Happy 12th Day!! Can you believe we made it? Who would have thought 48 hours could have provided us with over two weeks of projects to post about!?! We've really loved sharing everything with you, although if you want us to be completely honest… since we've been seeing these rooms since OCTOBER, we're sort of glad to be done with all of it! Bad bloggers! To finish off the final day I'm going to be sharing the itty bitty little details that don't quite deserve a post of their own, but do need a shout out at least!
One of the projects that was so simple it made me laugh, was the bracelet Christmas tree. Like most of my projects it came about by accident (and hey, so did Penicillin, so don't knock it!)
I was moving the bracelets onto my workspace and stacked them… Hmm, looks sorta like a tree. Could this be the World's Easiest DIY? And that's how it went down. It's a bit hard to see in the"After" pics, but in the room, the gold looks nice and shiny and kind of adds a funky element that I love.
Jess had this metal letter J floating around, but rather than thinking Jackson I was thinking Joy! I grabbed a black frame, printed out some holiday text and put it all together. I'm sooo bummed I can't figure out where I found the holiday text, but I know I googled something like"Holiday words typed" or something really obscure like that… did I mention I was short on time? Here's the picture I used. If you know the source let me know and I'll gladly add it!
For me, little details like these make such a huge difference. Even if they're never even seen on TV, I just couldn't do a room without them. Ok, now for a whirlwind of final details…
This no sew gal was thrilled with how the sweater accent pillow turned out! My Epsom salt faux snow made me feel ready to hit the slopes. I'm a wrapping addict, so chunky stenciled presents were right up my alley. Seriously, who can have a horse without an ascot?? That would be just plain wrong! (hehe) And finally, I was inspired by this blog post to try a lighted felt garland. Well there you have it! Thanks so much for hanging with us for these 12 days! We'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming tomorrow! And can I just mention that I'm fairly certain I'm more excited than my kids about Christmas?? Only 5 more days!!!
P.S. Tonight Jess is hosting a"Favorite Things" party and we're both pretty excited about it. I can't wait to see what our gal pals' favorite things are! Have you ever been to one before?? We'll give you all the details later this week!
Ok, folks. Yesterday we shared our BLOG goals with you and today's the day we publicly lay out our plans for our homes in the hopes that putting it down in writing for the whole world to see will motivate us to actually geterdone. These goals include our big plans for the year, but we'll be sharing lots of little projects and ideas along the way. So, here goes:
1.Finish the dining room, goshdarnit. I'm the worst at putting the finishing touches on a room (ugh, the details!), but that's all I have left to do. Look for the full reveal later this month!
2. Update the Living Room. This room is attached to the dining room, so it looks a bit drab compared to the new cottagey/coastal dining room. The stenciled fireplace is just waiting for the rest of the room to catch up!
3. Tackle the Master Bedroom. Oh, this room. It's dark, dingy and in dire need of some love. I'm ready to paint, add an accent wall, change out the bedding, refinish the furniture, and make some art that speaks to my hubs and me. This will be the last room on the main level that gets done! (Oh wait, there's the master bath too…)
4. Create an organized (but beautiful!) desk area under the stairs in our finished basement. We need a place to keep our files (instead of my husband's underwear drawer. I kid you not!) and house our computer. I'm not entirely sure what I want to do there, but I know it will include this fabulous antique door. We planned to use it in our Guest Room Makeover, but we went with shutters instead.
5. My baby turns 3 this year and it's time for a big boy room! I'm so torn about the direction I want to go in for Charlie's room: preppy and nautical or vintage baseball. I know he'd go nuts for baseball, but I'd go nuts for nautical! Who will win?!
Pottery Barn Kids & Source Unknown 6. Be content to just live in and enjoy our home without constantly scrutinizing it for problem areas. I'll be honest. Sometimes being in the home blogging world feels like everyone has the perfect house. I don't and that's ok. I'm going to try to read a book in my ugly bedroom every once in a while and just enjoy it, instead of wishing it were someone else's gorgeous retreat. You know why? Because I am blessed…ugly rooms and all.
1. Eliminate Wasted Space. Almost everyone has that one room (usually the formal living room) that is just totally wasted space. Either, it looks pretty, but no one uses it or it's kind of an unfinished eyesore… Mine is the later. When you walk into our foyer you see our bold wallpaper, fun word art wall, and then BAM it hits you… to the right is a completely unfinished jumble of a room. I was going to make it a completely predictable formal living room, but I'd never really use it. Jess, the hubs, and I have been brainstorming and I think we just might have a plan! (this is part of the current jumbled up mess- don't worry I'll just be relocating this area, because the kids do use the crafting area all the time)
2. Compromise in the Bedroom No! It's not what you think (geesh you guys!)… Eric and I recently discovered (okay, he knew, but I was oblivious to the fact) that we both have really different styles. He would love a bedroom that's warm and I believe he used the word"Lodgey" (like a ski lodge). If you look at my home for even a second, you will notice that nothing about it fits that bill. So, we're making it a 2013 goal to finally design a bedroom that we both love (Honestly, I'm okay with me loving and him liking… just keepin' it real) and I'm thinking it will be sort of Rustic-Industrial. So, as embarrassing as it is to show you… welcome to my current master bedroom.
3. Details. Details. Details. I am not good at the little details of designing a room. I am a big-picture, big-ideas kind of gal. Once the walls are painted, a few pieces of furniture are in, I tend to walk away and never bring it all together with accessories etc. It's my goal this year to work through each room and make sure it feels finished. So you'll be seeing a lot of thrifted accessory upcycles, fabulous accent pillows, and who knows what else.
4. Kenzie's Room (Heaven Help Us All!) Man, if you could meet one of my kids, I'd want it to be Kenzie. She's a trip (and I sounds 98 yrs old for saying that)! She's funny, spunky, sassy, and adores animals like no one I've ever met.
Anyhow, she has been promised a room makeover this year and it's going to push my design skills to the limit. Have you ever seen this guy?
He's the"TurtleMan" and he has a reality show where he rescues"critters" and it's by far Kenzie's favorite show (sometimes I feel like I live in the Twilight Zone). Anyhow, she would like a combination Turtleman and Equestrian room. I have a strong feeling that will be a first on Pinterest! Ha! So far, her only specific request is a pallet wall ceiling. This project is going to be a challenge to say the least.
