Bold Detox...

It has been a nice and relaxing weekend so far. I've forgotten what its like to not have a to-do list a mile long just for work that is running through my head at all times. I'm basically in detox mode right now...which is fine by me. So be expecting a lot more posts with all this "free time" I have on my hands.

Yesterday afternoon, I went over to our neighbor's house at the lake to invite them over for dinner. I stayed there a while just talking with them and really enjoyed it. I always enjoy talking to this sweet couple. At the young age of 75, he is still working and plans to retire in a little less than two years {which nobody believes will actually happen} and she is just BEAUTIFUL...definitely doesn't show her age at all. I walked in to sit on their sofa and right before me was magazine heaven. She had copies of all my favorites sitting there: Glamour, Traditional Home, Veranda, Southern Living, House Beautiful. Now THAT is a woman after my heart! So we started discussing interior design just a bit and it helped to get the creative juices going again.

I've been stumbling across some new blogs and have listed them in the links at the bottom. Be sure to scroll down to check them out. My friend, Sara, was asking me if I had found any cool new blogs recently, and I wasn't able to give her specifics because I was in work mode. Well Mrs. Caldwell, to name a few of my new favorites they are: Table Tonic, Live Like You and Marmalade Interiors, The Love List, & Full House. If anyone has found a site I don't have linked, please do share.

Okay enough words, how about some eye candy?? Lately I've been REALLY into bold geometrics. Take a look and enjoy...

Flip the switch...

In less than 24 hours, I'll be done.

Wait, wasn't this supposed to be a good feeling? To know that I ended with my head held high and look back to see that it was a job well done?

Ummmm...where's that sense of relief I keep getting promises about? Yep. Nowhere to be found.

There is no doubts or regrets. I know the decision to move on to the next chapter was a very wise one. Very well thought out and prayed about. But that doesn't make it easier. Neither did the disappointment that accompanied it this week from the association.

I was really hoping to leave with one of those magical moments you see in the movies {like on Sex and the City when Carrie looks over her now empty apartment and smiles then turns the light off}. I was hoping to flip the switch to 1574 B and think back to everything I've learned and accomplished during my year and a half there. And while I hope that its still a possibility, I don't know if it will be reality.

I've already had 2 out of 6 good byes. These were my "family" here. The ones who put up with all my silliness. Who watched me stroll in with dripping wet hair and a horribly mismatched outfit with tear stained cheeks and made cheeky comments like "someone stole my hubcaps" {okay that was out of context, my bad Hines}. These were the people who tolerated my love of creating spreadsheets and master file binders. These were the people who watched me stroll in with Chickfila several times a week and knew if it was going to be a one or two mayo day. These were the ones who helped me analyze, strategize, prioritize...anything with ize. The ones I grew to love. And now I'm going to miss.

But with any major change comes this point where the boxes are packed and the rooms are bare. The future is unknown at the time, but when the switch is flipped, there must be smiles and no turning back. Because fast foward to two years into the future and there will be a whole new life being lived. A whole new set of adventures that were never imagined inside that empty room. And while I know that a Moroccan adventure awaits me, I think I may need a few extra moments in that empty room...just to take it all in and smile one last time.

Muy Importante...

If you're like me, one of the best way to calm your nerves after a LONG day is to plop into a chair in Books A Million with at least 6 magazines to dive into. Sure, the wierdos file in one by one with their manuals on Ancient Sanskrit and comic book secrets, but whatever, US Weekly has the scoop and House Beautiful has outdone itself once again!!

Well, yesterday was no different. I gathered up all the mags I felt like reviewing {it was a gossip and design kind of day for me} and just WENT To TOWN. I bought two magazines to take home for my upcoming project {wink wink...its going to be good... REALLY good...so hold on to your britches you will NOT be disappointed. We've got a diamond in the rough on our hands!!}.

And so tonight, I wanted to leave you with some House Beautiful eye candy. Scroll down for some "insider scoop" and a question I need help with.

Enjoy!!

And in case you're a Flipping Out fanatic {addicts raise your hands!!}, check out this article...
http://www.housebeautiful.com/kitchens/kitchen-designs-2010

One more thing...MUY IMPORTANTE {that's Very Important for you English only types}!!

I'm moving back to Montgomery for now until I find something permanent {ahhhemm...I'm in business developement/marketing/fundraising/PR so if you know of something...email me. I WILL relocate!!} and I am in desperate need of a hair stylist there. All you Montgomery girls, tell me where to go!! And tell me why you love your stylist or salon or whatever!

