Saturday, February 26, 2011
Our dining room is apple green, and our living room is charcoal grey. I am now IN.LOVE with the Erin Chair from World Market that blends the two hues in a gorgeous pattern... that slightly resembles the fabric in the back of my china cabinet. The chair is now on sale for $209.99 (Regularly $279.99). I may need to save up for a pair of these babies.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Shameless Promotion
You will see that there is a new neat little button on the top right of your screen. Hit it. Like me on Facebook. You know you want to!
Lexington $285,000: 512 Plymouth Pass [OPEN HOUSE 2/27]
OPEN HOUSE THIS SUNDAY, 2 TO 4PM!
Come tour this gorgeous home in Settler's Pointe at Lake Murray in Lexington. This home has so much to offer, you won't want to miss it. With private neighborhood lake access, it's lake living with more square footage than you could dream of getting in this price range lakefront. Not a lake person? There is a pool in the backyard!
Besides the fabulous amenities, the home offers gorgeous hardwood floors, a gourmet kitchen with granite countertops, four bedrooms plus an office, and three full baths all in 3238 square feet.
Come tour this gorgeous home in Settler's Pointe at Lake Murray in Lexington. This home has so much to offer, you won't want to miss it. With private neighborhood lake access, it's lake living with more square footage than you could dream of getting in this price range lakefront. Not a lake person? There is a pool in the backyard!
Besides the fabulous amenities, the home offers gorgeous hardwood floors, a gourmet kitchen with granite countertops, four bedrooms plus an office, and three full baths all in 3238 square feet.
Friday, February 18, 2011
BuyDay Friday: Valentine's Wreath
Have you ever been glad that you didn't buy something that you REALLY wanted? I had wanted the artificial boxwood wreath from Target for ages. I was having a hard time ponying up the $39.99 for something that I could probably make with artificial greens from Michael's. While I was pondering, Target stopped selling the wreath. I made a yarn wreath as a place holder until I found something that I liked. Lo and behold, I'm walking through Target last week and I see this beaut:
Target stopped selling the artificial boxwood wreath so that they could start selling this one! It's a gorgeous preserved boxwood wreath by Smith & Hawken. Since it is $39.99 as well, I wouldn't have been a happy camper if I'd paid that much for a fake one. I had been eying one from Pottery Barn for $69, so I really feel like I got a deal (and PB has that $21 pesky shipping fee). It needs to be lowered a little bit to be centered, but here is what it looks like right now over the fireplace.
My favorite part? I told my man that I wanted this in lieu of flowers, and he was worried that he would get the wrong thing, so we went walking through Target hand-in-hand on Valentine's day to purchase it.
Have a great weekend!
Target stopped selling the artificial boxwood wreath so that they could start selling this one! It's a gorgeous preserved boxwood wreath by Smith & Hawken. Since it is $39.99 as well, I wouldn't have been a happy camper if I'd paid that much for a fake one. I had been eying one from Pottery Barn for $69, so I really feel like I got a deal (and PB has that $21 pesky shipping fee). It needs to be lowered a little bit to be centered, but here is what it looks like right now over the fireplace.
Have a great weekend!
Favorite Things Thursday: Privacy
Growing up, it was my chore to dust the mini blinds. Mini blinds. Yuck. When my husband and I bought our house, we realized very early that we needed to put up window treatments ASAP. A friend called to let my husband know that they were driving by and could see him stirring a pot in the kitchen. We live on a busy street and you can see right in our house. I wanted something that would give us privacy, but also be attractive. There was no way that I was going to put up mini blinds, but I knew that something gorgeous like plantation shutters would be out of my price range.
We considered many options, and finally settled on a wallet-friendly compromise of the two options above. 2" faux wood blinds. They can be found at JCPenney and come in a variety of sizes. If none of those work for you, they can create a custom size for you for a fee. We went with white blinds, but they offer ivory and a number of wood tones. Right now the white blinds are on sale from 11.99 to 39.99 (usually $30 to $105). We love them! They look classy and guard our privacy from the road.
mini blinds
image courtesy of JCPenney.com
plantation shutters
image courtesy of blindsbyjason.com
We considered many options, and finally settled on a wallet-friendly compromise of the two options above. 2" faux wood blinds. They can be found at JCPenney and come in a variety of sizes. If none of those work for you, they can create a custom size for you for a fee. We went with white blinds, but they offer ivory and a number of wood tones. Right now the white blinds are on sale from 11.99 to 39.99 (usually $30 to $105). We love them! They look classy and guard our privacy from the road.
image courtesy of JCPenney.com
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
What to Wear Wednesday: Spring Is Here!
