Thursday, December 29, 2011

Oct 7?

The last time I posted was on October 7! Really a lot has happened since then but one of the most significant things was on Decemeber 9, my boyfriend and I got engaged! Yay! So here's what I'm looking at for current wedding inspiration.  I can't decide on colors, like at all! I know picking a dress and colors are supposed to be things I decided when I was 13 but I change my mind constantly about EVERYTHING.

Anyway, I was sitting in my mom's living room a while back and noticed the colors on this vase matched the colors of most of the wedding pins I have pinned on pinterest.  It's only week 3 of our engagement and I've already lost it. So for now this is my inspiration vase (see...lost it) and some photos of beautiful and easy DIY floral arrangements from pinterest. Enjoy!


 


All photos came from pinterest

Friday, October 7, 2011

Apartment Update

After painting my room and finishing my stenciled wall, I realized I needed a new mirror for my vanity. Something less dark and a lot more my style. I have made a lot of changes to this room in my apartment....here are a few before and after, after, afters.

The first time I looked at the apartment:                    The first arrangement of this room:
Next:

And this is where I am now:



Saturday, September 10, 2011

DIY Wall Stencil

So as mentioned before, I painted my room over memorial weekend and hand stenciled an accent wall using this template and tutorial. Doing just the one wall in my room was very time consuming but well worth it.  The tutorial I found was done to an entire office so if she can do that, I thought I could do just one wall! So  I did and here's how...

Before beginning, decide what paint would look best against the color of the wall you have or if you are starting from scratch find two colors that look nice together.  I picked more muted and natural tones but anything would look really nice with this stencil.  I wanted the wall to look like wallpaper so I painted the background with a flat paint and for the stencil I bought a semi gloss paint so it would kind of "pop" against the flat finish of the background and have a sort of shine to it like wallpaper.

First you need to find a stencil that you like, there are tons of tutorials and templates online and on pinterest which is where I found mine. So, I printed one out and traced it onto a piece of sturdy cardboard.  Save the original template you printed out so you can use that one for corners and the bottom of the wall so it bends easier. Once you have cut out the stencil, begin stenciling (with a pencil) starting with the bottom of the wall so it starts off even and will continue to be even from bottom to top. 
 I started off just tracing but I became impatient and wanted to see what it would look like once painted so I kind of alternated from tracing to painting. Do whatever is easier for you.
To make the "double line" in the second picture,you just trace the shapes about an inch away from each other, maybe a little less, and then take the template and fill in the spaces in between each shape with the stencil. You can make it just a single like and just put the shapes really close to each other.  It's whatever look you want to go for.

So just keep stenciling and painting and eventually you will finish.  I promise!

 
























   

                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Monday, September 5, 2011

Growing up

While it is fun to have a bright blue bedroom, I feel at 24 it is time to grow up.  Blue bedroom acceptable at 23 now unacceptable at 24. So I am currently changing up my bedroom. I am painting over the blue with a more "grown up" gray and adding a stenciled accent wall I found on pinterest. Pictures and tutorial to come soon but here is a preview...

...yes it is taking forever...


Sunday, August 28, 2011

The Carrie Bradshaw Bun

School has officially started. It's 9:00 and my bedtime.  If you are feeling the Sunday Blues and need a pick me up...just watch this video one time and I promise you will laugh for a good hour.

Laughs:

Now that we are in good spirits, here are some fun things you should try this week. 

(Window Shopping-it will save you tons)
Oh yes, another pair of the beautiful glitter Miu Miu shoe. This time in pink...


(Beauty-Nails)
Add a little funkyness to your nails...


(DIY-'Chevron' something)
I "Chevroned" my vanity...yes...Chevroned
I followed THIS same tutorial

 It's now 9:28.  Waaayyy past my bedtime so last but certainly not least...


(Beauty-Hair-Find a new do)
Number one moment of my week:
It seems like FOREVER that I have been trying to find the perfect hair tutorial for the perfect bun...dork fest I know. I need a look that helps the "I hate showering and styling my hair" attitude I have most days.  I've found some pretty helpful ones and then I found this....The Carrie Brandshaw Bun...it's perfect!

Most style blogs have good hair tutorials. My favorite, that I check almost daily to see what good things have been added, is The Beauty Department. They have some great beauty tutorials! Enjoy!


Monday, August 8, 2011

"How wonderful yellow is. It stands for the sun." - Vincent Van Gogh

My non-blue shoes inpsired me to post yellow inspiration...

I love to add yellow to anything blue. Especially navy and white; especially navy and white stripes. For an outfit a yellow belt, bright yellow shoes or something as simple as a yellow bracelet add a perfect touch. Yellow is a wonderful accent to add to a mostly blue home like mine.



Photo Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 (my bed)

Loft Love

I wish I lived in a loft...
From the super modern...



 To the exposed brick and old wood types...





I'd live in just about any type of loft! Even this one....

No but seriously how cool would this have been when you were a kid??


Photo sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Sunday Blues

Sometimes I get the Sunday Blues.  To help with those blues, I surf the world wide web (excluding any news) for things that make me smile and I always listen to music.  I'm really loving The Civil Wars so here's a song and some pretty blue photos I found on pinterest today that can turn your Sunday Blue frown upside down. (wow)


 
I call it "Operation TTSBFUD" (Turn That Sunday Blue Frown Upside Down...duh)





I know the shoe below isn't blue but OMG! Ignoring the fact that normal day-to-day life does not allow for this type of shoe to be worn (oh and the $890 price tag!), how much does this shoe make you smile?? Even if you wear tennis shoes everyday and refuse to ever slip your little foot into a heel, you have to admit these shoes are just fabulous! I don't normally say things like "OMG" or "fabulous" but this shoe does that to me!
Source: Saks