I Miss Thee!

How I miss my blog!

Its been way to long in between posts. In fact its been so long that I completely forgot I changed the layout and colour scheme! I love surprises!

 Summer has just proven to be way to busy! First there was the house warming, weekends away, a wedding and camping, then surgery! Don't even get me started on work! Theres just been no time for my crafts and blogging! It pulls at my heart strings!

However, I have had time to shop!! What women in her right mind doesn't make room for that? gorgeous shoes comfy outfits for fall and what you've all been waiting for, the start to my shabby furniture collection|! At my favourite store in Duncan, "Belongings", I was able to find a gorgeous refurbished desk for school work.

Its a pastel yellow which is perfect because it opens up so many colour scheme options for the bedroom. So much in fact Ive started to rethink my whole bedroom arrangement! 
I also found an amazing shabby mirror with a beautiful baby pink embellished Frame!

 
Now I have been swooning over a set of bedside tables for months now! Every time I went into the store they asked if i was here to pick up my tables! Haha I guess its pretty obvious I want them when I stand infront of them for about 10 minute's or more at a time, sometimes twice in a visit!
 At $175 I just couldn't justify it. I looked for so long to find a pair very similar for much cheaper. I had happened to find a pair on kijiji for $50. Alas to no avail they never answered my emails!
Finally I bit the bullet and bought the two side tables I've been drooling over for months! A big thanks to Jeanette at Belongings for giving me $50 off for being the awesome customer that I am. Cause lets face it every time I walk into her store I hand her my paycheck!

 

I also picked up a coat hanger. (top of the picture with side table) I had originally wanted to put this in the hallway, however it sticks out to much so I believe I will use it in the entrance to my bedroom! that's not one hundred percent decided yet though.

This article for my blog has been in the making for a while now, I haven't been paying much attention to it lately, if at all. I feel like I've been through a lot this year and lately it just seems like one thing after another. I even considered selling the condo so I wouldn't have to deal with the repeated non stop drama from my strata board. A topic I haven't discussed on here because I want my blog to be a happy place! Which is why I wont go into detail.

But, and yes grammar Nazis I'm starting this with a but, one thing that has kept me going is the decision to be the bigger person. Buying this condo was a step toward adulthood. So people say what you will, karma strike me down as you must, but though I may burst into flames I still have strength to rise from the ashes.

 

 



Decor A La Mode Part Une

Decor A La Mode! I bet your wondering what that title is all about. Well This Saturday Is my house warming and I started to freak out a bit yesterday because I don't feel ready in the slightest! My coffee Table wont be ready till the weekend, that's if my b-law has time to come cut the legs! I need to hang all my pictures (not including the ones I still have to make) Then there's the Cleaning, oh god do I ever need to clean.

So I decided working on small decor projects will be my main focus of the week. I will be doing this in a 3 part series!

Ive calmed down now. It's amAAzing how tranquil crafts can be. Today I did mod podge again (I'm so obsessed with this craft its ridonculous). I needed something for outside to try and tie it in with the rest of the condos look (semi lived in one day shabby) So I decided I needed Jars for candles and bottles for centre pieces. I will accomplish this by using left over napkins and mod podge from the chair project.

You will need the same type of sponge brush and also some paper to lay down underneath so as not to glue your project to the table! Don't worry mom this is a pre-thought tip, not hindsight, I'm being very careful with the table!

First you will need to soak you bottles and jars in the water to remove any label that may be on them. Once you have removed the said label start out with applying a coat of your glue mixture to your jar

Helpful hint: Don't apply the glue around the whole jar at once you will need to do it in sections so your fingers don't get stuck to the project!

Now the fun part about this is, that unlike the chair, it doesn't matter if you over lap the tissue an excessive amount. This is where we find the perfection in the flaws. So what I did was rip the Tissue into small and large pieces,

and applied them all willy nilly like to give it a more shabby appeal! I did this to a glass jar and one wine bottle.

Do be sure to remove the plastic ring from the wine bottles lid before you start your task this can get hard to remove after your glue has set. (this one was hindsight)

Being able to create something that doesn't need to be done exactly right down to the T, was exactly what I needed today. A mindless task to help me relax and get my mind off of what I've yet to do!

After Part Duex I will post pictures of all the final projects in their rightful spots! hopefully I can have that all posted for you guys tomorrow evening.

Long Time Coming

Well its officially been a month since I've moved into my condo! EEP! While I've been having a blast doing homeowner things, I haven't had a chance to do anything for the blog. For this I apologise! Makes me realize how long its going to take me to get my Condo {life} together! But Today we have a project! Remember when you were in preschool and you got to glue tissue paper to the orange clay pots? I sure do, one was never enough so I usually came home and tried to glue tissue paper to anything that I could get my hands on! Sorry mom! So on that thought, were going to create a mod podge chair for my desk! {If your anything like me this made you squeal!}
This is a pretty basic and easy craft. All you need is Mod Podge, napkins, a sponge brush, a chair and time to kill.

The First thing you'll need is a chair, you can't move forward on a this project without one! If you have one at home already, I'm super jealous that you would have such great extras laying around. However I found the perfect one on craigslist for $10, what a steal!!!

(Seriously guys you can't leave mom alone just long enough to take a picture!?!?!)

You can buy mod podge from any craft store, you going to want to get the Gloss version because it dries clear! However, because I enjoy any step to a craft, I'll be making my own!

The Recipe for Mod Podge is super easy, it's a 50/50 mix between white glue and water. I got 3 small bottles from the dollar store and mixed with warm water in an old jam jar (knew my hoarding would come in handy) Make sure you mix really well. This can be fun when you add some great tunes to the mix! Might I suggest Juicy by Notorius B.I.G

                                                            

Before                                                      After

Now for the Napkins I'll be using a green base with floral patterns that contain hints of yellow to match the chairs green and yellow print seat! These cost $5.95 per/pck at Patties Party Palace I thought I was going to need a whole bunch and bought two packs. Like most uneducated guess' this was wrong. I'll only be needing one, with enough left over to wipe off the mid craft snack! :)

I got the pack of brushes from the Dollar store. so this is a super cheap project. Just the kind I like haha!!

Its a very smart idea to have something under the chair if your doing this inside, the glue is quite runny! If your napkins are 2ply your going to need to pull them apart other wise they are to thick and you will need to use twice as much glue. Also I like being able to see the wood through the new print! Makes it look a little more shabby!

Your first step is to apply a layer of glue. When applying the napkins you'll want to either cut or rip to fit the section your doing. I found it easiest to apply the glue to the napkins from side to side. You can stretch it out a bit by lightly holding onto one end and dragging the brush away from you pressure point. DO be careful when applying the napkins, and make sure they are completely flat. Ive noticed that the creases and slight bunching on mine has doubled in effect once dried!

Once you've applied the whole section proceed to seal the napkins by applying another layer of glue on top.
From here its pretty easy just repeat the same steps until the whole chair is covered. The only part you need to worry about is the rungs (I think that's what they're called). I found it was easiest to cut long strips

 and apply them length wise.
If you paper rips during the application don't fret, mine did to! Just apply small pieces as needed. It actually makes the texture look a little more vintage :)

And voila!!!! Home made shabby chic mod podge desk chair! I am so awesome!! lol.

      

This actually took a long time to do, it took me 6 hours, three 2 hour session, to complete!
So Just a quick recap on what this cost
$10.00 for the chair
$1.00 for the brush
$1.00 for the glue
$5.95 for the napkins
Totaling $17.95! pretty good if i do say so my self. {I do}
Stay tuned for the next project, I promise it wont be very long!

So close but yet so far!

Well after a long, long... long wait, Thursday is the day! After almost 3 months of torture I will know If I can officially call the condo mine! I have to remind myself not to get to excited, but at this point its a mute purpose. Especially after my Realtor relayed that no one has contacted her to outbid me! *squeal*

But the most torturous part is that I really can't get the ball moving on this blog. Ive had ideas to keep me going, but everything requires measurement and further inquirers of space.

So Ive decided to let you know what my plans are for the walk in closet! Oh did I forget to mention that? Yes my crafty friends there is a closet of which I can walk into.

OK its small! But how many people can say their first house had a walk in? Let alone their current one?

This was the main selling feature for me! Girls gotta have what a girls gotta have!

So the closet is like any other, double sided with storage pockets down one side and room to hang cloths down the other. It has sliding doors on both sides so I can access the bathroom from my bedroom. This is an awesome feature! However I'll have to make sure I'm presentable every time I go through for fear of the roommate catching me in my unmentionables!

Here's a very, very caveman like drawing of the closet just so you can get an idea.

Now most people would ask "Who in their right mind wants to put time and effort into a closet?" A Visionary I will reply! Yes closets are simple and unless their 20'X20' their nothing to gape at! But not only should you make every space in the house yours, theres

Closets            and then theres     CLOSETS!

So what can one do to make such a small area their own heavenly space such as picture numero duex you may ask? Well its simple. First I'm going to paint it a bright white! I chose a white because its a small space. To do any colour at all would create to much dark making it look smaller and cave like. And as much as I dream of Peeta Mellark holding me while we hide in one, a cave is no place for my wardrobe!

If you ha vent read my previous post, Bedroom it is, where to begin, click on the link and you'll find lots of useful information on how to pick paints! For those of you who have you'll know that I decided to go green and use latex paints. The paint I chose for the closet was BEHR Ultra Pure White. Its found at home depot and I'm thinking it'll be roughly $20-$30 for a can (yay small space means I'll only need one). Its a flat colour, but because its so "pure" I'll get the most light bouncing out of it.

Once Ive done that I'm going to steal the idea of wallpapering the back of bookshelves. But instead do the back wall and the back of the storage pockets. I thought this was a brilliant idea! Something that acts as an accent and not a feature! I'm thinking a light or white paper with light pink designs.

For the storage part I'll need to put boxes in the pockets to create a little bit of organisation so I don't end up with the Godzilla of closets. And lets face it, those of you who know me, know that if I don't start off with a strict organisation I'll end up with the lower of those closet pictures above. Finding the right boxes is key! To keep up with the shabby theme, plastic or plain just wont do! I'm going to use recollections photo & craft storage boxes. you can buy them at any craft store, but they can cost almost $10 a piece and when you buying close to 20 that's a bit much! This is why I love the dollar store! They have boxes that are great colour's and designs for so cheap. You just have to wait for the right ones to come along. I do recommend measuring before buying though. No one wants to go back to the dollar store to return product. As cheap as I am, I think my pride holds back on returning something that cost less then a coffee!

So with Ideas in place all that's left is to search for the exact product and then sit through the nerve racking anticipation of my closing.

Thank you so much to all of my readers who are patiently waiting to see my actual designs and crafts happen. I know its been to long but we are SO CLOSE! Fingers crossed!

Easter Special

While I'm waiting to take possession of the condo I've decide to do a little craft. Now I know that this blog is about my endeavors and discoveries of decorating a living space, but this I just had to share.

We're going to be making finger puppets. Not just any finger puppets but Easter puppets.

Their perfect for on the go parents with little time to create, or for those who aren't as crafty inclined as one would like to emit.

Now you only need 4 things, coloured pipe cleaners, googly eyes, pom poms and a glue gun. 

The pipe cleaners and googly eyes I got from the dollar store (actually $1.25 store now) and the pom poms I got from Micheals. The ones in picture aren't the pom poms I used. I found a bag of 100 for 5.99 so this makes it a very cheap project, which is awesome.

I would just like to point out that you need to be careful of which size of pom poms you buy. Do not and I repeat do not buy the 7 pack they are way to big you need ones that are at least half their size.

The first step is an easy one you want to wrap the pipe cleaners around the tip of your finger, making it larger at the base and smaller at the top. Like so..

I suggest wrapping them tightly, that way you can stretch them out if need be. not to tight though or your finger will fall off, making finger puppets a mute point.

Next were going to put the pom poms on. they will go at the small end of your finger puppet. These are going to be the head of our puppets they can be any colour you want. I found that its a little tricky to get them on perfectly straight.
After this its fairly simple just glue the eyes on cut the pipe cleaner into inch sections to make wings for the chicks and ears for the bunnies. Also (this is optional) you can cut little pieces of pipe cleaner for the noses or beaks.
And Voila!!!!

My Nephew is going to love these!

Bedroom it is, Where to Begin

General consensus, on which room to start, seems to be the bedroom. The surprising part was every ones reasoning was the same. To be all about me and have a room to give me a excellent start to the day! This is a train of thought that agrees with me immensely!

Now first things first, paint! Before you pick a color you'll need to do some research on what brand of paint and what type of paint you'll need. This is Vital and don't be afraid to stop by your local hardware store to get some advice. In my experience people love being asked for their opinions and equally love giving them. A good website for educating yourself is Rona.ca. Their prices aren't the best and the stores are always on the outskirts of town, but they know what they are talking about! Rona says "A "one-coat-only" paint could possibly be enough. But, professionals will tell you that a second finishing coat always produces better results" From one stop paint jobs that I've seen I fully agree with this. Its like nail polish, one coat adds color but you can see the brush strokes!

There are two main options to choose from, latex and alkyd.

Latex is usually the more popular choice. Its water based and for all my green friends its the most environmentally friendly choice. Because its water based it makes cleaning your tools hella easy! It also isn't gonna get you high while you paint (pro or con you decide) because it supposedly doesn't develop a strong smell like most paints. Rona says that latex matte finishes aren't easy to clean. As much as I will love and clean my little condo I don't know how often I will need, or want, to clean my walls. So I'm not to worried about it.

Alkyd paint isn't something I've heard of before. Wiki says Alkyd  "is a polyester modified by the addition of fatty acids and other components". Wow this sounds technical so I'm not going into detail. If you wish to learn more and be super smart just click the link. A bonus for this paint is that it adheres well to any surface, this includes hair and skin! Its also a super durable paint, yielding to pretty much any problem you would run into down the road. the down side is you need to use a solvent to remove it from all your brushes, and probably carpet if that horrific fate happens.

So I think I'm going green with this task. Latex seems like an all around better choice. Let's face it, a paint fight is bound to happen while I'm in charge. So if it's easy to clean up I'll take it!

Pricing out this job is a S M R T plan. You'll need to measure the square footage or your room to figure out how much paint you'll need. I'm going to measure the room and then use my feminine whiles to get a home depot man to do the math. I'm single and need to exercise my skills!

For paint brushes and rolls you have options. If you know anyone who has recently painted and has all the tools you need, save yourself the money and borrow them. If your place is small like mine there's no room to store them after the work is done, and to just throw them out after is a waste or mula. However if you must have your own, they have to be pink! Or not just a suggestion. Ive been told you can buy the same rolls from a hardware store and the dollar store. But brushes you should not cheap out on, or risk having the hairs stuck in your paint job.
Well I hope this information helped you as much as it did me. It may be a while before I follow up with paint colors and pictures, but stay tuned for more developments in my endeavors!

Endeavors and Decisions

So I figure my first blog should be a grand introduction to my future endeavors! Now if we're going to do this right then lets take a look at the definition of the word endeavor shall we. An endeavor is "to attempt to achieve something". More specifically an undertaking that requires effort! Effort, what a wonderful word; something I'm not to great on the output with but never the less shall administer with might.

I think I will begin this undertaking by showing you what I have to work with. This brilliant condo is a two bedroom one bath, 832sqft little nook in the corner of a beautiful building. I have a wonderful little patio where I can enjoy a nice BBQ meal in the summer or be hidden from the wind while drinking a hot chocolate in the colder seasons! (pictures of the patio will come when I have full possession)

I'm a little torn on what part of the condo I should start first! Ive already fallen in love with pieces that would be perfect for my bedroom!! However I believe it may be best to start with the entrance way and hallways because those spaces will be seen first and most often by company! I'm going to take this as a chance to get opinions. Which do you think I should start with? I'll need reasons to help sway me to your preferences!

So take a look my followers and tell me what to do!