a little hut paper quilt collection

while searching for more items that my silhouette could cut, i stumbled across this set of boxes/ paper wall art from a little hut.  several of these fit in nicely with my style preferences, and a few of them even resemble some of my own designs (particularly the second one down on the right).

i purchased her paper quilt collection (a file set of nine), and spent an afternoon cutting, scoring, and taping before putting them above the mantle. the silhouette is actually pretty slow! 

i didn't realize what a pain accurately spacing them out would be.

despite my best efforts, they still appear a little askew-- partially because of the slight curving on the sides of the "boxes".  i decided i don't care.

overall, i'm pleased with the look, and since they were so inexpensive to make, i can always change them out for something else later or make some alterations as i see fit. i'm already contemplating removing my least favorite ones! 

they can also be used as gift or storage boxes, so it's likely i will cut more in the future for those purposes.  

craft space expanded

our living room is long and rectangular so we were able to nicely split it into a dining, living, and crafting area.  my craft desk from my last apartment fit perfectly into the space next to the fireplace. the nook has amazing natural light during the day, and is a great place for me to tinker away on the weekend. 

over the months it slowly became a surface for storing piles of of paper and miscellaneous junk (amazing how this always happens over time), and i found it difficult to work on projects and wound up working on the couch and dining table instead.   

bffbf pointed out that there was sufficient space to expand my space into an L shape, and at the next opportunity, we were off to ikea to get another cabinet, table top and legs.

the configuration is practically identical to the one i had in boston, and while i still struggle with keeping the surfaces clear (really, you should see my desk at work) the extra surface is definitely welcomed for my various projects, especially the ones where i use the silhouette, paper cutter, and sewing machine practically simultaneously.

based on bffbf's enthusiasm for the newly expanded desk, i suspect he may slowly try to take it over...

oh christmas tree

over a week after thanksgiving, and i still haven't fully recovered from all the fooding.  oddly, i was more conservative in my pigging out than usual, but i still feel as if i've accumulated an extra layer of fat that i'm not entirely sure i'll be able to shed!

we hosted thanksgiving this year, and it began days earlier with a beautiful brine and ended with a heavy chocolate peanut butter tart.  

because we were a bit too eager to get the christmas season started, we jumped the gun this year and wound up decorating for christmas the weekend before thanksgiving... even though i've previously sworn i'd never do that.  judge me if you will.

we found this fun little pop up tree from target that took less than five minutes to assemble.

whimsical and fun, it fits nicely in our living room next to the fireplace that we've chosen to block with a tv.  i dislike fireplaces. like a lot. judge me if you will (again).

with the addition of a poinsettia and white lights bordering the room,  it may be slightly untraditional but still quite festive!

how are you planning on decorating for christmas this year?

getting back into it?

over the last few years, i've noticed that my craft productivity is directly correlated with my stress level.   the more stressed out i am, the less creative i am.  for the first time in months and months, i felt the urge to sew and to complete some pending household projects.   i finally unpacked my serger, plugged in my sewing machine, and sewed a throw pillow for the couch.

it's a strange feeling to do an activity so familiar after such a long stretch a time.  i half expected to completely botch up my very basic project.  but aside from the usual issues with threading my serger, turns out sewing is sort of like riding a bicycle.

making it all fit

as i mentioned in my previous post, we started with only two dining chairs.  we may purchase at least one more in the future, but for now, i decided to purchase a set of stools that would be useful for guests.   i wanted chairs that could be kept out in the open, but still small enough to prevent cluttering our space.  

i immediately thought of the three legged, stackable alvar aalto stool:

aalto.com

but at $260 a stool, there was absolutely no way i could even consider buying one, let alone four.       

my second thought was the ikea frosta stool, but unfortunately for me, it turns out they sell it at pretty much every ikea in the world except the u.s.  bummer. 

amazon ended up saving the day for me (hooray for amazon), and i was able to buy a set of four for about $75.

i tucked two in the corner underneath the kitchen counter.  another went to the bedroom, and the last by our shoe bins.  

totally space efficient and functional.  they may not be the best quality, but they are perfect for our current needs.

almost there

the walls in the bedroom, living room, and kitchen are painted.  the red concrete bedroom floor mopped no less than five times and covered with flor tiles.  the master closet carpet deep cleaned.    

we've moved the placement of the couch three or four times and moved the chaise from the left side to the right side.  we've gone back and forth on whether to keep the dining table fully or partially expanded.  

we are 99% unpacked and 99% furnished.  i suppose you can say we ran out of steam for the last 1%.  the likelihood that we will be at 100% by the time we move out is 99%.  

as we found ourselves close to being completely furnished, we found ourselves in danger of cluttering our rather spacious apartment.   we still wanted an end table and we needed more than two dining chairs.  due to our set up, there isn't a great deal of space for a end table, so we searched, with only mild gusto, for a c-table.

most tables we found were the wrong price point, poor quality, or wrong height.  i was about to lose interest in the idea when my friend k- mentioned her stepmother had recently purchased one at world cost market for a very reasonable price, with a solid wood table top and wrought iron legs.  at the time it was even on sale for $59.99, and i also happened to have a 10 dollar off coupon i received in the mail.  we were sold.  it works perfectly in our space.  

eastvold coffee table

in many ways, i feel like i have restarted my adult life, like a fresh college grad, all over again.

my recent move was a small and a big one- i came with relatively little, as my roommate had a fully furnished apartment minus my bedroom furniture, so there was a lot that needed to be purchased.    

picking everything out has been a fun and simultaneously arduous process, especially when i saw the last couple credit card statements!  

my new place primarily looks like one giant ikea ad, with a few indulgent exceptions, one that i am particularly in love with: 

we purchased this beautiful, well-crafted, solid walnut coffee table off etsy from eastvold furniture, customized to our size specifications.  matt was responsive, and easy to work with.  even though we were originally sent the wrong sized coffee table, he sent a replacement and rectified the situation professionally without much trouble on our end.  i really appreciated his high level of customer service and friendliness.                   

this classic mid-century coffee table has been something i've been wishing for years, and we decided it was an investment... into our adulthood...or something? 

admittedly, owning something so nice is a bit stressful.   so my bffbf immediately ordered a custom glass panel to put over the top of the wood.   while it detracts a bit from the beauty of the coffee table, it's nice to have the added protection.   

maybe one day the eastvold credenza will be in the budget, but until then, a girl can dream.    

sample flor tile mini table runner

as you can see in my previous post, my new bedroom comes with hideous red stained concrete floors.  we wanted to rid ourselves of any traces of the red, and explored our options with flor tiles, so we ordered a bunch of samples.  

but what to do with the samples after we made a decision?  it seemed like such a waste to throw them away.

i lined four of them up on our new ikea ps 2012 dining room table (which, btw, is a great little table) to act as a mini table runner.  these particular flor tiles are made out of felt, which work very well as coasters/trivets.  

a perfect way to repurpose these samples! 

the mini runner is also a preview of our living room color palette.  the red you see on the wall also has to go.  soon.

in progress

moving.

again.

this is why i haven't been around. 

stay tuned!

temporary wall decor

temporary, easily removable wall decor that i put up because i was tired of looking at a blank wall.  

supplies: 

two thumbtacks.one long piece of string.mini clothes pins.several of my spoonflower samples.

that's all! i may remove the fabric samples and replace them with cards i've received instead.  or add another layer underneath. or get bored of the whole thing and remove it entirely.  

my ikea room

ta-da! say hello to my new ikea bedroom.
it's nothing to get too excited about, but i really like it.
i found this great place for rent on craigslist, that fulfilled all my 'requirements', and more.  i only had to buy the furniture for my room since my roommate had fully furnished everything else.

i mulled over furniture selection quite a bit, and in the end, ikea just won every time.  i tried to be as minimalistic as possible, but still extremely functional.  

one of the first things i bought before i even moved in was the ceiling lamp.  every rental i have ever lived in has lacked a built in ceiling light, and i have often tried to get by with a side standing lamp, which i've never liked.  i actually had this very same light in my boston apartment, and decided that i liked it enough to buy again.  it diffuses light so much better than a free standing lamp could, and since i spend a lot of time in my room, i consider it a solid decision.  and really, while having the long cord stretch across the ceiling and down the wall is not the prettiest, i think it's totally worth it.  

i already knew that i wanted most of my furniture to be white.  i considered several bed options, keeping in mind the importance of under bed space for extra storage.  i nearly went with the simple bed frame at west elm, but realized that i wanted a headboard, so i went with the nordli.  i talk about the nightstand in depth here, and it's also featured on ikea hackers. 

my craft area on one side of the room.   since i have a roommate now, so i have to keep my craft space within my bedroom.   it's a smaller version of what i used to have in boston, but this time with a glossy tabletop instead of matte.  in theory i would love a larger workspace, but i didn't want to clutter the room.  i almost went with a different desk, but i decided having a deep table that fits my cutting mat was essential.  

i intentionally arranged my furniture so i can have enough floor space to do pilates.  it is just barely enough space for my short legs to flail about without hitting something.  i don't love having my bed against the wall, especially since i'd prefer it if i could have a second nightstand, but it's still an acceptable set up.

the other side of my room, with more ikea furniture (plus the tv i got for christmas!).  my dresser has two very spacious drawers, with more than enough space for my needs.  i was pleased that my shelf fit perfectly between the wall and the door, and it only cost $20. 

it was somewhat of a struggle to decipher between my wants and my needs, but in the end, i think i came out okay.  every time i have the urge to paint my walls or buy more items, i sternly remind myself that i live in a potentially short-term rental and that i am still sans-job.   

i am considering ideas for diy wall decor, but we'll see about that!  

happy chinese new year to everyone celebrating!  my celebration involved a mostly failed attempt at making chinese new year glutinous rice cake.  i intended to post the recipe today, but as it was so sadly unsuccessful, i opted for this instead. 

baby a's nursery

surprise!  i'm going to be a mommy.

just kidding.

JUST KIDDING.... and i realize that wasn't funny at all.

the truth is my friend a- recently had a baby we'll call baby a-, and today i'm going to share with you her amazing nursery.

ikea expedit wall shelf --> nightstand

my new life left me with zero pieces of furniture.  so as i searched for a place to live in san diego, i simultaneously started collecting ideas for my future home.

being divorced and unemployed pretty much limits my shopping range, meaning places like room&board and crate&barrel are pretty much out.  possibly forever.  luckily, i love ikea, which generally matches most of my design sensibilities without tearing too big of a hole in my pocket.  my room is mostly finished, and i am quite happy with it.  while i am not ready to showcase the full room yet, i will first show you my one "diy" piece: my nightstand.

i can be very particular.  i want things to be just so, especially when it comes to my furniture, something i see and use daily.   i bookmarked several nightstands and except for a west elm nightstand i didn't want to pay for, i had trouble finding something that would fit the bill.  but after looking through what seemed like every product on ikea.com, i settled on turning the expedit wall shelf into a nightstand by adding hairpin legs.

hairpin legs are my FAVORITE.

aren't they magnificent? !

i bought my 8" legs made to order from hairpinlegs.com and attached them to a white ikea expedit wall shelf and added a two-drawer insert.   if you want to make this nightstand, you'll also need a drill.

i also rust proofed the legs before screwing them on, since i bought the raw steel hairpin legs.  just in case.  i just did a few coats since my nightstand lives indoors (the can recommended something like 6 coats?).  the legs are also available in brushed stainless steel, but i prefer the raw look... which is also slightly cheaper.

i kind of really want a second nightstand, but i don't have anywhere to put it... nor do i really need it.  how unfortunate. 

oh, and before i forget, happy new year! ! 

craft room revealed

one of the challenges and annoyances i've discovered as a renter is dealing with furniture.  it's hard to find pieces that are versatile enough that will fit in the next space, and even worse, hard to keep furniture in good shape after it's been moved from apartment to apartment. inevitably, things get dinged up, and once nice looking chairs and tables start looking pretty grungy.   nearly all the furniture we actually brought to houston suffered cosmetically and/ or structurally.

because of this, i have been generally hesitant to purchase expensive or long-term furniture.  with this most recent cross-country move, we decided to sell about half of our furniture on craigslist, and put the money toward our joint craft/office room.  the goal was to create a completely white space (please humor me and pretend the walls you see are stark white and not cream- our landlord didn't want us to paint) that was inexpensive, functional, and minimalistic.