WEEKLY WRAP-UP

This month has been go-go-go, in a really good way! Jenny and I have been making a lot of exciting plans and meeting with a lot of amazing people. I can hardly wait to share some of our great news with you. :) February is going to be a BIG month for Maiedae.

This weekend, we are packing our bags and road tripping together to Greenville, SC, to attend The Makers Summit! The last time we went to Greenville, it was to sell our handmades at the Indie Craft Parade, before we officially closed up our handmade shop. We have a lot of good memories in Greenville and are stoked about our hotel and staying in the city. One of my favorite parts about Maiedae is having the opportunity to network and meet amazingly creative people. It's so inspiring!

Snapshot(s) of the Week: 1// Showing Kaito some Valentine's Day candy. He just likes to sniff. :) 2// Daily commute to Atlanta; love when it's foggy. 3// Nap time. 4// Yummy pasta, spinach, cheese & crackers for dinner.

5 Favorite Posts:
* What Full House Taught Our Generation by The Daily Tay
* Limited Edition Poster by Oh My Deer
* Camera Gear List by A Beautiful Mess
* I Was Silent for 62 Hours, Here is What I Learned by MindBodyGreen
* Vine App by DesignLoveFest (what are your thoughts on this btw?)

Favorite Blog of the Week:
* Independent Fashion Bloggers - I love how many resources for blogging and business this site has. It's so helpful and I've found myself referencing some of their posts many times. :) 

Inspiring Me this Week:
* Learning & growing as a business partner, entrepreneur & graphic designer. 

3 Things About Yours Truly:
* I love Junior Mints.
* I'm not very good with plants.
* My least favorite chore is cleaning the kitty litter. Icky.

Hope you week has been wonderful!

READ. WANT. LISTEN.

This month, I asked my sponsors to share what book they are currently reading//wanting to read, what's on the top of their want list, and what band they are currently listening to. :) My answers would be to read Gone Girl. I've heard it's good. My wish//want list item would be another trip to Disney and/or Universal; I've been in such a theme park mood lately! AND I'm listening to Mumford & Sons always. What about you? Feel free to share your answers below. :)

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Ashleigh of Love Stoned - Read// I've made it a silent goal this year to read more books (but really, who hasn't?!) and I'm really interested in reading J.K. Rowling's new book The Casual Vacancy. The reviews are amazingly hot and cold. It will definitely be on my list of books that I never got around to reading last year and ones that I'm excited to check out this year! The problem is picking which one to start with! Want// I am desperately in need of a new pair of eye glasses. My pup, Kennedy-Buttons, ate my last pair and I've been squinting at the television ever since! A few months ago I did a home try-on from Warby Parker, but didn't find a pair that really suited me. I'm excited to give it another try! Listen// I've actually been listening to Young the Giant a lot on Spotify recently. I knew a lot of their music before, but never actually knew who the band was. Once I put the pieces together, it's been on repeat ever since, and I'm loving it! - Find Ashleigh here; blog & instagram.

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Megan of Freckled Italian - Read// Life of Pi. I just went to see the film this weekend and it blew my mind with all of its magic. I'm really excited to read the book that inspired it! Want// One of David Yurman's bracelets. I tend to wear a lot of gold and silver and love them both, but I always want to combine them and can't seem to figure it out. I think one of these pieces would tie everything together quite nicely. Listen// Mumford & Sons, Babel. I listened to this album non-stop for about a month when I first bought it, then took a break for a while, and am now back on it. I love every word. My favorite songs are Below My Feet and Not With Haste. - Find Megan here; blog & twitter.

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Sophie of onetenzeroseven - Read// The book on my reading list right now is Eccentric Glamour by Simon Doonan who is the Creative Director of Barneys, New York. I read an interview with him on Etsy recently and fell in love with his views and attitude towards art and fashion. You can read the interview, here. Want// I'm a long time obsessee of Alexander McQueen and I have been lusting over their pashmina scarves since just before Christmas. The classic skull ones are fantastic, but there's also some gorgeous floral designs too! My boyfriend bought me an AM wool skull scarf when we first started dating and it's such a thoughtful, special gift that I dare not wear it!! :) I'm hoping to have another great successful year, with my handmade jewelry, like I was lucky to have had last year and perhaps I'll treat myself. Listen// Ever since I discovered his music last year I have been playing Young Hines practically non-stop. His album, 'Give Me My Change' was my favourite album of 2012 and it's full of passionate lyrics and great guitar riffs for dancing around the house and shouting at the top of your lungs ;) - Find Sophie here; blog & shop.

