Throw Pillows from a Throw Blanket!

One of the easiest and thriftiest ways to update the look of a room is with decorative pillows.
Every one has them. In fact, I dare you to take a count of the throw pillows in your house!!!
I don't just have pillows on the furniture....I have pillows in the closets waiting to take their turn in whatever decor scheme suits my fancy.

 A trip down the pillow aisle of almost any home decor store is pure temptation for me.

A pillow is affordable.....
A pillow is not a forever commitment like a piece of furniture.....

We've Moved.....The Fairy House That Is!

The Fairy House or Gnome Home here at Sweetwater has good bones!






READ HERE about how to turn an old stump into a pretty fabulous Fairy Garden structure










That was a couple of years ago....


Just like any home, the Gnome home needs regular maintenance.

Well, this year instead of the usual spruce up of the property....I decided that it was time for the Gnomes to make a MOVE!

You know the saying....in real estate it is all about    LOCATION!

 LOCATION!

 LOCATION!

Instead of the busy intersection of driveway and front walk....the Gnomes deserve the woodlands and a pond view.

Luckily....the perfect "lot" was available!

Packing up to move is never any fun....but in this case it involved not just the furniture....but all of the landscaping materials....

AND

The WHOLE house too!

 It is a good thing the move didn't involve too much distance....

The Sweetwater Grandboy was there to help with sprucing up the place with a newly painted roof.


The landlord wasn't so sure about the bright blue for the roof....but hey it suits a Gnome....


The process would have gone quicker....
BUT....





















The city utility workers showed up to flush out the water mains....and that diversion was way too interesting to miss!

So....after a short break...

The renovation continued!









As moves go, this one was pretty painless...I guess that is the magic of Fairies and Gnomes!

 I hope the Gnomes like the upgraded pond view!

Remember.....There's No Place Like Gnome!!!

Have a Great Day!

In Praise of Expertise Part 2...Almost Done!

The bathroom reno is nearly finished.
All that is left to do is choose window treatments and accessories.
When I walk in.....I just look around and smile!
While My last post was all about using experts to help choose the components for our bathroom remodel.....
This one will be in praise of the people who actually made it happen.



 I almost feel guilty sharing all about the new space since we really didn't DO anything ourselves. 

It kinda feels like I am doing one of those...."look at me" deals.

So this post will NOT JUST be about how gorgeous the new space is.
It will be about....why it made sense to (gasp) spend money to get this done!

1. Remember that Mr. S just had his ankle replaced less than 6 months ago?  Can you even imagine him trying to go up and down the steps as many times as would have been necessary.
2. Our contractor did an amazing job of scheduling.  Because all of the people that he worked with had a relationship with him, they came when he asked and made adjustments when necessary. THAT SAVED TIME!
   
3. We were able to use the discounts available to the contractor for many of the components of the project. THAT SAVED $$$$ !
4. There were many things that needed specialized skills that we would probably have had to hire done anyway!

ANYWAY.....during the month long process....I don't think a day went by that we didn't say "THANK GOODNESS we are NOT doing this ourselves.  

So in good old renovation show terminology......it's time for the big reveal!

Ahhh....the freestanding soaking tub that I have been dreaming about since we started is every bit as beautiful as I imagined! Taking out the old surround for the whirlpool tub that I never used freed up an enormous amount of room for the shower.  There used to be a soffitt over the shower.  Removing that makes the shower seem even bigger.  The custom glass is seamless.  The "experts" were able to install this in less than 2 hours.  

We found these tilting mirrors on Amazon of all places.  They look just like the ones in the lighting store where we found these great fixtures.  When the contractor actually "complained" about how difficult the installation of the mirrors was....I knew that a DIY session would have been extremely painful for Mr. S.!

I love the squared off under mount sinks.  The glossy white counter is a dream compared to the old molded "marble" that it replaces.  This really big vanity was another reason we were glad we had experts to rely on.....it is 78 inches long and came in one big piece.  Imagine us trying to haul that fro,

We still need to find window treatments and some towel bars and other stuff...and I imagine there will be some DIY with those things....

Less than a month total time....

Little or no hassles..... 

It really was worth the expense to save time, headaches, trips to Home Depot, arguments etc. etc. etc.

But the REAL proof of value....

