Fall Is In The Air

So, this might be one of my craziest weeks yet! Things might be a little quiet around here, but that's only because there are some big things happening for me and my biz! Despite the craziness I am taking advantage and soaking in all the beautiful Fall weather we are having!! I just love love Fall. Last night, I made pumpkin waffles for dinner haha, I just can't get enough of pumpkin and fall inspired anything right now. What are some fun Fall traditions you and your fam celebrate?? I'd love to hear them!

These are some pumpkins we painted this year, and I love how they turned out. I'm thinking this might need to be a new tradition for us - so quick and easy!! Although... I do love me some pumpkin seeds =)

DIY: Adjustable Sand Bag Lift

Not sure if many of you know this, but Mr. H is a Personal Fitness Trainer. You could say fitness is a HUGE passion of his. So obviously, I hear about it a lot =) So I listen... because that is what good wives do.. plus he has to put up with all my crafts constantly taking over the dining room table, and all my constant events where I need his muscles haha. Lately, he's been really into these sand bag lift exercises. The only problem is, these bags can cost upwards of $100/piece. That can get kinda pricey if you want multiple for different weights. As Mr. H was telling me about these bags and how cool they are, and how expensive they are... he said something that sounded like music to my ears, "You know, I think I could make this!" Ahh my love for DIY's has somehow passed on to my husband! So we set out to re-create this weight ourselves and it turned out pretty awesome, if I do say so myself =)
But check it out for yourself... and my hubby even created a simple workout that any one of you guys could do to whip you into shape! I might actually try this one =)

 {SUPPLIES}
50 lb bag of sand or gravel stone - we used gravel stones, but both will work
contractor strength plastic bags
zip ties
duck tape - 2 rolls
canvas duffle bag
scissors

First, decide how you want to divide up your weight. Most girls should probably split the bag in half or in 3rds. Let's do 3rds for this example. Mr. H made a 100lb bag, so he had many more. So put about 1/3 of the sand into the contractor bag and press all the air out. Twist the bag tight and secure with a zip tie, then re-enforce with duck tape.

 Next, you need to fold up your bundle in the extra plastic bag so it's all wrapped up in the layers like pictured above. Secure your folds with duct tape. We found that marking an X help get things started. Then, we just wrapped and wrapped until there was no black showing.

Now, depending on how much weight you want, you can place your bundles into your duffel bag. Make sure your bag is strong enough to withstand the weight. We found an awesome army surplus bag on Ebay for only $15. Army bags are great because they are super strong and already have handles on them.  If you want to add more weight you can just make more, or take some out to have less weight.

 Andy's 15 minute workout: {to be done with your weight} It might feel awkward because the weights can shift inside the bag - but that's the point!

10 squats

200 yard run

---> Do this 4 times as fast as you can!

* Once you get better, you can make more 15 lb bricks and add to your bag! (So save your supplies)

DIY Polka Dottie Hanger

I recently took a trip to Ikea to get some supplies for my new studio (eek! more on that later) and in the "as is" section that I was introduced to by, my dear Becca Rillo, we stumbled across these adorable white wood hangers for a ridiculously good deal. So of course, I bought them, thinking "I can make something cool with these... I'm sure." And after almost a month of sitting in my trunk, I finally pulled them out - mainly because I needed some hangers for my closet!

 Supplies:
Wood hanger
acrylic paint
paint brush/sponge

 So, pretty self explanatory, right? Pour your paint, sponge up your brush, and paint away! I used a soft matte seafoam green from the Americana collection called Sea Glass and a metallic gold =) I think they turned out perfectly! Wouldn't they be cute for a wedding dress shot?

DIY Muslin + Gold Napkins

Such a fun post today! I feel like this has been such a fun week on the blog, first my fashion post, then the launch of my new shop (eek!) and now this fun DIY - Just keeps getting better =)

 I made these adorable napkins with my good friend Crystal of Recycled Love Story. In design school she had an assignment where she had to sew muslin squares together. So one Saturday afternoon, or should I say "crafternoon" she pulled out her pile of muslin squares and we knew we had to make something cute out of them. So we cut shaped out of rubber squares that you can get at any art supply store. I made a heart (since I can't draw for crap) and Crystal made an anchor. Once our image was traced and cut out of the rubber, we inked them with fabric paint and stamped away!

