Browsing Category

Decorating

5 In Decorating/ Make Something/ Makeover

Sap Bucket Makeover

We live in Atlantic Canada and Maple Syrup is a huge part our of culture, right?  I love me some maple syrup and the old sap buckets are plentiful and so handy!  

I’m excited to announce a new partnership happening here on the blog with one of my favourite stores – Phillips & Chestnut!  I love what Rosemary and Steve are doing in their store – the salvage products, the paint, the classes and the knowledge they share – so I’m thrilled to bits about this!  And I hope you are ready for lots of creative projects, too!  I’ve worked with them in the past on a few classes and projects, which you can read about HERE and HERE.  Plus, I toured their barn HERE and showed you want I took home HERE and a quick store tour HERE.

So, the first partnership project is showcasing a sap bucket but it isn’t so much about the sap bucket as the decoration ON the sap bucket.  But, I’m getting ahead of myself here, already!  I’m just too excited….

First things first – I painted the bucket.  I did zero prep, no washing, no sanding, no bonding agent in my paint. I like low/no prep projects like this! If the paint chipped in places, I was good with that.  I used Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint in Mustard Seed Yellow, I thought about Farmhouse White but I did my test piece in that but I like colour, so I went with yellow, instead.

I wanted to try out the transfers on something that didn’t matter if I screwed it up, so I grabbed a flowerpot I had painted a thick, chunky layer of paint on and very easily rubbed the transfer on with no problem.  I actually cut it into sections so that I could easily get it to fit on the flowerpot. And I have to say how much I love how it turned out!

Then it was time for the transfer on the sap bucket.  These are something new that Phillips & Chestnut have started carrying from Iron Orchid Designs, but they remind me of scrapbooking supplies I had years ago.  You can check out them out HERE to see the complete line of their Decor Transfers.

I didn’t seal it before I applied the transfer.  I wanted to be sure the transfer was going to stick.  I just put my two coats of paint on and gave it a light sanding and wiped all the dust off. Then came the fun part, rubbing the transfer on.  I positioned the transfer and grabbed the handy dandy little stick they include and rubbed the image onto the sap bucket.  It’s so easy.  Just. Don’t. Move. It.  In fact, they recommend taping it down with some low-tack painters tape. I couldn’t find my painters tape so I used some washi tape instead 😉

There, it’s done!  You could seal it with a wax or sealer that doesn’t have harsh chemicals in it but, I’m ok with wear and tear on a project like this.

These sap buckets are great for decorating inside and out year round.  Pop some fresh flowers or blooming branches in for Spring.  They’re great for keeping some drinks on ice for summer time and in the fall, fill it to the brim with some gourds.  I love filling mine with different seasonal goodies and putting it on display.

All the products I used for this project are available at Phillips and Chestnut.  You know I love using Milk Paint, I enjoy the process of mixing my paint and the easy application of it, and they carry the complete line of Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint.  The Iron Orchid Designs products are something new that they started carrying and I’m thrilled to be able to showcase them.  I received some of these products from them at no charge so I could demonstrate them for you but my take on the products is just that.  I’m already working on the next project! So stay tuned…

To be continued,

Lori

 

 

1 In Clear Day Farm/ Decorating

A Thing for House Plants

Have you heard I like houseplants?  Have you been hanging around here long enough to have picked up on that?  It’s true, in fact, so true that I’d almost say I have a problem.

So, at last count, I have 32 houseplants.  When I say that out loud, it sounds crazy.  But when I look around my house, I don’t feel like it’s over run with plants.  Now, granted, the other house occupants may have something different to say on that matter!  I even have one in the studio and on my desk at work that aren’t even included in that number!

I’ve always had houseplants.  I grew up in a house with houseplants.  My friends’ parents and grandparents had houseplants.  I’m not sure if that is a Dutch culture thing or not, but it was just how it was.  So, having plants was normal and just part of life.

