Mother’s Day is coming up May 8th, so let’s get to making those gifts now if we’re going the handmade route! Other than being beautiful and thoughtful for your one and only mom, a lot of these ideas are great if you’ll be celebrating many mothers and want something special but still affordable to hand out to all of them. Some of these are also great for table decor if you’re having a get-together at home. However you’re celebrating, she’s probably going to love any one of these ideas.
Well, this is it guys! This is where I spend the majority of my working days drafting ideas, editing photos, and writing blog posts. It’s totally accurate for you to picture me sitting in that chair right now as you’re reading this.
For a while this space had become overgrown with clutter and fallen apart as my style changed and I became uninspired by the scenery. A workspace redesign was not only badly needed to make me want to work in this corner of my living room again (instead of the sofa), but to also improve storage options and function while still achieving that monochrome minimalism I’m so obsessed with.
I’m essentially relieved to finally be able to share this with you because it’s been very, very hard to contain my excitement about it. The space finally looks like me and it’s finally really comfortable to work in. To add on to the excitement, West Elm partnered with me to make this redesign possible, which is an absolute dream and really cool to bring our style-mesh to life.
I’d say if there was one hero here, it would be the desk. It’s almost twice the width of my previous one and has more than twice the storage capacity with the double file cabinets. The extra desk top space is SO NICE since I’m the type that likes to write and draw on sprawled out papers while being able to refer to my open planner and notebooks and laptop at the same time while also having a plate of food nearby with a glass of water and a green juice. Space is nice, that’s all.
The shelves above the desk were there previously only I switched things up this time by painting the brackets black (they were gold before. Remember when I’d paint everything gold?) and replacing the shelves with white ones.
I wanted to keep these shelves as clutter-free and minimal as possible while still storing some desk essentials, which these lacquer magazine holders are helping me do perfectly. Also, when I used to imagine what my workspace makeover would look like, I remember visualizing an alarm clock just like this one being in the scene, which is a weird detail to know so far ahead of time but I find it adorable and best of all useful since it’s the only clock in our living room. Hard to read from afar, sure, but it’s there!
The bookcase next to the desk is where I’m storing some materials, props, and other knick knacks, a lot of which is stashed away in all those boxes.
I had a ghost chair before, which I favored for being way more comfortable than expected, but it wasn’t sit-for-6-hours-straight comfortable. This chair is, and it’s surprising because at first sit I thought it was too firm but it turned out to be perfect for me. I love the simple shape, clean lines, color, everything.
The lamp felt like the missing piece of the puzzle. Marble and bronze are never not a favorite around here. No question it was meant to live on my desk.
Everyone agrees that inspired work happens in inspiring places, and that’s exactly how I feel about my little corner workspace. It has come such a long way in what felt like a really long time of difficult decision-making, mostly over decluttering (favorite). I’m still working hard on my goal of making sure every single thing in this home is useful or something I adore, and this workspace is a really good example of a win in that direction for me.
Something fun: a couple of the things here were DIYs that I’ve shared here on the blog. If you missed them, check out either the memo board DIY or the mini plant stands DIY!
This post is in partnership with West Elm. Thank you for supporting brands that help bring you new and inspiring ideas!
Things are just better when they’re mini amiright? I got a few mini cacti because who wouldn’t and painted mini terra cotta pots to put them in. It’s just some easy painting and doodling with a paint pen.
Paint your pots with a foam brush and acrylic paint. Apply at least two layers or until opaque with drying time in between each layer.
After pots have dried, use paint pen to draw on your design or pattern. All that’s left is to plant your succulents in the pots.
Behind the scenes: I got stabbed by that little round one. It hurt and I spent a while tweezing out the needles from my hand there were like 20!
This one’s my favorite.
I currently have them stashed here in this awkward cupboard thing we have that isn’t close enough to the stove to be a spice cabinet but is in an opposite corner and we don’t really know what to do with it, so perhaps I’ll get more mini plants but I really shouldn’t…
A TON of the questions I get are about photography, so let’s start with some basics on the equipment I use. Note: I am not at all anywhere near pro status and everything I know I’ve learned on my own or from the generous advice of other photography enthusiasts. Learning what works for you is a loooong and sometimes frustrating process (I feel you) with a lot of experimenting, especially figuring what your needs are and under what conditions you’ll be working in, so hopefully this gives you a place to start or reveals to you something you hadn’t considered before.
This lens is on my camera 99% of the time and was also the first lens I purchased because it’s very versatile. Many recommend the 50mm to be a first prime lens purchase, but the main reason I chose the 35mm is because it gets a bit of a wider shot, meaning I wouldn’t have to stand back as far for the frame I want which was important to consider given that the space I work in is very small. I wasn’t as concerned about things like maximizing bokeh effects, which the 50mm is better for, but this lens still produces a sharp image.
I got this wide angle lens recently and it’s one of those things where it made me want to scream why didn’t I get this sooner. It’s a heftier price tag but so worth it for shooting interiors in a small space. It’s amazing and it’s what made it possible to shoot my bedroom.
Lens filters can offer polarization and filter UV light, but the main reason I use them is to protect my lenses. I dropped my camera once and the lens filter shattered, doing exactly what it was supposed to do to keep my lens protected. I’d much rather replace a scratched or damaged filter than a damaged lens, and I’d also much rather clean the filter than the actual lens surface. I highly highly highly recommend using filters is all I’m saying!!
Why do I have two tripods? I’m not saying anyone needs two, but I’ll explain myself. I mostly use tripod 2 for overhead shots since the central column can fold out to a 90 degree angle, which tripod 1 cannot do. This tripod is definitely sturdier and has a lot more angle variety. Even so, I still reach for tripod 1 most of the time because I prefer its light weight and just the simplicity of use, and perhaps I’m attached to it because it was my first tripod. I actually do most of my overhead shots manually, so the need to reach for tripod two isn’t very high for me. Still, if you’re looking to get the most versatile option, go with tripod 2, but if the budget is tighter and you don’t have a high necessity for overhead shots, tripod one is plenty.
The only thing I use now in this set is the translucent one. It’s the secret to softening shadows and evening out the light on the subject. I place it in front of the light source pretty much for everything I shoot, other than interiors (sometimes). I used to use the reflectors until deciding that I don’t prefer them. Instead I’ll use white poster board to reflect light, which I find gives a more natural “glow”.
A lot of times I’ll just use the timer for any two-hand shots or if I’m set up on a tripod for an interior shot that I want to make super sharp, but the remote is handy if you need to be in a shot yourself and don’t have anyone to help you, or if you don’t like waiting for those 10 seconds of the timer. The biggest reason I don’t use it more though is that I’m constantly misplacing it!
I upgraded to 64GB which is a lot of space, but good if you shoot in RAW (big files) and don’t like deleting photos off the card immediately after uploading them. I’m a hoarder of photos on my memory cards, it stems from my fear of other backups failing on me.
I don’t use any lighting kits, even though I know they’d save me so much agony when I fail to chase the sun before it starts to disappearsor when the daylight is not cooperating. Still, I love the way natural light looks exactly that (natural) and it’s just less to fuss with.
I’ve shared before that I owe most of my blog growth to improving my photography, and through that it’s become something I love and am always wanting to learn more about, so let’s chat. If you’ve got any pointers or recommendations for me, please share. And if you have more questions about the gear I use, leave them below!
The button closure on my sunglasses case ripped off. As much as I’m down to continue using the case, the loose and flappy flap was getting annoying, and it occurred to me that maybe I don’t really need the flap at all. All I really need is something slim and effective at keeping my sunnies from getting scratched by all the junk in my bag. Bonus if it can help prevent them from getting bent up.
So here we are with this seriously-easy-other-than-it-takes-some-time-but-there’s-nothing-complicated leather sleeve pouch to slide my sunglasses into. It’s sleek and understated, and the structure of the leather helps keep its shape while staying very minimal on the bulk. It’s everything I was looking for- good job, DIY!
I cut the leather to 6.5″x7.25″, though this is maybe not what you would cut since the size depends on the sunglasses. You’ll have to wrap the leather around your glasses and measure what length and width you need to cover them while keeping the fit snug.
Fold the leather in half and pierce a hole with the awl near the fold on one end fairly close to the edge of the leather. This is going to be the first hole for stitching.
Cut a piece of waxed thread at least two times longer than what you’ll need to stitch the leather (you can roughly measure by laying the thread along the edges first). Put each end of the thread through a needle and twist the thread to secure it in place.
Insert one needle through the first hole and pull it through, then insert the other needle through the opposite side of the same hole and pull the thread tight. This is the first stitch. All you have to do is repeat this over and over around two sides of the leather, piercing the next hole with the awl one by one as you go. This is the tedious time consuming part, but as promised, it’s easy.
When you reach the end, knot each end of the thread and pass a lighter over each knot. This will melt the wax into a small ball and secure each knot.
There’s an option of burnishing the edges of the leather, but if the raw edges don’t bother you as they clearly didn’t for me, leave them!
Gift alert: leave them plain or stamp on initials with metal stamps. Either way, this would be a cute and useful handmade gift.
Hey! It’s been a while, kind of. I had left for Palm Springs last week and kept forgetting I had a trip to Chicago right after that so it was a bit of an unintentional Spring break leave for me, though very much enjoyed and welcomed. I’m back on the grind full force and we’ll resume regular programming next week, so thanks for sticking by.
Been busy with the longest to-do list I’ve had maybe all year and so so excited to show you soon a couple things I’ve been working on for what seems like forever. It’s currently a bit tough catching up on work and also catching up on what I missed in blogland (and trying to fold the laundry I did two days ago oops), so not a ton of links this week, but if you’ve got something you think I’ll enjoy or shouldn’t miss, you should of course let me know about it!
Always a fan of dark and moody interiors, and also have been contemplating for a very long time getting the dining room pendant and saving for future house like a crazy person.
Mother’s Day is coming up May 8th, so let’s get to making those gifts now if we’re going the handmade route! Other than being beautiful and thoughtful for your one and only mom, a lot of these ideas are great if you’ll be celebrating many mothers and want something special but still affordable to hand out to all of them. Some of these are also great for table decor if you’re having a get-together at home. However you’re celebrating, she’s probably going to love any one of these ideas.
Free printable plant watering schedule planner
