Oh, how I love Indigo!

So I think I have found a new favorite color.  It's the color of the ocean at dusk, a natural dye that has been around for ages, and it has found a new place in my heart.  As evidence by the title of the post you already know, the color is INDIGO!

You've already seen my recent headboard post where I painted it that very color.  But actually before I painted the headboard I found these thrift store lamps and painted them first.  I'm a little behind on my posts, but since I just started this blog there is plenty in the last 3 years that I will be recapping.

On to the Lamps!  I got them at a local thrift store for $5 each.

Here's what they looked like pre-makeover.

 

I have to tell you,  my husband absolutely hated them at first and had his doubts about whether or not I had gone off the deep end into thrift shopping oblivion.  Thinking that I could see the "potential" in everything and anything but never realizing that some things were born to stay UGLY.  

HOWEVER, after my rendezvous with the spray paint can (hmm..shoulda thought that one out better before typing it).  I came up with this!!...

 The lamp shade shown above didn't "stick" and therefore is on its way back to the store.  However I bought new lampshades that I think I like but am not quite sure.  I originally wanted simple drum shades but all the drum shades that I have found are only 10" tall.  I would need the shade to at least be 12" to accomodate the large lamps.  

Here are pics of the lamp with the new shade that I'm deciding on.  (please disregard the plastic)

What do you think of the new ones?  I think they definitely work and give a nod to that nautical style that I'm trying for....but...hmm...I'm not quite sure if I wanna pull the trigger and take off the plastic. 

Please chime in, I would love some feedback.  

Here's also a finished pic of both lamps in the living room.  I also placed another pictures in one of the frames today.  Can you find it?! 

Like I said, its coming together so FAST.  All I need now is a 14 x 19 to put in the large one at the bottom and I'll be DONE-ZO!

Ugly Frame to Giddy Dame.

Ugly Frame = this cheap-o frame that I found at a thrift store
Giddy Dame= Me, post artwork makeover that I'm getting ready to show you!:) 

Enter sad empty frame:

I primed and painted it to go as part of my frame collage above the sofa in the living room.  More on that later....it's nearly finished.  Promise!:)

I received this (and another similar) art print for Christmas from my lovely in-laws.  I got them b/c we recently moved to FL (about 3.5 years ago) and I wanted to give that 'personalized' feel to our home. (I have a few pieces that I've picked up from local artists and farmers markets.)

I found it here If you're interested.  This artist does a lot of different  renderings out of vintage FL maps.  I love that it is cartoon-y and vintage-y.

Here's the other print that they got me too, in case you're interested.  Although this print is not the STAR of this post. 

It's St PETE and all our local beaches!!:):)

Okay, so back to the task at hand.

Enter place mat:

I found an awesome place mat on clearance (for like $2) at my FAVORITE STORE EVER(!!!); sorry sometimes I get carried away.  WEST ELM!!

So when I was walking around my house looking for something to mount my awesome artwork on it worked perfectly.

I had to go to Home Depot to pick up some supplies (i.e. glass for the frame, etc.)

Enter Nice lady from Home Depot:

While I was waiting on the nice lady at Home Depot to cut the glass for me I decided that my artwork needed a little more definition, other than just being placed directly on top of the place mat.  I was thinking maybe a navy mat board.  The nice Home depot lady helped me pick out and cut a regular piece of navy board that cost only 89 cents!  


So after my trip and a little taping/tweaking action I came up with THIS!!


dum da da dum dumm dumm DUMMMM!!!!  (SEE:  sometimes used before yelling charge!)

You can't really tell, but the lines on the place mat are a teal color while the board behind the artwork is a navy.  It's nicer in person than in these photos. 

Here's a sneak peak at our frame collage.  It's not complete, but it's getting there faster than you can say abracadabra.

Speaking of, how awesome would it be if you could just say abracadabra and everything would be FINISHED.  If that was the case, abracadabra would be the only word I'd ever say!  Which could get a little monotonous, but everything around you would be completed and in most cases beautiful, so who cares.

That fairy god-mother in Cinderella must've really come in handy.  Oh, she said bibbity bobbity boo, nevermind.  Anyway, hope you like the finished product as much as I do, and if not don't worry about commenting, hehe.  Good-day!


Disclaimer:  1)  There is still plastic on our lamp shades, b/c I bought them today, but am not sure if they're the exact right ones yet.

Disclaimer:  2) There is a cord lying on one of the end tables, b/c I clumsily dropped a light bulb, it shattered into a million pieces on the floor, and the shop vac was summoned to correct my mistake. (a.k.a. I forgot to move the cord before taking the pictures)

Disclaimer:  3) the pillows on the sofa are not perfectly placed mostly b/c it is not a perfect world and I am trying to make a statement!  (or at least that's what we'll call it for now)

Pull up a Chair and stay awhile...

This story begins about a year ago when I purchased a chair at a yard sale (for 10 bucks)...yes I am a procrastinator...oh well the point is - it's done now.  
I took my time on this project which allowed me to find a fabric remnant at Joann Fabrics that I loved -for super cheap (I think around $4). The fabric was about $40 per yard (if I remember correctly) and I snagged just the amount I needed for about a 10th of the price.

I spray painted the chair early on but I just didn't work up the courage to tackle the cushion until my sister in law Sarah came to stay with us.  She helped with reupholstering!   

I can't find any before photos but the chair was pretty ugly.  Just take my word for it.  Here it is with a new coat of paint and a reupholstered seat.

A Dramatic Endeavor!

If you think that I am going to say something dramatic in this post I am not...instead I am going to do something quite dramatic.  To my recent thrift store find that is!!

Find Numero Uno: (that's right I'm bilingual...booyah!)

A headboard that I purchased for only 10 dollars.  The headboard had such graphic lines but a terrible orangey veneer.  I knew I needed to take it home and paint it! 

I have been loving indigo lately and so I decided to paint it a kind of moody "ocean at dusk" type indigo blue!

Here are the afters:

This pic is taken with only one coat of paint hence the splotchiness. I ended up doing 2 coats of spray paint.

 

I chose the indigo blue because I love the way that it looks with my more neutral seagrass green duvet.  I also wanted the bedroom to be inspired by the beach in color and used subtle seagrass greens along with punchy indigo/cobalty blues, teals, grays, whites, and other neutrals.  Here is a picture of the bedroom as it is now.  We still need to raise the headboard up another 6" or so and repaint the walls.  I picked the blue color when we first moved into the house and had different bedding and decor.  I never really loved it and can't wait to get something more neutral (maybe a gray?).  The lighting is bad in this pic but you get the idea.

So there you have it.  A complete headboard makeover for only $15.00.  $10 for the headboard and $5 for spray paint.  And I LOVE it! 



disclaimer:  I said I'm bilingual.  This is not fully true; my bilingual-ness only translates to numbers.  I can count all the way to 100 in Espanol!