DIY wicker accent sunglasses

I am a huge fan of the wicker/rattan trend going on right now. It's just so retro! My local Target has a whole area set up with their '70s inspired wicker on display and I feel like I've stepped into the department store where my Grandmom bought all her furniture 40 years ago. I love it!!

I thought "surely someone must have wicker sunglasses" since it's so popular right now, but when I couldn't find a single pair I decided to make them myself! These are pretty easy but a little time consuming, so put on your headphones and breeze through a few podcast episodes while you fashion yourself a pair of pretty wicker-accented sunglasses!



Materials you'll need:

Round plastic sunglasses (I used these)
Glue*
Natural colored twine (I used this one from IKEA)

I used Gorilla Glue hot glue sticks, which are supposed to be resistant to seasonal temperatures (so I'm hoping that includes hot summer sunshine!)



Start by popping out the lenses from your glasses, and then put them aside. I worked with about 12" of twine at a time, gluing one end to the back of the frames and just wrapping it around. Every so often I'd put a little bit of glue on the back again for added stability. Once you get to the end, cut the twine so that your end piece is in the back of the glasses and glue it down. I let the end piece totally dry down before adding a little more glue for my new piece of twine.

Work all the way around the lenses, except for the part where the arms meet the frames. I deliberately picked tortoiseshell frames because I thought that would look nice against the twine, but this would also look really nice with black frames too. Or hot pink! (I want everything to be pink, lol!)



When I reached the bridge of the frames I decided to add some more pattern to make this more like a real piece of wicker and not just "wrapped" frames. I made an X between the edge of the bridge and the frame, and then I started wrapping over that across the bridge. I think it would also look cool to just leave this part with the tortoiseshell showing through to match the edges, as well. (That would also be a lot easier, ha!)

Finally, the lenses! Obviously they won't fit back into the ridge where they used to be since that is now covered with the twine. So just put a little glue on the back of the frames where the bridge meets the frames, and where the arms meet the frames, and then pop the lenses back in! Make sure you get the lenses in nice and snug so you can still fold the glasses open and closed. And if you do use a glue gun, just be sure to go over the glasses once you're finished and pick off any little glue strands that are left on the glasses.

And that's it! It's a fun project to do at the end of February when spring and floppy hats and pretty dresses (and summery sunglasses!) are just around the corner :)

wishlist wednesday

1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8

Style Idol - Pattie Boyd

there is just one moon and one golden sun

The print on this dress reminded me so much of It's a Small World that I couldn't pass it up! It has such a Mary Blair feel to it. I'm planning on bringing this along with me when I go to Disney World in just over a month! Originally it was just going to be me and my mom, but we cahooted with my brother to surprise my dad with a family trip. We haven't been to Disney all together since 2007 so it was long overdue! Me and my mom started flying down to Florida regularly in 2012 but my dad would never join us because he's scared of flying. So when me and my mom are on our way to the airport in April, my dad and brother will be driving to Florida to meet us!

dress - modcloth | shirt - asos (old) | shoes - amazon

my top five: hair products

Now that my pixie is grown out and I finally have a decent amount of hair to take care of again, I thought I'd share my top five hair products with you! If you're looking for something to speed up the growth process, honestly "patience" is the only thing I can recommend (and I had it in short supply, let me tell you!) but taking care of your tresses and reducing breakage is the best path to healthy, longer hair.



1. Ouai leave in conditioner. I got a sample size of this from Sephora last year and I loved it so much that I immediately bought a whole bottle (I'm saving that sample size bottle for my travels this year!) If you have knotty hair I cannot recommend this enough. I remember when I was little my mom used to use No More Tangles to help reduce the number of times I screamed "OUCH!" when she brushed my hair, but that product never seemed to work once I got older. This stuff totally erases knots, though (or at least it makes it less painful to brush through them? I have no clue how it works its magic!) Bonus - it smells DELICIOUS.

2. OGX coconut oil hydrating mist. I apply this to the ends of my hair after I dry it. I've always had very parched hair and this helps it to look so much shinier and healthier. I never apply it near the roots though or else it starts to look to oily.

3. Cake restorative scalp tonic. I've had dandruff ever since I hit puberty, my body was like "hey, in addition to pms and cramps and bleeding let's throw something else fun into the mix!" I tried those shampoos with tar in them (not kidding) head and shoulders, even prescription shampoo. But I always ended up with flakes, anyway, plus they seemed to dry my hair out even more. I finally ended up using Redken Scalp Relief which helped control itching/flakes but didn't totally fry my follicles. Then I discovered this tonic and I don't even feel like I have to use dandruff shampoo anymore. It's a little pricey but a little goes a long way and I honestly have never felt this level of itch-free since I was a pre-teen. I actually forgot what it felt like to not be constantly scratching at my scalp.

