February Lust List

Posted in Lust List, Mood Boards, Product Review by

February has arrived.  And unfortunately for many of  you loyal readers, I hear Punxsutawney Phil prescribed a LONG winter yet to be had.  (To which my Jefe lovingly asked “who is Punxsutawney Phil?!” and I immediately whipped out Groundhog Day.) So while you’re bearing the inches of snow  and blustery wind Mother Nature is still sending your way, cozy up with a cup of hot cocoa and Bailey’s and do a little window shopping with me!

Here are some of my latest design crushes:

February Lust List

1)  West Elm Hexagon Mirror – I’ve had my eye on this puppy for my hall entryway for quite some time and it’s now reduced from $149 to $79.  I may have to convince Jefe that we need to pull the trigger…

2)  West Elm Elton Settee – Although we are not in the market for any sort of love seat, I’m in love with the subtle curved lines, traditional tufting, yet overall modern feel of this piece.  And the blue fabric is to die for!

3)  Nate Berkus Lamp – I can’t believe this beauty will soon be available at Target.  Yet again, Nate Berkus knocks it out of the park with this modern piece of glam.  Look at those lines!  The inner shade’s lining!  GORGEOUS.  Also reminds me of the little Land of Nod lamp I used for my Dorm Room Decor Round Up!

4)  Lulu & Georgia Print – Is there anything Jenna Lyons isn’t right about when it comes to design?!  Now about the $300 price tag of those calf hair leopard flats I want….

5)  Nate Berkus Hexagonal Wood Tray – I’ve already seen this piece explode across the blogosphere and I am totally jumping on the band wagon.  If it had handles, it would already be in my apartment looking for a permanent place to live and corral things.  And after having seen it in person, I honestly was astounded at the quality of the piece for the price.  Bravo, Mr. Berkus.

6)  Sam Edelman Cheetah Loafers – So about those JCrew shoes… I’ve found your younger sister and my wallet loves her so much more.  I happened to see a coworker wearing these with a simple, jersey knit heather grey dress and it was the perfect mix of comfortable chic for the office.  I must have.

7)  Baublebar Slim Bow Pendant – I’m obsessed with costume jewelry lately.  And Baublebar has such fabulous sales (and credit for purchases made) that I never pay full price.  This one had me at hello so I snatched it up for $10.  It’s the perfect accent against my favorite emerald silk blouse.

8)  Magic Carpet Yoga Mat – Yes.  Yes.  Yes.  I’ve been wanting to get back into my yoga practice and this is the PERFECT incentive.

9)  Baggu 13″ Polka Dot Laptop Sleeve – Last weekend I was at the Apple Genius bar for a tune up for the old laptop.  This adorable case caught the corner of my eye.  Five minutes later I was walking out with it.  It also happens to PERFECTLY complement the Baggu I got for Christmas (and yes, I actually kept and have been using the iPad case too!  It’s a perfect little set, although a little tough to get the iPad in and out).

10)  Baggu Small Leather Pouch / Gold – So I’m a little Baggu obsessed right now. But as my wallet won’t fit in my new Kate Spade purse, I need something to corral my cards and (small) amount of cash when I’m on the go.  This gold little pouch would be perfect!

Well there you have it, February’s Lust List.  What are you lusting after these days?

Gobble Gobble DIY

Posted in Design Projects, DIY, Redecorating by

As promised last week, we’re going to do a little time traveling here on SWS and travel back to the days of yore – holiday season so that I can recap some of my fabulously festive projects for you.  Today I’m sharing with you the little last-minute DIY burlap runner I whipped together in the few days before Thanksgiving.

Threshold Trellis Runner

This idea came to me when I realized that my new, lovely fall-themed Threshold runner from Target probably wouldn’t make it through Turkey Day unscathed.  It also didn’t look like it would hold up well through a cycle in the washer, so I decided that I needed an alternative runner option for our holiday table.  Enter free burlap fabric I had stashed in a drawer for the last year.