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Leah of Unearthing Words - Read// This month, I'd love to reread an old young adult favorite entitled Sabriel by Garth Nix. It is SUCH a terrific book and it has been years since I've read it. Want// On my wishlist this month, I've definitely got the book Beneath the Surface. It's book 5.5 in Lindsay Buroker's Emperor's Edge series. So, so good! I can't wait to read this installment soon. Listen// I've been listening to the Gladiator soundtrack over and over again this month while writing and working. I'm a major fan of epic music to put me in productive moods. - Find Leah here; blog & twitter.

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Leigh of Barberry & Lace - Read// I would love to dive into The Martha Rules by Martha Steward... I just need to find the time! Want// I'm pining over a new sewing machine! Maybe for my birthday?? Hear// I cannot get enough of the song You Were Born by Cloud Cult. So wonderful. - Find Leigh here; site.

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Charlotte of Midnight Caramel - Read// Dancers Among Us by Jordan Matter. Want// Clouds photography. Listen// Emiliana Torrini. - Find Charlotte here; blog & Facebook.

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Lisa of Lisa Barbero - Read// Communion: The Female Search for Love by Bell Hooks. Want// Really want one of these amazing bedspreads by gypsa. This one in particular is gorgeous and the color kind of reminds me of creamed coffee and caramel. Listen// The Killers. For like 8 years now. Seriously, it's always The Killers. ;) I even made this poster as fan art so I could blow it up to 16x20 and hang in my studio. - Find Lisa here; site & shop.

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If you are interested in sponsoring Maiedae during February, be sure to check out my advertisement page for sizes and rates! I host my sponsors through Passionfruit ads, so it's super simple...I also accept sponsors at any point during the month!

WINNER: A couple weeks ago I held a large sponsor spot giveaway and it's time to announce the winner! Congratulations, Michelle, of Creature Type! Please email me at Savannah@maiedae.com with your 175x200 sized button and link and we'll get you set up!

LIVING WELL: STRENGTH

I always viewed myself as "weak". I was usually the shortest or the smallest. Loved ones, although they were only trying to be helpful, would often grab boxes from my arms, grab the extra grocery bags from the trunk, or do all the furniture moving. ;) I came to a point where I accepted it. I wasn't as strong, I was small, and it was probably better if someone else did the heavy lifting for me. I liked the feeling of being taken care of, so I came to a place where I didn't mind one bit. I also didn't understand what this thinking was really doing to my mindset.

Photo Via

Fast forward to April 2012, the month I started making big changes in my life. That was the month I decided to put goodness into myself through what I ate and the month I decided to grow in strength. I didn't quite suspect that my journey to becoming a wellness warrior would have more than just physical effects or that it would completely change the way I thought about myself.

It started with confidence. I've always been a confident person. I believe in myself. I like who I am, quirks and all, but I didn't realize that loving my body and taking care of myself would make me feel a new sense of confidence. It made me feel proud of my body and the care and effort I was putting into it. It made me feel happier, (go endorphins, go!) and that confidence and happiness slowly turned into making me feel strong. This feeling of strength wasn't just physical either. I began to start thinking of myself as a strong woman. The care and time I was spending on me, somehow made me realize that I AM strong. Viewing myself as weak and letting someone else move the furniture across the room was only indirectly telling myself that I WAS weak and incapable of being strong or feeling strong mentally.

I've come to a point where I truly believe there is some type of connection between physical and mental strength. I love having a renewed image of myself and having confidence in my strength. Sure I might not be able to realistically pick up a vintage cabinet on my own...nor should I...but the difference is that I don't have to view myself as weak or "accept" weakness as part of my identity.

I believe this thinking has been the greatest mind-shift in my life since April. It's amazing how powerful thoughts can be and how it can hold you back and create an untrue belief of who you are. Whether you are on a journey to wellness or not, I encourage you to stop and think about how you view your strength. Do you view yourself as physically and mentally weak? Maybe it's time to prove yourself wrong.

"Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will." - Gandhi

FANCY SHMANCY: WISHLIST

1// Adobe Photoshop CS6 - I currently have CS5 and I've recently been working on the trial version of CS6 and I love it! I especially love that I can edit video on it and how much "sleeker" the user interface is. I'm a HUGE fan of photoshop. Love, love this program. 2// Giant Glitter Bobbi from Ban.do - I'm always using plain bobbi pins in my hair, especially to pull back the sides. I would love something playful with a little pizazz. 3// Feeling Younger Tint by Lush - I sampled this in the store and thought it was so neat. I've been wanting a face highlighter for awhile now and love how this product by Lush goes on and looks. It's super subtle and can be used to highlight your eyes, brows, cheeks, and lips. 4// Stacked Heel Lace-Up Boots from Forever21 - I have a lot of flat shoes, and recently I have been wearing more and more wedges and stacked heels. Since I'm a 5'3" girl, I like a little height. Love these inexpensive boots for only $35!

What is on your January wishlist?

THREADS: FEMININE & COZY

MY OUTFIT: 1// Olive Cardigan - Forever21 2// Navy & Peach Floral Top - Forever21 3// Camel Braided Belt - Thrifted 4// Surya Necklace - Palomarie 5// Peach Dress Worn as a Skirt - H&M 6// Grey Scrunchy Knee Socks - c/o Tabbisocks 7// Brown Suede Platforms - Target 8// Stud Earrings - Urban Outfitters

Last Saturday was a surprisingly beautiful day in Georgia. It felt like fall with a slight breeze and bright blue skies. Georgia seriously has the strangest weather.

One of my favorite wardrobe tricks is wearing dresses as skirts. I love how this gives a whole new look to a dress and gives your closet even more outfit options. I'm also loving these socks from Tabbisocks. They sent me a box full of cozy socks; I'm a huge fan of keeping warm so I loved how cozy and soft everything was. I even got a pair of these, perfect for lounging around the house with leggings and giant sweaters. ;)

GET THE LOOK: 1// Olive Sweater - Forever21 2// Floral Top - Awear 3// Knee Socks - Tabbisocks 4// Peach Dress - Nelly 5// Wedges - Target 6// Studs - Urban Outfitters 7// Braided Belt - ASOS

So thankful for a productive day off yesterday! Ready to have a strong week!

PROJECT CONDO: LIVING ROOM BEFORE'S

Now that the home decorating is focused on the living room, I wanted to share some "before" photos to show how things are looking now and have something to compare the progress to. As shown below, the living room is connected to the dining room. It has a door that leads out to the back patio, two large windows and a fireplace. The room was already white when we moved in. It's also got a lot of wall space and great lighting. :)

Here are a few shots of its current state. Aside from the couch, everything currently in the room is a temporary place holder as I figure out how I want to decorate the space. You might also notice the bed sheets we hung in front of the window. ;) Jon and I started feeling like fish in a fishbowl at night so we decided to hang up some sheets for a little more privacy since I'm not sure on what curtains I want yet.

A Couple Things to Figure Out
* Not sure if I want to paint part of this room, wall paper, or leave it white?
* Since it doesn't look like we can hang the TV above the fireplace, I'm trying to figure out an attractive TV solution that is easily viewable from the couch and not awkward looking.
* The walls...there is a lot that can be done with these walls! Not quite sure the direction I want to go in yet. I need to start putting together an inspiration board asap!

Some of the things I love most about this space are the windows, beautiful door from the 70's, and the fireplace. I mentioned wanting to paint the fireplace white here, but I'm still trying to make a final decision on that. I am also a huge fan of our big caramel couch! I need to find other furniture pieces to compliment it and still make it flow well from the dining room space. There you have it! I'm looking forward to making progress in the living area. One step at a time!

WEEKLY WRAP-UP

This weekend, Jon and I attended a friend's wedding on Friday night. Afterwards, we met up with my sister and her boyfriend for frozen yogurt. Saturday was filled with errands and lots of to-do's in order to prepare for Jenny's birthday party! We threw a girls' get-together last night and had a blast eating cupcakes, watching movies, dancing, and painting our nails. Happy 25th Birthday to Jenny!!

Snapshot(s) of the Week: 1// Late night driving through Los Angeles. 2// Enjoying the west coast weather. 3// Cupcakes for Jenny's 25th birthday! Funfetti with cream cheese frosting. Yum! 4// Home terrarium given to me at Christmas.

5 Favorite Posts:
* 52 Lists by Moorea Seal 
* Sneak Peek by Design*Sponge
* 7 Random Objects by Creature Comforts
* Entryway Tour by Selective Potential 
* Happy Desktop by DesignLoveFest

Favorite Blog of the Week:
* Tea Talk - I love Chelsea's sweet, girl-next-door look and long blonde hair. She always puts together the cutest outfits.

Inspiring Me this Week:
* The winds of change. ;)

3 Things About Yours Truly: 
* Currently watching Moonrise Kingdom for the first time.
* So excited for a day off tomorrow; planning on doing lots of design work!
* Having serious white cheddar popcorn cravings lately!

TRAVEL BAG NECESSITIES

Lately I've gotten the opportunity to do a lot of traveling and still have a couple trips coming up before mid-February! While I get to travel some for my day job, I LOVE when I get the chance to do a little adventuring for Maiedae. Last weekend, Jenny and I went to California and coming up soon we will be road tripping to Greenville, SC, to attend The Makers Summit. :) One of the things I try to do before leaving home is clean out my travel bag and pack it with all of my travel "must-haves" so I'm fully prepared for my adventure. ;)

1// Colorful Pens - Flights are usually my greatest brainstorming time. I love having a huge stock of my favorite pens on me during travel so I can take time to record ideas, make plans, and develop new projects.

2// Warby Parker Sunglasses - Sometimes traveling means long hours and early mornings. I love being able to put together a "chic" look with sunglasses and be prepared for the sunniest of days. :)

3// Baby Lips - My mom got me the peach flavored Baby Lips for Christmas. Sometimes wearing lipstick too much can make my lips feel chapped. I love this smooth balm and delicious smell. It also has just a little shimmer which is perfect for an early morning on-the-go look.

4// Wacom Tablet - For on the road design projects.

5// Utterly Smooth Hand Lotion - My skin tends to get dry during travel. I love this lotion because its scent is very slight and it moisturizes so well! Since it has such a faint smell, it doesn't bother others sitting around you, which is always a plus.

6// Business Card Holder - I try to network wherever I go, making sure to have a stack of business cards is a must.

7// Hair Ties - I love these simple and pretty hair ties that add a little shine to my curly bun.

8// Kelly Moore Bag - I LOVE this bag. I've had it for a little over a year now and I use it nearly everyday. It's perfect for travel and as a daily work bag. I can fit my computer, camera, wallet, charger and lots of little things in this bag. It's durable and well organized on the inside.

9// iPhone & Recover Case - When it's not as convenient to snap pictures with my SLR, I love being able to have my phone and record memories along the way.

10// Moleskine - I never go anywhere without my journal. I keep all of my lists, ideas, projects, goals and plans in this book.

Happy weekend, friends!

BLOGSHOP VIDEO

Jenny and I got the opportunity to attend Blogshop Video during our trip to California last weekend. We spent the entire day Monday learning how to shoot and edit video with the lovely Blogshop ladies; Bri and Angela. Incorporating video into our business and blogs was a huge goal for us this year and this was one of the first steps towards making that a reality.

I took a narrative video production class in college and even tried my hand at final cut pro, but I never really got into the video making mindset. To me, it always seemed like a huge production, with tons of planning time, storyboarding and editing in order to produce something remotely of any good quality. After not continuing my learning of video production I slowly lost the skill and didn't know where to even begin once Jenny and I started discussing the potential of incorporating video into our blogs. We even spent a whole Saturday recording on my Macbook to try and put something together, but the quality was poor and we just weren't happy with the final result.

In comes Blogshop Video. If you are addicted to Photoshop like I am, you might be aware that the new Photoshop CS6 includes video editing capabilities. WHAT?! I was so excited too! I usually spend up to 25 hours or more every week in Photoshop with design work so I'm very familiar with the program and how to make it do what I want. When I found out I could apply that knowledge to editing videos I was SOLD. The workshop was about eight hours long, it included tips and tricks on editing video in Photoshop, examples of beautifully shot videos around the web, helpful exercises along the way, tips on lighting and shooting footage and time to shoot our own mini videos with a full table of props and a beautiful location. It was such an exciting class, I found myself grabbing Jenny a couple times and shaking her with excitement or giving her that "I have a great idea" look. ;)

We both left feeling completely empowered to shot and edit videos in Photoshop. We are so excited about turning some of our visions and ideas for 2013 into a tangible reality. I LOVED taking this class, and would very highly reccomend it to anyone interested in video.

