Do it Yourself Key Painting

Having my own store means I get to still be creative every day.  I love to re-purpose old items and I'll paint anything that will stand still.  Recently, I saw on Pinterest (my new obsession) that you can use nail polish to paint keys so I was inspired to try it on my Ms. Mulligan's door keys.  Here's what I did...

First, I chose the base color I wanted to use on each key and painted two coats to each side.  Make sure the polish is completely dry before turning it over to the other side.

Next, I added black stripes using a nail art polish with a fine tip brush.

It was really easy, and I can see this being done in any color, pattern or design you want.  Give it a try - I plan to do all of my keys!

Finding my Internal Fashionista

I have never been a fashionista - never paid attention to current styles or knew much about designers. Probably because I couldn't afford to keep up. I usually just went to the Mall Department Stores and shopped the sale racks, trying to strike a balance between what I thought looked good on the mannequins and what I could actually buy. And I never accessorized! I grew up a tomboy (usually carrying a ball or glove instead of a purse) and jewelry just wasn't an option. I would often see other ladies with wrists stacked with baubles and bangles and think, "she looks really great, but I could never pull off a look like that"! In some ways, I felt like Anne Hathaway's character in "The Devil Wears Prada." Not that I laughed at or despised the fashion industry, just that I didn't really fit in. Then all that changed last November. When I opened my consignment shop, I was constantly surrounded by great clothes in an unlimited variety of styles and tastes. I began to try things on that I would have never attempted before. Some nights, I locked the doors at 7pm and stayed another hour having my own personal fashion show. I also began researching styles and trends, reading fashion blogs and learning about designers. I was after all, now a part of the fashion world (albeit, a very small part). I was being asked daily for advice on what shoes to wear with these pants and what top to wear with this skirt. It became my duty to learn as much as I could (and to look the part while I was at it). I learned that my personal style is a combination of classic and boho-chic (although one quiz labeled me as "subtly sexy" ) hmmm, I think I like that one. Anyway, I am finding that taking a few fashion risks is fun. And trying new outfits has had a surprising effect on my self confidence. It's like I've been on my own personal episode of "What Not to Wear" and come out with a whole new attitude along with my whole new wardrobe. And this is exactly what I want to share with other women. The fact that a great variety of designer styles is made available to women at a fraction of mall prices means that everyone can have this experience. We can all afford to own great clothes, without waiting for them to hit the clearance rack. Not sure about your personal style? I found Pinterest to be a valuable tool in determining what appealed to me and gave me a starting point. Follow me at http://pinterest.com/tammyberning/ Or just come see me. At Ms. Mulligan's, I have a variety of great styles - vintage, classic, preppy, boho-chic, edgy, hippie, futuristic, etc. I'd love to help you find your internal fashionista!

My Style - Boho Chic or Subtly Sexy?

   

Pinterest. My new thing.

So, Pinterest is my new thing...I know, I know, I've been living under a rock, but I just wasn't all that excited about jumping on another bandwagon (I'm not normally a bandwagon jumper).  Anyway, a Facebook friend sent me an invitation a few days ago, and I am amazed at how much I love it.  I thought it was just another social media site, but it's so much more than that...It's part "Bucket List", part "to-do-list" and part "gratitude journal".  I am by nature a list maker.  A planner.  A sticky note queen! But I have never started a gratitude journal (that one was still on my to-do list).  So when I started playing around with Pinterest, I created a couple of boards (like many of my friends had) called My Favorite Things and Favorite Places and Spaces.  I immediately added Ms. Mulligan's of course to favorite places and Disney World too.  But after that, I actually looked at my husband Joe (who was rolling his eyes at what he thought was another cyber-waste-of-time) and asked "What would you say is my favorite restaurant?" and "What are some other things I like?" I mean, should it really be this difficult to come up with my favorite things?  It was like at Thanksgiving when you go around the table and everyone has to say what they are thankful for...Family, Friends, Food, Home, God.  Those are the easy ones, but beyond  that, I really had to think.  I consulted my actual paper copy of my bucket list and found my car - the convertible I wanted to own before I died, and bought a year ago.  I also was reminded that I want to one day run a marathon, so I added my running shoes, but that was all the help I got from my bucket list.  Then an unexpected (and amazing) thing happened.  Over the next couple of days, I encountered many of "My Favorite Things" and actually took notice of them. Things like the beautiful, colorful sunsets in the evening that I absolutely love, but had never thought about in terms of favorite things.  I recalled the little things that make me smile, that make me happy, that make me, me.  I found myself saying, "I need to pin that" when I walked by my flower bed and "remembered" that I LOVE palm trees,  when I looked through recent Mother's Day pictures of my family at the zoo, and how much I love feeding the giraffes - one of my favorite animals.
I found that paying homage to "My Favorite Things" is extremely cathartic.  And sharing "My Favorite Things" is fun too.  Sometimes a friend repins a favorite of mine, and sometimes, like in the case of my Florida Gator pin, I can imagine my Georgia Bulldog friends gagging and boo-ing at the sight of it.  Fun huh?  Everyone should have a Pinterest Favorite Things Board.  I look at mine frequently and it always makes me smile.  I plan to continue noticing and acknowledging favorite things every day.  And this year at Thanksgiving, I won't have any problems when it's my turn!

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