Midas Touch Strikes Again: Arrow Sconce Look-Alikes

Remember this lovely antique brass arrow sconce that I talked about in my arrow post here?

Well, I took the plunge and decided to do a designer look-alike of sorts by transforming two of these inexpensive arrow wall-hangings I ordered from Hobby Lobby for less than $16 total...

All it took was my trusty tube of Antique Gold Rub 'N Buff (I think a single tube of the stuff may just last forever), a soft cloth, and about 15 minutes time.  And, this is what I ended up with...

I hung them on either side of a bookshelf in our guest room that I'm re-doing and very excited to show you soon...still have a few projects to go in there before I do a full-on reveal.

What do you think?  Is it a good designer look-alike?  Much better than paying several hundred if not thousands of dollars for real antique brass sconces.  I at least got the look I was going for, for uber-way less!

Oscars 2013 Best Dressed Fashion Line-Up

Any one else watch the Oscars last night?!?  I was very excited that Argo won best picture - I thought it was a phenomenal film, and I'm always a fan and supporter of anything the Ben Affleck/Jennifer Garner family produces.  They just seem like they'd make great neighbors...know what I mean?

Now, on to the best dressed fashion line-up.  Drumroll, please....here are a few of my favorite frocks from last night's events!

Most Retro-Glamorous...  Stacy Keibler in Naeem Khan

via

via

Most Fun With A Vivid Hue...  Jennifer Aniston in Valentino

 via

Most Sophisticated...  Jennifer Garner in Gucci

 via

Most Stunning Color...  Reese Witherspoon in Louis Vuitton

 via

Most Like a Barbie Doll...  Jennifer Lawrence in Dior Haute Couture

 via

Most Sequins and Shine...  Nicole Kidman in L'Wren Scott

via

Aren't they all lovely?!?  The trend for the night seemed to be sleek, straight-lined, and modern.  Very few full skirts this time around.  Which dress was your favorite?  Do tell!

A Few Mudroom Updates...

I've finished the first round of "mud-rooming"...as I call it.   Living in Boston, the mudroom gets quite a bit of use, especially after the 36" of snowfall we recently had.  And, the craziest thing...the number of shoes collected in the space exponentially grew overnight.  I guess that's because we've suddenly become a shoes-off-in-the-house family.  I now know that snow country will do that do you!

Here is the bland before pic...a nice clean slate:

(I won't bother showing you an in-between stage, because that's just ugly...and cluttered...and crazy.)

Here are the after pics:

See what I mean by lots of shoes??  (Now that I think of it, I kinda like the added color from the shoes.)

Here's a breakdown of where things are from:
Wall Hooks - Trolley Stop Hook ($12) from Anthropologie
Red Bench, Framed Cork Board, Basket, Pillow, Rug, Soap - Homegoods (God bless that place...)
Iron Cross - an old one I've had since high school...
Red Dot Scentsy night light - a gift

What do you think of the changes?  I love that it's finally organized and colorful...the best of both worlds, for me!

Hobby Lobby Now Online!

I just had to share...Hobby Lobby now has an online store!  For those of you who don't know what Hobby Lobby is - it's the mecca of affordable home accessories and crafting items.  Typically, you find them all over the South, but I hear they're in 40+ of the states now.  (Unfortunately, the last 2 states I've lived in have been missing out...booooo, Oregon and Massachusetts)

Here are just a few of the great things I found and loved on the Shop Hobby Lobby site (and they're so stinkin' cheap)!

Black Ceramic Scalloped Knobs ($3.99) - I bought 4 of these immediately!  I'll put them on the folding closet doors in my guest room with the black, white, and emerald green design plan.

Red Wood Table Clock ($27.99) - This reminds me of a little red pagoda.  It would look so adorable on a bookshelf or a bedside table.

Nickel Desk Lamp ($79.99) - This classic lamp complements the full design spectrum - from modern to traditional.  Better yet, it will never go out of style!

Round Crystal Gemstone Mirror ($49.99) - A knock-out mirror for above an entry table or a small powder bath sink.  I think this looks like it would be hundreds more!

Elephant Shelf ($17.49) - I think of pair of these spray-painted gold would be so beautiful flanking a large piece of art or a mirror above a dresser.  Put a candle on top, and it becomes a sconce.

Black & White Striped Round Box Set ($31.49) - These on my laundry room shelf, would make me want to do laundry...

