DIY Marble Chic Fridge Makeover

If you guys know me, you know I can't just have a regular fridge.  In my last three places I've re-covered my fridge with contact paper, and even the Winnie(s) got a chalkboard fridge!  Refrigerators can be ultra boring, especially if you're in a rental.  And if you're renting, it's not like you can paint it or replace it, so you're stuck with it.  Not so!  Ladies and gentlemen, contact paper is your fridge's best friend.  

I've used chalkboard contact paper, woodgrain contact paper, and marble contact paper to cover fridges and I like all three (though I will say the seam on the chalkboard contact paper is more obvious than the other two, just because it's black and the white chalk makes a little line where the two edges of contact paper meet).

What you'll need:
Marble Contact Paper
Gold Metallic tape (I used this stuff)
Scissors
X-acto knife (optional
Tape Measure

First thing you need to do is remove the fridge door handles, which is very easy.  There's usually just a screw on top the door and either on the bottom of the door, or on the bottom front of the door.  Unscrew both screws and the handle pops right off.  You can screw the handle back on after applying your contact paper, but I liked how clean it looked without the handle and it's perfectly easy to open without a handle. 

Applying the contact paper to the fridge is pretty straightforward.  I did two vertical pieces of contact paper on the front (one full width, and then one to fill the remaining space), and then the sides also took two vertical pieces, again, one full width and then a smaller strip to complete the side.  

Measure how much you need for each piece as you go, cut the piece and then pull a few inches of the backing off to start applying.  Make sure your measurements include enough to wrap around the edges of the doors.  Apply it to the front of the door, leaving the edges loose to wrap once you've got the front stuck on.  Pull the backing off and smooth the sticky side to the fridge in increments so you don't get air bubbles.  Once the front is stuck on, go around the edges and stick them down.  You'll need to cut a little slice out of the the corner so it lays flat.

Continue that process around the whole fridge till it's all covered!

If you want to put the gold border around the front of the doors, measure how far you want the tape from the edges of the door (I measured 1.5 inches) and put pencil marks at that measurement to give you a guideline for where the edge of the tape will go.  Once you've got all your tape placement measured out, you can start sticking the tape on!

Cut a slight diagonal on the end of the tape and put the point right on the corner where you measurement marks are.  Stick it down making sure it lines up with the other measurement marks. When you get to the end, cut it at a diagonal again so the point is in the corner.  Repeat that process until you've got all your lines done!  Now revel in the awesomeness of your swanky new fridge!  And for only about 12 bucks!

Fig + Honey Cocktail

I love this cocktail so much.  I don't play around much with figs (I think my childhood hatred of fig newtons put me off of figs), but after making this recipe I really want to explore fig recipes more!  We’ve got folks in our neighborhood with a giant fig tree and I’m always curious as to when they are perfectly ripe… and if they’re actually going to harvest them, cuz I will gladly volunteer. I love the earthy flavors that the figs add to this cocktail, I think they really ground all the flavors, plus I’m a sucker for a bomb looking cocktail garnish.

Fig Puree

• 1 cup fresh figs, rinsed & halved

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 2 teaspoons water

• Juice of half lemon

Add everything to a blender and blend until smooth. You can make this ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.  Recipe makes enough puree for about 4 cocktails, but you can multiply for larger quantities.

Cocktail recipe

• 1 1/2 tablespoons fig puree

• 1 tablespoon honey

• 2 oz ginger ale

• 1.5 oz gin

• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Add the fig puree and honey to a cocktail shaker. Stir it together with a spoon until it is well combined. Add ginger beer, gin, and lemon juice and fill with ice. Shake until frosty and strain the mixture into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a halved, skewered fig! 

Exterior Before + After

This house was hands-down one of the ugliest ones in the neighborhood when we bought it. The yard was 100% lawn with huge divot paths where the previous owner’s dog ran along the fence, the exterior was the most blah color beige ever conceived, and it was so lacking in personality it was almost painful. To be fair, the before images were taken in September when the grass had turned brown from the late summer heat, and the after photos are taken in July so everything is still lush and green, so that does make things look nicer.

The front elevation needed something to make it feel cuter, so we put shingles in the gable, painted the whole house black (Behr color: Broadway), painted the trim white (Glidden color: Cappucino white), took off the ugly rusted screen door, and did a bit of landscaping.

Since the whole yard is lawn, I decided to take the entire west side of the house and turn it into a garden. I replaced the lawn with woodchips, built out some raised beds, and I’m still in the process of building out the front area with more raised bed and replacing the chain link fence with something prettier.

I’ve got some big plans for a deck off the back door where we can barbecue and have a nice big outdoor table. That’s definitely going to be a big project so I’ll probably happen next summer. In the meantime, we built a chicken coop and started a little flock of chickens this spring, which has been super fun.

It’s been a while since I looked at the before pictures and seeing them side by side with the current pics has me feeling pretty proud of what we’ve accomplished here thus far!

What's in my everyday makeup bag

My makeup bag is pretty basic and minimal.  Other than my trusty eyeliner, there's not much that I wear every day.  If I'm going out of the house I typically do eyeliner, foundation, and blush, with a bit of lipliner/chapstick.  Or if I'm super lazy... just eyeliner.  If I'm feeling super not lazy, I do a subtle brown smoky-ish eye shadow with a bit of shimmer to it.  

While I have lots of more crazy makeup (bright colors, lots of glitter, giant false lashes, etc.) in my make up case for burlesque shows and other non-casual outings, this is the makeup I keep on my counter for every day use.  And now that I have a super cute little pouch to keep it in from Moorea Seal, it's even more organized!

One thing I've been wanting to do lately is start to transition my makeup products to be more natural and organic.  I've tried making my own cosmetics in the past and was *meh* about the results, but I know there are quite a few cosmetic companies out there dedicated to making eco-friendly, natural products without loads of weird chemicals and I've been on the hunt, so that as I run out of my current products I can replace them with more healthy versions.  Let me know if you guys have any natural makeup brands that you swear by!  I'm all ears!

Makeup Bag c/o Moorea Seal

Eyes:
Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper
Motives Eyebase
Mac Keepsakes Beige Eyes Palette
Motives custom eyeshadow palette
(creme fresh, sequins, steamy night, hot chocolate)

Face: 
Burt's Bees BB Cream in Light
Motives Pressed Powder in Neutral
Mac Powder Blush in Emote (discontinued, but NYX's Taupe blush is a good replacement)
Face Atelier Ultra Blush in Tangerine

Lips: 
Palladio Lipliner in Spice

8 Favorite Summer Recipes

Summer is all about backyard barbecues and fresh fruits, and summer recipes are some of my favorites.  With fall approaching I'm sure I'll start to crave baked things and soups again, but I'm still craving the fresh tastes of summer cuisine.   

I've been wanting to try some new summer inspired recipes lately, but here are some of my favorite recipes from the past perfect for the sunny, long days of summer!

above: Taco Salad with Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice

Sweet Potato Steak Tacos

Peach Huckleberry Rustic Tart

Peach Bruschetta

Peach Strawberry Basil Pie

Street Corn

Salmon With Peach Salsa

Classic Macaroni Salad