Tassels are on their way in...

I really feel like Tassels are the new Scallops. Just like how 4 months ago Scallops were the new Chevron. And before Chevron took over the world, there was Herringbone. I'm seeing Tassels pop up in crazy places. I used to think they were only for graduations and X-rated apparel, but apparently they're going mainstream.

I first noticed them on the jewelry circuit:

(source)

Then as keychains:

(source)

They're getting slightly out of control on shoes:

(source)

And I would never rock this shirt. Ever:

(source)

And the most interesting place they're surfacing is as garland. I never saw that one coming:

Do I dare trade my signature triangle or scalloped bunting for tassels? After all, bunting is where I got my blogging bug. I dunno. I think it might be a little too frisky risky for me... 

Off to Kauai tomorrow with Ivy! We're going over to celebrate Jed's 2nd birthday!! I haven't been over there in almost a year and a half, so I'm very excited!!

Aloha, Becca

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MY VERY FIRST FEATURE!!

I've been submitting projects to various link/blog parties for six months now. As I was linking up to a party tonight, I scrolled down and saw that my Antique Kids Rocking Chair re-do was being featured as one of the top 4 projects from the week before!!!! (71 projects had been linked up). I had no idea I'd been featured, so I was really surprised to see the photo of my chair just staring back at me on some stranger's blog! Someone liked my work! I have been waiting for this moment of validation for six months!!!

If you want to check out the link to where I was featured, check it out here:

http://www.claimingourspace.com/2012/07/tout-it-tuesday-15.html

Here's the photo she put up on her page:

Thank you, Claiming our Space!!

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Pretty-fied Media Table

I like to stare at pretty things. I've been staring at something that needed to be pretty-fied. I've actually been staring at it for a few years now. 

Our dog, Godiva, doesn't look too enthusiastic about this little media table, either.

Ivy and Kit are on Kauai for 3 days, so being that I can do whatever I want after work, I loaded it in the car, and took it home to beautify it overnight. 15 hours later, here it is, right back where it started:

I got some grey mistake paint for $1 at ACE Hardware. I sanded, then primed the particle board media stand with Kilz, really quickly, then applied the glossy grey. 2-3 coats or so... it was pretty much dark outside when i was painting, so it's not the best paint job. There's some definite imperfections. I modge podged the taupe fabric on the top surface because there were so many nicks and a lot of water damage. Paint would have just been bumpy and chipped off. The modge podge went on really poorly on the fabric, so it looks like batik fabric... I'm not happy about that, but for the amount of time I spent, and for the vast improvement, I'm stoked on it. 

Prettify-ing this media table was a similar situation to this rolling media table I did back in January (see full post here):

Ivy and Kit come home tomorrow! So there probably won't be anymore projects completed in 15 hours.... But I'm so excited for them to come back! It was fun having my time (and my mind) to myself, but I sure do miss them!!

Aloha, 

Rebecca

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New finds: table and a travel bag

Just picked up these old goodies!

First up, a vintage table I found on CL for $40 that fits in my "little unusable space" almost exactly to the measurements of this corner.

Second, a Vintage samsonite travel bag. It matches my train case exactly! No odors in this baby though. Super clean. It has a few area on the inside where it's been mended but nothing wrong cosmetically on the outside. The little zipper snap is one of my favorite features. Not sure if I'm going to keep it or sell it. I really like new clean bags to keep my stuff in...

Aloha,
Becca

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Antique Child's Rocking Chair

Say hello to the newest member of our household:

It came to me from a co-worker (who lives in an awesome plantation home) like this:

She said she got it in Carmel in the early 1990's. She always wanted to re-furbish it, but never did. I looked online for some type of database that would tell me when it was from, but could find nothing like it anywhere! 

Her daughter, Emily, is my student and etched me a great little keepsake in the arm rest:

No worries, though, cause I sanded it down and primed it with Kilz. 

Then I painted it Benjamin Moore's gorgeous "Hollingsworth Green." 

One coat in:

I had great plans for its new cushion. It came with part of one, but it was ripped and falling apart. I found a mud-nest thing in it, so I decided not to salvage it.

First I measured out the cushion area and the fabric and tacked on white pom pom trim and XL rick-rack:

Next I cut out foam from an old bed foam cushion thingy and made a pillow insert. I wanted the structure of the foam, combined with the cushion of the pillow. I made the pillow insert out of an old towel so it wouldn't slip around inside. It's filled with just basic pillow filler. 

It's got great quirky lines, doesn't it?

Ivy is obsessed with it. So am I.

I put a few new springs in it, just cause it was missing some and the old ones were really oily and dirty. 

Ivy loves to rock on it. I've caught her singing "Rock-a-bye-baby" quite a few times while holding her Sissy doll. 

 I had those two colors of XL rick-rack left over from the photo-booth backdrop I created in January. (See post here.)

Aloha,

Becca and Ivy

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Used all my Picasa?! Has this happened to you?

So I just tried to do a new blog post and Blogger told me I'm out of Picasa space (from uploading all my pictures)... I've only been blogging since January. How could I have used the 1GB all up? Now they want to charge me $2.49/month or something for more space... Has this happened to anyone else? Is this normal? Does everyone upgrade and pay this monthly fee? I like blogging, but do I really want to pay for it? Feedback appreciated!

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Happy 4th of July from Cailin!!

Can you believe we have a pic from Cailin? This is her second blog post, even though I'm posting it for her. :) she made this cupcake flag yesterday.

Aloha,
Cailin (via Becca)

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FREEDOM!

Happy Independence Day! Ivy and I woke up and I showed her how to draw the American flag. I made her memorize how many stripes and stars are on it. I sang her all the patriotic songs I know (which is about 4). Then I told her to throw her arms in the air and shout "freedom!" this was all before 7:00am. Now she is asleep at the beach.

Aloha,
Becca

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Simple. Quick. Kale Chips

I've been altering some of my food intake, since my acupuncturist told me I'm dealing with Candida. Blech. Anyway, enough of that conversation. 

Suddenly I'm a sucker for Kale chips! I don't think anyone who knew me a year ago would ever believe I'm making/eating my own Kale chips. But they're just so easy and yummy! 

All you need is olive oil, garlic salt and kale.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Pull kale off the thick stem into small pieces. 

Make sure your kale is dry after washing. 

Spread it out on a baking sheet. 

Drizzle olive oil on top of it. You don't need a ton.

(You could also put it in a plastic gallon bag with the olive oil and shake it up for better distribution)

Sprinkle garlic salt or any other spices on top.

Cook 10 minutes. 

Don't over cook! 

If you under cook, you'll know cause it will still be soggy. 

Just put it back in for 2 minutes or so. 

Because my health depends on it, and because they just taste so good to me, I love this stuff! 

It's my almost daily afternoon snack. 

Aloha, 

Rebecca

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