DIY REPLACEMENT CUSHION FOR TULIP CHAIR - before and after



The mid-century love has extended to the dining room!  Architect hubby's Christmas present was this vintage tulip-style chair found at a local thrift store for just $60.  Sadly, it was missing it's cushion.  Since I wasn't about to spend more on a replacement cushion from Knoll than I did on the chair itself, I had to DIY this fella.  I even used some of the foam leftover from the DIY Tufted Headboard that I made to save even more on cost.  Which is also why the foam looks kind of lumpy and broken in the pictures, but I promise you, the felt will fix any weird bumps or lumps.

You will need:

1/2 yard of felt in the color of your choice
2' x 1.5' section of 1" foam (or 1' x 1.5' section of 2" foam)
spray adhesive (optional)
piece of paper


EASY DIY MID CENTURY MODERN SUNBURST MIRRORS - under $10


When I married an architect, I had three things come into my life permanently: a cat, a man, and his very, very strong opinion on interior design.  Mid-Century Modern is now king of the house (second to Fritzcatrick, though).  
Unfortunately, it can be expensive to buy authentic pieces from the era and modern reproductions are no bargain either.  That's where these quick-to-make mirrors come in to play.  Unlike their Pier 1 counterparts, these easy-peasy mid-century sunburst mirrors clock in at around $10 a piece.  

FAUX ANTIQUE MERCURY GLASS ORNAMENTS


I love antiques and I love shiny things- what better way to merge the two loves than with faux antique mercury glass!   I've seen other posts on how to create the effect, but they all seemed so complicated and didn't have the authentic look of antique mercury glass.  The secret, I've found, is black spray paint. 


JEWELRY HOLDER FROM A VINTAGE CANDLE HOLDER - repurposed


Ever see those things at thrift stores and you just know that they could have a new life as something else, but you're just not sure what?  This is one of them!  Vintage and antique candleholders find new life as jewelry trees.  They are just as beautiful as something that you might find in an overpriced-yet-fabulous Anthropologie store.

This didn't even require painting!  Hope this can inspire some upcycling creativity in your home!

VINTAGE MID CENTURY CHRISTMAS CARD


Just for you for the holidays!  Just click to download and print this image (inspired by a wonderful vintage card) that I made and use it for your Christmas cards, print it and frame it, or just set it as your desktop background for a bit of cheer.  Just please don't sell it, as I've made it free for everyone.  Merry Christmas!

EASY DIY SILVER MOON PHASE PILLOW - under $5


Nights are beginning to have a chill in them and the moon has been so big and bright these past couple of nights.  I wanted to bring the magic indoors, so I made a moon phase pillow using just a sponge and some paint.  I was quite pleased with how it turned out.


GARLIC CARMELIZED CAULIFLOWER ON THE GRILL


This will make your taste buds sing and dance. Truly.  I can't get enough of this stuff.  The cauliflower gets a little smoky, with a perfectly browned underside that is slightly sweet and crunchy and salty.  The garlic and olive oil just rounds it out nicely.  My mouth is watering.

DIY TISSUE PAPER PINWHEELS - party decor



These beauties are so easy and whimsical, you'll want to throw a party just so that you can make them. Just tissue paper, double-stick tape, and scissors are all that you need.


5 MINUTE BITE-SIZED CAPRESE SALAD


I like caprese salad, but I don't like that it is always served in huge chunks- I wanted something bite-sized that I could eat as a side or on toast as an appetizer.  Because of this, I bring you... easy, fast, and normal-human-bite-sized caprese salad.  Groundbreaking, I know, but sometimes it's nice to have a recipe for even simple things.

QUEEN SIZE TUFTED HEADBOARD - under $60


Oh, the tufting we will do.  I have been wanting a tufted headboard for some time now, but after checking out the hefty price tags that even the lower end versions carry, I decided to do it myself.  I've seen a few other headboard tutorials, but all of them carried a $100+ budget.  So, I set out to craft one- for only $60! The how-to is below.


YOU WILL NEED:(and if you have an aversion to Wal-Mart, which I understand, you can get these things elsewhere but they will be  a bit pricier)
2 twin-sized foam mattress pads (you can use just one if you want it less puffy)- $20
1 queen-sized flat sheet in a color you like- $11
4 packs of plain buttons- $4
1 giant upholstery needle (they are about 5 in. long)- $1
1 spool upholstery thread- $2
1.5 -2" thick batting (3' x 5') $12
2' x 6' 1/2" thick Plywood or particle board- $10

You will also need but likely already have:
A sharp serrated knife
a pair of strong scissors
some spray adhesive or fast-drying glue
a staple gun and staples
a drill an 1/4" drill bit
a square of cardboard approx. 8" x 8"
a pen (multiple colors of pens if you, like me, are prone to mistakes)
about three hour's time


EASY KALE AND SWEET POTATO QUICHE




So tasty and healthy! I had eggs and cheese and wanted to throw in some tasty things that I hadn't before, so I sliced up some sweet potatoes and chopped some kale then baked it up in a flaky pastry shell.

Quiche is so easy to make, once you have the basic recipe idea down, you can mix it up however you like.  They are pretty hard to mess up.

NO-PATTERN EASY TO SEW COMFY ROBE



I have always had so much trouble with patterns; I'm always looking for a way to avoid them.  they are so crunchy and I always rip them and end up with a malformed dress made for someone five sizes smaller than me.  I went to four years of Fashion Design school and I still hate, hate, hate patters.  Consequently, I now give to you an easy step-by-step instruction guide to making a comfy robe- with no pattern. You'll need 1.5 yds. of fabric (more or less if making one for a larger or smaller than average person) and a package of wide bias tape.

EASY BREEZY VELLUM PENNANTS



Mother's Day at my house this year, so I made this little banner to spruce it up. Triangles cut from vellum paper, paper punched, and strung between two paper balls. Just don't use paint on vellum, I've done it before and it curls up like the legs of the wicked witch of the east post-house scrunching. Markers work just fine, though!

This is a great way to liven up a party space quickly and easily- I've used this method many-a-time.  It would be great for weddings, too, with the ethereal and romantic feel of the translucent vellum.

ALPHABET MAGNET LETTERS ALL GROWN UP



Here's an idea that's been on the back burner for awhile. Every time that I see those multi-colored magnetic alphabet letters that were rampant on the refrigerators of our childhood, I want to do something with them. Spray paint always works magic on transforming everyday objects, so I thought I'd introduce it to this one.



First, spread out your colorful little beasties out on some paper with enough room to spray all around the edges.


Paint them up and there you have them! A new bit of interest on your fridge.




HOW TO SAVE BOUQUETS VICTORIAN-STYLE



I wanted to save my wedding bouquet somehow, but it's kind of impractical to have a bunch of decaying flowers just lying around the house, so my amazing and clever mum thought of this idea. It is so delightfully whimsical with a bit of a creepy apothecary vibe. Just lovely.

Hang flowers upside down in a dry, dark place until they are crispy, then carefully slip them into a glass dome (you can get them at hobby lobby and other craft stores). Happy preserving.

NEW TWIST ON THE BLT - Tomato, Prosciutto, and Bean sprouts appetizer



A fancy new way to serve BLT's, including prosciutto, tomato, and bean sprouts! 

I had prosciutto, tomato, and sprouts on hand and from it was born pure delicious appetizer genius. Prosciutto wrapped around a slice of tomato and a bunch of sprouts. Fancy-looking and so delicious!

The the sprouts and tomato is so fresh and crisp and prosciutto wraps it all up in salty goodness. Mmmboy!


DIY Upcycled Matchbook Notepads



I've been seeing these little notepads everywhere and I wanted to try them for myself. This obsession was at it's worst at about the time that I realized that the office I work at throws away a ridiculous amount of cardboard file boxes and large envelopes. End result: cute little notepads made from recycled office materials and decorated with paint, whiteout, and permanent marker.

Just cut out a 3" x 1.5" strip from the thin cardboard.  Fold in at just under half way and fold the other end over.  Cut out a little stack of 1" x 1" papers from scraps.   Slip the paper stack into the small fold side and staple.  You can decorate them with paints or markers.

PAINT-TIPPED WOODEN SPOONS



GINGER LIME STEAMED CHICKEN DUMPLINGS


Fresh ginger, chives, lime zest, minced garlic, and soy sauce combined with chopped chicken and then steamed inside of store-bought wonton wrappers- these only take about twenty minutes total to make and they are so addicting!  These are my go-to dinner when I don't really want to cook and the idea of ordering (another) pizza has my wallet crying and my lovehandles happy.  These are pretty healthy and the chewy texture is oh-so-satisfying.


Time: 20 minutes
Makes: about 20 dumplings
YOU WILL NEED:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, chopped finely
2 cloves minced garlic
1 egg
1/2 tsp. grated lime zest
1/2 tsp. grated ginger
1/8 tsp. pinch of chinese five spice
1/2 tsp. chopped chives
1 tsp. soy sauce


GOOD GOUDA THAT'S GRATE CHEESE



Oh, what a delicious new vice I have... Salty, buttery, savory, little crunchy bits like pecorino- this cheese is so good!

It's 4-year-aged gouda that I bought at  Gateway Market in Des Moines, Iowa and it is so good on or with anything: crumbled on salad, tossed with chopped fresh tomatoes, and especially good just plain. Mmm, I was almost drooling the whole time that I was taking pictures of it.

OIL AND BLUE the store


If you like the blog, you will like the store- click here to be taken to my shop!  I sell handmade and interesting vintage finds to fill your life and living space with good things and happy thoughts.


IOWA- MORE THAN CORN HERE


Oh, prosciutto- if I could eat one thing for the rest of my life, it would be you. La Quercia prosciutto from Norwalk, Iowa is the absolute, absolute best that I've ever had.

I usually get it at Gateway Market in Des Moines, but you can get it in most grocery stores, too. It is so buttery and salty, one piece is never enough. Even the New York Times couldn't help but write an article touting its greatness. If you feel like just nosediving down the rabbit hole to delicious prosciutto-obsessed oblivion, then you should try their Speck- it's glorified prosciutto that's been Applewood Smoked. Bacon, you've met you're match.