All posts tagged lists

our christmas season to-do list

by Megan on November 25, 2012 in celebrate, christmas, make this with 6 Comments

Welcome to Christmas time! Sure we’ve got another five days until December actually begins, but I mark the day after Thanksgiving as the official start of the Christmas season!

I’ve got lots of fun projects planned for the coming weeks so I thought it’d be fun to put together a little sneak peeks of the posts that are coming soon and the inspiration behind them.

birdseed ornaments / ornament book / candy cane vodka /
salt dough tags / painted disc magnets

Get excited people! I cannot believe it’s already Christmas time but I’m ready to get crackin’! In fact, I’ve got almost all of my Christmas shopping done! Just a few secret-husband-presents to order.

What holiday projects do you have planned? DIY gifts? Projects for the kids? New decorations? Share below!

thanks!

by Megan on November 21, 2012 in celebrate, personal, thanksgiving with No comments

Thanksgiving is mere hours away and I wanted to take a step away from the kitchen (where I’m cooking a 100% from scratch feast for four!) and reflect on the things I couldn’t live without. In all honesty, I have a wonderful and very fortunate life with a great husband, nice apartment, a job and though I take these things for granted all the time, I will always take this time of year to reflect on how lucky I am to be me.

image via

My husband, obviously. Without whom, I would be a very unbalanced individual. Josh is great at a lot of things. He’s a super analytical-thinker but he also has an amazing creative side. He broadens my scope to include things that I normally wouldn’t care about but should, like politics and how to pack things in the most efficient way. He also saves me from myself a lot. There is so much I want to do in life. I have about a million projects on an ever-lengthening to do list; I want to grow this blog, open a business, make our apartment perfect and so many times, I try to do these things all at once and burn out. Josh is amazing at reminding me that it takes time to do these things and that the people I admire in these areas didn’t become a success over-night. He’s my soul-matey and I don’t know where I’d be without him… but my best guess in institutionalized.

My family. It almost feels a little generic to just write “my family” but I think it’s important to take some time to reflect on the impact they’ve had on my life. Like my mom, she is one of the most hilarious people I know and she works so hard to be an amazing parent. My grandpa has been one of the biggest motivational forces in my life. He’s always pushing for me to reach my full potential. One of the reasons I always knew I was going to attend college is because he talked it up all my life. My Uncle Scott and Aunt Brandi are the most amazing family model. I was a flower girl at their wedding in 1995 and I’ve never seen anything but love emanating from their relationship. They got married young, they’ve taken chances, and, together, they built this amazing life. I have so many wonderful family members, each as unique and amazing as the next. Though I probably don’t call as much as I should, I love them all.

This blog. An ever-growing, never ending, creative project that I love working on. I’ve been blogging for almost three years and I’ve recently decided to really commit and try to turn Two Live Colorfully into something awesome. This means more frequent posts, more DIY projects and tutorials, better interaction with the blogging community, and a lot more. I’m in the perfect time in my life to pursue something like becoming a professional blogger so why shouldn’t I? It’s something that I love doing and I’m going for it.

It would take me forever to write out everything I’m thankful for (because there is a whole lot!) but these are the big three. What are you thankful for this holiday season?

get organized for the holidays! {free printables!!}

by Megan on November 13, 2012 in celebrate, do it yourself, freebies, organization with No comments

I don’t know about you guys, but it is a yearly tradition for me to catch the “holiday bug” around the end of August. I just can’t help myself. Fall is my favorite season and I start to crave the warmth and excitement of the later months. And since my husband is faster than me (and also very apt to catching the decorating-crazed look in my eye), I get my holiday high from preparation rather than having to explain why exactly I’m putting up the Christmas tree in September before he has me committed.

My pride and joy as of late has been my Holiday and Party Binder. Its. Got. Everythinggg and it makes my heart happy. Today, I’ll give you a short run down of mine (to help you with yours!) and some free printables so you can get started too! Let’s go!

