Decorative Halloween Crafts – Part Two

Decorating a pumpkin with buttons can look cute, and you can save the buttons to use the next year. Choose buttons of assorted size that are in fall colors, you probably even have enough buttons around the house for this if you do any sewing. You can either hot glue the buttons onto the pumpkin, or you can thread wire through the button holes and spear the wire into the pumpkin. You can go for a random look, or you can arrange the buttons into a face.

There are lots of types of wrapped candy that comes in Halloween style wrappers. Buy an assortment of this type of candy, and simply staple the ends of the wrappers together to make a long garland for decorating. These can look very cute wound around stair railings, displayed on tables, or displayed on mantles.

Spray painting pumpkins with metallic paint can look fun and different. If you want to make these pumpkins even more dazzling, try sprinkling glitter or confetti onto the pumpkins when the paint is still wet. After the paint is totally dry, use a black marker to draw on faces. Display as a table centerpiece with orange candy next to it in clear jars.
Replacing the lights on your porch with orange bulbs can give your porch a festive feel, especially if you display lots of lit pumpkins on the porch too.

I hope these ideas help with your Halloween decorating this year!

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Looking Up

I love old buildings! I love the craftsmanship that went into making a building beautiful. I admire the intricacy in the moldings and trim. I'm amazed at the ornate detail in things as small as an elevator button. And one thing that I'm attracted to is the old tin ceilings. It astounds me that such detail and design was put into something that you would have look upward to notice. It is because of my admiration of the design of ceiling tins that I have manged to acquire a collection of them. I use tins all throughout my home.

I have old, authentic ones.

(The crown molding and the shelf
are made using ceiling tin)(We cut apart a tin to make the four small squares)

I have reproductions too.

Aahhh, the beauty of a ceiling tins!

Decorative Halloween Crafts – Part One

It is already time to start decorating for Halloween! Here are some fun crafts you can make for a very low cost to decorate your house.

Buy three small pumpkins of increasing size. Clip the stems off of the two larger pumpkins. Find a decorative vase with a mouth wide enough to set the largest pumpkin in. Next, stack the two smaller pumpkins on top, with the smallest pumpkin on top. You can also place fall leaves between the pumpkins.

A large bowl of small pumpkins with fresh leaves and berries added into the mix can look very nice as a centerpiece. If you fill the bowl halfway with water before putting the items in, you can keep pieces of leaves and vines alive for awhile in the water. If you want to go more simple, don’t add water and use pressed fall leaves instead of fresh leaves.

It can look very cute to cut a hole in the top of a medium sized pumpkin, remove the pulp, and fill it with water to use as a vase. Use your pumpkin vase to display fall colored flowers.
Chocolate oranges can serve as a treat and as a decoration. Just cut pieces of black electrical tape into triangles or other shapes to make pumpkin eyes, noses, and mouths. Then, roll electrical tape into a thick piece to use as a stem to put on top of the chocolate orange. Display them until Halloween is over, then enjoy them as treats!

Bottled lemon-line and orange soda can be turned into Halloween decorations in just a few minutes. You can simply use a black marker to draw pumpkin faces on them, or other scary faces.

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Where's My Head?

Oh dear! I totally forgot
to pass some more fun info on to you.
(I apologize Heather!)
Heather has a wonderful tutorial on her blog BeTasseled.
Now, with last weeks post and this one,
you have even more tassel making inspiration.
What are you waiting for?
Go make a tassel.

Ooooo La La!

Most people Spring clean. I Fall build. I don't know what it is about the Fall, but I suddenly get the urge to build items for my home. I'm not sure if it's the nesting instinct left over from having my last three children born in the Fall months. Or if it's the desire to have a nice home for the holidays. Or maybe, I no longer feel the need to work on outside projects, so I can devote my time and energy to the inside of my home. Whatever the reason, I have the urge to Fall build.
And so it was on Saturday.

I went into my garage and found an old door
that I bought months ago at a thrift store.(You see those french doors? I have plans for them too.
Won't they look great on a garden shed?
That project will have to wait until next Spring)

My trusty assistant (aka: hubby) cut the door in half,
leaving the vintage doorknob,
and reattaching the hinges.In the meantime, I sanded some metal legs
that we bought months ago
at that big blue box store that sells Swedish furniture.
The legs needed to be sanded
in preparation for their makeover.Then I primed them with a good primer.Next came a few coats of satin black.I sanded the door where there were chips and dings.

The sanding uncovered a few layers of paint.When the legs were dry,
we screwed them onto the door.

And voila! A beautiful desk was born! Don't those legs give it a French flair?It looks a bit like a grown up version of the tray
from my previous post.
I'm enjoying the combination of cream and black lately.
This beauty is going to find it's way
into the master bedroom.
I think I'm feeling a bedroom makeover coming on!

Indoor Plants for Decorating - Part Two

If you want a plant that can survive for up to a year without watering try the Ponytail Palm. This amazing plant won't tolerate being watered unless the soil has completely dried out first. This plant does require lots of light, and even does well in direct light. This palm has a thick trunk with lots of long ribbon like leaves growing out of it, it looks a little bit like, just as the name suggests, a ponytail.

Amaryllis is especially pretty in yellow, called golden goddess. The flowers are a soft yellow color and trumpet shaped. The flowers are huge, they can be up to seven inches wide on 20 inch stems. This flower is grown from a bulb. This plant likes bright indirect light and should be watered infrequently, only when soil dries out. It grows to a height of 20 inches. It should be planted in early to late winter.

Aspidistra are very low maintenance. In fact, they have the nick name the “cast iron plant” because they are so tough. This plant has tall wide leaves that taper off at the ends. This plant will tolerate wet soil, drought, extremely dim light, and temperatures as cold as 28 degrees.
Boston Ferns do well in a humid bathroom. They have lots of frilly light green leaves that hang down below the pot, and for this reason they look wonderful hanging. They need indirect light to do really well, although they will survive in dim locations too.

Pothos vine is another very popular houseplant. It likes bright but indirect light. It will tolerate direct light, but the leaves won’t look at pretty. These plants are every easy to maintain. It is best to keep the soil moist. This plant does well as a hanging plant, because the vine will grow quite long and look nice.

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Q and A and Tray Chic

Thank you all for your sweet comments about my chair. You've made me excited to start on it's makeover. I just need to find the right fabric. I know the color is "in" but, the vinyl has a few holes in it so it needs to be redone.

Hooray! Some of you asked questions on the last post. And for those of you who've asked me questions on older posts (the dollar frame project, etc.), I'm just getting caught up, so be patient with me.

Q: Jenn asked about painting her chandelier. I tried to email you Jenn, but the info was wrong so I'm answering you here.
A: If your chandelier does not have a really shiny/glossy finish you should be able to spray paint it without any problems. If it has a mat finish, like my lamp did, &/or feels a little rough when you touch it, the paint should adhere just fine.
If it has a really shiny/glossy finish, you'll want to sand it first with a medium grit paper. You just need a light sanding. Then, to be safe you should prime it with a primer made for metal, before you spray paint it. Because it's not going to get a lot of wear, these steps are enough.
I like using Rustoleum brand paint in a satin finish. I like the sheen of a satin. Then if you lightly spray a metallic over it, it will really have a warm finish. Be sure to keep a good distance when you spray the metallic. You only want a dusting of color.

Q: Rambling Girl asked if there were any tutorials on how to make tassels.
A: Elise at Nest Sweet Nest did a tutorial on tassel making. I heard about it from Darlene at Darlene's Days. She's made a few cute ones too.

Q: Sue asked how I come up with so many ideas. Am I working on something all the time?
A: I am happiest when I'm creating. And I AM working on something all of the time. Once I tried to write down all of the things that I wanted to accomplish in my home. It was SEVERAL pages long! I made the mistake of counting each thing and figuring out how long it would take if I did one each day. It was overwhelming! Now I just try to do the ideas that excite me most each day. It's more fun for me, although it frustrates my family. One of my sons jokingly refers to our house as "The house of unfinished dreams" because I have so many ideas and not enough time to do them all.

Q: Runner Mom asked if I upholster too.
A: I've recovered chairs, and made slipcovers, but my thrift chair would be my first big upholstery project.

