Drapery tricks:
I have sheers but they are way too short to hang them high. Can I add--using some type of fusing tape--some heavier fabric to them?
Heck yeah! I have done it and it's very easy -- this way you can find a fun fabric that you love that works with your room and make the drapes as long as you want.
In one of your pis it looks like a wrought iron thingy hanging in the window? Can you share about that & how you did it? If indeed it is iron hanging there?
Yes! I found those after Christmas a couple years ago -- they were supposed to be snowflakes, but I thought they could work all year. (They were $7.50 each at Pier 1!) I spray painted them black (they were gold) and hung them with fishing wire on the drapery rods.
What I *really* want to know is, how you "cured" your cat of peeing on you curtains.
Prozac. Yep. We give it to her mixed with cat food every night. It is a pain but it worked!! It's the ONLY thing that worked.
Floors:
Our laminate floors are Pergo in Santos Cherry from Home Depot. We had them install them -- if you can possibly do it yourself or have someone help you, you will save SO MUCH MONEY.
Roman shades:
Where did you purchase your shades? And what is the privacy liner? An added piece or does one of the brands come with it?
I have purchased shades at Home Depot, Lowe's and Target. The privacy liner is separate and the only place I've found them at Lowe's. I consider them a must!
Do you think spray paint would work well on regular blinds?
Yes! Go for it! If you have plastic blinds, get spray paint for plastic. The only thing you'll have to watch for is the cords/strings...you will probably have to spray paint all of it.
Where did you get your short curtain rods?
I actually cut my own. There is a little handheld tool you can get (about $10) that you can use to cut metal. Very easy to use! The wood rods I cut with my hand saw and drill a new hole in the end I cut off.
NKOTB:
I left you all hanging on this one...we met all of the NK's but Jon our senior year of high school. It was a signing at a local store and they were really going down the tubes...hanging on by a thread. Jon had already quit but they hadn't told anyone that. I asked Jordan where Jon was and he was a TOTAL jerk. It was he and Donnie that were not nice at all. Danny and Joe were perfectly lovely. :)
Painting furniture (Goodwill table):
What kind of paint did/do you use to paint furniture?
I used a satin finish in regular paint. Nothing special!
What color black did you use?
I am loving Black Suede at Home Depot right now -- doesn't have gray undertones when it's dry, which I find with others.
How long does the sanding take?
The sanding took about an hour for this project, total. Usually I am not great at sanding, but I knew this would get a lot of wear and tear, and I knew it was real wood under the finish. I still didn't get down to bare wood on most of it, but that's OK, you don't need to with a good primer.
More to come!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
March Q and A
Nursery post:
Talk to me about the Uppercase Living canvas. Did you paint it first? I need a tutorial on it b/c I have an Uppercase Living decal that says "Everything's better in pink" for my daughter's room that I've had about 6 months!!
The canvas is just canvas fabric I bought -- I hemmed the edges with hemming tape. I put the UL vinyl on and then because it was not sticking to the canvas as well as I wanted, I put a towel down and ironed over the towel very quickly. It made it just hot enough it really stuck. :)
Love this calendar! Do you know the illustrator???
The calendar is a Lang calendar. I actually bought another for his second year, I loved it so much!
Spray Paint Party:
Where do you spray paint at? And how do you keep it from getting on the grass/driveway/basement/garage?
In the summer I spray paint in the lawn (most of the time directly on the grass -- hubby hates it!) or in the garage (with the door open) on an old sheet. In the winter I do it on my large "craft" table. I put down scrap paper I get from Hobby Lobby or other stores that they use to wrap my items in. I have a fan down there and don't stick around while it dries. (Our furnace is NOT down there, if yours is, this is probably not a good idea!)
I want to paint my daughter's day bed white! It is black with dark brown wood right now. Is it usually okay to paint something so dark? IS there a spray paint "primer" ?
Yes, you can do this, it will just take a lot of spray paint! Sometimes it's just better to paint with a roller, because you'll have to buy so many cans! And yes, there is spray primer. I've used it and really like it.
Where do you find all of your $1.00 spray paint? Have you found a cheap place for the "metal" looking spray (copper, silver, brass colored)
I have found it at Lowe's, Home Depot and Walmart. You have to look -- it's usually on the bottom shelf. :) There are only usually white and black in flat and glossy. Sometimes I see red or brown as well. I have not found a cheaper metal version -- but I think at Lowe's they are about $3 to $4.
Talk to me about the Uppercase Living canvas. Did you paint it first? I need a tutorial on it b/c I have an Uppercase Living decal that says "Everything's better in pink" for my daughter's room that I've had about 6 months!!
The canvas is just canvas fabric I bought -- I hemmed the edges with hemming tape. I put the UL vinyl on and then because it was not sticking to the canvas as well as I wanted, I put a towel down and ironed over the towel very quickly. It made it just hot enough it really stuck. :)
Love this calendar! Do you know the illustrator???
The calendar is a Lang calendar. I actually bought another for his second year, I loved it so much!
Spray Paint Party:
Where do you spray paint at? And how do you keep it from getting on the grass/driveway/basement/garage?
In the summer I spray paint in the lawn (most of the time directly on the grass -- hubby hates it!) or in the garage (with the door open) on an old sheet. In the winter I do it on my large "craft" table. I put down scrap paper I get from Hobby Lobby or other stores that they use to wrap my items in. I have a fan down there and don't stick around while it dries. (Our furnace is NOT down there, if yours is, this is probably not a good idea!)
I want to paint my daughter's day bed white! It is black with dark brown wood right now. Is it usually okay to paint something so dark? IS there a spray paint "primer" ?
Yes, you can do this, it will just take a lot of spray paint! Sometimes it's just better to paint with a roller, because you'll have to buy so many cans! And yes, there is spray primer. I've used it and really like it.
Where do you find all of your $1.00 spray paint? Have you found a cheap place for the "metal" looking spray (copper, silver, brass colored)
I have found it at Lowe's, Home Depot and Walmart. You have to look -- it's usually on the bottom shelf. :) There are only usually white and black in flat and glossy. Sometimes I see red or brown as well. I have not found a cheaper metal version -- but I think at Lowe's they are about $3 to $4.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
3/18/09
Jennifer asked: I was wondering where you go to find nice fonts?
I use this on the floors: (Dirt Devil)
And I've heard this is great, so this will be an upcoming purchase: (Kurv vacuum)
I said: I just use what ever is on our computer, then play with it by italicizing it, making it bold, etc. I know there are sites where you can download some for free though...my friend Amber offered a few:
1001fonts.com
Dafont.com
Dafont.com
google "free fonts"
Pamela asked: Random question: I saw you have three cats. I only have two and I feel like am surrounded with cat hair. How do you deal with all that hair? My biggest problems are hair on the furniture, hair on the bottom of curtains, and hair on my dark laminate wood floor. I was also wondering where you keep the litter box. My cats seem to track litter throughout my house so I looking for a better way to deal with too.
I said: Oh yesssss...we have lots o' hair. First of all -- my Dyson saves the day many times. I use the attachments to vacuum the furniture a lot. I love that vacuum so much, it makes it FUN to vacuum a couple times a week, which is usually what I do in our downstairs areas. The curtains haven't been as bad for us lately because I moved some things around so the cats have more room to walk past them. There was only really one problem spot we had with this and now they have enough room and don't cover them with hair. But when I need to -- the Dyson sucks it right off. The dark laminate flooring -- I am WITH YOU! It drives me nuts. For in between the Dyson, I use these on the sofas:
I use this on the floors: (Dirt Devil)
And I've heard this is great, so this will be an upcoming purchase: (Kurv vacuum)
As far as litter boxes -- we have three, one for each cat. Two are in the basement and one is in my son's bathroom because that cat has "pee issues" -- she stays there at night most nights just in case. We use a lot of the little litter-trap pads by the boxes and they really help.
Molding questions answered!
Jennifer asked: I found some interesting molding at Michael's - of all places - in the wood section. I'm thinking about using it to make picture frames, but I wanted to get your take on what kind of tools to purchase. I've got nada. What do you suggest?
I said: Jennifer, you could just get away with some good glue and a miter box/saw. You'll need the box for sure to make the angled cuts. If you glue the ends together to form the frame, you'll just need to tape them for a while to make sure it holds. Depending on how thick the molding is, you can just nail into the edge to hold it together too. If you can send me a picture of it, that would help!
Sarah asked: If you have to spackle/putty it - don't you have to paint over that?
I said: Well...most people would, but I don't when I use this type of molding. ;) After you putty it, don't use a sander -- use a Mr. Clean eraser or a wet paper towel to get the putty off and make it smooth. If your corners are decent and you are just covering the nail holes and corners, you won't even notice the white putty. You'll just have to eye it to decide.
Catherine asked: Sarah, can you use the miter box and saw for trim for windows?
I said: Heck yeah! You can use it on just about any molding -- ias long as it fits in the box. It will just take more work to cut it. A fun tip I use is spraying the saw with WD40 or a silicon-type spray so it cuts through easier. Go for it!
Marty asked: We have those awful rounded corners on all our walls and so far I haven't found anyone to help me with how to address that problem. Any ideas?
I said: If you want to add molding, like a chair rail, it shouldn't be a problem! You'll just have to add a finished edge to the molding, to cap it off. Does that make sense? You just use a little cut of the molding to finish it off, and unfortunately, it's too hard to explain here. You'd have to ask someone how to do it in "real" life. :)
I said: Jennifer, you could just get away with some good glue and a miter box/saw. You'll need the box for sure to make the angled cuts. If you glue the ends together to form the frame, you'll just need to tape them for a while to make sure it holds. Depending on how thick the molding is, you can just nail into the edge to hold it together too. If you can send me a picture of it, that would help!
Sarah asked: If you have to spackle/putty it - don't you have to paint over that?
I said: Well...most people would, but I don't when I use this type of molding. ;) After you putty it, don't use a sander -- use a Mr. Clean eraser or a wet paper towel to get the putty off and make it smooth. If your corners are decent and you are just covering the nail holes and corners, you won't even notice the white putty. You'll just have to eye it to decide.
Catherine asked: Sarah, can you use the miter box and saw for trim for windows?
I said: Heck yeah! You can use it on just about any molding -- ias long as it fits in the box. It will just take more work to cut it. A fun tip I use is spraying the saw with WD40 or a silicon-type spray so it cuts through easier. Go for it!
Marty asked: We have those awful rounded corners on all our walls and so far I haven't found anyone to help me with how to address that problem. Any ideas?
I said: If you want to add molding, like a chair rail, it shouldn't be a problem! You'll just have to add a finished edge to the molding, to cap it off. Does that make sense? You just use a little cut of the molding to finish it off, and unfortunately, it's too hard to explain here. You'd have to ask someone how to do it in "real" life. :)
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
2-24-09
Corrie asked: Can I ask your favorite place to eat in NY? Headed there soon. Love the paint.
Me: We have two favorites -- the one in the pic is actually Chevy's, a chain restaurant. We don't have one near us and we never go to NYC without eating there. It's in Times Square, off 42nd I believe. Our other favorite is Da Nico in Little Italy. A-mazing!!!!! Oh, I forgot one more -- Roxy Deli in Times Square, on Broadway. The biggest, most amazing cheesecake you'll ever eat. The staff is awful, but that's part of the gig at this place. Not nice servers, amazing food. You can't go wrong pretty much ANYWHERE in NYC!! Have fun!
Elizabeth asked: What a great office! Is it also for crafts, or do you have an uncarpeted place for that?
Me: Thanks Elizabeth! I don't do many crafts in here. All my supplies are in the basement and I lug them up and do most of them in the kitchen. :)
Bonnie asked: LOVE the color! What is the Behr name for it?
Me: I do too! It's actually a Sherwin Williams color, called Fired Brick. I took the chip to HD and had them color match it.
Ursula asked: I must say that Bear looks beautiful......also, please tell me 1. where you got that picture of the Statue of Liberty in France (I am from NYC and would love to have a print of that!) and 2. where oh where did you find the stylin' Kleenex box? thanks much!
Me: That print was from a site called http://www.barewalls.com/ -- but if you can't find it there anymore, try just searching for it. The Kleenex box was from a rare trip to WalMart! Hate that place but they have good Kleenex! Ha!
Sunday, February 22, 2009
2-22-09
Colleen asked: We have a 1940's cottage, hardwood floors. The house came w/o floor boards/base boards. I'd like to put some in, and have some nice simple 1940's choices. But I am not sure how to attach it to our plaster/cement/hard as rock walls so it stays put and without buying a pneumatic nail gun or jack hammer or laser gun. Thanks!
Me: You could definitely glue them on, easily. Get a caulk gun for a couple bucks and good glue to go in it. Put a few beads of the glue on the back and press it on. It should hold almost immediately. The other option is renting a nail gun -- they are VERY easy to use and this is probably the best option. I would ask somebody at the store about your walls to make sure the nail gun will work. Good luck!
Sherri asked: Paint, Paint and more Paint. I would love to know what you use to paint some of your projects? Spray paint? Tried that myself and it doesn't like me much! Then again it was my first try at it.
Me: I use a lot of spray paint! For furniture, I always use a foam roller and regular can paint though. The trick with spray paint is you have to use short, quick bursts. Avoid holding the trigger down and going back and forth with it. Do it lightly, quickly and do three or four coats. If you get drips, you can usually wipe them away while wet and just spray right over them. Most places have ONE DOLLAR spray paint (you just have to look for it -- in white and black) that works GREAT. Make sure it says it dries quickly though, or an easy project can turn into two days.
Dawn asked: My question is I see on a lot of blogs and magazine pictures all the beautiful banners people hang from their mantles for the holidays. How do you hang these so you don't do anything permanent to the mantle that you would see once the banner is removed? Thanks.
Me: I use thumb tacks! I hammered them in underneath the mantel, so you can't see the hole. Then I wrapped the greenery around the tack a few times. I also use cup hooks all over the house -- on my stairs, I use cup hooks screwed in under the railing to hold the greenery where I want it.
Cakescraps asked: We may be moving back into our old house (long story!) that has a HUGE greatroom. Living/Kitchen/Dining greatroom, with cathedral ceilings. THere is also a fireplace smack dab in the middle of the dining and living area..not IN either area, but in between. I always had trouble decorating in the 'great room' deal, b/c it felt SO BIG and open and non-cozy. Any suggestions on how to cozy it up some? How can I make the fireplace not look so out of place?
Me: WOW it sounds wonderful! My first thought is -- can you send me a picture? :) It would help to see the style of the house. But if it is a big fireplace, you can go big with accessories. Big chunky candlesticks, vases, baskets, decorative boxes, etc. Also, I know mirrors are the easiest and cheapest way to fill in the space above a mantel, but I am not a big fan of them there. The reflection turns into your art -- and that "art" is your ceiling, ceiling fan, light fixture... the ugliest parts of your room! Believe me, I have used them over fireplaces myself a few times...been there!! Try something different though -- a large clock, or a big iron piece would work great. Hope that helps! If I can see a pic, I can probably help more.
Keep them coming ladies!
Me: You could definitely glue them on, easily. Get a caulk gun for a couple bucks and good glue to go in it. Put a few beads of the glue on the back and press it on. It should hold almost immediately. The other option is renting a nail gun -- they are VERY easy to use and this is probably the best option. I would ask somebody at the store about your walls to make sure the nail gun will work. Good luck!
Sherri asked: Paint, Paint and more Paint. I would love to know what you use to paint some of your projects? Spray paint? Tried that myself and it doesn't like me much! Then again it was my first try at it.
Me: I use a lot of spray paint! For furniture, I always use a foam roller and regular can paint though. The trick with spray paint is you have to use short, quick bursts. Avoid holding the trigger down and going back and forth with it. Do it lightly, quickly and do three or four coats. If you get drips, you can usually wipe them away while wet and just spray right over them. Most places have ONE DOLLAR spray paint (you just have to look for it -- in white and black) that works GREAT. Make sure it says it dries quickly though, or an easy project can turn into two days.
Dawn asked: My question is I see on a lot of blogs and magazine pictures all the beautiful banners people hang from their mantles for the holidays. How do you hang these so you don't do anything permanent to the mantle that you would see once the banner is removed? Thanks.
Me: I use thumb tacks! I hammered them in underneath the mantel, so you can't see the hole. Then I wrapped the greenery around the tack a few times. I also use cup hooks all over the house -- on my stairs, I use cup hooks screwed in under the railing to hold the greenery where I want it.
