Orange Girl's Bedroom Reveal!

This room had a tall order:

1. It must be orange

2. It must have Nemo

3. It must grow into a teenager's room (the little lady is not into her tweens yet!)

4. It must have space for a desk for homework time

5. It must be very soft to touch

6. No overt girliness

7. No ruffles

8. Open windows (i.e. no drapes or curtains, just wooden slat blinds)

9. Pandas and polar bears should feel comfortable alongside the Nemo collection

10. Bamboo (for the pandas, of course!)

11. Storage

12. More storage

Wow!  Well, we started with the orange base, and I felt like a black and white print would be a good choice to encompass the animal side of things.  A zebra print on the pillow and throw blanket (which can double as a cozy rug) took care of that!  A bright orange furry pillow at the back of the bed is perfect for reading.

Plain black bedding became the base and a selection of fun pillows brought in everything else, plus a good supply of fuzzy friends brought in for a cuddle.  The photo collage frames on the wall above the bed show some of her favourite things, with some frames repeating the zebra print.

The first thing we utilized in the way of storage was this memo board, made from white cotton canvas and black grosgrain ribbon with white stitches on the each side.  The tiny glass beads even tie into the room.  Click on the photo to enlarge it and you will see what we hid in the glass beads!  {Tutorial on the memo board coming soon.}

My friend's dad refinished her childhood bedroom furniture in black and it has lots of shelving which was a bonus!  All those Nemos and other friends needed a place to live, after all.  We hung some zebra prints here also.

There was just enough space here for something.  Some new shelves were built, and a desk added into this tiny nook for a homework centre.  Furry friends have a good view of the bed and windows. 

And last but not least, a tiny corner for one of her bamboo plants and her bow holder that I made a couple of years ago.  I love how it still fits her and her personality!

This room will be easy to transition into a teen room as {some} of the animals are replaced with older girl things.  The orange, black, and white will still be fresh and, best of all, it will continue to grow with her.

She loves it, and I am so happy we were able to give her a room that is perfectly her!

Linking up with some great  parties!

I Don't Have a Mantle to Decorate

Today is the final day of Creating Christmas!  It has been so fun to hook up with The Girl Creative - thanks, Diana!

In our old house, we had a lovely wood-burning fireplace.  I loved to roast marshmallows, curl up with a good book, and just watch the fire.  Plus it was super cosy!  And I loved the fact that I had a mantle to decorate at Christmas.  

I love checking out all the beautifully decorated Christmas mantles on blogs and Pinterest, but...  I have no mantle to decorate! I make up for it by decorating the tops of bookcases, dressers, china cabinets, etc. 

I simply swap out some of the everyday decor with Christmas balls and ornaments.  This is my grandmother's china cabinet that she gave us a few years ago.  The tall candlesticks, both red vases, clock, and black tealight holders are there year round, along with some other things I have removed until January rolls around again. 

I added a clear vase full of ornaments, a 3D silver star, and red Christmas balls on top of the black tealight holders.  I also added sheer burgundy ribbon around the tall candlesticks and a bottlebrush wreath to the cabinet door.  Now it is festive!

To this dresser, I added a bowl of Christmas balls with a few picks and a glittery ornament.  Even a couple hints of Christmas will add so much!

 
As we wrap up Creating Christmas week I hope that you have all been inspired to stop pinning and start creating! I’m excited to see what everyone has been working on. This Christmas Linky Party is no ordinary party. This is a blog hop. And what that means is that there are 18 FABULOUS bloggers that are hosting this party at their very own blog. Whether you add your project link here or at any of the other 17 co-hosts blogs, it will show up on one huge party list! Awesome! 

If you haven’t already, please take the time out to visit the other co-hosts and go through their Creating Christmas posts. There is some really neat projects! The Girl Creative, Que Linda Crafts, The Cottage Market, Love Lindsey, Domestic Mischief, Chicken Scratch, Love Sweet Love, Randee’s Organized Chaos, Musings of a Glamour Puss, Anastacia Knits, Southern Scraps, Modern Yet Old Fashioned, Broken Treasures, Alyssabeth’s, Domestic Deadline, Life on Walnut Street, 52 Mantels, The Glamorous Life

The Rules are SiMpLe:

• Add a link to a project that YOU have created!
• Visit the 2 links ahead of you and check out what they’ve got going on. Leave some comment love. Tis the season for giving after all. {wink wink}
• HAVE FUN AND BE INSPIRED!!

Old Christmas Decor in New Ways

It is Day 2 of Creating Christmas!

This Christmas I am aiming to reuse the decorations that I have in ways I have never used them (or at least, not recently).  Here are some samples of things I made today...

A tealight holder became an modern-style ornament display for a windowsill.

When I decorate for Christmas, I sometimes reuse currently displayed vases or jars which means I have to store everything that is normally in the container.  I had dumped out a vase of red glass stones to be used for Christmas balls instead.  I was planning to store the glass stones until January but hey, they're red and it's Christmas!  I tried them in a couple of places, didn't like them, and into a jar they went. 

I pulled out my sleigh (that was filled with silver bead garland from the year before) and emptied it out.  I thought about filling it with some wrapped stocking stuffers, but I did that a couple of years ago.  So I left the sleigh and went back to the beads.

I thought the beads and glass stones might look cute so I grabbed an empty vase and started stringing the beads in.  I added a couple of stones every once in while. A sparkly red glitter Christmas ball went on top.  It's cute!  I am not sure where it is going to go yet, but I think it's a keeper!  Just something a little different.

Then the sleigh came back out and I saw some beaded stars that my daughter had unwrapped right next to the beaded fruits.  In went one apple, one pear, one cluster of grapes, and two stars.  I had one star left so it got hung on the side of the sleigh.

 

I placed the sleigh on a half wall and wanted a little something extra with it so I found some metallic XL tulle (leftovers from here) and some bits of raffia for a base.  Three gold mini balls in matte, shiny, and glitter were the finishing touch.  I think this is my most favourite way I have ever used the sleigh!

Linking up with some great parties!

DIY Floral Arrangement

Supplies:

Bowl/vase

Floral foam

Filler (flowers, sticks, etc.)

Something to cover the foam

Directions:

Step 1:  Fill your vessel with floral foam.  I just grabbed this bowl from the kitchen because (1) it was white, (2) modern lines, and (3) it was there!

Step 2:  Start inserting the main pieces.  I trimmed branches from one of my bushes outside last year and spray painted them white after they thoroughly dried out.

Step 3:  Once the main filler is all in, add in the special pieces.  I used two peacock feathers that I trimmed down to size.

These are cute glitter-covered gold branches that I cut apart into little sprays and added in all over.  They went in last as they were the shortest.

Step 4:  Cover up the floral foam with something cute!  Marbles, moss, fruit, pebbles... the possibilities are endless!

Here is the finished product!  (Yes, more decor for the bathroom!  I have to put something in there while the plans are coming into place!!)

Linking up with some great parties!

Bathroom Christmas Decor

I bought these candle rings probably 10 years ago.  I think they were from Pier 1.  I have never used them, and actually bought them in deep red as well (also never used, geesh).

I wanted to use them in my main floor bathroom since they were a greenish gold colour, and I wanted to get away from the same decor that I have done in there in previous years. 

I found a cute polka dot green ribbon in my stash, so I grabbed my scissors and went to work! 

 

I hung all four candle rings on the curtain rod (currently empty as I have been selling the decor to change the colour scheme) and thought it was cute but needed a little sparkle.  So five mini Christmas balls later, it's done.

Linking up with some great parties!

DIY Twine Balls

Super easy and possibly messy!  These twine balls are awesome hanging, as part of a visual collection, or piled into a decorative bowl.

Get a friend to help and, if you are making the giant ones, get more friends!  I did some with those giant balloons (3 feet in diameter), and I had one person feeding the twine to the glue person.  The glue person then fed the goopy twine to me and I needed two people to help hold the balloon.  So we needed five people to do the biggies.

Supplies:

balloons

vaseline

string/twine/jute/yarn

toothpicks

glue

water

plastic plate

plastic tablecloths

Directions:

1. Blow up your balloons, making sure they stay as round as possible.  Some balloons can get really egg-shaped quickly, so use them for the tinier balls.  Once inflated, rub a small amount of vaseline onto the surface, coating thoroughly.

2. In the plastic plate, mix up your glue by blending 3 parts glue to 1 part water.  Saturate the twine by running it through the glue, wiping off excess with your fingers.

3. Wrap the twine randomly around the balloon.  Tuck your end under the twine to hold it in place.

Thanks to K & A for being my photo models!

4. Hang the balloons to dry.  We tied them onto a large dowel (a hockey stick or unused broom stick would work too) and let them dry for 24 hours.  Make sure you put a plastic tarp or tablecloth underneath to catch all the paint drips! (Note: you don't need to use a fan or hairdryer on these.  We were only trying to accelerate the dry time.)

5. Poke the balloon gently with a toothpick to pop it.  Pull the deflated balloon carefully out through the open spaces of the twine.  Use the toothpick to remove any bits of dried glue from between the twine, and you're all done!

6. To hang, using fishing line to attach to the twine balls and a tack to attach to the ceiling.

Linking up with some great parties!

Figuring Out the Bed Situation

AKA The Nursery to Big Girl Room Transformation

While I am busy collecting images, dreaming of gathered silk and endless strands of pearls, and wishing I had about $10K to do this bedroom (hello, vintage Chanel necklaces framed in shadowboxes would be more than lovely!!), I have one little thing in the back of my head... a bed.  We are going to need a bed.  Since our sweet little girl is potty-training (YAY!), she will need to be able to get in and out of bed.  Taking a flying leap over the crib side rails is not an option here. Haha :)

Her room is the smallest bedroom in the house at about 10' x 11' which rules out anything larger than a standard twin.  (I was in a double bed by age 3 and a queen bed at 12, so I am not used to smaller beds.  Here's to hoping she doesn't fall out!!  Fingers crossed!)  I suppose if there were no other furniture in the room, a larger bed might work, but we want some statement furniture pieces as well.

Here are my top two ideas (and yes, they are at opposite ends of the design spectrum) and my pro/con list for each.  (Slight Rory Gilmore reference there, lol!)

IDEA ONE

Okay, so I love the idea of a trundle bed.  And I love the look of daybeds too.  I found this super gorgeous one at Posh Tots, my favourite eye candy mini-me site. 

pic from Posh Tots

Pros:

Light pink/gold option

Trundle Daybed

Only one side to fall out

Love the intricate detail and vintage flair

Looks expensive

Would go with existing paint job, which is NOT CHANGING!!!

Fit for a princess

Cons:

$8,200 price tag

Too many roses (they remind me of the Princess Bride)

Not enough glam (Swarovski rhinestones are extra!)

Too shabby-chic for me

Fit for a princess, but maybe not a Chanel princess

Here is a similar option at $5,700.  

I think I may like it a bit more than the one above, 

but I am not quite decided on that.

IDEA TWO

Again, how much do I love Posh Tots?  My second idea is a more modern take, with padded upholstery, nail head details, and luxe suede found here (ignore the fact that it is blue!):

 

pic from Posh Tots 

Here is a close up in black faux leather (again, ignore the black):

pic from Posh Tots

Pros: 

Sleek and modern

Could be pushed against a wall or left out

Double as a modern chaise/couch in the future

Nail heads!!!!

Upholstered, so no tears over bumped heads

Did I mention nail heads!!!!

Image this in a classic black/white boucle tweed!

Cons:

No trundle (although adding one would be okay)

Maybe too boyish?

Can we inject enough glam into it?

$3,120-$3,365 (faux leather - suede, respectively)

Girly-girl factor is lacking

So lots of things to think about...  I should mention that I am not trying to recreate a whole "31 Rue Cambon" style.  Gild, lions, etc., is not what I am going for.  I am aiming to pull together a very cohesive look using blush, ivory, white, black, and soft golds (with possibly some silver/steel thrown in as well), and of course, utilizing the logo.

Cross your fingers for me!  I am working on an idea board for this room, and hope to finish it this week.  :)

Lightning McQueen Bed

For his Lightning McQueen room, my son needed a race car bed.  I wanted a bed that would fit a twin mattress, and the molded plastic car beds from Toys'R'Us and the like were all made for toddler mattresses.  Plus, they weren't really Lightning McQueen, just red race car beds.  

Hubby to the rescue!  He probably was wearing his Superman shirt that day haha!  He laid out a large sheet of 5/8 inch MDF and I covered it in wax paper.  The wax paper became my pattern paper.  I used my son's large talking McQueen toy, the DVD cover, and a scene from the movie (which we left on pause), and I drew out the entire side of the car.  The only area I redid a couple of times was where the driver and passenger window go.  It had to be high enough so he wouldn't fall out of bed, but low enough to allow easy bed changing access and for him to easily get out of bed.  Plus, it had to look sporty without looking like a convertible.

HubbyWe did two layers of MDF in some areas: all 4 tires and large and small lightning streaks.  My hubby cut it all out with his table saw and then went over each edge and side to round them off.  If he wasn't asleep right now, I would ask him what the tool is called.  I can't remember.  We used the red accent paint from my son's room and bought some new paint in yellow, orange, black, and silver.  A paint gun helped hubby us get the blends on the large lightning streaks.

End result: We all love it!  And, most important, when my son walked into the room to see it for the first time, he said, "Lightning McQueen!"

For the matching artwork we did, click here!

Linking up with some great parties!

This Table Has a Secret

Way back when, I did 3 posts on the glam nursery that we did for our sweet little girl.  I forgot to add the "DIY" (not sure you can really call it that, but hey, that's what I'm going with!) for the table.

It is actually the most expensive thing in the room, but I did it for free! 

Here is how I did it:

1. Shop your closet and find a long skirt or sarong.  The one I used is a vintage black silk pleated skirt: Ralph Lauren Purple Label.  This is an ankle-length skirt so once it is on the table, it leaves about 6 inches or so draping on the floor.  I think it is so romantic-looking like that!

2. Shop your kitchen or dining room and find a round tray or charger.  Mine is a large silver serving tray.  A vintage round tray would look great too!  Just make sure that there are no sharp edges or cutouts that could snag your fabric.  Your mom or grandmother might have some vintage silver trays laying around that would work well.

3. Set up a decorator table.  You know the kind: made of wood, collapsible, round top.  I have also seen people use a metal garbage can flipped upside down.  Good idea if there are no handles - hello, tripping and toe-bashing.  Not good news!  Plus, take into consideration the height of the table/can/other base.  Make sure it's not too high to reach over and put your book or drink down.  No one wants to reach up.

4. Skirt goes over table.  Charger/tray goes over open waist area.  Super simple!  Don't look at the lamp.  It is the DIY from you-know-where.  I got this great idea to weave ribbon through it and at halfway through, I have gone through well over 50 yards of ribbon.  Plus the whole thing annoys me to no end.  So that's that.

Viola! Decorate your table as you wish!!

For more about the nursery:

Read part 1 here.

Read part 2 here.

Read part 3 here.

Read about the mobile here.

Linking up with some great  parties!

DIY Custom Crib Mobile

What You Need:

1. Skinny ribbon to match room colours, precut into 18" - 24" lengths

2. Small trinkets: beads, pearls, vintage buttons, keys, fuzzy pom-poms, etc.

3. Darning needle

4. Netting canopy

Directions:

1. Thread the needle with the ribbon.  Tie one end of ribbon into a knot.  This will hold your trinket in place.

2. Thread through your trinket.  Push it down to the knotted end of the ribbon.  I used two colours of pearls for mine.

3. Thread through netting, remove the needle and tie ribbon in a knot to secure the ribbon onto the netting.  I finished off my ends by making a bow.

4. Repeat as many times as you like!

I found it helps to take the netting down from the ceiling and work with it on the floor.  No sore arms that way!

For more about the nursery:

Read part 1 here.

Read part 2 here.

Read part 3 here.

Read about the table here.

Linking up with some great parties!

DIY Easy Large-Scale Artwork

Our son wanted a Lightning McQueen room a couple of years ago when the movie was still fairly new.  Our budget for the bedroom was fairly limited, and I was fairly choosy about what would go in the room.  He received some of those Crayola giant colouring pages as a birthday or Christmas gift, and while we were colouring them, I had a great idea! 

Background: I had previously purchased posters and had them mounted.  I had loved the look then and knew that at some point I would revisit this idea.

The BIG Idea:

Colour the pages in their entirety (son & me), mount the colouring pages ourselves (aka hubby), and create a deep wooden frame (also aka hubby).  Then paint the frames in a matching or coordinating colour to the bedroom!  We mounted the paper using spray glue on thin plywood, and then modge podged the top of the paper.

We had done a double stripe along the base of his room.  Main room colour was yellow, and the stripes were red and blue - we closely colour-matched these actual Lightning McQueen colours.  So we did the frames in the blue and love how it all turned out!!

Big impact for practically nothing!

 

I am linking up to some great parties:

Sew Can Do

The Girl Creative

Dittle Dattle

Making the World Cuter

Santa's Gift Shoppe

Trendy Treehouse

Sumo's Sweet Stuff

Skip to My Lou

Check out the Lightning McQueen bed by clicking here!

Linking up with some great parties!