Scarlet Sashes

Super Cooper

2011-06-01T14:02:00.000-07:00

I LOVE decorating for parties. I know kids' ideas of decorated is so much different from adults. If Eva had her dream party it would be a pinata and a Barbie birthday cake. So, since the decorating is really more for me (if I am honest), I always try to do it on a budget.

For Cooper's third birthday we had a Super Cooper birthday party. I was so happy to find tons of ideas on line! Including lots of FREE stuff!!

I found a free mask pattern and cape pattern on line. I made it out of felt that I found at Hobby Lobby. It was SUPER cheap. So this took a little time. But it was worth it. Even if you don't sew, you can make this too!! Since felt doesn't ravel, you don't have to sew edges...just cut it out. Then use some of that handy dandy iron on tape to attach the letter to the back. You can use velcro for the front closure.
I used a cardboard tri-fold board for the city scape. I found mine at JoAnn's and it was $4 (without a coupon). This was another idea I borrowed from someone else. I wish I would have made note of all the websites I found ideas from....but I didn't:(
There is also a few few sites with free super hero printables. I used them for cupcake toppers.
I found these super hero shirts at Old Navy. They have them in all sizes, for the whole family:)
These super hero plates and napkins were on clearance at Target. Gotta love that! I borrowed some serving dishes from a friend. Gotta love that too!:)
More free printables and, I found spider man fruit snacks at Walmart.
Coop's party was SUPER fun:)

My Boys

2011-06-01T13:11:00.000-07:00

TOTALLY RANDOM: So I came across some pictures of my boys at around the same age... and they just happen to have the same shirt on and the same messy face.

Levi "Sutton"

Joseph "Cooper"

Sutton

Cooper

I love these little men. I look forward to the many adventures they will have together.

My Kitchen Redo....kinda

2011-04-05T14:16:00.000-07:00

The previous home owners had painted all the cabinets a almond color...not white to match the appliances, or cream to match the trim. Instead, almond...that matches nothing.

They also put in all the new tile on the floor and back splash - neither I would have picked. Ah...the joys of buying an existing home. We knew when we moved in that one day we would hopefully "gut" the kitchen and start over. That day seems further and further away as we choose to do other home projects. It seems we always come back to "the kitchen isn't that bad".I mean, not that bad if you love the box florescent light:) But seriously, I needed something to change. This kitchen was just really bothering me. My problem was that I had cream trim, almond cabinets, busy tile and mismatched appliances that don't match anything. There was too much going on. Not to mention my green table and toile curtains. Busy, Busy.

So, with Mr. Budget stepping in to ruin my dreams of a white and airy custom kitchen with dark wood floors, I had to see what some paint could do.

Ta da....I removed the doors from the hutch and painted it black. I used all existing baskets and decor. The baskets work great for extra storage.

And...did anyone notice? I painted the tile! Yep, I painted the tile. And, I have to say I am SO much happier with it. Granted, it is no subway tile, but not bad for $10 worth of paint.

I also traded the toile curtains for some plain cream ones. The previous home owners had this cubby in the cabinets that they used for their trash can. We built this simple shelf and I now store my mixer beneath. I use the basket for bread and left over baked goods. It really helps reduce the junk on my cabinet.

And, finally I painted my table black. I loved the green, and hated to paint over it, but I was trying to unify the table and hutch. I also removed most of the decor from my walls. Simplify. Simplify. My new motto:)

I am no organizational expert. But, I can tell you, these simple changes make my kitchen look so much cleaner. I really feel like paint helped simplify my kitchen.

Be Encouraged...

2011-04-01T08:03:00.000-07:00

This is such a different post than anything I have ever done. I am so hesitant to write it for a couple reasons... 1) it is very personal 2) I am paranoid of all those proof readers out there:) None the less...I continue to type. The Lord so encouraged me today. And, I hope to encourage you. Last night, while on a date night with another couple, Jeremy and I got to experience God's encouragement in the flesh. The couple we were on a date with complimented our chef numerous times, including telling him that God gets Glory when he prepares meals. I had to agree, this guy's food was CRAZY good. You should have seen this young man's face when our friends spoke LIFE to him. I wish you could have felt the spirit of the conversation. I guarantee when that guy has a hard day, the Lord will bring back our friend's words. It was simply....encouraging. When we see a quality in someone that God has given them, why don't we tell them? Why don't we lavish in God's goodness when we see someone walking in their giftings? Sometimes I think we need to step it up a notch or two and look for God working in the lives of others, and then tell them about it. Other times, I think we need to recognize when the Lord uses people to encourage us. This morning, the Lord showed me a situation in my own life. A few weeks ago a friend called me a writer. I have thought of it often. That simple statement "Lea is a writer." Oh, how that blessed me. Not because I think I am a good writer. Not because I want to publish a book , or write things for other people to read. Actually, I prefer no one sees what I write. But, I do like to write. It blessed me because I haven't thought of myself as a writer in years. Some how, as life got busy, that part of me got lost. The Lord has often drawn me to a pen and paper when things in life are hard, funny or encouraging. Just to write down my feelings is such a relief. It is like my own letter to My Father. And, it feels like once I write it down it is now released to be read and then cared for. Sometimes I see Him putting my letter on the fridge and laughing with me, or holding it close to His heart. Sometimes I see Him tearing it up into pieces as if saying "That situation, that hurt has been expressed and cried over and now it is..gone.healed.forgiven." I KNOW God loves it when I write. And, today I am thankful for that friend who called me a writer. Simple statements that touch so deep because it is one aspect of who God created me to be. Be encouraged friends when someone calls you a good cook, organizer, mother, or decorator. When they say you are creative, the best joke teller, resourceful. When someone compliments how talented you are at taking pictures, putting outfits together, or negotiating. Or...when someone calls you a writer. I just love it when God uses us, His children, to speak life into others' lives. Let us all, like my friends, look for ways to encourage others. God created things deep within us - let them rise to the surface to Glorify our God! ***Romans 12:1-8***

Blogging...

