Make it look old, Fast & Easy!

I found these cute cherubs in the Christmas clearance section. They both looked like the one on the left. I didn't mind the gold, but I like the "old look" better.

I don't like to spray paint everything. I used craft paint, covered a small area, then wiped it off with a rag, leaving the paint in the crevices. I removed the eye hook, and the paint fills up the hole, you don't even know it was there.

I did the head separate, one wing at a time, it's easier then covering the whole thing.

The great thing about this paint, if you don't like the way your project looks, you can wash it off in the sink, easily.

You can spray it with sealer when it's dry if you want to.

Hmmm, now what to do with the cherub???

I didn't decorate for Valentine's Day this year, but I had to put her somewhere.

I had this old mini cake pan, so I glued a magnet to the cherub's bum, added shredded music paper, dove chocolates, and done, super easy.

dana

Credenza Redo! Before and After

My brother in law Ryan, bless his heart, brought this large credenza home from his in laws house not long ago. It used to sit in his father in laws office for years holding files. Ryan could see the potential this bad boy had.

We went down to their house last weekend for my beautiful niece's 5th birthday. Happy Birthday Isabelle! Ryan had a coat of black paint on the credenza, but it just needed more. I talked Heather (my sister in law) into cream with some distressing and a glaze to finish it off.

We found these wood detailed pieces at Home Depot. They add just the right amount of detail to the doors. We painted it cream, I sanded the heck out of it and added a burnt umber glaze to it.

Doesn't hardware make all the difference? A great redo that's very functional, this piece has loads of storage. Something we can all use more of! I hope they enjoy it for years to come, because I am not kidding when I say this thing weighs about 300 pounds! Solid oak!

Do you like open shelves?

I just came across a great blog with awesome pictures here. I like the look of open shelving, but the questions is....how much open shelving is too much??? I love this picture, it's just the perfect amount and it has me thinking.....that's never a good thing!

Junk Can Look So Good

Isn't this concrete dove just the best!? I see Miss Mustard Seed also liked these charming birds. Check out her blog, it's fabulous! I got this dove for Christmas from my mom and dad.

At first I had her on my table, you can see her on my table in this post, but now she looks at home sitting on this worn metal urn.

My mom brought this old chick protector to see how she would look under it. Is it perfect or what? I love how she added the old door knob on the top of it! Thanks for not selling it Mom!
You can also view this post here.

I also liked how Miss Mustard Seed mentioned these doves would look great with any style of decor. I have to agree. If you head over to The Inspired Room you can take a really cool picture quiz and see what your style is. Kinda fun to do. Which leads me to this picture......ahhhhhh........ I am Rustic Revival. Not a shocker. I love to take anything old and tattered and fix it up and use it in my home until I sell it. Therefore, things never stay in my home for long. Love the coffee table and bucket with flowers!

This bucket reminds me of how Cheri made a great knock off lamp. You have to check out her project here, it's great! This picture is courtesy of Country Living.

Bathroom makeover, Stage 34!

I'm serious, this has been a HUGE project. We have lived here for 6 years, and finally tackled it. I wish I had before pictures, but I just never took any. It was so nasty.

My dear hubby gutted the bathroom down to the 2x4s. I love being married to a handyman. He's an electrician, and does it all. He moved wiring, plumbing, ripped out a chimney and divided the space into a closet in the bathroom and a pantry in the kitchen, AWESOME!

We have all new sheet rock, I never get used to the mess that makes.

We put up wainscoting all the way around. I decided to go with the old height of 38 inches like they did long ago and added a trim piece on top.

I did only 2 colors, white and green. I wish you could see the true color, it is GRASS GREEN. It's just like stepping into the grass barefoot in the summer.

I kept the design very simple, the house is 32 years old, and I wanted the bathroom to blend in with the rest of the house. We bought a plain glass mirror, and he built the frame around it, then I painted it white.

We had to buy a new vanity, which I didn't want to do. I wanted to recycle something old, but we just never found the right piece. We bought an unfinished one, and I painted it white like the wainscoting, and added porcelain knobs.

This is my only regret in here, other than I wanted to use all recycled materials, which you don't find up here. Besides, after my hubby tore out all of the old materials, asking him to put old materials back in there only got me "that look". Ok, I guess we will go with new. He also put in a hardwood floor, love it. He also put in a new tub and surround, just white.

I love this little cabinet, so I kept it. I had to recycle something. I repainted it white, like the vanity. I have a few garden things on top of it for now, which will soon change. My blue heron flower frog was probably one of my best finds of 2009.

