Save Our Counter Space!!

Here's my latest project for my own kitchen.  I turned an old chiffarobe (or some might call it a "Bachelor's Chest") into a "baking station."  It houses my  KitchenAid mixer, muffin pans, dry baking ingredients, tools, rolling pin, cookbooks, and spices, etc.  I painted it to match my cabinets, and even added a chalkboard and corkboard to the inside doors.  Practical and quite the conversation piece. 

LOVE, LOVE!

Busy as a bee...

Hey ya'll!  Wow, it's been a while.  It's summer, well half-way through it, and I'm changing things around again.  All this hot weather has encouraged me to bring in some cool colors.  My kids say that our kitchen is, um, "overwhelming."  And I even heard that it "looks like a kindergarten class."  Whatever that means.  All I know is that COLOR is in, and I'm taking advantage.  Take a look at my projects; I have before and afters.  Then I added some other items that I've done for fun (and for $).    Enjoy.

Bought these Tagus Chef Copper Pots (12 total) for $35... Um, a steal!

I love love love the chalk board above the table.  I can put the menu, or quotes, or chores, etc.  It's an old frame.  I painted over the "farm" painting with Chalkboard paint.  I like how the RED POPS!

I usually have only 4 chairs around, but we were about to eat... 
It does look a little crowded right now, I know.

The trick is mismatched fabric and patterns

Poor little antique chair....left out in the weather.

But with a little TLC...

I'm in love

Needed some love...

After....Shabby Chic

Another great solid wood piece.  Bassett Furniture Chest of Drawers.  Sanded, painted, destressed. 
I have it FOR SALE at The Blue Building for $329

Don't have a "before" pic of this one, but it was in sad shape.  Just look at it now!
Stipped it down, sanded it, DecoPodge some great Damask fabric on the drawers, Aqua paint and glaze.
Wah-lah!  This piece is for SALE.

It's the little things...

Hi there.  I know it's been a while since my last post, but we've had a lot going on recently. Drama, hiliarity, grieving, surprises... Never a dull moment.  Honestly, I think we could have a VERY successful reality show here at the Walker house.  Anyone have connections with TLC? 

So here we are; back to decor.  This post is all about what to do with the little things.  You know, the knick knacks?  Where to put them?  How much is too much?  What goes together?  Do they have to match?  Well, I don't have all the answers but I do have some suggestions.  #1 Stay away from "figurines."  So no more of your mama's Home Interiors ceramic animals or Little Boy Blue.  Venture away from living things to boxes, buckets, baskets. #2 Used and abused is cool.  The tattered and torn, destressed look is still in.  That's why picking up vases, plates and books at a thrift store is so clever.  They look "antiqued," and that alone gives them character.  And character is just what we want in our homes.  #3 Display your mismatched treasures throughout your house, in small groupings.  Preview them in places sure to bring about conversation, easy for guests to see.  For just a few dollars, you can make a room get all kinds of attention! Take a look at some of the items I've used in my house to add some flavor:

  Every section atop my kitchen cabinets is filled with items just like this...very eclectic, very used. You're looking at about $5 worth of classic vintage art.  The center plate is hand-made, with pieces and pictures of old magazines pasted on in clear shellac. It's beautiful!  The vase is fire-glazed black with its lid, and the large plate is a leopard print that someone just "threw away." What??  I have bowls, baskets, an iron peacock, a flour bucket, and of course, an owl up there too.  They all have some black involved to create a touch of uniformity.

Very simple Apothecary jars.  These are everywhere now.  Pick some up and fill them with goodies in the kitchen.  One of my favorite fillers is wine corks.  These sit on top of the fridge (please ignore the dust), and never stay filled with candy or dog treats for long.

Have an empty space that just needs "something"? I did.  I already had the shelf and the goofy wooden bird.  Luckily, I found the plaque at Dollar General, and looky looky, it has a birdy!  Then, I paired it with a ceramic knoll post from Old Time Pottery and a small flower in a glass vase.  It works.

Here's a parade of used items on top of our entertainment center in the family room.  Simple, unorganized decor.  I have since removed the red vase.  I like things grouped in 3's, and it was the odd ball out.  (place your finger over it on the screen, and I'd think you'd agree). Now it hold stems of Hydrangeas in the kitchen.

