Happy Halloween!

To celebrate, let's eat some candy! These are some of the cute ideas that I found on Pinterest.

{HAPPY HALLOWEEN} 
 

My little lion at his school parade.

My little Pumpkin helping me decorate!

My DIY Halloween Wreath

Our set up- minus the black lights and lit sidewalk.

Into the depths of Headboard Heck!

Welcome back! This series of posts are about our upholstered headboard that we decided to make for our master bedroom.

Check out the last post here, if you need to catch up!

We left off after the foam had been glued down. Because of the size of the board and to save costs, we had three pieces of foam in the center section. To ensure that the headboard stayed smooth and didn't show these pieces, we covered the whole thing with padding.

We laid the padding out and begin to staple between the center and the border and then again on the back.

This ended up being great because it softened the corners and gave us a good channel for the nailheads.

Moving along, we then started with the velvet.

Fabric comes in widths of 54". Our headboard is 80" wide. In order to cut costs and to keep from having seams on the headboard, we ran the fabric longways.

We laid the fabric out and then tucked the fabric in the channel for the nailheads and stapled the fabric to the back.

Then came the nailheads. More than half-way through, I had Greg hold it up and look at it. I WAS HORRIFIED. Velvet has a grain and it was wavy and went downhill. We tried to adjust it, but the nailhead holes were too big to avoid or hide when we adjusted the fabric. (I was so distraught that I forgot to take pictures of the BAD BAD upholstering job!)

So in all efforts to save money-- it didn't happen. I had to reorder the velvet and start again. Although a pain in the you-know-what, it turned into a blessing because I learned some things along the way and knew what NOT to do the next time around.

Stay tuned to see the unveiling of the final product!

From Headboard Heck..

After an almost 5 month hiatus, we got back to work on the headboard and finally finished it this week. Before I reveal the end results, let me give you a peek into the drama it took to get here.

Let's travel way back into time. Here's the blog I wrote the day we started this venture. It was dated MARCH 26-- holy cow it has been an 7 month venture so far!

THE DESIGN
My original thoughts for a headboard were this:

1.Tall
2.Sculpted
3.Velvet with nailheads

I began sketching up a design and quickly realized that this would be much harder than I expected it to be with the curved edges.

So I went to the drawing board and cleaned the design up.

After studying many videos and tutorials online, we came up with a game plan. I ordered all the supplies and we quickly began working on the headboard. It went fast and we had very few hiccups. 

1. On the pre-cut plywood (we used a full sheet and did not need it cut down) draw out the design-- in this case the border. I wrote on each section the type of foam being used--either 1" or 2" thick.

2. In order for the nailheads to have a good grip, cardboard tack strips are suggested. Take the tacking strips and measure out the length that you need. 

Glue layers together until the desired height is reached. We ended up having about 15 layers of tacking strip when all said and done. 

Mark the strips according to area they go on so that you don't get mixed up later. 

3. Now measure and cut out the foam for the board. (Use painter's tape to help you keep sharp edges and yourself in check as you cut!

4. Once everything is cut and in place, glue down the tack strips 

and use spray glue to adhere the foam to the board. 

So far so good! 

Next up- where it all went wrong!

No Fashion Guru

I am a low maintenance girl- upkeep isn't my strong suit. I LOVE painted nails and manicures but I am WAY to hard on my hands and I usually have several chips by the day's end. Until now...

I have found the secret weapon....

Orly Rubberized Bonder as a base coat is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! I bought mine at Ulta, but I'm sure that you can find it other places too.

Here's the breakdown of how to use it:

1. Use bonder as base coat (it dries VERY quickly)

2. Two coats of color

3. Top coat--make sure to get the top of your tips covered also. This extends the life of the color for days!

Here's why I LOVE it:

A. The polish sticks to it really well

B. The nail polish doesn't streak as much and looks super smooth

C. No shrinking or peeling/chipping

D. Little tip wear with heavy use of hands

E. My nails feel stronger and seem to grow faster when I used this!

Three days of party planning, planting pansies in the front yard, and playing in the bouncy house and I just barely had the edges starting to wear- but oh-so-little!

