Sick and shopping {not sick of shopping}
I got myself a cold last week and can’t seem to kick it. So I am going to the Doctor today hoping he can fix me up so that I am healthy and more energetic for Thanksgiving. To pass the time, I have been catching up on blogs, pinning a TON oh and…shopping. I thinking being sick is going to put me in the poor house if I don’t get well soon.
{I would love to say I was doing some pre-Christmas shopping for my family and friends but that would be a lie. I was totally selfish and bought for just me}
Wanna see what I bought?
First up is the beautiful Caitlin McGauley print. She is one talented artist! I just fell in love her fashion illustrations
I guess technically this was a gift, because the proceeds goes to the hurricane Sandy Victims. Couldn’t pass that up!
I must be on an illustration kick because I bought this one by Jessica Rae Summer
{maybe this picture depicted the way I was feeling and that is why I was drawn to it} This girl is ONE talented artist as well. Check out these chairs she hand painted for the DIFFA Dining by Design event with Kelly Sutton of SuttonHouse {one of my favorite designers!}
My next shopping splurge was at JCrew Factory. How in the heck did I not know about them having a factory store on line? They are having a 30% off plus free shipping. Now how could I pass that up?
An Ikea step stool makeover
This weekend I did a quick and easy step stool makeover to use in my closet. Being that I am height challenged {short}, it makes it difficult {impossible} to reach all the high shelving in my closet. I decided I needed a cute step stool that I could utilize and organize my closet better. After shopping around, I found there are no real “cute” stools to be had. It was time to come up with my own DIY cute version.
So off to Ikea I went. What better place to find something that you can spruce up and make your own inexpensively? And wouldn’t you know it, they had the perfect stool for $39.99. It’s called the Ingolf stool.
Technically it is a stool to sit on, not a step stool, but the height was perfect for a shorty like me. I already knew how I wanted to make this stool more glamourous. I had pinned this bench on 1stdibs a while back
Funky and fun right? And $4200. I knew this was the look I wanted to achieve, but on a way smaller scale and price.
Luckily for me, Ikea also had this faux sheepskin rug for $9.99. A perfect knockoff for the top of my step stool. Sold!
Rather than go all gold on the legs like the inspiration picture, I chose to bring in some coral along with the gold. I used Krylon’s Coral Isle in gloss from Joann’s
Hot Chocolate Station
I love me some good hot chocolate, especially when it’s cold outside, which seems like for ever ago here in San Diego. I do a hot chocolate station every year at Christmas. Even though it is usually hot outside at Christmas in San Diego we all drink it as if it is blustering outside. Our way of making it seem like a wintery Christmas for a day.
I pretty much use what I have on hand and then embellish it with festive decorations
I also include hot apple cider in with the hot chocolate station using the mulling spices from Williams Sonoma {that stuff is the best!}. I used my sillhouette machine to make all the labels
I put the mugs in a tiered cupcake stand which I embellished with ribbon and bunting
I added fake snow to the bottom of the tiers with mini ornament lights. I loved how the battery operated mini lights lit up wrapped around the tiers, it was so festive.
I made the mini Christmas bunting from decorative ribbon, super duper easy to do. You just fold 1″ of ribbon in half and then cut the triangle and glue it to whatever string or ribbon you like. Quick and easy.
