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I Wallpapered the Desk

Well folks, the day is here! I have been in my new studio for a month and absolutley itching to show you guys what it looks like inside, but I couldn’t. I mean, I wanted to, but I didn’t. This is like that time my parents hired a cowboy to come to my birthday party and told me not to tell anyone so he could ride in as a surprise SO OF COURSE I TOLD EVERYONE and then when he rode in the oomph factor was gone. No oomph whatsoever. Also, “the cowboy” wasn’t a cowboy it was my dad’s friend Bob wearing a white stetson hat, and the “the ride” was a Toyota Celica with a horse poster taped to the side. But I digress. My point is here I didn’t want to build this up and not deliver…but whoa!

You guys. This desk delivers.

THIS DESK.

Yeah. Let’s talk about this desk!

The budget for this room was non-existent. This whole rental thing is new to me and I told myself to prioritize function, only buy what I absolutely need, then ‘shop the house’ for anything else. Well, I needed a desk (actually, a couple of desks…)and as luck would have it, the former tenant left behind an enormous L shaped desk. Super functional, super ugly. Don’t get me wrong – there is nothing wrong with faux wood laminate, but there is nothing right with it either. And it’s just not a good neutral surface for making stuff, you know?

So I called a charitable organization to come and pick it up, but there was a four week wait. I went ahead and decided if I was going to live with it for four weeks, I could jazz it up and live with it for good. So I got my drill out and unbolted the underbelly, split the L shape in two, then thanks to Kathryn’s suggestion on Instagram, I reached out to Chasing Paper to see about covering it up in style. Removable wallpaper FTW!

If you have been following my blog for a while you know I am a long-time fan of Chasing Paper’s removable wallpaper. I used it to cover my fridge the first time and the second time, and this summer I used it to create an accent wall in my bedroom in under and hour. Love this stuff! So when I saw that one my favorite artists, Lisa Congdon, partnered with Chasing Paper to create a line of traffic-stoppingly-cool new patterns, I was smitten. This needed to happen!

Oh man are these cool. I’m tempted to call them 70s Folksy San Francisco-Scandanavian looking but if you know Lisa’s work they are really Lisa looking, which is why I love them. If you are not familiar with her work, check out her shop, or even better – take art lessons from her over on Creative Bug.

Speaking of lessons, let me show you how easy this was…

BAM. Peel and stick, baby. Peel and stick! No glue. No special tools. Just the paper and box cutter.

It took about two hours by myself. I used 8 sheets, but I probably could have done it in less if I had not matched seams or covered the inner side walls. This desk has more angles and edges than my previous projects so I was a little concerned, but it was super easy. Just stick it down and smooth it out. Larger patterns like this are surprisingly forgiving, and even on the underside where I gave up on trying to match seams, it still looks terrific!

This particular pattern screams COLORING BOOK (and you know I love a good coloring book). Think I’m going to start with the inside panels and see if it grows from there. I like the idea of keeping a cool/neutral/black/white background for more colorful painting and craft projects, but I also like the idea of it becoming colored with time. Speaking of which, in case you are curious, the flat surface on top is already stain and water resistant. The paper is almost like a lightweight vinyl. Water beads up on top – it does not soak in on contact. It’s not plastic like oil cloth, but I have gotten some paint smudges on it in the past month and they wipe right off if I get in a timely manner. The paper is not created to be a flat work surface, but by golly it’s doing the job just fine.

This is my view to the front. Not too shabby…

Oh, and did I mention there is a fireplace?

This wallpaper looks real good with a fireplace.

There are still plenty of improvements I’d like to make, starting with that ceiling fan (not a fan) (no pun intended)) and I’d like to get a more substantial work chair for me (I’m trolling Craigslist for a wingback with roller feet) and some more comfortable guest chairs than these red aluminum castoffs from my dining room days of yore. The red chairs are cute, but some very important people are going to sit in here and I’d like them to be comfortable.

Yes, Abraham. You are a very important person and you deserve more comfortable chairs. Patience!

The rest of the room is an undulating work surface or flowers and stripes and glitter and whatever else the day has in store. The Christmas workshop situation is about to explode up in here and I’m excited to see it happen. My hope it that it will be as beautiful as it is functional and this desk is the anchor piece to it all!

– Thank you so much to Elizabeth at Chasing Paper for making another one of my removable wallpaper dreams come true (she is the bestest!)

– Thank you to Lisa for designing this beautiful design which will become the visual soundtrack to many new creative adventures.

– Thank you to Kathryn for giving me the idea in the first place.

– Thank you to the doctor lady who used to rent this space and left behind a massive desk in need of a makeover.

– And thank you to YOU for supporting the brands that make this blog possible.

Visit Chasing Paper online, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.

Sparkle Tooth: DIY Rhinestone Pumpkin

by aunt peaches 3 Comments

There are people who believe Halloween is a holiday best reserved for all things spooky, scary, and tastefully decrepit. And then there are those of us who know Halloween to be a holiday for the weird, the rain bowed, and the rhinestoned.

Can you guess which side I am on? If you too share a love of all that is glitzy and glamofied, you are going to want to see this post I wrote for Etsy yesterday. This version features a pumpkin with rhinestones, but honestly, you could use this formula to imbed beads or buttons or anything your sparkle tooth desires. You could even incorporate all the old junk-a-thunk jewelry bits you have been collecting in a cloudy ziplock bag in the back of your sock drawer. You know the one.

Go one now. Get your pumpkin on!

Upcycled Halloween Lanterns

by aunt peaches 2 Comments

As much as I love Halloween, I’m not crazy about it being such a one-and-done holiday, you know? So much time and money spent on things that are gone in no time…

Costumes – worn once.  Trick-or-Treat candy – gone by November.  Pumpkins – half-rotten before the big night is over.

Wouldn’t it be nifty if you could add to the festiveness without spending much money, using items on hand, and save your results for years to come? Wouldn’t it be neat to use a little upcycling to make a big impact?

Yep. Thought so…

You will not believe how cute these lanterns are in person! I’m going to line them up in my window all month then bring them out to the front porch to keep me company while handing out candy on the 31st. They are easy, mostly-kid-friendly, and I didn’t even have to go out and buy special materials. There is one special ingredient here: a gourd shaped bottle, and this one from Califia Farms could not be more ideal!

Materials

–Califia Farms beverage bottles. The label here says orange juice but it is already looking like a pumpkin, no? They also make some delicious flavors you may have never heard of before like mango chili lime, pineapple ginger, and strawberry basil.
-Twinkle lights. LED lights are great because they do not generate heat, but you can use whatever leftover holiday lights you have on hand (see instructions).  -Paint. Basic acrylic craft paint, although, you could layer up something interesting with watercolor if you like.
– Paint brush.
– Black construction paper.
– Pen knife or box cutter.
– Scissors

Instructions
1. After washing the empty bottle, peel off the outer label and paint your favorite colors. I kept the colors basic greens and orange, but if you are working with munchkins, this would be a great opportunity to let them take the lead. Who says a witch has to be green? I hear pink and brown witches are very on trend!

2. While the bottles are drying, cut out Halloween face shapes and adhere to one side with regular white glue (click here if you would like to use my template for a jack-o-Lantern, scary witch, and Frankenstein monster).

3. Use a pen knife to cut a 2” slot in the back of the bottle. If you are not using LED lights, cut the whole a little larger to make sure any heat can safely escape.

4. Insert 10”-20” of the twinkle lights inside the bottle. You can light up multiple bottles on a single string, or designate a short strand for each creature.

If you are feeling extra creative you can add a simple witch hat…

But I also like the way the color caps look. Orange and green feel festive even with the lights off!

Happy Halloween!

This post is sponsored by Califia Farms but all opinions expressed within are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make this site possible!

Happy Monday: Scented Candle Season

by aunt peaches 4 Comments

Happy Monday Friends!

It’s the first full week of October and I am feeling the autumnal high that can only come from a weekend of basking warmth of a new batch of scented candles. Folks: It does not get more exciting than this. No. Really. This is like how your spouse/sibling/BFF spends alllllllllllll year waiting for their fantasy football draft day, and you are like UHHHH WHY IS THAT EXCITING? And they are like UHHHH I DON’T KNOW BUT I WAITED ALL YEAR FOR THIS SO LET ME HAVE MY JOY.

Yeah. The joy of candle season is very real in my house. I mean, scented candles are a fun habit all year long but the pickings get slim in summer if you don’t do floral, and even though the good stuff hits stores in August, it’s not that fun to light candles until the first time the furnace comes on for the year. That’s the law. Welp. As of this weekend, the heat turned on, the candles came out, AND, get this: I am currently typing this in my studio by the light of a fireplace. I know. It’s like all kinds of crackle-me-up-cozy and I am like one peanut butter brownie short of ecstasy.

Good thing I have the peanut butter brownie thing covered.

Also. If you too are a candle crazed lunatic, you might want to check out two things; 1. My tutorial on how to remove candle wax from reusable glass containers (would you believe it is my all-time most popular post?) and 2. This lady. She will make you feel way less crazy about your candle obsession. Yes, I know! You’re welcome.

This wreath made from needlepoints is 100 kinds of rad. Sweet Paul is rocking it once again!

There is a such a thing as a responsible gun owner; this is not it.

Cutest Parent/Kid costume ever.

The male beauty contest of the Sahara dessert.

I need these sunglasses. Now.

Why are Japanese kids so independent? And more interesting point of discussion; why have so many parents around here given up on valuing independence in their kids? And what does that say about all of us in general? Hmmm…

And speaking of Japanese kids…look at this majorly rad and nameless way to teach them about color.

The wedding dress that would not quit.

Have you been following Humans of New York refugee stories? Oh my God. Just…yeah. You need to do that. We all do.

Even Blake Lively has a hard time operating a lifestyle blog. This makes me feel real accomplished. Thank, Blake.

Five ways to make/revive wall art on the cheap.

ZANDRA RHODE’S HOUSE! You need to see it:

Frida Portrait Costume

by aunt peaches 8 Comments

I had been wanting a legit excuse to make a flower crown ever since Michael’s had a flower crown making bar at their Makers Summit even last summer (<<yup, I said flower crown bar). I’m not quite boho-hipster enough to wear one to the gas station, but when Michael’s asked me to make a costume using items from their store, I saw my opportunity. Pair the occasion with a long-running love of Frida Kahlo paintings, a patient friend, a little photoshop…and we are ready to rock and roll!

If you are not familiar with Frida’s work, you need to get on that. Also, you can rent the Selma Hayek movie.

Special shout out here to Yasmin for modeling this project. It takes an especially special friend to give p their Saturday to come over and let you draw facial hair on them.

Want to make one of your own? All you need is a headband, some silk flowers and floral wire. Wrap, wrap, wrap and go!

My favorite part of the costume is Frida’s signature hand earring. You know a strong woman when she is wearing a human hand from her ear! And don’t you know – Michael’s sells these skull hands that you can wear all year. We were lazy here and just used the same floral wire, but you could certainly spend the time to make it into a proper piece of jewelry.

Still looking for a costume? The Michaels.com Halloween project page has tons of ideas for DIY Halloween costumes and décor. Or check out the other 49 DIY costumes from the Michaels Makers and you might just find the perfect one for you, your kiddos or your fur babies. Look: Jaderbomb’s dog Ceaux Ceaux is also a Frida fan:

An InLinkz Link-up

DIY Desk Caddy

by aunt peaches 3 Comments

Now that I am paying good money to rent a studio for the specific purpose of working, I determined to stay organized. No, for real. I mean it this time. I know I have said that before, but I am on a new path. It’s new. That counts. And I have a new rule too: nothing is coming in this room that does not serve a purpose. Function before form.

For every item I ask myself, Does it bring me joy? Does is directly relate to generating revenue? If I can’t answer yes to at least one of those questions (preferably both) it never crosses the threshold. Bam!

This is a new approach for me so I am investing a lot of energy into keeping organized. Even boring stuff like bills and invoices are going to be kept to a minimum and contained in lovely, colorful fashion. And because my budget is slim-to-nothing, I thought an all-purpose desk caddy would be a good place to start.

It’s colorful. It’s functional. It brings me joy and it pays the bills. Literally. And it was made from stuff I already had in my recycle bin/junk drawer.

Want to make one too? Thought so. Hop on over to Pentel and see how it’s done!

Happy Monday: Fall Foliage and Punctuation Skills

by aunt peaches 2 Comments

Hello again friends. I’m coming off a week of ‘Purposeful Avoidance’ to celebrate my birthday and catch up on important things (and by “important things” I mean season 4 of the Gilmore Girls). It was swell. Yes, there are some downsides to avoiding your inbox for a week, but it’s refreshing to start a new season with a clean slate. Hiya October! Did you guys see that honker of a moon last night? Holy cats!

This is my new path for self-improvement: The subtle art of not giving a f*ck. Also, this pillow is awesome.

Wondering when fall foliage will peak in your area? This map is the coolest.

An etiquette question for the dessert minded.

The faces of debt.

Finally, a consolidated list of the best software tutorials on the web.

Don’t click this unless you want your cookies to feel inferior.

The 9 habits of highly effective restaurants.

A great idea for bored kids.

Style tips from Mindy Kaling.

Test your punctuation skills.

If you have ever known anyone who spent seventy-ding-dong-six years being really stressed about getting a PhD, but can never explain what they were studying or why they were studying it, this is amusing.

The truth behind Instagram photos (this is SO TRUE!) I’m thinking about doing a similar post of my own. If you guys only knew what was lurking in the background of some of the glamour shots I show here. Ha!

Ceramic Painting at Home – The Easy Way

by aunt peaches 4 Comments

Confession: I have always wanted to go to one of those storefront pottery places where you pay to sit there for a couple of hours and paint ceramics. You know the type? They are usually in malls. Often associated with little kid birthday parties, and occasionally grown women rent them out for a little BYOB action in the suburbs, but for some reason I have never made it into one. Years ago I worked with a gal who rented out a paint-me ceramic place for her bachelorette party and her sister pre-gamed it too hard, drunkenly stumbled on a platform flip-flop, and took down a rack of 31 hand-painted platters that were to be used as serving dishes at the wedding. All of them. Shattered. Between you and me it was probably an omen though because that marriage ended after 18 months, and that same sister had something to do with it, but it wasn’t anything she was doing in a pottery studio…but I digress.

