monroeavenue

Lily & Aidan

2012-02-02T19:48:00.000-08:00

Lily and Aidan are going to be three on Tuesday and all I can think to myself is, "where has the time gone?" Lily and Aidan are my twin niece and nephew, in case you did not already know this, and I adore them more than then probably will ever know. It has been so enjoyable watching them grow over the past three years into these little people. Now that they are getting a older, their individual personalities are really starting to stand out.

This weekend we are celebrating their birthdays and of course their Aunt Dana volunteered to make the cake. Before we get to the cake, which you will be seeing next week (I will be showing you bits and pieces of it tomorrow as well), I wanted to share with you the banner I made. I decided not to write on the cake with icing this year and instead created a banner that will connect the two cakes that I am making.

Middleburg, Virginia

2012-02-01T18:00:00.000-08:00

Although this weekend was pretty busy, I still managed to take a drive and explore somewhere that I have never been - Middleburg, Virginia. It is a rather cute town, surrounded by farmland and vineyards. Although I was completely consumed with gathering photos of this town to capture its true beauty, I did manage to spot some small boutiques that looked like they would have great one-of-a-kind finds. If you have not been, it is a great escape from the hustle and bustle of Washington, D.C. and really allows you to reconnect with the outdoors giving you the small town feel.

Dana Trabucco Studios

2012-01-31T17:28:00.000-08:00

Poppies - my sold painting

Earlier this year, I sold my first major painting and I have to say it felt pretty darn good. Ever since then, my friends and family have encouraged me to paint more. When trying to follow a dream it is very important to have a strong support system. I am very fortunate to have great people in my life that tell me to grab the bull by its rings and go for it. I hope to do an art show in the near future, but until then, check out my facebook page: Dana Trabucco Studios

Monday Blues

2012-01-30T17:44:00.000-08:00

Mon·day [muhn-dey, -dee] noun

the second day of the week, following Sunday.

blues [blooz] noun

the blues, ( used with a plural verb ) depressed spirits;despondency

Every Monday, I get a case of the Monday Blues. I have defined it as: the feeling you get during the day when you wish it was still the weekend and you know you have a whole work week ahead of you.

I had a great weekend, as I am sure you all did and cannot wait for the next one to arrive... well sort of. Although today I had the case of the Monday Blues (like every Monday) I have a lot of things I need to accomplish before this weekend hits. Over the next few days I hope to share with you some great things I did over this past weekend that will prepare me for the one ahead. I hope all of you had a great weekend and can't wait to shake these blues going into the next few days.

TGIF

2012-01-27T14:57:00.000-08:00

This week has moved at a very un-enjoyable glacial pace. It just has been one of those weeks where I checked the clock (at work) every few minutes wanting time to go faster. Now that Friday has arrived with much anticipation, I'm hoping for the weekend to go by at an enjoyable slow pace. This weekend will be spent with friends and family, and with the surprisingly nice January weather, I hope to explore some new places along the way. But before I leave you for the weekend, here are a few things that helped me get through the week that I have grown very fond of.

1. Korres Lip Butter in Jasmine from Sephora

2. New art for my future picture frame wall from AsYouWishPrinting

3. Tye-dye hair ties from ManeMessage

365 Thursday

2012-01-26T19:18:00.000-08:00

This past week both Picaboo and my Professor's topic was white-balance. Although this is something that can easily be adjusted with any editing software, it is just as important to know how to adjust it on the camera. It has been fun getting to know my camera and its capabilities and no longer look at it as an un-familar piece of equipment but rather as a surprisingly useful tool. Happy Thursday!

First snow of the year

dinner for two

couch pillow

Bethesda Row

"Thanks be to Cod"

Make-up Makeover

2012-01-25T15:21:00.000-08:00

Now that I have gotten all creative on you - lets get organized.

One day I hope to have a vintage-like vanity with a large mirror where all my makeup and girlie things live. However, since that day is somewhere tucked away in my future, I decided to live in the present and organize myself. Every morning I wake up and have to fight the bathroom door because it is being block by my train case. I love my train case, but I need a better solution for my morning routine. Since I am on a budget like most of you I decided to use a plate from my kitchen to help me organize my makeup. I chose my favorite weekly go-to's and left everything else in the train case to be tucked away in the closet. So far it has saved me time in the morning because I can easily see what I want to use.

Before

After

Deers are not the only ones with antlers...

2012-01-24T18:38:00.000-08:00

I have been wanting to get a pair of deer antlers for some time now, but never had the desire to go to a taxidermy store to track them down. While in Lancaster recently, I found a pair in this cute vintage store. It was really pure luck that I found the ones I purchased. To me, they are perfect. One antler is very large while the other is quite small, and as you can see they turned out to be a great combination for hanging my necklaces from.

Renewed and Refreshed

2012-01-23T15:18:00.000-08:00

This weekend I definitely stuck to my guns and did what I have been wanting to do. I relaxed and organized which made for a productive two days!

About a year and a half ago, I had a stressful job and while at work just wanted to surround myself with things that made me smile. Out at lunch one day, I stumbled into Papersource where I found some adorable paperclips. I purchased them immediately and placed them on my desk when I got back to work so that I could enjoy their company every day thereafter. Now that I have changed jobs I really do not have use for them so this weekend I decided to repurpose them into magnets to dress-up my fridge. It took three easy steps:

1. Removing the paperclip by bending it straight and pulling it out through where it was sewn in

2. Applying E6000 glue to round magnets I bought at AC Moore

3. Attaching them to the mini pinwheels and let dry overnight.

Now I have these fabulous pinwheel magnets to look at while enjoying the photos of family and friends on my fridge.

Time to Veg

2012-01-20T16:08:00.000-08:00

I am so happy to say that there are NO PLANS on the board for this weekend! Ever since Thanksgiving I feel like I have been running from VA to PA non-stop and I am happy to announce that I do not know when the next time I will be making that two and a half hour drive. Don't get me wrong, I will definitely miss the people that I have been spending my time with, but I am just really excited to BE home. There are so many things that I would like to accomplish and there is never enough time on the weekends so when trips take over the weekends it makes me not as productive as I would like to be. So this weekend I am happy to say I am going to (try) and be a bum and totally looking forward to it!

For Foodies

2012-01-19T19:35:00.000-08:00

Breakfast for dinner which I love

Peanut Butter Fudge - my favorite freebie @ Georgetown Cupcake

Homemade pizza made by 3 lovely ladies

Left over Pai Thai which I will enjoy for lunch tomorrow

Today marks my second ever photography class and because today is all about photography I thought I would share this week's Picaboo 365 photos with you. This week's theme was all about food and how to take better pictures with your cell phone. I don't know about you but I love the convenience of (one of) my camera being a part of my cell phone. What's even better is that now that cells are "smart" you can download fun things to take pictures with like the one I use called Instagram. If you've never heard of it I will try and explain. It is this really cool (not to mention free) application that you can download on your iPhone (sorry Droid users). Once you take a picture of something with your phone you can use this app to change the image to look really neat. With that said, all the food pictures I have taken this week have been on my cell phone and look great because of Instagram!

Green is the color of...

2012-01-18T19:38:00.000-08:00

What is my favorite color? Well it all depends... my closet favorite color is red, my all time favorite color is kelly green, and my favorite color right now is purple. Now that we have settled I can continue on...

For the past six months I have been wanting kelly green pants. I first saw a pair of these pants on Piperlime.com made by AG and fell in love with them, but because I cannot wear jeans to work for casual Friday I could not justify the expense. So I decided not to entertain the idea of owning such a pair of pants, however the fashion world decided to think about it for me. Every where I would go some designer would be coming out with something bright green. Finally, after months of resistance, I took the plunge and tried them, and to and to be honest I didn't fall in love with them. But don't you worry, I did manage to find something green to buy. I stumbled upon these beauties pictured above today in Jcrew and randomly tried them on. I have seen these shoes a lot online and always thought they looked uncomfortable - boy was I wrong! Not too tight, gives me some toe cleavage (which I love), and are in a fun color. Not one brand has made me this happy with the initial meeting and I will be sure to fill you in on if they continue to satisfy me!

Valentine's Day Centerpiece

2012-01-17T17:42:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day is right around the corner and I have to say it is a holiday I look forward to. Not because of the meaning, but really because of the colors. After the holidays end, winter starts to become cold and boring, but the colors of Valentine's Day always seem to get me out of that winter funk. Tonight I decided to put a little centerpiece together that is festive for the mini holiday approaching and will help perk me up.

My supplies:

- Red Fiesta cereal bowl (from my kitchen)
- A little glass container from an old candle (it is an old Bath & Body Works candle from Christmas that I froze and popped the wax out so I could re-purpose it)
- Votive (IKEA - you cant get a gazillion for $1)
- Needlefelted hearts that I made in assorted colors (I sell them in my Etsy store)
- Needlefelted acorns that I made in varying shades of blue (same as above)

I tossed everything into the bowl and lit my candle. It is simple, colorful, and a perfect centerpiece that will last me into mid February.

Lancaster, PA

2012-01-16T18:33:00.000-08:00

As you all know from one of my posts last week , I started my photography class and really cannot wait for it to be Thursday again. It definitely has been a juggling act trying to get used to my manual setting and matching my aperture with my exposure to capture the perfect shot, and although it was a cold weekend, I bundled up and spent a good chunk of it outside. With it only being my first week, I have to say I am pleased with the photos I was able to capture of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania.

Layers & Layers

2012-01-13T15:30:00.000-08:00

A few summers ago I read this book about Chanel and it changed my thoughts on fashion and everything related. Before I read her book I would wear simple everyday jewelry because I thought I had to. My everyday go-two's included simple stud earrings, a dainty necklace, and two rings my parents had gotten me. Then, after reading her thoughts on fashion jewelry I really wanted to adopt her way of thinking into my accessory choices. Two years later I have finally embraced her words. I still wear my rings that my parents got me because they have sentimental value, but I am okay with switching them out for fun ones every now and again. I am really having fun with large bold stud earrings and layering necklaces. Picture above is my necklace combination that I wore to work today. I love how it looks with a button down!

A slice of heaven

2012-01-11T16:39:00.000-08:00

Making pizza is so much fun, have you ever done it before?! Its quick, easy, not to mention simple and is a lot of fun to do with someone else. To make the pizza, I went to Wegman's and got the pizza dough, sauce, cheese, and some toppings. After cleaning up the tinsel Sunday, Brad and I decided it was the perfect evening to relax and make it for dinner. Brad tossed the dough, and then I sauced it, cheesed it, and added some mushrooms and pepperonis. It was rather delicious and was a great way to end the weekend.

Did he ever work in the pizza business?!

Ingredients

Before the pizza was put in the oven

Picaboo 365

2012-01-10T15:49:00.001-08:00

Reba - the best dog in the entire world

Combat Boots - a gift to myself this holiday season

Smoked Gnocchi from a delicious restaurant called 701

Old Town, Alexandria trolley

Today I start my first ever photography class. I have been wanting to do it for a long time now and decided to stop procrastinating. In addition to this class, I have joined Picaboo 365 where they have challenged everyone to document their life by taking one picture a day. It is a great way for me to supplement my class and broaden my vision. Thus far, I have taken some photos over the past week that really make me smile and start to tell a story about the new year. I hope to continue my story and have all of you along for the journey.

Cleanin' House

2012-01-10T15:47:00.000-08:00

Photo courtesy of little-white-dress.tumblr.com

Sunday was a much needed day to take some time and get everything back in order. With it being the first weekend of the new year and marking the close of the holidays, I wanted to get my apartment back to the way things "used to be." The tree came down along with everything else, and although it looks a little bare it makes me excited to get back into the groove of things and notice that I do have more room to put things I create. The next item on my checklist of things to make is the mug tree pictured above that I found on Pinterest.

Exploring Washington, D.C.

2012-01-09T18:53:00.000-08:00

The weather on Saturday could not have been more perfect. When friends asked if they could come visit, I was looking forward to showing them the city, but hesitant because it is January in D.C. Surprisingly, it turned out to be a beautiful day which let us take advantage of everything D.C. has to offer.

Our adventure started in Eastern Market where we got to enjoy local artists and musicians. Next it was off to the mall where we strolled passed the Washington monument, World War II memorial , Lincoln, and the Korean War memorial. The day ended at Cava Mezze in Arlington with Cheesecake Factory dessert to take home and eat.

First Friday

2012-01-06T19:01:00.000-08:00

I was on my way to work this morning and the drive could not have been more perfect with the colorful sunrise in my view. With it being Friday and the weekend in sight, I am looking forward to what it has to offer. D.C. is a great city to explore when friends come visit which gives me an excuse to immerse myself in the city and become a tourist.

I hope to share with you our adventures in the upcoming week, but until then, have a great weekend.

Pallet TV Stand

2012-01-04T18:48:00.001-08:00

After recently moving to a new apartment, Brad and I made the decision to make our new home more "us" and more inspirational - not just try to fill the rooms with a bunch of random pieces of furniture. After making the coat rack, my mind just filled with a bunch of ideas, with help from Pinterest. Have you ever seen the great ideas that pop-up when you type-in the word "pallet"?! It's amazing. One day I stumbled across this great DIY project and thought, this would make a great tv stand, if it had an extra slot. So I tracked down a pallet and got busy. I hope you enjoy the results as much as I do!

Coat Rack

2012-01-04T18:31:00.000-08:00

This past fall I really wanted to purchase a coat rack but once I would get to the store I would talk myself out of it.

Later on, Brad and I took a day walking around Georgetown and stumbled into Anthropologie. We went over to the hardware area and I was showing Brad what I wanted a coat rack to look like. We both then started shooting ideas at each other. That day we left Anthropologie with a few dresser knobs and an idea.

Over the next month I started looking for the perfect drawer front or scrap piece of wood, but did not fall in love with anything until I went antiquing with some friends. As we were walking around, exploring all the nooks and crannies, I found it. An old fireplace mantel ready to be made over. So over time I stripped, sanded (Brad helped with this part), painted, and antiqued it to make my very own coat rack.

I hope these pictures below make it come to life and inspire you to become creative too!

The mantel in the antique store

The process of stripping using environmentally friendly paint stripper

Brad's top notch sanding job

Painted white and then antiqued with mahogany stain

Back to the grind...

2012-01-03T18:01:00.000-08:00

Today it was back to the grind... waking up at 6:02... snoozing til 6:21... heading to work for 8:00... I am 26 years old and I would like to think that I am like most other 26 year old's. Someday, however, I hope I am able to express my creativity everyday.

My mom called me last time and was very anxious for me to read my career horoscope for 2012. I have to say, it was pretty spot-on to what I would like to see happen this year. One of my favorite sentences from it is this, "There is a whole world of creative potential waiting for you, and all you have to do is grab the brass ring." World, I am ready to take you on!

Starting tomorrow and into next week I will start sharing with you my DIY projects and some art that I have been working on.

"The world is my oyster, I just need to find that pearl"

Goodbye Holidays

2012-01-02T17:02:00.000-08:00

Picture taken by me - it is a close-up ofthe PSU you logo from a shirt

As the holidays come to a close, it also marks the start of college football bowl games. I am a Penn State Alumni, and today our team played against Houston in the Ticket City Bowl. My boyfriend Brad and I spent the afternoon at our friends watching the game together. Although the game did not end how most of us wanted it to, we all laughed a lot and enjoyed some great food (thanks Ryan for that killer buffalo chicken dip!).

"Home is where you Hook Up"

Today was also the start of Picaboo 365 project. I found out about it from my sister-in-law and I am so happy she has introduced it to me! To get our juices flowing the theme this week is "Goodbye Holiday". Pictured above is an ornament from my tree. Brad and I bought it when we were at an airport two Christmas's ago. It made me giggle then and every time I see it on the tree it still makes me giggle. I am going to miss the holidays, but I am looking forward to a very exciting 2012!

Now or Never...

2012-01-01T18:58:00.001-08:00

Well ladies and gents... its now or never, so lets get this blog started already, shall we?!

For a long time now I have been wanting to start my own blog, so as I began to develop it’s title, I was inspired by Etsy. I am a regular follower of etsy's Featured Seller, and one of the questions that they ask their featured artists is, "When did you know you were an artist/maker?" So this got me thinking, if I were asked this question what would my answer be? I thought about it for weeks. After talking with my parents and thinking back on my childhood, I first realized my creativity at the age of five when my family and I lived on Monroe Avenue. I remember drawing fish with my purple and blue crayons and trying to sell them for $5.

Since then I have developed my creativity and artistic ability into a passion and love. I have never felt this inspired and creative, so I thought this would be a good time in my life to take notice to the things I love, create, paint, and design and share these things with you. I look forward to our journey together...

"You only live once, but if you work it right, once is enough"