October

 

Hard to believe October is over and we are already well into the month of November.

If you look at the above pictures, you can take a guess as to what my latest project has been. More detailed post to come....

Old Mother's Cupboard

This cupboard had long been forgotten in my parents basement filled with dirty old tools.  I'm not quite sure how old it is, although I suspect it's well over 50 years.  I've been itching to get at this cupboard for years.  Whenever I would bring it up, my Mom would say "What would you want with that old thing?".  But finally I convinced them to empty it out and let it see the sun again. 

My husband helped me reinforce it's structure using his handy air-nailer.  Then it was sanding time.  There were a surprising number of layers of paint. But eventually with some elbow grease, I had a blank canvas. 

Unlike other pieces I've done in the past, I wasn't trying to make it look "new", but rather highlight it's age.  I opted not to use a roller or a paint brush.  Instead I rubbed the paint on with a clean rag and then simply wiped it off again.

The hardware came from my Mom's kitchen redo, which I spray painted black.

I'm really pleased with how it turned out.  I think it adds character to the room.  And I love the fact that's it been in my family for years.  Who knows? Maybe someday I will pass it on to one of my children.

My Mom's Kitchen Gets a Makeover

Before Christmas my Mom gave her kitchen a face lift. As is always the case with a kitchen remodel, it was inconvenient, time consuming, and a lot of hard work.  I know my Mom often asked herself why she ever started it. But all that hard work and frustration certainly paid off.

Here is what her kitchen looked like before...70's dark wood cabinets, dated shelf archway and wallpapered walls.

 And here is what it looks like now...What a difference! So bright and sunny! The missing archway made an unbelievable difference. The space seems so much roomier.

Dining area before....

...and after!  She replaced her old wallpaper with paint-able wallpaper.  Then painted it a bright yellow which looks so crisp against the new white wainscoting. 

The large centered handles which screamed 1975 are replaced with new, more modern knobs.  The doors are framed with trim and then painted, creating the illusion of new cabinets.  The best part is that my Mom did almost all the work by herself! Go Mom!

She also treated herself to a much need new window which was installed by my talented Uncle who threw in a fabulous window ledge.

A bright french door replaces the dark wooden one which previously hung in the entry.

 

New lighting and a new closet door are the finishing touches to the kitchen's transformation.  This just goes to show that you do not need to spend thousands of dollars to give your kitchen a complete new look. Great job Mom!

Quick Wall Art

Right now I am in the hard process of deciding what to hang on the walls and where.  After my Mom redid her kitchen, (which I seriously have to take pics of and share...she did such a great job!) she passed some frames onto me.  I actually have two of these but haven't decided what I want to do with the other one.

Obviously the dusty rose color had to go and I really wasn't feeling the pear tree either. So a little paint...and I turned it into this.

Yes I am a HUGE Beatles fan, but I also think this is great advice.  I love that this motto will be in my line of vision everyday. Now, if only I can put it into practice and stop worrying over everything....

Homemade Wall Stencil

I wanted to try my hand at stenciling a pattern on my wall - one problem. Any stencils I liked were too expensive for my budget of $0.  So I decided to try making my own.

Once I decided on what shape I wanted, I traced it out onto a cereal box and then cut it out. Techy right?

Then I simply traced the shape onto the wall.  I used chalk to do this, having learned my lesson using pencil in the girls bedroom.  I'm sure if you go in, you could still find pencil marks on their walls.  Plus the great thing about using chalk is if you make a mistake, it'll just wipe right off. 

At first I tried using a level to be sure of straight lines, but quickly ditched it.  I found it just too time consuming to use.  Instead I took a chance that I could manage a straight line on my own.

Using a tiny brush, I painted right over the chalk lines.  Tip: Do not use colored chalk unless it matches your paint color. Another lesson learned.

Before

 
I'm really pleased with how it turned out. Since I only stenciled these two small walls, it took only a few hours.  The pattern helps to hide any imperfections.  I wanted to create an illusion of an entryway and I think this accomplishes that. 

I apologize for the poor picture quality.  I didn't really want to do any close ups since I still need to repaint my finishing and doors.  I'm still in the process of hanging frames, etc... but will share more pictures soon.

March Break

March Break here has officially begun. Unlike so many other families, we have absolutely no travel plans. No trips to Florida, or weekend shopping sprees or hotel sleepovers. Our March Break will consist of relaxing(for the kids), watching movies, playing video games, and doing school science projects.  But most excitedly for me, I am going to paint!  I already have most of the living room done but ran out of paint. I went with a very pale gray which I plan to pair with a dark charcoal.  After a trip to the hardware store I will be back in business.  Then it is on to the dining area and into the kitchen.  Love, love, love having a project!  Pics will be shared as soon as I remember to buy batteries for my camera.

Light Dreams

Lately ...well if you can call the past 6 months lately, ..I have been obsessed with lighting.  All of our light fixtures are the plain standard ones that came with our pre-fab house. They have no personality, well not mine anyway, and are found everywhere.  Words cannot say how badly I want to change.  These are just a few of the hanging light fixtures I currently adore.

Idea Board for Living Room

I made my very first Olio Board!  I'm not sure if it really captures what is in my head, but I'm sure the more boards I do, the better I will get at it.  Anyway, this is some of what I am thinking for my living room.

 

I'm painting the walls a pale gray.  This way I can add different colors, patterns and art work without having to worry how they will work with the wall color.  I'm excited to add little pops of color here and there with cushions, etc...  Someday, hopefully sooner than later, I will finally buy new hardware for the little cupboard I redid back in Summer!  Also I would really like to get to work on my Grandfather's old chair. I'm not sure if I will paint it a pale color or basic black, but I know I want to recover the seat in a bold pattern of some sort.  I also have so many ideas for wall art...if only my printer worked!  I want to have more of a collage feeling with various sized frames.  Eventually, as I make my way around the room, I would love to stencil an accent wall. Not sure what color or pattern yet, as stencils can be a bit pricey.  I'm actually thinking of trying to make my own...not sure yet how that will work out. 

The process of redoing my living room will not be a speedy one, as money is always a factor.  I did purchase paint last night though, which is always exciting!  I might even paint one wall today simply because I can't wait to see what it will look like!

Weekend Projects

I spent the cold & stormy weekend entirely at home toasty & warm. In between doing loads of laundry(exciting!) I worked on a couple of projects.

TCM (Turner Classic Movies) had these posters to promote their film festival last year. It was love at first sight!  I know mine are obviously not as nice as the original, but still I don't think they're half bad either. I had originally planned on hanging them downstairs in the rec room, but now I'm thinking of hanging them either in my bedroom or even the living room. Especially the Casablanca one....

I also organized my closet....again. I'm not sure why, but I keep going back.  It's therapeutic somehow.

This popular diy earring holder had been on my list for awhile now. So easy to make. Simply take an old frame, staple on some screen and you're done! I also took crazy and dismantled my old jewelery box.  I plan on painting the drawers black...someday. 

Organize This

This time of year I always feel the urge to organize. I dream of going shopping for totes, baskets, boxes, etc.. Last year it was my closet that got all the attention.

This year, besides planning on painting my living/dining/kitchen area, I would really like to create a family message center.  I picture a chalkboard, large calendar and a message or bulletin board.  So far, all I've acquired is the message board, which yes, I know I could have made myself, but thanks to my Mom, I didn't have to.  I mentioned wanting one during a phone conversation, and then the next day I came home to find one sitting on my front porch.  Thanks Mom! 

Check out these great family message centers...

Photo from sense-ationalliving.com

Photo from sense-ationalliving.com

photo from ehow.com

Pics of Christmas Past

Cannot believe that Christmas has come and gone for another year. Here is a peek into our house decorated for the holidays.

 

A New Year

I've spent countless hours browsing & reading design blogs.  I am always amazed at how organized they are.   What better way to keep track of your ideas?  Inspired by the new year, I've decided to start my own.  How I will ever find the time to post, I don't know, but I'm going to give it a try.  I'm by no means an expert, which I'm sure you've noticed already, but I love the thought of having a place to brainstorm ideas or share fabulous finds....even if I'm just talking to myself.

To new beginnings!