NUMBER 285

i've never been good with words, and even worse when it comes to a difficult/sad/uncomfortable situation. i'm skipping my usual fun and carefree “five on friday” post to discuss a matter that's been weighing heavy on my heart.

menkes syndrome.

just googling the disease is enough to make you break down – let alone the thought of it happening to an innocent infant. no cure: i can't imagine the pain mary and alex fish felt when they were told their son teddy has a disease - one that has no cure. the chances that teddy will live past his third birthday aren’t in his favor, but looking through his instagram feed you’d never know. that is one smiley baby. teddy has spent many days of his life in and out of doctors offices and seeing specialists – more than i have in my 28 years. teddy’s parents goal now is to surround teddy with as much much love as possible during his time on earth. as mary says, “make today happy for teddy, he deserves it.”

mary and alex have since put their virginia home on the market and moved back to boston, massachusetts to be near family and loved ones. with medical expenses amounting by the minute, the fish’s friends have set up the teddy fish fund to alleviate some of the financial stress. today i'm telling teddy's story, but it doesn't pay their bills, and it doesn't cure menkes. my hope is that menkes will be better known, leading to additional research and the discovery of a cure. maybe a cure for teddy.

we’re all with you, teddy. to read more about teddy’s journey or offer encouragement to the fish family, visit mary & alex’s caring bridge page. if you would like to make a financial contribution, please click here.

#FUmenkes

NUMBER 284

saturday morning, i had the pleasure of visiting a brand new salon in charlotte. salon twelve26 is just one of the most recent businesses making their home in plaza midwood, and i couldn't be more excited.

upon arriving at the salon, i was greeted by edward, the owner, and tiffany, my stylist - who were both bright and bubbly despite the nasty weather and spending their saturday indoors working. right away, i felt at ease. the atmosphere at the salon is laid back but stylish, all the way down to the indie rock playlist that played throughout the place [a refreshing alternative to the ‘lite hits’ that are usually on at salons]. 

after a consultation with edward and tiffany, we decided that a keratin treatment wasn’t the way to go. i have fine, smooth hair as it is, so i was thankful that they knew their 'stuff' well enough not to sell me on something i really didn't need. i opted for a blowout and a little pampering instead. everyone i met was so genuine, a little edgy [no need to hide tattoos or piercings], and incredibly nice and helpful [that charlotte southern charm]. the queen city is lucky to have salon twelve26.

even though it was a rainy, gross day, and i didn't have any plans to get out of the house. i sure felt glamorous sipping my morning coffee – with volume for days! i scheduled a follow-up appointment for the spring and i can't wait to see the magic they work with my color.

follow salon twelve26 on facebook, twitter, and instagram for beauty tips and gorgeous hair inspiration. thanks so much for having me, y’all! i enjoyed every bit of it.

NUMBER 283

yay! five on friday! i'm linking up again with my favorites [christina, april, darci, & natasha] for the weekly five on friday link party! let's get it started:

1  |  i received this cardigan as a gift for christmas and wish they made one in every color. this is THE most comfortable article of clothing i own. i have a medium, and it's loose enough to be cozy, but fitted enough to wear out running errands.

2  |  another item on my christmas wish list was this paper source planner. since it was a christmas gift as well, i just started using it and LOVE it! paper source is sold out online, but you may be in luck if you have a local store. the large amount of space in the weekly breakdown sold me ... and the gold foil chevron didn't hurt too much either.

3  |  there are some days that only chicken and waffles can fix. after a stressful day at work yesterday, i came home and fixed chicken and waffles for dinner. andrew and i bought a waffle iron in the fall and cannot get enough! is that normal?

4  |  i've never claimed to be a huge football fan, but we'll be spending sunday cheering on our hometown team in the playoffs. our plans don't include going to the game, but DO include beer and hot wings - which is as good as a win in my book! GO PANTHERS!

5  |  lastly, i'm having my first real conditioning treatment done tomorrow. i was contacted recently by a local salon to come in for a service - they suggested the keratin treatment. has anyone ever had this done before? i've only heard good things, but i'm always a little apprehensive when it comes to doing something new to my long hair. image via

HAPPY WEEKEND!

