➷Restoration Hardware Preserved Sea Fan Artwork➹

Ever listen to Mozart's "Der Hölle Rache" or "Queen of the Night?"  I was watching "Amadeus" last night and heard one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard in my life. Watch it here if you like: {here}

The way this music echoed in my mind and rang off my soul made me realize that perfection can be achieved. I think most women want to make their homes as splendid as possible, but I want more than that... I want... no... I demand perfection. 

Of course you know what I mean, right? If you do, this post will resonate with many of you, so I've included this second link, {here}. In my humble opinion, this second video is performed in absolute perfection. The music was so eloquent; I couldn't help but be inspired. 

As many of you know, I lived in Hawaii for six years and I L-O-V-E the ocean. If you haven't been, words won't do it justice, so I'll skip to the point. I wanted something that would make my room perfect and I found these sea fans that I just couldn't stop staring at. So I made several attempts to capture the splendid nature of the ocean, and then I went a step further, I put sharp frames around them to make them, perfect. I know it may not some the glimpse of perfection for many of you, but for me, it carries the simple reminder of what once was with the sharp reality of what now is. Sigh... I wish I was near the rippling blue instead of the waving brown. If any of you think this post deserves the word (perfection) feel free to pass it on. Otherwise, drop back in perhaps in the not so distant future and witness the pursuit I proudly pursue. 

Restoration Hardware sells these one of a kind Perserved Sea Fan Artwork with Grey Mat for $550 a piece, but I made mine for $25. 

Let's save $525 bucks and make ourselves a piece of art that looks exactly like the inspiration piece, what do you say? This project's so easy, you're gonna love it! 

Here's what you need:

➳You can find most of these materials at any craft store. I used Hobby Lobby for this one because they had the gray card stock I wanted. Using a coupon, I think it was 4 bucks. 

➳You should remove the glass from your frames, cut the CARD STOCK to the size of your frame and put it inside your frame.

➳You want to order your sea fans online, I bought mine for less than 15 bucks. It was mostly shipping that ran up that cost. Way, way cheaper than trying to buy them local, at least for me. 

➳1st ➳

You need some serious power to cut off the stem of the sucker, I know because I tried tons of other ways to cut it- scissors, knife, wire cutters, small saw. In the end it was a hacksaw that made an easy job of it. Can you tell how lazy I am that I just kept trying the first tool within hands reach?!

➳2nd ➳ Now, go ahead and prime and paint you fan. I used Krylon to paint mine and it worked pretty well. I tried not to use primer- but quickly learned it was a must for this one. 

➳ 3rd ➳

You need to spray the BACK of the sea fan with spray adhesive. My fans naturally laid flatter on one side over the other- I'm not sure why. So just lay it down on both and pick the flatter one.

➳4th➳

Press it down on the mat {which is inside the frame by this point, if you followed along with the directions}. I used a bunch of heavy books to weigh down my sea fan, especially at the stem area.

That's it. So easy- right? 

I think it added a ton toward recreating the look of my high end inspiration, without the feeling of copying something. What have you made perfect this week?

By the way, I revamped my blog and added social media icons. Make sure to follow along on Instagram, G+ & FB, that way we can sorta virtually bring you with us when we go to England and Hales in August!!

➷Top 28: Outdoor Rugs Round Up ➹

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Ever feel like you're sitting on an increasingly large mountain of gun powder? 

Every time I shop online, I feel dark clouds raining down explosive pellets and the result is an ever-increasing pile of a highly combustible material that's just going to take one itsy bitsy spark to ignite! Of course, my six foot, always chipper, husband is like a really long piece of flint and his inability to understand my online shopping ordeal is like... is like... pieces of steal grinding on his flinty body. It just lights a fire under me. Do you know what I'm talking about? 

So here's the situation, For several months, well for almost a year, I've seen these beautiful pastel pants on people running around town. Everywhere I turn, like a pack of rainbow Necco candies, pretty pastel clad people running to and fro. At first I wasn't so sure about the trend, it made me think about the 80's. But like most things, the more you see it- the more you want it and, man, do I want it! What do they call that, lust or something? 

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Anyhow, I scoured high and low for the perfect pair of mint, denim, skinny pants. Right about here, my husband creates the first spark by quoting,"Nacho Libre," he'll say, "Stretchy pants?" And click, the sparks would fly. It's like he just doesn't understand the importance of mint denim! I stare at him blankly, with one twitching eye. Of course, nothing happens because it's my husband and he wouldn't understand my how a girl needs the perfect pair of pastel pants. So instead, I turn to the Internet  and cross your fingers, the right price. I find a sale. Not just any sale, I find $80 minty pants on sale for 56 bucks, with an additional 40% off means that my beloved $80 "stretchy pants" are now a screamin deal at $20! 

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In my mind, I see myself wearing the minty jeans, high-fiving dignitaries, strolling down the red carpet, doing the YMCA at the Super bowl with all the football players in the middle of a play, you know, I see myself doing a lot of things, that's all I can say, I mean,...doing...things! 

What actually happens: The box comes, I eagerly rip the box open like a lion tearing into a helpless gazelle, I swear my heart is racing, and then, I see them. My mint. Denim. Skinny. Pants. Shreds of plastic and pieces of packing peanuts trail my path, as I scamper off with my kill, down the hallway and into the bathroom where I slip my leg in and..... *squish*, my leg gets stuck. At this point, I feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone, only it's not Alfred Hitchcock narrating, it's Big Bird, with Twilight Zone music. And I hear that giant yellow bird say, "Today's lesson is brought to you by the color mint and the wrong size number 2." I rip the pants off my calf, cause that's as high as they'll go, and throw them against the wall cursing the company (which shall remain nameless.) 

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Then, of all things, my husband knocks on the door and says, "I wanna see you in your stretchy pants..." at this point, too many things for far too long have massed into the Mt. Everest mother load of black powder and it's blow time baby! BOOOOOMMMM! The bomb goes off and I don't scream, I don't call some poor  customer service rep and chew him a new one, nope, instead, I stare in the bathroom mirror until I can collect myself.

 I don't know what's going to happen from here, folks, but I've been launched, like a space shuttle, into orbit. For now, I'm just going to say, major changes are coming my way!!!

PS. Did I mention we are shopping for outdoor rugs? Aren't these the best outdoor rugs you've seen? So, so gorg.

 I hope you enjoy this week's round up and good luck shopping on line, I know I'll need it!