Crafts: A gift for a baby shower

A little over a week ago I went to a baby shower for a friend. I got the cute baby basics (can we say yellow striped summer dress with blue/white polka dot edging and bloomers!?), but I also wanted to make something for the mother-to-be. Mostly because she had told me that she wasn't really sure that she was going to decorate much. I got to work thinking up ideas for some sort of room decoration that can be easily moved and matched the bedding.

I had been wanting to do some sort of wall art that incorporated the use of paper punches. This desire was pushed into the "must do it" when I came across a very very similar idea at Target.


Part of the Fanciful Collection, this guy is in a all glass shadow box that you can see all the way through. There is also a smaller one as well. While they are cute, I definitely wanted to make something myself. So off I went to gather all of the tools I needed. Lucky me I had everything I needed (who says stock piling doesn't pay off!?).


I gathered papers in the colors of the bedding in all different patterns and shades. I then picked through the paper, picking the ones I thought would work best. I ended up using all of the same linen textured papers (minus the green with purple print). I already had the butterfly punches and glass shadow box.

Fun fact...see that "awesome" family picture on the one pane of glass!? Yes? Well it's pretty much hermetically sealed onto that very very very very thin piece of glass. It may never actually come off of the glass...ever. I mean who the heck does that!? I get that it's there to give you ideas...but to glue it on so much that it won't come off easily is asinine! Lucky for me I had a second IDENTICAL shadowbox. Now when I say identical, I mean I bought it at the same time, from the same place, the same company made it and it was the same exact size. So the glass should fit right!? RIGHT!?

Hahahaha.

Nope.

After I sat there placing every butterfly and then re-placing them with glue dots onto the pane of glass, I went to place the glass into the frame.

It didn't fit. Yeah I probably should have checked that, but silly me thought that glass from two identical frames would be interchangeable. Yeah right. So something that should have been one of my easier to do crafts just found a way to be very very difficult. I may have freaked out a lot. I just perfectly placed every butterfly on glass. Very very thin glass. After I finished cussing like a drunken sailor, I went upstairs to go to bed and cool off. My husband stayed up and sanded an edge of the glass down so that it would fit into the frame. I think he really loves me or something. That and he probably wanted me to not wake up pissed in the morning.

In fact, the next morning I only cussed lightly about the fact that it was dumb that there was that much of a difference, but it passed quickly. I cleaned up the glass and didn't cut myself...which probably would have sent me off into another tizzy and got everything wrapped up.

The wrapping incorporated the colors yet again and used up the last of the green/purple paper. I actually didn't make the topper (shocking I know). I got that from Anthropologie a few years back, because they give out awesome holiday wrapping stuff...when you buy something of course.

And because I was feeling better about the frame fiasco, I made a matching card!


Minus the setback, I was so happy with the way the frame came out! I love it so much that I think I am going to have to make something similar for somewhere in our house. I may not do butterflies, but I want to do something!

I may be buying a different shadowbox though.

Decor: Kitchen

It snowed here today, which was enough to send everyone into a tizzy. You'd think that this city has never seen snow before with the way they act about it. Of course that meant that base was on a 3 hour delay. I'm pretty sure we're hovering right around the double digits with how many times base has been closed or on delay.

This of course, throws off my whole day. I didn't get to go swimming...granted with how disgusting the pool has been, I'm may not be too sad about it.

Anywho, I thought that I would give you a quick look into our kitchen. While it's not the most exciting or pretty space ever, it gets the job done.


This is looking into the kitchen from our dinning room. We have your basic galley style...with awesome maple cabinets. Not exactly my dream kitchen, but whatever.


Here again you see our wonderful chalkboard wall. Which, surprisingly, has been very useful. We almost always have our weekly menu up there along with anything else we might need to remember and the occasional doodle. And yes that is an Ikea Asker holding all of our chalk.

I.love.those.things!


And for those that may have missed my post about it, we're still loving our Ikea Expedit shelving unit. It keeps our frequently used cookbooks close at hand and displays our pretty kitchen items. Plus it fills a wall that was major wasted space.

It's amazing how much you can change a space with some paint and a piece of furniture!

Decor: Finally...the coffee table

Remember how I teased you with this post about our new old coffee table? If not...then go read that post silly! I think, in fact, that I teased you with this photo...


Well after a few months of promises, I finally got around to taking pictures of our house (mostly because it had just been crazily cleaned). Which just so happened to include our coffee table. So think of this post as a kick off to our home tour. Now, while you will be getting to see the coffee table...I'm being a witch and holding back on the rest of the living room. You'll just have to check back this week to see where the coffee table lives (not that you won't be able to see some things!).


Honestly, for $75 I couldn't be more happy with this Craigslist find. My husband spotted this and jumped on it, which I am glad he did! I love the chrome hoops. It's very modern and retro all at the same time. There are some oops marks, but I just call that worn in love. I originally had wanted to paint the base, but am so glad that a little foil and elbow grease brought back the shine to this piece!

It's been the perfect addition. So much so that we had friends come over after we got it and they didn't notice it right away. And that's simply because it fits so well into our space. Even Nate had doubted if we really needed a coffee table, but he changed his mind with this shiny little guy.

Sometimes the Craigslist fairies are looking out for you!

Decor: A room with color

My desire for color was deepened when I opened my email the other day and was met with this image...


And all I could think was...want...want want want...WANT!

Every time I look at it I find something else amazing about it. Just look at the curtains and the Chinese lanterns. It's just enough color without being too much for me.

