home dreams

Love the One You're With

2012-02-28T13:23:00.000-06:00

LOVE - just in time to finish off February!

I got this great idea from a blog I read almost daily. The point is to share a space or object in your home that you are truly proud of or really enjoy. I think too often we all, me included, get wrapped up in what's in magazines and what celebrities have in their homes, and we lose focus of the small spaces in our own lives that make us happy. I have lots of little things in my current apartment to share, but I hope to be able to share pictures of other people's spaces too; so start thinking - I may ask YOU!!

I am gearing up to move, but there are a few little things that I captured over the weekend that I love about my apartment. They are nothing extraordinary, but they make my room more cozy and homey nonetheless.

(Please excuse the low quality pictures)

This is a set of three trivet-like wood decorations I got from a yard sale when I lived in Atlanta. I love the detailed carvings and most of all the weathered look of each one. Even better is they are not matchy-matchy in shape. The farthest one is an octagonal shape, a square, and a circle. I hope to paint these and reuse them when I move.

Another great thrift store find! My mom scoped these out one weekend when we were searching for apartment decorations. They were such a deal because (although you can't tell from this picture) they are both about 24x36 in size, so they make a prominent statement, especially when grouped together. Botanical prints are very popular now, so they are hard to come by, let alone pricey! The muted browns, tans, greens, and whites all work perfectly with my current bedroom colors.

       Lastly is this great leaner mirror. (I refused to take a bigger picture that reflected my unmade bed or pile of laundry, I mean . . . ) It was a little addition to my room, but it made a huge difference. It was the first time that I have upgraded from what I call a dorm room mirror. The kind that is tall and skinny and works perfectly stuck to the back of a door. This one is much wider, can sit on the floor, and has a substantial frame.
       I also love the brushed bronze finish. To me, this kind of finish works with darker tones in a room without being too masculine.
       For a similar mirror try: Kirkland's Home 36x67

There are many more things I love about my space, but I'll save a few to share later.

So, what do you love about your home???

A Day of Sweets

2012-02-14T10:16:00.000-06:00

Happy Valentines Day Everyone!

I hope everyone has big plans today. I wish you were all here to share these homemade goodies with me:

Some HEARTfelt sugar cookies for all of the sweet guys in my life

and a tasty batch of CHERRY swirl brownies for the sweet tooths in my office!

And my favorite kind of sweet: design!

My roommate found this picture that pretty much sums up everything I want in my apartment style: kelly green, weathered furniture, a graphic print, glass jars, neutral palette, feminine curtains - pure love for sure!

And stay tuned for a regular design post I hope to do on LOVING your own home.

Thanks for reading!

Love you guys!

"I might have to wait, I'll never give up

I guess it's half timing, and the other half's luck

Wherever you are, whenever it's right

You'll come out of nowhere and into my life"

- Michael Buble, Haven't Met You Yet

Home (Apartment) Dreams Coming True!

2012-02-13T13:32:00.001-06:00

Exciting news - I'm getting a new apartment! Like anyone who gushes over interior design magazines and catalogs, I am beyond excited for the chance to move into an apartment with blank walls and empty space!

Needless to say, planning out what I want to do in a new apartment is filling up my Pinterest decorating boards fairly quick. I am also quickly learning what my style is and what I love in terms of design. I'll share a few things over the next few days and weeks that are starting to become themes on my pin boards.

1. KELLY GREEN 

I love this as an accent color in a room full of neutrals or paired with a light blue or crisp whites. I'm even finding that I like larger pieces of furniture, like cabinets and hutches in a weathered kelly green finish.

Thanks for reading!!

Happy 2012!!

2012-01-05T11:16:00.000-06:00

Happy 2012 to everyone!!

I'm off to a slow start because of a new years cold, but nevertheless I couldn't be more excited for the start of a new year! Maybe it's my OCD-list-making-type-A-personality, but I love the idea of starting everything over on a fresh slate. Mentally, I feel like I can let go of anything that I didn't accomplish in the past year and look forward to more aspirations and motivation in the new year.

