catie and co.

inspiration workshop with gussy sews: ORGANIZATION!

2012-02-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

This week's prompt is {ORGANIZATION}:
The new year is a great time to declutter and ORGANIZE to tackle the year ahead. Which is why we thought ORGANIZATION would make a great prompt for February. Maybe you already have a share worthy system in place? Maybe you've seen out in the inter-webs the perfect way to ORGANIZE your office or your kids playroom? Or maybe it's a cool device or shelf system to ORGANIZE things just so. Staying ORGANIZED is personal, so share what inspires you to organize your life. Feel free to use your own images, or images you find, just be sure to give appropriate photo credit if you use someone else's photo.

-----------------------------------------------------------

OH, how wonderful this inspiration workshop will be for me! i'm SLIGHTLY obsessive compulsive. ;)

i used to be way worse, trust me. i've mellowed out a bit now that i'm married to my very much NOT ocd husband. but i still love to organize pretty much everything in sight....in fact, i even have an entire pinterest board dedicated to "ocd goodness" which pretty much consists of anything and everything organized. sigh...it's beautiful!

here are a few organization tips that i'm hoping to use when we've got everything moved into our new house....

Source: creatingreallyawesomefreethings.com via Catie on Pinterest

these DIY balsa wood drawer dividers are awesome for so many reasons.

1. they remind me of studio in design school.

2. they are pretty dang cheap. and

3. they are such an EASY way to organize anything EXACTLY the way you want it to be!

Source: craftaholicsanonymous.net via Catie on Pinterest

i am in love with this craft organizer. jars make me smile and the twine upside down twine holders are genius. this would be a simple upgrade to any crafting space, large or small.

Source: blogs.babble.com via Catie on Pinterest

jen over at tater tots and jello wrote some great organization ideas, tips and DIY projects for the bathroom over at the new home ec. she has such fabulous ideas that make organization look so PRETTY! ;)

while you are over there, make sure to check out her 15 kitchen tips as well. you won't regret it!

Source: diynetwork.com via Catie on Pinterest

speaking of kitchens, i've been drooling over this organized kitchen for ages. i'm pretty sure i've shown you this one before, but it's TOTALLY WORTH REPEATING! it's that stinkin' awesome!

Source: thepaintedhive.blogspot.com via Catie on Pinterest

another swoon worthy organization tip are these definition labels. what's not to love about them?

fonts: good. words: good. organization: GOOD.

all together: GOOOOOOOD!

does that remind anyone of this?

ross: "it tastes like feet!"

Joey: "i like it!"

ross:"are you kidding?"

joey: "what's not to like? custard, good. jam, good. meat, goooooooood!"

oh, joey, you get me every time.

join us for inspiration workshop!

a case of the mondays

2012-02-07T19:44:00.000-08:00

(just a word of warning, thispost got very wordy very quickly.)

yesterday was a such a weirdday. it was truly a case of the mondays. and i'm not really one to complain awhole lot.

okay, that's a lie. i complain.i just usually complain to my husband because he ~~can'tescape me being annoying~~ it doesn't bother him.

annnnnyway.

have you ever had one of thosedays that is so bad that it's actually comical? like it belongs on a sitcom orsomething? my day started out bad and pretty much just got hilariously worsefrom there.

we slept in a little, evenjoked a couple of times about "calling in sick" because we didn'twant to go to work. (hey, it was monday.) but we finally got up and around andi left a little later than usual. i was driving our ford escape because ourroad ~~is messed up from rain and our road graderdoesn't know how to fix it~~ is closed. we live a quarter of a mile off of apaved road, and since it's very muddy from recent rains i had to drivesomething that was 4 wheel drive.

i made it halfway to workbefore i posted this on my facebook feed:

that would be my extremely muddy escapein the foreground and the girl who hit me's car in the background. and a copcar.

oh joy.

after that mess was cleaned upand i was able to go to work, i had a fairly normal day at work. lots oftalking to the insurance and explaining what happened but other than that, actually working. normalstuff.

i started to get sore, so i gota doctor appointment for the afternoon and left early to go get checked out. ileft with some supplements and instructions to help me ease some of thesoreness (i have whiplash, but just soreness other than that.)

i called kyle and headed home.about halfway there, i get a call from an insurance adjuster who wants to lookat the car. i give him directions to our house and call kyle to warn him thatthe guy was coming that night to look at it.

oops. remember i said i needed4 wheel drive? yeah. me neither. kyle reminded me and i called the guy back tosee if he had it. nope. SO, we go into town to meet him. he looks at the car,cuts us the check and we're on the way back home. now THAT i cannot complainabout. other than driving to town (2 miles) that's pretty awesome same dayservice.

so we get home, i made dinnerwhile kyle works on the escape a bit. he basically took the bumper off and beatit into submission so i could at least get the hatch open if i wanted to.

kyle had mentioned making surethat we didn't have anymore birds in the attic. (what? i didn't tell you thatstory? uh, yeah, we found a couple of dead birds in the attic. well, the catdid anyway.) so i had ran up a couple of days before and low and behold thereis a dead bird up there. i left it for him to clean up.

i am SO the wife of the yearhere.

so last night he asks me if ihad picked up and i tell him that i hadn't. he goes up to check it out and ihear some noises from the first floor (the attic is technically ourthird floor) and i run up the stairs to see what the matter was and he says,"there's a bird up here!"

well, duh, i TOLD you there wasone up there. "yeah, i know."

"no, a live one!"

oh, crap, i'm outta here!

he hands me the poor dead birdand i start to take it downstairs all the while complaining about the fact thati'm holding a gross dead bird. i grab him an old towel to catch the live birdwith and he heads back upstairs to catch it while i clean up the kitchen fromdinner.

and i honestly wish i had videoof what transpired next...

kyle was still upstairs lookingfor the bird and i heard a noise in the living room. i called out for himthinking he was trying to put some shoes on to go outside or something. hedidn't answer so i started walking across the dining room and into the hallwaythat leads to the living room and i saw our cat's tail. i keep walking andasking the cat what the heck he thought he was doing and i see the bird about afoot away from him laying on the living room floor.

the bird had somehow made itall the way to the first floor and mow (our cat) was playing with it! then wheni asked mow what he was doing and distracted him, the bird which had apparently been playing dead, lookedat me then looked at mow and then flew off! it landed on the curtains in ouroffice (which is connected to our living room) and mow was trying to scale themto get to it. when i walked in the office to get mow (all the while, i'mscreaming at kyle that the stupid bird is DOWNSTAIRS) the bird took off andwent between the couch and the wall in the living room. i ran upstairs to tellkyle that it was down there and he totally thought it was in the attic thewhole time the cat was playing with it!

it washilarious!

the birdwas stunned, but not dead. kyle took him outside and he flew off. i have afeeling that he won't be coming into our attic again! :)

if youmade it to the end of this story, you are officially one of my new best friends.thanks for listening to my ramblings!

currently coveting

2012-02-01T20:53:00.000-08:00

since i have yet to hang my full length mirror in the new house, barring me from posting any outfit pictures for WIWW. (not that i've worn anything inspiring in the past couple of weeks...) i thought i'd try a new one tonight.

it's going to be random.

but let's be honest, i'm sort of a random person.

moving on....

Source: etsy.com via Catie on Pinterest

how sweet is this kansas cutting board? i'd have to move my heart a little to the west and the south so it was centered on manhattan. or maybe wichita. :)

Source: fantabulouslyfrugal.com via Catie on Pinterest

you want to talk about coveting? THIS IS THE DEFINITION OF COVETING FOR ME! i've been seriously frustrated with my nike+ lately. the stupid thing is telling me i've run a whole fracking mile less than i really have. i've googled it, supposedly it's because i don't wear the nike shoes. well, nike, make a stupid shoe that i can fit into and i'd wear them!

anyway....the fuel band looks pretty damn sweet. i really want one. i really don't want to pay $200 for one. visit here for more information on this one.

Source: timeworninteriors.blogspot.com via Catie on Pinterest

i'm on the lookout for an old dress form. luckily for me, my mom is coming down in a couple of weeks and we're heading out to a highly recommended antique mall out in the sticks, so i'm hoping to find one out there. fingers crossed!

Source: store.zacbrownband.com via Catie on Pinterest

if you don't know what this means, go here and listen. and then go here and fall in love with zac brown.

and then go here and buy one.

for me.

thanks!

Source: zazzle.com via Catie on Pinterest

and while you're feeling generous, i'll take one of these, too.

sorry, you gotta be a architecture nerd to get that one.

hey, it's officially past hump day now!

hooray for it almost being the weekend!

monday update

2012-01-24T06:00:00.000-08:00

happy monday, everyone!

how was your weekend? do anything fun?

kyle and i drove out west with my in-law's to his grandfather's 80th birthday party this weekend. it was a short trip, less than 24 hours, but it was still a good time. i think any time spent with family is a good time!! *wink*

since we left a little early on friday afternoon, i took a day off work and enjoyed some solitude in the house while kyle went into work. i spent the morning doing laundry, catching up on some house cleaning (i'm the worst at this) and finally getting around to printing and photographing a few of my printables for my shop.

and of course i made a target run! it's just not a good week without a target run. ;)

anywhooskies...

i LOVE how they turned out! i didn't get to use my "good" camera for these...since...um....my battery is dead and i couldn't find the charger. no worries, i found it after to took some with my little point and shoot camera. not too bad for a little point and shoot if i do say so myself!

printable calendar - only $3!!

be(you)tiful printable poster

this one is my favorite!! i left it in the frame and hung it up in my studio as a little reminder to love myself when i need it. ;)

you're my favorite reason poster

i love how you can see my guest bed in the frame. that's the bed i mentioned in my IW post last week!

you make me happy poster

i hope everyone's week is off to a great start!

happy monday!

7 pretty things on a sunday

2012-01-22T14:05:00.000-08:00

today i'm linking up with 7 lovely ladies for 7 pretty things on a sunday...

[1] i'm adoring these sparkly bow flats from elle japan.
[2] this outfit from fine and feathered is adorable. i need those boots!
[3] WHAT!?!? a mattifying top coat? awesome!
[4] one of my favorite sayings. ever.
[5] how gorgeous is this art from jill ricci?
[6] house of smiths shows us that even a pantry can be pretty!
[7] i can't get over how cute this kitchen is with the DP bottles all along the top of the cabinets. retro goodness everywhere!

are you linking up?

inspiration workshop with Gussy Sews

2012-01-19T13:46:00.000-08:00

inspiration workshop is BACK!

hip hip, hooray!!

