It must be Spring!  The warm weather has inspired me to find creative ways to display my pictures and things.  Here are a few ideas I found that I thought you might enjoy too.

Shutters are always an easy find at yard sales and flea markets.  Sometimes they are perfectly beautiful as is, while other times, you may decide they need a fresh coat of paint before they are ready for show.  Either way, they put the fun in functional for sure.  Susan, at The Cozy Chickadee, decided to use hers as a mail holder.  So cute!

Another idea is to repurpose an old locker door, like the one below, as a photo or note board in your home office, kitchen or mud/laundry room.

And my favorite idea of all – I always knew there was a way to reuse those old metal bed frames!  Thanks to Jill Ruth, I will now be on the lookout for one in the very near future.  I love, love, love this idea!  What a great way for displaying and organizing my craft room.  You could also use an old bed frame or locker door, like the one pictured above, to display your accessories.  By adding a few “S” hooks, just think of the possibilities?  You could use it to hang your jewelry, scarves or even your purses.

Enjoy until next time,

While we’re gearing up for a mural next week, I thought I would share pictures of a nursery job we did last week.

Our client, which just so happened to be my lovely sister-in-law, is expecting a little bundle of “boy” any day now.  With the room almost complete, she called on us, Rusty Bluebird, to add the finishing touches.  She came to us knowing she wanted something simplistic, something that would work with the vintage and natural/coastal elements in her nursery, but at the same time, be modern enough for today.

BEFORE:

Boy Nursery Before #1

Boy Nursery Before #2

Boy Nursery Before #3

Because they already had artwork on two of the walls, and a window/closet combo on the third wall, we decided it best to use our design on the fourth, side wall (above the bookshelves).  That way, we keep it simple enough not to take away from the rest of the room, but bold enough to create interest on our new, accent wall.  After several rounds of ideas, we decided it would be cute to use the stripes from her nursery rug as inspiration.  Because the stripes in the rug are so symmetrical, which usually translates into more traditional, I decided to twist it up a little by keeping the bolder, wider stripe at the bottom of our pattern, but remove it from the top.  This creates a more modern look.  You’ll notice too, because we have one smaller group of horizontal stripes rather than stripes on the entire wall, the viewer’s eye is able to move about the room, rather than getting stuck in one space.

You see, stripes don’t have to be outdated as they were in years past.  With a few simple changes, they become fun, bold, modern AND functional, which makes for many great reasons to keep them in mind for your next project.

AFTER:

Rusty Bluebird: Atlanta, GA - Boy Nursery After #1

Rusty Bluebird: Atlanta, GA - Boy Nursery After #2

Rusty Bluebird: Atlanta, GA - Boy Nursery After #3

The new parents to-be were beyond excited, which makes us very, very happy!  Hopefully our new family member will love his room as much as the rest of us.

Enjoy until next time,

Although I wish I had taken more pics of our holiday decorations, especially since this time around I did more than past years, these are all I was able to find now that everything is put away.  Better late than never, right?

our tree and stockings made from old sweaters

wreath and snowflakes hung from our mirror

close-up of hanging snowflakes from mirror

So, since some of you have mentioned my lack in posts, I must say, things have been CA-RAZY here the past month or so.  So sorry!  I promise to be better this new year.  Yes, that is my “professional” new year’s resolution.

Unfortunately but fortunately, the holidays bring with it the stress of preparing our homes for visitors and entertaining.  I say fortunately because for that reason alone, we were called in to help our clients get their homes ready.  Unfortunately however, I also had to prepare my own home for the holidays.  I had great big plans of sharing DIY holiday decorating tips with you, however, between decorating my own house, cooking for 4 Christmas celebrations, that’s right, 4, not to mention taking on a VERY large and overwhelming project in my own home, I didn’t have time for much else.  I’ll be posting info and pics of my at home project within the coming weeks but for the record, I decided it was time to clean out our “catch all” room and turn it into a more stylish and functional office/craft room.  Oh, and did I mention, I also co-hosted a baby shower for my sister-in-law this past weekend.  Again, lots of reasons to keep me away from you.  But I’m happy to be back!  Welcome 2011!

Enjoy until next time,

Well, the Country Club of the South 25th Anniversary neighborhood event we did early this fall finally paid off.  A couple came to us for help with their office/study room.  The problem, the room was dated and poorly done by the previous home owners.  For starters, they had used plywood instead of real wood for the built-ins, which is a BIG FAT no-no for a high end home such as this one.  Not only were the built-ins an eye sore, but they also took up too much real estate in the room.  The worst part, because this room sits just off the front entrance to the home and receives a lot of natural light via the bay windows, it should have been a statement room.  Instead, it was the room of doom in which the couple rarely used.  What a complete shame!  However, we were about to change all of that.