So, there you have it. Our home goals for 2013! We know there will be about 2 million other projects we tackle this year, but hopefully all of these will make the list too! Now…who wants to keep us accountable?!! What are YOUR home goals this year?
November marked 2 years in our"new" house. I can't believe it's already been two years, and at the same time, it feels like we've always lived here! Before we moved in, I quickly painted each of the kids' rooms in a solid color and did very minimal decorating. Last year, I did Callen's room with the fun Pallet Wall, but he's the only one that has a"cool room" as my kids say. Kira was next on the list for a room makeover and thankfully, it's already gotten the"cool room" stamp of approval from my kids!
This room makeover was part of one of my projects for P&G. It was my first video for those readers, so sorry about the introductions, but this video does give you a great little room tour! (Excuse the creepy freeze frame… why does Youtube do that?)
Here's a still shot before and after
Pretty Big Difference isn't it? I can't wait to share all the fun projects and DIY details with you- I'll be featuring one project each day this week, but for now, here's ton of pictures!
I grabbed this adorable little hooter at Target. The mirror was something we DIYed about 8 years ago, yup, we DIYed before DIYing was cool!
Little Book Nook!
Spray paint and round bulbs make all the difference! All the color details coming later this week.
And this is the other side of the room! Helloooo… huge whiteboard wall! As you heard in the intro video, KJ had a tendency to write all over the walls. We now have a dedicated place for that! Wednesday you'll get all the product info and tutorial for this.
A little DIY took this dresser from boring to custom-ish!
For P&G I can't have any pictures showing, so I left Kira a little note in this cute frame instead.
Creative coloring storage!
Masterpieces from my little artist
Now that you've gotten the quick tour… Here's the plan for the posts for this week… Tomorrow (Tuesday) I'm going to give you all the details on this stinkin' awesome mosaic accent wall. I'm not sure I'm allowed to say something I did was awesome, but man I love it!
Wednesday, I'm going to tell you all about Idea Paint and how it can turn almost anything into a cool whiteboard surface!
Thursday, it's more Staples LOVE and I'll give you the 411 on these foam core faux canvases. And to think I almost bought 4 frames at 39.00 each! The entire project ended up costing me under $25!
There's actually one REALLY BIG step left before this room is finished. You might have been thinking that the walls are a little too plain and white, and I agree! They won't be that way for long! One crazy-talented Art Teacher from my school, who Kira has now titled"The Artist" is coming to doodle on the white walls with paint pens! Kira has all sorts of fun, things she wants doodled… peace signs, butterflies, and flowers are at the top of her list."The Artist" and I are coordinating our schedules, but once we do I'll be sure to do an update post! Until then, make sure you check back this week for all the tutorials and fun details of the room! So what do you think of my colorful bedroom makeover? Any favorite parts? Do tell!
Oh, how I wish we had taken more pictures of the process and the final room reveal! But instead, you're forced to see it from a tv screen shot. Boo! We promise that we'll do better about that next time. Ha!: )
One thing that really stinks about doing short segments on a TV show is that we pour ourselves into loads of projects, spend a lot of hours working on them, and then they never even get mentioned. Don't get me wrong, it's not Nate's fault, it's just the nature of the beast. And all that hard work on the details is absolutely necessary in order to pull the room together and have it look polished, so it is what it is. Ok, enough of my pity party, on to the beverage cart! You probably thought we had lost our minds when we decided to purchase this thing:
Quite honestly, we kind of thought we did too. We both envisioned the same thing when we saw it (best friend brain's work like that, I guess), but getting there was a different story. We sort of put this cart off until, literally, the last minute, and tried a million different things until we were happy with the finished product. (I slammed my finger in the car door on one of our many trips to Lowe's for random supplies for it!)
The first thing we did was remove the wood shelves from the arms. and then used a hack saw to cut off the one side (yes, a hack saw will cut through metal!). Then we spray-painted the whole thing gold, and added a wooden dowel as a handlebar. On one of our trips to Lowe's we found inexpensive wooden slats in differing widths, so we bought them, painted them in complementary colors and used them to create the shelf. We HATED it. It just didn't feel right at all and we almost gave up on it. Not to mention, that I cut the wrong side off (see above) and so the wheels were at the opposite end that they should have been! Seriously, Monica's 9 year old daughter pointed that out before I even noticed! Oops! After doing some googling, I did discover that some bar carts have wheels on the handle side, so I redeemed myself a bit, but man, I felt dumb!: ) This is what it looked like after our first try:
Blech! Anyway, we we ended up cutting more of the arms off and used a towel bar rod as the handle. We also added four gold castors because we couldn't stand those tractor tires! And guess what the shelf is? It's a pre-made shelf for a closet, (I think!) It ended up fitting perfectly, for which we are eternally grateful, because we were about to quit DIYing for good because of this thing! We mounted a wine glass rack to the underside of the shelf and called it a day. Phew! It was a close call, but I actually think it turned out pretty darn cute for all the grief it caused.
Here's a peak at the little details you didn't see on the show:
(The scale, horse head and door knob all came from Architectural Antiques) We did find some pretty cool stuff at the thrift store. The tray on the bottom left is actually a picture frame that we sprayed with our favorite rust-colored paint and added fun, antique gold handles to. It's a great, inexpensive way to make a tray, and it ended up on top of our beverage cart on the show. We both were in love with the rust pillow with zipper detailing and were so bummed you couldn't see it on the show, and who doesn't love a houndstooth pillow with navy buttons?; ) Lastly, here is the final picture of us on The Nate Show. It has been such a fun ride, and we were totally flattered and blessed to have been a part of the show. Thanks, Nate!
Next week we have some fabulous stuff to share with you guys: updates to BOTH of our kitchens, two huge photo art pieces and more. Have a great weekend!
If you aren't connected with us on Facebook, we'd love you to! We use it to post all kinds of cool ideas and to connect with all of you!
In case you didn't notice, we did TONS of projects in that short 48 hour period, so there's just too many to break down with tutorials, and I'll be honest, some were so easy that anyone can figure them out without me giving you the play by play. But, even so, the details are really fun, so I'll give you a glimpse of the little stuff that makes me happy.
