in{sane}ly detailed

green {clean}ing

2013-07-17T12:03:00.000-07:00

since moving into our house, there have been many things that have needed to be tended to that I had no idea how to do. from a stinky dishwasher to keeping the weeds from growing, there were just not things that I ever had to deal with or think about when we lived in the condo. each time I would go out to the internet, and search for a solution to my issue, and in most cases, the solution involved vinegar.

i had never given this stinky substance a thought before. why would I ever want to use it for anything, except making a salad dressing?! who would have thought that vinegar could serve so many purposes, and at the same time save you so much money. a gallon of vinegar costs only a couple of bucks as opposed to the costly cleaning products that it can replace. even better, it's better for you, you children & pets, and the environment.

the first time I faced a dilemma involving a vinegar solution was when we installed our bamboo floors. i was worried about using any products on the floor because i didn't want to ruin the finish, or create any films. i had tried to read about the floors and realized quickly that there were a lot of don'ts vs dos, which scared me. i discussed it with my mom, and she suggested the vinegar solution. she said my grandmother had sworn by it, and with that i was intrigued. the vendor that we used to purchase the flooring actually had suggested to use it with warm water.

Vinegar Floor Cleaner

1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
1 gallon warm water

i have found many great cleaning tips & tricks to using vinegar. here are a few that i like. i have modified some of these, but the base of the "recipes" will get you started.

learn how to remove oil based stains from carpet using vinegar, dish soap, and baking soda

this blog post give you a summary of the best cleaning secrets: cleaning your microwave, cleaning your fridge, cleaning/deodorizing your dishwasher. enjoy!

using water, vinegar and baby shampoo, your brushes will feel like new!

add 3/4 cup vinegar to your rinse cycle and your towels will feel like new. vinegar also battles mildew for an added bonus!

use this approach to cleaning any hard water deposits or limescale that is built up on water fixtures.

how to clean burnt pots and pans

using vinegar & dawn dish soap, you can easily clean your shower & tub. put the solution in a handled sponge to make it easier to apply

vinegar mixed with olive oil can be a great wood polisher. use vinegar alone and it can easily disinfect any wood surface!

vinegar can be used outside too! here are just a few examples of how you can take your new best friend outdoors for the summer!

if you don't feel like you have enough examples of things you can use vinegar for, check out this list of 150+ uses. the possibilities seem endless

{'merica}n

2013-06-25T08:44:00.000-07:00

my husband came home last night telling me about this sweet tank top and how he wished he could have it for the 4th. this post is dedicated to him for helping me remember the great day we are celebrating next week!

next week is the week to celebrate the land of the free and the home of the brave. we all get to take some time off of work to enjoy some good ol' american treats: barbeques, fireworks, yard games, and hopefully some beautiful ~~for spacious~~ skies.

with all that has been going on lately, I haven't had much time to think of ways to decorate our new house for this holiday. i don't intend on going crazy, but a little patriotism is probably needed. so I hit the 'net to try to get inspired for my home, and any party I may get invited to - hint, hint - or host (who would come?) I found some gems, and so I thought I would share for the hope that you get inspired too!

let's start with food - yum!

this cake looks absolutely delicious, and most importantly EASY to make.

these candy coated marshmallows are simple to create and look like they taste great too!

this cake is so simple, yet looks so nice! find the printables here to embellish your cake

who doesn't love a cupcake? simply adding a few decorations to a cupcake tower can make quite a statement. i know that i have a cupcake display that is waiting for me to do something like this.

let's decorate!

these gems can be made or bought. i persoanlly like to re-create things that I see, and these look like something that is simple enough to do! a trip to Michael's and these could be yours!

another gem from Landee See, Landee Do - print this out, and place in the perfect spot for all to see.
this is available to print in 5x7 and 8x10!

for something with a more vintage feel, you could print this out.

The Creative Cubby offers several 4th of July printables for you to enjoy

I saw this felt wreath on a few sites, and I liked how fluffy it looks. this wreath is create with felt. looks like it's easy, but could take some time. either way, i am sure it will look great!

i love a good printable! this chalkboard style print would look nice as a decoration inside or out.

So it looks like we now have enough ideas get us going on creating something special for the 4th of July! I may or may not use any of these ideas, but I at least have some inspiration to send me to the craft store and grocery store, and I hope you do too! I'm also hoping that everyone has a safe and fun holiday!

{dress}ed to impress

2013-06-18T12:10:00.000-07:00

i may be jumping back and forth between past and present since there was so much that I did during our wedding that I couldn't talk about, for fear of spoiling the suprise. of course, I couldn't talk about my wedding gown because it was to be surprise and I didn't want to spoil that. as I talk about my current and future projects, I can't forget some of the ones that I'm most proud of, so I must gush a little :)

as I posted in one of my first posts back this year, i had a few pictures of our wedding, and the dress. since this post is going to be about the transformation, i will begin with the finished look.

the wedding dress for every girl is the biggest deal. it is probably, depending on who you are, the most expensive single item of clothing you will purchase in your life. every girl dreams of what her's will look like, and the quest to find that dress is one that will consume your time and energy until it is yours. shows like Say Yes to the Dress promote the importance of that moment when you look in the mirror, and tears well up in your eyes. The moment you have found the one (dress).

I started my dress journey with my mom and sister. I was so excited to try on a dress and see what I was going to look like as a bride. It's a very special moment in any girl's life. I wasn't successful on my first trip out, nothing seemed to be the one. I was disappointed but knew I would find it, eventually. To make a long story short, I went to almost every bridal store within a 30 mile radius. Weekend after weekend I spent my days searching, and coming up empty handed. I was so discouraged and was not sure if I would ever find what I was looking for. One Saturday I stumbled into Bella Bridal, in West Bloomfield, Michigan, and my journey ended. There was a Essense of Australia trunk show. I tried on a couple of dresses and still wasn't feeling anything. Why couldn't I find something that seemed timeless, classy, romantic, and had an interesting neckling? I was again frustrated. I then tried on this number:

I should mention that this didn't make sense at first. I had been looking for a bateau neckline, and definitely not strapless. Sonia, the owner took a piece from another dress, and showed me how we could customize the dress. She added the piece, and then added a beautiful beaded belt, and then it happened. .I teared up, and finally had my moment. This dress had the most beautiful lace and was so romantic. I knew that this was the dress. At that point my budget was out the window, and I was moving on to the make it happen for the dress that made my heart feel full. If I couldn't find my dress, I was going to make my dress.

Six months later the dress came in and lacey piece by lacey piece, literally, we started to transform and create the look that I wanted. every month or two I would go in a see what we wanted to do next. little my little, my dream was becoming a reality. Sonia would get so excited to see the progress, and would tell me how beautiful it was. I picked a beautiful beaded belt from Etsy shop, Luxe Bridal Couture and my grandmother's earrings and broach to complete the look. Since my dress was so detailed, I chose a simple veil from David's bridal.

my dress through the year of making -
also shows the transformation that my trainer was making to my weight & back fat :)

I went to all of my appointments alone, until my final fitting, and so this project was all of me, and no one else. It made it that much more special when my mom and sister were able to come to my final fitting, and see the process come full circle. this dress still holds such a special place in my heart. I hope that in years to come I still look back at the pictures and feel that this was the dress of my dreams. I fantasize that my daughter would want to wear it, and that it doesn't seem like something from 2013, whatever that will mean in the future.

{magnet}ic

2013-06-08T21:06:00.001-07:00

I saw this idea in a blog somewhere, and I loved the idea. I can't remember where it was, so I'm sorry for not giving credit where it is due. I don't even remember if it was a tutorial or just a suggestion. Either way, I felt inspired to make framed fridge magnets.

The cuties in these pics are my little nieceys, Maren (3) and Daphne (1).

I liked the idea of a fancier fridge magnet, and to give the refrigerator a gallery feel instead of eclectic magnets holding up a printed 4x6.

I headed to the Walmart and found everything I needed for super cheap.

You will need:

-small frames

-magnet strips

-paint

-paintbrush/sponge

-hot glue & gun

I got the paint for 50 cents, the frames for 95 cents, the magnetic strips (18 strips) for 95 cents, and the sponges for $1. I had the glue gun.

I got frames in various sizes to add a little interest to my "gallery". I also used a couple of colors that went well with my kitchen.

You want to first remove the glass and backing from the frame.

Paint the frames to your liking. If you aren't painting, you can skip to the next step. When painting make sure to not let the paint drip into the inside. Allow to dry for about 1-2 hours depending on the paint type.

Turn the frame over to prepare the frames for the magnetic strips.

Hot glue the magnetic strips onto the frame and cut if necessary. My strips were adhesive, but I wasn't confident that it would hold the weight of the frame. Allow the glue to dry.

Put the glass and photos into the frame, as well as the backing. If the frame was a tabletop frame, make sure to rip off the stand before sticking to the fridge.

{mantel}piece

2013-06-08T20:43:00.001-07:00

it's Saturday night, and what am I doing on this wonderful evening?! Nothing

My husband is out celebrating the {soon to be} birth of one of his friend's babies at a diaper party. This is a party where the men bring diapers and the {soon to be} dad provides the beer and food. So while he celebrates, I've been home thinking of things to fill my night.

I woke up today knowing that I wanted to do some serious decorating. We have a giant mantel and to be honest, it's very intimidating to decorate.

This picture is from over a month ago, but as you can see its very long.

I've been struggling all week to figure out what I wanted to do. I searched Pinterest and other blogs for inspiration, but nothing seemed to fit what I was looking for. I struggle with letting go of my OCD that wants everything to be symmetrical and even. I've also been having a hard time finding pieces that match the colors in the room. I recently purchased a great rug that I love, but it's a unique blue that doesn't seem to be all over the place.

Our couch is grey, and we have tan walls. My OCD tells me that brown and grey doesn't go together, but again, I must quiet that voice, and move forward. I have seen many examples of these together, and it looks beautiful. I also realized today that the grey and blue colors are the same colors I chose for our wedding. Subconsciously, I must really love this color combination.

So this morning I ventured out to all of my favorite places (TJ Maxx, Marshall's, Homegoods, Pier 1) on try to find some pieces to adorn the mantle. I ended up picking up many things knowing that I would have to get it all up there and start working with it to figure out what I wanted. I had come home with 2 pieces of art, 3 gallery frames, 2 glass pieces, 4 picture frames, 2 candle sticks, and blue & gray spheres. Ahhh!

When Nick saw all of this stuff, I know he was scared. I know he was even more scared when I started putting all of this stuff on the mantle. I think for a moment he might have thought that I was going to use it all. I played with the setup. Took stuff down, added it, took it down again, moved things from one side to the other and back again.

I finally game up with a combination that quieted my OCD, but wasn't matched perfectly. I added some wedding pictures to the gallery frames and other frames and my mission was complete!

TA-DA!

{run}ning away

2013-06-06T10:32:00.001-07:00

Since the wedding, my workout and eating habits have been terrible. Working out has become almost non-existent and my rating has been less than healthy. With all of the house stuff we have been eating out a lot and that is by helping the scale point in the right direction. I don't want to make excuses because I know a lot of people who are super busy and manage to eat well and workout. As we start to settle into the house, I have some energy to focus back to my health.

I've been debating about what I would do to get back into it, and I've been interested in starting to run. I am not a runner, and frankly, I have never liked it. One would ask why I want to run then?! I think it's a challenge to see if I can do it. It seems that many people find it therapeutic. You can do it anywhere, and anytime. I can do it with my pup and get him some exercise too!

Awhile back, I started looking into the training schedules for 5 & 10ks. I wanted to know how long it would take a novice runner to be able to run either one. I found a couple of training sites, but the one that caught my eye was Couch to 5k from coolrunning.com. This site seemed to have a very reasonable schedule for getting into running at a good pace. This site also has 10k, half and full

marathon plans.

It has been a while since I looked into this, but today I decided to check out the site and their app. I have been doing some running/walking with my dog for the past two days, but i felt like i needed something more structured. What better way to learn to run than with the aid of my iPhone. I went into the apple store, and there was the app, Couch to 5K. $1.99?!? I'll pass, so I keep scrolling to find a free app. Zen Labs has a C25K app that is free and pretty cool.

I downloaded it and got ready for Day 1! This app is cool because it let's you know when to start running and walking even if you are listening to music. If you have music in your iTunes, you can play it right through the app. Everything you need is right there.

Each segment counts down and up, so you are aware of where you are and how long until you are finished.

The app also has the option of getting motivational emails and tips sent to you.

I easily got through this run/walk without a problem. It was nice to have the alternation between running and walking so that I didn't feel overwhelmed. I was pleasantly surprised at this and I'm actually looking forward to tomorrow's run!