All the more reason to keep your ceramic painting at home. Ahem.

Here is the good news: You can now paint ceramics at home. And you don’t even need to know how to paint! This new line of markers make it so easy! Pop over and check it out!

DIY Confetti Notebook from Office Supplies

by aunt peaches 12 Comments

Did anyone ever tell you a secret and it made your tongue hurt to keep it inside your mouth?

Yeah. You know that feeling! That’s what it felt like when I made this project last month and had to keep it all to myself. It is so nifty it hurts my soul to keep it inside!

You know what that is? It’s a confetti notebook made entirely from office supplies.

Yup. Office supplies.

I have been working with Pentel for a year now but recently they asked me to come up with some projects that lean a little less craft culture and a little more cubicle culture. This is fun for the back to school crowd, and kids of all ages, and I can’t think of a profession on the planet that doesn’t allow for a colorful notebook tucked into a desk drawer. And did you see the pen loop added to the side? That’s just plain functional. People will see this funky notebook you made with a pen loop and say NOW THERE IS A SOUL IN BALANCE! Also, the pen loop trick is real easy and you’re gonna start adding pen loops to every book in your house when you see how it’s done. Nobody is safe!

Want to make one of your own? Check out the directions over at Pentel. And if you need a refresher on how to make confetti out of tissue paper (or any other paper for that matter) buckle up because I have got the answer for you!

The Little Engine That Could

by aunt peaches 23 Comments

Well folks, this week marks a couple of milestones I never thought would happen.

Current big girl pants status: Overalls.

Here is something exciting – I am typing this post from my new office! I guess you would call it more of a studio, but it’s a work space with a bathroom where I can make a mess or meet with clients or shoot photos without moving my furniture around. IT IS PRETTY NEAT! It’s small, good light, and even though it’s a ridiculous bargain it’s probably more than I ought to be spending when I could work at home for free. But you know what? Working from home has some major downsides. Like what? Productivity.

Man oh man, do I suck at working from home. For as many hours as I put in I ought to have more to show for it. This was never a problem when I worked for someone else so it’s time to throw a new factor into the equation. I need to up my game. My dad always said people enjoy sports more when they have “some skin in the game,” and although I would never put money on a sports team, I have no problem betting on myself. This much I know to be true: I have never lost when I bet on myself.

So. Now I am spending money everyday for the privilege of working somewhere that is isn’t my couch, which sounds nuts, and it scares the crap out of me, but this might be the second smartest decision I have ever made. The first smartest decision I ever made came one year ago this week when I left my job. This week marks one year since I started my own business.

Wooot!!!

It’s weird. Yesterday I got a spam comment on this old post I wrote in March 2014, just about the time I realized I needed to quit my job and was freaking out about what to do next. I had totally forgotten about it. It consumed my soul for a good month back then, but hasn’t crossed my mind in ages. It’s painful to read now. I cringe to think about how scared and indecisive I was, and worse, I cringe at how many comments and emails arrived telling me to STAY EXACTLY WHERE YOU ARE! DON’T CHANGE ANYTHING! WAIT FOR SOMETHING BETTER TO PRESENT ITSELF! Which was the same sentiment I got from most folks in real life too. Even some of my closest friends thought going out on my own was a bad idea. When it actually happened in September 2014, I was terrified. Nearly called it off. The thing was, I liked my old job, I really did, but the opportunity for long-term financial growth wasn’t there and it wasn’t responsible to stay another five or ten years when I could be making inroads somewhere else. Even now it’s not like I’m rolling in Scrooge McDuck money but I have laid the groundwork for something bigger and better with endless growth. That’s not risk; that’s common sense.

This is the part where I thought I would write a post with some tips or tricks for people thinking of become creative entrepreneurs, but the fact is that I’m the last person who should be dispensing advice. That said, if you are one of those folks that is still trying to figure out what to do with your life (aren’t we all?) this podcast struck me as crazy helpful at identifying what you love most, which weirdly enough has a lot to do with who you were at ten-years-old. When I was ten I spent all my free time on arts and crafts and redesigning my Barbie Dream House even though I had lost interest in Barbie dolls years before…now I get paid to make art and crafts and take pictures of stuff in my own little dream house. It is a dream. I highly recommend it.

So that is what I know. One year in, I am not where I thought I would be, but where I stand is pretty swell. One year in, I am glad I am here.

None of this would be possible without you guys. I know sometimes my other work slows down my blogging, but often it’s my blogging that spurs the other work, so you can be sure both will be here for a long time, chugging away like the little engine that could.

Thank you for being here. Thank you for following. Thank you for making this dream come true.

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