Favorite Friday! REpurposing

If you are like me then sometimes you find it hard to see an object for anything other than its intended use. But repurposing can be a very handy tool when it comes to decorating your home or a project that needs a little extra imagination. I hope to be able to show you some repurposing ideas here on the blog so that you might be inspired to take a second look at whatever has been staring you down!

I've mentioned before my dislike for the current state of my bedroom. There are definitely pieces in it I love....like our sleigh bed or my blue velvet curtains, but it isn't really pulled together for one great look. But probably my favorite portion of my bedroom is a ledge up near the ceiling that is a dream for any seasoned decorator {someone I am not!} So I called my mom into help!

We went shopping....and found some really great heavy, stone planters for my backyard deck - not for my ledge! But when we got home and found ourselves staring with a blank face towards the ledge, my mom brilliantly suggested using the stone planters for my ledge instead of for regular plants on the porch - a repurpose. I thought it was a GREAT idea! So we came up with the decor for my ledge and I was so pleased at how it turned out that I haven't changed it at all.

Here are a few photos of the ledge:

{sorry, I couldn't get the entire ledge in one photo, the ceiling fan kept getting in the way!}



Left to middle



Middle to right

As you will notice, we do have speakers on the ledge as well. Although not my favorite decor item, I really don't even notice them and when I can hear music in my entire house, I'm thankful to have them there. We also, have rope lighting on our ledge that comes on at night and gives a soft glow to each room which I love so much more than turning on a regular room light.

Here are a few close-ups:

Pic. 1

Pic. 2

Pic. 3

Everything besides the stone planters I've had in my decor collection that's been gathered over the years.

As I've been looking at these pictures I realized that there are a few decorating tips that I can also share with you in addition to showing you how outside stone planters can be used for inside decorations.

:: Be sure to use all sides and surfaces for a unique dimensional look. 

 {Pic. 1 - one of the planters is on it's side which helps the look to not be all the same}

::Use containers of all shapes and sizes.

{Pic. 1, 2 & 3 - some planters are round, square, short, tall, etc.}

:: Green foliage can help fill in anywhere but don't be afraid to use different varieties, textures, and shades of green.

{Pic. 1, 2 & 3 - since I was using what I had on hand everything was different, but it helps it appear more like a natural garden}

:: Don't be afraid to let things hang over the edge...or stand up tall....or lean over.

{Pic. 1 & 2 - when branches or leaves break a horizontal line it relaxes your eyes and makes is so nothing looks out of place but instead natural}

This is, I'm sure, just one of the many things that can be done with stone planters but for now....I love them where they are. If you have a favorite "repurpose" - please share!

Creative Project & Tutorial

I hope that you all had a great weekend!

Last week I was talking to a friend, Brandy, about a project that she saw on HGTV. She is expecting her 2nd child and is dreaming about a nursery. Fun! The project: a white wall where the host of the show added a large sticker of a branch, painted over it, then removed the sticker to show a white branch against a now colored wall. As you can imagine it has a dramatic effect and seems easy enough. So as Brandy and I got to talking about it we wondered....if the sticker was something made by the host or if it was a purchased wall sticker that are so popular these days, how hard it might be to do and how well it might turn out - up close.

Well, not having a blank wall to practice on I decided to give it a try on canvas! Which lead me to my weekend project. Turns out that I think you can use the popular stickers you see in most hobby stores {so your designs are limitless}, it was very easy and you can be proud to show it off to others.

Here is a step by step guide:

Supplies you will need: canvas {mine was a 5X7 flat canvas}, sticker of your choice, paint, paint brush

Start with canvas on newspaper or something you can get paint on.

Peel sticker.

Place sticker where you want it on your canvas.

I painted my sides first so that I wouldn't have to touch the surface of the canvas after it was wet with paint.

Close up of edge.

Start painting. Paint over sticker edges.

Paint entire canvas - right over the sticker.

Leave sticker and paint together for five minutes - then peel sticker off.

You are left with a dramatic silhouette. Note: My edges are a little overun with paint. I don't like anything to perfect, but if you want you can go over the inside with white paint and make the edges smooth.



My finished product! I did three of them because it ended up being so easy and fun. You could attach them to a ribbon and hang them in a grouping as I did here.



 So, Brandy, I think it can be done - large or small scall, wall or canvas.

If anyone gives this project a try, be sure to send us your pictures. I'd love to see what variations you come up with.

To-do lists

Have you ever found yourself with a long list of project related "to-do's" that keep swarming around in your head? These are to-do's that are above and beyond the typical day to day list of things we all do to keep our houses, kids and spouses sane. But if we're not careful they disappear into the oblivion. I find today to be that sort of day for me. I keep having a "to-do" pop into my brain and I should be writing it down OR actually doing the project. Instead, I do the laundry....browse facebook....or get lost in a catalogue or two.

The best thing about creating a list {besides crossing things off} is being able to write it out on something pretty and creative! I think it makes it feel more important than just scribbling on a piece of scrap of paper {although scrap paper is quite useful at times}. My mom gave me a great tablet for Christmas this year and I use it often {thanks, mom!}.

So here are some fabulous "to-do" tablets that I've come across. I hope they help you {like they've helped me} to get motivated to at least write down your list.....it's one step closer to actually doing your projects!



Simple and cute! Found on Etsy.





Vale Design created these FREE printable to do lists! I thought they were unique and easy to use.





This fantastic weekly calendar is also a FREE printable from Jones Design Company. Easy to print, use and very cute! It also has a great verse on the bottom to help keep our priorities in order.





This yearly calendar can help keep the big picture in focus. It can be found at Paper Source.



Good luck!

Creative Project - Baby Girl Room

Happy Monday to you all!

Well, it is only fair....I featured my son's bedroom h e r e. ...

...but what about all of the sugar and spice and everything nice that makes a perfect girls room so cute and sweet??!! I don't have a baby girl, but Amy's little girl Ava {to whom I am known as Auntie Kelsheeee} has the most awesome, girlie and whimsical room around.



I was able to throw Amy a baby shower before Ava was born. I used this sign at the shower and it became my gift to Amy. I used a garland of branches and pink honeysuckle flowers. Cut the branches to the size I needed them to be. Shaped the letters and tied them in place with wire. I then attached pink ribbon to use as my hanger from the wall. They are light enough to use a push pin to hold them to the wall.



We painted one of the walls in the bedroom with these adorable stripes. Bubblegum pink and celery green {not exact colors but close enough!} This touch helped add to the whimsical feel of the room - someplace the girls are able to be creative themselves!



 

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Amy added the girls names in these cute black frames. The butterflies found their home on the walls and door {great idea!} of the room. They add so much texture and pattern. As you can see the rest of the room walls were continued in the celery green color - very fresh.







Here is another look at the striped wall. Along with the embellishments that Amy has added to make the room so unique. If you are looking for a way to make your room look larger - add a mirror. This pink oval mirror adds to the space dimension and helps to group other things on the wall. Lighting is also key to any room. Here Amy has added the fun little pink lamp as well as a clear chandelier. Both help give the room the right amount of light, add texture and contribute to the look of the room.



This plaque not only is a good reminder of where our thoughts should be at all times but the font adds fashion and pulls the looks in the room together.

 



 This room can bring out the little girl in any woman and take us back to dress up, dolls and our imaginations. More importantly, this room is a haven and safe place for two very special girls.

Creative Project - Baby Boy Room

Hello. One of the things I'm hoping to accomplish on this blog is to share creative projects with you. Maybe I've done them myself or I've seen someone else work on them but either way, I hope they inspire you to try something new or find encouragement that there is an end in sight for your current project.

One of my favorite places in my house is my son's bedroom. He just turned one so it is a baby room yet when brainstorming ideas for the space I wanted to make sure it was something he could grow with. So far, it has proved to do just that.

Catalogs and blogs of baby rooms are always so themed. I couldn't ever land on one that I liked more than another. So, my theme just became "anything boy".....bugs, animals, a little western, a little  lot of pattern, maps, transportation, etc. My colors: red, blue, green, brown, yellow, white.

So below are some pictures of the transformation {it used to be our guest room}. It took about a week to pull together all of the main components {thanks to my mom!} and I continue to tweak the extra paraphernalia that make the room inviting.

The Guest Room

The brown wall you see here is also in the baby room. I didn't want to take the time to paint over it so I incorporated the color into the stripes we used on the other walls.

Masking and Painting

It definitely takes a lot of time to mask off your paint area but it is worth it in the end. We also used silicone to help our paint not to bleed past the tape. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't on our textured walls.

Finished Stripes

Green {Olive}, Navy Blue {Moon Shade}, Red {Cabin Red}, Baby Blue {Porcelain Blue}, Brown. All Valspar from Lowes and all Matte Finish.

Curtains

This material was an awesome find! We trimmed it out in a camel colored corduroy. They are heavy, dark and lined....and they do a good job keeping out the light for nap time!

Crib Skirt

I am not afraid of mixing patterns {as you can see}. The repeat use of the navy star material {same as the curtains} pulls the look of the room together. The giraffe print adds some fun and the strip gives us some color freedom. So cute!

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Be sure to check back because I will be adding more pictures of some added "boyness" that makes the room more complete!