My Beauty Secret

Source

Water.  

Yep. That's it. Pretty simple.

I'm not sure why it took me nearly 30 years to figure this out but I'm glad I did.  It started when I did an "It Works" body wrap (curiosity got the best of me there) and I figured that if I spent $25 on this, I better do what it takes to make it work and that included drinking a lot of water for the next 72 hours. (If you're curious, I lost about a 1/2 in my thighs.)  I've kept up with my water drinking even after the 72 hours and have noticed a difference in my hair, skin and activity level to name a few things.  

There are a couple of recommendations out there about how much water to drink.  Some say 8 glasses a day, other say drink about half of your body weight in ounces. I've opted for the goal of drinking half my body weight in ounces so I'm drinking at least two, measurable, 32oz Nalgene bottles of water a day.  That's a lot of water and, truth be told, I definitely go to the bathroom more but that's the only downfall I've noticed!  

You can read the benefits of drinking water anywhere, and there are a ton of them, but here are the benefits I've experienced:

My skin and hair is not as dry.  These midwest winters are tough on my skin and hair, I am usually completely dried out and lathering on the lotion but since I've made an effort to drink more water my skin and hair feels SO MUCH BETTER.

My energy level is increased. This is a true statement.  I don't feel as groggy in the middle of the afternoon on a work day and I have a lot more energy during workouts.

I feel full. I am an all-day muncher and snacker.  I always have been and always will be but water has helped me feel full and killed a lot of my typical cravings.  I had a few people mention that it looks like I've lost weight and that may be true (I rarely weigh myself) because I'm snacking less and potentially speeding up my metabolism because I'm getting rid of toxins in my body.  

If you haven't started this great habit - give it a try - it is a good beauty secret! :)

**I am not sure that these are medically proven health benefits, they are benefits that I have personally experienced. I would encourage you do additional research.on the health benefits of drinking water if you are interested.

Surprise/Thank You For My GFC Followers!

Woohooo!! THANK YOU to all of you for helping my little design, DIY & inspiration blog reach over 150 followers on GFC! I am humbled, grateful, and thankful for each of you that you took the time to follow my blog and read what I write. :)

As a THANK YOU to each and everyone one of you, I would like to offer $10 OFF a custom design board ($75 value) to any GFC follower that sends me an email before Wednesday, March 6 and mentions this post and that you want to claim this offer.

Since this offer is only for Design Your Dwelling GFC followers I am not linking this post to any social networking site.  No Twitter.  No Facebook. You will only find this offer by reading your daily blog roll.

Here are the specifics:
- $10 OFF 1 (one) custom design board + shopping list (usually $75. Now $65 for you!)
- Any room in your house
- Custom design board will include furniture, lighting, flooring option, accessories, color scheme
- Email me at designyourdwellingblog (at) gmail.com before Wednesday, March 6, 2013 to claim the offer
- I'll check to make sure you are a follower via GFC

Some examples of design boards:

Thanks again... SO MUCH!  I look forward to working with you!

Mood Board Link Party - Week 3

Welcome to week three of the mood board link party! The past two weeks have been so fun and inspiring - I keep finding furniture, accessories and overall designs that I love.  I could seriously spend all day looking at these mood boards.  Too bad I have a full time job that gets in the way of that. :)

In case you've missed any of the mood boards that have been linked up, you can check them out on this Pinterest board.

I hope this week we find new bloggers that link up their mood boards.  All are welcome - amateur or pro!

To kick off the link party, here's a home office that's fit for a girl!  It includes my new favorite paint color from Sherwin Williams (Thunder Gray, SW 7645) and I loved the ampersand that Stephanie from Oh Dorable included in her mood board last week so I had to include it!

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9 // 10 // 11 

Time to link up your mood board!

I only have three requests for participation:

1. Follow Design Your Dwelling via GFC

I would love to stay connected with you!  This will also keep you up-to-date for the next link party!

If it doesn't work to follow via GFC, follow along on Twitter or Facebook!

2. Grab A Button!

Grab a button below and include it in your blog post or where you share your link parties on your blog.

