time to get my pinterest on.

happy sunday afternoon, folks.  i hope it's been a good weekend for you all.  next weekend i'm heading to the beach with the fam to ring in the first of the wonderful red-white-and-blue holidays of the summer months: memorial day.  while the 4th of july remains my favorite holiday (naturally), i celebrate any excuse to deck out in some patriotic gear.

in order to catch as many rays as possible over the weekend, the 'rents are stopping by my apartment to pick up macy so that i don't have to double back once i'm already at work on the day we're leaving.  coming back to pick up the fluffy puppy would put me about an hour behind so they're really helping me save time (and gas!).  sweet of them, right?  right.  

HOWEVER, this means i had to do some major cleaning and organizing this weekend.  i was running beyond empty on friday, but after some much needed sleep, i was ready to tackle my mess.  by saturday evening, the layer of procrastination that was covering my furniture was gone, the bathrooms smelled like bleach once again, and the clutter was organized.  for the most part.

[side note: this organization does not include the second bedroom which i have dubbed as my extra closet. a girl needs a lot of closet space, okay?  and i need a solid week to make a dent in that room.  it can wait for now.]

anyways, one organizational headache that has been waiting since february is that of my jewelry.  i have the select pieces that i wear on a routine basis in accessible piles, but everything else was in a hot tangled mess.  after brainstorming what i could do (besides toss it all out), i decided it was time ... it was time to get my pinterest on.

and get my pinterest on i did.

just some of the tangled mess.

after photographing the hideous proof, i got to work.  not only did i separate everything so i could see what i was dealing with (and of course, take a few trips down memory lane as i came across the sentimental pieces), i hit the stores to gather materials.

supplies

i had seen a DIY jewelry organizer on pinterest using a bulletin board and i thought with some paint to match my bedroom decor, this could be an inexpensive solution.  i bought the paint (color: espresso), foam brushes, and board.  i have about a bazillion pins leftover from college so i was all set in that department.

who doesn't love a magnetic chalkboard?

while i was gathering these things, i found a magnetic chalkboard that i thought would be perfect for another pinterest project i had seen: the magnetic makeup organizer.  after buying magnets, some glittery ribbon (i couldn't resist ... i'm just not that mature yet), and the magnetic board, i was set.

step one: tape the inside

i made sure to put tape down inside the wooden part of the bulletin board in case my paint ran (which i was sure it would due to my lack of painting skillz) and then i slathered that thing, espresso style!  

chalkboard with glitter ribbon

while my paint was drying, i glued my ribbon to the outside edges of my magnetic chalkboard and attached the magnets to the makeup i use most often (ie: mascar, powder, lip gloss, blush, brushes, etc.).  

organized makeup!

once i was done gluing the magnets, i attached the chalkboard to a wall in my bathroom with only minimal holes in the wall (i'll deal with those holes another day) ... and then i stuck all my magnetic makeup on the board in an organized, easy-to-access fashion!

once that unnecessary-but-oh-so-fun! project was done, i returned to my jewelry bulletin board and touched up the paint with a few extra coats.  after everything was dry and i was satisfied with the color, i attached the board to the wall with much improvement (and fewer holes!).  when everything was secured, i pinned my sorted necklaces up on the board.  and while it only organizes the necklaces i'd actually wear and it doesn't even make a dent in the rest of my accessories, it's a start, right?

organized necklaces!

in conclusion, i hope you have a very happy, pinterest-style-organized, patriotic memorial day!  xoxo.

warnings for my future husband - megan edition

earlier today i read an insightful little article (write up? blog post? something ...) from thought catalog called warnings for my future husband.  if you haven't read it yet, you should.  the writing is one part snarky, one part witty, and one thousand parts honest.

not only did i thoroughly enjoy the post, but it started my brain spinning on some warnings for my own future husband.  and yes, contrary to my current boyfriendless state (thanks for the reminder, grandma), i do believe that somewhere out there my future husband is waiting.  obviously waiting very patiently, but nonetheless, waiting.  and possibly in a mail-order form, but we'll cross that terrifying bridge if (not when, but IF) we come to it.

so here, my fine blog readers, are some of my warnings for my future husband:

[disclaimer: i said some because goodness knows i've left things out ... whether it was so i don't appear as quirky as i am, or because i've forgotten about it, i just think we should be clear: these are just a sampling of my warnings]

1.  i'm going to dress my dog up no matter how many times you remind me she's not a doll.  i know she's not a doll.  i'm not that dumb.  however, nothing in the fact that she is a dog dictates without a doubt that she can't be dressed up.  especially if she likes it.  which she does.  but you don't have to like it.  in fact, feel free to tease me about it.  but just know that every holiday (and some non-holidays) will involve an outfit.

2.  when i make a to-do list that includes things like "get dressed" and "go to sleep," don't feel pressure to do the same.  in fact, please don't.  too many to-do lists around the house will surely overwhelm me.  however, i get a certain amount of satisfaction (translation: a tremendous amount) from crossing these menial tasks off my list so please just let me be.

3.  when we go to the beach, you're going to sleep on the couch if you don't brush your feet off before getting in the bed.  sand in my bed makes for a beyond grumpy megan and trust me, you don't want that.  no one does.  so do the world a favor and wipe your feet ... or pack a spare blanket for the couch.

4.  diet pepsi is not (let me repeat: NOT) the same as diet coke no matter how similar they look.  you don't believe me?  let me replace your next beer with some interestingly colored urine and then try to tell me that something that looks the same is equal in pleasure.

5.  i'm going to call my mother every day, sometimes twice a day (sorry mom, but you know it's true). and if we get into a fight (regardless of whose fault it was), i'm probably going to have to call my mom again.  however, rest assured that she knows better than anyone that i am irrational and overly dramatic. these phone calls will only help your case that you married a lunatic.

6.  i'm going to ask dumb questions about most everything you watch, but that's only because i care.  if you put up with my dumb questions (or cease complaining when i'd rather go shopping), i won't complain when you don't want to watch jersey shore, the bachelor, or sex and the city reruns.  i do ask, however, that when you see that i'm crying while watching my romcoms, you sit down and pretend to care.  or at the very least throw me the tissue box.

the end.  now it's your turn -- what warnings do you have for your future (or current) husband?

             

blogging from the box!

i have officially almost settled into my new box ... in my new city ... in my new adult life.  hooray for that!

trust me though, it was no easy task.  moving is SUCH a beast.  and even though i moved every three years as a child and every semester (or a year at the longest) in college, i had no idea it was such a pain.

i'll love this place if it's the last thing i do because goodness knows i don't ever want to move again.  sheeesh.

here are a few updates that i'm sure you were wondering about my new digs/city:
1.  the cooper river bridge is the most terrifying thing i have ever been on.
2.  however, if you keep taking the bridges back and forth you WILL make it back to your home.
3.  my bed-corner (not to be confused with bedroom ... since i don't actually have one of those) is so much more lovely with mature looking bedding instead of the 12 year old hot pink, barbie-like stuff i had before.
4.  my small, awkward quarters are no match for my mother.  she is the goddess of all things moving/puzzle related.  it's amazing how she can create cubbies and nooks out of thin air.  my father also proved he has outgrown his anti-handyman reputation as he created three little shelving units AND a media stand and none of it has fallen apart yet.  it's only been 24ish hours, but i'm hopeful.
5.  the hallmark movie channel AND lifetime movie network both come on my digital cable thingy.  THIS IS SUCH GOOD NEWS, PEOPLE.  not good news for my productivity, but GREAT news for my holiday spirits -- bring on the christmas movies!
6.  law and order: svu is JUST as wonderful down here as it was in chappy hill.  victory!

so far, so good.  come visit!

it is never possible to have too many sticky notes

i've often wondered if i should buy stock in sticky notes.  i'm not a real big believer in the stock market or investing my money into something that isn't going to give me instant gratification (don't tell my dad or grandpa - they might make me go to another investment talk with our financial advisor), but seriously - i think i personally keep the company afloat.  don't believe me?  check it out for yourself below.

[note: this picture is far from staged as is evident by the completely embarrassing disarray that is my desk. hope you enjoy your glimpse into the life of a graduate student with final projects due within the week.]

it looks neater when i'm not up to my ears in projects.

to count there are 24 active sticky notes on my desk (25 if you count the registration sticky note that i can't bring myself to take down due to it being my last registration ever ... if you're confused, you'll understand after reading this), 10 packs of sticky notes available for use (not including general notepads - only sticky backs made the cut), and 4 decorative sticky note rectangle packs that are good for marking places in books.

don't get me wrong. i'm a fan of using scrap paper, reusing old notes, and various other earth friendly ways to make notes (except the sticky notes you can put on your computer screen - that doesn't do it for me), but you obviously wouldn't know it due to my sticky note obsession.  maybe to counteract my addiction in the eyes of mother earth i'll shorten my showers by a minute.  that has got to improve my earth karma, right?

anyways, all of these notes have important things on them.  it's not like my desk is filled with notes that say "you can do it!" or "the world is your oyster!" or any other variety of encouraging phrases to keep me going through the bleakness that is grad school.  no, far from it.  the sticky notes include such things as semester-long assignment reminders, important dates for the fall semester for planning purposes (ie: first day of class, fall break), impending deadlines, phone numbers of people to call in case of emergency, passwords to all of the different accounts i've been forced to get in grad school, etc.  obviously, all of the notes are important.

while i'm sure some, if not most, of you disagree, i don't think it's ever possible to have too many sticky notes.  sometimes i have so many that i run out of room and sticky notes get covered and forgotten, but they always find their way back to the top as i complete tasks.  and once on top, they continue to serve as the beacon of light directing me to my next assignment.

i owe my successful (almost) completion of grad school to sticky notes.  or maybe they owe me a ceo position for keeping them in business all these years.