Monday, November 14, 2011

head start



this weekend i did something a bit out of character and started decorating the apartment for.....Christmas. before thanksgiving! i usually hold out much longer than this, not wanting to overload on holiday goodies before the holiday is actually here so that i'm still into it come december 25th...but i just couldn't help myself! i had a WHOLE day to myself, with nothing to do and nowhere to go and new martha glitter just begging me to break tradition--i was helpless against those odds. and now that i've started (and have tasted my first gingerbread caramel apple spice of the season!) there's no stopping this glitter train. here's a few of the DIY holiday goodies i put together this weekend!

this little bunting took no time at all to put together, the hardest part was cutting out the felt snowflakes...and being patient while the glitter dried! 
i'm also slightly obsessed with the tiny clothes pins that i found at Michael's that are holding the pennants up. it's like adding an instant adorable factor of about a million. 

i made this little "tree" out of a vintage woolen mill spool i found at the antique mall this weekend and some organic fiber yarn i already had. this took literally 5 minutes and i just love it.

this is not the greatest photo of these, but i was inspired by the new Ruche holiday lookbook to make some glitter candle holders. super simple, just paint glitter on the inside of a glass container (these are old jelly jars), swirl glitter of choice and let dry. i used gold, silver and plum glitter (all martha stewart) and they are so sparkly when lit! i also made the embroidery hoop picture frame that they show in the look book (thank goodness i'm finding new ways to use the dozens of hoops i have acquired! adam was concerned that all our walls would soon be covered with nothing by embroidery hoops)


i couldn't pass up the chance to make a new holiday treat either. i used this recipe via Jordan at Ramshackle Glam and let me just tell you, they are delish. i can't stop eating them. which makes me thankful that adam won't touch them with a ten foot pole...more for me! the little glitter cones next to them are a work in progress..i had visions of ombre sparkly trees, but so far they just look like muted candy corn.

what are some of your favorite holiday DIY projects? 




Sunday, October 23, 2011

lyrical DIY

i finally got around to finishing a project that i've been thinking of non-stop since seeing the how-to on A Beautiful Mess (which, if you don't read, you are definitely missing out! Elsie is downright adorable, and i love every single post and project--so much inspiration!). in the original how-to she uses a scenic painting, but i had the hardest time finding one at second hand shops, or a paint by numbers to do myself, so i switched it up a bit and just painted my own background. here's my version of the song lyric wall art--enjoy!


supplies you'll need:

  • letter stickers (mine are Martha Stewart, but next time i plan to use something with more sticking power, they did not want to stay down)
  • paint brushes
  • painters or masking tape
  • paint--both white paint, and whatever colors you choose for the base
  • canvas
Step one: paint your design

i chose to do stripes for this first go 'round, basically because they are so darn simple. i did them in two steps. first i used tape to create guidelines for the bigger stripes (shown above). then, once they were completely dry, i painted in the lines where the tape was, again using tape over the already painted areas to keep the clean lines (i didn't get a photo of the second round of painting, but the fourth color i used was a deep plum).

steps two & three: put your letters on and paint over them




i also forgot to snap a photo before i painted over the letters, but you can see the stickers through the paint here. like i said earlier, these stickers did not want to stay down, which led to some of the white bleeding into the letters. the lyrics i chose are from this song, one of my favorites. 

step four: peel the stickers and enjoy!
 i also taped off the left side of the canvas before painting on the white to show more of the stripe pattern, which i'm glad i did with how much white ended up getting into the words. right now it's home is on one of our bedside tables next to my jewelry. i can't wait to make another one, there are infinite possibilities for more because i have so many favorite songs!

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

pinspiration

it's no secret that pinterest is hands down the most inspirational and pretty way to waste time. if you don't know about it yet (have you been living under a cyber rock?!), pinterest is a visual bookmarking site that lets users "pin" images to virtual boards. you can follow other users to see what pretty things they pin, and you can search for items based on what you're looking for, plus the entire site is categorized to make searching that much easier. it's seriously a one-stop shop for anything and everything you could imagine, from DIY projects, recipes, fashion, celebrities, and just all around pretty images. i am constantly searching and browsing and pinning, sometimes inevitably for hours on end (you can follow me here

a lot of times i'll go to pinterest when i want inspiration for a project i'm working on, or when i want ideas for a new project. this week, i'm searching for the perfect design for this little guy that i've been dying to get on my desk at work:

it definitely needs to be prettied up. here are some of the pins that i've been eyeing for some inspiration--now i just have to choose!

love the neon...


scrapbook paper and modge podge never let me down...


but something about this au naturale look speaks to me

thoughts?! i'd love to hear your ideas!

Saturday, October 1, 2011

productive surroundings

i've been thinking a lot lately about how much your job and the environment that you work in impacts your life. i think it is safe to say that high stress jobs or workplaces usually lead to highly stressed people, while more relaxed working environments have a similar effect. all jobs, however, are going to have stressful moments, days, months, and no matter how calm cool and collected your outlook (or office space) may be, we're only human and those emotions are going to take over at some point or another. when i was in college i would dream about the day that i would have my own classroom and how perfect it would be. in this fantasy world i was always organized, with students eager to learn, an impeccably adorable wardrobe that would earn me the reputation of best dressed educator, and an endless supply of awesome lessons that would keep 'em coming back for more. i always knew that it would never be that simple or glamourous, but just thinking about the ideals always made me feel more calm, and in some ways it gave me motivation to achieve such perfection.

life has taken me down a much different path than what i ever had imagined, and i find myself drifting farther and farther away from being able to even fantasize about what my perfect job would look like. it's almost as though some form of contentment with stagnation is creeping into me and i can't quite fight it. don't get me wrong, i feel very fortunate to be in the place that i am right now -- i have a good job (heck, these days even just having a job, let alone a decently paying one, is a blessing) that allows me to live life pretty comfortably and has opened my eyes to more opportunities than i would have ever even known about. but there is always that thought in the back of my mind that says 'what are you missing out on?' what if i've lost my chance to have that dream, that fantasy of an adorable life in a job i love, like the ones portrayed on tv and in movies (read: Jess from New Girl...she is who i used to dream about becoming)? but as easy as it is to get sucked into the void of "what if's" and "what else," i have been trying to see the world in a more positive light. sure, my path may not be the one i'd envisioned, but that doesn't mean that it can't lead to somewhere great. it doesn't mean that there isn't something out there waiting for me that is going to feel perfect and wonderful just like i've pictured it. it just means i have to work harder, and be patient, and most importantly, not give up. that last one, that's the stickler...sometimes you have to just keep swimming.

apologies for that novel of word vomit, to make up for it here is a video i can't stop watching, of a place i would love to someday be. cheers!




Friday, September 30, 2011

addicted

oh, netflix, how you always draw me in with the allure of endless shows for me to watch. it always feels like as soon as i finish one show, another new one pops up that i just have to watch. and by have to, i mean full on, 100% addicted to the goodness that is entire seasons commercial free. latest addiction? mad men. 

i. love. mad men. period. i am completely sucked in to this world of 1960's misogynistic, alcoholic, chain smoking, fabulously dressed fictional characters.....who cares if i'm a few years late to the party. and i would absolutely wear every thing in Betty or Joan's closet. everything. 


everything!

Sunday, September 25, 2011

nerd alert

made myself a square new phone case last week, quite possibly the nerdiest craft i've ever done...and i love every second of it.


Monday, July 25, 2011

ouch

Even after TWO rounds of sunscreen i still got scorched from one day at the lake this weekend. at least i got a good start on that chaco tan i hear is so popular these days ;)



and just for reference, my feet are the least burnt part of my whole body.....yikes!

Thursday, July 21, 2011

like sleeping beauty...

posting feels almost as though i'm coming back from the dead. where have i been all these months? oh, you know...no where exciting. i've just been at home (well, mostly at work if truth be told,) living the same life as always. always with the nagging feeling at the back of my mind that i want to keep this blog going, if only i had interesting things to write about! so, here we are again. getting used to the pattern yet? here's a photo catch up of the last several months.

visiting old friends
well earned pieces of paper
good music with even better friends
anniversaries

 
plenty of good beer



and even a little beach time
hopefully summer still holds more adventures (houseboating!) and, one can only hope, more crafting--my creative juices have been on almost as bad of a hiatus as this blog! 

Saturday, April 2, 2011

blerg and a half

first of all, i am in LOVE with netflix, because it lets me revisit daily (or as often as i have time) all of the things i love about 30 Rock. Which is everything.

second of all, i should be sleeping right now. just got off day two of a 5 day work marathon. "only 5 days," you say, "that's like a normal week!" no, my friends, it is not a normal week. 5 days in warehouse time is equivalent to approximately 8.75 normal days. gross, why did i just do that math?

third of all, i am in love with this dress from j.crew.
j.crew

 its so cute and spring-y and way outside of my $0 shopping budget right now. maybe someday. 

aaaaaaand, bed time.



Tuesday, March 22, 2011

afraid of the dark

i learned today that there are few things more terrifying than taking a shower and having the lights go out. 


...and you're home alone. 

because the first thing i think of is this:

via: here

only the real life version. eeek!

Sunday, March 20, 2011

sunday lovin'

just a few things i'm loving these days

1. netflix instant view! i love revisiting my favorite shows from the beginning
2. my new floral sundress from Anthro! I can't find a picture online, but you better believe it's adorable. i also snagged these earrings...i am ready for summer. 

3. 12 days. no work. need i say more? redwoods, here i come.


huzzah for spring break!

Friday, February 25, 2011

must be the snow..

something is wrong with me. i have tried and FAILED at making two DIFFERENT kinds of cookies this week. what's the deal? sure, i've messed up previous baking missions. but never this many in such a short amount of time. is something happening to me to make me a terrible cook? is this a sign from the apartment gods that it really is time to move on from dumpy college apartments? could it be the sudden snow storm we've been having?

all i know is, sorry to my co-workers who were promised cookies today. they still taste good, but they are smushed and broken. like my spirit.


at least its friday.

random ramble

every time i think i can't be topped as worst blogger ever...i have to go and outdo myself. oh well, i'm over it, cuz right now i'm in the mood to just ramble. and who better to ramble to than the imaginary audience of my blog?!

now i sound crazy.

today is one of those days that makes me think that i will never, ever get used to working nights. case in point, around midnight i hit a wall big time, and for the last three hours of work all i could think about was how much i wanted to just go home, curl up in bed and sleep forever. i stumble through the rest of the night, it feels like i barely pull into the parking lot, and as soon as i'm inside and the door locked...wide awake. when i first started working nights i was out as soon as i got home, but slowly that all went away. i lay in bed, wishing i was tired, but i just feel antsy. no matter how tired my body is, my mind just can't give it up. so i sit in bed, browsing the internet for interesting blog posts and shops, eating hummus and drinking wine out of a princess coffee mug.

does the real world of graveyard sound glamourous yet?

speaking of hummus, i didn't think anything could ever top my love for roasted garlic hummus...until i got roasted pine nut hummus. delicious! although, i did consider adding some minced garlic....i have a problem.

i've been trying to think of ways for me to better utilize this blog. i do projects and take pictures that sit on my camera for weeks (read: months) before i get around to uploading them, and by them it seems so silly to write about them since they've been up on display for so long already. i take pictures of pretty things i see or do around the apartment, but the quality of the pictures never does it justice (like the beautiful leaf-on tangerines i've been displaying in my three-tier dish...the dingy pictures just look ugly on the computer). I rarely get out of this apartment rather than to go to work, and there is nothing blog-worthy about driving to Albany every day to walk around a dirty warehouse. maybe i'm just not cut out for the blogging world? that's probably true, but it probably won't stop me. see the thing is, i think about stuff to write about all the time. i read an absurdly large number of awesome blogs, and i'm constantly thinking of things that i could do or write about or try out, but it always seems like by the time i actually get to the computer and have time to do it, i've either lost motivation because it has been so long since the idea came to me, or i just don't feel....something enough to be able to pull off a cheeky/cute/stylish/etc blog.

ok, enough whining. more wine-ing.

i've been doing this thing the past week or so where i'm trying to challenge myself to go through all of my earrings before wearing any twice. so far it's worked out. maybe i'll blog about that? maybe. but, for now, i'm starting to feel just the tiniest bit sleepy. and that, my friends, is just the kind of opportunity you've gotta jump at when you've been up for 18 hours.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

many happy returns

i filed my taxes today--hurrah! i've never gotten money back, so this year is kind of a big deal. its like free money! ssshh, just pretend with me. i have two big things planned for this little chunk of play funds:

a little getaway with the work gals

a blurry shot from my last adventure to VEGAS BABY!!!

and the bi-annual trek to my favorite place, with my favorite little girl:


so excited! good thing i only have to wait a month for the first one, or i might just go crazy with anticipation.



