Beautifying beige walls

Lately, I feel like I am surrounded by beige. My walls and carpet are two shades of the color, and while I have bright accessories all over, sometimes it doesn't feel like enough.

I finally purchased a television console for my living room (meaning my coffee table can go back to being a coffee table!) from IKEA. It's turquoise and metal, with sliding doors. I can change the channels through the doors! I am so pleased with it.

But the empty space above it bothered me. It bothered me when the TV was sitting on the coffee table too, but now I was ready to do something with the space!

I found these Moroccan tile mirrors at Target. They came with stencils and were surprisingly easy to hang correctly!

Cairo helped get them level.

The finished product!

But I wasn't done yet... I knew I could add a little more to my walls. Like in my kitchen. I like my hand-made "EAT" wall art, but it needed a little refresher.

Besides, what if EAT was lonely!?

My parents gave me a vintage plate and a turret that my great grandmother made. Dad and I purchased plate wall hangers for under $5, which came with hardware, and Dad had them up in under 5 minutes.

Spring hangers are your friend!

He's a magic man.

Ta Da!

So simple, but it makes the wall look refreshed and brand new. I'm sure I can find a few more walls to decorate and improve....

How do you decorate your walls? Share with me in the comments below!

Stay true to yourself,

Alyson

Cat-sual Friday

I may be too casual this casual Friday, but for once I don't care. I have had a week.

Monday my car broke down. So the week has been pretty hectic on that factor alone. I have a party this weekend that I've been planning for and looking forward to for a whole month and it almost got muddled by my silly car.

Luckily, the fix turned out to be simple (three shops later.... sigh!) and it's back in my parking lot, longingly hoping for a joy ride.

Wednesday and Thursday were somewhat trying days for me, as work completely kicked my butt. There was so much there but also not much there. I can't even explain it.

And of course, the one week I would really like Friday to be the beginning of the weekend... I have a shift tomorrow. Don't get me wrong, I love money and I love my job, but man I could have totally used a morning to sleep in.

Oh, did I mention? Cairo has been un-banished from my bedroom. He now sleeps with me (because it's getting SOO COLD and my heater doesn't exactly work) or in his little bed on the floor. While this is cute and precious and I love it, he also wakes me up at 6 am for pets by licking my eyelids with his scratchy tongue.

Zzzzzzzzz... for now.

But it all could be so much worse. I'm grateful I've got a cat who has learned not to bite me and can behave in my room now, I'm glad I have a job that not only gives me hours but also money, I'm glad my car is fixed and I'm glad I have a roof over my head, even if the heater is a little behind the times.

What was your week like? Share with me in the comments below!

Stay true to yourself,
Alyson

Happy Wednesday!

Happy Wednesday folks! I have to apologize for my recent absence. I've been on the move!

For starters, I've been reconnecting with one of my best friends from college. I've never really been a "text your friends all the time" kind of girl but I've really been missing this friend and it's really been working for us! We're not texting back immediately (except on lunch!) so we can still get our work done!

Second, I've been picking up some more tasks at work. Both this week and last week I've had assignments - events to cover outside of the station - but both weeks I've been bumped up to two assignments a week! These assignments are often additional to my work hours, so I get a little extra cash, and it helps me work on my writing and reporting skills.

On top of assignments, I've also been dabbling with some advertisements at work. I think they're super easy, so I've been helping out with their input.

Up next: Kitty Mews

Finally, I've been trying to connect with my little Kitty Man more. I ended up adopting the cat I was sitting, so we've been learning together. Last night he even got to sleep in the bed until 2:30... then he started prowling. I had to put him in his "bedroom" - my office that's cat safe and filled with his necessities.

I've also been watching "My Cat From Hell" for kitty tips and also to appreciate my calm but curious little man.

The weather is also getting chillier here! It makes my outfit choices a bit of a struggle... but I'll get the hang of it soon!

How is your week going? Share with me in the comments below!

