We had an incredible long weekend with awesome weather, so I was able to get out and tackle the extra greenery that wasn’t really invited to our garden plot.

Our side yard looked like this…

Yes, I hang my head in shame.

But it looks worse than it really was. These party crashers seriously seemed to pop up overnight!

They look pretty in this photo, but trust me, they are not your friend!

These pretty weeds (what are they anyway?) cover the ground like a floral carpet, and before you know it, you’ve got wall-to-wall!

Well, not anymore.

Now our side yard looks like this!

Two heaping wheel barrels and this mini load later.

I know. Crazy!

And to keep the weeds down, Lush Eco Lawns will be replenishing our bark mulch with a very, very thick layer. I’d call that ripping out the carpet and replacing it with hardwood instead!

How about you, are you battling the first weeds of the season? What are your weed control strategies??

Thanks for stopping by!

Photographs by Sheila Zeller

Not too long ago I was given a hand-me-down planter with these little gnomes that hang off the sides. Now I know these guys are pretty cute, but I’m not so much into cutesy garden things. Don’t unfriend me for that!

Okay, they’re actually kind of hard to resist with their mischievous little faces… they spell trouble, right? But, I still wasn’t convinced. I kept trying to decide where to feature this planter with these little guys, and then it all came together for me!

My friend Heather over at Grillfusion blog posted about her new little friend, a white garden gnome! Seeing the gnome in white changed everything! Thanks for showing me the way, Heather!

Here’s a look at what I did.

Poor, unsuspecting little guys! I painted the planter, too.

And then potted it up.

Sweet Marjoram…

Rosemary & Basil…

and Thyme.

And look who popped up!

See what I mean about mischievous? How did he get in there??

And what’s this guy doing hanging around here?

So bad. I knew they were trouble!

I guess my planter of herbs is their new playground!

I’m hoping the herbs will survive in this planter, but if not I’m game to move them and try something else!

How about you? Have you given herbs in a planter a try? And what about garden gnomes? Are they in or out at your home, or have you already unfriended me for that?

Today I’m linking up over at Satori Design to join Shauna and the gang for the outdoor extravaganza party. Why not pop over and check out what everyone else has been up to! And if you’re into potting up herbs, check out Shauna’s tutorial. She’s has a few great tricks to share!

Thanks for stopping by!

Photographs by Sheila Zeller

How was your weekend? All-in-all ours was pretty darned good since we were able to capitalize on the bright spots in our mixed bag of weather!

Saturday we wandered through the Duncan Farmer’s Market, stopping in for a chat at some of our favorite stands. When we popped by Makaria Farm’s stand, little did I know a very cool story was about to emerge.

This is my friend Heather, and you might remember her from my earlier posts, here and here.

Heather McLeod, Makaria Farm

You see that little chalk board? We were together when Heather thrifted it back a few months ago. The perfect little stand. Small, fold-able  portable, well-made as in dove tail corners, solid wood well-made, and above all, farm stand functional. All that packed into one thrifted little find!

Where the cycle of a thrift comes in? One of Makaria Farm’s long-time customers and acquaintances happened to ask about the new addition, specifically, where Heather had gotten it. And when Heather said she thrifted it, the woman was able to pinpoint from where! What are the chances?

As it turns out, this little chalkboard had once belonged to her! And… she had originally acquired it on her own thrifting adventures many years ago!

Now, how coincidental is that?

I love this story. You just never know where a good thrift has been, or when you might see it again. And you can be sure, there’s a story behind every one!

Do you have any thrifting coincidences like this to share? What have you got planned for the week ahead? Any treasure seeking adventures calling your name?

Thanks for stopping by!

Photograph by Sheila Zeller

With Mother’s Day right around the corner, I wanted to share a few simple gift ideas. DIY of course!

Each one has been created using this vintage upholstery webbing that I picked up from General Salvage.

