just so you know...

hoping this rain goes away soon - it makes me so tired! {via}

The giveaway ends tonight at midnight (eastern time).  Get your entries in before then, because all entries after 12am won't be counted!  Good luck!

Joanna Goddard's Nursery

Jenny from Little Green Notebook has been posting a series of shots from Joanna Goddard's house (of A Cup of Jo). Earlier this week she gave a walk-through of the newly designed living room, and yesterday she posted photos of the adorable nursery. The cloud-themed roller shade is my favorite. I'm thinking about doing something like that, except with butterflies, for Emmaline's nursery.

Foodie Thursday

 

 

{all images via}

This site is inspiring me to cook beautiful meals.

balloons and polka dots

{all images via hip hip hooray}

Since Emmaline is almost 8 months old (!), I've decided it's time to start gathering ideas for her first birthday.  I love this "balloons and polka dots" theme, maybe with some more girly details.

glamping

{all images via Juicy Bits}

Before we were married, Bran went camping all the time.  He lived in Idaho, so there were tons of great camping spots not far from town.  When he went, he would take his truck, his dog, his cast iron frying pan and some potatoes and onions.

Well, we haven't been camping in quite some time (we went once shortly after we were married, but it was a quick trip and didn't really count). The next time we go, I want our campsite to look a bit more like this.... think he'll go for it? :)

have you entered this week's giveaway?

http://thebrightsideproject.com/

I found this adorable giveaway blog via Plush Palate.  You have to go spend some time browsing the site - it's adorable!

small bohemian reception

 {all images via}

I'm in love with this bohemian wedding photo shoot from Elizabeth Anne Designs.  My wedding was huge (400+ people), so something like this would have been totally impractical. For a small affair with just close friends and family, I think this would be beautiful. Did you notice the "Booze & Berries" chalkboard sign? How fun!

ps. don't forget about our giveaway!

Friday Finds

 

How is everyone spending their first weekend of fall? We'll be partying Maryland style with a crab feast... mmm!

Here's a little round up of some links to hold you over until Monday...

It's nice to know there are still decent people out there.

A neat look at all those social networks (in the form of a map, no less).

These "Wookiee the Chew" cartoons are adorable.  Would you put them in your little man's nursery?

Interview with the stars of the movie Scenesters. The movie is about a serial killer who only kills hipsters!

Toilet paper rolls never looked so good.

I'm watching NBC's The Apprentice.  It's all men and women affected by the economy this season - pretty interesting!

And some top lists:

• World's 50 Best Restaurants - I want to try Daniel the next time I'm in New York.
• Modern Library's 100 Best Novels.  Pick out a few to read, then download them over at planet e-book!!

Don't forget about our giveaway! 

Giveaway - Now Closed

CSN stores wants me to do another giveaway!   They have a store for everything. We're talking lights, wardrobes, clothes, everything!

I am giving away a $45 gift certificate that will work on any of their (over 200) stores! All you have to do is leave a comment on this post!

For an extra entry, become a follower of my blog by clicking the "follow" button to the left.  To make things easier for me to keep track, please  comment once for your first entry, then comment again letting me know that you're now a follower.  If you already follow, comment twice letting me know that already followed.

The $45 gift certificate will be emailed to the winner in the form of a promotion code that you'll enter during online checkout when you purchase an item.

This giveaway will be open until a week from today (Friday, October 1). I'll put all of the entries into a random number generator to choose a winner! Good luck!

Foodie Thursday

{via}

Now I want to bake cookies...

"Love is in the air"

 

 

{All images via Sweets Indeed}

A dessert station to "fly" for ;)

she read my mind

{Beth Keim, via Southern Flourish}
http://southernflourish.com/

I have this image of what I'd love my living room to look like, and this month's Southern Flourish Magazine got it almost completely right.  This room is so me, from the contemporary couch and coffee table to the matching lamps and funky window coverings.  Top it off with some great yellow and blue accents, and you've got a masterpiece.

Fall Decorations

{Found via Southern Flourish Magazine}

Loving this personalized vase from bragging bags etsy shop - perfect for fall!

Homemade Irish Cream

{via}

It's probably a good thing that I didn't find this recipe until now...

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1  cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups Irish whiskey
1 packet VIA instant coffee (or 2 Tbsp. strong brewed coffee or espresso)
2 tbsp chocolate syrup
1 tsp vanilla

Blend it all together really well, then store in a "shakeable" container because the chocolate syrup will settle.  Enjoy!

Wedding Bouquet

{via}

Who would have thought flowers and brooches could looks so pretty in a bouquet?  Is this something you would be brave enough to carry down the aisle?

Rue Magazine is Live!

If you like Lonny, you must check out the latest in online design mags - Rue!

Some of my favorite highlights include...

Feminine berry colors + masculine gray never looked so good

This made me want to go buy a bunch of lemons

Coolest thing ever - not only did they include a playlist you can listen to, but a video, too! Oh and plus, the feature is about the winner of Design Star, who happens to be awesome.

 

 

So there you have it.  Hurry on over to RueMag.com to read the whole issue!

Emmaline

Thanks, Jen, for the use of your Rebel XT and Bedroom :)

Nursery Photos!

I know, it's about time, right? Here's Emmaline's nursery:

 

The best part? It cost us hardly anything. The wall color is Robin's Nest Blue from Benjamin Moore.  We rent from my parents, and they agreed to buy all the paint in exchange for our labor (quite a deal, right?!).

Here's the cost break-down:

• Changing table - Wal-mart for $150.  
• Curtains and mobile - Pottery Barn (bought with a gift card)
• Glider - gift from my mom
• Crib - free from friends 
• I didn't get to snap a picture with the crib bumper (we had to pull it out once Emma started standing up in her crib!) but you can see it folded up next to her glider.  It's also Pottery Barn, originally $100, I got it on sale for $30. 
• Pillow on the glider - $5 from Target.

Total, including bumper: $185

Anything not listed was given to us by friends!

New favorite

My sister, Jen, and I went to Georgetown, DC yesterday.  It was so beautiful outside, we just had to do something fun! So we jumped in the car and drove to Georgetown.  We parked on 30th Street by the Canal, then walked all up and down M Street.  We had lunch in a cute French Cafe, and went to several shops, then parked over by the Potomac, grabbed our blanket and lounged in the grass for a while. The highlight of the trip, though, was stopping in this store:

I LOVE this store! I had just found there website earlier this week, and was so excited to get to see all the things I loved in person.  There's just something about being able to touch a book or photo album or piece of wrapping paper that is so much nicer than seeing it online! My buy of the day was a piece of wrapping paper (think more like parchment paper than wrapping paper) with the alphabet printed on it, along with pictures of something starting with each letter, then what the picture is in French (eg. B, picture of a baguette, then the word "baguette"). It's adorable, and I'm going to frame it and hang it in the nursery. 

Speaking of the nursery, pictures are still coming.  I usually use Bran's camera, which connects right to my computer, but I used mine to take those pictures and I don't have the right camera chord, so I've got to use my mom's card reader.  It's complicated, but the long and short of it is that someday soon there will be photos of Emma's nursery here! 

Have a lovely weekend - we'll be spending ours with family at Defender's Day at Fort McHenry!

Face lift

My blog isn't the only thing getting a face lift around here - stay tuned for photos of our {finished} nursery!