Currently Obsessing Over

Sunday, August 30, 2015


My weekly glimpse into what I'm "currently obsessing over". 

 Outfit Bar |
1. Planning outfits ahead of time (thank you Pinterest) so that I can stop saying "I have nothing to wear".


| McDonald's Unsweetened Iced Tea|
2. Driving out of my way for Mickey D's $1 large iced teas.

3. Having a stylist for a best friend who sends you this awesome NOORNOIR maxi. 

| Coupons |
4. Extreme couponing - Richmond edition. Had to re-stock the stockpile.

| Meal Prepping |
5. Trying to curb how much eating out we do - my budget and waistline will thank me later.


Sincerely,
Chardonnay

Currently Obsessing Over

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

My weekly glimpse into what I'm "currently obsessing over". 

1. The Greenbrier Classic- The boyfriend loves just about everything related to golf so I tagged along with him this past weekend to the Greenbrier Classic. I was quite surprised to realize that golf is much more entertaining to watch live. I also picked up a new celebrity crush, Morgan Hoffmann (move over Bradley Cooper!).

| Gianni Bini - Dillard's |
2. Clearance sandals- I have one of the best friends ever, she went shopping for herself and snagged these awesome clearance sandals for me because she saw them in my size!

3. & 4. Instagram-  t+ j Designs has quickly become one of my favorite Instagram accounts to follow (tandjdesigns). Their jewelry and tees are absolutely adorable and every quote they post speaks right to me, Amen!


PKD |
5. PKD Genetic Study- It's been a minute since I've posted about PKD. In the meantime, I've signed up to take part in a research study to help understand which genetic factors influence how severely an individual is affected by PKD. 

Sincerely,
Chardonnay

Currently Obsessing Over

Sunday, June 28, 2015

My weekly glimpse into what I'm "currently obsessing over". 

 Kohl's |
1. Shoe shelf- I love the shoe display in my walk in closet and will hide and store just about everything else so that I have room to show off my shoes.
2. Peep-toe high heeled sandals- The newest addition to my shoe collection is the tan peep-toe sandals. Not only do I love these, but I love the deal I scored on them (currently on sale for $54.99)

| Dillard's |
3. Floral dress- I made a last minute dress purchase this week for a wedding (because of course nothing I already owned would work!). Dillard's currently has a ton of their dresses on sale (and an extra 30% off clearance in store) and I snagged this awesome dress for only $79 (Reg. $189).

McDonald's |
4. $1 large drinks- Nothing like an unsweet tea to help me power through an afternoon work session. Thanks to the boyfriend who made a special trip to grab me one today.

| Caymus |
5. Mer Soleil Silver- I did a Caymus wine tasting on my cruise back in April and have been favoring their wines ever since. This is a clean, crisp, chardonnay - perfect for those of you who are typically turned off of the buttery/oaky flavors chardonnay usually comes with. Kroger currently has a great sale on their wine and they carry Mer Soleil, score!

Sincerely,
Chardonnay

Currently Obsessing Over

Sunday, June 21, 2015

My weekly glimpse into what I'm "currently obsessing over". 
 
 <|
1. Father's Day - My mom is my best friend but there is no doubt I'm a daddy's girl. Found this gem looking for a picture to post for Father's Day <3.

| Old Navy |
2. Sandals- Made my first sandal purchase of the year today (followed by my second & third, oops!). You cannot go wrong with Old Navy for good prices on trendy items.

3. Brooklyn rainbow cake (or something??)- These mini cake pieces covered in chocolate were a favorite of David's and mine when he was living in NYC. I was thrilled when I spotted these in the dessert case at brunch this morning.

| Target |
4. Tank top- Neutrals top and bottom with my outfit from yesterday, right down to my toenail polish! Lately I've been living in this striped tank top from Target and I plan to stock up with more colors the next time I go back.


Ikea |
5. Bookshelf- This was my weekend project and the last item to complete our living room makeover. We are trying to be budget conscious with anything we spend on our current place given we want to move soonish, so DIY it was. Thank goodness for this awesome Ikea hack I saw on pinterest {Dwellings by Devore}.

