When I grow up I want to be a ballerina. Well, not really and since I’m already in what would be considered prime dancing years there is no chance I’ll be gracing the stage any time soon.

This weekend I had the chance to go with my mother-in-law to see the Bolshoi Ballet from Russia perform Don Quixote. She got tickets for her birthday and since no one else in the family likes the ballet, I was the lucky person who got to go with her.

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It was truly amazing to see the talent of these incredible dancers. Their strength, grace and flexibility had me captivated for the entire performance.  The leaps, spins and lifts into the air seemed effortless, but I know must have taken endless hours of training. You can see the muscle definition of each dancer as they fly across the stage. Being a ballerina is not for the weak. God only knows that I’d probably collapse on the stage in a sweaty heap if I attempted half of those things.

Sometimes I see things like this where people display their incredible talent and gifts and wish that I could do the same thing. What would it be like to move my body in that way, perform for a captivated audience, wear beautiful costumes and dance for a living? Or to be able to have an incredible voice that can move people’s souls as you sing on stage? Everyone has their own talents and gifts, but sometimes I’d like to trade for a day. In the meantime I just loving going to watch incredible performances where I’m inspired and can pretend I’m a part of that world for a little bit.

What is a talent you wish you had? What’s a job you wish you could have for a day and be the very best?

I really love shoes.  To the point that I’d rather shop for shoes and neglect all other pieces of my wardrobe.  Sadly due to my budget and the unfortunate fact that I have strangely narrow feet that result in expensive shoes; I have not bought many shoes in recent times.

But like with all good cravings and addictions, does that stop me from thinking about shoes I’d like to have? Nope.  I just look online and think about a day when I’ll be able to afford some of the shoes I just simply admire now.

What type of shoes?  Well, I used to be all high heels.  However, between going to a college with unreasonably steep hills,  dating my now husband who I prefer to be shorter than, and just being out of “high heel shape” my shoes are mostly flats now.  To the point that I completely wore my favorite flats to falling apart at the threads and am now on the search for some replacements.

I think these pairs would do just fine.

Lovely People ‘Lilly’ Flat

Steve Madden ‘Florale’ Flat

Frye ‘Emma’ Flat

Seychelles ‘Trip the Light’ T-Strap Sandal (I like yellow and taupe)

Seychelles ‘Veronica’ T-Strap Pump

What pair of shoes are on your wish list? Do you prefer heels or flats?

Based on my previous discussion about a neutral apartment, I thought maybe a good place to start would be some throw pillows for our brown leather couch and tan microfiber chair. Some pillows can add both style, color and create a more finished look.

I’ve been admiring the beautiful living room that belongs to Viv at Ish and Chi. Look how those throw pillows add some personality and style to a neutral color palette.

A quick search of my starred google reader items and favorite sellers on Etsy show that I must have had pillows on the brain because I’ve managed to accumulate quite a collection. Here are a few that I really love.

I just discoveredevie’s shop and her blog through Design Crush, who is currently offering a giveaway with this pillow.

Olive on Etsy has such charming pieces. This pillow is no exception.

Look at this L-O-V-E in sign language pillow by Twiddle+Tweet. I can picture this tossed on our bed or maybe in a little sitting chair.

Lush ruffles with a rich green would stand out on any couch. Found at V Squared

Maybe I’ll get ambitious and screenprint my own pillows with the Yudu?  In the meantime these pillows are definitely on my wishlist for the apartment.

Where do you find perfect pillows for your home?

We moved into our little 1 bedroom apartment 2 weeks before our wedding, which was kind of a stressful experience but that is a whole different post. At the time of move in we had a tan chair from a a consignment store, a kitchen table and coffee table built by Mark, a bed with no frame, 2 barstools and a corner desk. Literally, that was it. We immediately bought a couch and dresser and the rest was up to finding the right piece and fitting it into the budget.

Starting from scratch with a limited budget is a challenge. We slowly added bookcases, kitchen chairs, an ottoman, storage and those other random things you never thought about buying ahead of time. We are really lucky because we moved into a brand new apartment community that was designed beautifully and is aesthetically pleasing. However, now that we finally have filled in all those essential pieces it’s now time to move on to adding those personal touches and adding decor that fills the gaps. And let’s be honest, I’d love to go splurge at Pottery Barn or Z Gallery. But since that isn’t realistic it’s time to look for deal and put my creativity to a challenge. We were beyond blessed with generous gifts from our wedding so we have a fully stocked kitchen, new bedding and linens and some fun gadgets which really just leaves us needing to add some personality to the sparse walls of the apartment.

If I could describe the space the word I would use is “neutral.” Our furniture is a mixture of browns and tans with very little color so far. Maybe this is because Mark is slightly color blind and says his favorite color is “earth tones.” I’m embarrassed to type this, but there is literally not a thing on the walls and there are a few little candle holders and a lantern that keep the place from looking entirely blank. Basically, there is a lot of work to be done. I’m not sure where to go since there really is so much possibility.

How do you decide which direction to take? Which area/room do you start in? I just can’t decide!

The first post of a new blog. Kind of intimidating, but I’m excited to back from a little blogging hiatus and ready to expand my blogging beyond the world of weddings (although I can’t promise a few posts won’t surface here or there).

I see my posts as a coffee date over a blog. If you have ever spent time with me in real life, we have likely gone on a coffee date. Coffee dates are my way of spending quality time to catch up, laugh, listen and generally share all the little joys of life. In the same sense I hope that Blissful Musings will be all the reflections and recordings of all the little things that help me find joy, that I love, inspire me or just generally amuse. Hoping that through this blog we can have some casual conversations and maybe tempt you to drink some coffee or any beverage of choice along the way. As I write this I’m currently having a delicious pina colada slushy with boba from Lollicup.

A little to vague for your taste? Well more specifically here is what will probably fill the topics of many posts…

I have a slight obsession with craft gadgets and being able to create diy goodness (This includes but is not limited to cricut, yudu, cuttlebug, xyron). I’m attempting to become a good cook (read: attempting) and some of the best nights are spent cooking with my husband. My new focus is on baking/decorating as I got all sorts of fun little thing-a-majiggers for Christams I need to master. Learning to decorate our first home (a cozy apartment) on a budget is my latest challenge, along with some imaginative storage. My creativity comes out when I can plan an event and put my energy into the little details that make some unique. Psychology is my day job as I care about people and work to help them find hope in daily life. And oh yes, I really like shoes. They are the major threat to my spending self-control.

You may know me as Mrs. Duckling from Weddingbee or if you kept up with my wedding adventures through my wedding blog, My Wedding Report. If you found me through Weddingbee or MWR, then I’m so excited and thanks in advance. Don’t worry I promise my recaps will be coming soon. Hold me accountable people. If neither of those have ever been in your blog radar, feel free to go back and review and don’t be alarmed if I refer to Mark as Mr. Ducky in any of these posts.

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