::Making simple things beautiful::

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Faking farmhouse

I am back!  I put some of my projects on hold for a few days so that I could spend the week with my kids.  It was nice to take a little break, but I am itching to get back to business.

We all love things that have chipping paint from sitting out in a barn for years and are truly old, but sometimes those things come with big fat price tags.  This project is a good example of how you can take any ol' thing and give it the farm house look with just a little bit of elbow grease.

I was recently hired to paint this wooden gate.  It was weathered, but didn't look like it was too old.  The whitewash and distressing was just what it needed to give it a real aged farmhouse look.



This is a view of the front of the gate.  It is cute too but I am partial to the other side for some reason (please don't mind the mess in the background).


I have been thinking about what I would do in my house with it.  It looks great just leaning against the wall, but it would also be adorable hung sideways as a headboard for a full bed.  Or, can you picture it hung sideways in a mud room or entryway with hooks on it for coats/purses/dog leashes?  It would be quite a statement to hang three or four matching frames with black and white pictures directly on it.  Imagine a wreath hanging on it at Christmas time...the possibilities are endless.



 




Is there anything laying around your house that could use a little faux farmhouse treatment?  You might be surprised how a little dry brushing and sanding could transform it.  

 I have also been working on a white frame collage for my living room so I will be back soon with details on that.

That is all I have to share for now, time to get ready for a day of swimming with the fam despite my already severely sun burned back.  

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Finally...the winner!

Happy Saturday everyone!  

I know you have all been checking to see who the big winner is.  I used random.org to generate the winner, and congratulations to the second person who commented on that post, Pam!


 

If I remember right, she wanted crown and nest pillow slips.  I will be working on those in the next week or so.

In the mean time, I am doing one doozy of a sewing project.  I am making a pair of really great chair pads that require piping on the edges.  I have been wanting to teach myself how to make and sew piping in for a while now, so this is just the push I needed to get it done.  I think it is actually going to be a success!  I will share pictures soon. 


Ok girls, I am off to get myself ready for an all nighter without my kiddos.  We are making great use of the time by going to see the new Harry Potter in 3D.  It will be my first 3D movie, how exciting!


True Random Number Generator  2Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Friday, July 22, 2011

A GRAY milestone and pinterest

Oh my goodness...we made it to Friday!

My little blog hit a milestone yesterday.  I have had over 2000 views.  I am jazzed about it.  It is so fun to know that there are so many of you out there reading and enjoying my projects, so thank you from the bottom of my heart for being a part of it.
Don't forget if you want to get in on the pillow slip giveaway be sure to become a follower of my blog and leave a comment on this post.  

Now, I shall move on to the eye candy portion of the post.  I have been absolutely loving pinterest lately.  It is a huge site jam packed with amazing pictures.  It is such a helpful resource to have especially if you have any remodeling/redecorating plans for your house.  It is a great source of inspiration for any style.  There are pictures of anything you could ever imagine, but of course I find it most fun to search through the shabby chic selection.  



You not only get to search for wonderful pictures, but you get virtual pin boards to save them to so that you can always have them for reference.  It is such a blast, but can be a bit on the addictive side.





I am not a big fan of Christmas decor, but I love the shabby white rendition in this dining room.  I am also loving the slip covered dining chairs.  I am seeing myself making those in the very near future : )


Do you not wish that this was your guest house?  Or your house house for that matter?


Pop on over and check Pinterest out if you haven't already.  Just beware, you will literally have to pry yourself away from the computer.  Happy Friday to you all, until tomorrow when the pillow slip giveaway winner is announced!

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Savoring a brand new quilt

Do you remember the post I wrote months ago about revamping my little man's room?  It has been months and I am finally getting to it!  I have been stashing things out in the garage in a tote until I became inspired to get it done.  Inspiration hit in the form of a freebie bed from my mom's neighbor.  Sharon, thank you dearly!

I had originally planned to repaint his old bed.  It was a brown metal bed that reminded me of    and old hospital bed.  I racked my brain trying to decide what color to paint it but never could make up my mind.  When I saw this bed, I knew it was perfect and required no painting.

(Please ignore the sideways letter hanging on the wall, that is a project in progress)


The metal locker was given to me by one of my sweet friends.  I think it is the perfect touch for his room.  He had it filled up with books and shoes in no time.


In our house it is a rarity to get brand new bedding.  This should come as no surprise since I like most things vintage and thrifted anyway, but I really think what was holding me back from starting his room was that I was savoring this new comforter.  My mom bought it for him from Pottery Barn Kids so I would feel horrible if it ever got stained up.  (I am kind of weird like that)  A week into it and so far so good (my fingers are crossed behind my back).


Oh how I love side of the road freebies!  This jute rug was another thing that my mom's neighbor was throwing out (over a year ago) so I swooped it up, knowing that i would use it someday.  I like how it balances out all of the color throughout the room.



There is a lot more to do in his room.  I still need to hang up all of the marquee letters that I have been collecting, hang up a big chalkboard above the dresser, and make him something crafty to hang his coats and hoodies up on.  Those projects will have to wait for another day I am afraid.

Don't forget about the giveaway! Find out how to enter at the end of this post.  Check back on Saturday to see who will win the goods!

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

A touch of industrial chic...

I was feeling a bit sluggish today after a long night with a teething baby girl so this morning I took the kids for a jog at the track and a walk to the park but it didn't cure my funk.  That is until I was paid one of the nicest compliments I have ever received this afternoon.  

It seems that through my blogging, a bit of shabby is now turning my modern and simplistic sister's head.  Her house is so beautiful, and even though she thinks she has no style, her style  is gorgeous and clean.  I wish I could do it in my house.  It meant a lot to hear her say that she loves my blog and that it is opening her up to new possibilities.  I always thought that she read my blog because she loves me, but now I realize that it is more than that.

It was the perfect thing to hear today, it perked me up, and I decided to snap a few pictures of a new project.


This is the metal bed that was previously brown that I couldn't decide on a color for.  I am happy with my decision, although it really only came about because I had some spare brushed nickel paint.





I just knew that it would look so gorgeous paired with all white girly ruffles.  The ruffles really dress up the simple metallic bed frame.  It is such a pretty combination.



I couldn't resist showing it in a bit of black and white.




My house looked pretty ridiculous as I was taking these pictures.  Who on earth sets up a twin bed in the living room?  Oh wait, I do!  I am taking this frame down to my space at the antique mall today. I really hope that someone else has the vision that I do for it.                     All dressed in white...

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Lavende

 I just wanted to share a couple of my new goodies.  Last weekend I became a bit scissor happy on my sis in laws lavender bushes.  I really wanted to fill up this old tool caddy with lavender, so I had to find myself a source (it really wasn't that hard).


Also, my mother in law brought me this gorgeous glass dome.  I am trying to think of things to fill it with.  An orchid would fit inside nicely.  I could also find a cute skinny little topiary.  I will have to keep my eyes peeled for the perfect thing.


The lavender looks sweet in there, but I like it better filling up the caddy.  So, empty the dome sits, waiting for the perfect filler.


I hope you are having a great week!  Don't forget about the pillow slip giveaway!  Check here for details on how to sign up.  The winner will be picked on Saturday.  Make sure that you not only became a follower but also left a comment telling me which covers you want.  Ta ta for now! B

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Ruffles and a chair before and after

As yet another weekend comes to an end, I am excited to have new projects to share.  We had a pretty uneventful weekend around here so I had plenty of time to dive into some projects that I have been wanting to do for some time.

First, I will share my favorite pillow to date.  Back off ladies...this one is all mine    : )  I learned a lot as I made this pillow slip, but the one thing that sticks out in my mind is to never again complain about the price of ruffled linens.  This mamma jamma took for evah to make.  If I feel ambitious again in the future I might make a set for my booth but I doubt it.  My attention span for any given project is all of about 60 minutes and let's just say these ruffles went beyond that time frame.  It sure is nice to look at on my couch though.
  

Now for the before and after.

I was hired to do a mini makeover on this chair and I was so excited to see how it would turn out.  The frame was already perfectly finished in this great robin's egg blue so all I had to do was upholster the pads.

Before



After

Isn't it darling?



The paint that is on the frame was done years ago and is just beautiful.  It is the perfect color.


I wish I could share with you all the adorable house where this chair is going.  It really looks as though it should be in a magazine.  The owner has some amazing shabby pieces like white slip covered sofas, chippy hutches and some great architectural pieces.  It is so inspiring to see her house, and this chair will be the perfect addition!

That's all for now!  Don't forget about the pillow slip giveaway!  To enter, first become a follower of my blog and then leave me a comment on the previous post telling me which covers you would like if you win!



Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Crown pillow slips and the giveaway!

I am feeling so blessed today for so many reasons.  I got to spend some QT with my husband, was able to catch up with two of my dear friends, and was blessed with one amazing lunch (the way to my heart is with food : )).  So for all of those reasons, it was a wonderful day.  Now, onto what you really meet me here for.

I am so excited to share my newest project with you!  I had a request for a crown pillow so as I was brainstorming how to make one, I realized that I could use the same technique to make other designs as well.

There is a bit of a learning curve on perfecting this project, but I think I figured it out.  I can't wait to make more.


I also tried my luck at making a set of tea towels with nests on them.




In other news, our rose bushes are in full bloom and are producing the most beautiful roses that smell unbelievably good.  Love them!






I have so many fun designs to use.  I have a rooster, a few frenchy designs, birds, and more but I can't remember them all.



