Picture This...

With all the fab wall decals that are available in stores and online, there are a ton of options for new and inventive, even sentimental ways to "write" what you want on your wall.

And then move it around. With the adhesive that is used you can casually take it down and move it into another room or another spot if it's not exactly where you want it.

Which makes these things all the more appealing.

However, with a plans to move in the near future, I still want to use the decals, I just don't want to leave them. Nor do I want to defer prospective buyers from making an offer because they don't like it.

So I came up with, making a picture.

Yes, a picture.

There is a Garden Ridge less than five miles from my house and I bet if you went into 95% of the home within a twenty miles radius you would see some version of this picture.

I own four.

So I covered it up.

 Then I slapped two coats of the green paint I had. 

Inside, we went.

Way too hot outside.

Here is the decal. A little Halloween-ish but I think the green will liven it up.

If I change my mind the decal peels right off, too!

Cut it in half.

I measured. The tree is tilting, not my cutting.

PLace it on there, one side at a time.

Finished project!!!

Project Brighten Up: Family Room

If you haven't notice, I am obsessed with brightening up my home.

First, we are having a ton of people over for my littlest one's 1st birthday and second, because I want out of this house and into a new one.

My goal is to make our home welcoming, where someone will want to call it their home one day.

So I have been focusing on the entertainment unit. It is the main part of the area, besides our enormous couch, which is a light latte color. Our entertainment center we made ourselves. We just bought a few shelves and a dresser from IKEA and put it together to make one. It sounds weird but it works and we like it.

But it's dark. Really dark.

I have been placing white, only white, things on the shelves but have run out of things. There are eight total shelves and I only have two left. I refuse to purchase something.

So I am using my brain power and coming up with something from around the house.

Intro to this project. Books.

I completely ripped the covers off, and then placed twine around them. They are still readable so no real damage was done. But I think they are super cute.

If you are paying attention you would have counted 5 books, three for the shelve and the other two for the end table with only a poor little lamp.

As I was dismantling the fifth book, it did not work, I could not get the cover off with out damaging the entire thing. So I came up with something else.

Burlap.

I hot glued the burlap to the back and then again along the edge to keep it tight and then again when I wrapped it around.

Easy.

Its not too much but just a little.

I like it.

The Vintage Pearl Giveaway!

Click Here to leave a comment and you are entered to win a new necklace they just designed!!!

Green with Envy

Well, I hope that's the way you feel after you see my latest transformation of furniture. 

I wanted to add a little color, not to brighten it up but to change the simple colors, I always choose green.

But the hubby gives me a big, fat VETO, before I even get in the car to get the paint. But I had an idea, I would "tone down" the green before he saw it.

Wish me luck!

Here is my $20 Craigslist purchase. 

Yes, $20 for the set.

I primed right on top, now roughing it up for me.

Remember, I have to surprise the hubby.

With fingers crossed, of course.

Second coat of green paint.

I think the green is on the relaxed side, but still kinda bright for my placement in our living room.

I slathered on a very generous layer of dark walnut stain.

Mostly, because I like it.

And, because I don't want to do it twice.

After about 10 minutes, I normally wait the longest possible, because again I only wanted to stain it once, but I use a large amount so I did not wait this time.

I wiped it off slightly, and still did not think the green was aged. It looked more covered up to me.

So, I rubbed some more.

And then a little more.

That is the best thing about the stain, you make it the color or aged look you want.

So I stopped rubbing.

This is what I got.

I like it.

And so does the hubby.

"Like" The Vintage Bench

Now you can keep up with us via Facebook.

Just check our our page.

Hope you had a fabulous Lado Day!

Entry Piece Re-Do

When you enter my home, you walk smack dab into the middle of it. No lie.

Our entry/living room/dining area is just one huge area. Though we like the openeness, it sure is hard to decorate. You can't tell where the living area begins and ends, or where the dining room ends and begins, as well as how the entry way is really the entry way, when you really have already entered into the home and there is no other way.

It's difficult. But I do know that a little lighting up won't hurt.

So here is my entry cabinet/side board/buffet piece. I sold a piece on Craigslist that I had re-finished and it sold for the exact amount this piece was listed for.

SCORE!
 

Now, don't get me wrong, I love the piece, we even prefer it in black. But the owners before us, used a gold paint pen to accent it. I mean accent everything and it was totally free hand. I just could not walk by this every day knowing this.

I am just trying out the green star, my hubby does not like it. So it most likely will not be there later. I was also testing a rubbing method of painting to see how it turned out, just FYI!

The primer coat. It covered very well, since the piece was black I was afraid I was going to have to put four coats on it. But it soaked it right up.

First coat of paint. Just on the side there, that's why it looks odd. I wanted to make sure it was covering well and that I would not change my mind about the color.

Clear coat, brushed on. I think it looks very "light."

Now, back inside near the ol' whatever- you -want- to -call- it!

I purchased some cute lamps from IKEA, they were having a huge sale, but I wanted a more adult look. So cute wasn't going to work. Though, these were more then I normally spend on lamps and expensive for IKEA, I think they were worth it and really tie everything together.

Detail of the knobs, I think the black really hide this. With the lighter color it really exposes it more.

                                       BEFORE:                                                        AFTER: