project list: shell shadow box

Early into the moving in process Josh and I agreed to have a Nautical theme for our master bathroom and bedroom.  Looking for forms of decor other than anchor pillows and cartoonish sea creatures I knew I wanted to do some kind of shell-based wall decor.  Last Summer he and I went down to South Carolina where we managed to collect many beautiful shells.  Growing up in/near New Jersey I never really found many full shells on the shore when I was younger so finding all of these little beauties was very exciting.  I had a jar full for nearly a year waiting for something to do with them.

I chose to go with the case I had found back in February since it had that worn wood look and the shells all looked nicely framed when I arranged them.

The first thing I had to do was re-attach the backing to the frame as well as some sections of the frame. . Once those were all set and dried I started to place and arrange the shells within the frame.  This part was very much like putting a puzzle together.  While the standard shells fit nicely in the square-shaped compartments I didn't have enough long shells to fill the more narrow areas.  I started to see if I could find extra tiny shells which were similar colors or shapes and lining them up to better fill up the spaces.

Once it was all set and Josh gave his own input (after all it is his room as well) I glued each one down.  This project ended up being a lot easier than I expected.  I had considered painting it a different color but ultimately the natural wood look gave it an appearance I felt was more beachy than had I painted it white or cream.

I have really been enjoying these DIY projects.  Not only is it a little something to do other than watching TV, but it adds such a nice touch to the place.  It makes this little apartment all the more personal and all the more ours.

monthly favs: march 2013

Lovely blouse (from TJ Maxx) for work but fits so great I can't wait to wear it around for casual Spring days

March has been quite the month for me.  I moved out and moved several states away from the place I have lived for near 12 years.  While it still hasn't completely sunk in I feel a lot more settled now than I did last week.

Keep reading to see some of the little things that have been making the big changes just a little bit easier.

exploring + funfetti

It has officially been over a week since my move.  While I feel like not much has been done in that time, other than packing, I still feel pretty accomplished.  I have been using the spare time I get to explore the local area and getting to know where everything is.  I have already found a dentist I like as well as figured out the best ways to get to the shopping centers I am interested in.  I figure these are the little victories of independence and adulthood.

Next weekend I am hoping to venture North to the small town of Zionsville.  It seems small and quaint, the kind of cute place I love to explore.  In the meantime I am focusing on finding a job, getting to know the places closer to me, and cooking new things.

Since I am in the apartment most of the day it seems like the perfect time to practice new recipes.  Veggie soup, chicken noodle soup, and roasted chicken are all on the menu for the near future.  However, today I made something a little sweeter, Funfetti Cake Truffles.  I found the recipe through Pinterest and instantly knew I had to try it. I did end up making well over two-dozen so I would probably recommend it more for a party or gathering situation, not sure how just the two of us will eat them all but we will try. 

welcome, spring.

 

I haven't really done much since the move, mostly just job hunting.  I haven't even finished unpacking yet, not having a dresser to put the remainder of my clothes in.  

However, today being the first official day of Spring, I felt the need to celebrate a little.  I knew I wanted to bake something and it, somehow, had to be light and fun.  French macarons were the perfect option.  I have only made them two other times on my own so I knew it would be a challenge.  I used this recipe for the shells (very detailed and easy to follow directions for any beginners) and then just made a simple raspberry butter cream for the filling.  The final result was probably my most successful attempt yet.  The texture and look all turned out near-perfect.

I look forward to enjoying them after dinner with Josh, who has never had French macarons before.  I hope mine are a good first impression.

the move

Yesterday I finally made the long-awaited big move.  We woke up early in the morning to start out on what became an eleven-hour drive.  The drive was long but the weather was nothing short of perfect.

Ohio, one of the few states we drove through.

I only drove the few hours before the sun came up so I spent the majority of the trip watching mountain sides turn onto flat farmlands.  I find that even when a road trip is long it never really feel too bad if you arrive at the destination early enough in the day.  Our 3:30 pm arrival time left us with time to say "Hello" to family members and settle in to our new place.  Even managed to unpack most of my items that very first night.

Indiana Farmlands

What I really enjoyed was putting things away and thinking about all the possibilities for our little space.  That actually inspired me to create a project list page for this blog.  On that page I will write down projects I hope to complete and then link to posts about those projects.  The first big thing on my list is revamping an old dresser.  Hopefully I will get started on that as early as this week.

boston + connecticut

Before I left for Indiana I made it my mission to visit the New England area one more time.  My dad recently moved to Boston for work and a large portion of my family lives in Connecticut so seeing all of them would make me feel like any loose ends were tied before I moved.

farewell dinner

 There was no shortage of bee-themed items.

One of the things I knew I had to do before leaving was to have a sort of good-bye dinner.  Invite some of my closest friends out to dinner to just spend some time together where we would eat good food and just talk.