Home Office Design: Part 1

I am still alive over here!  Just super duper busy.  I don't have time to even post this entry but I'm squeezing it in.  I'm working on my home office slowly but surely and I wanted to share my progress.

I was inspired by this gallery wall for my home office so I went for a little visit to my local thrift store to find the frames.  I was looking for flat vintage frames in metal and wood.

Source: joannamay.org via Monica on Pinterest

I picked up all my picture frames and mirror for about $70.  It was a steal especially since I did consider buying frames from Etsy but the shipping costs were killer so I'm glad I found my frames locally.  Most of the frames ranged from $1 to $7 and the large vintage mirror cost me $23.  I first started by cutting out pieces of newspapers in the size of my frames just so I could see how the wall would look before I started pounding nails into the walls.  It was a lot easier than I initially thought.

And ta-da!   I'm still trying to figure out what to put in some of the frames.... that is a whole another project in itself.



If you are curious, I got my table from Cost Plus World Market, chevron rug from Urban Outfitters, sea shell book ends from this Etsy shop, and the chair and desk lamp from Home Goods.

New Year

I'm not one to write resolutions because they always seem incredibly hard to obtain.... like when people say they are going to cut out sugar from their diet or they are going to work out.  It's like huh?  That already sounds like a fail.  Sorry to be a pessimist.  Resolutions sound so final and it is hard to say that I'm never going to do anything again like I am never going to eat sugar again.  Yeah... sounds like even more of a fail when I put that into context.  I try to set little goals throughout the year and for me, I like that idea much better.  I am not one to sit still because I am always moving around doing something!

2011 Highlights
Got married to my best friend

Traveled to 6 different countries and got to experience it through my husband's eyes.  It was his first time in Europe.

Gracie learned how to swim.

I quit my job.

I read 20+ books.  I can't actually say read because I listened to them. I'm totally into audiobooks which allows me to multitask when I'm listening to a book like driving through horrible LA/OC traffic or washing dishes.  My husband caught me crying last night in the kitchen after going through one of my favorite books on my ipod.  Haha!  I am quite the dork.  These were my favorite books this year some of which I have gone through twice already..... Hunger Games (fyi, the 3rd book was my least favorite), The Kitchen House, World Without End, Unbroken, and The Help.  I am always looking for new books to read so please share if you have a good one.  It will be much appreciated!!!

Got a new car which is my favorite.  It is so functional and I've made up my mind that I'm sticking to mini-SUV's forever.

Learned how to use my dslr camera quite a bit through this blog and found my favorite lens so far.

2012 Goals in Process
I'm leaving corporate finance and running far FAR away.

Drink less wine, drink more water.

Read more books including the Bible.  I'm currently on Baby Proof which is totally fitting for me if you know me well.  I want to read through the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series this year too.

Learn how to edit film and make videos.  I took a free Apple workshop this week for iMovie and already getting started on this goal.  I couldn't pass up a free class!  I want to take more of them.

Learn graphic design.  I already got started on Adobe Illustrator and watched youtube tutorials this past weekend.  Knowing how to use this tool will be perfect for thoughtful gifts for friends and family.  I can make customized stationary, calendars, whatever!  Love it already.

Set up an art corner in my new office to paint.  Loving the idea of creating abstract art from here.

Go to Hawaii for the first time.

Embrace turning 3-0 and love every minute of it.

Pay more attention to my husband and be a better wife.  I get easily distracted by all my interests that I sometimes forget that I should be including him in my list of interests.  Whoopsie!  I know I need to be better about this.

This is a totally random collage but I thought this post needed some sort of visuals.  This is where my mind is at today =) All over the place as usual!  That is the norm. 

 

image source (left to right):  1/2/3/4/5/6/7