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?

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!

Color-Pop-Goes-My-Brain And I Take On A Project

Let me start by saying I love gray. I love it so much I try to make it seem cooler by spelling it "grey"...

But I have noticed that grey is becoming a default color (or lack thereof) in my wardrobe. Winter dressing is a challenge for me because of all these new acoutrements that freezing temperatures necessitate; how do I make everything work together?! My mornings seem to go like this:
1) Assemble great outfit with colors I like. Yea!
2) Ready myself to leave and remember that I need to wear gloves, hat and coat.
3) Second-guess my outfit because now all the accessories need to coordinate with the existing look.
4) Sigh, change into regular jeans and a grey sweater so that I don't look like a drunken Easter egg.

Not the most positive way to start the day, eh? But this morning I thought, "What's so wrong with looking like an Easter egg?" I have been walking around looking as interesting as a bald Chia head, but I want to sprout into a colorful novelty garden, darn it! The muted tones I have been wearing do nothing to express my personality and they do nothing to alleviate the winter blues. I don't know if wearing neon can prevent S.A.D. but it doesn't depress me, so why wait until spring to bust out the brighter colors?

Fast forward to the current moment and I am looking at collection of goodies that spans the rainbow and in fabrics that range from silk to denim. Anthropologie and Madewell have some of my favorites and since those stores are 4 miles away from my house I think a little reconnaissance mission is in order....

Madewell has great basics in bold colors and what would make you happier than throwing on a cobalt tee and lemon pants?

1. Outfield sweater in bistro blue

2. Skinny colorpop jeans in electric citron

3. Silk singalong top in plum orchid

4. Penfield kasson parka in bistro blue

Anthropologie had lots of cheery colors, but the items with fun prints and patterns were especially eye-catching:

 

1. Other Sands scarf in turquoise

2. Southfork Rancher hat in red

3.Tufted Dots sweater in grey motif and neutral motif 

(I liked both colors too much to choose between them!)

"Okay, lady," you say, "you have colorful inspiration, so what?" Well, now I have to make some outfits with bright pieces. And to make sure I start walking towards the light, I will force myself to wear bright colors all weekend to break my dreary habit. Hopefully by next week I will reserve grey for accent and balance and have lots of colorful outfit snaps to post! (cross your fingers!)
Have you been embracing bright or are you too bogged down in a sea of dark neutrals?

Little Reasons to Love Anthro

I love Anthropologie, but more often than not, I have to restrain myself when I shop there because if I bought everything I wanted...well, I would probably have to sell a kidney on the black market to make back the $$. I am a big believer in using accessories to make an impact, especially when wearing a basic outfit that needs some spice, and Anthro is bursting at the seams with fun pieces that can make a big statement for less $.

Statement collar necklaces are fantastic with basic crewneck t-shirts:


I love peachy pinks and gray together:


LOVE the saturated blue color:


A Dave Matthew's song comes to mind... can you guess?


Bright, fun and on sale!

Do you love Anthro as much as I do? When shopping, are you looking for whole outfits or little accessories?

Feelin' Moody, But Not "Board"

Sorry, the title is terrible, but I love puns. Anyway, I have a list of things to do longer than Rapunzel's hair, but instead of being productive, cleaning and going to the gym, I have been creating moodboards on Anthro's wedding site, BHLDN. I love moodboards (I did a post on my style moodboards here) so I was immediately sucked into making not one, but two! Add to this that my bartender-in-training little brother is in the kitchen perfecting his bloody mary recipe and you know that there will be absolutely nothing accomplished today ;)

Instead of dwelling on that, dwell on my moodboards:

Bright, Fresh Details:

A Glitzy Affair:

As you can see, it's been a fun morning and I have a feeling I will be making more soon :)
Click on either moodboard to link you to the BHLDN site and check out their super easy set-up for templates and uploading images. And let me know if you make a moodboard of your own!

Tribal Brain...

Whenever a new collection debuts on one of my favorite websites, such as Anthropologie, I scroll through the new stuff and if I see anything that catches my eye, I right-click on an interesting item to open in a new tab and then review my findings when I am done scanning the collection. (This makes me seem organized, but it is really just a frenzy of scrolling and "ooohs" and "aaahs")...

Anyway, I did this today and found a definite theme linking the items I had opened in the new tabs. My brain must subconsciously be looking for items with a tribal influence:

Neubauten Necklace at ModCloth
(Simple and geometric. I could see this going tribal or super modern)



Sahelian Acacia Shorts at Anthropologie
(It's like a herd of zebra on your butt! Fantastic!?)


Tilda Necklace by Alexis Bittar
(Must. do. neck exercises. to prepare. for. wearing)


Ok, so how many of you have already run out of the house to buy some zebra shorts?! J/K. What themes are playing in your subconscious these days?

Happy (belated) Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day! I hope you had a great day with your loved one(s) and made time for the important things in life...aka, CHOCOLATE. Kidding.

(Or am I?)

