DIY Home: Colorblock Framed Mirror

One, happy Spring!!
Two, know what one of the best things about having your own place is? Being able to paint a square of wall this pretty bright yellow, and no one can say anything about it!

What you need:
A mirror
Painter's tape
Bright paint (those 8oz paint samples are perfect for this)
Paintbrush
Drop cloth (newspapers works just fine)
Screwdriver/screws
Hooks or drawer knobs (I got mine at World Market)

What you do:
1) Start off with an area that is in desperate need of color. Even a pretty mirror doesn't make this area less boring...

2) Hang your mirror and tape off an area around it, making sure you're leaving extra room at the bottom for hooks and that you're square (though a circle or triangle frame could also be super cool!). Sorry for the dumb face and masking tape. I was really excited, and it was all I had...

Oh, and ever wonder what camera I use? No? Well, this little point-and-shoot is it.

3) Take down your mirror (but leave in the screw!) and carefully paint in that box. My paint said to do at least two coats, waiting an hour or two between. I kind of liked the post modernism of just a huge yellow square on my wall...

4) Hang your mirror back up. Mark where you want your hooks to go, and screw them in.

5) Done! Seriously brightens up this dark corner in my apartment.

I kind of think it needs something else though. I'm tempted to paint the border of the mirror in another bright color, or add a chalk paint trim... what do you think??

DIY: Pastel Jeans

In my mind, bleach is a substance that turns objects that are not white, into objects that were formerly not white. Apparently this is totally a fallacy. See Exhibit A here.

I now present you with Exhibit B.

Take one pair of jeans that I never wear anymore, and dip it into bleach, a la this beautiful blogger. Remove approximately 6 hours later and discover that bleach can not only turn things yellow and eat away a gaping hole in the rear, but make them about three sizes too big! (Or maybe these jeans really were just this baggy to begin with??)

Whoops.

I liked the color though, so after taking them in about six inches (and adding an adorable robot patch), I'm in love! Perfect for all the pastels we're seeing this spring.

The waist/hips are still pretty baggy, but I don't know how to fix that without completely taking the side seams apart...

Isn't he just SOOO cute??

Sorry for the weird smirks. I'm a tired thesis student :(

P.S. You may notice a theme of "failed DIY's" in my last few DIY posts. This is intentional, because I really want to impress upon you that there isn't a perfect formula for crafting and creating. Maybe I'm just a really bad DIY'er, but I fail at projects all the time. The important thing is just to try. And when it's right, it's really really right. And yes, I am hinting at a future post :)

P.P.S. Apparently I love this shade of yellow. I just found two shirts and a dress that are all exactly the same color as these pants.

I mean, really?? Apparently my subconscious really likes this color.

Yellow Means Spring is Here!

What is it with me and yellow recently?

Hint, hint, upcoming DIY, hint, hint.