Friday loves

well now that Blogger has decided to stop being a douchebag, we can get on to the little list of things I'm loving this week... ya know... because you're all DYING to know! ;) 

• these garden markers (the post was actually from a year ago, but I found it via Pinterest this week), made from an old spoon and some creative labels. now that my herbs are planted, I might need to do this. 

• this post by Mandy (who obviously has the coolest name ever), reassuring everyone that she is not super woman, and that she, just like all parents, has daily struggles. I'm not a Mama, but it's comforting to me for some reason.
• the completed patio, courtesy of YHL. we want to demolish our existing deck and put in a patio of pavers, and the DIY experts have pretty much confirmed our wavering decision to NOT do it ourselves. it honestly just seems like a huge pain in the ass, and we don't have time for it. 
• marble chevron tile. 

• 40 handmade gifts from the kitchen - I am really considering going handmade for gifts this year, since we're trying to save up for the possibility of a babe in the future, and this post is full of SO many wonderful edible gifts.
• baskets in the fridge = organization genius.

• the handmade giveaway going on over at Rogue Poags! the only reason I didn't enter is because that little yellow pouch in the pictures already has my name on it - enter to win a custom handmade coin purse... with a Starbucks gift card inside! 
• these planters from West Elm. since we plan on repainting our shutters grey (they are currently hunter green and I hate them), these would look awesome on our front stoop.

• this recipe for grilled zucchini pizza looks delicious. I want to try it soon. 
• and as always, live kittens playing and cuddling and mewing. I may or may not be slightly obsessed with these guys.

have you discovered anything awesome this week? 

HAPPY FRIDAY!

weekend tidbits

- I finally treated myself to a manicure & pedicure on Friday, and picked OPI Gargantuan Green Grape... new fave, for sure. it's a lot lighter and more pastel than it looks in the picture from OPI's website - it would probably take a million coats to achieve that! 

via OPI

- we ran errands on Saturday and did some serious shopping for house stuff.

• we bought tons of random things at Target that we've been meaning to get... like a garlic press, a tiered shelf for spices, and a new bath rug. 
• and then we hit Home Depot for even more randomness... potting soil & new planters, a raised garden bed (for veggies, which was on SALE for about $40), a quart of paint, and a door knob. 
• finally, we ended our day at a lighting store, where I stumbled upon the coolest lamp ever. the only one in stock was the display, so I snatched that sucker up. I LOVE it. it really brings a good amount of light to our living room, and it's got that funk factor I've been looking for. 

- we have big plans for the landscaping at Casa de Quinn this year. this week we're going to pay my brother to come in and tear out all the ugly bushes that surround the house (and subsequently hide it) so we can plant flowers and put in our raised garden bed. AND he'll be completely demolishing our existing deck so that we can install pavers in it's place. I'll be getting outside after work today to take some "before" pictures to show you all, although it's slightly embarrassing. 

- since we picked up potting soil at HD, I finally planted the herbs I bought to go in these planters (which I mentioned here). I'm pretty excited, considering it's my first planting adventure.

- I wrote a 1500 word paper yesterday comparing Nora from A Doll's House to Daisy Buchanan from The Great Gatsby, discussing their abilities to exert power as women. I have one more paper to write this evening for my final exam and then I am done with my English class. I CANNOT WAIT to be done, but I'm thrilled to take new classes in the fall.

- I just finished reading Love The One You're With by Emily Giffin and was utterly disappointed in it. I guess I shouldn't have expected much, since I'd heard that her books got progressively worse as they went on, but I was hoping that it'd be a least worth a 4 star rating. it wasn't terrible, but it was way slow in the beginning and I felt like the ending was rushed and cleaned up a little too nicely for my tastes. 

- this is what I wore out and about on the gorgeous day we had here on Friday. not pictured are khaki capris and white flip flops. I love my mustache necklace, which I got as a birthday gift from Kaley.

- running and working out has unfortunately taken a back seat in favor for school work and house work the past couple days, but I hope to get back into the swing of things this week! 

Happy Monday!

Friday loves

• this tattoo that I stumbled upon via Pinterest. I've been thinking of getting something that represents the American Indian part of me, and I love this dreamcatcher. it's simple but beautiful. 

if you know the original source of this image, let me know so I can credit it properly!

• the ever so addicting Words With Friends game that I downloaded on my phone. I'm a word game fiend and so naturally, I'm hooked on it. I've been playing with friends as well as random opponents. if you want to play, shoot me an email!

• Mrs. Biscuit's kitty mugs. I need to find them, and soon. I don't know if I can live without them.

• Michael Scott's last episode of The Office. I have no words, other than I AM SO SAD.

image

• this pasta sauce recipe that we cooked last night. we used a lot more cheese than the recipe call for, and it turned out pretty well. if we make it again (which I'm sure we will, cause I get sick of eating red sauce), I'll probably only use half of the pasta. either way, it was delicious! I will have pictures soon! 

• Cole's roundup of rain boots. I've been wanting a pair of rain boots for what seems like forever, and Target chevron pretties are a callin' my name! 

• the whole navy blue/nautical thing that West Elm's got goin' on right now. more specifically, these napkins and these pillows, and this shower curtain. I would like them all in my home now, please and thank you.

• Clara's birth story. holy hell, there were a lot a terrified moments leading up to this girl's arrival, and you would have never known it if not for Sherry's heart wrenching post this week.

• Erika's kitchen makeover - specifically, the after pictures. I especially love the old gym locker in the pantry and the open shelves! oh, and the green cabinets don't hurt either.

• this bathtub. HUBBA HUBBA. 

Emily Henson Interiors via Lauren @ the little things we do

Happy Friday! <3

Friday loves

this video that Sean sent me this week. baby laughing at a dog who eats bubbles. I'm pretty positive there's nothing cuter in the world.

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I don't have much of a green thumb, but I've been wanting to grow my own herbs this year. these three planters (thyme, rosemary & basil) from C&B would be perfect to sit on my window sill. and if I ever got tired of growing herbs, they could double as flower planters too.

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our local March of Dimes walk is a little over a week away, and I'm thoroughly excited about it. one, it's for a great cause, obviously. our team has raised almost $2500 for the charity and I couldn't be more proud to be a part of the largest walking team in our area.

oh, and two, it'll be great exercise. and I'm wearing a purple & black tutu. don't worry, there will be about a gazillion pictures taken. <---- I know this isn't something I've come across on the internet this week, but I'm SO pumped, I couldn't NOT post something about it.

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these running shoes, which I may or may not be buying for myself. there will be a post regarding my progress (or lack thereof) of the C25k next week. short story is that I've got shin splints and I need them to heal. I've also been running wrong. only I would find the "wrong" way to run and fuck my legs up because of it.

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I started following Sherry's (from YHL, as if you didn't already know that) boards on Pinterest this week, and am so glad I did. she is an awesome pinner (is that a real term?) and I love her style! it would be awesome if their servers weren't down all the time though, ugh.

also, while I'm on the subject of cute baby & dog videos AND my crazy obsession totally normal affinity with YHL, check this video out. adorbs in every sense of the word.

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totes digging these funky vases from Pier1. I'm hoping to stop in my local store this weekend, and I'm crossing my fingers that they have that teal one in stock. 

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spending hours a day watching a live feed of a Bald Eagle pair and their newborn baby chicks! thank you to Kaley for passing this cuteness over to me! it's seriously one of most awesome things I've ever seen. if you haven't seen it, go here now and keep it up on your computer at all times. you will not regret it.

Happy Friday!

eye candy

all images found 

via decor pad

Friday loves

because my affinity for all things (recipes, design, fashion, products, music, etc) changes as quickly as the weather frequently, I've decided to dedicate a post every Friday to some of my favorite things from that week. 

there are a few bloggers out there doing this (like Lauren & Kristal) and although I won't be posting kiddo stuff like them, I still think it's an awesome idea to share what I'm diggin' at this moment. 

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so without further adieu, here's what I've discovered and fallen in love with this week...

Emily Giffin. after reading Something Borrowed and Something Blue, I rushed to Amazon to buy the next in the series (I say "series" loosely, based on the fact that Baby Proof does not include the main characters from the first two novels) and finished it in a matter of days.

Emily has such a casual, yet very intense way with words, and I'm finding myself really getting attached to her characters. also, I really appreciated that little break from the usual young adult books that I've been picking up lately (and incidentally, am reading now, haha).

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this bag:

I actually discovered this a few weeks ago, but I'm reaaaaally tempted to pull the plug on this purchase in the near future. it's the Rose camera bag by Jo Totes in Marigold. yes, it's mustard. and it has houndstooth lining. and it is perfection.

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my new Biofit bra that I talked about purchasing here. it is the perfect combination of comfort and sexy.

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I haven't tried this recipe yet, but I'm going to attempt them in the next few weeks when I have a break from weekend madness.

chocolate chip cookie dough STUFFED INTO CUPCAKES. 

if you tell me your mouth isn't watering right now, I'm calling you a fucking liar. they won't exactly fit into my new "healthy lifestyle" attitude, but I figure I can make a small amount of them and therefore not be forced to eat 98 mini cupcakes in one sitting.

... I'll keep you updated, fo sho.

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Matched by Ally Condie.  

yes, it's another YA, but it's gooooood.

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anything and everything lemon verbena scented by Mrs. Meyers. 

I've been making an effort to buy greener household products and I am SO thankful I tried this brand out.

first of all, the scents are amazing. I was looking to buy products that worked like normal household cleaners, but without the typical cleaner smell. and also? the results? awesome. a little goes a long way when using Mrs. Meyers, and therefore, the product lasts longer. now, I've only tried the hand soap, the dish soap, and the counter spray, but I'm willing to bet the other options work (and smell) just as great.

personally, the lemon verbena scent is my favorite, but I've also tried the lavender, which smells wonderfully. I like the lemon because it's nice and citrusy (yes, that's a word) and summery. uh, and bonus... it's green, so it virtually matches everything in my house.

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this dresser transformation over at Design Sponge.  

I wish I had that kind of talent... and patience. chevron is my go-to pattern these days.

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this swimsuit I came across on Pinterest. 

the linked source claims that the image is from Victoria's Secret. must have been from last year's swimsuit line, because I cannot find it anywhere on the website. super sad face. 

if you know where this suit is from, hit a sister up. I need to own it.

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DISCLAIMER: 

I am not being reimbursed or compensated in any way for the mention and positive reviews of the products listed on this blog. the opinions expressed are solely my own and while I wish I could receive free shit... trust me, I'm not.

HAPPY FRIDAY! 

eye candy

 

[ all images via decor pad ]

fancy focus

been SO busy lately. 

sorry for the lack of posts, folks! 

this little candle holder was a gift to me from Tropicana's owners. 

I love taking pictures of it because it allows me to really 

play with the focus and the reflections in my end tables.

also, I got a new lens for my birthday - the one I put on my wish list, actually. 

Sean gave it to me early, so I've been practicing using it this week. :) 

Happy Wednesday! 

Pinterest = pink puffy heart

sheesh. talk about a site full of inspiration! being a design addict and constantly looking for home decor ideas, this site is like crack for me. seriously, I've been staying up way too late this week, mostly because I'm too busy pinning different shit to my boards! 

here's a little preview of what I've done so far... 

dining room: 

style:

 

books to read in 2011:

needless to say, I'm loving Pinterest! if you'd like to check out my boards or follow them, see what I've got goin' on right here! I've also got boards for awesome books I've read, entryway & bedroom room ideas, cute hippo things (totally not kidding), etc. 

basically, while I'm browsing the Interwebz (which, let's face it, happens ALL day long), I can just pin things I like to a board on this site and save it for later, instead of having to bookmark every single piece of inspiration I come across. so basically, everything keeps it's source... so if I ever want to post it here on the blog, I know where I found it. 

if you haven't signed up yet, head over to Pinterest now and do it! promise you'll love it... and maybe even consider it your crack. 

Happy Weekend, ya'll!

DISCLAIMER: I am not being compensated to give reviews about the Pinterest website, nor am I being paid to endorse the products posted on this blog. all thoughts and opinions here are my own.