Always Organizing

Fierce...

2012-01-19T09:15:00.000-05:00

How fierce are these gold wedges from Lilly Pulitzer? Not that my 6 month pregnant behind will be rocking them anytime soon, but a girl can dream...

Nursery Planning...

2012-01-10T09:13:00.001-05:00

I have most of the nursery already planned in my head. I found adorable bedding at Pottery Barn Kids (it is sold out online, but the are getting 4 quilts in this week and my local PB kids will hold one for me). I will post a pic once I have it. The walls are going to be a leafy green (still need to pick the paint) and the curtains will be this zig zag fabric. I think we are going to buy a simple white crib and dresser to use as a changing table. I may also get a low white bookcase and plan to fill the room with fun accessories that will be used for toy storage etc. So fun to plan!!!

2012...

2012-01-04T08:12:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year!!! Ok, so I'm a few days late :) The hubs and I had a nice NYE dinner out followed by hanging at a bar managed by a friend of ours. Cranberry juice and seltzer for preggo me! I think 2012 is going to be a great year. I don't have too many resolutions this year. A healthy pregnancy, getting my new home as organized as possible and spending as much time with my dear hubby as I can. How about you?

It's a BOY!!!

2011-12-20T07:32:00.000-05:00

We are thrilled to be expecting a baby boy :) Our little guy will be arriving around May 1st so I need to get going on the nursery. I will take before and after pics and definitely share the process as it comes together.

Where Have I Been???

2011-12-05T07:29:00.000-05:00

Well....

Buying a house...

and

Getting Pregnant!

Seriously, the pregnancy came right before the house and we could not be more excited. I am a little over 4 months pregnant now and feeling good. Feels good to be back in blogland!

Whew!

2011-10-06T08:40:00.000-04:00

Such a whirlwind month! We closed on our house in late September. I can't wait to share before and after pics. We are going to paint the whole interior and I'm finalizing paint colors now. So much to do and to pack. Can't believe how much stuff we have in our apartment, it's nuts.

Craving Fall...

2011-09-01T09:28:00.000-04:00

Fall is just around the corner. It has gotten cooler at night and stays a little darker later in the morning. This Shep Shirt from Vineyard Vines would be the perfect addition to my fall wardrobe!!!
*Image courtesy of Vineyard Vines

Irene..

2011-08-29T08:41:00.000-04:00

Hurricane Irene hit the East Coast this weekend. The hubs and I live far enough inland to not be impacted by the floods but we have plenty of friends who have been deeply impacted. Sending lots of prayers to those impacted that the water recedes quickly and the power comes back on!!!

Flying Colors...

2011-08-25T08:11:00.000-04:00

The home inspection went pretty smoothly. A few issues that we are going to go back and ask the seller to fix. While the hubs was following the inspector around getting all the info, I was photographing and measuring kitchen cabinets, pantries, closets, etc. Priorities ;)

I even took a picture of the inside of the fridge so I can remember what it looks like inside. Yes, I realize that is a bit nuts but a girl needs a plan, right?

Bowled Over..

2011-08-19T08:09:00.000-04:00

Love this little Anthropologie bowl I picked up a couple of weekends ago. The picture doesn't do it justice, the colors are so saturated. I plan to use lots of greens and blues to decorate our house, so this will be a great addition. Inspection is on Monday, fingers crossed!

Ballard Brilliance...

2011-08-16T08:49:00.000-04:00

How brilliant (no pun intended!) is the new Ballard catalog? The inside cover has a guide for lighting that includes how high you should hang your chandelier, how big your chandelier should be for the room and how much light you need. Here is a quick cheat sheet:

How High?
Dining Room - 30 to 32" above the table
Foyer - 7' from the floor

How Big?
Add the length and width of your room together and that gives you the diameter
of the chandelier (10' + 14' = 24, a 24" chandelier would work in the space)

How Much?
Room Length X Room Width X 1.5 = amount of wattage to light that room

How genius is this??? Love it!

Craft Closet..

2011-08-15T06:51:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday! I don't have any pics to post yet of the new house. Mainly, because we are still finalizing contact details and have yet to go through inspection. The hubs is going to be at the inspection (obviously!) and I'm thinking of going also, to learn about the process (more likely to wander around the house, dream about my design plans and take pictures of all of the kitchen cabinets so I can plan where everything goes before we move). Anywhoo.

The master bedroom has 3 closets. One is a huge walk-in which we are going to share and the other 2 are up for grabs. One closet has some neat shelves built in and it is going to be my "craft closet". Can't wait! I have a bunch of cute storage items but can definitely use some large flat storage boxes for tissue paper and other over sized items. Loving these Library flat boxes from the Container Store, such great color!

*Image courtesy of the Container Store

I'm Back!!!

2011-08-08T08:04:00.000-04:00

Hi Friends! Sorry for the long absence, been enjoying the summer. The hubs and I are buying a house! We are so excited :) It is our first house and we are in love with it. I'm not going to post pictures until we have gone through attorney review and inspection, etc. Don't want to jinx anything! Let's just say I am making my design plans as we speak. Can't wait to share them with all of you!

Ear Candy...

2011-06-20T08:51:00.001-04:00

I adore these silk knot earrings from Fitz and Frannie. I have seen them all over the blogs for some time and finally ordered a pair. Can't wait for them to arrive! Happy Monday!

Adorable Desktop Organization...

2011-06-02T09:09:00.000-04:00

How cute are these desktop file holders? Such fun colors and collapsible! I always have paper that is in transition to be filed or put in my inspiration and recipe binders. One of these would be a perfect place to hold papers and they are cute too! I found them here.

*Image courtesy of See Jane Work

Is This Thing On???