We ended up having a little bit of a camera issues with our SLR so we hurried and shot about 10 minutes worth of footage in order to put something together for our class project. Below is the video Jenny put together. I love how she combined the fun music and footage!



I can't wait to start putting more videos together! I love how something as simple as a 1 minute video can say so much! Aside from producing videos to incorporated in my post series I'm planning on putting together more video "scrapbooks" to capture life and fun happenings.

I'm so glad I got to share my experience with you! Be sure to check out the Blogshop website to see dates and locations for their upcoming workshops! Have a wonderful weekend!

WE LOVE TO DESIGN

Aside from blogging, Jenny and I are hugely passionate about graphic design! Maiedae is growing everyday into a thriving graphic design business and when we aren't taking pictures, blogging, or working at our day jobs, we are busy bees creating custom designs for our clients. This season has been busier than ever and we are so excited about how much our design business has grown. In early 2012, we launched www.Maiedae.com that shares information about our services and packages. We've recently updated our portfolio with some of our new work and will be continuing to make updates as we complete projects for our clients.

We currently specialize in blog design for the Blogger platform, logo design, and business branding pieces. We mostly do design for the web, but recently have been working with clients who have print design needs. That said, we love taking on new challenges AND working within our specialties. This year we have a lot of exciting things lined up for our graphic design business, including expanding our blog design platforms to Wordpress and Typepad design!! We will be making the official announcement soon, so be sure to check in!

If you would like Maiedae to create custom design work for you, please contact our lovely admin Leah, Leah@maiedae.com, for more information! Also, be sure to check out our website for samples of our work and outlines of some of our packages. :)

Let's work together!

CAPTURED: CALIFORNIA ADVENTURES

Hello!! I took a little blogging break to travel across the country and visit sunny California! Jenny and I have been planning this trip for a couple months and we were so excited to leave Friday morning and spend an extended weekend across the country. This trip was a "kill two birds with one stone" trip for us. We really wanted to visit one of our closest friends, Anica, while she is attended school in Pasadena and we also wanted to turn this into a mini business trip and attend Blogshop video so we could gain some new and excited knowledge for Maiedae!

On Friday, we spent most of the day settling in. We arrived around noon, grabbed a late lunch at In and Out and toured around Anica's school. This was Jenny's first time in CA, so she loved seeing the sights and the palm trees that were as tall as some four story buildings. ;) Saturday was spent touring around the city. We went out to eat, went on the WB Studios tour (so awesome), got to see the set of The Ellen show, took pictures at the Hollywood sign, ate a delicious dinner in Burbank, and went to bed early for a full day of Disney on Sunday! I love Disney. So much! We got there right after it opened and stayed for nearly twelve hours. We rode everything we hoped to, got to take pictures with some of our favorite characters and ate a fancy dinner in the park. It was a blast. Our favorite ride was definitely Space Mountain. This was the first ride we went on and all three of us were laughing hysterically and screaming the entire time.

Monday was a full day of workshop goodness by Bri and Angela. After interning with them in Atlanta for Blogshop, Jenny and I decided to take their video class to learn the ins and outs of shooting and editing. It was a fantastic class that I highly recommend it. I'll be sharing more about what I learned in an upcoming post!

The next morning, Jenny and I had a short coffee date with Anica and then caught our plane back to Atlanta. It was a fantastic trip, and I can't wait until we get to got on our next trip for Maiedae. Matter of fact, we will be leaving on February 1st to attend The Makers Summit in Greenville, SC! So ready for some awesome inspiration and craft party goodness with the ladies from Indie Craft Parade. Please let me know if you are coming! I'd love to connect up with you!

And there you have it! A little brief wrap-up of our trip. Be on the lookout for more details on Blogshop and lots of great posts for the rest of the month!

TO CALIFORNIA WE GO

Today, Jenny and I are on a plane heading to California! We'll be there until Tuesday and we are so excited about our trip. Our trip is two-for-one, because we will be visiting one of our very closest friends from college who is going to school in Pasadena and later in the week, attending Blogshop Video in LA.

