{Weekend Plans}

TGIF Peeps!!!

Enjoy your weekend ~ make it lovely!!!!

{Replace - New Face: Borrowed DIY Before & Afters}

Face it, who doesn't love D.I.Y. (do it yourself) projects - especially when the project allows us to re purpose, "junk," we already have?!! Save a little cash, spare the landfill, and breathe life into a tired piece of furniture. Finding a great piece of used furniture at a great price is one of the great joys of shopping Craigslist and flea markets. Check out some of the fantastic and very creative DIY projects that I've stumbled upon today. Enjoy!

{Borrowed from Apartment #34}

{Borrowed from Factory Alliance}

{Borrowed from DesignSponge}

{Borrowed from Pepper Design Blog}

{Borrowed from Little Lovely}

{Borrowed from The Little Goat}

{Borrowed from Studio G}

I'm thinking my favorite is the file cabinet turned planter - sh-mazing, right? Hey lovely readers - if you have any of your own DIY projects that you would like to share - email me and I will be sure to post them. I love posting before and afters - so inspiring!

Have a great one peeps!

{Weekend Plans & More}

TGIF Peeps! I have a lot for you today, so be sure to keep scrolling down. Another 60-hour work week makes me really excited for the weekend. Today instead of my usual sketches, I decided to do a vision board of how I hope my weekend will turn out. Based on The Secret, if you place the exact image of what you want to attract, it will become part of your reality. Sooo...I'm going to give it a try since I've been putting these items off for 2 weeks now. I'll let you know how it works {however, I should have included an amazing pair of shoes, a new handbag, and a few spring dresses to see if that works - lol!!!}.

So what are your weekend plans? Whatever you do, make sure to do at least one special thing just for you!

So you know how much I love great packaging. As I've said many times before - if the package is so pretty that you don't want to open it, then you've done your job. This exact experience happened today when I received some goodies in the mail.

I received my Easter present to myself - my Jess LC chevron necklace and I love her new packaging. Take a look - so lovely!

I also received my vintage milk glass vase from Vintage Modern Mix and I am so in love with her packaging. If you open a box and it looks like this - how could you not feel like a kid in a candy store? Bravo Alyssa, Bravo!! I love my vase and can't wait to fill it with fresh flowers.

And finally (I told you I had a lot to share today), last Sunday it was 80 degrees and I was in the mood for some of my famous strawberry lemonade. So I thought since it's supposed to be another great weekend (at least here in NC) I would share the recipe with you for you to try. If you do try it - let me know what think!

1. You will need:

     ~ 4-6 lemons

     ~ 1 pint of strawberries

     ~ 1-half cup of simple syrup (I purchased mine from Trader Joe's, but you can make it yourself - click here)

     ~ 1-half cup of sugar

2. Cut the strawberries in half or quarters, and sprinkle 1-half cup of sugar on top. Set aside for an hour or so until the berries start to produce their own juice.

3. The strawberries will look like the picture above once all the sugar has dissolved and the juice produced. Smash them just a little, or you can even put them in the blender for a quick swirl. {If you would prefer your strawberries to be more chunky - skip the smashing!}

4. Use a juicer to extract the juice from 4 to 6 lemons, enough for one cup of juice. Add the juice, the simple syrup, the strawberries and juice into your pitcher. Add 3 to 4 cups of cold water {more or less} and refrigerate 30 to 40 minutes. For an extra splash - add a couple leaves of mint, yum! {Did I say mint? I meant to say vodka! lol!!}

5. Enjoy!

Have a lovely weekend all!

{Weekend Plans}

TGIF Peeps!!! My week has been filled with late nights, energy efficient light bulbs - white vs. green, spray paint, twigs, stolen branches, clear plastic boxes, crinkle paper...and cookies - oh my! I'm more than ready to take a break from a very full (yet fun) work week - and enjoy some rest and relaxation. Per the usual - here are my plans for the weekend, what are yours?

{DIY & Home Office Updates}

Mornin’! So over the weekend I did the DIY project that I posted about last week. However, instead of using wallpaper (as suggested in the directions) I used some fabric that I had around the house. So…for less than $20.00 (File cabinet - $15 on Craigslist, 2 drawer handles from Lowes - $9, Fabric – free) here is my new cabinet! Wha cha think? For directions on how to do this yourself, click here.

