A sneak peek...

Hello my dearest!!!

What did you do this week end?

Max and me painted the living room!!!!!

Yeah!!!! My stripes wall finally

became a reality!!!!

Buongiorno carissime!!!

Cosa avete fatto questo week end?

Io e Max abbiamo dipinto il soggiorno!!!!!

Siiiii!!!! Finalmente la mia parete a righe

è diventata una realtà!!!!

It's not finished yet.

We need to paint it again,

but we have to wait untill the

next week end when we will

have some time.

And also the colours that you see

are not the real ones,

'cause I've taken these 2 pictures

when the paint was still wet

and so more deep.

I will show you the result,

I promise!!!

Non è ancora finita.

Dobbiamo dare la seconda

mano di colore,

ma dobbiamo aspettare fino

al prossimo week end

quando avremo tempo.

Anche i colori che vedete non

sono quelli finali,

perchè ho scattato

le foto quando la pittura era ancora

bagnata e perciò più carica.

Vi mostrerò il risultato,

promesso!!!!

A sneak peek...

Hello my dearest!!!

What did you do this week end?

Max and me painted the living room!!!!!

Yeah!!!! My stripes wall finally

became a reality!!!!

Buongiorno carissime!!!

Cosa avete fatto questo week end?

Io e Max abbiamo dipinto il soggiorno!!!!!

Siiiii!!!! Finalmente la mia parete a righe

è diventata una realtà!!!!

It's not finished yet.

We need to paint it again,

but we have to wait untill the

next week end when we will

have some time.

And also the colours that you see

are not the real ones,

'cause I've taken these 2 pictures

when the paint was still wet

and so more deep.

I will show you the result,

I promise!!!

Non è ancora finita.

Dobbiamo dare la seconda

mano di colore,

ma dobbiamo aspettare fino

al prossimo week end

quando avremo tempo.

Anche i colori che vedete non

sono quelli finali,

perchè ho scattato

le foto quando la pittura era ancora

bagnata e perciò più carica.

Vi mostrerò il risultato,

promesso!!!!

Opinions Needed! Should I Follow My Inspiration Or Be Practical?

I have a dilemma. I have this awesome chair just waiting for a new outfit. I could use another chair in the living room, I really like the lines, and it is totally comfortable. 

So here is my dilemma. I stumbled across this picture posted by my friend Tammy at Beatrice Banks a few weeks ago.

Beatrice Banks via Style Hive

 I know its of shoes but I can't help myself. As soon as I saw it, I pictured this chair with pink fabric and possibly a gold finish. This is the kind of chair that you would never sit on and it wouldn't go with ANYTHING in my house. But just like an impractically gorgeous pair of shoes, I would look at it all day long and just love it. I even have the paint and fabric on hand ready to go. I fantasize about this chair. Also, I don't see it moving on Craigslist... not the right market. 

Now, having said, that I also love this chair. It would go nicely in my house. blah, blah. So help me out. Which one? Practical or impulsive? HELP! Can you see me stomping my foot and whining?

Via

Any and all opinions are welcome!



Don't forget to FOLLOW ALONG and see how it turns out.



Want more chairs? Check out these posts.



Oh, Happy Chair- Before & After



Queen Anne Chair- Before & After



Blue Occasional Chair- Before & After



Pleated Chair- Before & After







~ Link Parties ~

Southern Hospitality

Between Naps On The Porch

Stories of A to Z

Primitive & Proper

DIY By Design

Opinions Needed! Should I Follow My Inspiration Or Be Practical?

I have a dilemma. I have this awesome chair just waiting for a new outfit. I could use another chair in the living room, I really like the lines, and it is totally comfortable. 

So here is my dilemma. I stumbled across this picture posted by my friend Tammy at Beatrice Banks a few weeks ago.

Beatrice Banks via Style Hive

 I know its of shoes but I can't help myself. As soon as I saw it, I pictured this chair with pink fabric and possibly a gold finish. This is the kind of chair that you would never sit on and it wouldn't go with ANYTHING in my house. But just like an impractically gorgeous pair of shoes, I would look at it all day long and just love it. I even have the paint and fabric on hand ready to go. I fantasize about this chair. Also, I don't see it moving on Craigslist... not the right market. 

Now, having said, that I also love this chair. It would go nicely in my house. blah, blah. So help me out. Which one? Practical or impulsive? HELP! Can you see me stomping my foot and whining?

Via

Any and all opinions are welcome!



Don't forget to FOLLOW ALONG and see how it turns out.



Want more chairs? Check out these posts.



Oh, Happy Chair- Before & After



Queen Anne Chair- Before & After



Blue Occasional Chair- Before & After



Pleated Chair- Before & After







~ Link Parties ~

Southern Hospitality

Between Naps On The Porch

Stories of A to Z

Primitive & Proper

DIY By Design

COUNTDOWN BLOCKS {Craft}

Remember these?

I picked them up at Goodwill for like $1 or $2.  I turned them into these countdown blocks.

I just painted the edges white with some acrylic craft paint.  Then, I used my Silhouette to cut squares of paper to fit on the sides.  I have two blocks with different holidays/events on them.  I used themed paper to go with the holidays.  On the other blocks I used black and white papers.  I saw this idea over on How Does She a long time ago.  I thought it was so cute.  But I wanted it to be for more than just one holiday. 

I used vinyl for the numbers and words.  On one block I have the numbers 0,1,2,3,4,5 and on the other 0,1,2,6,7,8.  You use the 6 as a 9 also.  On the Days ‘til (which is just realized I have the apostrophe in the wrong place!) I also did Weeks ‘Til and Hours ‘Til.  I did all the big holidays, plus summer, birthday, fun, vacation.  The kids are enjoying using them and I think they turned out pretty cute.

To adhere the paper, apply a thin layer of modpodge to the block and add your paper.  use a credit card edge to burnish it down well.  Repeat with all the sides, allowing the ModPodge to dry.  Once it is dry you can then apply a thin layer to the outside of the paper.  This keeps it from bubbling.  Once all the mod podge is dry, you can use a clear spray paint to coat the outsides.  You must do that with modpodge or it will stick to things even once it is dry.  You can then apply your vinyl.  Alternately, you could cut letters and numbers from paper with punches or die cutters or free hand.  You could also use stickers.  If you do paper, attach them with a glue stick or a little ModPodge before you coat the face of the paper with ModPodge. 

For those in Vegas I saw blocks like these at Marshall’s for like $4 and it was a longer word for maybe 6 or 7 or 8 blocks.  They had a few of them.

COUNTDOWN BLOCKS {Craft}

Remember these?

I picked them up at Goodwill for like $1 or $2.  I turned them into these countdown blocks.

I just painted the edges white with some acrylic craft paint.  Then, I used my Silhouette to cut squares of paper to fit on the sides.  I have two blocks with different holidays/events on them.  I used themed paper to go with the holidays.  On the other blocks I used black and white papers.  I saw this idea over on How Does She a long time ago.  I thought it was so cute.  But I wanted it to be for more than just one holiday. 

I used vinyl for the numbers and words.  On one block I have the numbers 0,1,2,3,4,5 and on the other 0,1,2,6,7,8.  You use the 6 as a 9 also.  On the Days ‘til (which is just realized I have the apostrophe in the wrong place!) I also did Weeks ‘Til and Hours ‘Til.  I did all the big holidays, plus summer, birthday, fun, vacation.  The kids are enjoying using them and I think they turned out pretty cute.

To adhere the paper, apply a thin layer of modpodge to the block and add your paper.  use a credit card edge to burnish it down well.  Repeat with all the sides, allowing the ModPodge to dry.  Once it is dry you can then apply a thin layer to the outside of the paper.  This keeps it from bubbling.  Once all the mod podge is dry, you can use a clear spray paint to coat the outsides.  You must do that with modpodge or it will stick to things even once it is dry.  You can then apply your vinyl.  Alternately, you could cut letters and numbers from paper with punches or die cutters or free hand.  You could also use stickers.  If you do paper, attach them with a glue stick or a little ModPodge before you coat the face of the paper with ModPodge. 

For those in Vegas I saw blocks like these at Marshall’s for like $4 and it was a longer word for maybe 6 or 7 or 8 blocks.  They had a few of them.

my dirty little decorating secret

Last August, I moved into the most uninspiring rental apartment you can imagine. Though we will only live here for another year at the most, I'm doing what I can to make it into a nice little home. It really stinks not being able to paint the walls, replace the flooring, or install different lighting! But one thing I can do is hang things on the walls.

