Smile And Wave

Magazine Rack DIY

I am always excited about vertical storage solutions. Making one myself from thrifted supplies, even better. The project came about after finding these metal wall file things at a thrift store this summer and seeing something similar in Urban Outfitters apartment catalog. 

Supplies: Three metal file hangers, 15" x 48" cut of wood from Lowe's, short screws, dark gray spray paint, primer spray paint, drill, yardstick, pen, sandpaper, and screwdriver.

First I sanded down my wood and file hangers. Then I primed the wood. I would've primed the hangers as well but I was using a leftover can and didn't have enough. Then I spaced the hangers evenly leaving more room at the bottom than the top to keep it top heavy (for leaning) and marked where I wanted to drill my holes. 

Next, I set aside my hangers, drilled my holes (not quite all the way through since I was using short screws), and attached my hangers. Then I set it on top of a cardboard box and spray painted three thin layers. Allow for drying time in between layers. I also had to get at funny angles to paint the inside of the hangers but it was important to cover all the surfaces. I later added two thin coats of high gloss polyurethane to give it a metallic look all over. You can still tell it's wood and metal but not as easily.

This is a project that may not be easily recreatable with these same elements as I thrifted the metal file holders and don't know where to find similar ones but there may be some other options available at office supply stores. These magazine racks from IKEA may be an option if you stacked two on the same piece of wood. Here's another DIY idea to try.

The moral of the story is to keep yourself open to the potential of things when you're hunting through garage sales, thrift stores, and flea markets. You may even find ways to repurpose something you already own. 

-Rachel

 

Thursday Was Fun

Thursday was full. Ruby and I started our day at Lowe's and picked up supplies for our new dining room table before hitting up two thrift stores in search of a small, round table for the kids. 

Instead we found this.

And this!

After Sebastian's Kindergarten concert we came home and played, ordered pizza in, made another trip to Lowe's (because you can never finish a project with just one), and after kisses and bedtime for Brett and the kids (he was a tired husband), I worked on my dining room table project in our garage. I don't know how we ever lived without a garage before. I'm not sure I can go back now. 

The table underneath the tabletop is a kitchenette I thrifted in MO. I'm going to remove the hairpin legs and screw them on to my new table when it's ready. A few people on IG have asked about them and the only place I know you can buy them directly is hairpinlegs.com unless you're checking Etsy and/or eBay. 

We've got dinner guests tonight so I'd better get to cleaning and cooking! Hosting people at my house for dinner is something I'm not naturally gifted at but I'm working on it. I'm always glad we did once it's over. Good conversation is always worth it. What are you doing this weekend?

-Rachel

Two Rules of Thumb for Hanging Things on Your Walls

Getting art up on the walls in a new place - or even a freshly painted room - can feel like a daunting task but there is an easy way to get it right the first time. I recently took the plunge in our new home and wanted to share two techniques I always use when hanging anything.

Martha, Marth, Martha

I'm pretty sure the first place I saw this trick was in Martha Stewart Living or possibly on her website. In order to make light of what could be a tedious job filled with accidental holes in the wall, Martha suggests placing butcher paper (or similarly large paper) on the floor and then deciding on an arrangement. Once you're happy with how things look you trace around the edges of each frame with a pencil (in case you change your mind).

I bought a large sketch pad from Staples years ago and use it for projects like this. I just overlapped and taped together four sheets of paper to make it tall enough and wide enough for my art grouping.

Once you've traced around each frame, go back and measure down from the top of each frame edge to where your alligator hook, wire, etc. is so that you know how far down from the edge to mark your screw hole. If the hook on my frame is 1" below the top edge of the frame I center a mark 1" down from the top of my pencil silhouette. Repeat with each frame.

I suggest taking a photo of your final arrangement before you remove your frames from the paper in case you forget where things were supposed to go. 

Once your frames are removed, you'll need to tape your paper to the wall. In order to get this part right I suggest the next trick.

The 57" Rule

I first learned the 57" rule on Apartment Therapy three years ago and it's helped take the guess work out of how high to hang anything in any space. 57" is the average person's eye level so galleries tend to hang art work at this height. It's usually spot on unless there's an odd construction reason you can't hang something at that height such as a large piece that would overlap a radiator, etc.

