12.20.2013

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!

12.17.2013

NUMBER 279

tumblr_meqi75WVKO1rg3udbo1_500most-wonderful-time

 

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!

12.15.2013

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!

cowboy-cookies
 photo recipe-card2_zpsa85519d3.jpg

12.06.2013

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!

12.05.2013

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:

life-lately

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!

11.29.2013

NUMBER 275


GET IT GIRL! if you’ve been holding off on a new blog design, now’s the chance to check it off the list! start the new year off right with a fresh look! let santa bring YOU something [a little early!]. do you really need an excuse? hop over and select your design package, fill out the quick design request form, and let me do the rest of the work!

HAPPY SHOPPING!

11.28.2013

NUMBER 274

happy thanksgiving, friends! in my life i've always had much to be thankful for, but this year, i can remember several times saying “life is pretty good” – out loud, just to acknowledge it! it’s so easy to get caught up in the fuss of the holidays…or any day for that matter. those days when our problems seem so big and out of our control. today, squeeze the ones you love a little tighter and thank the good Lord for the many blessings in your life...i know i will.



11.15.2013

NUMBER 273

i'm not a huge football fan, but at least once a year, andrew and i try to schedule a trip to my [our] beloved blacksburg for a hokie football game. it’s GORGEOUS this time of year and theres’s always fun to be had in southwest virginia! we've been fortunate enough to have some great friends that live in town and are nice enough to host us for the weekend! really couldn’t be luckier! we always have a perfect time, and the weekend is the perfect mix of nostalgia and cold weather! we’re packing up this afternoon and heading up 81 for the weekend, and i could not be more excited!!
in my previous life – before i was a hokie – maroon and orange, just didn’t seem quite right together. some would even argue that the colors clash [how dare they!] after 4 years of seeing nothing BUT the chicago maroon and burnt orange together, it’s now in my nature to snatch up anything and everything that resembles it. or at least snap a picture of it and send it to my college girlfriends in case they want it!  i was in jcpenney not too long ago and was truly shocked at the amount of items that had my beloved college color combo. for my five on friday [christina, april, darci, & natasha], i've compiled a little list of their online selection! you can bet i'll be sporting that striped top with some skinnies and my boots tomorrow at the tailgate!

five-on-friday-hokies

shirt  |  scarf  |  earrings  |  basket  |  cardigan

HAPPY [HOKIE] WEEKEND!

11.08.2013

NUMBER 272

this week has been crazy busy in the best possible way. i'm forgoing my usual “five on friday” post [still love you gals] for a little download. i haven’t shared one in a while, but i thought it was pretty fitting since design work is what’s been filling up my evenings this week. hope you have a wonderful weekend – maybe go crunch some fallen leaves and sip some hot cider!
*tip: to download this wallpaper: click the link above, download the image, and set as your desktop background.

HAPPY [FALL] WEEKEND!

11.04.2013

NUMBER 271

office.fw

rug  |  desk  |  chair  |  bulletin board  |  garland  |  trunk [similar]

it seems like once i wrap up one project, i'm already focused on the next one. it’s a curse and a blessing, just ask andrew! we were having breakfast saturday morning, just talking about how much we loved our house, listing rooms that were “finished” or “almost there” [a short list], and here i am already…focused on 1 of the 2 rooms in the house that still look like we moved in last week!

i've been spending more time in the office lately, and since business is good [!!!] i hope to be spending even more time there in the future. andrew’s dearest aunt gifted us an heirloom antique trunk before she passed away last spring, and i'm using it as a jumping off point for inspiration. it’s a gorgeous piece and “industrial chic” is where i'm headed with it. i've never been a huge girly-girl, so a bright white office with hot pink peonies [as gorgeous as it is] just isn’t my style. so let’s see if i can make this happen!

