These are a few of my favorite things!

So since there's not much on the home front right now (believe me, it's coming very soon!!!), I thought I'd share some of the things that I've purchased lately that I really enjoyed! This isn't a sponsored post, but I know I love a good recommendation....so you're welcome!

First up, I am a self proclaimed candle hoarder. I probably have 15 in my house right now, and that's not counting the ones I stock piled at Bath & Body Works during their Black Friday sale! #twistedpeppermintforthewin

This candle from Nordstrom is a great price point and has a great throw! We light it for about an hour & and the whole house smells like it. It is very clean, with a sweet, citrus undertone. We are using it now, but I definitely think it will be great going into spring.

Voluspa Elysian

Next, I don't know about you all, but I hate paying for silly things (things that you know your house needs, but just aren't fun). Since we added several new outlets & switches in our house during our rewiring, we have several naked switches. While looking online, I found a small company who has switch plates & outlet covers for less than half the price as your big box stores. Since our house is more retro, we went with the brass switch plates.

Brass Switch Plate

If you know me at all, you know I LOVE IKEA!!! There, now everyone knows & we can move on. My husband will go with me if it is required, and even then I may have to bribe him a lot a little. He really is a sweetheart for putting up with me!

Since our dining room table is more oval than square, round place-mats work best, but they are hard to find. While creating my wishlist at IKEA online, I realized that THEY SHIP! The heavens opened & angels sang! Keep in mind, they aren't the cheapest shippers, but if paying $12 to get things delivered to my doorstep saves my husband's sanity, it is SO worth it. 

The place-mats look very similar to some that I had been eyeing at Pier 1, but they are half the price! Love a look for less! 

IKEA Place-mat

Pier1 Place-mat

Lastly, our house has some not so appealing floors. There isn't necessarily anything wrong with them, but they just aren't our style. Also, having a dog, dirt is always a problem. For us, rugs are the best solution. If you've ever priced rugs before, you know that they definitely are a large investment. 

If you aren't familiar with Etsy, it is made up of small businesses that sell things online. While looking for rug pads, I found Bahar and was SO excited. She is local to SC & has hundreds of rugs to choose from, and most of them are very reasonably priced. I have purchased 2 from her & am pleased so far. She is very quick to respond, answers questions thoroughly, and is all around great to work with! Highly recommend her shop!

Home of Vintage Rugs, Etsy

Ok, I think that's it for now! We have a big DIY weekend coming up, so I'll be sharing all of our completed projects next week!

Praying for snow!

An update & some options

Hi friends! Sorry it's  been such a long time since I shared house updates! We have made a lot of changes that have been small, but nothing really significant. 

I do want to share our dining room progress, and it's probably the most complete room in the house right now. Of course, this room has changed since the picture, but you will get the idea of where we are going. I hope to finish this room this week, so I'll update you once it's complete (please ignore the clutter).


First thing, we got our lovely chandelier hung! 

We were fortunate enough to have this left by the previous owners, but it was in the living room, which didn't work for us "fan loving" people. As pretty as light fixtures are, they just aren't a good choice for us...so it got moved to the dining room, which, oddly enough had a fan in it! :)

I made the curtains, but you can find the fabric via

cloth napkins

Andrew lost his great uncle a few months back. His Uncle Powell (Pally) loved art and beautiful furniture. 

Our dining room table was one of the items we received from Powell. Other than needing some new fabric for the chairs, the table is in excellent shape. Most of the things in the dining room were from Pally's house...even the lovely lemon tree hanging on the wall. That was something that Andrew really wanted, and it actually works nicely in the room.


The bathroom on the main level is right off the dining room. Because of this, it definitely needs a functional door, which it doesn't have right now. Currently it has a bi-fold door that is very difficult to close, and doesn't really close all the way. Also, Milly has figured out how to open it on her own, so that's never a good thing.

Because the bathroom is so tiny to begin with, I hate to make it even smaller with a huge door. I am thinking about doing a barn door of sorts for it instead. Does anyone have experience with this type of door? Do you love it, hate it?

Another thing I'm pondering over is the kitchen! We haven't done much in there as of yet, but it's next on the list. Here is the inspiration photo that I have been crushing on for quite some time (yes, I found it on the Insta).

I really love the cleanliness that white cabinets bring, and the marble tile is gorgeous. Not sure that our budget would allow marble, but maybe some sort of subway tile instead.

But, after browsing pinterest (yes, I should have just stayed off), I realized I really like the look of 2 tones cabinets that are very "in" right now. If I were going to do it, I would definitely to a beige top & navy bottom, like this:

via halcyon style

Who knows?! I'm liable to change my mind the day we start painting.

So that's where we are right now. I hope to really get busy in the kitchen this week and next! 

Best,

Finally making some progress...

Moving day was Saturday, and if I do say so, I did exceptionally well...remembering how our moves have gone in the past. I am a self proclaimed "emotional hoarder". I keep stuff that I honestly don't need for fear that one day I will need it & not have it. Andrew insists that if that day comes, we can just buy another one, but I'd prefer just to store it for years and years.

I also procrastinate big time on how much stuff we actually have, so I am always unprepared for a move. Saturday everyone showed up ready to move boxes of stuff, and I still hadn't packed 50% of the house. Thankfully my parents were gracious enough to pack of the old house for us while we unloaded in the new house. 

After all day working, we needed a break. Our good friend Jennings turned 30 this weekend, so we had a little dinner party to celebrate the milestone. We got to play games, listen to Phish, drink wine, and have too much fun. Exactly what we needed after a crazy moving day. 

And of course, no real party is complete without party hats!

So, as of Sunday, we were ALL moved into our new house (thanks to our amazing movers Blake & Drew). You never really realize how much junk stuff you have...until you move. Thankfully my husband is a minimalist, so it's just me that has to downsize. One of my resolutions for the new year is to live a life that is less "cluttered", so clearing out that garage is top of the list right now.

On to decorating! The bedroom is almost complete (yay)! Being that the room is so neutral, I'm having a hard time finding drapes that I think coordinate. The rug is an ikat pattern, but still neutral tones. Any suggestions would be appreciated! (you can see a snipit of the rug in the second picture)

Find these shams from Sallie, Monograms Etc NC

Side note: Sallie, she is an amazing Etsy shop owner. She will work with you on colors, answers promptly, and is very talented. You will see our napkins that she did when I show you the dining room.

Find this Bedding via Belk, given to us from our "second parents" for our wedding!

I've also been doing some DIY projects while working on moving (I know, I am totally over-committed). Remember the door I showed you all a while back?

This door goes to our pantry, and it was a very sad, hollow wood door with no charm or character. Here she is today, in your updated glory.

Doesn't that look so much better? I still have some minor things to fix, but other than that, she's good to go! And the best part, the whole project only cost about $15. Much better than buying a new door!

In those pictures you can see we have painted the hallway and the lovely yellow wood has now been painted white. It is such an improvement! Can't wait to carry it over into the rest of the kitchen & get rid of the fruity wallpaper!

Later this week I'll share our ideas for the bathroom & kitchen!

Much love!

One week until move in!

So we have officially 6 days to move into our new home, and we still have a LOT to accomplish. 

Since last week, we have gotten so much done, and many things are improving.

First up, we are updating the electrical throughout the house. Our wonderful electrician has given us several things that we previously didn't have. First up, the outside light. When you came to the back porch at night, it is very dark, and there was no light. Problem solved! Also, once you got inside, the closest light switch was across the kitchen, so it was dark in the house for a good 6 steps. We now have a beautiful light port that will house a lovely light (that will hopefully be in this week!).

Next up, the kitchen! The sweet lady that lived in our house wanted everything very close to her so the kitchen was very closed off. Handyman Dad started pulling down anything that wasn't essential in the kitchen (decorative trim, walls, etc). It is so much more open now. Can't wait to paint those cabinets!

The bedroom is starting to really take shape. The lovely border around the top has been removed thanks to my sweet husband & his friend...who both worked very diligently for hours on Saturday doing everything I asked! :)

Notice something lovely? Yes, those are our hardwood floors, which are getting refinished AS WE SPEAK! I cannot wait to see how they turn out. They should be completed this week for the big move in. SO excited. The boys also got the bedroom painted. We still have to do trim & a second coat, but it looks oh so much better. Please ignore the cluttered dining room!

Speaking of dining room, it has been painted & is now housing all the furniture that is playing "musical rooms" until all of our floors are done!

Lastly, the living room. This is what is looked like on Saturday morning:

And here is what is looks like today:

We have removed the drapes and pulled up the carpet! And the biggest surprise of all, there are TWO (2) layers of hardwood floors underneath that carpet! How amazing is that? If the first layer isn't able to be refinished, we can just go to the next layer. Can't wait to share that soon!

Lastly, a little teaser about a project I'm working on. Here is the before:

Check back soon for the after!!!

Best,

Before Pictures

Warning: This post is picture heavy!

This year has already brought so many new things. Andrew & I got married on December 27th, & on January 12th I started a new job (more on that later) and we got our new home!

I use the term "new" very loosely. Of course the house is new to us, but it is actually over 70 years old. It is a very quaint house in a mill village part of Greenville. 

The previous owners moved into the house in the mid 40's & put their heart & soul into it. It is evident that they loved their home, and thankfully they took great care of it. We were lucky enough to purchase it from the original owner's daughter...and she is overjoyed that we see the potential in the home that means so much to her.

The kitchen won't get much updating at the start. We plan to remove the wallpaper, paint the cabinets, & do minor cosmetic changes right now. Our plan is to eventually replace the counters with butcher block, and update the appliances (but for now we pray that they keep trucking along).

The living room is a great shape, and I love the bookcase that is already in place. The previous owner was an antiques dealer & loved collecting knick-knacks. The house is full of shelving that her husband built for her to display her beautiful things. 

This room doesn't need much, so we will paint & add a built-in bookcase near the fireplace (which will eventually function).

We are tearing up the carpet tonight & hoping there are hardwoods that we can use underneath.

The bedroom is a great size and has great closet space. We ripped up the carpet in this room already, and under 4 layers of flooring, we found hardwoods! I may have done a happy dance. Andrew wasn't as impressed, but he will be once they are refinished.

Isn't that border lovely? :)

The rest of the house is going to be updated later. There is a dining room, 2 bathrooms, and 2 more bedrooms.

So there she is, in all her 70's glory! Enjoy the before shots!

Be sure to keep checking back for updates!

And when I have kids...

And when I have kids…

Mama,

As mother’s day approaches, it makes me think about all that you mean to me, and how you have shaped me in to the person I have become.

When I was young I never realized how much better you were than everyone else’s mom. Not that they didn’t have great moms, almost all of them did, but you were just…better.

Growing up, I can’t ever remember a day that you didn’t hug me first thing. Before I could get breakfast, get dressed, brush my teeth, I always got a big hug. And when I have kids, I’m going to do the same thing.

Every night, no matter how busy you had been at work, or what activities you had to take us to, you always cooked us a meal. It was a necessity that you “make” something for us. Drive thru food just wasn’t good enough for your babies. And when I have kids, I’m going to do the same thing.

You had me in every activity I was able to get in. Piano, cheerleading, karate, gymnastics, church, choir, dance…you name it, I did it. And so did Will. You took us to everything and worked a full time job. And never once did you miss anything. If we had a recital, you were there. If we had a school party, you were there. No matter how far away, you were there. Even now as an adult, and living hours away, if I called you and needed you, no questions asked, you’d be in the car before the conversation was over. And when I have kids, I’m going to do the same thing.

You have always given unwavering support to your children. I remember a time when things were not so great and you stood beside me. You never allowed anyone to make me feel bad about myself. You had just the right words to keep my spirit high. And when I have kids, I’m going to do the same thing.

You are faithful and Godly.

You are strong and constant.

You are kind and loving.

You are happy and infectiously humorous.

You are all things good, and my best friend.

God must really think a lot of me to give me someone like you as a mama.

 

Happy Mother’s Day mama! I love you to the moon and back (an infinite amount of times),

Princess Liz

I know...you thought my computer had been kidnapped or something...

But the truth is, I’ve just been so busy with life! And that’s just a great thing!
I know when I originally started the blog it was for entertainment sake. I needed something to keep me busy and somewhere to pour my heart on days when I wasn’t sure if I could handle one more little thing!
So much has happened since I last wrote! I have a dog!!! Millie is preciousness in dog form. She loves everybody, and everybody loves her. She has currently been kidnapped by my parents and I’m beginning to wonder if I’ll ever get her back! Mom and dad adore her. Mom sends me pictures all the time of her, and all the cute doggie things she does!
I’m still accompanying the child prodigies (or would that be children prodigy/gies…heck I don’t know) at church and just love it. We are currently working on a musical about Jonah and boy is it entertaining. The composer did a great job and keeping the true story in tack, but also adding just enough embellishment to keep the kids entertained, as well as the parentals. I love every practice b/c they are just so darn funny. Everyone wants to be the star and everyone thinks they are the best pick for the lead role, duh.
My family is great! Alexa is slowly turning into a regular old teenager even though she’s only 11. Scary scary scary I tell ya. But I know deep down (way way deep) somewhere, that sweet little girl with big hairbows still exists, I just gotta find her and bring her back to the good side, and fast. ϑ
Work is still great! Best job ever and the people are marvelous!
I promise I won’t go this long again without posting! I’m going to be better! Promise!
Do something nice for someone!
Xoxo,
Elizabeth

i know you can relate...