2011-03-30T17:45:00.000-07:00

I know I said I wanted to Blog more this year. I did...I mean I still do. My main problem is that for the past few weeks I have forgotten the pass word to sign in to my blog. Today, it finally came to mind. I think I will write it down somewhere so that I won't forget. However, once I write it down I will probably put the paper in a "special" place. That "special" place will also be forgotten and I will once again be kept out of my own blog:) So, hang with me...you DO NOT want to miss all the misspelled words, run on sentences, and random-ness I have to offer you thru this blog:) lol

My Painted House - The Master Bedroom

2011-02-07T12:03:00.000-08:00

Many of you know that my mom and I paint furniture as a little side business. We don't paint as many pieces as we would like because we are usually working on projects around my house:) I thought it would be fun to see how many pieces of painted furniture I have in my house. So, welcome to MY PAINTED HOUSE.

My master bedroom: 5 pieces (maybe 6 if I can talk Jeremy into letting me paint our bed)

#1- Jeremy's nightstand

#2 - My nightstand.

#3 - Our chest of drawers.

#4 - Our desk chair.

#5 - The blue china hutch.

Do you have some pieces of furniture that don't match? Just try to paint them! *** To be safe, paint them all the same color. And, I would probably paint them a "safe" color like cream, black or white. ***Any neutral color that you will be happy with for a longer time period will work. It doesn't have to be limited to those three. ***If you are like me, and prefer color in a room, I would suggest painting only one piece a fun color. This way, if you ever want to change out the colors in your room you only have to change one piece instead of re-doing the entire room:) I know it sounds simple, but it is always nice to plan ahead and see the big picture.

I LOVE My Family

2011-02-04T21:27:00.000-08:00

Ok, so here is the deal - I love to decorate for the holidays. But, I am one of those people who need to simplify my life as much as possible. Many of you can probably relate:)

I can't get a new wreath for every holiday. Although I wish I could.

I can't have 10 different totes in my attic for each holiday. Although I wish I could.

But, I CAN still have fun decorating ,and I CAN do it for cheap,cheap, cheap.

I CAN also do it fast, fast, fast.

And the decor CAN be easy,easy, easy to clean up.

All the while...I WILL still be loving to decorate for the holidays.

Here is my LOVE tree. I plan on using it for holidays, birthdays, baby showers - or any special day:) These branches are so cute with those tissue paper pom-poms on them.

Eva made and cut out all the hearts. I just stuck a scrap book sticker on them for each family member. It took literally 5 minutes of my time to decorate, and it will take even less time to take the hearts off. Storage will be a breeze...I'll probably throw them in the trash!haha

I love my sweet hearts. Take time this Valentines Day to tell your family how much you LOVE them. God is so good!

Hello Again

2011-02-04T20:06:00.000-08:00

Hello 2011!! As always, in the new year I try to set goals. One of my goals is to be a better blogger:) I really, really want to inspire people to love their homes.

My new blog motto is going to be "JUST TRY IT". Thinking of rearranging,painting a room or painting a piece of furniture? Just try it!!

Recently, I wanted some cool wall-paper in my entry. However, I had no cash-ol-a for wall paper. This is what my entry looked like...BORING!!!

So, my mom had a great idea. After many hours of math, measuring, and painting (and $0 because I already had black paint) here is my new entry way.

I think it is a lot more fun. I still need to change out my family pictures and figure out what I want on my red dresser, but otherwise I am happy with it.

I wish I could hear you so we could say it in unison..."Just try it!"

What is the worse thing that will happen if you don't like it? New nail hole in the wall? Re-paint a room? Re-paint a piece of furniture? A little extra work to move the piece of furniture back to the spot it was to begin with? Big deal. Cause if you love it the 1st, 2nd or 10th try, then you've accomplished what you set you to do - YOU LOVE IT. Or at least like it way better than you did before.

Before and After Pics

2010-06-17T14:03:00.000-07:00

These are some of my favorite transformations. It just goes to show you that almost any piece of furniture has possibilities:) Enjoy...

These chairs are my kitchen chairs. They were given to me, and just needed a little TLC.

This dresser is probably the most dramatic change...what do you think?

My mom found these chairs at a local thrift shop. I love the carving on the back. These are in my dining room. This peach paint color and the tropical fabric reminds me so much of the Golden Girls for some reason:)

This buffet was pretty cute before, but I think the white is much better:)

Let me encourage you...if you have a piece of furniture that you don't like... try to paint it. If you don't like it any way...you can't really mess it up. Am I right?! haha

Finally!!!!

2010-06-14T12:32:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I am finally posting again...I know...it has been FOREVER!! We have had a lot going on:)

*The Scarlet Sashes Boutique Sale was a HIT!!! We sold almost everything. I have had to slow down, and I am just doing a few pieces here and there. After Sutton is born I will take an extended break...not sure how long:) But...I will be back to painting on a regular basis before long.

*Levi "Sutton" Wethington is due in about 8 weeks. We are getting so excited to meet him. Children are such a blessing from the Lord. I feel so honored to be a mother.

*Speaking of children...my children now have a pet. A cat:) We have had the cat for months now, and many of my friends ask me if she is still here...YES SHE IS!!! It is shocking to me that we have a cat...never been a "cat lover".

She showed up in our back yard one day and the rest is history. Eva named her Pretty Pretty. And, she is a very sweet cat considering the abuse she takes from my children and their friends. The kids are always wanting to hold Pretty Pretty, or dance with Pretty Pretty, or "swing" Pretty Pretty...poor cat.

Eva was so happy to have Pretty Pretty that for days she would draw pictures of her. This is one of my favorites.

* My mom came down a couple of weeks ago and we painted EVERYTHING in the boy's room. I hadn't done anything to this room since we moved in over 2 years ago. The previous home owners had white walls and all the built-ins were their original pecan stain. I am really thankful for how it has turned out.

I kept the same bedding I used for Cooper, I just make a burlap bed skirt.

My mom is making some burlap pillows for the bed and I am making a burlap bed skirt so it will match the crib.

We painted all the built-ins black. I still have to distress them and add new hardware. I never liked the built-ins before, but now that they are black I really like them. The vanity looked a little to feminine so my mom built two shelves to hold my baskets. I think it looks more like a "changing table" now instead of a vanity.

People are always asking me how I get projects done with the kids around. As you can see in the picture below of me sewing...they are always helping:) Oh...they make me laugh!!!

It's a BOY!!

2010-03-12T07:58:00.000-08:00

Well, we found out last week that we are having another little boy! We will name him Sutton. Uncertain of a middle name.

Eva was a little sad. She wanted a sister. Really, she just wanted a girl so she could dress her and put bows in her hair. So...we told her we would buy her a new doll:) For now, this seems to be making her very,very happy.

I have been feeling so much better!! Starting to want to "create" again. Since I haven't been able to get in my paint booth...because my garage is once again FULL of furniture, I painted a couple of canvases for some friends who are also both pregnant with boys. Painting for me, is always such a fun "outlet".

Hope you all are having a wonderful Friday!

Snow Days

2010-02-14T16:19:00.001-08:00

Snow in Dallas/Fort Worth?? Yes!!!

We loved it.

I thought our street looked so pretty. Now that it is melting away...I already miss it:(

If you live in the area, I hope you all loved our record-breaking snow days too.

Big News!!

2010-01-19T13:41:00.000-08:00

We wanted to share our big news with all of you - Baby #3 will be here in August:) We are so very excited. I am almost 12 weeks along, and everyday I seem to be getting better.

Eva was hoping for a boy and a girl, but after my doctor's appointment we found out that there is only 1 baby. She likes the name Ava, but I don't think we will have an Eva and Ava in the same house. She also asks me regularly if I am going to have the baby tomorrow. No doubt, she will be a great help and she already is a great big sister.

Big Sister Eva Ryan - 4 yrs
Big Brother Joseph "Cooper"- almost 2

Lisa @ 3000 ; Home Tour

2009-12-16T06:32:00.001-08:00

Ok, so I was going thru my photos and realized that I never let you see the rest of Lisa's amazing house. Lisa is the "Queen" of her home - she and her husband have 4 boys. Every time I see a crown (with many jewels in it), I think of Lisa.

I love the feminine touch everything in Lisa's house seems to have. She has mixed the "manly" blues and browns with beautiful florals. Who says you can't have beautiful, breakable things in a house full of boys?:)These kitchen chairs are amazing! Doesn't it make you want to paint a chair turquoise?
Smart idea: I love how Lisa used two of her extra kitchen chairs in her living room. Who doesn't need extra seating?
I wish I had a better picture of this. Can you see that the table is a rustic pine table surrounded by those awesome turquoise chairs.
I sooooo want to copy this idea if I ever get bar stools:)

This plate rack was painted black and in her dining room. Don't you love how she re-purposed it? It looks like Lisa found the perfect spot for it.
This is the entry piece. I am drooling....

I love, love, love Lisa's house. I can't tell you how many times I have looked at these pictures for ideas. Lisa's home is a great reflection of herself...just beautiful. Thanks Lisa for letting us look!

Say Cheese!

2009-12-01T11:05:00.000-08:00

I love my sweet little kids. Since I don't post on our family blog much (almost never), I decided to share some of our family pics with all of you. Here is little Cooper coloring with markers and eating the tips off of markers:)
me:"Cooper, say cheese!"

Cooper: "cheese" (or some sound that sounds nothing like cheese)

me:"Good job! Oh man, the picture is blurry."
me:"Cooper, say chee-eee-eese!"

Cooper: "Cheese" (or a totally different sound that still sounds nothing like cheese)

me:"Oh...so cute!"
me:"Cooper, say cheese"

Cooper: no words this time, just the look:)

game over.

