A Lived in Home

Wednesday Words of Wisdom

2013-06-19T06:00:00.000-05:00

This is so true! Rules were meant to be broken anyways, right?!

What is one rule you love to break when decorating?! I'd love to know your dirty little secrets!

HAPPY HUMP DAY!

Guest Bedroom Love

2013-06-18T09:48:00.002-05:00

I'm trying to get my guest room in some sort of a relaxing state, but progress is slow. I did make great leaps when I got rid of all the old, matching furniture, but I still have a ways to go. The new upholstered bed does make a huge difference in there, but the walls are definitely lacking spark or interest.

I spotted this guest room from Life on Virginia Street and loved how soothing and simple it is! I think I could use some simplicity in my life! The blue, green, and gray palette is what I'm leaning towards too.

Mixing patterns and colors can add so much impact to a space!

Thinking I might try my hand at an abstract piece of art for the room! There's 3 blank canvases in my closet collecting dust, so if I mess up there's a few spares! The colors remind me of the ocean!

See what a difference paint can make! The room is so light and fresh now!

She did such a great job transforming the room. One day my room will hopefully be calm and welcoming for guests. That's after I finish the nursery and cross that off my to do list!

Client Entry Way Reveal

2013-06-17T16:19:00.001-05:00

I created this design board for a client in Houston which I shared with you a while back. Well, I'm finally getting around to showing you what a fabulous job she did with warming up her entry way. Before, the space was a blank canvas. Now, it's inviting for guests that come through the front door.

It's so nice to work with client's that are enthusiastic about design and transforming their home. It makes my job that much more rewarding!

Up next are pictures of the extended entry, then her living room which I designed as well!

Get Social Sunday

2013-06-15T17:36:00.001-05:00

Happy Weekend! Hope everyone had a great week. We had a blast in San Antonio hanging by the pool at the resort and going to Sea World. My little munchkin loved Shamu!

It's time to get our party on with the 39th edition of get Social Sunday! Every week I enjoy browsing through the links and seeing how creative other bloggers are!

Thank you to everyone that continues to party with us and spread the word! You can continue to link up anything you desire! I want to see everything you've been up to!

The rules are simple:

1. Follow your host on the right side bar. That would be me!! :)

2. Link up your favorite post or two.

3. Stick around and check out other awesome blogs!

4. Tell you friends about Get Social Sunday and tell them to tell their friends!

5. Come back each Sunday through Tuesday and link up.

That's all! Easy peasy!

Now enjoy meeting new blog friends!

Road Trip

2013-06-13T06:00:00.000-05:00

It's summer and daddy's off, which means we're taking a road trip. Ava and her cousin are in for a 5 hour drive! Sea World here we come!

I'm looking forward to relaxing by the pool, watching the kiddos play and giggle, and not sitting in the splash zone at Shamu's show!

Get Social Sunday will be up as usual on Saturday at 5 pm, so don't forget to come link up your projects!

Have a great weekend!

Glitter Mason Jars

2013-06-12T06:00:00.000-05:00

To add a little sparkle to our gender reveal party I made these glitter mason jars. They were great holders for utensils and straws. These can easily be used for any type of get together or celebration. I'll be pulling them out again for Ava's upcoming birthday party too.

You'll need:

Mason Jars

Mod Podge

Glitter

Painters Tape

A paint Brush

Paper plates

Voila'! An easy upgrade to your basic mason jar!

Get Social Sunday

2013-06-08T17:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Weekend! Hope everyone had a great week. I'm actually getting this posted on time today! Sorry about last week's flop! Girls' trip wore me out!

Now, lets get to partying with the 38th edition of get Social Sunday! Every week I enjoy browsing through the links and seeing how creative other bloggers are!

Thank you to everyone that continues to party with us and spread the word! You can continue to link up anything you desire! I want to see everything you've been up to!

The rules are simple:

1. Follow your host on the right side bar. That would be me!! :)

2. Link up your favorite post or two.

3. Stick around and check out other awesome blogs!

4. Tell you friends about Get Social Sunday and tell them to tell their friends!

5. Come back each Sunday through Tuesday and link up.

That's all! Easy peasy!