I had a lot of plants when we lived in our first home.  I recall one large tree-type plant in our living room that a certain little girl loved to get into, even though she knew better.  And we moved them to each of our houses with us.  But when the second little girlie arrived on the scene, life got a whole lot more crazy and I had a hard time keeping the plants alive and the children tended to, so I let a lot of the plants go…or they simply died of neglect.  But the kids are healthy 😉

When we moved into our current home, I started to build up my collection again.  I figured I had the girls established enough that they could fend for themselves a bit more 😉  And then, before I knew it, I had 32 plants.  You know how it is, right?  You grab one here at the grocery store, a friend gives you a cutting from that one, your neighbour offers you some and that one needs to be divided and then you have 30 plus plants before you know it.

So, to be clear, plants still die on me.  I can’t do orchids…sorry, Heather, the one you gave me lasted over a year, though… Succulents never survive long…I am trying again and some of them look healthy enough and seem to shoot out little baby succulents like crazy so I divide them up and hope for the best.  And don’t even ask about the plants that I have in planters outside…they have to be ‘survival of the fittest’ all summer so by fall they are pretty much a dried up skeleton in a pot.

But how do I keep them alive?  Mondays I water.  Simple.  Occasionally I will empty a half full glass of water in one so not to waste water.  And sometimes, I fertilize them.  I recently posted on Instagram about my fetish for houseplants and someone { Thanks, Heather!! } let me know that they really only need fertilizer in the Spring and Fall.  So, that makes it even easier!  And I repot them from time to time, too.  But, honestly, there’s no rhyme or reason to how I know when it’s time….usually when the roots are growing out the bottom of the pot…but then again, I know some like to be pot-bound, too….so…really, it’s a gamble.

I’m no plant expert, by any means, but I think part of my apparent success with house plants is that the ones I keep are hardy species.  I don’t have anything that is super demanding or has finicky needs, they’ve all long died off. Basically I water them and they make it look like I have a green thumb!

I love what the plants do for the feeling of our home.  It’s cozier and has a real lived-in feel and it reminds me of my childhood.  And the best part is that I’m passing this onto my girls!  We hit up an awesome new store in New Glasgow called Forge { if you are in the area, I highly recommend that you check them out!!  And tell them Lori sent you! 😉 } and the girls each picked out a plant to take home!  Lena picked out a Venus Fly Trap and Hannah picked out a cactus – see we’ll see how this goes and how long they survive!

So, tell me, do you have plants?  Are they thriving or merely surviving?  Any favourite kinds?  What great tips can you share on keeping them healthy?

To be continued,

Lori

8 In Clear Day Farm/ Decorating

IKEA & Farmhouse Style, You Say?

Farmhouse and IKEA aren’t two styles that you would think work together.  With our new IKEA that recently opened in Halifax, everyone is pretty excited!  So I thought I’d take you on an IKEA tour of our home to show you ways to combine the clean lined look IKEA is known for with my farmhouse style.

It’s always exciting when a new store opens in your area, especially a store like IKEA which is very well-known across the globe.  I’ve been seeing, hearing and talking so much about it that I thought I need to do a post about it and how I work products from this popular home store into our home.

Now, some of these items are no longer available, but I did link to the ones that still are so you can easily shop these pieces if you want!

This shelf has a great back story, well, one I love anyway!  My friend was heading back east for a visit from Ontario and asked, like a true friend does, if there was anything I needed/wanted at IKEA since she was coming my way.  I knew I wanted it, I had my eye on it, she thought I was crazy but now when she sees it, she gets it.  It’s the perfect spot for my collection of vintage pottery and a few other little things.

Something else I aquired at IKEA and use weekly is my watering can!  I can’t even remember how long I’ve had it but it’s perfect for watering my almost 30 houseplants.  And when I’m not using it, I can use it as a vase, too.  What’s not to love about a galvinized watering can, right?

These little buckets are so cute and so handy.  I’ve stored all sorts of things in them, inside and out, from bath toys to bracelets to plants.  I think the ones they currently sell are red { I think I need some, because, well, red…} and silver!  They’d be good for decorating for Christmas, too!

I think everyone and their dog has a Bekvam stool. I know you’ve seen it.  I got mine unfinished and first painted it black and now it’s glossy red.  When the girls were little, they sat at it like a picnic table and watched TV, eating a snack or breakfast.  Now, they are much too big to fit so we use it as a step stool in our kitchen to get to the upper cabinets or as an extra seat at the table.  I love seeing how everyone finishes them so uniquely that I even started a Pinterest board dedicated solely to the Bekvam stool, which you can see HERE.

We were gifted this angel light many years ago and we have used it ever since as a night light.  It’s perfect for taking along for sleepovers, camping trips and overnight stays at hotels.   Somewhere along the way, Hannah claimed it as her own.  I’m not sure if it was meant for Christmas decorations or not, but it’s a great night light for us. { I love how the green arrow is pointing towards the light – I swear I didn’t plan it that way!! }

These Bekvam spice racks shelves make the perfect spot to store all my mason jars of Miss Mustard Seed Milk paint.  I’ve seen them used for so many different things but this works for me.  Easy to put together, fun to paint and perfect for storing all sort sof things.

This bird print was an IKEA housewarming gift and so then I got Ribba frame to put it in for the living room.  Already it’s hung in a few different spots in the living room, too….I guess I like to switch things up!  The stack of birds always makes me smile.

Back in the studio, I have these storage bins that hold my scissors, measuring tape and other little tools that I like to have near by when I’m working at my bench.  Pretty sure these were studio-warming gifts from Dave & Christine…

Everytime I thing I’m nearing the end of my list, I realize I have more….Like my curtain rods in the living room, Hannah’s duvet cover, the rug in front of the washer and dryer and the pillow I just bought…and that was before we even had IKEA here in the province!!  I can’t even imagine how much more I’ll be buying now that we have one!

Now, I have a wishlist of IKEA items, too.  Like I said, I like to switch things up and I have my sights set on the plate wall in my kitchen….and the perfect farmhouse shelf from IKEA….I can’t help it!! Isn’t it perfect?  My birthday is coming, after all…hint, hint, Mr. Byrne!  Plus, as you wander through IKEA, there is always something that you see that ends up coming home with you!  Lena has a little list started, too, which, of course, makes me happy that she is putting thought into her room and what she wants to surround herself with!  So, I think there might be a little refresh happening for her, too.

So, tell me, what IKEA products do you have that you love?

To be continued,

Lori

In Country Life/ Decorating/ Makeover

Home Tour – Airstream Edition

I’m so excited for this tour!  It’s a little unusual but so fun, at the same time!  I mean, how often do you get to tour an Airstream?

This is a tour of an Airstream, yes, but there’s a little more going on.  It’s about connecting with our community and reaching out to strangers.  It’s about going out of our comfort zones and making a new friend as we stood in that Airstream, talking about it, about our families and our lives.  I’m so thankful for the opportunities that having this blog has given me and the new friendships that have developed because of it.  Otherwise, would I have gotten to know Sarah? Who knows! But I’m glad I did!

You see, I didn’t know Sarah, even though she doesn’t live that far from me and our kids go to the same school.  I never met her until one day a couple of years ago when she was picking up her son from the after school program when I was filling in for the regular leader.  I introduced myself but she knew who I was, she follows Farm Fresh.  { That still, to this day, blows my mind, that people know me through this! } So, we would exchange small talk in the halls at school if our paths crossed.  We became FB friends and that’s when I got to see her creative side and that we had something in common – our love for vintage!

When she shared some pictures of her Airstream trailers on FB, I knew I had to ask to do a tour and she was game!  We finally found a time that worked well for both us and we met at her place on a rainy day…so no pictures of the outside!  We chatted while I photographed and then we moved to the rec room above the garage for a cup of coffee and talked for another hour or so.

This Airstream is a 1966 Overland model and they’ve re-done parts of it to make it fresh and safe!  There’s just something about that retro styling that speaks to me!  I love it!  I wish I had one in my yard to re-do, too…except for maybe all the polishing on the outside…

Anyway – here we go with the tour!!!

It’s so cozy and inviting!  I love the little details throughout the trailer.  It’s these little touches that add warmth and personality and make it feel more like home away from home.

This little lion piggy bank was found in a property they owned when they were doing some renos.  It even has old coins in it:

Airstreams are pretty neat and have such retro styling to them, you know when you see one coming!  I love that Sarah is working hard to preserve these amazing pieces of history and keep them alive and well so we can have a glimpse into them…right down to the Airstream towels!

A special thanks to Sarah for letting my come over on a rare day off and photograph this trailer.  It’s fun to offer house tours and make new friends while I’m at it!

To be continued,

Lori

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Country Life/ Decorating

I’m Currently Into….Farm Fresh Version

New blog series alert!!  Once a month, I’m going to share with you some things that I saw out in the big, bad world that caught my eye.  Because if I like it, I’m sure there are other’s who will, too!

I love those light bulb moments.  They can be complete game changers, right?

I had one a few weeks back and I have fellow blogger, Erin, of DIY Passion to thank for it.  As bloggers, we are always looking for things to share with our readers and sometimes its hard to think of ideas for posts.  So, at our last East Coast Media Moms Workshop { which I will share next week so hang tight } we chatted about creating content for our blogs.  And Erin shared one post that she does on a regular basis, and she threw the title, ‘S@*t I Like’ out there and we all drew a collective breath and said, ‘Why didn’t I think of that?’

So, here we go!  I am always loving certain things I come across on social media and feel like saying, ‘Hey, guys, did you see this? How neat is this? Man, I’m totally digging this…’ but I’d look weird doing that sitting at home all by myself.  Instead, I’ll use my voice on the blog over here, where it actually makes sense and doesn’t seem so weird.

This version of ‘I’m Into…’ is brand based, and an easy place to start.  I see Farm Fresh stuff everywhere and I love it, of course!  That’s what I called my blog after all! So, thus this round-up’s theme was decided!  I will include the link on the products so you can hop over and buy it if you feel so inclined, if there’s the purchase option available.  Now, to be clear, I’m not making anything off this and if that ever changes, I’ll be sure to alert you so things stay transparent over here.

Here we go!!

How adorable is this print?  I love the idea of kids running around in the yard, living the farm life!  You can see the Etsy listing HERE. (Photo from the Etsy listing) And chippy blue chairs for the win, right?

I follow this fabulous account on Instagram called Vintage North and they sell modern farmhouse accessories here in Canada! Loving this tea towel with the classic animal stack in my favourite colour!  You can follow them on Instagram HERE and shop this tea towel HERE. (Photo from their listing)

Umm, so yeah, I want this.  How cute would that be set up at my Homegrown Vintage Market? Or at the end of our driveway selling extra garden produce?  So who has an old truck bed they want to be rid of?  I have seen this image floating around the internet for a bit now and I always love it.  I tried to link back to the original post, but I couldn’t…so the source is Pinterest – you know, where all great ideas come from!

And one last final item that I created myself in my studio.  Farm Fresh Eggs anyone?  This little number is actually for sale.  I thought I’d offer him up here, although I’m trying to compile work for the Homegrown Vintage Market that’s coming up on August 5th.  The wood is from a local barn and then stenciled and hemp oiled to bring out the colours and richness of the aged wood.  $28 plus shipping, if you’re interested.

Well, I hope you enjoyed this round up of Farm Fresh related items.  I think I’ll probably aim to do this once a month and center it around a theme each time.  If there’s a certain theme you’d like me to explore, leave a comment on this post!

To be continued,

Lori