December 30, 2010

Looking back on 2010...

Another year is at an end and new beginnings ahead...I say, "bring it on"!  I am more ready for this new year to begin than I was the last.  I think I have been emotionally, physically and mentally drained...how did I survive this last year?! ;)

I decided to join in with Rhoda on Top Projects of 2010. Many other bloggers have linked up all their great projects as well...make sure to visit!

 I feel there were many projects getting done here, being that my main focus (Of course my 1st priority is my family!) this year has been on  remodeling our home.  Many I have shared with you all,  and many more still to come!

Here are some of my favorite projects of 2010...




Started off the year with showing you a peek into my kitchen...
Hoping to show you the full reveal by February.


Then Kitchen Window Meets Character, with a ledge, trim and cottage shutters...


Mr. Wonderful built me a Farmtable Island
painted in cream and distressed with a mahogany planked top...


Using some Burlap and Buttons, I added detail to a couple of linen shade's...


This sweet chair was on to it's 2nd makeover and now looking Fresh and Vintage...


I made this whimsy French sign using old weathered wood and a fun phrase, "Bon Appe'tit"!...


A great Craigslist find became Beautiful and useful again...


I shared how to make your own Faux Stain Glass...


Her Beauty Revealed when I painted and upholstered  this curvy sofa...


Finished out this year making some beautiful stockings 
out of linen, burlap and canvas with adding crocheted 
snowflakes by my mother-in-law at Christmas Time...

Wow...I guess I do feel somewhat accomplished this year, seeing how many things did get done!

On to another new year full of possibilities and dreams...

Happy New Year to you all friends, may all your wishes come true in 2011!!!

Hugs and love,

December 28, 2010

Daughter of Mine...

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!  I know we sure enjoyed ours!

Being that I am NOT a morning person,  I love that our kids don't wake us up too early on Christmas morning.  When the kids do come to wake us up, we have a tradition of me or the husband going to check to see if Santa came...this is a way for us to turn the lights on the tree so the kids will see the sparkley lights on the presents.  It is also a priceless way to watch their faces as they finally see what Santa left them!

The thing I love...even though 4 of our kiddos are old enough to now know who brings the presents, they still go along with it for Lil' Bug.  The older kids make sure to show Lil' Bug where Santa is at en-route on NORAD to our house. They make sure the cookies and milk are ready and our daughter, now 15 still writes the Santa "thank you" note before she goes to bed.  Little things like this with our kids, we cherish.

We enjoyed the rest of our day, playing...or more like the husband now was building many things with the boys...K'NEX, Legos, and playing new video games.  I love getting to sit back and take these moments in...trying to embed them in my memory forever.

 My kids are growing up way too fast...where has the years gone?

 Speaking of years...our daughter now lets us know often she only has a few years left until she graduates.  I remember the day...more like the moment she was born...it seemed like it would be forever until she was this old.

Her and I...we are very close.  Many times she has told me how her friends wished they could be as open and talk to their moms the way she and I can.  I feel blessed, but I also know I have worked very hard as a parent to be this kind of mom with my kids.  Everything is open for discussion in our home...that way the lines of trust and communication remain the foundation in our relationships.

One thing I enjoy so much about having a daughter, I did not get this closeness growing up.  My birth mother left when I was 3.  I did have mother figures in my life, but I still always felt a missing connection.  Envied many of my friends that had this with their moms...the moment I found out I was having a girl, beyond excitement!  I now have felt this connection I  missed growing up.  Our kids and family, they are everything!

With all the boys we have been blessed with, grateful to get to share girly things with at least one of my kiddos.  I love that my daughter loves all things girly!  She has such a fashion sense and confidence about who she is...I learn from her all the time.  Here are a few photos I wanted to share about this amazing, beautiful daughter of mine...

She is a leader, not a follower...

Never afraid to show who she really is and 
standing for what she believes in...

She is confident and strong...

yet can be a little shy...

Loving, kind and always ready to give a helping hand...

She loves to be unique and express her sense of style...

This daughter of mine...

Full of dreams and aspirations...

She is beyond her years in wisdom...

Smart, beautiful and very talented...

I admire her...  


 I love this Daughter of mine!


Wishing you all a great  and happy New Year ahead!! 

Hugs and love,

October 30, 2010

Her Beauty Revealed...

Finally!!

Yes, finally I can share with you all my sofa transformation!

Whew...this was a lot of work,
 but soo happy with how she turned out.

I hope you will agree, well worth.the.wait!

I am in love with this beauty...
her, true beauty that is.

She is now dressed in a beautiful French blue paint
that is distressed to accent all her gorgeous details and curves.

The cream canvas fabric is the perfect backdrop for fun
 "pops" of color and pattern that adds a little Whimsy to the room!

 

Before I share her transformation

Let's look back where I started...


When I bought her, She was dingy, dirty and in desperate need of a makeover! 

Her bones were strong and beautiful,
and of course at just the right price...

$50 dollars, I saw the potential...

 

So, I started to peel back her layers...

 

little by little repairing her cracks here and there.

 

Giving her a fresh new coat of paint...


*via Google
and all the while, keeping this beautiful inspiration in mind...

If your ready, so am I...
 excited to share the reveal of her true beauty!!

 

TA-DA!!!

I swoon every time I walk in my door and see her...*le sigh*

 

A little envious...her curves are in all the right places...

 

The perfect little feet in her Cinderella story...


I now have the "just" right spot to
 enjoy my favorite inspirations...


She is always beautifully dressed...

 

Versatile in her accessories...


Depending on the mood she is in...I adore her.


Yes, she was well worth the work...and hopefully the wait!!

 A little happiness and Whimsy has been
added in to our home with her presence.

I will share a tutorial on her transformation soon.

Have a "Safe and Spook-tacular Halloween!!"

Hugs to you all!

Linking up with Jen@Tatertots and Jello Weekend Wrap Up Party and
Sarah@Thrifty Decor Chick Before and After and Miss Mustard Seeds Furniture Feature Fridays!

Make sure to stop by and see all the creative ideas!!

September 29, 2010

Tutorial...Faux Stained Glass

I always have the best intentions, but that doesn't mean that my plan will happen that way.  I know I am very late on this tutorial and do apologize.  My excuse...the husband went TDY and of course when he leaves everything must fall apart! Isn't that a given?  The good news...he will be back this weekend so now maybe things can run a little smoothly again.

I hope this will be easy enough to follow along with.  The frame that I made for the stained glass will come in a post on it's own...I don't want you to feel like your reading a novel! :) 



I found this product in the craft store years back and had some fun making a few things and then forgot all about it.  When we moved to Ohio for my husband to attend AFIT for his masters we were only going to be there for 18 months and decided it would be best to live in the new off base housing.  It sounded like a good idea at the time...that is until we tried to fit our very large family in a very small space...1500 sq. feet to be exact.  Needless to say...lesson learned, never again!

Anyways, there was a side window right by the front door that I wanted to give some privacy too without taking away all the light.  I then remembered my faux stained glass paint.  This was a great option to a window covering and it was a beautiful feature to our home.  The great thing was when we had to move...I just peeled it off! 

Forward to now 2010 and my problem window I needed to solve.  I realized I could use this same application for the idea I had and I knew it would look great.  The only thing I didn't think on...was how much of the clear white paint I would need to do such a big project.  The good thing, it is not that expensive so even though I used quite a bit it still didn't break the bank!

My design was done on a piece of plexi glass...not even real glass.  I didn't want it to be too heavy so that it wouldn't break, but the cost for such a big piece of plexi is much cheaper than glass.  I found mine at Lowes.  It comes in different cut sizes and thickness. 



Here are some of the tools you will need:
  • black marker
  • craft knife (razor blade)
  • tape measure
  • combination square (ruler)
  • level
  • plexi glass or glass (size depending on your design)
  • Gallery Glass paints
  • Faux lead lines (you will find these with the Gallery Glass)
  • Faux lead paint
  • pattern or template
I chose to create my own design, but they do have patterns and faux lead designs you can use too.

