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How To Cruise Like Pro {My Insider Tips}

June 18, 2018

Cruising is one of our favorite ways to vacation and see the world. And while cruising is not for everyone, if you want a low-key, fun vacation, a cruise is a great option. One of the best things about a cruise is you decide how active (or not) you want to be. If you want to explore each port of call and see how the locals live, you can do that. If you want to sit back and soak up the sun (cocktail in hand), that’s an option too.

My first cruise was 26 years ago when we went on our honeymoon. I now have about 12 cruises under my belt, my most recent cruise just a few week ago. With every cruise, I learn new ways to make the most of my cruise experience. Today I’m sharing loads of valuable cruise information plus my Insider Tips For Cruising Like A Pro!

Planning Your Cruise

Research different cruise lines and think about the type of cruise you want to take? Do you want a family vacation that offers activities for the kids? Or are you looking for luxury and fine dining? Maybe you want a romantic escape? There are cruises designed to fit any type of travel experience.
Look at each ship within a cruise line fleet to see what each one has to offer. While there are commonalities on every cruise ship, each cruise line will have some signature elements that only they offer. Check out this summary on the most popular cruise lines. insider tip: Carnival and Disney are definitely more family friendly cruises and Norwegian and Royal Caribbean tend to lean more adult.
Consider the time of year you want to sail and what type of weather you want to enjoy. The Caribbean and Bahamas are ideal if you like the sun and warm weather. Or Alaska might be more your weather style. insider tip: sailing around Labor Day is a great because kids are back in school and prices are a bit lower.
Consider your budget. Cruise prices can vary greatly depending on when you travel, where you’re going and the type of accommodations you choose. And if you want to enjoy excursions off the ship, those are an additional cost. Water, tea and lemonade are available for free on the ship, but drinks (alcohol, bottled water and soda), spa services, childcare (outside of kids’ club activities) and tips are all extra. You’ll also want to consider how you will get to the destination port and weigh the cost of driving (and parking fees) against the cost of flying (and luggage fees).
Pick your room style. There are several different styles of rooms available on most cruise ships. Inside Cabins, Ocean View, Balcony Rooms and Suites. I don’t recommend inside cabins for the mere fact that the rooms are tiny and don’t have any windows. All of the other room types will give you more room to move around and have windows. insider tip: you can often upgrade your room a couple of weeks before you sail for a small fee. Call your cruise line one week before you sail and see if upgrades are available. We recently upgraded our room on cruise three days before we sailed and it only cost us $80.

Determine Your Cruise Activities

Research your cruise destinations for the top attractions and any travel advisories and alerts. While it is safe for tourist in the shopping areas near port, venturing out into some cities on your own can be risky. insider tip: If you want to tour the area on your own, hire a taxi or van for a few hours. And where possible, have 4 or more people in your group.
Plan your shore excursions and on-board activities. All cruise lines will have a comprehensive list of excursions available for each port. You’ll also see ratings and feedback from other travelers but take all of that information with a grain of salt. Many of the reviews are paid reviews and may make an excursion look more glamorous than it really is. insider tip: a good way to find out the real scoop on excursions and travel destinations is to google travel blogs and read what they have to say.
Select Your Dining Option. All cruise ships offer reservation dining options and free-style dining where you can eat at select restaurants whenever you want. If you plan to attend the nightly shows, request an early dinner seating so you’re not eating at 10 pm.

Pack Like A Pro

Ok ladies, this one is for you. My first piece of advice is try not to over pack. I still haven’t mastered this but I get better with each cruise. The reality is that you will spend a lot of time in your swim suit or shorts so you don’t need to pack many dressy pieces. If your cruise ship has a formal night you can take a formal dress but don’t be shocked to see other people’s concept of formal which might be a dress with flip-flops.
Pack a carry-on bag that you’ll take directly on the ship with you. The bag should hold a few essentials including a change of clothes, your medicine, sleepwear and bathing suits. Your other luggage will be checked before you board the ship and won’t be delivered to your cabin until after the ship sets sail. insider tip: make sure you have luggage tags on the outside of all your bags. Also place a label with your name, cabin number and cell number on the inside of each bag. I’d also recommend that you take a photo of your bags on your phone in case they get lost.

Here’s a summary of essential items you’ll want to pack for your cruise:

Swimwear and Swimsuit Coverup.–Take at least two or three so you don’t have to wash them out at the end of each day.
Tennis Shoes–I definitely recommend a pair of sneakers if you want to do any adventurous exploring off the ship. And note that many excursions actually require tennis shoes.
Sandals–Keep comfort in mind. Remember that you’re vacationing to relax, not put on a fashion show. insider tip: the decks and floors on cruise ships can be slippery at times so I recommend rubber bottom shoes over hard soles.
Sunglasses–Take two pair of sunglasses with you in case you misplace or lose a pair.
Baseball Hat or Sun Hat–This is essential, especially in the Caribbean or Bahamas where the sun can be brutal.
Light Jacket/ Sweater–The inside of cruise ships can be cold so take a jacket, light weight sweatshirt or sweater to keep cozy.
A pair of jeans or long pants–You may want to wear jeans if going horse back riding or taking a 4-wheel excursion.
Nice Clothing For Dinner–Some restaurants will require a suit coat for men and dressier clothing for women. One or two dressy outfits will suffice.
Insulated Water Bottle–Don’t forget this!!! You’ll want to keep yourself hydrated during the cruise so make sure everyone traveling has an insulated water bottle to keep cold water close at hand. insider tip: buy a water bottle holder to hold and carry your insulated water container around the boat and on shore.
Hand Sanitizer–It’s very easy to catch a cold on a cruise given the number of people confined in such a small space. Most ships have sanitizer stations around the boat so you’ll need your own when you’re off the ship.
Lanyard (neck card holder)–Once you board the ship you’ll be given a sail-and-sign card. This card opens your cabin door and allows you to purchase anything you want on the ship. Make it easy to keep track of your card by hooking it on a lanyard and wear it around your neck.
Backpack or Beach Tote–You’ll want a bag if you plan to get off the ship to go to the beach or sightseeing.
Book/Magazines/Headphones–Pack these items to relax and enjoy while sitting out on the deck.
Small Packets of Laundry Detergent & Dryer Sheets–Some cruise ships have laundry facilities on board and you can purchase packets of soap and wash and dry clothes if needed. Insider tip: save a little money, and carry your own packets of Tide soap that can be purchase in the travel toiletries section at Target.
A laundry bag–You will accumulate dirty laundry on your cruise so a laundry bag will make it easy to your keep dirty clothes contained. When you pack to come home just toss the full laundry bag in your suitcase.

The Comforts Of Home

Clear the refrigerator–Most cabins will have a small refrigerator in the room filled with soda, water and small liquor bottles that you can purchase. insider tip: have your room steward clear out the refrigerator so you can use it to hold your water bottle and any wine/beverages you take on board. You’ll want to check with your cruise line to see what you are allowed to carry on. In most cases, passengers can bring a limited amounts of soda or juice onboard, as long as the drinks are packaged in cans or cartons–a 12-pack per person is the current allowance on Carnival.
Medication–Take enough for a few extra days in case you don’t dock back at your home port as scheduled. (Last year our ship was caught at sea trying to avoid a storm and we ended up being on the ship 4 extra days.)
Cold medicine–Just in case you get the sniffles or catch a cold. You can buy cold medicine in the gift shop but you’ll pay a premium for it.
Extension cords–Extension cords are hard to come by on a cruise ship. If you or someone you are traveling with uses a CPap machine you’ll need a cord so bring your own. On some cruise lines if you alert them that someone has a CPap they will provide a gallon of distilled water for free.
Alarm clock–Good to have for days when you are docking at a port and need to wake up early to head to an excursion. insider tip: can you request a wake-up call from the guest services desk just like you do at a hotel.
Extra hangers–There are never enough hangers in the closet so tuck 6 to 8 lightweight plastic hangers in your luggage. insider tip: buy colorful hangers so you’re less likely to forget them when packing to go home.
Ironing your cloths–Most cruise ships have an ironing board and iron in each of the laundry facilities so you can iron your clothes. insider tip: if you need to iron, make it one of the first things you do after you board and unpack. Iron all your clothes at once so you won’t have to wait in lines during the cruise. FYI–the Norwegian Getaway that we just cruised on did not have laundry facilities. Your only option for washing clothes was to let the cruise line wash them for $19.99 a bag.
Speciality food items like your favorite tea or coffee creamer. If you use a special brand, you’ll want to bring it with you. Make sure to check with your cruise line to confirm the food product can be brought on board.

