to your guest! I cut mine up in little squares and served them on a stick! One bite is definitely enough if you’re a frosting lover:0) If your not, then a small layer of frosting will make you just as happy! ENJOY!

Birthday Weekend and a Little Vacation

noreply@blogger.com (Destiny) — Thu, 24 May 2012 15:14:00 +0000

I’m back and I’m one year older! It’s so great sometimes just to get away from the everyday and just get out of town. The hubby and I have been dying to that for awhile. We’ve sat down and made ALL the plans but there never seemed to be a perfect time to just GO. Birthday parties, church, kid sports games all seemed to be filling our schedule faster than we could write each event down. But we finally set a date and headed on a little road trip to one of my favorite places, SoCal. Oh, and it happened to fall on my birthday weekend, so you know I was a happy girl.

Our really good friend’s happen to live in the Santa Clarita area so we were able to stay with them and catch up on some laughs. It’s so awesome to have friends all over the US. They were more than happy to host all five of us along with their family of six. Four adults vs. 7 kids is always fun and LOUD! We spent a lot of our time at the beach soaking up the sun. My favorite was this one in Malibu. The day was PERFECT. Sunny, breezy and beachy. I miss it already!

We also spent sometime at this quiet beach a little further north.

We didn’t do that much sight seeing and touristy things (we plan to do that in July;0) … BUT the hubby let me have at it at all my favorite stores. I stocked up on some goodies for my kitchen and some new things for our bedroom. Can’t wait to show YOU!

Oh and I ate way to many cupcakes and I’m paying for it now:0)

So happy to back with you guys! Join me tomorrow as I introduce my 30before30 challenge! It’s going to be a fun year!

Don’t forget to enter the Homes.com Pinterest Contest! Remember YOU and me could win ourselves 500 dollars!!!

My Style Monday {Black Doors}

noreply@blogger.com (Destiny) — Tue, 15 May 2012 03:30:00 +0000

Hello Homelovers!

Happy Monday evening to you! Hope you’ve had a great day so far!

Today on My Style Monday I’m talking about black doors…one of the most delicious design elements ever. Black doors aren't a new concept but it’s something that has caught my eye in the last few years. One of the first project I did when I moved into my new home was painted my front door BLACK inside and out! I think when you pair it with white or any other neutrals, the combination is stunning. It instantly gives off a classy, high style feel to any room!

Here is my black front door…..

Check out some of these stunning images via Pinterest!

The thing I love about black doors is that it hides finger smudges and boot rubs pretty well. BUT dry dirt seems to be seen pretty easily! By using a semi gloss or glossy paint your will be able to wipe it down without a problem.

via

I love how these black doors add to the symmetry of this room.

This one has to be my favorite though. A beautiful black DUTCH door coupled with brick floors really gives this room some rustic charm!

Source: nestegg.typepad.com via M on Pinterest

Looking for a good black paint to get started? I just finished painting my laundry room door black using a semi gloss latex paint from ACE applied using a 39 cent sponge brush:0) I LOVE those things! If your looking to achieve a high gloss sheen make sure you use oil base paint! Or you can even try a lacquer finish for a show stopping door!

So how do you guys feel about black doors? Do you have any in your home? What about your front door? Is that painted black?

Don’t forget to enter a FABULOUS Pinterest party hosted by Homes.com! You and I could win 500 dollars!!! Click below for more details!

Spring into the Dream with Homes.com

noreply@blogger.com (Destiny) — Mon, 14 May 2012 18:42:00 +0000

Hello Homelovers!

How’s your Monday so far? Hope you all had a chance to show all the mothers in your life how special they are! May is definitely MY month! Tons of love for Mother’s Day and a week later it’s my birthday…nice! Not to mention the weather’s getting nice, vacations are around the corner and summa time is coming!

That’s why I m so excited today to be teaming up with my peeps at Homes.com for a little Spring Dreaming!

So what is it exactly? They have asked fabulous bloggers all over America to chat about what “Spring into the Dream” means to them, along with some beautiful pinning over on pinterest! If I'm the chosen one…ha, they are gonna hand me 500 smackarus aka cash!!! Yipeee!

I know what your thinkin ..."Omg Destiny, that’s so SO awesome that you could possibly win money for chatting about springing and dreaming, so I’m just going to try my best to act like I’m really excited for you, without rolling my eyes.” lol! Ok, so maybe not your thoughts exactly, but you know I wouldn’t leave you hanging!

If I win, ONE of you guys will toooooooooo! Not 100 or 200 but 500 dollars for you TOO! YES!

What could you do with 500 dollars? Oh I don’t know…

Pay that 400 dollar electric bill that’s about to come up in a few months..
Take a staycation in your home state! I lovvve the Phoenician!
Buy 500 dollars worth of washi tape…what, who does that?
Pay it forward to someone in need
Take your folks out to a fancy dinner
Surprise a graduate, newlywed or dad with a MAJOR gift
SAVE it for a rainy day!
Get that orange and pink ikat chair that you’ve been eyeing for months
Finish a project or start a new one

So how can you win? Stick around and I tell you about that in a few! First, let’s really get down and talk about what Spring into the Dream means to me!

When I first saw this tag line I immediately thought about the season Spring. Spring cleaning, refreshing and pressing the reset button! But I also thought about springing/jumping into dreaming up plans for your home! I’ve always been a dreamer. I think anyone who has an ounce of creativity in them is too! I remember when I moved into my first house, I would print out the floor plans and draw the aerial view of all the furniture that would go into each room. Before amazing sights like Pinterest, I would save all my house plans in a binder and dream about how I was going to change all my white walls into these gorgeous spaces. I was always coming up with a plans, even if I didn’t have the money or sometimes even the skill, I never let that stop me from dreaming and it shouldn’t stop you either! So here are some simple steps to help YOU Spring into the Dream this year.

Get your Dreams Organized

To get all your ideas organized you’ll need to hop on board the most wonderful virtual pin board ever, Pinterest. If you need and invite, I would love to get one to you, so email me at destiny{at}aplaceforusblog{dot}com. If you already have an account then you know how wonderful it is. You can create boards/categories about anything from sofas to zebra print! Install a PIN button on to your toolbar and pin any image from any site and PIN it onto a relevant board! Follow your favorite boards like this one I’ve created for Spring into the Dream, or your favorite company's like Homes.com and repin some of their pins too!

Dream Big

Once you’ve got the hang of pinning go and start dreaming of each room you would love to transform!

Dreaming of a beautiful outdoor oasis? DREAM IT!

{photo sources}

Maybe it’s a wonderful bedroom with just the right amount of yellow and blue…DREAM IT!

{photo sources}

Or maybe it’s a super organized space where there’s a place for everything and everything has a place. DREAM IT!

{photo sources}

Turn Small Projects into Big Dreams

Get your dream rooms going by starting off with small easy to do projects like making pillows for your sofa, painting a dresser, or dressing up your stair rails with glossy black paint!

{photo sources}

Little by little you will see each room start to transform! But you have to get GOING first! I know how hard it can be to take that first DIY step. But once you do, the results you see will be SO worth it!

Dreams to Reality

Don’t just let your dreams sit on the internet or on pieces of paper! Make your DREAMS a reality!

{photo source}

The joy of making your house a home or
“A Place for Us” is something that is only felt after a little bit of hard work, ambition and lots of dreaming! Just the other day, my hubby said “Thank you babe”

ME: “For what?”

HIM: “For all of this. You’ve made our house a home and I never really understand what your doing but I can totally SEE it now, it’s crazy how much everything has changed.”

Yeah, I totally love that guy:0)

Yes, your dreams are important. They may not look like anything right now, but that’s the beauty of a dream. It takes time!

So are you ready to spring into YOUR dream? Are you super excited that Homes.com, one of the nation’s top online real estate destinations, is offering such a fabulous prize!! I would LOVE for you guys to join me! To be eligible to win some money money money mona! your going to need to do a few EASY things.

Create a “Homes.com Spring into the Dream” pinboard on Pinterest.
Repin TWO photos from Homes.com’s “Spring into the Dream” board
Add TWO pins from articles on Homes.com blog Feel free to add any other pins you’d like to include related to the “Spring into the Dream” theme!
Follow Homes.com on Pinterest
Provide link to YOUR pinboard on in the comment section below!

The contest will begin at 9:00am EST on Monday, May 14, 2012 and end 11:59pm EST on May 25, 2012! If I win, a winner from the comments below will be selected at random on or after May 29th!

So that’s it! No blog or Facebook account needed!

Although competition for me usually involves a super fierce volleyball face because I’m about to kill the ball in some poor girls face ..totally YEARS ago

this contest is a bit different so we need to play nice…

I did not receive any compensation or trade for this post.

My Style Monday Homegoods

noreply@blogger.com (Destiny) — Tue, 08 May 2012 02:13:00 +0000

Homelovers! Did you guys have a great weekend?! Hope you had a chance to check out my One Weekend Project! It was super easy to make and I’m sure you will find some sort of inspiration from it!

This weekend I took a little stroll through one of my favorite stores, Homegoods! I’m not even kidding you, I would say about 50% of my home accessories come from Homegoods! I have one about 10 minutes away (so lucky) and I’m in there at least 4 –5 times a month or more…ha!

Check out my photo field trip I took Saturday….

I ended up snaging that 5x7 gray and cream rug for 50 bucks! I just saw it Crate and Barrel for A LOT more:0) Pretty good deal right?!

Do you guys have a Homegoods by you? Did you known that Homegoods, TjMaxx and Marshalls are all owned by the same folks! So if you don’t have a Homegoods I bet you can find some of these goodies there! Hope you had a great Monday! Hopefully I will be seeing you again this week! My hubby wants me to start a project this week!!! LAUNDRY:0) lol!!

Cheese:0)

One Weekend Project: How to make a Wood Top Side Table

noreply@blogger.com (Destiny) — Fri, 04 May 2012 21:53:00 +0000

Homelovers!

How are you guys doing today! Ready for a great weekend! We have a packed weekend full of basketball games, Cinco de Mayo, mexican food, church and hopefully sleeeeep:0) I hope you had a chance to visit me over at The Handmade Home the other day, guest posting from my friend Ashley!! She’s so awesome, you don’t want to miss her blog!

Today I’m sharing a project that I've been wanting to do for about a YEAR now, but finally decided to DO it a few days ago! Does that happen to you guys? You think and think and think about a project until it just has no more room in your project collecting brain and you finally have to GET IT OUT by GETTING IT DONE! This project only took me one day to complete. Naptime, kids, dinner and life included, so I know you will be able to knock this out in one weekend:0)

via overstock.com

I guess you can call them reclaimed wood tables, wood top tables, or what ever you like but all I know is that I love them! Here’s how I made mine…

I had a couple of these plain jane end tables in my family room already. They were apart of a group set that we purchased when we were first married. So I bought some poplar wood stripes in various sizes from HomeDepot (take your measurements with you to the store) , cut them to fit the top (I used a borrowed compound miter saw!!), liquid nail them to the table and let it all dry.

I placed some heavy paint cans on top so that they wouldn’t curve up or buckle with the liquid nail. I totally should have grabbed some clamps while I was at Home Depot but I forgot! After a few hours or so I removed the cans and gave the tables a light sanding with my mouse sander. It’s important to have a smooth finish before staining anything so that your stain will soak in nice and evenly. After that I cleaned the tables off with a tack cloth.

Next I pulled out my oh so yummy, MinWax stain in walnut and began to stain the tops. I covered them about two times to get the finish you see below.

For some character I added wood nails and spilt the wood. Awesome right? Just kidding, I wanted to screw down the corners that didn’t get the full affect of my paint can holding technique. But that didn’t really work out because I ended up splitting the wood almost in two. But I didn’t want to start all over! So now it’s apart of the tables “character” haha! Sometimes ya just gotta roll with it. It can’t be perfect all the time right? Yes, you agree:0)

So here they are in my family room. I love them! The two tones are a great way to break up some the finishes in the room and it was SO easy you guys. Like slap some glue on a stick easy:0)

Can you guys knock out this One Weekend Project? If you do let me know!

PS…I know you guys pretty well so… my lamps came from Homegoods, my real life fern came from Home Depot and my pillows; the gray and houndstooth are homemade, floral from Etsy and the solid green is from World Market! Booyah!

Linking Up to….

Tiny Prints Deal of the Day…50% off BUSINESS CARDS!

noreply@blogger.com (Destiny) — Thu, 03 May 2012 18:10:00 +0000

So many of you have asked about where I got my business cards during SNAP and via email conversations! So I know you will enjoy this deal!!!

It’s the tiny prints Deal of the DAY! Today ONLY you can receive 50% off your order of business cards, mommy cards, etc! Now you can have some crazy fun folded business cards to hand out!

Just go and click the image below and it will take you to the exact card that I chose! The inside has room for one picture but I got around that by creating a tri collage in Photoshop and pasting it in the middle! HURRY you only have TODAY!!

Enjoy!

A Place for Us in and affiliate of Tiny Prints all opinions are 100% mine!

Guest Posting @HANDMADE HOME!

noreply@blogger.com (Destiny) — Wed, 02 May 2012 13:51:00 +0000

Hello Homelovers!

Today I’m over at my friend Ashley’s blog HANDMADE HOME giving a home tour to some new readers! She’s a southern gal/graphic designer/mommy&wife, Nate Show alumni and she has the most amazing style EVER! Your going to love browsing through all of her projects! Be prepared to stay a while and fall in love!

Reclaimed Wood Shelves and her laundry room are just a FEW…..—> go and check out the rest! Have a great Wednesday!

Renu in a SNAP! A new way to cover your light switches!

noreply@blogger.com (Destiny) — Wed, 02 May 2012 09:47:00 +0000

This post brought to you by Leviton. All opinions are 100% mine.

If you really care about the details in your home then your going to love this product! There are some things in my home that really bothers me and that I wish I could change IMMEDIATELY! The first is our baseboards. We had hardwood floors installed when we first moved in and had the installers re-install the baseboards. Bad decision. They ended up getting really scuffed up and I notice every.single.mark. I really think fresh, white, chunky baseboards are one of those things that really finishes your home. I hope to update them soon. The next is the switch plates. No joke you guys. My switch plates make me CRINGE!! Like for realz. The builder made them all lop sided and uneven and it drives me crazy. Then not to mention that I’ve lost about 50 percent of the screws that I took off while doing my paint jobs…I do blame my B type brain, but still they ain’t pretty.

See… what is that!! I think someone might have been a little tipsy on the job…lol! I try my best to just cover them up with pretty accessories!

That’s were an amazing product like Renu comes in. It a SCREWLESS…(thank the LAWRD) , mutlit colored switch system that includes,

-Combination switches

-Wallplates

-Dimmers/Remotes

-Tamper Resistant Outlets

-Tamper Resistant GFCI Outlets

-QuickPort Connectors

ALL of which have faces you can update yourself whenever you’re ready for a new look. Its available in 20 popular paint colors and Renu® products can blend in or contrast with a room’s walls or trim. Renu turns that not so hot electrical device into a decorative, easy to change accessory. YESSSSS:0)

Navjo Sand, Pebble Gray, SeaSpray, Woodsmoke…pack up cause your coming home with me! I can just imagine how well these plates would look around our house AND I can switch them whenever I want! It’s like a fun pair of shoes or earrings…for your walls? ha! Can’t wait to show you guys!

