Black to White: a kitchen update

This is a BEFORE photo of my kitchen.

Although I like having touches of black in my white kitchen, these dark chairs and table started to feel too dark. Especially since I don’t get a lot of natural light in here after the morning hours.

Funny when I look at this photo, I still like this look. And I might have kept them black except for my brown sectional that’s next to this kitchen. The combination of my dark chocolate sectional which I have a love/hate relationship with

( love how comfy it is, sick-of-the-color)

and this black table and chairs created a heaviness in this space. Do you do this kind of balancing act with color too? It felt like something needed to change.

You can see more of my before kitchen HERE.

Before

Anyway, since I can’t afford a new couch I decided to focus on what I could change so I painted the furniture. You can see how I sanded, dismantled the chairs and used a chalk paint recipe HERE. 

I won’t deny it, painting chairs are a lot of work (thanks Dad for your help).

After

But now that it’s done, I’m SO happy with it. I’m just loving all the white.

 

What do you think? I took this picture in the morning.

Black table in background (ignore smudgy island)

White table in background

Black chairs next to brown sectional

White chairs next to brown sectional

Well that’s it for now. I’ll be back with photos of the whole kitchen

(hopefully with better lighting)

when I’m finished with my kitchen island chalk art. Now that the wedding’s over I finally have time to finish it! Although I still think the biggest transformation has been the white-chalk painted fireplace in this room, it changed the entire feeling in here. Amazing what paint can do.

In the meantime…this weekend is the annual Mother-Son dance at Michael’s school and it’s my Mom’s birthday on Sunday so I’ll be doing a little brunch. So I’m off to check out recipes….

I sure hope you have a wonderful weekend!

xoxo

Leslie

 

I’m linking this post up at these fun places:

• http://www.commonground-do.com/2013/04/be-inspired-134-april-showers.html?
• http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/2013/04/feathered-nest-friday_11.html?
• http://missmustardseed.com/2013/04/furniture-feature-friday-kathleens-favorites-a-link-party/
• http://www.redouxinteriors.com/2013/04/link-party-99-the-fantab-features-and-giveaway-coming-up/
• http://www.funkyjunkinteriors.net/2013/04/party-junk-182-hydrangeas.html
• http://suburbsmama.blogspot.com/2013/04/sunday-linky-party-3.html
• http://www.astrollthrulife.net/2013/04/160th-inspire-me-tuesday.html

 

 

 

Technorati Tags: kitchen decorating,white chalk paint,country white kitchen,DIY update

What is your dream?

Some time ago I wrote a post about knowing the one sentence of your life.

I thought it was a powerful exercise and I wanted you to know about it.

The purpose of  this post was to help you slow down and think about your life, the one you’re creating right now, because there’s nothing more eye-opening than having to sum up your entire existence with a one-line description that says,

This is the purpose of my life.

This is what really matters to me.

This is what I want to be remembered for…after I’m gone.

I know these are some hefty questions. And you might be thinking,“ Heck I’m so busy juggling work and carpools and kids and grocery shopping, who has time to think about these things?”

But truthfully, that’s EXACTLY why you need to carve out some quiet time; you deserve time to contemplate what you want for your Self and your life. I think it’s especially important for women, because our lives are so entwined with the caretaking of others, it’s easy to postpone examining our own needs.

But if we don’t take charge of our lives and believe we deserve things, it’s not going to magically happen.

It’s the same way with our dreams.

If we can’t put our dreams into words we’ll never achieve them. It’s that simple.

Lou Holtz, the former legendary football coach of Notre Dame is famous for his list of 107 goals. The story goes that when he lost his job during his twenties his wife gave him a book entitled, The Magic of Thinking Big by David Schwartz. After reading it, he was inspired to write down a complete list of his life goals which included winning a National Championship, eating dinner at the White House, meeting the Pope, and landing a plane on an aircraft carrier.

He says that list changed his life.

Last I heard, he’d completed 104 of his goals. And everywhere he goes people want to talk with him about these 107 goals. Why? Because Lou Holtz decided that his list would not be a typical “wish-list,” but a list of dreams he intended to achieve. And he did.

 

I thought about my own dreams and goals

when I visited a friend’s blog yesterday. Reading her post about her published novel’s one year birthday made me smile, and I was happy to see so many of her dreams becoming a reality. 

I love seeing women achieve their dreams.

Especially a woman who is raising four kids on her own and who began writing when her first child (now in his twenties) was in diapers. In some ways, it’s the classic tale of the published author; Catherine’s story is filled with inspired bouts of writing-even in a chicken shed-and includes endless revisions and rejections before she was eventually published.

But it’s her personal story that I love. Catherine relocated after nine years in Ghana to northern Italy, where she arrived “husbandless and slightly traumatized” to begin a new life with her four children, and through it all she kept writing.

This is Catherine McNamara. She has a funny, (naughty) wit and she’s a wonderful story teller. Her first published novel, The Divorced Lady’s Companion to Italy, had gotten some amazing reviews and it’s even been called “a thinking lady’s Eat, Pray, Love.” 

