Functional Push Pins.

I like it. I don’t like it. 

I want it up. I want it down. 

It motivates me. It irritates me.

The sun is shining. The sun is not shining.

Life changes. I change my mind. Sometimes. A lot. Every day something new inspires me. Colors, People, Quotes, Photos. I needed a way to be able to actually use my bulletin board that I made in yesterday’s post.

Typically I put the bulletin board up, and then I pin some things onto it. And then those same things stay pinned up onto the bulletin board for 3 (or 11) years, while the little things that I use every day stay on the surface of my desk.

What if there was a way to avoid looking lazy improve the functionailty of my bulletin board? When I really thought about it, the reason that I wasn’t using my bulletin board as an organizational piece on a day to day basis was that I was constantly needing to pin up, remove, and repin what I was using.

For example, a paint chip. Found one I love: pin it up. Want to hold it next to something: take it down. Lose the pin. Leave paint chip on the desk. Need to take the paint chip to the fabric store. Can’t find the paint chip.

Example No. 2: Put up a fancy-schmancy quote to inspire me throughout the day or week. Get used to the quote being there. Stop looking at the quote. Stop being inspired. But leave the quote up because if I take it down, it’s going to get lost on my desk and wrinkled. Then I’ll have to throw it away and that will hurt a tree.

Solution: Pins for my bulletin board that are also…CLIPS. I’ll let that sink in for a minute.

Pin once. Clip over and over and over again. Clip several things together. Switch them around.

The best part? NO. PIN. HOLES. *gasp*  So simple to do:

Both from Walmart in the Office Supply aisle. Next to all the cute Post-It Notes. You could use flatter push pins, but I like these.

Glue Gun. You’ll need one. Also found at Walmart. Craft section.



Life changer.

Functionality.

And don’t forget. You’re a Peach.
XOXO,
Abby

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Fabric Covered Bulletin Board

So, here’s the thing:

To a creative person originality is very important. When a creative person comes up with an idea and then suddenly discovers that it wasn’t their own individual idea that they can take credit for entirely, it’s not a good moment. It’s like a HISSY FIT inside the head. “No, Ma’am. I do not think so, Missy! That idea was mine, mine, mine!”

That is exactly what happened to me. At any given time I have several blog posts in progress at the same time. Sometimes there are even snippets of other projects in the background of other projects that I’m posting about. I’ve had this project done entirely (and up on my wall) for weeks now. I’ve even used it as a background for other posts and for some Etsy listings.

That being said, the other night I was browsing Pinterest before bed. I don’t know what it is about scrolling Pinterest on the iPad, but it always lulls me right to sleep. Anywho, suddenly, there it was. My project (this project) done entirely, exactly like mine. Same exact fabric and everything. So ahead of time, if you happen to see a similar exactly the same project on Pinterest, it was not intentional. I did however get inspiration from a Pinterest project, and I want to give that project credit for inspiration here. 

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I’ve mentioned (either here or on our Facebook page) that I’m revamping my office space. Step one for me is organization. I want it to be organized so that it’s not only functional, but also enjoyable.  One of the small things I’ve done is to take a bulletin board that I was already using and make it beautiful and even more useful. Today I’m going to show you the more beautiful part, and tomorrow I’m going to show you the more useful part.

I started with my bulletin board, some spray adhesive, my fabric of choice, my handy-dandy staple gun, and some upholstery tacks.

Next, I cut my fabric to size so that I could wrap it around the edges. I rolled it up, so that after I sprayed the adhesive it would be easier to apply.

Once the fabric was wrapped around to the back, I trimmed off the excess and used my staple gun to attach it to the wood trim in the back.

The last step was to use the upholstery tacks as a finishing touch around the edges. Since they are sharp, they simply push into the cork board. To make this project a super easy snap, below are links to the supplies that I used.

