Front Stoop Update

I really wanted to update my front stoop from old dirty brass fixtures.  They were looking a little shabby, plus  you can hardly see the gold address numbers against the tan house!  I priced out a new light, a new mailbox and new house numbers and if I got the lowest end stuff, it would cost a minimum of $50.

Well if I'm spending money on it, I would want to get exactly what I want, right??  That would be more like $120.  Boo.  (As in Boo-hoo, not Boo! like my Halloween decor suggests.)

So, instead I bought a can of black semi-gloss spray-paint for $3.50 and got to work.  I could just buy a light later and save some bucks.

I removed the mailbox and house numbers and painted them with two coats of paint.  Once I put them back up, I wasn't satisfied because the light still looked like junk-ola.  I'm not interested in messing around with electricity (although I have installed a ceiling fan before - Bravo).

I removed the lower portion and unscrewed the fixture and placed a plastic bag around it.  Painted that with a couple of coats as well - being very careful to NOT spray my siding!!

Once back together, I thought it looked nice and fresh!  You can definitely see the address numbers now!  What do you think?!

Surprise!! {Party}

When I first met with my client Jean, we were working on invitations for her husband's 50th birthday surprise party.  The location?  Lark Toys in Kellogg, MN, home of a beautiful carousel and amazing toy museum.  Not to mention the toy store itself that seems never-ending!  

They were even rated one of the top ten toy stores in the world by Canada's Reader's Digest!  

Lark Toys doesn't do many private events such as this, so it was a special treat.  The owners are very friendly and helpful...a couple and their daughter own it and run it with probably more people that I know.  The son-in-law designed their logo which I love.  They use the little wind-up birdie for some awesome branding!

There is such a hip, nostalgic vibe about the place, I didn't want to leave!  

We wanted to work with the style and feel of the venue, so I made a few custom pieces for the birthday celebration- like this fun wine label for birthday "boy."  We chose a color palette of red and aqua that lent itself to a retro look.

She wanted some festive buttons, so we designed some using a childhood photo of her husband and had them made at the wonderful (and local Rochester company) Affordable Buttons.  We put memorable family photos on little tins filled with old-fashioned saltwater taffy and floated red, white and light blue balloons from the handles. 

To keep with the nostalgic feel, we got colorful bottles of Stewart's soda and displayed them in a galvanized drink tub.  We had an amazing array of food including some delectable BBQ ribs from Omar's Kitchen & Catering.  I guess I was too busy devouring the food to take a picture?? 

Cupcakes from Mon Petit Cupcake were on display - but not for long!  With three of their signature flavors, every sweet tooth left happy!  I made little flags for the cupcakes and placed them on a mix of cake stands to bring a more colorful, festive feel to the display.  How, you ask? Colored toothpicks, double-sided tape and scrapbook paper cut to size!

The best part of the evening?  That it truly was a surprise!  Friends and family arrived from out of state and surrounded this sweet family to celebrate a half century of excellence!

Wishing happy parties for you too!
Letecia

The Aqua Crib

Here is the crib I refinished for my baby son's room this spring.

I honest to goodness got this crib for free on the side of the road.  I almost bought it at a garage sale near my home, but decided to keep looking.  The next day I drove by and they had a bunch of furniture sitting on the side of the road.  I was in such a state of disbelief that I knocked on their door to make sure I could take it! YES!!!

I put it together and made sure that it would be safe and secure for my son and then got to work sanding the wood.  I did it by hand because my palm sander is too big to fit in between the rungs, plus I think my brother "borrowed it" so I may never see it again.

I painted it with Olympia Premium paint that I got from Lowe's.  I used "Caruso" in semi-gloss which I like for furniture. The zero VOC and low odor is NO JOKE!!!  I even used it indoors while I was pregnant and let my 4 and 6 year old sons help!  I could hardly smell any paint odor and that is even with pregnant-lady-super-sense-of-smell.  Perhaps I should mention now that I could accurately sniff out a smoker three cars in front of me on the road??

It took two+ coats and on more than one occasion I wished it had flat rungs.  The detail was a pain in the rear to sand and paint (especially since I had a huge belly at the time), but is my favorite part now that it is finished since it gives the crib so much character.

 Here's where the story gets interesting.  I finished painting the crib and set the blanket I crocheted for my son inside.  I hung the counting bird pictures (from Anthropologie circa 2005) and laid out the green and white rug. That night my water broke - a whole MONTH early!!!  I think he must have sensed that I was ready for him...the crib was in place and his room was lookin' good.  Funny thing is he doesn't even sleep in it yet.  It seems too giant of a space for his tiny little body, so for now he sleeps in his bassinet or his little swing.

Hope this can help inspire your own painting projects!

Letecia

Antique Technique

I've been wanting to try out Chalk Paint after finding a post about it online.  It seems that it only comes from one place:  Annie Sloan which is the UK.  And it costs $35.  For a QUART!!!  Being the frugalista that I am, I found a post about making your own chalk paint and thought I would give it a go!


Okay, I started with a lovely little chair from the Salvation Army Thrift Store.  I bought it for a whopping $2.00...the Best Deal Ever. 

I added Plaster of Paris and a bit of water to some off-white latex paint I had laying around to create the "Chalk Paint" for the wood portions of the project.  Now here is the cool part...  I actually painted the fabric with the chalk paint as well.  I found a quart of blue paint on the "oops" shelf at the hardware store, so it was only a dollar.  I mixed it with the plaster of Paris as well and slapped it on.  I figured, what's the worst that could happen?  I could destroy a two dollar chair?  I could have to reupholster it like a normal person?  No prob.

For the wood areas:  I painted two coats and then sanded lightly all over and a little more vigorously along edges to get a worn antiqued look.  After sanding, I used a furniture wax paste and buffed them till squeaky. :)



The second part of this painting adventure was an old craptastic table I bought at a garage sale for $3 around ten years ago. It was sitting behind the amazing chair and since it had the lines that show up so well with antiqued painting, I was suddenly inspired to make these two pieces a dynamic duo.  A little wood glue and paint and it's ready for a second chance at life.

And here is the final result...I think it's kind of French Country Shabby Chic...

I can hardly contain myself, I love it so much.  But it may be linked to what a vast difference between what it looked like when I bought it and now.  


Hope you like it!!!
Letecia


P.S.  It cost me a total of $12 in the end for this lovely pair!

Before and After - Side Table

Well, here is the first post featuring one of my little refab projects.  I love giving old things new life and feeling like a frugalista...

Here is my great find from the local Salvation Army Thrift Store.

At $5.00, I thought it was an awesome project starter- good bones, cheap price!!

I cleaned it up and removed the funky fake wood adhesive tile (we're talking sticky!) that was partially covering the leather inset on the top portion.  This consisted of me chiseling tiny uber-sticky chunks off with a screwdriver.  Probably not the best tool for the job, but we had just moved into our house and unfortunately, my tools were not all accessible. 

Since the leather below was shot, I figured I would re-cover that part.  

I spray painted the table using Rust-Oleum Painter's Touch Semi-Gloss Ivory Bisque.

After a couple of coats it was looking sharp!  I used a black and white toile contact paper (from the Dollar Tree!!) for the top inset.

Project Costs

Table - $5

Paint - $6

Contact Paper - $1

Total project cost: $12.00

Reflections Website

The new website for Reflections on Mayo Lake is complete!  Check it out at http://www.reflectionsonmayolake.com/.  This neighborhood is amazing and one of the only places left within the city limits of Rochester where you can build a new home on a lake. 

website mania!

I have four different websites in the works!  This is coming from someone who is typically "just a print graphic designer."  But I am on a roll now...I absolutely LOVE http://www.wix.com/.  It is the fastest way to create a flash website and allows you the freedom to truly design what you want, not just move some elements around or change colors on a template like some site "designers" out there.
I'll keep you in the loop once I get them done so you can check them out!
Have a fabulous weekend!
Letecia