Sunday, August 18, 2013

Drab to Fab Candle Holder Makeover

Hi there!

Today I'll share this very easy makeover with you. A few years ago I bought these red, shiny candle holders, they were on sale after Christmas. I bought them with the idea to paint them, but I never came around. If I knew they can look so stunning, I would have done it long ago :-)



Here's the BEFORE. I don't like it at all...


I painted it with 2 coats of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in French Linen mixed with a little Old White. No sanding or prepping!!!

I just love how it blends in with the rest of our decor now.


Here's the candle holders in the living room:


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Thursday, August 15, 2013

How To Use Old Window Frames in Decor


Hi!

I recently scored this lovely at a house-market. I didn't really need it (or have an open wall for it), but I got it for a steal.And it's so pretty, I couldn't resist!!!


I'm still not sure what I'm going to do with it, so here's a few ideas:







window wall art




via

IMG_4313
via


via


via

All of these projects are fabulous, I'm no closer to deciding what to do with my old window frame...!!
Any suggestions?

Check back to find out what I've decided...

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Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

How To Make The Perfect Cheese Platter


Hi there!!

Today I'll share my way of assembling the perfect cheese platter. I serve this (or a variation) A LOT. I like the way that every one can choose what they'll be having. I serve this as a snack or even after dinner as a dessert. Yum!


What you'll need:

2 Cheeses (One softer cheese and one hard cheese; eg. Blue Cheese & Camembert )
Nuts
Figs in Preserve
Crackers (I had Caramelized Onion Crackers)


I used a mild Blue cheese and made my CAMEMBERT, NUTS AND HONEY recipe (check back next week for the recipes!!).


A basic cheese platter should include the following:

1. 2+ Cheeses (More than two if you are more people)
2. Something sweet (Fresh fruit, preserved fruit, I even use jams)
3. Something crunchy (Nuts)
4. Something to eat the cheese with (Crackers or Bread)

Try experimenting with the arrangement of the cheese platter. Use small bowls, rustic trays, cheese knives or why not make chalkboard tags for each cheese/condiment?



Please share what YOU include in a cheese platter...
     
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Sunday, August 11, 2013

TV Cabinet Makeover: Take 1 - How to Paint & Stain Laminated Wood


Hi Everyone!

As part of my quest to make over our living room I wanted to paint our TV cabinet. Today I'll show you how I did it  :-)


We bought this laminated wood cabinet just after we got married (read: we needed something cheap). Needless to say the color and style is all wrong for our new home. I'm fairly OK with painting wooden furniture, but laminated wood is a whole other story. I did TONS of research.

Here's the official BEFORE photos. It is a BIG piece and very heavy.


Ok so here goes my version of how to paint laminated wood (the cheap and easy way):

I started off by making sure the cabinet is dust free and then I took off the hardware (as you can see it's very modern and not at all the look I want). I also filled the holes with wood-filler

.
Next I painted the cabinet with two coats of Plascon Multi-Surface primer and a sponge roller. That dried for a few hours and then the actual paint followed, I used Harlequin Paints Provencal Furniture Paint  in French White. Below you can see that it was quite the mission to get an even coverage.


I was happy with the overall look after three coats of the French White (no photos, I was too anxious to begin with the staining :-) ). For the staining I used Harlequin Paints Antiquing Liquid. It's very runny and easy to work with. I applied it with a paintbrush and did the rest with mutton-cloth.

If you never did staining before I'll explain a little how I do it. Make sure you only do small sections at a time. I apply the staining liquid with my paintbrush in rough strokes and then immediately use the mutton-cloth to lightly wipe off excess liquid. I tend to use circular motions as it leaves a more natural look. Here is an all-done drawer:


I chose not to distress the cabinet as the lines are very modern and there's not any detail on the surface.

Below is the new feet I got from here. I just adore them, it gives the cabinet a whole new 'vintage-y' vibe. WAY more in line with what we want! I followed the same steps to paint the feet as the cabinet.


Are you ready to see the final reveal? I was sooo excited about this...


Until I was NOT so excited... Can you tell from the bad quality photo? I don't have any real reasons, but I just did not LOVE the new look. My husband did, my mom did and my best friend did. But I was not feeling it... :-( I love the new hardware and the feet, though.

Hence the title, TV Cabinet Makeover: Take 1. Stay tuned for Take 2 later on. (Hint: I REALLY loved it!!!)

PS. Overall I found painting laminated wood very easy (the smoothness is so easy to paint!), and will certainly try it again on another piece.

I would love to hear YOUR opinion on the makeover!

Have a blessed week!
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Thursday, August 8, 2013

Greatest No Knit Yarn Ideas



Helooo! As spring is approaching in South Africa (it's still rainy and cold in Cape Town, but I can dream, right?) I wanted to start making a spring wreath for our front door. I found a few made of yarn and started to see other yarn projects. I gathered up the prettiest ones for you... Enjoy!


**Please Pin from original source**




IMG_7841-1




DIY Yarn Typography Installation




Thanks so much for visiting! Check back Monday for a fresh DIY project!


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