The main thing is to be consistent in how you hang everything in a room so that it keeps your eye flowing. It will help create cohesiveness and balance rather than making things feels scattered. 

Whether you're hanging a single piece or a group of framed art the technique is the same. 

First, measure the height of your piece (or group). Let's say a single framed piece is 18" tall.

Second, divide that number in half. In this instance I would get 9". 

Third, add that number to 57". This adds half the amount of frame height to the average eye level so that your piece will be centered at eye level. 57 + 9 = 66. 

Fourth, flip your piece over to see where the hook, wire, etc. is and measure how far down it is from the top of the frame. Make sure to pull your wire up as high as it will go to simulate how it will hang before measuring. Let's say the distance from the top of my frame to the hook is 2". 

Five, subtract that amount (2" in my case) from the number in the third step (66"). 66 - 2 =64. 

Six, measure that high from the floor on your wall and mark. This is where you will want to drill your hole or attach your 3m hook, etc (64" high in my case). Once hung, your piece will be centered at eye level.

When you're working with a group of art, the concept is basically the same. Instead of measuring a single framed piece you'll measure from the top edge of the highest piece to the bottom edge of the lowest piece. In my case it was about 39" from top to bottom. I divided that number in half to get 19.5" and then added it to 57" to get 76.5". This is where it's different.

When I was marking my silhouettes for each frame I made sure to line up the top of my top frame with the top edge of my paper as seen above. I made sure the top of my paper was taped 76.5" from the ground in order to have my grouping centered. Before I hung my paper on the wall, however, I measured down from the top edge of each frame to the hook or wire as shared before and marked on my paper where the screws would go. 

I taped my paper up at the correct height and made sure it was straight by measuring down from the ceiling to the top of my paper at each end and in the middle. If your house is old and your ceiling is slanted do your best. Yes, that was us two houses ago. Seeing the silhouettes of your grouping on the wall gives you a great visual in case you decide you want to adjust the arrangement or move it over a few inches. 

Once you're happy with where it will be, carefully drill pilot holes (or hammer in your nails if you have sheetrock walls) through your screw hole marks. Insert your screws. Depending on the weight of your pieces and the kind of walls you have you may need to insert some kind of anchor. After inserting all of your screws you can tear down your paper and start hanging your art.

I'm waiting on two more pieces to come in the mail to finish off the rest of my 'floral arrangement' on Ruby's side of the room. She loves her flowers.

Decisions, Decisions

The trickiest part may be deciding what to hang. My first personal rule is to only hang things that I love. There is a lot of great art work out there and I may be drawn to a good 20% of things I see on Pinterest or Etsy but I only want to hang the 5% that I love. That ensures I'll probably like it next year and the year after that, etc. I also think our environments have a strong effect on how we feel and what we think about so I want to make sure they make me feel a certain way. 

For this grouping I knew I wanted pieces that were whimsical, of a certain style, and simple in their color story. Lots of white with pink and yellow accents and black lines to reflect the colors in my rug that's in the same room. I only noticed once I'd purchased them that many of them feature girls. I think I gravitate to people more than animals or abstract shapes in art work and tend to enjoy this color combination of pink and yellow so it came together easily because I know what I like.

I purchased frames from IKEA and used a few I had on hand to frame all of the prints and left large amounts of white and off-white to give them all space to breathe in such a tight grouping. The color story, theme, and use of almost all black frames creates a cohesive group that is pleasing to the eye. 

As far as the layout goes, I like to stagger frames and create balance in my composition by using three different sizes that repeat at least once. I have two large frames, five medium frames, and four smaller ones. I found a great resource for finding compositions that work for you here via Lovely Chaos recently. 

Art featured above: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven.

I've collected most of these prints over the last four months but I've had a couple for years. One was gifted, one was a DIY, one was supporting a good cause. There are great sites where you can purchase affordable art such as 20 x 200 and sites where you can print art off for free because the artists have offered it as such. Here's a chance to support a great cause and choose an art piece upon donation. 

Each of the vintage floral crewel pieces in Ruby's room were thrifted locally in Missouri but I've got two on the way from Etsy. Here are some similar items: one, two, three, four, five, six. Some are cheap while others are exceptional and thus priced higher. Be sure to check that you are buying a finished piece instead of a kit unless you'd like to make it yourself. 

If you've made it to the end of this long post I commend you! I hope either of these two techniques give you the confidence to commit to some holes in the wall knowing you'll be happy with the end result. Also, feel free to share your own tricks for hanging things on the wall in the comments below.

-Rachel

 

Found - Garage Sale Loot of the Year

Would you believe me if I told you I spent $30 on everything you see here? Would you believe me if I told you I spent $5 (and really maybe only $2) on the vintage Knoll chair on the right? Would you believe me if I told you I passed on so much more because my collections have no room for growth? 

I'm going to credit Roxanne for reaching out to me via Facebook shortly after I shared that we were moving to Colorado Springs with the Army. She's an Army wife with vintage taste and was really sweet to make herself available. I rarely check Facebook so it took me about a month to reply and then a few days later she invited me to check out her garage sale. Her garage sale that would be full of vintage stuff. Like really great stuff that I would've brought home had I still been running Pony Party or had all of our stuff been lost/broken in the move. Great stuff!

So, I left the kids at home with Brett bright and early on Saturday morning and found Roxanne's fantastic garage sale. I knew I'd probably find a few cool vintage pieces but I was so much more excited about meeting a new friend. I left 45 minutes later and planned on going straight home after another coffee stop for Brett but then I saw another garage sale practically spilling out onto the sidewalk and made a quick stop. I picked up the shadow box, floral wallpaper, and dress and got back in my car. I texted Brett that I was on my way home.

I hadn't driven one block before I pulled in to another garage sale. This one was very small but the Mid-Century end table caught my eye. As I was walking up to it I noticed the chair. THE CHAIR. I casually walked all the way around it and sat down to see if it was broken or wonky. I wanted to flip it over but then I thought I might give something away. I half-heartedly asked how much they wanted for the chair and they quoted me $5. I walked away and asked about the end table. Eight bucks. REALLY? You're going to sell me a beat up end table for more than that designer, ahem, brown swivel chair over there? 

I hesitated so they said I could have them both for $10. I gave them my crisp $10 bill and let them carry the chair to my car. I waited until shirtless guy walked away before inspecting the undercarriage of the chair and sure enough there was a Knoll tag. I almost high fived myself.

At this point I knew I needed to get home so Brett wouldn't think I'd been in an accident or something much more terrible than finding a $500 chair for $5 but it seemed I was accidentally driving past every garage sale in Old Colorado Springs that morning because I found another one. This one was just three or four twenty-something creative types sitting in their great vintage chairs waiting for people to come buy their gaming stuff and an old bedroom suite. The orange velvet couch was pretty, along with the green tweed and citron chairs. I asked if I could Instagram their stuff and address because I knew there might be a few locals out hunting. They were really nice. 

Did I mention I stopped in at the Goodwill on the way back from Roxanne's but before the chair? Yeah. I found that yellow album full of thick sketchbook paper. ART JOURNAL! Also, that tulip-shaped wire bowl was there waiting for me. The only non-vintage item was that aqua vase from Roxanne's but it was so gorgeous I had to bring it home. 

All in all I was gone for about two hours but everyone was happy to see me when I got home with coffee and treats. I know how these things work! I spent the rest of my Saturday purging and organizing my studio corner, doing laundry, and clearing out the excess in the kids' room. 

We're having ourselves our own garage sale pretty soon. 

-Rachel

Found - Hilarious Photo Albums

I went exploring through the Colorado Springs outdoor swap meet a few weekends ago and came home with some goodies. One of my favorite purchases, however, were two wood-grain covered photo albums from what seemed to be a college aged guy. One album was full of funny photos of him and his friends or possibly brothers and the other was full of more traditional family photos, snapshots of the Presbyterian church they were a part of, and holiday photos. I am placing my bets that this was a preacher's kid. Takes one to know one.

