10 DIY PROJECTS WORTH TRYING

I'm not much for arts and crafts but every now and then I stumble upon a do-it-yourself project that looks, well, doable. I love to paint furniture (past projects here and here) but I think it would be fun to branch out and try some paper or party decor projects. Here are a few ideas that caught my eye on Pinterest... 

1. Giant crepe paper roses

2. Gold leaf frames

3. Marbled paper with nail polish

4. No sew monogram appliqué

5. Oyster shell salt cellars

6. Painted door edge

7. Pelmet boxes (did this for my last apartment!)

8. Pom pom baskets

9. Pom pom sun hat

10. Porcelain jewelry stand

Are you a big DIY-er? What's the last project you tackled?

I'm not much for arts and crafts but every now and then I stumble upon a do-it-yourself project that looks, well, doable. I love to paint furniture (past projects here and here) but I think it would be fun to branch out and try some paper or party decor projects. Here are a few ideas that caught my eye on Pinterest... 

1. Giant crepe paper roses

2. Gold leaf frames

3. Marbled paper with nail polish

4. No sew monogram appliqué

5. Oyster shell salt cellars

6. Painted door edge

7. Pelmet boxes (did this for my last apartment!)

8. Pom pom baskets

9. Pom pom sun hat

10. Porcelain jewelry stand

Are you a big DIY-er? What's the last project you tackled?

DALLAS HOME TOUR

I was so excited when Dallas blogger Katey McFarlan emailed me asking if I'd be interested in featuring her home tour on my blog. Not only is her space filled with books, color, and personality, but she decorated with a few Design Darling goodies in the mix! It's the most rewarding feeling to see how my readers incorporate Design Darling into their lives so this home tour is extra special. Without further ado, Katey's apartment eye candy...

Note to self: buy hot pink cocktail napkins for next party!

You know you're in a girly girl's apartment when there are sweet treats in glass jars. Yes please!

I spy one of my favorite coffee table books!

I saw these bright lacquer boxes on One Kings Lane the other day and already regret not snatching one of them up. It's the perfect topper to a pretty stack of books! 

Nothing says Southern hospitality like a couple pineapples in the entry. 

These look familiar! :)

Katey and I even have the same bar cart! Love how she styled hers with a mirror for pretty reflections and a stack of books for height. 

I can't even stand how chic this sequined maxi skirt is... I wish I had an excuse or an occasion! Love it with her turquoise tassel earrings, a best-seller in the boutique. They're the perfect pop of color on a blonde!

Such a pretty bedside vignette. I always light candles before bedtime (this scent reminds me of my first year in New York and these ones smell sooo good without breaking the bank). Bonus: you can reuse both containers after they burn through.

Organization makes me so happy. Katey, come do my makeup collection next?!

Odds and ends from my fave, Jonathan Adler. 

This pillow cracks me up. 

Would pretty much kill for the space to have a mirrored vanity in my apartment. Girly glam at its best! If you think your home is a good fit for Design Darling, email me photos here! Thanks, Katey!  

*Photos by Carmen Evans, full home tour on Katey and Kristin's blog here!

I was so excited when Dallas blogger Katey McFarlan emailed me asking if I'd be interested in featuring her home tour on my blog. Not only is her space filled with books, color, and personality, but she decorated with a few Design Darling goodies in the mix! It's the most rewarding feeling to see how my readers incorporate Design Darling into their lives so this home tour is extra special. Without further ado, Katey's apartment eye candy...

Note to self: buy hot pink cocktail napkins for next party!

You know you're in a girly girl's apartment when there are sweet treats in glass jars. Yes please!

I spy one of my favorite coffee table books!

I saw these bright lacquer boxes on One Kings Lane the other day and already regret not snatching one of them up. It's the perfect topper to a pretty stack of books! 

Nothing says Southern hospitality like a couple pineapples in the entry. 

These look familiar! :)

Katey and I even have the same bar cart! Love how she styled hers with a mirror for pretty reflections and a stack of books for height. 

I can't even stand how chic this sequined maxi skirt is... I wish I had an excuse or an occasion! Love it with her turquoise tassel earrings, a best-seller in the boutique. They're the perfect pop of color on a blonde!

Such a pretty bedside vignette. I always light candles before bedtime (this scent reminds me of my first year in New York and these ones smell sooo good without breaking the bank). Bonus: you can reuse both containers after they burn through.

Organization makes me so happy. Katey, come do my makeup collection next?!

Odds and ends from my fave, Jonathan Adler. 

This pillow cracks me up. 

Would pretty much kill for the space to have a mirrored vanity in my apartment. Girly glam at its best! If you think your home is a good fit for Design Darling, email me photos here! Thanks, Katey!  

*Photos by Carmen Evans, full home tour on Katey and Kristin's blog here!

DESIGN DARLING MAP PRINTS!!!

I am so, so, so excited to unveil the newest products on Design Darling because — drumroll, please! — we designed them ourselves! My mom had the idea to create bright, colorful, oversized, preppy maps of some of our favorite destinations as well as the places where lots of my customers live. I loved the idea, knowing I would hang the maps for Manhattan and Nantucket in my new apartment. We set to work finding a local artist who could do the map renderings and a local printer who could work with the colors I had in mind. Et voilà! I am so proud of how they turned out, so grateful for my mom's encouragement along the way, and so excited to hear what you think! 

They are available either framed or unframed — the prints themselves are 12" x 18" and the frames make them 16" x 22", an ideal size for hanging over a console table, headboard, sofa, or workspace. Each piece makes a colorful statement and is a happy reminder of where you're from (or where you'd rather be!). I sincerely hope you love them as much as I do! Shop them all here and be sure to let me know your thoughts in the comments. Any votes on which city or state we should add next?!

I am so, so, so excited to unveil the newest products on Design Darling because — drumroll, please! — we designed them ourselves! My mom had the idea to create bright, colorful, oversized, preppy maps of some of our favorite destinations as well as the places where lots of my customers live. I loved the idea, knowing I would hang the maps for Manhattan and Nantucket in my new apartment. We set to work finding a local artist who could do the map renderings and a local printer who could work with the colors I had in mind. Et voilà! I am so proud of how they turned out, so grateful for my mom's encouragement along the way, and so excited to hear what you think! 

They are available either framed or unframed — the prints themselves are 12" x 18" and the frames make them 16" x 22", an ideal size for hanging over a console table, headboard, sofa, or workspace. Each piece makes a colorful statement and is a happy reminder of where you're from (or where you'd rather be!). I sincerely hope you love them as much as I do! Shop them all here and be sure to let me know your thoughts in the comments. Any votes on which city or state we should add next?!