Pinterest Challengin' it up.....

If you read Young House Love , (which in my world should read: "If you breathe") you've heard of the Pinterest Challenge....or ....

A challenge created by Sherri and Katie, to help all of us get out of our pinning ruts. Basically everyone will create one Pinterest inspired project and post it today! While I recently posted a list of stuff I wanted to try from Pinterest, and still plan to try these at some point, I had some serious time constraints this weekend so I had to resort to a smaller, but still fun project. Also, the smart bloggers posted about this challenge last Tuesday to let you guys know it was coming (AKA to help any other bloggers get involved) but as I've mentioned before I'm a failure as a blogger (in fact here's a list of why I suck) so I did not....also I was behind on my google reader and was not aware of it until later in the week...#WINNING

For more fun "Pinterest Challenge" projects check out these blogs:
Our Fifth House
The Ugly Duckling House
Bower Power Blog
and of course Young House Love...
and I'm sure there is a ton more out there!
Onto the fun stuff...or at least fun for me stuff:

Here's a not so big secret...I have a black thumb. I tend to kill plants, like all of them. I recently heard about "air plants," a plant that requires no soil or water...aka a plant that could actually survive in my house. So I bought one from the local nursery. Now the task was to find a planter for it, and then I saw these (they are for sale on Etsy, but originally found on Pinterest so it's solid):

Source

Source

Source

Source

I was immediately in love. They weren't terribly expensive, starting at only $25 with shipping, but I knew I could do better (besides the challenge is to make something not buy something)...in fact how does $4 sound? Here's what went down...

Sorry about the terrible phone picture...it was late...and my toe was broken...and I was super tired...and possibly a little buzzed...

A hobby lobby store plastic toy animal (actually got a few more the next day!), dollar store spray paint I already owned (never use dollar store spray paint BTW), frog tape, and some gold craft paint...oh, and the hubby's drill (I'm sure you could use a knife for this too, it's plastic people). That's right. I just spray painted the toy, and then dipped her little feet (she's white and gold so of course she's a female...or Liberace) into some metallic craft paint I also already owned for a little glitz. Drilled a small hole in the back...and now a small elephant fashion show...ya know, like you do...
Warning: bad phone pics ahead...Must. Get. New. Camera. Now..

I love her little gold feet, tail, and tusks...

A little hint: if you're as weird as I am and find the need for an elephant shaped planter in your life and decide to try this yourself, try to use good spray paint, I just used what was in my large spray paint collection and this was the only one white I had left, but the plastic didn't absorb the spray paint well and it took like 5 coats...which is annoying when it's 11 at night and 30 degrees outside...and like I said before, you're a little buzzed. Shouldn't have been a problem with non dollar store spray paint though.

And now Ellie (yes I'm nothing if I'm not creative) resides on my office shelf which needed some glitz...oh yes, that hits the spot:

How about you guys? Any super cheap/simple/weird projects around the casa lately? Anyone else have a hard time explaining to your mom and sister on a shopping trip, that you MUST find a plastic elephant? Anyone else participating in the Pinterest Challenge? Leave me a comment so I can check it out!

I'm also Linkin' this up over at homemade ginger for her Ginger jamboree party! Check out all the other fabulous projects here!
And finally, linking up at 52 mantels for her Thursdays are your days link up party! Check out the other fun projects/recipes here!

Makin' it mid-century....

First of all, I recently realized I'm famous....or at least Pinterest famous...or at least someone pinned some photos from this ol' blog on Pinterest, which in my little world is famous....In any case, thank you guys so much, since I realized this my view stat has doubled...so gold star and a million virtual thank yous to whoever you are..now onto today's business.
I'm gonna keep this post short, as I'm typing this my husband is desperately trying to watch a strange movie about a "tall man" that kidnaps children...weird...and apparently my typing is distracting, since he keeps looking over at me every three seconds and sighing. Get. Over. It.

As you may or may not have heard, I'm kind of a big deal...or at least I'm assisting someone who is kind of a big deal...whatevs...I am assisting in the staging of a 1950s bungalow and to see why this makes me pee my pants check out this post. Anyways, while my mind has been focused on this, I've been scouring the internet for inspiration every chance I get, I've come across some pretty great mid-century spaces and thought I'd share...so enjoy..or don't...once again, whatevs...

Source

Source

Source

Source

Source

Source

Anyways, that's what I'm up to...that and having a seriously scarring movie watching experience...and answering every question to the screen as "yeah, you're going to die" or "yeah she's dead"...I wonder if that is less distracting than the typing to my husband...but seriously, it's on Netflix and called Tallman, don't check it out...
EDIT: So after watching the rest of this movie, it actually turned out to be a really good movie, even with all my yelling at the screen...so I retract my original statement, you SHOULD check it out...

Hmmm…That’s pinteresting…

First thing's first, I've had a few people complain about the comments section being difficult to leave comments, well all of you whining babies can relax because I fixed it, you no longer have to have an account or even a name (there's an anonymous option)...also, a little blogging tip for you, call your readers "whining babies," that'll really jack up your stats :)

Now onto the fun stuff...or maybe just fun for me, but whatevs...

