Inspired Honey Bee

craft: yarn't you glad to get rid of this stuff?

2019-01-04T06:00:00.000-08:00

Like fabric and paper, yarn is a weakness and unfinished projects became a bad habit that dated back to my single girl days. My strong passion to purge and move stuff out of this house led to a commitment this summer to get rid of my yarn by the end of the year through projects and learning new patterns that I could find online.

Mission accomplished!

What I learned: I fell in love with crocheting over knitting, and (slowly) how to follow patterns online. The best part is that everything I made went to a friend!

This was the first hat that I made and it was supposed to fit the head of an adult but turned into child size. This is the Emily Diagonal Beanie Crochet Pattern from Rescued Paw Designs and I gave it to a childhood friend when I met her for beers (she has three little girls).
The yarn from this second hat was purchased during our first wedding anniversary (we celebrated our seventh in April). The Beginner Ribbed Crochet Hat pattern from Eating Out Loud was easy but I stopped counting after the third row and missed a few loops along the way. Ultimately, it work into a hat that is now used daily by my husband!
This project broke my commitment when I went to the craft store to purchase a larger crochet needle and just happened to pick up another skein of yarn. My bad. The pattern was one that I learned while making a simple crochet hat pattern from Make and Do Crew using vertical ribs. I closed it off when I was satisfied with the width.
My husband ran the Boston Marathon the year following the bombings, and during his bib pick-up, he received a scarf made by local church members and blessed for the runners. I was so moved by this gesture that I purchased a BULK size skein of yarn in the race colors to donate the following year. Unfortunately, they never did that again and I had a lot of yarn on hand. I made this scarf for my Golden State Warriors loving friend, and a hat for another friend (not pictured) following the Make and Do Crew one hour crochet hat pattern.
and 7. Not hard to make cute things when such cute babies are wearing them! I made these from the same yarn using the easy pattern found at Dandy Lemon, except when I started getting closer to the end, I skipped a loop every third stitch to close off the hat.
The same yarn from #3 was used to make this sweet lady a warm hat for the winter. I used the same Make and Do Crew pattern and kept going to close the hat.
I finished this blanket that I started over 7 years ago, which was the impetus for this entire purge energy. My mom taught me this stitch and after some online searching, I learned that this is the larksfoot stitch pattern and found a tutorial at Bluprint. The unfortunate side effect of not finishing a project right away is finding the same yarn, so this baby blanket was more two-toned.
This is my most heartbreaking project. Like the yarn in #2, I picked up the blue yarn during our trip and didn't have enough to finish so I used a little grey yarn. The end result was a fantastic men's hat that I sent to my husband's uncle for Christmas. The sad news is that his package was stolen from the porch. I used the same easy pattern found at Dandy Lemon and bunched the top to close off (different from #5 and #7).

This is proof that someone with VERY limited knitting and crocheting skills can easily make these little projects with fun results. On average, each hat took two evenings after work and dinner watching TV. The best part really was making them for friends and when I first started, I didn't have anyone in mind for each project -- it just came to me as I finished each one.

I'm always looking for easy and new tutorials (and an inspiration board dedicated to my obsession). Do you have any suggestions on who to follow or check out online? Leave me your thoughts below!

organize: items to get you together in 2019

2019-01-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

The holiday decorations are slowly coming down and the new juicer you received for Christmas is ready to kick-start your diet for a very healthy new year! Before you get too overwhelmed with the new you in 2019, here are some of my favorite organization tools that you can order today and have everything in its place before the end of the week!

These shelf dividers for closets are so convenient and will hopefully keep your stacks in line!]
Simple Houseware dividers for your racks and lids, or the Deco Brothers pan organizer to avoid scratches on those expensive kitchen essentials. These can easily slide into a cabinet or secure where needed.
mdesign fabric over the door hanging storage will go in a linen closet to hold cleaning supplies and toiletries.
AUTOARK car seat organizer is perfect to hold the random things on your car's floor or emergency supplies like an umbrella!
Sterilite clear storage boxes may seem like an obvious choice but these are a staple in our home to store batteries, craft supplies, and other small items.
Polder style station to keep your curling and flat irons, and blowdryer under control in your tight bathroom space.
SimpleCord desk organization for the mess of cords living in your house. Tame the cord war and win 2019!
mDesign plastic storage bins are perfect for keeping your refrigerator under control, and not losing another bottle of strawberry jam to its depths.
COMFECTO under cabinet storage is a lifesaver in our home by storing cozies, napkins, towels and other small items in what is otherwise wasted space.
ZOBER gift wrapping storage is just what you need to put away those holiday rolls, ribbons and tags. Be ready for 2019 like never before!
Home-It mop and broom holder keeps my friend's life in order in her hallway closet by having the broom nearby for everyday messes.
Brother P-touch label maker keeps my files organized, electrical panel correctly labeled and holiday bins ready for each season.
Paw Lifestyles dog treat bag is ready for a quick walk with your best friends and keeps all of your essentials organized.

Are you using any of these items to organize your life this year? Let me know ... I'd love to read how you're getting it all together.

*This post contains affiliate links*

craft: gift ideas for the wannabe crafter

2018-10-28T19:33:00.002-07:00

Christmas shopping for family and friends can be fun if you're creating projects and giving the gift of homemade. The compliments are thoughtful and you are proud of the hours spent knitting/sewing/painting/building that special one-of-a-kind present. But if you're anything like me, it's usually followed with ... "I wish I was as crafty as you."

Today, we're going to drive creativity with gifts that keep on giving. Below is a selection of my favorite gifts that can turn the most uncoordinated bestie into a crafter wannabe (even if it's just this one project).

For Your Mom

Not sure about you, but my mom is the kind of woman who buys something when she wants it year round. There is never a grace period where she'll stop buying gifts and let us know what she wants for Christmas. It's a last minute guessing game every single year. Like most moms out there, she's also too busy to try a craft project or take up a new hobby. That's why I love these easy DIY kits from Purl Soho. Variety is the name of the game, even for the pickiest of moms, and the color pallets are seasonal and on trend.

Purl Soho Kits

For Your Kid-at-Heart Friend

You're probably thinking that I'm insane for suggesting this as an adult gift but it HAS UNICORNS ... I gladly welcome a colorful unicorn kit with multiple projects. Check out the headband! (I have a different one for the weekend cook sesh.) I'd wear that to cook during the weekdays! But for your friend who is always complimenting your crafty skills and swearing that she could never do any of that, show her that you have confidence in her ability to make a KILLER UNICORN TAIL!

Craft-tastic – I Love Unicorns Kit, craft kit includes 6 unicorn-themed projects

For Your Aunt, Mother-in-Law or Grandma

How cute is this DIY felt succulent project? The effort actually seems minimal and the final adorable project is usable as wall, table or shelf decor. (Note: I hate worthless DIY projects for adults!)

Craft Crush Felt Succulents Kit

For Your Bestie

Small business buyers love to browse the DIY results on Etsy, and it's now easier than ever to find crafters building kits that encourage you to make your own project at home. Search "DIY kits" and options range from soap making to needle work to jewelry making. I recently started purchasing cross stitch patterns for small projects.

