Pinspiration Monday: Faux tile backsplash

May 21, 2012 14 Comments

It has actually taken me two weeks to muster up the emotional courage to tell you about this project. As you can probably gather, it didn’t go quite as planned. In fact, I am now strong enough to admit that it was a complete and utter disaster. But not ALL of our grand ideas will work out, right?

So here’s the story (plus an incredible amount of photos to document the horrors – Hope you have a big cup of coffee handy!)…

After redoing our kitchen cabinets, I was dying for some kind of backsplash. I would have loved to tile, but the expense and the work deterred me from ordering anything. So instead, I scoured Pinterest for ideas. I came up inspiration like a solid accent paint color, decoupaging take-out menus beneath the cabinets and even adhering metal tile to the wall.

Source: BHG

Source: One Brooklyn Modern

Source: Casa de Valentina

But the one below was the one that stole my heart. It could have been because of the similarities to our own kitchen – cabinet/appliance arrangement, dark brown cabinets, long brushed nickel hardware – but it was also that gorgeous pastel backsplash.

In order to recreate the look of the shiny rows of thin tile without actually ordering any, I decided to use a combo of high gloss paint and extra-thin masking tape. My “faux tile” would theoretically give me the look with about half the work and a fraction of the expense.

Source: Unknown

So here is the room as it stood before leaping head first into the project – We are still loving our brown cabinets but really needed something between the cabinets and countertops to break up all of that brown and beige.

First I rolled on two thin coats of primer – The same can we used on the cabinets at the beginning of the year. In my head, I thought that the under-layer of white showing between my faux tiles would look like grout.

The nature of primer to be a little uneven in look would (again, in theory) mimic the uneven texture of mixed grout.

Time for the masking – This part ended up taking a looooooooong time, but my sister thankfully offered to help as she was visiting that weekend. It was all a matter of keeping the lines straight and also measuring equal distances between rows.

We decided to start the taping by going horizontally since it would take the most time versus the shorter strips that would go vertically. We started right under the cabinets and then measured a ruler’s-width down before starting a new line of tape.

Once we finished the entire length of the backsplash, we stepped back and took stock of things. Seeing the long green lines of tape actually really appealed to me – I began to second guess the vertical strips altogether. The look of the unhindered stripes read super “mod” to me and I actually favored the look. So out went the idea of vertical strips to create faux tiles and in came the idea of mod stripes. My thought was that I could always paint white lines over the top coat if I decided that I wanted the tile look afterall.

Time for the top coat…I bought a quart of pale, minty blue paint from Lowe’s in high gloss finish to really make it pop on the wall. Even though I was no longer trying to replicate the look of smooth glass tile, I didn’t mind the idea of a high gloss stripe, so we went with it.

Two coats later (at about 9:30 p.m.  at night – sorry for the awful lighting) and we were DONE. I already loved how the color was breaking up all of the brown surfaces. Before letting the paint dry, since I’ve heard the paint can come right off with it after it dries, I started removing the tape to reveal the undercoat of white.

This my friends is where things all went to hell.

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Oh man, it was so so hard for me to even snap these photos for you guys. At that point, I could hardly breathe from sobbing and the shock of it all. We had been working on this project pretty much all day, sucking up an entire Saturday. I think it was even harder to accept because I had dragged my sister into it as well.

To tell you the truth, I have no idea what happened. But as you can see, when I started peeling the tape back (slowly and gently, I might add) the primer and the wet top coat started coming off in strips with it. I suppose there are two possibilities: (#1) the primer SUCKS and didn’t stick to the wall correctly, or (#2) the masking tape I used was way to strong. Either way, after the initial gasp upon seeing the ruined paint job, it turned into a full on melt down as I continued to remove both the tape and my beautiful painted stripes.

Somehow, through my tears, I was able to remove the rest of the tape and repaint the entire backsplash. The only thing I could come up with was to go with a solid color paint job and call it done – At least for the moment.

In the end and after recovering from the hysteria of the failure, I actually really love the way it turned out. Sure, there’s nothing “tiled” or “striped” about it, but at least all of those brown surfaces have something cool and funky to bump up against. I adore the color.

There are still a few areas we need to damage control, such as the uneven edges at the ends, but I’m giving myself a little distance before working on it. I think I’ll pick up a couple pieces of decorative molding to cover the lines and be done with it. Thoughts?

Oh, and before I go, I wanted to show you a little detail – As you can see in the photos below, you can still make out the stripes left by the masking tape lines. Sort of makes for an interesting texture I guess. While I wish that those lines could have been white, it is what it is and I don’t HATE it.

The fresh mint color looks a bit retro sitting next to our brand new orange stand mixer (a gift from our wedding) – I am absolutely loving that color combo and might even try introducing a little more orange into the space just to keep it going.

So while I would still whole-heartedly call this a failure because it’s anything BUT what I had envisioned, we still managed to give the backsplash area a little pop. If you check out the “Before” and “After” photos below, you can see what a difference that mint color made.

Glad to finally get that off my chest after weeks of holding it in…

So spill the beans – What do you guys think? Have any idea what might have happened? I’m dying to solve the mystery…

Filed Under: DIY Projects, Inspiring, Kitchen, Kitchen Overhaul, Our Influences Tagged With: , , , , ,

My top 20 most inspiring spaces

May 16, 2012 10 Comments

Whether we mean to or not, our homes are influenced by something. Could be taken from a favorite television show or maybe the magazines you flip through, but it’s inevitable that bits and pieces of visual fluff will infiltrate your psyche and affect the way you structure your home. This isn’t rocket science and I know I’ve talked about it upteen times, both here on DreamGreenDIY and in my guest posting for Breathe Magazine. Yet, even though this information is nothing new to you, I think it’s a good exercise to look back on the most recent influences if, for no other reason, to see how tastes and tendencies have changed.

In honor of the eye candy I’ve saved up over the past year as an obsessed a faithful member of Pinterest, I am sharing with you all today my top 20 inspiring spaces. In no particular order, I invite you to feast your eyes on the looks, rooms and interiors that get my heart pumping and my planning mind working in overtime. I’d love to hear your take on my style and how you might characterize it (ala Emily Henderson – “Tuscan Modern,” “Southern Romance Meets Scottish Country Charm,” “Modern Urban Beach,” etc.).

Prepare to drool.

Source: decor8

Source: Mint

Source: Breakfast at Toast

Source: Kireei

Source:  Glitter Guide

Source: we <3 it

Source: BHG

Source: Schoolhouse Electric & Supply Co.

Source: Design Sponge

Source: HGTV

Source: M Street

Source: Yellow Brick Home

Source: The Marion House Book

Source: Style by Emily Henderson

Source: The Borrowed Abode

 

Source: Decorology

Source: Flickr

Source: The Inspired Room

 

Source: Unknown

 

Source: Style by Emily Henderson

If I were to give myself a style diagnostic based on those images, I think I’d call my style “Mid-century Eclectic.” What do you think?

For more on spaces that inspire me, click here for my full “Inspirational Spaces/Colors” board on Pinterest.  And feel free to share links to your own inspirational spaces (your own or someone elses) in the comments section. Let’s share our room daydreams…

Filed Under: Inspiring, Our Influences Tagged With: , , , , ,

One word: Spring

April 6, 2012 2 Comments

Introducing our first new feature of blogging year #2!!! This is “One word” – A little screen-full of visual eye candy centered on one singular theme, something that that’s been on my mind and brings me joy to think on.

I am actually feeling pretty under-the-weather at the moment (either allergies or a cold), so today’s “One word” collage is all about the beauty and trends of my favorite season: Spring. I need something to take my mind off of the sore throat and heavy eye lids…Hopefully it lifts your spirits as well!

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Have a great weekend!

Filed Under: Inspiring, One Word, Take a break! Tagged With: , ,

“Mag Tag” with Better Homes and Gardens {March 2012}

March 30, 2012 4 Comments

It’s that time again! Time to virtually flip through a recent issue (no…not “the recent” as I just received a more current mag in the mail – They are too fast for me!) of “Better Homes and Gardens.” We are talking about the March 2012 issue, in case you want to join in the convo or want to flip along with me.

For those of you who haven’t been around for this feature before, I share some of my favorite features from the pages of this and my other personal subscription to “Do It Yourself.” I try not to give TOO much away because I always want to encourage you to pick up a copy (or a subscription) of your own. To field any thoughts of reimbursement for this shameless promotion, I must tell you that I make zilcho cash for these features. I just can’t help but gush a little, share the fun tips and (as always) do my best to help inspire you just as I have been!

So let’s get started…

“Color collision” – That just about describes my thoughts minute-to-minute. I am so in love with anything colorful. I’m that consumer product designers are catering to when they offer items in 9 different colors. There’s something so much fun about getting to choose a bright orange or red toaster in lieu of a plain white one. This page of “color collision” products caught my eye immediately. Yes please, I’ll take a bright yellow metal box fan – The retro look and design is enough to make me want to seal that deal. Or that stack of colorful potluck bakers by Crate & Barrel – The $30 pricetag for a set of three isn’t bad at all.

Moving on, I couldn’t help but spot this feature on how to throw a great “grown-up” birthday party. With my birthday in t-minus 18 days, I definitely paused for a moment to think about throwing a similarly swanky fete for myself. But then I remembered that we happen to be throwing a WEDDING 10 days later, and I had to wistfully think of next year…Or maybe one for John’s birthday in September!