4. Redken all soft conditioner. Now that I can deviate from the dandruff section in the shampoo aisle, I'm using Redken All Soft. I had tried this in high school and loved the way it made my hair feel (all soft) and the scent is heavenly, but it wasn't long before I had to go back to dandruff-fighting formulas instead. I'm so happy that I can finally use this again now! It's the only conditioner I've ever tried that works so well you can comb it through in the shower without hitting any knots.

5. Aussie clean volume dry shampoo. For the longest time I've been ride or die Dove dry shampoo, but I recently found this volumizing dry shampoo from Aussie and I really love it! I had also tried the Living Proof volumizing dry shampoo (which was WAY pricier) and this was so much better. Living Proof made my hair feel sticky and stiff, but this literally just feels powdery like normal dry shampoo while adding some extra lift!

who is that girl I see

I just discovered these extensions for doing updos and voila! I feel like ME again! About two weeks ago I sent away for their color matching kit and the color butterscotch matched my hair so well it was almost hard to believe. I immediately bought the updo extensions and I've been wearing it basically every single day since it arrived last week. It's essentially one single extension that you can clip in upside down if you're wearing a high bun. It lays really flat, it blended into my hair seamlessly, and you can't see the tracks at all. My hair falls just above my shoulders (you can see it in this post) but with these extensions I'm able to do a giant messy bun! I am obsessed with it!! If you've been following my blog for a while then you know that THIS is how my hair normally looks. For pretty much all of my life I've been wearing bangs with a big pile of hair on top of my head. It feels like "me" if you know what I mean.

You can't really see it well here but I also started trying out wearing bright pink eyeshadow and I am really loving how it looks! One thing that I always enjoy when I have blonde hair is playing around with more colorful makeup (whenever I have pink hair I tend to over-simplify my routine and stick to neutral colors.) I'll have to take some close-up photos to show you, although getting good pictures of makeup seems to be an acquired skill that I haven't quite mastered yet.

dress - target | collar - amazon

sweater - c/o tobi  | shoes - bait footwear

DIY projector cover

I swear most of the DIY projects that I do for my house are entirely so I can cover up something necessary but unsightly. Usually electronics, because it seems like nobody makes cute ones! Anyway, this is actually more like a "look what I made!" kind of post than a full on DIY but I'm definitely still going to explain how I did it in case you want to do something similar :)

I have a projector and pull-down screen instead of a television, which means that above my bed I have a grey projector attached to my wall with cords going down behind my bed. It's always bothered me, but I wasn't really sure how to cover it up. Then I got this shelf, and situated it so that my projector rested above it slightly. Then I made a cardboard cover that I can put over it whenever it's turned off.

I really only watch tv at night, so during the day the projector is turned off and I cover it up as part of my making-the-bed routine every morning now. I just found a box that was the right size to fit over the projector and I painted it to look like a little house! I used acrylic paint for most of it and then used a black sharpie to add some detail, like the shingles and little window boxes. I added a drawer pull to the top so that it's easy to take the cover on-and-off, and I also cut out the entire back of the box and part of the side. Two reasons - a) it helps the box to fit over the wires and b) I don't actually want the cardboard to touch the projector. Even though I only cover it when it's turned off I still want to be extra careful.



And voila! Isn't it so cute?! I also got a cord cover and painted it to match my wall so that I didn't just have black cords hanging down the wall anymore. I can be a bit obsessive (okay, VERY obsessive) about making sure that literally every single element of my living space is functional AND pretty, and this finally solved one not-pretty thing that had been getting under my skin for a few years.



ps. my rattan shelf is from urban outfitters here, and my vintage inspired bedding is available in my threadless shop here.

wishlist wednesday

Style Idol - Ann-Margret

recipe: chocolate covered strawberry smoothie

I've been having a smoothie every morning this year, and this week I was in the mood for something a little extra delectable and decided to forgo my normal fruit-and-ginger concoction for something with chocolate! This literally tasted like a chocolate covered strawberry, it was so yummy! Also, sidenote, I have a really hard time swallowing pills and making a daily smoothie to take them with has helped tremendously. It's thick enough that I can't really tell the pill is in my mouth, which makes it a lot easier to swallow it. I know it might not work for everyone but if you have the same problem I recommend trying this :)

To make the smoothie, just blend together a handful of frozen strawberries, half of a bar of dark chocolate (I used a 78% cacao bar), 1/2 tsp. vanilla, 1/4 c. unsweetened coconut milk, 1/4 c. cold water, and 2 ice cubes. Add honey to taste. (I like mine a little on the not-too-sweet side!)

Before/After daisy bookshelf

I just got this vintage wicker bookshelf last week and I'm so happy with how my paint job turned out! I painted the shelf light pink and then I painted the daisies off-white with yellow centers. It was a much more time-intensive job than I anticipated, taking about 4 hours total, but it was so worth it! Here is a before and after shot to show what a difference a little paint can make!



The shelf had originally been painted dark green, and then somebody spray painted it a light cream color on top. But they didn't do a great job, with lots of the dark green seeping through. The cream color was also yellowing from age, and even though I wiped it down it still looked really dirty. I think it would have looked so pretty natural, without any paint at all, but I wouldn't even know where to begin to get it to look like that. I absolutely love how it turned out, though! And I'm so glad that I painted the daisies white and yellow instead of slathering the whole shelf in pink paint. It adds more visual interest and makes the piece look more unique, I think!

I bought this piece used (obviously, haha) but someone on ebay has shorter 3-shelf versions of this shelf brand new, right here. I actually bought one of the little ones and I'm debating whether or not I'll paint it to match. Hmm..

Clarissa Explains It All valentines!

When I was in third grade, my teacher taped all of the valentines she received to the front of her desk. That year, one of her past students gave her a Clarissa Explains it All valentine and when I saw it, I FLIPPED OUT. It was (and still is) one of my absolute favorite tv shows, and ever since that fateful day in 1994 I have wanted to find some Clarissa valentines for myself. I know it sounds like I'm exaggerating and just being dramatic, BUT NO, I have been looking for these ever since my dad signed up for ebay, and I've had a saved search for these ever since I got my own ebay account. It is, in a word, an obsession.

A few years ago I managed to get like 5 valentines that somebody was selling unboxed. It was a dream come true at the time, but little did I know that in the cold, frigid winter of 2019 it would get EVEN BETTER.

First, in January, somebody listed a complete box of cards from 1996. It was an auction-style listing so I had butterflies in my stomach for six days waiting to see if somebody would outbid me, but I ended up snagging it! Many happy dances ensued. And then, magically, last week somebody else listed a complete box of cards from 1993! And it was a buy it now listing! I have never added-to-cart-and-checked-out so fast in my life.

And now here I am, in possession of the treasure I have sought for a quarter century.

I decided to just keep (and FRAME. I'm insufferable!) one complete set from each box, plus the boxes. The rest of the cards are available in my '90s valentine sets right here (I take requests!)

Happy Valentine's Day, friends!

ps. my t-shirt is from hot topic

can't you hear my heartbeat

This dress is one of the first things I've purchased for my upcoming trip to France this summer! It struck me as such a summery dress that I was actually surprised when I put on this outfit and realized it worked. It's always exciting when I realize a piece is going to be a lot more versatile than I originally imagined!

I hope everyone has fun plans for Valentine's Day! I had a Rainforest Cafe gift card so I went out with my family for a pre-Valentine's Day dinner last night. And today I'm probably just going to watch some movies and hang out with my valentine (my cat, of course!) I might also treat myself to some take-out and chocolate. My favorite candy right now is Theo sea salt dark chocolate. It's so, so good but definitely healthier than eating a Snickers, lol!

dress - asos | tights - amazon | shoes - aldo

purse - forever 21 (old)

wishlist wednesday

1. Beverly Hills sweater
2. Pink sock boots
3. Faux stone pink earrings
4. Cat eye sunglasses
5. Green polka dot headscarf
6. Pink v-neck dress
7. Green strappy sandals
8. Green belt

PS. For all of my fellow vintage fashion enthusiasts, my friend Raquel did a great interview with the fashion designer for the movie The Vast of Night, which features lots of '50s style clothes & vintage! You can check out the interview here!

Style Idol - The Pink Ladies from Grease

beauty school dropout

I just watched Grease yesterday and it brought back so many memories of watching this movie with my friends during summer sleepovers when I was little! We had a couple go-to slumber party movies, and Grease was definitely the most popular. We memorized all the songs and learned how to do the hand jive. You guys know I am a total sucker for nostalgia, and if you are too I highly suggest spending a night rewatching movies that take you back to your childhood. It's just so much fun! Bonus points if you're still friends with the people you knew back then and then you can have a reunion slumber party! Don't forget to bring Girl Talk!

shirt - asos | skirt - c/o lularoe | shoes - aldo

my top five: things I don't want to do today

As this week's reigning champion for Laziest Person on Planet Earth, I thought it would be fitting for today's Top Five installment to be five things that I do not want to do today.