Project #1 – Quick & Easy Planter

You’ll need the following supplies:

• Large coffee can including plastic lid
• Modge Podge fabric glue
• Popsickle Stick to spread the glue
• Ball of jute
• Tape measure, marking pen & scissors
• Upholstery webbing
• Potting Soil
• Plant of your choice

Steps to make the planter:

Things to note:

1. When you cut the webbing, allow the length to overlap slightly. I discovered the webbing shrinks as it dries, so my ends pulled away from each other leaving a bit of a gap once it was dry.
2. The Modge Podge will bleed through the webbing, so try to wipe it off as you go.
3. Placing the lid on the bottom of the tin is for added protection against rust spots being left on surfaces where the planter will sit.

Last step… Plant it up!

I planted lavender, but you can plant up anything you wish.

Project #2 – A Stand for Mom’s Magazines!

You’ll need these supplies:

• Old knitting stand frame (you can usually thrift these)
• Hardware for assembly (save the old, but you will probably need extra screws)
• Doweling (you decide the thickness based on your frame, *images 5 & 6 below)
• Wood stripping (3/4″ x 1/8″) *images 9-12 below
• Paint (for frame and doweling)
• Modge Podge
• Upholstery Tacks *images 17 & 18 below
• Chain (I repurposed chain, *images 13 & 14 below, from the moss basket hanger I used for my DIY Capiz Chandelier)
• Decorative wood stripping, stained or painted (mine was repurposed from the knitting frame, *image 17)
• Upholstery Webbing

Steps to make the magazine rack:

A few things to note at this stage:

1. Checking that the doweling fits is really important; I actually sewed one of mine a smidgen too tight, and had to redo it. Imagine if the project was all finished except for sliding the doweling in!
2. If you intend to paint your doweling, now is a good time for that.
3. The reason you Modge Podge your webbing ends (*image 7) is you’ll be attaching it to the frame with screws (*image 9-11), and this reinforces the webbing.

This project is a little more involved, but still not a huge undertaking. The next set of steps are easier if you have a helping hand, a drill and some patience!

The last step I took was to do a light black paint wash on the inside strips of the stand.

And voila, an old knitting stand repurposed into a chic new magazine stand for Mom using vintage upholstery webbing !

What do you think? Are either of these projects tempting to try?

My Mom taught me a lot about repurposing things. She was pretty amazing at taking something tired and old, and making it look like new. She didn’t hesitate to roll up her sleeves and tackle a project, and she was never daunted by the scope no matter how big or small. I’m grateful for the things she taught me, and I miss not being able to ask her ‘how to’ questions as I undertake my own projects. If she didn’t have an answer, it wasn’t long before she came up with one. That’s just the way my Mom was… I miss my Mom. Mom, this one’s for you! xoxo

Thanks for stopping by!

Photographs by Sheila Zeller

Good morning and welcome to a special guest post feature!

Today I am really excited to introduce Meghan Plowman, lifestyle photographer and author of The Orchard blog! Meghan and I became virtually acquainted in a really neat kind of way… Believe it or not, I know Meghan’s aunt, Barb Nugent. Now having an acquaintance in common may not seem so unusual, except that Meghan lives in Perth, Australia… and as you know, I live on the west coast of Canada! Who knew our worlds would touch in this way? And for those of you living in the Cowichan Valley, you might know Barb, too. She’s a volunteer and fundraising organizer extraordinaire for our local Hospice Society – did you attend the recent fashion show fundraiser Barb organized?

From one thrifting vintage lover to another, thank you so much Meghan for being my guest today, and thank you Barb for the introduction!

Hello readers! I am thrilled to be contributing to sZinteriors blog today. I’d like to share with you some images of my own styling work and some tips about decorating with vintage finds, and what to keep in mind when looking for items to decorate with.

I am a lifestyle photographer and stylist living and working in Perth, Western Australia. You can see more of the work I get up to over at The Orchard blog as well as my Facebook page.

I particularly love bringing a mix of items into my styling work and tend to lean upon my ever-growing props cupboard for inspiration and interesting additions to imagery. Quite often you’ll find me either in a vintage market or peeling through layers of verge side household piles!

