We're Moving! Yay for Decorating New Spaces!

Guys, I haven't  blogged here in so long! :( Are you still there? Anyone? Anyone?

Gosh, I even sorta miss the Blogger format! (Never thought I'd say that!) I'm doing most of my blogging over on Fit for a Bride these days. It's been a blast! But then when things are happening in my personal life (like moving!), that aren't fitness related, but I want to blog about them... I'm not sure what to do!?

Then I remember I still have my beautiful Sincerely-Sara blog! Oh hello there old friend! 

And I know you guys like the home-related posts over here because when I went through that big apartment makeover, you guys were so supportive! Well, without further ado, here's a peak at our *new* apartment:

 

It may not look like much, but it's a lot bigger that our current apartment. Also, I'd be lying if I said didn't always want hard woods and fireplace mantel! I'm already thinking about how we'll arrange the furniture, of course and what I'll put on that mantel. Candles? Prints? Decorating makes me SO happy!

 

There's 3-4 main areas that I would like to accomplish in this space: a living room/chill area for watching tv, relaxing; an office/desk area for Aaron and one for me (FFAB Studio 2.0!) (you can see inspiration here); and although this might be wishful thinking, a little workout area! I've been loving my Jillian workouts lately and want to continue doing them. I think our new space will accomodate a lot better than our current tiny apartment!

 

Are you surprised I started a Pinterest board called "New Apartment," to pin must-haves? Shocked, I'm sure! Haha.

 

I'm really inspired by the Sweet Chic Events studio photographed by Hinojsa Photography. I LOVE the brightness of it; all the white furniture and pastel accents, and especially the natural light!

 

Just gorgeous!

 

 

Remember my obsession with white?

 

I'm going to embrace that. Big time.

 

Moving is the best time to purge, too and I cannot tell you how ready I am to go through that process again...

 

Anyway, I will definitely keep you posted! Thanks for reading this :) Happy Easter!

 

Chic Offices with Inspiration Walls, Lots of Black & White, and Blush Pink Accents

Hey guys!

It's been forever, huh? Sorry, Fit for a Bride has kept me busy! I hope you've been following all the fitness/motivation/weight loss/wedding fun! I'm having a blast with it!

Anyway, it looks like the mister and I are going to be moving! We're staying in Northern Virginia but it's time to say goodbye to our recently re-done apartment! I'm not really sad, though! I'm excited to spruce up a new space!

I'm most looking forward to designing a studio for myself. This next year, I want to take my creativity to the next level with more painting, blogging, design and DIY, and I need a special place to make the magic happen, ya know? A place where I can be inspired!

I've been pinning my little heart out with ideas...

Here's some of my favorite workplaces and a little note on what I love about each one!

Love this:
Crystal Lamp / Pale Pink Flowers / Black & White / Gold Accent / Candle 

 

Love this:
Chair / Glass top / Light Pink Flowers / Funky Lamp

 

Love this:
 Ghost Chair / Funky Lamp / Glass Top / Black & White Accents

 

Love this:
 Sheepskin / Fresh Flowers / Gold Accent / Natural Light

 

Love this:
Pink Accents / Gold Lamp / Lots of White / Texture Baskets

 

 

Love this:
 Prints / White Frames / Gold Accents

 

Accents I love:
Pink Flowers / Gold Vase / Tray / Coffee Table Books

 

Love this:
Prints / White Frames / Gold Lamp / Bright Colors

 

Love this:
Pale Pink / Zebra / Prints / White Frames / Pop of Turquoise

 

Love this:
Patterned Wall / Lamp / Art / Pale Pink Flowers

 

 

Love this:
Black & White / Zebra Print / Symmetry 

Love this:
Lots of Inspiration / Glass Top / Pink Accents

 

What's not to love?
 Cheetah Print / Pink / Gold / White / Candle

 

Love the:
Pale Pink Flowers / Black & White / Inspiration Wall

Love this:
Inspiration Wall / Fresh Flowers

 

Love the:
Organization / Inspiration / Pops of Color

 

Love this:
Organization / Pink & White

 

LOVE LOVE LOVE: 

Rhianna's Girl Cave (also on Made By Girl)

 

I think I have a pretty good collection of inspiration, wouldn't you say?

