Domus Mea:The finished product!

Hello everyone! As most of you know I have been working all summer to turn our apartment into a home...and I am proud to say that it is finally finished! Well, for the most part anyways. I love how it has turned out...it is cute, cozy, comfortable, classy, and creative....the 5 things that I strive for when decorating for myself. It was definitely an adventure...and it took some compromising between C.J. and I, but now that it is finished I wouldn't change a single thing.

There are too many pictures for me to post on here, so check out the link below which will take you to the Facebook album. You don't have to have Facebook to see it, so no worries!

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1815190145213.2102196.1403871869&l=6970b16787&type=1

 

Hope you like it, I know I do! As you all go about your day, take pride in the little things. Look at your home, is there anything that you could stare at all day long because you just love what you did with it? Don't think this is weird....it is good! You created it--enjoy it! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and remember....it's the random reasons...

Tied up.

Hello everyone! Hope your week has been going well! It has been a busy, but oddly fast week here, with work and getting ready for school to start. As for the apartment perfection percentage? I would give it a solid 95.6%. Almost completely ready. As for my post today, it is about a piece that boosted the percentage about 10%.

There was a big empty space on the wall in the dining room...completely unacceptable. So, a few weeks ago I started brainstorming as to what to place on the wall. My idea, to be completely honest, made me a little nervous as to how the finished product would look. I am happy to say that I am extremely thrilled with how well the final piece looks!

I started out looking for a huge frame. I checked the local antique mall first, but they were both rude and unhelpful. So....to Hobby Lobby I went! I found this wonderful (and very large!) frame in their clearance section for about $3.50. What a steal!

The frame did need some work, so I painted over the "rough" spots with some white and blue paints. I wanted the white paint to have a sort of spilled look, and then I painted blue designs on the white. These are the same blue and white paints that can be found throughout the apartment. The frame was so large that is would barely fit on the table, so some of my work had to be completed on the kitchen floor.



A look at my supplies of the day:  twine, brass studs, pretty odds and ends. 

I cut the twine to fit across the frame both in length and width.



I connected the twine to the frame with the brass studs and buttons. Then whenever there was a "major" intersection I connected it with jewelry wire and attached a pretty little trinket. This white flower is actually from a bracelet of mine that C.J. broke.



I tried to make sure that the twine went in several different directions.



The finished product....almost....Oh, and on a side note, one of my favorite things about this piece is that is seems to frame the flowers on the kitchen table.



Wondering what the project was? No worries, I am not completely crazy! I wanted something that could hold pictures and cards in an artistic and completely unique way. I like this idea for several key reasons: 1. It isn't a huge ostentatious piece. Since it is not solid and the colors are toned down, the piece doesn't take over the small space.  2. The frame keeps everything organized and in one space. It gives the space boundaries. 3. Well....I am just happy that it turned out well. I can't wait to fill the piece with more pictures!



So, as you go about your day don't let an out-of-the-box idea intimidate you. Have some faith in yourself and take a risk--chances are, it will turn out great! Oh, and remember...it's the random reasons.

Crafty Do, Crafty Does

Hello everybody! Hope you all had wonderful weekends! I have a sneak peek into the apartment for you all today! I have been limiting the amount of the apartment that I show people, just because I am waiting to show it to everyone when it is completely perfect, and it is nearly there. However, today, just my blog readers will get to see a few of the things going on in the apartment...sort of like a trailer for a movie. No worries, you still don't get to see everything!

I went home this last week, and made it back to Stillwater with some great finds that were in need of a makeover....

Salt and Pepper Shakers + Napkin Holder. These started out just black and chrome, but I transformed them to match the table and the centerpiece. Also, the salt reads: Na Cl and the pepper: Pe + (Pe) r. I just had to do something different! These were a score because I was able to get these for free from my grandma's storage unit.

Shelf with coat hooks. This was another awesome grab from my grandma's storage unit. It started out as a dark wood, and I painted it white, added some brass studs, and then glued on some pearls. It turned out to be one of my favorite pieces so far!

Coasters. These were made from some scrap canvas paper that I had in the cabinet at the apartment. I like them mainly because...1) They can be repainted. 2) They are reversible, one side girly, one side more modern art. 3) They were free and super easy!  

Glassware. I did not actually make these, but I found them in Hobby Lobby the other day for 1/2 price. What a great deal! I loved the colors and I plan on getting more. My favorite thing about them? When the morning light comes through the windows and hits them...it is beautiful. I debated on filling them or leaving them empty. When all was said and done, I ended up filling them with light colored or clear altered art supplies: silver beads in the blue bottle, clear "diamonds" in the pink, and white beads in the orange. This way they serve a purpose while still looking gorgeous! 

Pillow! I finished another pillow, in only about an hour and a half! I was excited. Only 4 more pillows to go! 

