Lace Dream Catcher

Here's a little something I threw together for June's room.  I have yet to really focus on one theme for her always-changing bedroom decor... but it goes something like this: shabby cowgirl gypsy chic. 

I used:
a wooden embroidery hoop -painted with craft paint
feathers -ends dipped in craft paint
lace fabric
embroidery thread

The simple steps:

• Wrap & tie the ends of the feathers with embroidery thread.  
• Attach the opposite end of that thread to the smaller {inside} loop by wrapping & tying.
• Place your lace fabric over that same smaller loop.
• Then place the larger, adjustable loop over the fabric & on the smaller loop & tighten. {Making sure to keep the lace fabric tight.}
• Trim the fabric off of the back of the loop.  

Hang & admire. 

{I have a few more finished with additional details, I'll get those pictures up as soon as I can!} 

Faux Ironstone

 

'Tis the season for yard & garage sales.  Keep an eye open for those uniquely shaped, yet ugly-colored glass & ceramic vases, pitchers, etc.  Spray paint can turn the ugliest little pitcher into a pretty ironstone-esque decor piece for your home.

I am in love with old Ironstone pitchers.  I don't have the funds or time to come up with a large Ironstone collection like my mom's.  So until the day she decides to pass those down... ;) ... I'll just continue to re-create the look with paint.   

When spray painting glass & ceramic, make sure it is done in light coats, allowing it to dry to the touch between coats.  {It's really only minutes between coats.}  I use an ivory/cream spray paint to achieve the look of Ironstone.  All of my mom's Ironstone pitchers have a high-sheen finish, so a gloss spray paint would probably work best.  However, I used a satin finish paint here & love how it turned out.   

& what would one of my posts be without a mason jar?  It's getting ridiculous... I know.

 

This little pitcher was littered with an outdated floral pattern until I salvaged the poor thing. 

Happy Thrifting!

Summer Porch Lights

 

DIY Garden Lights..

 

  

 Grater Lanterns {vintage graters placed over tea-lights.}

 

  

Vintage insulators placed over battery-operated tea-lights.

 

 

My firefly lights {featured on LaurenConrad.com} & my simple how-to!

These are just a few pretty ways to bring a little light to your outdoor living.

Simple Garden Lights

These garden lights are a variation of my glass garden ornaments.  The difference is that I use cups, deep bowls, or shallow vases instead of the candlestick holders as the top piece.  Then I just add a candle.

This particular garden light is made with vintage milk glass.  I love the way the candle light shines through so softly!  Use these instructions to start creating your own!  Good luck!

 

Kitchen Utensil Centerpiece

This is the casual centerpiece I made for Sunday {Mama's Day}!

I used:

• An old flour-sifter as the container for these beautiful coral spray roses, I'm-no floral designer, so I like to keep it simple. 
• Two vintage graters as my table lanterns {candles placed inside - makes beautiful light in the evening!}
• A candle holder elevates the grater on the backside of the centerpiece.  {I thought it would be neat to try old cookbooks instead.}
• Mason jars; the only drinking glasses we use in our home!  I love them!
• & for a water pitcher, I used an "old" measuring glass.

I went a little crazy with the pictures.. so here they are!

The measuring glass as a water pitcher.

No editing... the light was heavenly today.

A flower-sifter?

It might look the same as one of the other photos... but it's closer.  I swear ;)

So my cast-iron pan serves as a beverage tray too.

Happy Mother's Day!




  

Patina Porch Rocker

This rocking chair was the ugliest little thing {rough in all the wrong ways} when I bought it at a yard sale for $4.00!

I started the makeover by aggressively sanding some of the original finish off the rocker.  I left over half of the original finish on, as these are the sections that will not readily absorb the new colored stain.  It's really difficult to mess up... I just think of it as speed weathering... sanding the places I imagine will wear over time.  Once you get going, it becomes easier to imagine, I promise.

Then I lightly-sanded entire chair with a finer sandpaper & coated the chair in the new stain using a sponge brush.  I used Behr Premium Weatherproofing Solid Color Wood Stain {in Mountain Spruce}.  I just bought a sample... & I could cover 20 more chairs. 

After the stain dried, I lightly sanded the chair again until I nailed the weathered look I was aiming for.  Again, sanding in the places I imagined would wear over time.

I coated the chair with a spray polyurethane {satin finish} to protect my newly antiqued & weathered look.

*If your re-done furniture sometimes feels a little rough from the spray-poly- a quick, light sanding with a very fine sandpaper should take care of any little bumps & bubbles in the finish!

*For different looks & varied "wear & tear," try using different textures of sandpaper.  I used very rough sandpaper on parts of this chair, followed by fine-  and on other parts, only fine textured.

A few details:

 

 

   & the before picture: {I had to use my cell phone... sorry for the terrible quality!}

     

Meet June Taylor

Our little cowgirl.  

She packs a whole-lotta cute in those cheeks, doesn't she?