Birthday recap...

This will be a quick post because Mom and Lexington are still here and I want to visit with them a little more before I have to head back to work {5 more days, P.S.}.

I had a WONDERFUL birthday yesterday. I was overwhelmed with how much love I was showered with amongst all the calls, emails, texts, facebook wishes, etc. To be quite honest (ahhhhem Hines, that's for you...I'll throw some more in there everynow and then...you know: because its not all black and white}, I was REALLY dreading the big 26. I know to a lot of people, that still seems young. But to me, it seemed OLD. I think this comes mostly from the fact that I always imagined myself to be married with kids by now. But isn't that how life goes? Never as we had imagined?

Anyway, I woke up feeling good. Not overjoyed, but not sad either. I went to church, where it was Senior Sunday. All the highschool graduates came in decked out in their gowns and caps and the sermon was geared towards them. But for some reason, I felt it was made just for me. There I sat 8 years post HS graduation and felt like I was sitting in their shoes. Probably because I have SO much living to do!

Then Mom and Lexie joined me in the afternoon and we started the celebration activities. Mom treated me to a mini shopping trip, where I, of course, headed straight to Loft. I don't know what it is about that place, but I am growing strangely fond of it. P.S. they have a new mini-line called Lounge. These clothes are TDF. They're comfortable as pajamas but appropriate to wear to work, etc.

After that, we went to a New Orleans restaurant, Harry's, where we had an AMAZING meal!!

It was a VERY nice day. So, thank you to each and every one of you for making it a happy day for me!!

Here are a few of my favorite gifts:

My friend, Allison, sent me two links to some design blogs. And this one was one of the best gifts I've gotten in a while...
This picture does these shorts NO justice. On me, they're a smidge shorter with a more fitted look and the FIRST thing you notice is the amazing woven detail at the waist band.

Mom picked this one out for me to add some variety to my nightly fitness dvd routine. I'll keep you posted on this...

And a GORGEOUS orchid to bring some life and color to this drab place.

***

Thanks again to all you sweet people out there!!

My Registry...

Looking for a last minute birthday gift for me?

Aww you're so sweet to remember May 23rd the same way I do. How nice of you!

Totally joking.

But, if I were to register for my wish list, I'ld make it incredibly simple on the buyers.

Simply make a pitstop at West Elm and you'ld find TONS of things that would make this girl smile.

A few examples...

Insane. Absolutely perfect. I am imagining this on a bedside table in front of a dark grey/black/purple/blue wall. You know...the kind where three walls are white and the wall behind the bed is the highlighted wall. Wouldn't this just POP in front of that??

Pretty sure I would NEVER leave the sofa if I had one of these to curl up in. Pretty sure.

Its wierd. And I like it. A lot.

Some unique botanical prints like this would really do the trick for my bare walls...

And some recycled glass vases are EXACTLY what I need to keep things fresh around here.


You heard me. I love it all. West Elm, that is...

hold me closer tiny banschee...

Meet the little tiny banschee {thank you Hines for this term...}. You've seen me mention him before, but I've rarely talked about his mischievious side. And YES, he has one.

This little 5lb ball of silky fur keeps me on my toes AT ALL TIMES. I get woken up every morning with him scratching on the bed beside me. This is because he's a wild indian and makes his own schedule. He gets up and plays before I wake up {against our specific rules} and then decides at 4:30 am, he wants to get back on the bed again. We fall asleep again and then 5 minutes before the alarm, he has pushed Madison's buttons so hard that she snaps and I have to break up WW3 at the foot of my bed and save tiny banschee from his sudden death aka the grips of my sweet yorki-poo's jaw.

He brings me any swimsuit top or bra {is that too much for here??} and buries toys in the sofa for me to find later. He absolutely refuses to practice the table manners I've been teaching him for a YEAR. He scratches nervously when he wants something {usually to be held} and he has a knack for bolting out the door and playing catch against my will.

But all this aside, I love the little guy. As I sit here and type this, he's playing parrot and curled up on the arm rest behind me and circling my neck...sleeping. He loves his big sister Madison and thinks she hung the moon {oh wait, I think anyone who's ever met her does too}. And boy does he love his mama.

I write this because Monday marks our one year anniversary {as if anyone else cares}. I remember picking him out of TONS to choose from and bringing him "home" to the lakehouse for Ry to ask, "is this him??" Um no, this is a loaner dog. Of COURSE its him. I can't believe how quickly time flies. That was a year ago??

