Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Chinese New Years 2013


So, the fam went down to china town for Katie's birthday and it turned out to be Chinese New Year, after grabbing some dim sum, which is the Chinese version of tapas (amaz-balls). We wandered around for a bit through the shops. My parents found kava kava in liquid form, which they were super excited about, but Katie and I found some treasures too.

Katie has been trying to spice up her boring room for a while now and we found just the way to do it, some awesome Chinese lanterns.

I just wanted something small and I have every representation of Shiva the Buddha confusion and the three monkeys already. So this time I went with the Chinese New Year theme and got a lucky picture of a rooster because I am year of the cock.

Happy Chinese New Years everyone!






Be My Valentine!

Hey guys, my sister, my friend Kerri and I all swapped gifts for the big V-day. This is something home made I did for the both of them. Lips sticks, scrapbook paper some markers and a dollar store frame is all you need.




For Katie
For Kerri

Nashville for St. Patty's Day

 
I live in Chicago and for my birthday, I wanted to go explore another cities St. Patricks day festivities.
So, I dragged my best Dedria along with me to Nashville.
We took the MegaBus, lesson-learned do not take the megabus, anywhere, ever again.
We also stayed in a hostel (http://musiccityhostel.com/) . Which I didn't mind but Dedria, the former neat freak, she hated it.
The hostel provided free waffles, 10 dollar bike rentals, and very interesting people to meet.

We did alot while in Nashville,
- wandered the streets down town and shopped
map of down town nashville, TN
When a record shop has John Prine its a REAL record shop
 
- drank beer out of squirt cans
- went to a gun show
- got lost in a forest preserve
- swam in the river running through nashville (won't ever do that again)
- went to a blues bar (wish I could do that again)
Dedria imitating the old man getting into the blues colaberation
 
- Biked around the town (beware lots of hills)

lucky shoe
- lost my shoe saterday night
- found my shoe on the street sunday morning
- walked the vancover Campus (beautiful)
- danced in the steet to a drumming raper who sang about us
 
All of that in a matter of 2 1/2 days.
Then the megabus was 10 hours late, and we had no where to sleep thank god the hostel still had 2 open beds Sunday night.

Inexpensive Road Trips!

Spring Break Road Trip 2012:
This Road trip was a lesson learned.
--Katie Mapped out all of the E-85 stations to save us a little cash, and help the enviornment
--We aso made reservations at a Cabin in the Mark Twain State Park.
St Louis Arch
(Be sure when you make reservations at a state park, that
you specify which park you are staying at, we wanted to stay in the south western corner of Missouri, and I ended up driving 18 hours in one day and eventually having a ment down and sleeping in the parking lot of Mark Twain's Shrine because I had to drive back up to the North-eastern corner of Missouri.)
This is me post-meltdown sleeping in the car until the suncame up
-- Make a play list that will last twice as long as you think you need.

--Bring your dog, Ty my trust-worthy guard dog

 
 
We stop by, Red Velvet(http://shopredvelvet.com/), which is a vintage shop that our favorite bloggers Elsie and Emma from a beautiful mess (http://abeautifulmess.com/) own.
Katie at Red Velvet Playing Dress UP
A Bridge Near Red Velvet at Sunset


Bran' Spankin' New Floors


Hey, everybody so I am trying to catch up with some old projects I have done over the last year. I try to learn as much as I can so that I will be able to do things on my own, epically with things to do around the house. This fall I learned how to re-finish wood floors myself. Now I was that little girl who would start painting her room without her parents’ permission, on multiple occasions. So my floors were paint splattered.
 

Now it is really easy to re-finish your floors, do not hire someone to do this for you because you CAN do it yourself. It will be an entire weekend project, and do not re-finish all of your floors at once start with a room you don't love and them learn from the mistakes you make there when you do your other rooms.

You will need:

1. A few sheets of 100 grit and 60 grit stand paper.

2. A Sander, if you do not have one, invests in a square sander. It will come in handy for when you re-finish your other floors, distress your furniture (see that’s tots trending) and also for any outdoor projects you decide to start that involve wood.

3. Stain, pick any color you like but I prefer the dark reddish stains or the chocolate brown, they look super sleek.

4. Polyurethane, get more than you think you need because you will be applying it thick and with 2 coats.

5. A fan, to speed up the process.

6. A bag of rags, or a cut up old t-shirt

Friday night:

First clear the room sweep and mop the floors. Wait for the floors to dry.

Second, get out your 60 grit sand paper and start in the corner of the room furthest from the door.

You may want to open the window because there will be dust everywhere. Close the door to the rest of your house to avoid the dust spreading. Sand until the previous stain on the wood is gone (the shine is gone)

Third, take a break and go eat something and rest your wrists, because your arm is probably tired.

After your break does the same thing with the 100 grit stand paper. You do not need to be as persistent but you do need to be thorough. The 100 grit paper is meant to smooth out the rough spots that the 60 grit left. Sweep and mop all of the dust and crap that is all over the place.

Now go make dinner and relax for the rest of the night.

Saturday early in the morning:

Fourth, in the AM sweep and mop again and this time when I say mop I mean get down on your knees with a rag and wipe it down.

Fifth, it is time to stain that raw floor of yours. Start from the corner furthest from the door and make your way back. Use a rag to rub the stain in and follow he grain of the wood, of you go against the grain of wood it will look sloppy when it dries. Once you have finished wait 4 hours for the stain to soak in and dry up. (Try to finish this step by 10am)

 

Around 2-3pm on Saturday:

Sixth, repeat that last step all over again, do not wear pants your like for the second time you stain, because you knees with be brown. And your palms.

Let that dry for another 4 hours.

Around 6-7 on Saturday:

Get that Polyurethane out! And a paint brush, large paint brush and a small pointed paint brush.

Just like with everything else start from the corner furthest from the door and make your way back to the door use the small brush for the area nearest to the trim and apply a thick coat of this stuff to seal in and protect the stain you just applied.

Then go wash up and go out with your friend or family or whatever you do on Saturday nights.

Sunday AM:

Before church, or whenever you wake up from your crazy Saturday night Apply another coat of polyurethane. This time not as thick and touch up spots you’re messed up on the first coat. WARNING: if you step on the floor and it is still super sticky, wait another few hours before applying this second coat.

 

Go about your Sunday as you please, eat some yummy dinner and once you finish dinner check on the floor to see if it is dry. If its dry put all of your furniture which should have little floor protects on it, back in the room and enjoy a job well done.

Old-fashioned Ornaments

This is late, Kate and I made these in December, early December so we could give them out as chrstmas gifts for the whole family. This yeah we used cookie cutters, but next year I hope we can get more intricate and do something more original.
 
I am currently enrolled in a ceramics class at Oakton Community College. So I brough my sister in a few nights when the ceramics lab was dead, and we wouldnt be bothering anyone.
 
We rolled out slabs of clay till they were about 1/4 inch thick and them used cookie cutters from the dollar store. After Cutting all of these out We punched holes in them for the orniment string. (be sure that the holes are large because they will shrink when fired). Write the date and your name on the back of the ornaments, or a silly saying for the family you are giving it to.
We also had some fun with making flowers too.
Let these dry for at least 2 days.
 
Then you can have them Bisque fired which hardens the clay and redies it for glazing.
When you get to glaze your ormaments be sure to mix your Glaze well.
Then dip your ornaments in the glazes your prefer and have them fired.
 
 
 
The glazes kate and I used were older, and dirtied by all of the students, so our ornaments came out rustic looking.
Use cute ribbon and some awesome tissue and boxes and hand them out to family members at christmas, co-workers and friends.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Monday, February 18, 2013

5 dolla holla!! Rain boot socks.

So rain boot are in, and those hunter boots are pricy. The socks that accompany the boots are outrageously about $50 a pop. They are all the same boring knits and they make your feet sweat like a pig

Lets fix that.

Step 1: go to goodwill and find an awesome sweater.

Step 2: cut the sleeves off of this awesome sweater.

Step 3: (optional) you do not need to be a sewing expert to do this. Hem the cut edge. (You might also need to slim the sleeve down or shorten it depending on the size of the sweater and the height of the boot)

Step 4: Put these on like leg Warmers, when you put them on make sure they are inside out.

Step 5: slip your pretty little rain boots on. Flip the edge of the sweater sleeve over the boot, and you have just made one of a kind hunter socks that everyone will be super j of :)









Sunday, February 17, 2013

if you've got skills flaunt it!

If you can make something awesome, keep doing it!
My dad has been out of work for almost 5 years and side jobs just don't cut it.
So he makes lamps, and I just posted a few on Etsy so go check it out!
The big boy:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/123875899/tall-lamp?
The Desk Buddy:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/123802276/15-inch-desk-lamp-made-of-pip-fittings?