DIY: Yarn Vases (Better than it sounds, trust me!)

***This post will start wedding-related, but don't worry, it is also an everyday DIY***

I don't want to become a Bridezilla so I constantly remind myself to keep things calm and simple. Weddings aren't cheap and I don't want my guests hungry and bored but I would rather save for our next house or have a fantastic honeymoon than a flashy wedding, so I think I will cancel the flying trapeze act. That being said, I like things the way I like them, so how am I going to reconcile my taste with my self-enforced budget? DIY projects! (Not too many or I will probably dream that I have gone to a hell where Martha Stewart forces me to make individual pieces of confetti from organic paper sourced from sustainable trees that were felled with butterfly sneezes instead of saws and each bit of confetti will have to be stamped with certification that no butterflies were harmed in the process of making said confetti. This is if I get to sleep the week prior to the wedding, which does not seem likely when I am planning long-distance.) A little crafting is relaxing in a zen-like, repetitive way, so I have dabbled a bit in crafts found on Pinterest:

This pin of bottles wrapped in twine made me think about different color options of yarn and since I had an empty wine bottle (it was empty from the night before, Mom, it was not breakfast) and an empty salsa jar, I thought I would start (w)rapping. hehe

All you need for this project is yarn/twine, a bottle or two willing to participate and some craft glue. I would also wash your jars thoroughly so your projects don't carry the faint odors of booze and onions, unless that's your thing...

Glue the end of your string to the bottom of the bottle and let it set for a few minutes so further wrapping doesn't tug it loose. I made zigzags of glue on the bottle's surface and then wrapped it. The wine bottle (left pic) turned out alright but I was not excited about the sporadic discolored blobs caused by my overzealous glue usage. For the salsa jar (below, right) I used the same process but I stuck my hand in a ziplock baggie and used my index finger to smooth out any glue bumps before wrapping the jar, so that one had much more even texture.

I love ranunculus flowers and envision them for the wedding, blah blah blah, so when I was at Trader Joe's, I picked up a bunch and viola, the jars are complete! (Ignore the TV and surround sound towers in the background, but not the coiled rope pot form Anthropologie that inspired my interest in textured vessels).

I left the wine bottle on the coffee table and moved the salsa jar to the dining table and added my brass cricket (from here) to make a quick centerpiece:

I am pretty sure I live in a cave because I had all the lights in the house on and my pictures still came out so dark! Anyway, what do you think of the vases? Any other variations I should know about? Is anyone else out there DIYing his/her little heart out?

Mid-Week Pondering: The Rashida Factor

I don't "get" Rashida Jones. I understand who she is, I have seen her act, but I just don't understand the appeal, you know? I have nothing against her and Parks and Rec has made her solidly likeable (to me personally), but everyone talks about her like she's the coolest, indie-est, hippest gal around...Some people have a level of adoration that makes me wonder if they've secretly constructed some sort of shrine to her featuring an eternal flame and a napkin she used at a restaurant that they had to dig out of dumpster....?


But I have been looking at celeb/street style photos today and there are two, that's right, two photos of her outfits that I immediately liked! Very fresh and girly, but still cool, check them out:

 

I think she looks adorable and definitely gets props for going out of her way to embrace spring. I can't wait to wear a blazer with bright shorts...where is my warm weather?!?!Anyway, what do you think of her style as of late? Maybe you can clue me in to what is so magnetizing about Jones' aura? And then we can bottle it and make billions!!! (insert a bellowing "Bwah ha ha!" here) Or maybe I will simply become another casualty of the "Rashida Factor" and construct my own creepy napkin shrine, who knows?

Weekend Inspiration

The forecast predicts rain all weekend, but I have gathered visual inspiration to (hopefully) prevent cabin fever. I will keep in mind all the following colors and patterns and hope they inspire a creative endeavor or two while I am stuck indoors. Check them out:

Brazilian floor mats colored with all-natural vegetable dyes. Simple colors and patterns, but still visually appealing. I love the middle one the best!

 I love the embellishment of her blouse/necklace/who knows what. Tonal but lavish and it looks like she just threw it on yet is decidedly glamorous.

This lady is rocking the Thakoon for NARS nail collection that doesn't debut until May 1st. There is enough bright, cheery color to keep the rainy day blues at bay a few times over! (official page here).

The girls from WERELSE did a collection for Mango and I love this boldly-colored scarf printed with an octopus design. I wish the website had a picture of the whole scarf, though?!

 
Rain will not prevent me from going to the flea market as I am on a serious hunt for a bar cart and decanters/related accessories! Hopefully I will have some DIY projects or some awesome vintage scores to report next week. Have a great weekend!

Wednesday Whining and Online Finds!

The Midwest is trying to kill me. Kidding, it only hates me. "Whoa, lady," you say, "why would you say something like that?" I am sick again! I love making new friends, but I think I will pass on getting any more familiar with germs. I am sure I haven't been a good roommate to the fiancee (he's a brave soul to step foot in this house-of-illness after work everyday) and I have been slacking on doing anything creative or productive (ie, find a job! or spring cleaning!) but there are positives to being sick... umm.... I can't think of any except for being justified to waste time online all day (ahem, Pinterest and Bloglovin!), so let's go with that.

Here's a (germ-free) taste of what I've been ogling from my perch on the couch:

Summer haircuts are popping up all over the place and most of them involve sumptuous, Gisele-esque waves, but I am still a sucker for a short bob.Think choppier and funkier than Anna Wintour for a more modern look, like the one above...

I spotted this wedding dress and was ecstatic because it is a fun and funky take on lace and around $500, but they carry a very limited size range?! Is it worth looking into special ordering?

I want to live here. I don't know where this is, but I don't care. Gardens and glass doors = gorgeous!

I love these coiled pots at Anthro and now they are on sale! I got the little teal one and don't even care if I put a plant in it because it looks so cute. I was thinking these could be a great DIY project, too.


(I got the majority of these photos from my Pinterest boards, but you know I am big on crediting original sources, so you can get to the original sources from Pinterest quite easily... I might be spending too much time on there, perhaps?)

Today I'll be looking for gardening tips (I want a veggie and herb garden this summer-- wish me luck!) and searching craigslist for the perfect bar cart and maybe a bicycle! What have you been looking for online? Any gardening tips you'd like to share? Feel free to send me vitamins as well ;)
Happy Wednesday!

Back on the Chain Gang!

I have been wanting to make a new necklace for some time, but haven't been a fan of anything I have whipped up lately. In need of inspiration, I did a little searching and a little pinning (it's an addiction I fully admit to having) and found some great chain necklaces that I would love to DIY. Some aren't feasible projects for an amateur like me, but maybe they'll inspire me to up my game!

1. Lizzie Fortunato Jewels Cosmic View Necklace
2. Dannijo Galapagos Necklace
3. Maison Martin Margiela Twisted Necklace
4. Rachel Leigh Jewelry Estates Soiree Necklace

This isn't a DIY piece, but I loved the color and statement that this Tory Burch Resin Chain necklace makes:

 What have you been inspired to make lately? And where do you look for inspiration?