West Elm // DIY Workshop Event

Last weekend west elm opened their doors, pulled out the craft supplies and brought in local bloggers for a diy workshop. The event was inspired by erica domesek's who is a style and diy expert and author of p.s. - ... your're invited. The idea behind the workshop was to take typical home accents and make them your own by infusing them with custom design. 

(my tray, book and scissors /  all the craft supplies set out for our workshop)

In the middle of west elm's showroom, a small group of ladies crafted away, creating custom designed lacquer trays with paint, metallic washi tape and hopes of designing something special. My sister-in-law krista joined me for this workshop and we each walked away with a unique tray to accessorize our home. We had such an awesome time customizing our trays, posting pictures to instagram (#pswestelm) and checking out the new fall line in the store.

(clockwise from top left:  krista and I with our finished trays  /  my tray and book + a signed note from the author  /  krista's used her tray to display her jewels and baubles  /  here is the whole group at west elm)

You can buy your own copy of p.s. - you're invited with the link below...

this post was not sponsored by west elm; these are just my thoughts which I wanted to share with you, my lovely readers after attending a west elm event.

Quote of the Day

( all quotes via)

My lovely husband brought me to the book store to get a new book last week.  You can now find me cuddled up with a blanket, a cup of coffee, Rocco napping next to me and this novel.

Weekend Update

Oh Labor Day weekend... you were pretty good to me and I am grateful for that.  

I will say this weekend was harder on me than I expected due to a funeral service I attended for my late friend.  It was a very emotional day, hard to get through and yet, also a celebration of the humor, love and appreciation of life that Keith brought to our world which I am so happy to have witnessed myself.  So, it feels a bit trivial to give you some cutesie pictures of my weekend now.  However, I need to remember that life is full of experiences, people, moments and emotions that are worth sharing and so I am going to do so now.  

(delicious clam pizza from Proto's)

(a teary-eyed toast to Keith over the perfect lunch in his honor)

(tons of sunggle time with Rocco)

(some end of summer pool time with my parents.  I've also almost completed Gone Girl too... it's really good!)

(we also went and saw Dark Night Rises... it was really good and I am happy Ryan was able to finally see it in the theatre)

New Novel

I finally decided on my newest novel to read.  After some serious deliberation, consulting quite a few 'best sellers' lists and walking up and down Barnes and Noble for a bit, I have decided to read the New York Times Best Seller, Girl Gone.  

Based in Missouri, this suspense novel is about Nick and Amy Dunne; a couple married for five years getting ready to celebrate their anniversary only to wake up and find out that Amy has gone missing.  I hope the story is as good as the reviews and that the suspense and trill lives up to the hype.  Wish me luck!

In Need of a Novel

I will admit... I have never been much of a reader.  I might have mentioned it before here.  However, I am proud to admit since May I have read three novels (this is really good for me BTW).  I am now searching for my next read and am a bit stuck on what that should be.  

I have heard great things about Cutting for Stone, BossyPants, You Cannot Be Serious and of course the NY Times Best Sellers list always is a great resource but I was hoping that you would comment below and give me some suggestions.  I would ideally like to read either a fiction novel or possibly a memoir.  I have some vacations coming up (insert me jumping up and down in excitement) and I would love to bring a new book with me!

So, what do you think?

50 Shades of Grey

I will be the first to admit I am not a huge reader.  I love to peruse a magazine on a lazy afternoon and I jump at the chance to flip through cookbooks in hopes to find an amazing recipe but reading a traditional novel is not quite my cup of tea.  Embarrassingly enough, at one point in time, my husband rewarded me with a present after finishing a book over 300 pages.  No judging blogger friends!

Well, over the past couple of years I would say my book reading has increased quite a bit.  I completed the Hunger Games series in only a few short months (again, no judging) and I read the novel Redeeming Love which my dear friend Mariah gave me that truly changed my views on forgiving the people in your lives regardless of the decisions they make.  Additionally I read Marley and Me and the first 2 Twilight books when everything in pop culture was 'Edward vs Jacob' but then quickly realized that it wasn’t for me.

So, my latest book of choice is the New York Times Best Seller, 50 Shades of Grey.  If you have not heard, this is supposed to be a bit of a scandalous book about a young, quiet student who falls for an incredibly successful, smart and controlling businessman who start a relationship together full of passion and thrill.  There is huge buzz about it and a bit of controversy but I am going to see how it goes. 

I hope I can start carving more time in my schedule for reading but I am currently having a difficult time doing so.  Case and point… I went home to let Rocco out at lunch, I thought to read a chapter or two while I ate my left over pizza… until I was barked at indecently by said dog until I would give him some attention.  He could have cared less about the pizza but it was my focus on something other than him that made him go bonkers!  Needless to say, I only got through 6 pages before I went to play fetch with Rocco.  So, we will see how this book really goes.

What are your thoughts on 50 Shades of Grey?  What is the most recent book you have been reading?