Tree decorations don't have to be expensive!

My friend came over to my house the other day and said, "Wow, that looks like a Martha Stewart tree."  I had to laugh and say "why thank you!"

I love this tree.  The best part is almost all the ornaments are either from the dollar store or the day after Christmas clearance!  Oh, don't forget the star on top from Lost and Found Thrift!

The big balls I bought at Tai Pan the day after Christmas, they were probably still there cause they were  orange, but a little spray paint can fix that!  I sprayed them red.  After the spray paint was dry I sprayed the ball with a spray adhesive and dumped glitter all over!!

Instead of wrapping my tinsel around the tree this year I randomly stuffed it in the tree as a filler!

Look at my cute model and of course helper.  

My fun green stars were also the day after Christmas steal, but the rest of the ornaments were all found at the dollar store!  Who would have thought you can decorate a tree from the dollar store?

Here is also a little peek at my center piece.  The pine cones are scented, they smell wonderful every time I walk by!

I am a sucker for glass filled with something, and christmas is no exception.

TTFN

Brooke

It is PURPLE!!

My WONDERFUL friend found this cute little desk on Craig's List for me.  

I love all the details and the hardware is just beautiful.  

It just needed some love, and life brought back in to it.  

Here she is all done and ready for a new home!

I haven't painted with chalk paint in a while and I was missing it.  This desk was the perfect fit. 

 I love the soft purple with white accents and the newly painted hardware.

One of the best and hardest parts of taking pictures of a piece is staging it.  I am always looking for a wall to put piece furniture up against, and wandering through my house to find the perfect items to place on the furniture.  I usually end up rearranging my other furniture and scrubbing floors and so on and so on, it seems to have a rippling effect!  Most of the time it all needs to be done I just need something to make me do it!  But when a picture truly showcases the beauty of what you have created the messes all seem to be worth it!

I had a very cute assistant today, aka mini me!  She was sick and camped out on the couch, but she wasn't sick enough to miss out on a photo shoot!!

This Desk is for sale if you are interested please see my furniture for sale tab at the top of my blog!

TTFN

Brooke

Custom Order

I always get a little excited and nervous for a custom order.  Custom orders can often push me out of my comfort zone as I try to deliver aka read my clients mind.  I always want my clients to LOVE their restored furniture.

Before:

After

I had never painted with this color before, so I was a little excited when my client asked for turquoise.  I love bright colors they always seem to bring a piece to life.  

We kept the old hardware and I love how it pops against the turquoise!  

This cabinet now has personality of it's own.

As for this roll top desk, whenever anyone asks me to paint something black I wince just a bit!  Black scares me for a few reasons:

First it is hard to get a paint to look black in different lighting

Second it shows EVERYTHING

Third it often looks dirty.

I am looking at my black entertainment center as we speak, my kids hand prints are all over it!

So, I experiment with this desk to see if I could get the look she was going for and eliminate some of the problems I have with black!

I used Minwax Polyshades in black.  The nice thing about this product is it is color and top coat in one. I ran it though my sprayer, smoothed it out with steel wool and I couldn't be more happy with how BLACK this desk is.  Since it has a poly on it for protection I am hoping it will clean up awesome forever!!!!

 

 My client wanted glass knobs, I love the classy look it created on this desk!!

I am currently accepting custom orders, if you have a piece you would like refinished send me a picture and dimensions to my email brooke.n.larsen@gmail.com and I will send you a quote!  Or if you are looking for something let me know and I can help you find it and get it refinished!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and Black Friday!!!

TTFN

Brooke

Candle Holders

I found these posts awhile back and they have just sat in my garage.  I thought maybe they would be the legs for a bench or table or something.  I just couldn't pass them up!

Often times I see things I love but just don't know quite what to do with them, so they sit in my garage for a week or month until I get piece speaks to me!

Once this guy got speaking he didn't stop, he wanted to be cut up and made into candle holders!!

I cut it into 3 pieces, I wanted each one to be 2 inches taller than the other.  Yes I did add a base to the tallest one so it would match the others and be tall enough.

Add some paint and candles and TADA!!

They are the perfect addition to my old drawer of books!

I am so excited to be with my family for the weekend which includes eating and eating and shopping until we drop!! 

I hope everyone has a very Happy Thanksgiving and a Happy Black Friday!  

TTFN

Brooke

Beautiful 4 Poster Bed

 When my client brought me this bed to refinish I was so excited to get started! 

 Look at all the details and curves!

She told me what she wanted to end product to look like and she picked a color and I got to do the rest!

First I sanded her down really good, next I sprayed the Headboard and Footboard with primer, to make sure the paint would really stick good!

After it was primed I applied the color, well kind of color.  This bed is painted in White Dove by Benjamin Moore. 

After the paint dried I antiqued it a bit with my sand paper, I used 150 grit, no too rough but enough to help bring out the details.

After it was sanded I rubbed a glaze all over the bed, I love how the glaze fell into the cracks and really made the details come to life!

I just love how this bed turned out!  It is so rich!

The best part is I have a similar bed in my garage waiting for me to start!  I will be selling the other bed too!!  It is a queen send me an email if you are interested!!

TTFN

Brooke

Easiest Crockpot Tortilla Soup EVER!!

If you are good at opening cans and dumping the contents into your crockpot this recipe is for you!

I love this recipe, it is so delicious and easy.  It also makes a crockpot full, so it is great for feeding many!!  

I have to admit I was never a fan of Tortilla Soup.  When I had my last baby some of my friends brought me meals and one of them was this soup.  Hey, who passes up free dinner right?  So we tried it and it was delicious, too good not to share!

2 Large cans of Chicken
1 30 oz can of Diced Tomatoes
1 16 oz can of Diced Tomatoes and Chilis
1 can corn
1 can Black Beans
1 can Kidney Beans
1 Pkg of Dry Ranch
1 Pkg of Taco Seasoning

Only drain chicken and just dump everything else into your crop pot.
Cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours

Serve with Cheese, Sour Cream, and Tortilla Chips

ENJOY!!!

TTFN

Brooke

More GLITTER!!!

We decided we needed more Glittery things before we put the glitter away!  

Yes, the house is starting to sparkle, not from being cleaned though!  But who doesn't love a little glitter here and there!

We found these Snowflakes at the Dollar Store, 10 for $1.  They are a bit blah, but for that price anything is worth a try!

We added some twine to hang it by, painted it with Elmer's glue and covered it with glitter....

TADA!!!!!!

We have a beautiful snowflake that will look great next to our pinecones!

TTFN

Brooke

Glitter Pinecones

Ever since I was a little girl I have loved holidays.  I love all the excitement and seeing all the fun festive items in the store.  I love the decorating and yummy food.  I love the company they bring, really I just love holidays, everything about them.

Christmas is by far one of my favorites, I love to see the snow outside, the fun items to buy, watching sales, venturing out on black friday, hearing the fun music, and so on and so on.  

But my most favorite  is seeing how excited my 3 year old gets.  

So this year my daughter and I are making an ornament a day for our tree we will go pick out!  

First up is our Glitter Pinecones:

I think I have finally found the trick to getting glitter to really stick.  I have tried so many fancy adhesives and the best is Elmer's Glue, who would have thought?

  We brushed it on the edges of the pinecones and then my daughter dumped the glitter over the top.  

I used the finest glitter I could find as I wanted the snow effect.

Once they were glittered I put them in an egg carton to dry.

Oh they turned out so pretty, even I am getting excited for Christmas, and getting our tree!

TTFN

Brooke

Reclaimed Wood Frames & a Mirror....

You may have seen my reclaimed wood picture frames that go up my stairs

I have had many request for them!  I have good news, I found some reclaimed wood and I have been making some to sell!!

Here are the first 3!  I love all the charm and character of these frames!

These frames are 8x10's and yes they are for sale!

I won't bore you with all the details here if you are interested in purchasing them head over the my FURNITURE FOR SALE page

I do have a couple opening for custom orders if you want a specific size or color!  Send me an email, I am willing to ship these!

This mirror used to be in my daughters room, but she wanted a dresser with a mirror instead.  I figure 2 mirrors in one room is a bit of mirror over kill so I am selling this mirror as well!

My favorite part about this mirror is the pop of color it brings to any room!  

I have been changing a few other things out so I am sure I will have some more decor for sale here shortly!  

TTFN

Brooke

Need a Sign?

You know those little areas that just need something?  

Signs are perfect for that, and you can make them in any size!  

The sign above my pantry makes this wall of doors not quite as boring!!

Signs are always fun if they are functional too!  We ALWAYS lose our keys so here is my solution, I hope it works.  I even placed it right by the door.

This sign is made out of an old cupboard door with miss match knobs.  Super easy!

These frames looked sad on the wall all by themselves.  I really wanted to bring the brown from the couch up on the wall too.  What better way than on a sign right?

If you want to make your own signs ... Here is a tutorial on how I made my signs!

TTFN

Brooke

Tea Party!!

I must confess, I have an absolute love for photography!  

I had the opportunity to photography one of my good friends daughters in my backyard today,

I have always loved table setting outside with chandeliers hanging from trees so I seized the opportunity! 

  

Ahhhh, I am just in love with these pictures, the leaves, the colors, the cute little model EVERYTHING!!!  

I hope everyone had a Happy Halloween!  

TTFN

Brooke