11.01.2013

NUMBER 270

five-on-friday-jcrew

cardigan  |  necklace  |  sweater [for him]  |  slippers  |  sweater [for me]

fear not! you may not can count on me for a saturday-thursday post, but i'm not going to miss my five on friday with darci, christina, april, and natasha. we were total scrooges [is that applicable for halloween?!] and left our house [and the lights off] last night! the perks to not having kiddies on halloween is that instead of trick or treating, you get to just "treat yo'self". that was our motto last night when andrew and i made a last minute decision to head down to south carolina and hit up the [empty] outlets! it was a ghost-town, and we pretty much had every store to ourselves. the majority of our damage was done in j.crew and you can see just a few of our goodies above. they were having a massive in-store only sale, and we scored some really great fall and winter pieces for next-to-nothing! we had such a great time, just us two, and finished off the night at an old standby restaurant – outback!

a big congrats to my blog [and real life] friend, april, on her big baby bump announcement! you and ian will make great parents to that little babe! xoxo

HAPPY [NOVEMBER] WEEKEND!

10.25.2013

NUMBER 269

it’s been one of those weeks where watching scary movies and curling up by the fire has taken priority over blog posts, that’s allowed right? however, i'm staying true to my friday gals by linking up with darci, april, christina, and natasha for five on friday! woo hoo! let’s go!

20131013_184537(0)fall is here, and with it has been some gorgeous carolina sunsets. this is one of my favorite skyline scenes in charlotte, and we just happen to drive by it every day on the way to work. there have been several evenings where i'll park the car and walk over the bridge just to get a better shot of this gorgeous city.
20131023_192543andrew’s gotta be commended on his dedication to healthy eating. in the past couple of weeks, he’s lost about 12 pounds just from being conscious about what he eats and working out [mostly] every day. he worked late one night this week, so i got dinner ready while he was at the office. after eating this salad for 2 nights in a row, we’ve declared it our FAVORITE salad!  get the recipe here for the skinny grilled buffalo chicken salad [and don’t forget the homemade skinny ranch – it TOTALLY makes the meal].
20131023_214811_LLSummm… i don’t really have words for this, other than: she sleeps like this ALL the time, and i wish i could sleep this comfortably on the couch.

20131024_134403i decided to give a new local coffee shop a try this weekend and it did NOT disappoint.  i grabbed a chai latte from “not just coffee” in atherton mill and was so pleased! not only is their logo cute, but the chai hit the spot! p.s. would you believe that i've never had one of those pretty latte art drinks? i'm adding that one to the fall bucket list!
lastly, my mom is heading to town tomorrow for a girls weekend! we’re spending the day antiquing, brunching, doing girly things, then wrapping up the day with the michael buble' concert in uptown! i'm sure there will be a good amount of screaming 20-60 year old women in the crowd, and i'm SO excited to be one of them!
hope everyone has a great weekend! stay bundled up, it’s supposed to get COLD [and i secretly love it]!
HAPPY [GIRLS] WEEKEND!

10.18.2013

NUMBER 268

finally! it looks and feels like fall outside! this week has been a perfect 10 in my book! here are a few things that are making me smile: we found out mrs. carolina charm is having a baaaby, i had a perfect catch up dinner with a good friend last night, the house is clean, bbq is on the agenda for this weekend, i wrapped up a really cute design for a really cute friend this week, and had some time to work on my own site a little.

you might [or might not] notice that i made some changes this week. not only is laura wyatt designs a separate site now, but i've developed some fun new design packages too! this will replace the long, drawn out a la carte, back and forth estimate routine i was doing before! i'm really excited! blog design is something i really LOVE doing - the creativty involved with making a design, the excitement i get when my code actually works...ok i'll stop before i totally geek out on you. anyway for my five on friday post, i've hand picked some of my recent [and not so recent] favorite designs:

as usual, i'm linking up with these sweet girls for five on friday [darci, christina, april, + natasha]

HAPPY [FALL] WEEKEND!

