It's the Little Things

Sometimes I feel like the little things in life can be overlooked and ultimately I think those are the best things in life. They make each day more enjoyable and add variety to life, so I’ve compiled a list of little things that I enjoy that maybe are overlooked too often.

Belly-aching laughter

I’m not talking about a normal laugh. Not the kind that happens when you watch your favorite Will Ferrell movie. Or the kind that happens when you watch a comedian do some stand-up. No. I’m talking about much more than that. I’m talking about the kind of laughter that you have absolutely no control over. The kind that maybe starts out on the level of pretty standard controllable laughter. But it escalates. Oh, does it escalate. It escalates to the point where tears well up in your eyes and pour down your face, bringing all your mascara with it. It reaches the point where you are snorting, wheezing, probably not even making any noise because you are shaking so hard with uncontrollable laughter. The kind that happens when you feel like there is no stopping it and that you must give into the laughter and let it succumb you in its entirety. The kind that works your abdominal muscles more than a 30-minute abdominal workout does. The kind that leaves you feeling completely exhausted but totally amused, entertained, and fulfilled. That kind of belly-aching laughter. 

Doing a good deed

One of the best feelings in the world is doing a selfless act. Whether it’s giving a dollar to a homeless man, returning a lost wallet, or even just treating a friend to a meal. It makes you feel like you, one person, can make a difference in someone’s life. Maybe you just made them smile, or maybe you changed their terrible day into a good one, or maybe you even saved their life. Doing something without expecting anything in return is some of the deepest, most gratifying things that anyone could possibly imagine.

Peeling off nail polish in one piece

Every girl out there that has painted her nails knows exactly what I am talking about. Sure, maybe they look pretty for a day or even a week if you’re lucky and used a clear top coat. But eventually you will get that first small chip. And that first small chip means one thing. Time to chip off the nail polish. Now maybe you are bored at work, or sitting in a large lecture hall, or maybe you’re just watching TV one night. But it’s bound to happen. The worst is trying to chip and only getting small bits. Not only is it unfulfilling, it takes forever and makes a mess with little nail polish bits flying everywhere. Even in your eye if you’re especially unlucky. But lo and behold. You pulled off an entire nail of polish in one piece. One whole piece. At the time there can be no bigger or greater accomplish for those few precious seconds of peeling it off. You peel so slowly and cautiously and bam. You did it. Awesome. 

A hug

Hugs are underrated. I mean kisses are great, don’t get me wrong… but hugs… man, hugs are just fantastic. Feeling someone else wrapping their arms around you and just embracing you for a few short seconds (hopefully not longer cause then it could get to the creepy factor, which is no fun). So much comfort. So much kindness. So much love. 

 Feeling the sun on your back while wearing a black t-shirt while laying in a lush field of grass

Pretty self-explanatory.

Sexual innuendos

Now I may have the maturity of a 13-year-old boy at times; I’ll admit it. But hey, it makes life so much more enjoyable and can even induce bellyaching laughter if done properly. I will never tire of ball jokes, “That’s what she/he said”, or trying to misconstrue serious statements into inappropriate comments. Nothing gives me greater pleasure or entertainment than pointing out how something sounds sexual or cracking a joke myself, even if I’m the only one laughing.

 Singing while driving

I cannot sing. I mean I can sing, everyone can, but in no way shape or form can I remotely carry a tune. Which is why I absolutely adore singing while I am driving. I get some of my best singing done on the road. Since no one is there to criticize or judge my off-key tunes, I am convinced I can hit Mariah’s high notes and keep up with Celine. I harmonize with Taylor while we get emotional about relationships ending and the feeling of heartbreak. I rap with Luda and Nikki and don’t miss a beat. Sure, realistically, I probably can’t do any of these things and people next to me at red lights can probably still hear me even though my windows are up (yes I can get into it), but I like to think I can and they can’t.  It taps into the 6^th grade me who for some reason told the yearbook that I wanted to be a singer when I grew up. Just for those few miles I am doing just that. 

 Warm socks

If you have ever had cold feet, you can really appreciate the absolute joy of warm socks. Warm, thick, fuzzy socks that are sold in hiking and outdoors stores that are made for 30 degree and below weather. They are absolutely heavenly, no other words. They are a personal fleece blanket for your feet. 

 Scars

Now maybe I’m just thinking of scars because I will probably get another knee surgery over my winter break, but scars are pretty great. Sure, initially you may not like them and find them ugly. But I think scars are one of those amazing things that may seem ugly but are really beautiful. They make a person unique and tell a story. I can tell you that the wrinkly scar on my right knee is from my childhood when I was racing on a scooter and wiped out and scraped my knee open. Or a scar on my left hand is from 7^th grade when a friend was dragging me through American Eagle and my hand whipped around and hit a table. The huge scar on my left knee is from my ACL surgery and reminds me of how far I’ve come since then. All scars tell stories and are beautiful if you actually think about it. Plus Harry Potter has one and he’s pretty cool, right? 

 

Chapstick*

If you’ve ever had chapped lips, you know the power of chapstick. That smooth lip balm that provides instant relief to your dry, cracking, thirsty lips. Nothing more immediately gratifying.

Being in an awkward situation and having no one to share it with and laughing by yourself*

Story of my life. Maybe you tripped in front of a group of people and they all turned and laughed. Or smacked a stranger’s ass because you thought it was a friend, only to be very very mistaken. Whatever the case, it’s hilarious. And while you may yearn to share it with someone that can find the situation as hysterical as you, it’s kinda awesome that you share this hilarious moment with yourself.

Good Smells

Imagine a life without good smells. Can’t do it right? Most people probably underestimate the awesomeness of good smells. Walking into your house back home and smelling the cinnamon of an apple pie right around Thanksgiving. Waking up and the scent of your Christmas tree instantly hitting your nostrils. The aroma of coffee helping you most just a little bit faster in the mornings. Good smells mean good memories. 

*pictures not included because who wants a picture of chapped lips? And if an awkward situation happens to you alone, there wouldn't be any pictures.

XOXOXO

Nostalgia

I am knee deep in grad school apps/recs, scheduling for my last semester at Temple, and applying to graduate and it's all making me very nostalgic for the past and finally hitting me that I have to grow up and be a real person whether I want to or not.

I totally miss the days when summer meant being lazy and getting super tan and sleeping in til noon. Where my biggest worry was whether I'd have enough change for the snack bar at the pool to get a chipwich. Now summer means no class... in other words time to work as much as I possibly can to save up to pay for bills or forgo saving money and attempt to stack my resume with an internship and some valuable volunteer experience. Given my collection of freezer-burn popsicles currently sitting in my freezer at school, I think I'm trying a little too hard to hold onto those ideal summers and not hard enough to figure out what city and state I'll be living in this summer... as a college graduate.. womp.

I totally miss the days where I could afford to go to movies at the movie theater. What is this $10 a movie ticket crap? Remember those days when tickets were so cheap that maybe, just maybe, you could afford some popcorn. Or in my case.. if you were lucky.. you'd get "the yellow bag".

 Yeah that's right. We asked for popcorn and got the yellow bag. Aka all the extra popcorn that they trash at the end of the night. Best late night show of Napolean Dynamite ever.

I miss the days when homework meant doing a crossword puzzle and maybe a study guide if it was a bad night. Or when I'd be so stressed about projects where I only had to bake food (my mom really made it) and I would dress up as a Renaissance princess.

I miss the years when people would play in the snow with me and build really awesome snow forts, complete with slides that twisted around my entire yard and huge snow climbing walls. How about lemonade stands? And when I thought making $10 from a long day of standing out in the sweltering heat screaming "GET YOUR LEMONADE" was a great profit. I totally miss the days of shopping only at Limited Too because it just made everything so much easier. Shopping in one store. Everything was bright and neon so it all matched. Made dressing myself so simple. Although in retrospect I do slightly question why my mom bought me lime green pants that I literally wore every week.

I literally could go on and on but alas I need to stop procrastinating and do something worthwhile with my time.

Things I'm Loving

Self-Explanatory.. Things I am currently loving...

Infinity Scarves

While I do love regular scarves cause they are a great accessory and pop of color, I am fashion-lly challenged and always struggle to wrap them correctly and tie them the right way and sometimes it just turns into a big mess and I end up ditching my original outfit for a sweatshirt (story of my life). Enter infinity scarves. They are a loop, like an infinity sign (oh nooow you get the name..), and theres basically no way to mess up wearing one. Therefore they get the Brie stamp of approval. 

"You're So Vain" by Carly Simon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQZmCJUSC6g
I am actually listening to this song as I write this. It's so fun to sing and I just love it. I highly recommend everyone fall in love with it so we can sing it together sometime.

Crew Neck Sweatshirts

Okay, everyone that knows me knows I have a serious obsession with hooded sweatshirts. But a few years ago I went through (and still am sometimes..) a flashdance phase where I took a crew neck sweatshirt and cut the neck off for the whole Jennifer  Beals look. Still love wearing that look but it got me to really appreciate crew neck sweatshirts for all they offer. You can have a cool logo on the front (or a solid color if that's your thing), no bulky hood, and you can dress it up with.. an infinity scarf! Win win situation for us all. Also bonus.. finding one at a thrift store because they are always the most random and hilarious.

Pinterest

www.pinterest.com 

Best. Website. Ever. Okay so I've had a few friends yell at me for introducing them to it since it results in hours of procrastination. It is literally the best website ever. Half of my inspiration for all my crafts comes from it. My halloween costume is inspired from it. I've found so many funny pictures on it. Basically best website ever. Go. Enjoy. Pin. 

White V Neck T's

Another staple to my wardrobe. Partly because I'm lazy. And partly because it's easy.. which I guess goes back to the laziness factor. I love buying packs of men's white V necks. They go with everything, can be accessorized with anything, and are so easy to just throw on. The only setback is that they are white so if you're like me you will be buying a lot due to spilling things all over them. The plus? Once you spill stuff on them and stain them, feel free to tie dye. My other wardrobe staple.. 

My puppy, Oliver

Honestly, dogs make every day so much better. He is the cutest baby ever and is always so happy to see me and it really just brightens my day. Love the little guy. 


To be continued..

So with Halloween around the corner, I've literally spent every free moment brainstorming costume ideas. Yes, I am aware it is a month an a half away but to me that is right around the corner. I prefer to make my own costumes so I need the prep time.

No hints as to what I am being (or going to attempt to be) this year, but the prep starts NOW! So pumped, you all have no idea. I love Halloween and dressing up and wearing things I've always wanted to wear but it's not socially acceptable. i.e. Wearing a tutu last year since I was a ballerina or dressing up like a dinosaur.

 So like I said last year I was a ballerina one night. I made my own tutu, wore my ballet slippers from elementary school ballet, bought cheap-o tights from the drugstore and wore a black tank top. Such a cheap costume! To make the tutu I bought a few yards of light pink and hot pink tulle and cut them into strips. Then I just knotted them around a ribbon. The more tulle I used, the fluffier/more perfect it got! I seriously love the way it turned out so much I am trying to think of costumes that revolve around a tutu. So much fun.

As for the other night I went out... yes.. I was a dinosaur. Okay let me back up, so for those of you that don't know me that well, I love dinosaurs. Not afraid to admit it. Growing up I had dinosaur figurines, knew different types of dinosaurs, and just generally think they're pretty darn awesome. After a making fun of my friend's failed Thriller dance attempt and calling him a dinosaur, my obsession with dinosaurs resurfaced. We kept joking that we were going to be dinosaurs for Halloween, except I was completely serious about it. However, how does one even make a dinosaur costume? No idea. Luckily for me I happened to be home one weekend going thrifting (surprise surprise) and stumbled upon this homemade child's dinosaur costume for $7. Since I am basically a midget, it fit me and I found my best costume in years. (It's a shame you can't see the pieces over my feet that made it look like I had huge claws). The only additions/alterations I made was to buy green fabric to make a stomach and cutting the arms so I didn't lose circulation. Voila! I am a dinosaur. (Not Yoshi or a lizard that you very much.)

Now for a few throwback halloween moments that I just happen to have on my computer for all your enjoyment..

(Sorry for not rotating it.. Not too sure how to do that.) Preschool. I was a princess. I had a boy haircut.

Sophomore year in college. Tom Cruise form Risky Business. (With Lil' Wayne. Crazy that HE came to my party, right?) Easiest costume ever.

I made my boyfriend in high school dress up as Peter Pan to my tinkerbell, senior year. 

Freshman year in college.. Not sure what to label this as.. Jazzercise? I just threw together a bunch of things mainly cause I wanted to wear blue spandex pants really bad.

I wish I had some pictures of my costumes from elementary school and middle school but alas I am at school and don't have access to old photo albums. I'll leave the costumes to your imagination but I've been... Madonna in the 80's, a superhero, butterfly, Miss America, a tiger, a 50's girl, pink power ranger, baby, Grim Reaper (I was too scared to wear this to school since all the boys are always the grim reaper so I was a baby for school but grim reaper trick or treating.. but the mask got too hot so I basically wore a black robe..), a hippie, and a few others that I am forgetting about.

Hope everyone's getting their costume ideas together and if you need any inspiration, use pinterest.com that's where I got mine for this year.. hint hint.

xoxo

Finally a Free Moment

I have literally not had a second to sit down and write on this, let alone do fun crafty things that I basically spent my summer doing. Since I do finally have a free moment I wanted to share all the little personal touch/homemade things that I've put around my room to make it my own.

Earlier in the summer I posted about how I had an idea to make my own chalkboard. Well ladies and gentlemen, this is the finished product and I love it. It's not perfect looking and a little rough since I didn't sand it enough but hey homemade things never turn out perfect. I do love it though. Originally I bought chalk but I found that I couldn't really write super legibly so I had to buy chalk markers which are definitely a better option since they don't rub off and it's really bright. So yay! One project from this summer successfully completed!

This is a project I did 2 summers one night when I was incredibly bored (clearly) and it's probably one of my favorite things that  I've ever made. ( I apologize for the glare from my window) I used cut up ads from magazines and grouped them based on color. I saw a painting that was kinda similar to this.. circles and squares and stuff.. so I put my own spin on it. I love the colors and how when you look at it up close you suddenly see all of the magazines. The best compliment I think I ever got on my stuff that I've made was someone asking me where I bought this piece :)

One of the things I get every Christmas is a calendar and I always insist that it be "weird and artsy" so I usually get whatever Whole Foods is selling. Love their stuff. But anyways each month always has really great pictures and quotes and I've saved the past few calendars I've gotten. I like to use the pictures and hang them around my room, not only are there great quotes but the pictures are really unique. The top picture is hanging on my wardrobe and I have a few others from that calendar around my room. I used black electrical tape as a 'frame'. Super cheap. The bottom picture is above my desk and I love how the 4 are placed so it's like individual pictures but also one big piece.

This year my windows have really deep windowsills (love it) but I'm on the first floor so I have bars on them. Boo North Philly! I did luck out though and get these pretty bars rather than typical jail looking ones. I also lucked out because the bars are spaced just wide enough so I could fit some things on them to decorate it and add a pop of color. I'm obsessed with Arizona Green tea and also fake flowers so I've got 3 vases, photos of my parents and old dog Lacey (rip <3), candles (LOVE candles!), a card my mom gave me a few years ago, and other odds and ends.

One little last touch in my apartment. I dabbled in grayscale painting this summer cause I was bored and I practiced on this little 4x4 canvas. Such a baby canvas I love it. Thermostats are kind of ugly and boring so I threw this little painting on top of it and bam, it's more interesting.

Hopefully my schedule will continue to give me a day now and again so I can keep updating everyone on all the fun things going on during my senior year at Temple!

xoxo

School Overload

Well it has been a few days since my last post... unfortunately I have been incredibly busy with the start of my senior year at Temple! Between 6 classes, 2 jobs, and playing rugby, I don't think I'm going to have much time for anything but I'll try to work something out with this blog.

My classes are awesome this semester and I have found that every semester my classes unintentionally have a theme. For example, last spring was development and last fall was philosophy (barf). Well ladies and gentlemen, this semester is... wait for it... sex. Hilarious right? On Monday nights I have straight sex talk for about 4 hours between my sociology course titled Sex and Society and my psychology elective titled Human Sexuality. Those are definitely the more obvious "sex-oriented" classes. I'm also doing yoga (hopefully to help with my rugby injuries and back pain), photography and visual literacy, social cognition, and social, emotional, and personality development. Definitely a full course load.

Once I get my life at Temple back under control I promise to write a lovely, well-thought out blog full of pictures and quotes and delightful things. Until then..

xoxo

Frames, Frames, Frames

So yesterday my mom and I had a mother-daughter bonding day and by that I mean we tackled many of the cleaning projects in our house that have been put off for too long. We cleaned the basement of our 90+year old house equipped with only rubber gloves and black trash bags (though I would have liked a face mask maybe to deal with the moldy, musty smell!) and somehow I got stuck doing all the hard labor of lugging bags and furniture to the curb.. We cleaned our upstairs, especially our "toy closet" which used to hold all of our toys but now holds sweaters, coats, books, cds, records, storage bins, fans, etc etc. While we were going through everything my eye landed on a pile of huge framed photos that my mom got from our old neighbors before they moved. All had various pictures like this that they had taken on an African safari years earlier.

Now these are beautiful photos and nice frames but this was a definite spur of the moment decision of my mom to take these. We don't have large photos, have no intention to really hang large photos, and it's a little weird to hang someone else's meaningful pictures in our home. So I asked her if I could keep a few (okay all but 2) of the frames (there are like 10 total) and I'd find stuff to frame.

While we continued to go through the great abyss of the toy closet, many interesting things were uncovered such as beanie babies, my driver's ed graduation certificate, long lost clothing items, my dad's old really embarrassing records, photos of my ex boyfriend and I at my senior year Winterball, and best of all... old artwork of my sister and mine from elementary and middle school!

Now here's a funny story. I started to pull out projects of mine and said,

"Oh my god, this is so ugly. I'm trashing this." 

And my mom immediately counters,

"You are not throwing any of that out! I love your artwork!" 

And I turn the artwork around and she says,

"Okay that you can throw out."

Laughter ensued. 

Long story short we went through a bunch of old artwork and decided to keep some really nice meaningful pieces. Then a light bulb went off. I am going to use the frames from earlier!

After a long and incredibly irritating process of pulling off paper, digging out staples/sharp things (the photos were professionally framed), and suffering only one surprisingly painful cut to my finger, I finally got a few art pieces framed. Unfortunately due to different sized paper and frames, I couldn't frame everything because I did not want to cut anything. Here's what I got...

 This is a practice sketch I did of a drawing that I gave an old boyfriend for Valentine's Day. So glad I saved the sketch because I think it looks kinda cool half done. Also I lucked out because I saved the nice mounting from the previous picture!

This is a sketch I did a few years ago and even though it's an apple core, I think it's really cool. Especially if you look up at it close, you can see all the different colors I used. I also used this for my final project for an English class at Temple, arguing that something labeled everyday as ugly can be beautiful and claiming that I drew it for that specific class and project.. What the teacher doesn't know won't hurt her!

This is my favorite thing I framed. I found paintings that my sister and I both did of sunflowers in first grade, 3 years apart. Hers is on the left and mine is on the right. Good thing Inglewood Elementary never changes their art projects!

Such a cute thing to put up in winter! This is a pastel drawing that I did in 2nd grade. I think my shading was better then than it is now..

Now I am saving my favorite thing for last. Okay I am completely and utterly obsessed with the website Pinterest. I will dedicate a blog later to it professing my love for it. Anyways I saw an idea on there to make some sort of wall decoration by using different colored/patterned scrapbook paper.. So I ended up with this, which I LOVE and will be hanging up at school..

I found cute patterned scraps of scrapbooking paper and cut them all to the same size then used black paint to paint on the letters. Originally I used the foam posterboard that the original framed photo was glued to as my white background. I painted over it in white paint but because some of the glue adhesive pulled off paper and just left an uneven mess, it didn't really look too pretty. So I sat staring at this for about 5 minutes thinking... where can I find long white paper... then my eye landed on a dresser in my room filled with gift wrapping supplies. Ding ding ding! Tissue paper. Not only is it white and super thin, it adds a neat crinkly effect that contrasts the stiffness of the paper. Swoon.

I love this piece partly because..

I love the song "Imagine".

Sometimes I need to be reminded to imagine the endless possibilities and not dwell.

I would be nowhere without my imagination.

:)
xoxo

Here There & Everywhere

My brain has definitely been here, there & everywhere lately. Plus I'm currently listening to The Beatles so it seemed appropriate. Well since I just got my computer back from the Apple store AGAIN for repairs (that I got for free because I argued with them woo!) I figured I could do another blog post. However, I have been lazy with my camera so no new pictures of the projects I talked about earlier.

Chalk Board: The paint worked well and I was definitely tempted to blackboard-ify more objects but limited myself to only the wooden slab. After driving all over town I finally found chalk, who knew it was so hard to find chalk? My new problems.. I wanted the chalkboard to write cool quotes, etc on but chalk doesn't write that clear so I am going to get chalk markers which is what I used when I did the chalkboards at Coldstone back in high school. I also bought hooks that were too big so I need to find adhesive tape. Once I get all of that and am settled back at school I will be sure to update with a photo!

Headband holder: This project was much more of a challenge than I anticipated, mainly because I couldn't find out hot glue gun so I tried to substitute with super glue.. Not exactly the same thing. It definitely looks messy but it's not exactly noticeable once it's covered with headbands. I'll update with photos later.

Bag: Still haven't conquered this one.

Since I am getting ready for school, I'll share some space saving ideas I have. These are super important for me because my new apartment, though newly redone very cute, is basically what I like to call a large closet.

So in our kitchen (if you call it that) there is zero storage. Basically no cabinets. The girls before us had a huge bulky storage thing like this..

 They had big canvas baskets on each shelf, which though cute, made it a real challenge to get into the kitchen. I'm talking you had to turn to the side and slide in through the doorway. Instead my roommate and I are using wooden crates. They are the perfect size, not too big, and look really cute. Last year I worked at an organic farm (the job questioned the most from my resume when applying for jobs..) and they used these crates to hold fruits when they brought them in form the orchards. My sister used them in place of a dresser in her old apartment so we figured we'd give it a try. I don't have photos from our apartment but here they are in our upstairs hallway.

Another space saver/organizer idea I've used since freshman year is using a bulletin board to organize my jewelry. Just use a pushpin to hold necklaces, bracelets, etc.

This is my much more boring one from home. The one I use at school is decorated a bit more with fun pins, a nice handwritten letter to me and ribbons.

I'll update with more space saving ideas once I move into my apartment full-time and can take some photos of different things we've used.

xoxo

All I can do is be me. Whoever that is. -Bob Dylan

I know I've posted before about my quote book, but in the past few months I've really had some huge changes in my life and I just wanted to share some quotes that have stuck with me. I've also included some pictures for your enjoyment :)

"Time you enjoy wasting was not wasted." -John Lennon

"Things do not change. We change." -Andy Warhol

"The most important thing is to enjoy life --to be happy-- that's all that matters." - Audrey Hepburn

 

"The best way out is always through." -Robert Frost

"You have to be willing to get happy about nothing." -Andy Warhol

"We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us." -E.M. Forster

"Life begins at the edge of your comfort zone." - Neale Donald Walsch

Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.

I hope everyone likes those quotes I've picked to share and that maybe they will help or inspire you like they did for me.

xoxo

Thrift Store Galore

I just had an incredibly successful trip to 3 local thrift stores (and AC Moore but I got great deals!) and I am so pumped to make so many cool things! Especially since the weather is going to be rainy and miserable tomorrow.

So let's see what I got...
Non-related craft things:
*4 dvds for $12! (The Lion King- SUCH a steal, Spiderman- umm JAMES FRANCO?, Now & Then-favorite childhood movie, and The Breakfast Club- classic)
*2 new cookie trays for my mom for $2 since ours disappeared
*a small glass jar to put q-tips in since my new apt is basically a closet and it's easier to put them in this rather than keep the huge box they come in
*a large curvy clear glass vase to put in cooking utensils, spatulas, etc for my new baby kitchen, if you can call it that.
* 2 4x6 frames (40% off) so we can frame a small family pic from the day my sister moved out and I got one for her too since she has "no money," but lives in Buffalo, so we have to ship this frame to her. Rational thinking right?
* More scrapbook inserts for my quote book-- they were originally marked $3.99 but rang up as a DOLLAR. WIN!
* the record of ACDC Back to Black for my friend as a belated birthday present ($4!)

Now for the fun crafty stuff that I am SO pumped about.

I literally wandered around AC Moore in a happy daze because that place is my heaven. I had an idea yesterday that I wanted to put a chalkboard in my bedroom so I can write quotes on it then put new ones up when I feel like a change. So I decided to buy Chalk Board paint! It's basically black spray paint but makes the surface a chalkboard. I am seriously SO excited for this. Next I had to find a wood square but the wood pieces at AC Moore were overpriced so I passed on them. At one local thrift store I found the perfect thing to use.

 

It's a wood base and has a paper print covering it. So now I just need to peel/scrape it off and then paint! It's perfect because it's light, already has a indentation in the back for hanging, and it was $2.50! So that is project #1 I will be working on..

Next I always go in Whole Foods and stare at their bags, they really have the cutest ones ever. My current purse/bag used for books is from there and so is my little cloth satchel that is perfect for bars. The current one I've been eye-ing up looks like this..

Now I can't buy this for 2 reasons. 1. I'm cheap. 2. It's the same pattern as the cloth satchel I have (mine is the brown patten that's seen in the right corner). But like I said I've been in love with it for a while. So while I was on my thrifting adventure today I saw this blank canvas bag for 50 CENTS! So naturally I bought it.

Not too sure how I'm going to spice it up since I don't have a sewing machine, but it wasn't even a dollar so I won't be too bummed if I mess it up. I am thinking of taking off the straps, adding new ones that are a cool pattern/color and wrapping them entirely around the bag like the one from Whole Foods. Thus becoming project #2.

The other day I was either on pinterest.com (best website EVER) or clicking around on my favorite blogs, and I saw the perfect solution to storing headbands. I've been trying to find a good way to store them for awhile. Mine usually end up on the bottom of my storage bin used to hold my hair accessories and then I can never find them and it's just a huge chaotic mess. So anyways I saw a suggestion to cover an empty Quaker Oats container with fabric, then voila! You've got cute headband storage.  So this is where I'm at..

And that's project #3. Once I finish them, I will post pictures of how they turned out (only if they're not completely atrocious!)