Ahhh, Summer: Life is a Beach! {Martha Stewart Love}

Oh, Martha, you sure can bring on the summer cheer -- as in, how can we get beach-ready?

A towel tote!

 A mesh bag tote!

 A chair (seriously?)

Pockets on a beach blanket

Terry cloth pillow shams!

Father's Day Gifts {Martha Stewart Love}

Oh, my. Martha & her people are seriously crafty. Here's my favorites from their Father's Day collection!

Magnetic Bookmarks!

Golf cupcakes! What's not to love?

A flipbook of images from a 10-30 second video! Love it!

And my favorite (which isn't even really a craft): bow.tie.wrapping.

Glitter! {Martha Stewart Love}

Who needs sugar? We just need glitter! And velvet! (and some faux lemons, btw) ... to get from here ...

Martha Stewart


....to here!


No, I have no idea when I'd actually need a faux glittery lemon + leaf centerpiece. But mmm, glitter. And it's theme-y ;)

Martha Stewart Love

{Martha Stewart}

Seriously, Martha is such a genius. I love those pleated pillows -- And look how easy it is to make one!

{Martha Stewart}

Imagine the possibilities, since you can usually buy a tuxedo shirt for $3 or something ridiculous at huge hobby/craft stores -- maybe dye them different colors, make a little quilt/fabric collage pillow... Mmm, craft excitement!

Martha Stewart Love

{Martha Stewart}

Oh my word, who doesn't love this? Martha's got a template for this cute little "favor box" for pie slices!! This is for sure making it's way into my file for office gifts!

Martha Stewart Love

Okay, I think I just like scheduled things. It makes it easy on me, and you know what to expect, too --- who doesn't win here? Except sometimes it is nice to just share something that catches my eye... So maybe we'll see if this makes it to a series (since hmmm, I've dropped a few of those without even meaning to, huh :D?)

So... I'm thinking spotlighting some fab craft tutorials on Martha Stewart -- the photos are always so inspiring, so if nothing else, pretties shared here, right ;)?

{Martha Stewart}

Next on me pretend-I'm-going-to to-do list: these gorgeous bracelets to belts. Or any of these "handmade jewelry" projects -- like, "necklace to shoulder strap" -- what? Whatevs, it's gorgeous!

{Martha Stewart}

I'm a little in love

{Martha Stewart}

Okay, so I haven't exactly started on my project yet.

But maybe it's because I was supposed to find this Martha Stewart tutorial first!

{Martha Stewart}

Okay, yes, it says "pillows" -- but how cute would that flower be, appliqued to a shirt? (And yes, we're also pretending "appliqued" is a word, and correctly spelled.)

Mmm, I love my pretend-I'm-going-to to-do lists.

Super Girl

I admit: I have a tendency to think I can do just about anything I set my mind to. Sure, that sounds amazing -- but um, when it comes to crafts, sometimes, it really is worth it to just shell out the money for that ready-made item.

But one thing that I've fallen in love with that I think would be fun to try to make? Those fabulous J Crew tees, with the fun ruffles or rosettes! I can't find exactly what I have in mind, but something like these...

Oooh, here's some a bit closer to what I've got in mind, courtesy of Anthro!

Well, not all over like the last one, just at the neck...

I found the tank I want to experiment with --- just a simple white tank, that's gathered just above the bust --- not like smocking, and not like pleating... I don't quite know how to describe it. But I've got all kinds of tulle + satin to play with, plus some tan jersey material... I know, this could possibly get ugly. But for just $4 (plus the cost of the accessory fabrics, but I already had those laying around), how could I not want to try my hand at this? (Those top two J Crew tanks, for example: $42!)

Well, I promise to share the results -- even (and perhaps especially!) if this is one of those times where it would totally be worth it to shell out the cash :D

Cross your fingers for me!

(PS: ooh, ooh: Something Old, Something New just posted another neckline that I love, although the feature was supposed to be on Yellowfield's hats ....)

My fabulous weekend...

Amazing brunch with the girls.

Clean refrigerator :) (I know, sadly empty, but I'm working on it!)

Penny Sale at Aaron Bros. (to frame awesome-girl artwork by Kathy R. Jeffords +  Donut photograph by Lorri Honeycutt) + Awesome shopping at Michael's. 

L: I saw this three-corner punch + thought it was fate that it was on sale, since I keep trying to push these things on you :D  One of the three punches through cards just fine, but the other 2 had probs :( -- but hey, thin papers work great!  And now I don't have to keep pushing this thing on you so I can live vicariously through you -- whoo!

Tacos three ways!

Soft tacos the first night, taco nachos the next day at lunch, and .... Mexican pasta! (And woot on costs: $8.50 for three meals for two people! And still one more serving left...)

Cookie success ... and fail.

And... crafting success!  Rachel, I have all kinds of new mad respect for you -- my ruffle patch does not look very neat.  But maybe I can attach something to the back ...

For my first try, not so bad, right? I had leftover 5" wide faux-silk ribbon (shiny/silky on one side, matte on the other) laying around, which I cut into squares, then quarters for smaller buds (8 pairs of buds sewn altogether). The silkiness made these a little more slippery than I expected (literally, some of these blooms would leap out of my hands!), but overall, this took me less than an hour, woot!  I'm sure if you've got more sewing skills, you could knock out this teeny patch in 15 mins :D  I sewed two groups far enough apart so I could cut them apart to make cute shoe clips, if I want, too -- love all these possibilities!

Hope your weekend was terrific + your Monday is fabulous!

the beautiful blues (and brown) at etsy

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DIY dyeing your gown

So. Clearly you can tell I am under tremendous stress to meet a deadline. Which means the vicious cycle of scoping out blogs + procrastinating just increases. But I'm okay. Goal is 4:30 today. Maybe 6:30, cuz everyone seems to think getting on the road at 4:30 is a good idea. And then maybe I can still hit up the Aaron Bros sale. Or just HEB.

But I digress.

I've recently discovered This Young House Young House Love -- maybe like re-discovered, cuz I think I found it a while ago and was just meh about it. But something made me link back there again, and it found its way to my google homepage (huh, how'd that happen)?

And then I clicked on their wedding album tab -- holy cow, how cute! In their backyard? DIY? 75 people at $4k? Homemade mint lemonade from a winebottle? TOO CUTE!

And then.

I saw this.

How fabulous!! Sherry dyed her own gown!!! What a spectacular job, too -- and her instructions are hilarious. I love the pewter, even though she was going for black :D -- let's see, what can I dye....

Can I just...

... be this awesome?

{Nikki of Chic Maps, feat. on Design*sponge}

... hang these everywhere -- at home, in my office, in my car?

Lucy hanging bouquets by Pottery Barn Kids, feat. on The Finer Things

Camellia pom pom kit by Martha Stewart, feat. on The Finer Things

... live wherever here & here are, or magically transport these rooms to my place? Oh, and live the lifestyle that i think goes with this gorgeousness?

Bolig Magasinet, feat. on desiretoinspire

Somehow, even just thinking I could achieve these things (okay, really, just that top one) is daunting enough. Whew. (The others, I can still figure out how to work in... right?) But soooo pretty, right?