Thursday, 26 June 2014

For the love of pavers!





When something gets in



 my Hubby's head,



It's got to be done!



Whatever IT is!!





He has an attraction to old street pavers...









Hubby has been collecting these old pavers with words on them for a few years. His plan, to use them to build a patio. We have a cement patio, so no, not there. He was thinking out at the back of our yard under a tree where we have a swing on an

Monday, 23 June 2014

Fourth Of July Decor





Ready for the Fourth of July!












These parties I love to link up to or check out my Blog Parties tab

Monday

Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps On The Porch

Motivate Me Monday @ Keeping It Simple 

Motivate Me Monday @ It's A Ginger Snap 

Make it Pretty Monday @ The Dedicated House

Masterpiece Monday @ Boogieboard Cottage Making The World Cuter @ Making The World Cuter 

DIY'ERS

Thursday, 19 June 2014

DIY: Decoupage Slippers

What do you do when something is just not ready to wear out.
I have something like that with me since past eight years and it's still in good condition. The only thing is that I am super bored of its plain and dull look. It's my slippers.....yes you heard it right. Please don't laugh or make fun of me. They are really boring, have a look.......
and they are too common.
Kitschy Slippers


So what do you suggest I should do with this slippers...........
Well kitsch and decoupage was on my mind since long so why not fulfill both the desires and at the same time give new look to the extremely boring slippers. 
So here I go with some easily available supplies:

Kitschy Slippers



  • Colorful paper cuttings from Magazine
  • Scissors
  • White water based glue
  • Acrylic Medium/ Modpodge
  • Brush
  • Varnish

1. I washed it and then let it dry completely. applied acrylic medium on the surface and put paper cutting.

Kitschy Slippers

2. Then I applied acrylic medium on paper too that I pasted. Kept on doing step 1 and 2 until the surface was all covered with paper. Let it dry.

Kitschy Slippers


3. Then I mixed 1 part glue in 1 part water and applied it properly on the surface and pasted a cutting of this cute doll that I found in magazine. Let it dry.

Kitschy Slippers

Kitschy Slippers

4. After it was completely dried I gave two coats of varnish and it is almost waterproof and that's how it looks now!!

Kitschy Slippers

I am happy with the outcome. Though I don't know how long it will last but I am happy that it is not an eyesore anymore. I love wearing it :)

Kitschy Slippers

Some more clicks............

Kitschy Sippers

And finally I am done with Decoupage and Kitsch as well. How do you like this DIY. 
Do let me know which version of the slippers you liked...the earlier one or decoupage one!!

Kitschy Sippers

Wishing you happy and creative weekend. Have a great fun!!


Tuesday, 17 June 2014

Another Painted Fabric Chair!






 I am so excited




 to share with you



 another one of my



 half painted fabric



 and half upholstered chair!













I bought this chair from a good friend of mine. She had painted the wood and caning white, but I repainted it to be less distressed than what she had. This is what it looked like at that point...






I used it in my Green Toile guest bedroom because the green

Saturday, 14 June 2014

Store Review: Iris Aroma Boutique

Fragrance is a powerful wizard that transports you across thousands of miles and 
all the years you have lived”
-Helen Keller


Sense of smell has great impact not only on our mood but emotions also. Fragrance is a chemical compound and is volatile so it is transported to the nose where all the olfactory receptors are present and then it stimulates the part of the brain that is called seat of emotions. Fragrance have physiological effect. It has effect on heart beat, blood pressure and muscle tension. It can uplift mood and can act as a good energy booster. Pleasant smell can evoke feeling of happiness, sensuality and relaxation. Different fragrances have different impact on mood.

Let me introduce you to Iris Aroma Boutique.
                                                                                 
                                                                                                                           Iris Logo

IRIS Aroma Boutique is one-of-its kind exclusive home fragrance chain in the country and their flag ship store is at Lavelle Road on Bangalore.  Iris harnesses the power of Aromacology and strives to create sensory delight in the daily lives of consumers through fragrance and form design. The IRIS Aroma Boutique has an extensive aroma collection not found elsewhere in the country. At IRIS Aroma Boutique one’s can choose from a wide array of fragrances  and fragrance dispensers and accessories  that are made in stone, ceramic, glass and wood. The dispensers  are aesthetically designed decorative pieces in a variety of textures and colours. They offer handcrafted aromatic candles, potpourri, reed diffusers, fragrant stones, pillow misters, amphora, fragrant sachets and vapourisers with tea light candles and essential oils and even garden incense sticks.  

The biggest USP of IRIS is that they create and blend perfumes( fragrances) in-house. Its Founder and Managing Director, Kiran Ranga, is a Master Fragrance Creator with a degree from the University of Plymouth in Business and Perfumery he along with the team works on developing the different fragrances and fragrant delivery systems.
Apart from the aromatic spread that one can choose the store is also designed in such a way that it complements the sweet smells that it houses.
Some of the different kinds of delivery systems that are available at IRIS Aroma Boutique are

Reed diffusers                          Aroma Candles                                  Amphora                 Flower Diffusers

Apple Cinnamon Fragrance


I got Apple Cinnamon fragrance reed diffuser from Iris. The fruity smell makes me calm and happy and cinnamon makes me feel more energetic and relaxed as well. I simply put the fragrance oil in ceramic pot and then placed reed sticks in that. Fragrance starts emanate as soon as oil rises up in the reed sticks due to capillary action and soon gentle breeze wafted the smell of apple cinnamon throughout my room.  

Reed Diffuser

First I used only four reed sticks but for stronger effect I placed all the eight. When not in use, reed sticks can be put back in the pouch that is provided in the packet and keep ceramic pot closed with given cork.
As I write this post sitting in the same room where I placed this diffuser I now strongly believe that using a right fragrance can make your mundane tasks little more enjoyable. It's fragrance is so gentle and soothing.

Apple Cinnamon Reed Diffuser

Hope over to their site and you will find list of different fragrances and their impact on your mood. Choose the one that is right for you and see the magic of fragrance not only on your mood but emotions also. 

Apple Cinnamon Reed Diffuser

Let me know which fragrance is your favorite one and how does it effect your mood. 
Stay tuned for a very easy DIY coming soon on blog........!!

P.S. This fragrance kit is provided by Ripple Fragrances free of cost but all the views expressed are purely mine.


Friday, 13 June 2014

The Story of Huge Birdhouses!




My yard and gardens are always changing, even if I don't want them to because of Mother Nature.


This year we changed up some of the hardscaping...

As in BIRDHOUSES!

Let's go back a bit...





Back when my Young-And-Cute-Handy-Dandy-Handyman was here with his crew putting on new siding, one of his worker's threw a cool square pillar in the dumpster. Well, it didn't stay in the dumpster

In Nature's Lap

Hello dear readers!!! I am back after a refreshing and lovely vacation. 
How you all have been. Would you believe I purposely kept myself away from 'Internet' during this period
and that was amazing. I just enjoyed every bit of my vacation.
When I came back home from a place where mercury had hit 46 C, weather treated me very well here with short spell of shower and cool pleasant breeze. I almost feel like being in nature's lap. 
Stepping out of room on the terrace every morning and evening is just a bliss. I get to see different moods and shades of nature. Sometimes it's warm and shiny .........

Nature


Sometimes grey and dark.

Nature


and sometimes at its best.........with myriad colours in the sky.

Nature

and when I look at this beauty I just forget everything else. I am peaceful, free of stresses and calm.

Nature

Now let me take you to my other balcony/terrace. It's open to sky and looks beautiful in every season. We get ample amount of sunlight through out the year and what to say about pleasant breeze that blows gently every evening as I enjoy my cuppa there.

Garden


View from the living room. I enjoy endless rains
Garden

and my sun kissed beauties too.

Garden


It's green, it's full of colour. it's full of life and happiness!!

Garden

That's how I feel in my lovely abode. Blessed, happy and in nature's lap :)
Stay tuned to know about relation between fragrance and your mood. Next post coming soon....



Monday, 9 June 2014

Believe in Tomorrow





I do 'Believe in Tomorrow'!

Though this ChalkArt was not my original ideal...







I found this idea in a magazine recently

but forgot the name of the magazine. 
The trick to getting your chalk art to look dark and good is to wet the chalk for a second under running water. When you use this wet chalk, it will look pale and kind of weird, but as it dries right before your very eyes, it

Monday, 2 June 2014

Gray French Dresser





I finally found a



  QUALITY

 (complete with dovetail drawers) 







little 





French styled dresser!





It looked a bit shabby...





So I worked my magic with AS Chalk Paint in French Linen, but lightened the paint with white.





Loving how it turned out with the white accents...





Then I had a garage sale and as three women were fighting over who was going to get to buy it,