Stay true to yourself,
Alyson

Life lesons from Kitty: Patience

Yesterday I received a call from the coworker I had been cat-sitting for. His daughter has officially relinquished her ownership of the cat, Cairo, and I was allowed to send him to the humane society I volunteer with.

But... Cairo is really growing on me. He drove me CRAZY for a few weeks, but after bringing him home to meet my family dogs, I learned that it wasn't him who was being crazy.

I wasn't executing any patience. He would jump on the counter and I would scream. He'd bite me in the middle of the night and I would scream. He would meow and I would scream back. I was at the end of my rope! But it was because I didn't know how to talk to the cat.

I realized that dogs and cats are actually very similar, but cats don't understand punishment like dogs do. Cats need patience, just like puppies do. It doesn't end with litter box training.

I learned that he was jumping on the counter because he knew I would chase him. He knew that if he rattled the plate I left in the sink or knocked over the papers I had on the table I would pay him attention. When I took away the papers and washed the dishes and put a little food in his bowl, he stopped jumping on the counter.

Cairo, halfway to Mt. Cabinet.

I also learned the "Ow and Down" technique. When kitty bit too hard during play, or when he bit me lightly while I slept to wake me up, I made a high pitched "Ow!' sound, similar to a yowl, and place him on the ground. He got the message very quickly.

Patience is a serious virtue and a very difficult one to master. I decided to keep Cairo because I knew I needed a lesson in patience and he needed a home willing to love him. I want him to grow up and be a fat, happy cat. I don't know if a humane society would give him that opportunity right away and as a kitten, he is in a critical stage of development. Without the proper nurturing, how could he be expected to be a "good" pet?

I still wouldn't call myself a "cat person" and I'm definitely still a dog person, but I felt that this was the right choice. So welcome home, Cairo! We've got a lot of learning to do!

Have you learned any lessons from pets? Share with me in the comments below!

Stay true to yourself,
Alyson

Sunday Funday

I've started moving up the corporate ladder... sort of... by picking up Saturday shifts! The extra hours mean more money, more experience and I get to anchor the shift by myself! 

On the downside, it eats into the weekend, of course. So Saturday has become a work day- at the station and at home! Cleaning and errands have begun to take over Saturdays. This Saturday, my parents brought up my newly reprinted desk! My den/office is coming together! 

                                  

    

So Sundays are my big weekend days! Today, I went to church with my boyfriend then decided I was feeling crafty. I went to my local craft store and bought fabric and made another work skirt out of turquoise cotton jersey. I also finished off a canvas I had started Saturday night! 

                                   

What do your weekends consist of? Share with me in the comments below!

Stay true to yourself,

Alyson

Puppy madness, part 2!

Remember earlier when I said I wanted a puppy? Well, the little guy I mentioned in the post got adopted and unfortunately, not by me.

It's probably good that I don't have a pet, because it keeps my budget in line and I can come and go as I please without worrying about them. But getting used to the sounds of my complex is taking longer than I expected and I sort of wish I had some sort of companion. 

I've always had - and loved - dogs. I'd be happy as a clam with a little dog buddy to snuggle with who will bark at strange noises and potentially keep me safe.

Via

However, dogs take a lot of care. They need time, love and attention. They need to be taken outside to do their business at odd hours. They prefer constant companionship to being left alone. They need shots, grooming and lots of food. They take effort. 

Cats have the opposite reputation. They don't crave attention, do their business is a box and do well alone. I've never owned a cat, so I'm not sure how true this is. Plus, my dad is allergic to cats. Especially the furry ones. 

So I'm kind of in a lose-lose situation. Looks like I'll be sticking with pictures of my dogs from home instead!

Do you have any pets? Share with me in the comments below!

Stay true to yourself,

Alyson

Settling in

I've been pretty quiet lately... I've been settling in to my new apartment! 

I got power and Internet hooked up, as well as Netflix, so I've been distracted by that a bit :) Netflix  is probably the best $8 I've ever spent. 

I'm also trying to settle comfortably with the idea of being alone. It's odd being the only one around and I've noticed I've been holding myself accountable for keeping the place nice - putting pillows back in the right place, closing closet doors and making my bed every day. 

I wasn't really like this when I lived with other people... I tried to get used to making my bed every morning but I gave up when I moved home. I guess I'm just really enjoying how nice my new apartment looks and want it to stay that way!

Do your habits change in a new place? Share with me in the comments below!

Stay true to yourself,

Alyson

T-Minus 4 days!

By this time next week, I'll be blogging from my new apartment!

This is my last week at home. I call my landlord tomorrow and start moving my things Thursday! Over the weekend, my mom and I are going to set up and decorate and make the apartment truly mine!

I have a few ends to tidy up before I go though... for one, I have to pack. BLECH! I hate packing! I am most certainly not excited to do that. I've decided to start with my bookshelf and work down from there.

I also still need to make some curtains and wrangle a microwave. If this was a perfect world, I'd move everything I have ready out first and then do a second wave of moving things after all that was set up. But it looks like I'm going to need to do the Big Move instead!

Do you have any packing tips or tricks? Share with me in the comments below!

Stay true to yourself,
Alyson

Puppy madness

I've had a dog for as long as I can remember, or at least, my family has had a dog! So moving into an apartment pet-less is a weird feeling. 

College was the only time I've been dog-less, but even then, I was home on weekends with my family's two dogs. 

I can't stop shopping for pets! I've found quite few dogs and cats that have peaked my interest. One in particular has stuck out, reminding me of one of my first dogs, a cocker spaniel. 

How cute is this little guy!? Photo courtesy of Furkids

But I feel like I should wait until I at least get settled... and with my doubt about whether or not to get a dog, my friends are suggesting I wait. But I'm almost scared to live without one! 

Would you get a pet moving out for the first time? Share with me in the comments below!

Stay true to yourself,

Alyson 

It's offish....

I've found an apartment!

It met three of my four previous criterium... It's within walking distance to work, pet friendly and in a great neighborhood!

A quick run down on the place... I have a two bedroom, one bathroom apartment on the second floor. It has carpet throughout and each room has a window. It doesn't have much in the way of overhead lighting but I dislike overheard lighting. I have my own  entrance way (with a peep hole and three separate locks!) as well as a den, my own kitchen and two doors! The rooms are also BIGGER than my room at home! And the closets.... well I hit the motherland! THEY'RE HUGE!

Mom and I stopped by the other day to take measurements and it had a fresh coat of paint, a new stove and two new air conditioners! We've been shopping around for all kinds of home wares and I've been feeling crafty (so get prepared for a butt-load of tutorials!)

I move at the beginning of August. Look out, Gainesville!

Do you have an apartment? Share with me in the comments below!

Stay true to yourself,
Alyson

My Preppy Apartment

In early August, I'll be leaving home for the first time truly on my own! I'll be moving into an apartment closer to work (the two hour commute from home is killing me!) and while the process of apartment hunting is stressful beyond belief, I've found a way to rid that stress by planning the decorations!

I've decided to build a registry list on Overstock.com and Target.com (you can view those lists here and here! and are welcome to gather inspiration!) This way, I could make a public list for my family (read, my parents) and actually purchase things.

It's so weird to think it's all coming together! I'm no longer planning for fun, soon I'll have a real apartment with real furniture!

My apartment will be kelly green and bright pink with navy and white as neutrals. Think Lilly Pulitzer meets Vineyard Vines, plus a little offbeat indie/vintage for good measure.

My Preppy Apartment by alysonnnnnnn on Polyvore

What do you want your dream apartment to look like? Share with me in the comments below!

Stay true to yourself,
Alyson

Life Update: Apartment hunting

The epitome of being an "adult" isn't just graduating or getting a job. It's moving out on your own.

I was "out on my own" in college, but I lived in a sorority house, had 24 resident-assistance and my food paid for. Not really living independently, huh? So moving to an apartment in my new hometown will be a big step!

I've been looking in the city, close to the station. I have a little list of what I want... I hope I can find it all!



What do you want in your dream place? Share with me in the comments below!

Stay true to yourself,
Alyson