Friday, December 2, 2011

DIY: Mason Jar Snow Globes

















When browsing Antropologie's new Christmas decorations, I stumbled upon something that had a lot of DIY potential; water-less snow globes. Each mason jar had a tiny Christmas tree inside surrounded with plenty of glitter snow. Here's the instructions to make some little snow scenes to scatter throughout your home:

Tools/Materials:
  • Miniature Trees (can be found in the model building section of the craft store)
  • Clean jars in various sizes with lids
  • White glitter (and some silver if you please)
  • Cotton batting
  • Strong glue (I used Weldbond brand)
  • Aluminum foil (optional)
  • White paint (optional)
Steps:
  1. If you would like to elevate your tree, form an aluminum foil ball and flatten it on its sides. This piece will be glued beneath the little trees base to make it stand higher in the jar.
  2. Glue the base of the tree down to the inside of the lid. If you did step 1, first glue in the aluminum foil ball and then press the tree's base down on top of the ball with glue.
  3. If you bought frosted trees, to add some sparkle to them, use a paintbrush to apply glue lightly to their pines, then roll or sprinkle with glitter. If you did not buy frosted, you could do the same thing, but to create a snowier effect, use white paint instead of glue.
  4. Take the cotton batting and pull it apart into thinner wisps. Use this cotton to surround the tree's base, and look like a fresh new layer of fallen snow!
  5. Once the glue has dried, fill your jar with a good amount of glitter. Screw the lid on (the trees and its base should be upside down). Flip the jar over and watch it snow!
** Note: If you have children or devious friends, glue the lid so it cannot be removed from the jar. This will reduce the risk of someone opening up the jar and spilling glitter everywhere.

Monday, November 28, 2011

Being ripped off...


I was in Urban Outfitters a while ago and snapped a picture of a poster they were selling for $22. I just so happen to own that very same poster, which I bought at a stationery store a year prior for about a buck 50. Serious UO? Thats a major profit...


Note* Just like Urban Outfitters, Antropologie has some seriously steep prices from some not so valuable items. My next post will be a DIY mimicking something seriously cute I saw while browsing their wares.

Fantasies


Wouldn't be great if we (ladies) could just wear huge ball gowns at all times? Sometimes I wish I could float down the halls of my school in layers of tulle and chiffon. The feel of silk and velvet against my skin... *Sigh* If only I had the confidence to just do the unthinkable...
But doesn't Emma look gorgeous in her dress? The spread in Italian Vogue (2008 I think?) is so beautiful.

Friday, November 25, 2011

Fashion update



I kind of enjoy late fall/winter fashion. Its an easy color palette of neutrals and toned down colors. To create various looks all ya' need is new layers. Pile on long sleeves, thick sweaters, fuzzy vests, wrap around scarves, chunky jewels... it's limitless. Top of your look with a felt wide brim hat or a knit beanie. Try out the dark, delicious shades of nail polish and lip stick. Slip on riding boots, driving shoes, or oxford flats.

Shown is a beautiful sweater for those cozy-up-with-a-book days.

Also a picture from the Rag and Bone Fall catalog. Deep in color and texture.

Working on the room



I've been working on creating the perfect bedroom environment for myself for the longest time. It all started when my room was painted almost 6 years ago. The pale violet/blue color became an inspiration that all the new ideas circled around. About a year or two ago, a color scheme was formed and stuck, deep chocolate and orange. These colors would warm up the cool space. Everything is coming together now, vintage bird tapestry hung where closet doors were ripped out, old, salvaged furniture painted in the same hue, boxes of knick-knacks sorted and unused items sent to Salvation Army. (And when we dropped off the bags of stuff... I found an Italian contemporary designer chair! For $5 (originally $1,500!) So its exciting to have a fresh and almost finished bedroom... But I still love pouring over possible room ideas. Here are a couple of the latest cool rooms I found:

They'd be hard to dust, but oh so wonderfully cluttered they are. The piles of magazines and books, the framed butterflies, the decorative touches. The frames create a collected look from the chaos of mismatched stuff. Both rooms look natural, lived in.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Trip IV (Mineral Point)




Very few people know of the beautiful artists' town of Mineral Pt, WI. It has chic boutiques, hip cafes, and artsy gardens all while retaining the cozy small town vibe. There are lots of art galleries to peer into, architectural artifact shops, and handmade wonders galore. Oh an adorable used book store. My family stayed at 219 Washington Street, a home rented out to visitors. It was a great abode (Victorian Feel with a funky twist) and I highly recommend it! Besides the natural beauty of the area and great dining/lodging/shopping, the town also holds quite an interesting history ready to be explored. Here's the link to the official Mineral Pt website: http://www.mineralpoint.com/
Take a trip there!


Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Trip III


Every year, my family heads up to New Buffalo, Michigan for a short stay.
It's every Chicagoan's favourite summer home-away-from-home.
It's a great area-- I won't go into much detail; just cite the best stops.
If you haven't been to New Buffalo/Grand Haven, you must go!

Beaches/Nature: Warren Dunes State Park
Food (on the way there): Take a pit stop in Chestertown, Indiana for a bite at the Port
Food (in N.B): Red Arrow Highway, Redamack's, Stray Dog
Snacks: The Whistle Stop, local fruit stands
Ice Cream: Oink's !