Console Table: Keep It or Ditch It?

Calling all of my design-y type friends and readers. I need your help. I've had this console table that lives behind the couch in the great room for about 20 years. It's pine, natural, and heavy, which I love. But it has got a Southwest style to it, which I can't stand. I've disguised it with table cloths of all types and currently have a table runner and some interesting objects on it so maybe people won't notice. Oh and don't look at the brown thing underneath. That's going as soon as I decide on 2 small stools to go underneath if I keep it. I want to keep it because of the material of it and I believe I can do something to it so it doesn't look Southwest. But what? Or should I just get rid of it and start over? Any ideas?

Garden Decor

They've been called Garden Totems, but I'm not about that. A totem has great meaning. This to me is just fun decor and it decorates my outdoors, so I call it garden decor. Do you have a better name? I'd love to hear it. I first saw a garden totem by October Farm blog on Pinterest and that was my inspiration. I liked the shape of that totem, so I wanted to make one similar for my backyard.

I found all of my glass either at the antique flea market or in thrift stores. No piece was more than $2.00. But the dollar range was optimal. I used the directions from the October Farm blog but found that it was more cost effective to use clear silicone sealer from the hardware store rather than aquarium glue. (same thing essentially but more expensive). It was easy but took a couple of days to make due to drying time.

I glued pieces together in segments and when they dried, added them to other segments rather than building it from bottom up, or top down. I chose pieces that would work well together from bells, to candleholders, to bowls and plates of different sizes and shapes and a vase. The plates work well upside down. I took into consideration that if they are outdoors, I didn't want them to collect water. Also, I made sure that the glued surfaces were flat for the most part so that they would adhere to each other.

I chose my base as a wide plate so it would stand easily. I've also seen them as a narrow tubular base, like a vase with a piece of rebar stuck partway in the ground and sticking out of the ground, into the vase base to stand upright. I love this. It really sparkles in my garden.

Nuts and Bolts Box DIY

I was inspired to make this decorative box after seeing the below picture of a resin box on The Foundary. The best part? It was practically free. 

 The resin box from The Foundary that inspired me was priced at $29.

I started with a wood balsa box that held sea salt caramels I purchased for a recipe for Thanksgiving. I removed the labels and it was a perfect canvas for my project.

Then I scoured the garage for various nuts, screws, and bolts of all kinds. Shhh. Don't tell my husband.

 I started randomly glueing the hardware onto the box using a glue gun after spray painting the top.

Spray paint primer is awesome for this project, because it not only primes the wood and metal, but it's also the paint that I used for the project. It results in a matte finish which is pretty classy.

 Here's the finished box. Pretty interesting as a little decorative item, don't you think?

So, a practically free project that took minimal time. What's not to like? And just think of the possibilities. Boxes hold holiday candy and cookies, or you probably have any box laying around the house. Don't like the hardware? Think of other items you could use: rubberbands, beads, rocks. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination. What makes it interesting is using the same type of item in multiples.

Bedroom Color Enhancement

I've lived in this house for 8 years and just now realized that my bedroom has not reflected my husband's and my personalities. It's been blah and beige for way too long. It's had little furniture except for a bed and an old, ugly chaise lounge that I didn't even want to show. It has built-in night tables, dressers, a frame around the headboard, and even an entertainment center. Even with the padded headboard that I made, it was past time for a color enhancement. I started with knowing I did not want to spend a lot of money. It wasn't necessary. First came art above my bed. It took quite a while to find something that fit the space. I got this print on The Foundary for $150. It had many colors which almost froze me with fear to continue. But I pursued on the internet, and in many stores, multiple times. I got advice from friends and yet it was the next item I purchased that sealed the deal. Adding color without changing much is easy. It's done with the accessories. It's done with art. It can also be done with paint....no ready to do that yet. I also needed some functional furniture.

When I saw these amazing pillows for my bed, I suddenly realized that my room of grey and yellow just wasn't going to happen. These were a little more than I wanted to spend but they really bring color  ($29 each at Pier One)

I added table lamps ($39 each at Home Goods), a chair (on sale for $135 at World Market) and accent table ($39 at Home Goods) as well as a fun pillow for the chair ($34.95 at Pier One) and a crocheted throw that I made. I had the standing lamp and just changed the shade ($12 at Target).

Next came the yellow mohair throw ($21 on QVC) and an end of the bed wood slat bench ($64 with coupons at World Market). I know I'll never stop hearing from my husband "you got something else to bump into in the night". I'm such a klutz. The last step will be drapes and since it's taken me 8 years to make decisions, it may take me a bit longer. I am getting new blinds though. How do you like those verticals, huh?

Tutorial: A Upcycled Serving Tray for Earth Day

I recently purchased an unfinished wooden serving tray at The Salvation Army for 1.29 thinking that I could use it...somehow. Then on a recent shopping trip to Urban Outfitters, I saw a wall art piece by artist Sarah Ogren with a dog similar to my Foxy and the body of an old fashioned girl. It was in a thick wooden frame. Inspired by that piece, I set out to make something along that line for my home. I photo shopped a picture of Foxy onto a vintage photo of a child and colorized a bit of the photo the blue and green accent colors. I spray painted the serving tray satin black. I used scrapbooking paper and borders that I had laying around and Modge Podged it all down on the black tray with a wide sponge brush.  I used several light coats of Modge Podge so as not to get the paper too wet. After it was all dry, I sprayed it with a clear coat of lacquer. I love how it turned out. It's upcycled. It's personalized. It's original.

Coat Rack

Yeah, it's been too long. Procrastination along with poor motivation resulted in not much getting done around here including blogging. This also included a project that has been sitting around my house for a few months that I wanted done before Christmas, but didn't end up getting done until early January. A coat rack. I bought these letter hooks and thought they would be easy to hang. Then I looked at the little teeny screws they came with and realized that no way were 2 screws going to support a coat or a handbag in drywall. That resulted in the idea to hang them on a board and mount the board to the wall.

I think painting it black was a great idea because it really brings out the letters. Now when people come into my home, they have a place to hang their belongings.

White: Trend in Decor

I've noticed in catalogs, on the internet, and even in my local antique store, the trend right now in home decor is white. This past weekend I went into an antique store that used to be many vendors with their goods strewn all over. Much to my surprise, it was completely different; it was a merchandising heaven. And I noticed white. A lot of white. I thought I'd share with you what I completely fell for.

Below are some ideas of current home decor accessories in white:

Z Gallerie

Z Gallerie

KG + AB

West Elm

Bathroom Art Walls Completed, Well Sort Of

More than 3 prints, photos, illustrations, and frames later I thought for sure I'd have overflow into the laundry room with all of these prints. I got brave enough and started hanging. Just here and there, however it felt right. I did have one tongue-in-cheek request from artist Mincing Mocking Bird that his Cardinal print go over my Throne. No problemo, Mincy. Done!The details of many of these prints are in the last 2 blog posts I did so if you want more info on them... I did purchase many and downloaded some from Indie Fixx's Feed Your Soul Free Downloads and made them my own. (explained a few blog posts back)
So I hung and hung and hung and from the camera's perspective it looks pretty good.

I'm loving the combos of colors of the frames and the photos with the prints. My son even said it's less boring when he's in there. Hey, why is he in there? He has his own bathroom!
But from this perspective, you can see that there is much more wall space. I did buy more frames and will continue to be purchasing more prints. So although complete, it may never be complete. There is always up and there is always down. Oh boy.