goodbye irene

Many of my favorite beach towns were hit this weekend by Hurricane Irene (we also got hit where I live, but not very badly). Thankfully, the damage wasn't nearly as bad as expected in the coastal areas in New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland.

We got ready for Irene by cleaning out our basement, which normally floods with the slightest drizzle, and waited out the storm with beer, food, and Wii. This morning, our basement is completely dry. I credit this to the fact that we cleaned it out. Had we not bothered with that, we'd have gotten a foot of water. Murphy's Law and all that. 

I hope everyone in the path of the storm stayed/stays safe and dry.


Yes, that is pumpkin ale you see. I was probably a little more excited than I should have been to see that at the beer distributor yesterday.

what i did on my summer vacation

I go back to work tomorrow, 12 weeks after getting laid off. I haven't had this much time off from work since I was 14 or 15 years old. And while I did stay busy with my grad school class and a few other projects, I still managed to squeeze in some nostalgic summer fun. If it weren't for that little thing called income (or the lack of it while unemployed), I could have easily imagined I was 14 again (save for the fact that those Saved by the Bell reruns were not nearly as entertaining as I remembered them).

So here are a few things I did on my summer "vacation":

Played with nail polish:




Bought Revlon Moondrops Lipstick in 24K Orange, purely because it was one of the first lipsticks I ever bought as a teenager:




Caught up on some mindless but entertaining reading:




Ate way too many Freezee Pops:




Made some friendship bracelets (similar pieces will show up in my jewelry shop soon, after I finish refining them):
taken with my iphone



Visited my favorite city:




And spent a lot of time with these adorable faces:
taken with my iphone


Just because I managed to have some fun on my unplanned summer vacation doesn't mean I wasn't productive. In addition to my fun, I also:
1. Updated the design of this blog and posted regularly.
2. (Soft) launched my business and marketing website.
3. Launched Sun Sugar Studio, my new jewelry line.
4. Created my 35 Before 35 list.
5. Painted our living room, dining room, stairway, and upstairs hallway (walls, ceiling, and trim).
6. Updated my resume and got a new job.

Overall, it gave me a lot of time to recharge from some pretty awful experiences, start some long overdue projects, and get ready to start a brand new chapter of my life (and close those old ones that aren't even worth re-reading).

I have a few posts pre-scheduled for this week because I don't know how much time I'm going to have between the new job and working on my final project for class over the next two weeks. Then, I leave for a long weekend, come back for two days, and then head back to the beach for short week/extra long weekend trip, so posting could be light for the next month or so until I get back into the swing of things.

Happy Sunday and happy summer!

All photos by me.

new job, new hair

The shopping ban is over, you guys. I found out over the weekend that I got a new job, and while don't like to post too much about work details here on my blog, let's just say at this moment and at this point in my career, this is a really good job.

In honor of my new gig, I thought I should get some new hair. So I went blonder. But don't expect it to be straight like it is in the photo all that often. My stylist works her magic to straighten my unruly waves, but I don't have the patience for that on daily basis.



And- AND!- not only did I get offered a full-time gig, I also was contacted to help out with volunteer work for a local animal rescue organization. If all goes as planned, I'll be taking pictures of pooches, kitties, and other critters, as well as writing copy about the animals for the organization's website. I'm super exited about this and it kind-of-sort-of can count for number 7 and number 18 on my 35 before 35 list (okay 18 is definitely a maybe, since technically, it's not a fundraiser, but it's still good work that will help a good cause).

I'm feeling super lucky at the moment. I think I should go buy some PowerBall tickets and enter every contest available right now while the karma gods are still shining down upon me. I also think I need to buy this dress and these shoes as a celebration of my new gigs.

inspiration board:: living and dining room take 2

I previously mentioned (in this post) that we're now in "designed to rent" mode with our house, so that (paired with my recent layoff) means I needed to rework my original plans for our living/dining room in our house.

Instead of buying all new furniture, we're using mostly what we have and buying a few pieces (like a less expensive dining room table than originally planned). I'm using a color scheme based on furniture and accessories we already own, and I repainted two of our end tables (used as a coffee table) bright pink and I plan to embellish them with nail head trim (a project I spotted in the July issue of Better Homes & Gardens).

