YouTube Friday: It Ain't Over Til' It's Over

HAPPY NEW YEAR'S EVE!!!

I usually don't believe in New Years resolutions.  I think they are predictably overreaching and usually forgotten about within the first week after they are made.  HOWEVER, ahem, I am going to make one this year.  Let's see how quickly it lasts, but I would like to be in bed before midnight on the weekdays.  That's it.  Just get more sleep :)  

I hope everyone has a great night!  Check out this neat History of Champagne to educate yourself before you imbibe the drink of choice for this occasion!  Who are you kissing at midnight?

This song has always reminded me of New Year's Eve...ever since I watched The Cutting Edge as a little girl.  Best.  Movie.  Ever.

Do It Yo'self: A Year of Projects

The year is almost over and with that comes a natural reflection on what has passed throughout the last 12 months.  Some major things have happened this year, not least of them was starting this humble little blog which has been a great outlet for me.  I hope that you have enjoyed the projects and recipes and the little snapshots into the life of a now 25 year old Post-College Working Girl.  Thanks for reading, it means the world to me!

A look back on 12 months of projects!

January

Fabric Covered Push Pins

February

Jewelry Holder made with mesh and a thrift store shelf

March

Fortune covered switch plates

April

Recycled magazine gift bows

May

Chalkboard paint

June

Cupcake stand made from thrifted plates and candlesticks

July

Handmade vintage hankie pillows

Update:  My mom is now selling these in her booth and so far I have sold 2!

August

August was the month of makeovers HERE and HERE and HERE

September

Painting and decorating to get ready to move into my new place.

October

Hosting a bridesmaid's luncheon, saving a mirror from the trash, and some pretty magnets made from thrift finds

November

Made my wreath for the holidays

December

Anthropologie curtains for less and some sequined Christmas ornaments

Whew.... and I have only just begun....!

Thrifted: Velvety Goodness + Why Thrifting Is At It's PRIME

Friends, neighbors, and fellow thrifters the time is now to hit up the thrift stores to get some good loot.  Need convincing?  I have three good reasons why:

1.  People have just gotten a lot of stuff for Christmas, which means they will be making room for it or getting rid of the older version for the newer version.  Also, gifts that they didn't like?  Returned, maybe, but possibly it ended up in the donation bin.

2.  Tax breaks.  Donating is a great way to get write offs for your taxes.  So, as you can imagine the thrift stores are BRIMMING with stuff right now.  

3.  I just got one of my most favorite finds to date....this velvet chair for $26.  You heard me, $26.  I did a happy dance in the store.

Recognize my bargain garden stool?  It finally found it's place next to the chair!  I cannot believe that no one picked this bad boy up.  Maybe it has to do with the fact that it has a stain on the seat cushion.  How did I fix that?  I turned the cushion over.  I'm always shocked by how little effort people are willing to give a piece that just needs a little TLC.  A light cleansing with a wet wash cloth and the velvet is in really good condition.  I kid you not it looks practically brand new with a hint (and only a hint!) of worn-in charm.  

It looked so lonely in the store:

I did have a little bit of trouble fitting it into my car...

But a great bargain is worth looking like a fool while driving across town with the latest find.  

The thrill of the hunt people, it will make you do crazy things.  And yes, that IS a telephone cord strapping it into my trunk...I fancy myself the McGuyver of thrifting.  

Feature: Chilly Dog Sweaters

I have gotten a few questions and emails asking where I got the monkey sweater for Lewis.  It is from this company called Chilly Dog which is really funny because I got the sweater in Maryland where he was literally freezing his cute little nubbin tail off (boxers do NOT have a lot of fur for those freezing temps!).  It is the first sweater that I have found that fits his beefy 95lb. frame(he got the XXL), and given the temperatures we were both very grateful for it...oh yeah and it doesn't hurt that it made him look like a cute monkey.  Now if I could only find a banana dog toy.....

Lewis modeling his hoodie.

They have lots of other really unique dog sweaters at very reasonable prices with a pretty eco-friendly/pro-artisan business model so be sure to check them out!

Thread My Bobbin

Guess who got a sewing machine for Christmas?  Watch out world.

Weekender: Moses + Monkey + Massage Chair

I feel so nicely rested after Christmas weekend, tomorrow I head back into the real world.  The fam and I enjoyed opening presents and eating really good food.  We were all gifted presents from the family cat "Moses" who only likes my mother and shows a general disdain/outright hatred for the rest of us.  Each year at Christmas he wraps gifts and writes these really nasty cards.  This year my card read "Evie, I hope that you get at least 3 cavities from this.  Hate, Moses." He had wrapped up a broken Hershey bar for me (I work for Nestle).  Dad got it worse.  This was his gift from Moses:

A half drunk bottle of water.

Here are the rest of the weekend tid bits in photo.

An antique ornament which has always been one of my faves.

My gift to my brother....there were a LOT of liquid gifts this year.

Is my mom not the wreath wizard?

Lounging.

The infamous Moses, watching the gift unwrapping from on high.

Lewis and his new monkey sweater that makes him look like an ewok.

And the rest of the weekend was spent in my new massage chair from A :).  My back has never felt better.

YouTube Friday...er Saturday: Special Holiday Edition

Did you know*Santa* is trying to become a carbon neutral corporation by 2056?  Pretty funny for your Christmas enjoyment.






And please remember the correct use of iconography.  There are very strict rules of imagery orientation.  Always Check -- twice.

For more infomation please go HERE.

You Tube Friday: Bing Crosby

It's a fact, the old Christmas crooners are still the best.  May your day be merry and bright, reader!  Merry Christmas to everyone!

Recipes: Hand-Dipped Chocolate Covered Pretzels

If someone ever told me how easy it was to make your own chocolate covered pretzels I would have been doing this a long time ago.  I made a few of these to give out as Christmas presents, and it was as simple as it was fun and delicious.  

Chocolate Covered Pretzels


1 36 oz bag of Nestle milk chocolate morsels
1 "pounder" bag of Snyders pretzels
Nonpareils 


1)  Melt chocolate morsels either in the microwave (I don't have one so I couldn't use one!) by doing it in 20 second intervals until you get all of the morsels melted.  OR, fill a saucepan 1/3 of the way with water and turn the eye to medium.  Place the morsels in a glass measuring cup and set it in the water until the chocolate melts.

2)  Dip the pretzels in the chocolate, and then if you choose, into the nonpareils.  

3)  Let the pretzels cool on wax or parchment paper!

The little workshop my friend C and I set up!  This should show you just how little counter space I have.  Surprise yourself and make some of these for the holidays!

Holidays: I wanna put on....

...my, my, my, my, my plaid Nine West ballet slippers, and boogie with you.  They feel seasonally appropriate and make me want to sip hot chocolate all day.

Do you have a favorite thing to wear this holiday season?

A and I are making the trip up to Maryland for Christmas today, please, please let I-95 be kind to us.

On The Cheap: Garden Stools

Snagged this little garden stool at Ross this weekend and I am so in love with it.  It cost me a whopping $20.  I'm not sure yet exactly where I'm going to put it, but I have been gathering some ideas from the interwebs.  Ironically, most of these garden stools don't actually end up in the garden, but are rather used as a side table of sorts or for decoration.  Truth be told, I would love to have a garden that was fancy enough to use one of these weather proof stools in.  Maybe one day!

These cost $129 at Wisteria....why would you EVER pay that? 

Some great examples of the garden stool used inside:

And if you really want to be shocked by some garden stool prices, check out the ones over at Plantation. Pretty?  Yes.  Affordable?  Hell to the no.

I'll stick to my $20 price tag!