This week's prompt is {BEDROOMS}:
It's the New Year! And what a great time to be inspired by your living space. Whether you live alone or have a family, BEDROOMS are the space people spend most of their time and often decorate to make their own. Whether your space is comfortable, modern or kitchy, it needs to be inspired to be you. Feel free to share your BEDROOM space, or BEDROOM spaces that inspire you. Maybe it's a really amazing bed frame, night table, or the coziest bed linens you've ever seen. Or a baby's nursery, a child's bedroom or guest room. Share what inspires you for a BEDROOM space. Remember, if you use someone else's photo be sure to give proper photo credit :}

-------------------------------------------------

we have three bedrooms in our new house (i promise, i'll get around to doing a photo tour tab soon...fingers crossed!) and i have never had such a hard time finding STUFF to put in a room! they look so naked right now, every room needs to be "dressed" i suppose and i needed a kick in the butt to find some inspiration. so, here goes nothing!

Source: google.com via Catie on Pinterest

my craft room is in the same room as one of our guest beds. i am extremely lucky to have had the pleasure of growing up in an old iron bed very similar to this one. the problem is, 3-year-old catie decided to "decorate" her bed with some crayons. there are also quite a few chips in the paint and the knobs were all sprayed a really bright brass, so i'm hoping this summer sometime to clean it as well as i can and spray paint the entire thing. i'm thinking possibly a fun color? we'll see how that project progresses!

i love everything about the photo, the casual quilt draped and the gorgeous bed. love it all.

Source: nattybydesign.blogspot.com via Catie on Pinterest

our master bed is in this really odd little bump out in the room. our bed JUUUUUUST fits inside it. which means we have no room for bed side tables. for a reader like myself, this is unacceptable. i've been looking for ideas all over pinterest on how to solve this problem. so far, my favorite shelves are these.

Source: sawdustandembryos.com via Catie on Pinterest

are you pro headboard or against them at all costs? i think my husband would rather slit his wrists than have a headboard on the bed, he's THAT against them. i'm hoping something like this upholstered headboard from sawdust and embryos will win him over.

Source: coastalliving.com via Catie on Pinterest

in addition to our two guest bedrooms (slash craft room) we have a semi-finished attic. semi finished meaning there are stairs up to it and someone went a little cray cray with the sponge painting and the wall paper. and there are random holes in the drywall. that birds somehow get through.

but that's neither here nor there.

i'd love to be able to do something similar to this in the "wings" of the attic, what kid wouldn't want a fun attic to have sleepovers in?

the bonus is i might stay sane during a future sleepover. (HAH!)

Source: etsy.com via Catie on Pinterest

i have an unadulterated love for all things scrabble. (anyone want to play words with friends!?!?!) and these pillows are going to have to go somewhere in my house.

like, yesterday.

Source: apartmenttherapy.com via Catie on Pinterest

and while we're on the subject of pillows, i had to share these pillows. they made me giggle for about ten minutes straight.

my husband, a non-shaver in the winter months, did not find them that funny.

men.

i'm linking up with:

weekend update - the shop!

2012-01-08T12:14:00.000-08:00

just a few updates i wanted to share here on le olde blog...

i've officially gotten up off my rump (or on it, seeing as how it required a lot of computer time...) and updated my etsy shop! i cleaned out the christmas printables and updated with a few new ones...

a couple of printable mini desktop calendars...

a few that just make me happy to think about...

and added my very first wedding invitation suite! i'm still working on a few other wedding invites to get listed, but i'm very excited to be offering these printable and customizable wedding invite suites for brides-to-be that want something a little different, but just aren't quite sure how to achieve it.

this wedding suite is aptly named after a very brave girl named sarah, who hired me simply by word of mouth. many thanks to my friend megan mcgraw (check out her design blog...like candy for the eyes!) who was sarah's matron of honor and gave sarah my information, which made these true labor of love invites come to life!

-----------------------------------------------------

in addition to updating the shop, we worked hard yesterday getting our rental house closer and closer to ready to list! it's been exciting to see the progress and i'm happy to be actually putting some paint on the walls in the next couple of weeks! we also moved a few things from the wichita house out to our new house and now we're enjoying a lazy sunday watching football and napping (that would be kyle...) and i'm working on a few new printables for the shop, catching up on my ever expanding google reader list, reading a favorite book (harry potter and the deathly hallows) and checking my favorite celebrity tweets. ;)

happy weekend, everyone!

five friday faves

2012-01-06T07:30:00.000-08:00

it's a new year, which for me....seems to always mean a time of renewal. i feel like it's always a fresh start. of course, i'm always a year older seeing as how my birthday is dec. 31st, so maybe that has a bit to do with it.

whatever it is, i'm always happy to start a new year! i've never been much of a resolution maker (resolutioner? person who makes resolutions? whatever. you know what i mean.) i feel like people that make resolutions tend to break them in the first week, so i don't want to be that kind of person. those people are quitters.

and a quitter, i am not.

this year, i'm jumping on the "word" bandwagon. instead of a resolution, you come up with a word that describes what you want to accomplish in 2012.

drum roll, please................

my 2012 word is:
INVIGORATE

in·vig·o·rate verb \in-ˈvi-gə-ˌrāt\

transitive verb

: to give life and energy to : animate; also : stimulate

i LOVE that invigorate can mean so many things with just one word! i can invigorate my relationships - be a better and more exciting person. i can invigorate my workout - finally run that 10K i've been talking about for....oh....ten years? i can invigorate MYSELF - simply put more LIFE into my LIFE.

that's my favorite one, i'm going to invigorate myself. it's not the end of the world if i miss that tv show because i want to finish up that last chapter of the book i'm reading. it's definitely not the end of the world if i'm five minutes late to work because i felt like going another five minutes during a run. that's what the lunch hour is for. to make up that five minutes. it's time to start living for me, my family and my friends.

because that's what truly matters in life!

my five friday faves are just a few examples of how you can invigorate your life, and how i plan to invigorate mine this year!

Source: tumblr.com via Catie on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Catie on Pinterest

Source: frolicfancyfree.blogspot.com via Catie on Pinterest

Source: craftaholicsanonymous.net via Catie on Pinterest

what are you planning on doing in 2012? i'd love to know!

and, yes, i did just quote harry potter.

twice.

whudda ya gonna do about it?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2011-12-31T17:35:00.000-08:00

happy new year, faithful readers!

did you know that today is also my birthday? 'tis true. i'm the big 2-8 this year...and in being true to my age this year, i'm spending it in a very low-key way. home, on the couch watching a movie with the hubs and consuming an entire bottle of left over bubbly from our wedding. sounds FANTASTIC to me!

cheers to another great year in 2012!

2011-12-24T20:17:00.000-08:00

Source: kidzcoolzone.com via Catie on Pinterest

Merry Christmas to all....and to all a good night!

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas!

five friday faves: christmas list edition!

2011-12-16T06:00:00.000-08:00

dear santa,

i've been extra good this year. i'd list the reasons why, but who am i kidding? you know already! here's a few things i'm hoping to find in my stocking or under the tree this year!

vanessa christenson's book! i've had this one on the list since she announced on her blog that it was available for preorder!

an iPad case from the pleated poppy. or, really, just anything from the pleated poppy's shop! lindsay has such an eye for combining awesome fabrics together on her products, i love them all!

these penguin rain boots in black. {i told you i was obsessed with penguins.}

this kick-a mug from the warner brother's shop. i love harry potter! i won't lie, i also have this awesome t-shirt on my list...and the newest dvd.

and this kneadlessly simple no-knead bread recipe book!

what's on YOUR list this christmas?

christmas quiz

2011-12-15T19:54:00.000-08:00

christmas quiz

if you post your own q+a's be sure to let me know so i can check out your holiday answers!

1. Eggnog or hot chocolate? i despise eggnog. like, i LOATHE eggnog. hot chocolate is pretty good, even better if there is creme de menthe liqueur in there! or buttershots. YUM.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just set them under the tree? growing up (seeing as how i don't have children) my mom wrapped our presents to each other and we opened those on christmas eve. then, we got santa gifts in the morning, sometimes those were wrapped, sometimes they weren't. my mom hates to wrap presents, so i was usually given the duty of wrapping everything except my own! hah!

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? growing up we had colored lights. i get my type a-ness from my parents, so i always remember them being in the correct color order and everything. if a red bulb went out, it got replaced with a red bulb. and my dad put a clip on every single light to keep them straight. this year, with the move and all, we don't have outside lights, but all of the lights we own for outside are white. i'm a white light kinda gal.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? nope.

5. When do you put your decorations up? usually the week before thanksgiving, but this year i did the weekend after. again, because of the move. and kyle was traveling out of the country the week before thanksgiving, so he wasn't home to help me haul everything out of the attic.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? hmmm...probably hash brown casserole. or stuffing. or pecan pie. pretty much all of it, if i'm honest.

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child? i just always remember waiting until my dad got home from work on christmas eve, so i remember getting the dinner ready, wrapping presents and watching movies with my brother. it was awesome.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? haha, my best friend growing up told me. i never bothered to tell my parents that i knew, i wouldn't get presents then!

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? ever since we started celebrating with both of our families, we've done christmas eve with my parents and christmas day with kyle's parents. this year we are switching it up and doing the opposite days!

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? we have two now, thanks to the kohl's after christmas sale last year! our big one is decorated with our wedding colors (dark aqua and red with silver and white) and our small tree has my baby ornaments and ornaments that kyle and i have collected over our years together.

11. Snow! Love it or dread it? love every second of it!

12. Can you ice skate? yes, we have a rink here in wichita, but i haven't been in forever. i really want to go this year!

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? i loved my cabbage patch twin dolls. i also had a barbie ferrari and a barbie rv that were pretty sweet, too.

14. What's the most important thing about the holidays for you? family, friends and tradition.

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? pecan pie! and my cousin's wife makes the best pumpkin roll you've ever tasted. SO GOOD!

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? my family passes out our gifts in order of age. my little brother goes first, then me and so on. then we open them in age order, too! i'm not sure i've ever heard of anyone else doing that, but i love it! probably because i get to open the first gift every year! the advantage of being the oldest child and marrying someone older than me. ;)

17. What tops your tree? a glittery wire star on one and a lightblocks snowflake on the other.

18. Which do you prefer: giving or receiving? i love giving gifts! i think it is so much fun to browse around and find something that you just KNOW someone will love! that's why i christmas shop year-round! you never know when you'll find the most perfect item!

