DIY Grommet Curtains

When we were laying tile I linked to my Bathroom Inspiration Pinterest page.  I ended up selecting the Strada panels from ZGallerie (which, sadly, are no longer in stock!).  They were rod pocket panels, meaning the curtain rod slides through the entire top of the panel not showing any of the pretty bamboo, which isn't my favorite look.

As I mentioned, we ended up reusing our old bamboo rods, spraypainted silver, so we needed something that would easily slide over the uneven parts of the bamboo.  Enter: grommets.  Here are the supplies I used.

You can buy packages of grommets from any fabric or craft store.  I picked these up a Jo-Ann's, which I've used before and felt comfortable using again because they are so easy!  Included in the package is a little plastic guide that you use to trace an outline that you'll then cut around (I recommend small scissors for this part!).  

Let me just show you the steps, it is pretty self explanatory!

Once your circles are space out, drawn & cut, you just pop the back side of a grommet on the back side of the curtain, the front on the front & press them together - instant grommet!

 

Since these are essentially "dummy" panels - i.e. just there to make the bathroom look pretty - I only bought one panel and cut it in half.  A full panel on each side definitely would have been too much, but looking back I wish I had bought two and just trimmed off a few inches from each.  They are a bit narrow, but overall I am happy with the outcome!

You might notice we also installed a new vanity light fixture as well - it's peeking out from the upper right corer of this picture.  Good riddance, apartment standard, globe bulb, Hollywood makeup style lights!

Hello pretty, modern, cylinder lights!

There's only a couple of things left to do - new vanity & mirror (coming up next!) and ceiling light fixture (which we still haven't done).  

It's hard to believe that we started with this!

Pinterest Eats

I love Pinterest for a number of reasons, but right now the #1 reason is FOOD.

We're having people over for Valentine's Day brunch on Sunday, and I think I've found a new baked french toast recipe to add to the mix! 

I actually found it on a website while searching for paint colors & decided it needed to be pinned, stat.  It's been repinned & liked over 200 times already, so I know I'm not alone in thinking this one will be a winner.  Side note: After finding this recipe, I proceeded to make traditional french toast to fulfill my craving!

Here are some other Pinterest recipes that I've found and love:

Roasted Chickpeas

Quinoa Burgers

And here are a few that I've pinned and plan to try asap.

Healthy Quinoa Mac & Cheese

Cheesy Vegetable Chowder

Rainbow Fruit Skewers

Jammie Heart Cookies

Have you found any great Pinterest recipes lately?  Feel free to link to them in the comments!

Radio (City Music Hall) Silence

So I obviously haven't done so well with my resolution to keep up with a consistent blogging schedule, but I'm working on it.  Don't give up on me yet!  

I got back on Monday night from a long weekend in NYC with Mama Quiche, my sister & her friend (who I have known since I was a little girl).  We were celebrating our friends 40th birthday, Big Apple Style.  And did we ever!  I still can't believe how much action we packed into 4 days...  I ended up feeling sick starting on the plane ride home & am just now starting to feel better.  Yikes!

Surprisingly, I didn't take very many pictures.  I think because the flashbulbs were popping left & right all around me (no, not paparazzi...my travel companions!) I didn't feel the need to take as many & just hope to poach pictures off all of them.  Soon!  Until then, here is a sampling of shots I took. 

Flat Iron Building

Pasta Aisle at Eataly

30 Rock

Pizza at Pulino's (AH-mazing, recommendation from Try Anything Once)

Mural on Houston

Our hotel lobby, which was really well done!  I was impressed.

Chicago!

Dance, dance!

Crepes at Shade Bar (where Ted & I went on our first trip to NYC in 2005)

Today Show!

We also have a couple of pictures of the TV that shows how close we were to the action!  This was on my mom's bucket list, and I'm glad we were able to go while her boyfriend (Matt Lauer) is still there.  So much fun!

We made signs.  It was awesome.

We also walked all around the city, shopped, ate a lot, shopped, walked, ate, went to MoMA, the Public Library, Bryant Park, Times Square (a lot b/c it was right by our hotel), met up with family, walked, shopped & ate some more!

