T E N Years of Blogging

Hello! 

How are you, my long lost blogging community? We haven't talked in ages! To be honest, it has been almost close to a year since my last post. What?! This little corner of the internet was once my spot to share home projects both big and small, furniture makeovers, recipes, family updates and more. 

September 27 marked TEN YEARS since I first started blogging here at Sohl Design. A whole decade! I'm not sure how that's true. I couldn't let this anniversary pass by without even a mention. As well as a huge THANK YOU to my friends, family, and followers, near and far, who read my words, left kind comments and cheered me on over the years. It meant the world me to know that you cared enough to support me.

It's bittersweet to say that I probably won't be continuing to blog, at least not regularly or any time soon. Taking care of my family is my main priority and I love my role as a wife and mother. I'm also running my design business, Sohl Design, which is fun and challenging and fulfilling as well. I will be maintaining my website www.sohldesign.com so you may visit me there and contact me if you have a project or if you'd just like to say hello, please do!

When I started blogging in 2009, I was working full time at my corporate job as a packaging and graphic designer. Blogs were "the thing" back then, more so than social media, and I used to read, follow and bookmark inspiration before Pinterest was even a thing! Ha! My, how things have changed. I still follow a few favorite blogs, but Instagram and Facebook have changed so much and replaced the platform that blogs once were. I'm amazed that I have published over 600 posts. How is that even possible?! Clearly I had a LOT more free time before becoming a parent!

Working on projects at home on nights and weekends were my creative outlet. I dreamed of one day being a freelance designer, running my own business, with the flexibility of working from home, making my own hours and selecting projects. It's amazing to say that I'm living that dream! When I left my full time job to start a family I also hoped to one day be able to design from home and create a business that would help support my family, and still be able to do what I love. I'll be the first to say that it's no easy task running a business from home, with two rambunctious little boys are running around and knocking on my office door! But, the flexibility and freedom and ability to choose how much or how little I want to work is so wonderful for me right now, because I know my kids won't be little for very long! And I'm getting to see and experience every bit of it, which is such a gift.

Thank you, to those who have read my blog and encouraged me along the way! And thank you, friends and clients, for your trust in me to design your projects and for referring me to others. I work with such wonderful clients and I'm so very thankful for every one of you! It has been a blessing sharing bits and pieces of my life with you, keeping in touch, and meeting many amazing bloggers in this online community. I pray for God's very best for each of you and that we will meet again and keep in touch in other ways! 

Hugs,
Sarah

4 Year Blog Anniversary Giveawy!

****Giveaway now closed****

Friday marked my 4 year anniversary of blogging at Sohl Design! I intended to celebrate the occasion on the actual day, but home projects, work and life in general have caused my blogging to take a backseat lately. THANK YOU, to my faithful readers for checking in and still being fans! I appreciate you so very much.

To celebrate, and say thank you, I'm giving away 1 pair of light pink rosebud earrings AND 1 red floral paisley zipper wristlet! Made by me (of course).

Both goodies will go to one lucky winner!

TO ENTER: leave a comment on this post, telling me your favorite Sohl Design project, recipe, or post you've ever read here. (Please be patient with the CAPTCHA, I haven't found a better way to keep spam out)

PRIZE: 1 par of rosebud earrings and 1 zipper wrislet

GIVEAWAY CLOSES: Midnight, Friday, October 4, 2013

PRIZE SHIPS: USA only

DETAILS: One comment per person, please. Winner will be selected using random.org and announced on Saturday, October 5, 2013

Thanks for entering! Good luck! 

Stony Brook State Park

This year, our 8th wedding anniversary day trip took us to Stony Brook State Park. Located in Dansville, NY, this park is a great spot for nature walks, swimming, picnics or camping (if that's your thing). We spent a gorgeous Saturday afternoon hiking the (rather steep) forest trail, up above the gorge. 

 

We were surrounded by tall trees and peaceful nature. Such a welcomed change of scenery. 

I couldn't wait to walk along/in the gorge. I remember camping at Stony Brook with my church youth group when I was about 11. There were sections of rock carved out and smoothed by the water that you could slide down like a water slide. There's even a large "pool" at the start where you can swim.

Each section has a waterfall (I think there are 4).

Just beautiful. 

I love our little "adventures" together. I think it only cost $7 to park for the day. There were a TON of people, kids, families and dogs - all trying to cool off and enjoy the summer weather.

Definitely a great place to get away from the hustle and bustle and breathe in God's beautiful creation. Especially with the one you love.

I Said Yes...8 Years Ago

Eight years ago, on February 11, 2005, Andrew asked me to marry him (and I said yes!). It was our six month anniversary of "officially" dating. A little soon, some might say! When you know, you know. We had plans to have dinner at Mario's, a special Italian restaurant. I knew Andrew was having lunch with my Dad that afternoon (to ask for his blessing), but I wasn't sure if he was actually going to propose that night. I also didn't know that the reason he was late picking me up for dinner, was because he was at the jeweler's having my engagement ring finished. Talk about a whirlwind day!

We are so happy (and young) in this photo, taken that evening, after Andrew popped the question. I was SO excited and couldn't wait to start planning our wedding - which took place 5 months later! Everything just fell into place. Andrew and I both knew we had found "the one" and wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. Which sounds a little crazy, considering we had only met less than a year and a half prior. I've never been so sure in my heart that I was supposed to do something - marry the handsome soccer player with amazing blue eyes, from Pennsylvania, that won my heart. He is an amazing man and has loved me everyday since, in a way only God could have designed. We have had our ups and downs and bumps along the road, like any couple, but all of the "wonderful" certainly overrules. We often wonder how we could be so blessed. 

I'm so grateful to walk this road of life with him by my side. I would say "yes" all over again.

Three Years of Blogging

I'm taking a brief pause in this suddenly very crazy week, to celebrate three years of blogging, here at Sohl Design. I am surprised, amazed and proud that I've kept it up and that I enjoy it so much. What started out as a way to share my first furniture makeover, has turned into something more - a creative outlet, a way to share my projects, my thoughts and an on-line scrapbook. 

I would like to say thank you, to those of you who so kindly check out Sohl Design from time to time. And for commenting here, on Facebook or telling me in person that you enjoyed something I posted. Your support and encouragement means more than you know! 

I don't know exactly where the road ahead will lead me, but I plan on continuing to share it here. I hope that you'll continue checking in. 

Much love,
Sarah
A.K.A. "Sohl"

7th Anniversary Weekend Recap

I'm finding it hard to believe that today is the LAST day of July. That means there's ONE month of summer left people! I literally feel like I blinked, and it was the 4th of July, and now we're entering August. How is that possible? Dear Time, please slow down. Thank you. 

Before August is in full swing, I want to catch up a little bit, and share our 7th anniversary weekend. Forget summer flying by, how is it possible that we've been MARRIED for SEVEN years? Andrew and I took a couple days off from work to celebrate our wedded "bliss". He planned some day-trip destinations and outdoor adventures for our stay-cation.

Starting with brunch at one of our favorite spots, Simply Crepes, in Canandaigua.

Then we drove to Canandaigua Lake to enjoy the beach. 

Later on, we drove to Grimes Glen in nearby Naples. More to come on that in another post.

The next day, we biked along the scenic Eerie Canal, from Spencerport to Brockport. 

 

It ended up being 18 MILES! Yeah. I need to work up to something like that next time. Note to self: Find out how far destination is before embarking on a long bike ride in the heat of the day. But I did it! Barely. Andrew had no trouble, since he's a professional rider now. There's no way I would have been able to do that on my own. We stopped in town to refuel with some pizza (and water) before making the ride back.

The sky was beautiful when we returned and there was a big band concert playing in the gazebo.

On our official anniversary (July 9th), Andrew made me a delicious breakfast! I could get used to this.

That evening, we dined at Bazil's Italian Restaurant, overlooking Irondequoit Bay. My handsome date and a fruity drink - what more could I ask for?  

We ended up having a really fun long weekend, complete with sunny skies, nature, adventure, fine dining and best of all, time together to take a "time out" from our daily routine and enjoy summer. It wasn't without it's "moments", such as disagreeing over how to operate the GPS (I admit to being technologically challenged at times), when and where to eat lunch, and me questioning how much farther do we have to ride? But at the end of every day, we still love each other more than the day before, and are so thankful to be on this journey together. Our journey.

Lucky Seven

 

Happy Anniversary to my one and only, my wonderful husband and best friend, Andrew. It doesn't seem possible that we've been married for seven years! That's the equivalent of middle school and high school combined - and those seemed like a long time. These seven years have literally flown by. I couldn't be more thankful to have such an amazing man by my side.

I love looking at our photos. Our wedding day was July 9, 2005. We had a "traditional" photographer who captured our special day with traditional poses - on film. You know, film, that stuff you used to have to have developed and could only print more if you had the negative. Seems like light years ago! Looking back, I wish we had hired a digital photographer, or knew one of the talented photographer friends we know now. One with more in-the-moment-capture-the-little-details style. Today, I could recommend a list of amazing photographers - where were all of you seven years ago?!

