Chalk House Updates: Foyer

Our Foyer needed a lot of attention and we knew it would be a long process so what better time to tackle it then during the cold, winter months, right?! After {way too} many hours of caulking, sanding, painting and staining...our Foyer is complete and I love the impact that it made on the overall look and feel of our home.

Tenley decided that she needed to be in the picture! :)

Walls: The walls had probably not been repainted for years so the white was starting to fade and chip. As you walked up the stairs, you would see sporadic dirt marks mixed in with at least 1,000 holes from family photos being hung and rehung on the walls.
Beadboard: The beadboard was painted the same white as the walls and the space between each board was beginning to crack.
Stair Treads & Spindles: The stair treads and spindles were painted a cream color and seen a lot of wear and tear over the years.
Handrail: The handrail {along with the spindles} were handcrafted by TC's family many generations ago so the detail is beautiful but the stain was very faded.

Walls: The pictures have been removed & the holes have been filled in. We are almost ready to paint!
Beadboard: The beadboard has been caulked, sanded, primed and painted. Phew, my arms were sore after this task!
Stair Treads & Spindles: A couple of the stair treads needed to be sanded in a few spots before we painted. Once this was finished, we added 2 coats of paint to each stair and we were done. We decided to take a quick break before we tackled the spindles.  
Handrail: At this point, we had not started the re-staining process. 

Walls: Same as the previous status.
Beadboard: DONE
Stair Treads & Spindles: Thank goodness for my Husband and his patience because repainting the spindles was an extremely tedious task. I have to admit that if I was responsible for repainting them, they would still not be finished.
Handrail: I was a bit nervous when we started because I wasn't sure how the final stain would look after 2 coats and it had dried. But I love how it turned out!

Walls: We knew that we wanted to add color to the Foyer walls {versus white} so we decided to incorporate a color that we have used in a few other rooms in our home. When I arrived home from a week of travel, I was speechless because TC had painted all of the walls. I was one happy wife!
Beadboard: DONE
Stair Treads & Spindles: DONE
Handrail: DONE

Walls: DONE!
Beadboard: DONE!
Stair Treads & Spindles: DONE!
Handrail: DONE!

I am incredibly thankful to start our life together in a home that has so many memories for TC and his family. It has been one of the most rewarding experiences to see the transformation take place over the past 6 months. Now, on to the next project! :)

Project Details:
-Paint Color for the Beadboard, Stair Treads and Spindles: Benjamin Moore White Dove
-Paint Color for the Foyer Walls: Benjamin Moore Monroe Bisque
-Stain Color for the Handrail: Sherwin Williams Modern Mahogany 

Five on Friday: Spring Edition

This week's Five on Friday is going to be dedicated to the items that need to find their way into my closet for Spring. Being able to enjoy a few days of warm weather has me feeling the need to update my wardrobe as soon as possible...perhaps this weekend! 

 

ONE:

When I find shorts that I can dress up or down based on the event, I get really excited and end up purchasing them in multiple colors. These look perfect for running errands or for a date night with TC.

J.Crew Crepe Pull-On Shorts: On Sale

TWO:

TC's family lives at the beach so we find ourselves on the boat, soaking up the sun and salt air as much as possible during the summer. I am always looking for the perfect cover-up, I can't get enough of the tassel trend right now so this will definitely be coming home with me.

Tassel-Tie Beach Tunic

THREE:

I can't get my hands on enough Maxi Dresses this season! Have I mentioned how amazing the Spring collection is from ASOS?! You will have to check it out here.

ASOS River Island Maxi Dress

Vince Camuto Floral Print Maxi Dress

FOUR:

I had a pair of neutral, high heel sandals last summer that I wore with everything! I am on the hunt to replace them and both of these have caught my eye. Which one do you like?

Joie Elery Sandal



Tory Burch Classic Ankle Sandal

FIVE:

Growing up in the South, you get very excited about anything Lilly. Lilly Pulitzer has released their Spring collection and it is fabulous! I have a few pairs of their Linen Beach Pants from last season, they are my favorite{and very comfortable}. I can't wait to pick up a few more pairs soon.