I started out with my little entry gallery wall, using nails to hang all the frames. (Looks super crooked, but I promise it's not.) I hesitated to put it all up for a while because it put so many holes in the walls, but finally just did it. Then I had an epiphany: 3M Command Hooks.

Now I hang just about everything in my house from these sticky hooks--from the art and feather decorations on the sofa wall, to the cork board and curtains in our study.

Yes, I used Command Hooks to hang curtains.

I know that seems super ghetto, but no one notices. And for renters, it is a great solution--much better than having no curtains at all!

Be warned: the hooks don't hold up fantastically in humidity. When we got home from the beach yesterday, our large (heavy) hallway mirror had fallen to the floor. It didn't break (miracle!), but I wouldn't suggest using them to hang anything heavy or breakable. Lesson learned. I'm okay with using them for the study curtains only because we never open or close them and don't have kids or pets who might pull them down.

So that is my dirty little (rental) decorating secret. 

What's yours?

my dirty little decorating secret

Last August, I moved into the most uninspiring rental apartment you can imagine. Though we will only live here for another year at the most, I'm doing what I can to make it into a nice little home. It really stinks not being able to paint the walls, replace the flooring, or install different lighting! But one thing I can do is hang things on the walls.

I started out with my little entry gallery wall, using nails to hang all the frames. (Looks super crooked, but I promise it's not.) I hesitated to put it all up for a while because it put so many holes in the walls, but finally just did it. Then I had an epiphany: 3M Command Hooks.

Now I hang just about everything in my house from these sticky hooks--from the art and feather decorations on the sofa wall, to the cork board and curtains in our study.

Yes, I used Command Hooks to hang curtains.

I know that seems super ghetto, but no one notices. And for renters, it is a great solution--much better than having no curtains at all!

Be warned: the hooks don't hold up fantastically in humidity. When we got home from the beach yesterday, our large (heavy) hallway mirror had fallen to the floor. It didn't break (miracle!), but I wouldn't suggest using them to hang anything heavy or breakable. Lesson learned. I'm okay with using them for the study curtains only because we never open or close them and don't have kids or pets who might pull them down.

So that is my dirty little (rental) decorating secret. 

What's yours?

{lusting: gilded mirrors & more}

Today I am dreaming of glittering gold gilded mirrors ... ornate or simple, they can add flair to any modern or traditional space. I dug up my favorite examples from my inspiration files to share with you:

1 this is glamorous & 2,3 pinterest

Lonny

wonderland philosophy and this is glamorous

eclectic revisited

Mrs. French and The Decorista

Lonny

The Decorista and this is glamorous

Simply divine! A gilded mirror is definitely on my personal wish list. I'll be keeping my eyes open every time I go antiquing! And on that note, I'm lusting over a few other gilded items, such as these glorious bowls:

Olive & Cocoa

But I am thinking of trying my hand at a little paper mache/gold leaf DIY version:

up in the air somewhere

And speaking of gilded DIYs, have you come across this fab IKEA DIY from Haute Khuuture? Julie gilded the inside of the drum lampshade and it turned out delish:

It seems as though I've got gilding on the brain ;)

{lusting: gilded mirrors & more}

Today I am dreaming of glittering gold gilded mirrors ... ornate or simple, they can add flair to any modern or traditional space. I dug up my favorite examples from my inspiration files to share with you:

1 this is glamorous & 2,3 pinterest

Lonny

wonderland philosophy and this is glamorous

eclectic revisited

Mrs. French and The Decorista

Lonny

The Decorista and this is glamorous

Simply divine! A gilded mirror is definitely on my personal wish list. I'll be keeping my eyes open every time I go antiquing! And on that note, I'm lusting over a few other gilded items, such as these glorious bowls:

Olive & Cocoa

But I am thinking of trying my hand at a little paper mache/gold leaf DIY version:

up in the air somewhere

And speaking of gilded DIYs, have you come across this fab IKEA DIY from Haute Khuuture? Julie gilded the inside of the drum lampshade and it turned out delish:

It seems as though I've got gilding on the brain ;)