19. Candy canes: yuck or yum? hate the peppermint ones, love the rest.

20. Favorite Christmas movie? ELF, a christmas story, christmas vacation, rudolf, frosty the snowman. pretty much all of them.

21. Saddest Christmas song? most of the country christmas songs are really depressing, but that christmas shoes one is super sad. not a fan.

22. What is your favorite Christmas song? i love o tannebaum (in german, of course!), because of the memories of singing it in my high school german class. which i had with my best friend and it was totally the best class. ever!

five friday faves

2011-12-09T07:00:00.000-08:00

yesterday's post displaying our christmas decor at chez shaffer and the weather this week (BRRRR! it's COLD in kansas!), i'm in a WINTRY mood for today's five friday faves. and something about winter makes me want to curl up with some hot cocoa, my hot glue gun and my sewing machine (whom i've affectionately named bertha) and craft the heck out of my holidays! here's some inspiration i've gleaned from the never-ending crack called pinterest. inPINiration? PINspiration?

who cares, right? let's get on with the good stuff.

Source: nedesignbuild.com via Catie on Pinterest

Source: sweetsomethingdesign.blogspot.com via Catie on Pinterest

Source: bhg.com via Catie on Pinterest

Source: thebluerobincottage.blogspot.com via Catie on Pinterest

Source: noodle-head.com via Catie on Pinterest

inspiration workshop with Gussy Sews: holday decor

2011-12-08T12:56:00.001-08:00

This week's prompt is {HOLIDAY DECOR}:
MERRY CHRISTMAS, FRIENDS! Tis the season to deck-the-halls with your favorite HOLIDAY DECOR. Whether it be a tree for Christmas, a menorah for Channukah or a unity cup for Kwanza, there are many holidays around the world that can be celebrated in your home with HOLIDAY DECOR. While we encourage you to share an image of your HOLIDAY DECOR, this doesn't need to be decorating of your own doing, it can be a picture you are inspired by, a neighbor's light impressive {or scary} light display or a piece of HOLIDAY DECOR that excites you.

-----------------------------------

i'll be honest, i've had a really hard time getting into the holiday spirit this year. i think it has something to do with moving. well, i know it has a lot to do with moving. i'm so used to putting all of my decorations in specific spots for the last couple of years that i'm having a really hard time finding places for everything in the new house! for example, we no longer have a mantle (major bummer), so the stockings have found a new space to live. and since our dining room is currently without carpet, i don't have my hutch to pretty all up this year!

you know, first world problems and all.

but, now that the weather has turned cold 'round these parts, and a with a little bit of help from pinterest, i'm OFFICIALLY getting excited for christmas! sqeeeeel!

i'm still working on an overall "tour" of our new place, but you'll get a few sneak peaks in this tour of the holiday decor! ;)

first off, we have a few inspiration images from pinterest...

Source: images.search.yahoo.com via Catie on Pinterest

i love that our wedding colors are christmas colors, too!

Source: countryhome.com via Catie on Pinterest

no mantle, no problem!

Source: apartmenttherapy.com via Catie on Pinterest

for my obsession with all things paper.

here's our tree, all did up! we have dark aqua and red ornaments that a friend of the family bought for me when she found out what our wedding colors were. we weren't able to incorporate them into the wedding decor, but i LOVE them on my tree! i also have silver and penguin ornaments on this tree.

i collect penguins, and winter is the best time to bring them into the home decor! both of these are decorative pillows from target, both presents from kyle. middle pillow from ikea, black cubes from target, floating shelves not hanging on the wall yet are also from target.

my parent's used to own a hardware store, and these angel cheeks were a line that mom carried. aren't they cute!?! this was a christmas gift a few years ago from my parents.

my mother-in-law got me this cute penguin picture frame two years ago. adorable picture of my flower girls at our wedding inside. :) apothecary jar from dillon's marketplace, tumbled glass inside jar is from world market. vintage vase and spools are both thrifted and the oil lamp was a gift from kyle's grandmother.

atop our desk i have a milkglass vase (thrifted) from our wedding filled with faux boughs of evergreen (target) and white glitter berry clusters (dollar tree). two (of the four) raspberry mercury glass ornaments from gilt last year. the picture of the grapple in the background is a project kyle worked on when he was with caterpillar still, the candle stick holder is from world market, the crock with pens in it is vintage from kyle's grandparent's and i have no idea where the brass oil canister is from. i think kyle found it in his old barn. true story.

more glittered berry clusters from dollar tree! i love them in my milkglass vases! magazine holders from ikea, vases all thrifted, center dark vase made by me, white porcelain bird are vintage from my parent's wedding cake and were used as our cake topper as well. ;)

please ignore the SO not organized bookshelves below.

our piano! most everything is vintage/thrifted except for the bulbs in the hurricane vase (hobby lobby), red mercury glass candle stick holder from dillon's marketplace, the other two raspberry ornaments from gilt, two more faux evergreen boughs from target and the kraft paper initials (joann's). the red angel was a gift from kyle's grandmother, the penguin i bought at walgreen's two years ago and the rooster is from the jackalope from our honeymoon. christmas piano books were my mom's when she was little.

ornament wreath, made by me last year.

stockings from world market (the third one is for our pets....don't get any ideas in your head), lighted garland that i'm too lazy to find a cord for is from target. the santa hat i stole from my mom, so i have no idea where it is from.

our upstairs tree is tiny! i took all of our ornaments that have been given as gifts over the years, including my baby ornaments and put them on this small 4' tree that i got on SUPER clearance last year at kohl's. the tree skirt is from dollar tree and the "topper" is an ornament that was a gift from a rep at work.

in our guest room, i filled my pitcher bowl with shatterproof ornaments from hob lob. charlie brown tree is from walgreen's and the reindeer frame was thrifted. he's so cute! and he was a buck. a buck for a buck...dresser is vintage and belonged to kyle's great grandmother.

guest room headboard has a santa from dollar tree, a nativity i bought at a garage sale and another rep gift from work, the metal gold package. random books from college, floating rose bowls are from indonesia (kyle has been three times for work) as are the granite eggs inside the larger bowl. vintage cigar boxes were my grandmothers button boxes. the awesome bedding is from india, purchased by my awesome (then boyfriend) husband.

up close shot of the cute reindeer. i'm pretty proud of this snag!

our entryway "landing station" has a faux cranberry tree from target. charging station from target, vintage books from my grandparent's house, black dresser from an antique store and refinished by me, the bulletin board is from target and the receipt holder (very top of picture) was made by me.

larger ornaments hang above the peninsula in the kitchen (which is so cluttered, i didn't even want to clean it off for a picture) and the paper ornaments on the window drapes were made by me.

on the kitchen window sill i have these joy snowmen (joy is my middle name, so i collect joy ornaments, etc) are from kohl's. penguin plate, gift from kyle, is from target. i have three of these!

another gift from my awesome husband, a penguin cookie jar. he did great with this one! from target.

paper ornament up close and personal.

and here's all the pretty paper in one shot!

wow. that was a picture heavy post.

what do your christmas decorations look like? link up with gussy and share!

and

five friday faves RETURNS!

2011-11-19T07:30:00.000-08:00

hip hip HOORAY! it's time to get inspired again with one of the posts that i've ALWAYS looked forward to writing - five friday faves!

this is probably a bit of an odd thing to be inspired by, but hear me out before you write me off as a complete nut job! ;) {you wouldn't do that, would you?!?} SO, our insurance policy is getting ready to change at the beginning of the year {SEE, i told you! odd.} and we're enrolling in a new program through kyle's work. basically, it's a points program and really all you need to know is that you get "rewarded" with insurance benefits when you get in shape. doing small things like recording our steps each day, recording when we work out and getting our BMI checked every year can help us earn points. which is AWESOME! and i fully admit that we are among the lucky to even have health insurance, so i'm more than happy to do a few small things!

so, that was a really long story to tell you that i've been focusing on getting health and especially targeting WHAT WE EAT. it's no secret that my husband is a fan of hamburgers. and i'm a HUGE fan of chipotle. and that's fine. in moderation, of course! but, it was time to do something about our unhealthy diet. food inc. changed my thinking when i first watched it two years ago {a bit, anyway. i mean, i live in kansas. in the country. i see where my beef comes from every day. that cow right out there. see him?} but i'm not stupid, i know mcdonald's doesn't come get a cow from across the way to butcher and serve up to wichitan's.

one thing i kept stumbling upon while researching healthy food and recipes was a concept called clean eating. {and no, clean eating does NOT mean washing your food first. i checked.} the basic concept is that you eat WHOLE and unprocessed foods. whole oats, whole grain bread, unprocessed sugar, grass fed beef, etc. and i've found some wonderful sites that "clean up" food and provide some awesome recipes! this weeks FFF's is a compilation of some that we've tried and a few i'm looking forward to trying and they've been BOTH catie and kyle approved! that's saying something. i'm picky and he's a meat and potatoes dude, it's hard to please us both, trust me.

Source: chocolatecoveredkatie.com via Catie on Pinterest

this chocolate oatmeal sounds AHMAHZING!

Source: theworldwidegourmet.com via Catie on Pinterest

strawberries are my very favorite fruit!

Source: chocolatecoveredkatie.com via Catie on Pinterest

this site is one of my favorites! she has some awesome recipes! this was my latest trial and they were AWESOME! loved them.

Source: thegraciouspantry.com via Catie on Pinterest

i made this fried rice, but omitted the pork and added a lot more veggies. i was told to leave the sprouts out next time. kyle is not a fan. :)

Source: the-girl-who-ate-everything.com via Catie on Pinterest

and these turkey asian meatballs were fabulous. they will for sure be making an appearance in my kitchen again!

it's beginning to look a lot like

2011-11-15T07:30:00.000-08:00

can you BELIEVE it! in less than two months, CHRISTMAS will be here!

are you that ultra planner that already has their christmas shopping done? or are you a black friday shopper? or are you, like a certain man that i *cough cough* know pretty well, and do your shopping the morning before you open presents! ;)

if holiday printables happen to be on your list this year. {and really, they should be if they aren't...} you're in luck! i've just listed some new holiday printables in my shop!

buy

and for $2.50, they are easy on the pocketbook, too!

but i'll let you in on a little secret....i LOVE black friday shopping!! we're going to kansas city with my mom and brother (he lives there) to go black friday shopping as soon as we are done chowing down on some turkey! let's celebrate with a special coupon code - BLKFRIDAY good for 15% off anything in my shop! the code is good until november 26th! that's two weeks!

inspiration workshop with gussy sews: dining room!

