Finding YOUR Style

 The following was written on Tuesday, my day off from work. My apologies for the delay. I've been pretty lazy this week.

No DIYing or Craftliciousness today. Today was a poop day. So for this post I will be talking about Finding YOUR style. But first, I'm going to tell you why I had a poop day.

Last night I planned my day with the best of intentions.

Expectations: 
Wake up extra early and look super cute
The hubs and I were going to go look at houses this morning (because we're looking, yay!)
grab some lunch
then I would be off to do some thrifting!
I had planned on finding something grand at Goodwill and making it awesome
Then doing a full DIY post.

Reality:
Woke up at 10AM because I felt sick all night and didn't fall asleep till around 3ish
Took a shower only to find that I only had about a nickel size amount of shampoo left and no conditioner. Frizzy curly hair day.
Looked at some houses and found one we really really want. Pretty much the only un-poopy thing today.
Husband wanted gross food, so he dropped me off at Anthropologie while he picked it up. Anthro has a killer sale right now, but we don't get paid till later this week, so I couldn't get anything. =(
Didn't eat any lunch, but headed off to Goodwill instead. Didn't. Find. Anything.
Went to another Goodwill. Again, nothing.
Breann, I said to myself, think outside the box. There has to be SOMETHING good here.
Nope, nothing. BUMMER.
Got some Costa Vida to ease the pain and went home to watch a movie.
Decided to watch Step Up 3, which by the way, was a compete waste of time.
Started to blog hop and slowly began to feel like more of a failure.
It was a POOP day.

Then I realized, we all have poop days. I decided to get over it, and instead write a helpful post on finding your style instead. Boo-yah... Poop Day can suck it.

Please keep in mind when reading this, that I am no professional designer. I didn't go to school for Interior Design and only have my OWN experience. Everything I give advice on is based off of my own decorating successes and fails.

I discovered most of my decorating fails took place because I didn't know what my own personal style was. I knew when things looked good and when they didn't, but I couldn't pin point what exactly I wanted my house to look like.

Color Palette:

I think the best thing to start off with is determining a color palette. I have found, that the best combinations start with mostly neutral colors with pops of color.

My faaaavorite color palette right now is whites and grays, popped with yellow and light blue. Here's an example:

 

I love these pops of color, but they're not too obnoxious. Very soft...

Some have a hard time determining a color palette.... I for one thought that black and red was awesome. Wrong! Black and red made everything look so dark! I started to add creams and beiges to that and it looked a million times better. If you aren't sure what colors you love... go with all neutrals! It'll give you a clean canvas, and as you play, you'll find colors that you love.

 

Neutral walls and decor, but then popped with the orange chairs.

 

Neutral couch, walls, and rug, then popped with blue door and red pillow. dreamy.

Styling:

Finding your style can be super hard and confusing! It's hard to determine whether or not you're classic, eclectic, vintage-y, or modern. What helped me decide how to style my home is starting with the center of my room. What's the center of the living room? Duh, the couch. What's the center of the bedroom? Duh, the bed. Pick out furniture that you love. Why? Because furniture is effing expensive, and you need to pick out pieces that are quality because they will last you a long time. When shopping, keep in mind pieces that will match your color palette. A black couch is not going to go well with light airy colors. And a white couch isn't going to match brown, red and gold tones. My husband and I went with a dark brown leather couch and a dark wood sleigh bed. We made it neutral, so that we could build off of it. After you've found your pieces, don't be afraid to PLAY. 

Go to different stores and look for things that catch your eye. When you find a style you love, you'll be able to work off of your centerpieces and implement your color palette. 

Pottery Barn has super classic style... their stuff is gonna look good for a long time!

 

Anthropologie is super eclectic. Decorating eclectic-ly is going to ensure that you won't walk into everyone's house and see the same thing. Very fun!

 

Are you more of a vintage-y girl? Google local boutiques and antique stores in your area. If you're into DIY stuff like me, the vintage look is SO easy to pull off! All you need is some sand paper, and you can tie that look into almost anything! 

 

Love the modern look? Think symmetry, and solid colors. Kind of like the Apple store. Very cool look... you'll feel super fancy.

 

Keep in mind, that you don't have to be just one style. I'd say I'm a good mix of classic and vintage. 

Don't be afraid of accessories either. They can always be changed! I can't tell you how many frames I've re-painted, pillows I've re-covered, and walls I've re-decorated. Style is constantly changing, don't be reluctant to change with it. EMBRACE IT!

Walls:

 Having the right walls can either make or break a room. How many times have you been searching for a home, walked in, and seen a hideous color slapped on the walls? I think walls are VERY important.

 One thing I always remind people of is that having lighter colors on your walls will make a room appear BIGGER. I'm not saying that every wall needs to be painted white, but please don't paint them some hideous army green... I'm begging you.

Also, you can do more than just paint! There are so many options! Don't be afraid to explore textures!

Here are some fun examples!

   BRICK!

Board and Batten

 

Wood

I don't suggest it for every single wall, but having a patterned accent wall looks very cool!

 

I heart Chevron Pattern!!

 

dreamy

 

stripey!!

Well, that's pretty much all the advice I can think of for now. Most important, don't be afraid to PLAY! Everyone has decorating fails, so please don't give up! We learn the most from our mistakes. Keep shopping around for things you love. Everyone has a different style, just make sure YOU love it!

If there are any questions, please contact me! I'm not an expert, but I love a challenge! Love all of my followers! Hope you guys are getting super craftlicious!!

P.S. Can you PLEASE visit and follow my friend Hillary's blog?!!!  

www.itsprettymagical.blogspot.com

Basically, you'll pee your pants because she's hilarious. Seriously puts a little more brightness into my already blinding days. Do it, I know you'll love it.

Skirt of Awesomeness

So besides breaking my back making a few of these :

 

I discovered this little blog and it's a dream! It's called Cotton & Curls, and she takes old thrifted clothes and makes them AMAZING!!! Anyway, she inspired me to DIY some old crap clothes of mine into something wearable again. We start with the mini dress.

Have you seen these guys? 

Super cute cotton mini dresses. I swear everyone and their Mom looks good in them, except for me. My problem? I'm a freaking Amazon and I'm so tall that the skirt part comes up right beneath my chesticles, making it waaay too short. Therefore, my freaky long chicken legs are exposed and my butt's about to fly out. NOT CUTE. I don't need to add that it makes me super uncomfortable. Anyway, it's been sitting in my closet for a while now, and I just can't bear to part with it. Unfortunately, the only way to wear it was with leggings, and let's be real, I live in Arizona. Not gonna happen. I needed to throw it away but I came up with a different plan, Muahahahaha!

I decided to turn it into a skirt... it's super easy, and here's how!

Step #1- cut the top off just below the armpits

Step #2 - Decide how thick of a band you want at the top, turn inside-out and pin. Mine is about 3 inches. If the band is loose around your waist I recommend buying some elastic tape to sew inside. Mine was pretty form fitting so I didn't need to.

Step #3- sew about a 1/2 inch from the top. I recommend using a zig-zag pattern if you're working with stretchy material... it just seems to hold better.

Sorry no picture of this step... it's a little difficult to maneuver a camera whilst sewing. =) Also, I sewed with black thread, so it's basically impossible to see anyway.

And, boo-yah! You've got a fancy schmancy Skirt of Awesomeness that is long, form fitting, and just looks dang good.

 

Photo Edit using: Instagram and Photoshop CS3

 Do you love my modeling? I didn't want to strap on heels, so I decided to stand on my tippy-toes which made me fall backward. Snapped this little gem just in time!

Hope everyone is having an awesome week so far! School starts here pretty soon in AZ... I can just feel the anxiety of children, and the relief of parents! OH, and that cute ASU banner... yeah, you could have one of those sitting in your house. Enter the giveaway and it just might be yours. Seriously, go enter... so worth it.

P.S. I'm looking to get a new sewing machine... the one I'm using is stolen from my Mother and I'm pretty sure it might be older than me. Any suggestions for a good one, on the cheaper side? I'm trying to keep the budget around $200... Let me know you Craftlicious ladies!

Blog Award?!!!

Yeah, I got a blog award. It's pretty crazy. Who would of thought little ol' Breann from little ol' Get Craftlicious could get an award? I can't, but that's probably because the only thing I've ever won is a leg wrestling match with my younger brother when I was 10. Anyway, I feel very special right now! Here are the deets!!

The Liebster Blog Award 

It is an award used to highlight smaller blogs that are less known (blogs with less than 300 followers).

The Liebster Award is one you accept with the intention of paying it forward. 

When you accept the award, choose 3-5 other blogs that you feel deserve more followers, 
and pass the word on to them.

After accepting the award, you are supposed to share 7 things that the blogging world 
doesn't know about you.

I was nominated by Michelle from Our Wonderfilled Life. Michelle is a new bloggy friend and she has an amazing story. She's the Mom to 5 boys, 4 of which are quadruplets which I think speaks mounds about her! She's beyond creative and so, so sweet! Please visit her blog, I know you'll be pretty dang impressed.

Here are the 7 things the blog world doesn't know about me:

1. I am a dancer. I did dance all through jr. high and high school, and even though I'm not currently enrolled in a class, I am a dancer at heart. When an amazing song comes on I can't help but start to choreograph in my head. Current song I'm choreographing to right now is Sail by AWOLNATION.

2. I love all music except for country and oldies. (Like Beach Boys oldies... sorry if that offends.) I listen to everything from Classic Rock, Reggae and Ska, Rap and R&B, to Alternative and Pop. Current obsession is Fleetwood Mac and Katy Perry. Like I said, (almost) everything.

Crap, this picture makes me laugh so hard. =)

3. I do not forgive easily. It is something I struggle with everyday and I am trying my best to overcome. My husband tries to tell me it's a good thing, because that way people won't take advantage of me. Whether good or bad, it's a trait that I want to improve... I want to love everyone, regardless of whether or not they've offended me.

4. I have been told I have a Grace Kelly-esque look about me. I will gladly accept this compliment. 

5. I love GOOD food.... I think I was spoiled in the sense that I have been exposed to great cooking. Trying new restaurants is a fave of mine. Also, I like butter... lots and lots of butter.

6. I have a favorite movie. I think this is special because hardly anyone can think of a movie that's #1 on their list. Mine is Meet Joe Black. It's a very long movie and is in general very slow, a good lazy day movie. However, it has a beautiful story and some of the most incredible writing. Plus it's got Sir Anthony Hopkins and BRAD PITT! What more could you ask for?

"Should you choose to test my resolve in this matter, you will be facing a finality beyond your comprehension, and you will not be counting days, or months, or years, but milleniums in a place with no doors."

7. I love my husband more and more everyday. We have several friends and family members who have suffered through, or are currently in the process of getting divorced. I'm so grateful that we can look at each other every day and still feel an enormous amount of love for the other. He is the greatest blessing I have been given and truly a wonderful man. Plus, he's super hott... with two "t"s!

So there's 7 things you didn't know about me! I'm pretty cool, huh? Just kidding!... but seriously.

Here are my choices for the Liebster Blog Award!

Alexis from Alexis Laughs

Hillary from It's Pretty Magical

Michelle from Our Wonderfilled Life

Pam from www.pamelabowman.com

I chose each of these blogs very carefully. Mainly because they're hilarious. These are amazing women, so you really need to check out and follow their blogs. For reals.

Hope everyone has a great week, can't wait to show you what I'm working on!!! I love being Craftlicious. Oh, and don't forget to enter the giveaway. Only a few more spots are left!

Giveaway change-up

So I posted about a giveaway a little while ago. Only a couple people have entered, and I think I know why... I made it way too confusing! Haha, I got a couple e-mails about it! ANYWAY, I'm changing it up.

Here's what to do:

• Be a FOLLOWER
• "Like" the Get Craftlicious Facebook page
• Leave a comment below telling me what your favorite project has been on Get Craftlicious 
• If you are having an issue leaving a comment on the blog (which a lot of people are having issues with Blogger lately) You may leave your comment in a Wall Post on the Facebook Page.

When there are 20 comments, I will randomly select one person to be the winner. To speed up the process tell all your friends, family and enemies to be a follower and "like" the Get Craftlicious Facebook page!

Simple enough, right? Here's the prize:

A Pennant sign, saying whatever you want, in whatever colors you want. I will ship it to you, even if you live in Antarctica. Although in all fairness, if you live in Antarctica you're probably doing better things than reading my blog. =)

 

This one was made for Alexis Solomon, one of my sponsors. Check out her hilarious/ insightful/ cute blog! www.alexislaughs.com

Let the entries begin! Seriously though, you better enter. =)

P.S. So I added a playlist. I used get annoyed with playlists on blogs until I decided one day to just listen to them. Turns out you can learn a lot about a person from the music they listen to. So I hope you enjoy my playlist... I think I have pretty great taste in music, but I'm biased.

Lightness

Did you know that using a lighter color palette will make a room appear bigger? It's totally true... that's why I got a new duvet cover! My husband FINALLY let me get a white one on the condition that I keep it extra clean. I'm so excited! AND, I'm getting closer to finishing the wall above my bed!

 

Isn't this a cool photo edit? It's from this iPhone app (and I assume Android as well) called Instagram. It's awesome, and you should totally download it because it's FREE!

 

I just want to say that I purchased my gray and yellow quilt and yellow rosette pillow from Target before everyone and their mom did. I'm basically a trend-setter. ;)

ALSO, Get Craftlicious is now on Facebook! Make sure to "like" the page so you can see updates, check out projects that I love, and just have a great time!

Last but not least, I came upon further Craftlicious inspiration whilst watching one of my very favorite movies of all time 500 Days of Summer. Have you seen 500 Days of Summer?!! If you haven't, you need to get yourself to the nearest Target and buy it. That's right, BUY IT... don't rent. It's one of the best written films of all time. Anyway, there's a few scenes that take place in Summer's (played Zooey Deschanel) apartment and I fell in love with her white and blue wallpaper.

 

This was the best picture I could find... anyway, it's SO cute! love love love

AND 

I love Tom's (played by Joseph Gordon Levitt, whom I have met!) chalkboard wall:

I would love this for our office/ craft room.

Well, that's all for today. What inspires you?

Throw Pillows GALORE!

Well, I had some extra fabric left over from my tote, so I decided to make a pillow. As previously mentioned, I am no sewer. In fact, I'm a terrible seamstress. So don't judge me, okay?!!
I really didn't know what I was doing so I was looking around for some ideas and I kept staring at this envelope on my desk. Light bulb! I decided to sew it like an envelope... so that's what you need to keep thinking as you read this... envelope, envelope, envelope. (Envelope is a weird word...)

Here's what I did:

Step #1- take your pillow form and wrap your fabric around the entire thing, with a fold going about half way down the width. Make sure you have enough room on the sides to sew down and fit your pillow.

 

Step #2 - Fold your fabric inside out and sew about 1 inch in on the open ends... leave your fold alone for now.

 

 

Step #3- You can either leave your fold as is, or cut it to however you like. I decided to cut angles into mine... when you're finished sew the edges down, again, about 1 inch.

 

Step #4- you can sew a button onto it to hold the flap down if you want. I didn't have any buttons on hand so I just tuck it in. Stuff it with your pillow and voila! You're done! =)

 

I decided to sew a couple of tulle and chiffon flowers on the front for some flair. You can check out the tutorial on how to make them here .

 

 Pretty great, wouldn't you say?

Here is what the bed is looking like... I'm almost done decorating. I'll probably have to change it soon though... I think it's a little too girly for the hubs. Maybe I'll attempt to make a new duvet? We'll see.

Hope everyone is having a fantastic July! Be sure to send in any fun crafty crap you've done and GET FEATURED on Get Craftlicious!

Reversible Tote Tutorial

Alright, so if you know anything about me, you know that I love COMFORT! Lately, I've been dragging around my extremely heavy (albeit gorgeous) leather bag. I have to have a big bag to carry all my crap. My husband seriously calls it my "luggage". Anyway, I discovered Flipped Bird bags. They're super comfy totes and they're freaking cute. There is an etsy site if you wish to view. Here is an example of one of the bags:

Cute, huh?!!! What's awesome about them is they're also reversible! It's like 2 bags in one! My only problem is I'M CHEAP! These suckers cost $48+shipping. No way, Jose. So as I was browsing around Jo-Ann's fabrics, I saw that their outdoor canvas fabric was 60% off! Holy freak! I grabbed 4 yards and went to work! Here's the tutorial on how to make your own reversible tote!

Disclaimer: If you are a sewing genius, and like doing things in a precise manner, I suggest you don't read this haha! I made it up as I went along, so you may be offended by my unorthodox methods. =) Also, I apologize for the pictures not being top notch. Hopefully the next iPhone will have a better camera on it... or maybe I'll get a real camera.

#1- Grab 2 of your favorite fabrics. Make sure they're sturdy enough to hold all your crap. I chose outdoor canvas... to soften it up I suggest washing it with some fabric softener AFTER you've finished making it. Decide how big you want yours. The size of the fabric I cut was a 17 in. x 12 in. rectangle. You'll cut 2 rectangles from both fabrics (totaling 4 rectangles, duh!).

 Yes, I'm ghetto and used a piece of cardboard as my "stencil". Yes, that is a hole in my leggings.

#2- place the two rectangles of the same fabric with the outside facing each other. Sew along 3 ends, about an inch from the edge... I decided to curve the corners slightly when sewing.

#3- Pull one bag (the outside one) inside out and pin the edges about an inch inside of the bag. Leave your inside bag outside in, and pin the edges about an inch outside of the bag. (So pretty much the opposite of each other... sorry if this is confusing!)

#4- Place your inside bag into your outside bag.

On to the Strap!

#5- Measure out a comfortable length for your strap. I'm super tall so mine is about 34 inches long. Cut each fabric the length you want and about 4.5 - 5 inches wide. Place both fabrics with the outsides facing each other, and sew along the lengths about an inch from the edges. Then pull the inside out.

#6- After you've pulled the inside out, sew along the length of the edges again to flatten your strap.

#7- Place your strap in between the two bags and sew around the top. You will be sewing over your pins so go a little bit slowly so you don't break anything =)

#8- Pull your pins out and TA DAAAH!!! You've got yourself and amazing reversible tote! Boo-yah!

I decided to stitch a little square of burlap on the outside for some character. Please don't pay attention to the messy bathroom, dirty closet mirror, or silly Nigel dog. =)

Holy crap, I love my tote. It's sooo comfy and it holds a ton!

Supplies:

• 2 yards of two seperate fabrics (I suggest using outdoor canvas) totaling 4 yards
• lots of cotton thread
• additional fabric or beads to spice it up

I got my fabric at Jo-Ann's for 60% off so that cost about $20 plus a big spool of cotton thread was about $3.

Total Cost: $23


Hope everyone had a great 4th of July!
It's been so hot here in AZ I've been finding myself indoors a lot with not a lot of stuff to do. What do you do to stay entertained and cool in the summertime?

P.S. Start your entries for the Get Craftlicious giveaway! You know you need that pennant sign somewhere in your house...