Year: 2012

How-To Add Decorative Trim to Curtains {for cheap}

Written by Jenna on October 25, 2012. Posted in DIY. 17 Comments on How-To Add Decorative Trim to Curtains {for cheap}

It’s been fun to share a few of the many DIY updates that I made for my daughters new Big Girl bedroom, and today I’ve got another.

When planning out the room, I knew I wanted to keep the long window panels, but add some embellishments to dress em’ up a bit.

They are typical 86″ long panels that I purchased 2+ years ago from Bed, Bath, and Beyond and are a deep fuschia color with a small herringbone pattern. I always liked them but thought they were a wee-bit boring… until now.

Adding trim, a leading edge, or edge band, is a simple and inexpensive way to give an updated look and a bit of flair to any window treatment. Plus now my revamped drapes are unique and one-of-a-kind, and so can yours.

To get the look is pretty easy and costs only a few dollars.

The before panels were okay, but the after is “bam”!

To start off, the panels definitely needed to be raised alittle higher towards the ceiling (the higher the better), and adding a decorative trim band at the top, bottom, and inner side was the answer to give them a designer look.

I found this fun fabric for $3.97/yard, and one yard was just enough for the project.

To start off, I determined that I wanted a 3″ +/- leading edge band on the 3 sides.

I cut 6-1/2″ strips of fabric.

The fabric strips were not long enough for the length of the curtain panel, so I simply took the fabric ends, put right sides together, sewed, and ironed flat to create 1 long strip.

Once the long strip was created for the length and I cut two strips for the top and bottom (x2 for the other panel), I folded the strips in half (wrong sides together) and ironed.

I then aligned the unfinished edge of the trim fabric with the right side of the panel edge…

Sewed using a 1/2″ inseam….

And finished by ironing the seam flat.

After adding the leading edge band to the inner side, the bottom, and the top, it was time to focus on the corners.

Where the corners meet, I left extra fabric and rolled one side under the other to create a 90 degree angle. Then sewed the edge.

Pictures might explain it better. Take a look…

And here’s the result of my $5 Designer Update.

O, I forgot to mention that I also updated the drapery rod too. The before rod was purchased from Ikea years ago. No reason to get a new one when a little spray paint does a world-of-wonder!

Hello to Gloss White.

If you happened to miss the whole space, it’s a true treasure.

It’s amazing with a little fabric and/or trim, how a typical store-bought drape can be jazzed up to look designer-made!

I’m pretty passionate about window treatments (call me crazy), and if you want to read/see more, I recommend you check out these posts:
Create a Layered Window Treatment
The Right (and Wrong) Way to Hang Window Drapery Panels
DIY: How To Make Simple Lined Window Drapery Panels

DIY: 3 in 1 Kids Play Tent – A Lowe’s Creative Idea

Written by Jenna on October 17, 2012. Posted in DIY. 28 Comments on DIY: 3 in 1 Kids Play Tent – A Lowe’s Creative Idea

I hope you’re having a great week and I want to thank all of you who left such kind comments about my daughter’s room makeover. I already shared one DIY creation in the room (the washi tape initial) and I’m back today to share another part of the space for my first challenge as a Lowe’s Creative Team Member (learn more about that here).

One of my favorite parts of the room was creating a play tent. My kids, as most kids do, love creating forts and tents with blankets and pillows. They love the idea of a hidden place to play, read books, and tell stories. When embarking on this makeover, I thought a play tent would be the perfect addition for a small space in the corner of her room. I didn’t want to make the tent dominate the space, but I also didn’t want it to be too small because what fun is that?!

My solution for the dilemma… A 3-in-1 tent with long panels to allow room for 1 child or 5.

Kids love options – am I right?! You never know if they want to play by themselves in a little cocoon or if they want all their friends around to have a tea party, play barbies, or battle like droids (parents of Star War fans know what I’m talking about).

When starting this project, I of course, headed to Lowe’s to gather my supplies.

1 x 6 board
flexible wood board (I ended up using a 4″ wide x 8′ long) wood toe kick thanks to the suggestion by a Lowe’s sales person)
nails, screws, and anchors
fabric of your choice
ribbon of your choice
drapery panels

To start off, I headed to my favorite home improvement store, Lowe’s, to gather my supplies.

1. Once home, I cut the 1″ x 6″ board into a 38″ piece and a 26″ piece (Lowe’s will also cut your wood pieces to size). The nailed the two ends together.

