Okio B Designs

I'm a bit obsessed with making these little French apothecary bottles.  I love browsing The Graphics Fairy and then picking out which images I think would look lovely on each front.  The trick is finding an image that won't look distorted or out of place because to fit these little guys to the front of each bottle, you have to print wallet size!
I got some new seam binding on Friday so I got busy tea-staining it just for this batch of bottles. 
Add some matching rhinestones and you've got a pretty little present for perhaps a teacher or for a house-warming gift.
Linking to The Graphics Fairy: Brag Monday and Between Naps on the Porch: Met Monday.
Jeanine

Woo hoo!  I'm so excited to share this morning's garage sale finds.  I did really, really well.  I'm still giddy!  Now without further ado...check out this gorgeous old desk:
Can you guess how much?  I almost fell over when the gentleman said $10.  Mine!
Then I got the old laundry ringer.  Not sure where I'm going to put it yet but for $10 it was another steal.  Mine again!
This lovely Americana chalkboard was $2. 
I also picked up vintage sheet music: $5 for a lot of 3. 
And then some random pieces.  I already have a little red toolbox that we're using as a planter but this one is in phenomenal shape.  I couldn't resist the Victorian ladies fan and the old shoe will be perfect as a door stop!

How did you do this weekend?

Jeanine

I got this little doll chair last weekend in Virginia while visiting my sister.  At first I thought it would make for a good naughty or time-out chair for my boys, but then I decided to give it a French-y makeover instead.  The boys were definitely relieved!

I gave it a few coats of white spray paint.  Then I sanded some random edges to give it a shabby look.  I printed off my image from The Graphics Fairy, distressed the edges and mod podged that to the front.  Still missing something.  That's when I added the skeleton key coffee tag with some twine.

Still trying to decide where to put it but I do love my new little chair!

Linking to The Shabby Nest: Frugal Friday and Funky Junk Interiors: SNS.

Jeanine

A little self-promotion here!  Or check it out below:

(Not So) Extreme Makeover Keep up with the Joneses, without spending like them

by Trae Bodge
Are you struggling to compete with your neighbors? Is your block overrun with construction crews who seem to be making endless tweaks to nearby homes? Not all of us can afford the latest and greatest in home design. In this tough economy we have to prioritize, so our non-urgent home updates have fallen to the bottom of the list. But never fear! We polled the experts and came up with some great suggestions for those of us on a budget.

Kitchen Cabinets
The kitchen is often the showpiece of a home, so it’s a great place to start. Home staging expert Hadas Dembo, of Mise en Scène Design in New York City, offers the following advice: “People don’t realize that kitchen cabinets are simply boxes with doors. There’s no need for a gut renovation: Your kitchen can look like it’s had a complete makeover by just switching out the front faces. IKEA is a good resource for this. To complete the look, Restoration Hardware sells great cabinet pulls inspired by designer brands at a fraction of the cost.”

Bathroom Grout
Dembo also offers a helpful suggestion for bringing back the sparkle to a bathroom. “If your bathroom tiles are looking grim, chances are it’s the grout that’s really the problem. Try using a grout coating such as Tile Guard. It restores grout lines to white and polishes the tile at the same time.”
I’ve had personal success with this!
Decorative Accents
Interior designer Robin Baron, the president of Robin Baron Design in New York City, says that adding a splash of color can make all the difference. “Oftentimes, it’s a room’s accent colors that make the biggest impression,” she says. “To reinvigorate a tired space, switch out old accessories with those in a new, bold color. Start with the room’s existing color scheme and define a complementary color or a color combination that you’ve admired elsewhere. Take a color swatch and jump around town from Target to HomeGoods to secondhand stores searching for accent pillows, vases, bowls, and other accessories in interesting shapes and textures. In just one afternoon you can change the whole look and feel of a room without spending loads of money!”

Sofa Update
Jeanine Boiko from OneCheapB*tch, a craft and thrift-related blog, weighs in on one of the largest and most prominent pieces of furniture in the home: the sofa. “So your next-door neighbor got the latest Pottery Barn couch? Don’t get green with envy, beat them at their own game! So what if you can’t splurge on a new couch? Making over the one you have is relatively easy. In a word: slipcovers. Check out stores like Ikea, which offers inexpensive options in pretty patterns that will leave your old couch looking brand-spanking new. Throw pillows are another way to dress it up. Artisan sites like Etsy.com offer a ton of affordable pillow slips in all shapes, sizes, colors, and themes. When you find some you like, head on over to a craft store such as Michael’s for inexpensive pillow inserts.”

Outside
Realtor Gianna Botbyl, a star agent in Montclair, NJ, emphasizes the importance of grooming the home’s exterior. The Joneses are likely spending a fortune on landscaping, but we shouldn’t be intimidated. “In summer, a little landscaping and trimming goes a long way, as does healthy green grass,” she says. “In winter, make sure to removed any dead leaves, especially in the front and keep your walks clear of snow. These simple things give polish to any home.”

Tell us what budget-friendly ideas you’ve come up with to freshen up the look of your home.
Photo credit: Hadas Dembo, Mise en Scene Design, NYC

For someone who has never been to Paris, I sure have an obsession with French pastries.  I seem to be drawn to anything and everything that shows even so much as a croissant!  Case in point, I bought some lovely French images off of Etsy earlier this week - including this pastry image:
I knew it would look yummy on a little metal tin.  How do you like my pink cherry on top?  I'll admit, it took a lot of effort trying to get the image centered using my Cricut.  I think this is the closest I can get.  Oh well, c'est la vie! 
This one features random French script.  I filled each tin with sheet music crown confetti.  Both are available in my Etsy shop - although I did keep a set for myself!  How could I resist?!

Linking to The French Cupboard.

Jeanine

**Don't forget to enter my giveaway!  Enter here and find the details here.**

I got these scented candles from the dollar store awhile ago.  I didn't have a clear idea in my mind on what I was going to do with them so they sat and sat and sat.  Until today.
I printed out a wallet size version of this fabulous French label from The Graphics Fairy.  Distressed the edges a bit on both images.  Then, I rubbed it onto Dots to make stickers.  Then I just peeled and sticked. 

Now I have some lovely French candles that cost $2 to make.  Yay!

Jeanine