Fall decor

It's already fall! We don't have the four seasons here unfortunately, but Thanksgiving is usually associated with fall, so let's feast our eyes on some really gorgeous fall decoration.

Sweet Something Designs

We know it's fall season when leaves change colors to orange, brown and red. Since we can hardly get those colored leaves here, decorate using candles, fresh flowers and pine cones that are of the usual fall colors. Not everything has to be orange, brown and red though. Remember - subtle does it all.

Midwest Living

But if you still want autumn leaves, make them! It'll be a fun project to do with your kids. Have them draw different types of autumn leaves (Google them) on colored papers, then display them on walls and tables.

Ties 2 The Past

Okay, here's one thing we can definitely get in Malaysia - burlap or gunny sack. Like the gunny sack race for kids in school. Cut them into shapes and simply pin a decor you got at a store or a DIY one on the sack. Or use a marker to draw out an alphabet on each sack (e.g.: Give Thanks) and display it on your wall or curtain rail.

Tiny White Daisies

Buy mason jars (I've seen some at Cold Storage) and put candles in it with various fall decor you've seen around shopping centers, like dried leaves and flowers and pine cones. Or just tie and brown, orange and red ribbons around the jar.

Pinterest

I have also seen fake tree branches at supermarkets that are used for decoration purposes. You can also use them as table centerpieces or place them in a vase at the corner of your living room. Add some Christmas lights on it, scatter some of your DIY paper leaves around it and if you have pumpkins (toy or real), great!

Martha Stewart

If you have a lot of time on your hand, try this DIY leaf pillow. You can find the instructions here. On the plus side, you can also try it with different designs, depending on your tastes.

To become a better person

Miss Georgia Teen USA 2009 - Brooke Fletcher

Most of the time, I'm partial towards Georgian beauty queens simply because the alter-ego I created 12 years ago lives in Atlanta, but also because you can't deny the winners from Georgia are, well, beautiful people inside and out.

Here's one - Brooke Fletcher from the 2009 class, and 1st runner up to Stormi Henley in the national pageant. She graduated from Starr's Mill High School in 2010 and left for Auburn University in Alabama, majoring in Business Marketing and minoring in Spanish.

Brooke is an Entertainment Director for Eagle Eye Television, a news network run by students at Auburn University. You can check out her works here. To further fulfill her passion for broadcasting, she had the opportunity to intern at WGN-TV in Chicago one summer.

This is Brooke's sister, Brittany who is a fellow Auburn University alumni and currently lives in Chicago. She was 4th runner up at Miss Illinois USA 2011 and if you don't know already, a contestant in The Amazing Race 21. Her partner is best friend, Caitlin.

Source - Pageant Interviews, Clay Spann, Pageant Update, Miss Illinois USA

Spring cleaning

I love pinning home decor photos on Pinterest and see how one organizes their work space. And since I have a week off of work, I got myself into work mode to spring clean my room and bathroom. I'm not a hoarder, but I do have a lot of unnecessary clutter that I really need to either donate to charities, or ditch them.

Source - The Glitter Guide

If you have a lot photo frames around (I have 7 of them on my bookshelf!), you could either - 
1. find wrapping paper in my storeroom
2. download pretty pictures off the Internet
3. frame up your doodles, or any words of encouragement you've drawn
4. cut gorgeous photos of scenery or your role models off magazines (I have a Victoria's Secret mag, but I don't think I'll want to ruin it at the moment :)

Source - The Glitter Guide

It has never crossed my mind that photo frames can be displayed on bookshelves too. If you do not have enough room on your desk, this is another option.

Source - The Glitter Guide

Avoid cluttering your desk! It should have the essentials only - like your computer/laptop, one or two decorations, your table/study lamp, a few books and your stationery.

The main point is to keep everything tidy, and here are some pointers for you (and me!)

1. You don't have to throw everything out because it could come in handy - like the photo frames! 

2. Donate items like clothes that don't fit you anymore, or re-use it. Here, we re-use old towels to wipe tables, clean items, dry our dog etc

3. Throw out items that you (and no one else) can use anymore. Avoid clutter!

Fall

Fall's here (not in Malaysia unfortunately), but obtaining just a few simple items will make it feel like autumn. It's just something about the season that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. We've seen countless photos of leaves changing colors, we know that it's slightly chillier and it's time to head indoors and chill after those summer vacations.

1. Yankee candle diffuser

2. Autumn wreath

3. Candles

4. Merona water repellent trench coat

Miss South Dakota Teen USA 2009 - Fallyn Patterson

Another gorgeous beauty queen is Miss South Dakota Teen USA 2009 - Fallyn Patterson. There must be something super interesting about teen queens because my traffic sources come from people googling pageant queens' names.

After Teen USA, she competed in the Miss division for the 2011 title (1st runner up) and 2012 title (semi finalist). She attended Black Hills State University after graduating high school (she was an honor student and member of the golf varsity team), and is currently pursuing nursing at Central Wyoming College.

Hopefully she makes a comeback to the pageant stage. I oh so love this Stephen Yearick gown on her!

More gorgeous pics -

Source - Facebook, Future Productions, Solberg Photography

Things to love about your life

While I'm still in the mood for blogging, I thought I'd create this to infuse some positivity into my life, and maybe yours. This has been in the back of my mind for months, but in the end procrastination got the better of me. 

I downloaded the background here simply because I don't have Photoshop on this computer, and Paint didn't really help me create a background with 2 different colors (that or I haven't figure out how). To create the words and rotate them around, I found this. It took me around 10 minutes to create it all and present it here.

Some achievement, no?

Try it on your own. Once you've listed all your favorite things, this shouldn't take long.

Miss Tennessee USA 2011 - Ashley Durham

Out of all the beauty queens I have seen and watched on TV, Ashley Elizabeth Durham from a small town called Adamsville, Tennessee stays at the top of my list. Never mind if she didn't win Miss USA 2011 and that I do not know her personally, but her photos just radiates humbleness, dorkiness and a gorgeous person inside and out. I just love how she can go from a model portrait to making funny faces - some beauty queens just can't pull that genuine look off. 

I even created a Wikipedia page for her =)

Oh, and she accepted my request for MySpace back in the day, lol.

Back in 2005, Ashley won the Miss Tennessee Teen USA 2006 pageant and was a sure shot to win it all for me. Her trademarks are her dimples and the all American girl next door look. She was an honor student at her high school, doing community services and President of her class - what's not to like? Or maybe I'm just partial to the beauty with brains concept.

Ashley then went to University of Memphis, majoring in journalism and fashion merchandising and pledged Alpha Gamma Delta.

And still took time to continue modelling for Tony Bowls.

And then in 2010, Ashley made a comeback to the pageant circuit and subsequently won Miss Tennessee USA 2011. Never mind if she was surrounded by 50 other gorgeous contestants, including Alyssa Campanella, Ashley was my pick to win.

Ashley became Miss USA 2011's 1st runner up, losing to Alyssa Campanella but it's all good. After graduating from college with honors, she became a face for Ford Model Miami and Chicago and New View Management agency.

Now, why isn't she a gorgeous thing?

More pics - 

Source - Facebook, Tony Bowls

Pastel love

I just love pastel colors - it gives you a calm and serene feeling and it allows you to blend it with other darker, rustic colors. Throw in a variety of textures with your pastels to make the place livelier or bold colors to make specific products in the room to stand out. Having your furnitures and walls in the same color will make the place just boring.

Source - Pillows from St.houzz.com, Cabinet from Pottery Barn, Blanket from Pinterest

Lake District

During our visit to the Lake Districts in the UK back in 2009, one of our highlight of the day was trekking up to Easedale Tarn. And I caught a sight of this lone herdwick sheep seemingly smiling down at us. This goes down as one of my favorite photos captured ever because everything just worked out so well - the sheep nested amongst nature and staring at us.