Christy's Thrifty Decorating

Post Christmas Thrift Store Finds

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 00:51:00 +0000

I know Christmas is over....but just one last thing. A little thrift store find for 2 bucks. I couldn't pass this one up when I saw it because I knew that next year it could be put to some use. It just needed a new paint job, so that's exactly what I did.

Before..........

After............

A couple of coats of red acrylic paint and a touch of black for shading (to match up with the pewter antlers). Three coats of gloss sealer spray and it's ready for the attic (until next year). I'm thinking it would make a nice centerpiece on the dining table for next year. I'll add some with silk flowers to it or something. Cute right?

Christy

Random Projects

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 02:01:00 +0000

Hope everyone had a great Christmas holiday!! Lot's of work, decorating and cooking, but well worth it if you can enjoy all of the festivities. I haven't had much time to work and any projects so I'm posting some random things I completed before the holidays.
I found this adorable decorative, wheel barrel in the Goodwill for 6 bucks. I thought it may look cute out in the yard with some flowers planted in it. It was in great condition and just needed a little painting. I sprayed it white and then added some detail with acrylics.

A final few coats of varnish will hopefully keep it from rotting.

and.......................then................

Several months ago, I felt like fooling around with some FIMO. If you're familiar with FIMO, it's a moldable clay that is ultimately placed into a household oven to harden. I designed this little garden of mushrooms just because-I love mushrooms. They now sit on my kitchen table.

I used white clay for the stems, base, grass and base and red clay for the tops.
I then painted the base brown and the grass green. When completed, the mushroom garden was clear coated with spray.

Voile!

Mushroom garden

Christy

Decorating Something Different

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 22:53:00 +0000

This year I'm adding something different to my Christmas decor. It never occurred to me to decorate a lamp fixture, but I thought it might look nice and add a focal point to the dining room table. It didn't cost much and added a nice feature to the room. I picked up some silk red berries, gold poinsettia's, some wired evergreen, red bows and gold icicles. Everything is added to the light fixture so that when Christmas is over, it's easy to remove. I thought it came out pretty nice.

Every year this concept could change with a different theme. I sort of gravitate to the more "classic" Christmas style, hence the colors and items I chose.

Have a great Christmas!!

Christy

A New Way to Organize Christmas lists

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 01:16:00 +0000

What a great way to organize your Christmas list. Get online and compose it-it's as easy as that. I've checked it out myself and sent the link to my kids so they can put it together online.

See for yourself. This is a sample of a list: http://thiswishlist.com/shannonchristmas2011

Just set up yours with a user ID and email address. You'll find this in the upper right had corner of the page. While your at it, send it off to your family and friends.

Have fun with it!!

Christy

DIY recipe card holder

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 02:21:00 +0000

It's been a long, hot summer.....way, too long. I feel like I haven't left the house in ages. I can't wait for some cooler weather. Maybe soon? All this keeps me inside the house and looking for some crafty ways to keep busy.

I came up with this idea a few weeks ago. Something inspired me-don't even remember what it was. Maybe it's the fact that when I take out a recipe it lies on the counter and get most of the ingredients attached to it. Yuck....

This little DIY item works!

Supplies:

-Wood dowel. Mine is about 2" in diameter. Home Depot or Lowe's carries them. It's about 6 inches high.

-Wood stand. I bought mine at a craft store for 50 cents.

-Wood glue.

-Acrylic paint

-A clothes pin. In this case, I found this ladybug at the craft store. It obviously will hole the recipe card for me. You could use a plain clothes pin and glue something to the top to embellish it.

-clear varnish to finish

I cut the dowel on an angle so it keeps my recipe card properly positioned-so I can actually see it.

I glued the dowel to the base and then glued the ladybug to the dowel.

Next it was painted and then sprayed with clear gloss. Done!

And, here it is in action.

Cute, but functional. I like that!

Working with nature inside the home.

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 22:17:00 +0000

Dried Branches, Berries and Greenery

Inside the Home

I've used items that I have pulled from the outside for decorating purposes-inside. Years ago I used two large tree branches as railings in the basement. See below:

I also used an old tree stump as a planter.

I have several photos below showing the use of vines, berries and branches around the house. Thank you Cristen F. for providing the photos. She's done a great job of using nature to decorate around frames, mirrors, windows and furniture. Check it out....

A simple addition of berries around an atrium window...

Berries highlighting the stairs....

or highlighting a photo....

Placed above a mirror.....

draped along furniture.....

Babies breath around the furniture....

Not all of these items are available in your back yard, but you can find them in your local craft store.

Antique Cabinet redux

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Wed, 11 May 2011 21:30:00 +0000

I spotted this cabinet several years at my son's friends house. I loved it at first site and asked him if he might be interested in parting with it. About two months ago it arrived at my home.

