From Pauper to Princess

 

Having a beautiful bedroom doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. Vibrant colors can be so beautiful and seductive, sending a powerful rush to the senses making you feel rich and sensuous. Combined with thrift store finds, and with pillows sewed at home, here is my latest bedroom project just completed, turning my client's pauper style bedroom into one fit for Moroccan royalty!

Here is a closeup detail of the stencil design I used called 'Moroccan Lace' sourced from Royal Design Studios. I was excited to find a wide selection of stencil design styles at Royal Design Studio  They have very beautiful stencils along with lots of information showing you how to stencil successfully. Be sure to check them out at:   http://www.royaldesignstudio.com/. 

  

This is a 'before' photo of the bedroom; the client had been really roughing it, waiting until the right time and designer came along to transform her space. She wanted something very warm and exotic, so we decided on a Moroccan theme.

This is the brass container I found at a thrift store, priced at $9.00.

 Here are burgundy colored silk dupioni curtains from Pottery Barn which I used to make the pillows.  In one curtain, there was enough fabric to make three large pillow covers; priced at $4.49 it was a great deal! The other pillows I made from magenta colored velvet and silk satin purchased from Discount Fabrics in San Francisco, CA.

And finally, here is the Moroccan style table I found at a thrift store priced at $31.00. It had some water stains which came out easily after a few passes with an electric sander; after two coats of ebony stain, it looked as good as new.

 

 I first painted my accent wall in a terra cotta color. Now I used lime paint, mixing the colors myself using powdered earth pigments, but you could use any flat wall color. Then, using a bubble level, I positioned the stencils and carefully applied the metallic paint using a small roller.

 

 

 I used Metallic Paints from a line called Modern Masters which has many wonderful shades of metallic paints. So hard to choose which color to use. I'm sure I'll be doing more projects with these just so that I can use some of those other colors!

 Small sized paint tray and rollers make for easy application. Be sure to mark the tiny triangle registration marks so that the pattern runs smoothly.

 And again, here is my client's beautiful bedroom - fit for a princess! Total spent: $300

 Zooming in on the peonies for a closeup shot - I love peonies!

Now, I would like to hear about your makeovers, just drop me a line in the comments section below, and I'll post them on the blog!

A Footed Bowl With Seashells

I found an unusual footed bowl I found yesterday at my favorite thrift store, and here is the arrangement I put together using shells and sea fans.




This is the way it looked when I found it. I had seen these bowls at up-scale garden shops priced at $60, so I knew this one priced at $3.49 was a good deal. But the color was a blah grey; so I painted it using black gesso. Very easy.

 

Again, here is my bowl filled with sea shells. Total Cost: Shells $18:00; Bowl $3.50.

What do you think? Do you have unusual thrift store finds that you have put together to make beautiful arrangements? Send me a photo, and I'll put them up!

Apocthecary Spice Jars

I love old apothecary jars like those used in antique pharmacies so I decided to make my own. Here are my finished jars; directions for making them follow.

 I collected multiple glass cylinder containers at my local thrift store, making sure that they were more or less the same height. I searched out large round corks to fit, which proved much harder to find. I finally found a source from a kitchen supply store in Napa priced at $4.95 each, bringing the price of each jar to around $7.00.

I designed spice labels on my computer using PhotoShop using the latin names for each spice or herb container, then printing them on high quality 100% cotton antique white resume paper. Using an Exacto razor knife and a straight edge, I cut them to size. The labels are then affixed to the glass cylinder using heavy weight clear packing tape.

 

It is important to make sure the labels line up correctly on the back side, which you can see I failed to do here. Cut the tape slightly larger and wider to protect the edges assuring the labels adhere to the glass cleanly.

 

And once again, here are my spice jars. Everyone who sees them in my kitchen comments on how unusual and beautiful they look. Tell me, what do you think?

A-Tisket… A-Tasket…A Beautiful Lettuce Basket

Some friends of mine just moved into a new home, and I wanted to bring a gift for their housewarming party. They love to cook and to garden, so I came up with the idea of creating a decorative lettuce basket. They loved it!! Just harvest the lettuce and serve. And when the lettuce is finished, the basket can be replanted with flowers or herbs for later use. Here's how I made it.



First, I found a wire basket at the thrift store priced at $3.49. I think it will work out nicely….



I cleaned the basket, then lined it with sphagnum moss along with netting inside to contain the soil. I found lettuce starts at my local nursery costing around $5.00



And again, here is my lettuce basket which was a huge hit! Fresh lettuce leaves in time for dinner. Total Cost: $17.00

When Life Hands You Lemons...Make Sorbetto al Limone!

Spring is here, and fresh lemons are in season at theFarmer's Market. Seeing baskets overflowing with lemons reminded me of my timein Italy, where at the neighborhood Gelateria, I would routinely see crates offresh lemons stacked 5' tall waiting to be made into mouth tingling sorbetto. So, inspired by my two latest thrift store finds - theseMoroccan lanterns, a beautiful green vase and lemons from the Farmer's Market,I put together a Spring still life, along with a recipe for Sorbetto al Limone.Though it may be raining outdoors, as it will in Spring, bring the sunshineindoors with this recipe for Sorbetto al Limone, best served with crispchocolate dipped biscotti.

Sorbetto al Limone from Emeril Lagasse 2003

Ingredients

1cup water

1cup sugar

1cup fresh lemon juice

1tablespoon lemon zest

Directions

Bring the water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan,remove from the heat, and cool. Combine the syrup with the lemon and zest andpour into the bowl of an ice cream machine. Freeze according to themanufacturer's instructions. After the sorbet is made, transfer to an airtightcontainer. Cover tightly and freeze until ready to serve. Makes about 2 cups of gelato.

These items are from thrift stores. Total cost: $12.

What a Difference a Great Wall Color Makes!

Here is a bedroom makeover I just recently completed. I wanted to show you how just having a great wall color, along with big pillows can make for a wonderful and peaceful effect- a headboard is not even really needed.

Here is the "before" shot of the bedroom - all white walls are so blah and boring.

I found nspiration from the California Coastline.

The paint color used here was # C2 - 282 "Deep Freeze" from G & R Paint Co located at 1238 Sutter St, in San Francisco, CA. The light blue color subliminally reminds us of the outdoor horizon and makes the room feel larger and more spacious. The pre-existing wall surface was a semi-gloss finish, so I first applied a tinted primer coat, and then painted my wall color. The low VOC paint went on very smoothly and the dead flat finish gave just the sophisticated effect I wanted. I sewed large Euro style pillows out of soft bronze and pale green velvets completing the eco-chic and natural look.

As usual, I found many items from thrift shops: a white linen/cotton Pottery Barn style quilt, sheets (not pictured) bronze colored silk duvet cover, black blanket, black picture frame, clear glass cylinder, teacup/saucer and French Press coffee pot, small bedside table( which was painted black) and large flat woven basket; Total Cost $40.00

Closeup of the bedside table.

Flowering white quince blossoms - Spring is on its way!

Hope you enjoyed this bedroom makeover. Do you have a bedroom makeover you'd like to share as well? Let me know in the comments section below, and I'll put them up.

I Love White Flowers

I just love white flowers surrounded by lots of greenery, in this case small cypress topiary trees and ivy. Every year I add to my collection of silver mercury glass ornaments, amassing them in a wooden tray. The effect is fresh, cool and reminiscent of a walk in the woods. What a beautiful way celebrate the quiet time of the winter months!



Here are two items used which came from thrift shops. The plant container on the left had a great shape but was not beautiful - yellow with a painted flower. So I repainted it using a two part antiquing solution called Patina Blue from Sophisticated Finishes. The wooden tray on the right was in good condition, and benefited from a wood oil treatment to restore its natural beauty. Total cost: $9.00



Here's a close-up of the little topiary dog; he is just too cute!

.... and my collection of mercury glass ornaments. Hope you like my winter arrangement. I'd love to hear your comments, and also see your winter arrangements. Post them in the comment box below.

Happy New Year!

I invited some friends over to celebrate bringing in the New Year with me, and decided to do something fun, festive and really different. In a spare bedroom, I set up the dining table low to the ground, with sofa cushions strewn around for us to sit on. The week before I made about 16 string lamps of various sizes, some of which were filled with strings of twinkle lights. Add curled ribbon for streamers and I had the festive look I wanted. For a table cloth, I was inspired to use a bright tangerine silk sari with silver embroidery. Everything in this setting, with the exception of the lamps and the food, came from thrift shops:

For making string lamps, you can find many instructions on the internet, one that I liked is here from Crafty Nest:

http://www.craftynest.com/2009/03/hemp-pendant-lamps/.

Be forewarned though - the process is fun but messy, and may take a few tries to get the string to stay properly on the balloon, but once you get it down, it's very easy. Then be sure to let them dry very well, at least 2 days. Popping the balloon inside is the fun part!

I suspended the string lamps from the ceiling using these Command mini hooks which can be found at Home Depot or art supply shops like Michael's or Blick Art Supplies. They use a pressure sensitive double backed tape that adheres the hook to your surface, in this case the ceiling. Be sure to follow instructions carefully for optimal results.

Our menu this evening was Prosecco sparkling wine served with Spanakopita, the Greek spinach and cheese filled pastry, along with roast chicken and vegetables. Here is a recipe for Spanakopita referenced from the Food Network:

Spanakopita (Spinach Triangles or Pie)

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 pounds spinach, washed and drained
• 1 bunch scallions, white and green parts, chopped
• 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 pound feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 to 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 pound filo pastry sheets

Directions

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saute pan, add half of the spinach and saute until spinach wilts, tossing with tongs, about 2 minutes. Remove spinach and squeeze out excess liquid, then chop roughly. Repeat with remaining spinach, using 1 more tablespoon of olive oil. Pour off any liquid from the pan, and add remaining olive oil. Add scallions and saute until soft, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the spinach to the scallions, along with the parsley, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from heat to cool. (This part can be done ahead and kept refrigerated).

Stir the feta and as much beaten egg to moisten the cooled spinach mixture.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush a baking sheet with some of the melted butter.

Unroll the filo dough on a flat surface and keep it covered with waxed paper and a damp towel so it doesn't dry out and become brittle. Using a sharp knife, cut the filo into 3 by 11 inch strips, and recover with the towel. Use a pastry brush to brush a strip of filo with melted butter. Place a small spoonful of spinach filling 1 inch from the end of the pastry. Fold the end over the filling to form a triangle, then continue to fold up the strip in triangles, like folding up a flag. Continue with remaining strips of dough, placing filled triangles on the baking sheet and keeping them covered with a towel until all are ready to bake.

Brush the triangles lightly with butter, then bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Serve hot. (These may be frozen before baking, layering waxed paper between layers of triangles to keep them from sticking. Bake frozen triangles an extra 10 minutes.)

Variation: Butter a 9 by 13 inch baking pan, and spread 6 sheets of filo, brushing each with butter, on the bottom. Spoon the spinach filling over the filo, then cover with 6 more sheets of filo, buttering each sheet. Score the top 3 sheets with a sharp knife. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until top is golden, let stand 15 minutes, then cut into squares and serve warm.

We all had a wonderful time reminiscing about the past year, and making plans for 2012. Here's wishing all of us health, happiness and prosperity, and lots of love to share with good friends.

And...how was your New Year celebration? Have any thrift store makeovers you want to share? Just respond in the comments section, and I'll post them!

Happy Holidays!

The Holidays are upon us! Here is my setting with Father Christmas with his helper, amidst woodland plants and, of course, crystal snowflake candles. Wishing you the very best holiday season ever, filled with family, good friends, and lots of love!

Here are the items used in the above photograph, all from thrift stores. Total cost: $20.

Fall, Brass and Bittersweet

Fall is now in full swing. I love to see the trees changing colors and am especially happy when Bittersweet Vine shows up in the markets. Last Sunday, I invited some friends over for a lazy afternoon tasting different red wines served with simple Parmesan cheese, bread and pears. I put together a mix of brass containers which looked great with the hot colors of Fall leaves, the last Summer roses from the garden, and of course, Bittersweet vines. Look for Bittersweet vines at your local flower market - a feast for the eyes and the soul!


Here are my thrift store finds.... Large brass vase, small brass vase, wooden tray and the small wicker basket. Total price $22.00.


Now I'd like to hear from you, what are your favorite Fall activities? How do you like to spend time with friends? Drop me a line in the comments box below!