Little Red School Desk

I would love to be showing you a picture of a completed ginormous dining table right now, however, that project turned out to be an epic fail.  Painting and glazing the base was wonderful, but when we got to the top it was uncooperative.  The glazing wasn't working and we kept getting a random breeze that brought in dust particles.  So we decided to put it away for now and wait til the weather cooperated a bit so that we can finish it.

Moving on....

We got the cutest little desk last week and just had to finish it.  It was all inspired by this beautiful paper I picked up on Sunday.  Red and white and birds.  LOVE IT!!

We've been priming in gray lately because we love the finish it leaves when you start distressing.  This colonial red color went perfect with the paper.

Isn't the paper super cute?

and this is what it looks like in the sun.

This desk will be at the Rose Bowl Flea Market on Sunday.  Come visit us at space 3586. Please excuse my mess in my garage, still trying to get settled into our new place.  Which reminds me, I still haven't shown you my house.  Come back tomorrow to sneak a peek.

xo,

mONICa

The Hollywood Starlett Tables

No we haven't fallen off the face of the planet although you may think we have.   I realized that moving out-of-state and being in a state of limbo do not go hand in hand.  Let me explain.  So I'm living with Elaine right now because our place will not be ready until mid October (Can't wait til everyone see's it).  We had a moving fiasco and our movers were a month late so I haven't had a whole lot of stuff (including a computer).  Elaine and I have been fighting over one computer for a month now.  Well the movers finally came, so I officially have a computer.  Don't worry, not a whole lot of stuff has gone on this past week anyway,  because it was over 100 degrees all last week in Southern California and surprisingly humid.  Paint and humidity do not work well together, so Elaine and I decided to shop instead.  Oh!!  and get a well deserved pedicure on Friday.  Now we've got a whole lot of pieces ready for our magic.

Here is one that we did a week before the humidity.  They are vintage side tables we picked up from a couple who we bought a dresser from, and they belonged to his grandmother.  The finish was a little rough so we decided to paint them.  Elaine had this awesome vintage Hollywood Regency fabric that needed a home, so we decoupaged it onto the drawers.  I love how the two-tone paint came out.  I think Elaine did a fab job on the decoupage.  The birds are  super cute.

Grey and cream is a wonderful combination

xo,

mONICa

Parisian Nights

How was your weekend?  One of our weekend projects was these Parisian nights side tables, nightstands, end tables, whatever.  The color turned out amazing.  We really didn't have a direction with these pieces to begin with, they  just kind of evolved.  We started with a lagoon blue spray paint, the next layer was a mixed a custom color with glaze.  We used some stain to distress it, then another custom coat.  All in all I think it has  4 different coats of paint, but I think the finished product is amazing.  Here is a shot of what these babies looked like before:

After primer

After a couple of coats of paint

The finished product

We love the inside of the drawers

And for once we kept the original hardware as is, because we thought they looked pretty good just the way they were.

Did you have any fun projects this weekend?

xo,

mONICa & eLAINe

Zebra Print Chair

Check out Elaine's new chair.  Its so cute and semi divaish.

The chair is solid maple wood. She painted it in a raspberry color and  took off five layers of old fabric and old foam and  then  put a new anti mold foam. The zebra print upholstery fabric is a fun touch.

xo,

mONICa

Hand Painted Nightstands

Instead of working on projects all weekend.  I've been listing furniture on Craigslist and packing boxes.  Moving is never fun, especially if you are talking a 2200 mile move.  The bad news is that instead of making new things, I'm getting rid of things, which means I won't have any new projects until the end of August.

Luckily, my partner in crime, Elaine has stepped up to the plate.  She's got some pretty awesome projects she's been working on.  For those of you who don't know.  I moved to Cincinnati, OH 2 years ago for hubby's job, but am originally from Pasadena, CA.  We now have the opportunity to go back and Elaine and I can reunite.  So in the next few months you'll see some changes (good ones), some revamping, and a lot more projects from Elaine.

Here are some really cool night stands that she painted in a green and then hand painted the branch design.  Aren't they cool, organic, and fun?

We are having a link party every Sunday, we are working on spreading the word.  If you'have a DIY project, Please click here to share.

xo,

mONICa

Participating in the following link parties:

Click here for full list.

Pink is Sexy- Wonderful For Less Wednesdays

Pink in your home right now is sexy, romantic, warm, flattering, and guys love it!!  At least according to House Beautiful they do.

How can you get this look?  Here are some fun pieces that can help you get started.

1. Settee- $752

2. Blue and White Pillow Covers- $24

3. Pink Velvet Pillow Covers- $15

4. Vintage Throw Pillow- $6

5. Coffee Table- $595

6. Vintage Yellow Chair- $85

7. Salmon Chair

8. Yellow and White Zig Zag Chair

9. Paint- Sherwin Williams Pink Moment

xo,

eLAINE & mONICa

52" Yellow Rose Curtain Panels- $16

52" Yellow Rose Curtain Panels- $16

Nothing Like My Morning Cup of Joe

I love my morning cup of coffee. Aside from the warmth and great taste of the coffee, there is also a certain emotional comfort that comes over me when I am alone in the morning drinking my wonderful cup of Joe. It's that special time when I am between the peace of my slumber and the anticipation of the day. And although I am alone while drinking my coffee, I feel like I am sitting with a dear and much loved friend…always warm, comforting and inspiring. What can I say I really love coffee in the morning! These days spring has taken my morning coffee outdoors. The flowers the sun and the birds all beckon me outdoors to my back porch. It is such a relaxing and special time for me. I always use cheerful coffee items to make it even more enjoyable .

Here are some great finds to make your spring coffee morning special too.

Milk Glass Cups- trilogie

Floral Teapot- deepoca

Sugar and Creamer Set- WishingWellsGlass

Vintage Serving Tray- VitalVintage

Yellow Napkins-PumpkinTruck

Gold Flower Saucers- thetwosparrows

xo,

eLAINe

Small Foyer Update for under $100

Decorating small entry ways can be challenging but should never be overlooked since it is the first impression visitors will get upon entering your home. Even if it's just a doorstep visit your visitor will get a glimpse into your personality  by way of the entry. Remember too that your entry area looks different from the outside view than the inside view, so it's a good idea to step out your front door and take a look from the visitors perspective. As you open the door what do you see, what does it say about you, and what do you want it to say? A small entry is the perfect place to show your personal style & interest.

If you don't have an entry at all, you can still create an area to use as a first impression wall, welcome space, key area etc.  Also,  don't be afraid to go bold with your decor, sometimes by adding bold wall colors, large mirrors and accessories this can give the room some much needed drama,  but remember even the smallest touches can add a lot to the space.

My entry way is  only 4 1/2 ft. x 5ft  with the entry door on one wall the hall way door on the opposite wall and the opening to the living room on the other wall. That leaves me with one wall to work with. Let me show you how I made the most of it.

First I added a large mirror (a thrift find-$25) mirrors always make the room look larger.

Then I went on craigslist to find a table. However it had to be narrow to avoid having the front door hit it when the door opens. And I found one for only $25.00.

And then for the accessories:

Some vintage wooded birds  that I fell in love with at an antique store. ($40 for the set) and a plant that I already had.

That was it! for basically under a hundred dollars I was able to have my entry say a little something about me.

Here are some great finds that would look great in an entry way.

Gold Wall Mirror

Small Wood Accent Table

Half Moon Table

Door Stop

 

French Country Wall Shelves

Mirror and Shelf Combo

xo,

eLAINe

 

Swanky Bathroom on a Budget

My bathroom has its original yellow retro tile(totally my style),  but the base cabinet was painted white and made the tile look odd, like it was a piece sitting there out of place. So what I did was paint the base cabinet the exact same color as the tile. Now it  has a cleaner look, like a cool piece of furniture.

I've continued the retro feel of the bathroom in an unconventional and affordable way. Both my husband and I love the rat pack because of listening to my father in-law reminisce about his fond memories of his 1960's weekend trips to Vegas when those rat pack guys use to sit and relax in the casino lounges after their show.  It was such a casual atmosphere where they were totally accessible to anyone who wanted to talk with them… so different from stars of today. In the words of my father in-law, "They were such cool guys!" At any rate, that was the inspiration for our bathroom. We wanted it to have a swanky feel to it. So, after painting the room two different shades  of blue, what we did is purchase a book of candid photographs taken by Sammy Davis Jr and cut out our favorites. We then purchased black inexpensive frames to put the pictures in, and voila! wonderful affordable artwork. Since I like to mix old with new we purchased  a large artsy picture of musicians from Craigslist for $20, and a couple of inexpensive store-bought pictures and accessories as well. It's not what you expect to see when you walk into a bathroom but I guess that s why everyone loves it, especially my father in law!

This is my swanky bathroom done on a budget.  For some swanky fashion visit us at Vintage Catwalk.

xo,

Elaine