Month: September 2012

Ombre Halloween Pillow with RIT Dye

Written by Jenna on September 27, 2012. Posted in DIY. 27 Comments on Ombre Halloween Pillow with RIT Dye

Halloween is just a few short weeks away and even though I’ve already decorated for Fall, I wanted to spice it up with some Halloween accents. My favorite, inexpensive way to do that is with pillows.

I recently was lucky enough to get my hands on RIT Dye and thought an ombre design with a few spooky elements would fit the bill just perfectly.

Let me start by saying I have NEVER used liquid dye before and was a little apprehensive, but honestly it was really easy and fun to add a bit of color to a plain ole’ piece of fabric.

Here are all the colors I received for the project and since it was a Halloween pillow that I set out to create, I chose orange and black to work with.

I started off by making a simple white envelope pillow using a heavy cotton, which were scraps from another project. If you want to save time when making something similar, you can also buy a plain white pillow, but make sure the insert can be removed so the cover can be dyed. (Need a tutorial for an envelope pillow? Click here)

Once the pillow was complete, it was DYE TIME!

How you use the dye really depends on your fabric, plus how intense you want the color. For my project, I used a half bottle of dye + 2 gallons of warm tap water. I first put the dye into an old bucket, then added the water + …

… 1 cup of salt.

The magical formula was now ready!

Because there are so many uses for this liquid dye, there are many different techniques and ways to dye materials, so my advice is to do a test for whatever you plan on creating before venturing into the actual project. Never using dye before and wanting to create an ombre look (multiple, graduating depths of color) I had no idea if I was supposed to leave it in the dye for 5 seconds, 5 minutes, or 5 hours. So here’s my tester, and hopefully it’ll give you a guide when using the RIT products.

This swatch test really helped me to know how much I needed to dip the fabric for my real project. Again, this was my fabric, and I’m sure if you try this out, your fabric type and weight will be different, so do a test before starting your actual project.

Here’s how the dipping process went.

It was fairly easy and while the darkest area of the pillow was soaking up the dye, I worked on a few other projects (like my Travel Subway Sign). Once I was happy with the color, it was time to add the black. I didn’t really want an ombre look for the black and instead wanted it as intense and dark as possible, so I left this section of the pillow in the black dye for about 30 minutes.

When it was done, I hung it on my beautiful drying rack. NOT! The lawnmower handle was just the right size and only feet away from the dying area. Be sure to put a rag underneath because it will stain (the mister was wondering what all the drips were on the garage floor when he came home that evening, hehe).

Once the pillow was good and dry (I waited till the next day about 24 hours later), I ironed it before starting the next step… Stenciling!

Using some fun, festive stencils that I got last year, I started adding them randomly on the orange ombre section of the pillow. Using the bat and spider design, I dabbed black fabric paint onto the stencil. Then on some of them I even added a little sparkly glitter.

These stencils have a sticky back so they stay nicely in place while painting. Then you can easily peel them off…

…and voila, it’s complete!

Have you ever used RIT liquid dye? If so, what projects have you created? I’ll admit, I was alittle weary to try it out, but I am thrilled that I did because it was really easy to use and I’m gushing over the result. I’ve got alot more dying projects on my to-do list now!

Disclaimer: I was sent complimentary product from RIT dye and was compensated for my time to use the product, but no one told me what to create, how to use it, or what to write. All opinions are 100% mine!

I link my projects to some of these parties: Skip to My Lou, Dittle Dattle, Between Naps on the Porch, Todayâ€™s Creative Blog, Stories of A to Z, All Things Heart & Home, House of Hepworths, Finding Fabulous, The Shabby Nest, Serenity Now, Tatertots and Jello, Thrifty Decor Chick, Tip Junkie

DIY: Travel Subway Art Sign

Written by Jenna on September 24, 2012. Posted in DIY. 25 Comments on DIY: Travel Subway Art Sign

I hope you had a great weekend and are enjoying the first officially days of Fall – the leaves are starting to change here, how about in your neck of the woods?

Like usual, I’ve been knee deep in creating new DIY projects and one in particular that I just finished up has been on my to-do list for a long time. It took me a while to figure out how to make it, but thankfully I’m thrilled with the result, and the main reason is because it cost less than $10 to make – {complete score}!

I’ve gotta give credit for the technique on how to create this Subway Art to Cheri of I Am Momma – Hear Me Roar and Monica & Jess of East Coast Creative. Both gals created completely different projects, yet both used the same idea of creating an image and having it printed as a blueprint (a thin black & white 24″ x 36″ paper) at Staples for less than $4 – Crazy awesome right?!

