Smile And Wave

Dining Outdoors

We have been enjoying mostly lovely weather these last three weeks which means more time spent in our backyard. Our apple tree has finally bloomed so we have all kinds of shade in the afternoon and end up only going inside long enough to cook. There's still a little bit of work to do to get our yard feeling summer ready but one new addition has made it a lot prettier already!

The lovely people over at The Makerage, a brand new consortium of artists, engineers, and designers, recently sent over one of their new products. It's a hexagon-shaped, concrete lazy susan and is absolutely perfect for our outdoor patio set. It's just the right size to hold all the condiments for summer cookouts but also works to create a lovely centerpiece and it won't get ruined if it accidentally gets left outside. I'm always a fan of pieces that are both practical and beautiful. 

Also, I need to give a shout out to Mel, one of the lovely people behind the company, who also happens to be the girl that introduced Brett and I after English class our freshman year of college. Let's all give Mel a round of applause for that, okay!

Also, let's give Colorado a round for not having many mosquitos! It's not it's best feature but it's definitely in the top five.

Do you enjoy eating outside? Have you done anything to make your outdoor space a little more special this year?

-Rachel

Note: Lazy susan c/o The Makerage.

Plants In The Bedroom

I've had a thing for String of Pearl plants since college. They remind me of the Midwest for some reason. When I was thinking about plants to add to my wine crate corner I first thought of just putting small succulents in them but that didn't feel exciting enough for a place like...the bedroom. Hehe. 

This is the corner behind one of our French doors that felt underutilized. The crates on the wall helped create a little bit of storage and turned our dirty laundry basket corner into something less mundane. I found the vintage filing cabinet at a thrift store last year and loved the details. It's not really a traditional item in the bedroom but that's another reason I love it. I use it to stash out of season clothing and it doubles as a plant stand so I'd say it's earning it's keep in there. 

The large gold candle was a sweet gift from Elsie, Emma, and Katie, the brownie was my grandparents', the Chinese box was thrifted, the smaller candle was just a simple votive that I spray painted with some metallic spray paint, the white vase is from IKEA, and the wire file basket was thrifted. 

What I love about this corner is how the plants helped create a little drama and added to the composition with their unique shapes. The spikes of the bottom plant contrast nicely with the smooth, curved leaves of the one above and even the little cactus on top adds a little something way up there. I like dramatic plants.

I like small space solutions even more.

-Rachel

Testing Out My Green Thumb

Right before Christmas last year, I moved all of my succulents and tropical looking plants out to the sunroom because they just didn't feel right surrounded by Christmas decor. A few of them froze when the temps dropped when we were in Oklahoma with family so I came home to a sad little floppy-leaf party and a determination to take better care of my plants.

As soon as Christmas was put away I went out and replaced what had died and brough home a handful of small plants to spread around the house. They were all pretty low-maintenance because I'm just never going to be an orchid kind of gal. As winter wore on here at 6, 000+ ft., I just kept bringing plants home. I was seeing signs of spring near the end of February and March in blog posts and my Instagram feed kept blowing up with cherry blossoms, bright green grass, daffodils, tulips, bluebells, etc.

My California heart knew it was time for all of these things but my Colorado yard was still under snow every other week. 

It started out with just a few extra on the piano, and then my first big tropical hanging plant, and then a few philodendron, and then as we crept towards April I bought a few big bushes for the backyard. I think I was trying to fight my winter blues with more green!

I got ahead of myself about a month ago and bought a handful of beautiful blooming plants that I was hoping to put in a large container outside before realizing we were going to have a really late spring this year. For two weeks I kept it that way because the beauty of it all inside my home-right up there on that countertop-got me through some low spots. 

They say having indoor plants is really good for your health. Yeah, they cleanse the air of toxins and add color and texture to your home but they really helped connect me to the growth and new life I was so ready for in the natural world.

One thing I've tried to do is find beautiful and interesting vessels to put them in. I have had great luck with thrifting vintage ceramic planters so I use them for the smaller plants. I also like to look for interesting shapes at the thrift store that I know I can just spray paint whatever color I like. The honeycomb patterned planter below was originally silver so I gave it a metallic face lift. I have another for the backyard table in a shade of celery. The tin above came with a set of four canisters. I just propped the inner pot on a clean tuna can that was turned upside down so that it could properly drain into the canister. The only thing you have to watch for with cans is rust. I am going to need to place a tray or some sort under this one if I bring it indoors.

I found a few bullet-knock off planters at Target at the end of the summer that were deeply discounted so I brought a few home knowing I'd someday use them. Ace Hardware has had some surprisingly beautiful planters over the years so I use that as a reminder to always check around to see what unique pieces you can find.

When you're in a pinch, buy an economy sized can of hominy or cheap coffee from the store, empty it (I threw my hominy away because I can't stand the stuff), wash and dry it, and spray paint it with a few thin coats. Instant planter. Poke a few nail holes in the top, string it up with twine and you've got a hanging planter (see kitchen photos above). For the record, if I'm using a can or tin without drainage holes at the bottom, I always put something in there (clean yogurt cup, tuna can, etc.) to create air so the drainage holes from the actual pot can drain. I don't over water them in their can, either. I take them out and saturate them and then let them drain a bit in the tub or sink before returning them to their cans.

I've made sure to buy in stages so that I'm not blowing the whole budget on plants and to make sure that I can handle taking care of them. Once a week I walk through the house and water everything except for my small succulents. I water them every two-three weeks. I set my hanging house plants in the shower or sink and soak them and let them drip dry before returning them to their posts.

I make sure to always check the soil to be sure it's not still moist before adding more water to avoid root rot. One of my philodendron was getting too much light so I've moved it and it's doing much better. My forsythia bush in the kitchen (that will soon be moved outside) is getting spoiled with water everyday and looking great but if I skip a day I can really tell those leaves are floppy. It's been a learning experience and thankfully I've only lost one small succulent since the big freeze over Christmas break. Elise has also recently posted a great rundown of how she cares for her indoor plants for anyone hoping to bring some home.

Every now and then I'm still going to need some fresh flowers for the table. There's just something extra special about such fleeting beauty.

I really do think having plants in your home improves upon your quality of life and when you spend almost all of your time there, it's worth doing some research and buying the kind of plants that will do well in your care. Singing to them supposedly helps. Just kidding. I don't sing to my plants. 

My new favorite plant set up is something I arranged recently in our bedroom that I'll be showing you next. Maybe we should call this Plant Week on Smile and Wave? Much less dangerous than Shark Week. 

Here are a few plant related DIY's I've made from previous posts: Chevron Garden Trellis, Pallet Vertical Garden, Hanging Basket Garden, Geometric Planter, Mini Himmeli Planter.

-Rachel

Details: Chevron Sun Catcher, Glass by Lisa.

Front Porch Before/After

Our enclosed sun room is one of my favorite spots to sneak away to when I need a few minutes of quiet. It's also where Brett goes to read (when it's warm enough), where Sebastian likes to hide, and where Ruby likes to play with Sunday as her captive. I've always dreamed of having an enclosed front porch just because I liked the idea of sleeping in it in the summer time but since we live on one of the main arterial streets into downtown, it's really just a daytime kind of room.

When we moved in I didn't know if I could handle the mango colored paint and the blue carpet but I had no choice so I decided to work with my restrictions. I went with the tropical color scheme but added in wood and toughened it up with a little metal here and there. The white curtains were one of my first projects and it instantly made the whole room feel like a private getaway.

I replaced the ugly front door curtain with vines all over it with a simple white one made from a thrifted sheet. All of the white curtains came from three sheets that I simply measured out and ripped. I made sure the hem of the sheet was at the bottom and then hung the edges from hooks that I drilled into the ceiling. I simply cut little slits to hang them on the hooks. The hairpin leg coffee table was put together after switching out the long hairpin legs it came with to the shorter pair that originally belonged on a mosaic table. Both were thrifted. Being able to switch the leg length is one of my favorite reasons to use hairpin legs! You can see the long pair being utilized here. I made the trio of macrame plant holders in the corner and placed succulents (originals died over Christmas due to a frost) in thrifted terra cotta pots. 

I found the perfect size daybed at a local thrift store and drove home with it tied down and sticking out the back of our Volvo. I'll show you how I gave it a new look in another post. The letter banner DIY can be found here. The play teepee that our kids truly love to hang out in was a gift from Play Haven. It sometimes gets stored under the bed and is just the right size for our space. The industrial bench has also been used to store records but it works in here as extra seating, workspace, and an organizer for books, colored pencils, and sketchbooks.

I found the green rug during a huge neighborhood garage sale. It's old and still sheds like crazy but I like how it breaks up the blue carpet and coordinates with the linens on the bed. The bedspread was also a local find from an estate sale, the cushions are from a vintage couch that we didn't have room for, and the daisy blanket was thrifted. 

We keep a basket under the bed to help corral a lot of Ruby's toys and hide the fold-up, mini trampoline under the bed as well. It's perfect for burning off some energy when it's too cold to go outside. 

We don't use our front door to get in and out of the house, only to get our packages from the mailman and when we have guests visit. It really just feels like a space set apart from the rest of the house that we can all enjoy in different ways. If it were better insulated I'd want to turn it into a studio but it gets too hot/cold during extreme weather. 

I'm a big fan of our porch. It's a great place for taking a nap, stealing a moment or two to myself with a hot cup of coffee, or enjoying (small parts of) a book while Ruby colors me pictures. 

What does your dream porch look like?

-Rachel

See more of our house: Living Room Arrangement #1, #2, Dining Room, Kids' Shared Room. 

A Little Bit of Spring

Growing up in Northern and Central California we learned early that you're not supposed to pick the poppies. Oh, how we all wanted to! They are such a delicate, striking kind of flower and they literally grew on the side of the road (at least in Sacramento) and in all the fields of my childhood. 

When Jessica of Vol.25 shared her new line of vintage inspired science posters I was giddy! My two favorites are this orange poppy and the butterfly print. They are a beautiful touch of color and design and I'm really enjoying having this one hanging in our home! 

Ruby's actually requested this one go in their room over her bed. Thank you, Jessica, for sharing your talent with us!

-Rachel

40 Projects: Plant Stand to End Table DIY

One of my favorite kinds of projects is one where I can repurpose something I picked up along the way either in a thrift store or, in this case, on the side of the road. I was coming home from the grocery store with the kids last summer and decided to take the alleys home just in case I came across anything shiny and metal. I lucked out with what looked like someone's garage sale leftovers. There was a busted treadmill from the 80's, lots of broken plastic pots, some odd bird cages, junky carpet, etc. In the midst of all that stuff were three vintage metal plant stands, a huge shop broom, metal plant hangers, and a metal basket for garden tools. I very happily plucked them from the wreckage and put them to use in our home.

I had been using this one as an actual plant stand in our bedroom until I realized it'd be really cute with a wooden top and utilized as an end table. I've had a few people ask where to get one and my best answer is to check your thrift shops and garage sales (when it's warmer). You may even find something similar at your locally owned hardware store or nursery.

1. Supplies: 16" round cut of wood (found at Lowe's), metal plant stand, sand paper, spray paint, wax or stain for the wood, power drill and bit, 6-10 1/2" screws, 3-5 two hole straps (found in electrical department), power drill and bit, screwdriver, cardboard, cloth, ruler, pencil or pen. In my photo I was going to hammer nails in and then bend them over the plant stand but that plan didn't work. Replace the hammer and nails with the screws and two hole straps. 2. Sand down your wood and plant stand if it's rusted. Wipe off with damp cloth and let dry. 3. Spray paint your metal stand. Be sure to protect your surface with a cardboard box or backdrop. 4. Apply stain or wax to your wood top according to manufacturer's directions. I used leftover stain from my dining table DIY. It's Briwax and may need to be ordered through Amazon. I love the richness it adds to the wood!

