Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Stylish Blogger Award!


This is the third time you lovely ladies have graced me with this award, twice of which have been in the past few days!  I feel honored that someone actually enjoys reading my little slice of blogland!  
I had every intention of fulfilling the requirements of accepting this award the previous times, but it seemed like something always came up and then a week or so would pass and I just never got it done. 
So now I'm definitely taking the time to get-er-done!
So thank you to A Pretty Haute Mess for selecting me this last time!  
Also a special thanks to Ashly at MoonWalk for also passing this along to me this week!

The rules are as Follows:
1}  Select 10 blogs and pass along the award
2}  Share 7 random FAQ's about yourself



So here goes, I am passing this award along to these 10 fabulous blogs:


And now 7 random facts about me:
1} I NEED coffee in the morning...no I mean I REALLY NEED COFFEE, I can not function, don't talk to me without my coffee in the morning!
2}  I changed my degree three times in College! 
3} I have a wonderful 10 year old nephew and will have a new niece AND a new nephew in less than two months!  Yes two sisters are preggers! I am one proud Auntie!
4}  I have a shoe problem! I could die happy with a great pair of Kate Spade or Tory Burch shoes!
5} I am the manager of a high end shoe boutique....hence the shoe problem....
6} I have the most wonderful boyfriend Josh, who is also my best friend!  
7} I am always saying, I CAN MAKE THAT!

I hope you all go check out these wonderful blogs, they are chock full of inspiration!

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Playing with my new toy!


My new sewing machine showed up the other day and I think I may be in love.  This babe is soooooooo much easier to use than the ancient beast I had been sewing with!  It practically sews by itself!  Anyway, I pulled it out and gave my new toy a spin today.  I made these lovely navy and coral pillows out of stain resistant indoor/outdoor fabric, perfect for everyday use!  I think the client is going to love them!













Twenty-Eleven Resolutions.


I have been completely absent from the blog for a little while now, well not COMPLETELY, but it has certainly felt like it!
  As I mentioned in my last post, I have been trying to get over being sick and every time I thought I was getting better it would reappear with a vengeance in a day or so...bleh.  I think now though I am finally over whatever it was! Whew!

On to more pleasant things, I hope everyone had a great beginning to the new year, can you believe it is 2011!  Really were did the last year go?  AND three months of the blog has come and gone!  I am so thankful for all the encouragement and kind thoughts from so many of you out there!  I can't say THANK YOU enough!  I've had a blast sharing all my lasted projects with you, and can't wait to show you what I have up my sleeve for the coming year!
  I really do need to start a projects list, instead of trying to keep it all together in my head! I am forever making lists, then loosing the list.......  THIS leads me to the one BIG (and for me it is a whopper, no I really mean this is HUGE for me) new years resolution I am going to make. 
 Here it is......
My twenty eleven resolution, is to become more organized, to clean out what is not used or needed, to not buy things I really don't need (especially clothes!), and to maintain a more orderly home.....well actually, a more orderly apartment.
 You see Josh and I live in only 600 sq feet, honestly it is a bit smaller than that, I believe our apartment only rings in at 589 sq feet!  Squeezing two people into our tiny little place is not easy, but it's home.  We have some great extra's though, like a fully equipped  gym, indoor pool and sauna, and my personal favorite a little outdoor patio, which I fill with fresh veggies, herbs and flowers in the spring!
So I'm hoping to make our little space for efficient by adding some storage solutions....not sure what that is going to be yet, but something; downsize from our hand me down,  greatly oversized  living room furniture will be a huge help and really is the first place I need to start.  It is much to big for the space, so no new storage can be added until be get something smaller!  A new sofa is at the very top of the list.  This will help tremendously in creating a cleaner more streamlined look for our living area!  I see a trip to Ikea in our future perhaps.
I'm thinking the Kivik Sofa in white may be just what I'm looking for.


I would LOVE to make it a sectional, but unfortunately we just do not have the space.  A trip to Homegoods may just be in order to find a lovely little side chair.