Now, down to the fun stuff...the giveaway.
I am giving away a pair of pillow slips of your choice.  You can choose from faux grain stripe (specify color), numbered (specify numbers), or the new designs (ie crown, nest, rooster, bird, french post card, please specify)

How to enter:  I know there are many of you out there who read my blog but are not followers.  To be entered in the giveaway you must first become a follower (it is a pretty simple process, you just need to have yahoo or gmail I believe.)  Then, you have to leave me a comment on this post with which pillow slips you would like.  Easy peezy right?  Then you will have a chance to win two fab pillow covers.  The winner will be chosen at random on Saturday July 23rd.  Thanks for reading!  -Brittany



Saturday, July 9, 2011

I smell a bathroom reno coming my way


I am just popping in to share what is rattling around inside my head right now.  I have this wall color that I can't stop thinking about, as well as this light fixture.  I am thinking...bathroom makeover!  I can't wait to paint over the green that is in there, and what better way to do it than with a shabby makeover?

Here is a bit if my inspiration.  Enjoy!




What do you think?  Are you with me on this one?

Friday, July 8, 2011

New good dishin'

It has been one heck of a week!  I clocked in many hours working on a set of vintage lockers, and finished up quite a few of my sewing projects.  Here is where I will dish all of the new goods.

This is a picture of the lockers with one of my fabric "vintage" banners across the front.  I just thought I would try it out in black and white for fun.


I didn't get a chance to take any good pictures this week, everything seemed like it was rush rush rush.  I absolutely LURVE these numbered pillows.




And here is anotha pic of the lockers.  Again, not the best picture of them but they are pretty darn sweet in person ; )

They would be perfect in a mudroom or playroom.  Inside there are all sorts of hooks and shelves to stow goodies away.


It was a wee bit painful but also fun to rough them up after I painted them.  There is even some rust showing through and some paint chipping off which I love.



Last night I stayed up waaaaaaay past my bed time and made this table runner.  I wish I still had a rectangular table to put one on.  I had a rough time deciding on what number to put on it, but finally settled on 15.  I am just loving ruffles these days.


What do you think about the new goods?  Am I justified in this linen fabric obsession?  Are you with me?  Have a fabulous weekend!

PS I have some adorable new pillows coming soon!  Here is a hint-birds and crowns and pretty frenchy designs.  Oh I can't wait!

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Window shopping lovelies

Happy Day to you!  I finally did it... I braved looking like an absolute freak walking around the Antique Mall with my camera.  There were some elderly folk giving me some strange glances but other than that, all was well.

I am starting off with two pieces that I ALWAYS look at when I am walking around the mall.  I adore this little farmhouse cabinet, and it is priced just right, a little over $100 I believe. The table it is sitting on is great too, and might have to come home with me someday.  It is on sale for $95.  I cannot believe that it hasn't sold yet!  These can both be found in the French Hen booth FYI.



I just had to snap a pic of this sweet little "brittany" chair as I like to call them.  I have managed to single handedly corner the market on them, or hoard them, if you will.  But at $85 for the pair, this is one set that will not be coming home with me sadly.


Is anything farmhouse chic not in right now or what?  I absolutely love this antique egg crate.



And I simply couldn't leave out this antique chicken cage.  I think it was around $100 but don't quote me on that. It would be adorb standing just like that out on a front porch used as a side table next to a rocking chair.  Who wouldn't love to rest their morning cup of coffee on that pretty?


Pardon the horrid lighting in the pictures but I was working with absolutely no natural light.  Still, these buckets are looking fabulous.  I have a thing for galvanized pails. These range in price from around $12-in the thirties.


I thought this hutch was so pretty.  It is a bit too refined for my taste, but it would be so beautiful in a dining room stacked with ironstone dishes.


I am in complete shock that this amazing potting bench is not sold yet.  It is only-you might want to sit down for this-$85!!!  It is hand made out of reclaimed wood and has this cute little sink in it.  It is pretty massive, but would be so functional for uses other than a potting bench. To the lovely woman who this booth belongs to, your stuff is gorgeous, and I hope we meet someday!


Great little chalkboard!


I have been drooling over this sign for months!


This shabby little chandelier is made from rusty old fencing.  I just love it!


This cabinet/wreath/table/cart are from the same booth as the little chandy above.  This is one lady after my own heart with her black and white, wreaths and vintage cart.  I.LOVE.IT.ALL.  The little cart is $40 I think and is adorable!  It would make a great quirky little clothes hamper.


Oh my gosh you guys...dig no more for frames at thrift stores!  This booth has a gigantic trunk full of wonderful old chunky frames that are totally affordable and would be perfect for chalkboards, cork boards or who knows, maybe even the occasional picture.  They range in price from $8 to in the forties.


I couldn't be stopped.  I am a sucker for wire baskets.


If anyone is shopping around for a little outdoor table, look no more.  This set is only $89!  It is so cute and would be the perfect size for a front porch.


And I saved the best for last.  There is a pair of chippy blue adirondack chairs for $59 each.  They are great!


That was quite a lengthy ramble!  Sorry if I seemed like a sales person there but I really just love all of the treasures that can be found antiquing and thrifting.  Have a great weekend!  Stay tuned for the giveaway next week.