Pottery Barn Lamp Tutorial

I just want to Thank all those gals who follow and support me.
Click on the Big screen TV to enter the give-a-way
The gift change weekly and they are AMAZING.


This is the post I did as a guest post.  I hope you enjoy!!




 I am honored to be here today!

It has been fun getting to know Tiff through blogland and I look forward to getting to know you gals as well.

First off let me tell you a little about moi.

My name is Cheri and I have a fun little blog that I get to meet the nicest people and expel all my craftiness and gather ideas through the parties I have each week.

Where can you find me having all this fun?

Its So Very Cheri    

 

 There are tons of changes and lots of FUN coming up in the next few weeks so stay tuned.

 I am a Home-Schooling Mom to our 2 oldest boys and then we have 2 little ones I get to run after all day.  I am still married to Prince Charming after 20 years of marriage and still crazy in love with him.  My hubby is currently in school so life is ALWAYS busy around here. 

It is most quiet in the house when this is going on:

I am the proud Mama of 3 boys and a little princess

The G-FORCE on Christmas Morning.

G-Force is the kids nickname-each of our kids names start with the letter G.

I have always been a DIY kind of gal.  Prince Charming and I both love photography and have a blog showing off some of our projects, photos and some of my Dad's art work over here: Its So Very Cheri 2

My mom taught us to cook at an early age, and it is a good thing with a family of 6. I love trying new recipes, baking and creating. I love to find ways to save time and money but I don't want it to look like a Discount Bargain--Let's just say I'd like it to look like a Steal rather than a Deal.  I LOVE blogging and have so many plan and goals for my blog.  All of it means a funner place for all of you to come each day.

I have some new parties I am adding very soon, several new projects and fun give-a-ways coming soon. I would love to have you come by and follow along.  I LOVE getting to know new people.

Tiff asked me about doing the blog swap and I knew I had to do a project that would be worthy of appearing on Making the World a little Cuter.

I saw a lamp at a thrift shop and immediately my mind flashed to a post I had done showing some of my favorite things.  

You can find that post right here:

My eclectic decorating style

Here is one of the items I listed from Pottery Barn but the price was more than I was willing to pay.  After all it is a LAMP.  I just can't see a need to pay so much for items. I have plenty of other places my money can go.

Isn't it so cute?  

I just loved it, so I drooled all over the computer and that is never good if you want to keep your computer from shorting out.  

So when I saw this lamp I had to get it. 

 (Look past the fact that the lamp shade is not the right size.)

It was a mirrored glass lamp.  A lady commented on how cute it was and what a great find.  As I was checking out I saw her watching me and then she left.  I think she was just waiting to see if I put it back.

With it being mirrored glass and I wanted to paint it, the quickest and easiest way was to cover it with Modge Podge and tissue paper.

 

I hope you aren't gasping, thinking I am a lunatic.

I KNOW, the lamp was cute before but I promise it is not going to look like a pumpkin in the end.

I didn't care that the tissue paper did not match, it would be painted over.

 I got out my craft paints and mixed 4 colors together.  I didn't want a stark black so I mixed black, brown, gray and blue together. Then I painted over the entire lamp.

I let it dry over night and the next morning I printed off the numbers 52 in Claredon font.  

I sized it to 350 and printed them off, cut them out and Modge Podged them to my new lamp.

Then I painted over the black printers ink in a khaki.  

I dry brushed some of the gray over the 2 letters to give it a little more of a worn look.

Why the number 52?

 I just like the shape of the numbers.

 Pottery Barn had 28 and I didn't want it to be exact but it sure did come out cute and I think it is a great Knock Off.

I just love it.

(except I think I need to add some distress ink to the numbers)

So what do you think?

Does it pass?

Now I have an idea for the lampshade so watch for that project tutorial soon.

Thanks so much Tiff for having me today.  I hope you and your girls enjoyed the tutorial.

Look what Amy from design_aholic did.  If you have a project similar to one I have done let me know.
http://design-aholic.blogspot.com/2010/02/that-magic-red-lamp.html

Good Job Amy

She found this light from Shades of Light, price unknown, but over $200...Isn't it fabulous?

The School House CHAIR Rocks

Yes the School House Chairs ROCK
when they are cutified by Tiffany 
who is trying her best to 
Make the World Cuter.

I am so excited to have Tiffany

guest blogging today.

I know if we lived in the same town 

we would be hangin' out together and 

working on craft projects and talking a lot.

Ladies, If you have never been to Tiffany or Tiff's blog 
you need to make it a regular stop.  


and if you would be interested in doing a guest blog spot with a craft tutorial or a blog swap, you can touch base with me.

So without further ado let me introduce you to my sweet blog friend Tiff.
Thanks Tiff


Hi, you so very Cheri readers!

What a fun blog to be guest posting on!

I love Cheri and all her cuteness!

Let me introduce myself.

I'm Tiffany, you can call me Tiff.

I blog here at Making the World Cuter...

...and I take pictures here at Pumpernickel Buttons. Photography.

This is my family-mom to three fun kids and wife to one hecka fine man!

I love crafts, photography, cooking, blogging and furniture makeovers.

I wanted to share my most recent chair makeover...

I am really in a makeover mood, I guess it's the whole new year thing!

We've all seen these old school chairs right?

Well I found these two on the side of the road near my house with a free sign, so like any self-respecting crafty blogger I pulled over and put them in the back of my car.

And then they got put in my garage...and there they sat...for a LONG time. They were on my mind a lot, trying to figure out just what to do with these things. My husband used them to spray paint on, hence the red. I thought of mod podge, painting, just using the wood for something, slip covers...and finally I had my idea!

I need more seating in my living room, but I didn't want to put two hard chairs in there, so I took some foam, and some spray adhesive and attached it to the pieces of wood. For the seat, I put two layers of foam to make it extra cushy.

I (and when I say I, I mean my husband, I helped but my baby wanted my attention) painted them white with a couple cans of spray paint.

Then I took my fabric finding husband to the fabric store, (seriously takes this guy minutes to find exactly the look I am going for, when it would have taken me hours of indecisiveness) and in about 30 seconds we were getting it cut to make covers for my free chairs!

Here is the after...So fun huh?

They add a great splash of color, and two extra seats for when guests come over to play games!

Here are the twins...

And look how cushy those seats are, no more hard bottom!

Not bad for free chairs off the side of the road huh?

Thanks so much Cheri for having me today, you're a rock star! :)

I will have to show you the DOOR

I want to introduce you to one of my blog friends-Amy. This girl and I could have some JUNKIN fun.
 Her blog is always a treat to visit.  They have been working on their Master Bedroom and it is just stunning




I came up with an idea this afternoon--(wow!! it didn't happen in the middle of the night--maybe I will be able to get a good nights sleep.) ANYWAY--when I saw those pictures it confirmed my idea.  I want to show you a couple of pictures from some of Amy's junkin trips.


I can't wait any longer to show you this bedroom.  It is a real treat.

AND THOSE DOORS
are to die for.

W  
elcome to the full tour of the master bedroom makeover at WhisperWood Cottage
It has truly been a labor of love! We transformed the space from dreary builder blah to what I call industrial coastal cottage. I love everything about the room including the added storage, the comfortable bed, and the new airy feeling. It is truly my favorite room in the house.

I was honored to be asked by Cheri@Its So Very Cheri to put together this post for the Its So Very Home Tour. Let's get started! See where we started, what we've done, and what we have left to do.

THE ENTRANCE
The new flooring and wall treatments make all the difference for creating the warm, yet bright and airy, feeling in this room! Tricia@Life At The Zoo got it right went she commented, "The more you break the room down, the more I realize that what I really love about it is the perfect balance of light and dark." Thank you, Tricia! I think that is what I love about it, too!



WALL 1
Here, we added a closet clad in horizontal planks and featuring a set of antique store-front doors. Now hubby has his own closet and we were able to get rid of an armoire, a cabinet, and a dresser that were holding his clothes beforehand.

W

elcome to the full tour of the master bedroom makeover at WhisperWood Cottage. It has truly been a labor of love! We transformed the space from dreary builder blah to what I call industrial coastal cottage. I love everything about the room including the added storage, the comfortable bed, and the new airy feeling. It is truly my favorite room in the house.

I was honored to be asked by Cheri@Its So Very Cheri to put together this post for the Its So Very Home Tour. Let's get started! See where we started, what we've done, and what we have left to do.
THE ENTRANCE
The new flooring and wall treatments make all the difference for creating the warm, yet bright and airy, feeling in this room! Tricia@Life At The Zoo got it right went she commented, "The more you break the room down, the more I realize that what I really love about it is the perfect balance of light and dark." Thank you, Tricia! I think that is what I love about it, too!

WALL 1
Here, we added a closet clad in horizontal planks and featuring a set of antique store-front doors. Now hubby has his own closet and we were able to get rid of an armoire, a cabinet, and a dresser that were holding his clothes beforehand.



WALL 2
We already owned all the furniture in this room except for the canopy bed. Everything else was found over the years at garage sales, estate sales, antique stores, flea markets, discount stores, and even ebay. The white bedding is a combination of TJMaxx finds and Pottery Barn clearance items.



WALL 3My closet was clad in horizontal wood planks. The door treatment consists of a door rescued from a university renovation and a salvaged flat track and trolley from an 1800s barn that was being torn down.



WALL 4
A second school door and track/trolley set is now being used as the door to the master bath.



THE EXTRA TOUCHES
The accessories for this room are kept to a minimum. For me, they evoke a combination of earthy and coastal charm.

 

STILL WORKING ON...

WALL 4
Wall 4 still needs some help. I moved in this long bench (a $5 garage sale find!) that was out on the back deck. The weathered gray is divine and the length is perfect!! I'd like to frame out that mirror in a special way. And I'd like to hang those two windows somewhere in the room. I don't want to add to much "stuff" on the walls. I love the clean, serene feeling. I know the big white wall might seem bare, but it is calming at night and refreshing in the morning. It gives my mind a break. Do you know what I mean?



THE CLOSET
I have most of the closet done, but still have some finishing touches. Yes, it is looking much better than the photos below. Plus it is much more organized!! I can't wait to show you the photos! I still need to figure out a way to hang my hats on that back wall.



WINDOW TREATMENTS
We added these top-down/bottom-up cellular shades to the windows. We have these throughout the house and I love them! I just found some silk drapes in a silver color on clearance. I only have two drapes though. Can I add one to each window?



THANK YOU!
So, that's the tour of the WhisperWood Cottage master bedroom makeover! Thanks for joining us!! If you have any suggestions on the things we are still working on, please let me know!


•What should we do on that big wall above the bench?
•Any cool ideas for hanging my hats in the closet?
•Should we add the drapes or not?
I look forward to your help! Until then, we'll be working on that fireplace renovation in the living room...

Thanks AMY it is always a treat to look at those doors and all of your decor.





a pink christmas give-a-way

Now before you go

 I want to introduce you to

the Hip Hostess girls

Our story is simple, as a fashion savvy new bride, the daughter suddenly finds herself in need of a chic little apron to wear for her debut as hostess. So of course her Mom, the queen of creativity, sews up a few trendy numbers, keeping in mind the fashion sense of the newly domestic daughter. Soon requests start coming in and before long there`s quite a buzz going around about these hip, little aprons... "I want one, where did you get it?" Wow! Now we find ourselves on a mission: combine simple, contemporary style with fabulous fabrics to create a "couture in the kitchen" look that today`s modern woman will want and actually wear. After lots of researching, designing and brainstorming…not to mention wishing & hoping and planning & dreaming VOILA! We think we`ve got it and hope you`ll love it! The Hip Hostess. Because we love what we do, we`ll continue our hip approach to all of our "at home" products, keeping it fresh, modern and of course, retaining our high quality and high style. Our business is blossoming so we hope you`ll check us out again soon to see what`s in the works and what`s new in our collection!

This is my Apron--isn't it cute?!

 

I can just Miss G4 and I cooking together in these:

They have tea towels to coordinate with your apron--now that is HIP.

I talked with Debbie (the MOM part of the team) and she shared with me that she is also working on magnets-so keep a look out for those.  I was able to ask some questions and get to know her a little better.

So Debbie-when did you learn how to sew?

My dear grandmother taught me to sew when I was just a little girl. Though Grandma has been gone for many years, I'm always grateful that she took the time to teach me a skill that has allowed me to take an idea and turn it into a reality. Knowing how to sew, even just the basics, can open up a world of creativity to everyone. I must admit I've always been a little crazy for crafting, OK maybe a lot crazy. My friends call me Little Martha. I think that's a good thing... right?

How did the Hip Hostess come into existance? 

and 

 Is your daughter/business partner your only child?
 I started sewing and designing aprons when my daughter first married 4 years ago. After being showered with domestic gear she was eager to play "Hostess" Because she is all about high fashion and high style she of course,had to have a "Hip" little apron. Hence the name The Hip Hostess. As soon as we came up with the name, we high tailed it to the computer to get dibbs on the domain name. Whew, we got it!

After much experimenting with fabrics, and designs we came up with a look that we felt would appeal to most cooks, both seasoned & novice. The aprons not only had to look fabulous, but had to be user friendly and hold up to everyday use. I've always loved rick rack, and it's been a traditional element of aprons for years. So we decided to we had to have a touch of it on the aprons, but yet have it make a bold statement. Our aprons are designed be worn over & over, not just tucked in a drawer to special occasions. Today cooking is cool and aprons are hot. Women are coming back into the kitchen and loving every minute, tying on a hip little apron is part of the fun. 

My daughter is my biggest cheerleader, marketing rep and of course fashion consultant. Hands down, flat out she made push come to shove and get this business off the ground. I like to say I'm the Hostess part, and she's the Hip part! Picking out fabrics and designing is a combined effort, having the perspective of both generations is a big help. Do we always agree?...of course not, but somehow we always come to the right decision!

We have 2 children, the darling daughter is the youngest and we have a wonderful son who is older. I might also mention we have the Best Son-in-law in the world. Despite the fact that aprons aren't quite their thing they haven't hesitated to spread the word about our hip little aprons and are always ready to help with technical and business issues. We recently moved from a metropolitan area, to a much more rural area along the shore of Lake Michigan.We are truly loving this slower paced enviroment and all the beauty that surrounds us. My husband has been a huge supporter and constant advisor since the very beginning. When you own a business, I think your family's love and support are key to being successful. It certainly has been for me.

Because we've had such a tremendous and positive response to our products, we're hoping to make our budding little business grow and blossom. We've had numerous requests from trendy cooking stores, and upscale boutiques to carry our line, so we are now ready to head down that path and see where it leads us!

What business advice can you give us?

Do what you love & love what you do. Don't be afraid to transform your passion into a business. The hardest part is taking that first step.

What is on your WANT list? 

What I really want is to spend more time with my son & daughter, since we moved I don't get to see them as often as I want to. Oh, and I want someone to do my grocery shopping & laundry! That's not asking too much, is it?

Thank you so much Debbie.  
It is a pleasure working with you and having you as a sponsor of my blog.

(from Debbie) One last thing-I do have to say the absolute best part of our business has been meeting and connecting with so many interesting women. I always say "We have the absolute sweetest customers!" We've also discovered that despite this dismal economy,women in business are so truly kind and supportive of each other. It's one of the perks of women being in business today.


AND because you gals are THE BEST
they have a 
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