i've been a bad blogger.

you can call me the world's worst blogger. i have been so tired recently after work and just don't have the energy to blog! on top of that, i have been finishing up an article i have been working on for a magazine {i know right? who would hire me to be a contributing writer?!?!}. so i'm pooped. luckily this week ends with my article being turned in, along with my headshot and bio {which are much harder to produce than you would expect} and a short work week because bryce and i are heading to atlanta for a little vacation! woooohooo! i think it is much needed.... last night i went up to bed at 10pm. on a friday. what 23 year old does that? tonight we are both exhausted watching the usa/mexico soccer game {in spanish because we don't get the american channel... bizarre} and ready for bed. old people? whatev. i'll blog sooner, in more detail - promise -  even if no one is ready it! 


hope you have a great saturday xoxo always.

daddy day!

{happy father's day!}

i love love love my daddy - and i'm sad i can't be with him on father's day this year - - so i decided to do a little father's day blog on all the reasons i love my dad. 

he loves our family - especially my mommy. a few years ago he took her on a secret weekend trip - to iceland. he loves traveling, and never can really sit still..... so a 3-day excursion across the big pond is totally his thing.

can you guess which side is my dad's side? yes.... the left. this is just one example of how he loves everything to be organized - i think this is possibly where i got my ocd tendencies from.... hmmmm.

this is definitely a "why i love my dad AND my mom". i think the picture speaks for itself... where would he be without her?

are you scared? stan - my old roommate's dad - and my dad are telling alllll those boys out there that they are watching. weirdo's.

my parent's have always been adventurous and have always pushed us to do activities with them. i first started skiing when i was 3 years old - that's teeny. this is my dad and i when i was young enough to rock that sweet onesie ski suit. 

he likes to have fun. i don't know if you know the "crap" - but he invented it. and no, you sicko's it's not what you think... it's "cocoanut rum and pinapple". nuff said.

i love my family. every year we take a week-long vaca in .... NEW HAMPSHIRE. but hold on - it's cool, i promise. while we may be from new hampshire, and the drive to this spot is only about 2 hours away, it is the best vacation ever. we go every single year around the same time to the balsams. it's a time for my whole family to relax, eat, drink, play golf (well... those three play, i sun), tennis, hike, etc. etc. it's SO much fun and so relaxing and the main reason it is so great is because i am there with my fam.

oopsies.

i've been skimping on the blog posts. oopsies! thought i would update everyone with what is going on with my life this past week - - -

{life as an intern}

at fox architects life has been good. a new girl who just graduated from virginia tech was hired and seems to be taking over what i was helping with on team yellow. i was moved to a smaller team which is overwhelmed with work! they work with landlord services, and do more basic, base-building design. it isn't as exciting as working on team yellow, since i got to design a rug, select finishes for offices, design a custom reception desk, but being on this team is giving me a whole new perspective on what it takes to be an interior designer!

i am working with two other designers - amanda and su. i love them both - su is an amazing teacher. my skills in revit have improved dramatically. i have been keeping a little "revit tutorial" on everything i have learned, and already it is multiple pages in a word document! i will definitely be taking that with me when i return to auburn :) i now survey sites, go to finished sites and "punch" (which means i take note of the site and everything that is wrong with it before the tenant moves in), complete red-lines that su gives me, write up transmittal requests and order samples. it's definitely a different pace than what i was doing with jenna on the yellow team, but i love it just the same!

yesterday we had our friday interiors meeting - and one designer talked about her past work for a very famous law firm - foley and lardner. it was a very informal meeting where she presented us the design with before images, presentation images and the finished product. looks stunning. makes me excited to do this type of work.

conference room. check out the stunning views of the potomac and dc.

great shot of waiting/lounge - the materials used are fabulous.

i believe this is an open conference room - with another amazing view.

{life in d.c.}

i love this town! although it is difficult to be a poor college kid in this fabulous place, i'm getting by just fine with the things i have found and what i have been doing. thankfully, my great friend melissa moved up here and got a JOB (so proud of her) in the city, so that has been nice to have a girlfriend around. while living with boys is all good and fun, i miss my girlfriends so much. melissa and i met up in reston town center for drinks and dinner after work - it was so fun!

we don't go into d.c. as much as i would have thought - but there is so much to do in our little "mini-city" of clarendon and in the surrounding area - so it really doesn't matter much. to get into the city can be exhausting! while it is a fun excursion, i prefer arlington. 

{things i still want to do while i am here}

- go to the florida avenue dc farmers market

- take a boat out on the potomac

- go to the bbq festival in dc

- find a good swimming hole/lake 

- find my favorite happy hour spot

- FIND A GOOD PLACE TO GET MY HAIR DONE {that isn't a million bucks...}

- take a day and go through dc taking touristy pictures

fill in the blank friday.

{fill in the blank friday}

while this is not my favorite fill-in-the-blank sesh... i still enjoyed it. i love thinking about vacations, but right now all i really want to do is BE ON ONE. that will happen to me soon enough, i suppose.... and besides, aren't i basically ON a vacay for the summer? i get to see my boyfriend every day (huge deal since we're long-distance), live in an amazing city (washington d.c.), and go to a fantastic internship where i feel more like i am playing than working.

hope your summer is just as enjoyable!

1.   This weekend I'm   hanging out with Bryce - getting some SUN - and babysitting with melissa.

2.  My last vacation was  our roadtrip to Hanover over memorial day weekend.

3.  My next vacation will be    to peachtree city for 4th of july! can't wait for more sun.

4.  My favorite way to relax is  to watch a movie, hang out and read a book outside or play with my puppy.

5.  When vacationing one should always  do what they please!! you're on vaca... it's your time to relax and recharge......

6.  When vacationing one should never       count calories. i totally stole this from the original "fill in the blank" blogger... but it is so true. there is only one life. there are very few vacations. don't spend it counting your calories. ew.

7.  The best part about a vacation is  {are} the memories afterwards.  i love looking at pictures of my vacation and realizing how much fun i had, i relaxed i was....i feel like after a good vacation you grow closer to those who went on the trip with you - you share a special bond over it. i love it.

renovations.

i am a huge fan of renovation projects. i have always said that when i grow up - i want to buy a dilapidated, beat up house and make it my home. i am on stumble upon {if you haven't gotten on there yet, you need to ... it's a great procrastination tool} and found this wonderful project. this couple bought their teeny tiny apartment in horrible condition and renovated the entire thing themselves. they have clever ideas for their cozy space, including materials used. i love it!

{below are some before pictures. veeerry intimidating for a project to take on yourself.}

{now for the after pics. stunning.}

all pictures were taken from this blog: desire to inspire found on stumble upon at this address: http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2QE64V/www.desiretoinspire.net/blog/2010/8/13/a-completely-renovated-first-apartment.html

my love for etsy.

many who know me know i'm constantly searching for new art to bring into my house. i love prints, paintings, sculptures and furniture, but on a discounted price, of course. i absolutely love etsy! you can find amazing things on here - and it is so worth it to take a few minutes {or a full day} to search the site and find some gems. but don't worry, i did the work for you this weekend, so below are a few of my fab weekend finds. you're welcome :)

medusa 11 x 14 fine art print by sealilystudio
$35
http://www.etsy.com/listing/75257114/medusa-11x14-fine-art-print?ref=cat1_gallery_17

RUM - 8 x 20 print
$14
http://www.etsy.com/listing/75036205/varieties-of-rum-print-gray-and-orange-8?ref=v1_other_2

GIN - 8 x 10 print
$14
http://www.etsy.com/listing/75040690/varieties-of-gin-blue-and-gray-8-x-10?ref=v1_other_1 

{mom and dad - i totally see these going above the roll-top desk bar}

keep calm and sail on - 8 x 10 print
$10
http://www.etsy.com/listing/71472156/keep-calm-and-sail-on-8-x-10-print?ref=cat1_gallery_4

{i need to get this for bob at fox}

custom family rules sign - 24 x 36 inch on distressed wood
$170
http://www.etsy.com/listing/71464370/custom-family-rules-sign-extra-large?ref=cat1_gallery_40

i honestly do believe that how you decorate and design your house is a direct reflection of who you are {or who you want to feel you are} as a person. my house at home is extremely open - the family room is open to the kitchen which is open to the bar. there is a patio and screened porch that all ties together, and offers seating for conversation and parties. even the study upstairs offers additional seating for people to sit and enjoy each others company while someone else is working on the computer. i love how open my house is, and the warmth it emits. in high school {and especially during breaks in college} all my friends would come over to my house - and i believe it is because there was free booze my house makes people feel welcome. i want my home to feel that way, too. 

my friend tucci's house in delray, florida is a perfect example of this. her parents don't believe in a "formal" living room, because they don't like that feeling. so in the space where there was supposed to be a "formal" living room, they put a custom bar - and at the other end, a giant 10 person round dining room table. it is perfect and so suits their family. instantly you walk in and understand that they are a family who enjoys company, people & good times. i hope my home will reflect who i am the way her family and my family have done.

fill in the blank friday.

it is FRIDAY! i'm home, feeling a little under the weather, but i can't see to sleep - so i thought why not play some good friday games?

1.   I love  doggies   because    they love you like no one else - are loyal - sweet - and a constant companion. i love watching puppies play and eat and just be happy - they seriously have the best lives.

2.  A time that mama knew best was   when i switched my major from architecture to interior design, and she told me not to worry about the extra years, just to follow my heart with what i wanted to do. she was right, because i LOVE interior design and the extra 2 years is totally worth it.

3.  My first kiss went a little like this    ..... awkward? aren't they always awkward??????

4.  My celebrity crush is   shia lebouf (i don't even know if that is how you spell is name... so sad i should know this because he's my celebrity crush!

5.  My splurge of choice is     ANYTHING at target or CVS.... i'm like a grandma. i think i'm saving money on all these pointless items just because i'm buying them at CVS or target.... wrong.

6.  My biggest accomplishment is   landing my internship at a reputable architecture firm in the DC metro area - i am so happy i am here and working for this amazing company because they not only produce wonderful work, but are a fabulous group of people who are compassionate, humorous and lively individuals.

7.  My dance jam of choice is anything katy perry related or lady gaga (especially her new song "edge of glory") and yes i realize these are pop jams but i don't care.... they're fab.

it's a wednesday...