Annie's Attic

Assuming you’re getting enough rest, your space is where you spend a large portion of your time. Decorating doesn’t need to be an expensive ordeal, but consider that the quality of what you buy may influence how long you have them. If you’re overly concerned about budget, you may end up buying cheaply made items, which you will continually need to replace. I can only hope that the pieces of furniture and decor that I have made and collected will be around for my kids and their kids to appreciate.

That being said, with the glorious inventions of Craigslist, Amazon, Ikea, Target, and apps like OfferUp, it is now possible to create your dream space chock-full quality items within a reasonable budget. 

With a $400 budget and only a mattress and a couple bookshelves to work with, I was able to bargain-hunt to furnish this cozy room. I’m constantly inspired by this space, and by the individual that occupies it. He’s simple, sophisticated, hip, creative, and intellectual. His space perfectly reflects that. 

If you’re scrambling for a last-minute gift, or are haunted by endless blank walls and empty spaces, this quick craft is your solution. 

Start simply with some rope and a plant of your choosing. I typically go for thinner rope, which makes for daintier hangings.

Cut 4 pieces of rope about 2.5 times what you envision your final product to be. 

Fold the ropes in half to create a loop and tie a knot. This will serve as your hanger. 

After the top knot is complete, begin your first row of knots by tying two adjacent strings together. Repeat this pattern until each rope is tied to the one next to it. 

For your next row, tie knots a couple inches below the row above, using one string from each pair to make a new knot. Be sure that you continue to use adjacent ropes so that the knots continue a circular pattern. 

You can pick any amount of knotted rings you’d like. The width that the knots are apart from one another depend on the width of your plant. For example, if your plant is smaller, you may want to make the rows of knots closer together to create a weaved look around your plant. 

Finally, tie one knot at the bottom of the plant hanger using all of the strings, similar to how you made the top (just without the loop). 

Your final product should be a variation of the plant hanger pictured below

You can utilize different textures and make them in multiples - they sure look good together. 

As the sun sets on this crisp fall evening, my first official commission pieces are off to their rightful homes 

(!!!)

Discipline is tough, as clearly portrayed by the rope vs. my squeamish furry friend, but it’s so, so rewarding.  

I used to radiate bubbles. Never wet eyes or short breaths, always keeping my heart open for people to lie on. 

Conforming to expectations, I moved away during my eighteenth year to where the trees sparkled with uncertainty. “Tacoma is a hidden gem,” they’d said. At that time, the only gems I knew were those that shimmered on the manicured fingers of the Beverly Hills trophy wives.

I grew up in the L.A. pace of life, but it became one that so far overreached my speed limit that the only escape was to slam on the brakes. Anxiety began to creep through me like termites and my breaths grew as shallow as the people around me. Being critical of its façade, L.A. had become a place of resentment; a place I thought had grown weary of my physical presence. Tacoma fulfilled my desire to halt.

It wasn’t until my most recent visit back to the land I thought I so strongly had grown to resent, that I noticed my anxieties becoming absolved. I no longer could feel termites crawling through all six layers of my skin. 

It was because that skin had grown thick as a result of the courage it took to halt. And by all means, I halted. 

The sparkling trees now glisten with the knowledge that uncertainty, along with maybe a couple termites, only leads to strength. 

Now I’m ready to rev my engine. L.A., I like you too. 

Moving from house to house as a child, I never had the chance to make a space my own. Now living in a dreamy converted attic in Tacoma, WA, I have been inspired to create a space that is the ultimate expression of who I am. I am a crafter, a lover of plants, a bohemian hoarder, a 1970′s flashback meets mid century modern chic, I am cluttered but simplistic, and constantly craving coziness.

Over the past few months, I have been crafting the time away. I have finally been able to produce work that is both relatable, but also a complete reflection of my personal style. By commissioning my work, I strive to inspire others to create spaces that feel the most like home, whatever that may mean to them. 

If my dreamcatchers, geometric air plant hangers, macrame plant hangers, macrame wall hangings, driftwood coat racks/shelves, embroidery, wood burned signs, or candles spark your homey desires, email me at [email protected] to work out pricing and personalization. 

(More photos to come)

I can’t wait to make more homes feel like home.  

I’ve found that surrounding yourself with people who inspire you is the key to any success. Many thanks to the Baby Goddess herself for constantly sparking my passions. It’s an honor to have you for a best friend. 

With Spring but a week away, it's time to start springing forward with our thoughts and actions. Upon seeking out quotes to inspire the few who may be reading this, only one felt right to say. 

Whilst sitting by my favorite meditation spot amidst roaring Los Angeles, a very lovely human once told me

"let go or be dragged."

The Zen proverb, taught to her by her wise yoga teacher and spiritual guide, derives from the Zen teaching of non-attachment is very similar to the teaching of Taoism. The Tao Te Ching, an ancient Taoist classic, says, “when the sage walks, he leaves no footprints behind.”

“What the statement means is that in his journey through life the sage leaves no traces of desire and attachment clinging to him as he lives from moment to moment. Life is following, always changing, and the sage never looks back to the moment which has sped by, nor does he look forward to the moment which lies ahead. Rather, he lives in the present, flowing along in harmony with the rhythm of life, appreciating each moment for what it is worth and allowing it to pass on quickly to be replaced by the next.” –Thich Thein An

With the changing of the season, focus on letting go of things not meant for you. Let go of thoughts, desires, regrets that are holding you back from moving forward and becoming your best self. Move on, transform, stay present, stay open-minded and stay grateful. 

Over the weekend, my housemates and I were brainstorming ways to fill a newly blank wall in the living room of our beautiful Washington cottage. After much thought, I put this little guy together. 

Being in the entryway to our home, I was craving a sense of individuality with the empty space. I wanted it to be sure to look like ours, not anyone else's. The DIY coatrack seemed like the perfect idea. Being a house of fashionistas, combined we have more clothing than any given Goodwill. We're constantly leaving our jackets and purses around the couches, so why not put the cute clothing and accessories on display? All it would take is a plank of wood, drilling 4 holes in it, and customizing the rack by having each housemate pick out a doorknob (the doorknobs pictured can be purchased from Anthropologie). That way, we have a designated place for each person's belongings, and it's a unique way to represent ourselves. To make it even more creative, we could purchase blank doorknobs and paint them to our own design. 

Our house loves dried flowers, plus they never die! Luckily Pike Place Market in Seattle has a fresh selection everyday. Every chance we get to do a Seattle trip, we get a new bouquet. What better way to incorporate the ever-lasting flowers than to make a homemade wreath and vases? The vases would be made out of little test-tubes you can purchase from your neighborhood crafting store. They can be reused, or you can make mini-terrariums with them. My inspiration for the wreath is from flora.forager's page on Instagram. 

With modern technology, it seems a little dated to wear a watch. If you're strolling down the street and you ask someone for the time, they usually pull out their phone or tablet. However, the classic look can also be seen as a right of passage. 

Growing up, I always thought "only adults wear watches." So when I turned 20, escaping my teenage years came in the form of hunting for the perfect time-teller. "Something simple, nothing designer, must be water-resistant if I'm living in WA, must be a black leather strap because of my black mixed with brown phobia, not too big for my wrist but also not baby-sized, and must be gold." My requirements weren't so easy to come by. Getting lost in the world of Pinterest one day, I stumbled upon the holy grail of watches - a Larsson & Jennings watch. A million Etsy and eBay searches later, only to find that it is even harder to come by than the search for it was. The price wasn't exactly in my budget so I kept my eyes peeled for something similar. 

Low and behold, I bought two in one day - one from Salvation Army with a broken battery, and one by Anne Klien from Nordstrom Rack. I couldn't decide between the two, so I justified my purchases by telling myself I would switch off depending on the outfit (gold with gold, rose gold with rose gold, brown leather strap with brown, black leather strap with black). 

I realized that what you want is easier to find when you open your eyes to more than one possibility. 

Who said shoes needed to be exclusive to one gender? I will always support supportive shoes like Desert Boots and Birkenstocks.

Boots aren't just for the colder months. Try a pair of Clark's Desert Boots with shorts, daisy dukes, or even a floral mini skirt. They add a hint of ruggedness to every outfit. When it is goosebump weather, those same pairs of shoes can add the same rugged flare to your average pair of skinny or boyfriend jeans

Birkenstocks are far from your grandma/pa's shoe. They're supportive, trendy, and definitely not exclusive to summer. When the temperatures get lower, it doesn't mean the lower part of your body needs to look any less cute. Solution? I call them - Birkensocks. Your choice of Birkenstyle and sock pair dictate what you want them to say about yourself, so make them your own.

I recently had the privilege of casually humming out a little tune with my best friend - the oh-so-very talented - Olivia Pierce. Take a peak and share your thoughts. We hope our passion ignites some sort of passion in you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvM21Y3BkTQ

The most important part of creating your space is to incorporate things that are meaningful to you. To me, comfort and a sense of familiarity are the two key elements.

When designing my attic, those two keys rang true. 

I wanted a minimalist, bohemian feel that would be both comfortable for me, and inviting for others. 

The first step was the bed and the pillows. 

After months of going back and forth of what it was I wanted and hundreds of Pinterest posts later, I settled on a simple "graphite" colored linen duvet cover from Restoration Hardware. To go along with that, I just wanted plain white, extra soft sheets (Eucalyptus sheets proved to be my favorite) and lots of plush white and grey striped jersey pillows from Target. A very special person gave me an awesome Navajo blanket for my birthday that I use as a throw at the foot of my mattress that rests comfortably on the dark-wooden floor. 

I found the perfect mid-century modern bedside table from Urban Outfitters - something I will keep with me for a long time. 

I wanted to tie the blanket in to the rest of the room, so to do so I found a beautiful over-dyed blue rug from Istanbul that I bought on Etsy. In every future attic, home, loft, or apartment I live in, I will be sure to use this rug as a center focal point. It's calming, comfortable, hides any unintentional spills, and is completely cat-claw tolerant. 

As crazy as it sounds, something that I felt was a necessity was what I dubbed my "crying chair." I wanted a place for guests to sit other than my bed, but my requirements for that seat were for it to be "comfortable enough to cry in." I ended up settling on a fuzzy white Papasan chair from World Market.

Lighting was another key aspect to bring all of the elements of my room together. I strongly dislike the harshness of the preexisting overhead light in my room, but I love the subtlety of strung bulbs. The strung lights make for a more comfortable, yellow light.

Antlers were something I searched long and hard for. To bring in that sense of familiarity, I wanted the perfect pair to hang above the entrance to my attic. Growing up, the term of endearment - "dear" - was taken in such a literal sense that we had fake deer in our backyard and portraits of the animals throughout the house. It turned into the perfect fallback present for each of my parents when they couldn't think of what else to get one another for a holiday - a deer sweater, portrait, or card seemed to be the logical conclusion. I finally stumbled upon the perfect pair of antlers at a flea market in Los Angeles, which I lugged back up to Washington crammed in my tiny green Honda Civic. 

The "It's Ok" banner (can be found on Etsy), and the photos from home strung along the spare lace ribbon from the dreamcatcher I made with miniature clothes pins from Michael's served as perfect calming reminders. 

Before even moving in, I had designed this rough draft collage of what I wanted it to look like via Pages by Apple. Outlining it in a document made me even more excited to move in and start decorating. And as you can see (from the header on my blog), it turned out pretty similar to my initial vision. 

The most pressure-some holiday just got a whole lot easier. 

The most creative way to make V-Day a special day is to Do It Yourself. Here are some last-minute ideas to give your love a day they won't forget. 

PERSONALIZED MUGS 

1. Purchase a simple white mug. It doesn't matter if it's already glazed, any plain mug will do. 

2. Pick a Sharpie. For longest results, I would recommend oil-based paint Sharpie markers.

3. Draw a design of your choosing. Make it personal by incorporating jokes or symbols that have carried through your relationship.

4. Let the mug dry for a couple of hours.

5. Bake the mug in the oven at 350°F for 30 minutes. To avoid cracks, place the mug in the oven before it warms up and don't take it out of the oven until it has completely cooled.

6. Hand wash the mug before giving it to your significant other. Very few people like the taste of Sharpie.

For the more crafty folks:

WOOD BURNED SIGNS

This ambitious project is far easier said than done. However, there are ways to cheat and make this sign as simple as possible.

All you need is a slice of wood, a black or brown Sharpie, and a wood burner pen, which can all be purchased from your local crafting store. 

Draw directly onto the wood using the Sharpie. Be sure to choose a design or quote significant to your relationship or significant other to make this sign even more special.

Heat up the wood burner pen and trace the design you have already drawn in sharpie. Be careful with how long you choose to hold the burner down, as it bleeds easily. 

