Category Archives: Decor

Post Halloween Fun.

2015-10-31 08.36.20Nick and I had a few friends over to hand out candy to trick or treaters and play board games this Halloween. Nick makes an amazing guacamole, he has a secret ingredient and everything. Since it was Halloween and we had an extra pumpkin, we decided to present the chips and dip in a fun/gross way (see above).

2015-10-31 08.36.36(The dip went quick!)

2015-10-31 08.36.45(We made a spiced apple cider cocktail and had cold beers on hand too)

2015-10-31 08.36.54(I cooked up the pumpkins seeds and put pomegranate seeds and rosemary sprigs aside for garnish- both from our backyard!)

All in all, the gathering was a success. Fall is my favorite time of year so it’s a real treat to get to eat some of my favorite flavors (pumpkins included).

Room Re-do.

DSC_0958Nick and I recently made the big move out of the city and into Marin County. We now have an extra room to turn into an office/recreational room. Here are the steps we took to make the transformation.

DSC_0954(The room was originally this honey color that I wasn’t a fan of)

DSC_0960(So we changed the wall color to a light blue-gray)

DSC_0962(We purchased this multi-color rug from Overstock and love how vibrant it is)

DSC_0963(I had an old shelf and wasn’t sure what to do with it. I filled it with succulents, candles, and books. It still doesn’t feel done so this is a work in progress)

DSC_0965(Basic guitar stands to display an acoustic and electric guitar)

DSC_0961(A small indoor plant, amethyst crystal, and candle sit on our desk)

We still need to add pictures to the wall but haven’t settled on images yet. Any suggestions?

DIY Coffee Zone.

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I saw this great idea on Pinterest and was eager to give it a try.  In my apartment, my roommates and I have an overwhelming amount of coffee mugs that take up multiple shelves so I was on the hunt for a fix to save space.  We now have a lot more counter space and a cute coffee area.

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This is the before, we needed some major organizational help.

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I started from the top down, setting the new wall mug hangers first.  I ordered them off of amazon.

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The after!  So much better.

What DIY projects are you getting into this weekend?  Or share any links in the comments section of some of your DIY’s, I love getting ideas from other blogs and will link back 🙂

Backyard Bliss.

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There’s nothing better than a good Summer night in the backyard and Julia’s family had the best Summer backyard.  On our last night in Wyoming, we played around on the lawn, enjoyed a BBQ, and had some s’mores and moonshine by the firepit.  Their backyard definitely provided some inspiration for my dream ranch I’ve been building in my mind.  It was the perfect Summer night!

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Love the porch swing!

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Beautiful Aspens!

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Gorgeous sunset.

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Stunning views!

Anthropologie’s Best Kept Secret.

Brittany turned me on to Anthropologie‘s kitchen wear about a year ago when she got me an awesome ceramic muffin dish that I absolutely adore. Since then, I have dreamed of updating my tiny kitchen with unique pieces from our favorite store! In case you haven’t checked out what they have to offer, I have picked out a few of my favorite items that they have right now. The price point is fair and everything that they offer is of very high quality so you really can’t go wrong!

Copper(These puts my bland colander to shame! I love the legs and of course, the copper tone. $30-58)

35790328_010_b(This would make a great DIY project! $40)

35858570_010_b(Marble, glass, and wood. A very modern way of presenting cheese at a party. $78)

36128510_027_b(Not a must have by any means, but extremely cute! $78)

32578031_028_b(Lastly, these copper measuring cups are classic! $28)

Do you have a favorite place to shop for kitchen wear? Let us know!

I’ll Drink To That.

2015-06-25 10.20.03Nick and I searched high and low for the perfect piece of furniture to act as our bar cart. We had a narrow space so our options were limited. World Market always has the industrial look that the two of us really like so we hit the jackpot when we found this console. I love the wheels, it made it easy to put into place and it is fairly long so we can fit all sort of goodies on it.

2015-06-25 10.21.19(Cocktail essentials-  Crate and Barrel)

2015-06-25 10.21.12(Leather liquor tags- Crate and Barrel)

2015-06-25 10.20.13(These cocktail plates have recipes on the back for their individual drink)

2015-06-25 10.21.54(My favorite part, the copper mugs)

2015-06-25 10.21.26(The wooden wine holder matches the cart perfectly.)

2015-06-25 10.22.34(Lastly, we placed what our friend Adam calls “the ant burner” on the edge of the bar cart. We just liked the way it looked).

Hankering for a drink?

Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With String.

