Posts tagged ‘decorate’

I’ve been lucky enough to photograph not one, but TWO amazing houses lately. Neither of which are mine (I wish!), but they both belong to the loveliest of lovely homeowners, so I’m more than happy to visit.

HOUSE No. ONE | ELISE

The first house I got to crash for a night was Elise’s. Oh man, this girl is a force to be reckoned with. I’ve never met anyone who is quite as efficient as she is (much less, at nine months pregnant!), and her beautiful home is an excellent example of that. Plus, her style! Girl’s got style for days. Here’s her daughter’s adorable nursery that I had the pleasure of shooting:

Elise Blaha Cripe's Nursery | Photo by Ann-Marie Morris
Elise Blaha Cripe's Nursery | Photo by Ann-Marie Morris
Elise Blaha Cripe's Nursery | Photo by Ann-Marie Morris

Elise Blaha Cripe's Nursery | Photo by Ann-Marie Morris
Elise Blaha Cripe's Nursery | Photo by Ann-Marie Morris
Elise Blaha Cripe's Nursery | Photo by Ann-Marie Morris

Elise Blaha Cripe's Nursery | Photo by Ann-Marie Morris

Elise Blaha Cripe's Nursery | Photo by Ann-Marie Morris
Elise + Ann-Marie

HOUSE No. TWO | SARAH

The next amazing house belongs to my good friend Sarah. I had been hearing all about and seeing tons of amazing sneak peeks of her gorgeous new home for months, so to actually visit it in person (and spend the night in her luxurious basement!) was an absolute treat. Her home is UNREAL (although I simply refuse to give up my campaign for her to move to California!).

Sarah Champion's House | Photo by Ann-Marie Morris

Sarah Champion's House | Photo by Ann-Marie Morris
Sarah Champion's House | Photo by Ann-Marie Morris
Sarah Champion's House | Photo by Ann-Marie Morris
Sarah Champion's House | Photo by Ann-Marie Morris
Sarah Champion's House | Photo by Ann-Marie Morris
Sarah Champion's House | Photo by Ann-Marie Morris

See more photos of Elise’s nursery here and Sarah’s house here!

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One of my new favorite shows from this past year is The Mindy Project. I have long been a Mindy Kaling fan, so it was a no-brainer that I would fall for her show. Aside from The Mindy Project’s obvious comedic genius, the set design is KILLER. I always pay greater attention to sets than I do to dialogue, and Mindy’s character’s apartment always has me pausing + rewinding so I can really study her space. (It’s not annoying at all to anyone else watching with me, I promise.)

So being the obsessive person that I am, I did a little interneting and found these photos and interesting set design tidbits from EW:

The Mindy Project Set Design | via Ann-Marie Loves Paper

This walk-in closet is just an extension of Mindy’s amazing bedroom (seriously, you’ll have to watch the show just to see her headboard!). I love her colorful wardrobe + the line of boots below the window sill.

The Mindy Project Set Design | via Ann-Marie Loves Paper

Obviously I’m obsessed with the craft space. According to the set designer, this little nook was constructed to feature ribbons + other embellishments that Mindy’s character would pull from to create a card or decorate a box or pot. And I’m really digging the sofa + pillows at the end of the bed…! LOVE.

The Mindy Project Set Design | via Ann-Marie Loves Paper

Since Mindy’s character is more of a restaurant-goer than an actual cook, the production designer gathered real menus from various NYC eateries and clipped them to the refrigerator. I love how colorful and real this space looks!

P.S. If you haven’t already, you MUST read her ridiculously hilarious book!

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DIY Muffin Tin Planter | Ann-Marie Loves Paper

The other day as I was browsing the shelves of the Goodwill, I spotted this muffin tin + knew instantly that I wanted to turn it into a planter. Once I picked up the muffin tin for $1.50 (50% day – look out!), I swung by Lowes and had a wonderful time picking + choosing my succulents.

Click here to see my Vine video of the planting process!

DIY Muffin Tin Planter | Ann-Marie Loves Paper

To create this planter, you will need:

  • Six succulent plants (I purchased all of mine for less than eight dollars at Lowes)
  • 1 muffin tin (the deeper the cups, the better)
  • Vinyl Bumpers
  • An awl or drill (and drill bit)

DIY Muffin Tin Planter | Ann-Marie Loves Paper

After cleaning the muffin tin as best I could (a good rule of thumb for all thrift finds), I flipped it over and punched drainage holes in all six of the cups using a bookbinding awl. Luckily the tin was super easy to punch through, but if yours is thick, I recommend using a drill with a small bit.

DIY Muffin Tin Planter | Ann-Marie Loves Paper

From there, I added a vinyl bumper to each of the four corners of the tin to allow for proper drainage. This is key if you prefer living plants.

