Category Archives: Just For Fun

Spring Southern Ideal Home Show 2015

April 15, 2015Categories: Just For FunSarah @ 702 Park Project

Last weekend I went on tour! After hitting up the New Bern historic homes and gardens tour on Saturday, I headed to Raleigh for the Southern Ideal Home Show on Sunday.

The Southern Ideal Home Show is the Triangle’s largest home and garden event. The three-day showcase is held at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds and features more than 300 top area professionals in home and garden.

I kind of thought it would just be designers with booths set up on display, but it was so much more than that. The show spotlighted the latest in building, outdoor living, kitchen and bath, remodeling, interior decorating and more. There were even local restaurants, breweries and wineries, as well as a High Performance Green Building Pavilion that showcased the benefits of renewable energy and green building practices.

My favorite booth was Whitley Furniture Galleries. Their use of navy, green, and yellow felt springy without being too bright or overpowering.

Jamie Meares, owner of Furbish Studio and blogger at i suwannee, hosted workshops throughout the weekend and shared lots of great entertaining tips.

The Southern Ideal Home Show in Raleigh is part of the Southern Shows group, and you can find a full schedule of shows across the south here.

PS – Don’t forget you can enter daily to win beautiful jewelry from Geoflora!

This post was sponsored by the Southern Ideal Home Show. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

New Bern Historic Homes & Gardens Tour

April 13, 2015Categories: Just For FunSarah @ 702 Park Project

This weekend we visited New Bern for the Historic Homes & Gardens Tour. This self-guided annual event takes place in downtown New Bern, NC and showcases several historic houses and gardens. Eighteen to be exact. We planned for rain, but it turned out to be a warm, overcast day, which was just right.

Both of my parents grew up in New Bern, so I have spent a lot of time in this city throughout my life. It’s such a gorgeous retreat, and the tour really showcased that.

We at lunch at The Chelsea, and it was fabulous. We also visited the Tryon Palace gardens, which were in full bloom and just stunning. If you’ve never visited New Bern, I would definitely recommend it!!

Now, are you ready for some historic homes and gardens photo overload? Here we go!

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PS – There was a little issue with Rafflecopter, so this week’s giveaway will start tomorrow morning. Be sure to come back each day to enter…you won’t want to miss this one! :)

Guilty Pleasures

April 8, 2015Categories: Just For FunSarah @ 702 Park Project

I read this post last week and got to thinking about my guilty pleasures. And since one of my guiltiest pleasures is list-making…I made a list. Don’t judge.

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1. Online shopping
2. Binge-watching TV…right now it’s Suits
3. $4 flowers from the grocery store
4. McDonald’s cheeseburger Happy Meal, ketchup only
5. Singing loudly by myself in my car…to everything from T. Swift to The Boss
6. Gel manicures
7. Champagne
8. Getting into “Phase 2” immediately when I get home (yoga pants, no bra)
9. Looking up baby names, even though I’m nowhere near ready for a baby
10. The Waterlogue app
11. Not ordering a food or drink and then making my husband share his with me
12. The Fast and Furious saga
13. Sam Smith on repeat
14. Naps
15. Action movies
16. Half a scoop with peanut butter with half a scoop of chocolate icing
17. People watching

What are your guilty pleasures?

PS- Don’t forget to enter for your chance to win a custom address stamp from Angelique Ink!

PPS- I’m participating in another giveaway over at Upcycled Treasures…go check it out!

3 Household Hacks That Make My Life Easier

March 25, 2015Categories: Just For FunSarah @ 702 Park Project

If it was up to my husband, the world would run on robots. I on the other hand have had nightmares ever since watching I, Robot. I think my blender is trying to kill me.

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But robots definitely have their place in our home, and they really do make my life so much easier. Here are my three favorite household hacks.

Roomba 650 – Three words: worth every penny. All Charles wanted for his 30th birthday last year was a Roomba, so that’s what he got. We decided to go with the 650 because it handles dog fur the best, and have been so happy with it. We even named him Rowdy. Rowdy the Roomba. Being able to run a vacuum while we’re away or while we’re working on something else is truly invaluable. We save so much time!

Nest Thermostat – We loved our Nest thermostat so much that we got another! Our upstairs and downstairs HVAC units and heat pump are all in sync now. And the energy savings really are noticeable. We’ve had a pretty brutal winter (by NC standards) but our bills haven’t been out of control like we expected. We can each control the thermostats from our phone, and the Nests have actually learned to communicate with each other. They know our schedule and have the house warm (or cool) when we get home without running all day.

Rain-X – Which one of these is not like the other? Ok so it’s not a sophisticated robot, but it serves its purpose. I’m proud to say that our shower glass is still sparkly and clean, all thanks to two rules: 1. We squeegee every time we finish a shower. Every. Single. Time. 2. We spray our glass down with Rain-X regularly. Think how well Rain-X works on your windshield…now apply that to your shower. Squeaky clean, every time!

What are your favorite household hacks? How do they save you time and/or money?

Don’t forget to enter for your chance to win a gift card to Parima Studio!

4 Things I Learned From “Yes Please”

March 24, 2015Categories: Just For FunSarah @ 702 Park Project

Have you read Amy Poehler’s first book: Yes Please? If you haven’t, stop what you’re doing right now and go get it. Seriously, like right now.

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A little back story…I got hooked on Serial a while back and have been looking for a new podcast or book to help get me through my two hours a day in the car. (At least commutes are good for something.) I’ve gone through a few episodes of TED Radio Hour and This American Life, but could never get all that interested. So I decided to buy Amy Poehler’s audio book.

I can’t say enough about it. It was fabulous! And if you’ve never listened to a “book on tape” before, I would highly recommend it. I’m sure the book is hilarious in its own right, but hearing Amy narrate is just engrossing. Plus, she has special guests chiming in, like Seth Meyers, Patrick Stewart, and even her parents!

I began keeping a list of my favorite lines from the book, and it grew to a pretty long archive. Here are my top lessons learned from Leslie Knope.

1. Make “no” a complete sentence. I’ve really taken this one to heart. I’ve been clearing some room on my plate lately, and becoming more and more ok with saying NO. I’m learning that I don’t need an excuse, and I don’t need to feel guilty. #FOMO y’all — it’s an ugly beast.

2. You don’t always have to win to get the pudding. There’s a lesson in every challenge. Sometimes finding that lesson is how you actually win the battle.

3. You have to be where you are to get where you’re going. In other words, start somewhere. It doesn’t matter where you are, or how long it takes you to reach your goals. Just get started!

4. And my absolute favorite of all…

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Good for her, not for me. It’s so simple, right?

It’s easy to get caught up in what everybody thinks. To try to keep up with the Jones’. To constantly compare yourself to others. We all do it, and women are the worst offenders. So stop comparing, and do what works for you!

What books are you reading/listening to lately?

PS- If you’re looking for some podcasts to improve your daily commute, click here. I’m excited to try some of these next!

PPS- Don’t forget to enter for your chance to win a gift card to Parima Studio!

#TNCLovesSpring Challenge

March 23, 2015Categories: Just For FunSarah @ 702 Park Project

Starting today, I’m going to be participating in The Nectar Collective’s Spring Instagram Challenge! Will you join me?

All you have to do is follow these prompts for one photo a day for the next 2 weeks. (By the way, I’m totally a fan of a 2 week challenge…I always fizzle out by about the 3rd week in the month-long challenges!) Here are the prompts:

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So, are you in? Let me know in the comments below!

PS- Don’t forget to enter daily for your chance to win a gift card to Parima Creative Studio!