First Annual Beer Tasting Party

Apparently rain doesn't stop a party from happening! I guess that's a good thing! We celebrated Husband's newest beer recipes with our First Annual Beer Tasting party this past weekend. I designed the invitation above.

I also made some rate cards so we could get a feel on which beers faired well. Although the majority of my work is graphic design, there must be a wannabe Martha Stewart hostess in me, because in two months, I will have planned, decorated and cooked for three parties. No, I am not a professional party planner! (Did you see our daughter's birthday/cupcake decorating party post?)

Also, most of what I do is DIY-created. Whether it be the decorations, the food, or the invitations (as seen above) we don't ever pay anyone to plan, shop, cook, decorate or clean for our parties. Oh but I wish...just kidding. Sometimes, the best part of it all is doing it yourself!

I think part of the planning is thinking about the color theme. I went with the earthy colors of browns and greens using baskets, wood frames and then a pop of sophistication with the glass and white stoneware. Again, all things we already have in our home.

We also used the hops that Husband grew this summer as decor in the three hurricane vases (Dollar Tree purchases btw, a few years back.) Who would have thought that hops could be so pretty? ;)

I did find these cool napkins we could use. Originally I was going to design my own, but why mess with that when these were available!

I also nabbed my kids' barely-used pencils from the last school year, put them in a beer glass to use with the rate cards.

Overall the party was a success! The beers and food pairing were all delicious, and nothing is better than spending a Saturday with friends and family!

(Party #3...planning a birthday/Halloween party for teenagers!)

DIY Organized Drawers On A Dime

It's been pretty busy lately at our house, what with new clients, our kids' sports activities and end-of-school concerts and events, I haven't had a minute to sit and blog! Husband and I keep talking about painting the living room, but we just don't have the time to do it! I did tackle one small DIY project.

Taking a cue from Pinterest, I organized a drawer that has some of my work stuff. Of course I didn't want to spend much money, so I used the cereal boxes we already had...

Cut them up to make them fit the drawer and covered them with cute wrapping paper I found at Goodwill.

It took me forever to find paper because I don't scrapbook and I won't spend a lot of $ on nice scrapbook paper. (Cheap, cheap.)

I have to admit, it turned out really well. 'Cause I'm all about making things pretty. :)

Here's a behind-the-scenes shot of what it really looks like when you're doing a DIY project!

That's not pretty at all! What have you done lately to beautify (and organize) your home office or craft room? Let me know and include a link to your blog so I can drop by!

Help! There's Carpet In My Kitchen!

Nothing like moving into a house and debating whether you really want to keep the ninties-inspired patterned carpet in your kitchen. Before we moved in, the homeowner said it was "scotchgarded."

*crickets*

With three kids and a slobbering dog, there isn't enough Scotchgard® in the world to save this carpet.

Cue kitchen of my dreams from bhg:

What to do, what to do, a quick inward scream, and then you get online to see how on earth to remedy this. Hmm...ceramic tile, vinyl tile, hardwood, laminate...oh so much to choose from. Cross off laminate, been there, done that in several homes. Hardwood? Love it, but the dog scratching her nails across it everyday? I don't think so. How about vinyl tile? Easy upkeep, comes in different sizes, looks like ceramic tile (or stone) and can be grouted, but is lighter, warmer and easier on the feet.

Three problems; 1) they glued the carpet directly to the floor boards, so it was a bumpy, nasty mess and 2) if you use vinyl tile, you may feel the bumps underneath unless you are willing to sand, etc. (which Husband and I have yet to do our own floors so we are terrified) and of course 3) cost.

Always about the bottom line.

I wish I could have said that we were brave and we DIYed it, but even after consulting other DIYers and flooring specialists on Hometalk, the job seemed incredibly daunting for us flooring-newbies.

And even though we can paint, reuse, refurbish and craiglist the crap out of most things in our home, we folded and had someone else do it. :(

Now that we decided on vinyl tile, we looked at every possible color/style option and even pinned them:

I don't know why I'm always drawn to 'travertine' which is a form of limestone, but I am. So that is the kind of tile we chose. That process only took about two weeks! (Hey, when you're spending a boat-load of money on a floor, you better love it!)

But alas! Apparently it would have costed us more to have vinyl tile installed than ceramic tile. Who woudda thunk it. So, I dished out the big bucks (because people, it isn't cheap) and hired someone to put in travertine-looking ceramic tile, because Husband wasn't about to mess with tile, being unexperienced and all.

This photo makes it look more gray, but it is more on the brown side. My saving grace about choosing ceramic tile, it will last forever.

What kind of flooring do you have in your kitchen? Are you happy with it?

Every Stylish Mom Should Have This

As a mom, finding any product that makes life a little simpler is helpful. As a designer, it's nice when  the products I use are aesthetically pleasing to the eye as well. That's why I'm so happy to own a BellaVita wristlet.

