Have a lovely, rainy weekend!

Okay so I changed up the lyrics to 'Folsom Prison' to suit this past week and coming weekend's forecast.

If you live in the U.S., which chances are you do, you have been hearing on the news about Hurricane Isaac.

My family in Mobile, AL has definitely felt the brunt with rising waters in their front yard (they live on Mobile Bay) and so have their neighbors. Piers have been torn apart and washed up on shore, some of the bulk head has washed away and most have left their homes boarded up. Such is the life of a dweller by the sea...or Mobile Bay.

Here in middle Tennessee we will be met with many thunderstorms over this long weekend. In a perfect world, the weather would be clear and crisp for a camping trip. But maybe what I really need are naps under warm blankets while the rain pounds the pavement. ...and maybe a movie marathon or two...

I hope you enjoy your Friday night, it looks like a date night is in store for me and the Mr.!

I'll talk to you soon...

xoxo bd

{Original Photo Source: Here and Lyric Source: Here}

Today we are talking about my home and the changes I hope to make! A few things to keep in mind are that we moved in a few months ago, we are renters and are not allowed to paint. We are still settling in and are trying not to make quick purchases just to satisfy an empty space. I would like to make quality purchases and grow our sense of style. With that said, I have edited my photos with ideas on what we I have in mind. Let's be honest, my husband doesn't care too much whether we having a gilded mirror or a plastic poster frame. Okay maybe he does...but that's besides the point. Moving on!

Today I will share the bottom floor (We live in a townhouse) and will save the bedroom spaces for next time.

Here's what it looks like as you walk in our front door. There is a large window to your left which brings in beautiful light at all hours of the day. I'm not content with our furniture as we have lots of mix and match pieces. This is what happens when you are newly or semi-newly married. You gather pieces from your aunt, parents, clearance section from TJ Maxx, strangers and your college dorm room. Lovely.

I'm thinking about an L-Shaped couch in the future but for now, it's in need of something on the walls.

If you turn to the right you will see this placement of furniture. I have arranged them in different orders about the room and this is what I came up with. Again, mix and match pieces from different times in our lives.

I absolutely love the flow of the downstairs area. If I'm in the kitchen cooking or doing dishes, I can still see what Adam has on the TV. I also love that there is so much light. This was taken at one of the dark times of day with not a single light on and it is still so bright. 

Welcome to the kitchen area. Definitely need to add some accessorizing in here! 

Now you are in the kitchen! It is perfect for two people and we have ample cabinet space that has yet to be filled. I like that the counter tops are dark, as well as the cabinets and floor. 

There's not much to show with this corner of the kitchen, just giving you an idea of the space. 

 If you turn yourself right around you will be met with this beauty of a wall. Not a whole lot that we can do  at this point, so I thought about a wall of plates on the right hand side.

I must add that I adore those two closets. You could easily fit 2-3 people in both closets with room to wiggle. 

That's it for the first floor, thank you for joining me at my home! I apologize for the lighting, I took the pictures with my phone on a whim yesterday as I was mopping  (thus the shiny kitchen floors). If you have any ideas, tips, or tricks, I would love to hear them!

I'll talk to you soon...

xoxo bd

Lovely Little Product Review: E.L.F. Nailpolish

Being that this is my first product review, I thought it would be fun to start with something that was trendy and affordable: nailpolish!

While browsing through Target on my lunch break (Yes, I lead a fascinating life) I came across a new fall collection by e.l.f. cosmetics, Falling For Beauty With Attitude.

I am quite the nail polish lover and am known to change the color a couple of times a week, if not more. Being that I don’t have the excess cash to go for a weekly Mani or even bi-weekly shellac, I try to make my money stretch and can get at least 20+ polish changes out of one $5 bottle.   Also, because I like to change up the colors, it makes more sense to go the more affordable route. I have found that their products, for the most part, have worked really well for me. Their blush, eye shadows, bronzer and lipglosses are of pretty good quality. Not the best of all drugstore makeup, but you are only paying $1-$3 per item which makes the purchase seem a little more reasonable. 

