Gallery Wall: Dorm Edition

Hello loves! I’m not sure if I’ve told you this or not, but I am obsessed with gallery walls. If there is a large blank wall, I will make it into a gallery wall. Like it’s kind of a problem, but I love them. So obviously I needed one for my dorm! I didn’t want to spend a ton on it though since I now have to help pay for college, which In case you weren’t aware is super expensive. I couldn’t find anything I really loved at TJMaxx, so I headed over to Hobby Lobby yesterday, and OH MY GOSH. They have a new section entirely devoted to trendy gallery walls. AND to top it off, all their wall decor was 50% off. What more could a girl ask for? So today I wanted to share with you what I picked out for my dorm, and a little bit of the reasoning behind it. (Aka a few tips for a successful gallery wall.)

When I was shopping for my dorm room, I originally picked out all gold, black and white pieces, which looked great, but… I wanted something a little more up-lifting since I’d be spending so much time in my dorm. I really wanted prints that made me happy! So I started again, and here’s what I ended up with:

   
    
    
 And then my dog decided to interrupt my photo shoot and I accidentally deleted the picture without his head in it so….

  
And here he is again being a little troublemaker…

  But thankfully this time I have one without him licking my flamingo pic…
  
I’m super happy with how this turned out! It’s still pretty calm, but has elements that make me happy! (Especially my flamingo!) One thing I made sure to do to unify the pieces was I picked only pieces with white frames. This gives the art a cohesive feel even though they’re not all the same style. That’s probably the most important piece of advice I have for creating a gallery wall: make sure there is at least one thing in all your pieces that ties together or is the same in each item. For example, with the gallery wall in my room, all my frames are different sizes and finishes, but they all stay within the same color family and I put black and white photos in all the frames to create a cohesive look.

I hope this post has inspired you to create a gallery wall, or given you some ideas for your own dorm room. Oh and did I mention, all those peices came up to the grand total of $62? Yeah. So if you have a Hobby Lobby near you, get over there asap. And on that note, I’m signing off! I hope you all have a fabulous day!

xoxo,

The Blonde Brunette

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DIY Tassel Garland

Hello loves! I know I graduated from high school almost 2 months ago, and am actually closer to the college stage of my life, but… My graduation party is THIS WEEKEND. Late? Yes. But my friend Jenna and I really wanted to have our party together, so we made it work! I’m so excited about all the DIY’s we’ve been working on these past few weeks (more like cramming in this week) to decorate with! Our color scheme is gold, white, silver and black which is basically both of our style combined into one. Today I wanted to share with you a DIY tassel garland that would be perfect for any party or possibly dorm decor! So let’s get started!

What you’ll need: your choice of tissue paper (however many colors you’d like), scissors, some sort of string or yarn, and a hot glue gun.   

First off, you’re going to do a lot of folding and cutting, which I’ll be honest is the least fun part. But one of the most important parts. Start off by folding one (or two if you’re trying to produce in bulk) peices of tissue paper and fold it across the long way:

  Then fold that (width way) in half like this:
 
Then fold it again the width way:

  
Next you’re going to cut strips from the NON-FOLDED side up, leaving about 1.5 inches uncut at the top:

  
Unfold this once the width way, and cut down the middle. Then cut the side that you folded, giving you 4 pieces:

Then you’re going to twist the 3 inches of uncut tissue paper:

  
Then form a loop with the twisted section and glue:

   
 
Wait for these to completely dry before going into the next phase which is putting together the actual garland. Once you have all your colors made, create a pattern of some sort to follow and begin glueing the top of each loop to your string or yarn about 1.5 inches apart, like so:

    

And voila, you have your beautiful garland.

  
This is kind of a lengthy and boring processes, but the results are definitely Pintrest worthy. I hope you’ve enjoyed this DIY and have a party to whip it out for soon! Have a fabulous day!

xoxo,

The Blonde Brunette

 

Desk Envy

Hello loves! As I get more and more into this blogging thing, I’m realizing a couple things. One being I seriously need a better camera, and the second thing being that I definitely need some cooler jeans. But never fear, I’m working on getting a new camera and I quite literally just ordered some Rag and Bone jeans that are on there way to my house. (I’m patiently anxiously waiting for those to arrive.) The third and final thing I’ve noticed, is I need to step up my desk game. Have you seen some posts of blogger’s desks? My gosh! They’re immaculate, and perfectly laid out. And there are SO many gold staplers. Seriously, are people using these? Do people who are out of college find the need to staple things? I thought that once I graduate I will never be stapling anything ever again. Although there are far too many beautiful, probably unused staplers out there, I still have major desk envy and will be working to organize and accessorize my desk to match that of my fellow bloggers out there. But before I get my stuff together, let’s take a moment to appreciate the beautiful desks of bloggers I’ve found via Pintrest, shall we?

 

Seriously. Gah, if only my desk could look something like one of these. A few trends I’m noticing are:

You need a really good desk chair. Like do not slack in this department. White desks also seem to help with the whole keeping things neat look. (Probably why my black desk looks is so messy, right? Right.) You also need a cup or mug of an extreme amount of pencils or pens. A few desk accessories like gold scissors or a lucite tape dispenser. A vase with flowers, a lamp for lighting, and lastly some type of fashion inspired accessory. Whether that means a fun piece of pop art or a pair of shoes used as a decor piece. Oh, and a Mac. (If that’s in your budget of course.) All very simple things us common folk can add to our existing desks to try to imitate these beauties. Here are some close-ups with a little more detail of specific accessories:

 

{Photos via: theglitterguide.tumblr.com, homeoffice.about.com, stephaniesterjovski.com, theeverygirl.com, interiorsbystudiom.com, pinkpeonies.com, stylecaster.com, bloglovin.com, chroniclesoffrivolity.com, thegoldengirlblog.com, buzzfeed.com}

I hope you guys have enjoyed this little desk inspiration post and maybe you can do a little spring/summer cleaning up of your own desk space! Hopefully within the next few months I’ll have my desk situation all taken care of, you know, just in time to leave for college. Anyway, have a fabulous day!

xoxo,

The Blonde Brunette

New Bedroom Inspiration

Hello loves! We’ve somehow made it to the middle of another week! Recently I’ve really been wanting a new upholstered headboard, and well… It has inspired a complete room design. So today I wanted to share with you some of the pictures I’m pulling inspiration from for designing my new room. I really want white furniture this time so it’s easier to keep clean. I’m also thinking of eliminations the use of a dresser since I have a huge closet, and instead just getting 2 larger chest-like night stands for extra storage. I going to keep the base for everything pretty natural but I thinking of having pops of pink and royal blue to offset all the white. That being said, here’s what I found for inspiration on Pinterest:

   
                 

  
What do you all think? Any favorites? Let me know in the comments below! Have a fabulous day!

xoxo,

The Blonde Brunette

Planter DIY

Hello loves! As spring approaches, I get more and more excited for the new things it brings. Especially when it comes to beautiful flowers. So today I wanted to share with you one way I’m getting excited for spring, and making a planter. So let’s jump into this!

First off, here’s what you’ll need:

No. 1: Planter.

No. 2: Rocks. (for drainage)

No. 3: Potting Soil.

No. 4: Flowers of Your Choice. (make sure they’re all the same sun vs shade ratio, it should say this on the card that is on each plant)

No. 5: Gardening Gloves.

No. 6: Small Gardening Shovel.

No. 7: Water or Watering Can. (not pictured)

  
Just for reference, here are close ups and the name of all the plants I used for my planter:

  
  
  
  
Now for the actual gardening part. First layer some of your small stones on the bottom of your planter. This helps with drainage so that all the water doesn’t immediately run out the bottom before the plants can use it.

  
Next take some of your potting soil and layer that over the stones. You’re going to want to kind of measure how much dirt your plants need under them so that they sit even with the top of the planter. So pour a little dirt in, set a plant in to measure height, poor little more dirt in and ect. For this planter, I didn’t need very much because my plants were pretty deep, and the planter wasn’t terribly tall.

  
Next, simply add in your larger plants. Arrange them to your liking and then fill in the sides with more dirt. I didn’t fill mine up with dirt all the way to the top in the places where I wanted to put my smaller white flowers. I then placed them into any empty spaces as fillers and finished filling up the planter with potting soil.

  
  
Then douse your plant with water, you want to give it a generous amount for this initial watering. Moving it around a lot and the potting soil not being at all damp, this little guy is going to need some extra help to get started with. Then simply place in either sun or shade (whichever type of flowers you picked) and water every other day to every two days.

  
And voila! Your beautiful spring planter is complete, now you can sit back and enjoy your hard work! {This would also be a great Mother’s Day gift or activity, or a great weekend project.} On that note, I hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

xoxo,

The Blonde Brunette

Glam Up: Blue and White Decor

Hello loves! Today I wanted to do more of an inspirational Glam Up, and I’m using more photos today rather than explanation because I’m coming down with a cold, so I don’t think my words are flowing well today. My apologies for that! But anyway, back on topic. Today’s Glam Up is using blue and white around the house as a fresh update for spring. It’s no secret that I’m obsessed with the colors blue and white, like it’s a serious problem. My friends all know this and endlessly tease me about the fact that 2/3 of my closet is either black, white or blue. Let’s be real though, those aren’t the worst colors to be drawn to. That being said, it’s no surprise that I’m enthralled with the spring trend of blue and white decor. I searched Pintrest to find you some of my favorite looks and uses of blue and white in decor, so I hope you’ll find something that appeals to you below! (And don’t forget to follow me on Pintrest: Annalies Richmond)

 

{image: hamptonstyle.com.au}

 

{image: anindiansummer-design.blogspot.com}

 

 

{image: michaelpenneystyle.com}

 

 

{image: accidentalmommies.com}

  

{image: blog.potterybarn.com}

 

{image: freutcake.com}

  

{image: restyle.me}

  

{image: missmustardseed.com}

  

{image: stylemepretty.com}

 

{image: ethanallen.com}

 

 

{image: beneathmyheart.net}

 

 

{image: thezhush.blogspot.com}

Now let’s just hope you aren’t overloaded on blue and white… Have a fabulous day!

xoxo,

The Blonde Brunette

Easy Updates: Springtime Home

Hello loves! This week all my posts are themed around the idea of transitioning into spring, because I am so ready for spring to be here! So today I wanted to talk about how to update your home for spring!

No. 1: Throw Pillows. This is one of my favorite ways to quickly transition a space. Hopefully you have relatively neutral furniture to work with, aside from a few accent pieces. If you have accent pieces, pull your favorite colors from them that remind you of spring. I’m not going to tell you what colors are representative of spring or not. For me, my favorites are bright red, royal blue, and kelly green. If you have all neutral pieces, this is super easy for you! Go shopping and pick out a few items to inspire the color scheme for your room. Here are some of my favorite examples of throw pillows that liven up a room:

{image: markergirl.com}

{image: mckennableu.com}

{image: nicety.livejournal.com}

No. 2: Lighter Textures. It’s time to pack up the faux fur and the heavy knits for the season. Let’s bring out the linens and canvas. By taking out heavier fabrics from a room, it instantly makes the room feel more open and less like a cozy little nook. (Which is great in the winter, don’t get me wrong, but you don’t want to be sweltering in the heat this spring and summer.) This one is pretty simple, but I found a few examples for ya anyway:

{image: goodhousekeeping.com}

{image: caitlinwilson.com}

{image: shop.theeverygirl.com}

No. 3: Natural Elements. Living greenery is what I mean by this, ladies and gentleman. We all think of the new life that comes with spring, and while the grass probably hasn’t quite caught up with our enthusiasm, indoor plants will. Greenery gives a more a live and fresh feeling to any space. And there are easy solutions for those of you (like me) who do not have a green thumb. Bamboo plants or succulents are for you my fellow plant killers. Both of these two plants don’t require daily care, which is awesome. I’m pretty sure I’ve killer and resurrected my bamboo plant twice now, and it’s still doing its thing! Another great way to add life, is simply with fresh flowers. I LOVE fresh flowers, to the point where I prefer them more than chocolate as a gift. So I love them a lot. Here are some of my favorite example of fresh greens:

{image: atthepicketfence.com}

{image: chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.com}

{image: simplyklassichome.com}

Bonus: here are some of my absolute favorite spring decorating picks from the on and only Pintrest.

{image: jonesdesigncompany.com}

{image: traditionalhome.com}

{image: southernpiphi.tumblr.com}

I hope this has inspired you and given you some ideas on how to give your home a little update for the upcoming season! I love doing home posts, so let me know what you thought of this in the comments below. Also, if you want to see where I get all these, follow me on Pintrest: Annalies Richmond. Have a fabulous day!

xoxo,

The Blonde Brunette

Glam Up: Bedding

Hello loves! Today I was making my bed with a new quilt I got, and it popped into my head that this would be a great thing to share with you guys! I know, making your bed doesn’t sound glamorous, or fun, but I’d like to change your mind about that. So let’s jump right into the step-by-step process that I use to make my bed!

First off, start with clean sheets. The rule of thumb is that you’re supposed to change your sheets every two weeks, and I try to follow that rule to the best of my ability. My sheets are from T.J.Maxx, I’m not sure what brand because I’ve had them for awhile! Also, I like to tuck my sheets under my mattress at the bottom of my bed. This makes it easier to make my bed in the morning, and keeps me from waking up in a tangled mess of blankets. (Excuse the fact that my sheets are perfectly ironed, keeping it real here guys.)

Next I add on my white quilt. I just purchased this quilt from T.J.Maxx. I would recommend looking there for bedding! They have awesome deals and carry some great stuff, just be patient and stop by a lot. I think a white quilt, or at least a neutral colored one, is an absolute must for everyone. It keeps you from spending loads of money on new bedding every time you decide to change it up, and creates a great base layer.