The Sweetwater Grandboy gives his seal of approval!

Have A Wonderful Day!

Gift Idea: Tea Towel in a Frame

Two weeks until Christmas!

That means that there isn't a lot of time around here for writing blog posts.

My goal is to do a few posts with a ideas that you might use to save time and/or money during the holidays this year.

Frame A Tea Towel for Statement Wall Art

Inevitably, you are going to be going shopping in one of those cute gift boutiques....
Inevitably, you are going to fall in love with lots of items that are way out of your price range....
Don't despair!
Check out the tea towel section....you will probably find something very cute for a reasonable price.
AND...
Tea Towels make fabulous gifts....
BUT...
Why not take it up a notch and frame that tea towel to create a statement piece of wall art?

I found this towel at a gift boutique....yeah...I know I said this was about giving gifts...but I loved it so much I had to keep it for myself. (note to self: next time buy TWO of something thrifty that you love).

I already had the frame, but you can find deals on poster frames with the mat already in them.  Michaels and IKEA are good sources.

The HOW TO is simple:
1. Buy the tea towel.
2. Buy the frame.
3. Iron the towel.
4. Use spray adhesive to smooth the towel on the backing cardboard that comes with the frame.
5. Reassemble the frame.
6. Wrap it up!


Be sure to tell the person you are gifting how easy it is to change out the "art" for each season!

I have written about this before with more detailed instructions and some good sources for tea towels.

Tea Towel Wall Art: http://sweetwaterstyle.blogspot.com/2017/04/tea-towel-wall-art.html

Sources for Tea Towels http://sweetwaterstyle.blogspot.com/2015/01/wall-art-from-tea-towel-and-interesting.html

Remember when every 1960's kitchen had a calendar tea towel? (well....some of you are too young to remember that....but trust me)
A framed calendar tea towel is an easy way to go beyond the ordinary...and way cuter than the one on your phone!

How cute are these towels from Spoonflower.com?

Hope this has given you an idea for a last minute gift if you needed one!

Have A Great Day!

How to Make An Outdoor Light Swag

The front of the house here at Sweetwater has five light fixtures.

Two on the sides of the door and three across the front of the garage.

So nice to have all of that light.

Not so nice if I want to decorate those lights for the holidays.

Buying swags for FIVE lights is really not an option for someone as CHEAP thrifty as I am!

So over the years, I have learned to make my own using stuff that is almost free.

Read on to learn the trick behind this pretty swag.

 

Did you notice how this swag has a lot of dimension from front to back? 

I used to just gather up some greens....wire them together in the middle and tie it with a bow.

They looked okay but were sort of flat!

AND THEN....

I discovered a trick for making these fuller versions.

 

Chicken Wire! 

An eight inch strip of chicken wire can be cut using a sturdy snipper.  I am so lucky that Mr. S gifts me with these romantic type presents!  I guess he knows what I will actually use!

Form the eight inch strip into a cylinder by folding it over and pinching the sides in.  It is helpful to use work gloves when you do this...chicken wire is really hard on your hands.

Now you have a form/base for your scraps of greenery.  I love the fact that you can use some pretty shabby greens in the back of your swag.   Just keep snipping greens and pushing them into the wire.  After you have the top and bottom of the swag the shape you like, start adding greens that stick out and make the swag look full from the front to the back.  You don't need to put a lot of greens in the center because your bow will go there.

 When you are pleased with the greenery, you add a bow.

Bows seem to be intimidating to people.  Making a fancy bow is really pretty easy.  Check out this link to see a step by step of the process.

 I used some of that fun netting as the background for the bow on these swags.  That stuff is easy to find...I have seen it at the dollar store, Lowes and Micheals.  I like how it makes the plaid ribbon stand out.

These swags on the wire cages are especially nice because of how they can be attached to the lights.  Simply run a length of ribbon through the back of the cage.  This ribbon can be tied around the light.  No worries about wires that can scratch your fixture.

 I am always pleased that the swags look like something that I went out and purchased!

They frame the entry and add a lot of holiday oomph for little or no money!

Happy Decorating....

Before I go.....The Sweetwater entry is decked out for the holidays too!  I had an old grapevine wreath that was the perfect size.  A few scrap greens and some leftover ornaments from the Festival of trees event.....I am liking this a lot!