We have plans to tour around the city and go to Disney for a day. If you have any "must eat at" or "must go see" places on your list, please share! We currently have a whole day unplanned for visiting the city so please send your suggestions!

I'm also SO stoked about learning more about shooting and editing videos. There are a handful of new post series on the blog that will include videos//vlogging that I can't wait to start sharing. I'll be sure to check in with some photos from our trip!

Happy weekend!

FEATURED AD SPACE GIVEAWAY!

Hello friends!! I hope your Wednesday is going wonderfully. I've been spending a lot of time lately making some major preparations for some upcoming changes and events. As well, Jenny and I are leaving for California early Friday morning!!

A couple months back, I started advertising through Passionfruit. It was a little bit of a transition initially, but the site made it super easy to do. They have a fantastic customer support program and I have LOVED how they run my ads. I've actually found myself only advertising on blogs that have Passionfruit because it makes things so much easier! If you run ads on your site OR just want to do a swap program, I would definitely recommend giving Passionfruit a try; you'll love it!

GIVEAWAY TIME!
Win a LARGE featured ad space on Maiedae! I usually run two large ad spaces per month and I've decided to give one of them away this month. :) If you have a blog or business you would like to advertise, then enter below! Giveaway will run for one week and a winner will be selected and announced shortly after.

Main Entry
Comment letting me know what site you would like to advertise if you won! Be sure to leave a contact email address so I can reach you if you win. :)

Bonus Entries (please leave one comment per entry)
* Follow Maiedae on Facebook.
* Tweet about it! You can even copy this: Enter to win a large featured ad spot on @maiedae for a month! http://tinyurl.com/b4xmzsx

If you would like to advertise on Maiedae this year, I would love to have you! Be sure to check out my advertisement page for all of my rates and sizes! Accepting ad spots at any point during the month. :) 

PROJECT CONDO: AND NOW FOR THE LIVING ROOM

Now that my dining room is complete, it's time to start making plans for the next room on my list. The living room! We already bought our couch a couple months ago, so now it's time to decorate the rest of the space. I've slowly been building an inspiration board, because initially I wasn't very inspired or had much of a direction. As I've been taking my time, more and more pieces are starting to come together and while my vision isn't completely clear, I feel like I have a good direction.

I wanted to start these living room posts with "before" photos of the current space, but I haven't been able to get home before nighttime to take pictures, so that post will be on hold until next week! For now, I want to begin the process of sharing thoughts for one of the main features in the space, the fireplace.

Jon and I were so excited that our new home had a wood burning fireplace. We've already put it to good use this season and I love how much "warmth" it adds to the space. It is definitely a focal point of the whole room so it's important that it stands out and is a statement visually. To get a little perspective, the living room flows directly into the dining room. While I want the styles to flow, I don't want it to be the exact same. How this will be executed?? I'm not quite sure at this point! BUT let's get back to the fireplace. I have a major dilemma, as you will see in pictures soon, it's currently a fairly simple brick fireplace. I'm not a huge fan of the brick coloring. It's a little too pinkish for my taste. SO, I've considered painting it. That may strike panic in some of your hearts, I know it certainly makes me nervous, but I feel like it would add so much to the room. Our couch is caramel leather and we will probably stick with more neutrals when it comes to the other furniture pieces so I don't want the room to feel too heavy or dark. To see what I mean, here are some of the inspiration pictures I keep looking at as I think, "to paint, or not to paint...?"

1// This is probable my favorite photo of the two. I think it's a more realistic example of my current fireplace, and since I would want to still use it, I like having the panel in front of it. I also love how they leaned one big piece of art on top of the fireplace and decorated around it. We have a lot of home related books that could use a good home. I also have a beautiful vintage mirror from Jon's grandmother that would look great as the focal point. I love how the white brightens up the space and how the other pieces make it feel warm.

2// I like this photo mainly for the intensely cool art collage above the fireplace and collection of items beside it. I don't think I'll go the collage route, because I already have a collage in the dining room and I'm not sure it would work quite right with the space...but I could consider a mixture between the two?

So now I just need to make up my mind. Keep it brick OR paint it white?? If you have or know of a great "paint your fireplace white" tutorial, I would love to read it!

Before pictures of the living room coming soon, promise!