Rustchic

Coffee Filter Lampshade & More

noreply@blogger.com (Tahni) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:20:00 +0000

I have yet to make a lampshade out of coffee filters but it is on my long to-do list!

Sarah over at Northwest Hospitality has directions on how you can make this pretty lamp.

If you really need detailed directions, then Ashely at Little Miss Momma has got you covered.

A couple years ago I did a post on my other blog on 13 uses for coffee filters. I thought it would be fun to share them with you here and add another use--lampshade--to the top of the list.

- Make a lampshade.

- Cover food when cooking in the microwave to prevent splatters.

- Use for lint-free cleaning on windows, mirrors and chrome.

- Place between ceramic dishes and glass bowls when traveling in your RV to eliminate

clicking in the cupboard.

- Filter wine from a broken cork.

- Prevent cast-iron from rusting by placing a filter in the skillet to absorb moisture.

- Reuse frying oil by straining used oil through a coffee filter lined sieve.

- Line a plant pot to prevent soil from going out the drainage hole.

- Poke a hole in the bottom for your Popsicle and eliminate drips on your shirt.

- Soak up extra oil from fried foods such as bacon and french fries.

- Fill with a scoop of baking soda. Twist closed with a rubber band and tuck into stinky

shoes or closet to absorb odors.

- Fill with fresh herbs and tie to be used in soups and stews.

- Rest your spoon on one the next time you make a gourmet sauce.

- Use as a disposable snack bowl for popcorn and chips.

- Make coffee!

Did I miss anything? Leave me a comment.

Turquoise Cabinet

noreply@blogger.com (Tahni) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:42:00 +0000

This old cabinet door caught my eye and I just knew it had something special!

The edges and bumps got a good sanding and the entire piece was cleaned top to bottom.

The legs were removed from an old coffee table and painted black before being securely screwed to the bottom. A small piece of crown trim painted black was added to the top.

Decoupage black and white paper enhances the inside.

These cute black and white porcelain knobs finish it off.

I think this would be perfect for extra bathroom, laundry, or nursery storage!

Repurposed Side Table - Lack Hack

noreply@blogger.com (Tahni) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 03:37:00 +0000

I named this post "Lack Hack" because that is exactly what it is. This is an Ikea Lack side table that I've hacked the legs off of to be used as a serving area. One of the best catering or tablescape tricks is to tier your food. It gives it such great dimension, flow and just looks appetizing.

Most of the time when I put out the spread it's much bigger than this, but we had a few friends over for New Year's Eve and I didn't want a big hoop-di-doo. However, I wanted our snacks to feel festive--it's important to me that my friends feel special. I literally cut the legs in half 45 minutes before they arrived!

Next trip to Ikea, I'm picking up two or three of these in black and cutting them different heights to use on my formal dining room table for the next big party!

Mid-Century Dining Chairs

noreply@blogger.com (Tahni) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

These chairs are so much fun! I picked them up at one of my favorite thrift shops and knew right away they should be whimsical. I decided to choose the color based off the fabric, so I chose that first.

This project was fairly easy with a little bit of sewing involved. The seat and backs were removed and cleaned. I added a little bit of batting to the seats before stapling on the new fabric. Simple slipcovers were sewn for the backs. After a good sanding and priming, the bases got a nice coat of RustOleum Fern and then everything was put back together.

I really like the old metal hardware on the legs of the chairs and wanted to keep a little bit of it's original flair.

Vintage Doors of New Orleans

noreply@blogger.com (Tahni) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

I came across these door photos I took walking around New Orleans last year and had to share them with you. They are just beautiful to me. Inspiration is everywhere. These doors have inspired me to want to start taking more architectural pictures right here in my own town!

I've got a camera on my phone, but this year I'm challenging myself to keep one of my smaller cameras with me wherever I go. You never know where the next idea may come from!

Table Setting Burlap & Glass

noreply@blogger.com (Tahni) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 20:42:00 +0000

You know me. I love the rustic and the chic mixed together! Sticking with classic neutrals for a holiday dinner party, I mixed the organic texture of burlap with my formal china. Simple and elegant.

