Tie dye has been really popular lately, and recently I saw a tie dye duvet cover for sale but thought I could make one without spending a pretty penny. I’ve never tried shibori tie dye before but the duvet cover turned out really well! If you’d like to watch the video of the whole process below:
Overall the project was pretty cheap – you just need a plain white duvet cover, fabric dye, and a dye “setter.” Technically, you don’t need to set the dye, but I knew I’d be washing it regularly and want the dye to stay vibrant for as long as possible.
Shibori is different from other regular tie dye because the folds create the pattern – I did a triangle pattern for the pillowcases and a square pattern for the duvet cover. There are so many different ways you can fold the fabric, and you can also try to make your own!
How to fold the duvet cover
I started out by laying the duvet cover on the ground to do the folds (and my dog Luna decided to help). I suggest getting another person to help you so the folds are even, but it can be done alone if you take it slow! Just try to keep them consistent as you fold.
The folds will be accordion style – over and under. Keep doing this until you have one long strip of fabric.
Once the duvet cover is folded into a long strip, start folding it over and under again. This time you’ll be making little squares.
After you have a giant square, tie some twine around it to hold it in place, or use large rubber bands if you have them.
You can fold the pillowcases the same way, or do triangles instead of squares. I decided to do triangles so the pillowcases are a little different than the tie dye duvet cover. The differing patterns look really cool once it’s finished!
Mixing the dye
Follow the instructions for the fabric dye you bought. Mine said to add in salt and dish soap to the water, so I put those in the water before adding the dye.
I mixed everything together in my sink because I don’t have a large enough bucket to fit all the water in, but if you do, feel free to forgo the sink! This did not end up staining my stainless steel sink.
Mix everything together really well, and if you want to check the color you can use a paper towel to do a quick test of how it’ll look!
How to dye the fabric
Once the water is mixed, slowly add in the duvet cover and pillowcases. You might have to hold them under the water until the fabric is saturated and doesn’t float to the top. Go slowly!
Also try and give each piece enough space so that they aren’t touching one another. I let the fabric sit in the dye for about an hour and stirred them around halfway through.
Once the fabric has sat in the sink for around an hour, or the recommended time for your dye, give it a good rinse in cold water. From there, you can either wash the fabric or use a dye fixative to ensure the dye doesn’t fade.
I didn’t have to add anything into the water for the fixative – just the solution itself. Again, go slowly and make sure the fabric is completely submerged. Stir everything around again about halfway so all pieces get covered.
After I was done with the fixative, I let the duvet cover and pillowcases sit out overnight. Pro tip, if you have any puppy pee pads, these are great to sit the fabric on because they soak up all the excess water. I also use these when I water my plants!
My fabric dye said to let everything sit out until the fabric is dry, but honestly, I think it would’ve started growing mold before all the folds would be able to dry. I let it sit for a day and then decided to wash it since it hadn’t dried that significantly.
Wash everything on the coldest setting possible, and if you’re worried about the dye bleeding out of the fabric, throw a towel in the washer too. I did this just in case, and it caught the excess dye that came off.
Tumble dry on low and put it on your bed!
I love how the pattern came out, and it’s the perfect shade for what I was wanting! Let me know if you end up making a shibori tie dye duvet cover, and make sure to tag me on Instagram!
While staring at my walls day after day, I decided it was time for a living room makeover. Our space was feeling boring to me, so it was time for a change. Pinterest has so many great ideas for simple canvas art, and since I have nothing but time, I thought I’d make some new pieces!
Make sure to watch my video below to see how I made the canvases more in depth!
I didn’t want this living room makeover to be expensive, so I mostly used supplies I already had. I had to order some, so I found some deals online (there are a ton right now!) and didn’t spend too much.
It was so relaxing to sit and focus on something other than a screen – my eyes loved the change! Alex was also gracious enough to help me change the decor out, and it helped to have a second eye.
Here’s how I did my living room makeover.
Make your own art
The easiest way to keep your living room makeover cheap is to make your own art. I had been seeing so many simple pieces all over Pinterest and it’s what inspired me in the first place.
If you aren’t great at art, or don’t enjoy it, these simple pieces are great. They don’t take a lot of effort to look good, they’re easy to customize, and you don’t have to focus too much while painting. I also threw in some resin boards to help tie all the pieces together.
Craft stores usually have canvas sales, and I just used some basic craft acrylic paint so each canvas ended up costing me less than $2. Right now is the perfect time to make some art of your own!
You can also make your own flower wall, or do some canvas embroidery!
Change out your pillows
Pillows are such a simple thing to change out, and it makes such a huge difference. I was surprised with how cheap pillows are right now so definitely search around and you’ll find them! These fit in perfectly with my paints and pulled the warm tones down to the couch, too.
I was worried about the tassels at first with our dog Luna, but so far we’ve been safe! I couldn’t resist this velvet pink tasseled pillow.
If you don’t want to get new pillows, you can also just get some pillow covers, or make them if you want!
Move around your decor
To keep the cost down, I just moved around some decor rather than buying more. You can also use large books on your coffee table for a really effortless look! My illustrated Harry Potter copies don’t get enough love, so I gave them a new life on our coffee table.
Try switching living room decor with bedroom decor to freshen everything up, or put some decor away for a more simple look!
Let me know if you end up using any of these tips! I’d love to see how you’re changing up your space during this extra time at home.
Thanks for reading!
Spending your birthday at home has become somewhat of a meme for the spring since we can’t go outside. Don’t let that stop you from having fun, though! I celebrated my birthday at home earlier this month, and it ended up being one of my favorites so far.
Plan ahead
This is something you likely do when you’re able to have your birthday outside with friends, but make sure you don’t let the day arrive without any idea of what to do! I’ve got some ideas for you below, but make sure to plan for them like usual.
Have FaceTime/Zoom dates with friends
If you’re stuck alone, or at least away from friends for your birthday at home, hang out with them virtually! There are so many ways to connect with loved ones online, and you can even do things like play board games, video games (anyone else obsessed with Animal Crossing?), or have happy hours.
You can spend your birthday at home but also feel like you’re in your friends’ living room. It’s important to reach out to others with all this time alone, so make the time to hang out with other humans!
Have an at home paint and sip night
There are so many fun classes to take in the real world, but few that you can do at home. A paint and sip night is actually really easy to have in your house, and it takes off the pressure of creating a good painting! Alex and I did this for my birthday at home and we had so much fun.
Look online for a video painting tutorial and follow along. Many craft stores are still offering online order and curbside pickup so take advantage of that if you don’t have any supplies. If you plan ahead for this, you can also order them and have them shipped straight to your home.
It’s also fun to have someone choose your DIY supplies and make something you usually wouldn’t have!
Go to a lookout point
A change of scenery can be fun any day, but especially when you spend your birthday at home. It’s great to get out of your space and change your physical and mental point of view.
Chances are these lookouts are a lot less crowded than usual, too! You’ll be able to enjoy the view more than before, and you can do so from the comfort of your car. Take some birthday cake along with you, and you have the perfect date!
Bake your favorite sweet
If you don’t like to bake yourself, you can also request that this be made for you of course! I love to bake but Alex volunteered to make my favorite lemon cake for my birthday and it was so much fun to help him out.
Spending your birthday at home doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enjoy a nice dessert. If you usually go out, it’s fun to change up the pace and make something yourself! Plus, there’s plenty of time right now with all of the at home time.
Have an at home movie night
In the age of streaming services, there are so many movies to choose from. Fix some popcorn, make a pillow/blanket fort, and put on your favorite movie for your birthday at home!
Alex and I go to the movie theaters a lot, so we’ve been trying to still watch movies during the weekend. It’s fun to try and make it feel like the actual theater, so have candies and snacks ready and make a whole night of it.
I hope these suggestions help make your birthday at home a little brighter! It can still be a lot of fun even if you aren’t going outside. You can also use any of these for birthday surprises for loved ones 🙂
I love to work from home, but my space wasn’t the most inspiring. My desk at work is clean, simple, but also decorated just how I like which keeps me focused and motivated throughout the day. Since work from home has become the new norm, I needed to setup my space so I’d get more done!
Clear off your workspace
I tend to spread out as I work, so it’s important for my desk to be clean and free of clutter. The first thing I did was clear through the paperwork and knickknacks. Overall I’ve been trying to do that with all my spaces this past year because I love my little collectables! Now I try to limit myself and I did the same with my desk.
I also write a lot of notes to myself because I’m forgetful, so having a “rule” for myself to keep the desk clear helps me clean everything up at the end of the day!
If you’re struggling with keeping your desk clear, get some hidden storage spaces to help out. Our monitor stand also doubles as a set of drawers so we can keep paperwork and office supplies in them.
Surround yourself with things that inspire you
It’s hard to sit in one place for eight hours and work the entire time. I like to put little quotes and photos in my workspace that keep me inspired and motivated. Even if you aren’t a visual person, try this out especially if you’ve been struggling with inspiration! Put up photos of past trips that will motivate you to work and save up money for future ones, or artwork that you love.
Getting a grid like the one above allows you to put multiple photos and quotes up. If you’re indecisive like me, this is great because you don’t have to decide between them!
Keep a calendar somewhere near your workspace
I like being able to see a complete picture of the month, so I always have to have a physical calendar. I have my bullet journal that I can write my daily appointments and tasks in, but having a clear view of the month is really helpful.
This calendar is from Target, but if you want to go the cheap and easy route, you can always just find one on the internet and print it out! A physical calendar also keeps me from pulling my phone out so much which helps keep me on task.
Make sure your workspace is comfortable
It took Alex and I way too long to invest in a comfortable chair for the desk, and I’m so glad we finally did last year! We spent $70 on one from Ikea, which isn’t too bad for something you’re going to be sitting in all day. I’ve always liked the option to sit criss-cross in my desk chairs (my form is not ergonomic at all, I know) so it was important for me to have a large, cozy chair.
