Yarn ball decor

I am in the midst of redecorating our apartment, or as I really should call it after two years of living in the same apartment...just decorating. Ha. When Ryan and I first moved in to our humble abode just after we got hitched, we were using much of Ryan's bachelor-pad furniture (which I'm so thankful he had!), but it's time to get grown-up furniture. You know, things that match and stuff.

Side note: Despite the looks of the pictures below, the pictures were actually taken in color. The yarn balls are just different shades of gray and I took the picture on our black coffee table...which is why they look like black and white photos. 

One of my decorating projects were these super easy yarn balls made from yarn scraps I had. I used leftover yarn in random colors for the middle of the balls, then finished them with the different shades of gray and white so they would coordinate. I've been needing something to put in this bowl and I love the yarn decor! I also love the fact that I got to use a bunch of leftover yarn I've had for years - win!

We bought a new couch last weekend! Out will go our little, red, IKEA loveseat and in will come a normal-size, gray couch. Can't wait for it to get delivered this weekend! 

In other non-decorating related news, roller derby is going great. I love it. Like, seriously love it. I'm learning a ton and getting better at every practice (or, at least I think so! ha). I am starting to feel comfortable with transitions (switching  skating frontwards to backwards while skating...) and crossovers. It's so much fun! 

Life is funny, in the best kind of way.

Happy almost-not-Monday-anymore! :-)

Fika Friday

 

FINALLY FRIDAY! This is felt like the longest week ever. I'm so glad the weekend is just about here.

 

I defintely need a lot of fika to get me through this week. I made some brownie bites for fika. I desparately needed the chocolate. I've been really enjoying baking these lately, so quick and easy. I just use a box brownie mix and then bake in my mini muffin tins for 15 - 17 mins. Tada - brownie bites!

 



 

My Fika Rundown:

 

What: Brownie bites with black coffee (as usual)

Where: at home

Who: With myself

Favorite part: THE CHOCOLATE

Five dollar fun

After a little trip to IKEA this past weekend, I re-ignited my childhood love of fuse beads. I loved these things as a kid...and know I know why: they're awesome.

What's not to love? Tiny plastic beads on a spiked board, then ironed together?! Fun designs are bound to be born:

This is my fuse bead rendition of Fika:

It's easy for me to get caught up in only making crafts that I will use or that are "cool". But there's something just delightful about creating something you won't use (at least I won't...), just for crafting's sake. Just to create something. Sometimes I forget that creativity doesn't always have to produce something practical, or even cute. It's fun just to create.

I'm so glad I bought the fuse beads at IKEA on a whim, they didn't disappoint. 

Happy Tuesday!

Fika Friday: Michigan edition

I got to have fika last Friday with these two crazy kids!

It was a quick trip back to Michigan, but SO much fun! I did some serious fika-ing with my parents, obvoiusly. And drank out of my mom's Shelley cup collection, which is tradition when I'm home. We really packed a ton in while I was home! We even made it over to Holland to do some shopping! It was so wonderful to be home and see my mom and dad - good times had by all! 

Cheers!

 [I had been awake for approximately 30 hours at that point...thank you, red-eye flight]

Another highlight of my trip back to Michigan was seeing this sweet girl! My BFF since birth! Speaking of birth, she's preparing to give birth this Fall - woah baby! I got to attend one of her baby showers which I had been hoping I would be able to, and I got to feel the baby kick! She is going to make one great mommy.

My Fika Rundown:

What: Coffee in Shelley cups, pepparkakor and shortbread cookies

Where: in MICHIGAN

Who: With my Mom and Dad! :)

Favorite part: Being able to chat in person with my parents and see their cute little faces! I miss them already!

Happy Fika Friday, everyone!

Hawaiin vacay + world's biggest mug of fika

I'm back on the bloggin' bandwagon! After an amazing vacation in Hawaii with Ryan and his family, and a wonderful quick trip back to Michigan last weeked, it's hard to be back in the real world again. I have a serious case of Hawaii fever.

It was a great trip and we made lots of memories! We drove up to this lighthouse with an amazing view:

Took a sweet boat tour of the Napali coast (Jurassic Park, anyone?!).

Toured the Kauai Coffee plantation and saw the coffee berries!

Just getting in my afternoon cup of fika:

And went to some pretty amazing beaches with awesome snorkeling! We even swam with sea turtles!

I wish I was laying on that beach right now...

Here's to dreaming of vacation. Happy Wednesday!