Back to Reality

Well, after an amazing honeymoon, we are back to reality. As a matter of fact, we've been back in the continental U.S. for less than 21 hours and we've already paid our bills, mowed the lawn, grocery shopped, and caught up on laundry.

I'll be sure to give you all a run down of our trip - my personal review of the hotel, where we ate, what we saw - as soon as I get the photos organized. I also have some other exciting stuff on the docket to blog about, so stay tuned.

I hope you're all doing well! I have entirely too many blogs to catch up on, but promise I will soon! 

Pinterest Project #1

There is no point in me lying - the #1 thing I was most excited about with our new house was the pending Pinterest projects. (If you follow me on Pinterest, you'll know that I even have an entire board set up as my "to-do" list for when Logan is down range...) But, lucky me convinced L to already help me knock one project out!

Here was our inspiration:

Source

I fell in love with this idea months ago and was so excited to give it a shot. L and I went to Lowes, and the cinder blocks, lumber (we used 4x4x6's), and spray paint totaled a little over $50. (Thanks, military discount!) We skipped the cement glue they elect to use in the tutorial, since ours is a temporary structure.

(Please excuse the bit of weeding we need to do under the porch!) L got to work spray painting - I swear I didn't mean to get the same exact color! We chose spray paint rather than paint paint, and it was applied to both structures in less than 30 minutes. We left them to sit in the sun for another 30 before moving them to the porch.

We got it all set up and I was in love! It is very deep, however, so finding cushions was tricky. Our bench itself is about 55" long and 30" deep. The tutorial said you could find extra big cushions at places like World Market, but even online, we were looking at $75 for a cushion (or cushions) that still wouldn't be big enough. So, we decided to make our own!

I did some quick math and realized that three pillows could fill up most of the space. A 20% off coupon for Bed, Bath, and Beyond helped me get these fellas for $24. (I could've gotten cheaper ones at Wal-Mart, I'm sure, but I felt like these might be more durable.) I ran to Hancock Fabrics and got some outdoor fabric and some heat binding (I really should invest in a sewing machine...) and got to work!

I laid the fabric out with the right sides facing each other (I threw the pillows in there just to measure where I'd be binding) and began using my iron to create a seam. The heat binding was so easy to use - I laid it down, pressed the fabric together, used a damp wash cloth as a press cloth, and went to town! It took me about an hour and a half to finish 3 sides, but it was worth it.

I flipped the giant pillow case right side out and stuffed the pillows inside and voila! I'm still trouble shooting how to seal the 4th side (and consulting my sewing genius friend, CJ) but over all, I'm happy with it! We need to add a few throw pillows, I need to seal it with some Rust-Oleum Never Wet, and I am definitely on the lookout for some side tables, but for now, it's perfect. 

Part of me wishes I had done individual pillow cases, or gotten something like memory foam for the inside, but I think this one cushion will do the trick until the fall when I'm counting on outdoor furniture items to go on way clearance to invest in others.

What do you think? Do you like it? 

For reference, next on the docket is decking out the guest room and building the fire circle!

My Favorite Blogs

I am a huge fan of the blogging community. I spend way too long reading blogs, commenting, and gathering inspiration each day, and wanted to highlight some of my favorites with a few little "Superlatives" today. I hope you enjoy!

I Want to be IRL Besties: Cherries on the Hill! 

Claire has got it going on! I love every post she does - whether it's fashion, cooking, or just how to unwind like a pro. If she wasn't so far away in the capital city of my home state, I think I'd track her down and take her out for a margarita to pick her brain about everything! 

Best Army Wife Blog: Adventures of our Army Life!

Jen is such an inspiration as an Army Wife. She makes it look so so easy! Plus, it's always neat to hear about what different divisions, brigades, and battalions do at different posts across the country. And who knows - maybe our paths will cross one day! The Army world is smaller than we think!

Best Recipes: Turquoise and Teale

Ashley not only shares healthy recipes, they're usually something totally different than what I'd usually make, which forces a little diversity into my menu. I love seeing what she comes up with and they're always a hit with my husband!

