Home Decor: Makeshift Bar Cart

This past weekend I splurged and got everything I wanted to finally finish our bar area. We just moved to a bigger apartment and for the first time in years, I actually feel like it’s HOME.

After endlessly searching Pinterest for months, I decided “just go for it.” There’s only so much researching and pinning you can do anyways.

I shopped for too many hours, probably bought a few too many things, and ran into some issues when I discovered the studs in my apartment are metal and were warping the wall out….but everything turned out exactly how I wanted it to.

The “makeshift bar cart” as I’m calling it – is actually our old TV Stand from IKEA. Bar carts can be SO expensive, with a lot of them running over $100! This stand is only $60 and it’s working perfectly. We also have our new Record Player sitting on top, and it holds records on the bottom shelves nicely.

The shelves from Target were, not really surprisingly, more expensive than the old TV stand! But I had searched around for awhile and to me-it’s worth it finding and buying things you like more than settling for something you don’t; even if that means shelling out a little more cash. Of course, the shelves went on sale the day after I bought them 🙂
But, the mirrors were a great find that I wasn’t really looking for, but it works great with the shelves and the gold colors.

My new favorite pastime is going to a Pike Nurseries store and buying all of the plants that won’t last through this extremely weird Atlanta weather. But I went for some house plants that hopefully won’t die right away. The English Ivy serves as great aesthetics and it helps filter out toxins like formaldehyde and mold! And the succulent is just because I love them. I much prefer real plants to fake plants, but those artificial herb plants for IKEA were too cute to pass up.

I really lucked out finding my bar set. I saw it on other websites for $100 or more. I found mine on Amazon for about $50. Actually, I saw it for $30 but waited too long pondering my life choices, and so I missed out. But I’m still so happy with it.

We’re getting a speaker set for our record player soon, and I’m shopping for a few more finishing touches, but I’m really impressed with how good everything looks. It’s a real mood booster when I walk through the door after work each day; which to me is the reason I love this project the most.

Counting Down Till Fall

*singing* THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS FALL MEMES

Am I hip if I say I liked fall before it was cool? It’s always been my favorite season since I can remember. And I don’t even drink PSLs from Starbucks.

 

1. This is me every single morning of September so far. Then I get really sad when it’s noon and I’m putting the sweat in sweater.

2. This one from The Oatmeal is basically how my friends feel right about now with all of my fall posts on social media. Like I care…

3. And this is me, every single year, every single fall. No shame. Other seasons just aren’t as good. (Also Sarah Anderson’s stuff is hilarious, check it out if you haven’t)

 

 

So POPPIN in love!

I started my new job in April of this year, and for awhile I was having a hard time feeling comfortable in my space. Now it might only be me- but there’s only so many non-matching desk accessories I can handle in one cubicle before I feel overwhelmed.

After some quick lunch-break researching, I found poppin, and I fell in love! I have to have things organized for my own sanity, and their products make that so easy and fun.

BONUS – they have matching notebooks. 

What probably made me the happiest though was their easy shipping. I live in an apartment complex where sometimes, I don’t get the packages on the days I order them (for various reasons).

This package got delivered right to my door, and right on time!

It’s almost unfair how many things I want to buy from their website. I don’t think you’re supposed to spend all your money from work on work desk accessories! Oh well…

I highly recommend checking out their site, and no I’m not famous or getting paid for this – I just REALLY am impressed with their products.

Shout Out Time! – Black Guy DIY

My wonderful co-worker has this amazing blog and I just have to share here. 

I am seriously so impressed! It makes me want to strive to actually keep up with this blog and turn it into something I can share and be proud of.

So hopefully I can get myself in gear and make that goal reality!

High Expectations

I haven’t been able to write anything for awhile. I finally got a job. And when I say finally, I mean waiting for 3 months. At the time it felt like the worst thing in the world. Here I was with a shiny, new degree, and no one thought I was qualified (or at least that’s what I kept telling myself).

Looking back at it now, it was only three months. Some people take a whole year off to travel the world between college and finding a job. I was so caught up in my expectations of myself; like I always am. I’ve had high expectations of myself before I even knew what expectations were.