DIY Kit Organic Soap

For Your Kids

I'm no expert in the DIY kid department, but I do know that my friends have piles of completed kids' DIY projects on the fridge, walls, bedrooms ... so I hate the idea of suggesting yet another clay project to add to your garden. This project is actually a combination of science and FUN, and the final project is only three small pieces that can sit on your kitchen windowsill (unless that's already full of small clay pot projects).

Wooden Spaceship Craft Kit

For Your Guys

Uncommon Goods is a wonderful site full of gift ideas, and just searching "DIY kits" results in options for every single person on your list. Including the dudes; how many times has someone in your family said, I should make my own beer/alcohol? Uncommon Goods has an option, even a homemade gin kit.

Homemade Gin Kit

For Your Hard-to-Shop-For Person

Still not sure what to get someone? How about you give them the gift of learning a project online? Classes available through Brit + Co. and Skillshare can teach your cousin, brother or dog walker photography, digital illustration or hand lettering. Let them pick a class to strengthen a creative skill or try something new.

If online isn't a great option for your dad, consider a local DIY workshop like wood working and painting. Go to Yelp and search "DIY workshop" or more specifically what you're looking for (i.e., bird watching) and find the gift of experience.

Do you have a DIY-challenged friend or family member? Any gift ideas that you would suggest in addition to this list? I'd love to hear how you challenge them to be creative.

*This post contains affiliate links*

home: natural materials for a light fall decor

2018-10-15T08:37:00.000-07:00

Get out your pumpkin spice candles, heavy blankets and flannel shirts because it's fall and time to decorate mantels and front porches. Holiday decoration always falls into the "don't spend too much money and just figure it out" category unless it gives me serious value and I can probably use it for multiple seasons/holidays/parties! And with the less-is-more inspiration, I focused on what we already had and one new purchase to pull off a simple and natural mantel.

The wheat wreath was the focal point of this year's fall mantel because I wanted limited colors and just something simple enough to signal seasonal change (an end of season purchase at Orchard Supply Hardware a few years back). This is the first time hanging something heavy on the shiplap wall above the fireplace and I used 3M Command brand 7.5lb jumbo hook. Two weeks in and no problems holding on to the wreath.

The dried leaf / corn husk / cotton / pinecone garland is the new purchase from Michael's, and under $20 with a coupon (and now on sale for less than $12!). Surprisingly, the leaves don't break apart when moving it around; it's quite durable when you can't decide exactly how you're going to style it.

The mercury jars are also an end of season purchase from Kirkland's a few years ago and live on the mantel year round. For the fall season, I add these orange berries, pieces from an old garland, around the top for pizzazz (here's a similar one).

Like the mercury jars, the cotton plants are 12 month residents in this house but I did add the Orange Celosia Bush filler for more color in this space.

Although the wreath and mercury jars are no longer available, here are similar finds:

Want to see how our fall mantel has evolved over the years? Check out 2011, 2012, 2012 Halloween, 2015 mantels. My favorite is from 2014 when "the girls" joined the family and the print made this mantel fall ready.

*This post contains affiliate links*

travel: 2 days in luxembourg

2018-10-12T13:21:00.002-07:00

Introducing a new blog section - travel. A lot of thought has gone into this new area on the blog: I'm not a travel writer and my goal isn't to drop everything and travel the world to blog (but ohemgee that would be amazing). What this section IS is about inexpensive shortcuts to doing it all, and inspiration that will keep you focused on a well-lived life. That should include travel and growing as you see more of the world (even if that means the town over). And no one does inexpensive travel with shortcuts like this lady! Enjoy the first post.

Today, I'm sharing a recent trip to a little known country with a language all its own, but worth a stop if you are nearby. Luxembourg was the last stop of a recent trip that included Ireland and Amsterdam, and really an afterthought as I was mapping it out. Ultimately, I'm thrilled that we made it to this site and packed everything into less than 48 hours.

When I travel, I go hard - a few days here, a few days there, the quickest way to get everywhere, light packing, no downtime! I can be an intense travel buddy - just ask my bestie - but with a short amount of time and a big world to see, we have a lot of ground to cover.

Luxembourg City can be a half day trip from Amsterdam, but a close trip from Germany, Belgium and France if you're near the tiny country. I love traveling to old shit and Luxembourg City is a fortified medieval old town with all of the old shit charm that I strive to find on my travels.

We traveled in August and the weather was just perfect (but seeing pictures of this town with a fresh layer of snow can also convince me to travel in the winter). Our choice to travel this time of year wasn't a well calculated decision, but instead based on our availability and eagerness to see a new country.

Train Station
Centrally located, the Gare Centrale Luxembourg is a great option for getting from one country to the next. You can easily take TGV from Paris and there are plenty of local and regional trains that connect to Luxembourg City. We walked from the train station to our hotel. If you're staying in the City Centre, it's also a great long walk (unless you're packing heavy).

Airport
We left Luxembourg through the airport (LUX) and it was 1) close to our hotel, 2) a quick trip anywhere from the City Centre and 3) a tiny new airport that felt like you were flying private. A cab will easily take you between the airport and the City Centre.

Hotels
We stayed in a hotel between the train station and Old Town, which was centrally located. But looking back now, I would recommend staying closer to old town if you're thinking of staying out late. Here are recommendations:

Hotel Le Place d'Armes
Guillaume Suites
French Café Hotel
Hotel Simoncini

Day 1

Grab a map from your hotel or tourist office. We found a great resource in the City Centre near Town Hall that had free maps as well as a great book with background on the historical attractions. Walking was our best way to get around since the town is small, but there were tourist trains/buses offering rides around the area.

Start in the Grund, a small area in the historic district that has all of the charm you want to see in a European town. If possible, walk down the Wenzel Circular Walk (one of the best views in the city) to the Grund. Cross bridges and get lost between the cobbled walk ways and brightly colored flowers. If you need assistance between the upper and lower areas, there is an elevator that connects the plateau du Saint-Esprit to the Grund area.

(Fun fact: for the first time since the 1990s, I saw Esprit stores. I'm not even sure if they exist in the states, but this San Francisco-founded company is now headquartered in Germany which explains why they pop up in this small country.)

Make your way to Neumünster Abbey and walk around the public parks. This area, and the building in general, has history that dates back to the 16th century, including its old quarters and fortifications which are a UNESCO World Heritage site. Continue your path to the Wenceslas Wall, Bock Promontory and the Bock Casemates. Take your time to walk the area, see the Spanish Turrets and take a lot of pictures - the views are spectacular.

Head to the Fish Market, the historical center of Old Town, and definitely stop to eat and drink in small shops. Saint Michaels Church is in the center between the Bock Promontory and the start of the City Centre. We stopped into local book stores, gawked at the Grand Ducal Palace, and had the biggest piece of cake (actually, two pieces) ever!

Day 2
A lot of the small city can be captured on the first day, but walk a little slower today to catch the Petrusse Valley to catch views of the Passerelle bridge on one side and the Adolphe Bridge on the other. You'll find the most fascinating attraction stop in this area - the Quirin Chapel. Originally a heathen shrine, it later became a Christian sanctuary. You can easily walk up to the chapel (built into caves) and see inside.

If you climb your way back up to the City Centre, see the Gëlle Fra memorial on Constitution Square and then enjoy window shopping in the pedestrian district. See if you can identify some of the historic public art. The Place d'Armes is the ideal spot to have lunch or dinner while people watching.

Spend the rest of your time walking the district, sitting on old steps, grabbing a drink and checking out the local goods in the shops.

Eats

Scott's Pub: an outdoor seating area in the heart of the Grund
Grand Café by RedBeef: have dinner at night on the square to people watch
Chocolate House Nathalie Bonn: stop in for a slice of cake
Beim Renert: enjoy lunch during the farmers market and directly across from the town hall

Activities & Things to See

Have you been to Luxembourg City and the surrounding areas? Leave your recommended sites, eats, stays and activities to share with others! We'd love to make this a sharing community!

craft: favorite IHB fall projects

2018-09-25T20:56:00.002-07:00

It's amazing to think that this blog has been in operation for 8 years, even if I have been dwindling down in posts over the years. The most exciting thing to do is see my crafting evolve over the years and how much my blogging style has changed. Overall, fall is really the most exciting time to start decorating / crafting because it's the beginning of a festive season: Halloween > Fall > Winter > Christmas > a fresh start with a New Year!

To also get you as excited as I am for cooler weather (and I have a few fun things to share in the coming weeks), I rounded up my favorite fall crafts over the years. Even if you're not the crafting type, my projects really are easy and can be done in a short time. And you deserve to strengthen that creative muscle.

We bloggers all really get the season started with a strong mantel, and over the years it takes time and strategy to get a really different mantel in place. My favorite is from 2014 when "the girls" joined the family and the print made this mantel fall ready. (You can also check out 2011, 2012, 2012 Halloween, 2015 mantels.)

And who can ever forget my first Halloween mantel after buying our house in 2010? Purple, orange and black with a mix of vintage items from a garage sale ... I like to think I've come a long way baby!

The dollar bin at Target has been a weakness for all of us at some point, but for crafters during [insert holiday here], it's especially damaging. In 2011, I picked up 2 packages of glitter foam leaves for a simple banner. This banner is still in my holiday boxes and I do use it each year in a different way.

This is probably one of my favorite projects for fall that easily took me less than 30 minutes. These watercolor prints took a little help from vinyl, watercolor and water. That easy!

Ikea is more than just a place to buy inexpensive home items, but also a place for us DIYers to find some broken items and turn them into gold. That's exactly what I did with this thankful sign that is still used each year.

And then I find one that totally warms my heart, and reminds me that I need to drop off a gift to a new neighbor. This was simply a box of pumpkin bread mix and a mini pumpkin. It can't get easier than that!

It's a little disappointing that I don't share more about my favorite season because I really do quite a bit and love sharing. These are my favorite and if you search 'fall' on this blog, you'll find others that didn't make this final cut, but expect to see more in the coming weeks!!

organize: easy lake day essentials

2018-06-18T06:30:00.000-07:00

For the first time in years, I'm looking forward to some serious downtime this summer. Snowpeak Retreat makes it easy to want to be hiking, on the lake and taking afternoon naps. We have a longer than usual fourth of July break, and dedicated weekends with friends in the sun! So I'm thinking long and hard about planning for easy days by the water, and want to share some of my favorite items* for being just that -- easy days!

All Terrain Wagon
These are not just for the families with kids in tow, but an all terrain wagon can carry all of your food, drinks and blankets over the hard to handle sand and uneven parking lots. And if you can find a folding version, double-score for the packing process. I have seen these cart bottles of wine across properties, safeguard napping children and support vendors from multiple trips to the car.

Kirkland's Black Folding Utility Adventure Wagon
Beau Jardin Folding Wagon Cart

Corkcicle
My best friend swears by these bottles for day festivals and children's birthday parties. You can fit an entire bottle of wine in a Corkcicle bottle and it stays at the perfect temperature all day. When you're packing for a day at the lake, pour your favorite bottle of rose in a canteen and enjoy the crisp, cool wine from mid-morning to evening. Swell bottles also work if you already have one.

Sun Shelter
You've likely seen a lot of these at parks and soccer games providing shade to fair-skinned babies, but they also work perfectly for adults sitting by the lake all day! As much as I love some sun, I do need a few minutes of relief under the shade at the point right before fainting. There are many options out there but I especially looked for versions that are easy to open and close, and take little space in the car and garage.

Kirkland's Navy Manchester Sun Shelter

Sport-Brella Portable Sun and Weather Shelter

LL Bean Sunbuster Folding Shelter

Insulated Tote
Can't be by the water all day without food! If you don't want the hassle of packing snacks, then make sure to bring some cash to buy sandwiches and water at the local snack shack. You can't go all day in the sun without water and food, so make sure that you're planning for that!

If you're going to be there all day, make sure that your food doesn't spoil. My go-to favorites are sandwich staples and letting everyone make a custom version that will get them through the day: bread, meats, cheeses, mustard, lettuce, pickles. I also pack hearty snacks like dried fruit, nuts, crackers and vegetables (think baby carrots). All of these should stay cool in an insulated bag with a frozen ice pack. I found a backpack that is perfect if your final destination is a bit of a hike!

Spill Proof Drink Containers
The Corkcicle stemless glasses that I linked above are great for keeping your drinks cold and covered, but I found these darlings on Instagram one day and was hooked! Not only is it convenient to have a drink in a ziplock bag (think adult Capri Suns!) but those straws!! Make your favorite drinks ahead of time and put them in the freezer for a frozen treat!

Reclosable Zipper Stand-Up Plastic Pouches

Beach Blanket
You just need one, regardless of type, size, materials. I have one from Target that we purchased years ago and it's a favorite, and I found one at Goodwill that I'll often pack as a back-up! The below options are also great for staying dry and keeping you sane with all of the sand!

ZOMAKE Beach Blanket

LL Bean Waterproof Outdoor Blanket

Floaties
Man, it's a good time to be alive! You have to be living under a rock in Antartica if you haven't seen all of the amazing floaties out there. From swans to pizza to life-size boats, there are so many options for your summer theme. I went down a hole one afternoon at work when I just searched for an ice chest that could float and before you know it, I was deep. Here is my favorite short list!

Frontgate FUNBOY Yacht Pool Float - I'll use a sharpie to remove BOY and call this baby FUNLADY!
Index Oasis Island 5-seater - I mean come on! You can have the entire crew in this thing!
Index Mega Chill inflatable cooler - you can tie this thing to a dock or other flotation device for all day support!

Music
There are different schools of thought on music: bring it and listen to country all day and you're certain to offend someone nearby, or don't bring it and mention it at least 20 times that you should have packed a portable speaker. Whatever you decide, bring something super lightweight and can hold battery.

JBL waterproof portable speaker - our friends throw this thing in the chair cupholders or other drink container.
DEAL: AmazonBasics portable wireless bluetooth speaker

Chairs
Totally not a necessity but some people can't take laying or sitting on the sand all day (another option is just to float - see "Floaties" above). It's important that if you do bring chairs, they include two necessary features: cup holder and designed to easily carry!

