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It’s the middle of July, it’s hot as hell, and I am constantly trying to wear the least amount of clothing possible. A few years ago, my summer dressing routine was quite different than what it is now. If I was going on a vacation, or knew I would be walking around for awhile, cool & flowy dresses were out of the question. My thighs, which, yes, are on the bigger side, rub together…a thought that makes spandex shorts sound amazing even on the most sweltering of summer days. If you have never experienced, yes I’m going to say it, “chub rub,” then this may be hard to understand. But if you have, you know my pain. Probably the last time I had a “thigh gap” was when I was an infant, and after trying a few “solutions” to no avail, I thought I was doomed to be the girl in shorts forever.

Until I stumbled upon this little gem:

Secret Shield is a product made by the Etsy shop Skindura. It is a 100% veggie derived natural balm with a twist up top. The application is super simple & leaves ah-mazing results for hours. I literally apply this before I go to work in the morning and, while I am not strolling around all day, it does the trick from 9-5. When I need to run some errands around the city, this is my go-to.

Secret Shield comes in two sizes, 1 oz. & 2 oz., for $12 & $20, respectively. I started with the smaller size in the summer of 2011, and am now on my second 2 oz. container. Each lasts you at least a whole season, and you really do get your money’s worth for the product.

If you are like me, dreading dressing for this heatwave & need some relief, I urge you to try this product. It’s the answer to my summertime prayers. While this post may not have been the most glamorous one I’ve ever written, if I can help even one of my curvy sistas shed the biker shorts & pull out her prettiest dresses this summer, I have done my job.

I’m baaack! First, let me apologize for my absence this month. To sum it up, work has been crazy! But don’t you worry, I’m ready with lots of posts to satisfy your summer blog reading schedule. And today, I have a fun one 🙂

Because I am young & can’t afford to buy glam new furniture, I accept any & all hand-me-downs. This high-top table was in my parents’ kitchen growing up, however over the years, it has taken quite the beating. It needed an update. A cheap one.

While doing some of my normal browsing of BuzzFeed, I came across an article on adorable ways to decorate with washi tape. This post lead me to the blogs of Elise Blaha & Lady Croissant, both of whom made plain furniture look fabulous using a little thing called Japanese paper washi tape. I had to try it!

My extensive search for washi tape (Etsy, craft stores, etc.) led me to Cute Tape. This site has so. many. rolls. of. tape! After I decided what color scheme I was going for and a rough estimation of how much I would need for my table (I guessed, really), I landed on the six pack in Pretty Sunset. The tape, with shipping, cost $19.

Then, it was time to craft! I considered trying a chevron pattern, but without the patience to measure all of that out, I decided on simple stripes.

The first strip of tape was the hardest. I tried to use a ruler as I couldn’t find my trusty yard stick (not). I was not concerned with perfection, so I kind of winged it.

Once I had the first strip down & flat (make sure there are no air bubbles!), I put down one strip on each side, back and forth, back and forth. This process took about an hour.

I left about the same amount of tape on each end of the strip, and when I was finished all of them, I folded them under the top of the table.

And voilà! My brand new $19 table was complete. I am really, really happy with the result. I may get a piece of glass to put over the table to prevent damage, but for now, I just use a coaster and try not to spill. 🙂

So what did you think of my easy/inexpensive/cute DIY project? Would you like to see more? xx

No Thigh Gap? No Problem. {Summertime Solutions}

DIY Japanese Paper Washi Tape Table Top

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