 

What are you favorite office details?

What's your office look like?

 

Introducing my new blog: Fit for a Bride!

Hey friends!

I have some big news to share!

See this --------------------------------------------------------------------->

It's the logo for my new blog! 

[insert cheesy smile]

 

Read my introduction post here!

I've hinted at starting a new blog and on Instagram, you may have seen me use the hashtag #fitforabride. Well, after months of planning, I'm FINALLY posting over there!

 

The new blog is called "Fit for a Bride" but really, it's for any woman interested in living healthier. My passion has always been writing, which is why I blog, but in the last two years (since getting hitched!), I've realized I have a passion for a few other things too! Namely, weddings (not over 'em!) and fitness.

 

You can read my weight loss story here.

 

You all know I love wedding blogs, but one thing I've noticed: among the hundred of them out there, NONE focus on health and fitness- it's all about color palettes, flowers, the details and fashion. What about a girl's health? Mental and physical?

 

That's what Fit for a Bride is about. It's gonna have some wedding inspiration (I'm all for the pretty!) but it's going to get into what's going on in our minds and with our bodies!

 I'm really excited about the idea and I've been working on the content for awhile. I want to collaborate with other bloggers as much as possible, so if you're interested in guest posting or sharing your story, or nominating someone you know: comment!

 

Thanks for following my journey here on Sincerely Sara! Olive Weddings, the Butterfly Cottage, they've all been leading up to this! I'm not going to stop blogging here, but the posts will be more personal, like my Letters from the Heart posts, and they'll be less frequent.

 

Happy Thursday guys!

 

2012: A Recap

I know I already posted today- I couldn't help share my new-found love for Photoshop, but I wanted to post again to recap this year! In 2012, a lot of great things happened!

I started branding my new blog,

Fit for a Bride!

That's my logo!!!!!

-------------------------------------------->

 

I got a new header

& switched to www.sincerely-sara.com!

 

I became a tech-savvy blogger!

Got a DSLR, an iPhone, and Macbook Air!

 

  

We decluttered 

& made our living space pretty!

This year's before and after photos:

Balcony:

Bedroom Closet:

 

Living room:

 

Other highlights:

Hiking with Aaron

 

 

and traveling to Florida:

 

 

 

***  

To see what I have planned for 2013,

check out my latest Pinterest Board:

Making Things Happen in 2013

 

 

What are some highlights from your year?

Fun with Photoshop Elements

Hey y'all!

Happy New Year's Eve!

What are your plans for tonight?

We decided to stay home this year.

We were all over the place for Christmas and we're ready to relax! 

 

Also: I'm glued to my computer!

 

Remember that awesome gift Aaron got me? The Mac?

Well, another gift is proving to be just as exciting: Photoshop Elements.

 

It took me a day or two after Christmas to finally load the program onto my computer, and even after I did, I still wasn't sure about it. To be honest, I felt pretty frustrated and overwhelmed that first night!

 Then I got together with my friend Monica! (Hear the angles singing? Haha. She's God-sent!)

She showed me the ins-and-outs, and let me tell y'all... it's the greatest program EVER!

 I'm completely obsessed with it and I'm having SO much fun learning to use it!

 

Last night, I just about died when I discovered the butterfly brush!

 

 

 

 

 I'm over-the-moon excited about everything I can do with this program!!!!!

 

If you're a blogger and you've considered buying it, but you aren't sure it's worth the investment, let me assure you: IT IS! It's a lot less expensive than Photoshop CS6 and despite misconceptions, you can do a lot more than fix up photos... There's collages, layouts, templates, custom printables, and more! The world is your oyster!  

 

You know what I'm most excited about this next year? THIS PROGRAM!

 

***

 

Also, tomorrow is a big day.

 

I start blogging over on Fit for a Bride!

 

I'll post here as well to give you more details about that project.

 

Have a great night friends! See ya in 2013!

 

***

 

P.S. If you have any questions about Photoshop Elements, please feel free to ask!

I plan to blog more about how I'm using the program, but in the meantime, ask away!

Friday Faves from Around the Web

Happy Friday friends! 

This is the LAST Friday Faves post of 2012! 