If you want to throw your own bash, they offer suggestions like asking guests to contribute to a scrapbook – Provide decorative paper and tape and then let guests explore their creative sides by crafting a page with handwritten notes and well-wishes. The perfect sentimental gift for any birthday girl.

But any good scrapbook needs photos – Have a stack of empty frames and blank chalkboards for guests to use in a makeshift photobooth. Using a polaroid camera (like the one I bought myself last year) offers instant gratification.

As is the theme for this “Color made easy” issue, the magazine’s pages are full of deliciously rich, gorgeous color pallets. As it says below “nothing transforms a room – or a mood – like a shot of color.” Try out their array of four colors below in a living room, sunroom or even bathroom! If you think it’s too bold for you, give your walls a soft neutral and then choose two of the bold colors to use in accessories (think throw pillows, lamps, even a spray-painted picture frame).

Take this little seating vignette for example – Neutral wall and chair colors allow things like the patterns pillows and bright red rug to pop. Throw in some brass accents like the brass flower bowl and nesting side tables to add a little sparkle and pizzazz. (If you happen to click on those links, you probably noticed that the products used were a bit pricey – For budget finds, scour places like Ebay or your local thrift store instead)

Here’s a great spring-inspired color pallet to drool over – Misty Lilac (2071-70, Benjamin Moore), California Dreaming (B28-6, Ace Hardware), Agreeable Gray (SW 7029, Sherwin-Williams), Tin Lizzie (D42-4, Olympic) and Glazed Raspberry (120D-5, Behr).

Most of the home tours in this particular issue were a bit traditional for my mid-century mod tastes, but this one caught my eye because of the punchy color scheme. Just goes to show how you can be inspired by color no matter what the actual style of the room may be. I could easily pull some of the brass, rose and blue-gray tones of this space and use them in a more contemporary way.

Love those shimmery gold frames and the tray style coffee table. Oversized flower arrangements are another thing, like color, that can compliment any style.

The photos below are of another room feature with a spunky color pallet, this time a sunroom. It takes a brave person to paint both walls and trim in bright teal, but it works so well here. All of that saturated color is balanced out by pattern on the blinds, pillows and rug.

As if real-life rooms weren’t enough inspiration, their experts weigh in on the secrets to choosing the right color.

Here are just a few that got me thinking:

  • (#2) “Look to the largest pattern in a room for inspiration. A multi-hue rug or a piece of art can hand you an entire palette.”
  • (#10) “A client recently told me that my best color advice was to not give in to her ‘inner beige monster’ and to try soft blues, grays and taupes instead of off-white.” (Liz Levin)
  • (#16) “When you think you’ve found the right color on the strip, go a step or two lighter. Pale colors are more flexible for pairing with other colors.” (Wish someone had told me that tip before I painted my studio…)

Here’s a quick spring-time DIY project for you – Grab some new natural foliage and lay on top of cold press board cut to the size of a frame. Then choose a bold color of spray paint and spritz over the foliage, leaving a fun impression behind on the paper. Allow to dry according to can instructions and then place inside your frame as art.

I love spring fashion…Bright patterned flats, skirts and dresses, oh my! The spread below features advice from fashion blogger, Lindsey Calla (SaucyGlossie.com), who even encourages getting stylish with your umbrella - Why the heck not?!

Besides their ALWAYS incredible selection of recipes…(like avocado and asparagus egg sandwiches and potato salad with sausage and grainy mustard dressing below)

…BH&G also featured a piece on how to eat better and follow healthy nutrition, something that John and I are alllllll about right now (as you may know from this post). Again, here are a few of the tips that caught my eye:

  • To spend less at the grocery store, don’t skip the produce section. Fresh produce can often yield more servings than processed meals by weight and fill you up more efficiently. But don’t buy more than your family can eat since spoiled food is as good as throwing your money away.
  • When you crave the cupcakes at your next office party, it’s likely that you aren’t filling yourself up aquatically throughout the rest of the day. Snack on healthy things like a salad or grapes to curb your cravings in the afternoon. It’s a mental thing too. Ask yourself if you really want the treat and, if you do, try just a small sample instead.
  • Some things to watch for when going out to eat – Consider ordering a sandwich on whole wheat toast, if food is topped with sauce ask for it on the side and use sparingly, order vinaigrettes on the side like you would any other salad dressing as it’s not quite as healthy as restaurants make it out to be.

Hope you enjoyed our magazine chat. Anything you are inspired to try out? I think that I am going to give some thought to my color choices based on the info I read. I tend to go super bold on the wall color and on the accessories. For my next room redo, I’m contemplating a neutral on the walls to let bright accessories do the talking.