Q: Carla asked what color and brand of brown spray paint I like.
A: I used Rustoleum's Espresso in satin for this project. I think that it's a nice brown.

Now, I can't leave you for the entire weekend without something fun.

I bought a very large tray at the thrift store. It was rather plain and was stained an orangish color.

I sanded it and primed it.I spray painted it Heirloom White
and sanded the edges for a distressed look.I added some retro hardware that I'd sprayed black
with a bronze metallic dusting.I spray painted four finials.And "ABRACADABRA!"
Those pretty finials are now fancy legs.Then just to make it "tres chic",
I added some fleur de lis rub on decals.It's not a plain tray anymore!

Indoor Plants for Decorating

Plants can really bring life into a room. They look great and can be very easy to maintain. The trick is knowing which ones are easy to maintain so you don't have to put much time into them.

Cacti can be wonderful for decorating. They require almost no attention and they look quite interesting. They can be purchased in pots with several types for a varied look. Cacti do like bright light and won't do well in a dark area. They do well and look great in windowsills. They should not be watered very often.

Chamaedorea Palms are elegant and exotic looking. They can grow up to six feet tall and really add a tropical look to your home. They do like bright indirect light and won't do well if they don't get it. They don't need a lot of water; they should be watered only when the soil gets very dry. These plants look perfect as accent pieces in corners.

Chinese evergreens are a plant that likes low light. They can even survive with just a reading light. The leaves are a beautiful silver gray mixed with dark green. The soil needs to dry out totally between waterings. This plant likes warm areas and won't do well if the temperature is below 45 degrees.
Braided Ficus Trees are very popular for indoor use. The leaves are dark green and the stems twine together in a pretty way. They are several feet tall, so they can really be a nice decorating piece. These trees do well with low light or bright indirect light. The soil should be kept moist.

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I'm Back, I'm Catching Up, And I'm Crazy?!?

Hoooray! We're up and running again.

And if you think I accomplished creatively, wonderful things yesterday... I'm sorry to disappoint you. I did manage to catch up on a little laundry though. Speaking of catching up, I want to thank those of you who have passed along awards to me. I really appreciate your thoughtfulness! For those of you who've tagged me and want me to list weird or random facts, I've decided instead...(oh, you know I'm a rule breaker!) ...to spend a post answering questions. Hopefully, you won't be bored! Feel free to ask about painting, decorating or past projects. And just to get you started, Darlene asked: Are the forks [on the fork rack] sturdy enough to hang things besides keys? The answer is: Yes. I've hung jackets on it. But I wouldn't hang my ten pound purse on it.

Now, I want you to see one of my latest
thrift store finds. As I stood in the thrift store,
I thought I heard it call to me:
"Joy, buy me please!
I'm only ten dollars.
You know you have a soft spot for wing back chairs.
Look at the detail on my legs.
I'm unusual. And you like the unusual.
I'd look great spray painted.
I'd be pretty easy to reupholster.
Please don't leave me here.
I want to go home with you!" Now I'm beginning to question,
WAS I CRAZY? OR WHAT?

Improving Cabinets on a Budget

Repainting cabinet doors can make them look much better. You can also add some simple wood trim to flat cabinet doors to change their style. These are easy fixes that shouldn't take you more than a weekend, and they are also very inexpensive.

You will need 1/4 inch MDF, woodfiller, fine sandpaper, paint and a paintbrush, a screwdriver, a tape measure, a hammer, a nail punch, and a scraper.

First, take the cabinet doors off of the cabinets using a screwdriver. Remove the handles from the cabinet doors next. Now measure the cabinet doors so you'll know what size your MDF needs to be. You will want the MDF to border the cabinet doors in approximately two inch strips, but you may want more or less depending on what looks right with the size of your cabinet doors or drawer faces. You want two strips of MDF to run vertically on each side of the door all the way from top to bottom. Then, you want two strips to run horizontally at the top and bottom between the two vertical strips. You may want to take the trips to be cut by an expert, so you can get the precise cuts that you will need. Attach the MDF to the front of the cabinet doors with panel pins and a hammer. Use woodfiller to cover the holes when you're done. After the woodfiller is dry, sand the surface until smooth.

