A Little Dorm This and a Little Dorm That

So it's that time of year again.
The final weeks before school starts.
Well I am excited but sad at the same time.

I can't wait to be back with my roomie and friends,
but I am so sad that my best friend won't be with me this year.

My roomie last year had to leave school after a semester for
her own personal reasons, and it was the best move for her.
But this week my best friend told me that she isn't coming back
to our school this year and is pursuing a different career.
I am so happy both of the girls are doing what they need to do -
but I am sure that school is never going to be quite the same.
My best fliends will just have to come visit me more :)
Anyways, enough  of the sob story from the little heart broken student.
Let's get to the goods! 

Dorm. Room. Goodies.
I love moving into my dorm room every year! :)
I move the furniture. Set up some stuff. Move the furniture again.

Hang pictures and posters and decorations all over my room.
Just to take them down because we're moving around again!

It is just so fun! :) And then everyone comes in because you

officially have the "cutest room!"

I love it all!

So this year I decided to make some new pieces for my room.

I want things that could work in my room at home or in my dorm.
My mom asked me to take pictures and blog about it (thanks mom!).
So here are some of my room decorations :) yayyy!
I can't wait to move in and hang these babies up and put them around!

Project #1: The Whiteboard.

What You Need:

A frame with glass (had)

Paper (had)

Fun scrap book paper ($0.70)

Paint chips (free!)

Ribbon ($2.50)
Lace ($1 for 2 yards)

Hot glue (had)

Watered down glue ($0.40)

Tape (had)

Total Cost: $4.60

How-to: Do It Yourself1. Tape paper to the back of the frame

2. Place and tape the fun scrape book paper down on one side.

3. Cut your paint chips into equal sizes. (I made mine too big and redid them twice)

4. Layout your paint chips out and glue them down.

5. Hot glue ribbon down between the rows and columns.

6. Label the days and add in anything else for little touches. (I added a notes area)

7. Place some lace at the bottom and secure with hot glue.

8. Hot glue lace as the hanger to the back.

Final Product: A customized whiteboard that is banging cute :)

Project #2: Personalized Square Artwork

What You Need:

4 square pieces of art ($6)

2 canvases ($2)

6 pieces of scrape book paper ($2.50)

Mod Podge ($8 for big container)

Hot glue (had)

Scissors (had)

Pencil (had)

Total Cost: $10.50

How-to: Do It Yourself

1. Trace the canvas or other wooden piece on the back of the paper.

2. Measure extra space on each side so the paper can be wrapped.

3. Cut out the square.

4. Mod Podge the paper and the wooden piece and glue together.

5. Cut out squares in the corners for easy wrapping.

6. Mod Podge the paper and the sides.

7. Hold down for 30 seconds to make sure it's dry.

8. Repeat steps 2-7 on all non canvas pieces.

9. Hot glue the edges of the canvas and stick the paper to it. (Mod Podge is a no go.)

10. Cut out the corners to make it easier to wrap the sides.

11. Hot glue the wooden canvas sides and wrap paper around it.

12. Coat all paper 2 times with Mod Podge to make sure the paper is sealed.

Final Product: Great customized artwork that can be hung or placed around.

Project #3: Lace Picture Frame

What You Need:

Picture Frame (had)

Lace ($4.00 for 5 yards)

Picture (print off)

Hot glue (had)

Scissors (had)

Tape (had)

Total Cost: under $1.00

How-to: Do It Yourself

1. Layout the lace and cut with extra at the top and bottom.

2. Hot glue the edge of the glass and place lace on top.

3. Hot glue the lace where the frame will cover.

(mine had the center wooden aspect that I hot glued around)

4. Secure all lace with hot glue and add a little tape if needed. (I didn't need to)

5. Pop the glass into the frame. (It should fit snug because of the extra lace on the edges)

6. Cut down the extra lace on the back.

7. Tape your photo to the front so it can be changed easily.

Final Product: Frame with a vintage twist to it.

Project #4: Quotation Canvas

What You Need:

Canvas ($5.00)

Letters ($2.00)

Paint ($3.00)

String (had)

Scissors (had)

Sponges (4 for $2.00)

Plates (had)

Total Cost: $12.00

How-to: Do It Yourself
1. Pick a quote and layout the letters on the canvas.

