Okio B Designs: April 2014

...Toilet tank. Yes, I'm posting about adding some pretty to our toilet tank. We only have one bathroom in our four bedroom cape, and to call it outdated would be an understatement. I like to say it's retro, but I'm also the first to admit, it's plain ugly. So I dress it up in random spots to take away from the ugly.

I was flipping through an old issue of Country Living when I saw an apothecary jar filled with soaps. That got the wheels turning. (Ugly alert: check out the circa 1950s pink tiles - yuck!)

I usually have an upcycled wood tote filled with French goodies on the tank. It's been a safe choice considering we have two boys under 9 in the house. I know I'm pushing the envelope adding glass pieces, but they promised to be careful.

A small jar filled with some of my Paris and Marie Antoinette clothes pins.

This jar is filled with some scented egg soaps. I take it out every Easter. Since it fit with the glass theme, I added it to the tank too.

Overall, I'm happy with the look. I'm sure it will change with a moment's notice should the hubby have to get into the tank. Until then, I'll enjoy my new touches in our one and only ~~ugly~~ bathroom.

Jeanine

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I spied this pretty idea for candlesticks on Pinterest last week.

I had a few wooden ones I painted a couple of years ago lurking about so I decided to give this idea a go. Here's my version:

I had a set of aqua and pink ones candlesticks. I decided to go with the aqua ones first. The tins are actually Xmas ornaments from Ikea. I love how they look vintage. Of course now it hits me that I probably could have aged them a bit using vinegar and salt. Oh well, next pair!

I simply hot-glued them to the top of each stick. Add two votives and seriously, you are done in like 5 minutes.

I'm sure it helped that mine were painted already. Super cute to use for summer entertaining or a quick gift idea, don't you think?

Jeanine

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I was so thrilled to stop by the grand opening of Suite Pieces in Huntington, NY today. The thought of all the vintage goodness to be found AND the thought of meeting Susan from Homeroad had me giddy like a school girl this morning.

I was so excited when Susan started blogging about opening a booth in this lovely space. Ready to go in?

This is one of the first spaces you see when coming in. Their vintage aprons were super cute and only $12. Since I'm not quite the apron-wearing girl, I did not get one. Who knows, I might next time!

This space had a bowl filled with vintage buttons. No Paris ones much to my chagrin.

Hands down, my favorite space - Susan's!

She is as sweet in person as she is on her blog! Cute blouse I might add! P.S. Our selfie came out too dark. =(

Another great space.

Beautifully wrapped bar soaps.

I love me some creepy doll heads!

Susan and I were both swooning over this simple, pendant banner by another booth owner. Love the keys.

Need some Annie Sloan chalk paint?! I came home with two small sizes for future projects. I also snagged:

The pitcher was $20 with half off. Mine! The flower frog was just $8. Mine again. And the pin cushion is from the Homeroad booth. It's going to be a Mother's Day gift for my Mom, who loves to sew. I know she'll love it!

I had such a great time there today and I wish Susan, and all of the booth owners much success!

Jeanine

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I stepped outside of my comfort zone by choosing some new paint colors for our living room and dining room. For the dining room, I chose a sea foam green/blue. The hubby painted it over the weekend.

This is a before and after photo. The yellow was the original color (to the left). We painted both rooms with the yellow and it was/is starting to grate on my nerves.

I like this much, much better!

And another view of the old with the new. The living room is getting a soft gray. Both colors are from Benjamin Moore but I can't recall the names. One is Opaline, I believe. Saw them together in an issue of HGTV magazine and they worked very nicely together.

Hoping my hubby gets to the living room this weekend!

Jeanine

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Remember that birdcage that got a bit icky after being left out all winter? Well, I was able to get in some painting yesterday and here it is now:

It took quite a few coats of paint to cover up the rust, but now it looks fresh and clean again.

The bottom was a bit crusty - even after re-painting it - so I covered that up with some faux moss. The stack of books are vintage bibles I picked up over the years at various garage sales.

The little bird on top is from the Dollar Store. I wish they still sold them because they are adorable!

It's perched right now in the tea room until I find a more permanent home for it.

Jeanine

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Wishing all of my bloggy friends a very happy Easter!

Jeanine

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I've been hoarding glass jars like a squirrel hoards nuts. I had a teeny bit of free time this week to start embellishing some of them.

I started by adding distressed French book paper to each jar. Then I added different rub-on transfer images to the paper.

For this one - which is my favorite! - I also added a strip of burlap and some white twine.

The finishing touch was this lock & safety pin.

I simply wrapped twine around the top of this one. It's all it needed.

I wanted to keep this one feminine and dainty to go with the dress form image, so I added a little bow and some tea-stained seam binding.

Each one is filled with faux moss and some of my French script candles. Simple touches to add about the house.

Jeanine

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We spent much of our weekend, cleaning the yard and taking the boys into Manhattan, so I didn't have time to devote to any projects. And the boys are off from school this week, so I'm sure I'll have even less time for crafting but here are a few things I worked on, picked up and have plans for.

I picked up this pretty spring wreath at a garage sale literally a stone's throw from our house. They had some great vintage seltzer bottles I would have loved to grab but for $28 and $30, I had to pass them up. This wreath was just $2 so I, of course, grabbed it!

This is actually the second time I've made over these candle holders - also a garage sale find (from last year). First I used chalk paint on them and they just sat and sat in our garage. I dusted them off this past week and decided to re-paint them black. I love the design and details, but not sure where to hang them in the house. They might end up in my Etsy shop.

And this is one of my projects for the week. Yet another garage sale find that took a serious beating over the winter. I forgot to take it in and well, you can see what the elements did to it. So it needs a fresh coat of paint and some spring touches.

And for some exciting news: my sister Kathy from Creative Home Expressions has a new weekly blog series called "the Artist Behind the Etsy" and guess who is her first guest?! That's right: me! You can check it out here.

Jeanine

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I picked up a vintage metal bulb planter at a local garage sale last summer. I wanted to give it a quick makeover and a new purpose: a photo holder.

I didn't think to take a before picture - boo! This is a side view so you can see that it is indeed a bulb planter.

I started by giving it a few coats of white spray paint. Once the paint was dry, I used my hot glue gun to add some grungy clips to each side of the tool.

I also added some vintage French book paper to the bottom.

I love that I can hang photos from either side and it's skinny enough to fit on teeny tiny shelves or other spaces.

Jeanine

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I was able to get some spray painting in this weekend. Yay! First up was this bunny that I picked up at a garage sale about a year ago.

I wasn't jazzed about the original coloring so I gave it a quick makeover with a few coats of white spray paint. Here's the after:

I'm loving it much more now! It's amazing what a few coats of paint and some tea-stained seam binding can do.

Fresh, clean and very shabby chic!

And to think she almost ended up in my garage sale pile.

Jeanine

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I stopped into our local thrift store this morning and spent a whopping $2.50. It doesn't seem fair considering the cuteness I found:

Aren't these little wood place setters adorable? I got 6 of them. I originally bought them to redo as shelf sitters but the more I look at them, the more I like them for Easter.

You know me, I never met a Mason jar I didn't like. I also picked up this chipboard star. Not sure what I'm going to do with it yet. Thinking it calls for some vintage sheet music. We shall see.

Not bad for $2.50, right?!

Jeanine