Piglet: “How do you spell love?” Winnie the Pooh: “You don’t spell it, you feel it” With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, this is the perfect time to show your little ones how much you love them. Whether as a parent/guardian, carer or maybe even as a grandparent, whatever your relationship with your little ones, it’s always good to find a reason to shower them with love! I feel there is no better way to celebrate this than by decorating the home with some fabulous decorations for the occasion! As usual, I went directly to Party Pieces to find something special for those loved ones in your life! No matter the shape or size of your family, I’ve put together a few little ideas below that will help you create something they’ll love. It may be something simple and understated, such as creating a little display with some pinwheels, a love balloon and some cute hearts, or something to add an extra bit of sparkle such as the rose gold runner and shiny melon-shaped tealight holders, perfect when mixed in with a cute candle holder or sweetie dish! It doesn’t even have to be that big, a few chocolate hearts popped into an organza bag, then slipped into your little ones lunch box with a little note could make all the difference to their day. Perhaps you could include your little one(s) with the decorating? There’s no better way of helping them get excited for the day than letting them join in! How about letting them join in with creating a small family meal decorated with pink pinwheels, shiny balloons, and pretty banners? After all, it’s a day for showing everybody how much you love them, so everybody should be included! Valentines Day Sweetheart Bunting All you need is a packet of plain cupcake cases, some double-sided tape and a length of ribbon in a colour of your choice – For my crafts, I used gingham satin ribbon from my craft box. Firstly, count your chocolates and take one cupcake case per chocolate. Fold each of the paper cases in half and press out flat into a semi circle. Open and pop a length of the double-sided sticky tape inside – attach the ribbon to this then repeat at regular intervals until you have used up all the paper cases. Taking another small piece of sticky tape, place onto the back of each sweet wrapper then press onto the middle of each little “flag” of the bunting. Hang up somewhere sweet for your Valentine. <3 (Another simple and easy idea for your Valentine is to stick some of these sweet hearts onto the front of a homemade Valentines Card using some blutack to ensure a sweet treat for your Valentine – again an easy craft for little ones). I hope this helps you thinking about decorating a little corner of your home for your Valentine(s), and hope it helps you make their day complete, no matter their age! Wishing you a very Happy Valentines Day. X The post Valentines Day with your Little Ones appeared first on Party Pieces Blog & Inspiration. from https://blog.partypieces.co.uk/printables/valentines/valentines-day-with-your-little-ones/
1 Comment
A reader wrote to me a few weeks ago asking about furniture makeovers and my favorite paints for those projects since I used to do a lot of those. I haven’t done so many in the past years but I did turn to an old go-to easy fix product to refurbish a bench. I’ve used spray paint before to give an old piece of furniture a new look (remember this chest and these nightstands) and it’s been almost five years since I revisited this topic so I’m back today with a refresher. The steps are still the same, and I think the products and colors have gotten even better. There’s a 5 x 5’ corner of my studio’s kitchen that fits a small table and chairs where I eat lunch and where I share coffee breaks with friends and family that stop by to visit me during the day. I’d love to have a cushioned corner bench in here someday but for now I don’t have the time or cash to invest in that so for now I decided to simply refurbished an old bench that was sitting on my balcony collecting dust.
I like to use spray paint on smaller pieces of furniture or light fixtures because I know I can get a smooth finish without brush strokes if I follow certain steps. It’s how I got this bench with chipping paint to look new again in a beautiful shade of olive green. Here’s a peek at its condition before I started, notice lots of chipped paint!
You’ll want to sand any piece with chipped paint which is what I did here: I used a coarse sanding wedge then followed it up with my orbital sander where there were stubborn spots that needed more advanced smoothing.
All spray painting needs to be done in a well ventilated area, I prefer outdoors on a semi cloudy day when the temperature is between 60 and 75 degrees. You need a totally clean surface too because moisture or debris can cause cracking or bubbling of the surface. I hosed off the bench, wiped it down, and let it dry outdoors for a few hours before I began.