You could blend them in with your wall color or have them coordinate with the room colors.

You gotta see what NATE had to say about them!!!

Want to learn more about LEVINTON and Renu? There a couple things you can do…

Participate in some of their twitter party like the one coming up TOMMORROW!, Wednesday, May 2nd 9pm EST and possible win some Home Depot gift cards! All you need to do is follow @leviton and #Renu!

Check out Leviton on Facebook!

I’m really excited to try out this product, what about you guys? Do you see yourself using this in your home. I’m still stuck on the fact that I don’t have to screw anything in…fabulous I tell ya!

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are 100% mine. I’m always to bring my readers awesome products that they would find useful and that I would use in my own home! Enjoy!

Newlyweds: His +Hers= YOURS How to mix your Styles

noreply@blogger.com (Destiny) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 17:00:00 +0000

I love to talk newlyweds around here. I’m not sure if it’s because my hubby makes me feel like a new bride, even after 7 years or because I might just love the idea of two people falling in LOVE and leaping to say I do. But after the wedding and all the fluff is gone, new brides have questions and lots of them. I know for me it was questions like how do I set up my home, what dishes do I need, how do I throw a dinner party..I can hardly COOK!? But even if your not a fresh bride these questions can still haunt you. So today in order to settle some anxieties and help everyone out I'm going to be giving you some tips on how to take what’s his and what’s yours and mix your styles.

First let me start off by saying, every marriage is different . But for the most part if you’re having this issue one, your husband actually cares about décor and won’t let you conquer your home without his input or two, you really DO want to make him feel like it’s his space even if he doesn't really voice his opinion. I know with my hubs he was all in my decorating business when we first got married. It all stared with that darn registry gun. I now know that him wanting to take control when we registered had little to do with blue vs.red dishes and more to do with shooting the little red light onto random, unrelated wedding items like an Xbox….geesh. Today I do all of the decorating round here:0) and occasionally I ask him for his input, even when I have NO intent to use his ideas…haha. It’s all about making HIM feel like he's apart of it gals! It’s all in love!

Sidenote: Remember to BE confident when your talking design and décor with your hubby! Come up with a plan and tell him about it! My suggestion for you if doing the living room or family room is NOT an option is to start in a small area like a closet or laundry room. Put together a design (ask a girlfriend if you really have NO clue), get a bucket of paint and try out your talent. You will be SO proud of yourself and so will he. Once he's seen how wonderful you are he will start to trust you!

Here’s a few steps you can take to marry your styles together…

Play Fair

Come up with a number of items that are non negotiable. Chose which ones will go best in each room, store the rest or give them away. What you don’t want to do is throw something out without the other persons content. This makes for a pretty nasty fight and you don’t wanna do THAT right? Those first couple of years are hard enough so don’t let something as little as furniture choices set you over the edge. Be patient with him! This is really the key!

Lets look at an example of what styles you both might bring into the marriage…

His style is pretty traditional, dark and masculine. He has a traditional taste and loves geometric textiles. After years of traveling the world for business he has collected some treasured items like a brass football he won in an auction overseas, a vintage Beatles poster and world maps.

Her style is sweet. Her décor baggage includes, white accessories with pops of yellow and soft pastels. She has spent years in a small apartment in NYC working as a buyer for Gap. She loves curves, the Hamptons and anything with ruffles.

What do you have in Common?

You really have to focus on what you both have in common for this to really work! Although she likes pops of yellow and he prefers an orange hue, those two colors go great together and could make a fun color pallet.

Find a color you both LOVE!

In the plan above she’s bringing in mostly whites, pops of yellow and shades of blue. He is bringing over browns, navy and greens. Look for colors that you BOTH have already and then maybe a few that you both could agree on. The point here is not to go out and buy everything new. You want to use what you already have and then fill in the spots as needed! I suggest looking on pinterest to find color pallets, it’s a wonderful resource. I have entire board dedicated just to color!

Don’t use every item you have in one room.

That brass football and Beatles poster are his LOVES! There is no reason to throw them out. Acknowledge them and suggest that he puts them in his man cave, his office at work or any space he has dedicated to himself. You LOVE your blue bench but it doesn't seem possible to put it the entryway liked you plan. Find a spot for it in the laundry room or give it a clear coat of protective enamel and sit it under your covered patio. Just remember not every item you have will be front and center. Be willing to compromise by moving it into another room or storing it until you find a place for it! Work together, be a team and be NICE!

Trial and Error

Now depending on how you look at it this could be the fun part:0) I suggest you start pulling the main pieces of furniture out and start playing with different layouts. After your main pieces are decided on and you have a color pallet start pulling your room together. Take pieces in and out as you both see fit! Once you’ve got a pretty good idea of what will work, start to make a list of your “missing” items. This might be a rug, drapes, or even a sofa! Whatever it is make sure it fits within your budget and plan to build up your décor as you go. I know for me, in our first house I had a pretty Ikea hutch with no other décor items it. Each week I would buy a few frames and after about a month I had myself an nice gallery wall. After I was done with that I added curtains. Make this a process that is FUN! If you guys are stressed out about it then it won’t be worth it!

Let’s take a look at what their family room could look like if we took items from both of their boards and put them together. Notice I didn’t use every single item. I stared with my common color and worked from there!

Together their newlywed style mixes perfectly! NICE, right?!

For a neutral base they kept his leather sofa, her white chair and added white drapes. This setting will allow them to build layers of texture and textiles with out over committing to a certain color. They also kept his orange pillow, her yellow velvet pillow( I want that!!),coral beach piece, fur pillow and white lamp for accessories. All of these items together give the room some masculine interest and still keeps the room feeling light! Blue is the one color that they BOTH agreed they loved. Although she had a ruffled blue pillow, he was NOT havin it! By leaving the furniture neutral, it allowed them to use that blue in accessories and in small pieces of furniture. He wanted to proudly display his brass football (heavy eye roll) but instead they decided on a brass table with a curvy base to please them both! They also used a geometric throw blanket and blue picture frame they received as wedding gifts! Now they have a room that is perfectly THEM!

So what do you think newlyweds and Homelovers alike? Do you think you can do it! No matter what your décor obstacle might be, remember to show each other love and respect. Because it’s really not about the furniture friends! It’s about building a relationship that’s going to last a life time!

My Style Monday {World Market}

noreply@blogger.com (Destiny) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:30:00 +0000

Last week we talked about global décor and I gave you some suggestions on how to add it to your own space. I mentioned one of my favorite stores to shop global was World Market. So today on My Style Monday I’m going to give you some eye candy from their yummy online store. I happen to have one of their stores about TWO minutes away from my house so I’m always taking advantage of their 20% off coupons and on those lucky occasions, the 20 off of 50!

Come check out some items I bet you didn’t even know they HAD!

We all know when it comes to décor, the details are important. If you take a look around a local World Market or browse their online selection your going to see they believe they same thing. Hand painted drawer knobs, colorful frames or beautiful wicker baskets are just a few of the accessories they have to jazz up your space.

The lighting section always surprises me! This pharmacy lamp in a dusty bronze would go perfect in any corner of your home. The urn lamp base makes a global statement but stays neutral on the color. Then you have the Capiz light that is just a showstopper and for under 100 bucks you cant beat the price!

If your ever wanting to add a pop of color to your space you gotta check out their collection of pillows. One pillow could inspire an entire ROOM!