I was traveling yesterday and completely forgot to check out BHDLN until this morning, despite my excited anticipation. I was certainly not disappointed with how "Anthro-esque" the collection is, but didn't find any wedding dresses that wow'd me. I did however find a lot of fun accessories and other dress ideas. Here are two of my fav's:

I love the unusual colorplay of this Indigo Mist Dress. My sister commented that it has an Alberta Ferretti vibe, which I totally agree with:


This Lone Pearl Ring is so dainty and adorable! I love the vintage feel:
Did anyone else check out the website and fall in love? How was your V-Day?

BHLDN Update

For anyone who read my post on Anthropologie's new bridal collection and was interested, Emily from CupcakesAndCashmere was invited to the pre-launch party and posted some pictures on her blog. Click here to see the gorgeousness!

Bridal Bliss

I am not getting married, but something about spring makes me think of wedding gowns... Maybe the season of renewal makes me think about the start of a new life you are married? I don't know what it is exactly, but I do know that I got super excited when a friend reminded me that Anthropologie is launching their bridal stuff on Feb 14th!


You can register for email updates here.


I also registered for theaislenewyork.com to see what that site has to offer, but my membership request is still pending (maybe I am not cool enough?!), is anyone else a member?

Also, do all those frothy confections floating down the spring runways remind you of bridal? Or do I need therapy? Someone warn my Bf that I have white dresses on my brain....!!

Slouchy Days

I am sorry to those who are still wearing mittens, but yesterday was deliciously balmy. (Don't worry, when it's 115 degrees here in July you will have your revenge). 70 degrees with a very light breeze simply requires finding a patio to sit back and enjoy a tasty beverage, so off I went in my sunny day outfit: Minimalist color palette of white, navy and nude. I love my slouchy crepe pants (Anthro sale!), tissue-weight t-shirt and linen blazer. I was going to wear a heel, but the idea of wearing a sandal made me giddy, so there you have it ;) I know, I know, white after Labor Day is taboo, but I have never taken kindly to restrictions and, did I mention, it was so sunny!






Urban Oufitters blazer and ring, Stem t-shirt, Daughters of the Liberation pants, Steve Madden sandals, Ted Baker purse, Dogeared "Karma" necklace



I would have posted a close-up of the sparkle-encrusted sandals, but my feet were so alarmingly white, I couldn't get over it!

What are your thoughts on white after Labor Day and what item(s) of clothing puts you in a great mood?

Hugs and Kisses, earring-style...

I was shopping at Anthropologie and found some earrings that I thought were adorable!

They are sold individually (a genius money-making scheme) and the idea is to mix and match them in whatever combination you choose. I found my first initial, but not the initial of my last name, but I thought the X and O combination was a good substitute.

Do you like wearing your initials? Or are monograms best left to gangsters on their signet rings? ;)

Sweet Dreams

I checked in on fashiontoast's blog and instantly fell in love with her picture of a Hudson Furniture Inc. bed. I love nature-inspired furniture with organic lines and texture and this bed does not disappoint. The marbling in the wood grain is awesome, but my favorite part is the rough-hewn headboard. Sigh. The picture immediately sent me into a daydream about how I would redecorate my room around the bed....

To soften the massive bed, I would add these decadently fluffy neutral linens from CB2, textured knit pillows like this one from West Elm, and the warm glow of light from this chandelier from Anthropologie. With this set-up, I can guarantee that I would be in bed on time (if not early) every night! :)

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things:

We all know the song- I won't even bother to quote it, but the cheesiness is relevant. Whenever I have a bad day, I gravitate towards the fun things/activities that cheer me up:

Reviewing the Spoils of Shopping!
I am trying to curb my love of retail therapy, so when I am down, I will rummage through my closet and find something that I haven't worn in a while. That way it feels new and guiltless. Or sometimes I will make a new outfit out of pieces I already own, or simply gaze admiringly at a great deal I snapped up. I got these little flower posts at Anthropologie a bit ago and love wearing them. Best part? $5!


Tasty Treats
I love cooking, (brace yourself for future photo-ops of making dinner), and love making desserts- thanks for the sweet-tooth, Mom- but sometimes a tasty drink and a snack can hit the spot. Should've had these Gin&Tonics with lime and pistachios on St. Patrick's Day in keeping with the color theme...


Vacations
Not well-traveled by any means, folks, but I love a fun get-away. Stress-free, sometimes impromptu, jaunts make me happy. I love driving as much as flying because although it takes longer, pictures on airplanes aren't usually very memorable. Or at least I will say this until I crash my car while snapping pics....


Jewels!
Most gals love a bit of sparkle, (hello, Anthro earrings!), and I like tinkering with the construction of pretty baubles. I haven't taken formal classes, but I have learned things here and there and make what I like. I usually give items to friends or wear them to work until I feel like making something new out of the parts... Below are two sets of simple/silly earrings I made for friends:



I will post some more jewelry photos of what I am envisioning for spring and summer wear next time :) Ever stop and think about the little things that make you happy? I guarantee it will brighten your day, and feel free to share!