Anyway, I have gotten a little off topic.  But I feel changing out some of our oversized furniture for items that fit our space better will really help in creating a less cluttered feeling space.  We will also be able to fit a few more book cases or floating shelves into the space to help with storage.   
That reminds me I never did update you  guys on the results of The Great Clean-out, which was inspired by Young House Love and their desire to get rid of 100 items before they moved.  Well if you remember I wanted to also get rid of 100 items before the year ended.  Alas, I took no photos and so have none to share with you, but we came in well over 100 items!  
This is what we donated to Goodwill
3 Over flowing trash bags full of clothes and several pairs of shoes. ( some of them still had the tags on them, hence the resolution to only buy things I need or know I will use)
40+ books that had been over flowing our bookshelves 
1 old Tv
Several pots and pans that we just didn't use
2 old mis-matched but working lamps that we had no home for
30+ cds or vhs tapes that were again over flowing the bookcases
We also condensed all of our DVD collection into books, so we tossed 150+ cases, which allowed us to empty an entire bookcase;  which now holds neat little boxes of fabrics and art supplies.   So that was a good start to help me out with my New Years resolution, but it was only a start!  Still so much more to do!  What about you, what would you like to accomplish this year?



Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Giveaway Winner!



You will have to forgive me for this post being a little late, but I have been terribly sick the last few days and just really have not had the energy to blog! 
I've spent the last couple of days lounging around trying to feel better, and doing a little online shopping myself!  I actually just bought this sewing machine from CSN, can't wait for it to get here!  




I've been using a super old one that I borrowed from my mom, and its on its last legs!  The stitching keeps coming out all wonky!  So I can't wait to see how this one works!

Anyway, I know you all are wondering about the winner to the giveaway, which I chose very scientifically.....closed my eyes, had Josh scroll down the screen till I said stop, then pointed......so where did my finger land you ask......drumroll please.......
It landed on this comment from Tanya,

Don't know if my last comment just posted but I wanted to say that I love reading your blog, it gives me so much inspiration! Keep up the good work girly : )
December 21, 2010 10:24 PM
Congrats!
 Email me Tanya and I will send you the info!

Sunday, December 26, 2010

we are completely snowed in!



Typically when snow is  forecasted for the south eastern edge of Virginia where I live, we don't get anything!
Well, I guess they got it right this time!  Because we have about 12 or so inches outside our door!
It started yesterday afternoon and still has not stopped!  
I grew up in Maine, so I LOVE seeing the white stuff, and just can't believe we actually had a White Christmas!










I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!
I'll be back to regular postings soon.
Oh and don't forget to join my CSN Giveaway!

Friday, December 24, 2010

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!

Coca Cola image

Wishing everyone out there a WONDERFUL Holiday!




P. S.  I'll be back to regular postings after the Holidays!
Don't forget to join my CSN giveaway, which is going on until Wednesday, December 29th!

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Christmas Cookies



I did a few trial batches of cookies today!
We just got a new oven, so I've been testing it out on some cookies.
I found a delicious sugar cookie recipe on A Little Lovely!








I still have lots more to make!  The recipe made a  huge batch! But these things are gonna disappear quick, they are simply delicious! 


Don't forget to enter my Giveaway for  a chance to win a CSN gift certificate!
You have until Wednesday, December 29th!

Monday, December 20, 2010

Csn Giveaway!



waaaahoo!.....another giveaway!

I was recently contacted by the wonderful people at CSN about hosting a giveaway, and I am SO excited to be able to offer one lucky  follower a $35 gift certificate to any of the CSN Stores!

They are a fabulous online store that carries just about anything you can think of.  It was one of the first places Josh and I started looking for a TV STAND  when we recently upgrade our TV, and need a bigger more functional place to put it.
They have over 200+  Stores, and carry everything from bedding, cookware, rugs, lighting, household appliances.. and......well that list could go on and on!  Just go check them out for yourself!
Here are a few examples of some of their lovely wares!









One lucky follower of a A {Blonde's} DIY life will win a $35 Gift Certificate to spend in any of the CSN Stores!

Here's how you can enter:

 1.  Become a follower of A {Blonde's} DIY Life and leave a comment, or if you are already a follower.....just leave a comment.
2.  For an additional chance to win, become a follower of A {Blonde's} DIY Life on twitter AND
 tweet about my giveaway,  come back here and leave an additional comment letting me know you did.  If you are already a follower on twitter, just tweet about the my giveaway, and leave a comment letting me know you did!

It's as easy as that!

The Giveaway will be open until Wednesday, December 29!
 I will announce a winner that afternoon!



Sunday, December 19, 2010

All Wrapped Up in Ribbons and Bows.....


I don't know about you all, but around here all the getting ready for the Holidays has not left alot of time for completing DIY projects!  Mainly because this past week has been filling with wrapping all the gifts purchased the previous weeks!  One of my favorite parts of Christmas is wrapping everything up in gorgeous paper and bows!



























I found all this fabulous wrapping paper at TjMaxx.  It's so nice and thick!  I hate when you buy a great looking role of paper and it so thin you can see through it!   The red embossed croc is my favorite!  It's so chic, I bought it in a few colors!

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