The motivation behind my decision to change life (my closet) as I know it is that I hope someday in the not too distant future I will be forced to share my closet with a member of the opposite sex. This member of the opposite sex happens to be my wonderful boyfriend however I still stand by using the word ‘forced’. I would prefer he move in and use the perfectly fine closet in the guest bedroom. Apparently it doesn’t work that way and you are supposed to share everything, including the master closet. This of course was news to me as I grew up as an only child and never had to share anything.

The predicament I was in was that I designed my master closet when I renovated my condo. The design carefully took into consideration the exact number of shoes and Louis Vuitton bags I owned plus those I intended to purchase in the foreseeable future. Also carefully crafted into the plan was hanging space for my collection of dresses and plenty of room for my sweaters and t-shirts. No shelves to spare for my jeans and sweatshirts either. What I did not include in the design was sharing all the space 50/50 with someone ELSE. The first lesson I learned was that 50/50 was never going to happen, so I set the bar high and my goal was 70/30. Relationships after all are about compromise right?

Below is how I got from before to after and what I am claiming to be 70/30 real estate.

I did my best to compartmentalize my life (my closet) because let’s face it – there are days that I need to channel my inner rock star and this requires knowing right where my blinged out jeans and skull t-shirts are. For those of you who don’t know me that well… this is not a joke. Yes I own multiple pairs of jeans with ‘bling’ on the butt and more than one t-shirt with skulls on it (perhaps even one with skulls and bling, whoa).

In another compartment went all my work stuff. This was because not every day do I want to be dressing like an IT Auditor. Ok to be honest, I hope I never actually dress like an IT Auditor and if I do please stop me. You get the point though – there needs to be a compartment for black express pants and cardigans (slight gag). Joining the real world was an awakening and I too had to break and add the dreaded cardigan to my wardrobe. I realize it is perfectly normal (and looks great) to wear cardigans while not at work, but that is just not me. My non work sweaters have a bit more spunk to them than three quarter sleeves and six identical buttons.

Here are the sanity check questions I asked myself for every piece of clothing:

·         When was the last time I wore this? If it didn’t make it in the wardrobe rotation this time last season, good-bye (tear)!

        Is it from a store I still shop at? This was a tough question, but I forced myself to seriously consider items from stores I no longer shop at (American Eagle, A&F, etc). They only made the cut if they were super cute and timeless (which most items did not fit this description and were super trendy… goodbye!).

        Does it still fit? This was also a tough question, every item in my closet still ‘fit’ but as I’ve gotten older (and I can’t believe I’m saying this) I like my pants a little higher, a little looser and my shirts a little longer. Those items that didn’t fall into those fits were gonners, goodbye!

Would I buy it again? These items were definite keeps, I have this black puffy North Face vest that I’m in love with. I bought it years ago and would buy it again every season if it wore out. No one could convince me to part with it.

Yes, No, Maybe-SO? The Yes pile obviously went back into the closet. I didn't feel like a reasonable decision maker about the Maybe-SO pile so I've set it aside for a second opinion.

 The no pile- the out of style, slightly worn, I can’t believe I own this items went into a pile for Goodwill. The other items were split up between the following:

Poshmark: This is an amazing site (and App) that allows you to create a ‘closet’ to sell your gently used items. The App  makes it super simple to post pictures and prices and even shop in other people’s closets. There is a flat shipping fee the buyer pays and you print a shipping label straight from your email and send the package. Poshmark handles the transaction piece to it and you pay a 20% cut for the service.

https://poshmark.com/

thredUP: This site (and App) is awesome because you don’t have to wait for your items to sell. You order a Clean Out bag, fill it up with clothes, send it back to thredUP  with free shipping and they give you $$ for items they want to purchase. They then in turn sell the items on their site so you can get great deals on other people’s stuff too. You get up to 40% of the resale value in cash.

http://www.thredup.com/

And because there was no way I was going to get rid of 30% of the stuff I owned (and still liked but rarely even wear)…. I took one for the team and put stuff in the guest bedroom closet!

Sincerely,

Chardonnay

What’s in my glass…

Why Chardonnay? Because no woman should ever attempt to clean out her closet without a glass, or two of wine! I uncorked my first bottle of Chardonnay from Moldova tonight and it was amazing. This bottle is definitely up there near the top of my $20 and under list. I picked up this Chateau Vartely on one of my ‘grab a bunch of bottles with anything labeled Chardonnay under $20’ trips to Corks and Kegs. Now if only I had a cheese plate to go with it…

A Heartfelt Thanks

I have participated in numerous walks and 10ks for a variety of causes. I have donated and contributed to a list of charities and organizations. This time though, it was different. I was not walking just for a cause, I was walking for me. I was walking for my family who has directly experienced the pain and loss this disease inflicts. I personally know the roller coaster of emotions that comes with a PKD diagnosis - the extremes of fear and hope itself. This time it was different - it was about as real as it gets. 

