Weekend Whereabouts

This past weekend, Brennon and I took our first trip to Holland to see the flower filled fields and world-famous gardens before the Spring ended and tulip season came to a close.  We visited the gardens of Keukenhof, drove to Holland’s fisherman’s isles, sampled local cheeses, learned how to make wooden clogs, toured working windmills, and wandered through the colorful tulip fields… all in all, an amazing trip at yet another beautiful European destination!





keukenhof gardens ● tulips for miles ● pretty in pink
tulip covered in water droplets ● fine dining in holland ● fishing village of marken island
holland’s wildlife ● kinderdijk windmill park ● dixie’s bathroom with a view
holland’s tulip fields ● orange among a field of red ● so grateful the sun came out to play

For your viewing pleasure, here’s a little video made up of Instagram pictures and Vine videos from our trip to Holland {my first “movie” and pictures/video were taken on my phone, so please don’t judge too harshly}

Brennon and I fully understand how blessed we are to live overseas and have the opportunity to travel to so many amazing European destinations, and we love sharing it with you!

As much as we’d love to invite you to join us on all of our trips, it isn’t exactly practical… so instead, we invite you to travel with us virtually!  For those of you who would like to come along on our European adventures but just can’t find the time to slip away from your busy schedules, we will now be sharing the details of every trip with you via Twitter!  Through lots of photos, videos, and real time accounts of what we’re doing and things we’re trying, you will feel like you’re practically there with us!  And I want you to get in on the action… feel free to ask questions, share your experiences, and make suggestions of things you think we should try or places we should explore!  Sure, it may not be the same as you physically being there, but it’s definitely the next best thing!

For those of you who already have a Twitter account, simply visit @DesignEurLife to join us on our next trip to France’s Champagne Region and Memorial Day Celebration at Belleau Wood beginning this Thursday!

And if you don’t have Twitter but would still love to join in on the fun, no worries, it’s actually really easy to set up an account!  All you need to do is enter your name, email address, password, a username, and you’re done!  Click here to start now and then visit me here!

I am looking forward to our next trip together!

xoxo

10 Ways to Recycle Old Clothes

I really hate getting rid of clothes… you could go so far as to say that I am a clothing hoarder.  During our Spring cleaning this year, I decided that I would finally get rid of things I wasn’t wearing anymore {yes, even things I still had from high school}.  But what made purging my closet a little bit more bearable was the thought of recycling some of my most cherished childhood memories in the form of clothing into other things… even though I may not be wearing my favorite clothes {or what used to be} anymore, instead of getting rid of them altogether, I have found some creative ways to re-purpose them into things I will put to good use while still keeping those memories alive!

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Here are 10 simple projects to recycle some of your old clothes:
{click each image to enlarge}

1. Simple Summer Headscarf

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2.  Rolled Flowers

fabric flower project, fabric flower tutorial, fabric rose diy, fabric rose, fabric flowers, diy fabric flowers 1. Gather supplies: old t-shirt, sheet of felt, scissors, and glue gun.
2.  Cut a 1 inch wide strip of fabric horizontally from a t-shirt and tie a knot at one end.
3. Fold strip of material in half and wrap twice around your knot and glue in place.
4. Then, twist and wrap fabric around center, gluing every half turn.
5. Keep twisting and wrapping and gluing.
6. When you have wrapped all of your fabric, glue the end of the fabric to the bottom of the flower.
7. Glue bottom of flower to felt.
8. Cut around the base of the flower so that none of the felt is visible.

You can use your flower to decorate an outfit in the form of a brooch, necklace, hat or your home by accessorizing a pillow, wreath, gift or anything else you can think of!

3.  Sweater Cowl Scarf

sweater cowl scarf, sweater cowl scarf tutorial, diy scarf, scarf project, sweater scraf, make your own sweater scarf 1. Gather supplies: an old sweater, scissors, and hemming tape.
2. Cut the sweater horizontally right underneath the arms and discard top half.
3. Hem rough edge of the bottom half of sweater with hemming tape.
4. Slip the scarf over your neck and it’s is ready to wear!

4.  Ruffled Scarf

ruffled scarf, ruffled scarf project, diy ruffled scarf, creative scarf, scarf tutorial 1. Gather supplies: old clothing {I used hubs old linen pants}, large and small plate, scissors, and thread.
2. Trace four large circles and two smaller circles on one side of your clothing.
3. Cut out circles through both thicknesses {both sides of pants in this case}… you will end up with 8 large circles and 4 small circles.
4. Cutting though both thicknesses, cut each circle into a spiral… no template needed, just freehand it!
5. Uncoil all of your circles and divide into two sections, making sure 4 large circles and 2 small circles are on each side.
6. Attach the top end of each section together using a sewing machine or needle and thread.

