DIY Inspiration: Paper Hot Air Balloon

I bookmarked this squeal-worthy project the moment I saw it. I mean, how adorable is this? I do have those three paper lanterns above my bed, just floating around uselessly. I say, put them to use toting around plastic animals! I may even get super fancy and spray paint one of them this beautiful teal color.

Peace Signs and Blue Hair

Maybe it's the school work finally getting to me (yes, I realize it's only been a week), but I've been really digging the boho chic look recently. Chalked color in fishtail braids, loose flowy shirts, even scarf print pants. All I want to do is curl up in a bright maxi skirt and read a book on the beach. Alas, I can only look at pretty pictures for now.

(via HonestlyWTF - she even has a tutorial for a hat with this same effect!!)

 above via Because I'm Addicted

 above via HonestlyWTF 

via Zara lookbook

Changes: Making More Room

Every time a huge life event occurs, I get the sudden urge to move things around my room, change it up a bit. Even as far back as middle school, I'd be hauling my furniture around and changing my curtains every 4 months or so. Having a different personal space completely changes my energy, and focuses my nerves (or fears, or hopes, or anxiety) onto something productive and energizing. Since I've been living in a dorm room for the past three and a half years, this has been especially important for me.

And over break, that's exactly what I did. I took the things I didn't like about my room (not enough floor space, not a great work space, light from my window wasn't good, didn't really have any place to organize my jewelry [causing me to just not wear any], etc) and pushed stuff around until it finally all worked.

Really - I have so much more floor space now! Anyone get the movie reference?

There's still a few things I want to change, but with the new semester starting yesterday, they're just going to have to wait a bit. So here's my favorite parts so far:

My favorite new part: I got this bedside table a couple years ago but decided to change it to a jewelry stand of sorts. More visible jewelry = I wear it more.

Can you tell I'm going through a gold jewelry phase? 

My newly re-vamped closet. 

I never used to be a shoe girl. How did I get this many shoes? And why do I still think I need more boots? (Note: I have my summer collection in storage) 

I have a thing for orchids. Mine have been hibernating since last summer, but starting to grow a new stem! The boxes I made with my dad back in middle and high school, and the painting I made last year. 

More orchids, more paintings, and more lace atop my dresser.

My bed, my home, my comfy place. I told my teddy bear Sumo that he'd be famous one day.

DIY Inspiration: Thigh-highs

First I came around to the idea of wearing leopard print after years of thinking it was too old, too young, too Limited Too, too cougar for me. Now I'm actually admitting that my next DIY project is to make a maxi dress/skirt with a thigh-high slit (or two), after I professed my undying hatred of thigh-high cuts while prom dress shopping in high school. What next - will I finally start wearing Uggs?? (the answer is a strong: HELL no)

Above via Five Inches and Up

This looks like it would be super easy to make out of a jersey material, even just as a skirt.

Maybe just even a black maxi skirt with a slit? Via Zara lookbook

My bank account is about to be SO not happy with me.

Love Yourself

Although Gala Darling is the queen of self-love (and I am usually not a huge fan of anatomy), I had to share this. I want one. The ribs are way too cute.

DIY Inspiration: Lace Dress

YES, YES, YES, YES, and YES. I'M DOING THIS ASAP.

Lover Lacetail dress (images via A Pair & A Spare)

We All Need Some TLC

Including my poor sewing machine. I stumbled onto this really cute mom-son pair cleaning up their sewing machine, and realized I really need to do the same (minus the adorable son). I've been using mine for about 7 months now and have never really cleaned or oiled it. It's a pretty cheap machine but its still a big no-no if I want it to last any amount of time. And not angrily eat the fabric I'm trying to sew.

Better get to cleanin'!

What I'm Loving

I'm not one to predict trends. I'm even less liable to actually look forward to them. However, I am super pumped about:

HATS! I discovered a few years ago that I am one of the lucky ducks who can actually wear hats. I don't claim to be able to pull off many items of clothing (I'm not nearly emaciated enough, thank goodness, for most of them), but I've been secretly rooting for the rise of cranial accessories since that day. And it looks like my prayers to the fashion spirits have been answered!!

Update (Jan. 27th, 2012): what did I tell you?? 

This one has basically become my thesis wardrobe. I'm finally embracing that beanies can be cool, thanks to this lovely lady. All I need now is pink hair. (this hat of hers is a little crazier, but I'm head over heels -haaaa- for this one)

BURNT ORANGE! Or dark yellow. Or mustard. Or whatever name you call this general collection of colors, I'm digging it so much that I'm knitting myself a cardigan this color. But really.

 

via Diane von Furstenberg

SHEERS! It seems like everything has been made sheer recently, especially maxi skirts and sheer panels on dresses or shirts. I'm so jumping on this trend train.

via asos.com 

via asos.com

via asos.com

via ShinyPlasticHag

and looking forward just a bit... FRINGE TOP BATHING SUITS! (A girl can dream that it's summer already right?) I mean, how cool is this. It's so unbelievably impractical, so why do I love it so much? Maybe because it emphasizes the ta-tas, something any girl with my body build wouldn't say no to.

DIY here!!

All photos via lookbook or or polyvore, unless otherwise noted

DIY: Rock Shoe Tray

There are two things that happen around this time of year. First, snow finally shows up, then partially melts, freezes, gets slushy, and so on.

And secondly, this:

This may look innocuous, but this, dear reader, is what people at my school affectionately call "soy sauce." Unlike other places, where small pebbles and salt is the accepted answer to slippery sidewalks, my school uses a vodka byproduct known for its great melting-point-lowering capabilities, environmentally friendliness (too much salt = bad for soil), shoe-staining tendencies, and pungent soy sauce smell.

Since I have linoleum floors in my room, covered only by my doily rug and brown square rug, tracking slushy snow and brown smelly soy sauce in on my shoes can only lead to disaster. To combat this, during my recent room renovation I recreated this brilliant river rock shoe tray I first saw on Martha Stewart's website, of all places. Keeps the muck and water off my rugs and is arguably eco-friendly!

What you need:

A tray of some sort (baking sheet, cafeteria tray, low wooden box, etc)

Rocks (you can buy them so they all match, I sketchily took mine from around a nearby dorm)

Hot glue gun or glue of some sort (optional)

What you do:

1) Take rocks, arrange them on the tray or sheet.

2) Glue them down if you're feeling fancy. But really, they aren't going anywhere so I didn't

3) Put shoes on top!

Just some rocks

And then rocks on a tray. SO EASY YET SO USEFUL!!