5. After your wax dries, flip it over onto a soft surface and center your metal stand on the bottom side of your wood cut. 6. Place 3-5 of your two hole straps evenly around your stand so that the inside hole is flush against the stand. This will secure the stand more than centering your straps and will hold it in place. Use more straps for more stability. Mark where your holes are and remove the stand. 7. This is a trick I learned from my friend, Ruthie. Tape your drill bit to mark how far down you want to drill so that you don't drill all the way through. My wood was about 1" thick and my screws ranged from 1/2"-3/4" long so I marked about 1/2" up from the end of my bit and drilled all of my holes. 8. Finally, I put my stand back in place and drilled my two hole straps on. 

Although it's harder to tell in these photos, I used Krylon spray paint in Celery. It's my favorite minty color but can also look a little washed out surrounded by lots of white. I love the way it looks with the natural wood color. Very summery!

This size table is really versatile and can be repurposed as a plant stand (with more surface area for more plants!), an end table in our living room, or a side table to our platform bed. 

Now I don't suggest junking up your house with stuff you find in alleys but this project is definitely a testament to how it can be profitable to see the potential in items you come across. If it's something I know I have the capacity, motivation, and time to transform and I've got the money (if applicable) and space to bring it home, I do. I now have a one-of-a-kind end table that cost me about $8 plus supplies I already had on hand. Holla!

Plus, it's kind of an excuse to buy more plants, right?

-Rachel

40 Projects: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven

 

EDITED: Vivid has shared below that Big Lots carries very similar plant stands. You may also check the Dollar Store. Good luck!

Work In Progress: Kids' Work Space

Over Spring Break last week we drove up to Denver to visit the Children's Museum with some of our friends. We got there about thirty minutes after they opened and I had the intention of heading home a little after lunchtime but we were all enjoying it so much that we closed the place down. There was a Kinetics room where kids could play with compressed air and plastic balls, a bubble room, an animal clinic where you could play the vet (Ruby's favorite), an organic grocery store, a painting station, a paper airplane and rocket section, and a building room.

It was full of miniature tools and plenty of repurposed recycleables for building their own creations or following laminated picture tutorials. Ruby and I built a butterfly from a tongue depressor and pipe cleaners, Tim helped Sebastian make a caterpillar from brads and an egg carton, and I saw a few cars made out of toilet paper tubes with plastic lids for wheels. I would've never thought my kids would be ready to use a hand saw but apparently once they got started they were quite capable (under supervision of course). 

I told my friend, Mindy, half-jokingly that I needed to clean out our garage so I could build a similar work station for the kids. Then I decided I really would. 

It's still a work in progress but I think most of the hard work has been done. I spent six hours last Friday clearing out and reorganizing the garage and then a few more hours on Saturday purchasing supplies from the hardware store and figuring out how to set up their workspace as well as mine. 

I took down some pre-existing pegboard that needed to be rearranged and repainted and it white. I had some MDF cut at Lowe's to fit snugly in the back of our Volvo and it fit nicely under the existing board on the kids' side. I painted it with a coat of chalkboard paint but ran out of time to get a second coat on before finishing for the day. I did manage to get it screwed into the existing drywall. It's tall enough for both kids to enjoy drawing on it. I may even borrow it from time-to-time. 

I'd searched for a little table to utilize but ended up repurposing the mud table I built for the kids last fall. It's the perfect height and has some space for storage below. We'd had a chalkboard tablet from the last house that I hadn't been able to find a place for so I will give it another coat of chalkboard paint and screw it to the mud table. The white pegboard will go above it but needs to be framed out first. The tiered wire baskets were a thrifted find I was thinking to use in our kitchen but decided it'd be perfect for holding recycled items for the kids to reuse.

I'll probably add a few baskets and a shelf and some hooks for hanging their own tools-everything sized appropriately as I find it. I'm hoping to not spend much money on this space but I think it'll be quite valuable to them as a place to explore and create where they have don't have to pretend their toys are real. I promise to be back with a full reveal for both sides when they're set up.

I love making the most out of the space available to us in our home. Although my DIY clothing rack is now holding most of Brett's Army gear you can see how I envisioned using one side of our basement as my own personal closet. I turned a large wardrobe into a closet office here and have yet to officially post how we've set up the front porch as a little retreat from the rest of the house. 

Do you have any big house projects you're in the middle of right now or that you can't wait to start?

-Rachel

 

It's Okay to Paint A Piano

I found a piano last year and bought it for myself as a Mother's Day gift. It turned out to be a big hassle getting it home and even then we couldn't get it in the house. It sat in our garage for months until one day I remembered our friend, Jeremy, telling me pianos come apart. I managed to take it apart, fix it up real nice, and then put it back together in our living room. It was a lot of work but I'm so happy with what it adds to our home. Here's how I did it and a few things I learned along the way.

Prior to buying a piano you should think about how you're going to get it home. Are you going to need to borrow or rent a truck? Do you have willing helpers who will be able to get it from point A to point B? You'll also want to think about the cost of materials to sand and repaint your new piano as well as the cost of tuning it once it's settled in at your house.

The first thing I did was power sand the larger outside surfaces of the piano and then hand sand the detailed and delicate parts. After wiping everything down with a damp cloth and letting it dry, I started taking it apart. I suggest taking step-by-step photos as you go in case you can't put it back together right away and forget what goes where and in which order. 

Pianos vary from model to model but the basics are kind of standard. I first lifted the lid back on the very top to access two latches that held the top front panel in place. Once those were unlatched I could remove the panel. I set it aside and then found out that I needed to take off the lid to the keys. It folds back so you need to take care you don't smash your fingers. Once your lid is off you can see all the keys. There will be a thin board that spans the keys that you'll also need to remove. Next, you will want to remove the hammer rail which is what is shown below. It's a huge piece and can be removed by yourself but I do suggest asking for help so you don't accidentally drop it. Place it gently out of the way as it's a delicate piece.

The next step is to remove your keys. They may or may not be numbered. Mine were numbered in two places so it didn't matter if they got moved around but if yours are not numbered you'll want to write on them near the end that strikes. Once they're all out you may want to use an air compressor to blow out any dust or debris that has settled under your keys. Don't vacuum things up because you may lose a few felt pads in the process! 

As you can see in the photo above I replaced some of the keys in the keyboard but not before sliding the keyboard out from the piano case. This not only made our piano much lighter, it made it half as wide, which allowed us to finally roll the piano through the back door and into our living room. If your piano is as heavy as ours was you'll want to ensure you don't ruin your floors (if wooden or laminate) by placing something under the wheels or getting it on a rolling device. 

I wanted to get my piano inside before painting it so I could be sure of the color. I could've refinished it but I knew I really wanted to paint it a subtle color. It was big so I wanted it to be something light and soft that would coordinate with the rest of the colors in our living room. I also wanted to choose something I knew I wouldn't get tired of a year later. Wooden pianos are beautiful and I don't like painting most of our wood furniture as much as I did three years ago but this was begging to be painted. 

I went to Lowe's and picked out Valspar's Paint and Primer in One and got it tinted to their Icy Mint (6001-7A) in an eggshell finish. I wanted a high gloss but told the employee my son was going to be taking lessons and she suggested something that wouldn't show fingerprints as easily. I'm really happy with how it turned out. I think a high gloss would look great if it were the focal point of the room or if it were a bolder color. I then used a Minwax Polycrylic sealant that she suggested but it had a yellowing effect on the paint so I'm not confident in suggesting it.

Using both a paint roller and small brush, I followed manufacturer's directions with the paint and primer in one and applied two coats with 24 hours drying time in between in order to let it set. I did not resand in between coats. I actually put the keyboard back on before painting and then painted the keyboard lid and front panel separately before putting them back on. However, I painted the ends of the lid and the top of the pieces where the lid rests and then realized after they were dry that it added enough of a layer to make the pieces too tight to fit properly. I had to resand the ends to get the paint off before they'd fit. I also painted over the brass hinges instead of taping them. The paint is coming off on it's own and is much easier than trying to tape things.

As you can see below I haven't reattached the bottom panel as I misplaced it in my garage until last weekend. Hooray! I also chose not to paint the inside of my keyboard lid because I didn't want to paint over the label. I did, however, drill two holes in the lid in order to add knobs to make it easier for the kids to open and close. 

I considered a few things before deciding to go ahead and paint it. I had heard that painting a piano can affect it's sound but after reading up on a few websites and hearing comments from pianists and tuners alike that as long as you don't paint the sound board (the back piece in this piano's case), painting the piano wouldn't cause enough of a change to be noticeable. I also resist the idea of painting most vintage wooden furniture these days but I loved the idea of a painted piano more than a wooden one. It wasn't a fancy antique so I wasn't necessarily devaluing it, plus I know it's going to be enjoyed in our family for quite awhile. 

Our piano has been situated near a wall with a window that starts just above it, so it's currently holding a few plants. I'm already thinking about ways we can decorate it for the holidays! I was told pianos need to sit for a few weeks after being transported so we're just about ready to call a tuner to come over and get it adjusted so we can start Sebastian on lessons. 

Painting a piano doesn't have to feel like an impossible project but it will take a little space, a little time, and a little elbow grease. Just promise me you won't take any short cuts and paint it all in one piece. If you paint it shut you'll never be able to get it tuned and you'll be up a creek.

Did you take lessons as a kid? What kept you going? I'm thinking maybe a huge jar of bubble gum on the lid as an incentive.

-Rachel

 

40 Projects Just For Fun: Lighting Solution

I have been missing having a designated studio pretty bad since we've been in our current house. I've been housing my fabric stash and sewing machine in the laundry room add-on at the back of the house and keeping random craft supplies on the dark, scary side of the basement but I'm always pulling things to the dining room table to work-so much so that we've been eating dinner in the living room around the coffee table! 

I've had this vintage kitchenette since our last house but originally took the legs off to make our dining room table. Then last summer I stopped in at a garage sale while my family was in town and happened to find a desk with hair pin legs for $3. They were moving and I was thrilled! Anyway, I put the new legs on it, added my rug, and brought my wall map back in to create my very own studio space. Well, it's at least a new surface for all the piles.

I love wire baskets and was thinking about doing a pendant light but the opening wasn't going to work with my plug size so I got the idea to wrap twinkle lights around it and just hang it from the wall. I made a similar one in our old house but it was too big for the space. This vintage egg basket was just right but the color wasn't so I spray painted it yellow, then white, and then cut up a bunch of white floral wire and wrapped the twinkle lights around the basket making sure to end them near the back so they could stay flush with the wall on the way down to the outlet. 

I need to trade out my bottom row of twinkle lights with a regular white extension cord and just tuck it under the rug but I love having some extra light in this space when I work after everyone is tucked in. 

Also, I love when solutions present themselves so easily! Don't you?

-Rachel

40 Projects: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six

Woven Rug DIY

This may be my favorite thing I've made for our home yet! Well, besides our table, bed, clothes rack, and swing. Ha! 

Get my full tutorial and a little pep talk about making your own over on A Beautiful Mess. 

You can do it!

-Rachel