Because I'm obsessed with HGTV.

I love HGTV;

it's like the "food network"

but for design nerds instead of foodies.

Do I lose sleep at night when I stay up to watch these shows??

Yes, yes I do.

My faves are "Dear Genevieve"

and "Secrets From a Stylist"

After I watch them I long for my own space to  decorate and paint and arrange.

Well, I recently moved into a new apartment.

I have my own new room,

and for the first time in my life...

my own bathroom !!

Therefore, I HAD seize hold of this opportunity to design!

...

I really love bookshelves, and plan on having BIG, TALL ones someday,

to hold all my coffee table and childrens books

(but for now this cute little one with my DVD's on it will suffice)

My "office" from 8-12am!

I'm a little in love with it...

Updated picture boards

Seriously,

the most comfy bed in the world...

there are those "egg crate" mattress covers on sale at Target...

and you need to go get one.  Trust me.

Cork boards $5 at Walmart,

Pins $4 at Walmart,

being able to hang up inspiring cards and notes,

priceless.

haha

But for reals though...

Way inexpensive drawer set from Target,

but I love the mid-century vibe it's givin' off

(see how design nerdy I can be??)

it especially makes me happy topped with the 

"let them eat cake" vase 

that my mom gave me for Christmas last year!

I know,

it's just a bathroom.

But I'm so excited about it...

A little reminder of Parisian travels...

I finally framed this print from the Orsay Museum...

in a $2 frame from Goodwill!!

Hooray for excellent deals!

And that soap dish is probably the only thing 

I think I'll ever buy from Anthropologie.

Although, if I had money to burn, I'd buy everything.

And that mirror and vase are both presents;

I have friends and family who know me so well!

Favorite painting... and a fireplace !!!

Sooo luxurious.

"Dear Genevieve",

Thanks for the classy inspiration!!

Grateful for:

not having to spend $200 in repairs for my car,

coupons for my gluten free 'zone' bars,

wifi at starbucks,

stake conference,

baking chocolate chip cookies on Sunday afternoons,

a year subscription to a gluten free magazine

from my dearest friend who's moved to Utah,

chats on the phone with friends from Virginia to California,

lunch dates with Grandma CC,

dinner dates with my favorite people,

my very own DVD of "Cinderella"

(the one with Brandy and Whitney Houston of course),

the new Mumford & Sons CD,

my ukulele,

my comfy bed/8 full hours of sleep

and, the simple truths of the Book of Mormon

Life is good.

Brown Paper Packages Tied Up with Strings

Sometimes,

when you think there's no possible way 

you're going to make it through the week,

when you literally have to work two jobs at one time,

when you can't miss your shift online,

but the little girl you nanny has bronchitis,

when you have tons of emails to respond to,

and people counting on you,

when you feel like there are so many people to check up on

and really important deadlines to make,

and far too little time to do so,

when you're going on waaay too little sleep,

and you just want to cry a little bit...

Well, that's when that little girl you nanny pulls out her "laptop"

(aka her little lap-desk and some paper),

sits quietly next to you (so she doesn't interrupt your work)

and whispers she's going to "work" with you,

and then quietly slips you a piece of paper that looks like this...

...and reminds you that you're never alone;

even though you might feel like it sometimes.

And also,

that it's all gonna be okay!!

Grateful for:

every note my mom's ever written me on a post-it ,

any flowers I've ever been given,

any package I've ever been sent,

and any card or letter I've ever been written.

I really treasure them!!

(and also hang as many as I can on my cork board)

New Goal:

send more notes and cards and letters,

and LOVE to the people I love the most!

When I'm too wired to sleep

I'm grateful for my new apartment.

Super grateful in fact.

It's quite beautiful, and I seriously can't wait to invite you over.

And just in case you've never ever moved before,

heads up-

moving is stressful

and real physically tiring.

The combination of the two sometimes creates this awful affect;

you're so past being at a regular level of tired

and also so consumed with all the little things you can't forget to do the next day,

that you can't sleep.

It happens.

Whatevs.

Well, when I can't sleep, I bust out some of this:

Laura Marling's songs are like lovely little modern fairy tales.

I think she's so legitimately talented too

with her honestly lovely voice and rather impressive guitar skills

and the lack of any strain to play/sing showing on her face.

She's cool--she jammed with Mumford & Sons before everyone caught the Mumford fever.

Stressing subsided?

Why yes.

Thanks Laura.

Grateful for:

too many things to even list