Three more days!

Woah! My twin sister gets married on Saturday. I can't believe it! I am so excited to walk through this next season with her. I love married life and I know she will, too. And I absolutely love having Lauren and Evan across the street. We have already shared so many meals and played lots of games. It really is the best. 

Lauren and Evan in front of their new home: 

Ok, I am not a cat person. I am pretty allergic to them but this little cat showed up at Lauren's place the day they moved in and he is always around. We named him Tony Fiskers and he is quite possibly the most cuddly, affectionate cat I have ever met. 

I love having a pet I can play with and cuddle with and not have to feed. He is adorable. 

So this last weekend I hosted a bridal shower for Lauren. I found this lantern idea on pinterest and I thought I would share. 

Supplies needed:
-Christmas Lights

-Dixie Cups

-Scissors

-Construction Paper

-Glue/Tape

-X-acto Knife

1. Take a dixie cup apart and use it as a template to cut the construction paper out. 

2. With glue or tape, wrap the paper around the dixie cup. 

3. Using an X-acto knife, cut a little X on top of the cup. 

4. Push the Christmas lights through the cup and voila! I had about 3 lights exposed between each cup but you can cover the lights however you like. 

A few of the pretty ladies celebrating Lauren. 

The bride getting showered. 

The best key lime cupcakes ever!

Lots of yummy food and a delicious pineapple raspberry champagne punch. 

On a side note: Wahoo! Our first fall harvest. We have HUGE sweet potatoes. We will be eating these for a very long time. 

Enjoy the beginning of Fall!

Paint Chip Art

I love using paint chips for art. Every time I go into Home Depot, Lowes, or Walmart, I grab as many color swatches as I can without looking too suspicious. The best kinds are the ones that are only one color per sheet. You can do so much more with them. 

I love geometric shapes and these colors!

I incorporated pen and ink with this piece of art that I put in my office. 

Here are some other ideas from Pinterest:

You can use any type of punch for these ones, they have used hearts and butterflies. Here are some instructions. 

Bookmarks! Where I found it

Some really cool, geometric art..no instructions found.

Another great idea,make a mobile! 

Make a calendar!

Really cool stationary! I found it from an Etsy site, but they no longer sell this stationary.

I love this necklace too!

Enjoy!

My DIY Office

Visiting Orphans moved offices! I was so excited to get my own space to decorate. Now that I have a cozy space I feel like I can focus so much better! Although transition and change can be really tough, a fresh start is just as rewarding. I have definitely learned to be patient trying to figure out new phone, printer and email systems and my old computer completely died in the middle of a work day. But after 3 weeks of transition and more change than I thought I could handle, I am embracing and enjoying the this new season. It is starting to feel like the perfect "office home"!

Here are some pictures: 

Before: Grey walls and carpet

After: So much warmer with beige walls and brown carpet

I couldn't afford new furniture, so Michael and I built a bench out of some shipping pallets. 

Before stain: 

After stain: 

I made the cushion out of thrift store pillows and fabric I got while in Rwanda. 

I went to Goodwill, Ikea and Home Depot and got everything for $60. 

-3 curtains that I made into 2 massive curtains: $10

-5 frames that I spray painted black: $10

-4 pillows: $8

-Lamp: $2

-Grey Rug from Ikea: $20

-Stain for the bench: $10

I filled my frames with some art that I made and 2 beautiful photographs that Alison (from my December Africa trip) took. 

My office would not be complete without my favorite Anthropologie candle, wedding photos, and my pen holder made out of pretty fabric and a bean can!

Paint chip art! But seriously, if you want a cheap (free) and interesting medium for art, go to Home Depot, Lowes or Walmart and grab some paint chips. I am working on an entire post dedicated to paint chip art. I love using them!

Some more of my pen and ink drawings (I am a little obsessed with trees).

Side note: Happy early National Arbor Day! Every state celebrates it on different days, but the national day is tomorrow, April 27th! Michael and I will be celebrating this weekend :) I love that there is holiday dedicated to trees!

That vase will soon hold red fabric poppy flowers. 

 Thanks Urban Outfitters for my office motto :) 

 I had to combine three curtains to make one that was tall enough for the window. I love the texture of the deep purple curtain paired with the blue and brown patterned fabric.

I really like it here. 

How does your garden grow, Pt 1

So Michael and I decided to plant a vegetable garden...
Over the next few weeks and months you will get to witness what a beginner trying to garden looks like.
I had no clue so much was involved in this process. I looked at soil type, USDA hardiness zone, I had to consider rain run off in the yard, amount of sunlight, what plants need what amount room, which plants grow well together, which ones need rows and which ones need something to grow on, which ones to plant from seeds and which ones would be better to plant from an existing plant, when to transplant the seedlings, etc. So much to consider...My goal is to plant: Rosemary, basil, mint, cilantro, dill, sweet potatoes, squash and zucchini, corn, a blackberry bush, tomatoes, strawberries, red peppers, string beans, lettuce, sunflowers, marigolds, and lavender.
 Any tips you have will be much appreciated!! 

 I spent a few hours outside mapping out what I wanted it to look like. With the help of some scrap wood, sticks and yarn, I could "walk through" my future garden plot. I am visual person and I had to see what 20 feet by 12 feet looked like.

I spent hours planning and reading and researching and googling and blog reading...

 And I drew a nifty diagram with all veggies and fruit I want.

 I learned something about myself today. I don't know how to use a shovel. I was completely useless. I guess I don't have the weight to really make a difference. I broke a few blades of grass and suffered a minor injury. Oh well. So Michael dug up 10 pound clumps and I hauled them out of the garden. 6 hours of digging and lifting wore me out!! Muscles I didn't even know I had were hurting so bad!

Thankfully, Michael's parents came over and brought a second wave of energy and we managed to clear the plot before dark.

 We placed pavers and boards where they will tentatively go.

We ended the night with Lauren and Evan over for sweet potato fries and black bean quinoa burgers (like the ones at Burger Up). Delicious.
And I went to bed at 8pm. I was exhausted.

I will start my plants from seeds next week and start planting in the soil mid April. By the beginning of May I will have all the plants in the garden. Until then I will learn all I can about composting so I can have nice, rich soil by May!