As you know I’m obsessed with the flea market and while I had the best intentions of going to look for a desk I could spruce up for my office – I instead found a few items to go on my desk (would be nice if I actually had a desk to put them on though…)

1. Vintage fan – for a little air circulation in the upcoming months

2. Vintage clock – another obsession of mine – small vintage clocks.

3. Copper/enamel dish – to hold “stuff” like paper clips, etc.

4. Old rusty frog (my prince) – for a little whimsy…and luck
5. Vintage drawer – to put mail (and junk) in
6. My Addison - not found at the flea market :-) (she loves to stick her head through the spindles and bark at the dogs that go past)

I also bought a few things for MODAGE (again, not in the plans but when it comes to jewelry I can’t help myself, lol!) so come back tomorrow to see some new necklaces – courtesy of my new finds.

Now back to the desk. Since I didn’t find one at the flea market, I’m still on the hunt. I would really like this chunky table/desk from West Elm, but I’m not lovin’ the $400 price tag:

Instead, I found a similar “look for less” desk at Walmart for $150 – what do you think? Should I get it? Have you seen anything even cheaper?

Finally, here are a few pics of my office in its ‘before’ stage. (Note: the space looks a lot smaller in these pics than it actually is). Just keep this in the back of your mind for when I do the big reveal…that is, after I find a desk. HELP!!

{Weekend Plans}

TGIF peeps!! Guess what? I just looked at my countdown clock on my Facebook page and realized I have 208 days until Italy! Still seems kind of far away - and that’s ok because I need as much time as I can get to save up for the shopping extravaganza we have planned – along with lots of wine, gelato, pasta, and gondola tours. Ahhh…can’t wait! Back to present time - I’m happy that the weekend is here although I can’t complain because my work week was pleasantly mild. Regardless, I'm happy to have some down and relaxation time. What are your plans this weekend?

PS.

I'm happy with my decision and THANK YOU to all who helped me get there!

PSS.

My dress form came yesterday and it's F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S!!! And look what was attached...a very old rusty needle and thread. I will never remove it and wonder how long it's been there....I'm in love!

{Raleigh Flea Market}

I decided to go to the flea market at the NC State Fairgrounds this weekend because it was the first weekend in a couple of months over 50 degrees. I knew there would be a lot of vendors there - but boy did they show up, I've never seen the flea market so crowded. Of course, I could have bought a TON of things, but I stayed true to the reason for going and that was to gather pieces for MODAGE. I did have one "splurge", the cutest little salt and pepper shakers...I just had to have them (yep...I'm turning into my mother). Below are some of my findings...

Clock-wise:
~Vintage salt and pepper shakers
~3 vintage brooches
~Antique brass pendant
~2 sterling silver bracelets
~Vintage brass button
~Sterling silver ring

I abosolutely love my findings, and you will be seeing each of these pieces MODAGE-ized (ha! just made that up) soon! Stay tuned...

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Here are some of the items that I would have loved to purchase, but I refrained, and instead will  allow them to be eye-candy...until the next time:

As you know, I've been dying for a chandelier to put over my bed. These weren't exactly what I was looking for, but they were still lovely...

Love these...wish I would have asked the price on them - maybe next weekend...

They had TONS of jewelry and I could have gone crazy, but with my recent ebay purchase I was on a budget and stuck to it...

These lovely glass doorknobs would be PERFECT for my Hollywood glam bedroom makeover, wouldn't they?

Another great Hollywood glam finding...I would probably reapholster it though...

This rusty glider reminds me of my childhood - my Aunt Sookie and Grandpa Beard had one. I know I have a picture of me and cousins sitting on it - hmm...where is that picture??...

There's a man at the flea market that has a truckload of rusty items. I love this plaque and thinking back, should have bought it...

Vintage mustard suitcase. Love it but figured I probably wouldn't love it as much while lugging it around Italy...

If it wasn't for my friend Rosalyn giving up sweets for Lent, we would have gotten some. Aren't I a good friend for not getting them and eating them in front of her?

Vintage radio flyer - adorable...

I'm such a kid at heart - I love these vintage skates. Wouldn't they be great sitting on shelf?
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Finally, I joined a photography meetup group and we met for the first time at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. Here are a few pics from the class on Saturday...

Have a great day - make it lovely!