Homemade Laundry Detergent (Borax Free Option)

When it comes to natural products I try to take a calm middle-of-the-road approach. I am definitely terrified by all of the toxins we come across in our daily lives, but I also know that if you try to eliminate 100% of them, you are going to drive yourself insane. So, I found that what works for me is controlling whatever I can so I don't have to stress out as much about all of the things that I can't control.

I started by eliminating toxins in my food (buying organic when I can, buying local, and eliminating as many processed foods as possible) and then I began replacing ALL of my household cleaning products with natural solutions. One of my favorites is this homemade laundry detergent. It's inexpensive, works great, and smells great. Try it out for yourself!

::: WHAT YOU'LL NEED :::

• 1 cup Super Washing Soda (add another 1/2 cup if using citric acid)
• 1 cup Borax (or 1/2 cup citric acid)
• 1 1/2 cup baking soda
• 1 bar of castile soap (grated)
• Optional: any essential oils of your choice

::: Start by grating the bar of castile soap using a cheese grater or a food processor. I LOVE Dr. Bronner's Lavender or Rose Castile bar soap.

::: Measure out all of your powdered ingredients. Citric acid can usually be found in the canning section or you can buy it in bulk online.

::: Combine everything in a bowl and mix it together. Feel free to add any essential oils for added scent. I love using orange combined with the lavender soap!

::: Store in an airtight container and use 2-3 TBS per load depending on size. 

In place of fabric softener use DISTILLED WHITE VINEGAR. In place of bleach use HYDROGEN PEROXIDE or FRESH LEMON JUICE (white clothes only).

Mason Jar // Wal-mart

Basket // TJ Maxx

Towels // TJ Maxx & West Elm

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WARM WEATHER WISHLIST

Is anyone else reallyyyyy tired of winter?? It's mid-April and Spring is barely making an appearance. Don't get me wrong, I love getting to experience all four seasons, but freezing temps in April really make me miss good 'ol San Diego. If I can't experience warm weather, I guess I will have to settle for the next best thing: shopping for warm weather! Keep scrolling for my wishlist (does it count as a wishlist if I have already bought some???) of summer essentials.

1. Urban Outfitters Lolli Tada One-Piece | $110

2. JCrew Factory Outlet Panama Hat | $17

3. Nasty Gal Kitty Shades | $40

4. Mossimo Supply Lakitia Sandals | $19

5. Tarte Maracuja Waterproof Body Perfector | $36

6. Topshop Perforated Foldover Clutch | $36

7. Pixi Sheer Cheek Gel | $18

8. O'Neill Candice Top | $50

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Easy Entryway Coat Rack

I have always wanted an entryway or mudroom in my house; they are not only cute, but can be as functional as you need them to be. While I don't have an entryway in the front entrance of my house, I do have a weird little entry nook in my master bedroom. It sat empty for a long time until I could figure out what I wanted to do with the space. I knew that I didn't want it to interfere with the passage way and that everything I used needed to be functional.

I loved this entryway below from Restored Style, but ultimately decided against the cubbies because they would interfere with the tight walk-way into the bedroom. What I did love about it was all of the storage space and the hooks. (The one on the left is their first home and on the right is their current home.)

            

Get the look: LOW // HIGH

Then I came across this picture on Pinterest and loved the simplicity and rustic charm. The coat rack works perfectly because it sits flush against the wall, but while I love the look of the bench, it lacks storage. 

                                   

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I decided the coat rack would be a quick and easy DIY and I found a storage bench at none other than TJ Maxx to hold extra pillows and blankets. 

TO MAKE THE COAT RACK:

+ 1 wood board (mine was 2"x 8"x 4')

+ 6 coat hooks (I used cast iron hooks from Schoolhouse Electric)

+ wood stain (I used Minwax Early American)

+ french cleat to hang (here)

                 

Once you have all of the supplies, measure and cut the wood. Then sand down if needed. Apply the stain and let dry thoroughly. Once dry, measure out where you want your hooks and begin to attach them to the wood. Now that the coat rack is done, use the french cleat to hang it up. Easy peasy!

Laundry Basket & Bench | TJ Maxx

Kilim Pillow | Urban Outfitters

Velvet Studded Pillow | West Elm

I do think it is missing something above it, perhaps a mirror or gallery wall.

                          

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Steal Her Style: Olivia Wilde Maternity

Being pregnant and comfortable does not mean you have to be frumpy. Take Olivia Wilde as a perfect example of casual, comfortable maternity style.  She keeps it simple and sticks to key pieces. The last thing you want to do on your weekend it worry about what you’re going to wear and fuss with an uncomfortable outfit, but if you have your go to pieces like Olivia, you can make it a lot easier on yourself. She adores her black booties, skinny jeans and leather jacket!

Here are some of her best casual looks:

Top it with a Jacket

Adding a blazer or light jacket, like Olivia's leather one, is one of the best things you can do to help you look pulled together.  It gives your look structure; especially if you are wearing a less fitted top, and it can hide your arms if that is a problem area for you. I love how she pairs hers with skinny jeans to balance the look and tops a maxi dress with her leather jacket.

Use Layers and Accessorize

Another trend you see her utilizing is layers. This can be especially practical while pregnant since you never know if you’ll be hot or cold or somewhere in between! Whether she’s layering a t-shirt with a scarf or a classic button up with a hipster sweater, Olivia is always looking cool and casual. She even accessorizes with a super cute black fedora.

As a fellow pregnant lady I know how important is be comfortable. Olivia embodies practical and function style for any pregnant woman! 

Here’s how you can Steal Her Look:

1. Gap Pure Body Short Sleeve T Shirt // $20

2. TOPSHOP Faux Leather Biker Jacket // $100

3. H&M MAMA Jeggings // $25

4. Sole Society Amelia convertible side zip tote // $60

5. Ray-Ban Oversized Original Wayfare // $150

6. Steve Madden Milaan Bootie // $100

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Look for Less: Nate Berkus Dining Room

Who doesn't love a Nate Berkus design? I mean if he is good enough for Oprah he is good enough for me!

I can't even pin-point the style, but I know I like it. The only downside is that pretty much all of his portfolio work (HERE) is wayyyy over my budget. Luckily, he made an affordable line for Target and his designs can easily be replicated for much less!


I'm loving the simplicity and charm of this Hollywood Hills dining room:



The design is fairly basic and modern so it can be replicated for much cheaper using items from go-to stores like Ikea.

     

Magical Thinking Geo Pendant ($69) // RASKOG Kitchen Cart ($50) // NANDOR Chair ($80) 
Black Round Pedestal Table ($290) // Threshold Demijohn Vase ($18) // Flourish Tile Rug ($89)

The framed art is from from Lamps Plus ($95), but I would suggest getting a cheaper print from Etsy or Society6 or even framing your own black and white photos!

If you're set on a true tulip table, I would consider shopping used, like this gem from Etsy for only $295!!!

                               


Nate Berkus totally gets me, I even have THIS quiz to prove it! Go take the quiz to find out which celebrity designer gets you!

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Capiz Flower Chandelier DIY

I'm so excited to share one of my favorite DIYs I've done so far! This is my Capiz Flower Chandelier:

A while ago I came across  THIS  DIY project on Pinterest that I loved so much and I knew one day I could use it. So I stored it away for the right time and guess what? Now is the time! Yay for Pinterest hoarding!  That DIY combined with THIS nursery from Shawna Robinson gave me the motivation I needed. Add in a little luck from Homegoods and Home Depot and BAM! a chandelier is made.

Here are some comparable ones selling online now:

Lotus Flower Chandelier from Viesso for $612.50 on sale!

Capiz Flower Pendant from Pottery Barn $199

Still a bit out of my budget, besides with the tutorial and a little elbow grease I knew I could make one just as good at a fraction of the price, and so my mission began and it turned out to be easier than I had anticipated, which seriously NEVER happens with DIYs.

Just like the DIY from View Along the Way, I too found the capiz flower light at Homegoods for a sale price of $49. My strategy was a bit different though. I live in an apartment and didn't want any fixture to be so permanent and I didn't really want to be messing with wires of any sort. With that in mind I decided to make my fixture equivalent to a lampshade. Something that I would be able to remove when we move or if we decide to move it somewhere else in the house, but it had to be adaptable to our current fixture (shown without the cover):

The little rubber ring keeps the lampshade in place. I just needed to figure out how to get a circular piece from a lampshade onto the capiz shell part. I went to a thrift store and found this ratty thing:

The circular piece fit perfectly onto my current light fixture. I took apart the metal part from the lampshade and then took it to Home Depot to have it cut (for free) to fit the top of the capiz shell fixture like this:

From there I simply used the glue gun to stick it to the top of the capiz flower fixture:

Once that part was securely fastened I was able to put it in place by removing the light bulb and the round thing (super technical I know!) and putting in the fixture, then fastening the round thing over it:

Then you put the light bulb back in:

And you're done! Now look back and admire your work!

The total project only cost the price of the capiz flower fixture, $49 and the ratty lampshade $1. The glue I had on hand and the cutting was free at Home Depot. There really wasn't much else to this project except taking the time to find the chandelier and the lampshade. It's so beautiful I just go stare at it occasionally. It literally brightens up the room.

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REVIEW: Imogene + Willie Custom Jeans

If you have never heard of Imogene + Willie denim, you will soon. This small mom & pop Nashville shop is quietly taking the denim world by storm. They create beautiful hand-crafted jeans in classic styles that are meant to last. The best part is that they customize the jeans to fit you perfectly, so you are guaranteed to leave the store with a pair of jeans that fits like a glove.

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THE PROCESS

This is the fun part. Head over to the store (currently only in Nashville and Portland) and walk up to the jeans counter. You will be greeted by friendly staff determined to find you a great pair of jeans. The styles and colors are fairly limited, but just tell them what you like in a jean and they will pull some options for you.

                             
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Once you find a fit that you mostly like, one of their trained staff members will stand you in front of a mirror and begin pinning away until you have the perfect jean. The tailoring is included in the price and can be done while you wait. These bad boys are made to last a lifetime so I don't recommend making the hefty investment if you plan on gaining or losing weight anytime soon.

My favorite cut is the Lucy (lower rise, slim fit). The off-the-rack pair actually fit me perfectly, so it didn't seem worth it to buy a full priced pair. I opted for the sale pair in the Slate wash. I really liked the black wash, but since I wasn't getting a unique custom fit, I still wanted something special and the slate color is something I have never seen anywhere else. The pictures online just don't do it justice.

Lucy Indigo

PROS

+ Amazing Customer Service

+ Custom Fit

+ American Made

+ High Quality You Can Feel

+ Run Big So You Feel Skinny
+ Back Rise Longer Than Front to Prevent Surprises When Bending Over

CONS

- Price ($200-$300)

- No Tailoring on Sale Items ($145)

- Limited Options
- Denim Feels Stiff (meant to be broken in and mold to your body)

                           
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THE VERDICT

Even if you don't intend to buy a pair of jeans, the store is worth a visit. It's in a great location, filled with a friendly staff, and gives off an effortlessly cool vibe. I would recommend these jeans to the person who can never find quite the right fit. Are store bought jeans always too long? Do they pucker up in the back? Do you wish skinny jeans would have more calf or thigh space? Then go get yourself a custom pair of jeans!! But if you are average with long legs, then the fresh off the rack pair with a 33" inseam will fit you perfectly and absolutely no tailoring will be necessary, making it anti-climactic and slightly over priced.

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