Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Belated Christmas Present
I guess I lied about making the last Christmas post for the season. A box arrived a few days ago addressed to Chris. He looked it over and told me I was supposed to open it. For some reason, the item arrived a whole month later than the other Christmas presents Chris ordered for me. Oops. But this was a fun mid-January surprise. lol It's the cool corner shelving unit pictured below. Looks great in my "creative corner." 
Monday, January 26, 2009
Beardslee Castle
On our way out to Kingston to help Mike and Erin move, Chris and I stopped at this unbelievable restaurant called Beardslee Castle. It's this beautiful manor that's burned down several times and been rebuilt. It was originally built in 1860. For more info, follow this link.
In the "dungeon," they now have a fun and quirky bar. Chris and I had a couple drinks down there and enjoyed the odd decorations.
The upstairs is elegant and old and modern all at once. The lighting and other decorative details scream with contemporary personality, while the stone walls, beautiful arches and wooden ceiling feel completely medieval.
Here we are, enjoying our candlelight dinner. Oh, and the food was incredible: the smoked salmon appetizer and banana nut bread dessert with banana sauteed in cinnamon and brown sugar were the highlights.
In the "dungeon," they now have a fun and quirky bar. Chris and I had a couple drinks down there and enjoyed the odd decorations.
The upstairs is elegant and old and modern all at once. The lighting and other decorative details scream with contemporary personality, while the stone walls, beautiful arches and wooden ceiling feel completely medieval.
Here we are, enjoying our candlelight dinner. Oh, and the food was incredible: the smoked salmon appetizer and banana nut bread dessert with banana sauteed in cinnamon and brown sugar were the highlights.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Bye Bye GRE
Well my GRE is finally done, kaput, finito. It's funny, but after I finished the exam and got back home, I wasn't relieved, or ready to celebrating being done with all the non-stop studying. I was more stressed than ever. lol
But I suppose that's a result of knowing being done with the test means I have move on to my grad school applications and--possibly even more fun--filing taxes. Sighhhh. Luckily, having no money and no job may work to my benefit in that area. Living and working in two different states during the same year, however, will not be to my benefit. I get the pleasure of filing not just the federal and state tax returns, but the federal and TWO state part-year returns. Yipee. And this will be my first time filing taxes ever. So basically, wish me luck.
On the bright side, relief finally caught up to me in the form of a relaxing weekend at home with Chris. I even finally feel relieved to have the GRE over with. I even made a cake yesterday to celebrate. Vanilla funfetti with chocolate frosting. Yum!
But I suppose that's a result of knowing being done with the test means I have move on to my grad school applications and--possibly even more fun--filing taxes. Sighhhh. Luckily, having no money and no job may work to my benefit in that area. Living and working in two different states during the same year, however, will not be to my benefit. I get the pleasure of filing not just the federal and state tax returns, but the federal and TWO state part-year returns. Yipee. And this will be my first time filing taxes ever. So basically, wish me luck.
On the bright side, relief finally caught up to me in the form of a relaxing weekend at home with Chris. I even finally feel relieved to have the GRE over with. I even made a cake yesterday to celebrate. Vanilla funfetti with chocolate frosting. Yum!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
One last Christmas post
O.K., it's now January 13th (Happy birthday Mom!!!!) and I really shouldn't still be making posts about Christmas. So last one, I promise. Just wanted to put up a picture of this awesome ornament Dave and Lisa had made for Chris and I for our first Christmas together. So now, Christmas is done. Officially. On to ... well, more winter. 
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Mirrors Galore
Thanks to the fabulous thank-you present from Adam and Andrea, our "wall of mirrors" is really starting to come around. The little round mirrors really tie the whole thing together. :-)
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Wine Rack
Chris gave me this awesome wine rack for Christmas. I used my new cordless drill (also a present from Chris) to put it up and it looks great.The only thing I need now is a few more wine bottles to fill it up (two of the four bottles in the picture are empty. lol I just put them in there for presentation purposes).
Friday, January 9, 2009
What's Oreo up to today?
Oreo really loves the new blanket my mom gave to us.
He really, really loves it.
O.K. He really, really, really loves it.