I think throws are one of the easiest ways to add textile to a room besides pillows. You can throw one over the sofa and you got softness and visual interest all in one! I love this first one. The camel and white play off each other so well! Don’t cha think…mmmhmmm:0)

World Market also offers some very well made lines of furniture. I've gotten about 5 or 6 pieces from them already! The sofas they carry are mostly apartment sizes so they go great in small rooms. I'm thinking about using some of these below in my master bedroom! If I'm lucky Ill be able to snag all THREE!

Here are some other furniture pieces I like! If you see them in person they REALLY do look and feel like high end pieces of furniture but the price tags conveys something completely different…affordable!

Tell me you guys love World Market just as much as I do. Do you have any items in your home from this awesome store? Pillows? Tables? Lamps? COFFEE;0) or those super cute soda bottles?! Let me know!

Adding Global Décor to Your Home

noreply@blogger.com (Destiny) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Hello Homelovers!

If you’ve ever wondered if you could add some smokin global flair to your home without going overboard, then today is your lucky day!! wuwu! Adding global décor can be little intimidating, but done the right way it can add some depth to your interior haven. Today I'm going to show you a simple way I added that flair and also give you some other examples of how you can do the same!

Global Accent Wall

This is an accent wall between my kitchen, the hallway and my living room. On the opposite side I have a super fun chalkboard to write messages for my family and to our friends. This wall is seen from the family room and the breakfast nook so it’s a pretty fun piece of interior real-estate..ha! I originally had bead board wall paper on it BUT with the amount of traffic it was getting I knew it wouldn’t really be a great choice. Instead I wanted something that added some interest in that direction and some color to bounce of my pretty neutral kitchen.

So what I did was I used these olive colored paisley decals that I ordered from ByrdieiGraphics and sectioned them out on my wall.

I found it a lot easier to apply the decals by ripping off the paper section by section and peeling back slowly. Otherwise it took me almost 20 minutes for ONE decal! By doing it this way I only spent about 5-7 minutes one.

Using the paisley pattern gives the space just the right amount of UMPH without saying “ LOOK AT ME IM A GLOBAL WALL” lol! I think a nice neutral art piece or a corkboard would be a great added layer over this super fly wall. I will let you know when I find one:0)

Now that you’ve seen an example, I suggest that when your out shopping for global décor remember to look for pieces with great color, interesting texture, and a handmade look. Having to many global pieces will push your space over board and you will feel like your actually living in a market:0) So pick out one or two pieces that makes your heart flutter and…BEGIN!

COLOR

One of my favorite places to shop global on the cheap is World Market. They have everything from colorful rugs to unique hand painted knobs. So for example, you could take this Orange Disco Indoor-Outdoor Rug and use that as your jumping off point or as a piece to play off your existing room with similar colors. Unless you going for a very monochromatic look, what you DON’T want to do is have every single accessory ALL orange, or pink or green. Which seems like easy advice to follow but a lot of homelovers think they have to have a similar color in each piece they choose for their homes. But that’s not true! Instead of going for the matchy matchy look. Give it a good mix! The easiest way to do this is to start with a neutral base (walls, sofas or chairs) and pull colors from the global item or piece and use it in your accessories. Once that’s done add a contrast piece to finish it off. I love adding black & white to my rooms!

TEXTURE

To add texture to a room I like to use rugs like sisal, bamboo or a short shag. But another fun way to add texture to a room is to use feathers! It’s bit scary at first but it actually can work if used in small doses or as a center piece. It’s only when you start to feather up your ENTIRE home you’ll see disaster starting to strike. Check out this amazing piece made of feathers. I first spotted it on Candice Tells All and then again on the Nate Show. To purchase an original your going to have to fork over a pretty penny. The small one starts and $1500 dollars. Oh.

But I’m in love with them and I’m pretty sure their hackacble. Just gotta go find a thousand feathers:0) Let’s DO IT!!! I can’t get over that big bird yellow!

via

HANDMADE

Handmade items can come in the form of pottery, tables, vases, glass, or chandelier's. Check out some of these global rooms that showcase some wonderful handmade items.

Source: apartmenttherapy.com via Leah on Pinterest

Source: dalani.co.uk via Dalani on Pinterest

traditional staircase design by los angeles interior designer Kelley & Company Home

modern dining room design by toronto interior designer Shirley Meisels

So, do you think you can do it! Go ahead and mix it up with color, texture and handmade items to achieve that yummy global look! Have you tried the global look in your casa yet?

For more design talk and updates, follow @aplaceforus on Twitter. tweet tweet tweet!

Snap Conference ReCap: Classes, Food, Queen Bee Market and Dance Party Video Clip!

noreply@blogger.com (Destiny) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 06:52:00 +0000

Yesterday I talked a lot so today I’ll keep it short:0) I could just go on and on about every single detail of this fun weekend but I won’t:0)

If you missed the sappy first part go here!

The Classes

The classes that I took were really easy to follow and full of information. I wish I had a recorder…no joke. Next time peeps!! I liked the fact that most of them had panels so you could hear advice from different folks. Here are just a few of the classes that I took.

Discovering and Defining your Style, panel: Shelley, Ana White Emily and Kate

Dimension, Pattern & Texture=STYLE Cynthia, Kirsten, Beth

Power of Personal on a DIY Blog Beckie, Rhoda, Char, Traci

I was cracking up at this board in my SEO class…..

The ONE thing I took away from most of my classes was JUST BE YOU! Which was actually the theme for then entire conference!! It makes the most since in blog land. You can afford to be anyone else but yourself:0) We all were lucky to walk away with these necklaces from Amy Cornwell so we would never forget!

FOOD!

The food was fantastic!! Can I just say I was worried about what we were going to eat…LOL! I was,I was. But it was awesome! Each night dinner was served wedding reception style on white plates with folded napkins and pretty ice tea glasses. They definitely rolled out the red carpet for us:0) I think I might be the only one who took this many photos of the food…lol!

Queen Bee Market

I didn’t do to much damage at the Queen Bee Market but I could of. Just look at all of this delicious handmadeness…yes..hand.made.ness.

I can’t even IMAGINE how many hours of crafting, collaborating and hard work this entire conference must have took to put together. All I know is that what we received was fabulous and well thought out. The Snap team did such a great job!! Those girls are special! The sponsors they brought in were very relevant and SO friendly! Except for my cute friends from HOMESdotCOM in their fun orange shirts:0) most of the time I couldn’t tell they were sponsors! They just blended into the crowd of bloggers. It’s so nice to meet these brands in real life and realize that they LOVE you, just as much as you LOVE them!

Dance Party!

The last night we soaked in all the craziness of the three day conference by having a DANCE PARTY. Man, these girls know how to get down. Maybe it was the fact that we had no children attached to our legs, or maybe we were channeling that girl who was JUST 19 and had not a care in the world. Either way, that translated into us throwing are hands up in the air sometimes singing AAAAY! OH! and busting out all the words to Ice Ice Baby and I like Big Butts….true story. I was super surprised with the lyrical talents of the ones who knew all the words to 50cent…Go shorty it’s your birthday….lol!

I think this verse pretty much sums it up for that last night and really the entire weekend…..

Here is a small unedited clip of our dance party….

So, will I see you next year? Cause you know there’s gonna be a next year!!!

SNAP! Conference ReCap: The Campus and Building Relationships

noreply@blogger.com (Destiny) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 17:47:00 +0000

photos via my instagram stream

I’m so excited to be back to today, semi refreshed and ready to tell you guys about the great time I had at the SNAP! Conference that was held last weekend in SLC, Utah. If your not familiar with this conference, it basically a creative conference for bloggers who share handmade,craft, and DIY projects on their blogs. It’s a three day event full of networking, informative classes, lots of FUN and zero sleep. Thinking back I probably should have stayed two more days just to catch up on my SLEEP. I don’t know what I was thinking?! Of course your going to stay up till 2-3 o’clock in the morning talking about blog stuff, life stuff, with friends you NEVER get to see! Then you try and wake up early to take that super informative early morning photography class, but realize that’s not going to happen:0) The sad part is that I HARDLY got to talk with my friends…325 + friends:0) But needless to say it was worth it just to catch up with a few and meet so many new ones.

