DIY: Easy Skull Earrings Tutorial

I'm a very bad DIY blogger because I've been holding on to these gorgeous skull beads for over a month because...well, life. Anyway, the very nice people over at Auntie's Beads gave me a $25 gift certificate to go nuts (as if I could ever buy just $25 worth of beads, but it was a nice gesture) and I picked these up along with a few other awesome jewelry making pieces and I knew exactly what I was going to make with them. These DIY skull earrings are super easy to make and you can customize with any kind of beads you'd like, so I thought they might make for a fun tutorial!

What I Wore: The Winter Has Arrived Edition

Yep. This is not a false alarm. It's here people. Winter has arrived already and it freaking sucks, already. Can you believe it? Well, actually if you're a born and bread midwesterner like myself, then yes. You can believe it and you think it's silly that I'm even talking about it, but I'll talk about what I damn well please and I hate the cold, dammit! 

Anyway, the point of this post isn't to bitch about the cold, it's to bitch about dressing for the cold. Does anyone else go into a panic when the temp drops below 40? It's like I forget how this works and start putting together some really odd combinations. Anything to stay warm, you know? One thing that is definitely essential is a good winter coat. If you can find one that's cute on top of good, you better buy 10 of them. After several years of attempting to look fashionable in the cold, I just gave up and decided that I need a large collection of warm coats and I'm always on the lookout for a good buy. When it's 20 degrees outside, your best bet at fashion is 2 chunky sweaters, a cute coat, a colorful scarf, and a big hat...under your hood, of course.

The SMEG Revolution

The SMEG Revolution is upon us. Yes, it's true. Hold on to your hats people. For those of you interested in the interior design world, those that follow interior design blogs, or, heck, even just hang out on Pinterest sometimes, you're familiar with the SMEG refrigerator. It's the vintage, candy-colored appliance of your dreams. And it costs a pretty penny to make your kitchen look like it has hopped out of the 1950s, so, for most of us, it has always been very much a dream. Well, dream no more my design friends! Your kitchen appliances are so close to being candy-colored, you should almost be able to taste it!

Interior Design: Southern Farmhouse Charm

I think I could live on a farm. At this point in my life, I'm over the big city livin' and I know that sounds weird to say considering that I'm only 26, but I do think I'm over it. I could slow down for a while. Especially, if farm house living meant a quaint little home with a studio space and plenty of land to run around on. Now, that I could definitely live with.

Flower Wreath Tutorial

I'm not Martha Stewart. Not even close. But I'll be damned if I don't try. One craft I've never really ventured into was wreath making, but this fall I thought it would be nice to have a pretty fall colored wreath on the door and Michael's has so many shades. So I took the plunge and made my first wreath! Since it wasn't a complete disaster (like my many previous craft fails), I thought I'd share it with anyone who wanted to give it a shot too.

One note on saving money: I bought my flowers right at the change of seasons. At the end of summer, Michael's still had some fall colored flowers and they were all on sale. So I hoarded them for about a month and then turned them into this! Sometimes, it pays to have a collection of craft supplies.

What I Wore: The Flasher Edition

I'm not one of those girls that's "secretly" excited that fall is here. Fall in Chicago isn't really anything to get excited about for too long. However, I do love dressing for fall. I always have so many outfit ideas for fall. I think it's the season where I'm most capable of looking the most put together with the smallest effort. Dress, tights, and an open sweater? No problem. I do feel like I can get into a little bit of a uniform though, so this year I'm trying to break it up with a few new fall outfits. Step 1: new fall coats. 

Monday Design: New York Chic

There's nothing I love more than a home tour of an interior designer, because I always imagine that they live perfectly - no book out of place, no dirty laundry on the floor, no dishes in the sink. This is, I realize, a perfectly unrealistic point of view, but the magazine spreads make me believe it's true! Anyway, I found this home our of interior designer Rodman Primack, Californian living in New York, and was instantly smitten. It was definitely cleaned and staged, but something about it still feels beautifully lived in. And not lived in like my apartment is lived in, where you're constantly tripping over someone's shoes. No, not like that. See for yourself.

