Ohhh, the Outfit of the Day!

I’m having so much fun experimenting with my outfits lately! I’m trying to piece random items, colors and prints that I’d never wear together. Today I decided mint green and navy look great together, especially with a touch of my favorite – leopard!  As far as I’m concerned, leopard print is a staple that must be in everyone woman’s closet - it’s just fun and sassy!!

 

 

My sleeveless, navy chiffon dress is from Forever 21 and my leopard print belt is from Express.  The tan boots I got for a steal two years ago at Steve Madden. My mint bag is a recent purchase from Frock Candy, and I LOVE the gold stud detail at the bottom. The mint and gold bangle I found at one of my favorite local boutiques called Blink, and the earrings were a gift from a friend. 

...the accessories...

 

“The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize.” –Claree, Steel Magnolias

I like to pick out my outfits the night before to save myself time in the mornings… and as I put all these pieces on I looked in the mirror thinking hmmmm does this really go? And that’s been my problem with fashion that past few years. I always second guess myself and opt for a safer choice that’s more common… where is the fun in that? Don’t doubt yourself. Express your personality through your wardrobe even if society says it’s not in style, or some old fashion rule states you shouldn’t. 
 

To spice up my bun, I also added this little flower-print, mustache hair pin.  Isn’t it cute? Another steel from Forever 21 for only $2!

 

I hope you have a lovely evening. And you know that article of clothing collecting dust in your closet… the one you look at every day but don’t wear it because you’re afraid to match it with something??… ROCK IT tomorrow ;)

kara.michelle 
"A leader has the vision and conviction that a dream can be achieved. He inspires the power and energy to get it done." -Ralph Lauren

DIY Kate Spade Inspired Place Setting

Last Friday I mentioned I was working on my own Kate Spade inspired place setting for my formal dining room. I was able to finish up these little pretties over the weekend and I LOVE them... However, I made a opsie on my prior post!! Rather than a gold colored Sharpie, I used an actual gold paint pen. It had more of a metallic finish that I was looking for in comparison to the Sharpie. The white plates were purchased from the Dollar Tree (they are so versatile, go pick up a set and get creative!!), as well as the 3-hole reinforcement stickers.

Just apply the stickers in a random design to your liking, and color inside the interior circles with the paint pen.

I allowed mine to dry overnight and then carefully peeled back the labels. Then the next day, I baked them in the oven for 30 mimutes at 250 degrees to ensure the paint cured. 

Here is a picture of my inspiration.  Again, this is the Kate Spade "Ticker" collection: 

And here is how mine came out :) ...

I paired the plates over gold chargers from Michaels, and added two napkins that I got on clearance from Pier 1 a few weeks back. One is a slate green color that matches the walls of the room, and the other is a cream and gold silk print.  I LOVE the end result! I'm already brewing up ideas to change out my napkin holder for the upcoming holidays. I will probably make a cream and gold pumpkin for Thanksgiving, and a sparkly gold reindeer for Christmas. Wouldn't that be so cute!?

By the way readers, have you noticed with each blog post I share one of my favorite quotes? I love reading quotes from others, it's so inspirational and it's like you are actually hearing their personality through their words. I hope you are enjoying them as much as I do.
 
Check back later this evening for my ootd!

XO
kara.michelle
"She mixes her matches and experiments with color." ~ Kate Spade

REVEAL - China Hutch Makeover

Helloooooooo everyone,

I'm super excited to REVEAL my new Wine Bar!  A few weeks back, I gave a sneak peek of this project with a step by step chalk paint tutorial via:

http://www.karamichelledesigns.blogspot.com/2013/08/china-hutch-makeover-into-wine-bar.html

Here again is the Before...

AND HERE SHE IS NOW....!! 

I'm really glad I decided to take out that center door... love seeing my wine corks in the apotherapy jar, and my favorite glasses as the focal  point!

 

I'm considering installing a lighting unit under this overhang. It's the perfect size to hide the hardware and I can easily drill a small hole in the back of the unit for the cables.  



 

 

The leftover blue & gold damask wallpaper I had from the entry makeover worked perfect as lining for the interior of the pull out drawers. 

