Summer Spruce!

School is OUT and summer is finally here! I get a nice, long break from Graduate school and work which gives me time to work on my tan and my home! So, I have decided to snap some pictures of various updates in my home and share in a welcome back post! Between work, grad school and having a life, I have seriously neglected blogging. I went to check my "page views" on my blog dashboard the other day and noticed it has some serious traffic so I really want to start back up again! 

I hope you enjoy browsing the images I snapped earlier today... There are a few new purchases but many things are just switched around from one room to the next. I LOVE shopping in my own home. Makes it much easier on the bank account, too! Enjoy!

So, I could never get my tray decor just right. In fact, every single time I re-did it, I hated it more than before. This time I went with a "less is more" feel and I am very, very pleased! Those spheres are awesome... scored this bad boy at TJMaxx for $7 and the boxwood and birdie are recycled!

Changed up the throw pillows. They were bland and I had them for too long. I needed more brightness in this room. What's the point in having neutral furniture if I don't go bold once in a blue? I'm really happy with the outcome.

Griffin literally gravitates to the camera... it's ridiculous!

So, I had to update the area rug. It was not working anymore. When we first purchased the rug, we were on a major budget. It was $49.99 from HomeGoods and it worked. 5 years later, I wanted nothing to do with that rug. It wasn't the thickest or best quality so it became warn and faded. I spied this multi-textured shag and scooped it up at my local HomeGoods. Totally changed the feel of the room. A few minor changes and I'm back to loving our family room! Only thing left are curtains... 

I was over the way I had all my little treasures arranged on this bookshelf so I cleared them all off, and just played around until it was right. It looks much cleaner than before.

The book shelf was $25 from Ikea and a BREEZE to assemble. You can find it here. I just didn't use the back panels when I assembled for a different feel.

We got a new kitchen table! Actually, there were a ton of issues with our original table. Long story short, Ashley Furniture gave us a credit and let us pick out something new. Brian and I are SO happy with the new table. It actually goes with our kitchen way more than our original table, which had more of a country feel. Our Kitchen is NOT country at all... Funny how things work out for the best. Everything happens for a reason! :) Check out the old table here. Let me know what you think of the changes in the comments below. 

I switched the chaise and the chair... Really love walking into the house and seeing that navy, floral accent chair! I also found that cute little navy pillow at HomeGoods for like $12 or something ridiculous like that. #whatasteal 

See that wall with the mirror in Dining Room? MAJOR DIY project coming soon!!!! Ahhhh... can't wait!

Added touches of green, moved the over sized vase from the Living Room to Dining Room and kept all my tea party stuff out. I had this realization that on my Dining Room server, there could be dining items instead of candles and pillars.  Duh! 

I bought 3 garden stools this spring... one is on the deck, one by the front door and this one is in the Living Room! Love them...
PS- They are ALL on sale at HomeGoods now... go get some!

My mom picked these up for me at Hobby Lobby. LOVE!

This table lives on the stairway landing... I have a LOT of different textures going on here and I have to say, it's working! Bronze, gold, silver, wood, ceramic, metal, glass... it just kinda happened one day and I loved it! 

Ahhhh... blue summer sky and green grass! 

Love these walkway lanterns! They use solar power and come on a dusk! 

I have been testing out my green thumb... it's OK. lol My mom gave me a little lesson yesterday... who knew I had to "dead head" my flowers? Ain't NOOOOO body got time fo that! I will certainly make time, though. 

Brian does a wonderful job taking care of the lawn... He is so meticulous!