Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Bedroom Tour

Happy Halloween! After such a relaxing weekend you’d think staying up to work on a blog post would be no problem. Well judging by yesterday’s lack of posts that isn’t always the case. I’m going to blame the comfort of my bedroom and how inviting it can look at 9:00 regardless of how much sleep you’ve had as of late. That’s good timing considering I am sharing my bedroom tour with y’all today.


I feel like we (especially those of you who have been reading for years) have come such a long way over the years. From moving to college and decorating my first dorm room as well as the subsequent rooms on Furman’s campus afterwards to finding my first apartment in Greenville and sharing rooms from that with y’all to now having moved back to the great state of Alabama and getting settled into the house I’m living in Birmingham that’s a lot of change we’ve been through together. I always love sharing my different spaces with y’all but this room may be my favorite yet.

For starters, living in a house is the best. I am glad I lived in an apartment in the past to learn to fully appreciate getting to live in a house. It doesn’t hurt that my roommate is great, and our house is so cute and coming together a lot faster than spaces I’ve decorated in the past. The only thing that could make it better is if monthly rent went towards a mortgage without ever having to make a down payment (pretty positive this is impossible, but a girl can dream). 

My room is technically the master and is a pretty good size (I think my previous room may have been bigger, but it could be that the shapes of the room are different). The only thing that’s a bit different which I’m assuming is due to the house being older is that the bathroom sink/counter is technically in the room between the bathroom and closet. I’d be happy to share my bathroom space if you’d like but for now, I’m sticking to my bedroom. 

Since I had purchased furniture previously, there aren’t very many new pieces in my room, but instead, I’ve used the same pieces in different ways or accessorized them a bit differently. I’m going to take you around my room counterclockwise since that’s what makes the most sense to me although if you want a better overall feel of the room watch the video tour of my room that I made below. 


 

When you first walk into my room and glance to the right you get a view of most of my room at once. Right next to the door is one of the few new pieces I purchased from my room a full-length mirror I found at HomeGoods. Since getting into the habit of sharing outfit photos with y’all from work last year, I knew I wanted to continue that this year as well however the mirror I previously used was in my classroom and I don’t think the school would’ve been pleased with me taking it with me. While I don’t love how the placement of the mirror makes this side of my room feel crowded, it makes the most sense in relation to my closet and the space I have in front of it. 



Next to my mirror is the dresser I purchased from IKEA and built for my last apartment. I will warn you that this is a PAIN to move. For my first week in Birmingham, it lived in my living room because there was no way it would be able to be moved without two strong people and even then the drawers had to be removed. I’m still toying with the idea of replacing the pulls to make it look slightly less IKEA, but the drawers are huge which is ideal. On top of the dresser, I keep books, small knick-knacks, a jewelry stand, candles, and a few small pieces of art. The large open space in the middle with Evelyn Henson for PB Teen’s Paris print leaning against the wall is where my TV will go with the painting hung above it. Currently, that TV is what we are using in the living room until we get the one we have for that space mounted. 

 

After my dresser, you get to the corner of my room which I didn’t exactly know what to put there. I opted for a striped bin from Annie Selke that is currently holding an extra pillow and some pillows. One thing that is different about this space than my last is the fact that I am now using two matching bedside tables. When hunting for the perfect bedside tables last year, I came across ones I loved from West Elm, but I couldn’t bite the bullet on their price. I ended up finding the glass ones I am using now at a better cost. Unfortunately they are no longer available but I'll keep my eyes peeled for y'all. I only ordered one for my previous room, but the first one arrived broken (it’s the one on the far side of my bed, and I don’t even notice the cracks in it, so it works) and they sent a second replacement one which is convenient for this space. With matching nightstands, I decided to order matching glass lamps as well. 


 


On the nightstand closest to the door, I stacked three of my favorite coffee table books (Things We Love, Butter, Classic Style), a photo of my parents and I, a cute ceramic dish and some lip balm, my alarm clock, a candle, and a water glass on a coaster. On the nightstand on the far side of the room are three more coffee table books (Bazaar Style, The Paris Style Guide, All in Good Taste), a photo of Nell and me, a cute container with a blue agate on top, two ceramic KLM houses, and a candle. I love the way these objects make my nightstands look until it comes time to dust them. Above my nightstand are two prints from the online store Mackenzie Horan used to have, but I believe they were photographed by Amy Stone.


