Wednesday, December 30, 2009

DIY Wednesday: Make a bib necklace with vintage pins


This is the first of my projects putting to use my grandmother's vintage pin collection. (See the whole collection here.) I got inspired by Glamourai to make some big chunky thing out of them. I separated out the silver pins.



Then I went online and looked for images of bib necklaces. I liked the shape of this one and printed it out on 8 1/2 by 11 paper.



I laid my pins out on the photo to see if this shape and size would work. I held the printout up to a window and traced the outline slightly larger (since I wanted a larger necklace) and cut it out to make my pattern.


I cut out a piece of felt using the pattern. I then used leftover fabric from my shirt pillow project. I pinned the pattern to the fabric and cut out two bib shapes, adding half an inch for a seam allowance. I sewed the pieces togther, wrong sides facing out, leaving the top ends of the bib open (where the ribbon would go.) I glued the felt to one piece and then turned the bib right side out.

For a better explanation, see this tutorial at CraftStylish.

I cut two pieces of silver ribbon about 18 inches long.


I tucked the raw edges of the bib under and inserted the ribbon.

I pinned both ribbons in place and then stitched the two seams.


I used clip-on earrings to hide the stitching.



I then slowly and carefully pinned everything on, starting with the larger pins. I filled in the gaps with the smaller pins. I folded down the other end of the ribbons and stitched to prevent raveling.


Below is the finished product. Mr. Bromeliad thinks it's too big and too much. (Ironically, I thought necklace would be too small when I started out.) If someone tossed me into a pond, I'd drown from the weight of it.




What do you think? Make it smaller? Or do they call it a statement necklace for a reason? If so, what am I saying?


Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Homies Wrap Up


Last year I posted every single nominee to Apartment Therapy's Home Design Award. This year my wrist gave out. If you got less than five votes, I dropped you. Sorry. I have to go to bed.

I should quit. There are too many of us. Sheez.

The Big Boys

217 younghouselove.com
197 remodelista.com
19 doorsixteen.com
184 decor8blog.com
171 makingitlovely.com
132 retrorenovation.com
129 desiretoinspire.net
126 brooklynlimestone.com
122 allthebestblog.com
97 chezlarsson.com
96 trickmybrick.blogspot.com
91 littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com
90 habituallychic.blogspot.com
88 sfgirlbybay.com
84 myleshenry.blogspot.com
78 theletteredcottage.net
77 elementsofstyleblog.com
74 tobifairley.com/blog
72 cocokelley.blogspot.com
66 myfavoriteandmybest.blogspot.com
64 www.whorange.net
63 allbowerpower.wordpress.com
61 creaturecomfortsblog.com
60 maison21.blogspot.com
59 thedesignfiles.net

The Medium Size Boys

51 simplygrove.com
49 isuwannee.com
47 poppytalk.blogspot.com
47 purestylehome.blogspot.com
46 emmas.blogg.se
46 blog.urbangrace.com
45 colourmehappyblog.blogspot.com
45 plastolux.com
43 bloesem.blogs.com
42 cotedetexas.blogspot.com
42 decorno.blogspot.com
41 MaterialGirlsBlog.com
41 theselby.com
41 ohjoy.blogs.com
40 fromtherightbank.com
40 shelterrific.com
39 high-heelfootinthedoor.blogspot.com
39 peppermintbliss.com
38 annesage.com
37 thebedlamofbeefy.blogspot.com
37 centsationalgirl.com
36 improvisedlife.com
35 design-milk.com
35 designtherapy.com
34 thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com
33 swiss-miss.com
33 discoverinteriordesign.com
33 katyelliott.com/blog
32 dosfamily.com
32 kitchenandresidentialdesign.com
32 madebygirl.blogspot.com
32 yvestown.com
32 brookegiannetti.typepad.com
32 visualvamp.blogspot.com
31 ishandchi.blogspot.com
31 paloma81.blogspot.com
30 joannagoddard.blogspot.com
28 eddieross.com
28 livethehomelife.com
27 hashai.com
27 midcenturymodernist.com
26 absolutelybeautifulthings.blogspot.com
26 thepeakofchic.com
26 houseofturquoise.com
26 stylecourt.blogspot.com

The Smallish Boys

25 kennethbrowndesign.com
25 rdekko.com
25 mylove-foryou.com
24 slimpaley.com
24 style-files.com
23 brynalexandra.blogspot.com
23 nestegg.typepad.com
23 hookedonhouses.net
22 thehappyhomeblog.com
22 plushpalate.com
22 theestateofthings.com
22 mimicharmante.blogspot.com
22 seenandsaid.blogspot.com
22 blackwhiteyellow.blogspot.com
21 design-crisis.com
21 sketch42blog.com
21 funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com
20 casasugar.com
20 happymundane.com
20 moodboard.typepad.com
19 jennskistudio.blogspot.com
19 heathersthompson.typepad.com
19 knackstudios.blogspot.com
19 anh-minh.com
18 www.nestledin.net
18 raenovate.com
18 rebecca-june.blogspot.com
18 atomicindy.com
18 oursuburbancottage.blogspot.com
17 citified.blogspot.com
17 designismine.blogspot.com
17 jordanferney.blogspot.com
17 blog.piajanebijkerk.com
17 kitkadesigntoronto.com
17 layersofmeaning.com
17 blissfulb.blogspot.com
17 elseachelsea.typepad.com
16 roomremixblog.blogspot.com
16 pleasesirblog.blogspot.com
16 simplelovely.blogspot.com
16 aphrochic.blogspot.com
16 acreativemint.typepad.com
16 thedesignfile.net

Little But Charming and Worth a Visit I'm Sure

15 darlingdexter.com
15 bromeliadliving.blogspot.com
15 shoeboxdecor.blogspot.com
15 sweetsweetlife.typepad.com
15 daveandjoi.blogspot.com
15 fermliving.blogspot.com
14 blog.addicted2decorating.com
14 itssoverycheri.blogspot.com
14 katie-d-i-d.blogspot.com
14 casacara.wordpress.com
14 warymeyers.blogspot.com
14 delightbydesign.blogspot.com
14 moroccanmaryam.typepad.com
14 cafecartolina.blogspot.com
14 dressdesigndecor.blogspot.com
14 ifthelampshadefits.blogspot.com
14 chictip.com
14 apartment-412.blogspot.com
13 theinspiredroom.net
13 ninainvorm.punt.nl
13 dwellstudio.com/blog
13 notcot.org
13 rearrangeddesign.blogspot.com
13 unclutterer.com
13 aestheteslament.blogspot.com
13 jeanierhoades.com
13 slipcoveryourlife.com
13 mrsblandings.blogspot.com
12 afieldjournal.blogspot.com
12 freckleschick.blogspot.com
12 moggit.com
12 pinkwallpaper.blogspot.com
12 hollisterhovey.blogspot.com
12 brightboldbeautiful.blogspot.com
12 tartanscot.blogspot.com
12 howaboutorange.blogspot.com
12 houseandhome.com/blog
12 hollymaus.blogspot.com
12 inthefunlane.com
11 thediyshowoff.blogspot.com
11 copycatchic.com
11 purplearea.blogspot.com
11 creategirl.blogspot.com
11 thenester.com
11 decorartsnow.com
11 cottageinstincts.blogspot.com
11 mloves.typepad.com
11 lovinglivingsmall.blogspot.com
11 mynottinghill.blogspot.com
11 thebottomoftheironingbasket.blogspot.com
11 asoftplace.net
11 inchmark.squarespace.com

Ten Votes

everythingleb.blogspot.com
designformankind.com
brabournefarm.blogspot.com
bohemianvintageonline.com
ramblingrenovators.blogspot.com
designevolutionblog.com
strangeclosets.com
lorilangille.blogspot.com
remarkablydomestic.com
beachcottage.com
lushpad.com/blog

Nine Votes

bootsandtotty.com
charmhome.blogspot.com
kitchensync.typepad.com
backgarage.com
getitgirlstyle.blogspot.com
mirrormirror.typepad.com
beachvintage.blogspot.com
belgianpearls.blogspot.com
livingwithlindsay.com
missmustardseed.blogspot.com
itsthelittlethingsthatmakeahouseahome.blogspot.com
abloomsburylife.blogspot.com
sweetpaul.typepad.com
scandinavianretreat.blogspot.com
sanctuaryart.blogspot.com
maloblogg.blogspot.com
hueconsulting.blogspot.com
isabellaandmaxrooms.blogspot.com
bossycolorblog.blogspot.com
lifeaccordingtocelia.blogspot.com
crocodiletears-keyse.blogspot.com
girl-world-decor.blogspot.com

Eight Votes

shanty2chic.blogspot.com
yellowbrickhome.com
designsprout.com
onceuponateatime.blogspot.com
theconstantgatherer.blogspot.com
thandstate.blogspot.com
frenchessence.blogspot.com
thelittlebighouse.blogspot.com
thehousethata-mbuilt.blogspot.com
smallchic.blogspot.com
perchneworleans.blogspot.com
swishandswanky.blogspot.com
meetmeatmikes.blogspot.com
gogoabigail.com/blog
artwallblog.blogspot.com
kaylovesvintage.blogspot.com
shabbynest.blogspot.com

Seven Votes

fabulousfindsandco.blogspot.com
dailyimprint.blogspot.com
decorpad.com
trouvais.com
marieclairemaison.fr
blondiensc.typepad.com
patriciagrayinc.blogspot.com
mabelshouse.blogspot.com
hopingforhappyaccidents.blogspot.com
mrshowardpersonalshopper.com
varnishid.blogspot.com
oliveaux.blogspot.com
decorology.blogspot.com
livingwithwhite.com
enhabiten.blogspot.com
notcot.com
fourwallsandaroof.com
windhula.blogspot.com
newlywoodwards.blogspot.com
chezerbey.com
gettogethablog.com
blackeiffel.blogspot.com
aestheticoutburst.blogspot.com
architectdesign.blogspot.com
shannonfricke.blogspot.com
allthingsgd.blogspot.com
design-ties.blogspot.com
ifitshipitshere.blogspot.com

Six Votes

thingsthatinspire.net
lakejane.com
sweethomestyle.tumblr.com
twentytwentyone.blogspot.com
coloursdekor.blogspot.com
freshdesignblog.com
ruespeanutbutterandjellylife.com
theserovingeyes.blogspot.com
bellemaison23.com
heart-of-light-blogspot.com
sweeteventide.com
kitchenclarity.com
m-a-belle.blogspot.com
oldworldcharm-oldworldcharm.blogspot.com
designerdetective.com
7ideas.org
urbancasita.com
highstreetmarket.blogspot.com
patchworkharmony.blogspot.com
kellyandolive.com/blog
newlyweddiaries.blogspot.com
kitchendetailsanddesign.com
stylenorth.ca
marleyandlockyer.blogspot.com
brickcitylove.com
madebystephie.blogspot.com
pikaland.com
freshome.com
theruralmodernist.com
blulabelbungalow.com
decoraddict.blogspot.com
poppytalk-thetownhouse.blogspot.com
acountryfarmhouse.blogspot.com
lolalina.com
helloloverofbeautifulthings.blogspot.com
jgkitchens.blogspot.com
jubella.com
archdaily.com
matissecolor.blogspot.com
casamoxie.com
laurelstreet.wordpress.com

Five Votes

contemporist.com
beautifulbonesdesign.blogspot.com
coconutsandlimes.blogspot.com
home-biba.blogspot.com
sohaute.typepad.com
remotestylist.com
interiordivine.blogspot.com
thefabricofmylife.wordpress.com
twoellie.blogspot.com
thehauntedlamp.blogspot.com
peacockfeatherevents.blogspot.com
driedfigsandwoodenspools.blogspot.com
casapinka.typepad.com
brownbutton.blogspot.com
grantkgibson.blogspot.com
hyggehouse.com
thompsonfamily.typepad.com
styleswoon.com
shelterinteriordesign.blogspot.com
sixdifferentways.com
createhdesign.wordpress.com
picnicsunderthemoon.com
lobsterandswan.blogspot.com
dottieangel.blogspot.com
homersoddisnthe.blogspot.com
thezhush.blogspot.com
pewterandsage.blogspot.com
sosylvie.typepad.com
blog.mydeco.com
carriecan.blogspot.com
onegrandhome.wordpress.com
frenchlarkspur.blogspot.com
lovelyclusters.blogspot.com
tinyhouseblog.com
mochatini.org
simplystated.realsimple.com
annechovie.blogspot.com
luxxurylivving.com
thisphotographerslife.com
studiog.greayer.com
theofficestylist.com
theothertiffany.blogspot.com
eatdrinkchic.com
deptoftheinteriordc.com
sunsetgurldesign.typepad.com
jackiebluehome.blogspot.com
thishomesweethome.blogspot.com
mckevitts.blogspot.com
theshabbychiccottage.net
shockthebourgeois.blogspot.com
modernests.com
designspotter.com

Aluminum tables




The Bromeliads are proud owners of two aluminum side tables, an impulse purchase of sorts from HomeGoods for $50 each. I dragged them to the checkout line and then dragged them back - couldn't bring myself to spend $100 all at once on accent furniture. Mom later went back and bought then for me. (Thanks, Mom!)

Mr. Bromeliad made fun of them but immediately turned one into his personal beverage table.

I've had them five days and they're still sitting in the living room like Minnie Pearl with their price tags on. Where should I put them? What's going to go out the door to make room?

This is all the fault of Sarah over at The Estate of Things, who posted about aluminum tables a few weeks back and made me want one. Or two.

Below are a few places they could go. Also some price comparisions which make my two-for-$100 tables look like a real deal.




Sally Conran via The Estate of Things




Z Gallerie Alu Accent Table, $99



Pottery Barn Recycled Aluminum Accent Table, was $249 but no longer available.



Horchow Aluminum Wine Table, $399



Neiman Marcus Tall Aluminum Table, $459

Friday, December 25, 2009

Bromeliad Living nominated for a Homie . . .


. . . along with about 300 other blogs. But still. Thanks!

Apartment Therapy is back with its annual Homie Awards, which lets readers vote all this week on the best shelter blogs in five categories.

AT founder Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan is a proponent of simplifying one's life to improve one's well being, so I eliminated a major stressor a few months ago when I gave up trying to read AT on any regular basis.

So imagine my surprise first to discover that the Homies are on again and then to have been nominated. And then to have such nice things said. (As opposed to "a favorite cuz this blogger is so lame she makes me feel better about myself.")

Check out the (growing) list of home design blogs and cast some votes if you're so inclined.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

DIY Wednesday: Empire State Building of sugar cubes

Starting next week I will have a couple of DIYs of my own to share. In the meantime, get a load of the Empire State Building made of sugar cubes - the work of those crazy Swedes over at Chez Larsson.
These streets will make you feel brand new. Sugar cubes will inspire you. Let's hear it for New York.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

The vintage pin collection


A few weeks ago, my family got together to go through some of my grandmother's things. Part of her jewelry collection included dozens and dozens of pins, most of which were still left over after all of the children and grandchildren picked out momentos for themselves.

I don't wear pins. But they looked so pretty all together, I couldn't leave them for strangers. So, on impulse I took the whole pile of them, thinking I'd figure out some way to put them to use.


There were a series of turtles (also butterflies and an enormous collection of ballerinas.)


There was also a collection of cameo pins. Above is one of my favorites.



Unique little items like this pair of crabs. (The claws move.)

And a few of my favorite individual pins below (although I liked them all.)



I've come up with a couple of ideas of what to do with this unique inheritance - one of which I'll show you next week.

What would you do with all of these pins?

Have you ever inherited something that means a lot to you? What did you do with it?

Monday, December 21, 2009

Gratuitous cuteness



Brock with stool. (He gets on it sometimes to see and sometimes to be seen.)

Tayten making brownies. (They were good.)

Weather


Freezing cold.

Buried car.

Canceled flight.

One lost day of work.

Two Holland tunnel tolls.

One estatic three-year-old Southern boy playing in the snow on the roof of our building until after dark: Worth it.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Thank you Brad Ford


For making my Manhattan pad look so fabulous - in my dreams.

See beige-y naturalness done right in the latest issue of Lonny magazine.

See beige-y naturalness done wrong in my living room.

Winter color



Window boxes in Brooklyn Heights.

Don't they look good enough to eat?

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Make a gift bag from magazine pages

Yours truly has been traveling two states within one week and has a load of houseguests coming tomorrow, so please excuse that this is sort of a lamely easy and not entirely original DIY project.

Personally I have no problem shelling out 50 cents for a dollar store gift bag or (more likely) shamelessly reusing a gift bag that was given to me. However, for those times when you are far from the dollar store and no one has gifted you with the right-sized little baggie, you can do as I have and tear a few pages out of your current issue of InStyle magazine.

This project was inspired by a smaller gift bag project by Art Mind via Totally Tutorials.

To make a gift bag, you will need:

  • four sheets of magazine pages
  • a fifth sheet for a ribbon
  • scissors or a paper cutter (recommended)
  • scotch tape
  • stapler (for ribbon)

Tear out the pages. Trim off the rough edge.

Cut two of the magazine pages in half.

Fold two of the halves in half.

Discard one of the halves. (Or use it toward your ribbon.) Cut the remaining half so that its length equals the width of your magazine pages.


Turn everything ugly side up and tape as much as possible from the inside. Fold the "front" over the top and tape the sides and bottom.


To make a ribbon, tear out an additional magazine page and cut in one-inch strips. Fold the end around to make a loop and staple in the middle. Stack the loops and staple them all together. Hide the staples with a remaining strip rolled up into a tight circle and taped to the middle.


Not bad for packaging a homemade gift or maybe something that actually is Gucci. (Fool them all with the cheap bag.)

Extra credit: Make a Sigourney Weaver gift card. (Sigourney via page 171 of the December InStyle if you are so inclined.)

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Gray inspiration




The apartment of Francisco Costa is featured in the December issue of InStyle. Fun magazine, useless website. No photos of Costa's place, but fortunately The New York Times did a spread last year. Love the serenity, use of ethnic and natural accessories, artwork and lots and lots of gray.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

We love Young House Love


Thanks to Sherry and John over at the ever popular Young House Love blog for featuring our armoire to fountain transformation. For the two or three people on the planet who have not heard of YHL, this is the former This Young House (before This Old House got all huffy about trademark infringement), a peppy and practical home design and renovation blog. Stop by and say hello.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

DIY Wednesday: Make a no-zipper shirt pillow



Wow. Another week has gone by already. And strangely enough, I have a legitimate DIY to post.

Here is how to make a pillow cover from a shirt. Besides reusing unwanted clothing, this project allows you to use the shirt buttons as a replacement for a zipper or envelope flap and makes your pillow cover removable and cleanable. This is the easiest removable pillow cover you can possibly make.


I started with this thrifted silver gray polyester blouse that was five sizes too big for me. As you may note from my blog header, I am fond of grey and leopard.


I also had pillows I had purchased from Target nearly 10 years ago. The pillow forms are down filled and in great shape, but the covers were getting worn.


You can use an existing pillow cover as your pattern. If you don't have one, measure your pillow's girth and make a paper pattern. Add one inch to the pillow size you measured to allow for a half inch seam allowance.

Button up the shirt. Center your paper square or your old pillow cover so that the buttons run down the middle of the square and pin. Cut out the front piece of your cover. Pin the pattern to the back of the blouse and cut out a back piece of the same size.

Pin the two pieces of fabric together with the wrong sides of the fabric facing out. Stitch all the way around the edge of the fabric using a half inch seam allowance. There is no need to leave an "opening" for turning the pillow right side out.

Trim off any excess fabric from your seam. Unbutton the buttons and turn the pillow right side out. Insert the pillow form through the open "button" seam. Then button up the pillow, as shown below.


The blouse I used had fabric-covered buttons, which made them pretty enough for display. If your shirt or blouse has ugly buttons, they can be turned to the back and the bare side of the pillow can become the front. Or, if you have time on your hands, you can sew on prettier buttons.