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! :)

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.

High Five For Friday

We made it to another Friday and that's a good thing!

1// I attended a conference at work this week which meant that I wore company-logo clothing and company-logo clothing does not top my list of favorite things to wear.  Fortunately I was able to dress it up and look a little more trendy thanks to pants that aren't kahkis, boots and great jewelry.

2// Who doesn't love Teddy Grahams?!

3// We had a little winter weather this week and had a good laugh when Adam was confident we could get through the snow drift that accumulated between us and the garage.  The snow bank won.

4// I re-designed my blog this past weekend.  I must say that I'm pretty proud of myself - I like how it looks and this non-technical girl conquered some html code to make it all come together.

5// I am especially thankful for Adam this week.  It was a tough week but he made sure that we smiled and laughed every day.

This weeks H54F post was especially important - it made me seek out good things that were happening around me despite being sad all week. Our dog, 'Bam', passed away over the weekend.  He was often the star of my H54F posts!

I didn't think I was so attached to this special dog but I am.  He took good care of us, especially me when Adam wasn't around, he never left the house and often spent days in my basement office with me while I was working.  He was always up to something and knew he was pretty special to us.  And, I know for a fact that Adam was his best-friend in the whole world, he would have hopped in his truck to go anywhere with him.  Bam set a perfect example for how we should treat each other, with love and happiness, always.

On Monday my eyes were tired and I was a little dehydrated from all the tears that ran down my cheeks over the weekend.  I still expect to see him racing me to the garage door as I pull in the driveway and waiting patiently outside my car door until I opened it so I could pet him.  

Thank goodness for High Five For Friday this week - no matter the situation, it truly is the small stuff that carries us through! :)

Make sure to stop over at Lauren's blog - From My Grey Desk to check out other High Fives and then make sure to swing over to Let Them Eat Cake for That Friday Blog Hop!

Have a great weekend my friends!

      

High Five For Friday

What a week - TGIF! 

1// Christmas at our house has finally come to a close.  The boots I ordered Adam finally came in!

2// I worked from home a couple of days this week (which is always awesome) so Bam kept me company.

3// I am totally into the look of leggings with legwarmers.  We had some cold days in Iowa this week so I felt they were appropriate! :)

4// Remember when you would get a Tootsie Pop as a kid and you would always look for an Indian and a Star?!  I still do that!  However, I've never figured out what you win when you find one!

5// When we remodeled our bathroom, we had a custom vanity made and inserted a jewelry storage drawer. Adam finally put the hooks in it - I love it!  

I hope you all have had a fantastic week full of wonderful things happening to you!  Make sure you stop over at From My Grey Desk blog to see other High Fives! :)  

I'm also linking up for the Friday Blog Hop!  Click on the link below to find some great blogs to follow!

High Five For Friday!

Happy Friday!!  It's been a long week of work meetings but there were still some highs! :)

1// Last Saturday we went out for dinner with friends of ours at Sullivan's Steakhouse in Omaha, NE. The food was Ahhh-Mazing! I ate the best ribeye steak that I have ever had. The one pictured above was what the guys ordered.  Bam, our dog, loved the bones!

2// I made a double-layer chocolate cake this week.  It's nothing too fancy, but I've always wanted to make one.  

3// I was pretty proud of my clothing selections this week - especially this outfit.  Comfort + Sparkle!

4// I gave in and finally downloaded the rest of Eric Church's cd, Cheif.  I've been rocking out to it in my car on my way to and from work.  Love it!

5// I'm a "newbie" to Twitter but I love it! I've been able to connect with so many more people with my same interests - so fun!  (@beth_dydblog if you want to follow along)

Make sure to stop over at Lauren's blog - From My Grey Desk - to read other High 5's for the week!

Have a great Friday and great weekend.  I'm kicking off my weekend with a trip to the dentist... 

High Five For Friday!

1// Our entryway is complete... finally! (minus filling the nail holes on the trim.)

2// My Christmas present - tv for my office - is up and running. I will now be enjoying HGTV, CMT and the Pioneer Woman on the Food Network while I work!

3// I stopped into Francesca's yesterday to find a dress and came out with some great steals on jewelry!

4// Love the messages that Dove chocolate sends to us in their wrappers.  

5// Not only is my fiance a great guy - he is an awesome cook too.  Especially his chili!!

I hope you all had a great week - TGIF!  I'm linking up with Lauren at From My Grey Desk blog.  Make sure to stop over and read some of the other High Fives!!

