Inspire Me Heather

project: chalk paint

2013-06-17T06:28:00.000-07:00

Chalk paint is a popular paint choice for furniture. In most cases there is no need to strip, sand, or prime when using chalk paint and the paint can have a textured look or smooth finish, depending on how it's mixed and applied. Most applications are finished by a distressing technique and then a wax to seal and protect the piece. All of these posts here are by bloggers that have tried and reviewed several DIY recipes for you. All you have to do is decide which DIY chalk paint is best for your project!

In My Own Style: DIY homemade chalk paint review update - chalk paint recipes

Salvaged Inspirations: best homemade chalk paint recipes - it's all here!

Crystelle Boutique: DIY "chalk" paint with secret ingredient - that most households have on hand!

How To Distress Furniture: the definitive guide to homemade chalk paint recipes - you decide!

Amy's Craft Bucket: chalk paint wars: calcium carbonate vs unsanded grout - 4 Chalk Paint Recipes

Cottage Instincts: ::my honest opinions on chalk paint and wax:: - a post full of information

Decorated Life: chalk paint or milk paint? what's the difference? - you can decide which is right paint for you

{stories of a house} our native plant hedgerows

2013-06-14T06:50:00.001-07:00

{our backyard}

Here at our house we don't have fences to separate us from our neighbours, we have native plant hedgerows instead. Our native plants have existed in our area of the West Coast prior to European settlement and now naturally thrive in our region. These closely growing bushes, shrubs, and trees form a row creating a natural fence and boundary.

{Nootka Rose}

Native plant hedgerows are very easy to maintain; they are drought tolerant and there is no need for artificial fertilizers or toxic pesticides. These healthy natural ecosystems attract birds, butterflies and insect pollinators (we are beekeepers too). Our naturescapes are made up of both deciduous and evergreen plants with some of these plants flowering and some bearing fruit. Our layers of varying textures grow higher and higher every year, making our backyard even more private! In late Summer after the nesting birds have left we do a pruning to control unruly branches and to re-align our natural “fences”. As with any region I'm sure, we have some invasive native plants and here on Vancouver Island it’s the English Ivy and the Scotch Broom. They grow so rapidly and are very hard to control!

{lot's of Indian Plum, Salmonberry and Oceanspray here}

Our native plant hedgerows are helping the environment, they don’t cost a thing, so easy to maintain and they make our backyard look like we live in a rural area even though we don’t really. For us, we love our natural plants that change with the seasons and would never tear them out to put up a fence! We do have one fence here though, it’s a cottage style white picket fence in the front of the yard that Hubby and I DIY’ed, but that’s another story!

If you liked my story, may I suggest more in this series:

Linking to: Alderberry Hill, I Should Be Mopping The Floor

how to - decorate with mirrors

2013-06-12T06:53:00.000-07:00

{the illusion of space}

Mirrors are one of the best ways to brighten up a room by reflecting light. They add visual depth and interest to an overall design. They are often used in smaller spaces to visually expand the area or to give the illusion of another window in the room. There are no rules for decorating with mirrors here, just suggestions for placing your mirror in the perfect spot.

To lighten up a room, place a mirror on the wall that is opposite to the window. This will reflect incoming light. Try to place your mirror so that it reflects something interesting too, like a beautiful view or maybe colours from an adjacent wall, artwork or on a fixture such as a chandelier.

Want to make a wall look longer? Take one of those tall skinny mirrors and turn it on it's side. Want to make a space feel taller? Go for a floor length mirror, you can always get the largest mirror you can find (or afford) and frame it to make it seem even bigger! They look beautiful propped up (safely) against a wall or in an awkward corner.

If you can't use one large mirror or if a large mirror doesn't tie in which the scale of a room, try grouping several smaller mirrors. One idea is to paint the frames all in the same colour and hang them together on a wall. For a more casual feel, randomly group your mirrors with various shapes and sizes with different frames or borders.

Layering mirrors looks great too, specially resting against a fireplace mantle. Use the same type of mirror such as several frame-less antique mirrors with interesting curves. For a more glamorous feel, try resting an elaborately framed mirror over a larger, simpler one.

How about going vertical with a mirror? Try laying one down on your dining room table and use it as a table runner. No space for mirrors on a wall? Use them on furniture like dressers, desks or a coffee table instead. Have an outdoor space that needs to be brightened up a little? Take that mirror outdoors, why not!

