DIY: Simple Things Around the House

I have been busy doing a few little projects, to freshen my house, that don't cost much:  I re-covered the bar stools in my kitchen with this fun hounds-tooth fabric my mom gave me.  I also touched up the paint.  These chairs take a beating from my kids, so they deserve a little love.
I read the section in last months House Beautiful magazine about little ways to modernize the home.  One little trick is to switch out traditional tapered chandelier bulbs for round ones.  I liked the idea of this funky little swap so I decided to try it out.  Ya know what?  I think it is pretty cool looking!

My husband and I are also sprucing-up our little powder room; I will post that soon.

Have a good weekend!  Maybe try a few little low cost (or no cost) projects of your own...

Happy Friday; Quote of the Week

Soon the Cat and I will be in Chicago, visiting my brother and sister-in-law.  We are both super excited for our trip (minus the whole making sure you get to the airport on time, get your bags checked, etc., etc.).

The following is a great picture featuring the iconic Marshall Field's clock on State Street in 1947.  The image comes from the Chicago Daily News.

image via

We've got big plans to visit all the touristy type places, take in lots of amazing architecture, explore as many different neighborhoods as we can, and eat our way through Chicago.  Lucky for us, we have two built in tour guides, so we are both looking forward to our visit.  And for those of you who have summer travel plans, I leave you with a little bit of sound advice...

So very, very true!
image via

~Lori

DIY: Wine Cork Mushrooms

When I am planning a party I have tunnel vision.  I was having a glass of wine one evening when I noticed that the cork looked exactly like a mushroom!  I painted the tops fun colors and they made the perfect addition to my "Alice" terrariums.  The uses for these are limitless, though.  

cute huh?

Inspiration: One King's Lane

I was checking out the website, One King's Lane, and found these gorgeous blue and white plates for sale: a set of 6, for $145.  I am kind of quietly collecting this style for my back patio, but the price tag is a little steep.  I have been paying around $2 or $4 per plate.

Set of vintage plates, One Kings Lane, $145

So I was happy, but not too surprised when I found the same plates at our local antique store for a fraction of the price.

Look how many they have!

See?  Upside down, yes, but the same.  It pays to shop around, people!

from our local antique store, The Barn

 These lamps have nothing to do with the plates, above, in the sense that sadly, I have not found their doppelgangers hanging around any thrift or antique stores.  Unfortunately.  But they are gorgeous and deserve to be showcased.  And they're such a deal at only $1,500!

Look how pretty these are! Only $1,545.00!

So, remember, find your inspiration piece, but if it is too pricey, shop around!  Don't forget places like Marshall's, T.J. Maxx, thrift stores, and antique stores; you'd be amazed at what you can find.
Happy hunting!

~Lori

The Sunset Limited

via Barnes and Noble

Get it on Netflix NOW

I have watched "The Sunset Limited" Three times now.  I hope I get to watch it three more times.  I like the play written by Cormac McCarthy for many reasons: It deals with universal human topics including religiosity, sin, humanities relationships toward one another and God, and the frailty of the human condition.  If you are interested in this conversation then prepare yourself for this HBO production directed by Tommy Lee Jones.  Jones also stars in the movie along with Samual L. Jackson.  Their performances are top notch but remember that it is a movie production of a play.  Don't expect any fancy action scenes etc.  There is one set and two actors; that is all.  If that doesn't bother you, then you will also find this movie worth your while.
Without ruining the movie for you, (not that I could) the plot involves an atheist professor who has decided to take his own life by jumping off the platform at a train station into the tracks of an oncoming train, the "Sunset Limited."   His attempt is foiled when an ex- convict saves his life and takes him to his apartment for a serious talk...

Unless you have something much better to do this summer, I beg you to watch this!  I don't think you will regret it.


On a lighter note, how about some seriously glamorous vintage train-travel fashion?

 Even if your mind is in a whirl of existential thoughts, or a bad-guy is trailing you, or you are tragically in love, why not look terrific as you step aboard (or fall off) a train near you??

Cary Grant in "North by North West"
Cary Grant has a problem which requires him to skulk around this train, but doesn't
 he look fantastic?

In this Hitchcock movie, Suspicion, the scene where Grant and Fontaine's characters first meet is on a train.  It is obvious that he is no good but how can she help herself?  

via once upon a screen
One of my favorite Hitchcock movies is Shadow of a Doubt.  Joseph Cotton is dashing and dangerous; he tries to throw his niece off a train because she knows too much...but, oh my, he looks nice!

Funny Face
One of the most beautiful pictures from a movie about taking pictures.  Here Fred Astaire sets the scene of a tragic romance for Hepburn's character but he fails to realize that what he says is true.  Just look at her: sadness is written on her face but she is dressed impeccably, so things can't be all that bad.

This Vogue shoot with Sean Combs and Natalia Vodianova perfectly captures that retro, romantic, train-travel vibe.  

via Vogue

via Vogue

via Rovaness


via the preppy times

via visualizeus
Don't jump!  I love your train case!!!

Ah, so much glamour.  But I do hope you will give "The Sunset Limited" a look!

DIY: Wrapped Hangers

Last week, the Cat and I took a day trip to Santa Monica for a little bit of shopping and relaxing.  We had a little walking picnic (the park overlooking the beach was taped off with workers cleaning it) and then walked down to 3rd Street Promenade.  We did some real shopping and some window shopping, but it was while we were window shopping that I saw these cool hangers in the store Brandy Melville.  I like going in this store just for the set up and look of it; they have a lot of cute stuff, but nothing that is really my style.  I did really like what they had done with the metal hangers that were in use all over the store.

See?  Not just your boring, ordinary metal hanger- these had a cool factor, because they are wrapped in material.  some were completely wrapped up neatly, some were haphazardly done.  Whatever; both ways, the Cat and I liked them, and I thought it would be a fun little project.
I was planning on using some old clothes that were set to be donated to the Salvation Army, but, as luck would have it, my friend Kim (photographer extraordinaire), and her sister, aunt, and daughter were headed down to L.A.'s garment district, and they invited me along.  I had been to the fashion district before, but had never explored the garment district.  It was pretty cool; they got what they needed, and at Michael Levine's loft space, I got what I needed: a bag of  fabric remnants for $2.50 a pound.  I think my loot cost me all of $2.27.

Like my "scarf"?!  It's a fabric remnant that had some stretch to it.
(I've got some crazy eyes here!)

Here's my crazy friend, Kerri, wearing the Rambo headband I bought for her at the loft.
You can see that we like taking pictures of ourselves wearing various pieces of cloth.

When I got home, I grabbed one of the metal hangers that my last dry cleaning piece came home on, and I got to work.  This is a super easy project.  All you need are hangers (they don't have to be metal; I also used a plastic one), strips of fabric, and a hot glue gun (with glue sticks, of course).  You probably could make these without the use of the glue gun, if you want the more haphazard look.

So, like I said, this project is super easy.  Cut, rip, or tear your chosen fabric into strips.  Starting at the top of the hanger, place a little drop of hot glue on the tip of the hanger and place the end of the fabric into the glue.  Don't burn your fingers!  Start wrapping; periodically place a dot of glue on the hanger to keep the fabric in place.  Continue all the way around the hanger.  Tuck remaining fabric and secure with some hot glue.  Done!

I decided to use an old scarf of the Cat's (it had a hole in it) on a little plastic hanger.

Star scarf- I literally just ripped this into a few strips, glued,
wrapped, glued, wrapped, done!

Done!  Easy and cute.

~Lori

Gwenna's "Alice in Wonderland" Party Dress

I looked for the perfect "Alice" party dress for a long time.  I came across this one while browsing through etsy.com and knew right away that I had to have it because it was perfect!  It suggests Alice in Wonderland but it isn't a costume.  It has a bit of pink in it which went with the Alice in Wonderland inspiration fabric I ordered to make her birthday banner.  It is the loveliest dress, and I couldn't have been happier with the craftsmanship and customer service.  Jocelyn messaged me as soon as I ordered and got Gwenna's measurements to ensure a perfect fit.  Her turn- around time on orders is around 6 weeks, but I think I got mine in 4 weeks.  I will be ordering from her again very soon!  She is the sweetest person and her work is very reasonably priced and beautifully executed.  

 The apron and flower are removable.  The flower has a pin closure so that it can be worn on other dresses too.

Thank you, Jocelyn (of my three lil gnomies)!

Quote of the Week

image via Morning Blur

Sound advice.  Have a great weekend!

~Lori

DIY: Bunny Cake Stand

I wanted this bunny cake stand from Pottery Barn for my daughter's "Alice in Wonderland" birthday.  This was weeks before Easter.  I thought that if I waited this $50 beauty would go on sale, but it sold out before Easter came.  What was I to do?  I wanted that cake stand!!!  

Target had this bunny for $9.  I snagged one to make...

my bunny platter.  My husband cut the ears down flat.  He saw that it was hollow so he found a solution.  

He filled a ramekin (used for dip) with epoxy(PL Premium) and leveled it on the bunny ears.  The ramekin allowed for more surface area for the plate to stick to the bunny ears.  Then he attached a plate to the ramekin filled with PL Premium.  

After the PL Premium had set (around 2 days)  I spray painted the whole thing with glossy white spray paint made for ceramics.  That made it look like one piece.  

All finished and ready for the cake!

For around $13 I have an amazing bunny cake stand that I can re-use for Easter.  I even like it better than the one Pottery Barn sold out of and I saved a lot of money.