Author: mollyeleen

A quick banner!

| mollyeleen

Hello all! So it’s been awhile. It’s funny, I think many of my posts are started this way and usually for the same reason, busy, kids, summer vacation, etc.  Well this time it’s all of those reasons, but also my mom and I are finally up and truly running with our little Etsy shop Pink Floor Studio.  Happy day!

So today, I thought I would share a quick and super simple project~ a vintage playing card banner.

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How cute is that! Really it’s so simple, it seems silly to write about it, but let’s just go for it anyway…

What you will need:

  • Vintage playing cards (and i suggest you get them from Pink Floor Studio – but any will do)
  • Pre-made banner (ours is from Target)
  • Double sided tape
  • Ribbon (I ended up not using it)
  • About 5 minutes

 

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Step one- double stick your cards onto the banner pieces. Step two – string it up (I decided to use the bakers string instead of the ribbon). Step three – find a cute place to hang it up.

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See, really that was the shortest project I have ever written about that’s for sure! But sometimes the short and sweet are so cute how could you not create something with vintage charm!

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If you decided to make a banner using vintage cards, I would love to see it! And if you are in the mood for some vintage crafting supplies, come check out our little shop Pink Floor Studio.

 

 

 

My first!

| mollyeleen

Hello Strangers! I sure have been absent for too long.  Isn’t it funny, when you think you did something maybe last week and then you sit down to really figure out when you last did said thing it’s like 6 freaking months later! I mean really?! But lets just pretend you are still listening (reading) and let me share my newest DIY, awesomeness if I do say so myself

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My very first Ikea Hack! I am so excited it’s a little on the sad side, but the outcome is so fantastic!

So here is the short, of the long story of how this hack came to be.  We had a lamp on a side table for over a year. This lamp became a thousand little shattered pieces in a blink of a toddlers eye. Hubby and I decided we needed to hang a lamp instead to avoid any future disasters. It could look cool so I searched for a chandelier and when I found an okay one to just see if we like it um… NO! All the lighting in the house is modern. And this didn’t cut it. So instead of sitting in the dark of the evenings – I thought, why don’t I just get the Joxtorp from Ikea (costs $5) until I find the perfect lamp, I was over it being so dark.  So up when the Joxtorp and wow, I actually really liked it. Hubby like it too… score.

But then night came around… and the chair turned into the interrogation chair. Why? Well this lovely Joxtorp is cardboard (!) and no light can escape it except for at the bottom, so all the light was flooding the chair.  It looked like an old movie jail scene with the bad guy sitting in a chair the light shining down on him while being asked “where were you on the night of October 23?” Humm… what to do?

Then I had an idea. A brilliant idea. A horribly, awful, brilliant idea! Why don’t I cut triangles into the lamp and cover the holes with vellum, then the light can escape. “It could be awesome. It could not work and suck. It was $5 – where is my exact-o knife!”

Here is what I did and what you will need

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You will need the Joxtorp lamp from Ikea and a hanging cord, exact-o knife, waxed sandwich bags, hot glue gun, pencil, ruler and patients. Take the lamp apart (or before you put it together) and take one piece at a time and place upside down on a cutting mat. Measure 3/4″ of an inch away from all the score marks and draw lines to create the triangles. (You need to do a minimum of 3/4″ because the tabs used to hold it together will still be hidden).  Cut out all the triangles and repeat on all 6 pieces. Yes this takes some time, but it is easy.

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Next grab your waxed sandwich bags and carefully slice off the top pieces, not the side with the seam, and be very careful not to crinkle the paper. Grab your hot glue gun and carefully and slowly glue each triangle into place. Then trim the waxed paper to just the edge of the hot glue using the exact-o knife. – Repeat 29 more times.

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Assemble the lamp as the instructions say, hang and ta-da! Totally geometric hanging lamp that emits a beautiful light at night and looks pretty amazing during the day too!

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Have you made an Ikea hack? Will you be trying this? If you do, I would love to see your creation. molly

“Life changing?” we will see

| mollyeleen

So I have a little secret. Wait! Nothing like my Sneaky B secret (although she was a secret to us all) this is minor compared to that moment in life. This is a hidden secret.

99 percent of the time our home is picked up and relatively clean. Should you eat off my floors?- No.  Could you pop in and I not be mortified? – YES! However if you open a closet I just might die of embarrassment.  No really – it’s bad. See-

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Did I just post these pictures?  Wow. I mean really… the holiday closet if off the charts of crazy. (OMG I really can’t believe I just shared this)

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Pause – side note- this is the only closet you can open. Our bar. We turned the random coat closet in the living room into a bar. Fun right!

Back to crazy.

I think about these disaster closets often; thinking “today during sneaky b’s nap I will clean out the office closet.” I get mental prepared, gather garbage bags and boxes.  Then I open the door and think of 500 other things that I need to do more, close the door and walk away.

A few days ago I found this book “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up: the Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing” by Marie Kondo.  Okay maybe I should find time to read this and maybe it will work. Maybe this is yet another form of procrastination? Of course it is. But maybe it will be “magic.”

After reading the book let’s just says it’s a little on the crazy side. A lot on the crazy side.  I’m not so sure about thanking every item in my closet for the work they have done for me. I already feel I need a straight jacket somedays, this might just put me over the top.  Then after thinking about it- maybe it will work. Truly Marie Kondo is famous in Japan. And her clients have had life changing experiences from her method of tidying up. And I do like a new “gimmick” Okay it’s on.

Tomorrow morning I start. NO this is not yet another procrastination. The books says it’s best to start working early in the morning when your energy and your things energy have been rested. So I take on my closet. I will share. We will see how life changing this is… fingers crossed

What!? Easter…

| mollyeleen

Hello strangers. Remember me? It seems I have forgotten all about blogging. Over the last few days, no weeks, months life has been crazy busy. And all because I like to make sure everything is perfect.  I say “yes” I can help – way to much. I am a volunteer.  I guess it’s my “new normal.”  But I need to slow down and not make my family so crazy.  This morning I made a big note to myself. “Find just Molly time!” Those four little words say a lot don’t they.

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I have been thinking about this little note all day. And it occurred to me, that when I took a few hours to sit at the computer and blog it is really Molly time. It might not be what I “should” be doing. And some might think it’s a waist of time. I might not be all that good at it. And you might think my life is boring. To me, it’s a moment of quite. A moment of not doing for everyone else. Imagine that! Amazing. I have said it before and I will again… I am going to do this more often. Blogging is almost therapeutic.  It’s been 4 plus months (almost 5) since my last post. MY GAD! That really sucks! And I have a lot to share –

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Shall we get on to the goods… I think so. How about Easter? Hubby and I hosted a lovely Easter brunch this year. Of course this meant making sure everything was perfect (because that’s what I do). And of course, that doesn’t mean just the meal and the table setting. In my world that meant painting our bedroom the weekend before Easter and making an odd coat closet in the living room into a bar (I will share both next time). You know what ever sane person does before family comes over – on top of all “normal” life things.

As you know, Pinterest is an addiction. And when it comes to holiday’s – forget about it, you can find anything. I found a how to by Urban Comfort on making these beautiful little flower baskets for the table… out of coffee filters! WHAT? YES! Making them was super easy to. The overall effect was a little Martha, but I secretly like that.

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For brunch we served crepes of all kinds! Well okay- two kinds. A sweet crepe bar with cream cheese mousse, a Nutella mousse and fresh fruit and a savory crepe torte.  The second best thing about this meal (the first being it was delicious!) was that ninety percent of it could be made the day before.  We got together with the family and my sister in law made crepes for hours (seriously at least 3) and I made the mousse’s, cut the fruit, prepped the sauces and other items for the torte. It was fun to stand around chatting and cooking. The kiddos dyed the easter eggs for the easter bunny to take and hide the next morning. Hubby and my mama chatted with us and there might have been a cocktail or two involved.

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(Can we just say how stinking cute Sneaky B is in this outfit? I mean really…)

The day was wonderful. The food delicious. The company fantastic. The stories hysterical. The best part – was all of it. Really, I just love to entertain. I love the process… even though I might just make my family bonkers for a few days. Hopefully next time I won’t be painting a room the weekend before, I am pretty sure we are good now on that end, well there is the play room…   newsignature.jpg

 

A suitcase and a Deli Doll?

| mollyeleen

A deli doll- yes you read that correctly.  “Deli Doll”…what on earth? Let me start at the beginning

MAG_SUITCASEToday the girls and I spent the afternoon at my moms home. Today was no unpacking, no lifting boxes and no moving furniture day. If you recall she moved in August and we moved in September;  it seems all our spare times goes to unpaking, lifting and rearranging furniture.  But today we sat on the sofa and looked at vintage magazines that my mom found in this suitcase.  Relaxing and hysterical.

doorwaysShall we start with a little holiday decor, for the exterior of your home? Christmas is right around the corner.  “For nighttime hospitality, and to create a dramatic effect, here’s the ultimate in professionally ability. Frame your door way with a pink flocked tree that fits flatly against your house.” Okay can we just agree on how fabulous this is! And if anyone actually did this… kuddos! I would love to do this to our home. However, I am pretty sure Hubby would think I had gone over the deep end of crazy town. And where do you find a pink flocked tree that big. Obviously I would have to make it and I definitely do NOT have time for that. If anyone does this, you are my hero and I want pictures!

strofoamHow about some crafting? We all love a little of styrofoam crafts don’t we? This stelar little book has some nifty ideas; not sure which is my favorite. A few of these like the Santa’s and the chimney scene could have potential. Like on the so tacky it’s cool scale. Not even sure what the top left is supposed to be. We guessed an ornament of some sort, but not really sure.

foodNow my favorite. The recipe books. Really it’s amazing. Truly amazing what people used to eat. Maybe some still do, but in my world WOW! Shall we start with a round of “Ring Around the Tuna” from the “Cooking with Jello” book circa 1960. “Ring Around the Tuna” would be a delightful salad for any dinner party. Salad? How is this salad? It contains lime jello, canned tuna (drained of course), pineapple, green stuffed olives and celery. Maybe the garnish of curly endive and radish roses make it salad? YUM! (okay really I can not even imagine what this tastes like). Next comes the Viking Ship Sauce Dish carved out of a cucumber… very creative. Honestly I might just be crazy enough to do this one day. I will share if I do. And can we just take a moment to look beyond the Viking ship cucumber and notice the tinsel garland on the table. Okay that looks pretty. Why didn’t I ever think of that?

dessertThen we have the desert spread. Lot’s of delicious looking cookies, popcorn balls and a lovely cake. We started reading what kind of cake this was, looks like some kind of lemon, raspberry cake…But wait! It’s not an actual cake on the dessert table- oh no. It’s a sandwich “cake!” My mom and I where in complete hysterics at this point. Sandwich cake? Yes of course. It’s a ham and egg sandwich made to look like cake. Plus it has cream cheese “frosting.” If I was at this party and chose to have what looked like a lemon raspberry cake and took a bite to discover it was a ham and egg sandwich– I would probably get sick.   If you make this Poinsettia sandwich cake, please don’t put it on the dessert table. Right?

dollAnd now the best thing ever. Yes I am being facetious. Very in fact. No party can be complete without the Deli Doll. Yes The Deli Doll!!! Yes this “conversation-sparker with her skirt of tempting cold cut meats” is…. I don’t even know what to say. The article says “The deli-doll is attractive featured by herself or on a tray surrounded by more cold cuts or breads” I… yes. I still don’t have the words.

The reality is, the ladies of the past where very creative and innovative to say the least. I thank them for bringing an afternoon of laughter of my mom and I, we enjoyed every minute of it, maybe not the way the ladies of the past intended but still.  There where so many other tempting bits that I didn’t share here, like the Spanish Polenta that didn’t have one spec of polenta in it or the brain patties (yes), plus there was an assortment of egg cart flowers to make and tulle christmas trees! I am thinking a “Tasteful bites and crafting of the 50’s and 60’s Party” is in the near future, we just can’t let these delicious recipes and crafts go to waste.  I am not being facetious this time either 🙂newsignature.jpg

It should be…

| mollyeleen

the 31 days of October challenge. For the past two years I have blogged, as a collective challenge with The Nester, every day of October about a specific topic. I chatted about “Preparing for my first craft show” and last year was “Sprinklings of my reality” .  This year, I am learning to say “I can not add one more thing to my plate” Okay I am really trying to say it. But it’s so hard. The guilt of not doing “things” for others is getting to me. But I have to say no for me otherwise… hello straight jacket!!

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Most of us have way to much going on everyday. Why is that? Why do we like to overload ourselves with things to do? I have no idea. Like I said I am trying not to have to much on my plate everyday so I can just enjoy the day with out the “we need to go here,” “I need to do this,” and the “we need to speed it up or we will be late!” I really just want to be “okay, what shall we do today?” But let’s be real, that is not going to happen every day. It just won’t.  No matter how much we say “no I can’t do that,” it just won’t happen. At least I can not see it happening.

You know what I do see happening, those stay at home mama’s with 5 kids all perfectly dressed and clean, following mom like a little row of ducklings. They go to the market, to swimming, to soccer, to baseball and out to dinner with out a single “we are going to be late” moment. How the heck do those mama’s do it? How do they have the perfectly clean home (and kids) with dinner on the table at 6pm with out any one child screaming in the process? How can they look completely pulled together all day long?  Robots? Maybe…

In my world, we are usually not late. We are never perfectly clean. We are never ever a little row of ducklings (it would be a very small row with only two kiddos). We are not at swimming, soccer or baseball everyday, and I still struggle with keeping the house picked-up. Notice I did not say clean. It is clean around here but not that “perfect all the time clean” but more of a “i will not roll over in my grave of embarrassment if you happen to stop by clean.”  I struggle with finishing a project the day I started it (or the same week) because other things have to be done.

I know. I know. We have young kiddos and I should not be adding any pressure to myself for these silly “things” but guess what. I do. I do want to come home from doing errands all day into a clean, picked up home. I do want to have time to finish a simple project when I start it. I do want to have clean kiddos- okay well let’s be realistic here- Kiddo draws on herself daily, loves mud and climbing trees and SneakyB is one. So the reality here is they will not be pressed and proper in their clothing- probably ever. They are “clean” as in bathed – usually- okay twice a week maybe three times.  Does running through a sprinkler count as a bath?

What is all this rambling on about. I don’t know. I guess it’s just my moment to share that I feel overwhelmed, sometimes, as a stay at home mama and wonder how others get it all done. The reality is this. My kids are happy. They are fun to be with (most days). They make my world awesome (usually). I am thankful to be a stay at home mama. I do miss my design career sometimes, especially when the girls are screaming and whining in the produce section of the market. But I would not trade it for anything at all.

This October instead of the 31 days to something, so I don’t feel guilt-ridden for not blogging, I am going to commit to four times this month of just checking in with you all and rambling about something. Fingers crossed I finish a project and can share that with you. That would just be amazing! newsignature.jpg

 

 

the garage sale gods where shining on me!

| mollyeleen

Hello all! It’s been awhile. We finally moved… we are still unpacking… but we are in our new home and love it. Moving just sucks. Really there is no other way to say it. The last minute push to get everything done… I was crying cleaning the old place. So over it. So done. So exhausted. And then, to make it all better (yes sarcasm) we got to the new place and there was a huge construction trailer in the drive way because we where getting a new roof and “they” decided to start 4 days early. Holy hell was I mad. I don’t get mad very easily, but I was pissed as Kiddo says (okay she should not say this, I know, but she does).  Anyway we are in the house now, construction trailer is gone, we are unpacking… I never want to see stuff again. ever. but….

I had the need, yes need, to go garage sale-ing today. Boy howdy am I glad I did. I truly think this was my best ever garage sale day. I am still giddy. Yes giddy.

First garage sale of the morning, a multi family for charity sale, first persons table and score… awesome carved wood mirror.  I have wanted an ornate oval mirror for years and this piece of pure awesome was only $20!

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Then a fun wool black and white rug and two cute avon bottles… Next a few dud sales… not to worry though I knew there was one more big find out there. A box of valentine making supplies for the daisy scouts (oh yea, did I tell you I am now a girl scout leader- more one day), a neat ball made from drift wood- not sure what I am going to do with it, but I needed it. A free- yes FREE- vintage looking chrome phone. The old school kind that hangs on the wall with a cord… I promise you it looks amazing in our little late 50’s house. (thanks Ash!)

