Thursday, March 31, 2016

{ DIY Simple Farmhouse -General Store- Sign }

Happy Fridayyyyy yay!! It's been a long week, but looking forward to the weekend with my Dennis the Menace husband hahah #longstory. So last night I went down to the office to play with the bunny & what not for a quick few & ended up staying down there for a few working on a little spur of the moment project!! If I'm being honest most of my projects start that way haha.. I'm a planner, but when it comes to blogging, photographing or projects I'm as random as it gets...I mean I guess that's why I strive so hard to make this little blog of mine PRACTICAL & feasible for the average person { I hope I'm doing a good job }.. Anyways today's project is one I've been wanting to do for a while, but honestly forgot about.. I had this old sign which I loved at one point, but wasn't really my style anymore so I broke out the chalk paint.. I decided I wanted a cute little antique style general store sign for our farmhouse kitchen! This is one of the easiest tutorials ever...Paint, smearing, scraping & freehand lettering..I'm no sign maker, but I love the way it turned out. I didn't use a stencil because I wanted it to feel for authentic etc.. You can use whatever you like better. Keep reading below for all the deets !!


S T A R T


S U P P L I E S

I used regular $1 white paint from +Michaels Stores  for the base color. I put about 3 coats of this on the sign. The sign is slate so, it sucked the paint up quite nicely. You'll need white, black, brown wax/clear wax, wire brush and paint brush to finish this project..
 

D I R E C T I ON S

After the base dried I rubbed some antique brown wax from the Americana Decor chalk paint line all over the sign. After that was dry I traced out my lettering with chalk & then went in with some black paint. I cleaned up the lettering with some white paint & then hit it with wax again & a little mix of black + white for that undertone of gray.. After everything was dry I went in with a wire brush & distressed some areas & then went over the letter with a almost dry brush with a TINY bit of white , so the lettering wasn't stark fresh black! I finished it by applying a small amount of clear wax...


You guys know know how I love my milk jugs..The tall dairy glass to the far right is vintage the rest are from all over. You can find these in the dollar spots +Target  and Michaels.


I styled it super simple with some mini chalkboard canisters from +HomeGoods . The mantel is also from HomeGoods. The little chocolate cupcakes & candy are from Dollar Tree.


I seriously love this little mantel in our dining room. It's simple & gives that farmhouse/cottage charm instantly. 


*** Side Note: I forgot to mention above, but I used some light semi dry black paint to etch the jagged slate edges too..


It's not perfect, but like most of my projects that's why I love them. Simple & charming right?!
 

I hope you guys liked this simple DIY!! You can buy these slate signs at your local craft store for under $10 usually. So with some $1 paint, cheap wax , brush & a little time you can have a farmhouse sign for under $20!!  I hope you ALL have a lovely weekend! 

HAPPY APRIL FOOLS!

***You can find me here for updates & more ,or SUBSCRIBE on the left side of my blog for FREE & direct updates right to your mail...


Paige.Rose

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

{ Vintage Sofa Side Table with a Special Meaning..}

Howdyyy friends! I hope you all had a lovely Tuesday! You know those days where you're feeling less than inspired..Yeah, I had one of those days today. Then I remembered I never blogged this piece I put in our upper living room back a few months ago!! Out of all the pieces of furniture we've collected, sold, bought etc.. this little sofa side table is hands down my favorite piece besides our antique kitchen corner cabinet! So I had a bunch of furniture that just wasn't working for our living room...I had been on the search for months so randomly my gram was over & we just started trading furniture ahahaha! This may seem super random to most, but in our family we're all always switching or painting furniture of some sort! When my gram went home real quick { she now lives in our neighborhood big YAY! } and brought this piece back I about snatched it right out of her hands!!!! Before I could do that she made me promise I wouldn't paint or alter it in anyway. I of course at first was bummed, but then she handed it to me & IT WAS PERFECT!! She started telling me about the piece as I started styling it right away & of course after the story shed a few tears...This little tiny most perfect table had belonged to her dear mother, Esther & she had kept it all this time. Granted it has been all over the family & even painted once...but I just loved the wood top, authentic chipped edges & matte black base!!! My gram is an only child & her mom spoiled her with everything she could. Her mum lost her battle with breast cancer in the 60's so I know exactly why this table has such meaning to her & now me!!!! She told me it was all the way from England { My gram's parents are from there } & is over 50 years old..even more reason to cherish it. Just saying " sofa arm table" is so cuteee! I mean you don't find pieces like this anymore & with the Ikea Ektorp sofa the arms are low, so I needed something & bam perfect, not to mention it already had that rustic cottage charm I crave so much!!! Okay enough ramblings..come see this gem!!! 

