Very Fond Of

Rug Upholstered Rolling Stool

2015-01-30T15:27:00.005-05:00

I spotted this small woven rug in an isle with kitchenwares at Walmart. At the time I wasn’t looking for a small rug, nor did I need one, but I was really drawn to it - I love the texture (it sort of looks like shoelaces sewn together) and the combination colors (it’s got a mix of blues and reds, and single stripe of neon orange).

I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with this rug, but I had to have it, and fortunately it was less than $5.

Not long after I bought the rug, I realized I could use it to reupholster this stool. Note - rugs make great upholstery material because they're inherently durable.

A little bit of history about this stool - It has been floating around for so long that no one remembers where it originally came from anymore. My mom said it’s possible this stool has been in each of the five houses we lived in over the course of my childhood. It does not have a ton of sentimental value, but when my mom decided recently to get rid of it, I asked to have it – it’s classic and versatile, though a little worse for wear.

Before I reupholstered the stool, I freshened up the wood a bit. I scrubbed away white scuffmarks using the green side of a kitchen sponge. I dabbed some Old English on the scratches. And I rubbed at thin layer of Pledge Orange Oil over the whole thing.

When I reupholstered the stool, I didn’t even bother to remove the existing navy velvet, I just stapled the rug right over it.

(Note: I don’t have a fancy staple gun, just this light duty model that’s less than $10. It has served me well for quite a few projects, like this one, and this one, and this one.)

After I reupholstered the stool it sat in my living room like this for a few weeks, just looking pretty.

Meanwhile I was in need of a desk chair. This stool was a few inches too low to use as my desk – until I had the epiphany that I could add casters which would make it the stool the necessary few inches taller, and more desk-chair-like to boot.

I bought casters at Home Depot (for $3 each). I chose these casters because of their short (one inch) stem – a stem longer than one inch would have required a deeper hole than could have been straight drilled into the small curvy feet of this stool.

I didn't really shop around for casters, but I kind of wish I had because I've since come across all these pretty options on Amazon - here, here, here, and here.

I measured and taped off a one inch depth on my drill bit to make sure I didn’t accidently drill too far in.

The caster stems should fit snugly in the drilled holes. I mistakenly used a drill bit that was too big, so my casters were a little loose, and fell out when I picked up the stool – but I was able to remedy this by wrapping each caster stem with a tiny bit of mounting putty.

Ta-da, here's my new desk chair:

I'll be back next week with details about my new desk - I'm pretty jazzed about it - I built it, and it fits in my closet.

Making a Wood Top for My Coffee Table

2015-01-21T17:33:00.001-05:00

Hi, I’m back after a thirteen-month hiatus and I am just going to jump right into things. I moved to a new apartment and have quite a few projects to share.

I had a glass coffee table. When I picked it out I was keen on the fact it was glass because this meant it didn’t take up too much visual real estate in my little living room.

However, a glass coffee table does have drawbacks: No one ever really feels comfortable putting their feet up on a glass table, and I believe comfort at home is paramount. Also, it’s hard to keep a glass table looking clean – reflective surfaces like mirror and glass readily show scratches, fingerprints, and dust.

This summer, soon after I moved into an apartment with a bigger living room, I decided to replace the glass top on my coffee table with wood. Here’s what I did:

I bought a piece of ¾” 2’ x 4’ birch plywood ($22 at Home Depot) and had it cut down at the store to the length I wanted (44”).

I wrapped the edges of the plywood with an iron-on veneer edge banding. This veneer edge banding is cool stuff, and it’s easy to work with. I cut it with an x-acto knife and fused it to the edge of my plywood with an iron.

I unscrewed the metal piece that held the glass on top of coffee table, and used the screw holes to attach my newly made wood top.

Then, I stained the wood using Varathane American Walnut Wood Stain ($5 at Home Depot). This was my first foray into staining so I followed the directions exactly from the can: I lightly sanded the wood, vacuumed the dust, applied one coat of stain liberally with a sponge brush, let it soak in for three minutes, and then wiped off the excess with a rag in the direction of the wood.

When I wiped off the first coat of stain, the color wasn’t quite as dark as I wanted it to be, so I applied another coat of stain and let it soak in for about ten minutes before wiping it off.

After this I let the table dry overnight. In the morning I applied Paste Finishing Wax, again following the directions directly from the can: I rubbed a thin even coat of wax onto the wood with a rag, let it dry for fifteen minutes, and then polished it (rubbed in little circles) with a clean cloth.

The finishing wax didn’t really change the appearance of the stained wood, but in theory it’s helping protect the surface. And, I’m inclined to think it’s working – I’ve been using my coffee table with this wood top for about two months and it still looks exactly like it did when I first finished it.

Christmas Ornament Garland

2013-12-20T16:11:00.002-05:00

I didn't get a Christmas tree this year but I got my ornaments out anyway because I have so much fun looking through them. It feels like opening presents because I forget about all the pretty ornaments I've collected over the years.

I made and hung a garland with some favorite ornaments, fishing line, and two screw eye hooks.

I strung the ornaments on the fishing line and tied a knot around one to hold it in place. I spaced the ornaments about an inch and a half apart from one other. If you don't space your ornaments with knots they will all jumble together - your garland will look fuller but you won't really be able to see the individual ornaments.

I screwed the two screw eye hooks into my wall and draped the finished garland over them.

It was very easy. You just have to be very gentle when you pick up and hang the garland so the ornaments don't clank together too hard.

I did a few other small things to make my apartment festive for the holidays, like put out my vintage cardboard Christmas houses.

And, I put some Christmas ornaments (ones that didn't make it on the garland) out in a bowl and I hung a santa ornament from my living room lampshade. (Pssst....recognize that bowl? It's the rock bowl I made two summers ago.)

I tacked my single strand of vintage glass beads to the bulletin board above me desk, and then hung my chenille candy cane pipe cleaners on it.

And I saved a few of the candy canes to hang on the wall lamps on either side of my bed.

So I didn't go all out like I did two years ago, but even without a tree my one bin of Christmas decorations goes a long way to make things feel pretty festive around here.

How's your holiday so far? I hope it's really happy and festive.

My Lady Gaga Halloween Costume

2013-10-30T18:17:00.002-04:00

I was Lady Gaga for Halloween last year. Here's how I pulled together the costume:

First things first, I made a meat dress.

I ordered one yard of bacon pattern fabric. (In hindsight I should have ordered one-and-a half yards because I didn't have quite enough, so I ended up using some miscellaneous pink fabric for the back.)

I used this red dress from my closet as the pattern for my bacon dress:

I'm not going to get very technical with you here because I was kinda winging this whole dress making thing.

Essentially I traced my red dress following its seams. I added half an inch of seam allowance to the outside edges of my traced pieces.

I sewed all of the pieces together and hemmed the remaining raw edges - around the neck, arms, and bottom of the skirt.

Taadaa, my finished bacon dress:

To complete my Lady Gaga look I ordered this blonde wig from Amazon, and put some streaks in it with a blue highlighter.

I wore black fishnet tights, a black flower/poof hair clip thing (leftover from my sister's 2011 Kate Middleton costume), and a black leather jacket (also borrowed from my sister).

For the finishing touches I put on a vintage rhinestone necklace (borrowed from my mom), a fun red ring, a lot of navy eyeliner, bright red lipstick, and my tallest turquoise high heels (not pictured).

I was pretty please with how this costume came together and I had a lot of fun wearing it! If I were to do it again, I'd probably make the bottom hem of the dress jagged so it looked a little more meat-like.

How about you, got any plans to dress up for Halloween tomorrow? I roped my boyfriend into doing a couples costume this year. He's Uncle Sam and I'm the Statue of Liberty. Details and pictures to follow in a few days.

In the meantime: my sheep costume, my chicken costume, a round of up some of my favorite homemade Halloween costume ideas, and a few more.

Can you tell I like Halloween, just a little bit?

Birthday Cupcake To Go

2013-05-08T19:12:00.001-04:00

Without making a special trip to the store I usually don't have enough ingredients for a whole batch of birthday cupcakes. Fortunately this this two cupcake recipe only calls for one egg, two tablespoons of butter, and a few other things I almost always have on hand.

I used this recipe to whip up a birthday cupcake for my friend Claire. (I put a few chocolate chips in the batter, because I happened to have them, and I used a mixture of butter, powdered sugar and peanut butter for the frosting.)

I transported the cupcake to Claire in a carrier I made by taping two clear plastic Chinet cups together.

I highly recommend having a stash of clear plastic cups on hand - they can be used for a multitude of things, like organizing a jewelry drawer.

I put a candle on the cupcake and I taped a match to the inside of the cup.

I also taped a short birthday message to the outside.

This carrier fit perfectly in my car's cup holder which made transporting it especially easy.