High Five For Friday

Welcome to my favorite post of the week - getting to share the fun stuff! :)  I would love for you to stick around for awhile and follow along on my wee-little blog!

1| My sister and brother-in-law gave me this camera remote for Christmas.  This little gadget is awesome!
2| I ordered this gel eyeliner from my awesome Mary Kay consultant, Kenzie.  It is officially my new favorite product! It may be discontinued but click here to look or get in touch with Kenzie.
3| During Christmas vacation Adam and I had invited friends over for supper and ended up playing a couple rounds of a game that we call, Wahoo!
4| I finally got my gallery wall hung up in our master bedroom.  I'll have a blog post for you with tips for hanging a gallery wall next week!
5| My paint-a-pig is (finally) painted for the Iowa State University NAMA fundraiser.  I went for a Kate Spade(ish) look. I like it... hopefully someone will buy it.

I hope all have had a great week!  I'm linking up with Lauren at From My Grey Desk!  Stop over there to read more highs from the week.

Happy Weekend!

High 5 For Friday!

This will be my last H54F post of 2012!  Wow time flies!  I've had so many "high's" this year and I'm glad that I captured them through these posts. 

Here are my high 5 for this week!

1// I found a wedding dress! It's not quite what I had picked out in my mind but I love it and it was a unanimous pick by me, my mom, sisters and girlfriends so I said "why not" and said yes to the dress!  I'm pretty excited!!

2// I am a proud owner of a Pioneer Woman Cookbook.  I love her recipes so I've been trying new things all week!

3// The perfect cup of coffee!  Adam gave me a Keurig for Christmas.  I love this little coffee-making machine.  It really does make the perfect cup of coffee anytime!

4// Paint-A-Pig Inspiration. I am participating in a Paint-A-Pig fundraiser held at the Iowa Pork Congress as a way to support a local college organization and to promote my aspiring home design business.  I finally found some inspiration to paint a "classy" pig.  It is going to be a Kate Spade, dot art, sorta pig.  (I'll share before and after pictures...)

5//My Grandma.  She is 93 years old and so special. (I'm actually getting tears writing about her.) My sisters and I have grown up with her so it's hard to see her get older.  I think we celebrated our last Christmas at her house this year and my true Christmas wish is that she can be at our wedding in August.

I hope you all have had a fantastic week of celebrating and I look forward to sharing more with you in the new year!

Definitely stop over at From My Grey Desk to see my high 5's...

High Five For Friday!

Happy Friday Everyone!  Our Christmas celebrations start this weekend and my sister and her husband are staying at our house tonight on their way back to Minnesota from Nebraska, I couldn't be more excited! :)

This week had so many highs and I am continually reminded of everything I should be thankful for!  Here are my high 5!

1. Last weekend we took a weekend road trip to Stillwater, OK for a couple of cattle sales.  I have never been to OK before so it was fun to see the landscape and spend a weekend away with Adam!

2. All of the gifts are wrapped!  I love giving gifts but wrapping them all turns into a big job. :)

3. Snow!  Iowa hasn't had any significant snow for a couple of winters now.  The moisture is definitely welcomed and it's always fun to be caught in a blizzard (until you have to dig yourself out anyway....)

4. Our new entryway is coming together.  I have a long way to go on the decorating, but this is a start in the right direction.  Believe it or not the "Man Cave" sign was my idea.

5. I got to spend my snow day with these two.  It was a fun lazy day.

High Five For Friday + Giveaway Winner!

1. Betty Crocker cookies come out perfect every time.  Not sure how she does it! :)

2. The Christmas Tour of homes when great for the client whose house I helped to decorate. See the house here.

3. I am trying to cook like The Pioneer Woman.  So far so good on the pot roast and cobbler I made this week!

4. Tomorrow I am participating in a vendor fair in our community. Here is a quick look at some of the greeting cards I am bringing.

5. 'Bam' has been hanging out with me in my office lately.  He loves it and I think it is hilarious when he starts having puppy dreams. 

What are your high 5?!  Stop over at Lauren's Blog, From My Grey Desk to read more high 5's!

Mary Kay Ultimate Mascara Giveaway Winner! Congratulations to Katie O.!  I'll be in touch with you about getting your mascara to you!!

