I love to read! When I am not working, taking pictures, blogging, or spending time with my family you can probably bet that I have my nose in a book! I like to read about a number of different topics. It all depends on what I am in the mood for. However, I have been compiling a list of books that I want to really soak in! 

Right now I am reading Start Something That Matters. This book has been on my "to read" list for a while, but I just started it. I must say...I LOVE IT! It is so inspirational and it really makes you want to do something that is going to make a difference. I love the TOMS story, and I cannot wait to learn more as I continue reading this great book! 

I told you I was going to fill you in on how I have styled my nightstand. Our nightstand has slowly become more styled over time, and I finally think that it is finished! So, I thought I would share some tips with you. 

First...make sure you start with a clean surface! Done dusting? Good! Now you have to find some key elements for your nightstand. 

Lamp: It is important to have a good light source. I use my lamp a lot. I really like curling up with a good book before bed, and my lamp puts off just enough light. 

Basket: There is currently nothing inside of my little basket. However, I like to have it there for jewelry, hair ties, and bobby pins that I may take off before bed. The basket keeps all of my belongings neatly contained. 

Photo: I love having a photo on my nightstand, and I really like this oversized frame. Adding a personal touch to your nightstand will make it more enjoyable. 

These pieces can be arranged and styled any way you choose. You may want to add more rustic elements...or something with a little more sparkle. These elements can fit anyones style! 

Remember yesterday's post...yes, the exhausting list of things that I have to do to the house! Well, I managed to cross something off of that never ending list...pillows for the living room are done! I spent some time with my grandma today, and I managed to finish 4 pillows.

The tan pillows were inspired by some pillows that I saw in the West Elm catalog. I poured paint directly on one piece of the tan canvas and then pressed the other piece on the top. After the paint dried I sewed a blank piece of canvas to the back.

I am in love with them! 

I think it is about time that I make some lists of things I need to get done around the house. There is so much that I would like to do, but I never really know where to start. So...I am going to start here! 

Front Porch

• Get new door

• Change windows.

• Remove window into bedroom

• Finish hanging drywall

• Pick out a color for the wall. I am thinking about a turquoise color (not sure if Dane will go for it)

• Paint the interior

• Paint the front door

• Design the room (I still have to figure out what I am doing...you can read more about that here.)

Living Room 

• Paint

• Find a new TV stand

• Get new carpet

• Organize DVD storage (You can read about that here.)

• Add art to the walls

• Print wedding picture on canvas

• Get new window treatments

• Get new furniture (This doesn't need to happen any time soon.)

• Install new ceiling fan

• Paint entry table

• Make some pillows for the couch

Master Bedroom

• Paint

• Get new carpet

• Style our nightstand (Blog for this is coming soon!)

• Organize our closet

• Fix closet doors 

• Add art to the room

• Make mirror for the room

• Get new lighting fixture

• Get window treatments

• Label mattress for easy rotation

Guest bedroom / Office

• Paint

• Get new carpet

• Organize...yes, I am still working on this! 

• Find desk

• Find bed or futon

• Find curtains for the windows and the office space

• Install sliding door

Kitchen

• Paint walls

• Paint cabinets

• Makeover the refrigerator (Read more about that here.)

• Add some kitchen decor (I have done a couple things here and here...but I still have more to do.)

• Get a new kitchen table

• Add hardware to cabinets (It has been purchased...that's a step in the right direction.)

• Get new light fixture

Bathroom / Laundry

• Paint

• Tile the floors

• Tile the shower

• Change the shower curtain (I am not in a hurry...Dane can keep enjoying his camouflage) 

• Decorate (You can read about that here, here, and here.)

• Get new lighting fixtures

• Install cabinets above the washer/dryer

• Update the mirror

• Build a platform for the washer/dryer

Patio / Yard

• Update the house numbers (Read about that here.)

• Get rid of a soda machine (That one is going to take a lot of convincing.)

• Finish the grill (I will blog about that when it is done.)

• Paint the stairs

• Extend the patio

• Find an outdoor rug

• Find outdoor furniture

• Work on a flowerbed for the front of the house (This may have to wait until next spring.)

That is it! I am sure that things will be added to this list frequently...that is how lists work, right? I will be sure to fill you in on all of my little projects! 