Got a bunch of cupcakes to carry? Check out the carrier I made to transport 12+ cupcakes.

Organized Jewelry Drawer

2013-04-06T19:49:00.001-04:00

I keep my jewelry and makeup in the top two drawers of this little dresser in my bedroom.

I'm very organized but this drawer was not.

I decided to change that. Here's how it looks now:

I made a point to only use supplies I already had: a 1/4" dowel, wood glue, two cardboard egg cartons, eight clear plastic Chinet cups, a foam insert from a paper jewelry box, a few white plastic drawer organizers, and a tester pot of pale blue paint.

This is what I did:

1. Emptied the drawer and got rid of the jewelry that I didn't really like and/or couldn't see myself wearing again.

2. Removed the wooden drawer dividers, lined them up, and made corresponding marks (for where the dowels will go) about two inches apart.

3. Picked a drill bit that was about the same size as my dowel (about 1/4").

4. Drilled holes halfway through the thickness of each divider in the marked spots.

5. Cut the dowel, glued the pieces between the dividers and glued the dividers back into the drawer.

6. Painted the inside of the drawer with a sample pot of pale blue paint.

7. Hung all of my fish hook earrings and clasp bracelets on the dowels.

8. Cut the top off two cardboard egg cartons and painted them to match the inside of the drawer.

9. Sorted my hair doodads into clear plastic Chinet cups.

10. Lined up my stud earrings in the foam insert from a paper jewelry box.

11. Arranged the rest of my earrings in one of the painted egg cartons.

12. Corralled my small necklaces in the second egg carton and put my big bauble necklaces in more clear plastic cups.

13. Sorted my makeup into six white plastic drawer organizers that I labeled Eyes, Face, Blush, Lips, Perfume, and Lotion.

14. Arranged the organizers to fit in the second drawer of my dresser.

15. Stepped back and did a little happy dance.

Check back early next week, I've got a post in the works about a clear to-go box I made to carry a single birthday cupcake.

A Fast Fix for Faded Wood Cabinets

2013-04-03T20:30:00.000-04:00

The base cabinets in my kitchen lost their luster from years of wear and getting wet. As a renter I didn't think there was anything I could do so I've been living with them like this for the five years I've been in my place.

On a whim one day last week I decided to try wiping the cabinets with some Old English Scratch Cover.... and OMG the result was awesome:

This project only took five minutes:

Step 1 - Squirt some Old English Scratch Cover on a rag.

Step 2 - Rub the rag on your cabinets.

Step 3 - Step back and admire how much better your cabinets now look.

Step 4 - Kick yourself for not doing this five years ago when you first moved in.

DIY Big Custom-sized Bulletin Board

2013-03-10T19:28:00.001-04:00

I wanted more space to tack things up by my desk. This pin board I made with a picture frame and foam board no longer felt big enough.

I wanted a bulletin board that would fill the entire space between my desk and the shelves above.

I bought a sheet of homasote (board made from recycled newspapers) from Home Depot and had it cut to the exact size I wanted. The sheet cost $24. Had the guy at Home Depot not been willing to cut it for me I could have probably cut it myself with a serrated knife or box cutter.

I thought about covering the board in fabric. I also considered framing it with molding. I ultimately decided to paint the board to match the wall - I wanted it to blend in because I knew there would be a lot going on once the board had things pinned on it.

I screwed the board to the wall.

I didn't want the screws to show so I dug out around them with an x-acto knife so they would sit flat.

Then I plastered over the screws.

I finished off the sides of the board with iron-on wood veneer edging. I got the roll from Lowe's for $6. This was my first time using it and it was easy to work with.

I cut the veneer with scissors, and attached it to the board edge with a hot iron.

I painted the edges and the patched screw holes.

I'm super happy with my new big bulletin board. As you can see it's already pretty full of things.

Dried Coxcomb Flowers

2013-02-19T13:31:00.002-05:00

Do you like dried flowers? Me neither. Or at least I was pretty sure I didn't.

My sister Anne grew some coxcomb flowers in my parents backyard. While they were still fresh she cut them, tied them together, and hung them upside down in a dry dark closet.

You're supposed to let the flowers hang like this to dry for about four weeks, during which time Anne forgot about them. That's when I swooped in and claimed the flowers (finders keepers, right?).

I cut the stems and arranged the flowers in a vase using a hunk of dry floral foam.

Dried coxcomb look full and colorful, unlike most dried flowers which I think look frail and scratchy.

Note, the color of the flowers color will eventually fade - here's a coxcomb arrangement that's two years old:

If you can't steal your little sisters coxcombs like I did, you can always plant your own - details on how to do that here. Or if you live in the DC area you can pick coxcomb flowers at Butler's Orchard between July and October.

I keep this arrangement on the tv console in my living room - it is the first thing I see when I walk in my front door.

I love fresh flowers but this little arrangement is nearly as happy and it's inexpensive and maintenance-free.

DIY Silver Tray Chalkboard

2013-01-31T15:00:00.000-05:00

I needed somewhere to write my grocery list - besides on random scraps of paper - so I made this chalkboard for my fridge.

It started with this fun shaped silver-plated tray I found at an estate sale for a few dollars.

I shined it up with some silver polish.

Then I lightly sanded the center, to help ensure the paint would stick.

I painted three coats of chalkboard paint.

I glued four strong magnets to the back of the tray.

I also glued a magnet to the back of this little metal cup to hold the chalk.

Did you know you can sharpen chalk in a pencil sharpener? The fine point makes it easier to write small.

This is what I need from the grocery store right now. :)

DIY Skirted Entry Table

2013-01-30T19:18:00.001-05:00

I spotted this console on the side of the road and picked it up because I knew the long slim shape would be perfect for my mom's entryway.

The console wasn't in great condition (probably why it was on the side of the road) so to hide that (and the miscellaneous items my mom wanted to stash inside it) I made a skirt for it.

I used a sturdy cotton fabric from Ikea. It was $6 a yard and I used about six yards.

The first thing I did was to measure and cut out the pieces of fabric. The skirt I made was nine pieces in all:

This graphic below explains the size of each piece, and how I factored in the folds and seam allowances. My console was 72 inches long, 13 inches wide, and 30 inches tall, but this plan can easily be adapted for any size console - see my notes in blue.

Once you have all the pieces measured and cut, the sewing is easy. In fact I sewed this entire project with my $35 Lil' Sew and Sew machine. No fancy stitches required - I did everything with a basic straight stitch.

I started by sewing the front, back, sides, and corner pieces together. Then I hemmed the bottom and ironed the folds into place. The last thing I did was attach it all to the top piece.

The real key to this project is to carefully pin everything into place and make sure it's lined up before you sew. Also, iron a lot - super smooth panels and extra crisp folds really help complete this look.

Once on the console, the corners of the skirt poofed out a little more than I would have liked, so I tacked them into place with a quick stitch about six inches from the floor, see the orange arrows below:

Side note: If my mom had needed to be able to easily access the things stored underneath the skirt I would have instead used magnets or fabric weights to keep the corners in place.

We had a piece of glass cut to fit the top - it looks pretty and helps protect the top from all the hustle and bustle that happens in an entryway.

Doesn't this vintage silver toast rack make the sweetest little mail sorter?

There ya have it, my do-it-yourself skirted table. I think it's one of my most proud DIY project to date...and I've done quite a few.

For the Hostess with the Mostest

2013-01-20T23:53:00.000-05:00

My friends Jenny knows how to throw a great party - she is no doubt the hostess with the mostest.

I made these Hostess inspired cupcakes to bring to Jenny's birthday party this weekend.

I followed this recipe from Family Kitchen, except I doubled the filling.

They were good, way better than regular Hostess cupcakes, though I know that's not saying much.

Quirky Christmas Ornaments

2012-12-19T07:08:00.000-05:00

I absolutely love quirky glass Christmas ornaments. I let myself buy one or two new ones each year. In recent years I've acquired an ambulance, a polar bear, and a chocolate covered strawberry. Here are the ornaments I've got my eye on this year:

Hedgehog, Shark, Orangutan, Bichon, Koi, Humpback Whale, Blue Crab, Llama, Brontosaurus

Ice Cream Sandwich, Margarita, Frango Mints, Glazed Donut, Croque Madame, Deviled Eggs, Gouda, Raspberry, PB and J , Stack of Pancakes, Grilled Cheese

Rocket Ship, The White House, Abominable Snowman, The Louvre, Submarine, Nefertiti, Nail Polish, Paint Palette, The Capitol, Igloo, Bumper Car

GAH, aren't they all so great?! How's a girl to choose? Which would you pick?

Mushroom Place Card Holders

2012-11-18T14:59:00.000-05:00

I'm in charge of setting the table for my family's Thanksgiving dinner. With just a few days left before the big day, I'm on the hunt for some clever but easy table ideas. These mushroom place card holders I made for family dinner a few months ago were exactly that.

