Not Quite Vintage

craft-along april: the pantry project

When Kelli posted about this months Craft-along 2009 project, I knew I had to participate. My pantry is an ongoing battle for me. I have tried to clean it out a few times, and while it helps, within a few weeks it is always back to a sad state of mess.

So, this time I did a bit of planning. I asked myself what works and what doesn’t. Answers to what works included using jars to store dry goods, a basket to hold little things and snacks and another to hold foil, baggies, wax paper etc. Answers to what doesn’t work included trying to store my plastic-ware on the top shelf, having all my spice and oils scrunched into one shelf, throwing whatever doesn’t fit somewhere else on the floor and keeping all the food I probably wont ever use because I feel bad about throwing it out.

I spent some time online looking for solutions and decided a few little purchases were in order. These included a lazy susan for the spice shelf and two stacking bins for the floor. I really thought I could get away with wiping down the old shelf paper but quickly realized I was wrong and had to make another trip to the store. On Friday night, looking like a mess. Yes, sad, but I spent my Friday night cleaning my pantry.

While cleaning I made an effort to check dates, toss old food and bag up non-expired food for when I hear of a collection. Perfect timing because I just got one of those food collection bags tied to my front railing on Sunday! I wiped everything down and tried to be as neat as possible while restocking. After restocking, I realized I don’t to go shopping for pantry staples for a long time... And my addiction to little jars of Penzey’s spices may be getting out of control.

I ended up using the stacking bins for my plastic-ware – one for the containers and one for the lids. I am hoping this really works. And since I moved the plastic-ware, I was able to organize my cookbooks on the top shelf and had a little extra space for baking supplies I rarely use. My spice shelf is now less cluttered and I am hoping the lazy susan helps me find the things I use most often more quickly.

Inspired by the pantry, I deep cleaned the rest of my kitchen too. By Sunday it seemed so fresh and clean in my kitchen that I smiled every time I walked in. And I couldn’t bring myself  to close the pantry door all the way, I just wanted to keep glimpsing my handy work : )

I really hope this makeover sticks.

a couple quick weekend fixes

This weekend I finally got around to a few really small projects around the house. I repainted a little shelf in my bathroom. Painted shelves and bottles of perfume that leak without you realizing it
don't mix - it leaves you with a gunky mess of pealing paint. A little sanding and a couple coats of paint did the trick. Looks much better now. Please excuse the lighting...

And with a new spiffy shelf, I put out a yummy smelling bar of pumpkin pie soap for a treat. It was a nice surprise from a friend.

I also touched up the enamel in my kitchen sink. It is a total mess. I did my best, but what it really needs is a good refinishing. I think the previous owners tried a DIY kit and just a few years later it is chipping and peeling. It looks a little better now - but not good enough for a close up :)

art wall in the making

Last year, well last fall, I was on a quest to redo my bedroom. It took me forever to find just the right bedding and the perfect paint. Not to mention how long it took me to decide on new furniture. It was a... process. I decided to take a break when it came to deciding on artwork and accessories, figuring I would just find things along the way. And I have, but nothing has made its way onto the walls.

Then, last week I was checking my bloglines and Decor8 (have you visited this site yet?) had a post on a new artist she found, Kelly Rae Roberts. She found her just because she clicked on the link provided in a comment Kelly left (I check out links too... you find the best stuff that way). So, as links go, I clicked on the link to Kelly's Etsy shop... and fell in love with some of her prints. I just had to buy them: Wear Red Shoes and Socks.

Pretty, don't you think? For some reason I love how you don't see faces. And the one with the words... just seemed to hit home right now. Lots of change going on and empowerment needed (quiet your inner critic, honor your creative etc.).

Now, I just need to get frames... hopefully that wont take me too long. My bedroom is calling for an art wall.

Oh and while visiting Decor8, check out all the posts on art walls. So many viewpoints.

curb appeal

Since I moved into my house almost three years ago (wow, has it really been that long), I have slowly been making improvements. I wish I could just do everything that I want, at the moment I want, but the pocket book doesn't allow for that. So, slow and steady progress has been the rule.

I wish I had a picture to share... but, I don't have an accessible digital picture of my house when i bought it. I will find one and post it later.

Anyway, I started with a aluminum screen door. Doesn't sound too bad, but the entire top arch was solid aluminum, with screen door below it. The screen door let water hit the front door when it rained, so the cheap paint the previous owners used pretty much disappeared. The door was replaced asap. In addition to being pretty and white, it doesn't let in any cold air. From there, I had the front door painted and new hardware put on... that was an ordeal in itself. And I would rather not relive it.

Then came landscaping. I had two very old ews in my front yard. They were almost as high as the wrought iron railing on my porch. Yuck! These were replaced a year ago easter with boxwoods and a nice stone edging.

Things are looking good. So, what now? I think I need new shutters. The black ones would probably not bug me so much... if one of them wasn't upside down. But, I also just want to up the cottage quotient. So board and batten shutters are looking good... and not too expensive.

The color in the above picture isn't spot on, but it gives the basic idea. Hopefully I can do this in the fall... and paint the front door to match, add a second coat of paint to the railing, get some bigger flower pots and trim the tree.

Thats a good list... at least for now. I am sure I will add to it later!

obsessing, again

So, I know I just wrote a dissertation on what I wanted to do with my bedroom... well, I have been thinking and I am changing it up again. Can you believe it?

My friend Jolene visited on Saturday, paint swatch books in hand. We decided that my first instinct was right on - go with a green-blue spa like color on the walls. We went through swatch after swatch. Too many colors. But, Jolene offered to order me 8 1/2 x 11 inch color swatches - how cool is that? I can tape these up in my bedroom and see how the light changes it during the day.

Inspired by the direction, I went shopping yesterday. I went from store to store... and after a detour at home, I went back again to return and buy again. The second time I entered Homegoods, I saw something I hadn't seen before. A great quilted blanket in a deep green-blue. Perfect for laying at the foot of the bed, on top of my khaki bedding. And I found a sheet set that will be great at tying in the two pieces... and since I bought a queen set (no full in sight), I will use the fitted sheet to make pillows and window tie-backs.

I am so excited! Now this doesn't mean that I might not change my mind again, but I think I am on target this time.

Oh, and I am also inspired about an outside project... to increase curb appeal. More on that later.

paralyzed by color

For weeks now I have been itching to redecorate my bedroom. It is seriously bland and boring. Still sporting the cream paint the previous owners left behind. While not ugly, it is just a blank canvas. The furniture is mismatched - a wicker night stand with silver not black iron legs, a tealish green three drawer night stand for the tv, a medium stained armoire and a wrought iron bed. I love my bed, it will stay for a long while. I like my armoire, but would rather it be in the spare bedroom. But, there really isn't a lot of money available for this redo, so my moto will be "make do for this redo."

I am going to rely on paint and fabrics. My current bedding is made of cozy khaki pants twill in stone. So, almost anything will go. But, I will need to take into consideration the 2 stained glass windows in the room. Their main color is a middle green. Not a problem since, well, I love green. And with a small cottage, I have chosen green is my unifying, cozy color scheme.

So, one decision down, green paint. Well, I don't know if it will be Liveable, Easy, Nurture or any of the other greens you can find at the paint store, but that part can come later.

Now, what to do about the furniture? Decision two, paint the teal night stand black and also paint the silver table legs black. That unifies the furniture. Wow, I am making progress.

So, that leaves the fabrics. I am inspired by Amy Butler's new Forest line of home decorating fabrics in the Grass colorway. My first instinct is to mix my favorites and make pillows and curtain ties. I am considering:

I love the first one, and the stripey mix. I know they will look good with my khaki bedding and airy white curtains. But, I am drawn to the grand tapestry print too. I might have to find a way to include it!

Then, all I would need is accessories. I have a few black and white pictures that need framing. Add in a mirror and some stuff from my collections... and my room might start looking cozy. It might not be all brand new, with matching furniture and all new bedding, but it would make me feel sooo much better.

So, should I just go ahead and order some fabric?