I hung the silver chargers on the wall on either side of the fireplace to add some interest. I used a little trick to hang them that was super easy: I took a safety pin and hot glued it to the top of the center of the plate. Then all you have to do is hang it! It works awesome for things that aren't heavy, but I wouldn't recommend it for big pieces of art or picture frames. I loved how the metallic color added a modern contrast to the rustic accent branch and stones of the fireplace, and how it mirrored the circles in my modern snowflake garland.
One of the other fun things I did was to add whole cloves to limes in fun patterns for some of my mantel decor. I used to do this with oranges every year with my Grandma, and it's such a great memory. The limes add a pop of Christmas color, but they also smell amazing. Love this for easy decor!
I made two stockings out of burlap and hot glue. Ha! What I wouldn't be able to do without the help of my glue gun! Would you believe that Monica and I don't sew? We get around it pretty well, but man, you should have heard the Nate Show producers when we told them that we were DIYer's who didn't sew.: ) I didn't even use a pattern for the stockings, just drew a shape I was happy with and cut them out. I also made faux metal ornaments out of, wait for it…rolled cork! I used two different metallic spraypaints for the finish, and they turned out cute! Granted, they are soooo flimsy, but they worked perfectly for the show!
One of my absolute favorite additions to the room was the galvanized steel tub I used for holding the base of the tree. Unfortunately, the base of the tree didn't quite fit, so my hubs cut out the bottom of the tub with something (I just gave instructions and he made it happen. I didn't watch so I don't know how he did it! Sometimes that's better.; )
Because of the tub around the tree, I didn't have a ton of space for presents, so I used them as accents on the hearth. I love the simple look of kraft paper and traditional ribbon.
Ok, here's the truth. This pillow stinks. I was totally not thinking about the right way to make a pillow cover and so I folded, folded some more, and hot glued in place. DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME! But still, I like the sentiment of"Be Merry". However, Monica, feel free to rip that thing to shreds any ol' time.: )
These two are the pillows I made for the couch under the window. I took my time with these, so they're tons better! I can't get enough of the burlap against the green velvet- such a mix of textures!
Taking a cue from Monica's anti-wreath, I hung several pinecones from festive ribbon in a large frame. Even though it was super easy, I totally dig the pinecones. Actually, I adore pinecones now that we've used them in everything from placecard holders, ornaments and now art! They will be making a regular appearance in my Christmas decor from now on. Mark my words.
These two little frames make me smile. Nothing is easier than decoupaging a cheap wood frame from Michaels, and you already saw how simple it is to use artificial moss here. I lined the backs of the frames with burlap, took apart a necklace for the pearl tree on the left and a dismantled a few strange-looking earrings for the specimen art frame on the right. It's nothing if not non-traditional, and I think it's pretty darn cute.
This felt garland was a bear to make because it took forever! At least, it seemed that way. I like quick and easy projects, and this one was easy, but NOT quick! Lots of cutting squares, alternating colors and threading the squares with a car tire repair kit (yes,, you read that right. I didn't have a needle and thread, so I used what was on hand!) and then repeating a million and one times. The end result was so cool, so I guess it was {almost} worth it! Tomorrow is the last day of our Nate DIY's, so don't forget to check back for all the little details from my basement family room. Thanks for stopping by today.: )
The day is finally here! Submissions for Creating with the Stars are Open! We are so excited to see all of your submission projects!
This group of blog stars is pretty epic! One of them could be your new partner in crime! 1- Sherry from Young House Love 2- Whitney & Ashley from Shanty 2 Chic 3- Brooke from All Things Thrifty 4- Jane from Tatertots and Jello 5- Sarah from Thrifty Decor Chick 6- Beckie from Infarrantly Creative 7- Mandi from Vintage Revivials 8- Jamielyn from I Heart Naptime 9- Shaunna from Perfectly Imperfect 10- Beth from Home Stories A to Z 11- Kari from U Create 12- Brittany from Pretty Handy Girl------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Let's just recap CWTS a bit and then we'll get onto the How To details!If you missed the announcement post with ALL the details, click hereYou can submit one project that shows everyone your best stuff into the linky party below. Projects must have been made October 1, 2011 or laterand must be your own work. You have until February 21st to enter your submission. From those entries, 11 will be chosen by the blog stars and us as contestants and will be randomly paired up to work one-on-one with a Blog Star, to duke it out in a four-week competition to see who's the most creative. The Star will give suggestions, ideas, encouragement, and help so you can come up with the best project possible. Each round will have a theme and the bottom three will be eliminated based on reader votes. Once the contest is started, weekly projects are anonymous, so big blogger or rookie, everyone's on the same, even playing field! Find your favorite project to link up and be prepared to put your best foot forward if you want to survive!---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How to Enter CWTS:1.Link Up your Project. Use the Linky below to submit your project entry *Reminder: Be sure to link to the actual project page, and not just your homepage. 2. Grab a Button. You need to add a link back to EC2 in your submission post. Even if it's an old post, just grab the button code below and paste it into the post.
3. Follow EC2 on Facebook. Make sure you LIKE East Coast Creative so you get all the updates and info we'll be sharing there as well. (This step is a requirement to your entry- sorry to be big, bad, rule enforcers- We promise we aren't mean!)
4. Start Spreading the Word! The first 11 contestants will be chosen by the Blog Stars and East Coast Creative, but #12 will be chosen by popularity in the link party. Get your readers to come over and give your thumbnail a click- yours could be the most viewed!! (Just don't act like some weird robot and click on your own entry a million times, that's lame-o!)
