Partying with Paula

Move over Martha Steward, Paula Deen is the new queen of entertaining, at least at Michaels. When I stopped in to pick up a few supplies this week I noticed that Paul Deen is now selling a collection of products designed to be used when entertaining. Cupcake and loaf pan liners in fun patterns were some of my favorite pieces. There were also placemats and some fun acrylic bowls that would be perfect for serving at a casual party.

With the 40% off coupon deals that Michaels seems to offer on a weekly basis, you could scoop up plenty of supplies for your next get together without breaking the bank.

Random Observations and Questions

Hmm, I wonder why curtains panels aren't sold in pairs, who uses just one panel?

source

Lately the oppressive weather conditions in the Midwest have been turning my hair into a frizzy mess and have me sweating buckets by the time I make it to the mailbox in the afternoon. The upside to living through heat and humidity that approximates the climate of Hades is that it has given me the nudge I needed to stay inside and start weeding through closets and plucking out things I don't really need. All this indoor time spent organizing has also given me ample time to ponder and question all sorts home-related issues. For instance:


While functional, doorstops are ugly and the end caps constantly crack then fall off. (Another chocking hazard for my dog!) Do you think Jonathan Adler would have any interest in designing a fun little door stop?



Are these things supposed to be painted to match the wall or left to stick out like a sore thumb?



When you follow the advice of the great Nate Berkus and splurge on a pricey comforter, in my case from Ralph Lauren, why does the down end up in clumps instead of looking like the ads from Ralph Lauren Home?


Okay I admit, I may have staged this a little like the "before" pictures in magazines where the soon-to-be glamorous woman is scowling at the camera. However, I do spend an inordinate amount of time punching and slapping the comforter into submisson.


Do you think Nate would make a house call to handle this crisis?

Hmmm, maybe the key is to pile on 14 pillows to distract the eye from the lumps.

via Ralph Lauren

Can't someone come up with an attractive outlet cover that blends into dark granite?







Is there any way to treat sidelights that doesn't look like someone over the age of 90 resides within the home? I don't want to use those skinny, granny-esque sheers, but I really don't like the fact that anyone walking their dog after dark just might get a glimpse of me wearing my ratty sweatpants and a pair of snowman slippers.





While I'm on the topic of entries, can someone please explain to me the value of the plant shelf above the door that every builder feels is the height of style? Yes, I broke every design rule and used a faux plant on mine, I'm not about to crawl up a ladder to regularly water plants. (If I'm going to fall and break a bone, I better be doing something more exciting than watering the plants on my dust-catching plant shelf.!




I'll just bet that you've had similar questions about your home too.

Looking Your Best at Home

In the early '80's the Color Me Beautiful phenomenon hit like a ton of bricks. For you youngsters out there, Color Me Beautiful was the creation of Carole Jackson. Ms. Jackson theorized that, based on skin tone, each of us fit into one of four categories that corresponded to the four seasons. By strictly wearing colors that fell into that season, you would look more attractive than if you were to venture into another season. For instance, women like me with very fair skin with pink undertones are considered "winters" and look best in colors that you would associate with that time of year such as jewel tones like garnet red, sapphire blue and emerald green. In fact, Ms. Jackson's theory is spot on; I do receive the most compliments when I wear red or hot pink, two of the winter colors. However, I tend to look washed out when I wearing autumnal colors.

I recently found, tucked away in an old purse, the Color Me Beautiful fabric swatch packet that my older sister bought me for a birthday gift when I was still a teenager. Flipping through I noticed that many of the color palettes I've chosen when decorating our first apartment and the three homes that we've owned were consistent with my season.

Color Me Beautiful fabric swatches came housed in a small packet with clear sleeves.

If we look our best when wearing our season's colors, it makes sense that we might want to consider decorating our homes in those colors as well. Instinctively, many of us already do this. Why wouldn't we want to look our best?

Besides the color palette that we select for our homes, there are other strategies that we can use that accentuate the positive. When it comes to making our skin look its best, lighting is our BFF. Choosing pink light bulbs rather than clear or opaque bulbs helps to soften the look of the skin. Wrinkles appear less visible. Pink bulbs are readily available and inexpensive at retailers like Target.

