DIY | Musings on Momentum

DIY Anthropologie Mirrors

February 25, 2016

Back in January I shared some of my favorite fresh interior finds for the new year. One of my picks was a set of Anthropologie mirrors that featured plated brushstrokes around the edges. I adored the mirrors; I pined for the mirrors. The only problem was that they started at $108. That felt like a little too much to pay for a relatively small mirror that looked like something I could come close to making myself. Besides, I was looking to take on a new DIY! And so it went that a couple of weeks later I found myself gathering up materials and getting down and dirty with some gold and silver foil. One short hour of crafting later I was the proud owner of two DIY Anthropologie mirrors.

DIY Anthropologie Mirror Completed

DIY Cleaning Spray

January 28, 2016

As I mentioned earlier in the month when I shared my favorite DIY room spray, a goal of mine for the year is to eliminate as many chemicals from our home as I can. I easily swapped out store bought alternatives for my room spray, but the thought of trading in heavy duty cleaning products for a safer alternative has been a bit more of a challenge for me. It is as if my brain is hardwired to connect the overwhelming scent of chemicals and bleach to cleanliness. Yuck.

Needless to say, the adoption of a chemical free cleaning spray has been quite the process. After a bit of trial and error (more on that below) I finally created a DIY cleaning spray mixture that both effectively cleans every day messes AND smells great. Strong and mighty this cleaner is not. Fresh and safe it is.

This effective and fresh DIY cleaning spray made up of Castile soap, water and tea trea oil is 100% child and pet friendly.

DIY Room Spray

January 7, 2016

It is no secret that I have a soft spot in my heart for anything that makes my home smell good (as demonstrated in my DIY candle making adventure). As I think anyone who lives with a dog can attest, regardless of how clean you keep your home and your pup, sometimes you just need to freshen the place up. Store bought fabric and room sprays can smell great but are often times ridden with questionable chemicals that I would prefer not to expose myself, my husband or Lola to.

The older I get the more acutely aware I am of what ingredients are in the products I bring into my home, particularly when it comes to what I clean with. With a newfound commitment to keeping our lives as chemical free as possible, I embarked on a quest to create a room and fabric spray that is equal parts deliciously scented and safe. With the combination of just three simple ingredients, I am happy to report that I succeeded!

Give the Gift of a DIY Candle

December 10, 2015

One of the first things I do when I come home from work each night is light candles throughout our home. Something about the soft flicker of candlelight immediate relaxes me and helps me put my work day behind me so I can focus all my energy and attention on my husband and Puggle. I love this tradition but I have to admit that I go through more than a few candles each year.

I successfully weaned myself off Diptyque a while ago and have been sticking to inexpensive IKEA options lately but still…the price of candles plus the stress of a trip to IKEA can really add up. It’s no surprise that I have been wanting to give candle making a shot if for no other reason than to avoid the insanity of the IKEA parking lot. With Christmas just around the corner and DIY gifts yet to be made, I decided it was the perfect time to give it a try.

I based my process on about a half-dozen tutorials I found online and documented it every step of the way so I could share it with you. Had I known how incredibly easy the process actually is I would have started making my own candles years ago. A bit of wax, some wicks, a few pretty containers and drops of essential oil later, I am now the proud owner of two (and a half because I initially judged my wax portions poorly) homemade candles. My step by step guide to DIY candle making can be found just after the break.

Give the Gift of a DIY Body Scrub

December 2, 2015

If the recent weather in Los Angeles was a person she would be just about the moodiest, most temperamental woman you’ve ever met. She’d hold you captive with her beauty and then proceed to take you on the emotional roller coaster ride of your life only to ultimately kick you to the curb. That is how a large portion of us who live in LA are starting to feel.

It’s an unfathomably dry 85 degrees one day and then a damp 55 the next. Back and forth, back and forth…I’ve lost track of how many times we have done the thirty degree swing dance in the last couple of weeks. Suffice it to say that it is drying up and wreaking havoc on every living thing from the trees down to my Puggle. We all want off this crazy ride.

Alas, I have found that there is not much to be done aside from chugging water, cranking up my humidifier, applying Kari Gran lip whip like it’s my job, and scrubbing down with this deliciously moisturizing DIY body scrub.

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