Online Window Shopping: Shower Curtains

I love my shower curtain. I chose this grey and white* stripe shower curtain from West Elm for $39.

I love this shower curtain. It has held up well and it was a good price. I know you can buy an $8 shower curtain at Walmart but I fell in love with this one. West Elm still has this shower curtain. It comes in grey, yellow, and navy.

If you're in the market for a new shower curtain I've taken the liberty of online window shopping for you. Enjoy :)

Striped cabbage rose shower curtain by Urban Outfitters for $44

Tuxedo shower curtain by Target for $19.99

Black and white shower curtain by Target for $21.49

Tali printed shower curtain by West Elm for $39.

Lush white shower curtain by Overstock for $34.99

Polka dot shower curtain by Overstock for $28.49

Edgemere shower curtain by Apt2B for $19

Dottie shower curtain by PB Teen for $19.99

Rugby stripe shower curtain by PB Teen for $39.99

Check shower curtain by Walmart for $29.99

USA map shower curtain by Urban Outfitters for $24

Zig zag shower curtain by Urban Outfitters for $44

* Do you spell it 'grey' or 'gray'???

I Have One too Many Rooms of My Own

Okay, so that title pun is stretching it but seriously I have too much space. I know what your thinking.. WAH. I have a large bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, living room, dining room, full (unfinished) basement, large yard, and a second bedroom... that's a lot of space for one person and a medium sized dog. You probably didn't even know that I had a second bedroom because I've never mentioned it. Well, here's why:

It's a hot mess huh? This is actually the 'clean' version (that black blur is Bob showing off is playroom). Here is my problem with this room: I have no freaking clue what to do with it. When I first moved in I seriously considered getting a roommate, I'm not totally opposed to it even now, it's just that this room isn't super appealing. It's kind of small and the closet is crazy tiny. So if I don't get a roommate...what do I do with a second bedroom? Here are my ideas:

1) A guest room
2) An office
3) Bob's room
4) Have a baby

Okay so I'm mostly joking about the last one but it is seriously a perfect room for a kid. As you can see from these images above the room has a dresser, rug, twin daybed, and lot of miscellaneous crap. It essentially functions as a storage area and it's the room I leave Bob in when I'm going to be away for a few hours.The daybed is intended for the front porch when it is eventually screened in. The dresser is one that I refinished when I was 17 and used up until I got my campaign dresser. The CB2 rug is from the living room of my old apartment. The tubs are full of books. All my tools and home improvement stuff is on top of the dresser and in a box. And in the closet I currently have all my excess home decorations (book ends, extra picture frames, odds and ends).

So what would you guys do with it? Should I try and get a roommate? Use at as an office? Make it a really nice guest room? I'm at a complete loss since it is totally a 'bonus room'.

Thanks for the Support

A few weeks ago I wrote a post called 'Pets as Interior Designers,' a sort of tongue in cheek look at all the cool pet related design items for the home. One of the shops I featured was Diesel & Juice. This Etsy shop is adorable. Seriously, adorable. Well, to my surprise and delight the owner of the shop, Michele, found my post and commented on it*. In my post I had I mentioned that I loved her custom dog portraits but they were out of my price range so she kindly added a new option for a more 'budget-friendly' custom portrait. Isn't that awesome?!

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These amazing custom pet portraits are only $60 which is perfectly affordable. So this is just a public 'thank you' to Michele from Diesel & Juice for reading this blog and for responding so kindly. I hope you guys go visit her shop and buy something because it's all so cool.

*This is the coolest thing that has happened to my blog so far!

Clocks

Confusion never stops
Closing walls and ticking clocks

Let's talk clocks (not Coldplay). I've been suffering from some serious clock envy lately. I'm not sure why because I loathe the sound of a ticking clock. I mean, it will seriously drive me out of my mind. I once had one of those $5 clocks from Walmart in my dorm room in college but it drove me mad so I threw it away (to the chagrin of my roommate). But I may consider living with the sound again because these clocks look so so good (I can always take the batteries out right?).

I am so in love with this clock I want to eat it. Unfortunately, it is $160 :(

I love this clock. It comes in silver, mint, red, and white and it ranges in price from $25 to $40. It's adorable.

This sunburst clock is awesome and amazingly it's only $25! It reminds me of the sunburst mirror in my entry.

Here's another little retro number.. adorable and only $24 it would be a cute addition to any room.

