Okio B Designs

Super excited by this morning's Goodwill finds. The last few times I've gone, I've come out empty-handed. Not today!

Excuse the photos. It's a dark, dreary, COLD day here yet again. Anywho, how cute is the little lantern? It was half price so it was 85 cents. The beeswax candle is getting tossed; I just wanted the little crate. The metal urn will be first up in the makeover department.

I love this little flower basket. I'll be ditching the flowers though and keeping the basket.

This tall candlestick is definitely getting a chalk paint makeover and probably a Frenchy touch or two.

My favorite piece is this hand mirror. It's actually missing the mirror.

But that's fine by me! I'm thinking of adding a Marie Antoinette image or Victorian lady with some bling.

Not a bad haul for $18 total!

Jeanine

6 comments

You've probably seen these all over Pinterest. I, myself, have pinned them a few times. I love the look and since I always have a nice stash of Ball mason jars lying around, I figured I would make some too!

I only have three ASCP colors: Old White, Louis Blue and Antoinette. Lucky for me they look gorgeous together!

I only gave them a coat each of the chalk paint because I find it to be rather thick.

Once they were dried, I used sandpaper to shabby them up a bit.

I love, love, love how they turned out! I'm going to use mine with some LED candles.

Jeanine

7 comments

Just a quick project. A small bucket of starfish for my beachy-themed porch.

I used some decal paper to add my starfish images (from Etsy) to my bucket which I believe I got at Target a few summers ago.

There are some sand dollars tucked in there as well.

Dreaming of beachy weather. It's almost here! Total cost: $0 as I had everything I needed. I'm still have $90 left for my beach makeover budget.

Jeanine

5 comments

Remember I said I had another little Ikea pitcher that I was planning to jazz up? Here it is in all of its Spring glory - flowers and all!

I used this great image from the Graphics Fairy and some more of my waterslide decal paper (buy it from eBay!).

My daffodils were starting to tip over so I snipped the ones that were leaning on the ground and added them.

Love the yellow with the off-white and black lettering. Definitely screams Spring to me!

Jeanine

No comments

Haven't had too much time for crafting/blogging over the last few days. My hubby's been in the hospital since Friday night. Sigh! I was able to makeover this little porch table Friday afternoon and take pics of it this morning. Here's the before:

Yuck! Not even sure how to describe the previous color other than to say "U-G-L-Y, you don't need no alibi, you ugly!" And here it is after a few coats of ASCP in Louis Blue:

Love, love, love it now! Works so much better for my porch beach theme now. Did I ever tell you I paid $7 for the table at a garage sale like 5 years ago?!

And I'm happy to report that my Dad is working on making a wood whale for me like the one I previously posted about. Thanks Dad!

One more peek. Love the shade so much that I'm going to use it on a corner cabinet in our diningroom too! Wish me luck on that job. I've never painted anything bigger than a chair. Doh!

Jeanine

1 comments

I must have over 20 recipe books in my house. Sad part is, I hardly ever use them. Each book seems to be filled with recipes we ripped out of magazines, printed off the computer, etc. And now with Pinterest, I have a hundred or more recipes bookmarked on my computer. I needed an easier way to keep our favorite recipes handy without having to dig through piles of pages.

I used some off-white cardstock to make these quick - and handy! - recipe cards.

I used DaFont to add the word recipe into a simple Word document. Then I just added some lines and printed out onto my cardstock. I cut each to my desired size, and added some Frenchy stamps to each side. Pretty easy right?

What I think is my genius moment, is adding the metal ring. With the metal ring, I can easily hang it in the kitchen for when I need it, and I can add more recipes when I have the time.

It's less bulky and a quick grab for when I don't want to spend time flipping through all of those recipe books.

Linking to French Country Cottage: Feathered Nest Friday.

Jeanine

8 comments

I've had this pitcher from Ikea for a few years now. Last year, I added a coffee label to it using Mod Podge. Unfortunately, it started to peel off. Can't have that, now can we? So yesterday, I gave it a new Frenchy makeover using waterslide decal paper.

I have to say this is one of my favorite Frenchy images. It's making the rounds on Pinterest so be sure to download it when you can!

I simply printed the image onto the decal paper. Then I give it a couple of coats of clear spray paint so the image wouldn't run. Once that is dry, you add it to a bowl of water and within minutes the decal separates from the paper and it can be placed on your item.

What I love the best about decal paper is that the image looks almost painted on depending upon the surface. For the pitcher, my husband had to do a double-take because he thought it was indeed painted on (as if I could paint that well!).

I have another pitcher in the works (also from Ikea). Meanwhile, I'm running low on my decal paper so I'll be ordering more through eBay.

Linking to French Country Cottage: Feathered Nest Friday.