I'm in and out of my house, on average, eight times a day. Whether it's errands, meetings, sports events, or the daily drive to three schools for pick up and drop off, I am on the move.

Nothing is more irritating than trying to gather my wallet, keys, cell phone etc. just because I have to get into the minivan. (It reminds me of the days of diaper bags.)

Anyway, with that being said, everything in the wristlet fits into it snuggly. My driver's license, a credit card, cash and my iPhone.

BellaVita sent me this pretty mauve/purple color (my choice of all the colors they offer) to prance around with. It's been great. No more looking through my array of purses to haul when I'm off and running.

Right now, BellaVita is hosting a giveaway, you can enter for a chance to win a wristlet or wallet.

So check out their site and let BellaVita make your life a little simpler too!

{disclosure: BellaVita sent me a wristlet in order to review this product.}

Our Living Room - Before Photos

So no exciting or catchy post tile here, but I did think an alternate title could have been; "Party like it's 1979!" Well really more like 1970...

So as promised, here is the "before" shot of our living room. As you can see it's a nice eclectic mess. The shape is actually a rectangle, but where I was standing was where Barbie's castle sits, or "the play area" for now.

Let's not allow the games to distract you. As you can see, we have the flat screen along one wall, then the hideous fireplace in the corner and then the awkward-shapped built-in shelving. There's a nice big open area behind the chair and ottoman for what I assume was the spot for an old television to sit in.

My closet interior designer is whispering, "tear the shelving down," and I am considering this, but then that means Husband would have to repair the walls after. Not a bad thing, because we would gain a little over a foot in depth along that wall.

From this angle we have huge windows overlooking the lake. Please ignore the curtains, that's another challenge altogether (those windows are so tall and long,) the salmon/light burgundy carpeting, and our transitional furniture, all things that are screaming to be updated. One thing at a time people.

As for what kind of look we're going for? Well not contemporary, that's for sure, but if your'e familiar with Sarah Richardson's designs, something comfortable and welcoming, incorporating the natural elements from the outside and doing it all for cheap!

So what would you do if you owned this room? I would love to hear your ideas.

For more conversations about renovating the fireplace, catch the awesome suggestions on home talk!

Beautiful & Inspiring Designs

Many times the graphic designer in me needs inspiration. Here are some of my favorite designs and packaging ideas I've found thanks to lovelypackage.com:

Designed by: Lina Sponberg

Designed by: Cubic

Designed by: Leo Burnett Dubai

Designed by: Puigdemont Roca

Designed by: Jake Dugard

Creating An Organized Home Office

We're in the process of moving, again. Which can be agonizing and exhilarating at the same time. The up side of a move is that I can use all those decorating ideas I've pinned on Pinterest!

{source}

Unbeknownst to my family, we might actually end up with a turquoise and white laundry room. Sounds divine, doesn't it?

{from Pinterest, of course}

The other area in our home-to-be which will have to be addressed asap, is the office. I'm going to need one to house all my techie gear and paperwork. (Why oh why, do I still have paperwork?!?) Anyhoo...

As usual, this home office will have to be put together on very little money. I emphasize that point because decorating/organizing can get pretty pricey. Husband and I have always tried to be smart with our purchases, but people, we have three mouths to feed (not to mention an enormous dog!)

So this means we will be repurposing instead of purchasing. With that being said, we'll need some inspiration, read this article on how to create an organized home office with ideas from my favorite place; Pinterest.

Happy repurposing!

For The Love Of Turquoise!

Ever since I saw this duvet cover (from Young House Love,) I can't get it out of my head...

Unfortunately, I think West Elm no longer makes this one. :(

I've also fallen in love with turquoise, I'm finding it everywhere and not sure if Husband will agree to this color in our lake house.

Young House Love

And this kitchen, oh my...

House of Turquoise

What about this bathroom? Why is it not in my house?!?

Anyway, we'll see how it goes, maybe something small, or just one (or two) rooms...visit my Pinterest page and see what our plans are for our lake house!

A Pinterest Inspired Home Office

I've gotten stuck on the color scheme of blue and white (and sometimes black) so when I had time to dream up ideas for a new home office, I came up with this:

{designed on olioboard}

I blame Pinterest. It's where I get all my ideas! It's where I also found this laundry room...

{Cameras And Chaos}

and this bathroom and blue door all from houzz...

Pinterest is addicting, only according to the now 18 million users! What's the last thing you pinned?

My Kitchen Design

I'm putting together ideas for my kitchen. It's what I do when I have a few minutes to spare. I would have to paint the hutch black and change the flooring...love the drum shade (I'd have to buy that!) What do you think?

Organizing Obsession - The Amandas

Ever since I started watching "The Amandas" (a reality show dedicated to organizing) I've become obsessed with organizing (again.) This time, I've been "pinning" and scouring the web for cheap ideas on how to organize my jewelry.

I decided to take this vintage-inspired memo board (which was hanging out in our basement) and use it to hang some of my necklaces. For now.

