Make Something Monday--Faux Fireplace

Happy 'Make Something Monday!' (a day late).  Even though in LA, we find ourselves on the beach in bikinis in January,  I often find myself wishing my apartment had a fireplace. Insert the faux fireplace!  If you can make a quick trip to Home Depot for some crown molding + plywood, round up your hammer and nails (or get your sweet boyfriend or Dad to do it for you), then you too can have your very own faux fireplace!  I mean, a girl has got to have a place to hang her stockings at Christmas and a mantel to display her favorite things! 

Since you can't fill your fireplace with actual fire, try using cut logs, books, framed pictures, candles, or just about anything!  Let your faux fireplace imagination run wild!

The folks over at HGTV give us step by step instructions to create a basic fireplace. 

Here are a few of my favorite examples:

I especially love the rustic distressed look of the wood in this one.  Try going to a junk yard to salvage some old wood or create the distressed look yourself with sandpaper! The framed print anchors the books against the back of the black fire box.  And how amazing are those mirrors?!

For a more traditional look, try using crown molding to frame the fire box and fill it with something natural, like cut logs!

Happy Hammering!

Foodie Friday- The Perfect Bloody Mary

Bloody Mary...the quintessential Saturday breakfast in a cup. Being in LA means I've got lots of options when it comes to...well....just about anything, including bloody marys (don't worry, we pay for it with horrible traffic and the outrageous cost of living)!   I'll take mine extra spicy with extra garnishes!  I've been to several places where they have an actual menu for their bloody marys.  One of my favorite places to exercise my right to choose is The Fig in Santa Monica.  They serve a 'secret' bloody mary, a tomato-watermelon mary, a bacon bloody mary, and even a foie gras bloody mary for the more adventurous sippers.  

If you prefer to sip your bloody mary in your PJ's on a lazy Saturday, try this classic recipe:

Classic Bloody Mary

• 48 oz Tomato Juice
• 2 ounces of vodka
• 3 Lemons, Juiced
• 2 tablespoons Pickling Juice
• 2 tablespoons Olive Brine(which is simply the juice in the jar of store bought olives)
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 tablespoons Hot Sauce (Tabasco is perfect)
• 1/2 cup prepared Horseradish
• 3 teaspoons ground Pepper
• 2 teaspoons Celery Salt
• instead of a salt rim, try a crushed black pepper rim!

Want to add a little extra kick to your cup?  Try this Bloody Maria recipe:

Extra-Spicy Bloody Maria

2 ounces chile infused tequila

4 ounces tomato juice

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated horseradish

3 dashes Worcestershire sauce

3 dashes hot sauce (such as Tabasco)

1/2 teaspoon pickled jalapeño juice

Pinch kosher salt

Pinch freshly ground black pepper

Generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Pinch celery seeds

1 medium pickled jalapeño

Now on to the good stuff...the garnishes.  They say, 'you can never have too much of a good thing'...and I bet they were talking about bloody mary garnishes.  Don't you agree? Some of my favorite garnishes include bacon, pickles, celery, carrots, stuffed olives, jalapenos, cucumbers, beef jerky sticks, pickled brussel sprouts, and of course chopped green chile.  Add a few of these to your drink and ta-dah, you've got yourself a sippable piece of food art.

Happy Sipping! 

The Power of The Rug

Never underestimate the power of a rug...never.  Of course we all want to rip out the carpet in our rented apartments and have the landlord pay to have herringbone hard wood floors installed, but my landlord won't even wave back to me, so I'm guessing that means its out of the question.  That's where the underestimated  rug gets to truly flex its muscles.  A bold rug can transform the look and feel of almost any room.  Don't be afraid to go with bold color blocking, different patterns and unique textures because rugs aren't permanent and can easily be changed or returned it you bite off more than you can chew.  I also love putting rugs in unexpected places, like peeking out from under the foot of my bed.  So if you want to make a change without spending a ton of money, try a rug! 

Here are some my favorite looks:

                 

For a more dramatic look, try layering rugs.  Start with a neutral color, I recommend a natural woven rug made out of banana leaves or hemp and top it with a ikat print rug for an eclectic feel!

   Afraid of color?  Try this classic black and white in a bold stripe version.  

The ladies over at Pretty Providence made it easy to pick a rug.  Cheap and cute, two of my favorite words!

Happy Rugging! 

Here we go, again!

This blog will simply be another way to collect ideas, thoughts, and inspiration.  I've created a cheesy little template to help myself stick with it.  Happy Reading!

 Mondays- 'Make Something Mondays'

           Ill be sharing my favorite DIY projects, things I've made, things I want to make, and before/afters of upcycled things

Tuesdays- 'Thankful Tuesdays'

          It's important to take time to remember how much the Lord has truly blessed us.  I'll be sharing my own inspirations and thoughts on different things.

Wednesdays- 'Wear it Wednesdays'

         I'll be sharing some fashion trends that I've been seeing/trying.

Thursdays- 'The Walls- Thursdays'

         My inner Interior Designer will be writing tips, tricks, and ideas on all things decor, design, and architecture.

Fridays- 'Foodie Fridays'

         I'll be sharing recipes, the LA food scene, visiting food trucks, and going over the latest and greatest restaurants here in LA.

Off we go!!!