HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATIE!!!! Tales of a teenagers room...

First, I want to say happy birthday to my baby girl! Seventeen...wow! I can't believe you are 17!

In honor of her birthday, I am going to share her room. She is a teenager so it is rarely this organized and clean! But it is her creation and she loves her "stuff" and her space.

I featured the mural on Katie's wall here....and her "unstuffy" wing back chair here. Since we remodeled her room, she has added a lot of her own touches that make the space her own.

As with most teens, her room in a constant state of OH MY GOSH...CLEAN YOUR ROOM!!!! Dirty dishes, dirty clothes in the clean clothes basket (with the clean clothes still in it!), make-up and hair covering the floor and trim, dust bunnies EVERYWHERE! Just a mess.

She is a busy girl. She is an outstanding student (4.2 this last semester...she rocks), she works part-time and she was the lead in the spring musical. (Seriously, the girl has some crazy chops!)

So in spite of all my pleading, begging and bribing, her room stays in a constant state of "mess." Usually the result of just too much "stuff." So a few weeks ago, I decided to take action and tackle the mess.

Since it was in a half-way decent state, I decided it would be a good time to share pictures of ONE of the rooms upstairs!

I also came up with an idea that MIGHT give her incentive to get rid of "stuff." Keep in mind, kids lack the ability to organize and like most of us, they hang on to stuff that they really don't need or want any longer. It is important to "purge" on a regular basis!

I left this bag on her trunk. I told her I would pay her $20 for every large trash bag she fills with clothes, shoes, books....stuff! What many don't know is you can donate "stuff" to your local non-profit thrift store (Salvation Army, church organizations, etc) and get a receipt for a nice tax deduction. So $20 for a bag of things they no longer want or need benefits both you AND your teen...you get a nice little tax deduction and they get pocket change (or gas money!)

Younger kids can be enticed into "giving" their unwanted toys to kids who NEED them. Start them young!

I have learned that teenagers tend to be a bit more myopic and aren't as eager to clean out closets and drawers for the benefit of those in need...sad, but true! They want hard, cold cash!

So far I haven't seen the bag...we'll see. This is why I don't give parenting advise.

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Bedroom makeover...part 2? 3?

I don't know how many times I have griped about my master bedroom. So this past month I began chewing away at a few little things I dislike.

It is my favorite room in the house AND my least favorite. My favorite because it is an awesome room...big, bright, cozy. Least favorite because after 13 years, I STILL haven't decorated it the way I REALLY want it.

I blame it on the furniture.

Ornate, heavy, dark, veeeery traditional! I paid entirely too much for it, so I can't bring myself to get rid of it. One bad thing about furniture...no matter how much you paid for it, chances are you are only going to get pennies on the dollar.

There are a few pieces I would never get rid of...my dad's walnut chair and my grandparent's old trunk. The rest of it...honestly, if I had unlimited funds, it would all go.

But I don't...so it won't. The next best thing is to change it up a bit with a little bit of paint!

I featured the beside tables and the high boy here!

The next big project was the bed!

Honestly, this set would be perfect for a chalkpaint and distress treatment. I painted it with Kilz and sanded it and it was so cool looking. But alas, that is not my "thang" so I just went with my go-to Valspar Dune color.

I did finally paint the top of the Duncan Phyfe drum table...bye, bye beautiful mahogany!

I still need to do some kind of little vingette around this table...in time!

I'm not real thrilled with the bed. I had originally planned on painting all the raised part of the head board and just leaving the inset stained but Brian talked me into just painting the top scrolly part...which is really the part I disliked and it seems the paint just highlighted it. (See, I take his advise!) Oh well...it is different and that will do for now!

I also picked up this darling little antique fan at an auction. I'm not really into "froo-froo" stuff just sitting around and eventually it will probably go to one of my flea booths. But I like the color and retro style and it looks kinda cool on top of the highboy...for now! Until I have to dust it!

Now that all the furniture is painted, I REALLY want to install hand-scraped laminate flooring. And I really want to reupholstery the big chairs. Someday!

I found this AWESOME color chart on Pinterest....