Next I layer on my comforter, and fold it up to spread across the bottom half of my bed. My comforter is by Kate Spade, and I am in love with it. It’s actually an extra long twin size, but works perfectly folded the long way. I pull it up at night, and the width is just long enough for me! I am tempted to bring it to college with me next year, but I don’t want to leave my bed at home plain, so we’ll see what I decide on.

Now comes the fun part, accent pillows! My color scheme in my room is a mixture of grays, whites, and metallic, so I pulled that into my pillows. The rule for throw pillows is to always have an odd number. So if you’re not such a fan, try using just three pillows, but personally, I love throw pillows so I have five on my bed. My first layer of pillows are a gold damask pillow and a fuzzy white pillow, both from Pier 1 Imports. The next layer consists of a dark gray velvet pillow with white accents from Target, and a metallic knit pillow from T.J.Maxx. And finally, the centerpiece: my bejeweled pillow from T.J.Maxx. This pillow was actually the inspiration for my room décor!

This next step is totally optional, but if you live in a colder area, or during the winter you may want to add a throw to the end of your bed. I prefer either a knit throw or a faux fur throw. The one I keep in my room is a gray ombré throw by Calvin Klein that I purchased at T.J.Maxx. (Can you tell what my favorite home goods store is?)

I hope you’ve enjoyed today’s post and will try it out in your own space. Having a routine and bedding I love encourages me to make my bed, so if you need an excuse to redecorate, that’s a pretty solid one. I hope you have a fabulous day!

xoxo,

The Blonde Brunette

Glam Up: Jewelry Tray

Happy Tuesday loves! Today I’d like to share with you a recent change in my room décor; I’ve added a jewelry tray to my dresser. This is my absolute favorite change I’ve made to my room recently. It keeps me organized and adds a classic and simple design element to my room. Instead of digging through my mountains of jewelry on a daily basis, I’ve narrowed it down to my favorite and most worn jewelry pieces. This saves me so much time in the morning, which is another huge plus! Here’s how to create your own jewelry tray:

Step No. 1: Pick out a tray to display your jewelry on. Mine is actually an hors d’oeuvre plate from Pier 1 Imports. The dining section is a great place to look for these in any store, although there are some trays you can find in the home goods section, they are usually larger than a plate.

Step No. 2: Next I added my two favorite perfumes: Roses By Chloe and Dolce and Gabbana Light Blue. This adds a decorative, but also very functional touch.

Step No. 3: Then I added in my favorite bracelets for stacking (yes there are a lot) and my go to watch. I can easily grab a few bracelets from this stack that will seamlessly go together.

Step No. 4: Now add in your favorite earrings. My go to earrings are all studs, my apologies for how boring that sounds. I find that longer earrings are more of a statement piece and personally, I don’t wear as often. I am also an adamant hater of all types of hoop earrings. I don’t know why, but I have just never been a fan of hoops. (But don’t let that stop any of you from rocking them!)

Step No. 5: Next add in your favorite rings, and if you wear delicate necklaces a lot, now would be the time to arrange those as well. Personally, I’m more of a statement necklace type of girl, and I have a whole system just for my necklaces.

And BAM. Your fabulous tray has been turned into a useable and chic piece! I hope you found this helpful and will try it out yourself! Have a fabulous day!

xoxo,

The Blonde Brunette

Glam Up: The Power of Mirrors

Am I the only one who sometimes feels a space is just dying for a little glitz and glamour? Is glitter anyone else’s favorite color? Or it’s just me… but let’s get back on topic. Adding a little glitz to any space is one of my favorite things to do. Pro Tip No. 1: A less gaudy way to add some life to a room is by using mirrors within the space. Mirrors reflect light and make a room feel bigger because of this. Personally, I find that decorative mirrors look lovely in almost any space, work wonderfully in gallery walls, and in a many DIY projects. Here are a few of my favorite examples of how to use mirrors in a multitude of ways:

{image: homedit.com}

{image: zsazsabellagio.blogspot.com}

{image: rebecca-gatheryroses.blogspot.com}

{image: stylecaster.com}

{image: buzzfeed.com}

{image: buzzfeed.com}

{image: ikea.com}

{image: rosenberryrooms.com}

I hope these extravagant examples have encouraged you to think outside of the box and glam up your space with mirrors! Mirrors are a personal favorite design piece of mine, and really add to a room. So do me a favor, if you haven’t thought of using them in your space before, try it. Just for a few weeks and see what a difference it makes. If you have a fear of looking in mirrors everywhere you turn, just hang them higher up. (: And on that note, I wish you a wonderful day!

xoxo,

The Blond Brunette