THE CAMPUS

This year it was held on a beautiful campus, Thanksgiving Point. The campus was SO pretty you guys! So naturally I wanted to take photos of it. It wasn’t unit I looked through my camera yesterday preparing for this post, I realized that 300 of the 387 photos were the campus..oh boy. Coming from AZ, Utah is such a contrast in so many ways. The tulips looked SO fake, I was waiting for the wax to melt, but it never did..ha!

When my roomy Andrea and I arrived we got dressed and headed out to get something to eat from the super cute deli they had on campus and immediately started hugging FRIENDS!

Photographed above is Nancy a super fabulous party planner in Arizona and then my new blog friend from Jeanee from UrDirtyLaundry who I will be following for all the latest trends and you all know Andrea :0) Holly was our LIFE saver and money saver. She gave us a ride to and from the airport…so sweet right? It was so fun to chat it up with some of my favorite girls! Each one had a story, a smile and they all were SO beautiful. The creative soul is so easy to identify, everything wanting to BUST from the inside is shown on the out. The way everyone talks about their passion, listens intently to learn more and supports each other was the most wonderful thing about this entire conference.

Building Relationships

Before I left I prayed ( like I always do before I leave on a big plane to a different state…ha!) that God would really just use me how ever he wanted and that I would make some personal connections that would help me grow as a person and also within my blog. Boy did he answer.Coming into this conference I didn’t really have a network of women that I bounced ideas off of, emailed on a regular basis, or mentored ME. I guess you could say I ‘ve been swimming alone:0) I think a lot of us newer bloggers, myself included think that the bigger blogs gals are so busy doing blogging stuff, family stuff and real life stuff that emailing them would just add to the stress and you would be a bother. Except for the occasionally email to a blog friend I felt the same. I didn’t want anyone to think that I was trying to STEAL all their hard work or even knock off content or ideas. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. The thing about blogging is that the better we ALL do, the better it is for our community. Just take a look at all the company's with blogger programs now. Imagine that same company only have one or two blogs to partner with. It just wouldn’t be a beneficial to them! Take a look at just SOME of the amazing community of bloggers that I got to meet!

Kirsten Michelle Traci Courtney Emily Shelley Stacy Mandy Beth

Anyways, I didn’t get to talk and chat with everyone that I wanted to but the two ladies that I did get to have a conversation were a true blessing. The night of the Queen Bee Market I ended up chatting with a very spunky sweet red headed gal named Beckie form Infarrantly Creative. Later on in our conversation I would find out that she had two more websites Knock off Décor and Roadkill Rescue,…. I KNOW. But the thing about this conversation and like many others that I had was that they were so organic. No one tried to hard, if we had time to chat we did if not then everyone totally understood. I had seen Beckie in tons of pictures in blogland and read her blogs before but I didn’t know that she would be there or even thought I would have the chance to talk with her. One of the first things she asked me was if I had a network of women who I work with. What? How did she know to ask that? Know one had EVER asked me that!? After hearing my sad pitiful answer…lol! She graciously offered to help me in anyway she could. One simple statement made me feel like I was officially invited to be a blogger. I can be honest here right??:0) I know that sounds silly but it’s so true! I sometimes feel like I don’t know what I’m doing or even have a clear vision for my blog and you readers do just ride along with me:0)) But to know that I can get some advice is worth so much to me! Of course I didn’t get a photo of her…that’s how it goes when your at a conference:0)

photo via decorchick

The next day I got to talk it up with another gem, Emily from DécorChick. I first met Emily through a giveaway that she hosted that I ended up winning and receiving my first SILHOUETTE machine. I mean she was going to be my friend no matter what after that day! Ha! I had the chance to talk with her about my blog as well. Most of the time her and Andrea were giggling at me when I told them some of my business practices…lol. She sweetly gave me some big girl advice on what I should be doing on the money making side of blogging. She even talked about a super friendly site she works with Apartment Guide! So happy I found another friend and she couldn’t be any sweeter and her accent is a plus. Did I ever tell Y’ALL that I adore a southern accent?? ADORE!! I sometimes get the urge to start talking that way anytime I hear girls like Emily, Rhoda or Traci speak. But then I just stop myself and save the embarrassment.

Ok, that’s enough chatting for today. Tomorrow come back and see some of the classes I took, the yummy food, snapshots of the Queen Bee Market and our DANCE party!

Would you like to see what I’m up to when I’m NOT blogging? Come and see snapshots of my everyday life via Instagram!

Down East Home WINNER!

noreply@blogger.com (Destiny) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 15:20:00 +0000

Hello Homelovers!

The Snap conference I attended last weekend was a blast, more on that later. Right now I just wanted to announce the WINNER of the DownEastHome Giveaway!

Congrats CINDY! An email has been sent your way! Can’t wait to hear from you.

Thanks to everyone who has entered! So happy to see you appreciate affordable home décor as much as I do! Don’t forget to check out DownEastHome to check out more of their Spring home line.

Decorating with Down East Home and a Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Destiny) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Is it Spring in your neck of the woods yet? Some of my friends are still getting snow up in the high country. The weather here has been so nice. Not to hot, not to cold. I love that about AZ. It so nice to go outside and enjoy the fresh air this time of year. Right now I have the doors open and I can hear all the little birdies just chirpin away.

Last weekend my family and I had Easter dinner outside on the patio so we could soak in some of that wonderful sun. Soon it will be way to hot to even think about sitting outside mid afternoon:0) So I was happy to set something up and use some of my Down East Home items to set up a small informal setting for us. Nothing fancy. It took about 15 minutes of my time so it wasn’t a big fuss or production.

I used three items from their new spring home line to add to our Easter table.

The new line includes very affordable home décor items that will add a little pep to any corner of your home.

I really like these aloe stems which are only 2.99 each! I stuck mine in a galvanized mini bucket that I had and it really comes together for a great outdoors look.

I also added some lemons and two galvanized trays. I think the galvanized look is WONDERFUL. Outdoor friendly and affordable enough to get multiple pieces. Couple it with all white serving ware and you’ve got yourself one fine setting for any occasion!

Would you like to pick out some fun decor items for yourself?

Enter the giveaway below for a 25.00 gift card to use online or in the store!

Jazz up your TinyPrints Business Cards with Washi Tape

noreply@blogger.com (Destiny) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 21:58:00 +0000

Last week I received some business cards from TinyPrints, for a blog conference, SNAP that I’m attending next week! I wanted them to be slightly different from the norm and some that showed off my talent instantly. So I decided on these fun folded cards!

front:

inside: a few of my projects and a super cheeky picture of me..haha!

back:

The folks at TinyPrints made the process super easy and customizable. I like the fact that are still the same size as a regular business cards but you get to some extra space to have fun!

To show my home and crafty side I added some patterned washi tape to the empty space above my blog name.

It kinda reminds me of a fun throw pillow! When I’m designing I’m always looking for ways to add some sort contrast and the addition of the washi tape does just that!

I have one more small detail that I will be adding But I guess you’ll just have to wait until SNAP! Will I see you there?!

On a side note…I’m SUPER excited about the calligraphy class they are offering! I’ve always wanted to learn!

To look at some more business card options visit TinyPrints.com. If your looking for that washi tape, I purchased at one of my new favorite spots, CUTE TAPE!

This post is brought to you by Tiny Prints. All opinions are 100% mine

Shopping One Kings Lane

noreply@blogger.com (Destiny) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 17:21:00 +0000

Who needs Spring cleaning?

what? noooo!!

How about Spring decorating?!

got your attention now?..mmmhmmm

One Kings Lane is one of my favorite deal sites! I mean they’re EVERYWHERE now right? Every morning I get bamboozled with a deal of the day from somewhere…I can’t help but to sign up for them all. I would hate to miss a deal you know:0)

If you haven’t heard of One Kings Lane then let me introduce.

Friends meet OKL.

OKL meet friends.

Ok, we’re all acquainted now! What I love about OKL is that they have some of the best pickings in design land. If your anything like me, you flip through your home magazines monthly and tag/circle/bookmark all your favorite items and try to find that look for less. Sometimes you get lucky and find something similar for WAY less and other times the knockoff doesn’t even come close. But OKL actually has THE exact items from that magazine page priced way below the retail price. Right now they are welcoming in Spring with a sales event that will help you breath new life into every space in your home. Each day this week One Kings Lane is featuring fresh ideas and beautiful furnishings up to 70% off retail in their 5 Rooms in Five Days.

Check out entire looks for spaces from furnishings, wall decor, floor coverings, and more--everything you need to spruce up your home this Spring.

Today’s feature includes Kitchen & Dining.

Here are some other items my mouse keeps hovering over and over and over…..

If you're new to One Kings Lane, sign up today for a $15 credit for purchases of $30 or more. I know!!! This amazing sale is going on right now through Friday, so head over to One Kings Lane before it's over!

Did you get a chance to see TODAY’s only deal pop up?? yipeeee!!!

Don’t forget to check out the under $50.00 bin while you are there. Is it bad that THAT’S the first place I check when I login? Always looking for a bargain friends, always!

Happy Hump Day!

This post was brought to you by OKL, all opinions are 100% mine

My Style Monday {Classy Perfumes}

noreply@blogger.com (Destiny) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 04:17:00 +0000

Happy Monday dear friends!

Did you guys have a great Easter? We sure did! It was so nice spending some time with mi familia ( Reggie speaks Spanish, so I like to act as though I do too:0)

celebrating and remembering our Lord and Savior!

Let’s jump right on in with a new My Style Monday…My Favorite Perfumes. I’m a perfume junkie for sure. I've been collecting different scents since I was a preteen and have never given up the hobby:0) Maybe it’s because I find the mixture of liquid and glass to be utterly scrumptious and attractive. Maybe it’s because I can remember some of the most wonderful events in my life and the scents that went right along with them. Either way, I can’t get enough of them.

Today I’m sharing FIVE classy perfumes that will make you feel like your living straight out of a scene of Breakfast at Tiffany’s:0)

I've learned a few things about perfuming and one is that not all scents smell the same on EVERYBODY so before you buy, test them out. Figure out what smell best fits YOU! My signature scent definitely has some strong hints of vanilla, jasmine and lots of fruits:0) Yours might be slightly less fruity and more woodsy. Don’t you just love all of this perfume jargon:0)

Jessica Simpson Fancy.

If you’re a friend of mine your probably LAUGING so hard right now because you know how much I adore Jessica Simpson. But love or hate HER, this perfume is the perfect everyday scent for a single gal in the city, or a stay at home mommy in the burbs. The scent is an oriental vanilla/sweet perfume which I happen to like! If your not a sweets type of girl then I think you might enjoy her Fancy Nights version.

Heavenly by Victoria Secret

Also one of my favorites. I think I wore this perfume the entire time Reggie and I were dating so I definitely have a strong attachment to it. Every time I spray it on it bring me back to those days. For just a moment I leave motherhood and travel back to when I was 19 and sooo in looovvve! I also love the fact the Reggie recognizes it every time I wear it:0) This will always be in stock on my vanity. It’s another great scent for the everyday but also perfect for date night!

Burberry for Women

I received my first bottle of Burberry in 2003 and it has been my favorite from the Burberry collection since. It’s a super feminine scent with hints of jasmine and bursts of fruits like peach, apricot, cool pear and black currant. I would add this to a rotating day collection as well! It’s so well done and will never get old.

N5 by Channel

This is a scent that I don’t use often but when I do I know I’m going some where nice..lol. It’s a lot more sophisticated and mature than the rest of these on my list but I think it has just THE right scent for a formal evening and fall nights. Whether it’s an black tie wedding or top notch corporate event this scent is all you need. At first I thought of this as an “older” women's perfume…lol. BUT I think it’s really important to have something in your collection that has some sort of grace and charm to it. Sometimes it just not appropriate to smell like a piece of fruit.ha! I've had my bottle for over 2 years now and it’s still about have full. So you know I only use it every now and then.

Juicy Couture

I used this entire bottle in about 3 months, that’s how much I loved it. Another fruity one for ya and that I think you will enjoy it as well! All though it’s marketed for the younger generation like myself haha, women in their upper 20’s, 30’s, 40’s and 50’s can have fun with this scent. It’s great for a girls night out, afternoon bridal shower or tea, if you drink tea in the afternoon that is;0) I've yet to replace this bottle but I will soon!

Wasn’t that so fun!! I could talk perfume ALL day!

Did you guys know that the secret to making your perfume to last longer is layering. Start in the shower with the wash, lotion up and then spray on all your pulse points!

Are you guys just as obsessed with perfumes and smell goods as I am. Dish it out and tell me what your favorite scents are!

Have you guys entered the LISA LEONARD GIVEAWAY!! What? You haven't. Well what are you waiting for? $50.00 bucks up for grabs!

Lisa Leonard Designs {Giveaway}

noreply@blogger.com (Destiny) — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 16:23:00 +0000

Congrats to Rose for winning the LaPixieDust giveaway last week! An email has been sent!

Today’s giveaway features one beautiful wife and momma and her handmade creations.

Meet the very stylish and witty Lisa Leonard, the creative mind behind Lisa Leonard Designs.

Isn't she so cute! Every time I visit her blog she’s rocking some cute outfits, taking breath taking photos of her sweet family and showcasing her newest designs. Her pieces includes a jewelry line, wedding and home décor. Featuring sterling sliver and fine pewter metals along with complete customization, her timeless pieces will last generations!

After HOURS of browsing her site and blog, I’ve highlighted just a few of my favorites! Come take a look see!

So the next big holiday coming up is my birthday. I mean Mother’s Day…yes, Mother’s Day:0) What mommy or birthday girl wouldn’t want some of these precious pieces.

Let’s help each other out and start emailing some link hints to our hubbies:0) click on photo to see more…

I’ve often said I have a love for newlyweds (cause I still feeling like a blushing bride most days) and so does Lisa. She has created some beautiful pieces to make that BIG day that much more special. Seriously, I need a wedding do over:0)

Something about those pieces above makes my heart flutter!

Her home décor line doesn't disappoint! We do like to talk décor around these parts right? We know it’s all about the details.

So raise you hand if your loving Lisa’s designs! Raise your hand if your ready for a big fat giveaway! MEEE!! Well I can’t enter, but you can!

Lisa Leonard Designs is giving away a $50.00 credit to her shop for one lucky reader. That could be YOU! Let’s get started!

TO ENTER:

Leave a comment telling me your FAV piece. Mine? It has to be the that Mr.& Mrs. banner! mmhmmm.

Additional Entries

1. Lisa would LOVE to keep in touch with you! Go visit her website and sign up for her newsletter along with that you will receive 15% off your first purchase! Nice. (located towards the bottom) Come back and tell me you did!

