Please no. Please no. Please no.

via Elle Decor

So I saw these two images on Kelly Market today.  A little voice inside of me started screaming in horror....and then balled up, rocked back and forth, and begged, "please no. please no. please no."

via Elle Decor

Please do not let sunflowers make a comeback.

Just...no.

Also, to be clear, these rooms are great...I just can't stand the sunflowers.

Hip baby blanket in my size?

I saw this picture on Eonline.

I will have that blanket in baby size and my size, please.

Hippo Butts and Overnight Bags

Say what?  As I mentioned previously I have two friends who know everything about everything about Hippos.  They adore hippos.  So when I saw this fabric on Etsy a month or so before one of said friends' birthdays I had to get it and make something.  I really liked the look of this cosmetics bag and thought who wouldn't want to see this fun fabric first thing in the morning while travelling?  The hippos are so cute!

Hippo butts!

Lined with a fun polka dot.

That chair in the background is being reupholstered...

Made it Monday: I had a baby!

So, I was MIA on my blog last week because........I had a baby!  Whitney Kate arrived Wednesday.  Sean and I are so in love with her and B is luke warm.  Everyday he gets closer and closer but he is not yet close enough for a picture.  Hopefully he warms up soon.

Me with Whitney and two of my best friends.

Made it Monday: Woven Chain Bracelet

What have I been up to?  Small things mostly.  I can't get my butt off the sofa to do much else.  In anticipation of that and the restlessness that would most definitely follow, I stocked up on some jewelry projects.

via

I have seen these bracelets a few places and they always catch my eye.  Thanks to a few amazing blogs  my frame of mind has been slowly changing from, "I like that. but I can't afford it/I'll buy it."to "I like that.  I'll make it."  Slowly.  I saw this on Honestly...WTF and wondered why it never occurred to me to just make the bracelet...?!  Well, I made one this weekend.

I bought the blue chain on sale at Michaels and attached the oversized lobster clasp and jump ring.

I love how playful it is.  I want to make another with a gold chain and more subdued colors.

This weekend I also tackled my first faux finish paint job.  I tried out a faux tortoise shell finish on a small table we have.  I did not have the patience for such a task.  I might have wasted some time and money.  I am 1/2 done and not satisfied.  But since every step covers the last I still have some time to make it look right.  I seem to be terrible with a softening brush.  Hopefully there will be some before and after pictures of that some day.

If you don't hear from me tomorrow it's because I am having a baby....

DIY Ruffle Bag

This weekend I will be missing the Bridal Shower of one of my best friends because I am about 8.75 months pregnant.  I hardly have the energy to get off the sofa much less get dressed for a party.  Noooo...well, yes...but mostly I just can't be driving down to CT at this point.  I am sad to miss it but I wanted to let her know I really really wish I could be there.  So I made her a gift.  It's a wedding-ish tote....so she can..you know...carry wedding things around in it.....?  Whatever.  It's girly and fun and I hope when she sees it from now until the wedding it makes her happy knowing her wedding inspired it.  I hope it makes her happy afterwards as well...

When I make something FOR someone...as in they inspired it...I get the most nervous about giving it to them.  You would hope that if they inspired it that means they would like it, right?  Well, wait....there are some mean, angry songs out there.  Anyway.  I hope she likes it.  

Hanging

It was the first time I did ruffles.  I don't know if I have avoided ruffles for so long because I didn't have a specific need for them and they seemed like a lot of work to just try for fun or if it was because they just seemed difficult and more likely to end in frustration than success but I wanted to try them for a while.  So what better time to give it a go than when I am making something to GIVE someone...something that I want to be perfect and to be proud of.  Yes...good time to try.  Luckily, it did not end in frustration and failure.  Phew.  There is definitely room for improvement but I am not ashamed of the outcome...in fact, I might make something similar for myself....less wedding-ish, though.  More color! 

Happy Bridal Shower Weekend, Laura!  Love you!  

Found! Vaulting Horse Bench....!!

In May I posted about things that go at the end of your bed.  I wrote about the picture in Elle Decor of the old vaulting horse....remember?  It was magical.  Well, I never attempted scanning the picture in...but that's ok because Amber Interiors just happened to feature a picture with similar vaulting horses at the end of a bed.  

My reaction upon seeing these again makes me certain that I have an actual NEED for at least one of these.  Trying to find the source of this image.  

Hex Nut Bracelet

I am a little more than obsessed with HonestlyWTF.  I don't know how you attack unread posts on your reader but there are a handful of blogs I check for  updates before I go through the list in chronological order.  HonestlyWTF is one of the few I check right away.  They are fearless in the DIYs they tackle and they have such a distinct style.  I find so much inspiration looking at their blog.