2011-05-31T07:28:00.000-04:00

Hi friends! Where has the time gone? I haven't blogged in a month and I really don't have much to show for it. Truth be told, I was a little blogged out and just needed to disconnect for a while. The hubs and I are starting the house hunting process and I really wish I could be blogging about the paint colors and furniture we've chosen, but we aren't there yet. Blogging about my wedding was so much fun because I felt so inspired by other blogging brides. Feeling a little blah but I will get over it.

I hope you had a lovely Memorial Day weekend and I'm glad to be back!

Catching Up...

2011-04-26T08:29:00.000-04:00

Hi friends, hope you had a wonderful Easter! The hubs and I spent Easter with my dad and stepmom and the rest of the fam. There are 4 kids under 4 in the group and it was really fun to hide eggs and watch them run around to find them. Spring is definitely here!

On another note, how adorable is this Vineyard Vines sash? It is part of their new Kentucky Derby collection and it is on its way to me right now!!!

Sunday Funday...

2011-04-10T20:49:00.002-04:00

Hi Friends! Today was a really nice day. My mother-in-law came over for dinner and we had a relaxing afternoon. Work has been a little nuts. Something in the air conditioning system in the ceiling broke last weekend and our office was flooded. I work on a huge floor and basically it was just my program (25 people) that was affected. I got a call late last Sunday night to dress casually and to clean up. Such a mess.

We had to quickly pack up our offices and toss anything that was destroyed. Our staff has been moved to temporary spaces that were available around the floor. Not really convenient but I try to keep it in perspective. I overheard some complaints from people around us and I feel like saying "really? This is THAT bad??? Have you seen what is going on in Japan and other places around the world? Get a grip." Hope you have a great week!

Cleaning My Closet...

2011-04-04T08:24:00.000-04:00

How is your closet looking? I feel like I am perpetually organizing my closet. It is definitely my therapy ;) Something about spring makes me want to be as organized and streamlined as possible. That and the fact that the hubs and I are starting to look for our first house. I really can't wait to move into our "forever" house. We are just starting the process so there is no need to pack just yet but I am preparing by purging anything that we don't need or use.

I have mentioned before that I often bring household items that I no longer use to work and stick them in a common area with a sign that says "free stuff, help yourself". You would be amazed at how quickly things are picked up. It makes me happy to recycle things that way, someone else can give a second life to something that I have sitting around. I have also been getting rid of clothing, most gently or never worn by having my sis sell them on her ebay store (shameless plug!!!), which you can find here.

What are you working on for spring?

Fridge Love...

2011-03-31T08:39:00.001-04:00

I love the Container Store. I really LOVE the Container Store. The closest one to us is about a 35 minute drive so when I go there I make the most of it. Thank goodness for the internet, I can browse the online store at any time. I crave order and organization, maybe it's because I'm a Capricorn? Not that my place is always orderly and organized, but I'm always working on it.

What's my point? Well, the CS sent me an email yesterday to let me know that my life is not complete until I order some of these adorable and practical wine holders for my fridge. Seriously, I love these things. Am ordering at least two as we speak. What will they think of next?

Spiced Sweet Potatoes...

2011-03-29T08:01:00.000-04:00

I am so making these! I picked up the latest edition of Country Living at the grocery store after work yesterday and these sweet potatoes called my name. They look delish and I can't wait to make them. Yum!

*Image courtesy of Country Living

Blah.

2011-03-22T08:17:00.000-04:00

I have a cold. Blah. Caught it from the hubs. It really isn't the end of the world but I just feel run down. Work is really busy this week and I had some big plans to do some projects at home so a cold is not ideal. I want to sleep till noon. Just so this is not a total waste of a post, here is a picture of Bath, England from our honeymoon in 2009. So beautiful.

Chillaxin..

2011-03-20T15:16:00.003-04:00

That's what I'm up to today, how about you? Actually, I'm doing laundry, food prep and surfing the interwebs on the sofa while the hubs plays a video game. I love Sunday afternoons. My grocery shopping is done and it is all about relaxing. I'm making pesto later to put on grilled chicken sandwiches for dinner tonight. Yummy. Happy Sunday!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

2011-03-17T07:37:00.000-04:00

Paint the Town...

2011-03-16T08:29:00.001-04:00

Green!!! LOVING the green paint in this picture. It is Cedar Green by Benjamin Moore and is featured on a wall in April's House Beautiful. I found this picture featuring it on their site. It is definitely going in my inspiration files. The hubs and I are starting to look for a house and I know that green is going to be a color that is used throughout. It is so fresh. Love, love, love!

Update: The blue paint is also by Benjamin Moore and is called Marlboro Blue.

*Image from House Beautiful

It's About Time...

2011-03-11T07:29:00.000-05:00

So I finally got my act together and ordered a calendar for my desk at work. Hello, it's only March!!!! So much for being organized. I ordered this adorable Lilly Pulitzer calendar from the Preppy Princess and could not be happier. It is so pretty and really brightens up my desk. The Princess did such a lovely job packaging it which speaks to the pride she takes in her shop. Love it!

The Laundress..

2011-03-07T09:36:00.000-05:00

I learned about The Laundress last year and even purchased some of their cashmere wash from J Crew. I have to be honest, it sat under my sink for awhile because I was afraid of destroying my favorite cashmere sweater! Well, I broke it out and could not be happier. It smells wonderful, is environmentally friendly and did a great job. Love!

ps. I write about a lot of products on this blog, none of which I am compensated for sharing. I am a true consumer and love to share the things I like with you. If I ever were to be compensated for reviewing a product, etc I would certainly disclose that up front.

Sentimental Fool...

