New String Art: The Owl

I don't know about you, but lately I love owls. It all started when were in San Francisco and I saw these adorable owl Salt & Pepper shakers in Chinatown.  Funny side story there actually, I noticed there was a huge shelf full of different owl themed dinnerware. I asked the shop owner if there was some meaning or significance to the owl, and she smiled and said "No, white people love them".  Ha! I thought that was pretty funny.... anyway.... I recently did this owl tablet for Joel, which he requested for a Christmas gift for someone.  Take a look:

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A Fresh Start

Good Morning! It's the final week before Christmas, can you believe that? I haven't done a thing, and that's fine.  We have our tree, which was surprising enough, but it has yet to be decorated.  It has lights, but the ornaments haven't made their way to the tree, yet.  And you know what? I like it.  Eh, we have a few days, right? Last week was so crazy, quite a few things didn't get done, and I didn't have time to write - sorry! 

Do you ever have those days or weeks where you just try to do everything and then some? Man, that was last week for me.  I felt like I had a million things I wanted to do, and I was running around trying to do them all - which leads to not much getting done, or at least not very well.  So this week I'm starting fresh, and taking the advice of one of the greatest fortune cookies ever: Live in the moment.  That couldn't have come at a more perfect time, what with the holidays, and our move.. I'm getting ahead of myself, & setting unrealistic expectations.  So this week will start with a deep breath, a fresh start, and a big cup of coffee. 

Ok - no more whining.  Even though we haven't decked our halls, doesn't mean I haven't thought about what we would be doing to bring in the holiday spirit.  In the past year or so, I've gradually fallen deeply in love with the whole midcentury style, so I pulled up a few ideas for a midcentury holiday, and found some really cool ideas..

Not sure if I could make the switch from a live tree to an aluminum one, but this one looks so interesting, it's worth a try some year.  Put a colorful spotlight on there...  Here's a fireplace that we have actually been scouring eBay to find, I would love one of these in our place:

I love paper, and I love projects, these mid-century style ornaments are easy, and so cute:

Of course, they are from Design*Sponge...head there for a full tutorial. 

So anyway, how are you all doing, ready for the holidays?  What are your mantras that get you through the busy times?  Enjoy the season, live in the moment, and Happy Holidays everyone!

      -Jesse

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Wild Wedding Weekend

Hi Everyone! We are back! I don't know if I mentioned it, since I had so much to do to get ready - but last weekend we had not one but two weddings!  I haven't been to a wedding in years, so the fact that these both landed on the same weekend was a crazy coincidence.  Luckily we were able to make it to both, and celebrated the marriage of two couples, and great friends.  Saturday's wedding was in Sacramento (about 2.5 hour drive from us), and we had the foresight to go a day early.  I am SO happy we did that, we ended up sitting in about 4.5 hours worth of traffic, and if I had to rush to a wedding after that?  I don't think I would have stayed up as late as I did! Wedding #2 was closer to home, in Aptos, which is normally a fairly foggy place year round.  Luckily, it was a gorgeous 85 degree afternoon.  Perfect for an outdoor wedding. It was beach themed, and we were surrounded by beautiful Monterey Cypress trees on a lush green golf course. They chose a fantastic location and they did an amazing job creating this wedding. Congratulations Meghan & Adam!

I snapped a few photos throughout the trip to share, here was our hotel room in Sacramento:

Very modern - I love that so many hotels are going the studio-apartment route...

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Spotlight: Spin Art

I love nostalgic arts!  Just like string art & tie-dye, spin art is one of those projects that reminds me of childhood.  So fun to make, and looks pretty cool.  I've seen a lot of different spin art machines that give you splash look, but this machine I want to share with you uses markers instead, and gives a much cleaner & controlled look:

These are the work of Sarah Gee...  I love all the colors she's used.  These are so mesmerizing, and pay tribute to the project of the past.  Check out the video on The Jealous Curator, but be careful, it's really hypnotic!