2011-11-10T20:06:00.001-08:00

This week's prompt is {DINING ROOM}:
The holidays are here! I can hardly believe it. Halloween has come and gone. And now it's time to prep our homes. No matter what holiday you celebrate, whether it be Thanksgiving, Christmas -- maybe you create a mash-up?, many of them take place in the DINING ROOM. Which is why I thought DINING ROOM would be a wonderful prompt for {almost} mid-November. What does your DINING ROOM look like? What does your dream DINING ROOM look like? Is there an accessory or piece of furniture you have or have been eyeing for your DINING ROOM? Is it china or a silverware set? A distressed hutch or an interesting table set? Centerpiece or curtains? Maybe it's a favorite restaurant's DINING ROOM {tee hehe}.

-----------------------------------------------

this week's prompt was perfect timing for our household...we're in the midst of ripping up the dining room carpet and picking out new flooring! actually, it's the dining room, kitchen and entry way...for some reference, here's what we're working with:

there is fairly new engineered hardwood in the kitchen. it IS still available for sale, but it's super expensive.

this lovely patterned carpet in the dining room. please note that it matches the wall paper in the kitchen.

and yet another type of hardwood in the entry. it's not the original, but it also doesn't match what's in the kitchen. sigh.

i just ordered a few samples online of what i've been rolling around in my head...which one is your favorite?

hand scraped alder in a warm red finish

hand scraped bamboo in an espresso finish

strand woven bamboo in a dark red finish (looks like brazilian cherry)

distressed birch in a warm brown finish

this gorgeous cork

i have no idea how to choose. ironic when i do this all day for a living, but when it's something that i'm choosing for my own house, i'm too chicken to just pick one. i think i'm worried i'll end up hating whatever it is later and just blaming myself.

SO MUCH PRESSURE!

happy halloween!!

2011-10-31T16:00:00.000-07:00

i'm still MIA as we still haven't bothered to get internet at the new house yet....soon, i hope!

happy halloween, everyone! i hope your day is sugar-filled and spooky!

inspiration workshop with Gussy Sews: RED!

2011-10-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

today over at the inspiration workshop with gussy, we're talking about

RED!

red is one of my very favorite colors. i, personally, think there isn't anyone in the world that looks bad in red! red is sexy, smart, calm, warm, trendy and yet trend enduring all at the same time.

seriously, it's the perfect color.

here are some pretties from pinterest that i was feeling this morning...

Source: ruemag.com via Catie on Pinterest

i believe i let it slip in my last post that we are moving to the country in a couple of tickets. if you follow me on facebook or twitter, you've seen the photos to prove it. (don't worry, i'll be uploading to the ol' blog soon enough.) our new place has not one, but TWO red barns! and i'm super excited about them both.

side note: when i told my brother about our new place and told him there were two barns, he says to me, "the only thing better than one barn is two barns, i always say."

he doesn't get it. he's a city boy.

Source: google.com via Catie on Pinterest

i'm a little angry at pinterest for not being around from the fall of 2009 while i was planning my wedding. i'd like a do-over wedding, so i can wear this dress. mmmmkay? 'kay.

Source: bhg.com via Catie on Pinterest

hello, entirely red accessorized kitchen with awesome dark grey cabinets and beautiful red cherry wallpaper, i'm catie. have we met? heck yes we have...in my dreams.

Source: 6thstreetdesignschool.blogspot.com via Catie on Pinterest

gorgeous flowers. just be glad i didn't add a gratuitous wedding shot in here. you know i wanted to...

Source: daintysquid.blogspot.com via Catie on Pinterest

i know summer is almost over, but i LOOOOOVE this outfit.

Source: thecoolhunter.net via Catie on Pinterest

i am, quite literally, the biggest fan of fall. ever. hands down.

Source: pooryou.com.au via Catie on Pinterest

i have this weird hair color that's not really brunette, not really blonde and not really red. it's like this odd mix of color and i don't really hate it, but i wouldn't really say that i love it either. i'm "meh" about it. kyle calls me a "ginger" all the time, but that's more due to the translucent skin and freckles than flaming red hair. how beautiful is this girl's hair? simply gorgeous. i want, i want! i totally want to dye my hair now.

here's another fun story: not that long ago, kyle was staring at me as i was getting ready to go somewhere. i think it was a wedding, but i honestly don't remember. i was straightening my hair and he just kept looking at me. i finally turned to him and asked him what exactly was it he was looking at and he goes, "you know, i really prefer blondes, but your hair color, whatever that is, is my second favorite color."

um...thanks?

and, just for the record, i'll post a picture of the most accurate picture of my true hair color. it's horrible of me, but let's focus on the hair, people.

my friend, ty, and i on fake patty's day, which i blogged a bit about here in march. so let's not judge people, it's just not nice. and it was 10 am and i had been drinking for 4 hours already.

note the start of ty's green mustache. green beer = green mustaches.

i love being irish. or fake irish.

whatever.

join us for the party!

2011-10-08T22:26:00.000-07:00

hello lovelies!

sorry. thank you for hanging in there with me.

i know it's been a month...i'm exhausted just THINKING about what i've done in the last 30 days or so.

so much to tell you....let's see...where to start.

- went to my sister-in-law's baby shower
- went out to our farm to work on the trailer (and other things)
- signed the paperwork for our new house
- became an AUNT AND UNCLE to sweet audrey alexandra
- i studied for and took my licensure exam (ugh...)
- kyle traveled to mexico for work, again
- i helped with a baby shower for a coworker
- i helped with an IIDA event, Like TOTALLY Rad 80s Trivia! (so fun)
- started painting the new house
- started packing (ok, so only like five boxes, but still...we've started) and moving cars out to the new house
- bought a new (to us) car

so, basically this post just turned into a bunch of excuses on why i haven't posted in a while...

we'll talk soon!

WIWWW {what i would wear wednesday}

2011-09-06T13:00:00.000-07:00

FIRST OFF, before my posts get (even more) infrequent, i did want to warn everyone that i've been studying for a very important test and i have a feeling that my blog will be suffering.

who am i kidding, it's already suffering! :)

this test is my licensee exam. while i don't actually live in a state that requires an interior designer to be licensed, we do work all across the country and some states, as well as the federal government, do require it. so, off to test i go!

in addition to my test, kyle and i will actually be moving into our new home (YAY!!) mid-octoberish, which will also put a damper on the ol' blog. though i cannot WAIT to show you all pictures of the new place as well as some before and after projects we'll be doing to decorate it all up pretty like!

-----------------------------------------------

moving on...

i've been really horrible about taking pictures for WIWW lately. honestly, i just can't get the motivation between studying at night and getting up early to run and quite frankly the HEAT just finally got to me. BUT, this weekend, the HEAT BROKE! HALLELUJAH!! we're officially in fall!

fall is my favorite season, hands down!

in celebration of the cooler weather and the anticipation it brings along with it, i'm doing another edition of what i would wear wednesday to link up to the pleated poppy.

all images brought to you via pinterest and i would totally rock each and every one of these. i can't wait for the holidays!

Source: chictopia.com via Catie on Pinterest

loving the belted skirts i've seen lately.

Source: polyvore.com via Catie on Pinterest

i NEED that shirt! adorable!

Source: seejaneworkplaylive.blogspot.com via Catie on Pinterest

the layered look looks so great with slim-fit pants and boots.

Source: superswoon.com via Catie on Pinterest

let's be honest...i'd need a longer shirt/dress to cover up the leggings. i'm just being real here.

Source: polyvore.com via Catie on Pinterest

hello, comfort! a cardi would make it work-on-friday-appropriate, but i'd love to wear it around the house any day of the week!

what are your favorite fall fashions for 2011?

five friday faves

2011-08-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

first off, i'd like to wish my little brother a very happy 24th birthday!

jeez, topher, you sure are getting old!

-------------------------------------------------

this week i'd like to share five gorgeous outfits from around the interwebs...i have to admit, i'm usually more for comfort over fashion, but lately i've been trying to step out of my comfort (har har) zone and embrace different styles.

Source: spoilsofwear.com via Catie on Pinterest

i've been drying to find a maxi that doesn't show my arms. i have serious issue with showing my arms, especially at work for some reason. i think the jacket gives lightweight structure and coverage that i've been looking for.

Source: kendieveryday.blogspot.com via Catie on Pinterest

i see these skirts all the time while i'm out thrifting. i call them "grandma skirts." BUT, when paired with a bright pink shirt like kendi does, it goes from grandma to GLAM! i LOOOOVE this outfit!

Source: polyvore.com via Catie on Pinterest

this is a typical fall outfit for me, but i love how the sparkly earrings and a great necklace could make this go from a fall shopping outfit to a night out with the hubs.

Source: us.coast-stores.com via Catie on Pinterest

wow. that's all i have to say. it's GREY and it has POLKA DOTS and it has RUFFLES!!! pretty much my dream dress.

Source: None via Catie on Pinterest

this one is so far out of my comfort zone, i really don't even know why i pinned it. i think if i could swap out the striped skirt for a solid, i could try to pull this one off. that is, if kyle promises not to tease me for pulling my socks up over the rim of my boots. ;)

inspiration workshop with Gussy Sews

2011-08-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

THE PROMPT

To keep with the outdoor theme {I'm soaking in every minute while the favorable weather allows), this week's prompt is THE FRONT PORCH. And really, this can be interpreted in any way... Including {but not limited to} front and back PORCHES, decks, patios, outdoor dining spaces, etc. Maybe you have a PORCH off your condo that is divine, or you have a neighbor with a space you drool over. Or, is there a rickety old porch that you find charming. Or a meal you'd like to enjoy on a FRONT PORCH.The possibilities are endless!

----------------------------------------

OOOOH! the front porch! one of my favorite places to be! a front porch was a must have for kyle and i when we were looking for the house we currently live in. i think it will be a must have in any house that we live in, ever. there is just something so blissfully MIDWEST about a front porch. (yes, i just made the midwest into an adjective, what are you gonna do about it?)

here's a few images of my dream front porch...

Source: houseplanshomeplansfloorplans.com via Catie on Pinterest

i love all the detailing of this house, and how the front porch wraps most of the way around.

Source: livinginlilly.tumblr.com via Catie on Pinterest

the fans and the painted ceiling...SWOON! the trim is also beautiful.

Source: hookedonhouses.net via Catie on Pinterest

another fun wrap around. (can you tell i have a soft spot for craftsman styled homes?)