LL Bean Base Camp Chairs: with cup holders, folding option and strap to carry over shoulder

Tommy Bahama Backpack Cooker Chair: I specifically searched for this chair because I've had the pleasure to be in the company of these chairs and just look at what you get - cup holder, head cushion, insulated cooler and it adjusts so that you can lay on it! COME ON!

HGT Folding Camping Chair: this one comes with a mini table + cup holder!

Other Essentials

Sunblock, hat and sunglasses! Protection first!

Magazines and a good book. Need some good recommendations? Here and here are some of my favorites.

Extra bag for trash

Camera

Battery for phone, cordless speaker

Games (check out this neat LL Bean Portable Game Center)

Do you have any necessary lake and beach items that will make or break your time next to the water? I'd love to hear what you add to your list - share your comments below!

*Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

craft: free fourth of july printable

2018-06-12T06:30:00.000-07:00

The important thing about creativity is to always try something new, challenge yourself and learn a new skill. I’ve been thinking about creating downloadable digital files for my Etsy shop, but don't have the experience of original digital designs (that people will pay money for!). Since I have the drive and creativity, today’s project takes one of my watercolors and challenges me to utilize my digital skills to create a unique design.

A few more weeks until the Fourth of July and this test is a freebie for you. The original design here was free hand - watercolor paint and paper, blue and red watercolor paint, brush and water, and I just started painting and blending.

Originally, I outlined USA with pencil (freehand) and painted around the letters. My plan was to overlap the outline of letters on the hand script USA (like a basic Times New Roman).

I scanned the dry image and uploaded to my computer. After playing around with the Photoshop filters, and was blown away with the Stained Glass effect on the actual watercolor but the white freehand USA was killing my vibe. I went back and added more water to my original print to remove the lines and you really couldn't see the USA clearly. Here's what the watercolor looks like before editing (prepare for genius work here):

I uploaded again and implemented the Stained Glass Photoshop effect and wowza! I do love how this turned out. With Abraham Lincoln font (free here), I added the USA in white with black outline so that it really pops out! Awesome, right?

Click here for the Stained Glass effect version.

Why stop here? I played around with more filters and created freebies for you to download for the Fourth of July holiday. Or to just hang around, USA proud! (I wish we could sport it this weekend during the World Cup but here we are.)

Click here to print the Stained Glass + Smart Blur effect version.

Click here to print this third version.

Click here to print the final (and my favorite) version.

With a little practice, I’m hoping I can eventually create original digital files to sell on Etsy, especially for those grooms and brides getting ready for their wedding events. In the meantime, I'll keep creating and sharing with you! If you download one of the above designs for your own patriotic decor, I'd love to see it ... tag me on any platform at #ihbblog!

home: easy open shelves - a success story

2018-06-04T06:30:00.000-07:00

You probably grabbed a glimpse of the open shelves we added to Snowpeak Retreat with the kitchen update, but this easy DIY project wasn't as straightforward as it looks. Let me run through the challenges and win of this project, and inspire you to just do it yourself in the first place (learn your lessons from this lady).

The blank wall left of the Snowpeak Retreat kitchen window was obviously going to turn into a useful space for short weekends and family vacation staples. I wanted wooden floating shelves that were clean and modern looking to fall in line with my design.

My inspiration:

Source: Dunn Rustic Designs (Etsy)

I found a set on Amazon Homemade and it was exactly what I was looking for. The price was a little steep for plain pieces of stained wood but I was going for the floating shelf look that was challenging to make on my own.

The application was straightforward (no instructions or measurements were included) but the metal brackets that held the shelves were not the same size, and my measurements were off. My first attempt didn't actually keep the shelves in place - they slipped right off! I even had to patch up two holes in the wall and in the process, one metal bracket broke.

Fed up and eager to finish the project, I purchased 4 industrial metal shelf brackets at Ace Hardware. This solution ultimately could have been an easy DIY project that would have cost me a fraction of the cost since it was just wood, brackets and some sweat equity!

Interested in making your own? Here's what you need:

Supplies: two (2) 2" x 6" pieces of wood cut at 24" wide, sanded; four 8" tall steel zinc-plated heavy duty shelf brackets (I used this one from Ace Hardware); 24 screws; wood stain, brush
Sand down the wood and then stain with your favorite stain (I do love Minwax Wood Finish in Dark Walnut stain); let dry for a few hours
Measure equally from the shelf edges and screw the four (4) brackets to the bottom facing side of your wood shelf
Carefully measure and screw the exposed bracket edges to the wall
I recommend using drywall anchors
Add cute stuff on the shelves, like vintage coffee cups

Has anyone found anything they love on Amazon Handmade? I love the concept but with such a large company behind these small sellers, I didn't receive the best customer service. I would love to hear from you!

*This post contains affiliate links*

craft: DIY Lake Tahoe subway art

2018-05-28T10:00:00.000-07:00

Subway art was always something I saw in stores, online and magazines, and thought that it would be a fun project to try not buy. (I do that a lot, actually.) With so many blank walls at Snowpeak Retreat, this was my chance to add this fun creative project to my list of DIY challenges.

My inspiration: I found something on Amazon and wanted to swap out some of the places of interest to our favorites (it's no longer available on Amazon because I may have pointed out that one of the locations was misspelled). The size was also a little smaller than I wanted - I was thinking big like 2 feet x 4 feet.

Since it wasn't exactly what I wanted and subway art isn't groundbreaking, I decided to do it myself but couldn’t find a tutorial online for the ideal size. I was really just looking for the math. Without the exact tutorial out there, I’m on my own. Math. On my own.

Here’s how I drafted my custom subway art one night while catching up on Game of Thrones. (Note: not recommended because both require equal amounts of focus.)

Supplies:

canvas on Amazon*
Measuring tape
Long ruler
Pencil
Small rolling paint brush
Black paint (and white for touch ups). I used leftover black PAINT and white crafters paint for the touch ups.
Small paint try
Silhouette and vinyl. If you don’t have a Silhouette, you may need to purchase different size adhesive letters*

Measure and draw the lines that the words will sit on.
The letters used on this project were designed and cut on vinyl on the Silhouette. FONT. If you don’t have a Silhouette, you can purchase adhesive letters.*
Place the vinyl letters on the measured lines. This will require some patience to center each word. In my image, you’ll see that I used all kinds of vinyl that created a colorful template. I almost just kept it like this.

4. Once all of the letters are in place, press firmly on the vinyl (or stickers).

When ready, lightly cover the paint roller with black paint and begin to paint the canvas, over the letters. Make sure paint is light on the brush to avoid bleeding.
You may need to add 3-4 coats.
Once the paint dries after the last coat (I waited 24 hours to be safe), remove the vinyl to reveal the right white letters.

For my project, I wasn’t so lucky to reveal crisp white lines. I did have to go back through a majority of the letters and paint white on the edges where the black paint did bleed over.

With the project complete and pride piercing through my eyes, my husband pointed out that it’s actually Kings Beach and not King Beach as my Amazon inspiration had.

Let’s get creative. I painted back over the wrong name and contemplated for a long while about whether or not I should paint the right “Kings Beach” in the space. But ultimately, I took another approach and purchased a wooden “Welcome” sign, painted it white and hot glued it to the canvas.

That actually looks awesome.

Now it hangs in one of the Snowpeak Retreat bedrooms and my guests love it!

P.S. You can see our Snowpeak Retreat announcement here and inspiration here. We just hit the one year anniversary of buying this fun vacation home, and I'll be showing you more updates in the coming weeks!

*Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

sew: tested (useful) fabric scrap projects

2018-05-24T06:30:00.000-07:00

I'm Debbie and I'm a fabric hoarder. First, it started with paper and the attractive prints and weights. But then fabric came into focus and before you could put your thimble on, I had a stacked assortment that was collecting dust more than it was being used on projects.

My Pinterest board - Sewing and Knitting - collects ideas that will one day bring this stack to a limited supply and I would have shelf space again. That day turned into weeks, months, years ... It's a sad story that many crafty homes across the world can tell (thinking you quilters are guilty of this fabric pleasure).

The Challenge
I would try four easy projects that would clear out [some of] my fabric treasure trove and inspire you to try sewing if it's on your bucket list. I didn't have anything in particular that needed to be made, but here's what I took on and the pleasurable results and learnings!

Project 1: Zipper Pouch
After reviewing three different tutorials, I found the Melly Sews zipper pouch tutorial to be the most helpful, and utilized more fabric with the liner. The only thing I had to purchase was a zipper. I'm not even going to bother going into detail because she is a rockstar teacher, but I did have a little trouble with the zipper ends. I created three pouches and felt that each one was a little different as I learned to work those zipper edges.

I found another tutorial that added some length to the zipper edges to create a crisp corner (check out The Kim Six Fix here). For the next round of fabric purging, I'll attempt this zipper corner solution.

Project 2: Fabric Coasters
You saw this project in a previous post, but I've created these two more times since I created the initial blue and white checkered coasters (now in Snowpeak Retreat). Surprisingly, my guests and friends have asked about them and that quickly turned into housewarming or hostess gifts. You just need the rope and a glue gun (sewing machine optional) to create these little darlings.

When I first created these beauties, I planned to sew the rope as I shaped it into the larger circle. But planning was easier said than actually executing. You'll read in my tutorial that I took a shortcut and glued the rope, and then used the sewing machine to create a X across the finished product.

Project 3: Outdoor Bunting Banner
Us crafters are no strangers to banners and creative party decoration, but since we were on the mission to clear out some of this fabric, I created two outdoor banners to add to our primary backyard and Snowpeak Retreat balcony. The goal was to create semi-permanent flags that would live outside and brave the weather.

Cut strips of fabric 10" x 2.5" in size. Fold the fabric in half and press the fabric to create the crease in this image. Your flags will be 5" x 2.5"
Fold the fabric over jute (or other string) and sew the fabric to the jute. If you don't have a sewing machine, you can also glue your fabric with a little bit of hot glue.
This makes the banner double-sided which is fun to add in an outdoor setting.
With fabric scissors, cut a triangle at the bottom of each flag. I cut the first one free hand and then layered it over each of the flags as a template.

The second banner was an accidental project, really. I created a chalkboard banner (a million years ago) with the intentions of using to celebrate birthdays, accomplishments, Fridays. Ultimately, I really only used this thing once, pulled of the chalkboard squares, and left the fabric stacked with my stash. When I started purging, I grabbed those fabric squares and looped jute through each one, sewing it down to keep the squares in place.

Nothing super fancy ... just a little colorful banner above our backyard sliding door.

I always loved the look of this outdoor nautical banner, and I have enough twine to wrap the Washington Monument from top to bottom.

Project 4: Hand Warmers for Snowpeak Retreat
Since we rent out our Truckee home, I aim high to create a cozy experience for my guests. I made these hand warmers - with a tutorial from Sadie and her uber precious cat Cottonball - to have available at the unit for chilly nights. I was able to utilize leftover flannel fabric that I had on hand, and filled the pouches with white rice (I didn't add the essential oils).

Here are some other favorite IHB sewing projects:

home: decorate on the cheap

2018-05-21T06:30:00.000-07:00

Let's face it: sometimes it's just easier to buy the finished item than actually making it. There is still a solid amount of pleasure creating something from scratch and showing it off as your piece, so don't stop doing that. But home trends change quickly and the cost of purchasing materials for a project that you may never make again is just not worth it.

Today, I'm sharing some coveted inexpensive home items that you may just want to pick up without a coupon. (Kidding. Find the coupon.)

Kohl's has a "farmhouse trends" category in the Home department and I'm certain to find something I love every single time. And better yet: practically everything is on sale at this very moment (half off in some cases), including furniture! Here are some favorite pieces that I have seen similar at three times the price with other retailers.

1 Sonoma Goods for Life (TM) Brushed Decorative Bowl | 2 Safavieh Spaced Diamond Loop Throw Pillos | 3 HomeVance Barton Hills Wood Canopy Bed | 4 Sonoma Goods for Life (TM) Farmhouse Linen Wall Decor | 5 Large Clay Flower Pot & Stand 2-piece Set | 6 Stratton Home Decor "Home" Wall Art

I first noticed the updates in home decor at Walmart when I saw the Acapulco Lounge Chair in a marketing email. Although this item is a little out of my price range, it did lead me to a treasure trove of home items that cannot be shared in just one post. I feel like I'm doing you a disservice by only including seven items, but you have to see it to believe it! Just search "cactus decoration" and try not to start adding to your cart.

1 Hello Doormat Natural/Black Script | 2 Black and White Macrame Wall Hanging | 3 Signature Design by Ashley Jamarion Pendant Light | 4 Koyal Wholesale Irregular Geometric Table Glass Terrarium | 5 PTM Images, Dog sticking out tongue 5, 18x18 Decorative Wall Art | 6 ACME Lajita | 7 Side Table Acapulco Lounge Chair

Now that I've blown your mind with the modern cuteness at Kohl's and Walmart, check out these finds from Big Lots - yup, Big Lots! We have one near our house and it's not a store that I often consider for trendy home furnishings, but the availability online is worth sharing here. They also have a rewards program that can be fruitful if you find as many items as I did!

1 Wilson & Fisher Industrial Edison Pendant Hanging Light | 2 Ameriwood Oak Rolling Kitchen Cart | 3 Gold Elephant Wall Decor | 4 Ava Gray Geometric Single Door Cabinet | 5 Hanging Circle Shelf | 6 Clementine & Honey Cement Candle | 7 Wilson & Fisher Navy Blue Metal Garden Table

Please let me know if you end up purchasing any of these items (or something else on the sites) and how you're styling and using it in your home. As of the publication of this post, I have not purchased anything but want to hear about your lucky finds!

*This post contains affiliate links*

organize: pictures and memories

2018-05-07T06:30:00.000-07:00

Scrapbooking used to be life for me. I would spend entire spring or holiday breaks pulling together pictures of sorority events and hunting down the perfect matching scrapbook paper and stickers. I spent hours coming up with new page layouts and fitting as many pictures as possible on one page.

It's been over 10 years since I created a scrapbook but I keep them in a vintage chest in my family room. With the North Bay fires last fall, I started thinking more about what I would do if I was in that situation, what I would grab, what I would regret leaving behind. In most cases, families had just enough time to grab car keys and get out of their homes in time to save their lives. If I had 5 minutes to get out of my house, I would ultimately leave behind a lifetime of pictures and personal possessions.

Watching these families lose so much, I was given a chance to make sure that if in that predicament, I could grab a few things and that others could be retrieved later. The exercise turned into a two week project that purged three boxes of documents, took me through a lifetime of achievements, and gave me peace of mind that I didn't know was not there to begin with.

Utilize the Cloud
Since I started college, I kept all of my major college work and digital pictures on CDs. Like many of you, I wanted to keep these examples for future job opportunities to remember how crazy intelligent I am. Not once since 2001 have I needed that term paper on genetic modification - can you believe that?

One afternoon, I uploaded every document to my Gmail Drive and every picture to Shutterfly. This resulted in clearing out 42 CDs from my house (learn how to recycle here), and now I can look through my 2007 Spain pictures on the Shutterfly app whenever I feel a little sad. This also cleared out three boxes of hard copies of the above soft copies. The recycle bin was nice and full that week!

Double Take on Pictures
I also realized that all of the pictures were in 5 different spots throughout the house and garage. If there really was an emergency, I would waste precious time collecting everything. When I really sat down with all of my pictures, I had doubles of just about everything in a scrapbook (dispose), copies of digital pictures that I just uploaded to Shutterfly (dispose) and endless pictures that I don't really need.

Define pictures that I don't need: before digital cameras, my friends made fun of me that I wouldn't take a picture on my camera unless I was in it. True. If I was going to process pictures, I was going to be in them! Even 15 years later, a friend found an undeveloped roll of film and when she got the pictures back, she promptly sent me the pictures and said that they must be mine because I'm in all of the pictures.

Through this process, I collected piles of pictures that didn't include me and sent them to my friends. It cleared out 2 small boxes and it was a nice surprise for my childhood friends to receive snail mail with pictures of their high school volleyball games.

Organizing
Once I did all of the above clearing, I purchased a plastic tote to organize* all of our remaining pictures that were not in scrapbooks that fit nicely in the vintage chest in the family room. Every pictures we have is now stored in that box, and in the event of an emergency, I can quickly grab it and run out of the house.

Inventory

Purchased 1 compact carrying tote* to store pictures
Consolidated materials and donated 3 scrapbooks
Tossed 42 CDs, 3 boxes of documents and 2 small boxes of pictures

I promised myself two years ago to scan these pictures and documents to the cloud just in case there really was an emergency. It was a fun project that I was glad to commit a few nights to finishing, and I did receive text messages thanking me for those surprise packages!

Do you feel like you need to do this? What small step will you take to begin to organize your memories?

*Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

wedding: 30 before April 30 - 7 years later

2018-04-30T06:30:00.000-07:00

Today is our seventh wedding anniversary and it has me thinking about the day we gathered all of our friends and family for one big event that would celebrate us. I sat down this weekend to look through some of our planning and thought about the couples that are now going through the same thing -- creating a memorable day that is personalized for the fun couple you are and will always be!

Today, on the seventh anniversary of our wedding day, I'm sharing with you the top 4 "30 before April 30" DIY wedding projects from 2011!

1: Bridal Shower Seed Packet Favors: for my small bridal shower of 120 people (no joke), I needed something fun and inexpensive. I'm sure I was inspired by this project somewhere and used a The Wedding Chicks template to personalize.

2: Personalized Guest Board: find a unique way to get your guests to sign something you'll love for years to come! This post includes a reader that was inspired by our wedding guest surfboard, and our friends A+R used a snowboard (along with our moss C, birdcage and burlap 'just married' bunting) for their guests to sign! What's your idea?

3: Easy DIY Button Pillows: I may have gotten lazy here. We were going to purchase LL Bean Adirondack chairs for ourselves and thought it would be fun to add at our reception. Clearly, I needed personalized pillows and LOVED a pillow I had seen at a local store made with buttons. I started sewing 1 ... 2 ... 3 buttons until I realized I had wasted a huge amount of time and was no where near finishing. Find out how I turned this project into a completion!

4: Personalized Escort Cards: with a small wedding of 500 people (this is not a comedy blog), we didn't have assign seating. But for our wedding party, I wanted to create something special. For each bridesmaid and groomsman, I added an escort card with a picture of us to really make it special.

Are you getting ready for a personalized wedding? What fun things are you creating?

home: snowpeak retreat kitchen makeover

2018-04-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

It’s been nearly a year since we purchased a great little place in Truckee, California and we were so excited to start on projects that would give it new life (see my design inspiration here). We use it as a vacation house to get away from the city, and started using it for rental income last year before the holidays. To get it ready, we put a lot of sweat equity into the space.

The biggest project so far has been the kitchen overhaul which essentially had us remove every cabinet and start over. Although a great idea at first, we had quite the dramatic start. Instead of going through the horrible details of the cabinet delivery, Home Depot did eventually help us get those cabinets to the right location on the appropriate day. (Since they totally redeemed themselves, I won’t outline our experience, but the lesson here is to remain persistent and not curl up and cry. Girl bosses need to be persistent!)

After the mess from above, my brother leaned in on the small kitchen update. If you have been paying attention, he also helped us remodel our first kitchen in 2014 and clearly passed our critical evaluation with flying colors. For this project, we pulled out the old kitchen and installed the upper and lower cabinets in 30 hours.

Installation Process

To prepare, I carefully measured the space, appliances (we were not planning on replacing) and windows. I decided to use the same Hampton Bay Shaker cabinets in our current kitchen and worked with Home Depot’s design studio on the layout and cabinets I would need. The great thing about using the design studio is that they identify all those other “pieces” you don’t think about: spacers, toe kicks, etc.

We removed the old cabinets and posted them for free on Craigslist to a new home (eventually, they were picked up and reused). After a good clean-up, jokes about how the old cabinets were installed, we got to work installing the upper cabinets.

We kept to the same layout but instead added a corner cabinet to make the dishes inside more accessible, and had the cabinets flush with the ceiling (instead of adding space for custom molding). That made them 42" tall.

For the lowers, we replaced a three-drawer cabinet with a blind corner cabinet because that space was not being utilized before, and added a cabinet between the stove and refrigerator. Just these two lower cabinets added so much storage to the kitchen that did not exist before.

Challenges

The ceiling is not level. Because of this, I added a 1 inch trim piece that had to be filled at one end of the wall so that it didn’t look off center. We weren’t about to install cabinets that were not level, so we had to manipulate the trim with a little savvy caulking.
The existing linoleum didn’t completely cover the floor in front of the cabinets. I had to add additional plywood at the toe kicks before adding the fronts to extend the space past the linoleum.

Countertops

For the counters, I wanted something brown in tone to balance the wood beams and ceiling in the unit. I wasn’t super particular about material and asked for options. We called local businesses to find the best deal on counters and installation (and timing!), and landed on a great company that offered the color and gradient I was looking for in a granite material.

After my experience adding a backsplash to my own kitchen, I decided to skip that project in this kitchen remodel. Instead, I added a 4.5" granite continuation to keep it clean. Some touch up paint on the walls and framing, and we are set!

Next up: replace the fluorescent lighting with recessed.

Hardware: handles (similar) | knobs (pack of 10)
Paint color: Modern Gray by Valspar

home: hanging vintage oars

2018-04-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

Getting Snowpeak Retreat together was easy since we purchased the furniture in the sale, and we actually kept most of it while the stuff we didn't easily sold or donated. When we purchased the unit, it didn't feel like it was a retreat in the woods (remember the large print of the Golden Gate bridge over the fireplace?). The goal: turn this into the modern mountain retreat we couldn't wait to leave the city for.

Immediately after closing on Snowpeak Retreat, I was on the hunt for fun and affordable ways to decorate. The monthly Alameda Point Antiques Faire is my favorite go-to for inspiration and I quickly found these vintage oars and scored them for $25!

I looked around the Internet for instructions on how to hang vintage oars - I was mostly looking for the math to already be done for me! Unfortunately, my search resulted in nothing.

So on a lonely September afternoon while waiting for the new bed to be delivered, I started doing some math. Here's how I figured it out:

To make it easy, measure 20 inches in from the oar's front edge and 4 inches from the handle edge on both oars.
Add a 1 inch screw in the four spots.
Using wire, I created a loop attached to the screw that could easily hang over a nail. Although I tried to make them as similar as possible, there was a little frustration that only perfectionists will find in these types of projects. But any loop will work.

Now's the hard part - math. I made the following measurements and it may be helpful to draw it out on a piece of paper (the below image is useful too):

Measure the length of the wall (A)
Measure the length of each oar; they should be the same. (B)
Subtract the length of the oar from the total length of the wall. (A - B = C)
Divide this number in half. (C / 2 = D and E)
Now add 4 inches to one number and 20 inches to another. (D + 4 = F) (E + 20 = G)

You have the length between the wall edge to each of the nails behind the oars.
Another option is to only measure from one wall edge, add your first nail and then add your second nail based on the distance between the two screws behind the oars. (H) This might be a better option as well if you have a level to keep those oars straight.
Suggestion: use a level to measure the distance between the two nails.

The top and bottom distance between the two oars? Good question. Once I had the top oar on the wall, I took a chance and measured 11 inches down and went for it. That step was pure luck but however you do it, as long as you have a little space and they're aligned, it will look polished.

What's the hardest thing you've ever had to hang on a wall? Is there a hanging tutorial that you'd like to see here on IHB? I like a good challenge!

read: nonfiction favorites for 2018*

2018-04-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

Reading is such a luxury when you're short on time, but when you pick up a good book, you wonder why you even stopped in the first place! If you're anything like me, you need something that will keep the pages turning. I've always been a big popular fiction reader but recently focused on nonfiction, biographies, stories that make us appreciate life a little more and learn something along the way.

Here are my four favorite and highly recommended recent nonfiction reads:*

Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter written by Kate Clifford Larson. I can never get enough Kennedy history, and this book focuses on the story of the Kennedy sister that turned an entire family into her biggest advocates. (NOTE: I'm watching American Series: The Kennedys on CNN right now and it's everything a nerd like me wants from a good American story.)
When Breath Becomes Air written by Paul Kalanithi. I picked this up before boarding a flight from Cabo San Lucas. The writer finished this book before his death and a courageous fight with (fucking) cancer. A beautiful story = tissues.
Promise me, Dad written by Joe Biden. Politics aside, I'm a fan of the former Vice President and Senator. Not only is he a fellow Syracuse University alumni, but he is also a tremendous softy. This book does a fantastic job of balancing his son's heartbreaking story and his role in the Obama Administration. Tissues, you need tissues.
The Year of Less written by Cait Flanders. Finally, a read that didn't require a box of tissues. I'm a good purger, keep my shopping to a minimum. But Cait will inspire your soul to prioritize life over things.

Let me know if you end up reading any of these books and what you think! Do you have any good nonfiction suggestions for us to try?

Is fiction more your thing or you don't fancy carrying around a box of tissues? I shared this post of my favorite titles and series last year.

*Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

craft: easy DIY fabric coasters and trivet

2017-10-17T22:08:00.000-07:00

Purging. I've talked about it before, and I'm always looking for a new project that can create something useful with the overflow of materials in my craft room. I even have loads of Pinterest pins just waiting to accomplish exactly these goals!

Here's a good - and easy - project that cleared out fabric (did I mention that I'm a hoarder?). With less than a yard of fabric, laundry rope, hot glue gun and sewing machine, I had enough to create four coasters and a trivet.

First, cut your fabric in 1-inch strips using a cutting board (like the one above) or with scissors. The great thing about this project is that it doesn't have to be perfect because you're wrapping that fabric around the rope.
The online directions tell you to sew the ropes together but that was proving to be a challenge. Instead, I coiled the rope and hot-glued it together. Round and round and round.
Once finished, I used the sewing machine to create a (+) and flatten the coasters and trivet.

Super easy, right? Both projects are in their new home in the mountains. Create a set as a housewarming or hostess gift while clearing out that fabric you so badly wanted to use for a completely different project.

goals: may round-up

2017-06-04T21:22:00.001-07:00

You probably think that I'm failing with my 2017 resolution and not making or keeping any weekly goals, but that's not true. With the Snowpeak Retreat keys in our hands, we've been replacing, updating and searching for the right items to make it both a home and rental. There's been a lot of researching and comparing, and with long work days and travel, just getting there to put it all into place has been all the goals a girl can handle.

The one thing I can share is that I do have inspiration in place, and I put the below together to guide my decor decisions. I purchased the Idea Market Hand-Done pillow at JoAnn one afternoon and it just went from there. I call this: California mid-century modern retreat.

I've started some fun DIY projects for June just for the retreat space, so stay tuned to see what I'm about to make.

home: a lasting vacation

2017-05-04T21:06:00.000-07:00

We have a fun announcement! April weekly goals were big and they included reviewing, signing and chasing down documents for the purchase of our new ... vacation home! That's right. Two mortgages for the win!

Here's the short story of a decently shortish story. My husband is a fantastic skier (from New England that one) and I spent my winters on a dairy farm not skiing. Four years ago, I took my first ski lesson and last year, I became completely addicted to this ridiculously cold sport. So now we both have this hobby that takes us to the Lake Tahoe area often, and we fell in love. (To clarify, the area. We already loved each other.)

After a few weeks looking, we found an adorable condo in a prime location (we travel from the Bay Area) and potential for rental when we're not there. According to local folklore, there's a creek that runs right in front of our unit but since the area received 700 inches of snow this season, we're likely to see it never.

As part of the sale, we will keep all of the furniture which is awesome until we can replace with pieces we really want. In the meantime, I'm excited to work on projects to make this place a home ... and a rental! Stay tuned!

goals: march wrap-up

2017-04-15T21:54:00.000-07:00

A quarter of the year is complete and I continue my weekly goals. The important thing is that I have stayed true to my goals and maintained the ones from the week before. For instance, reapplying lipstick has been a challenge but I'm trying my hardest here!! (And it makes me feel more put together which in turn makes me more confident.)

March Week 2: Start a Garden (again)

There were attempts in 2010 and again in 2012, and every year since, I make little attempts to grow basil or calla lilies. Every year, not so successful. But this year and with this California rain, I feel less guilty about growing my own crops. So one Saturday, we pulled out all of the dirt in this garden box (that was the problem) and started over with fresh soil and new vegetables.

I do have a small herb garden that has done decently well but only because I totally neglected it and it rained a lot this year. The truth. And for the first time, I tried those weird things you read on Pinterest where you take food scraps and create new food from them. I have romaine lettuce from scraps - isn't that mind blowing?

March Week 3: Visit a New Place

This may be a silly goal since this trip was already booked and I just have to make my flights. But I've never been to Scottsdale and I'm going to do nothing but check out a new town (and catch a spring training game). So my goal was to unplug (a little), hike, eat, meet people and enjoy our friends. Sometimes, it's a little easier said than done.

Although I'm not a fan of the desert (firmly decided), I am a big fan of having a trip planned. Anything to look forward to that involves little to no pubic transportation and access to fancy coffee! Extra points if I can't get phone service.

March Week 4: Update Skin Regimen

After a long conference week with too much coffee and not enough sleep, I booked an appointment with an esthetician to give me some serious skincare feedback. We chatted about my skincare goals and options for improvement and prevention.

I needed help, direction and someone to just tell me what to do. The one thing that I did add to my regimen is Vitamin C serum. Vitamin C stimulates new collagen, reduces fine lines and wrinkles, protects the skin from environmental pollutants, reduces visible discolorations on the skin and provides enhanced protection against UV exposure. (source) So instead of using 8 different lotions, I'm hoping this serum is a start (from fixing everything above!).

goals: clear inbox, can't lose

2017-03-06T08:56:00.000-08:00

I recently read the most real post on Instagram: being an adult is basically just emailing someone back and forth saying "sorry for the delayed response!" until one of you dies. Wait, it's not just me? There are other people that are too busy/lazy/chicken shit/bored to not respond right away?

So this week, I committed to following-up. All of it.

In a given week, I get a nice assortment of LinkedIn and Facebook messages, blog requests, inquiries about event/creative/wedding support, and the pile of messages in the inbox that I will eventually get around to taking action. Sound familiar? So I started out slow:

First, the simple "to do" items that just need a few minutes (save this password, unsubscribe to account, review content as FYI). Little brain power here.
Then email responses: LinkedIn and Facebook. Sending thoughtful messages so folks still consider me a reference and friend.
Finally, take action tasks. These are the things that are the most time consuming - review bank account, look up documentation, research rental properties - so I really just sat down and worked through these tasks in an afternoon.

Done. My inboxes are shorter, my text messages are cleared out, and my conscience is starting the week a little lighter. And with this renewed feeling, I'm determined to make this habit stick!

Do you also feel overwhelmed with the amount of follow-up you need to do? After a little research, it sounds like this is common and there is help!

clean: squeaky clean

2017-02-27T07:00:00.000-08:00

Let me hear it for the hardworking girls out there trying to keep the dust off furniture and floors clean. Now let's cheer for the hardworking moms out there still able to find clean dishes and clothes every day. God bless you.

So with two heavy work weeks and two free weekends, I made two simple goals: clean the house and get the yard back in order after these California rains. This glamorous lifestyle isn't for everyone, but I like doing it myself because only I can do it really well. Sound familiar?

This blog post should really finish right here because writing about cleaning toilets and raking the backyard doesn't make for creative writing. But since I promised to share my progress report while writing here on the blog, this is a great opportunity to pull together my favorite quick (surface) cleaning solutions.

Washing bath towels: I have to do this technique at least once a month and it miraculously takes away that wet smell deep in the towel. Here's how to do it.
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Cleaning Pads: From my glass shower door to the kitchen sink to the scuffs on the floor, this cleaning tool is truly magic. I buy this stuff in bulk. (Coupon Closet has more ideas)
Wool Duster : Surface cleaning is all I need to feel like a new person. Every household must have one to dust of the wine bottles, er, picture frames.
Scotch-Brite FurFighter Hair Remover Kit: We have our precious Lola and she is really good at shedding. Instead of vacuuming the couches, this tool quickly picks up the cat hair from couches, beds and pillows.

The rest is just dusting, sweeping, vacuuming and throwing stuff in a drawer. And it feels good starting the day with shining floors and a clean front porch. How do you keep your house under control when busy?

craft: free "admit one" printable

2017-02-16T20:37:00.000-08:00

One of my most requested Etsy orders isn't actually an item that I have listed on the site. It's from a previous post and very popular Pinterest pin with this image:

The requests are always for the small 4 inch by 4 inch painted burlap sign that can be placed inside the shadowbox. It's super easy to make and not a problem to quickly get an order out in a few days. But wouldn't it be so much cooler if you could just do it right now ...

As a special treat for my readers, I created these simple downloads to print and place inside your own shadowbox so that you can organize your movie/concert/festival tickets. Go ahead and copy to a Word document and adjust based on your needed size!

admit one (cursive) | admit one (Times New Roman)

Need a shadowbox to finish this DIY project? Here are some options that you can quickly order today on Amazon.*

*Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

goals: book nerd

2017-02-13T21:26:00.002-08:00

Now it just sounds like I'm repeating myself. My February week 2 goal isn't much different than my January week 3 goal but goodness, I had to finish this book as it was taking me too long to read from cover to cover! And as a little treat, I've listed my favorite titles below ... in case you're looking for something good to read!

Have you read a Jennifer Lancaster memoir yet? Well, you immediately must add this to your list. Start with Bitter is the New Black: Confessions of a Condescending, Egomaniacal, Self-Centered Smartass, Or, Why You Should Never Carry A Prada Bag to the Unemployment Office and then thank me with a comment below about how much you loved it!
I really dig historical fiction and there is an entire series about King Henry VIII and his wives written by Philippa Gregory (heard of the Other Boleyn Girl?). Start with The Constant Princess if you want to go in chronological order.
Another series that will teach you while reading is Sandra Gulland's trilogy about Josephine Bonaparte. Start with The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B.
Need fiction ASAP? The American Heiress: A Novel written by Daisy Goodwin will keep you entertained!
Lisa See is one of my favorite authors. I have learned more from her books than any of the above titles. Start with Peony in Love: A Novel and just try not to read her other bestsellers!
I'm not one for reading biographies but Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter has made me a recent convert! The glimpse into this widely popular and complex family will have you thankful for your boring family dinners.
If an emotional story is what you need, then please read The Light Between Oceans: A Novel before watching the movie! This one had me crying at a bar in Portugal!

Clearly, I have book types and maybe this encourages you to try something new! Let me know if you love or hate or feel lukewarm about any of the above suggestions, and please share your favorite titles with me below in the comments!