Currently Loving...

I am all kinds of messed up with my days this week so I totally missed confessions yesterday. Plus yesterday was my first day moving into some new responsibilities at work so I was gearing up for that on Tuesday night, and just....yeah.

Lots of changey things going on. Good things, but some things are so up in the air right now and we know how well I deal with that. Really having to lean on God right now and trust Him for the outcome. I know He's got this, I just have to remind myself of that fact from time to time.

So anyways....

That was the long-winded intro to the fact that I thought instead of confessions this week I would do a little currently loving fun.

+ White jeans...even if I do spill something on them every time I wear them.

+ Florida life.

+ Frozen coffee drinks.

+ That "I just finished a workout and I barely made it through but I feel like a BEAST" moment.

+ Seeing the joy and beauty in everday life.

+ Gold. I can't get enough. Gold, gold, gold. I think I have a problem. And I use to hate gold and  
   would only wear silver jewelry. What is happening?

+ My birthday month is upon us! I will be 32 in about two weeks and I have decided that being 32 is
   going to be totally awesome. #30(2)andflirtyandthriving #namethatmovie

+ Goofy selfies

What are you currently loving?

 

Weekend Recap: Memorial Day Weekend

Happy Tuesday folks! I am riding the struggle bus today, it's always hard to come back to work after a three day weekend. My words will be short and sweet today, but I do have some pics to share, obvi. 

On Friday night we stayed in, ordered pizza and crashed. Saturday was running errands, nothing much to report there. 

Sunday morning I made waffles and bacon for breakfast and then we headed down to St. Augustine for a bit. 

We had lunch at Cruiser's, our favorite burger spot. 

And made faces at my phone for pictures- for this one we couldn't actually see the screen since there was a bad glare from the sun. So we just made a face and hoped for the best. It's pretty much my favorite pic of the weekend. We just look so darn sassy. 

Then took pictures of my paleness. I'm pretty sure I frightened small children with my ghostly qualities. #peachesandcream

I.....don't know. Adam was making faces at me and waiting for me to do something picture worthy so this is what I did.

Pretty mosaics going into the visitor center:

We took the scenic route back home, all the way down A1A, and enjoyed looking at all of the pretty houses and oceanfront property and dreaming about how nice it would be to have a place right on the ocean someday. I wouldn't want to live on the ocean year-round, but a nice little vacation cottage would be lovely. 

On Monday Adam had to work and I cleaned the house, then we had friends over for dinner. Adam made his famous chicken and ribs. 

And I made Strawberry Shortcake with fresh-made whipped cream. YUMMM. 

And that just about does it for me! How was your weekend? 

Our Gallery Wall

So I started seeing a lot of these things called "Gallery Walls" on the Pinterest a while ago, and I pretty much fell in love instantly. I loved the varied sizes and shapes, the really personal touches and funky pieces, and the eclectic feel.

The decor in our house I would describe as "classic eclectic" if that makes any sense. We have lots of dark wood, leather, and granite, a lot of classic pieces. But we also have some funky stuff, like vintage bakery signs, toys, and brightly colored details.

So I felt like a gallery wall with some pictures and some prints in different sizes, shapes, and colors (without going too crazy) would go well with the feel of our home.

I started gathering a few pieces we already had that I knew I wanted to feature, which was great because not only did I get to finally use some pictures that I had been wanting to hang for some time, it also cut down on the amount of money I had to spend, so a definite win-win!

For the prints and pictures that needed frames, I actually went to the dollar store and got everything I needed for less than $10! For the pictures that needed matting, I used scrapbooking paper I already had in different colors and patterns, and cut them to the size of the frames.

If you need to print some of your pictures, try Shutterfly. They are pretty reasonable, and they have special deals from time to time. They were running a special for a free calendar so I ordered the pictures I wanted in the calendar, cut them out of the calendar, and voila! Free prints. I just had to pay shipping!

So the moral of the story is that you don't have to spend a fortune to create a lovely and meaningful gallery wall.

Some tips I picked up:

1. Start out by deciding what look you are going for. Do you want a more eclectic feel with varied shapes, sizes, colors, and types of wall hangings? Or do you prefer a more uniform look?

2. Determine what you can use from what you already have around your home- pictures you've been wanting to hang, original artwork by you and/or your children, keepsakes and mementos, etc. There really is no "right" or "wrong" way to do it, it's whatever reflects your family and home best!