Source: savedbythesouthernbelle.tumblr.com via Catie on Pinterest

i'd love to have a porch swing. the lights fixtures are amazing!

Source: brylanehome.com via Catie on Pinterest

we have a couple of these chairs that we've inherited from various places...we might need to get a couple of cans of spray paint out!

what does YOUR dream front porch look like? is it in the city? the country? or would you rather sit in the driveway and take in the sun full blast?

throwback tuesday: week 1

2011-08-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

since i have been participating in Gussy's Inspiration Workshop and that falls on thursdays...i've decided to switch my throwback thursday's to throwback tuesday's.

you don't mind, do you? ;)

i cleaned up my studio/craft room on saturday and finally found a place to put my little Singer.

i found this when my mom and dad moved last may and chuckled. my grandmother taught me to piece a quilt on this little thing. (it REALLY does work!) i wish i would have put my other sewing machine into the picture for some scale...this one is only about 5 inches tall. i have no idea where the rest of the parts are...i'll have to keep an eye out for replacement parts when i'm thrifting.

this one's a keeper.

inspiration workshop with Gussy Sews

2011-08-11T15:00:00.000-07:00

THE PROMPT

To honor our warm weather {for now}, I've been enjoying day dreaming about outdoor GARDENS, which is this week's prompt. I love my terrarium and my potted plants, but am also intrigued with lush GARDENS, with vegetables, wildflowers and green foliage. I am also inspired with unique container GARDENS that use unusual containers {like a local cafe, Wise Acres, decorates with on an inside wall}, often repurposed, to grow plants. Do you have a GARDEN you are proud of? Do you have a friend with a green thumb? Or a neighbor? Remember, this doesn't need to be a GARDEN you've harvested or even have taken a picture of {just be sure to give proper photo credit if the photo is not yours}. This is your interpretation of the GARDEN prompt.

------------------------------------------

i'm going to be honest with you here, i don't think i can "honor" the warm weather any longer. i'm just too sick of it. i know come february, when it's -17 degrees outside, i'm going to be wishing for it, but right now i want to smack mother nature for such crap weather.

sighhhhh.....

rant over.

moving on...my garden has gone to complete crap this year. i planted the normal cucumbers and tomatoes and herbs and they ALL DIED, because it was way too hot. i mean, i watered them, but that didn't really seem to help at all. i have a few flowers let, but not many and our grass has pretty much all but dried out. it's brown. and crunchy.

BUT this is supposed to be a HAPPY post, so today i want to talk about my dream garden. i'd love to have an amazingly huge, lush garden, full of veggies, potatoes and fresh herbs! fresh herbs are my favorite! last year, i had a pretty awesome dill plant going on and i branched out on a lot of dishes to include dill, even some fish, which i had never used it for.

source

of course, the mother of all things crafty, home, garden and cooking is THE martha stewart. and martha has the mother of all gardens! now, i don't love martha's business tactics, or, honestly, her personality. but, i do believe that you have to admit it when people are pretty awesome at stuff, and she didn't get all the way up there without a little bit of talent. i read this article a while back on apartment therapy (side note, how awesome is apartment therapy? i just love it.) and they linked to a garden tour of martha's. i can't find the original link anymore, but i DID find this awesome tour of martha's culinary herb garden and boy-oh-boy is it fantastically amazing!! there's a few images below for you, but you really should go take the tour if you are interested at all. beautiful!

source

throwback thursday: week 22

2011-08-11T03:40:00.000-07:00

not sure who all these are, but they are related to me somehow through my mother's family.

WIWWW {what i would wear wednesday}

2011-08-10T06:40:00.000-07:00

sooo....i've been slacking in the WIWW posts. quite honestly, it's just so hard to get excited about any clothing when it's 100+ degrees outside. THANKFULLY, the heat seems to have broken. as i type this, it's pouring outside. and it feels awesome...trust me, our workout was inside today (due to rain) and the doors were flung open and it felt SO GOOD to have that breeze on you!

anywhooskies.

it was dark this morning...so even though it's cooler out, i'm doing another version of what i would wear wednesday!

which, let's face it, is much more fun than looking at a picture of me this fine morning.

it's getting cooler, so i'm dreaming of fall...

Source: polyvore.com via Catie on Pinterest

if you'd like to see where you can get everything, the link to the original polyvore is here.

try not to have a heart attack when you see the price of the purse. and the jeans. i'm just saying it's pretty, i'm not going to promise that i'm not going to find similar thrift items for $2.

love.

inspiration workshop with Gussy Sews

2011-08-05T06:50:00.000-07:00

THE PROMPT
I've been thinking a lot what we all do in a day. And what I am always in awe by is how vastly different we all are, which is why I came up with this weeks prompt. This week I encourage you to find inspiration in your day-to-day by posting a single photo, a collage of photos or simply a written list that depicts A DAY IN YOUR LIFE. Some of you may be stay-at-home or work-at-home moms. Some of you, like me, are business owners. Or a student. So look around you... What does your day look like? I hope you will find beauty in something that maybe you find a little mundane by taking a moment to work on this prompt, A DAY IN YOUR LIFE

-------------------------------------

a day i the life of catie

i'll be honest, my days tend to vary a lot. i'm trying to change that. i know it's healthier to get into a routine, i have just been having some troubles doing that. right now we are working out with shocker fitness on monday, wednesday and fridays and i've been trying to get myself up to run on the off days. unsuccessfully i might add. but, again, i'm working on it.

so, in conclusion, i'm going to give you today's play by play, because it was somewhat of a normal day.

and i worked out, so you know, i look better. ;)

catie's wednesday

4:45 am - alarm goes off, kyle hits snooze

5:00 am - alarm goes off again, we get up

5:15 am - we're off and headed towards shocker fitness

5:30 am - workout begins

6:30 am - workout ends and we head home

6:45 am - kyle gets in the shower and i make breakfast and his lunch

7:00 am - kyle heads out the door

7:15 am - hop in the shower, get ready for work

7:50 am - leave for work

8:05 am - get to work, log into computer

8:15 - 11:15 am - today i spent this block of time freaking out a bit about a deadline, it worked out in the end.

11:15 am - kyle called me and informs me that his flight left at 1:20 pm, not 3:20 pm like he thought and was i coming home for lunch to see him

11:30 am - left for home, ate lunch, told kyle bye (he's headed to atlanta for a meeting tomorrow)

12:30 pm - back at work, spent the rest of the day freaking out about another deadline

5:30 pm - realize that i just did a bunch of extra work that the architect didn't ask me to do, instead of working on the one thing he asked me for and decided i was too annoyed to continue working. and the dogs needed let out.

5:45 pm - ran to dillons, grabbed a bite to eat, let the dogs out into the oppressive heat, watched the news, passed out on the couch for about an hour

7:00 pm - woke up to a cat sleeping on my head....i'm looking at you MOW...

8:05 pm - kyle calls because i didn't get online. i was distracted by the TV i guess...

8:15 pm - we discuss a few things, hang up and i read my google reader for a while...

9:00 pm - time for the 9 pm news and a little big of blogging

9:35 pm - once the news is over, we typically start getting ready for bed so we can actually wake up at 4:45 one of these days!

my life sounds very depressing wrapped up into a little list like this.

but, the thing that i love about my job is that EVERY SINGLE DAY is different. projects are in different stages, sometimes i head to the site, sometimes i'm working on drawings, sometimes (though not lately) i'm pulling finishes or making presentation boards and sometimes, i have nothing at all to do. that's usually around christmas though.

because construction workers don't like to work when the ground is frozen.

just sayin'.

and because it's not a post without a picture, here's a little funny for you.

tomorrow we're doing an office tour of my very first project i did "on my own" and i was prepping a post for you all about it and went to google maps to see if it had been updated and i saw this:

construction site. it looks like three buildings, but it's actually all one. i promise, they even have furniture and stuff in it now.

so i got all excited and thought maybe they had updated the street view (the car has been spotted recently in the wichita area) and went to the street view and saw this:

BHAHAH!

how far i've come.

i'll take some pictures for ya tomorrow and hope to share!

and yes, i'm a funhater and blocked out all the information from the google search, so don't even bother. i'd rather not get fired for sharing client info thankyouverymuch.

throwback thursday: week 21

2011-08-04T06:44:00.000-07:00

my little brother and i.

animals being...animals...

2011-07-29T20:56:00.000-07:00

if you haven't been to animalsbeingdicks.com yet, go. it's hilarious.

this one reminds me of our two dogs, sly and nelson. i'll let you guess which one is which.

http://animalsbeingdicks.com/page/2

and because every post is better with a picture...if i was a dog, this is what i would be doing riiiiiight abooooout now.

ZzZzZzzz...

source

three for thursday

2011-07-28T12:02:00.000-07:00

throwback thursday will return sometime, but i needed a "thinkless" thursday post for today. i'm wiped after a couple of deadlines and some random stuff that's come up lately.

so, without further ado, i give you three for thursday:

Three excuses:
1. i'm tired.
2. i've got a headache.
3. ignoring the problem in general. (does that count as an excuse? i think it does...)

Three favorite children’s books:
1. boxcar children
2. babysitters club
3. HARRY POTTER!! (which i read as an adult.)

Three things I do differently than my mother did:
1. make my bed in the mornings.
2. clean on a regular basis...whoops.
3. i listen to country music. i couldn't really think of another one.

Three things I’m waiting for:
1. our fall roadtrip.
2. the heat to go away.
3. to put an offer on a new house...sometime.

Three things I want to be when I grow up:
1. caring
2. creative
3. childish...because i'll never really grow up.

Three things I do because they’re good for me and NOT because I like doing them:
1. working out!
2. cleaning the house.
3. eating healthy.

Three truths about me:
1. i'm almost 5'8", but i wear a size 7 shoe, which i guess it weird. at least, people tell me that it is.
2. as a commercial designer, i prefer modern, clean lines and contemporary finishes and furniture, but my house looks like 80-year-old's live there.
3. i am a major homebody. i'd rather be at home watching a movie than out at the bars any weekend.

Three pictures:

i posted this instagram last night, but didn't really explain it. i won this task lamp from Herman Miller at a work event yesterday. it's magnetic and randomly, it's the perfect spacing for under my microwave!

my grandpa turned 97 last saturday! he was laughing that he couldn't get the last candle blown out.

side note: who in the hell let grandpa blow candles out with HIS FREAKING OXYGEN ON! that is so dangerous.

and i couldn't think of a third one that was relevant, so i went with this photobooth image from our wedding, because it brings a smile to my face. i love how the girls all have something funny on and the boys just all look drunk. or super creepy if your name happens to be luke and you happen to have you hand on another man's hip.

oh, and if you're looking for mike, only the top of his head made it into the photo.

five friday faves

2011-07-15T08:06:00.000-07:00

or should i say five funny friday faves?