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Pinterest Picks: Jackolanterns

I couldn't think of anything for my pumpkin this year, then as a few of us were talking about Fall in general, & someone said something that sparked an idea:

..........get it?! Ha! Pumpkin Pi.... oh that's a knee slapper. So dorky!  Have you all started carving up your produce yet?  Here are a few ideas I pulled from Pinterest.  These ones are cute, a little bit creepy... I love that they hang from the tree. They are made from turnips!

Source: marthastewart.com via Jesse on Pinterest

That front one almost looks sad... not mad.  Meh. Who said you had to carve only pumpkins anyway? Let's carve all the crazy fall squash:

Source: marthastewart.com via Jesse on Pinterest

I imagine the butternut squash singing, I dunno why.  Your pumpkin doesn't always have to be trying to scare the kids right off your porch, take these simple patterned pumpkins:

Source: southernliving.com via Jesse on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Jesse on Pinterest

I think that last one had little christmas lights instead of a candle? Can't tell. If you're the detail oriented type and want to get really extreme with your pumpkins, here's some pinspiration for ya:

Source: instructables.com via Jesse on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Jesse on Pinterest

Ugh! That skull is the creepiest thing ever! But, you gotta admire the work they must have put into it. Still though, his eyes creep me out! I need something cute after that...

Source: bing.com via Jesse on Pinterest

Aah! Much better. I love those big eyes! So what's it gonna be this year? Creepy scary pumpkin or cute n' cuddly?  Either way, hop to it! Halloween is tomorrow..... Alright, keep it real people, be safe n' stuff.

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How To: Sliding Barn Door

I've shown you all pictures of the house-to-be, and like anytime I'm about to move, all I can think about is what will go where, how to decorate, and what needs to be fixed right away. This fills up 85% of my thoughts, no joke! So one of the issues that's been killing me, is the positioning of some of the doors in the new place.  Someone did not think this through.  Particularly the larger bedroom, let me try to paint you a little picture here.  The door opens inward, and blocks a door that goes outside.  That door that leads outside, also opens inward.  Can you picture the problem? You can't have them both open at the same time, no matter how much you swap the directions. They slam into eachother.  Until this...

The Stony Brook House

The perfect solution, a slider!

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How To: Origami Star Lantern

Oh man, oh man - I love Origami! I always have. I've always had a place in my heart for it, don't know why. It could be part of my fascination with all things Japan, or my love of all things paper.  I used to do a lot of Origami but set it aside for a while.  When Ralph & I decorated for the Sushi Party, we made a few little cranes & such to place around, and it reignited my interest in the paper folding arts. I'm especially impressed when Origami can be made into something not only decorative but useful, like bowls & boxes. And now, the Origami Star Lantern:

Photo Credits: How About Orange & Passengers on a little spaceship

Let's have some collective ooh's and aah's shalle we?! So cute.  One piece of paper, many folds, super adorable.  You will be seeing these around our house, especially when decorating for the Holidays comes up (suprisingly close!)  Don't worry, the candle is actually inside of a glass votive, not just sitting dangerously in the paper. They've really thought of everything...

These can be used for a lot of different things, bowls, potpourri, or put a frog in there and use it for ikebana.  Or upside down, poke a hole in the back or each and put the low wattage Christmas lights in them.  Just think how many you can make if you swindle your friends & children into helping, haha!  I love the colored ones but I think the white is my favorite.  Head over to the adorably named blog, Passengers on a Little Spaceship for the full tutorial.  Which, by the way, is amazingly detailed!

Enjoy!

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Speaking of Chevrons...

Yesterday I shared my latest tables with you, the Chevrons twins, and it jogged my memory that a reader recently sent in a table she did to share with the rest of us. After following the Striped Round Table tutorial and adding her own twists, Chantena came up with one amazing dining set:

What a fantastic job! I love the little bits of distress she did in the centers of the stripes.  Guess what? She did those chairs too! Reupholstered (in an adorable fabric!) and repainted.  She says she's going for teal & red in her dining area, and will soon be adding a red crystal chandelier. That will look great, especially with that red buffet back there peeking through! Great work Chantena, and thanks for sharing with the rest of us, your table is so inspiring! 

As for me, some rainy weather has kept me from doing too much outside, and I've been working on a few indoor projects. I'm almost ready to post up a short DIY project, until then, here's a sneak peak:

It involves a bird cage.  I've been meaning to use this thing for literally years (don't we all have those types of things lying around?) and finally I got to it.  I'm almost done, and will share soon, I'm loving that yellow with yesterday's tables!  Can you guess what it is?  Thanks for checking in & thanks for all the nice comments yesterday - it's so great to hear from you all!   

Make the most of today!

-Jesse

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Spotlight: Kaleido Trays

Oh my! Pin this to my must-have board, I love these!  These Kaleido Trays from A+R are incredible, and so versatile.  We love entertaining in our home, so having a wide selection of trays comes in extremely handy. All the time. Clean & ready trays take a load off as the host, because as people arrive with this or that, you can quickly and easily lay things out, spending less time preparing and more time enjoying.  Not only are these the cutest colors in the world (80's rainbow!), but the combinations of trays you can create using these geometric shapes are seemingly endless.  They all fit snugly together, so you can have large open trays, trays with sections, trays with dipper bowls, and they all stack nicely to be put away.  Though with these colors, I guarantee I'd have them on display!  They give me all kinds of ideas for geometric wall art too, seeing these interchange so easily into different patterns is really inspiring! I was always a sucker for those geometric wooden blocks we played with as kids (I still have some, and use them!) so it's no wonder I'm drawn to them. You can purchase these trays from the A+R Store.  What's your take, do geometric shapes have a place in your home?  Enjoy the day, it's raining here - fun!

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Crazy for Colors

Mondays are boring, even if you have the day off it feels like a Monday, how is that possible? Let's brighten it up! Anyone who knows me knows that I like color. A lot of color. I have to tone it down sometimes, but I can't help it.  Bright colors are fun and energizing, and playful! Not everything has to be so serious and muted (Sorry Martha Stewart! Still love ya...) I know some people are deathly afraid of too much color, and it's very much a to each their own. I'm deathly afraid of the lack of color, and that's why these tables are right up my alley.  Let me start with my favorite:

I love this! The white base is great with it too.  This is from Instructables, which, is one of the most awesome websites on the planet. If you haven't seen instructables, call in sick to work today and browse that place.  So many great ideas posted up by real people, with step by step photos & instructions. I love it!  OK, maybe don't call in sick, I'm a bad influence.  Here's a great compromise, these tables are nice & simple in wood, until you turn them on:

Yes! A pair of these by the bed would be great. I found them on this site, but unfortunately the blogger didn't site the source (naughty, naughty!), so I can't find where to get them.  Though, I think you could easily figure out how to do this yourself. Especially now that all these lighting places are selling the LED sets for crazy rotating colors, you could just get (or build!) a cute set of tables, wire 'em up....... boom. done. These, I can't tell you how to make:

Photo Source

So you'd have to buy them.  They are a little more night-clubby than they are cozy-living-roomy but who knows. If I had the chance to own one, I'd find a way to work it in. What's your take on these, too much? just right? not enough?

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Spotlight: Stenciling with Stains

Wow, I've been so busy this week with little projects! I am wrapping up a color block stool tutorial for you guys (Update! Here's the link!), and yesterday Ralph and I randomly decided to get our hands dirty and work with grout to finish up some amazing light fixtures we made (another update, here are the lights!).  I'll be sharing them as soon as I tidy up the photos! For now though, I saw this great post come through one of my feeds, and just had to share it, Stenciling with wood stains...

Sooo pretty! I've tried to figure out a way to do this before, with no success.  I've seen two tone staining using tape to keep the stain out of areas, but stencils have posed a real challenge - until now! This is a tutorial worth saving, she used wood glue to block the dark stain, so smart! Head over to The Ambitious Procrastinator for the full tutorial.  While you're there, browse around as she has the tutorial to make these cabinet doors, start to finish, on an affordable Ikea base. Here's the link.  Have a great Friday, what projects do you have planned for the weekend?

Hugs and Stuff,

-Jesse

Linkies: Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, Subscribe & of course, Email me.

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Pinterest Picks: Getting Framed

Ah, I've seen so many great uses for picture frames on Pinterest! This solves a dilemma for me, I like to have pictures up, but most my pictures are small, 4x6 style prints.  This usually means having a ton of tiny frames on the wall, which almost always end up crooked.  Plus, I like to rotate my photos as I get more of them.  These ideas take that issue in mind & are the perfect solution.  Also, thrift stores almost always have a ready supply of large, sometimes gaudy, picture frames that are just begging for a sweet coat of spray paint.

**If you're new to Pinterest & my Pinterest Picks posts, the pictures below are clickable, and will take you right to the pin on pinterest. Easy peasy.

Source: etsy.com via Jesse on Pinterest

This is such a great idea. Pretty simple too! Some wire, clips, a frame and a coat of paint. Done! This would be great for kids artwork too.  Here are some other variations of the same idea:

Source: google.com via Jesse on Pinterest

Source: 1.bp.blogspot.com via Jesse on Pinterest

That blue one really pops!  See what I mean about the frame though? I'll be you $5 that frame was in a Goodwill, and had some crazy painting of cats & flowers in it or something.  Those type of paintings always seem to have these detailed frames, and it looks great in this solid light blue.

Source: flickr.com via Jesse on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Jesse on Pinterest

Refreshing! A simple coat of paint, does the trick everytime. This works on trinkets & tchotchkes too by the way. Some awkward little porcelain statue of a deer learning arithmetic suddenly becomes a chic little book end, in under 10 minutes! Try it, totally works. That yellow frame there is awesome, I wish I could come across something like that in a thrift shop!

Source: followeveryday.blogspot.com via Jesse on Pinterest

I've never been lucky enough to come across an adorable old window, but if I did, you better believe I'll pull one of these in my house.  It would look so cool with a scenic picture back there. Almost like a fake window, its a pick your own view adventure! My mom and I did that once on a smaller scale, a picture frame that sort of looked like a window. We put an ocean view in there, looked awesome. Alright, I'm gonna wrap things up with this big beauty:

Source: design-milk.com via Jesse on Pinterest

Woo! That is large and in charge. Home Depot never saw this person coming! That's paint chips my friends, done in what looks like a large frame. Though, I bet it's just the molding detail on the wall, filled with paint chips.  Either way, really cool & fun idea for unique wall art.

Have a fantastic Wednesday people, the end of the week has officially begun! Keep in touch: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter & Email.

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Ultimate Flattery

I love getting emails from my readers, and this weekend I got not one but two wonderful emails regarding projects they've tackled.  I was so flattered! It's so fun to think that something I've posted about has inspired someone else to tackle it in their own home, and wow did they ever tackle it! These two did an amazing job.  Amy wrote me saying she followed my wall string art tutorial from way back, in her own home. Check out her awesome wall:

Boom! Oh wow, I love how it came out. I think my favorites are the large one on the left, and that one directly over the bed.  Wait, and that large one that is almost a wreath - oh they are all great! The placement is nice too, very good design Amy! She also plans to do a ladybug theme in her daughters room, and I hope we're lucky enough to see those pictures too. (Please share with us, Amy!)

Another reader, Abby, wrote me to share that she tried her hand at the Striped Round Table tutorial (that seems to have really been popular on Pinterest, thanks y'all!) and now has an adorable kitchen table.  Take a look at her table before, via craigslist:

 

Brace yourselves for the after shot:

Came out so cute! I love that she did matching chairs, they look incredible. You can tell by the glare that the finish is probably so soft.  I really like her stripes here too, the middle one is a little larger than the surrounding two.  This looks really nice, kudos Abby on a fantastic job!  Some tips we were discussing, that I should share with you, is how horrible & boring of a time painting spindles can be!  She was about to seal it when I suggested getting a spray seal for those chair spindles, when she replied saying she had done just that! Great minds think alike I guess, hehe. Seriously folks, this is a wonderful project to do - and if you try it, it's no longer just me suggesting some spray for those areas! It's just easier, and more fun.  And these things are supposed to be fun, too!

What do you think, didn't these ladies do a great job?  Special shout out & thank yous to Amy & Abby for sharing there projects with me, and allowing me to share with all of you! Give them a round of applause, or some comment-love since we can't hear each others clapping...

If you've tackled a project, I'd love to see it & share it with everyone here, just shoot me an e-mail and include your photos.  Have a fantastic Thursday - know what will make today even better? Tomorrow is Friday!

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How To: Fabric Bankers Boxes

I love when things are organized. Keeping them that way, however, is another story.  Now & then I get the urge, and dump out a closet or two for a full on cleansing.  Since I have no warning whatsoever as to when these urges will strike, I never seem to have a stash of adorable organizational boxes on hand.  Plus, it's hard for me to pay a pretty penny on "cute boxes" that will be stashed in a closet anyway - maybe I'm just cheap! I know it's all the rage right now to have your closet not only organized, but absolutely friggin' adorable too for all of pinterest to awe over  - but let's face it, that takes some dough!  And there's no way my closet is getting the cute-ify funds before the rest of the house does, am I right?

I always end up using whatever empty box is lying around, scribbling on the side of it in sharpie, and wishing it looked better.  So when I saw this post from Craftaholics Anonymous, it really hit home. Cheap, Cute, and could be made on the fly with scraps around the house. I present to you, Fabric Covered Bankers Boxes:
Nice, huh?  I've covered boxes in paper before in the name of being cheap thrifty, and they never make the long haul.  I've decoupaged it on, covered it in packing tape, you name it.  This though? Perfect solution.  Fabric is durable, adorable, and you could coat it in a polycrylic if you really wanted some protection from dust & dirt.  Plus, isn't it nice to know that a standard bankers box, which runs you all of $2 or so, fits perfectly into IKEA's expedit shelf? I'll say!

How do I know it's an Expedit? It's creepy, really. I have no idea how this happened to me, maybe I was struck by Ikea lightning or something - but ever since my first catalog, I've had their inventory completely memorized.  This is a strange, effortless phenomenon - I can even quote you prices most of the time.  And I don't sit around studying the catalog all day either - this is a mystery to me, but hey - it works, so why argue.  Plus to double check, I read up on the blog that it is indeed Expedit. :)   Which is Ikea's newer line of affordable shelves, I think they are steering away from Billy.  Whoah.... too much Ikea there.  Suddenly I want swedish meatballs....

I originally saw these boxes over at Craftaholics Anonymous, but it looks like the original post is from  Adventures of Brad and Kendra.  So head over to either one, spread some love if you're feeling it, and get yourself some bankers boxes.  No home should be without!

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Pinterest Picks: Fall is here

Surprise! Today is the last day of summer! Snuck up on you, didn't it? I had a clue it was coming as the mornings got a little cooler, but I had no idea it was tomorrow! Sad to see summer go, but fall can be fun in it's own way, Halloween...Thanksgiving... just try not to think of spring & summer and you'll get through it! The best way I've found to combat the blues from knowing that it's about to get freezing (anything below 45 degrees is a personal state of emergency) is to just embrace it and ramp up for it. So for today's pinterest picks, I'm going to pull some pins that will hopefully get us all ready & excited for the Fall... click here to see my full fall pinterest board, otherwise - here we go!

Source: vi.sualize.us via Jesse on Pinterest

Pumpkins. We all love 'em.  An essential part of Halloween, and lately the pumpkin festivals have really gotten creative.  So there's something fun!  They have hay mazes, pumpkin culinary creations, pumpkin beer... and I don't know if they all have this - but one patch near here has a pumpkin launcher. It's as it sounds, you pay to pick a pumpkin out, put it in a giant sling-shot-thingy, and launch that squash out into the fields. Satisfying! Oh, and did I mention pumpkin beer?