To each of you who have joined me on this journey through reading my blog, thoughts, prayers and donations, thank you. I have said thanks many times over for contributions for other things, but this time it is different. Thank you this time comes from the bottom of my heart. My story began with a man who lost his battle to PKD years before we would have even met. It is through opportunities like this to raise money for the PKD Foundation, that I am giving myself a chance to write the rest of my story, and my children's stories. 

To the people who stood by me and walked with me, my thank you is simple, I love you.

Sincerely,

Chardonnay

What's in my glass...

An emotional glass of delicious Chardonnay, Mars & Venus. A yummy cheap bottle I picked up the other day from Corks and Kegs. Cheers!

Fix #2

STITCH FIX

For those of you who missed my first social media blast about my latest addiction, you haven't completely missed out-- this blog post is just for you. I would be a bad friend, daughter, facebook friend and blogger if I did not share this with you. All you need to know is two words: Stitch Fix.

Soo what is the hype all about? What is Stitch Fix? Stitch Fix is a personal styling service where you can tell them what styles you like and what your budget is. They then package up a present of 5 items and send it to your door. The items are hand picked for you and you keep what you like and send back what  you don't.

 To sum it up, let's call it ballin' on a budget. It is a way that us ordinary people, for just one moment, can feel rich, famous and fabulous. It's having a personal stylist on speed dial (not quite, but pretty close). I'm going to show you the clothes first, let the excitement build, and then show you how it works :)

Below are the contents of Fix #2, and yes-- I kept them all!

Two adorable sweaters, just in time for fall....

• The striped one is a unique burnout "cheese cloth" type of fabric, perfect for the warm fall weather we have in Virgina-- I absolutely loved it right out of the box, and even more once I put it on. Can't wait to pair it with a pair of black skinnies and boots.
• The other is a preppy elbow patch look-- preppy not usually in my wardrobe but I think I can add a "rockstar" flair to this with some blinged jeans so I kept it.

A polka dot chambray button down and a gray pair of skinnies...

• Again, not usually for the preppy look but I kept the chambray shirt because I WANT this to be my style.
• When I schedule my fix, I asked for a pair of grey skinnies- you ask and you shall receive.

A dark green riding blazer lined with polka dot silk 

• I also had requested a blazer in this Fix, when I first pulled it out I was a little disappointed-- the picture doesn't do it justice. I absolutely loved this once I tried it on and can't wait to wear it with leggings and boots. 

One of the best parts-- a style card comes with each item telling you how to wear the outfit and a picture of how to "dress it up" or "dress it down"... can they make it any easier?

Alright so here is what you need to know-- the "how it works"...

1. Sign up and complete a style profile (styles you love, styles you hate, colors you won't wear, how you like your clothes to fit, do you have pierced ears, what you want to start incorporating into your wardrobe, and how much you spend on various pieces of clothing, you can also link your style profile to a Pinterest board-- in my first Fix I received a bracelet I had totally pinned on Pinterest, whoa)
2. Pick a date (select when you want your first Fix to come, they send you a box filled with 5 items, the styling fee is $20, if you keep anything the styling fee gets applied as credit to whatever you buy)
3. Package arrives (warning-- you might fee like a kid on Christmas morning, you try everything on and decide what you want to keep and what you don't, *I have not sent an item back to date, shipping and return shipping is all free)
4. Finalize your Fix (login to your account and finalize what you are keeping, if you keep all 5 items you get 25% off, make notes in your style profile for the things they sent that you loved and what you didn't and why)
5. Schedule your next Fix

Another amazing thing they do is give you $25 in referral credit for every friend that signs up, I encourage you to do it and tell your friends!

Stitch Fix - Sign Up!

Check out all of these other reviews where people share what they got in their Fixs-- you know its good when all these people (including myself) are sharing the good news, without being compensated in any way by Stitch Fix.

Stitch Fix Reviews

Sincerely,

Chardonnay

What's in my glass...

Tonight's glass is a classic under $10 bottle- Excelsior Chardonnay from South Africa. My favorite thing about this glass is that it was poured at a lovely chilled 54 degrees thanks to my new wine fridge, ohh the little things in life. 

twenty five

I spent my early twenties celebrating my birthdays in typical bar star fashion. My 21st birthday was a trip Vegas with two of my very best friends. It felt like a right of passage and I spent the birthdays to follow celebrating in similar style. I've now officially crossed into my mid twenties and the shots of tequila are fewer and far between. In fact it near makes me cringe thinking about the days where I would refuse to take them with salt and lime-- and would force the people with me to also partake in putting their big girl panties on and throwing back straight shots of the awful stuff. I spent my early twenties feeling a tad hard core and frequently channeled my inner "rock star".

I like to think as I enter my mid twenties I'm still a bit hard core, just hard core in an entirely different way. At 25, I've spent years being driven. I made it through college, grad school, a CPA certification and landed a great "big girl job". At 25, I've owned my independence. Last year I purchased my first home, 12 hours away from "home". At 25, I'd now like to set the cruise control and bask in life a bit. It's time to focus a little less on "achieving" and "doing" and focus a little more on just "being".

Below is a perfect example of what 25 looks like. My birthday dinner this year consisted of staying home and cooking; pineapple turkey burgers with pepperjack cheese, homemade mac & cheese, easy bruschetta from my Brilliant Eats Kidney Cookbook and a pear cider to top it all off.

25 feels like a milestone -- possibly the bridge between young immature early twenties and real adulthood. 25 feels tiring -- reflecting on 25 years of life; man I've done, felt and seen a lot. I've traveled to amazing places around the world, I've made amazing lifelong friends, I've loved, I've lost, I have hurt and been hurt. 25 feels satisfying -- I've made it this far, great memories, a few regrets and baggage in tow, and I'm ready for the road ahead.

Cheers to 25 years!

Sincerely,
Chardonnay

What's in my glass...

Stepping away from the wine for a glass of Blue Bee Apple Cider. Now this isn't really me being adventurous-- it definitely tastes more like a sparkling glass of wine. Blue Bee Cider is Virginia's first 'urban cidery' and is located in the heart of downtown Richmond's Old Manchester District. This new Richmond business was featured in the Richmond magazine several months back and after hosting a work event here, I am totally hooked. This particular cider is 'Argon 1904', check out the link if you want a glass too --> Blue Bee Cider. Cheers!

(Heart)Breaking News: FDA Responds to Tolvaptan New Drug Application

Waiting for me in my inbox the other night was this email from the PKD Foundation...

It's hard for me to put into words at the moment how I felt reading this email. For tonight I'll keep it short and sweet. To put it simply, I'm reminded of the Addison Road song- Hope Now.

"Everything rides on hope now
Everything rides on faith somehow"

Everything. Rides. On. Hope. Now.

This is by no means the FDA’s final decision on drugs for PKD. For now, this is just part of the process, not the end.  I find peace tonight in knowing that of the 157 written testimonies that they read and considered, one of those was mine. I may have a disease that will be a burden and a struggle and a fight, but I am sure going to make it count.

Sincerely,

Chardonnay

What’s in my glass…

An interesting twist on your typical white wine, a bit sassy ;). A delicious, light and sweet white I picked up at a liquor store the other day in good ole Bowling Green, KY. 

Why I Walk

Since I learned I had PKD I’ve been an avid follower of the PKD Foundation. I saw in a recent newsletter that they host a Walk for PKD in more than 50 cities across the nation. As I kept reading, one sentence of the email stood out to me “you can help put a treatment within reach”. The Walk for PKD has raised over $20 million since 2000 to help take steps toward a future without PKD. I immediately knew this was something I wanted to be involved in and saved the date for the New York City Walk for PKD on October 26, 2013.

The most important question is why am I doing this walk? I am walking in loving memory of my Grandfather, in support of my Mother and Uncle, as a piece of my journey for me and for hope for my unborn children who many someday have this disease. The second most important question is how do I get involved? You can get involved by joining my team ‘Faith, Hope, Love’. Involvement comes in many forms whether it’s through prayer, donations or steps. I am so honored that some of the closest people to me in my life will be walking with me and can’t wait for October. You can “walk” with me too, here is my team page:

http://walkforpkd.kintera.org/newyorkcity/faithhopelove

Team: Faith, Hope, Love

I took a page from the Bible as inspiration for my team name. One of my favorite verses of all time is 1 Corinthians 13:13 “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” I have found this verse applicable at many times in my life for many things. Today this verse sums up my PKD journey in three short words.

(Faith) trusting in Him.

This diagnosis has been the greatest test of faith of my life. I have faith and I am believing for healing and for slow progression of this disease. I have the God can move mountains kind of faith He spoke about in Mark 11:23-24 “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

(Hope) never give up.

There is no current cure or miracle drug for PKD but I want to see one in my lifetime. I want to have children some day in the future and I cannot fathom bringing children into this world and passing this disease along to them without hope. Hope is not an option or a coping mechanism of some sort; it is how I choose to live.

(Love) the greatest of these.

