When I Was Your Age

Grocery Store Decor

2007-09-20T07:38:00.000-07:00

Here's my solution to boring switchplates...I was lucky enough to buy a house with the original black and white tile in the bathroom. Boring

switchplates aren't for me. This one was super easy to make. Black beans and white beans from the supermarket, a glue gun, some polyurethane to finish and my black and white bathroom has a black and white lightswitch unlike any other. This template was an unfinished wooden switchplate that can be found in any craft store. An even easier solution is to glue over the existing switchplate. Just remember to leave enough space for easy mounting with the screws.

Cheap Tricks II

2007-08-10T18:32:00.000-07:00

These tricks are so easy and add tons of punch.

First is the paper Lanterns. They're a super inexpensive lighting option. I love them for their many and unusual shapes. And...most importantly, they're a blank canvas waiting to stand out under the quick hand of a glue gun and some embellishments. Here we used fabric daisies but scrapbook flowers or gems would be great, too. Paper lanterns are found in so many places these days, but a wonderful resource is Pearl River Trading. They offer them in tons of colors and tons of sizes. The wallpaper border was a snap, too. Heavy card stock and a color copier. A little spray mount and it's done.

Recycle and Reuse Part 2

2007-05-28T14:13:00.001-07:00

Before and After...

I love these old metal chairs. These green and white ones above aren't the old, old ones that you find in antique stores and flea markets. These were bought several years ago from Restoration Hardware. But, like all metal chairs that sit out in the elements for a while, they show their wear and tear after a while. The chipping paint wasn't the bothersome part, though. It was the color. The pale green no longer worked for me and I wanted something more dramatic. Which, of course, like everything else leads to thoughts of paint.

Repurposing these for our front porch wasn't difficult at all. The prep was the most time-consuming (and boring.) The whole project took about an hour and a half. Not bad.

If you're going to tackle a similar project, a few things to keep in mind. First, clean your chairs thoroughly to remove grime and other unwanted stuff on the surface. If you're dealing with terribly rusty chairs, do a little light sanding w/a medium grit sandpaper (150) and use one of the many rust primers available. Also, work in the shade. Enamel spray paint doesn't react well to sun while it's wet and drying. Finally, do your project outside or in a garage w/the door open for ventilation and make sure there's little or no wind.

After the chair is cleaned, tape off the parts that you don't want painted with painters tape and newspaper. If you're painting the entire chair one color, you're in luck and your prep will be even easier and faster.

Use a high quality, high gloss spray paint in the color of your choice (I used a Rustoleum product). Best to use a few light coats than one heavy. Enamel spray paint can sag and look really unprofessional if it's applied too thickly all at once. Let each coat dry thoroughly. Finally, remove tape and paper and admire your work.

I love the new look of these new chairs. I've paired them with one of our Summer Camp tables which, like the chairs, was painted in a color I could no longer use. The same paint as I used on the chairs gave this table a whole new look. Black enamel high gloss paint has a look all of its own. Try it.

With a Little Paint and Imagination

2007-05-19T16:24:00.000-07:00

Not to suggest that you attempt this on your first try but it's not impossible. A little forethought and some guts. This is the fireplace from our old house in New Jersey. I do miss it. When we moved in, the original mantel was white brick. Nothing to speak of. This new mantel was built by my husband and I did the painting. I went through lots and lots of sketches before I landed on this design.

Our new house in Rhode Island has a very non-descript fireplace that I will happily tackle before next winter. Just brick. No mantel. As a matter of fact, the entire house that we just moved into is a complete blank canvas. Just waiting for color and imagination. Stay tuned.

Recycle and Reuse

2007-05-05T20:44:00.000-07:00

Recycling isn't just for bottles and newspapers. These chairs were destined for the dump when they were colorfully resurrected. Prior to the transformation they were dated and drab. White lacquer finish and nubby-beige-circa-1980 seat cushions. A little sanding, priming, painting and polyurethaning did the trick here along with the addition of a finial on top. Recovering chair seats is easy (how-to demo coming soon).

For less ambitious folks, use decoupage decals instead of handpainting.

Got Boring Shades?

2007-05-03T07:09:00.000-07:00

Window shades are a necessary evil, especially in childrens' rooms. But they needn't be boring. Paint them to coordinate with the room. A beautifully painted window shade can even stand alone -- no other window treatment needed. If you don't have artistic talent, buy a stamp or do as above and paint a checkerboard. Checks are a neutral style that coordinate well with other prints.Cotton shades are easier to paint than the plastic/vinyl type, but they can be painted, too. Just make sure you get the kind of craft paint that works well on a plastic surface. Finish off the look with an interesting shade pull --- a tassel, a cluster of glass grapes, etc.

