Little Lightups

Stationery Card

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 19:00:00 +0000

Posh Peonies Thank You Card

Shop custom Thank you cards and notes at Shutterfly.com.

View the entire collection of cards.

"How I Shine" Fridays {Link Party}

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 17:50:00 +0000

Heyyyyy everyone! Welcome to the link party hosted by Ashley at The Shine Project!

Today I'm posting my experience with this week's challenge to pay a compliment to someone!

[the original challenge was to do this EVERY DAY this week, but since I just learned about this on Wednesday, I'm making the most of it!]

[image source]

This challenge is not something that was necessarily DIFFICULT for me, seeing as how I'm usually told that I compliment people TOO much! However, that's usually on a shallow level of "Oh, I love your shoes....your necklace is so nice...LOVE your new hairstyle!"

So I decided to pick something I don't usually do, but that I KNEW would have some sort of positive impact on the person receiving the compliment, as well as making MYSELF feel good!

The result? My PADRE!

[Isn't he just GORGEOUS?? ;-) I think I might be a little biased!]

I decided I would send my daddy a text message in the middle of his work day and let him know how much I love him!

See, the thing is that my dad has 6 children...I'm the 2nd oldest. It's a LONG story, but I'm kind of the only one who cares for him. I'm sure my siblings care for my dad and love him, but I'm honestly the ONLY one who forgives him for anything and doesn't hold a grudge toward him or IGNORE him!

I'm also the ONLY one who NEVER asks my dad for ANYTHING...just for his LOVE!

My dad and I have a VERY strong connection...we are 2 of the same kind!

So to text him in the middle of the day and tell him how much he means to me...well that's something that brightens his day! He LOVES his children!

And to know for a FACT that I have made my dad's day just a LITTLE bit better...well that just makes me SMILE!

[PLUS I get the added benefit of him writing back to tell me he loves me too!]

So...what compliment did you give to someone who deserved it?

Did you tell your loved ones how much they mean to you today?

**I'm linking up to Ashley's "How I Shine" Fridays! Go there and check out the other posts that are linked up to read about someone else's experience with this week's challenge! Don't forget to check Ashley's blog on Monday to see what next week's challenge is!**

The SHINE Project {Inspiration}

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:11:00 +0000

Helllloooo my favorite bloggy readers!
Today I have something EXTREMELY special to tell you about:

The SHINE Project

I came across this blogger while reading through ~~my blog crush~~ Ashley S.'s blog posts at Little Miss Momma. [LOVE that woman...she is SOOOO beautiful, both inside & out!!]

The more I read, the more ANXIOUS I was to hop on over to this pretty lady's blog!

The author of this blog is Ashley LeMeuix.

[photo by Ashley LeMeuix]

She is a VERY beautiful lady...with an even MORE beautiful heart!

She has created the Shine Project on her mission to inspire the world...which inspires ME!

Here's a little bit of info from her blog about her mission:

"I have decided, that now is the time to excel in life.

Now is the time to be better than I have ever been,
and to accomplish things that I never thought I'd be able to do.
As I reach my goals,
I want my 'light' and happiness to rub off on others.
This is what The Shine Project is all about:
Going out of your comfort zoneto bring light to those who need hope.
The Shine Project emulates love, sacrifice, and
CHANGE."

Ashley has committed herself to showing random acts of love and kindness.
And she's recruiting help along the way.
I've already decided to participate in the project.
Hoping that this will enlighten me along my path of life and make a difference.

Ashley has also created these LOVELY necklaces to remind you of your goals along the way...

[photos by Ashley LeMeuix]
They are available for purchase at a GREAT price....she even has a few different options available that you can customize! Check out her Shine Necklaces page on her blog for more info on ordering!
[These necklaces are SUPER cute and $1 from each purchase goes toward the Shine Project Scholarship Award, which will be awarded in January 2012 to an inner city high school student for their college education!]

I'm ready to show my LOVE and let my light SHINE through....are you??
Ashley put it into words PERFECTLY:
"From creating, to dressing in a way that brings out your personality,
The Shine Project allows us to do little things in our own lives to make us feel GOOD!"

[Grab one of these pretty buttons on Ashley's blog!]

**Check back here tomorrow for my post on the weekly challenge linky party, "How I Shine" Fridays, which is hosted by Ashley!**

Stressed or Depressed?? {Home Life}

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 17:10:00 +0000

So I'm not sure what it is with me lately, but I sort of feel as though I've been on an emotional roller coaster.

I'm fine one day, kind of angry another day, and full on sad the next.

It's been crazy, and I'm not sure what to do about it.

I could say I'm stressed, because with me not working and the honey's job only BARELY covering the bills, I have SOOO much to worry about.

There are days when I'm not sure if we will even have anything to eat for dinner.

[It's a good thing my brother is in school and he receives free breakfast and lunch, because that way I can make sure he is being fed throughout the day. As for me and Tim, well, food is nearly OPTIONAL in our case. I don't even worry about eating during the day and just enjoy whatever there is for dinner. Tim usually eats something at work, due to potlucks, his friends taking him to lunch, or whatever else. It's been pretty rough.]

I've been filling out applications for jobs, but it seems as though NO ONE will hire me.

I just don't know what else to do, except keep my head up and wade through the muck as best as I can.

Anyway...I need to get out of this emotional rut.

I used to be this SUPER happy, always fun to be around, kind of person.

Now...well, now I don't feel like I'm ANYTHING like that person anymore.

I snap at people for no reason.

I get aggravated and annoyed VERY easily.

I don't communicate with others as much as I would like to.

I just don't like the person I'm becoming.

The saddest part is, I'm VERY good at hiding my emotions from other people.

My friends NEVER know how horrible I feel.

And if they ask, I just say I'm not feeling well that day. Or that everything is fine.

I just don't want them to be burdened with MY emotional roller coaster.

They have their own lives to deal with.

I know that's what friends are supposed to be for, but I feel like I always ask too much of them.

So I don't ask them to listen to my problems. Anyway, it's not like they can solve them for me!

I just wish I could be normal again. I want to smile and have a good time again.

WITHOUT worrying about if my bills will be paid. Or where our next meal is coming from.

I want to enjoy the precious moments life has to offer and know that I didn't waste ANY of them.

I just want my life back. I want to be ME again.....

Happy St. Patty's Day {Giveaway}

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 15:42:00 +0000

SORRY, THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!

Hey there my lovely readers! How is everyone's St. Patty's Day going? I hope you're having a BLAST!

Well, today I come with GREAT news!!! We're having our FIRST giveaway here at Little LightUps! Isn't it EXCITING?! Want to know what the goodie is?? Take a look below:

Isn't it ADORABLE?! This headband is a shamrock with a "gold coin" button center on a black elastic headband. I handmade it myself! Oh, you didn't know I make hair accessories? Well that's going to change today! Here's how this giveaway is going to work...

You will receive 1 entry for each of the following:

*Follow this blog by clicking the "Follow" button in the left sidebar

(leave comment with your Google username/email address)

*"LIKE" my Facebook page: La-La-Lucky Hair Accessories

(leave a comment stating that you "liked" the page)

*Go to my Etsy shop and add it to your favorites: La-La-Lucky Hair Accessories Etsy Shop

(leave a comment stating that you added it with your Etsy username)

*Leave a comment telling me which hair accessory is your FAVORITE

(you can view them in my Etsy shop or on my Facebook fan page)

*Write a Facebook post telling your friends about this giveaway & tag my Facebook fan page in it

(leave a comment stating that you did)

*Tweet about this giveaway & mention my Twitter page: @ebaity07

(leave a comment with your Twitter username)

RECEIVE 2 EXTRA ENTRIES!! Write a post on your blog about this giveaway and link back to THIS post! Leave a comment with the link to YOUR blog post about the giveaway!

Easy peasy right?? Well, get going! This giveaway will end tomorrow at 12pm EST. The winner will be chosen using Random.org's Random Number Generator. GOOD LUCK FRIENDS!!

What's On My Phone?! {Link Party}

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 22:44:00 +0000

Today I'm participating in Jessica's link party at The Lowe Family News: "What's On My Phone?!" Sounds fun, right? It pretty much IS! All you have to do is post some of your photos from your phone's camera and blog about them...easy peasy! So, here they are...a peek into my daily life!

This week, I've been hanging out with my SUPER ADORABLE nephews! They are some characters, let me tell you! Don't believe me? Take a look at the photos I took with my phone:

My oldest nephew, Darion. Love his glasses?

They're my 3-D shades from Alice in Wonderland!

The boyfriend popped out the lenses.

This is what happens when you get a bunch of boys together.

Along with a bunch of those plastic balls (like at Chuck E. Cheese's).

And you tell them to pick up as many as they can. =)

Darion's cupcake he decorated!

Right before he swallowed it in one gulp!

My little brother, Deonte, and his super cool cupcake design.

I told him when I open my bake shop/cafe, he was getting hired as a decorator!

Darius was VERY excited to eat that cupcake!

This was probably because they decorated about 8 cupcakes each!

(And because their mean TiTi wouldn't let them eat one until all of them were done being decorated!)

My FAMOUS cupcake brownies!

Don't they look SOOO yummy?!

My little sister, Anna turned 16 on Sunday, the 6th.

We each made a cupcake decorated especially for her.

This was mine...the big 1-6! (boy do I feel old!)

So those are a few photos from this crazy week with my boys!! LOTS of sweets were included in this week...but the boys had a blast, so it was well worth it!

Ready to participate in this awesome party? Go to Jessica's blog and find out the details! Make sure you leave your link and grab a button!! Don't forget to check out other bloggers' posts! Happy Tuesday!

ModTots by Modern Bird: Modern Art For Kids {Giveaway}

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 19:30:00 +0000

I was clicking through my Google Reader posts today, and what did I happen to come upon?

An AWESOME giveaway on the Tatertots & Jell-o blog!

Today, Jen is featuring ModTots designs. Have you seen their work yet? UH-MAZING!

Don't believe me? See for yourself:

And my personal favorite, the owl with the gray background:

Their designs are so cool, I would buy one for myself! ~~Who needs a kid?!~~ ;-)

Each ModTots design starts as an original illustration by artist, Gregg Deal, and is created with a combination of digital, hand, and painting processes on an oak composite. Each piece is handmade, one at a time, with love and consideration going into every one. They are available in various sizes, starting at 6″ x 6″, and the customizable background color is available in about 20 different choices.

You can choose from robots or animals...and coming soon, they will also have monsters and dinosaurs!

AND if you are the first purchaser of a given design, YOU get to name it! How cool is THAT?

So today, Jen is giving away a $100 gift certificate to ModTots! Can you BELIEVE it?? I don't know about you, but I think that's almost like getting it for FREE!

Interested? Then head on over to Jen's blog post & find out how to enter the giveaway!

The contest is open to US & Canada readers only and will run until this Monday, February 21st.

GOOD LUCK!!

Valentine's Date Night Idea + FREE Printable {DIY}

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 14:34:00 +0000

Image courtesy of Google Image Search.

Valentine's Day.

February 14.

6 days from now.

Still haven't figured out what to do for your loved one?

Check this out!

Amy at Eat, Drink, Chic has come up with the most ADORABLE (and did I mention AFFORDABLE?) Valentine's date night idea! Take a look!

Image courtesy of Amy at Eat, Drink, Chic.

Amy has designed an awesome night in with your favorite person...complete with LOVE LETTERS! How romantic is that? She is also offering some super cute FREE printables to use in creating your awesome night!

I don't know about you, but a quiet night in with my honey, complete with a romantic movie and love letters, is EXACTLY what we need right now!

So hop on over to her BEAUTIFUL blog and check out her idea for a VERY romantic Valentine's Day idea!

PS: You'll also find some AMAZING photos to go along with the tutorial! All the pink makes me *SMILE*!!!

Image courtesy of Amy at Eat, Drink, Chic.

See? Even those people who claim to hate Valentine's Day would be smiling about all this PINK! So go NOW to Amy's blog and check out her super cool idea! And make sure you leave a comment and tell her THANKS!

What do YOU have planned for Valentine's Day with your lover/friends/family?? Only 6 DAYS LEFT!

GroopDealz: Today's Deal {Shopping}

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 22:40:00 +0000

Have you heard of GroopDealz yet? If you haven't, you are SO ~~hiding under a rock~~ missing out on some GREAT discounts! GroopDealz features one new deal every day from a handmade shop/seller. You have the chance to purchase from that seller at a HUGE discount. So far, I've seen discounts up to nearly 60% off, but they can guarantee some up to 90% OFF!

So...are you excited yet? All you have to do is check out the deal of the day and decide if you want to take advantage! Easy peasy! (And the best thing to do is sign up for their emails, so the deals come STRAIGHT to your inbox! You'll never miss out ~~so long as you check your email once a day!~~)

Anyway, I was checking my email today and I saw the deal for today: ADORABLE baby onesies from I'm A Big Deal! Have you seen this shop yet? LOVE!

Take a quick look at some of their products:

Images property of I'm A Big Deal Etsy Shop.

Don't those just make you want to ~~squeal & pinch some baby cheeks~~ smile? Well, unfortunately, there are no kiddos this age living in my house...only my 12 year old brother, who I'm SURE wouldn't appreciate me buying him one of these! ;-)

However, my BEST FRIEND is preggers and I'm also attending another friend's baby shower this weekend! That being said, I'm planning on grabbing a couple of these myself! They are just too cute to pass up! Be sure to check out the rest of the super cute onesies in the shop...and DON'T FORGET to drop by GroopDealz! Enter your email and also take advantage of today's AWESOME deal: Get one of those super cute onesies for ONLY $6 (regularly priced at $14). That's a 57% DISCOUNT! AWESOME!

*For those who are wondering: NO...I wasn't paid to promote either GroopDealz or I'm A Big Deal's Etsy shop. I just REALLY love them and decided to share!

Friend Makin' Monday {Link Party}

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 03:17:00 +0000

It's my second time joining this linky party...and I almost FORGOT!! However, better late than never!

This week's Friend Makin' Monday:

A Short Survey

1) What is your favorite household chore? And what is your least favorite?
Am I supposed to have a favorite?? hmmm...I'll have to get back to you on that one! My least favorite is DEFINITELY putting away laundry (simply because there's NO PLACE for everything to go!)

2)What is your favorite city?
New York....although I've never been there. Favorite city I've actually been to? It's a tie between Tampa, FL (LOVE the city life!) and Ocala, FL (LOVE the horse farms & awesome thrifting opportunities!).

3) Have you found real love yet?
Yes I believe I have...my boyfriend & future fiance have been together almost 5 years & I couldn't imagine being with someone else!

4) What's one thing you eat almost everyday?
Some type of pasta or potato product. LOVE!

5) What was your last thought before falling asleep last night?
Not completely sure, but I do remember telling my boyfriend (Tim) that I wasn't sleeping and not to turn off my movie. He did anyway.

6) What's the worst injury you had as a child?
A huge piece of glass fell on my hand (vertically) & cut my hand open down to the white meat. I was a big girl...no hospital, no stitches. Just some gauze & a bandage.

7) Will you/have you worked out today?
*lowers head in shame* noooo....my work out buddy hurt her ankle, so I didn't get to work out with her. If I don't have a buddy, I have NO motivation to work out.

8) Do you tweet? If so, what's your name?
Yes! I'm @ebaity07.

9) List three things you wouldn't want to live without:
People I love, the internet, and PRETTY things! (this ranges from photography, crafts/art, and COLORS!)

10) Hold old were you when you had your first kiss?
14 I think...I remember it was a kid named Jimmy who lived next door to my dad. We kissed in the garage (which was the hang out spot) before he left to go home. He was my boyfriend for about 3 months.

Now it's your turn!

Here are the rules:

Copy the questions from Kenz's blog
Paste the questions into a blog post on YOUR blog
Answer the questions
Publish the post
Go back to Kenz's blog & post a link to YOUR blog post
Comment on a couple of the other bloggers' posts
Follow Kenz's blog "All the Weigh"

Super easy, right? The idea is to connect to other awesome bloggers, so make sure you leave a link to Kenz's blog and leave feedback for other bloggers' posts as well!

Now...go link up so we can see your answers too! And have a happy Monday!

Simple Valentine's Day Wreath {Crafts}

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 19:01:00 +0000

Can you believe January is already OVER? Tomorrow begins the month of ~~CANDY~~ LOVE! I'm sure everyone is getting their pretty decorations put up, so I'm here today with a super simple tutorial for a Valentine's Day wreath for you to hang! I made this wreath in my last ditch attempt to have something on my door for my Valentine's Day pajama party I held last Friday. My original plan was to create some of those nifty paper flowers using cupcake liners, but every tutorial I found required pipe cleaners, which I don't have.

While sifting around in the awesome sewing box my granny gave me (which is FULL of ~~stuff my boyfriend calls junk~~ craft supplies), I found this cute little circle form thingy. I honestly have NO idea what it's made from (it looks like rolled paper!) but I'm in love with it! That's when the AWESOME thought hit me to make a WREATH! (queue HUGE smile on my face...ask my sister who was witnessing the drama!)

So, my bloggy friends, I have a super simple tutorial for you! Check it out!

Here's what you'll need:

some type of circular wreath form (your choice in size; mine was only about 6 inches across)
LOTS of buttons to choose from
ribbon (wired is the best to use for this project)
scissors
bread ties
cupcake liners (I used Valentine's Day themed liners for one flower & plain white ones for another)
needle (any size)

This is how you will create it:

The final steps:

That's it! Don't you just love it?! I also had an extra flower left over (from creating this tutorial), so I decided to pretty up the living room lamps, too! What do you think?

Linking To:

Friend Makin' Monday {Link Party}

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 19:54:00 +0000

Have you checked out Friend Makin' Monday yet? I found it through Jen, who tweeted a link to Kenz's blog! I've been trying to find lots of new ways to make bloggy friends...so far, this seems a pretty fun way to do so!

Here are the rules:

Copy the questions from Kenz's blog
Paste the questions into a blog post on YOUR blog
Answer the questions
Publish the post
Go back to Kenz's blog & post a link to YOUR blog post
Comment on a couple of the other bloggers' posts
Follow Kenz's blog "All the Weigh"

Super easy, right? The idea is to connect to other awesome bloggers, so make sure you leave a link to Kenz's blog and leave feedback for other bloggers' posts as well! Now, check out MY answers to this week's questions!

Answer each question using only one word...

1. Where is your cell phone?

-->couch
2. Your most significant other?

   -->working
3. Your hair?
   -->curly
4. Your mother?
   -->heaven
5. Your father?
   -->twin
6. Your favorite?
   -->cupcakes
7. Your dream last night?
   -->unknown
8. Your favorite drink?