Organize and Maximize In-Room Storage

Unless you have a suite, most rooms on a cruise ship have relatively small/limited closet and shelf space. insider tip: Take an over-the-door shoe organizer to hang on the closet or bathroom door and use it to hold toiletries, sandals, sleepwear and such. I purchased one from TJMaxx that stays in my suitcase for traveling.
Store your empty suitcases under your bed. The beds in each cabin are designed with open space underneath just for this purpose. With your luggage tucked away, you’ll have more room to move around in your cabin.

Be Tech Saavy

Cell phone roaming charges and the price for shipboard Wi-Fi can take a bite out of your travel budget. Check with your cell phone provider to see what settings your phone needs to be on to avoid excess charges. Set your phone to airplane mode whenever you are in open waters. insider tip: download the cruise lines’ free App as a way to stay connected with the people you’re traveling with. Most Apps allow you to chat with other people you know that are connected on the App during the cruise. Check out this list of 8 Free Phone Travel Apps for Cruisers.
Bring your own phone charging station and power strip (check to see if these are legal on your cruise line) to ensure you have plenty of outlets to plug your electronics in. insider tip: sometimes there’s an extra outlet hidden behind the TV or under the bed–just ask your room steward.

Take Advantage Of Everything The Cruise Ship Has To Offer:

You are not limited to one of each appetizer, entrée and dessert in the main dining room. You can order two entrees or three desserts if you choose. Or you can also order a few appetizers for your main meal.
Room service is generally free, except for service charges on certain lines.
Don’t think your only option for breakfast is the main dining room. Many of the speciality restaurants on the ship will also serve breakfast. Check your daily newsletter to see which restaurants are open in the morning.
All you can eat ice cream. Most ships have soft-serve machines on the buffet deck that are operational into the wee hours of the morning.
There’s no “open beverage” rule onboard. You can bring drinks from a bar or buffet to your cabin or elsewhere on the ship. (Same goes for food.)
Groups of beer drinkers can save by ordering buckets of beer. You get four or five beers in a souvenir bucket at a per-beer cost slightly cheaper than ordering individual bottles.
If you’re feeling sea sick, don’t run to the pharmacy to buy meds. insider tip: you can often get seasickness meds from the purser’s desk for free.

We’ll friends. I think I’ve covered just about everything. If you’re cruising for the first time this year I hope these tips come in handy. And if you’re a seasoned cruiser like me, I’m hoping you learned something new.

If you have a cruise tip I need to know about, leave a comment.

Our Norwegian Cruise (and unexpected friendship)

June 15, 2018

Hi friends and happy Friday. We’ve been back from our cruise for 2 weeks and I’m finally getting around to sharing a recap of our travels. Hold on tight because this is a photo heavy post but after seeing all the beautiful images, I’m sure you’ll want to book a cruise vacation.

I mentioned in a previous post that we traveled with three other couples on this cruise. Here’s a photo of all of us together at dinner one night. We’re all wearing matching t-shirts that Marie made for us.

left to right: Jack & Dorothy (from Ohio), Sal & Marie (from Florida), and Roberto (front) and Eileen (next to my hubby also from Florida)

Looking at the photo you might think that we’ve all been friends for years but believe it or not, we met each other for the first time, 2 years ago on a Carnival cruise!

Whenever the hubs and I cruise, we always request to be seated at a large table for dinner. We love meeting people and making new friends is always fun when you’re cruising. We’ve met lots of couples over the years but meeting this group was different.

Two years ago, on the second night of our cruise, we headed to dinner and were the last couple to arrive at the table. We introduced ourselves to the other couples and it was non-stop conversation and laughs the entire night. Over the course of the cruise we hung out together, played cards and got to know each other. We all became instant friends!

After our first cruise we kept in touch and the hubs and I spent a few days in Florida with Sal and Marie. We took our second cruise together last year and traveled together again on our most recent cruise. We’ve already started talking about a cruise for 2019 and are looking at Alaska or the Panama Canal.

Sometimes it can be hard to make new friends as adults but I truly believe meeting these guys was meant to be. All I can say is…there are friends, there is family and then there are friends that become family! We love these guys to pieces.

***

Ok, enough about out little travel group, now it’s time to share photos from our trip. I’m going to keep the verbiage to a minimum so you can enjoy the photos.

This year we set sail on a 7 day cruise with Norwegian Cruise Lines, on the ship the Getaway. We left on a Sunday afternoon from Miami and enjoyed the beautiful Miami waterfront before we hit the open waters.

Our first day was spent at sea and I enjoyed lots of time soaking up the sun.

Cruising is a little bit like being in a casino in Las Vegas. There were lot of neon lights, music blasting and this stunning chandelier hanging in the lobby of the ship. Each night of the cruise the lights changed to a different color.

The Norwegian Getaway has an impressive line-up of restaurants on the ship and we dined at a different spot each night.

There was a comedy club on board with both family friendly and adult comedy shows. The only downside was that the same comedians and shows repeated throughout the cruise.

Our first port of call was Costa Maya, Mexico.

p.s. I’ll never get tired of seeing the beautiful blue Caribbean sea.

We spent a few hours lounging on the beach and relaxing in the water. The water was a little muddy from the recent storms that had moved through but it was still blue, warm and tropical.

Fresh coconuts were just a few dollars along the beach.

Beautiful pink flamingos!

Our second port was Harvest Caye, Belize. Harvest Caye is a private island/resort area owned and operated by Norwegian. It was truly breathtaking with lush tropical greenery, a massive pool area and a large beach front lounging space! I waded in the ocean and worked on my tan while the rest of the group explored the area. #myhappyplace

The third port of call was Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras. This was our first time in Honduras and all I can say is it was hot!!!

Once you leave the ship you enter a small shopping area in Roatan. We decided to stay in the area and shop rather than take a taxi to another part of the island. The hubs always buys small gifts for his team at work so we had fun picking out handcrafted pottery pieces and trying what little Spanish we know.

Day 6 of the cruise and took us to Cozumel. We’ve been to Cozumel several times before and wanted to do something different this time. The group decided to hire a van and driver to take us around the island. We had a great time and learned so much about the area that you typically wouldn’t be exposed too.

The unspoiled coastline was just stunning.

How fun is this wall of fishing buoys? When I saw it, I immediately starting thinking about DIY Christmas ornaments that looked like these.

We also stopped at the local ruins and did some shopping there. Dorothy is a master negotiator when it comes to jewelry so after she did all the hard negotiating, I jumped in on the deal and purchased a beautiful ring.

We also found a new friend. My hubby loves wildlife so he was excited to come upon this creature. I went running and screaming the minute it moved!

Like most cruise ports in Mexico, alcohol is a hot commodity and was abundantly available for purchase at every turn.

All in all, we had an amazing time. Despite some predictions of rain, the weather was spectacular the entire cruise. We relaxed, ate way too much and enjoyed another adventure on the high seas with our dear friends. I’m already looking forward to our next cruise.

On Monday I’ll be sharing my Insider Tips For Cruising Like A Pro so be sure to stop by and check out the post.

Happy weekend!

**all photos taken by me

Our Carnival Cruise Vacation

September 19, 2016

Hi friends. I hope everyone is having a great day.

You may have noticed that it’s been quite here on the blog recently. I could come up with a dramatic explanation like ‘I decided not to return from our cruise and stay Aruba to live the island life’ but we both know that would be stretching the truth. To be honest, after seeing the beauty of Aruba and experiencing the amazing shopping, I really did give some thought to moving to Aruba but then reality hit and I begrudgingly returned to Atlanta. Great memories and an awful cold are the only things I brought back from our cruise.

It seems that whenever I travel and my body gets a chance to decompress, I catch a cold. Luckily my sore throat didn’t hit until the second to last day of the cruise so I was able to enjoy everything the cruise had to offer.

{warning…this is a photo heavy post that might have you booking a cruise at the end}

♦♦

We traveled with Carnival Cruise Lines on their beautiful ship the Conquest. Our 8-day cruise left from Fort Lauderdale and the ports of travel were Grand Turks, Bonaire, LaRomana Dominican Republic and Aruba. We also had several days at sea which gave us the perfect opportunity to enjoy the ship and really relax.

If you’ve never taken a cruise before, I have to tell you that it is a great way to vacation. This is our 7th cruise and it was decidedly our best one yet. Here are a few things you can expect on a cruise and some of the sights and sounds we experienced on our vacation.

♦ Cruising On Carnival Cruise Lines ♦

More food than you can imagine. A big part of cruising is the food and dining experience. In addition to enjoying formal dining each evening, there are tons of casual food options like Guy’s Burger Joint for burgers and fries, BlueLaguana Cantina for Mexican food, Steakhouse Restaurant for steaks and seafood and a barista style coffee bar serving a variety of coffee and beverage drinks. Oh, and if that isn’t enough, how about 24 hour pizza, ice cream and soft-serve yogurt. #youwillgainweightonacruise

Lots of lounging (or public sleeping in our case). If relaxing is what you want to do, a Carnival Cruise will let you do that in spades. We always find a spot off to one side of the boat, pull up a lounge chair to soak in the sun. I lugged a stack of magazines with me and didn’t get through a single one. #donotdistrub

Lots of activities. All of the Carnival Cruise ships we’ve been on have had an abundance of activities you can enjoy. The Conquest had a casino, comedy club, outdoor basketball and ping-pong, a dance club, 2 swimming pools, outdoor movie screen and several shops on board. And boy was it fun watching adults embrace their inner child and enjoy the water slide. #wepassedontheslide

Meeting great people. Our dining table assignment grouped us with 4 other couples and they turned out to be some of the funnest people we’ve ever met. We got along great and actually ended up hanging out together a good portion of the cruise. We had such a great time together that we’re already talking about cruising together again next year. #freindsforlife

Our cruise tribe: John, me, my hubby, Jack, Dorothy, Eleanor, Roberto, Eileen, Marie and Sal

Fun towel art. Every Carnival staff person is skilled at creating these amazing towel animals which you’d find all around the ship and in your stateroom. And if you’re inclined, you can even take a class in ‘towel art’.

Tropical beach settings. If its white sand and clear blue water you looking for, it will be delivered right to your door. In Grand Turks the beach was just steps away from the ship and the water was crystal blue. #don’tforgetthesunscreen #HOTisanunderstatment

And if you want to explore the islands you can do that too. In Grand Turks we visited the lighthouse, saw the donkeys that roam free and petted some horses.

We also popped into Margaritaville which was bustling with activity and impromptu dance sessions.

Anyone for a game of chess?

LaRomana was more rural than the other islands we visited but was still beautiful and lush.

A Michael Jackson super fan gave the crowd a show in the Dominican Republic.

As for my favorite ports of call, Aruba won by a landslide (and it didn’t have anything to do with the fact that the Louis Vuitton store was in walking distance from the ship). Aruba is an upscale island with great restaurants/bars, beautiful beach areas and amazing shopping. Every designer brand you can think of has a store on the island and there was a large Zara store and several Starbuck locations.

**the panoramic photo above was taken my Marie who was the photo ninja in the group

We took a trolley ride through the city and I loved looking at the architecture and colors of the buildings. They looked like they had been snatched from a Bavarian village.

Amazing Sunsets. Just when you think you’ve seen all the beauty that you can stand, you’ll be greeted by beautiful sunsets every evening of your cruise. There’s nothing like warm weather, great people and watching the sun go down over the ocean to put a smile on your face.

This Carnival Cruise was one of the best trips we’ve ever taken and we can’t wait to set sail again.

Life Lately: A Little Of This and A Little Of That

June 7, 2018

Hi friends. We returned from our vacation a couple of days ago and life has been a whirlwind ever since. I had every intention to hit publish on two new blog posts earlier this week but that didn’t happen. Catching up on work, dealing with a broken garage disposal and mounds of laundry has gotten the best of me. Why is it that when you come back from vacation you feel like you need another one just to unwind.

Things are slowly getting back to normal and I have good things on the blog horizon that I’ll be sharing in the coming weeks.

Today I wanted to pop in a share a bits and pieces of what’s been happening in my world to get you caught up.

VACATION IN PARADISE

The hubs and I went on a Carnival Cruise when we got married 26 years ago and fell in love with cruising. We’ve been on about 12 cruises, all of them on Carnival until our most recent which was on the Norwegian Getaway. The ship sailed out of Miami and our 7 day cruise included a couple days at sea plus stops in Belize, Honduras and Mexico.

We traveled with three other couples that we met 2 years ago on a cruise. We all became instant friends and enjoy cruising together.

I’ll be sharing more about the cruise and the story of how we met our friends next week so stay tuned. I’ve also got a blog post planned where I’ll be sharing my tips for cruising like a pro. I’ve had several readers mention that they will be taking their first cruise this summer so I wanted to share my insider secrets.

So I don’t leave you hanging high and dry regarding the cruise, here are a few photos I snapped during our vacation.

Beautiful Miami…

Somewhere in paradise…

Design inspiration abroad the Norwegian Getaway…

I spent a lot of time in this spot soaking up the sun and living my best life!

DESIGN LIFE

Before I left on the cruise I did an install in a clients’ master bedroom. We’re in the process of transforming the room from rich, earthy colors to soft, sophisticated hues. There are still a few things to do before the room is done but here are a few grainy iPhone pictures of the space so far.

OUT & ABOUT IN ATLANTA

I’ve been spending a lot of time accessory shopping for clients lately. One of my favorite stores in mid-town Atlanta, Bungalow Classics is stocked full of amazing pieces right now. If you live in Atlanta and are looking for unique accessories, furniture or lighting you’ll definitely want to check the store out.

FAMILY LIFE

In really exciting news, my mom will be moving to Atlanta in about a month. She currently lives in Oklahoma so this move is going to be a big change for her. I know she’ll make friends fast and have me taking her to Lenox Mall in no time flat. Her new digs are in a high-rise senior living complex in the heart of Buckhead with amazing views. I’m going to be decorating her unit and will share the plans once I have the all mapped out.

It’s going to be great that now my mom, brother and I will all be living in the same city. That hasn’t happened since I was in high school.

AROUND THE HOUSE

Believe it or not but I’m still decorating and getting settled. We’ve only been in the house for 10 months and I keep reminding myself there’s no need to rush things. I’m a few projects aways from finishing my office and I’m still on the hunt for a living room rug. There’s so much I’m planning to share with you but I’m just not ready with it all yet.

Here’s a sneak peek of the new credenza I bought for my office. It’s a beautiful furniture piece and the price is pretty amazing too!

Lainey Credenza

And a look at the new knobs I purchased from CB2 for our kitchen cabinets. These beauties are under $5.

brushed brass hexagon knob

I’ve also managed to get our dining chairs re-upholstered. The old fabrics was a light green leaf pattern that was on the chairs when we bought the set. I had a hard time picking a new fabric so I played it safe and went with a neutral animal pattern. I love it!

The next two moths are going to be super busy getting my mom settled, attending the Atlanta Gift & Home Furnishings Show and working on a new design project. I’m already thinking about our next vacation and it might have to happen sooner rather and later 🙂

Weekend Wrap Up: Vol. 4

May 26, 2018

Greetings friends!! I hope you enjoy the long weekend and dodge the rainy weather that’s plaguing most of the country this weekend.

As you read this, the hubs and I are in Florida getting ready to set sail on our cruise. I’m so excited for a little down time with friends. While I’m soaking up the sun, I hope you have an amazing weekend and find a little time to enjoy the roundup of links I have for you.

Bon Voyage!

*****

OMG! This Highlands, North Carolina home designed by Carole Weaks is breathtaking. As you scroll, pay attention to all the little details that make the rooms special.

I’ve been struggling with an over flowing to-do list so I’m going to give The Big Three a try.

Such a brilliant (and inexpensive) Ikea DIY hack.

This is the next book I’m going to purchase. If the cover is any indication, it’s going to be fun.

So many cute things in the new Hearth & Hand Collection at Target. This tumbler, this umbrella stand and these adorable serving trays are my top picks.

Have you ever thought about launching an online business? If so, you’ll want to read this. Great tips!

10 Things the French Always Do When Decorating

H anyone tried Amazon’s Prime Wardrobe? It allows you to get a selection of clothing and try it on at home before you buy it. Whatever you don’t like can be returned for free. Sounds pretty enticing, right?

I’m planning to take the week off from blogging but will be over on my Instagram feed sharing bits and pieces of our trip. I hope you’ll join me.

What I Bought–My Thrift With Tyler Purchases

May 25, 2018

Happy Friday friends. As you read this, I’m on the road head to Florida to set sail on your cruise. To say I’m excited is an understatement because I really, really, really need the vacation. I’ll be sharing my adventures over on Instagram and hope you’ll check in from time to time to see what I’m up to. There’s a chance that we might be dodging hurricane weather so things might be more adventurous than I planned.

Anyhow, I wanted to pop and share what I purchased during the Thrift With Tyler event that I attended last Saturday. In case you missed the highlights of the tour, you can read about it here.

In planning for the trip, I made a shopping list with the items I wanted to look for while we were shopping. I was shopping for a bench for our guest bedroom, vintage scarves (because I’m kinda obsessed with them right now) and blue and white pottery. I’m happy to say that I was able to check a couple of items off the list.

WHAT I BOUGHT–MY THRIFT WITH TYLER PURCHASES

This blue and white urn was one of my first purchases. This piece came from the Marietta Antique Mall and was under $10.00. The deep rich blue and flourish design are what caught my attention. II’m planning to use this in my office to hold a plant or orchid.

Another pottery piece that I bought was this octagon dish that also came from the Marietta Antique Mall. I’m slowly starting to add a few colorful pottery pieces to my collection so I’m glad I found this.

I’ve shared my love for milk glass on the blog before. I’m always on the hunt for new pieces to add to my Etsy shopand saw several pieces that were tempting. I bought this beautiful pitcher at Woodstock Antiques & Consignment for under $10.00. I’ve never seen this design before so that made for an easy buying decision.

Another top selling item in my Etsy shop are brass trays. This rectangular tray came from Woodstock Market. The pretty details and petite size make it the perfect size for a vanity tray or desk accessory.

This square brass tray also came from Woodstock Market. The etched pineapple design on the inside and pierced rim of the tray sold me. I’m planning to add this to my shop unless I find the perfect spot somewhere in my house.

One of the most unique stops on the tour was Nancy’s Vintage Shop in Marietta. This small shop had a lot of treasures and the minute I walked through the door I spotted this vintage handbag. I love shape and petite size and will definitely get lots of use from this bag.

The last two items I purchased came from Woodstock Market. As I was walking around the store, I spotted one of the other ladies on the tour sitting on the floor looking through a basket. Her excitement made me stroll over to see what was inside. The basket was filled with vintage scarves, most priced between $3.25 and $6.00. I dove right into the basket, right along side my new friend and came away with these two silk beauties.

I found some pretty great pieces, don’t you think?

The Thrift With Tyler event is typically held during spring and fall and I’m already looking forward to the next outing.

One Project At A Time: Outdoor Decor Plans

May 7, 2018

One of the many projects that I’ve been slowly working on around the house is our deck. I’m excited to get this outdoor space completed so we can enjoy the beautiful (and hot) spring and summer weather here in Atlanta.

We live in a three level townhouse so the deck is located off the second floor at the back of the house. It’s not a large space but spacious enough to create a cozy lounge and entertaining space.

One of the first things we’re working on is adding privacy. When you walk out on the deck, you’re looking at the neighbors behind us on one side and at the street on the other. For the side facing the street, we’re going to add a privacy fence to match the one between us and the house next door. And to give us some privacy facing out, we’ve added some potted trees. We purchased the pots from At Home and after quizzing all the garden pros in town, we decided on the JJapanese Privet, Ligustrum. We’ve also purchased an outdoor rug, umbrella and a few lanterns. Now the hard part–selecting furniture.

Just like when I’m working with design clients, I decided the best way to envision the space was to create an inspiration board (or three). If you’re working on decorating your house, I highly recommend creating an inspiration board. Having a visual reference will allow you to see the space in totality and make the best decorating decisions.

Here are three inspiration boards I pulled together with the furniture sets I’m considering. And at the end of the post I’m sharing a few outdoor decorating tips in case you’re decorating your outdoor oasis too.

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OUTDOOR DECOR–THE VISION

The vision for our outdoor space is to create a space that is conducive to lounging, entertaining and socializing. I want to maximize the seating as much a possible while still keeping the small space open.

Option #1: Neutrals with a pop of red since its my favorite color. The overall look is classic with the red and aqua color combo adding energy and spunk. The only downside to this plan is the seating is a bit limited unless I add an additional chair or two which could be an option.

Option #2: It’s no secret that I love blue and white so that’s what inspired this inspiration board. This look is subtle without being flat or lifeless. There are two downsides to this plan– 1) the design of the furniture is not my absolute favorite–I prefer furniture with a square frame versus rounded. And second, the blue furniture cushions are more limiting when it comes to switching out accent pillows.

Option #3: This third inspiration board is a nice mix of classic and transitional styling. I love the dark, rich colors in the pillows and also the metal garden stool. The only downside here is the color of the furniture–I’d love it if it were a little darker.

I really can’t go wrong with any of these designs, it’s just a matter of going with the one that feels the most like us. If you have a favorite design board, leave me a comment and let me know which one you think I should pick.

Here are those decorating tips I promised…

I’ll share updates as I work on the space over the coming weeks. My goal is to pull it all together right after we get back for our cruise in early June.

A Look Back At 2017 (and some plans for the new year)

January 5, 2018

2017 Year In Review

Happy (belated) New Years! I hope that everyone had a fabulous Christmas and ushered in the new year in style. I had plans to blog over the Christmas holiday but just couldn’t find the motivation to sit down and write. Instead I choose to enjoy Christmas with my family and to be honest, I really needed and treasured the break.

2017 was a busy year, both personally and professionally. The photos above show some of the highlights I experienced during the year.

The year started off with a bang (literally) when my brand new car was side-swiped by a tow truck. Thankfully I had just gotten out the car so I walked away unharmed. It took almost 3 months for my car to be repaired and as expected we are still having some minor issues with the repairs. I’m just blessed I wasn’t hurt and that the driver of the tow truck had good insurance.

Once 2017 got rolling, the fun started happening. The hubby and I road-tripped to Texas so I could go to the Round Top Antiques market. My friend Marsha planned the trip which included a stay at a beautiful bed and breakfast in Salado, Texas. Fingers crossed I’ll be able to attend Round Top again this year.

Blogging in 2017 was a little erratic. I created some beautiful tablescapes throughout the year and started a new blog series called Product + Inspiration. My tablescape and Product + Inspiration posts were some of the top posts in 2017 so you’ll see more of that in 2018.

You all know I love to gift wrap and it was fun sharing wrapping ideas throughout the year. I won’t be sharing gift wrap ideas monthly but instead will be doing seasonal gift wrap posts with tips, inspiration and resource guides.

One of the highlights of my year was partnering with Steve and Jill McKenzie’s and conducting design workshops in their beautiful store. I love doing workshops where I can inspire others with ideas for decorating, gift wrapping and living a stylish life. I’m hoping to host more workshops around Atlanta in 2018.

In August I found out I was nominated for an Amara Interior Blog Award. It was a great honor to be recognized. I also enjoyed partnering with Amara on a couple of blog projects during the year. They are one of my favorite companies and I hope to work with them again this year.

One of the most exciting things that happened in 2017 was the purchase of our new house. We closed in July, had some renovations done and moved in the last week of August. I still have lots of decorating to do and will be sharing the progress throughout the year. First up is completing my office space.

In September we sailed away on a Caribbean cruise. We traveled with a three other couples that we actually met last year on a cruise. It’s funny how people come into your lives and how friendships are born. We’re all planning to cruise again this year.

And before I knew it, Christmas was here and it was time to decorate. It was so fun to decorate with my favorite colors this year and I love how it all came together.

2017 was also my final year serving as Board President for a local non-profit agency called the Community Assistance Center (CAC). I have been on the board for 7 years and the agency is near and dear to my heart. If you don’t already, I encourage all of you to find a way to service others and give back in 2018–it’s so fulfilling.

It’s already looking like 2018 its going to be a busy year with projects in the works, trips planned and new adventures ahead.

I’m still working on outlining my goals but have chosen CLARITY as my word of the year. My goal is to stay laser focused on achieving and accomplishing all that I want to in 2018.

I’ll be back next week to share my 2018 blog plans so stay tune. For now I just want to say thank you for joining me each and every day here on the bog. Your support means the world and I hope to continue to inspire you in the new year.