3 Things That Make Me Feel Organized (Even When I'm Not)

I don't know if it's the laziness of these hot summer days, or the crazy combination of trying to work, work out, spend time with my husband and baby, attend parties and visit with friends, write my blog, read blogs, and take care of the house, but lately I've found myself really feeling like I need to get it together when it comes to keeping things tidy and organized around our home.



Trust me, I am okay with not having a perfectly clean house all the time, and realistically speaking, it's just not possible all the time.   But even in the midst of the bits of chaos happening around here right now, if I do the following 3 things, I feel more organized and keep my sanity!

Although I've gone to bed on many a night with a sink full of dirty dishes, but it's really not what I prefer to wake up to in the morning.  When I take the time to do the dishes and clean the kitchen sink before bed, the kitchen is a much nicer place to be in the morning and I don't wake up feeling already behind the 8-ball!

I get a little crazy when my purse becomes like a black hole that I can't find anything in.  My pet peeve is fishing for a ringing phone or keys that can't be found at the moment you need them.  It only takes about   10 minutes to dump everything out, throw away the trash, clean out all the receipts from my wallet and organize the cash.  Having a purse with a couple of compartments is nice for keeping things organized too.

Oh I love to get into a clean car!  I do keep mine pretty clean, generally speaking, but with me and my son occasionally snacking in the car, crumbs tend to accumulate, not to mention the dirt of everyday life.  There's a friend-owned carwash near our house that I pop into about twice a month to give my car a nice bath- inside and out!  Don't you just love to get into a clean car?!

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Morning Snack-Sparkles

Maybe it is because I am soooo sick of wearing the same 5 dresses/outfits over and over and over again (although it does make getting ready in the mornings really easy), but I am in the mood for something sparkly to wear. Just like this.And a place to wear it would be nice too.

Guest Post {Rambling Renovators}

I first fell in love with the Rambling Renovators family long before I ever thought of starting my own blog, when I caught a glimpse of the nursery they created for their adorable baby girl, Chloe.  Jennifer and her hubby are the King and Queen of DIY renovation and decor in Canada and completely cool, but it seems that all the Canadian bloggers are genuinely good people, ya know?!

 Then I was blown away when I saw how they remodeled their master bedroom, down to the DIY wood paneling behind the bed.  This project was even featured on The Nate Show, and I was so happy to see how lovely and personable Jennifer was in person.

And what about this cool office?  So fun with the colorful walls and fun drapes.

One of their latest projects is their new living room.  Just gorgeous and perfectly comfortable for a real family.  I dig the yellow Dwell Studio fabric on those chairs and the colorful furniture in the background.

The fireplace? Swoon!

But look at the peek into the dining room- they really know how to use color and pattern to liven up their space.

And how about this little retro kitchen they made for Chloe?  I LOVE it!

I am sharing my favorite old and new things at Rambling Renovators today. Go here to check it out!

The Nursery: Looking Up

The ceiling is now complete thanks to a lot of work by this guy....

While it is not wallpaper, I do love the way it turned out, a more complete post to come.

Ohhhh but the labor did not stop there for Patrick (of course he had a great sidekick), so much was accomplished this weekend and I can't wait to show more.

Much more to come soon....

My Favorite (Fast & Fake) Tan

Now that it's August, I know many of us see fall just around the corner and are getting prepared for school to start for the kiddos- but I, for one, am not ready for summer to end!  We are renting a beach house with my husband's sister and her family soon and I'm so looking forward to it!



Being outdoors more and running around with James in the backyard has helped me get a little tan, but when I really want to get nice color fast, I turn to my favorite spray tan from Victoria's Secret-  Instant Bronze Body Spray.  I couldn't find it on Victoria's Secret website anymore (where it sold for about $10) but found a link to it on Ebay (2 for $44).  If you find it somewhere else cheaper let me know:)



It's not a traditional self tanner, it's more of a body spray that gives you instant color, looks great and smells nice!  It dries right away and you see the results immediately.  I use it mainly on my legs since they seem to be less tan than the rest of me.

And speaking of Victoria's Secret, I think they have the cutest, inexpensive bikinis!  I don't think anyone particularly relishes shopping for swimsuits, but I've ordered from them online and been happy with my selections.  

I'd love to hear where you find your bikinis, what brands you like, etc.  Seems like now is a good time to buy them because they're all on SALE! :)

Beauty With Age

Today is my Dad's birthday, Happy Birthday Dad! My Dad loves antiques and taught me the value in unique, one of a kind pieces.
My favorite place to go day dream about antiques is 1st Dibs. It has been a while since I was on there so I thought today would be the perfect day to go back...

I would take any of these. I would love to have a house one day that was filled with more unique pieces and less with items made in China....just waiting on the money tree to start sprouting in the back yard.

All images 1st Dibs

Portico Mirror (Z Gallerie)

Z Gallerie has such a great selection of mirrors, I love stopping in or browsing online to see what's new.  We recently purchased the Portico mirror and put it in the little hallway that connects the breakfast room and the garage.  That wall really needed something and I thought the round, blingy mirror would add interest.  I added the shade to the window recently too because we get so much late afternoon/early evening sun that it was impossible to eat dinner at the table without the sun shining in our eyes.  The shade was about $20 at Lowe's.

Here's the view from the living room.

I've heard that Home Goods sometimes carries a very similar version of the Portico mirror for about $100, but unfortunately I never could find it at my store:(

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