Vintage Medicine Cabinet Gets Some Pretty

Several weeks ago on a cold windy day Mr. Frugalista and I braved the elements and took our first trip to the Ross Creek Market located east of where we live.  Wow, talk about treasure hunting!  Some vendors have sheds with cute verandas and others large Quonsets filled with goodies. Way at the back of one of them I set eyes on this old chippy vintage medicine cabinet and I knew it had to come home with me!  

This thing has so many layers of chippy crackled paint but it was the vintage mirror glass that made me swoon.

Considering it's age I didn't want to risk sanding away the chipped paint. Instead I gave it a fresh coat of Vanilla Frosting chalk paint and sealed it with two layers of Tough Coat by Country Chic Paint™. Once that dried I rubbed dark wax into all the cracks to honor it's vintage goodness.

The vintage mirror glass was screaming for an etched graphic.  I've never etched glass before but it was a breeze with Martha Stewart Crafts™ Etching Cream and a stencil that I had on hand.

Then came time to play on the inside...I call it "Mustard and Ketchup"!

I painted the interior with a mixture of Fresh Mustard and Simplicity White chalk paint by Country Chic Paint™.  The shelves were painted with Emperor's Silk Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™.  After two layers of Tough Coat I randomly rubbed in dark wax.  

Then I lined the back of the mirror with vintage scrapbook paper - so..."lovely"!  I gave the back of the mirror an even coat of Modge Podge™ as well as the back of the paper (after I cut it to size).

This would look great in a cottage style bathroom or as a spice cabinet in a farmhouse kitchen, wouldn't you agree?

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Gigantic Vera Bradley Giveaway

CONGRATULATIONS 

CINDY B.

THE LUCKY GIVEAWAY WINNER!

Oh my gosh my friend Wendi from H20 Bungalow put together this amazing Vera Bradley Giveaway to share with you all.  There's 13 beautiful pieces up for grabs - a retail value of $600.00!   Take a peak at each piece below and be sure to enter the Giveaway afterwards by using the Rafflecopter provided at the bottom of this post.

Good Luck!
   

A fun group of color happy bloggers got together and sponsored this fantastic Gigantic Vera Bradley Giveaway.

What would you do with 13 fun, colorful indulgent vera Bradley pieces? Keep them all? Share with a friend? Be practical and give as Christmas gifts? 

When you're feeling the need for fun and sporty we've gotcha covered with the Jazzy Blooms Pattern.

Jazzy Blooms pattern ensemble includes - Visor, water bottle, Small Mesh Tote, Organizer, Photo Frame 

Getting ready for work or travel will be lots of fun with coordinated bags in the Island Blooms pattern.

Island Blooms pattern ensemble includes - Kisslock Wallet, Whitney Purse, Laptop Travel Bag

Just because you can never have enough play time. Any on the go girl will be ready with these English Meadow pieces.

English Meadow Pattern ensemble includes - Tech organizer, Slim Tote and Black Wristlet (wristlet not pictured).

The sales associate told us that this trendy bag is super popular...and it's so good looking too!

Ribbons Pattern ensemble includes - Eloise Purse, Quick Swipe Wallet

Pssst. There's extra entry points for tweeting about the Vera Bradley giveaway and you can earn them everyday!

This giveaway will be open from 7/28/14 12:05am until 8/3/14 8pm EST. This giveaway is open to US and Canada residents, winner must be 18 years old, void where prohibited. Click the Rafflecopter below for a copy of the full terms.

This giveaway is not affiiated with or sponsored by Vera Bradley.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Guest Post: Subway Sign for the Firepit

Today I'm honored to be guest posting at A Peek Into My Paradise.  This is my first time guest posting on Cathy's blog so I'm pretty excited!

I'm sharing a fun Subway Sign for the Firepit that I made to hang on our fence near the seating area of our backyard firepit.

I share step-by-step instructions, including how to age new wood, so you too can make your own firepit sign.  Click Here to see the post.

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Small Decorative Trunk {Makeover}

I thought I would share another awesome score from my neighbor's garage sale a few weeks ago.  I'm a sucker for trinket boxes and small trunks so when I saw this small decorative trunk sitting on one of the tables I grabbed it.

Here is what it looked like when I bought it.  A wooden scalloped base and faux snake skin body that needed some TLC.

I contemplated giving the base a fresh coat of dark stain and polishing the faux snake skin back to it's original lustre because the colors worked well in my living room.  But then I could see it in a crisp white finish and so I went with it.

The exterior was painted in Simplicity White and the details in Elegance, both chalk paint from Country Chic Paint.  After a coat of clear wax I rubbed dark wax into the all crevices and it instantly took on an antiqued look.  Love it!

This is what the inside of the box looked like.

I painted the entire inside of the trunk with Elegance.  To add a little surprise when you opened the lid I stenciled a Fleur De Lis and then dark waxed it to give it an antiqued finish.  

