Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Henry's Nursery- "The Big Board"- Part 1

Okay as promised nursery details are here.  Let's start with the single item I had the most questions regarding- Henry's Big Board as we call it.
It all started with a simple idea.  I wanted a huge board in Henry's room for pictures, etc. but I wanted something different than cork board.  I am going to have Patrick write about the initial conversations of what I envisioned but this was the very primitive sketch of what I wanted.  
In the beginning I planned on using old reclaimed floor planks from a local company that specializes in those sort of things but when hanging something over a crib, weight quickly becomes an issue.  Originally I wanted this board to be much larger but again, over a crib changes some details.

So after a lot of debate about safety Patrick went to work.  I had also planned on using amazing hardware for the corners but we ran into a lot of issues so in the end we used simple brackets to connect the boards.
 While most of my original ideas were scrapped/edited for one reason or another, one idea did make it all the way through- burlap upholstery tape woven across the back to hold up pictures, etc.  Ordered from an upholstery supplier this part was easy- weave, tighten and staple.
Several of you asked how we attached it to the wall so I included this picture to show the supports behind the board.  These boards (painted to match the wall) are screwed into the studs and the board was attached to these with hanging hardware.  I can tell you that board is not going anywhere, we were very careful about safety over the crib.
 Up after completion.
 I decided to include this too (although it is less than flattering) but it shows another view of the ceiling and light.
Closer view of materials.
Part II- Items on the board coming next.....

 First Image (the one better than the rest) courtesy of Paula of Two Ellie

Monday, January 30, 2012

Lovely Tea Towels

I'm choosing a white kitchen I can have beautiful tea towels like these. Wouldn't they be that gorgeous pop of fun colour? Etsy Seller Helen Rawlinson makes these beautiful printed towels that would be oh so perfect in our home but I think that they would be equally as lovely turned into pillows. Anyhow, just some Etsy love for today. I'm much behind on e-mail replies and business picked up over last week - although juggling it all sometimes seems like too much, life has been making my heart feel heavy these days, and keeping busy is keeping me somewhat sane. I try to remember the wise words that my Father tells me, a quote from Winston Churchill - "KBO". And on that note, I sign off  and encourage you to do some retail therapy as I have been doing. ;)

Yanks Sign for Red Sox Reliever Manny Delcarmen

https://twitter.com/#!/Joelsherman1/status/164139912331923457
The last time we saw Delcarmen he put up a 4.99 ERA in 57 appearances for the Red Sox and Rockies in 2010. He did not pitch in the big leagues last season

Yanks in Talks With Bill Hall

https://twitter.com/#!/Ken_Rosenthal/status/164035352372318208
https://twitter.com/#!/Ken_Rosenthal/statuses/164035868032643072
Andy Martino also tweets that Hall is still considering "other teams" as well.

Last season, Hall hit .211/.261/.314 with 2 HR and 14 RBI in 185 at-bats with the Astros and Giants.

Tea Time

Hello everyone,
    It was a beautiful sunny day here today so I enjoyed a nice walk and a skate on the pond.
Of course, a cup of tea is in order after a some fresh air.
So,I dug out my blue and white china today.
The china I used today came from an antique shop that has since closed down.
And once again,they are not matching but co-ordinate well.
This is the teapot pattern-in case anyone wants to know.
Biscuits always go well with a good cup of tea.

My husband bought me some pretty white tulips.


I got this iron thingy at a thrift shop awhile ago.

/Can't believe we are almost into February and not a single snowstorm- what is the Island coming too!!!

I am joining Rose Chintz Cottage for Tea Time Tuesday again this week.

Thank you for visiting,

Carolyn

light and space in an old French bastide




If I were to move back down to the South of France with it's beautiful light and gentle living, I would definitely love a house with proportions like these.  Tall ceilings, wide open windows, gently light colours.  Everything feels calm and uncluttered, the living looks easy.




 I love the long dresser in this picture, so great for displaying plates or even lining up dishes for a big family lunch!




The furniture is not overdone, mostly vintage or brocante pieces, the accent is on colour, patina and textures.  The bareness of the walls in the sitting room provide a striking set for the two huge orchard ladders.






Fittingly it is the bedroom that is given the most comfortable treatment, with a big soft armchair, and of course the wonderfully simple baldaquin over the bed.






How simple is this table?!  Two  bench supports and plank table top rounded at the corners.  What makes it spectacular is its size.




This is my favourite picture,; I love the grey of the lamp stand against the neutral stone wall.   The way the side table height has been raised, and those amazing little vases attached to the lamp - those I want!



Another example of French understatement, less is more.  Simple materials, neutral colours, comfort in textiles with looking for anything fancy.    The overall effect feels soothing to me - what do you think?










all pictures with thanks to campagne et doecoration

Happily Ever After

One of my “virtual friends” noted that I have been a little MIA lately…sorry about that! My furniture projects tend to slack off in the winter months; it’s just too cold to paint outside! And then sometimes…life happens. Last weekend I got a nasty bout of strep throat, and then, being the caring, sharing person that I am…I proceeded to pass it along to two of my boys and my husband! Then my daughter tripped going UP the stairs at her school and gave herself a nasty sprained ankle, so she is in a boot and on crutches for the next few weeks. Whew! It’s been quite a week!

But I do have a project to share! Last fall I came across this sign from My Primitive Boutique and fell in love:

image

I had a niece who was getting married in December (yes, it already happened), and I thought this would be so perfect as part of her wedding decorations. However, the sign above was $159, which is a little out of my price range!!

So I decided to re-create the sign on my own. Using another of my salvaged cupboard doors (you can see other cupboard door projects here, here, and here), I base-coated the door black, then used my Silhouette to cut vinyl out for the words (those are the blue letters you see).

missgrey 011

I brushed plain white glue on the board, and let it dry for a few minutes until it was just tacky.

(Note: you can also use a purchased crackle medium for this step, and to be honest—I think it works better. It’s not that expensive—especially if you “borrow” it from a friend! But use what you have on hand. Or what your friends have on hand.)

Then I painted a creamy white paint over the board, sticky glue, vinyl letters, and all! While the paint was still wet, I removed the vinyl.

missgrey 012

You can see that the edges are a little rough, but that can be cleaned up with paint later if necessary. However, since the board will also get sanded and glazed, it’s not really a big deal!

missgrey 013

The crackle finish takes a while to really show itself, but it’s so cool when it does!

signs 002

At my niece’s wedding reception, the sign was displayed on a large floor easel right outside the door. It was super cute!

signs 001

I have made two more of these signs for people who noticed them on my “Available Items” tab at the top of the page (mine were a LOT cheaper than $159).

The second one is going out in the mail today, but before I packaged it up, I put in on a easel outside my front door before some people came to look at our house! Winking smile

I never claimed to be subtle!

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This project was featured at Simply Klassic Home.

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Linking up here:

Coastal Charm’s Nifty Thrifty Tuesday Elizabeth & Co.
Domestically Speaking’s Power of Paint Stylish Once Again
Hookin’ Up with House of Hepworths No Minimalist Here’s Open House Thursday
Friday Remodelaholic 2805
My Simple Home Life’s Simple Creations Friday Miss Mustard Seed’s Furniture Feature Friday
Funky Junk’s Saturday Night Special The DIY Show Off
Primitive & Proper I Heart Naptime
Beyond the Picket Fence’s Under $100 Party My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Perfectly Imperfect {Primp}
Mod Vintage Life My Repurposed Life
Too Much Time on My Hands It’s So Very Cheri
Common Ground Simply Klassic Sundays

New York!


We landed in New York yesterday and are already having the greatest time!  We will be finding lots of wonderful things to bring back for the store (and maybe a few for ourselves), as well as eating our way through this great city!  More to come...

Kitchen



Aubrey and I visited the AyA Kitchens showroom last week and worked with a designer to come up with a potential floor plan - and a potential quote. What I really appreciated was the designer input into the room plan, she mentioned a few things that we hadn't even really considered, and reaffirmed some design decisions that we had done. A few things we have decided, 1. White Cabinetry 2. Shaker Style Doors 3. White Subway Tile 4. We're going to do hardwood floor, continuing the floor from the hall.

The floor was a debate between Aubrey and I. I really wanted to maintain consistency through the house. And since it's a small house, breaking up the floor just visually broke up the house.

And so we wait to see if we can go custom, we'll source a few prices from others. Anyone do custom, and have any recommendations? Things you wish you had thought of?

Photo found on Pinterest, Source is Michael Roberts Construction

{ Snowy Day Craft }


One of the biggest surprise hits of my designer room at the Philadelphia Home Show
was the monogrammed cork "M" I made for a desk accessory.
I was totally surprised at how many comments it got.
It was a last minute project I came up with when I realized I needed a few accessories for the desk.

Since it was such a hit, I thought I'd show you how to make your own.
Step one: gather all you girlfriends and drink a few bottles of wine.


Step two: print our a large letter on the printer.


 Step: Three: Use the paper letter as a guide and hot glue all your corks together.
(I mapped mine out on top of the print out first before I started gluing to make sure I had enough corks.)


I know you really didn't need a tutorial to figure this out, but I gave you another reason to have another glass of wine tonight.

Monday, Monday...Inspiration





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