DIY

My DIY floral monogram wall art

August 5, 2013 by Angela

I decided to give this floral monogram wall art a try. The blogger of the project does it so beautifully, so I didn’t even try to imitate it. I just happened to have an a that I hadn’t done anything with & knew this would be perfect for my work in progress, the gallery wall.

I followed the tutorial pretty closely as far as attaching the flowers, and used some from clearance bunches at Michael’s. Then, I trimmed back so it would once again look like an a!

So far the only photo I have of my decor is a few instagrams. My living room doesn’t get a lot of natural light (literally my only gripe about this apartment, though a pretty big one), so it’s hard to get good photos! I also think the cut-out a looks good without flowers, even. What do you think?

Vintage photo backdrop

July 23, 2013 by Angela

For a few weeks I’ve been brainstorming ideas for a miniature photo studio in my small one bedroom apartment. I’m very happy with my little space and my dining-room-turned-craft-office, and new life in Los Angeles, but the one gripe I have is the minimal natural light. I know, right… I come from a place of gray skies ten months out of the year (I hear Seattle is beautiful right now, and I am a little homesick but that’s for a different day…) to southern California, and complain that there isn’t enough sun. My apartment just doesn’t get it.

I’ve been mulling over the idea of papering a wall with book pages, because since I no longer have a back yard (or lovely overgrown pathway next to my house), it’s going to be hard to take consistent photographs. I was fooled by a beautiful vine-covered wall (of which there are many here) directly near me – the perfect spot – which collapsed and was dragged away immediately after my discovery. Sigh.

So here we are. I’ve had this field guide to flowers for months and hadn’t any real plans for it. It’s just full full of amazing illustrations. But I really needed it for this wall! It was the perfect thing. Vintage book page text wasn’t bright enough, interesting enough, cheery enough… I wouldn’t have done it if it had been published prior to the 1980s, but it is an 80s book. I hope I meet another copy one day.

Until then I’ll take great care of the pages that adorn a little portion of one of my few walls. I took some test pictures… still working on editing so each piece I photograph contrasts appropriately. I hope to use this backdrop for E. Magnolia., as I am still rethinking Garden & Sea. And of course, anything else that needs photographing.

What do you think?

Books and Cats

July 22, 2013 by Angela

We had a bit of a lazy Sunday… I’m finally starting to fall into a routine with work and life in general, and decided to get a bit of reading done. This kitty fell asleep on my arm as I read {making it just a little harder to flip the page} while the other was asleep in the closet as usual, and soon after we all took a little cat nap…

Quick DIY cork jewelry holder

July 15, 2013 by Angela

I have been hanging my jewelry on my wall for almost two years now and finally got around to sharing it here. This is the ultimate easy DIY project because all you need is a tiny piece of fabric and cork (or foam board).

I bought these cork squares in a pack of six and cut one into a small strip. If you can get your hands on a piece thick enough not to have to actually pin all notches all the way into the wall, I recommend it. I had to actually poke the four thumbtacks in all the way for it to hold well.

Just wrap your square of fabric around the cork and adhere with hot glue. You can also get away with a bit of tape since it’s going to be stuck to the wall anyway.

And there you go! A cute way to display your jewelry without taking up any space! I especially love it because I have some really long necklaces that always get tangled.

DIY mini gold painted pots

July 8, 2013 by Angela

Just a peek at my newest little DIY. This isn’t so much a tutorial – I imagine you’ve used a paintbrush before! – but some notes on painting your own recycled mini succulent planters…

1. For gold or other metallic paint – lay it on thick. You’ll do multiple coats.

2. Pick these up at your local thrift store. There are so many unused pots and vases floating around – no need to contribute more.

3. I did try the two-toned pots, but I found a more solid look tied everything together in my main room and kitchen. There are a lot of ideas for painted pots out there, though.

I overstuffed mine with my first ever house plants!

What have you made lately?

DIY 1 dollar wall art

May 18, 2013 by Angela

You’ll need:

* Recycled card stock or paper.
* One of the stamps from the $1 bin at Michael’s or other craft stores
* Washable markers or ink

* Clothespins for hanging your art!

I got both of these stamps on clearance for .50 each at Michael’s after Valentine’s Day. The typewriter said “be mine” which is easy to remove for year-round use if you use a pen instead of an inkpad. I call this the $1 DIY because I only bought the stamps. Most of us have washable pens and a little extra paper. This card stock is extra thick because it was the backing for a pack of stickers or supplies. I always save seemingly useless pieces like that– am I resourceful or just a hoarder? A fine line.

What’s your cheapest DIY for the home?