Hope you have a great weekend! I am actually taking the day off today to enjoy a little pampering with my make-up artist for the wedding. We are doing a trial to get a good handle on how I want to look on the big day. With my face all done up professionally, I am off to Charlottesville in the afternoon for the bachelorette party my work friends are throwing for me – Let the good times roll…

Filed Under: DIY Projects, Healthy Living, Inspiring, Mag Tag, Our Influences, Seasonal/Holiday Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Happy one year, DreamGreenDIY!

March 23, 2012 6 Comments

Well, it’s official. DreamGreenDIY turned one year old yesterday! It has been an incredibly exciting year, what with an engagement, new jobs, new diets and new friends – Not to mention a new passion born from this blog.

I started DreamGreenDIY as a way to document the changes of our home and also as a way to share my daily interior design inspiration. I didn’t really have any major goals when it came to the blog, but now one year later I can safely say that I love doing it. You can read up all about the readership, my guest blogging and general stats in this post from the beginning of the year, but I always want (and need) to give a big shoutout to YOU, my readers. DG-DIY would be a complete flop if it weren’t for the continued support and suggestions offered by all of you. So thank you thank you THANK YOU!!!

As I enter into my second year as a crafting/nesting blogger, I plan on implementing a few changes. But since this blog is just as much for me as it is for you, I wanted to get some outside opinion and insight. I invite you to share your honest thoughts by taking part in the polls below (and, of course, in the comments section) as I let DG-DIY evolve into a brighter and more helpful blog.

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As for definite changes, I am creating a new feature (probably on a random schedule) that will be image-based. Sometimes I feel like I could type and type and type about something that inspires me, but not really get the feeling across. But we all know that photos speak their own language, one that I think is sometimes more effective.

When I was in school studying art, I loved to make collages – Splattering paint and water all over a big canvas and then pasting on pieces of patterned tissue and watercolor paper. It was so organic and I loved the color scheme that would emerge without intention. I’d like to try to recreate that sort of mismatched collage with images of homes, rooms, colors and patterns that inspire me. Stick around for that!

Check out my artist’s website here if you’re curious about that side of my life.

One last change – And this one is actually a bit of a doozy…

When I started DreamGreenDIY one year ago, I went into it thinking that John would be a major part of the blog. I even has the idea that he’d write a post or two. But that just didn’t end up being the case…It has become clear that the blog is my baby. While John is still just as much a part of the background, behind-the-scenes stuff, I’ve decided to take full ownership of the blog in general. If you haven’t already noticed, you’ll see this shift in the “About” page and in the home page photo. But all of you on “Team John,” don’t worry – He’ll always show up in post photos and stories. While we didn’t end up sharing blogging responsibilities, we still very much share a life together – Duh! :)

Thank you in advance for your feedback and thanks again for making this blog the success that it is. Here’s to an even bigger and better year number two!!!

Filed Under: Blogiversary Tagged With: , ,

Top three spring cleaning tips

March 21, 2012 8 Comments

With the new season happily underway, let’s chat about spring cleaning. I’ll readily admit that I winter, fall, quarter-fall, summer and mid-summer clean in addition to the requisite purge session in March/April. My OCD tenancies often get the very best of me and I clean and organize as I go.

But for you sane normal people who are able to stave off the harried need to clean 365 days a year, here are my top 3 tips for getting your home in ship shape after winter’s hibernation:

  • Piles: When starting any organization project, I pull everything out of a storage space and sort – One pile for trash, one for donate and one for somewhere else in the house. Anything that goes back as it was can be carefully situated in the now-empty space, free of distraction. And be liberal with your “donate pile” – Purging is tough but it is SO satisfying when your home isn’t weighed down by stuff.
  • Baskets: We have baskets on our entry-way table for holding things like car keys and gloves. We’ve got baskets by the television to hold playing cards and CDs, and baskets in the kitchen to corral coffee supplies. I’ve even screwed a basket to the wall in our bathroom as a towel holder! Not a fan of wicker? Check out Bed Bath & Beyond’s selection of decorative boxes instead.
 
