Fall Is In The Air!

Tags

Decorating, Fall Decor, Happy Autumn

Fall is here! I’m loving the crisp air, and yet still warm sunshine, which calls for cozy sweaters and blazers. Something about this season just really makes me feel invigorated. 🙂 I’m really anticipating the changing leaves, that are particularly vibrant in New England. Nothing like the bright, yellows, reds, and orange colors of autumn foliage.  I don’t go crazy when it comes to fall decorating, but a few touches around the house really get me in the mood for the season.

Here are a few snapshots of my fall décor.

I’m in love with the hydrangea my mom cut me from her garden. I’m hoping they will dry like that.

Happy Fall everyone! Soon its time for apple picking and pumpkin Pie! 🙂

I’ll leave you with a picture of my munchkin enjoying the last days of summer.

-Elza-

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How to Reupholster a Chair

Tags

DIY, Fabric, How To, Queen Anne Chair, Staple Gun, Upholstery

Well I tried my hand at upholstery for the first time, and I’m glad I did. It was quit the learning curve, but actually not that hard when you do a little research.

My dad had purchased a set of Queen Anne chairs for me, and though I loved their shape, I wasn’t too keen on the style.  A little too Victorian for me.  (Don’t mind the fabric swatch)

Also they were a little worn in some places.

So I decided to try to redo them. How hard can it be?

I started by taking off the old fabric.  This was not all that easy. There were hundreds of staples holding it down. In some places if I tugged hard enough, I could pull up the fabric with the staples, but otherwise, I had to take out each staple one at a time. At first I tried to do this with just a flat head screw driver and pliers, but that wasn’t working so good. After jabbing myself several times with the screw driver and making very little progress, I eventually went out and purchased this special upholstery staple remover and it was a huge help.

I have to say this is a handy little tool to have for projects like this. I actually found mine at my local Walmart in the sewing/crafts section, but it is available on Amazon also.  Look at all those staples!! Had to take out each one! The padding on my chair was in good condition so I didn’t touch it.

Next I went and purchased some upholstery fabric, and cut it to the relative shape  of the old fabric I took off, adding several inches extra, so I could have something to hold on to when I needed to pull it tight.  So I placed my fabric onto the chair and began stapling. This is when the fun really began.

I thought I could do this with my regular old staple gun. However, I quickly realized that it will not work. Every time I tried to staple the fabric, the staples would either bend or not go all the way in.  I tried using different length staples, yet nothing worked.  Frustrated, I turned to Google for help.  As it turns out upholstery staples are a lot thinner than what your average staple gun uses.  Comparing the staples I pulled out to the ones I was using, I could definitely see that they were a lot thinner and had sharper tips. Good quality furniture is usually made out of hard woods. Ordinary hand held staple guns are made for softer construction material such as plywood.  The other option would be to use an automatic air staple gun, which would have enough force, yet is also not ideal, because 1. its expensive, 2.  it requires an air compressor, 3. the staples are still bulky and if you make a mistake pulling them out is not an option, and 4. you risk splitting the frame of your furniture.

So what did I do? Did I go and buy an upholstery staple gun that is only available for purchase online and costs about $60-$200 dollars?? Plus the staples another $30?

Nope!  I don’t have enough patience or money for that! 🙂  I went and wandered the aisles of home depot looking for another option.  ..and you know my friends some times I think I’m genius.  🙂

Exhibit A: This is your regular T-50 Staple gun. $17  –> for my purposes USELESS

Exhibit B: Stanley Light Duty Staple Gun $8 –> IT WORKS!!

So this Staple gun is like the little brother of the T-50.  He is a lot smaller and scrawnier looking, and probably would go unnoticed hanging right next to the bigger and stronger T-50.  Yet why did this little guy save the day? It so happens this staple gun uses thinner staples.  So I gambled with this purchase and won! It actually worked. The thinner staples easily went into my chair and my project could go on! You could thank me for this discovery later. 😉

I will say though, if you plan to reupholster often or something larger like a couch. You should probably invest in an upholstery stapler, because this does wear on your hands after a while.  However for me, the impatient casual DIYer if worked fine.

This is my chair after I finally finished stapling late in the evening, and trimmed all the extra fabric on the edges.

YouTube has some good videos about how to place the fabric when stapling. This video in particular was helpful. –> LINK

Lastly I went back to the fabric store and purchased some trim, which I hot-glued in place, hiding the fabric edge and staples.

I have been really loving the look of velvet upholstery lately.  It is becoming more and more in style.

These were some of my inspiration photos.  Most of these chairs cost $500 and up! Definitely not in my budget..

I went with a beautiful sage green. It has a nice vintage wash to it, yet still looks modern. It was $25 a yard, but so worth it.  Total, this project cost me about $50. This includes fabric, trim, staple gun, staples, and staple remover.

It looks fantastic in our bedroom.

Now I just have to repeat the process with the second one. 🙂

Have a great day,

Elza

Antiquing with Chalk Paint

Tags

Antiquing, Chalk Paint, Clear wax, Distressing, Home Made Chalk Paint, Metal Horse, Painting

I have been experimenting with different painting techniques lately.  I purchased this lovely little metal horse at a thrift store and decided to test my antiquing skills using chalk paint.

As you can see in the before picture, this horse is cast out of a shiny metal material. Though it was nice as is, I felt it was a little too shiny for my taste, and I wanted to see if I could make it look older and accent some of the intricate details a bit more.

To get this result I mixed up some grey colored homemade chalk paint and painted on a thin coat. After it was dry, I clear waxed it.

To accent all the little details, I tinted some clear wax with brown and black acrylic paint, and then stippled it into the details with a paint brush. Then I wiped it away with a dry rag, leaving the dark wax only in the crevices of the piece.

Lastly, I took some coarse sand paper, and sanded off the paint on parts of the horse, in order to reveal the gold metal underneath. This gave it a really rich gilded look.

I really love the final outcome. It matches my décor perfectly and looks like its a really old antique piece. I had lots of fun with this project. When I started painting that first coat of paint, I thought “Oh Boy, I’ve killed this poor horse.”  However in the end I am very pleased with the results.

Have a great day!

Elza

P.S.

Let me know if you want more details about homemade chalk paint and tinting clear wax.

Entering a New Year

Tags

2014, Best wishes, Happy New Year, Reflections, Serving Spirit

A new year has come, and I find myself wondering what it will bring.  Though all it really represents is another day on the calendar, I see it as a chance for a fresh start. It gives me incentive to change some things in my life, and embrace other things.

I’m in the mood for purging…  This year I really want to look at my priorities, and find a way to focus my time on what really matters to me.  Modern life stretches our attention in all sorts of directions, yet I want to find a way to put my energy towards the most important, particularly my family and my faith.

Lately I have been thinking a lot about what is means to have a serving spirit. What does it mean to serve my husband and my family? Am I taking this role begrudgingly? I have also been considering the ways I may have touched other people, when we crossed paths in this fast-paced world.  Have I left an imprint on anyone’s soul? …or do I simply ignore the human connection, selfishly focused on only my path and problems.

I guess if I was to have one wish for 2014, it would be to learn to serve others humbly and joyfully.  ..to truly see the people around me, and hopefully have something to offer them.

Happy New Year everyone.  May it be filled with lots of love and joy. May we find a way to serve each other, beyond what is merely expected in today’s age.

-Elza-

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A New Approach

Tags

Blogging, Journal, Online Writing, Writing

I have decided to try a new approach to this blog.  I have not really had the time or the inspiration to post lately. The more I think about it, the more I realize that I’ve been trying too hard to be “pretty.” …and I find that I don’t always feel “pretty”… or “inspiring”..for a lack of a better word.  Writing has always been an outlet for me. I have stacks of journals at home from about the age of 8 as a testament to this. However, somehow this blog has become a bit of a burden, and I think it is because I am trying too hard to present  something that is complete, edited, and beautiful.  Yet in all honesty I don’t always feel complete or beautiful, and I particularly don’t always want to feel edited.  I guess I want the freedom to ramble, rant, and rave.. and not feel the need to add a pretty photograph.    So I have decided to try a more journal style for a month or two and see how I feel about it.

Don’t get me wrong I will still try to post the usual “pretty” and “inspiring”  things.. (I have a few projects I have been meaning to show you.) But, I will also give myself the freedom to simply be honest, and down-right gritty if I feel like it.  I’m hoping this will ignite my spark for blogging once again, and who knows, maybe I’ll hate it, feel too exposed, and go back to being “pretty.”  Yet for now, those of you who still may read this little blog, please humor me, or feel free to skip the “not-so-pretty.”

Affectionately Yours,

Elza

Note –> After this post, I kept singing “I Feel Pretty, Oh so Pretty, and Witty and Bright…” in my head for like 2 hours…   Guess where that’s from??  At first I wanted to blame Mary Poppins, but apparently that song is from West Side Story. Huh!? Who knew??  

A Garden Tea Party Bridal Shower

Tags

Bridal shower, Garden Party, garden tea party, loose leaf tea, meringue cookies, Tea, Tea Party, Wedding

Last Saturday I hosted a bridal shower for my sister, whose wedding is less than a month away! 

I really wanted to make her bridal shower special, because she is truly my best friend and I am very excited for her! Her wedding will be garden inspired, thus her bridesmaids and I decided that a garden tea party would be perfect.

 My mom graciously allowed us to use her yard as the backdrop for our tea party, which turned out perfect because it was a gorgeous day and everything was in full bloom. My mom puts a lot of love in her flowers and it shows!I kept the color pallet focused on various shades of pink, but also added some pops of aqua for a fun shabby chic feel.  
Each tea cup contained a loose leaf tea infuser; a gift for our guests. The coasters were made by putting craft paper over tile and then glazing them with Modge Podge.The gorgeous flower arrangements were done by our friend Luda, she also happens to be one of the bridesmaids. The Bride-to-be and her bridesmaids…
Our tea-table had a variety of tea to try, brought over from Ukraine and Germany by Dina, one of our beautiful bridesmaids. The two most favored flavors were Strawberry Tingle, and Green Tea with Ginger.The food: Mini club sandwiches, salmon sandwiches, tomato basil shrimp, salad skewers, pear gorgonzola sandwiches, stuffed eggs, mushroom cups, and my mom’s famous chicken with onions

For Dessert… Fresh Strawberries and grapes, meringue cookies,  pear tarts,  biscotti, mini carrot cake cupcakes, and chocolate ricotta cake.

I ordered the ricotta cake from our local Italian bakery, however I asked them to leave it blank. I had the idea of decorating with fresh flowers and a fancy tea-cup. Luda our flower extraordinaire helped me execute it, and I think it came out absolutely lovely!After food and some games it was time for gifts!

A very happy Bride! The party was a success!

Though we are now both going to be married, mom’s house will always still feel like home, and we three ladies stick together! (Even while wearing hats! lol)
Until next time,

Elza

First Birthday Party!!

Tags

Birthday Party, Cake, Celebration, Cotton candy, Cupcakes, Decorations, First Birthday, Noah's Ark Party, Party hat, Whipped Cream

It was my sweet baby boys first Birthday last week, and we had a big party to celebrate the momentous occasion. It was a Noah’s Ark themed party…

I tried to keep it child-like and whimsical…

I kept my color palette light; focusing on light blues, aqua and white.

… I made an animal banner….

…and his very own special party hat!

Dessert Table..Yummy cupcakes!

Chocolate strawberry whipped cream cake!

Decoy Cupcake 😉

Noah’s Ark filled with lots of animals, a gift that arrived early from Grandma and Grandpa.

Some cotton candy Rain Clouds…
…and Marshmallow Rainbows.

A new ride!
Time for cake.

Surprise! Your own personal sized Noah’s Ark Cake!

Time to blow out the candle!

What should I wish for mommy??

Mmm this is good cake…

…really good cake!

This is awesome stuff Mommy! Why didn’t you give me this before??Quick! Give me my party hat!

Is it on??

More cake!

Daddy, where’s my milk??Oh Why did I eat so much cake??

Mommy, I think I’m done now…

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Well, I hope you all had fun seeing  a bit of our special day. It was a blessed day, with good food, family, friends, lots of presents and well wishes.  William loved every minute of it, and after washing all the icing off of him, he went to bed almost instantly, tired out by all the excitement. Thank you to everyone that came, and a special thanks to Tanya, my sister-in-law for taking all the pictures! They are priceless!

Until next time,

-Elza

How to Decorate Easter Eggs

Tags

Christianity, Decoupage, Easter, Easter egg, Egg decorating, holiday, Traditions

So I wanted to do a little holiday inspired post.  Easter is around the corner, and I thought I would post a little tutorial on decorating Easter eggs.Usually we use candle wax to write or draw on the eggs and then dip them in dye. However I wanted to try something different. I came across this decoupage-style method, and I love how they came out, so I thought I would share.

To get started you need:

• – eggs, hard-boiled (however many you want to decorate)
• – 1 slightly whisked egg white
• – a small brush 
  
• – some pretty 3-ply napkins or pretty tissue paper

Separate the napkins so that you have only the top printed ply of the napkin. The thinner the napkin the better.I found that tissue paper worked well too, if you can find a pretty print that you like. Also, prints surrounded by white work best, because they blend better with the egg. Solid full-colored prints show creases more.

Cut out whatever piece of the print you want on your egg. Then hold the napkin against the egg and use the egg whites as you would Modge Podge to decoupage the napkin onto the egg.

Smooth out any wrinkles, and then place them on a plate in the frig. to dry over night.  The next day rub a little oil over them to make them nice and shiny, and voila, you got some fancy looking Easter eggs you could use as decorations or serve.Technically you could eat these. Just peel the shell and there is a perfectly good egg inside. However I prefer them for decorative purpose. I made a little moss nest inside a bowl and will use them as part of an Easter table centerpiece. I like these because they remind me of Fabergé eggs, made popular by Russian Czars.

Did you know that the tradition of decorating eggs can be traced all the way back to the early Christians of Mesopotamia, who stained eggs red in memory of the blood of Christ, shed at his crucifixion.   In Christianity, they also symbolize the empty tomb of Jesus. Though an egg appears to be like the stone of a tomb, a bird hatches from it with life; similarly, the Easter egg, for Christians, is a reminder that Jesus rose from the grave, and that those who believe will also experience eternal life.  (Source: Wiki.)

Hope you have a blessed day,

-Elza-

1 year Anniversary

Tags

Anniversary, Blog, Blogging, Thank you, WordPress

Today is my 1 year blogging Anniversary! I was 8 months pregnant, staying home, and in need of a diversion. Thus I created my blog. I never imagined I would enjoy it so much. Not only that, I began to discover other people’s blogs. A whole new world opened up to me, a wealth of creative, informative, passionate, and inspired information at my fingertips.  Writing for my blog and particularly reading other blogs has become one of my much-loved pastimes.

Thus, I want to say thank you to my readers, and all those that take time to write their own blogs to share pieces of their lives.

Yours Truly

-Elza-

 

Weddings on My Mind

Tags

Event Planning, Pinterest, Weddings

So as I have previously mentioned, my baby sister is engaged! Considering her wedding is in 5 months, all my mom, sister, or I can talk about is Weddings!  I am very excited about this momentous occasion in our family, not only for the obvious reasons, but also because my sister has given me free rein to use my creative abilities to help design her wedding!  I can not even tell you how exciting this prospect is for me.  Interior design is sort of a passion, and wedding design makes it all the more romantic! My Pinterest board is full of all sorts of delicious possibilities right now, and today my sister and I already went to some stores to scope out a few items, and even purchased some things to experiment with.

So all this wedding talk has also got me thinking about my wedding day, and  the many details that made it special.  I’ve decided to share my special day with all of you, thus I’m working on a post dedicated to my wedding.

However until I finish sorting through the 2 thousand pictures (literally) I have, here is a sneak peek.

Until next time,

-Elza-