1. Cook myself lunch
Last night I made "dinner for two" for one, with the intention of saving half of my meal to eat as leftovers today. But then I got really hungry around midnight and I ate it! I don't feel too guilty about it since it was mostly vegetables with a little beans and rice (maybe that's why I was so hungry at midnight, ha!) so I'm lunchless today. Solution? I'm ordering take out from The Simple Greek (sidenote - this is my absolute favorite food chain and if you have one near you, you need to try it! My favorite meal that I get there is the build-your-own pita with falafel, hummus, cucumbers, tomatoes, chick peas, olive oil, salt, and oregano. YUM!! They also have the best french fries I've ever tasted in my life. And that includes McDonalds.)

2. Clean my humidifier
As I mentioned in my post yesterday, I got a humidifier this week! This particular winter has been so dry in my house that I decided to cave in and get a nice humidifier. It's only been a couple days but it's SO worth it already. My nose hasn't been stuffy or dry, my skin feels better, my lips even feel less parched, and the air feels soft somehow!?! It's beautiful! The only problem is that you have to clean humidifiers once a week and I decided my Humidifier Cleaning Day would be Saturday which means I have to clean it today. But I don't wanna.

3. Paint a shelf
I got a vintage shelving unit that I have to freshen up with a new coat of paint and I'm VERY excited about how it's going to turn out once it's done. I'm very excited about putting it up in my room and finally getting that pile of "things to put on the shelf" off of my floor. But do I feel like actually putting in the effort to get the shelf from "needs a coat of paint" to "painted and beautiful"? Not quite.

4. Taxes, ugh.
I'll be honest, this has been on my to-do-list for exactly 6 weeks now and it is 100% not getting done today. I actually did very good with record keeping last year, for the first time in my whole life, but it's still my least favorite thing I have to do every year. And the amount of days I have left to "put it off until tomorrow" are dwindling quicker and quicker.

5. Write this blog post
Normally I schedule my posts at least the day before they have to go up, but not today! Normally I keep a blog planner where I map out what "top five" I'll be doing each week. Not today! After I finished my morning work, I frantically looked around my room for something, anything, I could categorize into a list of five items. But more than anything else, I just kept coming back to my to-do list which contains a multitude of must-do tasks that I don't actually feel like completing. At least now I can cross off one of them, though! ;D

archival footage

I'm cheating a bit with my outfit post today and using an outtake from two months ago! It's just such a fitting outfit for the week before Valentine's Day, isn't it?

I just didn't feel like getting dolled up pretty much any day this week. I've had a sinus infection for about a week (although I just got a humidifier yesterday and it helped me to have my first good, full night of sleep since last Friday!) and then on Wednesday I injured myself pretty badly during a picture framing mishap and ended up having to go to the doctor to get bandaged up and get a tetanus shot (WOW does that shot make your arm sore!!) I've just been a walking disaster all week long!

Also, this is totally off subject, but if anyone has this coat from ASOS in a size Petite US6 and wants to sell it please please please drop me an email! It's my favorite coat that I wear almost every time I leave the house, but the size I have is too big on me now and ASOS is sold out of US6 :(

Update: ASOS restocked the coat so I was able to snag one!! Yay!

sweater - lazy oaf | skirt - lazy oaf | shoes - bait footwear

DIY houseplant for your cat

Lately Arrietty has really been enjoying rubbing her face in my houseplants. They're cat safe, so I don't have to worry for her sake, but my plants on the other hand! They're already looking a little the worse for wear because of the lack of sunshine this time of year, and those cat nuzzles are not helping matters any. So I decided to make Arrietty her own plant that she can rub her face in as much as she wants! She's already taken a liking to it so I'd say this DIY was a success!



Materials needed:

A ceramic pot
Plastic grass
Two feather stick cat toys
River rocks
Spray catnip
Styrofoam plant base
Brown kraft paper
Non-toxic glue



When you're shopping for the greenery, make sure you pick something with very substantial leaves that your cat won't be able to ingest. Mine had some small, thin pieces sticking out of it so I plucked them out beforehand.

Add some river rocks to the bottom of your pot for weight, and then put the styrofoam on top of it. Insert your plastic greenery. Using a sharp utility knife, cut off the bulk of the stick on the feather toys and then insert the shorter sticks into the styrofoam.

I forgot to take pictures of the next step, but to cover up the styrofoam just attach small crumpled pieces of brown kraft paper to the foam with non-toxic glue. Once the foam is entirely covered in the brown paper (I did two layers of paper to make sure the foam was totally inaccessible) spritz the ends of the leaves with catnip spray to entice your kitty away from your pretty parlor palms and into their own feline garden!

I can't say how happy I am with this project! Arrietty is content with her plant and has been staying away from the real plants. I just spray the leaves whenever I think it needs a little catnip refresh.