2011-03-02T07:23:00.000-05:00

Good morning!!! Question for all my friends out there who are sentimental fools like me. How do you organize/store the cards you receive during the year and at Christmastime? I tend to store them in boxes with no real organization. I don't want to part with them. Does anyone have any creative storage ideas?

Just a Note..

2011-02-24T09:44:00.001-05:00

Is it me or has this week FLOWN by??? I have so much to do at work and feel like the hours are slipping away from me this week. Hope you are having a great day!

Monogramtastic!

2011-02-22T08:15:00.003-05:00

Hey there!!! Fell off the grid for a few days :) I hope you had a great weekend. In a recent post I mentioned that I had shipped a couple of totes to Star Monograms for personalization. Well, they are here and I am in love!!! My techie hubby helped me shade out my first initial but you should be able to see the design. The quality is so great, I can't wait to use them again!

Anniversary Keepsake...

2011-02-15T07:44:00.000-05:00

My husband and I celebrated our first anniverary on 9/25/10 and it was wonderful. We spent a long weekend in Martha's Vineyard, ate the top tier of our cake and toasted with our champagne flutes. I saved the cork from the bottle of Veuve Clicquout and wrote the year on it. I knew I wanted to save it and repeat this for our future anniversaries. I spent some time thinking about where to put my corks to display. After looking at several pretty jars, I saw this one at Williams Sonoma and was sold. So pretty and so simple...

I also have a small photo album where I am putting a picture that we take of us on each of our anniversaries. I think it will be so special to look back at these pictures over the years. What are your anniversary traditions?

Valentine's Day Dinner

2011-02-13T13:11:00.002-05:00

The hubs and I often spend Valentine's Day having dinner at home. I enjoy cooking and we love to have a romantic dinner at home. I made filet mignon, porcini mushroom risotto and roasted aspargus. I make the risotto all the time and it is a favorite. The filet had a rosemary and mushroom gravy with it and it was delicious. Have a Happy Valentine's Day!

Bag It and Tag It...

2011-02-08T09:07:00.000-05:00

Martha Stewart has done it again! I signed up for her daily tips and like a lot of what is delivered to my inbox each day. I really like this tip about canvas garment bags with a hanging ID tag on the outside. I found canvas garment bags here and a great variety of tags here. If you search Paper Source using the word "tag" you will find a ton of different options. Why not use different color tags for different types of garments?

Roar...

2011-02-01T08:45:00.000-05:00

This door knocker is fierce. I LOVE it. The hubs and I will be house hunting soon so we will have to buy something that matches this door knocker...

*Image courtesy of Williams Sonoma Home

Girls' Night In...

2011-01-31T07:53:00.001-05:00

Happy Monday! I had a nice weekend, how about you? On Saturday night, the hubs had a guys' night with his friend K and I had a girls' night with my friend E. I went to her house where we ate a yummy dinner, drank wine, watched a movie and caught up. Good times. She has an adorable boxer that she rescued and this dog is so loving and sweet.

Friends of E found the dog running around the streets two summers ago and picked him up on the way to a bbq at her house. The hubs and I were there too and could not believe how skinny and shaky he was. E did all the legwork to determine if the dog had a chip, owner, etc and nada. So, he is her dog. He knows that she saved his life and he loves her like you wouldn't believe.

ps. My hubby is too cute. I brought a bunch of DVDs with me to E's house and he left me a little note inside the case of each one. So sweet :)

Monogram...

2011-01-27T09:36:00.002-05:00

I have totally fallen in love with all things monogrammed in the last couple of years. All of you preppy bloggers have rubbed off on me!!! The lovely EAS over at Let the Tide Pull Your Dreams Ashore introduced us to Star Monograms in Annapolis and I just knew I had to have them monogram some totes for me.

I reached out to Star Monograms and a lovely woman named Katie was super helpful. She said "no problem" when I asked if I could ship items from NJ to her store for monogramming. So, I very excitedly ordered two LL Bean zip top totes, a large and an extra large, with navy blue trim. Star Monograms is going to monogram them in the circle monogram in kelly green thread. I shipped them to Annapolis this week and could not be more excited to get them when they are done.

I already have a couple of LL Bean totes, but these will be extra special and perfect for an overnight or weekend trip. I also plan to do similar monogrammed totes for each of our future children. The large zippered totes are a great size for throwing all of the extra kid stuff in that doesn't fit in a diaper bag, don't you think? I'm always thinking ahead...

What is your favorite monogrammed item?

Ferosh..

2011-01-24T07:48:00.001-05:00

I snagged these shoes yesterday online at J Crew. They are offering an additional 40% off on sale items and I had a gift card from my MIL burning a hole in my pocket. They are totally not practical but I loved them since the second I saw them. Can't believe they had them left in my size!!!

Hope you had a great weekend. We are slated to get more snow here in NJ this week and I'm just about over it. I'm definitely craving spring.

*Image courtesy of J Crew

Bread Basket..

2011-01-20T08:56:00.000-05:00

I am loving this cherry red bread basket from Williams Sonoma. Problem is, I already have it in yellow! The yellow one is gorgeous and was a gift from our wedding registry. We get a ton of use out of it. Is that enough of a justification to buy a second one??

For Your Little One...

2011-01-18T07:36:00.000-05:00

Mr. AO and I hope to have a couple of kids and I can't wait to plan/organize/decorate their nurseries and rooms. I definitely will need some of these adorable closet dividers. You can find them here and here.

Blackberry vs iPhone

2011-01-14T19:37:00.000-05:00

I have a Verizon blackberry, which works fine for me. However, the iPhone has always intrigued me and now Verizon is going to be carrying it. Any thoughts from iPhone users???