 

 

This piece really has so much space, but I didn't want to pack it too full... to me, the more simplistic the better!

 

 

I am really looking forward to my next chalk paint furniture project!  It just goes on so easily and it's so forgiving.  

 

This week I have a lot of fun DIY projects, new cookie recipes and some more outfits of the day to post. 

 

So until next time friends, cheers to the new wine bar!

 

kara.michelle

"Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day  that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein."  ~ H. Jackson Brown

Good morning Friday! OOTD and a DIY Kate Spade Place Setting Tutorial

Good morning Friday!!!!!

Hello loves, it’s been quite a week and I couldn’t be happier today is Friday. I’m a tad bummed out today as we were anticipating a slight cool front to arrive this weekend but the weather patterns altered and now it’s no longer coming to visit. By the way, a cool front late September in Nola means instead of 95 degrees, it will be around 85 degrees. Hey, every degree counts right?!

I probably look a little silly to some in my scarf and skinny jeans with this heat, but let's be honest - me, care about what others think?  Yea, not so much ;)

For my outfit today, I paired red skinnys with a flowy-oversized black off the shoulder tee and added my favorite leopard print scarf. Since I'll be running around all day, my tan and black studded flats were the perfect shoe. I think it's the perfect casual Friday outfit to transition into fall.   

 

 

This weekend I'm attempting my very first pallet-wood sign and I'm super excited about it. I feel like the possibilities with pallet wood creations are endless, but the most challenging part is dismantling the wood without the pieces snapping in half... Well good news - I conquered this task last night with great success and will share my helpful hints later this weekend with the reveal of my first sign!  Stay tuned ;)

 

Another recent project I'm super pumped about is my Kate Spade inspired, polka dot place setting. I came across this adorable place setting a few weeks ago while looking for inspiration for my new dining room table setup. I was growing tired of seeing an empty wood table and wanted to add some glam for the upcoming holidays. How cute is this design? Gotta love some KS.

 

Unfortuatnely, it also had a cute price tag, and I just wasn't willing to splurge on them, especially because I like to re-do the table setting so frequently. But then I thought... with a gold Sharpie and those tiny 3-hole punched paper sticker preservers, I could surely recreate this design myself. 

 

I headed to my local Dollar Tree and picked up a set of 8 white ceramic plates. I also found the paper hole sticker presevers as well. It's crazy what you can find anymore at the Dollar Tree, I love it! I purchased a fine tip Gold Sharpie from my local craft store for $2.

 

I really wanted each plate to be slightly unique.... have the same style and compliment one another, but not look like a mass produced set. So I sporadically placed the stickers on each plate and began coloring in the interior circles using my Sharpie.  I allowed them to dry overnight, and the next morning I carefully pealed back the stickers. 

 

Today I plan on baking them in my oven for about 30 minutes. This is to ensure the gold color preserves and won't fade during washes.  I can't wait to share the end result with you!

 

Hope you enjoyed and that I brought you some inspiration!  Have a wonderful and creative weekend everyone!

 

kara.michelle

"Be so good, they can't ignore you." ~ Steve Martin 

Have a case of the Mondays? Check out this White Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe!

Hello world!
I can’t believe the weekend is over and it’s already Monday again…. Blah! My internet was out the entire weekend, so I was unable to share this easy recipe with you all yesterday. If you follow me on instagram, I hope you enjoyed the sneak peek picture last night. I snapped it just before cutting the first delicious slice ;)  So as promised, here is the list of ingredients and easy step by step process! 

Crust:

1 cup of Walnuts, grinded
1 ½ cup of crushed gram crackers
4 tbsp melted butter

Cheesecake:

2 packets of cream cheese (room temperature)
2 eggs (room temperature)
6 tbsp of brown sugar
1 cup white chocolate chip morsels
½ can pumpkin pie filling
¼ tsp cloves
½ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pulse walnuts and gram crackers into food processor until smooth.  Place the mixture into your pie pan and pour the melted butter on top, mixing them completely.  I find it helpful to take the bottom of a small coffee mug and gently press the mixture around the pan.  This will help ensure there are no cracks in your base and will help apply the mixture evenly throughout the pan.  Set aside. 

