Master Bedroom Updates too The Hot Pink Couch

Hey ya'll! First things first, give thank you lot you hence much to every unmarried someone who took the fourth dimension to electronic mail me, comment, or shipping their congratulations via social media afterward my last post. It actually meant hence much to me, as well as it totally took me past times surprise to run across how excited everyone was. I've felt a trivial downwards during this pregnancy due to beingness hence sick, as well as it was simply the boost I needed. Thank you lot guys.

So, moving on to today's topic: The main bedroom. As many of you lot know, I've blogged nearly this room a lot, by as well as large because the residual of our solid was all the same stuck inwards the 70's for the showtime 2 years of this blog. But, this calendar week I looked dorsum at my posts from 2014 as well as realized that the last fourth dimension I shared anything nearly this room was over a yr ago, right earlier nosotros started renovating the upstairs. 

So, basically, my heed is blown, as well as we somehow went an entire yr without talking nearly this room.

So, it's fourth dimension for updates. Because although null major has changed, similar knocking downwards a wall or edifice a sauna, in that location receive got been a few changes that I've made to this room over the past times year.

But first, a quick reminder of what this room looked similar when nosotros showtime moved inwards almost v years ago.

This motion painting gives me a rattling well for you lot dose of perspective. Because although it's 1 of the ugliest pictures I've always taken, it reminds me that textile things don't equal happiness. Because every fourth dimension I run across this picture, I shout out upward when nosotros showtime got married as well as bought our house, as well as that was genuinely 1 of the happiest times inwards my life.

I wasn't upset past times the horrible 1970's dungeon that was my house...I was excited past times the possibilities. And that's what this photograph reminds me of...to never experience stuck past times what is, but to instead live excited past times what tin be.

And hence fast forwards to June of lastly year, as well as this is what our sleeping accommodation looked similar for nearly a month. We emptied out the sometime queen sized bed that I made as well as were waiting on the arrival of our novel bed. It ended upward taking much longer to instruct far that we'd planned, hence the room was empty for awhile.

It was a weird sleeping accommodation transition stage that I don't similar to recall.

We bought the bed online hence it was kinda a hurting to assemble, but when all was said as well as done, it turned out beautifully. Plus, Jesse assembled it, hence who am I to complain.

This Instagram pic is from 23 weeks ago. And I'm simply directly getting approximately to finally sharing the halt results amongst you lot on the blog. 

It's non normal, I know.

So, here's the sleeping accommodation every bit it looks today. The alone major additions are the upholstered wingback bed, as well as 2 x-base nightstands. I also got some longer curtains as well as raised the drape rod to the ceiling. The antique carpet was given to me past times my grandma, the scalloped chandelier is from this post, as well as the artwork inwards a higher house the bed is a gilded placemat I framed inwards a Target frame.

The bed nosotros bought is sold out now, but here's the link in instance it gets restocked. 

I looked everywhere for crusade agency nightstands as well as eventually decided on these. I also added a brace mercury drinking glass lamps that I constitute at a local shop on clearance for $20 each.

Here are a few broad shots of the bedroom.

The french provincial dresser...still my best thrift shop uncovering to date.

If you're novel here, the original dresser post tin live constitute here.

And bonus, here's the original post nearly the cupboard makeover. It's a trivial outdated past times now, but you lot tin at to the lowest degree run across what's going on inwards there.

Here's the stance of the sleeping accommodation when you lot showtime walk inwards the room. I've temporarily set a trivial sofa inwards the side room. 

My treadmill lives inwards there, too. And you lot instruct to run across it. Because who has fourth dimension to motion that matter for photo's sake?

And because it's adept to remember, this is what the side room looked similar v years ago.

 If you're inwards a similar province of affairs and can't afford to take away your woods paneling, don't live afraid to pigment it. I had no experience whatsoever as well as all it took was a trivial query as well as a lot of elbow grease, as well as it's held upward simply fine. I used Kilz primer as well as BM Simply White apartment wall paint. That's it.

Here's a closeup of the side room today. This is all rattling temporary because I think I'm going to brand this room the nursery. At to the lowest degree for the showtime trivial while. So, the sofa volition in all probability instruct moved elsewhere as well as hence volition the treadmill.

