The Quaint Sanctuary

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

{ Farmhouse & Cottage Style Side Tables & how to get these looks for LESS }

Hey everyone! I hope you all are having a wonderful week..I know, my blogging schedule has been a bit off this week. If we're being honest I've been in a bit of a funk, it's been cold & rainy [ I'd rather have snow I despise rain that much } & I've been going through a weird couple of weeks ugh. Speaking of weird, side tables are that type of furniture/decor that has no rules right?! They come in all different shapes / sizes & you pretty much can put them or use them for anything or anywhere in your home. They're great space fillers, but can be hard to find in the cottage/ farmhouse style without being really expensive unless you DIY them or by them on the cheap/thrift them. Today I'm going to share some simple, affordable & easy places to find cheap tables you could DIY like the styles below.

Aren't those tables above gorgeous & filled with so much charm? Ya, I thought so too, but all of these side tables were $200- $1300+!!! I know that's outrageous, but after looking at these I discovered that many of these tables can be found in stores that are super common... Keep reading below.

Places to Find Similar Side Tables

. HomeGoods

. Marshalls

.T.J. Maxx

. Hobby Lobby

. At Home

. Craigslist

. Ikea

. Garage Sales

. Thrift Stores

Most of the stores above carry a variety of side tables similar to the ones above. Now I know a lot of people will think hmm some of these places can also be pricey.. That's true, but places like +HomeGoods & +Marshalls get unique tables in frequently & they clearance them quite often too. I scored a $180 side table with wicker baskets for $50 because of a little crack..Look for those red clearance stickers etc.. As for garage sales, thrift stores & Craigslist don't be discouraged by colors, stains etc.. Look for the structure, base & style. A lot of people pitch side tables due to being "outdated" , worn out, or "broke". All of those are simple fixes usually especially for the cottage/ farmhouse appeal.

Get the Farmhouse / Cottage Look

The tables above all have one thing in common..they're perfectly imperfect ! With some of the essentials below each of the table above can be achieved. A $50 table with $10 paint & sandpaper you could have one of these $1300 tables like above.

. Chalk paint { You can buy $10 jars at Michaels }

. Sandpaper

. Hardware

. Rope/ textures

. Antiquing wax { You can buy this at +Michaels Stores }

. Matte spray paint/ regular paint or chalk spray paint

I hope you guys liked this post on how / where to find charming farmhouse & cottage style side tables for cheap & how to DIY them.

With the warmer weather {hopefully} coming I'll be able to follow up this post with a quick DIY/ example & or Vlog maybe?? ;) Stay tuned & happy Wednesday everyone!

As always THANK YOU for stopping in on my little growing blog. I know everyone says it, but I honestly appreciate each of you for sharing my posts, commenting etc....I'm not the biggest or most popular blogger , but I am humble, real & practical ,and hopefully helpful or inspiring in someway :).

***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

Friday, May 6, 2016

{ -SPICY- Cajun, Tomato & Shrimp Pasta }

Happy Friday y'all! No, I'm not from the south, but saying "y'all" is easier & I think we should adapt to it here in the north haha. Speaking of the south, I have a yummy dish just in time for Mother's Day! Around our house & in our family we love a good spicy dish & this one I created today { on a whim} is nothing short of amazing!! It's super simple, but packed full of flavor & is super easy to serve to a larger group. So, back to that on the "whim" part..Ya, you hear that a lot from me haha, but it's true I'm an on- the -whim type of person/ blogger ha. So last week we acquired a bunch of pasta from a friend of ours { THANKS GUYS } because their rather large stock pile was expiring..Well, since the food bank wouldn't take them & we love pasta & they were perfectly fine we decided to take some off their hands. I mean if you haven't noticed I try to keep things as practical as they get around here on TQS & we just don't do the whole wasteful thing..That means it was time to make something with all this pasta! This pasta recipe is my own, but there are similar recipes out there. Come take a peek & jot this one down, it's delicious!!!!

I N G R E D I E N T S

. 1 bag medium shrimp { cut tails off }

. 1 package spaghetti pasta or substitute angel hair

. 1 can of diced tomatoes or Italian diced tomatoes

. 1 stick of butter

. Half of a fresh tomato

. Half a teaspoon of basil

. Half a teaspoon salt & pepper

. 1 teaspoon Cajun spice

. Half a teaspoon pepper flakes

. Pinch of chili powder

. Half a teaspoon onion powder

. Teaspoon of garlic

. Half a teaspoon parsley

Note: These spice measurements are all estimates & can be tweaked to your liking.

D I R E C T I O N S

Start your pot of water with salt to flavor the pasta. Cook the pasta just like you would like you're making regular spaghetti. Time to start to the sauce..Rinse your shrimp in warm water & cut the tails off each one. Get your pan warm & add the stick of butter { You can use olive oil too, I was out & wanted a tad bit of a creamier sauce}. Once the butter is slighting melted, but not sizzling add your shrimp & ALL the spices. Once the shrimp are opaque looking & have a bit of color, dump your tomatoes in!! Let this cook up until the sauce becomes settled & a bit on the thicker side. Check your noodles/ drain them with just a pinch of water left & set them aside. Empty your sauce you just made into another dish & leave the remnants in your pan. Slice a few slices of fresh tomato & cook until they're seasoned with the leftover sauce & take out. Take some noodles & place some delicious & extra spicy sauce on top, then add your fresh tomato to the top & garnish with a tiny bit of parsley/salt & pepper ,and Parmesan cheese if you like. E N J O Y!!!

Mmm, I want seconds hehe!

I really hope your loved ones enjoy this dish! I love how simple it is, yet how much heat & flavor it packs. Wishing all my Mother's { Fur & Heaven included } a - HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY WEEKEND - !

***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, May 3, 2016

{ DIY Farmhouse Style Pantry Door using an Old Window }

Happy Tuesday guys & welcome back to my little blog! I'm just going to jump right into it today because it's going to be a L O N G post!!! I've been working on this little project for about 3 weeks now & it's finally done { super simple project, very indecisive girl ha }. This project was our most simplest project to date & I originally thought it might be a problem..This project literally took my dear hubby 20 minutes at tops & well, me about 3 weeks to decide on a paint, style etc.. Lets not talk about that though hahaha. If you've been following me you'd know that our kitchen/ dining room is under a little "revamp" & I've been obsessed with adding character to our little suburban cottage aka a 1960's rancher lol! Last week we added this --> DIY Vintage Barn Door & today I'm showcasing the cutest & most thrifty pantry door! This project cost under $20 with paint & new food storage containers...The actual project was FREE!! Enough rambling - COME SEEEEE!

B E F O R E

HOW TO:

So you guys know me..sometimes I forget to get "before" shots because lets face it I'm in the moment haha. This was the door before..just your standard white pantry door with a black handle.

The bottom picture is after we installed the window. All to this project was drilling the old hardware hinges into the window sides. We didn't make any new holes, cuts or anything. We simply just attached the hinges we had from the old door to the window & done!!

Side Note: The vintage window was a free find & already this brown color when we got it. I did take a poll from my Instagram page here -->TheQuaintSanctuary IG about what color to paint it & most of you said white..Ya, I just couldn't do that , it would be tooo simple right?! I took the advice of Allison from A House and A Dog & Lindsay from Whimsy Girl Design ! Both said white shelving inside, so I painted the shelving pure white & left the wood sides for charm. Thanks, ladies!!!

A F T E R

I bought all new storage containers for dirt cheap at +Walmart and picked up these labels to track the dates/ expiration on goods. The labels are from +IKEA USA . I love the functionality of them, but especially the vintage fun look they give the plain containers & the mason jars!

I wanted to keep it simple, fresh & still with that vintage modern charm!! I love the mason jars for storing extra baking powders etc.. Knowing me I'll be switching this whole pantry around next week..I'm having fun playing around with it & think some vintage crates would be cute hmm ;)

**As you can see I also didn't paint it perfectly. I wanted that chippy look to shine through, so once I painted it black I did distress some parts for the brown to shine through again!

I got the black tote containers at Dollar General for 3/$6!!!! I mean they were soo cheap, big & I love how the black with the silver grommet detail looked! This is our "real" pantry as our other one is used for cleaning supplies etc.. so that's why you may see food items peeking out. I also may have had a sticky bun or two while photographing hahaha!

The original hinges from the old standard pantry door.

The granite counter stuck out a bit, so we just measured & cut so it shut nicely. I should mention we also added some tiny clear grippers so in case it gets slammed it's no biggie!!