That said, I feel like this is going to be a great year! I am coming off the natural high of having spent time with so many friends and family that I love over the holidays, and my new phone is the ultimate motivation to organize my life into one convenient little digital, hand-held life planner. Not to mention I will be 25 this year!!! Blame it on the OCD again, but there is something exciting to me about reaching a quarter of a century - - - seems pretty important to me!

Well, I haven't made concrete resolutions this year, but one of my personal goals is to devote more time to writing, photography, and blogging. Hopefully I will be able to pour more into this little blog and really focus in on my interest in interior design and everything else inspirational.

I know my passion for design is still there because of the overwhelming joy I got out of finding these little gems in our office mail on the first day back:

West Elm


Design Within Reach

Pottery Barn

Birmingham Home & Garden

Birmingham Magazine
I mostly love this for the fun graphic layout and fonts. I'm excited to see where the new management takes this magazine in 2012.

I hope your new year is off to a great start. Check back often for great blogging in 2012!!

"We're live!"

2011-12-15T15:09:00.000-06:00

This morning our whole office got an email with that message - meaning after months of hard work by my co-workers, we finally have a brand new, fabulous, website!!!!

Check it out! www.architectureworks.com

Be sure to look at the PEOPLE page under FOUNDATION. I was able to put my photography skills to use and take everybody's picture for their profiles!

Playing Catch Up

2011-12-14T09:00:00.000-06:00

Busy! Busy! Busy! The weeks since my last major post in November have flown by. It is that time of year where everything seems to be in fast forward, but I love having a busy schedule, getting a lot accomplished, and spending time with people I love. So what exactly have I been up to . . .

UGA beat AU - bragging rights for a year at the office! No SEC title, but we put up a good (first half) fight against LSU!

Mom came to town! It is always so nice to have visitors and it seems like every time she comes to town there is a lot of productivity, shopping, decorating, good food, and all around fun minus checkbook balancing ;). I love having her here and always hate to see her go!

Mom walking through the Moss Rock Festival

Decorating the Children's Hospital Tree - Every year our firm partners with Books-A-Million to decorate a tree for the Children's Hospital. I headed up the decorating for the second year in a row and got to put together the tree with a few co-workers. (Thanks Mom for picking out all of the great decorations and being such a big help that weekend!) It's always so fun to see the little patients pass our tree and point out their favorite Christmas books - it warms my heart!!

I finished my photography classes! Hopefully blogging will make me stick to practicing regularly. I always have my ever-talented photographing brother to teach me more too! I'm hoping to take more classes in the Spring - possibly Graphic Design or Marketing-related.

A lot of my time was spent doing more party planning; I could get used to that! I was asked to help pull together last minute decorations for a young adult church conference. The theme was "Under Construction - Building Your Talents and Testimony," so me and an amazing group of people from church pulled some long nights and made awesome decorations out of little more than duck tape and poster board. The crane was not my idea, but it really made the dance look great! I was thoroughly impressed with what we pulled off.

Construction-themed food table

I think the crane turned out pretty neat - all paper and cardboard!

Some of the Birmingham people in front of the fun little photo booth backdrop.

Baking for the office - My own little twist on a boxed cake: Raspberry Chocolate Cake: Sometimes I surprise myself with my baking 'skills.'

Fall party with my Southern Progress girls! I had tried a great Pumpkin Stew a few weeks ago at a church luncheon and really wanted to try it out for myself. It doesn't take much to get these girls together for a little recipe testing and dinner party - complete with plenty of gossip and Birmingham-To-Do-List-Creating. My sweet little pumpkin that Mom bought while she was in town (thanks Mom!), while it looks sad, tasted absolutely delicious!!!

Auburn Football - I survived. Somehow just a week after cheering on the Dawgs as they beat Auburn Between the Hedges, I managed to survive using the office football tickets and going to the Samford v. Auburn game. My roommate Kimberly came with me and made sure I was decked out in just enough orange and blue that I didn't get nauseous from the near-Gator colors. I have to admit - it was pretty fun to be at another SEC football game - it seems like it's been so long! Not to mention - rolling Toomber's Corner is kind of a fun tradition. No worries - it only lasted a day - I'm back to bleeding Red & Black!!!

