Barefoot blue jean nights ahead!

My sister is an outdoor enthusiast. And no, I don't mean she's outdoorsy in the sense that there's nothing she loves more than a good hike. Having said that, she's always down for a hike, but I digress.

What I mean is that she probably spends more than half of her day on her patio, will always opt for outdoor seating at a restaurant, bar or cafe, etc. I used to find this borderline annoying, but as I'm getting older, I'm discovering how much of an outdoor enthusiast I am.

Lately I've noticed how often I'd rather sit outside when I go out to eat, when I grab a drink at Starbucks or a fro-yo with my boyfriend. I've especially noticed how excited I am to decorate my outdoor patio at my new apartment. I've been actively pinning my favorite ideas (surprise, surprise) here and here. I even bought this bad boy last weekend:

Half the ideas on my "Perfect Garden" board are out of reach for a rented patio, but these are some of my favorites:

I love the idea of an outdoor rug. I think it's an easy way to make a small space look homey. Having said that, rugs aren't exactly a cheap thrill, so we'll see where I'm at on funds with that. I think the wine bottle lighting is an awesome idea - these are obviously pictured inside, but I think it would be cuter in an outdoor space. I'm also really into gardening lately...okay, so I have one succulent and a growing tomato plant which slightly resembles weeds. But anyway, growing an herb garden in mason jars sounds like the perfect DIY project. 

I'm so excited to see how everything comes together! Here's to plenty of summer nights on the patio! XO

If I never hear the word 'couch' again, that'll be fine.

It's borderline embarassing how addicted I am to finding a living room set for my new apartment. It consumes probably 65 percent of my thoughts throughout the day. What do I spend the other 35 percent thinking about? Eh, who knows. Work? Ryan? Margaritas? I should start keeping better track.

ANYWAY. My issue is that I have unrealistic ideals for my living room. You can thank Pinterest for that. In a perfect world, I'd like a gray sectional couch with a tall back (NOT a back rest made up of pillows) and deep set cushions...you know, something I can actually curl up in - not just sit in.

Welllll, I haven't had the best of luck. Any gray sectionals I've found and liked are close to $2,000 or more, and the top of my budget is about $1,500. Even that is pushing it. 

So now I'm expanding my horizons. I'm looking into brown. Dark brown, light brown, tan, taupe. And now a whole new can of worms has been opened and my Apartment Ideas board has been bombarded with color schemes around a brown couch, thus turning my inspiration upside down. First World Problems, right?

I'm telling you - someone needs to take my iPad away from me. The Pinterest app is TOO addictive! I'll let you guys know when I decide...at this point, I'll probably just throw my hands up and end up with a pile of pillows on the floor instead. XO