SoiledRotten: A blog with a RePurpose

Before & After: Vintage Rocking Chair

2015-04-02T11:33:00.000-07:00

You know you have a good friend when they grab two vintage rocking chairs out of the dumpster for you! I saw them getting thrown away next to where she works and she quickly grabbed them for me. I have two I rescued, but for now, I started with my favorite one.

It was in some serious need of a good makeover. I wanted to paint it a color that would look pretty in our daughter's room. I never painted fabric before and I was ready for the challenge. I used chalk paint for the entire project including the fabric. I love the way it came out and love how it looks in Brie's room.

Happy Day,

Alison

Wow Us Wednesdays!

This is How We Roll

The Scoop
The Cottage Market

Custom Easter Basket & More Spring Decor in Our Home

2015-03-19T07:37:00.001-07:00

I am so excited to show you Brie's first Easter Basket. I ordered it on online and couldn't wait for it to arrive. I was not happy it took more than a month to be delivered but it's here in time for Easter :)

Our first post on Spring Decor in a Rental was a big success! I wanted to add a few more touches of spring a light colors to complete our Spring look. Thank you all for checking our home out! I love all your wonderful comments :)

Partying over at:

This Is How We Roll

Spring Decor in a Rental

2015-03-13T08:34:00.001-07:00

Renting has its limitations. You want to hang a million things on the wall, but don't want the nail holes to fix later on. You want to decorate outside for the holidays, but you are renting in a city and there is no lawn to decorate. These are some of my family's limitations with renting.

We are going to start our home search in the next few months, but in the meantime.....we work with what we have. We love the town and home we are living in now, but are ready to set out on this new chapter of our lives and grow as a family into a new home. When decorating for spring, I made the most of our "entrance way" into our home. It makes me smile every time I go out and in our door.

Happy Spring!

Happy Day,

Alison

Partying over at Make It Pretty Monday

The Scoop

Something to Talk About

Wow Us Wednesday

Another Ann Sloan Makeover: Before & After

2015-03-10T07:06:00.003-07:00

I love myself a good furniture makeover!

Finding time to paint when you have a little baby is difficult, but made me enjoy painting this piece even more! We were in need of some more storage in our home and this small dresser sits perfectly in our living room. I used a mixture of Ann Sloan's French Linen and Miss Mustard Seed's Grain Sack. I distressed the top and sides of the dresser. I switched out the wood knobs for brass knobs. I love the way it came out. Hope you enjoy!

Partying over at The Scoop

Brie's Nursery:Before & After

2015-03-04T05:26:00.000-08:00

Here is the BEFORE right after my baby shower.

AFTER

Alison

Partying over at Savvy Southern Style

Centerpiece Wednesday: The Style Sisters

Organized 31

All Things with Purpose

Miss Mustard Seed

The Scoop

Thoughts From Alice

Andre's (Our Yorkie) Bedroom Tour: Part 4

2015-03-02T04:55:00.001-08:00

Yes, it is true. Our 13 year old Yorkie has a small section of our bedroom that is his area for clothes and rest. We couldn't conclude the Bedroom Tour without sharing his space.

Enjoy!

This is Andre.

He can be very cute at times....

And the devil other times....

Click Andre's Dog Armoire Makeover to see the Before & After pictures of his closet.

His bed rests right below ours :)

Partying over at MyPinterVentures & SNAP!

Bedroom Tour: Part 3 Favorite Corner

2015-02-12T11:57:00.001-08:00

Welcome to our Bedroom Tour: Part 3. In the past, I shared my Favorite Corner-s HERE. This corner has had a little makeover and lies in the back left corner of our bedroom. I love this area and hope you enjoy it too!

Pillow Swap!

Our dresser that stands to the left of the tufted chaise.

Partying over at Miss Mustard Seed

Bedroom Tour: Part 2: Craft Corner for $150

2015-02-11T05:58:00.002-08:00

I'm so happy that you enjoyed Part 1 of yesterday's Bedroom Tour but Part 2 is beyond my favorite! I have been dying for the past few years to have my own craft area in my home. I have moved to 3 different apartments in the past 3 years and I finally took the plunge and added a "craft corner" to our current apartment. I know that my family and I will only be living in our current apartment for the next year or so, so I did not want to "go big and permanent" in our space. This corner is just right for me. I took an empty area of the bedroom and added my desired space to store all my paint supplies and crafting accessories.

