Inspire Me Heather

{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

how to: strip wood furniture

2013-04-17T06:46:00.001-07:00

{two old chairs to paint strip}

Sometimes you have to look beyond the surface of a lovely old piece of vintage furniture or a thrift store find and imagine it's potential. All it might need is to be stripped of it's old paint and then be repainted or stained, transforming it into a custom piece to suit your décor. Here's how to restore or refurbish your wood by stripping it first:

You will need:
Rubber gloves - to protect your hands from the chemicals
Paint brush - to apply the stripper
Paint stripper - there are many products out there, read the label
Drop cloth - I use old plastic tablecloths and old shower curtains
Scraper - I use inexpensive putty knifes
Rags - disposable and lint free
Wire brush or steel wool - something to get the hard to reach spots
Mineral spirits and/or soapy water - to clean up
Electric sander - optional, depends on your wood

In a well ventilated area, place your piece of furniture on a drop cloth and remove any hardware. You can also test the stripping method out on a small area of the furniture before you begin stripping the entire piece, you'll be able to see what the wood looks like underneath too. Apply the stripper product as per paint stripper label instructions with the paint brush. Some kinds of product take 10 minutes to start working, others take longer. When your paint starts to get soft and bubbly you can begin scraping with the putty knife, just don't wait until your stripper product dries. Scrape with the grain and try not to gouge your wood. The paint should come off the piece of furniture easily - if it doesn't then apply more stripper and wait for it to bubble again. Use the wire brush or the steel wool if necessary. When you are done stripping you can apply mineral spirits with a rag and if your wood surface looks a little rough you can use an electric sander to get it smooth. You can wash your stripped furniture with a little soap and some water to get all the bits off. Allow your piece to dry thoroughly. Now you are ready to paint or stain!

Note: if your piece of furniture doesn't have paint to be removed and is just old and dried out looking - try the oil & vinegar method! It can bring out your wood without stripping it. Just mix three parts vegetable oil to one part white vinegar and rub it onto the wood, allowing it to soak in.

{scraping the stripper off}

Have you stripped any wood furniture before or do you think you will try this yourself? I love hearing from you so please share your questions or tips in the comments section below!

project: image transferring

2013-04-15T06:53:00.001-07:00

{BHG}

If you want to transfer an image onto a piece of wood or metal or onto fabric, there are several different DIY techniques for you to try. I've found a great roundup of posts by bloggers to inspire you here! Most of them don't require any expensive materials either, they are all easily DIYable. Please click on the links to visit the posts with the tips and tutorials:

The Graphics Fairy: 12 easy image transfer methods for DIY projects - start here

Inside Ways: DIY photo to canvas transfer - gel medium to transfer a printed image onto canvas

Mortal Muses: how to make a photo transfer - using colour copies and paint thinner

DIY Vintage Chic: transfer image to wood tutorial - using mod podge

This Artsy Life: packing tape image transfer - using clear packing tape

The North End Loft: little French can-can - image transfer to metal using a toner based copier

Redoux: tutorial time. transfer an image to fabric - using Citra Solv

{stories of a house} nautical tie backs

2013-04-12T06:47:00.000-07:00

{our DIY marine store curtain tie backs}

Living on an Island peninsula we are surrounded by the ocean. Our family spends a lot of time on the ocean and right now we are preparing for another boating season and I am often in the marine stores finding the bits and pieces we need to launch. On one of my visits I found some great hardware in the sailing section that would be perfect for curtain tie backs! Curtain tie backs hold the curtain back from the window to allow the light in and they are made so that it's easy enough to close the curtains. Instead of letting the curtain hang straight down, I wanted them to be pulled aside - giving them some shape.

{perfect tie backs for our coastal style decorated home}

I was in the shackles, snaps, and fittings section of our marine store and found some inexpensive stainless steel eye straps, some screws and some already made up bungee cord with hooks - perfect! All I had to do was screw them to the wall, how easy is that? As a general rule curtain tie backs should be fastened to the wall at about 30 to 40 percent of the curtain length measuring from the bottom and all at the same level.

{add a shell to complete the nautical look}

So there we have it, DIY marine store curtain tie backs for around $5 each. I've added shells to them too, do you like? I think they look great on my DIY curtains that I've made, but that's another story. Do you decorate with any nautical or coastal décor or have you found something that wasn't meant to be used for home décor but used it somehow? Let me know!

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

Linking to: Funky Junk Interiors

how to: plant grass seed

2013-04-10T07:01:00.002-07:00

{a visitor on our lawn}

Whether you have patches of grass to fill or need to seed an entire lawn, there are a few key steps to ensure your grass comes up healthy and green. Usually the best time to sow a lawn is in the Spring or Fall but this depends a lot on your weather and temperatures - I'd wait until there are no frost warnings in the forecast.

Did you know there are two main categories of turf grass? Warm-season grasses grow during the Summer and go dormant in Fall and Winter and cool-season grasses grow during Spring and Fall, going dormant in the Summer - ask a lawn care professional which type of grass is best suited for your area!

You will have to loosen the top 2 to 3 inches of soil breaking up any clumps and removing any debris such as rocks or branches. For DIYers a garden hoe or till will work just fine and it's a good idea to level the area you will be seeding to avoid any puddling of water. Once your soil is prepared you can add organic material such as peat moss or compost to help the soil retain water and add fertilizer to promote germination. Spread the seed evenly by hand (and not on a windy day) in small areas or use a lawn spreader/seeder for larger areas. Don't spread your seeds too close together - this will cause seedlings to fight for room and nutrients. Now lightly rake the seeds into the top of the soil allowing some of the seeds to be covered or cover the seeds with a thin layer of topsoil. Avoid walking on your planted area and keep your grass seed bed moist to enhance germination. It may take up to 3 weeks for your lawn to establish and once it has grown over 3 inches it is safe to mow!

{patching in our lawn}

Have you planted grass seed before or do you think you will try this yourself? I love hearing from you so please share your questions or tips in the comments section below!

project: bookshelves

2013-04-08T06:48:00.001-07:00

{Lonny}

For some fabulous DIY ideas for building, transforming, or styling bookshelves - look no further, I've rounded up some great posts by bloggers here! I love the look of bookshelves that have been backed by pattern or colour and I'm always interested to learn more about styling them. How about you? Have you DIY'd a bookshelf or have any great tips for us to make them look gorgeous?

Lolly Jane: herringbone bookcase - craft room makeover

Brass Peacock: DIY industrial pipe bookshelf - how to build this

Style Playground: how to style your bookshelves - excellent advice and a video too

Simple Details: $6 diy bookcase makeover - with a wrapping paper background

Pink Stitches: spool bookcase (tutorial) - from a cable spool

My Love Of Style: build and mod podge a wall mount bookshelf - {DIY tutorial}

The Design Confidential: tutorial for building a modern tree shaped bookshelf - thanks

Brandon and Shelby: crate bookshelf - that looks too cool

Tidbits & Twine: how to style a bookshelf like a pro! - color palettes, weight balance & color balance

{stories of a house} our chalkboard backsplash

2013-04-05T06:50:00.000-07:00

{our chalkboard painted backsplash}

When we replaced our kitchen cabinets, countertops and sink in our kitchen I was undecided as to what sort of backsplash to install. I had actually bought some lovely milk glass subway tile but returned them to the store as I didn't want to commit to that particular colour scheme just yet. I needed a neutral not-so-permanent solution while I made up my mind so we went with chalkboard paint!

{the kitchen sink}

Here's how we did it: first of all we were fortunate enough to work with a clean wall, we didn't have to pry off old tiles as it had a piece of the countertop as the backsplash capped off by a metal trim. We applied a paint-on waterproofing product first and then painted with chalkboard paint all along the wall where I wanted to look like a backsplash. I painted it with two coats, being very careful not to paint on the counters! We used a piece of regular indoor trim painted with chalkboard paint to finish it and we were done.

{hmmm, soup!]

It's fun to write little messages and I think the black matte contrasts great with our white cabinets and wood countertops. It's inexpensive and easy enough to re-do when I change my mind. I'm not a big fan of the wall colour I chose but I'll be painting the entire kitchen soon as our renovations to add more bedrooms to the house affects the kitchen, but that's another story.

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

Linking to:

Craft-O-Matic, Homemaker on a Dime, Keeping it Simple,

Making the World Cuter, Mod Vintage Life & Skip to my Lou

project: paint chips

2013-04-03T06:52:00.000-07:00

{Remodelista}

Bloggers love making projects with paint chips! The best part about making projects with paint chips is that they are free and that they come in every colour imaginable to complement, contrast or match the décor. Have you made anything for your home using paint chips? Let me know! If not, perhaps this might inspire you to create something unique:

Maple and Magnolia: paint chip calendar - using a poster frame

Honey We're Home: DIY {paint chip art} - that turned out gorgeous!

Karen Kavett: DIY paint chip rainbow garlands - so pretty!

Too Much Time On My Hands: paint chip lampshade - very cool, very cool

Five Days... 5 Ways: try-it Tuesday: DIY ombre paint chip punch art - huge wall art

Handmade Charlotte: DIY paint chip animal friends - stinkin' cute!

Ellementary Home: in which I hop on three bandwagons simultaneously - ombré herringbone paint chips

Sam & Charlie: pinterest inspired [DIY] paint chip mobile - just lovely

{stories of a house} wherever you are

2013-03-29T07:30:00.001-07:00

{my space to rest}

From Wikipedia: "A map is a visual representation of an area - a symbolic depiction highlighting relationships between elements of that space such as objects, regions, and themes" and just like maps we chart our adventures by the items we place in our home. They can spark memories of the things we have done or the places we have travelled and the people we have met.

{where ever you are}

To me, the most beautiful rooms are created by mixing styles that are influenced from all over the world and that have showcased the home owner's different interests. They are unique items and they have been carefully collected over time. The trick is balancing those diverse elements in a cohesive manner to create a visually pleasing space.

{sweet dreams}

In our home we have explored the principals of design and they are: unity, balance, contrast, proportion, and rhythm. Not one of our rooms is "done" and there is always the possibility that things can change. We are changing rooms around right now to make this bedroom (photographed here) into a family room, but that's another story. It is our home sweet home and it reflects our personal taste - and it's a wonderful place to rest between travels!

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

Linking to:
Alderberry Hill - Better With Age- Homemaker on a Dime - Today's Creative Blog

project: Easter eggs

2013-03-27T06:45:00.000-07:00

{decorating ideas}

Here's a wonderful roundup of do-it-yourself Easter eggs! They are all posted by bloggers, please click on the links to hop on over to the blogs and have a look at their tutorials. I hope this inspires you to create some Easter eggs for yourself - Happy Easter!

Sugar and Charm: "I want my geese to lay gold eggs for easter" - me too, me too

Alisa Burke: geometric eggs - using Sharpie pens

Homework: celebrations: dyed and speckled Easter eggs - so pretty!

Ginger Snap Crafts: chalkboard Easter eggs {tutorial} - how fun!!

Cynthia Weber: decorating eggs for Easter... - using natural dyes and adding herb relief patterns

Henry Happened: DIY nail polish marbled eggs - they are just the coolest

Confetti Sunshine: DIY : hand drawn Easter eggs - beautiful!

project: nightstands

2013-03-25T06:51:00.000-07:00

{Martha Stewart}

A nightstand (also known as a bedside table or a night table) is usually a small cabinet or shelf placed at a bedside for items you would want to access from bed - such as a lamp, an alarm clock, books and maybe your glasses. Here's a fabulous roundup on nightstands with how to build them, how to make them over and how to style them. They are all posted by bloggers, please click on the links to visit the blogs:

Minnisingh: quick DIY bedside table - an old directors chair and a suitcase

Emily Henderson: bedroom and night stand styling - 1 room, 3 different looks

The House of Wood: building a pair of knock-off Restoration Hardware nightstands - how-to

Chez Larsson: bedside table how-to - instructions for building

Sophia's: new life for nightstands - don't they look so pretty?

Danielle Oakey Interiors: how to style a nightstand... - wonderful tips

Smart Girl Style: bedroom makeover: nightstands - made out of pallet boards

Jordie: DIY campaign style nightstands - also known as an Ikea Rast Hack

Manhattan Craft Room: how to build floating night stands + lamps - (even if you have no tools)