Sincerely,
Chardonnay


Currently Obsessing Over

Sunday, June 14, 2015

My weekly glimpse into what I'm "currently obsessing over". 

Nordstrom |
1. Nordstrom catalog - I absolutely love when the new Nordstrom catalog comes in the mail, I typically want one of everything. This time I flipped the cover to find this quote page, thanks Nordstrom for inspiration and great style. "Whether it's a distant destination or quiet staycation, feel the warmth of the sun and the style of the season."

2. Herbal Essences- I've been a loyal herbal essences customer since I was probably 12. I recently scored these two styling products on a couponing trip and love the fresh smells for summer. {coupon $2 off 2 styling products}

J Crew |
3. Earrings- finally gave in to the tassel trend with these J Crew earrings and I might have planned an entire outfit around them this weekend just so I could wear them. {on sale right now 25% off}


| Book |
4. Design book- David gave me this awesome book for Valentine's Day and I'm hoping to take time out this week and finally start to read it!

5. Kate Spade necklace - one of the best parts about being home is trading clothes and accessories with my mom. I've always eyed this awesome necklace of hers and got to take it home with me to borrow. Now to find something to wear it with...

Sincerely,
Chardonnay

Linking up with some amazing bloggers:

Currently Obsessing Over

Monday, June 8, 2015

My weekly glimpse into what I'm "currently obsessing over". 

Candle vintage lace & pink peony |
1. Candles from Target - these smell amazing and are only $5 each (also come in a larger size for $10)

| Rug |
2. Rug - another amazing Target find to match the adorable place mats I got from my best friend as a housewarming present when David moved in. Last week Target had many of their 5x7 rugs on sale for $79.99, score!

Rum |
3. Parrot Bay - David's parents have a nicely stocked bar at their Eastern Shore house, we had some of this passion fruit rum over Memorial weekend and are hooked. Mixed with Trop50 it's absolutely delicious. 

4. UVA - Another auction item I scored at the Maymont Call of the Wild event. The picture is titled "UVA Love" (and for those of you who don't know this is in front of the Rotunda on grounds and the umbrellas are UVA colors). David and I met at UVA and this picture couldn't be more fitting.

5. Wine Glasses - I spent the weekend in Traverse City, MI celebrating one of my dearest friends for her bachelorette party. I can't get over how adorable these Michigan wine glasses are, such a perfect souvenir

Sincerely,
Chardonnay

Currently Obsessing Over

Sunday, May 31, 2015

Totally slacking in the blog department these days. I decided I needed to get back in the game with more frequent, shorter posts. Here's the first of what I hope is a weekly glimpse into what I'm "currently obsessing over". 

Lipstick color Pink Pigeon (L) & Snob (R)Lipgloss color Fashion Scoop |
1. MAC lipsticks - finally invested in quality lipsticks, one for work & one for fun

Here is the Snob color - in love <3

2. Dry shampoo - best smelling stuff ever, the longer my hair gets the less enthused I am about putting in the effort to wash & style it, this is liquid gold

Nude Pumps |
3. Steve Madden pumps - I like these so much I'm almost afraid to wear them! Since I don't typically spend a lot on shoes I consider these a "splurge" with their $100 price point. Worth the investment though for a sassy pair of work heels that also work for after hours.

4. Travel case - I've been traveling a lot lately and have been using a gallon zip lock bag for all my toiletries, decided it was time for an upgrade. Looking forward to using this on my upcoming trips to Michigan & Myrtle Beach.

5. Sweet tea towels - These screen print towels are hand made from a place in Northern Virginia - I picked them up at a recent silent auction event benefiting Maymont (Call of the Wild). I don't drink sweet tea and they don't match anything in my house but I think they are adorable. Holding on to these perhaps as design inspiration for my next house.  