There’s even enough room in this chair for me to put a shoulder and back massager behind me, and let me tell you how much of a game changer that is. My comfort level has skyrocketed these past few weeks.
Staying inside so much has been difficult, but there are ways to make your space inspiring. I hope these tips help and that you’re doing alright with your work from home endeavor. Let me know on Instagram if you use any of my tips! A lot is changing right now so it’s perfectly normal to feel anything but normal right now. Good luck with setting up your space!
Beautiful flower walls seem to be all over Pinterest. Since I had an empty wall in my apartment, I decided it would be the perfect way to decorate! A lot of the walls look really intricate (and expensive!), so I wanted to do a more simple and cheaper version.
This project didn’t require a lot of supplies, and you probably have a lot hanging around your house anyway! I also made a video of the whole process so you can follow along that way, if that’s easier for you.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Wooden dowel
- Small rope
- Sand paper
- Hook
- Invisible fishing wire (or beading wire!)
- Hot glue gun
- Fake flowers
Start with sanding the end of the wooden dowel
You definitely don’t have to sand the ends of the dowel if they aren’t dyed, but I liked how it smoothed out the ends and made it look more polished. I got my wooden dowel from Home Depot and the dowel itself didn’t need to be sanded, just the ends.
Tie a large piece of rope to each end of the dowl
We’ll be hanging the flower wall (tapestry?) with this rope so make sure it’s nice and tight. You could enforce the knots with a little bit of hot glue if needed, but mine felt pretty sturdy and have held up for a year now.
Tie five pieces of invisible string to the dowel
Try to space the invisible string out as evenly as possible – this is how we’ll be securing the flowers so you want to make sure they look even. Tying the string was a little tricky since mine was stretchy, so you might have to double or triple knot it.
Space out your flowers and tie them to the string
Tying the flowers on was a little difficult with the string since it’s slightly stretchy, so I made sure to do a couple of knots to make sure it was secure. I also found that it was easier to leave longer “tails” so I could trim them after I was done with the knots.
Hot glue the knots
I wasn’t confident with the knots, so I also hot glued them to make sure they didn’t unravel. You can skip the knot part if you wanted, but the knots made the flowers more moveable.
Add in leaves and other details
I didn’t want to only do flowers for the flower wall, so I also added in leaves and faux ferns. This added a lot of interest to the flower wall and also made it look more realistic. I didn’t want it to just be orange and yellow flowers hanging off of the walls, so I’m really glad I added the leaves in!
Let me know on Instagram if you end up making this flower wall! It’s an easy way to brighten up your home, and it’s also simple and cheap to make. I hope you like how it turned out!
Dear Senior Year,
How do I even start this letter off? I went through so much this past school year, and you really taught me a lot, Senior Year. I finished up my degree in International studies with minors in English and European Studies and it felt like the busiest year yet. Not only was I finishing my classes, but I also had to figure out where to live after graduating and find a job when my status of “student” would no longer be accurate.
Senior Year, I hated you and loved you all at once. I hated that you were difficult and demanding and put me through so much, but I also love you for it because I grew so much as a person. I loved that you reaffirmed my belief that it would all be okay in the end if I tried my hardest and kept my eyes set on my goals, and that you provided the time for me to travel a little bit and see the people I love the most.
It’s insane how different you were from my senior year of high school. I thought I would feel similar to how I did four years ago – excited to be done with school and ready to start my new adventure. There were many nights full of tears, however. Tears about all the unknowns in my life, and tears for all of the comforts of being a student I would be leaving behind. I didn’t realize how much I love school and learning, or how upset I’d be leaving it behind (for now). It’s scary leaping out into a world that’s so unfamiliar. The “real world” some call it, but I kind of hate it when people say that.
Nothing about college hasn’t been “real” and I feel that name discredits all the hard work students put into their studies, jobs, clubs, or anything else they do. All of those things count in the post-school world, but people seem to think that it’s all child’s play or that it isn’t really hard work. It is, and students have to balance a lot. That’s not to say you don’t have to balance a lot when it comes time to starting your career, but Senior Year, you taught me to value my experience of being a student and all that comes with it.
Life post-college will be about growth and figuring out further who I am. It’s filled with a lot of uncertainty but also a lot of excitement now that I’ve gone through graduation, and that I’ve mourned the loss of you, Senior Year. You came and went much too quickly, and it left me with whiplash. I frantically tried to enjoy the year while balancing everything else in my life, and was desperate to feel like I didn’t miss out on anything. Through all of that, you showed me who my real friends are, and aren’t. It stung, but I realized that not all relationships are healthy or worth the time and effort I could be spending on the ones that are healthy and fulfilling. This made me happier in the end, and I’ve learned even more about myself.
College started with me moving to a place where I knew no one, and it’s ending with me having found a community I love. People were brought into my life that I had no idea about before, and now they’ve become the largest parts in it, and I couldn’t be more grateful to have them. Senior Year, I’ll never forget all the trials, lessons, or rewards you brought into my life. I hope that the future is filled with even more, and I know I’m even better prepared for it because of you.
Love,
Kendra