This first example shows an image I was asked to put together that had a real Autumn story.

For the sake of putting together this vignette I brainstormed all of the things I love about Autumn including:

• Cooking
• Fallen leaves and spending time camping in nature
• Hot drinks
• Rustic, earthy colour and texture
• Reading indoors

It’s my belief that you can find the perfect touches for little or next to no cost, sitting just outside your door or at your nearest thrift store. For example, I found the pine cone and leaves from my garden, used a bottle I found at a garage sale and a camping cup I managed to find on the side of the road.

Next, this Easter table setting was created to inspire readers to dress their table for the holiday.

My table was inspired by the florals, fruits and textures of the cooler months of Autumn (it’s Autumn here in the land of down under when we celebrate Easter!)

Some inexpensive and thrifty ideas for dressing a table for your next soiree:

• Use butchers paper or left over fabric roll as a table runner
•  Place brightly coloured fruits and vegetables as a centre piece or scattered along the centre of a table
• Try a collection of glass jars in different heights and finishes for e.g. amber, frosted, textured, jars with labels or logos, grouped together with loose florals cut from the garden to create interest and an eclectic decoration.
• Branches and twigs are an easy way to create height to a centre piece and act as a ‘tree’ for hanging decorations, name tags and sweets.
• Add some quirkiness to your setting by adding a figurine or interesting knick knack. It will create a talking point for guests and makes things fun.

If you find yourself with a collection of seemingly unrelated finds that you are unsure what to do with, perhaps take a step back and look at what the items have in common visually, if anything.

• Are they similar colours or textures?
• Were they bought or found in the same location?
• Do they tell a story, for e.g. are they items found at the beach or are they all travel mementos?
• Can you create a visual story with the items?

The next two images show examples of how I grouped a mix of random, found objects together to create a story, one based on the idea of reading books in a cozy corner, the other a seaside tale. The reason these two work well is because I tied them together through their similar colour and textures.

Items I used for the first image:

• A road side chair which we painted grey
• A discarded old book with the pages carefully peeled away and taped to a wall to create a background texture
• A stack of my favourite design books with the spines showing text
• An ampersand gift tag to create drama and a focal point
• A vintage camera –why not display your picture taking equipment?
• A ball of garden twine, and
• A favourite scarf

The second idea:

• Thrift store found vases
• Left over soft rope
• Found twigs, feather and pine cones
• Mixed teatowels and scraps of art canvas roll
• Garlic peelings! – These create a lovely texture for still life
• Scraps of fabric
• Found bottles
• Old book pages
• Found sea urchin and shells

I hope I have given you a few ideas for decorating with old, found or simply scrap items you have lying around your home! I am a believer that beauty can be found in anything, it’s just keeping your eyes open to seeing it. I’d love to hear your ideas and feedback! I can be contacted through The Orchard blog.

Have Meghan’s tips enticed you to head out and see what treasures you can find? I bet you have a corner, a mantle, a wall, a porch, a __________ (you fill in the blank!) waiting to be freshly styled. I love the theme that it’s not necessarily what so much as how you choose to display your objects. Mixing up textures and telling a story is the key! If you get a chance, please pop over to The Orchard and introduce yourself! And if you check out Meghan’s Facebook page there’s a certain connection posted there to my post from yesterday! Do you think you can find it?  ;-)

Thank you once again Meghan, for sharing at sZinteriors today.

Why do I love vintage?

I attended an estate sale yesterday that was run by the family members, and as pieces were contemplated by those of us looking to buy, stories and memories were shared. I felt privileged to be in the midst, as it was clear the pieces for sale had seen many years of family love… and as each member shared another moment connected back to their treasures, the reasons that I love vintage were underscored for me.

Vintage pieces are the stories in peoples’ lives.

Vintage pieces have stood the test of time.

Like this Mikasa Cera Stone creamer by Jonas Roberts, circa 1960s. 50-ish years this piece has been around, and it’s in perfect condition!