{Floor}ed

2013-06-03T07:59:00.001-07:00

As I left off in the "our new labor of love" post, we had purchased our house and I glazed over all of the stuff from then, until now.

The first night we owned our house, we ripped out the disgusting 70s orange carpet that was in the living room and dining room. Unfortunately, this color just didn't go with much that we had, so it had to come out! Nick came home from work that night, and picked up the utility knife, and started removing it, piece by piece. We have ripped out carpet before, in our condo, twice, so this was nothing new for us. We just had to make sure we followed the guidelines so that our new best friend, the garbage man, would take it away for us. Later that weekend, as we started taking the pieces to the curb, our neighbors said a "thank god" when they saw the orange was coming out.

We had a tight schedule to get everything done. We were having the counters being measured on the following Monday, and the new bamboo floors were going to be installed the following weekend. We had to make sure we had everything done and prepped for the work that was going to take place. That meant ripping out all of the flooring and getting the wallpaper down. Sounds easy enough...our Friends at Build Direct unloaded a pallet of bamboo for us, and that was just waiting to be installed. If you are installing floors, or having it done, it's recommended to move the wood into the area it is to be installed a couple of days prior to install so that the wood can acclimate to it's new environment.

Since we were using bamboo, on a cement slab, we had a few things we had to do differently, which added more time to the project. We had to use glue to adhere the planks to the slab. Typically some sort of underlayment is put down, but that can't be done with concrete. We also had to get a glue that had a moisture barrier to make sure the bamboo was safe from absorbing any moisture. This glue is quite thick and can be even more difficult to work with. Our guy was less than thrilled with one of the brands we bought because it was so thick it was like moving taffy.

After day one, the floors were starting to come along, the dining room was finished and we were moving into the the other half of the living room. The other major project was that the granite was installed that weekend too! We now had new counters to go with our new floors:

It took 4 days to complete the entire project. We had the floors put in the living room, dining room, kitchen, and foyer. When it was finished, it looks beautiful and such an improvement to the ugly carpet and Pergo that was there before. We now had shiny new floors to transform our main floor into a beautiful place to live.

from the front entry into the living room

Dining room looking into living room

Our kitchen {almost} finished product!

BONUS:

We had gross, white carpet in our master bedroom. The rest of the floor had the original hardwood floors, which we absoulutely adore! We were hoping that when we ripped up the carpet, we would find a treasure, but we couldn't get out hopes up.

This house is Jefferson's so he likes to get in a pic whenever he can!

One night we decided to risk it, and start tearing out the carpet (we seem to really like this task). Underneath, to our delight, was the same beautiful, thin, planks that were on the rest of the floor. Because they had carpet down, there were some imperfections due to nails, staples, and glue. Some people might be sad by the imperfections, but I actually love them. I think it give the flooring so much more character and gives it a more rustic feel. We will evetually have them refinished to make sure that they are treated properly and keep their beauty. For now, we are enjoying them, just the way they are!

{bench}ing an old cushion

2013-06-02T13:27:00.001-07:00

As I do projects, I need to remember to do all the appropriate before pictures to make sure I really give the full effect. So since there is nothing to show let's start with the finished product:

ta-da!

The story behind this bench is that is had a blah colored cushion which had managed to get watermarks on it somehow. As a piece that is at the entry to our house, it's not the best impression of what else is inside.

I got the idea to reupholster it, but hadn't given it much thought until yesterday. I was browsing through Walmart of all places, and was curious about their fabrics. I was instantly drawn to this cream and blue print.

The print was subtle and pretty, and blue is a theme on our main floor. It was the perfect voice. Price tag: $0.84/yard!!

I debated about how to accomplish this job since the cushion is all foam. I decided to get a piece of particle board to make sure I could a staple gun. This would give me the bet look so that I could ensure the fabric was tight against the cushion.

I headed to Home Depot, our home away from home. Today's experience was less than helpful since no one wanted to help me or offer suggestions. I guess that's what I get for going during thebeginning of the summer when everyone is trying to put in gardens and build decks. I almost left the store when I finally found the section I had been searching for. All the way in the back corner of the store were 2ft x4ft pieces of plywood and hardboard. For price sake, I chose the hardboard because I knew it would hold the staple just as we'll as the plywood that was $2 more. $5.50 and I was out of there.

Now started the fun part. Here we go:

This was the blah colored cushion. I first laid the fabric down and made sure the cushion was straight along the pattern.

I placed the hardboard down on top of the cushion. I had cut this piece to be slightly smaller than my cushion so that I wouldn't see the edges when it was finished.

I ultimately don't want to see the hardboard when I'm finished so I stapled the fabric to the hardboard so that it mostly covered the cushion. However you want it to look, at least get the fabric stapled, in a straight line, to the hardboard.

From here you want to cover the cushion like you are wrapping a gift. How I wrap is much different than how my husband wraps, so the next steps are open to interpretation. I made the fabric look like a paper airplane and staple the edge to the hardboard. I then cut off the excess so that my cushion lays flat on the bench.

I repeated this on the other side.

When I completed that step I was ready to "finish wrapping". I cut off about 6 inches of fabrics to that my fabric finished in the center of the cushion. I folded the insides at a 45 degree angle and started stapling to the hardboard.

Make sure that the fabric is taut. It will make the finished product look more professional. Once complete you can flip over and make sure all looks good and finished.

I was very pleased with how this turned out after only 30 minutes. A quick transformation!

I even had some extra fabric left over and decided to attach it to a canvas for a quick piece of art!

just in time for summer

2013-05-29T08:02:00.001-07:00

As I try to organize my life and what I've been doing, it makes sense to jut keep progressing from the wedding until now. This post is perfect since the temp today in the metro Detroit area will be in the 80s. Raining, but 80s. We take what we can get around here 😊

After our wedding we were fortunate enough to be able to take a honeymoon. Our destination: Costa Rica 🌞🍹🍍

It was simply the most amazing country. If you have not had the opportunity, make it your next tropical vacation!

We enjoyed lots of time relaxing by the pool, drinking fruity drinks, eating and watching the animals peruse the complex. We did some adventurous things and went horseback riding, zip lining, and kayaking. Such beauty to be seen in that country. Just talking about it makes me want to return!

Here are some of our pics.. I wouldn't dare bore you with the 180 I took while there 😊

Our resort - Occidental Grand Papagayo

A night out on the town - Playa del Coco

Natutal Hot springs & mud bath - Borinquen Mountain Spa & Retreat

Ziplining!! So fun - never again!

Horseback riding along the Rincon de la Vieja countryside!

Papagayo Bay - so beautiful!

Our favorite activity - laying poolside!

Black sand beaches and volcanic rock - beauty at its best!

Writing this post makes me want to slather on some SPF and get outside! Maybe ill settle for a Crystal Light mocktail since I'm working and it's raining 😬

let's start from the beginning {of January}

2013-05-28T18:19:00.000-07:00

it has been soooooo long since my last blog post. it would seem that i'm the kind of girl who blogged during her wedding planning, and then stopped. sadly, it's true. this post starts it back up again, so here we go!

i loved blogging about all of my ideas during the wedding, and things i stumbled upon along the way. there were so many ideas flowing all the way, that I could not even begin to share all of them. planning my wedding was actually one of the hardest, most challenging, and incredibily fulfilling things I have done. it was so nice to be able to dream a dream, and then see it all come together. we could finally see the fruits of my labors on January 19th. on a cold, wintery day, i became a wife.

i think everyone says it about their wedding, but the day was absolutely perfect. i thought that i would be a ball of nerves, and a crying mess all day. i spent so much time fussing over details that i think i finally let it all go the day of, and truly enjoyed the day!

our pictures before the ceremony, but we couldn't see each other

all photo courtesy of pure amour photography

what I also realized (and what you hear so much of, but never really believe) is that all of the details can go unnoticed, even by you. there were so many things that i spent hours agonizing over that I never even saw myself. i spent hours and hours thinking about the branches and hanging votives, probably even days. unless someone has a picture of these, i never saw them, and unfortunately, my photographer didn't capture them. i am sure that they turned out great considering all the time I took to get those together. i hope that they added to the decor, but i'm not sad that i missed them.

while i may not have saw the final product of the branches, there were so many things that I talked about in my posts that did make it into the wedding and reception. here are some highlights:

Our unity candle during the ceremony - blogpost: falling

Our new labor of love: Thorncroft Ct.

2013-05-28T17:19:00.001-07:00

I always like how Jeff on Bravo's Flipping Out refers to houses by their street name. "Valley Oak", "Gramercy", "Spring Oak" all sound much fancier than jut their street address. I refer to our new house as "Thorncroft Ct" in Jeff Lewis style.

After the wedding, we started to look for a new house. We had pretty simple expectations: 3+ bedrooms, 1.5+ bathrooms, 1500+ sq ft, nice floor plan, yard, good neighborhood, master bathroom attached to mater bedroom, attached garage, basement, old wood floors with only a little work needed and in our budget. I mean that isn't asking to much, right?! ;)

We spent most of the winter weekends looking at every house in town that went on the market. We left no stone unturned. Thank god for the Real Estate One, and the ability to have access to listings as soon as they come online. Nick and I would check it as much as we checked Facebook and Twitter. Even with all of these viewings we really were underwhelmed with the inventory. We found one house that we spent some time considering and almost put an offer on twice. But something didn't click with us. After a while the fun wore off, and frustration started to kick in. I was fraud we would never find something that we would love. I didn't want to settle, but t felt like we would have to. Good houses were getting snatched up as soon as they hit the market.

One day, a house came up on our app, but it had no pictures. The description sounded nice, but we had seen that before. Some pictures came up and we immediately called our real estate agent and made them come out the next day.

As soon as I walked into this house, I had a different feeling. What would you think?

Floral wallpaper everywhere, orange carpet from the 70s, what isn't to love?!

I think some homebuyers would go running for the hills, but not us! This was our perfect house. 2200 sq ft, 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, attached garage, nice yard, old wood floors, renovated bathroom off of the master, and 3 blocks from our condo!! We loved it but had other houses to see. I felt giddy leaving that house, I think I knew it was the one. We went back to another house that we had been debating about. We sat in that kitchen for an hour debating on what we should do. We went home that night still not sure of what to do.

We woke up the next day and we decided to make an offer on all of the wallpaper in that house! The next day we were under contract and on our way to a closing date in April! We were ecstatic to finally find something that met both of our wish lists and was in our budget!

We had 45 days to get all the paperwork complete and plans made for our new house. We had wallpaper to remove, floors to rip out, floors to put in, painting, counters to rip out, cabinets to paint, counters to install. We had so much to decide on, and we worked quickly. We closed and started our first demo April 12th. Our first mortgage payment is due tomorrow and we are all moved in with no wallpaper!

Prepare to have many DIY posts on our many redo projects!

{envelope}d

2012-10-03T10:33:00.000-07:00

as a follow up to my {thank}ful blog post, i'm going to gush about DIY envelopes. i absolutely loved the product of the thank you cards and envelopes, and just realized i should never have to buy another envelope again. all the supplies are in my house, and with the simple use of a template, the possibilities are endless! by pairing these with some beautiful stationary, cards, or treasures, the final product will look much more expensive than it is.

i have an idea in mind for something special, and this little project is going to make that idea come to fruition. i recently purchased a scoring board for a project, and just didn't realize how it would come in handy. even if you don't have a scoring board, a bone folder and a ruler will do the trick!

sending someone something special in the mail, or in person will take on a whole new experience for the recipient when they receive one of these handmade beauties.

let's begin:

determine the size envelope you will need.
find the paper, patterned or solid. you can also print a pattern onto cardstock to create your custom image. make sure to use paper that is heavy.

find a template to create this size. you can use an envelope you have, or look at this wonderful resource or here to find something that will work for you. if you don't find the size your are looking for, just measure the object you want to put in the envelope, and add 1/4 inch.

cut out shape, and score flaps

to create the envelope, secure the three sides with glue or double-sided tape.

to add some more flair, add an envelope liner to your new creation with this tutorial

the result is going to beautiful, original, and from the heart, which makes it the best around!