Here’s how I did it so you can create a similar travel sign or something completely different using the same cheap blueprint technique…

Using Picasa (my favorite free photo editing program), I started off with a clean white collage using the highest resolution possible and then cropped it to a 24″ x 36″ size so the text would print as clear as possible (at a large scale). A while ago, I had wrote a list of vacation spots that the mister and I have traveled to together over the years and started adding them to the collage in a variety of different fonts. (want to see a few of the fonts I used? Check out my favorites!).

Once I created this collage using my computer, I pulled together the rest of my supplies:

(1) 24″ x 36″ Blueprint from Staples for – $3.60
(1) 24″ x 36″ 1/4″ piece of plywood – $4.00
Spray Glue – $2.50 +/- (50% off with AC Moore coupon)
Mod Podge & Brush
Black craft paint & brush
2 pieces of scrap wood or pallet boards

After my stop at Staples to get my inexpensive print, I then headed to Lowe’s to get a piece of plywood. I found a 3′ x 3′ piece and then had them cut it down to my exact size of 2′ x 3′. Important note: The blueprint might not be exactly to size, so you may want to measure that first before cutting the plywood. I didn’t, but the plywood was only about 1/16″ larger and I sanded the edge with my orbital hand sander, so it fit to size.

To adhere the blueprint to the plywood, I decided on the Aleene’s Tacky Spray which I purchased at AC Moore. I was thrilled with their products that I tried out last year, and thankfully this spray glue worked like a charm!

To stick the blueprint to the plywood, I started at the top edge and sprayed a thin, even coat of glue, just like spray paint, from one side to the other side. Then lined up the corner of the blueprint to the corner of the plywood.

Once the top edge of the print was on, I continued to add the glue in small sections – again spraying from one side to the other.

Once the blueprint was fully on the plywood, I added a coat of Mod Podge to protect the paper surface. I applied the MP from side to side just like the spray glue.

I didn’t forget the sides – it’s a must so the paper doesn’t rip or curl.

Almost done, but I have to admit there were some wrinkly spots once the Mod Podge dried…

Oops, I thought I adhered the blueprint so well. No worries, I then got out my handy-dandy orbital sander and sanded the edges and top surface of the print. I also added in a few “wear marks” to give the sign a distressed look.

Almost finished… to complete the look and to hide the plywood side, I used a black craft paint and painted the 4 edges of the sign.

The sign is complete…

…but wait, we’ve gotta mount & hang it! To give the sign some depth and importance (plus it was slightly bowed because the plywood is thin), I added two vertical pallet pieces to the back. Using short nails with a small head, I hammered them through the sign into the pallets. Then added picture hooks and wire.

Then it was really done!

So fun, So easy, and less than $10 – you can’t beat awesome, personalized wall decor like that!

Autumn Mantel

Written by Jenna on September 14, 2012. Posted in Autumn, Decorating, DIY. 13 Comments on Autumn Mantel

I’ve been loving the cool temps over the past few days, have you? For me, there’s no transition time once September hits. A switch goes off in my head that says “Fall, Fall, Fall”. Thankfully I haven’t dug out the sweaters yet, BUT I did gather some decor for my newest mantel for the coming season.

Autumn is almost here and after sharing a fun roundup of Fall Fireplace Mantels earlier this week, I’m ready to reveal mine. But before we begin, I have a confession to make… I never showed you my summer mantel. I had great intentions to, but it never happened. No worries, because for Fall I didn’t change much and basically the reasoning is that I just love it. This years Autumn Mantel isn’t overly “themed” and actually isn’t really “fallish”. Basically I kept it simple and added a few festive elements. Take a look…

The change from my Summer mantel to now wasn’t that different or difficult. Since you didn’t see the Summer mantel, this is what it looked like. With the addition of the starfish for the warm months and the simple switchout to pumpkins and ghords for Fall, the mantel was updated in minutes.

I have to say, I’m really happy with the simplicity and monochromatic look of this year’s Fall Mantel. For this mantel, I shopped my home for everything, except one piece – the tall white jar. I had been on the search for something like it and when I saw this beautiful pierced ginger jar at TJ Maxx a few months, I snagged it up – it was attractive and for under $20 it was a must-have! It’s height and detail bring so much character to the mantel. Don’t ya think?!

All the other elements in this Fall decor were seen in last years mantel or were someplace else around the house. The white pumkpins were a great score last year and weren’t always white. If you recall, this is what I did…

It’s amazing what a little white craft paint can do!

In continuing my simple white aesthetic, I spray painted the candle stick white as well. In my other mantels, it was brass, but not anymore. Continuing, my estate sale found mason jars are still filled with lentils and beautiful, bumpy, bright orange ghords were added throughout. I had to add some color. right?!

Those tall glass jars are killer – loved them since the day I bought them which was a gazzillion years ago (more like 10+) from Crate and Barrel. Ya gotta love the Crate!

The birds are another recent find that I purchased at a local home store. They are dark brown, similar to the mantel color and almost blend right in, but they are so cute and add a whimsical touch to the mantel decor.

I think it’s so important to add varying heights and layers when creating a mantel. Think of your mantel composition as a wave – it should go up and down as it moves across. Need more tips on mantel decor? Check out my post on How-To Decorate a Mantel. Looking at others mantels will also help inspire and give ideas. That’s where my roundup comes in handy!

Here’s the overall Fall Mantel.

You might have noticed in some of the pictures that there’s somethin’ different on the wall? Yup, that’s new. There used to be a mirror there, but that got revamped and moved to the dining area. In it’s place is a new distressed stained sign, which was easy to create and is an awesome backdrop. Want to create something similar? Here’s how…

Create a Distressed Stained Sign

1. Measure and cut lumber to the size desired (I used (3) 2″ x 12″ x 48″ pieces of pine)
2. Use (2) horizontonal pieces of lumber to secure the vertical pieces (I used (2) 2 x 4, but any size lumber would really work)
3. Distress the sign using a chain, hammer, nails, etc. to add as much or as little distressing as desired
4. Stain your sign. I used the stain that I had leftover from my staircase which was Ebony, but you can use a lighter stain depending on the depth of color you want to achieve.

Pretty simple, right?! I love how it brings height and depth to the space, yet still creates a great backdrop to the mantel decor. And against the burnt orange wall, it really makes a statement.

Simple and Chic Autumn Mantel. Yes, I’m happy 😉

Have you started your decorating for Fall yet? I’ve got my mums and ghords, and this weekend we’re headed to the apple orchard. O, do I LOVE Fall!

I link my projects to some of these parties: Skip to My Lou, Dittle Dattle, Between Naps on the Porch, Todayâ€™s Creative Blog, Stories of A to Z, All Things Heart & Home, Savvy Southern Style, House of Hepworths, Finding Fabulous, Creation Corner, The Shabby Nest, Serenity Now, Tatertots and Jello, Thrifty Decor Chick, Tip Junkie

Autumn Flowers + My Go-To Flower for Fall

Written by Jenna on September 10, 2012. Posted in Uncategorized. 10 Comments on Autumn Flowers + My Go-To Flower for Fall

This post brought to you by Scotts Miracle-Gro. All opinions are 100% mine.

As we come out of winter hibernation and start to enjoy the first warm days of Spring, my mind immediately goes to outdoor projects. I get all excited about the beautiful flowers that will start to grow and the endless days spent outside gardening and DIYing. In those beginning days, I always head to my local gardening center with my endless questions on “How do I grow this?” or “What should I do to make my flowers last throughout the Summer?”. Then when August hits and the Summer is rearing to an end, my flowers are often blah (or dead) and I think, well Fall is here and flowers don’t live through this season with the cooler evenings anyway. Boy, is that thinking WRONG!

Fall can actually be the prettiest time for your gardens because if fed and maintained the right way, flowers are at their peak. And if you introduce the right Fall-friendly flowers and feed, your flowers garden (veggie gardens too) can last well into the colder days and nights.

Miracle-Gro, one of the most well-known companies for gardening products, has a great website to help find beauty in the Fall and shares simple, fun, and achievable projects for Fall gardening. Who doesn’t love color? And the longer it lasts, the better since the heavy white stuff is right behind!

Based on the region of where you live (for example, I’m in the Northeast), gardening tips and suggestions will be made on how to maintain the color throughout the Fall season. And if you want to add some more color with new plants (for example, in my area Fall is great for mums and pansies), they’ll show you the best soil to use and the steps needed to plant them to achieve a healthy, lasting flower/plant.

I’ll be honest, I have good ideas for interiors, but I have NO GREEN THUMB – I’m definitely still learning! Though browsing the Miracle-Gro site, I really gathered alot of simple and useful tips which I can’t wait to use.

When I was at the store yesterday, I picked up a few mums (deep orange and yellow), which I might plant in the garden or replant in larger pots. They’ll stay outside for a while, and once Thanksgiving nears, I plan on bringing them indoors to create something similar to this beautiful centerpiece by Yvonne of StoneGable. What a gorgeous creation, right?!

And check out her breathtaking exterior with two vibrant yellow mums in large urns that flank the front door. Ah-Mazing!

Mums are definitely my go-to Fall flower because they look great, they’re perfect for the cool temps in the Northeast (+ many other parts of the country too), and they’re fairly inexpensive. They can easily be grouped together in a garden or planter, and add fantastic color to a garden, centerpiece, or arrangement.

Thinking about planting some mums or other Fall Flowers? Here’s the perfect combination to achieve Amazing Fall Flowers! These products will give the right amount of nutrients and moisture so you’ll have beautiful, vibrant flowers well into the coming season.

Aside from just flowers for this season, Fall is also a great time of year to plant new bulbs for the Spring, as well as trees and shrubs. Boy, do I have my work cut out for me over the next coming weeks! To get even more tips for gardening, check out the Miracle-Gro Facebook page, where you can chat with other gardeners and get tips / ideas for your flowers.

What are your favorite Fall flowers? Have you planted new bulbs in the Fall with better results than if planted in the Spring?

From Wood to White: How-To Paint Mouldings

Written by Jenna on September 6, 2012. Posted in DIY. 39 Comments on From Wood to White: How-To Paint Mouldings

If I could sum up my Summer in DIY terms, it was all about painting. From the staircase to my office chair, from the white shelves to the new blue room, I think there was 2 (or maybe even 3) weeks straight that I had a paintbrush in-hand everyday! Honestly, I’m kind of ~~sick~~ done with painting for awhile. Anyway, alot of projects got accomplished and one in particular were the oak stained wood mouldings that I painted white. All I can say is… WHAT A DIFFERENCE!

The staircase project was what did it and started the process of updating the mouldings. It’s something that I wanted to undertake for a long time, but just didn’t know where to begin. Once I started painting the stair risers and balusters, I realized that painting the trimwork wasn’t too difficult, so I just continued around the room. Even though the staircase was time consuming, the result was completely worth the effort and I knew I would feel the same way once the mouldings were finished.

To start off, I applied painters tape to the wall so only the mouldings (the areas that I wanted to paint) were exposed.

Here’s a snapshot when I painted the area around the window in the living room.

* Sidenote: My walls were already painted, but if you’re undertaking this project and your walls are NOT painted or you plan on changing the wall color, then paint the mouldings first. Believe Me, It’s much easier! So you would reverse the step I just mentioned. Paint your mouldings first and once they are dry, tape the moulding edge (or buy a moulding paint gadget), THEN paint the wall color.

okay, moving on…

Once the tape was up, I was ready to paint. Using my favorite Purdy brush, I applied one coat of Kilz Primer (I’ve heard good things about gripper primer too, but haven’t tried it yet). I didn’t bother with sanding because even though the mouldings were stained, there was no gloss or sheen to them. They were at the point of needing to be restained (to protect them) or painted (as I did). IF you’re undertaking this project and your mouldings have a gloss finish, giving them a light sand is probably a good idea.

Primer for the mouldings is really important. At one window I didn’t use it (by accident – it was late at night – you know the rest…) and you could see the orange color of the stain coming through the paint. No matter how many coats of paint I applied, the orange tint always showed. Now with primer, you may still get the orangey color, BUT when you go to apply the paint color, the orange color won’t come through because the primer will block it. Primer truly is amazing stuff!

After the one coat of primer, then it was time to paint. I continued with the paint I used for the staircase which was, Snowfall White by Benjamin Moore (thanks BM for providing the paint!).

Here’s a snapshot of the first coat of paint.

In most areas, I applied 1 coat of primer + 2 coats of paint, but in some areas I did use 3 coats. It really depended on the finish look after 2 coats.

Once the painting was complete, it was time to remove the tape. I’ll forewarn you – Don’t quickly pull off the tape because you’re freshly painted mouldings might get ruined. When the paint was dry (to the touch – it takes about 20-30 days to fully cure), I pulled off the tape and some of the paint came to. To avoid that from happening, I used an X-acto blade to score the corner of where the moulding and wall meet…

…then removed the tape.

At this point, I noticed that some of the paint bled under the painters tape – so annoying, right? I’ll tell ya, I tried lots of different ways to avoid this, but nothing worked. I even googled it, and I found nada. If you know a secret way, will you share? Until then, this is what I did that worked best.

After removing the tape, I took the wall paint color and my Purdy angled brush, and slowly dragged it down the wall where the wall and moulding meet. It worked perfectly!

And that’s about it… Not too difficult, just alittle time consuming. But believe me, the result is SO worth it. Take it room by room – that’s what I’ve done. Honestly, not all my rooms are completely finished, but most are and the result is so satisfying!

Here is the before and after of the living room…

Want to see some more?

Do you remember when I updated the door hardware? Check out how fresh it looks with the newly painted white mouldings…

And here’s one more. Do you remember the DIY built-in coat rack behind my front door? Well here it is now surrounded by freshly painted mouldings…

What a refreshing update! Well I have a few more painting projects that I worked on over the Summer that still need to be shared, so check back soon!

What painting projects did you work on this past Summer?