Easy DIY: gemstone pushpins

It's the little things in life that make small moments special.  The other day I completed a super simple DIY project that brings a little sparkle to my day and makes me smile: glamming up some plain push pins.  I grabbed some craft gems that I had on hand, my trusty little hot glue gun, and went to work on those plain ol' thumbtacks.  With a little dot of glue here and there, a few minutes later I had myself some glamorous looking pushpins!  Now these live on a bulletin board in my office- stay tuned for a full reveal feature soon!

DIY egg carton garland

 < supplies: 18-pack egg cartons, scissors, raphia, and spray paint (not pictured: glitter and glue gun) >

Making a little DIY gift for someone close to your heart is probably one of the most thoughtful kind of presents your can give.  This past weekend, full of celebrations for my best friend and her new husband, was filled with thoughtful little details every moment.  I knew I would be hosting my best friend one night before her wedding and wanted to add a few personal touches to highlight her special day and how treasured her friendship is.  A few years ago, she and I spied the neatest garland in an Anthropologie window display, and I knew I wanted to replicate that idea to decorate my space when my best friend stayed over.  So I saved up some egg cartons, gathered a selection of spray paint, tossed in a little glitter for fun, and whipped up this recycled DIY garland.  Thankfully, the time that was put in to this little project paid off, and the egg carton garland was a hit!

 < to make the 'blossoms,' cut the center row from the 18-pack egg carton and use the middle 5 pieces- these will all have 4 corner points and will provide the look of a 'blossom' >

< spray paint your 'blossoms' in your desired colors- I added a little glitter in the center of each blossom  to give a subtle hint of sparkle >

 < cut each section of egg carton rows into individual pieces- these are the egg crate blossoms for your garland!  Use hot glue to attach the blossoms to your raphia (twine or string will also work) >

< hang your DIY egg carton garland for all to enjoy! >

Obsessed: around the web this week

TGIF, 3P wonderfuls!  Friday is a great day to smile, laugh, and look forward to the weekend ahead!  Here are some links from around the web this week which I am obsessing over- hope they bring a bright spot to your day!  Have an amazing weekend, 3P style, and I will see you back here next week!

1. I am so adoring my gold pineapple bookends- find a similar set (on sale!) here. (Other stylish options: a gold pig and a pair of bunnies)

2. Josh Duhamel, hamming it up in this interview with a little advice on friendship too. (glamour.com)

3. I will definitely try this simple look for fall once the weather cools down- and am eying similar skirts here, here, and here. (pinterest.com)

4. Must memorize this great workout for a busy day or a week on the road. (huffingtonpost.com)

5. Next time I get in a DIY mood, I might try my hand at this glitter state DIY- they will be beautiful framed in any home, and will make for a great gift! (pinterest.com)

6. For a fun retro updo, I will try to rock this beehive with a loofa! (abeautifulmess.com)

7. So appreciative for the outfit inspiration from the Glitter Guide's feature on denim vests for fall- I may use a gift card for this Old Navy vest. (theglitterguide.com)

8. After reading this great article, meeting Aliza Licht (aka DKNY PR girl) is definitely on my wish list! (thenewpotato.com)

9. Office redecorating is on my mind, and I am secretly hoping for this office chair during the redo.

DIY Daydreams

< adorable recovered and repurposed shoe boxes >

Craftiness feelings are sneaking up on me once more- it is time to infuse my life with some DIY projects again!  If you are feeling this way too, check out this board for some inspiration, and grab your hot glue and paint, people!

Looking for some more easy DIY ideas?  Check out my DIY projects!

< a super fun sparkly belt- ribbon and gemstones would do this up right! >

< save those old frappuccino glass bottles to make some adorable painted vases >

 < add some classic campaign details to turn a plain dresser from blah to brilliant! >

 < work those paint skills to make some fun colorful coasters! >

All above images via

Studio makeover reveal!

Happy Thursday, all y'all 3P wonderfuls!  Life has been so crazy busy lately but is making for one fantastic summer!  Today I am so excited to share with you a recent project I completed (along with the help of a sweet and talented friend)- we rearranged, redecorated, and revealed a 'new' studio space for our amazing friend Carrie of For One Another.  The preparation for this decorating project took about a week, including a few hours for working on some easy DIY projects.  I kept the color palette in the Tiffany blue range, with a few touches of green, yellow, and tan- this color collection kept the whole studio space cohesive and free-flowing.  I was so thankful to have the help of my friend, because together we accomplished in about 3 hours what I imagined might take me a good full day.  So here you are, my sweet friend's newly decorated studio space!

 < before: the couch separated her condo space by basically dividing the place in half >

 < before: a mostly blank canvas in the bedroom area, and a tall shelf awkwardly adding height to the wall >

 < before: blank walls and a fireplace set in the middle of nowhere >

 < before: a bathroom lacking some fun style touches >

 < before:  the shower area, in need of a little color >

< before: notice how the couch is dividing the studio space >

 < before: the cute little kitchen space in need of a few whimsical touches >

Enter, the decorative touches and furniture arranging, 3P style!

 < after: the couch is moved to be adjacent with a long wall, opening up the studio space.  The tall leaning shelf is moved to a wall where its height makes more sense >

 < after: adding curtains and a few colorful accents make all the difference in the bedroom space >

 < after: calming shades of blue make for a peaceful bedroom zone >

 < after: a storage ottoman can serve as a side table, extra seating, or a nightstand.  A large basket is the perfect place to collect extra blankets for cool evenings.  The entertainment center is streamlined and becomes the focal point on the wall opposite the couch >

 < after: an eclectic collection of pillows rest on the couch.  Artwork creates a mini gallery wall behind the couch and helps define the space.  A Threshold pouf from Target rest beside the sofa to serve multiple functions as a side table, a footrest, or extra seating when needed.  A set of sheer curtains masks the closet space >

 < after: the bathroom gets a few pops of color >

 < after: a bright white shower curtain and colorful cotton towels and brightness and color >

< after: doesn't this just make you want to curl up and relax in this adorable studio? >

DIY sneak peek

Simple little DIY projects are my favorite  way to add a personal touch to any creation. Here's a little peek at a few DIYs I crafted for a project I am so excited to share with you! 

< canvases I painted and sprinkled with a little sparkle >

< a DIY tissue paper garland to add an easy and fun touch I whimsical color > 

DIY tray makeover

 < tray before >

Another simple little DIY project that I am loving!  This tray makeover is actually for a little decorating project I am working on, and will be so excited to share with you once its finished.  When you have a few minutes, some mod podge, and cute decorative paper, you can makeover almost anything you want.  Perfect little activity to do on a hot day while you are enjoying the air conditioning!

 < craft paper I had on hand, which were the perfect colors I wanted to use in this tray makeover >

  < I cut the paper into a little design and arranged it on the tray >

 < mod podge to the rescue!  I applied a layer of mod podge on the top of the paper, but should have also applied a layer under the paper too! >

< ta da!  The 'new' tray! >

Obsessed: around the web this week

A little later than usual, but here are my weekly obsessions from this busy but great past week!  Hope all of you 3P wonderfuls are having a fabulous weekend!

1. I would love any prayers you can provide for a little brave girl I know who is having this procedure- learn about her amazing doctors and this process in Fire with Fire.

2. Although I don't really wear headbands too often, beauties this this sparkly one are especially piquing my interest lately.

3. I love this grown-up nautical display for fourth-of-july and pretty much any summer celebration.

4. Full moon's arising- enjoy the Sunday morning perigee.

5. I have seen these strappy heels from Target on a few of my favorite blogs and I just might have to add them to my summer shoe collection!

6. This easy chocolate mousse is surely going to become my go-to dessert.

7. Love this motivational quote- perfect amount of encouragement!

8. Fun ice cubes for summer?! Sign me up for this fish ice tray!

9. I am itching for an easy DIY, and these rhinestone and rope bracelets are a perfect craft for summer.

Bridal showers and bridal shower games

A few weeks ago I had the joy of celebrating my best friend's upcoming wedding during a weekend full of her two bridal showers.  Each shower was filled with wonderful women, adorable decorations, delicious food, and plenty of love and spoils for the bride to be!  I didn't do too much planning for either of these wedding showers, but was happy to add a few details here and there.  Here are just a few details from each of the bridal showers, as well as the scoop on some of the bridal showers games I created for one of the events.  My dear friend- you know who you are- I am so happy for you!!

The details, day 1:

< Picked up a little notebook from Anthropologie, pasted the bridal shower invitation inside, glued a bow on the outside, and made it into a guestbook! >

< The 'Bridal Tea Party' tablescape for bridal shower #1 >

< Lovely table set up for mimosas and tea, with a DIY pendant banner above >

< The cutest little personalized bridal shower favors- so in keeping with the tea party theme! >

< The mismatched blue place settings were perfect for the tea party bridal shower >

The food:

< Little fruit cups filled with cream and fresh fruit >

< Tasty sandwiches fit for a high tea! >

< A warm brownie topped with chocolate and a fruit compote- yes please! >

< Cupcakes set up in the shape of a wedding dress- perfect for a bridal shower! >

The details:

< Supplies from Michael's for an easy, semi DIY pendant banner >

< The DIY pendant banner in its glory! Personalize it any way you like for the guest of honor- I stuck sticky glitter letters on mine to read 'Valerie bride to be' >

< The first bridal shower game was a clothespin collection contest.  I personalized the clothespins with a few different stickers, and handed one to each guest as she entered the shower.  Throughout the event, there were three words that you could not say- if you said one of those words, the guest who caught you saying that word could take your clothespin.  At the end of the wedding shower, the guest with the most clothespins won a prize >

< The second game I created for the bridal shower guests was a 'guess the herb' game.  I hid 6 different herbs in plastic cups, covered them with wax paper, and labeled them with a number.  I poked holes in the wax paper right before the game was played so that guests could smell each herb.  >

< The answer sheet I created for the guests, to go along with the herb guessing game >

< A few of the bridal shower game prizes I wrapped up with a little love quote >

The details, day 2:

< Adorable brunch tablescape at a beautiful country club >

< The favors, all with a touch of the bride's favorite color >

< The gift table with ribbons, ribbons everywhere! >

< The sweetest, handmade cookies from our other best friend, for the guests at this shower! >