a lil' bit of pretty. and a lil' bit of bbq-ing.

if i one day had an actual office with a lil' mini fridge, i'd spruce it up with these babies from leif. that's right. they're magnets. aren't they special?

busy weekend ahead of me! i was just talking with paula, and we were laughing how when you run your own business, you don't look at a holiday weekend as having an extra day off... you look at it as an extra day to squeeze work in! the everygirl has some fun cooking and styling features happening this weekend. fortunately i plan on making time for a lil' date night, girls night, and family bbq-ing.

speaking of bbq-ing. 

have any of you ever heard of marbles? as in marbles hardsgrove?

i fell in love with marbles back in college. none of us knew whether this was a real person... or a skit... or an amazing actor...

a few of my favorites:

"if you have not seen this gem, do yourself a favor and see it four or five times."

"robin williams is so good. he's so convincing as a priest... it's mind-blowing."

"randy watches aladdin, um... almost every night."

"no you're never gonna survive... cause i'm gonna eat you."

well, it turns out. it's not only an actor, it's melissa mccarthy! everyone's favorite bridesmaid.

ok, now i'm really out. happy weekend!

two girls, one apartment. here we go...

two of my good girl friends just got a place together and need some help decorating. the chance to decorate a girls-only city pad? naturally, i jumped on that opportunity. sadly, my best friend has somewhat... how do i put this delicately... masculine taste. she likes grey. and green. and abhors all things girly and considers me a flashy dresser if i pair a colored top with my sparkly necklace. well, rats.

either way, she sent me the couch she likes this morning, and i actually like it a lot! the clean lines and nailhead trim make this a great piece to work off of.

and to my surprise and delight, she started sending along very bright (and feminine!) looking pillows. so i ran with it and immediately hopped over to my favorite pillow cover source, fabricadabra.

i tried to keep the bigger items toned down and cater to her quasi-traditional taste. the coffee table, chevron rug, lamps, and mirror are all basic, neutral pieces that you could really use in any style room. i added in more feminine, glam pieces with the sconces, bookends, beaded hurricane, pillows, and of course, the gold pouf (which i'm aware wouldn't make it into this living room in a gagillion years, but heck, i think it looks awesome).

gosh, i haven't done one of these lil' mock-ups in ages. that was fun.

ok, now back to work.

word on the street.

as seen in the jayson home and garden parking lot

a brand is only as good as their marketing. i mean seriously. quoting literature in a parking lot? love it.

click here to read other words worth reading

change.

Well, it's official. Come September 1, 2012, I will no longer call this place home.

As I sit here on the sofa trying to stay cool on this steamy Sunday evening, I can't help but feel sad. Sad at how much I'll miss this place. At how much I really don't want to leave it. Like any home, it's crazy to think of all that's happened in these six rooms over the past two and a half years. So many memories that I fear will slowly start to slip away once I'm no longer here. It's as those being in this space grants me instant access to them; like they are somehow swirling around me at all times, and the sounds, smells, and sights of these rooms can take me back to any moment at any time. And I don't want to forget it. Any of it. The laughter, the heartache, the friends, the boyfriends, the long hours in my office, the game nights, the experiments in the kitchen (both successful and not), the sick days where all I wanted was to stay curled up in bed, the New Year's Eve party where I met the great guy I've since fallen for... I've learned and grown and changed so much since moving in here. My first real grown-up place. It's been my refuge. My design playground. The first place other than my childhood home that actually felt like home. But most importantly, this drafty apartment has helped me do exactly what I set out to do when I sat down and started this blog three years. Create myself. Pursue my passions. Build a business.

From writing LCY, to designing blogs, to drawing logos, to helping launch an online magazine, to guest editing for Chicago Home and Garden Magazine, to landing my first styling projects, to launching The Everygirl; I've done it all from this tiny, 6x9 feet, color-splashed space. I think I'll miss this room the most. My creative haven. My hideaway when everything else in life seemed pear-shaped. Where I've often sat from 8am until midnight, lost in work, with my pups at my feet, singing along to whatever playlist I had on loop at the time, writing and illustrating and emailing away, planning the next big thing... yes. I'll miss this room most.

All of that being said, I have to admit, I am equally so excited for this move. As of right now, it looks like I'll be getting my own place come fall. It will be the first time in (almost) 27 years I'll have my own bathroom. I have no idea what that's like! Danielle says she thinks everyone should live alone at some point. And I agree. Not to mention it means a whole new home to decorate (I'm constantly looking around my apartment deciding what's coming with and what's going on Craigslist)! As for inspiration... let the pinning begin!