10.16.2013

NUMBER 267

lips
this is the lipstick post for gals who don’t wear lipstick. my lips are pretty pigmented, so i feel washed out with most nudes, and i don’t have the confidence level for a bold red. i can’t count the times that i've swiped a bright hue on my lips…only to end up wiping it off before walking out the door. is that just me? red girls – what’s your secret? i'm slowly getting more comfortable having some color on there, and i've found a handful of creamy natural colors that are helping me make the transition. here’s a quick lineup of my favorites that i've kept on for longer than 10 minutes…(left to right)
maybelline  | color whisper 80 – made it mauve
maybelline  | 245 blushing brunette
cover girl  |  265 romance
revlon  |  613 just enough buff
bobbi brown  |  2 biege

10.11.2013

NUMBER 266

happy friday! i'm back with part 2 of “laura spends the whole weekend being super productive” with the much awaited chalkboard and table reveals! yay! along with those fun things, i'm doing the “friday usual” – linking up with my favorites for five on friday! [christina, darci, april, and natasha!]

a little while back, i saw emily from jones design company post her fall wreath on instagram, and i went out of my way to pin it because i knew i wanted one JUST like it! $20 later, i had my own, and i LOVE it!

20130916_185032

THIS guy is at our house for the weekend, and i could not be more excited! my parents are visiting arkansas until sunday, so we’re keeping my puppy brother until they’re back. our life is about to get a little more crazy as a 3-pet family!

20131010_173206

is there anything better than a man that cooks? i made a HUGE pot of vegetable soup sunday and we’ve been eating it all. week. long. wednesday night, andrew decided to reward our healthy eating efforts by making a batch of his mama’s homemade buttermilk biscuits. that man knows the way to my heart!

500

drumroll please….

YAY! TABLE! ok, so it’s not all that crazy and exciting, but it’s beautiful and perfect to me! i spent the better half of the week sanding, staining, and polyurethane-ing, and i'm so happy to see the final product looking beautiful in the dining room. our $30 bought the table and 2 leaves that will accommodate more friends! now on to the chairs…i'm thinking of these beauties from world market or these…or these…[on major major sale, obv. you know how this lady does shopping.] sidenote: should i chalk paint my china cabinet?

20131010_175948_LLS 20131010_180220_LLS

can you spot the big kitty?

20131010_180458_LLS

and finally…my chalkboard! i'm not going to show you my freehanded attempt [definitely not my best work], but trust me - darci’s tutorial on chalkboard art truly saved the day!  my artwork is from clarendon lane – i just love it! i still think andrew thinks i've lost it, wanting a chalkboard in our living room, but i think he’ll become a fan soon: he has free reign over the board at the end of every month. how nice am i?

20131010_181650_LLS

it’s supposed to be goooorgeous this weekend [i think?!], and i'm looking forward to being home in charlotte for the 4th weekend in a row! hope you have a good one too!

HAPPY [FALL] WEEKEND!

10.07.2013

NUMBER 265

this is part 1 of a 2 part series called "laura spends the whole weekend being super productive". it's a rarity. i'm seriously coming off of some sort of DIY high right now. my weekend activities included: thrifting, priming, painting, thrifting [round 2], sanding, washing, cooking, sanding [round 2], staining, weeding, designing. quickly followed by sleeping, and not enough of it. here’s a wrap up of the before shots of this weekend’s projects:
 

20131004_180744_LLS (1)i know andrew thought i was certifiably crazy when he came home thursday to see this lovely swan portrait hanging in our entryway. no girl nowadays can resist a good gold frame, and i wasn’t going to let this beauty at the salvation army go to waste. i spent some time this weekend saying goodbye to the swans and jumping on the chalkboard bandwagon. the finished frame is back in the entryway, now decorated for fall! after pictures to come!

20131005_134147saturday morning we grabbed some iced chai lattes and headed down the road to charming gastonia. the backstory: i've had my heart set on a round pedestal table for our dining room for some time now – spending too many hours on craigslist for the cause. i like to think that i'm pretty frugal when it comes to spending, so i've been holding out for the best deal possible on this table [under $100]. after passing up a pretty perfect antique table for $140, we took a chance and stopped at a hole in the wall “discount alley” on the way out of town. after being directed to the basement [no joke] for the furniture selection, i spotted it. andrew and i both couldn’t believe he only wanted $40 for the table. i honestly could have passed out, my hands were shaking i was so excited! we walked out of there with a new table and $30 lighter. yes, even at $40, i still negotiated!