Source: stumbleupon.com via Catie on Pinterest

now THAT is a tongue!

Source: etsy.com via Catie on Pinterest

nelson needs this.

Source: None via Catie on Pinterest

woman power!

Source: thepioneerwoman.com via Catie on Pinterest

BWHAHAHAHA!

Source: engineeringdegree.net via Catie on Pinterest

i'm an over person.

which are you?

inspiration workshop with Gussy Sews

2011-07-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

this week's inspiration workshop prompt is SUNSHINE.

oh me, oh my, sunshine is a hard one for me, i had to come up with a few different images... i spent a lot of time in the sun as a kid/teen/college student.

source

i lifeguarded and taught swimming lessons for EIGHT years, so i have a LOT of memories of being at the pool. we had a lot of fun at all the pools i worked at, even when it was a bazillion degrees outside, we made it fun. it was my main source of income through high school and to this day, the smell of a pool is one of my favorite smells in the entire world.

source

ever since i can remember, we've spent a week at table rock lake in the summer. my parents now have a cabin there, but we tent camped and stayed in rented cabins throughout my childhood. there is nothing like seeing the sunrise over the lake as you're going out for a set of skiing.

source

and speaking of waterskiing, i skied for Kansas State, did you know that? i'm sure i've told you...right? well, i did. i spent 4 weekends in the spring and five in the fall skiing in college tournaments and those are some of my favorite memories from college. we had way too much fun, got way too much sun and drank way too much beer. needless to say, i had to quit the team in my second year of design school or i would have never graduated. *wink*

i'm linking up with Gussy, won't you join in?

throwback thursday: week 20

2011-07-14T05:51:00.000-07:00

my beautiful grandmother.

we miss you, grandma.

wiww - week...i have no idea anymore

2011-07-13T05:44:00.000-07:00

i'm majorly failing at what i wore wednesday because it's TO STINKIN' HOT here to care what i'm wearing.

for reals. it was 111* here on sunday.

i'm begging you to feel sorry for me us.

so, i'm basically wearing whatever makes me the coolest. which today was a t-shirt and skirt. comfy and cool!

i should take a photo of my hair down my back, it's getting crazy long. it almost reached the waistband of my skirt today.

so i made a hair appointment this afternoon. :)

t-shirt, tank and heels - target.

skirt - thrifted

necklace - found at my grandmother's

the necklace was a bit itchy, so i've got to fix it before i wear it again. but all in all, a great outfit for a sickeningly hot day!

saturday night movies

2011-07-09T19:34:00.000-07:00

there is nothing that makes me more happy on a saturday night than curling up and watching a great movie. i think kyle and i should buy stock in netflix and redbox, actually, that'd be a smart move in my opinion.

that's a lie, actually, if it's storming outside, that makes it even better. in fact, we're watching a movie right now with thunder in the background (and we really need the rain).

speaking of rain, here's a little tidbit from one my all time favorite movies. pride and prejudice is AMAZING. all of the version are. but this one has keira knightley in it and i adore her.

happy weekend, everyone!

five friday faves

2011-07-08T06:55:00.000-07:00

for today's edition, i'm sharing a few items on my wish list...

Source: jennasecrist.blogspot.com via Catie on Pinterest

kyle and i have said our wedding present to each other is tattoos, but we have yet to pull the trigger. this is one of my favorites i've found so far.

Source: wanelo.com via Catie on Pinterest

this coffee cup is awesome!

Source: wedding-teen.com via Catie on Pinterest

here's another option i found...

Source: thedailywh.at via Catie on Pinterest

this tape is freaking sweet and would be great for packing up etsy sales!

Source: ellen.warnerbros.com via Catie on Pinterest

HELLLLLLOOOOOOO, simon baker! 'nuff said.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

wanna know what etsy sales i was referring to? i finally got off my tukis and opened up my shop. i currently just have milk glass listed, but am hoping to eventually add more. be gentle, i haven't finished up my graphics, so the shop is a little bare looking and i'm still working on my photog skills, so there is just one image of each piece. the good news is...i've already made a sale! one hobnail vase is flying it's merry little way to my first customer!

yay!

throwback thursday: week 19

2011-07-07T17:53:00.000-07:00

my dad and his men on my parent's wedding day.

digging the blue suits, dad!

when my dad found out my wedding colors were light blue and red, he asked if he had to wear this tux again. my mom told him that he did!

my poor father, he's so tortured by the women in his life. :)

five friday faves

2011-07-01T05:58:00.000-07:00

happy july, EVERYONE!

in this week's edition of five friday faves, we're exploring some home decor projects i'd like to take on.

as if our bathroom and kitchen remodels and finishing up our rental house isn't enough, why not throw in a few other decor projects while i'm at it?!

*wink!*

at least these are pretty simple.

Source: littleloveliesbyallison.blogspot.com via Catie on Pinterest

this doily display is the perfect opportunity to use some of my wedding table doilies!

Source: girlinair.blogspot.com via Catie on Pinterest

we have a whole slew of these (and just got some more from my grandfather's house) and i loved this the second i saw it! i'm thinking this may have to be some task lighting for our new kitchen.

Source: designsponge.com via Catie on Pinterest

we "inherited" our roller blinds with the house. i have six green and six pink ones. and this awesome tutorial is going to be a lifesaver for me the second i find some fabric.

Source: gallery.apartmenttherapy.com via Catie on Pinterest

we also inherited white trim and i've been trying to convince kyle to let me paint the front room dark. this might help?

Source: manditremayne.blogspot.com via Catie on Pinterest

this bed is to die for. it would totally not fit in our house and kyle wouldn't go for it unless there was a window within two inches of the bed, but i can totally dream, can't i?!?

throwback thursday: week 18

2011-06-30T17:51:00.000-07:00

my aunt kathy and uncle harry on their wedding day. doesn't my aunt look just like my mom? if they weren't 16 years apart, i'd say they could be twins in some pictures.

inspiration workshop with Gussy Sews

2011-06-30T05:18:00.000-07:00

this week is my first to link up to Gussy's Inspiration Workshop and i'm SO EXCITED about this week's prompt! here it is from Gussy herself:

This week's prompt is the PERFECT BATHROOM. Oh, the PERFECT BATHROOM, I could go on for days about what I would want that to be {but you will just need to wait for my post next Thursday *wink*}. As a tease, I dream of a spacious space with snuggly soft towels and beautiful colors. What would your PERFECT BATHROOM look like? Do you already have a PERFECT BATHROOM -- what does that look like?

how amazing that the prompt this week was the perfect bathroom as we are planning out our very own bathroom remodel here at the catie and co. house? pretty stinkin' perfect if you ask me! i've already started and shared my pinterest boards for our bathroom and kitchen remodels, so some of these images you've seen already...but hopefully there are a few new ones!

Source: bathroomremodelings.org via Catie on Pinterest

i love the vanity and built-ins. this bathroom just screams, "come on in and stay a while, fill the tub and sip on a glass of wine." the bench and storage above is great and i love how they lowered part of the vanity to accomodate for the window, but it looks intentional. and i'm loving white cabinets right now, i'm hoping for a while vanity in my future bathroom!

Source: odenwalddesign.wordpress.com via Catie on Pinterest

great use of space and the sinks are amazing. i love the window greenhouse space and the bead board wainscot brings the whole look together.

Source: google.com via Catie on Pinterest

i love the tile in this shot. the mirror is pretty amazing, as well!

Source: picasaweb.google.com via Catie on Pinterest

this one just makes me smile. i will indeed have this quote somewhere in my new bathroom. :)

so what about you? what would you pick as the perfect bathroom?

loving local foods

2011-06-26T06:58:00.000-07:00

it's no secret that i am a huge fan of vegetables. like HUGE fan. my mom always thought it was weird that her kids ate them, but i suppose some of that may be spurred by the fact that she has weird kids.

at least i own up to it, right?

pssst....this is my favorite one!

source

in case you wanted to know.

moving on...

my affinity for vegetables and fruits usually leads me to my local farmer's market (my favorite one is this one). which is fine, it gets me through the start of summer before my tiny garden starts to produce. at least i hope it produces, i planted really late this year due to a weirdly cold spring in our area.

i promise there is a point to this, really.

the other day, while perusing the Eagle online, i stumbled across the Keeping the Plains article about community gardening in Wichita. i have to be honest, i didn't know that community gardening was so popular in Wichita! yeah, sure, we have a pretty solid agricultural base here. my husband even designs tractors for a living (not really, he's working on a loader project right now, but the point is he works where OTHER PEOPLE design tractors). and there are a TON of small family farms and dairies right outside the city. love local food posted this morning that the Eagle posted an interactive map with locations of community gardens throughout the city and while clicking through them, i was impressed to see how many there were in the downtown area. a couple of them do focus on helping women or people in need. a lot are in development at this point in time and i'd love to see some of them blossom into a children's garden where proper nutrition is taught while teaching valuable gardening skills.

i'm so excited for our little city! i can't wait to see what develops in the coming years.

five friday faves

2011-06-24T08:54:00.000-07:00

because i feel fat today. (admit it, everyone has those days...)

and because i'm hungry.

and i want to bake.

we're going with five friday faves from my gooey goodness pinterest board this week.

mmmm......gooey goodness!

Source: eatlivetravelwrite.com via Catie on Pinterest

hot chocolate macaroons.

macaroons are just so gorgeous.

i want one.

now.

Source: annies-eats.com via Catie on Pinterest

snickers cupcakes.

i'm thinking these would be great for kyle's birthday next year. he LOVES snickers.

that frosting looks TO DIE FOR.

Source: etsy.com via Catie on Pinterest

these are so adorable. true story: i don't like cake. and i really don't like chocolate cake. sorry, just don't.

if it makes you feel better, i like brownies!

Source: tastykitchen.com via Catie on Pinterest

mango frozen yogurt

perfect summer evening treat.

Source: designspongeonline.com via Catie on Pinterest

almond joy milkshakes.

'nuff said.

throwback thursday: week 17

2011-06-23T08:32:00.000-07:00

some more old ladies that are somehow related to me. mom? help me out on this one! :)

When I Am an Old Woman

When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn't go and doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals and say we've no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I am tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.

