Patch Pillows...

I thought I would share a couple of pictures of some pillows I made a few months back.  I stitched on some fabric samples I got from Ballard and stamped the background using some fabric ink. Super simple and inexpensive.

Hallway beadboard...

This is how out entryway/hallway looked when we purchased our home. Very dark, and in my opinion, not very inviting.

We decided to install bead board paneling all throughout the hallway.  We are thinking we might take it all the way up the stairs as well.  Home Depot cut them to the exact height we needed and we even had them cut some of the widths as well.  If I remember correctly, we had the the bead board cut to 60" tall and the base boards add another 2" to the overall height.  I absolutely love tall bead board and this came out exactly how I was hoping! Now I am dying to do an entire wall of the stuff in our kitchen!! ;)

We got these light fixtures at Lowe's and installed them ourselves.   This was easier than I thought it would be! We just made sure all electricity was shut off to the wires and tested them with an electrical tester.

Our doorbell was very old, shiny gold sparkle.  So, I painted it the same color as the wall and replaced the old fabric with some cream color cotton I already had.

We still need to paint the ceiling but otherwise we are super pleased with our new hallway.  And it's so gratifying knowing we did all the work ourselves!

Bar Stool Redo...

A couple of years ago, my husband and I got 2 of these stools as a gift. They are nicely made stools, but still nonetheless, pretty plain Jane, run of the mill, everybody has them, stools. So, one day, I decided to change them up a bit and make them a little more original.

This shows it stained too

First thing I did was sand them down with my electric sander until there was no trace of their original finish. (Sorry, I don't have pics of this step...I'm still learning.) Then, I painted the legs using Valspars "Natural" in a satin finish.  After they dried I applied a little bit of brown glaze to give it more of an aged look. 

I used screwdrivers, nails, and a hammer to distress the top. I then stained the top a darker color than it was originally. I painted the sides of the top with the same paint I used for the legs. This time, I used my block sander to get most of the paint off the sides.  A little tip for projects like this, is don't let the paint dry too long and it will be easier to sand.

I used a rubber stamp with script writing to stamp the tops of the stools.

 I used a fantastic ink called StazOn in Timber Brown. It is sold at most major craft stores and comes in a wide range of colors.  Here is a description of the ink.

"StazOn is Tsukineko's only solvent-based stamp pad, designed for decorating non-porous surfaces such as glass, metal, shrink plastic, cellophane, aluminum foil, leather and acrylic. With StazOn, you'll achieve a beautiful stained glass appearance, due to the transparent nature of the ink. Thanks to its mild smell, StazOn is much safer to use than other permanent inks."

After the ink dried I gave each stool two coats of sealer using Minwax Wipe-On Poly in semi gloss. I did this to lock in the ink and so the stools would wipe down better when they need to be cleaned. 

I did this project over a year ago and these stools are holding up wonderfully! We love them!

 

Country Living: Renovating an Old House

Before (Country Living)

After (Country Living)

Staircase Before (Country Living)

Staircase After (Country Living)

One day I hope to find a similar house, in similar condition, on a similar piece of land and just start from scratch. What a beautiful transformation!  To see more pictures and read about this homes transformation, click the link below. 

Country Living:Renovating an Old House in Upstate New York

Chalk Board Children's Desk and Chair...

It all started with this old child's desk and school chair.  My wonderful mom picked up the chair at a garage sale for 25 cents. I thought for that price I would give it a go, and try to spiffy it up with a fresh coat of paint.  I found the desk at a flea market for 10 bucks. I could have probably found a better price somewhere, but I got a little impatient.

The chair back and seat are plastic and the legs are metal.  I couldn't find any plastic spray paint I liked so, I primed the plastic parts of the chair with "American Traditions plastic primer" I already had. After the primer had time to dry, I used Krylon "Bright Idea" in gloss for the chair and Rustoleum Painters Touch "Green Apple" in satin for the desk legs. I know a lot of bloggers love them some Krylon, but in my opinion, NOTHING compares to Rustoleum Painters Touch. It hardly drips at all and sprays so evenly and smooth. I can't rave enough!! I always get mine at Home Depot.

 

Already an improvement, right! Now for the chalkboard top.

 

I don't have any pics of this step, because it was hot and I had a two year old getting too close for comfort. I found the directions for this on Martha Stewart's website. You can get directions here.


I used some flat brown Valspar paint from a sample pot I had lying around. I could have gone out and purchased chalkboard paint, but for such a small job, I didn't need that much. Also, this gave me the option to pick an exact color for my project. After it dried really well, I rubbed a piece of chalk over the whole piece to season it. It's ready for business. ;)

We put it in my daughter's walk in closet. It holds her coloring books, crayons, pencils, and other art supplies. She loves it and I couldn't ask for more!!