Yesterday, we painted the room the blue color in the background of the inspiration board below, and now I'm on the hunt for artwork. I plan to use some of my own sketches and photographs, as well as some from Etsy sellers and images torn from magazines and catalogs. I also need some pillows in different shades of gold and yellow with 60s or 70s style prints. And maybe an area rug for the dining room.

The inspiration for this room came from this picture from Domino's very first issue (posted over on my DU Facebook page). I added a little more blue to the look with our walls, but overall in person, with all of our furniture and accent pieces, it definitely gives off the warm, casual 70s glam vibe. I'll post pictures of the actual room over on the DU Facebook page when it's completed.


{Shop}:: glass link chandelier, west elm; saga credenza, cb2; brigitte bardot watercolor fashion illustration by silver ridge studio; bjursta table, ikea; damask velvet burnout curtain, urban outfitters; couch: from my living room, bought locally; jamie young lamp base, layla grayce; lack side table, ikea

35 before 35

I'm ready for a challenge. Life has been sort of icky lately, with me getting laid off and some other unfortunate incidents happening concurrently. And honestly, the series of unfortunate events didn't stop after that- there were some petty hate issues (in real life, not just online) and then my beagle, Meadow, partially tore her ACL and has been on vet's orders to rest for a few weeks.

But you know what? I don't need to be shut down by those things. I'll admit, I did a good amount of moping about the job situation (mostly because of the circumstances surrounding it, not necessarily because of the loss of the job itself), and I also found myself extremely down after we came back from our trip to Los Angeles (I'm homesick for that place every single day).

But then I realized I needed to pick myself up off the floor, dust off dirt of depression, and start moving forward again. Opportunity doesn't always knock politely on our doors. Sometimes we have to chase it down and beat it into submission. And so, I created my 35 Before 35 Challenge.

This isn't a new concept. In fact, lots of people and bloggers do it, whether 30 before 30, 25 before 25, or something else. Two bloggers I love who inspired me to take on my own challenge are Brandi of Brandi Girl and Kate of Divergent Musings. Both of them are doing a 30 before 30 challenge. (Check out Brandi's challenge here and Kate's challenge here.)

Since I'm already past 30, the next big age for me is 35. I'll be 32 this August, so that gives me three years to get in gear and get my life moving. I think I'm ready to grab some opportunities. Whenever I hit a goal, I'll post about it here, so I hope you'll join me in my journey. And don't forget to check out my full 35 Before 35 list right here (I also added a link to the list in my top navigation).

in photos:: our wedding day

I've been meaning to post these for a while but just didn't get around to it. So now I have. These photos were taken by the super sweet and very talented Amanda Young of Swoon Over It. I highly recommend her, especially if you're into more artsy, less staged-looking photography. She's amazing!

So here we go- a peek into our special day:*






Outfit details:
Dress: Tracy Reese Nougat Classic Lace Frock (also know as Anthropologie Spinning Lace Dress)
Cardigan: LOFT
Coat: Anthropologie Cassonade Coat
Earrings: J. Crew Outlet
Barrette: Vintage brooch turned hair decoration
Bracelet: Vintage (likely from Watt & Shand, an old downtown Lancaster landmark)
Scarf: Target
Tights: Spanx
Boots: can't remember
Heels (shown in "a stop in the square" photo): Nine West

A few other shout outs for downtown Lancaster:
Bouquet from Flowers by Paulette
Hair and makeup by Lauren from Trim Salon
Rings from J.A. Sharp Custom Jewelers

*Just in case you didn't already know, we just went to the Justice of the Peace and then had a fun little photo session downtown followed by dinner with family and drinks with friends. For us, it was perfect!

PS- Also, on a randomly narcissistic note, I would like to point out that I've lost 15 pounds since then! Go me! All of this exercising and eating right is finally paying off for me.

inspiration board:: living and dining room

{ petal pusher wallpaper by oh joy! for hygge & west, glass link chandelier, west elm, saga credenza, cb2, antoinette fainting sofa, urban outfitters, madeline chair in turquoise, urban outfitters, slipper chair in indigo ikat, urban outfitters, arteriors cooper gold leaf iron floor lamp, layla grayce, pink ikat pillows by ikat & batik, purple ikat pillows by ikat & batik, modern farmhouse table, anthropologie }

Hey, happy Sunday!