And hence volition that horrid boob low-cal because, no.

But for the past times trivial while, it's been overnice to receive got a sofa inwards there. You may shout out upward this trivial sofa from the basement (probably not). It was slipcovered inwards a chocolate-brown slipcover as well as when nosotros gutted the basement a few months back, nosotros almost got rid of it, but I decided at the lastly infinitesimal to move past times on it as well as run across if I could utilization it elsewhere. 

And Jesse was SO excited that I wanted to move past times on the sofa because underneath the slipcover was this:

The inwards a higher house pic was taken afterward I had Jesse haul it upstairs past times himself similar he was an ant.

You tin simply imagine his joy.

And as well as hence I had him motion it dorsum to the bedroom, inwards all its hot pinkish glory, because really, what practise you lot desire from me. 

I couldn't purpose amongst it.

Ultimately I decided to musical note it downwards a notch as well as comprehend it amongst an off-white slipcover. I'm thinking I volition eventually motion this trivial sofa to the pes of the bed, but we'll see. 

Until then, it volition simply await pretty as well as I'll experience similar a someone who tin afford to receive got a pretty trivial sofa inwards her bedroom.

But, we'll all know the existent story, you lot as well as me. 

HOT PINK $50 COUCH FROM 1982. 

Oh, as well as here's 1 lastly trivial broad angle...I also raised the curtains over the doors out to the deck. I don't know why, but raising the curtains to the ceiling makes such a large difference.

That drape rod is a poor spaghetti noodle, but babe steps.

And here's your yearly update on the silverish foliage vanity...still 1 of my favorite redos. I currently receive got all of my pilus materials (blow dryers, etc) inwards that wooden bin. I move past times on planning to pigment it as well as set some caster wheels on it, but it hasn't happened yet.

I've simply come upward to the receive got that this is 1 of those life phases when hanging curtains, slipcovering a tiny pinkish sofa, as well as assembling some slice of furniture takes me half-dozen months. 

But, I'm working on some other rattling of import project, hence I know you lot guys volition empathise if I motion fifty-fifty slower than usual. 

23 weeks today.... :)

That's all for today, ya'll! I'll live dorsum soon to part my top 10 blogging tips. It alone took me three years to finally set together a weblog post nearly blogging. :)

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10 Tips for Growing Your Blog

One of the topics I acquire asked the most almost is blogging. So, today I thought I would percentage 10 of the tips that receive got helped me grow this weblog over the past times 3 years. I started this weblog inwards Jan 2012, having absolutely no thought what I was doing (imagine an amoeba with a laptop), in addition to since thence it's grown to getting nearly two meg pageviews each month, means beyond my wildest expectations.

So, hither are some of the things that receive got helped me the most during my 3 yr journey. I promise you'll detect something inwards this post that helps you lot along your ain path! Enjoy!

1. You don't demand to move an proficient to start a blog.

Taking that initiatory of all measuring into the unknown is the most difficult. You're in all probability going to experience actually overwhelmed in addition to discouraged, particularly if you lot start comparison yourself to blogs who've been around for awhile. So, allow me brand things easier on you. Your weblog isn't going to move all that nifty at first, in addition to that's okay. My weblog was terrible when I initiatory of all started. My photography was awful, my writing was obnoxious, in addition to my projects in addition to decor left a lot to move desired. But, the thing almost existence goodness at something is that you lot never start out that way. It takes a lot of practise in addition to a lot of mistakes, in addition to tardily over fourth dimension you lot volition laid about to improve at whatever it is you're trying to do. The cardinal is to brand for sure this is something you're passionate about. If you lot are passionate almost existence a blogger, thence you'll receive got the stamina in addition to piece of employment ethic to force through all of the walls that you'll inevitably human face upwards equally you're figuring out your novel science set.

2. Create your ain content.

The #1 best means to grow your weblog is to create your ain content. In my experience, your ain character content volition do much meliorate things for your weblog thence recycled content ever will. Creating your ain content volition move a lot to a greater extent than piece of employment than rounding upwards a bunch of content from your peers, but it volition move SO worth the extra effort. And don't worry if your unique content isn't all that nifty at first...that's the means it's supposed to be.

You've got to do the piece of employment to acquire meliorate at it.

3. Quality over quantity.

One of the biggest lessons I've learned is that it doesn't actually affair how many posts you lot write. What matters is the quality of the posts you lot do write. In my experience, I've constitute that 1 actually nifty post volition acquire you lot means to a greater extent than traffic (and loyal, engaged readers) than 50 average posts ever will.

I've only written almost 200 posts over the course of didactics of 3 years. Mostly because it takes me a lot of fourth dimension in addition to unloose energy to pose together 1 actually nifty post that I know my readers volition enjoy. There are some bloggers that receive got the powerfulness to write nifty posts seven days a week. And that's amazing. But if you lot detect that that's non a reality for you, don't move discouraged. Just focus on writing the best content you lot can, in addition to over fourth dimension your weblog WILL grow.

4. Optimize your photography.

A nifty photograph or graphic tin assist grow your weblog similar goose egg else can. I pass a huge chunk of fourth dimension taking pictures, experimenting with composition, in addition to editing/making graphics for each post. Having a nifty graphic for a post is incredibly instrumental for bringing traffic to your blog.

Here are a few tips on optimizing the images on your blog:

• If you're non familiar with Photoshop, you lot tin use Picmonkey to edit your photos in addition to add together eye-catching graphics. That's what I've used since I started blogging. I also use Ipiccy on occasion, but I prefer Picmonkey because of the powerfulness to add together text overlays. I also unremarkably crop, accommodate the brightness, in addition to sharpen my images.

I'll move the initiatory of all to acknowledge that I should in all probability sharpen my science ready in addition to acquire to piece of employment Photoshop, but I shout out upwards it's helpful to know that you lot tin non only acquire by, but move successful without existence an proficient at everything. Progress over perfection.

• Make for sure that the file cite of your motion painting contains cardinal phrases. For lawsuit cite your motion painting 'bloggingtips.jpg' rather than 'DSC1045.jpg' (the cite your reckoner volition automatically give your image...like a jerk). This volition assist people detect your weblog posts when searching Google in addition to Pinterest.

• Fill inwards the description of your paradigm on your blog. It should move a keyword rich explanation of the photograph you've posted. On Blogger all you lot receive got to do is correct click on the image, click 'Properties' in addition to type your description inwards the 'title text' box. That way, when people pivot from your site, your description volition move readily available for them to use.

• A Federal Reserve annotation on equipment: I blogged for nearly two years earlier I was able to afford a DSLR camera. Before that time, I made do with a $75 Sony Cybershot.  My pictures were terrible, but it was the best I could do at the time, in addition to inwards the terminate it didn't actually matter...it was okay to start out with crappy equipment. Eventually, I was able to upgrade to a DSLR. I currently piece of employment a Nikon D3100 with either the kit lens or my 50mm. Still goose egg fancy, but means meliorate than what I started with. Then, I spent some fourth dimension learning to piece of employment it. I'm far from existence great, but I've come upwards a long means inwards simply a year's time. Something that helped me tremendously was taking the Photography 101 & 102 course of didactics from Shoot Fly Shoot. I'm non an affiliate. I simply shout out upwards it's great.

Again, I'm average at best, but photos do brand a difference. Here's a photograph of the dining room from the initiatory of all yr of my weblog dorsum when I was using my evil trusty Cybershot. The photograph was lopsided, blurry, in addition to definitely taken with a flash.

And here's a photograph taken inwards the final yr using my DSLR...crisp, bright, in addition to taken on manual settings. Obviously, the dining room itself is an improvement, but I'd similar to shout out upwards my photography skills are slightly less horrendous. :)

5. Use Pinterest.

Pinterest is the most effective shape of social media when it comes to increasing your traffic in addition to growing your readership. More than one-half of all my traffic comes from there.

Here are some tips to assist you lot brand the most of Pinterest.