Now enjoy meeting new blog friends!

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My Weekend

2013-06-08T00:09:00.002-05:00

Via

Summertime is here! I wish my plans called for some beach time! Instead, I'll be battling the crowds at IKEA to get baby girl's new dresser.

Operation get my house in order will commence as well. The nursery is looking great, but there are piles of junk I pulled from that room sitting around needing a new home. And, I've got bins of baby clothes half sorted that need to get put away. Basically, I have a lot on my to-do list! Hopefully I will conquer all my projects and have time to squeeze in an evening on the patio!

Any big plans for you this weekend? Do you have a to-do list?

Summer Beauty Essentials

2013-06-05T12:04:00.000-05:00

Bobbi Brown Bronzer / La Mer Gradual Tan Lotion / Baby Lips Lip Balm

Tory Burch Cosmetic Case / Essie Neon Collection / Nuetrogena Age Defense Sunblock

Summer is definitely here in Texas. I'm really feeling the heat already and knowing that August will probably be very brutal for this preggo chick! With summer comes the need for extra moisturizing, sun protection, and bronzy silhouettes. I don't spray tan or fake bake, so a gradual tanner and bronzer are a must. La Mer's new gradual tanner smells so fresh unlike many of the others out there. And, with my summer beauty products I need a fun cosmetic case. I'm dying over the Tory Burch flamingo case! It's at the top of my wish list for sure!

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE SUMMER BEAUTY PRODUCT?

Baby H's Nursery Design

2013-06-04T10:42:00.004-05:00

After finding out we were having another little princess I was a little stumped on what direction to head for the nursery. While cleaning out some files in my office I ran across the most adorable coral and aqua nursery picture that I had printed and saved for a rainy day. Well, it came in handy because I knew instantly that was my inspiration.

The walls will be Amour Pink and the ceiling will be painted Hopeful. I wanted some color on the walls, but not an overbearing shade of pink! This will be just enough.

I've made some really good progress on baby girl's room already. The bedding and drapes arrive tomorrow and I hope to have it painted after our next sonogram on the 20th. I just need one more peek between her legs before splashing a ton of paint on the walls! :)

I'd say by July this room will be complete! I've been really lucky and found almost everything that I needed already! Watch for pictures. They will be coming soon!

Get Social Sunday

2013-06-02T21:00:00.001-05:00

Happy Weekend! Hope everyone had a great week. Sorry I'm so late getting this posted. I had a fun girls weekend to San Antonio and totally forgot to post before I left town. Hope you're still ready to party!

Now, lets get to partying with the 37th edition of get Social Sunday! Every week I enjoy browsing through the links and seeing how creative other bloggers are!

Thank you to everyone that continues to party with us and spread the word! You can continue to link up anything you desire! I want to see everything you've been up to!

The rules are simple:

1. Follow your host on the right side bar. That would be me!! :)

2. Link up your favorite post or two.

3. Stick around and check out other awesome blogs!

4. Tell you friends about Get Social Sunday and tell them to tell their friends!

5. Come back each Sunday through Tuesday and link up.

That's all! Easy peasy!

Now enjoy meeting new blog friends!

Our Gender Reveal Party

2013-05-30T09:22:00.003-05:00

More fun pictures to show you from our gender reveal party!

I added a little glitter to the mason jars for extra sparkle! Details on that DIY next week!

Our friends tallied their votes for boy or girl. I forgot to take a shot at the end of the night because frankly, my feet hurt and little miss came down with a fever! Yep, we went from party mode to sick kid mode!

The boy tallies definitely surpassed the girl votes though! So many peeps were wrong!

Ashley and I are looking at a sono pic of baby H with her legs in the air thinking we spotted boy parts! Um, guess we aren't very good sono techs!

The night was so special and fun! Thanks to all you RHOTK (our special code) that came to help us celebrate! And, a great big thank you to my best friend that drove a long way to help me with the party!

Now, I better get cracking on baby girls nursery board to share with you!

It's a.....

2013-05-28T15:18:00.005-05:00

As you know, our gender reveal party was on Friday night! You can see hubby's vote was a girl! Here's how the reveal went down!