 



My bed looks identical to how it looked in the past although with the correct size and a much more comfortable mattress topper that I raved about here. My headboard is white with silver studs that was the easiest thing to assemble ever and provides a clean slate for the multitude of pillows I insist on having on my bed. Four euro shams may seem excessive to some but with two patterned ones from Roberta Roller Rabbit and two monogrammed ones by Room 422 (keep scrolling for a giveaway!!), but when you see the comforting setting they create who can blame me. My zebra pillow as well as my navy scallop hem coverlet have been with me since my junior year of college and are still going strong. The duvet cover at the end of my bed is also by Room 422, and its ikat pattern mimics the one on my rug at the foot of my bed. My cornflower blue dust ruffle provides a bit of separation of the two while also hiding my under the bed storage. 




On the far wall of my room, I have a Greenville pennant that I always get questions about but purchased from the Indie Craft Parade in Greenville, SC and am unsure of the maker. My PB Teen Pom Pom blackout curtains help hide the natural light when I am trying to sleep, and a metallic bin also from PB Teen organize the chaos of cords, so they aren’t strewn across the room. On the other side of my window is another print from Mackenzie Horan’s store. It says “Don’t Believe Me Just Watch” with a navy mat and does a good job at describing my mentality when it comes to being headstrong and driven. So much so, this print was referenced in the senior spotlight my parents wrote for me for one of our sorority’s traditions. Maybe I’ll frame that underneath to bring it full circle. It seems like a fitting piece to have near a desk which is against a half wall (my closet is on the other side) opposite my bed. 

 


 


 

My desk is the same campaign-style piece I purchased from Craigslist and painted. I used it as a second nightstand in my previous bedroom but am loving having it as solely a desk in this space. My desk chair is incredibly comfortable and was previously used in my classroom and is from PB Teen as is the pillow sitting in it. Above my desk is a scallop pin board, from PB Teen as well, filled with pictures of some of my favorite memories and mementos. I shared all about how I styled it in this post if you haven’t seen that. Sitting on my desk are a few books (The Baking Journal, Paris Street Style, Rifle Paper Co Address Book) with a blue and white lamp from Hobby Lobby and a treat from inside a Greetabl sitting on top. In front of that is a ceramic flower dish perfect for paper clips and other miscellaneous desk items. I have two notebooks next to my lamp, a light blue tin my mom found for me, and an organizer from PB teen that helps to keep my clutter contained. On the other side of my desk are some agendas from year’s past, a flower vase, a photo of my brother and me, and an acrylic organizer with receipts, tax forms, and other assorted “adult” forms. On the floor by my desk is a silver basket from Waiting on Martha with a cozy navy throw in it for if I get cold while working at my desk. 


I think that about covers my room although right outside of the door I have a bookshelf with a camel print on top of it. The books are organized based on colors and have knick knacks mixed in to make the space look more styled to avert you from thinking I have too much stuff which is, in reality, the case. If you want to see a video of my space, I have included that below for you as well as many of the products mentioned linked beneath.



Lastly, I am giving away one of Room 422’s Applique Pillows on my Instagram account tonight around 8:30 CST. These pillows help to personalize my room, and I hope that they do the same for whoever happens to win one! 


Dresser Area:
dresser (similar, it looks like they don't make my exact one anymore) // Paris print // acrylic nail polish organizer (similar) // mini diptyque candles 

Nightstands:

Bed: 

Walls and Floors:

Desk Area:

Coffee Table Books: 

My Past Bedrooms:

Whew, did you make it through this whole post? Hopefully, the extensive-ness of this post makes up for nothing going live yesterday. I’d love to know if you continue to re-use bedding from space to space or if you prefer to switch things up! 

Monday, October 29, 2018

Step Into My Week

Today’s Step Into My Week post is much more timely than last week’s, and for that, I am saying the week is off to a solid start. This past week was one of the fastest ones I’ve had in a while. On Thursday I thought it was Tuesday if that tells you anything. I’m convinced it went by quickly thanks to long to-do lists and busy days at work. There were times when I didn’t know if I’d make it through my to-do list and I fully expect this week to be similar. We go through waves of things being crazy busy and then slowing down a bit and right now crazy busy describes it best (currently finishing up two different issues at once). Fortunately, I really enjoy doing the things on my to-do list. 

Somehow, I have managed to only get four outfit pictures the past couple of weeks and sadly this week was no different. Thinking back, I can’t even think about which day I forgot. Goal for this week is to remember to get all 5 outfits on camera. 








Monday I was in a really good mood in the morning (not always the case when getting ready on Monday morning and I know I’m not alone on that) which set a good precedent for the week and day. I spent time working on outlining and working on a story from an interview which took a while, but as a work in progress so far, I’m pleased with it. After work, I ran by Publix before Nell came over for dinner. I made us poppy seed chicken, green beans, and crescent rolls I saw in one of our magazine issues (I am usually not a bread person, but these were good). We cooked everything and ate in the dining room which isn’t always the case.


Tuesday I had an interview to do for a work story and spent most of the morning working on that and then transcribing it. Something that I am not fully used to is working on multiple writing pieces at once. Lesson plans and blog posts seemed more separate than writing pieces for work, so I’m definitely adjusting to that. Fortunately, most times when I come back to a piece I am able to actually put into words what I was trying to say earlier. After work, I went to the Y to work out before coming home to make dinner and relax before bed. 

Wednesday we had a bunch of returns and errands to do after a photoshoot. One of the errands happened to be right around lunch time so for the first time since starting my job I actually spent my lunch break at home. My roommate thought I was sick when she came home, and I was there haha. After those errands, I continued doing various things in the office and worked out after the day was done. I came home to a box of cookies from Nell's family which was the sweetest surprise!


On Thursday morning I had my first feedback session with our editor and managing editor. It went really well, and they had such positive things to say which made me feel good. I also enjoyed having some time to sit down with them and get to know them even better. Thursday night a bunch of us had plans to go to a see Hocus Pocus at an outdoor venue. The weather was stormy, so that was canceled, unfortunately, but Rebecca and I decided to watch it at home anyway. We started it so early that we were confused when we were ready for bed right at 8:30. We watched a bit of a Gilmore Girls episode but still called it a night pretty early.

Friday came, and as per usual I treated myself to Starbucks on the way to work (Pike’s place with hazelnut syrup is my new go-to). The work day flew by, and afterward, I worked out in an attempt to remain semi-productive. After my workout, I made some returns, cooked lunch, and got showered. The weather still wasn’t the best, so Rebecca and I decided to grab dinner and go see A Star Is Born. If you saw my Instagram story, then you know that up until 2 minutes before buying our tickets I thought it was a documentary. 

Saturday was the laziest day I’ve had in a while, and it was wonderful. I slept in a little bit and spent most of the day watching movies and drinking an unnecessary amount of coffee for how little energy I was expending. Saturday night we had dinner plans with friends and went to El Barrio in downtown Birmingham. Afterward, I added another movie to my count since we watched My Friend Dahmer at a friend’s apartment. I ended up falling asleep during parts of it, but the parts I did see weren’t quite as eventful as I was expecting.


Sunday morning I woke up and worked on some blog stuff before getting ready and heading to church with Rebecca. I went straight to Trader Joe’s after church and decided to head to the library for a bit to work on blog work before going for a long work while catching up with my family and friends. I spent the rest of the afternoon meal prepping and getting ready for the week ahead. I definitely didn’t get as much done as I should have this weekend but I feel rested and ready for the week ahead. I certainly hope that y’all feel the same way and had an equally good week! 

Sunday, October 28, 2018

Sunday Spotlight: Barrington Gifts

If there's one brand that makes up most of my accessories in my closet, I'd have to say it's Barrington Gifts. I love a good tote bag and am unlikely to turn one away especially if it has a pretty print or a monogram. Barrington Gift's St. Anne Tote have both making them a no-brainer as staples in my closet. I shared how I like to keep everything organized inside in this post but with an exterior as pretty as all the prints you can choose from this is one time that I think no-one is all too concerned with what's on the inside. 

 



While my love of the St. Anne Tote is hard to top, the most recent addition to my Barrington collection is the Kennedy Key Ring. I have had one of their Kent Key Rings since either sophomore or junior year and boy had it served me well! If I leave the house, it goes with me, so it's kind of spectacular that it held up so well for so long. That durability can be attributed to the brand's commitment to craftsmanship, luxury materials, and an innovative design. While I loved my past key ring, I am obsessed with the new features that the Kennedy Key Ring offers. With a zipper at the top (as opposed to a snap) I feel like I can easily access any cards or cash I need to keep with me while keeping it secure and the multiple rings sent on the key ring allows me to better organize the various keys I have which is a win. 