3. Share it!

Help spread the word about this link party by tweeting your blog post link with your mood board with hashtag #moodboardlinkparty!  If you tweet me, I'll be sure to re-tweet!  I also be stopping over to see each of your boards and adding them to my Design Boards board on Pinterest!

Most importantly, connect with and follow other bloggers!

Grab a button, link up, and have fun! :)

<center> <a href="http://designyourdwelling.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l194/krferrall/moodboardlinkpartydyd_zpsb2f7dbf5.jpg" border="0" height="150" width="150"/></a></center>

$250 Giveaway with Heart Shaped Sweat!

Happy Monday!  I'm excited to kick off the week with an awesome giveaway hosted by one of my blog friends, Kristine from Heart Shaped Sweat!  She writes a fantastically motivating lifestyle blog that is without-a-doubt one of my daily blog reads.  Recently she met a blog milestone of 500 followers and to celebrate she asked a few of us to join her in a Visa gift card giveaway - enjoy!!

How many ways can you spend 250 free dollars??? 
I'll give you a crazy number of ways to win the $250 VISA and you figure all the ways to spend it!

Heart Shaped Sweat has grown so much over the last few months! It's amazing to see all that has happened here and I'm excited for all that's to come. I couldn't have made it this far without the support from each of you! I'm so thankful for you little loves of mine :)

Helping me celebrate are 24 beautiful ladies...we're giving away a $250 VISA to one lucky reader! The options and entries are endless. With so many wonderful ladies and all the ways to get to know each one of them, I wouldn't dare limit your options!

Sooooooo get to clicking, making friends, and crossing fingers for the winnings!

Me! HeartShapedSweat, LynetteMarieh, FaithLove&Hope, PerceptionIsEverything, ChasingTexas
HooahAndHiccups, PursuitOfPink, EstherNorineDesigns, Her&Nicole, Kimberly'sKorner DesignYourDwelling, CaravanSonnet, OhSummerCandy, TheLilyField, PeaceItAllTogether

aMileInHerBoots, TheDomesticGeek, GraceForGayle, TheDomesticatedWorkingWoman, AnnieOneCanCook TheStyleSoup, ABodyThatWontBreak, MommaCandy, Him&Her, GoingWithTheFlow

a Rafflecopter giveaway

High Five For Friday

Good Morning! Whew - my Friday started off with a kick start!  I nearly forgot about a 7:00am conference call!!  Since, technically, I am taking the day off to hang out with my sister I thought I would catch a couple of extra 'zzzz's' this morning. No worries though, I made it and it was a good conference call hosted by my co-worker.

Now, for my High 5 (+ a few more)!

This week is like a high 5 for Friday plus some!  I didn't actually think I was having a great week but I when I took a step back to reflect on the week, there were a lot of good things that did happen!

one. I finally picked up the book Blog Inc by Joy Cho.  It's a really good book filled with common sense and it's an easy read.  It's been my treadmill book of choice.

two. We had an impromptu Jimmy Johns lunch at work this week.  We ordered Jimmy Johns, grabbed a conference room and chatted for an hour.

three. Every once-in-awhile I come up with a color combination that I love! This was camel and mint.  It might be my new favorite! :)  I've gotten a lot of compliments on the necklace - it's from the Urban Peach Boutique.

four. Happy National FFA week!  I love this organization and was a proud member for 7+ years! (If you can't tell, I've probably had these socks since I was a member)  I met so many of my friends through this organization, had so many travel opportunities and first-time experiences.  If you were a member of FFA, please leave a comment below!  I would love to connect with you! :)

five. I love when my Birchbox comes in the mail.  It's like a fun little gift to myself each month!

six. I finally finished a first draft of a big work project this week.  It's only a draft but it's a step in the right direction so I plan to celebrate, until the edits come back! ha!

seven. My parents came to see us last Sunday.  We haven't seen them since Christmas. It was a fun afternoon.

eight. My blog gained so many new followers this week!  Thank you all for stopping by and sticking around for awhile.  I am truly happy to have you think enough of my little blog to want to follow it!

I hope you all had a fantastic week! I'm linking up with Lauren for High Five For Friday and for That Friday Blog Hop!

