Uh huh..customized iPhone apps! No more run-of-the-mill-everyone’s-got-em looking apps. Nope, now my phone has swagg. That’s right..TWO g’s. And it’s all thanks to a free app called CocoPPa. There’s a great tutorial on how to use the app here. Go forth and customize.

Also, we’re heading on a little vacay on Sunday with my family. It will be Roarke’s first plane ride..eek! Any tips on traveling with an infant?

I recently had a reader ask me for some tips on how to to pretty up her plain plastic storage totes. She recently moved and is short on concealed storage space. So what to do when your have no choice but to leave your storage containers out in the open? Well I’ve been doing some research and have come up with a few ideas!

My first thought was to hide them behind a folding screen. If they’re coordinated into the room well, a folding screen can be a really chic touch!

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Along those same lines, you could use a couple of bookcases to create a hidden storage space.

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You wouldn’t want to do that in a small space though; it would only make the room feel more cramped!

But those are both ways to hide the containers…what if you want to make the storage containers themselves prettier? I’ve got a solution for that, too!

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Using some fabric and decoupage medium, you can make those plastic totes fierce! I also love the rope handle detail, it really jazzes things up!

You  can also use spray paint specifically designed for plastic to change up the color and help them blend a bit better. Check out this pin I found where someone made theirs look like an old trunk by painting them brown and gluing on an old belt!

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Pretty neat, huh?

What about you guys? Do you have any clever solutions for making over those drab storage totes? Let me hear ‘em!

]]> http://www.lemondroplife.com/2013/05/17/reader-dilemma-ugly-storage-totes/feed/ 0 http://www.lemondroplife.com/2013/05/15/check-me-out/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=check-me-out http://www.lemondroplife.com/2013/05/15/check-me-out/#comments Wed, 15 May 2013 12:00:15 +0000 Dacia http://www.lemondroplife.com/?p=2311 Hi all! Just wanted to quickly drop in today with a few random tidbits. Most importantly, I wanted to let you guys know that I recently had an article go live over on Home Made Simple. I covered the topic of how to clean your toaster.

Now I know what you’re thinking: that’s not the most exciting subject matter in the world. BUT did you know that not cleaning your toaster can present a fire hazard for your home? Yeah, no bueno. So go check out my simple tips for keeping your brave little toaster (Do you guys remember that movie? I remember being super freaked out by the evil electromagnet in the junkyard) sparkling clean. Check out my article here!

Secondly, when I did my reader survey a few weeks ago, a couple of you asked how our pooch was getting along with our little one. I’m pleased to say that she has been great! She barely pays attention to him, just walks by him every now and then and gives him a little lick on his head. It has been quite the relief to know they get along (at least for now)!

And finally, if you guys havent’ downloaded the new app from A Beautiful Mess, you are missing out! It is SO much fun to edit your photos with all their extras!! I was a ha-yuge Lisa Frank sticker lover as a kid…I can remember sitting with a few other girls at elementary school recess to look at each others stickers. Yes, I’m a dork. But seriously, this app is like my grown-up Lisa Frank collection. I love it!

I started by purchasing a pack of 4 square cork tiles at Michael’s. I brought them home and laid them out on the table.

Then I got to taping. I wanted my stripes to be an inch thick so I laid down my first piece of tape, and then measured and marked and inch below it.

Here’s where I ended up after I was through taping. I decided to add some asymmetrical stripes, too, for some extra pizazz.

Then I got out some white acrylic craft paint and a sponge brush and painted on my stripes.

The cork is naturally absorbent so don’t worry if the texture shows through! After I finished painting, I pulled off the tape (by the way, is there anything more satisfying than pulling off your tape to reveal a crisp, straight line?) and was left with this!

The only thing left to do was to mount it on the wall (they provide sticky backs in the package) and pin a few things up!

Now I can’t wait to whip the rest of this nook into shape!

For example, take a look at the jacket I wore on Easter Sunday:

And how about the iPad case I picked up a couple weeks ago:

Or the iPhone case I recently jazzed up using this tutorial:

And I’ve totally been coveting this bedding from Anthropologie. I mean, who does floral better than Anthro?

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Yep, it’s safe to say I’m obsessed. What trend are you guys in love with this spring?

It’s been such a fun journey so far, and I can’t wait to see what year three brings! Thank you to all my wonderful readers for sticking around!! Just for fun, I created a little survey  for you guys. I wanna hear what you think!

Click here to take survey

So, what am I trying out this time? The ever popular Sharpie mug.

The Claim

You can design your own mug by simply drawing on it with a Sharpie. It makes for an adorable personalized gift!

The Deets

There are about a thousand different pins on Pinterest for this one, but the basics are this: draw on your design, bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, and enjoy! Sounds simple enough, right? But the question is, will it hold up to being hand washed? Even more than that, is it dishwasher safe??

The Experiment

I pulled out a white mug that I picked up at Target last year for $1 (woot!) and a regular ol’ black Sharpie. I drew on an ikat-ish inspired design and let it bake for 30 min at 350 degrees. Then it was time to see how it held up to being washed. I started out by hand-washing it. And I instantly started to see some chinks in the armor.

But I went ahead and put it through the dishwasher as well. I’ll admit, I was expecting it to come out of the dishwasher completely white again, but it held up better than expected. Don’t get me wrong, some of the Sharpie still washed off and I think after a few washes, it would all be gone.

So, I think I’m gonna call this one busted.

But the story doesn’t totally end there. After looking at few other blog posts on the subject, it seems if you use the oil-based Sharpie paint pens, that your design will be permanent AND dishwasher safe!

Another happy ending for this edition of ‘Does That Really Work?’.

{NOTE: This series is totally just for fun and not meant  to dispute anything anyone else has done. I’m just sharing MY experience!}

And on top of that, it was Earth Day! So to celebrate both occasions, we got our tree-plant on.

I love the idea of taking a picture of Roarke next to the tree every year on his birthday to see how they both grow. I chose a Dogwood tree for sentimental reasons. My grandfather was the developer of the neighborhood I grew up in, Dogwood Estates so they’ve always held a special place in my heart! Plus, they’re gorgeous!!

Now, I’m definitely not a gardening expert so I won’t even try to offer up any tips. I’m just praying our tree doesn’t die.

Did you guys do anything special to celebrate Earth Day?

This faux malachite paint treatment from Jenny at the Little Green Notebook is absolutely FABULOUS! I’m dying to try it for myself!!

Allison over at Little Lovelies shared a quick and fantastic furniture update. Would you believe that’s just contact paper on the drawers? It looks awesome!

I adore this mason jar butterfly terrarium from Kirsten at 6th Street Design School. I think it would be fun to do a bunch of them for a table centerpiece!

That’s all for this week..hope you guys enjoyed!

When I gave you guys the House Tour (here, here, and here), I mentioned that I wanted to add some personality and fun to our entryway, and  what’s more fun than yarn?!? Puppies, maybe, but those are harder to decorate with. This is such a simple update that ti doesn’t even really need a tutorial, but I’ll give you the quick rundown anyway.

All you need is yarn, small nails (you could also use pushpins or even tape), and scissors.

I started off by tying the yarn around the nail.

I snipped off the extra near the top, and then I nailed it into the wall, right up underneath the trim.

After I put the first one in, I decided to go ahead and partially nail in the rest of my nails in a random pattern along the wall. Then I went back and tied yarn on each nail.

In order to secure the yarn at the bottom, I simply used tape. It was much easier than doing nails along the bottom, and since it’s hidden, no one will know! Except for all of you, of course.

This is such an easy (not to mention cheap) wall treatment, and it would be great temporary idea for anyone that’s renting! So, what do you guys think?

Linking up at Home Stories A to Z