Guest Room Makeover Part 1

When we moved into our house, we were fortunate enough to really like the paint colors the previous owner had used. Lots of pretty greiges, tans, and grays. But the guest room just didn't make sense. A teenaged girl really enjoyed that weird baby blue in her room?? We basically only use this room as a dumping ground for my husband's clothes and shoes, but it's in DIRE need of a makeover. 

Since I have oodles of time at my disposal, I've developed a decor plan that is completely DIY and budget to finally upgrade our ugly duckling room. I'm using an existing duvet and an Ikea duvet set that's still in the package. The only things I'll need to buy are the paint, bedskirt, and cheapie white curtains and rods. Oh, and some chartreuse shams!

There lies some original hardwood floors (in good shape) under that nasty remnant, so I'm going to clear the remnant out, shine up the floors, and put down our old living room area rug. 

Here's a before shot of the room (without Husband's crap everywhere)

And here's my mood board:

Painting should commence next week. Update soon to follow!

Location, Location, Location

Disclaimer: This may be sooo displaced on Aprons and A-Lines, but I wrote this weeks ago for my former company's blog. I spent a good chunk of time on it, and it's going to get published SOMEWHERE. 

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Hypcorite, thy name is Amy. Weeks ago I engaged in a conversation about location-based social media with a colleague. “How presumptuous to think anyone cares if you’re at Starbucks or if you’re at the grocery store or if you’re getting your tires rotated at Bob’s Tire Shack,” I ranted. “Also, why not just broadcast ‘Attention, everyone, I’m not home – please rob me!’” Sorry, but the invitation to welcome any stalker types had zero appeal for me.

Two weeks later it took all of five seconds for me to eat my words. While waiting for my food to arrive at TGI Fridays, I reached for my iPhone and glanced at my Facebook app. Hmmm. What places come up if I use the very conveniently placed “check in” button.  Before I knew it I not only “checked-in” to TGI Fridays, advertising my whereabouts to my entire friends list, but I also tagged my lunch companion, my husband, in the same act. It all happened so fast.

Geolocation mobile applications pinpoint coordinates using your phone as a GPS tracking device. Some people use it to simply communicate to their friends what they’re doing, while others use it to take advantage of retailer incentives. The rest do it to clog my Twitter feed. 

image: marketingdiner.com

Location-based social networks (also called “geosocial” networks) are becoming bigger and bigger each day and routinely top any “2011 Social Media Trends” forecast list. Already, more than six million people have signed up for services like Foursquare and Gowalla to keep track of their friends' whereabouts or search for nearby merchants and deals using their cell phones. As incentive to divulge one’s location, brands and businesses offer exclusive deals per check-in.  Gap gave away 200 pairs of jeans to users who checked-in on a certain day through Facebook’s new Deals application.  Starbucks introduced discounts for Foursquare ‘mayors’, and Facebook is working with McDonald’s to introduce check-ins and showing featured food items in their posts.

And therein lays one of my personal struggles in rejecting location-sharing. My resolve becomes weakened when free frappes and jeans enter the picture.  Plus, as a marketer, I find it a pretty brilliant trade-off between both the consumer and business. The business gains a customer, and through the user publicizing the business’s name to their social networks, instant brand recognition is achieved.  

Inner turmoil aside, I believe this new level of technology is worth taking the time to understand, especially when you consider how rapidly smartphones are changing the ways in which we use  the Internet.  Geosocial allows users to discover people and places in a way we haven’t encountered before. If my  friend was alerted I was shopping at Target, and she happened to be close by, it would take very little effort to meet up.  If I was in an unfamiliar city, a location app would clue me in on a great no-name restaurant or an off the beaten path hotel I may have never known about otherwise.

Oh, but remember my previous mocking and fear of privacy invasions? Kristine van Dillen, director of industry initiatives and partnerships at the Mobile Marketing Association, says location-based services aren’t growing as quickly as they should be. One reason for the lag is concern over privacy and who has access to users’ data. Sites like PleaseRobMe.com, which humorously bring awareness to location-based privacy issues, may have scared some social media users from opting in.

Privacy is definitely a negative for me when using geosocial media.  But on the other hand, I hope I have no unsavory characters on my friends list that would dare entertain the idea of breaking into my house.

Being a hip geosocial naysayer came easy to me, and to be perfectly honest, I’m still not 100% sold on the technology or how I see it being completely useful in my life. Time is very telling. I have to remember my feelings a few years ago about Twitter, and I wasn’t alone in my early skepticism and hesitancy.   It took Twitter the better part of two years to conquer the “Why do I care what you had for breakfast” perception, and now location based social networks face similar refrains. Until then, I'll be cautiously and sporadically checking in to various places. Don't knock it til you try it, right? 

Goals for the New Year

I wish I had done a goals post last year. But from what I remember ... I thought 2010 would be a year of financial growth so that we could think about house hunting in 2011. Suddenly our first house became more of a reality than a wish, and we were homeowners just months later. Guess I was an overachiever in that regard.

For 2011 I wish for the following:

* a new job that I love (obvs)
* lose the 15 wife pounds I gained since June '09
* financial planning for long-term goals
* do a mini reno on our bathroom
* get a four-legged member of the family
* learn how to do some landscaping in the spring
* finally buy my DSLR that I've been lusting over for years
* perfect a meal planning regimen and incorporate freeze ahead meals
* do a few more out-of-town trips
* focus on my pre-baby checklist

I've tried to keep them relatively attainable. Plus, blogging about them holds to me a greater level of accountability. Excited to review them a year from now and see if I reached them!

What are your 2011 goals?

2010 Year in Review

{I'm dorkily excited to blog the SECOND annual year in review post - yay for my first blog tradition!}

2010 was a weird year. A lot of things happened, both good and bad. Enjoy some of the highlights of my year:

I kicked off the new year at my best friend's house, where we drank champagne and wore funny hats and glasses. Also in January the hubs and I started house hunting.

In February I made a cake. Still more house hunting.

March was pretty epic. Not only did we find and go under contract on our first house, but four of my favorite girls came from all over the country to have a crazy fun get-together. Best. Weekend. Ever.

March also means our annual trip to the Finger Lakes Wineries

In mid April we closed on our house! My bank account cried.

In May I coordinated Lindsay and Austin's beautiful wedding.

... and attended a Betty White Hosts SNL party

June marked our first anniversary. We celebrated with cake and grilled cheese.

June was also a great time for romance for Tory and Dale's winery wedding

July was another big change when I quit the job I had for five years. My former colleagues threw me (and my friend Kristen) a going away party complete with balloons and bubbly.

September I co-hosted my bestie's baby shower and lost my Ikea virginity.

In October I coordinated another wedding, hosted my SIL's baby shower, and contemplated buying a rake.

November consisted of playing with my bestie's baby, Raegan

In early December I got laid off. Somehow we got through the holidays despite the bad news. At least it gave me the opportunity to finish up all my Christmas tasks earlier than normal.

My husband surprised me with this adorable Basset hound puppy we named Sam. Secretly I think it's a ploy to get me to agree to a breathing version. :)

Here Comes Santa Claus

Popping in to wish everyone a joyous holiday and/or weekend. :)  I hope Santa brings you everything you've been wanting.

I'm currently enjoying the calm before the storm (aka the traveling to multiple family gatherings) by cleaning and wrapping the last two gifts. This may be the first year I haven't had to brave the last-minute store rush to pick up one forgotten present!

Merry Christmas, one and all.

Taking My Cue from the Clueless

Not that I need to pick out outfits anymore (sorry, but you'll get grow to love the deprecating humor), but in going through some of last year's blog entries, I was struck by how easily I've forgotten some cute style combinations. Take these two from February 2010:

I haven't worn either of these tunics in quite some time (they're absurdly short to wear sans leggings), and now I'm feeling the need to relinquish them from the depths of the my closet and style them up. I love that my own blog is able to provide me some inspiration and give me that "a-ha" moment.

For years and years I longed for a Cher Horowitz system of cataloging outfits.  Life would so much simpler if I could 1. SEE all my items and 2. remember certain combinations that worked for my body type.While her program is a little more elaborate and techie than my own "peruse my blog for OOTDs that worked," it has a few shared characteristics.

 Hat's off to you, Cher. It took us style bloggers 15 years to catch up to your clever idea.

The Life of a Lady of Leisure

An update for my adoring fans...er, blog readers:

I'm in my third week of my "laycation" now, though it's starting to lose its vacation aspect quick. Last week I interviewed for a position I really wanted only to be rejected yesterday. I would be lying if I said I've been taking the bad news well. But as I've been a witness to recently, sometimes things just suck and there's not much you can do other than down a glass of sangria and try to move on.

Now that my laycation is looking a little more long-term than I wanted, finding achievable goals is more important than ever. The job searching happens on a repetitive basis all day long. I've finished all my Christmas tasks in record speed. I bake a lot.

I wear (mostly) clean house pants and slippers.  And I've determined that SNL's parody of the Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb hour of The Today Show was decidedly en pointe.

I recruited the help of some friends to help me figure out how I can fill my days. They have given me some great ideas so that I have a purpose in waking up before Ellen begins; one of these is paying more attention to my blog, so I re-vamped my blog layout (again!) and created another header. I also dabbled in some CSS coding, which I've successfully avoided til now.

Also on the list are re-doing my guest room (completely DIY and budget), trying new recipes, developing some marketing strategies for my 'midnight hustle', POSSIBLY even going back to the gym, and finally organizing my crazy closets. Goals. I haz 'em. I'm open to any and all suggestions, so leave a comment below. I'll obviously read it, because really -- time is not something I'm lacking these days  ; )

When Life Gives You Lemons

Because I have referred to my career stuff on my blog, I suppose it's only fair I blog about some recent events. It may also explain the lack of any OOTDs lately.  The clothes I'm currently wearing make me out to be someone you may spy on the "People of Walmart" blog.  It's not pretty, folks.

A week ago today I was laid off from my job. The company divested one of its technical departments, and I was a casualty. Not going to lie - it was a pretty big shock, especially because I had just started there this summer. But I'm opting to believe it happened for a reason, and I'm refusing to wallow in any sort of depression over it. I've taken this week to kind of regroup, revamp my resume, and apply to a few interesting positions. 

My laycation has also enabled me to stare at my gorgeous Christmas tree: 

... finish up some shopping with my best friend (out on maternity leave) and her adorable six-week old: 

...bask in the delightful aroma of this awesome pine-scented candle from Bed, Bath & Beyond: 

... and finish up my holiday cards: 

I am, however, asking Santa for a j-o-b this season. The Pollyana act has to end sometime.

In honor of Cyber Monday

Here are some of my latest online purchases. 'Tis the season. :) 

Forever 21 Cable Knit Trim Cardigan

Forever 21 Heathered Knit Dress

Forever 21  Longline Slouchy Cardigan in Black

Old Navy Ponte Knit Trousers

American Eagle Shawl Collar Waffle Cardigan

Cardi addiction much?

Tree is up, but a little bare

After using my stepmom's artificial tree from the 70s for the past 7 years, I figured it was time for a new tree to go along with our new house. A steal at $78 from Walmart, our 7'5" monster looks like it was just meant for our living room corner.

I wish it was cool to leave a Christmas tree up all year round!

WBthirty Day 2

Per my Writer's Block 30 calendar, it's Fill in the Blank Friday time! Lauren at The Little Things We Do does a link post every Friday called Fill in the Blank Friday. Head on over to her blog to check out the other bloggers taking part. 

1.   Black Friday is       better spent sipping pumpkin spice coffee and online shopping than braving the unwashed masses   .

2.  Christmas shopping this year will include   a lot of online shopping  .

3.  Holiday shopping makes me       both aggressive and charitable   .

4.  This year my Christmas list will include   a DSLR camera that I doubt I'll get  .

5.  Bargain hunter, or full price shopper?      Bargain hunter within reason, though I'm willing to pay full price at Target :)  .

6.  The best and worst things about shopping is        shopping solo.  Yes, I'm counting that for both best and worst. While I crave going at my own pace, sometimes I need a second opinion and someone to carry the heavier bags  .

7.  Online shopper or in-person shopper?       Online is so much easier, except when it comes to clothes, which I'd rather feel in person   .

The lucky winner

Paper Ornaments Christmas Card

Shop Shutterfly for elegant custom Christmas photo cards.

View the entire collection of cards.

Bloggers get 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly!

I've been using Shutterfly services for a few years now - ordering prints (both regular-sized and enlargements), photobooks, and even using their photo sharing sites for our wedding guests to upload their pictures.  Last year I designed wedding albums for our parents through Shutterfly, and they were a huge hit. EVERYONE asked where I made them because they looked so professional quality.   Needless to say, it's one of my favorite photo sharing websites.

That being said, there is a promotion for bloggers to receive 50 free holiday cards if you blog about this promotion.  Even though we don't have babies or furbabies to feature on holiday cards, I still think couples still deserve to be on holiday cards. :)  There are so many awesome designs that it's really hard to narrow down to a clear winner.  


Here are some of my favorite holiday card design from Shutterfly's 2010 selection: 

Three of my favorite Shutterfly products besides the photo books are...

• Christmas cards  http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-cards 
• New Year's cards  http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/new-years-cards
• (For our non-Christmas celebrating friends) holiday cards http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/holiday-cards

WBthirty Day 1

Remember the Writer's Block 30 I blogged about last month? I've been slacking. To be honest I doubt I'll make it through all of the list, especially considering this is my first leap into starting.

Well, here I am, blogging to you live from my couch:

Note: my love of yellow and gray runs all the way down to my argyle socks.

Holiday Wish List

So late in mentioning this, but I had the opportunity to do a guest blog for my gorgeous and stylish friend Andi over at Saltwater Dreams this week. Please check it out here. Then follow Andi if you're not already a follower! :)   

October Finds

Here are some of my latest purchases:

Merona Ultimate Long Sleeve Tee

Merona Solid Wrap Scarf

Xhiliration Ruffle Front Cami

Mossimo Ultrasoft Crewneck Sweater

Tucker for Target Button Front Dress

Old Navy Wool Blend Trench

Xhiliration Ruffle Tank