Homey Oh My - Modern home and lifestyle

02/20 DIY

6 DIYs to Try This Weekend

Don’t know if I’m alone on this, but the start of the weekend not only promises fun and relaxation, but also getting to any and all crafty ideas I want to do. I do all of my projects on the weekends (yet another example for why I’m a slave to daylight) and it really makes me look forward to the weekends even more. Ok, so I’m thinking most people don’t have schedules like this, BUT, I so often have people telling me they wished they had more time to DIY. If you’re thinking that’s totally something you’ve said before and also don’t have too much planned this weekend, might I suggest getting a little crafty? Here are some DIYs to get you inspired.

This coat rack. Some paint, wood dowels, and NO POWER TOOLS. I’m amazed by how a little resourcefulness can create something so beautiful and useful.

I’m in love with how chic and simple this mousepad is. Makes me want to replace mine.

Obsessed with this speckled design Molly created on her candles, and just how genius-ly simple this idea is to elevate something so generic. I’m reeeally inspired to try this design.

A simple lipstick holder. It does require power tools, but the customization possibilities make it such an enticing idea. Think of the colors you could paint it, or how many openings you could make (I have an embarrassingly large lipstick collection, so more lipstick slots excite me).

I think I’ve been saying for a decade now that I need a lap desk. I guess I don’t really “need” it if I’ve gone this long without one, but I really want one. Those are pretty much the same thing. Very inspired by this no-sew one.

Fun fact. My “thing” as a child was collecting keychains. It was bad, like no one should have that many keychains in a hundred lifetimes bad. I no longer feel the need to have every keychain in sight, but keychains still delight me. Is this sounding weird? Basically I love these color-blocked leather keychains.

Are you feeling inspired by any of these? I always love knowing what you like to see, so tell me!

Happy weekend, guys <3 See you back here next week.

7 Comments

02/18 DIY

Craving Color

I’ve definitely noticed lately that the sun is staying out just a bit longer, meaning Spring is around the corner, AND there are about to be more hours of daylight, AND my race against the sun for photographing projects before it gets too dark is about to get a whole lot less frantic (fellow blog buddies, give me a shout and a “heck yes”). Basically, I’m prematurely excited for the change in seasons, and with that comes changes in what’s inspiring me and grabbing my attention lately. Is it any surprise that I foresee a colorful phase approaching?

I wouldn’t say I’m normally color-adverse, but going bold with colors is usually not my first line of action. Still, I find myself craving color so much more lately, particularly bright jewel tones and deep pastels. I’m itching to experiment with these colors, but first I’m finding inspiration in different places. If you’re craving color inspiration too, open your eyes wide and take it all in.

Tangent. I’ve been making more of an effort to change up where I draw inspiration from. I’ll for sure always gawk at and be inspired by other interiors and DIYs, but sometimes that can build up walls, ya know? I’ve been battling creative blocks recently, so thought I’d take a step back and try out different approaches to finding inspiration. Of course, I keep track of it all on my favorite ever Pinterest, which is where I came across all of today’s inspiration (lots more where this came from, folks.)

Feeling inspired by any of these images? Can’t wait for Spring?? Also, where do you typically look to find inspiration?

Images: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

17 Comments

02/13 Travel

Around Town: LA Here and There

Hey guys, just a casual post today on what I’ve been up to lately besides the blog. We had family in town all week and I’ve basically been on vacation with them, taking them around town and doing all the touristy things. Don’t you love being a tourist in your own city? It’s like rediscovering favorite spots, refreshing your perspective on where you live, and remembering where all the tourist traps are, ha.

I took my camera around on a couple days and also took some bad cell phone photos. I’m finding that to be the challenge with this series, because it’s SO much easier to take snaps with my iphone instead of lugging around my DSLR. It also didn’t occur to me until like now that maybe I should post about some of this stuff we’ve been up to this past week. Hope y’all don’t mind the mix, and at the very least get inspired on where you might want to go next time you’re in LA.

I know, this looks and sounds weird, or that’s what I thought the first time I ever drove by this place, and is why I took my boyfriend here for his birthday last year as an excuse to awkwardly check it out for the first time. It’s meant for children, which we thought would be perfect this time for the nephews to see, but really anyone with an imagination would find the Bob Baker Marionette Theater fascinating. Definitely a new and different experience. I had NO idea ever before that marionette shows like this existed.

Salt’s Cure is my favorite breakfast spot of all time. They make their own bacon and it’s incredible. Also the best pancakes I’ve ever had. I could have been more brief about this and just said it’s the best breakfast I’ve ever had.

You can see a glimpse of the babies here <3. I think they were having a good time.

I’ve never actually been inside Universal Studios… Same thing happens every time, we walk through City Walk, get to the Universal Studios entrance, reason that we don’t want to pay for tickets to go inside, then go walk around City Walk again. The ridiculous gift shops are pretty entertaining.

Going to City Walk meant we could stop at Porto’s. Known best for their cheese rolls, guava cheese rolls, potato balls, and for just being plain amazing and CHEAP. There’s nothing else like this place. This photo captures maybe 1/10th of the amount of goods they have.

Griffith Observatory. You can tell by the amount of people in the photo that this is a pretty happening place. We came here for sunset and it has the most gorgeous views of LA. I had always planned on doing a feature just on this place, maybe still will. It’s so dang pretty.

See the line of cars coming up the hill? Always traffic.

Bottega Louie. It’s more than possible that you’ve seen macarons from here on Instagram. Probably not the portobello mushroom fries since they aren’t as pretty, but they’re amazing. Just a gorgeous place with good food that I like to bring visitors to.

Urban Light at LACMA. I was trying to be all cool and walk pensively through the lamps while boyfriend took a photo, then the nephew came running up next to me. Love that little man. Wish we had taken this one with the camera instead of the phone! D:

You know that sad, empty feeling you get after you’ve spent everyday having fun with family and then they leave and you think well now what am I gonna do with my life? Then also think about how you’re going to have to go on a hardcore diet/cleanse after all the delicious crap you’ve been eating for every meal and how you probably shouldn’t eat any of it again for a really long time? I’m currently a giant ball of these emotions.

After a week like this, it really makes me think about how I spend and prioritize my time. Work is work and it needs to get done, sure, but the tunnel vision I get from it keeps me from enjoying simple pleasures a lot of the time, like getting out and seeing that I live in a pretty cool place and should really take advantage of it more. I won’t bore you with another work-life balance struggle monologue, but just wondering if you feel at all the same?

So here’s to a fantastic weekend and taking the time to do some things that we want to do. Planning for mine to be filled with green juices and some form of exercising. OH AND, have a happy Valentine’s Day!! I love you guys a lot <3.

8 Comments

02/09 DIY

DIY Mini Flower Bouquets

I don’t have anything against handing out candies and chocolates for Valentine’s Day, or any day, but I still wanted to try a different idea for spreading the love in a really special and simple way (which could definitely be done in addition to those chocolates.) Flowers are that other big thing to give this holiday, but I can’t be spending a million dollars on large arrangements for everyone I know. So, a few simple details and going on a mini scale can stretch out and make a couple bunches of flowers from Trader Joe a lot more memorable and cute, making it possible to show more of the flower-loving people you know that you think they’re pretty cool.

The flowers I used are purple stock, orangey-peach African roses, and white waxflower (I shared a glimpse of some of these on Instagram last week). Using filler flowers, like stock and waxflower, is the way to make bouquets more full without going bankrupt, but I want to stress that “filler” does not mean they have to be added with anything else. You can for sure make gorgeous mini bouquets with just filler flowers alone!

Bunch a few of your flowers together, cut them down to desired mini length, and tie them all together with a rubber band or floral tape.

Cut a square piece of tissue paper and place the mini bouquet at one corner of the tissue paper. Wrap the left side of the paper over to the right, the bottom portion up over that, and the right side over on top. Repeat with a square piece of kraft paper, wrapping a little lower than where the tissue paper is so that the tissue peaks over the top of the kraft paper.

Tie with a string and it’s officially really, really cute.

Simple, adorable, and exciting to see how small details can make all the difference, yea? This definitely doesn’t have to be a strictly V-day thing either and could just be a favor for an event, or just because. Not exactly sure in what other occasion I’d receive one of these for, but I know that I’d love getting one. Would you?

Still won’t be doing any V-Day decorating, so this is the last before you love birds or galentines celebrate the holiday, or not! I’m curious to hear any thoughts you have about V-Day. It’s not my most favorite or the most important day to me, but with me and boyfriend not having any sort of anniversary, we celebrate V-day like a replacement for that. Aside from that, I’m seeing it more and more as a day to just show appreciation to anyone you love or respect and make cute things like mini flower bouquets. How do you feel about the holiday?

69 Comments

02/05 Inspiring Spaces

Five Favorite Living Rooms

It’s been a little quiet around here on the home front, huh? Feels kind of weird talking about it amidst all the recent crafts and V-day buzz, but I started thinking about this because I’ve been cleaning like a maniac in preparation for family that’s coming to visit (today!), and now that the living room is the most orderly it’s been in months and I can look at it now without being distracted by all the piles of crap that were previously lying around, it’s bringing to light how much I want to change the current decor.

There’s certainly a lot I like about it right now, but also a lot I feel like I was “stuck” with, mainly our big red couch (boyfriend’s Craigslist find from years ago). I’ve actually never shared it on the blog I think?? You can see a glimpse of it here. I really have enjoyed it, but I’m over it and ready to move on, starting with daydreaming about other gorgeous living rooms, of course! My obsession with blue velvet couches is still alive, and black and white will always be a part of my life, so these living room favorites have a little bit of everything I’d want to take home.

This simple and modern living room is what I’d say embodies my core decorating style. I adore neutral spaces with pops of color contained to smaller details, and talk about all those clean lines… Throw a blue velvet couch in here and it would be closer to my dream, although I think I love a neutral couch just as much!

Another neutral space, traditional mixed with modern pieces. This was also the first time I saw the beauty of a black couch. I dig it very much.

I remember first coming across this one and just staring at it. There’s a lot going on, but it still feels calm- those neutrals I tell ya. I love the glam materials mixed with natural elements. Not entirely sure how I feel about cowhide rugs, though. Are you into that trend?

This. The pattern mix between the rug and art is bold without being outlandish- it’s perfect, and I want to learn. I need that rug. And that couch, duh. My eyes keep bouncing around the room endlessly. Just every detail is so precise and in perfect harmony.

I’ve mentioned this once before as being one of my favorite home tours ever, and it’s not only because the decor includes every single thing that I love, but because it’s so doable. I can very clearly see myself living in this space. I find it real and relatable while still being mad stylish, like I just want to be friends with this chick.

Liking any of these spaces? Is there a room in your home that you feel stuck or frustrated with? I’d love to dive into making my living room dreams happen, but it won’t be for a while. Currently I’m focused on that massive de-cluttering goal I talked about here, which will for sure give me more clarity on what I want to do with our space. It’s clear already though… I want that blue velvet couch! It will come to me, because we are meant to be together.

Images: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

14 Comments

02/03 DIY

DIY Pinata Letters

The more I look at this project, the more it looks like a celebration for a one-year-old, which it totally can be, and sort of is, except not really. So what’s going on, you ask?? My friends at Pottery Barn Teen asked me to make some pinata letters to help them celebrate one year of blogging at The Stylehouse!

I first guest posted for PBteen to help the launch of their blog, and already it’s been a year of being a DIY contributor for them. Wow. So in a way, this is me celebrating with them as well :)

If you know how to use scissors, then you can definitely do this DIY. It helps having fringe scissors over regular scissors, and for sure make this your own with just numbers or a monogram, which you might have seen people do a lot when photographing their babies each month (I love those). Could I also maybe even suggest making some for a Valentine’s Day soiree? A Galentine’s Day party?? Ey??? How’s that for trying to be relevant?

For the DIY on these pinata letters, head over to The Stylehouse. If you are thinking about how cute that ceramic camel is (c/o PBteen), you can find that here. Ok ok, last thing- PBteen will be celebrating all month long, with surprise giveaways on their Instagram and PBteen gift card giveaways on their blog. You guys can enter the giveaway here if you’d like!

13 Comments