3/23/2015

Living Room Before and After


Alright, I'm callin' it. After several years of trial and error, the living room area is finished! Ready for a little reveal tour?modern eclectic living room makeover
Here's how the living room area looked a few years back when we bought our house. It's a perfectly nice little living room and I'm sure many folks would be happy to have a space like this. But over the years our style, needs, and (let's be honest), budget have grown and this space along with it.

The first big change we made was addressing our need for a TV entertainment center, something that would fill the wall space and provide functional storage. I found a cool pair of vintage shelves on Craigslist and Jesse morphed them into this amazing wall unit.
modern eclectic living room makeover
Last summer, we hit the estate sale Holy Grail when we found an imitation Eames lounge chair and ottoman. I always laugh when a guest sits in that chair for the first time. It's usually something like, "Whoa! This chair is comfortable!" and I can tell by their big eyes and surprised tone they probably want to add "I thought it was just a goofy looking chair!"  It's not in the best shape, so I'd love to have it cleaned up and re-upholstered some day. Or maybe invest in the real deal. Someday. Until the basement rec is finished, this is our main hang out space, so nothing is too expensive or precious for two big dogs and a four year old to enjoy.
modern eclectic living room makeover

modern eclectic living room makeover
After we added the lounge chair and ottoman, I struggled with what to do for a coffee table. Oh man, I struggled. I tried the black planter (see it in the corner?) turned over as a table, the original upholstered ottoman, a wooden toy chest, and a vintage coffee table we had stored in the basement. Eventually, I decided the vintage table would work but it was too long. So, naturally, I took it apart and Jesse used trimmed it down using a table saw. Unfortunately, cutting it revealed the top to be made of particle board, so instead of messing with new veneer and stain, I slapped a few coats of glossy white spray paint on it and "dipped" the legs with gold acrylic paint. I finished the top with two coats of clear poly-acrylic spray to prevent chips.
modern eclectic living room makeoverThe sofa probably isn't what I'd buy today mainly because I don't like how the cushions are all attached. No flipping them over for even wear. I think my dream sofa would be an impractical teal velvet chesterfield. I made all of the toss pillows, including a couple from an upcycled serape blanket. I think I've made roughly two million toss pillows over the years. 
modern eclectic living room makeover
The rest of the living room additions and changes are really just things we've collected from estate sales and thrift stores. A few of my particular favorites are the brass tension pole lamp that I painted black and the mid-century hobby painting I found a few weeks ago. I'm always drooling over the options on One King's Lane, so I about fell over when I found this one. 
modern eclectic living room makeover

modern eclectic living room makeover

modern eclectic living room makeover
I love this space so, so much. I feel like it really captures our love of old and new finds, creative projects and elbow grease. If home is where the heart is, this is definitely home. 


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3/14/2015

The ONE Thing You NEED to Pack for Disney


Travel writing isn't really my niche, but we are heading to Disney World in a few weeks (yaassss, vacation!!!) and since I've been there a bunch of times and basically lived there for six months during an internship, I thought I might have a tip or two worth sharing(?) So, I will get right to my first tip, which is the one thing you need to bring if you visit Disney World and why. Drum roll please....
The One Thing You Need to Pack For Disney
You must bring a RAIN JACKET!!! Yeah, I know, it seems like a silly thing, but hear me out.   
It rains at Disney World. A lot. In my experience, long gloomy days are rare, however, frequent short downpours can happen several times throughout the day. So you and everyone in your party needs to bring a good rain jacket. Now, let's talk about what a "good" rain jacket means, and a couple tips on buying. Brace yourself while I put on my "outdoorsy gal" hat and get a smidge technical. Here is a photo of the Marmot jacket I'm taking to Disney World. 
packing a rain jacket for disney
This rain jacket is made of lightweight, breathable, waterproof material and has taped (waterproof) seams. Breathable means the high tech fabric the jacket is made of keeps water droplets out, but lets water vapor escape. So, during a downpour on a hot day, the jacket sheds rain while allowing your sweat vapor to escape, keeping you comfortable and dry. 

Good Rain Jacket:
- breathable, waterproof fabric
- taped seams for extra waterproof-ness
- lightweight and pack-able.
- zippered, waterproof pockets
- hood
- durable
- reusable
- spendy (there are ways around this, we'll get to that in a minute)

Let's compare these features to the yellow or clear plastic ponchos available everywhere at Disney World.

Park Rain Poncho 
- Non-breathable plastic, which means you'll get all sweaty under there
- Awkward arm flappy things, water still gets in if you lift up your arms.
- no pockets
- hood
- can rip or tear easily
- disposable
- inexpensive

Now, about the budget. Brand new quality jackets are spendy and will set you back about sixty for kids and a hundred plus for adults. Yikes. I know. However, if you plan ahead, used jackets are widely available for both kids and adults. Personally, I plan to wait for a big kids consignment sale that starts next week to look for B's jacket. If I don't find one there, I'll check ebay or poshmark, and as last resort, I'll buy one brand new. Jackets for the whole family will definitely add to the budget but, to me, rain jackets that will keep everyone more comfortable and can also be worn at home, are a worthwhile investment. For sure. 

So, tell me what you think about this post. Good info? Boring? Stick to Home Decor? Or would you be interested in reading more travel related tips once in a while?

UPDATE 3.17.15: I went to the consignment sale last night and hit the jackpot! I found this great Lands End kids rain jacket in B's size for only five bucks! It has taped seams, a hood, pockets, and he'll be able to use it all season, not just for Disney World. Woot!
Why you need a rain jacket for Disney world

3/08/2015

DIY Felt iPad or Tablet Case


Two posts in one weekend?! It must be the warm weather because I've been all kinds of productive. During B's nap today, I made this smart lookin' iPad sleeve in about an hour (including snapping photos). I'm not too keen on the protective case we have, but there's nothing wrong with it so buying a new one would be silly. Instead, I made a new felt sleeve using supplies I had on hand, including a leftover button from B's chalkboard towel (they come in packages of two). So, really, it was practically free and super simple. If you can cut a piece of felt and use a needle and thread, you can make this sleeve!
easy diy felt ipad sleeve - sewing tutorialSupplies:
Black elastic
Wood buttons
Black thread
Felt - I found a yard of high quality wool felt at a thrift store a while back. Seriously, you never know what you'll find while thriftin'!
How to make a felt ipad or tablet case
How to make a felt ipad or tablet case
1. Measure and cut a 22" x 9" piece of gray felt, then fold it over about two thirds, making a "pocket" for your iPad or tablet.

2. Machine stitch along the edges with black thread. If you don't have a machine, a simple hand sewn blanket stitch along the edges would look great, too!
How to make a felt ipad or tablet case
3. Cut a 22" piece of black elastic, fold it in half, position the ends in the middle and use a needle and thread to sew in place.

4. Sew a wood button over the elastic ends.
DIY felt iPad or Tablet CaseDIY felt iPad or Tablet Case

DIY felt iPad or Tablet Case

3/07/2015

Patent Drawing Art - Plus Free Download!


I've been working on B's room and I'm so close to calling it finished! We bought a gorgeous wool rug a few days ago, and this weekend, Jesse helped me put together this little wall art project using patent drawings. The drawings were FREE and easy to locate because of a handy dandy Google tool that searches the U.S. Patent Office archives. Patent drawings are available for just about everything, so you could do sets for cycling enthusiasts, furniture fanatics, rock climbers...so many possibilities!
Woodworking Patent Drawing Art - Free Download
Supplies:
Patent Drawings (free downloads below) printed on 11 x 17 paper
Three pieces of 1/2 inch plywood cut to 12 x 18
Spray adheseve, I used Elmer's Multi-purpose Craft Bond
Picture hanging kit (optional)

First, I found patent drawings for three common woodworking tools: a coping saw, a hand plane and a set of chisels.  Once I had the images I did some very basic photo editing to remove a couple of black lines, straighten and re-size them. I printed them on 11 x 17 paper, but the drawings I formatted would also work on 8.5 x 11.
Woodworking Patent Drawing Art - Free Download
Jesse cut three plywood pieces and lightly sanded the edges to remove any splinters. Then, he used a forstner bit to drill two holes about two inches apart, followed by a dovetail router bit to carve out the center to make a notch for the wall screw to grab. He likes to get all fancy with the woodwork, but you could just use a picture hanging kit, too. Nothin' wrong with that. 
Woodworking Patent Drawing Art - Free Download
I used Elmer's Craft Bond to adhere the drawings to the plywood. The adhesive is repositionable for the first minute or so and dries to a permanent hold. I recommend using it on the floor with a towel or something spread underneath because the over spray is kind of a paint to clean up.
Woodworking Patent Drawing Art - Free Download



Woodworking Patent Drawing Art - Free Download
I love, love, love these and can't wait to hang them above the book ledges in B's room! If you are feeling crafty and want to try this yourself, I've turned the coping sawhand plane and chisels into free downloads. Just click the links and enjoy!  Not feeling super crafty, but still want a set of these? I'll make a set and ship it straight to ya, just visit my newly opened Etsy shop!


3/05/2015

Thrifted Mirror Gallery Wall


The natural lighting in our house is not so great. The main reason is because we have two giant maple trees, one in the backyard and one in the front. I'm not complaining, they are beautiful old trees that keep the house shaded during the summer, and I'm sure a bunch of happy squirrel and bird families live in them, but they also make the house a bit dark. 
thrifted mirror gallery wall
So, last summer, I started looking into ways to add more light and it turns out one trick is to add mirrors. Lots of mirrors. Mirrors everywhere!  Oh, and you read that right. I started this project forever ago, but wasn't happy with the results, so I abandoned it. You'll see why in a minute.
We have a long boring wall across from our picture window so thought it would be a good spot for a bunch of mirrors to hang out and reflect light. Sorry, I like puns. Anyways, I started by gathering some thrift store mirrors and laying them out on the floor to play with the configuration. Juno tried her best to help, as usual!  
thrifted mirror gallery wall
Then I taped and sprayed the mirrors with white semi-gloss paint and primer. Once the paint was dried, we centered and hung them on the wall. Here's what the first attempt looked like. Not enough mirrors. The gallery looked okay in tight or medium photos but in wide shots, it fell flat. To me, anyways. So I abandoned it until I could find and paint another mirror or two. 
mirror gallery wall from thrifted mirrors
A couple months down the road, we relocated a mirror from B's room to the wall, which filled in some of the extra space. There's not a ton of difference between the first and second attempt, but I think adding the plants and accessories to the top of the entertainment unit helped, too. 
mirror gallery wall from thrifted mirrors
mirror gallery wall from thrifted mirrors


The white frames and mirrors definitely reflect a lot of light from the picture window, so I'm pretty happy with it. I'm wondering, do you have lots of windows? Or a dark house? How do you add sunshine?
And, just for funsies, a little mirror selfie. Hey there!

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