Words cannot explain the feeling of overwhelming support I have received from everyone since I went “public” with this diagnosis. I have no shortage of wonderful people in my life who love me and I am so grateful for all of their support. 1 Corinthians 13:13 acknowledges that the greatest of these three is love and I couldn’t agree more. Without love there would be nothing to fight for, I would lose hope and my faith would be shaken. 

Sincerely,

Chardonnay

What’s in my glass…

An emotional glass of Chardonnay tonight as I once again tried to put into words my feelings about this disease.

A delicious glass from my favorite Californian vineyard-- Koehler. This bottle marks the last of the case I bought when David and I went out there and visited this vineyard a year ago.

My "blogspot"

Recently pinterest inspiration got the best of me and I decided to actually attempt a project I had pinned. The real inspiration was my blog, as all good things lately have been. I previously have spent nights blogging from the comforts of my couch but wanted a place all its own to call my “blogspot”. Since I moved into my condo over a year ago, my sunroom has served no purpose other than being a home for my treadmill. The space seemed like such a waste with nothing in it and the notion to create a mini office was birthed. With a self re-purposed old desk and 10 large windows, my sunroom is now the home of my creative nest. Below is my how to (and how not to) re-purpose an old desk and like any good DIY project my advice is to enlist the help of others. I could not have done this project without the inspiring pin, kind people on craigslist willing to deliver, the woman at Home Depot to help me with paint, David to help sand and paint and David’s bother to help move the final project. 

Step 1: Scour craiglist for a desk

I spent several nights searching nearly all the Richmond furniture craiglist postings before I came across this little gem. It was a pinewood desk someone had given up on before finishing. Lucky for me they had already sanded the entire thing, score! Rule #1 is to never pay full price for anything on craigslist, I got the desk for a meer $40 and was well on my way. 

Step 2: Base coat

I decided on a deep brown for a base coat, that way when I sanded through the top coat later on, a nice rich brown would be exposed. We painted 2 coats of this outside on a 100 degree Virginian summer day—I won’t even go into how much fun that was. 

Step 3: Color

My living room color pallet is super basic and all neutrals (black, brown, cream, tan). Since my sunroom is connected to my living room I thought adding a splash of color would be a nice touch. I settled on a greenish teal color that I loved. David was zero help in this decision; he proceeded to tell me at Home Depot that all of the 20 possible shades of teal looked “good”.

Step 4: Distress def: To cause strain, anxiety, or suffering to. See Synonyms at trouble; (of furniture) purposely blemished or marred so as to give an antique appearance.

Ironically both definitions of “distress” were very fitting for the next part of this project. I wanted to create something shabby chic and thought distressing the desk would be a perfect touch. According to the wonderful tutorial it would simply require a bit of sanding and some elbow grease and steel wool. After more stress than distress I wasn't quite sure I liked the result. In order to “save” the project I ended up mixing water into the basecoat brown color and used just the tip of the brush to put some brown strokes onto the teal paint. The combination of sanded edges, steel wool spots and the brown paint ended up being the winning look. As I always tell David when we do any project “imperfection adds character” and that is very fitting here.

Step 5: Ta-da!

Here is my finished creative nest and blogspot. I’m currently sitting here enjoying a glass of Chardonnay and curled up in this amazing quilt my Aunt Vicki just sent me.

Lessons learned:

·         Stubborn me did not believe that a quart of paint would cover 2 coats on the desk so I bought a gallon. Needless to say, a quart probably would have covered 4 coats.

·         Handles/knobs- you can usually count on hobby lobby having items on sale 50% off every other week. I found some amazing knobs at hobby lobby that weren't on sale, I waited a week to go back and sure enough they were 50% off. I picked up the knobs for my desk for around $2.50 each. I consider this quite the steal when Anthropologie sells similar ones for $10.

·         Less is more- some of the spots where I sanded and used steel wool just flaked off instead of looking distressed. I think this is because I put two coats each of the basecoat and teal. If I were to do this again I would try one of each.

·         Latex is sticky- a quick spray of clear laquer as a final touch will help prevent everything sticking to the finished piece.

·         Everything on pinterest is harder than it seems- this is a lesson I’ve learned multiple times, my vision for this desk taking a Saturday afternoon turned into a two week project.

Give credit where credit is due: Morgan Kervin’s blog for the original pin http://www.morgankervinblog.com/2011/03/day-with-amy-distressing-furniture.html

Sincerely,
Chardonnay

What’s in my glass…

Church Creek Chardonnay from Chatham Vineyards—this is a wonderful vineyard nestled on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. David’s parents have a house near here and have gotten me hooked on this wine. They also have a Chardonnay that is entirely aged in stainless steel, equally as delicious.