12.31.2013

2013 In Review



As someone whose never been able to maintain a scrapbook or journal, one of my favorite parts of blogging is being able to look back over my projects. 2013 was a year where I decided to blog less, but love what I blogged more and I ended up with some posts I'm really proud of. Let's take a look!





My office is still a work in progress (all paint color suggestions welcome!), but is the perfect sunny spot to get my craft on.



A total dream came true this year when the first floor of my rental was featured on A Beautiful Mess, my alltime favorite blog.



Before this year, I had never seriously decorated a bathroom in my rental before. SO worth it!





I looooove brass and rattan and nearly fell off my couch when I found these stools on craigslist. All they needed was a little new fabric on the seats!



After searching online for a macrame plant hanger, I gave up and just made my own. Sometimes you just gotta get your hands dirty to get what you want.



Because sometimes all it takes is a coat of paint!





Taking photos has been one of my favorite things to do in 2013. This is my current gear setup.



Can furniture make you feel sexy? With this bar cart, the answer is most definitely yes.



Sometimes a craigslist find completely transforms the look of your room!





I was always a little scared to apply wall decals, but it turns out it's not very difficult. Here's how I did it.



Caigslisted furniture doesn't always come in the perfect condition, but before you decide to reupholster or paint, try a little cleaning. Here's how I cleaned this green vintage chair.

So there it is - a year of my favorite posts!
If you're curious, here are my reviews for 2011 and 2012.

BUT... Here's the big question, and I would be SO GRATEFUL  for your feedback...

What would you like to see more of on insideways in 2014??

12.23.2013

Thanksgiving Treats + Holiday Cooking Tip



I'm a little late to the Thanksgiving blogging party, but I couldn't go without posting a photo of this Mojito Jello Shot recipe I tried from A Beautiful Mess. It was SO good, super pretty, and not very diffiult to make. I highly recommend trying it for your holiday parties (I'm definitely going to make them again for New Year's Eve).



And now for the tip! I love having friends over to cook for the holidays, but it can be tricky to show everyone where all of the cooking supplies are. Sticking labeled post-it notes on cabinets and drawers is easy to do and makes kitchen navigation easier for your guest chefs.

Here's to good eats and happy holidays for all!

12.18.2013

Homemade Christmas Ornaments 2013



Since Tim and I do a lot traveling over the holidays, it can be tricky to make and keep annual traditions. But, for the past three years we've managed to keep my absolute favorite tradition - we each make a Christmas Tree ornament!

This year we made a "couple's costume"-style ornament, where each of our ornaments stand alone, but are meant to go together. Check these snowball fighting reindeer out :)




I made the mischievous guy with the red scarf and Tim made the muppety fellow with the blue scarf.

Materials Used: pipe cleaners, felt, pom-poms, corks, sharpies, fishing line, googly eyes, and hot glue



If you're curious, here are links to our ornaments from the past two years >>> 2011 and 2012. Someday we'll have enough for a full tree ;)

What are your favorite holiday traditions?

12.16.2013

Aquafarm from UncommonGoods



A couple of weeks ago I got an email from UncommonGoods asking if I would be interested in trying out one of the products they're highlighting in their stocking stuffer collection (you can check them all out here). It was super easy to say yes because 1) they have TONS of cool stuff and 2) those products are made in harmony with the environment and without harm to animals or people. Yay for everyone!



After a struggle to decide between the Aquafarm or a Pick Punch (it makes guitar picks out of credit cards or ANYTHING, what?! So cool! More on it here.), I chose the Aquafarm - a fish tank that grows plants through hydroponics.



Setting up the Aquafarm was pretty easy overall and the instructions and packaging were beautiful and easy to use. Gordon was completely enraptured by our new fish Harold...

I also followed the instructions that recommended adding a snail to the tank to clean algae. We named him Captain Algae. Unfortunately... he didn't make it. I'm pretty sure there just wasn't enough algae for him to eat, so I suggest waiting to buy a snail until your tank has been going for a while.



Once everything was set up, I just left it to grow! Over the course of two weeks...




We grew a wild mane of wheat grass!



I'm also really impressed by the tank's sleek design. About one-third of their collection incorporates recycled and/or upcycled materials, but they don't sacrifice good looks. So, I feel good about my environmental impact and my kitchen bay window looks beautiful. Again, everybody wins!



So head your internet selves over to UncommonGoods if you're still in the market for Christmas gifts. If you're into the monogrammed trend right now, they even have a bunch of personalized goods you can check out here.

I'm itching to try another plant in my Aquafarm. What do you think I should grow? Basil? Cilantro? Mint? What would you grow?

12.02.2013

My Camera Gear



Since I started blogging back in 2011, I've slowly but steadily worked to improve my photography skills. I started with an iPhone and Picasa, but worked my way up to using a DSLR and Photoshop with my 31 Days to Better Home Photos challenge.

This year, I was finally able to save up enough for a beautiful Canon 6D DSLR - a camera that can help me reach my new goals and continue growing. So, I thought I'd share a little post of my current camera gear!




So why the zoo photos? A super fun way to get to know a new camera is to take it out on a little camera date somewhere pretty. Great places are the beach, a garden, the woods, or... the zoo! My favorite is the zoo because the animals move around and really make things a challenge (but not too hard). These photos were taken on a cloudy day at the San Diego Zoo.

Stick to the outdoors where there will be plenty of light, but where there is also shade so you won't have to spend all of your time dealing with harsh direct sunlight. You're almost guaranteed to come out with a few new favorite photos!



This monkey is totally sitting on a hippo's back, just FYI...
Here's to better photos for all! Do you have any photography goals you're working towards?