Dinner Party

Wow.  It's been too long since I've blogged about my projects.  I've had a crazy couple of weeks. My prego lil' sis (whos baby shower I held at my home) is moving to FL on Monday so I've been trying to spend all of my time with her before she leaves.

Speaking of which, I cooked a Thanksgiving-style dinner last Saturday for some close family members so that we could all wish my sister well before her relocation to FL.

Dinner was soo delish!  And the table looked stunning! I took some images so that I could share with you just how pretty it all looked. 

Check it out...



All the candles on the table were purchased at thrift stores and estate sales.



These flowers were amazing. The purple flowers tied in the purple chaise lounge really well.

I made these name tags in just a couple of minutes with scrap paper and wine corks thatI had lying around.

My mother-in-law bought these antique salt bowls for me.  I love them!  You're supposed to have one for each setting at your table, and I think they're only supposed to be used for salt - but I like using them for salt AND pepper :)

The table runner has a gorgeous blue and green flower pattern on it. 

Don't you just love the gold detail on the antique salt bowls?

Just for fun, I weaved this flower streamer through the light fixture above the dining table. 

Spray Painted Mirror

Hello and happy Sunday my friends!  I hope you're having a good weekend.

I eyed up this mirror over the summer at a thrift store and snagged it immediately.  I thought it was so cool and I knew that a simple coat of spray paint would instantly revive this baby.

Let me explain the red paint on the top part of the mirror -- for a moment, I wanted to decorate our office with red accents.  I saw a picture of a room somewhere that had green walls, very similar my office color (Behr Garden Spot), with red accent pieces and it looked really nice.  I used this mirror to test the red and good thing I did because I decided that red wasn't for me, or our office. 

Cha Ching!!!  Check out the price tag. Yup, $15.  Ahhhhh.

As I took the mirror apart to prepare for spray painting, I noticed it said something on the back.  It reads, ".......... June 3, 1966."  Although it looks like it reads "1866" in the picture, it's actually "1966."  I don't think this warrants a visit to Antique Road Show, but how cool!  This mirror is 44 years old!

After one coat of white RUST-OLEUM Gloss spray paint, my 44 year old mirror now looks like this:

A rather nice touch to our office if I don't say so myself. 
BTW - pay no mind to the ugly yellow chair in the corner of this picture.  Hopefully, one of my x-mas gifts will be to have this reupholstered.  Fingers crossed :)

I love the glossy white paint. And my favorite part is the dotted border along the frame.

All said and done, this mirror put me $19 in the hole.  I'm certainly not complaining.

So the next time you're about to throw out - what you think is an old and ugly mirror - think twice before chucking it the curb because a can of glossy spray paint can make a world of difference. 

I LOVE SPRAY PAINTING!!!!

This mirror is partying with the best of them at:

  

 

Keepin' Busy

I thought I'd fill you guys in on what I've been up to lately.  I admitted last night that I've slacked on my blogging the past couple of weeks.  But, I've most definitely been busy with all sorts of things...shopping, thrifting, going to estate sales, painting, crafting and more shopping. 

With the holiday season in full swing, I've had to pick my projects carefully, in order not to disrupt the wallet too much.  I've had to put extra dollars aside for presents and less on home decor - major sad face. 

My love for interior design, DIYing and turning this drab little town house into fabulousity has grown so much that I asked Rob to get me a sewing machine and have my office chair reupholstered for x-mas.  Requests for jewelry, clothes and shoes are in the past.  I'm all about decorating and DIYing these days - it makes me so damn gitty and excited. 

Now, I'll share with you some of the things that have caught me eye lately, as well as show some sneak peeks of what's been keeping me go, go, going. 

I spotted this at a thrift store last week.  Isnt' it so pretty.  I love the curves on it and the etching in the legs.  I haven't been able to keep my mind off of it - that usually means I should have swiped it up.  The only reason I didn't buy it was because we have no place for it.  Rob says I should have bought it anyhow since I love it so much.  I'll check back for it tomorrow - I know it's a stretch that it'll still be there but hey, maybe I'll get lucky. 

