Using "Paint" to Visualize your Space

So my sister Meghann & her family just took possession of an amazing 

century home. 

But it needs work (some reasons being floor to ceiling wallpaper)
and Meghann has been stressing over paint colors.

They have an entire house to paint, and little time to decide on it all 
(they move into the house in a few weeks!).

So doing what I can, from 5 hours away...I doctored up some of her photos that she shared on FB to help her decide. 

Using the basic Windows Paint program, I simply drew over the areas in a new color.

Great thing was, once you did it the whole area you could change the color in a *click* with the paint bucket icon.

It got easier & quicker to do each time...and it was fun to play with "paint" colors!

AND...

It actually really did help them! 

AFTER:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

BEFORE:

see the floor? all I did was copy & paste that little patch of hardwood over & over again (oh yah girl, I'm tricky!)

AFTER:

(cabinets are staying as is until they are replaced later on):

BEFORE:

Have you ever done this? do you have any tips or secret programs I should know about for doing this?


Leave a comment! I wanna hear from you!


Oh, and they decided on paint colors and are painting RIGHT NOW!

DIY Photo Ornaments {great gift!}

Taking inspiration from the fabulous Shelley of House of Smiths HERE I was off to make some great little unique photo gifts for the Grandparents & Great Grandparents. 

I think another family photo in a frame might be overkill.

So I just loved this idea.

I used plastic ornaments from Michaels. 

Two sizes - one a flatter round (which I recommend as the picture sits better inside) 

and a full large round one.

I then had some 2x3.5" wallet photos printed at a photo lab and taped them onto some decorative scrapbook paper, rolled it up (photo side out) and placed it inside. 

Put the top back on, and tie on a ribbon. DONE! 

Costs:
Ornaments $2-2.50 each (50% off sale, Michaels)
Ribbon $1 (Michaels)
Scrapbook Paper 29cents (Hobby Lobby)
Photos 35cents for 4 (photolab.ca)
Sprig of Berries $2 (not shown, they sit behind the photo)


I made 5 bringing my total to about $15 for all 5

Here's hoping the Grandparents love it!

JK Vinyl Designs {giveaway} + HUGE Cyber Monday Deal!

I love JK VINYL DESIGNS.

She's got some great sayings, wall decor and customized gifts for pretty much as cheap as you can get!

You may remember this project?

Well, I used this vinyl for it:

JK Vinyl Designs is giving away any (one) vinyl 

- up to $19.99 in value!

MANDATORY:

-Be a Follower/Subscriber of The Bird's Papaya - one entry

-Go Visit JK Vinyl Designs and pick your favorite vinyl - one entry

EXTRAS:

-"Like" JK Vinyl Designs on FB - one entry

-"Heart" JK Vinyl Designs on Etsy - one entry

*leave one comment for each entry

giveaway winner will be drawn by random.org next Monday Dec 5th 2011

PLUS

...this is a BIG plus...

TODAY ONLY (MONDAY NOV 28th) JK VINYL DESIGNS IS OFFERING 

BUY 1 GET 1 FREE 

ON ALL VINYL IN HER SHOP, 

PLUSSSSSSS 20% OFF WITH COUPON CODE "HOLIDAYS"

WOW!!!!

So, if you do that deal...come back and tell me for another entry :)

Pre-Christmas Advertising Sale ($3/mth+!!)

As a shop owner myself, I know the importance of getting your shop "out there". 

So, as a little pre-Christmas gift, I'm doing a sale on ALL advertising packages that are booked between now & Christmas.

Rates start at $3/month and include an introductory post plus more opportunities to gain expose.

Read more about it HERE

I'm also completely willing to make a button for you, should you need it.

Make Your Own Glittered Ornaments {great gift idea}

A couple weeks back my next-door neighbor stumbled upon this tutorial and decided we should have a craft night and have a go at these!

I made a different style ornament, which I will show you soon. 

But check out my friend's!

All you need are these 4 things:

-Glass ornaments (found at Michaels for approx $8-9 for 6)

-Glitter (dollar store, or the schmancy Martha Stewart ones from Michaels)

-Pledge floor finish (i know, random right?)

-Ribbon for the top! 

Simply swish some of the Pledge inside of the glass ornament, then cover the top with saran and shake to make sure it's all covered.

Pour in your glitter, and shake some more!

Pour out any excess glitter.

Add ribbon to the top.

Here's a pic of an example from the tutorial post:

They have a video and everything, so go check it out!

so fun, and easy to do while drinking wine & munching on tapas :)

Christmas Mantle Reveal

If you've been following me on Facebook you'd know that I was quite frustrated with putting together this Christmas mantle (or mantel, haven't quite figured out the proper spelling yet).

I just couldn't get it to look right.

I'm NO designer, I'm a crafter, but NOT a designer...so this if often a time of rearranging until I like it.

That was, until I finished the painted sign that I showed you here, and all fell into place.

I know everyone likes to theme their Christmas decor. 

For me, I just wanted a classic Christmas look, with muted natural Christmas colors. I feel I achieved that, and more importantly, 

I didn't buy anything new to do it!

So so happy with how it turned out. 
Time to cozy up in front of that fireplace :)

Looking for the post on a specific item seen here?

find the post on the birchwood-effect painted sign HERE

find the post on the pennant banner HERE 

find the post on the boxwood accents HERE

find the post on the DIY Hurricanes (seen here filled with ornaments/pinecones) HERE

Friends & Family sign can be found at Saltbox House Etsy shop

Winter Holiday Pennant Banner

Welcome to part 2 of my Christmas Mantel/Mantle reveal. 

So proud of my restraint right now.

First I showed you project #1: Birchwood Effect Christmas Sign 

And now for project #2! 

("Friends & Family Sign" is from Saltbox House)

This was my FIRST time sewing a pennant banner. 
I definitely made some minor mistakes, but all in all, it's as easy at it looks.

First up! 
Choose your fabric. 
I went with one fabric as my anchor fabric, to which all others would work with, 
and then instead of shopping the expensive Christmas fabrics, 
I checked out the clearances & more. 

This was my "anchor" fabric:

All the fabric for this project (with a good amount of leftovers) was about $7.

The "ties" on the pennant, is double fold bias tape 
in a co-ordinating beige.

All I did was:

-Make a paper triangle template 

-Cut Triangles out (two for each pennant, to be double sided)

-Sewed the long sides of triangles inside out

-Turned right side out, iron (*may have skipped the ironing, can you tell? haha)

-Place & pin your pennant triangles between the two layers of bias tape, and sew together.

Note: be sure to leave about 9" of bias tape at each end for hanging!

I love that this is wintery, but not Christmas-y so it can stay up after Christmas comes down.

But, I'll tell ya....
it's beginning to look a LOT like Christmas around here...

Turband Inspiration + {Winners}!!

With all this Turband (turban + headband) talk, I was curious to see where this trend was going.

With a little googling, I found some celebrity & runway inspiration for this look!

Oh, Blair...you have done the headband world a massive favor!!

via

via

via

Love it!!

alright...so onto our winners!!

Winner #1: Elizabeth

Winner #2: Kuntrikutie38

Congrats ladies!!

Emailing you now :)

Thanks to all who entered...and if you want to go and shop turbands, go HERE (there's some sales happening too!):

Shop updates + Christmas order deadline!

SO excited to have actually sat down and make some beautiful new pieces to put in the shop this weekend! 

Here's a *peek* at what's new!

Owl Rings

See HERE 

Chrysanthemum Necklace in Ivory

See HERE

Chrysanthemum Necklace in Grey

See HERE

Dahlia Earrings in Smoke Blue

See HERE

The Charmed Necklace - Baker

(choose your own rosette color)

See HERE

Doe a Deer Pendant Necklace

See HERE

The Charmed Necklace - Teacher Appreciation

(Choose your own rosette color)

See HERE

Dangle Earrings - Large Icing Rose in Grey

See HERE

Dangle Earrings - Large Icing Rose in Grey

See HERE

Dahlia Earrings in Black

See HERE

BACK IN THE SHOP 

(and with more colors too!):

Octopus Necklace

See them HERE

~CHRISTMAS ORDERS~

To leave ample time for your gifts to arrive (remember I'm in Canada) please order by:

USA - Nov 20

CANADA - Nov 30

Although I cannot guarantee their arrival time because packages are sent with standard delivery, I believe this timeline will allow enough time for your gifts to arrive! Typically orders take 10-15 business days and these deadlines allow for an extra 15 business days in case of delays in shipping.

Also note if your order IS a Christmas gift and it will be custom wrapped for you!

Birchwood-look Handpainted Christmas Sign

While doing some Christmas shopping at JK Vinyl Designs, after buying 2 items, I got 3rd for free (you can too, it's a promo)! 

So I chose this as my freebie.

I love vinyl, but I also get sad when you have to remove it (for whatever reason) and you lose the chance to re-use it. 

So with the idea from Clarendon Lane to use vinyl as a stencil, I got to work to make this:

First I found an old piece of plywood in the garage (YAY free!) and painted it all over in a cherry red acrylic paint. 

Then when dry, applied the vinyl carefully on top.

Then I painted over the letting first in a warm white acrylic paint.

After the whole sign was painted and dry, I removed the vinyl.

Then as a finishing touch, I used Distress Ink (found at Michaels in the Scrapbooking section) on the corners, then in random lines all over to create a Birchwood/Birch Tree/Birch Bark (take your pick) effect.

Pretty much MADLY in love with this sign, and hope to make more....if I can conquer my fear of hardware lumber departments...because I've run out of scraps in the garage :(

This is part 1 of a three parter on my Christmas mantle/mantel.

That's right,

THREE PARTER.

Not because it's all that exciting, but because I have the bad habit of spilling out too many projects in one post. So I'm exercising patience :)