Easiest Curtain Makeover. Ever.

As you may know, I have been giving my dining room quite the makeover these days. I'd say pretty much EVERY last thing has either been painted or replaced in some form or another. There has been one thing I was able to hold onto, thankfully...my burlap curtains (see the post where I made them here). However, I felt like they could use a lil' somethin'. I had JUST the thing, and didn't even realize it! When I made my sister a sign recently  for her birthday, I had picked up some of that cute decorative tape at Michaels - it's used for trim accents, and found in the stencil aisle. I fell in love with the shade of blue when I saw it. It's a very familiar shade of blue...like EXACTLY the color I just used to paint my china cabinet. Light bulb moment! I could use that tape and make a nice trim on my burlap curtains!

Oh my goodness, is this the easiest project in the world. If you can peel a sticker, you can add this trim to your curtains.

I wasn't sure if this tape would stick to burlap, so I ran a test...I cut a small piece and stuck it on my curtains for several days. Didn't even peel a bit. So I headed to my second home (Michaels) and picked up another 2 rolls of the tape (use those coupons! They sell these rolls for $6.99, but I used coupons on every roll, so just cost me a few bucks apiece;).

I needed a total of 3 rolls for my 4 panels. You won't use all of the 3rd roll, but you'll run short on just 2.

The tape has a bubbly cute edge, but I thought it would look better without it on my curtains, so I cut them off. Fortunately, the tape has grids on the back, so I was able to cut nice, straight lines.

I didn't even take the curtains down to do this project (told you it was the easiest thing ever!). I stood on a chair, and started peeling the sticker off, and clipped it to the clip ring. Then I just peeled the back off slowly, as I pressed the sticker down to adhere to the curtain. Like so:

Cut it at the end and that's IT.

So there you have it. The easiest way on earth to add a little punch to your curtains.

But wait! I did one more thing to the curtains...Anyone insanely observant figure it out?

Hint: it involves spray paint. (I know, you must be SHOCKED! ;)

I'll show you a before picture:

Sorry for the blurry pic. Not sure what happened there, but that's all I got;)

I decided that curtain rod and rings had to get a coat of white too. They just seemed to stick out like sore thumbs against all the updated, white furniture.

So I took them down, headed outside, and gave everything (even the thingamajigs that were secured to the wall) some spray paint lovin'.

And what used to look like this...

Now looks like this...

So for a can of spray paint and some tape, I gave my burlap curtains a little makeover. There are tons of decorative tapes out there - all different colors and prints...so if you have some curtains that could use a little something extra, head on over to Michaels and check it out!


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End of the Year Teacher Gifts

I'm sorry I was holding out on you with a Teacher Gift Idea, but you see, my preschooler's teachers read my blog (Hi, C and R!;), so I had to wait. Her last day was today, so here you go...hopefully it's not too late;)

My daughter has two (AWESOME) teachers. I did a little research and asked one of the other teachers that I know, if she had any idea what colors the teachers had in their homes. I didn't want to go all bright and yellow for someone who loves neutrals, nor did I want to go all neutral on someone who loves lots of colors, know what I mean? So she helped me out, saying that one had blues and would probably like more neutral things, while it'd be safe to go brighter with the other teacher. I decided to go with my new favorite quickie gift idea - stamps and pretty paper:) I picked up some frames and scrapbook paper, and decided on the quote "to teach is to touch a life forever" to stamp on the paper. (See this post for the tutorial).

 Then I wanted to make them sisal vases and fill with fresh flowers. After I did my blog post on the one I made for my mom, her teachers commented that they thought it was very cool, so I thought, PERFECT! Then the day before the last day of school, one teacher shows me pictures on her phone of the sisal vase she just made for herself! Uh oh! So I still went ahead and made one for the other teacher, and decided to spray paint a large mason jar for the one who made the sisal vase. I used my favorite spray paint ever, Krylon Ocean Breeze. Just a few quick coats - literally, takes 5 minutes - let it dry and done.

Check out the sisal vase before:

I have a collection of old glasses just for this kind of thing - I'm pretty sure this was an old spaghetti sauce jar!
Some sisal rope, hot glue, and here it is now...

I was hoping my hydrangeas would cooperate and be large enough to fill these vases, but they're just starting to bloom.

So there's the scoop on the teacher gifts this year! Hope you can find something useful for the special teacher(s) in your child's life!



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Exciting Family Room News!

Oh, I've got some BIG news, people! If you follow me on Facebook, you might have seen my status about my date night with Paul this past weekend. I wrote about how we discussed making some changes with our home (I know, a guy who likes to talk about this kinda stuff - I picked a winner, right?!). It all started with our monster sectional breaking (oh, DARN! -sense sarcasm). The hook that attaches the chaise part completely broke off - it's happened before, but Paul's been able to reattach it, but this time it's shot. So we started talking...and it was my husband - not me, shockingly enough - who suggested knocking down the wall between the family room and office! This got me SO excited, and I instantly started reconfiguring furniture, what I'd need to get rid of (most of it;), what could stay (aka: get painted), what was going on Craigslist pronto. You'd think, since we're such a family room kinda family (we don't have a living room, so this is our main place to hang), it would be decorated exactly as I'd like, but not the case. It's probably my least favorite room right now, so the thought of a makeover put me over the moon! You see, when we moved in here 6 years ago, I had a different "look" with my decor. I was into the deep golds, maroons, greens. And nothing is wrong with those colors, in fact, my house always felt very warm and cozy to me, but our tastes tend to change after a while. Now I'm more into the neutral walls, different pieces of furniture that you have to hunt for and can paint an awesome, unexpected color. And bright. Lots of bright. Kinda Exactly like this room:

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 This is MY DREAM family room. Yet, what we have now looks more like this...

 Not quite on the same page, are they?!

If you've followed ND for a while, you know I've been updating our home, first by working on the kitchen. (Which, by the way, still working on some finishing touches, which is why I haven't done a full reveal yet;)

And then there was the dining room. (Almost done that one too;)

Now we're headed in the family room direction, and I could use your help. I'm reaching out to YOU, my fabulous readers, to give me your input...I'm going to show some pics of our existing family room and office, and see how YOU would design it. I've got some ideas up my sleeve that I will share, but I'm oh-so-curious to hear what ideas you come up with. We spend a great deal of time in our office (my hubs blogs too!), so we have to incorporate a mini-office in the space, not just a huge family room. Ok, I'm going to shut up now and get on with the pics....

Perfect example of the 2 worlds colliding...if I'm sitting in my family room, I'm staring at the bright, white dining room, and AQUA china cabinet!

Here's the view of the chairs, which are on your right when you walk in the room. I'm thinking of a small couch or loveseat under the window, with some small end tables on the sides.

This is taken from my favorite corner of the couch. So. Much. Brown.

This entire space has driven me batty since Day 1. The fireplace (which we'll be selling), has always been a thorn in my side (you may have seen those posts on how I despise/can't decorate that 3 inch space I have to work with under the tv). And since there's no room for the DVD player and cable box, we have that (again, BROWN) table, next to the (BROWN) leather chair. I'm thinking a longer, lower dresser for under the tv, one that will house the two boxes.

View from the entry...See how that gold striped chair juts out? Do you agree a small sofa/loveseat would be better there?

 Here she is. My navy monster. She's been so good to us, but it's time to let her go. As odd as it sounds, I'll be sad when we replace that couch. So many memories of the kids, so many milk stains...
That gallery wall is the one that will be taken down. My vision is a sofa with a small chaise along the wall where that left lamp is hanging. That way we can still have that awesomely comfy corner, but not chop the room in half. Or maybe a sofa along the wall, and a chair facing where the main part of the navy monster is facing (like in my DREAM family room pic above;). I've already decided I'm going the white or natural slipcovered route. I know, I know, what the heck is a mom of a 5, 4, and almost 3 year old thinking with a light couch?! But I've read blogger upon blogger (who are moms of young kids and SWEAR they "live" on their couch, feet up, snacks eaten on, etc.), and they not only love them, but recommend them. I mean, what's better than getting to wash your couch?! And the ones who have white say it's so great, because you can bleach them too, and no harm done. This is what I have in mind...

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Ok, now that I've flooded you with family room pics, let's move onto the office...Here's what you see when you enter the room:

The left desk is Paul's, and the one on the right is mine. That's the other side of the family room, so that wall will be gone.

Another shot of the wall that will be taken down.

There's a closet in the corner, which I have been envisioning as a mini office for me. Take a look at some eye candy I've pinned...

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Oh. My. Word. I LOVE.

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Great idea, right?

And since we use the heck out of our office, one desk would not be enough, especially with the kids growing up, needing computers for homework, etc. I'm thinking the other desk could be incorporated into the room, like it is on my favorite show, Parenthood:

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That's kind of what I mean about the chaise too - maybe not that big though? But see the desk along the wall, with shelving? I like it. Here's another cute desk idea that would definitely NOT be offensive to look at in a family room:

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WHEW! That was a lot of pictures! So to recap:
1. wall gone
2. TV stays, fireplace gone and replaced with long dresser/piece of furniture. Maybe painted a fun color?!
3. small sofa/loveseat under window, and get rid of chairs.
4. main couch with chaise under stairs, or couch under stairs and chair next to it.
5. desk in closet
6. small desk with lots of shelving for Paul

I'm dying to know...what do YOU think? Anything you'd do differently that I hadn't thought of? I'd love your input!



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Monogrammed Tray from Old Cookie Sheet

What's with me and cookie sheets?! Just like the one I used for the DIY sisal tray, this cookie sheet was beyond done. And by done, I mean, should never be used again...unless of course, you have a can of spray paint handy, and if that's the case, by all means, make yourself a tray!

For the life of me I can't find the before picture, so I took a shot of the back, just so you can see what fantastic condition it was in;)

Trust me, the other side was much worse.

Since I had some Valspar Tropical Oasis spray paint on hand (leftover from some kitchen accessories), I just went with that. Gave it a couple quick coats and done.

Went on my computer and found a font that I liked, made my W pretty big, and printed it out.

Then I cut the INSIDE out of the W, so I could fill it in with paint.

I laid it on the cookie sheet, and filled it in with some white acrylic paint and a foam brush.

I knew it wouldn't have the look I wanted, but I used this technique anyway, knowing I would "fix" it with my teeny tiny paintbrush. You know, give it a more finished look.

I wanted to use painter's tape for a crisp border around the W, but I was running extremely short on tape, so I just used it on the edges, and tried my best to make a straight line on the other side that wasn't taped;)

Just kept painting until it was nice and white, peeled the tape off, and done! Not even sure where this will end up...possibly on an end table in our new family room (stay tuned for that exciting news in a post later this week!)? You could use it for whatever...like maybe some coasters and stuff...or keys and mail...

Or perhaps leaning on a shelf?

I don't care where it ends up, all I know is I now have a cute little tray and didn't pay a single penny for it! Next time you're about to throw out your dingy old cookie sheets, go grab the spray paint instead! Love free decorating, don't you?!



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