You can click HERE to enter her giveaway. All you have to do is write

1. What you hate about Italy

2. What you love about Italy

and if you’re chosen, you can win her novel along with some “flirty” bookmarks.

The best part of visiting Catherine’s blog is that it reminded me of my own tender, little dream.

The dream of someday finishing my own non-fiction book (although I admit, I need to re-read a few of Lou Holtz’s suggestions). Since according to Holtz, now in his seventies, most people who fail at their goals lack determination, discipline and a clear plan. Gulp.

Here’s a few of his suggestions to help you achieve your dream.

1. Write it down. Create a specific list of your goals.
2. Make a plan that includes scheduling time and evaluating your talents.
3. Build a network of supportive people who might help you reach your goal.
4. Be determined!

In fact, maybe you can begin right now.

Write down your dream and share it here. 

And let’s make this be your place of support.

 

What is your dream?

 xoxo

Leslie

 

I’m linking this post up with these friends:

• http://www.impartinggrace.com/2013/04/grace-at-home-no-54.html
• http://www.frommyfrontporchtoyours.com/2013/04/treasure-hunt-thursday-102-highlights.html
• http://www.savvysouthernstyle.net/2013/04/wow-us-wednesdays-113.html
• http://nominimalisthere.blogspot.com/2013/04/open-house-party_10.html?

 

Technorati Tags: Lou Holtz,achieving goals,Catherine McNamara,author,one sentence of your life,women's issues

You’re Invited: to a rustic chic wedding

Whew.  It’s been a crazy time around here.

Last week both the boys were off for their Easter break and it was a definitely a whirlwind of busy-ness and blessings. We did a lot of hanging out together and we finally got to meet Patrick’s girlfriend Allie who came up from San Luis Obispo for a visit… and if that wasn’t enough specialness happening, this past week was also our first little wedding job.

Do you remember Anne and Ryan’s rustic chic wedding? Well last Friday they finally got married and Kirsten and I ended up making all of their floral arrangements as planned.

Here’s a shot of some of the wedding roses on my dining room table alongside the tissue balls I made. We picked up the roses, hydrangeas and ranunculus a few days early to leave them at room temperature so they could begin to open.

almost finished: the chalkboard menu

And here’s the chalkboard I was working on in the living room. It has the wedding menu on it and it was the biggest chalkboard project I’ve done so far. Lots of words (and gulp, lots of time).

At the sweetheart table a Lego wedding couple sits on top of Grandma’s old lace tablecloth.

 

This wedding was overflowing with so many personal touches I thought you’d enjoy seeing some photos.

Anne and Ryan chose to say their wedding vows at the exact spot he had proposed to her. It’s a gorgeous vista point on a hill overlooking the Folsom lake. And they invited close friends and family to witness their ceremony which meant that everyone had to hike about a half mile to get to the spot.

(Older folks got a ride in)

Along the way, the bride and groom made sure no one could get lost. They made cute wooden signs pointing out the direction…which read…

Roses are red

Violets are blue

this way to…

a dream come true

The groom made this trellis himself.

He didn’t want anything obstructing the view and we can see why. Isn’t this an amazing place to say your personal vows?

Now are you ready for a little more romance?

Ryan decided to surprise his bride. He arranged for a friend to bring his beautiful horse to the spot where Anne would begin her walk to the wedding site. Everyone knew about the horse but her.

The horse had daisies braided in her tail and a turquoise blue (the wedding color) blanket with scalloped edges.

I wasn’t there, but I heard Anne was completely beaming. She was on the horse when the guests and her groom spotted her in the distance.

The guests sat under clear blue skies and the wedding party walked down a aisle of green grass while the horse grazed in the background.

The father of the bride with his daughter Anne walking down the “aisle.”

Anne wore a wedding dress lovingly made by her mother, Connie.

the wedding

After the wedding everyone got back into the cars and headed to

The Flower Farm in Loomis, California.

The Flower Farm is located in a working citrus orchard and includes a Bed and Breakfast (where the wedding party stayed) and a charming red barn-styled reception hall complete with stained glass windows and thick wooden beams.

The short winding road is lined with fluffy chickens, and blooming flowers.

A tissue ball welcome

The morning of the wedding while Kirsten and I were adding finishing touches to the tables, the father of the bride was high on a ladder hanging these balls. I got up there later to fluff them.

If you’ve never made tissue balls for an event, you really should. They’re easy to make and so pretty, don’t you think? Click HERE for a tutorial.

Remember THESE DIY mason jars we tinted turquoise blue? They really added that unifying color to the tables.

They were placed on long burlap runners made by the mother of the bride. We filled the large jars with white hydrangeas, white ranunculus, hot pink roses, lavender and white snapdragons, fuzzy lime dianthus, magenta wax flowers and leather ferns.

Here’s a close up of the flower colors we used. I took this photo while we were setting up. Not the best quality but at least you can get the idea. In real life the snapdragons stood out in the jars.

We made a total of 25 centerpieces for the reception tables, the outdoor bistro tables, cake table and lounge area.

Each jar was wrapped with raffia.

We also made 32 small jars with baby’s breath.

The distressed wood table numbers were made by the groom’s mother. Everywhere you looked there were handmade touches.

Each guest got a favor that read, “Keep the fire alive.” It’s a fire starter kit chosen by the groom who was described  as an outdoorsman by his bride.

Tissue balls were also hung over the dance floor.

Anne is a professional dancer and her wedding list included lots of her fellow dancer/friends who filled up the dance floor.

This is the floral arrangement I made for the place card table.

The bride was there in the morning setting up the place cards …

…she made using her collection of wine corks.

I was next to her taking this photo

when I said, “Can you believe you’re getting married today?”

And she smiled and admitted she wasn’t nervous at all, only excited and happy.

“I just want to be married to Ryan. I just love him so much.”

The final addition to this tablescape were the childhood photos of the bride and groom  hung on a piece of rough twine with turquoise & gold glittered clothespins.

Instead of a guest book the guests signed a bench.

Don’t forget to take your popcorn ball from the old copper tub.

Don’t they make an adorable couple?

Just Married.

I’m so glad you stopped by and I hope you enjoyed seeing some of the details of this rustic chic wedding. The wonderful part of this event is that at each step of the way the bride and groom were relishing it all. I’ve never seen such a calm and relaxed wedding couple. We had so much fun doing their flowers and we wish them all of God’s blessings.

And now, it’s back to reality.

I’ve missed you all and can’t wait to catch up on my blog reading and comments!

xoxo

Leslie

 

I’m linking up with these friends:

• http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/2013/04/nifty-thrifty-tuesday-no158.html 
• http://farmhouseporch.blogspot.com/2013/04/welcome-to-scoop-link-party.html

 

Technorati Tags: rustic chic wedding,country chic floral centerpieces,blue mason jars,The Flower Farm,DIY wedding ideas,tissue balls,blue and white wedding

my DIY blue mason jars

 

Hello friends. How’s your Monday going?

Right now it’s a bit crazy around here because Anne and Ryan’s wedding is coming up this week. Thank goodness my sister-in-law hosted Easter dinner at her house, because I’ve been working on a few wedding projects in addition to the floral arrangements Kirsten and I will be doing.

I’ll be sharing the photos with you soon, but in the meantime I wanted to show you one of the tinted Mason jars I just finished. We’re putting the flowers in these cool, turquoise-tined Mason jars that are supposed to look like authentic vintage jars.

via

Only using real antique Mason jars are expensive and this method was relatively easy once you get the hang of it..

There are all kinds of tutorials out there in the bloggersphere, using the Vitrea 160 glass tint and thinner but after some experimentation, this is how I did it.

Basically I used four items:

• Pebeo’s Vitrea 160 tint and
• Pebeo’s thinner
• a fan brush
• piece of tack cloth

1. Decide how blue you want your jar and blend the tint with the thinner until you get the desired color.

I mixed the tint with a dab of thinner in a disposable bowl. This is where you can get creative and play around with the depth of color you want on your jar. I’ve seen some crafters mix 1/2 tint and 1/2 thinner but I found that went on too light. Although if you act quickly, you can add more color by simply dipping your brush into the tint and adding it to the color you’ve just brushed on. But you have to do it FAST so it will blend easily.

2. Brush it on quickly

I used a small fan brush. I put the jar over my hand (so that it’s upside down) and dipped the brush into the tint mixture. Then I brushed from top to bottom, about four strokes going around the jar, and making sure there was enough color around the raised lettering on the jars.

3. Blend with tack cloth.

Then I quickly picked up the tack cloth and started blending the color on the jar. I used light dabbing motions rather than wiping. I repeated Step 2 and 3 until the jar was completely covered.

I avoided brush strokes by using tack cloth

I kept reading complaints about brush strokes being left on the jars after the jars baked, and while some people don’t mind because the water in the vase makes it barely noticeable, I still chose to blend the blue tint after I brushed it on the jar.

Some crafters recommended any piece of cotton, but I found the cotton hard to work with; it ended up looking too smudgy. And the tack cloth seemed the best choice. But please, feel free to experiment, there’s plenty of wiggle room with this project.

And sorry I have no photos of any of this, I had to work quickly once the tint was brushed on the jar. And there was no time to grab my camera.

4. After the jars are tinted, let them set for 24 hours.

5. Bake them in the oven.

I baked them at 350 degrees for 40 minutes on a cookie sheet. Nothing on it, just the jars.

And that’s it. You should know it’s still not going to look perfect. There will be slight variations of blue from the dabbing motion, but I still think it’s better than brush stokes. You can choose for yourself. The important thing to know is once you bake your jars you can use them as vases with no worries about the color being washed away. 

via

What do you think about blue mason jars? Do you like them?

 

xoxo

Leslie

 

 

 

Technorati Tags: DIY blue mason jars,vitrea 160 glass tint,how to use