Have a great weekend! :)

Winter Farm Tour

Today in Iowa we are preparing for a snow storm so as I was getting ready to go help my fiance prepare for the blizzard I had to laugh at myself just a little bit because of my completely mis-matched winter clothes - a green jacket, black snow pants, red hat, fushia scarf and light pink boots! If only I had a picture to show you... Beyond the flashy red pants, daily make up routine, DIY projects and love for interior design lies a farm girl at heart.  For today, I'm leaving behind the crafty/home design stuff and giving you a quick tour of our farm.

I grew up in southern Minnesota on a family farm where we raised hogs, had horses and grew corn and soybeans.  Now, I live on an Iowa farm with my fiance where we raise a few head of cattle, work for a large agricultural organization and embrace the farming lifestyle all year round.  We live on a beautiful farm site! There is really no other place I could picture living. (Ok, maybe near mountains someday.)

Winter is tough work around here, especially for Adam.  Snow needs to be moved, waters need to be thawed for the animals and they need to be fed daily.  We're also starting our calving season so that takes extra attention.  Here is a winter tour of our farm!

This picture was taken in January!  The picture above was taken in December.  The snow comes and goes here.  Maybe after today it will stay for awhile, we could desperately use the moisture from the snow cover.

These girls are all going to have babies within the next month.

This photogenic heifer is a new addition to the farm as of December.

Meet our first baby of the year! This little peanut is two weeks old and weighed in at 57lbs when she was born. 

And she is just too cute to not take pictures of. 

For those of you that are cat lovers, this is 'Kitty Kitty' she is our original farm cat.

'Bonnie' is Kitty Kitty's daughter.  I couldn't find 'Clyde' though.  I've always wanted a tiger-striped cat so I'm glad she is hanging around! (Yes, we have cats named Bonnie & Clyde.)

I love the type of hard work where you can see progress and know that you are serving a greater good by feeding the world.  I love the animals, the wide open spaces and the serene calm of a summer night on the front porch. That's really at the core of what my world is about!

Have a great Thursday friends!  Stay warm!

Mood Board Link Party - Week 2

Welcome to the second week of the mood board link party!

Last week was so fun - 13 awesome home design bloggers linked up to show off their talents and the designs were awesome and inspiring! I hope this week we find some additional home design bloggers joining the fun and linking up.

If you're stopping by to see what Design Your Dwelling and the mood board link party is all about, definitely check out these interior design moodboards, I guarantee you will be inspired!

I only have three requests for participation:

1. Follow Design Your Dwelling via GFC

I would love to stay connected with you!  This will also keep you up-to-date for the next link party!

If it doesn't work to follow via GFC, follow along on Twitter or Facebook!

2. Grab A Button!

Grab a button below and include it in your blog post or where you share your link parties on your blog.

3. Share it!

Help spread the word about this link party by tweeting your blog post link with your mood board with hashtag #moodboardlinkparty!  If you tweet me, I'll be sure to re-tweet!  I also be stopping over to see each of your boards and adding them to my Design Boards board on Pinterest!

Most importantly, connect with and follow other bloggers!

Grab a button, link up, and have fun! :)

<center> <a href="http://designyourdwelling.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l194/krferrall/moodboardlinkpartydyd_zpsb2f7dbf5.jpg" border="0" height="150" width="150"/></a></center>

High Five For Friday!

Happy Friday!  I hope you all had a great Valentine's Day!  We just hung out at home catching up on TV shows and had a few drinks together.  It was fun to just hang out!

Here are my high five for the week!

1// I started a Mood Board Link Party for interior design bloggers this week that will run every Tuesday.  I had 12 bloggers link up and their designs are awesome - click here to see them!!  I would love to have you come back and link up if you are interested!   :)

2// I got side-tracked in the grocery store by the fruit so I couldn't resist making myself a fresh fruit salad.  Maybe a little expensive this time of year but oh so worth it!

3// Our main floor bathroom got a face-lift over this past week!  It is such a great upgrade from where we were.  Amazing what paint can do.  Once I have some artwork up, I'll be sharing some before and after pictures.

4// My co-worker made these awesome homemade fudge valentines.  I could easily eat it all at once, it's that good!

