Our Weekend in {Williamsburg, VA}

Hi All! Welcome to Monday morning! Whew...another start to a long week. I hope you had a nice weekend and were able to spend some time with the ones you love.

We were fortunate to take a little weekend trip up to Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. It seemed like a magical place walking through history and learning about the past. There was so much work that went into everyday activities back then. There was back breaking work and concern of war, but in some ways walking through the past seemed like simpler time of life. Time to enjoy working in the garden, watching your children play games in the yard and saying "good day" as you walked through town.

I can almost guarantee you that if I was born back then I wouldn't think it was simple living at all. I am very fortunate to live in a world today that has running water, electricity, high tech hospitals and state of the art science. Although I think I would have liked a horse drawn carriage, I am also thankful for my car that gets me to and fro.

I enjoyed learning about how they died fabrics to make colorful clothing using berries and insects. They really did have fabulous color options even back then!

To have a shoemaker design and make your shoes would cost you anywhere from one day to three days pay. I guess I wouldn't have had a closet full of shoes back then. Darn!

Wigs were also very popular in this time. The latest fashion would come over from England and France. They would make wigs from goat, horse, human or even yak hair. It wasn't uncommon for you to have a few different wigs ranging in style from short to long and curly.

One of the most beautiful places in Williamsburg is the Governor's Palace. The architecture is absolutely magnificent. Even the colors on the walls in the grand ballroom and study were just fabulous. This was the home to many governors including Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson.

We really had a nice weekend celebrating my dad's 60th birthday as well as Father's day. The best part was being with our family and enjoying each other's company.

Sorry for the picture overload! I just love my sweet family and enjoy having this little ole blog to document life and our fun family moments.

Have you ever visited Colonial Williamsburg? Hope you are off to a great start to your week. See ya around here tomorrow!

HGTV Dream Home 2014

Well hello there Monday! I hope all of you are staying safe and warm wherever you may be. I have heard from a number of friends that the weather seems frightful and cold in some places around the USA today. We are suppose to be in the low 20's in North Carolina tomorrow. That is really cold for here!!

Today we are talking about the HGTV Dream Home 2014! I get so excited every year at this time to see what location they come up with. This year it is in the Lake Tahoe area. Have any of you been there before? I would love to visit and see all the amazing sites. If you are into hiking, skiing, running, biking, etc...this place is for you!

Front of the Home

This year the HGTV team built a magnificent Modern Mountain Home. It has so many amazing rustic features mixed with modern touches. It is definitely one of my favorite homes they have built to date. As you can see from the picture above, they have separated the living area from the sleeping area with a large foyer in between. There are large windows on either side of the home for viewing the perfect scenery! The best part...this home is totally surrounded by nature. Doesn't it seem so relaxing?

Back of Home

The outdoor space is amazing with the balcony off of the family room, outdoor fireplace for entertaining and a full outdoor kitchen as well! 

Let's take a look at the inside...shall we?

The grand foyer separates the living/dining area from the rest of the sleeping/playing area. Once again large windows to view all sides of this amazing home!

This amazing kitchen has some wonderful elements of nature including those wood beams, a rustic reclaimed wood back splash near the sink and how about that cascading granite waterfall island!? It can easily fit 5 bar-stools for breakfast or parties. The kitchen is wide open to the dining area as well as the living room creating a huge spacious area for entertaining and/or enjoying the views. 

Beautiful dining area with open shelving and take a look at the different pendant lighting hanging above the table. So different...they add such an element of surprise!

The kitchen also flows nicely into the living room area. There are so many rustic and cold materials in this space with the metal/wood beams, windows & stone fireplace. They had to warm this room up somehow and I think they did a fantastic job with the furniture and accessories by Ethan Allen. Loving the cozy rug and that punch of yellow.

On the other side of the grand foyer is the master suite. How fabulous is this space? I would never have to leave. I love the metallic fireplace against the plush velvet seating. They really thought of Every.Single.Detail.