Organizing Tip #8

2011-01-11T07:45:00.000-05:00

I started sharing organizing tips a while back but fell off the wagon! Here is a tip: keep a donation bag going at all times. I actually keep 2 donation bags around, one for clothing and one for household items. I am always finding household things that I no longer need but are in good condition. Once the bag is full, I take it to work. Yes, work! I work in a fairly large office so this works for me. I put the items out on a table in a highly traveled area with a sign that says "free stuff, help yourself". The stuff is gone in minutes. One man's trash...

* Image courtesy of Bloomingdales

Winter Doldrums...

2011-01-06T09:01:00.000-05:00

I don't know about you but I always feel a little down after the holidays. With all of the build up to Christmas, New Year and my birthday (day after Christmas!) I don't seem to notice the cold, yucky weather. Once January hits I am ready for spring. We have a little while to go so I will just have to look at some of the new items hitting the stores for spring and anticipate nicer weather. These J Crew flats are super cute and I can imagine running around in them in a few months or even wearing them to work.

1/1/11

2011-01-01T09:57:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year!!! Can you believe 2011 is here? I wish all of you a happy and healthy new year. With every new year comes New Year's Resolutions. These are mine for 2011:

1. Get back on a regular workout schedule.
2. Experiment with new recipes.
3. Menu plan (in a more formal sense).
4. Re-learn how to knit.
5. Buy a sewing machine and start making stuff.
6. Make my wedding scrapbook.
7. Revamp this blog and give it more focus.

What are your resolutions???

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T09:16:00.001-05:00

Wishing all of you a Merry Christmas and a happy healthy 2011!!!

Couldn't Resist...

2010-12-19T09:38:00.002-05:00

I saw these Vineyard Vines crazy bands and I had to buy a pack! Silly, I know but they look so cute in the picture. Happy Sunday!

I Love Ina...

2010-12-10T08:24:00.001-05:00

Who doesn't love the Barefoot Contessa??? She is my absolute favorite chef on the Food Network and I had the pleasure of meeting her (albeit briefly) at her book signing on Tuesday. She was signing her new cookbook at the Williams Sonoma in Short Hills Mall and I had the best time. I met some nice ladies waiting in line and Ina was so lovely. I told her that she was fabulous and an inspiration and tried not to gush too much all over her. Such a fun day!

*Image courtesy of BarefootContessa.com

RIP Elizabeth...

2010-12-07T18:30:00.002-05:00

I am saddened to hear about the passing of Elizabeth Edwards. I thought she was a classy lady who had to endure so much in the last few years. The pain of fighting breast cancer was coupled with the immense pain of the betrayal perpetrated by her husband. I hope she is at peace.

For Fido...

2010-12-03T07:30:00.001-05:00

The hubs and I can't wait to buy a house in the spring. There are many reasons and one of them is because we really want a dog! We are thinking about a lab, black or yellow. They are such sweet dogs and good for families. I saw this great collar at LL Bean and thought it would be a wonderful Christmas gift for your Fido, practical too.

Tomorrow is our annual Christmas party and I'm in full on prep mode. I will be back with a recap and recipes!

Monday Already?

2010-11-29T08:09:00.000-05:00

Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We celebrated with my dad, stepmom, mother-in-law and brother-in-law. The hubby and I spent Friday relaxing and starting to put up our Christmas decorations. Our place is a huge mess right now but it will all be pulled together by next Saturday for our annual Christmas cocktail party. Can't wait!

In the Spirit...

2010-11-23T06:55:00.002-05:00

I'm just about ready for Thanksgiving, how about you? I have a few more things to pick up at the grocery store, which I am doing at 7am tomorrow morning before work. No crowds for me! Speaking of crowds, I'm happy to report that I think I can totally avoid going to a mall this year to Christmas shop. I am going to do a ton online and then go to some specific stores for the rest. I feel much more relaxed now that my list is almost completely written and I am looking forward to a wonderful holiday season with friends and family.

Now I know that it is the season for giving but I did a little bit of buying for myself recently. Just a little. I saw this vest from Lands End over at Lisagh's blog and went scurrying over there as fast as my little fingers could type to order one. I totally ordered the same vest, same color as her! Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right??? There was a 20% off sale going on so I got it for something like 17 bucks (hubby, that is for you just in case you are reading!) and it is beyond cute.

Christmas Gift Help!!!

2010-11-16T07:35:00.000-05:00

Hi all! Hope you had a great weekend! I feel like I have a ton on my plate right now, but that is usually how it is this time of year (and I'm sure it is no different for you!). I'm preparing to cook my 4th Thanksgiving turkey and we are having our 5th Christmas party in early December! I am putting together my menus and shopping lists for both in the next couple of days.

I am doing pretty well with my Christmas shopping but am a little stuck on what to get my Godson and his twin (3 1/2 years old) and their older brother (7). They have TONS of toys and clothes and I would rather do something educational. I am not feeling super creative so if you have any ideas for gifts for these beautiful boys I would love to hear them!!!

Vineyard Vines Coupon...

2010-11-13T11:57:00.001-05:00

Happy Saturday!!! Just wanted to share this coupon from Vineyard Vines. Time to start Christmas shopping!

Wrap It Up....

2010-11-11T08:53:00.000-05:00

I saw these adorable throw blankets over at The Daily Basics a couple of days ago and just had to check them out. They are from a Martha's Vineyard company called Chappywrap and I am in love! Which one is your favorite?

Fall Cleaning...

2010-11-09T08:07:00.001-05:00

Happy Tuesday!!! Hope you had a wonderful weekend and are enjoying the fall weather. I just love when the leaves change color, it is just so beautiful. I have been doing a lot of fall cleaning/organizing and it feels so good. I host Thanksgiving and we throw a Christmas party so it feels great to get a bunch of things done.

I did a serious purge of my closet two weekends ago and shipped a giant box of clothes (mostly unworn, I'm embarrassed to say) to my sister. My sis has an ebay shop and is selling the stuff I sent her. Check out her shop (shameless plug!) here, I sent her stuff from J Crew, Banana Republic and Gap, among others. She also has a bunch of other good things in her shop. Thanks!

I Drool...

2010-11-03T07:08:00.001-04:00

I have blog stalked Emmersonmade for some time. It has been exciting to see her business grow from her lovely handmade flowers to a host of items and clothing. I adore this clutch and sense it will be finding its way to my closet in the very near future...

Unique Wedding Guestbook...

2010-10-26T08:26:00.000-04:00

Hi friends! I'm still here :) Enjoying the fall and experimenting with some new recipes which is always fun. The hubs and I attended the wedding of a college friend of mine this weekend. We sat with some other college friends which was a lot of fun. Speaking of weddings, I came across these unique wedding guestbooks on etsy. They are from a seller called Bella Puzzles and I think they are just awesome. If you are getting married and looking for a different type of guestbook you have to check these out.

Boots...

2010-10-14T08:30:00.000-04:00

I love these boots! Aren't they so fabulous for fall???

10-10-10

2010-10-10T15:45:00.002-04:00

Isn't today's date so cool? Maybe it's just me :) I love this kind of weather. It is a beautiful early October day here in NJ. I did my grocery shopping and other chores and am now relaxing on the living room sofa. I'm going to make grilled chicken sandwiches for dinner with steak fries, can't wait! What are you up to today?

Kitchen Fun...

2010-10-06T06:50:00.000-04:00

I received so many beautiful gifts last year for my bridal shower and wedding. Among them was this fab food processor which was a gift from my step-mom. Many of our gifts are sitting upstairs in our 2nd bedroom in boxes just waiting to be used. We are planning to buy a house soon and we just don't have as much kitchen space/storage right now. Well, I had to break out the food processor for a recipe and I am loving it. LOVING IT! I am so ticked at myself for leaving it boxed for so long. Well, no more! I will squeeze it next to my big mixer on the counter and will be using it non stop.

Odds and Ends..

2010-10-04T07:42:00.000-04:00

I love these hydrangeas that I picked up at the grocery store on Sunday, so fresh and pretty! I also got a fantastic coupon from Yankee Candle a few weeks ago. Buy one, get one free! I picked up a new scent, Vanilla Pumpkin and I am loving it!

One Year...

2010-09-29T07:27:00.000-04:00

My sweet hubby and I celebrated one year of marriage this weekend, can you believe it!?! It has been a wonderful year. Settling into married life has been great. My guy is my best friend and I feel so blessed to be on this journey with him. We celebrated by spending a few days in Martha's Vineyard. So relaxing...

Fabulous Flowers...

2010-09-22T09:10:00.000-04:00

I really love looking back at the details of our wedding day. I'm so happy how everything came together. We had fun, our guests had fun and I married the love of my life. That's all that matters in the end. This is one of my favorite detail pics...

Photo Fun...

2010-09-21T08:47:00.000-04:00

I'm so excited to report that our professional wedding album is in progress! The hubs and I went into NYC yesterday to meet with our fabulous photog, Suzanne Sutcliffe. I had pre-selected about 70 or 80 images but brought all of our proofs and we came up with a great set of pictures for the album. She has such an incredible eye, I can't wait to see the finished product.

Speaking of weddings, our 1 year anniversary is this Saturday! I really can't believe it has been a year. It has been a wonderful year and I'm so incredibly lucky to have such an amazing husband. We are taking a trip to Martha's Vineyard to celebrate our anniversary, can't wait!

I'm Still Here!!!

2010-09-16T09:26:00.000-04:00

Hi Friends! I haven't fallen off the face of the earth, I promise. We have been two busy bees over here at Casa de Organizing. My Dad had knee replacement surgery on Tuesday and is doing very well. He had the other knee done a few years ago so he knew what to expect. He is on his way to becoming the Bionic Man!!

I worry so much about my Dad. He is 68 and in good health so I should just relax. I think it is because he has been my only parent for the last 15 years. I need him around for a long time.

Etsy Earring Love...

2010-09-07T09:02:00.001-04:00

I hope you all had a lovely long weekend, I did a ton of relaxing! I came across these pretty earrings on etsy and am loving them. The whole shop is full of great jewelry finds, check it out!

Simple Salmon...

2010-09-02T08:31:00.000-04:00

I had no idea what I was going to make for dinner last night. So, I did some recipe googling at work yesterday afternoon (shh, don't tell anyone!) and came across this recipe for baked salmon fillets. So easy and so delicious! I made some brown rice and sauteed zucchini on the side and it was a great, healthy meal. Easy clean up too! Happy Thursday!

Happy September!

2010-09-01T08:49:00.000-04:00

Can you believe the summer is just about over? Where does the time go? It was a pretty busy summer for us, which was nice. There are still several busy weekends coming up in September so we will hopefully enjoy some nice late summer/early fall weather before it gets too cold.

I have a couple of projects to work on this fall, namely putting together a wedding scrapbook and a photo book of friends and family pictures. I'm going to mix some of our professional pictures with pictures taken by guests to put together a fun, coffee table photo book. Can't wait to start that one! What cool weather plans do you have?

Weekend Wrap Up..

