diy marbled eggs

a few weeks ago i pinned this tutorial.

since then, i've had this nail polish marbling thing on my brain and wanted to marble something.

with easter coming up, i figured it was the best option.

i remembered hobby lobby always having those wooden eggs but when i was up there 2 weekends ago, i found these instead in the easter section. much better because they were already primed white and cheaper.

only $6.99 for this pack of 8, and all the easter junk was 40% off.

so a little over $4.

my only obstacle was how to get these eggs into the water with polish and then dry them, without getting my fingers in it and smudging the marbling.

so i drilled some teeny tiny holes with the smallest drill bit, 1/16", in the bottom of each egg.

just big enough for these pointed skewers i had to squeeze tightly into the small hole and hold my eggs. i think i also got those skewers from hob lob back in january when i made some birthday cake flags for my mom.

like the tutorial suggests, you need to have all your supplies ready to go because the nail polish dries fast on your water.

i just used an old glass vase i had.

and another tip, use warm water so your polish doesn't seize up on you.

the tutorial also mentions that it doesn't really matter about the quality of your polish, so while at cvs, i grabbed the cutest spring palette of the cheap stuff. from $.99 to $4.

i didn't take any photos of the during because it went really quickly.

plus there are tons and tons and tons of tutorials online of how to do it, and i'm sure they'd be better than mine.

i even youtubed some before i got started, just to make sure i had it down.

but the one i linked to at the top, was the best i found.

and here are my eggs drying.

i used the same drill to drill holes in the top of an old shoe box so they could dry without touching anything on the skewers.

worked like a charm, if i do say so myself.

i love how they're different.

now they're hanging in a gold bowl on my front coffee table.

i have this ceramic egg container that i was planning on using, in the pics above, but it covers up too much of my marbles :)

the mint and the neon are quite trendy, yes...

but i don't think i'll ever get over the neon thing... like for as long as i live...

so i think we're good.

i did see that camille styles posted this same project yesterday, but she used blown out eggs.

you certainly could do that as well, but with the wooden ones, you can save them for years to come without worrying about them smooshing into a million bits.

(and those holes i drilled are so tiny, i didn't even fill them like i had planned. they aren't noticeable.)

happy easter!

JILL

polka dot glitter cookies

i feel like the last 8 things i've purchased have been polka dotted.

i'm kinda having a moment with them.

glad the rest of the world is, too.

don't look now, but i'd love to do this to our second bath:

love it in every way. very tempted.

moving on.

i wish i had more time. i'm sure you all feel that way, and i don't even have kids yet!

by the time i get home from work i feel like i'm just going to bed to get up and do it all over again. but if i had like 2 extra hours a day to get the stuff i have to get done, to then do the stuff that i want to get done....

i'd make these:

polka dot cookies!

in neon and neutrals!

with sparkles!

they're like little gems of all my current favorite things rolled into a sugar.

you can find the recipe here.

a random, yet happy thursday.

happy thursday, friends.

JILL

{bluebird}

i told you at the beginning of january that i was going to start posting more of my house projects. i was always a little hesitant to post them because 1- its my house and my project, and people on the internet can be mean little suckers. but 2- if i didn't have a huge whole kitchen gut-job reno to share, i wondered if my little one-afternoon-one-tube-of-acrylic-paint small project even mattered enough to share.

but i'm over all that :)

the blogs i like reading the most are the ones that share their projects, big or small.

so here's a very very small one i recently did.

but the little things add up, so one small project at a time is the way my house is becoming my home.

this is the walkway between my dining/living room and my den.

we spend 99% of our time in the den.

so we walk by this approx. 59 times a day.

this little parrot, my mom scored at home goods for $15.99.

it's resin but painted in a faux wood finish.

(don't mind the gatorade... i actually took this photo when i was stuck at home with the flu and i was re-hydrating. and don't mind my sewing machine, its permanently out on the dining room table because i've been making dolllllllllls!)

this bird wasn't as awesome as it could be, as is.

it was purchased to end up at our lake house.

so i was going to spray it high gloss white, sorta like the ones zgallerie was selling awhile back.

but it got placed on my bar cart, and i liked it there, and so i'm not going to let the lake house have it.

sorry, mom :)

for my house, the high gloss white... i wasn't sold.

so i lived with it for months with various different color ideas.

finally i was at joann fabric store and bought this:

martha stewart satin craft paint in "cloud".

i love this color so much, i'm contemplating having it color matched and re-painting my dark navy blue room. almost sold on the idea.

it's a great blue, but not baby-blue, with a little green and grey in it.

so i got to painting.

i painted the whole thing this shade of blue.

and when i was finished, it was cute but i liked it about as much as i did when it was 'wood'.

so i grabbed some black acrylic paint from my stash, i picked the flat finish, and painted the base.

now, i'm obsessed.

bluebird is better.

the bar cart is from a thrift store downtown, called good juju.

my mom also snagged that for me when i first moved in our house.

the polka dot paper was done on a whim 2 christmases ago.

its just wrapping paper under the glass.

and after christmas was over, i liked it so much i've kept it.

one project down.

one hundred million more to go.

