Boone, NC | Life

Our life as of late has been spent either working in Raleigh, or traveling three hours away to the Myrtle House. Needless to say, we were in need of a little getaway, so we spent last Saturday in Boone, NC for a little R&R.

First stop was the Moses Cone Manor. Brian planned this side-trip as a surprise, but sadly, the fog was SO intense, we could barely even make out the house. I guess they aren't called the Great Smokey Mountains for nothing! We were able to wander around the house and grounds for a few minutes before the rain got us, but we already have decided to go back when the weather is better. This house is stunning.

Further down the mountains, we found ourselves at the most relaxing vineyard. Grandfather Vineyard Winery is situated at the bottom of a rolling hill right alongside a babbling brook. We went for a tasting, and then purchased a bottle to enjoy by the water in the Adirondack chairs. Hands down, favorite part of the day.

It was nice to take a minute to relax and not think about work, floor plans, or budgets. Have you been able to take a relaxing trip recently?

You Are Never Too Old | Life

As 30 steadily approaches (I will be 27 in July), I always think two things:

"How did that happen so fast?"

and

"I am not ready for 30!"

A couple of years ago, I found a life timeline I had made for myself when I was a freshman in high school. Here is how it went:

20 years old: Get married

20-23 years old: Work in corporate design firm

23 years old: Have first child

24 years old: Start own design firm; buy dream house on the beach

Oh, 14 year old Elizabeth was apparently a big dreamer and thought 24 was pretty old since my life goals ended there! I am glad a few of these goals haven't come into fruition yet (I think if I had gotten married and had babies when I was 23 years old I would be going through a quarter-life crisis right about now). Although, living on the beach doesn't sound too bad... I think 22 year old Elizabeth was a lot more sensible when I graduated college and went on to find work in a field I was not thrilled with (retail/buying) because I thought that I no longer was able to make a new timeline. Bad economy + looming student loans + interior design degree = you take what you can get.

However, now that I am a bit older and (hopefully) wiser, I realize that it doesn't matter how old you are or what kind of situation you are in, it is never too late. Take it from wise mister C.S. Lewis: "You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream."

Angie Makes

Maybe you have had this dream ever since you can remember, but life threw you a few curve balls and you never got to follow through with said dream. Or maybe you went to school and got a job in the career path you thought you always wanted, but now five years into your awesome corporate job, you hate it. Doesn't matter. It's never too late.

Will it be easy? Probably not. You will have to take risks, usually financially, and work really hard. But, if it is something you dream about doing, I can't find a reason why all of that stress and hard work wouldn't be worth it.

Still not buying? How about an example. :)

Exhibit A. Harriette Thomson - 91 year old marathon runner

Adorable little Harriette has not been a runner her whole life. In fact, she didn't start her running career until the spry young age of 76. Even with many health issues, Mrs. Thompson has powered through and raised over $90,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (a group close to her heart as her brother died of lymphoma). From Harriette: “You’re never too old to do it,” she said. “I started my first marathon at 76.”

So whether you are itching to make a career change, pack up and move to a different country, or just pick up a hobby you don't think you will be good at, don't think you are too old to try something new. Go ahead and become a professional beekeeper, or move to Thailand, or start training for the Badminton Olympics. It will never happen until you start. And let's face it, you're not getting any younger. ;)

A Little Bit of Truth | Life

Fair warning: this post has nothing to do with design. Apologies in advance.

I think it is easy to get carried away in this little world we know and love as the blogosphere and worldwide web in general. We can hide behind our computers and pretend like our world is nothing but freshly cut peonies, marble countertops in our pristine newly-renovated kitchen, and flawless photographs (that is what my perfect world is like, anyways). :) The truth of the matter is, no matter where you are in your journey, nobody's life is perfect. Sure, you may live in your dream house, or work for yourself doing your dream job, or take the most perfect Instagram photos (I am talking about you, Lauren Conrad), but life is not always as peachy-keen as we make it out to be. I think in this world where it is so easy to mask our flaws, we need to take a moment to embrace them. Love the imperfections. Love the journey. Love the fact that you could still use in improvement in the (fill in the blank) aspect of your life.

Daily Letterings

On the flip side, remember to not be so critical of yourself. I am always amazed that the people/artists/professionals I follow who, in my mind, have made it, still have insecurities about their work and/or life. Duh. They are human. I think it would do us all well to have a little more confidence, grace, humbleness, and truth to our lives.

firstsnowfall

The truth for me is that our life right now is not really a bed of roses.... and that is okay! Brian and I are working like dogs between the Myrtle House, our little side business, working full-time for other companies, and now Brian is taking classes to get a certification after work. We are living at home with my parents (so thankful for them) in order to get where we want to be.

Kelli Trontel

I know a lot of people post inspirational messages on Mondays at the beginning of the week, but seeing the bulk of our hard work happens on the weekend, this post seemed fitting today. On paper, our weekend sounds pretty fun: going to the mountains to fix up an inherited historic house. In reality, our truth is that we are going to a very run-down house that is totally out of our league when it comes to renovations and we are probably going to spend the bulk of our time cleaning up rat poo. :) So no matter where you are in your journey or how totally disheartened you are with your truth, know that you are not alone and that "this too shall pass". With perseverance, lots of hard work, and a little bit of patience, we will all get to where we want to be. Until then, enjoy the journey and be proud of your truth. Annnddd, I couldn't leave this post without throwing in a little peony prettiness. :)

Suburban Faux Pas

New Wheels | Life

It is a date that will go down in history as both the greatest day ever and the most overdue thing ever. We finally got a truck! Brian found his new ride a few days ago and we took it up to the Myrtle House to get it acquainted with the local landfill as it will be making quite a few trips here in the coming weeks.

We have literally been rattling off ideas of things we can haul like a pair of giddy school girls. Flea markets (and my wallet) better watch out! My furniture purchases are no longer limited to what I can fit into a compact sedan. :)