   -->frappuccino
9. Your dream/goal?
   -->family
10. What room you are in?
   -->living
11. Your hobby?
   -->crafts
12. Your fear?
   -->lost
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years?
   -->mom
14. Where were you last night?
   -->sleeping
15. Something that you aren't?
   -->fake
16. Muffins?
   -->breakfast
17. Wish list item?
   -->studio
18. Where you grew up?
   -->Florida
19. Last thing you did?
   -->thrifting
20. What are you wearing?
   -->snuggie
21. Your TV?
   -->grey's
22. Your pets?
   -->outside
23. Friends?
   -->need
24. Your life?
   -->crazy
25. Your mood?
   -->headache
26. Missing someone?
   -->always
27. One place that I go to over and over?
   -->grandparents'
28. Something you want?
   -->children
29. Your favorite store?
   -->Target
30. Your favorite color?

-->purple

That's it! So now it's YOUR turn....go and make friends!! Make sure to leave me a comment if you decide to join the party so I can check out your answers!!

Silhouette Craft Cutter {Giveaway}

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 14:51:00 +0000

Hey guys! Quick question...how many of you have heard of the Silhouette craft cutter? Now, how many of you actually OWN one of these babies?? Well, one my FAVORITE bloggers, Shelley at House of Smiths, is GIVING AWAY one of these bad boys TODAY!

Photo courtesy of Google.

You don't know what a Silhouette is? ~~Have you been living under a rock~~ Let me tell you about it!

This awesome little machine has the ability to cut just about EVERYTHING! You can use it for all your fun craft projects around the house! Just check out some of the awesome ideas you can come up with:

Photo courtesy of kevinandamanda.com

Photo courtesy of asoftplace.net

Oh, you want a piece of the action you say? Then scoot on over to her blog and ENTER!! The contest starts today, January 17th, and ends Friday the 21st. Shelley will be announcing the winner on Saturday the 22nd.

It's SUPER easy to enter, so make sure you head over there NOW and follow the directions near the bottom of the post to enter the giveaway! Good luck!!

Check out Shelley's Silhouette Giveaway post right here!

PS: Myra at My Blessed Life is also giving away a Silhouette today!! Check out her awesome blog!

PPS: Gina at The Shabby Chic Cottage is ALSO having a Silhouette giveaway today! Check out her beautiful blog page:

Me+Granny+Ocala=SUCCESS!! {Thrifting}

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 18:26:00 +0000

Wanna see some really cool stuff? (well...cool to me anyway!) Let me tell you, if you are ever in Ocala, you HAVE to visit their thrift stores! My grandparents have a house up there and this past week, my granny and I decided to go up there for a couple of days. First off, let me tell you how much I just LOVE Ocala! The horse farms...rolling hills...and not to mention it's always a few degrees cooler up there compared to Polk County!

Any time my granny and I decide to go to Ocala together...well, let's just say the banks better not close. =) We LOVE to shop (I still say she's the reason I'm such a shopaholic & home-decorating-aholic!!) and thrifting is our SPECIALTY! (I've been going to yard sales with this lady since I can remember!) With that being said...we basically dropped off our bags, packed up all her Christmas decorations, and headed out!

**You will all have to forgive me...I was so excited about hitting up some of my favorite stores up there, I managed to leave my camera in my overnight bag. So there are NO photos of the stores themselves...next time I visit, I'll make sure to stop back by & take some photos of them for you guys! Sorry =(

Our first stop was this furniture store called Blocker's. My granny has been dying to show me this store for ages. (It's where she bought her new sofa in her house in Ocala.)

Let me tell you. That place was AWESOME. They had the LARGEST showroom I think I've ever seen! And their furniture is all REALLY nice...they honestly have something for everyone! The only thing is the prices....EX-PEN-SIVE! There was a bed I saw that my aunt would have loved...yeah, $3,000 ON CLEARANCE! Anyway...moving on!

Our next stop was one my FAVORITE places to be...Hobby Lobby!! I couldn't get enough of that store! I found just about EVERYTHING I need to decorate my house in that place!! My granny and I found these cute little containers:

I had been looking for something to use as a centerpiece for my dining table, now that Christmas is over. I figured the containers would be cute on a little tray, so I grabbed them! They were regularly priced at $6.99...but we only paid $2.38 a piece for them! Gotta love the clearance aisle!

After being in Hobby Lobby for at least an hour and a half, I'm sure, we headed out to one of my granny's favorite thrift stores. The Ocala Interfaith Thrift Store. It isn't a very big place, but they have really great sales on their stuff! We both walked out with an armful of things! Here's what I ended up with:

Metal wheelbarrow, 4.50; Christmas basket, regularly $3, on clearance at 90% off; snowman candle holder, regularly $4, on clearance at 90% off; star-shaped candlestick holders, $4 for the pair, on clearance at 90% off; metal banana hammock (it's hard to see, but it's holding the star-shaped candle holders), $3. Total spent: $9 even! And we also walked out with about 6 packages of Christmas present tags (about 50-125 in each package) for only 5 cents a piece! Yeah...I would say that was definitely a successful trip!

Next stop: GOODWILL! This is usually the FIRST place we stop at when we get to Ocala! This place is HUGE and they always have soooo much stuff on sale! I found a few things to bring home with me:

I found this awesome "family" mirror in a bin off to the side, hiding under some outdoor decor! It was priced at $4, so I HAD to have it! I'm most likely going to paint it white though, to match my living room, where it will be hanging. I also grabbed a belt for myself and my brother (his belt was brand-new, still with tags on it), priced at $1.97 each; a pack of brand-new socks for $2.99; and this cool stackable organizer for my craft supplies (buttons, small brads, beads, etc.) for only $1.59 (brand-new). I tried to only grab things I really needed...I can't tell you how much I WANTED out of that store! =)

The next day we were there, we stopped at Wal-Mart first because my granny wanted to grab this book she knew was coming out that day. While we were there, we happened to stop by the clearance aisle on our way to grab some office supplies. There was SOOO much stuff on that aisle, let me tell you! I ~~knew I couldn't afford~~ wanted to buy EVERYTHING! They had cartridges for the Cricut on sale that I wanted terribly, and I don't even OWN a Cricut! =) That's how serious it was!

However, I did manage to ~~dig under a huge pile of junk~~ discover a cute little message board for our kitchen for only $4 (it was regularly priced at $7). I also found a nice shirt ($6) and some cool-colored hangers ($2) on our way to the checkout. (By the way, I think I should mention that I LOVE that shirt! I've worn it twice since I got it, and it's only been 3 days! It's very comfy & goes with a lot of the things I already own.)

After Wal-Mart, we headed out to another awesome consignment shop my granny frequents. This place was really cool, because they had LOTS of furniture pieces as well as decor. It's called The Renaissance Room. We browsed the entire store TWICE just to make sure we hadn't missed anything! =) This is what I eventually decided to buy:

An adorable wall plaque for my kitchen (which is themed around little chefs) for only $6, a wooden letter-holder (which I'll actually be using my beach-themed main bathroom to hold rags) for only $4.80 (it was regularly priced at $6...I'll explain the discount in a minute), and a set of 4 JCPenney BRAND-NEW table napkins (CHA-CHING!) for only...hold onto your seat...$1.80!! YES! Now, let me explain something about The Renaissance Room. When you walk in, you'll see this HUGE sign above the checkout counter that says:

WE DISCOUNT EVERYTHING 10% EVERY 30 DAYS

UP TO 20% OFF

Yeah...I'll give you a second to comprehend that. Got it? So, the price tags have a date on them that basically states what day it was priced and how much it was priced for. So say something was priced 11/3/2010, and it's $8. Well, you walk in there today, it's been 60 days since it was priced, so that's automatically 20% off! NICE! Now, remember those napkins I was talking about a second ago...wondering how they were only $1.80? Well...they were priced at 70% off! Yes...all their linens (except the bed-in-a-bags) were on sale! I was super excited, because I like to have different linens to use on my table, but I only have 1 set of napkins so far. AND these were JCPenney brand, WITH the tags still on them...never been used. I HAD to grab those up! =)

So anyway....after a day of shopping and hanging out with my granny, we went back to her house and started packing up. Oh, did I mention that my granny LOVES to give away her stuff? Yeah...I think she does it because it gives her a reason to go out and buy something else to replace it. ;-) (shopaholic, remember??) Well, I always tease my granny and tell her that I'm going to set a big bin next to each one of her front doors, so when she starts giving things away, I can be the first to grab them! So how about she actually already had a TON of stuff to give me when we were in Ocala?!

So, not only did she give me this adorable angel, a beautiful lead crystal bud vase, a basket (which I needed one that was rectangle like this, minus the fabric), a tissue box cover (which I have a really great idea for), this cute little heart-shaped frame (I'll be using this in my girly guest bedroom) and these sweet gloves (which are my favorite color: purple!)...ANDDDDD....

ALL of this awesome china she bought! She found this set at The Renaissance Room and grabbed it, but when I told her I wished I had some nice china, she told me I could have it! (She already has my great grandmother's china, plus her own china she's had forever!) Isn't the pattern just adorable! I LOVE it! Now I REALLY have to get a china cabinet! =)

Needless to say, my trip to Ocala with my granny was well worth it! I grabbed up some AWESOME stuff for my house, I took a little mini-vacation, AND I was able to spend quality time with my granny...just the two of us (which we never get to do anymore). It was PERFECT!

*And Granny...if you're reading this, please don't go getting sappy on me! =) I love you and thanks for everything you do for me!!

**And Papa, if Granny showed you this post...please don't hate me for enabling your wife! ;-) Love you both!!

Bird House {Re-Do}

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 00:42:00 +0000

Hey guys! I just wanted to share this cute little birdhouse I found when I was browsing around in my papa's shed the other day! He was going to throw it out because he felt there was no need in keeping it anymore, but of course, I HAD to save it! I thought it would look ADORABLE outside our house on the front steps! Take a look!

See...it just needed a little sprucing up! The roof was a bit too rusty for my taste. Also, when I first saw it, the roof was coming apart from the wood base and the bottom piece was all rotted out and halfway gone. So my papa and I (mostly my papa, because he obviously knew what needed to be done!) nailed the roof back on with new nails and replaced the bottom with a scrap piece of wood he had laying around in his workshop.

Then, I brought the little cutie home (after thanking my papa, of course!). I stopped at Wally World to buy some 97¢ spray paint and used some scrap sandpaper I got from my papa. A couple coats of paint...a little distressing with the sand paper.....

And VOILÀ! It's beautiful again! (or...less rustic I should say!) For now, the bird house sits on the front steps of our house...I'm going to find some little flowers to go in those holes on the doors, to make it prettier! =) But I love it...my first distressed project! Don't worry...there are MANY more to come! =)

By the way....can I just mention that this was a totally inexpensive project? It only cost me 97¢ altogether! NICE!!

So, hopefully this will keep you guys busy for a little bit. ;-) I have a few more posts to add, but I'm a little behind, so bare with me! There are a lot of photos I still have to upload to Facebook of my day at Disney World with this pretty lady:

Awww...I just love my bestie!!

Anyway...keep checking and I promise to come back with a few more posts within the next day at least!!

A Birthday Peek {Home Life}

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 19:27:00 +0000

Hey guys! Where have you been? haha...just kidding! Sorry I've been absent...back to school time after the holidays is kinda hectic! Anywho, I decided to drop in with a little peek into my birthday party! Enjoy!

The awesome spread....haha

Yummy sweets! Cupcakes with pink & purple icing [made by me, not bought that way!] & brownies with chocolate frosting...ohhhh so good!!

Pretty presents wrapped in PINK...just the way I like it!

Me opening one of my gifts (which that one was an awesome massaging bath pillow...yessss!)

Me & my 2 girlies...Jessica & Jessica (we call them JLG squared because both of them have the same initials! And this picture has been so names "EJ2" (the 2 is "squared")!!! Anyway, they made my party completely awesome! They both were SUCH a huge help in getting everything done & ready! Thanks girls...I know you'll both be reading this! =)

Well, that's the gist of the party fun! Sorry there aren't more pictures...I thought my camera had more battery power than it actually did. Stupid misleading icon!! I've definitely learned my lesson on that one...at least my girls made sure to capture a couple of shots!! Thanks again ladies!!

Anywho...I'll be back later this week with another post. I have accumulated a couple of cool things from some VERY special people! Can't wait to show them to you! Check back later!

It's My Birthday! {Home Life}

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 16:35:00 +0000

The date: 22 years ago, at 10:32AM in Winter Haven Hospital on December 29, 1988. A young girl (age 16, only a couple of weeks away from being 17) is giving birth to a beautiful baby girl...her first child. That baby girl soon turned out to be the first of 4 beautiful children within the next 10 years...but that baby girl was special. She changed her mommy's life forever....

