Is anyone else hearing Entrance of the Gladiators right now?
….well now you know.
(No kidding, that is maybe actually someone’s house. Love that sideboard – omg, Ikea? – but hating the rest.)
I should say first of all that this particular sunburst mirror was a cheap and relatively easy DIY project undertaken by Monica Ewing, Sunset Home senior designer. Okay, okay, so she’s got some home decorating cred that most of us don’t have, but the posted instructions seem pretty simple. And it obviously came out gorgeous, so there’s no reason we can’t try it.
Amazing what a little paint can do, no?
But this totally fun play on the traditional starburst mirror started out its life in plain white, and that wasn’t thrilling Ms. Ewing. A few coats of a trip of blues by Benjamin Moore, and this was the end result. Love it! Isn’t it cool what just a little paint (and a steady hand) can do?
There’s not much to say about tree stump tables, other than the fact that they exist, they can look pretty awesome, and if you’re so inclined, creating a DIY tree stump side table isn’t that difficult (as demonstrated beautifully over at Nesting Place last month). The look pretty good painted:
But many people chose to leave them au natural, and rightly so:
Better Homes and Gardens is down with the stump
In a pinch, you can even use a tree stump side table as a seat:
Great for... unrolling your blood-spattered parchment paper?
For the DIY tree stump side table, you could do like the author of Nesting Place and just grab something left behind by the tree services guys, but I’d worry about the possibility of creepy crawlies riding in along with the stump. Plus, you want something a little drier than a fresh cut log, so I’d recommend opting for something found at the firewood depot, like Karen at the Art of Doing Stuff did.
Sure, it’s a little rustic, but I really like this kind of thing when paired with other furniture that’s decidedly non-rustic. Whatdya think… too outdoorsy? Or just right?
So I just found out that barely-there lampshades – wire lamp… shades? – are totally a trend and super hot and everyone must have them now now now. Good to know, I guess. But seeing as that naked light bulbs make my eyes really sad, I think I’ll just be letting this one pass my by. What do you think?
Seen on Skona Hem
Buy it at Ruby Roost
Mmmm, bacon.
No, really, what could possibly go wrong with an appliance that cooks greasy, greasy bacon next to your head while you sleep?
Now that my daughter is getting older, I’m starting to understand the kid’s artwork conundrum. I remember when this NY Times article and this post in the San Francisco Chronicle’s Mommy Files attracted a lot of attention, both supportive and derisive, because the authors admitted to throwing out the majority of their kids’ artwork. Where do I stand? On the one hand, there’s a part of me that would like to save every little everything that La Paloma does so I have a perfect picture of her childhood. On the other hand, our house is only so big and like all kids, she tends to draw two lines on the paper before demanding a fresh piece.
If nothing else, it's the cheapest art around!
I think if you’re going to toss your precious creation’s precious creations – and I am not ashamed to admit I’ve recycled a few early masterpieces myself – why not highlight the best of the best of your kid’s artwork by actually framing it and then hanging it somewhere prominent in your home? Admittedly, it’s not a look that will please the aesthete in everyone, but parents tend to look at kid’s artwork through rosy glasses and if it happens that your little darling puts out a few pieces that coordinate with your decor, all the better!
What do you do with your kid’s artwork? Save it all? Snap digital pics and then stealth it out to the recycling bin? Or maybe save the best and toss the rest?
This is going to be kind of a light week here at Manolo for the Home. As you read this, I’m probably actually on an airplane flying somewhere over the east coast. I’m not actually heading anywhere – I’ve been out of town for my dad’s fifth wedding and traveling with a toddler requires some sort of post-travel breather. A vacation from a vacation? Trust me, traveling with a toddler (and said toddler’s gear) is no vacation! So with that in mind, here are some pictures of oh-so-awesome DIY terrariums in jam jars, salt shakers, and even light bulbs!
Sweet miniature terrariums in salt shakers from Etsy seller Jo2SF
A mason jar terrarium from Craftzine, complete with little nibbler!
DIY terrarium wedding favors... I die.
You can put tiny DIY terrariums in so many things. I’ve seen them in coffee pots and cookie jars, among other things. Basically, any old glass container will do, so you don’t have to be particularly picky when choosing a receptacle for your moss, rocks, and wee plants.
Just have fun with it! Get some mini dinos or a deer in there, howsabout?
Let’s count it off: Orange walls, orange curtains, and an orange light fixture. And orange art on top of that. Am I missing anything? Not that there’s anything wrong with orange – I had orange walls in the foyer of my Boston apartment, so I can see the allure. But personally, I prefer my fully saturated orange softened with a little something, like gray or soft teals and browns or maybe even just a whole lot of creamy white.
But for those who want MAXIMUM ORANGE in the kitchen and dining areas, here’s a jumping off point:
I love this low-slung, big-enough-for-projects coffee table with its great print and all the super short seating for the kids in the household! You can just tell that this is an area of the house that sees plenty of use.
What are the high-use areas of your household? And what areas of your home could you make more welcoming and useful?
Image: MayDae
(FYI: If you have any interest in winning a $155 gift certificate to any CSN stores, head over to my personal blog and enter my latest giveaway!)
…or should I call them starburst mirrors? I’ve seen the two terms used, pretty much interchangeably and with equal frequency. So I hope we can agree that both labels are correct. Sometimes what’s labeled a starburst mirror looks more like a sun, and what’s labeled a sunburst mirror looks more like a star, but I think that’s okay. I think they’re keen no matter what you call them!
Blue Room
Tobi Fairley