They took seconds to make. I wrote names on green construction paper circles and then cut a slit into each mushroom to hold 'em.

In addition to mushrooms, I think you could use strawberries or cherry tomatoes.

Got any plans to decorate your table for Thanksgiving, or is the delicious food decoration enough?

Looking for some more ideas - I put together this table for Thanksgiving two years ago.

Not Your Average Halloween Decoration

2012-10-21T07:27:00.003-04:00

I framed this sequin mask I got around Halloween-time last year. It's not your average Halloween decoration, but I kinda really like that about it.

You can buy a mask just like this one for $3.47 here. I got the frame from Goodwill and cut the mat myself using this.

This doesn't replace a trip to the pumpkin patch, but its got things starting to feel a little more festive around here.

Framed Four-leaf Clovers and Other Leaf Art

2012-10-18T06:28:00.001-04:00

I'm not sure I've ever found a four-leaf clover, until a few weeks ago when I was lucky enough to find this:

It's a little frame in which someone has preserved six real four-leaf clovers. What a cute idea. I found it at an estate sale - how lucky am I?

This got me wondering about preserving leaves. I have some vague memories of pressing flowers between pages of our family encyclopedia set when I was little.

I did some quick research and found out there are three pretty easy way to press a leaf and/or clover should you find one:

Put the leaf between the pages of a heavy book. Pile some more heavy books on top and leave em' for a week or two, or
Submerge the leaf in a solution of glycerin and water for several days, or
Press the leaf between two pieces of waxed paper using an iron at medium heat.

Aren't these leaf art examples pretty?

From aHa! Modern Living

Image from Better Homes and Gardens

Image from Urban Grace Interiors

Image from Tim Cuppett Architects

I'm quite fond of this piece of art I found on Etsy because it reminds me of Matisse's Spray of Leaves piece...and I think you know how fond I am of Matisse - I mentioned him here, here, here and here.

Image via MapleShoppers

And last but not least, wouldn't one of these characters would make for the absolute sweetest fall greeting card?

Image from Family Fun

I think I'm finally done being mad that summer is over and I'm about ready to start embracing fall - so long as it doesn't get really cold outside just yet. Though I don't currently have anything specific in mind, I might try to whip up a fall decoration or two this weekend. I'm remembering now how I made this pretty piece of autumn art for my mom around this time last year.

How about you - has there been any autumn decorating going on at your place so far this season?

More Homemade Halloween Costume Ideas

2012-10-15T01:24:00.001-04:00

Halloween is just a little over two weeks away - so there's still plenty of time to pull together a sweet costume. I've rounded up some of my favorite homemade Halloween costume ideas - to add to the list I rounded up last year. Here goes:

Flo from Progressive - attach some blue iron-on letters like these to a white apron like this one. You could buy an "I love insurance" button, or I think you could easily make one yourself too.

Katniss Everdeen from the Hunger Games - dig out the pair of cargo pants buried in the back of your closet (or pick up a pair from Goodwill), and get a toy bow and arrow set like this one. And if you feel like going all out (which I totally support) you could order a Mockingjay pin.

Image from MTV.

A Hungry Hungry Hippo - get a basic plastic push-top garbage can like this one and use a box-cutter to cut off the bottom, as well as grooves for your arms and a hole for your head. Make nostrils using plastic cups and spray paint the whole thing the color of your choice - I think the original hippos were pink, green, orange and yellow. Make eyes, ears and teeth out of cardboard and/or craft foam.

Image from College Humor.

Olive Oyl (Popeye's girlfriend) - strap on your hiking boots, attach a strip of yellow duct tape along the bottom of a black skirt, and fashion a scalloped collar out of white felt for an existing red blouse.

Image from Xoelle.

Pig in a blanket - Real Simple shares all the DIY details for these pig ears and this nose here, but essentially you need pink felt, a headband, a bottle cap, pink paint, a button and some pink ribbon.

Image from Real Simple.

A piñata - the costume on the left was made using a nude leotard and crepe paper, details here. The costume on the right was made using old pajamas and felt, video tutorial here.

Image on the left from Camille Styles. Image on the right from Costume Works.

A shark - get some gray, white, and black felt to attach to a gray sweatsuit - details on how this was made here.

Image from Fiskars.

Andy Warhol - grab a black turtleneck, a short white wig (Amazon's selling one for $8 here), and a can of Campbell's tomato soup.