High 5 For Friday

1. I found this glittery stag on Pinterest and had to make my own.  I love it!

2. This Target brand spin off of Starbucks chilled coffee in Gingerbread was pretty good.

3. I was responsible for feeding our cows this week since Adam was hunting, these girls are hungry in the mornings!

4. Old Navy is having a great sale thru Dec. 1 - 30% off your purchase plus a FREE tote bag! It was a pleasant surprise!  This may become my new gym bag.

5. This week I help to decorate a design clients house for Christmas since her home will be showcased on a tour of homes.  It was fun to work with the family and her home looks great for the open house!

I hope you all had a great week too! :)

Remember to stop over at From My Grey Desk to see more High Five posts!

High Five For Friday!

Happy Friday!  I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving - I did! :)  

1// The December Birchbox arrived!  Great stuff this month including a chocolate covered potato chip and a full tube of mascara! :)

2// Coupons have been coming in the mail daily!  They are almost as good at "real mail!"

3// Last week I went to a great Mary Kay color session that was full of tips and techniques!  We captured nearly all of it on camera so next week I'll be posting make up how-to's, Mary Kay specials and a giveaway! Stay tuned...

4// Diet Sunkist.  Everyone once-in-awhile I crave one of these.

5// The December edition of BHG came!  My favorite part of the magazine this month was the great gift-giving ideas.

Have a fantastic weekend!!

And don't forget, I'm linking up with Lauren at From My Grey Desk!

High Five For Friday

Hello Friday!  I have waited all week for you!  Even though some pretty great things happened.... :)

1. My mom found all of my FFA jackets (all 4 of them) and returned them to me.  For those of you that think they are fashion, they aren't.  They are symbol of progress and leadership in agriculture worn by representatives of the worlds largest youth leadership organization.  Anyhow... the pockets were filled with so many memories of events, opportunities and friends I met while wearing these jackets.  

2. I loved my Saturday morning.  Coffee and my HGTV magazine!

3. I got my hair cut and colored last week.  It doesn't look a whole lot different than normal but I love the feeling of a great haircut!

4. My pig has arrived!  I am participating in a Paint-A-Pig fundraiser.  Here is the piggy I will be painting.  (Ideas welcome!)

5. Once in awhile, at the end of the day, Adam and I crack a couple of Bush Light's and talk about what's on our minds.  It's fun and great conversation with the one I love! :)

How has your week been?!  Remember to find the good!

As usual, I am linking up with Lauren at From My Grey Desk!

High Five For Friday

I'm back for H54F after missing last week!  :)

1. Last weekend I went back to Minnesota to hang out with one of my very best friends!  We enjoyed some great wine during a fun night out! The only picture I took was of our broken wine glass... yes we had fun! :)

2. Yum... Heath flavor from International Delight for my coffee!

3. I love opening up a new tube of mascara!  Mary Kay Ultimate mascara is my absolute favorite.  Click here if you want to order your own from a great consultant! 

4. Have you seen this?!  Jack Daniels marinade in a bag is awesome and super convenient!  I've found it in Walmart and Target.  It is a great marinade for pork loin.

5. Look at these two handsome guys!  Both had a great time pheasant hunting over the past two weekends! I love when people have so much fun doing something they enjoy!

I hope you've had a great weekend!  If you are stopping by From My Grey Desk Blog - thanks for saying hi and I hope you stick around for awhile! 

Make sure to stop over at Lauren't blog to see more H54F posts! 

High 5 For Friday!

1. I put together my wedding planning binder!  This also kicked off my new blog series - "Wedding Wednesdays!"  Check it out by clicking here.! :)

2. I took an intro camera class for my Cannon DSLR.  I am SO glad I took the glass. I think I took 10 pages of notes.

3. I added this countdown to our wedding to the sidebar on my blog.  It's fun to be able to see this countdown daily.  So far 300+ days seems like a long time but everyone tells me it will go fast.  Get your own countdown here.

4. I LOVE when I get Target coupons in the mail!

5. I found this greyhound dog statue at Target for 50% off!  Everyone needs a good statue, right?!

I hope you all had a great week and a blessed weekend!  As always I will be linking up with Lauren at From My Grey Desk blog!

High 5 For Friday!

1. Finally add some fall decor to my house thanks to my mom! She gave me these pumpkins and gourds while I was home for a quick visit. (I'm not much of a seasonal decorator so this is it.)
2. After 6 weeks, we are finally parking in the garage!
3. Remember Mamba Candy? I re-discovered them this week!
4. This Necklace was a steal.  $3 on clearance at New York & Company
5. University of MN homecoming is this weekend!  Go Gophers!

