It's In The Details

No matter what your salary may be, everyone could save a little money these days. So what do you do if you're trying to plan an event on a tight budget? I say you dream big and think small.

Courtesy of Lois Pledger

I always want to do more than is feasible but I've discovered that people tend to enjoy the little details at an event. You don't have to spend thousands of dollars to pick up a couple of items that make for a picturesque experience.

At a family baby shower I used sand out of my mom's yard, Dollar Tree plastic tubs and seashells from Michaels as weights to keep table cloths in place. The outdoor shower was in a windy setting and the little tubs worked perfectly.

Another idea is to use a beautiful frame that you already own as a table centerpiece. Create a simple word document with a great message.  I admit that this idea was stolen which is all the more reason why I thought I should share it.

So the next time you're planning and on a budget remember the details do matter but you can create a lovely experience without breaking the bank.

Courtesy of Lois Pledger 

Pinterest

Great news...I have a job! I can't wait to start, I have one more week before orientation but in the mean time I have been spending ENTIRELY too much time on everyone's new guilty pleasure Pinterest. It really is the best thing since Facebook. I'm always excited about new social media but this one takes the cake.

Pinterest allows you to plan events, discover your style, find a new dish, dream about your future home and plan your next photog session with a simple click of the mouse. You can "pin" your favorite pictured items or upload your own onto different boards that you categorize. Discovering new possibilities are endless because unlike other social media you can see everyone's page or in this case their individual boards and pins. I might find something I like from someone in California without ever meeting them and actually exchanging ideas. If you haven't jumped on this bandwagon yet then you are really missing out on all of the fun! 


My first DIY item was the "EAT" canvases I created with burlap and paint. The idea was so simple and fun. That's what is so great about Pinterest. Look me up at: http://pinterest.com/saeason/ I'm always pinning something new! 

The Next Chapter

I finally made it happen. I graduated from NCSU! The day was bittersweet because although I was happy I was worried about landing a job. 

The unemployment horror stories scared me so much that I worked diligently to look for work long before graduation day. I knew the possibilities may be limited so I had to get an early start. 

It hasn't happened yet. My stress level is about a 9 1/2 because I know that I am capable and that I work hard. Every profession wants someone who will put in that extra effort. Needless to say, I have and continue to. Why am I facing this when many others who graduate land a career long before they walk across that stage? 

Telling me that "it's the economy" or "just be patient" makes things even worse. What I need is a paycheck. In 6 months, I am required to pay back school loans.  

The good news is that I am landing interviews finally. The bad news is interviewing feels like high school. You're required to fit into an environment and unless you're lucky enough to know what to expect this is a big challenge. 

So...I will put on my best interview attire and smile. Maybe this week I'll find something.  Keeping my fingers crossed!

My Little Sister

Last month I found out that my little sister wanted to come stay with me for a while.

Around this time last year she had a baby girl and I haven’t had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with them. Between being in my final semester at college and spending most of my free time looking for jobs this has been an unexpected gift in my life.

I live by myself and have for some time now. It’s a quirky transitional period for me and I feel overwhelmed not knowing what will happen next. Am I going to land a job soon? Will I make enough to pay my bills? Do I need to think about taking my education further?

Having her here gives me the chance to talk to someone. However, when she opens up about her life challenges I find myself seeing things from a different perspective.

Life isn’t about money and landing the perfect job after graduation. It isn’t about the stress that I put upon myself when I run out of hours in the day. Life is about family, love and channeling our adversities for the good.

When my sister leaves for Oklahoma to be with her husband soon my family is going to miss her more than she will ever know. I think it will be an adjustment for me to get back to my quiet little life too.

My wish is that we will always remain close no matter what distance we have between us, figuratively and literally.

I love you Mary Jean <3

The Pets We Love

I have a large family, and often times I find out about what is happening in their lives through Facebook. Yes...we are those pesky people who post entirely too much information about our personal lives. But, hey at least we stay in touch.

Today, I found out that my brother and sister-n-law have lost their dog Essie. The news came on a difficult day for their family, as this is the 2nd anniversary of the death of my sister-n-law's grandmother. Essie was a part of of their family for the last seven years. She was loved deeply by four amazing kids and for the two youngest, this was their first pet. Any dog lover knows, just how much that special bond really means.

As we go through our lives we often out live our animals. I have had my share of pets and each one touched my life in a different way. There was Pepper, our family dog that my oldest sister demanded we give a "proper" burial. Spud, the mutt that my brother and I were extremely attached to as kids, but had a wild streak that we could never tame. The gifted squirrel that would come to our front door and eat from our hands. My jack russell Valentine's Day gift I named Blinky (not sure why though....) And then there was Charlie, my sister's spirited black miniature pony. He left us with irreplaceable memories that keep us laughing even today.

I think a house feels more like a home with a pet. Animals do not judge us, they do not see our flaws. They look at us with loving eyes, only asking for food, water, and a little love. My heart aches for my brother's family tonight, I think my girl Winnie may get an extra scoop of dog chow.

He did It!

Everyone in the town of Garner has been glued to their television sets for months. North Carolina has been represented on American Idol many times but not like this! Small town high school baseball player, Scotty McCreery, out shined the rest on this season's American Idol! The show had its youngest duo to compete in the finale yet and both contenders were phenomenal! 


So what makes Scotty so special? Is it because he is from Garner, North Carolina? Is it because he's so young? Or does it have something to do with the way he holds that microphone?  It appears that Scotty's fans all have different reasons to feel a connection to his music. One thing for sure is that his appeal reaches further than some of us could have ever imagined.


The neighbor I have that bought every T-shirt and button, the people that flooded the bleachers at the gymnasium viewing parties and the friends that loved him before American Idol will continue to support his career long after the show. The buzz of American Idol is dwindling after Wednesday night's season finale however the buzz about Scotty McCreery has just begun. 

Scotty Wins!

Raleigh Ripped Apart

When I was little, I used to watch thunderstorms with my big brother. We would sit on the couch on our knees, glaring out the window toward the dark skies just waiting to see the next lightning strike. There was little fear to be had. North Carolina has thunderstorms every spring and sometimes they are loud but I learned from an early age not to be afraid. My Dad would say, "It's just thunder, every thing's fine".

Then, when I was in the eighth grade we had a terrible hurricane. The National Weather Service named the storm "Fran". Any North Carolina native will tell you that Fran was powerful and left its mark on our state for a long time. Our family experienced power outages but overall we were fortunate enough to keep our home and cars with little damage.

On April 16th  2011, I realized once again the strength of mother nature. North Carolina is not tornado alley. We rarely have tornadoes and Carolinians almost never get to see them up close. On that day we did.

With over 40 confirmed tornado touch downs, it is amazing that our state is still in tact at all. I was home alone and so I went to spend the day with my brother's family on a whim. I had a feeling that the storms were bad but there was no way we could have predicted the kind of threat that they became.

The movie Twister came to my mind today when I drove past the destruction on South Saunders Street in Raleigh. In the film, Helen Hunt-the female lead actress, grew up to become a storm chaser. She was driven to understand why catastrophe and death could occur to one person's family, while another family was spared. Hunt's family was completely devastated by a tornado and her goal as a storm chaser was to help other families from experiencing that same devastation.

I always thought that it was crazy for people to live in states where tornadoes occur regularly. What I now realize is that we shouldn't assume we are safe because we rarely see severe storm damage like those states do. My family and I are fortunate and I will not take that for granted. But the question that remains is: How can a tornado completely shatter the lives of some while leaving others unscathed? We may never know. My thoughts are with you all.

Donations can be made here: Triangle Red Cross