DIY 5 Minute Table Runner

I'm a big fan of anything that makes my home feel more...homey. Candles, throw pillows, picture frames, you name it. (My latest addition to a bare wall was this fun map.) I've had a black and white striped table runner out for the last few months and recently decided that I needed something more colorful and fun as we head into the warmer months. But I didn't want to pay an arm and a leg for it. 

While returning something at Walmart, I decided to take a look through the fabric aisles and was pleasantly surprised at their selection! I found this cute, colorful fabric and knew I wanted to use it right away. This DIY is so easy that it hardly deserves a post of its own, but I've had a few friends ask for directions.

What You'll Need:

1 - 1 1/2 yards of fabric
rotary cutter & mat
sewing machine
thread
scissors

1. Fold your fabric hamburger style and continue to fold it that way until it all fits on your cutting mat. (So technical, ha ha.)
2. After making sure the fabric is lined up straight, trim the side edges so they're straight.
3. Measure the halfway point and cut your fabric into two equally sized pieces.
4. Open up both pieces and put them together with the colorful sides facing together.
5. Pin the top and sew them together. Voila!

(If you wanted to turn it into a 10 minute table runner, you could turn all of the edges under so the fabric won't fray easily. I just didn't have time to do so!)

DIY adventure map.

If you're a list maker/visual person like I am, you'll appreciate this fun and decorative DIY project. I love to keep track of things like books I've read, recipes I've tried, and places Ben and I have traveled! I've also been trying to figure out what to hang on the bulletin board in our hallway for a while now and this map seemed like the perfect fit.

After coming across this cute, free(!) printable from Rae Ann Kelly, I immediately downloaded it and sent it over to the UPS store around the corner from my apartment.

Later that afternoon I picked it up and reverted back to my Kindergarten days as I pulled out my markers to add small amounts of color.

I had already stopped by Walmart and picked up a package of map pins (they're like sewing pins but a lot shorter and thicker), so I knew what colors I wanted to stick with.

I decided on what I wanted the different colors to mean and began adding pins to the map. (I took these pictures before I finished adding all of the pins, so it's definitely more colorful than the pictures show.) Yellow is where I've traveled, green is where Ben's traveled, blue is where we've lived, and red is where we've traveled together.

It was such an easy craft to throw together that I've been kicking myself for not thinking of doing this earlier! I love passing it in the hallway and remembering fun vacations that I've been on - definitely something to get me through this overcast, rainy weather we've been having.

Let me know if you end up making a map like this!

snow, Christmas decor, and ramblings.

// It snowed! It snowed! There's just something about the first snowfall that makes me giddy and even more excited about the upcoming holidays. Plus, giant steaming cups of hot chocolate sprinkled with cinnamon? I'm sold.

// Ben has been in New York City for the past couple of days, so I've been left to my own devices - which usually results in a lot of chick flicks, Honey Bunches of Oats for dinner, and crafts that involve glitter. This past weekend I dragged some of our Christmas stuff up from the basement (gasp - before Thanksgiving!) and got to work. It's a work in progress, but a start's a start. If only I could haul that Christmas tree up two flights of stairs...

// Yesterday I decided it was high time I put on my big girl pants and get myself over to Home Depot to buy some window insulation kits. These are the kinds of things I usually leave for Ben to do, but with him gone for a few more days and the apartment being a drafty 67 degrees on a good day, I took matters into my own frozen hands. I'm happy to announce that I can now insulate a window all by myself and it doesn't even look half bad! Feeling kind of invincible--and warm--right now.

// I'm sure most, if not all, of you have heard about the Ferguson happenings over the past couple of months. (Ferguson is 9 miles from our place.) Basically, it's the Trayvon Martin case all over again. The grand jury is supposed to announce in the next week whether or not the officer who shot Michael Brown is guilty, and regardless of the decision, major rioting and violence is expected throughout the city. If you're the praying type, would you mind saying a few prayers for the police officers and National Guard members that will be responding to the events, and maybe St. Louis in general as well? Thank you, thank you! Also, if you have any great 72 hour kit tips feel send them my way as I put ours together in the next day or two.

// Since I can't end this post on such a somber note, I have to share this video on how to lose a million dollars (and a car!) in a matter of seconds. Bless him.

living room idea: neutral with a pop of pink.

 

couch // coffee table // lamp // pink pillow // chevron pillow // flowers // print // print // print // print // print 

Let me preface this by saying that I know nothing about design - I just discovered how fun it is to put together room ideas, and this is the result of messing around for a few minutes! My favorite thing about this set up is that you wouldn't walk into the room and think Wow! This living room sure is pink! but you'd still get that subtle feminine touch. I'm definitely into neutrals these days. :)