2. Using anchors and screws ( I always use the self-screwing kind), I attached to the two pieces of wood to the corner space. Then for the curve, I cut the 4″ wide x 8′ long toe kick in half. Using finishing nails, I attached the flexible curved wood to the end of each 1″ x 6″ to finish the canopy base.

The curved wood was a little flimsy (obviously so it can bend), so I secured it in the back by hot gluing on paint sticks.

Once the base was done, the fun part started… adding the fabric.

In knowing that I was going to use white long panels, I wanted to add a bit of whimsy and fun to the valance, so I used a fun Duralee Ikea fabric along with drop cloth and a white pom-pom trim.

3. I cut a piece of drop cloth that was slightly larger that the valance, then wrapped it around the front of the valance and secured it in the back with hot glue. The curved front sits about 1/2″ from the ceiling so I was able to wrap the fabric at the top as well.

Time to jazz it up!

4. After the drop cloth was in place, I added the colorful Ikat fabric. I determined that I wanted to have a 3″ band of the fabric and marked it along the valance. Then once again, I hot glued on the fabric. Easy-Peasy!

secured the fabric in the front…

secured the fabric on the back…

5. Then I added the cute white pom-pom trim. Of course with hot glue… again.

For the last part of this 3-in-1 Kids Play Tent, are the panels.

Ok, so let’s take a step back and let me explain how and why I created these panels. Because of the dynamic fuschia in the room, I thought white panels would be a quieter, fresh contrast. I also wanted them to feel light and airy, so decided on a sheer panel with a small pattern (sheers from Target). The overall length was only 84″ and needed to be much longer, so I added a solid white cotton fabric (used from Ikea window panels) to the bottom. They look pretty for the tent, but could also be used as drapery panels at a later date – I love creating things that can be used now AND later.

6. With right sides together, I sewed the two short ends of the panels. I wasn’t worried about the length because the longer the better – this is how the large canopy is created.

7. Once the two panels were created, I attached them with staples to the ceiling on the inside of the valance. I also overlapped the two panels creating a natural opening / closure.

8. Lastly, I added metal tie backs that I purchased at Lowe’s. These tiebacks are perfect to pull back the panels and have the space wide open – like a stage for the kids to put on a play.

And it’s done. An exciting 3-in-1 Kids Play Tent.

1 – Panels completely pulled back

2 – A cozy hidden nook with panels drawn

3 – Panels pulled out creating a larger “tent”

What a fun spot! Within minutes of having this space done, my kids had all their stuffed animals, blankets, and pillows tucked away inside.

Well my little girl is calling me to go back into her tent – I gotta go!

To see more on this space, click over to see the Big Girl Bedroom {Reveal}

You can find more DIY creations in the Lowe’s Creative Magazine or the Lowe’s Ipad App for FREE!

Disclosure: I am part of the Lowe’s Creative Team and was provided with a Lowe’s gift card to purchase items for my project. I was also compensated for my time to use the products. No one told me what to create, what to buy, how to use the product, or what to write. All opinions are 100% mine!

I link my projects to some of these parties: Skip to My Lou, Dittle Dattle, Between Naps on the Porch, Todayâ€™s Creative Blog, Stories of A to Z, All Things Heart & Home, House of Hepworths, Finding Fabulous, The Shabby Nest, Serenity Now, Tatertots and Jello, Thrifty Decor Chick, Tip Junkie

Big Girl Bedroom {Reveal}

Written by Jenna on October 16, 2012. Posted in Decorating, Tour My Home. 74 Comments on Big Girl Bedroom {Reveal}

There’s been a whole lotta room tours around here lately, and the latest space I’m {revealing} is my daughter’s newly revamped big girl bedroom.

Honestly, I’m not sure who’s more excited about this space – me or Big Girl “A”.

So here it is…

For a little reminder, this is what “A’s” room looked like before.

It was a beautiful space, but since turning 3, she was in need of a big girl room with a big girl bed. Many of the elements in her room stayed, while others got “jazzed up” a bit.

Here was the room concept…

and, here’s the result…

My favorite element in the room is definitely the new tufted headboard – and I have to confess, I didn’t make it, but instead bought it. It’s an off-white scalloped headboard and pops against the strong and vibrant fuschia focal wall. When I chose the color for the space, which was painted before honeysuckle was named Pantone’s Color of the Year in 2010, I was hoping it would “live” through my daughter’s growing ages and stages. Thankfully I can stay it has. It sure was nice to start the work in her room without having to repaint.

My other love in this room is the new kids play tent that I created in the corner of the room to the right as you walk in. It was the ideal little nook to add height, drama, and a little secret hideaway.

