iCraft

I spend most of my time looking for things that I've misplaced. Going through my bedroom is usually just one long, disappointing game of Where's Waldo that I rarely win. This not-so-fun game gets a level up when you live with 3 girls. And it's even more challenging when you live with 3 girls who all have the same cell phone charger. I'm always losing mine, and always accidentally taking someone else's. So many people have iPhones that it's easy to mistakenly end up with a friend's charger.

I think that a logical solution to remembering where I've put my stuff would be to reorganize my bedroom. But that's a problem for another day. Instead, I decided to jazz up my cell phone chargers. After this DIY, hopefully I'll be able to keep track of these guys better. Also, they're real cute.

There are a lot of tutorials on Pinterest that show how to glitter your phone chargers. I like to pretend that I've reached a point in my life where I don't have to put glitter on everything I own. This DIY is a simple and mature upgrade that still has the same effect.

 

Supplies:

Phone charger

Ruler

Scissors

Washi Tape (which can be bought at a local craft store)

      

If you've never heard of washi tape, it's literally the greatest craft tape. It's paper-like– almost like masking tape, but much cuter. It's also repositionable, so if you make a mistake you can just try again.

 

 

Simply measure the area of the charger you'd like to cover. I covered the plug part (what is this part even called?!) first, and it was about an inch tall. I cut the edges and folded down any extra. I also applied the washi tape to the USB part of the charger.

 

 

So easy! I tried some different patterns on different chargers and on the end of my headphones.   

  

 

You can apply a coat of Mod Podge to ensure that the tape won't come off, but if you're a commitment-phobe then skip this step. If you ever get bored of the design you can just peel the tape off.

This is an easy upgrade that'll give you a distinct (and cute) charger without going over the top.

Now let's hope that I'll be able to keep track of them.

Ghosts of Halloween Past

I'm usually pretty unmotivated when it comes to choosing a Halloween costume, and this Halloween isn't any different. But this time it's because I literally peaked last year, and had the costume of all costumes and I will never be able to top it.

Halloween is supposed to be the day where you get to be whatever you want and I don't think any other costume captures my hopes and dreams as much as this one. 

Since it's Halloween today and all I've got to show for it is a midterm and a deep refusal to be an outfit-repeater, I think this year might be more low key (i.e. I'll probably be in pajamas on my sofa).

But I'll never forget those grande memories of being Starbucks.

If Starbucks speaks to you the way it does to me, here's how I made the costume: 

To make this costume I just asked my Starbucks friends for about 10 cups and cup sleeves.

I cut the cups in half and sort of flattened them. The front halves of the cup formed the front of my top, and the backs obviously made the back (there was a good amount of tape involved). I just arranged the cups into the shape of a shirt I wanted and attached them together.

Then I attached the Starbucks sleeves around my waist like a belt and stapled the rest around the edge of the tutu.

This little piggy went to market

If you're looking for an inexpensive way to spruce up pretty much anything in your apartment, look no further than my new favorite product. (Probably my roommates' least favorite. I've used it a lot. Sometimes I'm messy). Anyway, it's called Rub-n-Buff and it looks like this

It's the coolest product for giving an antique finish (or gold, or bronze or silver– it comes in a ton of colors) to pretty much anything. You rub it on and buff it (revolutionary, I know).

As a responsible 20-something, before I even bought a bed for my apartment I decided to buy a piggy bank for saving up loose change for my future (just kidding; I've only saved up for Starbucks). This was a pretty necessary purchase for me because of this conversation I had with my dad right before my birthday.

    

I've wanted a pet pig for as long as I can remember. I'm not sure how my argument didn't convince him. Anyway, I settled for this alternative

 

Unlike my future pet pig, I can customize the color of this one. I didn't like the shiny silver finish, so I applied antique gold rub-n-buff.

I used my fingers because I found that it was the easiest way to get even coverage. You simply rub on the gold, paint-like liquid and then buff in a circular motion. Things got a little personal with my pig at one point. But I think he's much cuter in this golden finish. And hopefully my next pig will be the pink (and alive) kind.

Rub-n-Buff can be bought at any arts and crafts store.