Monday, January 30, 2012

motivated monday

Monday! It's here!
We had a very eventful weekend over at my house. On Friday, we found out we were probably buying a new car within the next week or so, and by Saturday evening, we were the proud owners of a new car. How did that happen? I realized this weekend that if there's something that I loathe more than going to the dentist, it's going to car dealerships. And dealing with car salesmen. No offense if any of you are, or know, car salesmen but...my lord. They are obnoxious. Regardless, we are happy! New cars are fun. They would be so much more fun without the money that comes along with them, but hey. You can't have it all.
Speaking of having it all, I want (or want to make) everything on this motivated Monday list.


I love decanters! Is that weird? I saw this image in a blog post that I read daily and it reminded me that I want to buy one soon. Nothing looks cooler or fancier at a dinner party than a decanter airing out your red wine. Class in a glass.

I can't stop looking at this house, you guys. It's so amazing! Beautiful and minimalistic, with tons of windows and open spaces. I highly recommend that you click on the source link along the bottom of the 2nd picture and enjoy the company's website and more pictures of this house.


Stenciled leather. Aren't these great? They started off as plain white chairs and ended up as the perfect pop of pattern and color. And since it's DIY, it's cheap! Well maybe not cheap, but cheapER than paying someone or buying them already stenciled.

Comfy beds. I think beds say a lot about a person. I can't stand stuffy beds with lots of useless pillows (the scene from Along Came Polly always runs through my head when I see those damn decorative pillows)...these beds are perfect. They look lived in, comfortable and easy. Beautiful.


My dad lives in Guadalajara, which I've mentioned before. What I haven't mentioned is that he is amazingly well-traveled. One of the things that I've always loved at his house was his huge world map (we're talking huge, takes up half of a large wall) - on that map, he's pinpointed everywhere he's ever visited, using these tiny red stars. I decided when I was little that I wanted to do the same thing, so I came across this pretty cork map. I'm doin' it! What a cool thing for our kids to see, right?

Housewarming party invitations. I know I'm getting a little ahead of myself here since we're definitely not moving anytime soon, but this is a very cute idea.

Love the colors involved, and the idea for an anniversary or birthday party.

These babies are mine! They're quite bright, no? I'm determined to make them look damn good this spring...we'll see how that goes.


And lastly, as usual, a reminder for me:

I hope you guys all have a great Monday & don't have to deal with any car salesmen anytime soon.



Sunday, January 29, 2012

results: craft day #2 of 2012

I'm happy that I have a second craft to be posted before it becomes February! I feel like that means I'm off to a decent start. Do you remember in this post, when I mentioned that I was using an image I found on pinterest as inspiration to revamp my jewelry box? Well, here are the results. I'm pretty happy with them & it was the easiest "craft" ever. 

Here is the photo that inspired my revamp:


This is the fabric I used


I know this is the world's blurriest photo, but this is how easy it was. I just taped the fabric over the stock photos that came in the frames


This is the result before being placed back on the actual jewelry box


This is what the jewelry box looks like without the frame in front. I love this box because I'm not a huge fan of traditional jewelry boxes - they're just not my aesthetic. So this one is perfect for me, because it's easily hidden. 


And finally, here is the jewelry box all put together. It's a bit dark because I didn't want the flash to ruin the picture


Next craft day/night will be making the sugar & salt scrubs! Results to come later this week.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

#21: start (& keep) a regular yoga practice

I need to make it a point to update this blog at least 3x per week. That's not a resolution/goal, because I can't keep adding to them, but that's just something that I'll be working on. I look forward to logging in to my Google reader every single morning, because of those dedicated bloggers that are kind enough to leave me (yes, they do it just for me) updates every day! And yet I'm the slacker that posts once a week. Is it bad that when I get to work in the morning, that's the first thing I do? I show up to approximately 30 unread e-mails every morning, but if there's not a class going on, I go to the Google reader first. Maybe that should be yet another personal resolution...but...probably not.
So on my Motivated Monday post, I said that I'd post about how #21 on my list is going, which is keeping a regular yoga practice. It's going extremely well so far! My first class was on Monday, January 9. The classes are every Monday and Wednesday for an hour and a half, and I always leave feeling relaxed, stretched, and all around great. I've always been really good at starting a workout routine and keeping it up for about a month. I can be a hoss for a month and just absolutely be gung ho about it, and then something happens (like getting sick) and I just fall off the workout wagon. And I fall off hard. This yoga class has helped me not fall off that wagon. I've pre-paid for a month's worth of classes, and I'm kind of cheap. So I'm definitely not going to stray from a scheduled class once that money has been taken out of my account! And when I'm doing something twice a week, it motivates me to do something at least one other time that week, anyone else with me? I don't want to downplay yoga - I know it can do amazing things for one's body. But I personally don't think it will get me to the place I want to be with my body, without some cardio or weights or ab workouts being thrown in the mix. I'm already noticing my flexibility improving a LOT, just after 3 weeks in the class. And on Sunday, the husband said he had noticed a change in my body - am I right when I say that's the most motivating compliment? So one day this will be me:
and maybe this & this, too:




