Blooming Summer

I hope your Tuesday is off to a good start. This week, I'm sharing my "Summer Album". It's based on a board I created on Pinterest called "Splendid Summer". 

Here are a few photos featuring spectacular blooms, scents and song:

The great outdoors were abundant
with flowers...I just had to bring
the outdoors in. 

Yellow one week...

Green the next...

And pink for another...flowers are
such a simple way to turn
blah to TADA!

Grew some succulents.

Cared of a low-maintenance
mini garden.

Took a whiff of lavender at
the farmer's market (I hope
to make it a field next time).

Tried some new scents for the home.
I couldn't resist these hand soaps in
bottles designed by
Orla Kiely for Target.

I also got myself this candle
with the scent of caramel popcorn.

I wish I could say I owned this player, but
I listened to a few too many standards
on my iPod.

See you back tomorrow!

Purposeful Pinning

Hello there! There was a tiny phrase printed on my calendar last Saturday. It said, "September 22 - First day of Autumn". My heart sank a little. Don't get me wrong, I love Autumn and everything associated with it -- apple-picking, amber-colored leaves, thick sweaters, delicious scarves, and knee-high boots. But I have a love affair with summer, and parting ways is absolute blah.

Sorry for the melodrama. To make-up for it, let me tell you about my "Splendid Summer". It's a board on my Pinterest page. I put this board together because I joined a contest over at Oh Joy. The winner was to receive an iPad plus a few other goodies just by pinning images that defined "splendid summer". Instead of random images, I made the exercise purposeful by listing through pictures, "50 Things I'd Like To Enjoy this Summer."

I didn't win, but all wasn't lost. As I ticked off the items on my list, I felt I was making the most out of a fleeting season. Blah to TADA!

Number 50 on the list is, "Create a summer album", and I'm doing just that. All this week, I'll  share the things I've done this summer.

Today, it's all about the yummy things I ate:

I baked a batch of cookies (chocolate chip walnut)

I indulged in some shaved ice - this is a
Taiwanese kind with strawberries and
condensed milk purchased at the
Fulton Stall Market, South Street Seaport

Another kind of shaved ice, this
time Korean, called Patbingsu
from Paris Baguette

Instead of making popsicles, I bought some!
 They're gelato pops dipped in chocolate.
Found them at the Pop Bar.

Ate some lobster (lobster rolls
from Smorgasburg)

Grilled a few burgers at home

Took the annual pilgrimage to
Dairy Queen for a blizzard!

I wish you a delicious day! More photos tomorrow.

Make a Statement Without Saying a Word

Happy Friday! Here's a mood board to show you another way to wear a collection of brooches or a bunch of vintage buttons:

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Gather them up to make a necklace or bracelet! Attach each to a chain, felt backing or ribbon for a unique piece to wear, give or sell.

Check out this other fun inspiration from the Bloomingdale's catalog:

Wear all your brooches at the same time to mimic a bib necklace or jewel-encrusted top. I think this looks better editorially than in the practical world, but hey, it just might work.

Have a fancy weekend, my dears!

Cuff Collection

Sometimes, I find plain bangles from the Dollar Store. While they are cute as they are, I usually itch for a blah to TADA! make-over. 

Here are some pegs on how to give them a face lift:

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(1), (2), (3) Graphic Elements - use a permanent marker to draw some artwork or fancy them up with alphabet/numeral stickers.

(4) Neon Lace - cover the bangle with lace for texture and dimension. Create a lace "body suit"; slip it on the bangle and stitch ends to close.

(5) Decoupaged Design - glue on some paper cut-outs to the face of a bangle and coat with several layers of Mod Podge. Allow to dry before use.

Wrist Candy

The same way interior designers assemble vision boards when developing looks for the home, I like to put together images for my blah to TADA! crafting.

Today, I'm thinking of ways to use up some embroidery floss from this project. Here are more ways to turn the humble thread into fashion accessories:

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(1) A bevy of beads - string some beads on several strands of thread, while making knots in between each bead. Finish off with a tassel and a favorite charm.

(2) Bangle Fest - give plain bangles a new look by covering them in different colors of thread and securing the edges in place with a glue gun.

(3) Braided Cord - braid or crochet long strands of thread to create this piece that can be used as a necklace or bracelet. Decorate the ends with tassels or small pendants.

(4) One Word Affirmations - find a charm of your favorite word {rescue this from an old necklace} and string this on thread in your favorite shade. Wear this daily and believe in its power. 

(5) Color Collection - Braid different hues of thread into a long necklace or multi-strand bracelet, and hook on a few charms. A warning -- your friends might drool with envy when seeing this!

Black Patent Clutches

I love me a little black clutch. They are so versatile for a casual or dressy night out. I've made a few here, here and here.

But let's say you had a blah patent clutch in great need for a make-over. Here are several ideas we can use to make it TADA!:

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Add some polka-dots or fun sketches with a permanent marker in white or silver!

More inspiration boards tomorrow... until then, have a spectacular day!

Pretty Pillows

Hi there everyone! I hope you had a nice weekend. This week, I'm making a few inspiration boards for future gifting projects.

Today's theme is "throw pillows". They add color, comfort, and coziness to a couch or bed. Where I live, they can be quite pricey, so maybe I'll try my hand at making a few to give as wedding gifts or hostess presents.

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Here's how I'd make these my own:

1. Special Words - use a fabric pen and alphabet stencil {with the aid of a ruler} to write a favorite verse, family motto, or even wedding vows to a plain pillow cover.  
2. Print on print - add a hand-stamped image using craft stamps and fabric paint or silk-screen an image onto a printed cushion case. 
3. Black and white with a little bit of color - find a fabric with whimsical black and white images that will be sewed as a pillow cover. Color some areas of the images with fabric paint; allow to dry.
4. A favorite word in felt - choose a favorite word {like "love" or "joy" or "smile"}. Write this on felt and make a cut-out with precision scissors. Sew this onto a bright-colored pillow case.
5. Heart-y Party - add some color to a blah cushion cover by sewing on some felt or fabric cut-outs to make it TADA!