Here are some fun ways to wear your ruffled scarf:

1. Simply let the scarf hang around your neck
2. Drape scarf using a brooch
3. Tightly wrap around neck
4. Loosely wrap around neck

One Shirt, Four Accessories

5.  T-Shirt Necklace

tshirt tutorial, t-shirt tutorial, tshirt necklace tutorial, t-shirt necklace tutorial, t-shirt necklace diy, t-shirt necklace project 1. Gather materials: old t-shit {seamless works best} and scissors.
2. Cut off the bottom hem of shirt and then cut 1 inch wide strips horizontally across the shirt {I wanted to use both the orange and the grey so my strips were a lot smaller than 1 inch}.
3. You will now have several strips of fabric, still connected on the ends. Stretch strips so that the raw edges roll inwards and tie together using the bottom hem or scrap fabric.
4. Trim the loose ends and tuck knot underneath the wrapped fabric.

6.  Fabric Covered Beads

beaded fabric bracelet, fabric bracelet, beaded fabric bracelet tutorial, bracelet tutorial, 1. Gather materials: old t-shirt, fan chain, scissors, and thread.
2. Cut the fan chain to the size of  your wrist.
3. Place a strip of fabric on a table and lay the chain on top of the fabric. Using thread, tie fabric in between each length of chain.
4. Knot thread to secure fabric at the end of your beads and trim off excess fabric between each length.

7.  Braided Bracelets

braided bracelet tutorial, braided t-shirt bracelet tutorial, braided t-shirt bracelet project, braided bracelets, t-shirt bracelets 1.Gather materials: old t-shirt, colorful rattail cord, and scissors.
2. Cut three 1 inch strips of fabric from t-shirt and stretch them so the raw edges begin to curl.  Cut three matching lengths of cord.
3. Add a strand of cord to each strip of t-shirt, secure with tape on one end, and start braiding.  When you reach the end of your strips, tie a knot around each end to secure.
4. Tie one end to the other end and double knot.  Slip them around your wrist and you are ready to go!

8.  Braided Workout Headband

braided workout headband, braided workout headband tutorial, workout headband, tshirt headband tutorial, headband tutorial, braided headband tutorial 1. Gather materials: old t-shirt and scissors.
2. Cut off the bottom hem of shirt, and then cut five 1 inch wide strips horizontally across the shirt.
3. Stretch the strips until they become long and the raw edges start to roll inward.
4. Cut the five strands in half so that they become long strands instead of circles.
5. Gather strands and secure them onto a hard surface with tape.
6. Take the outside left strand and place it one over to the right.
7. Take the middle strand and place it one over to the left.
8. Take the middle strand and place it one over to the right.
9. Take the outside left strand and place it one over to the right.
10. Take the middle strand and place it one over to the left.
11. Take the outside strand and place it one over to the left.
12. Take the middle strand and place it one over to the right.
13. Once you have finished braiding, trim the headband to fit your head, leaving enough at the ends for knotting.
14. Start by double knotting one strand from each end of the braid together.
15. Match each end with another strand from opposite side and double knot.
16. Trim the ends.

9.  Workout Tank

workout tank tutorial, make your owne workout tank, workout tank project, recycle tshirt projects 1. Gather materials: old t-shirt and scissors.
2. Cut away the bottom hem and ribbed neckline.  For the sleeves, cut downwards starting from shoulder and then begin to curve down below the armpit seam.
3. Cut neckline according to how low you want it.
4. Flip the shirt over and make a narrow racerback, curving inward from the armpits.  The cut a “V” shape from the top neckline.
5. Using bottom hemline, stretch it out until it becomes one long string of fabric.  Knot the string a couple of inches above the bottom of the “V” shape.
6. Wrap the string all the way down the center of the racerback, and back up again to meet the other end.  Now tie the ends together tightly and trim excess.

10. Doggie Chew Toy

home made doggy toy, doggy diy project, doggy toy diy, make your own dog toy, dog toy diy, dog toy tutorial 1. Gather materials: old clothing of some sort and scissors.
2. Cut 10 strips of each colored fabric.
3. Alternating colors, lay strips together in one bundle.
4. Using an extra strand of fabric, tie a double knot around one end of the strips, leaving several inches on the end.  Separate strands into three sections and start braiding.  Once you are near the end of your strips, tie another double knot using an extra strand of fabric.

And now here are a few pictures of my sweet little girl modeling her new toy {I just couldn’t resist}.

I hope you enjoy these unique and fun ways to reuse and recycle your old and outdated clothing.  Next time you are considering throwing out your old stuff, think about how you might re-purpose it into something else.  These creative and easy projects not only give you a reason to make room in your closet, but they also allow you to hang on to some of those memories that you can’t quite seem to part with just yet.

xoxo

Chalking It Up

Chalk paint has grown wildly popular due to its versatility and durability, requiring only one coat of paint for almost any project and suitable on almost any surface!  I love the finish of chalk paint and have been wanting to try it out for quite some time.  If you like to paint furniture, chalk paint is something you must try, but if you are like me and can’t seem to find it pre-mixed at your local hardware store, then look no further!

About a month ago, I found a chalk paint recipe, and after slightly modifying it by substituting ingredients with things that can be found here in Germany, I put hubs to work.  What used to be a boring beige dressing table has now been transformed into a perfectly pink makeup vanity, and I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out!

If you have been trying to get your hands on some chalk paint but don’t know where to find it, try making it yourself with this simple recipe!

Step 1: Mix Plaster of Paris {Modelliergips or Gips, for those of you who live in Germany} with water, adding a little bit at a time until you get to a smooth consistency.

  Add more water as needed to break up the powder and eliminate all lumps.

Step 2: Once the plaster of paris is thoroughly mixed, add the mixture to the paint color of your choice and mix well using an egg beater or a drill with a spindle.

Step 3: Now you are ready to paint!

After your furniture has had time to dry, lightly sand until smooth.  For a distressed look, sand in areas where natural wear would occur, such as corners and edges, until your piece is distressed to your satisfaction.  When finished, rub with furniture wax and let dry.

Now that I know how easy it is to make chalk paint, I will be searching for more things to paint {or repaint}!

xoxo

 

Top 10 Tips for Organizing Your Vanity

So far this week we’ve reworked our closet spaces, purged and reorganized our wardrobes, and day 3 of Closet Cleanout week is all about vanity organization!

The task of de-cluttering your vanity can be overwhelming, so today I’m sharing some of my favorite vanity organization tips to make your spring cleaning a little bit more manageable:

1. Utilize your dishes

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Tea cups & saucers, tiered cake stands, decorative plates, and trays are perfect storage vessels for sorting all types of jewelry and organizing your accessories.  On my vanity, rings and small charms are tucked away in tea cups, jewelry for special occasions rests on cake plates, and jewelry I wear most often, like my wedding ring, are conveniently located front and center on a decorative plate.

2. Hang your necklaces

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Space saving wall organization is a perfect way to display accessories and maximize valuable closet real estate.  Simply hang an empty frame and install small hooks on a wall in your closet.  Gone are the days of jewelry being hidden away… now necklaces are out where they can be seen and displayed as art!

3. Chain up your sunglasses

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Instead of keeping sunglasses tucked away in a drawer or shoved down in the bottom of your purse, display them on a wall in your dressing area, along with other jewelry and accessories, making it that much easier to find the perfect pair on the go!  Just attach a small chain or wire to the backside of an empty frame and hang on your wall.

4. Easy DIY earring storage

If you are short on counter space, hang earrings on the wall using this easy DIY frame.  Simply attach wire mesh or window screen to the backside of an empty frame using a staple gun.  The screen is great for holding every kind of earring, even tiny studs!

5. Not just a towel rack

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Paper towel racks are great for storing bracelets and necklaces.  I just spray painted an old towel rack that we had stored away, fastened necklaces from the tallest bar {which is usually used for hanging kitchen hand towels}, and hung bracelets from the lower one {usually reserved for paper towel rolls}.  Now my jewelry is organized and the days of tangled messes are over!

6. Organize your hair accessories

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Organize hair accessories in your vanity drawers by utilizing cupcake/muffin pans {pink spray paint optional}.

7. Apothecary jars to the rescue

apothecary jar storage

Place make-up products like lipsticks, brushes, and foundation wedges in apothecary jars on your vanity to keep messy drawers at bay.

8. Line your drawers

The best way to keep accessories from getting nicks and scratches is by keeping them organized in shallow, velvet or felt lined drawers.  Simply cut velvet to size {I actually used a really soft $5.00 IKEA blanket that resembled velvet}, and place them over rubber carpet stays in each drawer for a non-slip solution.  Now your jewelry and delicates will have a plush home!

9. Keep your drawers tidy

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Insert office organizers in your vanity drawers for catch-all organization.  Anything random like extra car keys, spare buttons, on-the-go sewing kits, and loose change are nicely organized, so that you never have to go searching again!

10. Create a manicure station

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With the addition of our new closet island, which is actually an old desk, I gained a perfect little manicure station.  I have to admit, I love collecting nail polishes… I just can’t resist all of the beautiful colors that come out each season!  So instead of hiding them away in my vanity drawer, I displayed my favorite polishes on a cake stand, which I then topped with all of the manicuring essentials.

manicure station, organizing your vanity

Glass jars are used to store nail files and clippers, cotton balls, and nail polish remover.  With the addition of my new manicure station, I never have to go to the nail salon again!

* * *

Organizing your vanity may seem like a daunting task, but with a few hours and a little creativity, your space can easily be transformed into an organizer’s dream!

If you are on a spring cleaning roll, check back tomorrow to see how I transformed a make-up vanity, and fun projects for your cast away clothing on Friday!

xoxo


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