Happy Belated!

The original plan was to have an adorable outfit post today, but Di's hot water tank exploded. So between cleaning out a wet basement and making Home Depot runs, cute outfits just didn't happen. 

I decided this would be a good oppurtunity to share some fun pictures from my birthday that I have been lazy about putting up (FYI my birthday was in March.) 

It was my 25th birthday so I decided to pretend I was 11 again and have a rollerskating themed birthday party at a local rink followed by pizza at my apartment.  It turned out pretty awesome because roller skating and pizza just never get old.  My only complaint was that the DJ didn't have the Jock Jams or Space Jam cds available but you can't win 'em all. 

Di and I drafted up this cake idea! 

Learn how to make cool multi-colored cupcakes here

Skate Shot

Di and I with our lovely big brother, Jeff.

Mandatory Group Photo

Some days I feel like the luckiest girl in the world and this was one of those days.

-Ash

Hello Weekend

Striped turtleneck: Gap, Skirt-cardigan-belt: thrifted, Heels:Charlotte Russe

This week has been incredibly long which makes me even more excited for Friday.  The good news is school is almost done for the semester and it looks likes I got a 4.0 (queue fist pump,-happy dance.)  The bad news is I have to take summer classes and will be at school until 10 pm every night.  I am trying to stay optimistic and do a ton of projects around the house before my life goes into overdrive.  So hopefully next week I will have fun pictures of terrariums and lampshades and an awesome chandelier makeover, until then have a great weekend!

Wednesday

Top: F21, Belt: Kmart, Jeans: JCREW, Flats: Payless

 

Buffalo lost the hockey playoffs last night so everybody in the city is acting dreary.  I ,however, have decided that today is going to be a great day!  It is warm and sunny outside (68 degrees!) Plus I have a bike at home waiting for me and a killer banana cream pie recipe to try out.  Now those are some fixins' for a good evening!   I am going to keep this short and sweet; go outside and enjoy the weather!

-Ash

Before & After: DiE's Bathroom

It still needs a few touch up but here's a look at my much improved bathroom.

This was the original color palette, green & pink wallpaper with aqua trim.

If you saw this then you remember the layers of peeling paper that covered the walls.

Before Picture: from the doorway

After: From the door

Before: Sink Area

After: Sink Area

After: Sink Area. 

Before: Toilet... just because they existed in outhouses does not mean that wooden toilet seats should've ever be carried over to interior plumbing.

After: $6 toilet seat from Target = so much better.

Before: Cabinet above Toilet

After: Cabinet above Toilet

After

After

After: Both Pictures (this and the one above the cabinet) are skulls that actually show scenes of people when you look up close.

In keeping with the skull theme i got this skull planter at Target from the Halloween clearance merchandise.  I use it for magazines and Anthropologie catalogs

After: I love claw foot bathtubs!!!  Check out the transformation here.

After: This hangs above the sink.  It's a vintage train sign that I stole from an Ex-boyfriend.  Some things are just worth keeping around.

The day after i finished the bathroom I heard that Wiz Khalifa "Black & Yellow" song on the radio and the Steelers got into the Superbowl... Coincidence?

-DiE.

Just Another Manic Monday

Blouse and Cardigan: F21, Pants: H&M, Peep Toe Wedges: Target

 Happy Dyngus Day!  I am not Polish but in Buffalo everyone celebrates Dyngus day.  People from all around the country come here to get in on the polish festivities; it is a pretty big deal.  So while I am studying muscles and doing school work all of my friends will be pigging out on pierogies and dancing Polka. Oh how I can't wait to be done with school.

On a happier note: Do you like my new trousers?  Di and I went to NYC a few weeks ago and I bought these at our mandatory H&M stop.  I was looking for a pair of wide leg trousers for a while and these fit the bill perfectly.  The only issue is that you have to wear wide leg pants with heels or you run the risk of looking 10 lbs heavier than you actually are.  So I took the one day without snow (yes I said snow...that is Buffalo for you) and rain to rock this outfit.

I also wore one of my favorite things in the whole world which is my elephant bracelet that I scored at the flea market 3 summers ago for $3.  I have a thing for quirky jewelry so when I saw this adorable elephant charm with a head far too big for its body I knew I had to take him home.

Have a stellar Monday!

-Ash

You've Got Table

I scored these vintage mailboxes at a fle market and have been trying to figure out how to use them.  I finally settled on turning them into a side table.

I found this salvaged church pew seat at Buffalo ReUse for just $2 to use for a table top.

Starting Point.  Notice the top of the pew seat has been cracked.

First I cut of the cracked part of the pew seat

Then I had to strip the paint buy using a citrus stripper (can be found in the paint section of any hardware store).  Quick Tip: When using a striiper like this I add cling wrap so that I can peel the paint off with the wrap... it's cleaner that way.

Once the paint was off I sanded the wood lightly and added a coat of stain.  Darker stains will pick up the imperfections in the wood but that is the look i was going for here.

I finished the table by adding 2 coats of clear spray paint to seal the top and then added it to the mailboxes

The Finished Product

 

I just decorated it with Murph's cookie (treat) jar that I got from a flea market & an Anthropologie tea towel that Ash got for me

I really like how it came out.  Now I just have to match the 30 mailbox keys up to the correct mailboxes.        

-DiE.

He's always protecting his treat jar.

Like So Many Great Ones Before Me.....

I will carry the torch of Orange hair with honor & glory!!!

Me: Far Right

Have a Great Day.

-DiE.

Playing with the Pup

It's Sunday so of course I'm devoting copious amounts of time to doing nothing and relaxing in my pajamas.  I looking forward to sleeping in for but as usual Murph was up at 7:00 am ready to get cuddled so I decided to embark (no pun intended) on a quick project to keep him busy while I nap my day away.

I have approximately 10 of these fleece blankets that didn't make it through Murph's teething phase.

These are the 3 that I used today.  First I just cut the blankets into long strips.

Then I took the strips and using a tennis ball as the center, I knotted & braided the strips around the ball.

This is the Result:  Fleece Octopus

Murph loves it and I get to nap.  The perfect Sunday is underway. 

-DiE.

427 Staples, 1 Hallway.

Today I added the final coat of tung oil to the hardwood floors in what used to be my carpeted hallway (Pause for Self Provided Applause and Various Over Exaggerated Sighs of Relief).

Before

After

Confession Time People:  Previously Lived On Carpet Scares Me.

You never know what people (or peoples cats) do to carpets when they know that they can pack up and sell that carpet to unknowing sisters just looking for a place to call home.  Luckily for Ash, she has an apartment full of refinished hardwood floors.  I however, got the lower half of the deal (Please note my awful bottom unit joke right there... pity laughter is accepted) and have 2 bedrooms and one long hallway of beige terror shag.

Before: Beige Terror Shag

After: Serene & Clean Hardwood

The people who installed that beige carpet must have really thought that the DMV carpet trend was here to stay because they used 427 staples to assure that no future homeowners would try and free it.  Oh and I should mention that those staples were in addition to the tack strips that were used to nail the carpet down on all sides and at every door way.  I guess I should be happy that I only have 7 doorways leading into that one hall.  Nothing myself, some needle nose pliers, and 11 hours of my time couldn't handle.

Staple Cluster of Despair with Foam Underpad

Before the Tung Oil but After the Staple Removal... don't my pliers look exhausted from being over worked?

Many Coats of Tung Oil and Several Days of My Life Later. 

 So I ripped out the carpet, pulled out all the nails and staples, and have been adding coat after coat of tung oil until today, the day when I woke up, looked at the floor & decided that it was done.

Now I only have 2 carpeted bedrooms left to tackle.

-DiE.