I will admit it...I am not the best cook in the whole world, but I am trying to improve my skills. I have a a pretty large collection of recipes that I would like to try. The recipes that I have collected are not just any recipes. They are special to me...even if I am not skilled at cooking them. I decided that I wanted to get some good use out of the recipes while I am still learning to improve my cooking skills. 

A while back I saw this post on Young House Love, and I thought that the recipe art was a great idea. Articipe has a great selection to choose from, but I wanted to make my own custom recipe art (you know I am a fan of sentimental art). I picked one of my grandma's recipes (I had to use one that had a small number of ingredients) and designed some art for my kitchen. 

I am in love with this unique and custom art. Maybe it will inspire me to bake some Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies! I plan on making a lot more of these in different colors. 

P.S. You can find the tutorial for the painted mason jar here.

Our home doesn't offer up a lot of space for storage, and sometimes it can be tough to find a spot for everything. So...I have to make sure that I am utilizing each space efficiently. (more storage space = more space for me to put the stuff that is filling the guest room) We have a couple of drawers under our entertainment center that were filled with movies (I couldn't put one more DVD in them if I tried), but I really wanted to be able to store some of our other belongings in that space. It didn't take me very long to find a solution thanks to IHeart Organizing! 

I really liked the containers that Jen used, but I wanted to keep this project as cheap as possible (I only spent $10 total).

The first step was labeling the sleeves that the DVDs were going to go in. I used numbered stickers that I found in the scrapbooking section at Wal-Mart. After I numbered all of the sleeves I placed them in a clear container that fit perfectly in my drawer (the container was from Wal-Mart too).

As I placed the DVDs in the sleeves I made a list of all the movies as a reference. The list is folded and tucked in the back of the container for easy access. 

Drum roll...

I was able to fit everything that filled both drawers into one drawer...with some room to spare! 

Notice: I left a few items (seasons of my favorite shows, workout DVDs, and Just Dance) in their original boxes. I didn't want to mix them with our other DVDs. 

And...don't worry, I plan on recycling all of the DVD cases! 

I wouldn't normally put a lot of effort into decorating the laundry room, but our laundry room is also our only bathroom. That means all of our guests see it...it has to look nice! I attempted a DIY project earlier this week, but I wasn't a huge fan of it. I wanted something rustic, but this laundry sign didn't really bring the feel that I wanted (basically... every time I looked at it I wanted to take it down). 

Then I came across this post on Life as a Thrifter. I loved the idea of decorating the laundry room with hangers...I don't know why I didn't think of it earlier! I found these hangers at Wal-Mart for around $3 for the pair. I still was going for a rustic look. So...I broke out the white paint! I just did one thin coat to accomplish the look that I wanted. 

Once the paint dried I selected some pictures to place in the hanger. Eventually, I will probably print some 8x10 images for the hangers, but I think these look good for now! 

I attached them to the wall with 3M Command velcro strips. I love them and use them all the time! 

I put the hangers up with the DIY laundry sign to see if I would like it, but I still didn't care for the sign. 

So... down it came! I still have a few things that I want to do to the laundry room, but I love the new decor! 

What do you think? 

I cannot believe that July is over! When did that happen? It was a very busy, very interesting month.

I am doing a lot of photography work! During the month of July I had several exciting things happen in the world of photography. I changed my branding, found out that my photography is hanging up at the McDonalds in town, and made some changes to my photography blog! Plus, I have done several photo shoots that I am in love with! 

I almost went to Chicago...if you don't know what I am talking about you can find out here! Instead I found myself spending a lot of time in a couple of different hospitals. (To spend time with sweet sister and my cousin and her new bundle of joy.) Brooke is back to her crazy self, and Ceara and Kinleigh are doing well! 

I also got to spend a lot of quality time with family! We went to the lake a couple of times to hang out and relax. (I will miss the lake when the weather gets cold again.) I got to help throw a bridal shower for my lovely sister-in-law. AND I got to break in the best purchase ever! I found a vintage Dooney and Bourke at a yard sale for $1! Talk about a steal! 

All in all it was a great month! However, I am really excited to see what August will bring! Here is the August calendar!

AND...iPhone wallpaper!