Hurricanes!!  Fill them with whole coffee beans and short (solid color) pillar candles, then put them anywhere.  Not only do they look classic and clean, they make your home smell like an Italian Cafe'.  These are on my dining room table.

 

I change my mantel display often (usually seasonal), but here's what I have now. Simple, not too cluttered.  Large oil lantern, stack of books, 8 x 10 of the kids in a RED frame, and a bucket of hydrangeas.  Remember, you need a little red in every room.

And last but not least, mirrors.  Hang different sized mirrors (or empty frames) in a grouping for an unparralled design effect. Instead of one large mirror in the dining room, which was very popular in the late 90's, I stacked smaller ones, in no particuliar order, above the chair rail. Anyone can do this!

Get to it!

Make it. Don't break it.

Here we go...  Let's get down to the nitty-gritty and talk about your creative side in decorating.  One thrifty idea is to make your own decorations.  There are a few items in my house that I've seen in magazines or catalogs, and with a couple of trips to the local craft store, or heck, even Wal-Mart (Wal-Marts, as we say around here), I have put together some pretty cool pieces.  Take a look, and then get busy crafting.  You'll be amazed at the money you can save, and your neighbors and friends will be impressed with your "embodiment of creativity."  Wow, that's deep.

 

The words or phrases are limitless here.  Simply print off letters in cool fonts from you home computer.  Frame them, in mismatched (even different sized) frames.  I chose to do our last name on a large wall in the family room.  These are all 8 x 10 frames, with one large "K" that I picked up on the clearance shelf at TJ Maxx.  A mirage of letters like this would be perfect in a child's room. 

I will not tell a lie. I will not tell a lie.  I actually didn't make this one, but I could have very easily.  Frame a piece of magnetic board and cover it with a patterned fabric.  Large buttons, hot-glued to round magnets, hold pictures and notes in place.  Oh, and by the way, the orange tin bucket hanging next to it came from a thrift store too.  It was $1, and holds our out-going bills. 

Ok, I'm not finished with this one yet.  My plan is to frame it. These are square cardboard tiles that my mom brought home from work.  I painted them with chalkboard paint and hung them together on the wall.  There are 12 in all.  I doubt I'll find a frame that is the exact dimensions.  It's actually very large, 4' x 3', so I'll probably piece one together around the edges.  It's great for your favorite quotes, grocery lists, schedules, calendars, and lists of chores.

Saw this one in a Pottery Barn catalog.  I picked up the purse rack at TJ Maxx for $7.  I framed the inside stanzas of a greeting card (a lovey-dovey one), a picture of hubby and me, and left one round frame empty, even the glass removed.  They hang by pieces of jute rope from Hobby Lobby.  Unique, unique unique.

My kids think this one is silly, but I love it.  Print off a cute picture (I'm into owls right now), and frame it.  This one sits on our computer desk.

Get creative with fonts.  Pick a cool phrase or song lyric.  Type it up in fun fonts and frame it.  This one says "Where Troubles Melt Like Lemon Drops," from The Wizard of Oz.  I printed it on white paper and put a piece of colored scrapbook paper behind it to create a mat.  It hangs in a hallway.  You know, those spaces that need "something," but not "too much."  Yeah, this was the fix.

One of my favorites.  I made this one during Christmas this year to hold our holiday cards.  Now it's in my bedroom and displays sweet cards that my husband and I have given each other through the years.  It's so simple too.  Just pick up an open frame at Hobby Lobby.  They're usually 50% off.  I think I paid $10 for this one.   Stretch twine across the back (five or six lengths) and staple the ends to the sides of the frame.  Grab some small bull clips or clothes pins to hold your "love notes."  Wah-lah.

This little arrangement is on top of my chest of drawers.  Zoom in on the candles.  I bought some vintage water goblets at the thrift store for $3 a piece. Directions: Grab a bag of Soy Wax at any craft store, and melt it in a small Crock-Pot, or a pot on the stove on low would suffice, along with some scented oil (should be on the same aisle).  With a dollop of glue on the bottom of the wick, stand it up in the glass.  Pour the hot wax, and the smell-good into the glass.  Let it cool, harden, and then enjoy your homemade candle.  By the way, these same type of candles sell at a boutique here in town for $26 a piece.  I made a boo-cooddle of these for that amount of cash.