5// I stepped out of my comfort zone (like way outside) and rocked these red pants and snake-skin shoes.  I even got a few compliments which made me feel more confident with my choice.  I told Adam they were my Valentine's Day pants. :)  I think my red pants were making him step out of his comfort zone too. Ha!

Let me know if you are new to Design Your Dwelling and sticking around, I would love to stop over and say hi!  Have a great Friday!

For more High Fives, stop over at Lauren's blog From My Grey Desk.

Red Lips, Yes Please!

Happy Valentine's Day!! Do you have any special plans?!

So, did anyone else notice all of the beautiful ladies at the Grammy's that had red lips?!  I must say, I was a big fan! In the spirit of Valentine's Day and because my Mary Kay Consultant gave me a travel size red lip-gloss, I thought I would try out red lips for myself!

Actually smiling is a lot easier than "smiling with your eyes" like I was trying to do in the first picture so you could see my lips! 

Shirt: Kohls (similar)

Earrings: Target

My red of choice is actually a gloss -NouriShine Lip Gloss in Rock 'N' Red.  There is also a darker shade called Red Passion that is also a Shimmer gloss.  I have not tried a red lip stick - any suggestions?!  What I do like about this lip gloss is that is actually stains your lips so that re-applying is easy-peasy!

The trick to wear red well is to moisturize your lips, apply a tick, even coat and get into the corners of your lips.  Click here for a great video tutorial for a classic red lip from a Des Moines, Iowa salon.

Wedding Wednesday: Invitations (part 2)

Last week I shared a few ideas on how to save some of your hard-earned moola when it comes to finding and ordering the perfect wedding invitations.  Click here to see that post.  This week, I thought I would share a few invitations that I like (from Minted unless otherwise noted) and what I like about them as well as a couple examples of what invitations should say.

You'll quickly discover that "less is more" when it comes to our style...

I love the simplicity of this monogram invitation I found on etsy.  It's classy and sweet.

The colors and print of this invitation are very inspiring.  These are the colors I want to go for! I also like the print.

I love the simplicity of this invitation with the names in script.  I don't care of the color of the invitation, but I do like the text.

I like this invitation for the same reason as the invitation above - the script print.  I also like the landscape orientation and flash of color on this one.The scalloped edges are cute too!

Again, it's all about simplicity for me!  I like the orientation and classy-ness of this invite.  I don't care for the script print, it's a little hard to read so I would avoid that.

Now for the tough part - deciding what you need to say on the invitation!

A good invitation should include all of the party details: Who, What, When, Where, and What time! 

Here are a few examples of wedding invitation words:

{Suggestion 1} 

Mr. & Mrs. (Brides Parents)

Along with Mr. & Mrs. (Grooms Parents)

Invite you to celebrate

The marriage of their children

(Bride first & middle name)

And

(Groom first & middle name)

On Saturday, the seventeenth day of August

Two thousand and thirteen

At two o’clock in the afternoon

(Church Address)

Reception following the Ceremony

(Reception Address)

Cocktails

Dinner

Dance to Follow

{Suggestion 2}

Beth Marie & Adam John 

Together with their families invite you to their wedding celebration 

on Saturday, the seventeenth of August two thousand and thirteen 

at two thirty in the afternoon  

(Church Name & Address)

Reception following the ceremony (Reception Address)

Cocktails, Dinner, and dancing to follow

Hopefully this was helpful - if you have other wording suggestions, please share them on my Facebook page!

For all of my Wedding Wednesday posts, click here!

Linking up here today!

Mood Board Link Party + Nursery Design

Welcome! I have been patiently waiting for today to get here to kick off the Mood Board Link Party as a way for bloggers with interest in interior design to show off their talent!

I am continually in search of mood bards from other bloggers as inspiration as well as an opportunity to network and learn from each of them so why not bring as many designers as possible to one place?!

To kick it off, I thought I would share my design board for the week!  I have a few friends who are having babies in the near future and the exciting part is that they haven't found out if they are having a boy or girl.  That inspired me to design a nursery that a boy or girl would be comfortable in!  Each of the numbers below correspond to the item on the board, click on the  number to get to the item source!

