Wrap a Vase in Lace for Mom!

Dollar Store Crafts. we ALL do it! hey, if i can find cheap supplies for home decor, i'll use 'em.

the thing is, decor doesn't have to LOOK cheap... 

adding a simple flourish to an inexpensive element raises your decor from 'basic' to EXTRA.

case in point - these simple clear glass vases from the Dollar Tree. 

paired with a lace doily or section of a lace tablecloth, they look positively elegant for spring!

continue reading for more details...

a Tale of Two Tables...

 what do you do with a broken table?  i hang the tabletops on walls!

i came across a pair of oval end tables at a garage sale - and both had broken legs.

thing was, i loved the scalloped shape of them and the ogee edges, so i bought them -

and then took 'em home and removed all of the legs and the aprons.

now simply a flat surface, they were perfect for transforming into wall art...

one of them, shown above, got a few coats of eggshell white paint, a quick sanding, 

and a large picture hanger attached to the back to hang vertically - 

ready for whatever came next.

continue reading to find out what came next!

Rustic Signpost from Scrap Wood

one of the projects i undertook this weekend was a refresh of something i created a year ago...

and those two lower boards shown above are the reason why.

this was inspired by fun directional signs in Cars Land at Disney California Adventure,

and i used scraps of wood left over from my Dad's workshop to create it. 

(there's a photo of the entire structure later in the post)

i needed a few more pieces of wood to add two new locations,

and i discovered a SUPER cheap supply secret at my local diy store!

continue reading to find out where you can find cheap wood for rustic signs...

diy Vintage Lamp Makeover - in 1 Step!

paint is by far my favorite decorating tool...

it's inexpensive (sometimes FREE). it's easy to find. it's not hard to store.

and the possibilities of what it can DO are astounding!

sometimes a paint project requires additional elements and many steps
(like the faux concrete treatment i've shared - and the faux rust treatment that i HAVEN'T shared)

but sometimes, it's one step easy-peasy. that was this project... 

and just WAIT until you see the 'before'!!!

continue reading for the Before & After - AND my secret for a perfect gloss finish...

Tablecloth as Patio Umbrella Cover!

last week, i showed you what i did with a glass round 'tabletop'

 that used to sit on top of the tablecloth on one of my Mom's pressboard 'accent tables'.

tables that i threw OUT when we moved. because... well... i really don't have to tell you WHY, right?! 

today, i'm going to show you what i did with a tablecloth that she used to have on that table!
continue reading to see how it moved up in the world...