Monthly Archives: October 2011

Wanted This Week: I Love Lamp

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Good afternoon, Universe.

Hope this finds you well. I just wanted to check in, and let you know what you can send me if you’re feeling particularly generous.

I would like a brass floor lamp, and I would like it to be free. Or perhaps under, say, $30. It should have a brass dome, like the one in this photo:


Image via Emily Henderson’s portfolio

But it should arch over, like this:


Image via Design Manifest

I’m not super picky. I would take this one, or this one, or even this whacky one. But as I mentioned, they have to be cheaper. Much, much cheaper.

In the event that you cannot make this happen, I would also settle for any of these three items.


(CC Skye Double Header Pave Spike Bracelet, Nate Berkus Handcrafted Orbit Table Lamp in Rose, Murano Glass Bead Wallpaper by The Paris Apartment)

I know you will do your part in ensuring my happiness by providing me with more stuff, universe. You know how I do. Thanks!

     

Boot Suit Riot

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Adding glitter to a pair of underused shoes isn’t exactly a new idea – in fact, I’d go so far as to call it a blogosphere trend. I Spy DIY did it with oxfords; A Pair and a Spare did it with Louboutin pumps; and my talented friend Bianca from A Lust for All Seasons did it with not one, not two, but THREE pairs of underappreciated heels.

We all know how I feel about glitter. And shoes. So clearly, I had to try this.

My most-lusted-after glitter shoes are currently this pair, which I spotted on A Pair and a Spare:

Image via The Style Crusader


CO-OP Barneys New York – Glitter Ankle Boot – $595

Le Fanciulle also DIYed a pair of these. I searched everywhere for a zip-up tapered ankle boot (my mom says these are called Beatle boots), but couldn’t find a perfect match. Finally, I gave up and ordered a pair of cowboy-style boots from Old Navy. They were on sale for $22, so I figured if I screwed up, I wouldn’t be too upset.

DIY Glitter Ankle Boot

I scuffed them up a bit with coarse grit sandpaper so that the glue would adhere better, and then taped the edges with the only material I had handy – painters’ tape.

DIY Glitter Ankle Boot
Oh, how nice. My TV remote made it into the photo.

I’ve seen a wide variety of glue used in these projects. I went with Mod Podge Matte. The real boots – and Le Fanciulle’s DIY version – use coarse glitter, but I was afraid that I wasn’t skilled enough to get coarse glitter to look even, so I went with ultra fine. (It’s Recollections brand, with both “champagne” and “copper” mixed together.)

I started off mixing even parts of glue and glitter, but found that my mixture didn’t look glittery enough, so I dumped a bunch more in.

DIY Glitter Ankle Boot

In an attempt to maximize my sparkle capacity, I started off applying the mixture very thickly.

DIY Glitter Ankle Boot

But I noticed right away that the glue was drying wonky, and the thicker parts were attempting to slide down the boot onto my repurposed bridal magazine. Bastards! Get back here!

DIY Glitter Ankle Boot

I smoothed everything out, and from then on, applied the mixture in thin, even layers. At this point, I also noticed that the boot was trying to wrinkle itself while drying, so I stuffed it with some more repurposed magazine pages. Then, it was time to sit back and let the boots dry.

This part was boring, so I went off in search of more items to glitter. Unfortunately, all I could find were a silver box and a fake lemon. The silver box came out kind of cool. The lemon did not.

Oh, well. I let the boots dry an hour, then added another coat of glitter-glue. When the second coat was almost dry, I took the tape off. My thesis was that if the glitter-glue was still slightly wet, I could potentially fix any screw-ups.

DIY Glitter Ankle Boot

My thesis was correct! I love when that happens. See the kind of drippy, uneven edges above the heel? Because the glitter-glue was still squishy, I was able to kind of push the extra bits into the crease with my fingernail.

I let all the glitter-glue dry overnight, and the next day, I added another layer of Mod Podge (sans glitter) to seal everything in. Et voila! Doneskies!

DIY Glitter Ankle Boot

They’re cute, right? I kind of wish I had tried the coarse glitter, but I still like them. Do you? Get a little closer.

DIY Glitter Ankle Boot

I want to add some trim to separate the glittered and non-glittered parts, but I’m not really sure what to use, or how to attach it. Suede cord? Thin grosgrain ribbon? Leather cord? Super glue? Hot glue? More Mod Podge? I need to think about it. Any tips?

Here’s a picture of the boots on actual feet. The Hubs wasn’t home to take the photo for me, so this was the best I could do in the mirror. Better than nothing, right?

Anyone else have a fun DIY fashion project to share? (I think this is my first one!) I want to see yours!

     

Modern Rustic Glam

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When I can drag myself away from all the cheesy docu-soaps that I’ve somehow become addicted to, one of my favorite shows is Secrets From a Stylist on HGTV. Emily Henderson has the most amazing knack for nailing her clients’ individual styles and creating functional, stylish and custom-tailored spaces. It doesn’t hurt that she’s cute as a button, and totally charming. OK, so I might have a bit of a girl crush.

On the show, Emily usually works with a couple and has to combine their two styles. In the first episode I saw, I fell in love with this room, designed for Joy Cho of Oh Joy!.


Images via Emily’s portfolio

Based on the “style diagnostic,” Emily found that Joy’s style was “Artsy Nouveau,” while her husband’s was “Single Malt Minimalism.” Basically, Joy liked really girly, gilded things, and her husband was more into a masculine, Mad Men-esque look. To create a blend of their tastes, Emily deemed them “Single Malt Nouveau.”

Another favorite was “Untamed Modern Funk,” which mixed clean, modern lines with eclectic tribal pieces and funky ’70s stuff. It was insane.

What I’ve learned from watching the show that is that not only is it possible to mix two totally different styles, it actually makes for a more exciting, interesting room. Which is fantastic, because The Hubs and I definitely diverge when it comes to home decor. Since we’ll probably never get featured on Emily’s show, I attempted to do my own diagnostic to determine what our style-child would be.

I don’t think I need to say too much about my style. If you’ve been reading this blog, you know I’m into shiny surfaces, graphic patterns, gold accents and bright colors. The only thing you might not know is that comfort is a high priority for me, and I like to keep things informal. When my friends come over, I want them to feel like they’re in their second home – not in a museum. I prefer big statement pieces to kitschy knick-knacks. I think my style is something along the lines of “Easy Graphic Glam.”


Image via Marcus Design

Brad shares my love of color and comfort, but that’s where the similarities end. His style is more like what you see in a Pottery Barn catalog. He appreciates antiques and furniture with character, and can even skew Tuscan (minus the vineyard murals). His dream home item? A super-chunky, worn-in farmhouse table. But at the same time, he can appreciate the symmetry and grace of a Parsons table. Brad’s style is a kind of “Modern Colorful Country.”


Image via House*Tweaking

Put those together, and what do you get? My guess is “Modern Rustic Glam.” Something like this:


Lilly Pulitzer

For us, it’s all about incorporating warm wood tones with cool white lacquer; sturdy, simple silhouettes with gold or mirrored accent pieces; and a few bright, bold statements that keep things fresh – bonus points if they’re from another country or era.

If you had to pick a name for your own personal style, what would it be? What about if you had to combine it with your partner’s or roommate’s?

Wanted This Week: Nothing That Will Surprise You

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In a move that will surely shock the nation, I’ve fallen for a number of items this week that are one or more of these things: gold, shiny or sparkly.

  1. J. Crew Crystal brûlée bracelet in “rose dust” ($45): The little lavender cups that hold the crystals are supposed to look like tiny crème brûlée ramekins! Such a perfect color.
  2. Topshop “Bug Collar” necklace ($80): Rhinestones and giant metallic bugs. What more could a woman want in a piece of jewelry? This thing is bizarre, but I’d wear the crap out of it. Picture it with a simple white T! Genius.
  3. Versace for H&M dress: Be still, my beating heart. I don’t have a shot in hell on getting my hands on this dress, of course. If the Versace collection even comes to H&M stores in Atlanta this November, I’m sure it’ll sell out immediately. But a girl can dream, right?
  4. Nine West Mavenue Bootie in Dark Taupe Suede ($149): It’s a basic, multi-purpose suede ankle boot, but with a little flash of gold to make it extra-special. Subtle, but brilliant.
  5. J Brand 901 Coated Legging Jeans in Gray ($216): I know I already posted about these jeans, but this pair is GRAY.
  6. Express Sequin Moto Jacket in Matte Gold ($128): A few weeks ago, I was in Express during a sale, and my eyes landed on this jacket. I tried it on. It is INSANE. If it had been on sale, I would have snapped it up in a heartbeat, but sadly, it was not. And for $128, I just … can’t. Not right now, anyway. When I win the lottery, I’m going to buy seven of these jackets so that I can wear them every day of the week.
  7. Druzy necklace from jennijewel ($40): My friend Jess turned me onto this Etsy seller, and I haven’t been able to stop drooling since. All of her pieces are beautiful, but I’m particularly enamored with this delicate gold necklace. I had never heard of a “druzy” before now, but I think they’re one of my new favorite things!

And because I’m all about appreciating what I have, instead of just lusting after what I don’t:

I can’t believe I’m putting this picture on the internet. I had just gotten home from girls’ night out, and I was a little tipsy and very tired, so I look like roadkill. But this coat is worth it. Meet my new Michael Kors faux fur. Guess where I got it! MARSHALLS! The amazing part is that they’re still selling it full-price at Neiman Marcus. (Apparently, they call it a “chubby,” which makes me cackle like a hyena. I know, I know – I’m a 13-year-old boy in the body of a 25-year-old woman.)

Nothing better than a fantastic find! This coat makes me feel like a healthy Rachel Zoe. And it’s warm and comfortable, too!

So, readers, what are you lusting after this week? What’s one piece you already own that you just can’t get enough of?

The Non-Failure Paint Job

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I’m still in a funk over royally screwing up my cabinet project on Sunday. (See the end of Monday’s post for that story.) I’ll be honest – I’ve been depressed about it for days. I know it’s not a big deal, but I really, really hate screwing up. Type A perfectionist much?

So, in an effort to cheer myself up, I’ll share another project that I didn’t completely ruin. (I’m exaggerating. My cabinet will be fine. I just have to sand it and start over. Sigh.)

This is my Ikea Rast nightstand. I use it as a shelf in my office. This is the project I planned to mess up – the piece was only $15, is too small to be useful, and is almost completely obscured by the giant printer that sits on top of it. That’s why I did this project first. I actually finished it about a month ago – not sure why I haven’t shared it until now!

I told a friendly employee at Lowe’s that I was going for a white lacquer look, and he suggested I use a latex primer, latex paint and water-based brush-on poly. This all seemed reasonable, so I bought my supplies and kicked off the project.

First, I sanded the whole thing down with both 50 grit and 220 grit paper.

I applied two coats of the primer with a foam roller and a foam brush for the crevices. I sanded in between each coat of primer. (See? I’m usually great with prep. I over-prep. That’s why my failure on Sunday was so frustrating.)

Next, I added three coats of paint. I sanded in between each of those, too.

I let it dry overnight, and the next day, I had a nice, clean white nightstand.

At this point, I planned to gild the front edges with liquid gold leaf. Unfortunately, it occurred to me that if I wanted to tape off the lines, I’d need to wait a while for the paint to cure, and I was way too impatient for that. I tried to make a clean edge by holding up a straight piece of cardboard, but it just bled through and looked terrible. In a rare moment of courage, I decided I’d free-hand. And shocker – some parts come out really nice!

Other parts … not so much.

No worries. When I was done, I went back in with white paint to touch up my many mistakes, and it covered just fine.

Next up was the polycrylic. Dude. I don’t have a photo of this step, but trust me when I say that polycrylic does not look like lacquer. I was very displeased, so I went back to Lowe’s and grabbed some real spray lacquer. Yes, it was fumier than the water-based stuff, but it was so much glossier. It would have looked even better if I’d done more than one coat, but by this point, I’d already spent a ridiculous amount of time on a $15 shelf, so I gave up and brought it inside.

That’s it! The gold edging looks pretty amateur, but for the most part, it was a fairly successful test of my limited furniture finishing skills. Like I said, it usually has a giant printer on top of it, but I just couldn’t put that image out into the world. The poor little guy deserved to show his top!

I want to cover up the screws on the side, and was hoping to use some kind of nailhead-looking things, but they can’t be a real nailheads, because there will be screws underneath them. I bought some little wood discs that I planned to paint gold, but I just don’t think they’ll look right. Anyone have any suggestions?

     

Golden Garbage

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Are you guys sick of my office projects yet? If not, you will be soon! Stay tuned anyway, though.

As I may have mentioned before, there is not an item in our house that’s safe from me and my trusty can of gold spray paint. The icky black mesh office accessories are no exception.

They used to look like this:


(I even left some trash in there, for authenticity’s sake.)

Bo-ring. But who wants to spend money on a new trash can when there are shoes and jackets to be purchased? Not me. Instead, I just visited another one of my favorite shopping spots: the spray paint cabinet in our garage.

The icky mesh and I spent some quality time together in the backyard with a little bit of primer and paint.

And soon enough, I had some spruced up supplies.

So much better!

This weekend, we also finally kicked off the dreaded cabinet project. After reading this and this, I decided to try oil-based paint. Neither blogger used primer, and the paint can didn’t mention primer in the label instructions, so I went against my better instincts and skipped it. I should have listened to my gut.

This is just the first coat, so I’m hoping the second coat will look better, but I’m nervous. My guess was that the exposed wood (The Hubs did a fantastic job sanding off the old stain) drank up all the paint, and some quick Googling confirmed my suspicions. According to this page, applying a gloss paint over a porous substance can cause foaming and cratering. Boo-frigging-hoo. Now I have to decide whether to sand and start over, or to keep on trucking and hope for the best.

Anyone else attempt a few projects this weekend? How’d they go?

     

On a Roll with Escarole

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Now that it’s finally starting to cool down in Atlanta, I’ve found myself craving soup at all times. I’ll basically choke down anything the cafeteria at work dishes out. Today, I even ate “New England clam chowder.” In Georgia. (Needless to say, it was subpar.)

The Hubs and I received a beautiful Le Creuset French oven as a wedding gift this year, and I can’t wait to try out new stews, roasts, and … uh … braised things? (What on Earth does one make in a French oven?!) But until I figure out how to use that heavy-ass thing, I’ve got a super-easy go-to recipe that creates thick, filling, delicious soup in just half an hour.

I’ve made a couple tweaks to the recipe from my cookbook because I like my soups extra-hearty, but you can find the original, printable version on Food & Wine’s website.

Escarole Soup with Chicken and Rice
From Food & Wine Quick from Scratch Italian (Our very favorite cookbook, by far!)

    Ingredients
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2-3 carrots, chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2-3 ribs celery, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 8 cups chicken broth
  • 3/4 cup rice, preferably arborio
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 3/4 pound escarole (1 small head), leaves washed and cut into 1/2-inch ribbons
  • 1 1/3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4 in all), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan

Step 1: Chop your carrots, celery and onion. Mince your garlic, unless you’re using the pre-minced stuff in a jar like I do. (Whatever – I’m a busy, working woman, and sometimes, I take shortcuts! It tastes just as good!)

Set the garlic aside for now. You’ll be sauteing the first three ingredients together.

Step 2: In a large pot, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the carrot, onion and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have started to soften – about 5 minutes.

Step 3: Stir the garlic in with the rest of the vegetables, and cook another 2 minutes or so.

Step 4: Add the broth, rice and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 10 minutes. While your broth, rice and vegetables are simmering, cut up your escarole and your chicken. (That is, unless you’re an over-achiever and you prepped everything before you started. Suck-up.)

Step 5: Add the escarole to the pot and continue simmering until the escarole is almost tender – about 5 minutes.

Step 6: Add the chicken and pepper. Simmer for just 1 minute. The chicken should be done. Yes, really! Eat a piece!

Step 7: Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the parsley and Parmesan.

Ta-da! You’re done. Serve with really buttery garlic bread and some extra grated Parmesan in case your guests/family are cheese-loving piggies like my husband. (Just kidding, honey. Not really, though.)

Note: To avoid situations like this, avoid putting the peeled skin from your onion down the garbage disposal.


I’ve heard it’s not polite to make your house guests (my mom’s boyfriend, in this case) take your pipes apart.


Like my slippers?

What are your favorite soup recipes? Care to share them with One-Recipe-Wonder over here? Extra points if they can be made in a French oven!

     

It’s a Velvet Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

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A couple weeks ago, I won a giveaway from one of my favorite blogs, House of Turquoise. I was mega-excited for two reasons. 1) I had never won a giveaway before, and 2) I really, REALLY wanted the prize: a set of six plush pumpkins from LoveFeast. And today, they arrived!

Brad snapped a photo of me giddily transporting my babies to their new home in the living room.
LoveFeast Turquoise Plush Pumpkins
(Dress: American Apparel – similar; Vest: Marshall’s; Leggings: Romeo & Juliet Couture from HauteLook; Boots: Chinese Laundry; Larger-than-usual bun with help from A Lust for All Seasons; Lack of neck c/o my poor posture)

I wanted them up somewhere where my mischievous pets couldn’t reach them, so they ended up on top of my favorite decorative cabinet and our CD shelf.

LoveFeast Turquoise Plush Pumpkins

LoveFeast Turquoise Plush Pumpkins

Aren’t they beautiful? They’re made with super-luscious velvet and real dried pumpkin stems. Like my glitter skulls, these fall items might have to stay on display all year.

