My husbands life is complete: NRA Lifetime Membership

Cory's life is now complete.

We're both from Texas. And we love Texas. 

I mean, he searched through the National Cathedral until he found the Texas flag:

So, when this came in the mail:

Life=made

Williamsburg, VA (part 2)

Walking around Williamsburg was (OBVIOUSLY) tourist-y. BUT, it was also really fun. I mean, who doesn't like making a little fun of this:

 

I HAVE THESE BOOTS!

This was just a little weird to see...

And then, there were all the door wreaths. I mean...

 

We really love this place...

{I have a sentimental husband}

Williamsburg, Va (part 1)

Since Cory and I have no children yet, and since family is SO FAR AWAY (we love you Texas), we normally go somewhere for Thanksgiving. For the past few years, we've been making the sort drive down to Williamsburg, Va...not a hard drive, really fun, gorgeous homes...it's a win win for us. 

This year we toured the governors mansion and I was SHOCKED at how current the design choices were in the mansion

...and those choices were made, like, 200 years ago. 

For real.

I mean, greek key carving around the fire places?

yep:

 

Padigoda door frames? 

Ooooh yeah: 

 

 Kelly Green and Turquoise walls? 

Like you wouldn't believe: 

   Do you like faux bamboo furniture? Me too...

So do rich 17th century Americans:

  

 Don't you love carrera marble floors? 

They did too:

Formal Livingroom Updates

We rarely use our formal living room. Do people really use their formal living rooms??

We quickly started realizing that, even with company over, we use our causal living room 99.9% of the time. SO, when someone offered us a free upright piano, not only did I say HECK YEA...but I also knew exactly where to put it. The formal living room. Duh.

But before I show you the after, lets walk down memory lane...

Before (like, I'm talkin BEFORE BEFORE): 

 

The picture below was about 6 weeks after moving in. The wood floors STILL hadn't come in. We were literally living on Kilz-ed sub-floors. HOWEVER, my wonderful mother came up and decorated our house sans the wood floors.

Here challenge was to use ONLY things we already owned. ONLY. Ya feel? 

We did end up going to Homegoods and Ikea the day after this picture:

And finally, we're at the After/Current state. I'm starting to sound like a broken record, but my awesome mom made another trip up here at Christmas time (along with the rest of my extended family) and she made this room beautiful while making it a functional piano room. 

Mom's are awesome like that...

{silver lamps are from Homegoods, animal head and cowhide rug is courtesy of my husband, jute rug is from Pottery Barn, painting, yellow lamp and couch were all thrift finds, chairs were free from a previous land lord...as you can see, we didn't spend a ton on this room}

 

{$50 craigslit find. Have I mentioned how much I love craigslist??}

Thanks mom!!

good day...

Inspiration Saturday

{source}

I could not say more good about this picture. I love this living room.

Master Bedroom Progress and Fall Candles

It's a cool night in Northern VA and the windows are open and the fall candles are burnin'.

Enter, Bath and Body Works 3 wick candle.

 Spiced Cider, to be exact:

I just love pulling out the fall scented candles. 

In other news, I'd have a lot more updates from this weekend, however, I seem to always find myself with a phone with a dead battery. 

BUT...our Master Bedroom is coming along...at least in the curtain department.

{I love this picture of my husband :) }

We bought four Ikea panels and used two per side. 

We hung them like this: 

 

 But I'm really thinking about buying the Ikea hooks (get them here), attaching them to the curtain like the picture below:

and attaching those hooks to some of these:

...but in the oil rubbed bronze version. I feel like the curtains will be more even looking and less "bunchy". If that makes any sense at all...

Lastly, I laughed out loud when I found this on Pinterest...

See you tomorrow!