Wood Serving Trays For Fruit And Cheese Plates

This is a long overdue blog post for sure, but one I had such a good time putting together. I love wood serving trays and we've been loving fruit, veggie, cheese plates the past few months. I think it all started last summer when I was looking for light fare that would incorporate a lot of different kinds of fresh fruits and vegetables. We started trying to eat the rainbow and began counting how many vegetables and fruit we could pack into one dinner. I had a couple of small, oblong serving trays that were so perfect for lining up a rainbow of beautiful fresh foods along with cheeses and crackers. But they weren't quite big enough and I happened upon some beautiful new wood trays one day at TJMaxx.

I thought these would be perfect for entertaining too and I could just imagine serving all sort of foods on our patio with them. I bought two matching sets of these rectangle wood trays, each came with three different sizes and I picked up two bamboo tongs for easy serving as well.

I can't wait til it warms up so that we can have friends over for dinner outside. We've been working hard getting the inside of our house pulled together so that when warmer weather gets here we'll be ready to go. It will be especially fun to have a pool party or two this summer. With a white sheet we can pretty easily pop up a movie theater in the back on the wall as well. Fun stuff.

I also found these wood fruit-shaped trays the same day and couldn't resist. The wood is so beautiful and I like the big, flat, open space on these for a nice variation from the thin rectangle trays I have quite a few of. These would work for so many things and we've been using them for our fruit and veggie cheese plates the past few weeks.

Of course, I'm especially fond of the pineapple tray. I have another small pineapple tray that this would go perfectly with. Wouldn't this be delicious covered in pineapple bites. I am totally craving pineapple and fresh fruit right now, I think because we don't have a lot in the house and it's winter and all. I think we only have apples and pears around right now.

I would love a big tray of strawberries, pineapple, oranges and more to appear in our kitchen on one of these trays right now! My mouth is totally watering just thinking about it. We need to splurge and get some pineapple soon! Actually we have some canned pineapple in the cupboard and I may just crack open a can to go with our Japanese wontons, gyoza and rice dinner. (Inside right now I'm silently screaming "Oh Yes!" - ha)

I have been refurbishing and collecting wood trays for a while now. I use them all over the house. I think I still have one little one I haven't even fixed up yet in a drawer in my craft storage. Wood trays can be quite expensive at full retail price but buying and refurbishing them from a thrift store can be quite a great deal. Most of the bowls and trays I have purchased and fixed up were all under five dollars. Here are a few other posts on beautiful wood trays and bowls.

Thrift Store Small Rectangle Tray (with DIY instructions on how to bring a crusty old tray back to life.
My dream bread bowls I saw these at ABC Home in NYC and couldn't justify the investment at the time but found something at my local thrift store just days later.

Bamboo Tray Fix-up A great thrift store find that I fixed right up and made look new again. So easy.

Woven Tray This large serving tray is perfect for transporting things outside, to the dining table or for breakfast in bed. A great deal and it was so easy to repair.

Concrete Dipped Lamp from Habitat For Humanity ReSale Store

On my list of fantasy design activities for some time has been a visit to a Habitat For Humanity ReSale store. I never got there when I lived in LA but I didn't need stuff and it was a fairly good drive away. So when a new city came into the picture I took the opportunity to visit the Habitat store here on one of my first weekends here alone. That's where I found this great concrete dipped lamp. It guess it's not really dipped but that's the best way to describe the look.

When it was time to style it up I tried two distinctly differently looks and while I am pretty sure I am sold on the white one, the second option always excited me when I see it. Here's look one: white shade.

I like the simplicity of color with the added dimension of texture in the shade. I think this is my favorite look but there's one challenge and that is that the super white shade makes me want to paint the white on the concrete to a brighter, shinier white. And it just so happens that I do have a can of spray paint in just that shade. I'm torn between the worn look of the white paint and then part of me wants to clean and crisp it up.

Here's look two, totally ikat.

My big mistake with this shade was not buying two of them when I had a chance. I had the chance to do that, while they were on clearance and I didn't do it. Based on responses from the family I think two of these would've given me a lot of options for any room in the house on two matching lamps.. But I have the one and I do love it. So I'll enjoy what I've got.

So do you have a favorite?Would you paint it or leave it's lovely imperfections? Make a vote in the comments. Ah, I just checked the Target website and guess what, they have more of those ikat lamp shades on clearance....hmmm. This presents a dilemma.

image by kalanicut

The Great Thrift Store Rug Saga

Okay so I showed you this rug yesterday and told you all about how I talked myself out of it and did not buy it. I thought I was getting caught up in the name brand, maybe it was a style that was fading out, it was a little dirty, etc. But that first day I looked at it I thought surely it could be cute somewhere, in the "next house." After I left just saying that to myself made me want to run back over there and get it, but I resisted!

One of the reasons I resisted was that I thought perhaps it would need professional cleaning. Not too long ago I had gotten a bid to clean a 9' x 12' rug I already own and it was several hundred dollars. I thought it would be no savings to buy this and then spend a small fortune cleaning it.

The next day (Day 2) when I saw the 9' x 12' version of the rug is on sale right now at West Elm for $750, I had to reconsider. I realized this rug wasn't that old and that it still had some style life in it. I dropped everything, dashed across the block back to the thrift store hoping it was still there. IT WAS! I rolled it out, looked at it again and thought, do I really want a mostly cream colored rug? The answer was no. Cream colored carpet in our current apartment has been a nightmare. I thought that keeping it clean would drive me crazy and on top of that, cream isn't a color I really like.

So I walked away a second time. I also noticed this time that some of the threads along the edges were frayed and it was a little dingier than I remembered. So we left empty-handed. But I was glad I went back and was absolutely sure of my decision.

I photographed the rug, (above) and when I got home I thought "Dang it photographs well in a terrible space," and it made me like it all over again...but I had made my decision and put it out of my head and forgot all about it.

The next day (Day 3), having moved on with my life and the obsession with this rug,  I started getting ads for this rug from West Elm all over the internet as I was going about my day. Obviously the internet gods has picked up on the fact I'd performed a searched the day before for this rug. I smiled and went about my business. Later that afternoon I was doing some meditation and one of the meditations I've been doing is for my dream next home.

When I finished my short meditation I had some ideas floating around in my head from my visualizations and I was inspired to hop up and take down a few notes. The color gray kept coming into my notes and then yet again there was the gray and cream rug in ads everywhere I went on the internet. I started wanting that rug again. I knew it would go well in any room in the house....that mystical next house or even in our current living room if it was cleaned.

I did some research on rug cleaning costs and found a local place that would clean it for about $60-80. That was a little more practical and I also read up on "how to" instructions to do it myself. I just don't have an easy space to be spraying a rug this big with a hose and washing it out and letting it dry.

Once I knew 1) it was possible to clean it pretty easily, 2) that it fit right into the color scheme and thoughts I had for my home going forward, 3) that the cream really isn't that yellowy and 4) I realized that I still REALLY liked that rug, I jumped back in my car and raced to the thrift store with a beating heart hoping that it was STILL there.

While I was searching around for a parking place my worst fear was that someone would walk out holding the rug while I was still in the parking lot. It was like I'd been dating a guy for five years telling myself he was just a friend and then it has dawned on me all of a sudden that HE was the one. It was epic love story, gotta get that rug action.

We finally found a parking spot and eyeing every customer leaving the store I didn't not see the rug in anyone's hands, thank goodness! The Bug by this point thought I was a complete nut for all the going back and forth on this rug. When I told her I wanted to go back for it she shook her head and laughed at me. But once we got into the store she began running to the back to make sure that rug was there waiting for me. It was, we grabbed it and headed right for the register. Moments later, we were stuffing it into my car and headed home.

Before I even took it into the house I hung it over the railing of our front walkway and swept both sides well with the broom and tried to beat it a bit without making too much noise (impossible.) Then I grabbed our heavy duty insect spray that will kill any kind of bug that likes to infest homes, fabrics and carpets. I sprayed both sides well and then let it dry.

The next step was to bring it in the house. I moved a couple of chairs and put it in the easiest, most open space available -- The main walkway between our living room and dining room. Had The Man been here that would've not been a viable option, but The Bug and I, in all our tender care for the rug were more than happy to tip toe around the sides for a while. I vacuumed both sides very well. I did the front, then the back then the front again. Every time we passed over a section, The Bug and I both thought it looked brighter.

At that point I was going to just roll it up until I decided what to do with it. Then I found myself pulling out the spray carpet cleaner in an attempt to clean up any dark spots on the rug. It's pretty easy to see the traffic pattern from the previous owners. The edges are stained and more soiled but the center of the rug is in good shape. So I did some spot cleaning in the middle of the long sides of the rug where almost all the real stains were. The rug was looking even better quite soon after a few minutes of gentle scrubbing with a nice wet towel.

By the next morning the rug was looking so great I decided to just place it in the center of our living room until we make our decisions on a move. I may try to clean it more. We'll just have to see how it goes. If we find out we're moving and we'll have space to clean it, say in a driveway or something I will wait and do that.

But I am so happy with this rug. Once it's clean it will be lovely and luxurious to walk on. Now that it's been vacuumed well it already feels pretty great under the feet.. It's a good neutral pattern and I know that wherever it finds a place in our home it will work just perfectly. This was a good experience for me to have to work through all this back and forth silliness and to finally make the decision I was really happy with.

It gave me a chance to think about how I listen to my instincts, how I talk myself into things and out of things. It also reminded me to consider all sides of a purchase before I make a decision: look at all facets of the item carefully, investigate and have a clear understanding of all the associated costs, know the monetary value and know the personal value I assign it.

I'm not sure how this will guide me next time I run into a similar situation but I'll definitely be thinking about it over the next little while and what lessons I can learn from The Great Thrift Store Rug Saga. Meanwhile I have this awesome rug in my closet. That makes me smile.

Thrift Store Finds: Buffet, Rug And Hutch

More bad thrift store lighted photos, haha. Had to share these three great sightings from the thrift store recently. This very feminine mid-century hutch is so charming. I love the detailing from top to bottom and I like that it is not gargantuan in size. This would be so fun with the wood oiled well, or painted white, gray or some bright color.

I am dying for a place to store pitchers, bowls, trays, cake plate, fancy dessert cups, and my collection of kitchen colanders these days and this would be perfect. Plus there's room for tablecloths, cloth napkins and dish towels and aprons. One of the side cabinets would be a great place to hide all the picnic and party supplies too.

image via West Elm

While I was there I also saw a gray zebra stripe 5' x 8' West Elm rug (here's the WE web site version) that was hard to walk away from for a very small price. It needed some cleaning but it was in phenomenal shape. I asked myself if I would buy it at full price or even half price and I wasn't sure, so that was my answer. (There's more to this story. Check back tomorrow.)

Here is the third fantastic little find I came upon. It's laminate but would be lovely if painted. The brass pulls are great, the storage space is perfect and i love the simplicity all around. The legs are darling. This would make a great TV stand too. It's so easy to drill a round hole (using one of these) in the back for the cords to pop through. Plus  you wouldn't have to deal with doors that open out into the room space either.

This might be great is a bedroom or bathroom too. So many possibilities here. How about a baby changing table with all your supplies hidden below and a pretty changing pad on top?

There are so many great used home furnishings out there just waiting for a new home and someone with a vision to give them new life. I hope this inspires you to find something great and sturdy and repurpose it for your own space.

all other images by kalanicut

Thrift Store Furniture Tour

Friday afternoon I was craving some creative inspiration and decided to take a tour at our local thrift store. It seems like the best time to check out thrift stores because they seem to put out a lot of stuff in anticipation of the larger Saturday shopping crowds. There were lots of great finds and I thought I'd share a few that caught my eye.

This petite sofa would be great for an apartment or smaller room and I was surprised to find a matching love seat on the other side of the store. I was happy to see that someone saw the potential and had snatched these up.

Sorry for the sketchy quality of this photo. This had "paint me white & call me Scandinavian" all over it to me. I've never been a fan of a round table for my home, but they are my favorite for entertaining because conversation flows so much easier between the entire group when everyone is facing each other rather than stretched out on a long rectangle table.

I thought these table legs might be a great salvage from this table to use on an updated surface. A great slab of reclaimed wood would be fun with these legs. They were sturdy and strong.

This great basic sofa was a good find too. It had a few smudges on it, but I think with a TLC it would clean up nicely. So many options with a good tan sofa...bright color options galore, seasonal changes, possibilities are endless.

This gorgeous brass and wood lamp caught my eye. It's hardy, amazing quality. Hate the shade but this beauty had a lot of potential. I'm hoping someone finds it and loves it.

This is a not a furniture find, but these caught my eye. There were about 10 of these gold paper mache holiday stars on a shelf. I thought these would look amazing hanging across a big window pane. I might be tempted to paint them silver and add some glitter. As usual at my neighborhood thrift store these were priced very close to what they cost new, which really sucks the joy out of thrift shopping.

This was my favorite find of the day. This would be so fantastic in a front entryway with an added upholstered cushion on top, or for a big screen TV in a living/family room. Would've been very tempted to buy this if I had the space for it. Again hoping someone finds it and loves it.

So that was my little thrift store tour. Hope it inspires you to head about and find some great quality furnishings at thrift store prices -- which are generally fantastic if you don't live in my neighborhood, ha.

Now Is My Time #11: Fun Outings Alone

As part of my Now Is My Time self-care plan for 2014 I have been trying to incorporate a couple fun outings each week to give myself something to look forward to and motivate myself. Every once in a while a girl needs a good thrift store wander and a little TLC. It seems like Fridays are the day that my "Holy smokes I need a pedicure!" alarm goes off. And as we all know Fridays are the busiest, most crowded day at the nail salon. That also is the day when the most annoying people are there yakking away on their cell phones telling long drawn out stories about a guy they've been dating for 20 years who they are still hoping will marry them or other such stories that make you want to risk screwing up your drying polish to go over and take the phone from their hands, disconnect the call then shake them by the shoulders and say, "He is never going to marry you. Move on before you die miserable!!!!" It's also the day gal pals go in together and talk loudly next to you and mothers and daughter snip at each other and argue the entire time they are out on their Mother/daughter day together.  The technicians are in a rush, so you're likely getting an inferior mani/pedi to make it all worse.

So I try to sneak away first thing in the morning on a weekday. Last Thursday I had plans to run off for a much needed hour of relaxation. I went for it and got the shoulder massage and extra hand massage too. I figure it's the least I can get since I am always giving massages to my family to help keep them healthy and well, the chakras spinning in the right direction and the toxins moving out of their bodies.

After a very relaxing hour of TLC I left with much prettier hands and feet - buff the fingernails, paint the toenails is my style. Then I decided to walk across the street to the hated thrift store which shall remain nameless. It had been a while since I'd been in and I must confess that we have gotten some good things, especially kids clothes there over the years. But their prices are still ridiculous and I would never even consider buying a piece of furniture there - overpriced by about 200 percent all the time.

Apparently there must've been a newby on the pricing gun last week because it's stunning that this clock I picked up was not priced higher than the cost of the same item new at Ikea. I found this modern and stylish Piro clock at the potentially under-priced cost of just $2.99. Revenge is mine!

My new clock is hanging to the left of my computer in my work space. It's nice to not have to work so hard to find out what time it is. It's big and bold and right at eye level now. I love simple things and this clock is simple and stylish and that makes it quite perfect for my world. Thanks evil thrift store for not being quite so evil on my visit.