That baby girl was ME. My birthday was this past Wednesday, and it was HARD. My mom wasn't here to celebrate with me for the FIRST TIME in my LIFE. [wow.] Can you say depressing? BUT...I kept my head held high and did my best not to think about it. The best things in life are always taken for granted, but I'm grateful for every DAY I was able to spend with my mama. She taught me so much in my short life...I HONESTLY believe she KNEW I wouldn't always have her to show me the way. Out of ALL my siblings, our mama prepared ME the MOST for real life. And I cherish everything she ever told me. So anyway....

It was my birthday. My sister attempted to make me breakfast. Which is not a good idea for someone who is VERY picky about her breakfast food! =) She didn't do a bad job, but I like my eggs a certain way with a certain amount of cheese and I like it all laid out a certain way on my bread. [Picky much??] But I still thanked her for trying! Then, I went shopping at one of my FAVORITE stores with my granny and she bought me a few things from their AWESOME semi-annual sale!

She also bought me a VERY pretty new hat from Dillard's:

It was fun! BUT...I had even MORE of a good time when we returned back home! Tim (my honey) said "Don't take off your shoes...we're going out to dinner!" YESSSS!! I don't know what it is about going OUT for dinner...but I'm ADDICTED to eating a sit-down restaurant! Well, unfortunately we were SUPER broke due to Christmas and my little brother's birthday going in the past couple of weeks. BUT, lucky for us, Tim had received 2 Chili's gift cards for Christmas! NICE! This made me VERY happy, because when Tim and I first started dating, we didn't eat anywhere EXCEPT Chili's! So it's kind of "our spot." =)

We now have a Chili's right up the road from us (thank goodness), so it wasn't a very long ride at all! I had my FAVORITE salad: the Quesadilla Explosion Salad. YUMMMM!! I had a sore throat so my appetite wasn't very big unfortunately; yet I still had a hard time finishing that HUGE salad!

The only thing about that specific location, though, is that a TON of our friends work there! And I knew for a FACT that one of our friends was serving in the same area near our table! AND I knew the waitress we had is friends with her too...oh boy. I was hoping Candy (our friend) had forgotten that today was my birthday, because she definitely stopped by our table to say hi! [uh ohhhh]

Welllll....as Tim and I were waiting for the check, he says "Oh, I forgot to get you a birthday dessert." And I VERY CLEARLY stated, "Oh, that's ok...I'm not all that hungry anyway. Let's just go." So, I thought the subject was done and over with, right? NOPE!

Cue loud clapping of about 5-6 people, even LOUDER singing, and something being carried into the dining area from around the corner. Oh dear Lord....I said to Tim, who is CHEESING EXTREMELY RIDICULOUSLY, "I REALLY hope that's not for me." And as soon as I say that, these obnoxious people turn the corner and come around to our table. The ring leader, you ask? CANDY. All I'm thinking is these guys are SOOOO dead!! ;-) So, commence the Chili's birthday song while 40 other people watch and feel embarrassed for me as my cheeks are BEET RED! I was soooo embarrassed! Simply because I do this for other people ALL the time, but NO ONE has ever done it for me! Ughhhh...be careful what you do to others, because karma will come back to bite you in the butt!

Well...anyway, the singers FINALLY went away after they gave me a VERY yummy dessert: Molten Chocolate Lava Cake! YUMMMMMYYYYY!!!! Wanna see what something that sounds so delicious looks like? Take a peek at this photo below:

Doesn't it just look SINFUL?! Well, it was...sinfully YUMMY! =) I had a VERY good time enjoying it too!

Photo by my honey, Tim

Then, when we came back from dinner, Tim decided he would be EVEN sweeter to me. He ran me a very relaxing bubble bath and had the whole shabang!!

Candles, quiet jazzy music, fluffy robe...etc, etc, etc. [I know you don't wanna know the details!] Although, while I was enjoying a nice massage, we had a couple of guests! =) This was kind of embarrassing, but I was glad to see one of them was Jessica. She came by to bring me a yummy little turtle chocolate cake (which of course I was too full to eat!).

So, all in all, it was a pretty decent birthday. I was sad we were so broke and I couldn't do everything I had planned, but I was happy to be able to do SOMETHING! And in the words of my best friend, Jessica, "There are those of us who love you who won't let your birthday be limited to one measly day." Gosh...how I do LOVE my best friend. Where she gets that AWESOME head on her shoulders, I have no clue. But she ALWAYS knows what to say when I need advice/cheering up. Which, she was totally right, because TODAY we're having a "Birthday Bonfire Bash" for my birthday at our house, and tomorrow [eeeekkkk!!!] Jessica and I are GOING TO DISNEY!! Woooohoooo!! [ok...anybody who knows me better not be laughing! My family members work at Disney and we've always gone to Disney on school breaks and whatnot. I even worked there for about a year and a half. BUT....I haven't been since I worked there, which was in 2008! Soooo...I SUPER excited to go AND someone gave me a $25 Disney gift card to spend while I'm there! -Thanks Aunt T!-] Anywho...I'm excited to ride my favorite rides, stop into my favorite shops, take PhotoPass photos (which is what I used to do when I worked there, so I know all the cool locations & tricks!), and BUY something! Yessss...I LOVE shopping at Disney. When I worked there, my nephews and my cousin's baby ALWAYS got something from Disney!! =) Sad huh?? Oh well...I may be 22 now, but I'm not letting that stop me from being a kid in a candy store when I get to WDW!! =)

Second Hand Rose {Thrifting}

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 15:20:00 +0000

Question: How do you turn a boring, nothing-to-do type of day into a fun, full-of-exploration type of day?

Answer: Your best friend calls you and asks you to go shopping with her!

Even BETTER Answer: She asks you to go to "this cute little thrift store I found."

(EEEEKKKK!!!) Can you say "I'LL BE DRESSED IN 5 MINUTES!"...?? =)

Well, this is what happened to me a few days ago! My best friend Jessica called me and said she needed my help to find a cute outfit for Christmas at Kohl's, but also wanted me to go to this thrift store she found. And she had the NERVE to ask me "Do you wanna go...if you're not doing anything?"

