This Is How We Do It.

Well here it is!

Here is the finished project after everything has dried.


New walls, new counters, new floor!

It looks and feels like a completely different room.

Now, here are our step-by-step instructions on how to paint your counter tops and floors!

COUNTER TOPS

1. Clean surface thoroughly
2. Sand surface lightly and wipe dust away
3. Paint with primer (we recommend KILZ) and allow to dry completely!
4. Apply two coats of paint (allowing time to dry between each). I recommend applying with a foam or plastic roller (not a fuzzy one - it leave some fuzz behind).
5. Paint on at least two coasts of polyurethane and, once again, be careful what you use to apply it with. Brushes leave bristle marks!

***Make sure you let the counters dry especially during the polyurethane process. We had a ceiling fan and a few box and clip fans going on the counters and still waited 24 hours between coats.***

FLOORS

1. Clean the floor!
2. Roll on primer (KILZ again. And this time you can use a fuzzy roller).
3. Let it dry.
4. Roll on one coat of paint and let dry.
5. Roll on another coat of paint and let dry.
6. When completely dry roll on one layer of polyurethane.
7. DRY, DRY, DRY.
8. Repeat step 6 and 7 at least once (preferably twice).

***We did the floor in sections. A smaller one first as a test run, and then the rest of the kitchen. WARNING: be prepared to lose access to your fridge, stove, oven and sink for a few days. Our dining room became a make-shift kitchen.***

Work in progress...

Well here is a hint at what it will look like...

We got permission from our landlord to repaint the entire kitchen...that includes counter tops and floors.

Here the first coat of primer on the green Formica.


Another view of the counters with primer...and the last shot of the mustard walls.


Here is the first counter top painted brown!

Hehehe...

Great things are happening in our kitchen!

Please take a look at these pictures that show the kitchen in it's current state. Memorize them because you will never see them again and you'll need to use them for comparisons sake :)

We don't have this table anymore, but please notice the color of the walls...we've named it "burned mustard". BTW: the floor is not tile. It is fake wood tiles painted to look like green tile (and match the counter tops...I guess?)

This shot has been on here before - it's for so you can see just how green our counter tops really are.

Summer Nights

Yes, they have officially begun. The heat has hit Mississippi (as well as the mosquitoes).

Last night I went with five other friends to Canton, MS, a cute little town about 20 minutes north of Jackson. Canton is the quintessential old southern town with a lovely town square anchored by the old courthouse and surrounded by rows and rows of antique shops and restaurants.

It served as the set for "My Dog Skip", some scenes from "O, Brother, Where Art Thou?", and "A Time to Kill". I've been reading a lot of John Grisham lately and I'd like to believe that "Clanton" is based on Canton.


Last night the Jackson Symphony was playing on the square. We arrived with picnic blankets, our dinner in hand and found a spot on the courthouse lawn. The merchants had decorated with American Flags and banners :)


We listened to movie scores, American classics and all of the traditional patriotic songs. We sipped wine and kids ran around with their Popsicles and Hawaiian-shaved-ice. It might have been the perfect evening.

Sweet Salvage!

No, no post about the new office yet. I will, however, grant you the pleasure of seeing the lovely little chair I am sitting in at this moment.

It all started when I was looking for furniture for my college house. My mother (the master garbage collector) picked this up off the street. It was in great shape but came covered in a most unfortunate fabric.

I proceeded to paint it black, along with a few other mis-matched chairs, and covered them all in coordinating fabrics.


Since moving in this house (ahem..a few years ago) I've had it in my room as my desk chair - black paint and all. I was waiting to find the perfect fabric.

Black painted chair w/lime green fabric + pale blue and yellow bedroom = tacky.

Well, I found the fabric and ti was time for a change. I bought two cans of spray primer (it took that much to cover the black) and a nice yellow paint and went to work.


I covered the seat in a Waverly fabric and ...


...here you go - new chair! I bought enough fabric for shams for my bed.
Pictures will come soon!

New Space to Decorate...

I have a new office and I get to decorate it however I want! I decided a while ago that this mug would be one of my inspirations! I've loved this line ever since Anthropologie carried it a while back. Now this little beauty sits on my desk waiting to be surrounded by other pretty things.

Sophie Conran's Portmeirion dishes

Come back later for the fabrics, paint colors and furniture!

Crafty

So this might be my new favorite project.

We've all see the the super cute products brought to us by The MacBeth Collection, right? Well I have had enough of the pricey options out there and decided to do something about it. After my mother inspired me with another project (which I will post about soon) I decided to make a beverage bucket for myself.

It all started when I spotted a tub at Lowe's for $9. I bought it along with with clear Rust-Oleum spray paint, clear bathroom caulking and a bottle of ModPodge from Hobby Lobby.

I had the fabric left over from some chairs I recovered in my living room .

Here is the finished project (to inspire you).

And here are the instructions in case you want to make one for yourself:

1. Buy the bucket and clean thoroughly.
2. Spray bucket, inside and out, with Spray paint and fill all seams and cracks with caulking to prevent leaking when the ice melts.
   
3. Cut a piece of fabric a bit larger than what is needed to wrap around the bucket (at the bottom leave at least one inch extra). It's best to line one edge up the the top of the bucket so at least one edge is neat.
   
4. Begin covering the bucket by painting the ModPodge on one section and and covering with fabric. Go SLOWLY around until the whole bucket is covered. You will probably need to do some stretching with the fabric to prevent bubbles and wrinkles.
   
5. When you get to the sides with the handles, I found the best thing to do is cut a slit in the fabric with an Exacto knife and simply slide the fabric over the handles.
   
6. When the fabric meets, make sure you fold over the edge for a pretty and neat finish.
   
7. After the bucket is covered trim the excess fabric with the knife for a smooth edge.
   
8. Cover the fabric in ModPodge and, when dry, spray entire bucket with the spray paint again. Let dry overnight and use as much as you can!

Note: It's best to use a fairly thin fabric so you can stretch it to fit the bucket!

Step 1

Step 4

Step 6

VIVA!

Concert Recommendation of the Year: COLDPLAY.

It was incredible.

It they are playing near you, you are crazy not to go.


Check out some clips of the show I went to: Playing out in the audience and Part 2. Yellow with the balloons, Viva La Vida and the Finale. (They're fuzzy, but you get the picture)

Make sure to download the FREE ALBUM (Left Right Left Right Left) on their website. It's really good