I have some white and tan in the throw pillows and bedding but the majority of my white is a little more "off-white" and my walls are more of a "cream" than a tan. I can live without the grey...I like black better. But the blue is the color of my fireplace wall and I am itching to throw the cranberry color in there somewhere. Maybe in the upholstery on the chairs or a large rug on my new floors!

The paddle fans? Hum...might have to do a little a little paddle fan treatment!

So much I WANT to do.

That is one thing one has to understand about home decor. Unless you have A LOT of money and can afford to have a professional designer come in and do it top to bottom (my choice would be Candice Olson!) the best approach is a little bit at a time.

Don't be afraid to buy used and do a little work to make it your own. As much as I disliked this furniture when it was all stained and matchy-matchy, I'm kind of digging it now! Still want something different, but I like it a lot more now than I did two weeks ago! The floors will come in time and I know someday a piece of upholstery fabric for the chairs will "speak to me" ...someday.

I always tell my kids...it's a good thing we don't have a lot of money...think of all the great things we would never have learned to do had we had the money to pay someone else to do it!

Seriously how much personal satisfaction could one get from having a bazillion dollars and being able to design, built and decorate your "dream" house without concern for costs?

See what paint fumes do to you....

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Arch window covering and temporary window coverings!

It's that time of the year...time to put up the blinds and shades to keep out the blazing sun and cool down the house a bit!

This past week Brian and I put up the outside roll-down blinds that cover the west-facing windows in my den! I love all the natural light, but when the sun hits those windows around 4:00 on a hot summer day, oh my!

Hanging the blinds on the OUTSIDE makes a huge difference...and honestly it makes this room much more comfortable in the summer! (As you can see, I turn the couch around in the summer!)

The arch window in my living room is another story! I know....arch windows are soooo 90s. But that was when this house was built so that is what is there! It is a great place for fall and Christmas displays!

It would be very difficult to put a blind on the outside of the this window...so I had to settle with putting something on the inside.

This is how bright it is BEFORE I put up a blind....

And AFTER...

Seriously, no Photoshop and no camera tricks. Before and After...within a few minutes. That is how much difference there is and it makes a huge difference in the temperature of the living room!

Fortunately my living room is two stories, so it still FEELS bright and airy, I just don't have the blazing sun heating up the room!

I couldn't really afford a "custom" blind for this arch. When I was searching for a solution, I stumbled across a "temporary" pleaded blind...maybe $15.00. It is perfect! When I put my fall decor up in the fall I take it down, fold it up and store it away until late spring. It has a clear plastic "base" that sits in the middle of the window and you just drop one end of the pleated blind into the holder, "fan" it out and secure the outside ends. It came with a "peel and stick" adhesive on the base of both sides, but that was pretty much shot after the first year. So now I either tape it or tack it down. Even though it is just a cheap little thing, it has lasted a good 5-6 years! Worth the small investment!

So if you have a room that is uncomfortable because of the heat generated by the summer sun, think about using temporary window treatments! You just might find the room a little more enjoyable and you will help cut down your cooling bills.

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Antique glass lamps.....to hot glue or not to hot glue...

Several months ago I bought two antique glass lamps at an auction. They are amazing! So simple yet elegant. Kind of a "Grace Kelly" lamp if you ask me...lol!

They have a faint decorative etching in the glass that is difficult to see...very subtle...but so pretty.

The exposed metal on the lamps have a little "corrosion" but I have decided to leave that be for the time being. Amazingly, they don't have a chip anywhere on the glass!

I decided to keep one and replace the little round crystal lamp I have in my office. But I wasn't real keen on the lamp shade, so I decided to keep the lamp shade from the crystal lamp....

I have some pearl froo-froo trim I bought after Christmas last year for pennies. I decided I would gussy up the lamp shade with trim...just to give it a little more glam.

That is where the question of hot glue vs. tacky glue comes in.

I think hot glue has a time and place. But whenever possible, especially on fabrics and upholstery, I always use a quick drying tacky/fabric glue. It takes a tad longer to set up but it holds better in the long run. Sometimes I will put a tiny bit of hot glue on something just to help it hold until the tacky/fabric glue dries completely. I do the same for wood working projects...apply a little bit of hot glue just to hold something in place that can't be clamped until the heavy duty mastic or wood glue can dry completely. But hot glue can break down in extreme hot and cold temps or even with too much "stress" from use. So I rarely use it exclusively...I just think, long term, tacky/fabric glue (and liquid nail or wood glue for wood projects) is a better option.

I see upholstery tutorials suggest hot glue for piping and trim. I personally think that is a mistake!

On this lamp shade, I applied a line of the tacky glue along the edge and then pressed the decorative trim in place....

Again, subtle...but it is the little subtle changes and additions that can make a difference in the "big picture."

HINT: If you use tacky/fabric glue, go back after the glue has "tacked" (10-15 minutes) and press the trim down again! At that point the glue will have a better "grip" and the trim will press flat and adhere better.

(Yes, that is a piece of driftwood on the table...I picked it up on our fishing trip in Colorado last year and I just love the texture of driftwood...I have another piece on my mantel in the den that I picked up off a frozen lake in Georgetown, Colorado 10 years ago!)

Lamps can be an expensive accessory in a room. But they are soooo easy to spruce up or change...just by painting or changing the shade. Several years ago I got a bit tired of my bedside lamps...too dark. So I painted the base AND the shades.

Not a humungus difference...and I am still not real keen on the style.... but it is enough to keep me from running out and paying $200 for the two lamps I wanted.

Painting light fixtures and lamps is a great way to personalize and update a space on the cheap! I featured painted light fixtures and paddle fans here and outdoor fixtures here.

Again, give it a shot...what's the worst thing that can happen...you don't like it. So what...you don't like it as it is...before you toss it, paint it or trim it. It will fetch the same price in the garage sale regardless...lol!

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Reflecting on 50 years of "decorating" life....

I started a post entitled 'Reflecting on 50 years of life." I thought I might share all my "pearls" of wisdom. Really? I, of all people, do not need to be giving life lessons...I'm 50 and still learning something new every day! Although I think if others would learn from MY mistakes, their lives would be a lot easier and pleasant. But truth is, everything you need to know to live a fulfilling life is either in the Bible or on Pinterest. Choose wisely (that is ONE of my "pearls"...ALWAYS choose wisely)

Anywho, I decided that I would be better off giving advice on how to make your home a place you will love. I'm not going to give you "decorator tips" because I am not a decorator...I am just a mom who has found a balance by trial and error. Besides, you can find REAL decorators all over the internet who will tell you how to decorate a room!

So here is some of what I know about "home interior decor".....

1) You won't ever wake up and say "THIS is perfect." Your home is ever changing...families grow, kids get older, stuff gets out of date or worn...so embrace the ebb and flow of your changing life and go with it!

2) I give the same advice about major home decor purchases as I do cars...if I show you a stock and tell you that you will pay $40,000 for it today and I can GUARANTEE you it will be worth $20,000 next year, would you buy it? Nope. So why would you buy a brand new car or brand new anything? Personal property (furniture, cars, appliances) WILL depreciate. Keep that in mind when making a home interior purchase. Let someone else take the depreciation "hit" unless it is a piece you are madly in love with and you KNOW it will be in your home until...well, forever! Here is a little trick I use sometimes...take the purchase price, divide it by the REAL number of years you think you will use that item...for example, my living room couch cost me $1500. I knew I loved it and would use it for years...so far, I am going on 10. So basically I paid $150 a year for this couch. Yep, that is reasonable in my book! But the fact I have had it for 10 years is VERY unusual! Most people don't keep couches that long! Do the math...spend your money wisely!

3) With that advice in mind, whenever you can, buy used and make it your own! Learn to paint...learn to refinish...learn to reupholster. And if you just don't want to do that...or feel you can't...learn patience! Because I can promise you, that "vision" you have in your head for a new tv cabinet or bedroom set or chair will be out there at a garage sale or on craigslist or at a flea market....or seriously reduced at some point!

I have wanted a coffee table like this for...well, decades. But I never could find the EXACT coffee table I had in my mind...and when I did finally find it, it needed some attention! But my patience and ability to DIY paid off...big time!