What I Wore: The Missing Paris Edition

As much as I wish that this post was set in Paris, I completely forgot my camera remote when I went on vacation, so I wasn't able to grab any outfit photos for the blog on the streets of Paris (my life is ruined). I'll just have to settle for a dress from Paris on my regular old back porch in Chicago. I think even if I had brought my remote, I would have been too nervous to take pictures of myself on the busy streets of Paris. Oh, well.

Sweet Dreams: 14 Beautiful Bedroom Design Ideas

Well, well, well, it's me again. I feel like this last hiatus I took was longer than most, but with Internet issues compounded by preparing for a trip to Paris, life has just been a little bit of a whirlwind. However, I'm trying to get back on the blogging horse for real this time, with plans for recipes and DIY tutorials in the very near future. In the meantime, to celebrate (or mourn, depending on how you look at it) by return home from a beautiful 2 week stay in the city of Paris, here's a collection of cozy, comfortable, and chic bedrooms!

Home Design: Backyard Greenhouses

I'm not a green thumb. I'm not a black thumb either, but let's just say it's harder for me to keep plants alive than it is to kill them. That's mostly my fault, because I was never interested in hardening growing up. My mother loves to garden. She is almost always in our backyard with her gardening gloves, but it just never appealed to me. And, to be honest, it still doesn't completely. Having taken the time to grow a handful of plants this summer, I understand a little bit better now, but I still don't have the patience for it.

The one thing about gardening that I always did love, though, was the end result. Sitting in botanic gardens or greenhouses was always my favorite thing to do. I was always jealous of my parents' friends who had the lush gardens with stone pathways leading to a hidden seating areas - like a secret garden. I don't think anything makes the facade of a house more homey than a well-arranged flowerbed. So, ever since I was little, I thought the one thing I need to be happy in my home when I grow up, is a backyard big enough to build a greenhouse.

What I Wore: The Vintage Office Wear Edition

There is something about this style of dress that always makes me think, "70s secretary". Why, I have no idea, but it does. Always. Maybe I watched too many episodes of Charlie's Angels growing up or maybe I'm just crazy. Either way, I love the style of this dress. Every time I find one, I have to pick it up. There are actually a couple more in a similar style hanging out in the Etsy store right now. I know that's really biased of me to do and I should stop, but I can't! I love the way this vintage cut looks on me, so I keep buying them - whether they fit me or not. It's a sickness. I have a buying sickness.

Interior Design: Country Livin'

I think I'm obsessed with Country Living magazine, which is hilarious because I used to make fun of my mom for buying it all the time. I would think "psh, who wants to live in the country anyway?" The answer is, apparently, a lot of people. But that's besides the point, Country Living isn't just about living in the country, like I so foolishly once thought. They have a massive collection of adorable cottages and farm-house style homes that anyone would be jealous of - this born and bred city girl included. Anyway, I bring this up because I feel like I've been sharing a lot of homes from there lately and I thought I needed to explain myself. So there you go. Now on to the good stuff.

This sprawling country retreat in Kentucky reminds me of country cottages in the south of France and if I can find a place to stay that reminds me of Provence without the 8 hour flight, I'm a happy girl.

Robin Williams: A Tribute

In full disclosure, I am not the type of person who gets overly invested in celebrities or even follows their careers. Normally, the death of a celebrity is part of my newsfeed and not much more. However, when I learned about the passing of Robin Williams, I can honestly tell you that I wanted to cry, right there on the train. Something about the passing of this man who, by all accounts, seemed so gentle and loving really bothered me.

Interior Design: Eclectic Design and Kitschy Details

There's a delicate balance between cluttered crap and eclectic design and I am definitely good at always crossing over to the crap side of it. When trying to decorate with kitschy or eclectic details, I always end up in the "more is more" camp, which can look cluttered and junky when not done right. And my spaces always look cluttered and junky. This space, on the other hand, has it totally figured out. The overall design is minimal, but the house as a whole incorporates all the fun details you'd want in a home. How do they do it?

What I Wore: The Time Travel Edition

I've been obsessed with 70s style all summer. I don't know why or where this love of all things 70s-biker-chic came from, but I'm into it. So into it, in fact, that all I can do is daydream about moving to California and riding on the back of a motorcycle over winding trails. I better re-watch Sons of Anarchy or something.

Anyway, that's where today's outfit inspiration is stemming from. Ever since I started this weird, retro 70s obsession, I've been hunting for a pair of high-waisted, tight, bell bottom jeans. They were surprisingly hard to find. Or maybe not so surprisingly, if you're a sane person, unlike me. But find them I did and my world will never been the same.

What I Wore: White Summer Dress Edition

A few weeks ago I talked about my love of summer whites, especially when you've got that sun-kissed summer glow going on. Something about that summer heat just screams a need for bright whites and bright colors, which was definitely the inspiration for today's outfit.

Interior Design: Industrial Work Space with Soft Touches

I love creative work spaces, especially if you work in the creative field. I don't think any type of artistic person can work at their best capacity in little grey cubicles with fluorescent lighting. Maybe that's just me, or maybe it stems from the highly visual world we live in, but it's obvious that modern offices are striving to attain style, not just function.

Let's face it, in today's fast-paced world, we all basically live in our offices. Even if you're not putting in any overtime, it sometimes feels like you spend more time at your desk than anywhere else. If you're spending so much time in one place, it's only naturally that you would want it to be visually appealing and tranquil. This office space for Bitium manages to do just that. It obviously has sectioned off areas for desks and a conference room, but each room flow into each other and the industrial elements are combined with soft touches to make the entire space feel more homey.

Interior Design: White Interiors with Lively Details

It's summer, it's sunny, and the plants are coming in. There's nothing more warming for your decor in the summer time than house plants. Do they have to be over-abundant and difficult to care for? Absolutely not. Just like this minimalist home demonstrates with them scattered delicately throughout for a little touch of life.

White Hot Summer Outfit Ideas

Summer fashion trends come and go. Neons, florals, boho — we see it all on a rotating schedule. Even though I'm always in love with new summer trends, there's one that I'm always really excited to jump back into and that's white. It's called a white, hot summer for a reason! There's just something so essentially summer about tan skin, white dresses, and bright details.

What I Wore: The 70s Summer Edition

Summer is here! Minus all the rain, it's been a pretty perfect start to summer. With music festivals, movies in the park, pool parties, and long days at the beach all around the corner, it's time to start finalizing that summer style. My style? 70s gypsy/biker. Does it suit me? Nope, I don't think so. Do I care? No! I'm going to make it work because I want to and that's that.

What I Wore: The Starting Over Edition

If you've been following along with the blog lately, you'll know that I've been in the throws of a big move to a new apartment (and, by consequence, missing from the blog for the last month). It's been a very weird transition for me because I went from living in a trendy, busy neighborhood to a really residential part of Chicago. It's definitely been a change of pace - almost like starting over with a whole new life. Even though I still live in the same city, Chicago is big enough that moving across town feel like a whole different world.

What does that mean for my personal style? I definitely feel the pressure to be more laid-back an conservative around all these families, but, at the same time, I still love my crazy prints and crop tops. How can I stay true to my personal fashion without scaring my neighbors? Maybe it's not possible.

Monday Design: Outdoor Dining Decor

It's summer! Well, mostly. I wish it was a little warmer most of the time, but it's still sunny and warm enough to hang out on my brand new back deck. With a brand new deck come brand new fantasies of decorating an outdoor party space! Even though I am a terrible host and mostly just like hanging out alone, doesn't mean I can't dream of a perfect outdoor hang out that people would love to chill in - if I would ever invite people over.

Anyway, in preparation for summer fun, I've pulled some inspiration for outdoor decor.

Interior Design: Watercolor Walls

Phew, let me tell you something about moving. It is the worst. Moving sucks. Dragging moving out over the course of two weeks, sucks even more. BUT, I'm finally here. I've done it. I've moved! There are still a million boxes to unpack and a ton of things to do before this new place feels like home, but it's getting there. One long, busy day at a time. Anyway, getting settled also means getting back to blogging! (My favorite, obviously.) 

