Wherever you go, go with all your heart.

Home edition-Part 2!!

I know in my last post I said I felt everything was starting to come together- but now I really REALLY feel like it is. There have been so many new fabulous editions.

I will start in the bedroom again! I really wanted mint with coral accents. I was able, after some time, to find the perfect mint bed set that I now love. And I wanted coral curtains to go with it. It took me so long to find any at all and then I finally came across these from Anthropologie:

 

Gorgeous right? Too bad they were $128. Way out of my budget. But then I decided I would try to dye some myself. So I got some super cheap (and energy efficient) tan curtains and used the Red Tulip dye because it seemed like the perfect coral shade to me. I bought 3 of the liquid bottles to start out thinking I would use 1 ½ for each based on their weight directions. Of course I started in the kitchen sink and quickly realized that my new sink and new sink stopper do not quite work right and it drains! So there went an entire bottle and a ½ of dye! After that I moved to the bathroom (red dye- white sink, not my best idea yet) and everything seemed to work fine after that. I used the other 1 ½ bottles thinking I could just go buy more for the second curtain. THEN- when I went to buy more for the second one, they were completely out! They also informed me that the color I was using had been discontinued! But after raking all the craft stores in Raleigh I finally found some more (I also got smart and got a 5 gallon paint bucket to use outside instead of my pretty white bathroom). It was harder than I thought to match the colors and they are a little off still but I am happy with how they turned out!

 

I also like how you can see the drips on them. This was not something I intended on originally but really like it. I actually ended up using the back side of them too, which was white and dyed more vibrant- so I just loop-stitched the top down so you could not see the tan on the top. I also like that now when the light shines through them in the morning (instead of waking me up at 7 am) it puts a pink tint all over my room. Now I am really living through rose-colored lenses! J

The second amazing addition to the bedroom is my new headboard. I am so OBSESSED with this I cannot even explain it to you- but I must admit almost all the credit goes to my new Handy Mann in my life! I told him exactly what I wanted and he made my dreams come true!

 

ISN’T IT BEAUTIFUL?!! Handy Mann was able to scavenge up some old barn wood for me. He treated it to get rid of all the little buggies- which I was honestly kind of freaked out about being that it was going to be over my head! He then used thin wood to screw them all together on the back. I painted “love” on it in the perfect paint color to match my new curtains- and Voila! Beauty! I love it so much! The perfect finishing touch!

Finally I just wanted to show ya’ll a few little moments in my house that I really love.

 

These moose hangers I actually found in the same antique store that I saw my first inspirational dresser that started this whole journey! The heart says “Wherever you go, go with all your heart!”

 

The post cards behind the “Life, Laugh, Love” are from my travels all over the world. For a long time I had them just in a shopping bag in my closet not knowing what to do with them. I love the way I am able to display them here for everyone to see! I also love all the colors it brings!

That is all for now! I will update more as it comes. I will also update you on my new lifestyle!! I have challenged myself to lose 24 pounds for my 24^th birthday! I am almost done with week two on the journey and still holding strong. More to come on that! All sorts of changes going on J

 

Love always,

Elle

Home sweet Heart

I know I have not posted in SO LONG. And I feel like so much has happened since I last did! I went to Florida as I talked about and celebrated the 7^th of July. I got to see all my girls and family and we had ourselves a good ole time! (the ‘Merica shorts were a hit!)

But since then I have moved into my new apartment!! I must admit I am mildly obsessed, and extremely happy with how it is coming along. I feel like I still have a ton to do, but I am going to give ya’ll a sneak peak on what is in the works so far!

I’ll start in the bedroom- where the magic happens! Back in January when I was visiting Florida, I saw this antique French provincial refurbished white dresser in an antique store in Fernandina Beach. I immediately feel in love. And it inspired what I wanted my whole room to be (mint, lime & coral as an accent color- mix between French country and beach house feel). However the price tag was $399 and I just couldn’t swing it at the time. I spent the next seven months looking for anything similar and kicking myself for not finding a way to get it when I saw it. I literally spent day and night on craigslist, scouring antique/thrift stores, online, etc. Nothing! Then somehow the heavens opened up and I found an old French provincial dresser on craigslist in my home town in Florida. It was kind of beat up and brown wood. It was furniture tenants left inside an apartment after they moved out and the landlord was selling it- CHEAP! Thankfully, my beloved father went and picked it up sanded it down (5 hours he said) and the sprayed it white. His neighbor just randomly happened to set up a spray booth at his house this same week. It was true SERENDIPITY! So in the end craiglist dresser (and a matching night-stand, which was a great add!!) = $65, spray job = $100: total $165. AMAZING! Glad I waited on it- and now it has such a better background story than something I just bought from a stranger. Here is the finished product, OBSESSSSED!

I am determined to keep my room simple and clean instead of my usual crazy crap everywhere approach. I am really loving it. I WILL have a Big Girl apartment by the time this is over. I swear!

One of my other favorites is this:

The new man in my life gave me this old Grey Goose box when he was moving out of his apartment. He was going to trash it, but I was convinced it could find something great for its second life. And I love it! I originally had all the items placed by themselves on the shelf and it just seemed to swallow them up. I love how I was able to make them their own little vignette and really give it some focus. The picture frame inside is a hand-made card from Ten Thousands Villages (FAIR TRADE!) I framed and matted with construction paper.

My next gem is something I just did today! Yet again it was inspired by seeing something in a store I could not afford. I really wanted a mirrored tray, because I opted for two ottomans instead of a coffee table and still wanted something hard I could eat off of when I am feeling lazy. However all the trays I could find in the stores were $40-50! Insane! So I went and bought a mirror from a craft store ($10.99), painted it white with just regular paint and then hot-glued a set of drawer pullers on the sides ($8.99).

Ta-da!! I love it so much. And I loved that I did not waste so much money on something that took me less than an hour to do.

I have so many more pictures and fun things to share, but I think for now I am just going to leave you hanging on for more! I will not wait a month before I update this time I promise!

My new Big Girl apartment, for my new Big Girl self is finally coming together! This is the first time I have ever lived completely on my own and am able to literally do whatever I want to the place. It is so much fun! I never thought I would be so excited about decorating, and running to the “home” department of stores instead of the shoe department. Guess I really am growing up…

Love always,

Elle

P.S. Don’t worry… I’ll never really be a grown up!