[ from free to fab ]

FIRST, thanks everyone for weighing in on my fireplace! It's good to know that we're all on the same page ~ that baby needs a paint job! I think it will make a huge difference in the room and actually make it feel a bit more spacious since it does seem to dominate the room right now.

In the meantime, I've been working on another little project this week. Since we're using our tufted ottoman in the family room, I've been on the hunt for a coffee table for the living room ~ on a budget. I decided to take a peek on Kijiji {Canada's alternative to Craigslist}. And you can't get a better deal than this...

Seriously, a FREE coffee table just waiting to be loved! I know, it wasn't looking too great in the ad but I could see it's potential. I liked the legs, the wicker bottom shelf and the bevelled glass top. 

I decided to give it a new life with Annie Sloan chalk paint. This was the first time using actual chalk paint ~ the last time I made my own {read about it here}. To be honest, it performed very much the same way as the homemade version. I was able to paint the entire table using only one sample pot...

I chose Pure White and got started. I didn't bother to sand ~ I just wiped it down first with a cleaning wipe. Here it is after one coat...

After a second coat, some sanding on the edges and a light coat of wax, it's done!

I love that it's the perfect size for the sofa and the glass top gives it a bit of lightness. The pure white will also look great when I dress the sofa with the white slipcover I made {read about it here}...

Not bad, huh? I'm super thrilled with the results and it was definitely worth the 20 minute drive to pick it up. 

Have you ever scored a freebie and given it new life?

lisa

[ junquestock + celebrity sighting ]

ONE OF MY favourite shops in Muskoka is Simply Cottage and imagine my surprise when I discovered that they had purchased the old Muskoka Foundry building and had taken over the space...

I've always loved their mix of casual cottage furniture and accessories mixed with some quirky found antiques and this space is a feast for the eyes...

The fun thing about the weekend I discovered their new digs, is that they were having Junquestock in the back part of their enormous building...

a live band, a BBQ and all the antique junky goodness you could imagine...

And who happened to be there? Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott!

{oddly, this is the second time we've run into Tori ~ the last time was at the Bellagio in Vegas back in 2004}

Anyway, I could have filled a truck with all the treasures I came across, but unfortunately had to limit any purchases to my luggage allowance. What did I buy?

a cute honey tin...

and a couple of little bottles to add to my collection...

I know, nothing overly exciting! But it was cool to run into a couple of celebs and I can't wait to see what goodies I find there the next time I'm in Muskoka!

lisa

[ from plastic to ceramic ]

EVER WONDER if you can make those typical plastic outdoor planters look a little less plastic?

You can! It's all about the right paint. I've done this before about 10 years ago and that planter held up through many blistering summers and freezing Canadian winters and still looked shiny and new.

I started with this...

Rust paint in a can {last time I used Rustoleum, this time Hammerite in a smooth, glossy finish}.

I simply brushed it on with a foam brush ~ 3 coats, letting it dry outside between coats. No primer or sanding between coats required {this paint is oil based and a bit smelly so make sure you either paint outside or open your windows). It may seem thin on the first coat but don't worry, it will cover beautifully. 3 coats later, it looks just like one of those pretty, shiny ceramic planters.

A perfect solution if you're looking for an inexpensive, lightweight planter that will withstand the elements but still look like a million bucks.

I'm not sure if spray paint would do as good a job ~ all I know is this brush-on rust paint rocks! Happy painting!

lisa

[ from curtain panel to...? ]

OK, I've kept you in suspense long enough. I know you're dying to know what I did with that curtain panel.

Well, I think most of you know that I'm a huge fan of a pretty tunic top. Looks great with white jeans or linen pants in the summer or skinny jeans in the winter. So much cuter and prettier than a t-shirt. I really can't get enough of them.

And so, here it is!

Isn't it cute? I love the casual peasant style of it and it's so comfy...

I wanted to add some beads to the velvet ribbon drawstring just for detail but I didn't have any on hand. Instead, I sewed a button on the front and back of each end and I think it does the trick!

This is the pattern I used for it...

It's a downloadable pdf pattern purchased from Sew Mama Sew. The great thing is you just print out the pages you need for your size, which style of sleeve you want {straight or bell}, tape them together and you're off and running! 

There are cutting lines for various lengths so you can make it as a shirt, tunic or dress. The best part is that it's a very easy pattern - no fussy fitting of sleeves or complicated facings ~ just the way I like it! And when I discovered that a single curtain panel or twin size sheet has just the right amount of fabric, that was even better {saved me a trip to the fabric store}. I love to repurpose things and this worked perfectly. {tip: use a very thin cotton}

So what do you think? A good use of a curtain panel?

lisa

linking to Shabby Creek Cottage Transformation Thursday

Primp Your Stuff Wednesday

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

Somewhat Simple

[ weekending ]

SO WITH my guy back in Canada for a week, I'm having a quiet, relaxing weekend just puttering around.

Yesterday after walking to the Marina Mall, I decided to take a load off and enjoy a ride back on the water bus...

for only 2 dirhams {about 50 cents}, I saved myself a 25 minute walk and enjoyed a 5 minute boat ride from the mall right back to my apartment...

mr. bus driver...

it's fun to see the buildings from the water...

and I'm home...

My guy is enjoying some of the things that we always miss being away from Canada and like the brat that he is, had to email me a pic of his lunch yesterday {one of my favourite things}...

What was I having? Well, I decided to whip up my perfect pasta salad and threw some tuna in it. My guy hates tuna so I had it exactly the way I like it {I'll post the recipe this week}...

I also did a bit of sewing which I haven't done in a while. You'll never guess what I transformed this into...

You'll have to stayed tuned for the reveal {I know, I'm such a tease!}

So, what's your weekend been like?

lisa

[ driftwood inspiration and my project ]

I'VE SEEN some great examples of driftwood mirrors that got me thinking...

...I could make one of those! Of course sourcing any type of DIY craft supplies in Dubai is a challenge ~ no Michaels or JoAnn's or Hobby Lobby or Home Depot or Lowe's or Walmart... and ordering from eBay just wasn't cost-effective ~ but I was up for the challenge!

Well, after seeing the first mirror in Crate and Barrel, I also noticed that they had driftwood garland on clearance. I decided to take a chance on it {I wasn't sure if the drilled holes would be ok or not}. Then off to hunt for a mirror which I found in a clearance bin in another store {it had seen better days!} So for a grand total of about $25, I had what I needed. 

I tried sanding down the mirror a little but that baby was pretty slick. And with its slightly curved surface, I knew that a glue gun probably wouldn't hold it together for very long. Time to call in the big boys...

I covered the mirror with paper to protect the surface, then took apart the garland and sorted out the pieces. Then I just started arranging them around the frame, choosing the flattest ones for the bottom layer...

The tricky thing about Gorilla Glue is that you have to dampen both surfaces, put the glue on sparingly {it expands}, then hold it down for a while until it sets. This was not a quick process but in the end, it's super strong...

Once the base was completely covered, I started nestling in more pieces over top. I decided to use my glue gun to adhere these pieces since they were just bare wood on bare wood...

To finish off the inner edge, I simply glued on two rows of salvaged rope with the glue gun...

and voila! All done!

I'm quite happy with how it turned out and I'm not really bothered by the small holes {a little wood filler could be used to fill them}. Sure, I would have liked a bigger one like the Crate and Barrel version, but my garland didn't have enough really long, flat pieces to make that work {you gotta make do with whatcha got}...

Not quite sure where I'll hang it yet ~ I've got to find a super-strong 3M hook to handle the weight on these concrete walls. Maybe over the bed isn't such a great idea in case it comes crashing down on my head! I'll wait until I can use a nail for that. :)

lisa

[crate and barrel; houzz; completely coastal; decorpad; thewickerhouse]

linking to:

Coastal Charm

Savvy Southern Style