Click here to see more pins from Pinterest about organizing and check out The Amandas on the Style network every Monday night 10/9 c.

One Demolition At A Time

Our kitchen looks like Beirut. Husband decided enough about the comments on how the wallpaper is a throwback from 1952 and just started tearing it off.

TSP and a rented steamer later, we're looking at walls where plaster has come off and what was going to be an easy painting project is now a little more complicated. We're talking broken drywall and talks about re-taping and re-mudding.

Look what we had to remove, the valences and the lovely wallpaper.

And I don't like complicated. I, like many in my species, run in the opposite direction when it comes to anything complex. *Sigh* So now we have a torn up kitchen and very sad looking walls. I don't even know what color to paint it.

Fortunately for me, I've been pinning ideas on Pinterest, bookmarking sites online, and scouring places like Better Homes And Gardens online.

Painted Beadboard Backsplash ~ from BHG.com

There's that beadboard again, but this time, it's painted in this muted mint green and I love it! And this colorful tiled backsplash, not sure if I like it or not, but I can't stop looking at it!

bhg.com

bhg.com

How about subway tile in an olive green color? Okay, we're nowhere near tiling or anything like that. We just wanted to get rid of that wallpaper!

And here's another lesson I've learned. Take your time. Even if we downsized and we do everything ourselves, we still have to be careful not to dump all our efforts, time and money into this house of ours.

This is a huge lesson for me, when the decorating blogs make me want to tear up carpeting and paint all my woodwork white!

I guess I'll no longer be keeping up with the "Blogging Joneses."

In The Kitchen

Could we turn my kitchen into this kitchen?

Even though the move into our smaller/older home was tough, I'm loving our kitchen. First, because the computer is in it. There's something about having the computer in the hub of the home that makes me feel like it belongs there.

Let's face it, our entire family goes on the computer at some point during the day, so it's easily accessible and also allows me to stream music when I'm cooking whether it be on iTunes or on Grooveshark.

I wouldn't say our kitchen is big, but it's a good size and it seems that everything is in arms reach. In our last house I felt like we had to walk a few miles to put away silverware from the dishwasher or travel to another state just to check out what was in the pantry! Okay, I'm exaggerating. But you know what I mean. Kitchen layout is essential.

Our cabinets are oak and I have forever loved the idea of a white kitchen. But sadly, the last time I mentioned painting any woodwork in the house, Husband poo-pooed that idea. Must come up with another idea...or wait awhile until he warms up to the idea, hmm.

{source}

I've also found a new favorite designer on HGTV, her name is Sarah Richardson and her designs are amazing. Of course I don't have her budget, but her style is just beautiful.

Who's your favorite interior designer? Which DIY/decorating blogs inspire you?

Designing For A Princess

From my mood board on olioboard.com

With all the busyness of moving, I find myself daydreaming when I should be sleeping. Amongst the paperwork of mortgage commitments and appraisal reports, I've secretly been designing our youngest's bedroom in my head.

My inspiration? The web. I've found pieces online that I love (but could never afford,) I've visited paint stores (hoarding their paint swatches) and scoured craigslist for treasures (which I'm still working on.)

It's what motivates me to move, again. Husband cringed when I said "paint the woodwork," but I (lovingly) shushed him, because ALL I ASK FOR IS TO LET ME GO WILD IN THIS ONE ROOM, the rest of the house can wait.

I'm also trying to convince our six-year-old that having her own bedroom will be amazing and wonderful and full of pink (without shocking our senses.) One night I even made up a story about a princess (with her name) moving to a new castle (house.) That's how desperate I am for this transition to be a positive one.

The plan:

- mocha'ish' painted walls
- white woodwork
- a headboard (from craigslist) painted white
- pink curtains
- and pink accents

Elegant, yet still girlish. I might have to live in that room. I love it already.

How To Stage Your House

No, this is not my house, but it is a model home in Florida.

Husband asked me why I was up so early today. I said because I was going to do my Bible study homework, but I couldn't, because all my stuff was in a laundry basket in the back of the minivan.

His reply: That is so you.

Hey, I don't watch HGTV for pure entertainment reasons! The last thing potential buyers want to see is "your stuff" when they walk into a house. Including your kids photos, artwork, what you read, the bills you pay...

Speaking of bills, I've put our bills in a drawer.

Husband: Why would you do that? Are you afraid they might pay our electric bill?

Hmpf.

Anyhoo, the point is cleaning and decluttering isn't always enough. Buyers have to be able to envision themselves in your home and not be thinking, "gee, their kids are slobs..."

Our son's "stuff." Is that an empty water bottle in there?!?

'Staging' as it's technically called in the house-selling business is about making your house look move-in ready for a buyer. They need to say "yes, I could see myself living here!"

So clean off that refrigerator, put away as many photos as you can and allow your buyers to imagine themselves living in their 'new home.'

Spoken like a true house-selling veteran. (FYI- this is the fifth house we've sold.)