Monday, January 31, 2011

(not quite so) lazy monday

oh mondays.

things i accomplished today:

* helping the lovely Amanda pack up her apartment to move to cali
* waking up before noon (no joke!)
* spending more than 15 minutes with the bf
* finally folding the rest of my laundry
* the giant mountain of dishes that has been accumulating all week. i tell ya, i just don't know how they did it before dishwashers. oh wait, i do. because that's my life right now.

things i did not (yet?) accomplish today:

* cleaning the rest of the apartment
* going to the craft store (not that i really need to go)
* unpacking from the weekend
* fixing my quickly chipping nail polish


there you have it. nothing too exciting, but....that's what happens when you live in a small town :)

*disclaimer: at the time this was posted, i had not actually finished all of the dishes. but, i wrote it, so i better not make a lier out of myself! how's that for motivation?

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

sometimes you feel like a nut


crunchy peanut butter is delicious. that's really all i have to say.

yummmmmmmmm! what a perfect way to start the morning..er, afternoon. 

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

tuesdays.

tuesdays are my mondays. its a strange, upside down world in which mondays are the day you look forward to to getting stuff done and/or being a little lazy, and tuesday is the start of the week. but that is the world i live in. today, i made some tasty shrimp pad thai. today, as in just now, as in it's sitting on my counter in a foil covered bowl. why am i not devouring said delicious pad thai? well, because i grossly over estimated the time it would take (i love my joy of cooking book, but would it have been so hard to include some timelines?!) and finished it about 45 minutes earlier than necessary. so, there it sits, waiting for a certain student to bike home to eat it with me before i head off to the start of another week of being a zombie. anyways....

on a more cheerful tuesday note, i love kate spade. i don't have much designer stuff, and i don't really have the financial backing to begin a collection (yet), but when i do, it will start with kate spade. everything is so simple and classic, but still bright and fresh. i would take anything from her shop.

like these little studs:
signature spade studs

or this bag

cobble hill bag

and, obviously

karolina

the other thing i love, is that a lot of the pieces aren't even that out of reach, budget wise! i always have to talk myself out of going in the shop when i'm at pioneer place mall up in Portland...because i know for a fact that i would not be able to leave empty handed.

ok, enough rambling. it is, afterall, tuesday.



Monday, January 24, 2011

lazy monday

things i accomplished today:

  • making yummy orange chicken for lunch
  • watching Toy Story 2
  • going through two whole bags of craft stuff and organizing it--whew! 2 down....about 10 more to go
  • going for a (embarrassingly short) run
  • saying no to a second ice cream sandwich and having yogurt with honey and walnuts instead--which is not quite as tastefully satisfying, but is definitely more consciously satisfying
things i did not accomplish today:
  • post-lunch dishes
  • folding the rest of my laundry
  • washing the towels (partly due to lack of quarters...i hate not having my own washer/dryer!)
  • going through the remaining 10 bags of craft stuff yet to find a home

oi vay, mondays are lazy around here.

resolutions

i know, i know, its a little late to be setting resolutions. and i've decided, i don't care! maybe if i start them later, they will last longer....

i've been thinking lately about this little blog here, mostly about how i don't give it the attention or love that a blog probably deserves (or i should say, the maybe three people out there who read it--sorry people!), so i'm going to try a new posting strategy. whenever i think about posting something (which is a lot), i get hung up on how i should do it, when i should do it, do i have pictures to do it, and if it's something even worth posting about, and by the time i'm done thinking about all of those things, the moment (or days) have passed, and it just doesn't seem relevant anymore. SO, to combat that, i want to try just posting whatever, whenever i'm thinking about it. pictures or not. relevance or not. blog-worthy or not! maybe it will draw me to some hidden blogging inspiration and this will finally have a purpose, other than an outlet for my randomness. we'll see!

today, i'm a little creeped out by the commercial i just saw for TLC's show "my strange addiction," about the guy with a mannequin for a girlfriend? i'm having a hard time getting over it.