Audience of One

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Ever read something that stops you in your tracks? This week it was this scripture: "For they loved praise from men more than from God." {John 12:43} My people-pleasing self was dumfounded, convicted, and refocused. For a girl hoping everyone likes me what a relief to know there's truly an audience of One I need to please.

Update: Camila of High Heeled Foot in the Door fame featured my home today. Be sure to pop over and say hello, I have followed her blog for a while now. Love her diy's and designer eye.

Apologies and a peacock mirror

So good news I finished my photo gallery wall, but it still needs tweaking so the reveal will have to wait a bit, sorry for false expectations!!!

Totally unrelated, I was wandering through pier 1 imports (need to stop that) and the peacock mirror I've loved since last fall was still there on clearance!! Since its been there so long I noticed a few nicks and mirrors missing and got a discount, score. Here's some pretty pictures with the mirror, its not for the faint hearted!

Love how its paired here adhering to it's ethnic vibe.

images via wisteria, domino, and lonny

Photo gallery inspiration

These are the images I borrowed inspiration from for our photo gallery wall. Can't wait to show you guys tomorrow!!!

images via littlegreennotebook, sixxdesign

Dad's frittata

My Dad, who I miss everyday still has an ever present influence on me. Some of the strangest things trigger memories, one being his amazing culinary skills! My stepmother actually made me a cookbook with his recipes, best gift ever. So this is my third round with his frittata, eggs are tricky and so are cast iron pans!! I was determined to master the frittata method because its genius, quick, and healthy.

Basically choose your players, here mine were asparagus, mushrooms, and onions but any combination will work. Saute in oil or butter, add eggs, let set, then finish in the oven under the broiler, be sure to use oven friendly pan. Thanks Dad!

Favorites Friday: Peachy Pink

Apparently I still have a bad case of baby girl fever as evidenced here. When I pulled my inspiration images together this week they were all peachy pink! Enjoy.

That print on the chairs and the garden stool, lovely via Lonny

How adorable is this pink bassinet?! via weheartit

A tempting panini of apricot, mozzerella, cinnamon....I love the unexpected! via coco&kelley

Cake pops, gonna give these a try via bakarella

{my living room}

Please check out Kirsten's amazing blog 6thstreetdesignschool which is chock full of interior design inspiration. Today she is so sweet to feature my home! Including some new pictures. Thanks Kirsten!

And more link love:

Looking for a way to figure out your style take the stylescope quiz.

A book party complete with outdoor movie, brillant.

The new film "To save a life" reminded me of my youth group experience, which literally saved my life. I loved both the book and movie, check out the trailer here.

Meredith Andrew's music is on repeat in my car, her writing skills and voice to match are heavenly. Listen here.

Upcoming goodies to look for: my new gallery wall, Gideon's 4th birthday party, an all things Charlottesville week, and my fall checklist.

Have a lovely weekend, dearies.

Ihop and the President

Husband has been scarce lately due to official Presidential helicopter training, so cool!

So we snatched him up for midday brunch at Ihop, can't remember last time I went, but the eggs benedict is pretty decent!

By the way, my white t-shirt is $5 from walmart perfectly loose for sticky Virginia humidity. And I've given up on finding good summer shorts and sticking to skirts from here on out!

Can you tell G is used to getting his picture taken, what a ham!

Eggs benedict= my breakfast weakness containing enough calories and fat for the whole day!!

No worries we worked it off at the grocery store. To the guy who invented the kid grocery cart, thank you.

Family stress relief & Israeli couscous

A little family stress relief session took place yesterday which consisted of launching water balloons (grenades) off our deck! I highly recommend it, felt great!

Then to keep things cool and avoid turning on the oven in the midst of summer heat, I discovered this tasty recipe in Country Living magazine, delicious.

My trusty assistant, Gideon.

Israeli couscous is a bit more substantial then regular couscous and harder to find check the international aisle. Here its paired with apples, feta, pine nuts, lemon, and herbs; perfect for summer.

Let's go to the Fair

It all started with a broken heart over an employee's 12 year old's cancer diagnosis. I was looking for ways to finicially contribute to a difficult situation when my Mom said throw a fundraising hospital fair!! Brillant idea, Mom.Providence led the vice president of the hospital to my unit yesterday where I pitched the idea and she loved it! Turns out there's already financial assistance available to meet this family's need, but nonetheless the fair committee is brewing and the event will kickoff in October! If any of you have any suggestions or experience with large events, I'd love your comments, suggestions and ideas.

Here' s my vision:

Heath screening booths, bouncies, clowns, bbq, hospital tours, and live music!

Brainchild

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Today I'm pitching an idea to the hospital higher up's that was birthed in my lil mind this weekend. Could really use prayers for boldness and open minds because if my idea comes to fruition, it will be like moving a mountain! Hope to share with you tomorrow, Happy Monday!

