Kelsey Inspired

Boot socks

2012-02-23T23:03:00.000-04:00

Maybe I am like 6 months behind with this trend, but cut me some slack I wasn't exactly in boot sock wearing weather until recently... I'm finally getting to some of the DIY projects I have in my pinterest to do file.

I made my boots socks the simple, lazy girl way.

First I went through my closet and decided that I didn't have any sweaters ugly enough that I was willing to cut them up, so where did I go next? My mom's closet. Ugly sweater heaven.
Not that my mom is a bad dresser.... she just has a tendency to hang on to things way, way past their prime or keep something around because it is "comfortable", which is exactly what she said when I pulled out 3 sweaters I wanted to chop.

I convinced her that these sweaters had to go and she willingly (I am so thankful for my sweet mom) let me take a pair of scissors to them.
I had been looking for sweaters at the Goodwill and Salvation Army but I'm seriously so cheap I couldn't justify paying $3-4 for a sweater just to cut it up. Free is so much better, wouldn't you agree?

*Before you begin cutting make sure that the wrist of the sweater is large enough to fit over your calf, but tight enough that it isn't going to fall down!

I simply cut off the sleeves of the sweater, put it on my leg, trimmed the bottom so it was about ankle length, and then put my boots on.

That's it.
I figure if the unfinished edge is going to be down inside of my boot anyway there was no need to hem it or put an elastic band in. But that's just me. Feel free to hem it and make it look nice if you want.

The results look something like this. You can see the entire outfit on my most recent What I Wear Wednesday post.

These are the other two pairs I made... I do think that I would like these better layered over skinny jeans or tights, but these pictures were taken quickly to share on here, so bare legs it was!

Perhaps my next What I Wear Wednesday will be a boot parade... I have been "collecting" boots since I met my Canadian hubby and thought that if I'm forced to live in the freezing cold I might as well be warm and look stylish while doing it. Little did I know that I should have been collecting sunglasses and bikinis for our little Grenadian adventure :)
Now it looks like we may be heading north to Detroit, Michigan so I will be well prepared for the cold snowy winters ahead. ha!
I also collect coats, scarves, hats, gloves, sweaters, etc....
Do you think my husband is buying into this rationalization?

What I Wear Wednesday

2012-02-22T06:00:00.000-04:00

Wednesday again!
I have a great deal to share with you!!
My new coat! It is Worthington from JC Penny originally cost $250! Seriously someone out there paid $250 for this coat.... but I paid..... $20!!! That is like 90% off!
ALL WOMEN'S COATS ARE $20 AT JC PENNY NOW! (at least ours in Ashland, Ky)

I wish a picture could show you how nice it is... the nicest coat I've ever owned that's for sure. It's so warm it kept me toasty in the cold cold cold Canadian weather.

Praise the Lord I'm back in Southern Ohio today and it was a balmy 55degrees today :)

Check out that snow! The most we've had here was about 1 inch, which you saw last Wednesday and scolded me for not wearing socks ;)

I have the thinking that if I'm going to be spending 95% of my time indoors I can wear whatever, right?

Thanks to my sweet husband for being my photographer :) I can't wait until he is here everyday and can take my picture, right?!

These are my new boot socks and I will be sharing how I made them soon :)

Canada, eh?

2012-02-19T10:29:00.001-04:00

I decided to throw caution to the wind and head north to see my husband
or I had a 4 day weekend because of President's Day and Parent Teacher Conferences and my mom offered to make the 10 hour drive with me....

either way. I'm here!!
and he's beautiful and perfect and 100% mine.
and I have to leave tomorrow and not see him for another month. boo.

On Valentine's Day I got a sweet surprise when he emailed me a song he had written for me and he has allowed me to share it with you! It's too cute to not share :)

What I Wear Wednesday

2012-02-15T09:19:00.000-04:00

snow day!
the weather here has been absolutely beautiful and warm... until this week.
it got cold and snowed!

Don't worry... I wore a coat!

xo He Loves Me xo

2012-02-14T08:09:00.000-04:00

I am so blessed. I love my husband so much. I wish we could be together this Valentine's Day... but even though we're far apart we're just as much in love as we were that very first Valentine's Day we spent together 7 years ago... ok. actually, way way way more in love than we were then.
He is like a fine wine, just keeps getting better with age.
seriously.

My beautiful Lee.... I miss you so much!

xo kiss kiss xo

2012-02-13T04:21:00.000-04:00

These are a few of my favorite {Valentine's Day} pins...

Source: feelingstitchy.com via Kelsey on Pinterest

Source: gallery.me.com via Kelsey on Pinterest

Source: myblessedlife.net via Kelsey on Pinterest

Source: peacockfeatherevents.blogspot.com via Kelsey on Pinterest

Source: achadosdedecoracao.blogspot.com via Kelsey on Pinterest

Source: southernpiphi.tumblr.com via Kelsey on Pinterest

Emboridery Hoop Decor

2012-02-12T16:10:00.000-04:00

Ok, how do you working bloggers do this?
When do you find the time to blog?
Do you schedule several to post throughout the week?

I started my blogs while I was in Grenada without a real job, per-say.
I've only been working consistently for about a week and I am so behind!
and let's face it, it doesn't take much for my blog to fall to the way side.

I have been busy working, making wreaths, going to church, and having a life... which leaves little time for blogging. imagine if my husband was here currently.

I really love blogging and sharing ideas and projects with others and reading up on other people's lives and such too, so I am determined to not quit!

Here is a little project I did in about an hour for a friend's "sprinkle" for her second baby :)
I love that all my friends have pinterest (even if it is a little annoying because I feel like I never get to have an idea all to myself without 100s others pinning it too. anyway) I can look and see what they like and it comes in handy when gift buying!!
My friend had pinned several embroidery hoops so I decided to make some with her girl's names on them!
Turns out she had already decorated the their room, but my two additional hoops fit right in!!

Better yet, I got these hoops at the Goodwill for .59cents and .39cents!

My best friend's house

2012-02-07T06:00:00.000-04:00

My best friend Michelle recently developed a love for vintage things and she quickly went to work building a collection of items from local thrift and antique stores.
My favorite purchase of hers has been the old school desk we found for $16!

Isn't it adorable! It came perfect as is.
We also arranged the photos of her family on the wall behind to form the gallery wall.

I'm going to be featuring other parts of her home in the future. It is just too cute!
Remember the wreaths I posted the other day with the leopard print background?? That may have been the wallpaper in her kitchen!! That's what kind of girl she is. so much fun.

What time is it?

2012-02-06T07:00:00.000-04:00

Time to get a watch! (har har har)

While living in Grenada I had 1 watch, it was a cheap sport watch from Walmart and the band broke after a couple months (probably from too much sun and water).
Once I got home I found all my other watches' batteries dead... and let's be honest, I am NEVER going to remember to get the battery changed. I always forget.
It's also important to note that I don't have a cell phone. serious. I've been home for over a month now and haven't really noticed or been too inconvenienced by not having a phone other than the fact that I never know what time it is... and once I had to use a pay phone (which cost .75cents for a local call! robery!)

Anyway!
I was in Target the other day and they had watches on clearance and I remembered I needed to know what time it is.... I could not believe how cheap they were!
How much do you think??

go ahead guess.....

$10?

$4.48!!

They don't have any online but if you head to your local Target you might get lucky!
They had white, pink, blue, and black.

Giveaway Winner!!

2012-02-05T15:42:00.000-04:00

drum roll....................

And the winner is:
Courtney B!!
she blogs over at from here to eternity about her life with her husband Eric.

Thank you so so so much to everyone who entered!
This was a first giveaway for me and I can say that I learned a lot and I am so happy to have met some new friends!

Courtney is going to be receiving a yarn wrapped wreath in the colors of her choice :)

Here are some other wreaths I've been working on recently!

This wreath was bought at the Goodwill for $1 and I took off all the stuff and added my own! Great deal when you can find them!! This is for my Sister-in-law for her Birthday!

The little sign is a chalk board so the message can be changed from season to season... or day to day!

I've begun making my own grapevine wreaths too! My mom and I went up into the woods and grapevines are abundant! It' so easy too! Much better than paying $5-6 at Hobby Lobby for one not as nice.

I think I love making wreaths.

new hair trick!

2012-02-04T09:38:00.000-04:00

I saw this on pinterest the other day and I tried it out and it worked!!
I've always loved putting my hair in a french braid at night and taking it out in the morning and having some waves.
It's great if you need something done to your hair and don't have time to straighten or curl it all over.
I braided my hair into 5 big sections, two on top and three around the bottom and ran my straightener over the braids, twisting it a bit at the bottom so it curled a bit.
I sprayed it, let it cool down while I put on my make up, took out the braids, and it was done! lots of waves and body!
It looked just like the picture on pinterest.... but I didn't think to take a picture this morning.
I will say that it didn't last quite as long as the braid the night before method, 12 hours later my hair was a little flat, but it was great in a pinch!

Source: hair.allwomenstalk.com via Kelsey on Pinterest

Do you have any secret hair tricks?!
Up until this my best trick was to use baby powder as dry shampoo!

Secret female code?

2012-02-03T15:52:00.000-04:00

the other day I faced a couple situations and the way the people reacted have stuck with me...

a little background:
I am substitute teaching, which means that they can call me at the very last minute and ask me to come to work. Well this particular day I had stayed up entirely too late the night before reading the Hunger Games (I know right?! I'm finally catching up on all the stuff I missed being out of the US) and they called and asked me to be at the school in 20 minutes.
I put my hair in a ponytail, wore an outfit that I normally wouldn't have otherwise, it was just comfortable and convenient, and tried to put on some mascara and blush in the car.
It was a long day, I was with a boy with Autism and spent most of the day chasing him and I'm fairly certain I looked pretty ragged.

After work I needed to mail a package. I went up to the counter and there was a young man, probably not 30 yet working and I handed him my debit card and it was denied.
What?! I had no cash and no other card and lets just say he was less than happy about the situation ( but really, who could be more upset than me, like I planned this)
I explained that I could go down the street to the bank and return in about 10 minutes with money (thank god for it being a small town) and he replied that I better or my package becomes property of the post office blah blah blah.
I understand that this is probably normal protocol but I had the feeling he was being a little bit extra rude to me and wanted me to feel really terrible about not having any money.

I arrive at my bank, which really isn't that much of "my" bank. I haven't lived here for two years and I don't know anyone who works there.
I go up the counter where a young woman was working and she was so sweet and explained that I had, had several things withdrawn that day (first of the month) and my account was overdrawn.
yikes. I had a check at home that I needed to deposit but was 30 minutes from home (we live out in the boondocks) and a check with me that I was hoping to cash and then take money to the post office.
I explained my situation and the situation at the post office and she allowed me to cash my check that I had with me (which apparently you aren't allowed to do when your account is overdrawn, all the money is supposed to go to the difference) but she allowed me to take $20 of it down to the post office because I promised to come back with more money before they closed for the day.

So back to the post office where the guy at the counter didn't even make eye contact with me just took my money and didn't respond to my heartfelt thanks.
Then to meet my Mom to get the check I had at home and back to the bank where it was deposited with no problems and they didn't charge me any kind of fees.
Bless that woman who's name I didn't even catch.

I was thinking about it and how rude the guy in the post office had been and I happened to see myself in the mirror and I couldn't help but wonder if he would have been nicer to me if I had looked better. If my hair had been fixed and I had on a full face of make up and some more attractive clothing.
Then I wondered if the girl in the bank had been nice to me because I had looked bad. She felt sorry for me and it was some type of female code to help another out.
Would she have responded the same way if I had walked in, in my Sunday best? hmmmm

Maybe I'm just reading way too into it and the guy at the post office is just always a jerk and the woman at the bank is just really sweet and helpful to everyone.
Interesting thought though huh?
Have you ever experienced something similar?

This is a good reminder to just be nice to everyone all the time, regardless of what they look like.

My first etsy sale!

2012-02-02T14:35:00.000-04:00

I sold my first item on Etsy yesterday!
A beautiful pink purse that I have had in my closet for years and years.
I was a little sad to see it go...
I've truthfully never carried it. I just liked it and I went through this phase (ok so I might still be in it) where I wanted my closet to look like a store. I displayed things.
Purses being one of the number one things.
And what more could you want for a closet than a bright pink vintage purse?!
Maybe that's what the buyer was thinking too....

Don't forget about the giveaway going on now!! Not too many people have entered so the chances of winning are really high ;)

Superbowl food!

2012-01-30T17:36:00.001-04:00

I love any excuse to have a party. so this weekend, superbowl it is!
Last year my husband and I were in Grenada and he was studying all day and I still made lots of special food for the two of us to enjoy and I think we only watched the 2nd half...
Anyway, this year I'm home and I think at least my parents will be here for the superbowl and I'd love to try some cute little finger foods!

From chef-in-training.com

From foodpeoplewant.com

From addapinch.com

From tasteofhome.com

I'm having a serious craving for mozzarella sticks.
What are you making for the superbowl?
Do you like football or just the ads?
or just the food? :)

Don't forget about the giveaway going on now!!
Happy Monday!

Kelsey Inspired GIVEAWAY!

2012-01-26T13:48:00.000-04:00

Good morning blogging family!
I am in such a great mood today. Things are finally working out!
I got called to be a substitute teacher in the school district I grew up in, yay for a job!!
Thank you Jesus for an answer to prayer :)

I would also like to share with you the exciting news I have been wanting to share (even though I may not be officially ready yet, I cannot wait!)

I've started an Etsy store!

KelseyInspired on Etsy

I've just started and have listed several vintage items and plan on adding to it in the future with some more handmade items.
When I was beginning this I made a wreath for my best friend and then she had a friend who saw it and wanted one, which turned into their mom wanting one, and sister-in-law, and other friends, and before I knew it I was in the wreath making business! (if anyone has info as to the difficulty and price of shipping a large grapevine wreath it would be much appreciated, but in the mean time I'm having trouble keeping up with my friends and family!)

In honor all of you lovely friends and the blessings that have been shown to me recently I would like to do a giveaway!!

A handmade, original, custom wreath just for you!
You can choose from the following or any combo of the following!! Give me some new ideas! You pick the colors and materials!

A twine wrapped wreath with felt flowers (12in diameter)

yarn wrapped wreath with felt flowers, buttons, and tulle (12inch diameter)

a vintage embroidery hoop with bunting and yo-yo's (9inch diameter)

Several ways to enter!
Please leave a separate comment as you do each other following

1. If you have been a long time follower let me know and that will get you 2 entries! I appreciate you so much!
2. If you are a new follower let me know and get 1 entry!
3. Post about this giveaway on Facebook and receive 1 entry!
4. Post about this giveaway on Twitter and receive 1 entry!
5. Blog about this giveaway and receive 1 entry!
6. Pin your favorite wreath on Pinterest along with info about the giveaway and receive 1 entry!
7. Leave a comment letting me know which is your favorite or what type of wreath you would like to receive 1 entry!

Giveaway runs until next Thursday, February 2nd - Groundhog's Day! I apologize but I can only ship to the US and Canada (can't leave the Canadians out my hubby is one after all!)
Thank you everyone!!

Little Deanna

2012-01-20T13:53:00.000-04:00

My friends and I in Grenada have gotten to know this sweet little family - the Coutains through the Limes After School program.
Deanna is a 1 year old (2yrs in May) who was born without an eye and is in need of an operation to fill the exposed space and soft tissue.
You can read all about the situation and what this little girl needs on this website my friend Amber has set up.
http://deannacoutain.blogspot.com
She has a FAQ section with lots of great information.

Amber has also set up a donation site for anyone who would be interesting in helping this little girl travel to America for the operation. Any amount would help drastically change this little one's life.
https://wepay.com/donations/deannacoutain
Please search your heart and check out these websites and pray for this family.
Thank you to everyone who has already donated and has this little girl on your heart!

This isn't the exciting news I was going to share.. but just think how amazing it will be to know that you were apart of helping this precious little face! :)

haircut haircut

2012-01-19T18:10:00.001-04:00

Hello world.
once again I've let too much time slip by... but I have a good excuse I promise.
I have something exciting that I've been working on....... and I will hopefully share that with you this week (yay!) and I've been begging for a job. hopefully that will be panning out SOON!

I did manage to get a haircut.
Seriously about time, right?

I have a before and after picture... but I swear my hair looks so much worse in this before picture than if ever did when I went out in public. We'll blame it on having it brushed out right before the photo.

Truthfully...... a few days later I can't even tell the difference. haha.
I am no longer getting it stuck in weird places or stepping on it when I bend over.... but it's still pretty darn long.
I didn't go for the bangs..... what a chicken.
I might yet.... baby steps.

Stay tuned for something fun and exciting! yes!

Felt Friends

2012-01-09T19:44:00.001-04:00

I have been going a little felt crazy lately... I made about a 100 flowers this Christmas and gave away as gifts as hair clips, broaches, shoe clips, etc.

I found a little bunny in a book and decided to try my hand at making one myself on Sunday afternoon.
I did it all by hand, I tried to make one with the machine but it didn't turn out so well, I think my tension was too tight and it didn't work well with the felt... at least that's what I think.
It didn't take long to make and then I began receiving requests from my nieces :)

My niece's little monster! Up next a kitty cat!

I think these little critters would be great made out of an old sweater, what do you think??
Have you ever chopped up a sweater? I may be raiding the $1 bin at Salvation Army soon....
Happy Monday!

Fancy Fascinators!

2012-01-06T05:17:00.000-04:00

My mom bought a gorgeous dress for my sister's vow renewal. I absolutely loved it.
And she liked to brag that she got it for .98cents.
not really though... it was $20.98 and she had a $20 gift card... but still a great deal.
When she was trying on the dress (at Belk) there was a headband fascinator that she fell in love with, but it was $50 and she was too cheap to buy it (I don't blame her one bit) . Then it went on sale for $30 and my dad wanted to get it for her for Christmas but by the time we went back to the store it was gone.
So I did what any other DIY loving girl would do I set to make one myself!
I never saw the original one from Belk.... actually until just now when I thought to see if they had it online, duh.

I'm actually glad I didn't see this one because I don't really like it that much...

Here is the one I made my momma!

It matched her dress perfectly!
It only cost about $4 to make:
.25cents for a 12inch cut of blue tulle
.99cents for the blue flower in the center from the wedding floral section of Hobby Lobby
.99cents for the blue beads
$1 for the black feathers
Free - the jeweled centerpiece (it came in a misc bag of stuff my dad bought off Ebay, used to be a clip on earring!)

I liked it so much I made some for my nieces to wear for the ceremony too!

I whipped one up for my other sister last minute, she thought her outfit needed a little extra something so she got a broach of mine, chicken feathers from my dad's chickens in the yard, and a headband. serious! and it turned out so cute!

Want to see more of our awesome New Year's Party??
Decorations
What We Wore
Photo Booth

Photo Booth!

2012-01-05T11:54:00.000-04:00

I made my first photo booth for my sister's vow renewal and learned serveral things in doing so...

#1. don't have a shiny background.
in my defense, I didn't know it'd be shiny. I bought wrapping paper to use as the background and didn't realize that it'd be plastic and not paper. false advertisement if you ask me.

#2. make sure people know what it is.
several people didn't get it. advertise to the party guests. go first and look like you're having fun!

#3. have lots of props!
we had masks and hats and it really brought out some people's personalities.

So much fun, I wish I had done one at my wedding! :(

What I Wear Wednesday - New Years Frock

2012-01-04T11:19:00.001-04:00

I finally found something to wear to my sister's New Year's vow renewal ceremony and party! At a yard sale in Grenada! What?
At the end of every term, when people are leaving the island, they have yard sales. It is mostly kitchen and housewares... but I obviously found a dress!
I was there selling stuff to get ready to leave, but obviously couldn't resist shopping!
I got it for $3!
It was a little big... it was supposed to be that way I guess because it was a size Medium, but it was a little too voluminous for me so when I got home and dug out my sewing machine and trimmed down the sides.
Sadly I had to lose the pockets :( too much detail for me to deal with... and I was sewinging it like the day before the party. typical.
Anyway, I'm happy with how it turned out and I had the perfect shoes to go with it already sitting in my closet that I got for $3 at an outlet store 2 years ago! yea $6 outfit!
It was a little short, as my entire family pointed out, but you're only 24 on New Year's once!

My skinny hubby and I! He has lost 50lbs since we got married and I'm so proud of him!

My 13yr old niece has some pretty great style too, eh?
Such a beautiful girl inside and out

My sister and I. Loved her sweater dress and I made her hair piece too (hair things and fascinators are another day)

My sister who had the vow renewal and her husband!
beautiful princess fairytale dress!

My beautiful family! My parents (middle) and their 5 grown children!
I'm the baby :)

New Year's Vow Renewal Decorations

2012-01-04T10:53:00.001-04:00

I'm still alive! Sorry I've been so MIA lately the holidays were CRAZY!
My husband and I visited family in Canada and the US and our house has been FULL of people and fun stuff going on so I was way too busy to blog.
But alas the family has all gone home, my husband is in Canada for 8 weeks studying for the USMLE (licensing exam for doctors) and I am here waiting anxiously to be called for a job! shew.
anyway...
I've only been talking about my sister's vow renewal for an entire year and it's already came and went!
It turned out beautifully and went off without a hitch.
well aside from the music not working... microphone set up next to a CD player it was!
I'll share the pictures in steps... today the decorations!
We decided to do every table a little different and I am so please with how they turned out. I didn't really stick to the plan so they are quite different than my inspiration images, but still beautiful and wintery.
Sometimes a girl just has to go with what's on clearance, right?
and don't worry, I found something to wear! at a yard sale! more about it later.

Hot Chocolate and smores bar by the fireplace!

The stage

So what did you do New Year's Eve?

New Years Eve Photo booth

2011-12-19T17:03:00.000-04:00

For my sister's vow renewal I am planning a photo booth!
Instead of going with the trendy option of mustaches (I seriously don't get it anyway) I'm going to make masquerade masks! I'm so excited!
Glitter, sequins, and feathers! What more could a girl want? :)

Source: lowescreativeideas.com via Kelsey on Pinterest

Source: max-dan-wiz.com via Patricia on Pinterest

Source: weheartit.com via Kelsey on Pinterest

Source: highsnobette.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Shiny Brite Christmas

2011-12-18T15:46:00.000-04:00

My Mom has a few vintage ornaments that my sisters and I love, come to find out so do a lot of other people.
Shiny Brites!

My sister has been collecting them and last year she hit the jackpot at a second hand store.
I cannot wait to hit the thrift stores and start a collection of my own!

Since I'm doing nothing interesting these days here are a few more images from my sister's holiday home

In the new year I will be a better blogger. promise.

Joy to the World

2011-12-07T11:03:00.001-04:00

I shared some images from my sister's house about a month ago and I am increasingly more and more impressed with her style and creativity.
She has outdone herself for Christmas this year. My favorite decorations include her globes. I have a weak spot for globes and the way she incorporated them into her Christmas decor is so great!!

Joy to the world

Peace on Earth

The box used to be my mom's jewelry box and the pine cones inside are from our parent's home in Ohio! I love all the little sentimental keys around her house.

Love you sister & can't wait to spend New Years together!!

DIY Gift Ideas for Husband

2011-12-06T09:55:00.001-04:00

Men are so hard to make things for. At least my husband is. He's difficult to buy things for period.
On Newlyweds Bliss today I'm sharing a few DIY projects that will make awesome gifts for your hubby this Christmas!!

1 week until we move! aahhhhh my life has become an almost overwhelming ball of stress.
And I fear it will only get worse when I get home and MUST find a job asap and start paying so many new bills and be apart from my husband for potentially 4 months :( boo.

don't worry about a thing.

2011-11-28T20:13:00.001-04:00

You know what I do? I beat myself up over the fact that I've been too busy to blog.
seriously?
Blogging about decorating and crafts is not that important.
No one is anxiously awaiting what I have to say. No one is paying me to do this. No lives are being saved.

The world will be just fine if I never blog again (oh but I will!)

So once my life settles down I'll be back, possibly tomorrow. who knows.
As for now I'm wrapping up my time in Grenada... packing, cleaning, saying my goodbyes, and crying myself to sleep....

Want to see some insanely awesome pictures I took this week with my friend Amber? yes!

Saturday Afternoon Picnik

2011-11-26T01:03:00.001-04:00

I am one insanely blessed woman.
My Lee will be the most wonderful father someday... we already love these kids more than we know how to say. My heart aches to think about leaving Grenada.
I am so thankful for him, these children, and this experience.

Decorating a Rental Part 3: Tying it all together

2011-11-16T13:59:00.001-04:00

The 3rd and final installment of decorating a rental apartment is up at Newlywed's Bliss!!
I'm sharing how to make a space feel less temporary and more like home. Check it out!!

Also go see the other articles written this week -

Finding a Crowd Pleaser For Thanksgiving

Entertaining on a Budget

10 things I love about you {link up}

Happy Wednesday!

10 Things I Love About You

2011-11-15T18:39:00.001-04:00

Today over at Newlywed's Bliss we are having a link up party! We are asking you each week for the month of November to write a post with 10 things you love about your spouse!
They say that 10% of things about your spouse drive you crazy... the other 90% are the things that you love and made you fall in love with them in the first place, but sometimes we focus on that 10% too much.

To my Lee:

I love that you study and work so so so hard and you impress me every single day.
I love that you are so smart and properly diagnosed my Mom by what little info I relayed to you.
I love that yesterday you said "there are more important things in life than a tidy house"
I love that you think I am the world's greatest cook. and I secretly like it when you say things I make taste better than my Mom's.
I love that you didn't mind that I put up a Christmas tree even though we are getting ready to move and won't even be in this apartment for Christmas.
I love that you offered and slept on the floor Sunday night and gave my friend Amber the bed (long story) and were genuinely happy to do so.
I love that you always, every single day of your life have the very best intentions about everything. You have such a sweet heart and I want to be more like you.
I love that you include me in every single decision you make.
I love that you like to watch football and sometimes get into it so much that you're out of your chair yelling something.... and I love that you try to include me and tell me when they are fighting!
I love that you love the Limes kids as much as me and are taking time out of your busy schedule to come spend time with them.

Want to join in on the fun?? Head over to Newlywed's Bliss and link up!!

Our 1st Christmas

2011-11-13T17:53:00.001-04:00

As Lee and I are approaching our 3rd Christmas together as a married couple {7th otherwise!}
I thought it would be fun to take a look back at our first Christmas together.
We were living in my sister's basement apartment because we were about to move to Grenada!
I was thrilled to decorate for our 1st Christmas.... all our decorations came from the Dollar Tree or were handmade!
{I'm so glad I took all these pictures even though I didn't blog then, whew}

Mom loaned us the tree :)


ignore the rustic fishing lodge boarder, this room was formerly my brother-in-law's man cave before Lee and I took it over for 4 months :)


my Willow Tree Nativity set my mom got me for Christmas that year! & you can sort of see my awesome vintage mirror I got for $5 behind it! Can't wait to have house where I can use it someday.

Our ornament we bought on our honeymoon in Mexico.

I worked at Pier 1 Imports this Christmas and when it was slow I would select ornaments I liked, like the elf boot and the birds, and trace them on scrap paper!
Once I got home I'd re-trace them on cardboard and cover with scrapbook paper!
haha! sneaky!

I was also inspired by a wreath I saw at Pier 1 and decided to make my own!
The silver ornaments are all from the Dollar Tree and I hot glued them to a metal wreath form and stuck tinsel in to fill any gaps and covered up all my glue marks!
This may be one of my favorite things I've ever made.

Oh and the outside looked like this....

should I mention that my husband is 6'5?

I'll share some of our "Christmas in the Caribbean" pictures soon! :)

a piece of home...

2011-11-10T00:21:00.000-04:00

Hey guess who has reached 30,000 views? me! I don't know if that's good or not, but it's an even number so it sounds big to me!

I have more pictures from my sister's A-dorable house! Read my first post about the bunting around her home {here}.
The reason this wall in my nieces' room is so special is because this old window literally came from our childhood home. My sister went up to our old house and took the window! I am TOTALLY doing that as soon as I get home in December!
Background on that - our parents built a new home on the same property and our old house is still sitting there {and totally falling apart.... like it was when we lived in it.lol} so I will be de-constructing quite a few relics from the old place soon!

On to the window, like I said before my sister and I share a love of vintage goodness and her kids are lucky enough to be surrounded all of her amazing treasures!

And yes the baby girl who sleeps in this room is just as sweet as the decor eludes.

Decorating a Rental Part 2!

2011-11-09T13:21:00.001-04:00

Part two of my series on Decorating a Rental is up over at Newlywed's Bliss today!!
I'm talking about how you can furnish an apartment with free or nearly free furnishings! Serious. All you need is a little elbow grease and maybe some paint.

Also be looking for a new link party coming up next week - 10 Things I love about You. A lesson in loving and appreciating our spouse, and what better time to do a series on Thankfulness!

Who changes their blog layout 3 times in 1 week?
The me that is never satisfied.

adorable bunting 4 ways!

2011-11-07T09:21:00.000-04:00

I am excited to share a few pictures with you from my older sister's house! {not the one who is doing a vow renewal, the other one}
She is a {young}30something wife and mommy with 3 absolutely beautiful daughters. They recently moved to California for her husband's job and she has been having a lot of fun decorating their new home! I love her style and her new-found creativity! {this is the sister who didn't know how to decorate before and so she just didn't}
I asked her if I could feature some of the projects she has done because she no longer blogs {long story, but basically people are creeps} and I don't have a ton of projects currently going on nor do I have a camera.
Win!

Today I am going to be featuring the adorable bunting that she has scattered throughout their home. I love it!

story book bunting - perfect for a little girl's room, and great if you have some books that are torn or the binding is falling apart.

Her girls love Alice in Wonderland!

2. paint chip bunting - aka free bunting!

Isn't her fall mantel the cutest thing you've ever seen! candy corn bunting!

This shelf is set up in the room that her step-son uses when he visits. I love how she designated a special boy space just for him! I'm sure he loves it with all the pink in the house! Bunting aside, isn't this skateboard shelf awesome!! Good job Sister!

rainbow!

3. handkerchief bunting!

this is the window above her kitchen sink. The dainty hankies allow lots of sunlight to come in and doesn't block the great view of the woods she has! She says deer come right up in their backyard and will eat out of your hand!

4. Scrapbook paper bunting!

I am so thankful my sister allowed me to show her home to the world... and I have so many more great things to show you all! Bunting is just the beginning!

ps. what do you think of this new blog header?

New Years Eve Vow Renewal Centerpieces

2011-11-06T16:33:00.002-04:00

I've mentioned my sister's upcoming vow renewal ceremony this New Years a couple times before - most importantly - what am I going to wear?! haha. just kidding Sister. And also the save the dates that I made using Picnik.

Now onto the decorations! yay!
For the centerpieces I have a few different ideas, most of which haven't really been run by the sister yet, but all she said was that she wanted it to be pretty! Check!

Source: cleverlyinspired.blogspot.com via Kelsey on Pinterest

Bottles rolled in Epsom salts to look like snow! I love these! So easy, cheap, and beautiful! Does anyone at home drink wine?? I'll be accepting bottle donations!

Source: theinspiredroom.net via Kelsey on Pinterest

Keeping with the Epsom salt theme... in jars or vases it looks like snow! I'd like to combine this idea with these hurricane vases -

Source: youhadmeatcraft.com via Kelsey on Pinterest

I also think that Christmas ornaments make great table decorations and can be bought by the dozen at the Dollar Tree!

Source: realisticwedding.wordpress.com via Kelsey on Pinterest

Source: infobarrel.com via Kelsey on Pinterest

One the things I made for my wedding was tissue paper flowers and I think that white and silver tissue paper flowers will be so pretty with a winter theme.

Source: marthastewartweddings.com via Kelsey on Pinterest

And one final cheapo decorating idea is to gather a bunch of branches and spray paint them silver. I think these could be beautiful on the stage during the ceremony if done in large bundles as well as dispersed through the dining room!

Source: Uploaded by user via Kelsey on Pinterest

I am so excited to get home and dive into making decorations for my sister's big celebration!! I will have 1 week to make all the decorations! haha! easy right? Thankfully I have all the vases left from my wedding to use and finding Epsom salts, branches, and silver and blue Christmas ornaments will be an easy task... I hope.

Stay tuned for many, many more ideas! Next I'll be sharing my idea for a huge lit up ball to drop at midnight! Have you ever had a New Years Eve party?? Any great ideas to share?

Hey latest followers!

2011-11-03T19:56:00.000-04:00

When I'm feeling uninspired I like to look at what others are doing and I'm usually left in awe at how talented some people are.

Standart - shares pictures of amazing art work and recently posted a group of oil paintings that I literally drooled over. I wish I could paint like this!

Sandra - the Frugal French Girl has also caught the Picnik bug!
This is a picture she did using the Halloween effects - love it!
AND the tagline of her blog is "bringing the beach home on a budget"
Great minds think alike Sandra :)

Shelly at What the Shell (hahahaha yes that is the name of her blog!) shares my love of beach finds! She finds the most incredible stuff! I can't wait to organize and display all my finds in our future home like Shelly did her in her house! looks so good! I just want to explore her finds!

Two Sisters blog over at Design DNA and had way too much fun with Halloween! They threw the scariest/best Halloween party I've ever seen. The shower scene made my skin crawl... but I love the glass bottle & candle covered table, I'm keeping this in mind for next year for sure.

Thanks for the follow guys!!
Everyone visit these fun blogs and share some love!

Decorating a Rental

2011-11-02T10:27:00.002-04:00

Check out my post over on Newlyweds Bliss today about decorating a rental apartment!!
I'm going to be doing a 3 part series starting this week with the walls!
Let me know if you have any great rental decorating tips!

Can you believe these strips are a vinyl wall decal?!

Happy November!

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T11:25:00.000-04:00

Saturday night we had a little Halloween Party with friends {and watched Hocus Pocus} and it was awesome!!
Everyone got so creative with their costumes because we're in Grenada with not many resources!
We did a little "fashion show" before voting for the awards. It was one of the funniest things I've ever seen in my life. Everyone acted out their roles perfectly! I was laughing hysterically the entire time! I'm so glad I've made such nice friends in Grenada. It was a wonderful, drama free night... and with about 25 women in one room that is an accomplishment!

As for my costume....
I was............
a......

Mermaid!!
what else would I be?!

My pictures are all dependent upon my friends (and sadly I didn't get a picture of my awesome make-up job if I do say so myself... I had a cool design coming from one eye. but whatever) So thank you everyone for taking a couple shots for me!!

My hair piece was sea shells and the packaging from my fruits and vegetables from the grocery! Thanks Grenada for using bright colors to sell your limes :)

My tail! I painted several sheets of paper with water colors in lots of different colors and then cut it out in the shape of a scale & glued it down on cardboard!
and the shoes I made!

And this is a pretty good shot of my bra, haha! It is a regular bra with sea shells glued all over!!

Thanks everyone who came!! It was so much fun!!!

Saturday {late night} Picnik

2011-10-30T00:19:00.000-04:00

I don't know what has been wrong with me lately.
Ok actually I do.
Lets just say this wasn't a great week for me... and not just because of the camera incident. Lots of little things adding up and piling on me and making me not feel up to blogging or being creative or peppy.
I would share my Halloween costume with you, but the whole lack of a camera thing put a damper on that.
I'll have to wait to get some pictures from my friends.

I decided to make the best out of the situation and make some pictures of our beach trip this week (you know the one where both my friends and I got our cameras stolen)
It was my friend Stephanie's Birthday! We were out on the beach exploring and celebrating and then BAM! THIEVES!
Stephanie and Sarah had never been to these beaches before (they're an hour and half away) but luckily I had and had some pictures of the beaches from this summer.

These are what the picture would have looked like had we not gotten our camera's stolen. Good ole picnik.

A photo of Stephanie and I taken about a month ago at another beach.

A little use of the cloning tool & there we are on Bathway Beach!

Steph sitting by a pool...

Steph in the boat on Levera Beach!!

These pictures aren't anywhere close to how awesome the real thigns would have been... I took some darn good pictures that day... but I know these made us smile and feel slightly less horrible about the situation.
Happy Birthday again to my sweet friends Stephanie!

2011-10-26T12:16:00.000-04:00

another day with out a post.
my camera was stolen yesterday.
long story.
I'm so sad.

I have something awesome to show you along with my Halloween costume, but it'll have to wait till after the party this weekend and I can get a friend to take some pictures for me.

I'm trying not to feel too sad, but it's not working. And I've had a particularly stressful couple of days.
booooooooooooooo

but you know what? it's just a camera....

Source: None via Kelsey on Pinterest

Saturday Afternoon Picnik

2011-10-22T12:27:00.000-04:00

Have you checked out Picnik's Halloween features??
They are so cool!!

These are two that I made last year (Picnik still has the same effects this year, with a few additions)

I was going for that romantic, glamorous vampire look... because I admittedly am a completely sap for the Twilight saga...

My husband hates this picture because he looks girly... but vampires are a tad feminine wouldn't you say?? That's obviously blood on his lips and not lipstick after all...
This photo of me below actually almost scares me. I'm a pretty convincing vampire, huh?

This one is new. I used the "ghostify" effect. Pretty creepy.

If you're the type who likes frames and stickers on your pictures they have an awesome selection of those as well!!

Go make yourself an extra creepy (or silly) Facebook profile picture for Halloween!

felt flowers galore

2011-10-20T10:07:00.000-04:00

I can't believe I'm sitting in 100degree heat making felt flowers.... but I am.
They are so easy and so cute!!

I had some felt given to me and I decided to try my hand at making some flowers and it turned into lots of flowers!
I hope all 9 of my nieces are prepared to get felt flower hair clips for Christmas :)
Once I'm in colder weather I'm going to wear them too... on my coat, sweaters, scarfs, in my hair, on my purse, on my shoes. EVERYWHERE!

I'm not going to post a tutorial because there are already a billion out there, like these!
Dahlia - http://news.holidash.com
Super cute, simple sewn flower here -http://www.foodwineandmodpodge.com
Simple "generic" flowers - http://www.creativejewishmom.com
Rosettes - http://alililly.blogspot.com
Super cute bows, I will be trying these soon! (and please check out how cute her layout is! This may be one of my new favorite blogs!) - http://iloverosemarywatson.blogspot.com

These are the only colors I have... I can't wait to get home where everything is cheap cheap cheap and get a rainbow of colors!

Do you have a favorite flower tutorial to share?
What do you like to do with felt?
Please share!

Polishing Sea Glass

2011-10-18T06:00:00.000-04:00

My stockpile of sea glass was looking a little cloudy so I went to the internet to find out how to "polish" it and found that it's pretty darn simple.
Vegetable oil and an old rag is all you need!
It turns white-ish because of the salt that is still on the glass, but the oil removes it and lets the true color show!
I think sea glass is more and more beautiful every single day.

Before

After!

These are all the colors I've found so far... still on the hunt for something red or pink!

Here are a few projects I've done lately with my sea glass, the easiest being my new ring.
I found out that my finger is exactly the size of a pop or beer bottle top. amazing!

A necklace!

And a new wind chime!

it sounds so beautiful!
I'm thinking about doubling the size of it... and I'm searching for an awesome piece of driftwood to attach it to!

Are you guys sick of my beachy/summery posts??
I only have 2 months left on this gorgeous island... and then I'll be posting all about winter and snow. trust.

Sparkly shoe makeover

2011-10-16T17:21:00.000-04:00

I have this pair of sandals from Forever21 that I've had for almost 2 years and if you've ever had Forever21 shoes you know they don't really last. These were on their last leg. If I wasn't in Grenada they'd probably be in the trash, but keeping with the make-do attitude I decided to turn them into part of my Halloween costume!

before. You can't tell but the white was pretty dingy and cracking.

Add a little sequins and glitter...

Do you have a guess as to what I'm going to be??
guessing is not open to my friends here in Grenada who already know!
or my Mom, she knows too. haha.

The Boots of Walmart

2011-10-13T20:33:00.000-04:00

I was recently greatly impressed by the selection of boots on Walmart.com.

I landed on Walmart's website because Target's site said something like "Woof! We are suddenly very popular, please wait while we fit you in" hmmmmm no thanks Target, you took way too long.

Here are are a few of my favorites

$30! here

Only $18! here

$29 here

Not exactly boots, but I WANT these!! $18 here

Do you ever buy shoes at Walmart?? I do! I'd rather have lots of shoes rather than a few more expensive pairs even if the quality isn't the same. If I have 4 pair of boots as opposed to 1 they'll get even wear and probably last just as long :)

New Year's Dress

2011-10-12T18:10:00.001-04:00

Too early to be thinking about New Year's Eve?
I think not.
Especially since I have a big shin-dig to attend this year!
Like I mentioned on Saturday my sister is having a 10 year anniversary / vow renewal on New Year's Eve!
I'm so exited for a big party!!
I will share my decorating ideas sometime, but today I am thinking dresses!

My sister is wearing blue, so I'm probably going with silver.
Will I actually be able to buy a new dress? Probably not, unless my Mom is feeling sorry enough for me to take me shopping... or something awesome shows up at the Grandview Outlet or Goodwill ;)

I do have a silver dress I wore a few years ago on a dinner cruise on Lake Erie with our college that I could wear. if I must. I got this dress at JC Penny's for $10! 4 years ago though, is it still cute? or does it look too much like lingerie? That was my fear even when I wore it then.

some of my best friends from college! miss you girls!

and of course my shoes matched Lee's tie.

Another idea is to "dress up" something I already own. I have lots of dresses... so maybe one could do with a little sequins? I'm thinking I could make a sequins belt or sash pretty easily.

Kate Moss for Topshop - but no longer in stock

{via }

{via}

You know who loves to wear an awesome silver, sparkly dress?
Taylor Swift!

Source: peoplestylewatch.com via Haley on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Maggie on Pinterest

I'll take any of the above please!

Sea Glass Jackpot!

2011-10-10T08:30:00.000-04:00

The other day my friends and I went snorkeling at a secluded area called Flamingo Bay.
The reason we made the trip was the awesome snorkeling - a rainbow assortment of fish, coral, sea fans, and urchins galore... but our eyes soon became fixed on the sand and the incredible amount of sea glass!

There were 6 of us and I think we all left with at least a zip-lock baggie full of glass!
In December I get to take two 50lb suitcases home with me... one just might be full of sea glass.

My stash!!
In the bottom of this bowl there are tons of small pieces that I plan on making some sort of mosaic out of !

Here are a few sea glass projects from pinterest that I'll be trying soon!

Source: bystephanielynn.com via Susie on Pinterest

Source: ecstasea-at-etsy.blogspot.com via Nikki on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Carrie on Pinterest

Source: masterpieceonanapkin.tumblr.com via Luinielle on Pinterest

Saturday Afternoon Picnik

2011-10-08T07:00:00.000-04:00

My sister and her husband are doing a vow renewal this New Years!!
I think I am more excited about it than my sister is :)
I have so many ideas and projects I'm working on for her big day!

I recently took on the task of making her save the dates. I know, it's on New Years and she hasn't sent out save the dates yet.... but they really are more fun than they are informational. Everyone who's anyone already knows.

So where does a girl like me go to create save the dates??
Picnik of course!
I tried other avenues and really just decided that picnik was easiest!

Here are a few that I made.
We finally got to the last one because my sister kept saying fancier! fancier!

Happy 10 years of marriage to my sister Molly and her husband Rocky!
I cannot wait to help you celebrate and ring in the new year with all our family and friends!

DIY Halloween Party

2011-10-06T00:18:00.000-04:00

Last year I threw a little Halloween party at our house, mostly just because my friend Amber and I wanted an excuse to dress up.
I thought I'd share a few ideas from the party.

I was a watermelon smoothie from my favorite local shop here in Grenada called Native Foods and Fruits.

My husband was reluctant to dress up and so he was "thinking Arby's"


I saved all my pop bottles for weeks to use as decorations. a little bit of nail polish and electrical tape and wha-la - Halloween decor!

My banner is made from cereal boxes and drawn on with a sharpie.

Mummy utensil holder is a tin can wrapped in toilet paper.

Keeping with the ever so classy theme, we served pumpkin poop to our guests.

Scary pizza

Bones and blood
and that carved piece of pumpkin back there is the best you're going to find in Grenada. They don't sell whole pumpkins, just portions for cooking, so we carved our little chunk I used to make pumpkin bread.

And finally witch's brew to drink.
Want to have a frozen hand in your punch?
Fill a surgical glove with water, freeze it, and then cut off the glove and you have a frozen hand!

I'm wanting to have another Halloween Party this year but I now have way too many friends in Grenada to host at our teeny tiny apartment so I'm looking for other options! Stayed tuned for more Halloween decor to come!

Find Halloween costume ideas for couples over at Newlyweds Bliss today!

Hardware store adventure take 2

2011-10-05T06:10:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I told my story about getting free keys from the hardware store...
well I went back and this awesome yellow chain caught my eye!
It is meant to be you know... chain. Chain for a lock or something.
But I saw a necklace.
You should have seen the guys face when he saw me holding it up to my neck...He was like... "miss?" haha and I said yes I need 2 feet of this!

This is also my attempt at zipper flowers. The fabric store downtown has drawers of zippers (probably from 1960) and the lady there also thought I was weird for picking zippers out according to color and not length (although longer is better).
I have no tutorial because there are already a million out there, but it's just a zipper and a glue gun.

I just pinned the flowers to the chain so I have the option of changing it up.

I like the funky color combinations, what about you?

Today over at Newlyweds Bliss you can read all about Lee and I's love story :)

Hardware store adventure

2011-10-04T00:11:00.001-04:00

I did a post on my Grenada blog all about the stores here in Grenada where you can find crafting supplies.
There is a fabric store, there is a tiny store where you can buy beads and jewelry makings, and then there is the hardware store.

The hardware store is home to a lot of gem's one might not normally find.... because you aren't looking with the right mindset. Grenada has changed the way I look at everything!

I have been joking with my friends that Grenadians think that I am insane. They see me coming and think what is this crazy white girl doing today.

Case in point:
I was wasting some time waiting on a bus at the hardware store last week. I was roaming up and down every single aisle looking for inspiration in anything and everything. In the back corner I stopped to examine the area where they cut keys. Keys are a favorite thing of mine (what isn't right?) and so I was looking at them and an employee approached me and asked if I needed assistance... here is the convo:
How much is a key?
Which key? - any key
You just want a key? - yes
A automobile key is $20EC - yikes! do you have any mistake keys? Keys you have cut and the person didn't buy?
You want a key that doesn't work? - sure
*pulls out a box of damaged keys* - yes! how much are those keys?
I have no idea... let me ask someone
*3rd person enters*
She wants a damaged key? - yes
Why? - I like to make things. I think I could hang it on a necklace or put it on a picture
.....................
I guess you can have one. - for free?!
Yes...

And that is how the exchange went. Two Grenadian men think I am crazy, but I got 2 free damaged automobile keys out of it! :)

They're about 3 inches long. I haven't decided what to do with them yet, I think I'm going to paint them and hang them on a chain. I'll be sure to let you know.

Have you gotten anything damaged from a store for free before?? Have you ever thought about asking for damaged keys? It's worth a try! This is something I will for sure be trying again!

Newlyweds Bliss: Where the honeymoon doesn't have to end.

2011-10-03T08:00:00.002-04:00

I am so excited to be a part of an awesome new blog - Newlyweds Bliss.
I was approached by my blogging friend Emily from Scribbles from Emily to be a contributor to this blog and share some of my words of wisdom about the first few years of marriage.
Me? Words of wisdom about marriage?
I guess I do have some insight on the whole moving across the world thing.... and other women who never, ever see their husbands could probably relate to our hectic schedule... and in a few months unfortunately I'll know all about having a long distance marriage.
And if anyone needs some tips for thrifty, crafty, decorative living - I'm their girl.
The first 2 years of marriage for Lee and I has been a time of learning - about one another, about what really matters, and about our purpose in Christ. Thankfully these lessons have only made us fall more in love and has made me truly appreciate him and the commitment we made... being married is the real deal.

What I love about this new blog is that it is 3 women with a heart for God, sharing personal experiences with the intention of uplifting other women and strengthening marriages... not gossiping, not just sharing craft ideas, and not boasting about our own perfect families.
We pick up where some other websites stop, after the official honeymoon.

My Dad has this saying he asks us {me and my 4 siblings} all the time before we hang up the phone... "still on the honeymoon?". It used to make me uncomfortable when I was a teenager, Dad asking people about that?! But then as I got older, even before marriage, I began to appreciate the fact that my parents and my siblings would respond with a "yes!" haha. I learned that there is a whole lot more that goes into the "honeymoon" phase.

I thought it was so appropriate and funny when Emily chose the tagline
Newlyweds Bliss: Where the honeymoon doesn't have to end.

Because it doesn't. Don't even let medical school get in the way.

go check out Newlyweds Bliss, today is the official launch! And there is a giveaway!

Color Wheel Necklaces

2011-10-02T22:32:00.000-04:00

Among a million other things, I love the color wheel.
I had my first color theory lesson years ago and I just loved learning about the mixing of colors and different color schemes.

I was feeling inspired by this necklace I saw on pinterest.

Source: dwell.com via Ashley on Pinterest

And so I made two.
Because doesn't everyone need two rainbow necklaces?

This one is made of buttons that I found here in Grenada. I need to stock up on these awesome buttons before I leave!

These necklaces make me smile.

Saturday Afternoon Picnik

2011-10-01T06:38:00.000-04:00

I have been so busy that I haven't had time to blog. Good busy. Fun busy.
I currently have 73 days left in Grenada and it has been my goal since day 77 to go to the beach every single day. To soak in the scenery and revel in the joy of living here as much as I possibly can.
No more complaining about the grocery store, the heat, our apartment, the lack of clothing, the lack of.... everything.
There is no lack of beauty.

I took these pictures on Tuesday at sunset and did the 1960s effect on picnik.

What about you? Have you had a busy week? A good busy or a blah busy?
Take a couple minutes to appreciate the beauty around you. If you're in the north/midwest enjoy those gorgeous changing fall leaves. I'm slightly jealous.

What I Wear Wednesday

2011-09-28T00:55:00.000-04:00

Every few days I muster up the ambition to get dressed decently. A lot of the time my main activity involves playing outside with little kids, going swimming, or doing housework. Not exactly a fashion show.
I do have friends that I go places with occasionally and once a week I lead a small group Bible study in a super air conditioned room. Yay for wearing jeans!

these shorts are Miley Cyrus and I'm not ashamed to admit it.

This butterfly comb and key necklace are some of my favorites and I got them at the Dollar Tree! And they have lasted about 5 years!
Take that Tiffany's.
*if my husband is reading this and wins the lottery I would however still love a Tiffany's key necklace.....

Decorating J-O-B

2011-09-26T08:55:00.001-04:00

Last week I had the awesome opportunity to help a couple who are professors at my husband's school decorate their home!

They heard I studied interior decorating and asked me to come over and give them a few tips and I was more than willing to help.

The couple recently decided to move to Grenada long-term and shipped some of their most precious belongings to remind them of their time spent in Africa, but were clueless as to how to use them.

They faced similar issues as me with living in a rental home made of concrete. Drilling holes and painting weren't an option and on top of that the home came pre-furnished and buying anything new was out of the question.

I went over to their house for about an hour, asked a few questions, snapped a few pictures, and came home to prepare an action plan.

I knew the wife loved their African tribal print fabrics, the husband really liked colorful, modern designs over the natural African look, and they were in serious need of some storage (without buying anything new).

Also, the main room of the house serves as living room, dining room, kitchen, office, and guest room... all in one large rectangular space.

I drew up some floor plans, created a few 3-D images of what I wanted their room to look like, and gathered some inspiration images.

They were so easily impressed by my ideas it was amazing! If I do go into this as a career someday remind me to work with the over 50 crowd ;)

Ok so enough chatter, here are the pictures!


the layout of the room. The only change I made was to move the office area and to create a new reading/guest sleeping area.

This 3-D rendering was created using mydeco.com to give the client a visual of the reading area because they were having trouble picturing it.
It didn't turn out exactly like this, but they got the idea.

This is what we started with.

As I said they had a lot of fabrics from African that they wanted to use. Since a framer is out of the question, I taped the fabric to pieces of cardboard. Taping it prevents the fabric from being damaged and the cardboard allows it to be hung on the wall easily.

Another little trick I came up with was to use a pashmina scarf to create a pillow case. The home came with a pair of green plaid pillows that did not match anything, but the client had several scarves and wraps. I wrapped the pillow in the scarf and tied it decoratively.

I didn't end up using this pillow (way too many prints going on) but I really like how it turned out and I think I'll be using this trick in the future!

Ok and here are the before and afters!

I moved the office area across the room and used this corner, which was a much larger space, as a reading area and to serve as a sleeping area for guests. It is a 1 bedroom apartment and before they just had a twin sized bed behind their sofa in the living room. This gives the bed and space purpose and provided lots of wall space to use some of their tribal print fabrics.

The zebra, giraffe, and other piece are all 3 fabrics wrapped around cardboard as well.

The larger prints were too large and heavy to wrap on cardboard and so it is just draped behind the bed.

I went outside and cut some bamboo shoots to put in the vase as a final touch. I didn't have time to arrange the bookcase, which will forever irk me. One of my favorite things to do is arrange books and shelves, but we were on a limited time frame - only a few hours!

The other side of the room, the new office area created in the corner.

Didn't get a great picture and we had to literally pick up the desk as is and move it. The man had to work!

But I was able to hang a few bright, modern photography prints in his area to make him happy about all the African tribal work going on :)

Mini-makeover.
I went out on their porch and brought in some of their sea-finds - shells, rocks, and driftwood to add some decoration to their entertainment center. I also grouped a few of their family photos in a more prominent location so they can enjoy their family from the Caribbean.

Another issue to address was the storage dilemma. They are a very active couple with loads of equipment - tennis rackets, kayak oars, snorkeling stuff, life jackets, coolers, beach chairs, etc. But they had no where to put it. I snuck a few things in behind the entertainment center and under the daybed, but there was still more! I decided to put up a fold up table they had and covered it with a cloth and hid lots of junk underneath ;) The last remaining cloth was quite busy, so many animals! So I found a hammock that they had and never used and draped it over to sort of tone down the print and add a little whimsy to the table.

That vase is just waiting for some flowers or branches to be put it in too.

This has been a Grenada Re-Style.

Total cost? $0

What do you think?

Oh wait! the best part!

THIS IS THE VIEW FROM THE HOUSE. SITTING ON THOSE SOFAS YOU CAN SEE THIS!

Color Duo: Orange and Green

2011-09-25T07:30:00.000-04:00

Keeping with the pumpkin theme I decided to chose orange and green this week for a color combo.
Before browsing the internet for images I didn't think I'd find anything that great, I mean orange and green?
I was pleasantly surprised to find a few. I think the secret to making this color combo work is to use it in small doses. As much as we all love Halloween, you don't want to live in a pumpkin... right?

Source: None via Kimberly on Pinterest

Source: kembleinteriors.com via Jennifer C. Webb on Pinterest

Source: materialgirlsblog.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Source: designsponge.com via Lauren on Pinterest

{here}

Pretty Pumpkins

2011-09-23T14:12:00.000-04:00

I love pumpkins.
I love to pick them, carve them, display them, and eat them.
I even like to call my husband and/or little kids pumpkin every once in a while... (my family will get this)

But {there is always a but with me huh?} no pumpkins in Grenada. They do have them, but they are green... and they don't sell them whole. They sell chunks to cook with. And it isn't cheap... and I am.

These images will tide me over until next fall when I can decorate my own.
Happy Fall!

Source: craftinessisnotoptional.com via Kelsey on Pinterest

Source: bios.weddingbee.com via Kelsey on Pinterest

Source: creatingreallyawesomefreethings.com via Kelsey on Pinterest

Source: puertabella.blogspot.com via Kelsey on Pinterest

Source: allureeventconsulting.blogspot.com via Kelsey on Pinterest

Source: marthastewart.com via Kelsey on Pinterest

Source: theivycottageblog.blogspot.com via Kathy on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Nora on Pinterest

Source: honeysucklelife.com via Courtney on Pinterest

Source: mirrorsmetaphorsandkaleidoscopes.blogspot.com via Kelsey on Pinterest

Books, Birds, and Globes: Guest Edition

2011-09-22T07:00:00.000-04:00

Susi, a writer from Design Shuffle is here today guest posting about a few of my favorite things... books, birds, and globes. I cannot get enough of these 3! I'm excited about the fabulous images she has scoured the internet to find, they are definitely getting pinned, pronto!

Hi, I’m Susi, a writer at Design Shuffle, a fabulous community for interior designers and other design professionals, home owners and design lovers to share projects, find inspiration and network. I'm so lucky to visit blogs from around the world, including Kelsey Inspired that are sharing great design projects, decorating ideas and inspirations. I love Kelsey's Books, Birds and Globes posts so am excited to share mine. I hope you enjoy these. Thanks for letting me and Design Shuffle visit you this week.

Whatever via

Books and globes both can add color to a shelf, table or desk. Arrange your books in swaths of color or chose books that play off the color of the globes for a big impact.

Better Homes and Gardens via

These books have been selected and organized to coordinate with the globes above. The cohesive palette creates an organized and well designed look for this bookcase. Love that bird in the background.

Pinterest via

Globes and suitcases make for a stylish pairing that hints at world travel. Perfect pair for someone who travels a lot or has a lot of places on their bucket list.

Love All Things Bright and Beautiful via

Sparrows on the ceiling are so charming for a child's bedroom. And look, globes on the shelf too! Also these could be used as interesting little decorating ideas for living rooms.

Cottage and Creek via

A pair of small birds paired with a stack of books creates a charming vignette. The jar of birds' eggs adds color and pattern to this simple grouping. Which came first? The eggs or the birds?

Pinterest via

There are some very charming prints on Etsy that have vintage images printed on old book pages, combining two great decorative elements into one. Look for single birds, steampunk birds or flocks of charming birds.

Blue Cricket Design via

Here is a another charming combination of books and birds as art. Love the simple bird silhouettes against the busy collage of book pages. Great wall art.

Design Dazzle via

This birdhouse made from books is so whimsical and adorable. So are the handmade birds that inhabit it. Love the idea of interior design and architecture for the birds. Would be cute for a home office, kid's room or reading nook.
For more great interior design inspirations, shuffle on over to Design Shuffle! A place where you can connect with interior designers/enthusiasts across the country - from Los Angeles interior designers to New York interior designers!

Thank you Susi, please come back anytime!
Does anyone else have some amazing book, bird, and globe inspiration to share?

What I Wear Wednesday - Shoe Edition

2011-09-21T07:00:00.000-04:00

Here's another glimpse into my life.
I went home in May after being in Grenada for about a year and half and when I went into my old bedroom at my parents house I couldn't believe how much stuff I had forgotten I owned!
Living here with only what we could fit into 2 suitcases is a little tiring and I sometimes start to feel sorry for myself like like I don't have anything to wear and no where to go buy something new.
So to remind myself that I actually do have belongings in Ohio waiting for me I decided to take pictures of my closet to look at whenever I felt the shopping urge.

My favorite things in my closet are my shoes.
I am a super thrifty shopper, and since I'm so cheap I usually end up buying lots of things.
I know it's a problem.

In my hometown we have a Target outlet. you heard right. it could also be named Almost Heaven.
Pretty much anything Target has this outlet has. I don't understand how or why. it's not used or damaged usually. Everything is practically under $5. Can you blame me for buying 3 pairs of shoes per week before I was married?

So on days like today when I am totally over the Old Navy flip flops I live in, in Grenada I look at these pictures and remember the days when I had a reason to get dressed up and wear real shoes.

And I'd like to say a huge thank you to my Mom and Dad for allowing me to leave my bedroom exactly how it was when I was in college.
Maybe they secretly like that it still looks like I live there :)

That darn cabinet.

2011-09-20T10:50:00.000-04:00

Do you remember that horribly awkward cabinet I have dividing my living room and kitchen?
I am still on the mission to cover up the glass panes and hide all my dishes and food that fills these cabinets.
but I think the cabinet is winning.

This is our apartment on the day we moved in.
I can't believe how empty it looks. Where did I get all of this stuff?!
oh yea. from the trash...

Halloween Party Last year
the cabinet looks slightly less cluttered because I was literally using all our dishes for the party.
and um like jello much?

Christmas snowflakes

so apparently the bottom looked so bad I just cropped it out.

And this is what it looks like today:

I only had 2 sheets of tissue paper left, and they're not even the same color, but it is more noticeable in this photo than it is in real life, and they aren't big enough to cover the entire glass, so I added the newspaper to tie into the newspaper roses I made and for more texture, but I still don't know about it.
I want it to look full and complete, but not cluttered, you know?

Glass panes aside, I love the top shelf.

that wine bottle again!
I don't even drink wine, I just like the bottle. I picked some flowers and berries & bam fall decor!
That triangle is a piece of wood I found wrapped in twine & the basket really deserves a post all of its own... it is a Calabash. A fruit that I picked, carved out like a basket, and let dry. They sell them in the markets here. When I get home I'm probably going to paint it. or not. I like the color and texture.

remember when I made magazine roses? well newspaper roses are even better!
I love the texture and they are much easier to mold into shape.

love my sign from the ditch!

Do you have a problem area in your home that you're always trying to cover up or fix?
I'm open to suggestions for mine! But remember that I don't have a Target or Goodwill to run to buy something...

beauty from the rubbish

2011-09-18T20:03:00.000-04:00

You're going to think I'm crazier than ever... but last week when I went on my twig hunt {and came home with that sign} I also came home with a random piece of metal wire, kind of like that used for a cage or something.
When I first saw it I thought it would be great to hang my earrings on, I've seen similar DIYs all over the internet, but once I started looking at it, I got a different type of inspiration.
I have been drying some different flowers and leaves for fall decorations and decided that the rusted wire and the dried flowers would be a great combination.

Putting the fear of tetanus aside I began flattening out the wire and trimmed it down to about a 10x10in square. After cutting the wire I bent the sharp edges down.

Arranged the dried flowers and hot glued them to the wire.

Added a little lace across the top for a hanger.

And since my hanging options are limited... I temporarily hung it from the light switch.

side note: see that red switch? it's to turn the heat on for our shower! crazy!

This week I'll be sharing some more of the little bits of fall I'm bringing into our home!
Who's to say that because it's still a tropical island outside it can't be autumn in inside? :)

Saturday Afternoon Picnik - collage

2011-09-17T08:45:00.001-04:00

A couple weeks ago Picnik started allowing you to layer photos. Before this my biggest complaint about Picnik was the limited collage options. I used Picasa to create the collage and then added text and effects with Picnik... well not any longer! I can do it all in 1 place!

This is an example of how I would make a blog header.

Start by selecting collage on the main page.

I chose the 3 box collage, but only for the shape. Remember you can move and adjust the pictures in any way you want, and use way more than 3 images!
In the bottom right corner it says the dimensions... around 1000x400 is a great size for a blog header. Adjust the proportion to change the dimensions.

Click 'Done' and now you are ready to add pictures from the 'Photo Basket'

I start by adding the background images... scrapbook paper, fabrics, or patterns I have created from colourlovers.com

I used a muted green and blue color scheme and added the plaid to get a bit of a fall look.
By right clicking on the images you can change the order in which they are layered.
For instance the plaid is much larger than what is shown here, but it is layered behind the stripes. I right clicked and said 'send to back'

Next I added the images of Lee and I that I wanted to use.