Tomato Basil Soup

2009-11-30T08:27:00.001-08:00

OK, please don't pass out...yes - I am posting a recipe! Everyone who followed my family blog remembers the awesome Hamburger Helper recipe, right?! haha

Cooking is not my favorite thing to do, so the easier the better. This is one of my favorite "cold weather" foods. Even my kids love it. It is quick, easy and great with grilled cheese sandwiches. I think it tastes very similar to La Madeline's Tomato Basil Soup. It makes a ton - so invite friends over or freeze the left overs.Mix these together in a big pan and simmer for about 30 min -

2 cans 28 oz crushed tomatoes

4 cups chicken broth

1 cup heavy cream

1 stick butter

1/4 cup dried basil (0r to taste, sometimes I do less. You can also used fresh chopped basil)

I got this original recipe on the internet. However, that recipe involved a blender, food processor and other "equipment" I don't know how to use. This is my modified version, and I think it is really good:)

Kelsi @ 1210 : Master Bedroom

2009-11-11T11:45:00.000-08:00

Take a look at Kelsi's bedroom - I love how it turned out.

Unfortunately for most of us, the master bedroom is the room that gets neglected - piled with laundry on the bed and the door shut. We concentrate on the rest of the house because it is what most people see. Or is it just me?!

When Kelsi moved into her new house she wanted to make her master bedroom a priority. Good girl...what an example to us all.

I love the shape and fabric on these chairs - what personality.
I painted this armoire - another Craig's list find. (I was trying to improve my picture taking skills - which explains the crooked picture :( - I am NOT a photographer)
A tour of Kelsi's dining room will be next!!!

Kelsi @ 1210 : Kid's Bathroom

2009-10-30T10:39:00.000-07:00

Finally, Kelsi's home tour will begin!

Kelsi's son and daughter share a bathroom, so she wanted something that was gender neutral.

Her solution is this animal themed bathroom. I think it is so adorable! I love the mixture of all the different colors.

She ordered the towels and shower curtain from Pottery Barn Kids and I painted the art work...who doesn't love PBK?!

Kelsi's Home Tour...Almost

2009-10-20T12:25:00.000-07:00

I know I have been promising for weeks to post pictures of Kelsi's house and Lisa's house. Well, tomorrow I will be taking my camera, my real camera - not my phone, to Kelsi's house for pictures.

Here is a peek at another piece I painted for her. This buffet was a Craig's list find. It is a great piece of furniture, just needed some paint:) Before...

and after!!!
I will be heading out of town to big Amarillo for the weekend and won't be back until the first of next week. So, don't give up on me...I will finally post pictures of both home tours next week:)

You Pick the Color

2009-10-14T10:42:00.000-07:00

I got this really cute buffet and I plan on painting it and then selling it in Scarlet Sashes Boutique. I want to heavily distress it to give it a "french cottage" feel.

I thought it would be fun to see if any of you had an opinion on what color I should paint it. Of course I always think black or cream or white, but I also LOVE fun colors. So, please give me your feed back.

Just leave me a comment with your color choice. I can't wait to see what you think....after all, I know most of you are experts:)

gray, blue, pale pink, yellow, black, cream, white.....decisions,decisions.

Reader Redo - YAY AMY!!..take two

2009-10-13T11:33:00.000-07:00

Ok...so I hope everyone knows I am not a "computer person". I guess when I tried this post last time, some of you could not see the pictures of Amy's awesome table. So, with a little work, I think I may have solved the problem:)

So, once again, I want to give a big "YAY AMY" to my wonderful, creative friend.

I love many things about this table. I love that Amy picked a fun color and check out that stenciling! Knowing Amy, she is already planning another project:)

Reader Redo - YAY AMY!!

2009-10-12T10:00:00.000-07:00

One of my blog readers (super creative, wonderful home decorator, one-time running buddy Amy) did her own DIY project! Didn't it turn out cute?! YAY Amy!!

Thank you for sharing, it really makes my day...even my week...to know I helped inspire you.

BEFORE: sorry it cuts off some of the picture:(

AMAZING AFTER:

If you have been inspired to try your hand at a DIY project inspired by my blog, email me a picture. I would love to share your creation with the blog world:)

The Blue Dresser

2009-10-07T16:37:00.000-07:00

This is what we started out with. My client loved the detail on this dresser and wanted to add some personality with a great blue paint to match her bedding.

This is one of the "inspiration" pictures she sent. I love it when people are able to give me a picture of what they have in mind. From this picture, I could tell that she wanted a heavily distressed piece.

This is the finished product. I love it! My husband loved it so much, he wanted to keep it for ourselves:)

Sofa Table Redo

2009-10-06T07:37:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a work day for me! I was busy working on a fun blue dresser for a client, an accent table for Scarlet Sashes, and a sofa table for Kelsi (my friend and biggest customer).

This was the sofa table Kelsi and I loved at Home Goods, but it was $300 or $400 (can't remember).This is the finished product Kelsi got for a fraction of the cost. She only paid ***$20*** for this sofa table and then had me paint it.

She wanted a wood top like the inspiration piece. The problem was that her table had a veneer inlay top. But after 1 coat of primer, 2 coats of paint, and 2 coats of stain I finally achieved a top that has a similar look.
This is how the table started out, but Kelsi has a great eye and knew it would work. I love a good bargain, don't you!

Happy Fall

2009-10-04T19:08:00.000-07:00

When Eva's Mimi surprised us with some pumpkins, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I had seen an idea from Country Living where they painted polka-dots and stripes on pumpkins, so we did our own version.

It was fun to be outside for a couple of hours and paint with Eva - she did an awesome job with the gold paint.
Hope you all are enjoying this Fall weather.

Scarlet Sashes, Furniture and Boutique

2009-09-29T06:27:00.000-07:00

Ok, so after painting furniture for fun and for friends, I have decided to turn my creative outlet into a business:) Scarlet Sashes will now be my very own little (on-line) furniture store and boutique. I would love to share all the details with you, but they are still in "the works". I am still working on business cards, a website and all that other stuff that goes along with a small business. We are hoping to have it all up and going around the first of November. I will keep you all posted!

An awesome praise report is that I already made enough to purchase my paint sprayer! Yay! Thanks for everyone who prayed with me that I would get it:) My next big prayer is that I can paint enough pieces for a back yard play set for our kids.
She considers a field (or a piece of furniture) and buys it; from her profits she plants a vineyard, (or a backyard play set). I LOVE THIS!!! My dear sister -in-law wrote this in my birthday card. It made me smile:)
My new paint booth and paint sprayer. As you can see from the first picture, I have so many projects lined out...some for me and some custom pieces for clients. I can't wait to get started!

Thanks to all my great friends and followers of this blog... I am so excited to see what the future holds!

Living Room Update

2009-09-10T17:13:00.000-07:00

Does anyone think it is hard to find their decorating "style"?

I do.

I know I love toile, florals, and animal prints. I know I always seem to gravitate towards reds and browns and blacks. I know I love furniture that looks "lived in".

I know that decorating a home takes time...sometimes even years. I know some people will eventually get their home decorated just the way they like it. I don't think I ever will. I seem to always want to try something new...move a piece of furniture to a different room....hang a picture on a new wall. Any friend of mine knows how true this is.

Case in point: I recently rearranged my living room. And...if you remember in a previous post, I had 7 lamps in the living room. Well, I now have 2!! Aren't you shocked?! I can hardly believe it myself. This week I like the arrangement. I'm sure if you check back next week, something will be different.
My new inspiration is designer Heather Chadduck. I wish she had a blog, a mailing address, or a contact number:) I wish she was my friend or neighbor. Oh...how I love Heather Chadduck. Anyway, I have recently been asking myself..."what would Heather do?". So far I haven't heard a response.
So, until Heather comes to visit and helps me decorate my house, I guess I will just keep trying to "find my style". I will keep moving furniture all over my house. I will put new nail holes in my walls, I will probably paint another table black, and probably add a few more lamps back into my living room.

Oh Heather if only you would come help me - if you did, I promise I wouldn't move a thing...until you left:)

Home Tours - Teaser

2009-09-10T05:58:00.000-07:00

I mentioned yesterday that I would be giving you a tour of two amazing homes in the next couple of weeks...here is a little teaser to leave you wanting more....:)Our inspiration - this is Lisa's dining room. I LOVE IT. The zebra fabric is so fun and it really works with the simple wall decor.
This is a glimpse of Kelsi's home. We are not finished yet, but we have come soooo far!!! (I can't wait to show you the "before" pics)

We are going to add a beautiful buffet (that I am painting), possibly a pair of lamps, and some "bling". Like Lisa's dining room, we are going to stick to simple decor, and let the fun zebra fabric get all the attention.

I've Been Busy!!!

2009-09-08T14:42:00.000-07:00

I know, I know - I have not done the best job at updating my blog. But, let me tell you...I HAVE BEEN BUSY!!! Since the first of July I have painted at least 8 pieces of furniture. Lets see...an armoire, three accent tables, a coffee table, bookcase...and the list goes on. I really want to purchase some new painting tools, so painting for friends has helped put a little cashola in the "paint sprayer fund". Next will be the "air nailer fund". Good bye designer jeans...hello power tools:)

One of my favorite pieces is this entry table I did for my friend Kelsi. I can't wait to show you the rest of her house. It seems like we have been working night and day on projects for her house, and it is looking amazing!This little table started out as white and red. It is amazing what some paint and a little TLC can do to an old piece of furniture. I know these pictures aren't the best quality. I know I should start using a real camera instead of my iPhone. But, those of you who know me, know I can hardly keep my phone charged, or located. To ask me to charge and carry a camera is a little more than I can handle:)
With in the next two weeks I will be posting some more home tours. I am so excited to show you my friend Lisa's house - she has incredible style. Kelsi and I are actually using Lisa's house as our "inspiration".

So, please forgive me for not posting more, and please say a prayer with me that I get that paint sprayer!!!haha

Heirloom Party

2009-07-31T07:46:00.000-07:00

Marie , at Emma Calls Me Mama, is hosting a Heirloom

Party - you should stop by her blog for a visit:)

http://emmacallsmemama.com/

By nature, I am a "keeper". So, my children will probably have a lot of heirlooms:)
One thing that I would love to pass down to my kids is this leather settee. It didn't have any sentimental value to me until we took our family pictures on it last Christmas. Now, I would like to keep it forever:) Who knows, maybe this settee will be a reoccurring backdrop for many pictures to come....our next baby, bridal pictures, grandchildren.....
The other thing that I want to give to my children are these red and white dishes. My collection isn't very extensive, but because these dishes are timeless, I think my children will easily be able to add to the collection for years to come.
I love these dishes from my mom's mom. I am not sure how old these dishes are, but I love the vintage look of these dishes. My mom came from a family of 13 kids. These dishes were their "everyday dishes". Can you imagine the many meals these dishes held? I truly cherish these dishes.
Another item that I hold dear to my heart is this gold mirror. This mirror belonged to my Grandma Elsie. My Grandma loved this mirror and so do I.

I feel so blessed to have heirlooms from my family in my home.

Rustic Bookcase

2009-07-24T15:06:00.001-07:00

Ok, so this was today's project...painting a bookcase.

But, this isn't my bookcase, it belongs to my friend Kelsi. I agreed to help her paint it (since I pretty much talked her into buying it off Craigslist, and her husband had to drive 40 miles to get it) and when asked about painting it, she said "surprise me."

So Kelsi,...SURPRISE!!!
The good news is that I really like the way it turned out, and it would look awesome in my bedroom...so if it gets the thumbs down from the Webber Family, I'll gladly keep it:)
I will wait to get a shot of the full piece when it is in Kelsi's house, or my bedroom:) The garage doesn't do it justice.
This is the base coat. I painted it all white. I actually loved the white, but I wanted to give it a more rustic feel. The plain white was a little to "cottage/shabby chic" if she decides to use it in her son's room.

After I painted it white, I sanded it. I really got after this piece with the sander. You know, I will spend hours painting a piece just because I love to sand it. I thought this piece was going to distress well, and it did.

After I distressed it, I put stain all over it. This wasn't too fun because I DON'T LIKE PAINTING SHELVES!!! I really like painting furniture, but the less shelves the better. Drawers...good. Shelves....bad,bad,bad:(

Then, I painted on small touches of blue to match either Kelsi's living room, her son's bedroom, or my bedroom:)
This is how the old beauty started out. A little too orange, but I knew it had potential. I know many think I am crazy, but I loved today - getting to be outside and paint.

I also feel accomplished, I finished one of my projects! yay!

Oh Craigslist...you do keep me busy:)

Bathroom Bling

2009-07-14T05:32:00.000-07:00

Ok, so after being in our house for almost 2 years, we finally got vanity mirrors! I am super excited. Now, I am trying to find some cute accessories. Take a look at some of this bathroom bling from the awesome mother and daughter team - Kay and Stephanie:)

This is on the back of Kay's toilet. You know I am lovin' the leopard ribbon!
Thinking I may copy this idea....Calgon, take me away!!!
It seems like I have a ton of little soaps from hotels...this would be cute too.
I also really like these canisters.
This is my favorite! I keep forgetting to ask Stephanie where she got it.

When you are decorating, don't forget your bathrooms! Even your toilet deserves a little bling:)

Stephanie @ 1601 : Dining Room

2009-06-29T13:08:00.000-07:00

Back at Steph's house. This hutch is one of my favorite pieces in her home. If you have read my previous blogs you know that I refer to Stephanie as "my paint expert" - this hutch is the reason why I call her an expert:)

This hutch started out as solid black. To give it some personality she painted it with Ralph Lauren metallic paint. She just brushed on the paint, not trying to paint it perfectly, because she knew she was going to heavily distress it. She left the inside black.

If you have a piece of furniture in your home that needs an update and want a quick project, you might give this a try. Stephanie recommends you stop by Starbucks and grab the biggest drink possible. The extra caffeine will help you get the job done even faster:)

Stephanie @ 1601 : Hawkin's Room

2009-06-22T05:07:00.001-07:00

Another Home Tour! Welcome to Stephanie's home. Let me give you some background on Stephanie...

We have known each other since 1995.

She and I had our first apartment together. We had a black "pleather" couch that we would stick to when we took naps.

We once tried to build something out of old wood pickets. We were so excited to actually hit the nail with the hammer that we didn't realize we were nailing everything to the floor:( oops...

Stephanie...you have come a long way.

Today you get a tour of her son Hawkin's cowboy room. Check out the rustic little man chair....I WANT this chair!!!
Stephanie's dad built the headboard and Stephanie painted the dresser. I love the little boot lamp and the big star on the wall.
Check out the cute sign above the bed. And, I LOVE this bedding.

Too bad that wood picket project didn't work out...she could have totally used in this room!haha

Lamps,Lamps and More Lamps

2009-06-19T11:21:00.000-07:00

Today, while at Hobby Lobby, I passed by the 80% off section. Why, why did I do this?

I told myself I was just looking for a friend who recently purchased a new home. I was only at Hobby Lobby for a few knobs, I wasn't going to get anything else.

Then I saw the clearance lamps...oh, how I love lamps. My husband would say, "Where do we NEED more lamps?" Of course I can name about 10 spots I would LIKE TO HAVE lamps, but a need is something quite different:)

So, what did I do? I went ahead and bought some cute lamps for my friend and.....I got a pair of lamps to add to my collection. I couldn't pass up $20 for a PAIR of lamps!

My two new lamps bring my lamp total to 32.
2 lamps in the entry....

7 lamps in the living room...

2 lamps in the formal living room...

4 lamps in the dining room...

3 lamps in the kitchen...

5 lamps in the master bedroom....
5 lamps in Eva's room...
2 lamps in the laundry room...
and 2 lamps in Cooper's room. Wow. Who knew? Did I count that right?!

For fun, walk around and count your lamps. Then, you can either

a)make a mad dash to Hobby Lobby and get a bargain, or

b) you can rest easy knowing you don't NEED any new lamps:)

Shelly @ 328 : Riley's Room

2009-06-09T06:50:00.001-07:00

Today our Home Tour resumes at Shelly's house. This time we are looking at Riley's room. (Sorry this is a day late. I know I said I would post it yesterday.) I am a little bias towards Riley's room because my daughter's nursery was decorated in black and pink. I love this color combo. This room should win some kind of award...seriously....it is that cute!:)
I love the mixture of fabrics on this chair. This chair is the inspiration for one of my next projects. ( I will post pictures when I am finished.)

Monogramming adds such a personal touch. They even have large iron-on letters at craft stores. You should try adding a personal touch to one of your pillows!
I love this bedding!

Did you notice the walls and ceilings are pink and all the trim is black? And don't you love that "R" on the wall. I am totally going to copy that. They sell those large letters at JoAnn's. I plan on spray painting it and then putting glitter on it just like Riley's.
These pink knobs look great on this dresser. Fun knobs help add personality to a piece of furniture. A great source for knobs is Hobby Lobby - but don't pay full price. Be patient and wait until they are 1/2 off. They run that special every few weeks.

Did you see the flowers on the lampshade? You could add some life to an old shade by creating a similar look. Get some flowers and use your glue gun to stick those babies on!

I am ready to get to work on my projects inspired by Shelly's home, are you?

I hope everyone enjoyed our first ever Scarlet Sashes Home Tour! Thank you Shelly for being the first and letting me take pictures of your beautiful home:)

Shelly @ 328 : Mallory's Room

2009-06-07T17:59:00.000-07:00

Shelly is one of my newest favorite friends:) She and her family are so precious. Her entire home is so welcoming and beautifully decorated. Her daughter Mallory's room is probably my all time favorite nursery. Take a look -
Don't you love the cute bird art and the birdhouses on top of this hutch? Did you notice that the walls and ceilings are pink and all the trim is chocolate brown? Such a cute idea!
Love the polka-dots and the ruffle lamp shade.
Isn't this baby bedding adorable? Look at the different use of fabrics.
This room is so well put together it makes you feel like you are inside a boutique. Shelly said that a lot of the accessories in this room are from Hobby Lobby or hand made (her friend made the canvas art). I am inspired... hope you are too.

Check back tomorrow because we are going to take a tour of another room in Shelly's house - her daughter Riley's hot pink and black bedroom....too cute!!!

Home Tours

2009-06-07T17:33:00.000-07:00

Do you ever drive by a house at night and try to see how the interior is decorated?

I do.

I see a beautiful home on the outside and imagine how awesome the inside must be. I love seeing how other people decorate their homes. I guess that is why I like to flip through magazines, look at other people's blogs, or search the Rate My Space website.

If you are like me and enjoy looking at beautiful homes then I have a treat for you - Scarlet Sashes Home Tours!!! Get ready to look inside some adorable homes:)

***FYI- I take all pictures for this blog with my phone, so the quality might not be the best. I always forget my camera, but I always have my phone:) Hope you still enjoy the pics.***

My Favorite Paint Color

2009-06-04T11:48:00.000-07:00

Bold....you better love it 'cause it takes 20 coats to cover up....RED.

Who doesn't need a little help choosing paint colors? It really stinks when you spend hours painting a room only to not love it when you are finished. I love seeing paint on "real life walls", not just on the swatch from the paint store. So, go check out this cute blog:

http://www.granvillehouse.blogspot.com/

She is having a "blog party" where her readers post pictures of their houses and their favorite paint colors. So fun!!

In the mean time, check out my favorite RED. It is not necessarily my favorite paint color,but it is my favorite RED. I think RED is a hard color because it can be too purple or too bright. I think this RED is just right:)
The previous home owners had the kitchen painted "Texas Longhorn" orange...it matched nothing in my decor. I was so nervous because RED is a big commitment. RED is bold, and not easy to cover up. And, I was 6 months pregnant with my second child...I knew I really wasn't going to have a lot of time to fix my mistake if the RED was awful. Good news....I love it! We have lived in our house for about a year and a half and I still love it. I love color, so I am glad I went bold.
So if you are ready to bring a little RED into your home, I would highly suggest Cherry Cobbler from BEHR. I got our paint at Home Depot:)

***This post would not have been possible without Stephanie Farris. Stephanie, the paint expert as mentioned in a previous post, used this red in her entry way and I loved it.***

The Black and White Dresser

2009-06-03T08:38:00.000-07:00

One of my loyal blog followers (I love all 4 of you) has asked me to go into more detail on how to create the black and white harlequin dresser. So, here is my best attempt ...

1)PAINT THE DRESSER - The dresser I found was already white. So, I just painted the body of the dresser black and left the drawers white. However....I think there are some really cute options out there. You could do chocolate and blue, white and chocolate, red and white, yellow and cream...so many options! So, decide what room it is going in and pick two colors. I would suggest the lighter color for the drawers and the darker color for the body of the dresser.
2) DRAW THE LINES - Line up all your drawers on the ground like they will be in the dresser. You want the diamonds to "connect" from one drawer to the next. I know this isn't the best picture, but if you look close you can see the pencil lines. I used this level for my guide. You want something pretty long so it will reach across most of the drawers. Just remember that the "skinner" the ruler, the smaller the diamonds and... the harder it is to paint. I am sure there is a mathmatical way to know where to start your first line, but I just started in the corner:)
3)PAINT THE DIAMONDS- Before I started to paint I put an "x" on all the diamonds that were going to be painted. This may sound silly, but I promise this will make it much easier.
I used craft brushes to paint the diamonds. A smaller one for outlining the diamond and a bigger one for the center.

4)DISTRESS - After everything was dry I distressed the entire piece. I even ran a piece of sand paper over the fronts of the drawers. The white seemed too bright so I rubbed some watered down brown and yellow craft paint over the drawers. If I were to do it again I would put stain over it instead.
You can see that some of my lines aren't straight, and I could have taken more time painting the diamonds, but overall I really like the way it turned out. I hope some of you give it a try. I can't wait to see what you create!!

The Blue Hutch

2009-06-02T12:19:00.000-07:00

When I bought this hutch, I bought it knowing I was going to paint it. However, the big debate was what color. As always...I was leaning towards black. But, I wanted something different since 90% of the furniture in my house is black. So, I called up paint expert Stephanie Farris:) She thought a blue to match my dishes would be cute. She is the expert, so I trusted her. I love the finished piece. She taught me - so now I teach you. Read and learn....haha
1) PICK YOUR PAINT COLOR: I took my blue and white plate to Lowes (or Home Depot, honesty I can't remember) and found a color that matched perfectly. When trying to decide on a color, ask a friend for their opinion. It is always fun to think outside of our own box:) FYI - they can also custom mix a paint color if you can't find one to match.

2) GET TO PAINTING: I put 2 coats of the blue paint on the hutch. I wasn't concerned about it looking perfect because I knew I was going to distress it.

3)SAND BABY SAND: After the paint was dry I got the electric sander and started to distress. This is my favorite part!! I wanted it to be heavily distressed so I tried to run the sander along ALL edges. You really can't mess up distressing. If you are nervous about it, don't be:) Go ahead, distress the entire piece of furniture and then step back and see what you think. If it needs touching up then you just have to repaint some spots..no biggie. Just don't judge your entire piece when only a part of it is done.
4) STAIN IT: This step is optional. But I really, really like the results from staining a piece. It gives it a great depth. Before, the blue seemed kind of bright. But once the stain went on it gave it a nice "aged" look. If you are going to use stain, just remember a little bit goes a long way. I brushed the stain on the entire piece, doing a small section at a time. After I brushed it on I used a rag to wipe off the excess. If you do stain, it is a good idea to wear gloves so your hands don't get stained too. I never wear gloves...but it is a good idea:)
So there you go...PAINTING FURNITURE 101. Now you are ready to tackle your own furniture painting project. You can do it! And, be brave - don't always pick black or cream paint:)

Dining Room

2009-06-01T08:59:00.001-07:00

A little paint goes a LONG way. We recently painted the walls in our dining room and formal living room. I love the way it warms everything up. It really makes the room feel cozy.
I also painted this hutch blue to match my dishes. Now I need some Mackenzie Childs plates to mix in with my other dishes. Wouldn't that be cute?

http://www.mackenziechilds.com/Tableware/Enamelware/Courtly+Check+Table/Enamel+Dinner+Plate-Courtly+Check.axd

Paint is a very inexpensive way to change a room. With the hot weather outside, why don't you just stay inside this summer and paint a room!

Chalkboard Paint...So Much Fun!!!

2009-05-29T08:25:00.000-07:00

While reading one of my favorite blogs ,"Bless Our Nest" (link under decorating ideas), I came across this cute idea using chalk board paint. So, I headed down to a local thrift shop- bought some old silver trays and decided I would give it a try.

I really like having this big one in my kitchen. I saw a few cute ideas that I hope to use in the future...1) tonight's menu 2) a scripture 3) the menu at a shower or dinner party 4) happy birthday to a family member 5) love notes to your hubby:)

This is the other one I did for my office. It is really light weight so I just hot glued some ribbon on the back and hung it up. Give it a try...and get some colored chalk for summer:)

Free Stuff

2009-05-27T13:50:00.001-07:00

Don't you love free stuff? My wonderful sister-in-law GAVE me four chairs. My nephew sanded them down for me. Then I spray painted them black, brushed on 2 coats of black paint, used the electric sander to distress them, and finally I freshened them up with some new fabric. (Actually, my mom put the fabric on the chairs...more about her later in another post...she is the "queen of home projects")

I am so happy with the way they turned out.

It really is easy to give dining chairs a new look. Just a little paint and fabric can totally change the look of a chair. Just a couple of hints if you are thinking about replacing the fabric on your chairs YOURSELF....

1-DON'T, I repeat, DON'T get striped fabric. Sometimes it is hard to keep the lines straight.

2-DO get a fabric that can be turned different directions...ie - checks, leopard print, zebra print or florals.

3-DON'T be afraid to "think outside of the box". My friend painted the chair at her kitchen desk lime green and then put a bold black and white damask fabric on it....adorable!

4-DO look at magazines for ideas. Pottery Barn and Ballard Designs are two of my most favorite places to look, and they are...you guessed it...FREE:)

Treasured Things...

2009-05-27T13:15:00.000-07:00

So, here I go again...blogging. I found a whole new world of people out there who are like me...love lamps, love fabric, love decorating, ... love creating. So, I have decided to give blogging another try. Only this time I am going blog about the the things I create.

Let me give you the run down on my black and white dresser/buffet. A couple of my most treasured things are the turquoise and cream dishes from my mom's mom, and the big gold mirror from my dad's mom. I was having a hard time envisioning how they would fit into my "mostly red" and "casual" home. This is the solution I went for - a funky piece of furniture that would make these old treasured things seem new.

My friend Krista found this old dresser for $40 at a garage sale. I got out a ruler and during my children's naps I drew the lines, painted it, sanded it,....done. Someday I want to try this idea again on a red piece of furniture with red and white harlequins...maybe a bookcase...cute!