This day.

This morning, I woke around 9am and picked up my Kindle to finish this book Source
AMAZING. Couldn't put it down. I usually read at night before bed and that is all. For the last 2 days I have stayed up to 2am reading. Here is the blurb:

"Travel light and you can sing in the robber's face" was the best advice Summer Zwolenick ever received from her father, though she didn't recognize it at the time. Three years after the accident that ended her career as a ballerina, she is back in the familiar suburbs of Dayton, Ohio, teaching at a local high school. But it wasn't nostalgia that called Summer home. It was her need to spend quality time with her brother, Todd, and his devoted partner, Jacob. Todd, the golden athlete whose strength and spirit encouraged Summer to nurture her own unique talents and follow her dream, is in the final stages of a terminal illness. In a few short months, he will be dead—leaving Summer only a handful of precious days to learn all the lessons her brother still has to teach her . . . from how to love and how to live to how to let go.

Traveling Light is the deeply moving debut novel from Katrina Kittle, the acclaimed author of The Kindness of Strangers—an unforgettable story of love, bonds, and promises that endure longer than life itself.

Initially, I picked it up because this is a local writer. I kind of want to stalk her now, don't judge me.

It made me laugh out loud and sob like a baby--my two favorite things to happen while reading!

As I am drying my tears, I get a call that just ruined my day.

Apparently, somebody very close to me is talking terribly about me. 

Devastated.

So rude. 

And so hurtful.

Family shouldn't behave this way.

I resisted the urge to call the person out on this. As my Mom pointed out, it would start a ripple. 

I need to be bigger than this.

I struggle with poise and grace, so this has been a rough day.

Oh, how pinteresting!

Linking up with The Vintage Apple today!
I've been on a quest to find the perfect finish to my teal and orange living room this week, and I am in dire need of a new wreath! I like to change mine every few months.
Source Source Source Source Source Ohhh I cannot wait to make this for halloween!!

I need a little creative pow-wow

My Etsy shop is doing pretty well, I am getting a lot of custom orders.  Which is great, and I love them.
Here are my issues though... *I am getting a lot of orders from friends/family/word of mouth. These are local orders and they are typically not paid through Etsy. This is great because I don't have the processing fee, and they do not have delivery as I drop off or they pick up. Downside-- I don't get the "numbers". Because they are placed this way, my Etsy sale total is a measly 2.    *I am thinking to start a Facebook page. This way, I could reach a wider audience, and I could list some of the items I have been making that are too large to ship or too complex to ship.
*How do fellow crafters/shop owners handle custom orders? Should I be adding more money to the total? I thought my prices were great-I am making about a 50% profit on each item. However, the last 3 deliveries have resulted in the person telling me I should charge more. Which would be awesome--if I could do it. I am cheap! Maybe adding a $5 up charge to any custom product?
*I am also getting tons of ideas thrown at me. "You should do this" "Do it this way" "Make something with this quote" and as much as they might sell, it isn't my style. How should I handle this? For an order, I will ABSOLUTELY do it. But for the people that are just giving me suggestions, I cannot decide if compromising my "style" and what I envision for my shop is worth a sale. 
Thoughts?

Black + Gold Bedroom ideas

Justin and I are going to be redecorating our bedroom this summer.
(I know, like EVERY room is half done. I have decorating ADD)
The bright side to this project, is that it is a pretty minor revamp. We've never done anything in there so it is just blank.
Originally, I wanted this look
But I think it might just be too dark.
I have gold side table lamps with black shades. I have black side tables. We are getting new bedding and a new black headboard. 
I think I want white walls More like this.
And curtains above the bed is a MUST. I love it. I was thinking either like the above, or like this
And, to complete the look:
We do not have regular windows in our bedroom. In fact, we do not have any windows. We have big sliding doors leading to the balcony. These will be a GREAT addition!

Bliss.

