10.28.2011

Elegant Pumpkin's
  
For the most part, I would have to say that I am a very traditional person. In fact, even when it comes to decorating, my favourite look for a room is "Traditional," apposed to "Retro" or "Modern" where the atmosphere can become very cold. However, when it comes to decorating pumpkins, I wanted to leave the traditional pumpkin carving and try something totally different this year. I did a little bit of research and stumbled upon some really cool ideas (most of which eliminate the messy part). They inspired me, so I thought they may also inspire you!

   

The Lace Pumpkin 
Probably the easiest way to accomplish this look is to use lace stocking!


The Diamond Pumpkin
Get the diamond look by gluing on rind-stones.

 Glitter Pumpkin's 
Slap on some glue and roll the pumpkin in some fairy dust. (hair spray might always work)

 Initials or Monogrammed Pumpkin's
Rather than carving a face, get a stencil for some pretty letters.

 Bead Work Pumpkin's
 Create a cool motif/design using beads or in this case, thumb tacks.

The Painted Pumpkin
Paint on a design or picture for a clean look! 

10.26.2011

The Mud Room


This is a room that I began envisioning back a year ago. My aunt and I were in a Winner's (my aunts favourite store) shopping and we found these pillows. Of course, what caught our attention was the embroidered birds on the front (If you didn't already know, I live on a farm that specializes in birdseed production). Immediately I was drawn to the black and white ones while my aunt, to no surprise, was drawn to the turquoise set. I knew I had to have these pillows and so I decided I would have to decorate a room to display them properly. Immediately I decided I would decorate the front add-on room to our home. Previously it had been used as a "Sun Room" for reading or sipping tea. The one downfall, it had never been insulated. Therefore, its freezing in the winter and sweltering in the summer. So, due to the fact that it is a room that people usually enter and quickly pass through, I thought I would change its function and make it a "Mud Room."   


Not long after I had bought those pillows, my aunt and I were shopping at the store Urban Barn (my favourite store) and we found more black and white pillows with birds printed on them. These were slightly different then the pillows from Winner's and they would compliment perfectly! To my surprise she bought them for me as a birthday gift.


I also found some very inexpensive pillows at the store JYSK. They were tone-on-tone black and had a raised velvet damask print on them...SOLD!!!


This summer after we started de-cluttering that room, I was shocked to see how big that space really was. It had always been so full of unwanted furniture and junk. At times, it even resembled a closet space with a little pathway carved out to walk into the house. Once empty, we were happy to see we had 110 square feet to play with.


The walls were wood paneling from the 60's and the flooring was a bluish gray carpet glued down at some point in the 80's. The worst part would be the trim that framed the windows and doorways, as it was painted hunter green.  Needless to say, all of these features were going to be replaced! I selected a nice warm white colour called "Swiss Coffee" by Behr Paint and away I went. My precious puppy Freddy also thought he would contribute to the room by knocking over the gallon of paint. This meant the carpet was coming up sooner than later. We picked an inexpensive laminate floor, similar in stain colour to the original wood flooring that ran throughout the house. After a long day of instillation, contributed by our great friends, the room was beginning to come to life. 




   Where it all began! The black and white pillows from Winners




    Black and white pillows from Urban Barn




      Black tone-on-tone, velvet raised damask pillows from JYSK




 Awesome pillows I found at Walmart for $5 each...reversible sides...couldn't resist!




   The room moments after the bluish gray carpet was pulled up.




    Beauty! Glue on cement....and hunter green trim.




                 After the laminate flooring was installed by my friend Alex Purich.




               After about 4 or 5 coats of white, the green trim is finally covered


 The dirtiest part is almost over. The radiator will not be fun, but the end is in sight!!!