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I knew I wanted something Thanskgiving themed and after seeing more than my fair share of “Give Thanks” signs across Pinterest, I decided to make my own.  As my painting skills are seriously sub-par, I headed to Michael’s for some stencils provided by the god of craft, Martha.  Her stencils are pricey, so I searched for one with the highest likliehood of reuse, whipped out my coupon via iPhone, and dolled out $31 to the cashier (note: this was for ALL supplies purchased).  Now, I realize that this is $11 more than I paid for the finished runner I purchased at Target, but I really was looking for a one-of-a-kind piece that I made myself and the supplies I can reuse for many projects to come.

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Had there been more time this holiday season, I would have attempted to hand-make most of my gifts included a few of these bad boys for family members, but as we all know, December was a BLUR this year.

So, down to the nitty gritty.  First, I took one look at my burlap and knew it needed finished edges.  I used this tip (and overall DIY as a base) from Inspired By Charm and for the first time managed to cut a clean edge with the this type of fabric.

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Then I whipped out my handy no-sew hem type (who has room for a sewing machine anymore?!) and really cleaned up those edges.

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Half-way through I also realized I *might* want to iron the rest of the fabric – just keeping it real folks.

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And it wasn’t until I had already done 2 corners that I realized I should be paying a *bit* more attention to detail, and decided to neatly fold the ends to give them a more finished and professional look.  (Did I mention it was VERY late at night when I finished this?!)

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Once I had the finished edges, I decided on my stencil design which I didn’t want it to look like a stencil – I chose to use a small brush to connect any lines.  When planning the spacing, laying the stencils out side by side left too much space between the letters in particular.  So I traced them on to a piece of paper with the desired spacing and laid them out.

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The blue painters tape represents both the horizontal and vertical centers of the burlap.

With that done, it was time to pull out the paint.  I kept the pencil tracing versions for reference and moved VERY slowly.  We don’t want this looking like a craft project, now do we?

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Once I had the middle painted, I decided it needed just a little more punch, so I pulled out another stencil to finish the ends.

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(Ignore the pulled thread in the middle of the fabric.  A casualty discovered too late in the game to stop crafting…)

After a few hours dry time, I had myself a new table runner!

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On Thanksgiving Day, I was a bit preoccupied cooking an entire dinner for Jefe’s family to do much decorating, but I did manage to throw together an acceptable table setting.  At the time I was so busy and decided that ironing the table cloth was not worth the added fuss, but now that I see these pictures, I’m quickly regretting that.

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Kudos go to Momma Sny for the turkey place card holders courtesy of the Dollar Spot at Target.  Dishware is Ikea 365 (5+ years old) and the napkins and water glasses were new from World Market.

The menu included a brined, 16 lb.  turkey (World Market’s Turkey Brine has done me well twice now), Momma Sny’s sweet potatoes, some mashed potatoes with a touch of garlic, stuffing, Jenny Hobick’s Bacon Green Beans, homemade cranberry sauce, my grandmother’s secret recipe apple pie and 2 pumpkin pies from Magnolia Bakery.  We capped it off with some fabulous wine and some VERY tired feet on my part.

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(secret Snyder family recipe apple pie, before baking)

So naturally the next day I did what any sane person would do after spending the previous day on her feet, cooking a meal for hours on end: ventured to Disneyland for Black Friday!

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Back In the Saddle Again

Posted in Life Stuff, Weight Watchers by

So turning 30 was kind of a big deal for me.  I made the ridiculous mistake of placing all sorts of arbitrary professional and personal deadlines upon myself that were not entirely within my control to make happen.

That said, the day came and passed without the world ending or me spontaneously combusting.  I came out on the other side with more realistic goals and outlook on life truly as an adult (what is it about hitting the big 3-0 that makes us feel like a “grown-up”?!)

So with that in mind, one of my goals this year is to get healthy.  As they say, it’s only downhill from here, so now’s the time to seize the day: lose the weight, gain muscle and finally conquer a 5K.