The corner cabinet was in the nursery space before, but I revamped it by adding fabric and ribbon within the 4 panels. By measuring and cutting pieces of drop cloth, I added ribbon trim surround and then secured it with a pretty thumbtack in each corner. Then to finish the look, I reused the bird wall appliques from the nursery and added them to the drop cloth panels. It was a fairly easy update and softens the look of the cabinet.

The leaning book rack is part of “A’s” old crib. I love this idea, but can’t take credit for it. I saw it on Lindsay’s blog a few months ago and filed it away (in my head) for this new room. I love for Miss A to see the actual book covers and similar to the pallet shelves I made for my son’s room, I love how the book covers bring so much color into the space.

And lastly above, I mounted “A’s” baptismal dress and hat into two different sized white framed shadow boxes. (I gotta give the mister credit for this one – it was his idea)

I have a soft spot for quotes and inspirational words.

I often share special sayings on my FB page and my Great Quote board is a favorite on Pinterest. For a while, I’ve been wanting to create an inspiration wall.

When the ideas started to flow for this room, I knew “A’s” room was the best opportunity to display all the wise words said by wise people. There’s no symmetry to the wall (which allows the possibility for the wall to grow), and I mostly stuck with simple white frames while adding in a a few pictures and fabric wrapped canvases.

The “before” room was a combo of fuschia with soft greens, but for this new space I wanted it to be even more pow and decided a bright yellow would be the perfect addition. And just a little goes a long way.

For the windows, they got a slight update as well. First of all, I took the curtain rods and spray painted them a glossy white finish. They were silver with clear ball finials purchased from Ikea about 5 years ago for my son’s first room. Since I took them off the wall for the update, I also thought raising them higher was a must. To reuse, but change the curtains / drapery panels, I added a 3″ decorative trim band to the top, side, and front of the curtain. This gave them a designer, custom look for pennies. A tutorial on how to do this is coming soon!

Lastly, I painted all the mouldings – window trim and base trim – in the room to white and what a BIG difference that made.

I also needed another spot for more books. I upcycled an old wood bookcase from the basement, sanded it down and painted it white. Then to add a little pizazz to the top, I purchased this pretty decorative paper from a store in my home town. I then added a few coats of mod podge to protect it, and it was completely revamped!

To sum up all the details, here’s a breakdown…

1. Thrift Store Nightstand – was previously used as a sidetable in the nursery and is now a nightstand
2. NON-DIYed headboard, but I love it – Wayfair tufted high arch headboard
3. Quilt and shams – Joss and Main (sale expired) – I added a large fabric band at the edge of each sham; Yellow pillow – Homegoods; Sheets – Target on sale for $12
4. Washi Tape Initial (click here for tutorial)
5. Birdhouses – hung from ceiling and added a fabric cover to the chain
6. Inspiration Wall – white frames from AC Moore; Square fabric covered canvases from nursery
7. Pillows on side chair – plum colored pillow from Crate and Barrel; Ikat pillow made by me with fabric from Duralee
8. Window Panels – fuschia panels purchased for nursery from Bed, Bath, and Beyond. I added a 3″ decorative trim band at the top, side, and bottom (click here for tutorial) + used white spray painted on the old silver rod and raised it to be higher.
9. Bench with hinged top – found at a garage sale last year. It was wood which I primed and painted white on the sides and yellow on the top

10. Corner Cabinet – Added fabric & decorative ribbon in panels
11. Reused crib mobile – DIY created crib mobile using a stick and fabric birds
12. Framed baptismal dress – Shadow box purchased from AC Moore to display baptismal dress and hat
13. Crib Railing Book Display
14. DIY: Kids Play Tent (click here for tutorial)

I have to say, I just love spending time in this new totally girly room with my big girl… and she loves it too! Thank you for checking out the reveal of this room makeover. I’ve got a few DIY tutorials coming up for this space, plus my first Lowe’s Creative Team challenge project later this week.

From Wire to Wood: Master Closet Makeover {Reveal}

Written by Jenna on October 11, 2012. Posted in DIY. 9 Comments on From Wire to Wood: Master Closet Makeover {Reveal}

Gone with the white wire and hello to gorgeousness wood (well faux-wood to be exact)!

Despite the slight hiccup of yesterday’s light failure, I quickly resolved the issue, installed a new light (well the mister did that actually) and I can officially say the space is DONE! I spent a few hours photographing the space this morning and here it is…

WOW, it feels good to have all my clothes back in one place, instead of laying all over my bedroom floor like it’s been for over a month. The new shelving is a dream. I walk into the space and pinch myself each time because I can’t believe it’s in my home. So if you remember back to Mid-August, in the middle of the night, all the shelving fell. It was a disaster and since then the closet and our bedroom have been a mess. Here’s a quick before and after (long) picture.