3. Supplement what you have with pieces you love, whether found online or in a store. There are tons of great free printables online, or you can find some varied and unique pieces in gift shops, antique shops, thrift stores, and more.

4. Don't be afraid to use frames you already have or buy cheap ones at the dollar store- typically in a  gallery wall the frames aren't the focus, so they don't have to be super expensive to get the job done.

5. DO NOT start hammering nails into the wall until you figure out the layout you want! Take pieces of paper cut to the size and shape of each piece and tape them on the wall (with painter's tape) in different arrangements until you get the one you like. This will save you a bunch of extra holes in the wall!

Have you ever done a gallery wall? Do you have any tips to share?

A Hot Southern Mess

Confessions + Last Day to Enter the Giveaway!

*Don't forget to enter the giveaway below!*

+ I've heard a lot of people say they threw their scale away and no longer use it because it can be a pretty poor measure of your progress, and it can make you too focused on a number that may or may not be an accurate indicator. Which I totally agree and I totally get.

BUT. (Here's my big butt, I mean the big but)

For me there is nothing that gives me a better kick in the pants when I've gotten off track than my scale. I can make all kinds of excuses for why my pants feel tighter, but when I see a certain number on that scale, I KNOW I need to cut the crap and get back to work. Maybe someday I'll get to the place where I don't need the scale for accountability, but right now I feel like I do. #ICan'tQuitYou

+ Sometimes my naturally wavy/curly hair gets on my nerves but lately I'm pretty much loving it because I wash it, throw in some gel or some sea salt spray and I'm good to go. I'm averaging straightening my hair about once a week these days. #lazy

#flawless

+ This could be because I keep hitting snooze in the mornings and giving myself about 10 minutes to get ready. #sleepwins

+ Does anyone else just start randomly cackling while scrolling through Pinterest and finding stuff like the meme above and your husband just looks at you like: 

+ This week has been a little more cake business heavy and I'm finding it much harder to keep up with multiple cake jobs now that I have a separate full time job. It's pretty much wearing me out. #ICan'tHang

+ Y'all. I think the plants and stuff are seriously trying to kill me this year. My allergies are SO bad. Why does nature hate me???

You should confess with us because it's really therapeutic. 

Don't forget about the Chloe and Isabel Giveaway! Today is the last day to enter! 

1. Can you tell us a little about Chloe + Isabel?
The Chloe + Isabel Brand was inspired by a concept we call "The Friendship Philosophy" - the idea of two best friends with different personalities and styles, united by their passion for style and self-expression. Chloe and Isabel are names that represent the two personalities we see in our customers, our Merchandisers, and ourselves.
“Chloe” is a fearless fashionista, always in search of the season’s hottest trends, while “Isabel” appreciates, above all, timeless, beautifully-crafted pieces. Whether you're a Chloe, an Isabel, or a Chloe-bel (that's a bit of both!), we are a destination for all women!

2. What made you decide to start working with Chloe + Isabel? 
I decided to start working with Chloe + Isabel because I'm not completely fulfilled in my current position and I was looking for another way to generate income and see where building a business would take me. I hosted an online party with my friend who is a merchandizer for Chloe + Isabel. My party did very well and I got free jewelry. I love fashion & jewelry so it just made sense.

3. What are your favorite pieces?
The c+i jewelry is awesome. Some of the really nice features are that all pieces are hypoallergenic, nickel-free, and lead safe. We offer a lifetime replacement and 30-day money back guarantee on every piece. From timeless to fashion-driven, our pieces start at just $18. They have a really unique concept called convertibles, where the pieces are multifunctional.

Some of my favorite pieces are Bouquet Rouge Double Pendant Necklace, Gilded Reeds Aventurine Long Pendant, Heirloom Tortoise Link Necklace, Color Code Crystal Bracelet, Starburst + Seed Pearl Long Pendant

4. What advice do you have to give to someone who is considering getting started in a venture like C + I? 
Feel free to reach out to me! I would love to answer any questions you may have. I would definitely recommend this company and opportunity to anyone who is looking for a little more financial freedom and would also love a few new piece of lifetime guaranteed jewelry.

If you just want to purchase some beautiful jewelry, visit my boutique!

____

Today along with some of my favorite bloggy friends are giving away a pair of the gorgeous teeny tortoise stud earrings! These are the CUTEST studs (I might have to order a pair for myself)!

Hosted by Beautiful Things | Katie Elizabeth | Grace Makes New | The New Mrs.

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