If there had been some sort of name included in these photos you can bet your rear end I'd be tracking this guy down to see if he wanted his photos back. There was a bulletin inside about their new building fundraiser. Wouldn't it be a kick to contact the secretary and dig through records to see if we can figure out who this is?

Have you ever stumbled across someone else's life in photos? Do you tend to get creeped out or find yourself making up stories and speculating about what they were like?

-Rachel

Weekending: Two Adventures in One Day

So, it's like Wednesday almost but let's talk about last weekend some more. It was both deeply satisfying and exhausting and I'm still recovering from trying to shove too much in to one Sunday but sometimes you have to maximize family time! 

We had a slow start on Sunday getting packed for a trip up to Pike's Peak. So many articles of clothing to bring plus an extra few just in case! I'd been thrifting most of our snow gear weeks prior to moving but realized I'd returned a pair of darling snow boots of Ruby's and that Brett was bootless, too. To the thrifts it was! 

There were two spots on our way to the mountain and Brett was happy to oblige me. I found boots for Ruby and snow pants for me (and a darling pink Pyrex casserole dish that I'll tell you a funny story about later) but nada for Brett. I think I told him I was heading straight for the snow boots section and he kind of rolled his eyes knowingly. When I came out with my bag he asked me what else I'd found and almost didn't believe me that the lone Pyrex was my only distracted purchase.

We headed out to thrift store #2 to look for his boots and again I said I'd be right back since our trip couldn't start until I was but I was pulled in to the siren song of all those aisles of dishware and came out with boots (hooray!) and a set of floral plates and a set of enamel camping plates (oh, and some fabric). Brett actually tweeted that everything he thought would happen just happened as I got back in the car. Ten years of marriage and that man knows me well.

Long story short, we got halfway up the mountain to check out a frozen reservoir and spent about ten minutes getting everyone layered up. As soon as we got back in the car they were uncomfortable and wanted to go home but I was determined to get as far up that mountain as we could, dangit. We made it 6 miles of road to the peak but the roads were closed to due inclement weather so I took a picture and we headed down to find a fun patch of snow to play in. Those cranky kids were both out cold within two minutes so we never actually made contact with much snow. 

Since they were napping I talked Brett into driving to Denver on a whim so we could get the bed slats and mattress for Ruby's new bed from IKEA. I HAD GIFT CARDS! Burning a hole in my pocket, they were! We dropped S off in the kid zone and got Ruby situated in our cart to get on the elevator when I saw the sweetest mama with her new baby and three older kids. With baby fever still burning bright I asked her how new he was and then we realized we'd actually chatted on Twitter about school districts in Colorado Springs! It was fun and I was so impressed with this mama (Hi, Mindy!) braving IKEA with three kids and a new baby. Then she told us her husband just deployed and I wanted to cover her in gold stars! 

We left two hours later with bed slats and a full cart. We ate the meatballs and mashed potatoes. We didn't even fight. Brett did admit he had fun but I don't know if I'll be able to get him to go with me again any time soon. IKEA on a Sunday is nutso. 

 

I was thrilled to get home and finally put Ruby's big girl bed together. This one has a post of it's own coming soon in case any of you were curious about painting your own iron bed. 

A busy weekend but a memorable one, nonetheless. Years of not having an IKEA handy has taught me to be resourceful when it comes to finding furniture, etc. from thrifts and fleas and garage sales and I'm really thankful for how it's shaped my taste and style. Now I can go in and find things that work with what we have and compliment our style. I'm a happy girl. 

So, do you have an IKEA story? Big fight? More in your cart than you thought was physically possible? Making a friend? Do tell.

-Rachel

Outfit Details: Crocheted laurel headband c/o Rebecca Caridad. Wooden sunglasses c/o Tumbleweeds. Cowl c/o Hey!JenRenee. Sebastian's coat and pants c/o Polarn O. Pyret.

Bedding Details: Triangle quilt handmade by me, Tutorial in Home Ec E-Course. Afghan handmade by me. Vintage floral bedspread, thrifted. Vintage case, thrifted. Vintage iron bed, thrifted.

Vintage Findings

The thrifts have been kind lately. We are two weeks away from relocating our home so normally I'd be packing but since the Army takes care of most of that for us, I've been out hunting for more things for them to pack. Even the pickiest of thrifters (and I'm pretty picky these days) will find something they love in Springfield, MO.

First off, a well spotted box of neon letters by Elsie later turned into the inspiration color I've decided to design the kids' next shared room around. I'm a sucker for metal letters.

I also came away with two more vintage sheets, another cup for our collection (to replace one of the three that have broken!), and the cutest little vintage cash register I've ever seen. Everything color coordinated well. I guess I was having a yellow/aqua day.

Ruby decided it was a good place to store her cheerios.

I'm wearing: Vintage striped dress, thrifted. Vintage skirt, handmade from a vintage dress. Cardigan, Target. Belt, thrifted. Highwood clog c/o Lotta from Stockholm.

Thursday, despite feeling a little under the weather, we got dressed and took an impromptu road trip to Ozark, MO. into some fresh thrifting territory. I have to admit I got the itch after seeing Jenny's Instagram feed turn up a Catherineholm bowl for $ .55! I knew I wouldn't find one but I just had to go hunt. Like Edward Cullen when his eyes turn red. Jenny knows darn well what I'm referring to. She explains it even better here.

Turns out there was a Catherineholm casserole dish with my name on it just waiting for me on the bottom shelf of the Ozark Goodwill. I have had one in my Etsy favorites lately that was going for $55 so finding this one in black for $4 was a bit thrilling. I almost didn't take a photo of it thinking someone else might snatch it up while I was adding a filter on Instagram!

We hit up River View Flea Market near downtown Ozark next and found some beauties. I tend to spot anything aqua or mid-century first. This darling cake carrier was almost pretty enough to come home with me but since I never rarely bake, I decided to leave it for someone else to enjoy.

These two just about made me cry. That cabinet of multi-colored drawers was going for $375 so there was no question that it was staying put but those two woven rugs were almost too much. Their colors were gorgeous but as pretty as they were, they wouldn't have worked in our house. Sorry, beautiful rugs. I'll remember you fondly.

With thirty minutes to spare before needing to head home to pick Sebastian up from school, we stopped in at Spring Creek Antiques. I literally carried Ruby through the aisles because I didn't want to waste any time getting the stroller out and hauling it up the stairs! I almost didn't see this afghan but Ruby was taking her time playing with some toys so I took another look and there it was! You can't beat a $6 afghan in near perfect condition. Oh, and that aqua metal camera was a steal, too.

Thank you, Ozark.

Ruby's wearing: Dress c/o MishaLulu. Vintage sweater c/o HeightofVintage. Leggings c/o Tea. Boots, Old Navy.

Any child of mine that behaves well on one of our treasure hunts gets to pick out a treasure of their own. I think it's a great way to win them over to the thrift side while they're still impressionable. This time Ruby picked out a sweet, vintage teddy bear and while I tend to avoid second hand plush animals at all costs, she gave me a doe-eyed look that I couldn't resist.

I'm going to miss the great thrifting in and around Springfield but I've heard Colorado won't dissapoint. If you're new to thrifting or just like to hear how other people do it, Jenny just wrote two great posts on tips for thrifting part one and two and I hear there are more to come. Jenny's been doing this for years so listen up!

Do you have great thrifting nearby or do you virtual shop on Etsy and eBay? Any epic finds recently?

-Rachel

 

What We Wore: Christmas Afternoon

Note: Christmas feels like a long time ago but I spent my time over the holidays enjoying Brett being home instead of keeping up with things in this space. I'm going to make up for that with wild abandon this week. You've been warned.

Here's how this went. I had the bright idea that we needed a family photo taken while Brett was home for Christmas as a benchmark of what our family looked liked at the end of 2011. My grandmother made sure we did this every year with my family when we'd go to their house for Christmas break and even though I hated it some years (hello, jr. high) I really appreciate that she made it a priority every time. Also, that she put up with cranky grandkids.

Usually it's a bit of a chore getting everyone ready for a family photo but I'm always thankful for the end result. This day, however, it was kind of like pulling teeth to even get myself and Ruby ready. I wasn't willing to put up the fight or cause anyone else to have a meltdown so Brett and I decided to just take photos of us girls and then let them bundle up in play clothes and go jump on the neighbor's trampoline instead.
Ruby's wearing: Vintage dress, can't remember where. Tights, Old Navy. Mocs, eBay.

I had a little assistance in getting Ruby to stay still long enough to get a photo of the front of this adorable dress. I love this look she's giving Brett.

Since I didn't have kids to arm wrestle I busted out the faux fur vintage coat I rarely get to wear and decided this would be my next date night outfit. I may take it with me when I fly out to see Brett graduate from BOLC in a few weeks.

What I wore: Vintage coat, thrifted. Vintage dress, thrifted from a pop up shop while in Chicago for Renegade. Belt, thrifted. Tights, H&M. T-strap shoes c/o ModCloth.

We didn't get our family photo this year but we did have a great time as a family. I'll never forget this Christmas. So thankful.

And for the record, the tree is officially down! High five!

xo,

Rachel

Vintage Findings: Part Two

Let's call this round two of how I spent some more of my Christmas money. One afternoon last week when Brett was home he held down the fort so I could go thrifting on my own.

With no kids.

By myself.

All alone.

It was kind of like a Christmas present in itself!

If ever you're visiting Springfield, MO and have at least an hour and a half to wander you should head to Relic's on Battlefield near Kansas Expwy. It's the biggest, well-curated flea market and antique mall in town and I always, always know I'll find at least two or three really special things that I can afford to bring home. I try not to go very often so that it feels new every time.

I'm not sure which purchase I got the most excited about this time. I love picking up pieces that are not only pretty but also useful such as the tape dispenser, tins, apron, and glasses. The tin barn has found a home with Ruby, the deer will be set aside for next Christmas (diy snow globes!), and the book will be saved for the kids. It was one of my favorite reads as a horse crazy girl so finding such a beautiful copy was a thrill. Any other Misty of Chincoteague fans out there?

Today I'm going to tackle finally taking down our Christmas tree and putting away all of the decorations. I'm hoping they don't stay on the table as long as they did when I was trying to put them up. Also, I'm excited to let you know that my next joint e-course with Elsie is almost ready to unveil! Who wants to start an art journal?

xo,

Rachel

See what I found the week before in Vintage Findings: Part One.

 

Vintage Findings: Part One

The last two Christmases I've used some of my Christmas cash to hit up the best little secret thrift spot in Southern Missouri. It's where we found our current blue, floral couch, our coffee table, our kitchenette table, and our brown tweed chair. There is always something I can't believe I've stumbled upon for about 1/10 of what you'd expect to pay for it in a curated flea market or on craigslist.

 

I spotted a blue, velvet, mid-century couch there on my last trip and went back to see if it was still there last week. We checked it out but it had an unfortunate water stain and possible mold underneath. There was another gold quilted couch one but it had rolly wheels and was too squishy. I'd prepared myself to leave without a cool couch so I was okay when we were heading back to the van with only some little stuff in hand when all of the sudden we spotted something on the back side of a building in front of piles of boxes.

This pretty little thing had just been unloaded the night before and hadn't yet made it to the warehouse. We checked it for damage and other than two buttons missing in the same tufted row it was in mint condition. I might use the arm covers to replace some buttons and remove the front skirt to show off the silhouette a bit. It's got nice legs!

I need another fantastic vintage couch like I need a hole in the head but I couldn't leave it there for what they were asking. I plan on bringing it with us when we move next month because I'm pretty sure we'll have room for it in the house we haven't found yet. Right? Right. I'm totally willing to part with a chair or two. Or maybe loan them out.

I found a few other fun things like these vintage Better Homes & Gardens magazines (so fun!) and this chair cushion that I may even cut up to use as fabric because it's pretty great. It's in the same vein as the fabric I used for the basis of my shoulder piece.

Oh, and when I went back a third time to pick up the couch, we found a box of vintage Christmas bulbs. Yep. Snagged all of those up there. Merry Christmas to me!!

Have you been enjoying your Christmas gifts in the new year?

xo,

Rachel