I know wrapping gifts can be the worst part of gift giving for some but if I have enough time, it’s actually the part that I love the most! I was trying to find creative ways to hide the identity of a gift my roommate was giving his girlfriend. After a lot of inspiration from Pinterest, here’s what I did with items I already had around the house.

Christmas Gift(I placed the gift inside of a larger box and wrapped the sides in tissue paper to keep it in place)

Christmas Gift(I used the back side of a brown paper Target bag to wrap the outside of the box)

Christmas Gift(Use extra twine or ribbon to simply wrap the outside of the box)

Christmas Gift(I cut out this design out of an old christmas bag that I had. Then used some thick stock white paper to address the gift. Instead of taping the paper to the box, use a mini clothes pin for some shabby chic flare!)

Dressing up a gift can make it extra exciting to present it to someone. If you have the time, go the extra mile this Christmas!

We F$#&ing Heart You

IMG_6825Who doesn’t love these conversation hearts?!  Well we do and here’s a way to have some sweet treat offerings without looking too soft.  We got these glittery skulls in a post Halloween splurge (don’t ask why, we have no method to our madness) and I was thinking, when else am I going to display this sassy table decor?  Light bulb! Valentine’s Day.  I think it’s the perfect combo of the devil and angel that usually sit on your shoulders tempting you, to eat the candy or not to eat the candy – that is the question.

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IMG_6823I mean let’s be honest, these won’t make it to Valentine’s Day.  We still have two weeks until then so make sure you grab a couple bags of the candy for back stock and make it the good kind (I prefer Brachs, the old school candies that some compare to tasting like chalk.  The best chalk I’ve ever had).

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I think we should be responsible for making the type on these candies and if we could, we would make one that says “We F$#&ing Heart You.”  What would yours say?

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Fairmont HotelChristmas in San Francisco is definitely a beautiful sight! The city is lit up even more than usual and the trees are decorated perfectly. This year a group of us decided to check out the 2 story tall Gingerbread House located in the lobby of the Fairmont Hotel in Nob Hill. It was truly something to be seen and smelled!

Gingerbread House(7,500 pieces of gingerbread brick lined the walls, it smelled delicious!)

Gingerbread Wall(Layers of icing, marshmallows, and sprinkles held the house together)

Gingerbread Wall(A nutcracker chilled behind the glass and gummy stars lined the walls)

Eating a House(While I would like to live in this house, I think I would have  a permanent stomach ache if I did)

Candy Village(A tiny mock village was made ENTIRELY of icing and candy! The little penguins were too cute!)

Ornament(A huge Christmas tree sat next to the house. The ornaments were so beautiful, we couldn’t resist taking a photo!)

Presents(A little side area was reserved for children to watch movies and write letters to Santa so of course we decided to play)

Letters to Santa(Everyone was peeking at Connie’s wish list. “I would like a boat please. More specifically, I would like a yacht!” A girl can dream, can’t she?)

Visiting the Fairmont lobby was a really fun way to spend a crisp Winter night with friends. We walked across the street afterwards to have a Christmas cocktail at the Top of the Mark and spent the evening watching the twinkling city from 13 stories up.

Fake It ‘Til You Make It

It’s that time of year when people invite themselves over and intrude upon your private space because it is the holidays and they want to spend time with you. Sigh. Alright, we’ll play nice and try to accommodate the best we can. We gathered some tips on how to spruce up your apartment in a pinch and give the false impression that you live in a civilized manner all year round.

1. First Impressions.

Gerard Butler

(Make your boyfriend, friend, or roommate greet your guest at the door dressed as your personal butler. This is important in fooling your guest into thinking you are living a highly refined life. Actually one better, get Gerard Butler to dress as a butler and answer the door for you, whatever you do after that pretty much won’t matter.)

2. Tidy Up.

(Don’t have time for a deep clean? Don’t worry, there is an easy solution. Shove your scattered clothes, shoes, and spare tutu into your closet as quickly as you can. Then take your shoe rack and move it in front of your closet door in case your guest decides to get snoopy)

3. Mood Lighting.

(Class up the joint by placing a candle in a tiny little mason jar. But don’t stop there, tie some twine around the top so that you disguise the fact that you just stuck a candle in a jar)

4. Refreshments

(Someone told me that they once went to a super fancy dance club and there was champagne in the bathroom! Well, I drank all of mine the other night so I placed some extra beer and wine I had around the toilet instead which should do the trick! Whatever you do, make sure you keep a wine and bottle opener within reach so that your guest can pop their bottles easily)

Well, there you have it, 4 easy and totally doable steps that transform your apartment into a chic lounge that could trick any of your imposing friends into thinking you are classy.