Flip Home #6 {After} Pics

Hi All! I am so enjoying this fall weather here in NC. I love the change of pace from the busy summer to a more subdued fall. The colors are just starting to pop out and I can't wait to get the babies outside for some pictures.

As promised (a week late) I am sharing the after photos of our most recent flip home. If you missed the before pics you can find them Here.

Since I had just delivered my babies 6 months ago, I really wasn't too involved with this flip like I usually am. I did find the home and completed the closing, but I didn't get to do the FUN stuff like picking out paint, flooring, counter-tops, etc. However, our business partner really did a phenomenal job without me! See for yourself.

And of course a couple of photos to show how far we have come! Don't you love before and after pictures?

Now we are on the hunt for flip home #7! To see the last 5 homes click HERE.

What's On Your......Bathroom Vanity?

Welcome new and old readers! I am so excited to be apart of this fun series called "What's on Your?...." A few other fabulous bloggers and I will be sharing the pretty, the bad and the ugly around our homes over the next few months. To kick off this series we are looking at what we have on our vanities for February.

For the most part, this is one area of our home that we keep pretty well organized. I set up a tray in the middle of the vanity for the items that I use most frequently. 

The antique tray was found at a thrift store and holds my everyday facial products. Everything that I use in the morning and at night is at an arms length! 

I found these adorable acrylic canisters at The Container Store and the small bowl from Anthropologie. 

A quick and easy DIY....adding pebbles to a small vase to hold make up brushes! This has seriously been the cheapest and most used DIY to date!

That's it folks! Nothing too exciting on my vanity. This was one area that I thoroughly organized last year and now everything has its place. I have even organized the drawers, which you can check out Here. The Vanity was also painted Urbane Bronze. You can find my bathroom updates Here.

Next month you won't be as impressed....we will be talking kitchen counter-tops! Yikes.... Things are about to get real! 

Thank you so much for stopping by! Now let's see what the other bloggers have on their bathroom vanities....

Brittany French- Brittany

Design Chic- Kristy

Domestic Charm- Brenna

Little Black Door- Elizabeth

Southland Avenue- Mary Keller & Heath

The Grit & Polish- Cathy

702 Park Project- Sarah

So tell me....what is currently on your bathroom vanity? We won't judge...promise! 

My Top {5} Spaces That Have Stayed Organized

Well hello and welcome to a new week! I hope you are all staying safe and warm as storms roll through the Northeast. Thinking of all of you Northerner's today!

I am now in nesting mode. I have been cleaning closets, the garage and organizing piles. All of this organizing has got me thinking about the spaces in my home that I really don't have to touch. The "Organized" spaces, the ones that have pretty much stayed organized from the time I bought some baskets or slapped on some labels.

I wanted to share with you my top 5 spaces that have stayed organized over the past couple of years and a few tips and tricks that have helped keep those spaces looking great!

1. Master Closet: For the most part this closet stays the way it looks in the picture below. There are days of tantrums when I can't find anything to wear and the clothes hit the floor, but most of the time everything has its place and stays organized. The cubby shelves above the hanging clothes have really helped with that. There use to be piles of clothes that would fall on us! I am also in love with my shoe organization. Those Home Depot shelves were the best thing I added to the closet! I have also enjoyed having the ikea dresser in this space to house my unmentionables :) This little walk-in closet has really helped us keep only clothes that we will wear over and over. We have a box in the corner (which you can't see) that is designated for donating. When we no longer wear a certain shirt or pair of pants for a year....it is time to donate! This helps cut down on the amount of clothing in this tiny closet.

2. Organized Media: Two years ago I was on a organizing rampage. One of the first spaces I tackled was our media storage. The cases to the DVD's just took up way to much space. So I decided to take them out of their cases and organize them A-Z. I found the plastic DVD sleeves and media box at target. You can see more of the details Here. It was a pain, but so worth it. Now these are stored in our new TV dresser in the living room. They don't take up too much space and I can actually find a movie I want...while singing the ABC's of course.

3. Laundry Closet: I can't believe that this picture below is still the Number One pinned picture on my blog to date. Who knew that taking a Saturday to organize my laundry closet would go viral? This space has stayed organized thanks to bins, baskets and labels! I can't say anymore good things about these plastic woven baskets from Target. They are great for cleaners and detergent because they can be wiped down if messes arise. These Free printable labels have been a time saver too! Now the Hubs knows where everything is suppose to be put away and I don't have to hear him ask me Where is.....? I can't find it? HA!
I laminated those labels with 3M Laminating pouches. They come in many sizes OR you could just use some contact paper to add a bit of thickness to your labels. You can see my ugly before Here.

4. Master Bathroom Vanity Organizing: The key for keeping our vanity organized were these wonderful drawer containers that snap together. Each drawer has a different configuration based on the contents. You can find these at Target or The Container Store. Everything has its place and that makes me very happy!
I have also kept our counter top pretty organized by corralling my everyday facial products with a thrift store tray. I have also placed a small bowl on the tray for jewelry. A little vase with decorative stones displays my makeup brushes. This helps with getting ready in the morning as well. Everything is at an arms length.

5. Under the Kitchen Sink: This is one place that I had a really hard time keeping organized. Cleaners and just plain ole "stuff" would get shoved in this black hole and never again come out! A couple of plastic bins, a small round lazy susan and extension rod did the trick. Now my most frequent used cleaners are hanging on the rod ready for immediate use. The Lazy Susan helps me see all the products without digging far in the back of the cabinet. These plastic bins are perfect for housing cleaning products and are easy to wipe after a spill.

Most of these organization ideas are easy and cheap! All you need is to take a little time going through each space and make it more useful for you and your family.

Now....ahem.... there are a few areas of our home that WERE organized and have no longer stayed that way. Like my Pantry and my linen closet. Those two areas are in need of another purge and organizational session. Will show you those scary spaces soon! Do you have any tricks for me on how to keep your linen closet organized? Help!

Have a wonderful start to your week my friends!

I've got the Blues....

No I am not down in the dumps, but I've been really crushing on dark navy/indigo blue lately. Do you ever come across a color that excites you? I have never really been into lighter shades of blue, but dark-dramatic blue is where it's at (in my opinion).
Whether you use the color on a wall, in a pillow or to add a pop of color to your bathroom vanity...I think it can be both classy and modern. Use some navy paint against white molding and boy the contrast is fabulous!
See for yourself.....

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Are you a fan of dark blue/indigo tones? Where could you see this color used within your own home?


Some of my favorite Dark Blue Paint Colors:
Naval by Sherwin Williams: SW 6244
Hale Navy by Benjamin Moore: HC-154
Gravel Gray by Benjamin Moore: 2127-30
Newburyport Blue by Benjamin Moore: HC-155
Polo Blue by Benjamin Moore: 2062-10
Midnight Navy by Benjamin Moore: 2067-10

Fabulous Feature Friday {HGTV Dream Home 2015}

Every year about this time I get giddy to see what HGTV has accomplished with their new Dream Home. This year they did not disappoint. Their new home is settled in the quaint location of Martha's Vineyard. I have never been, but after seeing this home and the small town charm, I think it is safe to say that it will be on my travel list from now on.

A beautiful Cape Cod with lots of outdoor space! Is there anything more classic than a Cape Cod style home?

A wonderful little entry leading into the great room. Most Cape Cod layouts are separated into individual rooms. I love how they took the original design and made it into more of a modern feel with classic touches.

Light and airy with so many textures using wood, metal and different types of fabric.

Always a good idea to paint the back of shelves. It helps make your decor items pop and gives another element to the room design. 

Living, Dining Room & Kitchen all designed with an open concept in mind. Perfect for entertaining!

The trend of two different types of counter-tops still stands as a fabulous idea to not only add different textures to a space, but to cut down on ones budget as well! Classic subway tile and bead board nod to the original Cape Code style. I could cook in here....how about you?

One of the guest rooms with vibrant orange and blue accents. I have been loving this color combination for a while. This room also has access to the outdoors with its own separate patio and lounging area. Sign me up!

Oh the master bathroom...I don't think I would ever leave! Loving the arched ceiling with accent color and those drapes! Would have never thought of adding heavy drapes to a bathroom, but it works and adds much luxury.

Another fabulous Master bedroom which has been tied with the master bath using the same color palette....and look at those drapes! I love the soft wood tones and the idea of turning an oval mirror on it's side for something unexpected.

This outside space makes me wish it was spring! And do you see that wooden box like thing over on the side of the home?.....

Yes...it's an outdoor shower! What a great idea when living close to the water. Ahhh..dreaming.

If you haven't seen the full tour of the home you can click HERE or tune in for a complete guided tour at 1pm today on HGTV!

