Home Projects Here and There

So on Friday I got a little curious and rearranged all of our living room furniture for fun. Turns out, we really liked the change! {I love/need a little change in my life often}. After taking in the new arrangement, we were inspired to go further and to check some projects off our list, so that's what we did today!

We started out by taking down a mounted coat rack that was just messy and moved it into the closet, which made that wall look so much better.

We also have a bookshelf in our dining area that is full of games, cookbooks, etc. and it just looks cluttered to the eye. So we went to Hancock fabrics and remedied the issue. Here is a before and after:

Before:

After:

A few months ago, Daniel added some sliding baskets under our coffee table for extra storage (he's very clever and handy), and we just now got around to painting the wooden support for it. Now it looks finished and we love it!

So that has been our Saturday of home projects. We love them!

Fashion Experimentation

I don't really buy new clothes often, but since I've gotten into jewelry lately (personally and professionally), I've been having fun recreating outfits from my own closet!

I'm not a tall person (5'3"...I told you), but I've found a style that helps a bit with that. Here is an example of Katie Holmes in a style that's somewhat similar to what I'm talking about:

This example is a little more casual than what I made from my closet, but the jeans are what I'm most referring to. I have these retro flare jeans that are somewhat high-waisted that I have rediscovered. I wear them with a wide brown belt, a tucked in white tee, a cotton jacket and boots (need a little height). Love it! Most of all, I've loved accessorizing this outfit.

I wore this necklace with the outfit mentioned above, and it made all the difference!! Turquoise jewelry can make anything pop.

With these earrings and this bracelet, it's a transformed outfit! I love mixing and matching...it's so conservative!

My Husband is a Stud

Yesterday, my husband, Daniel, ran the ING Marathon in Atlanta!! He has been an endurance runner since he was in kindergarten, but he had never conquered a marathon. This was his year.

Unfortunately, with an achy hip and twisted ankle, he did not get the training he was aiming for leading up to the race. Going into the weekend, we had a plan for the morning if he wasn't able to reach the end. Though his journey towards the end of the race was rough and painful, I saw my man cross the finish line. I have to say, though it was his accomplishment, that was a very proud moment for me. I even had strangers cheering his name!

Daniel is definitely one of my greatest heroes, and this is only one reason why.

Before the race - excited!

Pushing to the finish line

Proudly wearing his medal!

Pizza Extravaganza!

My former roommate, Adair, and I made homemade pizza last night! Adair and I have been friends since we were little, and she is one of my favorite people on earth. We also lived together for 4 years in college, talk about a lasting friendship! I wanted to make sure I posted pictures of our endeavor, so I hope you appreciate our cooking expertise :)

Making the dough from scratch:

It was nice having a stand-alone mixer to mix the dough

Then we rolled the dough into a ball (it was extremely sticky)

We then stretched it out and added toppings (BBQ sauce, fresh mozzarella, onions, BBQ chicken)

Sooo good

The chefs!

Bon apetit!

Pizza Crust

Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 12

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon Instant Or Active Dry Yeast
• 1-½ cup Warm Water
• 4 cups All-purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• ⅓ cups Olive Oil

Preparation Instructions

Sprinkle yeast over 1 1/2 cups warm (not lukewarm) water.
In a mixer, combine flour and salt. With the mixer running on low speed (with paddle attachment), drizzle in olive oil until combined with flour. Next, pour in yeast/water mixture and mix until just combined.
Coat a separate mixing bowl with a light drizzle of olive oil, and form the dough into a ball. Toss to coat dough in olive oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until you need it.
***It’s best to make the dough at least 24 hours in advance, and 3 or 4 days is even better.
***Makes 2 crusts.

Floral Home Accent

A little while ago, I realized that my home needed some life, preferably some greenery, but I didn't want something else real to take care of. I headed over to Michael's and did some exploring and came up with this project:

Two white tulips: $2 each

Baby green apples: $6

Clear vase: $5

All I had to do was arrange it the way I wanted, and this is how it turned out! I really brings some brightness and color to our living room, and I'm really happy with it! Easy as that.

Correspondence

 I don't know if you lead a team at work or if you are in any sort of authoritative position, but something I've learned over the years is the importance of correspondence.

Not everyone desperately needs "words of affirmation", but who doesn't appreciate it?? At my former job, we made sure every volunteer got a thank-you note at least every few months so they don't have to question whether or not they are needed or appreciated. I LOVE this. (Maybe it's because I AM a words of affirmation person).

Since I've essentially started a business for myself, by latching on to another one, I want to be sure I keep this pattern up. Not only is it professional, but it's personal.

Are you up on your correspondence?