Sharpie Strikes Again

You've just gotta love those wonderful little permanent markers known as "Sharpies". The worlds most popular marker even has its own blog dedicated to

the creative use of Sharpie markers. Well, necessity being the mother of invention, I think I've discovered another one!

Before I tell you what, let me apologise in advance for the dark pictures...inspiration sometimes strikes at the wierdest times, like in the middle of the night when my lighting is at its worst. Now...with that out of the way...I'll show you my project.
If you're anything like me, you probably have some ugly metal picture frames lurking around your house. I've got a ton of them, and the other day when I was looking through my frame stash for a black 8 X 10 frame, there of course, was not a single one to be found. Then, I happened to look at my desk and spotted a Sharpie.....
Going on the assumption that the frame couldn't look much worse than it already did, I picked up the Sharpie and began to "paint" it with the marker.
It worked surprisingly well. In less than 15 minutes, I'd transformed the dated frame into a usable one. Of course, you could also do this with spray paint, but with a Sharpie, there's no drying time. And, of course, if you've missed a spot, touch-ups are a breeze!

Until next time,

My Little Office

My office is one of my favorite rooms; good thing, too, since it seems to be the one in which I spend the most time...and aside from the computer, it was one of the least expensive rooms to decorate. I thought I'd share some of my thrifty finds and decor tips with you today.
As you can see, the focal point of the room is a grouping of black and white family photos on the wall above my desk. Almost all of the frames were yard sale and thrift store finds, many of which, I've re-done. One of my favorite techniques for doing old frames in metallics is the use of floral spray paint. It has a sheer quality about it which adds color, but allows a little of the woodgrain to show beneath, much like a stain. I like to layer on various metallic paint colors until I reach an effect that I like.

I also like to incorporate other types of objects such as plates, cherubs, vintage postcards, and memoribilia related to one of the pictures. For example, I hung my mother's dog tags from her time in the navy

	during WW2 over the edge of the frame holding her navy photo. In another instance I attached a patch that my father received when winning a volleyball championship to the photograph of him accepting the trophy.
My mother's dog tags adorn her Navy photo.

In order to achieve a pleasing effect when doing this type of arrangement, one must be careful to keep balance in mind. The arrangement need not be completely symmetrical, but objects of similar visual weight should
	In order to balance an 8 X 10 photo on the other side of the display, I hung a similar size frame around this plate.

be used to balance one another. Another trick is to keep frames somewhat similar in tone, i.e., all gold, or all black; or if mats are used, stick to a single color. Also, I've found that an arrangement of photographs generally looks best with all black and white or all color images, but not a mix of both. If I had used color photos here, I would have kept the accent pieces to a single solid hue.

The desk is one of my favorite junk shop steals, at $15. Of course, when I found it, the veneer was peeling badly, so I just stripped it of the veneer, painted it white, and distressed it.
I also decoupaged a rose cut-out from vintage wallpaper as a cheerful accent. The hardware is original and by itself worth at least the price of the desk! The chair is a standard issue cheapie office number, which I slipcovered to dress it up a bit.
The hutch above the desk was another junk store bargain at $5. It is in actuality a shelf that I painted white, but it serves the purpose just fine and keeps some of my favorite collectibles in easy view.
The bookcase was an ugly wood-tone laminate piece that I nabbed at a yardsale for next to nothing. A good coat of primer plus some white paint and vintage knobs completed its makeover.
As you can see, I've made jackets for most of my books using wrapping paper that coordinates with the room. Another trick that I like to use for making a bookcase display more interesting is to keep some books upright and others lying flat. The horizontal books make a nice pedestal for display; in this case, for the first camera that I had a child. I've also accessorized the shelves with an old silver trophy and some small vintage garden books.
My loveseat was picked up curbside for free! This time a few white sheets came to the rescue in the form of a slipcover. I've made a number of cushion and pillow covers of various materials and change them out to suit my mood. By the way, whether you need to hide ugly upholstery or not, if you have pets, slipcovers are the way to go. Just pop them in the wash and never worry about your furniture being soiled.
If you're a regular reader, you've seen this chest before. It recently made the move from my livingroom to the office, where it still provides much-needed storage and display space.

While not, perhaps the things you'd drool over in your favorite magazine, the major furnishings in this room were purchased for well under $100. A little imagination and elbow grease were all that was necessary to turn them into the foundation of a room which is both livable and fun. So in closing, I'd like to encourage you not to put your decorating dreams on hold, even if the budget is. Upgrades can be made later, but in the meantime, making do really isn't so bad...

Until next time,

This post is shared on "Show and Tell Friday" at Cindy's gorgeous blog, My Romantic Home. You should check it out....lots of great ideas to discover!

One Thing Leads to Another...

