Rug Giveaway from RugsUSA

Keno Collection Bold Floral Rug in Cream

Adding a new rug in a bold, fun pattern is one of the easiest ways to instantly update a room. No fuss, place it and voila, you've just added personality to your space without wasting an entire weekend in the process. Easy peasy, don't you love that? The lovely people at RugsUSA.com feel the same way and that's why they are offering one lucky Strictly Simple Style follower the opportunity to win the Bold Floral rug in cream and black from the Keno Collection. With it's neutral color palette of cream and black, this hand tufted 5 X 8 rug would be an ideal option for adding style to your entry or a jolt of pattern under a kitchen table.


Entry Details

1. The giveaway is open to all followers, old and new. Just leave a comment telling me in which room you'd like to use the rug.

2. Get an additional entry for "liking" Strictly Simple Style on Facebook.

3. Get more entries for blogging or tweeting about this giveaway or posting it on your Facebook page.

4. Don't forget to leave a comment for each entry.

The giveaway will be open until Sunday, June 5 at 7:00PM EST. The winner will be announced Monday, June 6.

Good luck!

Making Do

How many times have you settled for something when what you really wanted was attainable if only you'd been patient? I have done this more times than I'd like to admit. When I wanted bookcases to flank my great room fireplace I settled on a set of inexpensive ones rather than waiting until I could afford exactly what I had in mind. As a result, I wasted money, something that makes me quiver at the thought. I've done the same thing with art and accessories in the past, settling for mass produced, low quality pieces instead of saving my pennies for what I really wanted. But I've changed my ways, from now on I'll make do and reap the benefits of delayed gratification.

The "I- settled-for-them" bookcases are gone and we brought in our bedroom armoire for the time being.

Currently I have almost no accessories in the room and my room is looking pretty bare. I've seen plenty of things I'd love to fill the voids-new lamps, fabulous original paintings.... I daydream about having our fireplace mantle updated so that it's larger in scale. I'd reeeeaaallly like...well, it doesn't matter, for now I'm saving and making do.

What's your style, make do until you have saved up enough to get what you really want or get an adequate alternative?

Coffee Table Reveal

Do you find that when the weather warms up and the sun is shining that you have more energy to complete all those projects you've been putting off? I do. I spent most of the weekend getting my yard and flower beds in shape for the summer, but I still squeezed in time to give my coffee table a new look.


Here is a reminder of what the table looked like before.




This project was quick, easy and cheap, cheap, cheap! A single tube of Rub 'n Buff in Antique Gold, just a couple of dollars at Michaels, and a paint brush were the only supplies necessary.





The directions on the the Rub 'n Buff package say that it can be applied with your finger, but I've tried this way and it makes a big ol' mess. I used a small brush with slightly stiff bristles and it made the application nice and even. Using a brush also allows you to get into all the nooks and crannies. The brush, which I forgot to take a photo of, gets pretty much destroyed in the process, so if you plan to use this product you won't want to buy an expensive brush. A little goes a long way with this product, just apply a small dot directly to your brush and smooth it on to the surface of your piece.

Table before touch-ups

The look I was going for was similar to the one on the small table you see in the background, a matte gold with a brown undertone. Initially I thought the finish was a bit too yellow gold and contacted my blogging friend Roeshel from The DIY Show Off. Roeshel recommended Rust XO paint in Antique Gold. It can be found at True Value. Roeshel used this particular paint for a DIY Jewelry Tree project and said it has the brown undertone I was looking for but the finish is more like a semi-gloss. Hmmm, what to do, what to do.

Roeshel's Project using the paint from True Value.

Ultimately, I decided to live with the table for a few days to see if the finish would grown on me before trying anything else. It is starting to grow on me already and a few accessories could only make it better. Here's one last look.

3 Reasons Why Summer is a Thrifty Girl's Favorite Season

Memorial Day is the unofficial start of the summer season and it's just days away. For thrifty girls like me warm weather is welcome for more reasons than just back yard barbecues and working on my tan.

1.Consignment and thrift shops are filling up

If you haven't hit your local favorites lately, do it STAT! People clear out their basements and garages to evaluate if they have enough to make a garage or yard sale worth their effort. Add to that all of the families who want to purge their extras in time to put their house up for sale, and you have resale and thrift shops overflowing with new goodies on a weekly basis.

I just scored this vanity for my daughter's bedroom at a local consignment shop. Still pondering how I'll finish it.

2. Free accessories for your home courtesy of nature.

Photos you shoot in your own backyard or at a park can be framed and used as wall art. My nephew Gabe shot these beautiful photos that I recently had framed for my living room.

Your own garden eliminates the need to buy fresh flowers for inside the house.

My cutting garden is like the gift that keeps on giving. For the initial cost of perennials, I get a summer of fresh flowers for my home year after year. Hostas are one of my favorites; they look great as part of an arrangement or on their own.



Seashells or rocks placed in a decorative bowl, a piece of gnarled wood, branches in a tall glass vessel or even a tiny vase of dandelions picked by a child can add a touch of summer to your home for no cost at all.

3. The weather is cooperating for spray painting projects.

Too cold, rainy or humid weather are a can of spray paint's worst enemies. Early spring/summer is just the time to get outside and tackle a few of those projects you've been dreaming about all winter.

Last weekend I was able to head out to the garage to turn a mirror from visually heavy to...

light and airy.

You may be just a can of spray paint away from giving that worn bedside table or dated lamp a fresh, new look. The long Memorial Day weekend is the ideal time to get started on a project to bring some summer to your home.

How will you be spending you Memorial Day weekend?

If a Picture's Worth a Thousand Words...

a collage must be worth millions.

Lately I've been having the hardest time adding the finishing touches to my first floor. Open floor plans can make decorating a huge challenge. By creating a collage of images of some of the areas that I want to complete first, I was able to see things with a new perspective. I didn't try to "fluff" the rooms or bring in flowers or accessories from other spaces. I left the rooms exactly as they were when I got up this morning. The wheels in my head are spinning out of control.

Feel free to add any ideas you think might make my rooms go from half done to ahhhh, finally done. (Click on the image to enlarge.)

Have a great weekend everyone.

Painted Wood: Are you still embracing the trend?

Can you guess what my first thought was when I saw the image above on Live Creating Yourself? Give yourself a point if you answered "Where are the painted wood pieces?" It seems like you can't open a shelter magazine anymore and see a room without at least one piece of painted wood furniture.

In recent years I've been all about the trend of painting wood. (My neighbors don't realize it, but I sense their concern every time they see me, yet again, in the garage with a mask on my face and a can of spray paint in hand.) For certain, painting old furniture with a bad finish is an easy and cost effective solution for anyone without the experience or inclination to try their hand at staining. But lately when I see a gorgeous finish on a dining room table coated in paint to get rid of the "old- fashioned" feel of the piece, it tugs at the part of my heart reserved especially for traditional design.

Call my thoughts antiquated if you will, but I still think there is a certain elegance to a beautiful mahogany cocktail table paired with a white sofa or even *gasp* dark stained kitchen cabinets with a cream subway tile backsplash. The masses may call it old-fashioned, but I won't be giving up my natural wood furniture anytime soon.

Where, if at all, do you drawn the line on painting furniture?

Going for the Gold

Ever since I first saw the image above I've been completely smitten with the coffee table. It might be that the lines of the table vaguely reminds me of my own coffee table. When I purchased the table its finish was a rusty bronze. My blogging friend Karla, a professional home stager, suggested that painting it black might make it pop against my white sofa and neutral walls. The paint has been scuffed in a few areas and needs some touching up now and I'm considering going for the gold this time around.






Now that I've added chocolate brown walls and black and white accent chairs to the mix, I'm starting to question whether there are too many dark elements in my space. Add to that the fact that I saw a fabulous coffee table makeover on the Nate Berkus Show Tuesday by none other than Rashon Carraway, better known as Mr. Goodwill Hunting. Rashon painted a Salvation Army coffee table in an antique gold and I haven't stopped thinking about it since.

Mr. Goodwill Hunting's makeover table

via TheNateShow.com

What do you think, should I go for the gold?

My Favorite Space with Hazardous Design

When Carrie and her husband Chris bought their New England home they took on quite a challenge. Built in 1886, every room in this historical home needed a little, or sometimes a lot, of attention. No problem for this dynamic duo though, they've been through the process before. Carrie refers to their home on Hazard Avenue as their second "project house". Their adventures in home renovation led to the birth of Carrie's blog, Hazardous Design. Want a sneak peek of one of the room's they've tackled before Carrie tells you about her favorite space? Take a look:

Home Office Before:

Home Office After

I'll let Carrie tell you about her favorite space and how she put it together on a tight budget.



Hello, Strictly Simple Style readers! I was so excited when Karen invited me to share a room in my home as part of her "My Favorite Space" series. I'd like to welcome you to my favorite space: our Master Bedroom.

My husband, Chris and I moved into our historic, New England home on Hazard Avenue about nine months ago. The house itself has good bones considering its age, however, each room needed a cosmetic makeover. Our Master Bedroom was the first room we tackled shortly after moving in. Like most people, we wanted a calm and serene space to retreat to at the end of a long workday. We also wanted a finished room in our home where we could escape all the construction debris and dust that comes with renovating a house.

When we moved in, the Master Bedroom had wallpaper and a wallpaper border that I didn't waste any time removing. Chris hung crown molding (which was a challenge due to the slanted walls), and I painted the walls light gray.

Carrie's Master Bedroom Before

I had been drooling over this Draper Stripe bedding from Dwell Studio for months. After the three days I spent stripping wallpaper, I decided that I in fact, deserved it for all of my hard work! Our rug is a $79 remnant that I just happened to find in the exact shade of gold as the bedding. It is almost like the rug and bedding were meant for each other. Don't you just love when that happens?

Just recently, I found an old wingback at our local Salvation Army and had it recovered to match our headboard. My dog, Harry, thinks I put it in our bedroom just for him.

I filled two pre-matted Target frames with inexpensive wrapping paper and hung them over the nightstands. This is supposed to be "temporary" art until I find something better to put in these frames, but truthfully, I really like it as is and may never change it out.

We fell in love with this house because of all the old school charm and character it has. The stained glass in the door and the transom window above it is a good example. This door opens onto a back staircase that leads to the mudroom and kitchen, which has been pretty convenient for getting up for a glass of water in the middle of the night!

I still consider this room "a work in progress" (really, is a room ever done???), but it is no doubt, My Favorite Space.

Thank you so much Karen for letting me share my bedroom with your fabulous readers!

Thanks Carrie! To follow along with the progress of their renovations, visit Carrie's blog, Hazardous Design.

Congratulations to .... Hilary from Such Great Heights. You just won the Shabby Apple dress giveaway.


Thanks to all who entered the giveaway. Have a happy Monday.

Giveaway Reminder

Just a quick reminder that today is your last chance to enter the dress giveaway from Shabby Apple. The giveaway is open until 7:00 PM EST this evening. The winner will be announced tomorrow. Go here to enter.

DIY Feather Chandelier

Look at the statement chandelier that Laurel from Abode Love created with her own pretty little hands. Is that spectacular or what? Her chandy came in at around $100 for supplies as opposed to her inspiration from Jayson Home & Garden for a cool $2,295. Yikes!

Inspiration Light

Get all the details here.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Create Your Own Lace Pottery

Lace Pottery by Maggie Weldon

Calling all DIY'ers, have I got a project for you. The May/June 2011 issue of Victoria magazine includes a how-to from potter Maggie Weldon for creating a lace dish that is so beautiful that you'd never guess that the process is so simple. Ms. Weldon uses vintage lace doilies to create her pieces. You can find doilies at vintage stores and antique malls.

Victoria

The dishes are made using craft porcelain, a clay-like material that requires no baking. (Craft porcelain is available at Hobby Lobby for $7.99.) After rolling out the craft porcelain, a piece of lace is pressed gently on top to create the design. A sharp instrument is then used to remove the excess. Placing the clay in a rounded container allows the piece to dry in the shape of the bowl. The piece will be dry in about 24 hours.




To see more of Maggie Weldon's lace pottery, visit LacePottery.com or to get complete instructions for creating your own piece of lace pottery, pick up the May/June issue of Victoria Magazine on newsstands now.

*Update: The May/June 2011 issue of the magazine is no longer available. For directions for this project go here. 


*Images via LacePottery.com

Giveaway from Shabby Apple

Azure Coast Wrap Dress from Shabby Apple

A great dress makes dressing in the spring and summer effortless and can save you money, no need to purchase multiple pieces. No one does women's dresses like Shabby Apple and today is your chance to win one for yourself. The good people of Shabby Apple are offering one lucky follower of Strictly Simple Style the chance to win The Azure Coast wrap dress, pictured above. Wrap dresses are classic and the silhouette is flattering on most any body type.

Before I give you the skinny on the giveaway I have to show you a few of their colorful dresses for spring and summer.

The Cider dress with it's cheery orange color and ruffled detail at the neck takes away the need for a necklace. (More savings for you!)

I love the look of this vintage inspired dress, it's so Audrey Hepburn.



Every woman can use the perfect little black dress and at only $64, the Espina Bonita is your perfect choice. This dress would be equally appropriate for the office, a summer wedding or a night on the town with a simple change of accessories. (Hint: Shabby Apple also offers great jewelry and accessories.)



Now, on to the details for the giveaway. Rules for entering are strictly simple!

1. You must be a follower of Strictly Simple Style

2. Leave a comment.

3. Get a second chance to win by visiting Shabby Apple and telling me which dress is your favorite (no fair saying one of the dresses I showed in this post!) or liking Shabby Apple on Facebook.

4. Get more entries by blogging about this giveaway or posting it on Facebook or Twitter.

Please leave a comment for each entry.

The giveaway will be open until 7:00 PM EST on Sunday, May 15. The winner will be announced Monday, May 16.

But wait, there's more! Shabby Apple is generously offering all Strictly Simple Style readers a 10% discount just enter the coupon code strictlysimplestyle10off at checkout.


Good luck!