::house project // 1::

One of my goals is to complete more house projects. I have a whole Pinterest board of things to make, and I'd like to actually make a few. I put this together in about 10 minutes a couple weekends ago.

I usually find any excuse to make a stop at a thrift store, especially if I'm nearby. On one of these impromptu stops I found this little pot with two holes on each side and knew it would be perfect for a hanging plant. Luckily, I had some extra plants lying around that were perfect for the pot.

I'd like to find a vintage ceiling hook, but that black one was on hand and works for the time being. It's a nice addition to this corner of the kitchen.

So, this is just the beginning of a whole series of house projects.

::DIY // ring holder::

This is another project that took care of some much needed organization for my jewelry (see the other one here). I've been using these vintage bobbins to hold rings on top of my dresser, but they're not very stable by themselves and keep falling over when the drawers open and close. So, this was the solution.

I found these vintage bobbins at an antique fair in Florida. The guy had hundreds of them! (You can also find them all over Etsy.) The wood is from a local shop that's filled with architectural salvage and "junk."

Since the bobbins are hollow, I just drilled two long screws up from the bottom of the old piece of wood and put the bobbins over them. I may go a step further and fill the space with putty to make it a bit more snug, but I'm happy with it so far.

After spending the past weekend creating some things for the house, I'm hooked. I can't wait to make more things and finally use some of the items I've been holding on to.

::DIY // necklace holder::

Finally got around to making some things for the house. First up, a necklace holder from some pieces I've been collecting. Let's just say I have a lot of pieces sitting and waiting for the right project.

One of my favorite types of shops are warehouses filled with architectural salvage. I brought home this piece of wood for the mint hue and patina. This is what I dreamed up.

Measure out two even spots on the back for the mounting hardware. Then, flip it over and drill 4 holes to screw in the drawer pulls. I had these cute mushrooms from Anthropologie. It's more fun that Jay was around to help. He loves using his power tools. 

We screwed in the 'shrooms and then hung her up in the bedroom above the dresser. We love how it turned out and it really helped clear the window sill of all my necklaces. 

::make time for these::

The plan is the make time to work on fun projects that have been sitting on the back burner. I have a few vintage "objects" that I'd like to turn into light fixtures, fabric scraps just begging to be braided into a market bag and some large vintage maps that should be displayed in that scroll-like fashion. There's a long list of ideas-- most of them hit me at midnight when I'm trying to sleep. Maybe I'll squeeze one in this weekend.

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::i can do it myself::

While I love adventuring on the weekends and seeing new places, it doesn't leave much time at home for arts & crafts. It been a long while since I've done a DIY here (or anywhere for that matter). I'm pretty particular in the 'to make' pins I add to my board. I'm itching for some downtime to create these...

various sources

::colorful ribbons::

Instantly on my to make list: these dyed ribbons from Ruffled blog. I'm always looking for fun new ways to package items whether it's for gift wrapping or my shop packaging. Or, you could just tie one in your hair. And of course the colors choices are endless.

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::DIY clothing rack::

On Saturday, I'm doing my first antique show in Virginia. I'll be showing off much of my collection: restyled furniture, vintage home decor, antique goods, vintage dresses + bags, handmade jewelry and wall art. There's lots of unique stuff that hasn't been listed in the shop (yet).

I've been needing a clothing rack to display the dresses and I found a great idea here to do it myself. Yesterday J and I gathered all the supplies at the hardware store and started building. It's all various metal plumbing/piping supplies. Some pieces we couldn't find in black iron, so we went with galvanized steel. The mix-matched looks pretty cool. We set it up outside and it's just perfect. The industrial look is exactly what I wanted. Plus, it's slim and sturdy. Here's the assembly process...

thanks for the video, J. music by Phish

::featured // a christmas-y DIY::

*See more of my guest post over on Jessica Chronicled.

Spread some Christmas cheer...

::it's the little things::

Who knew that little pieces of fabric could look so perfect. I love how Miss James decorated for her daughter's birthday. 

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::tiny tree::

Since Jay and I are squeezing more than two people should have into a smaller space, this idea from Jen is a perfect alternative to a full Christmas tree-- and still have that pine tree scent. You can do it too with the the right jars. Get your own from the 6 petals shop with this amazing pair of crocks. I love the type on those guys. 

Bring it on, December. 

image  /  rustic red  /  found via here

::window seating charts // devon's wedding::

I was super excited when I got an email from Devon a few month ago. She saw this post and wanted me to create custom window seating charts for her wedding in Los Angeles. Over the next few months we sent countless emails back and forth about her wedding colors, guest list, needing another window, excitement over how much she liked them, and how happy I was to be a tiny part of such a gorgeous wedding.

Devon chose yellow + white for the window colors to match the theme. We needed three windows, each with 6 panes to represent each table. When she finalized the guest list, I started writing the seating chart. 

I've been so excited to share this project. Devon's wedding was all kinds of awesome. The couple had an amazing photographer capture all the beautiful moments. She had so many vintage touches all over the stunning ranch where it took place-- what a venue! 

**I will be adding this as a listing in my shop. Or, contact me for custom window seating charts, I'd love to create one for your big day.**


all images by Stone Crandall Photography

::DIY // a fresh, white mirror::

This past weekend was time for me to catch up on a few projects from my DIY list. J installed a shelf on Saturday and we're displaying some newly acquired records and some of my collected vintage. More on that later in the week.

A while ago I found this old, large (and super heavy) mirror at the thrift store for 10 bucks. I fell in love with the wide floral-patterned frame and the glass is in excellent condition. The frame has seen some wear and tear...but it's better that way. All it needed was a fresh coat of white paint and it's perfect. For now, it's making for a great floor mirror until we can find a wall strong enough for it.

::i will be making this::

I'm a big fan of twine, hemp, lace + string. I use it pretty often for all sorts of crafts + packaging. I found this string holder DIY on Lover of Vintage and it's such a simple and easy idea for an old metal hanger. It doesn't take up much space, and those metal hangers are so pesky in the closet. I can't wait to try this one out.

All images from the Lover of Vintage blog

::DIY // inspiration (clip)boards::

Since we're just renting until we find a home one day, it's difficult to decorate the place. I'm reluctant to purchased wall decor (like this) until I know it will work in our future space. So as an alternative, I've gone for a cheaper and less wall-damaging form of wall art. I found this image and did it myself.

I'm a huge fan of mixed-media and thought this would be a perfectly easy way to incorporate lots of things that inspire me. When I spotted four clipboards on the shelf at the thrift store this weekend, I was ready to start creating...

I went through my craft drawers and picked out things too pretty to be stored away. I tried to use things with different colors, textures and materials like metal, paper, cotton, leather, and plastic. After assembling each board, I hung them on a blank wall. I'm sure they'll change often as I find new things and cross of some of the projects that are up there. 

::tipping the scale // DIY::

A while back I picked up this vintage wooden scale. I figured it'd go in the shop, but I realllly liked it. I imagined it holding jewelry on a vanity or fruit + veggies in a kitchen-- tipping the scale each time something was added or removed. Anyway, I kept it, painted it a mustard yellow (not sure why everything's getting coated in yellow?) and roughed it up with sandpaper. Right now it holds handfuls of acorns I found on a recent hiking adventure (see below). These acorns are impressively large, or maybe they just run smaller in Florida.

Preface: J's new hobby is shooting and editing little videos of our adventures. We visited his brother about 3 hours away. That's Katie in the still frame below. I did some vintage hunting while the others jumped off some high platform with a blow up shark, we watched a college soccer game, hung out with his brother's pet pig and hiked in Shenandoah National Park (were I collected acorns). At the end, that's me surprised-- I spotted a deer about 6 feet from me eating. He looked up at me and kept eating, then scattered once he knew he was being filmed...camera shy.

 

::{finally} succulents + handmade cards::

I finally have my own succulents. After months of seeing beautiful ones all over the Web, I spotted these little green guys for less than a dollar and couldn't say no. I also had to fill these little blue jars with something. It was meant to be.

I finally got around to thank you cards and a couple 'miss you' cards for friends. I love mixed-media so I use paper, lace, tape, fabric, metal pieces, stamps, raised stickers...whatever I have in my craft drawers. Old Anthropologie + Free People catalogs make for great paper clippings.

::i made a shelf::

With 6 petals inventory expanding, there's a definite need for more surface area in the studio. There are some amazing vintage goods getting ready for their debut in the shop this week + lots of handmade ideas drawn out and being put to production mode.

This image of Erin's (of Design For Mankind) office had me dreaming about a perfect shelf.

I found a light colored piece of lumber in a perfect size at the hardware store. I also picked up a few simple, metal brackets, and spray painted them the same color as the silverware. I didn't even bother painting the wood-- all natural. Then we hung it up (J helped). I love the minimalist look of the shelf, especially considering I'm going to fill it up...quickly.

That's the beauty of hardware stores-- so many options. I may not have purchased the "right" equipment for the job, but couldn't be happier with my shelf and it works for me.

P.S. I added a few items yesterday and tweeted. Follow along to be the first to hear. 

::do it yourself // yellow utensils::

You may have seen this picture (or one like it) running around Pinterest. This was on the top of my "to make list" and I love how they turned out. Now, I'm on the lookout for a set of jars so they don't have to hide in a drawer.

I found this set at a local thrift store for like $5. The floral pattern on the handle sold me. All it takes is a set of silverware, spray paint, painter's tape + clear spray sealer. I chose a mustard yellow color that works well with everything I own. 

Prepping was the time consuming part. Wrapping each top with painter's tape is easy, but being a perfectionist, I wanted to make sure the tape lined up evenly on each side. Two coats of paint + sealer later, I unwrapped them like it was Christmas. 

On to the next project!

::tag it::

When it comes to packaging, we like it clean. And I've always loved stamps {flashback: did you guys have an embossing gun too? I loved watching the stamps become 3D with embossing powder. It was like magic}. Since every item in the shop is unique in terms of size, shape, material + weight, each shipment gets special treatment. Here's a little tag that's attached to the items from our shop during the packaging process, so when you open it up you know what to do...

::throw me a rope::

I'm a big fan of reusing materials and finding new ways to incorporate them into my home. And Pinterest is an amazing way for me to keep track of all the cool DIYs I find online. Here are some neat rope decorations that caught my eye. Some more realistic than others...

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