NAV 2

DIY   |   HOUSE   |   STYLE   |   DESIGN   |   EATS   |   HOLIDAY   |   PLANTS   |   WEDDING

April 29, 2016

life | links

Rainy days in Minnesota
Instagram @wecanmakeanything | Twitter @wcmanything

Let's just stay in this weekend, m'kay? Coffee & cuddling with the cat for me. I'm wiped out after our trip back to Florida this past week. It was so comforting to see the whole family again, & hanging out with all of Heather's adorable nieces & nephews made up for the grueling 25 hour car ride down. Even though I'm proud of us for moving & I know we made the right choice, it's hard not to miss home. It felt good to be surrounded by familiar places & faces.

This week's links:
xoxo,
-m.e.

April 20, 2016

out & about | adventures in adulthood

Sittin' on the dock of the bay. #minnesota
Incoming tide at Lake Superior
Doing | Saying hello to you guys! How are all of you? I'm also knee-deep in wedding planning. We've finally figured out a season for the big day (winter), & we've got some general ideas for colors (small victories!). I've also been packing away all of my winter gear & trying to figure out where in the world I put all my shorts. Summer is fast approaching.
Watching | House Hunters in every flavor. Thanks, Netflix!
Listening | So my iPhone broke (RIP), which means I have to whip out the old iPod Nano from high school if I want to listen to music on my way to work. It's been a serious trip down memory lane jamming out to what's leftover on my old playlists. Some of my favorite rediscoveries: The Dresden Dolls, The Robot Ate Me, & old-school Sufjan Stevens.
Feeling | I'm feeling everything right now. A lot of adult-type things are stressing me out (our upstairs neighbors have a water leak that's happily introduced itself to our ceiling, trying to secure a new phone, planning a trip back home, etc. etc.). There are also a lot of good feelings happening, like those that come with warmer weather & new adventures. I'm feeling in the mood for a bike ride, too.
Loving | The dozens of daffodils lining the streets in my neighborhood.

xoxo,
-m.e.

P.S. More snapshots of our weekend at the lake.

April 18, 2016

pencil eraser stamps

DIY Pencil Eraser Stamps #handmade
A lot of the things I make are out of necessity, like when we needed a place to put our mail or when colder weather demanded a jacket for the pupper (my new favorite term for dogs). Sometimes though I just get an idea in my head & want to try it to see if it works. A lot of the time it doesn't (see this hilarious disaster) - sometimes it does. I've had this idea in the back of my head for a bit now: can pencil erasers can be used as stamps? I grabbed a pack of pencils, some kraft paper, tags, & bakers twine for a couple bucks at Target's One Spot (a.k.a. the dollar bin) & set about testing my theory. The answer is whole-heartedly "yes!"
Hearts, X's & O's! Create your own stamp using a pencil eraser. #targetonespot
Side note: Because Heather & I both have wedding planning on the brain in an almost pathological way, she saw these tags & said, "Ooo! Are those for our wedding favors?"
X-acto knife, pencil - done. Make a teeny stamp at home with this DIY.
To make eraser-tipped stamps, you'll need:
  • A new pencil
  • A sharpened pencil for tracing
  • An x-acto knife
Simply trace a shape on the top of your pencil's eraser (choose simple shapes like hearts, crosses, or triangles). Cut away at the remaining eraser with the x-acto knife. Erase any pencil marks from your new stamp. Ta da! A new stamp. Plus, if you don't need to stamp anymore, just trim the top of the eraser & it transforms back into a normal pencil.
Sweet idea for stamping. Decorate on a dime with pencil eraser stamps!
Get crafty & stamp up a storm with stamps you've carved yourself from the tip of a pencil eraser!
Okay, maybe these would be cute tags for wedding favors. Dear god help us, & we haven't even settled on a color-scheme yet.

xoxo,
-m.e.

P.S. More kraft paper crafts!

Affiliate links are used in this post!

April 15, 2016

life | links

Doughnuts & coffee from Glam Doll, MPLS
Instagram @wecanmakeanything | Twitter @wcmanything

Maybe we're crazy, but wedding planning is in full swing & we literally have a discussion about it every day. I'm sure the hyperactive need to brainstorm will wear off at some point, only to morph into a type of excited stress as the day approaches. There is a lot more to think about/plan for than I had initially considered. Color schemes, locations, honeymoon scheduling - all that stacked on top of my plans to (yes I'm crazy) make my own dress. Okay, I know I'm crazy, but I'm going to do it. I'm torn between materials though. Lace? Satin? Cotton? Why are there so many options!

This week's links:
xoxo,
-m.e.

P.S. I can't imagine planning a wedding before Pinterest was invented.

April 13, 2016

black & white painted vases

Simple flower vase makeover
Even though all I want to blog about is wedding planning (don't judge my premature preparation craziness), there's still tons of time until the big day. In the meantime, it's spring! For the first time in a long time I'm excited! The reason being is that I can't say I really cared for spring in the past. In Florida, spring means the mosquitos are back, the pollen is thick in the air, & the rain never quits. So in my mind, spring = gross / no thank you. But flowers happen! & bees, fresh breeze, & greens popping up everywhere. So there's lot to be excited about.
Painted ceramic vase DIY
Spring keeps making its way indoors because I have no self-control & keep buying flowers at the grocery store. We got rid of all our vases when we moved, so I decorated these to match our new little home.

I got these milk jug vases from Target in the craft section for a few bucks, & first prepped them with white acrylic paint. Then I dipped a wide brush in black paint & dabbed the pattern on. Side note: I don't know if it's a phase, but I'm totally digging on monochrome color schemes with simple, no-fuss patterns. Phase or not, it's totally overtaking our living room. Okay, end side note. I didn't put a seal on these vases because they really don't need one. I've gotten them pretty wet filling the vases with water, & the paint looks the same as it did when I applied it.
Spring has sprung!
All I want to do is open all the windows & fill the apartment with armfuls of flowers.

xoxo,
-m.e.

P.S. Try stenciling a flower pot too!

Affiliate links are used in this post!

April 11, 2016

out & about | weekend in tofte

Lake Superior at Bluefin Bay
Two weekends ago, Heather & I (& our dog Doria!) treated ourselves to a weekend getaway trip. Minnesota has a lot to offer once you drive past the endlessly flat farmland & hit the northern hills. If we'd kept driving we would've arrived in Canada! Being so close to the border has me wanting to renew my passport, because why not? We didn't go that far north - instead we spent a self-prescribed long weekend on Lake Superior. I could've spent a month there. It was gorgeous, & we're already planning a trip back.
Golden moss
Strolling in the spring - Tofte, MN
Pupper cuddles
Over the weekend we mostly just relaxed & stayed warm indoors, because it was freezing. We did do some of the laziest hiking ever, i.e. we drove the car a few miles to a lot, then parked, then walked 1/8th of a mile to Temperance River. Side note: this is my favorite type of "hiking." We walked down to the beach too, & the driftwood mixed with snow was just perfection.
Temperance River, MN
Hiking on the north shore beach
Wintry beach - Lake Superior
A relaxing getaway was exactly what we needed. This perfect weekend also came with a little surprise that I've been dying to share with all of you. Drumroll please!
She said "yes!"

...

We got engaged!!! 

First off, I've been dying to ask Heather for a long, long, long time to be my wife, it's just been a matter of waiting for the perfect moment & figuring out what I wanted to say so I wouldn't stumble over my words (which ended up happening anyway because I was too freaking nervous). Second, I'm absolutely relieved that she said "yes." We've been discussing tying the knot for a while, & in my heart I knew she'd agree, but still. Nerve-wracking! Third, I'm so happy about what's to come. I cannot wait to see what our lives together have in store.

xoxo,
-m.e.

P.S. Heather & I just passed our five-year anniversary, here are my gushingly cheesy thoughts on that too!

April 8, 2016

life | links

Weekend view of Lake Superior
Instagram @wecanmakeanything | Twitter @wcmanything

I'm looking at this picture of the lake as I'm writing this out, wishing I was back there right now. Last weekend Heather & I took a mini-trip up to Lake Superior. It was exactly what we both needed. Just some time away, hiking around, & general taking it easy. Heather took a bunch of beautiful photos that I'll be posting soon. Ugh, it was so pretty. It was also encouraging to explore so close to our home & find such a difference in sceneries. We really haven't ventured outside of Minneapolis until now, & there is so much picturesque wilderness so close by! Mini vacations are the sweetest. I'm feeling recharged & so ready.

This week's links:
xoxo,
-m.e.

P.S. Update: Now that I've started, I can't stop making vegan "chicken" salad. It's a staple in the fridge now.

April 6, 2016

mini mail organizer

Tiny, space-saving wall-mounted mail holder
Space is a major issue in our teeny apartment, & I'm always looking for different ways to organize things. Most things have a place, but the biggest offender of mess in the house is incoming mail. I'm pretty good about getting rid of junk mail immediately, but the more important stuff just kind of sits around in an unattractive pile until I feel like dealing with it. The mail needed a teeny home, on a teeny wall next to the countertop where it usually flops itself down. 
Before & After | From bottle opener to mail organizer
Not having power tools at my disposal, I'd been on the hunt for the perfectly-sized storage solution for weeks before I found this vintage bottle opener at Target. It was exactly the width of our little sliver of space, & the perfect vessel for paper bills.
You've got mail!
Here's how I transformed this once bottle popper into a mini mail organizer:
  • Removed the metal bottle opener & bottom hook with a screwdriver
  • Filled the hole left by the screw with wood filler
  • Once that dried, sanded it down flat
  • Painted the whole thing with white acrylic paint, & stenciled on the letters
  • Mounted to the wall with handy-dandy Command strips (#rentersrejoice)
Transform a Target bottle opener into an adorable little mail holder
Hooray for small space solutions! Hopefully this will inspire those of you who are on the hunt for the perfect organization solution. It's out there, just stay mindful (& never leave home without a tape measure!).

xoxo,
-m.e.

P.S. More storage solutions to be found in this DIY!

Affiliate links are used in this post!

April 1, 2016

life | links

Killer kitty via Instagram
Instagram @wecanmakeanything | Twitter @wcmanything

Weekend goals: chillin' like a villain.
This week's links:
xoxo,
-m.e.

P.S. It's raining & cold - perfect time for these DIY rain boot cuffs.
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
//