It was so refreshing to come home having let my creative energies stew with each section of goods at the thrift store. Although overpriced I did see a set of great nightstands, which we need - the ones we have are just too small. They were plenty for one single girl but for two readers who both need a lot of light the one's we currently have are just too tiny. We need double or triple the tabletop space. I also saw a great square mid-century side table that I imagined would be so gorgeous painted white. I also came upon a tiny curtain panel that I had absolutely no use for that had the most beautiful printing and embroidery on it. Floral, simple and yet very modern. I do brainstorm uses for interesting things all throughout the store so it's always a good exercise to keep my creativity a little sharper.

I was so happy when I got home and was glad I'd done something for myself. It makes doing the must-do activities so much easier when you've fed your soul. That's my goal for this year and so far, it's changing my life and increasing my feelings of fulfillment, peace, calm and happiness about my life. Those are good things!

image by kalanicut

Now Is My Time #8: Push, Push, Push

image via mca

It's Monday morning...again. I didn't sleep well. I am a little bit sick. It was a long weekend. There are always lots of great excuses to do our best to make a Monday morning unpleasant and depressing, right? Well today I did just the opposite and it's a lesson I've been learning and trying to incorporate more into my life.

I have realized that some times when I am so tired, worn out or just plain DONE that I want to (and deserve to) crawl into bed and pull up the covers the very best thing to do is the opposite.  I pushed to do something hard and energetic instead. Rather than getting the bug off to school this morning and then crawling back into the covers for some much deserved rest here's what I did. Last night I set out my gym clothes, filled up my water, got my headphones and weight clips in my bag and had it all ready to go. I set the alarm just five minutes early. This took me less than five minutes but in a foggy morning haze I imagine it could've easily taken me ten or more minutes or disorganized thinking.

I got up this morning, got The Bug's lunch made and her ready for school and I dropped her off a few minutes earlier than normal and went straight to the gym. I did two tough classes then a few minutes on the bike and was home and showered by 10:30am. Great morning. I feel fantastic. Can you imagine how I would feel had I taken a nap instead.

I have been trying to do this every week, instead of resting when that's all my body wants, I have exercised and I feel so much more energetic and full of life when I do that instead of crash and burn. It's amazing the energy you can find once the music gets pumping and the blood starts flowing. You don't get a flushed glow and exercise high from resting unfortunately.

But getting up and pushing yourself first thing in the morning pays off some great benefits. I have known for a long time that I feel great when I get up and do something good for myself first thing in the morning. It allows me to go through my day feeling less selfish about the demands on my time and energy because I gave myself my best very first. I think psychologically that has a big impact on our sense of well-being when we make ourselves the number one priority and take good care of ourselves.

And guess what? When I came home from a great workout I was more conscientious about having a fantastic, healthy breakfast too. Everything in my day was off to a great, inspired start and I wanted to keep that up. After all that is what Now Is My Time is all about: making my well-being my first priority. Getting up and doing that first thing in the morning pays off for the rest of the day physically, emotionally and mentally. I feel good when I treat myself well. I did that today and I am really proud. And that is great inspiration to keep it up!

Great Gifts For Under $10: Week Seven

Oh I have a few favorites today for the last Great Gifts For Under $10 for 2013. This week is it all about staying warm. We've been having schizophrenic weather here in LA, cold some days and then almost hot other days. One day you need a jacket and scarf the next day it's unbearable to wear a sweater at mid-day. But on the cold days we are always on the search for something to keep us warm, like a hot cup of tea or a heating pad. Here are some favorite gifts to keep the people you love warm.

1) Microwave Heating Pad: I learned something new from the post I'm linking to here from A Gentle Strength, which includes directions on how to easily make these. Brown rice holds heat longer than white rice. Who knew?! One year I made a ton of these. We left several at my parents' house for when we visit. You can make these in all sorts of shapes and they are super easy to make with a good durable fabric, some simple sewing and a bag of rice.

We have been using these a lot around our house the past few weeks to warm up our beds before sleep, for The Man's sore back and a myriad of other cozy moments. I like to make them with a nylon or cotton band to make loop handles on each end. These are a great gift for athlete friends and anyone who lives in cold weather.

For a good laugh, check out this hilarious microwave heating pad available on Etsy, The Angry Uterus microwave heating pad. I think we girls can all relate to this face.

2) Pocket Hand Warmers: Hello mini-microwave heating pads for your pockets. Just think how long these will stay warm if you use brown rice?! (I'm saying this with a great big, silly smile on my face.) Here's a great little tutorial from Jen Kline at New Green Mama.

3) Felt Coffee Cozy: There are so many great DIYs for coffee cozies on Pinterest. You can knit them, use old sweater sleeves or sew them out of all sorts of fabrics and I am sure you can make no-sew versions using fabric glue or thick felt like these from Artchoo. Great for drinks in the morning and you can totally personalize them for each special person.

4) Felted Wool Mittens: All those sad, shrunken sweaters in the thrift stores. It's time we save them and make something cute. These are so easy and would be so warm. A great quick and easy gift to keep the tootsies warm on cold days from Dollar Store Crafts.

So that is my last Gifts Under $10 post for this year. How can Christmas be here already? Thankfully I got most everything done on Friday night and am just waiting for a few more packages to roll in. I made some pies last night and am going to keep the menu very simple this week. We are going to try to get to some museums and have made plans with a few friends and for movie nights here at home. I am looking forward to making it a sweet week. Hoping it will be a week of peace and joy for you and yours too. Happy holidays!

See the entire Great Gifts For Under $10 Series Here:

Week One
Week Two
Week Three

Week Four

Week Five

Week Six

Image 1: A Gentle Strength
Image 2: New Green Mama
Image 3: Artchoo
Image 4: Dollar Store Crafts

DIY Projects In Review: What Worked For Us

Over the past week or so I've been looking around the house thinking about different projects I've shared here on the blog. Some of them have had a very long life and really worked for the space and for us. Other's were fairly quickly thrown aside.

I thought it would be fun to share a few of the projects I've done that have worked. I'll do another post soon about project fails or things I've worked on that really didn't work for long. Here are some that we've loved even more once they were done.

The Bug's Headboard. The longer we have this headboard the more I love it and I think we'll keep this around for a good long time. Maybe The Bug will get it when she is grown and moves out on her own. It was a sad, tired little thing when I bought it. I love that The Man, The Bug and I all made very valuable contributions to the success of this project. It was fun to work together and we all loved the results. The headboard cost $15 and we probably put another $30 into with with paint, wood embellishment, new legs for the back, etc.



Beach Inspired Shell Art. I am happy every time I see these two simple pieces. They are so perfect for the space I created for and so easy to make. Total cost for both of these was less than nine dollars I think. Another late night project, grabbing some frames I already had, shells from my collection and paper from my scrap drawer. I used all the rest of my white starfish for this project.

The Orange Bench. The sturdy little five dollar purchased has been used for many things around the house. Right now it's in our front entryway. A little primer and paint made it a fun, colorful addition to any corner.

Kids Play Table. It's hard to believe The Bug has already outgrown this table. How did THAT happen? It's still in her room for now and occasionally she uses it, bit she's too big for the chairs now really. She's a tall little thing so she's better suited to a regular table now. But this is definitely a keeper. Hope we'll have use for it in the future for little visitors, friends, etc.

Are you catching a running orange and brown theme here. Ha. Yes, we seem to have a thing for that color combo. But of course these projects are all two to three years old now.

Framed Family Beach Photos. This is another project that I whipped up in a few minutes that has become a highly prized treasured keepsake. Thrift store frame and photos printed on regular paper in sepia tone. It seems like the projects that happen quickly and come together easily are the ones that last in value for me. I hope there's a lesson there that when there is a lot of uncertainty and I never feel quite right about my decisions that the project is probably going to be a fail.

A lot of people have talked to me about this project. For some reason Dads really like this project. I think they just don't know what to make of the insane number of stuffed animals little girls end up with. The Man really loved this when he got home. It does remove a large amount of clutter and make cleaning little girl's bedroom so much easier. It's also a fun game to go row by row and have to name every creature. The Bug and I have made a game of this some nights when we are lying on her bed. It's a challenge!

So that's my round up for today. Among other projects that have stood the test of time are wood and bamboo trays and my three dressers which I did years and years ago. Tomorrow I'm posting another DIY review talking about a few projects that ended up not working so well. Good lessons learned on these projects. Thanks so much for coming by today. Sending you very best wishes!

Space Bags & Thrift Store Bags

image via

I went through my closet two nights ago and it didn't take long because I don't have that much clothing -- and yet I was able to fill a grocery bag with clothes for the thrift store.

Here's what I'm getting rid of:

1) Clothes that have a bad vibe about them. This includes clothes that I wore a lot or purchased at times in my life where things were very hard. I just don't like the mental/emotional association with some of those pieces and I have no inclination to wear them because of that. There are just a couple of these but I really had to own that I am not inclined to wear outfits that have sad memories attached.

2) New items I have never worn. Thankfully this pile only consists of a couple of items. Sadly one was a knit bolero that is now ruined because it was hanging badly on a hanger and has totally stretched out in the front and looks awful. Bad.

3) Clothes that feel super frumpy. I had to let go of a few old favorites that have lost their shape or now just look worn and haggard. Some had become a bit discolored on the color or the color had faded out a bit. Not so badly that they were a huge embarrassment but they just no long look sharp. Some never fit quite right. They do not make me feel joyful, attractive or pulled together. There is no point having clothing like that in your closet. By old friends. God bless.

It has felt really great to put the focus on the wardrobe the past two months. On Tuesday I stopped by Gap and got the blue version of this new favorite. I should get lots of great wear out of it, since it appears that this is not a cold snap but rather a cold winter we are having her in SoCal. I feel like I am having an easier time making decisions about clothing pieces to add to my closet and I'm shopping faster and smarter.

I think I've made a couple of decisions that I regret now, but that is bound to happen and they are still pieces that I can wear and get use out of. One is this Navy Striped Top. I bought it in my size but it feels like it's grown at least another size maybe two since I got it. I'm hoping that maybe throwing it in the dryer will help shrink it up. I wish I'd gotten one size smaller. Another is a floral blouse with a weird ruffle at the neckline and elastic at the sleeves. Trying to stay open minded but we'll see what happens. May do a little altering.

The next thing I'm going to do is put a few items in Space Bags. These are the items that I am saving because of a bit of inspiration I heard from Ralph Lauren. He keeps high quality, very stylish classics he knows will come back in style again. I have a few of these items I know I will love having when the trend comes around again.

After that I am buying new slim profile flocked hangers. I keep seeing them being used by organization buffs and clean freaks on TV. I'd love to see how much space I can save in my closet with a thinner profile hanger. I actually saw a 50-pack of Real Simple hangers I almost bought today at Bed Bath and Beyond. I am so glad I didn't after reading the bad, bad online reviews of them all breaking to pieces within weeks of purchase. I am also pretty disappointed to see two trusted brands names marketing these apparently horrible hangers. It reminded me that I bought a little card case from Target that was Real Simple brand and it feel apart within weeks. Disappointing to think this may be a trend.  I will definitely have to make another choice.

So tomorrow morning it's off to the Thrift Store with a few bags of goods. It feels good. I'm thinking about priorities this year and realizing more than ever that I really need to streamline my life and my time. I want to keep it as simple as possible now that I am spending so much time being a mom. It's a great joy, but wow is is a lot of work. Even though the man is away there is much to do for him and to keep other things afloat while he is gone. I'll have more to share with you about my goals for this year and how I'm feeling about my hobbies. It may shock you. Have a fantastic day. Thanks so very much for coming by. God bless!

Happy New Year 2013

image via

It's New Years Day. A day that can bring many mixed emotions as we review the past year and look with excitement and maybe a little nervousness toward the year to come. I have seen friends post on Facebook comments glad to see 2012 go and excited for the things they know are coming. On Sunday in church a fellow congregant gave a beautiful talk about goal-setting for the new year. Her wisdom was inspiring as she spoke about priorities, simplicity and the things that are truly important in life.

This New Years Day I am thinking about focusing on some family goals this year and most importantly to do a better job at self care. That for me this year means focusing on doing things that will keep me sane, relaxed, happy and excited about life. On a daily basis, those thoughts speak to me in directions of keeping a better daily routine, starting my day out with an inspirational morning ritual, daily exercise, healthy eating.

On a weekly and monthly basis I want to make sure I am taking time out for myself, doing things that inspire me, making time to get together with friends and taking good care of myself physically including continuing to improve my wardrobe, get regular haircuts and facials, buy the right kinds of products for my hair and skin, etc. I guess the great battle this year and every year is to avoid getting in ruts. That seems to be the big derailing point that brings low energies, lack of efficiency, frustration and taking one to a place of "less-than-ness". It's so good to keep shaking things up.

Sure it's easy to get into a way of doing things that seems easy, inexpensive and effortless, but that often leads to stagnation, especially as we get older. If we want excitement, new energy, new people and change to come to our lives, we have to change. We need a new dress, a new inspiration, a new goal, new associations, new ways of doing things. So this year the goal is growth, improvement and fighting stagnation.

I hope you have each had a wonderful holiday season and found joy and gratitude in your relationships and life experiences. I send you my fondest wishes for this new year, that you will have new blessings and happiness come to you and yours. Happy New Year!

Quick Closet Cleaning Tips

image via The Container Store

I had the great fortune to have a very effective closet cleaning earlier this week. Was it fun, no not necessarily. It was super hot that day. But the results were fantastic. So I thought I'd share a few things I did this time that made it quick and easy.

1. Start with the most disorganized area. For me it was the shelves. I pulled everything down and put it in several piles: workout wear, sleepwear, thrift store donation and garbage. The garbage pile was mostly ratty tee shirts & torn yoga pants that needed to go. Then I put these things aside.

2. Re-organized things that would go back inside. Closets get messiest when we don't put things back in their place or start adding more things into the closet. I combine three small boxes of toiletries and medicines into two by straightening them up and throwing out anything outdated.

In this part of the closet I also had stored lanterns, candle holders and things I have bought for the wedding. These things stored neatly in their own bags as they were purchased. I also found two surprises in there that I'll tell you about later. By reorganizing everything, I got back a lot of space and combine all the wedding things all down into one small shelf and three large bags. This made a huge difference!

3. Sort through all clothes and shoes. I pulled out everything that doesn't fit or that I haven't worn since the last time I cleaned out my closet. I made three piles here.

• Items that need repair or could be repurposed. This included a white shirt & jacket that could use a night soaking in OxyClean. I also have two jackets that are still in great condition but the color is damaged. I'm thinking about dying them a darker color. There is a pair of shoes that need repair, and a couple of other items that need a quick fix.

• Items that I would still love to wear after losing a few pounds. Do I really need to say anything more, no I don't think so. I'm not living in a fantasy land, I'm working on that now.

• Thrift store donations. Things that absolutely aren't me anymore, that haven't been worn for a year or more. They all went into a bag to deliver to the thrift store. One quick warning: if you clean your closet in the summer be careful not to give away things you'll actually want in winter. Consider the opposite in the winter. It's easy to give away things when they are out of season and seem impractical. Imagine yourself freezing or super hot and ask yourself again if you will want that item.

4. Put it all back in a hopefully updated and smarter way. I changed the way I put everything back and it all fits so much better. I found a way to fit small items into small nooks that are easily accessible and visible, maximizing even more space.

There is actually very little that I took out of the closet when it was all said and done - a couple of shopping bags of stuff. But rearranging and better organizing things created a whole new look and feel. With all the space saving I achieved, it's amazing that I now have about a quarter of my closet in open space. Love it!

Next I started to tackle the rest of my room: sorting, tossing and rearranging. I was on such a roll that it was really hard for me to stop. I'm excited to get my home back to the simple, calm place it was meant to be. Can't wait!

DIY: Glittered Pumpkins

I picked up a few plastic orange pumpkins at a thrift store while visiting my hometown with the idea to glitter them. I was inspired by this Pinterest pin of glittered pears from my Holiday DIY board.

This is a fairly easy project, but I thought I would give you a quick step-by-step on the process:

1. Spray painted the pumpkins all white. I used a cardboard file box to do this with no mess out on my balcony. I don't have the luxury of much space, a garage, workshop or backyard. I'm still debating if I should've left the stems unpainted but I think they are probably best all one color. I painted them all white as a primer before the next step.

2. Spray painted the pumpkins with Metallic Silver spray paint. Each of these paint phases took some time since I would have to spray one area, let it dry, turn them over, spray the other side, let it dry, etc. So I did this over a 24-hour period.

3. Aged the stems. The stems on plastic pumpkins tend to look a little cheap and plastic-y, shocking information, I realize, haha). So I took a dry brush with black paint and just added a very little patina & dimension to them. The orange you can see in this photo is not from the pumpkins but it actually the ceiling light fixture reflecting in the shiny metallic paint.

4. Glitter Time. This is that time where things began to come unhinged. Unhinged -- I'm not sure whether this is happening to me more often than usual or I'm just more sensitive to it than I have been in the past. It seems like every time I do a crafting project lately there is a moment of certain destruction where I am sure I have a colossal catastrophe on my hands. This was it.

First the glue didn't seem to like the painted surface at all. It would begin bubbling after sitting on the surface for a few seconds. I overcame this by painting very small sections and glittering immediately. So the first two pumpkins turned out okay.

I didn't want to do them all exactly the same so I decided to experiment with the variety of silver glitter options from the different kits I have. My third pumpkin that I covered with Metallic Glass Microbeads, did not turn out as pretty as the first two glittered pumpkins. I'm not sure how I feel about this one. Maybe it will just end up being a little more "rustic" than the others. When it's grouped with others I think it's flaws might be less apparent.

That left me with one pumpkin left and a decision about my options. I had large glitter flakes I could go with or the regular glitter I did on the first two. I went with option two: regular glitter. This was my favorite of all the little pumpkins and I didn't want to do something I wouldn't like. I had a guarantee about how it would look with the basic glitter. It turned out perfectly.

5. Dry Time - The easy part, except for one's impatience to see a final product. I let these dry overnight and here is the finished look. I think these will look good mixed in with these pumpkins I did a few weeks ago. A laugh for you, but I don't know what happened to those other pumpkins I did a few weeks ago. I have spent a few minutes looking for them and I can't figure out where I put them. I'm going to get serious about finding them today.

Here's a peek at last year's Fall Mantle. Do you do seasonal mantle decor? If so, when do you usually switch over to fall?

Sending you best wishes for a glorious day!

A Good Time For Fall Holiday Decorations

image via Pottery Barn

School is kicking back in for a lot of families and it can be a big adjustment when things suddenly go quiet during the day. That makes this a great time to work on holiday decorations for Fall 2012. One of the best places to look for fall decorations and crafting supplies right now is the thrift stores.

Last week I went to the dollar store looking for small decorative pumpkins. They weren't on shelves yet but later that day when I dropped some things off at a local thrift shop I found four of the exact pumpkins I was looking for at 50 cents a piece, yes that's half the price of the dollar store rates. Two dollars in my pocket. Ching-ching.

I wanted to try creating some faux mercury glass pumpkins, a take off on these beautiful Antique Mercury Glass Pumpkins from Pottery Barn. After doing some searching around the web, I realized that as easy as it sounded this was a very popular project around the blog world. Right there that kind of bums me out. But good grief, it was all over Pinterest so what was I expecting? Haa-haa.

The one thing I learned about the faux mercury glass attempts is that they just don't seem to have the high end look of mercury glass no matter how hard they try with all sorts of techniques. So I am still experimenting and reading up on that. I am trying out some high gloss metallic paint but I'm not sure I'm sold on the results I've gotten. We'll have to see.

Since this is one on my A Pin Test projects I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow. As for other great spots to find fall holiday decorating supplies, the dollar store as I mentioned is another one. Last year Dollar Tree had a variety of decorative (read plastic, haa) gourds that I used for decorating. Some of them are great starters for DIY projects too.

Check out JoAnn fabrics as well. I seem to remember that their fall decor was all on sale at a good discount earlier this week. Plus there are always their great coupons to use.

In the meantime, I am going to continue to experiment with a few decor projects and see what fun I can come up with for some simple fall decor for the mantle. Since my home is beach/Asian inspired, full scale Halloween doesn't really fit in, but it's always fun to see what I can tweak to give us a hint of a real fall since that's a season we see nothing of here in SoCal.

Are you already started on fall holiday projects or maybe costumes? How about Christmas projects? Anyone that on the ball already? I am going to have to be a little creative this year for the holidays and I am really determined not to buy stuff just so we all have more stuff. We have enough stuff, so I need to put some extra effort into the planning process.

Have a great day! Thanks for coming by.

Thrift Store Clothing Finds - Bold Colors And Patterns

Last month I had a chance to do some wandering and adventuring in the Inland Empire, an area about an hour east of where we live. That can be two or three hours east depending on traffic, haa-haa, but not so funny if you're driving in it.

