Sunday, May 22, 2011

Outdoor Party Must Haves...

Planning a Memorial Day party or 4th of July Party?  Check out some of my must haves for outdoor entertaining...



{fun canisters for your favorite drink via crate and barrel}


{Joe's Real BBQ Sauce for all your grillin' fixings}

This is our grill and we LOVE it!!

{Pizza Oven via Napa Style}

Get ready for some fun in the sun!!

xo,

Caryl

Friday, May 20, 2011

Outdoor Living Blog Love

With the weather getting better and summer fast approaching...(EEK!! I can't believe my crazy man only has 3 more weeks of being a 4th grader) I thought I would share some outdoor living finds.

I'm so excited about this summer because this is our first real summer in our house.  Last year we moved in right before school started and I have to say - last summer was kinda a drag because our old house was on the market.

What's on the agenda this summer?
POOL
FRIENDS
ENJOYING THE SUNSHINE

This summer is going to be rockin' poolside.

photo via {cococozy}

Check out Cococozy's blog...she has so many great ideas.

Wanna go on a Chic Country Picnic?  Check out Coco + Kelly Blog. (Camile Styles is a contributor at Coco+Kelly, but she also has a great blog so check it out here.)

{photo via Coco+Kelly}

How'd you like this in your back yard...found this on the Elements of Style Blog.

{photo via Elements of Style}

I could totally picture myself having a glass of wine with a friend.  How about you?

Enjoy,

Caryl



Tuesday, May 17, 2011

{Life Lessons} Part 2: live, love, do


Our dear friend Jerry was going to be 75 on the 4th of July.  What an amazing day for a birthday…just imagine the celebrating he did each year.  If you knew him, you would say…It’s so fitting he was born on this day.
He LOVED life
He LOVED what he did for a living {he would never say it was a job}
He LOVED to travel
He LOVED his family
HE LOVED to play and have fun

He didn’t get caught up in the day to day mumbo jumbo…he LIVED!

LESSON TWO: LIVE like you’ve never lived before

How do you live your life?  Constantly scheduled and not taking time out with your family and friends…always saying…I’m too busy…I don’t have enough time?

Do you like what you do?  Are you so busy making excuses why you can’t do this or that…but DO YOU LIKE WHAT YOU DO?  That is the big question.

If you spend the majority of your time working – you better like what you do…don’t you think?

So there were two instances this weekend where this came up for me…the FIRST time, I was reading a blog post by Emily Ley of Emily Ley Creative.  She said something in her video that really hit home for me.

{If you’re not excited about what you’re doing ~ nobody will be}
{If you’re not producing from the heart ~ it will be obvious}

Then she asked a couple of questions…

{What fires you up?}
{What makes you get out of bed each morning excited?}

Interesting statements and questions that really made me think…

The SECOND time was listening to Jerry’s family and friends talk about Jerry and how he LIVED and LOVED…

So the question for me…do I love what I do?

Yes – I absolutely LOVE events.  I love to dream about them and create them.  Am I using my creativity to it’s fullest potential…YES for the events that I’m doing…but I want more…I want to do more and utilize my creativity to it’s fullest capacity.  I'm growing and evolving and that means my creative expression is too.

If I’m going to be honest ~ I would say…I need to have more fun…be more spontaneous…do things…remember to stop and smell the flowers…listen to the birds chirp in the morning.  Just sit and be.

So what fires me up?  FAMILY, FRIENDS, EVENTS, DESIGN

I bought a plaque this weekend that is sitting on our mantle and the saying sums it up…

Happiness Is Not A Destination
It Is A Way Of Life

My promise to myself…LIVE like I’ve never lived before, LOVE like I’ve never loved before and DO like I’ve never done before.

What’s your promise?

xoxo,
Caryl


Monday, May 16, 2011

{Life Lessons} How Many Faces Do You Have?

A very dear friend of the family passed away recently and today was the celebration of his life.

At his celebration, I was {re-introduced} to a couple of very important concepts.  It’s something that you know – but I think getting caught up in life…one forgets.

LESSON ONE: He had just ONE face

Did you know that the majority of people out there in the world have many different faces/personalities they show different people?

            Face #1: You show to friends
            Face #2: You show to your family
            Face #3: You show to strangers
            Face #4: You show to yourself

It takes a very special and unique person to only have ONE face.  It’s the same face that they show to everyone they see, meet, know and love.

Why is it that you can be so nice to a perfect stranger, yet you might snap at your sister?  Are you not being your true authentic self when you are talking to the stranger or sister?

Or you put on that happy face when you’re talking to a client, but when someone on your team walks in the door, you don’t say hello?

Do you have different faces for different situations?  Yes, there are times when you need to be stern or happy or angry – but shouldn’t everyone receive the same recognition from you? 

I’m not saying that you can’t be angry or happy…I’m saying be your true self to everyone.

If you feel that you are a loving person…be that loving person everyday to everyone with honesty and sincerity.

Our friend that past away – he only had one face.  You knew where you stood with him…he was genuine…he was authentic…he was sincere….he was honest.

I want to have just one face that everyone sees – strangers, friends, families and me.

How many faces do you have?

xoxo,
Caryl

Tomorrow – LESSON TWO…it hit me like a ton of bricks!

Friday, May 13, 2011

New Blog Love - the weekly round-up

I'm discovering even more blogs out there in the blogworld - thanks to Pinterest.  I've always had my Blogs to Read folder...but now the list is growing and growing.

Here are a few of the new ones I happened upon:

How About Orange - why you ask...it started with this little number and grew from there...oh and it so fits my orange obsession right now. :)


Enjoy Events Co. - because of their whimsy style and this lovely little pic. (I know...CARBS brought me to their website...but then when I got there...oh my!)


Dreamy Whites - because I loved the simplicity of this flower arrangement, that fruit tray (that I'm sad to say she is sold out of) and her french shabby chic style.


Bottom line is that you can be directed to a website just by a picture and if you stay awhile...you just might find some other inspirations too.

xoxo,
Caryl



Thursday, May 12, 2011

What is your "Pin-spiration?"

I have found so many inspiring things that I have put on Pinterest...

creative packaging

camping party inspirations

my orange obsession

barn doors (yes...I secretly love them and want them for my house)

amazing kitchens

you name it - I've probably made a pinboard for it.

So today - I wanted to share my inspire board.  These are words that make me ponder and SMILE!




Here is a snapshot of more thinks on my "inspiration" board.


Wanna see more of my pinterest boards? Follow me.

xoxo,

Caryl

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

My Orange Obsession {pinterest}

I discovered Pinterest a few weeks ago and sent off a little request for an invitation.  Well, last week I received my invite and my love of pinning began!

So those who know me know I'm interested in so many things...my current obsession is with the color orange!  I have no reason why, but it's just a color that makes me happy.

My Orange Obsession Pinterest
Wanna follow my pinterest adventure?  Feel free to here. :)

Enjoy!!

Caryl

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