Author: Staci

Staci blogs about travel at TheVoyageer.com.

Taking On Monday

After a fantastic Thanksgiving break at my parents’ house (and a not-so-stellar three days of retail work), I am feeling energized and ready to take on the week.

This week I’m planning a cool DIY sofa table post for Wednesday (a “fake it till you make it” solution, if you will) and a pretty inspiration board for Friday. I’m also going to get the Christmas Tree out (after weeks of begging Doug to let me put it up, now that Thanksgiving’s over, I can!) and decorate the apartment for Christmas.

And also: This morning I was featured twice! How’s that for starting Monday off on the right foot?

West Elm has featured my old bedroom with its’ Organic Ironwork Duvet cover… I really, really loved that light-filled space. Click here for more photos.

My friend Angela (best friend since 7th Grade, mind you) has revamped and relaunched her photography website, itsjustanji.com, and shared some of the pictures she took of my little family for our Christmas cards.

Ashley over at Yeah. We Bake. (my cousin) shared Thanksgiving with us up at my parents’ house and I can fully vouch for the deliciousness of these 2-tiered chocolate mini cakes. I’m craving one to have with my coffee right now actually….

So I’ll be here resisting the Cyber Monday e-mails I keep getting while listening to my favorite Christmas CD, Christmas With The Rat Pack. Maybe I’ll even bake? Who knows? Ashley makes it seem so easy! Either way, I love that I now live here in So Cal where I can have a Christmas tree up and the sliding glass door open to let the fresh 70-degree air in… Have a great Monday, all! 

If this is your first time visiting, please like My Friend Staci on Facebook, Twitter, or Bloglovin to receive future updates!

Happy Thanksgiving!

It is so hard to believe that it’s Thanksgiving already! Didn’t Halloween just happen?

I am thankful for everyone who has supported my blog this year by commenting, sharing posts, or just reading regularly! I really appreciate it and it helps motivate me to keep coming up with original content.

Doug and I are also really thankful for anyone who supported us leading up to, during, and since our big move from Kansas to California. We couldn’t have done it without all of our helpers!

What are you thankful for this year? 

My Dream Office

Sorry I didn’t get a post up yesterday (my loosely-adhered to schedule is MWF). I was going to continue that sentence with a “but it’s because I…” excuse, but I don’t have any! I spent yesterday cleaning up after having a friend over this weekend and ordering our family Christmas cards.  One of the nice things about being a blogger is being able to set my own schedule… and that includes staying up late at night putting together my dream office on Pinterest!

Quiana at Harlem Love Birds has touched on the idea of multiple profit centers and I love the idea. Perhaps you could call it restlessness,  but I have always liked multitasking and the idea of doing a few different jobs (some from home) has appealed to me more and more in the past year or two.

And if that’s the case… well then, don’t I need a fabulous office to spend my waking hours in?

I daydreamed about it all day, then I went on the internet and pulled all the elements together, and now I’m ready to show the world! …Of course, in my fantasy, I have a whole room to set my office up in, instead of my current nook.

Desk: I love the sturdy simplicity of this Crate & Barrel Sentry work table. I know that according to Pinterest, bloggers should have white parsons desks, but I think the medium-toned wood would hide scuffs and dings better, and continue looking good for the long haul.

Chair: I have been pining away for this West Elm Spindle chair for months, and it is currently marked down. Perhaps I should me-gift it to myself sooner rather than later…

Supply cart: I’ve checked out this IKEA RÅSKOG in person– it seems sturdy and the wheels roll smoothly. The teal color is just beautiful. It will be perfect for holding note cards, design catalogs, and other items that would otherwise clutter up my desk top.

Couch: I will use the couch given to me by my grandma. The one pictured is similar. (This will allow us to get a more nap-friendly couch for the living room).

Storage Cases: I have long promised myself that when I have an office, my college textbooks (which I can’t bear to part with) will live in a smart-looking storage setup like this. I’ll keep books in the bottom part and pretty seasonal decor items in the top part, ready to be pulled out and distributed around the house on any whim.

Rug: I have had my eye on this fluffy Istanbul rug for some time now. I am not a shoe-wearer if I can help it, and I think the yummy texture would be just the trick to keep my creativity flowing.

Paint: It is so hard to tell paint colors over the computer screen, so I’m not going to tell you what brand and shade this yellow is. To pick the perfect color, the best plan of action is to buy a couple test pots and paint swatches in the room. Evaluate how it looks with other items and make your decision after careful consideration.

Accessories: Curtains, Clock, Nespresso machine (wink), Rifle Paper Co. calendar, Sputnik Chandelier, Art.

I think in an office like this, I could be very productive indeed!

PS: If you want an inspiration board to get the ball rolling on a room of your own, be sure to check out the Design Services page!