2. Pin a photo with hashtag #LisaLeonardDesigns leave a comment saying you did.

3. “Like” Lisa Leonard Designs of Facebook leave a comment saying you did.

Good Luck! Giveaway closes Thursday April 12th 2012! Winner will be announced the next day!

My Style Monday {Dress your Tech}

noreply@blogger.com (Destiny) — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 01:11:00 +0000

I’m a super nerd when it comes to technology. My dad was ALWAYS working on computers when we were growing up. Computer parts, hardrives and updated monitors were always insight. So it’s no wonder that I have a love for cute techy stuff. So don’t be alarmed if you see a few of these post in the next few months. There’s always a gadget to be got!

Check out some different ways to dress up your tech. Otherwise it’s naked and that’s never a good look. At least on me.

iphone cell case slim / polka dot ipad cover / ipad display stand/ orange and white stripe camera strap /embossed rose iphone case / green camera bag/ ipad cover by Marc Jacobs / pop phone / ipad and stuff vneck / cellphone and wallet wristlet

I’m loving that POP phone! So are all these famous heads! I think it’s cute & fun:0) So...90’s?!

image via

Happy Monday!

Pixie Dust Boutique {Giveaway}

noreply@blogger.com (Destiny) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 19:49:00 +0000

Congrats to MICA for winning a 20.00 credit to Worley House Designs. Email has been sent!

I have another fun giveaway for you today! More girly stuff!

I came across Krissa the designer behind PIXIE DUST BOUTIQUE, just like I meet a lot of you! Through email! I'm so glad I did. She has some beautiful hairpieces for girls and a bridal boutique for those blushing brides! I couldn’t wait to share with YOU.
Meet Krissa

When my youngest was born I began playing with fabrics and trying out a couple headband ideas. She has been the guinea pig for my designs and happily wears them whenever we go out! Pixie Dust Boutique (www.pixiedustboutique.com) was born out of this experimenting. I wanted to create fun, over the top headband and clip designs that were super girly, colorful, fun and would make any girl feel like a princess!

After establishing Pixie Dust I started experimenting with bridal designs. My first bridal design was the Satin Double Peonies hair fascinator. That was so popular that I began designing more bridal accessories and soon Je T’aime Bridal was created! Though my two boutiques are run out of the same studio, they have separate websites to cater to two different genres.

What sets my boutiques apart from many others is that all of my flowers are 100% hand-created. I start with a piece of fabric and end with a beautiful flower.

All of our products are created with an extreme attention to detail and our customer service is second to none! I treat my customers like I would a friend and make sure that each piece is created with them specifically in mind.

I have been so blessed to have found something that I love doing so much! Designing and creating is a unique gift God has given me and it breathes throughout everything I do.

Check out some of her beautiful designs that I’m crushing on!

THOSE COLORS!!! Perfect for summer photo shoots!

Now THIS is a showstopper…..amazing!

The netting detail makes my heart jump and that over the top bouquet is adorned in crystals...it was actually made for me. It’s Destiny… :0)

She was so sweet and sent over this GORGEOUS white satin piece (you’ve seen it above in a pretty blue) for Alivya’s Easter outfit! ( that’s three weeks in a row for little miss on the blog!) I’m totally saving it for her “something old'” for her wedding! lol! Photos don’t even do it justice. The attention to detail is amazing! Love the diamonds in the middle. It kinda makes me want to have another wedding…to the same guy of course!

Want to keep up with Krissa and her creations? You can find her all over the internet, meeting your social media needs!

{site}www.pixiedustboutique.com

{bridalshop} www.jetaimebridal.etsy.com

{facebook} www.facebook.com/lapixiedustboutique

{Twitter} handle: pixiedustboutiq

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How to Paint your Kitchen Cabinets

noreply@blogger.com (Destiny) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 17:43:00 +0000

Before I begin with this super duper guide, I must say painting your kitchen cabinets isn’t the easiest DIY project BUT the results are SO worth it. I started back in Jan. and it’s still lingering. So it takes some time. But remember I have 3 small kids that need me 24/7 plus the rest of my life. But for a normal human like yourself who has their act together,should be prepared to set at least 2 weeks aside to tackle this project.

Before you begin you need to gather the following supplies. How do I know this? Well I did my research. Anytime I start a project that I'm not familiar with I Google it, Google it again and even Pinterest it:0) Then Goggle it one more time just to be sure. It’s important to do your research. Especially on projects like this. It’s not like were painting an old dresser YO.

1. HVLP sprayers are going to give you the smoothest finish. Smooth like a baby’s bottom. This tool will help you get that professional look that your going for.

2. A sanding block in a 180 grit will help with the small sanding jobs you need to do. This works nicely on the fronts of the cabinets base if your sander can’t reach the tiny spaces.

3. THIS TALL THING. Bust it out. If you’re a shorty like me this will come in handy.

4. Drop Clothes are essential. Buy lots of them to protect all your fancy stuff.

5. Primer. I used KILZ odorless by the gallon (oil based) and then the spray can paint version as well. (Make sure your area is well ventilated! Open those windows friends.)

6. Tack clothes. Use these to wipe off all the dust from the sanding. You can also use a Shop Vac for that!

7. High quality brushes like Purdy will give you less brush marks. Use these if you plan on painting the cabinet base instead of spraying them.

8.High quality paint. I used BEN MOORE IMPERVO in Dove White.

9.Mouse sander. Use this to sand all those uppers and lowers! Use a fine (150-180) grit paper

10. Unless you have an awesome human air filter, your going to need these to protect your precious lungs from ALL.THAT.DUST! (by the way every time I say the word precious in my head it sounds like that one line from The Lord of the Rings…weird.)

Other supplies:

Masking tape to hold down the drop clothes and such. Blue tape will come in handy to tape of the don’t not paint areas.

Small foam roller for priming your fronts, backs and drawers.

A damp cloth for spills.

Here’s a list of my bloggy friends who have been there done that. I encourage you to read their take on the process as well because EVERY kitchen is so different!

Sherry-Young House Love/Ashley-Handmade Home /Layla-Lettered Cottage

Remove your cabinet lowers,uppers and drawers.

The first thing you want to to do is take your cabinet doors off. Then clean and label them as well. Your going to want to label them so that they go back to the correct spot and have a snug fit. I simply used blue painters tape and a marker and used U1 U2 U3 for uppers, L1 L2 L3 for lowers and Is1 Is2 Is3 for the island cabinets. Same thing for the drawers. D1 D2 D3. Remember to label both the cabinet and the base. To clean the cabinets I used Method Pro Chef cleaner. Why? Because it works and it’s what I had a the time. If your cabinets are really dirty your might want to use something stronger. The point is you want to make sure the cabinets are grease free and clean.

Next take your hinges off. I didn’t take any of my top hinges off and they were fine, Sprayed white. But fine. So I think this is just a preference. All my lower cabinets were sprayed with the hinges off. If you decided to do this make sure all of your screws and hinges are in a tidy zip lock baggie. You don’t want to be looking frantically under the sofa, in drawers, asking kids if they've seen a small little screw (hoping they didn’t eat it or add it to their Lego collection) or find yourself using a magnet to see if you dropped in on your kitchen floor when it comes install time. Not that anyone did that. Me? No not me. I’m just saying. This is a tutorial you know. Gotta prepare your for the worst…insert big fat->CHEESE!

Sanding.

Once you removed your hinges…or not. Then it’s time to sand everything. If you would like this process to go by faster, I would advise you to get some help. Husbands,moms,dads,son,daughters,best friends and neighborhood children. ANYONE. Give them some food and they’ll hop right on board.