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9 // 10 // 11 // 12 // 13 // 14 

I only have three requests for participation:

1. Follow Design Your Dwelling via GFC

I would love to stay connected with you!  This will also keep you up-to-date for the next link party!

If it doesn't work to follow via GFC, follow along on Twitter or Facebook!

2. Grab A Button!

Grab a button below and include it in your blog post or where you share your link parties on your blog.

3. Share it!

Help spread the word about this link party by tweeting about it with hashtag #moodboardlinkparty!  If you tweet me, I'll be sure to re-tweet!  I also be stopping over to see each of your boards and adding them to my Design Boards board on Pinterest!

Most importantly, connect with and follow other bloggers!

Grab a button, link up, and have fun! :)

<center> <a href="http://designyourdwelling.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l194/krferrall/moodboardlinkpartydyd_zpsb2f7dbf5.jpg" border="0" height="150" width="150"/></a></center>

I have to give a HUGE thank you to my friend Kristine from Heart Shaped Sweat for creating my link party button . She is awesome - please stop by to check out her blog.

Loving Polka Dots

Happy Monday - welcome to another week!  I hope you all had a great weekend! I re-painted our main floor bathroom, it was quite the project but I am SO happy that I did it!  More to come on that project soon...

I thought I would kick off the week with something I'm loving lately - Polk Dots!!  I keep seeing them everywhere and love how they look, especially on stationary and accessories.  I decided to create some of my own polka dots - it's so easy to get creative with them - they go with anything!

Here is a look at some of my polka dot creations!

Envelopes...

Greeting Cards...

Journal...

Place mats... I found this idea and tutorial from The Small Things Blog.

Secretly, I would love to have my own greeting card and accessory line... an etsy shop might be as close as I  get someday! :)

These polka dots are so easy to DIY!  All you need is a pencil eraser and an ink pad or craft paint!

Have fun!!

Sunday Social + DIY Valentines Day Card

It's a rainy Sunday here in Iowa! A perfect day for some indoor projects and relaxing!

I can't believe that Valentine's Day is already this week - Yikes!  We don't get too wild and crazy on Valentine's Day but we do celebrate by exchanging cards and small gifts.  Here is an easy DIY Valentine's Day card that is perfect if you are celebrating with your fiance! :)

The knot ties when it's opened!!  Cute huh?!

What You Need:

Cardstock paper

Heart stamp and ink

Sharpie or any pen

Baker's twine

Now for Sunday Social!  I'm linking up with A Complete Waste of Makeup! :)

1] What was your first car?  1991 Ford Escort.  Teal. Stick shift.  Needless to say, my sisters did not get a stick shift for their first car. :)

2] Who was your favorite childhood teacher? Miss Lewis.  I had her in first and third card!

3] Were you involved in any sports/extracurricular activities? Yes!  I took stats for the volleyball team, played basketball until my sophomore year, and played softball throughout high school!  My favorite activity was being in the National FFA Organization!

4] What was your favorite birthday party? Either kindergarden or 1st grade.  My mom threw me the best birthday party ever!  We all wore cute dresses and my mom planned some awesome party games!

5] Who was your teenage crush? Jonathon Taylor Thomas!  Whatever happened to him?!

6] What show did your parents not allow you to watch? The Simpsons.  I still have never watched an episode.

Hope you all have a great lazy Sunday!  If you stop by and stick around for awhile, leave your blog address! :)  I would love to stop over, say hi, and follow back! 

 

High Five For Friday!

Happy High 5 For Friday! I'm glad you stopped by and welcome to the visitors from More from Meg!

1\\ We welcomed our first baby of 2013 on Wednesday night!  She is the sweetest little girl!  Typically newborn farm babies are pretty shy but this little girl is a social butterfly.  Tonight she kept running up to the gate so I could pet her.  I'm guessing that she and I will be "BFF's" by the end of the weekend! :)  (sorry the picture is fuzzy... I hope to get some better ones this weekend!)

2\\ Santa Maria Winery, our local vineyard, did a good job making this red wine. It might be one of my favorites. 

