Random Ramblings

Class pass has come to STL, this is a great opportunity to sample all specialized gyms in your city without any type of commitment.  You're just dating the gyms, not marrying them...

on our list we have yoga, spinning, bar, pilates, cross-fit etc.  Buy your monthly membership and use it at every gym on their list, definitely the most bang for your buck!

So you bought that gym pass and now you are going to ruin all your hard work with your sweet tooth?  I made these greek yogurt muffins,  (much better for you then the muffins the size of your head from Panera)  and they have just enough chocolate to satisfy.

I bought this cleansing water the other day at CVS and I love it

 use it like a toner, after you wash and before you moisturize.  It was only $8.00 so it was a no brainer.  I will try just about anything to keep my skin from drying out this time of year.



The hubs and I have been meeting with an architect to expand our kitchen.  I LOVE my blue kitchen and want to keep it blue so I found a few (hundred) pictures on pinterest but these are my favorites

I think I need one of these for my closet...

because every time I pull out a dress and it's all wrinkly and needs to be sent out to be pressed is about an hour before I plan to wear it.




Just finished reading this book...

Loved it, and it is historical fiction.  I had no idea there was such a thing as orphan trains.



So over winter, snow, coats, boots and anything that has to do with cold weather.  19 days until we are here

I also hear that Mexico is lovely this time of year!!

Dining Benches

A couple weeks ago I finally got the bigger, better kitchen table that I have been eyeing

I love it but I am having a seating situation.  Our last table was oblong so I just put 5 chairs around it for my family.  This one is rectangular so it really needs 6 chairs to balance it out.  I could get another black  leather parsons chair for our table

but what I am really thinking is to get rid of 1 chair and replace a side with a dining bench.  The more I search for benches the more I am convinced this is what I want.

The more I search, the more I am convinced this is what I want but I have not found "the" bench yet so the search continues.

Mini Makeover

I have been slowly tweaking my kitchen the last 3 years.  When we moved in I loved everything about the house except the kitchen, which is one of the most important rooms in a home.

Horrible photo, the only one I could find, here is our kitchen 3 years ago when we moved in...

I started by trading the cream appliances for sterling silver, then ripped out the formica counter tops and put in granite.  Then about 2 years went by and I did nothing.  I was on the fence about painting my cabinets blue, last fall I decided that was what I definitely wanted to do and so it happened.

The last step for me was the back splash, which I finally had replaced last week.

Out with the old...

and in with the new...

Now the last last last thing I want is to replace 2 pendant lights with this one...

Randomness

I have been hearing about dry bars for months on end so I was thrilled when our first one opened a couple weeks ago in STL.  Last Thursday I went with some girlfriends for a blow out, a braid and a glass of champagne before the Madonna concert.

Thursday was such a crazy day I did not even have time to get a decent picture of my hair, but let's just say I loved it and not I am hooked.  I think I am well on my way to becoming a bar fly (ha ha).  Here I am on the right with my head band braids of hair at a bar before the big concert...

and while we are on the subject of Madonna, can I just say I was so underwhelmed at her concert.  I was expecting so much more from the queen of pop.  There was no energy and I felt like she really did not interact with the crowd.  At one point I took a look around me and people were SITTING DOWN, that is never ever a good sign.  

moving on...

I am thinking this table is exactly what my kitchen needs...

but in the mean time I will settle for this place mat...

I am need this sweater from JCrew, it is immediately going on my Christmas list

and finally, this is the best quote ever!!

Monday Blues!

After months and months of searching for the right color, then months and months are searching for the right painter, my kitchen cabinets are finally blue!!

I just love how bright and light my kitchen is now, and I feel like I transformed the room without knocking down walls or doing a total renovation.

Here are a few shots of what the kitchen looked like when we moved in 2 years ago...

Not a very good photo, but this is what the kitchen looked like the day we closed.  I knew immediately this room needed lots of help!

We swapped the cream appliances for stainless steel, ripped out the green countertops for brown/black granite, painted the cabinets, and installed new window treatments.  All minor changes that made a big difference, and make this kitchen feel like it has my personal touch.  We made these changes slowly over the last 2 years but I can honestly say that I now LOVE the look of my kitchen.

I can handle the blues today!!

Biting the Blue Bullet

Two years ago when I saw inside J. Lo and Marc Anthony's kitchen I knew I had found my inspiration.  Her appliances, counter tops, back splash, lighting and especially the cabinetry were all amazing...

The moment I saw the blue cabinets I knew this was what I wanted to do.  I absolutely love the look of the blue and how the color lightens the room.  The fact that they are not too common was also a big bonus,  I don't know anyone who has blue cabinets...

Thus began my search for the perfect shade of blue.  I scoured pinterest, houzz, and every magazine in the continental U.S.  I added to my inspiration board...

and gave my painter endless paint samples....

I finally found my perfect shade of blue...

the painting begins next week!!

Inspiration

When we moved into our house a little over a year ago, I loved everything about our new home, except our kitchen. The appliances were cream, the countertops green formica, and the cabinets a light pine stain. We are slowly making changes to our kitchen. First up was to replace the cream appliances with stainless steel. Next was to put in granite countertops, and now it is time to tackle the cabinets....The following kitchens have been my inspiration when deciding what to do. I originally planned on white cabinets with a caramel glaze. I also knew I wanted to incorporate blue into my color scheme. I was thinking the backsplash would be the perfect spot for a touch of blue.

And then I started seeing blue cabinets and everything changed.


I decided over the weekend to go with blue cabinets. After looking and looking at hundreds of different shades of blue cabinets here is the "one." I am a little nervous to do blue cabinets, but I know in the end I will absolutely love it. I like the fact that I don't know anyone that has blue cabinets, that was my hesitation with the white, my kitchen would ultimately look like everyone else's.
Now if I can just get my contractor to call me back!

If you want to participate in something fun this week, go visit Cool Gal (you might get my name!)