But still there had to be something else. Then, the last sale on my way home, and there it was. An amazing bar cart. A gold-ish smoked glass bar cart with clean lines and all. $15 done. But wait, there was no way it could fit in my car. The people who’s sale it was said, they would help me get it in the car and if it fit they would sell if for $10. Well guess what it fit!

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I know, to some, all this might be crazy. But I loved this morning. I spent $50 and got all this awesome. How could you not like that?! Even though I wanted nothing to do with bring anything else into the house to unpack or unload from the car, it was my garage sale day. I have big plans for these items. I will be sharing our new home soon with these finds interspersed through out. My only question for the remaining part of the evening is to paint, to unpack or to have a cocktail…newsignature.jpg

 

ta-da!

| mollyeleen

Okay- I had to make the change to the blog. Thought about it all day, while I was walking Kiddo to school, feeding Sneaky B, picking up Kiddo, packing, cleaning, folding laundry, making dinner… pretty much all day.

So once I got the girls to bed and hubby left for a meeting, it was time! What do you think? I think I am in love

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Designing, Crying and a little change

| mollyeleen

Utter Chaos. We are living in utter chaos. Not only is Kiddo starting kindergarten today and Hubby started back to school two days ago but we are moving in 10 days! TEN.

In true me fashion, I am procrastinating. Procrastinating packing. I just spent days and days and days helping my mom pack and now we have to pack… procrastination is calling my name! How do you ask? Well,

  1. I’m blogging today
  2. I am designing my mom’s new kitchen in her new home (more in a bit)
  3. My partner in “crime” Magazine Mom and I are working on a new business (more to come in the future but let’s just say is extraordinary!)
  4. I am studying to be a girl scout leader (who new right) and
  5. I have decided to rename my blog and my little business (WHAT!?- yes. more in a bit plus a bit)

packingShall we review- number one. Well this is obvious. I am typing away in the middle of cardboard, tape, plastic wrap and boxes. (“Ignore it all Molly”)

kitchenbeforeNumber two- Redesigning my mom’s new kitchen. As you recall, my mom just moved up to our area. The house is great, the kitchen not so much. Not my mom. Not designed well. Not anything to be kept. So I am helping her redesign it. It feels good to get my designer hat back for a moment. Use my designer brain, it’s been rusty for awhile. To use the computer for drawing and not pinning or checking status, etc. happy day!

Reality check. It’s really hard to work while the girls are up. We spent a few hours yesterday at mom’s house. The girls where “locked” in the den. Okay to clarify, I put a baby gate across the doorway so that Sneaky B would not go up the stairs. Kiddo was “babysitting” while I worked and I would sneak a peak every now and then. It was working great until the crying, screaming and tears started. Kiddo says nothing happened- I believe her, she was crying and screaming too. We have so much change right now, I sometimes wish I could just sit in a room and scream and cry.

Number three- It’s extraordinary- moving on

Number four- Girl Scouts- Daisy’s to be exact. A few months ago it was “decided” that I should be a girl scout leader with all the girls from pre-school and other kindergartners and first graders. I thought, no problem. That would be fun. Wow- I had no idea what it takes to be a leader! It’s going to be fun and I am excited but it’s a lot to learn. I am up for that challenge!

Number Five- Renaming the blog! This one I have been thinking about for a long time. Why Vintage Princess by ME? That’s the name of my little clothing business. Why did I name my blog that? NO idea. A few months ago I thought I was going to name the blog Pumpkin & Pearl… did you notice this:

OLD_vp_header.jpgYeah- not quite right. I think it’s cute, but no… So now Vintage Princess by ME is:

mollyB_onlyWhy? Well simply because that’s who I am. I am Molly B (it’s what my grandmother used to call me) and I like to create and share my journey. It simply covers everything. I will be updating the blog look soon- let’s hope it’s not during another procrastinating session- unless it’s procrastinating from UN-packing. I am changing the little business name too, again, let’s wait to we move. I can no longer ignore all the boxes… newsignature.jpg