The Power of Spray Paint

I love how spray paint can make just about anything fresh and new again. I especially love it when used in unexpected ways, like to turn a cuckoo clock into a modern piece of art or to upcycle mismatched bottles into uniform vases.

Jeff and I use spray paint on home decor projects all the time (lamps and small furniture), but these images have inspired me to look for a few more things I can transform (I have an ornate mirror and a set of antlers that may be geting facelifts soon).

What other things might look better spray painted?

Images: Chandeliers, Clock, Antlers, Bottles, Toys, Mirror

Welcome.

If you come visit us, this is now what you'll see at our front door. Since our wedding, I've known I wanted to use some of the iron decorations we used as wedding decor to decorate our small outdoor areas. Well, it's a year later and I've finally done it. Here are some photos of our newly redecorated front porch (It's tiny, I know).

I was particularly excited about the welcome mat I found at Target that matched my existing bird, turquoise, purple and green color scheme. I'm so happy the $12 dollar rug could tie it all together.

The iron yard stands and wreath were purchased at Hobby Lobby (when iron was 50 percent off), then painted, used in our wedding and now adorn our stoop. The planter was a thrift store find, and the plants were bought on sale at the end of last season. Total re-do, including the cost of the re-used iron, was about $45.

Stay tuned for the back patio. It too is tiny, but at least it's cute and inviting. :)

Garden Dreaming

Last weekend I planted a few flowers on the dock, now I want to liven up my little patio with some pretty petals. I wish it could look like the photos below. I'd never want to leave.







See more pictures of this rooftop oasis here.

Images via.

The Short Lamp Dilemma

When I was decorating the guest bedroom in our house,  my mom gave me a lamp and shade (from a thrift store, of course) that matched the rest of the room perfectly. The problem was, between the tall antique bed, the short nightstand, and the normal height table lamp, you could barely see the lamp peeking out from beside the bed. I didn't want to find a new lamp or nightstands, so I stacked books underneath the lamp base to give it a boost.

It was a quick fix that ended up working really well. To tie everything together, I strategically placed a few more stacks of books around the room.



(Yes, the bottom book is Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and yes, it's a library book. I'd like to say it was a damaged one that they gave away, but I can't promise that that's entirely true. Shhh. Don't tell.)

Dream Pantry

I am in love with the idea of a hidden kitchen pantry. No more
pantry doors that, in some kitchens, just look out of
place. If we ever build our own house, I will have this.



I also imagine little doors to the hidden pantry where I could
scoot my stand mixer, food processor and blender in and
out of. The doors above are meant for garbage and recycling
(which is a good idea, too), but I think they might be a nice
solution for storing a heavy stand mixer and freeing up a little
counter space.



I love the look of this library ladder, but I have to wonder how
practical it is for your everyday kitchen. Knowing myself, I'd
probably end up falling down from the top with an armfull of
nice dishes. I can't see it ending well. However, something like
this may be nice in the pantry. Falling down with an arm full of
canned goods would be much less devastating.

What are things you'd have in your dream pantry?

Photo credit: 1 2 3

Cloudy Outlook

First, let me get this out of the way - I'm not pregnant, nor am I planning to be for a while. But, if I were decorating a nursery, I'd be thinking seriously about adding in some happy little clouds (yes, that was a Bob Ross reference). These little fluffy puffies are adorable, and if you're crafty, you can save money by sewing some up yourself.

Here are a few of my favorite little cloud items.

1. Mobile    2. Garland    3. Pillows    4. Crib bedding    5. Print

Thrifty Thursday - Silhouette Artwork

Using small but heavy items, you can create lovely pop art for just a few dollars.

Pick out your items, and choose the color spray paint you want. Arrange your items on a piece of paper board, and sweep over them with the spray paint until you get the look you want. Let it dry, then frame it. I think this also would work well on a canvas.

Get the full how-to from Better Homes and Gardens here.

Photos via BHG.

Bathroom Christmas Decorations

If the rest of the house is festive, why shouldn't the bathroom be, too? Since there isn't room for many decorations in the guest bathroom, I used a few ornaments and some twine to add a little Christmas cheer.


The ornaments are clipped to the shower curtain hooks.
I also added some Christmas candles to the shelves.



The same ornaments are hung from the vanity lights.



Twig Coasters

I love these handmade twig coasters from Martha Stewart. Wouldn't
they be great for a Thanksgiving table? Using the same idea, you could
make matching placemats! And, wouldn't they be pretty wrapped around
a glass candle holder as a centerpiece? I could even see spray painting
them to match your decor. Keep them natural at Thanksgiving, then
spray paint them red, silver or gold to use at Christmas.

Get the how-to here.

Living Room Revamp

I've been in the mood to redecorate my house lately. It's probably because it's the only thing that will keep me from decorating for Christmas this early. I've been wanting to work on the living room, but could never figure out quite what it needed to be "complete." Over the weekend I finally figured it out.

As a starting place, I decided to switch the lampshades from our bedroom with the ones in the living room. That was a quick (and free) improvement. Next, Jeff took down the ugly landlord-provided Venetian blinds that haunted the sliding door to the deck. That was another huge improvement. Then we thought white curtains might look good so we bought a curtain rod and white curtains, put them up, and hated them. I'm glad I kept the receipt.

I went to Home Goods to look for something different. While looking, I came across some pretty, silky, textured, golden-yellow curtains (for $9.99 each!). I had a few other golden yellow things in the living room so I picked them up and carried them with me while I continued to browse. Then, something magical happened - I found pillows that matched my area rug ($20 for a set of two)!  The rug is a slate blue/blue gray color that nothing ever matches. I held the yellow curtains up to them and they actually looked really nice together! I knew I had something good going.

I've been wanting to find a couple throws to go over the couch and chair, but have never had any luck. Poof! Home Goods worked some blanket magic and had two golden yellow knitted throws. It apparently was my lucky day because they were the cheapest throws in the whole section - only $12 each! I couldn't wait to get home and test the new stuff out.

I was afraid of what Jeff would say when I walked in with two big bags. He was skeptical, but after everything was in place, he was as happy as I was. Everything went together perfectly and looked really great.

For under $80, our living room was transformed into my favorite room in the house. I'm a little sad all my "fun money" for the month is gone, but I'm happy it went to something I'll enjoy everyday.

Here's a look at the updated living room.

Bookshelf Inspiration

I am crazy about bookshelves and wish my house had one (that's where Pinterest makes me happy and sad at the same time). When I get one, I can't wait to fill it with pretty books and thrift store treasures.

 

I really like the combination of big books, little books and different sized knick
knacks. Also, I need that chair.

The pillows are an interesting choice, but I love the bar shelf and the framed
and matted black and white photos.

I really like thow they used color to create uniformity.

They broke up the shelves perfectly with photos, storage containers, books and fun objects.

Really, I'm just jealous of this entire room.
I need a fireplace. Bad.

I love library ladders. I really like the furniture, too, but I'm afraid of white.
And, I've been seeing a trend of hanging pictures or mirrors on the outside of the
bookshelves. I like it, but I think I prefer smaller things to hang. Thoughts?

(photos via Pinterest)

Pinterest Pretties

Yesterday I discovered the wonders of Pinterest ... and now am totally addicted. I used to search the internet for pretty pictures of bedrooms, living rooms, console tables, etc, but now all I have to do is search for it in Pinterest! I'm amazed by it and am a little sad I'm just now joining in.

Here are some of the beauties I found yesterday.

(Photos via my Pinterest)

Pumpkin Decorating Ideas

Last week I was thumbing through the October issue of Country Living magazine and was inspired by their fun Halloween/pumpkin decorating ideas.

As much as I hate to admit it, I’m one of those people who decorates for holidays too early. I just get excited and can’t help myself. I'm trying really hard to wait until Oct. 1 to put pumpkins on my patio. I guess it gives me time to plan which of these beauties I'll decorate with this year.

These gilded gourds and pumpkins make me swoon (top) (bottom).

Black and white pumpkins! I’m in love. Get the how-to here.

This bookshelf pumpkin tree made my jaw drop.

This decoupage pumpkin is genius.

See more of Country Living’s pumpkin decorating ideas here.

(photos via countryliving.com)

Reaching New Heights

Lately Kevin has discovered heights far beyond the floor and couch. I wasn't happy when he started getting up on the kitchen counters (he thought he was being sneaky, but the noise he made moving plates, silverware, or whatever else was left out, wasn't exactly stealthy). But now, he's figured out how to get from the floor, to the counter, to the top of the fridge, to the top of the kitchen cupboards! Also, he gets on top of the storage cupboard in the living room (Urgh!).

The tops of my cupboards are decorated with lots of antiques, thrift store finds and other treasures, and Kevin is making a mess of them. I just keep spraying him with water when I catch him up there, then I put things back where they belong. I'm about to start setting glue traps for him to get stuck in – maybe then he'll understand. Too cruel? Try having a cat destroy everything, then let's talk.

And now for a little game of "What's the Difference."

Good thing I put everything back where it was ...