Design

Handmade Accessories for the Living Room

07.21.14

The P-word is officially taboo in our apartment. And on the blog.

You know what I’m talking about—that tedious activity I’ve been doing for what seems like an eternity to transform our living roomPlease don’t make me say it…

All this work on The Project Which Shall Not Be Named has made me look at the living room with open eyes. Greedy, materialistic eyes that want to fill the room with new stuff for an even more dramatic makeover.

So when the folks at DaWanda—a European online marketplace comparable to Etsy—asked me to curate a page of my favorite handmade items for their “Products We Love” collection, I was all too happy to do some window shopping and make myself wish I had more money.

By the way, this is not a sponsored post—I did get a little shout-out from DaWanda, but the only reason I’m sharing the collection is because I think you will love it too. So here you go, my favorite handmade accessories for the living room:

Handmade Accessories for the Living Room || Jade and Fern

01 || My living room definitely needs more plants, and I can’t think of a prettier way to display them than a neon pink macrame hanger.

02 || You don’t have to delve into Jade and Fern too deeply to realize that I love hexagons, so I’m obviously drooling over this trio of hexagon votives in shades of teal.

03 || A crocheted basket is the perfect way to add more texture to the room while organizing all those pesky remotes.

04 || I’m so over the mammoth vintage coffee table I found for $10 years ago. This little guy looks like a much more stylish replacement.

05 || More artwork forever and ever!

06 || The cats would be thrilled at all the lounging they could do on this coffee sack pouf.

07 || Every living room obviously needs a bazillion colorful rugs. So yummy.

08 || I don’t have any “real” vases, only jars. Which are fine. But this dipped concrete vase is better.

Plus, two gorgeous pieces I just couldn’t squeeze into the collage: a geometric macrame wall hanging, and a felted cat cave (so that I could hopefully keep that pouf for myself).

What about you, are any of these decor items calling your name?

I know on Friday I promised I’d have lots of good goodies for you this week, BUT I realized I really need to take a few days to do some organizational/administrative stuff for the blog. And for my life. And to finish up the P-word. And to start this 30-day mindfulness challenge.

Is summer supposed to be this busy?

So please pardon me while I take this week off to get shit done. Of course I’ll still be around commenting and social media-ing. Have a good one, all, see you next week!

xoxo

Inspiration

Make it Friday: Stripes and Scallops

07.18.14

Happy Friday, friends!

The weather here is GORGEOUS today so I’m taking a little break from all the projects to go frolic in a field or something. And tomorrow we’re going to a pool party, woohoo!

I’ll be back next week with (hopefully) good stuff—until then enjoy these DIYs from around blogland. Have an awesome weekend!

Make it Friday: Stripes and Scallops - DIY projects via Jade and Fern

Sarah Hearts won the prize for Cutest DIY Storage with these scalloped jars. I’ll take one bazillion, please.

Pineapples are the Shape of the Summer! This pineapple cutting board by The Merrythought for Poppytalk does require power tools, but if there was ever a project to make me finally invest, it’s this one. Adorbs.

How darling are these little doodled espresso cups? By Valentina of Le Idee Della Vale (pictures are super explanatory but Google Translate can fill in if you need it!).

If you’ve been around the blog for a while, you know that I’m more than a little smitten with Almost Makes Perfect. I’ve been intentionally restraining myself from sharing each and every one of Molly’s beautiful projects so I don’t look like a stalker, but this modern cooler makeover broke through. And how stunning is that photo?

Simply beautiful striped loafers by Kristi Murphy for Brit + Co. No more words necessary.

Read Watch Listen

Playlist Volume 4

07.17.14

A. says I’m a playlist freak.

It’s true. I rarely listen to full albums, preferring instead to spend hours carefully curating songs that have little to do with one another on the surface, but that make a complete arrangement to my picky ears. Music helps channel my DIY thoughts somehow (though I need classical for actual writing).

But you don’t really care about why I listen to music while I work, so here’s a playlist for your Thursday. Enjoy.

PLAYLIST VOL. 4 || Jade and Fern

[grooveshark width=”300″ height=”200″ type=”playlist” id=”95239460″ skin=”bbg=000000&bth=000000&pfg=000000&lfg=000000&bt=ffffff&pbg=ffffff&pfgh=ffffff&si=ffffff&lbg=ffffff&lfgh=ffffff&sb=ffffff&bfg=666666&pbgh=666666&lbgh=666666&sbh=666666″]Volume 4 by Marlene S. on Grooveshark[/grooveshark]

Lately

3 Painting DOs from a Newbie, or When Painting a Room the First Time Goes Horribly Wrong

07.15.14

3 Painting DOs from a Newbie || Jade and Fern

Oh look, another painting post!

3 Painting DOs from a Newbie Painter

DO double-check before you leave the paint store that both gallons of wall paint match each other, and match the sample can you initially bought. That way if the paint store, say—purely hypothetically, of course—mixes the paint incorrectly, you will notice BEFORE you paint the whole living room and half of the bedroom.

DO factor the cost of lots and lots of take-out meals into your painting budget. Because when it’s 90º out and you can’t put the AC in because you’re not done painting the windowsills and you’re applying the first topcoat for the second time, you’re not gonna wanna cook. Trust me.

DO put out a “swear jar” for the duration of your painting project. Then you’ll be prepared when it turns out your trim paint was also mixed wrong and you have to repaint half of the trim. You’ll toss nickels in that thing so fast, you’ll be able to buy more paint in no time!

Because, you know, after all the painting and repainting is (finally, someday) done, the first thing you’ll want to do is MORE PAINTING.

Do I sound grumpy? I’m not grumpy.

Promise.

Inspiration

Make It Friday: Summer

07.11.14

I don’t know about you, but I’ve just been dying to get to someplace relaxing and cool and summery, like the beach or even a shady (non-buggy) forest.

That’s not in my cards just yet, so instead I’m focusing on pretty DIYs that make me think of SUMMER.

Make it Friday: Summery DIYs || Jade and Fern

Plants and warm, textured fibers—what could be more summery than that? These woven hanging planters by Fall for DIY are just what I need.

Ashley of Sugar & Cloth crowned herself the Queen of Pom Poms with her recent summer throw project. Now she’s done it again with this adorable placemat DIY for RueMag. And can we just take a minute to admire that tablescape? Heaven.

These watermelon slice coasters are so adorable I’m gonna lose it. By Kittenhood, of course.

I am not a nail art person because I am WAAAAAAYYY too lazy, but Wonder Forest’s pineapple nail tutorial makes me want to rethink that position. Would it be too much to wear them while making more pineapple ring dishes?

Always Rooney always comes up with super sweet projects (see what I did there?), like this Floral Vans Restyle—made super easy with iron-on paper.

These dishwasher-safe geometric treat jars by Delia Creates just scream “summer” to me. I want to fill them with fruit leather and candy and put them all around the house.

What other inspirational, summery projects have you seen or made? Is anybody going to the beach this weekend? (And if so, can you take me with you pretty please?)