Now you are ready to paint the cabinet doors. You will probably need two coats of paint. After they are dry, reattach the handles and hang the doors again.

If you don't have flat cabinets to begin with, you can still paint your cabinets and refresh them. You can paint the inner panel a different color than the outer trim and paint the kitchen walls to match the inner color. This can look pretty cool.

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Internet Frustrations

Hi my friends!
I am experiencing internet difficulties.
ARRRRGH!
I'm posting this at my husband's work.
I didn't want you to think I forgot you.
The internet company tells me someone should be out by tomorrow.
Silly internet!
Don't we all have a love/hate relationship with it?
And what good is a computer without it?
I mean, how many games of spider solitare can you play
before boredom sets in?
I'm off to find another creative outlet for today.
For those of you who've asked me questions,
I promise I'll get to you as soon as I can.

Make a Framed Fall Decoration

This is a simple project that will not take long. It will add Fall spirit to your home, and you can use it year after year.

First, you need a frame. This part is totally up to you. Choose a frame that matches the other frames in the room where you want to display this decoration.

Next, you need some colored paper to put inside the frame. It can look cool to select paper that is the exact same color as your wall. If you do this, it will give the illusion of the leaves and writing (this will make sense soon) being in between layers of glass. I like this look, I think it makes the decoration look more expensive.

Now, print a message on the paper, leaving at least 3/4 of the paper free for fall leaves. The message can be as simple as "welcome", an inspirational quote you like, or anything else really. You can use your computer and printer if you want, or you can hand write or paint the message.

The last step is to take some bright Fall leaves and glue or tape them to the paper. The arrangement of the leaves is up to you. When you're done insert the paper into the frame and your project is now complete.

You can prop the frame on an entry table or coffee table, hang it on the front door, set it on an easel, or hang it on the wall. Remember to use it next year too!

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Stick a Fork In It

This cute little display hangs in the hall to my kitchen,

right between two doors that lead out of the house.

I wish I could take credit for making the coat hanger.
Our niece and her husband made it
and gave it to us for Christmas a few years ago.
Isn't it wonderful?They bought the forks at the thrift store
and used reclaimed wood from an old fence.
(I can take credit
for making the picture hanging above it.)

Decorating with White

Decorating with white is very easy. It is hard to go wrong when decorating with white. The only risk you take is that your home will look boring. You definitely won't have people looking at your home thinking that you made awful choices.

The color white makes most people think of purity. White is also the color of winter of course, and it can make people think of snow in nature. White is a bright color that makes rooms look larger. It is great to use white in a room that is too dark, white does a good job of making rooms feel brighter.

It can be nice to decorate with white because it can be used with any other color. White makes other colors seem to stand out. Too much white in an already bright room can be overbearing. Too much white can also seem clinical, and lack personality.
White and blue is a common color theme seen in kitchens. This color combination looks very fresh and clean. Several different shades of white can be used together to add depth and interest, this can been a very bright and cozy look. White can be used easily with brighter shades of color if you want to go with a bolder look. Often, people who are renting their homes are stuck with white walls. These people can make their homes look much brighter just with the use of colorful furniture or accent pieces. This can create a modern look.

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AaAaAa Collection

Remember the old Lay's potato chip commercial,

"Nobody can eat just one"?
Yeah, that's how I am
about something that I like in home decor.
I can't have just one!
I HAVE to have a collection.
That's the way it is with my monogram art.
I couldn't have just one letter A.
I MUST HAVE MANY!
All around my house.
One in my bedroom.One in the family room.And in the kitchen.One in the computer room.
(Yes, we named a room after an inanimate object)In the hall.Even on the front door.And several in the living room.(I have even more A's, but you get the picture.)

And I fear that after showing you how to make this:You have now started your own collection.
After all, nobody can have just one!

Decorating with Black

Black can be a tricky color to decorate with. You want to make sure not to go overboard, or you’ll end up making your home look gothic. But, using a little black can really add emphasis to certain areas of a room, and depth to others.

The color black can look very sophisticated. Black is thought to be a stabilizing and strengthening color. It is said to make people feel more authoritative and powerful.

Black works as an accent color for almost any other color. Black can really be used anywhere, it just needs to be used in moderation. Black is an easy accent color to use. Furniture that is black is an easy way to incorporate this color into your decorating. The color black makes other colors look more striking. It is not a very good wall color, even for just an accent wall.
Black looks good with almost any other color, but the safest combination is probably black and tan. This combination looks classic and it will never go out of style. The nice thing about this color scheme is you can add accent pillows and a few other accent pieces that you can easily switch out with others seasonally, or just on a whim. If you want to go with a bold look, that is very easy to achieve when decorating with black. Black and red can look very striking together, but just be sure to use another neutral color too, so that your theme doesn’t look too dark. I really like black when it is used with a light to medium green. For instance, green walls with black a chair rail and trim would look nice. You wouldn’t want to go with this color scheme in a room without much light though.

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A Sign of Fall

I felt the urge to add to my fall decorations. I wanted a little sign that spelled FALL. I decided to take an old idea of mine and tweak it a bit. Please forgive the idea rerun. But, if you're like I am, you probably need to see something a few times before you decide to jump in and craft it. So here's your second chance!

First, I found a piece of scrap wood. If you don't have a garage full like I do, then the best place to look is in the big home improvement stores. Go to the back of the store where they cut wood for customers. Oftentimes,
they have scrap pieces of wood for really cheap.
They'll even cut it down to size for free.
Or if there is building or remodeling in your neighbor,
ask the builders if you can have a scrap or two.Next, I printed out the word to fit my wood.
I placed the printed word under the canvas/duck type fabric and copied over it using a paint marker.
To make it easier to see through,
I placed it on my light box,
but you could use a window.Then I cut the piece of fabric to size
and frayed the edges.I painted my wood block.
I used a spray paint color called Honey.
When the paint was dry,
I sanded and stained the edges. You may even choose to adhere a cute piece of scrapbook paper to the front side
(as I did the first time).
Next, I attached the fabric to the wood
using upholstery tacks. Then I embellished my sign with ribbon and a metal leaf.And there you have another sign that fall is here!

Decorating with Brown

Decorating with shades of brown and tan is very safe and has a classy look. It is probably easier to decorate with brown tones than with any other colors. If you don't like to take risks with your decorating, brown would be a good color to start with.

Brown is a warm color that makes people feel safe and comfortable. Brown is neutral and won't clash with other colors, which makes is very easy to use. Brown is of course a very natural color, which humans have been surrounded by in nature for ages. Brown is classic and will always look good, no matter what other trends are happening.
If you want to use brown shades, but you want your theme to have a little more interest, make sure you use varying shades of brown to offer contrast. Chocolate brown looks great with light tan for example. Make sure you don't use too much dark brown unless the room you are decorating is well lit. If there is not very good lighting in a room, try painting the walls a light tan, and use dark brown for your accent pieces.

If you want to use brown shades with other colors there are several combinations that look beautiful. Blue looks very nice with brown, it is a very classic color combination that it is hard to go wrong with. Yellow can look very natural and nice with brown. This combination looks very warm and inviting. Red looks great with brown too for a more exciting look.

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A Little Known Condition

I have a condition.

I don't talk about it much, but it affects every aspect of my life. I've decided that it's time to bring this abnormality out in the open and, even perhaps, to embrace it.

I am a tweaker!

Yes, I tweak constantly.

If you've known me for very long, you may have already noticed, but you are kind and politely overlooked my disability.

Here is evidence of my tweaking condition.
Before tweaking:And after: Before: After:Before: After:Before:After:Before:After:Before:After:

I try to control my compulsiveness to tweak. Although it is difficult for me to sit still for very long before I give into the urge. I try to allow it to manifest itself only within the confines of my own home. When I am in another person's home it is sometimes difficult to keep this condition under control. It is possible---if I clasp my hands and tweak only in my thoughts. I think that blogging has actually worsened the condition because I study photos of my home on the computer and then go on a tweaking binge. I've learned that it is feasible to live with this condition. However, it is sometimes difficult for family members to live with a tweaker. My family has accepted my abnormality, and has learned to tolerate it. I love my family for their willingness to live under such conditions.

Yes, I am a tweaker!
Are you a tweaker too?
(And yes, I've tweaked this post a few times too!)