2. Make sure the letter are pressed onto the canvas firmly.
3. Use string or yarn to create the squares so that there is white space.

4. Make sure the sponge fits into each square.
5. Map out what colors are going to go where on the canvas.

6. Use a sponge for each color and sponge on the paint.

7. Let it dry.

8. Use the sponges to wrap the paint along the edges.

9.Peal off the letters.

10. Use white paint to do any touch up on the letters.

Final Project: An amazing personalized canvas with my favorite quote.


Project #5: Large paperclip photo holders

What You Need:
2 Large Wooden Paperclips ($0.02)
Mod Podge (had)
Scrapbook Paper (had)
Paint (had)
Total Cost: $0.02
How-to: Do It Yourself
1. Paint the wooden paper clips. (I painted one and left one alone).

2. Trace the side of the paper clip onto the paper.
3. Use Mod Podge and glue on the paper.
4. Coat the paper with another layer of Mod Podge.

5. Let dry.

Final Project: Sweet and fun photo clips.




The End.I'll post pictures of all these in my dorm room once I move in:)

A to Z

I'm so sorry for the lack of blogging recently.
I took a break from being a normal twenty year old
and played house for a little while with some kiddos.
Let me just say I am not meant to be a single mom.
I am completely exhausted after about a week of
running around with three kids constantly!

But you all deserve a post so here it is:

facts of my life from a to z...

A. age :: twenty.

B. bed size :: king size baby!

C. chore you hate :: dusting - so gross.

D. dream car :: jeep liberty. but i do love wonda the honda!

E. essential start to your day :: water then coffee.

F. favorite color :: blue.

G. gold or silver :: silver.

H. height :: five.feet.five.inches.

I. ice cream :: white mint chip.

J. job title :: student.babysitter.admissions tour guide/office girl.

K. kids :: none.

L. live :: philly suburbs, pa.

M. major :: early elementary education with tesol, and bible.

N. nicknames :: kels and kel.

O. outdoor activity :: running.

P. phobia :: weird textures and smells. and birds!

Q. quote :: "above all things i believe in love." - moulin rouge.

R. righty or lefty :: right.

S. siblings :: one younger brother.

T. time of day :: night owl.

U. university attended :: philadelphia biblical university.

V. vacation spot :: st. thomas and st. john. (fav spot ever!)

W. worst habit :: speeding. race car driver here.

X. x-rays :: wrist. second grade.

Y. your mood :: exhausted.

Z. zoo animal favorite :: giraffes.

I hope you enjoyed those random things :)

School Desk Freshened Up

So on my infamous list I said that I wanted to
"be more thrifty and craft more."
I love to be creative and make things,
but I have to say that blogs like this or that,
and of course pinterest, have all really inspired me more.

I guess it all started on a Saturday morning at a random yard sale.
I spotted this old school desk from the car and looked at my mom.
She told me to go look at how much it was. My heart almost stopped.
One dollar. You have got to be kidding me?!! A single dollar for this baby.
"SOLD!" I said before anyone could blink :) So I sorted through some books,
but I was beside myself that I was the proud owner of this baby desk.
I saw it having lots of potential and being a fun project for my summer.

cue before and during pictures:

I got home and cleaned her up, but she really was in great shape.

Then I went online and started thinking of ideas right away for her.
I decided to spray paint it lavender and restain the wood to its original color.
I went over to Home Depot and got some spray paint, stain and a brush.
My total investment at this point would be right around $9 dollars.

I sprayed it that night at like ten o'clock because I was so excited!
I stained it a couple days later (with the help of my lovely boy of course).
And I decided to add some gold detail to it on the desk top pencil holder.
The gold isn't totally done because I'm still thinking of a pattern
that I'll stencil onto the metal part of the desk.

cue after and placement pictures:

I love that on the back of the chair you can see where another desk hit it too hard.
I love that the paint and stain are so vibrant and wonderful :)

There you have it - you have officially met the new member of my room :)
I guess with this you can now see that I am indeed being thrifty and crafty!
I mean for real - a pretty corner accessory that I bought and redid for under $9.
I'll take it and do it for that price any day! :)

Happy crafting and thrifting people :)

Stop or Break

So I decided to talk about my section from my list labeled:
"Stop or Break from."
I'm starting here because well - they're done. yayyyy!

