Create Your Own Tour with dio Places

Yesterday, I was introduced to dio by one my favorite bloggers, Heather, of Dollar Store Crafts.  I had never heard of the new social sharing site before, but I quickly became a fan.  I absolutely loved the interactivity afforded through the virtual experience as I shopped the dollar store and saw the items through the crafter's eyes.  I then explored San Francisco's Chinatown, toured Beth's house and found other places dedicated to design.  So cool!

I am a teacher by day and a DIY-er by night, so this type of tool appeals to both of my passions.  (It is perfect for creating a virtual Open House tour for my classroom or my home.)  Dio is like an interactive storyboard in which you can post pictures, add videos, include text, and link to specific blog posts or other resources.  I had to try it out!

I started my tour with my kitchen, my most recent project, and highlighted the before and after shots of the backsplash, the faucet, and various photos of the breakfast table (since here, pretty much everything revolves around food:).  From the kitchen, I added the backyard...my other favorite space.

In this 'room', I included pictures from the pier and a few shots of my flowers. There is so much more I would like to do in the backyard, so I like the fact that I can keep adding to my dio tour. As I complete new projects, find design inspiration, or renovate a new space, I can include them in my visual story.  With dio house tours there doesn't have to be a 'The End'; like my story, it is okay to have a "To be Continued'.

Check dio out and design your own space.  I look forward to seeing what you create! 

#HouseGawking: My Favorite Vacation Home in My Favorite Destination Spot

My favorite vacation home came back on the market.  After a year since I first saw it, my breath was suspended as I spied it again on Realtor.com as I was shopping for new rent houses.  It is located in one of my favorite destination spots...Fairhope, AL.  Mike and I found Fairhope some years ago as we were waiting for one of the baby's football games to start in Mobile.  We wandered down the coast and discovered a quiet little town on quite by mistake.  When we saw the restaurant accessible only after a long walk down a pier, I knew it was the town for me.  Now, every time we head to the coast, Mike indulges me with an afternoon of shopping in Fairhope.
I can never seem to search for real estate without also perusing the homes for sale in my favorite city by the bay. This raised beach home isn't so much about the house itself though I love it,

with its native landscaping

and screened in porch,

but it is the whole feeling of the place

from the color choices

to the selection of artwork,

I love it all!

When you throw in the guest cottage

which is connected to the main house and the bay access,

all I can think is, "yes, please!"

#HouseGawking: Lake House Love

One of my favorite things to do with Mike is to go #HouseGawking.  When it is my turn to pick for a weekend date, I choose driving through neighborhoods and looking at homes over pretty much anything else.  It truly is pure delight for me!  It is fun to see what's new in design and which classic features stand the test of time.  We discovered this newly constructed home with a traditional low-country charm when we were out jet-skiing:

 For me, it is lake house love!!!