I've tried to research what time period it may have come from with no success. If anyone can help me out, please comment below and let me know what you think.

I know, I know......if I brought this to The Antiques Roadshow, the Keno brothers would ream me out for stripping this thing, but I really wanted it showcased in my house, in a room and in a spot where I can admire it.

Here is what it looked like when it arrived here:

If you have ever stripped furniture, then you know how time consuming it can be. I worked on this thing for at least a month, putting in about an hour or so a day. It's sort of tedious work, so I limited myself so I didn't get bored with the project.

Below you can actually see the original piece (cabinet door) and a stripped door. What a difference, right?

The process started with a chemical stripper which stayed on for 15-20 minutes until the finish bubbled. I used a scraper to assist with the removal of what appeared to be years of wax, stain and whatever else. I used a toothbrush for the carved parts.

Next, sanding, sanding and more sanding. First with medium sandpaper and then changing over to fine. It was pretty darn smooth when it was finished.

One coat of cherry stain and then on to the polyurethane. Three coats, sanding in between each coat.

I cleaned up all the original brass work as well.

This is how it looks now.

Lots of work, but well worth it in the end.

I'm not sure if this is the best photo of the completed cabinet.....

It really looks much better in person.

Christy

Creative Canisters

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 02:12:00 +0000

I've been looking around for some inexpensive jars to store cotton balls and Q-tips in. Ya think that's easy? I thought it would be too. Not only is the selection limited, but the actual jars aren't cheap. So if I need something that will match the bathroom and won't cost me a lot of money, then I have to make them myself. That's what I did!

I purchased these plain, glass canisters in Walmart. I paid about 3 bucks for both. They each have a rubber gasket on the inside of the lid. I removed them so they can be opened easily. I guess they were put into there for food storage.

So you get the idea, right. Plain, inexpensive and functional.

Now the trick is to make them look a little more unusual or creative.

I found these two wood disks in the craft store in the clearance aisle-about $1.25 a piece. I've used these before and I love the way they look when they are painted.

So my idea is to paint the disk with some acrylics (that way they will match the room), add a knob to the top and glue them to each canister.

Here is the top, painted. Basically, it's painting the wood with a small brush-easy enough. I added the ball to the top and screwed through the wood disk. The dots on the knob are made by using the tip of a paintbrush handle. (yes, I got this idea when my daughter had her toenails painted with dots-that's how they did it and they came out perfect).

I glued the wood disks to the glass tops using clear Silicone adhesive. This works well for me and I've used it before. It goes on white but dries to a clear finish in 7 days. Not that anyone will look at the bottom, but just in case-they look good.

Since they're going into a "teens" bathroom I've painted them with that in mind.

Below is one of them all finished. By the way, I sprayed several coats of Krylon's Triple Thick Glaze on these tops before they were glued onto the glass. This product, which I love, gives everything a "glass" finish. Interested in using it, click here for more information. You really can't appreciate how glossy the top is from the photo. You can take my word for it though, it really makes things shine.

Both pictured below. Notice one canister is larger than the other? That means that one top is larger than the other. I wondered about this while coming up with the idea and how it may look, but in the end they came out looking just fine. The total cost= around 7 bucks.

Chris

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 02:23:00 +0000

Goodwill Find

I haven't been thrift store shopping for a while.....a long while. Maybe the winter did me in or maybe it's just that I'm running out of room. Perhaps it's time for a garage sale. A very large garage sale! Temptation got the best of me last week and I took a ride, just to look, of course. To be truthful, I always find something that I feel the need to buy so I can paint it, fix it or play around with it. This piece was no exception-but what is it? What was it? No idea.

Cost $2.00

Condition-OK

Needs a paint job and some embellishing.

and.........maybe it could hold some extra toilet paper rolls in the bathroom.

I'll take it.

I forgot to take "before" pics-sorry, it just slipped my mind. I sprayed this piece with Rustoleum and it already started to look better. I picked a light beige. It matches everything and gives me a good base for the color painting.

I then used some acrylic paints to paint the flowers.

In this photo you can see some of the paint I used to brighten up the flowers. I added more detail later and also painted the leaves.

Below some more detail is added to the flowers.

Here is the completed job.

I added some black detailing to the flowers and leaves.

2-3 coats of clear spray to keep it from chipping. You know, for 2 bucks and a little work it gets a second life and becomes functional. I like that!

Chris

Turkey Place Cards for the Table

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 00:01:00 +0000

Turkeys

If you are having lots of people for the holidays, it makes sense to have place card holders

so everyone will know where to sit. It's not necessary, but helpful. In my case-not really, not enough people. However, I can't help myself-I must create.......something.

What I do like and always liked about place cards is that they add something

"different" to the table setting. So this year I decided to make some turkeys to place at each setting.

