how to make a french memory board

There's a huge wall in my bedroom that has been bare for the past three months because I haven't been able to decide what the heck to put there. After seeing a coworkers cute French memo board (that she bought at Target) I thought, "Hey, I could TOTALLY make that for my room!" So I went to Michael's and Jo Ann Fabrics, bought a couple things, and in less than an hour had myself an awesome one-of-a-kind custom French memory board.

Ta da!

Seriously the entire process was super easy. The thing I love most about this project is the size of the memo board is completely up to you!

Things you'll need:

cork board (Target has a great selection of cheap ones)

staple gun

ribbon

fabric

upholstery tacks (regular thumb tacks will be too small for this project)

batting

Optional:

pomeranian

There's a nice, quick video that explains how to make a French memo board using something other than a cork board, but in my opinion a cork board is the fastest and easiest material for this project.

Steps:

1. Place batting on the cork board and wrap it along the back, fastening it to the back of cork board using the staple gun. Cut off any excess.

2. Place fabric over the batting and wrap it along the back as above, fastening it with the staple gun. Also cut off any excess.

3. This is the most tedious step. Take your ribbon and cut two long strips that will godiagonallyacross the board (one strip for each diagonal) making sure to leave about 2-3 inches excess. Arrange them on your board in an X shape. From here, cut strips of ribbon and continue in each direction. This is maybe where the video explains the process better.

4. After you have all your ribbon strips, clear your board and take one of the diagonal ribbons and place it from corner to corner. Staple the ribbon with the staple gun to the back of the cork board, making sure to pull taut. Continue placing and stapling ribbon in one direction only. I measured between each of the ribbons to make sure everything was even.

5. Repeat the process going the other direction. For fun you can alternate an under and over pattern with the ribbon which I did, but it's not necessary.

6. Take the upholstery tacks and push them through each little X made by the strips of ribbon. You might want to use a hammer for this depending on how thick your cork board is.

7. Decide what you want to display on your board. Obviously the options are limitless, but I chose to put up all my favorite retro pictures of my parents.

8. Sit back and admire your hard work!

Here are a few close-ups taken with my iPhone of my favorite pictures from my memo board:

Mom had a pomeranian, too!

Nice shorts, Dad.

how to make your own magnets

When I moved into my own place I wanted to be able to decorate my fridge with random stuff but I had no magnets and seriously couldn't find ANY at Target, Safeway, or the Dollar Store (which I thought would have them for sure). I eventually found some at Michael's but they were super weak and wouldn't even keep a postcard sticking to the fridge.

Thankfully, I have a very crafty best friend and she taught me how to make magnets! She rules. So now in the interest of paying it forward, I'm going to teach you how to do it, too.

First, you'll need a few things. You'll probably have a couple of these items already, the rest you can buy at Michael's or any other large craft store.

Supplies:

• Magazines or catalogs (no need to go out and buy any, especially if you get catalogs because they're FILLED with potential magnet material).
• Card stock and/or those thick "subscribe now!" inserts found in magazines.
• 3/4" round magnets. Some Michael's stores have 50-pack magnet sets, get at least 1 packet because you're going to want to make a zillion of these. Trust me.
• One 3/4" hole punch.
• One bag of 3/4" glass marbles. These are usually by the dried flowers and vases. Make sure to get ones that are as transparent as possible.
  
• Epoxy glue.
• Scissors.
• Newspaper or other random paper to put down on your work station.

The whole process is super easy. First get the card stock and punch out as many 3/4" pieces as you can.


Then, line up a handful of magnets and put a lentil-sized dollop of epoxy on it. You can use a toothpick to smear it around a bit--I just used the tip of the epoxy. Press the cardstock onto the magnet and move from side to side to make sure the glue has spread around.


Now comes the fun! Go through all your old catalogs and magazines and look for pictures that would make cute magnets. Don't just look for images or logos, find pretty patterns and colors (this is where all those catalogs you get in the mail come in handy!). Take one of the marbles and place it over the image to make sure it looks good and will fit. Use the scissors to quickly cut out the image you like--I just cut it into a medium sized rectangle--and place it to the side.

Once you've gone through all your magazines and cut snippets of magnet material, use your hole punch to create a perfect magnet-sized picture. I used my hole punch upside down and slipped my magazine cut outs so the image was facing me and I could see what I was actually doing--highly recommend this!


Then, simply put another dollop of glue on to your cardstock-ed magnet and place each hole-punched picture on top. Repeat this process with the glass marbles. And voila! You have home-made magnets!


Keep the magnets on a flat surface for several hours because it takes a while for the glue to dry. If you move them or try to use them too soon the glass marble won't adhere and will slip off.

Note: the glass marbles come in a large bag and not all of them are ideal. I would go through them quickly before you begin and set aside the ones that are too hazy or have cracks.

retro living guides: who did it better?

Shock therapy is usually #1 on my to-do list...other than that I totally relate to A Lady's Guide to Throwing a Party.

Favorite line: "Address cats by their full name, but dogs as 'Mr.' and then their dog name. Because cats are girls and dogs are boys."


For Halloween I was Betty Draper, which was more a convenience costume than anything else since I: 1. have a similar hair color/style 2. have a ton of vintage-style dresses 3. love pretending to drink and smoke. Twin went as a cupcake, which was also a convenience costume since she is usually dressed like a cupcake.

how to: throw an easy, elegant, and kick-ass oscar party in 5 steps

How to throw an easy, elegant, and kick-ass oscar party in five simple steps.


1. Get the party started!

First, make sure to invite people that are compatible. This may seem like a no-brainer, but seriously, no Debbie Downers or Party Poopers allowed.

Second, have enough seats for your guests. Count all the couch space you have and add any chairs or cushions needed. If you're short on seating, big fluffy pillows placed strategically around the room should do the job just fine.

Third, if you're hosting an Oscar party, it's assumed that your television is large enough for a small crowd to comfortably sit and watch. If you're still rocking a 10 incher from your college dorm days, you should probably NOT be the host of an Oscar party.

And finally, dress up! As my fashion guru Isaac Mizrahi says, "If the stars try that hard, it's only polite that you and your friends make the same effort". In this day and age there's not many opportunities to get dolled up, so by all means make this Oscar party an event to remember and encourage your guests to dress to the nines! Black-tie is totally appropriate, but if you think your guests wouldn't be too interested in donning tuxedos and gowns, then state that cocktail attire is o-k, too.

2. Have FUN.

I am a firm believer in Oscar pools. To make it easier for your guests, print out a list of all the nominees. I've made it simple for you, just go here and you'll find everything you need in easy to print format! Make sure everyone makes a vote for each category. Sure, they might not know anything about "live action shorts", but have them make a wild guess for the category Best Live Action Short! Who knows, they could end up being right.

Have some sort of reward for the person who got the most and the person who got the least amount of awards correct. Present the "Biggest Winner" and "Biggest Loser" with an Oscar gift basket. A cute (and relatively cheap!) idea is to buy one of those large popcorn tubs and fill it with candy and a movie. For the winner, provide a copy of one of the "Best Picture" nominees. For the loser, choose a total razz-worthy film, like Waterworld or Dude Where's My Car?.

Another fun party activity is to vote for best dressed male and female. Give each winner a fake Oscar (you can purchase them at an party supply store during this time of year) and encourage them to give an acceptance speech!

3. Nom.

Provide plenty of appetizers and sweets for your guests. Suggestions for appetizers include spinach dip and sourdough bread, chili in bread bowls, nachos, vegetables and dip. For dessert, my signature Oscar frou frou cupcakes are an absolute MUST for any elegant celebration, they just scream glamor. They are also very, very tasty. Champagne jelly is another fun and festive idea, you can find the recipe here.


Popcorn is, duh, a total necessity for an Oscar party, but forget microwave popcorn, it's all about the real deal. Trust me, after you make popcorn once this way, you will never ever buy microwave popcorn again.

Perfect Popcorn Recipe

3 Tbsp canola, peanut or grapeseed oil (high smoke point oil)
1/3 cup of high quality popcorn kernels
Salt to taste

1. Heat the oil and a few pinches of salt in a 3-quart saucepan on medium high heat.

2. Put 3 or 4 popcorn kernels into the oil and cover the pan.

3. When the kernels pop, add the rest of the 1/3 cup of popcorn kernels in an even layer. Cover, remove from heat and count 30 seconds. This method first heats the oil to the right temperature, then waiting 30 seconds brings all of the other kernels to a near-popping temperature so that when they are put back on the heat, they all pop at about the same time.

4. Return the pan to the heat. The popcorn should begin popping soon, and all at once. Once the popping starts in earnest, gently shake the pan by moving it back and forth over the burner. Try to keep the lid slightly ajar to let the steam from the popcorn release (the popcorn will be drier and crisper). Once the popping slows to several seconds between pops, remove the pan from the heat, remove the lid, and dump the popcorn immediately into a wide bowl.

5. Top with anything you like! Salt and butter are pretty standard, but you can get creative and make kettle corn, add some cinnamon, maybe a pinch of nutmeg, the possibilities are endless! One great topping is rosemary and cayenne pepper. Seriously, so good.

For Spicy Rosemary Cayenne Popcorn you will need:

2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
2 tablespoons minced rosemary (I used dried rosemary - 1 tbsp)
2 tablespoons grated parmesan
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (or more, to taste) (I added at least one teaspoon!)
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 cups popped popcorn

In the bottom of a large bowl, mix the butter, rosemary, parmesan, brown sugar, cayenne and salt. Pour the popcorn into the large bowl. Stir the popcorn to evenly coat the kernels with the seasoning.

4. Sip and judge.

Make sure you provide plenty of drink choices for your guests, there's nothing better than a good sipping and judging session with a delicious cocktail in your hand.

Come up with a signature drink for your party and make a large batch of it in advance and put it in a large punch bowl for guests to serve themselves throughout the night. It can be ANY drink you like, but give it a fun Oscar-inspired name. Have a thing for mojitos? (I mean, who doesn't?) Make a big batch and put a cute label near the bowl "Slumdog Millionaire Mojito". Just add an actor's name or the title of a film to any drink and you're golden.


Make sure to have nonalcoholic beverages on hand for those that don't like to drink. Staples include diet soda, fruit juice, and water. You can have fun with this and make a nonalcoholic punch, too.

5. Au revoir.

Parting is such sweet sorrow, but eventually, your guests need to leave, if only to give you an opportunity to clean up after your successful Academy Award bash. This is your chance to give your guests a little star treatment with goody bags similar to those the stars will all be receiving! Okay, maybe not similar (I don't know if any of my blog readers have enough disposable income to buy 20 iPods and sets of Le Mer face cream), but definitely super thoughtful and sweet. Some ideas include a small bag of your home-made popcorn (prepared in advance), lots of movie theater candy, and a custom-made mix CD of all the songs from the films that received nominations. Put it in a cute bag, tie a bit of pink ribbon on it, and voila, perfect ending to a perfect party.

how to shop for a swimsuit

In a week and a half I'll be lounging on the beach in Cabo, and since I haven't purchased a swimsuit since my junior year of high school, I figured it was time to invest in something new. Clearly, swim suit shopping is not my #1 favorite past time, so I tried to think of ways to make it less painful, and maybe even enjoyable. This is what I came up with:

How To Shop for a Swimsuit

1. Don’t eat. I don’t mean don’t ever eat, but make an attempt to not eat immediately before trying on a swim suit. A tummy full of Quizno’s is not going to look sexy in a teeny, weeny bikini, and all that toasted sub goodness will probably have you ready for a nap rather than the fitting room. You can have a celebratory meal after you find a suit!

