Follow-up on the DIY Journals

Happy Thursday! Remember the DIY Journals that I showed you how to make last Thursday? Well, here below is a quick follow-up on the cute details I added to the journals. It's amazing what a little ribbon can do to finish off a precious and easy DIY gift like these journals. I hope you're all done with your Christmas shopping! xx

Salt Harbor's DIY Paper Christmas Wreath

Salt Harbor Designs is my inspiration behind this beautiful diy paper Christmas wreath project. I attended one of their workshops last night in their downtown location The Atrium ( and I had a blast!). Their building is a hidden gem near the riverfront on South 2nd Avenue by Market Street. Being the creative power team that they are, the facility was immaculate and inspiring. One wall covered in moss wreaths with paper banners of "Merry Christmas" in various languages and another wall bearing a chalkboard in elaborate yet playful lettering set the creative atmosphere. My favorite wall was the one with the cozy hearth decorated with paper trees, the leaning ladder stacked with wrapped presents on each rung and the welcoming chair. 

Our craft table soon to be littered with adorable paper Christmas wreaths and trees!

My favorite little nook - isn't it too cute?!

Supplies:
1.) A stack of four or five old books (There's a great old book store in downtown Wilmington that sells used books for $0.50 each).
2.) A hot glue gun.
3.) A stapler.
4.) A 12-inch straw wreath from a craft store like Michael's.
5.) Greening pins also known as ferning pins.

Greening pins or ferning pins.

Directions:
1.) Begin by breaking the binding of the books and tearing out sheets of paper.
2.) Folding (without creasing) staple one end of each piece of paper.
3.) You can either glue as you go or move onto glueing once you've torn out anywhere from 200 to 280 pieces of paper.
4.) As seen below, hot glue the stapled side to the base of the wreath, starting with the outer and inner edges of the wreath. As you go, secure each piece of paper (only the pages of the first inner and outer rings) with the greening pins to ensure that the glue dries properly.
5.) Then work your way inward, making your wreath as full as you'd like.
6.) Lastly, hang your wreath somewhere visible like over your hearth, above your piano or on a door, sure to draw your guests' admiration. You've earned all the bragging points for this diy project, and it makes for a great holiday conversation piece.
***If you have a friend who is willing to help you, recruit her or him. Jennifer and Anna of Salt Harbor helped me with the pages, tearing and stapling, which made my wreath making fly by. It took me under an hour.***

BEFORE

DURING

AFTER: I'm so pleased with the finished product!
I may dust it with light glitter to give it the sheen of Winter's frost.

My dear friend Anna joined me for all the fun!

We also made adorable paper trees like this one.

Here I am boasting my new homemade, paper tree. It's right at home in my piano room among all my vintage Christmas decorations.

Stop by The Culture of Design tomorrow for all the details on how to make Salt Harbor's diy paper Christmas trees. Thanks again, Jennifer, Anna and Jenny of Salt Harbor, for sharing such a fun night of diy crafting with my friend Anna and me! Happy Crafting! xx

DIY Journals - A Quick & Easy Christmas Gift

Still have a few more people that you need to get gifts for? Well, if you're feeling crafty, this DIY journal idea is a quick, easy and thoughtful fix. All you'll need is a few composition books from your local dollar store or Wal-Mart, Tacky Glue, scissors and scrapbook paper. For a more unique and vintage touch, also rummage the craft store in search of ribbon, stamps and stamp pads. This project can cost as little or as much as you want it to...

I have a killer collection of vintage and pastel as well as modern and bright ribbons and trimmings to choose from! This is not a craft store. This is my craft room - my little nook of creativity!

*****************

Directions:

1.) Simply fold your sheet of scrapbook paper to fit the front cover starting at the outer black binder.

2.) Trim the edges of the paper, tucking the bottom and top smaller flaps under the wider flap on the left, securing with Tacky Glue. 

3.) Then take another 4 to 5 inch wide sheet of scrapbook paper to cover the remaining inner front cover, and also secure it with glue. 

*I recommend leaving the journal tucked under a stack of books to make sure no air bubbles form, reinforcing a smooth surface*

*****************

Optional Additions:

1.) You could add another sheet of scrapbook paper for more visual texture like I did for the journal in the top left corner of the picture below.

2.) You could add a more personalized vintage touch with stamps like the one seen below in the top left corner. Starting the journal with "Bonjour", I also stamped "Paris" midway through the journal and "Au Revoir" on its last page. The French language adds such charm to this DIY project.

3.) You could add one or two ribbons to the front cover by looping them around the inside of the cover and tying them into a beautiful bow on the outside (as seen on the lime green journal two photos below).

4.) If you'e on a roll, feel free to add charms to the bow portion of the ribbon or simply glue one to the front cover of the journal. The possibilities are endless. Just have fun creating the journals and personalizing for your family and friends! 

*****************

 I like mixing and matching colors and patterns as seen in the above picture.

 I love the two ribbons on the lime green journal (they add a subtle flare of femininity). I like them so much that I plan on using ribbon on a few other journals for Christmas gifts to my girlfriends.

I'd love to hear what you think about this speedy and craft-friendly DIY journal project! Just comment below. I hope you enjoy this one! xx

...Also stay tuned for more great DIY ideas. Tomorrow I'll be posting about two adorable Christmas DIY decoration ideas, all inspired by a workshop that I attended by Salt Harbor. You're going to love them! They are some of my new favorites - thanks to Jennifer, Anna and Jenny of Salt Harbor for sharing their creativity with me!

