I’m back with another round of things that make me happy and things that make me sad!
Love It!
1. ProPhoto Blog Theme! I’ve talked about ProPhoto over the years, here, and here ! I have been with them since v1 I think and we are all anxiously awaiting v4 to be released. Besides my camera the number one investment in my business was buying their blog theme for WordPress. I didn’t know much about web design and I knew even less about WordPress. I had no money for a custom site and when I came across their template it was perfect! What makes their blog template so awesome is that you can customize it to match your branding, you aren’t locked into a template that looks exactly like everyone else. With WordPress as the backbone you have the option of installing plugins to expand your blog beyond just what ProPhoto can do. I have been able to take my blog through several design changes over the years without hiring a web designer to help me. Now they even have a forum to help with questions! I love to browse other ProPhoto blogs to see what cool customization they have done and learn new things I can do with my blog. With the new design store you don’t have to do the research I did you can hop on their and buy a design to go over your template that has all the cool bells and whistles! Recently I fell in love with a template on their Design Store that I knew would help me put a great polish on my blog. I wasn’t looking to do a complete redesign and I didn’t want to use the template straight out of the box. I just needed a little bit of professional design help to take my site up a notch! I’m still working on a few ideas inspired by the new design but I’m thrilled with the look right now!! I am so happy I ditched all my other websites and stuck with my prophoto blog, it is so easy to update and I miss nothing about my fancy flash site! I <3 ProPhoto Blogs!!! If your looking for a prophoto discount code I can hook you up with one! Try MARLENA535 for $10 off!
2. Plants! I love shopping for plants and picking out pretty ones that smell good! I’m not always so good about picking out plants that work in the area I put them. Then when they never bloom again or die I kick myself for impulse buying. Last week I brought home a truckload of plants, seriously the back of David’s truck was packed to the gills! I had a 25’x6′ foundation bed to fill and this time I planned ahead. I made sure to pick things that grow in shade and mix up different sizes, shapes and colors. Also I took a hint from my Grandmother and Grandaddy and bought multiples of plants instead of just one of this and one of that. I planted 30+ plants in the front flower bed and after I was done I could not move. But it looks so pretty, minus all the junk sitting around because I still need to mulch 😉 Oh and see that gravel walkway, yeah it is next on my really want to replace list, we shall see how long before I can tackle that project!
3. New Furniture Shopping! I like to walk around furniture stores and pretend I’m rich and these are rooms at my different houses around the world. I would have my beach cottage with whitewashed furniture and then my mansion with the grand dining room and of course the country home with the huge kitchen! It’s my fantasy world and I like to visit it every once in awhile. Currently I just want to live at Arhaus, they have the most beautiful furniture and gorgeous design that I would never be savvy enough to pull off in my home. I can try but it would not be anywhere near as spectacular. I am excited to be the proud owner of a fancy new couch today!! It’s fancy because it has no dog hair on in….yet. Give my girls 5 min alone and they will check it out for us 😉
Hate It!
1. Planting! So while I love plants I kind of hate planting. I used to love it but after many years of digging holes in hard Virginia clay and just having the plant die anyway have left me wanting to never have to plant again!!! I think I’m at the window box stage, it lets me buy pretty blooming flowers and plant them in small quantities once a year. I get my green thumb fix and don’t end up covered in mud and bugs.
2. Rain! Seriously it is supposed to rain ALL WEEK! Are you kidding me?!?! I realize it is good for the aforementioned plants but every day! I have an engagement session this week and I’m crossing fingers and toes that Mother Nature shows some pity. Please!