"What, there's pink balloons! Is this when I'm supposed to smile?"

I'm clearly still in shock! See, I was about 90% sure it was a boy! Ava and my hubby said it was a girl from the get go! And, they were right along with my nephew in the red shirt! "I told you," he said!

"What's happening?"

Hubby instantly collected his $100 from my dad for the bet they had. My dad was sure it would be a boy! He's got $100 less now! Thanks for the nursery money mom and dad! :)

"Yep, I see the girl parts (3 lines). It's all making sense now!"

Girl Power!

I'm joining the other girl moms!!

I'm so glad we chose to find out the gender of baby R with our friends and family. This awesome group of ladies made it one special evening!

Even though I was quite shocked by the pink balloons, I'm quite thrilled now to be a girl mom! Ava is pretty stoked to have a sister too! We can't wait for princess "H" to join our family in early November!

I'll share more pictures from the party tomorrow. Photographer Caroline took a ton of great photos for me and captured a lot of play by plays! :)

Get Social Sunday

2013-05-25T17:13:00.001-05:00

Happy Weekend! Hope everyone had a great week. We had our gender reveal party last night and I can't wait to share pictures with you this week. What a fun time celebrating with our friends and family. It also definitely left me a little bit in shock as I was pretty sure the baby was a certain gender. Now, I'm rethinking the nursery! :)

Now, lets get to partying with the 36th edition of get Social Sunday! Every week I enjoy browsing through the links and seeing how creative other bloggers are!

Thank you to everyone that continues to party with us and spread the word! You can continue to link up anything you desire! I want to see everything you've been up to!

The rules are simple:

1. Follow your host on the right side bar. That would be me!! :)

2. Link up your favorite post or two.

3. Stick around and check out other awesome blogs!

4. Tell you friends about Get Social Sunday and tell them to tell their friends!

5. Come back each Sunday through Tuesday and link up.

That's all! Easy peasy!

Now enjoy meeting new blog friends!

My Next Big Project

2013-05-22T11:27:00.000-05:00

Via

A nursery....

We're expecting a little one! I'm almost 16 weeks now and we are beyond excited to be expanding our family!

Tomorrow is our "big" sono to find out if baby is a he or she! Except, we are sealing the sono pic in an envelope until Friday for our gender reveal party. It will be so fun to find out and celebrate with all of our friends and family around us!

I'll be sharing pictures from the reveal next week so come back and find out the gender! Or, if you follow me on Instagram you will get a sneak peek!

Get Social Sunday

2013-05-18T17:00:00.001-05:00

Happy Weekend! Hope everyone had a great week. We've been spring cleaning and organizing around here as well as spending a lot of time at the park. I wish this weather would last all year long!

Now, lets get to partying with the 35th edition of get Social Sunday! Every week I enjoy browsing through the links and seeing how creative other bloggers are!

Thank you to everyone that continues to party with us and spread the word! You can continue to link up anything you desire! I want to see everything you've been up to!

The rules are simple:

1. Follow your host on the right side bar. That would be me!! :)

2. Link up your favorite post or two.

3. Stick around and check out other awesome blogs!

4. Tell you friends about Get Social Sunday and tell them to tell their friends!

5. Come back each Sunday through Tuesday and link up.

That's all! Easy peasy!

Now enjoy meeting new blog friends!

Chicken Parmesan {My Quick Version}

2013-05-16T13:24:00.002-05:00

Yes, this Chicken Parmesan is as scrumptious as it looks and easy to make! I whipped mine up in about 20 minutes. Ok, so I might have cheated a little with a prepackaged seasoning, but that's what happens when you're busy and have a little one running around. Just keeping it real around here. No time for recipes from scratch!

Ingredients:

1 package Kraft Fresh Take Italian Parmesan Seasoning (found in the cold section)
1 package of chicken tenders
Fettuccine noodles
1 squash
A handful of carrots
Any brand of pasta sauce
Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Directions:

Heat a skillet with enough olive oil to coat the bottom
Evenly coat the chicken tenders with Italian seasoning
Place chicken in the skillet. Cook about 5 minutes on each side or until brown and crispy
Slice squash and carrots and toss in pan to cook with chicken for the last 5 minutes
Boil pasta in separate pot
After chicken is fully cooked I added the pasta sauce to the pan and sprinkled Mozzarella cheese on top of the chicken to melt.
Serve over drained pasta

And there you have a nice hearty meal for your family! Even my picky child ate some so I 'll say it's kid approved!

Updated Home Tour {Master Bedroom}

2013-05-14T06:00:00.000-05:00

Since a designers home is never finished, I'm always making changes and tweaking. I thought I had our master bedroom right where I wanted it, then my obsession with gray took over. I also wanted a softer, cozier feel. The bright yellows had worn out their welcome! (Check out the previous pictures of our space on the right sidebar or our home tour!)

Take a look at its current state.

I would eventually like to repaint the room in a soft gray, but we have other rooms on the priority list for now! The hubs says he's tired of the blue walls. We just hung the gray drapes so that helps tone it down a bit.

What do you think of our space? Do you like the blue walls or would you repaint them gray? I'd love to hear what you think!

*Linked up here: Mopping the Floor, Home Sweet Home, The Gunny Sack, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Craft O Maniac, CRAFT, Skip to My Lou, Sugar Bee Crafts, DIY Dreamer, A To Zebra, Uncommon, My Uncommon Slice, Today's Creative Blog, Someday Crafts, Southern Lovely, Savvy Southern Style, Clean and Scentsible, Ginger Snap Crafts, Somewhat Simple, Delightful Order, Embracing Change, Fireflies,House of Hepworths, Shabby Chic Cottage, KatiesNesting, The Shabby Nest, Beyond the Picket Fence, French Country Cottage, Simply Sweet, Chocolate, Chic on a Shoestring Decorating, Delicate, Finding Fabulous, Five Days Five Ways, Remodelholic, Fingerprints on the Fridge,

Get Social Sunday

2013-05-11T17:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Weekend! Hope everyone had a great week. My week was full of design work, time at the playground with my little one, and beautifying the yard/patio.
We have thoroughly been enjoying the warmth and sunshine!

Now, lets get to partying with the 34rd edition of get Social Sunday! Every week I enjoy browsing through the links and seeing how creative other bloggers are!

Thank you to everyone that continues to party with us and spread the word! You can continue to link up anything you desire! I want to see everything you've been up to!

The rules are simple:

1. Follow your host on the right side bar. That would be me!! :)

2. Link up your favorite post or two.

3. Stick around and check out other awesome blogs!

4. Tell you friends about Get Social Sunday and tell them to tell their friends!

5. Come back each Sunday through Tuesday and link up.

That's all! Easy peasy!

Now enjoy meeting new blog friends!

Shrimp and Spinach Enchiladas with Jalapeño Cream Sauce

2013-05-10T10:22:00.006-05:00

Photo Via

Let me just tell you how delicious these enchiladas are. Make them when you are famished because they are so good that you won't want to stop eating! I might have powered down 3 of them!!

I adapted the recipe from this original one.

Roasted Shrimp Enchiladas with Jalapeño Cream Sauce (adapted from Damn Delicious):

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 - 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used 1 lb)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
4-5 cups baby spinach, lightly chopped
2 tablespoons chopped chipotle pepper, in adobo sauce
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed
2 cups white cheddar cheese (I used Monterey Jack)

For the jalapeño cream sauce:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup sour cream
2 jalapeños, seeded and minced
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.

Place the shrimp onto the prepared baking sheet. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper, to taste, and gently toss to combine. I also added garlic salt and lemon juice.

Place into oven and roast just until pink, firm and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool before dicing into bite-size pieces.

Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9x13 baking dish or coat with nonstick spray.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions become translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach, chipotle pepper, oregano and cayenne. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach just begins to wilt, about 1-2 minutes. Add the shrimp and gently toss to combine.

To make the sauce, melt the butter in a large saucepan. Whisk in the flour until lightly browned, about 1-2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the chicken stock and cook, whisking constantly, until incorporated, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the sour cream and cream cheese. Add the jalapeños and garlic powder and simmer unitl the sauce has thickened, about 2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro.

Heat the tortillas in the microwave for 10 seconds to prevent them from cracking.

To assemble the enchiladas, lay the tortilla on a flat surface and spoon 1/3 cup of the shrimp mixture in the center; sprinkle with cheese. Roll the tortilla and place seam side down onto prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and shrimp mixture.

Pour half of the jalapeño cream sauce evenly over the top. Place into oven and bake, covered, until lightly golden and bubbly, about 20 minutes.

Serve immediately with remaining jalapeño cream sauce, garnished with cilantro. I also served mine with black beans!

Happy Eating!

Gift Ideas for Mom

2013-05-08T15:02:00.002-05:00

There's no one quite like a mom! Moms spend countless hours taking care of everyone, loving endlessly, worrying, and making the world go round! If you are a mom, you definitely deserve your upcoming special day!

Here's a few gift ideas for the important mom in your life!

Gold DV Sandals /Set of Journals / Tory Burch Earrings

Monogrammed Mug / Summer Straw Hat / Watercolor Infinity Scarf

DIY Succulent Arrangement

2013-05-07T06:00:00.000-05:00

When I discovered this wedge boat on clearance for $15 at Crate and Barrel I knew it was the perfect vessel for a DIY project. Greenery adds such a fresh vibe to any space and I'm such a fan of succulents, so off to Hobby Lobby I went.

I used a bag of moss, a mixture of succulents, and my bargain vessel! Total, I spent around $30. I laid down the moss in the boat in no particular way. Just layer and cover the bottom leaving space on each end. Then, bend the stems of the succulents and slide them under the moss. I actually used less than I purchased.

After about five minutes you have this earthy arrangement!

Do you love succulents as much as I do?

Get Social Sunday

2013-05-04T17:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Weekend! Hope everyone had a great week. I've been swamped this week with client projects! Doesn't it feel great though at the end of the week knowing how much you accomplished?!

So, lets keep on trekking with the 33rd edition of get Social Sunday! Every week I enjoy browsing through the links and seeing how creative other bloggers are!

Thank you to everyone that continues to party with us and spread the word! You can continue to link up anything you desire! I want to see everything you've been up to!

The rules are simple:

1. Follow your host on the right side bar. That would be me!! :)

2. Link up your favorite post or two.

3. Stick around and check out other awesome blogs!

4. Tell you friends about Get Social Sunday and tell them to tell their friends!

5. Come back each Sunday through Tuesday and link up.

That's all! Easy peasy!

Now enjoy meeting new blog friends!

Party Planning

2013-05-02T16:27:00.000-05:00

I can't believe another year has passed and I'm going to have a sassy 3 year old in less than 2 months. With that, comes party planning for her big day. She requested a princess party, so I used my swift convincing skills and now she's excited as ever for her "Under the Sea" party! I just couldn't swing the thought of a full on princess themed party. Plus, I'm sure the boys in the neighborhood will thank me later!

Here's what I'm thinking for her big day!

Via

I'm pretty sure this is the invitation I've settled on. A photo of my sweet girl is a requirement! How fun to look back in 20 years at all her birthday invitations?

Via

Little miss has already approved a cake similar to this one!

How darling are these mini Mason jar sippers from Anthropologie?!

Via

Not everything has to be sugary and sweet! Love the idea of a healthy treat for the littles in cute striped cups.

Via

What kiddo doesn't love balloons? They can double as decor and leave with the kiddos attached to the party favors!

Via

And speaking of party favors, beach buckets are great for stuffing surprises in side!

Via

Cute printables are a must!

So many cute ideas I've found! Her 3rd birthday is sure to be a blast!

Nautical Love

2013-04-30T12:30:00.002-05:00

Lantern with Rope Handle / Seagrass Hurricanes / Metal Drink Bucket

Rope Baskets / Atlantis Clam Shell/ Seascape Plates

Stripe Hand Towels / Rope Lamp Base / Seahorse Outdoor Pillow

With summer quickly approaching I'm spotting a lot of nautical décor around lately! I don't prefer an overindulgence of this style in my own home, but think a few pieces here and there such as the clam shell bowl can add a nice touch. I'm also loving a splash of the nautical flair for outdoor living spaces.

Have you picked up any nautical items lately?