Image via Oh Happy Day.

Frida Kahlo - glue some fake flowers onto a headband, use an eyeliner pencil to give yourself a unibrow, and throw on a flowy dress, your biggest dangly earrings, and a colorful pashmina.

Image via Oh Happy Day.

Cinderella (before she met the prince) - grab your broom and get a brown a-line skirt (there are thousands of em' available for cheap on ebay), a brown tank top, a long-sleeved light blue shirt, a white apron (here's one on Amazon for $7), and an all-white bandana/handkerchief.

Image via TinkerellaCreations.

A crayon - get a party hat and a matching long-sleeved shirt and leggings (or a dress and tights) and attach some black felt.

Image on the left from Fantasy Toyland. Image on the right from Parents.

A Ceiling Fan - get some cheerleading pom poms like these and attach some iron-on letters on a t-shirt to spell "Go Ceiling." To be extra festive get a giant foam finger like this.

An Iron Chef - grab your iron and throw on a chef hat, and maybe even a chef coat or apron.

A Buccaneer - tape dollar bills to a pair of earrings. Get it?...you'll have a 'buck an ear'.

Images compiled from Real Simple.

After rounding up countless ideas and a lot of deliberation, I've decided that I'm going to be Lady Gaga for Halloween this year. This weekend I ordered one yard of this bacon pattered fabric, this platinum blond wig, and a pair of fishnets tights.

I'm really excited to pull it all together. I promise to share lots of pictures and details once I do - just like I did for last year's chicken costume and my sheep costume the year before.

As always, thank you so much for reading - you rock!

Art in My Kitchen

2012-09-26T19:10:00.000-04:00

I know the kitchen is sort of an unconventional place for art, but then again it is the place in any home where people tend to congregate, so why not hang some art in there?

I've got a bunch of art hanging in my small galley kitchen - in fact I turned the wall below my kitchen cabinets into a gallery. Here's how it looks:

I carefully chose art I like but that wasn't expensive or irreplaceable since the space is prone to heat and mess. This is the scoop on each piece:

This is a square of vintage redwork embroidery (probably intended to be part of a quilt) that I found at a flea market last summer. I especially love the girl's hair in that top knot - reminds of how mine looks most days.

Note, I got all of the frames I used for this gallery at Goodwill. And, I cut the mats myself using mat board from Michaels and this mat cutter from Amazon.

This is a card Anne, my sister gave me - it was one of those "I saw this and thought of you" kind of impromptu gifts that can, and does, make a gal like me feel super special.

The big hand gesture piece is something I copied out of my Speak Italian book. I talked about that project in this post, The Fine Free Art of the Gesture.

This is a photo of Bobby, my brother, when he was little. He looks so dang cute in that green polo and appears to be mesmerized with mixing - some things never change.

Bar signs are typically kinda tacky, but I thought this lettering was cool, and the price was right - I got it at a yard sale for $1.

I've admired this Van Gogh painting for ages - aren't the greens gorgeous? I bought this print on Art.com.

This hand gesture piece here on the end is also copied out of my Speak Italian book - again, project details here.

Oh, and please forgive me for not introducing you two sooner; this is my glass octopus friend - he lives on top of my stove. I rescued him from my local tchotchke shelter, a.k.a my mom's house.

And, though I didn't go into detail in this post, anytime I hang a grouping of art, I first map it out with brown paper like we did in Juliet's bedroom, details here - Juliet's Bedroom Before and After.

DIY Photo Postcard

2012-09-11T01:14:00.000-04:00

I have really dynamic best friends who are always traveling all over the place and doing big things. Unfortunately this means we are rarely all in the same city at the same time, so a few years ago we instituted Girls Weekend - one weekend a year when we try our best to drop everything and come together for an adventure.

This year we went camping and tubing - it was a great time. To commemorate it I made postcards from one of the weekend's best photographs.

Well actually, we didn't manage to get one picture with all six of us, so I used Photoshop to splice these two images together.

(I'm not a Photoshop expert, but in case you're curious I did this primarily using the Polygonal Lasso and Blur tools.)

And since I already had Photoshop open, I went ahead and added the "Girls Weekend 2012" text along the bottom and then gave the image a vintage feel by following the steps in this YouTube video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ESDqIj0JLc.

I printed the photo on standard 4 x 6 inch glossy photo paper, and then used spray adhesive to glue the photo to a piece of white cardstock.

