Monday, September 30, 2013

weekly truth

Proverbs 16:9

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After having my cup runneth over at the Influence Conference Thursday - Saturday, I returned home to a comfy bed and a cuddly husband. (He missed me, what can I say?) My heart is full and I'm more inspired than ever. (photos and a brief recap to come!)

There's is always something that bursts your bubble though, and that came all-to-soon on Sunday afternoon. My baby sister and two nephews packed up their belongings and moved four hours north, taking my little heart with them. It was an emotional day and full of ugly crying by everyone except Carter, who was excited for his new adventure.

I don't want to tell their story, because it's not mine. But I will say my sister is taking a brave step and as much as I really really hate it from a selfish stand point, I hope it works out the way she dreams. 

My sister is the first of my family to move away. And when I say first, I mean the entire stinkin' extended family. Aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, they are all right here in our town. So you can get an idea of how large and extreme this is for our family. 

Hope everyone had a great weekend and HAPPY MONDAY!

xoxo.

linking up with Blair.

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

preparing for influence and what I will be wearing

Truth time: I'm feeling overwhelmed. That up there is the to-do list I created yesterday. After I was able to complete two of those things, I had to add about five more. On top of that, poor hubby isn't feeling well and I'd love to make him some potato soup or chicken noodle soup to have this weekend while I'm gone. but unfortunately going to the grocery is not on that to-do list. Prioritize, Courtney.

Maybe I'll have to leave the craft mess in the living room a few days longer.

Maybe the clean clothes that need put away can stay in the basket until I return.

Maybe packing can wait until the very last minute... Ok, let's be honest. It will be waiting until the very last minute.

There has been so much talk about what to wear to the Influence Conference and I've honestly not paid attention to it. I haven't had time to think about what I'm going to wear. Even though there will be girls dressed oh-so-stylish, I'm going to come wearing what I'd normally wear on a Friday and Saturday. What I wear Thursday evening will be what I put on to wear to work that morning.

Two things I know for sure: I'm going to wear my heart on my sleeve because that's normally where I wear it. I've asked God to help me open up, to help me share my heart, and to be there for others who want to share theirs.

I'm also not going to wear mascara because the chances it will run everywhere is pretty good.

So look for me tomorrow evening; I'll be the one not-so-stylish without mascara, but with a genuine smile and open for hugs.

Monday, September 23, 2013

weekly truth

Psalm 72:19

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Those weekends that don't feel like weekends...? You know the kind? That was how this past weekend was for me. I worked at a project site, visited a wedding venue site, worked on a flower order, worked on a video for church, and more. By 8 o'clock Sunday evening, I was ready for my weekend. So KJB and I snuggled in on the couch and watched Wednesday's episode of Survivor then went to bed. 

I don't mind busy weekends like that when I know a fun weekend is coming. And this coming weekend is Influence Conference, for which I'm thrilled. Last week the roomies and I had a somewhat crazy successful Google hangout party and it was like a peak inside the weekend to come. Can't wait to see God work on our hearts.

linking up with Blair.

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

5 Measuring Tips for Decorating


With Pinterest & DIY projects everywhere these days, I thought I'd share some measuring tips to help your decorating go smoothly. These are go-to measurements that never fail, no matter what style you're going for.
First, when hanging a light fixture over a table, keep your fixture between 1/2 and 2/3 the size of the table. You should also give yourself at least 36" between the top of the table and the fixture. Higher ceilings? For every 1' higher your ceiling is, you can drop the fixture 5".

For a chandelier or pendant in an entry way or corridor, use this formula to determine the size and height.
width (in feet) + length ( in feet) = light fixture width (in inches). So if your room is 9'W x 12'L x 12'H, your fixture should be 21" wide. Now take the room height, 12' x 2.5 = 30 x 3 = 90 inches off the floor to the bottom of the fixture.



When it comes to ceiling fans, your choice should be on square footage of the room it's going in. If your room has more than 400 square feet, you should consider getting two fans. If the room is rectangular, you might consider getting two smaller fans if the square footage is more than 350.


 For curtains, make sure your fabric is 3 times the width of your window. That way, even when the curtains are closed, you will have a nice fullness to the drape. When mounting your curtain rod, fix your bracket 4" higher than the top of the window trim and at least 4" to the side of the window trim. If you want the curtains to be able to open wider, increase the rod length to up to 8" on each side.


