We've been so fortunate to have been featured on some pretty great blogs and websites, but there are a few totally awesome blogs/bloggers who have been major players in our continuing growth.
We've shared our love of Pinterest on more than one occasion and Monica even created a how-to video about it, but now we love it even more. U-Create, Vintage Revivals and Home Stories of A to Z were so good to us rookie bloggers. We hope we can pass the blog love forward to other small blogs just trying to grow in the same way they've helped us. And you already know how we feel about The Nate Show. So, from the bottom of our hearts, thanks blogging friends! We appreciate you.: ) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Now, to cap off our Giveaways Galore Week, we have an unbelieveable giveaway for you!
We both have been thrilled with our stencils from Royal Design Studio (you can see my kitchen here, and Monica's wall panels here), but there are endless possibilities and choices for you at Royal Design Studio. Just check out these beauties:
{Swoon} Ok, time for the details on how to win: The Prize is a $75 Shopping Spree on Royal Design Studio. (Includes free shipping within the continental U.S.) All entries must be submitted by 11:59pm on February 26, 2012. Winner will be announced on February 27, 2012. 1. To enter, go to the Royal Design Studio website, pick your favorite stencil and comment with your pick. 2. Extra chances to enter by"liking" the RDS Facebook fan page and/or following them on Twitter and/or following them on Pinterest and commenting so on this post. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And finally, the winners from yesterday's giveaways: Scentsy
My Best Friend's Hair
Kotton Pickin' Kute
Congratulations! Email us to claim your prizes, girls! Thanks for celebrating our one year blogiversary with us this week. It's been fun.: )
A while ago we talked all about our decorating plans for the event, A Worthwhile Evening, benefitting our friend's non-profit organization, Worthwhile Wear. We even shared some mood boards, but wanted to show you how it actually turned out!
We'll be completely honest. We didn't think we could pull it off. Especially because this is the room we had to overhaul into a beautiful setting for 200 people with only a $300 budget.
Oh boy. We were scared. But guess what? We pulled it off and the night went so well, and the room looked beautiful. We used all of our sneaky resources and came up with some inexpensive, but pretty awesome decor for the room. The Centerpieces
These babies were definitely our favorite feature of the room. We used chargers and vases from the Dollar Store, branches from our backyards that we spraypainted gold, and flowers from Produce Junction. But what really made them shine was the Worthwhile Wear jewelry we hung from the branches. They looked so cool, made a great conversation piece and helped to sell even more jewelry for the organization,
The tables were covered in an inexpensive purple satin with a gold, shimmery tulle overlay.
The Art
We used the same roofing material that we used on our last Nate Show episode and the Indian Paisley Damask stencil from Royal Design Studios to create a gorgeous backdrop for the room. A big thank you to Royal Design Studios for donating the stencil for a good cause! We've said it time and time again that stencils make a huge impact for very little cost, and RDS stencil are the BEST!
The Silent Auction Tables Unfortunately, the room had a pretty ugly border around the entire room that would have been too expensive to cover up, not to mention pretty difficult to do in a non-permanent way. We decided to use one of our other tricks, giant Staples Engineer Prints to deck out the walls and draw the eye away from the border. The prints of these gorgeous girls and women were taken while Dan was in India learning more about the culture and the great need for these girls to be rescued. Printed on each picture was a statistic of interest (most of them heart-breaking) related to human trafficking.
The Atmosphere
We were pretty limited as far as furniture goes to just what the church had available, so we decided to make the whole room into a lounge/coffee shop feel. Lots of cozy seating areas, coffee tables and lamps for softer lighting. We also used a lot of Ikea curtain panels to dress up the walls a bit more.
Of course, Viswas, the sitar player, need a cool background!
One big score was the lights we had hanging from the ceiling. The church already owned this (which helped us stay within budget), but they originally came from Ikea.
A big thank you to the photographers for the evening, Jake of Harr Photography and Robert of Robert Radu Stern for sharing their pictures with us. They even snagged a great one of the two of us at the end of the night!
We were so happy with the way the evening went, and that we could use our talents to help out our good buddies, Dan and Steph and the amazing organization they've started. Want to know how you can help us help them out even more? Worthwhile Wear is a part of two awesome contests and need our votes. It only takes a minute, but will make a big difference!
1. The First ever Philadelphia DoGooder Awards celebrates the power of storytelling as a way to connect non profit organizations with valuable partners, volunteers, donors and resources. Non profits are invited to submit short 5 minute or less (2-3 preferred) films with a compelling narrative. Filmmakers are encourage to submit films on behalf of their non profit clients. They are competing for $250,000 in resources, national and regional recognition, and much much more. To vote, click here, watch the video (be prepared for tears!), and cast your vote.
2. Our local bank, Univest, is giving $5,000 to a local non-profit. They are asking you, the community, to nominate a non-profit for this contribution. Please take a moment to"Like" Univest and then in the comment section write a nomination f or Worthwhile Wear. You can nominate WW until 12/31/12. Feel free to share this with others. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is the perfect season to do a little good for someone else. We thank you so much for helping us grow Worthwhile Wear! Have an awesome, Christmas-festivity-filled weekend!
Happy Monday, guys! We've had a busy weekend filming back to back episodes for Knock It Off, but we wanted to pop in and give you a round-up of our favorite summer items from some of our favorite companies! These wonderfully talented people make this blog possible, and we've gotta say, they're stuff is stinkin' awesome! Check them out, show them some love and don't forget to look for special coupon codes just for you!
1. I am LOVING this Tangerine Braid Headband from Henle Headbands- that color just calls my name! 2. Monica is obsessed with these Slim Cool Salmon flip-flops from Havaianas that come in lots of cool colors. 3.Isn't this Flower Leather Cuff Bracelet from Belmonili super cute? You ALWAYS get free shipping within continental US. Use the code BelmoniliECC for 10% off your order!
4. Our absolute favorite thrift store is having a 50% off sale on all media items at Liberty Thrift Stores, which- need we remind you?- includes books! Thrift stores are treasure troves of books with great covers, perfect for styling your home. (Picture Source) 5. Guys, you know we love a good DIY project, but some of you complain you don't where to begin or even what to do once you start. You have no excuse anymore because Bareroot Design Studios offers Design Workshops that will teach you how to get the look you want for your home. For all you locals, Bareroot Design Studio is hosting anOPEN HOUSE on Saturday, June 15th from 1-3pm. You do not want to miss this!
6. We have shared our love for Lucent Lampworks over and over again, but this Cylinder Glass Shade with Antique Bronze Down Rod just made us fall in love all over again. Save 10% when you use the code EC2tenoff.
7. I love the simple design of this Blessings Carafe from Blessings Unlimited. What a beautiful way to dress up your summer table. 8. This Affection Small Art Print from Red Letter Words is such a thoughtful and stylish gift for all of those graduates in your life. With lots of different saying, you'll be able to find the perfect one for that baby shower, wedding or graduation gift and you know what the best part is? They're only $19 each! 9. We love our phrases from 163 Design Company (see them here and here) and now they've come out with these NEST Chalkboard painted letter s, which are awesome. So cool just as they are, but even cooler that you can doodle all over them!
10. For a non-green-person like me, this Garden Planning Kit from Clean Mama Printables is clutch. This baby will help you achieve the garden you've always wanted It includes: *Planter Planner*Garden Plan Grid*Plant Record (keep track of all your plants in one place — glue on a large envelope and keep your receipts and plant info to keep track of plants that need to be returned or relocated)*Garden Plans — This Year + Next Year*Yearly Annuals, Perennials, and Trees + Shrubs Tracker*Yearly Fruits, Vegetables, and Herbs Tracker 11. I know it says"Spring" in the title, but this Riley Spring Paper Pack from Moo & Puppy screams summer to me! Are you making a summer bucket list this year? Use this paper as a background for your big list of activities for your family! Use EC215 for 15% off your order! 12. Don't forget to check out the c urrent issue of Smart, Blonde and Craft y for loads of fun and creative DIY ideas to fill your summer and it's totally FREE! Also, make sure you take a look at all the fun blogs listed- you might come across one you've never heard of before!
