Christmas

So....

I got a new sewing machine for Christmas.

A Brother's XL 3750.

I cannot wait until I get to make lots of things with it. WOOT WOOT

Now I will not have to borrow my stepmom's or my sister's whenever I need to sew anything.

I'll post some pictures of my creations. :)

Fall is definitely here...

...well it actually feels like we just skipped right over fall and dove straight into winter. My roommates and I have been putting off turning the heat on, partially because we have been procrastinating putting the plastic up on our windows. In the meantime, I've been wanted to make pumpkin everything so I thought I would share some recipes I have been saving.

chocolate chip pumpkin muffins

Chocolate Pumpkin Tart, um yum.

Pumpkin Pie Brioche Croissants filled with Dark Chocolate

these look so tasty, maybe I will make these for my contribution to thanksgiving dinner.

 who doesn't love a sweet roll, especially one made with pumpkin

and a nice pumpkin martini too

Here are some of my projects I have finished so far

unfortunately I forgot to take before pictures of these. tear. but anyway. I refinished an end table that I got on craigslist for $15. I took inspiration from the techniques Will Means uses in this octopus table he made.

here is Wills table above

and here is mine below

I have since added 4 white knobs from anthropolgie to the front of the drawer of the end table. 

I also refurbished an old butterfly chair my mom got from a garage sale a very long time ago. it was a very nasty green color with a silver frame. I have a very bad picture of only the top half of the chair before I completely took it apart to use it as a pattern for the new chair. 

so here is the before picture (or part of it anyway)

and above are pictures of the finished product, I found a picture of a henna tattoo similar to the bird I hand embroidered into the back of the chair and I just went from there. 

my most recent addiction...stripes

Its seems as though I find myself constantly being drawn to stripes. If there is ever an option for something to be striped, that is what I choose. So I thought it only appropriate to put together a post of a few striped things I love.

I think I will be making some of these

I unfortunately still haven't figured out where this blanket is from. All I know is I desperately want it

like I said, I'm addicted

I am unsure of where I found the first picture but as for the rest of them, if you simply click on the image you should be directed to the website where I found them.

Hello

Here is my first official blog post...

I have contemplated setting up a blog for quite some time but could never nail down all the things I needed to create one. The hardest part for me was to create a name, a name that epitomizes me and what I want my blog to be about.

So Design, Create, Live is what I have come up with.

Design - I have been reading design blogs for the last few years and have been drawing so much inspiration from each and every one of them but now I am working on applying it to my own apartment. So here, while continuing to search for inspiring design, I plan to share with you the development of my own style.

Create - Growing up with a father who would see something in the store and say "I can make that", I too have developed that same mentality (my stepmom can attest to that as she often tells me I sound just like my dad when we are shopping) looking at something and trying to figure out what it would take to create the same thing for less. I also look at creating as bringing new life to things that are already, more so re-creating. Re-creating or re-imagining an old chair or table into something more spectacular has become a recent hobby of mine and have plans to share those with you as well.

Live - This encompasses everything else in my life that I consider noteworthy. My family, friends and the adventures in my life...

...Oh yes and FOOD. Since I love it far too much to simply ignore. :)

So this is my blog for now, I hope to find inspiration from it as well as inspire others.

**Design, Create, Live**