I can't wait to have a little outdoor bbq this weekend and bust out these cuties, who's with me?!

DIY + Fall Fashion

I know that for some of us unfortunate peeps, it's still about 100 degrees out here in sunny SoCal. However, in the spirit of September and Pumpkin Spice Lattes, I thought it would be fun to do a fun fall inspired fashion DIY! Huge thanks to Haley Bolena for the photos of my latest creation =)

 

I found this fab fabric at Jo-Anns for a great price of $9.99/yard and if you hold out for one of their weekly coupons, you can probably get it for even less! I only used one yard and after draping over my shoulders I put a pin in the marks where I wanted to make holes for my arms. I've never made of of these before and I don't own a dress form (unfortunately) so what I did was drap over a hanger and then on top of that, I hung up one of my long vests so I could simply trace over those arm holes onto my fabric. Then, just snip snip - cut my holes and voila, I was done!

I seriously love this print, and I think it could be so cute with a black tank or a blank long sleeve once it gets cooler =)

Repurpose Anthro DIY Candle

I don't know about you, but I love Anthropologie. It's not a huge secret =) One of the many many things I love about their store is the amazing smell from all the beautiful candles they light for the shoppers enjoyment. My favorite scent of theirs is called Volcano. It's amazing. I call it the Anthropologie scent. So every once in awhile I treat myself to a Volcano candle (they are kinda pricey!) and I savor every moment =) The funny thing about these candles though, is the wick runs out before the wax does. So you are left with a beautiful blue glass container and an awkward amount of unusable wax. I knew there was something, just something cool I could do with these, so I went to my trusty pal and crafter extraordinaire for some candle advice.

 

So this is what we came up with! First, you heat up your over to 175 degrees and place the Anthro (or whatever you have lying around) candles in the over for the wax to fully melt. Took mine, only about 10 min. While the candles are in the oven, prep your teacups. I found mine for $1.99 at the Goodwill. Place your wick in the center. I got wick that already had a base from Michaels for about $4 and they came in a pack of 10. Then, with an oven mitt, take out your candle and pour into the teacup. And let it cool - that's it! I didn't even plan on it, but only about 1 inch of leftover wax filled 1 whole teacup perfectly =)

Now, I have these awesome blue glass vases that are just ready to be used for flowers or whatever my heart desires! What would you use them for?? I'm open to suggestions!

Staying Cool

With the end of Labor Day, children starting school, and the return of the ever fabulous Pumpkin Spice Latte, one would think that crisp air and busting out scarves and boots would be next... but no. In my little corner of sunny SoCal it's a blazing 100 degrees outside with no sign of fall anytime soon. So in an effort to stay positive in this annoying heat, I whipped up a fun and easy dessert for Mr. H and I the other night - strawberry cheesecake ice-cream in a lemon cup!

 

To add to the display I made little flags out of yellow polka dot washi tape for the spoons. Maybe it was a little much for just the 2 of us... but I figure it you can't beat the heat, you might as well embrace it! 

So, let's raise our ice cream and cheers to a long summer!

 

 

How do you stay cool is the heat?? I could definitely use some suggestions to keep me sane! In the meantime, maybe I'll get that pumpkin spice latte in hopes that it will bring on the Fall =)

Polka Dot Minis!

I recently was at a scrapbooking store researching products for a packaging client, and stumbled across the cutest kraft w/ polka dot mini envelopes. I think the packet was 6 envelopes for $3.99. Well, of course I bought it (they were mini!) but when I got home, I started thinking how expensive those little guys were... yes, they were cute - but $4.00! They probably didn't even equal 1 sheet of paper.  So, I set out to make my own =)

{SUPPLIES}
Kraft paper (or any really)
White acrylic paint
Small paint brush
Scissors
Double sided tape or hot glue
This LINK

Below is an image of the envelopes I bought (on the left) vs. the one I made - looks pretty close, right?!