Rugs should nearly always be larger than you think. When selecting a rug to go under a bed, the rug should extend from the sides and foot of the bed 18-24". If you're going to but a bench or ottoman at the foot of your bed, the rug should extend past that 18-24" as well. Also, you should have a minimum of 8" of bare floor from the edge of the rug to the wall. If you don't, you might reconsider using runners instead of a rug.

When selecting a rug for under a table, make sure you have 24" from the edge of the table to the edge of the wall. This way, you'll have room to move your chair back without having half of the legs on the rug and half off.


The question I get asked the most often refers to proper art height. The center of your piece should hang about eye level, which is between 56-60". If you have multiple frames at multiple sizes, cluster them together and determine the middle. That spot should be hung at 56". Always leave 4-8" above a sofa and, like the table chandelier, keep the piece 2/3 the width of the furniture.

Friday, September 13, 2013

365, 08/26 - 09/01


when i first looked at this photo i thought that all of the moldings and trim in this room was black. after really looking, i realized it's just the shadow from the light coming in. funny how light can affect the color of things so easily.


Tuesday, September 10, 2013

pre-conference meet and greet


if you come here often you already know that. but today i'm linking up with the Influence Conference blog because the conference is 2 short weeks away. blows my mind sometimes on how fast time goes.

i'm really looking forward to the conference. my roommates Hannah, Elise, and Mandy are awesome and i can't wait to get to know them better. worship night last year was my favorite and i can't wait to get into that room with 200 women and sing our praises to our mighty Savior. gives me chills just remembering. and i'm really really really excited to hear from Lara Casey, because i think she's just the bees knees.

lastly, a few things i'll have on me: a moleskin for my notes, a scarf to cover my lap because i tend to always be cold, and my phone to take a gazillion photos.

who else will be at influence?


note: sorry for the amount of times i used the word really.... in case you can't tell i'm lacking in the vocabulary department. 


InfluenceConf

Friday, September 6, 2013

Dates 11-15 of 21






date 11 was a treat at a local coffee shop and bakery. we found ourselves there one evening and i just love the way they have this place decorated. the company wasn't too bad either :)

unfortunately, the next date wasn't easily photographed. I snapped the first one in the car and didn't realize KJB had his eyes closed. the one i took of us at the fancy restaurant is super dark as you can tell, as were the ones i took of our delicious food.

we had some really lovely weather and took the chance to lounge around the park. on a blanket spread out in the grass we had great conversation about God and His plans for us. dates like these are my favorite.

dates 14 & 15 were really fun. we took a mini roadtrip a couple hours south to visit the creation museum. the first day we walked through the museum, visualizing the bible in a really unique way. they also talked a lot about dinosaurs at the museum, and had an entire room dedicated to them. where do dinosaurs fit into the bible? they were created by God, just like all other beasts and creatures of the world. they climbed aboard the arc with Noah and lived through the great flood. eventually, like some other animals, they became extinct. pretty cool, huh?
the next day we explored the gardens and visited the petting zoo. i was super terrified but eventually i did feed a camel. let's not talk about the ridiculous 5 minute video KJB captured of my freakout attempt. and then he decided to ride it which was pretty cool.

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Transition Wardrobe

Fall fashion is my all-time favorite: the scarves, the boots, the jackets... And my favorite way to wear them is paired with my favorite summer pieces.



For date night, throw on a leather jacket over your dress and swap out your strappy sandals for a pair of ankle booties.

Instead of shorts and flip flops with your graphic tee, layer a chunky infinity scarf and dark wash or black skinny jeans.
Layer a cardigan over your sundress, a pair of lacey socks, and some rugged riding boots. This is one of my all-time favorite fall looks because everything can be mixed and matched so well. Plus, I love how country-girly it looks.

What are your favorite fall transition pieces? How do you pair them with your summer favorites?

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

END OF SUMMER GIVEAWAY!

i teamed up with Ange over at Hairspray and High Heels along with some other fabulous ladies to bring you this awesome summer giveaway. just enter the giveaway below. good luck friends!



365 colors: 08/12 -08/18


for an ultra rugged look - perfect for a man cave - pair black walls with worn leather and gray throw pillows. it makes for a great base for any type of guy. it works with vintage sports memorabilia, a car buff, a studious fellow... pretty much anyone.


Tuesday, September 3, 2013

handlettering and typography inspiration

needing some inspiration to fancy up your devotional journal or verse journal? these are a few of the spots i check out when i need inspiration for the weekly truth i'm working on. the top four are blogs and the bottom four are pinterest boards.


1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8