I am back from NYC in one piece, with sore shins and oodles of memories.

I have so many things to share with you all, but first I have to give major props to Sony for creating the NEX camera and for providing a free one to me for my NYC trip. It was such a surprise at breakfast on Tuesday in NYC to be handed such a lovely gift from Sony. I was like, “It’s Christmas in February! I may cry.”

Seriously, that’s what I said.

That’s me inside Bergdorf’s where I could afford nothing. However, they did have a snazzy antiqued mirror that screamed photo op.

Now, at first glance I wasn’t too sure what the NEX was in terms of camera class. Is it a DSLR? Is it a point-and-shoot? Well, it’s a pint size version of a DSLR with features that make it as easy to use as a point-and-shoot. But it does have lenses you can buy (I want them all!), and the lens that comes with the camera is phenomenal for most photos a normal person takes.

I’ve had 2 different point-and-shoot cameras and I have a DSLR. My first ever P&S camera was a Sony that my then-boyfriend/now-husband gave to me in 2004. I loved that camera and it lasted me many years. Then I upgraded to a Kodak P&S that sucked. A lot. Never again will I buy a Kodak. Then with my Etsy biz taking off and my blog growing, I bought a Nikon D5000 almost 2 years ago. And now I was given the NEX by Sony.

And it’s quickly become my BFF of cameras. It feels like I went full circle and ended up in the arms of a loving friend who isn’t complicated but rather makes everything look it’s best and is easy to get along with. Aren’t those kind of friends the best?

NEX…I love you. First of all, I didn’t have much time to get acquainted with the camera. I basically was given the camera, and we started touring NYC right away. However, due to it’s easy to use interface and fabulous shoot modes, I didn’t miss a beat nor any fabulous photos. Here are some shots I took within minutes of getting my camera up and running. Notice the clear/sharpness of the photos as well as the vivid and true colors. Also keep in mind these are all straight out of the camera with minimal adjustment to any of the automatic settings on the camera.

This picture below (carriage) was taken when I was inside a cab…can ya tell? I can’t!

And it is even impressive in low-light conditions, such as those at the M&M’S Museum of Chocolate Art or inside a restaurant/store/library. I didn’t use a flash EVER on any of these photos.

It was very dark in the restaurant, yet look at how clear Matt and Lauren look in the photo below:

The famous NYC Public Library staircase where Sex & the City was filmed (first movie).

I am blown away. Honestly? I like these pictures better than the ones I take with my Nikon D5000. And I paid A LOT OF MONEY for that camera. I’ll still use my Nikon, but the Sony NEX camera is coming with me for travel, special occasions and life’s everyday moments.

Sony’s NEX is a fabulous choice for people who travel or love to snap photos wherever they are. It is not bulky at all. I had it around my neck the entire NYC trip, and never once was I annoyed or weighed down. My Nikon D5000 doesn’t afford me the same luxury. I wasn’t spending time with settings (though like DSLR’s, it does have a manual mode), instead I was spending time taking photos. Lots and lots of gorgeous photos. I do want to point out one more feature I love- it can take panoramic photos. I used that feature in Times Square, and I love how my panorama turned out (it looks small here, but it is HUGE, trust me). The panorama shoot mode is fool proof. I can’t wait to print these out and have them framed for my office wall at home. If you have a Sony 3D TV, you can also shoot 3D panorama’s. We recently upgraded our home theater system to a Sony 3D blu-ray player, and because of this camera I am going to try to push DH to get a Sony 3D TV like now. Can you imagine? We love Sony. My DH adores his Sony Vaio laptop.

So there’s my quick, non-technical review of the Sony NEX. At under $500, it’s a economical and great choice for those wanting a DSLR-type that is easy to use, understand and get great results with. There are tons of scene modes to help ensure great photos with no need to fiddle with complicated settings. And it also shoots HD video. I could go on all day about this camera. In. Love.

I will be back tomorrow with a full recap of the M&M’S Museum of Chocolate art, my run in with Vanessa Williams, a wonderful Sex & the City bus tour and the oh-so-fab people I met from the Collective Bias community. Oh and of course lots more NYC photos. See ya tomorrow!

Today, I really have nothing major to report other than I leave to NYC on Monday and I really do need to finish the cabinet doors to my bathroom vanity.

So, we’re going to pretend you and I both have won $1000 and cannot spend it on bills, groceries, gas or anything remotely responsible.

Let’s shop.

If I had $1000 to spend without any worries, here’s my wishlist. My husband might want to bookmark this post for my upcoming 21st 27th birthday on March 8th. Totally kidding, please just buy me a Lowe’s gift card.

Perhaps this gorgeous chandelier would make it’s way to my master bathroom reno:

$79 via ZGallerie

And I need a purse so I look uber fashionable and hip and gorgeous. This handbag below screams Monica, doesn’t it? Maybe if it had a bow or some damask.

