re-purposed lighting

I'm generally not a fan of overhead or generic lighting solutions. Especially when accompanied with lamp shades in the eggshell white category -- the thought of it makes me shudder. Does that sound pretentious? Perhaps. But the point I'm driving home here is that there are so many other more attractive and, better yet, economical and environmentally-friendly options available.

Lighting has the potential to play a pivotal role in the look of your room. Whether it may be a statement piece or a shade with bold colors and lovely textures, each lighting element can accent the design of your room. There's something so much more welcoming about having accent lighting to soften the room as opposed to the bright and often abrasive light given off by some overhead lights or ceiling fans.

{antique Ball Mason Jar}

This past summer I dreamt up an idea to create a custom chandelier to be used as a focal point in my apartment. I loved the weathered look of old blue and clear Mason Jars and wanted to incorporate them in my design. To create the Mason Jar chandelier I enlisted the help of my uncle in navigating the electric work for the chandelier.
 
The design I created required eight 32oz Mason Jars in alternating colors (blue and clear). To begin, my uncle began by cutting a 13" circular piece from wood and painted it to match the electrical cord. Each jar cap was then punctured to allow for a custom made socket (sized to fit a 40 watt bulb). It was important to use a lower wattage in the construction of this piece because a higher wattage would run the risk of overheating the jars (even with holes punctured in the jar lids).
 

 

 {6' Mason Jar chandelier}

Once the sockets were attached, we strung the electrical cord through the wooden circle and spliced the cords to attach to a singular power source. To finish, I evenly staggered the jars to create a spiral effect and let the constructed chandelier sit with the bulbs on for about a half hour to stretch out the electrical cord.

The chandelier now hangs in my apartment as a predominant focal piece. I don't think I could ever get sick of it. It is a large element of my entryway, hanging 3' off the ground and stretching 6' long.

Since creating this piece, I have explored other options for creating re-purposed lighting. I doubt this will be my last lighted creation. Recently, I found a tutorial for a whimsical DIY bubble chandelier on Apartment Therapy. It is the perfect piece to hang in a dining room or and entryway and is a fraction of the cost of a comparable chandelier purchased at a store. I was enthralled with the off-the-shelf approach to the design. Here's to lighting inspiration!

{bubble chandelier via apartment therapy}

back to the basics

I live in a building built in the early 1900's, so it goes without saying that my apartment is filled with character. I adore the delightfully aged locks and hooks, and I'm enthralled with the delicately peeled paint on the windows, radiators and claw-foot tub.

Lately I have been inspired by the small quirks of my home in the designs I create. I may go head over heels dreaming about beautiful accessories to adorn the home, but I also am a strong believer in accentuating the unique elements that already exist there.

{well-loved lock on apartment door}

I have recently taken close-up photos of these elements: a lock, grate and window -- all artifacts of times past. They are even more exquisite up close. There is something about design of yesteryear that cannot be replicated. The scratches, wear and patinaed surfaces are all so much more beautiful through the eye of the camera lens. 

{antique floor grate}

So let these textures and elements unique to our homes be a reminder that design doesn't necessarily mean adding more; rather, successful design can often lie in simple elements right under our very eyes.

Rommegrot bars

As a native Minnesotan, I feel an obligation to master the art of bar-making. No, I am not talking about collecting stools and pint glasses; rather, I am referring to those tasty little treats housed in a 9x13" pan. This past weekend was my birthday, so I made a pan of my family's famed Rommegrot bars to share with friends.

I first  received this recipe from my aunt after she brought them to a family event. We all ranted and raved about them so much I had to make them myself. They are now my go-to recipe for something quick, yet tasty to share. Here's how I make them:


Ingredients

• 2 packages crescent roll pastry sheets
• 2 packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/3 cup sugar (divided use)
• 1 egg separated
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9x13" baking pan. Press one package of crescenet rolls in bottom of greased pan.
2. Mix two packages cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, 1 egg yolk and 1 tsp. vanilla.

