This IS My Happy Place

As I've confessed, my back porch is, well... my happy place.  Shall I say, it's our happy place.  Much like the kitchen being the heart of the home - this space is a necessary center of our lives when the weather is great here in the south (most of the time).  As I type this, I'm sipping a glass of red wine, covered up in a snuggie, catching up on my tivo .... on my back porch! 

 

The space is a constant decorator's challenge.  Part dining room, part sitting area and always being decorated for whatever holiday is upcoming.  A few weeks back, before church on a Sunday no less, I whipped up this cutie little sign proclaiming my space. 

 

Here's how I did it. 

 

You need:

• Puffy scrapbook sticker letters. 
• A canvas
• Two colors of acrylic paint (small bottles do the trick)
• A small bottle of crackle paint (same aisle as acrylic at the craft store).

All of my materials, plus a few on hand paint brushes, were sourced from Hobby Lobby and can be found at most any craft store.  Note, the puffy sticker is key so you can find it once you start the paint process.  And, all of my materials were sourced for under about $12. 

 

Here's what you do:

1.  First, decide what saying you want.  Note, you should really do that BEFORE shopping for the letters so you get the right ones!  They come on a sheet and usually provide ample options.  But ... if you are heavy on "S" or "E" or any other letter, you may need a second set!

2.  Using a pencil, draw (very light) straight lines on the canvas.  This is your guide for the letters.

3.  Start in the middle and work your way out placing the letters spaced evenly to spell out the words on each line.  If you start in the middle and space (I used my finger between the letters) you will be happier with the balance of the overall end result.

4.  Once all letters are in place, you begin with the paint process.  Start with a coat of your first coat of paint.  I used a khaki as the base coat.  For the crackle paint to work, according to directions, you should make sure this first coat is pretty thick coverage.

 

 

5.    Let this dry (we went to church here). 

 

 

6.  Once dry, apply the crackle medium according to directions.  Let it get tacky to the touch - a few minutes.

7.  Cover over the crackle with the second coat of a different color of paint.  For this, I used black.  Only do a reasonably light / medium thick cover coat and try not to go back over sections if you can help it. 

8.  As it dries, the crackle appears.

9.  Paint the sides of the canvas to finish it out - I did these in solid black just so I have a finished edge instead of a sloppy paint look.

10.  To make the crackling more significant here's a trick ... apply a hair dryer heat to the paint as it dries.  This will make deeper looking cracks. 

11.  Once this is dry, begin removing the sticker letters.  The area under should still be solid white. 

12.  There will likely be areas where you need to "clean up" the letter outline.  Your paint may have peeled slightly or coverage wasn't quite right.  That's ok.  I used a black sharpie to "fill in" the spaces and you can't even tell. 

 

Now, the canvas proudly fills a cute little corner of the sitting area.  The table, plant and concrete bunny are complimented by another little DIY, the twine basket that I explained back over here. 

 

 

Get happy y'all!  See you on the porch!

 

xoxo

~b

DIY White Ghost Pumpkins

I've had the fall bug for decorating for weeks now.  A few posts back, I showed a quick snap of one of my dough bowls filled to the brim with neutral pumpkins, acorns and other fall festive goodies. 

 

And here's some additional beautifully simple, neutral pumpkins in my fall vignette in the dining room.  This time, festively decked out with black crows for a spooky Halloween feel (for the month of October) and topped off with some celebritory adds for our anniversary celebration (more on that later).

 

To make the pumpkins ... for SUPER cheap .... I took these terribly neon, tacky dollar store pumpkins and added a few coats of Annie Sloan chalk paint and voila ... a much improved ghostly white pumpkin for a dollar a piece! 

I used Old Ochree paint and it did the trick just to paint a few coats on for full coverage. On a few others, I added Coco paint to the mix to give some depth and contrast.

In just a few easy minutes and some drying time in my garage ... there are white pumpkins a plenty now that can be enjoyed year after year!

Crafty cheap fall decor, y'all!
xoxo, b

 

The Great Frame Out

The diva is a few weeks delayed in sharing the world's most so-simple chick project that will strike fear in the hearts of you man when you do this without him.  That's right ladies, this one involves power tools.  Well only one, but we can embellish?  It could have required a second but I cut that corner in favor of a good glue staple I'm familar with instead!  I'll warn you that power tool thing is over rated.  It's much simpler than you would think and not only will you (a) impress your beau and (b) feel like a super diva when you complete this solo, you will (c) get the job done when you want it instead of waiting for you know who to assist.

That's exactly what I did when I framed out my ever so boring bathroom mirror.  I did a sneak preview reveal of the overall look back here.  But, really, I glossed over the entire reason the project started ... the mirror!

When we moved in, we were told the standard builder grade mirror MUST be installed for some elaborate code defense.  Candidly in hindsight, this was a move the builder pulled so I wouldn't push him for another necessary upgrade and Dear Hubs wouldn't tell him we need a discount :).  For years, I masked the basic mirror with a semi cool floating mirror hung over the existing backdrop.  I liked it, but it was ....well, busy. 

I must pause and note here that this work item just didn't rank on Dear Hubs list.  One thing is certain, that man is a talented handy.  But, if he doesn't value the project he will get to it ... never.  So, with options of outsourcing the fiasco of ripping down the wall and framing it myself without Dear Hubs, I voted for option 2. 

And when Dear Hubs was away, I swooped into action!  I have previously evaluated the frame options and settled that the kits you can buy are overpriced.  The same look could be accomplished with some supplies from my fave big orange store (Home Depot).  The best tip I can offer ... a standard door frame kit solves all of your problems and makes this a snap!

That's right, gals!  Instead of bringing home giant pieces of framing wood and worrying about all sorts of what ifs, I simply bought a framed door casing kit for under $20.  Here's exactly how I did it... saw and all!

Here's how I did it.

What you need:
For a standard, single sink bathroom mirror size - adjust as needed.

• One standard door casing.  This includes corner fenials and trim.
• Paint
• A saw to cut to size
• Tape measure
• Liquid nails - note, I tried wood glue ... don't waste your time!

  How I did it:

1.  Start by measuring.  I'm terrible at details, so I measure 85 times and cut once instead of the old addage to measure twice and cut once!  You will want to reduce the piece of trim length by the size of the fenials. 
2.  Cut the wood.  I used a super simple miter saw.  I've learned that these tools LOOK intimidating but are SO EASY.  And, you feel so cool when you use them :).

3.  Once all pieces are cut, you begin by laying out your rectangle form; fenials in corners and four straight sides.
4.  Smooth out the edges with a little sand paper, then start glueing.  Warning, I started with wood glue to join the pieces together.  Truth be told, the south is too sticky humid in the summer and this stuff just isn't strong enough so it didn't do much in the way of drying to a firm hold.  I peeled it apart and cleaned it off, then opted for my trusty Liquid Nails.  I swear, what would I do without this stuff???

5.  Once the glue dries at least overnight, completely, check to make sure your measurements were correct by holding it to your mirror.  The, simply paint.  I repurposed a plastic dollar store table cloth as my drop cloth, so resourceful ... I know!  I used a fab old gold color by Ms. Martha Stewart.  It's a big pricier than a standard color, but worth the few extra pennies.  To paint it perfect, I did the sides of the frame and the front very thoroughly.  Then, when dry; I flipped over and brushed a thin coat on the back.  I'll explain why in a moment.

 

6.  Once you are pleased with the coverage of paint, it's time to apply some velcro backing.  You can buy this by the spool at the big orange HD.  Simply attach to the frame by removing the sticky backing.
7.  To hang, just simply smush (yes, smush) the velcro side to the existing wall hung mirror.  Note, this is when it's important that you put some color coverage on the back; you will see that the color shows in the reflection a bit.  Voila... framed!

Show Home Slow Motion: Living Area

Every chance I get, my big camera and I show up at a charity show home.  Typically with bestie M in tow, but unfortunately not this time due to a fracture in her foot (still not real clear on what happened to cause a diva to go down!).  So, I recruited bestie P and new friend A to fill in for decorating genius M.  With Baby B in tow (thanks to failed babysitter plans), we made a great afternoon of touring the Roswell Women's Show Home.  Such a wonderful event full of inspiration and supporting a good cause of local charity.  Take a slow motion look at the tour with me now and prepare to be inspired!

This year's show home is a lovely, warm and family friendly space in Alpharetta, GA.  Each year, the club selects a home and recruits local, talented designers to participate by sponsoring the design, theme and decor for a room.  The result is always just perfection!

Here's a few worthy snaps from the main living area; which includes a spacious kitchen, keeping room and family room.  It's warm, clean and every so comfortable with the natural touches and spacious design.  Love.

Next stop ... the many bedrooms and kids areas!  Too many snaps for one post!  xoxo

How Does Your Garden Grow

A few weeks back, I posted a cute garden starter kit here.  Well, in addition to the cute giftables, I saved a few seed packs for my own little veggie garden.  I’ll admit, I have a bit of an attention deficit disorder when it comes to gardening.  I cam plant with the best of them … but it’s that darn watering that keeps me from having a prize winning garden.  This year, I’ve vowed to myself to remember to water these little plants and see if we can get one or two things to make it to a harvest! 

Since my little veggie garden is in planters, I decided to get three oversized terra cotta planters and gussy them up a bit with a cute 1-2-3 bold numbering that’s so in style right now. 

To complete, I just printed off a few large numerals and traced them onto a roll of vinyl.  This stuff is pure magic!  You can buy it by the roll at Hobby Lobby (with a coupon) for just a few dollars.  I cut out each of the numbers and burnished them onto the pots. 

With the help of my trusty planting assistant, we filled these three big pots with lettuce, tomato, green beans, cucumber, bell pepper, basil, thyme, dill and oregano. 

Here’s hoping the rain fairy is kind this year and with any luck we will be celebrating with veggies real soon!

Adventures in Crawling

Baby B is mobile.  It's a fact.  At six and a half months, the boy started with a slow crawl.  Now, a month later ... he's a full on sprinter on his knees!  Of course, equipped with NO fear and a house that is (in my opinion) well decorated, he goes straight for the danger zones.  First stop ... the stacked stone fire place.  He seems to camp out right by it.  His precious little face just inches away from stone.  I shudder thinking he might whack, flop or konk his head on the hearth. 

Have no fear, Dear Hubs came up with a solution to the rescue.  With as little as agreeing it was a good idea, Dear Hubs swooped into action and surprised me by creating a cover for the hearth that is stylish and perfectly safe. 

Since it wasn't my project, I don't (a) have pictures of the steps and (b) only have a rough idea of how he did his magic.

Cut 1x1's (or have the store do it) to meet your measurements for the sides and front.  Flat plywood board is used for the top.  Screw the 1x1 onto the plywood.  Cover the entire "box" with carpet padding foam and staple into place.  I chose a neutral linen muslin to cover the entire thing so it blends nicely with the stone and the decor. 

Now, less to worry about when Baby B tries his daredevil stunts!  Thanks Dear Hubs!

No Sew Tree Skirt Transformation

Ya'll ... I'm just giddy after the success of this little diddy!  Ok, that rhymed; but seriously this project exceeded my expectations.  Years ago, I grabbed up this tree skirt at an after Christmas sale.  I never loved it and frankly thought the sequin train was horribly tacky.  I'm sure in the right context, with the right tree ... it would be just fine.  It has just never really matched my style but, I was in a pinch and it was a "good deal" marked down from $100 so I convinced myself it was fine.  Well, as the years passed ... I found myself actually flipping it over and using the solid underside as the topside just so I could have a solid skirt.

Well, that was until this year when inspiration hit!  After deciding it was imperative that my gift wrap and tree skirt coordinate with the overall look and theme of my decor, I just knew something had to be done with the existing skirt.  Last night, I gathered up some odds and ends supplies and crafted this without spending a dime!  Now, I'm the proud owner of a linen and muslin skirt that just couldn't be more perfect for the family room "Partridge in a Pear Tree" natural themed tree.    Wahoo!  Total success!

When Baby B decided to nod off for a little snooze before his scheduled bedtime, I took the opportunity to get a jump start on this project.  Conveniently enough, this actually started out with a plan to be a quick sew project, but time was of the essence and I somehow managed to hide all of my sewing machine supplies (needles, thread, etc) from myself.  When it wasn't quickly found, I resorted to plan B ... my trusty glue gun!  This was actually a great change of plan, because I was able to fashion my "new" skirt on the underside of the old one and kept the sequined disaster in tact on the opposite side.  Who knows ... maybe one day I will need it!

Here's how I did it:
Supply Round Up:

• Glue Gun and LOTS of glue sticks
• Ruler / Yard stick
• Scissors
• Fabric - I actually used scrap linen and muslin left over from other projects
• Old tree skirt

*note: the amount of fabric you need will really just depend on how big you do you ruffles and layers.  You can easily eyeball it, the first (outside) layer takes a lot more than you think it will - but the smaller inside layers take a lot less!

Craft in a Flash:
1.  Start by cutting your fabric into strips.  I used my rick rack sheers to give a cute finish to the edge without having to sew one bit.  My strips were from decorator width fabric (50" + wide).  Each strip was cut 8 inches deep.  Overall, I used about 1 yard (give or take) of each fabric.

2.  Next, I measured in and marked the pleats for the fabric.  The easiest way to do this is to lightly mark the fabric with tick marks.  I measured 5 inches, then a 2 inch measurement for the pleating.  I continued a 5-2-5-2 pattern across each of the fabric pieces. 

3.  On the tree skirt, I measured 6 inches in off the outside edge and marked with a marker.  Remember, I used the under side of the form and all of the markings will be covered with the new skirt.  By measuring 6 inches up, I gave myself enough of an overhang for about 2 inches to lay outside the form (and cover it completely).

4.  Begin applying the glue to the tree skirt form.  Lay the fabric strip into the glue line.  After you complete 5 inches of glueing to the form, pinch the 2 inch pleat on itself and secure with glue. 
5.  Continue all the way around the form.
6.  For the additional layers, simply measure up from your previous layer.  I maintained the 2 inch overhang to ensure my layers laid well on top of one another without any of the form sneaking through.  Continue the glue and pleat format described in previous steps.

I'm just in love with the end result!  Now, to top that skirt with some adorably wrapped gifts!  I've got a few ideas for gift tags and such that I just can't wait to share when I'm done!

~charmed, b

Fall Craft Day Flash Back

From time to time, I recruit some of my fab friends to participate in what I lovingly refer to as "craft day".  Depending on our mood, we pick a theme and everyone bring supplies, yummy appetizers and some vino to help inspire creativity in one another and craft together.  I supply a bunch of Ok, it's fair to say that most everyone uses this as an excuse to bring supplies and tell me to make something.  Of course I comply because I just love doing this stuff!

We did one of our craft days a while back focused on fall wreathes.  Here's a few of the little gems that we creatively designed over a few glasses of wine.  I love that even after a few seasons, I can drive around my neighborhood and find these beauties still on display this time of year!

So take a gander and get inspired!

This post is partying over at CSI

More Football Wreathes!

I guess I've gone overboard now ... my middle name may be "football wreath"!  I originally shared a few examples of this adorable wreath earlier this fall.  After making countless Georgia, Georgia Tech and who knows whatever other school football wreathes for family and friends; I've been recruited by War Eagle Friend J to make two MORE wreathes for J's friend.  J's darling wreathes have been featured on her front doors for two years now, and her friend just had to have a matching set!

And so ... it's back to Hobby Lobby I go.  This time in search for some additional orange and blue ribbon and perhaps a few Halloween odds and ends that are too irisistable to pass :).

My fave part of these projects is that each set turns out a bit differently and has its own creative personality.  So, dear J's friend ... hope you love them!

This post is partying over at CSI

While You Were Sleeping

In hindsight, perhaps it was a bit irrational, perhaps a bit spontaneous ... but during Baby B's napping, Dear Hubs and I decided to do a little domestic project and overhaul our closet flooring.  Ok, saying it now; I'd tend to agree this seems overzealous and ridiculous - but hey ... we are new parents so a bit of slack is in order. 

When we built our current home, one of my primary requirements was a closet spacious enough to house all of my clothes without seasonal rotation and ample space for my somewhat extensive shoe collection.  The master bedroom closet is positioned conveniently over the garage and has similar dimensions, so my wish was granted!  The closet has been sporting beige carpet for 5 years now and with time, dust bunnies and two dogs who love to sniff around it has just gotten dingy.  So, when a great deal on hardwood presented itself as a "special" at our big orange favorite Home Depot; we new it was time to channel our inner do-it-yourselfer mentality and replace the flooring. 

Since Baby B is only a few weeks old, our naive assumption was that he would take a long nap and we could saw, hammer and complete the project while he slept.  Well, that was only somewhat accurate and my attention bounced between project and the babe most of the morning. 

Before: Overcrowded, Disorganized and just plain BLAH!

In Progress ... Carpet be Gone and Hardwood on the Way!

Once complete, the floors made such a difference that we just had to take it a step further and make a few other minor mods to finish the job.  A large initial plaque (from Hobby Lobby) and some stencil decals (from JoAnne's) provide a few decorative touches and coordinate with black and white damask storage boxes (also from Hobby Lobby).  Dear Hubs assisted by (finally) hanging two racks of hooks for my scarves to neatly hang.  Before, they were banished to a crowded drawer where only two or three faves ever saw daylight.  My jewelry boards were rehung by the window and now thanks to some re-organization can easily be reached.  Oversized purses and totes were organized on the back of the closet door while the remaining clutches, bags and other accessories were also organized to keep them in plain sight.  Lastly, a little folding, shoe organizing and a little tidying up of the area completed the job.  I did my best sales pitch for a series of chandeliers to round out the space, but given Dear Hubs' extensive height ... I didn't push too hard when vetoed.  Voila ... now that it's complete, I love how orderly and organized everything is and just hope it stays that way!


Voila!  Clean and Neat Finished Product



Necklaces and Scarves are Neatly Organized and Ready to Grab

Oversized Totes are Visible but Out of the Way!