Yesterday I went back to my first Weight Watchers meeting in months.  I got a new weigh-in book and am starting with a clean slate.  I ventured over to Target and picked up some healthy snack options along with some stylish new workout gear (it’s all 40% in store right now)!  I swear by these pants, which I own FOUR pairs of:
C9 Champion Reversible Capris
Then I snagged one of these guys as I didn’t want my running sneakers to be the only thing with a pop of neon:
C9 Champion Pullover
And in an effort to drink more H20, I grabbed one of these Camelbak Water Bottles.
Camelbak

As I plan to be spending more time in the gym, I knew I needed some new tunes to pick up the pace.  I’m LOVING Lea Michele’s new single “Louder” and Macklemore’s “Can’t Hold Us”.

Lastly, I used the remnants of my holiday bonus to pick up a pair of new sneakers from Sports Authority.  They’re the exact same pair that I already own, but chose a another fun color combo to spice things up.
 Nike Dual Fusion Run 2 Sneakers

So this is me, putting it out there – I’m motivated, am back on plan and know that I can do this.  It’s one of the few things I can control right now and look forward to sharing results.

And if anyone is up for joining me for a 5K this summer, I’d love to find a running buddy as I’m a bit slow for my Jefe.

We’re Having A Fire…. Sale!

Posted in Life Stuff by

As Craigslist is absolutely FAILING me right, I figured I’d let you boys and girls know that I’ve got a few items up for sale in case anyone is interested.  Prices are listed below, but for my lovely SWS readers, I’d be happy to offer a discount!  Anyone interested please shoot me a note over at sledgehammerwithstyle@gmail.com.  Both items available for pick-up in West Hollywood.  Feel free to share!

Ikea Eivor Cirkel Rug – $75 OBO

Mint-condition Ikea Eivor Cirkel rug. 1.5 years old, no stains. Was mildly used in smoke-free, kid-free, pet-free home.

Rug is 6’7″ square. Medium pile. Cream and red.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20225409/

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Samsung 32″ HD LED TV (Brand New!) – $225 OBO

Brand new, never used Samsung 32″ HD LED Flat Screen TV available. Received as a gift, originally purchased at Target.

Model UN32EH4003F

Still in the original box; only opened once to verify its functional.

Retails at Target an Best Buy for $275-$299.

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….And a happy new year!

Posted in Life Stuff, Product Review by

So I blinked.  And December was gone.  Just GONE.  I literally have no idea where the last 5 weeks went; all I know is that 2 weeks at home was still not enough time to recharge.  Turns out my Jefe and I were running on some very faint fumes towards the ends of 2013 and two full weeks away from LA was STILL not enough time to recharge…. but on to a new year and a fresh start including my #1 resolution – GET MORE SLEEP.  I’ve actually been doing a decent job of that in the last week and I can honestly say it makes a world of difference.  Who knew how much an extra hour of sleep could help?!

In the coming weeks, I’ll be going back in time as I recap the insanity that was the holiday season at chez Sledge including my second attempt at cooking an entire Thanksgiving meal and my DIY table runner, some cross-continental Christmas decorating (say that 3 times fast) with ideas for next year, and a run-down of all of the awesome things Jefe and I were lucky enough to do (including celebrating a VERY big birthday for yours truly).

But on today’s agenda, I figured I’d ease us out of the holiday season with a glimpse at what this girl was lucky enough to find under the tree from the jolly fat man as well as a few things from the birthday fairy (you know us December babies are accustomed to the combo gifts, so why not a combo list?!)

Interiors Now 3

1.  Interiors Now 3 – This was a great gift from my co-worker who knows how obsessed I am with interior design (maybe it’s all those blogs I’m reading during lunch…)  It features some great international spaces as well as Jonathan Adler’s retreat with Simon Doonan on Shelter Island.

Gold Rhino Bookend2.  Gold Rhinoceros Bookends – These incredible pieces of awesome were actually a gift from the boss lady who really has pretty impeccable taste.  It took some serious Jefe convincing as his style is less whimsical mammal and more “real”, but he knew he couldn’t say no with how much I truly loved them.  So they’ve already found their place, albeit a low, more out of site one, but they’re on the bookshelf nonetheless.

Mastering the Art of French Cooking
3.  Mastering the Art of French Cooking (2 Volume Set) – New Years resolution #2 (ok, I lie, #2 was drink more wine, but this came in a very close 3rd…) was to learn how to be a better cook and to do it more often.  Jefe’s response: “I can get on board with that.”  Ever since I saw Julie & Julia, I’ve been dying to learn the art of a creating the perfect boeuf bourguignon and how to poach an egg.  I started reading the first few sections in the days after Christmas and I can’t WAIT to try my first recipe.  It’s really a book for a beginner – I love that she goes in to the details of the types of cooking gear you need, including what is and is not really necessary as well as definitions of words commonly found in recipes which until now I had just been pretending to truly understand.  Needless to say, I’m so excited to finally have this set in my kitchen arsenal.  I have, however, made the definitive decision to skip the section on aspics…..

Kate Spade Cross Body Bag

4.  Kate Spade Crossbody Purse in neon orange (Similar stye here)- This one was a huge surprise from Jefe’s brother and sister-in-law, Rachael.  For both my birthday and Christmas this year she picked up on a few things that I was really crushing hard on thanks to Pinterest.  Next thing I know, I’m unwrapping them.  Amazing.  And the bag is exactly what I need – it’s small so there’s no fear of it turning into a Mary Poppins situation and it lays perfectly in front of you so it’s easy to pull anything you need in and out.  And due it’s size, it’s SO MUCH LIGHTER.  It makes travel a breeze.  I’m obsessed.

Vista Explorer Tripod

5.  Vista Explorer Tripod – Less of a resolution and more of a goal was to take better pictures for the blog (and life in general).  Its become apparent that that could not happen with these two shaky hands.  So thanks to this gift from Momma Sny, I have no excuse.

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6.  Baggu Sailor Stripe Weekend Bag – For those that don’t know, I have tourettes syndrome when it comes to stripes.  Jefe knows there is no stripe that I don’t like.  I saw this bag while we were browsing some of the little shops along 3rd Street in West Hollywood awhile back and he knew I just had to have it.  He’s kind of amazing like that.

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7.  Baggu Sailor Stripe iPad Case – And what’s a striped bag without a matching iPad case?!  This one unfortunately was NOT a keeper as it only fits naked iPads (I have the smart cover and a clear protective backing on mine) but I loved it SO much and really wish I could have kept it.  I did, however, get to keep the third part of the striped gift explosion: Striped Zipper Bags.

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8.  Cocoon GRID-IT Organizing System – Do yourself a favor.  Trust me.  You should never lose a cord again while traveling with this thing.  Its already made life SO MUCH easier.

Kendra Scott Elle Earrings

9.  Kendra Scott Earrings – Another Rachael find in one of my favorite colors that has been on my list for the last 2 years.

JCrew Kiki Studded Ballet Flats

10.  Shoes, shoes and more shoes – Jefe was the shoe fairy this Christmas despite the fact that he’ll now have to empty out a bit more closet space to make room for these beauties…  I’m not so sure he thought this one through but I love him all the more for it.

11.  Gift cards galore – One of which was an exceptionally generous card for Barnes & Noble from Jefe’s parents.  I fully intend to pick-up a few of the other books that were on my Christmas list including Nate Berkus’s newest The Things That Matter as well as Barefoot Contessa: Foolproof by Ina Garten which I’ve been longing after seeing numerous delicious recipes featured over on Jenny Hobick’s blog.
So there you have it – the highlights of the 2013 Christmas haul.  I was very lucky this (and every) year for such a generous family and my Jefe.  Next year I think I’m adding an extra week with all of them to my Christmas list.  It was so nice being home!