Time to get to work!
XOXO,
Abby
 

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DIY Dry Erase Board & Notepad

Every Friday I find myself under a mountain of paper. The kids come home with folders, newsletters, and graded papers. Add that to the pile of mail, receipts, and lists and the “paper problem” gets quickly out of control. One of my ongoing (and often failed) goals is to keep this pile of papyrus organized and under control. It often feels like as soon as I tame the problem that the cycle begins again.

One thing that has been helping me is our dry erase frame that sits in the kitchen next to the phone. I simply took an old 8×10 table top picture frame and put fabric into it instead of a picture. Add a dry erase marker and  now you have a dry erase board and notepad. Simply write on the glass and wipe it off when you’re done.

I recently used it as a menu board when we had guests for lunch. The frame was originally a dark wood color and I spray painted it celery green.

I made another one using an 11×14 frame. (What was I thinking using a table top frame that big?!) I spray painted the natural oak (90’s oak) a glossy gray color.
Then I added a vintage sugar sack into the frame instead of a fabric scrap. I thought this would work nicely in the kitchen, and would also look nice when nothing was written on the “board.”

Love it with the sugar sack in the frame.
Now when we need to take the grocery list to the store, we simply use our phone to take a picture of the list on the board. No more paper list or forgetting the list! This was my 8 year old’s idea, which I thought was a great one.


The battle of the papers is far from won, but we’re making headway. 
XOXO,

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Spring Wreaths


 I can’t believe it’s been two weeks since I’ve posted! There are several reasons, but the main one is that the flu hit our house hard. The females stayed healthy, while the guys were stuck in bed. Taking care of sick people is a lot of work!

Another reason is that, well, blogging can be hard! Blogging, in itself, can be a full time job. I know that some of the bloggers that inspire me are putting in long hours, and I have an appreciation of that. My brain (and attitude) needed a little break from blogging.

I have been busy, though! Sometimes when I get bogged down by the list of big projects that I need to get done, or the storehouse of furniture in my garage that needs to be refinished, it feels really good to have a project that I can get done from start to finish in a few hours.

I’m ready for spring, can you tell?

Flowers with sparkle, a songbird with her nest, some sweet blue and white baker’s twine. Even on a gray day, this wreath puts a pop of spring in your day!

Here’s a similar version, but in pink. I forgot to get a picture of it after I added the nest and the rhinestones. But you can get the idea.

I thought this one turned out so sweet. The antiqued pearl accents added the perfect touch on the lace ribbon on the left.

Do you know what’s better than burlap????

Colored burlap. True story!

I hope you like them!
XOXO,
Abby
P.S.
If you’re looking for baker’s twine, here is a great set:

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Chevron Chair Makeover in Minutes

Alone in a dark corner, she captured my heart! Isn’t this chair awesome? I paid around $5 for it at an Atlanta Mission thrift store, which I considered a steal!  It’s awfully utilitarian looking, so I imagine it came from either a dinette set, or it was a desk chair. 

The wood was dry as a bone, but I loved the patina and the wear. I decided that all I wanted to do with the wood was to condition it. I’ve used butcher block conditioner before on a previous project, so I knew that it would do the trick.


So I have to say that this is a very easy project that even a beginner DIY’er can do. If you gather your materials ahead of time, this should take less than an hour from start to finish. To remove the cushion from the chair you will need a screwdriver. This is pretty much standard for all chair cushions. Save the screws and set them aside.

Next you’ll need to remove the fabric from the cushion. This will most likely be attached with staples. My tool of choice for doing this is a flat-head screwdriver. Occasionally a set of pliers will be needed to pull a stubborn staple out. Discard the fabric and staples, set the cushion base (wood or mdf) aside. I was all too happy to throw out the nasty Naugahyde covering my chair. Ew.



Now that we’re out with the old, it’s time to bring in the new. I have a piece of cushion foam ready to go.

I simply laid the wood base from the seat onto the foam and traced around it.

I cut it out and was ready to put some fabric back on. A half of a yard of fabric is plenty for a project like this. Here are three different fabrics that I was considering:

All of these fabrics are from Hobby Lobby. Love them! I decided to go with the gray chevron fabric, and saved the other two for future projects.

I used the same method as the foam to cut out my fabric, except it left a wide enough border so that I could wrap it around to the back. Being careful that my fabric was straight, I put one staple in the middle of each side. (Seriously, you NEED a staple gun!) I then began working my way out from each middle to the sides, periodically checking that my fabric wasn’t moving.

Once your fabric is on, reattach the seat to the chair using the screws that you removed at the beginning. And you’re done!

A single chair project is a great first project if you’re interested in reupholstering pieces. Don’t be intimidated; just jump right in. What do you think? Do you like the wood, or would you have painted it?

XOXO,
Abby

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Mason Jar Lamp (You.Can.Do.It.)

Cliche intro:
Getting started is the hardest part.

In this case, it’s true. I’ve had these large Ball mason jars for months and months. I’ve had the lamp shade for almost as long. I’ve had the light kit for weeks. But for some reason I had a mental block on this project, which turned out to be one of the easiest I’ve ever done.

Today was, well strange. Have you ever had one of those kinds of days where you just felt, I don’t know, out of place the whole day? That was my day today. And I needed to feel good about something. That something was this lamp.

So I took my light kit (that I purchased from Lowe’s) up to my closest Home Depot (bad form?) and asked the nearest guy in an orange apron to tell me exactly what I needed. Here’s what you’ll need:

Lamp kit (Lowe’s Home Improvement), a large mason jar (antique store), a drill bit (Home Depot), hammer, screwdriver, lampshade (Cost Plus World Market).

This drill bit is for metal. I’ll go over why metal in just a sec. It’s the right size for the metal piece that connects the lamp socket to the top of the lid. And, for some reason, it’s size really intimidated me.

You may or may not know, but an authentic lid for an antique Ball jar is made of zinc and ceramic. In order to drill through the ceramic glass I would need a different bit. My thought was that if I was going to drill through it and ruin it, why not just break it? So I did. Break it. This is what you’ll need the hammer for. Just give it a light tap, break it, and dump out the glass in the trash. It will leave only the zinc (metal) lid. Which is why I only needed a bit that would drill through metal.

Warning: Chipped Manicure is likely to occur while handling power tools.


After removing the glass, I very easily drilled a hole through the lid. I attached the socket and I was almost done! If you’re wondering, the cord does not go down through the jar and out the bottom. The cord is attached to the socket at the top of the jar. More on this in a sec.

Next, time for the lamp shade. I purchased this burlap lamp shade from Cost Plus World Market. It is the “accent” size. I’ve bought this shade before (see the post on the milk glass lamp), and for some reason the opening for it to fit over the socket is too big. I have a strange and simple solution for that, and it’s called, “Nerf Gun Bullet.”

Remove the end. Cut a slit down one side. Fit  over the opening.

These Nerf gun bullets are easily found, but mostly in piles by the hundreds in my front yard thanks to my boy.

Remember that I mentioned that the cord did not go through the lamp, but is attached to the socket at the top. That comes in handy if you choose to fill your jar with anything, say, wine corks. You could even change it out seasonally. Wouldn’t it look lovely filled with seashells?

Here is the finished product:

I need more wine corks. Who wants to come over and help me with that?

It turns out that the answer to getting this done was asking the right question of my Home Depot guy. Thanks, Home Depot guy. We salute you.

XOXO,
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Basic Tools You’ll Need for Repurposing & Upcycling

I’ve always been fiercely independent. It drives my husband nuts. He is a “helper.” Which is sweet. Really, it is. But I can do it myself, thank you very much. I’m not going to wait for someone to hang the picture frame on the wall when I can do it myself. I think this also shocks the people at my grocery store. I don’t want their help. I don’t want them to unload my cart on to the belt. I don’t want them to push my cart out to my car. It’s not a control thing (NOT.A.WORD.). It’s a “If I can do it myself, why do I need you to do it for me?” thing. Don’t get me wrong; I want to be treated like a lady. And sometimes it is nice to hear the offer to help. But I’m not helpless. Give me a hammer, y’all. I’ll figure it out.

So I have my own tools. They’re pink. I know, I know! But the reason that I like them this color is because I know where my tools are. I can find my hammer very easily. And I certainly see when someone else is using my flat head screwdriver. I do not walk around the garage muttering that “I can’t find anything around here.” I know where my pink stuff is.

I haven’t done any big carpentry projects. And as of right now, I don’t really have a desire to do so. I love repurposing and upcycling things and bringing new life to them. I love taking the slightly broken or no longer wanted and doing something creative with it. There are some tools that I use over and over again in my projects. I thought it might be useful for someone that is thinking about actually making one of those great Pinterest projects, to have a few things on hand that they might need. So here is my list! Enjoy!

A good staple gun. 

We had a staple gun. But it was the cheapest, most basic model that they make. And if that works for you, use it. But as often as I use a staple gun, which is very often, I upgraded to a nicer one that wasn’t going to bruise my hand as badly.

This is the staple gun that I have. I love it. It makes me happy.

Two screwdrivers – a Flat Head and a Phillips. 

You obviously need these for removing and inserting screws. But you’ll use them for a million other things. For example, a flat head screwdriver is a must when removing staples from the bottom of a chair or the back of a picture frame.

Hammer

Oddly, I don’t use the hammer a lot for hammering nails into projects. Can you believe it? But I do end up using it as a tool. I use it a lot to remove nails, or to hang something on the wall.

Pliers

It doesn’t matter to me what kind. I end up using them a lot when taking something apart. If nails or staples get stuck, the pliers are your go-to tool.

 

Measuring tape, stick, wand, ruler

Basically, something to measure with. I have a metal 24″ ruler that I bought years ago for my drafting class in college. I love it because I can cut against it with a box cutter or Xacto knife. I also use a traditional measuring tape.
All of those things can be found in a kit just like this. If you’re a guy reading this, ignore the pink.
Now here are the random other things that I have just found myself using. A lot.
  • High Temp Hot Glue and Gun
  • Elmer’s Glue
  • Clear Strong Craft Glue
  • Wire Cutters
  • Masking Tape
  • Scrapbooking Cutter, Box Cutter, or Xacto knife
  • Basic Painting Supplies

If you have these basic things on hand, you should be prepared for a myriad of Pinterest projects, or perhaps, one that you’ve seen here on Belle & Beau Antiquarian. Hope this was helpful!

XOXO,
Abby

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Playing with the Queen of Hearts

First post of the New Year! I’ve neglected our blog, but for good reason. We’ve been busy getting ready and moving into a new booth at a local antique store, Countryside Antiques. If you’re in metro Atlanta, we hope that you will stop by and check it out. The blog hasn’t been getting any love, but our Facebook page has. If you aren’t a fan yet, pop on over and give us a “like.”

Now that we are all moved in and things have slowed down a bit, I wanted to find a project to share with you. I saw a Valentine’s banner on Pinterest by No Time for Flash Cards that I thought looked cute and SUPER easy. Also, I had been saving a vintage set of playing cards for a project just like this one.

Valentine’s Banner by No Time for Flash Cards

Aren’t these vintage playing cards the neatest thing? The set wasn’t complete, so I was okay with using them for this project. Otherwise, I would have probably saved them and left them in tact.

I gathered the materials that I needed for this project. Since I intended this to be for Valentine’s Day, I only used the hearts. I used black and white baker’s twine (Michael’s), a heart punch, a regular hole punch, some scrapbooking paper, and glue (not pictured.)

I punched two holes in each card so that I could thread the twine through. I made sure to punch the holes in the same spot on every card. In between the cards I glued two hearts, back to back. I did this because I didn’t want to cards to slide around once I hung it up. Because of the twisted nature of the twine, the hearts might flip over, but that doesn’t bother me. Also, I didn’t put the cards in numerical order. I wanted it to look more random and decorative, instead of intentional.

I love how the baker’s twine looks with this! I haven’t decided yet if I will keep this or take it up to our booth.

I’m not quite ready to go all out on the Valentine’s Day decor. I’m kind of enjoying the Christmas chaos being out of the way. I still have a few weeks, though.

Follow Me on PinterestHope you love it!
XOXO,
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Repurposed Window Frames

I’ve been having a great time repurposing some old window frames that were crowding a corner of the garage. In a previous post I showed you how I made the kiddos an advent calendar. I’ve also found some other uses for them.

First, I’ve made a Christmas card holder. How cute is this?! When Christmas is over, remove the cards and use it as an all purpose organzier for the family. Wouldn’t the kids love to see their artwork and spelling tests hung up on this? I think so.

I attached the cards with some small clothes pins. I tried the regular size and they were a little too big to be functional. I think that I will throw these clothes pins into a batch of our vinegar barn wood stain so that they don’t look so bright and brand spankin’ new.

I *love* this as a jewlery organzier. It can hold a ridiculous amount of necklaces and bracelets. For the jewelry I picked up some “S” hooks from good ol’ Home Depot. They are p-e-r-f-e-c-t for hanging your lovely baubles.

Like I said, you can get a ton on this. I just hung a few pieces to show you how it can be used. I love it when things are pretty and functional, too. Makes this girl happy!

Good news! I have been busy, and I’ve made quite a few of these. You know what that means? They are available for purchase. Lucky you. 😉

These are currently for sale in my Etsy shop. You can click on the word Etsy or click on the icon on the top right corner of the page.
XOXO,
Abby
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If You’ve Got It, Flaunt It

I’m in the holiday decorating mood today, but Ken is at work and there is no way that I’m attempting to shop for decorations with the kids in tow. Yesterday I hit up Home Depot with them, and by the time we got home, Mama needed something a whole lot stronger than hot chocolate.

So after scrounging around the house for materials that I already had on hand, I decided to get a little creative.

First I got together some different kinds of ribbon. I already had all of these at the house. On the right is a jute ribbon that I purchased from Save-On-Crafts.com several months ago. The other 5 types were all purchased at Michaels. The burlap style ones (all but the plaid) were purchased within the past 6 weeks. They have wired edges.

Next, I rounded up some containers. I use metal-type buckets for all of the kids birthday parties. I just change out a piece of ribbon on the handle to go with whatever the color/theme is. They’re great for utensils, etc. I also got some of the cuttings from our Christmas tree.

Three of the containers came from Goodwill: the wire egg basket, the fruit orchard basket, and the galvanized pail. The metal pail in the middle of the back row is a 2.5 paint bucket from Home Depot. It’s been a while since I bought it, but I think it was around $2. The oval shaped pail came from Target. It was in the “Dollar Spot” for $2.50.

Finally, I scrounged around and found some things to fill the buckets with.

I decided to start with the galvanized bucket. I layered two of the ribbons around it.

Proof in the background of yesterday’s Home Depot experience. Next I added some Epsom salts and a green tea light candle to a Ball jar. The jar, candle, and some Christmas tree cuttings were all nestled into the bucket. (I ended up not using the candles in the picture. I thought they were a little too big.)

Okay, so next I decided to play with the Home Depot paint bucket. He got two different ribbons layered onto the outside. He also got the same jar and candle routine.

Finally, I decided to use the orchard basket by the front door. I didn’t want to use a candle this time, so I opted to just fill it with tree cuttings.

The moral of the story is, try to use what you already have on hand. If you’ve got it, flaunt it! That’s all for now! I have some other ideas that I’m working on. Stay tuned.

By the way, if you hadn’t heard, our Etsy shop is opened! We are gradually getting lots of vintage, antique, and handmade items listed. Check it out! 🙂

Merry Christmas!
XOXO,
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