Farewell Little Pink House

Well the time has come to sell our little pink house! 

I loved this precious little home. 

I love the sweet memories of Mitch and I remodeling, painting, landscaping, decorating, re- decorating and changing this home. I love that I spent my first pregnancy here and brought baby E home here. I love that is was humble and we put our hearts into making it our own! I love the long conversations with Mitch here about how no where feels like home except our home together anymore. I love that we built such a strong life together here. 

But by no means does this feel like our 'first home'. Mitch and I have spent a lifetime together. 

We are fortunate (and in some way unfortunate) enough to have walked a vast majority of life together. 

We started dating when I was 14 and Mitch was 15. Mitch and I fell madly in love so very very young. He told me he loved me and was so serious about his love for me. 

We broke up for 3 solid years while we both did some soul searching and ended up back together when I was 19 and he was 20. We moved in together a year later. Yup, you read that right we moved into a precious little 2 bedroom apartment together in Lubbock, Texas at 20 years old. I played house that whole year. I hung curtains, bought rugs, searched the Hobby Lobby clearance isle and turned that little space into a home for us. We cooked meals, hosted cook outs, played guitar hero, drank beer, and fell even more madly in love in that apartment. What a hard decision we made, to go against everything our families and society said about how to live your life. But we simply didn't care. We wanted to be together and we wanted it NOW. When you know you want to spend the rest of your life with someone you want it to begin immediately. So we threw caution to the wind and just lived! Without worrying about anyone else. Junior year of college rolled around and we wanted an upgrade, so we rented a 3 bedroom duplex in Lubbock. What a fun home that was! I bet I could have 30 friends write on this blog about the fun we had there. Mitch and I turned the garage into an entertaining center. We had full bar which probably had 50 signatures on the top by the time we moved out on it (Mitch found it in the ally and moved it in), we had carpet, music, beer pong table, games table, couches and anything else you can imagine. We spent so many fun nights singing at the top of our lungs in that garage. We had the most precious roommate, Brandon, who humored me alongside Mitch as I attempted to cook them meal after meal! We all were in business school and spent many nights studying (well I would study and they would mess around) at the kitchen table. After graduation Mitch and I spent a summer apart. Whoa, that was HARD! We had spent the previous summers road tripping, traveling to the beach and New York... and to all the sudden be apart... after being attached at the hip for years was really different for us. Well we didn't like it much so Mitch finally popped the question and I moved to Dallas to be with him! We lived with my parents for a short stint and decided to rent a cute little apartment at Austin Ranch in The Colony, Texas. What fun memories we had there. This is where we started our careers, where we dreamed big dreams for the future, where we committed our lives to live for the Lord and where we planned our wedding. It was such a whirlwind of a year with our long commutes and crazy schedules but we were so happy there. Before we tied the knot  I decided we needed something a tad bit fancier for our 'first married' home so we upgraded to a 3 storied condo at Austin Ranch. By this time life was in full swing and I didn't have time to decorate so our '1st married home' was the least decorated of all our homes! We had so much fun being newly weds in that condo while chasing down our career dreams! When we were finally ready to buy our '1st home' we searched long and hard and moved into our precious little pink home in North Dallas. This was another chapter in our beautiful love story. It was ours and we loved it. We finally had our own space to entertain and host house guests. We had Super Bowl parties, tons of cook outs, birthday parties and numerous out of town guests. We prayed, loved and had fun here. We fell even more madly in love in this house and turned a family of 2 into a family of 3. 

I thought I would be more emotional about moving out of this home but I feel like we finished a chapter there and that it's time to move on. 

The Lord reassures me that The best is yet to come! 

And honestly, a home is just a place to create memories!

Sure I am excited for our new home and all that entails but I am more excited about having a place big enough to have friends and family around to build more memories! A place to have more fun! And a place to fall even more madly in love (if that's even possible!) 

xx,

Lauren 

Photo Drop of our preshyyy little house!! 

Pieces collected from Granbury, Texas- Charleston, NC- Paris,
France- Rome, Italy- Gift from Iran- 

Mitch intalled the stair banister himself
Arrow from Santa Fe
Gun was Mitch's dads

Fashion Industry + Baby

Since becoming a new mom I've had wayyy less time to work. 

I love being mom and I love the fashion industry. 

Finding a balance is really tricky, I'm a very hands on kind of mom. I've had a really hard time letting go of some of the control and having other's help a sista out! But we are getting there!! 

So this past year has been different! 

I started my career in wholesale and I absolutely, positively LOVE wholesale and hope to go back to it at some point! I loved traveling and being an insider on what trends are to come... I loved working with major stores like Neiman's and even getting to present collections at their largest managers meeting (Conclave). I loved meeting with the designers and them valuing my opinion on their designs (gasp)! I love looking back at the time one of the most incredible designers  kissed my check and told me "We are having a moment" (I still hope she was referring to her collection and our sales as a team! LOL!) I love remembering the feeling of getting a small collection I repped into Neiman's and getting the biggest bear hug from the owner of the line. I love it all. Seriously, LOVE it. Other girls would dread market and I would always look forward to it (sure, it's completely exhausting and some of the clients were batsh*z (pardon my french) crazy and girls can be horribly catty). But  overall I love it, and I look forward to a time when I am back in a showroom. 

Until then I will enjoy the freelance side of things. Sherilynn and I still have our company Tres Chic and enjoy styling, personal shopping and wardrobing our set group of clients! Also, I have had some other really FUN opportunities this year! 

I worked on some model portfolios, casted models for an agency, styled and produced a fashion show solo and

worked on an incredible billboard shoot!

Here are some photo's below of the billboard shoot below: 

Baby E was on set with us :) 

For this shoot I got to work with world renowned photographer Wade Livingston. 

He is ca-razzzzzy good! It was an honor to work as the stylist for such a big name!! 

Check out his work here.

The theme for the shoot was "futuristic" and I had a blast putting together the looks. 

The hair and make-up turned out awesome as well! 

I can't wait to see the finished product in Los Angeles, Dallas and Miami! 

Another super awesome opportunity was working 

New York Fashion Week!!!

I have always dreamt of going to NYFW and never imagined I would be apart of the styling crew for a show for my very first time "in the tents"! 

I worked under the astounding stylist Shauna Mccann {check out her work here} at the Mark & Estel show- note I used to work in a showroom where we repped Mark & Estel- I LOVE their line and actually wore it to my baby shower and home from the hospital when I had baby E!! 

Here is a peek at my behind the scenes pic's! 

Mah gurl Eliot! Love her! 

How we watched the show from back stage 

The energy behind the scenes was crazy- there were reporters EVERYWHERE- the models were stunningly beautiful- the clothes were perfection and it was our responsibility to make sure every last detail was in place! We ironed, steamed, static cling sprayed, touched, re-touched, tied, taped, rolled and more. Shauna's styling was incredible and the show was a hit! Mark & Estel are musical artists as well and rocked out during their show!! 

Here are some 'borrowed' IG photos I found!

I've worked tons of local Dallas Fashion Shows in the past. 

I've worked for a plethora of producers and love the feeling of a good show. 

Honestly, it reminds me SO much of cheerleading- the adrenaline- the smell of hairspray- the performance aspect- the music- the lights- Love it all! 

Y'all can watch the full show here! 

I am thankful to have a place to record so many work memories! I hope to look back at these small milestones in a bigger picture! 

xx, 

Laur

Salt

Every morning (and somedays evening...) as I get my day started (or finished)  I have a quiet(ish)

{sometimes loud} time where I seek the Lord's word. 

First, I check my e-mail to see what is the scripture of the day from K-Love, a radio station I used to listen to in Midland. 

Then, I read my Proverbs 31 e-mail. 

Next, I open my Bible App and read the scripture there- some days the full chapter- some days just the verse. 

Last, I open up my ibooks App and read my daily "Jesus Calling" devotional. 

I try to ask God, what is it that You have for me today? 

I can sometimes feel a TUG in my heart as I read one of these. 

Today was a tug day. 

The first scripture I read was (from K-Love):

You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it's lost it's flavor?

Matthew 5:13
{You are the light of the world, a city set on a hill cannot be hid. Matthew 5:14}

Then, I read (The daily Bible App scripture):

Be wise in the way you act towards outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. 

Colossians 4: 5-6

Scriptures I've heard a thousand times but today I needed to know more about "salt" and it's purpose biblically. 

I learned that SALT is unique and is the only mineral we ingest and that it is a necessity of life. 

Every cell in our body is is bathed with salt solution. 

Salt in the biblical days was extremely valuable- as valuable as gold! 

I learned that salt preserves corruption. 

Salt represents endurace and purity.
So to loose one's saltiness would be to be unsuccessful as a disciple- to be in the world- corrupted as opposed to being in the Gospel and pure of heart. {This is a warning to be on guard- to be in the world but not OF the world.}
To be seasoned with salt would mean to be at peace with one another. The salt refers to the goodwill of positive relationships between people. 

Salt is representative of God's discipleship - God's purpose fulfilled through us.
I asked one of our BFF's and pastor John about salt and he sent over a sermon he wrote about it.
Another very interesting point about Salt is that it makes you thirsty.
So if we are the salt of the earth, are we making people around us thirsty for God?
'Are we making ourselves thirsty for God?'
As Christ followers we should create a hunger and a thirst for Christ in others as well as ourselves.
Another awesome point John made is about salt being a preservative.
"No matter what the enemy tries to do to hurt, corrupt or harm God’s people… HE CANNOT SURVIVE A SALTY ENVIRONMENT…"
Who knew salt was so important???

All this time I've been avoiding salt so I won't be bloated!!!
JK!
Lord, I pray that You season me with salt and that I will never loose my flavor.
Thank you Lord for teaching me more about your word!
This is just the little bit I have learned, and I am so interested to learn more!
Here's to lifetime of listening to the Lord reveal more about His word to us!
xx,
Lauren

Casa de Stack: Vision Board

So we are finally to the fun part- the design aspect of home building!!

I was made for this!

I have a pretty clear vision of what I like, but now I have to see what is offered (and what is in budget!!!!!)  and make decisions from there. 

My current home is 100% cool tones. I love love love cool tones. 

I would say my house is 50 shades of grey but I never read that book and have no clue if that is a good or a bad thing! Lol! 

So here is a peek into my design mind. 

I like things that are unique- one of a kind. 

I have a weird aversion to anything mass produced. 

I like industrial yet elegant. 

Everywhere Mitch and I have travelled we have collected a piece for our home. 

So our home tells the story of our marriage and our life together. 

For example, we have a huge map from Hawaii- it's from Pearl Harbor- my grandfather was based in Hawaii after the Japanese attacked the US so it's very personal to us and our story.

Then we have pieces from the Guggenheim in New York, a carved wooden Bear from Ruidoso, gorgeous vintage pieces from Paris, France + Rome Italy, an arrow from Santa Fe, a picture of The Santa Rita No.1 (an oil rig where my dad took his class picture from UT), colorful dishes from Mexico,   and so on. 

We also love anything vintage (like my cool orange couches upstairs). 

To say my home is cohesive would be a lie, but it is very eclectic and very personal to the people that live in it. 

Nothing matches and I like that. 

Here are a few ideas (without giving everything away) on my inspiration board for our new home!!!

This is the overall feel I am shooting for!
My home colors will be grey (duh), navy and green!
I love linen, leather, tufting, studs and cool shapes (note the light fixture). 

This is the color scheme in my current home and I love it so I think we will keep the same colors! 

These are super similar to the floor I had installed into our current home.
I loved them but they did make my home look small- I am contemplating going a little lighter to open the room up!
But will stick to the same width and hand scraped! 

I installed black and white floor upstairs at our current home and would LOVE to incorporate it again in our new home!
So classic, elegant and timeless! 

We have very similar chairs in our kitchen and I love the look of this farm house table!
(Actually I love the look of just about anything 'farmhouse')

Subway tile, subway tile, subway tile.... everywhere!
& white cabinets! 

We're on the hunt for a china cabinet and I LOVE interesting curtains! They add such a great dimension to any room! 

I love interesting/ personal art.
Anything that speaks PERSONALLY to you!
This is so neat, it's a page blow up from a book!
What a great idea! 

If any of you interior design guru's have suggestions please send them our way!!!
We can use all the expertise we can get!
I remember one of my very first boss's James Van Stavern (and master interior designer) telling me, "There is more than 1 way to skin a cat" and that is what I am sticking to! There is NO right way! Design (as well as fashion) is all subjective!
Hope you enjoyed a peek into our vision board for our new home!

{All pictures stolen from Pintrest!} 

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