I don’t know how good this table looks in real life – but it certainly is attractive in the photos. What an imagination to think of making this modern table from such simple things.
Archive for the ‘Decorating Ideas’ Category
Valentine’s Day Door on a Budget
January 27, 2011With the exception of the porch tree and wreath on my front door, my Christmas decor has long been stored in the basement. When it is cloudy or snowy I really like the cheerfulness of my tacky little tree. I work on keeping it around a little longer each year.
Earlier I also decided I wanted a new Valentine’s Day door decoration. I had plastic placemat for the last couple of years. A few weeks ago I found an upgrade for $3 at Home Goods. A red felt placemat! I knew I wanted to add some glitz, just not sure what to do until I remembered some plastic red glitter Christmas balls.
Here is a picture of the placemat, balls and tools I used. I had enough of the red balls so I didn’t use the silver ones.
First I cut lengths of wire and put them on the balls. Then I punched holes in the felt with the needle tool and pushed the wire through it. I used fairly long wires because the wind will blow it around and the balls need to be secure. (During the blizzard last night, I looked out and saw that the heart had been blown into the foot of snow on the porch – despite the fact I wrapped the hanging wire around the hook several times. I retrieved and let it dry in the garage.)
Finished and installed felt heart -
My next step was to decorate my little tree. I removed the silver star from the top and replaced it with a polymer clay heart pin I made several years ago for a Vday party. A friend lent my her red glittery heart shaped Christmas decorations that she bought at Ikea this year. They are flat and light and look good on the white tree. I can keep it on the porch for a couple more weeks!!
The large stones are to keep it on the porch when the wind blows.
The decorated porch. I know it is a little tacky – I think that is kinda appropriate for Valentine’s Day. And I smile each time I see my tree. Total cost: $3!!
An extra – a view from the porch after I spent the morning shoveling the driveway.
Ember’s Placemats
January 17, 2011My cat is very conscious of her surroundings. She insists that her most important place fit in with the rest of the house – especially if it is decorated even the slightest for a holiday.
No surprise to anyone who knows her – Ember’s most important place is her food bowl. She is not always a dainty eater and the floor beneath the bowl is hardwood. The answer for both of us has been a series of placemats that change with the season.
Her favorite is this Johathan Adler Christmas mat I found a few years ago. I really like it for the color and clean lines.
The mat currently in use shows a happy snowman.
The snowman will be in place until the beginning of February when we will have a Valentine’s Day theme. After that I’ll be lazy until the beginning of March when she’ll be sportin’ the green – or she will use one of the all purpose mats for a couple of weeks in between.
Easter is celebrated with chicks and eggs and we have tulip and daffodil mats for the rest of the spring.
She has summer and fall themed mats and I am always looking for new ones – especially the clear ones that allow the floor to shine through. This is the favorite all purpose mat. It gets a lot of use between decorating events.
Placemats are a fun, and economical way to add a little color to what can be a dreary part of your home when you are owned by a pet. The mats cost about $3 and can almost always be purchased on sale or with a 40% coupon. They can be used to protect surfaces under plants, some can be used as holiday door decorations, or as intended where they add some holiday mood to a casual table.
Christmas Arrangement Process
December 7, 2010I have been absent for awhile – just let life get in the way. I am returning with a table arrangement I made for the holidays.
I am in love with the green that has been around for a few years now. Acid green? lime green? I am not sure of the name but I don’t seem to be able to get enough. I just bought a can of Key Lime spray paint so watch for future posts with that.
I went to Joann Fabrics and just had to look at the 50% off “silk” flowers. I found poinsettias in my new favorite color as well as one of my all time favorites – silver. I bought a bush of each color and a stem of what look somewhat like wheat in the sequined lime color.
I looked through my stash of vessels and picked a silver plate pitcher I have had for 20+ years. I didn’t polish it because I like the patina. Next was to deconstruct the bushes to get a better arrangement. I used wire clippers and cut the stems as long as possible. (Note: If you have a pair of wire clippers for jewelry – do not use them. These stems require the heavy duty wire clippers you get at the hardware store.)
I created the arrangement to my liking and placed it on my glass dining table.
Somehow not enough of something.
Next I added a placemat I found at Goodwill a few months ago.
Better but still lacking.
Next I took a mirror (antoher Goodwill find) I had casually leaning on the wall on my buffet and placed it under the pitcher.
Yes! I like it.
The mirror’s heavy frame added just enough weight to make it stand out.
The point of all of this? Experiment!! What you have in your mind’s eye does not always happen instantly. Whether it is a flower arrangement or a new furniture arrangement for the living room, don’t be discouraged that the first attempt doesn’t work. Sometimes it takes days of looking at something that is just a little off to find the tweak that is needed. If I can’t find a solution to a problem opportunity I ‘tuck it in the back of my mind’. A solution – or at least the next step – will present itself. This works for just about anything you are doing. I first developed the habit in the corporate world when I worked with process design and large databases.
Sometimes people who create these things want you to think it just happens instantly for them and you don’t have the talent to (fill in the blank). Phooey on that. Just look around you for inspiration, get the vision and keep experimenting until it is something you like – doesn’t matter if I like it. After all not everyone is thrilled with the idea of a bouquet of acid green poinsettias – some of my own family even.
Here are up close pics of the poinsettias and wheat type sequined things.
Isn’t it beautiful?
Purple Necklace Pieces
October 30, 2010I just removed these polymer clay beads from the oven. They look a little sad. Just wait until you see the finished necklace in a few days. The beads will be sanded with 3 grits of sandpaper – up to 1200 grit – and buffed to bring out the depth of the color and then strung.
The beads are all variations on a mix of blue and red pearl clay. The largest bead is a 1:1 ratio. I tend to like the mixes where I use mostly blue and add some red to bring it closer to purple.
Spiffed Up Santa
October 29, 2010A lot of the DIY blogs that I spend way too much time on each day have lots of items revitalized with paint. White is a particular favorite. I love the look but with winter approaching I do not have as much desire for a lot of white in my house. When I found Santa looking a little dirty and sad at the Salvation Army last week I knew he fit the bill for a white experiment. I cleaned him up and spray painted him white. At first I used as flat paint – that didn’t work. When I repainted with gloss – success. I really like the way he looks and white accents like this will add sparkle around the holidays.
I know the total color wash is not something that everyone embraces but I think it can rescue items that were not finely crafted and disguise a lot of flaws. It can also bring others to your attention such as a few stray “fur” pieces on Santa’s coat so prep carefully.
Something I found out by experimenting after a friend’s warning – Only use a battery candle in a repainted item. I used a regular tealtight and Santa’s hat and face turned brown (I repainted him). Unless you are using a paint specified for high heat stick to the battery candles.
Cat-O-Lantern
October 12, 2010About a week ago I saw this post on Vintage Revivals with instructions on how to make Junkins – Pumpkins except with Junk. I often see simple glass vessels in the thrift stores for less than $1. Some of the shapes are interesting but I always pass on them because I have no real use for them. Now something fun. On Sunday I made this cheerful cat-o-lantern. 
I found a picture I liked, enlarged it to fit the bowl and then followed the directions on the Vintage Revivals blog. I love it!! Next one I will put on 3-4 coats of paint but other than that, no changes. Here are some in process pics. I am going to make a few more and am thinking of ways to adapt for Christmas decor too.
Bowl with taped cat face ready for paint
Painted bowl before taped face removed
Thrifted Treasure – Pfaltzgraff Mugs
October 7, 2010Once again time for On Purpose Networking meeting. And I am a featured member which means I get to talk about my business for five minutes! Tomorrow I am giving away these mugs from Pfaltzgraff. I don’t think they have ever been used. They are each tri-color (blue, green and periwinkle) but in different combinations. 
An online search determines that most Pfaltzgraff new mugs are about $15, with a lot of $10 sales.
Thrifted Treasure – $0.75 each
Painted Thrift Store Frame
September 21, 2010I have been looking for for something to bring a little color to my guest bath. I found this picture at the Salvation Army a couple of months ago. It is unusual in that the frame is 1 inch thick and the print is placed at the back of the frame for a shadow box effect. I loved the print but the black plastic frame was just too stark. I decided to paint it. 
First step was to tape off the glass and spray with plastic primer. Ooops…. I forgot to take the before picture until I had most of the tape on.
Next I painted the base color using some green latex paint left over from the experiments to find the perfect living room paint.
Then it was bland and not enough contrast with the green (different color) paint on the bathroom walls.
Next step was to do a blue wash over the green to mimic some of the colors in the print. This took a few tries and I finally settled on using Cobalt Blue Hue Liquitex Acrylic from my polymer clay tool chest. I applied it with a foam brush and then wiped off with a damp paper towel.
The after version is pretty close to what I envisioned. One last step may be to apply a glossy clear finish. Not sure about that yet, I will live with it for awhile.
My first glitter project
September 13, 2010I glittered the candle I bought last week. As well as I can remember I have not glittered anything that was not paper before. This is pretty tacky so I am not sure I’ll be doing it again any time soon. I simply poured glitter in a paper plate, ‘painted’ the outside of the spirals with Elmer’s glue and then rolled and pressed the glitter to the candle. Almost instant tacky. Maybe this will spare you spending the time doing the same thing.