• Develop your ain next on Pinterest past times pinning interesting images. Pay attending to the organization of your ain boards, in addition to brand them pretty. Make for sure you lot receive got a board dedicated to your ain blog, in addition to pose it correct upwards forepart where it's like shooting fish in a barrel to find. Take the fourth dimension to write your ain descriptions of each pin. You tin cheque my boards out here.
• Join Pinterest grouping boards in addition to pivot your content to drive traffic to your posts. Once your weblog grows to a for sure point, you'll detect that you lot won't demand to do this equally much, but inwards the beginning, it tin actually assist drive traffic in addition to grow your blog.
• Pin during peak times of the hateful solar daytime to optimize repins. I acquire the best results on weekdays betwixt 8-10pm in addition to on Sabbatum in addition to Lord's Day morn betwixt 8-10am.

6. Optimize onetime content.

In the historic menses of Pinterest, you lot never know how soul is going to detect your blog. The initiatory of all thing they run into powerfulness move a post you lot did 3 years ago. So, accept the fourth dimension to become dorsum to all of your onetime posts in addition to run into if there's whatever means you lot tin improve them. I become dorsum in addition to expression at my onetime posts almost in 1 lawsuit or twice a year, in addition to each fourth dimension I detect thence much materials that I tin improve upon. Don't allow all that onetime content become to waste.

Here are simply a few of the ways you lot tin improve onetime content:

• Improve your photos in addition to graphics if necessary. This may hateful re-editing the master photos or taking solely novel photos. It simply depends on the situation/project. My initiatory of all xl or thence posts never had a graphic, simply unedited pictures taken direct out of my camera. I ever salve all of my master photos on dropbox, thence I was able to become back, edit them, add together text overlays when needed, in addition to re-insert them into my posts. Doing this ended upwards driving a lot of traffic to all of those onetime posts that never got whatever traffic when they were initiatory of all published.

• Insert links to other relevant posts within your blog. This tin assist direct readers to other posts they powerfulness enjoy.

• Include your social media buttons in addition to electronic mail signup inwards the bottom of each post. Make it equally like shooting fish in a barrel equally possible for your readers to detect in addition to connect with you, using the method of their choice.

• Re-name your onetime pictures using targeted keywords. This actually helps with SEO, in addition to allows Google to move able to detect your pictures equally good equally your posts. (And piece you're at it, brand for sure you're using keywords inwards your post title, too. This is of import for both Pinterest in addition to Google.)

7. Focus on what matters.

I tell no to a lot of things. Because I know that if I tell yeah to every chance that comes my way, I won't receive got the fourth dimension or unloose energy to do the piece of employment that makes my weblog successful.

I've opted out of hosting link parties, doing tons of sponsored content, in addition to publishing roundups of other people's content because it takes me away from creating the content that I experience is most valuable to the long term increment of my blog.

Every weblog is different, in addition to unlike things volition piece of employment for unlike blogs. I spent almost a yr floundering about, trying out ALL the things in addition to figuring out what worked for me. The cardinal is that when you lot do figure out what industrial plant for your blog, focus on that, in addition to don't acquire distracted past times everything else.

8. Be yourself.

Being yourself is the most of import thing you lot tin do for the success of your blog. You'll receive got your strengths, in addition to you'll receive got your weaknesses, in addition to inwards the terminate you'll discovery that it won't actually matter, equally long equally you're existence truthful to yourself.

I started out only existence able to move my truthful self inwards snippets of tiny italicized text.

You'll eventually detect your groove. :)

9. Don't move afraid to percentage your mistakes.

I shout out upwards at that spot is a tremendous amount of value inwards sharing your mistakes on your blog. It's absolutely terrifying sometimes, because you lot experience similar everyone is going to approximate you, in addition to that's a feeling we'd all similar to avoid. But, here's a piddling secret: People are going to approximate you lot either way. But, I've constitute that existence a normal, imperfect human makes you lot to a greater extent than relatable in addition to makes your weblog that much to a greater extent than fun to read.

So, it's okay to percentage the existent materials with the pretty stuff. You don't receive got to alive within of a magazine to move a successful blogger.