 20131005_143507this is the before shot – before any sanding or staning. i've got 2 coats of poly to go before it’s finished, and i'm so excited to show you the final product!

10.04.2013

NUMBER 264

friday is here friends! hopefully this weekend will bring us some cooler temps. eight degrees just doesn’t say “october”, am i right? this week has blown by, and i can look back and say it was a pretty good one! i'm participating in my favorite link up today with darci, christina, april, and natasha for their weekly five on friday!

five-on-friday8

1  |  some poor target marketing intern probably got fired yesterday. they’re buy one get one coupon was available for a short period of time yesterday afternoon, and i was able to score this gorgeous necklace for free [with the purchase of my $8 earrings]! you can bet i'm sporting it today [and maybe all weekend]. i feel like such a jerk – of course i was so excited about the incredible deal, sharing it with my friends, only to have target take down the coupon almost immediately! sorry for getting y’all’s hopes up! maybe another intern will screw up sometime in the near future!

2  |  andrew and i are BACK on the weight loss/get fit wagon. this happens about 3 times a year, if we could up that to 12 times a year, i think we’d be in good shape! after eating well most of the week and doing some sort of physical activity every night, i think we’re on the right track! keep up with my progress and cheer us on here, on my fitness pal.

3  |  i'm on the hunt for a new dining table, and i'm not afraid of a little diy project if it comes with a low price tag! i love this table makeover by kristen davis designs.

4  |  speaking of diy... i know i totally missed the boat on the chalkboard trend, but i got an awesome deal on a gold frame at the salvation army store yesterday. planning on some chalkboard action this weekend – pictures to come!

5  |  one of our favorite brunch spots in charlotte, zada janes, has this jam on every table. after the first bite, i was hooked! i left thinking that i would surely have to order it online [and would inevitably forget about doing it], so i was so surprised to find it in my local harris teeter in the produce area [on our little local rack]. looks like andrew will have to make a few of his mama’s biscuits this weekend…

HAPPY [FALL] WEEKEND!

10.03.2013

NUMBER 263

20131003_125350

DISCLAIMER: i’m a total coupon amateur, but i saw this deal and couldn't pass it up! maybe i'm late to the party on this one y'all, but i had to share the news before it's TOO LATE for you to get in on it too!

i got the 2 items above for $7.99 plus tax. [disregard my basmati rice purchase]. i used target’s mobile coupon for buy one get one free on jewelry, watches, and sunglasses. here’s how you score:

  1. download the target mobile app
  2. sign up for the mobile coupons under “deals and coupons”
  3. pick your 2 jewelry items of choice [the cheapest can be a clearance item, the most expensive can be up to $58.99]
  4. have your cashier scan the barcode for this week’s mobile coupon [expires tomorrow]
  5. your most expensive item will be the FREE one!

like i said, i’m very green when it comes to couponing. i chould have scored a $50 new watch with a $2 clearance item, but instead i got two items that i know i'll wear. another amateur move: i didn't get a picture of my full receipt. my final total was $11.11 because i needed rice for lunch...so there's that.

HAPPY COUPONING!

*update: i've had mixed messages from some iPhone users saying they can’t see the coupon. i can still view mine which makes me think target may be trying to take this down to save themselves a little $$

9.30.2013

NUMBER 262

i'm well aware that i've been neglecting my little blog, but i am still alive, well, and busy! here's a little recap in pictures of the last whirlwind week. not pictured: me + the boo celebrating our 4th wedding anny eating ice cream straight out of the carton.

20130925_183046new birthday boots! y'all might remember my wishlist post a while back. well, andrew came through in the clutch this year!
i think i’m good-to-go on shoes for the next 17 years.

Capture playing dress up in the cliché birthday sombrero at cantina 1511 on friday night.

20130927_230917_LLStoo much mexican food = pj party with anni-mal after din.