IF I'M NOT DOING ANYTHING?? Didn't she know that I had been sitting at the house allllll day...doing absolutely NOTHING? *scoffs* My dear Jessica...I do love her, with her sweet self. =) Anyway. I don't think I could have jumped up any faster to get ready! =)

We headed straight to Second Hand Rose, an ADORABLE little thrift shop, that USED to be a barn. The front of the building is a wide open space, with LOTS of furniture piled high! I was in L-O-V-E! So as soon as we pulled up, I was in between that pile of wood before Jessica could even lock the doors! =) And what do I find as SOON as I get in there? Only the ONE piece of furniture I've been coveting since I moved out on my own (in 2007!) and haven't had the money to buy, but DESPERATELY need: a CHINA CABINET! Annnnddddd....it MATCHES the new color of my kitchen cabinets!

Isn't it beautiful?? I wanted to buy it soooo bad. But this was NOT in my budget (simply because it was NOT free!) =\

I also found this little beauty hiding in a corner...I wouldn't have minded taking him home with me either!

(I showed this to my granny later on and she was ooohhhing & aaahhhing over it too!)

And then there was this neat little corner shelf...I would have loved having this for my goddaughter's bedroom! =\

THEN...I found this cute little bread box sitting on top of another table & my jaw dropped! My MOM used to have one of these a while back. DON'T ask me what happened to it, but we did have one. I almost bought it simply for nostalgic reasons!! (NOT the best reason to buy something. The word "hoarder" comes to mind...)

So, excuse this AWFUL photo...try your best to look past all of the weird stuffed animals & dolls. What I was taking a picture of was this AWESOME chair! I've been wanting a very vintage, antique, kinda torn up chair to use in my portrait sessions. Do you know how hard it is to find one that you aren't afraid to sit in around here?

Well, this was the one I would have been GLAD to sit in. But once again, the price tag didn't say FREE. So I had to keep moving....

So on to the indoor area Jessica and I ventured...and stopped at just about EVERY corner! =) One of the first items I saw when I walked in was something my granny would LOVE to have:

This cool wagon wheel has mirrors in between the spokes and in the middle circle...VERY cool. I know a certain someone at House of Smiths who would have LOVED the distressed look this piece had NATURALLY!

Anyway...on to showing you some of the cool things we found inside:

(A "chef" cookie jar, because this is what my kitchen is decorated in; cheese spreaders with corks for handles- simply because my uncle in California made me a tray with his OWN wine corks that would match perfectly; an old aftershave bottle, which I've been told was sold by Avon; a train station that lights up, which goes with all these little houses my granny has to match!)

(A salt & pepper shaker holder, which has the chef once again; another after shave bottle sold by Avon...this one still had the liquid in it & was shaped like a golf cart, hence the golf bags on the back!)

(This cute little snowman had 3 just like it & they're stocking hooks...2 things I love AND need! This shelf has a story behind it: my neighbor has one VERY similar to it that used to belong to her grandfather and that neighbor just happens to be Jessica's mom! Needless to say, we were both pretty amused at the resemblance!)

Soooo...wanna know what we DID buy? Because with such a VERY LONG list of wants, it would have been completely DEPRESSING to walk out of there with NOTHING! Welllll....

Jessica and I both found this ADORABLE little bird cage! She saw it when we first walked inside, but I saw it when we were turning around to head upstairs (which is the loft of the barn). She never told me she saw it the first time though. But from the first glance, all I could think was "Oh, Jessica...." =) You see, we've been friends for about 13 years...so I KNOW that pretty girl like the back of my hand! And sure enough, she says "Oh yeah, I saw that when we came in!" hahaha

And of course, I HAD to talk her into buying that pretty little thing! And the price? ONLY TEN BUCKS!!!! Yeah...there was NO WAY I was letting her walk out of there without buying it! =) We decided she could get some fake moss from the craft store & put cute little knick knacks in it or use it in her kitchen for her spices! Super cute idea, right? I know! =)

So then, what does my BEST friend do? She finds something only I could love, for the BEST price you could possibly get it for without feeling too guilty:

...a vintage camera bag! Yes, only I, ELYSSA, would go into a thrift shop and find something like this to swoon over (well, out of all my friends, anyway!). So, it's a little weird, because (unfortunately) I don't have a film camera (in my possession anyway...I have an uncle in Orlando who has his old film camera from when he was in college & wants me to have it, but I have yet to acquire it due to the lengthy road trip it will take for me to get it)....ANYWAY, I digress! I use a DSLR (or a "big camera" as my friends & family like to call it) for my portraits and recreational photography...but how cool would it be to use this vintage camera bag for my DSLR?? VERY cool!!! (just agree with me, ok?)

And then, I remembered I had told Jessica about the House of Smiths blog and told her about how Shelley has a vinyl company. Wellll....wouldn't it just be AWESOME to get some neat vinyl with the name of my portrait business (Legacy Portraiture by EBaity) to put on there? I also find a really adorable little vinyl quote ready to print on the Wonderfully Wordy website, seeing as how Shelley isn't taking any customized orders at the time, that I wouldn't mind having as well.

Anyhow...it was a GREAT day shopping with Jessica at the thrift store (and then later at Kohl's). We PROMISED the lady at the register we would be back...AND with more people! =) Because that's how we roll! (wow...too much, huh?) hehehe Well, if you're ever in the area, stop by Second Hand Rose on SOUTH Combee Road in Lakeland, FL (between Tampa & Orlando, in Polk County). Make sure you tell them Elyssa and Jessica sent you! =)

Second Hand Rose Antiques

600 S Combee Rd # 1Lakeland, FL 33801

(863) 665-0755

Mapquest It!

New Cabinets! Well... "Like New" {Home Improvement}

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 03:45:00 +0000

Yeah...I know. It's taken me a while to get these photos up of these newly remodeled cabinets in our kitchen. But guess what?? TODAY'S THE DAY!!! =)

So, without further ado...here's what the cabinets looked like BEFORE:

And with a little [actually A LOT: try 2 grown men, a woman, & a 12 year old boy] of elbow grease and changing of plans more than once:

These beautiful babies were created!

(Excuse the awful paint job at the bottom of the cabinets...we're supposed to be getting molding to go down there!!)

Ha! You can see my blue Christmas lights at the top of the cabinets...can you tell it's December?

Tim found this AWESOME contact paper stuff at Lowe's. The original plan was for the cabinets to look like these beauties from a photo on Inspiration for Decoration:

See how the glass is frosted, so you can only KINDA see what's inside? Yeah, that was my original plan. However, my honey works at Lowe's and likes to scout really cool things for our house when he's at work, so he found this really cool contact paper stuff (that's not SUPER expensive) and brought it home. HOW he knew I would like this stuff more, I don't know. I guess 4 1/2 years in a relationship can do that to you! ;) But I loved it...and that stuff is SUPER pretty when the light hits it!

So...on to the next project in the kitchen. Which I have NO CLUE what the next part will be...probably painting the wall underneath those pretty cabinets. I have a really nice red in mind for those 2 small walls, so hopefully it will look nice once I get it on there! Keep your fingers crossed for me!

And now, I will leave you with other pretty things to look at!

Exhibit A: new lamps for the livingroom. Bought at Lowe's for $13 for the SET. Nice right? I might have to change the shades because I'm not sure if that's the color I want them to be...but for now, they look good & were SUPER cheap!

Exhibit B: new butcher's block. THANK GOD for grandparents who grant Christmas wishes. I asked for one of these a while back...and looky here! =) It's red so it matches my kitchen. Although, if I change the colors, well....you get the point.

Well...that's it for now. I'll HOPEFULLY be sharing more home improvements now that Christmas is over! Tomorrow I will *maybe* post about my awesome trip to Secondhand Rose Thrift Store with my best friend Jessica. We'll see...it is my birthday ya know!

New Look

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 01:03:00 +0000

FINALLY! I've finished the look of the blog! I'm still trying to customize the headers (for some reason, it's refusing to work) but other than that....

THIS BLOG IS DONE! Now...on to the POSTING!!

*I will be posting more later to show you our AWESOME new cabinets!!

Tangy Shrimp Stir-Fry {Recipe}

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 17:01:00 +0000

Have you ever had one of those days when you have a kitchen full of food, but have NO idea what to cook for dinner? Well, let's just say a certain blogger had one of those days recently. (Me? No, of course not...my kitchen is always stocked full of wonderful items ready to be whipped up gourmet-style! *rolls eyes*)

Anyway...finding something easy, quick, and still YUMMY for dinner is ALWAYS a hard task. Cue Tangy Shrimp Stir-Fry! This recipe has a yummy tangy taste of lime, along with a good spread of veggies, protein, & a starch (also known as a "rounded meal" in our house...this doesn't happen very often!). Ready to get your stir-fry on? Let's do this...

Here are the ingredients you will need: 1 bag of cooked, peeled & deveined shrimp (it's best to get the ones without the tails...SOMEONE didn't do this & it was VERY annoying!), 1-2 cups of rice (depending on how much rice you like; I used 2 cups), 1/4 of a yellow onion, 1/2 of a green bell pepper, 1 large tomato, 1 lime, and your favorite seasonings. I used Goya's Adobo seasoning & McCormick's Roasted Onion & Garlic Potato Seasoning.

First, boil your white rice by following the directions on your packaging or using a rice cooker. (My kitchen isn't so up-to-date yet, so I have to boil it on the stovetop...bleh.) While the rice is cooking, go ahead and chop your veggies.

Once your rice is cooked most of the way through, begin cooking your shrimp in a large skillet on medium-high heat. (It's best if the shrimp is already thawed out, but it's fine if it's frozen. Just make sure to drain out any water that accumulates in your skillet.)

While your shrimp is cooking, grab your lime and roll it on the countertop. A certain SOMEONE watches too much Food Network (ahem...) and has learned that this helps to release the juices inside. Once you've rolled it a few times, cut the lime in half. Squeeze the juice from the lime onto your shrimp, along with the Adobo seasoning (or whatever seasoning you chose to use).

Add the chopped onion and let it cook for about 1-2 minutes, then add the bell pepper and let it cook for about 5 minutes. When the bell pepper and onion are slightly browned, add the chopped tomato to the mixture and cook it for about 3-4 minutes.

Once your mixture is well-heated and cooked through, sprinkle about half of the McCormick seasoning over it and stir. If your mixture seems a bit dry, add a splash of olive or vegetable oil to it so that it doesn't burn. Add the rice and the remainder of the McCormick seasoning. Turn heat down to about medium-low and stir while it simmers down, about 3 minutes. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, making sure your rice and vegetables are thoroughly cooked.

Once your stir-fry mixture is finished cooking, it is ready to serve. Use the second half of the lime to add a splash of lime juice and sprinkle your dish with a pinch of parsley flakes (to make it gourmet-beautiful!). Enjoy!

Linking To:

New Lights! {Home Improvement}

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 00:55:00 +0000

So, due to an unfortunate event, my boyfriend and I have moved into my mom’s house to take care of my little brother. Being as my grandparents owned my mom’s house, they asked if Tim and I would like to go ahead and purchase the house. We said that would be a good idea, and to make a long story short, now we own the house. It’s a pretty nice place, however it definitely needs some sprucing up. Mostly because we would like to sell it to move into our own home once we’re married. With that being said, we’ve decided to make a few changes! One of the first things we’ve decided to do is change the lighting in the house.

Here’s the original lighting that we have throughout the house: (photography by my little brother, Deonte =])

Most of the rooms didn’t even have the covers over them. Which was really ugly, because they looked like this:

Definitely not cute, right? Well, Tim works at Lowe’s. When he’s at work, he finds deals on clearance items and also gets some great deals from his manager. =) So, these are the first lights he picked up:

Pretty nice, right? Yeah, I love ‘em! And to make it even better, our dining space is in the same space as our kitchen and there’s another one of these over the table! It’s definitely pretty. Now I’m just waiting on him to find someone to put in the dimmer switch he bought! *hint hint*

This is the second light; he bought 2 of them:

I plan on hanging these in the hallways, but I still need one more to make it work. (One of the hallways has 2 lights.) I love the black & white because of the photos I have hanging in one of the hallways. They’re monochromatic photos of a boating/fishing town that I found at a yard sale…bought 4 of them for $2 total! (I love a good bargain…especially at a yard sale!)

And….as of last night, I now have these beauties:

There’s one in the living room, one in the master bedroom, and soon to be one in the master bathroom. In each room, this one little light does something different, which I adore! In the living room, it’s dim, but it adds mood lighting. If I need bright lighting, I just turn on the 2 side lamps I have. In my bedroom, it’s actually better than the original light because it’s more focussed. And as for the bathroom…well, I’ll let you know. =)

What types of home improvements are you completing right now? What do you think of the new lights?