I am linking up with April, Christina, Natasha, and Darci for Five on Friday and Amanda for Friday Favorites! I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! Cheers!

Hosting & Toasting: My Sister's Honeymoon Shower

"Off to New Zealand they will go as the new Mr. and Mrs.

Join us to help them celebrate with love and best wishes!"

You can probably tell that I love hosting parties - give me any reason to celebrate and I will quickly get the bubbly cold and begin planning every little detail. This weekend we were so excited to welcome our family and friends into our home to shower my sister and her fiance with lots of love and laughs before their wedding day in May. 

The beautiful Bride-to-Be

So happy that our Aunt could join us for the celebrations

My Aunt & Mom

The evening was filled with good food, a variety of New Zealand wines from vineyards that my sister and her fiance will be visiting during their honeymoon, toasts to the Bride and Groom and catching up with many dear friends and family. 

Delicious Cookies by Sweet Memories Bakery in Apex, NC.

Aren't these cookies the cutest? Airplanes, Suitcases and May Calendars.

Our menu was made possible by Crave Catering in Apex, NC.

Cheerwine Braised Beef Sandwiches

Rotisserie Chicken Salad Crepes

Three Cheese Mac and Cheese

Seasonal Salad with Pears & Feta 

BBQ Meatballs

Assorted Cheese & Crackers  

Cheers to the soon-to-be Mr. and Mrs. Trohanis! We can't wait to celebrate with you in May!

Thank you to each of the vendors that made my Honeymoon Shower vision come together!

Burlap Wreath: Door Decor by Kara

Burlap Garland: Quilted Cupcake

Cookies: Sweet Memories Bakery

Custom Pop, Fizz, Clink Sign: ModParty on Etsy

Food/Catering: Crave

Food Labels: ModParty on Etsy

Invitations: Charlotte's 

Personalized Cocktail Napkins: Picture Perfect Papier on Etsy

Five on Friday!

Happy Friday! It has been a crazy, busy week but I can't wait to kick-off the weekend in just a few hours. I am linking up with April, Christina, Natasha, and Darci for Five on Friday and Amanda for Friday Favorites!

ONE:
Today marks 6 months of wedding bliss! Where has the time gone?! A little note to my adorable Husband...

TC,

What an incredible journey it has been so far. I have loved every memory that we have created together since the day we said "I do!" Your love, support, generosity and kindness are just a few reasons why you make me feel like the luckiest woman in the world. Every day with you is a blessing and I can't wait to see what the next 6 months has in store for us. I love you with my whole heart! 

TWO:

March Madness is here! Who else is excited?! I know that I stayed up way too late watching the games but it was well worth it because the Wolfpack pulled out a last minute win after being down 16 points in the second half. They don't call us the Cardiac Pack for nothing. Next up is Villanova on Saturday, let's GO PACK!

BeeJay Anya makes the winning shot! Source

THREE:
We are hosting a Honeymoon Shower for my sister and her fiance tomorrow night and I am so excited! We have been working hard over the past few weeks to make sure our home was ready to welcome our family and friends...the work has definitely paid off because everything has come together beautifully. Stop back by next week to see more details of their Shower!

FOUR:
Many of you know that I love a glass of bubbly. My mom and I picked up this bottle of Prosecco at a local Wine Shop in Apex and it was delicious. I really enjoyed the crisp, fruit forward flavors that I tasted in every sip. Cheers!

FIVE:
The past few days, I have noticed that a few bumps have made an appearance and I was curious to see what my body was trying to tell me. I found a very informative article about Face Mapping, I had to share!

Have a fabulous weekend!

Chalk House Updates: Our Yard & Gardening Inspiration

Warmer Temperature, Blue Skies, and Sunny Days are making me want to spend every moment outside in our yard. On Sunday, we spent the entire day working to clean up the mess that winter created but we have a l-o-n-g way to go until we are finished.

Our To-Do List is lengthy but I will start here...

Flower Container Inspiration:
I love the variety of color and flowers in these arrangements. We have a porch that is in desperate need of color and fresh flowers so I can only hope that our local nursery has all the plants that I need in order to replicate them over the next few days.

The largest pot includes Liberty Classic Yellow Snap-Dragons, Bouquet Rose Magic Dianthus, Tickled Pink Veronica, Dusty Miller, and Lemon Ball Sedum. The small pot on the left contains Lemon Ball Sedum and the medium pot on the right has Supertunia Vista Bubblegum Petunias.

Source

Tulips are one of my favorite flowers so this arrangement caught my eye right away. In the two larger pots, the Tulips are paired with Lavender Blue and Purple Wing Pansies, Acorus, Heuchera, Variegated Ivy and Tiger fern. The small pot contains Lavender Blue and Purple Wing Pansies.

Source

Landscaping Inspiration:

As the Property Brothers would say, "your house needs some curb appeal." Thankfully, my husband enjoys being in the yard and has created many beautiful outdoor spaces before. I am confident that our yard will be looking much better in no time!   

I love flowerbeds that are filled with Hydrangeas and I enjoy the color and height that they provide to any yard. 

Source

We removed all of the bushes that were around our house in the Fall because we wanted to start fresh this Spring. Our goal over the next few weeks is to have our yard come alive again! We hope that if we add definition, height, and color that it will add the perfect touch to our a little Farmhouse.

Source

Source

I'll be sharing an update as soon as it is finished but feel free to follow the #ChalkHouseUpdates on Instagram {stephaniechalk08}!

Five on Friday: Raleigh Blog Society + Alex & Ani

It's Friday! It's Friday! It's Friday! I am hoping the rain stays away so we can tackle a few outdoor projects this weekend.

I am linking up with April, Christina, Natasha, and Darci for Five on Friday.

ONE:
Raleigh Blog Society hosted Ladies' Night Out in Downtown Apex last night and it was fabulous - It was an evening full of sipping champagne, chatting and shopping! Having the opportunity to mix and mingle with many local Bloggers was lots and lots of fun.

TWO:
Ladies' Night Out also helped to promote local businesses in the area because lets be honest, who doesn't love to shop local if you can?! If you haven't been to Downtown Apex to shop or dine than I highly recommend that you venture down there soon. I promise, you won't be disappointed.

THREE:
Moon & Lola was our first stop! I had never been into a M&L shop until last night because I had always shopped online but this has quickly become one of my new favorite stores. They have everything from their signature jewelry to coffee table books to home decor.

FOUR:
After M&L, we walked down the street to Stylish Living! It is one-stop shopping at its best. They have something for everyone and every occasion. The people are incredibly friendly and go above and beyond to help you find the perfect gift.

FIVE:
I have received Alex and Ani bracelets as gifts from 2 of the most thoughtful, inspiring and supportive women that I am incredibly lucky to call my dearest friends. Every time I wear them, all I can do is smile. If you are looking for a special gift and a good price point, these are a great option.

If you live or have visited Raleigh, have you been to Downtown Apex? If so, what are your favorite stores or restaurants? Cheers to the weekend!

Motivation Monday

Wasn't it just Friday? This weekend flew by for us and I have to admit that I would love for the days to slow down...Monday came way too fast! Perhaps the days will feel a bit longer now that we have a few more hours of daylight. I am so happy that Spring is right around the corner.

My Motivation Monday is dedicated to the numerous quotes that I came across during weekend which seemed to appear when we needed them most.

Without sharing too much information, this weekend was a reminder that Life is precious and we should cherish each and every moment.


I had no idea that it was International Women's Day yesterday {or that there was such a thing} but in honor of a day dedicated to us, this has quickly become my mantra.


It is as simple as that, right?


I have a busy week ahead but I know these reminders will keep me motivated and focused this week. Most importantly, I will be squeezing my loved ones a little tighter, spending a few more minutes on the phone with each of them and {constantly} reminding them how much I love them.