Its gotten me to thinking about how different my life is now from this time last year. I was talking about this with my buddy/partner is crime, Hines and I just hit a low point yesterday. Of course this is to be expected. My life is upside down right now. I'm not really sure who I am these days but I know I'll get it figured out one step at a time. By the way, thanks Hines for the encouragement last night. It was just what I needed!!

The point is, I know that I'll be thinking the same thing May 21, 2011. I'll look back at how my life is now and think to myself, "WOW look how different everything is now." And that's the beauty of it. If there is one thing I've learned so far is this: the only constant is change itself.

Embrace it.

LOOK, I may not have kids, but I do have banschee dogs that will be my kids.

Early Gift...

Want to know what kept me up to 12 am last night/morning?

It wasn't anything good on tv.

I wasn't on the phone.

Its not even isomnia.

The guilty party would be none other than this month's copy of House Beautiful that has been tucked away on my bedside table, just waiting to share all its insanely amazing work!

PREPARE YOURSELF...

I literally starred in awe. Probably drooled a bit. There was a jaw drop. I read the article about the apartment featured in the pictures about three times.

THREE TIMES.

Literally, I felt like the heavens had opened up and dropped an early birthday gift {which I REFUSE to celebrate Sunday by the way!} onton my lap.

I'm pretty sure I missed my calling all this time.

Pretty positive.

I'ld give today an 8...

It is far past an understatement to say that I've been put through the ringer this week. And there are NO complaints here because this feeling of freedom is overwhelming.

And so is the reaction my skin is having.

I've always had problem free skin. One of the few physical qualities God blessed me with. I somehow skirted through my whole life with a blemish here and there. Honestly, I could probably count on one hand the amount of times I've had one that is noticeable.

Well, Monday around 2 pm (post resignation), I looked in there mirror and didn't recognize the 13 year old staring back at me. Like I know that I can be overdramatic at times, but this is just disgust to me.

I figured it was just stress and would disappear overnight.

Contraire.

So yesterday, I made myself an appointment at the spa for a facial and today I took an extended lunch and got the ROYAL treatment...

Obviously, NO that isn't me. But I was searching for pictures of an Aveda facial and here's what I found.

Holy moly, I've missed the boat all this time. Now THIS is what lunch is about!! PURE pampering I tell ya. In between several masks under a steam machine, I got an amazing massage. Needless to say, I was VERY unproductive when I returned to work at 2 pm!

And then, to add to the bliss of my day, a co-worker invited me to cocktails at Bonefish Grille {a little side note here: Bonefish Grille in Tallahassee is THE after work hot spot}. So when I walked in with NASTY skin sans makeup, I should have been embarassed. But who cares when you have this brought to you...

A DELICIOUS blueberry martini....

Flourless chocolate cake with raspberry sauce...

And tuna shashimi.

On a scale from one to ten, I'm giving today an 8. There was a major confrontation, but I handled it the way I had always imagined. And I've talked so much today that I'm losing my voice.

But who cares.

God is good. He provides and takes care of me. What more do I need??

Need a little more sunshine right about now...

As if it weren't enough to muster up every bit of courage and put in a resignation to a job I adored for quite some time, I've been challenged AGAIN. I've been begged to stay through the end of June. Translation 6 more weeks. I was really growing accustomed to the idea of 8 more days. I don't like begging. And I really don't like being the one on the receiving end, for that matter.

I've been put in a rock and a hard place and now either way I go, I'm forced to leave in a sub-professional manner...exactly what I wanted NOT to happen.

So today, I'm going to be looking for the bright side in every single thing I do. Breakfast blessing...CHECK. Facial on my extended lunch break...CHECK. Possibility of Sassy coming to stay here for a few days...CHECK.

And the decision stays.

8

More

Days...

Breaking the rules...

I'm still trying to grasp the concept that change is coming my way in two weeks in a REALLY big way. No decisions have been made. I'm way too exhausted to make life altering decisions at this point. So in the meantime, I want to get back to what I love...this blog!

Its been a while since I did a post about interior design. And while I claim to be the farthest from an expert, I know what I like...so I simply post it. I don't know the who's who in design and probably break every single rule. But that's the beauty of it to me. I don't get caught up in the rules, just follow my heart.

Have a look at some rooms that are going up on the inspiration board I am about to start. Lots of fun and exciting things are coming VERY soon. I can't wait to share. But until then...