2010-08-29T16:53:00.003-04:00

Hi all, can't believe Sunday night is here already! I had a busy Saturday. I went to a bridal shower for my friend K and a bachelorette dinner for my friend N, both were lovely. The hubs had Saturday to himself, but I think he missed having me around. I was a bit of a bum today, just woke up from a nap that I really needed. I managed to go to the grocery store this morning since our fridge was pretty barren. Hope you had a wonderful weekend!!!

ps. I did my usual Sunday morning Starbucks pick up after the grocery store this morning and was excited that my adorable barista gave me a preview of a new flavor. Toffee mocha! OMG. I am a non-fat, no-whip mocha drinker and the toffee mocha is divine. I may switch my drink :)

11 Months!

2010-08-25T06:14:00.002-04:00

I can't believe it but the hubs and I have been married for 11 months as of today! The time has flown by since our wedding day. This time last year I was anxiously awaiting the big day. It was an exciting and stressful time.

I am excited to report that we have a meeting set up with our fabulous photographer in late
September to put together our professional album. She advised us to pick about 70 proofs and we would narrow it down to 50 or 60. I'm somewhere are 90 right now so I need to work on that! Can't wait to have our album done!!!

Getaway...

2010-08-23T08:55:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday! We had a busy weekend. My sister came in from Denver to a surprise bridal shower for one of her friends. The hubs and I got to spend some time with her, my Dad and step mom on Saturday night. It was so good to see my sis. I also spent some time with two of my friends and their kids at a local farm on Saturday morning. We picked our own fruits and veggies and the farm had some cute things for the kids to do. Definitely will go back there to pick some pumpkins in a month or so. Yay fall!

Our one year anniversary is in late September, time really flies! The hubs and I are thinking about going to Martha's Vineyard. We have never been there before and I would love to hear your feedback on a good place to stay. Thanks!!!

Fall Fun...

2010-08-18T09:29:00.001-04:00

I'm still here! Feeling a bit uninspired lately so I haven't posted in a week or so. This summer has been really busy personally and professionally. I am changing positions at work so I have been working with new staff and learning their programs. It is going well so far but I must admit it has been a little bit draining.

This summer has been very busy socially too. I'm not complaining, I am lucky to have lots of friends and social engagements but I would like a couple of days to just chill with nowhere to go! The hubby and I are trying to arrange a short trip for our one year anniversary in late September. Looking forward to that!

Speaking of September, I am craving an early fall Saturday afternoon. I came across this fabulous pumpkin tureen at Pottery Barn and it makes me want fall to get here even faster!!!

Freezer Labels...

2010-08-09T07:36:00.001-04:00

Happy Monday! Hope you had a lovely weekend. I was busy helping my friend with her son's wedding on Saturday. It was a great and very busy day. Yesterday I made a test batch of the sugar cookies I'm making for my friend N's bridal shower next weekend. I am using a wedding cake shaped cookie cutter and ordered custom stickers from Sticker Me Chic to use on the tags I'm making for the cookie bags. I used this same seller on etsy for the stickers for my favor bags and out of town boxes for my wedding, she is fantastic!

On to the main topic of this post! I receive several of Martha Stewart's newsletters and loved this printable label she shared this weekend. Check it out here, there is a template that can be downloaded.

Wedding Fun...

2010-08-02T08:17:00.001-04:00

Happy Monday! I can't believe this weekend is already over, can't I get just one more day??? I was pretty busy this weekend. I am helping a friend with the wedding she is throwing for her son next Saturday. Her son and his fiance wanted a small, backyard wedding and many friends are pitching in to help get everything ready and are "working" the day of the wedding.

We put together the favors yesterday as well as planned the backyard layout for when the tent and tables/chairs are all set up. I know it will be a great party! Almost all of the Saturdays in August are already booked, which is unreal. I have the wedding next Saturday that I'm helping with and two bridal showers coming up. I'm working on favors for one of the bridal showers which is for my dear friend N. She is a very non-traditional bride and opted for no bridal party. She was one of my bridesmaids and a dear friend and I'm so happy to be doing something special for her bridal shower.

Greening My Cleaning...

2010-07-30T07:47:00.000-04:00

I'm all about cleaning this week! I really want to try a more "green" cleaner for my shower tile. I found this recipe for making your own mildew remover and was wondering if any of you had tried something like this? Do you have another all natural cleaning remedy for your shower? Do tell!

Jewelry Cleaning Tip...

2010-07-26T06:48:00.001-04:00

Hi all! Hope you had a relaxing weekend. It was super hot this weekend here in the Northeast but we managed to stay cool. The hubby and I went out for a nice dinner out Saturday night and I spent Sunday cleaning and grocery shopping.

I have a jewelry cleaning tip to share with you. A co-worker's ex-husband is in the jewelry business and she shared it with me. You can use Efferdent (for cleaning dentures) to clean most jewelry. This is NOT to be used on soft stones like emeralds or opals.

Dissolve one tab of Efferdent in a glass of warm water. Drop your jewelry in and soak it for 10 minutes. Then scrub it gently using a child's toothbrush. I do this all the time with my engagement ring which is a diamond in a platinum setting. Works like a charm. Gets most of the gunk from the underside and then I gently use the toothbrush for the rest. Sparkles like new!

Christmas in July...

2010-07-22T07:33:00.000-04:00

I love Christmas. Love, love, love it! It is such a special time of year. That said, I can't believe I received an email today with Christmas goods in it from Garnet Hill! I bought an adorable advent calendar on sale last year, so I'm not shopping for one. However, if you are starting your hunt now for a cute advent calendar here are a couple of cute options from Garnet Hill.

*Images courtesy of Garnet Hill

Beyond Adorable...

2010-07-19T06:59:00.001-04:00

I'm still a newlywed and have no reason to be looking at kid's clothing, but this dress is just TOO adorable for words! I'm receive the Boden catalog so I automatically get the Mini Boden catalog and always flip through it. Just love this dress! I almost want to buy it now in case I have a daughter one day. That might be a tad crazy, no?

ps. I have enabled comment moderation because I have been getting some annoying spam type comments. Hope that will stop it for now!