These were made with my band saw using some scrap wood. I'm new to the band saw thing, so it took some time to cut them all out, but it worked out. Plus, I got some much needed experience at the saw. I love this tool!

I made a template out of paper and starting cutting. After all my pieces were ready, I glued them all together and painted them.

So now, I just pop in a card and write the persons name on it. Each turkey came out a different size and slightly crooked-not sure why and don't care. They are cute and add just a little something to my table.

Here is the entire group:

Now I just need to get all the other stuff together. Enjoy your holiday!!

Christy

New Painting Product

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 01:04:00 +0000

Green Toad Painting System

The Green Toad company was kind enough to send me several new paint supplies so I could try them out and share my thoughts with you. I do a lot of painting around here. It's the easiest and cheapest way to change the look of an entire room. Anything that makes this job easier is great.

A few things about these products.

*the brush handle is warrantied for life!

*The brush twists and turns 360 degrees, which certainly comes in handy while painting around windows, trim and doors. This saves you time. What a great idea-you just click and turn the handle and the brush changes the position.

*the handle has a little ridge around the base of the brush, so there is less of a mess. I really like this feature. All of my painting brushes have paint on the handles. It's impossible to get it off.

*the grip that the handle has, is comfortable, much more so than the regular brushes. Less wear on your wrist.

*when you are done, a button is pressed and the brush is released.

The roller system works the same way. You change rollers with a click of a button. Quick and easy-no struggling.

All the components are biodegradable. Throw any of it away and don't worry about it sticking around for 100 years. It's compostable.

Check out their web site for more information. http://www.thegreentoad.net/

Here are some photos that I took while using the tools.

Here it is in a straight position for painting.

Notice the handle grip? This just makes painting "more comfortable".

The above photo shows the handle now in a different position.

Easy clean up. The handle washes nicely.

Showing another position here. It's so neat.....You click and turn the brush easily. This comes in very handy when you are painting around windows and doors.

Another position.

Here shows the "ridge". This does a good job of keeping the paint off of your handle, keeping the handle nice and clean.

The little black button. Click it to release your brush and attach another tool-such as the roller.

One of the roller attachments. Clicks right onto the handle.

You only buy the handle once. After that all you need are the brushes or rollers. The prices are very reasonable and the entire collection makes painting easy.

I want to thank the folks at Green Toad for sending me the tools to try out. I'm sold on them!! I don't mind painting, but anything that makes it easier-is a good thing!

Check out the site @ http://www.thegreentoad.net/

Christy

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 01:04:00 +0000

Last year when I happened to stumble upon the new platinum effusion lamp wick, I also came across these great new diffusers. They use water, a new type of stick and scents. That's it...just water and scent. I ordered a few to give them a try. I was really surprised to find out what a great job they do in a small room.

The diffusers I've used in the past come with "reed" sticks which seem to lose their usefulness pretty quickly. They get soggy and discolor pretty quickly. Stonewick has created a stick that is washable, porous and will last forever if you are careful with them. They feel like glass or ceramic but are porous enough to absorb the water/scent solution and fill your room with a great fragrance. I have placed them in smaller rooms-perfect for the bathroom or laundry room.

The mixture is the scent and tap water. Fill it up and forget about it. The water naturally evaporates over time and you just refill it. It's totally green. No additives or chemicals, just water and fragrance. You control the strength of the fragrance by adding or cutting the fragrance. Easy!

I ordered several of their fragrances. The package sells for $15.00. The kit includes the fragrance/eye dropper and sticks. The bottle is not included but most of use have something decorative around we can use. I think these will make great Christmas gifts because they are so different from what's out there in the stores. Check the link to the right of this post (upper right hand corner) and it will take you to their site. All the information is there.

Scents include-

apple cinnamon

slices

citrus

ocean

stargazer .....and more.

Their web site gives you a complete description of the scents and their components.

Below shows how the sticks actually look. You can see they are much more substantial than the diffuser reeds you get in the retail stores.

For those of you that use the "effusion lamps", you can also use your own scents to drop into the glass jar. Remember, the sticks are reusable and last forever. Now that's a bargain.

I just noticed that they have a promotion going for a free refill with purchase. Great!! The code is listed on the ad, at the bottom.

Christy

Halloween-A Day Late and a dollar short....

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 00:28:00 +0000

I had the best of intentions!! Unfortunately, I didn't have enough time........

I planned on making these pumpkin candles for my screened in porch several months ago. I purchased the orange & black tissue paper and the glass containers (dollar store) a long time ago, but I just lost track of time and got too busy. So here is the best I can do-two completed candles (and honestly, I finished one up while answering the door last night).

I'm pathetic......I know.......

If you are interested in making these candles follow the directions here. I made 8 of these for the spring and they came out great. I do plan on making 6 more of these pumpkin candles to complete the set, each with a different face. I'll leave them out until Thanksgiving. What the heck, right?

