Simple Outdoor Mood Lighting~

It's been rather dreary here for the past few days.  Rainy and cold.  But I have big plans for outdoor entertaining this year...if the weather should ever warm up. ;-)

I thought it would be fun to share with you one of my go-to, outdoor, summer centerpieces.  It's extremely simple to make, but it adds tons of ambience to any gathering.  Canning Jar Lanterns.

To make these pretty lanterns, simply gather up some vintage canning jars.  I like a variety of sizes...it just adds to the impact.  Then get some candles...I use larger pillar candles for the big canning jars and votives for the smaller jars.  You can use any color candle you want, but I prefer to use white.  Clean.  Pretty.

Fill the bottom of your jars about 1/4 - 1/3 full of rice...or sand...or coarse salt.  It's really up to you.  I used rice in these because I had it on hand.  Sand is especially pretty, and coarse salt is lovely because it reflects the light.  But really any of these pale colored fillers will do. 

Then just pop the candles in and light.  Group your canning jars for more dramatic impact.  So simple and pretty.  (Please make sure you don't leave candles unattended or let them burn all the way down to the filler...as that could be a fire hazard.)

Happy Entertaining!

Oh...and  last but certainly not least,  I hope you love my new blog design as much as I do!  Thanks to Ellie G at Announced Greetings for her spectacular redesign!!  Love.  Love.  Love.

The Big 1-0~

When I asked Mr. One what kind of a birthday party he wanted this year, his reply was immediate...a BBQ and night games. The perfect kind of party for a bunch of boys celebrating one of their own moving into the double digits. That's right folks...Mr. One now has an entire decade under his belt! He was my millenium baby...and now he's ten. When did that happen?

The party had to be one of the easiest I've ever planned...Mr. One wanted to be in charge of deciding exactly what games everyone would play...Keep Away, Capture the Flag, and some sort of battle game whose rules seemed extremely complicated to me.

Playing Keep Away

He also wanted to light sparklers and throw pop-its (you know those little paper things that pop when you throw them at the ground...fun to use...miserable to clean up afterwards.)

All I was in charge of was the food... and the decor of course.

The decor? Well, Mr. One was born on the 6th of July...which is mightly close to the 4th of July. So a red, white, and blue party seemed like the obvious logical choice.

We draped a huge American Flag from the Balcony - Oh so festive!

We discovered (thanks to Mr. Three) that this little bench is a great chalkboard, so I took advantage of the fact to wish Mr. One a Happy Birthday!


It worked as the perfect gift depository.



And what do you feed a bunch of hungry boys? Hot dogs of course! With loads of chips. Soda - those mini-cans are the perfect size for growing boys...




The table was very unfussy...a little burlap for the tablecloth...red, white, and blue baskets and paperware.



Mr. Three sneaking some potato chips before the party starts.

And smores for dessert - that's when the firepit we built this weekend came in handy. (And no, it's not really in the grass...it just looks that way in the photo.)






And just to add a bit to the sugar rush...let's top it all off with cupcakes and icecream. And my disclaimer of the day? With so much family in town lately, I just couldn't bring myself to make cupcakes. So I (dare I say it?) bought them. But they were perfect...in unnaturally bright shades of red, white, and blue...and judging by how fast they disappeared, they must have tasted good.

Finally, I debated about what to give for party favors, but finally decided on these giant bubble wands I found at Wallyworld...I mean hey, they matched my color scheme. I was a bit worried that the boys wouldn't like them. But was I ever wrong. They were a hit!

All in all, a great initiation into the double digits for Mr. One. Happy Birthday to my firstborn! You are a riot!! I'm so glad you're ours!

Frugal Friday goes up at Midnight EST for all you night owls!

Have a great day~

A Little Pretty~

It's always fun to get an unexpected little surprise.

While visiting my Mom a few weeks ago, I was admiring a lovely Edwardian Terrarium Case that my father made for her out of wooden picture frames...from a tutorial by Martha Stewart (now I've looked and looked online and can't find the tutorial, but my Mom says she has the article, so one of these days I'll scan it in and share...and share photos of my dad's creation as well. I'm such a tease, I know.)

Turns out, however, that she had another storebought terrarium hanging around (of course she did), so yesterday, when I popped over for a minute, she sent it home with me. Gotta love my Mom!! "What is this terrarium I speak of ?" you may ask...it's that cute little glass-house-looking-thingie in the background.

It now has a home on the white buffet in my living room. And, you know what? It was the perfect touch! Thanks Mom!!

Shopping Sources: Lamps..............................HomeGoods

Candlesticks.....Michael's Craft

Candles..........................Target

Pigeon figurine............TJMaxx

"H"......................Anthropologie

Bird Tray.....gift from a dear friend

Floral Frog..........gift from Mom

House number "5".......vintage from our first house

Printer block letters...Brimfield Antique Fair

EDITED TO ADD: I had some readers mention that they had seen a tutorial in Country Living. This very well may have been the tutorial my Mother has (the photo - below - looks like the terrarium my father made)...she subscribes to both magazines...but I can't get in touch with her right now to check...so I'm just going to post the link. Thanks to Nita from Mod Vintage Life and to Laura for telling me about the Country Living Tutorial!

How To Make Your Own (Pretty) Art~

Okay peeps...today I'm going to tell you all how I created the piece of art in my master bedroom redo. (or that damask thing-y hanging above the bedside table.)

This is a great idea to keep in mind when you really want a piece of art that will complement a space, and you just can't seem to find the right one. (Although my father-in-law who is an honest to goodness real life artist and Professor of Fine Art would roll his eyes at the concept of choosing art to "go with" a room...his decorator daughter-in-law, that would be me, does it all the time.)


In the case of my room, I really wanted to incorporate gray damask. I was hoping to use it for the curtains, but with the amount of yardage I needed, my budget would have been sunk. So I decided to bring the damask into the room in a stylized piece of art.

Here's what I did...





1. I found myself a piece of wood in our back room that had a smooth surface (you could also purchase a canvas, but I was aiming to use what I had)


2. I found a damask pattern I liked. In this case, it was a picture of a fabric sample, Natele from Duralee, which I printed out so that I would have a pattern to work from. As you can see, the pattern was quite intricate, so I tried to simplify it as I drew it out...but I'll get to that in a minute.


Natele from Duralee

3. I painted the piece of wood (or canvas) the background color of my pattern. In this case white. I used the same paint from my bedroom project...interior latex in white and dove gray. I would suggest using a graphic print and limiting your painting to 2 colors...unless you are a real artist. It will make the project look more professional in the end.

4. Here's where you can go a couple of different ways. In my case, I have a photo projector. I placed the print on the projector and then traced the projection onto the wood. Or if you are good at this sort of thing, you can look at your picture and freehand it in pencil onto your wood. Finally, if you don't have a projector, and aren't good at freehanding stuff, you can draw a grid on your picture and then draw each section of the grid onto your wood. (I wouldn't suggest drawing a grid on the wood - it's difficult to remove the pencil lines - but the grid on your picture will help you get the proportions correct when you draw onto the wood. )

In my case, I used the projector, and actually wish I had just freehanded it because when you compare my inspiration pattern to the actual painting you can see how the projector distorted the image. I also had a difficult time actually seeing all the lines I needed to trace. In the end I had to fix a few things, and the image is still a little off. Oh well, live and learn right?

5. Now use your other color and fill in the pattern. It's simple...just like coloring in the lines...except with a paintbrush. You'll notice that I reversed the colors in my painting using gray for the motif and white for the background. This is because I actually wanted the finished painting to be more gray than white. You can also see that I rotated the design 90 degrees...that's just because I liked the composition better that way.

6. VOILA! A custom work of art.

Don't forget tomorrow is Frugal Friday again!! MckLinky goes up at 12:00 am EST for all you night owls.

And this week's winner will be announced at So You Think You Can Decorate on Saturday...next week's challenge goes up on Sunday. You can vote until Friday at 12:00 MST.

Have a great day~

Master Bedroom Headboard~

In my SYTYCD week 4 challenge post, I promised to explain a little more about how we created our master bedroom headboard, so today I thought I'd do just that!

As I've mentioned previously I wanted to go with some sort of architectural salvage as a headboard. An order, it seems, that proves to be quite tall when you are trying to stick within a budget. I visited a local architectural salvage shop and found many wonderful alternatives, but decided finally to use a narrow 5 panel door. When it came down to it, however, I just couldn't bring myself to fork over the cash.

So I debated and debated about what to do. And the answer finally came when the hubby and I were cleaning out our storage room. We came across some old wood left here for who knows how long. And when I say old, I mean old. And cracked and looking more like it should go in the burn pile than anything else. But the wood spoke to me. (Not literally, silly. ) And I knew that it would make a perfect headboard.

So I asked the Hubby in my sweetest wifey way if he would build me one. I told him I wanted it to resemble a narrow five panel door and that I wanted it to have character. He added that he wanted it to be substantial, and Anthropologie-ish. Yes, I am telling the truth. The HUBBY said that. No, really, I promise he did.

In order to make the headboard "substantial", the first thing we did was to glue three long planks together back to back to make them thicker (one plank on the back and two on the front). You can see in the photo above that we left a seam, and chose purposely to use the side that was more uneven and cracked as the front.

We clamped the boards and let them dry overnight. After they were thoroughly dry, the hubby cut the boards to length (approximately 80") and set to work trimming the "door" out with 1x3's.

He simply cut 80" lengths for the top and bottom and then cut the shorter lengths (5 of them ) to make the "panels" - and yes, 5 cross pieces creates 4 panels - not 5 - and I'm okay with that. From here all we did (and when I say we, I mean the Hubby) was screw them together. After I saw the finished product, I asked him to add another small piece to the top and have it hang over about 1/4" to give it more of a finished "headboard-ish" feel.

Then came the fun part. We took a hammer and banged that door until it looked nice and aged. Rather than filling the screw holes in with wood putty, the Hubby had the idea of adding wood plugs. He glued them in...a little haphazardly...to help with the aged and used look we were going for.

Finally we painted it out in a soft dove gray. "Moonlight" by Ralph Lauren. (I know, I know Home Depot doesn't carry RL paint anymore, but according to AnNicole, the RL company says that the paints will still be available at independent distributors, so breathe easy folks!!) We purposely did not prime the wood to allow the knots and imperfections to come through and add to the age-y feeling!!

Now because of the Hubby's need to make this headboard "substantial", it is, shall we say, slightly weighty...okay, it is dang heavy. So to secure it to the wall, we needed to use large L brackets and long drywall screws. You can see that the brackets stick out just a bit further than the headboard, but that's okey dokey because my pretty curtain panels cover them.

Two last notes...

I had a lot of comments about the pretty canning jar. It was a gift, and the lid came with that fun opening in it (it has a glass piece that fits inside.) So I simply removed the glass and used the figure-8-shaped opening to help me arrange the stems. Serendipitous, no?

And the curtain panels? They are the Alvine Kottar panels from IKEA.

Have a lovely Wednesday~

If you liked my master bedroom project, there's still time to vote at So You Think You Can Decorate...you can head over there now...pretty please.

Reflections~

Another trip to my mother's house. Another treasure. Or in this case, three. (Sorry l'il sis...you ought to come visit more often.)

My mom offered me these three pretty little mirrors. They are really quite small, but their frames are just lovely...an aged, burnished brass. Of course, I haven't been much into brass for the last several years, but when something works, it works. And according to Lauren at Pure Style Home - love her blog - brass is back. (If used correctly of course...none of that bright 80's stuff, y'all.)

The mirrors were much too small to display by themselves, but together on the wall above la toilette in the main bath, they look lovely. And they play off the warm tones in the wall and the large mirror above the vanity (photo to come.)

Yeah, the top one has a little chip in the mirror. But small imperfections add character. I should know, I'm full of little imperfections...and I'm quite a character. Ha! But seriously, I don't mind the little chip...it just means that the piece was someone else's treasure before it was mine.

I'm loving them. So pretty, slightly unexpected, just perfect.

Have a great day~

A Few Things About Gift-wrapped Walls, Some Vintage Etsy Goodness, and a Winner~

First...I have a few questions that came up on yesterday's post that I wanted to answer.


1. The most asked question....Where did I get that fabulous paper? I purchased the wrapping paper for $7.89 from Tai-Pan trading - a local store in Utah with one location in California. Unfortunately, I don't remember the brand and I threw the packaging away (what kind of blogger am I?) I'll see if I can find out for you all the next time I'm at the store. (I checked out their website and they don't offer online shopping...sigh.)


2. I have used regular desk staples to do similar projects in the past - and they work great - but this time I used my staple gun. I only stapled around the edges, and then once or twice where the seam is. The staples may have shown on a more subdued paper, but as luck would have it, the pattern really hides them. (If you click on the photo below to enlarge it, and look carefully, you can see one of the staples...but it's not that noticeable.)

3. I didn't consider using mod podge to seal the paper, or applying fabric with liquid starch (although I love that idea) because I want to avoid anything that might make for a messy removal process since this is a rental house. Does anyone have experience with removing wall coverings applied with liquid starch. Is it really as easy as they claim?