How cute is this little table? You guys know I love decorating with pieces that mean something to me & this one sure does! I love the chippy edges, yet the simplicity! 


You can see more of the meaning behind that huge new wood angel here -->The Wood Wall Angel..


I styled it super simple with these wood buckets from Garden Ridge & some faux greenery from +IKEA USA !!


I'll be blogging that new rug soon too. I love the wood top with the black base paired with our dark floors & that green/ tan jute rug. Simple cottage loving at it's best!! 

If you're interested you can see the DIY tutorial for those wood coasters here --> DIY Wood Coasters



I really hope you guys liked this cozy little post & this sweet gem! Do you have any favorite pieces with meaning? Leave me some comments down below, I love hearing from you guys & especially anything furniture wise hehe! 

As always thank you so much for stopping in on my little blog shenanigans hehe ! Happy & healthy week!!!
***You can find me here for updates & more ,or SUBSCRIBE on the left side of my blog for FREE & direct updates right to your mail...



Tuesday, March 22, 2016

{ Rustic & Thrifty EARLY Spring Porch .. }

Heyy guys..I always feel weird saying just "guys" so gals too hahah! I hope your Tuesday was great! I can't say ours was anything crazy other than we enjoyed a little bit of warmth finally!!! This Michigan weather has been crazier than usual actually..Mild winter, but a lagging winter type ha if that makes sense?! This post totally was spur of the moment, but I actually like it for a start..I stepped out our front door to wave by to Mark as he left for a meeting & realized it had warmed up a bit form earlier in the day..I went to walk back in & our little front porch was screaming  to add something to it..I quickly ran back inside & grabbed a bunch of stuff I had laying around in my decor room & some stuff in our now "organized" garage/shop!! The neighbors were probably peeking out their windows thinking I was crazy as usual.. { I was in my plaids with stuff crammed in my arms & camera around my neck haha }! Anyways today I'm sharing our thrifty, rustic & vintageyy early spring porch!!!  

P.S. everything used for this spur of the moment spruce up was freee!

In my last post I talked about our back patio makeover we're going to be doing soon hopefully, so I guess today was only appropriate to share the front porch right?! I promise all coincidence!! I had set all three of the milk cans out front after our mini spring cleaning in the yard a few weekend's back. Some were in the garage & another out back..I decided I wanted them all together & just left them there...After today's little spruce up I decided I actually loved them there with the vintage bucket & crate! 

***See yesterday's post here --> Spring Patio Makeover Board


The grass is from last year from +Hobby Lobby  & the blue flowers are from Dollar Tree I believe.


I know I've mentioned this before, but aside from vintage stamped crates, milk cans/jugs are my favorite! 


The detail on this crate has my heart...I can't believe people throw these away..Maybe if I stop hoarding them I'll take some to the shop { Angels, Saints & Stuff } !


Like I said, I threw this together spur of the moment..I'll be adding some greenery to the baskets & lets be honest in the next month it'll be completely different!



I really hope you guys enjoyed this early spring post!! I love a plan more than most, but sometimes fresh air is all you need to take on a little spur of the moment decor. 

 I hope you guys have a lovely Wednesday & as always THANK YOU for stopping by TQS for some practical decor , DIY & the occasional recipe or craft!

Paige.Rose



Sunday, March 20, 2016

{ 2016 Spring Patio Makeover Inspiration Board }

Hey everyone!!! I hope you guys had a lovely start to spring!! We had a few things planned, but didn't accomplish much other than detailing the jeep & binging out on a huge pizza hahah..all thanks to me having an earache grrr to sinuses! Anyways I got a little work done while cozied in bed ,and I'm back today with lots of inspiration for one little area that already has my little decor heart wanting to do a makeover!!! It's our back patio and boy does it need an overhaul..We've been in this house just short of 4 years and this is around the time we get the itch to move or redo stuff..until we can find a house & get my husband's new business situated I think we might give it a little face lift!! So I mentioned last spring that our patio wasn't the way I wanted ,but we worked with the bold red cushions etc.. This year I'm determined to redo it more neutral & less bold..because lets be honest I'm a "neutral Nelly" & even though I love red, I don't like to decorate with it much... We're thinking some new cement paint, neutral decor & some freshened up landscaping & new boulevard { backyard raised rock lined perimeter } mulch might spruce it up!!! Now if we could just get the piggies { our dogs } to stop running around & digging to China hahaha...Oh the pibbles.. Come take a look at what I put together..each picture has prices & sources too. 
Enjoy!!

