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little things :: empty frame edition :: part deux

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OK, so I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted a project, and now all of a sudden I’ve had a burst of creativity with 2 projects in 2 days.

Why?

Most likely because I’m avoiding cleaning my house, since I’m hosting Thanksgiving dinner in a mere 4 days. There’s nothing like it to inspire projects!

But mostly, I haven’t been doing much because I haven’t had the funds for new purchases. But then I began to tidy up a bit and found a little frame that I’ve been meaning to use for years.

I wasn’t back in cleaning mode not even for 5 minutes after hanging the little frame when I saw the same gorgeous frame that’s been leaning against my desk for probably several years, also waiting for real home, where it would be loved and cherished as it deserves. (Yes, my office/studio is like the land of the misfit toys.)

Don’t mind the crappy photos…it’s late and my iPhone is tired.

And I thought, “Damn it, after all these years, this frame deserves a real home…where could I put it?” Which sent me on a wild goose chase through my house trying to find a place for this awesome frame, while I conveniently avoided cleaning.

With this crappy quality closeup photo, you may or may not be able to see that the frame has lovely rosettes and a layered look with gold metallic topped with a creamy off-white paint.

I found this bad boy at Michael’s for a mere $13. It was originally all gold metallic, but I spruced it up with an antique white finish. Then I let it cure for a couple of years. 

Since the frame is a little bit ornate and a little bit shabby chic (sung to the tune of Donny & Marie’s Little Bit Country, Little Bit Rock ‘N Roll. And yes, you’re welcome for ensuring that tune that will be in your head all day long), I figured I might find a place in my master bedroom, which is full of shabby chic awesomeness.

I stopped dead in my tracks when I got here…

The heavens parted and the angels were singing, until the record scratched when I realized that this spot, while a clever vignette, was missing a little something. Something along the lines of an ornate, yet shabby chic empty frame…

 

The heavens once again beamed down upon me and the angels resumed their singing. It was the perfect addition to top off this vignette. And because I’m getting comfortable with imperfection, I LOVE the off-center look! It makes it unusual and a bit mod.

(However, don’t ask my 12-year-old-son for his opinion…he walked into my room and shouted, “THAT FRAME IS OFF CENTER. YOU NEED TO FIX THAT!” To which I said, “No, I’m getting comfortable with imperfection.” His response was to turn on his heel and run screaming from my room. If I’d known it would have had that effect, I might have tried it years ago!)

So now that I’ve got that project wrapped up, it’s back to my pre-Thanksgiving attempts at cleaning. Let’s see how many more awesome projects are spawned by my avoidant behaviors.

design vacation :: master bedroom

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Although I didn’t accomplish quite as much as I’d hoped on my design vacation, I did spruce up my master bedroom a bit.

Inspired by a new duvet cover, I’ve started fixing my bed again.  After all, it only takes 2 minutes, even with scads of pillows…

I’m not sold on the color of the duvet cover yet, but I love all of the texture of the faux fur blanket and pillows, the brown floral quilt, leopard print, all topped off with the satin rose pillow. Kinda girly!

(And please, for the love of Pete, let’s just overlook the wrinkles on the duvet, OK?)

I tidied up my nightstand…

…and added some fabulous beaded raspberries to a formerly empty vase…

(Just for fun, let’s pronounce it VAHZ!)

The other nightstand got tidied, as well as a touch of mod…

Painted up a lamp…

And painted another lamp too that got added to this chest of drawers for a truly eclectic mix…

I even vacuumed.  And dusted.  And polished my furniture. No small feat for me!

I’m loving my newly cleaned and spruced up room.  Now I just need to add paint to this vaulted-ceilinged bad boy!

And don’t forget to enter the Spring Cleaning Giveaway for a chance to win this adorable sterling silver charm bracelet!

Click here for contest entry details.

