Original, outdated boots...ready for an update!

adding belts for detail...buckles are a fun element to add

There's nothing better than taking something you already have (something you are contemplating tossing to the trash) and giving it new life. These were boots I bought back in 2006 while in NY.  Being a bit out of date now, they haven't been worn in years. 

Last year I stumbled upon Luxury Jones boots (peep this awesome: 1 // 2 // 3 )...drooling ever since! I've had my mind set on searching for the perfect vintage boot to experiment with and make a similar look. Little did I know, I had a great pair to use already in my closet!

I was about to throw them out... (trying to make room for these amazing new gold boots from Zara) I luckily got curious to what the inside leather color looked like and what they would look like folded over. Hello beautiful chestnut leather! Folded over, they made the most perfect new and stylish ankle boot. I grabbed some old belts out of my closet and started experimenting to add some detail. I ended up just running to target to pick up some new belts which perfectly wrapped around 3 times. 

Talk about from trash to treasure, these are now one of my fav boots again!

Want list! Here's just a few glitzy and sparkly items I've had my eye on for fall. 

1. Anthropologie Fishbone Earrings  ///  2. Jcrew MacAlister Boots (these are kids shoes but I LOVE them anyway!)  ///  3. West Elm Twig Flatwear  ///  4. Mirror Clutch - find similar here  ///  5. Ban.do hair comb  ///  6. Deborah Lippmann holiday glitter nail polish

It's all about layers, knots and shag right now. I still haven't gotten my hands on a shag jacket yet...so in the mean time, i've been pondering an easy diy to rock this fun trend. This scarf idea came from Eco Shag. I almost bought one of their scarves...but I'd rather save money, experiment and learn for myself. 

I just took an old t-shirt and cut it into strips. The strips got knotted to one another making a long strand that formed an "infinity loop". You can make as many of these loops as you want and at whatever length to form your scarf. Mine is able to be wrapped around 3 times.

I'm pretty excited about it, after all it is a free scarf...but I must say, the Eco Shag scarves are much cuter! I think next time I'll try cutting skinnier strips or using a tee with heavier jersey fabric. 

What do you think?

grab an old sweater and yarn to create a fun update for your fall wardrobe

loop, tie and cut! bows and more bows...and a little added crumpledness. sweater love!

My inspiration is a sweater from Jcrew that I've been eyeing. It's gorgeous and of course holds a pricy tag. To be honest, I'd rather spend that money on other things (like 3 sweaters). So I of course had to try a DIY.

First off I love the vintagey feel of these cutesy mini yarn bows...to play that up I used a chestnut brown color. The Jcrew sweater has the bows placed in structured lines. I chose to just place them randomly, covering the front of the sweater. This sweater has a looser knit which made it easier to pull the yarn through the holes...(I used small jewelry pliers I had laying around to have a hold of the yarn strands...so helpful!) From there, I just made a simple knot and cut the yarn strand...instant bow.

I'm a big fan of chalkboard walls...that's why I have one on every floor of my house...3! This might seem a little overboard but I think unity throughout a home is important and this was a simple and inexpensive way to add in a common element. I love being able to personalize my walls with my terrible handwritting...but more importantly typography that has meaning.

(The top quote is from Lucky Ones by Lecrae)

It's fun to bring old jeans to life again! These were a pair of medium wash jeans that I haven't been digging for a bit. The zipper detail at the bottom was the only reason I've been keeping them...but now it was time for an extreme makeover. Just like a lot of the denim I've seen out right now, I wanted to give these character with paint. I brushed on navy by the seams to add depth and darken them up. I also splattered and dabbed different shades of blue and metallic gold to create interest and a focal point. (Why not right?...splatter is killer right now...keep it coming!) I'll probably still add a little more navy and possibly black to make them a little darker. 

Pair of outdated denim, consider yourself rescued!

Original Photos found here: 1 /// 2 /// 3 /// 4

I'm very excited about this Shag look for Fall. This Muppet-esque-ness screams awesome. 

If you are wanting this style you have to act fast...these jackets are moving quick! The ones I've been eyeing are now sold out...heartbroken! Some DIY scarf action will have to do until I can get my hands on a jacket.

Ahhhh! The (original) Letter People! I grew up with these guys in the late 80's. I have mad love for these 1968 illustrations. The photo is of my vintage Miss A poster print that I've had since kindergarten. I gotta frame this thing. The collection of the original Letter People illustrations are just crazy cool designs. They use vibrant colors and play with shapes, lines and patterns. I can't wait to incorporate this look into a future project!

Can you tell I'm super jazzed about these Sam Edelman leopard boots? Maybe I should ask myself, how many pairs of leopard shoes are too many?...I don't know. I'll save that to be discussed in a separate post...for now I'm going to enjoy my habit. I might have been excitedly skipping around in these the past few days. How can you not love that crazy pattern?

Here is a simple outfit with some bold details. Bright color top with ruffle collar is from jcrew. The black leggings with gold zipper detail is from Zara...you can always find great basics with a twist there! Jewelry is a bunch of layered pieces from my line, AC Design. For the Sam Edelman boots, I got an amazing deal from 6pm.com. Their prices are constantly changing so you have to keep your eyes out so you can snag the best deal.

Sesame is another one of my new obsessions. I've been looking for the perfect recipe, tried a few that weren't so great, but ended up with this one...and of course slightly adapted it to suit my tastes. I marinated the shrimp and then covered them with the sesame seeds. Instead of a grill, I used a large frying pan. I also added in peppers and pineapple. Since the shrimp were pre-cooked it didn't take long at all...(this also left a nice crunch to the peppers) Sesame success!

I have a beautiful attic space that I have yet to transform the 3 years I've had my house. It's no doubt my fav part of the house. The only things that's been holding me back are the extreme temps up there but that's another story. I'm starting to plan and take the plunge of utilizing this amazing space! Below are some inspiring images and little notes I've added for my initial ideas...

original image found here

original image found here

Above are elements I already have that I need to plan into functional and organized areas. The goal is to have a workspace, photography space, conference/lounge space and storage space...we'll see how this works out. I must get organized!

original image found here

I have a similar little cubby place with windows....love the workspace central to that.

Looking forward to putting ideas into action!