Red, White and Blue...

Missed you all yesterday!

Any big plans this week? Ignite your Fourth of July festivities with a fresh stars and stripes theme. Play up your patriotic style by updating traditional bunting with shabby chic polka-dot and stripe fabrics, then covered cushions in more stripes and checks to amplify the fun. Here’s how you can make your own bunting.

What you'll need:

1. Fabrics in red, white, and blue. (For a bunting to fit a 72-inch wide window opening, you'll need 3-1/3 yards of fabric in each color.)

2. Spring-loaded tension rod

To make the bunting:

1. Measure the width of the window or other opening where you plan to hang your bunting. This will be the total width for your bunting, and the drop will be half the width measurement. (Example: 72 inches wide divided by 2 = 36 inch drop.) To determine yardage, multiply the drop measurement by 3-1/4 + 2 extra inches to finish ends. Example: 36 x 3-1/4 = 117 + 2 = 119. So for this width, you will need 3-1/3 yards of fabric (119 divided by 36 = 3-1/3 yards).

2. You will cut a total of 5 strips of fabric for bunting: two red, two white, and one blue. To determine the width of each strip of fabric, divide 5 into the drop measurement, add 1 inch to each white and blue strip of fabric for seam allowances, and add 1-1/2 inch to each of the two red outside strips for seam allowances and hem/finishing. (Example: 36-inch drop divided by 5 = 7-1/4 + 1 = 8-1/4 inch width strips for both white and blue fabrics. 36-inch drop divided by 5 = 7-1/4 + 1-1/2 = 8-3/4 inch width strips for red fabrics.) Cut out strips.

3. Sew strips together in color sequence as per photo using 1/2-inch seam allowances. Clean finish or serge the seams. Narrow hem the bottom edge of one of the red strips.

4. Mark the center of the top red strip of fabric and box-pleat toward center about 5 times to take up the fullness. Gather the pleated fabric at center, if needed, to take up more fullness, keeping piece smooth.

5. Rod Pocket: Cut a strip of red fabric to encase the spring tension rod, adding 1 inch for seam allowances. Encase raw ends of top of bunting/pleating into the rod pocket.

6. Insert pressure rod into casing for hanging.

Option: Add grommets along casing for hanging.

Now how festive is that?! (lol)

lets dish...

Souvenir plates date back to the 1870s... But, when travel became more accessible, they became increasingly popular with jet-setting travelers.

Keep an eye out! There are tons of unsigned, flea-market-type plates out there, but keep your eyes open for some big-name manufacturers, including Vernon Kilns, Homer Laughlin, Salem China Company, and even Wedgwood.

Love the look? Then steel this idea!!

Spruce up any wall with a mix of old and new plates in different sizes and colors. There are many types of hangers to choose from. Look for ones that are sturdy but discreet, letting the plate itself do the showing off. For delicate antiques, use a V-shaped hanger instead of a spring-operating one, which can put too much pressure on the rim.

Tip: try mapping out your arrangement with craft paper templates , a sure way to help keep holes in the walls to a minimum.

bouquets...

The season is coming to an end but that doesn't mean you can't bring Spring indoors with a dramatic centerpiece.

Here are some common herbs and their symbolic meanings, which can be found in The Language of Flowers, originally published in 1968. Keep these meanings in mind when creating your whimsy arrangements.

BALM sympathy
BASIL love, blessings, best wishes
BAY glory
CALENDULA joy, remembrance
CATNIP intoxification with love
CHAMOMILE comfort
CILANTRO hidden worth
COWSLIP happiness
DAISY innocence, loyalty
DILL good spirits
ELDER zealousness
FENNEL worthy of praise
GERANIUM comfort, consolation
IVY friendship, matrimony
LAVENDER devotion, loyalty
MARIGOLD grief, honesty
MINT wisdom, grief
NASTURTIUM optimism
OREGANO happiness
PANSY merriment, remembrance
PEPPERMINT cordiality
ROSEMARY remembrance
SAGE wisdom
SORREL affection
SPEARMINT warmth of sentiment
THYME happiness, courage

Tips: The key to long life for cut flowers is to change the water daily. Some people add a drop of bleach, an aspirin, or a shiny penny, but I prefer plain, room-temperature tap water.

love it...

Old Shutters

I love the look of old shutters... they are a great embellishment to any room and can be used in many wonderful ways.

Three old shutters hinged together make a rustic room screen. Simply replace the original hardware with new hinges. Casters can be added to the bottom for easy mobility. For a sleek look, buy new shutters, and hinge them together. Paint them or leave the wood natural.

...antique shutters also make a great headboard!

try this...

Pressed for time?

Very Victorian and a nice embellishment to an empty wall. Select a variety of different fronds, or sample from just one plant, and press them between heavy books for a few weeks. Mount them in collectible coin or shadow boxes - the kind found at crafts stores and flea markets - that have been spruced up with paint and canvas lining. Use dots of hot glue to secure the dry fronds.

This look would also be purty with dried wild flowers...


Want the botanical look but don't want to do it yourself?

Check out prints from Panteek.

create your own secret garden...

Need a place to unwind?

Turn your patio, porch, or deck into a comfortable outdoor room with all-weather furnishings, low-maintenance materials, and your favorite garden collectibles.

Great chairs with comfy outdoor pillows are my favorite addition to a country patio or secret retreat. Add bright bunches of flowers to complement this cozy seating area... If you are lacking green space, pot flowers in galvanized pots and pails to bring this cozy look to your patio.

No tree canopy? Think about the alternatives... how about adding an arbor to your area. A wisteria-covered arbor will offer the perfect setting for outdoor dining with a shady backdrop and a bit of whimsy.

A bistro table set is the perfect complement to your Sunday New York Times and the "keep it coming" cup of Illy coffee. Also, a perfect place to put your feet up with some cheese ,wine, and a close group of girlfriends. I can almost hear Carla Brunini...

Another fun accessory to illuminate your secret garden would be a re purposed (candle-powered) chandelier.

Enjoy your secret retreat!

try this... makeover

Cheap Makeover!!

Old dressers, with their great lines and roomy storage are perfect for a paint-and-hardware makeover. And it's cheap! This project would typically total about 50 bucks.

If you don’t have a great old dresser, here’s your excuse to hit the flea markets or go antiquing. Look for a piece with great scroll work and carved spindles. Make sure that your pick features solid construction and all the (trust me on this) drawers slide easily.

This project is easy - promise! You just need to take care of some groundwork first. Remove the old hardware, then fill holes with wood filler and let dry. Next, sand the dresser and remove dust using a tack cloth. Now you can apply the primer.

Okay, here is the fun part - pick your paint color! Try two shades of the same color. The picture features a sunny yellow dresser. Using two yellows makes the dresser’s details pop: Use the brighter of your two hues to accent the dividers between the drawers, the top’s narrow edge, and the carved spindles. Finish with detailed knobs (try anthropologie), an easy way to display your personal style. Drill holes to install your new knobs, and you’re done!

Materials Needed -- 1. wood filler 2. sandpaper and sanding block 3. tack cloth 4. latex primer 5. two shades of yellow semigloss latex paint 6. drill 7. detailed knobs