I’m always scouring different brands for a new polish to try. Let it be known that I adore Essie polishes for their quality and color selection but sometimes, if it’s a trendy shade, I don’t want to throw down eight dollars. I have been on the hunt for a beautiful nude color for a more classic, lady like look. Lo and Behold I found two new shades by e.l.f for only $2.00. Yes please! 

The Breakdown:

The first shade would be considered a nude/camel. {Think Essie’s Topless and Barefoot  or Deborah Lippman's Fashion}

The second shade I chose was far from subdued but ever so fun! It is a dark, midnight blue with flecks of deep purple and forest green. {Think of  a mix between Butter London’s Thames and Bluey }

The quality of both are great and went on beautifully with only two coats! The taupe would be considered opaque rather than sheer. The dark blue tends to look more like a black from afar but up close it is more glistening green. 

The packaging is really sleek with the python print cap and cute with only being about 2 inches high.

Unfortunately neither of the polishes have names or numbers so you will just have to look closely if you are interested in picking them up. 

My only dislike? The length of the brush seemed a bit short and I'm not sure of how well they wear. 

I couldn't seem to find anything on Target's or E.L.F.'s website regarding the collection but am happy to link to their pages in case you feel lucky.

I hope you have a lovely hump day! I'll talk to you soon...

xoxo bd

Case of the Monday's

All of the pictures above evoke what would be a perfect Monday for me:

 Waking up to fresh espresso brewing, flawless makeup, frizz free locks and a knock-out outfit would start any gal’s week off right! Insert reality into this post and this morning looked more like breakfast at a tragedy  than breakfast at Tiffany’s. *That alarm clock saw the snooze button more than I'd like to admit*

Time to shape up, slap that face into gear and get that hair tamed…pronto.

I’m pretty sure we have all had a case of the Mondays and it ran rampant through my office today. At least I'm not alone in dragging my feet this afternoon.

There are lots of neglected household duties to take care of so I should get to them before I fall on the bed.

I'll talk to you soon!

xoxo bd

{Photo Credits: Two, Three}

I hope you enjoy your weekend, I know I'm excited for sleeping in and lounging on the couch!

I'll talk to you soon....

xoxo bd

Green with Envy

As fall approaches, the newest trends and seasonal colors are making their way to the stores.

I love a deep dark emerald green and was to the moon when I saw that Essie polish above in the store tonight. That's right, even nail polish lines have their own seasonal collections and for 2012 they brought out Stylenomics.

I am definitely green with envy for this shade and am on the hunt for the perfect forest/hunter/emerald hued leather piece of luscious arm candy.

Until then, you are welcome to drool over Elie Saab's gown, YSL's to-die-for clutch and of course, Stylenomics.

I hope you have a wonderful night! I'll talk to you soon....

xoxo bd

Sunday Funday

It has become quite the tradition that every Sunday we go over to my parents house for lunch. When I was little, while we lived in south Alabama, we would go to my grandparent's home and do the exact same thing. Relax, eat, hang out, take naps, catch up from the past week and have a great time. When we were little I know it was a respite for my parents to have the kids run around with a little extra help. Now we are older and are pretty good at taking care of ourselves, but the time are still as sweet. 

Daddy made sure the grill was fired up and hot for the burgers which were perfect for the beautiful late summer day. We sipped on wine, watched some fun shows and stayed until 5 o'clock. I love this time in my life where I get to spend time with my family on a regular basis. 

Thank you to my parents for always providing a comfortable place to land at the end of a busy week! 

I hope you all had a great weekend as well! 

I'll talk to you soon!

xoxo bd

The Cozy Guestroom

I was browsing through Pinterest {Big, whopping surprise of the century, I know} and I came upon that little ditty up there. I love to go on vacation. Period. I love to relax in a room with freshly fluffed pillows and carpets that were vacuumed by someone other than myself. Does that sound weird? Does anyone else feel that way?

So off with my rambling, I love the water-colored guestroom painting. 

It appeals to me in so many ways and I'm not sure why. Maybe it is all of the details put together for a perfectly relaxing stay. Maybe it's exactly what I would enjoy while staying over at someone else's home.

Maybe I need to invite more people over to stay and this is my inspiration.

Whatever I choose to like more, I have come to the conclusion that our guestroom needs a little more attention...guests and decor! Does this mean I have a legitimate excuse to buy beautiful flowers? I sure hope so...

Have a lovely {cozy} weekend, I'll talk to you soon!

xoxo bd

{Photo Credit: Pinterest via Small Shop and The Aestate}

Desk Essentials

I wrote last week {here} about how I have a desk job where I’m...well...sitting at a desk all day.

I’m still on the hunt for cute accessories to brighten up my work space but until then I thought it might be fun to mention my “necessities” as far as beauty is concerned. I interact with lots of different people on a daily basis and because of that, I try to look presentable. In fact I think it’s more of a  conscious choice than anything else. Basically it’s a “want to" as opposed to a “have”to".

Above you’ll see what I have in my desk drawer at all times kept in a little bag. I broke it down into a few categories because let’s face it, I like a little organization, colorful fonts and labeling anything.

So let’s break it down, shall we?!

1. Lips:  

I’m going to be all kinds of real with you right now, I have an obsession. I own around 40-50+ lip products. Some people collect cards or salt and pepper shakers, I just so happen to collect lip stick!

- Rimmel Moisture Renew  in Vintage Pink

- Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss in Pink Afterglow

-Exude Lip Crème in Nude

-L’Oreal Color Riche BALM in Heavenly Berry

2. Hair: 

It’s a rarity that I put my hair in a ponytail at work, but if I do, I like to keep a few hair ties handy.  

3. Hands: 

I touch all kinds of office and life objects all day long. I try to wash my hands or use hand sanitizer as often as possible but because of the constant cleansing I like to moisturize my hands and cuticles.

- Bath & Body Works Aromatherapy Energy Body Lotion in Orange Ginger

- Burt’s Bees Hand Salve (Used on my cuticles, it’s similar to vasseline)

- Sally Hansen Double Duty Strengthening Base and Top Coat

4.Teeth: 

Again, I interact with multiple people and the last thing I want is for someone to shy away from me due to coffee breath.

-Toothbrush from dentist (toothpaste not shown)

-Orbit gum

A couple of other things I keep in my desk: Tazo Passion Tea packets, bracelet and earrings for when I forgot to accessorize (don’t judge me) and almonds/nuts.

As for makeup and powder, I keep all of those beauties in my purse. So there you have it, my current desk necessities.

I hope you have a wonderful Thursday, I’ll talk to you soon!

Xoxo bd

Blushing Monday

A little late in the day, I am in bed after a shower and am sitting next to a very handsome man, might I add.

Glanced at a couple of photos and wanted to post them on this blog for personal eye candy. You've got to love a slew of blush roses growing over a doorway and Olivia Palermo's impeccable style.

I hope you had a lovely weekend! I spent the better part of Saturday cleaning and organizing while the Mr. played golf. I know it must sound like we live in the 50's but I promise, we're just not that exciting.

Sunday we were with both families filling up on delicious meals and catching up on life. 

Monday has come and passed so quickly...so here's to another great week. 

Oh, by the way, if you are in the middle TN area right now, can you believe this weather? It's amazing! I want to drink it in as much as possible. 

I think its time to bid you goodnight...

xoxo bd

{Photo Credits: One & Two}

Desk Envy

Monday thru Friday, for close to 40 hours a week, I am sitting at a desk. 

{First things first, thank you Jesus for consistent work and pay!}

 I enjoy my job and love the people I work with but there’s no doubt this desk starts to look a little drab day after day.  Sometimes you need inspiration even if you are editing a spread sheet. 

