If I Had a Million Dollars: Touches of Gold

I've noted my newfound love for gold in other posts, and if anything the infatuation is only getting stronger. I constantly find myself looking at things around the house wondering if I can paint them gold - like lamps and curtain rods and bathroom fixtures - and I assure you it doesn't stop there. I suppose I only used to think of gold equaling gaudy jewelry, but it really is a gorgeous and classy neutral, and I'm anxious to bring a few more touches of it into our home. I know I've posted a couple of these exact items in the past, so apologies for that, but I'm still swooning over them so that says something, right?!

lamp  //  bookends  //  cake  //  s&p grinders

gumball machine  // tray  // end table

A few notes about my favorite items above:

I'm not one for expensive furniture, but I genuinely look at this end table every single day lately. Our current end table cost $7 at Ikea, which makes this one at $134 a tough sell for the hubs, but I WILL purchase it the next time I have an extra hundred bucks laying around (Do you like how I say that as if that happens all the time? It does not.)

That gumball machine is next up on my DIY list - that is, as soon as I get my hands on a regular old school red one and a can of glittery spray paint. I'm embarrassingly obsessed with this project. 

And finally, I know a big giant cake covered in metallic frosting is hardly something for the home, but a certain someone has a birthday coming up (yay me!) and I've decided that along with spending times with friends and dinner at a restaurant off of my "must-try" list, a gold cake is a necessity (hint hint, hubs). :)

Chop Chop

After the bestie's wedding, I decided it was time to chop my hair that was in dire need of a refresh. It was longer than I've had it in ages, and although I had completely mastered curling it with my flatiron it was getting stringy and gross at the ends and desperately needed a real cut instead of just a trim. I went to the only girl I trust around home to cut it and ended up chopping off nearly 6 inches! Realizing that I literally know NOTHING about doing my hair outside of the aforementioned curling, the stylist was sweet enough to teach me how to properly use a curling iron for that perfect loose waves look I'm always going for. I was in love.

Now I'm smart enough to know that I will NEVER get my hair to look as good as it did that day on my own, but I was super excited when I stumbled on The Small Things Blog (thanks Pinterest!) and her abundance of tutorials for shoulder length hair. I've got a hot date (hehe, get it?) with my brand spanking new curling iron this weekend and I won't call it a night until I've got this wavy thing down pat. 

What are your plans for the weekend? The forecast is calling for sun, sun and more sun, and I cannot wait to spend lots of time outside and with friends. Happy Friday!

The View

I feel like all I've blogged lately is excuses for why I'm not blogging... and looking back on my last several posts, I can't deny that fact. My latest excuse? I am just so. darned. tired. With the new job, I now have to leave the house every day at the time I used to wake up, which for a sleep-lover like myself has been quite the adjustment. I of course have yet to learn to go to bed earlier to balance out getting up earlier, but I'll get there. Maybe.

I'm adjusting much better at the new job this week thanks to being healthy again, and I am loving that I spend hours every day talking about printing techniques, paper, illustrations and design. The work itself is SO up my alley, and now that I'm getting to know some people I'm feeling a million times better about leaving Upshot to go somewhere where I didn't know a soul. I still miss my Upshot friends like woah, but I'm also excited for the new opportunities and new friendships that are ahead of me.

And get this, my desk is next to 2 giant windows. I can see SUNLIGHT. During the day! I still have to bring in a few goodies from my old desk to spruce up my space a bit, but I couldn't be happier to be by a window.

I found out over Thai food today that half of my department read this little blog here before I started last week, so this is for them:  So far, I like every single one of you. For real. But I'll keep you posted on if there's someone I decide I don't like, per our lunch conversation today ;).

I'm Back

Well I'm no healthier than I was earlier in the week (womp womp), and was so exhausted yesterday that the hubs and I spent the majority of the day laying around at home. We ventured out to the golf club with FIL for a couple of hours, but after lunch and a little sun we called it a day and headed home long before seeing any fireworks. While the 4th of July isn't my all-time favorite holiday or anything, I think I was pretty much born to hang out on the grass listening to music and eating BBQ, so I was a little bummed at our decision to stay in most of the day, regardless of the fact that it was probably the best thing either of us could have decided to do for our health. But missing the fireworks was kind of the final straw for me, and after spending the last several days moping around about being sick I figure its about time I snap myself out of it and just accept that I'll get better when my body is ready to. What better way to start feeling a little more peppy than to do a bunch of virtual wish-listing? ;) As usual, the collection of things I'm lusting over is across the board - ranging from a cheeky sweatshirt to kitchen stools from my mecca (Target, duh) that I have absolutely no use for but feel like I should buy for a future house because they are that perfect (and that affordable). Here's a roundup of fun little things I've got my eye on.

wifey sweatshirt  //  abstract pillow  //  zebra pillow

skin shammy  //  bracelet  //  keychain

wedge sandal  //  tic-tac-toe  //  industrial stool

A First Time for Everything

When I was a kid, I spent a good majority of my time with my brother, my best friend Mary Rose, and my cousin Allie. They were the people I was around the most often, and I swear I'm not exaggerating when I say that between the 3 of them, I was probably exposed to strep throat a solid dozen times a year. Now mind you I got sick plenty often on my own, but I somehow never ever had strep, no matter how many times it was being coughed right into my face (you're welcome for that visual). As an adult, every time I have a sore throat I get super annoyed when I go to the doctor and they insist on shoving that damn q-tip strep test down my throat because every single time I tell them "It's not strep. I know I have all the symptoms of strep. But it's not strep. I have never had strep." And every time, the doctor ends up doing the test anyways, and then saying "Hmm, that's interesting. You don't have strep." To which I say my 4 favorite words: I TOLD YOU SO.

Anyways. Fast forward to this past weekend, which was just about the best weekend in the entire world with Bridget and Aris' absolutely incredible wedding extravaganza (more on that later). I felt kinda blah Friday night but figured it was nerves (yeah I know, I wasn't even the bride, but I was in charge of setting up the entire outdoor ceremony and reception and wanted every single detail to be perfect for my bestie). Bridget sent me to bed early and I slept like a rock and strolled down to her room in my pajamas to join the hair and makeup party in the morning. Outside of some minor panicking about the weather, I felt fine most of the day, but realized during the reception that I was insanely exhausted - even more so than usual. By Sunday morning I knew I was getting sick, but kept my hopes up that the way I was feeling was due to a hangover, lack of sleep and more nerves about starting the new job on Monday. When I went to bed Sunday night, I knew I was screwed, and by Monday morning when I had to get up bright and early for my first day at the new gig my throat was on fire, my glands were swollen and I felt run down and generally like crap. The hubs sent me straight to the clinic after work where I proceeded to tell the doctor that regardless of how bad my throat hurt I have never had strep and if she really wants to do the test I guess that's fine but it's going to be negative. As usual, she insisted on the q-tip choking regardless of what I said, and as usual I sat there waiting for her to tell me the test was negative and I just need some R&R.

Wrong.

The test was positive. I have strep throat. For the first time in my life. During the first few days at a new job where I want to make a good impression and I don't have sick days yet. PERFECT TIMING.

So, apologies once again for my boring and sporadic blogging these days, but my couch is my current best friend and I've done a whole lot of nothing outside of curling up with a blanket and whining about how I feel after work. I've got a house to clean, 2 wedding invitation designs to crank out, lots to learn about the new job and an inbox full of personal emails to catch up on... but for now I'm going to watch the chick flick the awesome hubs just went and rented for me and go to bed early. Fingers crossed for a swift recovery and feeling back to normal soon!