Hats Off To This Mirror

2007-04-30T09:25:00.000-07:00

Spruce up an old mirror. This one went from blah to beautiful with a little paint, less-than-perfect vintage flowers from an old hat and craft store birds. Vintage

flower hats are found in most flea markets and lots of antique shops. Some of the flowers are in a little crushed from age but useful, nonetheless. Remove them from the hat and spruce them up by holding them over the steam of a tea kettle (careful not to burn your fingers!). They should pouf back. Use your glue gun to attached the flowers to mirror frame (if you can find Wood Glue sticks, all the better). Insert/glue craft store birds or other items in between flowers. If you can't find vintage flower hats, you can always go to your local craft store, grab an inexpensive pre-made bouquet, pull the flowers off and glue. E-mail us your own version.

Stop and Smell the Roses

2007-04-29T13:08:00.000-07:00

It's spring and all of us who have hibernated for the winter are now out and about. Front and backyards are being raked, seeded and weeded. And planted.

Climbing roses are so special and so easy. One planting can be nothing short of a show stopper.

We're not talking about just any climbing rose. We're talking about antique climbing roses. Not the kind you generally find at the nursery or your local Home Depot. Antique roses are roses that have been around for generations that are bred to withstand drought, bugs and other garden challenges. Our favorite place to buy climbers is the Antique Rose Emporium in Texas (http://www.antiqueroseemporium.com/)

Planting and maintaining these beautiful roses are really so easy and the result is nothing short of spectacular. We've had climbing roses grace every sunny spot in every home we've ever owned.

Roses can be ordered either bare root or potted. The potted is super easy. Decide where you want your climber to grow. Give it a space where there's at least 6 hours of sun, good drainage and room to grow UP and OUT. The only thing you'll have to do is make sure you have some plan in mind as to where the growing branches can find a home. A trellis of some sort is your best bet. Make sure you put up enough trellises. Don't buy just one of those measly trellises from your local home improvement store. One small rose plant will completely overwhelm it. Buy at least 3. Screw them into place. A climbing rose will not twine around a trellis on its own. You'll need to tie them to your support system.

Once the trellis system is up, dig your hole, mix in some compost, plant your rose, water and wait. That's the beauty of antique roses. They really are that easy. Rose roots need moisture (not soaking standing water, just moisture) and until they grow deep enough to get their moisture from the deep soil, make sure you water the soil around yours and keep it moist.

Our favorite antique climbing rose is Climbing Pinkie from the Antique Rose Emporium. It's a fast grower and prolific bloomer with a light scent. Just look at this 2 year old specimen from our former cottage in Texas.

Cheap Tricks

2007-04-29T11:38:00.000-07:00

This staircase treatment is a super easy, super inexpensive way to make a statement on your steps. It's done with wallpaper. This set of stairs was the focal point in a center hall colonial. If an entry hall seems to daunting, try it on your back staircase or basement steps. The good news is, that like wallpaper on walls, it can always be removed and repainted. If you've ever wallpapered a room, this project will be a breeze.

Start with a roll of wallpaper, wallpaper paste, wallpaper brush, wallpaper burnisher, scissors, a ruler, a straight edge, a damp rag and lots of razor blades. Many wallpapers come pre-pasted. Pre-pasted wallpaper doesn't always adhere well. So even if you purchase the pre-pasted kind, use paste anyway. You can use gloves if you prefer, but make sure they're the surgical kind that allow for finger mobility.

Measure the depth and length of the front of the stair riser. Cut pieces that are approximately 1" bigger around for however many steps you'll be covering. To begin, brush the wallpaper paste onto the front of the stair. Place the paper over the glue and smooth out with your hands. You'll have time for moving it around before the glue dries to get it right. (using a floral or other pattern works better than a geometric, which can be difficult to get straight). Once the paper is in its proper place, smooth it out with your hands and then take the wallpaper burnisher and smooth it out further in all directions. Make sure you don't skip this step. The burnisher is what really laminates the paper to the wooden stairs. You will have extra wallpaper glue oozing out a bit. That's normal.

Now you have to trim the excess paper. Take your straight edge and align it to the edges of the front of the stair. Holding the straight edge tight, make a cut across with a fresh razor blad to get a neat, close cut. Once you have trimmed all 4 sides, take your damp rag and wipe off the excess wallpaper paste. Wipe it off in the edges where it's oozed and the paper itself.

Remember to also: Rinse your rag regularly to avoid glue buildup. Change razor blades often. They get dull quickly and if it's not sharp, you'll end up ripping the paper instead of cutting it. You can usually patch mistakes. (Another reason to get a highly patterned wallpaper. Mistakes are less noticeable).

As was done here, you can also finish off the stair by painting stripes.