DIY Tie Up Curtain Reveal

I have finally gotten around to adding some fresh and bright curtains to my bedroom! I love completing a project that I have been planning to do for, oh I dunno, a year or more!!  The bedroom curtains that I lived with for the year and a half since I moved into this house came with the house, and were in my opinion, dreadful. Why, then you ask, did I leave them around for so long? Well because they "matched" (in a sense, brown and yellow matches right?) and they kept out the light. But cosmetically speaking, I wanted to have curtains that were prettier and lighter....airier and delicate. Now I can finally say that I have the bedroom curtains I was wishing for!

After completing a bit of online research and viewing lots of tutorials, I decided on simple tie up curtains. There were lots of helpful tutorials online each with different ways of making them. I followed this tutorial from Cozy Cottage Cute, not to a T, but I found the basic guidelines very helpful and I loved how Sarah's turned out.

For now I'm just going to reveal my before and after shot. I still have to make one more which will give me a chance to take some progress photos to put together a quick tutorial on how to make the curtains.

Window curtains before:

 

Window curtains after:

Here's a shot at night with the blinds pulled down. This was before I trimmed the ribbon length as well. It looks much cleaner once I cut them shorter and made the bow smaller. 

 
I couldn't resist including a pictures of Penny... she just looks so precious in this shot! Couldn't you just squeeze that?!

 And my Valentine's Day flowers from a very special someone. :)

That's all for now, check back soon for a tutorial of sorts on how I made these curtains. This weekend I'm painting the cabinets in the basement apartment....wish me luck!

Easy DIY Canvas Art

Hello there! I'm always looking for new art and photos to add to my home. I think that empty walls make a home feel less homey and a bit empty. Since I'm decorating on a budget, I thought I would try my hand at some DIY art. I am by no means an artist...let's clarify that first, but this was really simple and I think it turned out great.

I picked up a set of 2 canvases at Wal-Mart and started looking online for some inspiration. I found an image on Etsy that I thought looked fairly simple and I liked it even more since it included an owl which I absolutely love.

My sister is actually the artist of the family, so I borrowed her acrylic paints and got to work. First I sketched the layout of the poster with a pencil so I could see how everything would fit. Then I just mixed some paint to get the colors I wanted and started painting over the lines I had already drawn in pencil. The good thing with painting this type of art is that for the most part, your lines don't have to be perfect.

Here is my pencil sketch.

I mixed a cyan color and white to get the perfect background color. 

I used a sponge brush which I picked up at the dollar store for painting the background and free handed the rest using standard paint brushes.

Here's the final product. It hasn't found a permanent home yet, for now its hanging in the hall outside my bedroom. 

I promise this was a really simple project! And look how cute it is. I'm hoping to use the second canvas to create some word art for my sister for her birthday. Will be sure to share it on here so check back soon.

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Inspiration: ebony & ivory

Since I first moved in to my house,  I've been dying to repaint the main hallway of the house which extends up all three floors in a zigzag. Lately, I'm reeaalllyyyyy loving the look of black and white together. Initially I was going with all white, but after looking at lots of photos, I think black grounds the space, and with such high ceilings and all the light in this area, I think the space will benefit from that. Now in case you're thinking that perhaps I'm choosing black and white because I'm afraid of color....well then you're partially right. I'm not 100% comfortable with color yet, so incorporating it into my decor in smaller doses, like accessories and pictures, is something I can handle a lot better than painting my walls, say orange for example.

Like any other decor enthusiast, I hit up Pinterest and Houzz for some inspiration:

Black and White Entryway

Black Mouldings  & White Walls

Black Accent Wall

Contemporary Dining Room design by Houston Photographer JONATHAN CALVERT | Interiors Photographer

 

Traditional Dining Room design by Los Angeles Interior Designer Philip Nimmo Design

 

 

My favorite is the first photo because it closely resembles my entryway. I'm contemplating doing half black to the top of the first floor then all white throughout the rest. A Spring project perhaps? We'll have to wait and see...

 

"Under Construction"

Hi there!

Please bear with me for the next few days as I am trying to update and upgrade my site, including my header and fonts. Since I'm not very savvy in that area, I'm doing lots of research. I'll be sure to share the best tips and tricks I found with you once I'm officially up and running again.

So don't be surprised if things change a few times! Thanks for your patience.

Vintage Door as Jewelry Holder

Last summer instead of going out of the country for a vacation, I decided to take one right at home, and spent three days visiting quaint communities on the coast of Newfoundland. One of my absolute favorite places to visit is Trinity. It's an old fishing community (as are most NL communities), with beautiful beaches, heritage homes, and churches. Strolling through the town is almost like being in an entirely different world (it's a must see if you ever visit Newfoundland!).

Although on vacation...I still had a  mission in mind for the trip. I was on the search for old, vintage doors and windows. Luckily, we came across a very friendly gentleman who specialized in heritage windows and doors. His work was amazing, just what I had in mind, except there wasn't room in my budget for a new Heritage door.  However, in true Newfoundland style, we bartered with him and gave up our hand crafted Adirondack chair that I had picked up along the way, for 4 windows and two doors that he had taken out of a home that was being restored.

Jackpot!

This door below is my favorite of the two. I've only lightly scraped at it to remove any loose paint but otherwise it's exactly as it was when we found it.  The doorknob is by far the best feature. I've never seen anything like it. I had considered bolting the door to the wall but I couldn't bear to remove the doorknob, so for now it's perched on this stool (a curbside find that I reupholstered).

I was originally going to attach hooks but rather than screw into the door, this over the door hook does great.

So what do you think? Have you used an old door for an interesting and unique purpose?

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Laundry Room Redo

The functionality of the laundry room/space/closet in a home is now officially at the top of my must have list. A non-functional laundry space is frustrating, messy and just annoying...well for at least for me it is.

A few must haves for an organized and user friendly laundry space include:
- A counter/flat surface space for folding, sorting etc.
- Ample storage for detergents and dryer sheets.

And if you're really lucky, it may even include a space to hang/air dry clothing and an ironing station, maybe a place for recyclables too? That would be perfect!

Here are the before and afters of my laundry space. As you can see, the before had no storage, no where to fold, was messy and just unpretty!

 

I'm so happy with the transformation and the new space. I was able to add storage for cleaning supplies and  a place for folding, or for dropping bags while running in and out the door. The picnic basket was a Christmas gift, I thought it much too pretty to hide away in storage. And the old washboard came from my boyfriend`s family and adds a bit of character and interest to what can most times be a mundane space.

The new washer and dryer were definitely an investment (actually, they ended up being a gift from my boyfriend for our two years...he obviously knows my very well!), but I was able to sell the old washer and dryer online which helped.

Both the cabinets and counter top are from Home Depot and were on for a really great price.I took the counter top to a local cabinetry store to get it cut down to size.

My favorite feature of this makeover is the space behind the curtain where I now keep Penelope`s litter.  I had absolutely no where to put it before then. I took the doors off the cabinet, left the shelf there for storage, used some leftover fabric to sew the curtain and hung it with a tension rod from Wal-Mart. I also really like how the curtain and baskets add a country chic and personal look to the space which ties in with the rest of the house.
 
Here are some more after shots.

 

Eventually I hope to paint this area as well...but for now the space is functional and organized and I`m enjoying doing laundry for a change!

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Savvy Southern Style: Wow Us Wednesdays

Curbside Dresser Revamp

Yes, you read correctly, this piece of furniture came from the side of the road...and was 100% free! There wasn't a garage sale or anything, it was just sitting there next to their garbage bin. I was on the way to visit my boyfriend in my 2 seater when I saw it, luckily he only lives up the road and loves a good, cheap find just as much as I do, so we hopped in his truck and got back there to pick it up before someone else did.

I'm always looking for extra storage. There aren't any linen closets or closed off laundry rooms in this house to hide things, so nice looking storage is key. With 6 drawers, I figured this piece would definitely serve that purpose.

The dresser was originally a dark walnut color and had round, loopy drawer pulls. I took out the pulls, lightly sanded it down, and then went straight to it with my can of spray paint. I originally wanted to paint it peacock blue. I saw this color over at Centsational Girl on a lovely bamboo chest and thought it added a touch of color in not too bright of a way. Alas, Home Depot in Newfoundland does not carry the ideal selection of spray paint and I was forced to opt for a slightly brighter, more blue alternative. However, I actually really like how the color turned out. It's a nice splash of color and I don't think it will be difficult to incorporate into the rest of the colors of the house.

Take a look at the after photos below. (Unfortunately I didn't take any before shots. I get too excited and completely forget to stop and take pictures!) Here it is without the new drawer pulls.

And here is a shot with the new and improved drawer pulls. I picked these up at Home Depot for less than $2.00 each.

I currently am storing all my summer shoes and sandals in the drawers. Once summer comes, I think it'll be a great spot for my winter hats, mitts and scarves.

Total cost of this storage dresser, less than $15!! All it took was a little paint and some drawer pulls to give this piece and new look and personalize it to my tastes.

Keep your eyes open for furniture you wouldn't normally consider because you thought the paint color was wrong, or because you wanted shelves instead of drawers. Paint color can be easily fixed, and placing shelves where drawers used to be could be a weekend DIY project.



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Lamp Upcycle

Hi there!! We have been having such great weather this summer that I have completely abandoned my blog. The days have been hot and sunny so I have been outside enjoying it with friends and family. I was also completing an online course over the summer so any down time I did have was spent working on that. I just finished my final paper yesterday so now I'll be able to focus once again on my getting some projects done and sharing them on here.

This project was actually completed before I finished my headboard and you can see them in this post about my upholstered headboard, however I thought I would share the process to show how easy it use small changes to have a large effect.

I received these lamps from my Mom when I moved out. Here's a photo of the base and one of the lamp shade.

Yes, the base has purple "freckles" all over it....and that shade is VERY purple.

I had something much more neutral and updated in mind. I found two tall cream colored shades at Home Sense for $9.99 each and then I used silver spray paint on the base. Quick, easy and great results.

Be sure to cover the cord as I did with painter's tape and a plastic bag, which you can see in the photo above. I also covered the top of the lamp with a plastic bag.

Here is my "new" lamp.

Looks just like new! And goes much better with the decor in my bedroom. Looking to update your space? Try upcycling a lamp of your own. You can also use the shade you have and cover it with fabric, paint it, or use colored washi tape. The possibilities are endless!

DIY Upholstered Headboard

Let me tell you...this project has been ongoing since waaaaay before Christmas. And as such, all my guests got to see a large piece of wood hanging out in my hallway or bedroom all throughout the holidays. I guess I was a little eager on the headboard front, but then I couldn't find the exact fabric I wanted, yet I already had the wood cut. Once I did find the fabric, I was waiting until I painted the room. Alas, I have not painted the bedroom, I've decided I don't terribly mind the current color, and the headboard is complete and installed! Wahoo!

I used this great video tutorial from Design*Sponge. It's easy and straight forward. Of course, I ran into some issues along the way, but overall, I followed the steps in the tutorial and am very pleased with the result.

The before was a blank wall...no headboard whatsoever.

Here is the after...!

And from a different angle...the lamps are a DIY project too, I'll post on that soon!

And just one more...!
That's just my duvet for the time being, I found a lovely tutorial for a knot quilt that I will someday get around to doing. :)

Here is a list of materials used:

• 2 pieces of 1/4 in. plywood for the bottom and top and attached with dowels. Free! Thanks Uncle Ton!
• 2 sheets of upholstery foam (I used the not-so-firm stuff in 2in. thickness. I picked these up at Fabricville) I think this was around $24.00 each.
• 1 can of spray adhesive (also from Fabricville, and I didn't use the whole can) Approx. $14.00
• Quilt batting (left over from a project, but its from Walmart) $25.00
• Fabric from Fabricville. $39 including my discount car.
• Staple gun

Total cost: $126.00!!
That's a lot better than the ones I was looking at online for over $500.00.And this could definitely be an afternoon project...I just decided to take a few months!

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Easy Rhubarb Stawberry Jam

What a busy weekend! Unfortunately I didn't get out of town for May 24th weekend, but I had a great time and was kept busy here at home. I took home some goodies from a garage sale (pics to come soon), worked on a DIY project with Nick for his mom, made some progress on my backyard and also made delicious Rhubarb Strawberry Jam.

I have always loved rhubarb, especially rhubarb pie. Most people don't enjoy the sour taste but I just love it. I can't remember the last time I had anything made with rhubarb, so when my roommates grandmother offered to bring some in for me, I was super excited!

I'm calling this my cheat recipe, because it doesn't actually use strawberries!!

Easy Rhubarb Strawberry Jam
Ingredients:

• 3 cups of chopped rhubarb (this is all I had on hand and it made enough to fill 3/4 of a mason jar)
• 1 cup of sugar (or less depending on how sweet you would like yours, I personally will use less next time)
• 1 tbs of strawberry jello mix

Instructions:

• Boil rhubarb and sugar together in a fairly large sized pot. Once the rhubarb heats up, it will begin to liquefy. 
• When you achieve a consistency you are comfortable with, remove it from the heat and stir in the jello mix.
• Then store in a mason jar, or any other container you have on hand and ENJOY! 

You can keep your jam like this for about a week or two. If you have long term storing plans in mind, it'd be best to Google the proper way to seal the jam. As I haven't done it before myself, I wouldn't want to suggest something that may not work out.

Pictures to come!!