CasaCullen

DIY: First Look - Great Homemade Kid's Halloween Costume Ideas

So with Halloween right around the corner, we have no idea what we're going to be. We've been invited to a party (yay!) so we'll have to think of something hilarious/witty that includes the bump. Which, by the way, is growing so much lately. Unfortunately little Zola isn't invited to the party, but we'll be sure to dress her up in her costumes all week long. I think she has about ten different tiny puppy costumes, no joke. It's because they all go on super sale after the holiday and I just can't resist scooping up those teenie tiny pup ensembles.

So do share, what are you dressing up as? Maybe this will give you some added creative ammo for your costume or your kiddo's look. LOVE THESE! They all just make me smile because they are absolutely adorable but also because they're all homemade. Love me some DIY or borrowed/second-hand costumes. And all these lil' toddler looks make us both look forward to many years of dressing up a lil' bubba too.

Ok, no post would be complete without a bit of a personal peek either. Thought I'd share my Momma's amazing skills for making homemade costumes back in the day. I also love how we'd recycle them over the years as numerous lil' nuggets would wear the same thing again (ie: cavemen/women) to offset costs. Seriously, she was green before green was cool. Don't laugh too loud at me, bwah haw!

Cave Lady Babies...I look skeered and my older sis, Brittany, looks adorable!

Mom, seriously...how pimp is my clown ensemble? Even sporting my Dad's massive Nike kicks! Also, Britt's gypsy is totally adorable too.

We were quite the circus, that's the truth. I was the Ringleader, Britt was the acrobat and baby Beckett (complete with his Curious George stuffed animal) rounded out the crew as a baby leopard/cat. Doesn't my Mom have mad homemade/DIY Halloween costume making skills? PS - Sorry, but I have absolutely no idea who is behind that clown mask, ha!

Lastly, greening our Halloween by reusing the Cave Baby look...Beckett is ready to bop any innocent bystander on the head, ha! I'm a hula girl and Britt is an awesome piece of pizza. I can remember her (Britt) making this costume, it rocked!

Costume Swap: Also, if you're in the market for swapping out some of your older costumes for another option, click HERE to find a swap in your area!

Adorable DIY Costumes from Parenting.com:

Armadillo

Bumble Bees

Chocolate Chip Cookie

DJ Lance Rock from Yo Gabba Gabba

Litter Bug

Little Red Riding Hood

Lil' Lollipop Guild

Max from Where the Wild Things Are

Referee

Sock Monkey

Thing 1 and Thing 2

UPS Man

Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

Images/check out more toddler costume ideas HERE

First Look: DIY - How to Better Organize Your Home with Pieces You May Already Own

Make Your Own Charging Station

A shadow box converted into a charging station keeps cell phones, cameras, iPods, and all their power cords untangled and orderly.

How to make it: Find a shadow box wall shelf with an open back. Use hook-and-loop tape to attach a power strip to the back of the shadow box. Plug chargers into the power strip. Cut a piece of foam-core board to fit the inside of the cube and cover with decorative paper. Slide into the shelf to hide the power strip, feeding charger cords under foam-core board. (If necessary, cut small notches in the bottom of the foam-core board for the cords to sneak under.) Plug in electronics and set on the shelf.

Make a Ladder Shelf

An old ladder extends storage space and adds vintage charm.

How to make it: Give a ladder a fresh coat of paint. Add old vent grates to each rung and simply screw them into place.

Corral Your Art Supplies

A chic and inexpensive way to store pencils and pens.

How to make it: Use hook-and-loop tape to wrap ordinary paint or soup cans in leftover wallpaper scraps.

Create a Central Message Center

An information center on the inside of a kitchen cabinet that keeps track of kid's schedules, grocery lists, coupons, and other small items.

How to make it: Cover the back side of a cabinet door with chalkboard paint or apply peel-and-stick chalkboard. Screw pegboard over another panel and store small items from hooks.

Terra Cotta Pots Upcycle as Great Bath Accessory Holders

A fast and fashionable way to keep small bath accessories organized.

How to make it: Give plain terra-cotta flowerpots a lively coat of hot pink paint and swirl rub-on accents (found with the scrapbooking supplies) for added interest.

Cigar Box Recipe Index

A cigar-box turned recipe card holder.

How to make it: Find cigar boxes at flea markets and online auction sites. Add drawer pulls to the boxes and stash them on a ledge or in an old produce crate outfitted with plywood shelves.

Make Your Own Toy Storage Bench

A kid-friendly way to store just about anything.

How to make it: Add bun feet to an upper kitchen cabinet and top with a seat cushion in a durable fabric or vinyl.

Make a DIY Yard Stick Coat Rack

A clever way to turn yardsticks into a functional coat rack.

How to make it: Attach five yardsticks together. Add hooks and hang where needed.

 

Upcycle an Old Chair Into a Bathroom Shelf

A repurposed unused chair turned into a useful wall-mounted towel rack and shelf.

How to make it: Remove the seat and legs of an old chair and mount it to the wall. Hang towels and other bathroom essentials.

Use Old Wooden Hangers for Inventive Coat Rack

Hangers and plank convert to a coat rack.

How to make it: Start with four hangers and a plank of wood and simply attach hangers to the plank.

 

Want to see more weekend storage DIY projects? Click HERE for 33 (including many of these) from BHG!

First Look: Lonny Mag's 2011 Sept/Oct Issue and Highlighted Interior Inspiration

The September/October issue of Lonny Mag is here and we can't wait to share some of our favorite features with you. This issue is chock-full of great design ideas and interior inspiration. Read below for more on our faves and check out the entire issue HERE. Also, we love checking out their blog too, so make sure to click HERE for that!

We love to head to Ten Thousand Villages to obtain pieces that totally fall under this category. 

We love that they've incorporated some runway looks into their furnishing inspiration. We used to do that HERE, which reminds us, we're way overdue for one of those posts again.

You know we love trying our hand at a new recipe and this Tuscan and White Bean Garlic Soup from Giada is perfect for fall. We can't wait to try it out!

Color palette, wall paper, bright orange and a peacock...yeah, I pretty much love it all!

That butterfly display would look amazing in a little girls room!

Lime green, coral and turquoise are one of my favorite color trios/combinations.

Now that we have crisp stripes under our belt (HERE) we can't wait to add some to other areas of our home...maybe a bathroom?

Bold prints combined don't look overdone or out of sorts...they actually look right at home in the left image! It inspires me to be more daring!

Can I please climb into this picture and just cozy up and read a good book!

Lonny is giving it's readers a 'how-to' on that mirrored wall on their blog so be sure to check it out via our link above. I also love these super dark walls paired with touches of white.

DIY wall art ideas abound!

Florals + animal prints = a chic new combo!

Sure, why not use world map wallpaper in your powder room! LOVE THIS!

This entrance display is so inviting and I have to admit that I'm a sucker for anything 'shark' so that massive jaw had me right away! I know one lil' Bubs that I'm sure would love having that in his room, ha!

First Look: Interior Inspiration - Decorate on a Dime for Fall

We recently talked about some DIY projects HERE that would be perfect to tackle this fall. But many weren't even fall themed. Today's post has fall written all over it! I love fall...love it! The smell of it is something I yearn for, is that weird? No really, it totally has a smell to me. Here's some fun decor ideas you could whip up in an afternoon that will surely keep you smiling all fall long.

Spray paint mini pumpkins for instant chic. Pop them on top of candle sticks or cake plates for a glam and quick centerpiece idea.

Press a large fern branch and place it in front of your favorite book page or dictionary page. Decoupage the branch to the page and then frame it proudly.

 

Fresh apples can spruce up any decor. Put them in a huge bowl as a great centerpiece option or line them up in bunches (in baskets) on your mantel. We also love using them as a makeshift candle holder in an oversized hurricane vase, above.

Step right outside and scoop up your favorite fallen branches with brightly colored leaves. Pop those babies in a floor vase or big white vase (like the above) for an added pop of fall color.

Forget ordinary place cards! Use small pumpkins to jazz up your fall tablescapes by using a push pin to hold name card on pumpkin.

Easy loop corn husks (insert eye hook) and cobs on a piece of twine for an easy and note-worthy fall garland.

Use a trio of small pumpkins for the easiest candle holding display ever. Fill the container with rocks, beans or holiday nuts!

Sometimes easier means upping the chic ante. In this case, it's true! Use fallen leaves and  velvet ribbon to wrap cloth napkins (you already know we're a huge fan HERE) for your fall table setting.

This is a super kid-friendly project...press colorful leaves and then hang them from a ribbon in front of your favorite brightly colored wooden frame. Love this!

 

Use mini pumpkins as table cloth weights for a memorable touch that your guests won't forget.

Images from HERE

First Look: Interior Inspiration - Wallpapered Accent Wall

My Mom and I were recently exchanging emails and I was telling her how we were throwing around the idea of a wallpapered accent wall in Baby Boy's nursery. We've been talking about it since we first found out we were preggers but just weren't sure what 'look' we wanted. We've had two rolls of $50 wallpaper from Restoration Hardware that we, of course, scored at the outlet for $1.99 a roll a year ago. We were actually thinking about using it to line the shelves above our basket system in the tv room (see it HERE, the first pic) but have since decided to add an accent wall in lil' bub's nursery.

My Mom was also wanting/thinking about doing an accent wallpapered wall to her/their gorgeous dining room so I told her I'd pull a few inspirational images for use to both get going. Sometimes just seeing an image really kicks you in the pants for change. I really think this is a great way to add a huge pop of color and eye catching appeal. I'm a newbie to the world of wallpapering, so I might enlist my Mom's help when she's here for my shower...I think she's a pro at it, after all these years of awesome decor work. Mom, you in? Everyone, check out these images!

Images from HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE

First Look: Interior Inspiration - Lonny Mag's 2011 July/August Issue

Sorry, I'm the biggest blogging slacker ever today! We're actually trying to figure out our, get this, BABY SHOWER date...so I've been on and off the phone and returning emails and it's just taken up so much time! You know, with sweet baby boy Cullen already throwing a wrench in our plans by arriving almost 2 weeks earlier than we thought, that ol' shower date had to be moved up!

Now, I'm happy to hunker down and finally get to today's post which rocks my world. LOVE me some Lonny Magazine! Seriously, if you don't head over and look at their site right now, I just don't know if we can be friends anymore, ha! I'm highlighting some of my fave pages from their spread (there's 287 pages of designer goodness, so be sure to go spy some of your own ideas) that I find inspiring and gorgeous!

PS - Have a safe and wonderful weekend. We'll be gettin' down to business with some mega baby deal hunting at our local outlet mall. Our hope is to get better acquainted with baby 'needs' and 'wants' and really learn what brands/stores we really love! Believe me, if you're a Mom and an avid CasaCullen fan, I will be polling you for your fave baby products sometime next week! Get ready for that, I want your input!

  

Hand painting a rug with those stripes would be a super easy weekend DIY!

You know how much I love statement entryways and these tables ROCK!

One of Gwennie's recipes from her new book...I thought it sounded super fresh and yum for summer!

One day, one day...we will have some outdoor seating element hanging inside our house! I don't know why I'm obsessed with this look, I just am! Hmm, a hammock in baby boy's room?

Florence, one of our fave cities in the world! (on the left)

Love me some Moroccan flair...that pillow on the bottom left, I die!

Santorini...how I'd love to go back there! And their style = impeccable, indeed!

Wall color = supreme! I love really moody rooms like this, though we usually opt for light and bright!

Everything is so EPIC about the left room. The colors, furnishings, splash of gold and white antlers...many of these trends have been over-done but together they just work against that dark/stormy background!

I'm in heaven...this eclectic/boho mix is right up my alley!

Such a great color combo and that huge tufted bench ottoman at the end of the bed...that's precisely what we envision building at the foot of ours! One day!

Stripes but not yikes...cause I adore them! This is totally a thought for the nursery, even if just for ONE WALL! Love this! And these colors would be perfect for a little girls room too, for all those Mothers of daughters out there!

Walt is a huge fan of all white but once we decided kids were in our future, we've realized that it's really not a) economical or b) feasible. But, it's always pretty to look at!

A great idea for a makeshift art collection...you could trade out pieces as you tire of them!

Walt hates ghost chairs and I love them! These stools steal the show for me and he'd just roll his eyes! It's one of those design elements we totally don't agree on!

How easy this would be to do with paint! Stop right at the chair rail and then paint another really thin line above your bottom color...LOVE THIS!

I love how the entire shelving interior of this bookcase is BLACK! So bold and unexpected and it really allows all the whites to pop! A great idea for a bookshelf that's blah or bland in your home!

First Look: Product ALERT - Firepots with Fire Gel Causing Life-Altering Explosions

PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD and PASS THIS POST ALONG for your friends and family!

