My sister’s elevator has been broken since June. She already reported the elevator company to the Better Business Bureau, because they’ve canceled several appointments to fix it and keep making excuses. I’m like, “Where am I? My apartment in LA???” When I first moved into my building, the elevator was broken, and I live on the top floor. The building owner and landlord at the time assured me that the elevator was in the process of getting fixed. When my new neighbor saw the movers carrying stuff up the stairs to my apartment, he told me that the elevator had been broken for 10 months. Then, when I tried to take a shower after a long day of moving, I had no hot water! I had to shower in a vacant apartment on a different floor on the other side of the building for weeks until they fixed it. My old landlord was such a dick (yeah, I’m talking to you, Leonard!). My building has since been sold to a new owner, so I have a much nicer landlord now, the elevator works, I have hot water, and they even removed my popcorn ceiling and renovated my bathroom.
The only reason my sister bought a 4-story house was because it came with an elevator. She originally wanted a ranch-style, 1-story house with no stairs (she also said she’d never live below the 8), but here we are ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I can see the prison from her private rooftop!
The good thing about the elevator being broken is it forces me to use the stairs. My onion booty has turned to an office ass over the years from working a desk job, and now it’s starting to shape up again 😅
I got this bloody bath mat partly because I almost slipped and broke my neck after my shower, but mostly because I’m morbid as hell. Should I get this shower curtain set to complete the look???
Yeah, I don’t know why I’m single, either ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I just need to find someone I can be myself around 🤣
I’m up in LA for a doctor’s appointment, and I haven’t been home in over a month.
I should really give someone a key to my apartment, because all my plants are dead.
People think it’s silly that I kept my studio in LA (and continue to pay a ridiculous amount for it) since I haven’t lived there since January after the incident, but I like my independence (and walking around in my chonies.). I’d sublet my apartment, but my property manager lives across the hall, so he’d definitely know 😅
– my sister’s husband to me after I brought down my Aroma 360 diffuser and Cashmere Plum fragrance oil from my studio in LA for my room at their house in SD
I woke up to the sound of my fridge struggling this morning, and when I opened my freezer, everything was melted inside! R.I.P. to an embarrassing amount of ice cream, plus that lone pepperoni pizza hot pocket I was saving for later.
Update: It’s now Friday and I’m going on day 3 of not having a fridge. Luckily, Chel sent me this song of the day to cheer me up while I write my landlord another strongly worded email and cry into my room temperature bottled water 😭
Welp, it’s officially been two years since I started working from home for what was supposed to be a two-week stint! Since then, I’ve put in countless hours of overtime and started taking serotonin supplements if that’s any indication of how life is going so far 😅
Kicking off spooky season with some light reading…
Unsolicited fact about me:Beetlejuice is one of my favorite movies. It was one of the only VHS tapes my grandma had when I was a kid, so I’d watch it over and over again. My boss calls me ‘Morbid Marion’ and I think Lydia Deetz would be proud 🖤
Finally an office with a window! I could get used to working from home…
Now if I only had a bidet, a lifetime subscription to Freshly, and a peloton bike, I’d never have to leave my apartment! Just kidding (like I would ever use a peloton bike).
After my ceiling sprung several leaks, my landlord had our roof fixed and offered to remove that god awful popcorn ceiling. I even got him to remodel my bathroom and repaint my entire apartment while he was at it!
S/O to all those LA storms for making this home reno possible…
I’ve been off the grid for a few weeks while my place was getting renovated, but it was def worth the wait! Lots to catch up on (Shi’s wedding, Jessie’s birthday, and all the BBQ I ate in between), but first I gotta shower in my new tub and make my bracket picks…
It rained all weekend, so I stayed in and Marie Kondo’d the shit out of my apartment. 48 hours and 9 trash bags later, I have to admit, I feel a little joy (and a lot of exhaustion). Good thing I still have two mattresses to sleep on…
I bought Marie Kondo’s book three years ago. I never read it, and it just added to my clutter! The irony isn’t lost on me. She’s got that netflix show now, but I’m still going to keep it (The Lover’s Dictionary and Tacopedia can’t be the only two books I have in my apartment, guys).
I always say I’m going to re-gift this one day, but let’s be real.
Does Bed, Bath & Beyond take expired coupons from seven years ago? I’ll check on yahoo answers before tossing these. I’m sure someone has weighed in.
Anyone into small mexican things??? Yeah, me either LOL. Toss!
I found this massage gift certificate the girls gave me for my birthday nine years ago! I’m gonna need it after all this decluttering.
You guys, I have mattresses in every corner of my studio right now.
The memory foam mattress I bought last month is too firm, my old spring mattress is too soft, and the new hybrid mattress that got delivered today is just right!
I’m selling my memory foam mattress and giving away my old spring mattress. If anyone is interested, you should know that I live in a third floor walk-up. If you’re still interested, please hit me up on Let Go, Offer Up, or if you’re local, the Buy Nothing Redondo Beach (North) FB group. Get a mattress and earn a fitbit stair badge while you’re at it!
Me on day 4 after my ceiling sprung a massive leak:
Fortunately, it’s leaking above an area free of furniture, electronics, and my hand-tufted moroccan rug.
Unfortunately, it’s in the shape of a vagina and a literal stain on my apartment.
If anyone without a hole in their ceiling would like me to stay over tonight, you’ll be rewarded with good karma, leftover pizza from Valentino’s, and me without pants on.
Best gift ever! I finally set up this awesome projector Pammie got me for Christmas, and unlike Bird Box, it did not disappoint! Now if only I could get the last two hours of my life back…
After the most stressful day at work, I decided to chalk this day up as a loss and go straight to bed. When I got home, my new memory foam mattress was waiting outside my door! It was in a box so big, I had to bend time and space (and my back!) to get it into my apartment.
Now I’m just waiting for it to rise and get firm, so I can get on top of it and go to sleep with a smile on my face. What else is new…
I’ve been itching to build something new for my place, but I’m not sure what. My sister’s husband thinks I’m making myself too comfortable in this apartment I’ve been wanting to leave for five years, and it’ll be that much harder (for everyone else) when I eventually move out of the sticks. (You ask someone to help you move during one Chargers playoff game ten years ago, and they don’t ever let you forget it!)
Earlier this week, I reupholstered the leather cushions on my Roxy Rocker with this gorgeous Harris Tweed. According to Wikipedia, it was “handwoven by islanders at their homes in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.” I bought it off eBay from some dude in the UK, so it must be legit.
Also, I did all this with a staple gun, and I didn’t even hurt myself! It only took that first staple barely missing my thigh for me to realize that the staples come out of the other end when you shoot it. Yikes.
I built this coffee table in an ongoing attempt to lower my Ikea to non-Ikea furniture ratio. Yes, this area rug is from Ikea, but The Great Pizza Box Fire of 2014 destroyed my non-Ikea rug, and I needed an affordable replacement! One step forward, two steps back…
This coffee table was built the same way I built my mid-century modern side table, but with a few modifications. I used pre-stain wood conditioner this time to prevent streaking and blotching. On a bigger job like this, you won’t be able to hide the ugly parts with succulents and a strategically placed Beyoncé print.
You can follow the same directions I used to build the side table. Just be sure to use these new measurements.
2 – 1″x12″-6′ common boards – 4 pieces that are cut 36″ long
(the top & bottom boards)
1 – 1″x4″-6′ common board – 2 pieces that are cut 22.5″ long
(the side boards)
Since I already had the gel stain and clear coat left over from building the side table, it only cost me $88 to make this coffee table! That’s cheaper than the Ikea rug it’s sitting on…
…or my neighbors after I almost burned down our apartment building this past weekend.
My lease is up and the only hot neighbor I had moved out this month, so I’m pretty sure the universe is telling me that it’s time to move out of the sticks, fellas.
I’m obsessed with all things Mid-Century modern, and when I saw this Co-Mod side table, I knew that I needed it in my life. But it was $345. And sold out. And $345. I felt like that needed to be mentioned twice.
Because I’ve mastered the art of assembling Ikea furniture (and tested many friendships along the way), I thought that I should try building this side table myself. I went to Home Depot, showed them a photo on my phone and was basically like, “HOW YOU DO DIS?” If you act like you don’t know what you’re doing (or you’re like me and you legitimately do not know what you’re doing), the good people at Home Depot will help you. They will tell you what paint brush you should use to apply clear coat. They will tell you what clear coat is. They will even cut your wood down to the exact size that you need at no extra charge.
1″x8″-10′ common board – 4 pieces that are cut 20″ long
(the top & bottom boards)
1″x6″-6′ common board – 2 pieces that are cut 14.5″ long
(the side boards)
DIRECTIONS:
Sand your boards. I used 150 grit sandpaper and sanded in the direction of the grain until it felt smooth. After your boards are sanded, wipe them down with a damp cloth to remove excess sawdust before staining them. This is probably something you should do outdoors in a well-ventilated area and not inside your 400 square foot studio during the only weekend it rains in Los Angeles. I still have sawdust in places I didn’t know I could get sawdust.
Stain your boards. Use gloves unless you want to have to keep explaining to everyone why your hands are brown for the next three days. You can use an old t-shirt, or if you’re a hoarder like me and can’t bear to part with your ‘I ♥ Haters’ shirt, you can get a pack of paint rags from Home Depot for $4 and use those instead. I used one to apply the stain to the wood and one to wipe off the excess. It dries pretty fast, so I was able to coat all sides without waiting. I only applied one coat, but you can apply more if you want it darker. Let the boards dry completely.
Apply clear coat. I applied it to one side of the boards using a synthetic paint brush. Give it a couple hours to dry, then turn your boards over and apply it to the other side.
Assemble your side table. Use two 20″ boards for the bottom, two 20″ boards for the top, and the remaining 14.5″ boards for the sides. Here’s a helpful diagram:
Nail the two top boards to the long edge of the side boards, and repeat on the bottom. Use two nails on each end of each board as pictured. I had someone hold the boards together for me while I hammered away.
Mount the legs. I set the legs 2″ from the edges and marked where the screws would go. I pre-drilled pilot holes and screwed the legs on with sixteen 3/4″ screws. Depending on what kind of legs you buy, you might have a different method for attaching them.
You can build your own Mid-Century modern inspired side table for roughly $78 (for just the wood and the hairpin legs, if you happen to have the other materials). You really can’t beat that price or the sense of accomplishment you’ll feel after building something with your bare, wood-stained hands.
Other things pictured:
Painted succulent pots designed by me (DIY tutorial here)
Task lamp from Target
Beyoncé print designed by me (sold on Etsy)
Bedding from Anthropologie
Bed from West Elm (discontinued!)
Sanding, staining and spray painting on this rainy Sunday. IDK why I thought these were things I could do inside my studio. Pretty sure I’m high right now.
I just need two more things to make this overpriced studio a home. Anyone know where I can get a good deal on a french bulldog and/or a couch in the south bay? I went furniture shopping this past weekend, and nothing seemed worth carrying up three flights of stairs or testing my friendships over.
Say goodbye to ugly white vertical blinds, and hello to wood blinds and linen curtains. And if you’re wondering if the drapes match the carpet, I’ve got hardwood floors. And so does my apartment! Ha.
I know this is just a rental, but I like to fill the void in my life with home decor.
