Mantel Styling 101

One of the awesome elements I'll have in my new apartment is a mantel with a working gas fireplace! Saying I'm excited for this addition is an understatement! As a natural focal point in the space, I want my mantel to be a statement piece and a reflection of my style and personality. While scanning Pinterest, I've learned there are generally four elements that make up a well-styled mantel.

1. Focal Point - This is normally a large photograph, painting, or mirror. It provides the anchor for the mantel decor. I plan to use the large leafy print pictured below that I picked up at HomeGoods!

2. Weight - On one side of the focal point, you need another vessel or object. This should be smaller than the focal point, but larger than the other pieces. When using a vase, it helps to fill it with faux branches or flowers to add height. I hope to use a large, gold "M," similar to the letter you see below.

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3. Movement/Height - Often found in objects like candlesticks or topiaries, these help to balance your focal point/weight. I'm leaning toward using a series of framed photos or a chinoiserie vase.

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4. Objects/Filler - Smaller objects such as candles, figurines, or books are used to fill the space and complete the triangle. These pieces are likely the most unique, and give you an opportunity to complete the showcase with something that's personal to you.

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This is obviously my first time decorating a mantel, but I'm super excited to experiment with pieces old and new!

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As always, Have a Sweet Day!

Post-Grad Planning

One thing that's been on my mind a lot lately, is my future. 

Hearing about all of my friends growing up, moving to new places, getting engaged, and having children (some of them more than one) has made me start thinking about my own life, and where exactly I want to be in the next few years.

Though so many things are up in the air at this point, I know that whatever happens, God will lead me in the right direction, and to wherever I'm really supposed to be. 

In the meantime, a girl can always dream!

I know for sure that I will finish with graduate school in the summer of 2015. My program is exactly 12 classes, and takes most people two full years to finish. Since I'm working full-time during graduate school, I'll only take two classes each semester, (making me a part-time student) but I'll take classes during the summer semesters as well. It's not a bad deal...getting paid while I'm in school and Appalachian paying for two classes per year sounds pretty good to me!

My degree will be a Master of Arts in Higher Education, (not teaching, but administration on the university level) but I still haven't decided exactly what area I'd like to work in. I know that I want to put together events on the university scale, I'm just not sure in what area. There are so many more opportunities to do this than you would think! Appalachian, and universities in general ALWAYS have things going on, whether it's Freshman Orientation, Greek Week, Commencement (which I've come to know very well), and a multitude of other events across campus. This gives me a lot of possibilities for a job that I'd be interested in. Areas like Commencement, Alumni Affairs, the Chancellor's Office, Student Development are all super appealing to me, so you just never know!

I'm also not sure exactly where I want to be! If my dream job was waiting for me at Appalachian post-graduation, then of course I'd be happy staying here. Boone is a wonderful place to raise a family, but if not, I LOVE the idea of going somewhere completely new! Chapel Hill, Wake Forest, Duke, all of which are great universities and in good areas that I'd love to live and make a life for myself, if a position presented itself. There's also the possibility of living somewhere further away, like Charleston, the Outer Banks, New York, or maybe a place that I haven't even heard of yet! 

The idea of moving somewhere completely different and being in a job that I love is beyond exciting to me, and though I don't know the answers right now...

I'm always up for a good adventure.

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Leaving the Lusk House

Merry Christmas Eve, Everyone!
It seems like every year it gets here sooner and sooner! I finally arrived back at home yesterday morning, ready for family time and good food.

Saturday night was my last night with the Lusk Family, the people that I've been staying with over the past month. 

My apartment is finally vacant and ready for Paisley & me to move in! Though I'm excited to be in my own place, it was so bittersweet packing up my things to leave yesterday morning. 

A month ago when I moved in, I had no idea that I would fall in love with this family the way I did. They are amazing, and I am going to miss them so so much!

Since yesterday was our last night together, we made sure to spend some quality time chatting in front of the fire in my favorite room. Their living room is straight out of Southern Living, and just plain beautiful!

They totally caught me off guard when they surprised me with all kinds of Christmas presents, one of which I wore today on my way home! You'd think they know me well or something! Pink, cupcakes, Starbucks and my own sequin stocking! Needless to say they hit the nail on the head!

I know I mentioned in my original post from when I moved in, how much I liked it here, but that was before I really knew Marcia and her family. They are generous, loving, supportive, kind, and now some of my closest friends. I am so thankful for everything they have done for me over the past month.

I'm already excited for my next stay in the Lusk Hotel!

Missing my beautiful room!

When I get back from Christmas break, I'll be in my brand new place! Woohoo!

Merry Merry Christmas!
As always, Have a Sweet Day!

Boone To-Do List Check Up!

My first week of work was the perfect opportunity to cross some things off my Boone to-do list that I talked about here!

It's been so much fun figuring out where I can go and how I can get all of these things done. I'm already making my way, and have three things checked off!

Here's the list from my original post!

20 Things to do by August 1st, 2013:

1. Go to the gym everyday for a full week
2. Cook dinner for a group of friends
3. Visit a new church
4. Learn the names of everyone in my office
5. Go hiking on the parkway
6. Go skiing this winter
7. Watch 10 movies that I've never seen
8. Read 10 new books
9. Make friends with a neighbor
10. Take Paisley to the Greenway
11. Spend a day in downtown Blowing Rock
12. Do something fun for New Years Eve
13. Personalize my new desk
14. Buy an outfit from a local boutique
15. Attend an Appalachian basketball game
16. Do something that benefits my whole office (bring breakfast, write birthday cards, something!)
17. Eat at 5 restaurants that I've never tried
18. Throw a super fun housewarming party
19. Make my new apartment warm, inviting and like home
20. Make time to grab coffee before going to work (or buy a Keurig!)

The items that are crossed out are ones that I have completed. 

Any item that is underlined is currently in the works!

What I've done so far:

1. Attend an ASU basketball game!

My friend Kim & I had the best time the other night catching up, enjoying the concession stand and watching the game! It was a great time and I can't wait to go again soon!

2. Personalize my desk!

It's taken this whole time to get my desk finally looking how I want it to, but I think I'm finally done!
Before:

After:

I love love love having my own space to work from every day!

3. Learn the names of everyone in my office

I got this done on my second day of work! Woohoo!

4. Eat at 5 restaurants I've never tried!

Last Thursday, I marked one of these off my list. We ate at a little place called Boone Drug. I had been to one of their other locations, but never this one. 

Here I am posing with a stuffed bear right beside where we were having lunch. That thing was nearly $400.00!

The place had a grill, as well as a place to shop while you wait! I love the small town feel. It reminded me so much of where I'm from.

Stay tuned as I try to check off everything on my list!

As always, Have a Sweet Day!

One Week Down!

I can't believe that I am already through my first week of work in the Registrar's Office! It has seriously flown by and I've loved every minute of it!

I had originally thought that I was going to have a lot of free time during the week, after work and such, but this has not been the case at all! I am a busy girl! Since I didn't have time to blog about each day, I thought I'd throw it all into one big post. Enjoy!

I went in early Monday morning for my official first day!

My first day outfit:)

I wanted to make sure I arrived on time, so I left a bit early, and actually got to the office before anyone else was there! It gave me the perfect amount of time to snap a few pictures of the office and my desk!

I have been having a fabulous time living with my old boss and her husband. We talk every night for hours about anything and everything. They have been such a support system for me over the past week, and I am SO thankful for them. I've even become accustomed to eating one of their famous ice cream sandwiches each night before bed!

Throughout the work week, I've met more and more of my co-workers. It is unreal how welcome they have made me feel. They are all absolutely amazing, from the tech person that spent hours working on my computer, (Thanks, Clint!) to the ladies that have been so sweet to invite me to lunch with them (Thanks, Tara & Theresa).

I can already say I feel so at home in the Registrar's Office!

My desk is even starting to look like my own! I'm still adding a few things, but I really like it.

This weekend while I'm at home catching my breath, I plan on finding my pink Christmas tree to add some color to my area! I'm also on the lookout for pink garland and a cute mouse pad. 

I don't think anyone was more excited to see me back home than this sweet girl!

 Pretty soon, Paisley will be making the move to Boone herself, and I can't wait! She's going to be a mountain dog!

You can follow along with my journey on Instagram: sweetlikeasong

As always, Have a Sweet Day!

It Feels like Heaven!

I am so happy to report that move in day went fabulously! I am settled in and so excited for the next few weeks! 

Here's a little recap of our day:

After packing throughout all of this past weekend, we were finally ready to get on our way yesterday afternoon! We loaded up my and my parents car and headed to Boone. Since I'm subleasing my new apartment from someone that graduates in December, it won't be available for me to move in for a few weeks. In the meantime, my old boss (from when I was a student at ASU) offered to let me live with her. I'll be staying with her and her family for about three weeks.