Stop or Break from:
11. Stop biting/picking nails
12. Stop being a pack rat
13. Facebook Fast
14. Kick the coffee addiction

Coffee Addiction 101.

 

Lent. 40 days. No coffee. Worst best decision. I finally kicked the addiction I've had since I was four years old. You read that right: four years old. My grandmother would fill up the creamer containers with this hot, brown liquid that was sweet and yummy. I loved it. Asked for seconds and thirds and more. I didn't have it every day of course, but I was completely addicted to having coffee with milk and sugar whenever I could get my hands on it (even just a sip). I didn't need it every day or even once a week. I really became addicted to coffee my senior year of high school. AP and honors classes, sports, volunteering, babysitting, work, friends, boys, family and oh right homework. I became a pro at getting 5 hours of sleep and still being able to have a very packed schedule because I basically had a coffee IV in me. College came and coffee was not only a way to survive everyday life but now it was the cool thing to go out and drink with friends. Coffee dates were scheduled a couple times a week to chat and talk with friends. I couldn't go a single day without coffee or I would have those horrible headaches for what seemed like for.ev.er. So half way through my sophomore year I knew that this had to stop. I had needed a cup of coffee every day for 2 and a half years. So my friends, lent came around and I got the best idea ever. I would give up coffee and kick my addiction. Because having a silly addiction like coffee for years before I'm even 21 is just plain insane. So I sucked it up. Dealt with the headaches and canceled all coffee dates (boooo) and kicked my coffee addiction for good. Now, I drink coffee twice a week or less. I love that feeling of not needing it every day, and I can honestly say coffee dates are way more enjoyable now!


Facebook Fast.

I have a love-HATE relationship with facebook. I love being able to see pictures and talk to people who I can't see on a weekly or monthly basis. However, I hate it way more than I will ever love it. I don't know why we all feel like it has to be on facebook or it isn't true. Relationships need to be FBO (facebook official) before anyone will actually accept it as a legit relationship. Drama. Gossip. He said/she said. Drama. Gossip. Drama. All of this over a website with your picture and info attached to it. ARE YOU KIDDING ME??! I had enough of it about 3 months ago, so I gave up facebook for 11 weeks. Best weeks ever. I wasn't glued to my computer, caught up in drama, gossiping over the newest picture of "him and her." I was living my life in actual life terms - not facebook ones. I spent more time with real life friends than the fake ones online and it was fantastic! I am back on - but it hasn't even been a week and I'm ready to give it up again. Moderation is my new key with facebook. PS. Look at these insane facts!


Pack Rat Syndrome.

I love organization. My room, my schedule, my homework, my purse, and my life are very organized. I have lists upon lists to make sure everything stays that way. I clean up to make sure everything is it's place. But I am a closet pack rat to the max. I have saved everything important from middle and high school in shoe boxes (don't worry 1 per year). But all are full of great and awesome memories. Containing everything into a shoe box helped me years ago from letting my pack rat syndrome get out of control. But now it has moved from stuff to clothes. I could pretty much cloth a small country in Africa with all my clothes. Laundry - ehh that happens every 6-8 weeks. I do the essentials (bras, undies, jeans, basic tees, and socks) every like 3 weeks. Let me give you a better idea of what I'm taking about - senior year of high school - I never repeated the same outfit. So now in college I take home laundry every 6 weeks or so and take completely new clothes to school. It's pretty bad. However, I have sorted through my clothes and even though some people would say my amount of clothes doesn't look too much smaller - it definitely is. I am super careful on what I buy now because I don't want to have clothes I never wear. I also have learned that parting with an item does not mean parting with a memory - so I am getting much better at what I keep and what just needs to go!


Nail Biting Nonsense.

I neverrr bit my nails growing up. I had lovely, strong nails all through high school. But then I got to college and my stress level went through the roof, and I picked up nail biting when I was nervous or annoyed or stressed. I hate myself for it every time I do it because I see that I'm ruining my nails. So this summer I have stopped biting my nails and the occasional picking of them. I'm so bad at it while I drive, so I have to be careful when I'm driving. I think I finally kicked the bad habit though. I don't remember the last time I touched my nails, and they are beginning to look very healthy and strong again! yayyy! In two weeks I will be getting them done for school and can't wait to walk in with these gorgeous babies and show them off because oh how I've missed long nails that aren't splitting or being bitten off. 