It has a great bottom shelf, which holds some of my garden collections. I will be moving these to a new wall piece that I am working on.

Now comes the fun part for me, I have been sketching ideas for the window shelf.

Stay tuned for the next stage.

dana

"Bling" it up!

You can "BLING" up old vases and bottles for Valentine's Day or just for decorating. I went junking last week-end with my friend Cheryl, and these were soooo cheap, I had to buy them.

We are doing a Valentine display in our booth, so these will be perfect.

The vase on the right already has a charming cupid on it, so I just added ribbon and a key.

I did spray the key with metallic paint to bling it up.

You can add flowers to any of them, but the big one on the right would be perfect for Dove dark chocolates, my hubby's favorite.

You can turn any old vase into a fun one with a tag.

I start with a tea stained shipping tag, ink around the edges, add a printed vintage postcard, vintage trim, old key and heart. I spray the whole tag with spray adhesive and glitter it.

You can add flowers and give to a friend, inexpensive & thoughtful.

This heart shaped bottle is so cute.
I just added trim around the neck, old button and key, done - easy peasy.

dana

Do your old mugs need a facelift?

My hubby picked up these glasses because he liked the mug style. Yes, they are cute, but they could be much cuter!

I have monogrammed glasses and added words to wine glasses before and they have always turned out darling. With these I decided to stamp a 5 and a 7 on them. My kids will turn 5 and 7 in May and they can't wait. StazOn ink works fabulous and does NOT come off.

Early Sunrise Cocktail anyone? Yes, it's alcohol free for the kiddies.

They love the umbrellas in them!

Go take a look at your old glasses, I bet you could zest them up a bit too!
Have fun-

Easy! - Valentine Heart Pillows- Tutorial

I have been making these for years, they are so fun and so easy.

Start by making a heart pattern - mine is 12 inches across, but you can make them smaller, and give as ornies.

I cut the hearts out of a heavy fabric, like upholstery fabric, this gives you a great back to work on.

Then I cut up old runners, tablecloths, pillow cases, doilies, anything that can't be used as is, because of stains, holes, whatever.

I do lots of arranging of different pieces before I start sewing.

Now sew on your first piece, use lots of pins to hold it in place, then keep layering with doilies, lace, get creative.

When you're happy with the front, put the two right sides together, sew all around, leaving a 2 1/2 inch opening on the bottom to turn and slipstitch opening.

I make a pocket on some of them to tuck a card into, (valentine, birthday, friend, I used to call them "Friendship Pillows") you can see how I stitched it to make a pocket.

Now just add old buttons, jewelry, even keys, (still need to add those, oops), the possibilities are endless.

Here's another one with a pocket. Everything I use on these is recycled and bought at tag sales, I wash everything before I start.

On this one, I used just the stitched girl and pieces of lace. Pillows like this one are super fast to make.

Remember the next time you are at a tag sale, grab that bag of old lace, trim, buttons, and those linens that are 25 cents because they have seen better days, and recycle them into these.

Have fun!

dana

Awesome Repurpose!

These are the coolest repurposed stools ever! They are from a car and I want them in my kitchen! I am drooling over the shabby island as well.

How cute are these memo holders?? I think I need to do this as well! I love Apartment Therapy!

krista

3 Ways To REPURPOSE A Giant Flower Frog

I found this giant flower frog at "The Barn Chics" sale in Bemidji,

and had to have it. Now - what to do with it?

You could use it to hold your toothbrushes - but they DON'T look happy.

You could use it for a desk organizer - but NOT today!

Ah, that's better - how about making a wall pocket out of it.

You can leave it simple -

Add a vintage frame to the front of it -

Or add some bling-

old kerchief, hair clips, jewelry, or whatever YOU love.

dana

10 MINUTE PROJECT.....BEMIS FLOUR BAG

I am probably the last girl on the block to have one of these mixers, but my hubby bought me one last fall for my birthday, and I love it! Orange is my favorite color, but it didn't look good with my Christmas & winter decor - NO PROBLEM!

I have been saving these bags, (NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION - NO MORE HOARDING!), so it's time to reuse them.

I just cut the bag, turned it inside out, ran a stitch on top, hemmed the bottom, done!

The back is just as fun, so it looks good from both sides.

I should have added that this is a 10 minute project after you stand at a farm auction in the pouring rain for hours, and then wash the bags three times, they were gross!

dana