And here’s the thing about that-

I really think I’m where I am today because of those expectations. I was thinking about it the other day and I realized that I am exactly where I’ve always wanted to be (at this age). I’ve achieved every goal I’ve had when it comes to where I wanted to be at this stage. A lot of it has to do with the fact that I was blessed with an amazing family and support structure who love me immensely. But I also have to give myself credit – and that’s not something I allow myself to do a lot.

I try to stay humble, and not ever have an ego, but really if I never got down on myself for not trying hard enough, or if I had put up with the mediocre, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

I wouldn’t have moved out of state for college – I wouldn’t have graduated college- I wouldn’t be in a wonderful, loving relationship – I wouldn’t be living in this city- and I certainly wouldn’t have this great job that I have.

Sometimes, when you look back on your decisions, you shake your head and wonder why. And other times, like this, you’re amazed at how everything came together so perfectly.

Some days are still rough; nothing is ever perfect. But I’m proud of where I am, and how far I have come. My 14 year old dreamer-self would be so excited to know that I am ok. That I succeeded and I am happy. Just goes to show that hard work pays off, and no bad time can last forever.

Apartment Garden

Last weekend we decided to finally do some plant shopping and hope that the weather would stop being so strange! Even though it’s really cold this morning, our plants look beautiful.

Cilantro, Oregano, and Sage

White, Yellow, and Purple Petunias

Pink Angelonia

Potted Succulents

Spearmint and Peppermint

Rosemary

Purple Heather, Lavender, and White Cuphea

 

Since then our Lavender is starting to bloom, our mint is starting to grow as well, and the white petunias are opening up. SO beautiful and really helps to make our little apartment feel more like home.

Thanks Pike Nursery for being AMAZING.

Acceptance: Letting Go

Holding onto anything for longer than you should is toxic. Putting effort into anyone who doesn’t give you an equal amount of effort continuously doesn’t make you nice or kind- it just means you’re not looking out for yourself. And that’s important and something I have to remind myself about a lot.

I used to believe that I was being rude and unkind if I turned these people down when they asked me for something. Slowly I began to realize that it wasn’t being mean, it was merely doing what was best for myself and my heart.

It became, and still is, very hard for me to make new friends. But now it doesn’t hurt as much when others don’t reciprocate. And to be honest, I don’t try and reach out as much as I used to. I haven’t given up, but I know that I don’t need that kind of stress in my life.

Accepting other people’s faults and taking them for as they are is one of the best lessons I’ve taught myself. That doesn’t mean that I don’t get disappointed sometimes with other people, but it means I don’t let it affect me as much as it once did.

I’m slowly letting go of high expectations of people, but still keeping a standard of what I want to find in people who are a part of my life. Friendships shouldn’t be forced, they shouldn’t be hard. They should be fulfilling always and worth it when times get tough. You should never have to try so hard to fight your way through their personal schedule, because they should naturally want to spend time with you- if even for a minute.

They don’t have to drop everything…but they should at least make an effort and be there for you. At least those are my personal hopes, and something I look for.

Something I hope I might find again in a new friend.

 

Grill Time: Cooking With Cat

**Disclaimer: I don’t like my meat red. That’s my personal preference. Also this was the first time using our community grill and it got done faster than expected**

Hello! Today was the first night that we got to grill because of this gorgeous weather! We live in an apartment complex but it has some nice grills out by the pool area. I really don’t need to share how to grill steaks, but the marinade and seasoning I mixed together was great (in my personal opinion of course).

For the marinade I mixed together Worcestershire Sauce, Soy Sauce, A1 Steak Sauce, Honey, and a dash of Eagle Rare Whiskey. I let that soak into the steaks for a good 3 hours (longer is always better).

So my seasoning (in the teal ramekin) was a mixture of Mitchell Street Steak Seasoning, Powdered Mustard, Smoked Paprika,  and Greek Seasoning – all from Penzey’s Spices! My Fiancé opted for some Chicago Steak Seasoning and Rosemary. Mine gave my steak a very sweet taste, and his was more vibrant and the rosemary was very present.

 

Our kabobs were pretty simple but super yummy. Peppers, Portabella Mushrooms, Squash, and Zucchini. Drizzled with olive oil before grilling and topped with ground salt and pepper.

