“A house without books is like a room without windows.” - Horace Mann

Book Party!

My dad is a writer. Aside from smoking cigars on the back deck with his laptop in front of him, he also has to throw his own book launch parties. With five thriller novels and one young adult series of six books, my family and I throw launch parties and book signings like no one's business. {Credit: my wonderful Mom is really the brains and the brawns behind all the operations! You rock, Mom.}

This last week, the week I moved back to Colorado for the month, my dad had a huge party at Barnes&Nobles to promote the release of his latest thriller, The 13th Tribe (Thomas Nelson Publishing.)

There was a four day notice and a $130 budget for my mom to get this party rocking. Of course, without asking, I jumped in on this opportunity to help her with the decorations and such. Don't you just love the colors of this cover? Party colors for sure! 

I jumped on Pinterest : my go-to for quick ideas and inspirations (gosh, I love Pinterest.) 

I found this PERFECT book party link to Amelie's House blog {go check it out!} I also found a couple more ideas through random pins on Pinterest. Check out my Partaay board here.

As you know, I am not just an observer... I get things done! A few late nights and a couple trips to  Party City, Costco, and Walmart and.... Let's Take A Look! 

{Photo credit: my mom took all the pictures while working and keeping the snacks stocked up, thanks mom!}

 My dad, Robert Liparulo, signing books. Look at all those books! Notice the colors of the balloons - perfect! 

 I took an old book and cut out the pages to make these little banners to spruce up the table.

 My mom, Jodi Liparulo, made wonderful wedding cake with frosting and blue sprinkles. We then made the little books to stick into the tops.

 The table: black table cloth with green napkins and blue stars, a jar for drawings of books, the wreath I pulled directly from that cute little blog {Amelie's House} and quickly made one with the old book of pages I cut up. Then  there were a few snack foods for everyone (no one needs to be getting cranky!) 

These are the books that were up for the drawings. We wrapped them in clear wrapping with white polka dots and sparkly ribbon and added the "bookworm" candy worms packages to each one. 

That's it! The 13th Tribe book launch party! What I enjoyed the most about this proccess (besides the colors and seeing hard work pay off on a budget) is that my family really knows how to come together and support one another. We supported my dad for his dedication and success of his book, we supoorted my mom for being the backbone to getting things done, and in the car, and set up at the event, and they supported my creativity and inputs about...well...everything. 

If you have time to check out my dad here is his information: 

Website: http://www.robertliparulo.com/thrillers/the-13th-tribe/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robert.liparulo

I know that this strays a little from my home decorating posts, but so what?! Creative design and decorating is creative design and decorating! And I do believe that there are many ways to put love into ANY kind of SPACE. The table space that my dad needed to 'launch' his party from blah to fabulous (as my Aunt Stacie would say) was much needed and I'd say kicked butt. So...again... no matter where your space is...I hope that this will help you with more ideas to LOVE IT! Love&Light friends. 

"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened." - Dr. Seuss

Moving!

Here it is... I am in the last two weeks of my life in Santa Fe, NM.     It's... bittersweet. Truly. I almost don't know what to think. 

I love it here. I love the different people. I love the heritage and history. I love the tourist-town vibe. I love the galleries. I love the turquoise (oh the turquoise.) I love the mountains. But I think what I love more is the love that grew here. In my faith. In myself. And in my relationship. 

This is my view - minus some decorations I took up to Colorado. (I took it with Pano on myiPhone)

I love this space. It's small, simple, and quiet. The birds are chirping, the sun is shining, we just finished the guy's t-shirts we printed to help our trip out. Blake's doing a workout and we both are talking about the next move we are about to make.

BITTERSWEET:

{bitter} 

I am loving my natural surroundings here (every season is different.) 

I love riding my bike throught the Plaza to get to work. 

I loved the 15 minute drive to work at the ski shop for the season (the trees along the winding road with white puffy snow clouds on them were breathtaking.) 

I love riding my bike around town with my boyfriend finding new deli's and bistros. 

I love when a storm is coming in and the sunset reflects the bright blues, purples, and oranges across the whole sky. 

I love the friendships I've found here. 

I love that this whole journey has opened my eyes and ears to the things going on around me, and also the inviting feeling to pick up and take my adventerous soul elsewhere...

{sweet}

I don't want to settle down here... I have other places to see and faces to meet. 

I get to be back home in Colorado for a few weeks hanging with my family and friends. 

The place I rent out is month to month and a very temporary set-up. 

I'm itching for change. 

I'm eager and excited to see the growth in all areas of my life because of the move. 

I have all the love and gratitude for this sweet town and I'll be leaving on a great note! 

Dream Big Ride Far:

I'll be posting up a blog about the next trip I'll be going starting around July -----> LOOK for it soon!

I designed and then we screen printed a bunch of these shirts (above)

 We have *****men's t's XL-S for $20***** and *****women's t's L-XS for $20*****, going towards the new journey fund. Please email me (under the about tab) if you're interested.

So, this is it! Two weeks left! I'm taking it all in and saying my goodbyes. I'm learning more and more ways to organize and put away all my belongings into boxes and bins. I'm looking forward to the lessons I'll be learning while having my household items put away for who knows how long. I'll have the time to catch up on a bunch of reading and finishing up my courses online for interior decorating. I also am looking forward to finding my own way to bring nature into my style for home decorating in the future. 

{Here's to the next few months, whether in an empty studio, my family's guest room, and then a bunch of hotels and my new home being in a tent along the Pacific Coast! I know that with the talent I have I will Love My Space, wherever it leads me.}

"As Americans, we have fought hard for the heritage of our beautiful and clean land." - Matt Liparulo

Loving your space backpack

It's hard, isn't it? It's hard for me to imagine it too. I live for decorating walls and organizing closet space, and matching colors, and making any space cozy. 

This blog, today, is dedicated to my bad a** brother, Matt.  He's determined and passionate. He's full of faith and laugher. He's my best friend of all friends. 

Here is the info on his newest project: 

Kickstarter (2 days left!)

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Blogspot

Matt's checklist on how to pack his home away from home into his new space:
Order to pack backpack: Start: bag must be empty, complete pre-made checklist of gear required before begin packing, lay out all gear, have a "spotter."
Begin: bottom large pocket; trash bags, YakTrax, Mechaniz gloves, toe shoes, 6" knife.
Next: main pocket(go in this order); Survival kit, eating utensils, body care, warm weather clothes(assuming its nice out), extra underwear and socks, sleep wear(if not rolled up in sleeping bag), change of clothes. Look! Room for things on "items missing list."
Next: top-inner pocket; for things you may have to whip out and not rummage through your bag, 50' parachord, radio, extra Swiss Army knife, other pair of headphone that didn't go in survival bag, USB charger, ankle band, light sticks.
Next: top-outer pocket or side pockets; book, journal, notepad, maps(iPhone), water bottles.

And a list of EVERYTHING that will be his home for the next few years:
List of items in survival kit: 3 compressed face and body towels, 2 tubes of chapstik, 1 needle kit, 1 bottle of mixed pills (vitamins, allergy, cold and cough, sleep aids, pain killers; label for pills inside bottle), 2 pairs of finger nail clippers, 2 tooth brushes, 1 bottle of biodegradable soap, 1 disposable razor, 1 rubber band, 1 sticky note pad, 1 bottle of gorilla glue, 1 back of matches, 1 orange crayon, 1 pen, 1 fine point Sharpie pen, 1 wallet (to use as $, card, ID holder; don't bring anything else in your wallet, bare minimal), 1 GU pack, 1 red 12hr SnapLight, 1 miniature survival kit (items include: twine, 3 fishing hooks and line, extra small ziplock bags, 3 safety pins, 1 paper clip, 1 square foot of foil (mirror, bowl, stove top), wire (traps), 1 surgical razor, 1 map reading compass, 1 whistle, 2 rolls of duck tape, "Survival Guide" booklet), 3 hand warmers, 1 philips head screw driver, 1 pen LED flashlight, 1, Buck knife w/ flashlight, 1 hat bill flashlight, 1 tent wall and sleeping bag repair kit, 1 bottle of Iodine pills (water filtration), 1 Swiss Army knife, 2 Emergency space blankets, 2 blocks of fire fuel, 1 waterproof bottle full of waterproof matches, 1 lighter with medical tape wrapped around it, 1 ziplock bag (full of gauze pads, bandaids, sanitizer wipes and ointment), 1 bottle of Neosporin, 1 pack of moleskin, 3 packs of EmergenC, a roll of extra ziplock bags, 4 2' cords of utility rope, the bags laid out above the REI bag is for organizing what is spread around.

List of items in backpack: 1 black trash bag, 1 white trash bag, 2 grocery bags, 1 Ebit foldable stove, 1 plastic bowl, 1 set of plastic ware, 1 pot, 3 sticks of SnapLight, 1 reflective ankle band (for walking by a road), 1 radio (with super bright LEDS, FM, AM, WeatherBand, USB plug for music, winder and solar panel to charge batteries), 50' of parachord, 1 pair Mechanix gloves, 1 pair YakTrax, 1 Swiss Army knife, 1 Gerber 6" knife, 1 bottle of sunscreen, 1 tube of deodorant, 2 pairs of earphones, 1 pack of organic meal bars, 1 map (or iPhone in my case), 1 USB battery charger, 1 small Bible, 1 small journal, 1 small draw pad (most pages ripped out to make it smaller).

Clothes (mine are not ideal, but I used them for a visual): 1 pair of REI pants, 1 pair of REI shorts, 1 swim suit, 1 pair of hiking shoes, 1 pair of sandals/toe shoes, 1 long sleeve shirt, 1 non-cotton t-shirt, 2 pairs of "workout" or "active" underwear, 1 warm-wind-waterproof jacket(not pictured), 1 pair of warm socks, 2 pairs of "active" sock, 1 warm head cover, 1 pair gloves, SLEEP WEAR; 1 pair underwear, 1 pair pajamas, 1 warm shirt, 1 pair socks (these items NEVER leave your sleeping bag!).

List of items missing in pictures: tent, sleeping bag/pad, hiking poles (optional), 1 week's worth of food, glasses/contacts case, solar charger for phone-camera-iphone(map), camera (lenses, memory cards, batteries), hat, bandana, water bottles.


I wish you all the Love&Light in the world on your new journey, brother! Thank you for sharing with us your new home...Just goes to show no matter where your journey takes you... you will always have the opportunity to Love Your Space.

"The great thing in the world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving." - Oliver Wendell Holmes

MOVING!

How exciting is moving to a different place? "Exciting" is the word I keep telling myself. Other words that come to mind are nervous, scared, homesick, and strange. I am thinking that is a pretty normal roller coaster of emotion to ride on while deciding on the move. I have moved around Colorado since before I graduated high school and I loved every second of every new adventure I went on.

 I moved to Santa Fe, NM in September and have the moving bug again! I am planning on another great adventure for the beginning of the summer of this year. I am getting more and more of the rollar coaster of great excitement and fear as I am planning my move.

This new adventure is requiring me to work more and spend time planning and prepping. So this is me saying my blogs might be further and farther in between. Please don't think that I am leaving this behind. If anything it will push me to start being more creative and thrifty. I am looking forward to getting a better perspective on other cultures and ways of living the more places I allow myself to venture to and reporting them all back on Love Your Space. 

My blog is focusing on my adventures and experiences and mixing them into my creativity and determination to put my opinions out into this beautiful world we live in. 

Thanks for your support and kindness on my journey. Happy 2012 everyone! Love&Light.