{mirrors always look great in a dining room!}

Do you have any suggestions for decorating with mirrors? I love hearing from you so please share your questions or tips in the comments section below!

project: childrens rooms - boys

2013-06-10T06:48:00.001-07:00

{kidskamers}

There's been a lot going on with kids room makeovers lately and wow, some of these rooms are pretty incredible! Here's my list of fabulous bloggers room reveals - and they are all boys rooms too! Please click on the links to visit the full room tours:

The Little Cottage on The Pond: our boy's room.... - a cottage and an industrial look

Scout & Nimble: Henry's big boy room reveal - full of colour

The Shabby Nest: loft bedroom reveal - love, love!

DIY On the Cheap: "big boy room" transformation reveal - what a great looking space

Blooming Homestead: boy bedroom reveal - great colour scheme

Inspiration For Moms: a big boy room makeover reveal! - sooo cute!

I Meesh You: Restoration Hardware-inspired big boy room reveal - wow, nice job!

The Lilypad Cottage: nautical big boy room reveal - did your jaw hit the floor too?

{stories of a house} office in a box

2013-06-07T06:56:00.000-07:00

{my office box in the dining room}

In a corner of our dining room sits a big rectangle box. It has doors which has been carefully primed, painted and distressed and has had pretty porcelain vintage knobs attached. Inside sits my home office and a place for me to blog. It is set up just for me and when I'm done with my work I just close the doors and everything is tucked away, it works really well! I get up early in the morning with coffee in hand to do my blogging and read my emails.

Earlier this week I received a wonderful surprise in my email inbox. My blog was included in the 2013 Most Influential Canadian Mom Blogs, curated by the SavvyMom editorial team! SavvyMom.ca is "the leading online editorial destination for Canadian Moms, aiming to provide practical solutions to Mom’s everyday dilemmas". I was very honored to be recognized almong some pretty talented bloggers. You can read the list of 75 Most Influential Canadian Mom Blogs here: http://www.savvymom.ca/index.php/guides/influential-canadian-mom-blogs

{SavvyMom}

I would like to say a great big "thank you" to the readers of my blog here, your supportive comments make my day and keep me going every morning! To SavvyMom, I say "thank you" too for putting me in the Best Canadian Mom Bloggers group!!

{a peek inside my office box}

So now back to my little box office and on DIY blogging. We are nearing the end of an addition to our house and we are converting our Sons old bedroom into our new office! Instead of having my office in a box, I'm going for a more open desk plan big enough for everybody in the family to use. I'm using my current office box here as our Sons new closet - it's the perfect size and I can paint it to suit his new bedroom décor, but that's another story.

If you liked my story, may I suggest more in this series:

how to - make textured paint with sand

2013-06-05T06:43:00.000-07:00

{our bathroom vanity was a laminate dining room hutch}

Texturizing your paint is a great idea if you want to add interest or if you want to hide imperfections. It's a great application for furniture, walls and ceilings or on stairs and walkways to help prevent slipping.

First, give your desired area a good cleaning, some paint won't stick to oily or glossy surfaces;
Prime with a good primer (look for one that will stick to glossy surfaces if need be) and let it dry;
Pick and underneath colour if you want this look - this colour will come though when you scuff your paint;
Use a latex paint, it can support sand much better than any other paint and pick a lower sheen;
Half fill your paint tray with the paint and add silica sand to it, mix it well and mix it often when painting;
Paint away using a brush and keep mixing your sand into the paint;
Allow your painted area time to dry;
Paint on your top colour (with no sand added) and go right over everything;
When that is dry, give your masterpiece and good scuff and sanding with a palm sander;
Sand to the desired amount of "shabby" to peek though; and then for furniture,
Seal it all with a good polyurethane!

Silica sand is sold in different particle sizes and can be found in most hardware stores. You can control the grain size and the degree of texture by the amount of sand you add to the paint - play around with your mixture first! Don't use regular play sand, it can be very heavy and beach sand isn't uniform as it has other things in it like shells and such.

{close up of the silica sand textured paint}

Do you have any tips for making textured paint with sand? I love hearing from you so please share your questions or tips in the comments section below!

project: faux taxidermy

2013-06-03T06:43:00.001-07:00

{ELLE Decor}

For some really inspiring faux taxidermy DIY's in home decor- have a look at this roundup! There's some made with paper mache, some with paper and cardboard and even some made out of hand puppets - very clever!! Please click on the links to visit the blogs with these bloggers tutorials:

The Poor Sophisticate: DIY faux taxidermy - how cute is that??

One More Mushroom: narwhal - aw!!

Know and Tell Crafts: faux taxidermy deer diy! - that you can download and print

The Schmitt House: paper mache safari (my DIY zebra head) - so cute, so cute!

A Swell Place to Dwell: funky faux taxidermy - using a $3 piece of foam core

Vintage Revivals: faux taxidermy part 1 - turned out great!

Madtown Girls: faux taxidermy deer diy! - and it's cardboard!

Kate's Creative Space: the playroom safari - mounted hand puppets!!

{stories of a house} hand scraped wood floors

2013-05-31T06:31:00.000-07:00

{our new, old looking wood floors}

What are "hand scraped" wood floors you ask? Well, way back when wood flooring became popular for new flooring choices most of the options available had a shiny new finish. These engineered hardwood flooring and laminate flooring choices were smooth and glossy, perfect for many home-owners. Now manufacturers are making a new "hand scraped" style which replicates the look and feel of an old floor that could have been made by hand long ago and has been tread on for many years. The bonus is that it's made with modern technology to finish and protect it.

{a piece of the flooring}

Our home is a 1920's Craftsman Bungalow and we wanted a new floor to reflect the character of this old house. We wanted a more worn look versus a brand spanking new modern look and we wanted our floors to have varied wood tones, not just one colour. We thought our choice would be great for future dings and scrapes that comes with an active household (um, kids!).

{hand scraped wood floors}

If you want the same look then I suggest choosing a matte finish (matte also hides dust more than a glossy floor) and pick a lighter colour (darker woods show more dirt too). If you are purchasing several boxes of product to cover larger spaces, I would make sure that the lot numbers are the same. My wood had a label with the series number, the colour, the texture and the lot number so we could make sure the numbers all matched on each box before installing them! My floors are Centura Vinyl Dura Contact Wide Plank (8 inches x 48 inches) Colour: Kamani "Sawcut Wood-Rustic Embossing with a Unilin Click Lock". We love them! Next up in the new addition to our house is the trim work that has to be installed, but that's another story.

If you liked my story, may I suggest more in this series:

Linking to: Home Stories A To Z

how to - spray paint outdoor furniture

2013-05-29T06:36:00.001-07:00

{a chair for the patio}

If you need to give your outdoor furniture a fresh, new, durable finish or if you would like to take a piece of furniture meant for inside to be out - spray painting it may be a great solution!

Spray painting provides good coverage, some would say it's better than brush painting because you don't get brush strokes and it's much faster to paint and it's faster in drying time. You can spray paint pretty much anything - plastic, metal, wood and wicker along with concrete, laminate, canvas, and more. You will want to pick a spray paint labelled for outdoor use first, and then go from there - read the label!

Some kinds of outdoor speciality spray paint include:
Primer - for weatherproofing (try Zinnser Cover Stain Oil-Based Primer)
Paint and primer - a durable finish in one easy step (try Rust-Oleum Paint & Primer In One)
Wood finish spray paints -for staining and sealing wood (try Krylon WoodStain)
Plastic paints - for use on resin, plastic and PVC items (try Krylon Fusion for Plastic)
Rust-preventative paints - for metal pieces (try Rust-Oleum Stops Rust Gloss Protective Enamel Spray)
High heat paints - great for reviving bbqs (try Beauti-Tone Black High Heat BBQ Alkyd Paint)
Glow in the dark paints - for fun! (try Krylon Glowz)
Spar Urethane - to protect (try Rust-Oleum Spar Urethane Spray)

Some outdoor pieces would be better primed. Most oil based spray paints don't need primer because of their durable coated finish. You can tell if your spray paint is oil based or water based paints by the "cleanup" directions on the can - if it says clean up with soap and water then it's a water based spray paint, if it says cleanup with mineral spirits or paint thinner then it's an oil based spray paint.

Spray painting is best done outdoors, protect your work area with a drop cloth and make sure your piece is clean and dry. Remove any old peeling paint or bits of rust. You can use a wire brush or there are products out there for removing rust from steel and iron, have a look around.

Shake your aerosol can really well. Spray 8 to 12 inches away from your piece in several even strokes and paint at least 2 thinner coats rather than one thick coat.

You can protect your piece of furniture with spray paint spar urethane, it's made to be used outdoors and it won't yellow as much over time (as polyurethane would).

{shake and spray!}

Do you have any tips for spray painting outdoor furniture? I love hearing from you so please share your questions or tips in the comments section below!

Linking to: The Outdoor Extravaganza Paint Projects Link Party

project: pergolas

2013-05-27T06:47:00.000-07:00

{House & Home}

A pergola is a popular backyard feature consisting of a structure with no roof or sides but rather open like lattice work. They can define a walkway or they can provide some shade in an outdoor sitting area patio or porch. These bloggers here have DIY'ed their pergolas and have posted their tutorials and tips, have a look:

That's What {Che} Said: the pergola project: planning - very important tips here

French Country Cottage: adding character~ front porch pergola - creating this pretty space

Purple Hues and Me: pergola transformation - designing their own

The Handmade Home: how to build a pergola - step by step instructions

Young House Love: building a garage or carport pergola - and it looks beautiful!

Nine Red: patio progress: building a pergola - a picture-palooza!!

{stories of a house} hello, hello

2013-05-24T07:04:00.000-07:00

{the phone in our kitchen}

There were many old items left here at our house when we bought it and one of those treasures was a wall mounted rotary style telephone. It was in the basement attached to a post and had been unused for many years. I have a friend that repairs old appliances and such so I took my old telephone to him to see if I could use it once again. After he had professionally tested and examined the telephone and determined that my telephone didn't require any new parts or to be repaired - it was easily modified to use with current phone jacks.

{inside of the phone, if you are interested}

We have it installed in the kitchen over our island where we all like to hang out and it has been so much fun to use. It doesn't matter who is sitting next to it when it rings (it's got a really neat ring too) as anybody and everybody will answer it! It has no call display so each call is answered in a happier maybe-it's-somebody-important-calling-us singsong voice. Dialing out is much slower and when you make a mistake you have to start all over again, but that's okay. One major advantage of an old phone like this is that if the power goes out, it's still usable. Also, there is no touch tone so when "they" on the other end say "push 1 to continue in English" you can't do anything, oh well.

{the telephone over our kitchen island}

My old telephone is a Canadian made Northern Electric G3 model phone. If you are interested in converting an old telephone, there are kits available on the internet and lot's of information out there too. We like that old telephone there on our DIY island that we made, but that's another story. Thanks for coming by and be sure to say "hello" in the comments section below!

If you liked my story, may I suggest more in this series:

how to - frame art and photos

2013-05-22T06:57:00.001-07:00

{by me}

First you will need to pick out a frame. Choose one that will compliment your art or photo in style and colour without competing with it. Your frame should allow the art or photo some room to breathe and you can achieve this by using a mat.

Mats are what surrounds your image, it is usually an equal border but sometimes they can be thicker on the bottom side. You can use a single colour (most popular being white or cream) or not, and even textured - it all depends on what you want for your overall look. Mats are based on the size of the artwork or photograph and the amount of space you want between the art or photo and the frame.

If you don’t want to use a mat for your framed photograph, you'll need to space it off the glass as moisture could make the photograph "glue" to the glass and that would ruin it!

To use a purchased mat for example, look for the following based on your art work or photograph size:

For a 5"x7" art or photo use a 8"x10" frame and a 4.5"x6.5" mat opening
For a 8"x10" art or photo use a 11"x14" frame and a 7.5"x9.5" mat opening
For a 11"x14" art or photo use a 16"x20" frame and a 10.5"x13.5" mat opening

When you have disassembled your picture frame, lay the frame, backing board, glass, and mat onto a towel so nothing gets scratched. I like to clean my glass at this point so that it has plenty of time to dry before placing my art or photograph against it.

Next, place your artwork or photograph face down on a clean work surface. Apply tape (professionals use acid free paper tape) to all four sides with just half of the width of the tape touching the artwork so that when you flip it over, the sticky side half of the tape is facing up. When you have your artwork facing up, hold your mat over it and decide where you want it placed and attach to the mat. Assemble your matted art or photo in the glass and frame and have a look to see that nothing is trapped in there that you don't want. When you are satisfied, assemble your backing board and you are ready to hang!

{one of my photos}

Do you have any tips for framing artwork or photographs? I love hearing from you so please share your questions or tips in the comments section below!

{stories of a house} my herb garden

2013-05-17T06:54:00.000-07:00

{a birdbath in the center of my herb garden}

My herb garden was a big rectangle vegetable garden when we bought our house. It had a large comfrey, which is a herb on one side and on the other side it had an alstroemeria, which is a lily (not sure why that was in a vegetable garden...). Both plants are perennial with the comfrey being very deep rooted and the alstroemeria producing large tuberous roots underground - both were there to stay! On the third quadrant there was a small tree so, working with what I had I took the very middle of my three plants and planted a stake at the center. With a stringline I walked in a circle with the shovel, sprinkling flour to mark the trail. The rest was easy; I tilled, dug and added compost to the soil making it ready for plants. There was a homemade birdbath on the property so I placed it at the very center of my garden as the main feature. I found bricks and old pavers around the yard too and moved them into my design creating a circle around the birdbath and "exit" paths - this allows anyone (kids) to wander though without disturbing my plants. I made a fence from and old picnic table and added that too to one end.