{thank}ful

2012-09-24T10:27:00.002-07:00

flowers courtesy of my wonder fiance & beautiful sister

as i mentioned, it was my birthday last week. as with any event that people do nice things for you, i had many thank yous to write. anyone who knows me can tell you that i'm pretty big on thank you notes. i believe i ordered my wedding thank you notes before my invitations were ordered! i just find that with how busy people are in their lives, any moment that they take out of their day to think of you, should be honored. i must thank my mother and grandmother for instilling in me the importance of thanking others.

at Michael's last week, i had picked up a pack of white cardstock paper to use for making favor tags for the wedding. that week they had a 50 pack of cardstock on sale for $2.50. i only used about 15 pages for my tags, so I had quite a lot left. it dawned on me to find a beautiful thank you note online, print and send. this would be much more cost-friendly than going and buying a pack of thank yous for $5-10 for 10 cards.

as I was searching, i found this fabulous website for making thank you cards, with matching envelopes! this site offered many varieties, and easy instructions for creating these cards & envelopes yourself! Not only do they have thank you notes, but also invitations! to create these cards, all you need is paper, printer, and a bone folder, or scoring table. i made these for $0.10, excluding the cost of my tools which I already owned.

this is the card & envelope i created.

{fall}ing

2012-09-24T09:51:00.000-07:00

it seems that fall has definitely turned into my busiest season this year! it might have something to do with that event i have coming up in a few months. either way, i have been slacking on my blogging, and that is something i do not want to do! i find blogging to be very therapeutic and not doing it as often leaves my head filled with all of these ideas that I need to get out!

at the end of the summer, i started really "nesting" for the wedding. i had started to purchase all the things I was going to need to craft over the fall so that I would be ready for the holiday season, and wedding. while I feel accomplished with having all of these items, it is a little overwhelming to see all of things I need to do, literally.

so september has been quite busy, and so i'll catch up a little bit on what I've been up to.

it seems that we have started a tradition with some good friends {sean + abby} to go to a Michigan. we did miss a year because Sean and Abby live in Florida, and were getting married (fair enough!). this year we went to the Michigan vs. Navy game. Michigan {barely} won! woo!

that same weekend we had our engagement pictures, which was very exciting! i was definitely a little nervous before the shoot since I hadn't had a professional picture taken of me since... senior pictures! nick, my fiance, did a great job! thank you so much to Amy Schrodt of Pure Amour Photography for being such a fantastic photographer! we took the pictures on Detroit's Belle Isle.

we celebrated a friend's 30th birthday the following weekend in Kalamazoo. it was a beautiful day spent with great people!

this past weekend we spent some time with our favorite couple and celebrated my birthday, and our friend Amanda's. we managed to register for our wedding, which was done very nicely with my fiance.

with all of the activities going on, i haven't slacked on the crafting. i started decorating for fall by creating a scrapbook paper wreath for our front door. this was super easy. this blog has some great ideas to make your own wreath. I also printed and framed some autumn subway art. look at this blog to find one for your mantle!

i managed to make our unity candles for the wedding. i'm not sure if this is the final product, but could be. i made these out of birch paper that I purchased from etsy, and used some ribbon and embellishments that i had. total cost of the project: about $15.

i have been working on some other things, but want to dedicate a different post to those ideas/projects. i hope everyone is having a great fall so far! xo

re{purpose} jam jars

2012-09-04T18:29:00.002-07:00

so I am trying to take my mind off of my friend Meghan, who is currently in labor, and is going to have her first baby any minute! i am hoping that by the time i finish this post, I will have some amazing news! here's to wishful thinking..

we are having guests this weekend, and so my task is to clean out our guest bedroom/craft room/wedding storage room/office. as i was merely moving the boxes into our bedroom, i noticed a box of little glass jars that i was to return to the vendor...ooops! i guess i got a little busy.

if you remember from one of my first posts, i was going to use them to make hanging votive candles. these jars ended up being too small for a votive candle, so I had purchased the next size bigger, and those worked out perfectly.

so what can i do with 54 glass jam jars????

oh i will give you a few ideas...

salt and pepper shakers


by hammering some holes into the tops of the lids, you have an instant salt & pepper shaker!

a pincushion jar

by following this simple tutorial, you can have a cute pincushion for yourself, or give to others!

office storage


this cute & quirky way to organize your office is sure to give you a laugh during the work day. to make the extra fancy, add some color to the lids

soy candles

by melting soy wax flakes and adding a fragrance, you have a cute gift/favor in no time!

diy body scrub favor

these little jars can hold a homemade spa treat! click here for some advice on how to create your own salt or sugar scrubs!

as i finish that last idea, the news is out, baby girl Buchanan is born, and momma and baby are doing great! can't wait for the announcement of her name!!

{print}ables

2012-09-03T18:08:00.001-07:00

Happy Labor Day!

wow, it has been a crazy week, and I cannot believe how long it has been since my last blog post. my day job required a lot out of me this past week, and all my brain power was dedicated to business things, instead of bloggy things :( I did manage to get a few projects accomplished on my wedding list including bridesmaid's jewelry, a personalized necklace and "love" letters for our engagement shots. as summer is coming to an end, i have been in "nesting" mode preparing for the fall that will surely be filled with many, many wedding tasks to accomplish.

i'm hoping that I can make up for it this week with a few extra posts, but we will see! this week will be a busy one as we have friends coming into town, the first home Michigan game [go blue!], and our engagement pictures! a very exciting week ahead!

as I was browsing through some of my favorite blogs, I came across some really cute ideas that I have seen that should inspire you to use for your next homemade crafting project! the best part about all of these goods is that they are free! that is a price anyone can afford :)


even though summer is coming to an end, this can be stored away for next summer. consider it an opportunity to spend the next several months planning your awesome "summer sip" party!


as the weather cools, comfort food is sure to be flowing out of your kitchen. capture those tasty recipes on these adorable recipe cards. this PDF download comes with instructions and can be edited before printing.


these cute little tags would be perfect to accompany your next gift! simply download this file, and open the picture in a photo editing program (try ipiccy) and add in text. or, use your own handwriting for an even more personal touch!


this is a great money saving trick! all you need is a clear case, and the possibilities are endless! simply print out these templates and place then in the case, and voila! a new case! google for more templates and designs! here are a few more designs, as an added bonus!

i am a huge fan of baker's twine. i love how it adds some a great vintage touch to anything! these labels come in pink and blue. use these for any handmade project made with love.


this cute graphic can be added to just about anything for your wedding festivities. it could also just be printed on a wondering printed card stock and placed in a frame for lovely artwork! click the picture or go here for the link to download the file.

this site has many cute printables for you and your family. check these out and i'm sure you will find something that will inspire you!

Hey Look has these great designs that you can use for your next gift! I love the patterns and colors and these could be used for a variety of things!


while this picture does not do it justice, Hand-Made Weddings has some absolutely fabulous downloads for you to check out! there is so much more than invitations, so please give it a look!

{flower} power

2012-08-22T15:18:00.000-07:00

as i've been looking through websites for various things, I came across the most adorable idea for an edible decoration....
the cupcake bouquet.

this would make for the perfect centerpiece to any table for a baby shower, wedding shower, holiday party, or any social gathering. I know that if I went to a party and there was this marvelous creation adorning the middle of the table, I would immediately compliment the host for the their creativity!

i'm thinking of doing this for some event, but I'm just not sure of what yet. now, onto how to accomplish this lovely baking craft. for the novice baker, this looks pretty easy to me. I think the hardest part will be the icing technique to make the cupcakes look like roses, or a flower at all. if all fails, you could use other techniques (which i'll show picture of later in the post) to give the feel of a "flower".

THINGS YOU MAY NEED:

In many different tutorials, the shape of the Styrofoam may change. Use whatever you feel will work the best for the container you are putting the cupcakes into.

Below is a tutorial that might help you along in your quest for the perfect cupcake bouquet!

IF ATTEMPTING THE ROSE ICING TECHNIQUE IS NOT WORKING, TRY SOME OF THESE IDEAS:

here is a tutorial on how to make hydrangea cupcakes - quick & easy!!

{DIY} Calligraphy

2012-08-16T13:10:00.000-07:00

calligraphy is a beautiful skill that I should try to acquire. however, i'm sure my perfectionism would cause me great heartache when I saw my finished product. as promised, I have a very nice, elegant solution to using a calligraphy and creating the looks below for your wedding invitations or your next event.

not only do I have one, but THREE solutions for you! any of these could be accomplished my anyone.

1. Fake Calligraphy

this fantastic step by step tutorial shows you how to do calligraphy the old fashioned way. it seems so easy, and at first I didn't believe it could be that easy. I grabbed a gel pen and gave it a go, and wouldn't you know, I had a decent looking product!

2. Trace your heart out!

if only I had an old Lite-Brite, I could just start zipping through these envelopes. this great tutorial shows your how to use a trace table, and a computer print out to create your look. this project lends itself to using so many different fonts, and definitely offers consistency of the lettering and sizing that may not be accomplished with free-hand calligraphy.

3. Print & Trace

hopefully your screen can allow you to see the clever way to achieve that calligraphy look, without needing the tracing table. by printing onto the envelope, or other paper, in a color just slightly lighter, you can see the font, and trace. this even works on white/ivory paper. choose a really light version of the ink color that you are going to use. since this requires you to use a printer, it is very similar to the option above, but cuts out a step.

-OR-
if your are still feeling like calligraphy is more than you can tackle

as I mentioned in my last blog post, I had dreamed of having a wrap around address label for my wedding invitations. there were so many beautiful examples that I had seen, and I was really hoping to pull this off for my own invitations. this solution is a great way to step away from the look of a simple Avery address label, and into a more classy way of easily address so many envelopes. of course Martha has a great tutorial on how to accomplish this on your own! even as I write this blog, i'm drawn back into the loveliness of these designs.

photo courtesy of Etsy Shop: DigitalBunnyDesigns

Belletristics

photo: Seeing Designs from Blush Printables

signed, sealed, delivered

2012-08-14T17:29:00.001-07:00

wow, have I been a slacker! I haven't posted since last Thursday! I have been in full force gathering all my supplies for all the wedding crafts I have signed myself up for! as the summer winds down, I realize that there are only a few months before the holidays when the real wedding coordination will take place. so I've decided to bite the bullet and start ~~hoarding~~ these projects. more blog posts will come with some of the final products! I can't wait to share, hopefully they turn out great.

over the weekend, I had a chance to catch up with a friend of mine who is getting married too. as we ran through the lists of things we need to accomplish, compared notes, and organized our thoughts, we started talking stationary. stationary has been on my mind since I got engaged. of course there are the invitations, but there is always so much more to think about: save-the-dates, thank yous, rehearsal invites, shower invites, monograms & such to tie it all together.

I've purchased all of my thank-yous already, and used Vistaprint. I had a Groupon to use with them, and I had never used them before. Considering the amount of products they offer, I was a little skeptical of how the cards would turn out, but they looked great! The great thing about Vistaprint is that they are fast, and very affordable, and we know I'm always looking for a deal! Below are a few cute cards I like, but didn't use myself.

among some of my other purchases, I also managed to an adorable self-inking stamp from Wedding Paper Divas. I had dreamed of doing a wrap around label on the wedding invitations, but decided that is may not be practical for me. I still wanted something personal, and have been looking at monogrammed/custom stamps for quite some time. luckily WPD had a sale, and I snagged this beauty below. I will use this on my outer and inner envelopes for the invitations. best part is that I decided to not put our last name so that we can use this before and after the wedding!

even if you aren't getting married, there are many adorable return address stamps that you can snatch up for a little added flavor to that birthday card, or mortgage payment envelope:

there will definitely be more to come involving this topic. stay tuned for a DIY solution to addressing all those envelopes!

{skinny}tails

2012-08-09T18:36:00.002-07:00

with the weekend fast approaching, my mind starts heading to what activities are on the calendar. while I play law school widow for the next two weeks while my fiance studies and takes this semester's exams, I'll be heading to hang out with our friends at a bonfire. as with most social activities, I'm sure there will be a few alcoholic drinks consumed. this got me to think: what can I drink that is tasty, easy to make, and low in calories? I've recently been logging all my food & beverages on MyFitnessPal, and I don't want to have to log a 300 calorie drink, 5 times :)

so, I turn to my trusty source of all things: Google. I am looking for a drink that doesn't involve 10 different ingredients and pretty easy to prepare. while it's still summer, I thought I would share a few cocktails that won't break our diets!


Cuban Mojito: Skinny Taste

1.5 oz Bacardi Rum
12 fresh spearmint leaves
1/2 lime
7 oz sprite zero or club soda
2 tbsp. splenda

in a cool tall glass, muddle the mint, Splenda and lime juice. add crushed ice. add rum, soda and stir well. garnish with a lime wedge and a few sprigs of mint. serve with a straw.

Mimosa: Everyday Health

2 ounces Minute Maid light orange juice beverage
4 ounces champagne
Juice of 1/2 medium-size orange, or 1 to 2 ounces

squeeze juice from the orange half into a glass filled with ice. pour in light Minute Maid juice followed by champagne. stir. garnish with fresh orange slices for a dash of style.

just slice up 4 apples and 3 oranges. combine fruit with 1 pound red grapes, halved; 3 bottles light- to medium-bodied red wine; 1 can Fresca (or any diet lemon soda); and 1 can club soda. chill mixture, and serve over ice for 16 servings of scrumptiousness. Here’s the best part: Each serving has only 173 calories!

Skinny Margarita: She Knows

2 ounces silver tequila
1 1/2 ounces lime juice (freshly squeezed)
1 ounce agave nectar

substitute agave nectar with a sugar-free sweetener to make this drink only 140 calories (with: 220 calories)

the easiest way to accomplish an easy skinny cocktail is to check out the line of SkinnyGirl products by Bethanny Frankel. I have tried the margarita, and it isn't half bad. I guess for 100 calories per serving, I can't really be asking for much. Luckily, there are more than the margarita to sample, and liquor too!

I'm certain that there is at least one drink that I should be able to make that I find tasty, strong, and I won't need to run 5 miles to make up for! If anyone has any suggestions on recipes to try, please comment!

a {kale}thy snack

2012-08-07T17:19:00.001-07:00

i've heard so much about kale, and all the nutritional benefits that it has to offer. as with anything that is good for you, i'm a little skeptical. I really don't know anything about the vegetable, so I had no idea how to introduce myself to this great source of vitamins and minerals. I should also mention that on top of it's wonderful benefits, it is cheap!

while Facebooking one day, a page came up that caught my eye. Eat Yourself Skinny is a blog dedicated to eating healthy, and has recipes for healthy alternatives to your favorite foods. I tried a recipe for Funfetti Cake Dip, which was so amazing, and my fiance was even impressed with it's tastiness! so I decided to give another recipe a chance, and that's when I saw the recipe for Kale Chips.

I always love to find recipes that even I can tackle, as I am not a cook whatsoever. this recipe is incredibly easy, and takes about 25 minutes from prep to finish. once these chips were finished, I was still apprehensive about this magical veggie. once I put one of those crispy pieces in my mouth, I was in love!

ENJOY!

Things You Need:

Kale
Sea Salt
Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash & dry the kale bunch.


Remove spines from each piece.

Break the kale into 2 inch pieces.

Place the pieces in a bowl, and mix with one tablespoon of olive oil.

Place the pieces on a baking sheet and sprinkle with sea salt.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until crispy.

{eye} love eye primer

2012-08-07T07:02:00.001-07:00

as I was getting ready this morning, and putting on my makeup, I had a moment where I was truly thankful...for my discovery of eye primer!

once upon a time, I was standing up in a wedding. as any bridesmaid knows, hair & makeup can be an expense. for this specific occasion, I decided to try my hand at doing my own makeup, smokey eye and all! you should know that I am not a makeup artist, nor did I have any real talent for applying makeup. of course I could do the standard foundation, blush, eyeshadow, eyeliner and mascara, but there was no technique for any of it.

for anyone interested in trying to do their own makeup, definitely head over to youtube or pinterest to find great step-by-step tutorials on how to achieve any technique. for me, this was very helpful to see what tools and products I needed to achieve the look of a professional makeup application. I found pinterest to be the most helpful in seeing the final product, and then taking me to the video, wherever it was hosted.

after acting like a 5 year old in my mother's makeup for a couple of weeks, I felt like I was finally ready to buys the proper tools & makeup for this experiment. from all of the videos, it seemed that eye primer was a very important part of the process to prep the eye, and keep the shadows in place. So, I headed into Ulta to browse the selections. my first choice for advice on makeup is heading to Sephora as I just personally have had great success with the products I have taken recommendations on. either way, the prices are about the same.

so I asked the girl wandering around with pounds of makeup on, what she recommended for an eye primer. She told me that her favorite was Urban Decay Eye Primer ($20), so I picked it up.

as I browsed the selections, I came across some shadow that I thought would work perfectly, Starry Eyed Baked Eye Shadow Trio ($26).

this trio has a bit of a shimmer, and can be used wet or dry. As I continued to fall in love with all the products, I noticed this kit, that contained everything I could possibly need, Close Up: Real Life to Red Carpet Eye Tutorial ($37)

here I had everything I could need at my finger tips: eyeshadow, eye primer, mascara, liquid eyeliner, a makeup brush, and a step-by-step book on how to accomplish several different looks! I picked this up too, and headed home to try my hands at a smokey eye.

as with anything, practice makes perfect, and it took me a few tries to accomplish, but I started to get the hang of it. the wedding day came around, and the true test of my practice needed to pay off. I had to say I was pretty pleased. as I looked around, I couldn't tell that I had done my makeup myself. I felt a sense of accomplishment.

I had another wedding a month later, and I tried the technique again, and with another successful attempt. I was pleased at how professional the look ended up being, and I had spent a fraction of the cost for the professional services. the shadow lasts through the event, and does not smudge or leave creases. over the months, I have continued to practice and experiment. I receive many compliments on the shadow, and because of that, I have purchased more Lorac goods to replace the originals. while I normally am quite thrifty, these products are worth the money, and last for quite a long time.

to swing back to this morning, I use the eye primer by Lorac every day. however, I don't wear shadow every day. during the week I prefer a more natural look, and don't wear eye makeup. in the past, I would wear shadow because my eyelids would be more red, or would appear shiny compared to my skin that had foundation. to mask this, I tried putting foundation on my lids. this worked, but by the end of the day, the oils from my lids would wash the foundation away. this is when I decided to give that lovely primer I used for weekends and special occasions to good use. the primer is relatively skin colored, which creates a very natural appearance.

image from today, a random tuesday, with a sun burnt eyelid to boot.

now again, I am not a makeup artist, so this is why I share this with you. a simple product can be easy to use, at any skill level, and give you a very finished look. eye primer brought me joy this morning, and I'm hoping that if you aren't using it already, it can bring joy to you too!