This canvas map is at IKEA.  It's humungo!  I love it.  I'm totally feelin' maps right now.  I thought this bad boy would look stunning in our office.  I managed to talk myself out of buying this due to the fact that our office is really small and I think this will be too large for the space. 

 

I'm in the market for a sewing machine but I must hold off buying one for now because I need lots of help.  For one, I have no idea what to look for in a sewing machine, what brands are crappy vs. good quality, or even what's best for a beginner.  This machine was $298 at Michael's craft store - a bit pricy for a beginner. 

Do you have advice on what a newby should look for in a sewing machine?  I know nothing.

I started the first steps to reupholster this ottoman.  I've been reading lots of tutorials on how to do this.  This ottoman is several years old and to be honest I'm just so over the fabric.  It's time for a change. 

 I bought four of these chairs for $38.  My original plan was to use them for our dinette table in the kitchen.  Then, I made up my mind to put two in our office.  The yellow looks so good with the green colored walls.  I'm planning to sell the other two.  I'm working on sprucing these lovely ladies up.  Check back soon to see!

 We have a mantel above our fire place and when I spotted these stocking hooks at my favorite thrift store I knew they were perfect for the top.  I've since spruced them up and will share pictures of our simple, fun and just-our-style mantle within a couple days. 

 Now this stuff...I've wanted to paint with this for over a year.  And after months of trying to decide if I should paint our office, bedroom, or kitchen, I've finally made up my mind and painted away!!!  Stay tuned for several Chalkboard paint projects coming your way!

And believe it or not, I still have a couple other things in the works as well.  But I'll save those for another cold, wintery night.  I hope I enticed you, you creative junky you, and I hope you check back soon to see all of these finished projects.   Woo to the hoo!  Until next time.

Have a fantastic night.  Good night.

Phrase Art

I picked up about six of these picture frames from...you guessed it, a thrift store that is right here in Newtown.  They were a $1 each and I think they may have been used for a shower or wedding as table numbers.  Anyhow, I used a couple of them as small gifts for friends.  A simple photo in a frame is a nice and inexpensive way to show someone you're thinking about them.  I temporarily placed the remaining three frames on a shelf until I had an idea for what to put in them. 

These are the frames when I bought them

Friends and family kept asking, "What do the numbers stand for?"  So I decided to do something fun with the frames so that visitors wouldn't wonder any longer.

I thought it would be different to put puzzle phrases into the frames.  The first thing I did was perform a Google search for existing puzzle images. 

Then, of the phrases that I found I recreated the ones I liked the most in Microsoft Word.  It doesn't get any easier then this.  A three-year-old could do this!   

Because the frames will reside in the guest bedroom for now I chose to stick with black and white.  You can get as creative as you'd like by adding pops of color or different background colors.

  

I re-created (even came up with my very own) about seven different phrases- I was having too much fun! 

Can you figure out the phrases?

 

This is the puzzle phrase I came up with all on my lonesome.  Isn't it cute?

Decorating a Credenza Top

Now that the picture collage is hung and done, I can focus my energy on finishing decorating the top of my credenza.  My part of the credenza is completed.  I primed, painted, re-painted, spray painted and stenciled this piece of furniture until I was blue in the face.  When I write the full tutorial on my completed DIY credenza project I'll be sure to give you the down low on all the trials and errors I encountered.  The last part to this DIY project, our friend Steve's part, is to finish building the custom doors. 

Steve is a dear friend, a handy man extraordinare and a carpenter, pictured here [and single...I'm just sayin'], who offered to build custom doors for my credenza.  Steve was up for a challenge and I really wanted to add some UMPH to this piece so it worked out perfectly.  It'll be even more perfect once they're finished.  But you know how it is, when a friend offers to do you a favor, at no charge, you can't really put a deadline to these things.  So, once I get the doors I will share the full credenza makeover tutorial.

Before I move on from the custom door subject, I want to show you a sneak peek of the drawings Steve sent me:

 

I like the door on the left.  What do you think?  The plan is to insert glass panels behind the wood design and install lighting inside the credenza.  I'm so excited just talking about it. 

O.k., let's get back to the fun stuff- decorating!  Although I only have two doors on the credenza, I couldn't justify letting it just sit in our garage any longer- so I brought it inside (for good) once the picture collage was completed.  I've envisioned having a chic credenza under a wall collage of unique images with retro lamps and fun accessories in our living room before we even settled on our townhouse.  And it's finally a reality! 

Here are some images I took of the new living room space:

This shot exhibits the hand painted peacock feathers I added on top of the credenza.  My little sis hates the feathers- is she crazy?  Thoughts?



Fresh flowers.  Ahh.  I love to integrate flowers into my rooms and I try to buy them frequently to keep around the house.  I'm slightly addicted to teeny vases like the one shown above.  I love how they look in rows of three on window sills, mantels, tables or anywhere really.  I bought the silver vase above in a set of three for $.50 each at a thrift shop.  I aslo have three white ones and three glass ones also picked up at second hand shops- can't get enough.

I've been saving wine corks for months.  It drove Rob kinda nuts but I knew they'd come in good use sooner or later.  Putting the corks into the glass hurricane added nice color and texture to the mix.

Rob was searching online for a decanter and attemped to order several, including the Crate and Barel Mirabel Decanter priced at $39.95 shown above. I was angry at the fact that he was willing to spend that much money. Has he forgotten about our "not-so-kick-ass" budget? I kept reminding him that I'd find one at a trift store for pennies. And just a short week later I scored our decanter for $2.50. Patience is key.

Gotta give it to him, the idea for the decanter was all Rob's.  I recently realized how many good ideas Rob has suggested and implemented.  That makes me happy.  O.k., so now that I gave him some credit I'll tell you that the execution and idea for the silver tray was by yours truly. 

Image Details:

• Decanter:  thrift store; $2.50
• Silver Tray:  Crate and Barel; shower gift
• Flower Vase:  thrift store; $1.00
• Votive:  Walmart; $.75
• Glasses & Spirits:  had



Ferns are my fav.  I bought one at the beginning of the summer and it grew beautifully.  I've been trying to use the leaves as much as possible before the frost comes and kills them.  I love how the leaves look in small vases.

Bare with me here...I couldn't control myself from taking so many pictures.  I think the apple green, pretty pinks and pop of yellow is so gorgeous. 

I included this image because it gives you a glimpse of the credenza.  Those doors will be replaced with custom ones.

And before I wrap this up, I think I should talk about my green apple colored lamps for a moment.  I love those lamps!  I wanted lamps that were this exact green and the inspiration for this came from a pillow I purchased shown here.  Once I got the lamps home I stared at them for a bit and thought about how lucky I was to have snatched them up- come on, they rock!  And hello, they're kinda Jonathan Adler looking...but I like my green better, no offense Jonathan :)  

Jonathan Adler capri bottle lamp; $275

Also, I popped into Lowe's this week on my way home from work to pick up a can of Valspar Summer Leaf spray paint.  I thought this color, by the looks of the cap [I know, bad to assume], may create the color I was going for.

The plan was to spray paint these lamps and give them a makeover to put on the credenza.  Well, after Lowe's that night I popped into HomeGoods which is when I scored the green apple lamps.  Totally meant to be.  I was bummed I had just bought the green spray paint but the color seems cool so I'll be sure to use it for something else.  And as for the lamps, I have a different plan for them now...master bedroom.

And finally, I'll end by letting you in on a little secret...check out the price tag on my gorgeous green apple lamps from HomeGoods:

I KNOW!!!! 

I know, I know...you hate me!  I got the deal of a lifetime- still can't believe it.  I have no idea why they were so cheap.  Some things are meant to be.  I feel like alot of the items in our home are like that.  I love my home.  I LOVE HOMEGOODS!

This project is partying with the best of them at: