Don't Lose All Your Blogs

I kept hearing this for awhile but apparently Google is finely getting rid of Google Reader. If you follow blogs through Google, on July 1st you won't see them anymore. So here is the plan...

Join Bloglovin.com. It is a great way to keep up with all your favorites and they have made it super easy to import all your blogs to Bloglovin.

After you sign up for Bloglovin, click the link here and follow instructions.

You can follow I Love That! here

Sorry for the boring post but a little house cleaning is sometime necessary

Over the Weekend and Staples

Really over the week, sorry I have been an absent blogger this past week. It was a busy one. I had my first big decorating job, it was my birthday (34...big deal), my mom's birthday and Father's Day. I somehow took no pictures, that makes me an even better blogger.

I was so excited to be able to help a friend with some projects in her home and will hopefully post pictures soon. It was a lot of fun and a lot harder than I expected (she was a breeze, it was just my own fears) but I love it!

Onto my birthday, not all that exciting on my own accord. I am really not into having a big celebration for my birthdays. I did get some great gifts though, a purse from JCrew, a necklace from Bauble Bar (my first BB purchase and it should be in my mailbox today), and a bunch of Sephora gift cards.

I can't wait to wear that necklace with a vneck T and cut off shorts. I actually got the purse in black but love all the other colors. It was on super sale and I think it will become a staple.

Speaking of staples, I have been determined for a while to start buying more staples and less crap. The purse was my first step in the right direction. It is not easy for me to do but being pregnant helps. I can't buy every cheap piece of clothing I come across because I can't fit into it. So when things like my birthday come around it is easy to point out a something classic like that purse and be done.

So I rounded up some, of what I think, are some good staple pieces. Some a little trendy but there is nothing wrong with that.

The rest is from Zara. I could literally buy everything on their website right now, which would defeat my purpose of buying less.

Beach Ready

We are headed to the beach in a couple of weeks and I gathered some things I would love to have. Of course, I have to keep my growing baby bump in mind.

Nursery Ideas

I am now 22 weeks and starting the nesting mode early. The new playroom is getting in order and I have been thinking about what I want the new baby's room to look like. This is one of my favorite parts!

I am using the same bedding but just different accessories. Here is a pic of the bedding...

We are keeping chair and the crib.

Here are some ideas I have for the new nursery...

Banner, Pouf, Blanket, Picture, Wave Poster, Mirror, Chandelier, Dresser, Curtains

I love the nursery from Honey and Fitz, especially the ceiling...

Some More Rearranging

So I posted a little while back about sprucing up my dining room and took you through a confusing conundrum of table swapping, craigslist selling and new chair purchases. Then a little "mommy guilt" set in. We have two bedrooms upstairs (one of those is the playroom), another baby on the way who will occupy the now playroom and I thought to myself "where in the world are we going to put all of this stuff!" If you have kids you know they come with a lot of stuff and toys. So I got to thinking that we have two rooms downstairs that are a total waste of space, the formal living room and dining room. We really hardly ever use these. This is were the guilt set in: why was I going to redecorate a dining room just so it can look pretty? So begrudgingly, the wheels started turning on how to I could make the dining room into the new play room. Is this my dream come true scenario? No, but this is the time of life we are in and the space we have to work with. I don't love the idea of the first room you see when you walk in the door full of toys but I am determined to make it look cute.

So now for the rearranging part. I am taking the orange and cream rug and putting it in the new playroom, along with wicker chairs from the living room (I was getting sick of those anyway)...

We painted the old dining room white like the rest of the house to lighten it up (obviously still a work in progress).....

It will be set up similar to the existing playroom...

I got a new rug and new slipcovers for the Ikea chairs (it took me two trips to get them) and moved the upholstered dining room chairs into the living room...

The rug is from Rugs USA and was on sale for $183 with free shipping! If you follow a lot of blogs you have probably seen your fair share of this rug but I don't care....I love it. I never said I was a trend starter. I still think the fireplace brick needs to be painted!

The same plan is on for the breakfast room. I am selling the chandelier and wanting new chairs for the round table that we moved in from the dining room.

So what do you think? Could I be anymore confusing? Whenever I get it all settled I will post more pics.

Over the Weekend

We took a long weekend trip down to Houston to visit with our family. We did some swimming, relaxing and a girls trip with the SIL for mani/pedis while our sweet husbands watched all the boys.

I am also 21 weeks today. Over half way there....can't believe it! Oh- do you see a new rug and some different colors in my living room? Yes you do. I will post more about the rearranging going on in our house tomorrow. 

 

And I can't remember if I ever announced... we are having another BOY!! #secondchild. We are excited and my little brain is working on some ideas for the nursery,  I will post about that soon too. 

And for a little fashion....


I am dying over this dress from Free People. So cute!

Do You Need Decorating Help? Design Business

In the last 4 years, I have realized how much I love interior design. Almost to an obsession. My mind is constantly turning on how I could rearrange things in my house or how a new mirror or piece of art could change a look of a room.

So I am jumping out on a limb and going to start my own little decorating business. I love helping people and finding them great deals because I believe you don't have to spend a lot of money to have a beautiful home. Like my fashion philosophy, I believe it is all about mixing the highs and lows with whatever your budget can afford. At the end of the day, the price tag comes off and most people will recognize a beautiful space as a whole, not one piece or another.

I would describe my personal style as slightly traditional, casual, with hints of modern and eclectic (I know that word is way overused but I don't know what else you call it). I believe your home should reflect you and your lifestyle. I recently heard a quote and I can't remember where I heard it but it was about buying things you like and it will all work out; don't worry about everything matching or coordinating. I have been trying to incorporate that with my style. It makes decorating more personal.

That being said, I also love and appreciate other styles. So if you are in need of some decorating help whether you are local or far away, I would love to help you. Since I am just starting out, I am offering a 30 minute complementary consultation for locals or a design board for one small space. Contact me for more details and rates.

Here are a few details of my own home and you can see the full tour here. I also have a great collection of inspiration on my Pinterest page.