I trimmed the edges with an x-acto knife. (Note the U.S. Postal Service says a postcard must be at least 3.5 x 5 inches, but no more than 4.25 x 6 inches.)

I used a marker to draw a typical postcard template on the back.

Last but not least, I wrote a short note, filled out the address, and attached a postcard stamp.

This was a quick and easy project, albeit it did take more time than sending an e-mail.

And if you don't mind indulging me for one more line -
I'd like to profess that I feel so lucky and am so grateful to have such sensational friends.

Thank you!

Changing Accessories

2012-09-04T00:23:00.000-04:00

I'm always switching up the accessories throughout my apartment. Perhaps I'm fickle, but I prefer to think that I'm keeping things fresh around here. Here's what my bedroom looked like when I was taking pictures for the Small Cool contest this April:

Here's what my bedroom looks like today:

I swapped out the artwork. I still really like this Matisse print I got at Goodwill,

but I found this larger Matisse print at the Capital Caring thrift shop in Arlington. It was $60 but I happened to find it on a day when all the artwork was 40% off...which I decided made it meant to be.

I'm quite fond of the thick linen wrapped mat - makes me pretty sure someone payed big bucks to have this print professionally framed.

I also changed up the pillows on my bed a little bit. I've traded out the euro sham pillows (the ones I made from the vinatge tablecloth) and replaced them with queen pillows in these fun Kate Spade polka dot pillowcases I found at HomeGoods for $12.99.

The chartreuse velvet pillow is from the sofa in my living room - I got it from Crate and Barrel this spring.

The blue and white floral sheets are still the same (I got them at Target two years ago) but if you look closely you might notice that the comforter is different. It's not new though - it's the more lightweight comforter I switch to in the summer.

I've got a new plant on my nightstand. The old one bit the dust so I picked up this "Himalaya Mix" from Ikea for $2.49. It's in a cute green glazed pot I fond at an estate sale for $1. The little gold tray was a $1 Goodwill find.

The modern chair next to my bed has been floating around my apartment since last summer when I found it at a flea market for $20. I got the kilim pillow sitting on top for $6 at an estate sale.

I think that sums the recent accessory changes - nothing to dramatic, just a bunch of small things. That said, these small updates have really got me feeling like I'm getting fresh start, just in time for fall.

Impromptu Special Occasion

2012-08-30T16:54:00.000-04:00

Yesterday my sister Anne came over and we decided to order Chinese takeout for dinner. It wasn't a fancy meal or a special occasion, but I decided to whip out the vintage embroidered tablecloth I got at a flea market this summer - there is no time like the present!

The fringe trim on this tablecloth makes my heart skip.

I set the table with two blue and white plates from my set of mismatched dinnerware, basic white cloth napkins, and my everyday stemless wine glasses.

I put all the takeout cartons on a large white platter in the center of the table.

This dinner felt really special, and the setup and clean up only took a few extra minutes. I love the idea of turning ordinary moments into special occasions - I'd like to find ways to do this more.

Here's an idea:

"Always keep a bottle of champagne in the fridge for special occasions. Sometimes the special occasion is that you’ve got a bottle of champagne in the fridge" - Hester Browne

Coveting from the Catalog

2012-08-06T10:56:00.001-04:00

I received the 2013 Ikea catalog in the mail on Thursday. You probably won't be surprised to hear that I've poured over the catalogs 346 pages and determined it's got quite a few things I'm pretty fond of.

The first of which is this VITTSJÖ laptop desk. If I needed a desk or a entry table I'd buy this $39 cutie in a heartbeat.

I'd paint it pink like this desk I love from the office by Kelley Carter featured in the May 2012 issue of Lonny.

You might think I'm crazy, but I adore this ONSJÖ chandelier. It's so whimsy and reminds me of the satellite chandelier that I'm going to have in my future dream house.

Assuming it looks this good in person, I might just have to get it to replace the ugly ceiling fixture in my bedroom.

I'm not sure I've ever come across a white storage bin I didn't like (you may have noticed that I have quite a few throughout my apartment), but I'm particularly drawn to these PLUGGIS boxes.

They're shiny and look like they'd be sturdy. Even though I already have a whole bunch of Ikea's white KASSETT boxes, I'm sure I could find a use for a few more pretty white bins.

Oh, and I really like both of these throw pillows; the $10 LAPPLJUNG RUTA for it's great pattern and texture and the $7 MALIN FIGUR for it's pretty pretty colors.

And last but not least, the country gal in me is really drawn to this cowhide ottoman. It would add a nice spot of texture to any room.

How about you - did you get the 2013 Ikea catalog? See anything you can't live without?

Birthday Table

2012-07-24T01:03:00.001-04:00

I'm pretty into table settings lately, so much so that I elected to spend part of my birthday putting together this pretty table for dinner with my family.

The table was primarily pink and orange - a sassy and festive color combo...perfect for my birthday!

Excluding the flowers, I pulled this table together using all things I already had.

You might recognize the dinner plates, flatware, and glasses from my Easter table setting - and the tablecloth and napkins from my Valentine's table.

Since I knew this dinner was going to be followed by birthday cake, I set out my mom's pretty vintage Aynsley dessert plates.

I topped the dessert plates with the place cards - they're just simple circles I cut out of orange cardstock.

I filled the center of the table with tea lights and three small vases of flowers.

I'm all about flower arrangements made with just one color and type of flower - makes even carnations look elegant, don't you think?

Here's my birthday cake. Props to my sister Katy - she added jumbo confetti sprinkles and tall striped candles which totally disguise the fact that this was a store-bought cake.

I had a really great birthday. Thank you to my family and friends for the fabulous food, presents, messages and company - you sure do know how to make a gal feel special.

Birthday Care Package

2012-07-01T17:22:00.000-04:00

My sister Anne wanted cash for her birthday. I aim to please, but giving cash as a present can feel so impersonal and boring. To spice up the gift, I put the cash inside balloons - an idea I got from She's Crafty.

I used water balloons because they're small. I filled them with one and five dollar bills - and a select few had smiley face confetti and/or green glitter in 'em.

I stuffed the balloons before they were inflated. I had to fold the bills up really small to get them to fit.

I decorated the balloons with stickers and put them all in a cardboard box padded with tissue paper.

I taped this note to the inside of the box.

"Happy birthday beautiful sister! I hope you have a wonderful day. Use this safety pin to reveal a few birthday surprises within. Enjoy."

Since cardboard boxes are kinda boring, I wrapped this one with lime green wrapping paper. I reinforced the corners and folds with clear tape to help make sure the paper wouldn't snag and rip off in the mail.

I put the pink address label in the middle of the box and wrapped masking tape around the sides to mimic ribbon.

I mailed it to Anne USPS Priority Mail. It got there in two days. She said popping the balloons was fun and that the ones filled with glitter made quite the explosion. I'm calling this a success.

Mailing a Birthday Cake

2012-06-13T02:32:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was my sister Anne's 19th birthday. In the Willis family we do cake, candles and singing for every birthday without exception. Sadly, we knew we wouldn't get to see and celebrate with Anne on her birthday because she’s in Philly wrapping up her freshman year of college. To make sure Anne didn't miss out, we mailed her a birthday cake. Here's how I pulled it together:

I made three layers of homemade yellow cake following this recipe from Real Simple magazine. Once the layers were cool, I wrapped each one in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil.

I whipped up buttercream frosting following this Martha Stewart recipe. Martha says this frosting can be stored at room temperature for several days which was key for this project.

I used food coloring to make the frosting turquoise (Anne's favorite color) and then spooned it into this glass jar which formerly held pickles. Tips on how to clean the food smell out of glass jars here.

I made the "Blue Buttercream Birthday Frosting" label (and all of the other labels) using Microsoft Word - it's just text on regular printer paper that I attached with clear packing tape.

For some extra pizzazz, I cut a piece of pretty spotted fabric and wrapped it around the lid of the jar with a rubber band.

I included a plastic knife for frosting the cake.

I put together a jar of Oreo bits, just because - I'm thinking Anne might like 'em sprinkled on top of the cake or between the layers.

I made a disposable cake plate by tracing a dinner plate onto a piece of cardboard which I then cut and covered with aluminum foil.

I counted out 19 candles and added one for good luck. I packaged them in one of the treat bags I had leftover from my cake pop project.

I also wrapped up some sprinkles.

Last but not least, I gathered some paper plates, napkins, spoons and noisemakers for the lucky people who get to celebrate with Anne on her birthday.

And finally I put it all in a box. I padded things with tissue paper and a random piece of turquoise foam that I just happened to have.

Everything fit into a Priority Mail Medium Flat Rate Box. The box was free and the flat rate shipping cost was just $11.35.

I decorated the box with some happy face stickers.

Here it is. It got from my house to Anne's dorm in just two short days.

I think Anne liked the package. She promised to send me a picture of the cake soon.