crafty way to store your letters︱diy letter book

Originally finding this diy from Pinterest, I decided to try it out and recreate my own version. I had a box full of old birthday cards, letters from friends and family, postcards, etc. and figured that this would be such a cute and crafty way to save space and keep all my special notes in one place (this will be especially convenient for when I move into my dorm room). The actual diy is very basic. Simply begin by hole punching the end of each envelope opposite of the flap. Using two (or three depending on how large the envelopes are), loop each letter through and secure. I think it would also be cool to collect postcards from your travels or ones that have been sent to you and attach them all together in time order. This is about as easy as any diy gets, but it's such an efficient way to preserve memories without the clutter. Place the letter book among other books on a bookshelf and your memories will always be accessible. 

the only four photo editing apps you need

The amount of photo editing apps available in the app store is steadily increasing, and it seems as though most apps serve the same purpose with varying efficiency. It's vital to minimize the amount of apps downloaded to your device in order to maximize storage space. Due to my slight Instagram addiction, I have tried out a number of apps and have reduced my photography apps to the only four photo editing apps I find useful:

1. Squaready
Squaready is particularly useful for uploading a full sized photo without having to crop to the standard Instagram square size. Simply upload your photo and adjust to fit the entire thing by adding borders (this allows you to create those white borders). 

Free in the App Store




2. Latte Camera

My favorite part about Latte Camera is the ability to adjust the intensity of the filters. I find that a lot of apps have really great filters but most of the time they are too powerful, and I like to layer subtle filters to achieve a perfect photo. Another feature I love is the light leaks with intensities that are adjustable as well!

Free in the App Store

3. PhotoCat

I use PhotoCat in combination with Latte Camera, using the adjustable filters feature to mix and layer different filters until I achieve the look I'm going for. 

Free in the App Store





4. Afterlight

Since this app costs money, its feature tend to outshine the free apps that are available in the app store. AfterLight has the more filters than the previous two apps and possesses a similar adjustable intensity feature in combination with different light leaks and effects as well. 

99cents in the App Store

a bucket list

As my 18th birthday approaches and I'm making some very momentous decisions in my life, everything is seeming to come into focus recently. For the past year many aspects of my future were up in the air, and although nothing is certain at the moment, I'm finally content with not knowing the details of what lies ahead. This new found shift in perspective alongside the sudden realization that adulthood is just around the corner has forced me to think about where I see myself in the upcoming years. Although like most others I would like skip ahead 5 years and find myself happy and carefree, fully supported by a well paying job doing something I love and fulfilling my passions in life, I know that this is neither possible nor likely. While I may not be able to control such general aspects of my life, I want to be sure to fulfill the smaller tasks that make me happy on my way to that perfect fulfilled life. This is my bucket list that will hopefully guide me throughout my upcoming years and remind me to find happiness in the small things in life, regardless of how blurred or frightening the future may seem at times. 

1. Go to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
2. Bake a successful batch of macaroons
3. Learn to cook
4. Learn Arabic
5. Jump off of a diving board
6. Go to a drive-in movie theater
7. Learn to drive a truck 
8. Travel (Greece, France, England, Italy, Egypt, Spain, Germany, etc)
9. Meet someone named Holden
10. Spend an entire day at the library reading (from opening to closing)
11. Write a short story
12. Compose a book of poems
13. Be published in a magazine, book, etc
14. Learn to play guitar
15. Go on a road trip
16. Be a tourist in my own town
17. Get to know my parents as people rather than parents
18. Create my own business
19. Go to high tea
20. Start selling my jewelry
21. Reread the entire Harry Potter series
22. Movie hop 
23. Go on a spontaneous trip to the beach
24. Go night swimming
25. Rewatch the entire series of Gilmore Girls
26. Take a class at the Rec Center I know nothing about
27. Go on a legitimate hike
28. Take a yoga/Pilates class
29. Attend a wedding
30. Be a bridesmaid
31. Be a maid of honor
32. Smile at strangers
33. Meet someone at a coffee shop (shout out to Taylor Swift's "Begin Again")
34. Wear a mascot uniform of some sort
35. Make my own sushi
36. Finally watch the Titanic
37. Learn all the states and their locations (Sadly, I don't know an embarrassing amount)
38. Learn to shoot a gun
39. Go out for chocolate fondue
40. Beat my boyfriend at a video game (Has only ever occurred twice)
41. Go Ice Skating in Downtown San Francisco
42. Go to an amusement park
43. Road trip to Disney Land
44. Meet Peter Pan, Mickey Mouse and Princess Ariel 
45. Adopt a puppy
46. Get over my fear of cats
47. Go to the snow
48. Learn to ski and/or snowboard
49. Build a snow man
50. Run in a color run or charity marathon

diy pearl bobby pins

Supplies

• pliable jewelry wire
• jewelry pliers
• scissors or jewelry shears
• pearl beads
• bobby pins

Directions

Begin by cutting 2"-3" sections of wire, making sure to allow room to grip the wire later on as you wrap it around the pin. Starting from the edge of the wire, clamp your pliers onto the wire and twist around the rounded base until you have created two to three small loops. This will act as a base to secure the pearl bead in place. Next, slide the pearl bead onto the wire and bend so that the loops sit flat against the bead. Taking the untouched end of the wire, wrap once around the wire itself, then a few times around the bobby pin, making sure the pearl is safely secured. I recommend pulling the wire taut after each time you wrap the wire around. Once you have secured the pearl to the bobby pin, cut off any remaining wire using the jewelry shears or scissors.

    

diy tea cup candles

 

 Supplies:

• tea cup (Goodwill)
• candle wicks (Michael's)
• pencil
• yarn and/or tape
• candle wax (Target)
• scent (optional)

Depending on the height of your tea cup, you will need to cut the candle wick accordingly. I found short wicks at Michael's, however the regular length wicks can simply be trimmed down to size. The candle wax I used was a mixture between wax squares intended for use with a wax melting kit and the remnants of a few old candles that could no longer be burned. Quick tip - place candles in the freezer for a couple hours (this will allow the wax to harden) and cut/scoop out wax with a knife. I mixed a few chunks from miscellaneous candles along with the wax squares, placing them in a small handheld pan just resting on the surface of a larger pot of boiling water. Make sure that the smaller pot in not submerged in the boiling water. This layering with ensure that the wax is not directly faced with the heat and therefore will not burn. If desired, stir in any scent or essential oil you would like to add a scent to your candle (the wax squares I picked up from Target were already scented). 

Prior to melting the wax, set up the teacups and candle wicks so that you can quickly pour the wax before it hardens. In order to ensure that the wick remains straight, either tie or tap the wick in place by balancing a pencil across the width of the cup and securing the wick to the pencil. Simply pour the wax into the cup (I recommend making use of another set of hands and asking someone to hold the pencil and wick in place while you pour, or vice versa). Allow the wax to dry overnight, but be sure to save some extra wax for the following day. As the wax dries, a gap will form in a crevice surrounding the wick. Fill this gap by melting a proportionate amount of wax and simply filling the gap.

diy decoupage trays

What You Need:

• magazine clippings, scrapbook paper, etc.
• trays ready to be decorated (I found mine in a pack of 5 for 99 cents at my local Goodwill)

Directions:

Begin by cutting out your desired magazine clippings or any other picture you would like. Next, map out your desired layout in order to be able to glue down background clippings first. Once you are ready to start gluing, using Mod-Podge and a foam brush, glue down your pieces. For my book page tray, I glued down the center of the page to the tray and allowed it to dry. I cut the remaining paper and glued down the edges to the tray. Once you have glued down your paper to your desired design, apply 2-3 layers of Mod-Podge to create a protective layer. Use these cute decorative trays around your house to hold your jewelry, keys, etc. 

diy three-tier jewelry stand

Supplies:

•  3 (mis)matched bowl/dish of gradually decreasing size
• 2 candle holders
• super glue

Directions:

Begin by taking the third and largest dish and placing one of the candle sticks in the center (I got all of my dishes and candle sticks at my local Goodwill)-- Apply glue and allow to dry. Repeat this step with the following dish. Once you reach the third dish, apply glue to the top of the candle stick and glue down the final dish. 

This three-tier jewelry stand is a perfect way to organize your earrings, rings, watches, hair clips, etc.