Beads, beads, all over the floor!

My own handmade necklace.

My inspiration. ($250 worth!)

After 2 trips to Michael's, beads astray across the apartment, and all over the floor when one chain broke, (opps!) my necklace is finished!

This is the most extensive piece I've ever done and I have to say thank you to a special someone who simply smiled at me when beads flew across the living room and helped me clean up the mess with a kiss.

This was not as hard as it looks -just required patience. (Which God did not bless me with although I am learning!) I bought beads at Michaels, strung 9 lengths of beads, attached 3 separate strings of beads together 3 times, and then braided them. You could do it in an afternoon, I swear!

I can't wait to wear this beauty in Florida! I am wearing it with a white lace dress with 3/4 inch sleeves and just simple diamond stud earrings. Check back for photos of Kasey & James's big day. She has impeccable taste and with the backdrop of the ocean and palm trees, there is no doubt in my mind this will be one of the most beautiful weddings ever, which only serves to parallel their love for each other.

And a note to Kasey ... I'm so happy for you. When I see you and James together, I know what a great relationship is. The love you two have for each other is undeniable and I wish you both a life full of love & laughter. :)

I am going to make another version of this necklace as well! My coworker also really likes it but needs a necklace to go with a navy blue dress. So we are going to use the same colors but instead of turquoise beads, we are going to use yellow. I think it will turn out nice, very JCrew if you will. I'll report back with a picture once it is finished.

On to another big announcement ... my big sister is getting married! She will likely have a spring 2012 wedding and I am looking forward to helping plan and decorate this very special day for her. I hope in the coming months to be posting inspirational wedding pictures: dresses, flowers, invitations, etc!

Go Bold or Go Home

What do you like better, Christmas or Wedding Season?
[raises his hand] Mr. Grey? Yes. The answer would be, um, Wedding Season?

Bingo! It’s almost wedding season baby!

I am preparing to go to multiple weddings this summer and I couldn’t be happier for my friends getting married. (Congrats Kasey and Shan!!) I won’t lie, I’m also excited to get dressed up and dance a little too! Of course, traveling and gifts add up. So I’ve decided to wear a beautiful yellow dress I already have and treat myself to new jewelry to save a little money.

For my yellow dress which I am going to wear to a Florida wedding close to the ocean, I am going to wear 2 yellow bracelets that I made and a crystal flower pin in my hair. This was super easy and inexpensive – I got the beads at Michael’s for $5 and the stretchy string for $2.50.



I also fell in LOVE with this necklace. That is, until I saw the price! ($228 dollars? That's just a few utility bills for the next 2 months!) But, I’m so in love with this necklace, I’ve decided to make my own version. I’ll string the beads, connect each string to a circular connector and then braid the strings of beads around each other.

 
My inspiration and the beads I've chosen to make my own necklace!

Don’t like these colors? Michael’s has an endless supply of beads. I mean, I spent hours in there looking at beads. Their collection is incredible. If you go- don’t forget to print a coupon off online too. Click here for their latest coupons!

My goal is to complete this necklace this weekend so check back for the finalized product! Hopefully I will be able to wear it to multiple weddings this summer, saving a little bit of money that I can pass along to the newlyweds :)

I have a very serious obsession with bows. Anyone who knows me knows I love bows –on EVERYTHING. Shoes, purses, headbands, necklaces, earrings, they are the ultimate feminine accessory.

Playing soccer as a little girl, I always had a bow in my hair. And if you think that changed as I got older, it didn't. I wore a bow in my hair playing soccer all throughout college. Once, I had a black eye and a bow for a game and yes … I thought I was bad!

While I've accepted that I must retire my famous and sizeable collection of bows, (that is, until God gives me a little girl to spoil with bows!) I have moved on to a little designer known as Kate Spade. If money grew on trees, I would own her entire collection. Every season.

My current favorites? This adorable black and white Barrow Street Bon Shopper purse, this pearl necklace which would be great for work and a Saturday date night (and perhaps a friend's wedding!) and her Florina Sandals!

Okay … so money doesn't grow on trees. My solution? Consignment shopping! I recently found Kate Spade black patent leather flats (with bows!) at a consignment store.

Original Price: $225
Consignment Store Price:  $59.00

Final Price after holding out and waiting for the 50% discount day: $29.50
Currently on Ebay for: $80

These shoes are fabulous. I can wear them to the office, with jeans on the weekend, and most importantly, they have rubber soles so I won't trip and fall on the metro. (Which may or may not have happened before!) But really, every girl needs a good pair of black flats and I'm hoping these will last me a long time.

I'm still searching for great consignment stores in the city. I've found one- Current Boutique in Arlington & Alexandria. This store has upscale designer brands such as JCrew, Coach, Burberry, and more. I will blog about more stores as I find them!

Update on the kitchen table? Still searching for the perfect table top! I'm mostly looking on craigslist for a table I can remove the legs from and add to the legs below. I want to paint the top black and then find chairs I can paint black and reupholster the seats white (or a damask fabric!)



My apologies for not blogging more recently … I'm thinking of expanding my blog to include great recipes, links to coupons, and more. Until next time, I'll leave you with this thought:

The best accessory is not a sparkly necklace, perfect hair, or great shoes. The best accessory is the person sitting next to you, loving you & supporting you, no matter what. Everything else is just icing on the cake!

Spring Giveaway!

These pillows caught my eye immediately! Beautifully hand-sewn by Etsy designer Woody Liana, you can win these stylish and unique pillows by clicking here and following the instructions. Super easy, right?



The winner will be announced this Saturday morning.

To be able to sew so beautifully is an incredible talent. My Mom and Sister have such a gift and I know the amount of work (and patience!) that goes into sewing. God did not grant me such a talent but I would appreciate and enjoy pillows like these just the same!

Best of luck :)

Every Girl Deserves a Little Tiffany’s

One lazy Saturday morning turned into a productive Saturday this past weekend. After lounging around the apartment, watching HGTV, I became inspired to paint the apartment. I’ve been playing around with painting two walls grey to match my rug and black and white theme, but after a little HGTV inspiration and a leap of design faith, I opted for what we like to call “Tiffany’s Blue.”

Heading to Home Depot for supplies, (or as I affectionately call it, Home Sleepo due countless hours of my childhood spent there with my Dad!) I stocked up on painters tape, paint rollers, and paint. Home Depot can mix ANY color you want – it is truly amazing. I picked the color and they mixed it from plain white paint.

On one wall, we decided to outline large flowers. See below for the before, during, and after pictures of the flowers. The flowers were done free-hand with painters tape.

The other wall was painted a solid blue. I’m going to hang black and white photos on this wall. (Check back for more pictures!

I’m so in love with my apartment now. The color adds so much vibrancy to the apartment. The color is refreshing and relaxing and by only painting two walls, the color does not over-power the room but defines the room.

Finally, I would like to highlight that I did not get paint on my white couch. This is a feat in itself for any one who knows me :)

Up next?  The kitchen table still needs a top (the search continues!) and I am on the hunt for a bedroom dresser to strip and paint black and hanging the collage of photos.

The Delightful Dresser

The dresser before painting.

My apologies for not blogging recently, life has gotten in the way! We have not made any progress on the kitchen table yet … still on the hunt for the perfect table top.

I wanted to share the design and refinish of a piece of furniture my friend recently did. She’s got a great eye for turning something old into something beautiful. The best part is she does it on the super cheap!

She found this dresser on sale at Goodwill for ONLY $20! Since it was a nice weekend out (Hopefully many more to come!) she chose to paint it with a white gloss spray paint for less than $4 a can. The wood pores were a little funky taking the paint, so she kept a dry brush by her side and went over each part after I had sprayed it ... it definitely worked well to enhance the shabby chic look!

Antiquing or dry brushing furniture is a great way to get that shabby-chic look! Click here to learn how to do it.

Finished and in her room! Beautiful, isn't it

The top 2 drawers she’s chosen to use for nick-knacks since they're so shallow. Since the original handles because are vintage and cute, she’s keeping them as-is! Plus, she can always go back and change them later on.

As the flowers bloom and the sun stays in the sky longer, I hope to have many more projects to post about! Stay tuned for (hopefully!) an update very soon on the kitchen table!

Without Further Ado ...

it is finished! I am so happy with the final result of this cabinet ... so happy in fact, I have decided to keep it instead of selling it! I bought this cabinet for $30 at Goodwill and a little sanding, a pint of paint, and some Target glass knobs later it looks like something you'd find in a French country house or Pottery Barn. (Ok, ok, a girl can dream!)

At first, I was planning on this to be a TV cabinet with baskets for storage in the middle. However, after moving into my new apartment and desperately needing storage, it has now found a home in my wonderfully large closet. In the middle I've used the black and white flower boxes I mentioned in my last post to store my socks, bras, etc. The top 4 drawers are small and perfect for hair accessories, jewelry, and make up! I learn a few lessons while finishing this cabinet that I'm happy to pass on to you:

1. Use a cleaner before starting (such as Simple Green) to not only clean the furniture but also strip any glossy finish off of the wood.

2. Sanding is officially a work-out. No gym day needed when sanding. Here's hoping I end up with Michele Obama's arms.

3. Cheaper paint is not always the best way to go. Most likely if you buy

cheaper paint, it is fine, but you will have to apply a few more coats of paint.

4. Painting tape is not only crucial but my very best friend. I'm not a professional,
but with some painting tape (and patience), anyone can be!


Finally finished and in full use:

The next projects? Might I emphasize (s)? A kitchen table using mid-century scroll table legs found at Goodwill and shabby chic baby room furniture! After painting the table legs, I'll need to find a table top and chairs. We're painting it black so I want white linen chairs. I'm also so excited to find and re-finish baby room furniture with some friends. I hope to learn as much as I can about safety in paint, etc. for baby furniture and refinishing and pass it on to all you Mommies!

Also, look out for a special guest blogger coming soon!




Thank you for taking time out of your day to read my blog and I hope you stay tuned for more  adventures in designing on a dime.

Finally Finished!

I am super excited to announce my cabinet is finally finished! More pictures and commentary to come but I just had to post a picture!

Simply, Shabby, Black?

My "design on a dime" skills will come to full fruition this spring as I move into my new apartment and venture into my new city life! Follow my blog as I take on this crazy/fun project of building a new home with design, with style, with comfort, without a ton of money!

So what do you get when you mix an ultra modern style and a simple, French country girl? Something beautiful and timeless I'm hoping! Some ideas I’m thinking about are below:

Damask Wallpaper to tie together the modern black furniture and shabby chic white furniture we already have. I’m researching the cheapest way to go here, but am finding that Wall Papers to Go may be the best find. (Tip: Be careful of the size of the rolls you order! Too small and you may spend hours lining up the paper)

Hang a black mirror in the living room to visually enlarge the space. Check out the mirror from Ikea for inspiration.


Printing my photos in black and white to add to the classic theme but ensure the loves of my life, my family, my dog, my friends – are constant reminders of the blessings God has given me. Check out Shutterfly.com or Snapfish.com for free prints when you sign-up!

Organization in a small apartment with a girl who loves consignment stores and good deals is crucial. I found these great covered baskets that I can stack at Ikea. They are inexpensive, feminine, and of course, go with the black & white theme.

My favorite part of my new apartment is, to no ones surprise, my closet! It is big enough to put a piece of furniture in it. I am (Drum roll) finishing my white washed cabinet this week. The freezing rain and snow has slowed me down but I will not be deterred. I am putting down an old sheet down in the apartment and finishing it! I promise to post progress and finished photos. Here’s hoping I don’t drop my camera in the paint  :)

The Choo

The Choo!

One of the best consignment finds in history goes to a fellow consignment connoisseur who found a beautiful, red Jimmy Choo purse in a local consignment store in Annapolis, Maryland. I know what you are thinking, Jimmy Choo is something Beyonce sings about and you can only dream of owning. However, there is glamour out there for everyone -you just have to find it!

How do you know if it is real? Feel the leather. Is it heavy? If the purse is heavy and the leather is extra soft, it’s most likely real. Look for inconsistent/sloppy stitching, misspelled labels and the amount of detail in threads, leathers, fabrics, metals and stamping. (All things that designers put a lot of time into)

Ready to find your own Glamour? Check out these local consignment shops for great finds.

• Savvy Consignment - Severna Park, Maryland – women’s, teens, baby clothing, shoes, and accessories

• Honeysuckle – Arnold, Maryland  - women’s, teens, baby clothing, shoes, and accessories as well as high-end designer clothes and a separate furniture and home goods section

•  New to You – Annapolis, Maryland – women’s and teen’s clothing, shoes, and accessories as well as home goods

•  Return to Oz – Annapolis, Maryland – Women’s, maternity, and teens clothing, shoes, and accessories. They also have a large child’s and baby section.

•  Sweet Pea’s Repeats – in Pasadena & Crofton, they always have nice baby clothes in tip top condition. (And let’s be honest, they grow out of those onesies so fast!)

•  Thrift Superstore – Off of 301 in Waldorf near the mall, I get lost in this store for hours! They have men, women’s, children’s, and baby clothing, accessories, shoes, bedding, toys, books and much more.Your local 

•  Goodwill and Salvation Army – Some of my best finds such as my khaki $200 JCrew coat I got for $5 are from Goodwill. You won’t beat their prices!

Know of any other great consignment stores? Leave a comment below and tell me about your favorite shop and best find!