I've been in a major rut the past few months. Cannot kick it for anything. I think I kind of feel stagnant. As if I am waiting for something to happen. Anything, really.
A lot of this stems from my desire to start a family. It isn't as easy as 1-2-3 boom. Oh, how I wish it was! Problem being, I have difficult time expressing that this is what makes me sad, without hurting Justin's feelings. I wish I could make him see that I do not blame him for the hurdles we have, but most times, it is a discussion we cannot get through without a fight.
Then last night the strangest thing happened. I was finishing up a makeup bag order and was settling in to watch TV before bed.
I was so overcome with happiness that I literally could not hold it in. Completely euphoric. For some reason, I felt so much weight lift off of me.   I couldn't hold in tears, and I have no idea where they even came from.
I feel better than I have in months! 

Girl Date

On be of the biggest reasons I hate being a grown up? I find it more difficult to make friends. I am not placed in situations where I meet a lot of new people.  I *love* the friends I have, but I love making new friends. Today, I have a girl date with an awesome lady. We both feel like we are twins, so this is going to be a blast. I also am always in search of couple friends. Impossible. We never find couples that both Justin and I mesh with.  And as much as I adore his best friend (he is single), I grow tired of hanging out with the two of them. I am odd girl out.  Perhaps my new friend can date his best friend.

Mean girls.

I love Facebook for my stalker tendencies.  What I do not love is how angry I allow it to make me. Case in point, this article was posted today: H&M Uses Plus-Size Model to Showcase Swimwear I, like many people, think that the term plus size is completely overused.  And plus sized or not, she is beautiful. Healthy does NOT have to look like this: Source She is fit, and gorgeous and healthy. But this isn't the ONLY picture of healthy that exists.  I think the above picture is stunning, and I think yeah it might be fun to look like that. But do you know what my goal body looks like? Source Curvy. Happy. HEALTHY. It makes me INSANE.  If you are comfortable with how you look, fantastic. If you want look look a certain way, go for it. But do NOT sit there and say that the beautiful H&M model is perpetuating the obesity epidemic. Nobody at H&M is glorifying obesity. They are showing a bathing suit with shape.  For the idiots that are out there.... Eff You.

Weekend Wrap Up

It was a longggg weekend for me!
We had the Great Strides for Cystic Fibrosis walk this weekend!

It was a BEAUTIFUL day! Sadly, I do not have pictures to share! I was working all morning at the registration table. My cousin took a ton, just waiting to see them. We had about 110 walkers, and raised $8500. It is a bit lower than last year, but we still have some outstanding money to be sent it--I'd love to top at least 9k.
After that, Justin and I had lunch with my Aunt and Uncle. For 5 hours. There was a lot of beer consumed. Resulting in this
My drunk husband. This was taken at approximately 5pm. Ridiculous. He slept it off...then woke up and it went down hill.  Lots of...you know. Gross stuff.
It was actually a hilarious afternoon for my Aunt Karen and I. While Justin was sleeping off his beer, my Uncle Daren decided he wanted to have a cookout. We find him later, asleep in his lawn chair, hot dogs and brats exploded on his grill. We are classy folks, and clearly put safety first.
I should mention that my cousin was outside and was ensuring the fire was maintained--no danger, swear. 
We finally made it home around 10pm after leaving our house at 6pm the previous day.
Needless to say, Sunday was spent relaxing.

If I had a fat bank account

It is fun to dream isn't it?? I'd wake up every day in a house like this: My biggest decision would be what to wear: My lunch would *always* be cupcakes and champagne: [True story, I had champagne and a fudge round for lunch today.] I'd spend the rest of my day in a variety of ways: Catching some sun, floating around, chatting with my gal pals. After that busy afternoon, I'd hop into my sweet kitchen to start dinner I need all that space for my champagne and wine. Trust me. After dinner I might watch a film in my home theater Or sit outside Or, frolic in my sweet hot tub: Every bit of it would be enjoyed with my handsome guy: