Crossing the Blues
Showing posts with label About me. Show all posts
Showing posts with label About me. Show all posts

100th Follower Giveaway!!!

Can you find it in your heart to forgive me???


I know I passed my milestone this week and wanted so badly to immediately announce it and reveal my giveaway, but I was so swamped with getting adjusted to school (and my new schedule) that I really didn't have the time to write a quality post like I wanted to.  I decided to wait until the weekend so I could give this post the full attention it deserved.


So let's pretend that it just happened yesterday, can we?  Here goes . . . 


I've made 100!!! 


For me, writing this blog has turned out to me so much more than I initially thought.  It started out as an outlet to showcase my furniture refinishing and discuss interior design, but became a place where I've expanded my knowledge, increased my resources and connected with great, like-minded people.  Writing this blog also solidified my desire to do what has been presenting itself all along, which is interior design and renovation, and I honestly don't think I'd be back in school without it.  


I think I've said this before, but it really is a wonderful thing to have a community where ideas are shared, opinions are valued, and creativity is encouraged and applauded.  I look at my 100 followers and know that there are at least 100 people who are genuinely interested in what I have to say & what what I'm doing, and for that, I am thankful.  It was important to me to reach 100 without a giveaway, because I want to know that people are here because they really want to be, as opposed to me . . . encouraging you along.  Please understand that that's by no means to knock what others do.  I know the "business of blogging" is all about getting more views/readers by any means (which is smart when it comes to building a brand), but because I walk to the beat of a different drum, I wanted to do it my way first.  So now that I've reached my milestone, I'm perfectly okay with goading and pulling you all in with great giveaways--let the party begin!


In honor of reaching my 100th follower, I'm giving away . . . .


A custom stamp from Lettergirl!!


If you don't know anything about these stamps, or haven't seen this Etsy shop, you are in for a treat!  Gina is a design extraordinaire when it comes to custom stationary, and I love these stamps so much, I ordered one for one of my best friends (who is also an AMAZING photographer!!) on her birthday.  Needless to say, she loves hers! Here's a peak at some of the great stamps you can choose from . . .

Wedding Vintage Address Stamp (Self-Inking)

Left of Center Address Stamp (Self-Inking)

Wedding Sunshine Address Stamp (Red Rubber)

Elizabeth Address Stamp (Wood Handle)


Perfect Address Stamp (Wood Handle)


There are so many, I won't show them all, but I promise you won't be disappointed!  For those of you (like me) looking to be more intentional about getting back to handwriting correspondence, here's the perfect incentive!  These stamps are perfect for personal, family, or business use, and are sure to make you stand out in a sea of uniform correspondence!  Click here to see more.


To win your choice of a self-inking or wood handle stamp (which I think would be great because you can use whatever color ink you like), simply:


1. Become a follower (hey, I told you all bets were off after I reached 100!) of my fabulous  humble blog.  :)  If you're already a follower, please indicate that in your comment.


2. Post about this giveaway on your blog, then come back and leave me the link to where you've done so.


3. Tweet or Facebook (is that a verb now??) about this giveaway, then leave an additional comment to let me know you've done so.  Doing this will get you an extra entry and an additional chance to win!


This giveaway will end on Friday, April 9 .  The winner will be selected at random and will be announced  on Monday, April 12.  Good luck, and thanks for reading!!


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Up To My Eyeballs . . .

I'm up to  my eyeballs in projects around here, yet I'm taking on another monumental one--I'm headed back to school for Interior Design!  It's something I've been thinking about for awhile, and I recently found a program that's a perfect fit for my needs and desires.  I'd like to think it was meant to be, because I found the program on the last day to apply at about 11 pm and barely submitted my application in time.  I'm excited to be back in school because while I've completed my BA, it was in a subject I was interested in, but not passionate about.  I'm eager to get back in the classroom and share what I'm learning.  I hope you'll continue to follow along--great things are coming, plus I have a fabulous giveaway planned when I reach my 100th follower milestone!  

And as for the list of projects I ned to tackle around my house?? Here's a peak at some of the things that are on my list . . .

 


 Finish these pieces that I now REALLY need for my office. Don't be afraid, they'll both be fabulous!



 Repaint this headboard, and start tackling these BNE's (best nightstands ever) for my in-progress bedroom makeover.

List the many fabulous items I've been finding for sale on Vintage Styled Home, my Etsy shop.

Decide if this is going in my bedroom, or going on the market. Either way, I need to get going and get it finished!

This reading qualifies as a project because I can't put these magazines up (and get organized!) until I've read them.  Yes, some of them are old, but most of the old ones have come from thrift stores and have fabulous features that I'd like to revisit.  I have a huge stack and now it's starting to feel like a chore, so I need to get it done.

Am I the only one with a never ending list of projects???


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Happy Birthday To Me!!!

TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY!!!!


Birthday Cake Ideas
Unfortunately posting has been light because I've been sick since my company left.  If I'm not feeling better by today (written Wed. night), I'll have to celebrate another day, but I at least wanted to take the opportunity to talk about some of the things I'm grateful for as I begin another year.

1. Health.  It's not perfect, but compared to what some people are facing, I'm blessed.

2. Another chance.  Everyday I wake up is another chance to get it right, to go after my dreams, to push a little farther.  I'm a long way from where I started, but still have so far to go.  I'm thankful that each day I wake up,  I'm getting closer to where I belong.

3. Family.  I've had an opportunity to spend time with my sister that I'll probably never have again in my life, and for that I'm grateful.  



She cooks for me all the time and salts the food to my taste since she knows I don't like it.  This is a big step for a personal chef.  She checks on me when I'm sick, even though I just want to be left alone, because she wants to make sure I don't suffer in silence.  She leaves the lights on.  She loves long hot showers.  And she cracks me up. SERIOUSLY. (who-do, voodoo, what up with that??)  It's been fun times.  (fyi, I'm the younger one in the photo, and this "pose" is very typical of me. I'm sure what I was saying here was profound.)

4. Friends.  I'm the type of person that values quality over quantity.  I have friends that I've known for a long time, and they know me.   What I treasure the most is that know my heart.  They make me laugh, and they check me when I'm wrong.  They're all different, but I like to think that they all reflect different parts of me, and they all have qualities that I admire and aspire to.  Kim, Raquel, Sara, Nam--I love you guys!!

5. Blogging.  I haven't even been blogging a year, but in the months I've been at it,  it's like I've found a whole new world!  It's amazing to think that some people are out there checking to see what I'm posting everyday--me of all people!!   I started blogging last May (or so), but then stopped because it seemed like no one was reading (or commenting).  Not even my friends.  But I decided to come back to it, and coming back has taught me something that I'm applying to the rest of my life, and that is that you have to give things time.  Crafting content and gaining a following doesn't happen overnight.  Blogging has helped me focus on the long haul and to go a bit easier on myself when things don't happen like I imagine they should.  After doing some research, I've found that they never do for most people who've gone on to do great things.  This blog has helped me get back in touch with what I love, and that's renovating and refinishing.  That's what I'm good at, and I believe that if get focused,  good things will come.  This blog has also allowed me to connect with people that I could probably walk right by on the street, to this day, and not even recognize.  To Beth, Adrianna, Lakeitha, Michelle, &  LaTasha--thank you for your kind words, encouragement, comments, & emails.

 I'm believing that this is going to be a great year for me--thank you for following me on this journey!

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Changes, Changes




I know, I'm like a little chameleon, huh? I've been trying to wait patiently for my blog redesign, and in the meantime I've taken matters into my own hands on a temporary basis. Let's hope this doesn't turn into a long term thing. That awful font was driving me crazy, as was that particular shade of pink, and after I changed it the first time I couldn't figure out how to get it back. Then I got frustrated and gave up. Arrghhhh!!! One of the things I know about myself is that it's best not to push it when I'm already at wits end--it's much easier to step back, take a break, and try it again later. Obviously it works for me, because I think my results are much better this time around. What do YOU think???




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I'M BACK!!!