Jeanine

7 comments

We spend a lot of time on our porch in the summer. This year, I wanted to give it more of a beachy theme...for not a lot of money. I'm giving myself a $100 budget to work with. Here's what we have so far.

This boat oar is from Home Goods. I bought two of them a couple of years ago. They've been hanging by our garage/patio area. Total cost: $0 as I already had it.

This lanterns are from the Pottery Barn outlet. I picked them up about 5 years ago. Again moved them from the backyard to the porch. They need to be cleaned up a bit and candles added. $0.

Nevermind this table. It's getting an ASCP makeover this week. I just ordered Louis Blue which I think will look pretty and work for a beach theme. The lantern/starfish/candle - already had. The sea urchin was blue but I gave it a fresh coat of red paint. $0 for that too. The seahorse is from the Christmas Tree Shops. I spent $9.99 for it. Down to $90 now.

Starfish also from the Christmas Tree Shops - from 2 years ago. Need some freshing up. Now here's what I want:

From FolkyBirdSandFish.etsy.com. It's $34 but I'm trying to talk my Dad into making a wood whale for me.

This cute crab pillow is from FrenchCountryDesign.etsy.com. I believe it's $15.

Another fab pillow. This one is from White Apple Designs. In the $15 range as well.

Doorstop from NextDoortoHeaven.etsy.com. It's $10 and I love, love, love it!

Wish me luck as this will likely be a long work in progress given my budget.

Jeanine

4 comments

Happy Saturday! Hope your weekend is off to a great start! The sun is shining, the birds are singing and I was able to get some painting done.

This little tool carrier is from Michael's. I bought it a couple of years ago. It originally said blossom. Sadly, it got a little dingy over the years so I gave it a fresh coat of paint yesterday.

Since I painted over the blossom, I added two chalkpaper tags - one on each side. I used my Cricut and a roll of chalkpaper. Quick and easy!

I added a painted book I did (more in the works!) with some vintage French poetry pages, some painted peat pots and an embellished bottle I've posted about before.

The sides were missing a little something, so I added this great grain image from The Graphics Fairy. It's one of my favorites. I've used it on tea towels and a few other projects.

I printed the image out onto waterslide decal paper and gave it a few coats of clear spray paint to seal the image. Within a few minutes, I dunked it in water and peeled off my labels to put on each side.

The best part about this project? I had everything I needed! Some of you have inquired about the decal paper. I bought mine off of eBay for about $9 for 10 sheets. Believe me, it's worth it!

Linking to: The Graphics Fairy: Brag Monday and Between Naps on the Porch: Met Monday.

Jeanine

8 comments

It seems the taste of Spring we had a few days ago was to be short-lived. We're back to freezing cold temperatures which means I've essentially been trapped in the house. I dipped into my French paper stash and made some new pieces to keep from crawling the walls.

Bundles and bundles of vintage French poetry pages.

My camera hates these cold, dreary days as well. Can never get any good light. Sigh!

French paper votive.

Burlap and lace. One of my favorite combinations.

Rolled up French paper and some bling.

Fingers crossed this weekend won't be a bust.

Linking to French Country Cottage: Feathered Nest Friday.

Jeanine

3 comments

A few days ago, my husband finally re-painted our bedroom. The wall color had gotten dirty since it was first painted almost 12 years ago! And let's not forget all the holes from hanging various pictures and such. I'm keeping it simple this time around.

These are some before photos. Ick!

See the dirt and spackle spots? Double ick.

Not pretty by any means. And here are some afters:

Clean and simple. I was going for a Pottery Barn-look with the solo wood shelf. It was originally black but I gave it a chalk paint makeover.

I told you I had A LOT of dress forms about the house! By the way, the shelf isn't crooked; I am!

My favorite pillows.

We still have to work on the floors and molding but at least the room is painted. It only took over a year - lol!

Jeanine

4 comments

The winner of my Stampin' Up giveaway is fellow Long Island gal, Susan from Homeroad!

Susan, I'll be in touch for your address. Congrats!

Jeanine

No comments

**You still have time to enter my Stampin' Up giveaway!**

I've had this vintage high chair for a few years now. It was a garage sale find ($5) but I could never seem to find a permanent home for it. I gave it a chalk paint makeover yesterday.

Of course, I forgot to take before photos. The color was something I would compare to a poopie brown. Not pretty by any means. I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Antoinette so now it's a charming, soft pink.

I wanted to give it a French touch so I used this great image from The Graphics Fairy. I didn't feel like stenciling or using transfer paper, so I broke out my waterslide decal paper (find it on eBay). I printed it, sealed it with clear spray paint and then put it smack dab in the middle of the seat.

For now, it's in the tearoom. I think that will be its permanent home!

Linking to The Graphics Fairy: Brag Monday and Between Naps on the Porch: Met Monday.

Jeanine