Bronzed Living: My favorite brassy and gold pieces

As I mentioned in my previous post, I am working on redecorating my San Francisco apartment. I pretty much go with lots of neutrals and spice things up with a ton of statement pieces. Right now, I am full-blown obsessed with bronze/gold/brass and I have found some seriously to die for pieces that I couldn't wait to share with you. Most of these pieces I have looked for for months and over time purchased, others are still on my "want" list and I am eyeballing them. Are you as obsessed as I am?

Bronze Bison Skull Mount:
This skull mount was one of my favorite purchases i've made since redecorating my space. It is SO me and I love that it is ceramic and not an actual skull.

Brass Candle:
I love my candle by The Wicked Boheme. It not only smells amazing, but it's beautiful and looks great right next to my bed. I also can't wait to repurpose it once the candle is out as a makeup brush holder.

Bronze Wall Shelf:
I bought this shelf and immediately put it to use. I use mine to store all my hair products, lotions, perfumes and face products. It is so cute and I get tons of compliments on it.

Brass Cactus Planter:
I have a cute marble coffee table that needed some character. What better than these copper planters?

Brass Peace Sign:
If you know me you know that I am all about good vibes. I have been eyeing this peace sign, and I am waiting patiently to get it. I have a rule with things on the pricier side. If you like it still after 2 months, then you can buy it.

Brass Inlay Cheese Platter:
I make one mean cheese plate. It's important when I'm entertaining I have a beautiful platter to serve my delicious food on. How cute is this one?

Jewelry Box:
This brass jewelry box is perfect for a bedside table. I love mine and also love how affordable it is.

Rose Brass and Marble Tray:

This classy tray is perfect to bring a little class and style to your boring coffee table. I love placing a nice candle on this as a centerpiece.

Gold Pineapple Jar:
How cute is this jar? Stop it! I can't help but lose it over how cute this is and how much personality it brings in to a space! This is perfect to add in your kitchen or on your favorite book shelf!

Redecorating On A Budget: Where to start

I am starting to decorate my house a bit and I have had a lot of people ask where I get my stuff. I am going to start posting more often on my favorite trends & amazing pieces, but today I want to talk about my go-to's for finding amazing pieces.

I will be the first to tell you, I hate spending money on my apartment. Is anyone else reading this like me? I would much rather spend money towards the trip of a lifetime than a $500 coffee table. I also don't spend a ton of time at home. My typical day starts with going to work, come home to change really quick, go to the gym, come home and shower, then come back to make dinner and go to bed. I don't need a big fancy space at all since I don't really watch TV or hangout a ton, BUT there is something to say for a space that makes you feel comfortable. Creating a comfortable space truly allows you to re-charge when you do get home, even if it's just for a short while. I'm definitely on a budget and have been trying to stay "cheap-ish", but that doesn't mean your space can't look expensive and lavishAF. Here a few tips I've learned through the process. I hope they help you if you are about to start making your dream space.

Start with Pinterest

Ever since I made a Pinterest, I have marked down tons of pins for inspiration. Whether it be a wall full of picture frames, a bathroom mirror, or pillows. I pin these and I feel like it keeps "what I want" fresh in my mind. Since I have gone out of my way to pin these, they suggest more things like them to me on Pinterest and in my ads. I sometimes just click the link to purchase something right then and there. If I absolutely love something out of my budget I will then go on a hunt for it made by someone else at a better price, find a coupon code, or wait for it to go on sale. 

Etsy

Etsy is my go-to spot for finding things I love. I recently bought a beautiful tray for my living room, horns for my wall, a calligraphy quote that I am going to frame and put on my wall, AND a home-made dream catcher. Whatever it is you are looking to add to your space, I promise you can find it on Etsy. Usually Etsy is super reasonably priced and I love that a lot of the sellers are willing to customize for you.

Coupon codes

Have you heard of Honey? Well, this tool may change your life. When you download Honey for Chrome, it will run a coupon code search every time you are online shopping and checking out. For example, if I am shopping online at Westelm.com and I click my Honey app it will automatically search for all the coupon codes West Elm has had in their Specials the last few weeks. Since using Honey I typically get free shipping, and 10%-20% off my purchase.

Craigslist

Want something that you know you can't afford? Maybe someone is moving and selling it. I often find some sesious GEMS when I hunt on craigslist. Be sure to be super specific with your searches and make sure there are lots of photos of them item you are looking at. I got a beautiful West Elm coffee table for $75 (a $375 value) and also got an ikea bookshelf a while back that was super cheap (the biggest win was that it was already put together).

Friends or coworkers

I happen to have a ton of crafty friends and co-workers. A ton of my Facebook friends post things that they've created and are selling OR they are moving and trying to get rid of things that I may be interested in buying. Tap in to your network and see what people are giving, selling or making at "cost".

Youtube

Is there something you want, but can't find it anywhere? Sometimes I go to YouTube and there is someone who has made a DIY video. Typically the people creating these videos tell you exactly what you need and the cost of how much you will be expected to spend to make this. It can be super fun if you have the extra time. 

Next time: I am going to share some of my most recent finds!

DIY Girls Night: Vision Board Party

This past Saturday night I decided to host a Girls Night In. I decided to do this after reading a pretty inspiring article in Marie Claire about how goal setting the form of a vision board has worked a ton in helping people achieve their goals. My girlfriends and I wanted to see what this was all about, and decided to make a night of it.

We all prepped a healthy dish, brought a bottle of wine, scissors, and magazines. We spent our night flipping, cutting, drinking, blasting pop music, and talking to each other our wildest dreams. In the end, we all were shocked to see how different our boards looked. Not only how they each looked creatively, but the contents plastered on them. One of our friends didn't realize until she finished her board how focused hers was on marriage and having a family. Another friends board was filled with travel destinations and food. What will yours be filled with?

I encourage you to spend time to 1. think about your goals 2. put it on paper 3. try making a vision board.

Mine is finished, and I ended up hanging it right by my light switch in my room. I see it when I go to bed, wake up, and every time I leave the house.

What you need:
Glue sticks
Scissors
Magazines (home decor, fitness, travel, cooking, mens magazines, sports/yoga, lifestyle, fashion)
Poster board

Do It Yourself: Easy & Affordable Christmas Gifts

If you aren't budgeting this Christmas, you should be. As much as we want to shower our friends and family with expensive gifts, it isn't smart to overspend. If you don't have the budget to get all your friends something expensive, then try making one of these DIY gifts that are cute & affordable.

Hot Chocolate Jar   Cocktails Nail Polish               Wine Tray Spa Jar         DIY Coffee & Tea Mug