So I was catching up briefly with my really close girlfriend Jordan yesterday because her younger sister had an alarming status update about thier Mom's best friend. I've met their Mom's best friend Jackie and it asked for prayers for her. Naturally, I picked up the phone and called Jordan to find out what the heck was going on. She said, 'Oh Mo, it's so horrible. It's so tragic and I still can't even believe it!' The story she went on and relayed to me made my stomach church, I nearly got sick (preggers) and my eyes were watering. When I told CC Hubby later that night, his jaw literally hung there. So what the heck happened?

Jackie was out back of her home in South Florida while her husband was about to step into the shower. She was lighting a fire bowl/tiki torch with fire gel (image above) and the whole thing exploded. The gel stuck to her along with the flames attached to it. Her husband heard screams and ran outside to find his wife literally covered in flames. He had his wits about him and pushed her onto the ground, rolling her until the flames were out. Then he stripped her of her clothing (skin coming off with her clothing) and called 911. She's still in a medically induced coma and in critical condition. Thankfully, damage to her face wasn't the most severe area though one of her ears was burned really badly. As I understood it, the majority of the insanely bad burns are to her torso and arms. THIS...IS...HORRIBLE!

So I asked Jordan if this product (commonly sold at Bed, Bath & Beyond) had been recalled or was there any consumer awareness about it's deficiencies and she said she'd send me one article that her Mom had found. HERE'S that article from the New York Times. Have y'all heard anything about this? Well, look at the picture below. Our dear friends gave us a fire pot for Christmas last year and we've literally had it sitting on our dryer for months. We just haven't had the chance to use it yet. Now, just looking at it actually turns my stomach. I mean, obviously our friends had no idea, just like all those hurt in the New York Times article.

So this morning I spent some time googling fire gel, fire pots and fire gel explosions and you wouldn't even believe how many incidents there have been. Check out THIS video and HERE'S more for you Snopes addicts. I think the most important aspect to these explosions is two-fold. A) Don't try to light the fire pot when the temperature of the fire pot (aka: sitting out in the sun for hours) is hot and B) Make sure you realize that once you've lit the fire pot, it's LIT, and don't try again.

Bottom line, just like the video link above...if you do have these fire gel products in your home I really suggest you do all the research necessary if you still really want to use them. As for me and my family, we will never have these products in our house. The gift was so thoughtful but we'll be keeping the 'bowl' and tossing the gel. There's way too much to risk and it's just not worth it. If you're a praying person, please keep Jackie in your prayers. She's a Mother, Wife, friend and such a spirited and joyful woman. Her life changed in the blink of an eye. If we can alert just ONE PERSON via this post to the dangers of fire pots, then we've possibly changed a life in honor of Jackie. We love and adore our readers.

PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD and PASS THIS POST ALONG for your friends and family!

 

First Look: Zappos - Housewares Section

So you've seen all the commercials about Zappos now having a housewares section but I really had to check this out for myself. I needed to dig deep and really spy some deals to be totally on the bandwagon. Why? Because I'm obsessed and love Zappos purchase and returns department. Free shipping both ways...it's always on the house! That's right, this girl has been known to buy 5 pairs of shoes and then decide which pairs to keep and send the rest back. It truly is like having a mail order concierge for F-R-E-E!

So, with that being said, they've opened up their offerings to include housewares and here's 15 great spring/summer finds I thought I'd share with you. Remember, free shipping both ways...so even if you think you'll like it, take that leap! Also, have a wonderful weekend everyone! We adore all our readers so much and are super thankful for each of you!

Click on Images or Links for More Info/to Buy:

Highbury - Whittier Square Mug Set Of 6 (White) - Home $39.00 Lacoste - Sunrise Beach Towel (Multi) - Home $29.99 Emile Henry - Mixing Bowl Set - 2011 Promotion (Citron) - Home $100.00 Cuisinart - SP-2 Rechargable Salt Pepper Mills (Stainless Steel) - Home $59.99 Highbury - Ceramic Fish Pattern Pitcher (Blue) - Home $29.00 Home Source International - Microcotton Sheet Set - King (White) - Home $219.99 Emile Henry - Oil/Vinegar Cruet (Azur) - Home $38.00 Bodum - CEYLON 51 oz. Iced Tea Jug and Water Infuser (Clear) - Home $19.95 Zojirushi - Ms. Bento Stainless Steel Lunch Jar (Stainless Steel) - Home $40.99 Bodum - 11151 BISTRO Electric Hand Mixer (Red) - Home $59.95 Highbury - 16 Handled Serve Bowl (White) - Home $49.00 Highbury - Classic Solid Placemat Napkin Set of 4 (Daffodil) - Home $33.60 BIA Cordon Bleu - Cheese Plate with Knife (Red) - Home $39.00 Rachael Ray - 2-Piece Lazy Spoon and Lazy Ladle (Blue) - Home $21.99 Outset - BBQ Chimney Starter (Stainless Steel) - Home $25.00