IMG_5512me, whitney, mason, and alexa.
saturday morning blogger brunch at toast with some lovely ladies!
i'm so so glad whitney put together this little outing! it was wonderful meeting you gals!

20130928_213928cute little coordinated family at mellow mushroom saturday night! [only ate 1 dinner at home last week, oops]

20130929_144214lastly, our weekend project. and by “our” i mean, the men. my dad and andrew spent saturday [and most of sunday] routing the gas line and installing new gas logs! we broke them in last night during the finale for breaking bad [which was ahhmazing]. our living room is quickly becoming my favorite place in the house!

HAPPY MONDAY, Y’ALL!

9.25.2013

NUMBER 261

image via

today i am 28 years old! in the past few years, i feel as if i've been struggling with some sort of quarter-life crisis. i wasn’t feeling like the happy, carefree, girl i had known in years past. i was insecure, moody, and just not very fun [in my opinion]. late in my 27th year, i've truly felt a transformation. i'm on the rise again! my heart is happy, and i am content [and no, i'm not pregs]. here are just a few things that are keeping my spirits high:

  • think positive!
    only i am in charge of how i feel.
  • stop comparing.
    there will always be someone prettier, smarter, more talented, etc. be thankful and enjoy the many gifts and blessings that God has given me.
  • count your blessings.
    [they greatly outweigh the negatives that can seem so huge at times]
  • keep a clean home. 
    am i crazy? having a clean house makes me genuinely happy!
  • stop putting happiness on a pedestal.
    i'm starting to realize that i don’t have to have 10/10 items checked off on my “list” in order to be happy. i have a good life.
  • just do it.
    [not like nike] for me, this doesn’t mean going skydiving or moving to nashville to become a country music singer. it means going to coffee with a new friend or picking up the phone to call an old one. i walk around with the fear of rejection so often and don’t realize the opportunities that can pass me by. once i just “do it”, i'm so happy i did.

and a few goals for the next year:

  • wake up earlier.
    i'm usually up by 9 on the weekends which is definitely progress. now if i could just swing 6:30 on a weekday, we’d be in good shape.
  • eat better.
    i think i've eaten enough taco bell in my lifetime to feed a small village for a year. i wish i were kidding when i say that i love fast food and think it tastes really good. time to make some changes.
  • be active.
    for me, this is a more realistic goal than “work out”. let’s start with a walk around the neighborhood a few times a week. baby steps.
  • show love.
    i want to make a more conscious effort to think of others more often: call someone when you’re thinking of them, send more birthday cards, help out a friend who’s going through a hard time. i spend a lot of time thinking about doing these things and saying “i don’t have time”, when the reality is…. if i didn’t surf pinterest for 17 hours a week, i could spend more time doing meaningful things for other people!
  • know God.
    learning to not think of God as some abstract being but rather someone who is actually in my life - day in and day out. our relationship is definitely something that needs tending in the next year [and then some].

the past year has brought a lot of enlightenment for me, and i know 28 will continue along the same path. thanks for reading and following my little journey!

9.17.2013

NUMBER 260

last weekend we traveled to smith mountain lake to spend some time celebrating our sweet friends, marc and lori beth, and their engagement! we were fortunate enough to have our engagement party here just 4 short years ago, so it was so much fun to go back and relive the excitement with our good friends! the girls were too busy gossiping about the bachelorette party to snap pics, so these were stolen from marc+lb – which explains why they’re awesome, and not cell phone photos. thanks so much to their families for hosting this perfect event and for including us!
20130914_192634this view never gets old.
1236710_10100581574552043_1070590801_n (1)soul sisters/best friends
my dress is from francescas, lb’s is from gap
1268242_10100581576423293_635167431_obeautiful bridesmaids
555334_10100581610385233_1107042078_nthe happy couple
1274153_10100581576642853_147144995_omy handsome groom – almost 4 years and counting!
774733_10100581573713723_922523766_odad and I being sweet.
andrew, brad, and mom perfecting the photo bomb.
we’re so lucky to have such great friends…who throw great parties…and invite us to them! can’t wait for that beautiful wedding in june!
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