Thanksgiving in the mountains!!! I can't tell you enough how much I love being around my family. We may get on each others nerves from time to time, but as far as families go, I am pretty fortunate to be related to a group of people who work hard, and play even harder. We were fortunate enough to be able to spend Thanksgiving in the house my sister-in-law grew up in. It's tucked away in North Georgia and made for a great, unplugged, relaxing, weekend with the family. We ate a lot, played a lot of games, attempted a lot of crafting, and snuggled up around the fire. Mostly we just sat around and gossiped while the boys did projects around the house - it was perfect! Not to mention a day trip to go ziplining!!!! See a great overview here.

Gearing up for Christmas! I already have an ever-growing to-do list to mark off with my Southern Progress girls - from Christmas movies at the old Alabama Theater, to ice skating, and tours of homes - I'm ready to get shopping and decorating underway too!

I'm sure there is so much more I'm missing, but hopefully that gets me caught up for the most part!

Words to Live By . . .

2011-12-05T11:46:00.001-06:00

"The secret to success is to do common things uncommonly well."

- john d. rockefeller -

It looks like I've become a monthly blogger lately. The last few weeks have been so busy and pretty overwhelming at that. I am trying to catch up and simply do the 'common things' well. I have an update post, complete with pictures, that's almost done!

It's still hard for me to believe that it's already December!!!

Words to Live By . . .

2011-11-11T11:39:00.001-06:00

"Glory, glory to ole’ Georgia. Heroes have graced the field before you. Men with hearts, bodies and minds of which the entire Bulldog Nation can be justifiably proud. The tradition of unbridled excellence demonstrated by these individuals and many others spans more than a full century. And now a new breed of Bulldog stands ready to take the field of battle. To assume the reigns of their Georgia forebearers. To continue that tradition. Understanding that there is no tradition more worthy of envy. No institution worthy of such loyalty as the University of Georgia. As we prepare for another meeting between the hedges let all the Bulldog faithful rally behind the men who now wear the red and black with two words. Two simple words that express the sentiments of the entire Bulldog Nation…GO DAWGS!” - Larry Munson

A little treat I made for my office full of die-hard Auburn fans. The bet is whichever team loses has to Call the Dawgs in front of the entire office. Let's hope the Dawgs win!!!!!!!!!!!

Words to Live By

2011-11-04T10:37:00.000-05:00

"He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home."

— Goethe

Photography Class Homework - Week 3

2011-11-01T18:00:00.000-05:00

Week 3

Assignment: Shutter Speed

I was extremely nervous about this week's assignment. Most of the classes I have been able to get by on a wing and a prayer and a little basic knowledge of the camera mechanics. However, the topic of shutter speed has been something that I have had a really hard time grasping.

I am anxious to find a day or afternoon where I can really sit down with the camera and find out what works and what doesn't. Until then, I'm just going to have to wing it and hope that my basic knowledge produces decent pictures for class.

Since fall has been absolutely beautiful in Alabama, I was thrilled when my friends Madoline and Hannah asked me to go on a hike with them at Oak Mountain State Park. All of the pictures are from our 7-mile, Saturday morning hike. (Madoline's sweet dog Mollie was such a good model for me too!)

This was the "side trail" we took to check out an overlook. Needless to say, it was a very steep hike!

You can barely see her because she blends in with the freshly fallen leaves, but that's Miss Mollie running towards us down the path.

And here's my sweet model again. I tried to freeze the motion of the water and her tongue by adjusting the shutter speed.

As always, it's a work in progress, but I love trying out different angles and slowly incorporating all of the things I'm learning. I'll have a few more pictures from our hike tomorrow!

Party Planner in Training: Fall

2011-11-01T00:31:00.001-05:00

I've decided that Fall is my absolute favorite time of the year! I love the cool weather, the vibrant colors of nature, the SEC football, the holidays with family and friends, the textures of absolutely everything, the warm delicious food, the soft and snugly clothes, bonfires, flannel sheets, the list goes on and on . . . .mmmmmmm!

So last week as the weather got cooler, I started to feel like our office needed a little Fall cheer. I decide to try out some cute little acorn snacks I saw on Pinterest - Hershey kisses, mini Nutter Butters, and baking chocolate chips - de-lish-ous!!

Also, since I spend more of my day at work than I do at home, I decide to dress up my desk/ the front desk with pretty yellow mums and a few pumpkins. My co-workers tend to gather around the center table for lunch, meetings, chit-chat, etc, so I thought that I might be able to talk them into some pumpkin decorating too, so I bought a few of those as well.

Last, but not least, in my best Southern charm and hospitality I put out this note with all of the goodies. The best part? I had a doctor's appointment and was able to sneak in and put everything out and be gone when everyone else arrived!!


Paula would be proud

Be careful - you might find yourself hoarding these away at your desk!

I added some twigs to the mums for height and a little paint to the big pumpkin instead of carving, and that mini bale of hay worked perfectly! I absolutely love everyone's decorated pumpkins!!

I hope you guys are enjoying Fall!!!

Photography Class Homework - Week 2

2011-10-25T20:00:00.001-05:00

Week 2
Assignment: Composition + Exposure

I should preface these photos by saying this past week I was super busy, not to mention sick, most of the week, so I settled for taking pictures around my office during a lunch break. I really love the architecture and surroundings of our office, so it was hardly settling.

I worked on balancing the exposure of this picture because the tops of the trees were really blown out from the sun and the walkway in the background was really dark from the shadows. I think this is a happy medium. The natural curves of the bay window and the line of trees draw your eyes to the back of the picture.

This is another example of where I was trying to balance the direct sun and the deep shadows. I really wanted to capture the vibrant colors along our front sidewalk. As far as composure goes, I think the repetition of trees and the line of the sidewalk into the photo work well together. I think the background is a little busy. I also think this is a good example of where a graduated neutral density filter would be beneficial.

This picture was taken in our conference room where there is very dim overhead lighting. I took it midday when the sun was streaming in from the right of the picture. I adjusted the exposure until the colors were as accurate as possible. This used the Rule of Odds and is visually interesting to me because of the industrial mix of burlap and brick.

Photography Class Homework - Week 1

2011-10-25T10:07:00.000-05:00

I recently started my second photography class. This particular course focuses on the elements that are required to capture an interesting photo. Each week we have an hour-long lecture and then an hour-long critique of the images we took based on the previous week's assignment. I want to share my images so I can see how I progress over the weeks and also to get feedback from all of you!

Week One
Assignment: Composition


I used the Rule of Thirds by off-setting them and also tried to use the surroundings as a natural frame. This was part of my trial engagement shoot. More to come on my sweet friends Jared and Rachel! Southern Progress Campus, October 2011

In this photo, I used the walkway as a way to draw the viewer into the picture using the natural lines and curves of the image. Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Japanese Gardens, October 2011

I have really been interested in capturing pictures with natural sunlight, so when I saw the sun peeking through this tree I wanted to capture it. I again off-set the subject and captured the glimmer of sun in the trees. Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Japanese Gardens, October 2011

Let me know what you think! More to come on this week's assignment.

Interior Designer Wannabe

2011-10-23T22:20:00.000-05:00

I almost forgot to share some really exciting news. Since my journalism days are now fewer and farther between, it is even more exciting to get an opportunity to write, let alone get published! Recently one of my really good Bham friends, Madoline, asked me to write a little piece for one of the community newspapers she edits.

Side Note: Yes, I said one of the papers she edits. There are three local papers: Village Living, The Homewood Star, and 280 Living, and she has stepped in as the managing editor. She also happens to have a fabulous blog, Maple Macaroni, that is a great source for tons of yummy recipes. Let me just say - it's great to have friends who are such great cooks and like to test out recipes on you!

Anyway, Madoline, knowing the interior designer wannabe in me, asked me to write something for a homes special feature she was working on. I had the opportunity to interview an interior designer who stages homes for open houses and parties. It was such a great experience and it reminded me how much I like to write. The article, "The art of home staging," ran in the October issue of 280 Living. Check out the full edition here and page 25 in particular!

Cake Pops - Round Two

2011-10-18T09:42:00.000-05:00

I'm finally back to blogging again after a nice little cold I caught on my flight to Georgia. I'm still not 100%, but thankfully I've been going non-stop the past few weeks and have plenty of content to share with you!

At my office we take turns making birthday cakes and it just so happens that the majority of birthdays are in the fall, so we are in full cake mode lately! One co-worker asked if I would make another batch of cake pops for his birthday since they were a great way to control portions and, let's face it, who doesn't like the novelty of cake on a stick!?

So, I decided to give the cake pops another try. This time I did my research and talked with other people who had made them before. Here is the Bakerella (queen of cake pops) video I watched to prep my second try:

She makes it look SOO easy! I even went to Michael's and splurged on the colored candy melts and meringue powder (in case I decided to cover them in royal icing) and even the gel coloring. Here is what I did:

1. First I made a 9x13 Devil's Food Cake. After it cooled, I crumbled it into a large mixing bowl.

2. Next, I stirred in one carton of fudge icing until it was thoroughly incorporated. I then took the dough mixture and rolled it into balls about 3/4 to 1 inch thick.

3. I put the cake balls into the freezer for about 15 minutes to set up and slightly harden. In the meantime, I began melting down my candy melts in the microwave, starting with 20 second intervals.

4. Once the cake balls were chilled, I dipped each lollipop stick into the melted chocolate candy melts and inserted them into the dough about half way. I again chilled the completed pops to let the icing set and help keep the sticks in place.

5. Despite what these pictures may tell, the process was extremely long and tedious. Rather than the simple dip and remove process that Bakerella showed, I ended up with thick, gloopy chocolate that had to be spooned and/or piped on. I was on the verge of meltdown for most of the night, but I am so glad they turned out great in the end. We'll just blame the Southern humidity for the chocolate!

Thankfully I was happy with the result, but I know they still have a long way to come. I tried to distract from their imperfections by adding nuts and squiggly decor. So here they are . . .

And no great late night recipe attempt is complete without the giant mess that is left behind.

I'll have to keep working at it; it sounds like I might be recruited to make some Auburn-themed ones before the season is over.

Thanks for reading! More exciting projects to come . . .

Design on the Mind

2011-10-04T12:56:00.001-05:00

Because the majority of my knowledge of homes and interiors came from my work as a magazine intern, there are certain companies that I always think of in groups simply because we used products from those companies together in one photo shoot. After a shoot, I always kept a running list at my desk of companies that I wanted to research more or products that caught my eye.

It turns out that some things never change! I still think about design in that same stream of consciousness way. Recently thinking of one company led to another and another and another . . . so here are some of the companies that have been on my mind lately:

Canvas Home

Les Indiennes

Beautiful, simple block print textiles

Every product I have seen from this company seems like a little work of art. Everything, be it a clutch or a plate, has great detailed, almost hand-drawn looking, prints.

Wisteria

When I think Wisteria, I think great baskets and storage pieces.

Seagrass baskets

John Robshaw

More beautiful block print textiles; Moroccan-inspired; worthy of being framed, or just a fun throw pillow.

Kumera bedding collection

So what companies have caught your eye lately??? Thanks for reading!

Words to Live By . . .

2011-09-30T08:00:00.001-05:00

via Pinterest

Cake Pops Only A Mother Could Love

2011-09-28T22:54:00.000-05:00

After such a hectic start to the week it's time to post something upbeat and fun . . . CAKE POPS! When I saw this beautiful image on Pinterest last week, I knew I had to give cake pops a try.

Not only are they my favorite color, but they seem so versatile and easy to make for any kind of party - - or so I thought.

I'll be the first to admit that my domestic skills are a work in progress :) but I am always willing to try new things because I feel like that's the only way to learn and improve. I should also preface this by saying that I am a big fan of the Semi-Homemade method of using things you have around the house to create a dish. Especially when trying something for the first time, I tend to avoid buying all of the fancy ingredients and specialty products until I have the general idea of the recipe down pat.

That said, around my apartment I had a box of yellow cake mix, chocolate icing, vanilla icing, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and some food coloring. Here is the simplified version of what I did:

1. Bake the yellow cake according to the package directions. Let it cool to around room temperature.

2. Crumble the cake into a large bowl. I made mine about the consistency of corn meal.

3. Incorporate one whole container of icing into the bowl. I chose to use the chocolate icing.

4. Next, roll the 'dough' mixture into balls. Mine were about 3/4 - 1" in diameter.

5. Lay the completed balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

6. Once you have filled the cookie sheet, place it in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the pops to harden.

**Note: The next time I make these I am going to insert the sticks into the 'dough' balls before freezing them. I did this step after and had some trouble with the sticks rotating in place. Only press the stick to the center of the ball. Otherwise you will be left with a skewered kabob that resembles a descending New Year's Eve ball.

7. While the pops are in the freezer, begin melting down your dipping sauce - in my case I placed a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips into a double boiler on the stove.

8. After removing the pops from the freezer, dip them into your sauce, careful to cover all sides evenly. Now this is where it got interesting.

The thick consistency of the chocolate required that I essentially ice each pop, rather than dip them. This did not give me the satiny finish like the ones in my inspiration picture, so I am going to try some other options. They did, however, turn out to look more like truffles that had a pretty swirl effect.

You'll also notice that because of the heavy dipping sauce I chose to make mine with the sticks pointing up. I think I need a little more practice before I master the right-side up version.

When I ran out of chocolate, I switched over to white icing. Remembering the inspiration picture, I threw a few drops of green food coloring into the bowl. I ended up with more of a South Beach mint green than lime green, but next time I'll maybe give the gel food coloring a try.

In the end, I was proud of the finished product and learned a lot of 'what-not-to-dos' along the way. So here they are . . . bless their hearts . . . if for nothing else, just so my Mom can see them and compliment them despite their flaws.


Chocolate-covered - my favorite of the two!

Icing-covered - both had a great consistency

One more Pinterest-inspired project down, many many more to come! Not to mention I'm taking a few photography classes, so hopefully the pictures will only improve over time.

Thanks for reading!! I'd love to hear if you've attempted cake pops or if you have any suggestions for new flavor combinations. I'm thinking pumpkin/gingerbread/cream cheese . . . yummmmmmm

Humbling . . . to say the least

2011-09-27T10:55:00.000-05:00

When all of the tornadoes hit Alabama in April of this year, it made me think a lot about the importance of home and the things and people we surround ourselves with. While I love finding beautiful accessories to decorate with and fun projects to do, it takes something like a tornado to bring things in to perspective and really make me remember that it's not everything to obsess over personal property.

Unfortunately, I recently had another startling, but very humbling experience to bring me back to reality. Like most people, I spend enough time at the office to consider it a second home. And that has never bothered me because I love the physical environment of my office - exposed brick, poured concrete, reclaimed wood, hand-sketched artwork, beautiful courtyard, natural lighting . . .the list really could go on forever (not to mention great co-workers!)

Anyway, this weekend someone decided they needed to come in to our office . . . through the front door . . . window . . . I can't even begin to pick the brain of someone who robs others, but all I can say is, while unnerving, it could have been worse. It really makes me think about the things I can live without and the little things in life that I am continually grateful for.

In front of the office, March 2011

View, or lack of view, from the office, September 2011

All that said, I can't help but be stubborn and willing to move on and live life to the fullest in spite of situations like this.

So like always, I couldn't agree more with the sentiments in a great country song:

"Anyway"

You can spend your whole life buildin'
Somethin' from nothin'
One storm can come and blow it all away
Build it anyway

You can chase a dream
That seems so out of reach
And you know it might not ever come your way
Dream it anyway

God is great, but sometimes life ain't good
When I pray it doesn't always turn out like I think it should
But I do it anyway
I do it anyway

This world's gone crazy and it's hard to believe
That tomorrow will be better than today
Believe it anyway

You can love someone with all your heart
For all the right reasons
And in a moment they can choose to walk away
love 'em anyway

You can pour your soul out singing
A song you believe in
That tomorrow they’ll forget you ever sang
Sing it anyway
Yeah, sing it anyway
I sing, I dream, I love
Anyway