Once you have all the images in place how you want, now is a good time to save it. Saving it before you added text or stickers allows the layers to be secured so you don't accidentally drag a photo when you meant to drag the text (trust me it can get frustrating when you're dealing with lots of layers & as of yet Picnik doesn't have a grouping feature to lock in the layers).
It also allows you to go back later and add different text or stickers to the collage if you decide you want something different.
Once it is saved upload it to Picnik and open it as you would any other picture to be edited.

Next add text if you want to. This is from one of my favorite songs...

I added a few 'whimsy trees' to my collage since it is fall after all.

And you're done!

Today I signed up with Picket Fence Blogs! and I realized that my blog button was super tiny... but hopefully that's fixed now! Both are on the sidebars... let me know if you have any feedback for me.
Have you been picnik'ing anything fun??

almost copy-kat art

2011-09-16T10:53:00.000-04:00

One of my character flaws is that I don't like to copy things (hence my love/hate relationship with pinterest)
I want to be creative all on my own. be original.
But the truth is.... I'm not really all that one of a kind.
Many of the ideas I have seem original to me, but someone else has already thought of it.
To deal with this I'd like to call myself the "almost copy-kat"
I see something I like and then try to put my own spin on it.

I am a supporter of trying to re-create art for yourself.
Art is so expensive. eesh.
I'm that over-confident person who refuses to buy anything that I think I can make myself.
Sometimes it turns out good... and sometimes it is just an outlet for when I get that urge to paint or draw.

Last week I tried my hand at re-creating a favorite image of mine from pinterest.
that sea horse I used for inspiration for my sea glass sea horse.

Source: printshop.urbanoutfitters.com via Angela on Pinterest

I used some really thin sharpie markers that my friend from college Tiffany gave me when I was home. She donate SO much awesome stuff to our after school program - the kids love the books she sent and I've been getting lots of use out of the sharpies! and not just for art purposes ;)
Tiffany has a super cute blog - Teach.Run.Love.
If you like running (she's about to do her 4th half marathon), teaching 1st graders, or cooking check her out!

ok end of commercial break.
back to sea horses.

my version. It is draw on 8x10 paper.

But I couldn't stop there. I was loving this so I decided to draw a fish in a similar style.

But you can't stop at 2. You need at least 3 for a "collection"
So I drew a little jelly fish!

The similar style and colors makes them a beautiful grouping! I cannot wait to frame and display them on a gallery wall when we get an apartment in America!

A - Z of me

2011-09-15T20:22:00.000-04:00

I've seen several bloggers doing this lately and I though that maybe you guys don't know enough about me, as an actual person... other than I dig stuff out of the trash and like to picnik.

A. Age: 24
B. Bed size: a Grenadian Full... which means not quite a full. I'm 5'10 and my husband is 6'5. We cuddle nice and close. Did I mention that it's insanely hot and we don't have AC? yea.
C. Chore that you hate: dishes. I hate them more than anything else in the entire world.
D. Dogs: no dogs for us, maybe someday when we have kids. I'm currently wanting a kitten though... maybe when we get back to the states.
E. Essential start to your day:Thanking God for another day and a huge glass of water. I get thirsty when I sleep.
F. Favorite color: my all time favorite is turquoise and right now I'm liking coral.
G. Gold or Silver: both! My engagement and wedding rings are white gold though.
H. Height: 5'10
I. Instruments you play: absolutely none. I can't even whistle or clap to a song. not kidding. My husband however can play anything!
J. Job title: volunteer with kids in Grenada, blogger, and medical school wife - none of which are paid :/
K. Kids: check back with me when my husband secures a residency position :)
L. Live: Lance Aux Epines, Grenada - West Indies
M. Mother’s name: Janet Elaine
N. Nicknames: my nieces call me Sassy. not because of my personality, because one of them couldn't say Kelsey.... one also used to call me Ka-ka. luckily Sassy is the one that stuck. The whole family calls me that now... or just Sas for short.
O. Overnight hospital stays: none. PTL
P. Pet peeves: mostly weird textures and sounds - vinyl, those hologram cards, sawing wood, hands rubbing together... and so many more.
Q. Quote from a movie: "Are you serious Clark?" or any quote from Christmas Vacation or Home Alone. my sisters and I can quote the entire movies.
R. Right or left handed: righty
S. Siblings: youngest of 5! I was a surprise :)
U. Underwear: interesting fact - don't hang your underwear outside to dry... the sun will destroy the elastic. learned the hard way.
V. Vegetable you hate: green beans. back to that texture issue. they like squeak on my teeth or something. ugh.
W. What makes you run late: facebook, pinterest, blogging, email... stupid computer
X. X-Rays you’ve had: I had pneumonia freshman year of college and they x-rayed my lungs.
Y. Yummy food that you make: I make a mean chicken alfredo pasta and delicious spinach dip!
Z. Zoo animal: lions! love those big fluffy manes.

I'd love to get to you know you better too! Let me know if you're doing the A-Z or something similar :)

I'm linking up with Scenic Glory's A-Z party!

AND while I have your attention I'd like to share that I'm growing a baby avocado tree!
I got a bad avocado one day... the seed (or whatever in the middle) had already started rooting through the parts you eat! At first I was mad and then I thought.... hmmm lets see what happens if I put this in water. and wha-la! a tree is growing!! I'm going to plant it soon and then find it a home because I won't be able to take it with me when I go in December. :(

What I Wear Wednesday - Layering over Dresses

2011-09-14T09:33:00.002-04:00

I only have 2 photos this week, and I don't even think one of them is from this week...
Good news is I got my camera today!! My friend Cat has been letting me borrow her back-up camera for a couple weeks and I've been so thankful, but I am THRILLED to have my own camera again!
I think it's stressful borrowing someone else's things, don't you?

Anyway, I'm so bored of all my clothes and there are no new options in sight until December... so I decided to play around with layering the clothes I've already got.... when the temperatures in Grenada allow it. (I think it's around 100degrees today and 1000%humidity. serious)

Sunday mornings I can usually wear something a little different than usual to church.
1. it's an excuse to get slightly dressed up
2. the church is usually around 70degrees with all the air conditioning.

I have this super bright Isaac Mizrahi floral dress from Target that I love.... but I'll admit, I sorta stick out in it. I decided to tone it down a bit by layering a black tank top and belt over it & loved the result! I'll probably never wear it alone again.

please excuse the poor self-timer attempt.

In keeping with the layering theme I was playing around with a couple of my maxi dresses and trying to come up with more of a "fall" look.
I figured I could just turn my dress into a maxi skirt to keep up with the trend, right? add some plaid and my new necklace I made and bam its fall in Grenada!
Yay for new life out of old dresses!

blurry face... and perhaps this outfit makes me look pregnant? too flowy?

As you can tell I've kinda been stuck on the side bun. and side braid too. It contains all my hair and keeps it off my neck. and looks slightly better than a normal bun... right? :)
In December I am getting a new dramatic hair cut. for real.

Twig Stars

2011-09-12T13:05:00.002-04:00

I saw this image on pinterest the other day and knew they'd be super easy to make.

Source: farm6.static.flickr.com via Kelsey on Pinterest

I didn't have much going on yesterday evening so I went for a walk down my street looking for sticks to make stars out of. a normal thing to do right??

You need 5 sticks of the same length per star.
I laid them out and decided which order I liked them in best, then hot glued them in place with just a dab of glue on the ends.
I wrapped twine around the ends of some of them, but a couple of the stars I liked the way they looked just as they were. I think the inspiration image might have had too much string and twine for my tastes.

These will be great Christmas or patriotic holiday decorations and were practically free to make and only took about 5 minutes!!

AND on my walk I discovered this old sign! It had more words but I just broke off the Grenada portion.
I don't know what to do with it yet, but I love it!

September 11th Remembrance

2011-09-11T08:50:00.002-04:00

I think Alan Jackson perfectly captured the emotions of 9/11.
I relate so much to the lyrics of this song.
I was full of fear, sadness, confusion, and yet my heart was bursting with pride for America and our resolve.
I can't listen to it without crying and all the coverage on TV is a little over-whelming... I want to make sure I never forget the emotions of that time 10 years ago, the sacrifice, and the unity that was brought up from the tragedy, but I don't want to relive it.
I think that we were all changed a little bit that day and I pray that God continues to watch over the families of the victims, helps them to heal, and God bless America.

Saturday Afternoon Picnik - free textures!

2011-09-10T09:02:00.000-04:00

One of my very favorite effects on Picnik is textures, but this is a premium feature and this week I wanted to blog about one of the free features for all of you out there who haven't upgraded yet! There are tons of cool things you can do for absolutely free too!

When I logged onto Picnik the other day I saw that they had added new "featured effects" with a pirate theme. {Picnik often has featured effects to coordinate with upcoming holidays and events like 4th of July, Back to School, and Christmas} I was disappointed because I assumed it would be super cheesy and I'm really not one for adding the stickers to my photos. But I was intrigued by "Pirate Textures" and decided to give it a whirl... and they have some pretty cool ones! for free!

I used the picture of Lee and I's silhouettes from our recent photoshoot because I knew it would show the textures really well.

Click on Featured & choose Pirate Textures. There are 12 different ones to chose from. With premium you can chose from 57 different textures in addition to the new pirate textures.

love me some maps!

under the sea :)

Play around with the advanced modes and see which way you like it the best! You can also adjust the fade so you see more or less of the texture.

Happy Picniking!

Nautical Knots

2011-09-08T10:28:00.000-04:00

admit that title made you want to sing the Spongebob theme song please.

anywho.
I have a mason jar full of sea glass I've been collecting and while it is beautiful all on it's own.... I'm not a minimalist, more is more! So I added my favorite go-to-Grenada crafting supply - jute twine!

before

Cut a very long piece of jute, more than twice the length of the mason jar.
Tie it around the rim of the jar and allowing the strands to hang down about twice as long as the jar.
Cut 5 additional pieces of jute and tie in evenly spaced out knots to the original piece of jute around the rim allowing the strands to hang down.


Gather a strand of jute from each adjoining knot and tie together creating a triangle or diamond shape.

Continue tying knots until the entire jar is covered and secure the remaining twine on the bottom of the jar with hot glue.

If I don't get out of Grenada soon my entire house and jewelry collection is going to be covered in jute twine!!!

What I {would} wear Wednesday

2011-09-07T09:26:00.000-04:00

I've been seeing all these new {is anything really new though?} fall trends all over the internet and magazines and I've been daydreaming about wearing these clothes.... rather than my 2 year old, over washed, cut offs and tank tops.

1. White jeans for fall/winter.
I have a pair of awesome white jeans waiting for me at home! I will totally be wearing those once December rolls around. Maybe I'll look a little like this. {thank you Jesus that tall boots didn't go out of style while I was off in the Caribbean, I have 10 lonely pairs in my closet at home just begging to be worn over white jeans!}

Source: google.com via Brandy on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Kimberly on Pinterest

2. Tall boots with socks.
I was always that girl that loved knee socks. Channeling my inner school girl I suppose. In Ohio in the wintertime I may need to layer my tights and knee socks or my jeans and socks like this adorable girl.

Source: galmeetsglam.blogspot.com via Janie on Pinterest

3. Plaid
I don't know if it is the country girl in me but I have always loved plaid. Plaid and cowboy boots! So for me it's never really in style or not. I still wear it! Maybe I'll style it in up in the form of a maxi skirt {big for fall}

Source: aroomsomewhere.net via Laura on Pinterest

Source: countryliving.com via Mandy on Pinterest

4. Polka Dots
This is kind of like plaid for me... I never stopped wearing it. I'm a 1950s girl at heart!
I'm pretty excited about the perfect polka dot scarf that I have waiting for me at home though.

Source: whatiwore.tumblr.com via Heather on Pinterest

Source: greenss.com.ar via meagan on Pinterest

5. Wide legs
So thankful that I never get rid of anything! I still have about 4 pairs of wide leg pants from when they were really popular a few years ago {before skinny took over the world} and bonus I have white wide leg pants!

Source: None via Katie on Pinterest

Source: fashionising.com via Amanda on Pinterest

And the jury is still out on the following... probably because I don't own any of these things and I'm just not sure I love it yet.

bright colored jeans

Source: refinery29.com via Emily on Pinterest

chokers

Source: nonesuchthings.com via Marta on Pinterest

mullet hemlines

Source: modcloth.com via Aleks on Pinterest

What are you looking forward to wearing this fall??

Macrame Necklace

2011-09-06T22:30:00.000-04:00

You've probably seen this floating around the internet and pinterest.
I did and wanted one so I got my supplies and made this is about 5 minutes.
Easiest thing I've ever done, seriously!

This is the tutorial I used here - http://www.macramelovers.com/blog/macrame-jewelry/macrame-necklace/
I didn't have the chain so I used my handy dandy jute twine :)

I've been super busy lately, my volunteering has started to pick up and I've been spending my afternoons with the sweet little kiddos, so not a whole lota time to blog/craft.... but I do have a few projects I've been working on so stay tuned!

Have a fabulous Wednesday!

Color Duo: Navy and Green

2011-09-04T04:49:00.000-04:00

This week I made a new header for my Grenada blog and did the layout and background in navy and green. I love this color combination, it was my college's colors, to represent the beautiful blue skies and green fields of Ohio... but maybe it should be the the blue Caribbean waters (which aren't navy...) & the green palm leaves instead.
Anyone have any ideas of how I can make money and stay in Grenada.... forever? no work permit. no resources. too expensive to ship things. oh & my husband would probably leave me..........

Source: paloma81.blogspot.com via Kara on Pinterest

Source: loftandcottage.blogspot.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Source: bowerpowerblog.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Source: 6thstreetdesignschool.blogspot.com via Melissa on Pinterest

Source: thestoriesofa2z.com via Manda on Pinterest

Source: None via Jennifer on Pinterest

Saturday Afternoon Picnik #7 - Pop Art

2011-09-03T05:30:00.000-04:00

I have been picniking all the new pictures Lee and I have from our photoshoot... and I discovered a new really cool feature - totally unrelated to our photoshoot that I want to share!

How to make what I like to call pop art out of your pictures!
This technique uses another premium picnik feature called Dots and Dots.For this project you need to start with a head-shot, a closeup image of a face. To decide on a picture I went to my Facebook and looked at past profile images and found one I knew would be perfect for pop art!

my beginning image

go to Effects and find Dot and Dots in the left side toolbar

Click on Dots and Dots and then chose Color Spots from the drop down menu

I wanted a more abstract look to my image so I made the dots larger,
but you you can decide according to your preference.

then to kinda gloss over the image I chose the Add setting in the advanced mode.
I liked how it took out the in-between dots and kept only the bold colors.

I saved the image after this step and went back and played around some more and I also liked the way this one turned out using the News Print style.

I also had the idea that this would be an awesome paint project! Enlarge an image of someone's face, use the Dots and Dots effect and then reference it for an amazing custom piece of art work! It would be so simple!
I did a project similar to this in college, only it was a painstakingly horrid process. We had to print out an image, cover it with a clear grid overlay and paint each square on the canvas according to what was in the corresponding square on the grid. And it wasn't even in color.
I vote for this technique instead!


I dare you to step back from your computer & be amazed at how cool this is from a distance!

Are you up to any awesome picnik projects? please share!

we love colors

2011-09-02T16:34:00.002-04:00

I just entered the We Love Colors design competition on facebook!
I heard about the contest (and the company) through colourlovers.com and decided what the heck, I'll enter!

We Love Colors is based out of Miami, Fl. and they specialize in leggins, tights, socks, and accessories. They were recently featured in Seventeen Magazine!

I created my submission on picnik (duh) and used an image of my own legs! ha!
I didn't want to "steal" anyone else's images, but knew I wanted to use legs or feet somehow and I remembered a picture of my legs from a What I Wear Wednesday entry a few months ago.
This is what I came up with.... if nothing else they can't say I shyed away from color! (is shyed a word? shied?)

If you'd like to help me win this competition (there are prizes and your image becomes their profile picture on fb) then go to facebook, "like" the WeLoveColorsFanPage and "like" my submission!

If you want to enter for yourself check out http://friends.welovecolors.com/ and then post your image on their facebook page! Contest ends September 10th!

fresh off the press

2011-08-31T21:10:00.000-04:00

I'm so excited about Lee & I's new pictures I couldn't wait to post them!
I'm a very lucky girl in the fact that I have had a ton of photographer friends in my life in Grenada... most of whom have been new at it and have asked to practice on me.
I am not one one to turn down pictures! Especially pictures of Lee and I!
It just so happens that the timing has worked out perfectly that we were able to do a photo shoot last year for our 1 year anniversary{here} and then again this year for our 2 year anniversary!

I got a lot of my inspiration for the pictures from pinterest and was able to use the jute ampersand I made a couple weeks ago!
Thank you so much to my friend Allie for these pictures. She's just starting, but I think she did a fabulous job! She's working on a website soon and I'll be sure to share!

and a really big thanks to my Lee.
isn't he a good sport??
he indulges me when he can because med school is so life controlling... but I know he loves me.

I {heart} lions

2011-08-30T17:00:00.001-04:00

When I was in the 5th grade I became an aunt for the first time.
My mom bought my niece the most adorable stuffed lion you can possibly imagine at a thrift store.... and I wanted it.
I've never been one to really like stuffed animals, but this one is different... and Mom gave in and let me keep him. He even made the trip to college with me... but sadly I had to leave him behind when I made the trek to Grenada.
The other night I called my mom to ask her to check what brand he is so I could google him & guess what?!
He was made in 1987 - the year I was born! It was meant to be!

tell the truth... have you ever seen anything cuter?

I decided that whenever I have a child someday their nursery will be designed after my lion. I love the mix of vintage patterns & gender neutrality of a sweet little yellow lion.

Want more adorable lions?

Source: flickr.com via Elizabeth on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Heather on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via papermoon on Pinterest

who said they had to be yellow?

Source: printpattern.blogspot.com via Crafty on Pinterest

I am now finding myself posting this with hesitation... please don't let lions blow up like the owls did!

highlight of the day

2011-08-30T07:00:00.001-04:00

I broke down and started using twitter.
Mostly so I could stalk even MORE blogs, designers, companies, famous people...
and also because Cat told me she followed Picnik on twitter & they commented on her blog!
jealous much?

I signed into twitter for the first time in over 2 years the next day.
and today Picnik started following me!!
O happy day!

This brings me to a mid-week Picnik update.

Lee and I had pictures taken for Christmas this past year & while we absolutely love the pictures... Lee has never been happy about the fact that his shorts got splashed by a huge wave moments before we started.
kinda surprising that a man would care about such a thing, huh?

anyway, with my new found love of the cloning tool I went in and simply erased the water spots by cloning areas of his shorts that were dry!

a little 1960s effect

See my last post about the amazing cloning tool here
and duh... follow me on twitter!

7 things to recycle into art & craft projects

2011-08-29T11:26:00.002-04:00

We all know I'm currently living in Grenada, but did you know that Grenada has NO form of recycling other than re-using glass beer bottles? Sad but true.
I cringe every single time I throw something away.

I decided to compile a list of some easy, cheap, recyclable projects you can do with the stuff sitting in your trash can [in Grenada] right this very minute.

1. Paper - magazines, newspaper, medical school notes, etc

Magazine Rosettes - my version
Magazine Basket - my version
Magazine Beads
Rolled Paper Frame
Newsprint Art
Paper Ornaments - see mine here & learn how to make them here
Paper Feathers
and you can always make a collage!

2. Cardboard - cereal boxes, shoe boxes, packaging

Shoe box shelves - my version
Jute Ampersand (or any letter/symbol) my version
Bunting / Banner - my version
Toilet Paper Art - my version here & millions of more versions here
Toilet Paper Photo Trick - my version
Cereal Box Shadow Box - my version
Oatmeal Container Headband holder
Can also be used to press leaves & flowers!

3. Glass - pop bottles & jars

Food Storage - much better than using plastic! Use for leftovers in the fridge & to store candy or anything vulnerable to humidity
Beach memory jars
Pop bottle halloween decor - my version
Bottle vignette - my version
painted glass jars
also use them to drink out of!

4. Tin Cans

Planters
Pencil Cups
Luminaries
Hanging tin can decor

5. Plastic

Empty Sunscreen bottle turned secret beach storage
Plastic spoon wreath
Plastic spoon rose
Plastic bottle flowers
Purses and jewelry from plastic food wrappers
I always use my iga bags as trash bags so I'm not purchasing additional plastic bags & always use my reusable bags when possible!

6. Wood

7. Fabric

Anyone have a good idea of how to reuse styrofoam for art or crafting?? Or do you have a another great recycling project to add to my list?

Source: etsy.com via Sandie on Pinterest

Color Duo: Purple and Green

2011-08-28T09:35:00.003-04:00

My friend Ellen's wedding colors were purple and green. When she told me this I truthfully thought "WHAT?!" but it turned out absolutely beautiful!
I've been seeing this unusual color combo pop up and I think it's so fresh and interesting!

The Fab 4 - my best friends from jr high!

Source: thelennoxx.com via Laura on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: houzz.com via Veronica on Pinterest

Source: roomenvy.wordpress.com via Amy on Pinterest

Source: interi0r-design.net via Azure on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Jessica on Pinterest