Just Some Boots

Today I'm posting pics of a few of my thrift store finds...  My trip this morning was unsuccessful for decorating items (better to go in the middle of the week before the hoarders get there).  I was, however, able to pick up a slightly used pair of DanPost cowboy boots for my hubby.  Super-nice ones for $15...I'm sure they'd go for $200 elsewhere.  Anyhoo.... Take a look at some of the treasures that fill my house: 



Cast-Iron Stool $3. Covered the seat with a pillow case.  This one sits in front of our computer desk.  It's the perfect height for the kids!



 Vintage Lamp w/ embossed flowers $6.  Simple and sleek.  You need a little RED in every room.



24" Ceramic Owl Vase $10. Makes a perfect unbrella stand.  Owls are SO in right now too!  They are everywhere at the thrift stores though... They're a has-been that's coming back around.



One of my Favorites!!  Section of vintage Post Office Boxes $40.

This piece is special to me because growing up, my mailing address was P.O. Box #185.  Guess what's on the bottom left corner!  It makes the perfect side table.  I even have all the keys!!!



 

A real steal!  Old Hotel Mirrow $45.  This piece is so heavy I'm afraid to hang it.  The detail of its frame is amazing.  It's 5' tall!  I'm sure it would cost upward to $500 in an antique store.  It looks great leaning against the wall at the end of the couch.  A lamp at the other end reflects to give off even more light! This pic just doesn't do it justice. (Saw it propped up outside "Uncle Ed's Thrift Shop" in Pell City, AL).

I love finding treasures like this. Vintage Suitcase $5.

Suitcases look so cool stacked for design, but better yet, they make great extra storage for knick-knacks that have no other hiding place.  I keep extra blankets and throws in this tin bucket on top.

A great conversation piece!  1970's Peacock Lamp $9.  When you see an item like this grab it!  They are one-of-a-kind!  The base is wide and chunky and it even glows inside when plugged in.  The colors are vibrant and go well with any decor!

Last, but not least, is Angel.  I picked her up for 50 cents! She looks so pretty sitting a stack of old books on the mantel.  This is her original color; no paint added here. Perfection!  Oh, and for the books, I picked those up at garage sale.  The Odyssey of Homer, Great American Short Stories, 1984, and The Bridges of Madison County... all for a whopping 25 cents a piece!

Inaugural post

So, here it is.  After playing around with blogger.com for three hours, I have finally created a pretty cool layout for my new blog.  Much like the decor in my house, I'm sure it will change several times over the next several days and weeks, until I am settled.  But you're here for ideas right?  Here we go.

Before I start posting pictures and sharing ideas, I'd like to tell you a little about my style.   Thriftiness is in my blood.  Like my mother, I'm always looking for the deal.  I rarely pay full price for an item, unless it's a magazine that will give me ideas on how to make or decorate on a dime.  We didn't have much money growing up, so we shopped yard sales and clearance sales on the weekends.  I watched my mom sew all our clothes, paint her own furniture, and even weave the bottoms of our own dining room chairs.   Although, I don't have that Potato Box with a hand-painted little village girl carrying a water bucket shining in her acrylic beauty on the front, Mom's savvy creativity stuck with me.  I would have that Potato Box painted a destressed Buxton Blue with ticking stripe lining,  making it a perfect diaper can in a nursery.  See how it works?  Not only am I thrifty, I'm eclectic.  I have a "Pottery Barn" type of style, but it's quirky.  I subscribe to its catalog, but never purchase the items.  Why?  Simple.  Spend $349 for a wooden ladder to hang over the dining room table, or pick one up from a thrift store for $5, and grab the lanterns to hang from it for a dollar a piece will you're there.  I'm not too matchy-matchy either.  Colors mix well if you just "let them."  Mix patterns and hues of the same colors; bring in some modern with the antique to create depth.  Take risks.  Supplement your purse with hand-sanitizer and cash, drive to the thrift store, pick up a few of my key items.   Let the fun begin...

KEY ITEMS to get you started:
(pick these up when you see 'em. I'll show you where to put 'em)
- pair of vintage lamps
- large trunk
- side table w/ drawer
- baskets / buckets of different sizes
- collection of mirrors
- books, lots of books
- large open picture frames

My coffee table is a trunk I got for $10 at a garage sale. 

This 8"ceramic angel was $.50 and makes a great addition to my mantel.