Love: Blue Rooms

 Ugh. You guys. Sorry it's been so long.
I've been doing a lot of home stuff. Like paintings and stripping tables (it's not what it sounds like. you are a sick person.) and buying vintage desks to paint and re-re-upholsering (that's two different fabric changes) chairs and experimenting with gold leafing. We'll get to all of that once I can upload pictures and follow through. I promise to do better.

Until then, I'd like to talk about something I love. The color blue. For rooms. As a renter, I can't do this. And it's killing me.


Do you guys remember that song Blue by Leann Rimes? This was popular back when times were simpler. Remember? Children drank soda pop and malts from striped straws, people strolled in verdant parks unconcerned with becoming inspiration for the next Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, and dear sweet Leann Rimes was years away from being the silicone-filled, husband-stealing, home-wrecking skank she is today.

Ah, the halcyon days.

Anyway, blue is a much better color for rooms than for a song.

Let's take a look.

This darker blue is just HEAVEN isn't it. And the white molding? And everything else in this room? One day, friends. One day.

Could this be any crisper? (no)

A wallpaper option.

Blue cabinetry.

Less dramatic, but still nice. Like for a teenager? Like if you were a stepmom/dad and wanted to be "cool"/ wanted them to like you.

A bit more understated 

Love the floor, rug, and wall color. Hate the china on the walls. It looks like a lot of plates fell off during an earthquake or something. What is that about. 

I mean, it's the White House. How great is this? 

A much better use of patterned china.

Wasn't that nice? Looking through these rooms that none of us have? But could? One day? 

If you are inspired right now, Martha Stewart has a "Decorating by Color" section of her website that can be found here for suggestions about incorporating blue in various ways. Most are good. Some, like those awful gingham fabric stools, are questionable.

Easy DIY: Polka Dot Painted Lampshade

The base I've had since my apartment in Boston, and the lampshade is a plain white one from Target.

I basically just bought a few different silver paints on sale at Michaels and tested them on white card stock to see how they would look. I also got a couple of different objects I thought could make cool circles.

A lot, like the mini corks I bought, were too small for this project. I settled on this round sponge brush:

I started out smushing a lot of paint on the sponge brush, and pressing it down evenly. I have things to do with my life so I wasn't going to measure out and mark exactly where the polka dots should go. I like the randomly spaced and placed dots look. If you want to measure and mark, go right ahead and send me a picture.

After the all 4 sides were done, I was all "meh..." I wanted the paint to look thicker? And, somehow, more interesting?

So I loaded on the paint and pressed it down over each dot.
It got this really cool antler or tree branch-y type look to it?

It dried and BAM. Done.

Easy DIY: Ugly Candlestick Painting

 

 

Here is a super quick and easy do it yourself-er. It came to me as I wandered the aisles of a local thrift store.

You'll need:
- metal candlesticks. I like varying heights. I like odd numbers. 5 is too many. Unless you want a matching pair or something. Whatever. I'm not your boss.
- Spray primer
- Spray paint
- Outside place

What happened is that I was in the thrift store, considering the pros and cons of buying charming mismatched china tea cups, saucers, and salad plates. Whimsical? Dumb? I wasn't sure.

But then, but THEN, I wandered into the tchotchkes aisle.

Serving trays, Precious Moments knock-off figurines (as if the originals weren't terrible enough), things made of glass and plastic, and candlesticks.

I thought "Huh. I like this, but I don't have the kind of home where I can just go around putting brass candlesticks everywhere." Then, "I will paint them."

I picked up a bunch, then narrowed the selection down to 3 by arranging them together and seeing what looked best, like SO:

I washed them, and took them outside.

I primed them using spray primer. Paint primer would have left a lot of brush marks that really aren't going to work with this project. I guess you COULD, but you'd have to wait for the primer to dry, then sand the crap out of it. Then do it again. Not for me.

I made sure every angle was covered and that the stream of primer was even.

There must be a better way to do this, but I don't know what that is. So this is what happened to my hands.

Look! They're blue! (and on the newly stained side table! See that project here.) 

Final arrangement, avec candles.

Love: America

This weekend we celebrate America's birthday!

The 4th was once one of my very favorite holidays. I say "was" because when I taught 2nd grade, I had to explain Independence Day to a classroom full of Native American students.

It went a little something like this:

Student: So what is the 4th of July?
Me: Great question! We celebrate the 4th of July because that is when we became independent of Britain.
Student: ...
Me: So, the Americans were living here, in America, before it was the United States of America...and, uh, well I guess so were the Native Americans....Yep, the Native Americans were living there, actually before the colonists got there. Anyway, the colonists didn't like the British telling them what to do. Wow. And, so....hmm...but, uh. Huh. Sooooooo, yes, the Native Americans were definitely here. But, uh, the British colonists moved here and uh, well....huh. Freedom?

Fin.

This was nothing compared to the Columbus Day Discussion or, my personal favorite, The Thanksgiving Story! Hooray!

Anyway, America. AMERICA. Bald Eagles! Fireworks! Walmart! Pushing uncomfortable truths about our country deep deep deep into our  collective psyches so we never need to speak or think of them again! Missiles! GDP! Swimming Pools!

I mean, who am I kidding? The Fourth of July is fantastic. It means, sun, water, sand, grilled meats, fireworks and family. I also think of fresh fruit for some reason. Also, my older brother, younger sister and I trying to drown each other?

OK, we're back. Let's talk about some good ol' Red, White, and Blue inspiration!

The patriotic displays seen this weekend can also be used throughout the house. It'll always looks like summer. 

Look at these whimsical paper things!

 Tablecloth.

I think I love everything about this room. So crisp. So clean. 

Primary colors without looking like a box of crayons.

This is perfectly Red, White, and Blue without looking like you were too lazy to take down

your Independence Day decorations. Cheers!

 

 Alright, you guys, let's ignore that this is a kid's room. 

The rug. Old Glory. The white sunburst mirror. Red couch. Bordered crisp linens (do I spy a monogram?)

 Everything about this is pretty terrible, except for the little America banner. How droll!

But, seriously, the other stuff?

I look at this and see a bunch of wooden geese with handkerchiefs around their little necks being sold

at a county fair. Thank you, no.

I don't know what the hell is going on with the backboard there. 

Also, I hate monkeys. 

BUT, what I do see is some crisp red, white, and blue action. Also, Boston University?

Everything I found below, I found on etsy. 

I searched in "Vintage" and just typed in "American Flag."

Framed Vintage Finds:

Old Flag print + Vintage War Poster

48 Stars. Perfect for rental walls you cannot paint. 

 

Coffee table. Side table. Table. 

 

Look at this great vintage book, and the pages therein!
I'm imagining choosing maybe the title page and 3 others and FRAMING them, guys. Framing them.

Together? Or maybe just choosing your favorite. And framing them separately.

Happy 4th!