I have a pretty pencil cup and have posted a few inspirational quotes about my little space, but I have been thinking about making it a little more “me”. I understand this isn’t my living room so there isn't any picture hanging in order but you know…some zhuzhing. A little oomph if you will.

I now present you with desk envy!

The one piece I have seen throughout all of these photos is that every desk has flowers. Be it a couple of buds or a full blown bouquet, these desks have a little life on them. I do believe I will gather a few flowers for my desk this coming week. 

I hope your Thursday has been lovely! Ours started off quite stormy with a sudden downpour of rain and lightening but it has become so beautiful as the day has gone on.

I will talk to you tomorrow... TGIF.

xoxo bd

{Photos Courtesy of Pinterest}

Pumpkins and Date Night

Hello again, friends I don't know about you but I am oh-so ready for fall. This past weekend I had the urge to watch Hocus Pocus. If you were a kid in the 90's, or maybe a parent to one, I'm sure you're familiar. Let's talk about pumpkins...I love them. Pumpkins on your front porch, pumpkin patches where you can pick your very own, pumpkin spiced lattes, pumpkin loaf, you name it, I love it. Fall just feels like home to me. I'm sure if you were to visit my blog(s) or diaries from the past 10 years or so, I always have an "I love fall" post. August flies in at the end of summer and my heart wants crisp air again. Can you blame her/it? So here I am lusting after a Season. I know I shouldn't lust but by-golly I'm tired of sun dresses. 

 Now let's talk about last night. Yesterday at work everyone gathered around my desk as they typically do, because let's face it, I'm the bomb dot com  close to the candy bowl. Anyway, my boss starts to speak sweet words about someone in our office and how hard they've been working then begins to mention some of the tasks I took care of. Lo-and-behold out of his mouth comes, "And so I hope you and Adam can find a night to treat yourselves to dinner on us." 

Really? Me? Us? Dinner? Dinner we don't have to pay for? Dinner at a restaurant I've been dying to try?

Yes. Please. and Thank You!!

They were kind enough to give us a gift card to Mack and Kates with a hefty sum giving us the opportunity to have two special dinners. Thank you everyone!!

I should have taken more pictures of our time or at least their decor; so cute and rustic! But you can only get a glimpse of what we ate.

I had the seared scallops over a cheesy quinoa and shaved brussell sprouts while the hubby had Lobster Mac'n'Cheese. Both of us really enjoyed our meals and are excited to go back again. I would love to try their brunch menu on an upcoming weekend. Today I've been sipping on green smoothies and chopping on apples to make up for our indulgent meal. Ohhh sooo yummy!

I will update in the next couple of days with photos from the baby shower this past weekend!

I hope you have a wonderful Wednesay! Talk to you soon...

xoxo bd

Sabrina

Most nights before bed, after I’ve rinsed off and cleaned up, we like to watch a movie on one of our phones. Though sometimes it’s just me watching something as my husband will be head first into his latest novel. Last night I browsed Netflix and found one of my favorite movies was recently added, Sabrina. I am ever such a fan of both adaptations; the first (1954) with Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart followed by the second (1995) with Julia Ormond and Harrison Ford.

I remember first watching the newest version and feeling like one day I too would move to Paris as a girl then come back home a woman a few years later. I mean, I’m assuming that’s was Paris does to you.

All of that to say, I love this movie. Here’s the opening monologue by Ms. Hepburn:

“Once upon a time, on the north shore of Long Island, some thirty miles from New York, there lived a small girl on a large estate. The estate was very large indeed, and had many servants. There were gardeners to take care of the gardens, and a tree surgeon on a retainer. There was a boatman to take care of the boats: to put them in the water in the spring, and scrape their bottoms in the winter. There were specialists to take care of the grounds: the outdoor tennis court and the indoor tennis court, the outdoor swimming pool and the indoor swimming pool. And there was a man of no particular title who took care of the small pool in the garden for a goldfish named George. Also on the estate there was a chauffeur by the name of Fairchild who had been imported from England years ago together with a new Rolls-Royce. Fairchild was a fine chauffeur of considerable polish, like the eight cars in his care, and he had a daughter by the name of Sabrina. It was the eve of the annual six-meter yacht races, and as had been traditional on Long Island for the past thirty years, the Larrabees were giving a party. It never rained on the night of the Larrabee party. The Larrabees wouldn't have stood for it. There were four Larrabees in all - father, mother, and two sons. Maude and Oliver Larrabee were married in nineteen hundred and six, and among their many wedding presents was the town house in New York and this estate for weekends. The town house has since been converted into Saks Fifth Avenue. Linus Larrabee, the elder son, graduated from Yale, where his classmates voted him The Man Most Likely To Leave His Alma Mater Fifty Million Dollars. His brother, David, went through several of the best eastern colleges for short periods of time, and through several marriages for even shorter periods of time. He is now a successful six-goal polo player and is listed on Linus's tax return as a six hundred dollar deduction. Life was pleasant among the Larrabees, for this was as close to heaven as one could get on Long Island. “ 

{Paramount Pictures, 1954- Screenplay by Samuel A. Taylor, Billy Wilder and Ernest Lehmen}

The story goes, Sabrina being a daughter of this wealthy family's chauffeur, grows up  living a simple life always looking  in on the life of the Larabee’s and their youngest son, David.  She dreams of one day being a part of this family's lavish affairs with David but, alas, he pays no mind to Sabrina. She sets off to Paris for culinary school and upon arriving home two years later, she is quickly admired by both sons as being elegant, refined and beautiful.  Cue romance, family problems, weddings, beautiful cars and la vie en rose.

*Fun side note, during the filming of Sabrina Audrey and William Holden (David) had a brief but very public affair!*

So what is it that I love about this movie? The simplicity, her elegance, the  complications, being love torn over two men and them over her, that inimitable pixie cut, and of course her style.  There’s truly so much more that I enjoy but I think I should keep some details quiet until you’ve seen it for yourself. 

I hope you have a wonderful Friday and enjoy your weekend!

I’ll talk to you soon, xoxo bd

{Photo Credits,:Netflix and iPhone captures}

The September Issue

This month has never been my favorite as it is the absolute worst for southerners as far as weather goes. It’s humid and hot; you will always look less than cute is really what this month should be called. …June, July, You will always look less than cute, September, October, November…

But alas I’m here and I must make the best of it. Though the weather may bog me down I always have something I look forward to in August…The September Issue. With every one of my favorite magazines the September issue will chronicle all of the coming fall/winter trends.  Give me a bottle of wine, a cozy blanket and my magazines- I’ll be okay and ready to conquer the world.

Here are just a few I’m  looking forward to reading cover to cover:

Have a lovely Thursday; I’ll talk to you soon!

Xoxo bd

Overdue Weekend Update

I may be a little late in the weekend update department but thought I could share a few photos anyway. First of all, Happy August! We have officially made it over half way through 2012. I’m continually surprised at how the months speed on through. It seems like just a couple of weeks ago kids were getting out of school for the summer and as of today they have started back.

In no particular order, here was our weekend in pictures: 

Its great when you can find the person you can be your silliest with.

Breakfast at Cracker Barrel, a southern favorite which gives you plenty of grits, biscuits and gravy and  games!

We took a swim in our neighborhood pool. Don't be fooled, I  had yet to be in the sun for more than a couple of minutes when this picture was taken. My body does not take well to sun...at all. I burn while driving in the car. Yeah, I'm one of those.

Lots of laundry and cleaning to be taken care of. 

A small ides of a baby shower craft I was working on. So many fun projects!

So that was a little peek into our weekend. While my hubby golfed I spent time by myself catching up on life and watching The Help. You is Kind. You is Smart. You is Imporant.
I hope you have a lovely Wednesday, we can make it to Friday!
xoxo bd