Recent Projects: Valances and Faux Chalkboard Holiday Pillows

Even though I haven't been great about blogging lately, I have still been doing a ton of projects!

First of all, I finally finished sewing valances for my mother's sunroom windows.  there are nine tall but skinny windows, and my mother had picked up the perfect golden colored fabric with a tiny white foliage pattern on it, that gives the effect of a texture more than a pattern, since it is so small.  Then we used satin yellow ribbon to tie them up.  I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out.

And yes, I am a Christmas junkie.  Everybody knows I am.  And yes, I already have my holiday mantel planned out (you can never be too ready, wink, wink.)  I couldn't wait to get started on these.  They came out reasonably close to my vision.  But I wasn't willing to pay 30 to 50 dollars a piece for the versions I was seeing on world market, Etsy, Zazzle or Pottery Barn either.  So, DIY it was.

First of all, I started with 2 Hobby Lobby pillow covers.   Yes, that place hurts me in a political sense, but I'm a sucker for crafts so I apologetically compromised my belief system for $9.99 pillow covers in the shade of black that I wanted.  The border was brown jute. 

 

The first thing I did, was take a red sharpie, and color the borders red.  This was a little time consuming, but I did it mindlessly while watching a movie, so no big deal.

Next, I printed out two inspirational free chalkboard printouts.  I found both on Pinterest, but the links to the actual bloggers/printables are as follows.  The "Let it Snow" one is from Craftberrybush.com and the Baby It's Cold Outside is from UpcycledTreasures.com 

You know, you might never have thought of it but just search on Pinterest or google for "free printables."  You would not believe how many bloggers out there have done the creative legwork for you, and they are sharing it, very generously, for free!  It's a fantastic resource for decorating and it can save you money.  Just change out the pictures in frames you already have, seasonally.

So, using an exacto knife, I imperfectly cut out the letters to make stencils.  Then I filled in the stencils with chalk to have a vague outline.   In my perfect world, I would have had vinyl stencils and used chalk spray paint to do these properly.  I ended up free-handing much more than I wanted to.  I used matte chalk paint and a tiny paintbrush to fill in the letters myself. 

And here you go.  Finished products.  This project cost me about $25 total, which was about a fifty percent savings and then you also have the ability to tell someone, "I made that" which is always a nice feeling.

 

Can't wait until Christmas 2015!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am ready.

Recent Projects! Painting, Painting, Painting

I am so behind in posting my recent projects and additions to the Etsy Shop!  I've been really busy.  I'd say that's a good thing overall, and not because I am so distracted that I am avoiding anything, but because I am keeping myself genuinely busy. 

Here are some pictures!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/MiscellaneousM

before

after

pillows are still for sale in my etsy shop that match!



Jane Austen silhouette art

Charlotte Bronte silhouette art

Magazine Crate Project

My collection of home décor magazines is growing: this isn't all of them.  I subscribe to Country Living and Better Homes and Gardens, plus I pick up House Beautiful whenever it catches my eye at the check out stand.

I have been storing my magazines in various places, but this wooden crate at Jo-Ann Fabrics over the weekend caught my eye.  It was raw wood and on sale for $8.95.  So, I snatched it up.

I felt that we needed more pops of red in the living room to balance the overabundance of teal that has worked its way in, so Red Chalk Paint from Folk Art was the choice for this one (with a stenciled white chalk paint detail on each end.)   I hope you like it!  I love these super easy projects.

Jane Austen Lovah...

So, it's no secret that I love all things Regency England.  I will get over the pond someday to see my homeland.  It's on the bucket list.

In the meantime, I will have to settle for watching "Austenland" and the BBC "Pride and Prejudice" on repeat AND adding little touches into my home that remind me of my fandom.

Mom picked these up for me.  They had come into the Methodist church thrift shop that she works at.  For one dollar, I was able to prettify these with some chalk paint and make them modern.  I especially like Pipe Man, as I have dubbed him.  That old timey British farmer looks like he knows how to relax.

Such a happy Sunday afternoon project.

Upstairs Bathroom Makeover

I have been slow at posting this: mostly because I suck at taking pictures and I hoped that my brother in law would come around when the bathroom was clean, but alas: that was not to be! So, you will have to settle (emphasis on the "settle") for my sad depiction of the after. Just trust me when I tell you that in person this is leaps and bounds better than it was before.

 

First of all, I will finally reveal my color choices! I used Behr Ultra Premium Plus in Semi Gloss for the record. The color above the wainscoting is Toasted Chestnut (a beautiful copper brown color.) The color beneath and on the vanity is Parchment Paper (an aged white that I just adore.)

 

http://www.homedepot.com/p/BEHR-Premium-Plus-Ultra-8-oz-240F-5-Toasted-Chestnut-Interior-Exterior-Paint-Sample-240F-5U/202182273

 

http://www.homedepot.com/p/BEHR-Premium-Plus-Ultra-8-oz-710C-1-Parchment-Paper-Interior-Exterior-Paint-Sample-710C-1U/202182798

 

 

And the bathroom set that Mom loved and we purchased last Christmas, was an ensemble from Bed, Bath and Beyond entitled "Leaf Study."

 

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/1/3/leaf-study-bath-ensemble

 

Here is a reminder of the crappy "Before!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

And here is the "After!!!!!!"

 

 

 

 

 

If you recall, this corner had a hideous, weirdly mounted white cabinet. Instead, I took it down, patched the wall, and purchased an espresso colored linen tower from Bed, Bath and Beyond to be our storage furniture instead. Only $79.99!!! Here's the link in the caption.

 

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/summit-tall-cabinet-tower/3252290?poc=213218&skuId=42479154

 

 

 

 

 

Last but not least, was my light fixture make over project! The light fixtures were covered in splattered paint from past paint jobs. I hated that. They were kind of neat old fixtures. I tried to sand the old paint off but it didn't work. So, I went out, purchased a Krylon chrome metal paint from our local hardware store, screwed the fixtures loose, took newspaper and taped it to the walls carefully tucking it under the edges of the fixture so it covered all of the toasted chestnut wall: and sprayed away. It's not perfect, but 2 coats covered the old paint stains and gave it a brighter, newer life.

 

 

 

Well, that's it! The linoleum cleaned up surprising well and I think the new coat of paint and newer, more traditional but still modern style hardware on the vanity just made the space look cleaner. I think that the toasted chestnut color makes the architectural details of the room (like the molding around the window and door frame and recessed built in cabinet) really pop out.