What I'm Loving: Young Alexander

The month of March was a little sparse in the blogging department.  I've been a slacker and I apologize.  I blame it on the new job, a sick child, some home projects that we're keeping secret for a little while longer and a nasty sinus infection.  To make up for it I thought I'd share one of my new obsessions with you - Young Alexander.

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Young Alexander was founded in 2011 by Na Kim & Dierdre Shea, two young artists transplanted from Baltimore to Brooklyn.  Every cheeky ceramic piece they make is individually hand painted and absolutely gorgeous. I don't know if it was their egg crates or how they described their inspiration that won me over, but I am a fan:

It's My Party And I'll....

Have cake for breakfast, eat my weight in Indian food and go to bed early.  That's how I'm celebrating the big 3-1...just the way I want it.  Party animal, I know.  Now, if I had my 2-1 year old self's energy and some super human powers to travel through space and time things may be a bit different.  I'd relive all of my past birthdays with all of my favorite people - even the one where I partied up a bit too much and spent the latter part of it laying in a parking lot singing "Back in Time" - you know the SNL Daney Carvey version? Good times.

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How do you guys spend your birthday?  Do you like to go all out or keep things casual?

Feeling The Love

While I've been a bit MIA the past month you guys probably weren't feeling the love, but I sure have.  Two of my projects recently got some press and I'm absolutely honored to be featured in both the new HGTV Gardens and SheKnow's Home & Garden.

Check out my quote in Front and Center:  Bring Curb Appeal to Your Front Yard.

Also check out my Garden Arbor project which is featured in Best Face Forward:  Front Yard Design.

 

Check out my small living room office in Corner office: Add a small work space to your living room.

These two features were the perfect motivation to get me out of my funk.  Now I just need a quick and easy project to really get me back in the swing of things.  Any ideas?

Featured on Apartment Therapy's My Bedroom Retreat

Man, I am one tired lady - with starting a new job (I scored an awesome Registrar job at the same school as the hubs), taking care of a high-energy toddler and coaching track I have had absolutely no energy to dedicate to the blog.  I definitely need to recharge because I love DIY-ing and sharing my little adventures with you.

In the meantime, why don't you pop on over and take a look at Apartment Therapy's My Bedroom Retreat Contest and vote for yours truly.  Our tiny little bedroom, which I updated this past summer, made the cut amongst a bevy of beautiful bedrooms.  I'm so honored and excited that our humble, little room was chosen and can't wait to see all the other rooms!

Looking back at these pictures makes me want to get busy on getting the upstairs fixed up. Hopefully I can muster up some motivation soon because our To-Do list is neverending!  Have any energizing tips for a working Mom?  Aside from caffeine, that is - I'm already a coffee addict!

DIY HOME: Choosing Flooring for Your Remodel

Since the hubs is a teacher....and is in grad school....and fishes in Alaska during the summers (man he's busy!), we typically use his break time to get some projects done around the house.  With Spring Break only a few weeks away, we're drowning in last minute planning for the mudroom room and breakfast nook.  You can check out our general plan here and here which will hopefully look similar to this with built-in features like a laundry closet and bench.

While most of the design was easy to decide, we have been struggling picking flooring.  A few months back when we installed the window and put the drywall up I had ordered some easy to install stick on premium vinyl tiles, but as soon as I made the purchase online my stomach tied in knots and I began sweating profusely.  This nauseated feeling stuck with me through the night as I tossed and turned. For both my conscience and my home's well-being, a fast, convenient, inexpensive and potentially harmful (for our home's air quality and the environment) fix was just not as important as using more eco-friendly options.