I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick flowers in other people's gardens
And learn to spit.
You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go
Or only bread and a pickle for a week
And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry
And pay our rent and not swear in the street
And set a good example for the children.
We will have friends to dinner and read the papers.
But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old and start to wear purple.

By Jenny Joseph, Trenton NJ

---------------------------------

when i am an old woman, i'll wear a fake fur coat and look totally awesome.

WIWWW {what i would wear wednesday}

2011-06-22T17:30:00.000-07:00

i have an excuse this week, really, i do. we left for colorado on thursday of last week for a family reunion (more on that later) and wasn't anywhere close enough to my mirror for pictures! yup, that's totally it. and i was completely preoccupied playing with adorable little children and beating my husband and his male cousins at croquet...

so, in lieu of what i wore wednesday, we're going with a what i would wear wednesday! 'cause it's my blog and i do what i want.

and so i turn to pinterest once again for some fashion inspiration!

i so love pinterest.

i would marry pinterest if i could.

moving on....

i'm going with one work outfit, one play outfit and one work then play outfit.

WORK AND PLAY

Source: polyvore.com via Catie on Pinterest

a friday work outfit, fabulous enough to transition into a friday night out outfit!

PLAY

Source: magpiepaperworks.com via Catie on Pinterest

i adore this headband. and the hairdo is fabulous as well. if only i could get my mangy mane to stay put.

Source: garnethill.com via Catie on Pinterest

and i'd wear it with one of these awesome dresses. i'm pretty sure i need one in every color.

Source: hopestudios.blogspot.com via Catie on Pinterest

and i have some black shoes just like the before picture...a fabulous diy shoe tutorial.

everyone needs a little lace, rosettes and ruffles mixed together for a day, right? it's pretty much the best things ever all wrapped up together in one comfy outfit.

WORK

Source: academichic.com via Catie on Pinterest

i love this for work. it's hot as blazes here in kansas right now and i adore wearing skirts and dresses in the summer. i've got a bunch of old tanks that i want to add skirts to the bottom of and this is my inspriation. but, first, i need to make a circle skirt (tutorial by dana over at made) with the lovely black with navy polka dots charmeuse fabric i bought last week. FOR $2.50 A YARD!! it was $5/yard on the clearance rack and when i found out that it was additional 50% off that, i bought the whole bolt! would anyone like a matching circle skirt to mine?

anyone? bueller? bueller?

well, fine. i'll make a dress with the rest of it.

Source: None via Catie on Pinterest

i'm also loving on this hair style right now. i have had tons of flyaways ever since our wedding last year. i have no idea the correlation of the wedding to my flyaways, but that's when i started to notice them. ANYWAY, braids sure do help. because flyaways in this kansas humidity with wavy hair like mine....not so fun.

five friday faves

2011-06-10T12:00:00.000-07:00

for a great laugh, a good giggle or possibly even a new favorite quote, check out my FFF's today, inspired by my "words to live by" pinterest board.

Source: missrachel-marie.blogspot.com via Catie on Pinterest

well, at least i can say i'm not boring.

Source: fromupnorth.com via Catie on Pinterest

i should tell myself this every day.

Source: google.com via Catie on Pinterest

today is friday, so you know it's true!

Source: vol25.typepad.com via Catie on Pinterest

exactly.

Source: bookshelfporn.com via Catie on Pinterest

i found one.

and he's pretty dang good at it, too.

i'm such a lucky girl!

throwback thursday: week 16

2011-06-09T06:01:00.000-07:00

WOW! week 16 already!? i feel so accomplished. :)

this weeks photo really has no description because i really don't know who this lady is. the picture is ridiculously old and is printed on metal. she is somehow related to my mother, but i couldn't honestly tell you how. i love her glasses.

wiww 9

2011-06-08T19:59:00.000-07:00

what i wore wednesday is going to be SKIRTS, SHORT SLEEVES and anything that doesn't make me break into a sweat when i walk out the door for a while. hope you guys don't mind! we're breaking record highs left and right over here in kansas. wichita was even mentioned on the nightly news with brian williams today.

side note: why is it kansas only gets mentioned for 1. weather, 2. sports or 3. freaking crazy people.

second side note: have you ever noticed they always interview the dumbest people they can find? i once saw a story about wichita on the national news and they had some guy that sounded like a total hick and was missing a tooth. A TOOTH!?! really!?!

ps - we are not all like that here, i promise.

wednesday - 90 degrees

long sleeved tee and white tank - target, necklace - premier designs, skirt - thrifted and super comfy...like wearing pajamas! i wore sandals but apparently forgot to put them on until i left the house...

thursday - 94 degrees

head to toe target, except i found the shoes at a thrift store and paid $2 for them. :)

friday - 100 degrees

cardi and tanks - target, jeans - maurices, flip flops - reef, purchased at the 2004 national waterski tourney in baton rouge, necklace - ebay? i think anyway.

monday - 102 degrees

tank and long sleeved shirt - target, trousers - penneys, heels - gianni bini (thrifted), necklace - famous footwear

tuesday - 102 degrees

cardi, tank and flats - target, dress - old navy, necklace - gift from kyle

five friday faves

2011-06-03T05:14:00.000-07:00

because this week has felt like a long week to me. (really? why is it that the shortest weeks feel the longest? i need a vacation.)

and because i like you guys.

and because it's SUMMER 'round these parts. finally. i'm looking at you, mother nature...

and because i think everyone deserves a little chuckle sometimes...how about some five friday faves that crack me up?

well, good, i'm glad that's settled!

Source: flickr.com via Catie on Pinterest

oh, crap, i totally need to make one of these for my niece. like, now.

Source: nobiggie.net via Catie on Pinterest

i wish you were a moon pie, too, flour. because then i would eat you.

banana flavored, please! nom, nom, nom.

ps - this was at an anthropologie store.

Source: srslycute.com via Catie on Pinterest

super wiener!

plus, this is just a fantastic photo.

Source: fingerprintsonthefridge.com via Catie on Pinterest

i have a feeling i would get fired if i put this into one of my designs. just a guess.

but it's freakin' sweet.

Source: None via Catie on Pinterest

BWHAHAHAHAHAHA!

tell me you didn't just lose it over this one. go on, i dare you to not at least crack a smile!

happy weekend, everyone!

throwback thursday: week 15

2011-06-02T06:29:00.000-07:00

this is my dad, bill.

he was in the k-state marching band. hence the uniform. he played trombone.

well, i guess he still plays the trombone, it's not like you forget how to play an instrument.

he looks very happy to be having his pictures taken. (as he usually is.)

five friday faves

2011-05-27T18:41:00.000-07:00

another version of pinterest love...i told you last week how we're gearing up for a kitchen remodel 'round these parts. well, we're also going to be tackling the one big bathroom downstairs as well. you know, we're waiting to do all this until we actually finish our rental house....and you know, have renters that actually live in the house.

BUT, since we've picked up the tile i've been working on some ideas in my head.

my husband adores ideas in my head. especially when they involve him working on our house.

really, he does.

moving on....

Source: google.com via Catie on Pinterest

the tile we have is 8"x20" and i would like to run it vertically in the bathroom.

Source: google.com via Catie on Pinterest

i love the grey and yellow combo. yes, still. we have grey floor tiles with a warm grey for the walls. i would love a mustard yellow like this for the top!

Source: scandinavianretreat.blogspot.com via Catie on Pinterest

these are gorgeous. not sure a wood countertop is a good idea in a house that will eventually be a rental, but i love this two-toned look.

and the vessel sink? swoon.

Source: 2.bp.blogspot.com via Catie on Pinterest

built-ins! we have zero storage in our house. like, zero. no closets at all. this would be awesome for the bathroom.

Source: picasaweb.google.com via Catie on Pinterest

this one just made it in because (1) it's true and (2) it made me chuckle. i'll have to do something similar...

happy (long) weekend, everyone!

throwback thursday: week 14

2011-05-26T06:58:00.000-07:00

my mom, bustin' a move as a cheerleader. 8th grade if memory serves me correctly. i think that's what grandma wrote on the back, anyway.

GOOOOO TROJANS!

wiww 8 - skirt edition

2011-05-25T18:00:00.000-07:00

i'm noticing a trend here...i'm only posting on days that i have alliteration titles. weird.

i guess i like alliteration!

also, posts may become less frequent and i just signed up to take my licensure exam in the fall. or, possibly, more frequently, as i tend to look towards anything else to avoid studying.

really, you should have seen how clean my apartment was in college.

moving on...

i'm linking up over at the pleated poppy for yet another WIWW! and now, lindsay has a BUTTON! i love buttons!

join in on the fun, you know you want to!

i'm calling this one "skirt edition" because i only caught two pictures and they happened to have skirts in them. go figure. don't worry, i threw in another photo...just for you guys!

thursday

ruffled tank - target

cream cardi - super old, from the gap

skirt and shoes - both thrifted! and new!

necklace - found at my grandma's house, she had awesome taste in jewelry.

wednesday

hello, gut!

shirt - kohls

necklace - ebay

skirt and heels - thrifted and new! went shopping this week! :)

wednesday night

and because i'm low on pictures and you know i like to keep it real, here's what i look like two seconds after i step into the house. dead sexy...i know.

yoga pants - target

t-shirt - king's river marina, courtesy of my mom. (hi, mom!)

flip flops - reef and bought with my deep discount from being on the KSU waterski team. be jealous.

moral of the story, i like to be comfortable.

linking up to:

five friday faves

2011-05-20T06:33:00.000-07:00

because we picked up our tile for our kitchen and bathroom remodels today, my five friday faves are all from my "kitchen remodel" pinterest board.

join me on pinterest! i swear, you won't regret it!

Source: diynetwork.com via Catie on Pinterest

holy awesome organization, batman!

and yellow.

yum.

Source: apartmenttherapy.com via Catie on Pinterest

i love these locker shelves as storage.

Source: fortheloveofahouse.blogspot.com via Catie on Pinterest

glass front cabinets.

those jars are amazing.

Source: familyhandyman.com via Catie on Pinterest

these toekick drawers are the most fabulous ideas in the entire world.

awesome tutorial thnks to famiyhandyman.com.

Source: kitchenbacksplashes.blogspot.com via Catie on Pinterest

this tile pattern is similar to what i have planned. only black, white and aqua glass.