To win this gorgeous home as well as $250,000 CASH & a GMC Acadia Login Here and enter twice a day till 2/17/15! I think I'm going to win....I can feel it! hehe

Have a Fabulous Friday and a relaxing weekend!

House & Personal Goals for 2015

Now that all of the decorations are put away and company has left, I have had some time to reflect on the past year and create some goals for 2015. I am more of a goal setter rather than a resolution maker. For one, I feel as though I can never keep my resolutions and then I feel discouraged and quit. A goal seems more achievable for some reason. So here we go...you must keep me accountable this year my friends!





1. Continue on a Path of Healthy Eating:
John and I really eat pretty healthy and try to create a healthy routine around here. It has been a bit hard since being pregnant because of my lack of energy. I know that I will continue to feel more and more tired and have even less energy when the babies are finally here. So I would like to put aside a couple of weekends to create some healthy freezer meals for those days when I am not in the mood to cook. This will alleviate the impulse to run out and grab fast food. Do any of you have some great tasting freezer meals to share? Do Tell!

2. Breathe:
This past year has been a crazy one and this year is going to get even crazier by doubling the size of our family. I couldn't feel any more blessed and excited, but with more responsibility comes more anxiety. I have approximately four months (maybe less) to get everything done before babies arrive. I need to put life into perspective. I may not get EVERYTHING finished that I would like. Do babies really care? No. Are they going to live in a happy and healthy environment? Yes.
So one of my goals is to take time to Breathe. To sit down in the mornings and start my day with daily devotions and prayer. To stop and smile every time I feel those babies moving. To look around my home and see the good things...the things that bring me joy. To meet friends for lunch dates. To rest when I feel I need a rest. To spend quality time with my husband. To be present and Laugh!

3. Learn Something New:
Besides diving into "how-to" baby books, I want to learn something new! John got me some online interior design/decorating classes for Christmas and I can't wait to dive in and start learning some new tips and tricks to share with all of you. I would also like to up my game when it comes to taking pictures. I will soon have two models to practice on daily, so I want to put my learning cap on before they arrive. Oh and this might sound a little funny....but I have always wanted to learn how to use some serious power tools. I am determined to take some lessons from my dad and brother on using an electric saw so I can build something...anything! So here's to a year of new endeavors!

1. Baby Nursery:
Well if this one isn't obvious! Ha! Since we were on the waiting list for adoption a year ago, we have already started working on the nursery a bit. The walls are painted, light fixture hung, closet stenciled and organized and dresser bought.
With the surprising news of being pregnant with twins, we have had to revamp a little. This room is quite small at only 11'x10', but we were able to figure out a layout that will work with two cribs, a dresser and glider. Can't wait to share the plan and updates with you all next week!

2. Office/Guest Room Revamp:
So since we are going to have quite a few visitors over the next year, I wanted to update our guest room and give it a fresh vibe. I am thinking new paint on the walls, some wall sconces, new bedding and a bench at the end of the bed. The walls are still builder's grade and I really haven't done much to create a cozy guest space over the past few years. Time for a change!

Guest room in the current state:

On the other side of the room is my little office nook. I have enjoyed having this space to write my posts, get a little real estate work done and have plenty of space for organizing files, etc. Now that I have slowed down a bit with real estate, I don't need quite as much shelving space, but I am finding I need more desk space. It would be great to spread out my projects and get a possible second screen for creating mood boards and editing photos.

Here is the current state of my small office space:

I recently bought this desk and can't wait to get it set up and put to good use! I am envisioning something like this with some skinny shelves against the smaller wall and a large mood board for ideas and organization:

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3. Finish Master Bathroom Projects:

Last year was the start of updating our bathroom with just a bit of lipstick. In other words we painted the walls and vanity to update the builder grade space. We added a large piece of artwork and an oriental rug to give it a bit of character. This year it is time to finish adding some touches! 

Current State of Bathroom:

First up....adding some floating shelves behind the toilet. I am thinking some industrial looking shelves like these from restoration hardware. The only difference....dad and I are going to DIY them!

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I would also like to frame the plain mirror and add a window treatment to give the room a little color and texture. I found this tutorial on how to make a faux relaxed roman shade. I might have to try my hand at this as well!

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As you all can see I have just a few projects to finish as well as take on motherhood x2 this year! I am trying to be realistic and know that not everything will be accomplished in 2015, but am looking forward to trying to reach some of these goals. 

Do you make New Years Resolutions or Goals? What is one thing you are hoping to accomplish in 2015?