We arrived at my boss' house around 4:30, and I immediately felt at home. She and her husband were so nice and welcomed me with open arms. They showed me to my new room for the next few weeks and we moved everything right in. I wasn't sure what to expect because I had never been to her house before, but it is absolutely beautiful! I feel like I'm staying in a gorgeous bed and breakfast. 

I love how warm and inviting my room is here! I already feel so at home. 

I snapped a few pictures so you can get an idea.

After everything was put away and my parents headed home, I sat on the bed and thought about how lucky I am. The past month and a half has been a whirlwind of change and excitement, and I've loved every minute of it. 

I am so grateful for a family that loves and supports me, for a generous and giving co-worker that would invite me into her home, to be employed at a place that I know and love, for my good health and for my beautiful room with a warm bed. 

It feels so good to be home.

As always, Have a Sweet Day!

New Job Prep Through Instagram!

I start my job in less than one week...six days to be exact!

The beautiful cake at my going away dinner:)

Still, there are days when it doesn't seem real that I'm moving to a new place to start a "real" job! This coming Sunday afternoon, my parents are driving their car (full of clothes & shoes), and I'm driving mine up to Boone to move me in.

My new apartment won't be ready until the middle of December since I'm picking up another girl's lease. So in the meantime, I'm living with my old boss, from the job I had when I was a student. She is just wonderful, and I feel so lucky to be staying with such a great friend/mentor during my first few weeks on the job. She works for Appalachian as well, and I'm sure will be able to answer any questions I have.

In my last few weeks living at home, I've been trying my best to take care of any new job preparations that I can! It's a real task picking up your life in one place and moving somewhere completely different!

New Job Prep:

Finding a place to live: After so much stress and worrying, I finally have a place to live! Praise the Lord! I'll be moving in around the 19th of December!

It's not a huge apartment, but I think it'll be perfect for Paisley and me!

Getting a staff parking permit: One really nice thing about being a staff member at a university, is being able to drive my car to campus and park right behind where I work! This is going to be a such a luxury, especially during the blizzards that we're known to experience in Boone.

Getting a staff ID card: By having a staff AppCard (what we call it at Appalachian) I can get into the parking area, buy supplies in the bookstore, grab lunch, whatever I need, and it all comes out of my check each month. I also LOVE that since I'm staff, I can get into any gym on campus for $4.00/month! This is probably what I'm most looking forward to!

Getting my hair cut: I have been going to the same hairdresser for ten years! That's a long time! When my job's start date was set, I made sure to give Lisa a call. I wanted my hair/color to look really good for my first day. My appointment was yesterday, and I think my hair turned out the best it's ever looked! Go Lisa:)

Switching Banks: I love the bank that I've been using for years, but since there was no branch in Boone, I had to make a change. My Dad and I spent one day a couple of weeks ago closing out old accounts and opening new ones. I also decided to cash in my piggy bank that I'd been saving up for few months!


I'm sure getting all this out of the way will make my transition into a new place and job go much more smoothly. I'm so excited and nervous!

As always, Have a Sweet Day!

Starting a New Chapter!

After watching Sex and the City the movie a few nights ago, I am filled with an immense amount of ambition, drive and so many dreams for my future!

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There's something about following along with the escapades of Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda, and Samantha, that makes me really excited about living on my own! Big things can happen when you're in charge of your life!

This got me thinking!

I'm about to be in a new place, and though I've lived there before, there's a big difference between living somewhere as a student, and living there as a staff member!

With that said, I'm making a list of 20 things I'd like to accomplish during my first year of being on my own. It's not a full year, it's actually an eight month time period from November 26th, 2012 until August 1st, 2013. After that time, I'll have a roommate, so these are things I want to do before that!

Your first year post-college and out on your own is a big deal, that's why I've decided to make it a memorable one!

20 Things to do by August 1st, 2013:

1. Go to the gym everyday for a full week
2. Cook dinner for a group of friends
3. Visit a new church
4. Learn the names of everyone in my office
5. Go hiking on the parkway
6. Go skiing this winter
7. Watch 10 movies that I've never seen
8. Read 10 new books
9. Make friends with a neighbor
10. Take Paisley to the Greenway
11. Spend a day in downtown Blowing Rock
12. Do something fun for New Years Eve
13. Personalize my new desk
14. Buy an outfit from a local boutique
15. Attend an Appalachian basketball game
16. Do something that benefits my whole office (bring breakfast, write birthday cards, something!)
17. Eat at 5 restaurants that I've never tried
18. Throw a super fun housewarming party
19. Make my new apartment warm, inviting and like home
20. Make time to grab coffee before going to work (or buy a Keurig!)