With a mixer, blend the 2 packets of cream cheese and the 6 tablespoons of brown sugar until the mix is smooth.  Add in the 2 eggs and continue to mix on a slow pace until the eggs have mixed completely into the cream cheese.  Turn off your mixer once the eggs have completely mixed. 

Next, melt the cup of white chocolate until smooth.  When mixing such a small amount, I don’t bother pulling out a double broiler.  If you use a wide coffee mug and heat the chocolate slowly in the microwave, it should melt just fine.  My perfect chocolate melting instructions in the microwave are: 30 seconds, take out and stir; 15 seconds, take out and stir;  10 seconds, take out and stir.  At this point, my cup of chocolate always comes out perfectly smooth and melted. Each microwave will vary, so take with precaution and ensure you do short heating intervals so the chocolate doesn’t scorch. 

Pour the melted chocolate into your mixer, and turn the mixer on low to medium speed.  Then add ½ a can of pumpkin pie filling and continue mixing.  Follow by adding in your seasonings – the cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon.  Allow this mixture to set for 10 minutes until pouring into your pie pan. 

Carefully pour the mixture into your pie pan, and once complete, slightly giggle the pan back and forth in a turning motion to help level out the mixture. 

Bake the pie for 30 minutes, or until the center is firm to the touch.  Allow the cheesecake to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate.  I allowed mine to refrigerate for approximately 3 hours – and it was perfect! 

Since I had left over white chocolate, I decided to get creative and make heart shaped white chocolate appliques to apply to the cheesecake… of course, with rainbow sprinkles ;)   This is such an EASY way to add décor to any of your baked goods.  Simply melt the chocolate and carefully pour into a small Ziploc bag.  Snip one of the corners and outline onto wax paper whatever shape your heart desires.  I find hearts to be the easiest and they are always a sweet adder.  Get really creative by typing letters or outlines of more challenging figures, print and lay underneath your wax paper.  It will serve as a guide and help you make your pieces perfecto!

Next step.... Enjoy!

'til next time my friends.

kara.michelle
"Adopt the pace of nature. Her secret is patience." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Happy Friday Everyone!

Ahhh, the weekend is finally here.  Are you as relieved as I am?? 

I love my Friday afternoons and today I’m antsy to get over to Bath & Body Works as they have put their 3-wick candles on sale 2 for $22! They are normally $20 each and you can typically use the $10 off a $30 purchase coupon on top of that so I end up paying $35 for FOUR of these amazing candles. Not too shabby of a deal, eh? They have rolled out their Fall scents, and I highly recommend Leaves. It smells like a cool walk in the park with a side cup of cider. Sweater Weather is also a favorite of mine but I find it’s not as strong as Leaves. Go check them out!

Also starting today, Michaels is having a HUGE sale on seasonal items - fall stems, pumpkins and storage baskets are all marked 50% off, and all clearance items are an additional 50% off. Remember my steal at Michaels a couple weeks ago, Oliver the Owl? He's only $4 now! I can't wait to dig through the clearance bins and see what trinket I find to revamp and add to my home.

My patience for this sale has paid off because this weekend I plan to create pumpkin topiaries for my front entry. I'm debating on leaving the pumpkins simple and cream-colored, or if I should add some type of letter applique to spell out "Welcome"... what do you think?

The great thing about building your own pumpkin topiaries, is that you can use them from September through Thanksgiving. All you have to do is keep them simplistic in September as we ease into the fall, in October, add a witch hat or some fuzzy black spider decor, and then when Thanksgiving rolls around, add some corn stacks or scarecrows.  I'm loving all the possibilities, and this is a really easy DIY project.

I hope you enjoyed and that I left you with some fun weekend project inspiration! 

Enjoy your weekend everyone! XOXOXO

kara.michelle
"If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves." ~Thomas Edison

Throw Back Thursday – Wall Stencil Tutorial

In honor of TBT, I decided to share a tutorial on my recent damask-stenciled hallway walls.  Stenciling truly scared me and so I hesitated for months not giving it a try.  I wish I would have done it sooner because I LOVE how my walls came out and it was such an easy, affordable project.  First and most importantly – while I considered my first stencil project easy, stencils are extremely tedious, so take that into consideration when you are selecting the wall(s) in your home and the amount of coverage you are wanting to achieve.  This isn’t an application you want to complete in a day.  You are going to want to take your time and ensure the stencil is level and your pattern is perfectly symmetrical. And if you are wondering, Yes, I am a perfectionist. It's really annoying...

Anyway, it’s also really important you carefully choose your color schemes, and have the proper tools on hand.  My hallway was already painted a muted gray tone, and since it oddly complimented the gold and cream throughout the downstairs living area I knew I didn’t want to change it.  I decided an iridescent pearl tone would give a touch of sparkly glam and wouldn’t overpower the rest of my home décor.  Your local craft stores should have plenty of wall stencils to choose from.  I purchased a damask print from the Martha Stewart collection at Michaels.  Since I wanted the pattern to have a little “glisten”, I purchased a metallic acrylic paint also from the Martha Stewart collection at Michaels called Mother of Pearl. 

OK… so Supplies you will need are:

-Stencil
-Paint
-Foam Roller Brush (I buy packs of 4 at the Dollar Tree!)
-Painters Tape
-Pencils
-Mini Leveler

Once you have selected the area you’d like to stencil, start on one side of the wall at the very base.  Use your baseboard to set the stencil and then use the leveler to ensure the entire piece is straight.  Apply tiny strips of the painters paint along each side of the stencil, and then again at the top.  Most of the stencils come with grid lines on the sides, top and bottom piece that will help align the pattern, so use those little helpers as your guide!  I found it helpful to place a tiny dash in pencil on my wall to help for the next stencil alignment. 

After you’ve ensure the stencil is level and applied your paint strips to hold the stencil into place, carefully begin to cover the full stencil with paint using your mini roller brush.  Place your fingers along the top of the stencil to add some additional support and friction against the brush strokes just to ensure your stencil doesn’t begin to slide around.  Don’t push on the stencil forcefully, as you will cause the paint to creep out of the stencil lines and create a huge mess!  Ensure the paint covers every tiny cut-out of the stencil – I missed a few corners on a couple applications and had to go back.  I do not recommend this, so as I stated earlier – take your sweet time…

 

I didn’t allow the paint to dry before removing my stencil.  I carefully peeled it off the wall and immediately reset on top of the lower painted area, again using the pencil markers and the leveler to ensure it stayed perfect.

I was super excited to be on my last little corner and decided to snap a picture… gorgeous, right!?

 

 

There are SO many stencils out there, it’s easy to become addicted.  A few weeks after this project, I actually cut one of the stencil strips in half, and painted one of the damask medallions on top of each door frame in the hallway.  It really balanced out the stenciled wall and gets a lot of compliments ;)

Here is a peek of how the wall currently looks after I applied some wedding photos.  By the way, these photos were taken by http://www.studio337photo.com/ - check out her work, the pictures are stunning!!

I hope you enjoyed!  Stay tuned for some fun posts this weekend ;)

kara.michelle
"It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are" ~ E. E. Cummings

The Owl Craze... Hoooo knew?

Lately I’ve become infatuated with Owls.  Everywhere you look, it seems you can find one of these googly-eyed majestic birds staring back at you.  From fashion, home décor and textiles, to cookware the Owl has taken up residence.   

I'm lovin' these fall fashions featuring our friend the Owl...

A couple weeks ago while rummaging through the clearance aisle at Michaels, I came across this cute little guy and knew he'd be an adorable accent on my new wine bar.  He was originally $29 but was marked 70% off, so I ended up paying only $8! Thanks Michaels ;)

Isn't he cute?  I named him Oliver the Owl.

Here's a great idea for an Owl inspired cupcake, perfect for a back-to-school classroom treat or an office party favor.  Look closely - all you need to achieve this adorable Owl face is a bag of Oreos and a pack of Reese pieces.  Simply twist one Oreo in half and place the icing face up.  Then apply two brown or yellow Reeses pieces ontop of the Oreo icing.  TIP: to ensure these don't fall out of place, dap a speck of your cupcake frosting onto the Reeses before applying to the Oreo icing.  Finally, add an orange Reese piece for the Owl's nose.  Easy, peasy!

These next few pictures were just too cute not to share.  I'm really loving the Caffeinated Owl Chart and just might print this out to place next to my coffee station. 

I hope you enjoyed.  "Owl" be back soon!

 

 

kara.michelle

"A wise old owl sat on an oak. The more he saw, the less he spoke. The less he spoke, the more he heard. Now why can't we all be like that ole' bird?" ~Mother Goose

Pretty Pumpkins!

We are already into the second week of September, and I can’t wait for the weather to transition.  This is my favorite time of year and I’m getting inspired by all my neighbors who are already setting out their pumpkin décor!  It won’t be long until we are in boots, sipping pumpkin spiced lattes and breathing in the comforting smell of a barn fire… did you just breathe in a long deep breathe and exhale ahhhhhhhhhh at the thought? ;)



 My fall Favorites… 

I’ve had the same pumpkin decorations for a few years now, and I decided it was time to spruce them up a bit.  I already knew I wanted to do away with the traditional orange pumpkins, and stick with a glittery gold and creamy white for my generic fall décor.  This way I can place them in the dining area later this year for Thanksgiving dinner and it will have a more formal look.  I have some Mother of Pearl from the Martha Stewart Crafts acrylic paint line on hand, some left over metallic gold spray paint, and of course some gold glitter ;) I can't wait to transform my faded, orange pumpkins into glitterly glam pumpkins! 





Check out these photos that served as my inspiration:









Mixing patterns always gives a wow factor!  These would look great on a fireplace mantle. TIP: To get a perfect circle before modge podging glitter onto the pumpkin, take the bottom of a glace and trace the outline in pencil.  Next, apply the modge podge with a thin paint brush and sprinkle the glitter immediately afterwards.  It's always best to spray a sealant after the glittler completely dries.

  

This styrofoam base pumpkin has been converted into a candle holder, perfect for an intimate dining room centerpiece! TIP: Use an Xacto knife to get a smooth edge, then place in a glass candle votive to prevent the wax from entering the actual pumpkin cavity.  Be careful not to make the cavity too deep or wide, as most styrofoam pumpkins are hollow.  Instead, make an angle while cutting the cavity to allow the glass votive to “wedge into place”. 

 

 

I can’t wait to try a cream and gold ombre affect.  This mint green one is too cute!

If you love fresh flowers as much as I do, I’m sure you’ll appreciate this next beauty.  I can’t wait to purchase some mums and place these into white pumpkins on my front porch. TIP:  If you plan to do this with a potted pot, make sure you measure your pumpkin before purchasing your flowers!  Most seasonal plants will sell in pint, quart, and 1 gallon pot sizes.  The pint size will have a 4” circumference, the quart with have a 6” circumference, and a gallon will be at 8”. 

 

My outdoor lighted, jack o lantern pumpkins are extremely faded from the sun and I’m considering painting them as well.  But since it’s still September, I need to behave an hold those guys in the attic a few more weeks...  Well, at least until it’s not 100 degrees outside, right?

 

This month I'll be sharing TONS of Autumn inspired recipes, DIY projects and interior design layouts.  If you have a special request, please be sure to email me at: karamjsanchez@gmail.com.  I would LOVE to hear from you!

 

By the way... have you indulged in a Pumpkin Spiced Latte from Starbucks yet??  They are back, so go treat yourself.  You deserve it ;) 

 

kara.michelle

“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers” ~ Anne of Green Gables

Blog Lovin'

Hey there!

Check out my new link on BlogLovin' and help me get some followers!
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Shout out to my girl Marcy B at http://sweetmagnoliachic.wordpress.com/ for helping me get use to the blog world.  Isn't her blog lovely!? 

Stay tunned... I've been painting and crafting and have LOTS of exciting things to post this week.

P.S. Happy Monday!

~kara.michelle
"You are never too old to set another goal, or to dream a new dream" ~C. S. Lewis