A short time ago, I purchased a long-coveted sofa from a friend of mine, and realized that with the new addition, a new scheme in the living and dining areas of the house would be necessary.

Fortunately, I had a “look” in mind, based on a vignette that I already had in the house and wanted to expand upon.
I love the crisp romance of the black and white photo and the serenity of the white busts and cherubs that occupy the top of the piano, and knew that I wanted more of this look.

In anticipation of the arrival of the sofa, I began to make a few minor changes, the most important of which was the hutch display. In keeping with my craving for white, I removed my pink flowered dishes and replaced them with the white ones that are trimmed in gold.

Unfortunately, the bright turquoise background of the hutch, which had offset the pink and white dishes so beautifully, clashed miserably with the white and gold ones.

I thought about a color for the background, and decided upon a smokey gray; Something understated, but not white, as I wanted the dishes to stand out. It turned out to be a good choice. Good enough, in fact, to become the basis of my new color scheme.

Since I painted my walls a lovely pale shade of robin's egg blue last year, I've decided to stay with it. In keeping with the new direction, however, I'm planning to change the trim color from pale pink to pale gray. The photo below some of the fabrics and accessories that I've been gathering for use in the room.

As you can see, I've chosen a palatte of robin's egg blue with some grays along with silver and gold. All of this with a very healthy dose of white. I've chosen some formal and informal fabrics as well as modern, traditional, and vintage ones. I think it's going to be a fun mix. Now to figure out the guest/sewing room.... Stay tuned to see how it all comes out!

Until next time,

Refrigerator Art

I love it when I find something useful, pretty, practical, and inexpensive, and this little find certainly fits the bill. The other day I was at Ocean State Job Lots and found these great

little magnet sets. I believe they were designed for school lockers, but what great refrigerator magnets they make!

You see, I enjoy using my refigerator as a canvas for whatever "art" strikes me at a given time, and currently, I'm into displaying black and white

photographs there. Unfortunately, the typical decorative kitchen magnets just don't cut it with B&W photography! But

these little goodies are just perfect with their graphic shapes and black and silver color, and while they're wonderful on their own, they're even better combined with other types of fasteners. I thought I'd show you some of my favorites today.
In the photo above, I've combined one of the black magnets with a magnet made from a vintage brooch from the flea market. I'm planning to make a couple more of these as soon as I come across the right junk jewelry to work with, but I think that will be enough, as they could really make the display busy in a hurry! But a little bling goes a long way and a few of them certainly a bit of punch to the arrangement.
For these photos, I'm using magnetic photo holders that I found at a camera shop several years back. They've also been one of my "best little bargains", as I've used them to display numerous photos through the years. The holders are sized for a standard 4 X 6 print, however my vintage black and white pictures are a bit smaller. To compensate, I simply backed the snapshots with a piece of black paper, and for a little something extra, I cut a phrase out of a magazine to use as a caption for one of them.
For this photo, I repurposed a magnetic mini-chip clip in a metallic silver tone.
For this one, I used a magnetic binder clip from the office supply.

It's fun to let your imagination run loose when it comes to magnets and fasteners for this type of display. For the only color image in the grouping, I used magnetic childrens' letters to attach a

magazine page with a great photo of some delectable looking cookies. Other good fasteners could be fashioned from clothes pins, checker board pieces, or Scrabble tiles. I'm sure once you think about it and browse your home with a discerning eye, you'll see lots of potential fasteners that will look 100% better than the designated refrigerator magnets you can buy in a store, so have some fun with it and create a display that is uniquely you!

Until next time,

STYLE FILE: The Origins of Style Part I

	The other day I was thinking about what it is that truly inspires us in regard to our decorating choices. Of course, most of us seek and receive many inspiring ideas from blogs, books and decorating magazines.
A selection of some of my favorite books and magazines

Some of my favorite magazine sources are, Flea Market Style, Victoria, Romantic Homes, Romantic Country, Elle Decor, and the now defunct Domino. My collection of books and magazines is one of my most prized possessions because it continually sparks new ideas, which in turn, become fresh updates for my home.

But then I started thinking a little deeper. What is it that defines our sense of taste? Why do we purchase the books and magazines that we buy, while passing up others? What is it that causes certain styles to pull at the heart strings?

	I think our sense of style is cultivated though our life experiences; from both from having, and not having, and from being exposed to various sights, sounds, and stimuli. For instance, I always tend to incorporate some elements of neo-classical design in my rooms. I believe this has its root in the fact that as a sixth grader, I devoured
Vestal Virgin from Roman Mythology

our class studies on Greek and Roman mythology. As a result, I sought out books and movies with mythological themes, and found myself day dreaming in scenes from Pompeian villas and classical architecture.

I also have a strong penchant for roses, old china and linens, and “girly” décor. Why is this so? I’ve had to think about that one, as my mother’s taste was completely opposite this style, and the houses that I grew up in were mostly done in a transitional decor, heavy on colonial style
	Roses and Hats, and some of the vintage items I love

reproductions and interpretations. My mother’s color schemes were typically comprised of the popular color choices of the ‘70’s….avocado green, gold, and rust. When she did deviate to brighter colors, yellows, oranges, and lime greens were her picks.

	Where did I develop my taste for pale pinks, blues, and greens? Perhaps this stems back to some of my earliest childhood memories at my Grandmother Mull’s home in South Carolina. Grandma Mull lived in the country and dressed in
Me circa 1978 in our 1970's living room

styles more suited to the first half of the twentieth century than the second. She was a talented seamstress who made quilts, aprons, and bonnets in some of the most beautiful old fabrics. She allowed me to play dress-up in her old clothes and flowered hats, which certainly represented an era long passed.

Her dishes were flowered and mostly chipped, but ever so pretty. To many adults in the family, these items seemed terribly dated and, if they’d had their way, would have wound up in a trash heap. But Grandma had a strong sense of
	Grandma Mull

the past, and this was not her way. To a tiny girl these items were a vast treasure chest!

I can remember many times as a teen and pre-teen, hiking downtown to peruse the dusty antique shops there.

My purchases were usually limited to an old postcard or a chipped floral tea cup…all that my meager allowance would permit, but these treasures are still a part of my life and home. Another thing that I loved about visiting Grandma Mull was that she always had lots of animals around.

I loved playing with her dogs and cats, and on occasion, she also had chickens and ducks for me to enjoy. But the dogs were her favorites and mine.

	As a tiny tot, I remember riding her dog, Rusty like a pony. Rusty had endless patience and loved me dearly as I did him. Unfortunately he passed while we were away, and while he still has a very important
Rusty and Me

spot in my heart and memory, Grandma acquired other dogs who also became quite special to me. One was Judy, Grandma’s

German Shepherd Dog. Judy took me under her protection and was probably the world’s best babysitter. She’d position herself between others and me, and no one dared to cross her line -- especially when I was in
	Judy and Me

my little plastic swimming pool! And then there was Penny, who appeared to be an Irish setter mix. From morning ‘til night, she was a constant companion; and of course, little Pete, whom we rescued from the roadside on one of my visits to Grandma. In looking back at old photos I notice that my current dog, Lucy, bears a remarkable resemblance to him.

Of course, being a dog lover, Grandma had lots of little dog figurines that I found fascinating. I can remember sitting on her sofa and playing with them for hours! I still have the ones I was fortunate enough to acquire when she passed on, and have added to the collection through the years, so, I’ll

have to conclude that my love of dogs, humble little dog figurines, old hats, chippy

rose-covered china, vintage linens, and most things old fashioned was cultivated by pleasant childhood memories of visits to Grandma. But there’s also an edgy side to me. Where did that come from? And how does all this come together?

To be continued….

Until next time,

Addendum: Click here for part two.

My Art Prints Have Arrived!

Recently I decided to have some of my art work printed, but finding a printer turned out to be quite a challenge. After searching the Belfast area in vain for a print shop that could handle large, quality prints. I began searching online.
	"First Rose" - Pencil Sketch

My first several stops were quite discouraging. Most of the printers I found had extremely high prices for small quantities. But then I happened across Northeast Reprographics in Bangor. Their prices were quite reasonable, and to make things even better, Jeff was very helpful (and extremely patient) in guiding me through the process of preparing my artwork for printing.

"Stairway to Heaven" - Multimedia Collage

"Suite Madame Blue" - Multimedia Collage

I had 4 diffent types of media to print, pencil sketches, photographs, and collage, and I was quite happy with the results of each.
"Friends" - Black and White Photograph

The "Friends" shot is my sweet dobie-lab mix Lucy, with Prissy, my cat. It was an accidental shot, but one of my favorites. I'll be using the black and white images in the photo wall I'm putting together, and the collages will go in my guest room/project room that I'll soon be re-doing. I've just got to get the old bunk beds out of there so that I can start. Yesterday I visited a lumber yard and priced wood for a bookcase-room divider that I'm planning to build. It will be my first large woodworking project, so it will be interesting to see how that goes. The folks at Buxton Building Supply were extremely helpful in suggesting materials and, like Jeff at Reprographics, most patient in guiding a newbie! Time to get busy!

Until next time,

Old Photos

Today, I spent time trying to wrap up some open-ended projects, all revolving around photos. One of my plans is a update for my photo wall. I'm planning to use gold metallic or black painted frames to highlight a collection of black and white images so I've been painting frames that I've collected from here and there to get them ready for some art. I've put together a photo collage of some of the prints that I'll be using. Some are of family; some of pets. By the way, that's me on the bottom left. I hope you enjoy the pics.


Until next time,