Peak in the Attic:: Economically Savvy Decorating & Dress

Simple Pillow(s)

2010-07-30T07:11:00.000-07:00

Both my sister and I have a thing for owls right now. They are so darn cute!

I had an old rectangular brown pillow but I was sick of it and needed a little oomph in my new room.

The little owl perched on the branch needed some friends and I wanted a bit more whimsy.

Luckily my roommate is quite a seamstress so on my birthday she surprised me with a pillow makeover!

She simply found these cute little hooters at a fabric store (look for coupons peeps!) and made a simple pillow cover. You can't tell but the back is a thicker, white fabric.

So this weekend why not borrow a sewing machine and re-imagine your pillows.

It can make somethings simple, s u b l i m e.

p.s. try one of these links for tutorials or do your own google search (o;
http://www.hgtv.com/decorating/how-to-make-a-pillow/index.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_5855_make-pillow-cover.html

Remember the Frames...

2010-07-28T07:11:00.000-07:00

Remember those frames well they were nice but needed a little special somethin'.

I love when guests come over for a visit and am sad when they leave. Ah-hah, wouldn't it be nice to remember the lives that have blessed this home?

People matter. Their presence matters.

So why not, remember?

For the backdrop, I chose some pretty scrapbook papers that worked with my home. You could also use an old calendar picture (like I did for the lower right square).

I then took flower wire and randomly wired and secured it with tape on the back of the frame.

Then came the fun part, picking things to string on the frame (papaya! stickers, bible verses, and photos taken of guests in the frame). To print the pictures (I used costco) choose wallet size, white border frame, and matte or glossy (personal preference).

Look at those adorable little doodles! They liked being photographed so much they wanted to do it twice.

See, it's the little, simpler things that make a house a home (all on a shoestring budget!)

Now go take a picture with someone you love.

Transformation (think layers).

2010-07-26T07:11:00.000-07:00

I like a good make-over project. Don't you?

I happened upon the cutest wine holder and decided with a little TLC there was a gem to be found!

I liked the old fashioned style of her. It is dated 1923!

But the brown wood wasn't doing much for her.

However, her beautiful frame was and I wanted to build upon that feature.

I see black. (Wine bottles are already artsy goodness, so she needed a basic backdrop.)

But black didn't highlight the cool detailing on the sides and the date.

So I painted and brushed over her in gold and sandpapered.

And I sandpapered and hilighted some more...

And...I'd like to re-introduce you to...

Her beautiful transformed self! Just needed a little TLC to bring out her best sides... (o;

If you're on the Central Coast, I want to find her a good home. Vino abounds and she would make a great place to display your red & white best!

Only $20.

If you are interested please leave a comment and I will get back with you.

Now go find a little something to give your TLC to!

Lisa's Nursery

2010-07-23T09:26:00.000-07:00

Thought you may want a peak at my sister Lisa & Kyle's adorable nursery. It's all prepared and awaiting the arrival of their sweet baby girl.

My little contribution was the art on the right there. From the get go when I thought of Lisa & Kyle the image of birds came to mind. They are lovebirds. I wanted to capture that and build on it. I painted in two birds looking in on a nest, anticipating the baby chicks arrival.

If you've been to a recent wedding you may have noticed the various ways guest books are creatively evolving. The tree idea has been used at weddings for folks to put a thumbprint as their signature (I've seen some where people sign as well).

For Lisa & Kyle I thought we could write on the canvas, "Imprinted with Love Since 2010" symbolizing all he people surrounding their lives with love. They took the canvas to both showers and had friends and family leave their fingerprint on it.

And, wa-lah, a beautiful sentiment and a cute piece of art.

Here's a little more of the nursery.

Lisa & Kyle are great at accessorizing but not overdoing it. I would call their style California Contemporary. Don't you love her diaper bag (seriously cuter than many of my purses!) And Kyle is the most precise painter I know so the pink stripe is perfection!

Hope you enjoyed this nursery. This auntie can't wait to spend time there cuddling you know who (well I don't know since her name will not be divulged until her big debut).

If you are interested in purchasing a tree designed and painted specifically for your occasion please leave a comment with contact info below, thanks!

Check back here more as my decorating juices are flowing...

An Old Lamp

2010-02-24T21:44:00.000-08:00

Seriously simple. Find an old lamp stand with interesting features. Clean off dust and grime with damp clothe. Spray paint with glossy color of choice. Find fun lamp shade at bargain store. Ta-dah! Adorable.

The Simple Joys of Frames

2010-01-20T13:58:00.000-08:00

Simple Simple. Go to your local thrift store and pick out some nifty frames, BIG and small. Circles and squares. Go home and spray paint them with your favorite colors (I chose a glossy finish deep violet and turquoise) Hang in lovely pattern... (I did this one so we can expand around it when we find new frames)
Wall art on a budget? Go to your favorite stationary and wrapping paper retailer (I get mine at PaperSky in SLO or Papyrus) and pick out a couple papers you like. Then, with your 40% off coupon in tow, head over to Michael's and ask them to cut a large piece of foam core (in the framing section) for you into desired sizes. While there pick up aerosol spray glue. Head home and carefully spray the back of your beautiful paper and gently align and place on the foam core.

Ta-dah...new wall art!

Last month of fall...

2009-11-13T13:15:00.000-08:00

Before we jump into the Christmas Decorating fun...let's savor the beauty of fall. Now for you Southern Californians who don't have much in the way of fall colors (well let's say than most) why not cascade a string of artificial leaves with cute fall colored lanterns (these from Cost Plus).

Wall-ah!

Halloween Ideas

2009-10-15T15:53:00.000-07:00

Simple sentiments here and there.

Fun with Jack-o-lanterns!

(shout out to my fam for these amazing designs!)

Twinkle lights!

Getting Sentimental

2009-10-14T09:30:00.000-07:00

Tonight I talked to my sister who let me know my niece is having a performance tomorrow at her pre-school. How time flies! I remember helping my sis set up her nursery like it was just yesterday. Which leads to my next creative idea for you mommies or over involved aunties (o;

A simple and creative way to bring sentiment and cute decor into your nursery is to hang some of your favorite cards. With my nieces room, we simply hung a string, painted clothespins, and clipped up our favorite cards. What's great about this is you can switch them out through the various seasons of the year and for birthdays. Also, it's a sweet thing to look at in the wee hours of the night as you nurture that little one to remind yourself it's all worth it!

Another thing both my sister and good friend did is incorporate special themes and the use of the babies name throughout the room. In this case, on the left is a picture painted by a friend with a bible verse that was near and dear to the families heart for their daughter. To make your own use children's books or internet images to find pictures (tracing is NOT against the rules). Next to the watercolor, is the baby's name painted to match the room decor. Simply paint them, find cute ribbon, and glue stick them on. We glued cute buttons on as an accent. Letter's were from Michael's Crafts. A bargain way to save on this project is to ask friends to save the coupon and each buy a letter. Why not incorporate painting a letter into your shower to make each letter extra special!

Jewelry Idea

2009-10-13T15:46:00.000-07:00

I needed a way to visually see most my jewelry and designed this based on an idea I got from Real Simple magazine. I bought a trouser hanger at Bed, Bath, & Beyond, added a flower, and, wall-ah, mission accomplished!