I enjoy making them and love the way to turn out so I'll be making 8 more for Christmas. I had better start soon....

Here they are completed.

I also made these headstones-thought they would look cute on the table for Halloween next to everyones plate.......never finished them either. ugh.........

They did come out cute though. I used some scrap wood and cut them out using a scroll saw. I purchased myself one of these saws a year ago and I continue to experiment, create and just have some fun with it. So maybe I'll use them next year. Yes, there is always next year.

I spray painted these tombstones white and then hit them with some grey. Now, I'll hand paint some RIPS with names or something. They all have a small piece of wood glued behind them to keep them standing up.

Christy

Garden Mushrooms

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 00:11:00 +0000

Garden Mushrooms

This summer I got it stuck in my head that I wanted some decorative mushrooms in my garden. Don't ask me.......I don't know what it is about mushrooms, but I just love them.

It took me a long time to figure out how I was going to make these things. There wasn't much to google about them because not too many people have made these things.

I knew what I wanted them to look like, but wasn't sure how to actually go about making them. After much thought, I figured it out. Like everything else it was trial and error. The first one wasn't made the same as the second one, because I made changes along the way.

They have to go outside, last through rain and wind too, so cement seemed the best way to go. I researched that and decided on mortar. I was going to paint them, but decided on glass mosaic squares. My reasoning-color. I wanted color! They are going into a shade garden and that's where I need the color.

Here they are finished and I'll explain below how I made them.

I started with a very large, plastic bowl. Not the easiest thing to find, mind you. I landed up using an old halloween candy bowl. I sprayed the bowl with cooking oil, poured in the mixed mortar (morter + water according to the directions) and waited 2 days for it to set. Mortar dries smooth and this helps when you are glueing on the glass. The cooking oil allows easy release of the mortar. Mushroom caps-done.

The next step was to cut up the squares and circles out of glass. My years of stained glass experience helped a lot. You can buy these squares all ready cut out in the craft stores. You also can start breaking up old plates and use them. I glued all the squares and circles onto the mushroom cap and then mortared around the squares. I used white mortar as you can see.

I used an empty soda bottle for the smallest mushroom stem. This worked out, but I wanted taller shrooms too. I used 4 inch PVC pipe (home depot), cut it and glued the shroom to the top. This worked great. In the future I would stick to the PVC pipe and skip the soda bottle. It's easier and you can leave it white.

These mushrooms look just great in the yard and everyone loves them. So far they have lasted through all kinds of weather. I plan on planting some Mondo grass around them.

FYI-the red shroom is poisonous......

Christy

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 00:21:00 +0000

The Paint Quaility Institute sent me some more great tips for improving your home. It's all about paint!

Paint Quality Institute

HOW TO REPAINT A ROOM IN A WEEKEND:

10 TIPS TO SAVE YOU TIME (AND MONEY)

Recent surveys reveal that consumers will be doing a lot of remodeling this

year. But with the sluggish economy, many are opting for do-it-yourself

projects to squeeze the most out of their budgets. One of the most common

undertakings: interior painting.

“Nearly everyone agrees that some jobs – like reroofing or electrical work – are

best left to the pros, but most people think they can do their own painting,”

says Debbie Zimmer, spokesperson for the Paint Quality Institute. “And,

generally speaking, they’re right.”

Many people regard painting as a weekend project. As such,

they want to see the fruits of their labor by Sunday night. “That’s a realistic

goal, but to achieve it, you have to plan out the job and be well-organized,”

she says.

If your organizational skills leave something to be desired, Zimmer offers some

suggestions:

1. Get all of your furniture out of the way by moving it to the center of the

room, using plastic sliders on heavy items so you don’t have to lift them.

Cover everything with plastic, blankets, or old sheets. Then, put down

drop-cloths to protect your floors from stray droplets of paint.

2. Scrub all the surfaces you’ll be painting with a sponge and mild household

detergent solution before going to the paint store. That will give them time to

dry while you’re out shopping.

3. Making multiple trips to the paint store can consume gobs of time, so try to

do all of your shopping in just one visit. Before leaving your home, see what

painting tools and accessories you have on hand, then create a shopping list. .

. or save even more time by going to www.paintquality.com to download a helpful

checklist.

4. Buy technologically-advanced top quality 100% acrylic latex interior paint.

These durable paints, some of which serve double-duty as both primer and paint,

are better at hiding the color that’s underneath. As a result, you may need to

apply just a single coat – saving you not only time and effort, but money as

well.

5. Tape the edges of the surfaces you’ll be painting to enable you to apply the

paint faster. You’ll quickly recover the time spent doing this. And taping

will make your finished paint job look a lot neater.