Best Interior Design: Alexandra Bee Blog

Allie always has the best decorations - seasonal or permanent - around her home and I love all her choices! Especially her girly sunroom -- it makes me crave a space of my very own in our home!

So there you have it! 4 of my hands down, absolutely favorite blogs to read. Are there others I should be checking out? Do you follow these beautiful ladies already?

Stella & Dot Summer Style

The Stella & Dot fall line launches so soon (we were lucky to get access to the Silver Elodie - #1 and the Silver Cleopatra Studs -- #2 early!) but it's not too late to grab up some of your favorites going into the next launch. Here are some of my favorite items I plan to snatch up very soon!

Stella & Dot Summer Style by catherine-gumpman featuring a bezel ring
1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7

Visit my virtual shop today by clicking the link at the top of my page, or here!

Happy shopping!

Monogram Wish List

Growing up in the south and attending a small, preppy, and very southern college has made my monogram habit almost questionable. Even folks here make comments about "Wow, everything you own really is monogrammed! Fleece and puffy vests, button ups, dresses, blankets, business card holders, bedding... you name it. However, nothing quite prepared me for monogramming possibilities before Pinterest. (Lucky for me, I have a friend here in town who owns her OWN monogram machine and has volunteered to feed my habit.) Here are the top items on my monogram wishlist:

These linen dinner napkins designed by Grace Hayes are beautiful. I love the monogram - so different than what is typically used. Not to mention I love the royal blue. (It's the Duke Blue Devil in me. What can I say?) These are a little out of my price range right now, but I bet with some searching I could find some nicer fabrics and get them monogrammed myself.

This seersucker monogrammed pillow was a huge source of inspiration for me! I have some old Lilly skirts I found at a Goodwill 5 years ago ($3 each!) that will never, ever, fit me. So, I want to re-purpose them. I'm thinking taking them apart and re-using the fabric for pillows, most likely for the guest bedroom. 

These pajama shorts are so reasonably priced, they would be worth the indulgence. But, I also have 3 pairs of J Crew pajamas lying around from various warehouse sales that are begging for monograms... we'll have to see!

OK, stop it. Monogrammed converse? I'm pretty sure 8th grade punk wanna be me (circa 2002) had a sit down with present day preppy me and dreamt this up as some grand compromise... and I need a pair immediately.

Stella & Dot has just launched their engravables and I'm obsessed. I just got mine in today (I opted for a gold bar with my wedding date on it) but there are infinite good ideas floating around from monograms to hashtags to zip codes. Be sure to contact me if you'd like to order yours! They made fabulous gifts and process and ship as quickly as a normal order. (I ordered mine last Wednesday and it arrived this morning!)

Are you as addicted to monograms as me? What is your favorite thing to customize?

5 on Friday

TGIF everyone! I wanted to get a quick blog post out before I headed to the pool to catch some rays.

1. It's almost honeymoon time! L and I head out next week for our long awaited honeymoon and I cannot wait! I'll be sure to take lots and lots of photos, and never fear - I already have blog posts scheduled for while I'm gone so you won't miss me too much :)

Life is going to be hard, y'all...

2. DIY Weekend - With all of our friends are heading out of town before us for block leave, we're going to spend the weekend doing housework - giving it it's first good cleaning inside, mowing the lawn, and maybe a DIY project or two! Be sure to follow me in Instagram for updates.

3. Moving Announcements/Presents - So, Kathleen over at Leen Jean (who did my wedding invites, thank yous, and other custom work for me...) is coming through again! She is doing a custom piece for my Mom's birthday (shh! Don't tell her!) and working on some moving announcements for us. I am so excited to share the finished product with you! You should head over to her website for a peek and place an order - her work is beautiful!

4. HAPPY BIRTHDAY - My Mom's birthday is next week, as is my baby sister's so I wanted to give B a shout out! (Since I know she reads this and Mom doesn't...) I love you, B Sweet! I hope you have a blast kicking off festivities this weekend. I wish so badly I could be there!

5. #oddsareiam - Don't forget that we're still instagramming our summer activities on the odd days in June! I cannot wait to see what everyone posts for their National Wear Lilly Day tomorrow!

Have a great weekend!