Sometimes sanding isn't necessary. But if you have even just the slightest gloss or polyurethane to your cabinets then I suggest you run your sander over it just enough to take off the gloss. Take 180 grit sand paper, put on your very important mask and get to working! Remember your not sanding it all the way down to re-stain your cabinets.

After you have sanded the fronts, backs and drawers it’s time to clean all the up with a vacuum attachment or a tack cloth. The shop vac was easier for me. But I also used the tack cloth as well.

Your going to do the SAME thing on the cabinet base as well. If you use a block sander it not necessary to tape your room off. But if you use the mouse sander. COVER EVERYTHING with a drop cloth. It’s a mess! Remember to keep your mask on at all times.

I have the worst allergies and this is the only way I got through this all. Make sure your babies aren't around too!

Here is an example of what the sanding process will look like when you’ve cleaned everything off with a tack cloth.

Prime Time

Your cabinet fronts,backs and drawers are going to need ONE coat of primer. For this step use a small HIGH quality brush and a small foam roller. Start on the backs, let it dry for about a day and then flip it over to do the same on the fronts and drawers.

Now it’s time spray on your primer or paint on your primer to your cabinet base with a high quality brush or roller. Again if you spray it on your going to have a smooth finish. I DIDN’T use my sprayer for this. Instead I came across a section of spray paint primer from my local HABITAT store. I got tons of cans for next to nothing so I used that spray paint for the cabinets (like 1.00 a can I think) It took about 8 spray cans to complete the entire kitchen. Remember, you only need one light coat of primer.

After that let the primer dry for about a day and go in and spray on your paint.

Here is a photo of what the primer will look like when I was done. Kind of blotchy but that’s ok! Don’t worry about getting a perfect finish for the priming part! I had already removed the drop clothes at this point and would put them back up WEEKS later…lol!

I’m not sure if you can use primer in your sprayer. It’s thicker then normal paint but ask your paint guy!

Painting

To paint the cabinets you need two very important tools. HVLP sprayer and really good paint. Both are essentials for a smooth finish.

The sprayer I used came for Home Depot the HUSKY brand and cost me about 50 bucks. It attaches to my air compressor. I seriously love this thing and I think every DIYer needs one! It makes everything come out so professional. I want to spray paint everything now!

For the paint I used a high quality BEN MOORE IMPERVO paint in White Dove that I picked up from my local ACE. They didn’t carry the ADVANCE paint that I really wanted but the paint guy (who seemed to know what he was talking about) suggested this. The finish is outstanding. I’m super happy with it. You can’t see a single grain of wood thanks to the excellent primer and my maple wood cabinets.

Other contenders:

Ben Moore ADVANCE Paint

Behr Premium Plus Kitchen & Bath Paint

NOTES:

I'm curious to see if the ADVANCE paint is better as far as chipping. I'm going to have to add some sort of protective coat like LAYLA did. Some parts are as solid as a rock. Others( very small ) parts seem to have some chipping.

Before you begin to paint, practice a few times on scrap wood. Make sure the flow is right and the consistency is correct. If you think your paint might be to thick ask your paint guy how to thin it out. My base paint was water based so I was able to use water.

Start on the back of the cabinets as advised by Sherry so that your fronts are smudge free. When it comes time to moving them and installing them you won’t have to worry about any imperfections on the front. As you paint, go back and forth and stroke BEYOND the cabinet so you won’t have that awkward paint line.

Keep going in a horizontal pattern until your done. Once you’ve finished the backs let them dry for about two or three hours OR longer if need. It really depends on the weather. Obviously here in AZ things don’t take to long to dry. But if you live in a more humid state you might have to wait a day or two in between coats. When you drying time is done give it another even coat. You have the option to sand in between your coats as well. Sometimes you might need to if debris has snuck into your drying spot. Go ahead and use your block sander and give it light sanding, and clean it with your tack cloth. After that apply one more coat to make sure you have full coverage.

I should tell you that your coats don’t need to be heavy. You can tell if the coats are to heavy if you have runny drips. This means you need to adjust your sprayer.

Let the backs dry for 2 to 3 days.

Do the same to the fronts and to the drawers. Make sure you have plenty of room to let things dry.

Here are some photos of me working on the kitchen island cabinets. Take a note at the finish!

While your waiting for the paint to dry, go inside and start to paint your cabinet base. You have two choices.

You can use a roller and a high quality brush to tackle the cabinet base
Use your HVLP sprayer to spray your cabinet base

If you choose option 2 like I did, make sure everything is taped off, sealed and protected. If your not going to paint the inside of the cabinets then protect that as well. Put on your mask and get to painting. Again make sure you have enough ventilation. I wish I had more photos to show you, but this is around the time my computer got sick. Real sick.

Catch up on a book, read a few blogs, give a friend a call and water the plants! Come back and give it another coat!

Now it’s just waiting time. Wait about 3-7 days before you begin to re-install.

Here is a photo of the cabinets after everything was painted! You can see above the microwave that I taped off the insides of the cabinets.

RE-INSTALL

Now it’s time to install the hinges if you took them off and rehang your cabinets!

If your installing new hardware do that as well! This is hardware template that you can pick up Lowes or Home Depot to help you. Can’t install hardware without it!

So there you have it! Kitchen cabinets painted!

Next time I will share all the cosmetic updates that I want to make like backsplash plans, hardware choices, lighting, etc. I will be sharing sources as well! Have a great weekend FRIENDS! Maybe you’ll be TACKLING your kitchen cabinets.

Stick around for a fun giveaway this afternoon! More pretties for your girl!

Worley House Designs {Giveaway}

noreply@blogger.com (Destiny) — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 19:37:00 +0000

Hello friends! Happy Friday to you!

I have cute giveaway today for you!

Meet Andrea!

Hands down my best blog friend!She’s a wife, mother to sweet baby girl Ava, blogger at WorleyHouseBlog, photographer, and Etsy shop owner. Did I mention she also works full time! How does she do it? She just does:0) and very well I might add!

Andrea has set up her shop Worley House Designs as a creative outlet and to sell her surplus of crafts she's been busy working on and because her heart is a big as her talent she had decided to give 10% of her sales back to charity. I’m so happy to be apart of it and of course letting my amazing readers know too!

Each month I want to give 10% of that months proceeds back to a charity. Each month highlighting a new charity to give to.

Not only do I want people to know that by buying from the shop they are also giving back to some great chairties, and giving to those in need, but I also want them to know when THEY GIVE, they can be blessed as well.

There's a few charities that I'm excited to give back to, hopefully you'll find new ways to give as well beyond this and learn about some of these exciting causes you too can be apart of.

Here's just a sneak peek of where you'll be giving to over the next few months when you purchase something from the shop! Please take a look at the sites, read about their awesome charities and how they are helping bring awareness, support and how they are helping to change the WORLD!

For March & April:

http://www.babybuggy.org/

This month and next if you purchase some thing from her shop you will be giving back to BABYBUGGY. It’s charity helping underprivileged families by providing baby gear and other baby items to those families and mommies in need.

Check out some of her hair goodies! They’re adorable….

You’ll also find hair pretties for girls and ladies, pintables, party surplus and more!

Of course miss thang had to do some modeling! Loving that BOW!

(If you like this as much as I do convo her! She's all sold out!)

Andrea has offered to giveaway a $20 shop credit to ONE reader!

All you need to do is leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite item from Worley House Designs ! There ya go! Easy peasy!

She's also letting us have 15% off off her already VERY affordable prices! Use code: APLACEFORUS

You can find Andrea hanging out here….

site: www.worleyhouseblog.com

facebook: https://www.facebook.com/worleyhouseblog

shop site: www.aworley.etsy.com

Contest closes Thursday March 29th, 2012 12pm PST