But of course, he still loves the couch. (If you flip this picture upside down, I'm pretty sure you'll discover that he's doing a little disco dancing. Think John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever).
He really, really loves it.
O.K. He really, really, really loves it.
But of course, he still loves the couch. (If you flip this picture upside down, I'm pretty sure you'll discover that he's doing a little disco dancing. Think John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever).
Thursday, January 8, 2009
My New Year's Resolution
I've resolved to get the apartment a little more organized and a lot less messy (mostly my fault). So far so good. I worked in the spare room for a long time yesterday, getting all my craft stuff for the Etsy business in order. With a few good ideas from some magazines, a little creative shopping, and a few desperate designs, I actually managed to make the spare room look like an actual room again and not just a dumping grounds.
It's still not the most fashionable room in the world, but it serves it's purpose a little better now. Pictured below is my "creative corner."
This is where the desperate design comes into play. I needed more storage space, and I also needed to keep some boxes on hand to mail out packages. Thus, the cardboard bookshelves were born.
I picked up this idea from a Better Homes and Gardens magazine. I repurposed a shower rack to hold my smaller materials and clear up some desk space.
These boxes I bought at Target for about $2 a piece. They were originally Christmas gift boxes with holiday designs on them. But for that price, they were a more economical alternative to the archival-quality photo boxes that I originally had my eye on, so I decided to give them a try anyway. I covered them in pretty scrapbooking paper and I think they turned out nicely.
The stack of boxes keeps all the little odds and ends out-of-sight.
It's still not the most fashionable room in the world, but it serves it's purpose a little better now. Pictured below is my "creative corner."
This is where the desperate design comes into play. I needed more storage space, and I also needed to keep some boxes on hand to mail out packages. Thus, the cardboard bookshelves were born.
I picked up this idea from a Better Homes and Gardens magazine. I repurposed a shower rack to hold my smaller materials and clear up some desk space.
These boxes I bought at Target for about $2 a piece. They were originally Christmas gift boxes with holiday designs on them. But for that price, they were a more economical alternative to the archival-quality photo boxes that I originally had my eye on, so I decided to give them a try anyway. I covered them in pretty scrapbooking paper and I think they turned out nicely.
The stack of boxes keeps all the little odds and ends out-of-sight.
Christmas Pics
I've been so busy cleaning house and studying for the GRE that I just realized I forgot to post pictures from Christmas over at the Dolen's.
R2-D2 hiding amongst the presents. (That was my present to Chris that he brought over to show off).
Kara and Marena admiring Marena's new camera.
Jen and Lynn with Aunt Lynn.
Lisa gave Dave a new computer monitor.
Paul entertains the boys in the kitchen.
R2-D2 hiding amongst the presents. (That was my present to Chris that he brought over to show off).
Kara and Marena admiring Marena's new camera.
Jen and Lynn with Aunt Lynn.
Lisa gave Dave a new computer monitor.
Paul entertains the boys in the kitchen.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Yay Christmas Presents!
One of the awesome Christmas presents my parents gave to Chris and I for our apartment was a set of wrought-iron tea light sconces. They complete the design above our bed perfectly. It's wonderful how something so small can add so much.
Mmm, butter pecan scented candles ...
They also gave us a mantle clock so we don't have to crane our necks over the back of the couch to see the clock on the microwave in the kitchen. A very practical gift that will surely keep us away from the chiropractor's office. haha
It's hard to tell in this picture, but Oreo here is growing a very sticky unibrow. He has taken to drinking the water out of the Christmas tree stand, and consequently, keeps getting more and more sap on his forehead. Chris and I are currently in talks about whether to cut his hair to get it out, or to wait until he rubs it off over time on our furniture and his paws. lol
Mmm, butter pecan scented candles ...
They also gave us a mantle clock so we don't have to crane our necks over the back of the couch to see the clock on the microwave in the kitchen. A very practical gift that will surely keep us away from the chiropractor's office. haha
It's hard to tell in this picture, but Oreo here is growing a very sticky unibrow. He has taken to drinking the water out of the Christmas tree stand, and consequently, keeps getting more and more sap on his forehead. Chris and I are currently in talks about whether to cut his hair to get it out, or to wait until he rubs it off over time on our furniture and his paws. lol
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