And don't think I was going to talk about how much I love it without mentioning the print. The Axis print is one of my all-time favorites from the brand (you'll see that I have it in a St. Anne Tote as well below). While the material is super easy to clean, I know that this one won't look dirty even after taking it with me everywhere. The new stripe and monogram style offered on the site is another favorite of mine since the choices seem endless. Ultimately I opted for a pink on pink monogram, and I love the boldness of it! If you've never been on Barrington's site and played around with all of the different combinations, you can make then I highly suggest it. Just be warned that you'll probably end up with quite a few products in your cart! When I was in Greenville, Sophia started playing around with all the different combos that can be made on these products and was hooked as well. Below you'll see some of the prints that have found their home in my closet. 

 


From laptop cases and duffle bags to everything in between, Barrington Gifts has plenty of perfectly practical and cute items to add to your shopping or wish list for the upcoming holiday season! I think my next buy will have to be their wallet! If you're itching for your own key ring be sure to check out my Instagram later this afternoon for a giveaway to win your own! In the mean time here are some of the fun combinations I've created on Barrington's site! 


Friday, October 26, 2018

Things To Do On Sunday To Prep For The Week

I know what you're probably thinking and honestly, I'm thinking it too. Your thought process is a little something like this: It's Friday, it's too early to be worried about Sunday. Again, I agree completely and I have every intention of enjoying my weekend but since I didn't want you waiting until Sunday night to read these tips they are live today. 



My Sundays since moving to Birmingham have looked very different than my Sundays did in Greenville when I was still teaching. I don't really bring work home which is wonderful and makes Sundays pretty relaxing. While I know that isn't the case for everyone, fortunately, these tips will work regardless of whether you have the Sunday scaries or not.


Have A Slow Morning
You spend all week fighting your alarm clock and dreading getting out of bed during the work week so why do that to yourself on Sunday? On Saturdays, I am a lot more likely to have plans that I need to get up for so I try my hardest to allow myself a bit of extra time in bed on Sunday mornings. I have started going to an 11:00 church service instead of an earlier one which helps allow me to do this. For me a slow morning looks like getting up only to grab a cup of coffee and bring it back to my bed. I'll open my blinds to let some light in and scroll through my phone or watch something on my computer while sipping coffee before actually getting my day going.


Do Laundry & Wash Your Sheets
I feel more settled for the week ahead when the space around me is clean. While I do try to vacuum and dust beyond that having clean laundry that is put away and (every other week) clean sheets puts me at ease. Knowing that these are things that I won't necessarily have to do during the week takes a bit off my plate and allows me to enjoy week nights at home instead of doing "chores" of this sort. 

Go For A Walk or Do Something Else You Enjoy
I used to spend most Sundays lesson planning and working on grad school work so I understand if enjoying the day can't always be the case. But that's not to say you can't at least enjoy parts of the day between doing work to get ahead. Going for a long afternoon walk is one of my favorite Sunday activities and most times I'll even multi task and call my family and friends to catch up if I didn't decide to walk with a friend. 



Pack Your Lunch & Gym Bag The Night Before 
I don't want to have to think about lunch food in the morning so why not deal with packing a lunch while making dinner the night before. It's easy to do and makes it easy to grab and head out the door in the midst of the Monday morning rush. The same goes for packing my gym bag and it has made such a difference in the amount of time it takes me to be ready for the day on Monday morning. And while you're at it doing these things, do anything else you can to make your Monday morning go smoothly. For me, that's taking our trash out. I am bad about doing this on Monday morning and it tends to put me in a bad mood especially when I am already in a hurry. I could avoid this attitude completely if I would just put our garbage can at the curb on Sunday night instead of putting it off. 


Make A To-Do List For The Week

Y'all know I love a good to-do list and writing out what I know I need to do during the week helps relax me. I know that isn't the case for everyone but knowing that I won't miss an event or deadline because I've thought about it in advance is a great way to prep for the week. 


Go To Bed Early (or at least get in bed early)
This is coming from the girl who used to get 4 hours of sleep during junior year of college and at this point I can say I don't know what I was thinking. Waking up rested on Monday is hard to beat! 

I hope y'all have a great weekend and a restful Sunday that helps put you ahead for the week! 


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