*Image courtesy of Boden

Charmed, I'm Sure...

2010-07-12T07:10:00.001-04:00

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a lovely and relaxing weekend. The hubby and I were pretty low key this weekend, which was nice. He is such a sweetie, that man of mine. He gifted me with this lovely bracelet from Vineyard Vines. It is so adorable! I may have given him just a little hint that it was on my wish list ;)

Holy Old Batman...

2010-07-08T07:07:00.000-04:00

Seriously. MTV's Real World is in its 24th season. 24th! And I can remember the first season in New York City. Wow, I feel really old. I stopped watching somewhere around the 10th season because they stopped casting cool people and started casting the same stereotypical people each season. I will admit though, I still think the houses they use are really cool.

Hot, Hot, Hot..

2010-07-07T08:04:00.000-04:00

I don't know about you, but we are burning up here on the East coast!!! It is incredibly hot and the forecast calls for a few days of it. We had a very nice July 4th weekend, it included a BBQ and swimming at friends' houses. Hope all of you had a lovely 4th of July, stay cool!

Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit...

2010-07-01T07:29:00.000-04:00

When I was little my mom always said "rabbit, rabbit, rabbit" on the first day of the month, first thing in the morning. She always said it was for good luck. I always thought it was a little nutty, but did it nonetheless. Flash forward a bunch of years and the invention of the internet. I randomly googled "rabbit, rabbit, rabbit" and look what I found! I'm not the only nut out there doing this!

ps. Can't believe it, this is my 400th post!! Thanks so much to all my wonderful readers :)

Weekend Fun..

2010-06-29T07:29:00.000-04:00

Hope everyone had a great weekend! I had a busy and fun weekend. The hubs and I took our dads and stepmoms out for dinner on Saturday night. It was a belated Father's Day celebration and we had a great time. I did my usual Sunday grocery shopping and prepped meatballs, turkey burgers and baked some chocolate chip cookies. I really do enjoy cooking and baking. I took half the cookies over to my friend M's house to spend some time with her boys, one of whom is my godson. Her twins just turned 3, I can't believe how time flies. Have a great week!

Zig Zag...

2010-06-24T08:08:00.000-04:00

I seriously l-o-v-e this pink zig zag fabric from Buy Fabrics! I can totally imagine using it for some really bold drapes in a fun room. I think it could be super cute in a little girl's room or nursery paired with some bright green walls. Love it!

Love it or Leave it?

2010-06-22T07:58:00.000-04:00

I adore china. I love looking at different patterns and thinking about how they would look on my table. Not that I'm in the market to buy china, I just got married and have my brand new wedding china! I just like to look.

I really like the idea of monogrammed china, what do you think? Tasteful or tacky? This Pickard place setting is lovely, but the monogram seems a little over the top. I think I would prefer one or two pieces of the place setting be monogrammed, not the whole thing. Thoughts?

*Image courtesy of Williams Sonoma

Happy Father's Day..

2010-06-20T10:01:00.002-04:00

Happy Father's Day to all the wonderful Dads out there! I am so lucky to have an amazing father. He taught my sister and I to be strong and stand on our own two feet. My dad made so many sacrifices in his life to care for my mom while she was sick. I will never know how he managed to keep life together for my sister and I while she was progressively getting sicker and eventually passing away. He was working around the clock, caring for her and caring his two kids. I love you Dad!

Phony...

2010-06-18T07:07:00.000-04:00

Things have been pretty light on the blog lately. Not for any real reason, life is good. In a weird way, I miss wedding planning. Not the stress, but the time spent absorbing so much beautiful inspiration found all over blogs and other creative spaces.

My professional life is changing a bit. Unfortunately, my current program will no longer be funded in the next couple of months. My degree and skills are transferable across many areas of my field and I have already been offered another position within my agency. I am excited for the opportunity to learn a new subject area within my field and am also sad to see my current program go.

I have been really bothered by one of my co-workers for some time. We get along fine, but she is so fake. All talk and no action. I am getting less and less patient with watching how she operates. She talks about how much shes does for others, how much time she spends in church and all of her "business ventures" outside of our office.

Truth is, she is full of it. She treats her staff poorly and is all drama, all of the time. I also realized that she never contributes a dime to anyone else when our staff collects money for flowers, etc when a staff member loses a family member or other event. Funny thing is, she has the boss totally snowed. I am confident in my skills and always maintain a professional demeanor at work. Ten years in my field has given me much thicker skin and confidence in my ability but I am still bothered at how some people don't see through the crap. Ok, venting ovah!

Tray Chic...

2010-06-15T07:11:00.001-04:00

I just adore The Well Appointed House. I could spend hours browsing the online store that Melissa Hawks has put together. This chip and dip is one of my very favorite items, it is so fabulous! There are so many wonderful items to choose from, what is your fave?

*Image courtesy of The Well Appointed House

Happy Birthday Honey!!!

2010-06-14T07:23:00.000-04:00

Today is my hubby's birthday! He is such a sweetie and I love him so much. He's actually 2 1/2 years younger than me, does that make me a cougar? ;) We have been married for almost 9 months but have been together for a little more than 6 years and I can't imagine my life without him. Happy birthday honey!

Storage Bench...

2010-06-07T07:22:00.001-04:00

I love furniture that can do double duty as storage. There are tons of options around but I really like these two from Ballard. There are a ton of different fabric options and I think you can even send them your own fabric. I really like the tufted storage ottoman for a living room or den. The storage bench would be fantastic for a breakfast nook...

*Images from Ballard Design

Thank You for Being a Friend...

2010-06-04T06:50:00.002-04:00

So sad to hear that Rue McClanahan has passed away. I must admit that I'm a big fan of the Golden Girls! I think it was because my mom used to love watching it so I have a warm place for it in my heart. Rue's character Blanche was the ultimate cougar, I'm sure she inspired Samantha's character in SATC. RIP Rue...

Still Here..

2010-06-02T06:45:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone! I'm still here :) We enjoyed the nice long weekend, but I can't say we did much! Just a lot of relaxing. Sadly, the father of one of my friends passed away last week. His viewing and funeral were Friday night and Saturday morning. He was in his late 70's and had been sick for the past few years, so I know that he is now at peace. Doesn't make it any easier for his loved ones though.

This weekend I thought a lot about my brother in law, who is active duty in Iraq, and all the other military men and women who make and have made a sacrifice for all of us. I know how much my husband misses his brother and I hope to see him soon.

Ladies' Night..

2010-05-28T10:47:00.003-04:00

What a week! It has been a busy week at work so I'm so glad I took today off. I had a fun night out last night with my friend E and some of her friends. We saw SATC 2 and it was so much fun! It was an unusually late night for me, the movie started at 10:30 and I got home at 1:45 am. Happy Friday!

Adorable Insulated Carrier...

2010-05-26T07:10:00.000-04:00

Been M.I.A. for a few days, hope everyone had a great weekend. I am so loving these adorable insulated carriers that the Preppy Princess has in her shop. Now my dilemma, which color???

*Image from Preppy Princess

Jammin...

2010-05-20T07:30:00.000-04:00

I love to drive. Actually, I love to drive and listen to music. I have satellite radio and there is nothing better than uninterrupted music! I must confess that some of the best songs to blast in the car are also the cheesiest. Here are some of my favorite songs to jam to in the car (and I pretty much know all the words to each of these songs!):

Baby Got Back - Sir Mix A Lot (totally awesome, 'nuff said)
Jesus Jones - Right Here, Right Now (totally takes me back to the early 90's)
Jump Around - House of Pain (pumps me up)
Love and Affection - Nelson (judge all you want, I LOVE this song)
Step by Step - New Kids on the Block (Jordan Knight is 40, I feel old)
Right Now - Van Halen (wish I could play the piano solo at the beginning)
Where the Streets Have No Name - US (just classic)
NSYNC - Tearin Up My Heart (omg, how old am I?)
Humpty Dance - Digital Underground (classy)
Paradise City - Guns and Roses (kicks azz)

Some of these are pretty embarrassing, but I bet you know all the lyrics
to Baby Got Back too!!! What do you jam to in the car?

Loving Green..

2010-05-18T06:28:00.000-04:00

I really love green, I think it just might be my favorite color! I was browsing around the Container Store's website and saw these great green storage items. They are made of 90% recycled fiberboard so they are eco-friendly and they aren't too expensive either! I also really like some of the coordinating pieces.

*Image courtesy of Container Store

Waechtersbach...

2010-05-14T07:45:00.000-04:00

Waechters- WHAT? Besides being a town in Germany, they are a company that makes these fantastic bowls. Anyone who is a Williams-Sonoma fan has seen the 7 bowl set either online, in store or in the catalog. As much as I love them, the set is pretty pricey. Plus, I really don't need the smaller bowls. I'm beyond excited that I stumbled across their website and saw that you can buy the bowls individually!

Their prices are pretty reasonable and I see a medium and large bowl in my future. Now I just have to pick my two favorite colors. Thinking navy blue for the medium and green apple for the large. I also love the extra large but it only comes in red which doesn'treally go with my color scheme. Then again, Christmas is just around the corner...

Sweetness...

2010-05-12T08:44:00.001-04:00

My sweet hubby surprised me with some beautiful purplish - pink roses Monday night. So thoughtful and a great pick me up because I was in a bit of a funk. Speaking of flowers, my wedding dress had a lovely chiffon sash with a flower pin (see here - this is a pic of my dress). BTW - that's not me in the picture.

When my hubby and I were looking at our wedding proofs in mid-December he said "your dress had a flower on it?" Glad I stressed about finding "the" dress... Speaking of proofs, we need to choose pictures for our album! I have talked to several recent (married 3 to 5 years) brides who all told me they haven't done albums yet. I'm determined to get ours done before our one year anniversary!

Loving It...

2010-05-10T06:57:00.000-04:00

J Crew Palisade Cardigan...

When Life Hands You Lemons...

2010-05-05T07:23:00.000-04:00

Juice the heck out of them!!! Seriously, how many citrus juicing implements does one woman need? So much for a streamlined kitchen. The yellow and green gadget is the newest addition from our Williams-Sonoma wedding registry and it has quickly become my favorite. I can easily get all the juice out of lemons and limes and I love it! Do you have a favorite kitchen gadget?

Date Night...

2010-05-03T06:08:00.000-04:00

Hope all of you had a wonderful weekend! The hubs and I decided to stay in on Saturday night and have a date night at home. I decided to make Ina Garten's Swordfish with Tomatoes and Capers and I was not disappointed. It was delicious! Ina has not let me down yet.

The hubby and I actually went grocery shopping together Saturday afternoon. This is a rare occurrence because my husband thinks I'm a terror in the grocery store. I obey the rules of the road (and since I live in Jersey I probably am an aggressive grocery cart driver) and think everyone else should too! This is why I grocery shop at 7am on Sunday mornings! Seriously.

I'm happy to report that we had a lovely shared grocery shopping experience followed by a wonderful evening at home. I really treasure the quiet dinners we have together and try to make the most of them now before kiddies come along!