I am a pillar of nutrition while traveling. What can I say? Hudson News and its siren song speak to me. Plus, I figure I won’t be eating anything but rice and beans for the next two weeks in Nicaragua so I can afford the extra calories.
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I am a pillar of nutrition while traveling.

What can I say? Hudson News and its siren song speak to me.

Plus, I figure I won’t be eating anything but rice and beans for the next two weeks in Nicaragua so I can afford the extra calories.

I heart homeownership and this morning so much. I could sit out on our screened in porch and read ALL DAY. A cup of tea, a slight breeze and sunshine = so much perfection. I feel like I’m on vacation. (Taken with instagram)
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I heart homeownership and this morning so much. I could sit out on our screened in porch and read ALL DAY. A cup of tea, a slight breeze and sunshine = so much perfection.

I feel like I’m on vacation.

(Taken with instagram)

We have this gorgeous hydrangea bush in our backyard that I had absolutely no hand in planting or growing, but it’s just so amazing that I can’t help but stare at it several times a day. (Taken with instagram)
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We have this gorgeous hydrangea bush in our backyard that I had absolutely no hand in planting or growing, but it’s just so amazing that I can’t help but stare at it several times a day. (Taken with instagram)

My in-laws are visiting this weekend and I want to make brunch one morning. I’ve made my normal brunch go-to (arugula, bacon and gruyere bread pudding - YUM) for them several times before so I want to branch out. Requirements: Must be healthy-ish and avoid runny eggs (FIL is not a fan). Also, I will have a variety of fruit as an accompaniment. Go!
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My in-laws are visiting this weekend and I want to make brunch one morning. I’ve made my normal brunch go-to (arugula, bacon and gruyere bread pudding - YUM) for them several times before so I want to branch out.

Requirements: Must be healthy-ish and avoid runny eggs (FIL is not a fan). Also, I will have a variety of fruit as an accompaniment.

Go!

Tomorrow evening I’m running a military-style 5k obstacle race but all I’ve been doing for the past two weeks are thinking about my house. (Plus one 8-mile run last weekend!)

Can we say screwed? Also, misery, tears and I’d be fine if we just stayed home, babe!

I’m only joking; I’m not one to turn down a good challenge. And speaking of challenges, my mantle is complete. Click on over for excruciating detail if you’re interested.

HAPPY THURSDAY!

lululoveshome:

Are you sick of my mantle yet? It’s DONE!

Here it is in all of its styled glory (from seventy-five different angles because that’s what all the design blogs do, right?)!

Source: lululoveshome

DISCLAIMER: The crap in the rooms above is NOT MINE! Yikes.

Before Pinterest became all the rage, I posted home inspiration photos at Lulu Loves: Home, saved for my yet-to-be purchased first home. Well, the house has been procured so now it’s time to start acting on these 37 pages of inspiration!

Rather than wax poetic on this blog about how much I LOVE MY MANTLE OMG, I’m going to use my home blog to post decorating updates, the ups and downs of DIY and inspiration from around the web.

Check out my first post below - the kinda frumpy version of my living room, before the She’s All That transformation. And feel free to follow along!

lululoveshome:

Living Room: Before

When we fell in love with our house during our first tour, my blessed living room looked like the above. Not well-styled and seemingly thrown together for comfort purposes only but we could see the incredible potential.

  • The wallpaper is in fantastic condition and I’ve long been obsessed with golden walls so we knew this would stay.
  • The white molding, fireplace and mantle were gorgeous and with a fresh coat of paint would brighten up the room.
  • The architectural arches of the fireplace were a definite show-off point that the owners had kept hidden by that awful black rectangular cover.
  • The carpet looks practically new (and because I’m pretty sure hardwood floors are expensive?) it’s going to stay for at least the medium term.
  • The room also boasts a gigantic nearly floor-to-ceiling window that overlooks the backyard that these crazies super nice people had blocked by a couch, console table and poo brown drapes.

But the winds are a changin’…

We may not have any After photos to post for a while (okay, who am I kidding, hopefully I’ll be done with this room, budget-willing, like, THIS WEEK) but there are plenty of During’s to share!

Source: lululoveshome

Let’s not kid anyone here; you know you’re not doing jack today (because IT’S FRIDAY!) so help a girl design her mantle. This is the general direction I’m headed but it’s not quite there. Mirror: I like the contrast of the black against the white brick and I like the size. The packaging is still on in case I want to return it so ignore that, please. Candlesticks: I like them but do I need a different color candle? If so, what? Gold frame: I’ve seen lots of this multiple frame leaning situation in the design blog world but does it work? Should I add another, different-sized gold frame to add another layer? Also, ignore the contents of the frame; it’s a wedding leftover. If it stays, what do I put in it? Buddha: LOVE HIM. $5 from Marshall’s.  Grass: I like this but is the grass too high? The vase is chocolate brown which Mark claims clashes with the black mirror and bronze Buddha. Is he right? Open firebox: We won’t be building any fires here but didn’t paint it in case we ever get a gas insert installed. In the meantime, what do I put here? Mark says leave it empty but I disagree. Wood storage box: I have an antique trunk from Afghanistan sitting in there now. Do we like? Should I add more or something different? Wooden vessel: I plan on finding some natural-colored grassy things for this and perhaps move it to the other side? What do you like? Dislike? This should eat up a couple minutes of your Friday morning, so have at it please!
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Let’s not kid anyone here; you know you’re not doing jack today (because IT’S FRIDAY!) so help a girl design her mantle.