Source: marthastewart.com via Jesse on Pinterest

And of course with pumpkins comes pumpkin carving. I, to this day, still love pumpkin carving. Plus, now with pinterest, there are SO many ideas literally at my fingertips. These are from Martha Stewart I think (pfft...ofcourse!) and show how you don't even have to do a face on that trademark squash.  With pumpkins being a dime-a-dozen you can get really creative and do all sorts of awesome alternative jack-o-lanterns.  Here's a pretty cool centerpiece with white pumpkins:

Source: wenderly.com via Jesse on Pinterest

I think to keep the top intact like that, this person probably hollowed the pumpkins out from the bottom. Clever! I've seen people painting pumpkins too, which by the way is really easy with chalk paint (remember this DIY chalk paint?) as that stuff sticks to everything and anything. Enough Pumpkins, never forget the main reason we enjoy fall, Halloween!  I'm not really a fan of candy, I'd take a steak over that anyday - but I LOVE all the crazy costumes, and here in Santa Cruz, Halloween takes over the whole downtown.  Everyone can dress up (and should) - I love this pregnant costume, best idea I've seen in a while:

Source: leftstudios.com via Jesse on Pinterest

Ha! That is so clever! and easy I bet. Next time a friend of mine is pregnant, I will insist on this costume. I'll even make it for them if I have to. Hear that future pregnant friends? I will make this costume for you! I guess it is a little gory. Who cares, so's Halloween. This is probably one of the lesser gory costumes, have you seen some of the masks? They are creepy just sitting in the store! Moving on, the most important thing in my opinion about Fall: THE FOOD.  Delicious, nutritious, ambitious & comforting food that heats your whole house & body.  My favorite stew, that I make every year is Drunken Irish Stew:

Source: crepesofwrath.net via Jesse on Pinterest

It takes a little while but it's so worth it. And yes, it's drunken - there's like 2 cups of wine and some beer in there, I swear it's not disgusting! The recipe is from one of my favorite cooking blogs, Crepes of Wrath.  I'm a picture person (could you tell?) and she does all her recipes in photos - step by step! You should make it. Or come eat it when I make it.

Source: pinterests-meat-recipes.blogspot.com via Jesse on Pinterest

Oh my Goo-ness....all kinds of chicken & wonderful going on up there.   Cooking in the fall is probably my favorite.  Sure, we don't get to grill as much anymore, but I bet if we did that all year it would really get old (yea right).  At least when it's cold & dark outside, cooking becomes the focus of the night, everyone talking and helping - and it always smells amazing.  So invite people over, have everyone help out and make fall really fun, oh - and serve these delicious adult bevvies:

Source: centrebridgeinn.com via Jesse on Pinterest

Hot butter rum!  If you've never had them, make this the year that you do.  They are delicious, effective, and terrible for you. And definitely not a drink you want to have any other time of the year.  It's hot & buttery, as the name suggests, and really only tastes good on a cold night.  If you pop these out at a dinner party in July, don't expect those guests to break your door down at the next festivity.  I'm kidding! I don't want to offend anyone who serves hot butter rum in the heat.  I'm sure you could serve them whenever, but why not keep them special for the holidays?

I've rambled long enough! Time for you to take it from here and find all sorts of ideas that get you ready and excited for fall.  Indoor projects you have yet to tackle, new cooking adventures, and tranforming your house into an orange & black explosion.  Whatever you do, make it enjoyable, stress-free, and most of all memorable! That way next year you'll be even more excited.  I'm not sure how your supposed to say "Happy Fall" so I'll just say.... Happy Fall everyone!

See the Full Fall Board 

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Hawaiian Interiors

Part of coming home from a fantastic vacation is drudging through the post vacation blues.  I know, the positive outlook is to think things like "at least we got to go" and "smile because it happened" - but you all know exactly what I mean.  The souvenirs around you remind you of where you were last week, and all the pictures you get to go through and post make you miss it even more! OK - temper tantrum over, all in all, Kauai was an amazing vacation and I can't wait to go back!

All that warmth, sunshine & colorful surroundings does something to a body though - suddenly you get urges to wear nothing but tropical prints & redecorate your entire house in bamboo & palm tree prints.  The funny part too, is while you're there, in the stores... it all makes perfect sense! Hence why we had to buy an extra suitcase just to get it all back home. Oops! I behaved, most of it was souvenirs, though I am left with all kinds of great ideas of themes I could see incorporating into the house.  Now hold on a minute, I don't mean anything over the top like this:

Photo Source

Sure, this might be paradise for some people, but for me? It's a little too theme restaurant-ey...

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Spotlight: Cross Stich Furniture

One of my favorite bloggers, Barb Blair of Knack Studios recently posted these amazing giant cross stitch furniture & rugs. I had to do a double take, this reminded me so much of my Grandma! Except that she didn't make rugs & sofas, more like wall hangings (amazing ones too!)... these are unbelievable, I can't imagine the time that goes into them.

Look at that - pillows, sofas.... rugs... what a great idea, and such a unique look.  With the stitches being so much bigger, I imagine this would come out pretty soft, and take less time too.   They are sort of industrial and modern, but cozy, charming & give the feel of handmade. If that makes any sense!  These beauties are made by the Belgian Designer, Charlotte Lancelot.

I think the ottoman, or a few pillows would be more than welcome in our house.  What do you think could you add these to your home decor? Enjoy!

-Jesse

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 Hey check out that sweet lamp on the left there too, cute!

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Bottle Brainstorm

Let me start by declaring, I am not a hoarder.  However - I have spied these bottles in my recycle bin lately, and can't stop thinking about them.  Ok, maybe that is a little hoarder-ish... but sometimes I see a bottle, or other everyday object, and it sticks in my head.  I think "there must be a way to re-use that!".  So, the bottle is from a coffee called "Chameleon" or something, and a friend of mine drinks a lot of them.  So many, that any given week I can count on a good 5 or 6 in our recycle bin.  Here's what caught my eye and sparked my interest:

That shape! It's so cute. It reminds me of the stubby little Red Stripe bottles, except these are clear. And don't immediately remind you of beer.  Much better!  Plus the label was a piece of cake to get off of it, which is another huge consideration when you're hoarding re-using bottles.  Nothing kills the fun like breaking out the acetone and scrubbing off bottle ink...

Now I need ideas! This is where you come in - what would you do with these? I mean, vase of course is the obvious one.. but I have so many at my disposal (no pun intended!) that I could really use a wide variety of ideas.  The first thing that comes to mind is the color dip look, which I love & see all around lately.  Stools, chopsticks, bottles... I love that the line isn't perfect, hence the dip. Plus I want to try dipping & then placing them upside down, for a sweet drip effect.  Example:

I'll have to play with dipping regular paint vs. chalk paint, the chalk paint sounds good since it sticks to everything.  The photo above is from the site, Mums Business, which has quite a few dipping tricks and ideas.

Do you have any bottles that you can't seem to throw out? What ideas do you have for re-using these beauties? Have a fantastic Thursday everyone!

P.S. - Yes, that was totally the new IKEA catalog in that shot up there, it finally came! I must be the last one to get it....

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How To: Paper Dot Mobile

Mobiles are traditionally popular over cribs & in childrens rooms, but I have always thought they are so colorful and fun that they can (and should) be used anywhere in the house.  I love that they gently and quietly move in the breeze of the room.  I stumbled across a super cute paper mobile tutorial, and it inspired me to round up a few fun ideas & share them all with you. Whether over a crib or over a desk, these easy DIY mobiles bring a little fun wherever you need it:

Photo Credit: SmallShopStudio

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Spotlight: Painters Tape Contest Finalists

Have you been following it?  If you're a reader of Design*Sponge, you've probably heard of the recent Painters Tape Contest.  What a clever idea, and I heard that they had so many entries.  Finally, the top 20 contestants came in, and they posted them recently. I can't even imagine having to choose, there were probably so many great ideas!  Here are my favorites:

Even of the four I'm showing you here, my absolute favorite is the white geometric wall.  I'm obsessed with that same pattern lately! Remember the canvas tutorial last week? Yep. I love it.  That ceramic pot is also amazing.  Look at that wall too! The deep blue alone was gorgeous, and the striking white shreds look so interesting.  Everything in that room, actually!

To see all 20 finalists, head to the fantastic Design Sponge:

Group 1

&

Group 2 

Speaking of contests... don't miss my first giveaway! Still time to enter, closes next Wednesday! a Rafflecopter giveaway

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