Have a great weekend!

Casting Stephanie Plum!

I am a voracious reader.  As I said in my Weddingbee profile, my life has been known to come to a screeching halt when in the middle of a great book!  I am a member of a fun, yet serious (we actually read the books & talk about them!) book club and have been introduced to so many incredible books over the years.

That being said, I have a soft spot in my head for Ms. Stephanie Plum.  Heroine of the Janet Evanovich numbered books (One for the Money, Two for the Dough...all the way to Explosive Eighteen), she is one of my favorite girls in fiction literature.  I was really, really hesitant to start reading these book because I was certain I wouldn't like them, but one of my best friends kept telling me I would like them & she was right (she is right a lot)!

 The books are a fun, light read that I always enjoy.  Stephanie and her love triangle with Ranger and Morelli, her bounty hunter antics with Lula - I love them all!  So when I heard that One for the Money was being made into a movie, I was excited yet hesitant.  Who would play Stephanie Plum?

Katherine Heigl.

No. Just, no.  I even like her & think she can be funny, but she does not fit the description of SP.  I do not agree with this casting decision, so I decided to cast the movie myself.  *Note* I did not look at the rest of the cast!  I still haven't, but I may by the time I am done with this post.  Okay, I really need to stop with this words and get on to the pictures!  Without further ado, I give you my One for the Money casting...

Stephanie Plum - Jennifer Garner

When reading these books, I always picture Stephanie looking like Tori from Saved by the Bell. 

Curly brown hair, 90's-ish (the first book was written in 1994, so I definitely think of this style when picturing her), Trenton NJ, has a pet hamster named Rex.  I mean, right?  

I know this isn't a realistic casting decision, so I've gone with my back-up - Jennifer Garner.  I'm showing (what I assume is her) high school picture as well, which solidifies my decision.  This was a really hard decision for me!  Sandra Bullock is also really high up there.

Lula - Loni Love or Sherri Shepherd

Loni is a hilarious comedian who could nail the voice of Lula.  I also think Sherri Shepherd is hilarious as Tracy Morgan's wife on 30 Rock & fitting for this role as well!

Joe Morelli - Mark Wahlberg

Again, maybe it's the 90's thing that is still stuck in my mind, but I think Marky Mark would be the perfect Morelli.  

Ranger - Dwayne Johnson

Yes, the Rock.  I didn't want to type that out because I'm not talking about the weird eyebrow raising, caricatured wrestler/actor.  I'm going on looks here, and I've pictured him as Ranger since One for the Money.

Vincent Plum - Matt Dillon

Vinnie is Stephanie's smarmy, man-whorish uncle who runs the bail bond company.  Matt Dillon is perfect for this!

Connie - Marisa Tomei or Constance Zimmer

Again, I can picture both of them in the role of Connie, the Italian, mafia connected office manager.  Constance Zimmer plays Dana Gordon on Entourage & she is loud and can hold her own against Ari.

This post has absolutely nothing to do with design, but it really was so much fun to write.  And we're totally seeing the movie when it comes out, Katherine Heigl and all.

*edited to add*

I looked at the cast (woohoo for Sherri Shepherd!) & realized that I picture everyone a lot older than who is in the movie :)  I still like mine better, although Ranger IS pretty spot-on (if a little young).  

p.s. There is even a Facebook page dedicated to "Against Katherine Heigl Playing Stephanie Plum"!  Funny.

p.p.s.  Just saw that KH is the exectuive producer on the film - no wonder she was "cast" in the role!

Mountains of Old Books become Mountains and Landscapes

Someone on Facebook (I can't remember who!) recently posted an article about this artist, Guy Laramee, who takes stacks of old books and carves them into gorgeous mountain ranges and landscapes.  

I would love to see a video of the artist while working, as I am curious how he gets started on each piece.  I can't even imagine the hours of work that goes into these incredibly detailed works of art.

I think this one is particularly breathtaking.

I love art from an unexpected media!