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Everything finally feels like it's slowing down around here. All the annoying little tasks have been checked off & Heather & I are finally able to begin exploring our new city. So far we've really only covered the few blocks within our neighborhood, but it's all pleasantly charming. There are lots of mini-grocery stores, so many cafes, & quite a few tasty places to eat. When we're not wandering around the town in awe of the fact that we live here now, we're figuring out where to put up the artwork on the walls. Why is it so frustrating trying to figure out where everything should go? 

This weekend I'll be practicing & prepping for my first Minneapolis interview. Wish me luck! & have a stellar weekend, you guys.

 This week's links:

• Trying to tackle this list of ways to make your new house a home
• Loving this Minneapolis-based fashion blog
• We've got wide windowsills & lots of light at the new pad - I'm going to keep our houseplants alive this time with some of these tips
• Totally de-stressing by watching clips of this dog & it's adopted lamb-child
• Also de-stressing: cats in boxes. Lots of boxes.
• Have yet to visit the Mary Tyler Moore Statue downtown, & I'm still practicing my hat-throw

xoxo, 

-m.e.

Related // Heather & I will have to do a new downtown photo shoot now that we've got a new downtown!

out & about | walker sculpture garden

Since moving to Minneapolis, we haven't had much opportunity to venture out into the city & explore. Moving everything in & situating our belongings came first on the to-do list. I'm trying to arrange everything we own in a conscious manner. The flow of the apartment is important as we're in a small space. After moving everything in Heather & I had to get groceries, get parking permits, get new driver's licenses (that whole endeavor was insane - I haven't had to study or a take a test in a really long time. Nerve-wracking!), get internet, yada yada yada. It's also been raining ever since we got here, but yesterday was the first full day of sunshine. Heather & I took advantage of the gorgeous weather & visited the Walker Sculpture Garden, located outside of the Walker Art Center. It's only a few blocks away from our apartment! Here are a few photos from our adventure.

Next we have to actually go inside the art museum. There's so much to see & do!

xoxo, 

-m.e.

Related // May is National Photograph Month! Celebrate by following us on Instagram!

out & about | we're here!

Well gang, we made it. We're here. It was rough, but we survived. Even after all that prepping & planning, nothing prepares you for the actual move. I'm so glad it's all over. Nothing quite like moving across eight states with a dog & a cat in the cab of a moving truck, pulling a car in tow. I'm totally blocking that whole experience from my memory. Whew!

We're still in the moving-in stage, trying to find the best set-up for our belongings & furniture. The new place is adorable! I'm so excited to share pictures with you, but it's not quite presentable yet. These shots are mostly from our kitchen since that's the only room of the house that's remotely picture-ready. 

Here's my bit of advice after this whole moving-endeavor: you're not a wussy if you want to hire movers. It's totally okay, & it's totally worth it. Especially if you've just driven 1400 miles & your apartment is up a few flights of stairs & you only have a two-hour parking window. It's okay to not DIY everything in life. Sometimes you have to do-it-yourself plus two other strangers that you've hired to touch all your things. When they move that mattress up a winding staircase you'll be thankful you asked for help. Plus our movers gave us these fresh flowers for our new digs!

While moving with a cat & a dog is not fun by any stretch of the imagination, I'm so glad they came along with us. This place just wouldn't feel like home without them. After a few days of recouping, naps, & treats, they're both back to their normal selves & settling in nicely. Donut is loving the view of the city. 

Tutorials are coming soon! I've got a bunch of projects planned for our new home & some projects that I've been waiting to show off until we got them set up in the new place. I'm so ready to be done with all the little nuisances & get back to crafting.

xoxo, 

-m.e.

Related // Remember when I said to "trust your gut" when moving? That totally rang true especially when it came to merging a 16' moving truck + tow dolly onto a speedy highway. Sometimes you just gotta go for it.

live & learn | project update

Today is our first day on the road as we relocate to Minnesota. Since I'm not DIY-ing at the moment, I wanted to take this opportunity to show you how previous projects from the blog are holding up. Part of making & crafting means being prepared for mistakes. Things don't always turn out as planned, & sometimes projects are just flat out flops. Honestly, for a lot of the projects I post it's my first time trying a technique or using a material. I love trying new things though, & I wanted to share how some of the first-timers worked out over the long haul. 

Paint-A-Bike // I'm totally pleased with how my bike turned out after I gave it a fresh coat of paint. I'm still in love with it, even after a few racing stripes. The tutorial calls for a few coats of paint followed by polyurethane, & I mention this because I want to stress the importance of that polyurethane-phase. I, admittedly, got a little lazy & didn't cover as fully as I should have. My bike paid for my laziness, & the spots where I wasn't thorough are the ones scuffing & catching dirt. In short, learn from my mistakes. 

Fridge Makeover // Good news on the fridge! It's still as ugly as ever (which is why I covered it up), but the contact paper I covered it with left no damage whatsoever. Truth be told, I was a little scared when I started to pull it all off. Fortunately this DIY is a time-tested winner. 

Painted Vinyl // The saddest of sad-faces. I loved how this vinyl chair turned out after I painted it white, but it has started to crack. Not too bad, but just enough that it's noticeable. If I were to do it again I would stress/apply pressure to the vinyl as I painted to fill in all the gaps. Eh, you live, you learn.

Tutorials will be back in full swing after we arrive in our new home. I'm so excited/nervous on this new adventure of ours. Eek! 

xoxo, 

-m.e.

Related // I cranked out a bunch of projects in our old craft room, excited to set up a new space!

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Today is my last weekend below the Mason-Dixon line. On Monday we head out of town for our new home in Minneapolis. It's all hitting me. There's been no shortage of freak-out moments. This week has been crazy stressful & emotional. Saying goodbye is hard, & there's so much that still needs to be done. It's hard to stay sad though, since there's so much to look forward to. 

Wish us luck as we head out on the road, & be sure to check out our Instagram feed as I'm sure we'll be posting photos of weird/pretty things we find along the way. 

This week's links: 

• Let's put a woman on the 20 dollar bill!
• Love this DIY for a beautiful six-seater dining table
• Tina Fey takes it off (literally) for Letterman & it's hilarious
• Tips on how to schedule blogging into your life (this article has me embarrassed for how disorganized I am when it comes to scheduling posts!)
• Weight loss before & after photos that are way clever
• Tegan & Sara were totally my teenage idols

xoxo, 

-m.e.

Related // Moving? Here are some tips to keep the stresses to a minimum. 

litter box paint job

Okay, so this might be the strangest/most random thing I ever share with you. I'm only sharing this because I like you guys & I want you to know what I've been up to. Things IRL have been crazy-hectic, & because I've packed up all my craft/art supplies, I don't have any means of making a legitimate tutorial. Consider this post a placeholder for all the awesome posts/updates I'll be publishing once we've settled into our new home. That being said, here are a bunch of pictures of the newly painted litter box. Don't worry, I'm only showing the outside of it, & there are absolutely NO action shots. 

Ooo, ahh... 

The story behind painting the litter box is basically this: Because why the heck not.

I've been on a spray-painting spree these past few weeks because I won't be able to do any spray painting at all once we move into an apartment building. Everything that I've been itching to paint has been painted. Even Donut's litter box. Essentially I got tired of trying to hide the ugly thing & decided to embrace it with a coat of this cool minty green. 

This was my first go at painting plastic, so I'll let you know how it holds up over time. I used:

• A litter box (I went out & bought a new one - painting an old poopy box isn't something I want to do in this lifetime)
• Valspar Color Radiance spray paint in "La Fonda Mirage"
• Spray polyurethane (note: I know, I know. That's a can of white paint, not clear coat. I started to paint the top of the box white & the bottom a different color, but then ran out of white. & I also forgot about needing polyurethane. Don't hold it against me. If we can make anything, we can definitely make mistakes.)

I look the litter box apart (the door popped right out) & brought it outside. All it took was a couple coats of paint, then two coats of polyurethane to seal. Done & done. I didn't paint the inside of the box, mostly because I don't know if the paint will chip at all & I don't want to put Donut at any sort of health-risk. 

Also, & side note, this paint that I used is my favorite spray paint ever. This isn't a sponsored post (although it could be! Hey, what up, Valspar!), I just really like this paint. It has almost no drying time & the finish is always super smooth & even. I give this paint two thumbs up.

Donut was wary at first, but I think she'll get used to her new bathroom makeover. 

Okay, it's back to reality for me, & time to pack more boxes.


xoxo,
-m.e.

Related // Thoughts & resources for kitty-lovers.

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I spend a lot of time dreaming. I talked about this last week too, how I think about the future. For a long time now I've been dreaming of the day I get to quit my job & move away, but now that it's all really happening it seems surreal. Yesterday I clocked out of work for the very last time. It was bittersweet - I'm thrilled to start a new chapter in my life but also sad to see the last one go. I've lived in Florida for 11 years. Everyone I know is here, & I'm about to move to a place where I know no one. We have one week left until the big moving day & there's so much to do. Today, however, I'm choosing not thinking about the future. Today is about celebrating the present, about celebrating a chapter in my life. Tonight I'm going to surround myself with good friends, good drinks, & good times.

Off to the links!

This weeks links:

• NPR asks millennials to do what they do best - take selfies
• Planning & dreaming about our new space - this article has me thinking about how to decorate the bedroom
• A woman singing to her pig really brought out the ugly crying in me
• This video is crazy-interesting: ideal body types throughout history (so glad we're done with "heroin-chic")
• For fans of Bob's Burgers, get ready - there's a cookbook coming soon
• Last minute Mother's Day gift ideas!
• This video illustrates what fashion sounds like... sort of
• How to deal with the negative thoughts you have in your mind

xoxo, 

-m.e.

Related // Happy early Mother's Day to all you moms out there! For those scrambling for gift ideas, here's a few of mine.

the walnut wood repair trick

Since we're moving away & moving out, the cleaning & repairing of our old rental is in full swing. This means scrubbing the sinks, replacing broken blinds (thanks, Donut-kitty), & fixing any dings or scratches. We've been pretty cautious to not scratch the lovely hardwood floors, but over time some damage is inevitable. Thanks to the nutritious walnut, the scratches are no more.

I've seen this trick all over the internet. Pinterest, BuzzFeed, Huffington Post - if there's a list of home repair hacks on the internet, this trick is always mentioned. Being the skeptic that I am, I dismissed this piece of advice. You can't believe everything you hear on the internet. Heather, on the other hand, immediately broke out the jar of walnuts & took to our wood floors.

It totally works, guys.

I am a believer.

I must confess, I had to try it myself before I fully believed it. Fixing scratched wood with walnuts is like watching magic happen right before your eyes. Here's how to do it:

• Rub fresh walnuts into scratched or damaged wood in a circular motion (doesn't matter the wood type)
• Let sit for five minutes for the oils to soak in
• Wipe clean with a dry cloth

Uhhh, yes. That's all. What you're left with is beautiful, refinished wood. Ta da! Magic. 

A cheers to walnuts; our security deposit thanks you. 

xoxo, 

-m.e.

Related // Want more life hacks? Check out the Tips Page.

gift giving // for mom

Mother's Day is fast on the horizon! The month of May is mom's month in my family. My mama's birthday is also in May which means we get to celebrate her doubly. If that means double the cupcakes for the sake of celebration, I'll gladly take on the task. 

If you're looking for a gift for your mom or just need some inspiration, here are my top picks from the ever-adorable Paper Source. Side note - can I tell you how excited I am to move to Minneapolis for the sheer fact that they have a Paper Source storefront there? Goodbye paychecks, hello adorable stationary. 

1. // I Love Mom Garland (let her know how you feel with big bold letters!)
2. // Best Mom Spatulas
3. // OMG Mom Tea Towel (tell Mom you retroactively appreciate her wisdom)
4. // Best Mom Ever Trinket Dish
5. // Wonder Woman Mug (because Mom is a superhero)

xoxo, 
-m.e.

[This is not a sponsored post; Paper Source is an affiliate sponsor of WeCanMakeAnything. All images belong to Paper Source or their respective companies.]

[Watercolor graphics from Angie Makes.]

Read On // If you Mama is also the head chef, here are some more gift ideas. 

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Instagram @wecanmakeanything | Twitter @wcmanything 

Happy weekend, everyone. Now for a moment of sharing.

Whenever I get stressed out, or, paradoxically, when I'm on vacation (which are two totally different events... stressed = boo; vacation = whee!), I fantasize about an organized life. I suppose it's the lack of organization in both events that leads me to think about it more. I always picture myself in the future. I'm not imagining my success or infamy (my unrealistic expectations for my future being a conversation for another day), but rather imagining myself rising at six in the morning & staring out the window over a cup of coffee. My make-up's done, the house is clean, my hair is on point, & I'm ready to face the day. I see myself getting everything done on time, always being prepared, & being calm as a result. It is as though my idea of a perfect life is one in which I have done all my chores. I'm hoping that you can relate in some small fashion & that I don't just sound like a crazy person who stockpiles books with pictures of coffee cups & completed to-do lists on the covers. Perhaps this is some effort on my psyche's part to detach from reality & focus on something else. I can't help but look to the future as I procrastinate fret about the present details, envisioning myself as a calmer person. As someone who has it together. As someone who isn't a complete wreck & sometimes forgets to wash their hair. What I'm really trying to say is that I'm an unorganized mess of a person who is unabashedly optimistic about her future self. I've had this vision in my head all my life. I've always pictured my future self as an organized person, & now I'm wondering when I should throw in the towel. Should I give up on the ideal notion that one day I won't be so phlegmatic? Or are my goals/dreams something that I can aspire to as a means of motivation? Obviously I'll never be my completely idealized self, but maybe having a positive & not totally unrealistic view of what I could be isn't a bad thing. I also know it's not actually what I want my future to look like - how boring would that be to have every day start the same? I do like the idea of having a cup of coffee ready to go at 6 a.m. every day though. Somebody needs to get on that for me while I procrastinate some more.

This week's links:

• It's almost Cinco de Mayo - classy up that tequila with these cocktails
• Why we're in love with the notorious Ruth Bader Ginsburg
• Watch tigers go swimming for the first time
• I'm still planning on filling our new digs with plants - here's some small-space-friendly ideas
• Times New Roman is the font equivalent of sweatpants & other fun facts
• I love this cute Darby Smart kit by The Cwafty Blog - washi tape & mugs!
• All the Mother's Day desserts you could ask for

xoxo,
-m.e.

Related // While I'm not up at 6 a.m. yet, I am waking up earlier, & it's nice.