Cutting Board/Serving Board ~ Chalk Painted & Stenciled

It’s always nice to love something all the more. And, so gratifying when you’re pleased with your own work!

- I changed the look of my sweet cutting board with some chalk paint, and a stencil!

I just love what a little paint can do. And, I love the new look of my cutting board. It gets used as a serving piece rather than a cutting board, so I chose to paint it!

I really loved the cutting board, I was just wanting a different look for it.  I decided to paint it to lighten it up.

I gave it a coat of white chalk paint, then let it dry completely.  After that I used a stencil.

I did the stencil in the same white paint so it was a subtle embellishment. I gave the board a coat of wax after everything was all dry to seal the paint and add a little sheen.

~ Happy is my crafty heart!

Simple Summer Tablescape

It’s a bright and sunny Saturday!

We’re having beautiful summer weather!

I just finished doing a little prep for our Saturday dinner.  I picked up some sale items at Hobby Lobby and couldn’t resist styling my table with them!  Even if it’s just for the two of us.

A couple of the succulents were used as cute napkin rings, and the green dish cloths work as napkins. I shopped my home for the other items to complete this simple look.  

I used a couple of white cloth napkins under each place setting, used my everyday dishes, and my golden tableware from Target!  It doesn't have to be expensive to look nice!  I set a pretty table using what I had on hand and a few bargain priced items.  Easy low cost decorating at it best!

Setting a pretty table is one of my favorite things to do!  And, I believe it makes a meal taste even better!

~ Happy Saturday and Happy Weekend...

Pillow Covers

Do you love pillows?  Well, I certainly do!

::: Here’s my tip of the day!:::

Pillow covers make it so easy to change your decor.  And, they take up much less space when not in use.  They’re very cost effective too!  All you need is the basic pillow insert(s) and the pillow cover(s).

I couldn’t resist this sweet roses pillow cover.  I purchased it at Hobby Lobby, you know I love me some Hobby Lobby!  I wasn’t quite sure if I’d love it when I got it home, but guess what? ...I do, I do!  I really do LOVE it!  I love the frayed rosettes, they are so cute.  

It works perfectly here where I wanted to use it!  I love it when that happens!  Now I'm thinking I should have at least two of them!?

Happy decorating!...

"Summer" Styling on Our Fireplace & Mantel

Sometimes all that is needed is just a few changes to make things fresh and new!  I found some beautiful corbels at Hobby Lobby and changed them out from the ones I'd had up on the wall above the mantel.  A new wreath I purchased back in the Spring was moved over here, also some newly thrifted planters and plants add some nice greenery to go with my beautiful wreath.  I shopped my home for the other accessories to pull this Summer look all together!

Here's a closer view of my wreath and mantel decor.  I’ve enjoyed displaying this beautiful wreath.  It’s a favorite find from Kirkland’s.  I love it and how it has worked well for both Spring and Summer!  It has become a new favorite on mine!

Speaking of favorites ... Summer you are my favorite!:)   

I dream of summers that last forever...

  

Gold Leaf Project

My first experience using gold leaf, and I’m in love!

This gift from my daughter, a wooden heart with a little heart cut out had silver leaf where I have added gold leaf!  She said as she gave it to me “I know you’ll probably chalk paint this!”  She knows my love for gold, and for changing items to better suit my taste, or for using paint to do so!

Painting it just wasn’t going to do it, and since it already had silver leaf on it, I figured gold leaf was definitely the way to go!  I love this beautiful heart set all the more now!

Materials needed:

leaf metal

metal adhesive

small paintbrushes

I purchased my supplies at the craft store.  The Leaf metal and metal leaf adhesive, they were about fifteen bucks total, and I had some small paintbrushes on hand already.  There are easy to follow instructions on both items.  There was more than enough materials to do this project and I have plenty left over.  This project was super easy, a little messy, but easy!  It took some drying time for the adhesive to become tacky, but the project didn't take long overall.

Basically all that is needed it brushing on the metal adhesive, let it dry until tacky, then use small torn pieces of the metal leaf and place on the tacky areas, then brush or rub over the metal covered areas.

The edge of the large heart here is finished, the small heart is still in the original silver leaf.   I just prefer gold more than silver!

I'm so pleased with the results! 

It was a fun and rewarding project!  Now I’m looking around my house and wondering “hmmm, what else can I gold leaf!”

PS: I did chalk paint the other heart piece here, it once was all gold - I used white chalk paint to paint it and then after dry wet sanded away the paint on the raised design revealing the gold detail.

I am so pleased with the results of these beautiful heart items!

Seasonal Decorating ~One Tray Four Seasons~

I love Summer, and I always go with the calendar for my seasons, so for me ...Summer just began about two weeks ago, on June 21st!

And, I’ll enjoy every minute of it through September 22nd!

I styled this tray when summer arrived.  I’ve also done a similar one for each of the last three seasons, simply changing it up a little for each season.  Shopping my home mostly and using thrifty treasures, while keeping it simple.  I just had fun with it!

- Below are the previous seasons tray styling. One tray four ways!

~ Spring ~

~ Winter ~

~ Fall ~

~ All four seasons ~

 This was a fun display to decorate for each season and use throughout the year!

Spring to Summer Decor

Sweet morning sunshine!

Enjoying our last week of Spring, and its final Friday. Can we just stop time and linger here for a while?!

I love how making just a few changes can give a fresh new look ...And, that shopping my home doesn’t cost a thing!

The sweet golden birds are a gift from my Mother years ago and are very dear to my heart! She knows me so well!

It's a beautiful sunny day!  And, that's how I like 'em!

I hope you have a beautiful day!


~ Wishing everyone a very happy Father’s Day weekend!

Spring Table Centerpiece

For Spring I've been enjoying this beautiful flower arrangement and centerpiece I created for our breakfast table!  You may remember a post I shared awhile back about my Chalk Painted Iron Tray.  I had it decorated as a winter themed centerpiece at the time.  

I brought back the tray, and wreath, and created a Spring floral arrangement in my glass vase.  I added some pretty beads around the neck of my vase to dress it up and I thought they worked well with the natural tone of the wreath.  Tulips are always a good go-to for spring!  I'm partial to the white ones of course!  I enjoy dressing my table with that thrifty table runner I found a while back, too.

We have under a month left of Spring and I'm going to enjoy every minute of it!

Happy Decorating!...

Hello June!

Happy Friday and first day of June!

I’m kind of feeling like it’s June to soon!  I just wasn’t ready to give up May yet.

Well at least I get to hang onto Spring for a few more weeks!  And, while doing so I'll continue to enjoy the Spring touches I've used throughout my home.  

This partial view of my console table has a couple of my favorite items to decorate with, I've had both of them for a while.  The cute little metal chair and the sweet ceramic bird.  I chalk painted the little chair because it was orange when I found it.  I love birds, so when I found this one I had to get it.  It has a little bag of potpourri inside, so it's pretty and it smells pretty too!  I never tire of using it somewhere in my decor, no matter the season!

Here's another favorite of mine.  This bird and books.  I think this sweet bird looks like it’s singing, I purchased this a while back and just love it and how it’s perched upon the books.  I always say use what you love when decorating your home.

I love the beautiful sounds of birds singing,  I can hear them singing outside my window right now.  It sure seems like they sing even prettier in the spring!

Happy Decorating!...