Your guests will appreciate pink bulbs in the guest bathroom.

Via Apartment Therapy

When lighting is too bright, the skin can appear washed out and those crow's feet around the eyes give let the world know that you love a good belly laugh. Consider adding dimmers to all of your lights so that you can adjust the amount of light. Laughter is great, laugh lines-not so much.

Source

A final lighting option, especially nice when entertaining, is candlelight. Everyone looks younger when they are bathed in candlelight. Notice how restaurants use dim overhead lighting but supplement with candlelight. That is no accident. Not only does candlelight give off a warm glow, the dim lighting is responsible for causing the pupils of the eye to dilate. A research study reported in Psychology Today concluded that when viewing photos of the opposite sex, consistently subjects indicated that those whose pupils were dilated were far more attractive than those whose pupils appeared constricted. Weird, huh?

Now, if someone would tip off a few of the stores where I shop that the harsh overhead lighting in the dressing room and dirty white walls leave much to be desired, they might just sell more clothing.

Do you decorate in colors that bring out your best?

*Find copies of Color Me Beautiful at Amazon.com.

Bookshelf Mini-Makeover

I love me a quick makeover project that yields big results and that's just what I got with a project that I did last Thursday. My plain white bookshelves were yawn inducing and did nothing to add interest to my great room, the room I've been spending most of my energy on lately. A couple coats of paint to the back of the shelves was all it took to give the room a little more personality

BEFORE

The associate at Sherwin-Williams suggested that I tape off the insides of the bookshelves with Frog Tape and wet the edges to activate the paint blocker and seal the edges.





The entire project, including taping, gathering supplies, applying two coats of paint and clean up, took just under 90 minutes. An excellent return on my time investment.




Don't you just love quick projects?

I Just Lost 200 Pounds!

This week has been all about organizing and purging my house of unwanted clutter and dust collectors. I started with my basement and will be working my way upstairs.

Some of the Evidence

It took several trips to local donation centers to rid my basement of it's clutter, but it only took a simple phone call to Easter Seals to lose 200 pounds worth of unwanted wood in the form of my former dining room buffet.

Hideous Brady Bunch Style Buffet

Eight years ago when we had an empty dining room, we were happy to take my in-laws up on their offer to give us their old dining room table and six chairs, I didn't realize that the buffet was going to be thrown in as well. For eight long years I had to look at this monstrosity on a daily basis, but no more!

With the buffet gone, the small room feels much less cramped. I did have to relocate the lamps that were formerly sitting on the buffet, but that was a small price to pay. As well, without the lamps, the pictures that had been hanging over the buffet seemed awkward on the far wall. Those were removed and will have to find a new spot in the house.

Before

After

I'll be on the lookout for a new piece to fill the void now that I am buffet-less. I would love a slightly longer version of this piece that I saw at Colour me Happy.



My next mission, deciding how to treat that empty wall. Any suggestions?

The Big White Box Challenge Revisited

Even Lindsay Lohan's new accommodations will have more appeal!

I was thrilled last week when I was contacted by CSN Stores to do a product review. You see, I've been wanting to work on a project that has been on the back burner for some time now and CSN Stores has such a great selection that I know I'll be able to find what I'm looking for to get the momentum going. They have everything from bedding to dinnerware to luggage available at their over 200 stores.

When I first started blogging last August, one of my first posts was my Big White Box Challenge. This self-imposed challenge involved decorating my sparse guest room/home office space using only items that I already owned or that could be purchased inexpensively at Michaels. For a while things were going swimmingly. I re-purposed my old kitchen table and made it a desk:

BEFORE

AFTER

Transformed a hideous former dining room chair to be used at the desk:

BEFORE

AFTER

and created a wall arrangement for the area over the desk:


Unfortunately, things stalled at that point. Without the funds to complete the room, it looked as if the guest room portion of the space would not be completed anytime soon. But now, with the help of CSN Stores, I have the opportunity to get back to work on my big white box challenge. Stay tuned to see which product I'll be adding to the room to help update the look.

No-Sew Ottoman Slipcover

Whenever I used to see a piece of clean lined furniture with a slipcover I used to think it looked like a fairly simple sewing project, one that I could tackle at home to save money. Why not give it a whirl, I thought. I have a black leather ottoman that would make a good first project. I headed over to the local fabric store and found a simple pattern. Or so I thought. I would need a degree in engineering from MIT to make heads or tails of said pattern. But did that stop me? No! I knew there had to be an easier solution.

I may have left the fabric store empty-handed, but my head was filled with ideas. I grabbed an old sheet, tossed it over the ottoman and got busy manipulating the fabric until I came up with a plan. Here is the cliff note version of what transpired:

I started by taking measurements for my piece. It was a perfect square.

Next, I cut a piece of fabric to those measurements, adding about an inch to each side, then centered it on top of my ottoman. (Before cutting, center the pattern for a professional look.)

Once I was sure the fabric was completely centered, I formed a pleat at each corner.

The extra triangular piece at each corner had to go. I used a yard stick and chalk pencil to mark the areas that needed to be removed.




After cutting off the excess fabric, I was left with something that resembled a stop sign. (Don't throw out those corner pieces, you'll need them later! You might notice that I left the salvage on, this was necessary as I needed every inch. No worries, it will get covered later.)



Using my BFF, Stitch Witchery (an iron-on fusible adhesive,) I added ribbon trim to the perimeter of the fabric. This required slightly more than one spool of ribbon. (Form mitered corners for a finished look. Oops, I forgot to take a picture of that!) After returning the fabric to the ottoman and making sure it was centered, I formed the pleats at the corners, pinned them in place and added a few hand stitches to make them stay put. (Be sure to measure down the same number of inches on each corner before adding your stitches.)

To cover my stitches, I made fabric covered buttons which I sewed directly over the stitches that I'd just made. The excess fabric that I cut off earlier was plenty to cover all four buttons. (Kits for covered buttons can be found at any fabric store.)

Okay, I fibbed a bit when I said "no-sew", there is the matter of sewing on a few buttons.

It's a bit difficult to see the button here, click on image to get a closer view.


The finished product!

Final thoughts

Once I figured out how I wanted to construct the slipcover, this was a very simple project. I'm confident that I could whip one up in about 90 minutes or less. Adding the trim is the most time consuming portion. Because the light in my great room is better than the room in which I plan to put the ottoman, I took the "finished product" photo there. While the blue of the ottoman clashed with the blues in that room, I immediately decided that I will be making another slipcover in the future and using this piece for my great room makeover. I'm thinking either solid white or navy with a navy and white Greek key trim.

It would be very simple to add your own flair to this project. A few suggestions:

-Use a solid fabric to avoid the need to center. (Regardless of what color or pattern you choose, be sure that it is heavy enough that you can't see through to the original fabric.)

-If using a solid, consider adding a patterned trim.

-If you have the skill, no trim would be necessary, just hem your cover instead.

-Instead of covered buttons, you could sew on some ribbon ties or make a tab to keep your pleats together.

-Instead of ribbon, use fabric tape available in multiple colors and styles. Another alternative would be blanket binding. It is affordable and one package would most likely be all you need.

-If you possess some basic sewing skills, consider using a contrasting fabric as your trim.

-If you are like me and love to change the look of your home with the seasons, create a pattern when you initially cut your fabric for your first cover. This will eliminate a few steps when creating the second cover.

-Don't have an ottoman, but still want to try this project? Consider buying an inexpensive cube. Target routinely has these on sale, sometimes marked on clearance for under $20. A couple of covered cubes could be tucked under a console table and used for extra seating in a pinch.


One final note: Most decorator fabrics are only 54-60 inches wide. For that reason, if you are working with a larger piece, you could use strips of a contrasting fabric for your trim to make up the difference.

If you decide to try this project, please e-mail me a picture. I'd love to see.

Collecting Milk Glass

Image via MilkGlass.org

When I was about 8 or 9 years old, my older sister and I were allowed to walk to a local discount store called Bargain City to spend whatever money we had at the time. I remember feeling very grown up using my own money to buy my mom a Mother's Day gift that year, a milk glass vase for $1.98. I recall thinking it was just about the most beautiful gift in the world and planned to keep it filled all summer with dandelions that grew rampantly in our backyard.

I was reminded of that day this past week when I visited a local antique mall. As I browsed through the aisles of merchandise, I noticed booth after booth offered unique milk glass pieces. With prices as low as $8, I couldn't resist picking up a few pieces for my great room makeover. Based on the tags on the pieces I purchased, this is what I found.

A Westmoreland Milk Glass Candy Dish, $28

A Westmoreland Milk Glass Compote, $11.

A Westmoreland Milk Glass Bowl, $12.50

As I drove home that afternoon, I was picturing the pieces as the start of a beautiful collection that I could arrange on the bookshelves in my great room. I imagined painting the back of my shelves in a beautiful shade of blue or yellow that would contrast perfectly with a creamy white of the milk glass pieces.

Since I've never had a collection of any sort, I searched for a website to help educate me on collecting milk glass pieces. I found milkglass.org to be a great source of information. While I plan to educate myself further before looking for more pieces to add to my collection, here are a few tidbits of information I gleaned:

-Milk Glass originated in Venice in the 16th century, but most collectible pieces are from the 17th century or newer.

-Always opaque in color, milk glass pieces can be found in white, pink, blue, green, brown and black.

-There are a lot of reproduction pieces out there. To determine authenticity, check the bottom of the piece and look for dates, markings or a company name.

Westmoreland often used this marking but also sold mold to glass manufacturers who didn't remove the marking.

-In most cases, the more valuable pieces of milk glass are those with the deepest white color. These were made in the 1900's. Milk glass from the 1800's tends to have a duller, opaque appearance, but is also sought after by collectors.

-To find authentic pieces, start your search with the manufacturers first. Another option is to check local antique shops and dealers. Always ask for a receipt and certificate.

-If you purchase from a thrift shop it's best to have your piece appraised to determine authenticity.

-Westmoreland and Fenton are two of the larger manufacturers of milk glass.


After reading up a bit, I took a minute to check the bottom of the pieces I purchased. Of the three pieces I purchased, only the small bowl contained the "W" marking shown above. According to the research I did, some pieces are not marked.

Perhaps a couple of my good deals weren't deals at all, but I still love the shapes of the pieces I purchased. If I were to buy similar, brand new items at a department store or boutique, I imagine that I would spend a good deal more. I am of the belief that if you love something, it need not be valuable to bring you joy. That being said, I will do a lot more research before purchasing any more items for my collection.

Unconventional Uses for the Ordinary

I despise the phrase "think outside of the box", but that is exactly what two creative ladies did and it yielded some pretty amazing results.

Jessica at Running With Scissors saw the potential in this outdated light fixture she found at a thrift store for $2. She removed the interior components, gave it a coat of paint and....



turned it into a lantern.




When the lovely Ms. Chic wanted to create some bookends for her son's bedroom she knew exactly what to do-hightail it to the hardware store to pick up supplies. She brought home 2 of these. Can you guess what she plans to do?




She plans to paint them blue and get a look similar to this one from CB2:






This just goes to show you that an open mind is a valuable tool for the amateur decorator. The next time you are in a thrift store, antique shop or even the hardware store, make a point to look at objects with an eye for what they could become. Notice the shape and function of an item and picture other uses.

Have you seen any unconventional uses for ordinary items lately?

From Dorm Decor to First Apartment

Black and White Nesting Tables, $49.99

While it may only be the middle of July, at Target the back-to-school season is in full swing. Target's stores and website are loaded with stylish decor for the dorm room that could easily transition into a student's first apartment after college graduation.

While marketed as dorm decor, Target's latest batch of goodies for college 2010 is a far cry from the milk crate shelving units and bean bag chairs of the past. You don't need to be in the 18-22 year old crowd to enjoy all of Target's latest offerings for the college dorm room. Take a look.

100% Thai Silk Pillow, $44.95.

Perch Rug in Brown by Dwell Studio, $139.99 for a 5 X 8

Garden Pattern Rug from Dwell Studio, $139.99 for a 5 X 8






Room Essentials Medallion Bedding, Full/Queen Comforter, $29.99, Standard Sham, $9.99.








Aqua Ceramic Table Lamp, $19.99

See anything you like? Check out Target's complete collection of College Essentials 2010.