While I was taking these pictures, I realized that I never shared the rest of my Halloween decor, even though it’s been up for at least a month. (Don’t judge. I was excited.)

This glass cylinder of skulls lives on my coffee table.
Mini skull decor
(FYI: I don’t always try to get my pets in my pictures. It just happens. What can I say? They’re attention whores.)

My foyer table is the home of a fuschia glitter spider (hiding in the flowers), a white ceramic skull, and another glass cylinder containing glittery skeleton limbs.
Glitter spider, ceramic skull, glitter skeleton

Brad thinks the cylinder-o’-limbs is gross, but I think it has just the right blend of glam and grotesque. Don’t you?
Glitter skeleton, ceramic skull

The mirror above the table has another glitter spider and a glitter crow perching on it.
Glitter spider, black glitter bird

And in our kitchen, I paired a gourd (a gift from Jeff) and a black glitter pumpkin with my Patrón vase.

Glitter pumpkin

I realize my dahlia is dead, but I figure that’s appropriate, since it’s for Halloween.

How are you all decorating your homes for fall?

     

Tuesday Shoesday: Fellow Cats

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For the past few months, I’ve been really wanting a very specific pair of shoes. I told myself that if I was going to wear leopard print footwear, it would have to be in a chunky ankle boot – I liked the idea of pairing the sassy print with a less-sexy silhouette. Unfortunately, leopard print chunky ankle boots aren’t as easy to find as one would think, and the only ones that matched my specifications were one pair from Topshop, and I was hesitant to spend almost $200 on yet another pair of shoes that might be near-impossible to walk in. (I’m pretty comfortable in high heels, but 6″ is nearing achilles-tendon-crushing territory.)

Luckily, while my mom was visiting this weekend, she suggested we check out DSW, and I discovered these!

DSW Diba Sumner Leopard Bootie, Leopard Print Ankle Boot
Diba Sumner Leopard Bootie from DSW — only $49.95!

I didn’t feel like asking Brad to take pictures of my feet, so instead, I posed my new shoes in their natural habitat – with fellow cats.

DSW Diba Sumner Leopard Bootie, Leopard Print Ankle Boot

They’re not particularly comfortable. Sadly, I’ve come to expect that from high-heeled boots that cost under $100. Hate to sound like a snob, but it’s true. While the heel is nice and sturdy, there’s no cushioning whatsoever under the ball of my foot. Some insoles will help to remedy that issue, though.

DSW Diba Sumner Leopard Bootie, Leopard Print Ankle Boot

Josie approves, I think.

     

Watch Me Now

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Last weekend, after far too many glasses of chardonnay at the Music Midtown after party, I apparently did quite the number on my black Nixon Small Player. It still works just fine, but its poor face has seen better days. Sigh.

Nixon Small Player Black

I’ve been wanting a rose gold watch for a while now, and tried to use the face smashing as a justification to buy one, but I just couldn’t do it. It’s not like I don’t have plenty of other options.

Rotary Rose Gold Two-Tone Watch, Nixon Chalet Leather Midnight
(Left: Rotary – similar; Right: Nixon – The Chalet Leather in Midnight)

Juicy Couture Beau Watch
(Juicy Couture – similar)

But the other day, while perusing Lyst (it’s a new site that’s like Pinterest, except for fashion – discovered via Small Shop), I came across a watch that I just had to have. It was different from anything I’d seen or owned before, and after a little research, I discovered that my credit card reward points would completely cover it if I bought it from Amazon. It was free and it was wonderful. The next day, thanks to our Amazon Prime account, it was on my doorstep. I was SO excited to open it!

Nixon Time Teller Acetate Royal Granite
Nixon Time Teller Acetate in Royal Granite

Nixon Time Teller Acetate Royal Granite, Arm Party, Sephora by OPI Metro Chic
(My sparkly home manicure: Sephora by OPI in Metro Chic, Sally Hansen XTreme Wear in Set the Stage)

Isn’t it fun? I’m loving how lightweight and different it is.

Related: Arm parties are also fun, but they make it really difficult to type. When I spotted this lacquer bowl at West Elm, I knew exactly what I wanted to use it for. (Plus, let’s be honest: it’s rose gold lacquer. There was no way it wasn’t coming home with me.) It lives in my office now, and it’s very happy there.

West Elm rose gold lacquer bowl

Anyone else pick up a fun new accessory for fall? Anyone else struggle to function while arm partying?