{Glitter Garland}

Do It Yourself...

Glitter Garland

I'm inspired by many DIY projects and like to add my own personal touches to make a craft more "me" and cater to my tastes. However, though I found many adorable phrases and ideas for a homemade garland, this one by Lauren Conrad really struck my fancy. So much so that I had to recreate it! This year has been so wonderful and there is so much to be thankful for...that no matter how many other wordy decor ideas I could think of, "be merry" fully captures how I feel right now. And the glitter was just the icing on the cake! For this project, you will need:

· Cardboard or poster board

· Scissors

· X-ACTO knife

· Spray paint (optional)

· Spray adhesive

· Glitter

· Tape

· Twine or string

Trying to freehand letters on your own can be quite tricky, so in an effort to save time and keep your letters as even in size as possible, use a ruler to divide a piece of cardboard into seven evenly-spaced boxes. Then cut out your letters using scissors. Note: an X-ACTO knife really comes in handy for tough spots!

I went ahead and spray painted my letters a metallic gold to make them as shiny and bold as possible. Once they were completely dry, I applied a layer of spray adhesive and coated each letter with gold glitter.

Once all the letters were dry and any excess glitter had been shaken off, I laid them out according to how I wanted the garland to look. Once I felt it was perfect, I taped string to the back of each letter and voila!

My garland on two different mantels :)

Merry Christmas!

(from my sister, Desiree, and I)

Images courtesy of © 2012 Chateau de Victoria and Pinterest

{Favorite Things of 2012}

Today, I am loving...

Favorite Things of 2012

Last year at this time, I began a tradition of writing down my favorite things and happiest memories from the previous 11 months. I consider it a great way to reflect and appreciate all that has happened, and serves as a reminder that life is what you make it. This year was especially adventurous, and I cannot wait to share my 2012 recap with all of you! But until then, I'd like to channel my inner Oprah and reveal a few of my favorite things:



Hair & Skin

1. Ojon rare blend oil

2. Blue Copper 5 firming elasticity repair

Nails & Makeup

1. Essie nail polish

2. MAC colored eyeliner

Adventure

My passport. I was able to visit 6 countries this year!

Fashion

1. LC Lauren Conrad Collection

2. 7 For All Mankind

  

Media

1. BBC World News

2. Bravo TV

Jewelry & Accessories

1. Kate Spade

2. Francesca's Collections

Spirituality

Bridgeway Community Church

Lifestyle

1. Earth Treks Climbing

2. Merriweather Post Pavilion

Drinks & Eats

Cappuccino & gourmet pizza!

Images via Pinterest 

{Holiday Office Decor}

Accentuate your space with...

A Cubicle Makeover: Home for the Holidays

My office space is slowly transforming...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Over the weekend, I had a lovely time celebrating my 25th birthday. Between family, friends & coworkers...I couldn't have asked for a more special day. It was full of surprises and was a strong reminder that God has truly blessed me. Now I am ready to indulge in everything Christmas-related! I have been holding on to my Christmas cards since my trip to Canada, so I can't wait to fill them out and send them on their way! Then it's time to scope out a couple of holiday party dresses, turn some cookie recipes into reality and start wrapping gifts. But not before adding some holiday cheer to the office as well! Check out these fun, office-friendly ideas:

Decorate a few pine cones with glitter, grab some extra ornaments & put them all into an old vase! Add a cute ribbon or bow for extra flair.

Spruce up an old picture frame or make one out of candy canes!

Wrap empty boxes and stack them on your desk! I also love the decorated letters to spell out a festive word or phrase.

Since real (and fake) trees are often frowned upon in the office, get creative and make your own! Opt for smaller wrapped boxes for a minimal yet colorful display.

Isn't this a cute idea for a coworker or Secret Santa gift?

Despite the government's endless rules as to what you can and cannot do in the office (seriously, what isn't flammable?), I like to decorate for the holidays. So far, I've added tinsel and snowflakes around my desk, along with an adorable little snowman that makes everything smell like cinnamon. A few coworkers already refer to my office space as my "home" and sometimes come visit my "room", so it's only appropriate that it looks festive! Since most of us spend more time at our desk than anywhere else, my philosophy has always been to make it as comfortable and tasteful as possible. Happy decorating!

Images via Pinterest 

{Finding Your Inner Handygal}

Do It Yourself...

Jewelry Projects

No matter how busy life gets, I always like to have a few DIY projects handy. Over the past few months, I've indulged in a few experiments and have a couple of pictures to prove it! Today, I'd like to share some of my jewelry creations from this summer. The picture above showcases a few washer bracelets that I made; these are simple yet great because they easily dress up your wrist (the more arm candy, the better) and are great conversation starters (are those washers on your wrist?). For this project, you will need:

·         Ribbon or tulle

·         Washers

·         Scissors

At first the threading was a tad tricky, but once you thread a few washers you are good to go! I think these will make an excellent project over the holidays with some of my favorite ladies (think silver and gold, paired with champagne and a Christmas movie by the fire...you get the idea). Though slightly different in design, this tutorial is one of the best I've read yet!

After mentioning here about how I wanted to re-organize my jewelry, I made a trip to a nearby historic town and picked up several items to house my treasures. Since many of the vintage items I found were similar in theme and style (nature and pastels), I purchased an adorable earring stand that was designed to look like branches with leaves and little birds, a ceramic birds nest for my watches, a brightly colored flower-shaped bowl for my rings and a laddered bracelet stand that accented the rest of the collection. After all was said and done, I still couldn't find the right piece for my necklaces. So to Home Depot I went in search of a particular kind of wood (notice the leaf pattern) in order to make my own...

I've always loved the variety of knobs I find in vintage stores, so I decided to incorporate them into the re-design of my jewelry collection. For this project, you will need:

·         Knobs

·         Piece of wood

·         Spray paint

·         Measuring tape

·         Power drill

·         Bolt cutter (if your knobs vary in length)

·         Screwdriver

·         Patience

After purchasing the knobs I liked most, I made sure to measure the space on my wall where I wanted to hang my necklaces before picking up a piece of wood. I had them cut it in the store to save me some extra work, and then I spray painted the wood a soft creme color. When it was completely dry, I measured out where I wanted the knobs to be placed and then carefully drilled the holes.

Note: some knobs vary in size and length, which can make it harder not only when it comes to the size of the holes to drill (which could effect the layout) but also if you have to cut them down so that they are all the same size.

Since my knobs varied in length, my grandfather helped me cut a few of the screws so that they would line up properly in the back of the wood. Then I screwed the knobs on, brushed off any excess shavings and hung it my wall!

Images courtesy of © 2012 Chateau de Victoria

{iPhone Syndrome}

Accessorize yourself with...

A Caselift

Hi folks! Between an active summer calendar, keeping it fun on the fitness front, busting my butt at work (while also giving my cubicle a makeover) and adding to my list of DIY projects...I've been breezing through these last couple of weeks with a little gusto. Let's just say my iPhone has been working overtime. It keeps me prioritized, on my A-game and in-the-know at every turn. It can take quite a beating, which is why (every now and then) it can certainly use a caselift:

Out with the old...

In with the new...

We use and abuse our phones more than anything else. It constantly needs to be cleaned (platform for germs galore), can be dropped often (you know who you are), is shoved into a number of things (let's keep it G-rated) and yet still yields to our every request and desire. Essentially, our phones have become an extension of ourselves. So naturally, they need a pick-me-up once in awhile...

Maybe my love for dressing up has gotten a little out of hand, but there are so many creative styles out there when it comes to phone cases! Why not make it a reflection of your personality and taste? That said, maybe I should opt for either of these cases instead:

Sometimes you've got to spice it up!

Images via Pinterest

{Wordless Wanderings}

Images via Pinterest

{Rich Neeley Designs}

Accentuate your space with...

Rich Neeley Designs



As much as I am a lover of books (I spent a wonderful amount of time on the beach this past weekend getting wrapped up in a fictional world), I am also a lover of my iPhone. It is my right-hand man. I check my email, keep tabs on my social networks, pay my bills, keep track of upcoming events, watch the weather forecast, read the paper, listen to music, shop, chat with friends, order Chipotle (obviously), watch TV and so much more. Simply put, it never leaves my side...which is why I'm diggin' the creativity behind these Rich Neeley book chargers:

An Etsy shop that turns books into an iPhone/iPad docking station?! This is definitely going on my wish list. The question is, which one to get when there are so many awesome options? Whether at home or in the office, this is a fun (yet discreet) way to charge your phone...not to mention a great gift idea...

"Creativity involves breaking out of established patterns in order to look at things in a different way."

-Edward de Bono

Images via Rich Neeley Designs