Roxie's Friday Quote 9.28.12

Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.
- Harriet Tubman

 

Have a great weekend.

Pretty Patterns: Chevron

It's that time ya'll. The kids are on the corner waiting for the school bus, leaves are turning all shades of brown, orange and burgundy, and every grocery store as far as the eye can see is stocked with bags and bags of candy. That's right, Halloween is on it's way and people are beginning to decorate their homes with pumpkins, ghosts and ghouls. If that is not your speed you can still get the spirit in your house (no pun intended) by adding color and pattern reminiscent of Halloween like Chevron.

 

This strong, graphic, zigzag pattern reminds me of carved pumpkins especially when it's used on an orange pillow or vase. If you want to warm up your home and have a little fun without going totally Halloween consider Chevron. You don't need to invest in big pieces, just add a few throw pillows to the sofa  or toss a chevron shawl across a chair. In a rich shade of russet or dramatic black and white, it's a great way to get the feel of fall and Halloween without breaking the bank. Here are a few pieces that might inspire you. 

1. Amazon.com
2. Overstock.com
3. Overstock.com
4. Lamps Plus
5. Fabric.com
6. Amazon.com
7. Z Gallerie
8. Fabric.com
9. Lamps Plus
10. Fabric.com

Let the holiday season begin.

Painted tray

I love the look of painted trays almost as much as I like woven baskets. They are the coolest way to keep things neat and organized and add a bit of style to boot. They are fun to use on a table or ottoman and are great to hold bills or papers on a desk. They come in a multitude of colors, shapes, sizes and styles but if you are into making things your own you can find a plain one at a thrift or discount store that you can then paint or embellish to suit your own personal style. 

I found this tray tucked way in the back on the bottom shelf at my local Homegoods store. It was a bit beat up but for $7 I didn't care. All of the scratches would be covered up anyway with a couple coats of spray paint. I've painted a tray before a bright red but this time I wanted to go a bit more neutral so I could use it in multiple rooms. 

This was a very simple project, but to start I roughed up the surface a bit with a piece of sandpaper so that it would accept the primer. I followed with a couple of coats of Rustoleum's Painters Choice spray paint in Dark Gray.  

 I decided I wanted the inside to be ivory so I taped of the top edges and along the handle side so that the ivory paint would not seep through. I wanted the inside of the handle to be ivory so that you could see it from the outside of the tray and it would look like an accent. I followed up with a couple of coats of gloss top coat to protect it.

Here is the final tray.

Roxie's Friday Quote 9.21.12

Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony. 

- Mahatma Gandhi

        

Have a great weekend.

Thriftstore Thursday

I went on my weekly hunt for bargains at the thrift store and came across this beautiful ice blue antique bubble glass bottle for $6.95. Often I will spot something unique but may walk around and think if I should really buy it. Not this time. I immediately decided this beauty was coming home with me having no idea what to do with it. It stands about 22" tall with the stopper and is about 5" in diameter. It does not have any markings on it so I would love to learn the history of these types of bottles. 

For now I'll just set it on the table and let it look pretty.

I love my weekly trips to the thrift store because you just never know what you will come across. 

Mosaic Pot 2

I wrote last week about my first mosaic pot. The second pot I made is a little different. Just as before I began by sealing the pot with a mixture of white glue and water. After drying I used high gloss black paint around the rim making sure to also paint the inside of the rim because you will see the inside of the pot. Next I smashed bright red ceramic tile for the body of the pot and used small white pebbles as an accent. I also added a row of black tile across the bottom and the top underneath the rim. As with the first pot I used construction adhesive for outdoor projects to glue the pieces because it's very secure. 

Next wearing a rubber glove I used sanded grout to fill in all the spaces. I used a sponge to spread the grout all around the pot and began to wipe down the tile making sure to rinse out the sponge several times.  Remember, do not pour the dirty water down the drain because you will damage your pipes. You will need to pour it outside. I followed with a damp cloth to clean off the tile.  

Once the grout dried I cleaned any residue off the tiles and as much as I could off the pebbles. The next day after the grout was completely dried  I touched up the rim of the pot with high gloss black paint. I finished by adding sealer to the grout lines and  spray paint sealer along the rim.

Here is the pot after cleaning up the grout and touching up the paint. 

I had fun making the pots but now it's time to start another mosaic project. Since summer is almost over I may turn my sites to something different. 

Bathroom Reveal

It's finally complete. I have dragged this out long enough and I am ready to show off my bathroom. I had to work with a limited budget but believed if I can get the basics right I can always build from there.  Here is a before picture...

...and here is the after.

     

This was a difficult project because I had a limited budget and as we got into it I realized it  wasn't large enough. To compensate I had to sacrifice on some things but was fortunate to find a few bargins. We stripped the shower down to the studs and found mold. There was no insulation or water barrier and the bottom half of the wall was not tile, but paneling. It was disgusting and a disaster. The replacement of the shower took up more of my resources than I wanted but it absolutely had to be done. We put up a moisture barrier, insulated and replaced the drywall with cement board. No more water damage for me.  

 

For the shower we installed 6x6 ceramic tile in a brick pattern with a glass/stainless steel/marble accent strip. Next we took up the old black tile floor and replaced it with a 12 x 12 porcelain tile floor. We painted the walls gray, added a semi-frameless door from Arizona Shower doors and installed a new Kohler toilet. 

The big hurdle was what to do with the vanity. I couldn't decide if I should replace the entire vanity or just the top. My money started to run low so I decided to keep the vanity.  

Thankfully I got super lucky when I found this beautiful 6 ft marble counter top for $35 at the Habitat Restore.

We cut it down to fit the existing vanity and it turned out perfect. 

We used the leftover marble to create a backsplash, installed a Kohler sink and finished with a beautiful chrome faucet and mirror which was made from a picture frame.                                          

I added new towel bars, a light over the vanity, hung a little artwork and called this project complete.

This bathroom is in a neutral gray and anything will go  with the tile I selected. It would be easy for me or anyone else to change the look or feel of the room with new towels and a can of paint. There are still a few things I want to do, such as replace the door and I need to have a new electrical outlet installed both of which will be done soon enough. 

I've wanted to redo my bathroom for years because I knew it was in bad shape. When my contractor, and my friend, said we are all done I squealed with joy. No really, ask him, I squealed. 

That's all she wrote. Now on to the next project.

Thrisftstore Thursday - Decorative Apothecary Jars

This weekend the Salvation Army Thriftstore was having a 50% off knick-knack sales. This is my favorite time to shop. It's amazing how much more attractive an item can be when it's half off an already cheap price. Half off takes it from so-so to no way am I passing up on this deal. One of my favorite things to purchase is apothecary jars. They come in so many different sizes there always a ton of things you can do with them. I have them all over my house so I thought I would pass on a few ideas on how to use them. Here are five decorative uses for apothecary jars

Try adding colorful seashells. I got these at the dollar store for a dollar a bag. 

Plain white seashells are timeless and classy.

Who doesn't have a bag of glass pebbles. If not, buy a bag that matches your decor. They're only a few bucks, come in a wide array of colors and can be found at any craft store. 

Also try a little potpourri. Again, get a color that matches your decor so you can change it out by the season. 

Don't forget simple beach pebbles. Remember the stones Erica collected off the beach in Something's Gotta Give.

Tip: When adding glass pebbles or shells it's not necessary to fill up the whole jar. I place a small diameter glass in the middle of the jar and just fill around it. No one will ever see it and it certainly costs less than filling the whole jar. If you don't have a glass, a water bottle works just as well. 

Do you have Apothecary jars around your house. How do you use them?

Time to Redo the Living Room

I had planned to make the living room one of the last rooms I did in the house but I feel I can't wait that long. It's the first room you and your guests see when entering your home and it should be the most inviting. Since the day I moved in I have been decorating almost every room with autumn shades like rust, brown, amber and beige. I eventually realized that I had allowed the color of my red oak dining room set to dictate the color of my living and dining rooms because I kept trying to match it. No more. The last few years I've started to get a little bored with it and thought about a space that's more relaxing and softer. I fell in love with the rooms featured at this post about gray rooms because they represent the feeling of what I want to bring to my living room. I want to lighten it up and make it more airy almost coastal. I'll call it urban coastal. Now I am not one for fancy decorator talk but what I am trying to describe is a space that is light and airy with hits of warm accents. Here is my living room as it is today...

   and this is the direction I want to go in....

                         1.                                        2.                               3.

     4.                                                                                                              5.                                  6.

1. Overstock.com
2. Fabric.com
3. Fabric.com
4. Lumber Liquidators
5. Fabric.com
6. Target

I'm sure I will switch out the fabrics and paint chips until I settle on something definite. I also want to reuse as much of what I already own so I will not buy much if any new furniture. My dining table and hutch has a red oak finish and I have a couple of end tables that have a similar finish. I also have an ivory table that I want to change up a bit. The big  change will be replacing the carpet. I am way to embarrassed to show you how dirty it is, but I've given up on carpet for my living room and have opted to go with hardwood. I really wanted a darker walnut finish but because Roxie, my blond haired Pug, sheds so much I fear I would constantly chase little balls of dog hair because they would be much more visible on the dark floor. Who has energy for that so light wood is the way to go. 

My goal is to take this palette and build on it doing as much as I can myself, reuse most of what I already own and for what I don't own, hunt for bargains. Like I always say, free or next to nothing is my price range. This is just the beginning and who knows where I'll end up. 

Mosaic Pot 1

I am pretty much into all things creative. One of my recent interests is mosaics. I don't know when or why I became interested in mosaics but I think it was because of how it related to my love of quilts. A lot of the same principles of quilting can be found with mosaics. In designing a mosaic you have to choose a medium such as glass tile, broken dishes, ceramics or less common materials like mirror or wood. You have to decide how to lay it out, how to construct or adhere it, what colors to use, how big to make it and what you will use it for. These are all considerations used when making a quilt. What I like most about mosaics is that precision isn't necessary unless you want it to be. I personally prefer the randomness of most mosaics and the fact that they are not always perfect which makes them one of a kind. 

I began making mosaic stepping stones which I have scattered throughout the yard. The daisies were made using a combination of golden broken dishes for the background, glass mosaic tile for the stems and leaves, white ceramic wall tile for the petals and glass pebbles for the center. The second stepping stone was white ceramic and colored mosaic wall tile. 

                                         

 The Blue stepping stone was made out of broken dishes and blue ceramic wall tile.

The last two were made with stained glass mosaic tile using classic Nine Patch and Trip Around the World quilt patterns.  

Lately I've had a thing for mosaic flower pots. The fist few I made were horrible and were promptly tossed into the trash but I have since improved. Unfortunately the photos I have showing how I pieced them together are missing so I will have to describe it. 

Before I started I painted the rim with two coats of green acrylic paint. On the inside of the pot I created a sealer by mixing white glue with a little water. There are all kinds of sealers on the market you can use but glue and water should work fine.  I like to have a top and a bottom and fill in the middle so I added a row of black cermaic tile along the bottom and underneath the rim. Next I drew the flowers on the pot in random order and size so that I would have a guide for placing the tiles. I chose to make the first pot out of 4 x 4  glazed ceramic wall tile. Using a floor tile cutter I cut strips of white and beige tile and then cut them in random lengths.  Next I nipped the tiles to taper it on one end and round it on the other. I used glass pebbles to make the center of the flowers. Next I glued down the petals and then filled in with dark and light blue broken tiles. I will share with you what I learned about breaking tile another day. I prefer to use construction adhesive made especially for out door projects because once it dries the tile won't budge. Once tile has set for a day I filled in the spaces with premixed grout. First tip: If you are going to do a lot of pots it's worth it to mix your own. The premixed is more expensive and one small tub will only grout about three large pots. 

Here is a picture of the pot before adding the grout.

Wearing rubber gloves to protect my hands I grabbed a handful of grout and spread it all over the pot working the grout into all the crevices.

Next I took a wet sponge and wiped all round the pot rinsing the sponge often. Second tip: I used sanded grout but next time I will try un-sanded. The sanded is messier and harder to clean. 

After the grout has dried I used a damp towel and continued to wipe the grout off the tiles. Last tip: DO NOT POUR THE USED WATER DOWN THE DRAIN. You Have to pour it outside because you will damage your pipes.

Once the grout has set and cured for a couple of days I used grout sealer to seal it and used spray paint sealer to protect the painted rim.

That's all there is to it. This is the first mosaic pot I made (successfully) and I am quite proud of it. I am in the middle of another which I will show once finished. 

Pot number two coming soon.