The space is really a nice size (about 8′ x 7′), but a wee bit awkward with the angled wall, so it was difficult to photograph the room in it’s entirety. Like last time, I put a video together so you can check out all the nooks-and-crannies!

Here are some more pictures of the new Master Closet…

Having the shelving so high (about 80″ above the floor) allows so much space for storage of baskets (for belts, scarves, flip flops), pocketbooks, bags, extra sweaters, etc. Literally every inch of wall is used!

Drawers in a closet are dreamy! I’ve never had drawers in any closet before and it’s a great place to stash all your under wares!

And here’s a quick video ( I promise) of the entire space! Sit back with your popcorn and enjoy…

So there you have it. A space fully made over. O, and I forgot to share this tid bit with you… I took off the closet door when we were working on the space and I’m not putting it back. I really enjoy looking at the clothes and the cabinetry – plus it reminds me of the 15+ hours it took to install the cabinets and how hard the mister and I worked!

To read more on this Master Closet makeover, check out these posts:
Project Fail = a Better Solution
Master Closet Progress + Video Tour
Happenings on the Homestead: 2 Big Projects Comin’ Up

Disclaimer: I was provided product from ClosetMaid to share the result with my readers. Once received, I put the entire system together on my own. All opinions about the product are 100% mine!

Colorful Washi Tape Initial

Written by Jenna on October 9, 2012. Posted in DIY. 30 Comments on Colorful Washi Tape Initial

This is the first DIY project that I’m sharing having to do with my daughter’s room makeover.

The makeover has been takin’ a wee-bit longer than anticipated, not because of design challenges (thankfully) but because of her actually using the room (to sleep, to play, etc.), lol. I tackle many of my projects while the kids are fast asleep and dreaming, so to actually work in her room has been challenging.

Thankfully I had some time this past weekend to get my hands dirty and this is a project that I just finished up and couldn’t wait to share… Washi Tape Initial Wall Decor.

Have you heard of washi tape (don’t be embarrassed to say no)? Until recently, I didn’t. I had seen this crafty goodness all over the web but didn’t actually know what it was or how to use it. So what did I have to do? Buy it, of course!

Here’s the DL on washi tape It’s basically pretty patterned tape. Imagine typical tape with a pattern. So it’s easy to add to anything to dress it up a bit -paper, a present, anything…

I recently was asked to check out the new online craft store, Consumer Crafts. While searching the site I found a huge selection of washi tape, plus this awesome large initial letter that I had been searching for, for a while. Since not using washi tape before, I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into it, but in the end, I…. well you’ll just have to keep reading to see what I thought.

Once my package arrived (within a day or two – it was amazing how fast my supplies came), I laid everything out – Large initial letter, washi tape, and mod podge (I was initially thinking of using duct tape, but opted not to) – and got to work.

The most difficult part of using the Consumer Crafts website was stopping myself from filling my basket with $100s of dollars of stuff – they really have everything pertaining to crafting! Once I narrowed down my list, and got started on my project, I was good as gold. The colors in my daughters room are vibrant and strong, so the colors of the washi tapes were perfect.

I began at the edge of the “A” with a fun pink and white striped tape, wrapping it around at the top and bottom.

I continued with different washi tape styles and added them edge to edge on the diagonal parts of the “A”, and then continued taping the inner and outer edges.

Lastly, I tackled the connector of the “A”. Washi tape is fairly thin, so it’s easy to cut. I lightly laid out the tape, then using an X-acto blade, trimmed the edge.

Within about 10-15 minutes, the washi tape was done. YAY! To seal it all, I added 2 coats of Mod Podge in Matte – another goodie I ordered from Consumer Crafts.

A few hours later it was dry and DONE!

So my thoughts on washi tape is that it’s GREAT! It’s just like tape with added color and cuteness. I might never use ordinary tape again.

Such a fun and easy project.

Here’s the result…

My daughter’s New Big Girl Bedroom

Have you ever used washi tape before? If so, what have you created with this crafty goodness?

Disclaimer: I was given a gift card to order product and test-out the online craft store, Consumer Crafts. I was also compensated for my time to use the products. No one told me what to create, what to buy, how to use the product, or what to write. All opinions are 100% mine!

Ombre Halloween Pillow with RIT Dye

Written by Jenna on September 27, 2012. Posted in DIY. 27 Comments on Ombre Halloween Pillow with RIT Dye

Halloween is just a few short weeks away and even though I’ve already decorated for Fall, I wanted to spice it up with some Halloween accents. My favorite, inexpensive way to do that is with pillows.

