Faux – Dust Bunnies and Dog Toys

DIY Faux Barnwood Frames

Published on April 3, 2018 by JennaLeave a comment

I recently picked up two great prints from one of my fave Alaskan artists thanks to a promotional sale she was running. But I wanted rustic frames for them. I tried a few from the local stores, but they either didn’t fit the prints the way I wanted or weren’t rustic enough. So I turned to Etsy, where I found several options but again wasn’t sure on the sizing. The Hubs overheard my frustration trying to confirm size and shipping costs, looked at the styles I was considering and then proclaimed, “I can make that.” I quickly said OK! and searched Pinterest for a tutorial. I found this one and made adjustments for the size of our prints.

I somehow forgot to get a picture of the frames before I stained them but I’m sure you can imagine it. Here’s how they looked after the first coat of stain.

I used stain I had on hand from a previous project. While it was pretty it wasn’t quite barnwood enough for me so I decided to add some grey I also had on hand.

And here’s the result! We both love how it turned out. I had a few spots still to touch up, but this was pretty darn close to what I’d been looking at on Etsy. It wasn’t true barn wood, but at an investment of around $13/frame it gave me the look I wanted without extra shipping costs. Plus it was the perfect custom size for what I needed.

And here it is with the print attached. I just taped it to the back using the backing board that came with the print so I didn’t damage the print itself.

It’s the perfect piece to complete this area which I’ve been slowly revamping for quite a while now. And there’s a sneak peek at the other project the Hubs did for me recently! I’ll be sharing that very soon.

The second print is much more colorful and really pops with the rustic tones of the wood. I hung this one in my cubicle at work and have gotten so many compliments on it. It makes me smile every day, both because I love the art and knowing the love that went into the frame surrounding it. 🙂

So if you’re looking for a rustic frame I highly recommend this one. It was simple and easy to do – just 1×2’s, L brackets and some stain. I’d love to see what you come up with if you give it a try!

A Quick & Easy Makeover

Published on February 21, 2017March 6, 2017 by JennaLeave a comment

Here’s one of the quick little projects I’ve done recently. I spotted this little scroll decor piece on one of the local buy/sell pages for $1 and just couldn’t pass it up. Here’s how it looked when I bought it.

Although it was cute in it’s original state I thought it would look better with a metal finish rather than the faux stone one it had. A couple quick coats of ORB spray paint and it’s got a whole new look.

I’m not sure where I’ll use it just yet, but for now it looks pretty next to another of my quick projects, this mini faux succulent planter. I’ll share how I made that later this week!

Linking up at: Knik of Time’s Talk of the Town and Savvy Southern Style’s Wow Us Wednesday and Thrifty Decor Chick’s Before & After Party!

5 Minute Vintage Crock Succulent Arrangement

Published on July 29, 2015July 30, 2015 by Jenna1 Comment

We have an odd little nook in our Master Bedroom between the dresser and the closet door that just wasn’t living up to its full potential. I‘ve tried a few things in this spot but nothing seemed to fit quite right. Then I noticed several of my favorite blogs using plants in large baskets or vintage crocks. LIGHTBULB! I’d already been on the hunt for a large crock after someone beat me to one on the local buy/sell page so I knew that was the option I’d choose.

After losing out on one on the local buy/sell page, I spotted this beauty at an antique shop for 20% off because of a crack on the back, making the final price around $60. Since no one would see the back once it was in place that didn’t bother me at all. See you can’t even tell it has a crack can you?!

Once I had it home I searched for an indoor plant that would do well with minimal maintenance and low light since the dresser blocks the light from the sliding door in this spot. Unfortunately, everything I liked didn’t fit those criteria so the crock sat empty for a week or so. Then I spotted some large faux succulents at Michaels while browsing the other day and immediately knew they were the perfect option, so I picked out four stems along with one that would cascade down the front of the crock.

I dug out a Styrofoam block I’d had forever and started arranging the stems by sticking them down into it. I started with the two larger stems, placing them on alternating corners of the block.

Next, I added the other two stems and the cascading piece to create this arrangement.

I filled the bottom of the crock with a small box and some packing filler to create a ledge for the Styrofoam block to sit on.

Then I just plopped the arrangement on top and turned it this way and that until I liked how everything lined up.

I could have left it just like this, but seeing the little bit of extra space on the sides of the arrangement would have eventually driven me crazy so I added a bit of moss I had on hand to finish it off.

I’m downright giddy with how it turned out – and the fact that I don’t have to water or prune it and that I know for certain it’s not hazardous for our fur babies just sweetens the feeling.