Move Mountains In Your Home
Thanks so much for all of your sweet comments and encouragement in response to my recent big announcement! I really do feel like I have a huge group of friends who have been with me through this journey and you're cheering me on. It's an awesome feeling and it means a lot to me. The next three weeks are going to be insane. I'm getting stocked up for the Lucketts Antique Market, which … [Read more...]
A little over a year ago I made a six part video tutorial series on making slipcovers. I used a wing chair as an example, but you can take these skills and make a slipcover for any piece of furniture. I've received so many wonderful e-mails and comments from people with all level of sewing ability who used this series to make their first slipcover. I thought it was time to put them in one … [Read more...]
I posted these last week and was asked by several for a tutorial. I aim to please, so here it is! This tutorial is really from Mini Mustard Seed aka "Mini" aka Charlene. She's my babysitter/nanny and helps me out with my business during busy seasons. She's super crafty, so she makes most of my glitter letters and helped out a ton with the Christmas ornaments last year. She brought a paper … [Read more...]
Welcome to another "Best of MMS" post. A few of you offered up the brilliant idea of sharing some of my past posts while I'm busy working on things for the book, so that's what I'm doing. (I'm sorry about the wonky spacing in the post. Something funny happens when I put code from my old blogspot blog on my new site.) I painted these French chairs before I had tried ASCP or Milk Paint … [Read more...]
I am so tired and I'm not even done for the day. My mom and I are always like DIY tornadoes when we get together and this visit is no exception. Today, we got a new chandelier for the half bath (I loved the other one, but it was not bright enough) and we hung the bead board in there as well. That simple sentence doesn't sound like a lot of work, but it was. Hauling sheets of bead board up … [Read more...]
I received several requests for the tutorial on building a simple farmhouse table (with just a drill) that was published in the October 2011 issue of Cottages & Bungalows. I just got the "thumbs up" to publish the full tutorial on my blog, so here you go! What you’ll need: Pine lumber 3 - 1” x 12” x 6’ (top) 2 – 1” x 3” x 64” (apron/frame) 2 – 1” x 3” … [Read more...]
When I first started my business, I would paint a piece, pull out my camera and snap a picture of it...just right where it was. Usually the lighting was poor, so I used a flash. I would send the picture to my web designer and ask her to put it on my site. I didn't realize what a poor representation of my work it was. I just didn't think of the fact that I should take the … [Read more...]
Some of you may have spotted the new Martha Stewart line by Plaid available at Michael's. It's been quite the buzz on the blogs lately. Several bloggers, including myself, were asked to try out the new products and tools and boy, did we get a big box of goodies to try. Here's what I made......a hand painted monogram pillow out of an antique linen tea towel. (This towel was … [Read more...]
First of all, thanks so much to everyone who bore the hardship of going to TJ Maxx to look for pillows for me. I think they will order more of those pillows after all of the phone calls about them! You are all such wonderful ladies and I really wish I could hang out with all of you! Two readers found a total of five pillows. My goal was to find four, so I am totally set and the hunt is … [Read more...]
This post does is not about pretty pictures. I am tearing my home apart to paint my kitchen cabinets and family room walls and ceiling after all. I bought some pears today for my next Cottages and Bungalows photo shoot, lined them up on the window sill and snapped some photos. I just couldn't help myself.Now that I've gotten the pretty picture show-and-tell out of my system, … [Read more...]
I received a few comments about the farm table in my kitchen. You could see peeks of it in my kitchen accessories post, so here is a full view. (Ugh...excuse the floor!) I bought it a few months ago at an antique store with every intention of selling it. I even put a tag on it at one point. I set it in my living room. It was totally the wrong size and scale for the space, but I really … [Read more...]
For those who have been waiting for a tutorial on how I made my dining room chair slipcovers, the wait is over. I got the green light from my editor at Cottages and Bungalows to share the tutorial I wrote for them on my blog, since the issue is no longer sold on newsstands. If you would like to order a back issue of the April 2011 magazine, visit Beckett Media's website. Here's the chair … [Read more...]
So sorry! I planned to have this video to you last week and I even filmed one, but I was tired and it was half-heartedly done. You deserve better than that, so I made a new one yesterday morning in my very best painting outfit. Believe it or not, I actually go out in that ratty, paint splattered sweatshirt. Someone call "What Not To Wear" on my behalf, … [Read more...]
A few days ago, I got a new toy from Artograph and I couldn't wait to put it to work. I've been eyeing a light box for a long time, but it was always bumped down the priority list after lenses and sewing machines and other tools of my trade. My new Artograph LightPad A930 arrived on my doorstep last week and I knew my days of taping things to a window to trace were over. Can you … [Read more...]
It's finally here. The last installment of the video slipcover tutorial series. I really hope this has been helpful to those who are making slipcovers for the first time and still informative for those who have made them before. I've loved reading all of the comments from you about the projects you're about to tackle and I can't wait to see them. I think I'll have a link party in a week or … [Read more...]
If you've been following the video slipcover tutorial series, welcome to the next installment. I received a semi-frantic e-mail today from a sweet woman named Maureen, informing me that she is in the middle of a slipcover and needs the next installment. Believe it or not, I have received several e-mails like this and I love it! I love that many of you are engaged and playing along. This is … [Read more...]
Welcome to part three of the video slipcover tutorial series. First, I'm going to share the "after" picture of the wing chair I used as my example in the video. Didn't it turn out great? It's currently for sale at the Old Lucketts Store. I forgot to get a picture of the row of ribbon ties down the back. They look so good! Bummer. I didn't take a "before" picture of it, so here's … [Read more...]
Welcome to part two of the slipcover video tutorial series! If you missed part one, how to make custom piping, make sure you go back and watch it first. In part two, I share some tricks on cutting the drop cloth and show where to position piping on the chair. Enjoy! Ooo...I mention wanting to get a serger sewing machine in this video and guess what? I received an e-mail from a … [Read more...]
It's finally here!! At long last! I know I have been dragging my feet on this one and I finally took the time to make the first segment in my promised video slipcover series. (I told you I would get a lot done with my mom here!) We're going to start this journey where I always start when making a slipcover - sewing the custom piping. Click HERE for a transcript of … [Read more...]
I have had a boat load of questions lately about top coats, so I thought I would dedicate a post to them. First of all, let me say that there are dozens, maybe thousands of techniques and products out there, so I'm just sharing the ones I use and like. It's also pure coincidence that all of the products I am sharing are by Minwax. Those are just the images I found easily. Paste Wax - … [Read more...]
There's a lot of good information and inspiration in this post, so get ready! First of all, the beauty shot. Now, the before shot. I'm so happy with how these turned out. I'm taking the pair of arm chairs (only one is pictured in the before shot) to the Ground Hog Day Sale at Lucketts (Feb 4-6). If you'd like to read about the paint technique … [Read more...]
I'm picking up where we left off yesterday with my newly acquired French arm chairs. So, the upholstery was removed and the frames were painted Georgian Revivial Blue by Sherwin Williams. This color is a little shocking at the moment, but just wait. Before moving on to the next step, I want to point out the texture I left on the frame. I did not sand this piece before … [Read more...]
I received a ton of e-mails, comments, requests and pleas for a tutorial on how I achieved the paint treatment used on my trumeau mirror and reupholstered French chairs. Well, I aim to please, so here it is!For the chairs, I started off with a thin coat of Light French Grey by Behr. For the mirror, I started off with a base of Georgian Revival Blue by Sherwin … [Read more...]
Every once in a while, I look at my home with a critical eye. Most days, I walk past all of the things that are undone and I don't really notice them. It's easy to get used to something in your home that is unfinished, broken, or downright ugly. I'm living right now in the second house we've owned. The first one was a 1980's town house that needed some major cosmetic … [Read more...]
I received a lot of requests for a tutorial on how I made the mirrored side tables. Well, I was a bad blogger and didn't take pictures every step of the way......so, I made a video for you. I explain the process and share the information about cost, etc. This was a spur of the moment video, so you're getting a glimpse of how I look most days. Bandanna, sweatshirt, … [Read more...]
