My Tchotchke Could Be Your Tchotchke

Not only am I tickled to be in The Circle of Bliss, I am even more tickled to know the creative author of the blog Beauty In The Attempt.  This is the second insanely unique bloghop she has created. 


The purpose of this bloghop?  It's easy:  Put something in your house that you don't feel fits your style anymore into the hands of another blogger who just MUST HAVE IT TO MAKE HER LIFE COMPLETE!!!


Here is what I am offering:

Here is the low down in the item.  It is a basket that Rusty and I bought on a vacation in the market in Charleston, South Carolina.  We were told it is covered in large grape leaves.  It has a knotty vine wrapped around it to serve as handles.  I have stored many things in this basket over the ears.  In fact, it is still my style, probably.  I just happen to have bought two of them, and my house is not large enough for you to see it in one room of the house and forget you saw it later on in another room, lol!


Are you coveting this basket?  It is TOO easy to make it yours:
{1} Become a follower of {twenty}something 
{2}  Leave a comment about how you MUST have it
{3} On Tuesday, March 29th, I will give it to the one commenter or use a random generator to fairly give it away


It is not necessary for you to link up with an item you are giving away, but it sure would be more fun!  You can cater your entry to meet any requirements you want.  Customize it!  


You keel hopping while I start shopping!


Oh yeah, the shipping is on me for my item!

Not Worthy!!!

Wow - I have had so much blog love this week that I haven't even needed to wear my Brick Rose Cover Girl blush!  A huge surprise was hearing from Beckie at Knock Off Decor about featuring my Pottery Barn Hundi Lantern Light Knock Off post!  I am so glad she found me.  She has this really awesome blog where she organizes great knock off posts from all around by store brand.  You can search for great tutorials on Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, Ballard Design, etc decor!  Make sure to check out my feature.  Her post goes live on Saturday, February 12th at 8:00 p.m.

In other news, while participating in the blog hop over at Beauty In The Attempt, I got wrapped up in a new storm with some of the great bloggers I met there.  In an attempt to network with others and grow in our blogging, we have all committed to participating in Our Own Circle of Bliss, 2012.  

Over the next 12 months, we hope to get to know each other and meet up at the annual Blissodom conference.  This awesome networking opportunity also linked me up with Judith over at Creating Balance.  This week, she presented me with the Stylish Blogger Award!

So the rule of this award is to tell you 7 things about myself and then pass this award on to 5 other great Stylish Bloggers. 

But a couple of years ago on FaceBook I made a list of 20 random things about me.  So I will give you 7 + 13.  How about that?! Here we go!

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1. Whenever I see an animal, I speak in a voice specific to its breed and have a conversation about what it's thinking. 

2. I consider both of my parents two of my best friends. 

3. I am a workaholic. 

4. My biggest fear is being attacked at night by a male predator. 

5. When my husband and I kiss, it is always in groups of threes. 

6. I want to live in a registered historic home. 

7. I know all of the US presidents in chronological order to the tune of One Little, Two Little, Three Little Indians. 

8. I normally spend time blow drying and flat ironing my hair at night, so I can sleep in later in the morning. 

9. I don't own an Ipod. 

10. I am a very aggressive sleeper. I have crazy conversations in my sleep. 

11. I graduated from a private school with only 11 other people in my class. Needless to say, I was valedictorian! Lol. 

12. I have been guilty of teaching a book while only being a chapter or two ahead of the students. 

13. All of my stuff has been in storage for about 4 years. We still have unopened and unused wedding presents stored at my dad's shop. 

14. I'm debt free!!

15. I've never had a car payment. 

16. Rusty and I were married 3 years before we got to live together. 

17. I won't drink a Coca Cola out of a can or a bottle. I only like fountain drinks. I also call, and make others with me call, it a Coca Cola Classic when ordering at a drive through. 

18. I probably have 15 pairs of jeans and want to buy more all of the time. 

19. My feet are so ticklish that I spaz out when getting a pedicure and everyone looks at me. 

20. I only eat ketchup at room temperature.

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So that's a little about me...now to pass this on to 5 other stylish bloggers:

The Not So Modern Family

Inspire Me Heather

LPC Interiors

My Two Rooms

Beauty In The Attempt

Take a moment and lose yourself in some of their posts!  Leave them a comment that {twenty}something sent you!

What Is My Style?

After participating in the blog hop over at Beauty in the Attempt, I received an abundance of feedback from all of the wonderful bloggers who participated.  In the blog hop, I was invited to check out many other blogs and leave feedback.  In doing that, I realized many things.  I realized that I am starting to move past (slightly past) being a newborn blogger into being a can-hold-my-own-head-up blogger.  This means that I am familiar enough with the basic Blogger tools and need to venture out into the html code world and snag my blog a new look.  To do this, I have invited my friend, and ultimate expert of all things under the sun, Reginia from The Not So Modern Family to come over on Friday for a blog overhaul.  We are talking a big overhaul.  Think "What Not To Wear", "Extreme Home Makeover" and "Clean House".


I am so excited!


Ok - it wasn't just seeing what else is out there on others' blogs.  It was also the comments I received.  I heard that my background could be distracting with the bleed-through background.  I was told my blog didn't feel like my "home" and needed to be more personal.  I need a picture of me.  An about me blurb up top.  My side bars were a little too text heavy and could use some more pictures.


However, I also learned that some think I have a great voice as a writer (gasp!  my students would be so proud!).  I have a good eye for photography and angles (swooning!).  My projects are lovely (cheeks are blushing).  And, for those who were rooting for the peacocks, my background shows so much of my personality.


Until I read this: "I'm trying to figure out your style because the decor on your mantel is so different from your blog background."

This played in my mind day after day.  I called Reginia.  I said, "My blog doesn't represent my style."  She agreed!  I embraced it.  I put no thought into that background.  I was the first one I came across that wasn't a preloaded Blogger font that I thought was pretty.


Great.  So I will make my blog match my style.


...


What is my style? 
How often can I change my background?
Do the aesthetics of my blog have to be deep and meaningful?
Am I normal?


So......I have a to do list for the weekend that sounds a little like this:

• Design a new background
• Design a new banner (maybe with some photos from my home/projects)
• Make a post "cloud" (my tagging is ridiculous)
• Add some images in my sidebar (maybe a photo of each of my rooms in my home)
• Play around with new fonts (Blogger's are b.o.r.i.n.g.)
• Start making my posts open in a new window
• Have a blog with a wider width that will allow for the extra large setting for pictures

My final thoughts:  I love my new followers.  I love the new blogs I am following.  Feedback and comments are so precious to me.  I can't wait for my makeover.  


In other news...my free Craigslist table is hanging out in the garage for another day to dry.  It is a beautiful, fresh white.  I can't wait to stain the top and get it in the breakfast nook under my new PB knock off light fixture!


What did you get out of the blog hop?  Any changes coming to your blog?

The Evolution of a Blog

The evolution of a blog:

• I am so addicted to reading these things called "blogs".  I feel like a stalker.
• I would love to blog, but I have no idea what to name it.
• Well, I could just name it something to get started and change it later if I find a better one.  What else am I going to do during all of this time my husband watches football?
• I will just blog to keep family and friends posted on things Rusty and I are doing around the house.
• Awe, that's cute.  Some of my friends are following.
• Maybe I should upload my posts to Facebook.
• Man, someone in Australia read my blog today.
• I'll just take some pictures of the steps to this project.
• Hhhmm... need an "About Us" page, a "Dogs" page, a "Our Home" page and a "Projects" page.
• I just got my first comment from a stranger.  How did they find me?
• I want more strangers.
• Linky Party.
• What project can I do today that would make a good blog post.
• Oh no, I totally forgot to take a picture of that step.
• I feel so bad; it has been 3 days since I posted.
• Everyone's blog looks better than mine!  I want to be better!

This may just be the evolution of my blog, but I am at the stage of wanting to improve.  Improve what?  Posts.  Layout.  Design.  Convenience.  Pictures.  Writing.  Everything.

When I came across the Blog Hop Party over at Beauty in the Attempt, I knew I had to participate.  It is called "The Bold and the Beautiful - Your Blog Reviewed".  The object is to link your blog to other blogs and "throw-down" like it's 1999 with lots of feedback for each other.  Here is how you participate (directly copied and pasted):

While visiting my blog, and other blogs over at Beauty in the Attempt, check out the layout, pages, buttons, sidebar and gadgets. I would love for you to gently critique my blog. I’m hoping you will leave me some positive feedback about my blog. It would be great if you could give me constructive criticism but be sure to tell me what you like about my blog too! Do you like my pictures? Does my blog load quickly for you? How about the font? All tips and tidbits welcome! 

You are welcome to join the party, it starts Thursday night and is open for a week. 

Thanks,

Heather