  • The first tab is dedicated to “Birthdays!” I’m a big believer in birthdays and try my darndest to make sure all my family gets, at minimum, a nice card. Here, I keep a calendar of all family birthdays and a gift planning worksheet.
  • Next up is the “Upcoming Holiday” Tab. With the exception of Thanksgiving and Christmas (which get their own), I lump all holidays into one tab. Here, I keep our “Traditions Checklist” and also any decorating and party planning worksheets. Once the holiday is over, I’ll replace the worksheets with new ones for whatever holiday is next. Pretty Simple.
  • The next two tabs are “Thanksgiving” and “Christmas”, respectively. They both contain recipes (we have a different menu for each), menu planner, house guest planner, party planner, and a tradition checklist.
  • “Christmas” also gets a Christmas Card List, a Gift Planner, a General Gift Planner (for hostess/boss/secret santa gifts; we put together a few of one gift to have on hand), and a Gifts Received List (so we can be sure to send out Thank You’s!).
  • A tab dedicated to “Traveling” helps me keep trip itineraries and packing lists organized.
  • The last few tabs contain extra blank sheets, sheets from past years, and, at the very back, I keep an “Inspiration” tab. Thanks to Pinterest, this tab is largely unused, but I do have a few magazine pages I save for reference.

Now for the free stuff!

Here are my Gift Planning Worksheet, my General Gift Planner, and my House Guest Planner so you can start your own holiday binder (or add to the one you already have, you savvy thing!). These printables are uncluttered, work for all holidays, and won’t jack up your printer ink bill. I am hoping to get the rest of the planning sheets mentioned available to print, so stay tuned  for more.

When it comes to the holidays, do you get an early start or are do you love the later December scramble?

the entertaining basics (according to megan)

by Megan on July 31, 2012 in entertaining, throw a party with No comments

Google “entertaining basics” and you won’t have a hard time finding lots and lots of comprehensive lists telling you what goods are necessary to throw a great party. But a quick glance at those lists will tell you they were not keeping a tight budget in mind. I thought it might be fun to share a boiled down list of what I have deemed my “entertaining basics” which won’t cost you any pretty pennies or spare body parts! These choices are meant to be timeless and compliment any additional décor you might be using (for themes or special occasions).

Here we go:

1. Candles & Candle Holders. Candle light makes everyone (and every room!) look better. Clear candle and votive holders and white candles set the party mood in no time. A few clusters around the room and you’re ready to go. Numi Candle Holders from CB2 -$4.95 each.

2. A Great Wooden Cutting Board. I chose this because it is a versatile purchase! You can use it to prep the meal and/or display cheese and crackers as appetizers for easy guest access. The wood makes everything look a little classier and using it to create a food display just saves you from ‘having’ to buy one more serving platter specifically for whatever you’re serving. Grand Epicure Butcher’s Block Cutting Board from Target – $29.99

3. Basic White Dinner Plates. Now, keep in mind, this is just what I deem as my entertaining basics. I happen to think that white dishes are beautiful and super versatile but really it’s up to you and your style. We snagged our white dinner plates (which are almost an exact match to the ones pictured) from the Dollar Tree for, you guessed it, $1.00 each! I bought them about four years ago and they are still pristine. Aurora 11″ Dinner Plates from Target – set of 6 for $34.99

4. Small Bowls. Again, these are a really versatile purchase. We use small dishes like these for dips/sauces, desserts, or even to set out any ‘fixin’s’ your meal might have (like lettuce, tomato, and corn for tacos). Great for a party but also for daily use.  Square porcelain bowls from Crate & Barrel – set of 6 for $14.95

5. A Glass Pitcher. Simple and classic. A clear glass pitcher lets your drink choice stand out. Whether it’s sangria with gorgeous fruit slices or even sweet tea with lemon; it’ll look beautiful in one of these. Plus, setting out a pitcher lets your guest get their own refills if you’re busy with something else Caspar Pitcher from Crate & Barrel – $29.95

6. Cloth Napkins. This was a purchase that made me feel so grown up! Cloth napkins just up the class of any party. I think that is undeniable. A quick search on pinterest will show you some gorgeous and easy ways to incorporate cloth napkins into your table setting. You could choose a neutral color like white or the gray ones pictured or go with something more color. Heck, for the price of these napkins from World Market you could snag a few colors and mix and match! Gray Buffet Napkins from World Market – set of 6 for $9.99

There is certainly no one list that should be regarded as the be-all-end-all list of entertaining needs but I thought the blogosphere needed one with the budget conscious in mind. I mean, just because I can’t afford a $130.00 ice bucket doesn’t mean I shouldn’t be able to throw a party. (No, that’s not a joke. This advice is out there!)

What’s on your entertaining must-have list? Share below!

entertaining tips for overnight guests

by Megan on July 16, 2012 in entertaining with No comments

This past weekend, we hosted Josh’s sisters (Rachel and Jennifer) in our new apartment who were in town for Rachel’s college orientation. And even though I am the self-proclaimed “aspiring hostess” in my family, overnight entertaining is a challenge.

Here are a few tips to make it easier!

Set everything out in advance – There are certain things you can anticipate your guests needing. Towels, pillows, water glasses, and extra blankets are a few examples. You can avoid running around to pull these things out after your guests need them by setting them out in advance.

via Emily Henderson

Have a snack basket – We always have one of these set on top of our refrigerator for easy access but if you don’t it would be a great way to make sure your guests are never hungry! We filled ours with granola bars, fruit snacks, crackers, and a few popcorn bags.


via Teal and Lime

Set up your coffee maker to start automatically – It’s hard to get the timing right in the morning with guests. Someone has to wake up first and if it’s your guest(s), you’ll want to make sure they have something to start the morning. Of course, non-coffee drinkers (if any of those exist) need not worry about this.

via Apartment Therapy

Have something to do – With my family, good conversation is usually the primary activity at get-togethers but it’s always good to have something else on hand. We are huge advocates of board games! They’re fun and can create some really hilarious memories. Depending on your guests, you might stick with something classic like cards or dominos or you can go a little bit silly with a game like Quelf (one of our favorites) or Apples to Apples, which we played this past weekend.

our game shelf

Make sleeping arrangements in advance – knowing who is sleeping where early on lets everyone relax a little bit sooner. They can have a designated place to put their belongings and when they’re ready for bed they already know where they’re going!

our bedroom from 1313

And there you have it! Just a few things to consider before your overnight guests arrive!

Do you have any other overnight entertaining tips? Share below!

a preliminary list of projects for our new home

by Megan on June 2, 2012 in organization, our home, style a room with No comments

I’m a planner. There’s no denying that. So, even though we aren’t living in our new apartment full time (hopefully before the middle of June it’ll be official!), I’ve been making lots of plans for our new digs.

Today, I thought I’d share the list of future projects for our new apartment broken down by room. Some of the tasks have inspiration links attached. I’ve been getting a lot of ideas from Pinterest and other awesome blogs and I cannot wait to get to the action!

Here’s what’s on the docket:

Living Room:

  • Accent wall behind couch. Maybe fabric wallpaper?
  • Living room gallery wall. (I love the layout of this one!)
  • Buy large shelving unit for books/display/board games/etc
  • Curtains + new curtain rod for window
  • Buy lighting and side table for couch

Outdoors:

  • Create an al fresco dining area
  • Plant something (and keep it alive!)
  • Hang festival lights

Dining Room:

  • Floating shelves with hanging wine glasses
  • Buy new dining table and chairs
  • Rug for under table?
  • Create chandelier from CB2 Whirly Candleholders

 Kitchen:

 Bedroom:

  • Buy new bed and dresser (possibly second hand and refinish?)
  • New night tables?
  • Art/mirror/etc. for above bed

 Master Closet:

  • Necklace frame display (like this one!)
  • “Inserts” for shoe shelves (to keep my heels from falling through)

 Office:

  • Hang up lots of art.
  • Closet work station for Megan (like this or this?)
  • Paint desk (Maybe blue?)
  • Create a gift wrapping station
  • Organize all craft/hobby supplies (finally!)

There are some purchases on the list but also a lot of DIY. I’m hoping to get organized right from the beginning and find a home for everything but also make it beautiful. Why shouldn’t your living space be awesome, right? So, stay tuned to watch these projects unfold!