ScotchBlue Painter's Tape Painter Party

Hello everyone...Today, I am the first blogger to post about the ScotchBlue painter's tape Painter Party! ScotchBlue sent over some tape, and I got to work with it...I'm here today to show you guys what I came up with. Obviously, I use this stuff almost everyday, so it was not hard to come up with a project! In the series, myself and 4 other bloggers will show you guys what we came up with with our tape, then give you the chance to win your own. Here is the list of bloggers in the series (which is scheduled to go "live" at 12pm everyday!):

1. Lindsay @ Living With Lindsay *Continue to this blog next!*
2. Amy @ Maison Decor 8
3. Sara @ House Bella
4. Katie @ Craptastic Katie

Please check out their projects the rest of this week!

Also, I have this little tidbit from ScotchBlue for you guys:

If you’d like a chance to win a sample of ScotchBlue™ Painter’s Tape with Edge-Lock™ Paint Line Protector for your own project, simply comment on my post and share how you’d use ScotchBlue™ Painter’s Tape in your next project! For a second chance to win, tweet @ScotchBlueBrand “I want #supersharppaintlines for my next project!” Feel free to comment on the other blogs in the party too. They’ll all be giving away samples!

Now, onto my project!

I wanted to show you guys how I used the tape in a little different way than the "expected" stripes or line-taping-off! I use this tape almost everyday, for ALL kinds of projects. In this project, I used the tape to create lines for a pagoda in a Chinoserie nursery mural that I painted. Check it out!

Ahhh, lots o' tape = happy me

Getting started on my mural - as you can see illustrated here, the tape helped to create architectural lines in the pagoda that would've taken forever if I'd have just drawn them and painted them in. I measured the distance across and down, and taped accordingly:

A little tip for creating even smoother lines: take a damp rag and wipe down the top of your tape before painting.

here is a photo after I painted over my lines (since I know it's kind of hard to see)

and here is my final product!

See the lines created by the ScotchBlue tape?

ps this nursery belongs to (and was styled by) the fabulous Heather at Ivy and Vine - isn't it beautiful? It's just my style, and I LOVE it.

There you go! I hope you guys enjoyed the little example of just one way I use ScotchBlue painter's tape. Don't forget to comment and let me know how you'd use it for a chance to win your own, and don't forget to check out Lindsey's post tomorrow!

Disclaimer: ScotchBlue Brand reached out to me to participate in the ScotchBlue Painting Party to celebrate the launch of their new ScotchBlue Painter’s Tape with Edge-Lock Paint Line Protector. My post represents my honest experience with ScotchBlue Painter’s Tape. I am not being paid for my answers, but I did receive ScotchBlue Painter’s Tape to assist in completion.

New Stencil Pattern...

Soooo, I did this last night:

I wanted to make a new stencil pattern, and it's very similar to this Madeline Weinrib rug pattern (I adore her textiles...who doesn't?). It took about an hour...and yes, it's an accent wall. I'm notorious among my friends for "hating" accent walls, but somehow, when it comes to stencils, I'm down with 'em.

And, as you know, sometimes I just get bored and/or have to do something that I come up with.

you like?

PS - only 2 days left to enter my giveaway from Arcadian Lighting!

Bookshelf Upgrade.

A while back, after my dad and I installed the two Ikea bookshelves in my living room, I decided I wanted to add trim to them, after seeing this post from Little Green Notebook. I painted them a long time ago, but I still felt they needed a little upgrade, so last week, on a whim, I decided to add trim to the tops, bottoms, and sides.

I'd never added trim to anything before, so I used a online tutorial and my brain to figure it out. Admittedly, it's not the best sawing job, but a little bit of wood filler and paint helps to disguise that. All in all, I'm really happy with the way it turned out - my bookshelves look much more like real "built-ins", and less like cheap-o Ikea furniture.

I bought 3 types of trim at Lowe's - I had no idea what type to buy, but you can kind of figure out which is meant for the base, and the top, and the sides. I bought 2 pieces of trim for the top parts, one for the bottom (since my table skirt kind of covers up part of the bottoms), and two for the side trim that I did. I just used a little hand saw to saw the pieces.

here it is before:

And, after I added trim, but before I painted it (I also put the top shelves back in):

and, after:

Friday Happenings.

Ahhh, it's finally (almost) the weekend!

I wanted to show you guys a little somethin' I added to spice up my curtain situation in my bedroom. The curtains were just plain white cheap-o Ikea ones that I "hemmed" with the Stitch Witchery stuff that you get at Ikea. They were pretty plain, but I like the white curtains because they keep the room bright, and they keep a blank slate for when I like to change things around (which, you guys have probably learned by now, is frequent).

I wanted SOMEthing to add a little interest, though, so I decided to check out the trim section at Hancock Fabrics last weekend, and lo and behold, I found a great Greek Key pattern in black and white for only $7 a yard. It's by Kathy Ireland, and it's about 2 inches thick - pretty great.

I ended up just hot-gluing the trim on, because that way I can peel it off when/if I get tired of it in the future, and use it again.

Here it is!

(Mika can't help himself - he must always be in the shot. PS, Fun fact: Mika is named after this guy. He's really proud of his namesake, can you tell?)

Mika and I both love it.

Now, for a little business talk: My awesome little brother, David, is starting a t-shirt printing company. His plan goes like this: He creates and hand-screenprints (yes, he has a screenprinting machine!) 10 t-shirts of one design. They are only available in one of each size - women's xs, s, m, l and xl and men's xs, s, m, l and xl. Once the size is sold out, it's gone forever, and whoever bought it gets a one-of-a-kind tshirt. The design will never be recycled or printed again. All his designs are printed on American Apparel shirts (the best brand, in my opinion - they're pretty much all I wear when I am painting). I think it's a great idea! You can visit his etsy shop HERE!

examples of the tshirts! This is what David says about his design, "The design was made by me with the idea in mind of how we constantly move forward or move in any direction, but that through that movement we are constantly growing more and more roots, and its not the direction that is moving us forward, but our roots."

Here is David, modeling his T.

Get em while they're hot, people! Hopefully this will be a popular thing, and lil David will be printing more and more one-of-a-kind designs in the future, so bookmark his shop, if you will...and feel free to spread the word. Have a great weekend, everyone!

A Giveaway from Arcadian Lighting!

Hey guys, I'm taking a break from blogging today, and letting Reyna at Arcadian Lighting take the reigns. Not only do I get a break, but one of you lucky folks gets to win a $50 giveaway!

Here we go...

What's the best way to update your home decor? Modernize traditional furniture with color. Patterned chairs or painted end tables turn classic pieces into conversation pieces. When paired with a matching wall hanging or light fixture, a space can go from drab to fab with the simple addition of a bright hue.  For inspiration, here are some dazzling examples of how to modernize tra

ditional furniture with color.   Stripes 
Pitut  (via)
Reupholster the pads and backs of classic dining room chairs with fabrics in bold stripes - their avant-garde look will transform an ordinary dining room setting into something spectacular.
 End on A High Note 
Northern 
light (via)
 
A white sofa and coffee table look pretty next to a pale blue painted accent table - the same shade of blue is used in the matching lighting fixture and throw pillows to tie the room together.
Rainbow Chic 
Slibaba (via)
Why stop at one color when several can be used? Modernize traditional furniture with color by painting each of the drawers in a chest 

a different primary shade and add matching chairs for even more style.  Retro vibes

 
Decor8 (via)
 
A painted dinette table in 1950s-aqua becomes a fun gathering place when mixed with a variety of chairs. The whimsical wall art, including dream catchers and a canvas print, are the final touches of this light-hearted set-up.
 Bright Florals  
 
The Elegant Home (via)
 
Pink and white floral prints on traditional pieces like wingback chairs instantly melds old and new. This dining room dares to combine two types of flowery patterns - a hot home decor trend this summer. The ceiling light is a nice added touch to the space.
 Form and Function 
 
Real Estate Style (via)
 
This classic ottoman pulls double-duty as a footrest as well as a plush coffee table - the painted blue legs updates this antique.
 
Green Work
 
 
DECORdir (via)
 
New brightly-colored fabrics on traditional square dining room chairs provide one of the ultimate home accessories in an office or workspace.
 
Country Chic
 
 
Distro Architecture (via)
 A refurbished coffee table in an audacious hue like red takes on new life and becomes the modern focal point of a classic country living room.  Content provided by Arcadian Lighting, a site that specializes in top quality lighting fixtures at extremely affordable prices. Come visit us today!

 "Arcadian Lighting is the best source for lighting fixtures and accessories at discount prices. Arcadian Lighting has been in the lighting industry for over 15 years selling decorative home lighting fixtures and lamps online, and has become one of the top Internet retailers for home lighting products."

Thanks for the article, Reyna. Now, for the fun part...the giveaway!

Terms and Conditions:

1. This giveaway is open to United States and Canada residents only. (My international readers, sorry.)

2. Only ships to the current continental US (48 states). If the winner lives in Hawaii or Alaska or Canada, the winner must pay the additional fees that may incur.

3. A special code will be given to the lucky winner and it can only be used once.

4. Must be a follower of KFD Designs via Blogger, and "like" my Facebook page. Visit Arcadian Lighting and let me know what you would buy with your $50 gift card if you win (be specific). (mandatory) Leave a comment.

Deadline for entries is Thursday, September 1st, and I will announce the winner next Friday, the 2nd! Winner will be chosen by random.org. Good luck, my friends. 

Sneak Attack

here is a super-fun-surprise-awesome-happy sneak peak of a Chinoserie nursery mural I finished...more on it later, but I just had to share one photo...

Painting a Chandelier

The titles of my posts are the least creative thing about me.

Anyway, yesterday, I spent the day working on a couple of projects for a client, one of which was tweaking the metallic color on a chandelier. Here is what she was working with before:

A very pretty chandelier, in a very pretty, elegant, and stylish room - except that gold was a lllliiiiittle too gold. More on the yellow side.

Too yellow. No bueno.

So, in I came, to tone it down a bit. We thought an antiqued silver would be much prettier in this space - see all the silver that is on the shelves?

I used two types of metallic craft paint to achieve the look I wanted:

Folk Art's Metallic Pearl White and Anita's Silver paint. I like the Pearl White because it's more of a true silver, and I liked the Anita's for this project, because it's more of a pewter. I mixed and matched them until I got what I liked.

After I let the metallic layer dry, I went in with brown glaze and dirtied it up a bit. Here is the final result:

Much calmer!

(and much cheaper than buying a new light fixture)

So much better in the space, don't you think?

Lengthening My Bedskirt

Hello, and happy Monday...

This weekend, I took on a little unplanned home project. I went to Hancock Fabrics on Saturday to pick up some trim for my curtains (more on that later). While I was perusing the fabric selection there, I came across this orange cotton fabric that was on sale. I loved the shade, and thought about what I could do with it in my bedroom.

Since I have started my bedroom redesign, I added risers from Target onto the bottom of the bed, to provide more storage (plus, I like the look of the taller bed). The only problem with it has been that the bedskirt, which is from Ikea, was about 4 inches too short. It's been bothering me for a few weeks, and I had actually done a little searching for extra long bedskirt on the internet.

I didn't find anything online that I thought would work. If I was going to buy a new bedskirt, I wanted it to at least be interesting and pretty, and nothing was fitting the bill. A little lightbulb went off when I saw this orange fabric at Hancock, though, and I decided to add onto the bottom of the bedskirt with it. I bought 2 yards of it.

Unfortunately, I was dumb and didn't take "before" pics of the short-ness -- you will have to imagine it. Not hard. Just imagine being able to see 4 inches of crap stored underneath the bed - not a good look.

here's how I did it, and the outcome:

Here are all of my supplies laying out. I bought Niagara brand starch, and got out my iron and my hot glue gun. If I had a sewing machine (that worked - note to self: have mine fixed asap), I'd have sewn it, but I didn't, so I just hot-glued everything in place. Obviously, this bedskirt is not something that I'm using and abusing often - it sits in place, and rarely gets touched, so it wasn't imperative that it be durably sewn together. Plus, I've used my hot glue gun on fabrics enough to know how to keep it from looking hot-glued. :)

I cut 3 long strips out of the fabric. I wanted about 4" added to the length of the bedskirt, so I cut each strip at 6". That gave me 1" to fold and glue under, and 1" to glue to the end of the current bedskirt, leaving me 4".

First, I sprayed the fabric strip with lots of starch, and folded the "bottom" end under and ironed it. This does a lot of the work for you. After that, I just hot glued into the fold, and pressed down. I did this all along the bottom end of all 3 long strips.

(PS Starch is amazing. Somehow, I've never used it. Hah! We were never much of an ironing family, so I never learned about the amazingness of starch. I love it now, though, and actually, when I started using it, it reminded me of how my Nana used to sew dresses and things for me when I was little, and she always used her hot iron and starch a lot in the process. :) )

hot gluing the ends under

Next, I just attached my orange piece to my bedskirt. Quite easy.

Folding the ends under, and starching/ironing/gluing just like I did with the other bits.

The hardest part of this project was taking the bedskirt on and off the bed! Not easy, but worth it. Check out my final results!

I'm really happy with the orange, because I had been wanting to add something else orange into the room (other than the lamps), and this was a really fun, unexpected touch.

I'm so happy that both the orange lamps and the orange on the bedskirt are the exact same!

The colors are a little nuts here, but this is the other side of the bed:

I'm particularly proud of the pleated areas. To get those to work properly, I just heavy starched them, and ironed them down really well.

Mika models, as usual.

Hope you like!

Just for fun (and maybe if you are new here), here are the other DIY projects I've taken on in this room, since painting it:

-Made the beadboard

-Made custom artwork

-Bought a vintage starburst mirror, and customized the metal color with some faux painting skillz

-Painted the lamps orange

-Painted the Ikea Lack shelves blue

Striped Console

One time, a loooong time ago, I had this console. It was pretty awesome.

My mom got it for me at a yardsale - she knew I'd like the '60's vibes of the cute little legs and the top of it. It started out solid wood. I kept it like that for about a year (she bought this for me, probably in '07?), then when we moved into a new house, I decided to paint it royal blue.

Our living room looked like this:

And the console looked like this:

Woo!

Then, after it being bright blue for a year or so, I decided to strip the paint off. I'd never done it before, and thought it wouldn't be too hard. I ended up making this face:

Stripping paint off of furniture is no fun. Like, a whole lot of no-fun.

Except for the short period of time where the paint starts to bubble up...that's kind of cool.

See?

After a whole lot of work (also, I decided to do this RIGHT before/during the time that we were supposed to be packing and moving, so it made it a little more stressful), it started to work:

I got it basically where I wanted, and when we moved into the condo, it looked like this:

I covered the doors in decorative paper.

Then, one day, I decided to paint everything I own white.

We kept it for a while, and I finally decided to part with it when my dad and I installed shelves and the new tv:

(watch out, Dad)

So, I sold my console, and the person who bought it decided to have me paint it. Here it is now!

I painted the body of it chocolate brown, and the drawers in yellow and white distressed stripes, to tie in with my client's rug.

The poor console is probably happy to have landed at a home where it isn't being made over every 6 months. :)