Obsession: Tufted chairs!

Nothing screams "sit on me!" more than an overstuffed, tufted chair. It's a classic piece of furniture that is both chic and comfortable--beautiful and practical. If you're hoping to revamp a simple chair with upholstery and a diamond tuft, this might be a fun DIY project. (Here is a great tutorial from The Little Green Notebook for DIY tufting) However, if your chair looks anything like the chairs below,  I would hire a professional. Here are some of my favorite tufted inspirations! 

1. Lemon yellow upholstery set against this rustic backdrop, makes this chair a total standout. I also love the stuffed-to-capacity look. 

2. Nothing says glamour like jewel-toned velvet. Not what you call subtle, but very cool.

3. This is the perfect picture of calm: carved wood, cool light and cream fabric. 

4. Bold color and a streamline silhouette update the traditional tuft in this modern take on seating. 

6. This chair celebrates all things girlish and feminine. Perfect for that woman who likes all thing pink and Paris!  

Bookcases 101

Bookcases are a wonderful opportunity to create a focal point in any room.  If you don't have the space for an entire wall of books (rare indeed), a well decorated bookshelf is an excellent substitute. The key is to find an aesthetically pleasing balance of books and accessories. Here are a few key tricks to help you do this! 

1. Start with a clean shelf! It is so much easier to visualize and rearrange objects when starting with an empty surface. 

2. Don't just go out and buy all trendy accessories. I think it's more interesting when you use books and objects that have been collected throughout a lifetime. It doesn't have to be perfect, but it's so much better when you are seeing something that has a story.

3. Use bright accessories! I love pops of color to liven up dark wood. This bright pink is so much fun, but any choice can work.

4.  Use a mix of accessories. I love the combination of modern (painting), organic (coral) and glamorous (candle sticks). When in doubt a book (I prefer hardback, but I try not to be snobby) is always a good space filler. 

5. Paint the back! This is the fastest way to make the greatest impact. I love this little trick and will definitely be attempting it on my next bookcase.

6. Don't over stuff. A full shelve can look fabulous or end up looking cluttered. When you have a few things that you really want to highlight, I would lean towards a less is more philosophy.

  

7.  The most important part is to step back and give your bookcase a hard look. As a rule of thumb, the more substantial pieces go towards the bottom, while the objects at eye line will get the most attention. It also tends to look better when the shelf displays a nice flow without a rigid symmetry.

If you don't think it looks quite right, then ask a friend to help. I am constantly rearranging things and asking my friends/family's opinion on whether they could look better in a different spot. Good luck arranging your shelf!

5 minute hostess gift

I am always looking for an original hostess gift (that people will actually enjoy!) Costing only $15 and taking only 5 minutes, this jute (rope) wrapped orchid is my new favorite. 

Because my original pot was brown, I did not mind a little space between the twine. If you are going for perfect, it might take closer to 15 minutes to wrap. My favorite part about DIY projects are the imperfections, but it's up to you on how "hand-made" you want your gift to look. 

I recommend orchids because they come in all colors and are very easy to care for (all it takes to keep it alive are three pieces of ice in the pot a week). This bright fuchsia color was ideal for my girly-girl friend, but there should be a wide variety from which to choose.

What you'll need to complete this project: an orchid (I got mine at the Lowes Food for just $13), jute twine ($2 at Home Depot) and adhesive. 

*Although I started the project with tacky glue, spray adhesive was much faster! Both are going to leave a little glue on your fingers but I am definitely going to use the spray adhesive from now on. 

Start by spraying the top half of the pot with adhesive. Beginning at the top/backside wrap the jute twine around the plant as evenly as possible. If you want to prevent space between the twine, just carefully roll the twine upwards until they touch. 

Continue to work your way down the pot until you've covered the area with the glue. Next spray the bottom half of the planter with adhesive. *Be careful not to glue your plant to the surface on which you are working (this almost happened to me!) To prevent this just make sure you are moving the pot while you are wrapping it with twine. It also helps to put down another sheet of paper after you have sprayed.

Once you have reached the bottom, add a little bit of extra adhesive to keep the end in place and voile! You have a beautiful gift for any hostess or housewarming party. 

DIY gold leaf bowls

 This DIY  is based on a lovely project from Kelli Murray's blog that you can find here.

What you will need: Mod Podge, balloons, newspaper, gold leaf (starter kits often include the adhesive and sealer), acrylic paint, paint brushes (foam and bristle), razor.

1. Start by blowing up balloons in various sizes. I used 5", 9" and 12" balloons. (I found it can also work if you just buy one size and blow them up to different sizes).

2. Now here's the sticky part...use Mod Podge and a foam brush to glue strips of torn newspaper onto your balloon. The thicker the better, so don't be afraid to layer on the newspaper and glue. Try to eliminate as many creases and bubbles as possible, but also remember that part of this project's charm is that it is handmade, so you don't have to aim for perfect!

3. When you have finished Mod Podging all of your balloons, let them sit overnight (or at least 5 hours) to dry. For me this is the hardest part of any DIY because once I start a project, I want to finish it. Trust me, however, you want them to be dry and it's nice to get away from the glue fumes.

4. Next pop the balloons. The rubber should shrivel into the middle of the bowl, but if it gets stuck in a few places just use your fingers to help peel them off. These bowls are surprisingly sturdy (I dropped mine several times and they were fine). The edges will be very jagged, but sharp scissors should remove those quickly. I just cut the top bit off until I had the bowl the size I wanted.

5. Now paint the inside and outside of each bowl the color of your choosing. It will take two to three coats depending on the color you pick. 

6. Once the paint has dried--which shouldn't be too long if you are using acrylic paint--it's time to start the gold leaf! (*Warning: Gold leaf is delicate to work with and can be tricky!) I picked various sizes of polka dots as my pattern, but the sky's the limit!

7. Start by either spraying or painting the adhesive onto the bowl and letting it sit for a minute or two. Use your fingers to place the leaf in sections until the desired area is covered. I found my fingers would get sticky after a few sections, so I used a cotton ball soaked in nail polish remover to keep my fingers from sticking to every gold flake in sight. This is pretty drying for your skin, so make sure you slather your hands in lotion after you're finished. The razor blade is used to remove any excess gold leaf.

*If you want the base to be primarily gold, then I recommend leafing the entire bowl (like the one to the right or the one on the bottom), then painting your pattern over top. Since we are using acrylic paint, it will take two coats. The first coat tends to be transparent, but the second coat will stick to the first coat just fine.
*If you want the leaf in a larger pattern (like the bowl on the left) then I would use a paint brush dipped in adhesive to create the design. You will have trouble making clean edges, but I just used my base paint over the uneven edges of the gold leaf to give the illusion of a smooth finish.

8. Last but not least, spray with a coat of sealant. This will prevent the leaf from flaking off and gives it a lasting result. Now it's time to enjoy!