Make-it-Monday: Painting a Bedroom for the First Time

Does anyone else hate doing new things? I get really overwhelmed when I have to do something totally new. I'm a total perfectionist, and I'm always afraid I'm going to mess-up beyond repair. Last week, I did something really intimidating - I painted my new bedroom

The first time I visited my new apartment, I fell in love with it - err, most of it. The bedroom was painted this awful dark apricot. The room gets little light to begin with, and the color made it feel like a dungeon. I've threatened to paint in the past, but until now I never followed-through. It seemed like such a huge project, something that would cause me stress and heartache, and which I'd probably just mess up. Still, I couldn't bear to live in that dark room, so I decided to take the plunge.

I don't have a natural gift for interior design (my spaces tend to look messy and cluttered and mismatched), but I wanted my new room to feel like an "adult" space. Naturally, I turned to Pinterest. I ran a search for "mint bedroom," and I found a lot of great inspiration. I after a while, I started to notice patterns - gold accents, white lights, soft blues, and pops of brighter color.

But there's more to design than just picking colors - you have to slap it up there. I did setpainting in college, but I figured there would be more to it than just that. I found some great articles (How to Prepare a Wall for Painting, How to Paint a Room, DIY Painting Tips, Tricks..., Painting a Room Step-by-Step) that walked me through wall prep, priming, and color application. After reading all these (and more), I felt prepared. 

And as it turns out, I was! The hardest part, by far, was taping out the room and securing the dropcloths. It was tedious and boring, and took a good hour and a half. But once I had covered all the trim, the rest was a blast. Painting isn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be, once I was armed with Knowledge.

If you're looking to paint, and you're afraid you don't have what it takes, I promise you, you do. If I can pull it off, then so can you. If you still don't feel ready after reading those articles, then consider this novice's final bits of advice:

• Get supplies well in advance - Painting Days are stressful enough without running around all morning for supplies. Get everything at least 24 hours before you want to start painting.

• Buy a sample of the color you want - I wasn't sure quite which color to go with, so I bought small samples of my two finalists and painted a small patch of each on a primed wall. The next day, when I went to buy my gallons, I knew exactly which color to go for. Plus, now I have these teeny pots of paint that will be great for touch-ups or crafts.

I went for the color on the right - Icy Blue by Valspar (from Lowe's)

• Don't be afraid of cheap paint - Before you splurge on the expensive stuff, do a little research. I was interested in Valspar, but it since it was the cheapest option at Lowe's, I was a little wary. I jumped online, and read some glowing reviews of the brand. I went ahead and bought two gallons, knowing that it wouldn't slide right off the wall or dry all patchy.

• Don't do it alone - My new bedroom isn't huge, but it would have taken me a long time to paint it by myself. I enlisted a few helpers for each day, and they made the time fly by.

I'm so happy with how my room looks now. The walls are so bright, and the color is so soothing.

If you have any tips of your own, leave them in the comments. I might do another room, and I'd love your input.

Make-it-Monday: Creating a Flower Crown

Remember the charming, crafty Caleigh? She and some girlfriends have been sporting lovely DIY flower crowns when they go out on the town.

She wore this one when she came to see Hair

Naturally, I invited her over so she could teach me her ways.

This craft really couldn't be simpler or cheaper. All you need are...

• A hot-glue gun

• An elastic headband (or length of elastic fitted to your head size)

• Fabric flowers

Congratulations - you can make a flower crown! Just arrange the flowers in your desired pattern and glue them to the band. Easy-peasy.

Since Atlanta has practically skipped summer (our fair city thinks it's October already), I decided I'd give my crown an autumnal feel. I picked some orange and red leaves, and based my color scheme around them.

Caleigh made hers a little more uniformly. She alternated large white flowers with smaller blue ones, and likes to wear hers high, well above her hairline.

Nearly-Former Roomie (we're moving) used smaller flowers for a softer, more romantic feel.

Photo credit: Caleigh Allen

If you're looking for a really simple, intensely girly craft to do this week, I recommend the flower crown. You can make one for yourself, and then go crazy creating them for friends. Just make sure you wear them the next time you go to dinner!

They're a guaranteed conversation starter
Photo credit: Caleigh Allen

Make-it-Monday: Taking-in a Sweater at the Sides

This week's DIY went so much better than I had expected. Of course, I had a lot of Internet knowledge to draw from. I'm proud to say that I can now transform a large sweater into a small.

Here's the garment in question:

I found it (where else?) at Goodwill, and was immediately drawn to the unique neckline. It's a cross between a scoop and a V neck and it's great. 

To take it in, I first flipped it inside-out. Then, I took a shirt that fits me really well and laid it on top.

I marked the sleeves with a pen, because I knew I needed to move the sleeves in. As it originally fit, the shoulder seam was way too wide. 

Next, I marked the sides of the T.

I cut the sleeves off at the seam and pinned their new location. I put the pins really far in so that I'd have plenty of room to sew the seam. I did the same with the sides, so that the fabric wouldn't shift around under the sewing machine's foot.

Then, I simply sewed-up all the seams and cut-out the extra fabric. Easy-peasy.

In all, this project took me about an hour, but that was mostly because I'd never done it before. I feel like I could do this project again in half the time.

Now I just have to wait 6 months for fall to wear my new sweater. Wahoo!

Make-it-Monday: Dealing with Failure

I saw The Great Gatsby over the weekend, though not quite as originally planned. My dress wasn't finished yet, and Roomie had a conflicting event, but that's no matter. We're going on Friday, and this time I'll be dressed for Jazz Age success.

At least that's what I'm telling myself, even though this refashion has been a nightmare.

So far, I've taken the sides in five times. I've sewn-in a complete seam, then picked it all out again. The first seams were too tight, so I sewed outside the original lines to give myself a little more room. Somehow, magically, I actually made the dress EVEN SMALLER. I literally have no idea how. I'm discovering so many new and creative ways to destroy a sewing project. 

One side got folded all over itself.

Meanwhile, the other had two seams.

And the zipper is always slouchy.

No matter - I have the rest of the week to work on it (she says, knowing full well that she has no free time). 

Last night I had my first rehearsal for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Atlanta Lyric Theatre, and at noon I have my first rehearsal for my summer shows at Stone Mountain. Once again, it's going to be an action-packed summer. I love being busy like this - though physically exhausting, my soul is never more energized than when I'm racing between jobs. 

Oh yeah, about the movie: I highly recommend it. But don't even bother if you're going to watch it like a film snob. It's over-the-top in the most spectacular ways - the anachronistic music, the surreal color palate, the impossible scenery. Baz Luhrmann is like a modern Busby Berkley; there's nothing realistic about the way he films. But that's the whole point. His movies aren't literal; he's not trying to give you Lincoln. It's all about getting the audience in the mood. As a director, he's much more concerned with setting a tone than with any kind of accuracy; as an audience member, I appreciate that. I want to get carried away by movies, and modern bass lines give me a more emotional connection than 20s era jazz would. All that being said, the second half of the movie settles very nicely and much of the pomp falls away (at least for a while). There are some lovely performances, too (like Tobey Maguire making his triumphant return!).

Hopefully, the second time I see it I'll be dressed in a Jazz Age frock of my own redesign. If not, I'll figure something else out. I'm nothing if not resourceful. 

Make-it-Monday: Making a Flapper Dress

I've been looking for a dress to wear to the Great Gatsby movie since January. The search is not going well. The movie opens on Friday, and I've got zip. Nada.

I did try this on recently at Plato's Closet:

And while I like the Art Deco vibe, it still doesn't fit the bill. I thought about lopping the sleeves off and making it a sheath, but then I saw the price tag, and decided my craft projects need to start with something that costs less than $20 (Also, side note, REALLY, Plato? $20 for this thing? Why?).

Luckily, I am addicted to thrift shopping, and I found some less expensive options, like this:

I've got two other options, so if I royally destroy the first two, I'll hopefully have learned enough to make the third one work. The rest of this entry shall be liveblogged as I spend the afternoon refashioning dresses.

Make-it-Monday: My very first Giveaway!

Just about a year ago, I started rehearsals for High Society with Stage Door Players in Dunwoody. It was a terrific experience and I could write 5,000 words about how much fun I had, how lovely the cast was, and how fulfilling the show was.

However, today I'm focusing on just one High Society blessing: Caleigh.

Memorize this face! If you ever see this lady, I demand that you give her a walloping hug. She is a talented, beautiful, hilarious woman, and I don't get to spend nearly enough time with her.

From Taffeta Christmas at Georgia Ensemble Theatre

She's an actress, but she's also a woman of many passions - among them, Sailor Moon, Supernatural, Harry Potter, and (most of all) Disney.

This could be Halloween; it could just be Tuesday. 

Caleigh created a line of jewelry to express her love for all things Disney. She hand-draws versions of famous characters, then sets them in colored bottle caps. Her company is called "YO! Lemonade" (because it's basically a grown-up lemonade stand). I won a necklace from a giveaway on her Facebook page, and I adore it.

Giselle, from Enchanted!

I also got a Jasmine ring!

I'm really excited to announce that YO! Lemonade is teaming-up with Galen's Days of the Week for a giveaway! From now until May 13th, you can enter to win a custom-made piece of jewelry. There are a myriad of options to choose from:

Maybe you're an aspiring Princess?

Or a Heroine?

Or a no-good Villain?

Or do you just love The Classics?

Every piece is fully customizable. You choose the characters, colors, materials, and setting. Do you want earrings? A necklace? A bracelet? A hair clip? They're all available for your wearing pleasure.

If you're not the biggest Disney fan yourself, consider gifting the prize or forwarding this page to someone who is. Maybe your sister, aunt, niece, or nephew (no judgies)? 

Entry is super simple. First, head to the Yo! Lemonade Etsy page and figure out which item you want. Then come back here and follow the instructions in the box below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Rafflecopter widget will randomly select a winner on May 13th, and I'll contact them the next day. Best of luck, and thanks for playing!

Make-it-Monday: LOOK, Y'ALL - Dan and Adam Do It

I know so many creative people! Many of them even live in Atlanta. My Very Excellent boyfriend and his good friend Adam have started a webseries: Dan and Adam Do It.

(Hey, now you know V.E.B.'s name!)

Their first episode went up today; in it, the boys Load the Dishwasher.

If you incorporate their tips, your kitchen will be 20% cleaner than it is right now! 
Maybe.
Oh, and if you want to click through to watch their video on the YouTubes, that would be great (it'll boost their views).

Make-it-Monday: DIY Theatre

I have a group of friends who live in Chicago. We went to college together, and back then I knew them all to be smart, dedicated artists. Since graduating, they haven't changed.

They started their own theatre company! Instead of slaving away in the rat race, they started their very own relay and invited the most talented people they could find. Their first show was Hamlet - it drew raves. Recently, they tore down the house with As You Like It.









Next-up is a new adaptation of a classic story - it's called Jason and Madea, and it was written by my dear friend Jess (she's the lady dressed like a man). Oh, and they're doing it for free.

Want to know more? Click here to view their Indiegogo campaign. Their deadline is in 14 days, and as of now they're still about halfway to their goal.

According to John Steinbeck, "Theater is the only institution in the world which has been dying for four thousand years and has never succumbed." Won't you keep it alive and kicking in Chicago?

Make-it-Monday: 7 Ways to Make Tax Season More Bearable

1. Plan ahead: I didn't follow this step very well last year - that's why I spent 4 hours counting-up my deductible mileage. No more! This year I have a handy mileage log, so whenever I drive for work purposes, I record it in here.

2. Get a cool file folder from Target: I'm no tax expert, but I've filed mine myself two years in a row, and the key is organization. For me, that means having an accordion folder with clearly defined sections to hold your receipts, contracts, and tax info from the year before.

My old one exploded, so I had to get a new one. It was only $8, and I love it. I did a little skipping when I found it.

I may never skip again.