First Look: Lonny Mag's 2011 May/June Issue and Highlighted Interior Inspiration Under $100

You know our insane devotion and obsession wiht all things Lonny Magazine so we are pumped to give you a sneak peek at their May/June issue. Click HERE to check it out in its entirety and also make sure to breeze through their new online mag, Trad Home. For the traditionalists out there, we're sure this'll be your new fave! Read on for some of our favorite features and interior inspiration under $100 garnered straight from Lonny's pages.

Serpentine style...I like you, I like you a lot!

I love spying IKEA pieces even in the editor's office! I've always been a huge fan of black, white and yellow. Check out the before in the bottom right corner!

We also love putting together bathroom layouts HERE so when we saw this, we knew we had to share!

Love the serene color palette and the mis-matched frames in this striking gallery.

Bizzare, just yesterday my good girlfriend Carly shot me an email about Serena & Lily and I was oohing and aahing at the imagery on their site HERE. It's totally kiddo stuff, but truly amazing photography editorials like DEDON. Then, today I'm breezing through Lonny and bam, here they are again. These ladies surely know their design and this is a great feature!

I...want...that...headboard! OH my gosh, I'm so in lurve!

More yellow, black and white fun and that floating chair has always been on my dream list.

So you'll never believe me (but ask CC Hubby) I've actually sketched out a book holder very similar to this for our kitchen. I want a place to keep all my cookbooks where they don't take up coveted counter space! I also love this idea for a children's room or a bathroom (for magazines!)

I love butterfly displays. I have one in my office HERE!

Shop these chic hand-picked pieces under $100:

More Pottery Barn...

(Or view them online HERE)

First Look: Lonny Mag's 2011 March/April Issue and Highlighted Interior Inspiration Under $100

The new Lonng Mag is out and we're giving you a first look at our fave features. Man, we just drool over this stuff! If you've never checked it out, it's completely free and online, so HERE it is, g-o! We are also loving their letter from the editor (now in video format, suh-sweet)...the amazing Michelle Adams:

What we love from this issue:

(Click any images to enlarge)

Rosy, floral, seedling goodness has us feeling spring's sunshiney glory and sun rays! Ok, that was a bit too flowery (ha, you lke that, don't ya?) but you get my drift...add some floral touches to your interior decor, pronto!

You know we're suckers for awesome before and afters so these images highlighting an awesome design transformation are worth a second glance.

Yep, these are some drool worthy vignettes...totally caught our eye. It's amazing how just switching out art for mirror (or vice versa) can do wonders for a space.

Again, see ya mirror and hello bright art! Love these...and that Fashion coffee table stunner, cause you know we likey some fash!

Deemed as the most gorgeous building in LA, Stella McCartney's California boutique enthralls.

The more rustic, the more we want to live there. What can we say, we adore chipped paint and layered shabby chic textures!

We're totally eye balling that trio of images on the left...somehow scheming to recreate something similar above our master soaking/garden tub HERE. 

We die for this paint color, bookcase and hidden tv in the middle! Also, look closely, those would be mirrored shelf backs...pimp! We also love the sweet stool duo on the far side of the coffee table and ikat/polka dot pillows make us smile!

Another hidden tv in a master suite, but what caught our eye was a) the gorgeous imagery and b) the idea of dark frames on a dark wall. Doesn't it all just pop? Maybe  an idea to steal. I'd naturally opt for white/light colored frames on a dark wall, we love this idea!

The color palette here is so fresh and unexpected...black & white paired with browns, creams, yellows and kelly green. And how about those twenty amazing prints on the wall...drama, indeed!

Love...everything...about...this! I want it, we want it...done and done!

This entryway steals the show...so many perfectly paired elements we could go on and on and on.

Lastly, an enticing and inviting living room with galleries (on each wall) and statement accessories in bright/bold colors and poufs, we love some sitting poufs!

We spy some similar pieces under $100:

More Crate & Barrel...

(Or view them online HERE)