May 9
I like Cetaphil and coconut oil as much as the next person. But, I don’t like chemicals in my hand cream, I dislike buying non-recyclable plastic tubes, and toting coconut oil around town when it goes from solid to liquid with a warm breeze is flirting with disaster. So, lotion bars seemed like a no-brainer to add to my ever-growing inventory of homemade beauty products.
Oct 10
Last month, my husband and I took a couple of weeks and traveled through parts of Europe that we’d been itching to see since before college graduation. After quite a bit of planning, we created an itinerary that hopped along the southern coast, starting in Istanbul and winding up in Barcelona. Our time in Istanbul was gorgeous, vibrant, entirely different from our cultural norm, and wildly inspirational. As a souvenir, we had a Turkish mosaic pendant shipped back to the US and this weekend we completed our first mini-project inspired by our trip by installing our new light in a room that desperately needed a fixture update.
Oct 3
I’m happy to report that our chicken coop has made it one step closer to becoming our 12 x 12 guesthouse/office/studio (I know, it’s a lot to fit in 144 square feet). With the interior demo completed, which you can see here and the foundation repaired by my husband and father earlier this year, the next step was to make the building slightly less of an eyesore for our poor neighbors. It was just some lattice and paint, but I learned a couple of neat things along the way, so I thought I’d share. Plus, I have a strong affinity for before and afters.
Jul 30
The privacy window I made during the bathroom mini-renovation last year (you can see that project here) has held up remarkably well. I worried a bit about peeling issues due to humidity levels inherent to bathrooms. But its stickiness hasn’t changed a bit since the day it was painstakingly applied. And, because we know that privacy and tons of natural light are not mutually exclusive, I decided to use this method again. This time I chose a simpler geometric pattern for a kitchen window that faces my driveway.
Jul 26
Recently, I surprised my husband for this birthday with a trip to Europe this September. I cannot express how happy I am that we each have extra savings accounts – I’ve been putting $10 a week aside for three years and I am so excited to use it for this adventure. Maybe you’re doing the math in your head right now and maybe you’re not, but I’ll make it easy on you and just say that this extra savings account covers our tickets, but not everything else. That’s where this little countdown project comes in. Having a visual representation of our upcoming trip will certainly help my lazy side that thinks as she saunters into kitchen, Cook? Nah, let’s order take-out or I’ll pick up coffee on the way instead decide to brew a pot and take a longer look in the pantry.
So Pretty is as Pretty Does. 