Pretty little things

Do you have one favorite area of your house that you just love?  I do.  One is a little corner in my piano room, and lately, the other is my kitchen window.  I feel like I have photographed this area so much recently, but I keep finding new little treasures to upcycle for "display". 

I was at the dollar spot at Target recently, and found a chalkboard marker.  I put it in my cart, and then put it back on the shelf.  Then I put it back in my cart again.  Over and over I did this.  I know it was only a dollar, but I didn't want it to be an impulse buy!  I finally kept it because I was so curious to see if it worked.  Now, I'm guessing that most everyone has been using one of these to make all of their beautiful chalkboard art these days.  But, like I have said before, I am very slow to jump on the band wagon, and somewhat old fashioned.  I always have been.  I think we were the last to get an answering machine, high speed internet, and *gasp* I don't even have a smart phone!  In fact, I picked up a GPS at a yard sale, and we have used it, but I find that I don't even like relying on that very much.

 I bought the chalkboard marker and couldn't wait to try it out.  I used a little chalkboard from a yard sale to print the words "Give Thanks" inside a laurel wreath.  I can't tell you how fun it was to use!  The packaging claims you can even erase it like real chalk, but I haven't tried that yet.  It was so smooth....like writing with a paint pen.

The next thing I displayed in my window might look familiar to some of you.  Long ago, I found a way to make beautiful "faux" stained glass windows.  It remains one of my most pinned posts.  You can see it here.  Well, I could never find the perfect place for it, and over time, it got a little bumped and bruised because i wasn't very careful with it.  I couldn't part with it, so I cut the plexi glass down, and stuck it in a "new" (yard sale) frame.  Then I just set it in the windowsill.  I love the light that streams through it,

And, I love it when my brain finds ways to re use old things!  Creativity is a wonderful thing!

Valentine Decorating

Ballard Designs Inspired Art

spring wreath from Christmas wreath

During the home tour, I displayed one of my Christmas wreaths on the chalkboard in the sun room.  I liked the idea so much that after the holiday, I decided I wanted to keep a wreath there year round.  Since the Christmas wreath was only for the holiday,  I needed a new one to last through spring and summer.

I found an old wreath in my basement that I had almost thrown away several times.  I never threw it away though, because I kept thinking I could recycle, ahem, "upcycle" it somehow.

Countdown to Christmas Vignette #5 Sun Room

Grace’s Bedroom Revealed!

Free Lemonade!

What do you get when you mix an old 5"x7" frame, chalk, a piece of black card stock paper and a little imagination?  A free decoration for your home!  Here is a little tip...Chalkboard paint is great, but if you don't have any and you want to do a quick project that mimics a chalkboard, draw with chalk on black card stock or construction paper.  The same idea works to make labels on baskets like the one on my basket full o'produce.  You could write or draw anything!

The chalkboard’s new home... and my special rock

C’mon in! Decorating with orange and gold...

                                                                                     image via pottery barn

Our master bedroom~decorated on a budget

PB knock off football field chalkboard tutorial

Finally, here’s a little something to make for the boys!  Last year I saw a Pottery Barn football chalkboard for around $100.  I realized that it would be so easy to make one for my boys’ bedroom for a fraction of the price.  I already had the frame from a yard sale (which I painted green with some craft paint), and the chalkboard paint.  After picking up the hardboard from Home Depot, and a white paint pen from Hobby Lobby, my total for the project came to less than $10!  You can download and print your favorite team logo for the end zones on Avery 8”x11” shipping label paper! (Make sure you get the full size “stickum” pages instead of the tiny labels).  Or, you can print them on regular paper and glue them on, protecting with a little mod podge.  The one you see below is a gift that I made for my nephews for Christmas.

This NFL one is the first one that I made for my boys~before I discovered white paint pens!!!!.  I painted it by hand with a tiny brush~crazy I know. (sorry for the bad photos)

a sneak peek at the bedroom makeover...

As I mentioned previously, I offered to paint my niece's bedroom over the holiday.  You see, she has been wanting her room redone for a long, long, time~ and my sister in law has been very, very busy.  Since she is 16, I felt like she needed it done already so that she has time to enjoy it before she heads off to college!   She had in mind a sort of New York theme with a bit of a vintage flair, so that's what we went with.

Keep in mind~it's still in progress, but we're thrilled with how it's turning out!

As soon as it is finished, I told them to take photos and send them my way so that you can see the end result.

We painted the wall that the bed rests against black (I had to do some convincing) for an accent, and the other three walls cream.  Black can really look sophisticated, rich, classy, and calming.  Remember this post on painting ceilings black? 

Here is her bedroom before...

My sister in law's beautiful home

We spent the entire week of Christmas break with my husband's brother and his family.  We have so much fun together!  My sister in law (who happens to be my best friend) has excellent taste, and a keen eye for beauty.  She is very talented and is a compassionate nurse and mother.  She is also a fabulous cook, seamstress, photographer, decorator, crafter, shopper, and she supports me in all of my creative endeavors.  I credit her for helping me define my decorating style.  I am also flattered that many of my paintings are in her home!  Come along with me as we tour her gorgeous home...

of course, she made this centerpiece

Decorating tip

Right above the desk where I blog, hangs a large framed "faux" chalkboard.  It was a frame that I picked up at a yard sale long ago.  The gold frame moulding was a little too bright for my liking, so I pulled out a little bottle of brown craft paint and painted portions of it brown (just a little here and there so it looked more like a wash instead of solid brown.)  I wanted it to look a little bit more aged.

I didn't care for the old cardboard print in the frame either, so I used the same brown paint and painted right over it!  Although it is not as durable as one of my chalkboards, I can still write with chalk on it!  So the next time you pass by an ugly framed cardboard print at the thrift store, think about painting over it in a fun color and using it as a "holiday" chalkboard!   Last Valentine's Day I drew a big white heart with an arrow going through it and added a little Valentine's message.  I also hung some red glittered hearts where the leaves are now.  The "planter" above the frame is actually faux iron.  I picked it up at a yard sale a while ago.

I have lots more fun ideas to come!  I'm so excited about a feature project that I just completed for next week.  (more on that soon)  Thanks for visiting each day!  I love you all!

~Robyn

Linking to

cottage instincts

between naps on the porch

craft o maniac

coastal charm

creating really awesome things

making the world cuter

skip to my lou

mad in crafts

chalkboard tutorial

I have five chalkboards in my house (each in a different room). Each is unique.

This one is in my daughter's room.  It was free from a garage sale.  When I picked it up, the frame was unpainted wood and I knew I wanted to paint it a fun color.  So I pulled out my 2 oz. craft paints and decided to paint it my favorite green color "459 Hauser Green Light" by Folkart.

When we moved into this house, the back of the kitchen cabinets faced the breakfast nook.  This is what it looked like...

basket full o' produce

My neighbor stopped by to see my garden and told me that I should gather my produce in a basket on my arm since that is how they do it in England!  I liked that idea and it has made transporting the veggies that much easier.  Of course, I had to make it cute, so after buying the basket for 40% off at Hobby Lobby, I