I’ve been holed up in my apartment for the last two weeks working on some exciting projects, fueled by caffeine and my Zone Out Don’t Stop Working playlist. I’ve never knitted a full blanket before, I was a little worried at times, but I loved the way it turned out. I totally have something sneaky up my sleeve and I can’t wait to share it with everyone when it’s ready :)
One of the biggest struggles when redecorating is budget, and while I’d love to say DIYing your way through a room saves you money, that’s not always the case. Here are some amazing tutorials I found while browsing online that look so close or better than their source of inspiration!
1. Dodecahedron Pendant Light $440 vs. $10
View Along the Way is a great blog with wonderful, well designed DIY projects! I am obsessed with the dodecahedron pendant light. I think that Kelly’s DIYed version is much cuter than the original.
2. United States Chalkboard Map $168 vs. $8
Stephanie Lynn has a wonderful tutorial of this chalk board map for a much more affordable price. Her method is so easy, it looks professional.
3. Reclaimed Octagon Mirror $348 vs. $50
Kelly from View Along the Way made the mirror for free using a wood pallet and a used mirror. The only thing that cost money was a digital protractor used to measure angles. I am determined to do this one!
4. Kilim Floor Pouf $249 vs. $24
Erica from Retropolitan figured out how to makes these gorgeous floor poufs from West Elm for 1/10th of the price! Not to mention it’s a very doable tutorial.
5.Veneer Spheres $29 vs. $5
I love these spheres and love the price even more! I don’t like to spend too much on decorative pieces because I change my mind so often, but this tutorial from Hill Country Homebody is easy and inexpensive, so it’s a must try!
6. Chain Rib Throw $79 vs. $22
I love knitting my own blankets, but sometimes the cost actually surpasses the store brand item. This is a very simple tutorial, and can be cost effective if you have the right yarn. I suggest getting a less expensive yarn like this one and washing it first in a lingerie bag to soften it. For a throw as large as this, I’d also suggest doubling the width of the pattern and knitting for 10 skeins.
7. Factory Cart Table $995 vs. $150
Tom and I have had our eye on this coffee table from Restoration Hardware for quite some time, but the price tag so so off-putting! I was super excited to find this tutorial from The Blissful Bee!
This past Saturday, my friends and I did the Color Run! So much fun! We did the Color Run last July and had a blast so it was a no brainer to do it again. This time they had tons of amazing food trucks including my favorite, Chairman Bao. I’m debating a half marathon next. We shall see.
It’s Friday and the weekend is only hours away, for some it might have already started. Today is unusually beautiful, yet again in San Francisco. It’s actually kind of weird. Are we going to have to pay for this two fold? It feels too good to be true.
Side note: I just deleted the longest tangent I’ve ever gone on. For anyone that is curious, it had to do with Morlocks. I embarrass myself sometimes.
Here are some things from the past week that I wanted to share with all of you lovelies!
I am in love with this Ikea hacked Hemnes dresser from Laquer and Linen.
Dying to try Jenna’s leather bow tie belt from A Birds Leap.
I’m on a pizza kick and tonight I’m trying Natalie from Fresh Life Finding’s Chicken and Veggie Pizza with Cauliflower and Spinach Crust. It looks so good!
I have to try this DIY bralette from Project 22. It looks too easy to not do it!
I watched Jimmy Fallon and Michelle Obama in the Evolution of Mom Dancing, I kid you not, like, 12 times.
I love this infographic on The Many Faces of Leonardo DiCaprio. LOVE IT!
I know, I know the Oscars were last Sunday and, in the blogosphere, I am super late on this, but Jennifer Lawrence (who, I think needs to be my best friend) had the most amazing up do! I generally don’t get into award season, but I had to give it a try. It was so loose and elegant, but still really structured, all the things that make a great up do! Not gonna lie, this one took me a few times and when it came down to it, all the difference was in the backcombing. If I did it again, I might curl my hair first, but I was looking to simplify.
Step One: Gather the top section of hair, in a horseshoe shape. Back comb, liberally. Just when you think you’ve gone too far, just add a little more.
Step Two: Lightly run your fingers over the top to break up the backcombing and give a piecey look. Pin top section right below the crown, leaving some lift in the front.
Step Three: Take a small 1 inch section from either side of your head, Twist and cross in the back, covering your bobby pins near the crown. Pin in place. Move down in 1 inch sections, pulling towards the crown and criss-crossing all sections as you pin to give a braided effect.
Step Four: Pull remaining hair back into a ponytail, using a small elastic, (not a full blown rubberband) and backcomb. When pulling hair into ponytail, lean your head back, this will help with keeping the bottom of your ponytail tight. Unlike before, backcomb until you have nothing left to backcomb, we are talking poof ball, as much as possible!
Step Five: Take poof ball ponytail and twist into a bun and pin securely to the nape of your neck. Hair pin as needed.
Dress: Difference Between White and Saffron Dress/ Modcloth
