I’m having an I-can’t-believe-I-live-here moment.  From the day I moved in with a blanket, a laptop, and a garbage bag of clothes, I knew I wanted a giant mountain scape headboard and a huge branch in my bedroom.  This past week I finally made it all happen, and I’ll walk you through all the little pieces necessary to make it happen.  I broke them into three separate articles:

1. The Headboard
2. The Lamp
3. The Shelf

I needed more room for all my tchotchkes and a way to make my branch lamp look more finished.  This shelf is easy peasy!

Supplies
2 shelf brackets
2 pieces of wood (one should be slightly shorter than the other so the cord can fit through it)
Gold spray paint
Wood stain
4 drywall anchors
4 long screws that correspond to your anchors
4 short wood screws
Polyurethane sealer

Tools
Drill
Screw driver
Paper towels or clean rags for staining
Sandpaper

Steps

1. Sand down your wood
2. In a well ventilated space, lay down a tarp (or, in my case, a garbage bag), and apply your first coat of wood stain
   
   I originally went with Minwax Gunstock which should have been a honey brown and came out like the grossest mulch-y red despite three coats (on the left).  I then bought it in Jacobean instead to tone down the redness (on the right) and was really happy with the resulting color.
3. While your stain is drying, spray paint your shelf brackets
4. Once you’re happy with the stain color, apply the sealer and let that dry
5. In the meantime, measure the screw holes in your brackets and mark the placements on the wall so you know where to install the anchors.  You absolutely should be aiming to install this into the studs in your wall, especially if you’re planning on putting anything heavy on the shelf
6. Install your drywall anchors
7. Measure the distance between the anchors and the distance from the wall to the closest anchor.  Mark those measurements on your boards
8. Using the small screws, attach your brackets to the boards at the markers you just made
9. Using the screws that came with the brackets, attach your shelf to the wall
10. Decorate with books and things!

This was a pretty simple piece, minus the years spent finding the perfect branch and my spray paint flub.

For the basic lamp, I followed this tutorial.

Supplies
White paper lantern
Pendant light cord
LED bulb
Yarn (optional)
Branch
Fiberfill
Very long wood screws, at least an inch longer than the thickness of your branch
Drywall anchors (optional, but highly recommended)

Tools
Power drill
Hot glue gun

Steps

1. Have a friend hold your branch in place (if you’re using anchors, mark where you need them to be placed and install them)
2. Drill your wood screws into your branch to secure it to the wall.  If your branch is in a corner like mine, you must drill screws into the branch in both directions.  I also highly recommend putting installing screws higher up on the branch if possible to support your lamp.
3. Open up your Chinese lantern and hot glue handfuls of fiberfill to it like in this video tutorial
   
4. Put your light into your lantern and plug it in to make sure the cloud looks the way you want it to
5. If you want your cord to be a different color, remove the light from the lamp and wrap the cord with yarn (see an example here)
6. Hang up your lamp on your branch!

Tips

I had what was probably the worst crafting flub of my entire life.  Originally, I tried spray painting the cord.  “How simple,” I thought.  “Why are there no tutorials for this online?!”  Because it doesn’t work.

If you spray paint rubber, i.e. an electric cord, the paint will only ever dry to “tacky” which is THE WORST thing to try to fix.  I originally tried crocheting yarn around it, but it was so sticky (note the large amount of guinea pig hair stuck to the only portions of paint that didn’t rip off).  After several days of wanting to throw it away and just buy a new one, I ended up covering the cord in baby powder and then wrapping it with yarn.  It takes for-freaking-ever, so I have no judgement for anyone who doesn’t want to wrap a cord.  It’s terrible.  But it looks so nice.

My wonderful friends Ryan and Luke helped me assemble the headboard of my dreams! It’s a lot easier than it looks. We followed a basic upholstered headboard routine with a few modifications. Mine is three separate upholstered headboards bolted together.

Supplies
3 pieces of plywood, at least 3′ tall and the width of your bed
Enough batting to cover the back and middle layers
A bag of fiberfill
6 yards of fabric (2 yards per layer)
4 bolts
4 washers
4 nuts
1 cleat
And a friend to help

Tools
Table saw
Drill
Staple gun
Scissors
Box cutter or knitting needle
Bolt cutter optional