Have A Great Day!

This Year's Festival of Trees Contribution

Once again the Sweetwater Daughter and I were privileged to participate in the Auburn Homes Festival of Trees.

Our mission was to create a specific look using a white flocked tree.  

Our color scheme needed to be red, black and green.  

The theme was " I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas".....but I would add "Oh what fun it it....!"

How to get this look:

The oversized ornaments came from (would you believe) Costco and Menards. They didn't cost much so we could use a lot.  Some of the ornaments got a coat of black spray paint.  (Finding oversized BLACK ornaments just wasn't possible.)
The plaid ribbon is woven deeply into the branches...it came from Tuesday Morning.
The "Christmas Crackers" were constructed from a piece of pool noodle and some black and white wrapping paper.  The red bows added a bit of color.
The glittery red and green sprays were probably the most expensive thing.  We found them at a wholesale place, but you could do glitter free branches for next to nothing.
The top hat tree topper was a real find at Pier One.
Faux packages wrapped in our color wave took the place of a traditional tree skirt.

SO FUN!

It has been so much fun to create these trees over the past few years.
One of my favorite parts of being a blogger is being able to go back a look at projects from past years.

2013
The Mitten was the theme....
Big Woolen mittens and plaid ribbon....
Slices of wood with the book characters modge podged on them. 

2014

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

Full sized records....
Black and White checked ribbon....
Cardboard Jukeboxes and Classic Cars....
A Poodle Skirt tree skirt.....

2015
And All That Jazz!

Gold and Glitz...
Big Instrument ornaments....
Jazzy Black Top hats....
Piano Key Fleece tree skirt....

2016
A Walk in the Woods

Lots of Gnomes....
Woodland Creature Ornaments....
Big Sugar Pine cones....
Resin Antlers....
Rustic floral accents....

























Wow...looking back makes me anxious to get started decorating at home...
BUT...
NOT until after Thanksgiving!  MY RULE!

Have a Wonderful Day!

Paint You Will Love!

If you are wondering why it has been more than 2 weeks since my last post....well....it is kind of a long story.

It has been an interesting couple of weeks around Sweetwater.

Mr. S had his right ankle totally replaced 3 weeks ago! 
The surgery was very successful....but...the recovery time is LONG. 

The guy who spends much of each day out and about is now unable to put weight on his foot for another 6 weeks and then slowly working to walk on it. 
Poor guy...not being able to get out on his own is driving him crazy.....but the good news...his ankle doesn't hurt anymore!

And...the Sweetwater Grandboy thinks Grandpa's Scooter is fabulous!




After a couple of weeks of "nursing" and "fetching and carrying", things are getting back to normal for me at least.

So...you can imagine that I have been putting off doing any projects that might get in the way of the scooter!

But finally...we said..."enough is enough" and it was time to get busy!





This painting project is the result of one of those "If you a mouse a cookie" scenarios.

A few weeks ago.....our refrigerator gave up the ghost!
When we went to buy the new one....we chose a different finish....black stainless steel!  Gorgeous!
BUT....
That meant we needed new dishwasher, oven and microwave too! And new cupboard hardware too!
Long story and installations later....the kitchen looks amazing!

So what am I painting?
Note the green wood on the table and chairs that Mr. S and the Grandboy are standing next to.
They no longer looked "just right" with the new appliances. 

It decided to paint them a soft griege color!

Finally....the point of the post!
THIS PAINT.....I am absolutely in LOVE with it.
It is amazing!

Heavy Duty– Premium 100% Acrylic Interior/Exterior Eggshell

Heavy Duty 100% Acrylic Enamels are an excellent choice for a multitude of applications including interior walls and woodwork as well as exterior trim applications. This finish is ideal for use in new home construction, existing homes, schools, nursing homes or anywhere that extreme durability is required

Features & Benefits
• Interior/Exterior
• Manufactured with the finest titanium dioxide
• Excellent Hide
• Good Burnish Resistance
• Very Good Washability

Yes...it is expensive...about $60 a gallon...but worth every penny. It is one of those spend to save deals.
Why?
The surface that you are painting only needs a good clean surface...
I suppose you could sand too, but I didn't and the coverage is great. 
It goes on so smoothly....
It dries in 30 minutes and ready for the second coat in an hour.
It cleans up with water!

 If Mr. S was at full capacity....the chairs would have gone to the basement and I would have done them all at once....

Instead, I put a tarp down in the dining room and did them one at at time.

This is when the quick drying and second coat time was nice.

When one chair was done....I moved it back and then did the next one.

 

It took me 6 days to get it all done.

I cannot tell you how wonderfully the paint covered in 2 quick coats.

I love the quality of the finish.  It feels almost like the original factory paint.

I love that the new color isn't all that different than the old....just the RIGHT color.

If you have a painting project that you are putting off because you don't want to do a lot of sanding and priming.  This is the paint for you.

I think it would even be a good paint for kitchen cabinets ....but I am not quite that crazy a DIYer.

Have A Great Day!

How To Cut Your Own Custom Picture Mats

Custom framing is soooo expensive!
Even when you take advantage of deals at the frame shop, a typical framing job will cost you a bundle.

I found this great website that has a princing estimator built in: https://www.framebridge.com/pricing
I ran the numbers for a 16 x 20 print....

 

YUP....$99!  Now that might seem reasonable to you....but NOT to me.  Especially because I am someone who wants to change out the stuff on my walls a LOT!

Here at Sweetwater, I have found a way to mat and frame things without spending this kind of money.



Sometimes you have to spend some money to save some money.

This post is all about that!


A few (or maybe many) year ago, I invested in a professional mat cutter like this one.

Okay.....$220 seems like a lot of money.....but remember how much ONE 16 x 20 picture cost?

You also need to buy matboard and frames.
I buy matboard at Dick Blick.  A 32 x 40 inch piece costs between $8 and $10 depending on how fancy it is.....
I buy my frames at the thrift store.  The array is pretty amazing.  You look at the FRAME not the ugly art that is in there.

Any new tool can seem intimidating.....but once you learn the basics....you can mat and frame your piece in less than 30 minutes.

So let's get started on the tutorial!

I was "just gonna" go down to the craft room and do a step by step photo shoot for you....
And then I realized that....hmmm.....somebody probably already did that on YouTube!
Watch this and see how it is done!
(this is the link if the video doesn't load)  https://youtu.be/PT1n0r_87tQ


It really isn't that difficult after you have practiced a bit.

Now the fun begins!
With a few pieces of mat board and some thrift store frames....the sky is the limit!

Framed Projects Around Sweetwater

A spooky photo of a graveyard in a thrift store frame.  Instant seasonal decor.

  Favorite photos from Halloween past.  Mats only....displayed on the big chalkboard in the stairwell.

 

 Gallery style display of photos taken by the Sweetwater Son.

 This old window is from the childhood home of Mr. S.  The poster was a gift from the Sweetwater Daughter and SIL.  The Minnesota Home print from the Sweetwater Son and DIL.

My family always gives me fun things to frame because they know it can be done inexpensively.

Nobody wants to see ALL of our vacation photos....but making a quick collage is a fun way to display just a few.  This is an unframed mat with a foam core backing.  The back has magnets that let it hang on the refrigerator.  A quick way share without "oversharing".  BTW....Ireland was amazing! 

This is a tea towel that I picked up in a fun boutique on a trip to Florida.  It can easily be switched out when I want a new look....or find a new tea towel!

More Minneapolis themed art....would you believe that I actually took the top photo....good for me!

A cluster of framed posters and photographs lean against the wall on Mr. S's desk in the office.

I love the look of the vintage posters....The blue and green one was purchased on a trip to Voyageur National Park.

We have had this chalk pastel for many years.  I love being able to change the mat color to coordinate with what ever decor scheme we have.  No need for new art.....just $10 for new mat board.  I am always amazed that you can find a color in your favorite image that goes with any scheme.

These white mats look nice with the off white walls.  This is another photo by me and the New Orleans scene is another we purchased at an art fair in Memphis....go figure. 

These are just a few of the ways I have used the ability cut custom mats....
Even better....
Now that people know that I have the mat cutting system...they come over and either mat their own things or let me do it for them.

I always tell folks...."I MAT FOR WINE"....

Hope this inspires you to spend some of your crafting or decorating budget on a mat cutter....you will be glad you did.

Have a Wonderful Day!