Showing off at these link parties…

Mod Vintage Life

design vacation :: project break :: shabby chic meets mod lamps

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I’m on vacation this week, and spending some time cleaning and freshening up a couple of rooms.  I’ve been hacking away at my master bedroom, slowly but surely.

The look that I’m going for in my master bedroom is shabby chic meets mod. I’ve already got the shabby chic going on, and a couple of mod elements, but felt that these lamps were a little too ornate for the look I’m after…

The one on the right can be seen here in these keeping it real pics from the master bedroom…

Sorry, no before pic of the other lamp.

I decided to spray paint both lamps a glossy white.  Simple enough.  I figured it should be a quick and easy sprucing up. Maybe an hour max. Of course even thinking that was the kiss of death that guaranteed I’d have some sort of problem! Guess I forgot the basic physics formula of any DIY project…project time and difficulty is inversely proportionate to the number of times DIYer says or thinks it will be a quick and easy slam dunk!

Here are they lamps after the first coat or so…

I happened to notice that the lamp on the left was having a little bit of an adhesion issue…

The paint just wasn’t sticking on the neck of the lamp.  What the heck? So I continued spraying. I would conquer this lamp with cheap spray paint.

No improvement. Maybe it was the cheap spray paint.  Maybe it was because I didn’t wait long enough between coats. Or maybe there was some sort of texture or oil base or who knows what.  The other lamp, however, was shaping up quite nicely.

I had a can of Krylon Fusion for Plastic in white, so I decided to give that a try, since it’s supposed to stick to just about anything.  That began to work.

After I got the neck of the lamp fixed up with the Krylon, I sprayed the entire lamp with a couple more coats of glossy white. Finally, success!

Here’s the lamp that didn’t give me too much trouble, on a terrific inlaid shell table that I scored a couple years back at the end of summer for $20…

And here’s the problem child, that turned out great in the end…

Perhaps you’re wondering, why white? It’s all going toward my evil plan of eventually painting the walls a rich gray.  Just imagine how beautifully the furniture and accessories will pop against a deep gray backdrop.  Can’t wait to get to the painting phase of the journey.

A fun, eclectic collection of goodies that makes my shabby chic meets mod dream come alive.

And don’t forget to enter the Spring Cleaning Giveaway for a chance to win this adorable sterling silver charm bracelet!

Click here for contest entry details.

Showing off at these link parties…

Remodelaholic

lookee what i found!

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Lookee what I found on Craigslist for 30 clams!

 

A beautiful chandelier that I’m going to paint and put in my bedroom.  (That is after it “cures” for a while in my garage with my other projects-in-waiting.)

Can’t decide…white, black or other?

Don’t want it to be too shabby chic.  We’ll see…

Edited to add: My friend Claire says silver.  BRILLIANT!  Silver shall be.  (After adequate curing time, of course.)

thanksgiving table

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This Thanksgiving I hosted the Thanksgiving dinner and had a total of 11 guests.  Not a huge production, but certainly more than my usual 3 person deal.

As always, I wanted to create a special tablescape, but using things that I have around the house.  Plus, this year, in addition to making it budget friendly, I wanted it to reflect the more austere times that we and many families are experiencing.  Not too sparse, but nothing extravagant either.  So, I went with a combination that I frequently rely on…shabby chic with a touch of whimsical & mod.

As promised, I used the same tablecloth as last year and the year before.  And no, I didn’t iron it…I’m not that kind of girl!  Besides, that’s part of the “shabby”!

I mixed 2 sets of dishes and tied the dinner and salad plates in fun ribbons that I’ve had since forever…

The ribbon takes care of the whimsical…

…and the mod…

The delicate blue glasses are vintage – they were my mom’s from before I was born.

The “centerpiece” is comprised of repurposed Classico pasta sauce jars, filled with a tealight and topped with ribbon, further contributing to the shabby chicness…

But best of all were the family we were blessed to have joining us at this table…

Here’s wishing all of you a warm and wonderful holiday season, filled with the love and laughter of family and friends!