They have three jewelry tutorials that I want to try.  Today I made the hex nut bracelet.

Aside from how it looks, the best part of this bracelet is the cost to make it.  $.98 for a pack of 8 brass hex nuts and $2 for a very long roll/spool (?) of small rope.  I used two packages of hex nuts.  So...hooray for a low cost project.

I first made the bracelet exactly like the tutorial in order to get a feel for the bracelet.

I love it but I wanted to see it with bigger braids.  To do that I cut three strands twice the recommended length and folded them in half.  I  braided the center of the strands together for about 2-2.5 inches and then tied them together.  I did a fishtail braid instead of the regular braid and threaded the hex nuts as described in the tutorial.  After the second fishtail braid I split the strands in half and did two long braids that tie to the loop to close the bracelet.

I am pretty happy with the alterations and will be wearing that version for a while.  If....When I make this bracelet for someone else I will try to make it look more polished....maybe replace the two braided strands at the end with a toggle bar.  The hex nuts are pretty heavy so by having something more substantial than a knot on the other end maybe it will keep the bracelet a little more balanced.

Tada.  It was cheap, easy and fast!

Uhh. Guess what this dress is made out of.

via

I first saw the skirt that goes along with this dress and had one of those time frozen moments.  I love it.  THEN I read the post.  Can you guess what they are made of???

I really want this skirt...maybe slightly longer....and on my pre-baby body.

They are made from RUGS!!!!!!!!  WHATTTTTTT?  Check out the post and original rugs here on a Pair and a Spare.

Wow.

Quick + Cheap Change: Frames and Mats

A few years ago my parents brought me a set of five beautiful watercolor prints of Nice back from one of their trips.  At the time we were living in a lot of leafy greens and dark red.  So they were put in black frames with light olive mats.  With each move (2) and slowly figuring out my style they have had less and less of a place in the house.  

This is pretty much exactly what it looks like.

Now we own our home and have been able to pick any crazy colors we want for the walls.  Martha Stewart's Rainforest is what ended up on our dining room walls.  Unfortunately, I can't replace all my decor accessories that don't match (most of them) as quickly as I can paint a wall.  Slowly I have been moving new things in...very slowly.  We had't been spending much time in our dining room.  Lately, however, Brady has been refusing his high chair which has forced us away from eating at our island and into the dining room.

See those frames above me and my beautiful ladies?? AHH.  Kate, I stole your picture! 

Without really planning it I found myself at HomeGoods last week looking for things to go on the shelves.  I ended up with a few blue and blue/green things.  My (very wonderful and organized and amazing) friend Stephanie threw me a baby shower this weekend and when I saw the above picture I felt repulsed by the picture frames above our heads.  Need. to. change. immediately.

Oops....the print is falling down on the right.  

The wall color has been begging and pleading for more gold.  It has only been getting louder as I spend more time in there.  What to do? What to do?

Prime and spray paint the frames gold?  Easy and done.

Prime and spray paint the mats?  Not so much.  Fail.  Thankfully, I didn't ruin the mats.  Applying the spray paint evenly was impossible and as much as I love graffiti I don't think anyone could get away with mixing bad, back alley graffiti-looking mats with beautiful water colors of Nice, France.  Right?!

Day two.  Round two.  I found a blue craft paint, thankfully, in my existing paints that worked with the prints.  Easy and done.  Phew.

I do like the outcome.  I wish there was more gold frame and more purple in the blue but it's much better than black and olive.  Crazy how a seemingly little thing can change how you feel in a room.  I am so much more comfortable in there now.

Regarding placement...the frames are not going to live like that/there.  The green mat version was bearable just sitting on top of the bookshelves because they kind of hid there...but now the blue really pops and I think I need to move some more things up there for balance or find a new home for them on the shelves.

We went from three packed Billy bookshelves in our previous apartment to 5.5 Billy bookshelves in the dining room and a bookcase in the living room.  We can't read as fast as shelves are entering our home right now.  So until we catch up the shelves are going to be a mix of bare and slightly tchotchke heavy.  

Incase you were wondering....I put on quite a show while spray painting.  Big, pregnant me in BRIGHT orange painting shorts...in my front yard....paint mask....beautiful.  Whatever, I got things done.  

Metal Tufted Chair

You know that Perrier commercial where it is so hot everything is melting...and the woman jumps off the building into a pool for a bottle of refreshing Perrier?  I love and hate that commercial.  All the melting makes me uncomfortable but the commercial reminds me so much of summer in hot Greece...so I am mixed.  

Anyway...I saw the above chair on Apartment Therapy this morning and it reminded me of the melting buildings and cars in the commercial...the way the light hits the curves.  It's pretty beautiful.  