Two years after our wedding, David, Andrew's brother, was studying photography at RIT, and offered to shoot some photos of us. I decided to wear my wedding dress again and Andrew wore a shirt and tie (and jeans this time), for a fun post-wedding photo shoot. The photos in this post are all from David, and they're some of my all-time favorites. I love how natural and relaxed they are, compared to how formal and "staged" some of our wedding day photos were.

We went to one of our favorite parks on a sunny day. We even received a few "Congratulations!" from passers-by, who thought we had just tied the knot! We had a lot of fun "modeling." The best part is, I was able to edit them myself and still have all of them on my computer. I have a box of wedding day negatives that I have yet to scan. One of these days. David is a very talented photographer and I'm so glad we got to have this shoot with him!

 

I love these photos and I love the man that I married. I can't wait to see what God has in store for us for the next seven years!

Look Who's...

Today is the second anniversary of the day I started blogging, here at Sohl Design. 260 posts later...wow! This has become such a fun creative outlet for me. I really enjoy it. I like sharing projects that I'm proud of, my favorite recipes and celebrating time spent with my family and friends. I know in blog land, they tell you not to look at your stats or fool yourself into thinking that people care about your little 'ol blog, which is one of millions out there, or that people actually read it. But I can't tell you how encouraging it is when I get emails from you, or you tell me in person that you liked something you saw on Sohl Design. I get a happy butterfly feeling and it brings a huge smile to my day. It makes me feel like in some small way I've connected with you, or shared something worthwhile or maybe even inspired you to try something new. I gobble up your comments like the last piece of chocolate cake. And when I do look at audience stats ('cause I can't help it), it blows my mind that someone in Ireland (Mairead?), Australia, India, or even South Korea would be interested in what I have to say.

So, I want to say to each of you, wherever you are, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for taking an interest in Sohl Design, for cheering me on and for being a blessing to me! Here's to another year of Sohl Design! 


xoxo

6th Wedding Anniversary

Andrew and I both just commented on how young we look in these photos, taken by each other, on our wedding day, 6 years ago. We had just gotten married and exited the church as guests threw rose petals at us, on that hot July Saturday afternoon. We were sitting in a friend's Tahoe, driven around the block by my new Father-in-law, and we were sharing a "we-are-really-married-now" moment, looking at each other as new husband and wife. It was surreal and magical and wonderful all at the same time.

What a fun and happy wedding day, surrounded by so many friends and family celebrating with us. Definitely the happiest day of my life. It's amazing to look back at those memories  and think about how much we've shared over the past 6 years since taking that trip down the aisle. It honestly doesn't feel like 6 years have passed. How is that possible?

Happy Anniversary Andrew! I love you. Then, today and always.

Punta Cana, 2011

 

It's hard to believe that one week ago I was in Punta Cana, enjoying the most amazing vacation I've ever taken, with my husband. We spent 6 glorious days in the Dominican Republic, soaking up perfect weather and scenery staight out of a travel magazine. It was a week of much needed relaxation and a break from the daily grind, and in celebration of our 6 year wedding anniversary (a little early). What a way to start the summer! I would go back in a heartbeat. It was that good. Just looking through our photos makes me want to hop on a plane! 488 photos to be exact. That is no easy task. The following is some of my favorites.

Our trip started at the crack of dawn (literally). We boarded our flight at 6:00am, ready to start our vacation!

I'm probably one of the few that actually enjoys flying (for the most part). JetBlue is my favorite airline, and they did not disappoint. I still love looking at the clouds. 

As we approached the island, the reality that we were actually in the Caribbean started to sink in! It looked so green outlined by incredibly blue water.

As we touched down at the "grass hut" looking airport, what do we see in the distance...?

Only the most ironic airplane that could have been there, welcoming my Philadelphia Eagles loving husband. Of all the NFL teams to be spotted in the Dominican! We took it as a sign from God that we were in the right place.

The heat hit us as soon as we stepped off the plane. We were in paradise! A nice air conditioned bus took us to our hotel Majestic Elegance, which was as good as it sounds. It was both majestic and elegant and was highly recommended to us by friends (and world vacationers) Ashley and Nick. They were right. We loved it!

The lobby was the first place we saw upon check-in. Really beautiful. The friendly staff greeted us with refreshing cold towels and their signature drink "Majestic" which tastes like a creamsicle. Delicious. I still can't get over the enormous chandelier. I don't think any photo can do it justice.

(hotel website photo)

An overhead view of the resort, just steps from the beach!

(hotel website photo)

First stop, our room, on the second floor. Our travel agent told them it was our anniversary and kindly requested a balcony room for us. They even put a banner on the door!

The room was beautiful. Just like the photos on their website and better than I had hoped.

His and hers sinks - I could get used to this! They even decorated with fresh flowers, which I loved.

This next photo may be in poor taste, but I couldn't leave out the fact that the toilets were square, throughout the entire place. And there was a phone in there. For emergencies?

Our balcony room had a beautiful view. Every morning we would look out to see what the weather was like, and without fail, it was sunny and 88 degrees or so. Paradise.

Our second stop upon arrival was to find some lunch. We ate at the See and Sea restaurant, overlooking the ocean, which soon became our spot for breakfast and/or lunch on most days since it was right near the beach.

The buffet here was pretty good/ok. Breakfast was better. They had French toast! Which became my breakfast staple, along with fresh mango and papaya.

The beach was next! 

The ocean is an amazing combination of clear blue and turquoise water that was the perfect temperature - not freezing. Tiny fish swimming by now and then. Beautiful sand. A pelican or "albatross" (as Andrew informed me they are also called) wandering about. Swaying palm trees. Hot sun shining. So much beauty. It all made me stop and thank my Creator for His breathtaking creation, and that I had the chance to experience it, with the one I love.

All week, the hotel staff had two photographers walking the beach asking guests if they wanted their photos taken. Often with an exotic animal like an iguana or a parrot. "Romantic photograph?" They asked us. We politely declined and laughed to ourselves. I did want to hold those parrots...

We decided to take some of our own "romantic photographs" on the beach. A little cheesy, but hey, we were on vacation, we finally had tans (or sunburns turning into tans), and it was the most gorgeous setting you could ask for. 

We also loved hanging out at the pool, which felt like it stretched for a quarter mile. It wound through the center of the resort with fountains, ledges, a waterfall, a swim-up bar and a jetted area. It was SO sweet.

This was our usual "spot" under the umbrella hut. 

There was also a lot of poolside chillin' with a cool drink or two.

I loved the plants and flowers. Such vivid orange, pink and red.

A few of these guys running around. None of them wanted to tell me about car insurance though.

I really liked the hotel's architecture and unique layout.

After a long hard day of swimming in the ocean, basking in the sun and wading in the pool, it was time for dinner. We had our choice of 6 different themed restaurants and we ate at each one - a steakhouse, Italian, French, seafood, the main buffet, and sushi/hibachi. It was fun trying different foods. For the most part, everything was pretty good. There were a few unusual dishes, but we still always found something we liked.

(Thanks for letting me borrow this dress Christy!)

One afternoon, they were having a BBQ on the beach. It was he hottest time of day and the sun was seriously beating down on us, but the food was good and a band was playing music. We were feelin' HOT HOT HOT!

What's great about an all-inclusive, is that all your meals and drinks are included. Any time of day. I highly recommend it. Here I am enjoying a "coco-loco" which was a delicious coconut drink. Just stay away from their native drink "Mamajuana." That stuff makes me shudder just thinking about it. Unless you enjoy strong alcoholic beverages that taste like a combo of tree bark, red wine and Pinesol.

They always had an activity or special event of the day - a dance contest, movie on the beach, karaoke, even a Michael Jackson show, which was actually pretty impressive (Kimi, I have a video clip for you). Dominican's know how to dance! One guy was break dancing on stage with a chair on his legs (wish I got a video of that). 

While we were walking along the shore one evening as the sun was setting, there was a wedding on the beach. I can now understand the appeal of a destination wedding. What an incredible setting!

On our last day in paradise, we were at the pool, and the photographers came by with two beautiful parrots. I couldn't resist, I wanted my picture taken with those birds! After turning them down all week, I finally gave in, and convinced my husband to join in the fun.

We had such a nice daily routine: sleep in, breakfast, beach, lunch, pool, dinner. A perfect schedule. Day after day, it never got old. Neither one of us wanted to leave! 

Saturday morning rolled around, and it was time to pack our things and head to the airport that just a few days ago brought us to this beautiful place. One last walk to the beach.

We may have been smiling, but we were really sad to leave and see our vacation come to an end. We couldn't have asked for anything more. All our uncertainties about the food, the hotel, the weather etc. disappeared as soon as we arrived. No work, no phones or computers. Just pure relaxation. It was an amazing week and I'm so glad we were able to take this trip together. Definitely something we'll remember forever. Maybe we'll go back one day. I hope so!  

I miss you Paradise! Till next time...