Design | Organization is Key

If you asked anyone I am a self proclaimed OCD neat freak, I'm pretty sure it drives my roommates and boyfriend crazy! I just think there's something so calming when your space is clean and tidy, not to mention it makes finding things that much easier! 

Check out some of the pictures below....I only wish my closet and desk looked like these!

I only wish my shoes collection was this large!!!

Design | Canopy Beds

Canopy beds are a great way to not only add height but luxury, romance and a sense of chic to your bedroom. Even without curtains to look is sleek and becoming which leads to a clean, streamlined feel.

What do you think about canopy beds? 

Love them or hate them?

 

Design | Pocket Doors

Is there really any better room divider then the pocket door? It's ability to instantly add that cozy, cottage feel to any home is truly remarkable. Whether they're fully open or completely closed, pocket doors are a great way to add interest to any room.

What do you think? Love them or hate them??

Thursday Thinkings

Work is back in full swing and this is the first official full work week I've had to work in almost 3 weeks...gotta love the holidays! That being said I kept thinking yesterday was Thursday and today is Friday, I am totally thrown off! 

If you're in the same mind set that I am in here is some motivation to get you through the day! 

Happy Thursday!! :)

Street Flair

I stumbled upon this artist when I was browsing Lauren Conrad's Website and I just had to share! Belgian artist Liesbet Bussche has done a series of whimsical roadside adornments titled "Urban Jewelry Campaign". The goal was to "integrate over sized pieces of jewelry  into public, urban spaces." I love his subtly some of these things fit into such public spaces, they're such an unexpected installation which makes them even more captivating!

Check it out: 

What are you thoughts? Love it or hate it?

You can check out more of his stuff at Liesbet Bussche

Handbook for Life 2013

I found this website through pinterest and I fell in love! Instead of New Years resolutions the main page seems to list a whole bunch of "how to live your life" line items and I thought that was brilliant. Why should I make a resolution that I know I won't keep when I can try to change how I live by doing these simple things?! A lot of the line items are simple and take no thought, you just have to get into the habit of ACTUALLY doing it. I heard somewhere that it takes 21 days to get yourself into a routine, I guess I have until January 28th to see if I follow through on any of them :)

HEALTH:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
4. Live with the 3 E’s — Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.
5. Make time to meditate.
6. Breathe
7. Read more books than you did in 2012.
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minute walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

PERSONALITY:
11. Comparing our lives to others is fruitless. We have no idea what their journey is about.
12. Replace negative thoughts with positive ones especially about things out of our control. Invest energy in the positive present moment.
13. Try not to over do. Understand limits.
14. Why take ourselves so seriously. No one else does.
15. Gossip drains precious energy.
16. Dream more while we are awake.
17. Envy is a waste of time. We already have all we need.
18. Forget issues of the past. Let go of our partners mistakes of the past. Focus on our present/future happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
20. Make peace with our past so it won’t spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of our happiness except us.
22. Realize that life is a school and we are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons we learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. We don’t have to win arguments. It’s ok to agree to disagree

SOCIETY:
25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything.
28. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is insignificant compared to what you think of yourself.
31. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends & family will. Stay in touch.

LIFE:
32. Do the right thing!
33. Keep only things that are useful, beautiful or joyful.
34. Higher powers heal everything.
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
36. No matter how we feel, get up, dress up, and show up.
37. The best is yet to come.
38. When we awake alive in the morning, be thankful.
39. Our Inner most is always happy. Release your “Inner Happy” on the world every day!

Found on Prana

The Power of Art

There are very few things that have the ability to completely make or break a room like an amazing piece of art. The perfect piece can add dimension, intrigue, and personality to any room.

Here are a few rooms that I think display the power of a proper painting. 

EJ Interiors

Phoebe Howard

South Shore Decorating

Veranda Magazine

Amanda Nisbet Design

 

Happy New Year!

Christmas, celebrations, a cold interrupting my New Year's ball dropping viewing, and finally a new year! 2012 was a good year but I'm pretty excited to see what 2013 has to bring. 

The year could not have ended any better! I don't know about you but I love how full my calendar gets in the month of December from all the social functions that start popping up. Then there's the hype of battling the masses trying to buy Christmas presents (I won't lie I purchased most of mine online), the never ending cookie baking, eating, drinking, etc. Top that off with the 20 Holiday parties that I had to work at the hotel and you have one exhausting but amazing month! 

Since I couldn't go home for Christmas my family decided to rent a house at Wrightsville beach for close to a week and I couldn't have been more thrilled! 

We tend to entertain ourselves when we're together, ever since I can remember we've always called ourselves the Griswalds (after National Lampoon's crazy family!)

In addition to my family being in town I got a call from my boyfriend, who lives 1,400 miles away, telling me that his boss didn't want him to spend Christmas alone so he moved his flight up to arrive on Christmas day. Talk about the best Christmas present ever!!

So needless to say my 2012 ended with a crazy but worthwhile month!  I promise to be back more often with regular blog posts, now that my life will go back to a semi normal pace!
I hope you all had a great holiday!
Happy New Year!