Another way to execute this design is through directly transferring the ink, as outlined by eHow here:

http://www.ehow.com/how_6732929_transfer-ink-wood.html?utm_source=pinterest&utm_medium=fanpage&utm_content=inline&crlt.pid=camp.r13lZlSOfMqi&crlt.pid=camp.HQ4Kb6S8yjdh

HAND-MADE CANDLES

While seemingly difficult, they are rather easy to create. To up the romance, line your significant other's room with these personally crafted candles, as outlined by the Free People Blog here:

http://blog.freepeople.com/2014/08/summer-meets-fall-pressed-flower-candles/

Another way to make them your own is to use flowers from the same bouquet that you give your love for the occasion. 

I bet you never thought about your pantry being the best place to find hair and skin products. Turns out, coconut oil and apple cider vinegar make for shiny, silky hair, and clear, smooth skin.

So we all know apple cider vinegar can be a little smelly. Here's the trick:

For the hair, we know we're supposed to rinse and repeat, right? During that first rinse, mix in a little bit of apple cider vinegar with your shampoo. Wash again thoroughly with just the shampoo and you'll immediately feel the difference. For the best results, do this routine once a week.

For the face, go about your normal routine with a simple cleanser and hot water to open up the pores (I would recommend something gentle like Cetaphil, or Avéne's Antirougeurs Redness Relief Dermo-Cleansing Milk). Wipe the face off with a towel and gently dab the apple cider vinegar onto your face as a toner. Some cotton pad's may contain bacteria, so I would simply pour the vinegar into the cap, and dip your clean fingers into and and apply directly to your face. A little sting may be in store, but it will quickly be soothed when you rinse it away with fresh, cold water. Use the vinegar as a toner both morning and night and your skin will be receiving compliments in no time. 

Coconut Oil is another household item that has miracle effects on both skin and hair. 

For the hair, use the oil as just another hair product post-shower. On your soaking wet hair, apply the smallest amount of coconut oil to your hands and run your hands through your hair. Towel dry or blow dry as you normally would. Beware of using too much oil, as it will look like you haven't left the shower.

For the skin, apply the tiniest amount of coconut oil as a moisturizer in the morning after you gently washed and toned your face with the vinegar. To avoid too much shine, you may need to pat down your face with a towel. Apply makeup/powder as you normally would. For the most natural-looking results, I would reccommend a simple tinted moisturizer with a light powder foundation (Zuzu Luxe Powder Foundation is my personal favorite).  

Mercury in retrograde getting you down? 

The mantra I live by I have scripted on a bracelet my father gave me - a constant reminder to embrace the struggle. 

The direct translation of the sanskrit saying is the "jewel within the lotus." Since the lotus flower is the only flower that grows from soot, and the jewel is considered to be the final stage of the blossoming flower, the loose translation is "embrace the struggle in order to attain enlightenment." 

Sometimes it takes struggling through soot to see that flower finally bloom. Remember that "failure is a bruise, not a tattoo" -Jon Sinclair

The ultimate gift - hand-made, hard-worked, and made with lots of love. 

It's easy but I can't say it doesn't take hours of slaving over. The first step is buying the materials. 

The best frame for making an easy-to-hang dream catcher is a needlepoint loop. Not only do they typically come in sets of twos, they are also easy to hang with the already-attached hook. 

The next step is to wrap the loop in suede. This can be purchased in bulk from any of your local craft stores. At this step remember: superglue is your best friend.

For the center of your catcher, there are multiple routes to go about personalizing it. You can purchase or make a needlepointed doily (as pictured), or you can wrap it with hemp yarn. With hemp yarn it is even possible to make string art, for those advanced catcher-makers. 

The tassels are the next place for you to make this your own. You can cut up old t-shirts and use them as string, you can use ribbon, lace, or the classic feather. Gluing or wrapping these things with the hemp yarn is the best way to attach them. Another way to personalize it is to paint the feather with designs of your choosing.

In the end, it will turn out to look like something along these lines. 

Always remember to make it your own.

Sometimes there is nothing sexier than a fitted white tee shirt and a pair of hip-hugging mom jeans. Secret best place to find the hidden gems? Thrift stores in the little boy sections. 

Add your own personal flare by pairing the vintage finds with a sleek leather (or pleather) jacket, cozy cardigan, or just some simple layered jewelry on a hot summer's day. Just a simple watch or wrist cuff would add the same touch of personal style.