DIY: Cute Reindeer Ornaments

For this Reindeer Ornament DIY, you will need:

1. Tear drop shaped ornaments

2. A string to attach them together

3. Acrylic paints

4. Paint brushes, preferably at least one detail brush

5. A clear coat spray

Step 1. Practice the design on a napkin before painting it onto the ornament, this will give you a chance to perfect your brush technique and make sure that you're getting the effect and look you like. 

Step 2. Start this particular Reindeer design with painting the very bottom tip of the ornament red. You can do this by free handing or by taping off the area above the ornament for a more precise looking line.

Step 3. Now you can paint the hair and antlers, leaving a decent amount of space for the reindeer's eyes.

Step 4. Paint on the eyes. You can leave it as just a simple circle, which I think gets the point across that it's a reindeer, or you can use a detail brush and wing out a lash at the top of the eye, giving the reindeer a more feminine look.

Step 5. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

Now that they're done, be sure to use a clear coat to keep the paint from chipping. After they've dried, hang them up! Either in your tree or around the house to add a festive "feel"!

Since Aaron and I have yet to buy a Christmas tree (hint, hint, Mr. Jones!) I've just hung them above our fireplace for now, which I think is quite adorable!

For an alternative option, you can make a simple round ornament into a reindeer by painting a brown or,in this case, white circle, and doing the same process as above, just a bit simpler ;}

I have never felt so ready for Christmas! I am so excited to do more DIY's and more decorating around the house. I will finally be going up to San Fran with Aaron to see his family. I'm also excited to see my family for Christmas Eve and Christmas day, it is going to be such a treat!

This really is the first time in years I've felt so festive and excited about the Holidays. I am socked up on eggnog and can't wait to get my hands on some baking supplies! I have a list of treats and things I'm going to be trying over the next couple of weeks!

I can already taste my mom's Christmas cooking, and the cute cookies my sister always bakes! I can't wait to start my Christmas shopping and to celebrate the new year with Aaron. I can't believe it's been a year since I graduated... I still have days I wake up thinking I've missed a class! Ah, life is a strange, blissful thing.

:}

xox, a modern dame

A Cross Country Dress Swap {Featuring Things Like Skeleton Keys & Me}

Cassidy from Thing's Like Skeleton Keys & Me is someone I met a few months back who inspired me to start my personal Life&Style blog. She is probably one of the sweetest gals I have met and I am so fortunate to know her, she is what I would call a true Southern Belle. 

Cassidy is many things, she is an artist, a writer, a photographer, a wife, and a mother. She is a country lass with a flare for fashion, and these facts make me love visiting her blog, time and time again. 

Recently, Cassidy and I decided to do something really fun, we each sent each other one of our dresses to style and post in addition to featuring each other on our blogs! Here are a few images from Cassidy's shoot with my dress. 

From Cassidy:

"I loved the soft romantic look of Melanie's dress so I plaid that up with tall lace up boots (they read Victorian-countryside to me, if such a look exists) and burgundy tights.  I threw on a cozy maple sweater that spoke to the flowers on the dress.  I love wrap dresses, and think they are one of the most flattering types of dresses you can get, and they are timeless.  I think it also would be fun to wear this dress open over jeans and cinched with a skinny leather belt.  So many options!"

I love how Cassidy styled my floral Banana Republic dress wrap with her adorable tall lace up boots and long sunset-orange cardigan! It makes her look so effortlessly elegant and yet still so down to earth. I would never have thought to put boots on with that dress and looking at it now, the two seem to go together perfectly!

You can see more images from her shoot here at Thinks Like Skeleton Keys & Me

Cassidy's knack for accessorizing amazes me. I just love her little bow ring and that gorgeous long necklace. I also love how she painted her nails a yellow gold, bringing out the highlights in her jewelry! 

I am just so pleased to see her images, I really couldn't have asked for a better blogger to do this swap with, it has been so much fun! I can only hope that Cassidy enjoyed this little adventure as much as I have! 

Here are the images of how I styled Cassidy's Urban renewal dress

I really loved the teal and soft reds that Cassidy's dress had, so I decided to pair it with my teal heels and a simple red cardigan to bring out the femininity of the dress. I absolutely love how Cassidy's Urban dress hugs my waist, giving me an almost surreal looking pettiness. I thought I would exaggerate it more adding on a cute pale pink belt that I thought brought out the lightness in the dresses print. Since my look was nearly all teal and reds, I brought along my vintage maroon clutch and simple teal bracelets to top off the look. 

Below are just more images of me in this darling floral dress. I really love it and hope to get one just like it as soon as I can!

Thanks so much again, Cassidy, this dress swap as been an amazing experience! 

xox, a modern dame

Pilgrimed

Aaron asked me to dess up like a pilgrim for our Thanksgiving shoot, so I decided to take on the challenge and created a look that made me think of a modern day pilgrim, I hope it looks as cute as I thought it was!

Underneath the sweater and skirt is a dress, I really love the collar on the dress and thought it looked super cute with the soft sweated I thrifted a few months back.

This hair style was inspired by Lilith Moon.

This necklace is actually a gift Aaron's mother gave t me about 2 years ago. It's a broach  but I made a small whole at the top with a drill today so I could finally wear it as a necklace!

shoes & purse ModCloth, knee high socks, skirt & dress Forever21, earrings & sweater {thrifted} broach {gifted}

Don't forget to have a...

Before I end this post, I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. 

I want to end this post and give thanks to my Friends and Family. I have nothing more to be thankful for than the love and and support I get from them.

xox, a modern dame. 

ps.

Found this little guy at the thrift store a few days ago, how perfectly awesome is he?!

DIY: Framed Branches

I saw a post on Pinterest a few months back of a frame with branches that held a ton of necklaces. I'd been wanting to make my own for so long now and decided to do a DIY with the project in case anyone ever wanted to do their own ;) 

Things you will need, beside a frame,of course:

Step 1. Paint your frame, if need be!

Step 2. Choose colors wisely, you want to make sure that the colors of your branches and the frame harmonize.

Step 3. Add &paint another frame, if you'd like.

Step 4. Glue your branches! You'll have to measure them and probably brake a few pieces off, so anticipate a messy work space!

Step 5. Make sure the branches are sturdy.

See? Pretty messy.

And now you can enjoy the frame! I personally wanted to use it for jewelry, which I think it looks fabulous with!

xox, a moden dame