The key to spray painting is thin coats! I used two cans of Krylon’s Satin Italian Olive, a thin coat all over the first round, a second thin coat in the second round, and a third light touch up, allowing an hour of drying time between coats. The spray paint guns are something I consider totally necessary, they eliminate finger cramping and help you guide the paint along the furniture for a smooth application.
If you encounter a drip here or there, use your finger to wipe it and come back later to touch it up with another light layer of spray. One of my favorite tips, any oil based paint can be easily cleaned off your hands using vegetable oil! No mineral spirits needed. :)
For an even more detailed step-by-step on spray painting furniture, see this post from five years ago, it’s the same process!
Meanwhile I’ll just enjoy my *almost free* olive green bench in my cute little breakfast nook space. Wanna come over for coffee? :) from https://centsationalstyle.com/2019/01/easy-fix-spray-painting-furniture/ Thanks for the love on the office tour last week. Several of you wrote to me about the black and white rug, how did I like it? Where did I get it?
Here’s a closer look, it’s a black and white pattern printed on an ivory background with tiny silver threads woven into it. The silver threads are hardly noticeable in pictures or in the afternoon, but during the day in natural light the silver flecks add just a touch of sparkle, I love that.
I’ve only had it for a month but so far so good. It’s thin but perfect for my space in a 5×8’ size. I don’t like to spend a lot on rugs because I find I want to swap them out after a year or two, either because they get dirty or because I get tired of the look. I can’t imagine getting tired of this one though, I love simple geometric black and white rugs, they work in SO.MANY.SPACES so here’s a bunch more to choose from.
aztec diamond / cripe handwoven black stripe (also in reverse white) / nuloom vasiliki
moroccan fringe / diamond tassel moroccan cotton shag / tribal crosshatch southwest / diamond pinstripes
. from https://centsationalstyle.com/2019/01/black-white-rug-roundup/ Happy Friday all! The weather has been incredible this week in Northern California, we’ve had sunny skies for days and there’s something so uplifting (and distracting!) about blue skies in the middle of winter. This weekend, I’m finishing up some DIY projects: a closet renovation for my daughter and a bench refurbish using one of my favorite tools – spray paint for the win. :) I’m getting ready to leave the country too, I’m flying to Sydney on Tuesday, my brother and I are doing a whirlwind tour of that amazing city and also the Gold Coast where our cousins live. I’ll share pictures on my Insta stores for sure! It’s summer down under so I’ll get to wear flip flops and tank tops for a week and feel some warm sunshine on my shoulders, can’t wait. Favorite links: So clever: this combination island & eat-in kitchen table, more images here. I’m totally crushing on the olive green cabinets in this home’s kitchen. Bedroom design “mistakes” – are you guilty? Renters: some suggestions for personalizing and adding style. Methods to assist you in starting a daily creative practice. Setouchi Islands, Frisian Island, and 50 more places to visit this year. Tips for finding the cheapest flights online. Cheap and chic: I’m using these makeup bags for gym and travel! Great advice on how to write a sympathy card. . from https://centsationalstyle.com/2019/01/weekend-reading-180/ I bought the Sodermalm armless sofa from IKEA for my little studio for the dual purpose of lounging and for styling fabrics and other upcoming projects. My friend Ingrid (who I’ve traveled with) talked me into buying this sofa, she has owned the dark gray version for five years and loves its versatility. “It seats more people than a regular sofa,” she insists, noting that if you forego the optional arms, the sofa’s ends allow for people to sit on the edges. After two months of living with it, and hosting a few groups of visitors, I have to agree with her, the style does allow for an extra amount of seating :) Like a slipper chair, the armless sofa arguably lacks the coziness of being enveloped by an upholstered arm. An armrest does serve a purpose, it frames the sofa and also acts as a support to lean upon and a place to prop up a pillow. However, I do love the look of this armless loveseat and since mine is paired with a corner piece and slipper chair on the other end, I do have that option of propping up pillows and also my head in the corner, whenever I need an afternoon break. I like the depth of the Sodermalm, but it’s a bit low, so once you settle in, you better stay awhile. It’s firm but comfortable and is great for lounging.