After a few months of debating colors and wallpapers and styles, and of staring at huge paint swatches all over our walls, I think I'm finally ready to start decorating the house. First up- the living/dining room area. The whole space is one big area, so everything has to work together.

That awesome gold and white wallpaper was the linchpin that brought the whole design together. After looking at two other wallpapers and being absolutely unable to decide between the two, I decided that neither one was the right one and went out searching for my perfect wallpaper match. I stumbled across this one, thanks to Emily Henderson and Secrets from a Stylist and I have to say, it was love at first site. After I picked the wallpaper, all of the other elements starting falling right into place.

The whole look is a mid-century modern meets bohemian artsy nouveau (a nice little mix of my style and Mr. DU's). I plan to paint the walls a deep robin's egg blue and reupholster one of our couches in charcoal grey. And I want to scout around for some reclaimed and vintage furniture to add into the mix. The main color scheme is shades of blue with metallic accents and pops of pink and purple. Totally not even close to the original idea I had for the room of greens, rusts and teals, but I'm really loving this look. It's completely different from any room I've ever had before and I think it will be a really great living space once we're done with it.

I will, of course, post before and after pics here on the blog. But for now, I'm off to enjoy the precious few hours left of the weekend!

Note to self

This is not nail polish remover:


And that is why it did not remove my nail polish. No matter how hard I scrubbed.

Baby, come back

My elliptical has been feeling a little bit like the sorry mops in those Swiffer commercials. Since I hurt my back last weekend, I've been neglecting exercise in favor of the soft, cushy couch. But I'm feeling better and I finally managed to get exercising again today. A short session, but enough to chase away the dust bunnies. Next up-- conquering The Shred.

I am a lily

"Your artistic expression tends to show up in flamboyant bursts. When you are feeling creative, it consumes your every thought and action. But just as quickly as the muse shows up, it leaves you and you are back to your relatively normal self."



What Flower Are You?

An Easter Conversation

Occurred at home while getting eggs out of the coloring cups and ready to paint with glitter. (Necessary information for this convo to make sense- D has seven siblings.)

D: Remember when you were a kid and you wrote your name on the eggs with white crayon before you colored them so you knew which ones where yours?

Me (slightly confused): What? I didn't need any crayons. I'm an only child. All the eggs belonged to me.

Pen to paper

So, Jorge Garcia has an awesome blog. I was reading back through some of his old posts and found this one. I love it. It's so true. If you want something, write it down.

I decided to try it:

1. I want to be the owner/founder/CEO of a business that synthesizes my passion for social causes (arts, environment and animals, specifically) with my love of fashion and my desire to support and promote indie artisans/designers/artists/musicians (particularly on the local level). And I want to incorporate cutting edge new media technology into the customer experience. Tall order, I know. That's what grad school is for.

2. I want to live in San Diego.

3. I want to finish my MFA summa cum laude.

4. I want a puggle (Thing 1 and Thing 2 need a Thing 3).

5. I want a potted, organic veggie garden (and some chickens).

6. I want new shoes.

7. I want the weekend. Now.

An open letter to Target

Dear Target,

I really enjoy our lunch time rendezvous, but I'm starting to feel like you're taking advantage of my generosity. See, whenever I come to visit, you're conveniently out of baskets, which forces me to use a cart. So, instead of just getting toothpaste, paper towels and a frozen lunch, I end up with a cart full of things I don't need like dog beds, candles, dishes and t-shirts. And then I usually forget the toothpaste and paper towels, which means another visit the next day and the vicious cycle just keeps going.

I'd like to think you're not using me for my money because I've always thought you were much cooler than that, but if you don't start keeping more baskets on hand, I may have to reconsider this relationship because it's really starting to wear on my bank account.

Sunshine and puppy dogs,
CK

Miss Lucy Beagle

Thing 2 is bored tonight.