This is a great clock and it would look great in a living room and it's only $25 so yay!

For some reason it seems like the most popular place for clocks is in kitchens... like these:

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And they look great there, but I think clocks look good in lots of places.

Okay so this is technically in the kitchen but this a seriously 'go big or go home' take on the kitchen clock. (Source)

This kind of reminds me of those clocks at fancy banks, but homey and cool. (Source)

I've already professed my love for gallery walls and a clock would be an awesome edition to any gallery wall.

It's a pretty classic look to have a large clock in the living room. This clock really stands out because it's the only thing on the walls and the statement is lovely.

In my house I currently don't have any clocks, not an alarm clock, or a stove clock, or a microwave clock... I'm like living in the stone age over here. The only clock I have is on my phone so *fingers crossed* I never lose it! Maybe I "need" to get a new clock (I like to trick myself into "needing" things so I don't feel bad about buying them). How do you feel about clocks? Are you as torn as me about them?

My house has a secret.

It all started with this picture:

In this post I talked about my new awesome cutting board and as I was uploading the pictures I had a fleeting thought "what is that under the cabinet?" But I promptly forgot and moved on with my day. Then yesterday I was doing the dishes and somehow I knocked my hand under the counter and there was a clatter. Wha wha what?

Then this happened:

O.M.G. This blew my mind. I like to think I am an observant person so how have I lived here for almost 10 months and not noticed that?! Seriously.

As you can see from this old picture I have a red paper towel holder that was on the kitchen cart.

Here is the paper towel holder I already had (I got at Target about four years ago).

I'm happy to clear up some counter space since I have none to speak of. Plus there are plenty of other cool uses for paper towel holders I've seen on Pinterest:

Bracelet holder

Painter's tape, twine, and other home improvement items

Ribbon holder

Pretty creative, huh? I'll keep you updated if I decide to do something cool with it. I just had to share my house's secret though, it definitely made my day!

How to Make a Terrarium

How to make a terrarium:

1) Go shopping and buy:
a) A glass or plastic open container. I got mine at HomeGoods for $15.
b) Rocks (I wish I could have just gotten these from my yard but it's amazing how few rocks are in my yard).
c) Activated charcoal... this one is a little hard to find but they should have it at any nursery.
d) Soil. I buy Miracle Grow: Moisture Control, but pretty much any kind works
e) Succulents. It may help to have your container with you so that you can see how your plants will all fit inside. My particular container is about 15" in diameter and I fit three succulents in it.
d) Miniature animals because it's a terrarium and it should be awesome.

2) Put a layer of rocks on the bottom of your container (I saved a few to put on the top layer). This is for drainage.

3) And then a layer of activated charcoal (about an inch of the charcoal). This charcoal, as far as I understand it, is for smell. I guess these terrariums can get moldy so this charcoal is supposed to keep the mold and moldy smell away.

4) Add soil (I filled my container about half full)

5) Plant your succulents!

6) Add a little more life to it. I added rocks and teeny tiny baby deer that I bought on Etsy.

7) Take care. Terrariums are very low maintenance but that only applies if you set them up right to begin with. Also, I can't stress enough how much terrariums need sunlight. If you forget to open your blinds even a few days in a row these little babies will start to die. On the other hand they can go weeks without water. I sprinkle, emphasis on sprinkle, them with water every 10-14 days.

I made this terrarium about a year ago and it has kept well. One of the plants died which was my fault because I left it too long when I was on a trip without sun or water, but like I said earlier if you do a few things they should keep for a long time. I don't remember the exact amount I spent to make this but here is my best guess on how much this project cost me:

Container: $15
Deer: $5
Soil: had on hand
3 Succulents: $16
Rocks: $5
Activated Charcoal: $8
= $49 ... yes, that is expensive but have you ever tried to buy a pre-made terrarium? They are over $100! Like this one and these.

Here are few ways you can save on terrarium expenses:

- Use dirt and rocks from your yard... why not??
- Use coupons!
- Use a container you have on hand. The only real criteria involved is that they are usually clear (but don't have to be) and they should have an open top (closed top terrariums require different care). I have a couple of shallow vases right now that would work.
- Share actived charcoal with a friend. I only used a small amount so there is no need to buy a whole bag... go in with a friend and have a terrarium making party!
- Buy plants on clearance. They may look a little sad but nothing a little repotting and love can't fix.
- Use little miniatures you have lying around or make your own.

Happy terrarium making!