If you know me at all, you probably know that I am completely addicted to Pinterest (and Instagram, facebook, and twitter...and any other social network), like if you give me some chocolate, a bottle of wine, and a computer you probably won’t hear from me for a few hours..or days…In fact, it’s gotten to the point where we actually have a “no laptop/tablet/phone” time at home, so that I don’t spend the hubby and I’s quality time pinning, instead we spend that precious time discussing the important issues in life, like last week's SNL… The biggest problem is that I spend so much time “pinning” but so little time doing. One of my main reasons with starting this blog was to set goals and keep myself accountable by documenting them here..(oh and to make lots of money so let me know if you're interested in becoming a sponsor:)...But I've failed miserably....One of my resolutions this year is to try new things. This is where Pinterest comes in. You see, if I spent some of the time I spend sitting on the computer pinning all of these great ideas, actually trying them, I would have accomplished a lot of fun projects over the past year. Here’s a few, I’m hoping to try, and will document along the way.

I've written about this before and still haven't accomplished this...I have been dying to paint our front door since the day we moved in, however there has been a long standing debate on color with the hubby…Hopefully, I will accomplish this….Probably, just in time to enjoy it for a month before we move again...Found here...

We have been wanting a new dining table for awhile now, and I am so excited about the idea of making our own, and even more excited about using an old door to make one…Found here...

Dip-dyed stool…I have no idea where I would put this or what use I would have for it (actually I have no use for it) but I want it anyways, and I want to make it myself…Found here...

I am extremely nervous about this one since I have very little art skills, but I think it could be awesome to make some DIY art for our home….Found here...

And this is just what my living room frames need....a little gold...Found here...

I want a new desk, this one's great...I want to make it...Found here...

Now I'm off to pin some more...where's my cork screw?...

I should've been a Lucy...

I don't know if you all have noticed, but I tend to vary on the design scale. I love it all, I  love vintage, modern, and definitely industrial. Mid-century, however, holds a special place in my heart. It may be the 2 million hours of I Love Lucy I watched growing up, and still watch every time I get sick. There's no doubt about it, I should have been born in the '50s. I love the fashion, the movies, and the lifestyle (I'm not going to lie, I wouldn't mind staying home and being a homemaker, while my hubby goes out and provides for the family....oh wait I basically do that now). And now, those retro/mid-century styles are definitely coming back...

 Source

Source

Mid century design is an architectural, interior product that generally describes the mid-20th century developments in design and urban development from roughly 1933-1965...and it's definitely making a come back in a big way. Yesterday morning I met with a good friend/realtor/previous client who has a client of her own who renovates 1950's bungalows in Lawrence, Ks and may need help staging the homes for sale...Yeah, my heart just stopped...If you know me, you know that staging is where my heart lies, it is what I want to do someday. It's not that I don't like working one-on-one with my very small group of awesome clients, I love it in fact, but there is a lot more opportunity in the staging world. There's more freedom and definitely a more flexible plan when it comes to staging. In any case, I'm super excited about this opportunity, and thankful that they are willing to work around my strict schedule so that I can be even just a small part of this. And while, it wont be just me (I will be assisting a more experienced home-stager and her small team...thank goodness) I may just pee my pants....or throw up...In any case, I'll keep you guys updated along the way..not on my bodily functions but on this project...and you're welcome for using the words "bodily function" in this post...Wish me luck!

P.S. If you're interested in design services or staging consultations (and you should be, I'm really good :)), you can go here for more information.

I'm lovin' it...October...

I know you guys are at the edge of your seat...so here it is....what I'm lovin' in October...

West Elm's Honeycomb Glassware...Found here...

I want to make out with these glasses...Their like the perfect gold earrings for your dining table...Love them...

Ava Tufted Sleeper Sofa...Found here...

Love does not properly describe my feelings for this sofa...I am obsessed with it..I can completely imagine it in an office/guest room because...get this...it's a sleeper sofa..you would never know, right?..I love the vintage nod and it comes in a slew of great colors.

The Nate Berkus collection at Target...Found here. I am so excited about this..I've always loved Nate and his style. There's not a lot available online, but the in store finds are seriously amazing...

Photo Source

Nate's style is so timeless, and sophisticated, yet there is some fun and whimsy mixed in there. Love it all...

Keeping in tradition, it wouldn't be my monthly I'm lovin' it post without a tea/coffee fave, and this month I have both... so here it is...The Republic of Tea Hot Apple Cider tea...Found here...

This stuff is so delicious it hurts. We first tried it as a sample, while shopping at World Market (the best store ever BTW) and before we left we had some in our basket. Must try!

and...the Green Mountain Pumpkin Spice Coffee...Found here...

and it comes in K-cups! If you like pumpkin spice lattes, give this a try!

What about you guys? Any new loves?