The Fear Factor

Do you ever want to do something, follow a dream and there is something that seems to slow down that process? This has been a feeling of mine for about a year now. I have dreams of a company I want to begin, and the life that it will entail. 

This company will have everything to do with:
design
pretty letters
quality papers and materials
creativity
practicality
pretty papers
stamps
inks
aesthetic
twine


There is always a reason why it's "not now" or "later". Purchasing expensive equipment, gaining knowledge, transitioning jobs, and most of all.....fear of failure. What if all the money, equipment, time, effort and exposure were for nothing? Imagine how guilty I would feel if my sweet husband supported me through it all just for it to not make it and I was so selfish to waste our time and resources? 


But then I hear the voice that says "love the life you lead" and "follow your dreams" and "do what God has gifted you to do". And I want to scream YES!!! I can imagine the beautiful products I'll make, the fun I'll have designing and creating all day long, I can even picture what my day looks like every morning. Then I drift back into the fear factor, then pump myself up, then down.....ugh, it's a tiring roller coaster of a mind game. 


So, for any of my entrepreneur friends out there what advice do you have? My brain hurts now.

Award Season: Golden Globes

The dresses, the hair, those jewels! I, like many women love to see who is going to wear what down the red carpet during award season. The big kickoff for 2011 happened last night at the Golden Globes. I watched the red carpet on E! and have scoured the pictures today. There were a lot of interesting choices but I can say that there was a lot of: emerald green, reds, pinks and black-which is surprising since it does not photograph well people tend to shy away from it. 

Now, I was quite dissapointed, I saw a lot of ho-hum dresses, you know, pretty but not Rachel Zoe, "I think I'm going to die!" pretty. And then, there were the train wrecks, there were a lot of those. So, to spare you all from those I just decided to show you my favorites of the evening! Here we go!

Olivia Wilde

Ugh, please ignore the ugly credits, I can't make them go away. Moving on....Olivia Wilde was TO-DIE-FOR! This dress screams elegance and glamour. If a Disney princess would wear a black dress, this would be the one!

Catherine Zeta-Jones

What a dreamy vision of emerald. She is always stunning, always classic, and once again Catherine did not disappoint. 

Heather Morris

I don't know what it is but there is something that I just love about this effortless elegance. The dress sparkles like a ballgown but she wears it like a sundress. Lovely.

Julia Stiles

Stunning! I love, love, LOVE this dress! If ever in some alternate universe there would be a way I could go to an award show I could see myself wearing this dress. There is something very nice about a woman who can wear volume near the neck without it swallowing her.

Lea Michelle

Lea Michelle looks so beautiful here. I love her messy, tousled updo with this very sculptural Oscar de la Renta dress.  Your eye flows from the one strap shoulder all the way down to the train, just like it should. One tiny complaint.....did it have to be bubblegum pink??

Juliana Hough

This look is so beautiful. Hough reminds me of a goddess in this dress with the giant jewels draping her neck and her hair lifted up and swept back so lightly. 

Anne Hathaway

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Can you tell she was my favorite?! Anne Hathaway looked stunning in Armani Prive! When I first saw the dress from the front I thought, Pretty, but I just wish she didn't look like a nun. Then, I saw the back....I die! And I'm sure Rachel Zoe was saying the same thing when this dress walked the runway Fall 2010 and again last night when she dressed Anne for the G.G. I can't blame the woman, she looks so beautiful and I'm sure will make the best-dressed list in every magazine for years to come.

Another night of beauty is coming up Jan. 30 for the SAG awards. I wonder if the fashion will be better there? I feel like everyone is saving their very best dresses for the Oscars this year. The question is: How will Anne Hathaway top herself?

The White Issue

 Have any of you seen the latest issue of Country Living? To-die-for. It's the white issue. And it is gorgeous! I have loved this issue so much that I wanted to share it with y'all and I'm not even done reading through it all yet-but I have skimmed all the pages ;)

White is: Charming.

White is: Grand

White is: Cozy 

All these rooms are refreshing and inspiring to me. White exudes elegance yet none of these rooms say stuffy, uptight or cold. There is a worn-in, well-loved, lived-in look to them all. And I love that. So many times people almost shriek if you want decorate a room in white, "oh, that's so cold and sterile, like a hospital!" Um, I don't think any of those rooms look like my local emergency room.

I hope people come to understand and love the warmth this bold color provides to a home. All throughout this issue the writers have provided examples of how to decorate with white, tips from fabulous designers such as Rachel Ashwell, Susan Kassler, and Daryl Carter aka, my three design loves of my life! If I could somehow wrap those three together into one person then that person would design my perfect home. They are geniuses at what they do people!

Enough of my babble, you don't need to listen to it, but instead run out and pick up this issue of Country Living. If you are a lover of white and beauty then this issue is worth every penny to you. And no, I was not paid by Country Living to write this blog, I simply just adore the issue that much! Aside from all the white rooms are also some fabulous potato recipes for all these cold winter nights we're having. They're bound to warm you and your family up. I think I'll be making the Lemon and Parsley Sausage and Potatoes in a skillet on page 121 sometime this week!

If you check out this magazine let me know what you think in the comments!

What are you up to?

Dear goodness, the first week of 2011 was a blur for me, how about y'all? Every night there was a meeting, appointment, unexpected errand, but that's life. And it was a good week, with great people I love, so I'm not complaining. I didn't do a very good job of keeping my house clean this week. That always happens when we are busy, we get messy! So, to be proactive, I am getting myself in order for this week so I don't trash the house anymore.

martha stewart

Here are a few things that need to be done:
-pick up clutter
-organize mail
-iron the mountain of laundry hiding behind the laundry doors ;)
-clean bedroom
-clean bathrooms

apartment therapy

I think these few things will help keep us more organized:
-buy a remote basket for coffee table rather than the dinky bowl I'm using now.
-buy a letter organizer for bills.
-re-arrange mail station in our home
-write out a cleaning schedule to the week....and stick to it!
-set a timer for 15 minutes each night and me and the Mr. will do quick clutter clean-up all through the house.

anthropologie

This week I did exercise 3 times amidst all the craziness...I really pushed myself to get motivated though. This week I'm hoping for 4 days of exercise but I will be ok with 3 if need be. 

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Continuing with trying to live a more organized and healthy life I used Agave Nectar in my coffee every day this week and you cannot tell a difference, really! You should try it, it is very healthy. I've also planned a yummy menu for this week, some items I hope will make it onto this blog.


This is the menu:
M- tuscan lemon chicken, brown rice, spring mix salad
T- ny strip steak, lemon-basil roasted potatoes, citrus salad
W- bacon, egg, cheese panini's, fresh veggies
TH- lemon orzo salad with chicken and veggies
F- pesto pizza, salad
S- potato skins, veggies
S- soup

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Can you tell I had a craving for lemon and citrus this week?! Crazy. Anyways, I like using something all week long because it also saves on your grocery bill that way. Some of our meals are quick and easy like the soup and the pizza because those are busy nights for us and I just want something ready in 5 minutes. I'm about to run to Harris Teeter for their Super Doubles with my coupons and stock up since we're about to get a great big snowstorm tomorrow. 


So what menu are you planning this week? Anybody got any tips to keeping a mail center more organized in your home? Leave it in the comments people!

January Goals and 2011 Goals.

 Happy New Year everyone! I wanted to post this on 1/1/11 because that looks really cool, but we were visiting my in-laws over the weekend and theY don't have internet, and don't even own a computer. So, here I am on 1/3/11. Even though I'm 3 days late I have been very excited about this post for two reasons: one, it is the beginning of a new month which means monthly goals to get me motivated and also it is the beginning of a new year! Yearly goals are very exciting to me and a little sentimental as well when I look back on them over the years. I always have some goals that are private but I try to share as many things as I can on here. So without further adieu, here they are!

{2011 Goals}

Make white slipcovers for my comfy new sofa and loveseat. 

Be debt free!!

Streamline a method/routine for keeping my home clean all the time.

Grow in my faith in knowledge and love.

Run another 5k.

Take my couponing to a whole other level to save us more money.

To always be reading a book with Daniel simultaneously for growth and good conversation.

Study Prov. 31 in depth {again} to challenge myself how to be the best wife to Daniel.

Get things moving in the direction of opening my own business-more on this once I nail down some details!

Host many more parties and "get-togethers" in our home.

Challenge myself in the kitchen even more-study technique, tools, recipes, the science behind food, etc.

Enjoy my blessed life and remember to praise God for it all.

Blog on a consistent basis.

 {January Goals}

Have a night out with friends at the Melting Pot in Raleigh this weekend!

Get back on my exercise routine after a little Christmas break {4 times a week}.

Cook with as many whole, unprocessed foods as possible.

Buy all Saturday papers to get back on track with my couponing.

Plan all meals wisely to make the most of sales and food bought.

Write down the cleaning plan for my house-refer to Flylady as needed.

Chaperone youth group lock-in.  

Drink insane amounts of water.

Switch from using Splenda with my coffee to Agave Nectar.

Open an account at SECU with Daniel.

Take youth group to Wintergreen for a ski trip!!

Go to a sweet friend's baby shower for her little girl!

I know it is a lot but taking it day by day, staying on schedule and planning out my days I know I can do this! So what are your goals for this year? This month? Let's hear 'em and keep each other going.

All photos from House Beautiful.