13. I'm sorry but these Typewriter Key Bracelet from Junxtaposition are just so dang fun. Choose your design or pick one out as a one-of-a-kind gift for a friend. 14. I love the smell of citrus in the summer, and the NEW! Wood Wick Candles from CJS EcoChic are soy so that sweet smell will last a loooooong time. 15. Remember that faux stained glass window I made two years ago? I used this Artscape Window Film. It adheres to any window, is easy to customize and is a breeze to install. This stuff makes a HUGE statement without working hard for it. Plus, it can add some privacy and style where there is none!
16. I got this XXL Utility tote from Thirty-One Gifts and it is fabulous! It can hold so much stuff, and it easily collapses when I'm ready to put it away. I'm a huge fan of the nautical look, so the navy and white just stole my heart.: ) My bag holds a lot of the typical summer items you need when you're a mom of two little ones: towels, swimmies, suntan lotion, toys, but still looks good! C heck out Mandy's guest post HERE to hear more about her story and how she was able to leave her full-time job when she joined 31! Go ahead and contact Mandy at hajelfamily@yahoo.com or check out her website for more info.
17. We've recently found the DIYers solution to dirty, nasty nails. Gel manicures at Oasis Salon. Monica has been telling the entire world that her polish is lasting over 3 weeks! I have to admit, they do look awesome even with all our DIYing. If you're local you HAVE to try out their amazing pedicures and gel manicures. We can't get enough. Visit Oasis, tell them EC2 sent you and get 10% OFF one visit!
18. Ahhhh, how amazing is this Herringbone Shuffle Stencil from Royal Design Studio? I've been wracking my brain trying to find a place for it in my house. Think the baby would like it? Use the code ECC10 for 10% off your order.
19. And last, but not least, our favorite family photographer (and the official photographer of EC2. Ha!) Stacy of Salvatori Photography. This girl is seriously talented and has a fun personality to boot! She just did our gender reveal photo shoot and a few months ago, photographed Monica's family doing their thing on a Saturday morning. Make sure you like her facebook page because she's always running fun contests. We promise that you will LOVE working with Stacy and will have fabulous photos that will last forever! Ok, folks, time to shop! Have fun.: )
Hey! If you're new around here- welcome! We're super glad you found us and we hope you'll stick around a while. Use the icons on the right to take the plunge and follow us. We love all things DIY and we'd love to share our projects with you! -Monica & Jess******************************************************************************** What a bittersweet day… we’re so excited that our fourth episode airs today, but we’re also bummed that our crazy Nate Show journey is coming to an end. It has been such an amazing ride! If you’ve missed any of our episodes, you can check out some clips here. Since we spent a good amount of time in the studio this year, we really had a lot of work to do behind the scenes.
Haha! Kidding! We totally snuck these pictures in the control room when we were waiting for our mics. Yup, we’re dorks. Want to know the funniest thing ever? When we were taking these, there was another woman waiting to go on for her segment. We didn’t know until she was on that it was Christiane Lemieux, the founder of Dwell Studios! We LOVE Dwell! Can you imagine us taking these pictures while she was watching. OMW we’re Dorks! Thrift a $250 room that looks like a Million bucks! This time Nate gave us a seriously tough challenge. $250 to design an entire room including furniture is insane! We never could have done it without an awesome thrift store. Liberty Thrift is a personal favorite and they have 5 locations in PA. We love the mission behind Liberty and it makes shopping there even better! They’re our newest blog sponsor, so if you’re in the area, go and check out one of their stores! Since you’ll get to see the finished product on the show, we’re going to highlight just a few of our favorite projects this week. We don’t have a ton of process pictures, because it was about 19 degrees in our work area and we were so tight on time, but we’ll try and give you the main gist. Here’s all the furniture pre-DIY… oh man it was in rough shape!
Our very favorite piece in the room was the Navy buffet. Something we love to do is to look at a piece of furniture and think of what we could turn it into. The minute I saw this dresser, I envisioned it as a fabulous buffet! When you’re working with thrifted pieces, don’t be afraid to try something a wee bit daring, the worst thing you can do is ruin it and have to head back to the thrift store to try again! Here’s the pretty darn dramatic before and after…
We don’t have process pics, but we do have some process video outtakes! WARNING: These are totally unedited and really goofy, but we’re all about keeping it Real and this lets you see just how the navy beauty came to be! Step 1- The Game Plan! Step 2- TV makes it seem easy! Step 3- To Mold or not to Mold? Step 4- Oops Still looks like a Dresser! So you're getting the idea right? Good, because we don't have any more process shots! This picture shows all the changes we made. Isn't she pretty? We both were sooo thrilled with her makeover!
Now, when you go thrifting you can look at the rows and rows of dressers in a whole new light! And now, here's the cheesy End of the Night recap from day 2! Tomorrow Jess is going to show you how two DIYers that have never upholstered a thing in their lives, decided to tackle a chair for Nate! We're crazy! We hope you had fun watching our final episode, let us know what you thought of the room!
*** If you're wondering about the amazing stencil we used for our wall art, you can get it here. We love Royal Design Studios and their stencils are by far the best! *** >Linking up to: TT&J, Sundae Scoop, Sunday Showcase, Saturday Night Special, Show & Tell Saturday,
Have you ever looked at your house and thought, well… this is just what it has to be. I can't do much to change it. That's exactly what we heard from Terry, the homeowner of this episode of Knock It Off. I should mention that even though she wasn't liking much about her house, she had the most meticulously clean and cared for home- I want to be like her when I grow up! Now, back to the design- Terry had dark wood everywhere (which some peeps love, but it was dragging her down), wallpaper from almost every decade, and just not a whole lot going for them… Or so she thought!
See what I mean? It's just not the kind of room that inspires you to"Be Awesome" on a daily basis. So, Jess and I decided to take this room from dreary to cheery (yes slightly cheese ball-ish) with a really fun, bright color palette.
How's that for bright and cheery and just overall awesome?!?
We love the impact an accent wall can have and after we removed the circa 1970s wallpaper, we knew that a Royal Design Studios stencil was the way to go! We'll be posting on how to remove wallpaper (we know you want our tips and tricks!) and all about stenciling an accent wall. For now, just enjoy the eye candy!
Terry's family room connected directly to this tiny sunroom she uses as an office and study area. We didn't have money for new chairs, but we were able to build a bench seat (all we needed was wood and 1 piece of drywall! Tutorial coming soon!). We tossed on a few World Market pillows that were on major clearance and we had ourselves a super inviting sunroom! I literally had to pull Jess away from this comfy seat to keep working!
We worked with furniture Terry owned, like this gem and just gave it a new sassy swaga with some paint and two pieces of hardware. If you have a piece of furniture that seems beyond dated, just try giving it a bold color paint and see what happens- it's kind of like magic!
Some of Terry's furniture we used (like the adorable table we upcycled), but other things like the huge ottoman they had, had to go. Instead, we built our own table using 2x4s and 2x6s. This piece looks so expensive because of the X frame, but it's easy-peasy to build (tutorial coming soon!). I think my favorite thing from this episode was seeing how empowered Terry and Jesse felt. I sound all Dr. Phil, but I'm serious! They thought they just had to settle for how their house was, but now they know the awesome potential it has! Since we filmed that episode Terry has sent us pictures of other furniture they've upcycled, and she's painted her dining room walls and all the trim! Jess and I feel like proud Mamas! So, no, we can't come to every single reader's home (we wish we could!!), but hopefully by seeing what we're doing with homeowners on Knock It Off, you're feeling like you don't need to settle either! Here'a a little more before and after action for ya!
Hello adorable sunglasses pillow! Thanks Homegoods for always having amazing things to use in our makeovers!
See how the little sunroom flows right off the family room?
If you missed this episode, what are you waiting for? Click HERE to watch it online! We promise we'll get all these tutorials to you really soon! I mean with our amazing intern Diana, is there anything we can't do??: ) She's the best! What do you think of this makeover? Do you have one of those rooms in your house where you just feel stuck? Do Tell!
I'm not a huge fan of spring, mainly because I LOVE summer and get a tad impatient for the hot pool-weather days. However, I do love seeing all the new spring trends, products, and ideas. Today we're sharing a few Spring Must Haves from our fabulous sponsors. We so appreciate our sponsors. They make this blog possible and we're so grateful for that! Make sure you check them out and tell them RHBC sent you! ********************************************************************************** Remember the awesome artwork we made for Jess' house? Well, it wouldn't have looked half as amazing without the mad-photo-skills of Stacy Salvatori. She's local to Bucks County and would be a great choice for your family pictures or next big event. Visit Stacy's Website
I'm love with the Just for Girls Collection from Red Letter Words. How fun and springy are these prints? I plan to order a few for Kenzie's room in the next few weeks. I love art that looks cool and will also daily encourage my tween (holy cow that is the first time I've written that. I can't believe I have a ten year old!) Visit Red Letter Words
#1- Make 5 Dinners in One Hour… that's NO JOKE! These crazy affordable meal plans with shopping lists and directions will rock your world. Head over to their Facebook page to try one week for FREE!
#2- We're so glad that 31 Gifts jumped on the Grey & Yellow bandwagon and came out with this adorable line! I'd love an organizing utility tote in this pattern! Contact Mandy to get yours (you can get me one too!)
#3- Have you visited My Best Friend's Hair yet? You definitely need to. If you have a stylist you love, go let the world know by leaving a review or if you have yet to find the right stylist for you, head to their site to read other users reviews and find yourself a rockin' stylist today!
#4- I require a perfect spring candle in my kitchen this time of year. CJ's EcoChic Candles smell amazing, and because they're soy they last forever! (ok, not literally, but figuratively). They best part… you're not going to pay $25 like you would at the big chain stores and you're supporting a great small business.
#5-This is a spoiler alert! Remember the SuperFab room makeover we're currently working on? Well, we have Royal Design Studios to thank for one of the amazing design elements in the room. They have the best stencil selection around! Check out their new and improved website and they have an idea blog with all kinds of inspiration. Guess who was featured there for our Nate Show stencil project? Visit their new website!
#6- Kotton Pickin' Kute is more than just hats! For Spring you need to check out the fun headbands she offers. Seriously, that baby is adorable!
#7- Guess what?? Liberty Thrift listened to its shoppers and extended their hours! Woohoo! It's now open M-Sat 9-7pm. We have a fun outing in the works with Liberty and can't wait to share the details with you!
#8- Moo & Puppy is our favorite digital scrapbook company out there! We love the preppy look of this madras paper pack. (I'll confess that in the 90s I loved and wore lots of Abercrombie before they went all half-naked. But man, I do love me some preppy styles!) Moo & Puppy is giving you 15% off with the code RHBC15.
#9- Jet Upholstery is more than just chairs and cushions! Look at that amazing bed! Even for these DIYers some projects are better left to the pros! Visit Jet's Website for more info!
Those links should keep you busy for a while! I actually have about 15 tabs open on my computer right now, because I want to place a ton of orders! Thanks again to our sponsors! You're the best!
While Jess has been working on some indoor projects, I've been focused on our patio, and today's tutorial actually had me fist pumping quite a bit while I was doing it. Now, you're getting a sneak peak of the patio, but I'm not doing a real reveal until it's 100% finished (We're waiting on the lights we ordered and we've already started on a little addition!) So, don't focus on the patio, just the DIY project okay?
I knew that spray painting my outdoor rug, rather than hand painting it, would save me time, but I had no idea just how simple it would be and how much I was going to love it! I wanted an awesome outdoor rug for the sitting area, but man alive, are they pricey! Jess actually found this insanely cheap outdoor rug at Home Depot for a project at her house, so I jumped on the cheap rug bandwagon and got one too! Check out that price… $17.88!!
I did a project on one of our Nate Show episodes last Christmas, and it got me thinking… I really didn't want to spend a long time painting a rug, perhaps I could try something a little easier (I'm all about the lazy-man's DIY).
To make those canvases, I just laid a reindeer template on the canvas and spray painted over it. When I peeled the template off, I was left with pure awesomeness! I decided to give that method a whirl with the rug.
1- Spray the back of your high quality stencil with spray adhesive (I only sprayed it 2x for the whole rug). I had this Chez Sheik Moroccan Stencil already from Royal Design Studios (they're our favorite!). Then, choose one corner of the rug to place your stencil in. I honestly only leveled and squared by eye and it worked out perfectly. 2- Use scrap or newspaper to cover the area around the stencil. 3- Spray the stencil with your paint. I used Valspar's Outdoor White so that it will hold up against all kinds of weather (including the million degree heat we're having right now!) When you're spraying, you'll want to spray directly down onto the rug, to prevent any bleeding, and hold your can a lot closer than you normally would. I found about 4 inches gave me quick, solid coverage.
As soon as I was done with one section, I moved onto the next. I didn't have to wait for any drying time etc.
Here's some evidence of how fast and easy this project is… Each star represents something (from bottom left) 1- I didn't bother with a drop cloth. 2- I just moved the sticks from the thunder storm to the side. 3- Child #3's scooter 4- Child #2's skateboard (I knew I'd be out of their way fast!) 5- Plywood from another DIY 6- Recycling bins I was supposed to take to the street, but hey they can wait 20 minutes for this project right? Here's the patio sitting area before…
And after…
If you're anything like me, you're wondering, But how crisp are the lines? Does it really look good or does it look like a sloppy 20 minute project?? I'll let you be the judge. I'm crazy picky and this meets the Monica standard.
After hauling 40 tons of stone and working for weeks on this patio, I needed a quick and simple DIY. This outdoor stenciled rug cost me under $30 and completely helps bring the space together. I can't wait for cool, crisp fall evenings, when I plan on spending a lot of time outside in my new space! What do you think of it?
It's time for a Back to School roundup of our favorite items from the best sponsors around! We've hand-picked some awesome eye candy for you all inspired by the Fall season. Enjoy!
1. This Thirty-One Gifts Spirit Collection is perfect for the athlete in your family…or even the crazy fanatics parents! I'm loving the primary colors, and this orange set screams"Hello Autumn!" Get one in your school's colors and be the envy of the other parents.: ) 2. It's time to start warming up the inside of our homes, and this headboard made of old doors is just so inviting, isn't it? Architectural Antiques has tons of doors with loads of character that could make this dream a reality! 3. You know we totally {heart} Moo &Puppy Digital Paper Shop (we use it all the time! Remember this?) and this Polka Dot Autumn Digital Pack has us motivated to make some invitations to our next bonfire and hayride! Right now, buy 2 packs, get one free and use the code RHBC15 for 15% off your order. 4. Isn't this Industrial Light with Vintage Enamel Shade from Lucent Lampworks gorgeous? It totally looks like something you might find in an old schoolhouse. Love that color. 5. One of the first things I do when September hits is bring out my Fall candles. I can NOT get enough of them. CJS EcoChic's Home Sweet Home (a blend of fine cinnamons), sounds warm and toasty. Sign me up. Also, because they're soy, these babies last forever, so my house can smell like Autumn right up until Santa comes. 6. I think this Vintage Garden Trug from NachoKitty would look awesome sitting on my hearth filled with matches, some scented pinecones and old newspapers. Everything you need for an amazing fire in one {really cute} place. 7. My daughter Campbell is just starting her first year of pre-school (excuse me while I cry), and I'm excited for her and anxious that she'll transition well. I love the sentiment of this Red Letter Words Dream Huge Set, and it expresses exactly what I want for her.
8. I expressed my love for the Honeycomb Allover Wall Stencil from Royal Design Studios last time we highlighted our sponsors, and I'm proud to say, that I've added it to my home! I can't wait to share the tutorial for you, but let me just tell you that this stencil is incredible. LOVE.IT. Use the code RHBC10 for 10% off your order.
9. Belvedere Designs has a huge selection of vinyl wall quotes, but this Abraham Lincoln Quote stuck out to me. Great for an office, or over your kid's desk. Choose from loads of colors to match your room!
10. And last, but certainly not least, Liberty Thrift Stores is our favorite place to thrift and all of their Accessories are 50% off this weekend! Stop in at any of their five locations and accessorize your home on the cheap! We're so grateful to all of our wonderful sponsors for helping us make this blog possible. We'd be thrilled if you shared a little EC2 love with them.: ) Have a great Labor Day Weekend! Have plans?