{the beginnings of my herb garden}

Next came a long investigation into perennial herbs for my area. I drew up my plan for the plantings on paper based on flowering times and leaf colour and height and spread. I have fennel, chives, parsley, sage, bay, marjoram, thyme, borage,tarragon, rosemary and lavender planted. Making a herb garden is great for a beginner gardener who's not quite ready for vegetables, it's fairly easy to grow with minimal maintenance and it's rewarding to enjoy the fruits of the labour all year round.

{my herb garden now}

There are other plants mixed in with my herbs for interest, a gunnera plant, several clematis, roses and some early blooming columbines mixed throughout. It is a delight to weed and putter though my herb garden and I like the fact that I had created it with what I had found around the property. There was also an old herb drying rack here too in one of the garden sheds and I use it to dry my herbs, but that's another story. I think my herb garden was meant to be!

If you liked my story, may I suggest more in this series:

Linking to: Fishtail Cottage

how to - use coconut husk liners in hanging baskets

2013-05-15T06:33:00.001-07:00

{the natural look of coconut husks}

Coconut coir the fibrous material found between the hard internal shell and the outer coat of a coconut. This natural husk fibre is used in a variety of household products such as ropes, doormats, and brushes with one of the most popular uses being the liners in hanging baskets and planters.

The environmentally-friendly coconut husk liners are used in wire baskets and planters to hold the soil and to help keep the soil moist without causing root rot on plants. If you have ever tried to use just a coconut husk and soil before you will know that the water leaves the planter just as fast as it came into it - they can leak very heavily leaving your plants to completely dry out in-between waterings! So, what should you do?

First, measure your wire basket and purchase the appropriate coconut husk liners to fit, some are already pre-made into a bowl shape or you can buy it off the roll. After placing your liner into the wire basket, line the coconut husk liner with newspaper and get it completely wet. Poke a couple of holes into the bottom for drainage. Fill your basket 3/4 with potting soil and tuck in any newspaper that might be poking out. Next place the plants inside, spacing them apart and gently breaking plant's root ball with your fingers as you go. Fill the rest of the basket with soil going around each plant, taking care not to press down too hard. Give your basket or planter a good watering and hang it up, you're done!

{your newspaper may decompose after time but it should hold up for the season}

Do you have any tips for using coconut husk liners in hanging baskets or planters? I love hearing from you so please share your questions or tips in the comments section below!

Linking to: The Outdoor Extravaganza Plants & Flowers Link Party

project: decals

2013-05-13T07:01:00.002-07:00

{my decaled family beach memories jar}

A decal is a design prepared on special paper for transfer onto another surface. There are several DIY ways to make your own decals and many ways to incorporate them into your home décor, have a look at these bloggers tips and tutorials:

The Homes I Have Made: DIY wallpaper decals - a tutorial

Creative Mess: swanky graffiti decal know how {tutorial} - how to apply decals

Love, Pomegranate House: custom kitchen canisters - using water-slide decal paper

City Farmhouse: beach bike silhouette wall art tutorial - makes a great custom piece

Oana Befort: DIY: swallows wall stickers - using sticker sheets

Paper & Stitch: make this: typography wall art decal - with fabric and corn starch glue

Grosgrain: real-life silhouette car decal tutorial - using a Silhouette machine

{stories of a house} we faked it

2013-05-10T07:06:00.000-07:00

{our addition with it's two new peaks, notice anything there?}

We've been working on an addition to our little 1920's Craftsman style home by adding 2 bedrooms plus and ensuite all over a carport and this is attached to the side of the house by using an existing bedroom as the stairway. We've learnt how to build from the tip of the roof all the way down to the ground (and under) by hiring contractors and now we are doing some of the finishing tasks ourselves. One of the jobs we've been working on is the exterior siding. Our Craftsman has the typical wood shingles on the main body of the house with horizontal lap siding covering the lower portion. It's got a low-pitched gabled roof with wide overhanging eaves and decorative brackets (also called knee braces or corbels) with the front porch under the roofline. We are still working on the details - there is still so much to do inside and out.

{painting shingles}

The shingles here have a unique pattern (I know they are unique as we both are looking at other houses for the same pattern, can't find it) and it is very important for us to replicate this look. Call us lazy but we actually painted the shingle pattern on the farthest away peak and from the road, you can't tell the difference! See for yourselves in that first photo - what do you think? I think that one day we will go and properly shingle that area but for now, it makes a funny story when we point it out to our friends.

{the old part of the house that we are trying to match]

Next up will be those corbels and then another coat of paint over the entire siding. Thankfully matching the colours is no problem as I spent a Summer 2 years ago painting the entire exterior by myself, but that's another story.

If you liked my story, may I suggest more in this series:

Linking to: Give Me The Goods Monday, It's Overflowing,

Today's Creative Blog & Twigg Studios

how to - choose the right sized rug

2013-05-08T07:08:00.002-07:00

{some handy tips}

Rugs provide a foundation of colour, they define a style and they contribute to a rooms texture. An area rug can pull a room together and in some cases, be the focal point in a space. If you need to choose the correct size area rug there are a few considerations to take in mind. Once you determine the rugs purpose, you should be aware of door locations, traffic patterns, and floor vents. Your area rug shouldn't cover the entire room, here are some guidelines to help you decide how much space it should cover:

As a general rule, it is recommended that you leave at least 18” - 24” of bare floor exposed around all sides of an area rug and leave at least 12" between the edges of the rug and the perimeter walls in the room. If in doubt go big, don't let your area rug to look like a little island in the middle of the room.

In a living room there are two tried, tested and true scenarios: the floating rug layout has all of the legs of the sofa and chairs on the rug and the classic rug layout has the area rug just large enough to fit under the front legs of the sofa and chairs onto it.

Here's a tip: floating rug layouts are great for an open plan living rooms and classic rug layouts are perfect for smaller spaces.

In a dining room your area rug should be large enough to allow the chairs to be pulled in and out easily from the table without catching on the rug and 24" from the edge of the table on all sides should do it.

In a bedroom you could place a large rug right under your bed and extending out on either side 12" - 18" or have a smaller rug at the foot of the bed or have a couple at the sides of the bed covering either the length or width of the bed in either case.

For smaller rooms such as entrances and bathrooms a runner might be the ideal solution.

For your correct rug size, try laying out your rug area with sheets or towels - you can measure the length and the width and use that measurement to determine which size rug to look for. Whatever you decide, it's best to measure first!

{it's best to measure first!}

Do you have any tips for choosing the correct sized rug? I love hearing from you so please share your questions or tips in the comments section below!

Linking to: It's Overflowing

project: pendant lights

2013-05-06T06:46:00.000-07:00

{my painted pendant}

"A pendant light, sometimes called a drop or suspender, is a lone light fixture that hangs from the ceiling usually suspended by a cord, chain, or metal rod. Pendant lights are often used in multiples, hung in a straight line over kitchen countertops and dinette sets or sometimes in bathrooms. Pendants come in a huge variety of sizes and vary in materials from metal to glass and plastic." - Wikipedia

For some unique and creative pendant light ideas have a look at these bloggers tutorials and be inspired!

London, Like The City: DIY industrial pendant light - easy, cute and cheap!

At Home On The Bay: DIY Anthropologie inspired pendant shade - by painting fabric

Preciously Me: DIY: black & gold pendant light - using an Ikea bowl and light cord

Offbeat Home & Life: from candle holder to DIY pendant light - isn't that clever?

Martha Anne: DIY pendant lighting with lampshades - and both lights for $60

House Vintage: industrial style light tutorial - the industrial chic

The Bennett House: DIY (cheap!) pendant lights - they look beautiful!

{stories of a house} dish rack display shelf

2013-05-03T06:53:00.000-07:00

{my open shelving}

Space is tight in our little house and I try to use every nook and cranny here to make everything fit and look good too - specially in the kitchen. We've left the wall where the kitchen fridge sits alone as one day we hope to take it down creating a more open floor plan between the kitchen and the dining room. One day that is, one day. In the mean time I have made a little open shelving display for dinnerware and hung it over the kitchen fridge!

{the kitchen}

I've found an inexpensive wooden dish rack for my shelf, it's got a cottage feel and it was sturdy enough for my lovely dinnerware. I've picked up my collection over time and have kept it in a very neutral colour palette. I've used varying shapes and sizes with a mixture of vintage pieces and brand new items with most of them being thrift store finds. And they do get used too, all the time! I collect them because I love how they look together and because they are functional too. I also swap my pieces out every once in awhile to keep the display looking fresh.

{don't forget to dust!}

I love how displaying dinnerware has become very popular in home décor. Before those pretty dishes were tucked away safely behind cupboard doors but not any more! The key is to rotate every once in awhile and create different arrangements by mixing and matching various objects together while avoiding the cluttered look - and don't forget to dust!

If you liked my story, may I suggest more in this series:

Linking to: Funky Junk Interiors, Jennifer Rizzo, Shaken Together & The Shabby Nest

how to - hang a curtain rod

2013-05-01T07:23:00.000-07:00

{some tips}

While there are no hard and fast rules to hanging a curtain rod, here are some guidelines to help you make your window treatments work for you - no matter what your style is.

First, measure your window and it's trim. For your curtain rod placement hang your curtains on the rod and hold it all up to estimate where you want the brackets to be installed.

To allow in the maximum amount of light, measure for your curtain rod to be at least 5 inches wider than the window on either side. To visually heighten the window, mark the point 4 to 6 inches above the window frame for a casual look or you can measure halfway between the top of the window trim and the ceiling for a formal look. Don't forget to center your rod over the window and position your rod away from the wall so that the curtains hang straight down.

Here's a tip: narrower curtain rods create a causal look in your room and thicker rods give your space a more formal feel.

To create a classic look, hang your curtains so that they just hit the floor or hover no more than a half inch above the floor. For a more casual look, allow your curtains to float down past the floor 2 to 3 inches or allow them to puddle by adding 4 to 6 inches, creating a more dramatic feel.

Make sure your rod is level and install your curtain rod hardware by marking in pencil where you want your holes to be. You can drill a pilot hole to make sure you have got something behind the drywall to secure your screws. If there's nothing behind there you can use drywall anchors, they are little plastic screw holders that tap into the wall and spring open to allow the screw in.

You can also position one curtain ring or clip to the outer side of each of the end supports, this will hold your curtain so that it closes properly.

{using adjustable rod brackets}

Do you have any tips for hanging a curtain rod? I love hearing from you so please share your questions or tips in the comments section below!

project: backsplashes

2013-04-29T07:02:00.001-07:00

{my chalkboard painted backsplash}

Here are some fabulous DIY ideas to make over or install a new kitchen backsplash! They are all tutorials posted by bloggers with great tips for you. Now, are you ready to be inspired? Here we go with project: backsplashes:

Door Sixteen: turning an ugly backsplash into something that's quite nice to look at (and temporary!)

Sawdust & Embryos: out with the old… painting the backsplash! - that's painted tiles!

The Homes I Have Made: cross-hatch vinyl "tile" backsplash! - they are stickers!

Bungalow: I painted our tile backsplash, yes I did - looks great!

Soph and Lulu: chalkboard paint subway tile backsplash - that turned out beautiful!

The Modest Homestead: beadboard backsplash {tutorial} - using beadboard panelling

Design The Life You Want To Live: dream it* draw it* mosaic it* admire it* punch it* trash it*

Streetwise Decor: DIY: stenciled backsplash - gorgeous

{stories of a house} painting spaces

2013-04-26T07:08:00.001-07:00

{our new addition}

Here at our house we've been working on an addition to our little 1920's Craftsman home by adding a new master bedroom with en-suite, our Son's new bedroom and a little hallway using an existing room as the stairway to this new section. We've had contractors here for months (and months and months) and now we are at the painting stage which, of course, is my job!

For me to pick out our paint colours I've had to think about:
Light - there is both natural light (both bedrooms) and artificial light (hallway and en-suite);
Colour scheme - how the transition from the old part of the house to the new section will flow;
Undertones - how the colour will look with something next to it, like rugs and bedding;
Room size - smaller rooms appear larger in cool colours and larger rooms feel more cozy in warm colours;
Coordinating with fixed elements - there's trim, flooring, furniture and bathroom fixtures to consider.

{Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter}

For my small hallway I chose Benjamin Moors Revere Pewter. Revere Pewter (BM HC-172) is a historical colour with it's brown/yellow undertones is described as "a light grey with warm undertones, this classic shade creates a unifying look that calms and restores. A great transitional colour, it's perfect for an open floor plan."(from Benjamin Moore). I have this colour painted in my other hallway leading up to this stairway/office room and in my living room. I chose it for continuity and because I love how this colour changes in both sunlight and ambient or reflected light.

Both our new master bedroom and Sons new bedroom get a lot of natural light (pictured above on either side of the hallway respectively) and I have painted them in Benjamin Moore Titanium. Titanium (BM 2141-60 or OC-49) with it's brown/green undertones is described as a pale grey with just a hint of blue, resembling cement. One of the reasons that I have chosen this colour is because Titanium is made up with 2 of the 3 colours in Revere Pewter - oxide yellow and black (the 3rd colour in Revere Pewter is red toner) making these two colours go great together. Both colours will look beautiful with my glossy white trim and wood floors too.

{Benjamin Moore Titanium}

Coming up with my paint selections took a lot of research and if these colours don't pull everything together then the first thing to correct it all will be the wall colour - it's just paint! We still have flooring, trim, electrical and plumbing to work on but that will be another story. Have you used these paint colours in your home or do you highly recommend any other colours? I'd love to hear from you!

If you liked my story, may I suggest more in this series:

how to - pick a colour scheme

2013-04-24T07:05:00.003-07:00

{my exterior paint colours}

The colour wheel can be a used as a starting point in choosing paint colour. The basis of the colour wheel begins with the primary colours; red, blue and yellow and those three colours are always same distance apart and in the same order on the colour wheel. If you mix any two primary colours together you get a secondary colour; red and yellow make orange, blue and red make violet and yellow and blue make green. When you combine a primary colour with a secondary colour adjacent to it on the colour wheel, you get a tertiary colour; red-orange, yellow-orange, yellow-green, blue-green, blue-violet, and red-violet.

A colour scheme is any set of colours that work together to create style and visual appeal and there is an infinite amount of combinations possible. For example you could use one of these traditional schemes:

Monochromatic colour schemes - using different tints and shades of one colour hue;
Complimentary colour schemes - using colours that are directly across each other on the colour wheel; or
Analogous colour schemes - using colours that are next to each other on the colour wheel.

When you are choosing a paint scheme for your space, you might want to pick a favorite colour as your start point and explore it's hue with tones (when grey is added to a hue), tints (when white is added to a hue), and shades (when black is added to a hue). Think about warm colours - ranging from reds to yellows - to make larger rooms appear cozier and more intimate and cool colours - ranging from green to violet - to make a smaller room feel larger. Always remember to look at fixed elements too, things that can't be easily changed.

Here's a tip: pick your paint colours from a purchased item such as a rug, pillow, curtains or a bed comforter - the colours in that item have already been picked out because they go together.

To create a cohesive look in your space, try the the 60-30-10 rule: use 60% of the space as the dominant colour to create an overall unifying theme, use 30% as the secondary colour for visual interest and contrast and then use 10% as an accent to create emphasis and to move the eye from point to point within the space.

{my monochromatic colour scheme, all colours from one paint chip}

Do you have any tips for choosing a paint scheme in your home - inside or out? I love hearing from you so please share your questions or tips in the comments section below!

Linking to: Common Ground

project: painting

2013-04-22T06:40:00.001-07:00

{redbook}

If you are thinking about painting and would like some advice from seasoned bloggers that have painted many times before, have a look at this roundup of posts! There's all sorts of fantastic tips and tricks to get you started on painting in your home - everything to picking out your paint, what type of paint to choose, prepping for the job and what tools you will need. If you would like to see my DIY bloggers roundup post on paint colours, please go here.

Happy painting!

First Home... Love Life: painting 101: products and prep work - a great place to start

Pretty Handy Girl: 15 of my favorite painting tips, tools and paint - fantastic advice

Centsational Girl: spray paint FAQs - everything you needed to know about spray paint

The 36th Avenue: my favorite paint and tips - painting rooms and furniture

GenTwenty: tips for painting the perfect room - answers, advice and a little encouragement

Addicted 2 Decorating: I’ll share mine if you share yours (my top five painting tips) - painting furniture

Making It Lovely: DIY painting tips, tricks, and a step-by-step guide - it's all there

Decorating By Donna: the best top 100 painting tips ever written - I agree!

{stories of a house} our ladybug houses

2013-04-19T06:51:00.003-07:00

[our ladybug houses}

Each Spring at our house we see many, many ladybugs in our sun-room. My Son and I lay on the daybed out there and loose count of them, there are so many! We've taught him too the importance of ladybugs as they eat the pest insects such as aphids, mites and scale in the gardens. The ladybugs like to hibernate in groups over the Winter and so when it warms up, they come out of the cracks between the windows and doors and into my sun-room!

{some of the things you will need}

We decided to make our ladybugs some little outdoor homes in an effort to help them get out of the house and into the garden just outside. I found some inexpensive bird house ornaments at a craft store along with some dowelling. I drilled holes in the bottoms of the bird houses and removed the string to hang them and sealed the hole. I tapered my dowels with some pliers and stuck them into the bird houses. We used some of our exterior house paint to weatherproof the ladybug houses (and because they match the house - looks cute!). We placed some bits of straw inside and put in a couple of moistened raisins as a treat!

{a guest visits}

I've found that the ladybugs are attracted to light coloured houses and that the enjoy facing the sunshine and prefer to be out of the wind. We've placed the houses at about a foot off the ground and tucked them under some foliage for extra rain protection. Did you know that there are over 300 types of ladybugs here in North America and that they are not really bugs at all, but they are beetles? We've had all sorts of invading, unwelcome and nuisance bugs here at the house before, but that's another story - we do love our ladybugs!

If you liked my story, may I suggest more in this series:

Linking to: Homework, It's Overflowing, Making The Word Cuter,

Our Delightful Home..., and Setting For Four