There are a lot of goodies around the web. I hope you'll enjoy these links! 

{This background is from Regular Jane via Deviant Art}

• Goal Setting + Making Things Happen in 2013 on Laracasey.com - Need a swift kick into the new year? Go through Lara's step-by-step reflection and goal setting plan and I guarantee, you'll feel rejuvenated and pumped for the new year! *This post is the reason I decided to write this Friday Faves post! Looking back through my blog, I really enjoyed this new little feature! I want to keep it going! Hopefully you've enjoyed it too! (Oh yea and you can see my Making Things Happen 2013 Pinterest board here!) 

• The New and Improved Hey Gorgeous Events - Seriously, y'all. It doesn't get much better than this! Rhiannon's new blog is the true definition of GORGEOUS! She's a rock star in my book and you better believe, I'm following along for all the playful, pretty she brings to the wedding world! Go girl!

• I absolutely LOVE the home of Jessie Epley Short (blogger of The Long & Short of it). I saw her house tour (photographed by one of my VERY VERY faves Cynthia Kain) featured on Every Girl! You have to check it out! Striped walls? Yes, please! 

• Completely IN LOVE with the Centsational Girl holiday home tour I spotted via House of Tourquoise. Can I quit my day job and go to interior design school, please? No really, please? My heart does backflips over this stuff! I LOVE her holiday decor. Maybe one day I'll have a house that size to fill =] (And not just a tiny apartment!)

• I AM TOTALLY IN LOVE WITH PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS! I've been scouring the internet for how-to videos and free downloads ever since I downloaded the program to my new Mac. There is so much goodness out there to snag! I can't list everything here, but check out this Pinterest board I made called Photoshop Elements for lots of great resources.

Enjoy this LAST weekend of 2012! 

xo

My Husband Spoiled Me this Christmas!

Hey all! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas!

Mine was full of surprises... most notably, these two:

My very own MacBook Air!!!!!!! 

A Lululemon Gym Bag!!!!

I am on my new Mac now and wow- what a world of a difference! My old computer is YESTERDAY'S NEWS! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Mac and even though I have a lot to learn, and it's a bit overwhelming, I am catching on slowly but surely! 

Check out the difference between this computer and my old one:

NIGHT AND DAY! Such a big difference! 

The Mac gonna make blogging so much more fun and hopefully, a lot easier and more frequent since I don't have to lug around a 10 lb laptop to do it!

Aaron definitely shocked me with this one! Awhile back, I thought he might be getting me the laptop when we started sharing Christmas gift ideas, but he told me it wasn't going to happen. I still had a feeling he might do it, but again and again he told me not to get my hopes up! 

I had finally put it out of my mind ... and volia, shocker! When he pulled it out on Christmas Eve for me to open at my Dad's house, I thought it might be that pair of UGGs I've been asking for! 

Of course he waited until all the gifts were opened, and pulled it out! 

I should have known it was going to be big!

Looking over at Aaron wondering what in the world this could be!?

Little sisters eager to help =]

NO WAY!!

Explaining to my family of PC users what a MacBook Air is - Lol!

NO WAY!!!

When we got home, it really started to sink in! 

It's still sinking in to be honest! 

I couldn't wait to share! 

Tell me about your Christmas! Were there any big surprises?

*Christmas Eve*

Oh! And I have to share this photo of Rocky who was a champ in the car Christmas Day! We drove a total of 4.5 hours and he was excellent! Love this little guy! 

What are your New Year's Eve plans?

Christmas in New York

Greetings friends!

I've been meaning to publish this post for weeks! 

I can't believe Christmas Eve is TOMORROW! 

Are you ready?

Well, as you can see, I've been busy! 

I went to New York earlier this month and had a fabulous time!

Here's a glimpse of my weekend! 

Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall

Rockefeller Center

Shopping at Saks Fifth Avenue 

 

 

FAO Swartz

v Crazy crowded! v 

Sunday Brunch in West Harlem 

Overall, a very exciting trip! 

If you're reading this, I really appreciate you!!! I feel like such an awful blogger for dropping the ball yet again! I do, however, I have VERY exciting news coming next week... and an exciting new blog the week after that! Stay tuned =)

I hope you're enjoying the holidays!