Well there you go! A sneak peek into the apartment. Get ready for the complete tour which will be coming very soon! As for today, remember that with some creativity and Modge Podge you can turn a snag from a garage sale into a one and only designer piece! Oh, and don't forget--it's the random reasons.

the HANKY in his pocket

Still working away on the book! I am almost finished though, and absolutely LOVING the way it is turning out. The photo below shows one of my particularly favorite pages so far--it is inspired by a red hanky that my grandma gave me about two years ago, that has mascara stains, and that will always be one of my most treasured items. I added words and photos to to this page, and I while I really like the way it turned out, I can't help but love the simplicity of the background painting.

Enjoy your weekend everyone! I am going to be crafting away and getting ready for my trip home (and loving every minute of it!) And, don't forget....it's the random reasons.

Nine.

Hello everyone. Hope you all are doing well. I am posting a project today--hooray! Today's project is a little bit different in the sense that it is extremely personal and is actually the ninth and final of its kind. After an accident in the summer of 2009, I took a year to make an altered book, just for me. It helped me grieve and it gave me something to treasure. Then, as Christmas gifts to 7 little terr--I mean lovely children, I made 7 more books, each unique to the person who would be possessing it. Now, I am on my ninth and final project. This particular book is turning out to be more artsy than the other 8. While looking back at my book to get ideas and such, I noticed that mine, while creative and fun, tended to stay more towards the traditional artistic trends of the Panhandle, whereas, this book is a little bit more modern. Don't get me wrong, I like them both, but I am really excited for this book which will be going to my sister.

It is bittersweet to be finishing up these books. I have very much enjoyed being able to use my artistic skills to help me grieve and to help my siblings and cousins remember their papa. Kaitlynn's book is not finished yet, but will be soon. I am planning on giving it to her on July 20, which will mark the two year mark since the accident. I hope she likes it.

Here is a sample of the book, the very first pages....

As you go about your day think of someone you love and let them know that you love them, you never know if you will get tomorrow with them. And, as always....it's the random reasons.

Flower Pots in the Kitchen

Hello everyone! Hope your weekends went fabulously. I started moving things into the new apartment on Saturday and then we finally got the power turned on on Tuesday. It was a hot weekend, but extremely productive nonetheless. My stress is starting to die down now that things are starting to come together, the furniture is looking like it is all going to fit, and the apartment is coming together very nicely. My mom came down on Monday night and we unloaded almost all of the "big" furniture on Tuesday morning at a very early 6 a.m. We were finished by almost 7:30 and then she left around 8:30. It was great to see her while she was here!

So now I have a few projects:

1. Getting the apartment ready.
2. Refinishing the dresser.
3. Refinishing the desk.
4. Decorating and constantly making things "pretty."

So...3 and 4 on the list were my own choice. I love taking things that people are going to just throw away and fixing them up into something that no one else has and that everyone else envies. It is so  much fun, especially after I have fixed up some one's something and they end up wishing they had kept it and just asked me to fix it for them. I also love Hobby Lobby and Lowes and antique stores, so this just gives me an excuse. No worries, all of you will stay up to date on the progress of my "Projects with Potential" haha.

It really isn't an art project, but I made some innovative silverware holders this last weekend. I already had a bunch of silverware given to me by my grandma before I left for college, and I was having the hardest time finding a silverware holder that fit in a drawer or that I liked. So while at the desk during one of my shifts I googled "silverware holders." One lady had used flower pots. I instantly loved it and went after work to buy some. I found some in the clearance section of Walmart, took them home, and added a little snazz to them. I love how they turned out! Who would have thought--flower pots in the kitchen!

It just goes to show that any problem can be fixed and that anything can be made adorable, so smile as you go about your day and remember...it's the random reasons.

Jack-o-lopes and Rainbows

When googled one will discover that jack-o-lopes are described as North America's rarest animal...a rabbit with antlers. uh-huh....right. Maybe they are real, but most likely and in my opinion they are purely fictional. However, that does not stop me from informing all of you that there is such thing as a Uni-jack. Let me explain...

My sister, Kaitlynn, loves PillowPets. You know, "it's a pillow, it's a pet...it's a pillowpet!" Anyhoo, with my amazing discount at work (haha) I purchased a unicorn pillow pet. After leaving the store, we headed over to the wonderful oasis of fun, a.k.a. Hobby Closed-on-Sunday Lobby. When we left Hobby Closed-on-Sunday Lobby we had rabbit ears, a ducky patch, and some red fur in our possession. That night I sewed the ducky patch onto the rump of the unicorn, and attached the rabbit ears on the top of the unicorns head. Then used the red fur to make a turban-like hat for the pillow. After all of that, I used ribbon to sew the phrase, "It's so fluffy" onto the belly of the unicorn, and feeling as though the project was not yet complete, I attached a few buttons to the unicorn's horn. When finished, the pillowpet looked absolutely magical. I was a little bit in shock with the success I had with sewing (seeing how I usually end up stapling things instead of using a needle and thread). I was so excited to see the reaction that Kaitlynn would have when she received the pillowpet...and I think she loved it. It has been on several speech trips and track trips with her, so it is safe to say that it is being well loved.

So as you go about the rest of your day, just remember that even something generic found in a technology store can be crafted into something full of fun and adorability (new word).  Remember, it's the random reasons.