via coco lapine Armless sofas so have the appearance of a slimmer profile so they’re unassuming in a room. Without arms they are nice for filling a space of wall that could benefit from temporary lounging, an office, a library, a sitting room, but without arms, some might argue they lack the settle-in-and-binge-watch-a-show type of comfort.
An armless sofa on a smaller scale is also referred to as a settee or a sofette. I bought a teal blue one years ago and still own it, it’s where my son sits and plays video games from time to time with all his buddies.
If you’re in the market: more options for armless sofas! naomi sofa / soderhamn loveseat armless sofabed / wood base settee . from https://centsationalstyle.com/2019/01/armless-sofas/ In 2018 I was feeling stuck and distracted and lacking real focus. A feeling kept nagging at me, that I needed to be transplanted to a new space in order for my business and my designs to advance and grow. I’ve worked from home for ten years because I wanted to be close when my kids were little, but they’re not little anymore! They’re teenagers now so last year I started thinking about having a separate office space that belonged to only me, where I could focus and think without distraction, where I could grow and thrive in my own universe. Last November I found a studio space, took a risk, signed the lease, and decided to move forward into a new office space in 2019, one I could call my very own. I finally put the finishing touches on my new office, come on in!
I kept the palette simplified: white, black, green, and gold, I find this medley calming yet sophisticated too. There are a dozen plus plant babies in this space. Being surrounded by greenery is inspiring to me. I wanted to put a big yucca tree in the corner behind me but when I added the trio of work tables it wouldn’t fit so I settled on potted plants and wall hangers instead.
I’ve had the same desk for seven years, it’s worked well for me so there was no reason to upgrade! It proved to be the perfect size for floating in the center of the office. (I only have my laptop here for now, but in a few days I’m bringing over my desktop.)
My son helped me assemble this white leather office chair, it’s so affordable and had great reviews which is why I bought it. I agree, it’s very comfortable, the perfect desk chair for long hours sitting at a computer!
Behind the chair is my travel inspired artwork and do you spy my 2019 printable desk calendars?
I bought three of the same paulo bookshelves for the office space, they are shallow, great quality, and easy to assemble, and they’re the perfect style for this space! One hangs out on the left wall of the office, and other two on the right wall.
I’ve loved the saying, “she’s whiskey in a teacup” since I saw this framed print in a second hand shop years ago, long before Reese made if popular with her book. A woman who is classic and lovely on the outside but strong and sassy on the inside —> ha ha yep, that’s me. :)
The bamboo shades are Levolor from Lowes, cut to fit the window in the store, and much warmer than the dusty old mini blinds. I have a nice view from this space, and a lemon tree just outside!
I added a set of three Linnmon desks from IKEA to wrap around the back wall, which gives me plenty of room for office supplies, they also make great surfaces for small DIY craft projects. The gold wall grid is another new addition, it’s perfect for rotating photos or inspiration!
Remember when I wrote about my search for the perfect semi flush mount fixture? This gold space age fixture is the one I picked, I love it so much, a little bit retro but contemporary too.
You’ve seen this view before in my post about my quest for finding the perfect green. The rattan chair is a new accent, nice to have when visitors pop in during office hours.
This space was designed as a place for me to work but also to reflect the things I love, and honestly, its made me come alive again. This place stimulates my creativity, gives me greater clarity, and adds to my overall sense of happiness.
It would have been easier for me to stay in my comfort zone, to continue working from home but as previously expressed, I wasn’t growing, I wasn’t inspired, I needed something new, a fresh start!
I truly believe in life you’ve got to take risks, embrace new opportunities, and say yes to new adventures. It’s when you push yourself outside your comfort zone, that’s where the magic happens. That’s why I’m excited to be in this new space, I’ve got a feeling 2019 will be an amazing year!
I’ve listed as many sources as I can, if you have any questions for me, let me know! whitewashed wood bookshelf / x base desk / black & white rug executive office chair / rattan accent chair / semi flush mount fixture gold watering can /paint color / gold wall grid /marble stapler dry erase board / larger wall planter / small wall planters . from https://centsationalstyle.com/2019/01/new-year-new-office/ Thanks so much for the positive feedback and comments on my latest bathroom makeover! For most of you, the black and white tropical wallpaper was the big hit! When designing bathrooms, if I’m not covering the walls with tile, then I’m likely going to use wallpaper! The peel & stick varieties are easy to install and even more easily removable, so they’re great for renters or those taking their first step into the arena of wallpaper. In 2017, I rounded up some favorite removable wallpapers and the year before too. Today I’m back with more favorite patterns. If I had more spaces to decorate right now, I’d use these fresh and fabulous patterns for sure! Also below, find some sources for peel and stick wallpaper for your future reference. :)
blue & green watercolor floral parson’s paint (multiple colors) Sources for Peel & Stick Wallpaper:Etsy Vendors:
Hello friends! Hope you’re well. I’m a busy bee trying to get three big projects done before I leave for Australia in two weeks, yikes! Much to do! I’m remodeling my daughter’s closet, building some shelves for a kitchen, and finishing my office too, whew. Have you been to Target this week? Their dollar bin section is so good right now, I bought a matte black pitcher, some wire baskets, and cute faux succulents for my office. Definitely check it out! Favorite links from around the web:
The perfect combo: wood, white, and a ton of texture in this home tour. Fresh and fun: the best of Fireclay Tile: great inspiration here and here. How smart people work less and get more done. Why time passes faster as you age. Women leading the way and taking more control of the ranch industry. Clogged cities and the backlash against overtourism. Fashion find: this pink fur winter coat (wearing it in my stories today!)
I’m just putting the finishing touches on my new office, and I wanted some original art on the walls. As you know I looooove to travel and I always take a lot of pictures when I’m someplace new! Last year I visited Oahu for a week and also had weekend getaway in Maya Riviera, Mexico. I love exotic botanicals so much so I took several pictures on my trips. To remind myself of these beautiful places, I turned them into original artwork for my office using Photoshop Elements. If you’re unfamiliar with (or maybe a little intimidated by) Photoshop Elements, don’t be! Photoshop Elements is a more basic version of Photoshop CC. You can download a free trial on the Adobe website and play with the filters and tools on your own to create something original from your photographs too. Maybe you have a nice picture of your flowers blooming in summer or a nice view from a place you visited? Tweak the orignial photo and turn it into a unique piece of art! When in Mexico for a weekend, I took this picture of these giant palms (anyone know the species?), I just loved their fan like leaves. In Photoshop Elements, I isolated the palm branch with the Polygonal Lasso Tool and erased everything outside of the leaves (making the bacground white) with the Eraser Tool.
I also patched some of the leaves with the Brush and Clone Stamp tools. I copied and pasted the isolated palm branch into a new file and made it offset with a lot of white space. Then I had the new image enlarged to 16 x 20” at my local FedEx/Kinkos. Easy large scale botanical art!
I took this next photo in Oahu when I was hiking up the Pillbox trail. (Don’t miss my article on cheap ways to travel in Oahu!). I loved the perspective of the botanical in the foreground and the view of the town of Kailua and the ocean below.
I used several tools to make this new painterly version: the Cutout Filter (Filter>Artistic>Cutout) to give the photograph a painterly effect. I also used the Brush tool to eliminate the clouds and the little islands in the bay. I liked the idea of sky and ocean being one solid color, and leaving just the impressionist effect of the colors in the town and hills below. I also changed the hue of the color of the sky and the water with the Brush Tool and Color Picker tool.
This exotic flower I spied while walking around Oahu, I wish I knew what kind of flower it was (anyone know?). I love it a vivid pink but then started playing with the Note Paper Filter which totally changed it and gave it a more abstract look. After that, I used the Brush Tool to eliminate all the distraction in the background, changed the background it to a soft green with the Color Picker tool, and used the Gradient Tool to give the background an ombre effect.
Now every time I enter my office the first view is artwork I’ve created from places I’ve been. I love that so much! If you download a free trial of Photoshop Elements, open your image in the Photoshop Elements Editor Workspace, also make sure you’re working in Expert Mode to have access to all the tools. Just a word of encouragement if you’re inexperienced with Photoshop Elements, I’m totally self taught! I’ve learned everything about these filters and tools just by playing with them over time. There are many different ways to take ordinary photographs and turn them into original art with this program, so give it a try! Those of you who use PE, what are your favorite tools? Do you have any tips to share? . from https://centsationalstyle.com/2019/01/diy-travel-inspired-art-with-photoshop-elements/ One of my goals for 2019 was to spend more time making art. This wasn’t just a casual idea made on the fly, I’ve been thinking about this for months. I always feel so good when I’m channeling my inner artist, it’s therapeutic isn’t it? I think it’s connected to when we’re kids and we spent several hours a week being creative with art supplies. I decided to create a space for myself to bring this creative process back into my life. There’s a little corner of my design studio where the natural light is so perfect for this endeavor. Just outside the windows, there are pretty plants in view, and on a sunny day it’s a magical spot where the light streams in and warms this little corner of my world.
I invested in an art table, swivel stool, and a collection of art supplies to get me going. I’ve gathered acrylics and watercolor paints, markers and colored pencils, all contained in a rolling cart from Target. This is the spot where I’ll be spending several hours a week as part of my new commitment to create more art!
It got me thinking… aren’t rolling carts the best thing ever? They’re compact, versatile, and mobile and can serve so many purposes. I wrote about the IKEA Molger cart several years ago and styled it three ways: in the bathroom, in the playroom, and in the laundry room. But there are so many other ways to use rolling utility carts!
Breakfast StandWheel your coffee maker and small appliances wherever you wish to serve.
Bathroom CaddyOne of the most useful spots of all, a rolling cart can hold beauty products and towels for daily skincare.
Catchall NightstandKeep one next to the bed for magazines, your markers for doodling, and to hold your books or cup of tea.
Creative Hobby StorageHave a creative hobby? Like sewing, knitting, or crochet? Use it as your storage for your yarns and notions.
Clean Clothes EssentialsLaundry soap, cleaners, stain removers, and other cleaning products can be stored inside.
Herb GardenCooks, take a look! Use a cart for your indoor herb garden, wheel it into the sun by day and use it next to the range when you’re cooking by night.
Shoe StorageIn the entry or the closet, this cart is a great place to corral footwear!
Libation StationRoll one around the party room when hosting a soiree!
Pantry OverflowKitchen extras or essentials can overflow into this hardworking storage cart.
Plant StandSpring is coming soon! But no need to wait, use a rolling cart for all your indoor plants and succulents too.
Office SuppliesA wider cart is useful in housing a printer and bins for paperwork in your home office.
January is the season for organization, and these are so versatile, aren’t they? Here are a dozen different carts to consider for your home organization projects!
wood trolley / matte gold / raskog by ikea teal cart / gray round / chrome finish red art cart / acrylic & gold / gold wire wood and gold / rose gold / black metal square . from https://centsationalstyle.com/2019/01/creative-uses-for-rolling-carts/ |
About MeHi I am Albin Adamski from Brynrefail, I am 32 years old. I always surf web for buying antiques for home decoration. Archives
April 2019
Categories |