4) And with that in mind, NEVER BUY IT OR BRING IT HOME IF YOU DON'T SERIOUSLY LOVE IT! Or will love it with a little "tweeking," Because if you can look at it and say "Wow, I really love that!" there is a good chance it will be something you will still love years from now...you won't ever regret that purchase! My rule...if I have to think about it for more than 10 seconds, I don't need it!

This tv cabinet was expensive...but I love it...it is 8-9 years old and I have NEVER regretted it or questioned the purchase. Great story. When I first fell in love with it, I really couldn't justify spending what they were asking...HOWEVER, they had one that was a "customer cancellation" and had a few VERY minor dings...at HALF the price of a new one. SOLD! And the great thing was they had one of their experts fix the "dings!"

5) Use "fads" sparingly. Pillows, rugs, inexpensive pictures... basic accessories...can all be easily changed. So use "accessories" as a way to infuse "fads." The big stuff...primarily furniture...should be something you LOVE and something you know you will probably love 10 years from now. The only time I break that rule is if it is a second hand piece of furniture that is free or cheap that I am going to "repurpose" or "refinish"...knowing that next year I will pass it along to someone else, or repurpose or refinish it again!

As you can see in my living room I use pillows, framing and the rug to infuse the "blue and brown" that is currently all the rage. In my den, I bought this little inexpensive side table at Salvation Army and stained and painted it.

All can be changed or given away when I "change my style" without breaking the bank!

6) Keep "collecting" to a minimum. Seriously, if you collect more than 1 or 2 things, choose one. Otherwise, it just becomes "clutter." I collect hard back books. And Lane Acclaim table...but those are part of my "timeless furniture" so I don't count them as a "collection." My point, "collections" can quickly become "clutter."

7) If someone offers you a "family heirloom"...china, photos, knick-knacks, furniture...take it! Find a way to infuse it into your decor! And if you just can't right now, store it away. But take it! My grandfathers' tools and leather case...my grandmothers' china...just a few heirlooms and THINGS I LOVE! and decorate with!

8) Pictures. Photos of you, your family, your ancestors...surround yourself with them. Find frames at garage sales and thrift stores and paint them...glue things to them...display them in groupings! They are the people you love...surround yourself with them!

9) Pay attention to tips from designers. There is a proper height for hanging pictures and a proper size rug...know them and follow those hard fast rules! I have a rug that is too small in my living room...I know it is too small and it bugs the heck out of me...which is why I just ordered a new, larger rug...can't wait to share!!!

10) Make your bedding a part of your "bedroom decor" and make it beautiful. You can buy beautiful, inexpensive bedding on Overstock and at T.J. Maxx and Marshall's. But more than anything keep it simple...and make your bed EVERY DAY! Simple is the key because if you have too much froo-froo and too many pillows you might be tempted to NOT make it because it is a tiresome chore!

IMPORTANT TIP! Make your bedroom a "haven." It should not be the room where you do book work, sew, fold clothes, scrapbook, etc...you should never go to bed or wake up to "work." No matter how small your house is or how cramped you are for space, make it the one room in your house where you can "escape!"

11) Don't be afraid to TRY IT!!! If you see something you like on Pinterest, give it a shot! And if you just aren't the crafty/buildy/DIYER kinda person, find a few awesome flea markets and second hand stores to cruise through every so often...trust me, others are doing the DIY/Pinterest thing and usually you can find what you are looking for...but be PATIENT!

12) Paint...there are so many tips and tricks to painting....again I could type a hundred posts on how to properly paint anything and everything...but they are already on the world wide web! But my best suggestion is to CHOOSE WISELY. And the only way to do that is to buy the samples pots and paint BIG swatches on your walls...then look at it...for days...or weeks...or whatever it takes to KNOW it is the color you want! I think I have shared how I choose my paint for my bedroom fireplace wall. I THOUGHT I loved one color...but I kinda liked another too. So I bought little samples of both, painted one half of the wall with each...and looked at it...for days. Turns out, I liked the one I "kinda" liked better. Had I gone with the one I thought I loved, I would have never been happy!

13) Shop thrift stores, flea markets, second hand stores, garage sales, auctions...be picky...be patient....you WILL find what you really love eventually!!!

14) DECLUTTER!!! Clean out your closets, drawers, cabinets, pantries...GET RID OF STUFF! Don't have "stuff" just for the sake of having "stuff." A few years ago, I opened up the cabinets under my book shelves...seriously, I bet I hadn't looked in there in 10 years. You know what I found? A lot of STUFF...and spiders...lots of spiders! I got rid of the stuff AND the spiders!

And before you bring more stuff home, or order it off QVC or Amazon, ask yourself..."Do I REALLY need this." Learn to distinguish between "need" and "want." And if it really isn't a "utility" item that you need, do you truly LOVE it?

I watch those "hoarder" shows on TV and I don't get the sheer magnitude of it...because I can't understand the "mental illness" aspect of the whole thing. But I do understand that we can get soooo caught up in the "wanties" and "gimees" and "Igottahavees" that we surround ourself with STUFF we really don't need. Or even want at some point.

It is one reason I strongly suggest using "fad" stuff sparingly in your decor....trust me, Chevron and burlap WILL go out of style...and your house will look like someone puked 2013 in your living room! It's cute...it can be fun to accent with...but use it sparingly and don't invest so much money in it that you don't feel like you can't get rid of it when it does go out of style!

EVERY SINGLE ITEM in your house should somehow enhance your life or have purpose...if it does not, get rid of it.

Am I guilty of breaking my own rules? Are you KIDDING? I'm just like everyone else...I make, and hopefully learn from my mistakes. I know that if I buy really expensive bedroom furniture because I just HAVE to have it right this minute, someday I will be stuck with furniture I don't really like but can't bare to part with because I paid a fortune for it!

What do I love? Heirlooms, furniture I was patient and waited for until I found THE perfect piece and the right price, stuff I paid little or nothing for and won't feel guilty kicking to the curb when I don't want it any more. I love my home because I have been very careful about surrounding myself with things that are timeless, things that have meaning (pictures, heirlooms, etc) and things I love. I still have a few "warts" here and there...and honestly, they are things I bought "on a whim" and/or paid too much for. But slowly I am trying to weed those things out!

ALWAYS keep your receipts. And if it is something you can't return (from a garage sale or thrift store) make sure you pay so little you won't think twice about turning right around and donating it!

And the NUMBER ONE RULE OF DECORATING YOUR HOME SO YOU WILL LOVE IT...get it clean and organized. Amazing how much more enjoyable your home will be when it is clean, decluttered and organized!

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Updated "antique" school desk and school chair...

Several months ago I went to an auction at a pretty nasty place. Most of the pieces I brought home had to be scrubbed with ammonia.

I bought a little school chair and an old school desk. Did I bother to take a picture before I started working on them? Um, no!!! You would think after all these months I would learn. But often times I bring stuff home, store it and then the first time the temperature spikes above 60, I start tearing into it! And this time of the year, those days are rare!

I did find a picture of the little chair...but the desk was used to prop up the large wood windows I bought so it didn't get in the family photo!!!

So again, it is time to close your eyes and "imagine." For anyone over the age of 40, it's not going to be hard. More than likely, it was the kind of desk you had during your elementary years. Beige formica top, grey metal base and an open shelf for a little plastic pencil box and books.

After both got a good scrubbing, I used "automotive primer" on all the metal. Kilz works well too, but I usually use "automotive" primer on metal. I find it just "bonds" better. I didn't prime the plastic on the seat or the top of the desk.

For the desk top, I used chalkboard paint. Then I sprayed the base with an awesome "teal" color.

For the chair I used a red "plastic" spray paint on the seat. You can buy it at Lowe's and it is specifically formulated for painting plastic. I think any spray paint would probably work but since I needed to buy paint for this project, I went with a paint specifically for plastic. I sprayed the legs with a bright white.

Cute! Perfect for a child's room!

Both of these will be in my booth! (The desk sold in ONE day!) Sometimes I wish I still had young kids so I could do cute little projects like this specific to their decor!

Then I remember that when I had young kids I didn't have time for cute little projects like this!

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Mid century side tables...

I have been working hard to find pieces I know others will just love! Problem is every once in a while I find pieces I absolutely fall in love with and I know I will have a hard time letting go! Especially after working on them all day!

I believe these tables are black oak. The tops, sides and drawers were veneer, but the bases were solid. Really beautiful tables with great "bones."

I primed and painted the boxes. Then I stripped and stained the drawers and bases and coated them with 4 coats of tung oil.

Honestly, it will be tough letting go of these two.

But someone, somewhere will love them....hopefully as much as I do!

FOLLOW BECKWITH'S TREASURES ON FACEBOOK! Now if I can just figure out how to put one of those little Facebook widgets on this blog!

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Walnut chair reveal.....

Well, it is done....and while I know where the little "goofs" are, I have to keep in mind one of my father's pearls of wisdom...

"You'll never notice it on a passing train!"

As I have mentioned before (here), Mom told me she and Dad found this chair in a field when I was a baby. When they found it, it was bleached white from being in the sun...and she is pretty sure it originally had a cane seat and back. Dad knew it was walnut so he took it home, repaired it and refinished it. I would bet the upholstery in the "before" picture was probably the second time he refinished it. This looks more like something he would have done in the 70s or 80s.

I pulled the 5,486 nail heads (so I exaggerate a tad) and removed the old upholstery, nails and padding. Dad wouldn't have touched polyurethane so stripping the original varnish finish with my favorite Formby's varnish stripper was not a real challenge. I repaired a few loose joints with glue and clamps!

Even with a new coat of dark walnut stain, it was very "uneven" in places so I had to do some patch-work staining. Then I put 4 coats of tung oil on it. And then it sat...and sat...and sat....

I just didn't know what fabric to get. I knew I wanted something a little more formal and neutral. I let Brian pick from 7-8 fabric samples...wouldn't you know he picked my least favorite, but in all honesty, it turned out beautiful! I opted for the double welting vs. the nail heads. I contemplated having it recaned....but decided against it...maybe next time! And I have just enough leftover material for a little pillow!

Every chair in this house has been bought or repurposed to uphold to "abuse" from kids and animals. But this chair is special and it will be tucked away in the corner of my room where the worst thing that can happen to it is one of the cats will find it!

Maybe someday, when I am long gone, one of my children will cherish it as much as I do....thanks Dad!

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Wall murals....

Decorating with wall murals is not that difficult....and it is an awesome way to instantly add a big impact to any room, especial a play room or kid's room!

A few years ago I decided to surprise my youngest daughter with a full room makeover while she was at choir camp. Paint, new side table, lamp, desk chair makeover, bedding, rug...everything. She was all into Betsy Johnson at the time so I used her design as a touch of "inspiration." Katie's first words when she walked in...."I hate it."

I wish I had all the "before the before" pictures handy. When I first bought this house she was only 3 so decorating with the pastel pinks and blues was easy (imagine castle walls with trellises of ivy!) ....so precious. Then she went through the teal/purple/lime green stage. That was really awesome and it last a few years.

But as she entered her teens she wanted something a little more "mature." Unfortunately, I learned the hard way that one should not assume what ones teenager will like. Better to let them have a hand in any design decisions, especially as she reminded me, it is "MY personal space."

Unfortunately, I knew our "design tastes" were on total opposites of the spectrum when she told me she wanted "dark grey," specifically chalkboard grey. No way in this world was I painting a room "dark grey." The last thing I wanted was my spunky, cheerful daughter getting swallowed up in the dark dank world of goth doom and gloom which I was certain would happen if we painted her room such a depressing color.

But then she told me she wanted a "fail whale" mural. Huh? What the heck? So she googled it....I thought it was pretty neato! She picked out the red and blue accent colors. And as her "vision" became a little clearer, I realized she had a pretty awesome plan in her mind.

We painted the "fail whale" mural on one wall and painted her study cubby with the brighter blue and red. (Originally the study cubby had a built in twin bed with a trundle...it is an addition I built years ago...rather cute but I took her bed out of it when I did the Betsy Johnson inspired room...it was the only thing she liked!)

I had a hand in the basic paint design (okay, so I was a common laborer) but I let her add her own little design elements...posters as a headboard and art, Christmas lights, knick-knacks....after all it is indeed her "personal space." And I want her to love her space as much as I want others to love theirs!

We agreed on a nice grey for three walls....we used Valspar flat paint. It works beautifully as a "chalkboard!" She loves it and she writes her inspiration quotes on it!

Okay, the mural....there are a several ways to get a mural on a wall.

If your design element is small enough, you can actually trace it onto the wall by taping sheets of sewing trace paper together. I like the sewing trace paper because it isn't "messy" and it wipes off easily!

You can free-hand the piece...which I did here....

This is a mural of Mitchell's high school mascot...it is on the garage wall. There use to be one on his bedroom wall, but I painted over it when I remodeled his room after he went off to collage. (Be prepared to paint several coats of primer over these things when the time comes to paint over them!)

Or you can use a large "stencil" like Sarah did in my grandson's "Monster" themed game room. She has a friend who is a graphic designer and they have the machines to print off and cut out large murals...might be worth the money it would cost!

Or you can use a projector like we did in Katie's room. In all honesty, the "fail whale" was a tad too big for the size we wanted on the wall, so I projected his head onto the wall to get the scale and then I free-handed the rest. I made a little cardboard template for the birds and traced them.

Regardless of the method you use to get your design on the wall (templates, tracing paper, projector, free-hand) first paint your base color and allow it to dry well. Then use a sewing pencil to lightly mark your design and then use latex paint and small brushes to paint the details. The little "sample pots" of latex paint at Lowes are the PERFECT size for these projects and VERY affordable (around $3 each) when you need several colors! You can have ANY color mixed in the sample sizes so don't limit yourself to the premix colors!

Again, murals are a GREAT way to add a huge impact in any room! You are only limited by your own imagination. Anything you can think of that you LOVE can be painted on a wall.

And remember too, there are a LOT of wall mural inspirations on line...Google it!

And the great thing about paint...if you don't like it, paint over it!!!

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Pretty in pink....and a little zebra....

Earlier I posted this "before" picture of a little dresser I brought home from the apartments.....missing a drawer and really not attractive! (I found it, and this one, in the same unit!)

But it was relatively sturdy and I knew I could install a shelf where the drawer was missing...perfect for little decorative baskets! Or books...or whatever!

I never posted a before picture of this chair....and unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture BEFORE I took it all apart. But basically it was just a little gray chair I found at the apartments...kinda nasty as usual and veeeery boring.

Both have been in my garage for months...kilzed and ready to go. What to do, what to do. I just couldn't get "inspired." I don't have a problem doing this stuff, I just have a problem deciding exactly WHAT to do. But the other day I was walking through Hobby Lobby and I saw all this pink and zebra stripe little girl's decor, and I thought "Oh MY!" Inspiration at last. Keep in mind, I have NO place in my home for this but some little girl somewhere is going to love this stuff....

The zebra stripes on the drawer fronts are hand painted. Don't get too impressed. While I have a tad of artisticness and creativeness in me, I'm honestly not THAT talented. Here's a little secret...if you see a design or picture you want to put on a piece of furniture, trace it onto a piece of wax paper. Then place the wax paper on a piece of sewing trace paper and trace it onto your piece. (TIP: use sewing trace paper...it doesn't "smudge" as badly as other traceable papers and the markings are easy to remove with a damp cloth!) You can do this on ANYTHING...walls, glass, furniture, anything!!! I painted the drawers white, traced the fabric design on wax paper and then traced that onto the drawer fronts....then painted them with black latex paint. And with everything, I sprayed it with a clear coat!

You can even print things off the computer and trace that...if the printed picture is too small for the project you are working on, just take the picture into any edit program and break it up in sections that can be printed off and then taped together. If it is REALLY big, you can always project it onto the object with a projector. We did that with a mural on my daughter's wall...if she EVER gets her room clean enough for me to take pictures, I will share her mural...totally awesome. Ever hear of a "fail whale?" Google it...it really is awesome!!

Anywho....animal print is not really my cup of tea...evident by the fact that I pretty much hated my bathroom when I decorated with "leopard print" in a failed attempt to decorate around my ugly gold shower doors!

But after seeing a little inspiration and how "fun" it can be, this was a fun little project.

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