So there you have it folks. My "deep and dark" confessions of what I've been working on quitting for the past couple of months. Nothing too huge or monumental, but my life is much better now that I have these ducks under control and in a row!


Better pictures are to come this week with my very monumental experiences and challenges from my list of twenty one things. Thanks for reading through my secrets - I guess that cat's out of the bag on these secrets though...




All pictures are via Pinterest.
best.website.ever.

One of "those" days.

You all know the kind of days.
One of "those" days,
that turns into a week,
and seems to last -
For.ev.er. (Sandlot voice)

First off, let's talk about being a girl.
Ladies - we all know that once a month
a whole week is taken away from us
because we are girls and get "it."

This week would be one of "those" weeks for me.
Monday: cramps. massive cramps.
Tuesday: cramps and foot slammed in the car door.
Wednesday: burn. massive, half a hand burn.

This burn took on a life of it's own right from the beginning.
One of the lovely ladies I work with told me this new "myth" for burns.
Who would have guessed that white flour would solve my problem.
I mean this thing was nassstyyyy.
Bubbles. Blisters. Puffy. Discolored.
The whole nine yards in a matter of 20 minutes.

My boss got some white flour and a bag,
and I stuck my hand in that bag for over 10 minutes.
And wouldn't you know - it worked!!!
It didn't fix it completely but it reduced most of swelling and blisters.

So here I sit - with the best boy ever!
He keeps changing my ice, rubbing my back, and feeding me pretzel m&m's.
And I love him all the more for it :)
Who knew being a girl would be so difficult.
And that all of these things would fall in the same week.

But right now, I'm thanking God for boys :)
  (that sounds like a country song)

Twenty One.

Well I promised that I would tell you a little about myself
but with a twist of course because bios are boring.
We all know they are - just admit it.

Background story: Almost 2 years ago my Mom started a list.
A list with a number of things to do before her big, golden birthday!
She had so many funs things on it but others were more personal.
(I personally loved and benefited from the fun ones...thanks Mom!)

So now I have a list.
Twenty One things are on my list.
And they all need to be done before I turn 21.
There are only 138 days left.

Here is where my bio twist comes in.
I have for you THE list of my 21 things.
There are three categories.
Fun. Stop. Grow up.

These are things that I want to stay young and do.
These are things that I want to stop or break from.
These are things that I want to grow up and do.

And through this whole fun and crazy ride,
I have a partner in crime! (we're secretly dangerous)
Her name is Hannah and she has blog and list too!
We're best friends and this has been so fun to do together :)

Okay enough blah blah blah... here you go - enjoy loves!

21 things to do before I’m 21

Fun:
1. Learn to crochet

2. Go to Cake Boss

3. Shoot a shotgun

4. Go to a hookah bar

5. Go jet skiing

6. Take a road trip

7. Craft

8. Go golfing/to driving range

9. Be thrifty

10. Plant a garden

Stop or Break from:
11. Stop biting/picking nails
12. Stop being a pack rat
13. Facebook Fast
14. Kick the coffee addiction
Grow Up:

15. Run 1/2 Marathon

16. Learn to drive stick

17. Get a credit card

18. Read every book in the Bible

19. Travel

20. Make a blog

21. Cook a whole dinner

I'll be posting pictures soon with info about how I've completed each thing on my list before my 21st birthday! PS. This blog is part of the list so you have proof that one is done:)

A Little This-That : New to Blogging!

Hey everyone!

I'm Kelsey and this is my very first BLOG! (cue clapping)

I'm very excited for this blog and to show you some awesome stuff. Hopefully you find it interesting - or at least entertaining!

The purpose of this blog is to bring you a little bit of this and a little bit of that - hence the title A Little This-That. So I will be crafting, shopping, organizing, venting, sharing, and much more on here!

So starting tomorrow...

A little about ME with a fun and entertaining twist - but you have to come back to see what that is! 

See you all tomorrow and Merry Christmas in July:)

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