diy ottoman

I'm in the process of making my own ottoman, following someone else's step-by-step guide. This was a good one here. Mine is a round table. Right now I'm trying to figure out how to get those buttons to stay down, aka tufted. I have the giant needle and fishing wire, but it's not staying taut. hmm

photos soon.

the shell collector

i made this shadowbox for my mom, labeling each shell with their scientific names. i think i want to make one for myself too!

lil' project

i bought these little dishes from ikea with the intention of painting them gold inside, but the martha stewart paint didn't work out so well. Here's the project I was inspired by.

but then, as you see, it was looking horrible, so i resorted to old stand by: krylon!

India Town

I've been trying new things.

also, i have a "before" photo of a project I'm working on. I'm fixing up this shelf for my jars. Hopefully it will look less country-home when I'm done.

in circles.

I am working on this garland right now for my house, but most likely with just white or old book pages.
click here for the tutorial from Allison.

to pass the time

M & I went to Boston Edison today for the Attic sale, which is a string of estate/garage sales in the beautiful, historical district of Detroit. Unfortunately, the universe was working against us and we showed up with not nearly enough time to navigate and then suddenly a downpour of rain rushed everyone back inside to close up. But just before the rain, we stopped on a porch with letters that read, "F-R-E-E". I picked up this lil' pile of things along with some photographs and tiny art projects. Maybe I'll photograph them because they are really interesting.

When I got home I began to work on a couple projects. This birdhouse I found at a garage sale up north that needed to be nailed back together. It's sweet and I like how it looks all worn like this, so wah-lah!

the table I found on the curb while we drove around in the pouring rain today. The wood was peeling up, so I decided to paint it, and will probably affix wallpaper to the top once I find a pattern I like. But for now, I am using this placemat on my new tv-tray.

mirror two

what's your favorite?

lately

I've got a few updates, but I haven't had time since I've been working on photos all the time lately. My free time every evening is taken up with either cooking, making my salad for lunch, or downloading cards and uploading photos. But I did change my yellow mirror yet again! I tried to make it to the glass shop on saturday but it shut just as I was getting there at noon. So I will try again next week, but for now.. enjoy this cute dresser that q projects fixed up! I've been kinda tired of all the painted wood everywhere, because I like the wood! But I think this yellow is really nice. She did a great job. :)



find the before on her blog: here.

Also, look at these babies I picked today. the first of the summer!

biscuits n gravy

So here's my next attempt, although it's still needing more touch-ups. This is the closest to mustard yellow i could find. i'll try it out in my house and see if it's too bright. But mostly, since the lights are somewhat dim, it won't appear as bright.

Also, just to show you how i have to work here, and the progression of their sleep as they slowly push me off of my own desk. i can't bring myself to move them.

mellow yellow

I found this mirror at a strange warehouse with piles and piles of garage sale type items that Laura took me to. It's pretty cheap and is broken on top, but I thought I could try and work with it and at least have a trial run and see how it goes. I had to break some of the top off to even it out and then I painted it yellow, although again I'm dissatisfied with the color it turned out to be. I think I need to add a couple coats still, but may just go back to michaels for something more like one of these two (I love the yellow mirror!) :





I'll post my changes soon. I think I'll replace the mirror as well.
The other photos were found on Apartment Therapy.

project 101

I have always liked how this washroom/laundry room looked. It's so clean and simple, yet sweet with the little animals on the shelf and the banner. I like the big white sink and the jar with the soap powder too. But for now I'm starting with the banner. Although, having put the photos side by side, I'm going to give this another go. I don't like how mine looks.

anew

By next month, there will be a lot of changes! And I'm thinking it will be a good time to start renovating, refinishing and upholstering and getting rid of the many things I should be without. Too many things will clog your creative space and mind. I want a feng shui white mystical boatroom like R's and a new cute tiled bathroom. And more photography! I'm excited to photograph Jenny's three beautiful darlings this weekend. Wait until you see. Also, I'm starting a new series much inspired by A Year of Mornings, where R and I will post our photos together of each day. We have decided we like the light in the mornings, so we will see where this light takes us. Mine from this morning, is above. R's is soon to come!

Here are some of my plans and ideas:



Handmade George Nelson bench! Can I do it?
























Sources: Design Sponge / Craigwoodworks / Apartment Therapy / Style Files / door sixteen / michelleyd / candi mandi / Found / manolo home / Apartment Therapy / plum and lion

Print Big

I just had these 4- 11X14s printed to make a really big (28"X22") print to go in my living room, hopefully over my couch. wooo! Hope it looks good. I'll take a photo of the end result, once mounted. I'm actually not sure yet how I will mount them. I'm thinking the glass frames with clips from IKEA, but they don't have any 11X14 frames. It will look something like this:

build your own

It seems like this would be a fairly simple DIY project, but I suppose that depends on whether or not this is hollow. Or it could be a couple pieces nailed together?

I'm still worrying about all the cold animals today. It makes DIY projects seem silly.

the blueprint series #1

Here's my first plan. We'll technically it's not my first... I do still have that horrible paisley dress in action, which I will have to update for you next. But this is the beginning of a series of alterations. Feel free to give any advice/suggestions. I found this dress at a thrift shop with a collection of sari's and other beautiful indian dresses. Since I probably won't ever be wearing a sari, I thought I could still make use of all the pretty designs and fabrics. Everyone told me to put this one back, but I still believe this will come 'round and become something fantastic! we'll see.

Photo blocks for sale.

I've started putting together a collection of my photo blocks for etsy. They are either printed on Kodak photographic paper, or with archival inks on professional matte finish paper, and then finished with a sealant. The finishes vary. I've done some with a varnish and some with a wax sculptural finish, much like encaustic. I prefer these over everything else, because they look old and have a lot of character. I have also attached sawtooth hangers on the back for hanging. Each block has been stained as well. I love the wood, it's so pretty and it really looks nice as a set on the wall. I need to do some different images...
I'll let you know when my page is up!

new necklace

I made this last night at midnight before I went to sleep. I can't decide if I like the beads spread out, or clustered. I'm also thinking about adding another string of them on top. I will show you if I make changes.

inspire me

*photography by martha bernabe


I have been really liking muted, unsaturated colors lately. Maybe it's winter, or the look of things gone old, that I like. But I love the colors in the first set as well as the details themselves: the chandelier is beautiful, and the tulle dress is amazing! Especially the way the photo was shot in front of the water, with no face and all the layers showing. It's such a nice photo. And lastly, I love the cake stand filled with the color spectrum of threads. I think I could make that an easy DIY project.

*these were found on coco+kelly's page.

lil' forest in your house

I don't know how long it's been that's I've been wanting one of these, and I am still kind of working on changes with the ones I've done, but I have finally put a couple terrariums together that I really love. I have a tendency to over-water my jade plants, or all succulents for that matter, so fingers-crossed that the desert collection will stay alive. I want some clovers for my baby terrarium, although their not winter plants, so I picked what I could from the yard... and wah-lah!