framed silhouettes in a corner of the house with a few of my favorite things

Here's a little corner of my living room. 

I've just updated this small wall near my wall of windows with some silhouettes.  Fall seems to be the time of year when we see silhouettes pop up everywhere. 

I try and redo my children's silhouettes every year--take out the old ones and pop them into their scrapbooks.  This year a new family member is making her debut appearance into the family, our new cat, Lucy.

 

These frames are ones I already had.  I just spray painted the girls' frames whites, and the boys' black.  Since I did Lucy's frame, we have since learned she is really a he, but I'm not going to bother re-painting the frame.  We also aren't changing his name. He is a boy cat with a girl's name.  But that's a whole 'nother story.

I updated my farmhouse dresser with some new accessories.

 

I love this black chicken coop wire cloche found while thrifting. It houses some mini white pumpkins sitting on a white cake stand.

I also love my skeleton lamp.  I prefer this type of shade better.  It allows more light to shine, and is better for reading.  I have actually transformed all the lamps in my house this way, by ripping off all the fabric on the lamp shades.  My husband's not sure what's happening to all the lamps! 

Just a peek at a corner of the house that I am constantly primping.

P.S. Don't forget to enter the giveaway for this amazing calender here.

P.P.S.  There's still time to link up your fabulously {primp}ed projects here.

keep primping,

Primp Your Stuff Wednesday Linky Party #17

Happy Wednesday! It's time to link up all your fabulously {primp}ed projects, including anything you have made, or made to look better, or anything you have found to {primp} your space.

Here are my favorites from last week's party:

Hobbies of  a Homemaker primped this fabulously shabby door by adding chicken coop wire to it. Now it can be a message center or inspiration board wherever you need it.

Mitzi's Miscellany created this beautiful pumpkin by covering one in a vintage crocheted doily--gorgeous!

RustiChic  showed off her newly finished and gorgeous blue french hutch.

Polyanna Reinvents upcycled old bottles into perfect Halloween decor using fun vintage graphics and keys.

and last but not least,

Momma Hen's Coop shared so many great ideas on decorating for fall outdoors!

Thanks for all your inspiration every week!

Now it's time to be inspired again:

Please become a follower if you are not already, and grab my button to post somewhere on your blog so others can join in on the fun!

<div align="center"><a 
href="http://micheleravendesigns.blogspot.com/" title="{Primp}" 
target="_blank"><img 
src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y103/amycarver3/primpbutton2.jpg" 
alt="{Primp}" style="border:none;" 
/></a></div>

keep primping and link up!

Dry Erase Calender Giveaway by Coffee & Cabernet

I am so excited to host a giveaway generously offered by Sarah at Coffee & Cabernet:

 She is giving away this gorgeous dry erase calender, a $205 value!

Here are the particulars:

The backdrop of this unique dry erase monthly calendar is hand sewn & hand tied, and made entirely from textiles (including burlap, grosgrain ribbon & jute). It is framed in a gorgeous, barnwood frame that is painted and slightly distressed, giving it a wonderful rustic-chic feel. 

I could see this in a kitchen, office or mud room to keep all your activities and appointments organized. This calendar measures 19 x 23 inches {weighs only 4.5lbs} and each daily box is 2 x 2.5 inches, providing ample space for several comments. Hanging hardware and one black dry erase marker is included.

Isn't it gorgeous!

Want to win? You can enter once or up to 7 times if you'd like. Leave a separate comment for each entry:

*Become a follower of {Primp}, if you aren't already, and leave a comment saying you are  {one entry}

*Head on over to Coffee & Cabernet and become a follower there {one entry}

*While you are there, visit her  etsy shop and add it to your favorites, come back and let me know you did {one entry}

*Like C&C on facebook here, come back & tell me you did {one entry}

*Like {Primp} on facebook here, come back & tell me you did {one entry}

*post about this giveaway on your blog or facebook {up to 2 entries}

This giveaway will be open for one week.  I will choose a winner and announce it Tuesday, October 18th.

keep primping & good luck!

bistro chair love and a few pumpkins

I have a new obsession with vintage french bistro chairs.

Of course mine are neither french nor vintage, but instead newly purchased from Kmart.  I snatched the last couple from the summer clearance section  and painted them white.  They were originally turquoise, so I did a thick paint job with a brush to try and mimic wood grain and give it some character.