4. The bag is from DownEast Basics. They don't have this particular style anymore, but they do have a fabulous line of clothing and accessories (their clothes just keep getting better each season! Love them!)

And finally, not a question, but my favorite comment from yesterday's post was from Mary who says, "Personally I LOVE the juxtaposition of the bold wall pattern to the sign that says 'simplify.'" I hadn't thought about it at the time, but boy is she right!

Next, I wanted to share two of the latest vintage goodies that I will be adding to my Etsy.

First up! This sweet little turquoise vase in a funky blossom stand. I just love this! And, you know, turquoise is Pantone's color of 2010! I personally, think this vase would look fabulous with some Gerbera Daisies sticking out the top! It has some serious personality!

And if you're like me, I have a soft spot for vintage silverware...especially when it's been engraved. This sweet baby spoon bracelet features an engraving on the ladle portion of the spoon that appears to be a name. I can't quite make it out, but you know it was important to someone once upon a time. I just love imagining the stories behind sweet pieces like this one.

Finally, the winner of the Lisa Leonard $75 gift certificate giveaway is... Twig from Twig Decor! Drop me an email Twig...and we'll get you set up with your prize!!

Thanks for being such great readers!!

Have a wonderful Wednesday~

Big Chalkboard Plans~

Remember this photo of our kitchen wall?

The photo looks lovely, but in reality, the wall is very big...and...very...empty. So I thought. And thought. And thought some more. About what I felt would be the best way to fill that big, empty wall.

I knew I wanted a statement piece.

And then I remembered this photo of Heather Chadduck's dining room.

And this photo from Cottage Living.

And after I told the hubby that I wanted to put a giant chalkboard on the wall (and he agreed, bless his impeccably stylish little heart) I found this image in my latest Pottery Barn magazine.

It seems I'm not alone in my love of chalkboards (she states sarcastically).

I'm so excited!! The hubby and I are going to look for wood today so that he can make me a giant chalkboard.

Just call it an anniversary gift. 14 years today. I am so grateful to be married to my best friend.

xoxo

Wendy

In Praise of Under-Cabinet Lighting~

I've been enjoying this long weekend with the kiddos...having Wii contests with my 9 and 6-year-olds can be a humbling experience but it sure is a lot of fun! And we even managed to get them all to sit still long enough to take updated portraits...a triumph in itself!!

Before we get into the post, I want to make a little disclaimer. My photographic skills when it comes to interior house photography are still in the developmental phase. These photos aren't the best I've ever taken, but I know that you, my exceptionally clever readers, will get the idea despite my photographs.

So here we go...

In our last home, we did not have under-cabinet lighting. In fact, we've never had it in any of our homes. I've thought about it. I've thought that it would be a nice addition to the kitchen lighting scheme. But it's never been a priority. Until now.

Our current house has under-cabinet lighting. And now that I've experienced it. I. Will. Not. Go. Back. Neither the hubby nor I are fans of overhead lighting. We use ambient lighting almost exclusively...unless we have no other choice. We fill our house with lamps and use them, rather than the overhead fixtures, when at all possible. And now that I have under-cabinet lighting, that is the only way I light the kitchen in the evening. It's just dreamy.

Here are my (somewhat lacking) before and after photos...


BEFORE:


AFTER:

BEFORE:
AFTER:

The under-cabinet lighting floods down on these little vignettes and makes them POP! Not to mention the colors it brings out in both the slate tile backsplash and the corian countertops! I'm sold on it.

But because there can be limitations (and expense) to hardwiring under-cabinet lighting...I want you all to know that there are plug-in options available...in all price ranges. So go light up your kitchens!

Have a great Monday~

I had a headboard~

I have blogged before about our lack of a headboard. It wasn't always like that...


I had a headboard once.


Before my blogging days.


I loved that headboard.


The hubby made it for me for Christmas one year.


From this pattern by Martha Stewart.

Photo from Martha Stewart

It was beautiful...



And substantial...



And elegant in black...



But alas, in one of our 2000-or-so moves (okay, I am exaggerating just a bit) it was broken...
beyond repair...

and we have not had a headboard since.

In our new master bedroom the bed sits beneath a window.

So I guess it's okay that my substantial, tall, elegant Martha-inspired headboard is gone, because I need something lower in profile anyway.

Perhaps something like this...


That means that my goal in the next couple of months is to find the perfect architectural salvage piece.

Wish me luck~

After-Christmas Decorating~

First, I wanted to thank you all, my dear readers, for your many fabulous ideas regarding my door-less closet dilemma. You are a clever bunch! But then, I always knew my readers are the best! I can't wait to share with you what I end up doing.

