My trip to the thrift store this week resulted in two Venice prints. A little more expensive than I’d normally consider ($10/each) but the retail price shows $40/each and they have an old world feel that’s perfect for the living room. $80 for $20. Not bad.
I needed to add some steel wire to the back to hang {tips for hanging pictures on plaster walls}…
and now they fill a previously empty wall space:
Meet: Kelly from
Kelly has a sweet blog full of a wide variety of interests. I love her mantra: “Life is not about finding yourself, it’s about creating yourself.” Love that. A great reminder for 2012 – create your best life. Today, Kelly is sharing a fun and inexpensive DIY project:
images via Elle Decor
1.Amethyst Bookends 2.Shell Bookends 3.Steer Horn Bookends 4. Agate Bookends
I especially love animal figurine bookends so I decided to make my own. Guess how much my bookends cost me! 4 bucks. I got my cute little elephants for $1 each…don’t you love them?
All I had to do was spray paint them with gold spray paint and I started to get the look I was going for. [which would be the “i’m really heavy, not hollow,” look]
After I painted them I’m in the process of glueing together two pieces of wood for the “L” shaped ends. Then I’m glueing the elephants on so they look like they are pushing and holding up the books with their tusks.
For all you know they could be 10 pounds each of solid brass! I think they are going to turn out pretty coolonce my elephants are on the wood “L”and get up a little higher. I’m really happy with the outcome!What do you think? What animal would you make your bookends? Target had a whole bin of different plastic animals to choose from!
CREATIVE and so cute! What a great idea…perfect easy project to get you DIY’ing in 2012! I know I’ll be keeping my eyes open for something fun to DIY my own bookends. See more from Kelly at
Ps. Kristin is featuring my script drop cloth curtains today in her Tuesday’s Treasures party! Woo hoo!
and a very special “Thank You” to Gwen from The Bold Abode who presented me with not just one amazing gift, but 3! Three super cute favicons for my new DIY Show Off site! See it up there in on the web tab? Adorable! On a day when my dad would have been 70 and I was missing him, Gwen gave me a big virtual hug and a smile and if you’re looking for some inspiration and encouragement, you need to stop by and visit her. I promise, she’ll make you laugh.
Good morning! There have been some questions regarding the details of the room Cassity and I designed. Then we’ll move on to the regularly scheduled DIY posts.
These are the final professional shots of the beach themed room:
Handscraped Maple Hardwood (Style: Rockbridge/Color: Dusk)and Ikat panel (Multi) by Shaw Floors HGTV Home collection. The rug is listed as contemporary and even has a traditional feel to the design. We loved the pattern for our cottage room. As Lisa LaPorta agreed, an area rug is a great starting point for inspiration in your home.
COPEN BLUE by Sherwin Williams for HGTV Home.
SW0068 Copen Blue
Interior/Exterior
We loved the detail of this chandelier when we found it and felt it added a touch of whimsy to the other red coral accents in the room. This chandelier was originally white. Painting it antique red was a fun way to add color to the room.
SW7587 Antique Red
We were limited by what was in the warehouse but chose a neutral color and clean lines. We both agree that furniture is a big purchase and should be neutral enough for when redesigning or changing accents in the future. Keeping big pieces neutral ensures many years of use and your money’s worth!
Place art on the floor to create the layout you’d like to show off on the wall. Find tips on how to hang art for a photo gallery HERE. Look for art with a theme. Add a plate, wooden letters or mirrors for interest.
DIY version using convex mirrors and pie tins:
I have this accent table in my barn patio area:
Crate with an old vintage window top…
or use an old barrel as a side table like we did in our sitting room:
We hung two large vertical prints on the left side of the window to balance the art on the right.
Hang drapery as high as possible to add height to a room. Expand rods past the window and “frame” window with drapery to allow the maximum amount of light into the room.
Rustic.