I repainted on Sunday and it is now Thursday and NO chipping!

Day One

(p.s. I used OPI Bubble Bath and OPI top coat)

 Day 5
(after EXTREME use of hands nailing nailheads on our headboard)
No chips yet!  

Use it! Love it! You will never paint your nails without it again!!!!

Lighting Up Your Weekend!

I normally don't post on Saturdays, but had one more guest blogger that I could not leave out!

Jessica contacted me earlier this summer about appearing as a guest and I love their products and couldn't say no! I hope you enjoy looking at everything and even get some inspiration for your next project!

Hello! I'm Jessica Cleary, a writer for Arcadian Lighting, a website and blog that features a beautiful and affordable collection of lighting fixtures for any room in your house. Today I'd like to share a few lovely bathrooms with French accents. There's something about French decor that I find particularly inspiring because they tend to be luxurious and elegantly adorned. It's all about comfort and beauty. I hope you enjoy!

A chaise longue in the bathroom is so decadent. The spacious shower and crystal chandelier above the tub are wonderful features.

A soft shade of pink amid a gray and white color palette makes this bathroom feel incredibly chic and feminine. I love the highly polished tub and golden cart.

The toile upholstered chair and toile curtains are very French country. And the claw-foot tub and ornate mirror above the fireplace are gorgeous embellishments.

The lavender wall color and black claw-foot tub are a wonderful combination in this cozy, classic bathroom. The stained glass windows and massive shell are great accents, too.

Not only does this lovely bathroom feature a pretty pink toile wallpaper, but also a handsome antique commode. The wall sconces provide the perfect quality of dazzling light.

The pink walls and ceiling in this bathroom, paired with white furniture and an ornate mirror frame give the room a quintessential French atmosphere. Even the antique fireplace is a beautiful accent.

There's something very French about a simple black and white color palette, not to mentioned a checkered floor. Brass fixtures and a sparkling chandelier complete the look.

Simple, bare floorboards and a royal blue bathtub give this spacious bathroom a rustic, romantic atmosphere. I love the gold framed mirror and petite chandelier. 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 Which of these lovely bathrooms is your favorite? Arcadian Lighting has stunning chandeliers and pendant lights to brighten your own bathroom, check it out!
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Thank you to all who have helped celebrate this crazy week! I hope that you have enjoyed our great guests and have made them feel at home!

Tune in next week for more party pictures!

Cozy under The Covered Porch

Today's guest is The Covered Porch. 

I found her about this time last year and fell in love with her products. I ordered several things and have been super happy with the quality and design of them! 

Check her website out and get some personalized stationery for yourself!

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With the holidays approaching, we're all usually looking for a way to make things extra-special, whether it's our tables, gift wrapping or front doors. There's loads of inspiration out there on sites like Pinterest, Houzz, Country Living and countless others, but adding your own special stamp on a design is always the crowning touch. That's what I love about custom monograms. They are unique to your tastes and preferences. I enjoy creating unique designs for occasions such as weddings and parties, but it's also fun to have your design on tags or stationery.

Here are a few monogram designs that I've done for different people, and you can view more in my monogram gallery: Monograms

 The one with the pennant was put on cupcake toppers for a birthday party, which I thought was a perfect way to celebrate a special day for a 1-year-old boy.

You can also use tags to make gifts special. Here are a few examples:

 On my site I also have some free printable items, such as tags and place cards. While they don't feature a monogram, they do offer you the chance to showcase your style: Free Printables

I'd love to know what items you are hoping to use this holiday season to put your special stamp on your decor and gift giving. Please contact me with any tips or suggestions! Contact Me

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Thanks Jennifer for making this Friday a little brighter! 

Check out tomorrow for the last guest blogger and be prepared to get lit. :)