I Tricked Out an Ampersand

Ever since Max and Caroline on 2 Broke Girls bought a giant light-up arrow for their cupcake shop, I've wanted one. The light-up thing, not a cupcake shop.

I'm quite taken with the mildly obnoxious, pseudo vintage, slightly hipster vibe of it. So, I shopped around - and by "around" I mean that I sat in my bed, online browsing until 2 am - and, to my dismay, found nothing satisfying (that I was willing to pay for). Weeks passed, then months, and I was ready to settle for a life without light-up wall decor. But then I went to a Hobby Lobby, a place that EVERY person needs to experience, and found the inspiration to make my own vintagey-hipster, light-up sign!

Things you'll need:

- Tin letter/number/symbol/silhouette of your late guinea pig named Randolf/logo

- Light string(s)

- Drill

- Scrap wood

- Decent forearm strength

- Electrical tape

- Sharpie

- Sewing measuring tape

Tin symbol from Hobby Lobby: $15 (on sale)

Battery powered LED light string from Hobby Lobby: $5ish
(I used three strings of 15 lights)

 Step 1:

Start by flipping over your symbol and measuring the inner circumference. Be sure to include any holes for things like A's, B's, &'s, @'s, etc. as separate measurements.

Calculate how many lights you'll need to outline the symbol. Remember to measure how much cord is between the bulbs on your light string! With a sharpie, mark (on the back side) the spot where each light will poke out.

Step 2:

Use your scrap wood as a stable, disposable surface to drill into. Now, if you are not a drill savvy person, you'll need to acquire a drill savvy person. And - here's a free tip out of the generosity of my soul - while you have said person around, you should take the opportunity to familiarize yourself with a drill. This will add to your skill set and work towards eliminating your need of friends.*

 

Drill Master Dad making this look very easy.

Drill Apprentice Kaite using her decent forearm strength to keep the drill straight and eventually force a hole through the metal.

It is very, very important that you find the right sized drill bit for the light holes. If the holes are too big, the lights won't stay in, too small and they won't poke through. If you aren't sure what size to use, start small and then enlarge as necessary. Once you've found the perfect fit, drill through each sharpie-designated point.

Step 3:

Once you've finished drilling the holes in your symbol, you can start with the lights! Poke the lights through the holes and secure them with electrical tape.

    

Step 4:

Light 'em up!

              

               In the dark.

Not in the dark.

*Your daily dose of satire.

White Interiors

I am loving stark white interiors lately. White walls, white floors, white furniture. White everything. I am attracted to how clean and airy it looks. It has a calming effect on me. Here are some of my favorite interiors:

Here

Oh. My. Goodness. So clean and crisp. I would love to wake up in this bed every morning. Any color in this room really pops. I love the use of texture -- the wood headboard (which, btw, you can make yourself here), the quilt, the furry throw. 

Here

Even though this little corner is cluttered, it feels clean and fresh. 

Here

This room feels very open. I love how mismatched it is -- different chairs and different sized pictures. It's so individual. This dining area definitely has a personality. 

Here

Another perfect dining room. The chairs are to die for. Both styles are some of my favorites. I love the contrast of the super modern Eames chair remake with the more traditional looking wishbone chairs. The sideboard almost disappears into the wall, but it has a sheen which reflects back into the room. The black pendant draws focus to the table. 

Here

I love the huge pop of color the chairs bring. The room is still so white and airy, but the chairs add some quirk. The table is amazing. The great thing about a white interior is that you can get away with more chunky furniture without weighing down the room. And, I can't not mention the chandelier. How amazing is the geometric frame?

Here

This kitchen has a more rustic feel than some of the other rooms. The brick adds so much dimension and texture. The many uses of greenery make the room so approachable. I love the barstools. I'm a sucker for a pop of yellow. Also, they're similar to the iconic Tolix chairs that I love. 

Here

While a little darker, this kitchen is based in white. The black adds dimension, the tile backsplash adds texture, and the bronze pendant adds some glam. The Lucite chairs and stainless steel table keep the room fresh and light. 

Bright Floral Letter

I recently embarked on a total room makeover. For a long time I have wanted a large letter "M" (for Madison, of course) incorporated into my decor. I think they are so classy and are a great way to portray your style. So, I decided to couple that desire with my love for Lana Del Rey and the flower crown. The product is a super bright and springy floral M that is a new focal point in my space.

I found the tutorial for this project over at The Sassy Life. Kaite and I created the masterpiece last Saturday afternoon when we were feelin' crafty. We changed very little from the original tutorial, except the material for the letter. We couldn't find a paper maché letter anywhere in town, so we made our own out of two pieces of foam board (This isn't advisable if you can find a pre-made letter. Ours was difficult to cut out.). I also added some ribbon around the edges, since they were not smooth.

I bought a lot of faux flowers. A lot. 

The next thing we had to do, of course, was take a bunch of photos of ourselves with the flowers. We had to get our money's worth, right?

  

Kaite's beautiful letter design.

So many flowers! Designing the layout was the best part.

Finished product. So cute!

Placed it on my desk. A cute backdrop for when I'm studying!

I think this project turned out pretty well! It looks so good! The best part is, it wasn't too difficult. It took us a good 3 hours, but the results are amazing and totally worth it. The whole project was under $50. That's still a pretty steep price, but fake flowers are expensive! I love having something that looks so bright and alive. Even though the flowers are fake, it's like bringing the beautiful outdoors inside. The best part is, the flowers will last year round! I have fallen in love with this project.