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I hope you guys liked this fun board I put together!! The possibilities are endless with decorating a patio soo who knows what we might be up to..We got most of our spring cleaning inside & outside completed a few weekends back so now comes the fun part right?? I hope the temps here in Michigan remain steady for spring so I can get started..I'm working with a blank slate so I'm excited!!! Stay tuned & let me know how you decorate your porch/ patio or both like us down below.  

See my Spring Inspiration Board for inside -->  2016 Spring Inspiration Interior Ideas..

As always thank you so much for stopping in on my little blog shenanigans hehe ! Happy & healthy week!!!

***You can find me here for updates & more ,or SUBSCRIBE on the left side of my blog for FREE & direct updates right to your mail...
Paige.Rose




Monday, March 14, 2016

{ Simple & Free Vintage Inspired Man Office Nook! }

Hey everyone!! I hope you all had a lovely weekend! We started Friday off with some spring cleaning inside & a lot outside as the weather was pretty decent & spring like here in Michigan! We cleaned/raked the whole backyard & I even decorated the front porch with some neutral weather approved goodies until spring is officially here! After cleaning the yard & garage out we washed the jeep & truck & decided to tackle another little project!! So if you've been following the blog or any of my social media outlets { Left side bar of blog if you're interested } you'd know my husband just started his own business! He's been doing home preservation/maintenance/foreclosures for sometime { 9 years } & decided it was time to branch out & get his own name etc..I'm not going to lie it's been rocky starting his business ,but I know he's got this. Anyways since starting his own branch out he's needed his own office space..This is where it kind of gets tricky..So I know I'll get questions like " Don't you have two spare rooms?" "Won't that space be loud ?" , and simply " WHY THERE ?" Okay, so we decided to put his office nook in the laundry room..Yup, the laundry room. Our laundry room is about 15x15 so it's a pretty decent space to begin with. It's not fully finished, but it's clean & very functional. We decided to put his little nook in there because he's in there a lot hahahah crazy I know! In the morning he's in there getting ready for work { he's got all his work clothes in there } his bathroom across the hall & when he gets home he comes in the back door & goes directly down there to change/shower & grab  clothes { I do separate laundry for his work clothes... } ! We thought about putting his office upstairs by redoing the dog room, but it just didn't make sense. We have our room, the doggy room & then our guest room. We wanted to keep the guest room nice & the dog room strictly for the animals. Not only was that one of the issues, but the fact that he would have to truck through our house instead of just coming in the back of the house like he usually does & boom there's the little nook while he changes & showers! He didn't need or want anything big { My husband is super simple }, but something fresh & functional  so that just what we did!



I'm kind of obsessed how this little space turned out!! Like I said above it's clean, fresh & man approved!! Everything we used in this space other than the mini filing boxes from +Target / little accessories were FREE finds that we shopped in our own garage!!! That's right we pulled this whole space together from free vintage finds we had stashed in the garage. I guess sometimes it's nice to clean out a space & use what's on hand right?!


The stool, wood buffet/desk, black shelf, trash can & wire baskets were all free treasures!! 





I kept this little took pretty simple accessorie wise..I love this vintage trash can..I wish we would have kept the other one we had grrr #mistake! The stool is perfect & adjustable for him..The tennis rackets are also vintage. I decided to hang them on that wood planked door for some added vintage office charm. Although my husband played football not tennis he actually loves tennis { we used to play }..thinking we should get back into it at the park.. 

P.S. That door leads to a storage closet that runs the length of the laundry room.  Also that huge black shelf isn't just for looks, but will be used!! He has tons of keys & sunglasses etc..& in the summer will definitely come in handy for easy grab & go access!


We had two of these vintage glass windows that reminded me of a 1920's legal office ... It was perfect for what we were going for, so I used some black paint & wrote " office" on it. It needs a little touching up , but it's imperfectly perfect for the neutral, yet cozy vintage look we were going for. Although it's part of the laundry room it's pretty comfy { our washer & dryer are the Cabrio Platinum } & they're pretty quiet.. & it's carpeted so no worries on the noise.


This is the other part of the laundry room..I'll be doing a full post..maybe & yes it pretty much does look like this most of the time. Our shoot is located in my office on the other side of the lower level in a custom made little nook as well so the laundry isn't strong all over. I like to keep up on the laundry so rarely is it all over. This may be my ocd hahaha! 

I really hope this gave all of you some inspiration if you're needing a little office & can't figure out a spot. I know my hubby loves this little space & he can be as MESSY as he wants hahah.. Score right?! As always thanks so much for stopping in, following, sharing & commenting!! Have a happy & healthy week everyone!

Paige.Rose



Tuesday, March 8, 2016

{ Farmhouse Dining Room Update & How To Get The Look..}

Oh hey Tuesday..I hope you guys are having a great start to the week so far!  I recently just switched around a bunch of stuff on our upper level including the living room & dining room decor... I wanted the dining room to have an authentic/comfy simple farmhouse feel, so I added some authentic pieces with some other changes...I know the rustic/vintage/farmhouse/cottage/ industrial style is super popular right now, but I wanted our dining room to be more authentic looking rather than have it look like I bought up the whole Target, Pottery Barn or HomeGoods etc...Great stores, but I try & stay thrifty as much as I can & that's just what I did in our dinging room with the exception of a few things.. Come see how I gave this space a cozy & semi authentic makeover with tips on how you can also..


. How to add F A R M H O U S E Charm .

  • Add Burlap for texture
  • Use vintage bottles/ glass
  • Display milk jugs/glasses
  • Vintage Signs
  • Eggs
  • Use rolling pins/baking utensils
  • Trays
  • Mason Jars
  • Crocks
  • Galvanized Buckets
  • Jute Rugs
  • Scales
  • Use wire baskets for storage
  • Display crates for storage or fillers
  • Anything vintage wood etc..

I had bought this picture from +HomeGoods  back in August & stuck it in our living room..I love it ,but hated it on that awkward wall I just blogged about yesterday {Spring Wall Decor }..So I moved it in here & LOVE it!! It gives just the right amount of color, but still that farmhouse appeal. I purchased this for under $35 frame & all!!


I tried to use all the farmhouse stuff we had in the garage etc.. because I knew we had quite a bit!! This little corner came together so nicely with some simple goods we already had from thrifting..The milk can, table, ladder & buckets were all free. The white cooks apron is vintage & was my great grandpa's & the pussy willows are from +Michaels Stores . The wood cutting board recipe holder is from +HomeGoods  as well!


I had these free bottles laying around & these vintage wire baskets , so I decided to use them..I mean they're vintage, free & so simple why not?! The eggs are faux from +Hobby Lobby  for under $2 a piece.


I love incorporating any type of vintage glass in the kitchen/dining..This spice rack, mason jars & more wire baskets were all free finds & the newer mason jars from our bathroom makeover { Vintage Farmhouse Bathroom Makeover } are from +Target



All the crocks were free finds too! The cabinet is from the 50's & was one of my first DIY projects back before blogging. It's my favorite piece still..maybe it will get a face lift soon eh?!


I love this little hutch!! My husband recently picked the matching side table buffet , so I'll be painting that sooon!!! I'm still not sure where it's going, but I love the simplicity of these...I mean 2 x 4's & some white paint - CHECK!!!



I don't think I've ever mentioned this before, but I love vintage glass milk jugs! I don't know why but I sure do! I mixed in some old & new for some farmhouse charm. Adding milk jugs is one of the EASIEST ways to add farmhouse charm. Michaels sells mini ones for like $2 !!



Adding any type of burlap , wire baskets or glass can add instant farmhouse charm.



Seriously how cute are those eggs??



That "herb" sign was my very first sign I ever made I believe..I love it still & made it for under $10!!



I love adding crates to a space too. They're great fillers & add that rustic/ vintage look. I have 3-4 of them from the north. My parents picked them up for dirt cheap a few summers back in Traverse City! 





I hope you guys enjoyed this little farmhouse dining room update!! I know this style is becoming quite trendy so why not share some of the ways to add that charm . Have a lovely Tuesday everyone!!

Paige.Rose