Friday, May 20, 2011

DIY picture frame mattes for cheap

I love a good matted picture and frame, but sometimes they are so expensive!  I sometimes just buy a cheap frame and matte and spray paint them to black frames and white matte.  But, I had quite a collection of frames with no mattes. So, I made my own :)

You will need:
Scissors or an exacto knife
a straight edge
poster board or construction paper-I use white poster board because it doesn't fade like construction paper

1st
Gather all your frames that are being matted.
These don't have mattes, but are just pics from old National Geographics--I needed free art!


2nd
Take the frames apart and trace the around the glass on poster board. Then cut it out!






 3rd
Place your straight edge on the edge of your poster board and trace until each side is done.


4th 
Poke your scissors through the middle part and cut around the inside edge of your tracing.

5th
Put your frames back together and admire your work!
melted crayon art by Hayley! This is a sneak peak of a project I'm working on!



The dining room is painted finally!!  When we first moved in, back in September, I knew I wanted to host Thanksgiving at our house--only problem was the dining room was awful!  Same yellow off white paint from 1987, orangey old trim, and terrible lighting that I replaced with chandeliers.  My mom is spectacular and came out and painted my whole living room and dining room for because I had a brand new baby and she knew my decorator brain was having a hard time staring at the old crap!  In an apparent lapse of crazy, I picked this way too minty green color for the dining room. I blame the post-baby hormones!  Almost immediately I knew it wouldn't work, but it did look significantly better than the old water stained in spots paint that was on the walls!  It stayed green for 8 months... but I finally got around to painting it!

I painted all the trim Marshmallow white-I love the name, but don't lick my trim!  Then the walls are painted Ralph Lauren Cobblestone to match the living room.  Here are a few pics of the paint difference:

awwww better!






-Make your life beautiful!! 












Between Naps on the Porch
Crafts Keep Me Sane
Homemaker on a Dime
Making the World Cuter
Dittle Dattle


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Tuesdays:
Adiamond in the Stuff
Coastal Charm

Weekly Parties I Crash

Monday
  craftThe Graphics FairySumo Sweet Stuff Boogieboard CottageBecolorful Making  
Tuesday
PhotobucketStrictly Homemade Tuesday My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia Anything Related LINKPARTYBUTTON
 

Wednesday
a beach cottageDragonfly Designs Creations by KaraThe Trendy Treehouse
NightOwlCraftingShow and Tell Green  

Thursday
giveawaysMy Repurposed LifeTransformation Thursday A Little Knick KnackBeyond The Picket FenceHouseofHepworths
It's a KeeperSuzy's Artsy Craftsy Sitcom  

Friday
Furniture Feature FridaysmonogramBubbly Nature Lovely Crafty HomeTidy Mom I'm Lovin It Fridays Chic on a Shoestring DecoratingCraft GoodiesPhotobucketTickled Pink at 504 Main Designer GardenStuff and Nonsense  

Saturday
Funky Junk's Saturday Nite Special

Sunday
UndertheTableandDreaming The DIY Show Off

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Checklist Wednesday

An update of the my checklist!!

Living Room
1. Paint the trim white
2. Make curtains and "Curtain Rod" 
navy and white stripe I think.....
3.  Make square nails
4.  Decorate...I know super vague
5. Make pillows for couch
6. Do something with front closet
7. Putty the corner with the broken drywall tape
8.  make baby gate--baby proof 
9. Get ready to start a daycare
10. Tile entryway
11. Paint walls-COMPLETE!

Front Bathroom-DONE!!
1.  Make Shower Curtain
2.  New shower rod
3. Celebrate because everything else is done!!!
4. Tile-COMPLETE!
5. New Vanity-COMPLETE!
6. New toilet-COMPLETE!
7. Paint walls-COMPLETE!
8. Paint Trim-COMPLETE!
9.Remove popcorn ceiling and paint-COMPLETE!

Dining Room
1.  Paint trim white- working on it! (2 more coats)
2. Paint walls Cobblestone by Ralph Lauren
3. Decide on Art
4. Picture Wall
5. Grocery Sign
6. Baby Gate for big stairs
7.  french doors---way later

Kitchen
1.  Paint trim white- working on it! (2 more coats)
2. Paint walls Cobblestone by Ralph Lauren
3.  Rearrange Cabinets
4. Paint Cabinets
5. Tile countertop with granite and marble tiles
6. Install Farm sink
7.  New Dishwasher
8. New microwave
9. New Faucet 
 
Laundry Room
1.  Paint trim white
2. Paint walls Cobblestone by Ralph Lauren
decide if I want a pattern on walls
3.  Add Cabinets on pantry side
4. long for sexy front loader W&D

Master Bathroom
1.  Paint trim white
2. Add Board and Battan
3. New shower rod
4. Make shower curtain
5. Tile the floor
6. Paint vanity
7. new toilet
8. new faucet and sink(scored an awesome sink at the thrift store for $20!!!)
9. round mirror
10. light
11. new countertop
12. Paint walls-COMPLETE!

Master Bedroom
1.  Paint trim white
2. Make curtains for sliding glass door
3. Art?
4. Paint closet

Hayley's room
1.  Paint trim white-COMPLETE!!
2. Paint the walls
3. make headboard
4. paint dresser
5. Paint desk
6. closet redo
7. art for walls?????
8. Curtains

Morgan's Room
1.  Paint trim white-COMPLETE!
2. Paint Walls-COMPLETE!
3. Art---only a little more
4. Rehang curtains and fix them so they are long enough!

Whole House
1.  flooring
2. new doors
3. get rid of popcorn ceiling!!!!
4. Spray paint door knobs!
Now, some cool pictures!!
This is Martha Stewart and I love it!  I think I'm making one of these walls!

I have decided Navy and Yellow for the master bedroom and am planning on making a duvet cover soon!

This whole space is to die for!  I LOVE the ceiling!!! 
 
-Make your life beautiful!

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

I'm thinking red or purple.... plus another feature!!

Chandelier for the top of the stairs!  I made a new light for our bedroom (it was originally planned for the hallway.)  All changed because I thought it would be fun to add a pop of color to the light fixture in front of the girl's bedrooms! 

here are some inspiration pictures:

source

source
source
source
Mandi @ Vintage Revivals has an amazing purple Chandelier she spray painted, but blogger and my slow internet connection is torquing me off and I can't load them! 

Sidebar- 
I was featured over at A Diamond in the Stuff for my Green Table Redo!!  Thank you Courtney for the feature!!

-Make your life beautiful!