Client Request: Ttransform this space not only into a useable and functional area, but also make it feel cozy and inviting.

Our Solution: Our clients already had all the right furnishings so we used the colors and the textures for inspiration.  The area rug and the sofa and chair fabrics had a lot of bold colors; golds, blacks, reds and tans, while the wood tones in the furniture were a darker brown.  The idea was to add dimension to the walls and trim that regular paint just can’t do, but to also make sure they were subtle enough that the furnishings remain center stage.  Therefore, we decided to do a warm, but not too dark glaze on the walls.  We also decided to do a light antique glaze on all of the moulding, and moulding there was!!  (Not only did we have all of the trim on the cawford ceiling, but we also antiqued the 3 window sills, the french door and door trim, the 1′ tall baseboards, as well as the fireplace.)

The first step, our clients had the built-ins removed, walls patched, hard wood floors replaced, and finally, had their painter come in and prep the room before we came in to add the finishing touches.  Once the remodel was complete, we got to work…

Before:

Before - french door wall

Before - large, main wall

Before - fireplace wall

Not the best picture, since the sunlight was coming in.

Before - bay window wall

Before - cawford ceiling

And some of the furnishings we used as inspiration, including the area rug and pillow fabric.

Before - area rug and pillow fabric for color inspiration

After:

Rusty Bluebird: After - glazed french doors & wall

Rusty Bluebird: After - glazed, large, main wall & glazed fireplace

Rusty Bluebird: After - glazed fireplace close-up

Rusty Bluebird: After - glazed bay window sills, baseboards and wall

Rusty Bluebird: After - glazed cawford ceiling trim & glazed insets

Rusty Bluebird: After - glazed cawford ceiling trim& insets close-up

As always, a happy client = a happy Rachael and Sarah!

Enjoy until next time,

We’re currently working with another client on a nursery project, which got me to thinking, what kind of baby art would I put in my own nursery?  Found these online and had to share them with you.   A little repurposing and creativity, creates that vintage look I adore!

Since the hubby has always said he wants to own a VW van, thanks to The Naked Squirrel on Etsy, one day, we can!  ;)

And, how adorable are these vintage inspired and one-of-a-kind animal pieces from Daisy Barn Arts?

Enjoy until next time,

Recently, a good friend found out she was pregnant with a baby girl!  To welcome their first, she and her husband came to us for help with the nursery.  We sat down to discuss the details.

Client Request: lots of pink with a dash of lavender, girly but not frilly, something fun but not overly sophisticated and a look that would grow with her, not a room that would need to be painted a year later.

Our Solution: Paint the room pink, but add contrast with an off-white accent wall where the crib, and later her bed would be placed.  Paint different sized polka dots on the large accent wall (crib wall) in pink, and add 3 accent colors; lavender, chocolate and cinnamon.  Also, for a little whimsy, add a smaller accent wall behind the door, with a matching polka dot growth tree to be used to measure her growth throughout the years.  (We chose different color/sized polka dots instead of a more even pattern so that the design was more playful, less uniform).  We also made 5 hanging circular letter wall art pieces that spell out the baby’s name, however, because the couple has chosen for the name to remain a surprise, the letters have been photoshopped out for now.  I’ll replace the photos once the baby has arrived.  ;)

Please Note: Due to an overwhelming response to see the nursery photos before the room is totally complete (the couple still has a few last minute touches, like hanging artwork and a shelving unit above the changing table), we just couldn’t wait and had to share the pictures with you.

A panoramic view of the room, beginning with View #1: Polka dot mural accent wall

Rusty Bluebird: baby girl nursery - polka dot mural accent wall

View #2: Window wall with polka dot curtain tie-backs.

Rusty Bluebird: baby girl nursery - window wall

View #3: Changing table & door wall.

Rusty Bluebird: baby girl nursery

And finally, View #4: Polka dot growth tree and closet wall

Rusty Bluebird: baby girl nursery - growth tree

Here’s a better pic of the growth tree.  Of course we couldn’t resist adding a polka dot bird!  See him singing down below the tree?  Love him!

Rusty Bluebird: polka dot growth tree mural

Enjoy until next time,

While shopping at Michael’s Craft store the other day, I picked up a few fall berry and floral stems that were on sale for $1 each!  Since I had already bought a natural twig wreath at a yard sale about a month ago for $0.50, I thought, how could I pass up an opportunity to make a $5 fall wreath?!?

OK, so maybe you may not have the same luck that I did, but you can still create the same look for about $15.

Here’s what you need:

- natural, twig wreath (available at your local craft store for about $3-4, depending on the size)

- fall accent berries or floral stems (maybe 4 stems total, about $2 each)

- orange or brown ribbon (about $2 for a roll)

- scissors

And the best part is, I didn’t use any glue, so I can reuse the wreath again and again!

Here’s how:

1. Play with the placement of the berry and floral stems by draping them along the wreath.  I chose to do the berry stems diagonally, on either side of the wreath.  I then used the flowers to fill in the negative areas.

2. Once you have the placement you want, weave the berry stems through twig wreath (don’t glue unless you want them to be permanent).  Place a few berry branches under wreath twigs so that the berry stem doesn’t stand off the wreath so much.

3. Next, cut the flowers off of the large stems about 2″ down so they you have room to place them down in the wreath.  See picture below.

4. Fill in the negative or blank areas of your wreath with the flowers.  You can even overlap and add a few flowers to the berry areas if you want a fuller wreath.

5. Finally, weave the ribbon inside the back of the wreath, and tie at the top in a bow.  (Again, don’t use glue here unless you want it to be permanent.)  See picture below.

That’s it!  It’s that simple.

DIY Fall Wreath

Here are a few other DIY Fall Wreath ideas for the season.

Love this one!  Very similar to the one I shared with you above, including instructions from Carter & Cook.

This one is also super cute and easy.  Martha Stewart’s cornhusk wreath How To from The Nester.

Martha Stewart Fall Wreath

How about this one from Katie Bright, inspired by Monica’s tutorial?

DIY Fall Wreath

Or this How To yarn wreath from Sunshine & Carousels?

DIY Fall Wreath

Want something a little darker, for Halloween maybe?  Try this DIY ribbon wreath from Casa Sugar.  (If you want a fall look, use orange or brown ribbon instead.)

DIY Ribbon Wreath

And finally, try this spooky twig wreath tutorial from Woman’s Day.

DIY Halloween Wreath

Enjoy until next time,

Whoa, have I fallen behind on posts?!  The last time I wrote was just before our big family vacation at the beach, and by big, I mean there were 13 of us sharing a house for a whole week.  ;)  We had a great time and the weather was perfect.  It was just what we needed to kick start the fall.  When we left, the weather here in Atlanta was roughly 100 degrees.  The weather in Florida was 90-ish, with lots of sunshine and when we returned, we came back to rain and highs in the mid 70’s.

Welcome Fall!  And with the start of the season, it most definitely means Halloween is just around the corner.  One of my favorite holidays for sure!  Let’s face it, who doesn’t like a good excuse to dress in costume?

Speaking of costume, your house wants to play dress up too you know.  In honor of Halloween, check out these spooky transformations …

Greet your guests, beginning with your front door.  You may not have an orange door like this photo from Pottery Barn, but you could layer your stairs, porch or walkway with lots of pumpkins, candles and halloween decor.

photo courtesy of Pottery Barn

What about bats at your front door, like this idea from Country Living?

You could even leave a message for your guests.

You can’t stop at the front door.  The foyer is another great place to get creative.

photo courtesy of Life in the Fun Lane

You know I’m a sucker for birds.  Collect twigs from your yard, arrange them neatly in a vase, add a little spanish moss as filler, then, for the finishing touch, add a few black crows (from your local craft store) like this idea from Pinkandpolkadot.

How about your Living Room?  Try draping cheescloth over your sofa or window treatments for an extra scary look.

Of course we can’t forget the fireplace!

photo courtesy of Good Housekeeping

I found these two photos from Shelleybdecorandmore and loved the witch legs and the idea of using candles, spanish moss and old books to decorate the mantle.  You may want to stick to battery operated candles though.  Don’t want to burn the house down!

Now, let’s set the table.  Want something that really makes a statement?  How about this poster backdrop, with feather wreaths from Apartment Therapy?

If you want to try your hand at something a little more subtle, how about creating a collection of black and white plates for your dining room walls, or do a nice Halloween tablescape?

photo courtesy of Good Housekeeping

And finally, let’s accessorize.  Add Halloween touches throughout the house by repurposing things you already have, like this idea from Better Homes & Gardens.  By using glass containers that you may already own, replace the candles or contents with flash cards that spell “Boo” or maybe even black and white candies, like the next idea from Pottery Barn.

photo courtesy of Better Homes & Gardens

photo courtesy of Pottery Barn

Again, with the black crow – encase one inside a glass container for display.  Or, add decorative masks to your decor.

photo courtesy of Better Homes & Gardens

How about hanging one of these from your porch or back yard?  Take an inexpensive chandelier, drape a few Mardi Gras beads and spanish moss.  Next, spray paint everything black.  Finally, add the black candles and voila, a beautiful Halloween chandelier like this one from Shabby Addict.

Want something a little softer?  Try these black crepe paper flowers from Country Living.  Check out the How To directions here.

photo courtesy of Country Living

Lastly, who says you have to stick the traditional black, white and orange?  Add a pop of color, such as lime green, like this idea from Rhonna Designs, or gold, like the gilded pumpkin idea below from Country Living, or even mix in a little hot pink!  Have fun.  It is Halloween after all.

Have any ideas of your own or pictures you would like to share?  We would love to hear from you!

Enjoy until next time,

TIP #3: MAP YOUR ROUTE

Depending on what type of items you’re looking for, you may be able to narrow down your search to certain areas of town.  The suburbs and family oriented neighborhoods will obviously yield kid stuff, whereas the city may be littered with college and young adult finds.  Likewise, an older more established neighborhood or section of town may have more vintage finds.  Also, a good thing to note, large, multi-family or church yard sales mean more variety because there are several families contributing to the sale, not just one household’s contents.

Now the fun part!  Once you have a general idea about where you want to begin, take some time to check Craigslist.org (your city > for sale > garage sale section), EstateSales.net and your local newspaper for weekend sales.  Just an FYI – the closer you get to the weekend, especially within a couple of days, the more pictures and listed items you’ll find for each sale on the sites mentioned above.  This especially comes in handy when you’re looking for something more specific.

Select one or two sales that make your absolute MUST VISIT list.  Once you have your MUST VISIT list, you can create a sublist of sales around those areas. Let’s be honest, you don’t want to spend majority of your day or weekend driving.  Instead, you would rather be productive shopping.  Sometimes you get lucky and find several estate sales within the same area.  However, majority of the time, I find an estate sale that makes my MUST VISIT list.  Then I find yard sales around it to check out as well.  Many times I find a rare or much needed item at the yard sales, that I may not have visited had I not gone to the estate sale first.  Hence, the reason why I think it’s important to note here.

TRASH TO TREASURE:

Lately, I have seen a lot of old glass milk bottles, especially at estate sales but sometimes even at yard sales.  With all the shabby chic and cottage look and feel craze, what a great find these are.  Let’s take a look at some of the possibilities.

TRASH:

estate sale find - vintage glass milk jar

TREASURE:

Because these treasures have a nostalgic quality all their own, they don’t need a lot of repurposing to become that vintage show piece in your home.

Of course they can be used for storing milk as intended, or they could be used as kitchen decor, like these vintage style jars from Farmehousewares.

How about if you’re hosting a party?  You could use them as pitchers to serve your beverages.  This is a great way to add a nice punch of color to your table or serving area.  I actually did this for my vintage beach wedding.

They are also perfect flower vases like this idea from Country Living.  Again, this is another great idea for a vintage themed or casual outdoor wedding.

Because they’re so beautiful and simple, they also make great storage containers for display.  How about these new bath salt storage milk bottles by Julia Rothman.

The best part is, you can repurpose them throughout the year, depending on the seasons.  By adding salt, an ornament topper and a few snowflakes, Aunt Ruthie was able to use her milk bottles as Christmas decor.

Sometimes, you might just get lucky and not only find the milk bottles themselves, but maybe the wire crates and carriers they come in.  These are also great for storage and display as well.

This one is from Rockett St. George and is used to store magazines.  You could also hang a series of them in your kitchen to display spices or jars of rice and pasta, or in your bathroom to display soaps and towels.

Or, how about using a milk carrier to house your wine or spices like this idea from Vintage Weave?

And finally, you may even happen upon the bottle caps in your search.  These are especially fun because they are so bright and colorful, lending themselves to be a true work of art, like this idea from Rambling Renovators.

Enjoy until next time,

A couple of weeks ago, the sisters and I did a home services show at Country Club of the South, here in Alpharetta, GA for their 25th year anniversary party.  It was a great day!  There was live music, a rock wall and face painting for the kids, a dinner party scheduled later in the evening for the adults, and lots of sunshine.  Although most of the residents have lived in the neighborhood for years, we did meet some newbies as well.  Overall, we had a great turnout and look forward to the opportunity to work with CCS residents in the very near future.

Rusty Bluebird booth at Country Club of the South 25 Yr. Anniversary

Rachael & Rebecca - CCS 25th Yr Anniversary

Me - CCS 25th Yr Anniversary

Rusty Bluebird booth at Country Club of the South 25 Yr. Anniversary

Rusty Bluebird booth at Country Club of the South 25 Yr. Anniversary

Until next time,