2. Drink lots of water. You should always be drinking lots of water—those 8 glasses a day do amazing things for your hair, complexion, and bod. The day before you try on swim suits, drink as much water as you can to avoid any water retention. Put some slices of lemon in your water to give it a flavor boost which will encourage you to drink more. Lemon is also a natural diuretic (promotes kidney function and produces more urine, helping to expel wastes from the body) which makes it extra helpful! Caffeine and cranberry juice are also weak natural diuretics, and that cup of coffee will help keep you energetic even after the 20^th swim suit you’ve tried.

3. Tan in a can. We were all stupid and sixteen once, so yes, we have all sat under the tortuous rays of a tanning bed to get that “natural” golden glow in preparation for summer. However, times have changed, we’ve grown up, gotten wiser, and never leave the house without a liberal application of SPF 15. There’s no denying the beautifying abilities of a sexy tan, but skin cancer and wrinkles are definitely NOT sexy…luckily we have sunless tanner! I would suggest using the lotion 1 to 2 days before you go shopping because you don’t want to dye any of your potential purchases.

4. Look cute. But you ALWAYS look cute, right? A messy bun and quick application of mascara and gloss are fine for day to day, but if you’re going to be under glaring fluorescent lights and looking in 180 degree mirrors, you should dress to impress! That means do your hair, make-up, etc., to ensure that you’ll be looking as fantastic as possible. Juicy suits are still 100% acceptable, they’re comfy and easy to take on and off as you fitting room hop from store to store.

5. Have a lot of time. Set an entire day aside for finding your bathing suit. Hopefully it won’t take that long, but the only thing worse than not being able to find a swim suit is not being able to find a swim suit and feeling rushed the whole time.

6. Go on a weekday. If at all possible, try to shop during business hours so as to avoid long waits for a fitting room and long lines at customer service. If you have a job that makes that impossible, go on a Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday evening, they’re usually the slowest times for retail. AVOID SHOPPING ON THE WEEKENDS AT ALL COSTS. Waiting 45 minutes for a fitting room is not enjoyable EVER.

7. Bring Mom. Mom is a great shopping companion for many reasons: 1. She probably won’t be looking for clothes for herself so you won’t have to wait for her to do her own shopping. 2. She’s your worst critic and won’t try to make something work when it simply does not (i.e. “It just doesn’t do anything for you” a Mother’s favorite shopping phrase) 3. She can grab more sizes or suits if the store has an article limit for the fitting room 4. She just might pay!

8. Try on everything. Okay, you KNOW if something’s going to be completely hideous on you, but grab those “Maybe this will look cute”s and try them on. Sometimes the best fashion finds are those items you might normally pass over.

9. Walk around. This is so easy to forget. When you try on a suit you look at yourself, maybe turn around and do a quick butt check, but you rarely ever meander around. Taking your suit for a test drive is an absolute must. A lot of swim suits look great if you stand still like a mannequin, but as soon as you move they start falling down or bunching up and who wants to deal with that? Answer: no one.

10. Buy more than one. Even if you only want one suit, try to buy at least two, put them on a few times at home, and then make your decision. Also, try to buy at least one suit with a splash of color. It is easy to fall back on the ever-slimming appearance of black, but you’re going to be chillin’ poolside drinking a margarita, something with a little bit of color is much more tropical and appropriate. Having two suits is beneficial because it gives you some variety during your vacation (or at home), and that way you can bust out the black if you feel the need for a little black magic slim-down after one too many burritos.

After following these ten bathing suit finding guidelines, I purchased two fabulous suits! I got one black (I love authentic burritos. My hips? Not so much.) and one super cute Lucky brand suit that is colorful, vibrant, and perfect for the beach: