something blue

According to research at top wedding sites, the most popular time of the year to get engaged is in December.  With so many sales promotions enticing us to buy for jewelry for the holidays, it's no wonder that it's a good time of year to buy that one special piece of jewelry...the diamond engagement ring.  And despite the economy, it seems that people are actually spending more than ever for that once-in-a-lifetime occasion of a wedding.  According to the statistics, couples are spending on average $30,000+(US) for their nuptials.

The other weekend, I caught a glimpse of a television show that followed a celebrity bride (a morning talk show host) who hired a wedding coordinator to plan every little detail of her wedding.   He chose the most expensive ribbon to tie around her flowers.  The flowers had to be flown in from a specific location because they perfectly matched the decor.  A dance floor had to be re-constructed because it "wasn't perfect".  Her eyes almost popped out of her head when her coordinator presented her with the six-figure dollar invoice. "The wedding has to be right", he exclaimed.  I'm sure the wedding coordinator of last year's over-the-top, 10 million dollar "celebrity" wedding would agree.  A 65 carat bridal headpiece, an homage to Audrey Hepburn, was apparently worn by that bride {source}. This for a marriage that lasted for a mere 72 days.

Is it me, or have weddings become more like a broadway production?  And are the grooms becoming less and less part of this "production"? Maybe as I watch all these wedding shows, I'm prematurely worried.  I couldn't help but wonder...what kind of bride would my daughter be someday...and how much would it cost?

Although I agree that a wedding is one of the most special moments of a lifetime, sometimes I wonder if all those sparkly details of the event overshadows the reason why you're there in the first place...to witness that "sparkly look" in the newlywed's eyes.  I don't know if having a diamond encrusted tiara like a princess necessarily means you'll "live happily ever after".

As Christmas comes to a near, I think back to when my husband proposed to me (yes, it was in the month of December), and all the planning...not just our wedding, but planning our lives together.  It was that kind of planning that made us a team.  Although we have a long time to worry about our kid's weddings...I hope that they remember the reason for having a wedding in the first place...a union of love between a couple, the start of a beautiful journey.  And that your family and friends will join in that journey, no matter what designer cake or dress is at the wedding.

Although there may not be any diamonds under the Christmas tree this year, after more than a decade of marriage, I can look back to when my husband proposed and smile.   And say that we are living..."happily ever after".  And no tiara was required.

DIY Tiffany Inspired Christmas Decor

After browsing the beautiful jewelry at the Tiffany's website, I was inspired to re-create that beautiful blue hue in our home this Christmas.  It's amazing what a small can of spray paint can transform.  The closest colour to that "Tiffany" blue, is Krylon's Blue Ocean Breeze. (found at your local hardware store...I bought mine at Canadian Tire for $5).

Here's the transformations...

Here's an old dollar store pail that held cake pops from my husband's company Christmas party last year.

Here's my old, weathered ornaments from last year, now rejuvenated.

And here's an old cookie tin...with a plain white ribbon, tied like the iconic Tiffany boxes...

It goes to show that you don't need to spend a lot of money to look like a million!

With some ingenuity and using old ornaments and items around the house, our Tiffany inspired tree is complete.

file it under "done"

Young adults or children generally mark "significant" birthdays with an accomplishment.  (On a 16th birthday, you get your driver's license.  On a 21st birthday, you mark the birthday doing more "adult" activities...etc.)

Once you reach *ahem* bigger milestones (30's, 40's, 50's etc.), you take on larger activities, like a huge party or travel to bring in the new age.  But in between those milestone birthdays, similar to what most normal people do at New Year's Eve, I make new resolutions after my birthday.

Last year, my resolution was to ensure I create memories.  Leading up to this was the creation of this blog, which for the most part, documented those special moments.

This year, my resolution is to be more disciplined.

To keep my energy focused on being more efficient and...just get things done.  No procrastination or excuses that keep me in my comfort zone.  In fact, now I do what makes me uncomfortable, having the  discipline to do, no matter how tired I am or difficult the task might be.

So, this past week, I pulled out my "get dirty" clothes, dusted off my paint brushes, and finished a few projects that I've made excuses not to finish.  And while my projects are still in progress,  I've completed quite a few in such a short time....and now I can say, "file it under DONE".

Refurbishing a Metal Filing Cabinet

Now that school has started, it means more paper comes into the house.  Unable to find a "pretty" filing cabinet (is there such a thing?), I took our old filing cabinet, and gave it a facelift.  Here's how it went.

1)  Empty file cabinet, and use painters tape to cover handles.
2)  Using Rustoleum's "Flat White" Exterior spray paint, spray even (and very light) coats of paint, making sure you let it dry in between layers. (I used about three layers).
3)  Using a stencil, tape your design to the front of the drawers.
4)  Using craft paint, using gentle dabs (not strokes!), apply your colour.

Done.

white is warm

I think with design shows like on HGTV, we've become more attuned to great interior design.  There are so many more options that have the high end designer look, but can be attained for a fraction of the price with some ingenuity and vision.  However, we are inundated with so many beautiful designs and options.  And that can be overwhelming.

Before Pinterest, I used to cut out pictures out of magazines and put them in an "inspiration" folder.  When it came time to renovate our bathroom, I had inspirational photos to reference.  I began to look at how to change our bathroom from "builder model boring" to "beautiful and personal".

BATHROOM (BEFORE):
When we first moved in, we made temporary solutions to make this bathroom usable.
Tan walls.  Linoleum floors.  We painted the cabinets white.  (and clearly needed to replace the toilet!)

It doesn't take much.  You just need to know what rooms you like, and understand what makes it beautiful to you. What's great about Pinterest, is you see the common thread between all your "inspiration" photos.  Do you like classic?  Do you like modern?  Do you gravitate towards dark or light colours?  For me, it was a colour scheme and one material element that was consistent in many of the photos.  I love white.  And I love the look of marble.  

This was our bathroom inspiration photo. Julie Charbonneau hails from Montreal, Quebec
(Canada), and her aesthetic is sophisticated classic with a hint of French.

It's funny how our perception of what we like, and seeing an actual visual of what that is, can be so different.  My house used to be mostly taupe and brown, which I thought represented balance (neutral) and warmth.  But no matter what I did, it never seemed quite...right.  But after reviewing all my photos, the meaning of neutral and warm was re-defined for me.  I realized it's white.  It evokes a nostalgic feeling of warmth to me.  It reminds me summer whites (hot, lazy family days spent together) or snowy whites (winter nights spent inside by the fire).

I guess that's the key for me.  Not only do we want our homes to reflect our style, we want it to be a place for memories, those nostalgic feelings.  To create a house with warmth that you can call home.

BATHROOM (AFTER)

Sources

Vanity:  Lumberland North (I've seen similar ones at Lowes)

Mirror:  HomeSense (owned by Marshalls/TJMaxx in US)

Floors:  White, marble-look tiles, Home Depot

Towels, Counter accessories:  HomeSense (owned by Marshalls/TJMaxx in US)

Toilet:  American Standard Cadet, Home Depot

{Attending these beautiful  parties...Coastal Charm}

behind the desk

With the cold weather, most of my time has been spent doing more indoor activities.  Baking, cleaning, laundry...writing. (ahem....and not doing too much exercise).

I've been searching for a desk for my son's room, and a few days ago I discovered a sturdy, perfect sized one hidden in the corner of my local thrift store.  It is solid wood, well made, and is screaming to be redone.

It's amazing how a little purchase can re-invigorate my motivation to get up and get moving.  At least to do a few small house projects.  Here's what I've found on Pinterest (my latest obsession), that has furthered my motivation.

Paint the desk a dark nautical navy blue?
{Source: Hackettstown}

Paint the desk "antiqued grey"?
 {Source: TritterFeefer}

After consulting with my junior client, I think I might just get some paint chips, sandpaper, and prep this piece....and try to get this project started (it's winter here, so painting will have to happen when the temperature is above the freezing mark).

White might be too feminine, but I love the handles on this desk.
{Source: The Furniture Factory}

At least I will get out from behind my desk.  

pinkie swear

I promised my daughter (and "ahem", my husband), that I would finish one of my quick DIY projects, a new dresser for her room.  That "quick" project sat in my garage as I got carried away, with the usual busy autumn schedule...and just playing with the kids.  My biggest obstacle (other than my "distractions") was determining what colour to paint this dresser.

It's amazing how colour plays a role in how we feel. The kinds of emotions evoked by a simple colour on a wall or an outfit.   It's no wonder why interior designers choose neutral soothing colours to create rooms that evoke a sense of calm and serenity.

1.  Fill all holes (I used Lepage wood filler).  2.  Sand then wash down any residue.
3.  Prime.  (I used Zinsser's Cover Stain).  4.  Do a second coat of primer, if needed.

There is a psychology behind what colours mean and why we choose the shades we use, and this quote summed up what I was looking for.

"Pink is the color of happiness and is sometimes seen 
as lighthearted...an attraction to pink may speak 
of a desire for the more carefree days of childhood."

{from Sensational Colour}

Carefree days of childhood.  That's what I strive to create for my kids...a place, a home where they can feel carefree and safe.  As an adult, it has a different, much stronger meaning...the pink ribbon comes to mind, and it represents a symbol of hope, strength and determination.

1.  Painted the dresser with Para's Cabinet & Furniture Paint in Sarah Richardson's "Blush" colour  

2.  Using a fireplace mantle ornament (found at Lowes for $10), sawed the ornament in 3 pieces.  

3.  Painted the ornament in the Para's Cabinet and Furniture paint,  also in "Blush".  

4.  Varnished using water based Varathane in Semi-gloss.

This is something I definitely want to instill in my children, especially my daughter. And it is with this determination, I finally put the finishing touches to this dresser, so my daughter has a made with love, place for her personal things.

1.  Varnished the dresser with water based Varathane, in semi-gloss.
2.  Glued the decorative ornaments onto the dresser, using LePage wood glue.
(I also added the knobs and handles....not shown)

Promises fulfilled... 

...and she's tickled pink!

{Attending these beautiful  parties... Coastal Charm, The DIY Showoff, Dittle Dattle, C.R.A.F.T., Embellishing Life, The Girl Creative, Capers of the Vintage Vixens, Flamingo Toes, Cherished Treasures, Making the World Cuter, Between Naps on the Porch, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, Mod Vintage Life, Creating My Way to Success, Creating a House of Grace, Reasons to Skip the Housework, Today's Creative Blog, A Beach Cottage, At the Picket Fence, Miss Mustard Seed, My Repurposed Life, The Shabby Nest, Chic on a Shoestring Decorating, Fireflies and Jellybeans, Nifty Thrifty Things, Homemaker on a Dime}

Restoring Beauty: Chair Transformation-Revealed!

When I first saw this chair, I really saw the potential.  Although it was stuck in the corner, with odd red fabric, mis-matched styles of wood carving, and scuffs all over the chair, there was something that spoke to me about this chair  (maybe the $6 price tag spoke louder than the other, more traditional chairs I saw).

With so many inspirational choices, I originally went with this Baker chair as inspiration for my thrift store find.

 Thomas Pheasant for Baker

But after painting the chair black, it looked too stark...

So I changed my mind and combined the gold touches for the back of the chair with the white chairs from Belle Maison below:

Belle Maison chairs

Here’s how I transformed this chair...

I removed the chair pad.

I sanded the chair.

Painted the chair with a primer paint.

I used the Zinsser Primer Paint I had left
over from a previous project...that $10 can
goes a long way!!!

Filled the wood with Lepage wood filler. (yes, I should have done this before the sanding, but last minute decided to fill in the decorative “carving” on the front of the seat, as it seemed too “country” for what I was going to do.) So I re-sanded and primed again.

Painted the chair white, and the “8” of the chair back the “Champagne Nouveau” colour I used for the mail sorter (I thought, if it didn’t work, I can always re-paint over it in white).

Using this fabric I found during the Value Village 50% sale (it cost a whopping $3 for 2 yards---I only used one!), I replaced the chair pad,  and stapled the fabric.

Here’s the after.

Here's the cost breakdown for this chair if you did this yourself:
Chair: $6
Primer: Used left over can, but would cost about $12 for the can
Wood filler:  $6  
Black spray paint: Used left over from my table project, but would cost $5 per can.  
Gold spray paint:  Used left over from mail sorter project, but would cost $5 per can.
Chair pad filler:  
Fabric:  $3.


Total:  approx. $45


Simply a great find!


{This post is featured on The Motherboards and linked to My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia , Coastal Charm and House of Hepworths}

Take a seat...

Last month, I bought an "8" backed chair from the thrift store to transform (the post about it is here),  as one of my decor projects for this summer.

While I'm still working on the painting of the chair (it's gone through several colour versions...I'll post about it later this month!), I've completed recovering the seat pad. This method can be applied to any chair pad that needs recovering (or an upholstered bench for that matter...yes, that's on my to-do list this summer).  

Here's how to recover a chair seat...

Found (and pre-washed) some fabric (this one cost $3 for two yards...I only used one!)

Remove the chair pad from the chair.  Some chairs are easier to do than others, but luckily for this chair, all I needed to do was unscrew from the bottom.

Removed the existing fabric.

A flat head screw driver works with removing staples.
This chair had two fabrics on it!

Measured then cut the pad to fit the chair board...

Glued the pad to the chair board...

I just used "Tacky Glue"...but you can use any white glue.

Measured then cut the fabric to size...

To measure the fabric, just lay the fabric on the pad, and cut
approximately 1 inch around the pad.

Stapled the fabric to the chair pad...

Staple one staple on each side, pulling the fabric tightly
to position the fabric.  Then staple along the sides, from the
centre outwards to the corners, pulling fabric taut.

Staple the corners...

Make sure you cut extra fabric, and fold
the corners like you would with a birthday present.

Here's the chair pad...

Now all I need to do is attach this to the chair, and I'll be able to rest my....seat.