Rhino Statue ($13.99) - Grab a can of matte white (or chrome or gold) spray paint to perk this guy up for a kid's room.  Or, forget the kid's room...I'd love him on top of a stack of books in my office!

Blue & White Porcelain Box ($11.99) - This would be really pretty for holding jewelry on a vanity or sink-top.  Looks like a family heirloom, minus the tragedy if it breaks.

Turquoise Metal Flower Knob ($3.99) - Envision this knob on a piece of vintage furniture painted with black chalkboard paint...it would look like a million bucks.

Hobby Lobby is one of the few places you can go to, where you can effectively decorate a whole room with a very small budget.  The best part about Hobby Lobby...if the item you want isn't on sale, then just wait a week and it will be!  (For example: Right now, they're running an ad for 40% off your most expensive item, plus free shipping over $40!!)

Because you don't spend an arm and a leg on these items, you feel you have the freedom to spray paint and change them as you like.  If your taste changes, simply grab a can of spray paint and make it perfect for your space!

(P.S. Hobby Lobby didn't pay me for this post.  Honestly, they don't even know I exist...short of my credit card being used on their site.  I just like sharing exciting decorating news and deals with you!)

Cupid Struck! Arrows, Arrows Everywhere (in Decor)

Happy day-after Valentine's Day!  Hope your love day was as great as mine was - I got to celebrate with the two sweetest valentines in the world...

I've been "pinning" arrows on my Pinterest page for a while now, so I thought that the day after V-Day was the perfect time to debut some of my favorite arrow decor finds with you all!  What do you think, are arrows a "Do" or a "Don't" in home decor?

 via Urban Outfitters

via EarthCadets on Etsy

I really want a pair of these antique crossed-arrow sconces...

 via One Kings Lane

via One Kings Lane

 via Travel for Design

 via The Handmade Home

Because I can't get the antique scones above...I'll buy a pair of these and "Rub 'N Buff" them gold:

via Hobby Lobby

 via Urban Outfitters

via Thompson Family-Life

via 1st Dibs

Finally, here's a pair of arrows in our own home...these ones are special as they were used in one of my husband's Boy Scouts ceremonies as a kid.  He had them hanging in the garage, and I snagged them a couple months ago and hung them inside.  (He still gives me a hard time for it!  He claims that I never would have let him hang them inside...and he's probably right)

Arrows likely won't last forever as a trend in home decor, but for right now I'm still enjoying them!  What do you say...are arrows a "Do" or a "Don't"?  If they're a "Do", how would you decorate with them?

DIY Triangle Confetti Garland

How stinkin' adorable is this homemade triangle garland?

I made it for my little one's evolving "big-girl" room which will have mostly pinks, turquoise, red, and gray for colors. The Inspiration Board for the space is {here} if you'd like to see the grand plans!

For this DIY project, I was inspired by the confetti garland from West Elm that they carried for Christmas (now out of stock):

I knew it would be a fun accent to deck the halls of my baby girl's room all-year-round.  Did I mention that this was a super cheap project?  Makes it even better!

Here's the quick and easy on how to make it...

Materials:
Several colors of paper or cardstock - scrapbook paper is awesome for this because it comes in a 12"x12" square, which makes measuring and cutting super easy
Pencil
Ruler
Scissors
Sewing Machine loaded with color-coordinated thread (I picked a basic white)

Instructions:
1. Grab your paper, pencil, and ruler.  Draw out 3"x3" squares, then cut along the lines.  (I divided each side of the 12"x12" paper into fourths (marking with the pencil) then drew a line across the paper, connecting the marks on opposing sides.)

2. Fold the squares in half, making a tight fold.  (note: for the sparkly cardstock triangles, I opted to cut triangles versus folding the thick cardstock...didn't want to bust a needle on the sewing machine)

Soon you'll have quite the collection of folded triangles...I bagged them because I was splitting the project between two days.

3. Once you're set to sew, just run the triangles through the machine one at a time.  I left a stitch between the triangles, so they'd move freely.

It will come out the other end of the machine looking just like this...

Voila!  That's it, friends...now go hang it up and enjoy.

Not bad for a DIY attempt at a West Elm product.  What do you think of the final comparison?

I love my version (totally not biased, huh?)  because it's much more custom to my little gal's room!  And, I didn't pay $20 for it!! (only about $6)  What do you think?  Let me know if you like it.

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