Steampunk Teddy Bear

Yes, I'm one of THOSE people. The weirdies. The geeks. I get INTO things. And one of those things is steampunk! If you haven't heard of steampunk, I don't even know what to say. In fact, I can't even define it. It's a kind of subculture. It involves books, gadgets, cosplay and all manner of steampunkiness. It's like Victorian meets dystopian. Think airships, convoluted weaponry and lots of leather and brass, and you're getting there.
Just Google it.

One of the best things about steampunk (aside from the costumes) is the idea of "steampunking" one's stuff. I did it to my Maverick Nerf gun with fantastic results. And now I bring you...

ACE: The Steampunk Teddy Bear

Ace began life as a Christmas bear. He had a hideous green and red plaid jacket and a bow tie. No. Just no. I found him all lonely and abandoned at Goodwill and decided to give him a makeover. No longer would he be a nerdy bear in a Christmas vest. Now he would be an airship pilot!

This took quite a bit of imagination and work. Let's begin at the beginning, shall we?

First I chopped off Ace's red vest and bowtie and flung them into the aether! Then I spiffed up his features with a brown Sharpie (classy, I know). He got enhanced paws and a nice, big smirk that only a dashing airship captain could pull off.

 

Next, Ace needed some clothes because nudity is frowned upon, even in steampunk. I found a lovely purse at Goodwill that I knew would make the perfect bomber jacket! I chopped it up and put it back together by hand-sewing and also using Super Glue (again, classy). I'm a numpty when it comes to sewing, so the jacket doesn't quite fit.

I also made Ace an aviator hat from some leather scraps I got from a lady behind a shop at a Renaissance faire. (Yes, you read right. Steampunk isn't the only weird thing I like.)

A couple leather belts helped finish off Ace's outfit, along with some various and sundries I had laying around like a tiny key and a chain, a brass button and a scrap of fabric for a scarf.

I purchased a set of charms from Michael's craft store, from which I got the silver wings for Ace's pilot "pin" on his hat. The "compass" is just printed on cardstock and "laminated" with packing tape. (Have I mentioned how classy I am?)

The cooliest part of Ace's ensemble is his steampunk goggles. They're made from more leather belt parts and two rather expensive (almost ten bucks a-piece, for cryin' out loud!) locket pendants. I got these at Michael's, too. They are meant to hold cute little keepsakes on a chain around your neck, but these hinged beauties are simply PERFECT as aviator specs. Moving parts are a MUST in steampunk. :)

The weird thing? Not a gear to be found. Gears are usually steampunk essentials, but I figure I get points for his goggles, so I can totally pass Ace off as a steampunkified teddy bear airship pilot. Don't you think?  ;)

Monogram Pallet Family Name Sign

Monogram Pallet Family Name Sign
You've probably seen these wood pallet family name signs on Pinterest. They've got rustic charm, an adorable little monogrammed letter and make a home look cute as a button. You might have even thought about making one yourself. Here's a step-by-step guide to how I made mine.

1. Find a pallet, tear it apart and put it back together. Only prettier. This is where a hubby who is handy with a saw comes in. Or, if you're a warrior chick, you can try it on your own. All I know is that I say, "Three boards long, about 16 x 16 inches square honey" and it happens! I LOVE that man!

2. Stain your sign. I used a Walnut Minwax stain. Any dark stain would probably do the trick. Let it dry completely. I let mine dry overnight, with a fan blowing on it for part of the time. Just to be safe.

From Amazon

3. Paint one coat of white (or other color) over the stained sign. I go heavier in the middle and leave about an inch border around the edges. Then I wipe some of the paint off my brush for a "dry" brush technique, and I come in from the edges. This gives it a kind of worn look. Let dry. (Again, a fan is handy for this.) It doesn't take very long. Maybe twenty minutes. Have some coffee.

4. Lightly sand the dry paint to let some of the wood show through. This gives your sign even more of that "vintage" look.

5. FUN STUFF. Not really. Okay, I happen to be a graphic design minor, so we have Photoshop on our computer. This is what I used to make my BIG letter "S" and the smaller "The Sanders Family." I created a file that was 16x16 inches (the size of my sign) and used Timmons for my letter "S" and Black Jack for my family name font. I stretched my family name vertically to make it bigger. You can choose whatever fonts work for you. If you don't have Photoshop... which most people probably don't, you can Google how to print a big picture on multiple pages. I found one solution that gets good reviews here.

Find Saral Transfer Paper Here

6. Print the big letter first. To transfer it to the sign, I used Saral transfer paper. I got it on Amazon. It comes in different colors and works like carbon paper. Easy peasy. (If you don't want to use transfer paper, you can color the back of your paper with willow charcoal-Walmart craft section.) I also outlined it in pencil after I transferred it so I wouldn't accidentally wipe it away with my sleeve.

7. Fill in the big letter with paint. I used an acrylic craft paint from Walmart in Pewter Gray. Once it was dry, I sanded it a little to let the wood show through.

8. Finally, it's time for the name. I transferred our family name to the sign and painted it, too, this time in a darker gray color called Pavement. If you have a shaky hand, try using a paint pen (also in Walmart's craft section) to fill in the finer lines. All done!

 

Want to see more wood signs?

Check out these cute Garden Gates made from reclaimed wood!

Duncan Phyfe Table Makeover

So, we are getting ready to put our house on the market. That means we need to do some major cleaning, repairing and PRAYING. It also means the Porch, the place where I paint, hammer, sand, and generally make a big ole mess, needs to be pretty and pristine! So, I told Hubby I was swearing off any more projects until after we move.

Enter Duncan Phyfe table.

So, I'm at a thrift store with my kiddo when I spot it! A gorgeous (and by "gorgeous" I mean scratched up and heaped in a corner) antique table with four chairs. It's a bit pricey, but still a good deal. But then I remember my promise! No more Porch projects! So, I resist. I am so proud of myself. I get a cookie.

Then a week later, I'm at the same thrift store. This time, with Hubby. There's that pretty table and chairs. I wander innocently over and check out the price tag and... holy moly! It's dropped by 20 bucks! I start gesticulating wildly to get Hubby's attention. I'm pretty sure he pretended not to see me. But when I let out a high-pitched squeal he (and everyone else in the store) was forced to look. I did a little happy hop while pointing madly with both hands. Poor hubby. He didn't stand a chance.

"Last one! Promise!" I said as we stuffed the table with its four chairs and four extra leaves into the back of our van.

Deciding how to refinish this bad boy was a real challenge. I gave about five second's thought to sanding it and giving it a drift wood finish (like my OWN dining set). Then I remembered I HATE sanding, and it takes forever, and paint is SOOOOO much easier. So, painting it was!

Next, I thought, "What color? What kind of technique? Do I add words? Do I do some kind of fancy grain sack stripe down the middle?" Then I remembered all that stuff takes TIME. And I needed to get this done double quick if I ever wanted to list our house for sale.

So, I did a layer of Zinsser primer. Then a layer of paint. I don't know what to call this color... so let's call it "antique linen" because that sounds better than "sorta beige." It was leftover from painting some room or other. It's not quite white, but definitely not beige. I hate the sound of that word!

After the coat of antique linen latex paint was dry, I grabbed my sanding block and some fine sandpaper and went over the whole, MASSIVE 8 feet of table. All four leaves. Yep. That puppy got some serious chippy goin on! It's nice because I get the distressed effect, plus the added bonus of the white primer showing through just a bit--gives it dimension.

The chairs got the same treatment along with a new dress to boot! They were an ugly green-rug-from-grandma's-kitchen kind of fabric, and needed something new. This was an ORDEAL. I could NOT decide on fabric. At all. I had a bolt of green with pink flowers in my HAND. Then I spied a pretty patterned fabric in a robins egg blue. The other fabric was a quick-the-fabric-guy-at-Walmart-is-leaving-so-hurry-up-and-choose kind of decision. I bought three fabrics and used two of them. I guess the other one will be a pillow in some future blog post.

All-in-all this was a relatively quick redo--mainly because of necessity and partly because my wrist was giving out and I needed these DONE. Now.
I do LOVE how it all turned out, though.

I'd do it again.

Just don't tell Hubby. ;)

How to Change Your Home to Look Like Your Pinterest Boards

Also, How to Declutter, Lighten & Brighten Your Home.

Also, How to COMPLETELY Change Your Home Decorating Style

 

See if this sounds familiar to you.

 

I was looking at my Pinboards--two in particular. One was titled A Home: Shabby, Vintage & Timeworn. The other was A Farmhouse Home. These boards are where I collect all the photos of homes that I admire. THESE are what I want MY life to BE like!

As I was looking through them, I noticed something. Something disturbing. These photos did not look much like my own home. In fact, my house didn't look like these at all.

Now, I understand that my modest under-100k house is not going to look like a castle or mansion, but a lot of these photos were not unattainable. In fact, a few simple changes, a coat of paint, and I could probably DO this. I was surprised at all the changes that I COULD make... but just never did.

That's when I decided to look up things like, "How to Change Your Decorating Style" and "How to Lighten and Brighten Your Home." While I found a few interesting articles, there really just wasn't much out there. I wanted REAL advice. I wanted BEFORE & AFTER photos of someone who had done this. What I got were lots of text-heavy articles with no proof, no pictures. Or else I got lots of lovely "after" photos without much explanation of how to get there.

That's when I decided to CHANGE things myself... and write about it. And post pictures. You are benefiting from my breakdown. Enjoy!





Find these photos and their links here



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, how DO you turn those pinboards into reality? I began by asking myself a few questions. And I was surprised by the answers.

http://fadedcharmcottage.blogspot.com/2015/02/
sweet-scents-in-bedroom.html

1. Take a look at your favorite pins of rooms you admire. What color are the walls?
In almost all my favorite pins, I was surprised to find the walls were white. Not only the walls, but also the trim around doors and windows. "But I like color!" I said to myself. "I like natural hardwood floors and trim." And yet, all my Pins told another story. Apparently, I like white more than I realized. It makes a nice, neutral backdrop for adding subtle color. It also lightens and brightens a room! Who knew?
 

2. What are 5 features/items that you like about your pin rooms?
These were my answers:
-Textures: stone, worn wood
-Linen - raw, homespun, natural fibers
-Beadboard/Weathered Wood - natural, white and clean
-Light/Airy Feeling - from the walls to the curtains, to the slipcovers.
-Space Open but Cozy - light and airy, but also cozy (not cluttered!) showcasing vintage pieces

Find these photos and their links on my pinboards: https://www.pinterest.com/thegoodvillain/

3. What DON'T you like about your current space? 
For me, this was primarily my dining room. My computer is also in this space, along with six (yes SIX) cupboards. I don't like the clutter (although I love all my knick knacks, but a girl has to choose). I don't like the dark wood floor and trim (but painting isn't an option as we might very soon be moving to another state, and I don't want to put that much work/time/money into it).

My dining room had a LOT of orangy wood in it. Not to mention serious clutter.

4. What DO you like about your current space?
I'd already begun the Great Pinboard Revolution in my dining room. I'd traded out our old, dark wood dining table for a thrift store fixer-upper, which I refinished myself. I'd also painted our walls five different times before settling on a vanilla latte color--it wasn't exactly white, but it was close. Finally, I'd traded in my heavy, dark draperies for sheer whites. (Click here for my post about rag garlands for curtains.) It was a good start, but my work wasn't done yet!



This was my dining room after PHASE 1. I updated the table and cleared some clutter. This was a good look for me, but I had to get rid of that desk and fake tree.

5. Now COMBINE these to make yourself a plan!
So, what can we learn here, kiddos? Apparently, I like white walls and trim. Unfortunately, this isn't an option for me right now, but I CAN bring more white into my space. Also, I like stone and worn wood. I like raw linens, beadboard, a light airy feeling and above all... a clutter-free space.

I took a look around my dining room and made a plan. First, I vowed to eliminate ONE of those SIX cabinets. This would help cut down on clutter. I also vowed to BOX UP some of the stuff in my room. I didn't have to donate it (although I probably should). But I could STORE it in neat little plastic tubs and cycle it out as the year went by, switching out one candlestick for another. You get the idea.

Also, why not paint one or two of those SIX cabinets white? It would add some white to the space, tone down those heavy woods and also lighten and brighten! Sadly, there's not much room for linens in my dining room, so I would need to save those for the living room. I would REALLY love to put up a beadboard celing with some reclaimed wood beams, but time and budget won't allow. Still, I have a plan!

My Plan:
-Declutter. Pack away extra items.
-Eliminate one of those cabinets.
-And paint one or two of them WHITE. I can DO this!

I'm hoping to implement my "plan" after our move. I'm looking forward to that clean slate, and I intend to do things differently this time.

• I vow to take charge of my own space. If I want light, airy, painted wood, then I'm going to GO for it. No more of mom's voice in my ear saying, "You can't paint WOOD!"
• I will remember how I like a few vintage showcase pieces, not eight-million knick knacks cluttering up my house.
• And I won't let myself be lazy and just let a space sort of... happen. I will decide! I can DO this!

So can you.

BEFORE (or actually, mid-makeover).

AFTER (or actually, as much as I can do in my current home).



Vintage elements (not clutter): old suitcase (hiding all my books) and of course, my signature birdcage. ;)



I eliminated a cabinet! I am SO proud of me! I get a cookie.

Things are still a bit cluttered, but one step at a time, right? :)

Want more decorating ideas?

Check out my post on updating your home's style!

 

Media Cabinet Makeover

Even before spring officially arrived, I'd been chomping at the bit wanting to do a new Porch project. I've got a pile of things in the basement, and technically I'm supposed to be stopping the madness to get our house ready to put on the market, but I admit it. I have a problem. I see something cute and I just want to make it cuter!

Like this TV cabinet for example.

I love, love, LOVE curvy little legs and cute little doors with tiny little knobs and well... I saw this baby's potential and wanted to make her SHINE.

My original plan was too ambitious for hubby. I wanted to gut this cabinet and add barnboard shelves and a beadboard back, but it wasn't to be. Hubby is maxed out with his own work at the moment, so I had to settle for what I could do on my own, mainly painting.

So, I started with Zinsser primer. It sticks to everything and is essential if you don't want to sand. Next came a couple layers of a country white latex paint. After that, I scraped and sanded away at the edges to give this cabinet a chippy, vintage look. Finally, I brushed on a walnut stain/sealer and wiped it off with a cotton rag.

Actually, it was hubby's shirt. If you're going to steal a cotton shirt out of your husband's drawer and use it for staining furniture, I highly recommend doing it when he's at work. Fighting is bad for a marriage, so let's just avoid it.

This little lady is still drying, but I'm hoping to get her out onto the Porch and take some nice photos with a little natural light to really show her off!