NUMBER 282

maybe i've mentioned this before, but andrew and i LOVE our home. since buying our little cottage in october of 2012, we've made a lot of progress in making it our cozy getaway in the city. if you've been following for a little while or if you know me [in real life] you know that i love a good deal. it's a constant battle: wanting our home to be picture perfect and not wanting to break the bank. decorating a home on a budget takes time. finding good quality pieces that look way more than their price tag takes time too. i've compiled a short list of recent [and future] budget buys for the home that i love and hope you will too!

curtains  |  if you visit our home, it’s no secret that we love ikea. what i love even more is that they have some traditional décor options that are very wallet-friendly! we have 2 sets of the lenda curtains [white and beige], and i love them both! the longer length is perfect for a high curtain rod and gives a sophisticated and finished look to any room.

pouf  | in the past 2 months, i've been working fervently on the 3rd bedroom & office. the black/white/gold color scheme is a little more modern than the rest of our home, but we [andrew included!] love it! for christmas, i included this morroccan pouf form on my wish list and, what do you know?, santa [my lovely in-laws] came through! for $38, you can buy the pouf online and the filler for an additional $15 at your local sewing shop… or if you’re me: use old towels/throw pillows, because i'm lazy like that. as much as i love a designer pouf, i'll take the $200+ discount!

mirrors  |  mixing contemporary with traditional is one of my favorite ways to keep our home’s style up-to-date. the gold sunburst mirrors at target would look great over a bed [horizontally] or in an entryway or hallway [vertically]. this may just be my next budget buy!

pillows  |  again, with the ikea purchases. i LOVE pillow covers. my taste has changed a lot in the past years, and i have a surplus of throw pillows that i don't love so much. these pillow covers are great [and budget friendly] because they’re durable, washable, and inexpensive. ikea for the win!

prints & furniture  |  never underestimate the value of craigslist, estate sales, and hand-me-downs. our house is full of furniture that, at one time, was left unwanted. usually all it needs is a coat of paint and a little love! several items were handmade and back to being as good as new – plus i love that these pieces add even more character in our little 1940’s home!

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE BUDGET BUY?
[FOR THE HOME]

NUMBER 281

 

download the FREE desktop wallpaper

HAPPY NEW YEAR! i've never been the 'resolution' type, but i did do a short wish list in last year’s new year post. my 1 item: less change.

“in 2013 i'll be...tweaking my routine to encourage a healthier, happier lifestyle (maybe getting up a bit earlier and eating a bit lighter), enjoying our new home with my awesome husband, staying in charlotte more weekends, living in the present, being more grateful, worrying less, and smiling more.”

overall, i'm really proud of the results! in 2013 we…made our house a home, lost a dearly loved aunt, nurtured relationships with friends in charlotte, and most of all – celebrated life and enjoyed being in the present. laura wyatt design had a super successful year, and i learned more as a designer and businesswoman than i could ever have hoped! i'm so excited for 2014 - to celebrate weddings of great friends, family and friends’ babies being born, and everyday life. 2013 made me a happier person, and i'm thankful to be carrying a positive attitude into this new year.

*tip: to download this wallpaper: click the link above, download the image, and set as your desktop background.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

NUMBER 280

WOO HOO! Christmastime is here! it’s 5 days until Christmas day! if i was a grinch, i would say that now is the time where things start getting a bit stressful: we get a little snappy trying to get all our ducks in a row before...family arrives, we start traveling, _______ [insert stressful event here]. OR you're cool as a cucumber because you used one of my Christmas “hacks” to get you through the madness! ok, so maybe these aren’t technically “hacks” – more like tricks that i’ve stumbled upon around the holidays. either way, i'm sharing them with you today for my five on friday! [thanks to april, darci, christina, and natasha]
1  |  i love the look of a crisp collared shirt under a cute sweater. what i don't love? when it's not smooth! solve the wrinkled/frumpy look by putting a tank top over your collared shirt [under the sweater].
2  |  i love presents. what i love more is presents with pretty bows. last year, i posted a super simple bow tutorial. learn it, memorize it, love it, and watch as your family and friends stand back in awe of your gorgeous christmas wrapping skillz.
3  |  i love big hair. lately, i've been curling my hair a bit different and am loving the outcome. first, i take my normal amount of hair [about a 2" chunk], and curl it with the curling iron. take that individual curl and wrap it with a velcro roller. repeat for your whole head. i do about 8 rollers for my whole head - not that time consuming. the result is soft, shiny, voluminous, curls!
4  |  i love re-inventing what i have. take 2 statement necklaces and layer them for a completely new look. this may seem like a no-brainer. i've been layering 2 gold chunky necklaces for the past month or so, and the compliments won't stop coming! if they have individual links, clip the ends to a link on the opposite necklace [still with me?] and secure at the back of your neck with a necklace extender [or if you’re me, a fancy safety pin, because i’m crafty like that].
5  |  i love fresh-looking makeup. make sure your red lips stay put! when i'm daring enough to sport red lips [the whole 3 times in my entire life] i apply my lipstick once, add a light dusting of translucent powder, then top with a second coat. using this quick fix, i've never had trouble with the lipstick cracking or smudging!