But until then, I'm happy with my progress with #21. Very happy.

This is the most amazing, beautiful yoga video I have seen in a long time. If you are in a place where you can watch it, I'd highly recommend it. Talk about motivating! This chick's insane.





What do you guys do to stay fit?


(original 30before30 list here)

Monday, January 23, 2012

motivated monday

Happy Monday! I'm sure we're all ecstatic that this day has rolled around again. Normally, I'm bitter about Mondays but I'm actually happy about this one. Last Monday I still felt extremely sick, and I was angry about not getting to do anything over the weekend because of being sick. This Monday is different. I had a great weekend, felt like I got a lot done and am ready to get this week started so that it can be over and we can be graced with another weekend.

So without further ado, here are the images for this week's Motivated Monday, along with some words.

I love this image so much. This is exactly what I'd love for our future guest bathroom to look like. Mismatched (yet matching) towels, wooden crates, mason jars, etc. Dreamy.

I have a thing for bookshelves. A big thing, as a matter of fact. I absolutely thing bookshelves can make a room, and this one makes the HOUSE. Isn't it beautiful? 

DIY beauty. Next week I'll be hosting a craft night at my house to make sugar and salt scrubs, and I've found out that it's super easy to make your own masks, deep conditioners, etc. DIY, here I come.
This is the coconut & almond sugar scrub I'll be making next week:

 These are great. quietboystudio, on Etsy, creates these one-of-a-kind pieces that I think would look great on a frame wall. They're painted on old recycled LP's and you can customize the lyrics.

 Okay, so I don't have baby fever. Unless I look at a picture like the one below, then I kind of do, dammit. 


These 2 images are of raw peanut balls. I'm going to make them without the raisins because I'm not a fan, but I think they look & sound delish. And with the peanut butter, rolled oats and sunflower seeds, they make a nice healthy snack that you can still pretend to feel guilty about eating. If I throw some mini chocolate chips in there, that wouldn't be so bad right? 


After my run yesterday, motivated to fit in to this dress just like she does :)
Kidding. Unattainable.


And, a reminder for me.

Post to come later this week on my new ombre hair (I said I'd do it!), craft night this week (candle-making), and how goal #21 (start a regular yoga practice) is coming along. (Hint: it's coming along well!)



Tuesday, January 17, 2012

motivated monday

I'm sitting at home sickly today, as I have been for the last 4 days. So I'm in need of a little bit of inspiration today to pull me out of my state of self-pity. These are some images that have kept me inspired as of late, from all over the blogosphere (and Pinterest, of course).
I realize that the title of this post is Motivated Monday and that today is Tuesday. But as I stated, I've been sick for fourrr days, so have a little bit of compassion. Starting yesterday today, I'll be using every Monday as a way to motivate myself and post images that have inspired me through the past week & weekend. I promise next week's Motivated Monday will actually be on the appropriate day of the week. 
Lately, inspiration has come from all sorts of different images. Photographs, artwork, interior design, amazing hair, gardens, well styled beautiful ladies, recipes for Sunday night suppers, travel inspired images, etc etc etc. Brace yourselves, friends. There's quite a few. I told you I really needed inspiration.


Instead of coveting new pieces of jewelry, I'll just combine them all :)

Ombre. It's happening to my hair this Saturday - results to come. I love the look, the ends just a little lighter than the roots, it makes it really easy for lazy ladies like me to not have to re-do the color every few weeks.

I love the idea of leaving walls a simple, crisp white and then having a pop of pattern or color on the ceiling. Element of surprise. Next house project, possibly?
I love this West Elm rug. I'm always looking for lighter colored rugs and to me, this one is perfect.
source

 
Future craft project: striped vases. I'll achieve this with rubber bands and spray paint. Results to come!
Party inspiration. We're having friends visit from Maui in May, which means our deck extension will be done, which of COURSE means a party is in order. I love the look of this wine bucket + photos.
Another craft project. My mom gave me a jewelry case for Christmas that has a lot of picture frames on the front. I like this idea much better though - filling the frames with similar colored textiles.

Another party idea - chalk tags on mason jars. Hopefully this will avoid washing 100 cups at the end of the night.

Healthy lunch ideas:

One of my (unstated) goals this year is another item on my list - have a thriving garden. This image is of a garden made using wine cartons.

 And lastly, this is for me to remember.


Thursday, January 5, 2012

results: craft night #1 of 2012

These are the results of the craft night I mentioned in my last post. The first official crafting of 2012!
We made lacquered bowls for jewelry and such, or you could use them as bowls to put snacks in for a dinner party. We made them dishwasher safe by adding a layer of dishwasher-safe gloss over the paint.

This first picture is terrible quality and you can see my running shoes. At least that means I'm sticking to my health goal, right?? The colors are much brighter in person than what my phone pictures captured, but I'm sure you get the general idea. 




I'm really happy with them and might be using the same paint/gloss to make a serving platter or tray soon. 
It helps that our craft nights (since we've had a few in the past, before 2012), usually always include mimosas, watching (and making fun of) a dramatic "reality" TV show on Bravo, and what Lesley refers to as her "2 hour salad"...which is really quite delicious. But yes, it literally does take her 2 hours to make.


(see original 30before30 list here)

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

2012

We are back! Back in Austin after being in Mexico then in Katy, back to eating and living more healthy and back to work. That last one is the only one I'm upset about, of course. The trip to Guadalajara was everything I hoped for. It was so, so much fun getting to introduce my husband to my whole family (literally, the WHOLE family), and to introduce him to real street tacos and churros for the first time. Spending time with my brother and his girlfriend really tops the list, too. Overall, it was incredibly hard to come back in to work knowing we couldn't just do those things day in, day out again. But life's got to get back to normal at some point, right? And truthfully, we live a pretty amazing life even without daily churros with chocolate.
Tucker and I had a really great New Year's Eve. We pampered ourselves with a spa day, a nap and a late romantic dinner. But the best part, of course, was talking. I love that man. And one of the best things about him (which I think I've mentioned before) is how good he is at motivating. We each picked 4 goals to accomplish this year...I prefer the word 'goal' to the word 'resolution' just because I feel like no one ever accomplishes their resolutions. Anyway, here are my 4, which of course all come from my 30before30 list:
1. become craftier
2. start and keep a regular yoga practice
3. start and keep a sunday night supper tradition
4. weekend trip to a vineyard

So that is what I want to will accomplish this year. And here's how.
-Become craftier: The good news is that I've already started on #1! Last night, Lesley (of previous Yozoe nights) hosted craft night and we painted ceramic bowls to stash jewelry and such...'before' picture below, 'after' picture to come later. Craft night inspired by this post.
-Start and Keep a Regular Yoga Practice: This starts one week from yesterday. I will be going to hourlong yoga classes on Mondays and Wednesdays after work, and could not be more excited!
-Start and Keep a Sunday Night Supper Tradition: In the next month or so, we will be building a deck/patio in the backyard, where I'm hoping to host a couple of these Sunday night suppers. We probably won't host our first one until March but I may or may not have already started planning the menu & decor. Playing hostess is just too damn fun.
-Weekend Trip to a Vineyard: Ok, honestly, this one I haven't really started thinking about yet. More info to come!

Since you read all of my ramblings, I'll reward you with pictures! These are a few of my favorite pictures from our trip, NYE and craft night.

A wall in Tlaquepaque, Mexico

 My brother and his lovely girlfriend

Some of our yummy drinks. Cerveza, chocolate, tequila, cazuelas.

                                    Tucker and I on Christmas Eve.

One of my most favorite Christmas presents ever! My big, tortoise shell watch AND my wrap bracelet.

Festive, glittery New Year's Eve Nails.

                                 & my handsome, wonderful NYE date.

The beginning of craft night.


 
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