One of my most favorite movies of all time is Father of the Bride. I love this movie for many reasons: Steve Martin (hilarious), weddings (my favorite), Diane Keaton (gloves, adore), and Franc (duh). My most favorite scene out of this movie is the one where George is sent to the store donning his way too tight tuxedo to get buns for hotdogs. He is already so frustrated that when he goes to by buns, he starts taking out the “extra” buns and only taking the ones he needs, and eventually gets arrested.
I understand his frustration in this situation. I know I know. The bun people got together with the hotdog people and said “let’s have fun with this shall we?” and from there our lives just got more and more difficult. I once sat down and figured out how many of each I would have to buy in order to get them to match up. Yes, I really did that. Luckily, it wasn’t but 3 packs of dogs and 2 packs of buns.
Last night we had hotdogs for dinner. I put all 8 hotdogs in the pot (in retrospect, yes I know, silly) and proceeded to cook the baked beans and fries. Everything was bouncing along just peachy when in walked Friend. Here’s how the convo went:
Friend- “is someone else coming to dinner?”
Me- “no why?”
Friend- “well I can only eat 2 hotdogs and I bet you only eat 1, and there are 8 in the pot”
Me- “oh well, I’ll just put them in the fridge”
Now at this point, I thought the picking on me was over. WRONG.
Friend- “wow we have a lot of buns”
Me- “that’s how they come, I can’t take out 4 buns just b/c I only have 8 hotdogs”
Friend- “well no, but they do make 8 packs of buns now, even 10 packs. But 12 is fine is guess”
Me- “I’ve never heard of such a thing. Ugh, go watch TV or something”

Ok, you all know I HATE being wrong. Did they come out with 8 pack buns and I completely missed it?!?
Of course, I want to come back with a rebuttal and tell him he’s wrong! But for some reason I feel I am probably going to be the wrong one. Darn!
We’re half way through the week! Do something nice for someone!

Day 3

Day 03 → Something you have to forgive yourself for.

I cannot thing of one specific thing I need to forgive myself for, b/c most things that I felt bad about doing or saying, I’ve probably already forgiven myself for b/c I hate living in the past. But are there a few things I wish I had done differently, you betcha! So instead, I’ll list those.

1. Being mean to my mom. Of course, we all lose our tempers at our moms at least once in a while. Sometimes when I was younger, I honestly believed my mom’s sole purpose in life was to embarrass me. Or tell me how to do s/thing “her way” when I thought my way was justfinethankyouverymuch! But when I was about 17, I turned into this different person. Not evil, yelly, screamer teenager, but the child who came in, went to my room, shut the door, and didn’t come out. I wanted nothing to do with any of family. All I wanted was to be alone. And all my mom wanted to do was help me and care for me, but I just ignored her. I know it broke her heart. I will never get that year back. I will always look back and wish I hadn’t been such a brat to her. But now, we’re best friends and she knows I love her.
2. Saying ugly things about people and having no remorse. Yes we all gossip, but I can remember saying things about someone that I didn’t “really” mean, but I said in anger and honestly didn’t feel bad about saying it at the time. I look back now on ways I hurt people inadvertently b/c it wasn’t necessarily what I said that was the worst; it was my sucky attitude about what I said.
3. No being a better student. I could have been a straight A student if I had tried. Now anyone that knows me very well knows that I didn’t really care about grades in college. I didn’t apply myself until the last minute, and then I was doggy paddling as fast as I could to keep my head above water. In the end, it worked out for me, but I think if I had of started out on the right foot, I would have done very well.
4. All the times I had the opportunity to help someone less fortunate than me, but didn’t. My mom will tell you I have a tender heart. I care about people. I can’t watch those “adopt a dog” commercials without crying. We once passed a homeless man holding a sign that just said “hungry”. We drove right by him standing in the rain and I started crying my eyes out. I made mom go to the McDonalds drive thru and get him a cheeseburger and apples. We took it back to him, drove right up, and handed it out to him. I felt so good about what I’d done. But now I think about all the people I’ve passed with those signs that I don’t help. I know, maybe he isn’t really hungry, or maybe if I gave him money he’d go out and buy drugs. But who am I to judge him? How many times a week do I go out to eat and spend $25 on a meal, when people all around me are starving?
So there you have it. Not a happy post, but I bet it’s one we all can relate to.
Much love!!!