MERRY [ALMOST] CHRISTMAS!

NUMBER 279

 

Christmas is in full swing, and we’ve been getting the house ready for our Christmas guest. yes…just 1 guest. friday afternoon, i'll be picking up my grandmother [Nana] from the airport to spend the night with us. last year, she made the trek from arkansas to spend the holiday with my family, and since we enjoyed it so much, we're making it a tradition - 2 years running!

i added a little festive quote to my chalkboard last night and am really pleased with how it turned out. this is the second time i've used darci's tutorial, and i must say it's the best!

hope you’re enjoying the holiday season! i've been feeling more festive than usual - maybe it's because i'm about to OD on christmas music - who knows? regardless…

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

NUMBER 278

so i'm hoping that sharing a delicious holiday recipe will make up for my serious lack of blogging in the month of december. i made a new cookie recipe for a friend's cookie swap recently, and wanted to share the love! the recipe made a TON of cookies [70] and was really easy - might end up being my go-to for events where i need to bring a lot to the table [literally]. p.s. i think this recipe would also be great with chopped pecans added!

NUMBER 277

so it’s not cold…at all. in fact, the high today is supposed to be 76*. something’s just not right. i love living in a place where you can experience every season, and when it's december...i need some cold weather. today, my five on friday is dedicated to some cold weather favorites [which i fully intend on using once the temps drop below 60 again].

1  |  i've got this gorgeous plaid scarf on my wish list. i love a good plaid, and the length/width on this baby looks like it would be so plush and warm.

2  | a few weeks ago, i met christina for a thanksgiving mani, and tried out essie's new shearling darling. my mind keeps going back to that perfect fall color, wishing i had it on my fingers now. i think a trip to the drugstore is in my very near future.

3  | the ever popular golden edition anthro mug is on sale today! i swiped up a few for christmas gifts and mayyybe even one for myself. looking forward to sipping my nightly hot chololate from something so pretty!

4  |  a little lotion? yes please! my skin gets so dry and itchy during the winter months, and i need something to lock in the moisture

5  | sephora's birthday gift last year was a sugar lip balm. i know their lip therapy would be just as luxurious. gotta keep those kissers healthy for the holiday red lips

thanks to christina, april, darci, and natasha for hosting my faaavorite weekly link up! 

HAPPY WEEKEND!

NUMBER 276

so life lately hasn’t been all sorts of glamorous, but it’s been very rewarding and….good. this long list of perfectly styled & edited cell phone pics pretty much sums up my past few weeks:



right in my element. i stocked up on mini marshmallows at teeter the other day and have been enjoying a nightly cup of hot chocolate [even though it's like 70* today].  |  completed the fastest christmas decorating session in history - 2 hours for the whole house [including outdoors]. of course it helps that we only have a tiny grinch tree. go ahead, ask me why. hint: reasons #1 and #2 are in this picture.  |  mimosas and bloody marys on turkey day  |  loving blacksburg – even when it’s cold and rainy  |  i've made lots of progress on the office! we opted for the cheaper ikea graphic rug, and i LOVE it! there have been many evenings spent here in the past few weeks.  |  andrew shaved his great woodsy beard into a mustache saturday night and had fun sporting it around greensboro. he definitely looked like a retro newscaster/police officer.

it’s finally december! i even got a little online christmas shopping done on black friday. go me! hope you're having a wonderful december so far, too! OH, and stop by sweet whitney's blog today where i'm giving away a $75 credit to go toward a new blog design [you know you want one]...and tell her that you think her new design is pretty sweet too!