alright, don't judge me when i say this, but i was an avid watcher of 'The Hills'. my love affair with reality tv began about six years ago when i was a senior in highschool and i first laid eyes on a little show called 'Laguna Beach' that let us in on what it's like to be a privileged teeny bopper growing up on the coast of California. after that, i was hooked. i followed LC, Lo, Heidi, Spencer, Brody, Kristen, and Audrina until the bitter end. and that's no exaggeration, it was bitter. am i the only one who was thoroughly disappointed in the final episode? ugh, no resolution whatsoever. we already knew it was fake...did they really think they were revealing something revolutionary?

all that to say, Lauren Conrad is rumored to have a new reality show in the works which she has said will offer much more than the cheesy story lines of 'The Hills'. i for one, am stoked for the possibility to see the up and coming fashion designer in the spoglight again. also, she's twenty-five this year and sporting a much less good-girl-next-door look and a much more badass look.

fall fashion inspiration

sooooo....as i mentioned in my previous blog, i am highly anticipating the change in wardrobe that comes with fall. i was perusing the j. crew website and found some unbelievable outfits that i had to post. below are some of my faves:

a tweed blazer is a must for my shopping list this year. it's so versatile and can be thrown easily over a slouchy tee with skinny jeans or a polished business top.

thigh high socks are a HUGE trend this season. i like them on other people, i'm just not so sure if i could pull them off.

i feel like i might look too 'naughty school girl' in them. (think britney spears' 'hit me baby one more time' from the 90s.) oh no, disaster.

i'm in love with this outfit, from the stockings to the leather coat. it's effortless beauty at its best. a leather coat (i already have one, but i'm not thrilled with the color anymore), tights, ankle boots, and a 'go with anything' skirt are also must-haves on my shopping list.

this is a great every day outfit. i would switch out the skirt for something less sparkly for daytime though. the skinny belt is an essential also. camel is a great color for belts and shoes as it meshes well with most colors.

long slouchy cardigans. i'm going to stock up on these. they can be worn loose or cinched with a belt. either way, they're lovely and comfy.

i'm digging this jean shirt. again, it's very versatile. i love buying neutral items that can be paired with almost anything because it insures that they will be worn many times, and in turn, cuts down on shopping costs.

and finally, military inspired items are huge this season. from shoes to jackets, they're all over the place.

autumn

it's safe to say autumn is my favorite season of all. my love for fall started back when i was a kid as did my love for decorating. i remember each and every holiday, especially halloween, getting sooooo excited to pull out all of the fall stuff and decorate the house. i loved trick-or-treating and dressing up almost as much.

fall is swiftly approaching and i could not be more happy about it! these are a few things that i'm super stoked about: apple cider, fall fashion, cold nights spent snuggled up under a blanket, camping, camp fires, pumpkin carving, drives through the mountains, falling leaves, the smell of cinnamon and pumpkin filling the house, butternut squash soup and other fall recipes, and halloween of course! i can almost smell the warm apple cider and camp fire burning. not to mention it's all i can do to keep myself from throwing on a long shirt, cardigan, leggings and a pair of boots in this 90 degree heat.

so to get myself really inspired and even more excited i went to one of my usual sources of inspiration, we heart it, and typed in 'fall'. these are some of my favorite finds.

very simple desk makeover

for about a month i have had a desk chair and no desk to go with it. i have been scouring craigslist and local thrift stores for a potential find. finally a few days ago my searching paid off and i found the perfect little desk to accommodate my chair.

first thing's first when searching for fixer-upper furniture. make sure it's made of real wood because if it's not it will be really hard to paint and resurface. hardwood is more durable than veneer and particle board furniture. check. next step, make sure it is free of any major defects, scratches, or marks. check. step number three, visualize it in your space and assure yourself that it will blend with the other furniture you have going on in the room. check.

lastly, you will want to make sure it's sturdy. if it's not, sometimes it can simply be a matter of tightening a few screws. check underneath to make sure all of the screws are in tact. if not, i would probably move on to another piece since it will probably be more of a hassle than it's worth to fix.

this piece checked out so i picked it up for 20$. i love the simplicity of the desk. it has very sleek, straight lines and will blend into most decor motifs easily. oh and i almost forgot to mention the 2$ brand new memo board that i found. it

goes perfectly above the desk and gives me a space to put all of my fabric swatches, appointments, etc.

again, i used valspar (available at lowe's) satin paint to cover the desk. i recommend this brand highly as it covers quickly and smoothly. first i sanded the clear coat off the desk to insure that the paint would stick. it took about two or three coats and a trip out for an extra bottle of spray paint. lastly after it dries, apply a clear coat of protectant paint. it makes the piece durable and oh so shiny.

don't forget a dropcloth or plastic. it's inevitably going to make a mess otherwise.

and wah-la, after a couple of hours and 22$ you've got a brand new workspace! the lamp and picture frame i already had laying around the house. the organizers are actually lanterns that we used at our wedding. re-purposing items you already have is a great way to recycle and cut costs in your makeovers.

road trippin to jacksonville

benji and i recently took a trip to jacksonville to visit our dear friends ty and rachael. they are a fun bunch to be around and were excellent hosts. these few pictures were the only memorabilia from the trip. this surfer dude statue was eerily realistic and made us a little uncomfortable. it made for some hilarious takes though.

anniversary numero uno

i'm clearly behind in my blogging...haha. benji and i spent our first anniversery weekend in north myrtle beach. i was going to take him to one of my most favorite places in the whole world, folly beach, buuuut there was absolutely no availability seeing as how it was memorial day weekend. we went for plan b and it turned out to be just as fun! we found this amazing trio of restaurants tucked away on a side road somewhere in north myrtle. i don't remember the exact names of the other two, but we decided on river city cafe. it was soooo good. i was slightly obsessed with the decor. i la..la...loooove all things eclectic.

internship

so... as i have mentioned in an earlier blog, i was hired recently to design the summer storefront display for a gelato and chocolate shop in forsyth. after a lot of debate i finally decided to go with a 'carnival' theme for the shop. i thought it would be fun for the kids to look at while they are eating their treats and also i thought it would be easy to work gelato and candy into the theme. i was given a 120$ budget to work with. the shop owner requested everything be handmade. this is what i came up with: