We're looking for a house! After years of waiting, I'm super apprehensive and not at all convinced that this is the "right time" to buy, with the economy and all. But it's the first time that it feels right for us, so rather than try to time the market, we decided to start house hunting and see how it goes. I'm still kind of doubtful about our chances, and a part of me thinks we'll just end up discouraged and continue renting for another year. But the optimistic part of me is quite hopeful and excited. This is the farthest we've gotten in the process, and it feels good! We're not just dreaming and talking about buying a house, we're actually pre-approved for a loan and working with a real estate agent. It's happening!

That said, I'm reeeaaally trying not to set my expectations too high. You see, buying a house has always been a dream of mine...but not just any house. I have visions of a beautiful white colonial or farmhouse, with hardwood floors and big windows that let in lots of light. As long as it's still in the future, I can delude myself into thinking that could be my reality. But truth be told, with our price range in the Seattle area, we will probably end up looking at a lot of split levels and ranches, with nasty carpet and trees blocking all the windows. And that makes me cry a little inside.

Here's a classic example of a house in our target price range and neighborhood, that's actually for sale. Not exactly what dreams are made of.

Still, it's exciting to be making some progress towards the goal of buying a house! And while it's highly unlikely that we'll find a house that checks all our boxes (unless a downright miracle happens!)...I still want to share what we're hoping to find, from the big things to the little ones.

BIG WISHES - Make it or break it

At least three bedrooms, preferably four
Not on a busy street
In a safe neighborhood where I'd feel comfortable going for a walk alone
Lots of natural light--not shrouded by trees
North of Seattle, with less than an hour commute to downtown (for those of you in the area, we are hoping to find something in Shoreline or Edmonds)
Some yard--not squished up to the house next door.
1,500+ square feet
No need for any major renovations--electrical, plumbing, foundation, etc.

LITTLE WISHES - Would be nice

An exterior with some character (I especially love colonials and farmhouses)
A big yard, with room for a garden, fruit trees, etc.
A large, open kitchen (not galley-style)
Hardwood floors throughout
Vaulted ceilings, exposed beams, big interesting windows, or a loft space--something to give it more character so it doesn't feel like it's just a box
A fireplace
At least two bathrooms
A porch
Walking distance to coffee shops, parks, the beach, etc.
Need for cosmetic updates--I don't want to overpay for a flip, with new kitchen counters that I still hate, etc.

For those of you that have already bought a house, what were your must-haves? Did anything change as you went through the process?

There aren't many rooms in our house that could be described as "manly" (probably zero, to be exact). My decorating style and love of pink have definitely infiltrated everywhere. So when hayneedle.com reached out to me about creating a manly home office, I was interested, but also a little worried about how it would fit in with the rest of our decor. My perception of "manly" style was all dark leather, pool tables, and stupid man cave signs. But luckily, once I started checking out hayneedle.com, I realized they have a huge selection of beautiful, modern pieces that are both manly and stylish.

Ben helped me a lot with this room (after all, it's for him!), and it was fun to see which pieces he picked out.

I think my favorite is probably that desk. I love the clean lines, rounded corners, and tapered legs. Good job, Ben.

The record player has also been fun. We got a bunch of old records from Goodwill, and I feel super retro playing them as background music while we cook, play games, etc.

Ben's favorite piece is the futuristic arc floor lamp. I have to admit, it's pretty cool.

Have you ever checked out hayneedle.com? They have a huge selection of stylish home goods--and the best part is, everything gets delivered right to your door so you don't have to lug a bunch of furniture home! Here are some of the pieces we used for Ben's home office:

Floor lamp / Desk / Table lamp / Rug / Chair / Record player

For all the shopping sources, check out my Styleboard here, and view the full makeover here.

I'm really happy with how this room came together! I think it feels pretty cohesive with the rest of our house, but can still be classified as manly. It's not a dark man cave (thank goodness!) but at least there isn't any pink, right?

Thanks to hayneedle.com for partnering with me on this post

With Valentine's Day just four short days away, I wanted to share some quick and easy ideas I put together for Kendall-Jackson. Ben and I almost always celebrate Valentine's Day at home (I'd rather go to a nice restaurant some other, less crowded day). But that doesn't mean we don't do anything special! This year, I put together a Valentine's Day dessert table for him. It was really fun to set up, and I got almost everything at the grocery store. E-a-s-y. You could also do something similar with breakfast foods, so your valentine wakes up to a great breakfast in the morning!

I kept everything fairly simple, from the decor to the desserts themselves. Instead of spending hours baking, I just added some extra touches to store-bought sweets to make them a little more personal. SO much less stressful! And while homemade treats are great, everyone has a few things they always want to get from the store (mine are kettle corn, shortbread, and toffee). Make Valentine's Day your excuse to indulge in them!

For wine, I went with K-J AVANT Red Blend. It has notes of raspberry, black cherry, spice and dark chocolate, so it was obviously the perfect choice for a dessert table.

I also put together a fun backdrop idea that adds a special, personal touch...head over to the Kendall-Jackson blog to see what it is! I tried to keep everything really stress-free, for all you last-minute people. So you totally have time to make your own at-home dessert table and impress your sweetie!

What are your plans for Valentine's Day? And what's the most fun or creative way you've ever celebrated it? I'd love to hear!

Thanks to Kendall-Jackson for partnering with me on this post.

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I've kind of dropped the ball on DIY projects lately. As I mentioned before, it's partially because our house is getting so full we don't really need any new decor, and partially because I don't have a lot of extra time to work on "just for fun" projects. But luckily, today's DIY is both practical and super easy--totally worth doing! I finished it in under 10 minutes (not counting drying time).

This month, all of the Michaels Makers were challenged to create something with Michaels' new Alphabet Soup by Make Market™ line of products. It's a pretty cool collection, with letters in every style and finish you could dream of! Wood, metal, acrylic, patterned fabric, and more...there were tons of options to choose from, but in the end I went with some simple black letters for my A to Z bookends.

Once I'd picked out my letters, I cut some thin wood boards to size. I measured the length and height of the letters to determine where I should cut the boards. Then, I painted the boards with glossy black paint and waited for them to dry.

Next, I glued the boards together at a 90 degree angle, to form an "L" shape. Once the glue was dry and secure, I turned one of the L-shaped boards backwards and glued the "A" onto it, then glued the "Z" onto the other.

And that was it! Such a simple project, truly. I love the concept of "A to Z" bookends, but you could also use other letters or shapes to make your own! That's the fun thing about crafts...you're not beholden to what a store is selling, and you can design your project and personalize it to fit your style.

If you want more alphabet inspiration, check out the fun projects on Michaels.com and the other 49 Makers’ ideas on The Glue String!

Thanks to Michaels for partnering with on this post!