Colorblocked clutch.

How to color block your clutch, a DIY.

Clutches are a go to for summertime events. And what not a better way to make that drab clutch loved again by doing your own accessory color blocking? I have this custard lemon yellow clutch that I purchased during my college days at Forever 21. For the past year it has been in a box under my bed (a completely valid reason to either donate it to my local thrift store or make it into something better). When I thought about color blocking an accessory, this little fold over clutch immediately popped into mind.

Definitely pleather.

photo source

The color combination of yellow, aqua, and grey is one of my favorites right now (and they also go really well with other bright summer colors). So I decided to add aqua paint with hopes of using the clutch with outfits sporting grey, cream, bright pink, cobalt, green, etc. First, I taped off the section of the front flap that I wanted aqua making sure the tape wrapped around the side of the flap. Then I used a thin flat brush to apply the first coat of paint. (Acrylic paint works best for this project). I let the first coat dry, and then added a second layer, then left it to dry. 

After it was dry to the touch (about 20 minutes) I peeled the tape back. The line was clean and the seeming on the clutch still peeked through (I happen to like the look of it). And, that's it! A quick color blocking diy to bring new interest to my yellow clutch. You could do this with so many accessories. I think someone needs to make a hot pink and bright green combo. I may need to thrift Denver for more clutches to make as gifts!

I am ready to accessorize with my new color blocked clutch and gifted necklace on a summer night about town!

From the Archives: Collaging homemade cards.

If you are like me, you get catalogues from Anthropologie, West Elm, and J.Crew and never have the heart to through them away. You see them as more than just catalogues, as bits of style inspiration and potential art materials. In my art area, I have a basket full of my favorite visual magazines and catalogues I have saved over the years. One of the ways I've reused them is by cutting or tearing out photos and pasting them onto paper (square pieces of grocery bags, card stock, etc.) and then tying them to gifts as a personalized gift tag, or mailing them as cheery greeting cards with a special note on the back. 

These collages are from awhile back. Most of the material was from Anthropologie catalogues. I tore these photos out so that the edges would have that imperfect worn look. I attached a little message with yarn written on a bit of brown paper bag to the collage and voila- recycled and pretty tags or homemade cards, a perfect little surprise to brighten someone's day. Collages like this remind me of quilts. How neat would it be to make a large collage and frame it as a gift?

Sharpie patterns and new summertime mugs.

photo source

I have always loved West Elm, and especially their dinnerware and detailing on plates. They seem to always have fun prints and patterns. When I saw this DIY idea floating around Pinterest (and these his & her mugs on A Beautiful Mess), I knew I had to make my own. I did not have plain white mugs, but I did have two plain green mugs that I hardly ever used (that I got on clearance at Starbucks about 5 years ago). And what not a better way to bring new life to something unused than to add a bit of pattern? 

Materials Needed:

1. A Sharpie
2. Plain Porcelain/Ceramic Dinnerware (Goodwill has a great assortment, ranging from 50 cents to $3 depending on the piece!)

Pick up your sharpie, and make your design on your mugs. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes. ( I like the free handed slightly imperfect look, so I did not worry too much about my lines being evenly spaced and straight).

Directions for care: Handwash with soap and water, the dishwasher tends to rub off the design over time (You can always touch it up with your sharpie and re-bake in the oven if this happens!)

(thanks favecraftsblog for linking up to this project!}

Guest Post: What a difference a knob can make.

I met Dacia on a Friday night girl's night just this past year but it feels like I've known her forever. Everytime I am with her, I just love her more and more! This girl knows how to work a pair of heels (she even does mountain climbers in them), has true wit and smarts, is such a loyal and caring friend, embodies classic beauty, and can get down and dirty in her DIY projects (she just shared that she was hand stiching a dog bed cover and plans to feature it here soon!). Dacia lives in California with her husband and the cutest little dog named Roo. 

Dacia and me at More than Waffles!