Craft Night: Bangles

Three ladies left waiting for bracelets to dry when I remembered..."PICTURES!"

Through writing in my blog and Pinterest I have discovered that many of my friends and acquaintances are interested in making things.    Inspired by/jealous of other bloggers' craft nights I decided to host one myself.

Hi-tech drying rack.

Last week I hosted a craft night for seven lovely ladies.  Our project was inspired by this Martha Stewart craft.  I had every intention to document the night in photographs but forgot about my camera until the very end!  So...you get some good pictures of my bracelets....oops.  Next time.  (If you attended, send me a pic of your bracelet and I will post it!)

Everyone received two wooden bangles that I ordered from this site.  I supplied paints, tissue paper, studs, Mod Podge and inspiration pictures.

Craft night is a fun idea but my biggest fear was that people would leave with something they would never wear.  I know well that inspiration cannot always be conjured up when you want it.   Most of the time a craft for the sake of doing a craft always turns out cheesy for me.  The inspiration pictures I collected was my effort to get everyone to make something they really want to wear by seeing bracelets that they might buy.  I think it worked because I would have bought at least one of everybody's  two bracelets for myself.

Perhaps, though, it was the delicious homemade cookies, caprese salad kebobs and gooey butter cake people brought that really got our juices flowing. So so delicious.

Tissue paper decoupage and color wash.

Tissue paper decoupage and color washing were the techniques of choice.  We had a few painters and a few people who ventured into applying studs.  I have a few extra undecorated bracelets that I plan to cover in studs.  Those bracelets turned out great!  One of my favorite bracelets was created by Priscilla.  She combined two colors so they weren't completely mixed.  It created a marbled effect when she painted it on the bangle.  LOVE IT.  The creative process is amazing.  I was so inspired by everyone.

I can't wait until the next craft night.  I already have an idea.  If you are reading this, in the area and want to come next time (date tba!) email or comment and I will include you on the evite!

Here are a few pics of the two I created.

Color washed in reds and pinks.

Pretty sure no hand model would ever pose this way.

Made it Monday: Reversible bag.

You can't see it but there is an outer pocket!

I found two awesome things recently.  I found a 1/2 yard of cute fabric perfect for one of my friends and a pattern/tutorial for a reversible bag.  Because there was only 1/2 yard available I tried the pattern out on some cheap fabric so I could make sure I would like how it looks.

Second side....probably going to remain the inside most of the time.  

I was most drawn to the shape of the bag.  I love it.  The bottom uses darts as a way to add depth which I had never done before and like the look.  After reading the comments about the tutorial I decided to make the straps a little longer than the pattern.  As for the size of the body of the bag...some people enlarged it but I decided to go with the given size and judge after.  One problem.  Checking the size on me....8+ months pregnant...tells me nothing about what it will look like hanging on my very thin friend.  Yikes.  I will have to wait a few weeks to judge the size or have another friend hold it up.  In the meantime I have decided the fabric is too playful for a bag and have decided to go in a different direction....stay tuned.

I ironed it twice!  It wrinkles so easily!

Incase you decide to make this bag, here are a few notes!  It did not print to the correct size....it ended up a little smaller.  Instead of reprinting I just made the seam allowances smaller.  It worked out fine.  Also, I think the author of the tutorial used a thicker fabric so it gave the bag more structure.  I used two quilting fabrics and, if I make this pattern again, I will be using interfacing.  Oh..and I added pockets.

Here is the tutorial for the bag if you want to make it!

Mom + SYTYCD

My Mom arrived Tuesday to help us while we wait for this little girl to arrive.  It has been wonderful.  She has cooked and cleaned AND changed poopy diapers!  We have been preparing for two events at my house this weekend but then I anticipate lots of post worthy activity.  We have some big plans for while she is here...window treatments, chair recovering, general decorating madness.  I am excited!  Made it Monday might temporarily be changed to My Mom Made it Monday while she is here.  I have the energy to come up with ideas but little energy beyond that.  My journal is filling up with ideas which is GREAT but I have no energy now and anticipate even less time and energy for a while once our family becomes four.

So, I have had a few days of no posts.  The only time I feel like I can write is when B goes to bed and we are all relaxing.  Two things happened that have prevented me from doing that this week.  First, my body has decided to keep me awake extra late and wake me up too early which has resulted in mind mush.  Second, So You Think You Can Dance has started!  I forgot how happy it makes me.  The choreographers are amazing and the dancers this year are nothing but fierce.  I am so psyched to see the competition get under way.  Mind mush + dancing = multi-tasking kryptonite.  Also, my Mom introduced me to Words With Friends which is annoyingly addicting.

