Summer.

It's been awhile since my last post....my apologies!  I PROMISE to get better at it!  Well, now that summertime is in full force, I am excited to enjoy some fun in the sun and write about it all!  Can't wait to start rockin' my favorite summer frocks and get my feet wet as I head to the beach!  To be honest, I haven't really taken advantage of the beach yet.  Perhaps now that the husband is done with his school year, we can find time to hit the beach and take a stroll/run along the strand....like ol' times!  But I must say that it's been quite a year for my husband.  He's a teacher (if I haven't already mentioned that).  The kids call him Mr. Dan and during my visit to his classroom this last month, I shot a picture of this neat poster one of his kids drew for him.  I found it very fitting to summer....let the sun shine on!  

Woman Cave.

Every man needs their own MAN space (aka the "MAN CAVE").  That grants that every woman needs their own "WOMAN CAVE", right?  After looking at numerous home decor blogs, I've been so inspired and wanted to take on a project of my own....a small one, of course!  My first attempt was to create a craft/work room using a former storage room (within our laundry room).  This little nook would be a place where I can store all my crafty items (wrapping paper, ribbons, scrapbooking supplies, etc.).  With just a little bit of fresh paint on the walls, furnishings and accessories, you will see the project unfold... 

Laundry Room

The soon to be "WOMAN CAVE"

Oh how I love Craigslist!!!  I have been searching for a small, basic wooden desk and one day stumbled upon this lovely desk...for a mere $25!  For some, it may look like a ratty hunk of junk, but with just a little TLC, I saw potential!

With just a little bit of sanding, a fresh coat of paint and a knob change, it felt brand new!

The base of the desk was painted with glossy white paint.  The shelf was painted cherry red....just enough pop to make this room cheerful!  The rusty knobs were easily replaced with mid-century inspired ones I purchased at a local hardware store.

On the RIGHT side of the room, I pulled together all the images from our engagement shoot (shot by Max Wanger).  I hung everything with some twine I had.  I also FINALLY found a home for the Paul Frank clock I purchased from the Paul Frank warehouse sale YEARS ago.  

On the LEFT side of the room, I housed my Dee & Lala wood prints that I purchased from the Unique LA show last year.  I have been searching for the right home for these two prints and was so excited when these finally went up on the wall.  Below, I hung two red shelving units to place my Jeero Uglydolls and miscellaneous items.  

Immediately under the red shelving unit, I hung up my Washi tape collection.  For those that understand Washi tape knows that they need to be properly displayed.  To be honest, I found it foolish to spend $40 for a washi tape dispenser.  Instead, I came up with the solution of using a curtain rod that I purchased for a mere $5.  I sorted the Washi tape by color, so as my collection grows, it'll soon be a rainbow of colors.  The great thing about using this curtain rod was that it extends up to 40", so I don't foresee any issues with limited space.  This is an affordable solution for those that have an ever-growing collection of Washi tape or perhaps wants to start one!

Like washi tape, I believe that wrapping paper should also be displayed.  With all the fun colors and patterns, it must not be neglected.  But the tricky thing is that you don't want to have them wadded up and get wrinkled.  I'm a nut for wrapping paper and find any occasion to use it.  My solution was to purchase a plastic trash can that was deep enough to keep the rolls from standing upright.   I wrapped each roll with a rubber band to avoid unraveling and the end result is a neat and tidy collection of wrapping paper tucked perfectly in the corner of the room.

On the CENTER of the wall, I hung two shelving units.  The red shelving unit houses books and photo albums, along with a trio of hat boxes (purchased from IKEA) filled with ribbons, bows and gift tags.  The blue shelving unit was painted blue (originally a birch color) that I purchased for under $5.  I LOVE IKEA for select items.  This shelf was the perfect size for storing my glass bottles of rubber bands, pins and paper clips.  

I utilized every square inch of this room, including the door.  I purchased a contraption that allows you to store an iron and the ironing board.  Iron not pictured below, but it is to be hung on top.

Within a matter of days, this neglected area of our house was transformed from a drab storage room to my own hidden "WOMAN CAVE".  Check out the before and after:

  

I'm ready to begin my next project.  I'd love to see what you've been doing around the house!

  

Sanrio: Small Gift, BIG Smile.

A flashback to the past.  The Sanrio's 50th celebration has arrived.  The event kicked off on November 11th at the Barker Hanger in Santa Monica, CA.  I had the pleasure to attend this event before the general public.  It was truly a flashback to the past and I was taking EVERY minute of it.  I LOVED IT ALL and I am sure if you went, you would too!

Great eats.

Joe Ledbetter x Sanrio

   

Buff Monster x Sanrio

Sanrio in oil

I would have loved to bring these home.

Keroppi + HK

Fun & quirky...just how I like it!

Here are some fun happenings during this event and you can find more details here.  Go on and smile!

New Living Spaces

  

Words can't describe how happy I am with our new addition of the sectional in our living space.  We went from a 3-seater sofa to now a 8-seater sectional.  Perfect, just in time for the holidays!  Of course, when you get new furniture, that involves rearranging and making sure it fits just right in the living space.  At times, it felt like I was playing a game of  LIVE Tetris (my favorite game), trying to rearrange and make pieces fit and score major points (design points, in this case!).  Here are some BEFORE and AFTER pictures, starting with the sofa itself:

BEFORE... 

AFTER...