In her words:

"One day I was talking with my boss.  She told me she was going to redo her kitchen and that she was going to get rid of a tall upright four shelf case with a glass door. She asked me if I wanted to take a look at it before she tossed it. I couldn't believe my eyes...it was beautiful!  I saw the awesomeness of this piece and was so excited to get it FOR FREE!!!  In her house, she had it in her kitchen with various vases and platters placed inside. I, however, had no room in my kitchen at the time, so the shelf became a bookcase in our living room. Just recently, Tyler and I moved to a new apartment that is a little short on storage in the kitchen. Instantly, I knew this piece would go back to being a beautiful case that would hold our mugs, jars, and glasses. At first the case just sat  sat in our kitchen with a drab white knob. We have an open floor plan, making the case visible from our living room, so I decided to spice it up!  

I walked into Anthropologie and there it was, the most beautiful knob in the most perfect orange color. The knob was $10. A bit pricy for one knob, however, I justified it because it was only ONE knob and we were gifted the shelving unit for free. I thought the adorable weathered shelf deserved a gorgeous knob that would make it stand out and be a piece to remember. My husband had to use some heavy duty tools to remove the old, gross, boring knob. He then had to use a special saw made for metal to trim down the screw back that had the threading on it.  

Overall, I think the knob turned the piece from something interesting to unforgettable. I love sitting on the sofa, glancing over into my kitchen and seeing this perfect lady like shelf in all its glory."

How have you transformed a piece just by switching out old hardware? For more knob inspiration, you can read  "Knob Crazy" on Pearls Poppies Pinkies Up.

Lovely locks

 Some of you may have seen this image floating around on pinterest. The waterfall braid. It just sings "let's frolic in a field of wildflowers." I decided to try it. And after a lot of "likes" on Facebook, I figured some of you may want the original tutorial source so you can do this lovely number to your locks!

Photo source and tutorial here

My hair is a lot shorter than the girl in the first photograph, so when it can time to make the remaining hair into a cascading braid down the side, I was stuck with not much hair to work with. I ended up securely pinning the the hair in place and letting the ends fall in line with the rest of my non braided hair. It also helped having a bit of wave and somewhat dirty locks to keep this style in place. On hotter days, you can do this style and twist the flowing hair into a nape of the neck bun. This is perfect for triple digit weather and a great option when you feel like you're in a pony tail rut. I braided my bangs back into the waterfall braid, but you can also leave them out (as I believe Megan did here, in her tutorial).

Natalie of Thoughts by Natalie and director of marketing at Wonderfully Made, has a series called Braids of Glory. My posts on braids will be few and far between (this may actually be the only one), but you should definitely follow Natalie for some down to earth hair tutorials as well as her thoughts on confidence, body image, intentional living, femininity, style, and more. 

Glorious gallery walls.

I have arranged two gallery walls in past apartments we have lived in. The first was in our office, the second was in a hallway. With the guest bedroom in our new Denver home ready to be put together, my mind has been going to thoughts of gallery walls much bigger and grander than my first arrangements. I have accumulated a lot of vintage artwork and prints from various thrifting adventures, in addition to larger framed pieces. I love the overall look of a gallery wall and am excited to play around with the new space. 

When I put together my first little gallery, I decided on black, white, and a mix of wood frames, all of various sizes. I had a few to start, but I actually made a trip to HomeGoods found the rest in one trip. Matt was such a trooper as I must have looked crazy laying all these frames out in the aisle floor to play  of the store until I was happy with my selection (hey, you do what you need to when you are a visual person). 

all photos taken from here

What do you favor, neutral toned frames, a bold and colorful mix, monochromatic themes? Thin frames, chunky frames, barely there floating frames? Do you have a gallery wall in your home? Do tell!

{post update: officially, my second bedroom walls have turned into a gallery, you can see them here}

Treasury Edition No. 2: Budvase, reflection, entryways, and dumpster dives.

This is a new series added to the blog, with the original treasury idea inspired by Etsy (where items of a similar theme would be put together for a mini collection of sorts). This is a collection of frugal finds, home design, affordable style, and other splendid bits and pieces from readers like you. If you missed the first treasury, meander over here. Enjoy!

My blue ceramic treasure: This Dutch Delft budvase I found at a consignment store that was going out of business. Originally it was a gift for my Grandma, and now it holds a handful of flowers in my home. It cost $5 and was made in Holland.

Natalie is one of those women who has classy style in her bones. And she is amazing at navigating the wide world of Craigslist. Lucky for us, she is sharing a few of her most recent frugal finds. Natalie found the oval mirror at the Goodwill for only $5. She painted the frame gold to spruce it up a bit. It adds some splendid character to her basement guest room. Next, the dresser was a furniture piece from Natalie's parents. After the piece was hidden down in her basement, Natalie decided to give it new life. With some sanding (oh how we all love this part of refurbishing), white paint, and a new spot in her entryway, this repurposed dresser looks so put together. To accent the design, Natalie painted the lamp shade black. I love this look! (If only I had more photos to show you her entire living room. It is black, white, and classy perfection.) Lastly, this is by no means a new one for the record books, searching for treasure by literally diving, yes, into a dumpster. But, when you get something great like this pedastool side table, completely free? Cannot beat that. Let's dumpster dive more often, shall we? Just wash up properly afterwards and sanitize the bajeebies out of it.

Treasuries are made possible by you! If you would like to be a part of the next collection, email me or read more about guest postings here. 

Weekend snippets.

Yesterday we ventured to Boulder with our neighbors for some tubing down the Creek and appertivos at a little Italian pizzeria. It felt like vacation.

Floatation

50 cent biscotti and happy hour espresso

Vintage scarf

Entryway bench.

Come winter, our little entryway will function as part mud room. It will be a place to take off muddy, snowy, wet shoes and boots. I had been keeping my eyes peeled for a bench that would fit in the space. Seeing as this space is pretty cramped as it is, the bench needed to be narrow and fit on the small portion of the wooden floor between the hutch and travertine. I found this piano bench at the Goodwill this week for $6. After I scored that awesome vintage window in my 2 minute stop in the store, I decided I needed to go back and actually take my time looking around. It seemed to have great potential for more steals. And sure enough, the piano bench was affordable and the perfect size. I am not sure what the purpose of the hardware (maybe handle?) was. I would guess for design. I like it. I also love the curvature on the underside and detailing in the legs.

First, I sanded down the bench until most of the finish was stripped and is felt rough to the touch. There were quite a bit of scuffs on the top of the bench. I did not put much effort into smoothing these out because I planned on making the bench have a weathered look in the end, so scuffs were welcome to stay.

Using blue painters tape, I did a professional job of covering the hardware. Ha. Before priming, I made sure to wipe off any dust and dirt remanants from sanding. I used BEHR enamel and udercoater primer & sealer to apply one thin coat over the entire piece (Again, not worrying about full coverage since I was going to sand some of it away in the end).

With the free quart of "country garden" paint I got at ACE hardware,  I set out to give this wood a new bright and airy look. I went with this light shade of seafoam because I like the color combo with tans and browns, which would show through once weathered and also with the hutch, wooden floor, and coat rack in the entryway. 

I went in with a thin flat brush to do the paint detailing around the hardware. After the paint was dry, I sanded the edges, legs, and a few places along the body of the bench, to give it that weathered look.  A seat cushion may be added later once my sewing machine is up and running and I have the space to make it. We already had a place to hang our coats and hats.  Now we have a place to sit, lace up those shoes, and slip off those boots. Convenient even for placing our bags and misc. things that go in and out of the house on a regular basis. I am so happy with the end result and the fact that I have had some part in making both pieces in our little entryway.