Thursday, March 29, 2012

Home tour

I've added a new tab to the top of lovely honeybee.

If you are curious to see the bachelor(ette) Derek and I call home, you can now check it out!

Enjoy!

Monday, March 26, 2012

The IKEA RAST hack

You might recognize this RAST dresser from IKEA:


I know we had some of this furniture in my house when I was growing up.  Functional storage, neutral style at the low cost of $39.99.  

I recently discovered the trend called RAST hack and can't believe I did not know of this until now.  I think it's the coolest thing ever and can't wait to hack my own RAST!!!  

Please forgive me, apparently this is soooo 2011, but if you don't know the drill here it is:

Talented diy-ers creatively put their own spin on the IKEA RAST dresser; the finished products being very stylish furniture.  Much more exciting than the original RAST (sorry IKEA, it's just so boring - but THANK YOU for creating such an affordable blank canvas of a dresser to work with!)

Lindsay from Aubrey + Lindsay's Little House Blog made beautiful night tables.  She provides a great tutorial if you are inspired by her work. 

Nancy Marcus from Marcus Design channelled Dorothy Draper and created a beautiful black and gold night table.  She has also included a really good tutorial.

Another black lacquer finished product - this time with more of an Asian feel - from Design Manifest.  I think it looks great as a side board or tv console.  

Ellen from Nouveau Stitch actually used some of her favourite fabric to re-do her own RAST.  This is very inspiring and I think it looks beautiful.

Bri from Me You and a Wiener (this girl is funny) went to the Greeks for inspiration and came up with this beauty.  

This weathered RAST hack from http://livethemma.ikea.se/inspiration is my favourite.  I love the numbered drawers - they remind me of old shipping crates.  

Have any of you hacked your own RAST?  Feel free to share it by sending me a picture and/or link.  Once we move into our new condo, this summer, I might end up hacking a RAST for the front entrance.  After that whole diy dry erase board, I feel like I can do anything!  Totally kidding - but some of these ideas seem pretty doable, even for me!

Happy Monday folks!

Saturday, March 24, 2012

My first DIY complete!

I've completed my very first diy as part of the Pinterest Challenge!


After living with the dry erase board for a couple days, I am happy with my project choice because I think it will actually be very useful!

So far we have been using our new board to organize our weekly activities.  We hung it on the wall in the kitchen where our calendar used to be (the calendar has now moved to the fridge), so it is very visible.  It's also right near our entrance which also makes sense in my mind.



This project ended up costing me zero dollars - holla!  

I was able to use a picture frame that was collecting dust in my closet and I decided to use wrapping paper that I had on hand instead of looking for another backing.  I will admit this was partially due to laziness/cheapness and aside from the fact that it is super girlie, I actually really love the print!  







I'm lucky that Derek is so easy going/unobservant because to tell you the truth he didn't even notice our new little organizing board until I pointed it out, and doesn't seem to mind another feminine touch to our home.

In addition to being free, this project was also the easiest thing on the planet.  I just cut the wrapping paper to fit inside the frame and presto!

Seeing the wrapping paper inside the frame also got me to thinking about how this type of project would make amazing art.  There are so many great wrapping papers out there, so I think you could find a print that would work for any room in your home.

Here are some inspiration photos I love:





The great thing about framed wrapping paper is that you can cut it to any size to fit your frame and you can spend as much or as little as you like.  

Another idea: How cute would it be to save some scraps of wrapping from a baby or bridal shower, or child's birthday party, then frame them as a collage?  I might try this with my girlfriend's bridal shower coming up this summer.

I know one thing is certain -the next time I receive a wrapped gift I will definitely be looking at the paper differently to see if it's frame worthy!

PS - I just finished the last book of The Hunger Games trilogy.  Tears were streaming down my face as I read the last page.  You too?  I heard the movie was great too!  Can't wait to see it!

Thursday, March 15, 2012

How embarrassing!!!

It's Thursday.  The day my Pinterest Challenge is due.  And I'm tardy.  I feel like I'm back in high school.

I was going to not post today - just quietly stay off the internet and hope no one would notice my big fat failure.  But then I thought I should just fess up and tell you the truth: I have not even come close to completing/starting my Pinterest Challenge.

I wish I had a really great excuse, but basically I've just been spending my time watching The Bachelor, reading about it here, and eating coffee Haagen Dazs that I hid at the back of the freezer where Derek can't see it.  I am writing this here so that he will read it and eat the rest of it while I'm out tonight.

Ok, so this weekend (even though I'm really busy) I plan on making that AWESOME DRY ERASE BOARD!  Yep, still sounds kinda lame one week later.  I would do it tonight but I'm having a sleepover with my best friend forever/bride-to-be/my maid of honour Ashley....and we'll probably be too busy doing things like eating, drinking, watching Jersey Shore, etc. to make a dry erase board.

You should definitely check out what Sherry, Katie and their special guests created though!

I think Sherry's bean bag for her bean is super cute.  Almost at cute as Clara.

I would never be as brave and patient as Katie B to make such cool artwork.

I think I could handle creating some faux antlers like Cassie.

And Erin's mason jar chandelier is amazing.

They all get A++ in my books!

Did any of you guys jump on the Pinterest Challenge band wagon?  Did anyone else fail, like me?  We will do better next time, right!?

Ok, see you soon, with a really kick ass DRY ERASE BOARD!

PS - A special apology to Christine who was "hooked!"

Thursday, March 08, 2012

Pinterest Challenge

Like so many other Pinterest lovers out there, I pin, pin and pin away all the live long day (insert music here) - recipes, art projects, décor inspiration, wedding ideas but my pins only become reality about 1% of the time.

So, after sitting by as a spectator to both the summer and fall editions of the Pinterest Challenge, hosted by Sherry from Young House Love and Katie from Bower Power, I decided to get in the game for the winter edition.


Bring on the challenge!!!

You can check out the cute Sherry and Katie here and here as they annouce the first 2 editions of the Pinterest Challenge.  Winter Edition found here.  Aren't these ladies the cutest and most adorable humans out there?  

Sometimes I talk to Derek and my friends about Sherry as though she is my work colleague or something.  I come home at the end of the day, and I'm like:

"So, you will never guess what Sherry and John DIYed last weekend!" or 

"Sherry and John just got back from Hawaii and it looks like they had a really great time!  I'm totally going to ask her for honeymoon planning advice!" or 

"I love Sherry's new hair cut, maybe we should move to Virginia so that we can share stylists and then somehow become real life best friends!"

I don't really find this weird, but Derek seems to think I'm crazy at times....

Anyway, back to the Pinterest Challege.  Basically, the only rule is that you do your own personal take on something inspirational that you've pinned (and link back to the original creator of the project that inspired you, be it a company like Anthropologie or a personal blogger that got your wheels turning).  Also, you only have one week to get 'er done!  

I started going through one of my pin boards titled "this to make" which was full of good diy ideas like:


Since this is my first Pinterest Challenge and since I'm a newby at DIY projects I thought I would start with something small and pretty doable.  So!  I will be making a Dry Erase Board!!!  I realize this sounds lame, but baby steps people...baby steps.

I found the idea through Pinterest (obvi) and was linked to this great blog Make and Takes which is full of fun craft ideas, especially if you have a little kiddie or two.


It's pretty cute, eh?  I can't wait to shop around for the paper backing and frame.  I might even pick up some strong magnets so that it can go on the fridge and be used for our grocery list, or even our activities that we need to keep track of during the week.

I plan on having my project completed by next Thursday and will post about it then.  

Any other Pinterest addicts want to get in on this challenge?  I understand if you want to just sit the first few times out like I did.  But maybe by the third you will be brave enough to take on the challenge.  

By the way, I'm currently reading The Hunger Games and all this talk of challenges is getting my adrenaline pumping because I just keep thinking of Katniss and how....ok, I won't go any further, don't want to ruin it for anyone.  Just read the books!

So, I will see you back here on Thursday, hopefully with an awesome first Pinterest Challenge project!