6. Work “top down”: paint the ceiling; then the walls; next, the windows and

trim; and, lastly, the baseboards. Following this sequence will help keep

just-painted surfaces free of paint spatter or drip marks and cut down time

spent on touch-up work.

7. When painting a ceiling or wall, start by “cutting in” a corner section with

a paintbrush, applying a 3” band of paint around the edge. This will enable you

to quickly fill in the area with a paint roller. Repeat this process in 3-foot

increments.

8. Apply the paint liberally. Trying to “stretch” your paint by applying a

thin coat is false economy: You might end up needing a second coat to

completely hide the original color.

9. Assuming that you purchased top quality 100% acrylic latex paint, your

cleanup will be a snap. Being water-based, these paints can be quickly and

easily cleaned off of brushes and rollers with plain soap and water.

10. The last time-saver when using top quality latex paint? Not having to wait

for the “paint smell” to go away. Eco-friendly latex paints have very little

odor, so you can put a freshly-painted room back into service right away.

For more tips on saving time and money when doing interior painting, Zimmer

suggests that you invest a few minutes checking out the Paint Quality Institute

website at www.paintquality.com.

Fall Decorating

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 00:55:00 +0000

Some great decorating tips from Andrea Evans, owner of In The Pink Boutique. Andrea's retail building serves the upscale areas of Arcadia, Biltmore and Paradise Valley located in Arizona. Andrea has years of experience in interior design and her passion includes unique jewelry, home furnishings, collectibles and gift.

Below are 5 great ideas!

“Fall” into Decorating for Autumn!

By: Andrea Evans, Owner

www.InThePinkBoutique.com

As summer fades out and we cross into autumn, it is time to transform your home to capture the spirit of the season by adding spice and warmth. This year, take a look at the beauty of nature’s fall wardrobe by using the all the colors of the autumn palette such as, deep reds, warm browns, pale mauves, vibrant purples, and, as always, the traditional oranges and yellows of pumpkins and other fall vegetables. Whether you are spreading gourds and pumpkins around your kitchen, bathroom, or porch; or garnishing your sofa with soft, warm blankets, you'll find that it is small touches that go a long way when decorating your home for the autumn season!

stylish-living-roomideas.com

1. To bring charm to your entryway add golden, red, and orange maple leaves to a plain wheat wreath for your front door, and plant red and orange mums in outdoor planters.

bhg.com

2When purchasing furnishings for your living room, look for furniture that is neutral and warm in color and fabric. Gold, brown, and mocha couches work well for all seasons, especially fall. Steer clear of couches with too much design, because neutral couches can be decorated with colorful, seasonal pillows. To create a warm, cozy feel, decorate with a few wooden furniture accents that complement the couch such as a coffee table and end tables. Only use three or four pieces in your living area to avoid clutter.

countryliving.com

3. Use strategic fall accessories to bring elegance to each room. Place autumn berry vines in the window sills, and autumn colored throw pillows and blankets on the couch. Colorful candles, simple pictures, and wooden pumpkins give your living space a charming feel.

saratoga.com

inthepinkboutique.com

4. Set your table. Using placemats, table runners, and tablecloths in rich shades of the fall palette provides an instant glow to your table, and is an inexpensive way to decorate your dining room. Create a centerpiece out of small pumpkins, Indian corn gourds, maple leaves, dried flowers, berries and seed pods. Hang berry rings on kitchen cabinets, place a basket of apples on a countertop, and embellish empty spaces with berry vines and candy corn dishes.

m happeningsandholidays.com

twirlandtaste.com

5. Don’t forget candles! Carve out the center of fruits and vegetables such as apples and pumpkins to create votive holders, and use larger pumpkins for pillar candle holders. Swap out your summer pillar and taper candles with fall colored pillars and tapers. Even when not lit, candles bring warmth and beauty in their season’s colors.

Happy Decorating!!!!

Mod Podge Candles

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 00:05:00 +0000

Mod Podge Candles

I made 8 of these candles for my screened in porch several months ago. In between each large screen, there is a sill that just needed candles. I made these to match the fabric on my chairs. Making things yourself gives you the ability to "match" it up with your room decor.

If you read this blog you know how much I enjoy using Mod Podge. It's great stuff for so many projects and I use it frequently.

I purchased 8 glasses at the dollar store. I used three colors of tissue paper (which I had at home) and a bottle of Mod Podge-glossy. I decided to use white tissue for the background thinking this would give my candles a frosted look, which it did.

Starting out:

I cut out a bunch of small squares of white tissue, used a brush and applied with the Mod Podge. The squares give the glass an unusual look when the candle is burning.

I did this to all 8 glasses. Then I cut out pedals and flowers using different colors (green & orange). These colors all match the porch fabrics.

For the center of the flower I glued on round glass jewels. All eight sit out on the porch. They came out so nice that I've decided to make some more for the fall. Maybe pumpkins?

Since Mod Podge tends to get sticky, I placed four cork pads on the bottom. This works to prevent the glass from sticking to the window sill.

No two are exactly alike but that's what gives them a hand made look.

Christy

Fixing and touching up Goodwill paintings

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 22:16:00 +0000

I don't usually look around too much at paintings and prints at the thrift store. Lately though, I've been taking a second look. A few months ago I found a great print (future post) and a few weeks ago an acrylic painting. Actually, my thrift store-partner in crime found it. I had passed it up and she came right behind me and placed it into her basket. She asked, "can you fix this for me".

Taking a good look at it, I noticed several scratches and some general "wear" issues, nothing that can't be fixed with some paint!

I took it home with me and got to work. The truth is, it sat around for a few months before I got to it, but I'd like everyone to think I'm on top of these things.........not really...

The trick was to match up the colors and touch up the scratches. It didn't take long and it cost next to nothing. Now I have a better appreciation of "paintings" and "prints" in the thrift store. I look more closely now. They can be fixed!

Here it is all touched up. It's now hanging in my friends bedroom.

Room Painting

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 01:02:00 +0000

Someone sent me this email from the the Paint Quality Institute. I read through it, checked out their website and found that they had tons of great information on painting your house. The article below is strictly about painting a bathroom. I thought it contained some very useful information.

The article covers:

expense, color scheme, colors that make your room look larger, preparation, clean-up, warmth or coolness of colors, types of paint, durability and the "order" in which to paint.

INTERIOR PAINTING AN ECONOMICAL WAY TO REFRESH A TIRED-LOOKING BATHROOM

Waking up and walking into a tired-looking bathroom is

a tough way to start the day. . .which may explain why the bathroom is the most

frequently remodeled room in the home, according to recent research by the Paint

Quality Institute.

But in these trying economic times, many families either can’t afford –

or refuse to spend – the thousands of dollars it can cost for a new shower,

vanity, and tile.

What can you do if your bathroom is in need of a makeover, but your

budget won’t allow it? “Think about repainting the room,” suggests Debbie

Zimmer, spokesperson for the Institute. “For less than $100, almost any

bathroom can be refreshed and given an exciting new look.”

The fun part of painting is selecting a color scheme. Most paint retailers

have an abundance of color cards from which to choose. Your job is to pare down

the palette to the ideal color for your bathroom.

Consider whether you want your bathroom to feel warm and cozy or look cool

and sleek. Reds, oranges, and yellows tend to warm up a room, while blues and

greens make it seem cooler.

“Your preference may depend upon where you live,” says Zimmer. “Up

North, where the winters are longer, you might welcome the warm feeling created

by a golden tone, for example; but if you live where the summers are long and

hot, you might prefer a ‘cooler’ color.”

Color can also be used to enhance the perceived size of your bathroom, says

Zimmer: “Many of us wish that our bathrooms were bigger, but aren’t willing to

incur the expense of enlarging the room. Interior painting offers an

inexpensive alternative: Painting the room in a light color will make it seem

bigger.”

While there really is no right or wrong choice when it comes to color, that

cannot be said of the quality of paint you use in your bathroom.

“If you’re on a tight budget, you might be tempted to buy a cheap paint, but

even the best paints are still very affordable,” says Zimmer, “and there really

is no comparison when it comes to performance.”

The Paint Quality Institute recommends that consumers purchase only top

quality 100% acrylic latex interior paint for indoor projects. This type of

paint is more durable and long lasting than ordinary paint. It also is ideal

for use in bathrooms and other damp, humid areas, since it typically contains

special additives to fight off mildew.

Zimmer recommends that consumers use a glossy top quality paint in the

bathroom. “Top quality paint made with 100% acrylic in a high gloss or

semi-gloss finish has especially high mildew resistance. Plus, paints with

higher levels of gloss resist staining and are easier to clean,” she says.

If you’re still hesitant to pay a little more per gallon for a top

quality 100% acrylic latex interior paint, consider: Many of these paints

function as both primer and paint, and they have improved “hiding” capability.

So, you’ll likely need to apply just a single coat of top quality paint, while

you might need two or more with a lesser-quality coating.

Only a small amount of prep work is required before painting a bathroom.

First, clean the walls, ceiling, and woodwork by scrubbing them with a sponge

and mild detergent solution. If mildew is present, it should be removed with a

bleach solution of one part bleach to three parts water. (Note: When using a

bleach solution, or working overhead to clean the ceiling, it’s wise to wear

rubber gloves and safety glasses.)

After cleaning all the surfaces, rinse them off with clean water and

allow them to dry before applying your paint.

If you’re doing a complete makeover of your bathroom by painting every

surface, you should follow some time-honored procedures.

Start by painting your ceiling to help prevent any paint spatter from

marring a just-painted wall. Next, paint the walls. Then, follow up by

painting the windows, door, and trim. Complete the job by painting the

baseboards.

While working, you may want to keep the room ventilated by opening a window

or two. But if you’re applying one of the new top quality latex paints, you

will probably notice little paint odor. That’s because today’s advanced latex

paints emit only a small amount of the “volatile organic compounds” that cause

the typical “paint smell” associated with oil-based paints.

Take comfort in the fact that low-VOC latex paints are good for the

environment. . .and for the health of you and your family. And enjoy your

freshly-painted bathroom!

For more tips on interior painting, visit www.paintquality.com.

Tips for Style on a Budget-Guest Blogger

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 22:59:00 +0000

Ideas!

The ideas below come from Greg Kinsella of London's Chelsea Harbor. He is guest posting on this blog today. What Greg offers us below are ideas that are creative, inexpensive to complete and can be done at home.

I especially like the use of doilies for the "Chabby Shic" style of decor and the idea for all those wine corks that I've been collecting for years. Now I know what I can do with them!! Also, take a look at the use of Indian saris on the bottom. I personally love this idea.

Thrifty Style: 5 Tips for Style on a Budget

Decorating on a budget can be lots of fun since it challenges you to adapt random materials that you can find for cheap into cool items that radiate personality. Here are a few ideas for turning often discarded items into treasures:

1) Sand Candles

Make the most of old candle stubs by melting them and making sand candles. Press a glass or vase into a damp bucket of sand to make the right shape. Embed some crystals or sea shells around the edges of the sand mold and pat it down so the sides are firm. Then pour the melted wax into mold and make wicks out of birthday candles. When it is cooled and firm, dig around the candle and remove it. Gently and evenly wipe some of sand off, but not too much. Use a hair dryer -- or blow torch -- to heat up the outside shell of the sand so the wax penetrates and glues the sand together.

2) Old Aquariums and Fishbowls

Just because a glass aquarium has a crack in it is no reason to put it out to pasture. Plant a terrarium using your favorite herbs and set it up near a window. Create your own frame for the front of the aquarium to disguise its original aluminum framework. For a great bookshelf light, fill a fishbowl with white Christmas lights and crystals.

3) Wine Cork Mats

Put those wine corks to good use to make your own a bath mat, kitchen rug or even a huge area rug if you have enough corks. Simply split the corks in half lengthways and design a layout using the different shades for your pattern. Use a hot glue gun to paste the corks onto a single piece of non-stick shelf liner that measures the size of the area you want to cover. That's it, you now have a new, cool mat that absorbs moisture and muffles sounds.

4) Lace Doilies

Turn old lace doilies into decorative accent pieces with a little imagination. Cover a plain white lamp shade with layers of overlapping doilies to create a romantic scalloped effect. Make a chain of doilies and hang them from the ends of the curtain rods to soften up a window's straight lines. Glue them onto the glass of ceiling light fixtures to give the room a soft, dappled light.

5) Saris

Indian saris are made of exquisite yet durable materials woven into single long pieces that can be used for many decorating concepts. Saris hung across the ceiling in a bedroom can create a harem motif. For a special touch, hang strings of white Christmas lights inside of the saris for a striking ambient light source.

Guest post by: London interior designer Greg Kinsella

More Effusion Lamp Wick Info

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 18:20:00 +0000

The New Platinum Wick

I'm taking some time off this summer to finish up a couple of projects. I do have some information to share with my readers. The info below is about the new wicks for the effusion lamps.

I just received this information for http://www.stonewick.com
This pertains to the new platinum wick for all you effusion lamp lovers!

Most problems that have been reported have been caused by one of 4 reasons. The first thing to make sure is that the catalytic screen is not touching the top of the wick, it should be at least 1/8th of an inch from the top.

Make sure you are only trying to heat up the screen that is going around the wick, you do not want or need a flame of any sort to come from the wick.

I use a jet flame or wind resistant lighter to light the wick. It should only take 10 to 15 seconds to heat the screen. After you see the screen start to glow that should be all you need.

My lamp will burn all day if I let it. If it is placed in front of a fan or under one it will eventually go out.

I have seen a few brands of fuel work for a while but then clog up the cloth part of the wick. The only reason we can see for this is that they put too much fragrance in the fuel because most effusion lamp wicks burn through a lot of fragrance just to get the aroma in the air.

If you are still having problems with the wick please contact us thru the website at Stonewick.com and we will be glad to assist you anyway we can.

We have our own fuel coming out this fall as well as a new wick that has two parts. The top part is the catalytic screen assembly and the other is a replaceable cotton wick.

Thanks to Stonewick for this info!

Christy

More Cactus Pots and a Goodwill find

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Mon, 03 May 2010 01:23:00 +0000

I worked on a couple of pots for my cactus collection last week. I'm up to about 12 now. Just a few more to paint and I'll be ready to find a spot to keep them.

A few weeks ago I went over to the local thrift store to check out some things. I found this odd candle holder there-$2.50. Most of the paint had worn off so I figured I could take it home and touch it up.

If you closely below you can see where there is a small place to put a tea candle.

I decided to use oil paint for this project. Acrylics seems to be just a little too bright for this job. I knew that the oils would give a more muted, antique look.

Not really the greatest of photos, but you can see that the oil paints worked the way I wanted them to. The oils took 4 days to dry and then I sprayed the whole thing with a clear coat to protect it. I put it outside on the porch where a small tea candle can be placed on it. It's actually pretty cute.

$2.50-you can't beat it!

Christy

Altered Clipboards

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 00:05:00 +0000

This is what you do when you have way too much time on your hands (like me, these days). You decorate blank clipboards. They can be useful around the house, so why not spice them up a little.

I've seen altered clipboards before, so it's not an original idea, but I wanted to give it a try and just see how they would come out. It's a great way to be creative and have fun at the same time. In my case, I had several weeks in front of me where I would be "stationed" on the couch with nothing to do, so I put my time to some good, creative use. The fact that clipboards are so cheap and provide a perfect medium for art work also makes it a great gift idea for others.

The first one I created was a combo of fabric, acrylic paints and Mod Podge. The second one was just some free flow hand painting.

I had some fabric laying around that I cut into squares. I lined them up on the clipboard and applied Mod Podge on top (at least 4 layers). In between the squares I painted some flowers. When it was completed I taped off the clip at the top and sprayed it with clear finish.

Below is a close up. It looks pretty cool right? The only problem is (and I didn't think of this while putting it together), is that it's "bumpy". So ya can't use it to write on......duh....

Well, I put a yellow legal pad on it and use it that way, so it's still useful.

Next up: Remember your "hippie" days? Doesn't this remind you of that?

Needless to say, this one took some time, but was so much fun to make.

What is all this stuff anyway? The contents of my mind? Scary, isn't it?

How I did this:

I drew out the design with permanent marker and then painted over all of it with acrylics-outlining in black paint. It was finished off with 5 coats of hard spray gloss.

This one I like and it's smooth, so it's very useful.

Christy

El Cheapo Cacti

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 01:36:00 +0000

Everyone makes mistakes, right? I walked into a large box store (not going to mention the name) and the sign under the cactus said, "cactus $1.00". Well, to me that means all the cactus are a buck, right?

That really wasn't what they meant. They actually were discounting all the broken and dying cactus, not the entire shelf. But isn't that "false advertising?". My question exactly! So they landed up selling me any cactus I wanted for a buck. Since I love the plants, I bought 20 of them. Oh yes, they will fill my entire window sill or several of them. I love cactus for several reasons. They are hard to kill and require very little maintenance. Although, not the easiest of plants to transplant into pots, it is doable-you just have to wear heavy duty gardening gloves.

Such a deal allowed me to buy some clay for planting. I painted all of them with acrylics and sealed them with a clear gloss spray. I'm not sure if you are suppose to seal clay pots, but they looked so much better and I wanted to preserve the painting. Clay pots are so much fun to decorate. I've done mosaics on them, mod podged them and hand painted them. They always come out looking great, and lets face it, clay pots are pretty cheap. Decorated by hand they can make great, inexpensive gifts. You can find some great tips on taking care of your cactus here. Scroll down for the info.

I looked for some common and unusual primitive designs to copy onto my pots and this is how they came out.

I'm not sure what all of these symbols mean, by the way, but I liked the way they looked.

I only painted a few of these pots for now. I did purchase 20 cactus!! It's a big job.

and more......

Here are a few of them that are completed and up on the window sill.

and...

6 down, 14 to go!

Christy

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 20:58:00 +0000

I'm still recovering from surgery I had 2 weeks ago. It's slow going for now and I'm not able to get back to any of my projects. Unfortunately things didn't go exactly the way I would have wanted, so I'm couch bound for the next four weeks. Sitting around all day is no fun for someone like me who is constantly on the go.

I do want to share with you two sites that I visit on a regular basis. If you've read this blog before then you know how much I love to use Mod Podge. Amy from "Mod Podge Rocks" guides you through steps, troubleshooting and provides plenty of inspiration for this art medium. Check it out at: http://modpodgerocks.blogspot.com/ You'll enjoy the ride!

I love this site too: http://betterafter.blogspot.com/ A blog filled with before and after photographs of furniture, houses, rooms, chairs and just about anything else you can imagine. It looks like lots of the stuff has been purchased at thrift stores which makes it even more interesting for me. Take a look and get inspired!

I'll be back soon-promise.....

Christy