I also switched out my table centerpiece for this old metal caddy found thrifting filled with mini white pumpkins, and sitting on a red striped grainsack. 

A lone cinderella pumpkin sitting on a freshly painted bistro chair makes a simple display.

Here are some beautiful bistro chairs that have been my inspiration:

Dreamy Whites

 

Dusty Lu

French Country Cottage

French Farmhouse 425

Ticking and Toile

I am enjoying the changing of the seasons and the beauty it brings, I hope you are too.

 

keep primping & happy fall!

P.S. Come back Monday for a great giveaway!

 

Primp Your Stuff Wednesday Linky Party #16

Happy Wednesday!  It's time to link up all your fabulously {primp}ed projects,

including anything you have made or made to look better, or anything you have found to {primp} your space.

But first, I am offering sponsorship slots here just in time for Christmas, for only $5 a month.  Or if you want to do a giveaway, I will post your button for free until Christmas.  If you have a shop and would like to get some exposure now is that time! It is getting close to Christmas and we all need gift ideas!  If you have a shop or blog that you would like to advertise here, or a giveaway, send me an email to maraven@sfcn.org with the subject "advertising" and we'll set something up, I'd love to have you!

Now on to the party. 

Here are my favorites from last week:

Life We Live 4 {primp}ed this beautiful blue buffet.  I just love the blue color combined with the gold knobs.

Farm Chic made this cute burlap and bird wreath.  I love the charming addition of the scrabble letters.

Maple and Magnolia refinished this gorgeous industrial work table.

Attempting Aloha made her own fabric for this adorable ruffled clutch.

Crafty Scrappy Happy showed off her beautiful fall mantel. I love the feathers in the vintage glass bottles!

And because I can't get enough of these burlap wreaths,

SweetGirl Expressions showed off another beautiful wreath made with burlap and flour sack rosettes.

Thanks for all your inspiration every week!

Now it's time to be inspired again:

Please become a follower if you are not already, and grab my button to post somewhere on your blog so others can join in on the fun!

<div align="center"><a 
href="http://micheleravendesigns.blogspot.com/" title="{Primp}" 
target="_blank"><img 
src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y103/amycarver3/primpbutton2.jpg" 
alt="{Primp}" style="border:none;" 
/></a></div>

keep primping and link up!

Decorating a boys room using maps and vintage finds from the thrift store

Here is the finished boys room.  Ok, not really finished, what room ever really is, right?  It will constantly evolve as I find new items to add to it but I'm satisfied with how it currently looks, and I'd like to finally mark it off my to-do list!  My two boys share this small room which I've stuffed full of cool finds.

Almost everything in this room was found at the thrift store with the exception of a few items, including the beds and dresser that we've had for years.  I wanted the main focus to be the maps and globes that I've been collecting over the last few months.

An old industrial barn light found for $6 at the thrift store, combined with a $3 vintage cage light becomes the star of the room.

I added numbers to this dresser to copy one I'd seen in an Anthropologies catalog. See how I did it here.

Square cubes shelves also found thrifting hold one son's lego creations.

 

A map bunting made from a vintage atlas found at the thrift store.  You can purchase one in my etsy shop here.

Lots of globes, a vintage lunch box (sprayed in chalkboard paint), and tin letter signs found at Hobby Lobby. 

I painted the closet doors with a green chalkboard paint, and hung a red bucket perfect for holding chalk.

With such a small room, organization is key.  Metal baskets and old crates are tucked under the bed to hold off-season clothes and other stuff.

I found this vintage school desk for $8 and a cute old lamp for $2 also at the thrift store.  I almost didn't buy the desk because I knew it would be cramped in the space, but it was just too cute to pass up.

The boys actually sleep with their heads on the opposite side because my husband read that the electrical box, which is just outside this wall, would interefere with their sleeping patterns.  I also have a thing about hanging things above heads where people are sleeping, so no worries they are safe.

It's so nice to finally get a project done that has been going on for months.  It feels even better to know I found all this cool stuff at the thrift store for cheap.  I look forward to my thrift store trip every week. It's always like a treasure hunt, and you never know what you are going to find.  If you've never been, go try it! 

keep primping,