I recently was lucky enough to get my hands on RIT Dye and thought an ombre design with a few spooky elements would fit the bill just perfectly.

Let me start by saying I have NEVER used liquid dye before and was a little apprehensive, but honestly it was really easy and fun to add a bit of color to a plain ole’ piece of fabric.

Here are all the colors I received for the project and since it was a Halloween pillow that I set out to create, I chose orange and black to work with.

I started off by making a simple white envelope pillow using a heavy cotton, which were scraps from another project. If you want to save time when making something similar, you can also buy a plain white pillow, but make sure the insert can be removed so the cover can be dyed. (Need a tutorial for an envelope pillow? Click here)

Once the pillow was complete, it was DYE TIME!

How you use the dye really depends on your fabric, plus how intense you want the color. For my project, I used a half bottle of dye + 2 gallons of warm tap water. I first put the dye into an old bucket, then added the water + …

… 1 cup of salt.

The magical formula was now ready!

Because there are so many uses for this liquid dye, there are many different techniques and ways to dye materials, so my advice is to do a test for whatever you plan on creating before venturing into the actual project. Never using dye before and wanting to create an ombre look (multiple, graduating depths of color) I had no idea if I was supposed to leave it in the dye for 5 seconds, 5 minutes, or 5 hours. So here’s my tester, and hopefully it’ll give you a guide when using the RIT products.

This swatch test really helped me to know how much I needed to dip the fabric for my real project. Again, this was my fabric, and I’m sure if you try this out, your fabric type and weight will be different, so do a test before starting your actual project.

Here’s how the dipping process went.

It was fairly easy and while the darkest area of the pillow was soaking up the dye, I worked on a few other projects (like my Travel Subway Sign). Once I was happy with the color, it was time to add the black. I didn’t really want an ombre look for the black and instead wanted it as intense and dark as possible, so I left this section of the pillow in the black dye for about 30 minutes.

When it was done, I hung it on my beautiful drying rack. NOT! The lawnmower handle was just the right size and only feet away from the dying area. Be sure to put a rag underneath because it will stain (the mister was wondering what all the drips were on the garage floor when he came home that evening, hehe).

Once the pillow was good and dry (I waited till the next day about 24 hours later), I ironed it before starting the next step… Stenciling!

Using some fun, festive stencils that I got last year, I started adding them randomly on the orange ombre section of the pillow. Using the bat and spider design, I dabbed black fabric paint onto the stencil. Then on some of them I even added a little sparkly glitter.

These stencils have a sticky back so they stay nicely in place while painting. Then you can easily peel them off…

…and voila, it’s complete!

Have you ever used RIT liquid dye? If so, what projects have you created? I’ll admit, I was alittle weary to try it out, but I am thrilled that I did because it was really easy to use and I’m gushing over the result. I’ve got alot more dying projects on my to-do list now!

Disclaimer: I was sent complimentary product from RIT dye and was compensated for my time to use the product, but no one told me what to create, how to use it, or what to write. All opinions are 100% mine!

DIY: Travel Subway Art Sign

Written by Jenna on September 24, 2012. Posted in DIY. 25 Comments on DIY: Travel Subway Art Sign

I hope you had a great weekend and are enjoying the first officially days of Fall – the leaves are starting to change here, how about in your neck of the woods?

Like usual, I’ve been knee deep in creating new DIY projects and one in particular that I just finished up has been on my to-do list for a long time. It took me a while to figure out how to make it, but thankfully I’m thrilled with the result, and the main reason is because it cost less than $10 to make – {complete score}!

I’ve gotta give credit for the technique on how to create this Subway Art to Cheri of I Am Momma – Hear Me Roar and Monica & Jess of East Coast Creative. Both gals created completely different projects, yet both used the same idea of creating an image and having it printed as a blueprint (a thin black & white 24″ x 36″ paper) at Staples for less than $4 – Crazy awesome right?!

Here’s how I did it so you can create a similar travel sign or something completely different using the same cheap blueprint technique…

Using Picasa (my favorite free photo editing program), I started off with a clean white collage using the highest resolution possible and then cropped it to a 24″ x 36″ size so the text would print as clear as possible (at a large scale). A while ago, I had wrote a list of vacation spots that the mister and I have traveled to together over the years and started adding them to the collage in a variety of different fonts. (want to see a few of the fonts I used? Check out my favorites!).

Once I created this collage using my computer, I pulled together the rest of my supplies:

(1) 24″ x 36″ Blueprint from Staples for – $3.60
(1) 24″ x 36″ 1/4″ piece of plywood – $4.00
Spray Glue – $2.50 +/- (50% off with AC Moore coupon)
Mod Podge & Brush
Black craft paint & brush
2 pieces of scrap wood or pallet boards

After my stop at Staples to get my inexpensive print, I then headed to Lowe’s to get a piece of plywood. I found a 3′ x 3′ piece and then had them cut it down to my exact size of 2′ x 3′. Important note: The blueprint might not be exactly to size, so you may want to measure that first before cutting the plywood. I didn’t, but the plywood was only about 1/16″ larger and I sanded the edge with my orbital hand sander, so it fit to size.

To adhere the blueprint to the plywood, I decided on the Aleene’s Tacky Spray which I purchased at AC Moore. I was thrilled with their products that I tried out last year, and thankfully this spray glue worked like a charm!

To stick the blueprint to the plywood, I started at the top edge and sprayed a thin, even coat of glue, just like spray paint, from one side to the other side. Then lined up the corner of the blueprint to the corner of the plywood.

Once the top edge of the print was on, I continued to add the glue in small sections – again spraying from one side to the other.

Once the blueprint was fully on the plywood, I added a coat of Mod Podge to protect the paper surface. I applied the MP from side to side just like the spray glue.

I didn’t forget the sides – it’s a must so the paper doesn’t rip or curl.

Almost done, but I have to admit there were some wrinkly spots once the Mod Podge dried…

Oops, I thought I adhered the blueprint so well. No worries, I then got out my handy-dandy orbital sander and sanded the edges and top surface of the print. I also added in a few “wear marks” to give the sign a distressed look.

Almost finished… to complete the look and to hide the plywood side, I used a black craft paint and painted the 4 edges of the sign.

The sign is complete…

…but wait, we’ve gotta mount & hang it! To give the sign some depth and importance (plus it was slightly bowed because the plywood is thin), I added two vertical pallet pieces to the back. Using short nails with a small head, I hammered them through the sign into the pallets. Then added picture hooks and wire.

Then it was really done!

So fun, So easy, and less than $10 – you can’t beat awesome, personalized wall decor like that!

Autumn Mantel

Written by Jenna on September 14, 2012. Posted in Autumn, Decorating, DIY. 13 Comments on Autumn Mantel

I’ve been loving the cool temps over the past few days, have you? For me, there’s no transition time once September hits. A switch goes off in my head that says “Fall, Fall, Fall”. Thankfully I haven’t dug out the sweaters yet, BUT I did gather some decor for my newest mantel for the coming season.

Autumn is almost here and after sharing a fun roundup of Fall Fireplace Mantels earlier this week, I’m ready to reveal mine. But before we begin, I have a confession to make… I never showed you my summer mantel. I had great intentions to, but it never happened. No worries, because for Fall I didn’t change much and basically the reasoning is that I just love it. This years Autumn Mantel isn’t overly “themed” and actually isn’t really “fallish”. Basically I kept it simple and added a few festive elements. Take a look…

The change from my Summer mantel to now wasn’t that different or difficult. Since you didn’t see the Summer mantel, this is what it looked like. With the addition of the starfish for the warm months and the simple switchout to pumpkins and ghords for Fall, the mantel was updated in minutes.

I have to say, I’m really happy with the simplicity and monochromatic look of this year’s Fall Mantel. For this mantel, I shopped my home for everything, except one piece – the tall white jar. I had been on the search for something like it and when I saw this beautiful pierced ginger jar at TJ Maxx a few months, I snagged it up – it was attractive and for under $20 it was a must-have! It’s height and detail bring so much character to the mantel. Don’t ya think?!

All the other elements in this Fall decor were seen in last years mantel or were someplace else around the house. The white pumkpins were a great score last year and weren’t always white. If you recall, this is what I did…

It’s amazing what a little white craft paint can do!

In continuing my simple white aesthetic, I spray painted the candle stick white as well. In my other mantels, it was brass, but not anymore. Continuing, my estate sale found mason jars are still filled with lentils and beautiful, bumpy, bright orange ghords were added throughout. I had to add some color. right?!

Those tall glass jars are killer – loved them since the day I bought them which was a gazzillion years ago (more like 10+) from Crate and Barrel. Ya gotta love the Crate!

The birds are another recent find that I purchased at a local home store. They are dark brown, similar to the mantel color and almost blend right in, but they are so cute and add a whimsical touch to the mantel decor.

I think it’s so important to add varying heights and layers when creating a mantel. Think of your mantel composition as a wave – it should go up and down as it moves across. Need more tips on mantel decor? Check out my post on How-To Decorate a Mantel. Looking at others mantels will also help inspire and give ideas. That’s where my roundup comes in handy!

Here’s the overall Fall Mantel.

You might have noticed in some of the pictures that there’s somethin’ different on the wall? Yup, that’s new. There used to be a mirror there, but that got revamped and moved to the dining area. In it’s place is a new distressed stained sign, which was easy to create and is an awesome backdrop. Want to create something similar? Here’s how…

Create a Distressed Stained Sign

1. Measure and cut lumber to the size desired (I used (3) 2″ x 12″ x 48″ pieces of pine)
2. Use (2) horizontonal pieces of lumber to secure the vertical pieces (I used (2) 2 x 4, but any size lumber would really work)
3. Distress the sign using a chain, hammer, nails, etc. to add as much or as little distressing as desired
4. Stain your sign. I used the stain that I had leftover from my staircase which was Ebony, but you can use a lighter stain depending on the depth of color you want to achieve.

Pretty simple, right?! I love how it brings height and depth to the space, yet still creates a great backdrop to the mantel decor. And against the burnt orange wall, it really makes a statement.

Simple and Chic Autumn Mantel. Yes, I’m happy 😉

Have you started your decorating for Fall yet? I’ve got my mums and ghords, and this weekend we’re headed to the apple orchard. O, do I LOVE Fall!

I link my projects to some of these parties: Skip to My Lou, Dittle Dattle, Between Naps on the Porch, Todayâ€™s Creative Blog, Stories of A to Z, All Things Heart & Home, Savvy Southern Style, House of Hepworths, Finding Fabulous, Creation Corner, The Shabby Nest, Serenity Now, Tatertots and Jello, Thrifty Decor Chick, Tip Junkie

Autumn Flowers + My Go-To Flower for Fall

Written by Jenna on September 10, 2012. Posted in Uncategorized. 10 Comments on Autumn Flowers + My Go-To Flower for Fall

This post brought to you by Scotts Miracle-Gro. All opinions are 100% mine.

As we come out of winter hibernation and start to enjoy the first warm days of Spring, my mind immediately goes to outdoor projects. I get all excited about the beautiful flowers that will start to grow and the endless days spent outside gardening and DIYing. In those beginning days, I always head to my local gardening center with my endless questions on “How do I grow this?” or “What should I do to make my flowers last throughout the Summer?”. Then when August hits and the Summer is rearing to an end, my flowers are often blah (or dead) and I think, well Fall is here and flowers don’t live through this season with the cooler evenings anyway. Boy, is that thinking WRONG!

Fall can actually be the prettiest time for your gardens because if fed and maintained the right way, flowers are at their peak. And if you introduce the right Fall-friendly flowers and feed, your flowers garden (veggie gardens too) can last well into the colder days and nights.

Miracle-Gro, one of the most well-known companies for gardening products, has a great website to help find beauty in the Fall and shares simple, fun, and achievable projects for Fall gardening. Who doesn’t love color? And the longer it lasts, the better since the heavy white stuff is right behind!

Based on the region of where you live (for example, I’m in the Northeast), gardening tips and suggestions will be made on how to maintain the color throughout the Fall season. And if you want to add some more color with new plants (for example, in my area Fall is great for mums and pansies), they’ll show you the best soil to use and the steps needed to plant them to achieve a healthy, lasting flower/plant.

I’ll be honest, I have good ideas for interiors, but I have NO GREEN THUMB – I’m definitely still learning! Though browsing the Miracle-Gro site, I really gathered alot of simple and useful tips which I can’t wait to use.

When I was at the store yesterday, I picked up a few mums (deep orange and yellow), which I might plant in the garden or replant in larger pots. They’ll stay outside for a while, and once Thanksgiving nears, I plan on bringing them indoors to create something similar to this beautiful centerpiece by Yvonne of StoneGable. What a gorgeous creation, right?!

And check out her breathtaking exterior with two vibrant yellow mums in large urns that flank the front door. Ah-Mazing!

Mums are definitely my go-to Fall flower because they look great, they’re perfect for the cool temps in the Northeast (+ many other parts of the country too), and they’re fairly inexpensive. They can easily be grouped together in a garden or planter, and add fantastic color to a garden, centerpiece, or arrangement.

Thinking about planting some mums or other Fall Flowers? Here’s the perfect combination to achieve Amazing Fall Flowers! These products will give the right amount of nutrients and moisture so you’ll have beautiful, vibrant flowers well into the coming season.

Aside from just flowers for this season, Fall is also a great time of year to plant new bulbs for the Spring, as well as trees and shrubs. Boy, do I have my work cut out for me over the next coming weeks! To get even more tips for gardening, check out the Miracle-Gro Facebook page, where you can chat with other gardeners and get tips / ideas for your flowers.

What are your favorite Fall flowers? Have you planted new bulbs in the Fall with better results than if planted in the Spring?

From Wood to White: How-To Paint Mouldings

Written by Jenna on September 6, 2012. Posted in DIY. 39 Comments on From Wood to White: How-To Paint Mouldings

If I could sum up my Summer in DIY terms, it was all about painting. From the staircase to my office chair, from the white shelves to the new blue room, I think there was 2 (or maybe even 3) weeks straight that I had a paintbrush in-hand everyday! Honestly, I’m kind of ~~sick~~ done with painting for awhile. Anyway, alot of projects got accomplished and one in particular were the oak stained wood mouldings that I painted white. All I can say is… WHAT A DIFFERENCE!

The staircase project was what did it and started the process of updating the mouldings. It’s something that I wanted to undertake for a long time, but just didn’t know where to begin. Once I started painting the stair risers and balusters, I realized that painting the trimwork wasn’t too difficult, so I just continued around the room. Even though the staircase was time consuming, the result was completely worth the effort and I knew I would feel the same way once the mouldings were finished.

To start off, I applied painters tape to the wall so only the mouldings (the areas that I wanted to paint) were exposed.

Here’s a snapshot when I painted the area around the window in the living room.

* Sidenote: My walls were already painted, but if you’re undertaking this project and your walls are NOT painted or you plan on changing the wall color, then paint the mouldings first. Believe Me, It’s much easier! So you would reverse the step I just mentioned. Paint your mouldings first and once they are dry, tape the moulding edge (or buy a moulding paint gadget), THEN paint the wall color.

okay, moving on…

Once the tape was up, I was ready to paint. Using my favorite Purdy brush, I applied one coat of Kilz Primer (I’ve heard good things about gripper primer too, but haven’t tried it yet). I didn’t bother with sanding because even though the mouldings were stained, there was no gloss or sheen to them. They were at the point of needing to be restained (to protect them) or painted (as I did). IF you’re undertaking this project and your mouldings have a gloss finish, giving them a light sand is probably a good idea.

Primer for the mouldings is really important. At one window I didn’t use it (by accident – it was late at night – you know the rest…) and you could see the orange color of the stain coming through the paint. No matter how many coats of paint I applied, the orange tint always showed. Now with primer, you may still get the orangey color, BUT when you go to apply the paint color, the orange color won’t come through because the primer will block it. Primer truly is amazing stuff!

After the one coat of primer, then it was time to paint. I continued with the paint I used for the staircase which was, Snowfall White by Benjamin Moore (thanks BM for providing the paint!).

Here’s a snapshot of the first coat of paint.

In most areas, I applied 1 coat of primer + 2 coats of paint, but in some areas I did use 3 coats. It really depended on the finish look after 2 coats.

Once the painting was complete, it was time to remove the tape. I’ll forewarn you – Don’t quickly pull off the tape because you’re freshly painted mouldings might get ruined. When the paint was dry (to the touch – it takes about 20-30 days to fully cure), I pulled off the tape and some of the paint came to. To avoid that from happening, I used an X-acto blade to score the corner of where the moulding and wall meet…

…then removed the tape.

At this point, I noticed that some of the paint bled under the painters tape – so annoying, right? I’ll tell ya, I tried lots of different ways to avoid this, but nothing worked. I even googled it, and I found nada. If you know a secret way, will you share? Until then, this is what I did that worked best.

After removing the tape, I took the wall paint color and my Purdy angled brush, and slowly dragged it down the wall where the wall and moulding meet. It worked perfectly!

And that’s about it… Not too difficult, just alittle time consuming. But believe me, the result is SO worth it. Take it room by room – that’s what I’ve done. Honestly, not all my rooms are completely finished, but most are and the result is so satisfying!

Here is the before and after of the living room…

Want to see some more?

Do you remember when I updated the door hardware? Check out how fresh it looks with the newly painted white mouldings…

And here’s one more. Do you remember the DIY built-in coat rack behind my front door? Well here it is now surrounded by freshly painted mouldings…

What a refreshing update! Well I have a few more painting projects that I worked on over the Summer that still need to be shared, so check back soon!

What painting projects did you work on this past Summer?