JILL

nye #ootd

i just now got into instagram.

i've had it for awhile but never really did anything but take photos and use a cool filter.

now i'm following people, and interacting, and i love it!

my only promblem with it-- when i like something, i can never go back and look at them. but that's me and photos... i've always been that way. i like to hoard everything. they're like memories on screen/paper and i can't let go.

not going to lie though, i had to google what #ootd meant.

seriously. and for those of you about to do the same, it means outfit of the day.

i don't do twitter. never have, and don't think i ever will.

words, meh. but pictures, now there's a language i speak fluently.

so i'm into it.

but as promised,

here's my nye outfit.

i hadn't tried any of it on together, i kinda picked it out in my mind.

it was a white tee with a full black tulle skirt.

and i sorta loved it.

but it was snowing out and i felt i might be slightly overdressed.

even though it was so casual on top, it was a bit shmancy on bottom for where i was going.

so i chickened out.

husband said to "save it" and i'm not sure what for bc we don't do alot of things where that fits, but i'm saving it in the back of my mind for the perfect time.

so i switched it out for your standard gold sequins.

felt much better.

and that was new years eve 2012/2013.

what did you wear? any epic #ootd? ha.

JILL

berry christmas

wrap me up in some black and white ribbon,

some cranberry and magenta garland (or any berry color for that matter),

with a cinnamon white russian in hand,

and a gold star (brass is even better!) on top...

and consider my christmas perfected.

do you guys ever get into something and then love it so hard?

it's consuming my christmas.

but i'm ok with it.

they = my christmas spirit circa 2012.

what does your christmas look like this year?

JILL

{images via my pinterest page}

new friend.

this guy from zgallerie is finding his way to my house as i type this.

{i've always had my eye on this one but for $98 i let it sit there... until this friend pops up for much much much cheaper. and i like him better!!}

and he won't get put away after halloween.

so cute.

in my weird way.

he'll look great nestled amongst my books in my living room.

but.....

thanks for letting me take a day off yesterday.

i survived the wedding!

more than survived, i had so much fun.

it rained all flipping day. all flipping day.

 but the bride was goregeous, the wedding was gorgeous and we found a way to take some gorgeous photog, even in the rain.

then sunday i had 3 more sessions!

busy is so great but i was tiiiiiired.

i had a brother/sister (twins) senior session in the morining.

cutest little prego and her husband in the afternoon.

and a stunning family of 3 in the evening.

all different locations.

all awesome.

i can't wait to share but i have a load of editing to do now before any of that can happen.

after this weekend, i was even more excited to let photog be my official job in the near future. it's my 2 year game plan.

can't wait.

i loved every second of it.

happy tuesday.

JILL

waylande gregory.

waylande gregory is said to be the greatest ceramicist of our time.

{yes ceramicist is a word, i double checked.}

he was born in kansas and even lived in kansas city for awhile!

my mother in law works in one of my most favorite home stores, ferguson phillips.

unfortunately she and the store are in wichita, but i try to visit each time i go down there.

the last time i was there, i snapped a picture of this little 5 inch shallow bowl.

i love this little spotted feline

and his orange spotted background.

unfortunately he did such amazing work he's super famous, and his pieces are pricey. but i so wish i could bring this one home.

they have lots of his stuff right now.

each insanely beautiful...

modern and vintage and colorful and.... beautiful.

here are some more i found around the internets.

i can't even pick a favorite!!

except it might be that little square spotted plate.

or the gray and gold bird.

or the orange leaopard above.

yep. can't.

what's yours?

JILL

little bits...

of boho.

of glitz.

of glam.

of color.

loulou de la falaise.

she lived a glamorous life.

she had glamorous jobs.

model.

muse to yves saint laurent.

worked with oscar de la renta.

owned 2 shops in paris.

had the most glamorous paris apartment.

see for yourself:

love.

and you can see lots more here.

JILL

{photos via habitually chic}

aqua y gold.

i got nowhere on my cart last night.

my uncle is in town. he's a global traveler/dweller.

he's now living in norway.

just moved from australia.

before that here.

before that, grenada.

before that, south africa.

and he's originally from the uk.

and i'm missing stuff in there, too i'm sure.

anyway we were hanging with him last night.

lucky for me, there's a long weekend ahead... perfect for projects.

totally unrelated, but isn't this color combo kinda gorgeous?

i hope you all enjoy your weekend.

think i'm headed to the lake.

that hurricane is now hanging over us and it's not forcasted to lighten up until sunday or monday.

but rainy days at the lake can be fun, too.

LOVE.

JILL.

{images via the decorista and pinterest}

just when.

just when i thought it was safe to post all the mirror-metallic shoes that i've found around the web, the world shows me these.

this always happens!

but have you ever seen anything so beautiful?

i would get re-married for the opportunity to make these my wedding shoes.

to husband again, of course.

mid-october wedding....

and a short little ensemble to show off my shoes.

maybe like this:

in a room that looks like this:

and tables for our brunch reception set like this:

serving these things side by side:

{dessert is the best part of a meal, even if it is mid-afternoon!}

gold spun cotton candy?! absolutely.

color scheme of blush pink, gold, and shades of gray.

mmm. glammy.