Vintage pieces have seen more than we’ll ever know.

Like these three Mikasa Cera Stone creamers all lined up in a row. Each has lived a separate life, and yet somehow their paths have crossed to become a family of three. All are in mint condition. What are the chances after 50 some odd years in existence?

Vintage pieces come from their very own family.

They’ve traveled around, have stories to share, and some of their stories we’ll never know…

But as we bring vintage treasures into our own lives, we get to continue their legacy of ‘being’. And we get to build our own stories in to the tapestry of their past.

I’m sharing these thoughts with you, because of…

The Beauty

Yesterday I witnessed vintage treasures being lovingly moved on. It was a special moment in time that I won’t soon forget.

The Tragedy

And then a little later on I experienced a stark contrast to that. I was in a ‘shop’, the name I won’t disclose, where glassware was being cleared from the shelves, apparently destined for another ‘shop’. The glassware was a mix of vintage and not so new, and it was literally being tossed into a cart without care. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing… and more disturbing, what I was hearing. The sound of breaking, chipping glass. Why? It made me so sad that these unsuspecting pieces were being handled this way, that their chances for survival were so carelessly disregarded…

The Opportunity

We’ll never know why… but we do know there are great pieces out there waiting for a loving home. If you shop vintage, go find them before it’s too late! If you aren’t a vintage shopper, do you think you might want to give it a try?

These are just a few of the reasons why I love vintage!!! I hope you’re having a great weekend. Pop by tomorrow… I have a very special guest joining sZinteriors, and there just might be a connection to this post!

Thanks for stopping by!

Photographs by Sheila Zeller

Today I’m pleased to introduce my guest Jay Harris, a regular contributor to Home Depot’s blog and an ”on the floor” Home Depot sales associate.

Jay’s interests include providing tips to homeowners on exterior shutters and casement windows, and today Jay has a ton of great DIY tips for you on how to select and install window treatments. Settle in. You won’t want to skim. I know this is one post you’ll want to bookmark for all your future window treatment DIY needs!

Thanks so much for sharing on sZinteriors today, Jay!

DIY Designer Drapery – ‘Wow!’ Window Treatments

One of the quickest (and least expensive) ways to update a room while adding color and personality is through swapping out your window treatments. At the same time, once you know how to install them yourself, you can keep them in place for a month or a year or a decade…it’s completely up to you!

{via HGTV Blog | Sarah Richardson Design}

But the best part is when it comes to windows and window treatments, you don’t have to be a professional interior designer to decorate like one – all you need is a bit of creativity and a few insider secrets!

Here are just a few of the DIY tricks at your fingertips.

Material Matters

There are several things to keep in mind when choosing the right materials and designs for your window treatments.

 {via Day Old News Blog | Mary McDonald Inc. design}

Length
Long curtains create elegance and drama while shorter curtains are more informal and casual. Longer lengths are more appropriate in master bedrooms, formal dining rooms and living rooms whereas shorter curtains work well in other bedrooms, kitchens and less formal rooms.

Color
The darker the color or the more saturated the hue of a particular shade, the more formal the look. Darker colors will add more elegance and energy than neutrals. For example, even though they are both red, a rich burgundy is much more dramatic than a bright, cheery cherry.

Patterns
If you want to elongate a room, choose stripes in a vertical or diagonal pattern rather than horizontal lines. Additionally, if you choose a busy or intricate design for your windows, pay attention to the rest of the room’s décor and be sure to balance out your use of patterns in the remaining space.

Functional Fabrics and Lovely Layers
Silk, velvet and velour drapery creates luxurious and romantic ambiance. If you are going for “plush” and “pampered,” these upscale materials are just the thing!

 {via Elle Decor}

Organic cottons, linens and burlap exude natural beauty and bring some of the outdoors inside.

 {via Canadian House & Home}

To create dimension and texture, consider layering a heavier fabric on the outside with a light-colored lining. The lining not only softens the look of a room, it also blocks harmful UV rays while allowing light to filter in.

 {via Make It Lovely & Love It Blog}

Finally, a great way to add drama, personality and whimsy to your window treatments is through the hardware. Use wooden rods and metallic finishes; couple them with elaborate crystal or fabric-wrapped finials. You can also add extra flair with elegant sashes and braided cord ties.

{Architectural Digest via MPLS St. Paul Magazine Blog | Nate Berkus design}

Installation Tips

Now that you know what to install, let’s focus on how to install it.

{via Home Tips for Women}

Along with the appropriate hardware, installation kit and accompanying instructions, you’ll need a level, a screwdriver, a pencil for marking holes and a metal measuring tape (not cloth or a ruler). As always, measure twice, drill once!

Here are some basic tips to remember:

• Measure all windows, even if they appear to be the same size!
• Curtains and drapes are supported by a rod or bar – make sure it’s sturdy enough to support the weight of your chosen draperies.
• When attaching screws, never use plastic drywall anchors (they will eventually fall out).
• For traverse rods with rings (to connect the fabric and the bar), measure from the bottom of the rings to ensure the proper length.
• Use draper’s rules: purchase fabric that is one and a half times the actual width of the window to allow for gathers and pleats.

For notes on installation placement, consider the following discussion.

Not Problems…Opportunities!

Rather than focusing on the negative aspects of your windows or surrounding room, highlight the positives and turn those problems into opportunities to show off your professional-grade home décor chops!

Here are a few of the most common fixes to “window problem areas” using tried-and-true optical illusions:

Small Windows
Solution: Instead of placing the window treatments or blinds inside the frame of the window’s casing, install them on the outside to create the appearance of larger windows. By creating a frame for the window on the outside, you give the eye more of a window “box” to look at, thereby making the entire window area seem larger.

Choppy Window-to-Wall/Ceiling Ratios
Solution: If you have shorter ceilings, windows that are placed at odd heights or tall, skinny windows, minimize the choppy look by installing floor to ceiling window treatments. By having long curtains, you have tricked the eye into focusing not on the uneven proportions of window-to-wall but rather on the smooth, elongated, elegant lines of the drapes. At the same time, the entire room looks larger!

Off-Center Windows
Solution: When you have windows that are not centered or are too far to one side on a wall, balance them out by off-setting the window treatments above them and around the sides. By doing this, you will necessarily have more surface area of the window covered on one side; however, by keeping the curtains evenly drawn, you will only see the center of the window behind them – not the 6 inches on one side and the 2 inches on the other.

{via Dec-a-Porter Blog}

By incorporating the above tips and tricks, the sky beyond your windows is the limit! What are some of your favorite design techniques that you have implemented yourself?

Isn’t it interesting how time seems to be flying by? I don’t know about you, but my Spring feels like a blur!

Today you’ll find me over at Home Bunch taking you on a tour of one of my favorite places in the Cowichan Valley… a very tranquil, beautiful place where time checks itself at the door, and Spring does not pass you by…

Won’t you join me?

A big thank you to Luciane for inviting me to be her guest today! I promise, this tour will put a pause in your day for just a moment.

Thanks for stopping by…

Today I’m excited to introduce my guest, Mari from Arcadian Home! If you haven’t shopped Arcadian Home, you really need to pop over. There is inspiration and eye candy galore. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed!

Thanks so much for joining sZinteriors today, Mari!

Hello, everyone! It’s wonderful to be here with you at sZinteriors with a guest post from Arcadian Home blog. It’s an awesome place to find lots of interior design inspiration including beautiful home decor ideas from oval wall mirrors to lovely lighting for the foyer and much more.

Today, we’re going to take a look at decorating with bottles of sorts. From clear glass to brilliant cobalt blue, the vintage bottle is at once versatile and charming as a collection or a single perfect piece. Please enjoy!

Thanks to Sheila for letting me stop by for a visit.

~ Mari

Two large green bottles can be seen in a living room bookcase filled with antique books, coral, seashells and interesting found objects. Shelves are also a great place to display collections of smaller bottles.

A white vintage mantle looks so pretty with a collection of green, blue and clear glass bottles—made even more interesting by choosing each bottle in a different size. It’s such a fresh look for spring or summer.

Vintage medicine bottles and other drugstore-related boxes and containers line the shelves in this white kitchen. What a clever idea to create a little theme by displaying the medicine bottles just below the pharmacy sign!

A collection of mostly pale blue vintage glass bottles looks pretty on a thick glass floating bathroom shelf. How cool is the idea to hang a framed photograph of a contemporary meets rustic bathroom in a vintage bath.

Colorful glass bottles march along a shelf above a built-in desk in the living room of this newly renovated 100-year-old home. Modern pendant lights are hung above the dining table and in the living room.

A large fat glass bottle is a perfect decorative object for this coastal living room dressed up in a watery blue and soft tan color palette.

Blue green antique spritzer bottles draw the eye to the top of a rustic white paned-glass cabinet. Blue canning jars hold white tulips on the table. It’s a lovely combination that ties the room together nicely.

An interesting mix of vintage and contemporary bottles is just right for this eclectic outdoor dining room. I would love to see twin Mid-Century buffet lamps on either end of this washed wood sideboard. Images 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

What do you think of these bottle decor inspirations? Leave us your comments below and visit our blog for more home decor and lighting inspirations!

With the promise of warm weather fun, there’s bound to be an occasion or two ahead. Come with me. I’ll show you how to dress your outdoor space with lighting that will keep your festivities sparkling long after the sun has gone down!

The first thing to do is establish where the real party is going on!

That’s right. Set the stage underneath a gorgeous chandelier or pendant.

 Canadian House & Home via Follow Studio Blog

And remember, feature overhead lighting needs more than just its looks. It needs a little help from its friends.

Adding a mirror is lighting’s best friend!

Jillian Harris Blog

It helps double the light and bounce it around, adding another layer of sparkle to your space.

In this case, a backdrop of mirrored mullion doors demands some attention from the peeps in your crowd.

Canadian House & Home 

But notice the corners? They are already quite dark in broad daylight, and when the sun goes down, the corners will fade away completely.

So remember to introduce a touch of lighting in your corners, and with these cedar shrubs, twinkling mini lights are an elegant, easy fix.

But you can also try other options like backlighting, down lighting, spotlighting or…

Here you see the use of uplighting.

Canadian House & Home 

That’s lighting placed at ground level and aimed upward to highlight an area or object. Drama is added to this space with the uplighting actually framing a wall mounted fireplace.

And that’s another tip to keep in mind.

When you’re entertaining outdoors, think about placing a few light sources at eye level. That’s from standing of course!

Canadian House & Home 

The glow of the light will be cast through your space where you most need it, but not in an imposing kind of way.

One last thing…

Never overlook a table lamp in your outdoor decor!

Chicago Home Magazine

Afterall, you are bringing the inside out to entertain, aren’t you?

Just remember these basics:

1. Establish center stage with a showstopper chandelier or pendant
2. Define your perimeter and corners with a little up, down, spot, or backlighting
3. Layer your lighting by varying the heights of placement
4. Turn them on as the sun goes down!!!

Apartment Therapy

Oh, and don’t forget to feature some lighting on your table… candlelight is usually the favored option, and if you are concerned about safety, you can always go with flameless candles that are battery operated instead. And did you notice the string lighting against the arbor ceiling? See how it spans the party area, and is placed above the center pendant? This is an example of defining your perimeters, and layering your lighting!

I thought you might like to try a little DIY project to help you get started.

Want to make a solar powered chandelier?

Simple Details Blog

This one was made by Pam over at Simple Details blog. Thanks for sharing your great step-by-step tutorial with us, Pam!

If you have a minute, you might want to stop by. Pam’s blog is loaded with great ideas!

Happy entertaining with inside style on the outside!

Thanks for stopping by!

Photographs courtesy of linked sources.