Think Happy

Just think lovely, wonderful, happy thoughts. 

print by maude

Inspired by Morocco

New pants from Target, new area rug from West Elm. I guess Morocco had an impression on me. 

Nothing Better...

... than fresh flowers in the house. 

Lazy Girl's DIY: Metallic Gold Splatter-Paint Balloons

I had seen this on Pinterest a while back and was eager to try it for Megan and Charles' Engagement Party. It's great if you want to do something a little more special/trendy than just latex balloons, but are on a budget. And happy to report it was even easier than it looks. 

You'll need -

• craft paint (I used a metallic gold)
• a couple paint brushes
• water
• plastic cup
• tarp or trash bags... or a patio / grass you don't mind getting a little paint on. 
• latex balloons (I ordered these from a local Party City)

Mix the paint and the water. Half and half maybe? I just guessed until I got a nice, watery texture.

Lay out your tarp / trash bags / some sort of plastic, or if you really don't care about a little paint in your grass or patio feel free to skip it.


For the balloons, I'd recommend getting latex balloons on weights, so you can fold the strings down and get them lower to the ground and not blowing around as much. Makes painting them much easier! I also splurged on the upgraded air that lasts for 24 hours, as opposed to 6 or 7. That gives you more time to get the balloons, paint them, shower to get any paint off yourself, and have the balloons dry before your event.

Then... just start painting. Use your brushes to flick paint at the balloons or drizzle it on top. Make sure you get the tops, the underside, and different angles. I did this for seriously five or ten minutes. No time at all. 

Then I just let them dry for about an hour, whisked them off the the event and let the compliments start pouring in :)

Cheers! A Wine Bar Engagement Party

Was so excited to help plan an engagement party for Megan and Charles a couple weeks ago! Put some Pinterest inspiration to good use with the cake topper, splatter-painted balloons and a wine bottle 'guest book.' I lucked out with this bottle of Falcor, too. The back of the bottle, in describing the wine, talked about how it was a classic with 'strength and longevity' that you'd be able to enjoy for years to come. Appropriate for an engagement party, no?

Party was at Sasha's on Shaw / Cake by Pint Size Bakery with a topper by michiemay paperie / Invite by Blue Bus Creatives / Banner by Cara

Have A Good One

A little Monday encouragement. Have a good week, folks. 

Lazy Girl's Craft Project: Ombre-Dyed Easter Egg

When we dyed eggs last weekend, I tried out this ombre egg design I'd seen on Pinterest. It was so easy and turned out great! And this coming from the least crafty person ever.

You'll need:

• Hard-boiled eggs, as many as you choose. (You can also hollow out your eggs by poking a hole in the bottom but that is way to advance for me.)
• Cup large enough to submerge the egg. I used a rocks glass. 
• Food coloring. (You can use the dye packets in the kits too, but I just used plain ole blue food coloring! About 10 drops.)
• White vinegar. 
• Water, in an easy-to-pour container. 
• Egg holder or whisk.
• Cookie or drying rack with newspaper underneath. 

This is literally the easiest process ever. Fill the glass with a little bit of vinegar, water and 10 or so drops of the food coloring. You need to use very little so that only the bottom of the egg is submerged.

Place the egg in the cup. This is when the egg holder (I think they usually come with the kits) or a whisk (just stick the egg inside) comes in handy. You don't want to just plop the egg down in there, because you want to keep the dye line clean. Place it in the cup very gently.... and walk away.

Seriously. Don't touch it. Don't move it around. Just let it sit for 5-10 minutes.

After some time has passed, carefully pour a little more water in the cup to raise the dye line. Let that sit for a few minutes and, you guess it, repeat again.

For the first line, I waited probably close to 10 minutes, but I didn't take as much time between the others. Usually more like 5 minutes, or when it got down to the end, it was closer to 2 minutes or just 30 seconds for the top.

Remove your egg very carefully and place on a drying rack. If you place directly in the carton or on the table, the colors are more likely to run and you'll get a little spot mark from where it was sitting.

Easter Egg Dying Party!

On Saturday, I had some of my family over to my house for an Easter Egg Dying Party! We've had a few gatherings in our house since we moved in last October (girls night and a holiday party) but this was the first time any family outside of our parents and siblings had come over. 

We decorated with Easter garland, spring flowers and Easter candy (in the bowls Kristin and Chris got me from Ben and Jerry's in Vermont!). Little ones got Easter baskets with candy, bubbles and pinwheels, and we all donned bunny ears. 

We decorated eggs with some of the traditional kits, glitter, crayons and watercolors. I even made an awesome ombre egg! My proud and joy. 

Easter Inspiration

Every year, I get together with some of my aunts and cousins to dye Easter eggs. It's fun for the little ones and I never miss a chance to prove just how not crafty I am. 

This year, I offered to host the egg dying at my house... a decision I may regret come Saturday morning. I've got a lot of cleaning and egg boiling ahead of me, but getting inspired by these sweet finds on Pinterest. 

1, 2, 3 and 4

Girls' Night In

Saturday night, I hosted a little girls' night in gathering at my house. There were flowers, cupcakes, glittered nail polish, pop music from our middle school days and of course, a viewing of Magic Mike. (There was also unexpected snow that made us cut the evening short, which sucked.) 

the bar cart, all decked out for the occassion

nail polish + magazine station! the glittered files were party favors :)

cupcakes an oatmeal pies from Pint Size Bakery! Yum!

girly snacks + girly wine + flowers + glitter

my first use of glitter nail polish since middle school. total Barbie.

Girls' Night Inspiration

images 1, 2, 3, 4 + 5, 6

This Is My Life

"It’s the oldest story in the world. One day, you’re 17 and you’re planning for someday. And then quietly, without your ever really noticing, someday is today. And then someday is yesterday. And this is your life." 

— Nathan Scott

image via DesignSponge 

Nathan Sawaya's 'Iwo Jima'

You may remember that this fall I went to see Nathan Sawaya's 'Art of the Brick' at the Magic House in St. Louis. Well, look what popped up again at the Marine Museum on our trip to DC?

Very cool.

Read more about Sawaya's work on Fast Co Create. And see the Magic House exhibit in St. Louis thru January 27th.

St. Louis Central Libary

Had the chance to visit the newly renovated Central Library over the holidays and can't wait to go back and explore more (particularly in the St. Louis room on the 3rd floor).

Decorating for the Holidays

You may recall that last year, I didn't decorate at all for the holidays. But this year, I was in my first big(ish) house, hosting my annual holiday party there, and just happened to have inherited some old holiday decorations from my Grandma. Plus, there's Pinterest.

This year, despite how stressed I was or how busy I was, I was determined to decorate our house for Christmas.

The photo on the right was Joe's Christmas present - his old house in Soulard. 

My bar cart in all its glory! Still working on stocking it with better liqour...

I spray painted some of these old decorations metallic gold to give them a more modern look.

And would you look at that, I even hung up some lights on the back porch! (Ignore the trash bags.)