All you do is find an envelope size you like from HERE, print it out, and trace it onto your desired paper. Once it's cut out, you can use the bottom tip of your paint brush to create perfect little white polka dots! Fold up and seal with your double side tape or glue! Now you can go mail a little treasure to a friend or make a bunch and use them for a dinner party for place settings, or even wedding favors! I'd love to hear your ideas on what you would do with them =)

Simple Necklace DIY

This necklace is so easy, and I'm serious when I say, you will love it so much, you'll probably wear it everyday like I've done. 

 {SUPPLIES}
crystal Beads - $2 in downtown LA
wire
gold chain
jewelry pliers
connectors

 

 So, first cute about 2 inches of your wire (or however long/short you wish your bead section to be) but be sure to leave enough room to wrap a loop at each end to secure the beads and so you can add a connector hoop to your bead strand and your chain.

 Next, add your beads & then finish with another loop

And there you have it! You can attach a fascinator, or if you don't have any, you can always just make the chain one longer piece and wear it as a longer necklace =) What do you think? If you make any, I'd love to see a link of your photos!

Banana Salt Scrub DIY

 Today is all about self pampering! Sometimes you just need a little face mask and foot scrub, right? This is super easy and you probably have everything right in your fridge.

{SUPPLIES}
2 bananas
1 Lemon
Sea Salt
Olive Oil
Honey
Seran Wrap

 

Face Mask: 1 Banana, 1 teaspoon honey: mash together until smooth and you're done! Use hands to apply to your face, let sit for 10-15 minutes and then wash off with warm water. Your skin will feel so fresh and clean!

Foot Scrub: 1 banana, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon crushed sea salt. Mash all together and scrub onto tops and bottom of your feet. Then wrap with seran wrap and let sit for 10-15 minutes. Exfoliates and softens all at once!

 

Having friends over for a girls night? Make all the ladies their own scrub/masks in a cute mason jar!

Event puppies can't resist a taste =)

Big thanks to Lizzie Metcalf of S'Wonderful Photography for the awesome photos!

Spice Up Those Hangers!

As I was doing laundry yesterday, I was struggling with hanging up certain flowy tops on those white plastic hangers we all have. Some just kept sliding off with their sheer fabric just slipping on the plastic. I have maybe 3 or 4 of those hangers that have the rubber on the corners to solve this problem, but my shirts were out-weighing my hangers. We've probably all been there, right?! Then, I remembered this gigantic piece of fabric I scored at a thrift store a month earlier that I hadn't touched. If I just wrap that around my hangers, my problem should be solved! This project literally took 10 min and it worked out perfectly! So if you have some scraps of fabric around, a hot glue gun and some hangers, this will be your quickest, most useful DIY yet!

{SUPPLIES}
fabric
glue gun
scissors
hanger (rounded plastic ones)

 All you do is cut strips (2 long strips worked for 1 hanger for me) wrap it around the plastic super tight and glue it down every so often. And that's it!!

Mason Jar Wine Glass DIY

I came up with a couple DIYs for a shoot I did with photographer, Michelle Rene Photography. She wanted something that had a rustic country feel to it, but with a touch of elegance. We used a ton of my rentals and I got to style the look. I think the shoot came out perfectly, and I can't wait to show you the photos!!

Anyways, I created this mason jar wine glass DIY especially for the shoot! It's so super easy for anyone to do. I actually got this idea from watching last season of The Bachelor. When Ben went to see Courtney's family on the hometown dates, her family had these glasses on their outdoor dining table. Haha... ok, now you know my obsession with The Bachelor!

What you need: Small mason jar (they have them at the Dollar Store right now!) and a clear small candle stick holder. I find these at thrift stores for like $.50

Anyways, use a strong glue like epoxy or super glue and place the mason jar upside down and glue the top of the candle stick to the bottom of the jar. Be sure to jet it right in the center! Let dry and you're done!

