Monday, April 29, 2013

Changing Home







The last eight months have brought a wave of changes. Great-big life-changing ones,  too. To name a few: getting married, starting new jobs, relocating to a different region of the country. And along with those changes came other, more secret adaptations. Interior changes. And by that, I mean things that occur inside, that only you and those closest to you can see. These were changes I somehow didn't anticipate, but for which I am grateful all the same.

Learning to live alongside another. Learning your limits, learning your strengths. Learning the difference between your life-goals and those overblown expectations of yourself.  Learning to love harder and forgive more often. And, perhaps most importantly for me, learning that home truly is where-ever your heart is.




Friday, April 26, 2013

6 Spring-Inspired DIY Projects for Your Weekend

1. Geometric Camera Strap 

2. Dip-dyed dinner napkins

3. Dip-Dyed Baskets

4. Hand painted pillows

5. Paper Birdie Art

6.  Crisscross ribbon lamp shade

You may have noticed that I'm all about DIY projects, whether its furniture, decor, or beauty. If there's a way I can make it for less, I will. Even if it means a few hours of focus and effort. True, running to the supermarket or a department store might be less time-consuming; but I'm usually willing to put in the time and elbow-grease just for the sheer joy of creating something.

That's not to say all my undertakings are successful. We won't even mention the scrap-book-paper polka-dot lampshade. Yea, sounds cute right? Wrong. Oh, so wrong. A more accurate name would've been fish-scale-weirdness-lampshade. Yet, even when my DIY efforts become a total, messy flop and I've superglued my fingers together and glitter has someone managed to coat the floor...I'm still smiling because DIY is just so stinking fun.

Here's a few spring-hued project ideas for your weekend. Let's hope its filled with a healthy dose of sunshine and lots of toothy, cheek-aching smiles.

1. I've been dying to make one of these geometric print camera straps. I think the spots of color would look adorable since my Nikon is white.
2. Spring is usually bridal-shower season as well. These dip-dyed dinner napkins from A Beautiful Mess would be an adorable gift idea for the bride-to-be.
3. I found this image for dip-dyed baskets on Pinterest, so I don't have a link to provide for you. But I would say the photo is self-explanatory.
4. One of my favorite magazines, Better Homes and Gardens, suggested these hand-painted pillows as an easy home decor craft.
5. Another favorite blog Under the Sycamore posted this adorable paper birdie art a few years ago. I think it would be absolutely adorable for a kid's room or nursery.
6. Again, this image was found via Pinterest, so no link. However, I would say that photo, again, is self-explanatory. All that's needed would probably be fabric tape (or super glue) and some patience.

Which project idea is your favorite?
I think if I was to tackle one this weekend it would be the dip-dyed napkins. I think they're just so fun and springy!

Happy Friday!

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Southwest





Looking at and dreaming about owning our own home has fueled my excessive generation of excuses to troll Etsy. I tend to gravitate towards the vintage housewares...a tab which shamelessly enables my addiction to antique stores and thrift shops. I've noticed a trend lately in my browsing: I seem to be favoriting items with a consistent color scheme: russets, turquoises, and rich reds.

Apparently, I love spicy colors as much as I do spicy foods.

To view these vintage items on Etsy simply click herehere, and here.

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Monogram Spring Wreath Project


Every morning, sunshine seeps through our bedroom windows, starting off a milky white and slowly intensifying to a warm, buttery yellow. Outside, songbirds trill and flutter among the Bradford Pears as a new spring day begins. For some reason, waking up to birds singing their little hearts out does tremendous good for my own. Branches laden with pink and white blossoms, robins darting from every bush, and even a dusky brown bunny  randomly taking up residence in our condo parking lot--everything seems to be welcoming the new season. So. I figured I should toss my hat in as well by making a new wreath for our front  door.

I had a vague idea for what I wanted the wreath to look like. I wanted to somehow incorporate an H, for our last name Hobbs (obviously).  I began by digging around in my ever-growing yarn collection, hoping a color would jump out at me. As much as I love winter and fall colors, I have to say by March and April, my heart is ready for some bright corals, pinks, and yellows.


That's when I found this: a skein of hand-dyed yarn given to me a few years ago by a good friend. I'd been saving it, hoping a stroke of brilliance would yield a unique project-idea for it.

This wreath was incredibly easy to make. Here's just how easy:
1. Gather your supplies: 14 inch grapevine wreath, a few silk flowers (I chose two large fluffy ones--like the pink hydgrangeas--one smaller flower, and something long and wispy for interest), floral wire, a wooden or paper-mache letter, some shears, and a hot glue gun.



2. I started off by wrapping the paper-mache H with my yarn. I hot-glued one end of the yarn-strand to the letter. After making sure it had dried and secured, I began wrapping.

Pretty easy right? But here's where I paused. Wrapping the H in yarn covered everything but the ends. On the tips of the H, you could still see the cardboard. While that probably doesn't seem like a big deal, for this perfectionist it was. So, I decided to take care of that mess.



 I cut a few strands of yarn--about three or four inches. Then, super-glued one side to the H. I looped them over the tip of the letter and superglued the other side. Once the super-glue dried, I began looping the yarn again to secure the end cover-up pieces.


Finally, the yarn monogram was completed. I have to admit...it took a little longer than I aniticipated. So, if you're doing this project, I'd say do this part while sitting down watching TV or a movie. I was standing at my kitchen table and by the time I got to the second leg of the H I was like "ahhh come on, let's get done with this!"




By comparison, the wreath itself took no time at all. I clipped my flowers so that they each had about a two inch stem. Just enough to stick into the grapevine twigs.



First, I placed the pink silk peony. Then, I added in the greenery and the long orange interest-piece. I wanted to make sure these were all secured beneath the fluffy hydrangeas. The hydrangeas were very full so they completely filled in the gaps. Two blossoms went a long way.


I twisted the flower stems into the grape-vines; so I feel like the blossoms are all secure on the wreath. However, a little bit of floral wire twisted around the ends is an easy way to secure the blossoms if you're worried about it.


The lighting in the hallway was awful---so excuse the yellow-tinge to the above photograph. But that's it. Wrapping the letter was the longest part of the process. Placing the flowers., however, took hardly any time at all. I'd say overall--this is about a 30 minute project. So give it a try! Seeing this hanging on my door tonight when Mark and I walked in from the gym brought a huge smile to my face. Spring has officially arrived at the Hobbs house!


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