I will be back Monday with a Made It post!

Peacock prettiness vs. Peacock knowledge

via

Among my closest friends it seems that everyone has a favorite animal.  Each knows all the trivia there is to know about his/her favorite animal.  I, however, cannot contribute much in the same way about my favorite animal.  The Peacock.  In fact, inspired by one friend's encyclopedic knowledge of hippos...who are pretty interesting it turns out...I tried to learn more about peacocks.  Nothing interesting turned up immediately and I got distracted.  Peacocks are my favorite because they are pretty and inspire pretty things.  I would rather look at peacocks and peacock inspired decor, jewelry, clothing, etc than read about them.  Oh well.

Isn't that bracelet pretty amazing?  I challenge any hippo to inspire a bracelet as pretty as that!

A disappearing kitchen

The Contemporist  just posted a sliding kitchen countertop by Minimal that hides a stove and sink.  My mind is a little blown.  The. faucet. is. retractable.

Overall, not my style but seriously interesting.  The form is great....the function concerns me.  This would not survive in my house for many many reasons.  What if water runs under the sliding countertop?  Surfaces must be kept CLEAN.  Although...a bonus is that you could hide your dishes in the sink and just cover them up!  Maybe disappearing kitchen 2.0 will include a feature in the counter top that cleans and disinfects as the counter slides closed.

If you can afford this you are probably the type of person who has a life lived mostly outside of the home and doesn't have to worry about cleaning a kitchen after every meal.

Apartment Therapy Boston Classifieds?

I didn't know!  I was looking around Apartment Therapy this morning when I discovered they have a Boston Classifieds section that is for Decor only!  Whaaaat?  When I was first told about Apartment Therapy I tried to add it to my feed but there was a glitch and I never tried again...until yesterday.  I had so many blogs in my reader that I was overwhelmed with looking at a bunch of posts I wasn't interested in.  The longer the list in my reader got the less I explored blogs outside of it.  I have been missing out.  I cleaned house yesterday to get rid of the blogs that I have lost interest in and finally added Apartment Therapy.

Anyway, so excited to check out the classifieds section!

Made it Monday: Round Table + Skirt

B and his camera  helping with the pictures. 

As if my living room could hold much more color...especially green.  The side table between our two sofas is juuuuuuust too small.  Just enough that I am bothered every time I look at it.  You know that feeling?  "Something is off."  My Mom and I decided a round table with a table skirt would do the trick.  The circle would be a better shape than the current square where our sofas make an L.  The skirt would allow for some colorful textiles!  Instead of buying a new round table Sean cut a 30" table round out of OSB wood and screwed it to an end table that we kept our giant, pre-flat screen TV on.  (see below!)  Once he did that I sewed the table skirt.

What's under the skirt?  That end table the TV is on + OSB table round.

I do NOT recommend trying to make a large round table skirt while you are 8+ months pregnant.  First, I was incredibly limited physically and trying to work with large pieces of fabric was uncomfortable and frustrating.  Second...pregnancy brain.  I minored in math in college....I love math...half of why I love making things is the math in the planning...I can do math!  The source I was using for guidance to make sure I ended up with a round table skirt used formulas (yay!) but one of them was wrong.  Because my pregnancy brain has failed me on other simple math tasks...adding...I was ready to just trust the provided formula despite it making me do a double take while reading it...but it would cut more fabric than I thought it should.  After the frustration of getting around my belly to make a large square piece of fabric I was not psyched to have to start over.  So I worked it out in the most basic ways...pictures..and checked it...checked it again...checked it one more time...asked Sean..checked it again.  I think he might have started to worry about me at that point.  I can't believe how many times I wavered about doing it my way.  Well, I was right....thankfully.  My skirt is the right length.  Phew.  Craft fail avoided!

B inspecting my work and straightening everything out for the picture.

There is a lot of green going on with this table skirt..against a green wall.  It is between two dark brown sofas but I worry that it's too much.  It also makes me realize I am going to have to edit my pillows a little bit.  I went a little nuts with the sofa pillows in rebellion to the reddish brown and brown that we lived in for months.  As the room comes together the pillows are not required to pull so much of the color weight and I may have to tone them down.

With every move I make in the green walled room direction this lamp
becomes less and less acceptable as the i-just-need-a-light-there-for-now
light.  I think it is time to look for a new table lamp!

B approved.

I always consider my decorating adventures a win when Sean has something positive to say.  He is a man of few words so getting an enthusiastic compliment really means something and that's what I got!  Win.  Oh and don't get me wrong.  Sean doesn't insult or trash my choices ever...he just doesn't usually have much to say about things like table skirts.

One more of B just because I can.