Summer Essentials

I don't know about you, but in the summer, I tend to fall into a very typical routine. Same routines, same hobbies, same outfits. (Much to my embarrassment, I checked TimeHop the other day to see that I had worn the same dress this summer, last summer, AND the summer before that, all on the same date! Whoops!) But, I wanted to share with you my summer essentials:

Summer Essentials by catherine-gumpman featuring white mugs
J Crew shorts area favorite, especially with the Clearance Store back home. But, now I tend to log in through Ebates and shop at the J Crew Factory - great prices AND cash back? Yes, please! Day to day, I tend to pair my shorts with plain 'ole college tshirts, or with nicer tops for evenings out. My Lilly croakies are with me always and I get so many compliments on them. I have a friend who sells Thirty One and I now have 2 of these utility totes - they are the easiest to tote groceries, pot lock contributions, or pool accessories. With day to day outfits, I tend to stick with delicate necklaces and stud earrings, like the On the Mark necklace and Cleopatra studs from Stella & Dot. (Just wait til the engravables launch - you're all going to want to order one from me and wear it every single day.) I have been getting back into coffee recently, and I can't get enough of that Girl Scout Cookie flavored creamer. Yum, yum, yum! My Lilly phone case hasn't left my iPhone 5 since L gave it to me for Christmas - and I love the new material that doesn't chip or peel like the old ones. My Stella & Dot Tech Wallet has been the perfect item for on the go solo, or to throw into a purse with bigger items. And finally, no matter what articles I read say, I have been living in my Rainbow sandals since I was 15, and I don't plan on quitting now! (3 pairs over 11 years - those are high quality sandals!)

What are your essentials this summer?

Saving Money

This is something I know we are all worrying about, all of the time. I don't claim that L and I have it all figured out, but with me being out of a steady job for a month and a half now, we've been pinching extra pennies knowing that my last paycheck from Sweet Briar is about to run out.

I thought I'd share a few tips for how we save money and are able to balance our finances with all of you!

1. Coupons - I picked up a coupon organizer in Target's Dollar Spot about a year ago, and keep coupons in it, and the coupons in my purse. I only clip ones I know I'll use, and tend to only clip ones you can redeem on one item (rather than $1 off 3 boxes of chips, etc.). I maybe use 5 or 6 each week when I shop, but they save me about $5 or so, which is nice! My other two favorite things? Target's new Cartwheel App (Thanks, B for that tip!) and the fact that Bed, Bath, and Beyond coupons do not expire, no matter what they say.

2. Meal Planning - there are few things that make me cringe more than going out to eat and dropping $35-$40 just for two entrees and a Coke. (Heaven forbid we buy an adult beverage!) So, we meal plan. I map out our meals for 6 nights a week, knowing we'll treat ourselves to one date night. We also eat basically the same thing for breakfast and lunch (and snacks) every day. (My poor husband has had a banana, apple, carrots, granola bars, string cheese, yogurt, and sandwich in his lunch every day for the last 9 months...) Our meals for this week? 

Monday: Balsamic Chicken Salad inspired by this recipe 

Tuesday: Spaghetti with marinara sauce (I was babysitting so L was solo)

Wednesday: Frozen Pizza (I have girls night out!)

Thursday: Tilapia Fish Tacos

Friday: Buffalo Chicken Meatball Subs

Saturday: Cheese Quesadillas

Sunday: Old Bay Salmon

Monday: Eating everything in the fridge that will go bad while we're on our honeymoon

I can get a weeks worth of food for about $60 - this includes what we need for all our meals (scaled down to feed 2, neither of us love leftovers) and lots of fresh produce for snacks.

3. Free Activities with Friends - I love the movies more than anyone - I'd live there if I could. (And if a job there wouldn't require me to stay awake past 10 I'd apply!) But they're so darn expensive. So is bowling. And just about anything else in this town that is half fun to do. So, we've made our own fun - like game nights or Cookout Club. It's amazing how much money you save and how much more use you get out of your board games and corn hole sets. 

One thing we're not skimping out on? Saving and investing money. No matter how many pennies we're pinching right now, we know that squirreling away that money NOW will have tremendous benefits down the road. If you don't have an IRA or Certificate of Deposit, or other forms of investment, visit your local bank today and ask about your options. It's important to start those funds early so we can all retire early and spoil our grandkids :)

What do you do to save a few bucks? 