Umm...Hello! This spa like master bath is also filled with amazing textures from the wood-like tile floors to the ceramic stand alone tub to the metal pendant lighting. Imagine looking out the window while soaking in that tub! Are you with me?

The second floor leads to two more bedrooms and a huge family room with more amazing views.

Wouldn't the kids absolutely die for this space!? What you don't see are the four small televisions that each bunk can see from lying down. No one would fight about what they get to watch. Genius!

Relaxing guest room & bathroom. Not sure my guests would ever want to leave!

The family room is another fantastic space to entertain, watch movies or curl up and read a book. Would have never thought a persimmon color on the couch would look as amazing as this!

If you are in the market for a new home, you can win this HGTV Dream Home 2014 by clicking HERE. It also comes with an amazing GMC Denali and $250,000 in cash. I have been entering daily and I am crossing my fingers that we will have a vacation home in Lake Tahoe! (kidding of course) But seriously... if I win...I will invite all of you over for a party! Sound fair?

This is definitely not my typical style of home, but I think I could live with it! How about you? What features stand out to you?

Have a fabulous Monday my sweets!

**P.S. I was not compensated for this post in anyway. I just like sharing fun spaces with all of you!**

Business Cards- NEED YOUR VOTE!!

Hello my lovely friends! It has been quite a while hasn't it? Well I have been out of town for 2 1/2 weeks visiting family and friends up in Western NY. It was a much needed vacation. We still worked some, but the view wasn't so bad...

We celebrated our 8 year anniversary last week...

I had a nice visit with my grandpa....

And I got to spend some time with my college roommates and their families...

It was such a wonderful time, but I am very glad to be back home with all of you!...and this crazy girl.

But now...back to business. Today I am talking about my business cards! I am headed to the Haven Conference in just a couple of weeks and wanted to make sure that I have some new classy cards to accompany me.
I decided to go with non-traditional square calling cards. Aren't they adorable? My sweet friend Pam from Pixel Impress designed these for me. She has been amazing to work with!

Here is where your VOTE comes in! I am stuck deciding on a front and a back to this lovely card. The cards are numbered. 1-3 for the front and 4-5 for the back. Let me know which front and which back are your favorite!! I am torn between a couple of options and I know you all won't disappoint me with your opinions!

Can't wait for a fun filled week back with all of you. We are finally finished with our 4th flip house, so you will get a glimpse of some before and afters. I have also finished a few DIY's that I am dying to share with you.

Here's to a Marvelous Monday All!

Our SC Vacation {Charleston & Savannah}

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We are back in action today after a wonderful week in Hilton Head, SC. What a beautiful place! This was the first Thanksgiving since we have been married (2005) that we haven't cooked Thanksgiving Dinner in our own home.
We stayed at a condo with my in-laws which was right on the golf course and close to all sorts of bike trails. My mother-in law and I enjoyed some thrifting at the local shops and the boys played golf each day. The beach was also only a couple minutes away. So we got to enjoy a little sunshine too!

Hilton Head is about 2 hours from Charleston, so we were able to enjoy a day in the old historic town. 

There is so much history and beautiful architecture there. I could spend weeks just walking up and down the streets and peeking through the windows! Too bad no one invited me into these beauties!

We ate at one of the most delicious places: Amen Street 

Fabulous Calamari, White beet salad and...... Pumpkin Pie Creme brulee!! 

We also got to enjoy a day in Savannah which is only about a 40 minute drive from Hilton Head. This was my first time experiencing the magnificent Live Oaks and walking the streets of the old haunted city. 

My Sister-in law even got to join us for the day!

I wouldn't have minded if someone offered me a tour of their fabulous home! Sadly they did not.

Another city of amazing iron work and architecture!

It was such a wonderful trip with my in-laws. We enjoyed the relaxation, sight seeing, shopping and of course the eating! How did you all spend your Thanksgiving this year?