{shoe}ly possessed

2012-08-03T11:34:00.000-07:00

since my dress came in a few weeks ago, I have had the task of finding the shoes to wear with this dress. one of my first posts was about these amazing Sergio Rossi shoes that I had wanted, but were $1600! I loved the uniqueness of the shoe, and was hoping to find something similar.
on my lunch hour today, I decided to step into my local DSW to see what deals I could find for cute shoes on the clearance racks. sadly, nothing sparked my interest so I headed for the door. I decided to head up the aisle where the special occasion shoes are located, just to browse and see if there was anything that caught my eye.

and there they were...

lulu townsend - vada
$69.95

while these shoes are not the Sergio Rossi's, the scaling is quite similar, and 96% off the price! these pictures don't actually do the rhinestone justice for how sparkly they are in real like. the front of the show hardly looks like it has color, and looks like it's made out of glorious diamonds! if you can't tell, I was very please with my find!

i'm not certain these shoes are the ones, but they are the ones for right now! I cannot wait to get home, and try them on to see how they look!

<iframe src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/adi/N7433.148119.BLOGGEREN/B6767619.535;sz=200x200;ord=[timestamp]?;lid=41000000027838847;pid=58000000002251580290000M006.0;usg=AFHzDLv-ValnlGIjNw07fm3HvAwPEoV-Lg;adurl=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.dsw.com%252Fshoe%252Flulu%252Btownsend%252Bantoinette%252Bsandal%253FprodId%253D225158;pubid=564555;imgsrc=http%3A%2F%2Fs7d2.scene7.com%2Fis%2Fimage%2FDSWShoes%2F225158_029_ss_01%3F%24search%24%26wid%3D500%26hei%3D500%26fmt%3Djpg%26qlt%3D100;width=200;height=200" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" hspace="0" vspace="0" bordercolor="#000000" frameborder="0" height="200" scrolling="no" width="200"><iframe src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/adi/N7433.148119.BLOGGEREN/B6767619.543;sz=200x200;ord=[timestamp]?;lid=41000000027838847;pid=58000000002400710030000W007.0;usg=AFHzDLsSO64E1XmBIxoh6R1274bzu62Jmg;adurl=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.dsw.com%252Fshoe%252Flulu%252Btownsend%252Bbridal%252Bvalissa%252Bpump%253FprodId%253D240071;pubid=564555;imgsrc=http%3A%2F%2Fs7d2.scene7.com%2Fis%2Fimage%2FDSWShoes%2F240071_003_ss_01%3F%24search%24%26wid%3D500%26hei%3D500%26fmt%3Djpg%26qlt%3D100;width=200;height=200" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" hspace="0" vspace="0" bordercolor="#000000" frameborder="0" height="200" scrolling="no" width="200"><iframe src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/adi/N7433.148119.BLOGGEREN/B6767619.562;sz=200x200;ord=[timestamp]?;lid=41000000027838847;pid=58000000002400710030000W007.0;usg=AFHzDLsSO64E1XmBIxoh6R1274bzu62Jmg;adurl=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.dsw.com%252Fshoe%252Flulu%252Btownsend%252Bbridal%252Bvalissa%252Bpump%253FprodId%253D240071;pubid=564555;imgsrc=http%3A%2F%2Fs7d2.scene7.com%2Fis%2Fimage%2FDSWShoes%2F240071_003_ss_01%3F%24search%24%26wid%3D500%26hei%3D500%26fmt%3Djpg%26qlt%3D100;width=200;height=200" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" hspace="0" vspace="0" bordercolor="#000000" frameborder="0" height="200" scrolling="no" width="200">

{guest} of honor

2012-08-02T07:55:00.000-07:00

remembering your guests, and the special place that they held in your heart on your wedding day is priceless. Simply writing your name in a book, doesn't seem to cut it for the bride of today. with the availability of the internet, and an abundance of creativity, there are so many wonderful options for a bride to choose from. I have seen so many amazing ideas for guestbooks for a wedding. I remember going to my friend's wedding and it was the first time that I saw the tree with the guest's fingerprints.

photo courtesy of Etsy

if my friend hadn't used this fabulous idea for her wedding, I would have loved this idea. I love the idea of seeing the fingerprints of your guests, and having a beautiful piece of artwork after the big day. as I searched for a unique idea for our wedding, I stumbled across many great ideas that I loved and wanted to share.

photo courtesy of Emmaline Bride

the possibilites are endless for the font & style of the letter. I love that this is simple, and could immediately be hung in your home after the wedding.

photo courtesy of Wedding Bee

the wish tree allows your guests to write a special message to you, for you to keep and read for years to come

photo courtesy of Florida Historic Weddings

this is such a sweet way to display messages from your guests. this would be perfect for a beach wedding. this guestbook idea could easily be transported from the reception to your mantel or coffee table!

photo courtesy of Etsy Shop: LoveFromTheThumb

this is another take on the fingerprint guestbooks. the great thing about this type is the personalization that each guest offerse with their unique fingerprint.

photo courtesy of Daisy Days

these examples could be done by ordering from a shop, or could easily designed and printed on your home computer! an idea like this could tie together the designs you have used for your save-the-dates, and invitations. Simply creating a beautiful monogram of your intitals could be beautifully placed in your new married home!

photo courtesy of Etsy Shp: DazzlingExpressions

this is my favorite, mostly because I will be using this at my wedding. I will replace the box with something with a lid, and have our wedding date on the outside. i'm so excited to see the messages that my family and friends write, and I can share these with my children some day!

{bottle}d up art

2012-07-30T09:49:00.000-07:00

over the weekend, my fiance and I headed to Toronto. it had been quite some time since either of us had been to the city, and we were quite surprised at how big and lively it was. we went to dinner, and afterwards met up with some friends at the Loose Moose. while we enjoyed sitting in this sports bar, I found the most amazing light fixture, and I couldn't take my eyes off of it all night.

this light fixture started at the beginning of the bar, and went all the way to the back. it was made up of Jose Cuervo bottles, Tabasco bottles, and Corona bottles.

of course this fixture started the wheels turning in my head... how is this made? how do they have the bottles hung? what are the main supplies? how could I make this myself?

the best part about this fixture is that it could easily be recreated at home, on a smaller scale of course.
the lighs used were regular light bulbs that the bottles were placed around to allow the light to shine through.

the bottle were hung using the lids from the actual bottles, except for the corona bottles which had some other lid attached. a hole was drilled through the top, and a long rod with some sort of stopper was placed through the lid to hold the bottle in place. this rod was inserted into a hole drilled at the top of the fixture to allow it to hang. the rods varied in length to give the fixture dimension.

I wasn't the only one captivated by this piece of art. I saw several other patrons staring and pointing at it. even my fiance was impressed by the creativity. this would be a great winter project to add to a "mancave". with a few supplies, this beautiful piece could be yours!

hope everyone had a happy & safe weekend!