Friday, May 31

Gold Geometric Coasters

Sometimes craft ideas stay stuck in my head for months before I actually get around to doing them. This is one of those projects... It's a super simple DIY using the same Pebeo Porcelaine 150 paint that I used on my gold dipped Patrรณn bottles, and unbelievably cheap tiles from the hardware store... I'm all about the bargains these days. ;) 

Check out my how-to & more photos over at ThinkCrafts and be sure to say hello from over here!

What have you been making lately? I have not been reading nearly enough blogs lately, so leave me a link & I'll be sure to check out your latest projects! :) 

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Saturday, May 25

Crafty Chicks I Dig: Tania of Little Things Blogged


I'm back with another of my favorite crafty ladies, folks! Meet Tania, the crochet genius behind Little Things Blogged and HandMadeBox. You may remember her from the Kokeshi Doll pattern test I did for her a while back. She makes the CUTEST, most adorable little plushies I've ever seen. AND she poses them in the sweetest scenes for her photographs. She posts free patterns to her blog pretty regularly, and is always gathering up some awesome crochet goodies and projects from around the interwebs. CHECK. IT. OUT. ;)

I interviewed Tania for my Crafty Chicks series. I've included her answers and some of my favorite projects of hers for all of you!

1. Girrrrl, how'd you get so crafty?
I practically started crocheting as I wanted to find myself a new hobby. I started making easy projects like scarfes etc, up until I somehow got the hang of how to hold my hook and yarn and then started experimenting with other techniques and projects like amigurumi.

At present, I'm literally addicted to crocheting. You can find me crocheting almost during any time of the day! I think it is a way of relaxing to me.


2. What is your favorite crafty technique or whatever?
My favorite technique would be amigurumi. I love creating amigurumi projects and toys

3. What project(s) are you most proud of?
That would be my amigurumi monkey, my kokeshi dolls and my crochet cake!


4. How do you break out of a creative block?
Hm, that's a difficult question. But to be honest, I've never been stuck in a creative block, because I've got far too many projects in my mind I want to start or complete, that there is no time to get stuck in a block!;) I started writing my projects down in order to keep my thoughts organized. Nonetheless if that was the case, I'd definitely take a time out for a while, would do other things in order for the creativity to emerge again. And the most important thing, creativity can be found anywhere! ;)

5. Where do you most love to create?
Haha, at my home! I'm not confident enough to crochet in public yet, that is!


Be sure to swing by Tania's blog and say hello! She is such a doll, and her projects really are the cutest (obviouslyyy)!

Who are some of your favorite crafty chicks? I'm always looking for new blogging idols! :)

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Friday, May 24

Summer Lovin', Havin a Blast


I love summer. I love it SOOO much. I never cared much for summer growing up, but with each passing year, I grow fonder and fonder of the intense sun and heat. This is the first year that I've actually noticed some color in my skin, too. Typically I'm as pale as they come and all I do is burn. But this year? I'm turning a nice toasty color (that's probably only noticeable to me, ha). And since I'm plenty confident in myself at this point in my life, I'm just living in drapes skirts, dresses, and other attire that shows some skin, and it is the besssst. We've had a few days in the upper 80's and one day that was over 90, and I just soaked up that heat like a sun worshiper. I am loving feeling like I'm in an oven. ;) 

Another thing I love about summer? All my beautiful friends come home to visit at least for a little while and we just have the best time. I'm at this age where all my closest friends have moved or are moving out of state and are becoming successful adults (jealous). Plus summer is this time when everyone hangs out outside and you meet all these new people who you probably won't see much outside of summer (or at least that's how things seem to go for me). 

With all this life being lived in the summer, blogging and crafting has admittedly take more of a back burner as of late. Plus, crocheting in the summer always feels weird (wool & heat?). ;) So I'm still here, still crafting, just a little less presently. Also I'm taking two six-week classes which means twelve hours of class a week and a LOT of homework. Also I'm moving soon. So much going on, readers!! 

What's going on in your world? How is your summer going? Are you loving the heat as much as I am?

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Tuesday, May 21

Spoke Mandala: Attempt 2


As promised, I am back with my Spoke Mandala #2! But actually, this was my first one. But Scotty said my colors were boring! Boys... Truth be told, I'm a simple kind of girl. I like a clean and somewhat modern aesthetic, with bold but few colors. So this is more my style than the rainbow version.


Still not sure what I'll do with these, but I love 'em. I am thinking of altering the pattern into coaster size somehow, but we shall see. Any ideas for practical uses? :)

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Wednesday, May 15

Crafty Chicks I Dig: Erica of Caught on a Whim

One of my favorite things about the blog world is finding and connecting with crafty chicks like Miss Erica from her blog, Caught on a Whim. In case you don't already know, this girl makes the coolest stuff. And like, so much stuff. Like that top she's rocking in the above photo? Totally crocheted that "love" embellishment and added it herself. Homegirl is a DIY princess. ;) 

I wrote to Erica about participating in an interview for my little bloggy here, and she happily agreed. Here's what she had to say below, and I've included some photos of my favorite DIY projects from her blog! Check out her DIY Gallery for links and more projects. :)


1. Girrrrl, how'd you get so crafty?
Gosh, I've been making things for as long as I can remember. I've pretty much always had a creative side. Growing up I was always painting, drawing or making collages. I just never grew out of it! Lately my crafty passions are crochet, creating quirky accessories and my new found hobby of sewing.

2. What is your favorite crafty technique or whatever?
Crochet is a long time crafty love of mine. What I love most about it is that it is so portable. You can easily keep a ball of yarn and a crochet hook in your bag and then you're set to be crafty no matter where you are! I can sit on the couch, lounge outside, or take a project with me to the park. You can crochet pretty much anywhere.




3. What project(s) are you most proud of?
I'm completely smitten with my nerdy chic book clutch. It is such a quirky and fun accessory. I get lots of compliments on it. I'm hoping to make a different version soon to incorporate some new fancy details that I've been dreaming up. Right now, I'm still brainstorming how to make it...

4. How do you break out of a creative block?
A lot of times I experience a creative block when I try to push myself too hard. Usually if I'm stumped on what I want to do I simply take a break from it. I go for a walk with my pups, cook something yummy, watch a movie, or whatever I need to do to clear my mind. Then, when I want to get back to working on projects, I'm usually refreshed and full of great ideas.


5. Where do you most love to create?
Right now, I'm turning our spare room into a creative space for myself. Here's a little peak inside. It's great to have a place to call my own. I can make epic crafty messes and not worry about them taking over the house anymore!  ;)



On her blog, Erica writes about her crafty adventures and her wonderful life with her adorable pups (aww). She's also one of the nicest bloggers I've come across, so be sure to stop by and say hello from over here at mon makes things! I'm sure she'd love to here from you! 

I'm starting a new series about all the crafty chicks I dig, so stay tuned for more interviews!


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Monday, May 13

Spoke Mandala: Attempt 1

Look guys! I made something! When Wink posted her Spoke Mandala pattern, I was completely smitten and began creating my own immediately. I made two, so here is one attempt... 

Wink uses the most beautiful color combos, I swear... Mine are no where near as lovely, but  I still love the pattern too much to really care, ha! The pattern was a LOT easier than I anticipated. Give it a try, even if you're a crochet newbie! 

Boyfriend keeps asking me what I'm going to do with my new mandalas, and I really have no idea... The joy is in the making, people. ;) 

I'll be back with my second attempt soon!

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Sunday, May 12

(more) Hawaii ♥

Hawaii is beautiful. To read more about my trip, see my last post, Hawaii in Instagrams

p.s. My buddy Jake pictured above is single, ladies... Any takers? ;) 

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Wednesday, May 8

Hawaii in Instagrams!

Well, (sadly) I am finally back in Michigan. Okay, just kidding, I am glad to be home sort of, hah! But Hawaii is so beautiful! Here is my attempt at sharing paradise with you, through a lot of selfies and Instagram filters. I've got more photos to come, but here is an overview!