Shout out to Target for having adorable spring/summer plates, glasses, and trays. Well…cute everything really. 

Hope everyone is having a great night and gets a chance to grill soon! So worth it!

Little Apartment – Big City

About an hour ago I found myself thinking, “WOW, I’m actually getting used to living here.”

I’ve jumped pretty far, in a short amount of time, from living in California to Mississippi to Georgia. And all this time, I’m not really sure any place has felt like home to me. But what really is home? “The place where one lives permanently.” Well, I guess then college really wasn’t home.

But now I live in Atlanta, and I love living with my fiancé in our own little apartment. But some days it just doesn’t have the feeling of home. Well, home is supposed to be where the heart is right? Not just where you live permanently. But here IS where my heart is and here IS where I now live permanently.

But still…there’s that lingering feeling that it just isn’t quite home. And that makes me sad, because I want to feel that way. I want to be happy here, but I’d say I’m more comfortable in this city. I’d also say, I’d like to explore around a lot more until we really find a place where we both belong.

But until then, I’ll keep trying to make our little apartment in this big, southern city feel like home.

 

But man I can’t wait for a backyard…

I’m A Millennial (And I’m A Hard Worker)

Today I was told something about myself that I, for some strange reason, just really can’t shake. Maybe my skin isn’t tough enough, or maybe I need to learn to laugh this sort of thing off- but then again it’s not funny. It’s something people actually believe, and now I’m stuck wondering is it actually true? 

I was told by a prospective employer that because I am a “Millennial,” I’m most likely detrimental to their company. Let me break that down some more- Because of my age (which I can’t control) and because of generalizations about the people who are also my age (which those people can’t control), I am now somebody who is harmful or might not be worth hiring.

Am I outraged? Absolutely not. Am I surprised? Yea, you know I’m a little surprised he said that to me in the middle of an interview. But mainly I am disappointed. It was really the first time that I personally felt discriminated against for being a Millennial. Like all of a sudden I wasn’t capable, and I had a weird stigma all because of my age.

I can understand that I don’t have the most experience, and that’s why I’m actively looking for a job that will offer that to me. But there’s a difference between being told you’re a risk because you lack experience and being told you’re a risk because of the name of an age group. What do I do? Apologize for being born when I was?

The interviewer also made it very clear that I needed to understand when to call someone on the phone, and then compared me to their child who is (almost) a decade younger than me. This surely is because of bad past experiences with employees not knowing when to call a client or messing up communication. However, it came across as if they thought all Millennials only text and email- and aren’t very good at communicating priorities and critical information (because apparently we just text people that information).

Then I got the whole, “Back in the day,” speech. How older generations only had one job all their lives and how baby boomers and the generation after stay at their jobs for 10 – 15 years at a time. But Millennials? No. Apparently we job hop too much and therefore we are too risky. Employee turnover sucks; I’m not uneducated. You put all your time and resources and effort into a new employee and they turn around and leave. But you’re going to look me in the face and tell me that because I’m a Millennial, you’re having second thoughts on hiring me because I will decide to go elsewhere as soon as I get there to work? No. Unless someone offered me a much better position, that’s not how that works. And I am well aware of that, and I am well aware of how working is sometimes hard. I don’t need to hear how college and work are different because “with work you can’t say ‘Oh I don’t feel like going today’ and you actually have to show up.”

I left feeling really underwhelmed and slightly disrespected. This person has their right to conduct their interview however they want, but I don’t necessarily think I want to work for someone who generalizes like that and who honestly seems scared of an age group.

Despite being 22 years old, I am a hard worker. I am a hard worker and I am a proud Millennial. We’re really not all that different from anyone else. We have a lot of technology, but most of that technology wasn’t even created by us. We have A LOT of purchasing power and a lot of influence on the world, but really we’re just trying to make it a better place. And I know many a Millennial who will astound you with their thoughtfulness and intelligence if you just gave them a chance, and stopped generalizing us.

Not all apples are bad in a bundle, but there’s probably at least one bad apple in there.

Don’t look at me and assume I’m the bad apple in the bundle. Don’t look at Millennials and think that we’re all snotty, privileged, lazy kids who have everything handed to us. There are those people in every single generation.

And yes, we know how to make a phone call.