To pretty the inside up a little more I lined the bottom with vintage scrapbook paper.

I think it looks far prettier now than in its original state.  Don't you think it would look lovely sitting on a white chippy bedroom dresser, dining room sideboard or bookcase?

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Painted Baker's Rack

A couple of weeks ago my neighbor had a garage sale and I was pretty stoked when I arrived home from a visit with my Mom to see this Baker's Rack sitting on their driveway.  My heart was already a flutter being a beautiful sunny Friday afternoon but when I set eyes on this baby, I got the goosies!  I know all you thrifters can relate.  I didn't need to look twice before shouting SOLD.  I picked up an awesome desk too but more about that in another post.

Other than a few little knicks it was in pretty darn good shape!

I loved the black frame and didn't want to alter the color but the wood kept screaming "red".  When I think red I go to my all time favorite, Emperor's Silk Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™.  Add some dark wax and the color becomes so rich and deep - I just love it!

Always wanting to inject some personality into my pieces I found these gorgeous handpainted knobs at Lee Valley Tools.  

Perfect for a baker's rack don't you think?

Aren't these watering can salt & pepper shakers adorable?  I picked them up at a quaint little shop called Backstreet Gifts & Antiques at The Village at Pigeon Lake when Mr. Frugalista and I were celebrating our 27th wedding anniversary in March.

I love that it has a wine rack on the bottom.  I'm thinking a cute boxwood wreath or a chalkboard with a chippy white frame would look gorgeous hanging from the rails in the middle of this rack.

I wish I had room in my kitchen for this beauty but sadly I don't.  Like most of the pieces I grow to love during their makeovers, I have to part with this one.  It'll  be added to my Etsy Shop soon.

Once again...

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A Summer's Day On The Tete-A-Tete {Makeover}

*This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of DecoArt®.  I received compensation in the form of product in exchange for writing this review.  All opinions are 100% my own.  When my parcel arrived with the jars of Americana Decor Chalky Finish Paint I knew the second I set eyes on that gorgeous color what I was going to do with it.  It spoke outdoors and so began A Summer's Day On The Tete-A-Tete Makeover.

The color is called New Life and that's exactly what I had planned to do with it - give a piece of outdoor furniture a brand new life.  Isn't it pretty?

This tete-a-tete has been in my family for many decades and it was a fixture on the deck of the family cottage.  There were two and I was lucky enough to get one of them.  It has a lot of sentimental value because my Dad, who has since passed, built them.  

I've used a few different chalk paint lines on my furniture makeovers and I have to say that the Americana Decor Chalky Finish is very comparable. Like the others it requires no prep or priming and quickly dries to a matt finish. I like that it comes in over 20 vintage intermixable colors with cute names like New Life. I was pleased with the coverage I got after the first coat.

It's pretty thick paint and took two 8 oz jars to complete this makeover but I could have made it go much further had I added water to thin it out a bit. Because this is piece being used outdoors in direct sunlight, protecting it with wax, which is always my preference, would not be suitable. Americana Decor Soft Touch Varnish is a better option for outdoor use.

I just love how it brought this bench alive!  Here's a closer peak...

Last Fall I purchased a few meters of striped outdoor fabric on clearance and tucked it away in my fabric bin.  What a coincidence that it was a perfect match!

I had just enough to make two cushions for the tete-a-tete and another long cushion for our headboard turned bench.

I can't wait for A Summer's Day On The Tete-a-Tete enjoying some sunshine, lemonade and a good book!  Don't you just love summer?

To see this and more awesome projects using DecoArt Chalky Finish Paint visit DecoArt on Pinterest or the DecoArt website.

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Touring Through Blogland

Hi everyone, I hope you had a great weekend! I'm so excited to share with you today my participation in a fantastic blog tour. I was invited to participate by Shelly from Minette's Maze. I've been following her blog for over a year and when I had the opportunity to co-host the DIY Sunday Showcase Party each week with her, I was thrilled. She's a gal who knows how to transform junk old stuff and put a fun and creative spin on it. She has a very generous heart and often creates treasures to donate to various organizations and events.

On with the blog tour...

What Are You Working On Right Now?

I always have an average of three projects going on at one time and a list of others going on in my head.  I'm not the most patient person in the world so while I'm waiting for the paint to dry on one I'll be waxing another and prepping a new project. Mums the Word on two projects I'm currently working on for our back yard. Okay, I'll give you a hint...one involves water and the other an old door.  The third is these two antique chairs I'm refinishing for a client.

How does My Work Differ From Others In This Genre?

I have no idea because I'm just doing my thing and listening to what my little heart desires.  I love looking at objects, whether they be furniture or junk finds and asking, "so what can I turn you into"?  I find inspiration everywhere I go and then come home to figure out a way I can DIY them on a budget.

Why Do I Write/Create What I Do?

Because I can't imagine doing anything else!  It's just what I do and have been doing my entire life.  Two of my favorite things are creating and writing and so having a blog gives me an outlet to express both of those sides of myself.  I was the kid sitting at the kitchen table on a Saturday drawing pictures of houses or organizing and decorating my bedroom while the kids in the neighborhood were outside playing.  

How Does Your Writing/Creating Process Work?

Well this gave me a chuckle because it never stops working! I get the best ideas while showering or driving (don't hate me, I am paying attention to the road while I listen to the head chatter). Some mornings I wake up exhausted because I spent the entire night in my sleep giving a room a makeover! I keep a notepad in my purse and nightstand for jotting down ideas that randomly pop into my head. Thank goodness for the Notes feature on my iPhone too.  I have more projects in my head than I have time to make them.

Well that's me and my blog in a nutshell.  I hope you enjoyed the ride on this tour!  Now let me introduce you to three awesome bloggers.

Wendi with an i and I have been blogging around the same amount of time. Although we've never met we've become great blogging buddies. Wendy with a y is a fellow Canuck and does fabulous furniture makeovers and loves all things vintage. Karli & Kandy are an adorable Mom & Daughter blogging team and share loads of fabulous home décor and DIY projects. I was introduced to Wendy and Karli through the Creatively Made Business 2.0 Course that we took online. All three will be joining this Blog Tour on Monday, July 21st so be sure to hop on over to their blogs to learn more about them next week.

Wendi from H20 Bungalow

We simplified it all and bought a small 1950's waterside island bungalow project house. I now watch dolphins swim in our backyard and wear flip flops most of the time. Through my blog H20Bungalow, I share my creative decorating processes and professional remodeling know how. I'm bringing big style to a small home and loving every DIY minute of it!

Wendy from The Smitten Egg

I am a wife and mother to five kids (three are grown and out of the house). I have always been a collector of all kinds of stuff. The fact that collecting is cool with new words like "vintage" and "upcycling" just makes me feel all the more confident in my quest for just the right linens, jars, tables, etc. (pretty much anything by the side of the road!!) I work at a regular job by day and love to DIY in my spare time. Winter in Canada can be pretty long so it is nice to have this hobby to bring new life to pieces that appeal to me. Come for a visit and say hello!

Karli & Kandy from Kindred Style 

Mother/Daughter duo, Kandy and Karli formed the Kindred Style blog to share their unique sense of style (mostly décor inspiration, outfit ideas, and easy ways to entertain guests).  Kandy and Karli will show you how you can make the most out of what you've got while creating your own sense of style. 

Please visit these talented ladies on their blogs and give them a warm hello!  Please let them know Marie sent you.

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Outdoor Living Space Expansion

Finally summer temperatures have arrived here in the Canadian Prairies. July is my favorite month of the year because we're almost guaranteed to have temperatures over 25°C. For this summer lov'n gal, that's an invitation to spend almost every waking moment outdoors and so the completion of our most recent project was rather timely. We increased our Outdoor Living Space by over 200 sq ft, in a weekend!

In my post Old Louvered Doors Repurposed, I gave you a sneak peak of what we were up to next. Last Fall we took advantage of the summer clearance prices on 24" x 24" patio paving stones and stored them under a tarp all winter.

All the years we've lived in this house the area on the side of our deck has sat empty. Nothing grows there because it's shaded from our neighbor's Lilac Trees and a large Spruce Tree that sat smack dab in the middle of that space. Finally we took the plunge and had the tree removed.

Expanding the cedar deck wasn't an affordable option so we decided to create a stone patio instead. Oh my gosh for a couple of 50+ers that was back breaking work! Our best friend, Advil was our constant companion. Starting with the load of crushed gravel mix hauled from our front driveway to the back yard.

Those 2 x 4's on top of the wheelbarrow in the picture above were our other best friends. They carried the hernia inducing pavers hauled one-by-one across the yard.

In the area where our gazebo was being moved, we laid the blocks up against each another.

In the other areas we left a 4" space between each block to form a grid pattern.  I should add that we built a frame with pressure treated 2 x 6" lumber along the fence to contain the mixed crushed gravel.

We were so relieved when the last block was laid. If it wasn't for being so stink'n tired we would have done the Happy Dance!

Next we added an organic potting soil inside the grids and planted a mixture of Scottish and Irish Moss. Once the plants mature it should look quite lovely.

The wood planters were also purchased last Fall on clearance for $14.00 each - can't complain about that price.

Well since you asked...the metal trough is a sneak peak at our next project!

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

Yesterday was Canada Day and after watching the parade I spent a few enjoyable hours relaxing in the sun on our new Outdoor Living Space Expansion.  Ahhh, now that's the life!

I have a question for my awesome followers with a green thumb.  Do you think we need to add more moss between the pavers?

THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING FOR FEATURING THIS PROJECT:

              

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