Thursday, December 25, 2014

Cat Proof Christmas Tree

This was the first year that I braved buying a REAL Christmas tree due to The Mayor's mischievous behavior.  Last year I opted for a "cat safe" tree.  I had looked online for an alternative way of having a tree and getting in the holiday spirit.

There is always the strand lights on the wall to create a tree idea.  However I love my ornaments and this doesn't really allow me to hang them.


I also had stumbled upon this article on Apartment Therapy that actually gave me the idea to try out a pallet Christmas tree.  I know that everyone makes everything out of pallets but this one was easy.  

1. Go and pick up a free pallet (they are super easy to find, espcially on craiglist.)
2. Use a circular saw and make 2 cuts.  
3. Decorate
4. You are done!

(If you cut from the middle out the beam stays in tact and everything stays together)

Last year I ran a strand of lights zig zag up the tree.and hung my ornaments on nails.



It was super easy, cat proof, and looked adorable!!

Sunday, October 12, 2014

chairs, chairs, chairs

I've been eyeing a chair for a while for my sewing station.  When I first moved into my apartment I bought a couple of cute teal stools from Ikea.  However I think these stools were made for children. The legs kind of buckle and the seats bend (and I swear I'm not that heavy!).  I haven been waiting for quite sometime to purchase a more permanent chair.  I had been looking at the stylish clear acrylic chair everyone has but after Virginia over at LiveLove DIY said that it was the most uncomfortable chair I decided maybe it wasn't for me.  I finally bit the bullet and ordered a chair last week! It's pretty darn cute and sturdy!  I just need to get a little pillow for it and it will be a lot mroe comfortable.  The chairs below all gave me a little inspiration... if only I could afford any chair below.




Chairs
1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7




Sunday, September 7, 2014

who doesn't love the mail man?!

I haven't had much time for DIY stuff but I apparently have had time to online shop.  During summer (conference season) I have to wear a uniform shirt at work so people can easily identify me.  At the end of this week I get to start wearing my own clothes again (YYAAAAYYY)!!  This just made me feel like I was allowed to back to school shop.  Some how everything showed up in the same week. So excited to wear some of my new purchase.

I ended up picking up two of these skirts.  The fit so well and I couldn't resist the polka dots but the black I can wear all the time.  Since they are from Old Navy it didn't break the bank!


I got these and was a little unsure when I tried them on in the store but when they finally came in the mail I loved them.  I think the lighting in Banana's dressing rooms is super unflatering.  I can't wait for it to be cool enough to wear these!

I also ordere this sweatshirt from Kate Spade because it was so bright and fun online!  However when it came it looked like the below color...  I'm super bummed that it will be going back to the store.


I've been working a lot lately but somehow fit in some tailgating this past week for both the Coug game and the Hawks game.  I'm pumped it is football season!!

-M

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Upholstery Fabric Spray Paint

 I finally ordered another couple of bottles of upholstery fabric spray paint from Amazon so that I could finish my $20 craigslist chair.  I had done research previously and ended up purchasing Simply Spray in navy.  I had read that you had to buy a lot of this stuff to make it stick but I didn't think that I needed 6 BOTTLES for this one chair!


Mid Project when I ran out of paint... 

My new cozy reading corner!
The navy ended up covering really well after going through all 6 bottles.  The fabric is a little stiff but I think it is because I was painting a crushed velvet chair.  A different fabric might not stiffen the same.  If you look closely you can definitely tell it was a DIY but for a chair that is going to sit in a corner for reading it will be perfect.  I'm not sure if this is the route that I would take for another piece of furniture and will just invest in a chair I like from the beginning... someday...

Saturday, August 2, 2014

Office Inspiration

I love my apartment in capitol hill but as rents rise in Seattle I think logically this will be my last full year in my first adult apartment. Although I'm super bummed about this I'll be moving into a house that is owned by my family and will give me tons of space to play with.  I still have another 10 months before I move but my mind has been going crazy with the space and freedom I will have! I can't wait for all the projects :)  The new (to me) house will have 2 extra rooms... I'm thinking of turning one into a wardrobe room and the other a guest/office.  There is tons of inspiration for feminine, glamorous office on the internet these days.  I don't want to wish away the rest of my time in the city but I can't wait!


Untitled #10
1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9 // 10


Monday, July 14, 2014

Gold & Glitter

A couple months ago I picked up this great rams head at Retrofit on Capitol Hill.  I can't go into that place with out buying something. However with how beige and white my apartment is (mainly because I love all things nuetral) it looks a little washed out on my wall.
I've seen some recent pins of similar heads that you can purchase pre-gold, mint, etc etc... but apparently I didn't notice those when I bought my all plain white one. 

Time for a DIY Gold & Glitter project.  Luckily I don't need to go out and buy too much stuff when I have project like this since I already own all the different gold paints you can.

First I taped everything off that I didn't want gold.

Spray and Dry

Don't forget to wear gloves like I did!

Next I purchased some gold glitter and spray adhesive.

Unfortunately for me when I do things like this everyone that walks by my apartment building looks at me like I'm some crazy person as I throw gold glitter on a rams head while sitting on the ground...

I'm going to find glitter every where for months!

Voila! He's a little more flashy, now he just needs a name!

M

Monday, July 7, 2014

Robin's Egg Blue

For a long weekend I thought I would get a lot more checked off my apartment to do list. I just had too much fun.  I decided I would work on a quick 20 minute project so I would at least feel productive.

 I have had this mirror since my first apartment after college and originally it was a dark brown.  I then went through a phase of painting everything white, including this mirror.  However in a beige hallway  surrounded only by white trim and cupboards it seemed boring.

When I was at JoAnn's this weekend I came across this "tool" for  $4.00 (I think this was the best $4 I have ever spent).  Maybe some of you already own one but I didn't know how wonderful a spray paint gun could be! Sometimes its the simple things in life.

I picked up a Robin's Egg blue.

And of course painted the raised portion with my favorite metallic gold paint.  You can never have too much gold right?

 





The entry hall looks way more cheery now and I feel productive for getting a DIY off my to do list.

-M


Monday, June 30, 2014

DIY Compact Bar Cart

I love the idea of a drink cart however in a smaller apartment sometimes they can be challenging.  Back in January I picked up this little cart at Cost Plus Wold Market and thought it was perfect (I did wait patiently for a sale)! However the longer it sat in the corner all naked, the more I felt I needed to dress it up.  

My naked little bar cart

I stopped by Ace Hardware and purchased four paint samples that were next to each other on a gray swatch to achieve the ombre' look that I had in mind.


I have been seeing so many cute pop, fizz, clink party decorations that I couldn't help myself.

I had 4 shelves so I added a cheers to the end. 

Would I paint it with anything besides metalic gold for the letters?  I need to double over the letters to make sure everything looks well covered but I'm pretty pleased with my monday night craft project.  I can finally feel like my drink cart has a little more party to it.


Friday, June 13, 2014

Reading Nook Inspiration

Reading Nook Inspiration
1\\ 2 \\ 3 \\ 4 \\ 5 \\ 6 \\ 7\\ 8
I've currently been craving a little cozy spot to curl up and read and I have the perfect empty corner for it.  I've been putting together a look board on Polyvore. Now its time to start plotting how to make this happen on a small budget.  I picked up a velvet wing backed chair for $15 on craigslist. 


I've been reading lots of reviews on this product. And have ordered some cans of Navy.  Stay tuned to see how my DIY reading chair turns out!



M

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Bachelorette Weekend

Bachelorette Weekend
1//2//3//4//5//6//7

This weekend I'm off to a beach cabin to attend a bachelorette party for one of my sorority sisters.  In preparation I have been looking at all the fun gift ideas.  I've found some really great Kate Spade ones.  Do you have a go to bachelorette present for people?  We are headed to the beach and will hopefully be making s'mores with the cute Godiva heart chocolate biscuits and drinking Sofie Champagne out of  little pink cans.  My mind was blown this past week when I was introduced to these. It is the most brilliant idea and are definitely marketed with the right people in mind. Now I just need to pick out which Mrs. gift is perfect!

M

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Turntable Love

I recently got a turntable from my dad and have started frequenting a couple record stores by my apartment. There is just something different about flipping through albums and they just seem to jump in my arms to be taken home. Unfortunately I did not have a good spot to put my new love and sitting on top of a speaker is just wrong.

Old Turntable Home
I salvaged a pice of wood from my parents house that would fit my turntable perfectly.  Then proceeded to stain it with a walnut finish so that it would look similar to my Better Home and Gardens TV stand.  I went to the local hardware store and picked up a couple white L brackets to attach it to the wall in a minimal way.

Ta-Da!! looking good turn table! 
I need to find a basket or bowl or something to put on top of the speaker so it doesn't look so naked.  I also had had my eye on a white ceramic ram head that I had seen at Retrofit Home.  I did not have a place in mind yet and I felt silly buying something that I didn't have a home for.  Once I put the shelf up I had a great vision for the ram head.
I finally found a home for my peacock painting from India as well
I used a clear acrylic frame for the my peacock silk painting but I'm not sure how I feel about it.  I might need a gold frame around it to make the print stand out a little more.
looking good!
Now if I could just make up my mind on what color I want my speaker covers to be I could get that done and my entertainment center will be looking great!

and a selfie for good measure because I got a new necklace


Saturday, May 10, 2014

Exhausting Real Life

Life has been kind of exhausting lately hence why I haven't had anything fun to share.  No time for redecorating or fun DIY's. Still working on my throw pillows, my sewing machine has jammed up and I just haven't had the patience to fix it at the moment. Instead I'll just have one of those picture recaps of the little excitements in my past couple weeks :)

My Lulu Lemon Sea-wheeze training shorts came!! Time to start training for my 1/2 Marathon #realtalk
Book of Mormon is coming to Seattle and I snagged some presale tickets
Molly Moon's Ice Cream... enough said

Picked up Atmosphere's new album on vinyl
Grabbed beers at the Scuttlebutt Brewery with my Dad one day
My Artic Monkey tickets came in the mail.

The mail was good to me this week... I wonder what other presents I can buy myself.

-M