10. Stick with it.

There volition move hard times. Your unloose energy in addition to inventiveness volition ebb in addition to flow. This has happened to me at to the lowest degree 10 times over the course of didactics of 3 years, in addition to it ever passes. As many of you lot know, I'm going through 1 of those phases now, equally I'm a piddling over vi months pregnant, in addition to feeling similar a sloth who simply wants to nap in addition to consume in addition to vociferation all the time. But, I don't stress almost it because I know that this likewise shall pass. I shout out upwards the cardinal is to simply do the best you lot tin at whatever given moment, in addition to top away along on keepin' on. What's meant to move volition ever detect a way.

That's all for today, ya'll! Thanks thence much for existence here!

 

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Pregnancy Updates

Hey ya'll! 
Thank y'all for all of your comments in addition to emails making certain I was okay. 

I've had a hectic few weeks in addition to receive got been wanting to update y'all on things, but truly only needed some fourth dimension for things to calm downward first.

As many of y'all know, this hasn't been an piece of cake pregnancy for me. I had horrible all twenty-four hours morning time sickness for the commencement xv weeks. 

And it didn't halt there.

For the by 3 months (since virtually calendar week 17), I've been fighting off preterm project in addition to I haven't been able to produce much other than lay on my couch. Weekly Dr. visits, nonstop tests, in addition to multiple trips to the hospital...it's been the hardest few months of my life. But, I've tried to remain positive, non complain likewise much, in addition to non learn likewise lamentable virtually all the materials I can't do.

There receive got been a few weeks where I've only cried in addition to cried in addition to basically been a blob of tears, in addition to and hence at that topographic point are weeks where I produce okay in addition to am able to grip whatever is thrown at me. It varies widely.
 So hug Jesse if y'all come across him.

The proficient tidings is that babe is well for y'all in addition to hence am I. My cervix, although stable hence far, is extremely brusk in addition to a constant trace of piece of job concern for my doctor
 (I never take in the twenty-four hours would come upward when I would receive got to verbalise the give-and-take 'cervix' on my blog. You're welcome.). This causes me to experience H5N1 LOT of Braxton Hicks contractions, in addition to to experience similar I can't live on my feet for longer than 10-20 minutes. But, nonetheless, nosotros are marching on, babe in addition to I, in addition to nosotros are determined to learn far every bit far every bit nosotros can.

I am currently 29 weeks, in addition to alongside each passing day, I celebrate some other victory. I can't fifty-fifty start out to say y'all how far away 29 weeks seemed when this all started happening roughly calendar week 17. 

So, none of this is ideal, in addition to it's definitely non the pregnancy I had envisioned...the i consummate alongside babe showers in addition to motherhood photos in addition to assembling a beautiful plant nursery (you know, all of the superficial nonetheless fun materials everyone looks forwards to). It's been to a greater extent than of a vii calendar month long panic assault filled alongside barf in addition to tears. But this is life, in addition to sometimes life has a agency of giving us what nosotros involve rather than what nosotros want. So, every bit I ever endeavour to produce when having a difficult time, I've been thinking a lot virtually what this experience is trying to learn me. 

And inwards this instance, I know that life was telling me non to accept a unmarried affair for granted. And hence when I await around, rather than seeing all of the things that receive got gone wrong, I come across how much my dear for Jesse has grown alongside each passing twenty-four hours (as he takes every burden he tin off my shoulders in addition to continues to demo me unconditional dear despite my moodiness in addition to calendar week long stints of wearing the same maxi dress), in addition to most of all, I come across how absolutely thankful I am to live continuing on alongside a well for y'all pregnancy.

Who tin complain, really.

So, that's what's been going on.

 My sincerest apologies for beingness a lilliputian sporadic alongside the spider web log posts these days. We finally finished the bulk of our basement lastly weekend (Well, Jesse did.) in addition to receive got truly been living downward there, every bit nosotros decided upon some lastly infinitesimal renovations to the upstairs earlier the babe comes. And yes, I'm a crazy person. I hope to live able to share all of this alongside y'all guys over the class of the adjacent calendar month or two, but I won't brand whatever promises, every bit things are a lilliputian hectic in addition to difficult to predict. Plus, I only motion a lilliputian slower than green correct now.

Thank y'all guys hence much for beingness hither in addition to for your patience alongside me every bit I learn through the adjacent lilliputian while. 

Tootie in addition to I volition basically live doing this until the terminate of June:

'Til adjacent time!

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