Book Technology Camouflage

It may or may not have taken 14 months, but I've finally covered up the second cable box in my living room! Forget ushering in a new year, THIS is a reason to celebrate!



I used the same technique as last time (here's a full tutorial) and I'm as happy with the result as before. Take a look...




No. More. Ugly. Black. Technology. I mean let's be serious, this is the American dream right here.



Also can we talk about how cute Maggie and Gordon were being in these photos? Unbearable.



How do you deal with exposed technology in your home?

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 Home Office

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 Beautiful Mess Feature

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

Polka Dot Bathroom

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

Reupholstered Counter Stools

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!

Macrame Plant Hanger

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.

Ceramic Paper Bag

Because sometimes all it takes is a coat of paint!

My Camera Gear

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

Bar Cart

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

Record Console

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

How to Apply Gold Dot Decals

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.

Tips for Cleaning Vintage Chairs

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??

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!

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?

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?