I will be adding so many more things to this list as I transition to life working 8am-5pm, and living on my own, so I'm not stopping here! I'll update you all on my progress! Thanks so much so following along during this amazing journey of my life!

Interested in reading more?

I'm guest posting for Rachel at A Preppy State of Mind today about one of my favorite cold-weather patterns:
Plaid!

Read my post HERE.

As always, Have a Sweet Day!

Let's Catch Up: I've Been Crafting!

Ever since I found out that I would be moving to a new place, I've been crafting like crazy...and a little before then too! Getting to decorate a whole apartment gives me a lot of room for the Pinterest projects that I've been eyeing!

Since all of these crafts were fairly simple, I thought I'd group them into one post!

1. Princess Canvases

When I heard that I was getting FOUR new GG-littles, I knew that I wanted to make them something special. My sorority family is super close, and I wanted these new girls to know exactly who I was. That's when I came up with this cute idea!

 My supplies:

The finished product!

I personalized each canvas with a crown, glitter princess cut out and the girl's name!

2. Glitter-Stemmed Wine Glasses

I also made these for my new GG's, but I haven't finished them just yet! I'm still planning on adding something on the main part of the glass.

I used a foam brush, Mod Podge and pink glitter, then sprayed them with the acrylic sealer!

3. DIY Confetti Art

This was an idea that I found on Pinterest, and instantly loved! And it was super easy! 

Here's the Mint Love Social Club original: 

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I picked up my supplies at A.C. Moore and the closest scrapbook store!

The craft took about an hour total! I punched out my 1" circles, placed them on the canvas and glued down each one!

Quick, easy & perfect for my pink and gold room!

4. North Carolina Canvas

This craft took the most time because it involved three of my family members! 

My Dad is a huge North Carolina lover, so I knew that he would be perfect to draw the state. It took him all of five minutes! I was so impressed!

Since I can't write in cursive very well, my mom wrote on the canvas for me! After they were done, I painted the whole thing. I painted multiple coats on the actual state, so it wouldn't look streaky. 

I can't wait to hang this up somewhere in my new apartment!

The hearts are placed on my current home and Boone, where I'll be moving:)

These crafts have been super fun, and kept me busy! I can't wait to cross a few more off my list!

As always, Have a Sweet Day!

Sorry, No Vacancy

Throughout this whole new job/picking up my life in one place and taking it to another process, the most difficult part has been finding a place to live.

I know it has a lot to do with the town that I'm going to being super small, and revolving around its students, but I never imagined there would be nothing available. Seriously, nothing.

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To be honest, it's had me a little discouraged because it's hard to get excited about going somewhere and starting a new job when you don't know where you'll be laying your head down at night.

I'm sure anyone that has ever moved in their lifetime understands my feelings of getting your hopes up about one place, and having it fall through, or finding out it isn't exactly as nice as you hoped it would be. I've had this happen countless times over the past few days, but I'm trying my best to stay optimistic.

Unlike most people, I have never really moved before. Don't get me wrong, I did move into my college dorm for a year, but that was pretty much decided for me. Then I went from there to an apartment with two roommates, where a ton of other students lived, but this is a little different. I'm literally looking for a place to start my adult life, a place that I will come home to during the good days at work and the not-so-good, the place that I will have most of my "firsts" as an adult in the real world. 

Forgive me for being nostalgic, but that's a big deal!

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I've quickly realized that picking up your life and following a job is also expensive. There are a lot of initial costs of living by yourself that I hadn't taken into consideration before. These things combined with the rent of a one/two bedroom apartment for an entry-level position can be stressful. 

Yesterday, I spoke to a man over email that owns an apartment complex in Boone. He was very nice, and told me that though I preferred a one-bedroom, he had a two-bedroom unit available immediately! I've never been inside of this place (they're super new), but the outside is gorgeous. It gave me the ray of hope that I'd been searching for. I'm going to the university to sign paperwork on Monday, and my parents and I are planning to go see the unit!

Say a prayer, cross you fingers, send happy thoughts our way, please! I feel good about this one!

Have you had these same problems when moving to a new place?

As always, Have a Sweet Day!