And, as if you need any more motivation to enter, we have the BEST.SPONSORS.EVER!! The 2013 CWTS Prize packages Total over $4100!! A special thanks to Homes.com, HomeGoods, HomeTalk, and Home Depot for their generous sponsorship of CWTS.nWe're so honored to have them! The Grand Prize Winners (Contestant and Blog Star) will each receive: $500 from Homes.Com $500 Gift Card to HomeGoods Project featured by HomeTalk
All contestants that make it to Week 4 will be given a $100 Giftcard to HomeGoods to use during the week 4 home decor challenge! The Semi-Finals Winner will receive: $500 Gift Card to Home Depot (Contestant & Blog Star) $100 worth of Martha Stewart supplies from Plaid Crafts $125 Gift Card to Lucent Lampworks Project featured by HomeTalk
The Week 2 Winner will receive: $100 Gift Card to Royal Design Studio A pair of $120 Robert Allen pillows from Chic Decor Pillows Project featured by HomeTalk
The Week 1 Winner will receive: $50 worth of 31 Gifts products $60 worth of Twtsted Yarn products $70 of Henle Headbands products $100 Blog Re-design from 733 Design Project featured by HomeTalk
Okay, enough talking, let's get submitting! We're so excited to have each and every one of you!! Good Luck and May the Oddsbeever in your Favor (sorry, two Hunger Games lovers here!)
I'll admit it. I'm having one of those nights where my thoughts are running in a million different directions and trying to reign them in is no small task. This happens quite often to me, so for today, just humor me, ok? Go ahead and grab a cup of coffee and try to follow along.: ) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- They say it's all in the details, right? Well, I've got my plan of attack for gift wrapping all set, and have begun planning my annual Christmas party, and I would agree that the details are very important!
Source: thinkgarnish.com via Jessica on Pinterest Have you heard of this cute little shop? Garnish is a dream-come-true for DIYer's like us. They sell totally customizable products that will make your event or gift memorable and spectacular. Take, for instance, these disposable wooden demi-tasse spoons:
Source: thinkgarnish.com via Jessica on Pinterest Stamp them, dip them, roll them in yummyness and you've got an instant Christmas gift for your neighbors, teachers etc. Or how about these lidded paper bowls and brown square kraft labels?
Source: thinkgarnishblog.com via Jessica on Pinterest I mean, seriously, the possibilities are endless. I just bought the red & white bakers twine as part of my gift wrap plans. Wheeeeee! Can't wait to get it!
Source: thinkgarnish.com via Jessica on Pinterest Check out the Garnish blog for more inspiration! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Today I went to Lowe's to scout out their faux wood paneling.
Why would anyone want to look at faux wood paneling, you ask? I am scheming up a way to hang them horizontally in our living/dining room. Sort of like Shauna, from Perfectly Imperfect, did on one wall in their dining room (see there in the back? Except hers is hung vertically):
Source: perfectlyimperfectblog.com via Meg on Pinterest ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I think I'm pretty much finished my Christmas mantel, but it's sooo not how I typically decorate so I'm trying to decide whether or not to keep it. Don't get me wrong, it looks nice, but I don't know… It really would be a pain to re-do so most likely I'll be keeping it. Here's a sneak peek:
Ha! That is one wierd angle, but I was too lazy to get up from the chair I was sitting in to take another picture! More to come on my mantel decor soon… ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Look at this picture our friend Stacy took:
I have to say, she made us look gooooood. She deserves loads of credit for that. ( PS. It helps having a gorgeous best friend to help up the quality of a picture.) I just received a CD of all of our family photos and they are priceless. I came across this one and just smiled:
All week my girl has been saying that her best friend is in Disney and she misses her so much. Cam is sending you love, Kira! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Don't forget to tune in to The Nate Show tomorrow to see us busting our rears to decorate for Christmas in 24 hours using only the stuff in Nate's Crate!
We're still kind of in shock that Nate called us his best DIYer's. Pinch me. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- That's it for now. Have a GREAT Wednesday!
Jess and I think today's Fab Find is pretty darn fabulous… It's our"Contact Us" tab! Now, before you tune me out, give this post a chance!
We thought we'd share a recent question that we got from one of our readers! We love hearing from all of you and we want to hear from you even more! We got the following message from a reader"Jess" (and no, we did not send ourselves a fake email just to make us feel good!) Here's her message: Hi Girls — love your site! So I wanted to ask if you might be doing a post on nursery ideas in the near future (or maybe you've already done so). I'll need to start planning in the next few months…we don't have a lot of space to work with and don't want to spend a lot of money (of course). If you could point me in the direction of any good websites with simple but modern ideas, that would be great. Thanks, you girls are amazing! So… Thanks for your email Jess and here's our answer for ya! Nursery Ideas on a Budget Since I wasn't exactly sure what style the fabulous Jess wants for her nursery, I thought we'd just focus on a few money saving ideas that will still have a big impact. (Click on any of the pictures below for more info) 1. Don't tie yourself down to Babies R Us… Sure everyone thinks they need the standard, crib, changing table, armoire matchy matchy combo, but I beg to differ. Flea market, Salvation Army, Restore, and Craigslist can be your very BFF when furnishing your nursery. I love using a dresser for a changing table and there are plenty of little DIY add ons you can do to make it safe for the little one. Of course I adore this yellow buffet-turned-changing-table… does it remind you of this post?
Source: None via The Real Housewives on Pinterest Just to prove this, I took 60 seconds and found this piece on Craigslist for $20!! Seriously, I'm tempted to buy it myself! New Paint and this piece would be amazing!
Another repurposed piece. I also love the storage idea they used. You don't have to commit to the standard canvas bins. These little details can go a long way.
Source: blondiensc.typepad.com via The Real Housewives on Pinterest 2. Make your storage pretty, so it counts as art… This is huge when you're wanting to be a frugal fanny. Rather than adding a million accessories and details that add up in cost, just make the practical things cute! I love these fabric book shelves and just think of all the possibilities because there are a bajillion fabrics in the world to choose from. (Yes, bajillion is a real number in my world).
Source: pennycarnival.typepad.com via The Real Housewives on Pinterest I think these planters-turned-storage-bins are adorable. Now would be a great time to buy these because most likely they're on clearance at Lowes and Home Depot.
Source: centsationalgirl.com via The Real Housewives on Pinterest 3. Use fabric… I wanted some witty name, but really, all I mean is just use fabric. Sure fabric can be expensive, but you can also find great clearance fabrics. Using fabric as part of your decor is both adorable and can be economical.
Source: lh6.googleusercontent.com via The Real Housewives on Pinterest I don't sew. {GASP!} How can she be a blogger and not sew! Well, don't get your panties all in a knot… I have a bundle of fusible web and also a grandmother-in-law that lends a hand. The moral of my confession is that you don't need to sew to make cool things with fabric. It's amazing what you can do with a good pair of scissors. I haven't tried this fabric idea, but it's on my list of things to try. Simply wrap inexpensive painter's canvas with fabric and hang… instant art!
Source: conspicuousstyle.com via Cami on Pinterest 4. Paint your way to a pretty cool nursery… I love using a $30 can of paint to make a HUGE impact in a room. Paint has a crazy return on investment and just takes a little time and creativity. a few years ago I helped a friend do this bold wall for her twin boys' nursery.
Obviously, I am in love with this nursery for about a million reasons, but look at that chevron wall. Tape + Paint = simply awesome. There's so much you can do with paint and if you choose something bold enough, you won't need much in the way of art.
Source: madebygirl.blogspot.com via The Real Housewives on Pinterest No budget for moulding? Just paint it on… how cool is this? The pictures alone are beautiful, but the border really makes it a focal point and hikes up the awesomeness factor.
Source: potterybarnkids.com via The Real Housewives on Pinterest 5. Pin before you begin… If you haven't yet, join Pinterest and get inspired! It's amazing how creative people are, so head on over and make a plan.
So Jess, I hope this has gotten your creative juices flowing! You're definitely going to have to share your finished product with us so we can share it with everyone! We hope the rest of your pregnancy goes well and we're so excited for you guys to welcome your little one into the world! -Monica (& Jess) So, there you have it… Contact Us! Who knows you might just get your very own post too!
As you all know, my hubs and I have been DIYing a 600 square foot patio. It's been a huge job, but it's 99% done and we're loving it! (We've even put on an addition, but our lights were back ordered so I can't give the full reveal yet-boo!)
600 square feet is a lot of space to fill and I wasn't about to go out and buy all new furniture for the space. I've had this old record player hutch (if that's even such a thing) in my basement for about 7 years now- It was just waiting to be upcycled.
This baby used to house my in-laws old record player and then eventually a boombox. It's crazy to think that now that all of my music is on a 4 inch iPhone. Anyhow, if you need any convincing that this piece needed some upcycling, I've provided you with some evidence…
One of my favorite things to do, is to look at a piece of furniture and see past the"yuck" and into the potential it has. Remember when we upcycled this dresser into an Anthro Knock off.
They key to a good furniture upcycle is to believe that anything can be changed and set some goals!
To Upcycle this piece, I had a few goals: #1- Get rid of any and all scrolly things (I sorta loathe them) #2- Remove the speaker fabric #3- Paint it with outdoor paint #4- Add some bold details #5- Distress it (so I don't get mad when one of my 4 kids"distress" it for me) #6- Add new hardware
Get Rid of Scrolly Things Sometimes it's easy to think there are things you can't change about a piece, but it's amazing what you can do with a jigsaw! I just taped off a straight line and cut those scrolly babies off!
Remove Speaker Fabric I ripped off all of the lovely fabric and then had to take out the speakers. There was no magic to this step. I actually gave a hammer to my seven year old son and said,"bang away!"
I love when furniture has an industrial flair, so I cut plywood panels and covered them with chicken wire. It isn't the most fun to work with, but it's not impossible either.
Paint with Outdoor Paint This piece was originally intended to be used indoors, so I wanted to be sure to paint it with good quality outdoor paint. I really don't love taking tons of time painting furniture, so I used Valspar's Exterior Spray Paint. It took about 3 cans to do two coats on the whole piece.
Add Bold Details Since this piece was originally so traditional, I wanted to do something graphic and more modern as a detail. I thought a thin herringbone would do the trick.
Herringbone is super-simple! #1- Mark out your center line. Then, measure the width you want the stripes (I used 1") and make tick marks down both sides of the column. #2- Tape off your lines. The top of the left side slants down to one tick mark below on the right. #3- Paint & Remove your tape. Let it dry and repeat on the opposite side, but shift your painted section down one, so you have the"every other" look.
Distress the Piece You might notice that my lines weren't completely crisp in the herringbone. I was painting outside in 100 degree heat (blogger foul), but I also knew I was going to distress it anyhow. I'm not always into distressing, but I figured it was going to get banged up outside (and I have 4 kids that are pretty rough on furniture). To distress, first I went at it with a sander with 220 grit paper.
Have you ever had this problem? I ran out of the right size sanding pads. Oops! After sanding it down a bit, I gave the entire piece a good glazing. I actually began my glazing love affair by reading Living with Lindsay's blog (check her out it you haven't)! My favorite glaze is Martha's Black Coffee. As you can see, I slopped it on, rubbed it around, and then wiped it off. I wanted pretty solid coverage, so I used a good bit of glaze.
After adding some hardware she was all finished and ready for the patio!
I think she's much more my style now!
All that's missing now is some cool, outdoor artwork. I'd love to hear any ideas you have in a comment. We have some insanely creative readers! P.S. I have to mention that I'm so glad to have my BFF home from vacation! A week apart feels like such a long time to us! Now that she's home, Jess is working like a mad-woman on some cool projects for her dining room!!
Yesterday we shared 25 awesome upcycle projects and Ikea hacks, but we wanted to give you some of the juicy details for a couple of the projects we actually tackled during our crazy Women's Night Out White Box Challenge.
Wall Paint Colors First, the paint colors. Everyone always ask us what colors we use and we never remember to share! Well, this is going to change! We're even going to try to get our acts together and post our color palettes for each of our Knock it Off episodes. One of these days!! Anyway, our bland room started off with Oxford Tan (from Lowes) walls, lightened by 25%. In our 30 minute intermission, the top portion quickly got covered in Classic Teal, which is a gorgeous, rich blue. I wouldn't be surprised if you saw us use that color again- loved it!