So...when can I move in!?

Fashion: My goal dress

My good friend and swimming buddy knows all about my desire to lose weight and to get back into cute clothing (especially dresses). This of course lead her to recently asking me if there were any specific items of clothing that are helping push me towards my goal.

Of course I said yes.

There are actually quite a few different dresses that I can't wait to feel the zipper go up on, but that's mostly because I own a lot of dresses I don't currently fit into. While I would have to pull out my Rubbermaid boxes with all of my skinny clothes to look through what I have, there is one dress that sticks out in my mind. Funny thing is...it is yellow and we all know how much love that color has been seeing from me!

Anywho, the dress is from Betsey Johnson, who lets face it makes amazingly fun, girlie dresses. I found it in her store at the Dallas Galleria 4 years ago and it was instant love. It has everything this girl loves...a halter neck, pleats, movement, spin/swirlability and polka dots!

Seriously, put polka dots on something and I will buy it!


A few years after I bought this dress "House Bunny" with Anna Faris came out. In one scene she stands over a manhole cover and puts on her best Marilyn Monroe...but instead burns her who-ha. But as she stood there...with that dress puffing up I realized that she was wearing my dress!


This dress does just that...it makes you want to pull and Marilyn, to spin, to be just down right feminine in every way. When I wore it I felt happy. It was full of life and everything wonderful about warm weather.

I cannot wait till I can fit in it again. When I hit that size, you will find me wearing it proudly and giddily. I'll even try to not burn my va-jay-jay!

Fashion: Behold BHLDN

I know everyone in the blogging fashion world has been posting about this, but I just couldn't help myself. I mean after all one of my all time favorite clothing stores, Anthropologie, just opened their wedding shop called BHLDN. I do, have and always will love the dress I wore at our wedding, but I am dying over this dress. The details, like the little buttons trailing off to the side of the dress on the back. The color, perfectly sliver-y gray...which by the way is the color I really really wanted in a wedding dress. It would have been perfect for our silver and red wedding. I just cannot get enough of this dress! I also doesn't hurt that they styled the model perfectly. I probably would have copied this look down all the way down to the jewelry and hair, but I still would have had to wear my perfect red shoes! I mean duh!

DIY: book page ball

As promised...here is my first post about one of the many things I made for the Valentine's wine tasting.

First up is my book page ball. As seen here...


This project came about when I felt like I hadn't done enough to decorate. Ha yeah...I have moments. This project also made me realize that for all of the paper punches that I have, I pretty much have no basic shapes (circle...square). So after a quick trip to a craft store I had a brand new punch.

Once I gathered my supplies I was ready to start. Here's what I used and what you'll need to create your own...

Pretty much start punching out circles with your punch. Keep punching. Then punch some more. When you think you have enough, punch even more. I didn't count how many circles I used, but lets just say it was a lot.


Take paper circle and pencil. Place pencil in center of circle and fold around the base of pencil.



Place a drop of hot glue on the ball and press the paper and pencil into the foam*. Hold for a second while the glue cools.

*If you want you can put the hot glue onto the paper and then press into the foam. I use that technique when I'm at the very end and the foam is disappearing.


Place the paper as close as possible to make sure that none of the foam shows through.


Just keep adding paper until it is filled out.


What it looks like when it is all done!

I also rolled the ball around on the table which softened the edges of the paper. You by no means have to do that though.

Now that you are done...go make more and place them all around your house! You can place them in bowls or add ribbon/string to them so that they can be hung. Do whatever you want with them! They are super easy to make, they just take a little time because of the repetitiveness of the steps.

I really love them, not only because they look awesome, but because I can use them year round. Always awesome when that is possible!

So go out and get some books and have at this craft! You'll be happy you did!

Color: Loving yellow

I need yellow in my life.

I have been craving it like crazy. I want to wear it and I want to decorate my home with it. Lucky me, I've been starting to see it pop up in stores. Unlucky for me...I've been seeing it everywhere and I want it all! I blame this desire on the amount of gray in my life currently (I blame you weather!). Which is funny, cause gray and yellow is one of my all time favorite color combos. I'm just drawn to the bright warmth it gives off.

I get the feeling that in the very near future I will be coming home with something, anything in this vivid color.

Now let me share with you a few of the things that just might have to find a new home with me...

Decor: Valentine's wine tasting party

After lots of planning and decorating and stressing, we finally had our wine tasting party.

Life: The roof is on fire...no SERIOUSLY it's on fire

Just in case the ice storm that rolled through here a little over a week ago wasn't enough fun...tonight we noticed flashing lights and were greeted with this when we walked outside...

Life: Sneak peek

Happy weekend everyone! Hope you have been having a fun filled...or even relaxing day. I just wanted to check to report that the wine tasting was a success! So much so that we might make it a monthly occurrence.

Life: Crazed cleaning

I'm currently buzzing around my house with a vacuum, mop and duster getting ready for tonights wine tasting! Lets just say that I get a little freaked out when I have more than four people over to my house. My mind runs wild as I think of all of the things they might think when they walk into my home for the first time. This, of course, sends me into a cleaning frenzy. It's not pretty folks, and it's what I have been doing for the past 3 days.

Fashion: More shoes!

Okay okay so I'm going a little shoe crazy, but come on...I'm the girl with over 200 pairs of shoes. And I'm only looking...and drooling...and putting things in the shopping cart. Whatever. Shut up. Stop judging me!

Today's shoes are brought to you by the letter L. Lulu's to be exact.