I really hope you guys loved this DIY!! This is my most favorite home project other than the barn door to date!! I'm kind of obsessed at how it looks, the storage & how much bigger it makes the space appear. Super simple, fun & nearly FREE!!!!

***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

Sunday, May 1, 2016

{ Farmhouse Decor you Should Buy @ Walmart.. }

HEYYY! I hope you guys had a lovely weekend! Ours wasn't anything fancy as it was gloomy & rainy the whole entire weekend here in the north. Oh & did I mention COLD too haha...I mean come on May get it together ha. Though it was nasty this weekend & my back is out AGAIN...{ I swear I'm falling apart or getting o l d } I did manage to have a nice little rain filled night shopping around the local Walmart with my gram & sister haha! When I say shopping I mean we were there for 3 hours killing time on our exciting Saturday night lol..We may or may not have bought tons of sweets, had cart wars & drove our 77 year old gram nuts { Don't worry she's hipper than us ..eek }!! Anyways so I started this "new" little series here on TQS with you guys about a week ago where I kinda essentially shop for you guys and tell you about new goodies, deals etc.. all at different stores I frequent. I mean lets be honest we're all busy & can't keep track of prices, places etc.. so I thought I'd help out. I needed a few things decor wise & thought I swing on down some of the isles & to my surprise I was pleasantly pleased. So it's no secret that I'm not big on Walmart for decor because they're limited in areas..BUT some of the farmhouse essentials that are oh so popular right now caught my attention!!! Farmhouse/ Cottage/ Industrial decor can be pricey, so I threw a little list together of some of the items you SHOULD pick up at Walmart on the cheap to achieve that farmhouse look. You can see the first installment of this little series of mine here ---> Shopping Kirkland's

B a s k e t s / C r a t e s

I chose baskets & crates because lets face it they're so versatile, I'm obsessed & they add that farmhouse/ cottage or industrial look in a flash effortlessly. You can use them in the kitchen for fruit and storage, or in the living room for throws or decor. With that being said they can be quite pricey, especially the metal wire or lined ones. Walmart offers a variety for cheap ones & in two packs with many different sizes & styles. I'll take one of each please ha!

F r a m e s

Frames are a given, they're that item that just about any home has in them. They signify warmth, love & memories shared by the people you love most. Again, with that being said they can be super pricey. I found the CUTEST ones at +Walmart with so many cute styles, textures & of course that farmhouse charm. They had wood ones with barn doors, rope wrapped ones, distressed kinds & more!! They were all reasonably prices especially for the material & design.

G a l v a n i z e d / G l a s s J a r s

Okay, gasp right?! I mean when I seen this section I wanted just about every single item on the shelf!!! This is like galvanized heaven & for CHEAP!! We all know how pricey anything galvanized can be, but +Walmart.com.mx makes it easy to not only buy the goods, but for a fraction of the price of some of the other retailers. So many varieties & of course it adds that charming farmhouse/ cottage or industrial look. I love that Walmart makes it so easy to track goods like this down if you're not into the junkin seen or might not have the time etc... I may have to go back for more hahah!

I really hope you guys like these little shopping trips where I highlight goods that are trendy/ hard to find etc..& of course I try to keep it practical in prices & places I highlight!

I hope you all have a lovely happy & healthy week. I'll be back with two bigger projects this week { hopefully } if my back cooperates!!

***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, April 26, 2016

{ DIY Thrifty BARN DOOR Divider }

EEEK, I'm so so excited to share this post with you guys!! I've been wanting to finish this project in our dining room for so long & it finally was completed 2 week's ago , and today is the reveal! So a little back story on why we wanted to hang this 1940's vintage barn door in our dining room..We have two big rescue dogs & a bunny. The bunny { Mr. Wibbles} stays in my office downstairs & sometimes we don't want Stinker & Stew downstairs without us. We have used a generic $10 baby gate since we moved to this house & let me tell you it's been ANNOYING & I may have tripped/ fell/ knocked it over 1000x!! We had this barn door in our treasure pile & have been wanting to hang it for the last year..You know that thing called life happens & we got distracted with business things, family stuff etc.. Two weekends ago we had some free time so I had my lovely husband hang it for us. It's an authentic vintage barn door that my husband found free on a job site..{ he finds the best treasures- Thanks, Mark ;)! }. It's old, & isn't perfect by any means, but that's what gives it that barn / farmhouse charm. The track, handle, nails & basically everything is original.. Come see this massive barn door & all of its glory!

The door is super heavy & like I said above has many flaws, but is also very functional for what we use it as- a room divider/barrier. Right where the door closes at was a pocket door that closes the dining room from the back door & basement area. The previous owners tiled it in :(... I love the divider & it keeps the dogs out when need be.

How To:

The track is original as well as the wheels, so they had to be greased up A LOT!! One part on the track is bent a bit { it's too old to be disturbed }, but again it gives that cozy farmhouse charm I crave so much. My husband leveled the track & drilled some special screws into each hole on the track & then we both lifted this beast onto the track..Seriously it was SUPER SIMPLE and HEAVY hahaha. This project with the chalkboard paint cost under $20!!!!!

This is the original handle/lock & I loved it so much to pull back & forth, I think I may keep it!!!!!

I wanted to keep the decor super simple on the dining room side, so I just added a vintage white apron that was my great grandpa's , a tea towel & simple wreath. I can't wait to play around with this for holidays etc..

Side Note: The Tea towel is from +HomeGoods , the greenery is from +IKEA USA & the tote is from +Michaels Stores . The picnic basket was free vintage find.

I love the old nail beading at the top & bottom..The charm goes on forever with this door. The stories it probably could tell ;).

I added the chalkboard paint to the wall so when the door is pulled the wall isn't completely bare. The door sits super close to the wall so this was the best option & neutral/ easy to work with. I also added some clear stick-on rubber grippers to the back of the door so it doesn't scratch anything.

I wanted to jazz up that chalkboard square, so I lined it with some silver thumb tacks for a more custom industrial framed look. This whole project was super easy, thrifty & now so functional!!! I really hope you guys love this & gather some inspiration..I mean this was from junk..I'm still amazed a bit. Let me know what you think of this project below!:)

Have a lovely Wednesday friends!

***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, April 25, 2016

{ Farmhouse & Kitchen Counter Decor Ideas & Tips.. }

Oh Monday....you were brutal to me ha. I hope you guys had a lovely Monday & start to the week!! So before I get started with today's post I'm going to be honest ..it's going to be a short one. I was walking up the stairs with some laundry & smashed my right hand into the door-fold. I now am the proud owner of my very own Mickey Mouse hand oh & my husband smashed his index nail off today - HAPPY MONDAY FOLKS eek!... Okay, back to the post..so I've noticed not only in this blogging world, but friends / family etc.. having trouble in a spot I would never think to blog/ talk about..the kitchen counter!! It's one of those spaces that you want to keep minimal with the decor, but also cute still right?! I came up with some simple cottage & farmhouse decor to display that doubles as useful items/ goods to have out.

I like to keep things fresh looking on the counter, but also items that I will use or use on a daily basis. Yes, some of the goods are just for looks like the flowers, but most of the stuff I have on the counters are used daily. I even use that vintage watering can that is on display with the silver cake stand. The watering can holds all our soaps & sinks stuff. The mason jar lamp is used every night, but also doubles for that cozy cottage vibe. The cutting board is used a lot & the candle I like to have my the sink because lets be honest it's a s i n k...

This "General Store Sign" was a DIY --> DIY SIGN

The doggies may have gotten those cookies....;) . Tea towels are another item to dress up the counters & are also useful. These neutral striped ones are from +IKEA USA as well as these little springy mugs.

I've been collecting crocks for sometimes now & I've started collecting the mini sets too..These like a lot of the counter decor are used & not just for looks. They're used for honey, soups etc.. The bread box { Search under -Popular Posts - for the tutorial } is another example of farmhouse decor on the counter, but in our case it's used!! Mason jars are that staple item that display nicely & can be used so broadly & on the cheap!!

There are pieces like these faux ceramic eggs from +Hobby Lobby that I just use as decor. I like using items to display that you would naturally see on the kitchen counter.. I mean obviously not all of it, but I try to keep it simple & functional.

The butter dish is from +HomeGoods & the rolling pin is vintage.

I hope this post was helpful in decorating your counters. With a few simple goods it can look fresh & clean, yet still cozy! I hope you all have a lovely Tuesday..I'm off to ice my hand.

***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