Bejeweled...

Jewelry, jewelry...oh how I love thee! Vintage jewelry...to be exact. I just can' help myself...when I'm out-and-about @ garage sales, flea markets...wherever...my eyes are always looking for some pretty baubles. I almost have a snobby aversion to new jewelry. Like, how dare it think it's cooler than my lovingly worn, vintage pieces?!?  Alright...so that's a bit extreme...but it's how I feel, in my heart of hearts...about my lovelies.

A must-have when you have a slight problem collecting (anything) is a place to display it. I haven't had a proper home for my pretties...until now. The last of our bedrooms to be redone is now a home-away-from-home for my niece, Miss Addy...and a showcase for my jewelry. I still want to add some details to the room itself...so pics of that project will be coming later. The landing spot for my accessories is done, though...and I couldn't love it more!

I bought 2 towel bar thingies @ IKEA last May (that's how long this idea has been brewing) + 'S' hooks to hang all of my necklaces, headbands, and scarves. There's also a magnetic bar w/ lidded containers (also from IKEA and supposed to be for spices, I think) to hold little things...earrings, rings, pins. Most of my collection is now on display...I do have a few odds & ends in another spot, though. 

I'm so excited to have all of my jewelry organized and visible...the accessorizing possibilities are now endless!

~Hilary~ 

Mail Call!!!

What makes a Friday even better?!?! Coming home to not 1, but 2 packages in the mail...all for me! :)

1st up...a complete freebie...a Schick Hydro Silk razor.

*yay for a totally boring item to buy...being fah-ree!

I've been checking the mail every day for the 2nd little number...was so excited to get it!

*I saw this ring ($9.99) on Pinterest...followed the link...and bought it on Etsy (all on my phone). Yikes...nothing should be that easy...dan.ger.ous! The Etsy shop is FabulousWire. I will prob be visiting it again...very soon...

Wishing everyone a fun weekend! I'm off for a date nite w/ Miss Jill...movie &Target...yes, please!

~Hilary~



Surprise!

Waiting for me at home on my lunch hour yesterday...this little guy...

A couple of months ago, the Hubs got an e-mail from Apple saying there was some little thing wrong w/ the style of iPod Nano I have and they were going to replace it. Now...truth be told...that was like 5 iPods ago for me...so I hadn't been using it at all. For some random reason, though...I still had it in a drawer.

Anyhoo...into the mail it went...with the promise of something in return. I was genuinely surprised when we opened the box...and there was a shiny & current iPod Nano. Who would've thunk it...they actually came through w/ something newer and better!

This begs the question, though...what to do w/ a new iPod...that wasn't needed at all??

~Hilary~

Good-Bye Old Friend...

'So long
Farewell
Aufwiedersehn
Goodnight
I hate to go and leave this pretty sight...'

 -- The Sound of Music

...but not really. I am so overjoyed to be saying goodbye to this sad ol' Blackberry. We've spent a lot of time together...texting, sending e-mails, snapping pics...and endlessly surfing Facebook (*refresh, refresh*...surely someone's posted something fun and exciting...).

Now, though, it's time to part ways...she's on her way to a new home. In her place...something so wonderful, so shiny and amazing...

I'm in love...and I don't care who knows it! The camera, the fun text format, the apps...and who can forget Siri...oh, sweet Siri! This iPhone 4S just gets me...we were meant to be.

Now I can surf Pinterest, Etsy, Blogger, Facebook, etc., etc. to my heart's content...*sigh.*



Wallpaper...Terrible, Terrible Wallpaper

For starters...I do not claim to be an expert on this...but experience has given me a bit of know how in the realm of tearing down wallpaper. Moving into a house built in 1973 has given us lots (and lots and lots) of opportunities to change some *ahem* dated features.

The worst one...wallpaper. It was everywhere. The entire entryway, hallway, and kitchen. Then, upstairs in 2 rooms...and the basement bathroom. I understand...it was the thing to do...we had it in our house growing up. The bad thing, though...it's not really cool anymore. Unless it's some chic graphic print...and you know 'ours' wasn't. It was dolphins, tiny green flowers, bunnies, butterflies...need I go on?

Anyhoo...the main level of our house got a fresh coat of paint straight away...wallpaper torn down. The upstairs and basement were a whole other story. I mean...no one really sees those places, except for us, so what's the big deal? Until now. We've been on over-haul the last year...attempting to redo all the untouched spaces.

This last weekend, we made steps to finally finish the last room *yahoo!*. You can see the uggo buggo wallpaper in this post. We haven't really done anything else spectacular to the room yet. Getting the wallpaper down has been the biggest thing so far, but now I can't wait to get going!

Having torn down so much wallpaper, though, I've learned a few things.

1. You don't need fancy schmancy tools for removing it. We made the mistake of buying a special remover that you're supposed to spray on and then 'tada!' the wallpaper just magically melts off. Well...not so much. My original method has still proven to be the best.

*No gimmicks, no harsh-smelling chemicals...a spray bottle, liquid fabric softener, and hot water are all you need to get the wallpaper down. Fill the bottle about 1/3 of the way up w/ softener...then top off with hot water. Shake it up. There you have it...your own homemade remover.

*The other important tool (other than a scraper) you'll need is this little gadget (you can find it in the wallpaper aisle *perish the thought* at Lowe's, Menards, etc.). You basically run it all over the wallpaper...the little teeth rotate and score the paper so your remover can penetrate and soften the glue.

If you use these items...taking down the dreaded wallpaper should be a pretty simple task. It is time consuming, though...there's just no getting away from that...short of hiring someone...but who would want that job?!?

Hope to have more pics of the room's progress in the next couple of months. Next week...painting (ceiling included...blech).

~Hilary~

Who Doesn't Love a Gift??

A few pics of my Christmas treasures...

*yummies from Chocolaterie Stam, Lancome Juicy Tube in Fifth Avenue Frosting, Gift Certificate to Sugar Shack, Gap giftcard

*Ugg Ansley slippers in Cactus Flower

*My first pair of Toms!

*Love Actually <3

*iPhone case and some $$$ to buy it when my upgrade comes

*New Bare Minerals...I love this makeup

*Stocking stuffers...yumm!

*Purple-y eyeliner and black-as-nite mascara

*Vintage mirror...now residing in the main level powder room

*Cocktail ring from Francesca's (an amazing store for anything accessory)

*Fuzzy, warm slippers

Christmas...not about the presents, of course. They are fun to give (and receive), though! It's fun to get those special, sparkly things we don't necessarily buy for ourselves.

~Hilary~

New Specs

I am overthemoon in l.o.v.e. w/ my new glasses. What a nerdy thing to be in love w/...I know...but I've been waiting, for what seems like an eternity, to get some new ones. Have been eyeing the hubs's fancy schmancy new Ray-Ban's for 4 LONG months...and now I don't have to be jealous anymore. 

See...mine were fine...the prescription was okay, they were fairly cute...no reason to get new ones.

Old glasses...pretty good. Aww...plus, what a cute pic of the hubs and me. :)

 Except, that tiny, nagging little thing called...WANT. Ick...I feel gross just saying it. Why can't I just be satisfied w/ what I have? After all...that is a big goal of mine for the new year. Use what I have...not always running out for bigger, better.

Luckily...my new spectacles got ordered b/f 2011 was over. Plus...I was quite adult about it and used mostly Christmas $$$ to purchase them. Man...what a lame-o thing to buy, huh? Well...maybe to some...but not to this girl.

Giddy w/ excitement over these puppies! :)

So...just in case it wasn't obvious b/f...I am, in fact, a giant nerd. I love my glasses! There...I said it! And...I guess I should throw in that Ray-Ban glasses are pretty amazing. Super durable...and stylish to boot.

~Hilary~

Fiat Fever...

...and a few other things I'm crushing on...

*Fiat 500...oh.my.goodness!

*Tiffany & Co. Diamonds By the Yard...b/c a girl can dream...

*Glittery pedi...I am l.o.v.i.n.g. this! :)

*Farmhouse table--reclaimed wood...with a couple of long benches and 2 cushy chairs on either end. *sigh*

*These boots are so very lovely! Could be a hit or miss for this girl, though...might be a bit too tall for my little legs...

And finally...

*IPhone 4S...the one thing on this page I know for sure is in my future. Can't wait to be texting on this little beauty...January, come faster!

*Oh...and hopefully my IPhone will be donning this *love*ly case...

These are just a few of the things I'm drooling over these days...what's on your wish list?? :)

~Hilary~

Sunday Snapshots



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1. Ugh...the mess I dropped and ran away from after being at Sister's all day yesterday. An ugly view to wake up to...

2. I don't usually paint my fingernails (my tootsies are a different story, though)...but I thought I could handle a quick-dry mani. Sally Hansen Insta-Dri in Presto Pewter...really did dry super quickly and the glittery sheen doesn't show chips too badly! *cute fleur de lis...a gift from Miss Jill :)

3. I really loved my whole outfit today...lots of color in my new shirt *Fashion Bug $12* and especially the fuscia shoes w/rosette *Target $5.99.*

4. Hot cocoa at church...makes me look grown-up, like I might be drinking coffee *blech* and...bonus: my hands stay toasty warm.

5. One more reason to love Costco...cheap(er) gas!

6. Lunch at Los Cabos...chips and salsa...yumm!

7. Magazines (just the ones I got in the mail yesterday)...I may or may not have a problem...

8. All the fixins for a steamy pot of taco soup...

9. Ok...so, I love to find crazy signs...weird sayings, mistakes, etc. Can you spot the mistake in this one??

10. Huge pan of fudge jumbles...staring me down. I need to get these out.of.my.house!

~Hilary~

Why Do I Still Get....

zits?? I know this may come as a shock to some...but I'm not as young as I seem... ;) So why is it, then, that I still have so many breakouts? I was for sure I left those behind in high school...along w/ bad hair, weird clothes, and questionable life choices. I have yet to outgrow them, it seems...

I've tried facials...and visited the Clinique counter more times than I'd like to count. Nothing was helping...in fact, some things were making the problem worse.

So...I started looking into those cool little brush things...the rotating kind that really get in and cleanse the skin. The only problem...the particular little beauty I was looking at tipped the register at $200. A wee bit too much to spend...not knowing if the product would work.

Then one day...while drifting through my beloved Target...I found the Olay ProX.

 It looked exactly like the other brush thingy I had been contemplating...but it was only $30. This was much more my speed...and the results (while I don't know how truly wonderful the more expensive one is) have been great! My skin has started to clear up quite a bit...and *bonus* my pores are appearing smaller too.

Moral of the story...something doesn't always have to cost a lot to get the job done (and also...I might just kick puberty yet!)