3\\ I finally complied all of my recipe post-it notes and scrap paper into my own DIY recipe book. It's nothing special but I feel more organized. 

4\\ I love getting mail, especially packages!  Thank you Mary Kay for my awesome products. Especially the red lipgloss which was a gift with purchase!

5\\ My favorite Super Bowl commercial is the Dodge commercial.  It's my favorite for a lot of reasons.  First, because I grew up on a farm and the person I visualize is my dad.  He is everything this commercial says.  Second, it is a partnership with FFA, an organization that gave me opportunities I would never have imagined!  

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!  And please, feel free to stick around for awhile, I would love to have you and am always looking for new blogs to follow! :)

Remember to reflect on this little things as the week comes to a close....

If you are looking for more High 5's, stop over at Lauren's blog, From My Grey Desk! I'm also linking up with Rebecca from Let them Eat Cake for That Friday Blog Hop!

Texas Caviar Fresh Bean Salsa

This fresh bean salsa called Texas Caviar is de-lish!  My friend, Jill, shared this recipe with me when I was living in Cincinnati.  In fact, she first introduced it to me when we had a little Super Bowl Sunday party of our own the first year we were living there.  Honestly I hadn't made it since but as I was going through my recipes in search of something fresh and easy to bring to this year's Super Bowl party I found this recipe and said "This is it!"

Besides being super tasty, I love how pretty and fresh-looking it is with all of the colors!

Be prepared... it's really tough.  NOT!

Here is what you need:

1 can pinto beans

1 can black-eyed peas

1-2 cans white shoepeg corn

1 can black beans

1 small jar pimento

1 can diced green chiles

1 medium onion - chopped

1 green pepper - chopped

fresh cilantro - chopped

Drain and rinse everything that comes from a can and mix all of the above ingredients in a large bowl. 

Tip: You can find pretty much all of the beans and corn in the aisle with the canned goods.  

The pimentos are by the pickles in case you are like me and have never purchased them before and aren't exactly sure what they are. :)

Dressing:

1 C sugar

3/4 C cider vinegar

1/2 C oil

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Whisk all of the ingredients in a small bowl then add the dressing to the bean mixture.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  When ready to serve, pour off the extra liquid and serve with tortilla chips or crackers.

This recipe makes a lot so it's perfect for a large crowd.  You might also want to consider bringing some take-home containers... if there is any left!

Enjoy!

Wedding Wednesday: Invitations (part 1)

Free Wedding Invitation Suite from WeddingChicks.com

I must say that my wedding planning process has gone pretty well so far and for that, I'm thankful!  But what's the deal with the expense of wedding invitations - yikes!!!

I did some quick calculations for $200 wedding invitations and here's what the dollar about could be if I go through a wedding invitation site.

200 invitations x $3.80 average cost/invitation (invite, envelope, response card) = $760 

200 x $.46 invitations postage = $92 standard postage

200 x $.33/response card postage = $66 postcard postage

$760 + $92 + $66 = $918  Whaaaaaattttttt???!!!!!

The $918 does not include reception invitations so you  may be looking at well over $1,000 in invitations!

Clearly I had to come up with some alternative options since I am planning on a budget and believe it or not, I can get the whole shebang for less than $700!

I am a true believer that I can have exactly what I want without a big price tag.  It may take a little more work, but the savings are worth it!

Here are the options I considered:

1// Purchase from a Wedding Stationary Company. 

Minted and Wedding Paper Divas have gorgeous invitations so definitely look and if you find something you love and it fits in your budget you definitely need to order them!

2// Purchase an invitation suite from etsy. 

Etsy has so many great shop owners that create beautiful invitations and offer full printing services.  They are a little less expensive too!  Click here to got to Etsy's invitations page.

3// Purchase a pre-made printable wedding invitation from etsy and get them printed at a local printer or print them on my own.  

If you don't want to buy a whole invitation suite that is printed for you, some etsy shop owners offer pre-made/pre-designed printable wedding invitations.  You pay for the printable and print out however many invitations you want.  These usual cost about $15-$20. Click here to go to Etsy's invitation page.

4// Find a FREE invitation suite and get them printed by a local printer or print them on my own.

