For Halloween, I'm dressing up as someone who is on vacation and can eat copious amounts of candy without gaining any weight.  That's what Halloween is all about right? Pretending to be something you're not. Tonight, I'm giving you pretty pictures of places I want to visit because I'm bone tired and like I said, I'm dressing up as someone who is on vacation. If you live on the eastern seaboard, let's be honest, vacation sounds pretty good right about now. We just dealt with Sandy and its only going to get colder and Lord knows what the winter is going to be like this year!

Curacao

Antigua

Maldives

Bermuda

Bora Bora



So dolls, I think its safe to say I would like to travel to a beach. Tell me, what did you dress up as this year and where are you dreaming about going??

Hurricane Sandy Day

image via

As I'm sure you've heard, the East Coast is bracing for a huge storm that is supposed to be of epic proportions. Its pretty bad out right now but apparently its going to really hit us between 5pm and 2am. I'm taking the opportunity for some QT with the husband and puppy today as we are both off of work! Planning on eating some not so healthy food and watching Homeland (so good!) 

I hope everyone in the path of the storm stays safe and dry!

My Very First Ikea Hack

I'm not sure if you've heard but you can buy cheap Ikea furniture, paint it, add some knobs and voila it looks like you spent more than $35 on a bedside table! I know, I know you're shocked. If you haven't had enough of the Ikea hacks floating around the internet, I'm here to bring you one more. It is not an original idea. I'd seen plenty of Ikea hacks and knew I would follow suit for the new house but wasn't totally sure what I would do until I saw Kirsten Krason's (of 6th Street Design School) take on the Ikea Rast dresser from a model home master bedroom she recently designed. I absolutely love her version of the Ikea Rast! 

Here is her version:

(Jylare Smith Photography via 6th Street Design School)

Here is what I started with (please excuse the crappy phone pics I  started to put this post together after a few glasses of wine last night, at which point I considered using my DSLR to be operating heavy machinery):

Kilz 2 Latex Primer and Behr Premium Plus Interior/Exterior Hi-Gloss Enamel Medium Base in some color like Serious White or Super Bright White, I honestly can't remember. Also, sorry for not taking a pic of this stuff before I used it. The links should clarify what the stuff looks like. Amateur blogger, right here.

Untouched and ready to be painted Ikea Rast dresser. Yes, that is a strapless bra on my dresser. Among other things. 

 Here is my end result:

Ta-da! Hardware from Lee Valley Tools

 I read a couple of different blog posts about painting Ikea Rast dressers. Some people primed it, some didn't. In the end, I decided to prime it because I wanted the dressers to look nice and was worried about the paint seeping right into the wood.  Some people chose to put a top coat on, which I decided against and instead used a durable paint that will wipe off easily.

I'm still waiting on these to be delivered, at which point I will spray paint them either Orange of Navy Blue, still undecided:

DeeDee Overlays from O'verlays by Danike & Cheryle LLC


As you can see, I copied Kirsten's design completely with the exception of the colors. I'm so glad creative people like her exist on the interwebz because I never could of come up with this myself. I would like to tell everyone out there who is scared of this type of thing, don't be. I was worried I was going to royally screw it and decided to just go for it. It was super easy and I'm really pleased with the end result. Once the house is semi-finished I will put up pictures that I take with my real camera!

So tell me, have you hacked an Ikea piece recently or planning on it?

Happy Friday!

Happy Friday, friends! I am thankfully off work today and have a full day of errands and such ahead of me but wanted to stop by and say hi! Life has been busy (with a side of family drama, both good and not so good, thrown in for good measure!) which has kept me away from the blog but hoping to get back soon! I hope you all have a lovely weekend ahead of you, I'm looking forward to relaxing and dinner with good friends!

Getting It Right

Have you all seen the Google Chrome commercial, "Jess Time"? It had me in tears when I saw it for the first time last night. I think it is great that they highlighted the relationship between fathers and daughters. I personally think my father is the greatest in the world and we have a fantastic relationship. There is a huge emphasis on the mother/child relationship in advertising and while that is obviously an incredibly important relationship, dads need credit too! 

Watch below and try not to cry!

Currently Inspired By, Loving, & Coveting

With the move to the new house, the beginning of fall, and the start of a new month, I'm feeling inspired by lots of new things to buy, do, see, try, add to my house/wardrobe/life, etc.  This is including but not limited to the following:

This delightful sangria recipe. I'm hosting a small get together for my future sister-in-law in two weeks and I think this will be the perfect fall drink (I'll add a brown sugar rim!)

Anthropologie Flutter Pattern Rug for the dining room. Sadly, this is out of my price range. Sigh.

Rugs USA Tuscan Moroccan Shag Rug for the living room. This is in my price range but indefinitely out of stock it seems.

I order these throw pillow covers for the living room couches from Whitlock&Co. on Etsy. Can't wait til they get here!

Free People Ash Destroyer Boots in Brown. I need these like I need a venereal disease considering I have vintage Frye boots and another pair of boots with a zipper back already. But I just can't get enough of boots with zippers + tall socks.

I think this outfit is so chic and would love to recreate it. I ordered another pair of J. Crew Minnie pants in hopes that I can recreate this am on the hunt for a similar top.

Fall colors, cooler weather. I really hope the husband and I can get in some outdoor hiking time with the pup this fall. Last year, she was just a tad too little but I think this year she would love it. (source)

 

This is something I'm really trying to work on this fall. I spend far too much time doing things that don't necessarily make me happy. I need to do more of the things that do make me happy. Like reading, and hot yoga, and running, and cooking.

What are you inspired by/loving/coveting currently?