Thursday, January 28, 2010

My Cheap and Simple DIY Decor

I really do love the Dollar Store.  It is possibly the best store ever!  You can create so many useful things from items bought from there.  Well after reading through about 4 or 5 blogs that had the same idea of hot glue-ing a couple of crystal pieces together to create some really neat decor items, I decided to try and make my own! 

The first thing I made was a potpourri holder.  I found some really pretty potpourri at Ross for $2.99.  I bought a candlestick holder from the dollar store and I had a glass bowl leftover from the wedding.  So I decided to get the hot glue gun out and get started. 

This is what I used:
potpourriholder1 
The directions are pretty simple.  Hot glue the candlestick holder to the bottom of the glass bowl.  Pour potpourri into the bowl.  Place decor item in desired place around the house.  =)



And here it is my half bath:
014



The other thing that I created was a large candle.  I created it using these items:
candlestick1
The directions are pretty much the same as the other item.  Hot glue the candle (found in the candle section of the dollar store near the other religious candles) inside the glass hurricane.  Hot glue the candlestick holder to the bottom of the glass hurricane.   Place completed item in a special place around your home.  To add a decorative flair, you can add leaves, twine, or other decorative foliage in between the candle and hurricane.

Here is the completed candle in my half bath:
015


I plan to make one more of these and add it to my entry table or on my mantel.  I just haven’t made and haven’t decided exactly where I want it.  I will post pics when I complete it. 

Cost Breakdown:
Glue gun and glue sticks --- I had already.  --- $0
2 Candlestick holders ---- 1 I already had at home. --- $1
1 glass bowl ---  I had already at home. ---$0
1 glass hurricane --- I had already at home --- $0
1 package of potpourri --- $2.99
1 tall candle in glass holder --- $1
For a total of roughly -----  $5 What a steal!

As you can see this a very inexpensive project.  Something else that you can do that is unique is spray paint the glass, that will give it a very unique look as well.

blogsignature

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

My Half Bath Facelift

So a couple of days ago I told you about my weekend project of repainting and redoing my downstairs half bath.  I had gotten and picked out the paint awhile ago and I finally got my butt in gear to do it.  It took hubby and I one night to really do almost everything.  We took the next day to do some touch ups and clean up the bathroom.  It was a pretty inexpensive facelift.  I have yet to replace the faucet but I definitely will do that sometime in the future.  I replaced the light fixture, replaced the jumbo mirror (who wants to look at themselves while they use the bathroom?? –not me!), and painted the walls.  I will also (sometime down the road) refinish the vanity.  That will most likely be a longer project so I decided to forgo that for now. 

And now for your viewing pleasure, before and after pictures of the half bath.
Before:
019 017
After:
006
008
009
014 
015 
You can really see the paint color in the last two pictures.
I love how light and ‘fresh’ it feels.

Here is a rough cost break down:
Paint - Glidden Canyon Echo and supplies:  $30
Lighting:  $79.99
Mirror:  $39.99
Most of the decor I had already or I made from supplies found at the Dollar Store.  I will post about those later.

So overall it was about a $150 facelift.  I can’t complain because it came out just as I had hoped!



 
blogsignature

My Buffet is Complete!

My buffet is complete and I am so happy how it turned out!  I am in love with it!  I am also quite impressed with myself; I saw an inspiration picture and was able to replicate it.

Here is how it turned out:
buffet1


buffet2
And for reference here is the inspiration picture next to my completed picture:
buffet1 diningroom

blogsignature

Sunday, January 24, 2010

My Weekend Project

So I never really got around to finding the hardware for my entry table.  I instead, devoted my weekend to finally painting my half bath that is down stairs.  I had gotten a small can of paint from the Glidden Promo that they did this summer and just never got around to painting it.  This weekend the hubs and I painted the bathroom, replaced the lighting, and took out the (huge) mirror.  It came out lovely.  The only thing left to do is find a mirror.  I would like a smaller mirror with a frame to put in there.  I also later on would like to replace the faucet but I didn’t do that yet.  I really think it turn out great.  I will post some pictures of the finished product once I find a mirror to put in there. 

Here are some BEFORE pictures:
 019


017


018


As you can see they are not the best pictures, but you can see the basic decor.  The walls were painted Glidden Canyon Echo.  I bought the two flower pictures from Garden Ridge and the shelf above the toilet used to be white and I spray painted it the metallic charcoal color.  The three pictures in the picture frames at the bottom of the shelf are actually just scrapbook papers.  I also spray painted an old trash can to match.

Completed pics to come soon!

blogsignature

Thursday, January 21, 2010

It’s Here!

My entry table is here!  I got so excited when I heard the FedEx truck coming down the road.  I knew immediately that it had to be for me! 

I was eating lunch at the time so I finished eating and then decided not to wait for  Hubby to come home and put it together.  I took on the adventure of putting it together myself.  It only took me about an hour and a half, maybe two hours to complete it.  I was also watching a DVRed episode of Nip/Tuck so I going back and forth from that and the assembly directions.  I set it in it’s place and it fits great!  I had a 40 in. space to work with and I it was somewhat hard finding something to fit that space without being too small.  It looks great!



I have yet to decorate it or add the hardware to the drawers (I should go buy those this weekend).

034 033



blogsignature

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

A Tour of My Home

Here is a look through my home.  It’s our very first home and it truly is my ‘baby’.  Here are the stats on my home. 
3 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2 car garage, 1,822 square feet on a corner cul-de-sac lot.

I will update when I get a chance since I still need to take some current pictures since some things have changed.

030


032


036


046
050

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

I love this home!

I never really thought of a “style” that I liked when decorating.  I just like what I like and I really just leave it at that.  I don’t like “modern”, or “contemporary” or “shabby chic”, I usually like something from each.  But I definitely don’t like “frooffy”.  That is my own word for things with ornate detail.  I really don’t like it.  Anything with a one too many flowers or something with too many curves or ‘fluffs’ is called frooffy.  I know that I don’t like it.

Well I stumbled across this beautiful home while looking through one of my favorite sites.  It is absolutely gorgeous!  I love everything about it!  I want to model my home from it.  Everything is ‘warm’ and ‘cozy’ feeling!  And I love that!  Her home really inspires me!

She also has an awesome blog that I love reading.  Here are some pictures of her gorgeous house!  If you want to see more check out her home site or her blog!

 











I love it!  **sigh**   If this “style” had a name, it would totally be mine!  But, I guess I will have to get inspired by it instead!

blogsignature

Thursday, January 14, 2010

My Entry Way

My entry way needs a table.  Currently there is a black 3 shelf book shelf that usually goes in the living room, but since the Christmas tree was out we moved it there. I have been searching for a cheap entry table that is less than 40” to go in the space in our entry way.  And I found one…… I want this one!

 

I plan to add hardware to the drawers to make it ‘pop’.  I love that it has a bottom shelf for decor and drawers so the Hubby can put his keys and wallet and work badge away (AND out from on top of our counter!).  It is a reasonable price and the shipping doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.  This will be purchased tomorrow and I can’t wait to get it!

blogsignature

Dining Room Remodel

I posted about adding a buffet and wine glass shelves to my dining room and I showed you my gorgeous inspiration picture.   Well here it is as of a few weeks ago (the week of New Year’s Day).

I have since taken and put away all the Christmas cards and decor.  The buffet is currently bare.  I am looking to peruse Ross and Marshalls sometime soon to find something to put on the top of the buffet and on the shelves.  I am so glad to have all the wine glasses out of the cabinets in the kitchen to free up some space (though currently it is empty!).



036
So you tell me, am I on the mark with my inspiration pic?
036 diningroom

Once I get everything completed and more presentable I will post pictures of the whole dining room.

blogsignature

Yummy Pumpkin Rum Pie!

I lurve me some pumpkin pie, it is one of my favorite things about the holidays. I wanted to make some pie this year and since we weren’t home for Thanksgiving I decided to make it for Christmas! I searched the interwebs for a yummy sounding recipe and stumbled upon this yummy recipe. It took a little while to make the first time I made it (I made another pie just last week!) since the recipe really didn’t say that the heating directions were for a convection oven, but once reading the reviews of other who had made them it was super easy. It really did come out so yummy. It was declared the Best Pumpkin Pie Ever by my lovely husband so I think this will be made ever year from here on out.

I followed to recipe exactly except for the cooking time and temp.

Here are the modifications:


Cook for the first 10 minutes on 425 then 325 for 45 50 minutes.
Oh, and don’t forget to put foil on the crust!!! I had almost forgotten the first time and then after 10 minutes when I went to turn the temp down, it was already pretty browned!
And the last thing that I want to add is that the recipe makes enough filling for two pies or one pie with a little left over. The filling is runny when you put it in the pie shell so don’t over fill it because you might spill some transferring the pie to the oven.


002
Mmmmm… this pie is sooo addicting!

blogsignature

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Dining Room Remodel (sort of)

My dining room remodel is almost finished.  And it shouldn’t even be called a remodel since it’s more like a model since it was never really decorated to begin with.

 



Here is my inspiration picture:
diningroom
Here is the space that I have to decorate:
(The area that is inset to the right of the dining room table.)
233 


I haven’t uploaded the recent pictures but I will soon.  I still have to get the Christmas decorations put away.  And that is going to be a task!

 



blogsignature