Dorm Decor + DIYs!

"Crafts!"  "DIYs!"  These two words are some of my favorite.  Combine those with "dorm decor"...and I go crazy.  The past few days have been dedicated to dorm shopping with the bestie and the Mom.  I first needed the essentials that I didn't have/needed to replace from last year.  The laundry hamper bit the dust long before the year ended.  A new backpack...school supplies...water bottle.  Sounds like I'm in middle school, not college.  OH WELL!  Starting off the year right with these fun adventures makes the coming school year feel a little less daunting.  But the best part of it all is that I am going to be able to have a futon under my loft in my room this year.  Yay!  But something that I quickly found out is that the much needed pillows to spice it up are quite pricey...especially with how many I wanted.  Not to mention the struggle of finding ones that I really liked.

My theme for the new school year is MINIMALISM!  I learned the hard way last year that it is ridiculous to bring your entire bedroom with you.  This year, I'm moving into a much smaller room and so keeping everything to a minimum is imperative.  Plus it's fun!  I love a good challenge.  After I move in, I will try to write a post with pictures to see how I pull it off...fingers crossed.

As of right now, I completed a few DIYS.  There are two that I am extremely excited about and proud of how they turned out.  I first need to give the disclaimer that I have never sewn before on a machine.  This was a first and now I think I'm addicted! 

PILLOWS! 

My mom was invaluable in this process.  We went to Hobby Lobby together and looked at fabric and figured out everything that I would need.  I went the easy route with these.  I just sewed up the edges except for a little hole and stuffed away (definitely the most monotonous part of the process.)  Then, I sewed the hole up by hand and voila!  I was done.  I feel like I should mention that I started this process at about 11:30pm with the full intention of making only one, but I couldn't stop!  Needless to say, I had completed everything except stuffing the biggest pillows at 4:30am.  NO REGRETS!

The bigger pillows in the back are 20x20 inches.  I asked for a total of 1 1/3 yards of that fabric and then just cut it in half myself. 

These beauties are both 14x14.  I love the pop of color with the coral stripes.  And gold arrows...you can't get more basic than that!  I asked for 5/8 of a yard for both fabrics and went from there.

This little one is my pride and joy.  I actually made it out of a burlap bag at Hobby Lobby!  I cut off the top and bottom, sewed them up and stuffed!  So easy and I saved so much money.  It is the perfect completing piece to this quintet.  (#MusicNerdReference)

To complete my "DIYing" adventures, I made my own little succulent decor.  I have always loved these but didn't have the $50 to buy them at West Elm.  I went to Goodwill and found a dish for $2.  I then got some acrylic gold paint and $15 worth of succulents from Walmart.  And this turned into this...

I still need to actually plant them.  I'm going to lay some rocks down first to make sure that it will keep everything airy under there and then place potting soil and the plants on top.  I'm so excited to have something living in my room with me.  (I was contemplating a fish for awhile there.)

I hope that you enjoyed reading about my adventures.  I will try to keep doing post like this as I progress with moving into my dorm.

Life Update-July 2015

So I'm back! 

  
I feel like the second I got this blog started, everything got in the way of staying consistent.  But hopefully distractions will no longer get in the way.  Since my last post, I have gone to two music camps in remote areas of the US and met so many incredible, new friends and mentors.  As I said in my bio on this blog, I am a music performance major.  That means that during the summers, "school" doesn't end for me.  Throughout the year, I research different music camps that will allow me to grow as a musician both by myself and with others.  This year I went to a week long viola intensive program in Indiana.  I stayed in a restored 18th century mansion with 6 other violists practicing, having lessons with the instructor, and playing for each other.  

After that, I went to a 3 week music camp on an island off of Wisconsin...which is where I just got back from.  Talk about gorgeous.  The island was so remote with the tiniest town ever in the middle of Lake Superior.  Many afternoons were spent on the dock trying to get some sun and collecting the courage to jump into the icy blue water.  When we weren't having free time, I was practicing, having rehearsals with my incredible quartet, and having coachings, lessons, and masterclasses with the amazing faculty members.  It was an incredible growing experience.  It is always good to get outside your tiny little bubble in your hometown and see what is really out there, competition and all.  I also made some incredible friends who I hope I will be able to see again in the future and remain in contact with.  

The aftermath of these adventures has left me happy to be back home, inspired, and sick...(too many late nights chatting away the hours.)  Next on the summer agenda is taking a family vacation down to see my grandparents in Virginia next weekend.  It's been so long since I've seen them and am very excited that they will be able to meet my fiance for the first time.  After that comes job searching!  Yay!  But seriously, I'm excited to get back into the real world and start making steps towards an incredible future.  Call me crazy, but I'm actually excited about my next year in college.  I have a good feeling that so much is on the horizon.