5 Minute Flower Arrangements

I have a lot of grandiose ideas for gift giving, cooking and decorating, but the only things that ever get accomplished in a timely manner around here are ideas that can be executed in a matter of minutes.   

Last week I had a friend who lost her Grandmother and another friend who finalized the adoption of her son.  I picked up a large bouquet of wildflowers and split it in two.  It was actually kind of strange to think about how we give flowers for mourning and celebration.  Taking the flowers from the same bouquet got me thinking of how our lives bring both joy and sorrow, sometimes simultaneously, and it is ok to rejoice in the midst of mourning.   

This is one of my favorite ways to throw together a quick bouquet.  I always keep simple glass jars around.  You know, the ones that sauces, jams, olives and dressings come in?  I have a box in my laundry room full of them.  You can find spools of twine at estate sales or hardware stores or you can use a scrap of fabric from around the house, a piece of ribbon or just whatever you have.  The arrangement on the left (below) I tied with a scrap piece of leather from a purse I made.  When you use wildflowers, you don't have to do much to arrange them, they are supposed to look messy. Easy enough?

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Come one, come all!

Last weekend I threw a big first b-day bash for my precious little girl. This was a bit of a challenge considering my commitment to not buying anything new (besides food). I started with some vintage circus inspiration and went from there...





I collected old sheets and fabric from the thrift stores and trims from an estate sale.



I made a circus tent backdrop with sheets and trim. Flag was made from a vintage wallpaper sample book from the 70's I bought at an estate sale years ago.



I put fabric backing on vintage frames and printed circus font letters on paper I already had for a bday sign. You can find the free font here.



Vintage Fisher Price circus train from my grandparents house, popcorn boxes I found in my pantry and filled with caramel corn, a vintage circus book I had and animal cracker boxes for favors (they're edible, so I figured they were ok to buy).





Little vintage trunks and suitcases made for good platforms.



After inquiring at several bakeries about a custom fondant cake and finding out that they were hundreds of dollars, I decided to make my own. This was a crazy project and took me almost a whole day, but I think it turned out pretty cute. I had to use 9 inch cake pans for all the layers because I could not buy a 6 inch pan or find anyone to borrow one from, this made it more difficult, but it is amazing what you can do with what you have. I am really learning that the solution to things isn't always buying something new. I topped it with an elephant toy and candle. For some tips on working with fondant, click here.



I made flag banners from a variety of vintage fabrics and stapled them to twine. Actually, I cannot take credit for this, my sweet Camille made these, what would I do without her?!!





Our little family. :)



First birthday cake...mmm, delicious!

Simple Vinegar Tarnishing for Brass

This picture turned out a bit blurry, but you get the idea. I had these brass jewelry tags made for my necklaces and they came to me really shiny. I put a little vinegar in a small jar, attached a square of mesh over the top with a rubber band, put the tags on top of the mesh and closed the lid. I let the jar sit for 1/2 hour and they are perfectly tarnished. You can adjust the time accordingly for your own project, but just know that the tarnish will be uneven with this vinegar method. That's what I was going for, but if you want an even tarnish you will need to look into chemical usage.

Crop Top

Yesterday I was wading through my closet, which is actually not a closet at all. I keep most of my clothes in a wardrobe I got at a local thrift store for $40 that my husband painted white before the baby was born. She now lives in the room that was my closet and the storage space in our 1000 square foot 1920's California bungalow leaves something to be desired to say the least. Anyway, my clothes are really struggling right now due to the body limbo I have been in since I got pregnant almost a year and a half ago. I only have 5 more pounds to lose to get back to my pre-baby weight, but I don't think that will put all the pieces back in their places. So, as I went through another round of purging (my sister is going to be so excited because she always gets first dibs on the hand-me-downs) I realized that there are a lot of things that are great pieces, but are just slightly off. These two tops I scored at a thrift shop awhile back, but they were just a little too long and since I have a short torso and am too old to wear barely-butt-covering tops with leggings they just hung in the cold dark wardrobe. You are viewing the shortened and perfectly fitting versions, I am so thrilled! I literally just took a rotary cutter and chopped them off, knit jersey is the best! The leftover fabric was so pretty, so I braided it into a headband. I wore the cream top and headband today with one of the necklaces I just made.

HOW-TO: RETRO APPLIQUE PILLOW COVERS

I'm four days overdue and going INSANE!!! I have been keeping myself busy working on these pillows for the baby's room and they are finally done. I have never done applique like this before, so I had no idea how they would turn out, but I have to say that I am very happy with the result.



I started with two chartreuse pillow covers from IKEA. ($7.99 each)


A little sketch I did of the birdie pillow.


I sketched some patterns on cardboard for the bird pillow. The flower pillow I just cut out freehand.


I pulled some fabric from a bin that I keep of all the scraps from vintage dresses that I hem. There were some really fun retro prints that went with the colors in the room. I then traced the pattern on fabric and cut it out.



Next, I glued all the pieces in place with fabric tac.



I added some matching embroidery thread and buttons to finish off the project.

I hate sewing, or maybe I just hate the anticipation of sewing. I usually just avoid it until the pile is so big I have to hurdle it to get to the kitchen. Considering I am not good at any sport, especially track and field, this creates a bad scene. Today I decided to conquer the pile. I have been saving a ton of beautiful dresses that are disguised as tacky muu-muus. I knew that once I hemmed them to a reasonable length, they would be really chic! So here's a little before, during and after.

What to Look for in Vintage Clothing

I was browsing utube with my stiff neck and I found this great video done by a vintage clothing store owner talking about what to look for in vintage clothes. Check it out!

Magazine Recycling 1-2-3

As a designer and an extremely visual person, one of my absolute favorite things to do is to look at magazines. Between my husband and I, we have at least 5 subscriptions. If you think I am overindulging, you have no idea how much I am holding back on several more. In order that my obsession have less impact on the environment, I have devised several strategies. First, agree with a friend or family member on two magazines you both enjoy, each person orders one, then trades them every month when they are finished. (Works best with someone who lives nearby) Second, keep a pretty basket by the door and offer your old mags to guests. Third, drop off your magazines at a local library or thrift store. The money goes to a good cause and you get a tax write-off! While you're there, you can pick up other environmentally-friendly obsessors cast-offs for only 25 cents.

Earth is in a state of 911

Have you ever wondered what do do with old batteries or cell phones? Do you have a bunch of half used paint cans sitting in your garage? There is a wonderful website, Earth911.org where you can find recycling centers in your area to recycle all of your hazardous waste. Did you know that it is illegal in California to put batteries or light bulbs in the trash can? Find out lots of great information like this through links on Earth911. It's important to recycle hazardous items properly so that mercury and other harmful chemicals don't enter the environment. Also, check see what items are accepted in your cities recycling program if you have one. I recycle lots of cans and plastic, but after reading the list on a link from this website I learned that I can recycle metal hangers, who would have thought? Recycling is more fun when you know how to do it!