happy halloween!

i can’t believe it is already october 31st, where is the year going?

this halloween seems like a bit of a bust this year, mostly because we won’t get any trick-or-treaters, boo! (um, pun intended.) last year was the first year we were in our townhouse and i made sure to have a whole bunch of candy ready for halloween since i was convinced that our entire row of townhouses would be so popular for trick-or-treaters! boy was i wrong. we just ended up eating all of the candy ourselves. this year i decided not to buy any candy (my waist-line is so appreciative) so fingers crossed we don’t get any cute little trick-or-treaters this year. or that they will be okay with getting something from our pantry, like an unopened box of pasta or something.

anyways, we did dress up this year (two weeks ago) for my brother-in-law’s big halloween bash Ghouls Near Greenlake. note to self for next year: in seattle at the end of october it is freezing cold outside! thank goodness for those outdoor heaters!

{aladdin & jasmine – in case it wasn’t really obvious}
also, we did buy pumpkins to celebrate the holiday, but there was no carving this year. i think it was mostly because that white pumpkin is really flat and not really carve-able. plus, i have had that mask around for a while now from an old masquerade party and never knew what to do with it.

happy halloween!
M

diy upholstered lack hack.

there are three million ways to hack an ikea lack table; this is a post about just one of these three million hacks.

we have been using two lack tables as a coffee table for a year or so and they have worked really well because (1) they are cheap – $20 for a coffee table, yes please! and (2) we have a rolling ottoman that we wanted to use in the living room and the lack tables flanked each side perfectly. while (2) still exists, i got tired of the configuration and constant adjustment of the tables and ottoman; plus, the ottoman and the couch look horrible together and i haven’t worked up the gumption to make a slip cover for the ottoman (it is on my to-do list, but i need some more practice sewing as a slip cover requires very straight lines and perfect corners). so, i decided that we should get an actual coffee table (which is a search that is still in the works) and move the tables elsewhere. the elsewhere ended up being in our bedroom because it just so happens that we needed something at the end of our bed to act as a place to put socks & shoes on/a place to hold the comforter in the summer/a place where i could add color to the room without adding more pillows to the bed (my husband said “enough” at six pillows).

in order to add color to the room with the two tables i decided to upholster the table tops. just a few months ago we made an upholstered headboard, and i decided i could use the same process.

supplies:
foam (joann sells foam by the yard)
batting (joann sells quilt batting in packages)

staple gun and staples
washers (12 cents a piece at a local hardware store)
nailhead trim (ebay, amazon and tons of other online stores have this trim; i got mine on ebay)
hammer 
the overall cost of this project is pretty low but the kicker for me was the cost of the fabric. (sidenote: any time i plan on using fabric, my go-to is dwell studio. the entire fabric line is gorgeous, high quality, and expensive but i know that i won’t be disappointed with the decision.)
i wanted to add buttons, so our first step was marking and drilling the holes.
then we needed to add the foam to the table tops. we decided on one inch of foam; i had half inch foam from our headboard project so we just doubled it up.
next we added a layer of batting. first we took the legs of the tops and then we secured the batting with staples. we made sure that the staples were really near the edge of the table on the corners so that we wouldn’t have a problem screwing the legs back on at the end. we ended up cutting the extra batting that was around each leg hole so that the leg could be secured flat.
for the fabric, we used a 34 inch square of fabric for each table top. the lack tables are 21 and 5/8 inches square. i figured we needed 6 extra inches of fabric: 3 inches of fabric for the height of the table top plus the foam, and 3 inches of fabric under the table top to secure with staples.
we stapled the fabric over the batting and had enough to tuck the edges. we finished the corners by wrapping the corner like a present.
after we stapled all of the fabric onto the table top, we screwed the legs back on. it was an easy process as the legs only had to go thru two or so layers of fabric since we cut the extra batting away.
 next came the buttons. i used a button kit that just so happened to make ten buttons. i just followed the instructions on the back of the kit.
then we added the buttons. we used a long upholstery needle and upholstery thread. first we threaded the needle and went up thru the pre-drilled hole in the table top. then we had to un-thread the needle and thread the thread thru the button as the needle wouldn’t go thru the button. next we re-threaded the needle and then went back down the pre-drilled hole in the table top.
we used a washer under each button to secure it to the table top. we simply threaded one thread thru the washer hole and tied a number of knots.
the bottom of the table top with all five washers (and buttons) in place.
the top of the table, complete with buttons.
 though the tables were upholstered and the project was complete, the tables didn’t look quite finished to me – no upholstery project is complete without nailhead trim! this process isn’t as daunting as it sounds if you use nailhead trim that is in strips; you just add the nailhead every fifth nail or so. for each side of the table i measured out a row of nailhead trim before i started hammering; coincidentally, the trim lined up perfectly so no nailheads hung over the edge.

while the trim fit perfectly, most of the trim at the corners was loose because the fifth nailhead didn’t coincide with every corner, darn! i knew this would be an issue because if the corner got caught (i.e., anytime someone walked by it) the nailhead trim would bend, and if you bend it enough, it will break off. but my husband, being the genius that he is, easily fixed this problem: he added a hole to the nailhead at every corner with a nail and then nailed in a nailhead. basically, he just added a nailhead tack on top of each nailhead that was on a corner. this may sound really confusing, but if you look at nailhead trim, i think it makes a lot more sense.
the final result! i may end up painting the legs at some point, but for now, i love these new end-of-the-bed tables.
i hope you enjoyed my lack hack! 
M

seattle restaurant week.

though i have fully enjoyed what seattle restaurant week had to offer this fall, i am sad to see it come to an end. next spring seems too long a time to wait for such a wonderful way to enjoy the restaurants this city has to offer. for those of you not in the know, seattle restaurant week is two weeks (minus the weekend in-between) twice a year (fall and spring) where restaurants all over the city offer special lunch and dinner menus at really affordable prices – 3 courses for $28 (dinner) and 3 courses for $15 (lunch). 

whenever restaurant week comes around, we always have to limit ourselves ahead of time and usually choose two new places to dine. my husband was so sweet this year and surprised me with reservations at two new restaurants so that we would have a date night on each tuesday. we got really lucky this fall and also ended up at three other restaurants over the last two weeks with family and friends, so we really got to enjoy restaurant week five times!
i would highly recommend all of the restaurants we chowed down at this week. my fav is a tie between cantinetta and the tin table – both were delish!

the fifth restaurant we visited was the keg in factoria. i didn’t get a chance to take a picture as (1) we didn’t even realize the keg was participating in seattle restaurant week until we got there, and (2) we were in a rush because we were trying to catch a movie. 
you should check it out if you live here, or if you just happen to be visiting seattle during the right week, as it is such a great chance to enjoy amazing food and often at a fraction of the price of the regular menu.

diy onesies with applique.

i am a bit of a complete novice when it comes to sewing as i have been sewing less than a year (i got my sewing machine last christmas). though the extent of my sewing projects have been covers for throw pillows, i decided that i would make a baby present for our new little cousin kenley. 

these were the onesies right out of the package. i got size 0-3 months so that kenley can actually wear them before she grows out of them! 
flower onesie
first, i measured and cut out a 2.5 inch square, a 2 inch square, and a 1.5 inch square of fabric. then i cut out circles from each of the fabric squares. i didn’t want perfect circles so the wonky sides were perfect. 

then, i layered the three cut circles, largest on the bottom. i “tested” the flower size by laying it on the onesie before i started sewing in case i needed to cut down the circles. i wanted the flower to be big, but not so big that it took over the onesie completely!

 next, i sewed the circles together. i decided to sew just one stitched circle in the center of the smallest circle. again, i didn’t want it to be a perfectly sewn circle. (this was perfect actually because i would still be working on this project if i was required to sew a perfect circle!)

then, i sewed the flower onto the onesie. this was a little tricky as i had only the neck and the bottom of the onesie to put thru my machine, so there was a bit of stretching of the fabric and tricky maneuvering. i basically sewed the same stitched circle as when i originally sewed the three circles together: i would make a short stitch (.5 to .75 inch) and then raise the foot, turn the fabric, and sew another short stitch. 

 for the first onesie i made, i just put one larger flower on. for the second onesie, i put two flowers on that were a bit smaller.
monogram onesie
first, i cut out a “k” (yes, this is the letter “k,” it is just sideways. *cock head to left shoulder*).  
 next, i put the “k” on the other fabric and cut a rectangle of fabric leaving a little room around the “k.”

 then, i sewed the “k” onto the fabric rectangle (i got lucky and only had to sew straight lines! who knows how this may have ended up had i had a curvy letter like an “a”!). and then i sewed the rectangle onto the onesie right in the middle. i wanted the “k” to be big, but not so big that kenley couldn’t wear leggings or a skirt with the onesie and cover up the “k.”

and here are the finished onesies!
a big congratulations to kendra, greg & little kenley! (you can find them on kendra’s blog).
M

my fall fashion wishlist.

fall is one of my favorite seasons as it brings beautiful shades of vibrant orange and red to the greenery of seattle, pumpkin everything (particularly lattes & pies!), and of course, fall fashion. while i endlessly complain about the cold that comes with the fall in seattle, i do love to dress for this season.

here are a few of the things i would love to add to my fall wardrobe:

(riding) boots

{chloe leather flat boots}

silk blouse

{j.crew blythe blouse in silk}


patterned tights


colorful sweater

button-up shirt


bright pants


leopard print


{kate spade eryn calf hair flat}
what are you coveting this fall?
M

thirty before i am thirty.

i think that everyone has a bucket list, even if its not formal, of things that they want to complete before the kick the bucket. i too have one of these ever-growing lists, but i also have a “thirty before i am thirty” list (pretty self explanatory). after i turned 25 and then 26, the thoughts of what i want to have accomplished before i reach 30 continue to pop into my head. so, as a sort of mini-bucket list and loose roadmap for the next few years, i wrote down my thirty items.

happily, i have just completed two of the thirty this week which i thought i would share along with the other two that i have completed creating the list. without further adieu:

number 2: start a family. in august, 2010 i became a wife. in april, 2011 we adopted a dog.
number 4: pass the Washington Bar Exam. on july 26, 27, 28, 2011 i sat for the WA bar exam. in mid-october i received a letter from the WA State Bar Association that i PASSED! in early november i will be sworn in as an official member of the WA bar.
number 11: start a blog. in september 2011 i started emerald city diaries (obviously).
number 22: re-read all the Harry Potter books & re-watch all of the movies (& compare!). between august and october, 2011 i re-read and re-watched all seven Harry Potter books and movies. (the only caveat is that i technically saw the last installment of the Deathly Hallows out of order because its video release date has not been announced. however, since i saw it in theaters in July, i think it still counts.)


i think that regardless of what age you are and whether it is a bucket list or a mini-bucket list, it is important (& fun!) to think about those things that you really want to accomplish while you have the chance.

M

maroon 5 & train on tour

a few weeks ago (actually a month ago tomorrow) aaron (my husband) and i got to see maroon 5 and train in concert. even though the venue wasn’t really in seattle (it was a bit south of here in renton) and it took forever to get home fighting traffic, it was totally worth it! we have both been followers of maroon 5 since their first album “songs about jane” released in the early 2000s, and actually the band was one of the things we had in common when we first met (that’s another story for another day). as for train, well, they have been around for years (“drops of jupiter” anyone?), but “hey soul sister” happens to be one of my very favorite songs (yes, it’s my ringtone).

we knew when we bought tickets  that we would be close, but it wasn’t until we got to the venue and found our section that we realized how close we really were: floor seats just a few rows back! it was perfect as we were close enough to actually see the bands on stage, but not too close to all of the groupies. matt nathanson was the opening show and i didn’t even realize who he was until he started singing his radio hit “come on get higher.” after matt’s set wrapped, the curtain went down in order for the change of bands. aaron and i just assumed that train would be next since it seems like maroon 5 is a bigger name, so we were both really surprised when the curtain rose and adam levine was on stage!

the maroon 5 set was awesome. they sang their new hit “moves like jagger” along with many of the oldies from their first record, including “sunday morning.” (side note: “sunday morning” was our first dance song at our wedding. our actual song was “everything” by michael buble, but aaron convinced me we couldn’t dance to that song since it was so fast – he surprised me at our wedding reception and actually sang “everything” to me – so we decided that the acoustic version of “sunday morning” was the perfect song because we, in fact, got married on a sunday morning.). the train set was equally awesome. they sang many of their old and very well known hits and also delighted the crowd, including yours truly, with “hey soul sister.” it was fantastic.

{matt nathanson}
{me. can you see my earplugs? it’s not that i didn’t want to hear the bands, i just want to be able to hear when i grow up!}
{adam levine & maroon 5}
{train}
and because you couldn’t be there, here are two video clips of my favorite two parts of the show to make you feel like maybe you were:
http://www.youtube.com/get_player
{sunday morning rain is falling…}
http://www.youtube.com/get_player
{hey soul sister ain’t that mister mister…}
M

hello. bonjour. hola. aloha.

i have been a huge fan of other people’s blogs for years and have been thinking about starting my own for a while now, so carpe diem, today’s the day! i hope to blog about what is going on in my little part of the emerald city (that’s seattle for those who don’t know the reference), whether it be about fashion, family, diy projects, or just life.

thanks for reading and welcome to emerald city diaries!

M