Crafty Crafty: Adding Ankle Straps to Flats

This is either an amazing way to update a pair of lame old flats OR a way to ruin them.  Depends on your level of crafty-ness:

http://thepennyrose.com/blog/2012/7/26/upgrade-your-shoes-with-diy-ankle-straps.html

xoxo
L

Quick Fix: Tiny Bathroom Shelf

Does anyone else have a room that is completely different than the rest of their house? A room that "jumped the shark," if you will.

Well, I do.  And it's the smallest room ever. 

Basically, someone converted a small food pantry into a bathroom at some point in my house's long life and it's a space I find myself constantly wondering about.  How do I make this room bigger?  Appear bigger, at least?

Upon moving in, I had the magnificent idea of painting the farthest wall bright yellow to "open" the space up.  I'm not sure if it worked, but it definitely gave the room a different vibe from the rest of my shabby chic casa because after the wall painting came random circle mirrors, a new toilet and a small modern looking shelf thing from Target (not pictured). 

I thought I was all done.  What else is there to do in a 3x3 bathroom?!  Well, I found a small something and I love it. Powder blue shelf arms! Wooooooo!  I recommend this quick fix to anyone looking to spruce up a nasty wrought iron something-or-other.

Love it. Love it. Love it.  Next up...that sink. Eeee!

Steampunk! V-day!

So, as I previously wrote....I was cruisin for a USB drive for Valentines day.   Well, I got one!  It FINALLY got here yesterday, by way of Etsy.

 I love it!!!

Thrifty Nifty Me.

I just went thrifting with my sis and found the sweeeeeetest set of wine glasses.  Check them out....

For under 2 bucks a glass, I'm in love.  Love, love.  Like, I may marry them and then use them to set the table. Yay! Everyone's invited!   I did see a couple wedding dresses for 6 dollars. 

No matter how many thrift stores I walk into I'll always feel awkward in the first second that I open the door and step foot inside.  I never know what I'll be greeted with.  Wracks upon wracks of garbage?  Loads of people crowding all the good stuff? A completely empty store, people and wracks included?  (I went to one like that yesterday...awkward!)  Or a store where there is one grumpy sales lady who stares like I'm about to stuff my pockets with old thimbles and salt shakers?  No matter what, though.  Thrifting is totally worth it.  Old stuff rules. 

Pretty pretty.

 I've decided on a NEWER...

 MORE FUN...

AND MUCH LOWER MAINTENANCE way to do nails!  Basically, I just pick two complimentary colors and BLAM...combination station.  It reminds me a little of having purple and teal rubber bands on my braces in 3rd grade, but way better. 

Works best with quick dry polish.  Mostly because I'm impatient :)

Pretty pretty.

Nail decals were something I was reeeally excited to try out.  I am unbelievably uncoordinated at painting the nails on my left hand and there is no way that I could single-handedly pull off some of the designs that these things come in.  So, before one of my best friends birthday gathering (which shortly turned into a proposal/engagement gathering) I tried: Sally Hansen SALON EFFECTS Real Nail Polish Strips.  

I got the hang of application after a few nails and also found that I could easily use each strip twice since my nails are so short.  However, the main problem occurred when attempting to smooth out the ends of each nail where you are supposed to "file the decal off," leaving it rounded to the edge of your nail.  Impossible.  I did the best I could, but by the end of the night, 5 out of 10 nails looked a little chewed on.  The edges were not longer perfect and were wearing down in a race to reach my cuticles. 

Overall...I'd say nail decals are fun for a one time party thing, but definitely not good for the 10 days that the box boasts. 

I have a lot of wine corks...

A LOT.


So, I think it's time I either make 90 coasters, OR a bathmat.

Hmmm...

http://abeautifulmess.typepad.com/my_weblog/2011/11/diy-thread-spool-wine-corks.html

When you drink wine, the possibilities are ENDLESS!

HOME-GROWN: Fancy fancy Chandelier 3

 Jeff and I had the brilliant idea to change out all of our downstairs light fixtures this year.  Our house is almost a hundred years old and the lighting was probably last updated in the early 80's.  Making a change of this kind does wonders for an old home, but of course there is a downside...

 You never know what you're going to find.

Like...WHAT is THAT?!

Nonetheless...we trucked on, in a most improvisational kind of way.

Tested our electric...

Laughed in the face of our old, brassy fixture...

And made it to the finish line!

Ta da!  It's always worth the pain, isn't it?

HOME-GROWN: Fancy fancy Chandelier 2

Since the lighting in our house is seriously busted, I've become quite determined to salvage, paint, and repurpose what I can.

First up...our old brass front door chandelier. 

Purchased:  White spray paint and rounder, quirkier light bulbs to replace the old drippy candle ones.

Time required: Overnight - to allow time for the paint to dry.

Must haves: Top Chef playing in the back ground, striped pajama pants, a tiny dog for quality checking purposes and a touch of patience.  It's just hard to wait when the end result looks so undeniably cool and the paint is still too wet to touch.

Framed.

I love books.  (Enough so, that I've written one - insert Diary Girl plug here)  So in an era ruled by Kindle's and Nook's, I figured what better way to pay homage to my favorite ones, than by framing some of the best pages!  Plus, it gives people something to do while they're waiting on me to get ready or inevitably searching every single room for my my purse before leaving the house - how do I always drop it in a different place each day?!

I started with a couple pages from The Giver...

HOME-GROWN: Fancy fancy Chandelier 1

This chandelier was a PAIN to put up in our nearly 100 year old house, but it was also well worth it due to the dazzling, copious amounts of shiny glass droplets.

Purchased from: Pottery Barn & Home Depot (ceiling medallion)

Time required: HOURS...and hours...and hours (they individually wrapped each glassy droplet!)

Must haves: Patience, actual tools, and wine. Lots of wine.