Have a wonderful Friday friends!

To-Do List with Flair DIY

 

What do you get when Target has adorable $1 mini clipboards and rolls of washi tape and a need for some organization in your life? This cutie! That's what. So, I thought I'd pass this idea along for fabulous friends in case you're looking for a way to create a fun & pretty to-do list.

Here is what you'll need: Paper cutter, mini clipboard, thin sharpies, & washi tape. You can just use white computer paper and write in your own titles, or you can print it out on your computer. Either way, totally customize your list to fit your needs i.e.  To-Do, Grocery List, Packing list, Chores, or like me... I organized my rentals inquiries, events, and follow up.

 So, once you've figured out which sort of list your want,  trim it down to fit your mini clipboard. I made mine about 5x7 so I can still see a pop of color on my board. Then, cut your strips of washi tape in rows and/or lines (this is where you are going to write your info)

 Now, the list making begins! Use your thin sharpie to start your organizing. The awesome part about this tape, is say you finish something.. you can just peel it off, or in my case, once an inquiry turns into a client, I'll simply move it to the upcoming events section.

 And there you have it! How do you organize your life/biz? I'd love to see your ideas & photos in the comments below!

Tile Art DIY

At a wedding I was working a few weeks ago, the bride had found someone to make these awesome table numbers from her engagement photos and they were on tiles. Ok, maybe hard to visualize - but they were SO cool! Naturally, I had to find out how to do this =) The vendor told me she learned from a youtube tutorial!! How awesome is that?! I couldn't find the same video, but I found a similar one HERE. So I made some as gifts for some new mommy friends of mine to put in their nurseries.

{SUPPLIES}
Tile
Photo that you can size in photoshop
mod podge
brush
tissue paper
thick cardstock

{STEPS}
First size your photo to match your tile size in photoshop. Then wrap a piece of cardstock paper in tissue paper and tape it secure in the back. Then, print your photo out. Next trim your photo to match your tile size. This is the the tricky part. Place your tissue paper photo in the placing you want. Hold down a corner and mod podge the tile, lay flat the tissue paper (not being held down) and then mod podge the top of the tissue paper flat. Then follow the same method for the other side.

A DIY For The Boys!

This project was actually inspired my Mr. H! He had some friends over and needless to say, I came home to a bunch of empty bottles of Stella and a couple of empty pizza boxes. I noticed that he and his friends had piled up the beer caps in a pile on the counter along with some other caps from various drinks. I thought they looked so cool and vintage looking & I asked why they kept them. He thought they were cool tool, but was probably going to just toss them. So I thought, I should think of something cool to make with these little guys =) And here is what I came up with! Magnets for the fridge that are a little more manly. I think they turned out perfectly, and I can't wait for Mr. H to come home from the fire station and see them on the fridge!

{SUPPLIES}
beer/soda caps
hot glue
roll of magnet strip
foam dots

{STEPS}
1. Glue the dots in the center of the back of the cap, then cut a strip of magnet tape, and glue on top of the dot. Let dry and you're done!

Dress Up Your Watering Can DIY

As you may have seen, I've been getting a little into gardening as of late... mostly succulents to start because I've been known to kill most flowers I come in contact with =) I was at Target and saw this smaller adorable tin watering can in the dollar section and I just knew I had to have it with a plan to spruce it up. So I snagged some fun flowering fabric with a hint of vintage flair and went to town.

 

{SUPPLIES}

Watering Can

Mod Podge

Cotton Fabric

Ribbon

Paint Brush

 So first cut your fabric to your desired size and paint a layer of the mod podge onto the surface of the can and then place the fabric on top. Then, paint a coat on top of the fabric to seal it. I thought it would be fun to add an orange ribbon to create a cleaner line on the top, and you would follow the same steps for applying the ribbon.

 Finished! How cute is that?! I love it, it's almost too cute to keep outside. It would even be fun to plant flowers in it! Huge shoutout to Lizzie of S'Wonderful Photography for taking such awesome photos of my little project!