One of the beauties of living in South Carolina is that just when you think you'll shiver to death, the good Lord sends a perfect Spring afternoon your way. Thursday and Friday will have highs in the 70's, lows in the 50's. Perfection, right? It makes me want to do some spring shopping.
Community Spotlight: West Columbia
CommI will be hosting an Open House in West Columbia this weekend, and I realized that I need to do a little research. I went to school at the University of South Carolina, so I'm very familiar with the downtown area. I now live in Lexington with my family, so I know Lexington very well. My family lived in northwest Columbia growing up, so that part of town still feels like "home." Though my office for my first "big girl" job was in West Columbia, and my daughter was actually born in West Columbia, I feel like I've had a very "passing through" relationship with the city. I drive through each day, but usually on my way from Lexington to somewhere in Columbia. It's time for me to brush up on the city's many selling points.
Recent Growth:
Amazon has begun construction on their new facility in Cayce. This venture will bring over 1200 jobs to the area, meaning that before the holiday season of 2010, we should have an influx of new families in the Lexington County and the surrounding area. Time to dust off my knowledge about what a gem West Columbia is :)
The Lexington Medical Center, located in West Columbia, just announced a partnership with Duke Medical Center to create a cardiovascular program. This is our local hospital and it's where my child was born. Our experience could not have been better, so we are glad to see the hospital grow. Duke's cardiovascular clinical research program is world-renowned, and it is exciting to many that such a premier program will be located in West Columbia.
Attractions:
You can't mention beautiful West Columbia without mentioning the Riverwalk. The city built a stunning trail along the west side of the Congaree River. When my husband and I first got married, one of our favorite things to do was visit the West Columbia Amphitheater on the river and listen to the great bands playing. Afterward, you can take a romantic walk by the river! It's like a nature trail right across the bridge from downtown Columbia. I just looked it up, and the next Riverwalk Music Festival is coming up on April 11. It's entirely free, so make sure you stop by.
A little history lesson:
Recent Growth:
Amazon has begun construction on their new facility in Cayce. This venture will bring over 1200 jobs to the area, meaning that before the holiday season of 2010, we should have an influx of new families in the Lexington County and the surrounding area. Time to dust off my knowledge about what a gem West Columbia is :)
The Lexington Medical Center, located in West Columbia, just announced a partnership with Duke Medical Center to create a cardiovascular program. This is our local hospital and it's where my child was born. Our experience could not have been better, so we are glad to see the hospital grow. Duke's cardiovascular clinical research program is world-renowned, and it is exciting to many that such a premier program will be located in West Columbia.
Attractions:
You can't mention beautiful West Columbia without mentioning the Riverwalk. The city built a stunning trail along the west side of the Congaree River. When my husband and I first got married, one of our favorite things to do was visit the West Columbia Amphitheater on the river and listen to the great bands playing. Afterward, you can take a romantic walk by the river! It's like a nature trail right across the bridge from downtown Columbia. I just looked it up, and the next Riverwalk Music Festival is coming up on April 11. It's entirely free, so make sure you stop by.
Courtesy of SCGreatOutdoors
Another West Columbia attraction not to be missed is the Riverbanks Botanical Gardens. The Riverbanks Zoo falls on the Columbia side of the river, but the Botanical Gardens are on the West Columbia side. When we were planning our wedding, the venue on the grounds of the Botanical Gardens was on my short list. Some of my relatives that call the North home have complained a time or two about how long our growing season is and how we can grow just about anything in this climate. I wouldn't know because I have a black thumb, but the Botanical Gardens take advantage of the SC climate! They are stunning and if you have never been, or haven't been in a while, you must plan a spring visit. The perfect time would be on March 26 when they are hosting the annual "Springtime at the Garden Festival." It is free with Zoo and Gardens admission. The Gardens are quite the happening place. Over the Valentine's weekend, they had an "Orchids on the Riverbank" festival, and on each Thursday in May they will host a "Rhythm and Blooms" event with music in food in the exquisite setting. Check out the calendar of events for more.
