3 simple, stylish diy home projects

happy monday babes!

this weekend sure was a whirlwind for me! my husband and I completed our first ever ragnar relay race [wasatch back-- runs from logan to park city] and it was a success!!

each of our 12 team members ran 3 legs, distances/difficulty varying and surprisingly my runs went a lot better than expected! my first was an easy 3 miles, second was the daunting 11.6 (which I ran the entire way, so proud of myself) + my last was the killer 4.4 UPHILL (I was lucky to keep walking with a few spurts of run here and there)

but it was absolutely amazing to finish and feel so accomplished! if you have been debating about doing a ragnar...I say 100% do it!

I hope you all enjoyed your weekends! since I missed posting last friday (as I was running) today I found 3 really cool stylish + expensive-looking diy projects for your home. 

1. first up is this diy copper pipe + wood accent/side table by fall for diy blog. I am still looking for side tables for our bedroom and these are a cute idea. I may need to make them a bit larger but I love the simplicity with the organic feel!

click here for full tutorial

2. diy plus throw for only $20!! by brit + co blog. how amazing is this, looks like you could have paid hundreds for this cute throw! such a hot look in the home right now.

click here for full tutorial

3. and lastly I have this super simple chalkboard handle cutting board by personally andrea blog. such a simple idea, but adds a lot to just a plain cutting board. perfect for gifts or just spicing up your own boards at home.

click here for full tutorial

painting upholstery: worth it?

happy thursday friends!

come tomorrow morning(at 5:30am) I will be running my buns off for the next 48 hours almost. yeeehaw (still not sure how I feel about this) so forgive me for not posting here tomorrow morning

I'm not gonna lie I've had a lot going on this morning + to top it off my little guy has a bad diaper rash, so I let him run around nakey....4 minutes later, he pooped on our dining room rug. and stepped in it--- smearing all over. freaking awesome #momfail

gahhhh!!! today can only go up from here right??!

but enough about crazy life. today I saw this awesome post by a beautiful mess blog about painting upholstered furniture + the pro's and con's. I've thought about doing this myself, so I loved being able to read what she has to say from experience

I love how honest she is about the whole process + I think it would be really fun + perfect to do to a stained accent chair you may have found for 10 bucks at the DI.

love this bold green color too!

to read entire post + tutorial click here

RH: up to 70% off + extra 10% with code

happy monday friends!!

this week is a tad crazy for me because this weekend marks my first race ever--- ragnar [wasatch back] we run from logan to park city + I'm a little nervous about it! come saturday I will have run 20+ miles in about a 24 hr period. gah!

anyway--- hope you all had a good weekend! today I found some pretty awesome stuff at Restoration Hardware, and it's all up to 70% + an extra 10% off with code: EXTRA10 only through tomorrow! so now is the time to snag something you really want, you could potentially be getting something for 80% off!!! pretty dang crazy!

here are a few of my favorite finds- click here to see the whole site

one / two / three / four / five

friday diy: framed wallpaper panel

happy friday babes!!

hope you all had a wonderful week--- today I am sharing this awesome idea from kristen at the hunted interior. she has one of my favorite design styles-- classic + chic, yet always has a little spunk in her designs + something a little unexpected.

she posted this diy framed wallpaper panel a few days ago and I love this idea! such a great alternative to expensive art panels + I love how customize-able it is.

materials needed are:

1 roll of wallpaper

paint brush

wallpaper paste

wallpaper brush/spatula

pre-cut 1/4" mdf panels

decorative trim

gold spray paint

glue

french cleats

click here for the full tutorial

seems like an easy enough project for the weekend, right?

enjoy! xo

extra 20% off already marked down items!

from now until june 23--- which is monday, you can save an extra 20% off already marked down items at west elm! save on bedding, outdoor, lighting, dining, rugs, decor + more!

use code: EXTRA20 at checkout

here are my top 10

tuesday huesday: sportin' that red, white + blue

USA -- USA -- USA!

did you not find yourself jumping up + down, cheering last night as we scored the 2nd goal---- hoping to seal the lead + win against ghana? i like the olympics, world cup, etc. because no matter your political stance, religion, thoughts + views are, it brings our entire nation together-- if only for that short time. but it seems magical to all be in support of this great nation together.

today I wanted to share some pieces I found that support that red, white + blue.

usa all the way baby.

5 ways to add mid century modern style in your home

happy monday friends!

style is a continuous cycle.

in college one of my design professors told me this + it could not be more true. whether it be in fashion, architectural design, textiles, furniture, etc. the ideas from past centuries are recycled + modernized to the present time.

welcome to 2014-- a year that is diving right back into the 1950's style of  mid century design

+ I couldn't be more happy about it.

here are 5 easy ways to add that touch of mid century into your home, without totally going back in time.

image via designshuffle.com

1. modernize your kitchen. the mid century movement was propelled by homeowners wanting to feel modern + futuristic. kitchens were meant to be the wave of the future. to replicate this look, replace curved, ornate kitchen cabinets with plain, flat wood. add sleek stainless steel or marble to countertop surfaces. for something more simple-- think about replacing your cabinet hardware to sleek bar pulls. keep the lines in your kitchen clean, simple and uncluttered. 

image via pinterest

2. bring back wood. teak, walnut, oak + rosewood. real wood used in the 50's--- bring 'em back. many retailers are catching on to this hot design style + are offering items that are affordable + made from real wood.

image via pinterest

3. mirror mirror. one of my favorite mirror designs ever-- yet again, comes from this era of time. the sunburst mirror! there are so many versions + replicas(even diy) of this beauty that we all should have one in our home.

image via imbusyprocrastinating.com

4. thrifting furniture. get your flea on! this is probably the funnest + best way to find furniture you want for the price you want as well. then you can stain/paint to achieve an updated look! not all of us can just buy whatever our heart desires from any retail store(unfortunately). just remember what you are looking for: clean lines, mid-century legs(pegs usually) + bold graphic fabrics.

image via tobifairley.com

5. one bold wall. while most walls benefit from clean white lines, a touch of glamour in a dining room can be added by simply dressing up one wall with bold, glitzy wallpaper in a graphic pattern. if you don’t like the idea of permanent wall paper, there are some options out there for temporary, easy peel off wallpapers.

friday diy: fathers day cards

happy friday friends!!

with only 2 days left until father's day--- grab your kiddos and do this fun afternoon activity of making dad a card! I'm sure it means more to dad to get a full of love, handmade card than anything store bought + it's something he will keep forever. check out these unique, easy + simple ideas for making your own card today!

button up shirt // bowtie pasta card

scratch off bowtie card // hand print football

shadow photo // m&m card

happy fathers day weekend to all the wonderful daddy's out there-- especially to my hunk of a baby daddy ;)

see you monday babes, xo

make a statement with your floor

this morning I came across this image + couldn't help but ooohhh + aahhhh over this floor!

of course I've seen herringbone before, but today it struck me that one day when we have our own home...this flooring is a must. I love wood floor + marble tiling for the bathroom + kitchen, even dining + entry areas!

personally I find herringbone pretty timeless, yes it's a bit more in your face than the standard horizontal flooring-- but I absolutely love it!

here is some inspiration for you

and look-- all you need to do is: cut your marble or wood into a brick pattern. you can use any size you'd like-- thin + long, wide + shorter, whatever you want. the herringbone look is an inexpensive way to create a high impact pattern.

herringbone + chevron are pretty similar, you may be asking yourself what is the difference? here ya go--

*all images via pinterest

what do you think? do you love it or hate it...would you ever put herringbone flooring in your home?

father's day under $100

with only 4 days left until father's day....don't worry all you procrastinator's-- I've got you covered!

below are my fave picks for dad all under $100! (hurry though, some items on sale only through today!)

dad doesn't have to have a new grill or something super extravagant, pick up any of these items and he will feel so loved!

 fathers day under $100

tuesday huesday: bring on the purp

happy tuesday!

bring on the purp! loving all shades of purple these days, especially lavender for summer. radiant orchid is the color of the year--- loving that as well! check out my picks, what do you think?

5 household chores to never skip

another post on cleaning the house....

yes. 

because keeping our homes clean is so important + something we have to keep up on  e v e r y d a y.

if you skip cleaning something one day, it just get pilled back up for the next day...filling up hours of your time instead of maybe just one hour, right?

but sometimes you just don't have time. so you need to get choosy. keep your house functioning by choosing the most important chores.

here my top 5 chores to never skip on, even when you are too busy.

1. dishes. this is my number one and probably the most hard for me. something I always tell myself after I've finished putting the dishes in the dishwasher and it took me an hour-- "next time I eat off of a plate I will put it straight into the dishwasher so this doesn't happen again." 

yet...a few days later, here are are again. 

uuuuggggghhhh. dishes are horrible and somehow grow exponentially. try to make it a habit and put them in the dishwasher as soon as you are finished (as I am trying to too)

2. make yo bed. when my bed is made I feel like the day can start off right. how annoying is it to walk into my bedroom with pillows all over the ground and the comforter half-way on the ground(very annoying). something just feels good and keeps me sane with a made bed.

3. keep counter tops clean. I get anxiety when I come home and there is trash, groceries, random paper, spills, etc. all over the kitchen counter. take a few minutes each day to clear off that space and give it a quick wipe down so you don't lay an important paper in a sticky ice cream spill on the counter. 

4. put dirty clothes in basket. almost nothing can make a room look more dirty than clothes, shoes + towels laying all over the ground. when something is dirty, throw it in a hamper and if it is clean, take a second and put it away! (something I remind my husband of almost daily;))

5. common area flooring. whether the common area in your home is carpet, hardwood, tile, etc. a nice sweep or vacuum can really help clean up your space fairly quickly. especially with young children + babies who are on the ground constantly-- keep them from eating small, random pieces of food that have been on the floor for a week.

friday diy: not your typical window treatment

happy friday babes!!

today I am excited to share this super unique idea for a window treatment/valance from at home on the bay blog. mary uses it in her kitchen, which I think is the perfect place if you happen to have a window by your sink. I love how much light it lets in, yet the valance gives it some personality.

I believe mary actually purchased this piece of wood art from an etsy shop and luckily it fit, but how easy + fun would this be to do it yourself?!

all you need is:

wood plank

paint

stencil if you need or you could freehand

just measure your window's width and how tall you want it and get going! so easy and I love the outcome. to see mary's post on the window treatment click here

enjoy your weekend friends! xo

save 20% when you spend $125

happy thursday friends!

today you can score a sweet deal on select rugs, furniture + decor pieces at target with their save 20% when you spend $125 going on right now!

+ spend $50 and get free shipping!!

here are my top picks on each category:

rugs, furniture + decor

summertime + the livin's easy??

summer has officially arrived!

with hot temperatures, sunny skies, + crazy toddlers....you may find us at the pool  e v e r y  day.

but in case we don't make it to the pool every day here are a few super cheap, fun, + easy ideas that will keep your toddlers entertained + cool during those hot days. or on those days it is too hot to be outside, a few indoor activities to keep you sane.

water painting

probably the most simple thing in the world, but how fun for your little ones to create + once their finished you literally have NO MESS to clean up! all you need is water + a paint brush. sold.

colored ice painting

another take on sidewalk chalk for summer. all you need is some fun shaped mold trays, crayola washable paint + popsicle sticks. check out the full tutorial here from playing house in maryland blog.

I spy-- neighborhood walk

this one is great for your older kids-- take a nice walk and let them fill in what they see from the printable!

grab this cute printable at mess for less blog here

mess free finger painting

on those days it is too hot to go outside...this one is for you.

all you need is paper, a ziplock bag, paint, + painters tape(probably any tape really)

and let their imaginations and hands run wild.

colorful toothpick pom poms

this one is great to help with your toddlers fine motor skills---make sure you watch them while they do this one though, because the toothpick is sharp on one end, + we don't want this ending in tears, right? all you need here is toothpicks, pom poms, hot glue + a fun activity sheet.

stir the wonder blog has a few great activity sheets here

water sponge ball

make your own balls for a water fight! all you need are new sponges, sharp scissors + dental floss. check out the tutorial from design dazzle blog here

happy summer!! good luck with your little ones, what are some of your go-to summer activities?