I took the day on Wednesday to get out of the house and go on a hike with my girlfriends. We left early in the morning, before the sun came up, and got home after the kids were in bed. We hiked up the side of a mountain where there were a series of hot springs and then spent hours hopping from one to another. There were several times that I started slipping into a feeling of guilt–who am I that I get a day off to just be an individual, with no responsibilities?–but Chris has been urging me to get out and do something for months now.  I’m not really a fun seeker and often times I feel like I find the most satisfaction in life checking things off my list. But Wednesday taught me, there is more inspiration–for inside my home and my mind–found in doing than looking at a computer screen. After a few weeks of feeling uninspired and in a rut, I feel energized and excited. Don’t get me wrong though, I’m still a homebody through and through. ;)

Other fun things this week!

How moody and beautiful is this “Dreams” piece by Jonathan Brooks? I’m trying to find the perfect place for it in my home before I order it–it would be just as beautiful in a nursery as the living room. (I added it and two other new favorites to my Minted Shop.)

Speaking of moody and beautiful, this nursery is so inspiring.

I love this accent wall Mandi did and am seriously thinking about incorporating something similar in our living room where our credenza used to be.

Did you catch Young House Love Has A Podcast this week? Episode 8 is all about sponsored posts in blogging. It was an excellent start to a conversation that has to be had without shame or awkwardness. I think it’s a great episode for readers and bloggers alike. I learned so much and found myself nodding my head the whole time I was mowing the lawn.

Slow clap for literally, LITERALLY, the cutest kitchen sponge holder I’ve ever seen.

We’re finishing our outdoor fireplace today and tomorrow–it’s coming along amazingly! We’re doing the project in partnership with Homes.com for their blog, so I’m not exactly sure when we’ll be able to share the afters here. If you want to watch the process and results in real time, follow along on snapchat at juliamarcum.

This faceted coffee table is ridiculous (good ridiculous) and looks way more expensive than $200. I’m wondering how it would do outside.

Lastly, 6 steps to survive Facebook during Election Season. (We’re Americans. We’re adults. We can do this.)