One of my first Wedding Wednesday posts I mentioned some free invitations options from Wedding Chicks.  They are classy, and somewhat customizable to your colors.

5// Hire a graphic designer to design a custom invitation and get them printed  by a local printer or print them on my own.

Finally, if you just haven't found what you are looking for, or maybe you have but it's too expensive, a graphic designer might be an option.  They generally work on an hourly rate or on a per project rate.  If you don't know a graphic designer, leave a comment with your email or email me and I can send you a few names. :)

As for printing... Often times, if you get your invitations printed at a local print shop it is less expensive.  Also check with an office supply store.  If you have their rewards card and ask if they have any print services specials you can get a really great deal!  Or, if you work for a rather large corporation like I do they may have a printing department that does some custom work.  

I went with option number 5!  I know a lot of creative people and found so many things I loved but not the exact thing I wanted so I asked my friend, Kelli Jo, if she would help me to design my wedding invitations!  I also inquired with my employer about printing my wedding invitations and sourcing envelopes and believe it or not, they can print 200 color invitations and source self-sealing envelopes for approximately $150!  (That price doesn't include postage.)

If you do the quick math, by choosing option 5 (which fit best for me)  my total cost including printing, design, and postage will be around $400-$450.  That equals a $468.00 savings!!!  Wahoo!! :)

Wow, that was a lot of information, but I really do hope it was helpful!

Next week I'll give you a glimpse of some of my favorite invitations and I'll share some ideas for what the invitation should say!

I'm Starting A Mood Board Link Party!

I'm starting a link party! I really didn't think I would ever start my own link party but I had a brainstorm of starting one for interior design bloggers to share their mood boards!  I am continually in search of mood boards from other bloggers as inspiration and an opportunity to network and learn so why not bring as many designers as possible to one place?!  

Of course there are a few goals in mind that relate to this link party!

First... This is an opportunity for readers to be inspired to lead a beautiful live.  I believe everyone deserves to live in a space they love!  So please, find inspiration here and get in touch with these bloggers!

Second... I want interior designers and bloggers to be able to share their work and get it noticed!  A lot of creativity and time goes into designing mood boards so why not brag about them!

Third... What a great chance to learn from and inspire each other!  

I can't wait! :)

This link party will start on Tuesday, February 12, 2013 and run every Tuesday! Please help to spread the word, link up, or come back for the inspiration!

If you would like to link up and need a reminder before Tuesday, leave a comment with your email and I'll send you a reminder message!

YAY! :)

Dark Wash Boot Cut Jeans

It is pretty rare that I do fashion posts but some of my readers have requested I do a few here and there.  I just happened to find this great pair of dark wash boot cut jeans from Gap that I had to own!  Boot cut jeans can be made to look dressy or casual and will go with just about anything.

I did a mini-fashion shoot in our entryway (yes the sign says "welcome to the Man Cave") to show you a few different looks you can create with dark wash boot cut jeans.  (Thank goodness for being home alone and owning a camera remote.  I consider this picture-practice for our wedding.  Except I wont be rushing to look at the back of the camera after every picture....)

Blazer: Gap outlet (really old)

Mint Shirt: Gap

Jeans: Perfect Boot Cut Gap

Necklace: Lia Sophia (discontinued)

Wedges: The Buckle

Shirt: JCP

Belt: Target

Shirt: Gap

Necklace: Lia Sophia

Shirt: Francesca's (in the store)

A rear view.  I was totally blessed with a Kim Kardashian butt.  I used to hate it but after nearly 30 years, I've realized it's not going away so I've learned to embrace it and do my best to keep it in shape.  So, when I find a pair of jeans that fit great, I need to own them. :)

What I love about these jeans is the sturdy denim.  I feel like they slim and lift in all the right places. Plus the seam on the inside of the jeans is flat which eliminates any puckering in your hips and thighs.  The jeans are pretty versatile and look good with pretty much any style of shirt you want to wear.   Way to go Gap!!

Whew... I survived my first fashion-related post.  If you like this type of post, let me know and I'll try to do more for you! :)

I'm linking up this post for Yolo Mondays!