Steps

1. Outline the mountains you’d like on each piece of plywood
2. Use the table saw to cut out the mountains
3. Lay the plywood on the ground, overlapping it in the exact position you want
4. Drill two holes where the front layer overlaps the middle layer
5. Drill two holes where the middle layer overlaps the back layer
6. Roll out your batting and lay your back layer FACE DOWN on the batting
7. Cut the batting so that it’s 2″ wider than your layer
8. Pull the batting over and staple it down around the back of the plywood (just like on a basic upholstered headboard)
9. Lay your back layer fabric face down and set your padded plywood on top of it, with the batting facing down
10. Cut the fabric to the width of your plywood
11. Just as you did with the batting, pull the fabric taught over the plywood and staple it down.  You may need to make extra cuts around the mountains to keep the fabric from buckling on the front of the piece
12. Using the box cutter or knitting needle, you’re going to need to pierce the fabric to make way for the bolts.  Make a small hole in the fabric in line with the holes you drilled for the bolts.  I used a knitting needle to do this, kind of janky but it was so much easier going through the hole from the back and piercing the fabric from there.  And you’re done with the back layer!
13. Take your middle layer and put the bolts through the holes you drilled previously with the threaded end on the back side of your plywood.  Then repeat all of the batting, fabric, and piercing steps as above.  Do not attached to the other layer yet!
14. For the front layer, put the bolts through the holes you drilled, do not apply batting
15. Lay the front layer plywood on  your fabric of choice, and staple the fabric to the top, left, and right sides of your plywood
16. Take fistfuls of fiberfill and stuff the front layer (we used fiberfill instead of batting for the front layer because it’s so much comfier to lean on and gives the layer a cloud-like look)
17. Now assemble!  Put your layers on top of each other, pushing the bolts through the drilled holes on the layer behind it
18. Put a washer and nut on each of the bolts, securing it tightly
19. Screw one half of the cleat into the back of the back layer
20. Measure the placement of the cleat on the headboard, and screw the other half into the corresponding location on your wall
21. Cut the bolts if you have a bolt cutter, otherwise drill holes for them in the wall or, if you’re willing to potentially lose your security deposit go ahead and just jam those bolts into your plaster and let your future self worry about spackling later
22. Hang up your headboard!

Planning on traveling abroad and not sure what to pack?  I did a 30-day-16-cities backpackathon and here’s what I recommend:

• A sturdy backpack meant for backpacking – not your book bag – that is small enough to be used as carryon
• 1 pair of jeans
• 1 pair of shorts made of a quickly drying material
• 2-3 tshirts or tank tops
• 1 super lightweight button down shirt
• 1 nice shirt
• 5 pairs of underwear
• 1 pair of shoes that are versatile and don’t require socks (I brought my TOMS)
• 1 solid shampoo
• 1 hand towel
• 1 water bottle with carabiner to hook on the outside of your backpack OR a platypus water bottle
• 1 small journal
• 3 safety pins
• 1 pencil
• 1-3 feet of duct tape wrapped around said pencil
• 1 unlocked smart phone with a SIM card slot and its charger
• 1 lightweight thermal zip-up
• 1 Chapstick
• 1 small tin of lotion or salve (i.e. the Nivea tins)
• 1 travel-size bottle of sunscreen
• 1 tube of antibiotic cream
• 1 pack of anti-diarrhea pills (not kidding)
• 1 toothbrush
• 1 small tin of toothpaste (1 tbsp = 1 week)
• 1 travel of ibuprofen
• 3 bandaids
• 1 travel sewing kit
• 1 deodorant
• 1 shaving razor
• 1 nail clipper
• 1 tweezer
• 1 small flashlight
• 1 wristwatch
• 1 small day pack, like a drawstring bag
• 2 TSA approved luggage locks (with tumblers, not keys)
• 1 Master Lock
• Travel pack of tissues
• 1 bandada
• 1-2 photocopies of each: passport (the page with your info), driver’s license, any necessary visa papers, any credit or debit cards you plan on bringing – make sure to shove these all the way at the bottom of your pack or put them in a hidden pocket
• Passport
• 2 compression bags that do not require a vacuum
• Any medications, contact solution, glasses or other medical necessities

Optional:

• 1 scarf (optional: for warmth, and if you’re a lady and wearing shorts, there are many times when you may be asked to cover up your legs or shoulders in places like old churches)
• 1 pair of nice, flat sandals if you’re planning on going somewhere nice
• 1 swimsuit
• 1 comb (brushes take up too much space)
• 1 tablet or netbook with charger to get on the internet
• 1 travel-size umbrella

This set of items will keep you prepared while keeping the weight down and even saving a little room for knickknacks bought along the way.  The liquids/gels listed will fit into a TSA-regulation-sized plastic bag so you can walk right onto a plane with your pack.

The key is to find as many multi-purpose items as you can, for example solid shampoo can be used to clean your hair, body, and clothes.  A bandana can be used to keep sweat off your face, blow your nose, temporarily cover a wound, or dry off after a shower if you can’t fit a hand towel in your pack.  Nail clippers can clip your nails, thread, zipties, and bags you just can’t get open.

A good rule when trying to decide what to pack and what not to pack is if you haven’t used it in at least the last week, if not the last couple days, you really don’t need it.  If you find yourself abroad and without some absolute necessity, it’s okay, you can always buy whatever it is when you’re there (people live there, too, you know).

Fellow nomads, did I miss anything really important?

The building I live in was built around 1911, and a few weeks ago I saw my landlord taking out the original mailboxes (replacing them with not-asthetically-pleasing-whatsoever-but-apparently-more-functional grey monstrosities, ew).  I asked him if I could have them all, and a few days later I found them all stacked on my deck.  SICK!  But I’m not sure what to make out of them yet.  I have three sets with three slots and one set with four slots.  Most of them still have the buzzer buttons and original wiring, but all the locks have been taken out.

So, what should they be?  Mail sorters?  Necklace storage?  General art?  I’m open to suggestions.

Lucy

Penny

I adopted them from a local rescue back in September.  I also adopted their sister, but she passed away a few weeks later because she was unknowingly really sick

But expect a zillion pictures and tweets and videos and r/guineapigs lurking for the next few years.  I love them like my own little babies.  My own furry, squeaking, cuddly little babies.

Why guinea pigs, you ask?  Originally I got them because my landlord doesn’t allow dogs, and I’m allergic to cats.  I’ve found that guinea pigs might be my spirit animals though.  They make all sorts of cute sounds, sometimes get so excited they popcorn, and can’t stop exploring.

Here’s a cute video of popcorning

(it’s when they jump and wiggle at the same time because they’re so excited they can’t contain themselves)

For those of you who know me well, I can’t sit still in the same country, let alone the same neighborhood, for more than a few months.  On top of that, this is the first time I’ve ever really been alone.  This stands as the perfect time to start fresh, look inside myself, and really figure out who I am without any external influence.

Things I’ve found out so far?

• I didn’t actually know how to use a drill
• I love working with my hands
• I missed being outside
• I need to actively tell myself to take breaks
• Having a work-from-home job isn’t as great as it sounds
• Color-coded, prioritized to-do list whiteboards should be kept in your bedroom where the majority of your house guests can’t see the full extent of your crazy

Also, now that I don’t do web design for a living, I’ll try to get back to doing it for fun.  I realized this week that my website has been broken for about a year now haha

Hopefully I can start blogging about some of the home DIY projects I’ve been tackling and the little bit of leisure travel I’m able to fit into a person-with-ten-vacation-days-per-year lifestyle.

My friend called up and asked if I wanted to make some collages.  Yeah sure, why not?  She brought over a couple stacks of magazines, I whipped out the mod podge, and they turned out way cooler than I remembered the collages of my childhood.

(that’s mine up there!)

The text was typed up using a Dymo label maker, if you were curious.

Ohhhhhhh the noms!!  The noms to be had!!!!!!!  I’ve been on a healthy streak lately, and consequently I’ve been trying to include more vegan and raw vegan foods in my diet.

Cheesecake is on my mind.  Just always.

Since the gluten- and dairy-free lifestyle was thrust upon me, there have been so many double whammies I’ve been craving for:  pizza, mac and cheese, grilled cheese… Most of those are easy to convert, but not my beloved cheesecake.  I realize it’s not “healthy,” but a raw vegan version has to be better for you than one you’d buy from the grocery store, right?

I thought to myself, “Self, there must be a way around this.”  So I pulled out my mini food processor and went to work, and friends, the result is so delicious.  You will not want to share.  The first time I made it, I ate the whole thing in one sitting.

This recipe is easily customizable.  Throughout this post I’ll give you some little notes about why I use what so you can take my recipe and fly with it.

Ingredients

For the crust

• 1/4  cup raw almonds
• 8 pitted dried dates

If you want a thicker crust, double those.

For the “cheese”

• 3 plump strawberries
• 8 pitted dried dates
• 1/2 cup raw walnuts
• 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp agave nectar (if you’re not raw vegan, you can replace this with 2 tbsp sugar or 1 tbsp honey)

Tools

• food processor (I got mine at Target for $7)
• 6×6″ container with cover (if you’re using a pie pan, double the recipe)

Step 1:  Throw your almonds and 8 dates into the food processor and BLENNNNNNNNND.  If you have a not-so-great food processor like me, it helps if you process the almonds first and then throw in the dates and process them.  Just keep on processing them until the mixture starts getting sticky and building up on the side as such:

The reason we use almonds for the crust as oppose to other nuts, is that almonds have a lower fat content than nuts like cashews and walnuts.  They’re a little dryer so they can hold the shape of the crust and make it a little stiffer.  The dates are incredibly sticky.  Dates are great to use in any vegan sweet when you need a little glue to help things stick together.

Step 2:  After that’s all blended up, scoop it out and put it into your container.  Use your fist to press it down firmly.

Step 2:  Chop up your strawberries and throw them in the food processor with the walnuts.  BLEND!

Step 3:  Add remaining dates, lemon juice, agave nectar, and vanilla extract.  BLEND!  (Sensing a trend here?)

Step 4:  Spread you yummy blended mixture on top of your crust, toss it in the freezer, and wait two hours for it to chill.  I got a little fancy for the photo shoot and added some chopped walnuts to the top.

Step 5:  Enjoy!

Feel free to get creative with my recipe!  What would you do differently?