  • Wipe down: Come spring, it’s probably safe to say that things could use a good swipe with a rag. I use a clean microfiber rag (Crate & Barrel has some great options) to wipe down mirrors, baseboards and shelves. There’s nothing like a spotless, dust-free baseboard, even if it is just for a couple of weeks out of the year…
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Now it’s your turn! What are your top 3 tips for spring-time cleaning?
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Filed Under: DIY Projects, Product Search, Product Review, How-To, Bathroom, Studio, Kitchen, Living Room, Bedroom Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Confession time: Healthy living

March 16, 2012 6 Comments
I’ve got a lot to catch you guys up on…
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So a few months ago, I made the big announcement that John and I were going gluten-free with our eating. This new pact was based on the assumption that, after years of upset stomachs, a gluten allergy must be our culprit. Except for one blatant disregard for that new promise (as seen here), we were doing pretty well, even choosing to eat out only at restaurants that offered gluten-free options (for locals in the area, this meant Mangia and La Villa).
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Then something pretty major happened that, in a way, helped us to explore the REAL root of the issue…John lost his job.
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By no fault of his own, John was forced to reconsider goals, routines, finances and the direction he wanted to take in his life. In fact, what could have been the biggest let down of the year, ended up being a major blessing in disguise. Suddenly John had all the time in the world to really get to the bottom of the dietary issue, so he made the appointments and got tested for gluten allergies once and for all.
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What we didn’t really anticipate though was the negative result…I think we were so stuck on the idea of a gluten allergy, that the sudden reality of it NOT being the case was a little bewildering. All-in-all, the real issue was nothing more than nutrition. (As a sidenote, I wasn’t able to undergo testing and doctor appointments, but John and I are pretty symmetrical in discomfort so I’m just following his lead.)
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Enter Jessi Haggerty of Bee Rooted. Our second major God-send was a random message I got from Jessi, a Registered Dietitian, Personal Trainer and Movement Instructor from Boston, MA.
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A blogger herself, Jessi approached me in the hopes of helping John and I out with finding better and healthier balance in our lives in terms of what we eat. Since then, I have learned the ins and outs (no pun intended) of good food and just how much of an impact diet has on our lives, moods and energy.
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As I am by no means an expert on these things, and since Jessi is, I’ve gotten her permission to share some simple tips with you all here on DG-DIY to possibly help you along with your own nutritional journey. She started me off by listing some “do”s and “don’t”s for good digestive health:
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Things to increase:
-Soluble fiber:  whole grains like oatmeal, barley, and brown rice, starchy vegetables
-Omega-3 fatty acids from whole plant sources: walnuts, flaxseed meal, small portions of fish
-Antioxidants: berries, green leafy vegetables, foods high in vitamin C & E like citrus fruits and strawberries
-Sprouted foods: sprouted quinoa, grains, beans, breads and tofu.  Sprouting is a process of soaking and rinsing the seed, grain, or bean for a number of days to literally ‘sprout’ it, and works to pre-digest it making it easier for your body to breakdown.  It also allows the nutrients to be more available to your body to use.
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Things to decrease:
-Large portions of concentrated fat: oils, butter, lard, most processed foods
-Concentrated sweets: juices, sugar/sugary foods like cake and cookies, large portions of dried fruits; can cause excess water to be drawn into your digestive tract
-Dairy: it just doesn’t do good things for the belly!
-Meat/animal products: stick to no more than 3 oz. portions of fish, meat, chicken, etc. per meal.
 
