"caught a bug?" card

It's flu season! No... I'm not excited, but I am preparing my card stash for it. I saw this adorable "caught a bug" card on Pinterest the other day and I knew I had to recreate it for myself. 
INSPIRATION                                    CARD FOR MY STASH

Since I have a decent stash of rubber stamps, this took me all of 5 minutes to create. I stamped a mason jar & bug on some card stock, layered it onto a bright green piece of card stock, stamped on "caught a bug?" and adhered it to a blank card. This could easily be recreated by sketching it by hand. I now have a few "caught a bug" cards to add to my yearly card binder! 

[p.s. this post may be linked to any number of these blogs]

wayfair giveaway

note: I was not paid or perked to write this post  all opinions stated below are my own
As an interior designer, and a girl who LOVES a good deal, I have always been a big fan of Wayfair.com. It is like one big "eye candy" store! So many different colors, styles & textures in every type of furniture and decor you can think of. The other day, Wayfair's managing editor, Catie Parrish, shared a post about the 4 Things To Consider Before Your Next Big Area Rug Purchase. Just for fun I put together a concept board for our master bedroom (a room in my house that is in desperate need of a makeover). Yellow is one of my favorite colors and I am absolutely smitten with that area rug!

duvet | headboard | tall dresser | night stand | dresser | yellow lamp | yellow rug | art | shell dish | pillow
Are there certain items you've been drooling over but haven't found the right reason to order yet? Well... you're in luck! Wayfair has generously offered up a $100 gift card to one lucky winner to add some style into your own home. Use the rafflecopter below to enter. Good luck! (Open to U.S. residents only)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

guest post: 4 Things to Consider Before Your Next Big Rug Investment

*** enter to win a $100 Wayfair.com gift card HERE ***

Take a look at these important rug features before you take the plunge.

image source 

1.     Measurements

There’s no way around it—busting out that tape measure before you purchase a rug is an absolute must. Carefully evaluate the space where you want to place the rug and consider how it will fit with other items in the room. Take a look at what furniture will be on the rug as well as how other furniture will look positioned next to it. If you have a clear vision of exactly where the rug will be placed before you purchase, it will ensure the best possible look and usability of the rug in your space. For the best look, choose a rug that’s large enough so that all the legs (or at least the front legs) of your major furniture pieces will sit on the rug.

2.     Materials

Location is paramount when considering the material and price of a rug. If it will be placed in a high-traffic area or room, then splurging on handmade, 100% wool will offer the best results. Rugs made from less expensive synthetic fibers won’t last as long, but can be useful in a quieter space as a trendy statement piece or accent. As far as investment rugs go, handmade woven or knotted rugs offer unparalleled craftsmanship that will last a lifetime and are worth the money.

3.     Shape

Keep the big picture in mind when choosing the right shape rug for your room. It helps to think about what types of shapes are already present in your décor, and how a rug will frame the whole space. Your best bet is a rectangular rug—it will never go out of style and will work well with most room arrangements.

4.     Color

When making a big investment in a rug, it can be scary to decide on colors and style. Oriental-style rugs often incorporate a variety of colors, which are ideal for matching all kinds of color palettes as your décor changes throughout the years. Don’t be afraid to go with a colorful rug, but evaluate what potential color schemes will work well with it before you buy. Select a rug color that truly aligns with your personal décor style, and then you can be sure it will fit whatever you choose to combine it with in the future.

For rugs you can shop by size, materials, shape, and color, we of course think Wayfair is a great option.

Bio: Catie Parrish relishes the opportunity to inspire others to create thoughtful, stylish spaces in their homes. A graduate of Drake University, Catie lives in Boston with her news-nerd husband, Chris, and their wrinkly rescue mutt, Gus. An ardent enthusiast of all things tasty, curious, or pretty, when Catie isn’t writing, you can likely find her whipping up a batch of guacamole, captivated by a good book, or on the hunt for the sofa of her dreams. Catie is the managing editor at Wayfair, the internet’s largest furniture store.

modern baby blanket

Even though I started knitting at the age of 8 (and learned to crochet about a year ago) I have never made anything bigger than a scarf. When I found out that my cousin, Janet, was pregnant with a little boy (due in November) I thought it was time I tried my hand at crocheting a baby blanket.

I started by scouring Pinterest for baby blanket ideas and fell in love with many of the styles that involved stripes. I ran to Michael's to pick up some yarn to get started.
... here's what you'll need to make your own ...
5 skeins of your favorite yarn corresponding crochet hook

... instructions ...

Chain 101 stitches.

SC into second chain from hook and into all stitches. 

Continue SC until your first band of color measures about 12".

Switch colors and continue SC until you've used all 5 colors.

Your finished blanket will measure about 36"x60".

[p.s. this post may be linked to any number of these blogs]