A little history lesson:
Did you know that West Columbia was chartered in 1894 as "Brookland"? It earned this name due to all the clear brooks running through the area. I never understood why the high school was called "Brookland-Cayce" and now it makes sense! There was already a town with the name Brookland, so for its purposes the USPS called it "New Brookland." If you are from around here, especially if you went to college in this area, it is likely that you have been to a concert at New Brookland Tavern in West Columbia. Many businesses and organizations use the name, but I never made the connection. There is even a Brookland Baptist Church! Brookland, or "West Columbia" as it was renamed in 1936, has a very dramatic past including floods and flames. If you are interested, you can read these facts and more on West Columbia's official website.
If you would like to visit my Open House on Sunday, February 20 from 2-4pm, you may get more information on the home here.
Tip Tuesday: How to Lower Your Cell Phone Bill
We have been trying to figure out how to lower my husband's cell phone bill for ages. He just had to have a CrackBerry, and Verizon requires that you purchase the unlimited data package to go with it. We have been trying to cut costs, and a cell phone with all the bells and whistles isn't a necessity. We didn't know how to go about getting a new plan, but along came a sign from above while I was watching our local news last week. This website will allow you to upload a cell phone bill and it will tell you how much you can save. Step 1 of 4 is in the pink box in the middle of the page... I almost missed it since it's a little small. Use a bill from a typical month, and it will recommend the best plan for you with each carrier. It's awesome!
This it what our analysis looked like: (click on the image for an enlarged view)
AT&T would be perfect, except that he works out in the country and doesn't have coverage. He has to stick with Verizon. This lists his best price with his current phone, but he'll be getting a non-Smart Phone and will do even better. I thought this was a fun tool!
This it what our analysis looked like: (click on the image for an enlarged view)
AT&T would be perfect, except that he works out in the country and doesn't have coverage. He has to stick with Verizon. This lists his best price with his current phone, but he'll be getting a non-Smart Phone and will do even better. I thought this was a fun tool!
Monday, February 14, 2011
Curb Appeal? We don't have any
Our house is ugly on the outside. We love the charm on the inside, but the exterior leaves a lot to be desired. We don't even know where to start, but I've made a few quick photoshop mock ups. This is a quick draft, so don't judge :)
We want to get the biggest bang for our buck, so we are discussing new windows, grey paint, a stained mahogany door, some hardy landscaping, Autumn Brown shingles, and a portico. Opinions please!
Now:
Later:
We want to replace the old gross cement block walkway with brown gravel. We have already lined the walkway with really pretty copper path lights.
We want to get the biggest bang for our buck, so we are discussing new windows, grey paint, a stained mahogany door, some hardy landscaping, Autumn Brown shingles, and a portico. Opinions please!
Now:
We want to replace the old gross cement block walkway with brown gravel. We have already lined the walkway with really pretty copper path lights.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Menu Monday: Valentine's Edition
You will notice that I'm not a chef! We both work and have a six month old, so we try to keep dinner as quick and painless as possible.
Monday: Date night for Valentine's Day!
Tuesday: Glazed Chicken Drumsticks with brown rice and rosemary asparagus
Wednesday: BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders with salad and potato chips
Thursday: Burritos
Friday: Crescent Pizza Pockets with baby spinach salad
Saturday: Ground Turkey Tomato Sauce and Bow Tie Pasta with winter mix veggies
Sunday: French Onion Burgers with salad and potato chips
Monday: Date night for Valentine's Day!
Tuesday: Glazed Chicken Drumsticks with brown rice and rosemary asparagus
Wednesday: BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders with salad and potato chips
Thursday: Burritos
Friday: Crescent Pizza Pockets with baby spinach salad
Saturday: Ground Turkey Tomato Sauce and Bow Tie Pasta with winter mix veggies
Sunday: French Onion Burgers with salad and potato chips
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