Copper Cookware

I must apologize for my lack of posting. The past quarter was a busy one and lately I feel as though my blog has been steering away from what it's original intent was- thrift purchases and tips- etc.

To get back into the swing of things slowly is a little post on the finding, care and keeping of copper bottom cookware.

Copper bottom pots are my favorite pots to cook with, especially on our not-so-great electric stove, but they work with gas just as nice and the handle don't get hot! The best thing is that you can often find them scattered around the housewares department of your friendly local thrift store! That is where I pick up most mine (or hand-me-downs). A seven piece set can cost you $100+ even used and while you mostly likely aren't going to find seven pieces at a thrift store on one day you can usually pick them up one at a time for between $3 and $7... even if you paid $7 for each piece that's still cutting costs in half which is what I like to see.

The one draw back to these pots is that they get tarnished quick, ESPECIALLY with gas stoves. I think that is often why they end up at thrift stores. Well never fear happy home cooks, I have a solution and it's probably sitting in your refrigerator right this moment. Ketchup!

Ketchup has a lot of acidity which will nicely combat the tarnish on the bottom of your beloved pan. Simply wet the pan a little and apply the ketchup like a paste and wait for about 15 minutes, scrub off and observe the magic that will happen before your very eyes.

Don't believe me? Visual proof below!




(be sure to rub the ketchup around, this step was not pictured)



Want to try something a little extra? Either repeat steps 1-3 or move on to step 4!




Tres amazing! I'm now doing a four quart pan and then I'm going to move on to the soup pot. I'm a sucker for instant gratification in regards to cleaning so I loved this. In review: copper cookware is the best and it's not nearly as difficult to clean as people think so stock up, enjoy cooking and keep it lookin' pretty!

Until next time!

Happy DIY

It's officially fall which means it's officially time to start planning for Halloween and once you start planning for Halloween all the other holidays seem the start seamlessly falling into place. I love it.

Halloween planning for me means DIYs out the wazoo usually beginning with my costume but this years I am finding myself pretty inspired by some images I had saved on my computer.



Love these bullet-like spikes and you can find them for $13.40 at StudsandSpikes.com. They sell all kinds of them and it's awesome because you can pretty much apply them to anything that needs roughing up, like a pair of cut-offs for example,



I've show this before but the way the triangle studs were placed makes it look like glitter. Studs and Spikes does not sell triangle studs but even just regular pyramid studs could look amazing if applied the right way. Wouldn't it be cool to use three different sizes? It makes those cut-offs go from potentially trashy to completely acceptable.



This is another great "studding" idea except even cheaper and easier to find are thumbtacks! I love pumpkins and I love carving them but sometimes it's just too much work. This isn't quite the same effect as a fun carved pumpkin, and you can get to the seeds to roast them but I think it looks really neat. I would just want to make sure that I put the pumpkins out close enough to Halloween so they wouldn't be rotten by the time I pulled the thumbtacks out.



Concerning a different holiday, birthdays, how cute are these candle holders for cupcakes??! I found this on This Is Glamorous a while ago and I still think it is an awesome idea. Little plastic animals + candle holders + gold spray paint = ultra glam birthday accessory.



These are from Etsy by Still With You. Back when I was making a dream catching I bought this blue suede skirt from Goodwill and cut it up to use the suede for making some of the feathers and those earrings totally reminded me of that and how you can find some good fabric to use for small projects if you purchase clothes that you take apart.



This is a hairtie from Forever 21 and HOW easy would it be to create that yourself? I find lacey tablecloths at Goodwill ALL the time along with just tons of housewares that I could make this sort of thing from.



This here is a FABULOUS DIY idea from I Spy DIY except she originally did it for InStyle magazine. Totally going to look into t-shirts and lacey fabric today at Goodwill (I am TELLING you, before you set food in a fabric or craft store, GO TO GOODWILL. What happens is crafty old ladies end up with this massive amount of crafty STUFF and end up needing the space for more crafty stuff so they give it away. You can find embroidery thread, old curtains (for fabric), ends of fabric bolts, scraps, yarn sometimes even beads. So ALWAYS check second hand stores first!)



Finally this lace collar which is also originally from Etsy but I'm sad because I cannot find the original location. I just love the chain detail and I have plenty of left-over chain from a DIY failure so it's something I could look into making as well.

Get Organized, Stay Organized

As weird as it sounds the end of the year is drawing near and really all that means to me is time for a new planner. I don't tend to make resolutions.

I currently use this one. I like it well enough, it generally has enough space but I have seen some planners on The Hach that have me gaga (and sold).

I really love the Draw Your Tomorrow planner in hot yellow.



I like that it's spiral bound and comes with a monthly view (which my current planner lacks). The following inside shots come from Fred Flare which is somehow managing to sell it for $36... hmmm.



If I want to pay $36 I might just go for the LiveWork AGENDA Diary, size large.



I like that it comes with weekly, monthly AND yearly almost like you could keep a little mini diary right along side your planner. I like the look of it too, I would probably get "rose." I will admit I think I like the weekly set up on the first planner more though.

Thriftin

Great score at Deseret Industries (had NO idea that the T at the end of Deseret was actually sounded until very recently... how weird).

A gray cotton/modal blend sleeveless Gap Henley-like collared shirt
Calvin Klein dark olive green cropped cargos
Express ribbed tank with sequin detailing around the neckline
A relaxed fitting navy blue knit shirt with gold and silver horizontal stripes (reminds me of the night sky for some reason)
A short sleeve sheer collared button up black with white polka dots
A knee-length button down olive green Banana Republic wool skirt
Broken-in "boyfriend" style dark gray J. Crew twill chinos

I love thrifting because the prices give you room to be more fearless with your shopping and try new things which is why I bought the J. Crew pants ($6) BUT... I know I have shorter legs so pulling these off could prove to be tricky. I did some research and it looks like I lot of people roll them which could work for a while (they're so wide though!) but not as it gets colder. I know I need to pay close attention to proportion and all that but hmm, it has me concerned. MAN they would look great with a red belt, too. Hmm.



The skirt is a LITTLE big on me both in the waste and it's just a little long. If I were tall the length would be totally fine but my calves are the short part of my leg and so there just isn't as much distance between where the skirt ends and the floor. Either I will get it hemmed OR I'll just have to always wear it with heals which isn't the most practical choice for me. Potentially though... potentially.



You'll notice I scored a lot of great brands. There are multiple benefits to this. Obviously you will know what kind of quality your getting. The J. Crew pants are extremely well-made for example. The second benefit is, if I decide that it just isn't working out I can likely sell them to a place like Crossroads, Buffalo Exchange or in my case Pink With Envy. They LOVE good brands and lucky for me those Chinos could pass for any season. They flipped for my Armani Exchange pants last spring.

Of course all the inspiration pictures above are demonstrated with khaki pants and rolled up which... well it's not my favorite, versus my slate gray ones but it's a start. I was contemplating purchasing those moccasin ankle boots anyway. I think they could also look great with a pair of these:



Anyway, I'm excited about my haul. Really looking forward to making some serious fashionable attempts this fall since it is my favorite fashion season. SERIOUS attempts before I have to start wearing boots (the ugly kind) 24/7. I HATE my snowboots. I bought them at the last minute and they're not even that comfortable. Uggs are looking more and more appealing and I've never thought that before.

Boo...t

it should be noted that none of the below boots are available at my nearest DSW location.

lame.

Boots boots boots

I am looking for a pair of ankle boots this fall and I've narrowed it down to four. Go me...


Bandolino Garris Bootie
$89.95 in Taupe on DSW

I found these and couldn't stop thinking about them. I've never done a hidden wedge before but I didn't even notice it was there until I read it in the description. I love the nude, I could see it popping against dark skinny jean or jewel tone tights. I love the zipper detail as well. The whole shoe is very fresh.


N.Y.L.A. Kisa Bootie
$119.95 in Olive/Cognac on DSW

I am not very into the high-fashion hiking boot but this boot does it so well. I love that the sole has traction and I think the blend of textures is just so pleasing to look at. It's a little less versatile than the Bandolino boot


Minnetonka Back Zip Ankle Boot
$50.95 in Brown on Nordstrom

I've had my eye on these for a long time. I live in my Kilty mocs and they last for freakin' ever. The price is great of course, although I can't decide if I would want them in brown or in black. I have been trying to gravitate away from black shoes because I have a lot but most of my boots are NOT black and for a shoe that is so eclectic having it in a versatile black might be nice. They're also flat which means I'm more likely to throw them on. the black-of-the-ankle zipper appeals to me as well.


Minnetonka Women's Double Fringe Bootie
$54.95 in Black on DSW

Similar to the above but with the nubby sole I'm used to in the moccasins and with a few tweaked details. Basically, by introducing this shoe it just muddles my brain. Both the Minnetonka booties are extremely affordable and durable and function with many, many outfits. Flat booties or wedges... hmmm.

Etsy Lusts

I've been accumulating a LOT of loose change thanks to being tipped out every week at work. A portion of it already has a destination (damn you phone bill) but I've been saving all of it to wrap and exchange at the bank at the end of this summer and I've been thinking of ways to spend it and my Etsy favorite are looking mighty fine right now. Some things I'm considering purchasing:

A vintage fan. Etsy is chocked full of these and for moderate prices too. The vintage aesthetic of the fan will look fantastic in my mis-mashed vintage house (1920's house with a 1950's kitchen with modern updates, there are at least three different types of hardware in my kitchen...). My only stipulation is that it works because fans actually serve a purpose where I live.



Jewelry. There is something about handmade jewelry that I can't explain. It's like wearing art. I really love the polymer clay/metal pieces from Jennifer at amerrymishap. I wish I could buy five of those bracelets to layer like in the picture below, I LOVE the gold spikes! I think I might instead go for the neon green/gold earrings, since I'm more of an earring person anyway. Speaking of earrings and gold, I love these faceted studs, the perfect simplicity earring. Friendship bracelets are the hot new thing, I just made a few of my own the other day, layering is key. This blue and yellow bracelet is sunshine on your wrist. I seem to like bright colors contrasted with dainty metals; loving this ULTRA-dainty monogram bracelet. (Perfect bridesmaids gifts, ladies!)



Cashmere undies. I have a slight obsession with cashmere*. These undies from Sartoria look AMAZING. Luckily, I'm not in a hurry to get cashmere undies for the summer but I certainly want some for winter. I love to cozy up under my down comforter in nothing but skivvies and an over-sized cashmere sweater so double the cashmere = double the coziness!



Atomic coffee ware. This is sort of a weird term but I'm referring to a coffee pot and/or coffee accessories made with reflective chrome, glass and/or teak. I especially like this scientific look of this creamer/sugar set from Jess at upcountryvintage but the thought of using a tea candle to keep my coffee warm (while I sit in my sunroom of course) is very appealing as show in this tall coffee pot with warming tray from Maria at trappedintheatticvintage.



Cute animals. I am such an animal lover so I love animal presence in my life such a this unbelievable fox pouch, I love the fluffy tail! I've raved about everyeskimo before but I want one of her amazing hand crafty animals complete with back story, how charming. I don't remember how I found this little guy but there is no way I could turn down an "action bunny with gold pants." Also by Jen at corduroy is this Zap the Bad Things mug, perfect for Monday mornings I would wager. I have been looking for a decorative pillow for my queen size bed for a long time, I love the idea of a black and white animal photo pillow. It's like a grown up version of a stuffed animal.* Ronda of intheseam has the right idea with these pillows, although the idea of using a photo of one of my pets for the pillow is a little disconcerting for some reason.



Graphic typefaced items. There is nothing like Helvetica, if I could I would have all my food storage be glass and labeled with black Helvetica bold type. My roommate loves entertaining and would go crazy if I showed up at the house with this ice bucket. Roomservice vintage is offering this awesome airtight coffee canister and vintage by Luola offers this (sadly mate-less) aptly labeled salt shaker (I love that that "a" is lowercase). I love this cheeky pillow by Cindy at Yellow Bug Boutique but as sad as this may seem it just seems a little too negative for my bed (slash how weird of a thing to think about in bed...uh). I like the concept though!



*fun fact, all of my cashmere is second hand.

*I would never turn down a stuffed animal, I see little girls walking past my coffee cart at the Aquarium with pink stuffed sea otters and for a split second I think of bolting to the gift shop to get one for myself