Autumn Pot Luck

Nothing warms up the holidays like sharing fall recipes and catching up over warm apple cider with the girls. Can't wait to host the pot luck next week.

Hot towel?

Why can't we have commercials like this in the US?

Love Monsters : Krause Springs

Love Monsters beat the TX heat by camping out in Krause Springs last weekend. With 60 degree water flowing from this natural TX spring, it was the only way one could enjoy camping in this unbearable Texas heat. More pictures here!

Love Monsters : Fossil Rim

The Love Monsters were in Glen Rose Tx this weekend. The Paluxy river was a welcome place to cool down after a long road tip through the Fossil Rim Wild Life park. We bad a blast taking pictures of all the wild animals and searching for dinosaur tracks in the river.

Mason Jar Lanterns

While rummaging through my favorite hardware store looking for outdoor patio lighting to spruce up my backyard table, I had an epiphany... Candles are the most inexpensive lighting available- mason jars will not only protect the light, but reflect it beautifully- thus, the Mason Jar Lantern was born.

This was such an inexpensive and very simple craft project that will add a delightful warm glow to any table setting, or backyard patio. You can buy mason jars of all shapes and sizes from just about any hardware store, or Walmart. I chose a 22 gauge copper wire to work with, but you could also use brass, silver, or even black. I also mixed mason jars with small baby food jars to give myself a bouquet of sizes to work with.
Tools Needed:
Just your crafty hands,and pliers to cut the wire.

Supplies:
Various mason jars, and or, baby food jars
Votive candles
22 gauge wire (copper, brass or silver)
Clear tape

Getting Started:
Remove and discard the jar lids. Begin by cutting a long piece of wire that would be capable of wrapping around the jar many times. Start from the middle of the cut piece and wrap both ends around the lip of the jar a few times. *Starting from the middle of the wire will give you the two two long pieces available to create the handle in the end.
From the lip of the jar, secure the wire under one of the loops, and then run it down and around the jar to hold it from the bottom. *I used some clear packing tape to secure it on the bottom, and keep it from sliding around.
Then run what's left of the wire back up the other side to the top and around the jar to create the handle. Twisting the two wires together creates a nice look, and also makes the handle more sturdy.
Next place your candle of choice in the center. The votive candles melt down beautifully, and when the wick goes out you can just place another on top and build up the pretty wax layers inside.
Light the candles.
Enjoy.

*Lanterns best enjoyed at dusk while sitting outside with a glass of wine and good friends

Love Monsters: Picnic

Love Monsters were picnicking in the park this weekend.And it was delicious....

77st contest : I Won!

Let me preface with the fact that I never win raffles, or random drawings of any sort. I was probably the only student at the elementary school cake walks that always left empty handed. So when I received an email last week from SEVENTHSTREET Studio informing me that I was their monthly grand prize winner I was so happily surprised!
I won a swag pack with all kinds of fun seventh st garb, an itunes gift card, and a $77 target gift card!

Thanks Seventh St! You made my week!

Hello Weekend

Hello Weekend,
I am so happy to see you again! What should our plans be this Friday, Saturday & Sunday.....?

Hang out with Matt........................... a must!
Lay out by the pool........................... hope it doesn't rain.
Potluck with the girls on Sunday....... yummy :)

I love you Weekend- Let's have some fun!

The Gremlin Taming Institute

I had a routine visit with my dentist this morning and look at what is right down the hall from my Dr. Grigsby.....I'm not sure what one does at a Gremlin Taming Institute, but the thought makes me a little nervous.... I'm imagining all of those scary little creatures from the movie in a small office fighting the trainer who is breaking them to become tame civilized little Gremlins. Surely that can't be the case, but ether way- the thought of gremlins next door to my dentist just isn't sitting well with me.

Worst movie EVER

My friends, please do not waste your hard earned money watching The Limits of Control. Matt and I were in the mood for a movie date last night and after watching the previews for the latest independent films at my neighborhood theater, we were excited about seeing The Limits of Control. The trailer was quite intriguing. We were immediately drawn to the cinematography style, which was in fact, consistently beautiful through out the film. However, the movie was HORRIBLE! You will spend an 1.5 hrs watching a man in a suit ordering only two espressos, looking at paintings, and eating paper. That's right... eating paper.
This movie was a total bust!
Date night however was (as always) a delight ;)

The Making of: The Derby Hat

Y'all know I've just got to be different~ so to set myself apart at the Lee Park Conservatory Day at the Races party, I used fresh flowers to make my derby hat. The stargazers were my favorite, every time I turned my head I got a whiff of the bouquet on my head. Party Pics to follow very soon...
Supplies needed:
-Derby Hat
- Flowers
- Feathers
- Hat band (to hide the stems)
- tape
- Pins
- Perls, glitzies, & any other accessories you'd like to make it sparkle.

Good morning Chance

Lauren's dog is a hoot! Take a look at Chance hollering here when they came to visit me this week.

Love you Chance.....

& you too Lauren :)

BFF Lauren is in town this week!

I'm so excited my girl's in town for a few days to catch up and help me decorate my new place! Lauren is a fabulous designer and recently opened the doors to her very own interior design business Triple L Designs, you can catch a preview of her latest work here.

Let's see, hostess checklist:
-stocked up on vino.................................................................... Check
-plenty of new restaurants and happy hours lined up ............... Check
-ready to get the updates on all the latest H-town gossip ......... Check

Before After: Dining Room

Before After: Living Room

BeforeAfter
___________________

Weekend Paint Project

I have quite a long list of home improvement projects that I'm aiming to accomplish this weekend- starting with: Painting the Living Room.

I think I've decided on 'Amazon Stone' color pictured below.Wish me luck this weekend- I can't wait to start posting my before, after pictures! PS- how do you like my ultra plush new micro suede couches?

Here are a few other fun photoshop paint job photos. Do I have any votes for these other colors?




Just for fun....

Love Monsters : Lake Livingston

Road tripping yet again, the Love Monsters were in Lake Livingston this past weekend. Hanging out with old friends, and making lots of new.

Stay tuned- flickr pictures and videos coming soon.

National Student Show & Conference

DSVC- National Student Show & Conference Weekend!!!!!!
If you're creative, and would like to see the nations up and coming talent- please join me at this year's 5th Annual National Student Show & Conference

Love Monsters : Austin TX

The Love Monsters were in Austin this past weekend. For more pictures of our fun filled weekend click here or here, (or here for pictures from the Branch Davidians complex part of the road trip)

Moving Weekend

Moving weekend was a success! I'm so excited to be in my new place right in the heart of all things fabulous in Dallas TX. Today I realized how wonderful it is to be so close to work... I was out on my back patio this morning enjoying my coffee and watching the dogs play, when I went to go back inside and finish getting ready, I realized the unthinkable had happened... I had locked myself out! Luckily, I had my iphone in my pocket and I was able to call my landlord to let me back in. He arrived around 8:15, I was able to get in, finish getting ready, get the dogs fed, and jet off to work- and I was still able to make the 8:29:59 Richards Group sign in with a few minutes to spare!

*Note to self- check the locks next time you go out on the deck Ang...

Moving on Up, or down...town

Well sorta...

I'm finally leaving my Addison Circle bubble. After 4 wonderful years of living in the Circle, I have finally decided to make the switch and move in to the heart of the city.
I have found a wonderful house (no I am not going to be posting the location- too many crazy internet stalkers out there.... you know who you are...) and I can't wait to start sharing with you my new decorating works in progress.

New living perks:

• Fun, trendy neighborhood
• My closets friends nearby (Walking distance close! Yay, Melis is right around the corner again)
• Gorgeous backyard for the dogs
• Hardwood floors
• lots of sun (including a screened in sun room)
• Huge kitchen- Hooray for dinner parties!
  
• Big, beautifully lit bedroom

What more could a girl ask for? I'm sure I'll think of something, but for now I am super stoked about the move!

Clean Screen

I have read recently that all computer screens are covered with bacteria, and germs on the inside that can be very dangerous to your health! Luckily for those of us that spend all day in front of our computers, I have found a free program that will clean the inside of your computer screen. CLICK HERE to see the cleaning software in action.

Secret to success: Eat Mor Chikin

Boss man Stan, published in Success Secrets of Design Superstars
So what's his secret....? My favorite quote is to ask yourself every day, “What can I do to make my work better?"

Hmmm, so today I think I'm going to draw these logos I'm working on better than I did yesterday and see where that doodle takes me.

Rough- Fresh Face

I'm honored to have been featured in DSVC's Rough magazine this year, as this months Fresh Face. You can view the online version of the magazine here to read the full article.
The DSVC’s award-winning magazine ROUGH is published six times per year. Produced pro bono in its entirety for more than 25 years, it includes articles, editorials and news items by, for, and about the creative community at large.

Her morning elegance

So creative! This is probably the best stop motion video I have ever seen! Makes me want to get creative with my camera again...

"I love you more than _____________"

Such a cute blog idea. Escape the average Valentines Day cliches and profess your love any way you feel comfortable.
So who do you love, and what do you love them more than......?


Here are the few that I submitted yesterday.

Holy Mary Mother of Blog!

I'm getting baptized this weekend!

It's a little nerve racking to know that I am going to have to get up there and pour my heart out to about 500 strangers about my testimony, right before I'm dunked in the tub of (hopefully) warm water... eek! Thankfully I am going to have my family, and most of my closest friends there for moral, and most importantly, spiritual support.
If you're interested in witnessing what a very non-traditional, but deeply moving baptism service is like- please come out the The Village Church this Saturday, and cheer on the soaking wet blond girl in the 7pm service.