FRIDAY ETSY LOVE

Today's Etsy Love is brought to you by Valentine's Day (can you tell I was raised on Sesame Street?).

Enjoy! FlaxandSpindle
PrinceDesignUK

botanicalbird

NilaPoffCustomCrafts

johnwgolden

branchhandmade

thebline

littlebrownpen

Have a great weekend!

Not Domino! Why? Oh Why?!

I'm sure many of you have heard by now that Domino Magazine is the latest casualty of our current economy. I feel like I need to start offering proper eulogies for my favorite magazines when they bite the dust. So here goes:

Oh, Domino. I remember loving you at first sight. I saw an ad for you in your sister magazine, Lucky, and I subscribed before your first issue was even released.

I wasn't disappointed. You were as chic as I would secretly like to be, and just as wimsical as I am.

You put a little smile on my face with every issue.

Early on, I studied each issue, sitting with you and trying to learn your brilliant ways.

And while I didn't love each and every issue, I always looked forward to finding you in my mailbox and flipping through your colorful pages.

You will be missed dear Domino. Rest in Peace.

P.S. Yes, I'm aware I'm a dork :).

A NEW KITCHEN FOR AROUND $100

I received an email tonight from someone who heard from a friend of mine that I painted the cabinets in my old kitchen and she wanted to know how I did it....so I figured, why not respond in a blog post and hopefully help some of you too?

So here’s the lowdown on the big kitchen redo.

Here’s the before picture. Some people enjoy oak, some people can make it work…I found it completely suffocating. I dreamed of clean, crisp, ivory cabinets, and I finally thought “Hey, what’s holding me back here?!”. So I finally just did it, and I'm sooo glad I did.

Step 1:
I removed the doors, numbering each of them and making a map so it would be a piece of cake to reinstall them. See those numbers on the blue tape? I made sure they were next to their door at all times.

Step 2:
I cleaned and lightly sanded the doors and cabinet frames and then applied Gripper brand primer. I let the primer dry 24 hours before applying the first coat of paint. I know it’s tempting to paint sooner, but don’t!...go to a movie, have a hot bath, take the kids to McDonalds, but don’t touch those cabinets before 24 hours are up.

Step 3…4…5 (honestly, this step feels like it will never end, but hang in there!)
I applied 3 coats of satin latex paint (I used Ralph Lauren Architectural Cream) to the cabinet frames and doors, allowing at least 4 hours between each coat - even more is better. However, I’ve since heard that oil based paint is much more durable, and if I needed to paint cabinets again I think I’d go that route – but if you go with latex you’ll still be in good shape.

Step 6:
I applied one coat of clear, non-yellowing polyacrylic topcoat to make the finish more durable. I know…you don’t want to paint one more stroke at this point, but believe me, it’s worth it.

Step 7:
Reinstall cabinets and be so thrilled with yourself that you numbered and mapped out the cabinet placement…oh yeah, you’re a rockstar!

Step 8:
Install some fabulous cabinet hardware. I bought mine for a steal on eBay. I think it was $1-$2 per knob or pull! It’s worth it to do some searching for the right hardware for the right price.

Step 9:
Then enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!

This whole process took me about 2 weeks of evenings and weekends, and I thought I was going to die at moments, but IT WAS WORTH IT! I honestly think it helped our house sell. Seriously, our house sold in 1 week, in THIS market!

I hope this helps!

FRONT DOOR

Thanks so much for your kind wishes yesterday. I'm feeling a little better today, and I made it home safely in the ice last night. Also the weather's so bad outside today it may be physically impossible to leave the house today. Seriously...my garage door may be frozen shut. So I'm currently curled up on the couch with my laptop...not too bad.

I hadn't planned on talking about front door colors yet, but since you're all interested I figured, why not? First, here's some cottage door eye candy:

My Sweet Savannah: both on her blog and on Rate My Space (aren't those numbers adorable?)

Flickr: Neosnaps (I don't love the exterior, but I love the door color)

Taken myself in Daybreak, Utah. Look at that amazing wreath!

Flickr: ilovebutter

Le Levandin: A Guest House in Provence (owned by a family friend who retired and moved to Provence...can you imagine?!)

Flickr: Exfordy

Flickr: La Fattina

Flickr: Neosnaps (Love this!)

I, obviously, want something that will add to the cottage feel of my house...but nothing over the top.

This is a larger view of our house - red brick and tan.

And these are some mock-ups of how different colors would look on my front door. These are probably my 3 favorite....but there may be colors I hadn't thought of. Let me know what you think!

#1

Benjamin Moore Louisburg Green

#2

Benjamin Moore Gloucester Sage

#3

Black...yeah, you probably couldn't guess that :)

VALENTINE'S WREATH/WHY YOU SHOULDN'T BLOG WHEN YOU'VE HAD TOO MUCH COLD MEDICINE

I'm going to whine here for a moment. I've been miserably sick all weekend with a cold, but I decided to woman up and go to work today, and now we're getting a massive ice storm that I get to drive home in. Whaaa! Ok - thanks for indulging me. Now, moving on....

Somehow in my sick stupor over the weekend, I had a 2 hour burst of creative energy where I decided it would be a fabulous idea to make a Valentine's wreath. I don't normally decorate for each and every holiday, but I had an idea in my head and I decided to go with it.

I found this wreath at Hobby Lobby, which was really pretty perfect on its own. I love the simple, natural look of it.

I wanted it to be a little fuller though, so I bought a couple of these.

And then I stumbled across these beauties and I just had to buy them. Don't they look delicious?..or maybe it's the cold medicine talking...it's hard to be sure.

A little glue gunning, some fat red ribbon, and viola! We are one festive house.
(NOTE: I hate my burgundy door. I'm just not a burgundy gal. As soon as it warms up outside the door will be changing color...because I'll be painting it...it won't change on it's own just because of the heat...oh man, way too much cold medicine)

Wingback Slipcover

A couple of you asked where I bought the slipcover on my wingback chair. I looked high and low last spring for something inexpensive that would do the job, and I finally found one on QVC's website.

I just looked on their website again, and found one that's either identical or very similar to mine. It's $38.91 plus $3.97 shipping & handling. Mine isn't made of the heaviest most luxurious fabric, but it does its job very well of covering up an ugly chair until I can either afford or make a new slipcover. Here's the link in case you're interested.

Have a great weekend!

FRIDAY ETSY LOVE

First of all, I'm somehow of the mindset that nothing except groceries and furniture should cost more than $15-$20. Maybe it's all those years of shopping at TJ Maxx and thrift stores, but that's where my mind goes. If I really love something, though, and have it in the budget to spend a bit more I'll occasionally do it.

Most of the pillows below are around $30, and one of the things I love about Etsy is that many of the sellers are creative, talented women who are trying to supplement their family's income. That's a cause I can (selfishly) support (I say "selfishly" because I get something beautiful out of the deal).

So, without further adeu, here are today's Etsy Love picks.

My Sweet Savannah who also has a great blog by the same name.

My Sweet Savannah

White Twig (I actually just bought the one above. It was just too beautiful to pass up)

White Twig

White Twig

Maramiki (These designs are hand drawn and then screenprinted...by hand...on a pillow that was sewn...by hand - these people amaze me)

Maramiki

Shop One Eleven (Doesn't the ruffle make this look like a fancy gown?)

Pink Baby Mouse (I just had to add this one for fun. I love how quirky it is.)

NEW PILLOWS!

I was both very lazy and very productive last weekend. How do you do both at the same time you ask? I plopped myself on the couch and caught up on old episodes of Lost while hand stitching 4 pillows...yes, by hand (because I haven't figured out how to thread my sewing maching...come to think of it, I guess I shouldn't be bragging about this).

The best part? I made all 4 pillows for about $15..and 3 of them are upholstery grade Ralph Lauren linen (I LOVE eBay!), and I reused existing pillow inserts.

See the pillows on the love seat? The green one I dug out of my "garage sale pile"...which only reinforces my fear of getting rid of anything because I'll certainly need it at some point in the future. The straw colored pillow I made from an extra curtain panel I bought when Linens n Things was closing.

And we couldn't neglect this little corner.

$15 for an entirely new feel in my living room? Not bad.... :).