Now on to the subject at hand...

I received an email from one of my readers recently that said, "I was hoping you could post some ideas to inspire 'after Christmas/undecorated' ideas. My house feels so necked! I want to put a little something on my fireplace without it looking 'Oh, she forgot to take down some of her Christmas decorations.' "

So I have been mulling this over and have collected a few ideas to share.

After all the hoopla of the holidays come down, our houses do tend to look bare. It takes a bit for things to feel normal again. Take this chance to shake things up some.

If you are of the camp that believes you should warm up your house for winter, now is the time to add in some darker hued accessories. Add some colorful accent pillows. Pull out those throws. Put a basket of logs by the fireplace. One idea I really like is to add curtains. Nothing cozies up a place like fabric! I LOVE FABRIC!

Check out the fabulous photo below from Better Homes and Gardens. This wall of curtains certainly cozies up the room, and adds a unique headboard at the same time.

Photo from Better Homes and Gardens


Something else that livens up your space in the winter is to add plants. After the greenery of Christmas is removed, try adding other living plants. A personal favorite of mine at this time of year are Paperwhites. Beautiful, vibrant, and a different shade of green!

Photo from Better Homes and Gardens

I personally like the idea of using the color white in my home in the winter! This is an easy post-holiday idea because with just a little tweaking, it can look less Christmas and more January. Check out the vignette below. Just remove the evergreen sprigs and you have a winter vignette that is pretty and chic.


Photo from Better Homes and Gardens


Finally, some Holiday decorations really can do double duty. Remember my well-read wreath ?The ribbon is what made it look holiday-ish. Simply switch it out for a less season-specific pattern, and this wreath is good-to-go all year long! (In fact, wait 'til you see where I put this pretty wreath in our new nest!)

Now go warm up your post-holiday house!

Have a great day~
xoxo Wendy

Does Your House Talk to You?~

Does your house talk to you? Mine does. Okay, before you go thinking that I might need a little therapy, I'm not hearing voices. But when I walk into a house, it has a way of telling me how it should be decorated. If you love decorating as much as I do, you know what I'm talking about. Houses just have a certain feeling to them. And my new nest is no exception.

Now, before I share with you all the "language" that my new home is speaking, let me define my own personal style for you. After taking a quiz over at Sproost, I decided to call my style Rustic French Beach Cottage, although I have a decidedly urban flare especially in my artwork choices. You all get the picture. I am drawn to pale tonal palettes. Textures such as beadboard and burlap. Old, timeworn pieces. These are the things that make my heart go pit-a-pat.

I adore this image from Country Living via Sproost...It has the tonal palette and textural feeling I love!

My new nest speaks Italian....it has a definite Tuscan flare to it. The colors are warm, and definitely richer than my favored pale palette. And since (as I have mentioned before) it is a rental (and a beautifully renovated one at that), I can't change these things. And I think that is good. It will force me to explore a different side of my style. I will have the chance to use my existing pieces in a new way.

This is what my kitchen table looks like at the moment...I actually love this photo...it looks like a still life painting to me. Notice how the Venetian plaster on the wall speaks to the burlap on my table runner. The dark jug adds just the right contrast to my white table, white wire tray and white (yes they're fake) flowers. Same stuff...new way of combining things...and although I doubt this will be the final design for this spot...I like it...and it gets my creative juices flowing...


Okay, so now I'm going to tell you all something that may shock you. A house-hunting trip was not in our budget, so we rented this house without seeing it in person. Yes, little old type-A me, signed a contract after only seeing photos (and having the hubby's sister who lives in the area visit the house and give it the thumbs up.) Why do I tell you all this? Because see that faucet above? The one that looks like an old water pump, but with an urban twist? That faucet alone pretty much sold me on the house. It's true.

And here is a detail of the backsplash tiles in the kitchen. You can really get a feeling of the warm palette by looking at these. They are lovely...and slightly luminescent...which looks fabulous when the under-cabinet lighting is turned on. A far cry from the cottage-white kitchen in my last house...but oh, the possibilities!

This detail from the Princess' bedroom is the one nod to cottage style in this house. My beloved beadboard. The lime green is not necessarily a color I would have chosen myself, but it is bright and cheery...and will look very sophisticated once my decorating plans start to take shape.

So stay tuned, dear readers! I can't wait to take you all on this little journey as we watch my style evolve into something new and exciting!

Have a great day~

xoxo Wendy