How to Repurpose Your Summer Maxi Dress for Fall & Winter

How many of you dove into Summer's maxi dress trend this year or last year? Living between the Gold Coast of California and the North Carolina Coast, I found the maxi dress to be a cute and comfortable outfit for warmer temperatures. Instead of burying them in the back of my closet with all of my summer attire, I'm pulling out a few like the black one that I'm wearing below and wearing a dolman sleeve top over it. Complete with cheetah print scarf, jewelry, ankle boots and a coat of your choice, this is an effortlessly chic Fall and Winter outfit. I hope you run with this fashionable outfit idea and apply it to your own wardrobe! xx

The Perfect Fall Ensemble: Rust Riding Pants

Rust riding pants paired with a classic winter white blouse is essential this Fall. I especially love this blouse with its gold tip collar. The touch of cheetah print in the heels are bold but not overpowering. The black blazer with its gold adorned shoulders and the black quilted purse beautifully balance the color and textures of this outfit. You can't go wrong with this Fall look. It's a safe risk to make for the fashionably unsure. The Burberry umbrella is the perfect accessory for evening flurries as Christmas approaches. I hope you've enjoyed this Fall 2012 fashion ensemble idea!

The Perfect Fall Ensemble: Rust Riding Pants Trend by anderson-mary-h featuring black platform heels

Gotta love this pair of rust denim!

Thank you Harper's Bazaar for capturing this Rodarte catwalk
moment at New York Fashion Week! 

This genius look by Proenza Schouler was also spotted by
Harper's Bazaar at New York Fashion Week.

Gluten-free Products that I Recommend

I've had a few of you ask me to feature some gluten-free products that I personally recommend. Grab your pen and paper because I have quite a few suggestions. Glutino has some of my favorites with a large variety of delicious gluten-free products from cereal to crackers to pretzel twists. Udi's  is also at the top of my favorites list. This brand has incredible breads, pizza crusts and the most amazing blueberry muffins. They also offer great hamburger buns and hot dog buns for family get togethers and summer cookouts. If you're not sure where to look, you can click here to find a store near you that sells Udi's products. If you're look for great gluten free instant oatmeal, Glutenfreeda's has the best in my opinion. Plus, it's an easy and quick breakfast if you're running late in the morning or you're needing a snack while traveling. I've brought Glutenfreeda's instant oatmeal and Glutino's crackers on my travels to New Zealand and Tahiti on more than one occasion. Looking for a wonderful gluten-free treat for when you're hosting or attending a party? Namasta Foods Brownie Mix is a great choice, and the gluten-free eaters and health conscious will love you for it! Mi-Del Gingerbread Cookies are the treat highlight to the Christmas holiday for me. In fact, I have a box in my pantry now for our annual Christmas party that's quickly approaching. Click here to browse Mi-Del's other yummy gluten-free baked goods and here for yummy gluten-free recipes from The Culture of Design. I hope this list of gluten-free products that I recommend has been helpful for you. Happy gluten-free grocery shopping! xx

What I'm Wearing for Fall/Winter 2012/2013

Here while junking at The Shop of Seagate, I'm wearing a fashionable outfit made of Fall's basics layered together. I am wearing a simple denim button down shirt tucked into my winter white lace skirt. My fur vest from last Fall provides the perfect amount of extra warmth in Winter's approaching chill. My outer shell is a cozy camel jacket with an exaggerated hood. It also has a belt (made of the same fabric as the coat) that I find to be a distracting detail to my outfit so I just tie it into a bow in the back. This purse by Pietro Alessandro is one of my faves. It's an icey wintry blue that echoes the color of my denim shirt. What really pulls the outfit together are the camel ankle boots and coffee brown belt, grounding the tones and textures. I hope what I'm wearing for Fall/Winter 2012/2013 inspires you to put your best fashion forward! xx

I am snagging a quick photo while junking and exploring inside.

I'm spotted outside The Shop of Seagate in front of some amazing
window panes and shutters for those on the hunt!

This necklace I purchased from Target in early Summer. It's perfectly chic with its hint of color.

Without my coat, here's a good look at my fur vest over my denim top with its rolled up sleeves.

Junking at The Shop of Seagate: Home Accessory Finds

If junking were a sport, I'd have a wall of trophies to boast, all thanks to my mum. I grew up junking with her at little antique shops throughout Wilmington. One of our favorite spots over the years has been The Shop of Seagate. This precious store is stocked with fabulous freshly painted dressers, revamped picture frames and antique home accessories. Word on the street is this was the hotspot for the stage crew of Iron Man 3 looking for film props, and it's no surprise! Every time my mum and I stop in the Shop of Seagate, we swoon over their new merchandise, and we always leave with more than we had planned. The owners Kathy, Jayne and Sharon are such a delight and are masters at staging as you'll see upon visiting their adorable store. I decided to document our latest junking adventure at The Shop of Seagate below which Sharon so graciously allowed us to do!
Thanks, Sharon! xx

You can follow them on Facebook by clicking here!

With Wilmington's sudden drop in temperatures, this Christmas display put a smile on my face.
I just love Christmas!

Sheer table delight with wintry touches of silver, glass, crystal and mercury! 

Delicate glass doorknobs and colored glass bottles exude Southern charm.

I wanted that mint green telephone, but Sharon wouldn't budge. It's "not for sale", but I must admit this is a killer visual display 

Tea time, anyone?

Oh hey, old Hollywood glam! (How I want this, but I don't need it.)

Glass bottles in a crate once delivered by the neighborhood's local milk man - what a great past time! 

Just look at this display. The ladies of The Shop of Seagate are staging queens!

Our junking was definitely a success! Lovely stockings made by CeCe Graham, a bright rust red frame, a stained glass window, an amazing lantern, a sweet wire basket, a hanging fixture that holds glass bottles or candles and an aquamarine vase.

This little guy was my favorite furniture thrifting find!

My furniture thrifting attire now that winter is starting to hit Wilmington.

Where are some of your favorite places to go thrifting and junking?