As always I am liking up with Lauren From My Grey Desk Blog!  Have a great weekend!

High 5 For Friday!

What a great week that included a trip to Canada and the wrap up of fall harvest for my fiance and my parents!  Here are a few more highs! :)

1. Have I mentioned how much I like stripes for fall?!  I found this dress at Banana Republic for 40% of the sale price!

2. This is my healthy work snack - almonds + peanut M&M's.  Lot's of protein here!

3. Apple Cider is in season.  Yum!

4. I love having color on my nails.  It makes me feel like I have nice, pretty nails and am completely put together.

5. My good friend gave me a jar of her fresh homemade salsa.  So good, especially with fresh chunks of avocado mixed in.  

Don't forget to recap your highs for the week... it is so important to remember the good things!

As always, I am linking up to From My Grey Desk! 

High 5 For Friday!

Welcome to Friday!Here are my High 5 For Friday!

1. Almond Joy Coffee Creamer. This is SOOOO good!  Especially with the Costa Rica coffee I have been enjoying lately. Yum!

2. Remington Ceramic Pearl. My hair dryer of 4 years quit on me so I had to get a new one.  I never thought hair dryers made a difference to your hair, but they do and I love this one!  It really does lock in moisture and eliminate frizz.

3. I found this sweet little Jewelry Holder on clearance at Target (only $4). It's perfect on my bathroom counter.  I love great finds like this!

4. Stila Eye Color Pallet.  I found this great little eye color pallet via The Small Things Blog and ordered my own from Sephora.  It came in the mail this week.  I love it and was complimented on my eye make up last night at our ladies night out.

5. Ladies Night Out.  I helped a couple of great gals organize a Ladies Night Out which was held last night at a local establishment in town.  It was so much fun!  And - I had a lot of interest in my start-up interior design business.  If everyone gives me a call or gets in touch with me, I could get busy.... and that would be great! 

Have a great weekend!  And don't forget that I am linking up at From My Grey Desk Blog!

High Five For Friday

Happy Friday!  What a great week... here are my high 5! :)

1. Starbucks!  It's been forever since I've had a cup of Starbucks coffee. I really enjoyed the Salted Caramel Mocha I had. Yum. 

2. Training Session! This week I headed to Lincoln to co-facilitate a sales training session with my friend, Courtney.  It was so fun to spend time with our sales team and be back in a training classroom.

3. Sherwin Williams Paint Samples! I finally got myself a deck of paint samples from Sherwin Williams. I love it and have already used it... a lot!

4. A Good Day's Work!  Last night I helped Adam fence in corn stalks so we can turn our cattle out on them.  Fencing is a lot of work, but I love hard work and the sense of accomplishment you feel when the work is done. This sign made me laugh, Churdan is a very small town in Iowa.

5. Stripes!  I am loving stripes for fall and found this great striped dress from Old Navy.     

Don't forget to stop over at From My Grey Desk Blog to see other High 5 For Friday posts!  I am linking up there!

By the way... don't forget to sign up for chance to win a FREE E-Design board + shopping list!  I am giving away 2!  One on the Design Your Dwelling Facebook page and one via this post!

High Five For Friday!

It's Friday! :)  This week 5 on Friday gets a new name and becomes High Five For Friday.  I made this change because I am regularly linking up to a High Five For Friday series hosted by Lauren over at From My Grey Desk... I am excited for the change and  love the inspiration from everyone who links up!  I hope you like the change too!

1| I browsed 700+ pages of wedding magazines and flagged my favorite finds - it was a great Labor Day!

2| Corn and soybean harvest is in full swing here in Iowa.  Usually you shouldn't see this sight until the end of September or October but it was very dry here which made harvest come a lot quicker because the corn plants have dried up and quit putting energy into building grain.  (Yep - I'm an agriculture geek!)  That's my guy driving the combine.  Lately we hang out and re-cap the day from the cab of the combine when I bring him supper - kinda fun!

3| I found this Vintage Word Card for $1.50.  I couldn't resist.

4| I had a gym-date with my friend, Sue, this week.  It's always fun to work out with someone.  And I - believe it or not -  did 90 (as in 9-0) box jumps! Whew... my legs are tired!

5| I opened a bottle of wine that has been sitting around here for awhile. Not much beats a good glass of wine from a pretty glass.

Have a great weekend my friends...

If you are looking for more inspiration to kick off your weekend definitely check out the other High Five For Friday posts by clicking here: