Everyone's talking about costume parties and thriller flicks, but even as an adult I know Halloween is all about the candy. I wanted to make a spooky treat that was different than the usual mix of fun candies and white chocolate - I wanted something... darker. With bloody red candy melts and dark chocolate chips, this Halloween bark is sure to hit the darkest of spots.
Succulents are awesome. I don't have the best luck with keeping indoor plants healthy (or alive), but succulents seem to always have my back. They're hardy, they don't mind if you forget to water them for a few days, and they don't require a ton of maintenance. Plus they are just adorable. Additionally, they are also easy to fill your home with for almost no extra cost. All it takes is a little propagation; as in, you can regrow succulents from existing leaves (magic, right?).
Several years ago I had the displeasure of babysitting model homes. You know the drill. ‘Welcome to (insert name of development here). This is the (insert name of the home plan here).’ After six hour days of the same spiel over and over and over, I started to lose it. I had to find ways to entertain myself, so I began keeping a running total in my head as to how many people had complementary remarks about the furniture, the cabinetry, the flo...
I have boxes upon boxes of Christmas decor, but do you know what I always wish I had more of? Halloween decorations! Most of the spooky decor associated with this ghoulish of holidays doesn't last for more than one season (I'm talking to you, weird bag of spider webs!). Rather than buying stuff to throw it away on November 1st, I wanted to make something I can decorate with this year and the years after. Boosting your own stash of spooky decor is easy enough - keep reading to see how I made these glossy bookends from wood, spray paint, and spooky bobbles.
If you're sitting at your laptop right now, I want you to look down at your keyboard. Get really close. Close enough so you can take a peek under the keys. Now look at the screen. Move from side to side to get different angles. How's it looking? If your computer is like mine was before I cleaned it, then you're probably noticing a bunch of greasy fingerprints mixed with crumbs from lunches past. Real talk: When was the last time you actually cleaned your laptop? There's no shame if the answer is "never," and luckily it's a pretty quick clean. If your QWERTY is crusty, keep reading to learn how to clean your laptop at practically no cost.
Occasionally you won't notice how dirty something in your house is until it's that dirt is called out. You drop something under your couch and discover a gang of dust bunnies living underneath. You throw open your curtains and find yourself in a front-row seat to a dust dance-off floating right in front of your face. Since it's spring cleaning season, now is as good a time as any to tackle those forgotten areas of your home. And don't feel...
Do you remember this joke?: April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring? The answer is "pilgrims" for those of you skipped the third grade. Cue eye roll. Anyway - we are headed right into the rainy season as March comes to a close and winter is finally releasing its chilly, chilly grasp. It's finally time to break out the umbrellas and rain boots! Keep reading to see how to make your rain gear more personal by DIY-ing this painted umbrella (P.S. it's totally waterproof, too!).
I think we can all agree that moon phases continue to be all the rage. Not wanting to pass up on this bohemian trend, I brought moon symbols into my home with a lunar wind chime - keep reading to see how!
We're getting to that time of year where two different things are happening: parties are picking up, and the cold weather is forcing us to spend more time indoors. So... basically the perfect combination for some cozy aromatherapy! The fall season has so many distinct smells associated with it - like crisp winds, earthy leaves, fresh rain - and one of the most recognizable scent combinations is that of mulling spices. Whether you have a dinner party coming up, or simply want to flood your home with the scents of the season, this quick fall simmer pot is sure to do the trick.
Cleaning hacks. They're everywhere on Pinterest, and they all claim to be the answer to your toughest, messiest dilemmas. But are they really? I tested 10 hacks in my own house and here's what I found out.
More and more I find myself opting for greener products in my home. Call me a hippie (you're a hippie!), but I just don't want all that toxic chemical junk around me. I've successfully transitioned all my cleaning products to eco-friendly versions, and I'm now dipping my toes in the realm of homemade cleaners. If you've made your own cleansing sprays before, you know the main ingredient is almost always vinegar. I love the cleaning power of vinegar, but hate the smell. Doesn't it just remind you of decorating Easter eggs? This recipe for all-natural wood cleaner doesn't have that overpowering vinegar aroma. Instead, is has a light lemon scent. And I have to say, it's a crazy-pleasant smell. Like I kind of want to wear it as a perfume.
This cleaner is easy to make. Simply combine all ingredients in a large bottle, and shake it up! I opted not to use a spray bottle, and instead I'm keeping mine in a simple amber one. The reason is that I've found when I make all-natural cleaners, the sprayer tends to clog up and break. If anyone has any tips to prevent this from happening, let me know in the comments please!
To use this all-natural wood cleaner, distribute a little bit of the solution on a soft cloth, and wipe wood surfaces clean.
This wood cleaning solution is more about getting rid of dirt, and less about polishing. This makes it great for cleaning floors, dishes, or wood surfaces you eat off of or prepare food on. If you're looking to make a cleaner with a little more polishing power, add a tablespoon of olive oil to this mixture.
In case you're curious what each ingredient is for, here's the breakdown: The water is essentially the carrier. The vinegar is the cleansing agent. The vegetable glycerin helps the solution dry faster, and the lemon oil is there to smell amazing.
Happy cleaning!
I've been on a green-cleaning kick lately. By "green" I mean natural, but also "green" as in money-saving! While paying four or five dollars for a bottle of cleaner might not feel like a big deal, it is when you consider how easy it is to create a similarly effective cleanser for a few cents a bottle. In an effort to convert all my cleansing products to homemade, I've recently whipped up a batch of homemade window cleaner that works just as well as the store-bought variety, and without streaking!
While I’m a firm believer that everyone is creative, I understand that many people aren't comfortable with the idea of painting or drawing their own wall art. Heck, I’ve worked with paint all my life and sometimes I still don’t feel completely at ease with a paintbrush in hand!
The wonderful thing about art is that you can make it out of pretty much anything. So if you're looking for a way to decorate your walls, instead of going down...
I'm all about pastels right now, and I suspect we'll be seeing even more pastels while spring is in bloom. To create the pastel paradise I want for Easter, I felt I needed pastel colored fabric napkins. Since I wanted to learn more about natural dyes, I searched for ways to dye fabric with traditional household items in order to achieve my pastel color palette. I decided to experiment with a few different ingredients, and ultimately, red...
Spring is right around the corner, even if it doesn't feel like it quite yet... but to get you in the mood, I designed a floral printable coloring page to usher in the next season. And it will look great on your wall if you pop it in a frame. Click through to download the file.