Are you glad to see me???? I hope so. I know, I know, it's been a long break, but I found it nearly impossible to do much blogging while my family was in town. To tell you the truth, I didn't look at many blogs either, so if I visited yours regularly before Thanksgiving and you didn't see many/any comments over the holiday, please know that it wasn't personal!! I've had my mother & grandmother in town since December 15th (to Jan 7), and my sister has come for an extended vacation, so it's been very busy. To those of you who emailed and sent well-wishes, thank you!



I'm excited about the start of this wonderful new year. I'm believing that great things will be happening for me in 2010 and hope you are believing much of the same for your own life. Good things are already happening around here since my scanner is FINALLY working! It's been good to have a bit of time to take care of things that have been a bit neglected around these parts. I'm not into making resolutions, but I am trying to get better about being more intentional with writing my goals down this year. I know that the statistics don't lie when they say that people are more inclined to accomplish their goals if they're written down, so I hope that this will help as I continue my long journey on the path to my destiny.

Here are a few of the goals I hope to accomplish in my little crib this year:

1. Organize my kitchen pantry by adding this door storage (that I originally had until the guys who installed my flooring cut the door and threw the piece away!!!).


2. Paint my guest bedroom (I tried a modified Tiffany blue, but it just didn't feel right. I think I need to stay focused on warmer colors . . . ), and find/finish nightstands. Hopefully I can find a way to salvage my curtains . . .

3. Finish my master bedroom, which means either sucking it up and paying the $400 for crown moulding, or busting out the paint and finishing the 2-3 inches of unpainted space at the top. I also want to get rid of my head/footboard, move my bed in front of the window, and frame my sea fans that I've had for 3 years now. While I'm at it, I figure I'd say the outrageous and add bamboo flooring, because you never know--it IS possible!!


4. Install shelving in my office closet to help me keep up with my paperwork and provide additional space for my books and magazines. My 3rd bedroom/office only has one uninterrupted wall space, so the furniture layout is funny (I have a couch in addition to the desk) and I'd rather not waste a bunch of space with bookshelves when I can optimize my awkward closet.

Don't let your office look like this!!


On another note, I'll be making some changes to my blog in the coming weeks and months, which I'm VERY excited about. I'm looking into redesigning my blog in the coming months and will be adding something like some inspirational posts (think Oprah's "What I know For Sure" feature) with comments, quotes, and ideas pulled from different sources. I'll still be blogging about design and refinishing furniture, but I know we can all use a bit of inspiration & hope (or at least I can!) to help make it through all of the days in between. I hope you'll enjoy the changes and will continue to follow me throughout the year. Thank you for making my first 6 months of blogging a wonderful experience! It really is something special to have your ideas & efforts validated by people who probably wouldn't know me if they passed me on the street! I feel loved!!


**I accidentally posted this last night without photo credits--oops! Photos are courtesy of Real Simple, Better Homes & Gardens, Boston.com, and Canadian House & Home, respectively. It also posted about 3 times, because it took me forever to figure out that it's 2010 and not 2009--duh! To those of you that received multiple emails, SORRY!


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Getting my feet wet


They say a person goes through at least 15 jobs before before they find their career.  I've been through at least 8, so depending on how the future pans out, I'm either more than half way there or I will beat the status quo. In the meantime, I feel a quiet, but increasingly urgent nagging in my soul towards design.  While I loved Spelman (shout out to all of my Spelman Alumnae!), in hindsight I see that a Sociology degree was not for me.  The past 5 years have taught me that I'm happiest somewhere on the spectrum between conventionality and design. Where, you ask? To be honest, I'm still figuring that out, but getting one step closer everyday. I love anything having to do with renovating spaces, decorating, shopping, daydreaming, travel, music, and food so that's what you'll find on these pages. You may also find the occasional commentary on a variety of things, because I can.  :)  I love beautiful interiors and am on a constant quest to meet my own expectations. My home office is filled with design notebooks (ideas that I love), home magazines, and product guides (flooring, wallpaper, etc.), so this blog gives me an outlet to share my ideas and get feedback. I've been wanting to write a blog for awhile, so I believe this is a great fit. If you enjoy it, please follow me, leave your comments (or questions) and let me know what you think. Thanks!

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