Monday Musts

Life has been crazy.  That's not new news to anyone who lives on this planet.  So many things on my to-do list, so I thought I would list a few here, in case you're interested...

Must Read:  Elin Hilderbrand's newest novel "The Matchmaker."  Her books are dreamily set on Nantucket, and though I've yet to visit there, I feel like I know the island from reading her books. Definitely a summer read for me.

Must Make:  Dry Shampoo as seen on The Everygirl.   I love dry shampoo, but the scents aren't always my cup of tea, so I'm excited to try this version with my favorite essential oils.

Must Wear:  OPI's Kyoto Pearl.  Seems like the perfect summer nail color, and I've been obsessively looking for it since I read about it on a blog last week.  Should also be listed under "Must Find!"

Must Make:  This avocado, bacon, corn and other yummy delights salad.  I've been obsessed with this since a friend posted the link on Facebook a few weeks back.  And, I believe if you skip the cheese, it's paleo.  I've been toying with the idea of  a sort-of paleo diet.  Anyone out there have experience with it?

another Must Read:  Roo's experiences in Southeast Asia working to stop human trafficking are heart-wrenching.  My heart clenched and my stomach knotted up when, working undercover, she witnessed young girls being handled by men 40 years their senior.  Broke my heart for those girls, and for Roo too.

Happy Monday!  Wishing you a fantastic short week!

xo
d.

The Under-Rated Nap

I took a nap tonight.  While I realize this is not breaking news, doing so was really a revelation for me. Like most of us, my life is filled to the brim and my to-do list is longer than I am tall, so I've been burning the proverbial candle at both ends all year long.  And it's only mid-May.

Today, as I sat in the waiting room of my doctor's office, I realized that I'm just exhausted, and trying to keep up with everything was becoming increasingly impossible due to said exhaustion.  So, while I was strategizing how to get everything done so that everyone around me would be happy, I realized that doing so would make me immensely unhappy, because all I really wanted to do was lay down and take a nap.

So I did.  And it was good.  And the world didn't stop turning, and my business didn't go under, and my family didn't mind at all (they see more clearly than I do that I'm exhausted and burned out).

The concept of taking that nap didn't come from my own lightbulb-over-the-head moment, though.  I actually read somewhere something about taking care of yourself to better take care of others.   And while I'm too tired these days to remember where I read it, the author made compelling arguments for putting yourself first, and they stuck in my head.  So much so that I'm really planning to make some major changes so that I can take back a little bit of my life, while still running a successful and growing business, and pay some attention to my husband and pups as well.  And I really, really want to make time for blogging.  I miss writing on my blogs.  I miss reading blogs regularly (skimming while feeling guilty for spending the time doing even that is my current mode).  I'm ready to get out of survival mode and reclaim living mode.

So while I don't expect to want (or hopefully need) to take a daily nap, when my body is begging for one, that's exactly what I'm going to do.  I'd love to hear if you nap - tell me in the comments!

xo
d.

photo via unknown - let me know if you  know it's origin!

It's Fashionably Friday!

TGIF!!  Hope you and yours had a very happy and spooky Halloween!  I had a wedding rehearsal last night, so I went as a wedding planner.  Ha.

I may have mentioned before that I spend quite a bit of time in yoga pants and other workout related attire.  Is that because I'm a maniac with my fitness routine.  Noooooo.  It's because they are comfy. And easy.  But it's fall, my favorite time of year to shop, and I'm obsessed with this look seen on the enviously fashionable Olivia Palermo:

Seriously cute, and oh-so-fashionable.  And don't they look a teeny tiny bit like workout pants?  :D

What's on your fall fashion wish list?

Have a great weekend!
xo
d.

Keeping it Real - November to-do List

Hi Folks!  Wedding season is almost over (it's been a good one!) and I feel like I'm emerging from a cocoon only to see my home lying in shambles around me.  The piles of papers are mammoth, and my hubby has been more than patient with the amount of wedding detritus that gets loaded in and out of my office on a weekly basis.

There are multiple home-improvement projects on my to-do list for the wedding off-season, so in an effort to motivate myself and keep me on track, I'm posting my November to-do list with before pictures (gasp!) to keep me honest.

We always host Thanksgiving at our home for various friends.  Neither of us savors the idea of traveling to our respective home states for turkey day, so the party planner in me can't help but want to throw a little get-together here in LA.  This Thanksgiving celebration will be doubly good because it happens to be hubby's 41st birthday that day (he'll die when he sees that I've outed him age-wise).

That was a long way of saying there are a few things I want to finish before Thanksgiving, so without further ado, here is my short list:

First project:  Finish Gallery Wall - just a few things left to do:  Print out last few photos for empty frames, decide definitively which wall to use (there are 2 walls under consideration), and finally, hang the darn things!  Doesn't seem daunting at all, until you consider that the frames and photos have been laying in various stacks and piles (and sometimes moved from one pile to another) for months.  No, really, months.  See exhibit A-  Gallery Wall Before Photo:

Exhibit A - Gallery wall in the making

Project 2 is a little more daunting:  re-finish and re-cover kitchen dining chairs.  In the vein of keeping it real, I've had these chairs for at least 4 years...and they've been in this condition that whole time. I'm sure if you know me in real life you've seen these chairs and wondered what's up with the gross chairs.

Well, I love 'em.  Except for the bad seat and back covers.  I have no idea what this style of chair is called, but I got them for $7 each at a thrift shop, and I loved the curved back and classic style.  To spruce them up, I'm planning to sand and re-stain them all in a pecan finish, recover the seat and back rest covers in a charcoal grey velvet-like material, and clean up the existing nail heads (they look like brass) to re-use.  Wish me luck!

Seems do-able, right?  I've got exactly one month to get everything done.  Wish me luck!  I'll report back as I progress with more photos.

Do you have fall projects you'd like to share?

xoxo
d.

Currently obsessed with....

The sputnik/urchin lamp by Arteriors.  I'm in love, and dream about this lovely hanging above the Saarinen  oval dining table.  My only dilemma - marble topped or wood-topped table? Which one do you like?

images:  arteriors chandelier via; Saarinen tables wood via, marble top via 

Make it Work Monday...

Perfect outfit for a chilly, laid-back post wedding-weekend Monday.  Here's to another great week!

image via 

Dear Blog, I miss you.

my dream office

As you may have noticed, I have yet to master the ability to post fresh content every day.  Or even every week.  I want to!  I really do!  But life keeps getting in the way.  I wish I could profess to having so many adventures going on that I've been unable to blog.  In reality, it's work that is keeping me otherwise occupied.  But dear blog, oh how I miss you.

I assume the blog readers are, for the most part, also blog writers, so I'm sure you understand.  That said, I know how disappointed I am when I click on my favorite blogs and see something I've already read.  And if you're dissecting that sentence, yes, you read it correctly, I click on blogs rather than use a reader.  I have them bookmarked on my iPad and spend the first part of my day perusing my favorites.  It's just what I do...let it go.  I have been hearing rumors that Google reader is going away anyway, so see, what has really happened is that I've avoided the heartbreak of learning how to use it only to have it ripped out of my hands.  Point for me! Winner!

Anyhooo...back to my original thoughts on blogging:  Blogging is hard!  But I love it.  And, I decided early on that rather than deciding two weeks out what I'm going to write about, I write about what's on my mind or what is inspiring me that day.  This planner hasn't been a planner when it comes to blogging.  That may have to will change.

So tell me, how do you blog?  Are you a post planner, or a post winger like me?  I'd love to hear tips and tricks!

Until next time...
xo
d.

photo via