{charmed earth}

The Lifestyle blog of Katie Storms.: something simple, something sweet, something styled.

29 July 2010

Something Dyed: New Towels

Before you call me out on buying something new, forgive me. But our towels are faded. Faded like blue jeans forgotten in the sun for a decade. A decade. We've had the same towels since we got married in 2006, and they've held up well physically. But color? Forget it. That porcelain blue faded to bleached blue within a year. But like I said, they've held up well.

Thanks to Amy Karol at angry chicken, and her book Bend the Rules with Fabric, I decided to bring them back to life with dye.

Here's the Before:



Here's the After:



The dye didn't really create any waste at all: I recycled the package, and the dye absorbed into the towels. The only thing I threw away was a 4 inch square of plastic holding the actual dye. I got a dye called iDye at ArtMart, so the only other material I needed was salt (which I have). And viola! New towels. And if I hadn't told you, I bet you couldn't even tell. This color is neutral, Ecru. I think I am going to try Aztec Gold on a cardigan, and I might try Turquoise on the rest of the towels!

What do you want to color splash?!

21 July 2010

Something Sandy: Hipstamatic Beach

We are at the beach! My camera went into a little shock, so I rediscovered my Hipstamatic app. I forgot how hip it truly is! Here are some of my favorite shots.

Shadow Girls in Morning Waves.


Washed Wood on the Shore.



Sunrise.


Isn't the orange of the sunrise just beautiful? And I love the way the sunlight hit the wood as I enjoyed my morning walk.

I've been thrifting a little along the way, but I haven't found much worth writing about yet. Last night I enjoyed my first "Scarlett O'Hara" at Scarlett O'Hara's downtown, while my husband enjoyed his strong "Rhett Butler." You've got to love Southern hospitality.

14 July 2010

Something Old: Thrifty Discoveries

I am always browsing other blogs admiring the cool finds bloggers find thrifting. I can't believe I've been at this for well over six months, and I haven't really shown you what I've found....

So check out some of my favorites of the year...all something old, something used...

To start, some old sewing hoops that just slide together. I can't wait to use them to showcase some artwork in the bedroom. I found about six ranging in price from 5-cents to 25-cents.



Ballerina candle holders. I can't wait to bake a batch of Magnolia Bakery cupcakes this fall to show them off! There are well over 20 holders, all for 25-cents! And they will look so graceful dancing on light pink icing in a sprinkle of white nonpareils.





And I just love the Avon cannisters. They are super cute. My Aunt Agnes used to sell Avon, and I have one of her vintage spoon rings that I adore. These are perfect for both bathrooms in our charming bungalow--I hide my hair barrettes, bobby pins, and ponytail holders in them. They are so cute! And I found them on half-price day...for a total of 25-cents a piece!



This one is a favorite. I usually don't like to spend more than 50-cents to a dollar on a vintage pattern, but I seriously want this black dress. So I bought it. I can't wait to craft it up on some printer fabric for make-up bags to gift!





And speaking of gifts, these 25-cent cupcake Christmas toppers are too cute. I can't wait to see what I discover they can be...ornaments? Gift wrap? Who knows?

So...what have you found this summer for less than a dollar? I can't wait to find even more as we travel south later this summer!

06 July 2010

Something Blue: Upcycled Treasures.














Look what I refinished.

White Train Case: 75-cents
Oval Mirror: Found
Tall Chair: Gifted
Turquoise Spray Paint: In the Garage
Sapphire Blue Fabric: Gifted

I use the white train case for my cash box at Craft Fairs. And I also use it to carry my sharpies and other crating supplies that I can travel with.



The chair is the perfect height for my fringe scarves at craft fairs. And it's the perfect height for teaching. Maybe one day I will have my own room, and I can bring in this chair. It needs a better seat, but that's going to have to wait a bit.



And the mirror is perfect for adding dimension to my craft fair table. And it's really heavy, so we need to have a pro hang it. It would be perfect in our black and white guestroom/creative space one of these days. You can see my JCrew magazine that came in the mail (that I can't order from!) used to protect the glass:)

Find something and paint it blue. It's happiness~

Something Popped: Popcorn on the Stovetop


Sometimes I just want a snack. A snack that doesn't leave me feeling guilty, yucky, or chocolate wasted. And popcorn usually solves the need to munch and crunch without too many calories. Usually, I have a stack of microwavable bags in the cookie jar. But last time I ran out, I took my time in the snackage aisle at the grocery store.

My eyes wandered to the bag of kernels on the bottom shelf. I wondered if I could find an air-popper on eBay or out thrifting as I turned over the bag. Then it hit me. I have a stove. I have oil. And I have plenty of pots.

Popcorn on the stovetop--Yummy! I can minimize the salt, I can minimize the waste (instead of a cardboard box recycled, a plastic wrapper trashed, a bag trashed, and a quarter cup of kernels unpopped, the only waste will be the plastic bag the kernels come in), and I can minimize the filmy taste the microwave stuff usually leaves in my mouth.

Now. I know that it's not as fat-free as I would like. But I popped almost every kernel. And it was so easy. And it only took about five or seven minutes total. So yummy. I can't wait to make caramel corn in October!

Something Red, White, and Blue: Happy 4th of July




I baked the cake. I saw it on a blog looking like a rainbow, and I think my red, white, and blue version turned out well. The recipe was entirely from scratch--including the icing that doesn't have a trace of confectioner's sugar. It's the "White Out Cake" from the cookbook BAKED that my wonderful friend Rita gave to me on my birthday. The brownies in it are to die for!



We spent the holiday in the country. My favorite moment was just driving out along the county roads to take photos. I found some beautiful wildflowers along the edge of the road, with a few winged friends fluttering among them. And though the corn is having a dry season, I still thought she looked pretty against the blue blue sky. But I think my favorite find was the field of sunflowers we stopped and turned back toward. It was beautiful.






















About a hour before dusk my charming husband realized he couldn't commit to a Fourth without spark. So with some cash from my mama and his pocket, we chose a few snaps, sparklers, smoke bombs, and fountains. Did you know sparklers are made from bamboo now? I didn't. Oh. And the boxes from the pops are going to find their way upcycled into something. But the best part was that the neighbors down the road put on a show for us. I heard they had three trailers of fireworks, and I wouldn't doubt it.

I hope your Fourth was full of simplicity and sparklers just like mine.

03 July 2010

Something I Love: Quilts and Lace




I just spotted this via the Olivebites, a blog I recently started following. I think it reminds me of my great-grandmother and Aunt Agnes. Something about the lace makes me think of them sitting on grandma's back porch admiring the yellow roses while they drink iced tea and comment on the fireflies as they wait for Fourth of July fireworks! I am in love with the work That Old Blue House 2 creates. I hope to be as successful one day. Love it. And I am hoping I win the midnight earrings!

02 July 2010

Something I Made: Dragonfly Chain Necklace


Last night, I wanted to create something. I found this chain at Tina's Antiques, and it was a set of three all attached together for a mere dollar! What a find. And the dragonfly is a piece I've always wanted to use--she's been hiding in my stash of jewelry supplies for at least three years.

So what do you think? I am really proud of thinking to double chain it using some vintage jump rings. I think it's perfect for this weekend!

Enjoy your fourth! I plan on catching some fireflies...