I had never changed planes before (spoiled), and I literally had to run to my connection in LA and still almost missed it, so I was pretty stoked when my luggage made it to Hawaii along with me. I arrived in the afternoon, so we grabbed dinner by the beach, yumm... Then I passed out real early because there is a 6 hour time difference. ;) My first day, we shopped for bedding and food, and then we CLIMBED A MOUNTAIN. Okay, this was kind of a weak mountain. It was really just a paved uphile, mile-long path. But it ended with beautiful views! The pics above are me at the top of the mountain and my buddy Jake and I walking down the mountain. The next night we listened to a local reggae artist at an Irish pub (what) and drank some whiskey. I took a selfie beforehand because I felt real cute. Ya know what I mean? Pahaha...

I had never been snorkeling before, and Jake is in the Coast Guard. So homeboy can swim, and loves to snorkel. We went snorkeling in Hanauma Bay, which is beautiful, but I looked like a floundering fool trying to snorkel while battling the waves. BUT LOOK HOW PRETTY! (That's the first pic here.) I mostly laid on the beach, toes in the sand, trying to soak up some sun and stop being the palest person on the whole island. At one point, we stopped at a scenic overlook along the highway, the Pali Lookout, but it was raining so we didn't stay long. Also, I discovered how delicious macadamia nuts are -- YUMMM... One grocery store had an entire aisle and a half devoted to solely macadamia nuts... I am addicted.

Our second hike was through the JUNGLE. We hiked out to Maunawill Falls, which seems to be more of a local-secret kind of a hike than the others. The trail was pretty muddy and took a good amount of concentration to ensure that you weren't going to lose your footing or twist your ankle. It was about a mile and a half out to the falls, up and down hill, over the stream a few times, jumping across rocks, and avoiding slippery tree roots, and culminated in a beautiful waterfall and swimming hole. There was a sausage fest of military dudes at the swimming hole when we got there, all trying to out do each other in terms of epic jumps... You could climb up to almost 60 feet above the water and jump off a cliff or swing off a vine into the water (whaaaat, crazies...) We got a lot of bug bites and really muddy shoes...but neither of us slipped once!

Jake had to work the last few days I was on the island, so he put me up in a military hotel, the Hale Koa, in downtown Waikiki. The second and third photos are views from my hotel room balcony, and the fourth is a banyan tree in the hotel's courtyard (such cool trees, seriously).

We went to the hotel's luau one night and ate DELICIOUS food, oh my gosh. I'm not even that into pork, but I looooove kalua pork. Good grief, so tasty. When Jake was at work, I drank a lot of mai tais and Malibu by the pool, trying desperately to be less pale. But I also used 70 SPF because I burn and am terrified of skin cancer. I still burnt my shins, oops... When he got off work we chased the sunset up to the North Shore (where I took this palm tree photo), but it was really cloudy, so it wasn't the BEST sunset I've ever seen...

Jake has been revisiting the emo music we used to jam to in high school, so he dragged me to a Circa Survive concert one night, where I got beer spilled down my legs and my toes crushed by enthused moshing teenagers, hah. I took one last photo of downtown Waikiki from my balcony before checking out of the hotel, and we climbed one more mountain before I went to the airport. Look at those baby cacti! This mountain was a bit scarier, but soooo pretty and definitely my favorite. It was really dry and gravely, so I slipped on the way down and scraped up my legs. I'm pretty tough though, if I do say so myself, so I totally laughed off my bruised bottom and bleeding calves, hah. ;) The last photo is another photo of the plant life at the top of the mountain, with the town below in the background.

There's more photos to come -- with less narration!! What have you been up to these past few weeks? I'd love to hear about it!

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Wednesday, May 1

Paint Chip Bunting

I love paint chips. THEY'RE FREE. And so pretty. Am I right? 

I had been in a creative rut for a while, and this project idea hit me like a ton-a-bricks. Love that. So I made some bunting with paint swatches and mini-popsicle sticks! 

Check out my tutorial over on ThinkCrafts for the details. It's a super easy project, and totally customizable. How cute would this be for a party?!

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