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Quick Tip:
-When you are cooking beans and grains, try soaking them overnight, then drain them and cook as directed.  This helps pre-digest the fibers and prevents excess gas build up.
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Who knew?! This first feedback email was incredibly eye-opening. I proceeded to print it out and race home to show John all of the fun new things I had learned. Not kidding. I literally ran inside, practically jumping up and down. In the course of my nutritional health journey up to that point, I had been told what not to eat but not really what TO eat. Well Jessi’s quick “Things to increase” list was only a taste of (again, no pun intended) of what she was to help me understand in terms of my future diet.
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To begin the nitty gritty part of the process, Jessi asked me to keep track of what I ate with a food diary spanning the length of three days.
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(and no, that’s not me, but I’m all about the visuals today and wanted you to see how poised and focused I MIGHT have looked while keeping my food diary) 
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After the three days were up, I had a pretty keen awareness of my normal diet, which is fairly consistent. This is (or was) my typical day’s worth of food:
  1. fried egg cooked over extra virgin olive oil
  2. piece of whole wheat toast (no butter)
  3. blueberry muffin
  4. cup of fresh fruit
  5. cup of plain cheerios
  6. 8 saltine and peanut butter cracker sandwiches (homemade/assembled, not packaged)
  7. brown rice with asparagus, almonds and soy sauce
  8. 3 Hershey’s kisses
  9. a few handfuls of lightly salted peanuts
  10. 1 oatmeal, chocolate chip cookie
  11. Homemade pizza subs (fresh French bread, mozzarella cheese, pepperonis, pizza sauce, shredded turkey lunch meat)
Right away, Jessi was able to point out the aspects of what I ate that might be giving me some trouble. Here’s a quick overview of her suggested “this-instead-of-that” changes:
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  • Do away with the egg, toast and muffin since it’s heavy on the saturated fat and a little light on the fiber and plants
  • Instead eat a bowl of plain whole rolled oats (add things like fruit, nuts and a touch of honey for flavor)
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  • Do away with the saltines in the peanut butter cracker equation because saltines tend to be more processed
  • Instead eat Triscuits with a bit of peanut butter since the only ingredient is wheat
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  • Do away with salted peanuts
  • Instead eat an unsalted trail mix combo with an assortment of nuts and dried fruit rather than chocolate
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  • Do away with lunches and dinners high in dairy and meat
  • Instead eat a whole grain wrap for lunch with things like hummus, avacado, lettuce and tomato; for dinners, focus on beans and grains (check out these recipes on Jessi’s blog for delicious-sounding and healthy alternatives to a meaty, cheesy, buttery dinner entree)
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Since reading over Jessi’s advice, I have been super focused on transforming my diet. I now start every morning with a bowl of plain oatmeal with honey, brown sugar, bananas and strawberries added to it. For the first time in years, I am able to get to work after breakfast without feeling sick. The other thing is that I’m actually full. I used to get to work at 8:30 a.m. after my fried egg breakfast and feel the need to start munching on snacks right away. Now though, I am able to stave off the hunger until around 10:30 a.m. – This feels like a small miracle to me. I’ve also worked hard to all but eliminate meat and dairy from my daily routine. So far, I don’t even miss it!
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I think we are well on our way to regaining control over our food rather than allowing it to control us…
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Stay tuned!! I hope to continue to get advice and guidance from Jessi as we work towards our health goals – We’d love to have you guys along for the ride! Also, feel free to provide your own input, advice and/or experiences with us in the comments section.
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P.S. In case you were wondering, John is now happily employed and our routine and outlook on life is better than ever!
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Want more information and advice from Jessi? Be sure to check out her blog, BeeRooted.com, for TONS of helpful thoughts on food, diet, exercise and general healthy living. In case you were curious, I am not being paid to talk about her blog – I am just so thankful and appreciative of her help and want to pay it forward. Maybe she could be the answer to your prayers as well!
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Speaking of, if you DO need a some guidance, Jessi is offering her readers (and now mine!) a super sweet discount on her consult – Instead of $125 for an initial personalized consult, she’s only charging $50. The consult can be done via phone or skype. If you want to take the first step to a healthy lifestyle, then I highly recommend getting in touch with her. This is starting to sound like an infomercial (which I assure you, it’s not meant to be), so I’m going to stop here.
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Have a GREAT weekend everyone!
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Filed Under: Gluten-Free Lifestyle, Healthy Living, Our Influences, Take a break!, Yummmm Tagged With: , , , , ,

Trash to treasure: DIY Chalkboard Menu (Part 1)

March 9, 2012 4 Comments

Remember this little gem? One of my best friends, Savannah, salvaged this sad and disheveled frame from her grandfather’s house and generously offered it to us for use at our wedding. It sure needed a lot of work, but envisioning the final product kept me focused.

In this post of yore I explaining that the plan was to clean him up and outfit him with a chalkboard center, fit for our wedding reception as a big menu by the buffet. Something sort of like this:

Source

First order of business? Get rid of that crumbling and slightly spooky portrait. It was a little sad not to be able to salvage what could very well have been a valuable piece of art, but there was nothing that we could have done. In the end, I’m just happy that we were able to salvage at least part of the piece – i.e. the frame itself.

Incredibly (and so not what I had been expecting) the removal of all the junk on the back of the frame was a snap. It was so badly in disrepair that the four pieces of wood holding the glass and portrait to the frame lifted right away. Other than that, it really just needed a good cleaning.

After taking the frame down to the garage so as not to dirty up the kitchen, my mom and I  brushed away the grime and dirt using a little hand-held bristle tool (can be picked up at any grocery store in the cleaning section). A light hand and gentle sweep across the surface got rid of the grit without harming the pretty details on the frame.

Still looking pretty grimey, huh? Well the next step was to wipe it down with a good bit of alcohol. Using a couple of rags, my sister and I took our time rubbing all the way around the frame, careful to get into the little curves and recesses. As you’ll see by our nasty, dirty rags, we were able to get it pretty darn clean!

Parts of the frame came away from these two cleaning steps looking lux and shimmery, such as this section:

But most of the frame still looked a little dirty and definitely not fit for a wedding reception – Not yet anyway. Even with the brushing and alcohol bath, the frame had tons of discoloration and broken/nicked sections that just couldn’t be fixed with a simple cleaning.

The section below is the worst, with a big chunk of the wood missing. Plus, if you look to the upper left of the photo you’ll see what almost looks like a burn mark. But I wasn’t too anxious – I had a plan.

Nothing a coat of spray paint can’t fix! I admit that I debated going with a bright color, like teal, to freshen up our inherited frame…But eventually decided to start off with something as close to its original finish as possible. My thought on that was, if it ended up looking dull and/or boring, I could always paint over it.

So I bought a can of Rust-Oleum spray paint in a metallic hammered finish. I liked the idea of the textured spray paint because it would really help to cover the frame’s imperfections, while also giving it the look of a still-vintage piece. I was a-okay with the idea of an uneven finish in this case because I didn’t want it to look brand new – Just cleaner.

A few coats of paint later and we were GOLDEN.

We even managed to camouflage that broken section with the spray paint – It’s not P-E-R-F-E-C-T, but I think it’s a lot less noticeable now.

Want to see that “Before” photo again?

And now “After”…

I am so excited with how much better the frame looks, with its bright new finish and clean surface. It’s not quite the yellow-golden sheen of its original state, but I think this fresh, almost milky bronze color really makes it stand out. The next step is to fill the center with a chalkboard surface so that we can write out the buffet menu – John and I picked up the wood on Tuesday and, even though my friends are throwing me a bachelorette party out of town this weekend, I am hoping to get the whole project wrapped up by Monday.

Stay tuned for Part 2 next week! Have a great weekend.

Filed Under: DIY Projects, How-To, Our Wedding, Simple Fixes Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Fit for a wedding: Thrift store frames

March 7, 2012 6 Comments

We are continuing a run down of our epic wedding craft day this past weekend – Monday I chatted about our DIY favors made from glass test tubes filled with things like wildflower seeds and bath salts. We are moving onward and upward today with a quick, affordable craft involving my favorite DIY supply: spray paint. The goal was to create a colorful collection of frames to sit on various tables throughout our reception space to denote things like gifts, cupcakes, favors, guest book, etc. Rather than pay top dollar for said frames, I scoured our local thrift stores to find affordable options that I could give a face lift.

Here are my victims:

I was hoping to find elaborate, traditional frames with scroll work and filigree because all of those beautiful details really pop when painted a bright color. Alas, as you can see, I only found one that was even close to what I was searching for, but that’s okay. This was one such project that I didn’t feel needed a ton of leg work and multiple shopping stops. The frames didn’t really need to be the stars of the show anyway.

Can’t beat the final price tag! Only $10.05 for seven frames.

Time for their fashion-forward makeovers! I removed their “fillings” of glass and backing board and then put them out on the front sidewalk on top of some cardboard. Then my sweet and accommodating fiance did the rest – Spray painting each with either a pop of neon teal or canary yellow. We don’t actually have any specific color scheme for the wedding since we are using colorful mismatched vintage china in place of rented serving ware, and we are also just using whatever wildflowers are in season for the centerpieces, so I simply chose two of my favorite spray paint colors that we had in stock in the garage.

While John took care of the painting, I got to work on what went inside of the frames. To do so, I typed up a few quick phrases for sections I knew I wanted to label for guests’ benefit:

  • “Enjoy a celebratory cupcake!”
  • “In lieu of a guest book, please seal a note of encouragement or advice and toss it in the suitcase for future reading.” (I’ll explain this project in a post very soon)
  • “Favors – Please take your pick:” and “Grow a plot of wild flowers,” “Indulge in sweet candy pieces,” “Relax with aromatic bath salts” (these will all go into the one frame I bought that has two openings in the mat board)
  • “Thank you for your thoughtful gift!”

Oh, and don’t worry – I’m now aware that I misspelled the word “Indulge”…Will need to redo that one at some point ::sigh::

To cut them to size, I used the glass that I had removed as templates. Since the glass is clear, I was able to lay the glass on top of each phrase and then eye-ball it until it looked centered. Then, using a pen, I traced around the edges of the glass and got the perfect line to cut across to fit inside the finished frames. For the two phrases going inside of the mat board, I centered the words in the middle of the mats and traced the edges. I cut a little outside of those lines though so that the mat would overlap the edge of the paper.

Before I show you the final results of our newly-stylish collection of wedding frames, I have to show you one last quick fix. When purchasing anything from a thrift store, you have to know that there might be some less-than-perfect conditions to deal with. Case in point, one of my frames (the largest, in fact) was feeling a little unsteady due to a bent/creased backing arm.

I debated reinforcing it was a dowel rod, but in the end I went with a piece of ribbon and some tape. I cut the ribbon to the length of the distance I wanted the frame arm to swing out (with a little extra on the front and tail of the ribbon). After it was cut to size, I taped one end of the ribbon to the frame’s backing board and then the other end to the arm. This meant that the arm could swing out only so far from the frame, steadying it on whatever surface it sat on.

It’s not the prettiest thing you’ll ever see, but it did the trick.

Here are the finished thrift store frames looking lovely, colorful and definitely fit for our big day in April.

As you can see, we didn’t touch the little brass guy (you know how much I am digging brass these days), and we also didn’t fill all seven frames. I stole one for a project I’ll tell you all about next week, but the rest are empty and waiting should we think of anything else needing signage. Once I fix the spelling of “Indulge,” we will be golden (or should I say “teal”).

Hope you have a great Wednesday!

Filed Under: DIY Projects, Inspiring, Our Wedding, Product Search, Simple Fixes Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Pinspiration Monday: Wedding favors

March 5, 2012 17 Comments

Woa. Yesterday was wild. The biggest wedding crafts day that I’ve initiated so far. Only 54 days to go until the big day, so my still-to-do list is heating up:

  • Create a chalkboard menu display for buffet out of a vintage frame
  • Spray paint lots of vintage frames in bright colors to set on tables denoting where gifts go, favors, etc.
  • DIY favors
  • Decorate a vintage suitcase for the guest book
  • Secure a coral flower hair clip for my up do
  • Meeting with florist to talk flowers
  • Purchase burlap for table runners
  • Make about a million more paper pinwheels
  • Create some kind of ribbon garland
  • Am I forgetting anything? Probably…
Thankfully, we were able to knock a few things off of that list yesterday. My sister and mom came over and we got to work right away. Our first order of business was the favors. My inspiration for this DIY favor project came from, you guessed it, Pinterest and I couldn’t be more excited with how they turned out.

Source: DIY with Stef

The idea was to buy glass test tubes (the kind topped with natural cork stoppers) and fill them with something fun that guests would enjoy taking home – None of that monogrammed stuff for us that guests likely won’t use, will toss or will get stuffed in a junk drawer somewhere. Instead, I decided to fill our glass test tubes with three different options, that way guests can choose exactly what they’d like to take home with them. Here are my fillers:

  1. Wildflower seeds
  2. Mini M&M candies
  3. Homemade lavender-scented bath salts
I thought those three options ran the gamete enough to please everyone. To make it easy for guests to find the test tube of their choice, I paired each of the three favor options with a word: The seeds are tagged with the word “Grow,” the candies are tagged with “Indulge” and the bath salts got “Relax.” This will make a bit more sense in a moment…
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First, we needed some test tubes. I bought mine here based on a link in the comments section of my Pinterest inspiration source – The 80 test tubes that I ordered came in under $40, which seemed pretty cost-effective to me!
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In addition to the test tubes and the various fillers, we also needed a funnel to make “stuffing them” a little bit easier. Mom forgot to bring hers, but we made one out of tape and a piece of computer paper – Worked like a charm!

Truth be told, the only filler we had on hand yesterday was the wildflower seed, but I figured we could at least get the process started. Once my mom and her friend, Kim, have time to make the bath salts and we are able to track down some mini M&M’s, we’ll fill up the remainder of the test tubes to complete the process.

Here are the completed tubes of wildflower seeds – I love how natural they look and hope that guests will enjoy sprinkling their gardens with the seeds after our wedding!

The last step before calling this project done (for now) was to add those tags I mentioned. A few weeks ago, I went ahead and made little paper labels for my test tubes. All I did was type up a couple of pages of the words in a Word document on my computer and then printed them out on different colored pieces of paper. “Indulge” got yellow paper, “Grow” got green and “Relax” got blue. After cutting them out with a pair of scissors, I finished off the edge with a quick hole punch for a small piece of twine that would eventually hold the tag to the test tube.

So yesterday, my mom, sister and I started a quick assembly line where my sister cut the twine using a templated string of about 3 inches, my mom threaded the twine through the hole punched in the tags, giving it a quick knot near the paper, and then I snipped off the excess. We had to make the twine a little long or else tying the knot would have been a nightmare.

In my Pinspiration image, you may have seen that the tags they used were just tied around the glass test tube – I didn’t think that would be strong enough to stay in place, but wasn’t really sure what our other options were. Mom came to the rescue though with the idea of putting the twine inside the test tube and then squeezing the cork in place on top to hold it in place. It worked like a charm!

Although, word to the wise – I broke four test tubes because I tried to slip the cork all the way back into place, not taking into account that the twine needed a little extra room. So if you try this at home, just be very gentle with this step or else you’ll get super frustrated like I did – It’s not fun to be around a frustrated bride, just ask my mom and sister…

Live and learn! Hopefully stuffing the rest of the tubes will go more smoothly (with fewer casualties). I’ll be sharing the details on the rest of the many projects we did on the blog Wednesday and Friday, so stay tuned.

What do you guys think?? Would you all appreciate something like this as a favor? I wish I could make one for all of YOU guys! You all have been so sweet and supportive of our upcoming wedding…

Hope you have a great Monday!

Filed Under: DIY Projects, How-To, Inspiring, Our Wedding, Weekly Pinspiration Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
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