With all of the planning I was trying to do for the new place, I found a bunch of interior design inspiration and a few things that I had never seen before, like watercolor walls! Yep, can you believe it? My first thought was "How do I do this? What kind of paint do I need?" and then I quickly realized that this technique was a little something called wallpaper. Which, whatever, I probably would have royally screwed up a wall trying to watercolor paint it. The wallpaper is probably the smarter choice. Either way, these walls are awesome, inspiring, and add color and movement to a room like you've never seen.

Interior Design: Mint Green Kitchens

Newest update in my new apartment adventures: I now have mint green walls in my kitchen! Two walls to be exact. We left the rest of the kitchen white. In a fit of paint whimsy, I bought a whole gallon of mint green paint because I was really excited about the color, without having a plan for it. (I'm the worst) So it went in the kitchen. While I was extremely excited about it during the painting process, I started second guessing myself afterwards (naturally) and hating it inwardly for being too bright (naturally). So what does anyone do when worried about their design choices? Turn to Pinterest, naturally! I immediately turned to Pinterest to confirm that my design choice was, in fact, not insane and that we could absolutely pull off a mint green kitchen with dark wood accents and black floors (Pictures to come soon, I promise. It was already dark when we had finished painting.) - and Pinterest did alleviate all my design woes.

New Meets Old: Vintage and Modern Interiors

I'm always very impressed when someone is able to decorate their home with thrift store charm and new pieces without making it feel cluttered or tacky. I have the unfortunate habit of liking too many things and wanting them all, so instead of a very well curated space, I have a hoarders haven. Now that I'm moving into a new space, I'm trying to be really particular about what I'm buying and keeping so that my space has a cohesive feel. I found this space the other day that masters in secondhand decorating and I definitely need to take a few lessons from this estate sale maven. 

What I Wore: The Pencil Skirt Edition

There are certain things you always need in your closet. One is a dress perfect for your body type that makes you feel great. Another is a pair of jeans that works for errands or going out. And the last thing is a an office appropriate pencil skirt. I don't care what you think about your body type, a pencil skirt makes anyone look hot and classy - that's a dangerous combo. I think my collection of pencil skirts will forever be growing and changing because whether you wear it with a cardigan and heels to work or a t-shirt and boots out to a concert, it always works. Always.

I have a collection of a pencil skirts for every season, but finding a good sweater skirt can sometimes be a hassle. They point of a pencil skirt is that they are slimming and sweater ones can sometimes look bulky. However, this vintage skirt is just the right mix of sensible and adorable.

Interior Design: Gallery Walls

I'm moving into a new place June 1st and I couldn't be more excited to have the ability to plan and decorate this time around. When I moved into this apartment, my first apartment, everything was kind of rushed and I didn't take time to really plan out the space. It's come together in the three years that I've lived here, but now not only will I have time, I'll also have space! I'll get to have space and lots of white walls to decorate. So I've been imagining a gallery wall above my TV for a long time and just haven't gotten excited about anything. Now that I'll have the space to fill, my love of gallery walls has been renewed!

Interior Photography: Lucas Allen

As you can probably infer from this blog, I am a lover of interior design and spend much of my free time admiring beautifully designed spaces on sites like ELLE Decor and Country Living (yes, Country Living. Don't knock it 'til you try it). Of course, a huge part of the reason that these spaces are so drool worthy is the photography (Don't act like you've never salivated over a living room before. Oh, no? Just me?). Having a gorgeously designed space is obviously key, but it's really the eye of the photographer that can take something from being pretty to phenomenal. That's why I also browse the work of photographers that do interior photography too. You'll be amazed at the spaces you can find in some of these collections.

Interior Design: Mountain Views

Every day I feel more and more like this born and raised city girl needs to simplify. Cut back and slow down, you know? Which is something my 15 year-old self would be shocked to hear. I never thought I'd want to move out of this city - with all of its art, architecture, culture, and events. As an adult though, all of that also comes with high rent prices, fast-paced jobs, and over-working yourself for little pay. I guess I've just gotten to the point where I'd like to slow down and smell the roses, before my sense of smell is gone.

That's why, lately, I've been more and more attracted to these gorgeous country cabins set somewhere far away and remote. Usually, this is somewhere in Wyoming (because I'm currently obsessed with Wyoming), but this rustic Idaho cabin, set almost at the base of a beautiful mountain range, definitely stole my heart.

Interior Design: A Wonderland Loft in Los Angeles

Talk about eclectic and colorful. This loft in Los Angeles definitely collects it's charm from the well-curated, hodge podge of pictures, statuettes, patterns, and colors that adorn its interiors. The combination of blues and greens with the abundance of objects inspired by nature make it feel like you're exploring some kind mystical, rabbit-hole forest where anything can happen.

What I Wore: The Simple Things Edition

I am going to preface this post by saying that I am not an American Apparel girl. Generally, I think they are totally over-priced for basics. That being said, I spent way too much money at American Apparel the other day. Even though I know I can get most of the same stuff for way cheaper, they still suck me in some times. This was one of those times. I'm not a big "pants" person. If you follow my blog, you'll see that I mostly wear dresses and tights or leggings. This isn't because I think they look better on the blog, it's because I hate pants! They're constricting. What's the point when I can be in tights all day? However, I do have an unfortunate affinity for mom jeans. I think it's my irrational fear of the muffin top. Anyway, they don't make a lot of mom jeans that make me feel like I'm working it. The American Apparel Easy Jean is one of those.

What I Wore: The Thrifted Sweaters Edition

I know I talk about this every week, but I am so tired of winter. More sickened by it than I have ever been. There was a glimmer of hope with some 40 degree days and then it snowed and the temp dropped again. I'm moving. Enough of this.

Anyway, due to the never ending Siberian weather, I thought I'd talk about my sweater collection. It's gotten a little out of hand. I could probably wear a different sweater every day for a month - unless we're counting cardigans, then make that three. How did I amass such an insane collection, you ask? Easy. Thrifting. One thing I've become great at finding in a sea of ugly 80s sweaters is the 1-2 good ones. 

I buy them too, of course, but when your wardrobe consists of fleece leggings, a skirt, a sweater, and Doc Martins for 5 months out of the year, it can become expensive. So I thrift!

Rustic, Country-Chic Cottage

My love of rustic, country style is not a secret. I am not ashamed - not anymore anyway. I blame my mother and her love of the outdoors paired with her love of Country Living magazine for my love of Country Living magazine. I remember growing up and thumbing through it's pages in the small cabin home we have in Wisconsin that my mom decorated with the most well-edited collection of thrift store finds. Now I find myself flipping through slideshows of perfectly placed milk jugs and reclaimed wood walls on their website. Damn you Country Living, you make living in the country see so much more glamorous to a city girl.

Anyway, enough reminiscing. I stumbled across this cottage revival on the website and had to share because it caught my eye with all the things I love - reclaimed wood, teal, vintage charm.

What I Wore: The Wishful Thinking Edition

If you build it, they will come, right? That's how the world works? Following that logic, if I build my spring wardrobe now, spring will come! Soon. Please, dear holy everything, make it soon. We had one week here in Chicago that felt kind of like spring, close enough anyway. So I tried to take advantage of it and pull out some spring gear. Today, it's back down to the tens. As in, we have a high of 10 degrees today. Woo hoo! I'm going to savor this photo shoot and think of better days. Anyway, this is the kickstart of my spring wardrobe! (I can't promise it won't be back to winter next week)

Photo Friday: Colorize Me

I love seeing old photos colorized, mainly because I don't understand the process. I never was a very good artist, so the idea of doing these by hand baffles me. Still, I love vintage photographs and seeing them in color just makes them seem so much more alive - like you could jump into them and across time like Doctor Who. This collection of vintage photographs is particularly interesting because it doesn't focus on a specific subject matter. The subject is people, yes, but people from across different ages, classes, races, and cultures. For a girl who can't get her head out of the past, it's really fun to see this kind of range of vintage photography!

What I Wore: The Winter Brights Edition

It's snowing as I write this, so I feel confident in saying that winter is not going anywhere any time soon. And I am SICK of it! Winter has taken my closet hostage and I want my damn shoes back most of all! In Chicago, temps have not gotten above 30 degrees in a few weeks, with all of last week hovering around the 10s. As you can understand, that means snow boots and ALL OF THE LAYERS! That doesn't mean I haven't been trying, but it does mean that when I try it stays covered by sweaters and jackets. Even this shoot was challenging.

To break free from my back-to-black wardrobe, I wanted to start adding colors back to winter and knew this purse was the perfect fit! 

Bright and Cheerful Interior Style in a Small Space

What happens when a graphic designer and an animator combine? Adorableness, that's what. And a home full of fun, kitsch, and color. Matt and Mel's little home in Fairfax, Virginia is exactly where you would imagine an adorable hipster couple living. Don't you think?

Tutorial: DIY Hanging Necklace Organizer

Maybe you're not like me and you're ahead of the game, but winter makes me not want to do a thing. I am definitely on the new-year-lets-get-organized-bandwagon, but I suck. So, it takes me forever to get anything done. I'm working through stuff slowly. First the clothes, then the jewelry, and finally the craft supplies. I've gotten as far as the jewelry! We can call that progress, right?

Anyway, I wanted to share a tutorial with you guys today on how I got all my necklaces organized for under $15. Organization on the cheap is my middle name (you have no idea how many glass jars I have saved just for this reason). When I realized my old method of displaying my necklaces was falling apart and totally ineffective, I figured it was time to make something new. Ta-da! The Hanging Necklace Organizer Tutorial was born. (Apologies in advance for the lack of photos. I need to get better at taking pictures at night)

What I Wore: The Bomb Girls Edition

It's been freezing in Chicago. And I'm not just saying that because I'm a big baby when it comes to the cold, it's literally been dangerous to set foot outside for the second time this month. As you can imagine, taking outfit photos or wearing anything that doesn't make me look like the Queen of the Bag Ladies has been next to impossible. I am sick of it. I've even been wearing pants. PANTS! What is the world coming to?

The never-ending polar vortex has forced me to discover new shows on Netflix as well, because, well, what else am I going to do? After I finished all the seasons of MadMen (yes, I'm incredibly behind on tv), I had the urge to keep watching a period television series. That's where Bomb Girls comes in. The show follows a group of women working in a munitions factory in 1942 Canada and aside from the drama, the outfits are to die for. These 1940s style dresses have seriously re-newed my love of all things vintage.

Dark Interiors: Macabre Charm in Grey Walls

I have to admit, I have a dark streak in me. On occasion, I'm drawn like a moth to the macabre - explaining my love of all things skull-printed. As obsessed as I currently am with any interior that has white walls with touches of wood, this shadowy shoot by photographer Tommaso Sartori really grabbed my attention.

60s Chic in Warby Parker's Palm Canyon Collection

Like all style conscious girls, I love a good pair of specs. There's nothing worse than not feeling like putting your contacts, but having no other choice. So I make sure I have choices, lots of them. Thanks to the Internet, the perfect pair of frames doesn't have to set you back $600 at the eye doctor. Sites like Warby Parker have made it so easy to have a collection of frames instead of one pair that you have to wear until they break (we be-speckled ladies have all been there). BUT because it's so easy, I'm also constantly shopping new frames and the one set I haven't been able to find is the perfect brown/neutral pair. The time has come, my friends!

Interior Design: Industrial Chic Shopping

I was browsing around the Internetz, as usual, real estate stalking like I normally do when a Google ad caught my eye (damn you, Google ads!). Now, I'm a sucker for those membership discount sites just like anyone else, but they are usually a hodge podge of items. You get up to 80% off on anything you can think of (I just bought a set of fleece leggings on one of those). I've never found one more tailored to me than Dot & Bo.

New Year, New Start, New You!

Well, we did it folks! One more year behind us. Busy, quick, eye-opening - 2013 was a lot of things, but it's definitely helping me realize what I want 2014 to be. One thing I wish I had done more in 2013 was blog. Somewhere between starting a new job and making new friends, I lost the time and the urge to create. I think now, closer to a new start, I'm finding it again. With that, more blogging and more tutorials!