JILL

{shoes via frya rose london, persephone dress and bellini earrings via bhldn, chandie via this is glamorous, table setting via pink preppy lilly lover, cake via inspired by this, gold!!! cotton candy via pinterest}

mirror mirror on the...

so months and months and months ago,

i saw and pinned this pic from pinterest.

i didn't know where it came from or who it was,

or where to purchase them....

 but i was in love with her shoes.

they are still above and beyond my favorites.

but then i also found these on pinterest too.

(again, don't know where these come from...)

and now my interest was peeked.

shoes so shiny they are like mirrors!

little google search later and i found us some options!

some affordable, some so very not affordable, but still beautiful.

1- dries van noten, mirror metallic pumps.

2- etta cap toe metallic pumps.

3- gianvito rossi gold metallic pumps.

4- j.crew's version.

5- top shop's version.

6- giuseppe zanotti.

7- gianvito's again. 

and don't look now, but your bambino's can join in on the fun:

from zara.

just make sure you either 1- wear pants, or 2- really cute undergarments :)

love.

JILL

musings

just a few things i'm digging today.

where do you find such mirrored-like metallic nail polish?

and why can't they also make it in gold?

(same goes with spray paint... you spray paint makers, i'm talkin to you.)

graffiti art

that makes you smile.

lady like buns with gold bejeweled mcqueen skulls tucked in. yes. yes. yes.

from here.

this teensy bathroom with big personality.

it's kinda like elle's.

love.

JILL

{via pinterest, tumblr, neiman marcus, apartment therapy--crystal gentillo's apt.}

**update**

thanks to one of our sweetest readers...

{seriously, she always has the nicest things to say. such a doll.}

elizabeth (you can find her here) informed me that emily's earrings in question from earlier this morning, were from stella & dot!

the capri chandies, in turquoise.

knowing that, it was just a simple google away before i found these 2:

i know. so pretty, right?

thanks, elizabeth!!

go get yourself some... you can right here.

love.

JILL

room to an outfit

remember when domino used to do the room-to-an-outfit?

i truly loved those.

remember also when i posted the gorgeous-and-over-the-top-heaven-came-down-and-plopped-in-a-backyard backyard of hutton wilkinson, partner of the late tony duquette?

wilkinson and his wife have a new home that was featured in harper's bazaar.

(you can read and see the full spread here.)

hutton emphasized that this home was more restrained than his last.

it's every bit as opulent, guilded, and colorful... but you'll just have to go over there and see for yourself.

back to my room to an outfit....

here's wilkinson's bedroom.

i immediately fell for the aqua and mustard combo,

as in, where and how can i implement that in my house and wardrobe?

here's the same full color and full detail theory in a head-to-toe:

actually 2. because i couldn't decide between the floral top and the gold shorts.

so i chose both.

but i think the aqua sweater and gold shorts, and the floral top and the mustard jeans could be swapped, and it'd be just as lovely.

wilkinson-esque by thebluehouse featuring neon jewelry

By Malene Birger v neck blouse, $340
Knit top, €20
CIMARRON gold jeans, €80
Metallic shorts, $60
Nine West platform wedge heels, $79
Jil Sander platform wedge, $650
Jil Sander python clutch, $1,600
Trina Turk coral jewelry, $295
Neon jewelry, $74

 

a little mustard yellow. a little aqua. some chinoiserie/wilkinson/duquette details with enough gold, coral, brocade, florals, and even a little tassel.  

 

 

 

i hope you have a fantastic tuesday.

 

JILL

gold dot globe diy.

we've all seen this image from lonny.

gorgeous rubie green fabric headboard and that kate spade gold dot vase.

i had an old globe vase and some gold paint. so i thought i just might be able to make one for myself.

the original kate spade version is (expensive) but also discontinued.

so i got out my supplies:

gold leaf paint from hobby lobby, small paint brush, my (washed and thoroughly dried) vase, some contact paper and my circle cutter thing, also from hobby lobby.

cut out some circles in the contact paper.

then cut out around those circles to apply to the vase.

did that, and then painted them gold.

the gold isn't as shiny as the original but i don't totally mind that. besides, that's near impossible. that paint doesn't exist, i've come to the conclusion.

some paint genius out there needs to come up with the perfect shiny metallic gold paint. especially in a spray form. i still have yet to find one that i love and i have done my fair share of research/trials.

and the after:

(just got instagram for my droid!)

using peonies from my backyard.

i like it! and what i like even more.... this project cost me absolutely positively $0.

i had everything already. and i took something that i used (especially during peony season) and made it a smidge better with more character and charm.

here's another plain old globe that could use some dots, dontcha think?:

i actually did this diy this winter but have been waiting for my peonies to bloom to show you.... but while i was waiting, i saw this over at things that sparkle blog.

oh the possibilities!!!

i hoard decanters so, hmm.

or this one:

big polka dots with glass etching cream.

seriously.

soo many ideas floatin around in my head.

happy thursday everyone.

i'm excited to say today's my last day of work this week...

i'm headed down to see my cousin's TWINS being born tomorrow!

crazy happy for them and more than excited to hold the little nuggets.

love.

JILL