The Interior DIYer
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Inspiration – man blanket

I’m currently in cahoots with my broseph for his birthday. I wanted to make him a blanket, but I soon realized in order to make one he genuinely liked, I would have to consult him on the pattern and colours, therefore it would not be a surprise.

It needed to look manly, but not too boring. I was conscious of it looking dated in the future, which meant the colour and pattern we chose would play a huge factor. After much humming and hawing, I found a style of blanket that broseph very much approved of {you can see it here}. It was straight forward, masculine, wasn’t too colour restrictive and doesn’t scream a particular age group. In stead of blue and yellow, he wanted maroon to be incorporated {no objections here}, so here’s what I sent his way for approval …

From there, I made some tweaks and we narrowed it down to this …

… he’s very happy with it, which is something I didn’t expect. After work yesterday I managed to find the perfect Aran wool, whose colour I can only compare to a warm gunmetal grey, and came in the perfect quantity of two shit-tonnes of yarn. The detail colour yarn only comes in similar amounts, so I’m scouring the internet for some smaller skeins. 

Since broseph’s birthday is now less than a month away, I literally had to start crocheting the moment I got home last night. The selfish side of me is so happy to have a project to work on, and I happily crocheted 4 lines last night. I’m the kind of person who constantly needs something to do. Otherwise I’m screaming with boredom.

Before I went to sleep last night, I said to hubby “I’ll do a couple lines in bed before I go asleep.” I sound like a crack addict. 

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Out of this world


For husband’s birthday, I surprised him with an astronomical themed overhaul. I’ve never written about it here, but we’re massive nerds when it comes to astronomy {not to be confused with astrology}. We will sit for hours discussing, watching documentaries and debating infinity and beyond. Influenced by our most recent television obsession – the Stargazing Live series, I thought how better to celebrate than a space themed setting.

Above – I gave him the moon, or as best as I could draw it on our chalkboard wall …

Bacon sandwiches for breakfast with some added jazz. p.s. Spot the curious cat.

I should say, of what you see regarding decor, the only things I had to purchase for the day were edible items {that’s how much nerdy stuff we have}. I do find the best themed decor can be found within your own home. You just have to invest in some serious brainstorming, allow yourself to get carried away, and some hardcore rooting around cupboards.

In stead of a traditional iced birthday cake, I fancied up some crater cookies for hubby. This is where I can thank the Pinterest gods. I stumbled upon a painfully simple recipe – cookies and cream oreo bark. With its delightfully grey flecked white chocolate with Oreo chunks, it was a perfect fit and became ‘crater cookies’. Not to mention it took about 10 minutes to make. Sweet.

Leftover surplus of Oreos as well as some chocolate stars adorned the coffee table. I pimped out some vases with Mars and Milky Way bars, and finished it off with some of our Star Wars memorabilia. We went to Tunisia a couple of years ago and traveled to far-away abandoned Star Wars sets. The pink ticket you see framed is what I got for my use of the toilet facilities, which I had to pay for merely because I wasn’t a man.

So there you have it! Husband was very impressed and has stated a number of times that I can’t erase the moon for a good while. I’m okay with that. For now.

Happy Monday folks! I hope the weekend treated you well 🙂 xx A

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A matter of coincidence

Humour me for a moment while I share some facts that have slightly boggled my mind recently … 
1. While discussing honeymoon options, fiance and I head-over-heels wanted to go to Russia, more specifically, St. Petersburg. That day I started reading Anna Karenina to get in the Russian mind set. As I began reading, only then did I realize a huge part of the book takes place in St. Petersburg. Not ground breaking, but it was weird at the time.

2. When I first saw the posters, I was so excited to hear there was a new adaptation of Anna Karenina to hit the theaters. When I looked up when it was due in cinemas, my heart stopped. Anna Karenina opens in theaters today {in Ireland}. Today is my birthday. 

3. My mom gave me this water colour painting about 8 years ago. Even though the vibrant colours are not what I typically like, I adore it and it’s my favourite painting. I tried to find out where in Russia the painting was, but I never got very far. I knew it wasn’t the Kremlin, and that was about it.

Fast forward 8 years, after copious researching of what to see and where to go in St. Petersburg for our honeymoon, I was dusting my living room one day, picked up said painting, and nearly screamed in fiance’s face when I realized it’s a painting of the Church of the Savior on Blood in St. Petersburg. I’m going to see my favorite painting.

The above is nothing ground breaking, but these coincidences have been blowing my little mind. As corn-ball as it sounds, I sometimes like to think things are meant to be. Queue ridicule.

Image cred 2 and 5.