Cakescraps asked: We may be moving back into our old house (long story!) that has a HUGE greatroom. Living/Kitchen/Dining greatroom, with cathedral ceilings. THere is also a fireplace smack dab in the middle of the dining and living area..not IN either area, but in between. I always had trouble decorating in the 'great room' deal, b/c it felt SO BIG and open and non-cozy. Any suggestions on how to cozy it up some? How can I make the fireplace not look so out of place?
Me: WOW it sounds wonderful! My first thought is -- can you send me a picture? :) It would help to see the style of the house. But if it is a big fireplace, you can go big with accessories. Big chunky candlesticks, vases, baskets, decorative boxes, etc. Also, I know mirrors are the easiest and cheapest way to fill in the space above a mantel, but I am not a big fan of them there. The reflection turns into your art -- and that "art" is your ceiling, ceiling fan, light fixture... the ugliest parts of your room! Believe me, I have used them over fireplaces myself a few times...been there!! Try something different though -- a large clock, or a big iron piece would work great. Hope that helps! If I can see a pic, I can probably help more.
Keep them coming ladies!
Your questions answered!
Welcome to my blog dedicated just to your questions and my answers!
Here are some of the oldies:
Sav: YES, shelving sounds like a great option! If you have a more modern space, try the floating shelves. If it's more traditional, try the molding shelves. Try layering some framed pics on all of them, it will be a nice distraction from the TV! (Just don't make it too busy.)
Jen: Ohhh, that fabric for my roman shades was from the shop I work for. We have two shops as well as the decorating end of it, and the owner gets A-mazing fabric "short ends" that are a steal. I found the fabric in one of the fabric books once and it was something like $160 a yard or something crazy like that. I can't even remember the brand of fabric now! Sorry!!
Anonymous: You are freakin' kidding me with this, because your exact question is my next project!! Shannon over at Bless our Nest posted the same project she did just as I was thinking about doing it -- she hung the fabric very high and it looks great. YES, I would do it, even with a shorter shower, go for it. I bet hubby will be wrong-O! :) I hope to finish mine this weekend.
Knittingknirvana: Good question! First of all, you have to live in your house while you are in it. Your husband's comment is not the first time I've heard it. But you can't live in your home like you're about to sell it...unless you are about to sell it!! It will take two gallons of paint and a few hours to cover up chocolate walls when you do move someday. I disagree with that notion about resale anyway. Someone may walk in and fall in LOVE with your chocolate bathroom!! My husband loves what I do 99 percent of the time. If he doesn't like it, I don't do it, because it's so rare that he has the opposite view as me. :) I think it would be hard if you both have strong opinions -- just tell him I'm the tie-breaker!!
Here are some of the oldies:
Sav: YES, shelving sounds like a great option! If you have a more modern space, try the floating shelves. If it's more traditional, try the molding shelves. Try layering some framed pics on all of them, it will be a nice distraction from the TV! (Just don't make it too busy.)
Jen: Ohhh, that fabric for my roman shades was from the shop I work for. We have two shops as well as the decorating end of it, and the owner gets A-mazing fabric "short ends" that are a steal. I found the fabric in one of the fabric books once and it was something like $160 a yard or something crazy like that. I can't even remember the brand of fabric now! Sorry!!
Anonymous: You are freakin' kidding me with this, because your exact question is my next project!! Shannon over at Bless our Nest posted the same project she did just as I was thinking about doing it -- she hung the fabric very high and it looks great. YES, I would do it, even with a shorter shower, go for it. I bet hubby will be wrong-O! :) I hope to finish mine this weekend.
Knittingknirvana: Good question! First of all, you have to live in your house while you are in it. Your husband's comment is not the first time I've heard it. But you can't live in your home like you're about to sell it...unless you are about to sell it!! It will take two gallons of paint and a few hours to cover up chocolate walls when you do move someday. I disagree with that notion about resale anyway. Someone may walk in and fall in LOVE with your chocolate bathroom!! My husband loves what I do 99 percent of the time. If he doesn't like it, I don't do it, because it's so rare that he has the opposite view as me. :) I think it would be hard if you both have strong opinions -- just tell him I'm the tie-breaker!!
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