The burlap runner was easy to make. Since my table can extend over 8 feet long, I purchased 3 yards of burlap from the fabric store and then cut it in half length wise. I then cut the selvage off the other side. (The selvage is the narrow border on the edge of fabric to keep it from raveling.)

Grab a piece of strand from one edge of the burlap then pull it all the way out. Repeat until you get the width of fray you like. Mine is about 2 inches. The more bold, the better in my opinion. Do this on both sides and on the ends.

DIY Lamppost

noreply@blogger.com (Tahni) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 17:11:00 +0000

Have you asked "what can I do with my old brass chandelier?" I've been having lots of fun making and selling what I like to call my chandelabra for candles. I just had to try an electric version.

I adore the storybook look of a lamppost and thought one would look quaint on my front porch. Not only does it evoke a sense of wonder as you walk up to my front door, but it looks just as charming from the inside looking out.

Always experimenting, I wired together an old floor lamp and an old brass chandelier then sprayed it black. My husband has already claimed this one for his study!

Gingerbread House

noreply@blogger.com (Tahni) — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 22:39:00 +0000

Today was gingerbread house decorating day--a Christmas tradition in our home for over 22 years now. This year four of us decorated one gingerbread house. Originally the two girls in the house--myself and my youngest daughter--were going to share it. But today it turned into a project of four with dad and brother pitching in. We all got one side of the house.

Each side of the house depicts our personalities and our creativity. I found it intriguing as artists we are such perfectionists and our own worst critic. Each side of the house turned out great! But each one of us found something we didn't like in our creation, and something we liked better on another.

Like most things in life, we can use these feelings of inadequacy in one of two ways. We can become competitive and try to out-do the next person or we can appreciate the other person's creation and encourage them.

This made good food for thought. Yes, pun intended. Having been raised in a sports-driven house, it has been ingrained in me to be competitive. To try hard and to be better than others. For me, this transferred into a successful career in sales. But I have to ask myself is it healthy to be competitive as an artist?

As artists, designers, musicians, architects we should believe in our passion and stand by our art form. Should we strive to the best we can? Yes, of course! However, I also think that appreciating another person's talent as an artist should be celebrated and we should encourage each other, not try to be the winner.

Stocking Mantel Topper

noreply@blogger.com (Tahni) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:31:00 +0000

As my family grows with children marrying and grand-babies being born, so does my stocking collection! We have simply outgrown my "peace" and snowflake hooks that once sat atop the mantel. This year I had to create something new and with a little planning for future stockings.

I call it a stocking mantel topper. It is basically a custom shelf that fits directly over the top of my mantel and looks like it is the mantel!

Let's back up. This is what my mantel looks like without the stocking mantel topper. So now you can see, it does look a little different and by looking at the first picture you can now see the topper.

The construction was pretty simple and I was able to put it together and get it painted in one afternoon. Here is how it's done.

1 large pine board (I used a 1x12 8 feet long with the length then cut to size)
2 1x3 pine boards for the front and sides
Wood trim (I found mine at an architectural salvage place for $.25 per foot)
Vintage drawer knobs

Basically you are going to construct a three-sided box the size of your mantel. Be sure to glue and nail to hold everything securely into to place then attach the trim.

Measure the spacing for the number of knobs you need and drill your holes before painting.

Putty any nail holes and joints where two boards meet. Allow to dry, lightly sand, and tack (or wipe off) any dust. Apply a coat of primer, allow to dry, and then apply a coat of paint.

Once everything is dry, install the drawer knobs as the stocking hooks. You'll notice mine are all mismatched. Some of them were salvaged from the architectural store, some were in my basement, and some where new from Hobby Lobby--which I scored with a half off sale!

Tip: Cut the main top board about 1 inch longer than your mantel so it will easily fit on top of your mantel without being too snug.

Repurposed Farmhouse Chairs

noreply@blogger.com (Tahni) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Red and white is the theme for Christmas this year in my kitchen and breakfast nook. I had these old chairs in the basement that I decided to spray paint cherry red to go around the kitchen table.

I got the chairs in the '80's when I had a farmhouse style table. They used to be white with pine seats. Then in the '90's I painted them black. In the '00's I got a new table and chairs (thank goodness) and this year they got painted red. Just for fun! Just for Christmas.

DIY Christmas Art

noreply@blogger.com (Tahni) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:00:00 +0000

I thought it would be fun to replace my every-day breakfast nook art with some Christmas art. I wanted to do a Christmas carol and chose Silent Night--one of my favorites!

Though the canvas already came white, I went ahead and applied a coat of white latex to smooth out the surface a little before painting my words and make it look as if I didn't just slop it together.

Using Wordle I copied and pasted the lyrics into the create box and hit the "go" button. If you aren't familiar with Wordle, it takes any words you paste into the create box and jumbles them around. You can keep clicking the "randomize" button until you get the design you like. There are a slew of options to choose from such as: removing common English words, more vertical, more horizontal, as well as a large variety of fonts.

Once I got the layout I liked, I printed it black and white so it would be easy to trace and used my Artograph Tracer. Because I used two canvases, I hung them right next to each other during the tracing process and then hung them a few inches apart when I was finished.

After I traced all of the words, I filled them in with the same color red I used in the rest of my breakfast nook. I think it looks awesome!

Cheater Topiary

noreply@blogger.com (Tahni) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

I just have to share with you how I made my cheater topiary. They are cheater, because they only cost me a few bucks to purchase two dowels. You can't beat that price.

My front porch urns were already filled with boxwood so this was a good jumping off point. I stuck dowels that I spray painted brown right into the dirt. Then I pushed two different sizes of styrofoam balls covered in sheet moss, which I had leftover from a previous aesthetic, straight through the dowels.

Next came the fun part. I went around to the side of my house and trimmed up the boxwood in my landscaping, clipped the branches into smaller pieces, and just stuck them all over into the styrofoam balls. The look was finished off with a strand of twinkle lights!

Grapevine Wreath Chandelier

noreply@blogger.com (Tahni) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 14:23:00 +0000

I think the song lyrics that play "it's the most wonderful time of the year" is because all the creative types can break design rules and go all out decorating our homes for the season!

Remember that 36-inch wreath I picked up on the cheap? I took it from my fall decor and transformed it into a chandelier to help set the scene on my front porch.

I'm always hunting the end-caps at Target. I get a ton of out-of-season stuff for 75% off and this is where I picked up the little strand of cage lights so I already had those in my basement. Everything else I found around the house so this chandelier cost me $2.00 for the light socket adapter that I screwed into my front porch can light. This is the same way I hung the bistro lights in my basement.

The process was pretty simple, but hanging it didn't come without a little creativity. I pulled out the can light fixture half way and attached three wood screws into the frame that I attached the hanging chain. Because the lip of the can fans out over the opening, I wasn't able to push the fixture all the way back into the opening. This left an ugly gap so I used a few smaller pieces of the greenery and stuck them in the empty space. I think adds to the whimsical feel I created!

4 Curtain Hanging Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Tahni) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Custom drapes are beautiful but come with a hefty price. The options for curtains in the places we shop everyday are endless and affordable! For the DIY decorator and the every-day home owner on a budget these are an easy and inexpensive way to class up a room.

1. Use clips, grommets or rings. Most curtains comes ready-made with a pocket to push the rod through--don't use it. Spend a few extra dollars for the proper hanging hardware. This looks nicer and it is more functional. It is much easier to pull your curtain open and closed when it can easily slide. Plus the top of a bunched up, scrunched up curtain is the perfect place for a bunch of dust to collect.

2. Pinch a Pleat. Take a couple extra minutes when hanging your curtains to pinch a pleat. This gives your curtain some symmetrical movement when they are both pulled closed and opened.

Lay your curtain out flat on the bed, the dining room table, or the floor. Pinch a pleat in the center of the curtain and then on each end.

Divide the space between the center and the ends by how many rings you are using and pinch a pleat and clip on the ring.

Your curtain will hang with a pretty, symmetrical, fool-proof wave.

3. Flank the sides of the window. You hear it all the time on our favorite HGTV shows, but I just felt it bears repeating. This tip can make an offset window look centered, add luxury, make a window feel bigger and a room appear larger.

4. Hang floor to ceiling. Curtains hanging from floor to ceiling add elegance, sophistication and make the room feel bigger. Can't find the length you need? Check out my article on stretching your curtains and your budget.

Apple Cider Spritzer

noreply@blogger.com (Tahni) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 11:00:00 +0000

One of my favorite autumn drinks--and I just can't seem to get enough of it--is my signature apple cider spritzer.

1 part ice
1 part local, fresh pressed apple cider
1 part diet lemon lime soda
1 cinnamon stick.

You cannot leave off the cinnamon stick! The earthy aroma each time you take a sip adds to the whole experience of it.

Hoping for a grown-up version? Add 1 part Tuaca. Mmmmmm.

Old Suitcases

noreply@blogger.com (Tahni) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 11:00:00 +0000

This is by far an original idea. But, I absolutely loved the cover of the Fall/Winter 2011 issue of Flea Market Style, I had to share how I use my old suitcases.

You just have to check out these "Cool Suitcase Shelves" on their blog!

I used to live in Northern California and fly out of Sacramento International Airport. If you haven't had the chance to see their local artist Brian Goggin's sculptures of old suitcases, I wanted to share it with you. So very cool!

Chandelabra

noreply@blogger.com (Tahni) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:17:00 +0000

Half-lamp, half-chandelier repurposed into what I call a chandelabra! Each one individual and unique. This item and many more are available for purchase at Rustchic Boutique special events and sales. Be sure to subscribe by email or reader to stay posted on upcoming sales.

Repurposed Wine Box

noreply@blogger.com (Tahni) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 11:00:00 +0000

The holidays are the perfect time to pick up a tip like this one. When perusing the big box and warehouse stores this holiday season, keep your eyes open for seasonal gift sets or upscale packaging you can only find that time of the year.

Two years ago, I picked up three bottles of wine that came packaged in this box. The wine wasn't priced any higher that normal--it just came packaged for gift giving. Yes, the wine was good but better yet, I've been able to repurpose the box several times over.

A tip like this is perfect if you are short on space. You can see in the picture of my dining room table, it came with a lid. So you could use the box opened or closed. Some ways I thought to use the box that I don't have pictured could be: jewelery, ties, socks, toiletries, bags of snacks, granola bars, candy buffet, rolled flatware in napkins. Leave me a comment on how you would use it.

Use it to tier your centerpiece or raise up serving pieces on a buffet table.

Perfect for flatware.

I have weekly meetings in my home, so I keep this fully

stocked and ready for the perfect cup of coffee!

Dish Cupboard

noreply@blogger.com (Tahni) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Some girls collect shoes. I collect dishes. It comes from my love for entertaining. Plans are in the making for a dish wall in my formal dining room that will span an entire wall and nine feet high. But until then, I have to cram my collection somewhere.

This is my hall linen closet. Lucky for me, the home came with peg shelving already installed. All I needed to make my closet become the dish cupboard was more shelving. A quick trip to the home improvement store where I had them cut my shelves to length was easy. Add in a bag of pegs and I was good to go.

I am happy to be the go-to-girl for the shower or the graduation party. Several of my friends know how to break into my house so they can freely borrow from my dish cupboard. An abundance of a good thing should always be shared.

Bright Lights, Bistro Basement

noreply@blogger.com (Tahni) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Last Christmas, I hosted my husband's work staff party. The food was a simple potluck of Italian fair to include various lasagnas, green salad and artisan bread for dipping. To play off the Italian theme, my goal was to transform the basement into an outdoor bistro feel.

A decorating pet-peeve of mine is visible cords! I do everything to avoid seeing them from tucking under the carpet to clipping on the inner legs of side tables. I just have to share with you my trick for hanging strings of lights from the ceiling!

For a few bucks you can pick up a light socket adapter. I placed this in one of my pot lights and then simply strung my lights attaching them to the ceiling with ornament hooks. The possibilities for different themes are endless.

Stretching Your Budget and Your Curtains

noreply@blogger.com (Tahni) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 14:54:00 +0000

The drapes in my bedroom were purchased from a catalog. They match the Euro Shams I made my headboard from. My ceilings are 9 feet tall and the catalog curtains were not available in that length. My solution was to purchase an extra set to cut and attach on the bottom of the standard size. When doing this yourself there are a couple rules to keep in mind.

Creative can look custom. It was easy to make my curtains look custom. The pillow shams I used to make the headboard had a tan stitching detail. I copied this detail after I added on my extra length. That may not be as easy for you. Try using a different color of the same curtain on the bottom. Iron on a strip of ribbon at the seam in your accent color. Use two curtain colors and cut and sew them into 4 or 6 stripes.

Choose a line of sight. What you don't want to do, it just stick the extra length you need on the bottom of curtain you already have. When adding on the extra length, find height to attach the length where your eye is already going to flow. The bottom of the window sill would be a good choice. This is where I placed it on my curtains. This will make the room feel custom and intentional.

Frugal Front Porch

noreply@blogger.com (Tahni) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 17:39:00 +0000

Be sure to always check your favorite garden store or home-improvement store's garden department damaged section before you buy. You can find current shipments of plants and flowers slightly damaged for a bargain! I picked up two of the orange gallon mums for $3.00 and the rust mums (that came in an adorable basket) for $2.50 at the beginning of the season. Because they were damaged, they were marked 75% off. I came home, gave them a little hair cut and viola--three plants for the price of one!

Front door wreath history can be dated as far back as 776 B.C. This year I picked up this 36-inch grapevine wreath at Michael's with a 50% coupon for a total of $7.50! Instead of hanging on the door--which it was too big for--I simply propped it next to it. A something little unexpected and a fun twist.

Decorating for the season doesn't have to be expensive. Take inventory of what you already have, clip your coupons, and check the clearance rack first!

Firewood Art

noreply@blogger.com (Tahni) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 10:00:00 +0000

There is nothing like a toasty, roaring fire on a cold morning. My current fireplace is gas and one thing I really miss about a wood-burning fireplace is that cozy stack of firewood next to the hearth.

I came up with this modern twist on a stack of firewood. If you ask me, I think it's pretty rustchic!

Measure and cut 2x4's to size. Glue and secure the corners with two "L" brackets at each corner and allow the glue to dry. On the back, glue and screw every 6 inches a piece of 7/16 OSB sheathing.

Cut a variety of logs different widths. No measuring needed because you want

it to be organic and random! Be sure to clamp round logs to the saw fence as

they have a tendency to spin.

Once you have figured out where all of the logs will go, secure with glue and allow to dry.

Front Porch Harvest Fun with Branches

noreply@blogger.com (Tahni) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 10:00:00 +0000

A few nights ago, I headed over to my friend Robyn's for dinner and fell in love with her front porch harvest decorations! I just had to share her idea with you.

Robyn secured her branches by just sticking them into the soft autumn ground making sure they crisscrossed to help hold each other up.

Every year Robyn likes to hollow out a ton of baby pumpkins to use as tea light holders. This year she hung them from the branches using craft wire. I just love the wall of branches with the pops of orange color. At night it gives the feel of a thick web of forest with little jack 'o lantern guiding the way to the front door.

Cheap Pot Rack

noreply@blogger.com (Tahni) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 10:00:00 +0000

I love the homey feeling of a pot rack in a kitchen. Not to mention it is a complete storage solution! I don't have an island or a place in my kitchen where I can hang a pot rack in the center of the room so it had to go on the wall.

Pot racks can cost up to hundreds of dollars so here is my cheap pot rack solution. An Ikea coat rack for $19.99. Giant "s" hooks hang the cookware.

Hanging tip. If you can't secure directly to the wall studs, then you may want to mount a couple of 1 x 6 boards across the back of the wall to the studs and then mount the pot rack on the boards. When you look closely, you can see I did this in my first photo. This will ensure that your pot rack doesn't shake loose in a heavy thunderstorm in the middle of the night and crash to the floor. Speaking from experience.