DIY Muffin Tin Planter | Ann-Marie Loves Paper

I then played around with the arrangement of the succulents and placed them in the muffin tin.

DIY Muffin Tin Planter | Ann-Marie Loves Paper

Then I began moving the soil around, adding in a handful of small rocks, and finessing each of the plants to my liking. After that I lightly watered the individual plants and called it good. The thing to remember about succulents is that they require minimal watering. In fact, it’s best if you leave them alone until their soil is completely dry. (You can read even more care + keeping tips here!)

DIY Muffin Tin Planter | Ann-Marie Loves Paper

So there you have it! A quick + easy Springtime DIY that has yet again fueled my thrift shopping habit! I have plans to make a bunch of these for my wedding and display them amidst other floral centerpieces on our tables. Good times ahead!

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Workspace Wednesday | Ann-Marie Morris
Workspace Wednesday | Ann-Marie Morris
Workspace Wednesday | Ann-Marie Morris
Workspace Wednesday | Ann-Marie Morris
Workspace Wednesday | Ann-Marie Morris
Workspace Wednesday | Ann-Marie Morris
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Last week I was so inspired by all the beautiful photos of Bri Emery’s new workspace that I decided to clean up my own. I’ll be honest. It looks like this for maybe four and a half minutes and after that…all bets are off. But that’s okay. I think it’s good to periodically move things around and reevaluate what stays on my desk and what goes. A change of scenery, not matter how small, is always a welcome thing.

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Workspace Wednesday | Ann-Marie Loves Paper
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Colorful notes to friends. Taking time to smell the roses. Lots of time spent soaking up the sunshine. Clean desk (well, mostly). New maxi dress + cheery yellow bag. Knitting projects galore. New candle making my space smell like a chic boutique. JT on replay, all day, everyday. Lots of planning, organizing and writing in my journal. Setting goals + making things happen. Happy Spring!

xoxo

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Gold Thrift Finds | Ann-Marie Loves Paper

Last weekend on an impromptu thrifting trip, I struck gold. LITERALLY. Gold goblets, gold vases, gold bowls…gold gold city! I’ve been on the hunt for these kinds of pieces for months, so to find it all in one place for less than three bucks a pop was pretty much the highlight of my Goodwill-ing career. (In fact, I should probably retire now.)

I have big plans for these babies and none of which involves polishing them up (the more tarnished, the better!). I am already dreaming up the way they will look when filled with beautiful, overflowing flower arrangements and plenty of candlelight on the tables at our wedding. Excuse me while I get back to pinning

xoxo

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adventures in table setting | ann-marie loves paper
adventures in table setting | ann-marie loves paper
adventures in table setting | ann-marie loves paper
adventures in table setting | ann-marie loves paper
adventures in table setting | ann-marie loves paper

Because my storage unit is only at 99% capacity and my closet doors can still (just barely) close, I decided it was time to start yet another collection: tableware! Glasses, dishes, chargers, bowls…if it goes on a table, I want need it. On Saturday night, I dragged John out to all the local thrift stores with me and came home with two boxes jam-packed with awesome secondhand finds. I did the same thing on Sunday with my mom and had an equal amount of success. OMG. SO. MUCH. FUN.

So this morning I decided to unwrap all my treasures and see how they well they play together on a tablescape. I’m pleased to tell you, they coexist quite nicely! I even grabbed a few flowers and plants from around the yard to create mock-up arrangements for the party next weekend…happiness! I’m already dreaming of all the dinner parties I want to throw in our next place.

I could do this all day, everyday. And I just might.

xoxo

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The best part about being engaged (well, aside from the fiance, of course) is that for once in my life, I have a LEGITIMATE reason to shop! Every single day! For better or worse, I have become obsessed with tracking down + purchasing awesome pieces that can be used for decor or wedding-related craft projects. When I’m not trolling the interwebs for great deals + free shipping, you can bet I’m raiding Target, Michaels, or the Goodwill like the crazy person that I was born to be!

Here are a few of the thrifted items John + I scored last weekend:

wedding thrifting | ann-marie morris
glassware for food and flowers | coffee mug for attempting this project

wedding thrifting | ann-marie morris
wooden cassette tape holder for placecards | chalkboard globe for funky signage

Given that our budget is low, I’m looking for any and all ways to pull together our creative resources and DIY / thrift / repurpose as much as possible. (We’re both still paying off our fancy design educations, so we might as well get our money’s worth, right? Ha!) So far, so good. Now I just need to find a place to store all this wonderful – and inexpensive! – stuff before someone turns me in to Hoarders…

xoxo

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