BLURB- HAVE YOU HEARD

BLURB

This is not a sponsored post (obviously, ha!)- just a statement of my love for a site called Blurb. 
Back in the day, I found it in a Bride's magazine I believe,  I saw something about a website called Blurb where someone made their own books and... wedding album.  Blurb has various book size and paper types to fit your needs, very customizable, AND has the professional quality to it. 
 Checked out the site and knew that I was going to use it when the time came.
Fast forward to after our wedding, I compiled photographs from the photograper, relatives, friends, and family to curate and create our very own coffee table book/ wedding album.

 It legitimately took me forever. And I also ordered two smaller copies of our book for each of our parents. They loved it! I think my mother-in-law still looks at it like almost every day! :)

Anyways, with how easy it was to put together with their downloadable program and with how much I liked the end result (plus nowadays we are all taking pictures but they all end up on our computer, not really enjoyed like pictures of the past): I made a 2013 Lemon Family Yearbook at the end of the year and decided I was going to make a yearbook every year to document our lives/family/etc. 
(I am even working backwards to make a 2012 yearbook outside of our wedding AND a combination 2010-2011 book to start from when we got engaged.) 
These "yearbooks" are not all coffee table size like our wedding album, but smaller landscape books that will more easily fit on shelves as we go through the years. Additionally, I will try to keep come common features to tie them together- but I won't be strict about it.

For 2014, I habitually updated it along the way throughout the year so within a week after New Years, I was able to send it out to the printer.  And now it's here!!

2013 & 2014 books side by side on bookcase

2013 Yearbook

2014 Yearbook

Just a peek inside 2014 {this for our anniversary trip!}

I would totally recommend this to all.
Happy Monday!

xo jess xo

 

Mirror Mirror on the Wall

I have decided what my next project is... Can you guess?

Every day I see our cheap $5 full-length mirror leaning up against the wall, sitting on an upside down hamper for height. True story. This comes after not having a full length mirror in our apartment for the first two years we lived in Chicago.  IT IS TIME! Obviously all the tall, wood, leaning floor mirrors I love and of course would work perfectly in our home :) are WAY out of the price range. 

This West Elm Parson's mirror is gorgeous and $499.

Now originally I had planned to DIY that little cheap-o mirror. Not anymore. I figure, the mirror really isn't that great and wouldn't make me as happy with the end result, especially as a longer term item I am hoping it could be.  I would spend money on the wood supplies and such, all that work putting it together, and use a crummy mirror. Doesn't make sense right? So I am looking to possibly buy the IKEA STAVE mirror, not necessarily cheap at $50, that would upgrade the entire product without breaking the bank.  As for the process, I am looking to mix a bit of Swoon Style and Home with Bower Power Blog. I like the idea of using pine wood that has the grooves for the glass to fit but for a more substantial heft and support I also like the idea of having a thin plywood backing.

Bad note: we live in an apartment in Chicago and don't tend to do many woodworking projects- we have no power tools! I was thinking I might try to have them cut it where I decide to buy the wood, but I would rather be able to do it at home while putting it together so I could make appropriate adjustments as I go. 

What is a girl to do? I just might ask my father-in-law how realistic it is for him to bring it with them when they come up for Thanksgiving... 

So in the meantime... time to gather supplies! Looking forward to this weekend- little material shopping and relaxation coming up! Oh- and some Hunger Games!! SO EXCITED!

xo Jess xo

Is it weird to be in love with a wall?

It's done. And I am in love.

I have finally gotten the gallery wall where I want it to be! Soon will be getting other bedroom accessories up to snuff.. but for now, I will just lay in bed and stare at my pretty wall. :) ahhhhhh

To recap, this is where we TRAGICALLY START... with a terrible "Pinterest fail"(can read about it here) and a stack of frames on my bedroom floor.

So.... off to find INSPIRATION and my favorite was from Style Me Pretty. I liked the combination of colors, looks very classic, and it was easy to imagine around our TV obviously.

IN-PROGRESS included laying out some frames and following a "paper-hanging method". I got my paper method hanging by following these awesome blogs' instructions at Young House Love and A Beautiful Mess. They do an awesome detailed job explaining that I would not even come close to.

And after sitting like that forever, eventually frames came up in the paper's places and nothing went in them.... UNTIL I slowly filled it with meaningful things for Tim and I. :) I made some of the "written" prints and purchased a few printable quotes from Etsy (here, here, and here) and got them printed @ Nations Photo Lab. They were very easy to upload your items, pick your paper/size/etc, printed quickly with good customer service, and overall very reasonably priced. I definitely have a few more things around the house I want to get printed and I will be going back to this company.

Now I am not so great taking pictures of this and our room does not have much natural light (so sorry for the creamy/yellow overhead light look.. it does seem a bit more crisp in person. Eventually I will try to take some better photographs.)

Anywho, without further ado, THE FINISHED PRODUCT:

The overall look from our bed... well technically standing on it so I can prevent some glare ;)

Clockwise from left: The 6 photo frame holds personal things between the husband and I such as our lucky number 13, favorite quote "It's the little things", important dates in our lives/relationship, first dance song lyrics, Mr. & Mrs. ring art I did, and a photograph of the Normal Theater's marquee for "It's A wonderful Life". Next, just another quote we like that translates to "I regret nothing"- very positive outlook we think. Next, a canvas of one of our engagement pictures in "our seat" at Normal Theater.  Lastly, an old school picture of the 2 of us from... 2005?

Clockwise from left: A map of our new home of Chicago <3, a photo from a night out with friends in Milwaukee this year, a picture from our first dance at our wedding, XO (no comment needed right?), the quote "Let's grow old together" (reminds me of "i wanna grow old with you- from the wedding singer" which I LOVE and Tim would always let me know when it was on :) ), and lastly another photo from our wedding. 

AS I SAID- I AM IN LOVE! 

I'm just going to go lay in bed and stare at it!

happy monday!

xo jess xo