I love it. I worked with pieces of furniture I owned.I spent no more than $150. It works and I wake up feeling inspired.

I plan on added a mood board to the right under "PAINT." I am working on a post with all the details but for now, I wanted to share this awesome area with you!

The Before

Another Before

The Craft Corner lies to the right of our bed. It fits just perfect.

Mason jars for craft supplies.

Stacked boxes and luggage for a laptop table. There is room for storage in each item.

Wrapping paper covered the walls of this area. It is held up by thumb tacks an ribbon for a clean edge. Wrapping paper was only $1.50 a roll and still had some left over.

My favorite chair that has stayed with me through all my moves. Love the chippy look!

This shelf is a work in progress but it is enough space to hold all my paint.

When I do a room makeover, I am realistic with my decisions. I always craft or paint in a large area which is usually the kitchen table. For now, this area is to store all my creative things and blog.
Thank you for checking out my Craft Corner.
Happy Day!
Alison

Partying over at:
Savvy Southern Style
The Scoop
TheStyleSisters Centerpiece Wednesday
The Dedicated House
This Is How We Roll: Organized 31
Miss Mustard Seed

Bedroom Tour: Part 1

2015-02-10T12:53:00.002-08:00

Hi There! I finally saw some sun in our bedroom and thought it was the perfect time for some updated photos. The bedroom is pretty small so I have to share the tour in three different parts since each corner of the room has different functions. Enjoy and thanks for stopping by!

Partying over at The Scoop, Savvy Southern Style & SNAP!

Small Space Living Solution: A Traveling Table

2015-02-05T13:01:00.001-08:00

Small space living requires dual purpose furniture....for sure! Our living room has been taken over by oversized baby furniture and chairs that we had to rearrange the room. I am used to having free range of rearranging furniture to my liking...usually on a monthly basis :)....but now I must make our home suitable for our sweet baby girls and her belongings too.

I sat down one morning and went to put down my cup of coffee and realized that there was no table to rest my mug on. We had removed the old white chippy painted table to make room for an oversized gray tufted rocker. (which I just love) The side tables to the green couch are used for our pretty little things are really not functional at all. I now had to put my thinking cap on and think of how we can find a table that could be easily moved in between the chair and couch and was not overwhelmingly large. Tada! Homegoods had the perfect table with wheels for our drinks to rest! It was the perfect size and wherever my husband and I decide to sit and enjoy a glass of wine....the table rolls with us :)

Our living room prior to our daughter.

A tufted gray chair has replaced the blue one.

Perfect table for placing my morning coffee :)

Best purchase I have made so far in this home!
Happy Day!
Alison

Partying over at Organized 31 & Miss Mustard Seed

Anthropologie Inspired/DIY Valentine's Day Decorating

2015-02-02T09:08:00.001-08:00

It makes me happy to decorate for holidays now after having our baby girl. Every holiday since October has been extra special with her in our lives, but Valentine's Day has a deeper meaning of love this year.

We all love a good craft project every now and then, but when you can add some holiday excitement to something you already own, it makes it look and feel even better than store bought! Right?!

I found this heart garland at Michael's craft store and thought it would look sweet placed somewhere in our home. After playing around with it for a few minutes, I found it a home wrapped around the wreath I recently hung in the living room.

Here are some hearts I have used to decorate with 2 Valentine's Days ago. I had the idea to use the leftover letters used from the Project Nursery post. Click HERE for Project Nursery post.

The letters are very Anthropologie like! I love them! They are stickers so I just placed them on the hearts and they stayed perfect.

The flowers and vase were another DIY project. I fancied up the red mason jar with the "C" for our last name and the roses were a sweet gift from the husband :)

Loving this twig bouquet! It added the perfect red color I was looking for without screaming "IT'S VALENTINE'S DAY!"
(Also a gift from my husband :)

Hoping you all your homes are filled with love this Valentine's Day.
xo
Alison

Partying over at My Pinterventures, The Dedicated House, Homestoriesatoz
The Scoop, SNAP

Starting Fresh in NY

2015-01-30T14:29:00.001-08:00

A friend once told me..."There is no better feeling than being a New Yorker."

I didn't get it. What was so special about living in New York?

I lived in New Jersey for the past twenty years and did not understand how a "New Yorker" could have such adoration for their home state that rested only twenty minutes from where I resided. I slowly learned what my friend was talking about.

In 2013, I was faced with some "life changes" that forced me to begin looking for my first apartment. I was young, scared, and worried about how I was going to pay my rent and bills, but I was never so ready for the challenge. I wanted to leave my New Jersey past behind and begin my this new chapter of my life as a "New Yorker".

Apartment/House hunting can be a complete headache! I was strapped for time with a busy lifestyle and my apartment hunting was solely done online. How was I going to find a trustworthy real estate agent? Will the apartment look the same in person as it did online? Hundreds of questions started taking over my mind. I look back now and wish I had known about Compass. Compass is a well organized website that is full of New York City neighborhood knowledge (click HERE for Compass neighborhood guide). The website's clean lined silhouette allows for an easy visual and feel for what each neighborhood has to offer. Compass would have helped lessen my anxiety about all that I did NOT know about New York, plus their photos are fantastic!

Moving from a decently large home in New Jersey to a small apartment in New York brought about some spatial challenges. I had so many "things" that I wanted to bring with me, but no place to put it! I had to get creative. I was forced to think "outside of the box". I found storage solutions in the most random places, but it worked. I re-purposed items so my belongings would have more than one function. My home décor became more than just a pretty piece to fancy up my new place....and I loved it. I loved every square inch of my new home and it brought out my creative side!

I now know what being a "New Yorker" feels like. The adventure that lies around me is exhilarating. The history that remains in every building one walks past is astonishing and the feeling of "home" has never felt so right.

I am so thrilled to be able to share this new chapter in New York with my new husband and precious baby girl.

Here are some solutions for decorating in small space living:

The kitchen table also functioned as a desk.

Baskets are a great way to store blankets and dog leashes :)

Apartment living rarely allows for a yard so get creative with displaying flowers and plants.

I use old luggage as seasonal clothing storage and as a great side table!

Vintage cups work great for office supplies!

Happy Day!
Alison

Glamour Organization

2015-01-17T10:29:00.001-08:00

Part of my New Year's resolution (as I am sure many of you feel the same way) is to get organized! I feel that the past year has been taken over by so many wonderful life changes, but has left our physical world around us in unorganized chaos. A baby brings many new items to your home and leaves you with little time to organize your own belongings. So....with the hour that my princess gets her beauty rest, I get to some beauty organization. I'm going to call it Glamour Organization.

I have organization ADD, just as bad as I have decorating ADD. When I think of where to begin, I jump from room to room and closet to closet and unable to focus on one area at a time. I thought it would be best to categorize my organization strategy. I began with my earrings that I wear on a daily basis. I purchased this old worn bowl from Brimfield Flea Market years ago. I found it hiding in my closet and I thought it would be the perfect size to hold my earrings and wedding rings.

Next, I turned to my sunglass collection. Do you think I have a problem here??? I have about 5 more pairs in my car! This glass box used to house my jewelry and now the perfect space for my shades.

The next organization project was my baby Brie's headbands. I found that by the end of the week, there were headbands everywhere....in every drawer, on the floor, and tangled in a ball. I had another jewelry holder that would be perfect for her room. Here is how the headband arrangement turned out.

Here is some Glamour Organization at its best...or at least my best :)

Next category is my paint/paintbrushes organization! I found these glass jars in our storage closet and have the perfect pile of mess to organize with these gems.

I have the itch to tackle a really great piece of furniture with some new MMS milk paint. I think some organization will give me some great motivation.

Enjoy this day.

Alison

Partying over at The Dedicated House & The Scoop: Cedar Hill Farmhouse

Living Room Makeover: A Peg Board with a Story

2015-01-14T10:39:00.003-08:00

Happy 2015!!! I may be a little late but I have a good excuse being a new Mommy of a 2 month year old. : ) Our hearts are filled with joy and a new type of love this year with our new little one but I will save that for another post ; )

I have had enough sleep to get my creative itch back! I'm so ready to take on our home with new projects and style in 2015. I started with a small makeover in our living room as my first project. I wanted to stick with a neutral color palette with a splash of green for a hint of color. I love green and could have it in every room, but really enjoy it in the living room since that is where we spend most of our time.

When I start to think about projects, I overwhelm my brain. I start writing the list of shopping items to buy, the old items I need to look for at a thrift store, and the pieces of furniture I can give a quick makeover....but this chaotic mind is not my reality anymore after having a baby. Getting the store in this freezing cold weather with a tiny infant is not a smart choice for our family, so I decided to shop my closet. Once I opened the door to shelves of stored vintage items and décor, I was smacked in the face with the most perfect item to begin the living room makeover. A peg board. It was not JUST a peg board, but my Poppa's peg board. A board that was once filled with beat up old tools that were used every day by a talented skilled carpenter who happened to be my grandfather.

Poppa lived to work. His creativity was seen in many of his projects he tackled and loved to tell stories of all his accomplishments. I think I was lucky to get a portion of his "creativity gene." After Poppa passed away, I wanted a piece of him with me. I wanted a small item from his workshop that would remind me of him at every glance. The peg board where his tools hung stood out to me. I knew I can come up with somewhere in our apartment to incorporate this special piece.

The color was perfect for the living room. The rough texture, the perfect imperfections, and the white splash of paint (done by Poppa) is the perfect arrangement for the focal point of our living room. The room is coming together slowly, but I am happy with the way it is unfolding.

Stay tuned for the completion of the room (is it every really completed?) Thank you for letting me share my story of Poppa with you.

Cheers to a year full of inspiration and memories!
~Alison~

**You can find our BEFORE pictures of the living room HERE

Partying over at Savvy Southern Style, Adelightsomelife, Elizabeth & Co., & Organized 31

Our Home Feels Like Fall

2014-10-02T07:54:00.003-07:00

This is the first Fall season in a while that I actually unpacked my favorite Fall decorations and put them to use. I have moved three times in the past two years and finally feel settled enough to make our current place "our home". Nothing beats the smell of an Autumn Spice candle, the look of all different types of pumpkins, and a great vignette with an old DIY wreath project.

The smell of this candle is like heaven.

DIY wreath project...may have even been my first Pinterest project.

Apartment living is tough when you are used to decorating a yard. Make the best use of the hallway space leading to your home.

Great Fall mat from Christmas Tree Shoppe for $3.99!

Caddy cornered some Fall garland and gifted pumpkins in our stairway. My favorite part of decorating this Fall.
Happy October!
xo
Alison

Project Nursery

2014-09-19T09:33:00.003-07:00

Joe and I are blessed to say that we are 33 1/2 weeks pregnant with a girl. This is more than a blessing. It's a miracle and my best DIY project yet :)

I could not wait to start thinking of how we were going to decorate the nursery. I'm not into pink EVERYWHERE but a blush pink, ivory, and a hint of rustic would do the trick.

Our first purchase was the armoire that I am obsessed with and still need to organize. This was bought from a local furniture store in Nyack that I am in love with. Very pricey, but I know we will have this piece of goodness for a lifetime.

Next, was the rug. I wanted something with a pattern and Land of Nod had the perfect pattern of stripes and the perfect blush pink color.

A new light fixture was next on our checklist of nursery items to purchase. I never changed a light fixture before but I know how it makes such an impact in a light colored room. I went ahead and made our first purchase with Joss & Main. Besides receiving the wrong instructions on how to install, we were very pleased with the final product. Can't beat the price too!

The dresser and crib add the perfect shade of neutral to the room. The crib transforms into a toddler bed so one less thing to have to purchase for her a few years down the road. (Will send pics of the room fully done once the furniture is delivered)

Loving This Furniture! Can't Wait For It To Arrive!

Joss & Main Light Fixture

Land of Nod 8 x 10 Rug

DIY Wall Art

I Already Arranged A Little Vignette Of Pretty Things

They Are Waiting For Her Arrival!

Just One Angle of Her Room Full Of Gifts For Her :)

Obsessed With This Blanket (Got 2...1 As A Back-up If It Gets Ruined)

The Amazing Hutch That I Would Live In If I Fit!

Can't wait to share more projects & stories with you.

Enjoy this beautiful day!

Partying over at Organized 31

Past Fall Home Decor Projects & Inspiration

2014-09-12T06:19:00.002-07:00

Who doesn't think Fall is the best time of year? Pretty much..no one. Warm apple cider, a faux fur blanket, and baking are some of what I love about Fall. Fall decorating blows every other season in NY away. The neutral colors and the pops of natural earthy elements are my obsessions with decorating in Fall. I wanted to share some past Fall decorating projects with you and some inspiration via Pinterest. I have not started to decorate for Fall yet (will explain why in post to follow) but can't wait to get creative for this season. Happy Early Fall and can't wait to see all your fall projects!

Wreath found in thrift store for $1.

One of my favorite white pitchers from a thrift store for $1.50. Dried hydrangeas from my old garden.

Faux pumpkin and garland from Homegoods.

I would live in this little home : ) How amazing are the surrounding gardens and pumpkin patches???

I am so looking forward to painting and getting crafty with some pumpkins! (last 3 pictures were found via pinterest)

Enjoy this day,
Alison

Our Wedding

2014-09-11T08:27:00.001-07:00

I have been blessed in so many ways this past year. I could have never imagined that I would have the opportunity to meet such a gentle soul in a man and be able to call him my husband.

We decided to chose 7.27.14 as our wedding day. Small and intimate is what we were aiming for since this was both our second marriages and we wanted this day to be about the love we have for each other...and nothing else. My wheels began spinning about all the vintage décor I wanted to incorporate in the ceremony and the small reception after. The anxiety of how am I going to "treasure hunt" all these amazing architectural pieces I had envisioned and painting projects I would take on....and then I remembered....the few hours of our celebration...was to focus on us and our love and nothing else.

Of course, I still got creative, but with simplistic ideas. I decided I wanted to do the flowers, including my bouquet, Joe's corsage, and the two center pieces that stood on the tables of our brunch celebration.

We both have a love for music and I had the idea to incorporate a violinist during our ceremony and brunch for a dash of serenity and class. It was the perfect touch to an unforgettable day.

The venue, violinist, photographer, my dress/shoes/jewelry, hair stylist/make up artist, and the choice to have our parents and siblings only, were all decided and planned in one day. The day was simple, elegant, and about our love for one another.

Can you even stand the architecture of the gazebo???? Love.

The vintage pins were found years ago at a flea market and was the perfect touch for this special day.

A vintage clutch I used as décor for a party last year. It added great texture as an accessory to my dress.

DIY Flowers

I fell in love with this headband from Anthropologie and was gifted to me by a friend. If you know be by now, I am not into the traditional element of things. I love that I can use this as an every day piece as well.

Thank you for sharing in the memories of this special time in our lives.
xo
Alison

Partying over at Savvy Southern Living & Liz Marie Blog

My Favorite Corner-S

2014-08-18T04:53:00.001-07:00

I have moved three times in the past two years and seem to find a favorite spot in each home. For some odd reason, my favorite spot always ends up being in a corner of a room somewhere....tucked away where I can curl up with a blanket and take a moment of "me time".

In my first NY apartment, this was my favorite corner

I loved this corner filled with my favorite vintage finds mixed with newer accessories.

In our current home, my new favorite corner lies in our bedroom. The white comfy tufted chaise is my favorite piece of furniture. I love to swap out the pillows constantly for a continuously new look.

I was given this denim screen to do something fun with before it was thrown out in the trash. I love it and it adds shape to the bedroom. I'm thinking of using it as a picture holder, but want to add more detail to it before I add some pictures.

Hope you had a great weekend!

~Alison

Milk Glass & Pops of Color

2014-08-11T05:52:00.001-07:00

Who doesn't love a good piece of milk glass? I have several milk glass vases and wanted to think of an unconventional way of using them. In preparation for an apartment gathering, I quickly through together some fun vintage finds on our bar cart and knew the milk glass would be great for holding lemons and limes for drinks. (Love taking pictures when the sun is just coming up)

Me & fresh flowers always equal happiness :) The perfect way to add a pop of color to a room without being part of the room's color palette.

Another fun way to add color and to nourish your husband's chocolate addiction.

Old chippy paint is my most favorite way of adding color and character to a room.

A room full of color fills me with creativity and encourages other ideas for future projects.

Happy Day.

~Alison

Before & After Bedroom

2014-08-07T06:01:00.001-07:00

Our bedroom is my favorite place to be.
The pops of blue bring about a sense of serenity to me. It's a color that goes with everything and with the way I change up things...I need a color that is very versatile.
I think it is important to surround your bedroom with beautiful things. Candles, flowers, and spiritual reminders are my must-haves for our bedroom. :)

I was so happy pleased with this cane headboard from Ballard Designs. Quick delivery and exactly what it looked like online.

Love the natural sunlight this room gets.

My favorite piece of furniture I actually did not paint.

My favorite corner. I'm still deciding what other artwork I want to put in the room.

Happy Day.
~Alison
Partying over at Organized 31, The Dedicated House, & Miss Mustard Seed

Before & After: Another Ann Sloan Makeover

2014-07-29T05:26:00.001-07:00

I could not breathe when a client dropped off this amazing bench to redo! I was overwhelmed with so much excitement that I was ready to start painting the second it hit our apartment floor.

I knew that a deep blue distressed look was perfect for this piece...and the client agreed. Three coats of paint and some dark wax for distressing.....I had the perfect bench for a great entryway or laundry room.

Before

AFTER

I just adored this color for this bench. I love how the blue has a greyish tint in the natural sunlight and a deeper blue without.

I really focused on an extreme weathered look around the details of the legs. Everything just looks better with some age :)
Enjoy this day.
Partying over at Cedar Hill Farmhouse , The Dedicated House, A Stroll Thru Life,, Miss Mustard Seed & Savvy Southern Style

Hallway Reveal

2014-07-25T06:41:00.002-07:00

There has been many updates going on over at our new home! My favorite part is finding some unique pieces and doing something different with them.

A few weeks ago, I shared the small birdcage I purchase for the hallway in this post
The candles looked pretty, especially lit at night, but there was something I did not LOVE about it.
Some leftover lavender I had left from the Nyack Street Fair did the trick! I love the way it blends with the birdcage and the scent it gives off every time we walk by it :)

Have a wonderful weekend.

Before

Before the lavender

The art on the wall is still the art featured in Thrifty Thursday Art

~Alison

Partying over at Liz Marie Blog

10 Minute Lamp Makeover for $2

2014-07-23T05:27:00.002-07:00

Rise & Shine! Time for a ten minute makeover that made a big difference in my bedroom.

I purchased two of these lamps one year ago from Christmas Tree Shop. They were a great deal at $34.99 each and knew over time I would find a way to add some detail to make them a little less boring.

I came across this great burlap ribbon in Michael's craft store and got to thinking of where I could use it.

The lamps were the perfect spot in need of some detail. One roll of the burlap did the trick for the bottom trip of the lampshade. I love the age it added to the boring 'ol shade and this project only cost $2!!

As the day progressed and the natural sunlight comes through the window.....

Happy Day.

~Alison~

Vintage Mailbox Makeover

2014-07-22T06:56:00.000-07:00

I recently set out on a quest to find something unique that would work as a "mail holder" inside our home. I came across this perfect vintage mailbox and knew it would do the job.

However, I was not really into the color. Love mint....don't get me wrong...just was looking for something with a little age. So, I picked up a paint brush and got to work. I decided blue would be a more universal color since I am sure I will change the location of the mailbox 100 times. A piece of sandpaper, Vasoline, and some leftover paint, I felt that I had a completely "new" old mailbox.

Alison

Partying over at http://thewinthropchronicles.blogspot.com/ &