DIY - Custom Drawer Organizer

I think I am a really organized individual and my resume agrees with me. (Thanks folks, I'll be here all week. Remember to tip your bartenders.)

The bane of my existence has always been my dresser drawers. I have purchased inserts before but nothing has ever worked, because nothing was ever CUSTOMIZED to the drawer. Alas! I have created a very inexpensive solution! All you need is foam board.Yep, foam board. Then gather things you should already have like a tape measure, Xacto knife, painter's tape and a pencil and transform your drawers from disorganized to systematized!

To get the step by step watch my video. : )

My Sister Has Wedding Brain!

It sounds like a bad thing, having Wedding Brain, and I guess if she got all Bridezilla it would be. However she has not and I am here to make sure she does not! Since we are so far apart, with me in California and her in Chicago it can be hard sometimes to share our ideas. To make things a bit easier I put together an animated inspiration board! Check it out! 

Going "Bronde"

Bored with being brunette I decided one day crazily and hastily to bleach and then dye my hair blonde. My mom owned several salons/day spas for most of my life and so I had basic knowledge on how to do this myself. Yep, I turned my hair from the picture on the top to the one on the bottom all by my lonesome.

Me and my close friend Dan

Me and the Mister

Not completely satisfied and perhaps also bored I decided to then transform myself further to what I look like today. I call it "Bronde".

Me as a bronde

So How did I do it? The first step was using bleaching powder and 40 volume developed that I got from my local beauty store. Here's exactly what I used:

I parted my hair into 4 sections (top left, top right, bottom left and bottom right). Then I bleached each section separately. Yes this took forever because I had to wait the 45 minutes for each section to lift and wash it out. The most crucial part was getting the roots to match the rest of my hair. Because my roots would lift the quickest I made sure NOT to apply the bleach to my roots until 35 minutes after it had been on the rest of my hair. Basically, I waited for the last ten minutes to apply the bleach to my roots. It actually worked! After doing each section my hair lifted uniformly! The bad part was that it was a brassy. That's when the toner came in. Because I didn't want to be brassy I decided to get a 8A Light Ash Blonde color. I applied it to my entire head using a 20 volume developer. Here's what I used:

Satin Light Ash Blonde Hair Color

After two months playing with that color I decided I wanted to add some dimension. The first thing I did was added some low lights using a 5N Light Brown with a 10 volume developer to the underside of my hair. I applied the color to select sections of  the bottom back part of my hair. I made sure to only leave the color on for 10 minutes. I didn't want it to over develop and turn grey or green. I also used a 10 volume developer because I didn't want lift in the color. 

Then I parted my hair down it's natural part and applied a 7N just to the top of my head. I also used a 10 volume developer for the same reasons as above. 

After that I added some highlights using bleaching powder and 40 volume developer. This is the end result: 

I think this chart is so helpful. The rows at the top read Natural, Ash, Gold, Beige, Gold Copper, Copper, Red Copper, Red and Mahogany.

Falling back into like with Interior Design

We moved into a new place a few months ago. I call it "the compound" because it's this huge gated community with meditation gardens, a man made river with ducks and koi fish, a club house complete with theater gym and rock climbing wall and a fabulous pool.

In a former life I was a designer and specialized in custom kitchens, bathrooms and room additions. After more than a decade I hit a wall and fell out of love with interior design. I joke that I just couldn't deal with another housewife whose priorities were so out of whack that a less than perfect grout line caused so much distress in her life. I was so tired of it I couldn't even watch HGTV anymore.

So imagine my surprise when I actually started to get excited about decorating our new place! I made an inspiration board with images and paint chips and such and even started watching, yep, HGTV again.

Below are some of the results. We've only been here for a month and a half so I have a bit more to do. So far I'm pretty pleased tho.

Custom Re-Upholstered Headboard in Grey Velour

Chevron Striped Walls

I bought the Mercury Glass lamps from World Market and the  fretwork inspired Lamp Shapes from Target. I painted the chevron strips in high gloss charcoal paint. The blue pillows are Pottery Barn and the grey are Ikea pillow cases.  

Our Bar complete with Wine Fridge

Crate and Barrel Parson Chairs

I reupholstered these Crate and Barrel parson chairs.

Well, at least my toes are pretty

It's exhausting being happy. I've decided at this moment I dont care. I'm too tired to feel any other way, or come to any other course of action. Surely, you can sympathize, or understand? I just want to sit with my bare feet hanging out the car window with the sun on my face.

St. Valentine's Day

I'm not sure if I should spill all my good ideas for a romantic Valentine's Day.... Okay, only because you beg!

1. Camp indoors. I know this sounds silly, after all, it's February, but hear me out. Remember when you were little and you'd turn over the sofa onto the cocktail table (also known as a coffee table - sorry for the formality - blame it on my Interior Design schooling) and then throw a sheet over to create a tent? Pure imagination and whimsy! Why not recreate that feeling but with some romance? Bonus if you have a fireplace!!!

Added suggestions: Make Valentine themed s'mores! Above is a great example.

2. String Christmas lights throughout your room of choice with words written out. This is an alternative to candles and roses. Let's face it, that one is sooo tired.

3. Go to Comedy/Improv Show: Laughing can be really sexy! Sure dinner and a show sounds super romantic, but haven't you done that before? Then tell each other every joke you can remember. If you don't know any there are tons of websites and aps. 

4. Make a vision board: Okay this may be a stretch for some dudes and I get it if you are groaning at the idea. However, vision boards can be a fun project that will bring you closer together. Planning your individual futures shows your confidence and self worth as individuals and a couple. I split mine up into the following sections: Values, Love, New Adventures, Family, Professional Goals, Wealth, Charity, Personal Fulfillment (mind, body and soul).  Then I put it at my bedside table next to special happy things:  pictures of my babies and niece (Tabby, Dora, and Mya), my mom and sister and a candle my mother gave me. 

Here's what you'll need:

Poster boards - I bought mine at the 99cent store

Magazines - to gather images, quotes, etc

Tacks

Scissors

So, these are just out of the box/against the norm ideas of how to spend your VDay. If you think about it, you don't need a guy for 3 of them! Call your friends over and have a tent slumber party while you eat s'mores and make vision boards! 

My Chicago Guide for a Rocking Night Out

I have a few friends who are going to Chicago for a few days and since I can't be there to personally guide them, I did the next best thing! I created this list:

For Dining:

Paris Club - When I went in the summer we sat with the Plain White T's on one side and the Bear's Defensive line on the other. It's a definite "scene". They have an amazing club above the restaurant but requires bottle service. www.parisclubchicago.com

Roka Akor - Went there during my last trip to Chicago. It's new and very trendy/hip.

rokaakor.com/chicago

Sunda - I have been long time friends with the owners of this swank place. They actually own a whole slew of places under the name Rockit Ranch Productions.

www.sundachicago.com

Lounge/Clubbing:

NV Penthouse Lounge - I actually did the space planning and most of design for this place. It's small but fun!  Here's me stroking the furry wall they recently added! 

www.nvpenthouselounge.com

Social 25 - This place kinda reminds me of like 3thirty3 in Newport Beach... kinda. There are two floors with lots of tables. They have live music too! I have a ton of great memories from this place, although it was called Moda during a good portion of those memories. 

socialtwentyfive.com

Moe's Cantina - This place has two locations - Wrigley and River North. Usually lots of pretty people and great share/small plates. There is a definite trend here, because I am also friends with the owners/managers. I guess I like going to places where I know I won't get hassled!!! (NOTE: On this line of thought AVOID Richard's Bar. My sister was just seriously hassled there. Poor Pony) 

www.moescantina.com