This is the general direction I’m headed but it’s not quite there.

  • Mirror: I like the contrast of the black against the white brick and I like the size. The packaging is still on in case I want to return it so ignore that, please.
  • Candlesticks: I like them but do I need a different color candle? If so, what?
  • Gold frame: I’ve seen lots of this multiple frame leaning situation in the design blog world but does it work? Should I add another, different-sized gold frame to add another layer? Also, ignore the contents of the frame; it’s a wedding leftover. If it stays, what do I put in it?
  • Buddha: LOVE HIM. $5 from Marshall’s. 
  • Grass: I like this but is the grass too high? The vase is chocolate brown which Mark claims clashes with the black mirror and bronze Buddha. Is he right?
  • Open firebox: We won’t be building any fires here but didn’t paint it in case we ever get a gas insert installed. In the meantime, what do I put here? Mark says leave it empty but I disagree.
  • Wood storage box: I have an antique trunk from Afghanistan sitting in there now. Do we like? Should I add more or something different?
  • Wooden vessel: I plan on finding some natural-colored grassy things for this and perhaps move it to the other side?

What do you like? Dislike? This should eat up a couple minutes of your Friday morning, so have at it please!

Being a first-time homeowner is a lot like being in a new relationship in that every little thing is novel and exciting and fun. We learned that Thursday is trash day in our neighborhood so Mark took the trash out last week and came inside with a big grin, exclaiming, I just took the trash out at my very own house! Yay garbage! (Okay, he didn’t say yay) We ripped out the crappy fireplace insert and I gave our fireplace and mantle a fresh coat of white paint last weekend (and simultaneously painted my hair? I am not a neat painter). Yay paint! We did trimmed our front trees on Saturday morning, me frolicking around our front yard in my pajamas, lopping shears in hand. Yay yard work! We changed out the hardware on the vanities in two of the bathrooms because the black clashed with the stainless fixtures and it bothered us. (Also, it cost like $10, so why not?!) Yay hardware! Every time we pull into the driveway, we look at each other with huge grins on our faces and simultaneously say, I love our house! YAY HOUSE! (I know I won’t be all YAY when we have to spend $10k on a roof or something equally boring, but I’m a house newlywed and want to proclaim my love from the rooftops!)
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Being a first-time homeowner is a lot like being in a new relationship in that every little thing is novel and exciting and fun.

  • We learned that Thursday is trash day in our neighborhood so Mark took the trash out last week and came inside with a big grin, exclaiming, I just took the trash out at my very own house! Yay garbage! (Okay, he didn’t say yay)
  • We ripped out the crappy fireplace insert and I gave our fireplace and mantle a fresh coat of white paint last weekend (and simultaneously painted my hair? I am not a neat painter). Yay paint!
  • We did trimmed our front trees on Saturday morning, me frolicking around our front yard in my pajamas, lopping shears in hand. Yay yard work!
  • We changed out the hardware on the vanities in two of the bathrooms because the black clashed with the stainless fixtures and it bothered us. (Also, it cost like $10, so why not?!) Yay hardware!
  • Every time we pull into the driveway, we look at each other with huge grins on our faces and simultaneously say, I love our house!

YAY HOUSE!

(I know I won’t be all YAY when we have to spend $10k on a roof or something equally boring, but I’m a house newlywed and want to proclaim my love from the rooftops!)

I’m currently eating my favorite sandwich sitting on my very own deck in my very own backyard on a gorgeous day. Life is good. Edited to add: Yes, I realize our lawn desperately needs a cut but we don’t own a lawnmower. So until we make it to Lowe’s, we are those neighbors. Oops! (Taken with instagram)
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I’m currently eating my favorite sandwich sitting on my very own deck in my very own backyard on a gorgeous day. Life is good.

Edited to add: Yes, I realize our lawn desperately needs a cut but we don’t own a lawnmower. So until we make it to Lowe’s, we are those neighbors. Oops!

(Taken with instagram)

Today’s mail presents a conundrum. To furnish my home or my body, that is the question! (Taken with instagram)
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Today’s mail presents a conundrum. To furnish my home or my body, that is the question! (Taken with instagram)