September 12, 2011

Felt Flower Grapevine Wreath [DIY Craft]


I did it! I actually spotted something that looked like a project I could tackle and here it is...complete! Keep in mind it's my FIRST so go easy on me. I'm pretty darn proud of it. I stumbled upon this idea in blog land and found instructions for an easy "starter" method (I can't find the link to post for you, but if I stumble on it I'll add it). There are step-by-step instructions for these all over the internet and they all vary.

Let me know if you try it!





September 10, 2011

Much Improved! [Blog Pic Tips]

I told Jason that it was imperative that I get a super fancy, way cool, very expensive camera for Christmas. I mean, the future of our little blog depends on the quality of the photo's we post on it. Therefore, I think a camera investment is the least we can do {the fact that I'd have to learn how to properly use said expensive camera to improve the photo quality is a moot point right now}. That is until I stumbled upon this amazing blog that has a post series on how to take awesome blog pics using a.....get this.....point and shoot camera!!! Speaking.My.Language. After all, a point and shoot is what I have. Two of them to be exact.

I took this pic of my camera with my other camera. 
I did NOT download this from the web!

Many thanks to Donna for sharing her knowledge so that newbies like me can have a chance at stardom without spending the green AND feeling like a complete idiot when it comes time to learn to use that fancy smancy set-up. Check out her tutorial and take better photos. Funky Junk Interiors

I'm going to share my random, and I mean random camera shots putting Donna's tips into practice.

So what do you think? How did we do?











I'm sure there is still practice and improvement to be done, but from now on we'll be taking extra effort with our blog photography so we enhance our projects! :-)



Changing Up Accessories [Spray Paint]

I decorate on the cheap. No kidding. If I'm browsing for decor accessories I will jump for anything under $5, but if it costs more than that....no matter how much I love it....I contemplate a lot and I usually don't buy it. Sometimes I'll go back later, but that's ONLY if I haven't been able to stop thinking about it.

Mostly, I freshen up stale spaces by rearranging what I already have. Here's a few little things I've done this week. {Note: spray painting is hard. No one tells you this, but there is actually a technique to it. I learned the hard way by grabbing a can and opening fire. A few runs later I deferred to Jason for help. Apparently you are not supposed to spray the paint at a centimeter away from the object. Who knew? I'm going to have to practice.}

These "words" came from the $2.50 bin at Target (I LOVE that store).
--Before--
--After--
I Heart This Blue {Mediterranean Gloss by Valspar}
I changed out my black "Laugh" by spraying it Berry (red) by Valspar. I just realized I don't have a pic and I'm too lazy to stop typing and go take one. You'll just have to close your eyes and picture it. :) I'm also sure you'll spot it in later post pics when I rework a shelf.

This white based topiary was great in the beginning, but the time came for a little color. I used the Mediterranean here too. I haven't done anything with it's twin yet. I'm still thinking about what I want to do (I haven't used them together in a while). Sorry for the blurry pics...I JUST learned how to take great blog photos with a point and shoot - more to come in the next post.


We wrapped the greenery portion in plastic wrap and then painters tape to protect it from the spray. It couldn't be removed from the base so we had to be creative.



If you're feeling a little bored with the decor elements in your house just grab a few cans of good ole' spray paint in a color you like and get your spray on!





Kitchen Updates [Red Shelf]

This little project has been in the works since our Anniversary trip to the mountains at the end of July! I had been on the hunt for some sort of shelf deep enough to hold cookbooks with ease, but that could be mounted on the wall. At the time we had an ugly, beat-up dry erase board in the kitchen that was yearning for the trash can and I knew that space would be ideal for a fix-up. Unfortunately, I didn't get a before pic of the space.

Here's the shelf before we added our flare:
It is solid wood and heavy. The drawers are great little niches for hiding things I need to hang on to, but don't want seen.

Here's the shelf now:

It matches the door we painted Labor Day Weekend.

I also had pens, scissors, tape, coupons and little bits and pieces that I need to store but keep in sight. This is what we added below the shelf and above the counter.
It's just two decorative cup hooks holding a metal rod and s-hooks (all picked-up at Lowe's) holding the white buckets that came from the $1 bin at Target.



Nice, clean and organized!! Now, to keep that counter clear of all clutter that seems to materialize from nowhere.





September 5, 2011

Labor Day Weekend Projects [Painted Doors]

We hope everyone had a great Labor Day weekend. We were BUSY! We had a lot of projects we wanted to get done, but we only accomplished a few. After all, there were regular chores, errands to run and movies to watch.

Our two main To Do's we turned in to To Done's was painting our inside front door and inside kitchen door. How did we do?

The front door has been a dingy white since we bought our house 6 years ago. It was time for an update.We did run into a few snags. These doors are metal so they don't paint as easily as wood. We also started with a foam roller which left tiny air bubbles that created a rougher finish. Multiple coats later it's a refreshing change.

Before

After

We also updated our kitchen/garage door. It's a tad more......shocking. I LOVE it!!! Jason isn't sold. Alas, it will all come together once our table is completed and I pull in all my new decor ideas.

Before

[Note from Jason: "I really don't like painting and I hate painting in red!] Red is a tough color. It tends to show these run marks and it takes a zillion coats to look good and even. However, despite the pain it's a great fun color that really makes a statement.

During

After
Sorry for the bad pic :( - it's definitely better in person.
I plan to paint the outside of this door at some point. It really looks rough. I'll probably go with a gray. One  projects ALWAYS leads to another. 

What projects did you tackle with an extra day?