Mac 'n cheese

I've been having kind of crappy week, so when I went to pick up my lunch today, I really wanted to get a big tub of macaroni and cheese. You know, those Country Crock ones they market as side dishes? Yeah, side dish, my patutti. I'll eat the whole thing in one sitting, thanks.

But, since just a few weeks down the line, they'll be no place to hide, I decided to get the nasty Lean Cuisine version.


It's significantly smaller, much less creamy and sort of mysteriously grainy. But close enough, I guess, if I don't want to be mistaken for Shamu on the beach this summer.

But then, it reminded me of this unfortunate (but not blogged about until now) incident at the department holiday potluck this past Christmas.


I think I was more upset about the ruined homemade mac 'n cheese than about the broken crockpot.

Just a few weeks down the line...

...there'll be no place to hide.

I can't take credit for that fun little phrase. But it's brilliant. It's actually from a Weight Watchers (I think??) commercial from the 80s. It's one of my favorite commercials ever. Picture a horizontally scrolling clothesline, first with a sweater, then jeans, then capris, then a t-shirt, then shorts, then a tank top, then a barely there string bikini while happy female voice says the ominous phrase from the opening of this post. Scare tactic? Sure. Impactful? Definitely. I'm not sure if the fact that I remember a weight-loss commercial from the 80s (when I was no older than 10) is horrifying or if it was dramatic foreshadowing for my current occupation in advertising.

It doesn't really matter, though. What matters is that the commercial is right. I have exactly 4 weeks and 1 day to get my butt ready for the last items on the clothesline or I'll be heading to California and wishing I had a place to hide. So, I bought myself Denise Austin's Daily Dozen. I can handle 12 minutes a day. Baby steps. I'm allergic to exercise.

But a funny thing happened. I've been doing this video for about a week and a half. And I like it! I feel better, have more energy and lost a few pounds (with um...several more to go). I actually feel like exercising longer (LONGER!) than 12 minutes. Good thing SuperD went and bought us a new elliptical this past weekend.

Six random things about me

1. I love randomness.
2. My hair has been black, platinum blonde, red, several shades of brown and construction cone orange with purple streaks.
3. When I was a kid, I thought I wanted to be a veterinarian.
4. Sometimes I still don't think I know what I want to be when I grow up.
5. My favorite color is purple, but I don't own very many purple things.
6. I've never been a bridesmaid.

I'm tagging Rana at Q-tips and Mammoths and Tina at Daily Pointers. My tagger was The Beach Cottage.

The guidelines: Link to your tagger, share 6 random things about yourself, tag a few others (be sure to tell them).
And of course, post the rules.

What's your card, baby?

I stumbled across this fun little "What's your tarot card?" quiz today and thought I'd share. I think my results are fairly accurate.

You are Strength

Courage, strength, fortitude. Power not arrested in the act of judgement, but passing on to further action, sometimes obstinacy.

This is a card of courage and energy. It represents both the Lion's hot, roaring energy, and the Maiden's steadfast will. The innocent Maiden is unafraid, undaunted, and indomitable. In some cards she opens the lion's mouth, in others she shuts it. Either way, she proves that inner strength is more powerful than raw physical strength. That forces can be controlled and used to score a victory is very close to the message of the Chariot, which might be why, in some decks, it is Justice that is card 8 instead of Strength. With strength you can control not only the situation, but yourself. It is a card about anger and impulse management, about creative answers, leadership and maintaining one's personal honor. It can also stand for a steadfast friend.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

A wonderful Christmas time

This was probably one of the best Christmases I've had in years. Like, since I was living in Philly with my awesome college roomie, Beth Ann. There was no drama and no annoying roommates hanging about (not a reference to Beth Ann, there). We had a nice tree, lots of fun holiday events and several family gatherings (I cooked for one of them!).

Here's a small peek into my holiday world (from top- cheese and cracker platter; Christmas Eve feast remnants; me and SuperD; Thing 1 and Thing 2's stockings- although the good thing is questionable; our Christmas tree):











































































I hope you and yours all had as wonderful a Christmas as I did and many happy wishes for the new year!