I wanted to have the look of some stained glass with a leaded window done in a harlequin pattern.  To do this I first had to create a template for my harlequin pattern. 

Using a thick scrapbook paper I made my template by measuring and cutting a square...size will vary depending on your project size.  My square was a 5"x5" inch square and my plexi glass is 25"H x 48"W.

One of the things I liked about using the plexi glass, it has two sides with plastic covering over it.  I used this to mark my design on.  If you did this on glass, you would want to use a non-permanent marker, something that could be washed off.

Starting on your design, you need to find the center. On the backside of the plexi, marking on the plastic covering this is where you will create your design.  By measuring your width and then dividing it in half mark a dot; then do this again for your height.  I then make a cross in the center.


Once my center was found I decided how big my borders were going to be.  Important to remember when you go to frame your glass some of  your design will get covered up, make enough of a margin for this.

I used my combination square to keep everything lined up and finding my border.


My level was used in drawing my lines and keeping them straight.

Once my borders were marked I used my square template (turned onto its points) at the center. I used my level again and made lines to my border.  This can get a little tricky with making sure every diamond is in the right place, I learned to start at the center, make all four diamonds from the center point and work my way out from each diamond shape.


Here's another look with the template.


There is another option you can add to your design if you would like. 
I was going to do this, but in the end decided not to. 


Using a nickel I traced around it and made a circle over the intersecting lines.  I was going to add some color here as well but then decided against it.  I would have drawn my circles using the lead paint.

Once the harlequin pattern has been created you are ready to put your lead lines on.  This is important...don't forget to turn your plexi or glass over now and take off the protective plastic on the other side! You wouldn't want to do all this work only to realize you didn't take off the plastic...yikes!


These come in long strips so it made it easier to keep the lines continuing.
They are a soft foam, very flexible and sticky.  Again, using the opposite side of your design put the lead lines on the side where you took the plastic covering off. When one line ends, just add another up against it. 

*If you need to cut a line don't use scissors it is hard to
get an exact cut and it won't leave an even line, use your craft knife to cut it.


Here is how your design should look once you have all the faux lead lines on.



To give the foam lines a realistic lead look I used the liquid leading over the top. 
You don't have to do this, I just wanted mine to look as real as I could.


I had more photos to share on the look of the liquid lead on top of the lead lines,
but for some reason can't find them.  It gives the lines a more textured look.

Now the fun part...you get to start adding your colors of paint. 
 This is where patience and time really comes in, but so worth it when your done.

I chose to only use three colors in my design, but there is
such an array of colors it is whatever you want to create!

Here is an example of how the paint looks when put on the glass.  It flows out easily and you want it thick.  When it dries it does not look so thick.  I like to start along the lead lines and work my way to the center and down.  You will get bubbles here and there, using a toothpick you can pop them.  Using a back and forth motion with the toothpick it will help spread the paint out evenly as well.

*Another note on the paint, you do not want to shake it! It will not work the way it should and separate.  You will get clogs every now and then.  I would just use a tissue and pull some of the dried paint out while gently squeezing the bottle.

I worked on my design for several days.  It takes at least a day for it to dry...again patience.  I would work on it while I watched a show or keep it in an area away from pets and people and whenever I had a moment put more paint down.

In the end you finally end up with this...

A beautiful faux stained glass...can you really tell the difference? 

I will have another post on how to build the frame.  The great thing about this...it is so versatile! This could be done directly on a window or a piece of glass in a picture frame...whatever your imagination can think of!  Would love for you to share your faux stained glass with me as well.

For now, I am back to my sofa...revealing all her under layers and getting to her true beauty...here are some peeks at what I have been up to.


Uncovering her true beauty...

Even Felicity wants to help...

Fixing and making her frame stronger...

Adding a beautiful Whimsy blue...

Soon she will be revealed...for now, have to get back to work and dress her up!

Have a great week friends...hugs and love to you all!!!