$398 via Kate Spade

My acne scars drive me bonkers, and this peel might be a great way to get them faded. I never splurge on products like these because well…I’m cheap.

$68 via Sephora

And I need a cute dress. I always need another cute dress.

$90 via Zappos

And for some odd reason I am OBSESSED with this ottoman. Like really. Squee.

$249 via ZGallerie

For my iPhone photo snapping obsession, I’d love these awesome lenses to go with my iPhone 4S.

$69 via Ollo Clip

And all those lovely, lovely items bring my total to $954 without tax, so I suppose that’s about all I can get for today. Tell me, if a fairy godmother were to give you $1,000 today with the stipulation it couldn’t be used on bills, groceries, gas, etc…what would you buy?

Ok. The moment you’ve all been waiting for… or the moment the 3 of you who have asked me about this specific tutorial this week have been waiting for.

Here we go.

Transforming builder grade honey oak cabinets into sultry, dark espresso cabinets is easy. It’s messy though. I’m going to walk you through it step by step as much as I can in this tutorial. I hope you’ll find it easy, non-intimidating and then recommend my blog to all your friends so my blog can grow and grow. Since I do this all for free out of the goodness of my little heart.

No pressure.

Tell your friends.

No really. Did you?

Alright, let’s do this. You need some supplies first. They’re not pricey, but you do need all of them. If there’s an appropriate alternative, I’ll list it. Otherwise, plan to get exactly what I list to get the same results I did.

Supplies:

-Sanding block (I bought an angled one for about $4 from my local hardware store. The angled sanding block helps when if you have beveled cabinets/doors/drawers.

-Lysol dual action wipes (or a sponge with soap/water)

-Gloves

-Masking tape AND painter’s tape (you could just use painter’s tape, I use masking tape because it’s cheap at Dollar Tree…so in other words, painter’s tape is expensive, so I only use it when I absolutely have to)

-General Finishes Java Gel Stain (YOU CANNOT SUBSTITUTE THIS! I had a ton of trouble finding it locally, so I bought it on Amazon and had it to my door in about 4 days.) If you’re doing a small vanity, order the 1/2 pint. If you’re doing a whole kitchen, order the quart. I ordered the quart since I am doing a vanity + a whole kitchen. A little of this goes a LONG way.

-General Finishes Satin Gel Poly/topcoat

-Ziploc baggy to keep track of all the hardware + screws + hinges.

-Screwdriver to take off hardware/hinges.

-Tack cloth

-Men’s sock (yes, it has to be a men’s sock…more on this later)

-Gauze/rag/cheesecloth

-Foam brush (not pictured)

-Postal wrapping paper or drop cloths or tarp to protect floors. I bought the postal wrapping paper at Dollar Tree and it was so easy to cover up my floor.\

-Painters pyramids to use on cabinet doors so you can paint both sides at once

Total cost for all of the materials should be between $50-$100ish.

Here’s what my vanity looked like before I got started.

Step 1: Remove all hardware and put it in a ziploc baggy.

Simple enough.

Step 2: Prep your area.

This is probably the least fun step, but you must protect your floors, counters, walls, tiles, or any area that may get stain on it. And trust me, this stuff is oil based,  so it stains easily and quickly. Makes it great for cabinets, not great for anything else. Prep now to avoid lots of messy clean-up later. I used painters tape for walls/counters/inside of cabinets and I used masking tape to tape my paper down onto the floor.

Step 3: Clean all cabinet frames/drawers/doors and remove them.

I used the Lysol dual action wipes because one side is scrubby and the other side is smooth. Basically you want to make sure to get any grime, dust, gooey stuff, dirt, etc. off the cabinets. Now, my vanity is obviously in a bathroom, so this step was quick and easy. If you’re prepping kitchen cabinets, you’ll like need to use a sponge and soapy water to get off years of grease and gunk. Once you’re done cleaning, make sure they’re dry and go ahead and remove all the drawers and doors. I stained my drawers/doors in the garage, so I moved all of that over there.

Step 4: Lightly sand cabinets and remove dust with a tack cloth.

You should not spend a ton of time sanding. I would say 1 minute per door and 30 seconds per drawer. You’re just wanting to break up some of the shine on cabinets, not completely strip them. I used an angled sanding block with a fine (not medium or coarse) finish to get in the bevels. Once you sand, make sure to thoroughly wipe off all dust with a tack cloth. Do this twice.

Step 5: Stain. Dry. Stain. Dry. Stain. Dry. Dry. Dry. Poly. Dry. Poly. Dry. Dry. Dry.

This step doesn’t have many pictures because I had to use one hand to stain and another to make sure I wasn̵