PopBetty

A Love Letter to Pop Culture

Industrial Bookshelf Inspiration

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PopBetty - Industrial Bookshelf Inspiration

Clockwise from top left: photo by Douglas Friedman, for Domino; pipe bookshelves via Lark & Linen; French industrial shelves, $799 from Wisteria (no longer for sale); bookshelf stairs from Locati Architects & Interiors; industrial closet shelving by D.I.Y. Diva (includes tutorial); sconce bookshelves, 2 for $139.00 from DirtyBils. All images via Pinterest (click through for specific credits).

Lately, I’ve come across striking examples of industrial shelving. Something about dark metal piping and rich-colored woods hits me square in the gut, and luckily, it’s a look that can be recreated without too much money or effort. See the links above for great retail options and D.I.Y. inspiration/advice. Not pictured, but also helpful, are these D.I.Y. industrial shelving instructions from iVillage.

P.S. There’s less than a week left to enter the Mad Men: The Illustrated World giveaway. The contest closes at 12:00 AM September 28th, and the winner & October’s giveaway book will be announced later that day. Thanks to all who have entered so far!

D.I.Y. Idea & Tutorial: Nail Polish & Glitter Bobby Pins

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Sorry about missing Wednesday & Friday last week! I had a post queued up for Wednesday (another Out-of-Print Wonder), but realized too late that the photos weren't good enough. 

I did do blog spruce-ups, however: I moved the search field to the navigation bar, and made a major change to the blog's category system. Now the blog has 10 main categories, which I created buttons for in the sidebar (examples below):

Category buttons

I'll write more about making these, the new category system, & other key blog changes soon. For now, here's a goofy D.I.Y. project I hope will serve as creative fodder.

Inspiration

Neon bobby clip inspiration

Above image from a cool neon wedding concept shoot by Brooklyn Bride (styled by Merci New York, and photographed by 1. art beauty life). 

When I saw the bobby pins above, my mind immediately went to Discount Creative's faux enamel jewelry tutorial and my new yellow nail polish. I felt very clever for five seconds, then I read the accompanying text and saw the words: "Adding pops of neon doesn’t have to be expensive!  Sometimes all it takes is a spray can, fabric dye, paint or even nail polish." Oh, well.

The bobby pins are credited as J.Crew, though they don't appear to be for sale anymore. You can, however, get 50 neon bobby pins from Rue 21 for $3.99. 

I decided to try the nail polish bobby pin hack anyway, and while I was at it, make glitter bobby pins with Mod Podge.

What I used:

Neon glitter bobby pin materials

From left: Crafter's Choice foam brush, Mod Podge Matte Finish, Martha Stewart glitter in White Gold, Wet N Wild Megalast in Tropicalia, China Glaze Lemon Fizz, Sally Hansen Double Duty Strengthening Base & Top Coat; not shown: bobby pins, disposable plate or cup, aluminum foil.

I had all of these items already, and I'm betting most of you at least have bobby pins and half-finished bottles of nail polish. For those interested in pricing/sourcing info for the rest: the Mod Podge was $4 at Hobby Lobby (during the Labor Day Weekend sale), the glitter was $6 at Michael's (with a 40% off coupon), and the foam brush (as part of an assorted 15-piece pack) was $4 at Michael's. Also, Michael's has weekly printable coupons on their site, usually offering 40 to 50% off one item. 

Step-By-Step:

Nail polish glitter mod podge bobby pins (2)

For the nail polish pins: Slide bobby pins onto a card or piece of aluminum foil to keep the two sides from sticking together. Paint two or three coats of polish on each side, then finish with a clear top coat. I recommend painting one side, then waiting at least 12 hours for it to dry completely before flipping the pin & foil over and painting the other side.

For the glitter pins: Combine glitter and Mod Podge in a disposable plate or cup. You're only doing 2 to 3 coats, so you want a high proportion of glitter to glue. Slide bobby pins onto small strip of aluminum foil to protect the non-glittered side/keep the two sides from sticking. Paint on 2 to 3 coats of the glitter/Mod Podge mix with the foam brush, allowing each coat to dry between applications (about 10 minutes each coat). Since I didn't have clear acrylic sealer, I finished off each barrette with one application of the Sally Hansen base/top coat. The result is remarkably smooth, without any glue tackiness or (to my amazement) any flaking.

Taking It Further: 

  Nail polish hair accessories next steps

From top left: Conair wide headbands, 3-pack; Goody No Metal barrettes; jagged manicure by Forever the Ugly Duckling; striped nails by Let Them Have Polish!; China Glaze Neon in Lime Light; DCNL black auto clasp barrettes.

I loved the ease and results of both bobby pin upcycling methods, and think both methods lend themselves to bigger D.I.Y. projects. The Mod Podge/glitter method came from two glitter shoe tutorials; I'm already thinking about using it on larger hair accessories, eyeglasses, even notebooks. The nail polish upcycling method would work well on non-flexible barrette surfaces, and also for accents/detail work on larger accessories like bracelets and headbands. What's more, there is copious nail art inspiration online, featuring some truly amazing designs. Start with Chloe's Nails, SuPa Nails, or the two blogs credited above for more ideas.

Budget Finds: Thrift Inspiration

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I find it harder and harder to post about Budget Finds, in large part because the online bargains no longer seem so cheap. Here’s a quick comparison between high street & thrift finds to explain:

Zara VBack Teal Dress, $89.90:

Zara Teal Dress

Disclaimer: I’m not knocking Zara. They’re one of my top three high street brands, along with H&M and [one of a rotating list of brands that are not as consistent]. I would wear the crap out of that dress.They also have other great things right now like this sequin shirt, this polka dot top, or this colored sweater. 

VS

 

Recent Thrift Store Finds, $25.00:

PopBetty - Thrift Store Finds

The skirt is Theory and has pockets, the two dark blue-green shirts are Ann Taylor Loft, while the other two are just cute. They’re all in nearly new condition; the skirt & shirt on the far right were just under $10 each, while the other three were under $2. So, you want to go thrifting?

To find a good thrift store in your area, visit Thriftshopper.com’s National Thrift Store Directory.

Welcome to Atlanta: The Reid House

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The Reid House is a historic Atlanta condo, designed in 1923 by key Atlanta architect Neel Reid. My childhood library was the AFPL‘s Peachtree branch, which happens to be right across the street from the condo building. That, plus the fact that my dad is a residential architect meant I was always aware of the property & its significance.

I heard recently that some units were for sale, some for incredibly low prices. This turned out not to be true, but it got me looking at the available units, and my goodness, they are gorgeous. My favorite was the unit below, which has by far the best windows.

Reid House in Atlanta: Entry Hall

Reid House in Atlanta: Door Knocker

Reid House in Atlanta: Apartment

Reid House in Atlanta: Kitchen

Reid House in Atlanta: Windows

I DIE. The place has lovely vintage details, well-done updates, and tons of natural light. I’ve also heard that the building’s walls are sound-proofed with sand, meaning that despite the central location (on Peachtree Street, right across from the High Museum), the inside is quiet. See the full listing with all photos here.

House: Citrus Tree Inspiration

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Citrus Tree Inspiration | PopBetty

With their dark leaves and bright fruits, citrus trees are beautiful and functional additions to any home or garden. They are not demanding plants, given sufficient light, heat, & humidity, and certain dwarf varieties can be grown indoors. Some images to inspire you, from left to right, row by row: