One Charming Garland: Ray of Sunshine

Happy Easter!  PG Reader Ulrika (all the way from Sweden!) sent in this beautiful paper garland DIY that she used to add a little sunshine to her living room.  I have never been quite able to master the technique, but I love the dimensional effect that sewing, instead of stringing, paper creates.  Make sure to stop by Ulrika's lovely little spot on the web - The Paper Blog - and leave her some love!

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Do you have a garland photo, project, or find you'd like to see featured on One Charming Garland? Send away to papergarland@gmail.com!

Bits and Baubles

With the weather all over the place here in Boston (it was 82 degrees and sunny just two weeks ago, and now I'm back and forth between sweating and shivering in my North Face), here's a little bit of what's keeping the spring in my step!

After my beloved black patent leather Tory flats were stolen in a coat check on New Year's Eve, I have been eagerly seeking their replacement.  This olive green pebbled leather pair (found for 50% off!) is just what the shoe doctor ordered.

Few things make me happier than a great Italian bakery!  Luckily, the North End of Boston (my new neighborhood come May!) is full of them.

Watching the sun set on the Charles River on a floating dock is highly recommended.

It was Restaurant Week here in Boston just recently, and this lemon merengue tart was the perfect way to cap off an indulgent lunch at Beacon Hill Hotel & Bistro.

What's making you happy this week?

Easter Projects to DIY-for

I am heading home to Connecticut for Easter weekend and think spending an afternoon working on of these fun and creative crafts with my mom would be the perfect way to wind down from city life.

 I never have very good luck trying to dye an egg with multiple colors.  This creative twist thought up by Lovely Indeed (featured on The Sweetest Occasion) allows you to skip the mess, but still have a little flair.  Egg-scelent! (Don't pretend like you didn't see that coming!)

These metallic dot cloth napkins by My Growing Home (found via Design Mom) would make a darling addition to any Easter table...and can be recycled for summer barbecues, too!

I was elated to find Merriment's chic neon dip-dyed egg DIY while reading Oh Joy! if only because it taught me that there is neon food coloring out there! Neon!

Happy Tuesday!

Moody Monday No. 59: Peonies & Pastels

It's been a long time since I've felt inspired to create a new board.  It might be this seemingly endless winter, gray days, and my heavy, brown puffy coat that have been giving me the blogging blues.  No matter.  When my thoughtful new boyfriend asked me what my favorite flower was, I began dreaming of the fluffiest, prettiest blooms out there - peonies - and then inspiration hit.  Happy almost spring (weather)!

Sources: Pastel macarons captured by Joy Hey, 70s inspired lace frock via Sang Maestro, Pink ruffle cake from Martha Stewart, Fluffy lanterns from Miss Etoile, Wild peony bouquet with succulents, cabbage roses, and lamb's ear featured on The Wedding Chicks, Peony wallpaper available at Anthropologie, Pretty shoes snapped by The Cherry Blossom Girl.

Love This Tip No. 7: Brown Sugar Fix

Photo by Cooking for Seven

As I set out to bake some chocolate chip cookies last night, I made an ill-timed discovery: my brown sugar was stale!  Since it was too late at night to make it to the grocery store, I set to googling.  Turns out, the remedy couldn't be simpler!  Place the brown sugar you want to use in a bowl in the microwave and then place a bowl of water beside it.  Microwave for about a minute and a half, checking every 30 seconds or so, until the sugar has been humidified and softened.  It worked like a charm and today, I have plates full of cookies as proof!

My New Favorite...

Photo by Elizabeth Messina, custom gown by The Row, featured on Style Me Pretty

...bridal portrait.  Pure elegance.  This photo captures so much of what I love about weddings: the anticipation, the beauty, the love, the big moments to come.  This stunner of a wedding is my favorite I've laid eyes on in 2012 so far.  Classic, with hints of personality so artfully crafted you couldn't even wish to change a thing.  Keep your eyes peeled for picture perfect lace tablecloths, artisan bread place settings, and the view at the end of the dining tables - these are a few of my most favorite details!

See part I and part II here.

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

 

 

Despite the countless hours I spent celebrating St. Patrick's Day in the great city of Boston this weekend, I managed to squeeze in a first-time viewing of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.  I'm here today to give it a rave review!  Even with the stunning 50's fashion, perfect red pouts, and illustrious jewels aside, this film featured absolutely striking performances by both Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe.  Dorothy's wit and charisma totally captivated me and Lorelei turned out to be quite the cunning lady herself in the end. The friendship between these two opposites was both hilarious and touching.  J'adore.  A must see if you haven't yet!

Did you do anything special this weekend, dears?

How to: Ballerina Bun

Now that my hair is finally getting long enough to put up, I have become a bit addicted to the ballerina bun.  I mean, with my obsession with ballet flats, leotards, and pale pink, it makes sense really.  Not to mention that the "off-duty ballerina look" is one of my absolute favorites on lazy days.  With the help of my new favorite little tool (with the most fun name ever: the hair doughnut!) and inspired by yesterday's post, I decided to make a little tutorial for anyone who wants to replicate my look.

Start with slightly dirty hair.  I've heard that this method works well with all hair types, but for your reference, mine is pin straight and pretty thin.

Brush it out to ensure that you are able to make a smooth ponytail in the next step.

Pull hair into a high ponytail.  To achieve a similar result to mine, I'd say the higher the better, but if you want to make a low bun, position your pony appropriately.

Backcomb your ponytail using a fine-toothed comb, just enough to generate a little volume if your hair is naturally flat.

It should now look a bit 80s...fabulous.  Yeah, we'll go with "fabulous."  Like this.

Get out your trusty hair doughnut.  I got mine at H&M for only $3.95, but you can also find them on Folica and Amazon.

Slide the doughnut to the base of your ponytail.  Easy.

Tilt your head forward and make sure that your hair is equally distributed around the doughnut.  Then, wrap an elastic around the hair-covered doughnut.  (Sorry, that sounds extremely gross.)

See all of those pieces sticking on in the last shot?  Twist each of them around the outside of the bun and pin with bobby pins.

Once all of the pieces are secured, your bun should look like this.

I like this.  I like it a lot.  But, it might need just a little pizzazz.  It's a bird, it's a plane, wait, no..

...silk scarf to the rescue!

Wabam.  I'm fancy now, you say?  Why, thank you!  Questions?  As always, email me at papergarland@gmail.com.

xoxo,

Paloma

Moody Monday No. 58: The Ballerina Project

The Ballerina Project is a stunning photography series by artist Dane Shitagi that I keep returning to for inspiration lately.  All of the photos in the series have been shot exclusively on film and each shot features an advanced ballerina student in an unusual scape.  I just adore the photograph with the umbrella, don't you?  True works of art for your Monday morning!

Fashion Friday No. 61: Wool & Wideleggers

I got these 7 For All Mankind jeans on sale back in 2006 on a shopping trip with my mom when they were not in style.  I was a bit unsure of them at the time, but as with any trend from the 70's it seems, wideleggers have come back with a vengeance.  Mothers know best (especially mine when it comes to fashion!)  Paired with my favorite oversized Free People poncho, this outfit is both comfortable and fun to wear.  Definitely one I'll wear again!

 

Pink Poncho: Free People

Belt: Urban Outfitters

Widelegger Jeans: 7 For All Mankind

Necklace & Earrings: Forever 21