I happened upon two national chain thrift stores, the name of which I will not say because I am so angry with them about the outrageous price gouging at my local store and many of the city locations around here. It starts with a G and ends with an L if that helps. See my seething eyes from where you sit. ha.

It was with mixed emotions that I found that in the outlying areas prices are drastically less then what they are charging in my neighborhood for the same stuff. I found lots of furniture for five to ten dollars. In my neighborhood you won't find any furniture for less than $30 and it skyrockets from there. It's ridiculous. I found two night stands that I would've loved to buy but I have absolutely no need or use for them, they were five dollars each. Scream...

I held back on the furniture but found three beautiful items with bold colors and patterns. So perfect to match up with a simple outfit to make it pop. I love this little orange top for The Bug, can't wait to try it on her. And we needed shorts badly, so I was happy to find another pair in these pretty blue hues.

For me, the words Michael Kors, Orange and Hawaii will forever make my heart sing. Here's an example, my favorite purse of all time. I will also forever smile when I revisit that handbags post. It's titled Blog Crawl and I was crawling alright. So sick I ended up in the hospital just a few hours later. But boy did I keep my commitment to get that post up. Too ridiculous. What was I doing????

Anyway I found this beautiful orange and white scarf labeled Michael Kors Hawaii. Hello singing heart. I have plans for this big, square beauty. Perfect for a wrap in Hawaii, great for a wrapped neckscarf with all the blacks and grays in the heart of winter to keep my neck sunny, cheery and warm! Total price for all items, $11. Sweet.

Here are a few other thrift store scores.
Embroidered Tops & Bottoms For Girls
Dreamy Wood Bread Bowl
Home Decor & Fashion Accesories
Belted Cardigan

Thanks for coming by. Hope you have a joyous day!

Thrift Store Furniture Inspiration

On a recent visit to a warehouse thrift store here in SoCal I was impressed to see how much great furniture there was just waiting for someone with a little vision.

(headboards stacked vertically - love that yellow!)

My head was spinning with creative potential for bookshelves that would be so perfect for displaying books and treasures, gorgeous headboards to rest against while reading a favorite book and nightstands to put a lamp, glass of water and that book on. There were a variety of armoires that would be so pretty to display favorite dishes and kitchenware.

I'm looking at the furniture I have and what we really need. The Man and I each own a full home of furniture, so we'll definitely need to sift through things when the time comes to merge households. I'm planning to sell a few pieces of furniture we won't need that I've accumulated along the way and I'm interested in upgrading a few things too. Hopefully the buy and sell budgets will balance each other out and give me a few new options to play with and new things to look at. 

My number one priority is to rid myself of a dining set I've never loved that I inherited from an old apartment and replace it with a table, bench and chairs. I would like to make the table and bench but we'll see how that goes. Oh to have a garage, basement or backyard to work in.

Some of my furniture, I am realizing, I've had since college and while the pieces have a little sentimental value, it doesn't mean I have to keep them if they aren't working or I'm just plain tired of looking at them. I have a few random chairs stacked in the corner that need to go. I'm keeping things I thought for sure I would want to get rid of and revisiting all my thoughts about using my space.

I'm definitely wanting to downsize and simplify as far as furniture and decor goes. That means having more effective pieces and owning things that are more reflective of me and my style than things I have because they once upon a time worked and fit into a meager budget.

Successful thrift shopping hopefully reflects that those ideals balance out with the excitement of finding something interesting at a great price. Any of these pieces would be fantastic with a little upcycling paint, or lined with wallpaper, an added pattern and a little elbow grease.

Upcycled Thrift Store Wicker Basket

You might remember I found this basket at a thrift store a few months ago. It is so perfectly organized for napkins and cutlery. I initially got it thinking it would be great for a wedding weekend barbecue, but now that we've delayed a bit, I have other ideas for it until then. I liked the yellow but it's just not in my color palette so I decided to spray paint it white and upcycle it a bit.



So I went to work with a can of semi-gloss spray white paint out on my patio. If you spray paint anything and aren't using this handy clip on handle, you have to try it. I promise you it will change your spray painting life. Not only does it save your fingertips, but it also makes spraying evenly a breeze. That said by someone who has always been crummy at even spray painting! Now it goes on perfectly every time and I don't even have to think about it.

I painted inside a box, hoping to contain the overspray as much as possible, It was a little tight but it worked. It's a trick when you live in a breezy, beach area to keep paint from floating all over. Lessons learned the hard way on that one. Oopsy. I used my fan out on the balcony to speed up the drying process. 

Then I painted this wood anchor I picked up at JoAnn Fabrics and Crafts a few weeks ago. Seemed perfect, especially since I am loving navy, white and orange together this summer. This basket would look fantastic on a bright orange tablecloth.

It took some time to make sure all the nooks and crannies in the basket were covered with the new paint at all angles. That took most of the afternoon. Spray, let it dry, spray again, etc. etc. etc. I also gave the anchor a few layers of paint.

Now I have a pretty cutlery basket for parties, barbecues and buffets. I decided I would temporarily attach the anchor to give myself the freedom to change the logo depending on the party. Can't you see it with a pretty pink something for a baby shower or a football for a viewing party, or a red, white and blue flag for patriotic holidays. I'm happy with my new basket and can't wait to have a a little party to try it out. It's perfectly me and the only one around. That's what I love about thrift shopping and DIY.