"Now to Him who is able to immeasurably more than we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us..." {Ephesians 3:20}

The "it" list

Happy weekend! Clinging to this promise for some very big prayer requests lately:

"If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will given you." John 15:7

Check out the great links and have a lovely weekend, see you Monday!

Hooray for Friday! The "it" list is back with a great round up of all sorts of goodies on the web... be sure to visit all these lovelies blogs for tons of inspiration this weekend!

• sweetie pie pumpkin noodle visits some of THE most fabulous boutiques and shops in Mill Valley and takes us along for the ride. She also hunts down amazing chandeliers along her way. Don't miss this goodness!
• merci blah blah rounds up tons of gorgeous drape-style dresses from all over the interwebs. And not just once... but twice. Um, I'll take one of each!
• good life for less gives us the highlights of her recent trip to Forever 21... these shoes were definitely a great find!
• a spot of whimsy forks over a delicious dose of Mad Men style and photos. I swoon, just swoon for that show!
• penguins gift is giving away a Stella & Dot bracelet for the little ladies in your life. So cute!
• style your life puts together a casual outfit featuring an unexpected item - a pencil skirt. I just love this look - so chic!
• spry on the wall gives us a practical and affordable version of this amazing outfit from Isaac Mizrahi's Spring 2010 line.
• the hillside home just bought a new house and is planning, planning, planning. SO FUN! Join her as they start picking out colors, finishes, etc. I just love the adventure of a new house!
• johns journal outlines a simple but fantastic looking diy roman shade project. You will absolutely want to try this. It turned out amazing!
• elena's custom designs makes a custom pillow out of a scarf/handkerchief. I just LOVE this idea!
• really cute stuff is featuring their "family style" notecards... a great gift for friends or teachers or just to have for yourself for thank you notes or notes to teachers. I love these ideas!
• good look for less is offering wardrobe consults at half price through the end of today... hurry and snag yours before they go back to full price for fall!

Have a great weekend... interested in learning more about the "it" list? Email goodlifeforless @ gmail.com !

Quirky chic

Love the element of surprise in all areas of life, but paricularly in decor. Rooms shouldn't be so serious, but fun and even quirky! Mister Ed brings that element to our home and every single person who comes to our house makes a comment about him, I love it!

Here's some other great examples of quirky chic done well.

Love that print, perfect for a guy's office via decorista

This would be great in a kid's room

Those chairs and that elephant print, so unexpected

Note the family pet in the corner via kristaewart

Bunny rabbit mat!

All other images via mdesign

The Versatile blogger award

My dear friend Katie nominated me for the Versatile blogger award, thanks girl!

Here's how it works:

1. Thank whoever gave you the award.

2. Tell 7 things about yourself readers might not know

3. Pay it forward by nominating other bloggers!

Here's my little unknown facts!

1. I met Jesus when I was sixteen and have never been the same!

{putting together my faith story right now!}

2. When I "grew up" I wanted to be an olympic gymnast. I ate, slept and breathed gymnastics!

3. The moment my husband sat next to me, I knew he was "the one." The first thing I noticed about him was his hands!

4. I finshed 22nd in the nation in the NCAA division 3 College Diving championships on the 1 and 3 meter boards, but I never loved that sport! Lots of swimmers ear and chlorine everyday at 5am!

5. My sister and I are born on the same day on year apart and we are the best of friends.

6.I perfomed in all my highschool musicals and never met a musical I didn't love.

7. Constantly struggle with wanderlust and this time its for Turkey and Greece!

And tag your it:

Jill

Jackie

Megan

Elizabeth

Paula

Roman shade how-to

Here's the how-to for how I cheated my way to roman shade bliss. The purpose of these shades in my dining room were two fold; something pretty and something to cool down a room with six windows during summer heat! The supplies are simple: bamboo shades {home depot}, substantial fabric, spray glue {home depot}, and glue gun. Here's the steps:

A few cliffnotes, I did not glue fabric all the way to the bottom because it won't be seen and was expensive fabric. The hardware that comes with shades is pretty self-explanatory in terms of hanging just be sure to NOT cover the slits at the top with fabric otherwise you won't be able to hang them! Hope this helps anyone interested in trying, hoping to post my finished dining room next week.

Weekend review

Our weekend was full of fun! Chuck E Cheese's birthday party, old friends, new toys, fresh fruit and a lesson in decorating I'll never forget.

My sister truly is a rebel without a cause!

I call this shirt a "party in the back"!

Sunday night panini's {tomato, basil, and mozzarella}

And the project that nearly killed me!! Dear friends, never never spray paint a chandelier while its still hanging....yes, I really did that and it wasn't good. Not good for the air or our precious hardwood floors. Thankfully it does look good, but there were many hours spent on my knees with a toothbrush scrubbing the floors. Needless to say my roman shades got put on the back burner, but I will post on those tomorrow! Hope your weekends went well!