Sincerely,
Chardonnay

Before & After {finally]

Monday, March 16, 2015

 Here is the "before" very contemporary living room I was dealing with


Here is the "after" slightly more glam living room I now come home to


Updated mantel decor


Updated gallery wall


New living room coffee table 


Items:
-Elements of Design coffee table book (Amazon)
-White tray (CB2)
-Coffee table (Ikea) *huge credit to The Hunted Interior for this Ikea hack inspiration 
-Large jute rug (Target)
-Small shag rug (Crate & Barrel)
-Misc accessories (Hobby Lobby & HomeGoods)
-Pillows (Hobby Lobby)
-Vase (Goodwill)

Sincerely,
Chardonnay

P.S. What's in my glass...
A delicious Michigan chardonnay from Bowers Harbor Vineyards in Traverse City, MI. There are so many things I love about this wine (besides of course it tastes delicious). This was a Christmas gift from my dear friend Christina and I've been waiting for the right occasion to open it. Finishing my living room called for a celebration. I was excited to open this particular bottle because I didn't develop my love of wine until after I moved from Michigan which means there are so many good wines right where I grew up that I've never tried. This summer we are heading up to Traverse City for a wild wine tasting weekend for Christina's bachelorette party, I couldn't be more excited to celebrate my beautiful friend and I think the destination choice is outstanding.



March is Kidney Month

Monday, March 2, 2015

I received the below advocacy alert and letter template from the PKD Foundation encouraging people to reach out to their representative in the U.S. House of Representatives. The purpose was to ask for support of the 21st Century Cures initiative aimed at closing the gap between # of diseases and # of treatments available.



I absolutely wrote a letter to my representative, why you ask? Because I have a disease (PKD) for which there are no approved treatments in the United States to stop it's progression.

I've included my letter below, for many of you this will sound familiar. It's the same story I shared in my letter to the FDA advocating for a pharmaceutical treatment for PKD. However, there have been 2 major changes to my story.

The first - this past summer my uncle lost his battle with PKD. The good fight was fought. I cannot tell you how much this makes my heart ache.

The second - my mom turned 60 last year and still has no immediate signs of severe reduction in kidney function, this is a huge milestone for living with this disease.



Dear Congressman Brat,
March is Kidney Month and today kidney patients and their caregivers are in Washington, DC. I may not be there with them, but as your constituent  I want you to know about polycystic kidney disease (PKD) and how the 21st Century Cures initiative holds promise for development and approval of the first-ever treatments for PKD in the United States.

I have PKD. Polycystic kidney disease is one of the most common, life-threatening genetic diseases and causes multiple fluid-filled cysts to grow in the kidneys. It is a painful disease that significantly impacts quality of life. The average size of a normal kidney is a human fist and weighs about the size of a deck of cards. Polycystic kidneys can get much larger, some getting as large as a football, and weighing up to 30 pounds each. If a parent has PKD, they have a 50 percent chance of passing it to each child. There is no way to anticipate who will be impacted. Because it’s passed from generation to generation, PKD often affects many people in one family.


There are no approved treatments in the United States to stop the progression of the disease, so PKD is the fourth leading cause of kidney failure with fifty percent of PKD patients' kidneys failing by age 50. The only remedies for PKD patients once their kidneys fail are dialysis or a kidney transplant. While these options are life-saving, having a treatment that preserves healthy kidney function is the best option. Research is the path to treatments that stop or slow the growth of the cysts and keep kidneys from failing.


As your constituent, I’d like for you to hear my story.


My Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) story begins with a man I’ve never met. My grandfather died in 1982; 6 years before he would have walked his only daughter down the aisle; 6 years before his seventh and eighth grandchildren were born; 26 years before the love of his life; and 31 years before the possibility of a drug to slow the progression of the disease. He was diagnosed with PKD at the age of 42, on dialysis by 48 and lost his fight at 56.

The next chapter of my story is a brief lesson in statistics. The gene causing PKD is dominant, which means each child of a parent with PKD has a 50% chance of inheriting the disease. My grandparents had four children and like any good coin toss, heads came up twice. My mother and her youngest brother both inherited PKD. PKD progressed quickly for my uncle; he had a transplant from a blood relative in his 40’s. Less than ten years after his transplant, his body began to reject his new kidney and he was put on dialysis and ultimately lost his battle with PKD at the age of 57. My mother is a rare story; she recently turned 60 with no immediate signs of severe reduction in kidney function.

Back to the coin toss—perhaps instead of a statistics lesson, this chapter would be better suited as a gambling lesson. I am an only child, and with a mother who carries the PKD gene, once again came the 50% chance of inheritance. Three years ago, I scheduled my yearly physical with my primary care physician. I was 23, in the best shape of my life, perfect blood pressure, didn’t smoke, wasn’t on a single medication, had never broken a bone and heck, I hadn’t had a cavity in 15 years. If anyone that day was looking for a clean bill of health, it was this girl. But then came the words anyone with a family history of kidney disease dreads, “too much protein in your urine.”  I was barely listening as my physician rattled off numerous potential explanations and instructed me “not to jump to conclusions” and kindly reminded me that I was only 23 and PKD onset was typically later in life. I proceeded to endure multiple pricks, pokes, ultrasounds and cat scans in order to tell me something that deep down I already knew. At the age of 23 I was officially diagnosed with PKD, cysts on my kidneys already and all. The odds as they stand today are not good, studies show that I will need dialysis and eventually a transplant; it’s just a matter of when. I however am not willing to accept this, I have things I want to do in this lifetime and you only get one.


My story began with my grandfather but his mother and siblings and generations before them have fought this same battle. A pharmaceutical treatment for PKD is long overdue. For those of us living with PKD, we deserve an option other than dialysis and transplants. There is no hope for my grandfather, his story is over—but he is the beginning of my story, and for me there is hope. Hope comes in many forms; today for me hope comes in the form of research. Research is the path to treatments that stop or slow the growth of the cysts and keep kidneys from failing. Research is by no means a miracle, or promise of a cure. Research is simply hope—hope that I will be there when my children get married; to see my grandchildren born; and to grow old with the love of my life.


Last April, the Energy & Commerce Committee began working on the 21st Century Cures initiative. We applaud Chairman Upton (R-MI) and Representative DeGette (D-CO) for leading this bipartisan initiative.


Of special importance to PKD patients is TITLE I - Putting Patients First, Subtitle B - Surrogate Endpoint Qualification and Utilization. Currently, there is only one endpoint used in the development of PKD therapies - kidney failure. None of the other indicators of PKD, like the size of the kidneys or pain, are even allowed to be considered when potential therapies are being developed and tested in clinical trials. I am grateful to Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) for championing this provision and we hope that it is in the bill when it is introduced.  


I urge Congress to ensure that 21st Century Cures is a truly bipartisan effort and to continue engaging the rare disease community. I hope that you will read the  following link of the proposed legislation and when the bill is introduced, you will remember me and join as a co-sponsor.


Wouldn't we rather see the government make a path for more and better research, research that could lead to the development of treatments? Not only would lives be saved, but less people in kidney failure means less money spent treating it.


Thank you for your service and I hop you'll stand up for me and my family.


Sincerely,


Allison Vanderberg










Taking a Timeout

Sunday, March 1, 2015

I recently got side tracked during a trip to Ikea while purchasing items for my living room and ended up deciding to design some storage for my home office. Since my living room update has been quite the project I decided to go for a quick win this weekend and update my office area.

All my great ideas start with Pinterest.... here was my Pinspiration for the update


Just to give you an idea - here is what I was previously working with for my office storage area. My office doubles as my craft area so I had plastic storage containers to house my misc supplies and scrapbook items.



Here is my updated office / craft corner


#hustle


Product Round Up
  • Shelving - Ikea KALLAX Shelving unit (2)
  • Prints - Charm & Gumption
  • Frames - goodwill + Rust-oleum spray paint in gold metallic
  • Gold/glass box - Hobby Lobby
  • Decorative boxes - Target gift wrapping section
  • Magazine holders - Target 
  • Baskets - Hobby Lobby (old)
  • Rug - Walmart (old)
  • Desk - craigslist find + diy (old)
  • Chair - Home Furnishing USA (Amazon) *currently half off!!!

Sincerely,
Chardonnay

P.S. What's in my glass...

Finished this project, time to open a bottle of Chard! This is a new grab for me but since it was on sale for $10 at Kroger I thought I'd give it a try.



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