Oh the Cuteness!

Okay okay okay. I know, I cannot make up my mind about how to categorize all the stuff I keep on the computer for inspiration. First, it was sitting in my files. Then I found StumbleUpon and my files exploded. Then I tried posting images and links to tumblr, which has been working pretty well but the way I have to save/upload stuff and make posts takes quite a while. Plus it goes down a lot. Sooooo... I have been running into pages on a site called Pinterest lately, then I got invited to join it, and OMFG it is amazing! You can pin straight to virtual inspiration boards from any website using a little bookmark bar widget! So I have decided to switch the inspiration blog over to Pinterest from now on since it is so much faster, though I may still kick around on tumblr here and there. I am sure Pinterest will be out of the start-up exclusiveness soon and then everyone can join, but if you like you can get on the waiting list now at their web site. In the mean time, here is my new Pinte...

How-Tuesday time! This week I found a great tutorial for repurposing mini blinds into a roman shade, a cute braided bracelet how-to, and a recipe for peanut butter and banana cake with Nutella glaze! I am in love with this tutorial and am considering doing this to all the windows in the house. But we rent so I don't think the landlord would be too happy. But I love roman shades! Check out this tutorial! These bracelets are lovely and made from recycled t-shirt material! Super easy to make, and I swear I saw these at Urban Outfitters for 15 bucks each. Here is the tutorial. One of my favorite flavor combos is peanut butter, banana, and chocolate. This simple bunt cake incorporates all  three. Om nom nom. Here is the recipe.

Seriously, thirty dollars for one throw pillow? If it was tufted and embroidered and covered with buttons then maaaaybe, but a plain old pillow, come on! To everyone out there who has even the most basic sewing skills I implore you, please, never pay 30 dollars for a pillow when they are so easy to make! I needed one for our sexy new couch (Red leather baby!), and my mom gave me some great Japanese fabric recently that went along perfectly with our red/black/white color scheme that developed in the living room. I just took a couple 1/2 yards of coordinating fabric and cut them in half width-wise to get the right size. Remember to cut bigger than you want the pillow because they shrink up a good bit when you stuff them. Then I stitched them right sides facing with a 1/2 inch seam allowance, leaving an opening on one side big enough for me to get my hand through (don't leave the opening at a corner). Clip the corners and turn the pillow right side out, iron the seams fl...

Happy How-Tuesday! This week we have some lovely icing roses, an index of knitting colorwork, and some cute candle covers. The tutorial for these icing roses makes it look pretty easy, and they are made extra pretty with the addition of a little food coloring inside the corner of the piping bag. Genius! Learn to make them here. Vogue Knitting has some truly lovely knitting patterns, but this index of different colorwork sequences made my day! Check out all of them here. And lastly, this is such a cute idea for a little mood lighting at your next party and all you need is glassine, tea lights, and wine glasses! Here is the pattern for the shade.

Alright, so I know you all have noticed that I have not been very present recently, but I have a good excuse! (And hey, at least I have been keeping up with my How-Tuesday posts, which amazes me. But I just realized, since I number each one, that it has been just shy of 4 months since I have made a true post.) Aaaanywho, I have been distracted because... Dennis and I moved house! That ' s right, a brand-spankin '  new, absolutely smashing apartment, with just us and our two cats, and oh what a time I have had nesting and making it feel like home! The move has been the center of my universe since April, and we just had our epic housewarming party (Pictures and recipes coming soon!), so things are now officially back to normal and I can pick up where I left off. So now that I have a lot of cool stuff to show off, and I have been making a few super-quick pieces for the house (though I am still committed to not starting any new projects, but projects for me are defined ...

Oh yeah it is How-Tuesday again! This week we have a great book tutorial, a beautiful potato recipe, and a solar USB charger! This great little notebook uses 3x5 cards for pages so that they are lined and sturdy, plus you don't have to cut them out, just fold! Check out the tutorial here. This potato dish looks stunning and will definitely impress dinner guests, but it is surprisingly simple to make. Here is the recipe. And lastly, another slightly more advanced instructable for a mini solar charger for USB devices that fits inside an Altoids tin.  Here is the instructable.

Happy How-Tuesday! This week is full of extra stuff since I just could not decide: it features gorgeous cakes, flower crafts, and quilt patterns! This recipe/tutorial for a beautifully constructed layer cake is off of a great blog with tons of other great baking tutorials so be sure to look at the links list. Here is the recipe for the cake pictured. Secondly we have a little batch of flower crafts via someone else's tutorial roundup. Lol, I'm not being lazy, I just couldn't choose! Check them out here. And for the grand finale we have the lovely Oh, Fransson! And her list of quilt patterns. I may have shared the wonky nine-patch on here already, but I stumbled upon the complete list of quilts and blocks and had to post the link. Check it out here.