Happy Wife, Happy Life

Y'all, I am the luckiest girl in the entire world. I managed to find a terrifically awesome guy - then convinced him to marry me. (What?!) Then, he provided me with a beautiful home, the furnishings my heart desires, and the worlds cutest dog. (See the evidence below.)

The move could NOT have gone smoother -- my dear dear friends T and M helped me get about 75% of the work done on Thursday, and with the help of a few others, we were able to load up and unload at the new house in 1 hour on Friday! So, the rest of the day was spent cleaning the apartment for our walk thru and unpacking at the new house.

Saturday, however, was spent unwinding from a crazy 48 hours. First, a Crawfish Boil at the CO's house!

It had been a while since I had eaten a crawdad that wasn't fried, and I was pleasantly surprised! Our CO is from Texas with family in Louisiana -- so I should've known he had a grip on how to do it best. I couldn't stood at this table for hours, talking and eating. But, we had a Cookout Club meeting to get to!

Our group of friends here decided to do a cookout together the second Saturday of every month. We created a closed Facebook group so we can add folks as our group of friends gets bigger, and take turns hosting. If you're in town, great! If you're out of town, we'll miss you, but with a fixed date it gets easier to plan around. Our friends on post hosted this month and we had a blast! Plus, look how pretty my friends were in the beautiful Tennessee sunset. (Two of them are even rocking some of their Stella & Dot!)

Sunday we tried a new church, and unpacked more. And yesterday, I convinced my wonderful husband to let me try my first Pinterest inspired home improvement project. More to come on that!!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! 

Keep Calm and PIVOT

It's moving day, y'all! So - no blogging til Monday. But, I'm sure I'll be over-sharing my weekend on Instagram, so be sure to follow me there! 

And for those of you who don't all the way get my Friends reference, see the following YouTube video. Lucky for us - our apartment is on the first floor and our home is one story! 

1st Anniversary Shoot

My first anniversary is coming up in August - and for this moment, L will be home to celebrate it with me. (But Uncle Sam could change his mind any day.) L and I liked our engagement and wedding photos, but living in a blogging and Pinterest world, there are always more photos I want to take. Lucky for me, our friends had the most beautiful newborn photos done for their son, and the photographer does great family portraits as well.

So, I'll be spending the next two months trying to plan outfits and locations that are significant to our lives here in Tennessee and gathering Pin-spiration. Here are some of my favorites right now:

Source

I have a huge girl/style crush on Mrs KP - I've been following her on Instagram and Tumblr for a while, and her first anniversary shoot was nothing short of perfection. I mean - how cute are they?

Source

I love Nicole's blog (she is such an inspiration and role model when it comes to balancing your faith and life itself) and she shared this one sneak peak from her first anniversary shoot on her instagram. Look how utterly happy they are, and it looks like they wore their wedding dress/suit (or something very similar.)

(This photo is from Pinterest and the click-thru link was broken - if you know the source, please let me know so I can properly recognize them!)

I love the idea of documenting our first home - especially if I'll have time to get us all settled and fixed up beforehand. I think it's a beautiful way of capturing where we were - literally and figuratively - at the time of our first anniversary.

Did you do a first anniversary shoot? Any places I should be looking for inspiration?

There were several beautiful #oddsareIam photos from yesterday - don't forget to participate tomorrow!

Happy Tuesday!

Manic Monday

I'm going to apologize in advance for being a bad blogger this week -- the move is coming up in just a few days, I'm hosting my first spouse's coffee tomorrow, and there are 1,000,000 other things that needed to happen, like, yesterday.

I hope you all had a great weekend, however! Game Night was a success on Saturday - Cards Against Humanity and Smart Ass are both investments worth making! I haven't laughed that hard in a while. As far as sides - I didn't end up making what I had planned on, but brought onions and bell peppers fresh from the Farmers Market as my pizza toppings and made a batch of brownies for dessert.

Don't forget that today, Wednesday, and Friday are odd days so let us see what you're up to!

Have a great Monday, everyone!