Pinning Accomplishments (Part 1)

Who doesn't love Pinterest? People that haven't discovered it yet, I say.  All joking aside, it is quite difficult to focus on just one thing on Pinterest.  So many wonderful images, craft ideas, fashion inspirations, dream home wants and beauty tips.  And I always wonder if I will ever really accomplish or try any of the things that I pin.  So I am going to take a look at some accomplishments that I have achieved thanks to this wonderful virtual pin board.

Today I am going to focus on the recent holiday season and how Pinterest helped me:

Inspiration Photo: Link here.

Placing a toilet paper roll in the center of vase displays to help the ornaments display better.

Oh, stunning.

In my case, I actually used a white candle.  I liked the option of being able to light it up with my other candles on my mantlepiece. This picture makes it look like the candle is leaning.  This would be a fire hazard.  I assure you, no fires took place here.

Inspiration Photo: Link here.

I loved this mantle display.  My main Christmas colors in my home are green and silver as well.  This year I didn't have the pine branches, but what a nice textural touch.  See my attempt below.

Feeling festive yet?

My silver candelabras were relocated to decorate above the kitchen cabinets. I have talked about mantel decorating in a past post and my troubles in deciding what I want as my permanent focal point.  This all takes time and I will be patient until I find the perfect layout and items.

Inspiration Photo: Link here

This wreath was one of my earliest pins.  I fell in love with it when I first saw it.  Here is my recreation and new interpretation of it:

I added our last name initial to the bottom and my wreath has square edges rather than round. Mine is also larger and this took a while to make.  I had to individually glue each piece on! It took about three days to make, but I am very please with the end result.

TGIF! Happy Weekend!

Catching Up

Last night I met one of my BFF's for our annual Christmas Dinner.  We elect to go out to dinner, just the two of us, to catch up and sip martinis rather than trying to find each other a gift. It's a great date that we always have around the holidays.  Since she doesn't live in the same town anymore, keeping in touch and getting together just gets harder and harder.  

We always go to Bonefish Grill.  And we love their pomegranate martinis! They are delicious!  Rather than olives found in a traditional martini, frozen grapes are the garnish of this drink.  So scrumptious that I have to stop at two, although I could probably drink eight because they taste so good!

And of course, their classic Bang Bang Shrimp for our appetizer!

It was wonderful to catch up and get to see one of my dearest friends.  I love these times and keeping in touch is so important for friendships to last.  But every time me and my friend get together it's like no time as passed, we just leave off where we were last. 

Blessed Beyond Belief

I hope the holiday was a happy, safe and relaxing one. Ours was fantastic and the husband and I both are back at the office today. Vacations never last long enough, I always want one more day! My husband and I were able to spend time with both of our families on Christmas Day, which was exhausting, but wonderful!  We finished off Christmas with our own gift exchange at the end of day, just us.  We are so blessed that everyone made it to where they were going safely, that we are able to give gifts and share scrumptious meals together!  This was the best Christmas I think!

My big gift from my parents was an iPhone 4S and I am in love with it.  I am sure the excitement will eventually wear off, but right now I can't keep my little paws off of it.  It's amazing all I can do with this little thing!  From my husband my big gift were these:

Michael Kors Black Pumps

I had asked for a classic pair of black pumps and this is what he got!  There are comfortable, beautiful and the perfect staple for almost any outfit.  I am wearing them to work today actually!  Thank you honey!

Our 11 month old pup Hudson was off course along for the ride and Santa brought him a huge braided bone shaped like a candy cane.  He carries it around with him everywhere!

On Christmas Eve.

We are all so blessed and are thankful that we have a reason to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior! What a great year 2011 has been.  We are looking forward to 2012 and the surprises and blessings it holds.

Just Call Me Professor

I cannot, cannot believe that I haven't posted in this long amount of time! For this, please forgive me.  Time has just slipped away this holiday season!  Thanksgiving was a busy weekend for us, considering we still have to go to both my husband's and my family's house to eat (but I don't complain about the whole eating thing).  It was wonderful to be surrounded by family that loves us all under one roof counting our blessings.  

Hudson, our pup, has happily turned 10 months old and is still going through some teenage growing pains, defying us at every possible turn.  But we find ourselves excitedly planning on what we are going to buy him for Christmas!  Ah, having fur babies is always an adventure

Thoughtful pose.

Sure, he looks sweet now.

Last weekend I attended a retirement celebration for one of my favorite college professors, Terry Rothgeb.  He traveled with a group of us in school to Germany and he was a blast to travel with.  He was a wonderful educator, mentor and friend.  I can't imagine my school without him.  But, I am very happy for him and hope he has a wonderful retirement (he told me about his future travelings to Palm Springs, Munich, Berlin, just to name a few).  

 The title of this post is referring to a new adventure for me starting in January.  I have accepted a part-time teaching position at University of Kentucky's College of Design and am looking forward to it so much. My class will be only two nights a week for two hours each class, so this way it won't interfere with my full-time position.  I can't wait to give back to my school that I am so proud of.  I am also excited to teach the students about the "real world", and what it is really like to practice interior design day-to-day.  The Lord has blessed me with this opportunity and thanks to a wonderful friend's recommendation of me, I finally get to educate!  Wish me luck!

And another update, I have been working on a new hotel/restaurant project that has taken up every waking minute of my work week!  Very exciting new project though and very blessed to have it.  I have been waiting 5 years to work on a hotel and the opportunity has finally arrived.  Hooray!

Hopefully this weekend the hubby will be painting our kitchen and living room.  It was one of my hot items on my Christmas list.  And tomorrow night is our family's annual family dinner at Sal's (an absolutely fantastic restaurant here in Lexington).  My husband'sHere comes the weekend!