Sunburst Makeover - By: Carmel

*Tomorrow is our next Little Happy Blog Hop! Don't forget to come back and join in the fun!

Hello,  I'm back today to talk about one of my favorite things to do and show you a little something I "created".  I love to shop thrift stores, goodwills, and yard sales for old, unwanted and vintage finds.  I think the biggest key to shopping these places is being able to see the potential.  I love searching for a good "diamond in the rough".   I created a sunburst mirror with a recent find, and I use the word "created" rather loosely here because the truth is it was super easy!  There really wasn't much creating involved.  Honestly, all I really did was think outside the box or outside the clock if you will.

I found this baby at a consignment store.  It was hanging on the wall looking a little sad all covered in dust.  A thick, disgusting don't-let-your-kids-touch-it layer of dust!  In the store it actually looked kind of grey.  Well, the mid-century modern look of it really caught my eye.  I was drawn to it like a moth to a flame :)  I rubbed my finger on it to see what it was made of and removed a layer of dust to see the gold underneath.  My heart skipped a beat.  Then I looked over at the price tag; it was marked $18!  My heart was racing.  I could see that this clock was clearly not functional, but I didn't care one bit because I had no intention of using it as a clock anyway.  I knew from the moment I laid my eyes on it that it was going to be repurposed into a mirror!  

Anyhow, once I de-funked the clock with the power of Windex, I got to work on de-facing her.  Things got a little craaaaaazaaay!  I used some pliers to take off the face of the clock.  I had to tug and pull pretty hard and in the process actually broke a few of the spokes/bursts!  Ooops!

A little super glue to the rescue!  Then I opened up this little box of mirrors that I purchased from Target a while ago for another project.  I think it was $19.99.

I tried out a couple different sizes and decided I liked the smaller one best.

Then I just super glued that reflective beauty right on to the face of what was a clock.  Added a heavy box on top to hold it in place until it dried and voila, a mid-century modern sunburst mirror!

I love love love it!

I love that it cost me a fraction of the price compared to many other sunburst mirrors from home decor retailers.  In addition, this one is very unique.  It was the perfect addition to the hubs office/ man cave. 

Come on over to Our Fifth House to see what's going on over here!  

Have a wonderful day! 

Creating a Mail Center - by: Carmel

Hi, it's Carmel from Our Fifth House, and  I'm back again this week to show you how I tackled a very unorganized area of my life - dealing with the mail/paper clutter!  Sorting through the mail is not my most favorite thing to do.  It seemed I just never had a good system for where to put the mail or how to keep it organized.  So, I decided to create a little mail center in the heart of my home (the kitchen).  I finally found a purpose for the "desky" area of my kitchen. 

Since we moved in last March I've been trying to decide what to do with this small area in my kitchen.  Here it is photographed poorly back in September. 

This seemed like the perfect place for incoming and outgoing mail.  The above picture looks pretty clean, however mail, stamps, coupons, etc. were usually stuffed in there.  With the help of my french wired tiered stand (Willow House), I turned this little space into this. 

I created a little mail/bill-paying/note-writing/coupon-saving/menu-keeping center!  WAHOO!  I'm kind of in love with this whole making-this-space-work-for-us thing we've got going on now!  For months I was so stumped with how to use this area of kitchen.  We've never had a "desky" area in a kitchen before (not in one of the previous 4 houses we've called home!).  I guess that's why I was kind of at a loss with what to do here.  Now, we're using this space as I think it was intended?

I took the top tier off so the stand so it would fit under the cabinets.  Then I cleaned out the 2 junk drawers below, and used an array of different glass containers (we already had) to hold office supplies like paper clips, stamps, pencils, etc.  I love those Maker's Mark wax covered glasses - a little nod to the Bourbon loving state we call home!  I also pulled my note pad and cards out of the junk drawer to make jotting down my lists and sending notes really simple and easy.  Not having to dig around for these things in the junk drawer is pretty sweet (in my opinion) and the ol' junk drawers have never looked so good.

I realize I won't be winning any Martha Stewart organizing awards, but hey you didn't see them before (it.was.bad.). 

I used chalkboard place cards that I had picked up at Target months ago to label Incoming mail, Outgoing mail, and mail we need to Keep (like invitations).  So, bills that need to be paid go into the incoming slot and then once they're paid they go into the outgoing slot (I know - I'm a genius right?!).  And, yes I pay almost all of my bills the old fashioned way; only a few things get paid online.  Crazy to some I know, but that's how I roll.  Anyhow, keeping take-out menus easily accessible is so key :)  Also, love to have a place for incoming coupons that need to be filed away in my coupon folders (yeah- I've got coupon folders- don't be a hater). 

I used Command strips to attach the labels (I'm so in love with those things).  

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I'm using my Villa Stoneware Appetizer Tray (Willow House) for mail that has yet to be opened, our keys, and phones.  

I added this canvas purchased at Marshalls a while ago to add a pop of color and make this area not seem too utilitarian.  

This little area truly serves a purpose now, and it really helps to keep things running smoothly.  That's always a bonus for a busy mom!  It didn't take much time or money either.  I used things that I already had on hand.  Repurposing items like a tiered stand that you might use for entertaining is always a good idea.  This way you get to enjoy the item all year long rather than only when you're having a party.  Also, looking at your glassware and ramekins as storage containers can also help to control clutter, and they make mundane things like stamps and paper clips look good :)  

So, any Spring cleaning or organizing going on in your home lately?  

A Stencil Tutorial - by: Carmel

*Have you entered the giveaway for the Thirty-One tote yet? It's darling! Head over here and get your name in the hat!

Calling this a tutorial seems laughable considering this was my very first stenciling experience.  However, I was able to achieve the desired result with ease.  This should more appropriately be named "A Stenciling How-to From A First Timer's Perspective".  Believe me when I say," If I can do it then I know without a shadow of a doubt that literally anyone can!"  So let my first time experience inspire you to go ahead and get your stencil on!

I bought my stencil on Esty from Olive Leaf Stencils.  It came in a tube and was rolled up inside.  So, the first thing I did was to lay it out flat with some heavy books on it.  You want your stencil to be flat before you start painting.  Once it has been flattened out (no longer wants to curl up) you are ready to begin!

1. Gather your supplies.  After reading the very helpful, detailed instructions that came with the stencil, I decided that I would use a foam roller, Elmer's spray adhesive, Frog tape, and a pencil.  The base color on the wall is Waverly's Cafe Cream in a flat finish.  I chose Cooled Lava by Valspar for the stencil (also a flat finish).  

2.  Start in a top corner (left or right really makes no difference).  Lightly spray with Elmer's (very lightly) and give it a minute to dry a little before sticking it to the wall.  Then tape it up with Frog tape.  You will only need to spray it about 4 to 5 times.  You don't need to spray it every time you move it over.   

3.  Roll your foam roller through the paint and then roll off the paint on some paper towels.  You want the roller to be pretty dry when you use it on your stencil.  

4.  Then with your fairly dry roller go over the stencil.  Depending on the color you choose you may have to apply 2 to 3 coats.  This is where you'll need a little patience as you wait for it to dry between coats.  

5.  Then before you take the stencil down to move it over grab your pencil and mark a little dot in the corner marks on your stencil.  Most wall stencils have little notches in the corners where you can make a little pencil dot in order to line your stencil up as you move it across the wall.  

6.  You don't have to wait until the paint is totally dry before you move your stencil over.  You just need the paint to not be really wet still.  Once it is semi-dry you can move it over and line up the notches where you marked with a pencil.  

7. Then repeat all the way across the wall. 

8.  When you get to the end move your stencil down and over to the next row.  And repeat all the way across.  

9.  With an all over pattern like the one I used, the corners and the top are a teensy bit tricky.  Luckily by the time you get to them you'll have a little more experience under your belt.  I did the corners first then went up to the top after.  For the corners use the pencil dots to line things up and push your stencil into the corners as best as you can then tape.  Roll in very lightly as far into the corner as you can get.  You may even want to use a stenciling paint brush to get in the corners a little better.  

10.  For the top I actually cut my stencil to make it easier to work with.  You don't have to do this.  I like easy, so I did.  It can be taped back together and reused with no problem so it seemed like a no brainer to me.  

When you're done do a happy dance and pat yourself on the back!  You deserve it!  I have to say that when it comes to bleed through, I did have a tiny bit of it.  It isn't noticeable at all.  Mainly because of the nature of the Ikat pattern all-over stencil I chose.  Just one more reason why I love this stencil.  An Ikat has blurred edges anyway, so any bleed through I did get looks like it's supposed to be that way :)  I'd have to say for that reason alone that this particular pattern is a good choice for a beginner!   

So that's my stenciling-for-the-first-time experience.  I'm in love with the results and really kind of blown away at how easy it was.  If you've never stenciled before I hope my experience encourages you to give it a try!  Makes such a big difference in a room for little money, little work, and maybe just a little patience :) 

For more info on why I changed my mind and stenciled the wall rather than the ceiling as was originally planned check here.  To see how I determined what colors and stencil pattern to use, check here. 

Happy Stenciling!

The Lady from Our Fifth House