buffet makeover

In my thrifting madness I came across a deal through a friend of a friend.

$25 buffet....and I have the perfect spot in my dining room for it!

It was in need of an update....

I got so excited and didn't get a true "before" as I added this great stencil to the back of the display.

I loved the dark terracotta color I mixed up for the stencil so much I started dry brushing it on to the piece....this is the before, pretty basic.

   I actually like the mustard color, but wanted more character for this piece.   So I wanted the mustard to pop through the terracotta color.

Love how the mustard is popping through and the terracotta is giving this piece a sense of style...

Funny, I never thought I would be so excited about a formal dining room buffet.   

I mean formal dining rooms are almost a thing of the past.

Maybe it is a sign of age.  Or perhaps nostalgia for all things beautiful.   

My grandmother's simple white and silver china that has been in drawers for years will now be on display....and that to me is beautiful.

Lovin my cheap buffet and what a little paint and dry brushing can do!

Voila! 

spinning my wheels

Sometimes when I come across other people's blogs, their words, their photos I get inspired.   Often it is parenting, art, photography.  Tonight it is organization......this blog Cathy Talks has inspired me to get some s*@! done!  Sometimes I just feel like I am spinning my wheels!!!   The only one fighting all of the clutter creating forces = hubby and 4 little ones.

I need to do this in August, while I have some help from summer sitters....I need to do this for my sanity.  I need to declutter, I must organize and finish some overdue projects.

*  finish painting the garage and art studio doors (started it last November)

*  clean up old studio attic space

*  organize the gift bags & paper mess

*  sort and organize kids toys in the basement

*  paint the basement wall

*  start uploading photos for yearly digital album

*  work on kids art folders/boxes

I could be setting myself up for failure, but I am going to do my best to stop spinning my wheels.......at least for this month!

living room face lift

Ahh.....
a new couch in the living room, which I have waited a long time for and I love.  But I quickly realized a new couch needs an updated space.  A little living room facelift was in order!

This was the accent wall in my living room that I once loved.  The blue color is from the dining area and the stencil is the green from my kitchen.  But with the new couch it felt way too dominating.  And I was tired of it.

So, I decided to lighten the wall and pull in the charcoal gray from the couch and granny smith green color from the kitchen walls for a totally new accent fireplace wall.
I started with painting the wall a buttery cream color.  It looks like French vanilla icecream (it is an old paint from a bathroom in the house).
Then I took the plunge on painting the brick surround a charcoal blue-gray (our house exterior paint).   It was a risk.....but I love how it turned out.
Then it was time to beautify the French vanilla cream wall with a damask stencil and colors from the fireplace (same color as the couch) and the green color from the kitchen.   Using 2 colors on a wall stencil is a bit more time intensive, but the effect is beautiful and worth it!

I didn't pay a cent for this wall makeover because I already had the stencil (which is also in my bedroom) and used house paint we already had!   freebie....bonus.

I do love the way it turned out.  The room now has a modern vintage feel.  

It is comfortable and more open with the creamy wall.  

The accent wall makes sense pulling the colors together from the couch and kitchen.  

gotta love a facelift....I mean a makeover!

venting....

Sometimes you just need to vent.  right?  this is a rather lame play on words to introduce my latest project with antique vents.   But here is the thing....a project like this feels as good as venting my feelings with a friend.  I feel so rejuvenated by a creative project and this one is fun, easy and results in a beautifully unique wall decor!

First....I found a variety of antique "vents".   4 of these were a real deal from a garage sale= $50.  The other 2 were from an antique store for $9 (small, simple rectangle) and $30 (ornate rectangle).

There are a variety of shapes and sizes for visual interest.   All but one were painted with a heavy black paint when I found them. This small rectangle is the only one I left with its original "patina" and I used it as inspiration for the rest of them!

I decided to leave this rectangle vent as is....and use it as inspiration to make the rest look as authentic as possible.

This is the first step of layering the vent with undercoats of paint. I used what I had in my house....both spray paint and house paint.

I layered paint colors on the black pieces with the intention of sanding to expose these layers back creating dimension and an aged look.   The top layer of paint was chosen to be different for each piece (blue, silver, green, cream, copper) as to create a "collected" look.

Using the sanding block and a wire brush lightly in some areas and more heavily in others gives the paint an aged, worn look.   I continued layering paint and sanding randomly until it looked authentic and full of interest and character!

I am in love with this wall.  It took a bit before I like the arrangement of the objects.  I laid it out on the floor first, and then ended up doing some rearranging on the wall....which means a little patching and painting, but that is easy enough.

I ended up adding the horse shoe for fun and variety.  I also like that once someone told me that if you have a horse shoe in your home it would "hold the luck...

The rod iron candle holder is another item something I had had for years (from my Mom) and just felt right in the composition.

What all the items have in common is that they are old, iron and served some purpose long ago.
It really was such fun to collect the items, create something new....and because I used paint I already had around the house, literally cost me only $89.  (I think it would be possible to get that cost way down with more garage sales and more time to collect).

So, there it is.   I vented!   It is much better to vent in this manner than listening to me vent about how tired I am, how my back is bothering me or how I wish someone in my house would listen to me.
 opps, just vented.

stencil love....

I have a not-so-secret love for stencils....but please, not the bows, duck and goose country-type.  Oh no, that is so 80's!  Don't get that idea when you think of a stencil, today the options are beautiful, modern and stunning.   I am hopelessly in love with what a much more modern stencil can do for one's home.   In fact, I have to restrain myself from over-stencilling my home.

I have had the recent good fortune of being asked by a dear friend to paint the stencils below in her new home.  I love this sort of thing so, of course, I jumped at it.  But that means I had to practice these stencils in my own home first.  It really is a win-win....I get these gorgeous stencils in my space and I did work out the kinks (can be a little tricky around edges and corners) in the stenciling process.

Now, for what you have been waiting for:

"stencil love"
 the beginning of the stenciling process on the lucky wall in my kitchen.

Oh yeah, baby....

It is oh so satisifying....

The finished product with frames back in place.  Now the wall sings!!!!

And now brace yourself for the guest bedroom makeover......
(I was so excited I forgot to get a before shot.  Just imagine the sad, simple wall)

Now it is totally awesome.  Dare I say, stunning!
I love the warm gray color (Gibraltar Gray-Pittsburg paint) on top of the light blue (Blue shamrock- pittsburgh paint)

stencil....how I love thee, let me count the ways....
i love how rich you look.  i love that you don't overpower a space (when done correctly) but create a point of interest.  i love how you are a little dramatic and complicated.  i love that you express my personality.  i love that you are not wallpaper.  i love you dear stencils...and I am not done with you.

***These stencils were ordered from cutting edge stencils   ****
check out their awesomeness!

Home Sweet Home

Our travels were long, long, long...but we couldn't wait to get home. Tessa did great with all the flying and new surroundings.

It was a wonderful homecoming with a surprise

from Omie & Opie (Andy's parents) and Oma (Andy's grandmother) after our arrival! They were so excited to meet Tessa!

Here Jack shows Tessa his "I'm the Big Brother" t-shirt when he meets her! Too cute. My parents are here to help us adjust and to get to know Tessa.

And our first family photo together. We are so grateful and happy to be home at last, together.