Add a tie-dye art project summer

I have to admit, I have a love/hate relationship with tie-dye. It’s one of those things that either makes me love the contrast and flow of color,and makes me think of fun, or makes me think of 1960’s hippies; crazy,dirty, hippies. I guess there’s no happy medium there. I recently made  a fun tie-dye art painting for the DecoArt blog, and it really made me love the fun side of it, and how freeing it can be to use color, and make art, just for the joy of doing it. I think I get so locked into the fact that I have to make things for my work, that I forget that sometimes I should just do it for fun. I loved making this DecoArt project this last month,because it was just fun to play.

Do you ever get stuck into the mind set of  pressure to create? Or do you feel like you don’t create enough? I find I go between the two. Sometimes I feel like I am wasting time if I’m not churning out project after project, and other times I get in a rut, and think I’m not doing enough. Then, I get completely stalled and go waste time on Facebook or Instagram instead, when I should be finding ways to cultivate creativity. It’s like there’s almost a pressure to creating sometimes, and that’s the last place there should be pressure, and I find it’s almost easier to avoid it, than to nurture it (Which I should be doing.).

And really, it should be one of the things inside of ourselves we treat with kid gloves instead of ignore, and feed, because it feeds us back. It’s something that I think completes our soul.It’s like taking a deep breath and letting it out. Yet, rather than do things that make that side blossom, I  personally tend to find ways to push it away and treat it like a distraction. Then the pressure builds, and the cycle continues. I don’t know why I do that when it’s something I really love to do. I truly believe it’s because of the pressure.

I think that’s why the most recent DecoArt post resonated with me. For once, I just sat down and did it,

and didn’t worry about the end result. I just used the tools I had, I made tie-dye art, and played.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The post Add a tie-dye art project summer appeared first on Jennifer Rizzo.

from
https://jenniferrizzo.com/2017/06/add-a-tie-dye-art-project.html

How to hang double shower curtains (for less!)

Hey all! I'm back with another quick update on the bathroom reno! Life has been busy lately so I haven't been able to get as much done in there as I'd like, but today I finally made more progress! This is THE LONGEST RENOVATION ever but it's looking so good!

I was pretty excited about this so wanted to share it. You may remember we added a window in here -- it was always my dream to have the natural light and it was just as awesome as I imagined: 

Many of you asked how we'd let the light in if we had a shower curtain -- well I had something in mind for that. First of all, even if I used a regular curtain I was planning to leave it open all the time. But I was always planning on going very high with the shower curtain so a regular one wasn't going to work. I didn't want the bar landing right in your line of sight to the window. 

You can buy extra long curtains but I wanted a specific look for this tub -- I've always loved the double curtain look. I think it looks super custom and very pretty. Like drapes for your tub. 😆 And drapes are exactly what I got! 

I grabbed a 96" white pair from HomeGoods for $25. (You cannot beat their tall drapes -- two for that price!) I made sure to get some with grommets -- they usually have a bunch of those. 

I found these curtain rings at Target that can be closed -- I wanted that so the drapes would stay put when we open and close it:

I got this extra long shower curtain liner and had to figure out how to hang it along with the curtains so it could be fully closed. I could have gotten another curtain rod -- one for the liner and one for the curtains. You can also buy a double shower rod! How cool is that? But didn't want to spend any more money. :) 

So I just hung the liner and the curtain on the one side together -- and you can't even tell: 

Isn't that pretty? I love the look! And that tile!! I don't think I've shown you the shower just yet. You can see why I want to show it off! These babies are staying open! I am going to have to hem the bottom of these just a bit. 😫 I'll drag the ironing board in here and use my hemming tape while they're still hanging. 

When I was trying to decide what to do with the liner I looked up some ideas and quite a few people I found online cut theirs up the middle to get this look, then they overlap them when they close the shower. I almost did that but since our boy uses this one I don't want to worry about him getting it just right every time. You really can't even see the liner when they are open. 

Here's a look when the curtain is shut: 

Since these are staying open I couldn't care less how it looks when closed. But if you want it to be more symmetrical when closed you can cut the liner down the middle (like I mentioned) and hang the two liners and two curtains together. (If you did that you could leave your fabric stationary if you wanted!) Or you can hang a second/double curtain rod and put the liner on that, then hang your curtains on the outer one. 

And of course you can go with any design or color you want! Your options are endless. 

But again, I'm not picky about how it looks when someone is showering -- they're the only ones that will be in there anyway. ;) I really love how these look hanging on each side. And that glorious light can still come through. 💓

By the way -- ignore the half painted walls, the long curtains (they will not touch the ground when I'm done) and the wrinkled liner. It will all come together and look much better for the reveal! 

I hope this makes sense! If you have any questions let me know! I thought it turned out cool without spending a ton so I wanted to share with you. I'll be back tomorrow with a outside reveal I've been dying to show you! :) 

This content is property of Thrifty Decor Chick LLC. If you are reading this on any other site other than www.thriftydecorchick.com or one of her social media platforms, please contact her immediately (thriftydecorchick at gmail dot com). Any other use of this content is strictly forbidden.

from
http://www.thriftydecorchick.com/2017/06/how-to-hang-double-shower-curtains-for.html

Gray and coral family room makeover

HI everyone ! I am so excited to be  a apart of the Color lovers blog hop with 9 other talented  bloggers and sponsored by The Mine, Minted and Birch Lane and hosted by Kelly Elko! I decided to move away from the color scheme of the hand me down furniture we had downstairs, and go with a gray and coral family room.

If you remember, my family room looked like this.

Remember when I talked about my inspiration board a month ago? Here’s a sneak peek, let’s see how closely they look. It’s fun to see how closely they translate to real life sometimes.

I started with a beautiful smaller sectional from The Mine in gray. I knew I wanted a sectional for downstairs, because the two love seats for 5 people were just not cutting it. We were slightly cramped. I found this amazing sectional with a chaise, and a really cool chair, that was very mid-century modern feeling. I knew with gray they would hod up well to dirt, and wear and tear with the kids down stairs, but would add more color than just beige or white.I have to tell you, we love it! It’s super comfortable and perfect for our family. We finally have enough room for everyone to sit comfortably!

The chair is super comfy as well, and the kids even fight over it.

We replaced the rug with one from Birch Lane It’s beautiful! And adds a nice neutral backdrop for the furniture.

I love how this corner came out! The lamp shade, curtains and artwork are all from Minted. They add such a fun, eclectic, artsy touch, I never knew you could get curtains and lamps shades from Minted. I always thought of it as just a place to buy art. Theses were a nice surprise when they came in the mail, of what good quality they are!

I added some fun pillows for color and contrast. Remember that coffee table I sanded?You finally get to see what it looks like in the room!

The rug  from Birch Lane is perfect with the natural wood of the coffee table.

I love how it all works together in the space! I am so happy with our gray and coral family room, it makes for such a comfortable place to hang out! The smaller sectional fits so well!

Make sure you  visit the other bloggers to see their colorful room transformations!

In My Own Style
Tatertots & Jello
Southern Hospitality
Duke Manor Farm
Fox Hollow Cottage
Four Generations One Roof
DIY Showoff
Jennifer Rizzo
Inspired by Charm

Save

The post Gray and coral family room makeover appeared first on Jennifer Rizzo.

from
https://jenniferrizzo.com/2017/06/gray-and-coral-family-room-makeover.html

My plan for no spend July: Get 'er done!

Hello my friends! Our weather for the past few days has been GLORIOUS! I mean, just perfect. I'm sitting outside under our pergola writing to you right now. When it's like this I could spend the whole day outside. 

So in just a few days I will be embarking on yet another no spend month...if you're new around these parts you know I usually do this once a year. It helps with the budget but for me it's more about just clearing my mind and getting stuff done. 

I usually finish up projects that I have the supplies for, or fix little things I've been putting off. I also usually do some organizing and purging. At the end I feel lighter in more ways than one. So at the end of this week I'll be kicking it off again. Usually I do this in January -- that's a great time because I'm so overwhelmed with stuff from the holidays. It forces me to put the brakes on and simplify. 

I think I did it in the summer years back and I think that's a good time too. We're home and life slows (just a bit) so it's perfect. 

My no-spend months are pretty strict and this time I may not be quite at strict -- only because I may have to grab a few minor things from hardware store. Nothing major, I'm talking paint brushes or random little stuff like that. But NO spending on decor for sure. I have plenty. ;) 

Thus time I'm focusing on finishing up projects that I've let sit for a few months or even longer. Our stairs don't look like this right now:

We had them sanded down for me to restain last month...I thought I was going to work on it then but time got away from me. So they're still unfinished and I need to get that done. Big time. 

I took our cabinet doors down in the laundry and taped everything off to paint...and still haven't finished that: 

I adore our laundry room -- getting those painted is going to make such a difference in here. It's going to look so good! We've had unfinished cabinets hung for ummm...years? I also have a built in cabinet in the corner I've never shown you that I would like to trim out and paint as well. 

Our. nightstands. are. still. unpainted: 

I know what I want to do with them...I just need to do it. Squirrel!!

I've also made a loooong list of little things for each room that I've been meaning to tackle forever -- like filling anchor holes in the walls, touching up paint, filling holes in trim from when I installed it. Just a long list of teensy little things that add up over time, you know? 

It's so nice to look back at the end of the month at what I am able to accomplish. By the way...so not a sloth this summer like usual! Virtual high five please. I've been working my tail off on the bathroom reno and I hope to share that next week. 

Some of my favorite projects in our house have been completed during no spend months...that's the thing -- I'm all about completing during those weeks. I had the paint for our master bedroom but because the walls were so tall I never finished it up till my no spend month one year:

That was such a big transformation!! 

I tend to install things and then not paint them. I guess I get tired? 😂 (See the laundry room above for reference.) I finished painting the window trim in our library one year and called that room done: 

Often I'll have something that needs to be installed and a no-spend month is a good time to get it done. I had the "command center" hardware for our mud room forever and finally got it up: 

You can see more of that mud room makeover here! Oh, and I always have my black paint on hand so you never know when another door will go black. ;) 

I have a huge spray paint stash so I finished up our basement bathroom by painting a mirror and adding the finishing touches one year: 

And sometimes I'll find free ways to decorate, including these free printables I found for our gallery wall: 

Sometimes it's about getting creative to get a job done, sometimes it's just getting the job done. ;) But I always enjoy the NOT buying part and just clearing my mind and our house a bit.

I know many of you have tried incorporating a no-spend month into your family/household over the years as well. If you haven't I think you'd be surprised at how good it feels! But I AM always ready for a trip to HomeGoods at the end. ;)

Let me know if you have any questions about these projects! As always, you can see a list of my favorite projects and paint colors in our home here.

This content is property of Thrifty Decor Chick LLC. If you are reading this on any other site other than www.thriftydecorchick.com or one of her social media platforms, please contact her immediately (thriftydecorchick at gmail dot com). Any other use of this content is strictly forbidden.

from
http://www.thriftydecorchick.com/2017/06/my-plan-for-no-spend-july-get-er-done.html

Pea gravel path changes

Last year, we finally added a pea gravel path around the raspberries  and asparagus. Adding pea gravel paths are so easy. It’s a matter of making and edge of some kind, putting down landscape fabric, and pouring the gravel on, and spreading it out so it’s a few inches deep.

I loved how my rubber boots sounded crunching on the gravel, and it made it a much, much nicer way to pick the raspberries. I love having different paths in my yard,like the lavender lane and the secret garden path. It’s like having different-mini gardens to visit in the same yard.

We had started a second path last year and never finished it. Little, for a while was playing “fairy grave yard” in it and set up a teeny bench, metal fencing, and a tiny stone bench. That kid is only slightly creepy sometimes.

This year, I found my dwarf Serviceberry ( it only gets 15 feet by 4 feet wide), and we connected the two gravel areas. Also, I planted a European beech,Coral bells, and made a planting oasis among the paths.

I did move the flagstone to extend along the path, but I am thinking about getting rid of them and leaving it straight pea gravel. As you can see, Little set up a new fairy garden graveyard by the back Coral bell. It’s still surrounded by mini-fencing. I don’t know what happens in her magical gardens, but it could be the reason the tooth fairy never comes around any more. Tinkerbell may need to watch her back around here. What happens in the fairy gardens, stays in the fairy gardens.

I love having the paths in our yard. They make such a pretty view from the deck, graveyard and all. I control the weeds by spraying them with vinegar. That’s it. They shrivel up in the heat, and die. We finally had a few days without rain and painted the deck! It’s only been a few (lots) of years since we last stained and painted it. While I like the rustic look, it was getting to be  a bit too rustic for our tastes, also the kids kept getting splinters. Plus, we have a huge issue with wood boring bees. They look like giant bumble bees, and eat holes in the wood to nest. They don’t really like treated wood of any kind, so painted or stained wood helps to keep them from leaving giant holes in everything. I am excited to show you how it turned out!

 

The post Pea gravel path changes appeared first on Jennifer Rizzo.

from
https://jenniferrizzo.com/2017/06/pea-gravel-path-changes.html

Online Shopping for Home Décor

Sprucing up the house is the most enjoyable and relaxing task for some people. There is a rush feeling in seeing the changes and that anticipation for the final look is priceless. But changing the look of each room can be expensive. It doesn’t help either that buying home stuff can be exhausting.

Good thing there’s internet to the rescue. Finding where to shop for home décor online is easy. Apart from this reason, it is more convenient to buy things online. There are other benefits on home décor shopping on the internet.

 

Online Promotions

One is that online shops have a lot of promotions going on. A month wouldn’t pass without them offering discounts through voucher codes, email links, and other money- saving promos. Huge savings are in your way if you will be diligent in looking for these ads.

 

Rare Items

Another reason is that it is easier to get hold of rare items online. Rather than going around from store to store looking for a particular piece. Most online shops have catalogs that you can browse and it shows how many are available. Seeing in real time what’s there and what’s not, drops the disappointed feeling you get when you’re feet gets tired in hunting for something. You can easily pinpoint which items you like and never have to worry about missing out on them. Out of stock items are also replenished faster and you get updated through newsletters.

 

Following Trends

Shopping home décor online makes it easier to update your style. If you are into following trends, online shops tend to have the newest items faster than your local stores. You never have to wait for the latest home decors to hit the market. Instead, you stay abreast with what’s hot before everyone else.

You can easily sort through the best items and find helpful reviews from people who have bought the same. The best bargains are not the best if they end up flimsy and made in low quality materials. It would greatly make a difference to know what to expect from things you buy online so it is advised that you read buyer reviews.

 

Low Shipping Costs

Lastly, buying online gives you options to having low shipping costs and being able to return items that you don’t like. Although this is also offered in department stores, knowing that you can do the same on online shops lessens the anxiety.

It's natural for anyone to be a bit apprehensive doing online shopping, but you only need to be decisive over your choice of shops. A simple search would take you to shops that have earned a good reputation from their loyal customers. It wouldn’t hurt to ask for recommendations either. With this generation that relies on the internet so much, you'd certainly would have many friends who have done online shopping. If you're the type who values time and effort on top of huge savings, shopping online for home decor can work great for you.

 

Dig/s Home Goods and Housewares is a family-run business, just basically Chuck, Susan and a few helpers. It's these homegrown roots that give our company a great work ethic and a strong foundation on which to expand and develop. Our heart goes into our work, and it shows in everything we do, from the kind of products we offer to the kind of service we provide. Our customers matter to us. You matter to us, and your business is greatly appreciated.

Sending positive vibes your way,

Chuck

Want help upgrade my stylish spectacles?

Check out these GREAT DEALS!!!

• Umbra Magino Counter Stool
• Unique and Gorgeous - Wobble Chess Set by Umbra
• Sedona Classic® Rawfood Dehydrator SD-P9000-B

from
https://digs-homegoods.com/blogs/news/online-shopping-for-home-decor

from
http://digshomegoods.blogspot.com/2017/06/online-shopping-for-home-decor.html

Where to Buy Home Décor: Vintage Shops vs Specialty Stores

If you think for a second that designing homes end up at choosing wall colors, think again. What to put in each room is where the action begins. While it may sound easy, buying home decors is actually a daunting task. Finding the best places where to buy home décor is a job that is not for the weak. It is an exciting task but it requires both a healthy body and a healthy mind. 

While it is much easier to shop online, there is that primal happiness in choosing things that you can hold and inspect in real time. You have two options in shopping for home décor. First, is buying brands from stores that sell home décors or get used items from thrift and vintage shops.

Basically, where to buy home décor is narrowed down to these two kinds of stores. The more appropriate thing to note when buying home accents is not where but the kind of design you have in mind.

Vintage and Thrift Shops

For designs that are more of the classic and require antique pieces, you can find plenty of thrift shops and vintage stores that sell pre-loved items. While it may sound sketchy at first because of the nature of the items being second-hand, there are a lot of interior decorators who do not discount these shops from their go-to lists when shopping for decors. These kinds of stores hold treasures that are worth keeping, they just need to be found first. Also, not all things from these shops are oldies. If you think about it, styles change every year so a lot of people dispose of their stuff through yard sales and in thrift stores. You will never know what to expect and it is quite exciting to find out what items you are going home with. So if you are looking forward to unique items with guaranteed low prices, then head off to the nearest vintage stores in the neighborhood.

 

Home Décor Specialty Shops

Now, if you are not sure about buying second-hand, there are shops that specialize in selling home accents. They can either be an entire shop of home decors or just a part of chain stores and malls. Go straight ahead to these shops when you want shopping to be easy. If your style is more of an upbeat and trendy, most items from these shops are the latest craze in design. They are usually categorized so everything can be found fast. They also have shop attendants who can assist you at the store. They are a huge help especially when you find someone who is not afraid to give suggestions.

 

You have the option to go easy on the job and shop from a décor shop or get down and dirty for a satisfying vintage store hunt. Where to buy home décor is also a matter of style. You will be surprised how much you will discover in yourself just by observing where your items are mostly from.

Listen... if a guy in his 60's can start an online store YOU can too!

Thanks for reading :)

Lots of Love :)

-Chuck 

 

Wanna lessen the grays on my handsome profile?

Check out these GREAT DEALS! that will enhance your life!!

 

• Umbra Promenade Bench, White/Natural
• Furbo Treat-Tossing Dog Camera
• Tribest DB-950 Stainless Steel Dynablend Clean Blender

 

 

from
https://digs-homegoods.com/blogs/news/where-to-buy-home-decor-vintage-shops-vs-specialty-stores

from
http://digshomegoods.blogspot.com/2017/06/where-to-buy-home-decor-vintage-shops.html