Furniture Paint Colors The dresser got decked out in four different colors, which really added a lot of interest. We are in love with the color-blocking trend and were excited to give it a go with these inexpensive Rast dressers from Ikea. We used Tuxedo Tie on the frame, English Tea Party on the bottom drawers, Mountain Smoke on the middle drawers and Bamboo Leaves on the top drawers (all from Lowes). Such fun colors that matched our fabrics perfectly! We definitely would have liked to build a base for our new buffet so that it would sit higher, but unfortunately, we ran out of time. So, take note if you're planning on giving this upcycle a try.: )
We shared a whole bunch of fun ideas for painted rugs, but this one that Monica did last summer is definitely our favorite: quick, easy and cute! Check out her Stenciled Outdoor Rug for the step by step deets!
This tufted Lack table turned ottoman was a big hit with the ladies during our event and it's a super simple upholstery project that any one can handle.
This past spring, I made this Ikea Lack Ottoman using the same method as above. The only difference is that we added tufting to the one we made during the White Box Challenge. It looks so good I might just have to add some to mine! Here's the cheater way to add tufts: 1. Follow steps for upholstering the table. 2. Mark where you want to place your tufts. 3. Use a button-making kit to create some cute buttons using your fabric, or buy pre-bought buttons to use. 4. Using a staple gun, shoot a 3/4 inch staple through the fabric, batting and foam on the mark you made. This creates the tuft, without having to drill through the table and bringing sewing into the equation. 5. Hot glue your buttons in place. That's it!!
We love the way this nail head trim dressed up our plain, old white chair. They were so simple to attach and took this chair to a whole new level!
In fact, it wasn't our first time using nail head detailing- we upholstered a chair and added nail heads for one of our Nate Show episodes!
Finally, this upcycled art was definitely the fan favorite of the night. You wouldn't believe how easy it was to do and what an awesome impact it makes.
If you want to know how to make your own, Monica took this old piece of art and made a completely custom canvas for her powder room using a stencil, spray paint and her silhouette machine.
Phew! I think we touched on everything, but if you were at the event and still have questions, leave us a comment! There aren't many things that are as gratifying and budget-friendly as upcycyling. I'm serious, people. Go give it a try!
Our kitchen then. After switching templates, I had to go back and fix each photograph on my blog. This resulted in returning to those early days of the remodel. When I came across this old 'before' photo, I was reminded of how far we've come. After having remodeled every stitch of this farmhouse, we're finally at the stage where we've been updating some of our original updates! It's exciting because now all the basics like electrical & plumbing, drywall and baseboards are done — it's such a luxury! I'm finding that I have the energy and patience to really think about the small aesthetic details I felt too rushed and overwhelmed to contemplate during the early remodel. I'm reveling in these aesthetic details as I update our downstairs bathroom right now — photos to soon follow!
Before you get your hopes up, this is not a total room reveal. (I can already hear the booing and hissing.) We still have loads of final details to finish up, but I wanted to give you a peek at our freshly-painted cabinets, which I am head over heels in love with. You may remember that our goal was to lighten and brighten our kitchen by painting the cabinets white, adding a neutral color to the walls, and taking down some unused cabinets. We then added open shelving, a fabulous stenciled wall and a beautiful new pendant light with custom shade. Today I'm just sharing the take-your-breath away cabinet transformation, so I'll give you the nitty-gritty details of our painting process in a post next week. You may remember that this is how we started out:
And here's where we are today:
I know, right? It doesn't even look like the same room! It's such a calming space, and is ten times brighter. Plus, because the cabinets are white, the space seems so much more open and a lot bigger.
My hubs finished off the half-wall and added a ledge made of a 1x12 piece of pine. He painted it, sanded the edges until they were rounded, and then trimmed it out with moulding.
Well, fickle, little me decided I didn't like the black brackets used to hold up my shelves, so we took them all down and are in the process of painting them white. My poor husband.
Painting the cabinets has made me want to change the countertops out ASAP, but we're being patient and are waiting until it fits in the budget. We took a trip to Ikea and were told that, based on our measurements, unfinished butcher block counters would cost us around $300. Not bad at all, but that's just not going to happen any time soon. Don't tell my hubs, but I'm hoping that Fall will be ther right time.; )
Yes, in case you were wondering, I have decided to take back my brown Ikea curtains and replace them with navy panels. Thanks for all of your input!
The next phase will be installing two shelves to the right of the refrigerator. The bottom shelf will house the microwave, so that we can have a bit more counter-space. You can get a good idea by my rough (and I mean really rough) drawing below:
Before that happens, though we have to take care of this little problem behind the fridge:
We moved our oven across the room to the other side of the kitchen, but the problem is that we originally had a gas oven, and so there is a pretty substantial gas valve sticking out from the wall. As a result, the fridge doesn't sit flush against the wall. We're pretty sure we can cap off the valve, but we're going to consult an expert because the last thing we want is our house to set on fire after all the hard work we've put into it!
I really am starting to love our kitchen and can't wait to start adding some color back into it with accessories and linens (dish towels etc.)!
Now, when you walk in the front door, the house feels clean, fresh and bright! Hallelujah! What are your feelings about white kitchens?Beautiful or boring?
Are you looking for the link party for your Creating with the Stars submission? Yay! We're thrilled to have you! Click here or use the button below to link up. Submissions are now open until February 21st. If you want to read more about the contest and all that it entails, click here.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Have you guys heard of The Inspiration Board? It's a new fun tool created by our friend Jamielyn from I Heart Naptime. (She's a real sweetie and an awesome star in Creating with the Stars. Woot woot!) Have you ever seen those mood boards or room design inspiration boards that real designers create? Usually you have to know how to use Photoshop to make a really good one, but not anymore! Now you can take all those pins you've been saving up and put them onto one style board that you can share with the public or save for your own reference! Plus, they're not only functional, they're super cute with loads of features that allow you to customize the board to your preference.
Jamielyn asked us if we would create a board and since we have CWTS on the brain, we just had to whip one up using the details from the contest:
We love the little details like the fun washi tape, paper clips and push pins! It's a really cool way to add some style to your pins and we hope you'll give it a try. And even if you don't want to make your own, there are tons of other boards for you to browse through for inspiration. Jamielyn is hosting a launch party with loads of incredible prizes, so head on over and join the party! Have a great day!
We are so happy to have Janenifer from Dimples and Tangles here today sharing all the details on this stunning china cabinet transformation that she linked up last week in our final round of Creating with the Stars. Janenifer has great taste and impeccable style. We know that once you take a look at her blog, you won't be able to stop! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Well, here she is!
After almost two full weeks of work (off and on), it's finally done, and I'm going to make you scroll through way too many pictures. Let's remember the very sad before…
And the oh so fun after!
I wanted to create a glam, sophisticated look and lighten up the inside, so I used my wedding china, crystal, some other white dishes and thrifted milk glass I've collected to style the shelves.
I like symmetry.
Now for the details, I sanded, filled in gouges, sanded, wiped, and primed before painting three coats of color. Yes, I can confirm that dark colors are tricky and take more paint. The color I used was Behr's Pine Scent in semi-gloss. I used a good Purdy brush for the corners and a foam roller for the rest. Also, a huge trick I've learned when painting with latex paint is to use a coat or two of poly on the flat surfaces that will have something sitting on top of them. Latex paint can stay tacky for up to a month, but with a layer of poly it's ready to go after 24 hours or so…no tackiness!
. One of the knobs on the bottom doors was missing, and a few of the pulls on the top doors. I kept and cleaned up the brass backplates on the glass doors, and found these perfect glass knobs at Hobby Lobby. They are an oval shape rather than round so they fit nicely together where the doors meet.
I also gave you a sneak peak at the chunky hardware on the bottom. The oversize glass knobs were out of my stash. Did you guess what the backplate was? I knew I wanted something big and was coming up empty looking online, and then I remembered I had these…
They started their lives as…Christmas ornaments! I bought them and used them as hangers for an old window treatment (seen here). My handy husband drilled a hole in the middle and they were perfect! Along with the original drawer handles, they got a coat of Rustoleum's Metallic Brass spray paint, and then a coat of Rub-n-Buff in Gold Leaf.
I had planned to add height by adding an extending shelf in between the two pieces to house some cubbies for storage baskets, but I ended up just needing to get this piece d.o.n.e! I probably will still add that piece in the future.
With this project completed, I'm down to artwork and a new table for this room. I have the table but it needs some work so I am waiting for a streak of warm-enough days outside to work on it. That probably won't be happening until later in the spring. Artwork, though, coming up!
Isn't that gorgeous? We're totally digging the kelly green and gold together and how smart was it to use Christmas ornaments as part of the knobs??!! If you think that piece is awesome, you just have to see the Accent panel wall in Janenifer's office…it is to die for!
Thanks so much for sharing with us today, Janenifer! Check back tomorrow for an AWESOME Mother's Day giveaway that you don't want to miss!
P.S, We're the ones in a contest now and if we win, we get to give $5000 to the charity of our choice! We need your help, though- you can learn more about our project and the charity we chose here, or go vote for us every day for the next two weeks right here. Thank you!
If you're anything like me at all (lazy super efficient), then you'll be thrilled with these tips on how to make your DIY experiences hassle-free. Let's get right to it, shall we? (Be sure to click on the link below each picture for more information on exactly what to do.) 1. Save those old, stiff paintbrushes you thought were goners. Just soak those bad boys in hot vinegar for 30 minutes and they'll be as good as new.
Source: thisoldhouse.com via Jessica on Pinterest
2. Make those free paint stir sticks work. Use them to help recall your household paint colors. Dip the stick into your paint and write the name of the paint color and it's number on the other end. Tie together with some ribbon or twine and voila! This trick was totally made for me and my impulsive, forgetful self.
Source: marthastewart.com via Jessica on Pinterest
3. Make yourself a fun holiday wreath on the cheap. Instead of buying an expensive foam wreath from a craft store, get a 6 foot long piece of foam tubing from Home Depot or Lowe's. Cut the length you want, and duct tape the ends together. For approximately $.97, you've got yourself a naked wreath, ready to be all dolled up!
Source: thepennyparlor.com via Jessica on Pinterest
4. Use paint thinner to transfer a black & white picture or text onto almost anything . Monica and I just used this method for one of our joint projects (which you'll soon hear about. I know you're already on the edge of your seats with anticipation), and it made us squeal with excitement. Hi, we're Monica and Jess and we get really excited about crafting. Anyway, simply print your text or picture with a laser printerbackwards, and lay it on your fabric or wood, or whatever you're working on. Rub paint thinner over the whole thing with a cue tip.There you have it! So much easier than making a stencil and then tracing it. (Please read the whole tutorial before attempting this! Just click here for all the details.)
Source: mademoisellechaos.blogspot.com via The Real Housewives on Pinterest
5. Channel your inner Martha and create ah-mazingflower arrangements. Seriously, she isn't a millionaire for nothing. This simple trick makes all the difference! Make a grid using clear cellophane tape across the opening of your bowl. Cut your stems short, and place one or two blooms in each opening of the grid. Apparently, this helps support the heavier blooms so they don't automatically fall to the outside of the bowl. Add your greens (ie: baby's breath, ferns etc) in last.
Source: marthastewart.com via The Real Housewives on Pinterest So, there you have it! 5 easy ways to make DIY-ing a whole lot simpler. Go forth and create! ______________________________________________________________________________ And, finally, just to get your juices flowing, this is one of the submissions we've received for the Nate Show Ticket giveaway contest:
Isn't it awesome, and highly-unflattering? Oh well, all in the name of the Nate Berkus Show. There's still time to enter the contest, so hurry up and click here here for all the details. Do you have any fail-safe DIY tips? Please share!
Remember that time that we were invited by that cutie Nate Berkus to be a part of one episode on his show?
Remember how we loved working with Nate and were so flattered when he invited us back for 3 more episodes?
Well those amazing experiences helped us realize a few things… 1- We love a good DIY challenge 2- We really enjoyed being part of a TV show 3- People said we're not half bad at it We are crazy, over the moon, still can't believe it ourselves, excited to announce that starting July 2013 we'll be the hosts of our very own DIY Show!!!
We're so glad that we can finally tell all of you! This has been such a hard secret to keep! So here's the deal… Our show is called,"Knock It Off" and we get to do exactly what we love… Get high end looks and amazing style without spending a fortune!! We're going to help viewers"knock off" those pricey styles the DIY way! Being on a show is great, but having a network believe in you enough to create an entire show around you is beyond amazing! We've noticed a bit of a trend in home shows… it's all huge makeovers with enormous budgets- fun to watch, but not something most people (including us) can do in their own homes. Knock It Off is the home show for REAL people- people with a budget- people who want to have an amazing home, but not break the bank- people that love simple, creative ideas- people like YOU!!
We'll have tons more details to share as our premiere gets closer, but for now, here are a few details What: Knock It OffWhere: Live Well Network (ABC/Disney)When: Starting July 7, 2013 Make sure to check your local listings for The Live Well Network- it's a national network. If you're not familiar with LWN, don't worry, you will be soon!! The team behind LWN is amazing and they're putting together so many cool, new shows! They just premiered a new vacation rental show called"Sweet Retreats" and we're loving it!
As we get further into the show, we'll be sure to fill you in on some fun behind the scenes peeks. We love our crew and it has been a blast to work with them!
Our official Knock It Off Facebook page is live we're ready for followers!! Of course our regular EC2 page will still be active, but if you want sneak peeks, exclusive show content projects and more, be sure to LIKE our Knock It Off page! Also, we'd be so thrilled if you'd help us spread the word! We want the world to know that Knock It Off is coming soon!! Thanks!We're sure you guys have some questions about the show, how it all went down, and more and we'd be super happy to answer them!! Leave a comment below. Thanks so much for taking this amazing journey with us!We are beyond excited and hope we make you all proud!!
PS- We'll still be posting regularly here on EC2, but don't panic if you see a tiny slow down. Monica is still working full-time teaching, so we do all of our Knock It Off work on the weekends. Our pace is a little intense until summer, but we're so excited about it all, that we hardly notice!! We have plenty of fun posts planned for the next two months!! PSS- The design team is working on the show graphics and we can't wait to be able to share those with all of you too!! Make sure you've liked the FB page so you'll know as soon as it's ready!!
If you didn't hear our BIG announcement, stop reading right now and take a look here. We are excited beyond words and are so grateful for your support and encouragement! And to think…it all started right here!: ) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Remember that little contest we were a part of a couple weeks ago? It was a great contest run by Homes.com for an awesome cause- creating projects for a chance to win $5000 for your favorite charity. Well, sadly, we didn't win, but, we're pretty thrilled with our entry and wanted to share this super happy space with you guys.Let's get on with the project shall we? I (Monica) have had this project in my mind for a few months now. It was inspired by a printed pattern I had seen in the window of a shop. I couldn't remember exactly where I saw it, but I was pretty sure it was a cool shop we had passed when we were in London in November. Great story right? Crafty DIY project inspired by a European city… Then, two weeks ago it hit me… It was JCrew at our local mall! I just about died laughing when I put it all together! Well, JCrew or London, I sure am glad it inspired me… For under $20 we created DIY Wood Shim Wall Art
I wanted something with BOLD color, and a modern feel, that married well with a bit of industrial flare!
How's that for a Before and After? Who knew our dumpy oak piano could be such a show stopper? (You can read all about that little makeover right here. )
Here's a peek at the details- the DIY light isn't my entry, but man I love how it works with the Wood Shim Art!
Even though it looks pretty complex, the process was super simple and the longest part of the process was waiting for the paint to dry. Here's how we did it:#1- Purchase Long Wood Shims
We bought 5 packs of these from Lowes for $3.84 each. They sell two sizes, so make sure you go with the longer of the two 11 7/8" (yellow package). #2- Cut the ends at a 45 degree angle. I used my miter saw and cut each piece- I started with one at a time, then did a little math in my head, noticed it would take an eternity, and then started cutting five at a time. Worked like a charm!
#3- Paint Your Shims I created a little spray paint zone in my basement and used all my leftover spray paint colors. When you're painting, just make sure that you put half with the angle to the left and half with the angle to the right or you'll be stuck with one sided arrows!
After they had dried I was left with this awesome assortment of color!! I used about 13 different colors, but I also think doing the whole project in various shades of one color could look pretty epic too!
#4- Make (or use) a Plumb Line Once we decided where we wanted our center point, we needed to get a straight vertical line to follow.
We took a nail, some bakers twine, and a socket to DIY a little old plumbline. Nail it in and voila!
#5- String Line your Vertical I love my string line… seriously, I use it all the time! We put it at our top and bottom marks (created using our plumb line) and then snapped that baby to give us a guide line.
#6 Determine your Pattern This step saved us major time. Use the floor to get your layout right and then installing it on the wall is a breeze. We wanted our pattern random and we wanted varying lengths and heights.
#7- Glue it on the Wall Rather than using 300 tiny nails (that could very easily splinter the shims) we opted for Gorilla Wood Glue. It was simple to use, will hold securely, and won't damage my walls completely (the way liquid nails would).
Following our pattern, Jess glued and I placed the arrows. Shims are very imperfect, so I had to be okay with tiny gaps and just kept using the center line to keep things straight.
Even before it was finished, we knew we were obsessed with it!
We finished it off with some fun accessories and the coolest light fixture ever, and called it a day.
There were a lot of DIY elements around our Crafting for Charity project, so to find out details about other projects, you can check 'em out below., We'll be posting more about them in the next few weeks, so just hold tight.: )
Even though we didn't win, we hope you'll still check out Worthwhile Wear, which was founded by our close friends Dan & Steph. They've committed their time and talents to make it their life's work.
Jess and I both have daughters and we couldn't imagine any of them having to endure human trafficking. We love Worthwhile Wear's mission… Worthwhile Wear exists to rescue and restore girls from forced prostitution, and more importantly help prevent girls from ever entering it. We target highly trafficked areas both internationally and domestically, and offer women the opportunity to overcome two primary factors which are at the root of sex trafficking; poverty and lack of education. This solution is offered through vocational training centers which teach women how to make wears, such as jewelry, handbags, and clothing, which are sold to provide them employment. Additionally, the women are offered free education, a safe place to stay, and restorative programs geared toward encouraging personal growth and re-establishing self-worth.
That beautiful face is not a stock image. They're from Dan's last trip to India a few months back. The work Worthwhile wear is doing is critical and we hope you'll check out their site and follow along with them on Facebook. What do you thinkj? Could you paint a piano green? Or glue shims to your wall?