{thick cream cheese mixture}




1. Spread mixture over crescent rolls; then cover this mixture with the remaining package of crescent rolls.
2. Beat egg white until foamy and baste over the top layer of crescent rolls. Mix together 1/3 cup sugar (I usually use a little less) and 1/2 tsp. cinnamont. Sprinkle over the top crescent roll layer.
3. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool, cut and enjoy!

{finished product}

ways to say "olive you"

It's the week of love, as some might say. Hearts pollute each and every store window and I spend most of my morning commute toggling between Valentine's Day gift commercials on the radio. I am not a Valentine's day person, which you may have already guessed. But it's not because any lack of a valentine. I dislike Valentine's day for two reasons: (1) I am not a fan of hearts and (2) Valentine's Day grossly overshadows my birthday.

With that being said, I don't mind some of the decor and treats that accompany the holiday. Here are some of my favorites:

Have a Valentine that is a friend or a relative? Giving a hand-made valentine without all the mushy nonsense is the perfect way to say, "I care about you." Cake pops are the perfect way to make a decorative treat that makes a great presentation.

{cake pops via theKtchn} 

Brighten up your home with a bright bouquet of Valentine-inspired flowers. It's a quick and easy way as a gift for a friend or even yourself. Here's how:

1. Find two glass vases of differing sizes (the smaller of the two being shorter and at least one inch narrower than the largest vase). Place the smaller vase inside the larger vase and fill the smaller vase half way with water.
2. Fill the gap between the two vases with candy (red hots offer the most color).
3. Trim tulips to fit inside smaller vase and secure with rubber band.
4. Place tulips inside smaller vase.

{candy tulip bouquet via Martha Stewart}

a timely matter

The winter months usually find me dreaming up new ideas or designs for my apartment. I'm talking heavy emphasis on craft-oriented projects. Perhaps it's a lame effort in glorifying my state of hibernation. Or perhaps its me pining for the spring months.

Regardless, I need new decor like I need a hole in my head.

Lately, I've had the itch to find a statement piece for my hallway wall. I soon found inspiration in the multitude of possibilities in using decorative clocks. I realized I spend so much time checking the time on my cell phone that why not romance the idea of a clock.

Most forget that despite its utilitarian purpose, clocks can be art, too. Recycled, re-purposed – you name it, someone out there makes it.

{clock by 1byliz}

 

{clock by Atlas Signs}

{via favim}

 

{clock by halfpastclocks}

put a rug on it

Over the past six months I have been searching tirelessly and fruitlessly for a new rug in my bedroom. Too big, too traditional and too expensive are all the options I have found, but nothing that seems to be the perfect fit.

{via shadesoflight}

Besides its functional use to trap debris and provide cushion and warmth, rugs are an essential visual element in bringing the room's look together. Don't get me wrong, I am crazy for wood flooring, but adding a rug softens the look and provide a resting spot for the eye among the assorted textures and colors of the room.

{via apartmenttherapy}

While on the topic of my never-ending search, I thought it would only make sense to discuss important parameters to keep in mind when selecting a rug to fit your space.

• Consider the hue in selecting your rug. Is it in a high-traffic area or do you have kids or pets? If so, you might want to think twice about lighter shades in the rug you choose. Also, make sure the colors in the rug accent the look you already have. Introducing new colors in your rug have the potential create a discord in the look you are already achieving.
• Often overlooked, but always essential: consider what your rug is made of. Fibers such as chenille are more fragile and may require more maintenance than others. On the other hand, wool is generally of higher quality and will last longer than a polyester rugs. Each type of rug is appropriate for different spaces. Polyester may be the most affordable option, but it also is essential for high-traffic areas. Most rugs out there are a blend of polyester and wool. 
• Be thoughtful of the size of rug you are purchasing. A 2'x3' rug is meant for a doorway or in front of the sink and, conversely, a 4'x6' rug is usually not meant for under a dining room table. The rule of thumb I use when selecting a rug is to choose one that covers at least 50-75% of the area you are covering. Usually, you want the rug to 'touch' nearly all the furniture in the seating area.

Regardless, take risks and have fun with how you select or place your rug. The more unpredictable, the better!

designed to sell

If I had all the time in the world, I bet (and I am not a betting woman) I would spend most of my time repurposing/refurbishing objects to resell. I imagine paint-splattered pants, glue-covered hands and my cat running around with some string essential to my project. Oh, what a beautiful mess.

When I grow up, I suppose.

I've had those thoughts more frequently as of late because of my recent success in selling items on Craigslist. From renting apartments to pianos, I think I have a knack to sell. Correction: designing products to sell.

{home staging ideas via apartment therapy}

So where do you start? Let's take a trip down selling lane:

• Think about what aspects of an ad stick out to you amongst the sea of other posts. Are you the gal who finds 10+ exclamation points in the title appealing? Or are you a strictly posts with photos buyer? Use those guidelines when creating your ad.
• Always include a photo. This is not an exercise in imagination. Folks will not buy your stuff if they don't know what it looks like.
• If you are renting/subleasing an apt, do some research on staging your rooms. A buyer will be more likely to sign on the dotted line if they can picture themselves in your space. They are not looking for unsightly clutter and a dusty room. Make your bed and go wild with throw pillows.
• Be descriptive, but be brief. Assume your audience has a short attention span. Keep your sentences short and to the point but exciting at the same time (and for crying in the night, check your grammar). 

well read

At the risk of sounding like a woman twice my age, I must confess my unabashed love for crafting. It is a compulsion that has left no wall uncovered in my apartment and no weekend without a project.

How I craft: lay out detailed plans, collect materials, stress over infinitesimal details, create, repeat.

{pinwheels draped across bedroom mirror}



This past weekend I met up with two friends to catch up work on own respective projects. I have several craft projects in the hopper at the moment, so I finished up modge podging a lantern I was working on and began making pinwheel garland to accent a mirror in my bedroom. I love the look of old books in decor, so naturally I gravitated towards the idea of making a pinwheel out of book pages.

via {Better Homes and Gardens}

To make a  pinwheel, I folded two old book pages entirely in accordion style. The older the book, the more character your pinwheel will have (however be careful with your paper choice, as some old pages tend to be too frail to fold). This example instructs to trim the ends to create a curve, but I preferred to leave the rough edges. Tie the two pages together and glue the ends to form a circle. I finished off the pinwheel by adding a gold center to cover the tied pages and strung the pinwheels on hemp string.

Customize the pinwheel to your liking or add other components to this garland. I've since decided to update the garland by adding other textiles for balance and added texture.

the dish on a new side dish

Every so often I cruise the web for new recipe ideas to expand my cooking repertoire. Brussel sprouts often get a bad rap, but I have a found a place in my heart for this often unwanted vegetable. I had some hanging out in my fridge waiting to be used, so alas, the search began. 

{fresh ingredients prepped}

The recipe I found stemmed from a search I made for a recipe similar to a dish I used to pick up frequently from a co-op in Burlington, VT, the locavore mecca of the US. It was a tasty, yet healthy dish to pick up for dinner or as part of a quick lunch. That recipe called for pecans, but I found this one as a suitable substitute.

{via Martha Stewart Living}

I was a huge fan of pairing of the glazed onions with the brussel sprouts. Quick, easy and saved in my recipe box for future occasions.

twentytwelve

I was recently looking around for calendar ideas now that the new year is around the corner. I'll be mapping out my life with it, so naturally I has to be something tolerable for 12 full months.

Last year I selected a Charley Harper calendar after a suggestion from a former co-worker. I was enamored with the clean lines and bold geometric shapes.

{Charley Harper}

However, I was recently inspired by some hand-painted, why-didn't-I-think-of-that sort of looks. Take a gander:

{calendar by Philip Sachs}

 

{SteelPetalPress}

{OldSchoolStationers}

a perfectly adequate Christmas letter

Back in 2006, mere days before Christmas, I burst into fits of laughter while sitting at the kitchen table with my mom reading the newspaper. Garrison Keillor, an incredible wordsmith  in my opinion, crafted an article for his column that I continue to read each Christmas. Never have I seen someone so perfectly describe the pathetic nature of people's unabashed bragging in their Christmas letter. I'm not one for writing Christmas letters, but if I would, I think I would take a page out of Garrison Keillor's book.

{a perfectly adequate christmas letter}

{my little family}

cookie factory

In a fleeting moment of insanity, I agreed to take on the task of making 90+ cookies this weekend for a cookie exchange. Do I generally eat loads of cookies? No. Do I have use for 90 cookies? No. Did I commit to making an obscene amount of baked goods? But of course.

{lemon crinkle cookie}

I settled on a drop cookie with hopes of making the process as simple as possible (don't even think I would consider making something like cream wafers for the lot). This particular recipe, the Lemon Crinkle Cookie, was award-winning, so I didn't hesitate for a minute in choosing it. 

Admittedly, I am not much of a fan of chocolate. And since each and every other holiday cookie is bathed in chocolate, I decided to shake things up a bit and go with a citrus cookie. An extra perk was also the fresh scent that lingered in my kitchen while baking them. It was completely nostalgic and reminded me of times of yesteryear where I would bake molasses cookies with my grandma (however, she never cared to use measuring cups those times).

Four batches later, I had the finished product. The perfect combination of citrus and sweet with a melt-in-your-mouth chewy texture. Enough cookies to give out with leftovers to freeze for Christmas day. Next up: Christmas dinner.

making scents of it all

I like a good party. I always have. Probably because I could befriend most anyone even at the age of six. So it goes without saying that when it comes to being gifted, I just happen to have the gift of gab. During the holidays I always manage to have some sort of gathering, so this year I started to piece together my plans for hosting a winter solstice gathering.

When winter arrives I can't help but get hung up on simple touches that make my abode feel more festive when I have guests over. However, having a holiday bash doesn't mean you need to hire a gourmet chef or professional decorator. I'm a firm believer that you don't have to break the bank to prep your place for guests. Have everyone bring their own beverages and an appetizer to share. That way you will have a spread of treats without hours of prep time on your part.

A common mistake made when entertaining is the perceived notion of needing an abode covered in holiday scents. Some overcompensate by doing a veritable crop-dusting of room spray around the house to ensure that every square inch is scented. Like I said, mistake. You don't want your guests to have to wear gas masks to get through a cloud of holiday scents, so take it easy on the room spray.

{via simmering pot recipes}

A more subtle and more natural approach is to make a simmering pot of wonderful spices. Its as easy as filling a pot with water and some of your favorite spices, then let it simmer all day. There really is no wrong way to mix ingredients together -- the success is in finding what mixture works best for you. An extra perk is that it can also humidify your room during dry winter months.

Another small touch is to switch out your bathroom soap and candles around the house to holiday scents. My go-to scent for years now has been Frasier Fir by Thymes. It is the most authentic-smelling holiday candle/soap collection I have found to date. I also appreciate that their products are locally made and are essential oil-based.

{via thymes}

Now to tackle the uphill battle that is my holiday shopping list.

let's get coniferous

In the interest of keeping in the holiday spirit, I can't help but write about my fervent appreciation for pine cones when it comes to holiday decor. Santa and snowmen aside, nothing says 'deck the halls' like the reproductive system of coniferous trees.

My living space is limited, so I opted to decorate sans tree and incorporate other pine-laden elements. I used a full garland wrapped in white lights for my turquoise buffet, the focal point of the room.  The garland was softened with champagne-colored glass beads and a textured taffeta ribbon embellished with small rosettes.

Adding ribbon to garland can be a delicate task. When adding ribbon to a garland it's key to remember to sporadically gather and tuck around the pine cones in an effort to keep a balanced look. Once finished, I slapped some lights on the windows, tossed some ornaments here and there and bada bing bada boom I was set.



Although my style tends to gravitate more towards an eclectic look, I certainly have an appreciation for clean lines in holiday decor as well. This week I stumbled upon another DIY pine cone garland of interest with cleaner lines that would look stunning in any locale.

This garland, for example, is a simple garland made of ribbon, screw hooks and pine cones (I have been known to take the same approach in making pine cone earrings, but that is a whole other post). Screw the hooks into the pine cone and attach where you see fit. Simple, elegant and thrifty. And if you really wanted to shake things up, add paint or glitter.

{via twig and thistle}

 Pine cones can also look tasteful hung by a ribbon from pine garland. An easy way to dress up a window, banister or mantel. These little guys are so versatile that you can de-glitz them from the holidays and transition into winter decor. You're sure to get some 'oohs' and 'ahhs'!

calling all temps

I can hear it now, a collective cheer from all the renters out there. Those of us who are relegated to living with boorishly white walls. Those of us who delight in not having a mortgage.

Today I stumbled upon the most brilliant idea. Removable wallpaper. The folks at Sherwin Williams are ahead of the times with their "Easychange Wallpaper." I wasn't particularly enthralled with all patterns, but there are several good picks after sifting through the duds.

The wallpaper comes prepped with a removeable adhesive which can simply be removed by grabbing the corners and pulling it down. No mess, no re-painting, no sweat!

Now if only I were taller.

via {oh happy day}

.

It's a wrap

I have never actually divulged how many scarves I own (perhaps I never will). I've collected some in my travels and others for their yummy textures. Knitted, crocheted, woven and sewn - I think I have the whole gamut covered.

I found this iron bust form at an antique sale last year near my hometown. It is a small shop only open one weekend a month, so it always a treat to head there to hunt for unique treasures. Since finding this gem I have used it to collect scarves and belts in my room - truly functional decor.

And in the "aspire to make the most badass scarf" category I found this crocheted scarf which absolutely made me drool. Winter project perhaps?

{crocheted scarf}

autumn glam

Now that I have packed away my ghosts and goblins for another year, I've found myself in that awkward seasonal decor rut (you know the one). It's that time of year where big box stores have an identity crisis, unable to decide whether or not they're committing to fall or Christmas decor. Acorns are mixed with holly, and somehow I manage to escape those aisles confused, feeling a little bah humbug and covered in glitter.

This year I decided to change up my approach to fall decor (my favorite season of all). Being that I live in a one bedroom apartment, there was no need for oversized decor to pollute my abode. So I took a different spin on things. This year I settled on making glitter pumpkins.

To begin, I grabbed some small pumpkins in the produce aisle at my local grocery store and swung by a craft store to pick up seasonal-colored glitter (I can't recall if and when I have purchased glitter previously...it had to have been during the puff paint days of yesteryear). I was prepped.

So here's what you'll need:

• Small pumkins
• Glitter in assorted fall colors. I used the stuff I used to use in elementary school. You can use a finer grade, but I wasn't really in to making couture pumpkins.
• Rubber cement (or any glue of the like)

Clean the pumpkins so they are free of debris. Brush rubber cement on the pumpkins and sprinkle glitter to complete your look. Another tip to enhance your pumkins is to mix different colors of glitter together to add dimension to your grouping (I mixed red and yellow since I could not find orange glitter). Let dry overnight.

These sparkly gems are rather versatile in how you can use them to add some spice to your home decor. Let them stand alone or in a group. Place them in a bowl on the counter or as a centerpiece, or group them around candles or picture frames. As an accent piece or a gift, I've found adding a little glitter to your home is a thrifty and sparkly way to celebrate the holidays.