Things I love: being creative with what I have and not having to buy things I don't need. So of course, using fresh pine for the winter / holidays is THE BEST way to decorate. Not only is it simple, but it's free (wink wink)...just go outside and do a lil snippy snippy and you're well on your way.

I chose to make potted arrangements but you can also make bundles to hang. Using various greenery is also a plus. I was able to find several different types, including Boxwood, Pine, Arborvitae and Spruce. All the different textures and slight color variants create interest and makes your arrangement more unique.

Now about some added color...Pom poms! You already know I was going there. These babies have been my easy-peasy go-to for pops of color for yeeeeears. They never fail me. They're quick to make, inexpensive and won't shatter like ornaments. There are many ways to make these guys...I have the plastic craft store pom pom makers in many sizes and they serve me well.

You might be wondering what to put everything in. I like to reuse my summer flower pots. I have them in red and chartreuse which is perfect for Christmas decor as well. If you don't have any flowers pots available, you can grab a plain terra-cotta pot for a few bucks and spray paint it. A vase you have sitting around is a great option too. Hint: mini versions would make great holiday party/ Christmas dinner table toppers.

For assembly, I arranged the greenery in layers and packed it in full so nothing would fall out. The longer stems are in the back and shorter in the front. I kept each kind of greens together so they formed their own layer. Other elements you can add in are pinecones (you can glitter these, you can spray paint these - go nuts) or some of your tree decor. I used some sparkly snowflakes and sparkly accent stems.

Christmas is quickly approaching but this is so quick and easy you can still make it happen. It looks beautiful as indoor decor or outdoors on a porch. What a lovely holiday gift it would make as well!
Enjoy & Happy Holidays, everyone!

Rustic Boho Layer Cake with Fresh Flowers

If you know me personally, you're well aware I'm like an little old lady who loves tending to her summer flowers. Unfortunately living in my loft, I'm unable to have flower beds anymore but I'm still finding ways to incorporate pretty greenery and lovely live flowers into my life.

This was my first experience designing a cake with real, fresh flowers. It was great & it was nerve-racking...but I highly recommend doing it. 

The layer cake is white cake with vanilla buttercream. I frosted only in-between layers and the top of the cake. Keeping the sides unfrosted provides the rustic boho look. It gives off an unperfect vibe, which I love. Decorating with buttercream (instead of fondant) and embracing it's messier quality, is my absolute favorite.

DESIGN TIPS

Pick a variety of flowers

I chose some vibrant peachy orange/pink roses as a main focal. As supporting cast, I wanted greenery. I used killer lime green mums and leafy eucalyptus stems. All 3 plants have a very different look which gives variety to your creation. The varying visual texture makes it more interesting to look at.

Layer and Pile it On!

Don't be shy here. Why not heap on the flowers? Go for it and make a statement. I started with a blanket of rose petals and then placed a group of flowers on top as discussed below.

Create a Focal Point

I grouped a large rose, some sprigs of eucalyptus and a few mums on the top of the cake. This arrangement grabs your attention and creates visual interest. In one spot lower on the plate, I also gathered a few blooms to make it look like a cascading effect. 

Dealing with the natural & fresh aspect was challenging. The eucalyptus and mums are quite resilient while the Roses are quite delicate and will wilt a little more quickly. I had a couple of back up roses for a quick replacement after I arrived to my destination. It's good to keep all the flowers in water and then place them on the cake at the absolute last minute.

All in all, it was a fun experience. I just had to go with the flow and learn as I went along. The flowers were gorgeous and made for a lovely presentation. I can't wait to give it another try and experiment with different flowers.

Remember your mad friendship bracelet skills from way back in grade school? Time to bring it back for this styled up DIY! Add a bit of uniqueness and color to your plain, boring headphones. All you need is embroidery floss from your local craft store. So soooo many colors to pick from, you'll probably stand in the aisle for a good 15 minutes just trying to pick. You can use as many or as little as you'd like. Also, good news, it's cheap! You can get 2 for under a dollar.

This wrapped style is just a series of the same knot, pretty simple! Here's a good detailed tutorial. Once you get the hang of it (aka: remember your master craft from the old days), it's done in no time. Plain cord no more.

New obsession: Concho evvverything. There are a ton of accessories out for fall featuring these shiny silver, domed pieces. Instead of paying a hefty price, just try this super simple concho belt diy.

All you need are silver conchos from your local craft store and whatever color of leather strands you'd like to use. (Both can be found in the leather goods section.) For my belt, I used two strands of leather to add some thickness and two different shades of brown for variety of color. Cut your leather so it's long enough to comfortably tie around your waist. Once your have the base of the belt ready, all you need to do is slide on the conchos. It's up to you how many you'd like to use and how you'd like to space them. Experiment to see what you like!

There are so many other applications you can use this "belt" on as well. Try adding it to different accessories! I had fun tying it around a hat and a fringe purse...which leaves me starting #putaconchoonit. We'll see if it catches on ; )

Spray paint solves all, is what I like to say. A fresh coat of paint transforms an item from trash to treasure (when using the right colors, of course.) This beauty of a chair was snatched up at Goodwill Akron for around $15. I'm one that can look past it's initial appearance of faded, stained and drab because in my head, a design party is taking place...imagining the possible new life for this aged chair.
Design Decisions:
I spray painted the whole things gold. Not a huge difference in tonal range from it's original color but it gave unity to the piece as well as added a lovely metallic sheen. Instant new life. Of course, I used to my go-to, inexpensive way of adding detail, color and texture...yarn. I experimented with weaving it throughout and around the edge. I created a cool focal geometric shape in the center...time consuming but worth it. Fringy tassels were also placed around the edge for interest.
Ok guys, let's hear from you, how would you have styled it?

It's been awhile since I've done some unique DIYs! I've had an old Banana Republic sweater (with holes) laying around that I was going to throw away...but I couldn't bring myself to go through with it. The sleeves were still in great condition and I wanted to do something fun with them. Of course, my go-to is always add pom poms...BOOM excellent idea ; ) I can use the sleeves as arm or leg warmers! Also the gray sweater is such a great neutral color and can be paired with almost anything.
This DIY is so easy. All I did was cut off the sleeves at the seems and then glue on little pom poms from the craft store. I used hot glue because I wanted it to dry quickly but you can also use fabric glue. Guys, be bold and adventurous! Socks and sandals are still trending this year, this is a great alternative to the socks.

I think at this point it's safe to say we're all sick of winter. I'm ready to bust out a bunch of cute open toe or cut-out shoes but let's be honest, here in Northeast Ohio, it's gonna be some time before that's possible. Ok ok, so we're left with the "problem" of STILL wearing the boots we've been trudging around in all winter…after all these months and all this snow, they're probably looking a little sad, worn and ready for some rest…so the question stands, how do we still rock our battled and bruised footwear during this seasonal transition? Give them a simple makeover! Yep, just a little something to tide you over till the weather shapes up. These boots were just looking a little blah to me so I snatched up some bold & bright laces from Jcrew. This was such a simple and easy way to add a pop of color and give these tired kicks new life. Of course, I also had to add a few jewelry elements just for fun. I popped on a tassel to the one while for the other I added some brass bars on tiny chain...nothing too match matchy ; ) What are some creative & fun fashion experiments you're doing to tide you over till the new season hits? Sometimes a simple switch is the best!

Glitter Acorns are a simple way add a touch of sparkle to your fall holiday season.
You'll need: Acorns, Glitter, Jewel It Glue & Modge Podge
Simply brush on the Jewel It glue to the lower part of the acorn and then dip into the glitter. Roll the acorn around a bit to make sure it's covered. Let that sit to dry. The final step is sealing the glitter so it doesn't fall off and make a mess. Just cover the glittered part of the acorn with a thin layer of Modge Podge. Add these to any display and they will be sure to add a bit of Fall glam.

Have any old sweaters that are just taking up drawer space? This cardigan was a little too plain for me, the style isn't anything special so I decided it was time for it to go...NO wait!...it was time for me to get creative and turn it into a trending look. Glam it up!
I've been waiting to do a patterned piece with sequins for a while. So glad I chose this. It's such an easy DIY with fabulous results!

You'll need:
Sequin Ribbon (as seen above)
Felt circles (you can buy them precut or cut your own circles)
Fabric Glue

Simply glue the sequin strand down while winding it around the felt circle. I starting from the center, made sure the sequins slightly overlapped so it covered the entire felt.
Once you have as many sequin dots as you'd like, you can start figuring placement on your sweater. I played a bit with this, trying to get the dots a good spacing from one another. Then either glue them down with the fabric glue or sew them on. I decided to glue mine.
I love the results! So glam!

A friend and I run a small girls studio in South Akron on Wednesday nights. For one of the classes we made salt and sugar scrubs. It was a hit! The girls loved experimenting with different ingredients and were excited about how soft their hand were after using it.
Well...I think I'm obsessed with making my own now. It's natural and so easy to make. The ingredients I used for this scrub are: Organic Sunflower Oil, Himalayan Pink Salt, Lemon Zest and Rosemary. And so you know, I'm one of those people that don't follow recipes / directions so I added the different elements to my own taste. If you accidentally add too much oil, just add more salt...no big deal.
Let me know what you think of this scrub! I'll be posting a sugar one soon as well.