Rustic Holiday decor that can stay up all year round!

Looking for some really simple DIY wall décor? These easy DIY pieces are a great addition for holiday décor that can stay up all year round and change with each season.

Here are the few simple steps...

Using a miter saw I cut the old barn wood to the size I wanted. You may or may not need this step depending on the wood you are using.

I stayed really simple since the bard wood I used already matched my décor and I want to keep them up all year round. But, before taping the wood in preparation for chalk paint consider if you are using these as Holiday décor only do you want to paint them red or green? After you tape off the area you want to paint refer to the chalk paint instructions. You can get chalk paint in a variety of forms. I did not get all technical and measure for accuracy. But you are welcome to do so.

 

Something so quick and easy and yet so festive! You can add hooks to hold stockings or a variety of other decorations. I use these in my kitchen and change the greeting often.  

Easy DIY hardware

When it comes to turning trash into treasure one of the biggest (and easiest) ways to add an update is to change out the hardware. Sometimes even doing just that alone makes a piece look transformed! Well, after years and years of refurbishing furniture I found such an easy way to replace the measuring part of adding hardware. A lot of times you can replace hardware that already fits the existing holes which is great since it calls for no other action. BUT then there are times you are adding a different size or different style that require new holes. Of course you will need to fill the old holes with wood filler and complete any other steps that may need to be done with your piece. Hardware is most always the last step when completing a piece for me.

MATERIALS:
Acrylic paint (a color that stands out against the furniture color)
Dill
Hardware
cloth



 STEP 1:

Dab a very small amount of the acrylic paint on your finger. Lightly rub the paint around the edges of the hole. Line up the hardware to the center  of your furniture(or wherever you want it)  and gently press down. I rock the hardware softly back and forth to make sure I get a complete circle. 

STEP 2:

When you lift the hardware you will have the circle in which you need to drill! Using the right size drill bit drill your holes. When your done you can usually just wipe away the acrylic paint. If it has started to dry just a dab of water will help remove it.

STEP 3:

Finish screwing your hardware into place! This method has worked for me EVERY TIME!

Welcome to my world

For most of my life I was just like everyone else, working to pay the bills. I had the usual office job. Although throughout high school I wanted something completely different. I was known as the "bag lady" growing up. I saved everything! I loved being creative and thinking outside of the box. I started recycling old clothes and creating new hip pieces of clothing from old unwearable ones. After graduating I spent one year working day and night to save up as much money as I could to travel across the country to Las Angeles, CA to pursue my dreams of becoming a fashion designer. After some time I realized this just wasn't for me. Being very family oriented I couldn't be so far from my family missing out on precious time with them. Upon moving back home I started all over again and this time I pursued Interior design. I have always had a creative nature. I got my normal office job while going to school. I started doing really well and before I knew it I was being promoted and given raises, and soon enough 6 years had pasted and school took a back burner. Although I never gave up on my creative nature I spent all my free time working on refurbishing furniture. I loved how I was able to create new things from old useless items. Well, long story short I wasn't happy. Sitting behind a desk everyday just didn't suit me. I found myself daydreaming more and more of my new creations. Taking one giant leap of faith I ended up here! I have spent over 10 years working on my business "Unusual Fit" as a hobby and know it's my full time job! Every day I go to bed and wake up feeling happy and fulfilled. By all means it is certainly not all fairytales! It is in fact the most difficult and exhausting venture I have ever pursued. BUT I wouldn't change it for the world.

Bedroom Gallery Wall

Creating a Unique Vintage Mirror

This vintage mirror needed a little bit of help looking its age. So, I took the mirror apart and worked some magic! First, I used paint stripper on the back of the mirror. It has to sit for about 15 minutes so I then started working on the frame. I sanded it down and wiped away all the dust. I painted the frame a teal color and let it dry. Then moving back to the mirror to remove the stripper. I removed most of the paint, leaving small patchy areas untouched. I then sanded certain areas where I wanted to remove the "mirror" effect ( it would look like a plain piece of glass). I chose two different shades of gold acrylic paint to add to the age. I used a sponge to apply the acrylic paint to the glass. I LOVE scrapbooking paper, it can be used for millions of things! I used it to create the words behind the glass. You will have to work with the paint, re-sanding and then paper until you create the desired look. Going back to the frame I sanded down the teal paint a little and then added some glaze. When that dried I once again.. sanded. The four gold circles at each corner are metal pieces I took off the bottom of a chair. I painted them gold and while still damn hammered them into place so the hammer would leave a mark in the paint. I seal the frame with poly before putting it back together. The best part is as you move around the mirror you can see all the effects and still see your reflection!

Gallery Wall

GALLERY WALL

When I decided to create a gallery wall in our dining room I wanted something creative but yet cheap. I am also not one to do all the measuring and mathematical crap to design it. I don't waste time cutting out pieces of paper and taping them to my wall to design the layout. Well, for those of you who want a perfectly symmetrical looking wall then i guess it works. I feel like when creating a gallery wall it should be sporadic! It should contain pieces and pictures that you love and have meaning. I don't pre-plan what I want it to look like because when I go shopping those plans are sure to change! I just wanted to share a few tips and suggestions about how "I" create my gallery wall.

I start by picking the room I am working with and choosing a style that I want. Then I go shopping!! I am cheap, so my shopping consists of second hand store and coupons! (Goodwill, Savers, Salvation Army, Dollar Store, A.C Moore) The total of this gallery wall was under $20! I pick out pieces that stand out to me then when I get back to my studio I decide what I want to do with them. I plan to keep adding to these walls as time goes on and our family one day grows. I take all the completed pieces and lay them on the floor in a general pattern that I feel works and I can keep adding to and then using no measuring tape start screwing them to the wall! You want this to be a fun project, adding pieces that really represent you. I've added a small list of suggestions for anyone who may be stuck on what to use. Make it unique to your own style but most of all HAVE FUN!

IDEAS:
Photos
Fabrics
Wooden Letters & Numbers
Dried Flowers Scrap booking supplies (HUGE SELECTION HERE!!!)
Old, empty frames
Mirrors
Clocks
Antique pieces
Walk through the $ store and you'll be surprised what jumps out at you when your in the zone of creating!

Refurbished Coffee Table

                

This was a very blah coffee table my sister grabbed for me on the side of the road. It sat around in my shop until I was inspired to touch it. I actually started to worry that I wouldn't envision any ideas for it. BUT it did eventually happen just like all the rest. This same sister started updating an older house she recently bought and I reaped all the benefits! All the old trim that was torn down during construction came to me! The good part was this beautiful wood finish was perfect for a coffee table. The bad part... it had layers upon layers of paint. I spent countless hours sanding away and reach the smooth wood. After this project I did invest in a surface planer which will cut the time I spent in half! Sometimes you have to learn the hard way!  I'm also an organization junkie so I knew I'd need more space at the bottom for some baskets. So I constructed something simple that didn't take away from the overall look. Below are some pictures of the process.

 

 <--- After countless hours of sanding!