SO EXCITED!!

throwback thursday: week 14

2011-05-19T06:48:00.000-07:00

i'm going to guess i'm about 4 in this one...sooo...1987ish? summer. we're hiking. i'm going to guess it's at ha ha tonka. because my family loved that place.

i have vowed to take my husband there one day so he can see it in all it's glory.

wiww 7

2011-05-18T19:34:00.000-07:00

yet another version of WIWW that i actually deem worthy of linking up to over at lindsay's page - the pleated poppy. make sure you check out some of the other ladies, there are some awesome dressers over there!

wednesday

tshirt, tank under and seersucker shorts - target

sandals - thrifted, originally from charlotte russe

necklace - famous footwear

thursday

shirts - target

trousers - maurices

scarf - santa fe, nm shop called the jackalope

i wore my black heels from target.

friday

ooh! something a little new a different!

skinnies and necklace - target

tunic - thrifted, old navy brand

ruffled flats - maurices

tank - tj maxx

this picture really does nothing at all for this outfit

monday

i was apparently running out the door, so i didn't have my shoes on yet again.

tshirt - target

skirt - thrifted

necklace - famous footwear

wednesday

turtleneck - gap

tank, trousers and heels - target

necklace - estate sale

well, at least i'm getting a little bit better, right!?!

right.

when the inspiration strikes...

2011-05-13T22:47:00.000-07:00

...was the answer to kyle's question earlier.

"why were you taking pictures of our fridge?"

hi babe.

LOOOOOOOOOVE you!

so, um, yeah, i was taking pictures of our fridge because i was doing this:

i'm making crystal light, in case you couldn't tell

and stepped back and looked at this:

this is our massive fridge. we like food.

and realized how gorgeous our family and friends are. see photographic evidence below:

my uncle john (miss you) and uncle clyde talking at a family christmas. a picture of my brother as a baby. an invitation i designed for kyle's grandparents for the 2011 smith family reunion (excited!!) has a picture of his grandpa and his three brothers. norman is the one directly below the powercat....mmmmkay? then we have a picture of kyle and i from my SEVENTEENTH birthday. we were not dating at the time (that didn't happen until i was 18, almost 19), but we love each other because these two people in the photo with us brought us together, my best friend from high school erin and kyle's friend, mike. love you guys. and a baby announcement of our friend's, katie and dustin, baby.

and above those are: christmas card of kyle's second cousins, lillie-mae and sadie. look at sadie's cute face on the bottom photo...adorable! the picture of us is from the day we signed on our house, our realtor took it. then above us is a senior photo of my cousin, DJ, who i can't believe is graduating in a week...holy crap i'm old. kyle's two cousin's on the tire swing at his old house up by topeka. a funny dilbert comic that makes fun of architects (uh...whoops....ignore that comment....it wasn't funny at all.....) then kyle's grandpa all grown up. and another picture of kyle's aunt, uncle and cousins. there's my brother's mug again.

and straight above the pitcher are these: kyle and his great-grandpa max the great and two shots of my awesome grandparents that are years apart from each other, but i (obviously) couldn't decide which one i wanted to hang on the fridge.

side note: that coffee mill grinder thing that sits atop the fridge is from my grandparent's house. kyle found it and we love it. not for grinding, just for looks.

and because i enjoy embarrassing my husband as much as possible, here's a photo from ~~eight~~ a few halloweens ago.

um, yeah, that's my husband. dressed as a mexican. wearing his NOT CHEAP AT ALL eye patch, my sombrero and a poncho i bought him in mexico and SITTING ON A MAN DRESSED AS EEYORE. i believe this one was "dud. hey, i'm a mexican and mexican's ride donkeys. and you're dressed like a donkey. let's take a picture!"

side note: that is our friend, eric, wearing a tigger costume that was made for a 4 year old.

not. kidding.

oh college, i miss you.

sometimes.

throwback thursday: week 13

2011-05-13T22:24:00.000-07:00

what the CRAP, blogger? another failed thursday post...

circa may 1950, around graduation

i love this picture of kyle's grandparents, ira and dorene. i'm not sure what ira did to deserve that apparently beating that dorene is giving him, but i bet it was something pretty ornery.

ira and dorene celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary last summer, right before dorene had a stroke. i learned a lot about these two at the party. they were married on the same day they graduated from high school, just a few short hours before they walked across the stage. how great is it that they found someone so young and were able to spend so much time together?

five friday faves

2011-05-13T22:23:00.000-07:00

this one didn't post either...

i'm still loving on pinterest right now, so i'm sharing some of my "there's no place like home" pins:

Source: apartmenttherapy.com via Catie on Pinterest

oh how i wish a i had a bannister! love. love. love!

Source: foutchcoutch.blogspot.com via Catie on Pinterest

i've got some pegboard to use...time to paint!

Source: apartmenttherapy.com via Catie on Pinterest

i LOVE these! and need some for my porch.

Source: finecraftguild.com via Catie on Pinterest

this mat is made from OLD TOWELS! how friggin' awesome is that!?!?

Source: anthropologie.com via Catie on Pinterest

anthropologie, you are like a drug to me.

happy weekend, everyone!

WIWW - week 6 - yet another fail

2011-05-13T22:22:00.000-07:00

this was supposed to post on thursday (a week and a day late) so i wasn't going to link up. then blogger blew up. or something. i dunno, i just know my blog is all jackered up.

side note: i took a fifth photo, but i have absolutely no idea where it went when i uploaded...maybe i'll find it next week.

it was some shorts. my friend daniel was annoyed that women can wear shorts to work and not men.

EAT IT MEN! WOMEN CAN WEAR SHORTS TO WORK AND YOU CAN'T! :)

(hi, daniel!)

wednesday

i love this dress, it's so comfy. this is important in any clothing i purchase. must. be. comfortable.

it's also one of my favorite shades of deep teal and looks good with either brown or black. and it's soft. and it's a real wrap dress so that makes me feel like a grown up. i don't know why.

moving on....

head to toe target. wait, the necklace was an estate sale find.

thursday

hey, look! another pair of those free target jeans! YAY for coupons!

cardi, ruffled tank - t.j. maxx

grey jeans, heels - target

necklace - famous footwear

friday, went to k-state for a ID symposium

haha, it's like the exact same outfit only different colors. whoops.

cardi (that thing is SUPER soft!) - t.j. maxx

tanks and jeans - target

necklace - famous footwear

heels - thrifted, gianni bini

flats i wore to drive laying next to me - maurices

awesome earrings you can't see because i'm so far away - lucinda's (local shop) i wore them for my wedding.

{INSERT GRATUITOUS WEDDING PHOTO HERE}

yes, yes. i did just go there.

three for tuesday

2011-05-10T07:09:00.000-07:00

i stole this from wonder woman, who, in case you didn't know, i went to high school with. 'cause we awesome like that. go lions! only, she did three for thursday, but i'm doing three for tuesday because i know everyone wants to continue to see old family photos of mine.

duh.

also, i wrote this on thursday and i'm scheduling it to be posted on a tuesday.

do you do that? i schedule almost all of my posts, it's just easier that way.

Three things I do after the kids are in bed:
1. um...i don't have kids...can i count my animals?
2. i shower
3. and then i watch the evening news.

clearly, this is going to be a really boring survey.

sorry.

Three people I kind of want to be, but not really:
1. liz lemon
2. sofia verago
3. michelle obama

Three objects I would never buy used:
1. underwear
2. hair bands
3. retainer

Three things I didn't do today:
1. eat well {dude, it's cinco de mayo...}
2. watch my mouth {read: tequila} {just kidding, i don't need tequila to do that} {but it helps}
3. count calories

Three books I would like to read:
1. the hunger games
2. twilight series {I KNOW, I KNOW, but finally watched the movies and now i just have to know.}
3. lies my teacher told me: everything your american history textbook got wrong {my brother read this a while ago}

i just want to point out that i just finished p dub's book, from black heels to tractor wheels, and it was amazing.

and probably foreshadowing of my own life.

Three things I appreciate about my marriage:
1. he's my best friend.
2. he's the smartest man i've ever met in my entire life.
3. he's my complete opposite, but somehow, it works.

Three things within a two foot reach of me:
1. my fuzzy pink slippers
2. a menards ad
3. my knitting needles

Three plans for the near future:
1. laundry
2. cleaning house
3. hopefully, a vacation. a year anniversary/honeymoon trip.

good god, i hope so.

Three final thoughts:
1. my gut aches. i just ate like five pounds of mexican food and drank a margarita. ugh.
2. i wore shorts for the first time today and i was super pale. i'm also going to wear a dress tomorrow and i was going to go spray tanning tonight and then i decided to go eat five pounds of mexican food. and i didn't. so i'm stil going to be super pale tomorrow in my dress. oh, kansas, you don't treat my skin the way it should be.
3. do you watch outsourced? i love it! and todd demsey is from kansas. hells yes! go kansas!

throwback thursday: week 12

2011-05-05T07:40:00.000-07:00

the girl in the center is kyle's grandma maxine. the two little ones are her sister, linda and her brother, charlie. you probably won't believe me, but maxine is still about that same height! 4'10"!

i have no idea when the picture was taken, except the cars make me think 1940s or so.

like i know anything about cars.

pshaw!

wiww....FAIL!

2011-05-04T12:00:00.000-07:00

i'm sure you were all waiting with bated anticipation to see what i wore this week.

yup, not gonna happen.

i have ONE picture that i took this week, and i hate the outfit. will never be worn again. lesson learned.

it's been a fail kind of week in my world, but tomorrow is thursday and the next day is friday and on friday, we're GOING TO KANSAS CITY...KANSAS CITY HERE I COME!!

ahem. excuse me while i break into song.

MADA is this friday and my firm has entered three projects.

THREE! 'cause we're awesome.

any barney stinson fans out there?

source

notice i said my firm...i didn't design any of the projects we entered. but you know, i'm there for moral support...and the beer. maybe a little wine. and food.

go us!

retro kitchen

2011-05-03T19:15:00.000-07:00

i like kitchens. i like retro. i really like this retro kitchen.

sigh. those cabinets! and i'm dying over the tulip chairs with those perfect little red upholstered seats. dying, i tell you.

perfection.

do you think i can talk my husband into this kitchen?

source

doubtful.

i mean, it's not like i know what i'm talking about or anything...i'm just a designer.

side note: i'm going to make a sign for my desk that says, "don't blame me, i'm just the designer."

yup. gonna do it.

other side note: this kitchen would look horrible in my house. wrong style and way wrong decade. and as a real interior designer, i realize that. so, yeah, unless we move into a mid-century modern in the next few years, it ain't gonna happen. but, I CAN ALWAYS DREAM! and that's important to me.