Christie Chase

#447...lately in my kitchen

2012-02-10T06:26:00.000-08:00

I've been busy whipping up dishes from the veggies I got last week. Cooking is not my forte, so I'm pretty pleased with myself that I made these edible and also yummy dishes.

Quinoa Salad

Braised Daikon in Mirin and Shoyu

Beet Hummus

....and to top off all this healthy eating, I gobbled up two of these giant shortbread jam heart cookies that an admirer left on my porch as a sweet Valentine's treat!

#446...wikstenmade tank

2012-02-08T06:06:00.000-08:00

I bought this tank pattern from Jenny of Wiksten last year, and finally got around to testing it out.

It is a really simple sewing pattern, but it employs some of my favorite techniques like a french seam, and bias finished neck and arm holes. You have the choice of making a shirt length tank or a dress length tank. I made the longer tank as a nightie for my friend Nancy from some vintage Liberty of London fabric that I've had stashed for awhile.

My sister Sarah asked me to teach her how to sew, so she too made a tank dress for her first project. I helped her with the curved portions, but she cut it out, sewed the side seams and pocket all by herself. Here is a pic of Sarah's tank. She said she may wear it as a swimsuit cover-up, which I thought a clever use.

There is an entire flickr pool dedicated to the Wikstenmade patterns. Here are a few of my favorites of the tank pattern from flickr.

#445...botanical photography

2012-02-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

I'm enamoured with the beautiful botanical photography of Kari Herer. This weekend, I played around with my camera and a bouquet of dendrobium orchids trying to capture their beauty in a similar style.

Thanks for the pretty flowers Sol

#444...super quick staging

2012-02-03T07:53:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, when I am looking for items for a real estate staging project the Shopping Gods smile on me, and I find everything I need in about 30 minutes at exactly the price point that fits in my budget. Case in point.....

before

after

King Bed-in-a-Bag Set from Ross $35

Set of Toss Pillows from HomeGoods $25

Starburst Mirror over bed from HomeGoods $45

#443...veggie time

2012-02-01T06:14:00.000-08:00

My client and friend Sol turned me on to this local organic veggie co-op. I bought my first box yesterday, and am impressed with its contents.

Here is a list of what came in my box

6 bananas

3 Fuji apples

2 Gala apples

1 Granny Smith apple

1 cucumber

1 avocado

4 oranges

1 red onion

2 tomatoes

14 carrots

4 D'Anjou pears

1 head romaine

1 bunch kale

1 pint strawberries

1 head spinach

1 bunch green cabbage

1 pineapple

1 grapefruit

1 celery bunch

...........now to figure out what to do with all of this healthy stuff

#442...floating side table

2012-01-30T11:20:00.000-08:00

We have had this hairpin side table by our couch for awhile now. I refurbished it here.

I really liked the pop of color, but ended up disliking how much dog hair got trapped in the hairpin legs and how annoying it was to clean around them. My solution to the leg/hair dilemma was to have Tyler build a floating side table for the space, which I painted and stained similarly to the old hairpin version.

#441...fendi facelift

2012-01-27T06:12:00.000-08:00

I got this vintage Fendi purse at a consignment shop for about $15.

It was in really good shape except for the trimming around the zipper, which was completely frayed.

I thought about taking it to a shoe/purse repair shop....(and I still may)....but I decided first to try giving it a quick fix so that I could use it. I got some 3/8ths inch bright blue velvet ribbon and simply glued it over the frayed trim. I thought about using a fabric/leather glue, but I wanted a less permanent solution in case I wanted to change the ribbon out. I opted to glue it on with hot glue, which rips off when you are done with it.

I tried to get an action shot with my new cross body beauty, but Mazie thought the photo shoot was about her and would not get out of the frame.

#440...eboards

2012-01-25T06:48:00.000-08:00

Here are a few room design e-boards that I've worked on over the past month or so. You can see more of my e-boards here, here, here, here, here.

master bedroom

modern nursery

dining room with sitting area

tween girl's room

living room decor

playroom

#439...sarah's chair

2012-01-23T08:49:00.000-08:00

My sister Sarah got this cute high back wing back chair for her apartment at a consignment shop.

It was screaming out for some vibrant fabric. I decided to tackle the upholstery for Sarah's chair using some Thomas Paul "hedge" fabric. I am fairly amateur in my upholstery skills and tools. I use a regular sewing machine, hot glue, and a hand held craft staple gun. For clients, I prefer to leave upholstery jobs to the professionals, but for my little sister, I did this pro bono project myself. The finished chair has a few minor wrinkles and mis-cut pieces that I hid with glued on fabric patches, but overall I'm really pleased with how it turned out.

#438...from my heart

2012-01-20T06:31:00.000-08:00

I stitched up this heart pillow for a friend for her birthday. I hope I have time to make up some for Valentine's Day gifts.

#437...i'm rebooted

2012-01-18T07:31:00.000-08:00

Tyler and I just completed this reboot express program. We decided for the new year to challenge ourselves by doing the program, and thought it would be a good way to break ourselves from the burger and dessert binge we had been on since Thanksgiving. The program is only 5 days, so there was no drastic change in either of us, but I have to admit that I feel more energetic and my digestive track has never felt better. I'm not saying I feel energetic enough to run a marathon or anything, but I have not experienced my usual afternoon slump that I usually down coffee to get through. In preparation of the program we did give up caffeine and red meat a week before to get our bodies ready for five days of veggies.

There were several green juices we had to drink.

They were really hard for me to get down.

This Maple and Cinnamon Baked Apples and Pears recipe was one of my favorite of the program. (Probably because it involved maple syrup)

Pros:

We spent a lot of time together.... shopping, chopping, juicing, blending, cooking
We used a lot of veggies that we have only previously walked past at the grocery
I kicked a cold that has been recycling in my head since Christmas
I feel more alert and overall better than I've felt in awhile

Cons:

It's very time consuming
There is constant dish-washing of small juicer and blender parts

#436...cloud cushions

2012-01-16T08:53:00.000-08:00

I came across some throw pillows made into the shape of clouds here and here and I knew I wanted some puffy pillows of my own. First, I made a small cloud out of this cashmere armless, turtleneck sweater that I never wear....(because I live in Texas)

Next, I made a bigger reversible cloud out of scraps from my stash. Here they are floating across my bed.

#435...tyler's desk

2012-01-13T06:40:00.000-08:00

I got this old Ethan Allen hutch top at a consignment shop for about $30. I think it was so inexpensive because it had no base, as it was in pretty great shape.

After sitting in my garage most of last year, I finally decided to turn it into a desk for Tyler.

I ordered 28" steel hairpin legs from this website, and we cut a platform base for the hutch top to mount to.

Next, I painted the platform base and some of the interior boxes of the piece and we moved it into it's new home in our front entry room. (This required some rearranging of furniture of course.)

Tyler drilled a hole through the bottom of the cabinet so that it could have a plug inside for his laptop. It seems to be serving as a good office for him on days he works from home. The best part to me is being able to close his papers away from view.

It has some nice drawer space for storing office supplies. In the display cubbies I've arranged some of my hand made pottery collection. (The lighted snowflake atop is my one hold-out holiday decoration that I've not wanted to put away yet)

#434...mango salsa

2012-01-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

We really love this mango salsa recipe. We like to put it on fish tacos. This week we forgot to buy tortillas, so we tried using iceberg lettuce leaves as a tortilla substitute. The crunchy lettuce added something really tasty to the taco, but it fell apart in two bites, and was pretty messy to eat.

#433...amy butler's pad

2012-01-09T07:04:00.000-08:00

I really love the textile designs of fabric maven Amy Butler, and I really love her 1960's home. Seen here on Apartment Therapy.

#432...knitted potholder

2012-01-06T09:56:00.000-08:00

Over the holidays, we took a short car trip to Dallas, and I decided that the ride would give me a good chance to pick up knitting again. I did not knit one thing during 2011, which is pretty sad. I found three random leftover balls of thin yarn in my yarn bin, and decided to practice knitting by turning them into a potholder. I reacquainted myself with the purl and knit stitches with the help of Knitting Pretty by Kris Percival.

Knitting three yarns as one may have not been the easiest or quickest knitting practice I could have chosen. It also gives your hands a good work-out and a cramp. But, I persevered and now have a pretty potholder/hot pad thing, and am ready to start a more advanced knitting project.....this time using only a single yarn though. I'm thinking something really pretty like this. Here's my potholder acting as a giant coaster for this tasty hot drink that I sipped all day yesterday. (Yes, I'm looking for any excuse to use this knitted masterpiece)

I'm really starting this year of blogging with a bang...books, weeds, now potholders....my life is going to get more exciting I promise.

#431...indoor weeds

2012-01-04T06:00:00.000-08:00

There is a very prolific fern-like weed growing at the edge of our sidewalk. I have been meaning to cut it down all holiday season.

While cutting it down, I decided to bring a few fronds inside and try the weed as a table-top arrangement.

As hearty and unwanted the weed is outside, after about a day indoors it started to wilt, even though I clipped it and gave it water. I guess the moral of this post is that weeds really do grow best in spots we don't want them.

#430...new year, new reads

2012-01-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

"Read more" always lands near the top of my resolution list, as reading is one of my favorite guilty pleasures. The books I read in 2011 were good, but none made my "favorite books ever list". I've been lining up my reading list for 2012, and I made an effort to peruse book reviews, hoping to read some great fiction this year. I put a bunch of books on my Christmas list, and I'm excited to get started reading what Santa brought for me.

Read in 2011

The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai

Little Bee by Chris Cleave

Snow Flower and The Secret Fan by Lisa See

The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck

Loving Frank by Nancy Horan

The Piano Teacher by Janice Y.K. Lee

The Sweet Life In Paris by David Lebovitz

The Catwalk Cats by Grace Coddington

An Object of Beauty by Steve Martin

To Read in 2012

Queenmaker by India Edghill

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

The Harmony Silk Factory by Tash Aw

Cleopatra by Stacy Schiff

The Swerve by Stephen Greenblatt

Catherine The Great by Robert K. Massie

The Wilder Years by Wendy McClure

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

Wildwood by Colin Meloy

#429...my twelve days of plaid

2011-12-26T06:00:00.000-08:00

To make this holiday season a little more festive for myself, I pulled out all of my plaid digs and made an effort to wear one piece of plaid in the twelve days leading up to Christmas.

#428...sweater vest turned evergreen

2011-12-23T06:00:00.000-08:00

I've had this thrifted cashmere sweater vest for a couple years.

I think I may have wore it once....but it is pretty snug. It is so soft though that I've not been able to part with it. When I saw this knitted tree by lucky boy sunday, I decided to turn the sweater vest into a stuffed, soft evergreen of my own.

Merry! Merry!

#427...pom-pom jewelry for deer

2011-12-19T06:00:00.000-08:00

Last year, I made this pom-pom garland for my rosemary tree.

This year, I lent my pom-pom garland to my sister Sarah, and she used it to adorn "deer" her apartment pet. Sarah rescued deer from a local thrift store. (I think deer should wear the pom-poms year round)

#426...fall in houston

2011-12-16T06:00:00.000-08:00

Houston is not known for brilliant fall leaves. Most things here turn from green to mucky yellow-brown and that's all we get for fall color. This week, I spied a tiny bit of pretty color on my street.

#425...candy cane yarn

2011-12-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

I started wrapping my gifts, trying to use this spool of tangled candy cane striped yarn that I got at the thrift store for.50 cents.

#424...holiday mantelscape

2011-12-12T07:45:00.000-08:00

A few years ago, I made these birch bottles from bark I collected in New Hampshire. This year, I used the bottles atop my mantel. The bottles hold spray painted branches from my yard and a few vintage, thrifted ornaments.

I also made Tyler and I new stockings from some black and white southwest inspired upholstery fabric.

#423...bedroom lack shelves

2011-12-09T08:07:00.000-08:00

I was taking a few pictures to show a client the floating wall shelves in my bedroom, and I realized that it has been since my 2008 Design*Sponge sneak peek since I have photographed that wall of my room. The shelves are the Ikea Lack, which I mounted, caulked and painted in an oil paint to match the wall color of my room. (Sea Haze by Benjamin Moore). The display on my shelves has changed over the years. I used to just use the shelves to display pictures and knick-knacks, but now they have become more functional and less decorative, as I use them to house some of my photo shoe boxes.

2008

2011

2008...see the shelves in the mirror reflection

2011

#422...holiday rider

2011-12-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

My nieces are coming for Christmas, and since this is Lyla's first Christmas...and first trip to Texas, I made her a cowgirl inspired stocking to hang up for Santa.

The fabric is called "holiday rider" by Alexander Henry. It was printed in 1997. I've be waiting a long time to use this fabric.

I also made some festive pillows for my brother and sister-in-law in Portland, OR

#421...bar stool reno

2011-12-05T07:55:00.000-08:00

I recently made new slipcovers for my client Sara's bar stools, which previously wore this brown paisley chenille fabric.

before

This is a shot of how I begin to make the pieces of the slipcover. I was going to document the process, but then forgot to take pictures beyond this initial step.

The chairs got covered in a light turquoise upholstery and I added a linen center stripe to the chair backs, for some contrast and personality.

after

#420...sarah's room

2011-12-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

I've previously posted about my sister Sarah's 1950's apartment here (bathroom) and here (kitchen). Today, I have some shots of her bedroom to share. The apartment is light, airy and has really lovely old floors, so it was easy to turn it into a pretty, welcoming room.

#419...dear santa

2011-11-30T08:50:00.000-08:00

I was talking with a friend yesterday, and could not think of anything that I wanted for Christmas.....but then later I remembered some things I've been eyeing. This list is indulgent....but it's my blog, and it's the holidays, and that's what they are all about....right? Just kidding.

This doll....(yes, I'm a grown-up and I like knitted dolls)

this newberry winner...(I collect them)

#418...red pine cones

2011-11-28T07:52:00.000-08:00

A couple years ago, I spray painted a bunch of pine cones for a centerpiece, using this spray paint. It was a simple project, with a great result. The pine cones still look great. I started thinking about doing some holiday decorating this weekend, and the pine cones made their way into my Jonathan Adler turquoise bird bowl.

#417...thanksgiving table

2011-11-25T07:54:00.000-08:00

My cousin Natalie and I spent Thanksgiving morning watching the Macy's parade, and sewing a tablecloth and cloth napkins for our Thanksgiving feast. We also went out in the yard and clipped some ginger, crepe myrtle, and Chinese fringe plant and arranged a centerpiece for our table.

The napkins are made from Alexander Henry's "buckaroos" print from 1997

The tablecloth is made from Marimekko print "Odori" from 2001

#416...cabana chair

2011-11-23T06:00:00.000-08:00

I've been on the hunt for a chair for the cabana. I've dragged just about every chair in my house out there to try out, and have decided we need a wood chair to balance the heavily concrete and metal cabana interior. I really like the Hans chair by Dwell.

....but I'd have to sell my car to get it

When looking at the chair, I realized that it is somewhat similar to this chair that I bought at the Goodwill last year for $20, and have been hoarding in my garage.

Ok, so it is not as modern and it's skirted...

......but I figured it worth a try, so I ripped the skirt off, and put it out in the cabana

I'm trying out a few different fabric options for the cushions. My favorite thus far is this Robert Allen graphic print.

#415...planter bust

2011-11-21T08:27:00.000-08:00

I have had this planter bust in my kitchen for several years but have had no success at keeping plants alive in it, so I decided it needed a change of scenery and I moved it outdoors to serve as a centerpiece on our outdoor table. I planted a new cactus in it, since I have had good success with cactus's in my back yard. It feels like the head is surveying the entire yard. It is a little creepy, but I like it.

#414...flame stitch pillow covers

2011-11-18T07:32:00.000-08:00

I had some scraps leftover of the flame stitch upholstery fabric that my cat is lounging on in the last post, so I made up some pillow covers and put them up for sale in my etsy shop here and here.

#413...migration

2011-11-16T07:15:00.000-08:00

The origami crane sculpture I made for my front entry room, has migrated to the back of my house above my dog crates to make way for a new furniture piece I am working on in my front room.

it was breakfast time during this photo shoot

I also recently recovered my dog beds with some buffalo check polar fleece.

(this time I kept the bed inserts away from the dogs while I was busy sewing the covers)

As not to play favorites, and give proper photo time to all my animals, here is a shot of my fat, orange cat Gig'em resting on a flame stitch throw pillow that I recently made from a fabric remnant I came across.

#412...colorful dance

2011-11-14T06:20:00.000-08:00

I am totally drawn to the graphic, colorful, abstract art quality of this image from House Beautiful's November issue.

#411...mousepad makeover

2011-11-11T10:04:00.000-08:00

I saw this post on design*sponge and got inspired to give my plain mouse pad and aluminum can pencil holder a face-lift.

before

after

Here is how I did it.........
I have a bin in my studio full of thrift store leather pants, skirts and jackets

I selected this black leather mini skirt from the pile to cut-up for my project

I cut the pattern shapes for the pencil can and mouse pad from the leather

I used this spray adhesive to adhere the leather pieces to the mouse pad and pencil can

Next, I used artist's tape to tape off the diagonal lines delineating the painted portions

I used this metallic fabric and leather paint in copper

I pulled the tape off while the paint was still wet, and let it dry before spraying a top coat of non-yellowing acrylic varnish on the pieces to seal the paint and help with wear. They dried, and I am using the mouse pad as I type this. I am curious how the painted pad will hold up to having the mouse run all over it. They sure are pretty though.

#410...snapshots of the street

2011-11-09T09:09:00.000-08:00

My coast to coast travel binge is over, and I am glad to be back home today. Here are a few shots I took along the road where my grandparent's house sits.

#409...thrifting genes

2011-11-07T05:24:00.001-08:00

While driving along the dirt road where my Grandparent's house is, my cousins and I passed a big, dilapidated, vintage organ sitting on the side of the road with a "free" sign in front of it. It looked like many a mouse generation had made their home inside of it.

When we got home, my uncles (who had also seen the organ) were headed out in a truck to get it. They moved it into the second story of their storage barn where it very well may live for the next 40 years.....I guess I know now where I inherited my thrifting/hoarding tendencies from.

#408...from sunshine to snow

2011-11-04T07:15:00.001-07:00

I traveled from sunny San Fran last week, to snowy New Hampshire this week to visit my Nana on her 92nd birthday. New England got dusted with an early snow this year before Halloween. It is funny to see leaves still on the trees with snow on the ground.

#407...pottery cabana progress

2011-11-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

After a long, long break over the hot summer, we are back to working on our pottery cabana. We finished up trimming and staining the windows, added baseboards and some wall moldings, sealed the concrete floor, and finally moved my kiln and slab roller into their new home!

#406...lyla's nursery

2011-10-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

Notes:

Lyla obviously likes her nursery, as evidenced by her fist pump

I used a few of my favorite vintage finds in Lyla's room, including the yellow flower crewel piece over the crib, the fabric that I made the drapes from, the swag petal lamp, and the small owl prints over the changing table

The rocking chair and crib skirt fabric is sold here

The rainbow glitter "L" that we made for the room, ended up looking a little too color crazed, so we made a more subdued silver glitter "L" in cursive.

The small ceramic animals I originally wanted to glue to the clock, but Julie liked the display in front of the lamp, so we left it for now. Julie and I spent our childhood allowance collecting the animals from a small gift shop in New Hampshire where our grandparents live. I guess they would be considered vintage too, as they are about 25 - 30 years old.

I painted the tree silhouette on the right side curved entry wall because it is a narrow space, and I wanted to make that area feel bigger and brighter

#405...slipcovered clock

2011-10-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

My week in California is nearly over, and I'm putting the finishing touches on Lyla's nursery and heading home. I made this upholstered clock for the room after Julie vetoed my idea of making a clock with tiny ceramic animals glued all over it. (Sometimes my crafting ideas do go over the top)

To make the clock, I used a wooden painting panel like this. I cut a center hole in the panel to fit the clock parts through and then sewed a simple square slipcover for it that I stretched over it and glued to the back. I was happy to use the last of my stash of Alexander Henry's spotted owl fabric in Lyla's room. It has been a favorite of mine for several years. The side fabric is from Project Runway winner Jay McCaroll's habitat fabric line.

#404...glitter art

2011-10-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

My sister Julie told me that she really liked the glitter art done by Camomile Hixon that she saw on Home by Novagratz. I decided to try making a glitter art piece for Julie's house to hang in my new niece Lyla's room.

I used blue painter's tape to create a large "L" on a gallery wrapped canvas that I painted with a background wash of light gray.

I bought all of the supplies for this project at the local Michael's craft store. (I used 4 of the glitter packs pictured for the piece)

I decided to make stripes in the same pattern that the glitter came in the pack pictured above. Julie is much better at math than me, so she taped off the stripes while I rocked Lyla. I painted out each stripe with the tacky glue using the above pictured sponge and then sprinkled the glitter packets atop the glue.

I glittered every other row, and then ripped the tape back and carefully glued and glittered the in-between stripes.

Here is the finished piece, ready to hang on Lyla's wall tomorrow.

#403...san francisco state of mind

2011-10-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

Here's what I've been up to in California...........

Browsing around Heath Ceramics shop at the Ferry Building

Eating albacore tuna lox at the Ferry Building Saturday Market

Digging through vintage wallpaper rolls in the attic of an old fabric store

Strolling through a local garden center

#402...lemons abound

2011-10-21T10:03:00.000-07:00

My cousin Marie has a very prolific lemon tree in her California backyard. I'm jealous, because my potted Meyer lemon tree had a rough time during the severe Texas drought this summer and only has one puny lemon hanging from it.

#401...a quick note

2011-10-19T07:50:00.000-07:00

If you are not reading Jenny's blog, then you should be......especially since she featured my kitchen front and center this morning!

#400...eboard's abound

2011-10-19T07:31:00.000-07:00

I've been busy designing eboards over the past two months. Here's a look at my latest crop.

little girl's bedroom

kitchen

living room

little girl's room

entry hall

living room

laundry room

living room

living room/playroom combo

master bedroom

#399...piano keys quilt

2011-10-17T06:42:00.000-07:00

For my new niece Lyla I made this Piano keys quilt. The pattern is by Spool, and you can find it here. I'm headed to California later this week to visit family, friends, meet Lyla, and decorate her nursery.

#398...amanda's bedside chest

2011-10-14T05:50:00.000-07:00

I bought this chest of drawers resale for my client Amanda's master bedroom to serve as a nightstand. It is Ethan Allen from the Baumritter line, which was made in Vermont. My grandparent's had a bookcase wall of this line of cabinet that I think dates back to the 1960's. The cabinet was in good shape, but it actually had a ton of scratches that you can't see in the picture above.

I prefer to paint furniture with oil (alkyd) paint, as it gives a more even and harder finish once completely dried. Usually, I go with a higher end brand paint, however recently Home Depot started carrying this line of oil paints by Rustoleum. I don't usually do a glossy finish, but decided to try my hand at the lacquered look.

The cost of this quart of Rustoleum was about a third of what an alkyd paint quart costs from Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore. There is not a wide color selection and they can not mix colors for you in the store, but for this chest, the smoke gray seemed the perfect choice.

I used a 4" smooth foam roller to apply, and between coats ran a 320 grit fine sanding block over the piece. The paint was a tiny bit thinner than what I am used to with oils, but after 5 coats I was please with the finish.

We changed the pulls to this cup pull, and added glass knobs from anthropologie.

#397...carol's house

2011-10-12T07:25:00.000-07:00

Last week, I returned for a visit to the country to see my client's Carol and Jeff. We've been working on bringing some color and personality into their home. In the dining room, we worked on brightening the mantel vignette.

before

after

We found the contemporary circle painting at HomeGoods. I used some acrylic paints to brighten some of the circles a bit. The clock was an antique they had, and the blue vase was a school art project their daughter made years ago. We added the oversized hammered silver bowl as a table centerpiece, and brought in the ficus tree in large red pottery pot to the left of the fireplace. Only a few pieces changed the room a lot.

Across from the fireplace was this giant empty baker's rack buffet.

before

Carol had all kinds of great mementos and treasures that were boxed in closets and cabinets. We pulled them out, and I styled a display for this furniture piece with their items.

We also worked on their family room while I was there. In the spring, we discussed painting the wall above the fireplace in a smokey blue green color. They settled on Quarry Rock by Benjamin Moore and it is a really pretty addition to the limestone fireplace.

before

We added the round starburst style mirror to the newly painted wall, and completed the mantel with a rustic carved wood candle holder that used to live on their dining room table. On the TV wall, we added a vintage metal sculpture by artist C.Jere, that I found a few years ago at a resale store and has been living in my attic. This room also only got a few tweaks, but they have big impact.

#396...sol's bedroom

2011-10-10T06:12:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I created this e-board for my client Sol's master bedroom, to help bring some personality, pizazz, and a pulled together look to the room.

I've also created e-boards for her nursery, home office and bathroom, and I love the mid-century vibe her house has. Sol lives in my neighborhood, so I got the pleasure of photographing her finished room last week. It has so many functional areas, and such an airy feel. Here's the new retreat................

#395...october is black kitchen month

2011-10-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

I'll be happily whipping up my witches brew in my black kitchen this month......

#394...tidbits from tuesday

2011-10-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a big day................
First....the best thing that happened was my new niece Lyla arrived. I'll be going out to California to meet her and decorate her nursery later this month. Here she is with her big sister Audrey.

Second.....my closet collapsed. The rails spontaneously ripped out of the wall, and took the shelving down with it.

Third....Tyler and I re-financed our mortgage, and with the money we saved I bought a new house.

ok, so it's a doll house.... I found it at a thrift shop, and its the coolest little modern house. It's by Plan Toy. It came with a bunch of furniture including a platform bed, a mod little arc lamp and a full bathroom set! I have no idea what I'm going to do with it. I could enter Emily's "I'm a giant" contest....but I don't quite have the energy for tiny house decorating. I'll just keep it for when my nieces come to visit, and maybe I'll play with it in the interim.

#393...emily's nursery

2011-10-03T06:53:00.000-07:00

I recently helped my friends Matt and Kelly decorate their nursery for Emily, who will be making her debut later this month.

(I spy Miller patiently waiting for Emily)

This nursery features a lot of Etsy art, like her wooden lettered name, the artwork over her changing table, and the tissue pom-poms hanging from the ceiling. For the room, I crafted the window pelmets, some of the chair cushions and the curtain drapery for the closet, where oodles of cute clothes and shoes are waiting for their new little owner. Kelly got some vintage embroidery hoops from her Mom, and decided to frame up some fabrics as wall art. To add a contemporary twist to the room, they chose a zebra print rug in soft gray and cream.

#392...swamped

2011-09-30T06:24:00.000-07:00

This week I have been swamped with work. My right hand and arm are killing me from overuse of a staple gun. Hooray for the weekend!

...maybe I should consider being this swamp thing for Halloween...although I'd have to use my right arm to crochet it...........

1.2.3.4.

#391...floating sink

2011-09-28T06:19:00.000-07:00

Earlier this year, I posted about our laundry room, which looked like this when we bought our bungalow in 2003.

Here's a visual recap on the renovation of this laundry/bathroom, which has spanned 5 years.

Room gutted to the studs, and new outside door installed to access back deck

Drywall, a sub-floor and new rough plumbing

.....and new tile

Then finally... the laundry nook was finished

Next up was to install a sink. The room is small, so we decided to try making a floating sink to keep the floor space open.

Tyler started the floating sink by mounting a 2 x 4 wood box to the wall as a base. Using birch plywood, he made the sink base, creating counter space to the sides of the sink.

....and here is the finished floating sink

We used the Hollviken sink from Ikea and this faucet. I treated the cabinet with teak oil.

We also put in a toilet...pretty exciting...I know.

There is still painting to do in the room, and a shower to finish out, but those things probably won't happen this year. Hopefully, we don't hit the ten year mark on renovating this bath. Maybe there is an HGTV show for longest, drawn-out renovation ever. This bath could enter. Here are some more shots of the room in it's current state.

#390...blog sale

2011-09-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

Most of you who know me, know that I collect stuff....for myself....for family....for clients. I need to make some room, and I have some "treasures" that I'd like to sell. I thought I'd put up some of the stuff I'd like to sell here on the blog and see if any local readers have interest in my treasures.....or have friends that may need these goodies. If you see something you'd like, send me an email at christie.chase@gmail.com and I'll send you info about the item. Thanks!

Round Wood Chair $30

Trunk Side Table $25

Pink Slipper Chair $55

Chevron Print Pottery Vase $7

Pair of Wooden Dining Chairs $30

Cement Head Statue $15

Arc Lamp $50

Wood Round Side Table with Stone Top $50

#389...dining overhaul

2011-09-23T08:25:00.000-07:00

I recently got a new dining table.
I did not need one.
I already had a very nice thrifted dining set that Tyler painstakingly sanded and refinished.
.......but I have a used furniture hoarding problem.

Here's how I ended up with it............

I happened to casually notice it on my way to the back of the thrift store, and stopped to check the ticket, not intending to buy it...just curious. But, as I stood there holding the ticket, a man rushed up, claiming that he saw it first and planned to buy it, demanding that I hand over the price ticket. For no good reason, and with no need for a new table, my mind switched into manic hoarder mode, and I clutched the price ticket in my grubby hand and marched straight to the check out and paid for the table without even really looking it over.

After purchasing, I breathed a sigh of relief that "I won".....but quickly realized that the table (which stretches to over 120") was not going to fit in my Jeep. Luckily, a friend with a large vehicle was able to come rescue me and my table and help me get it into the house.

Initially, I thought maybe I could water seal it and use it outdoors, but after crawling under it and researching its maker, it turns out my $200 table is teak, was made in Denmark in the 1950's by Gudme Mobelfabrik, and appears to be worth a pretty penny more than I paid for it. (That NEVER happens) ...So, whether it fits the style of our dining room or not, I decided that it would become our new dining table....out with the old, and in with the new old. Here is a picture of a Gudme Mobelfabrik table like mine that I found on a fancy auction website.

It is a trestle table, which actually makes it easier to access the window bench side of our dining set-up, which is a good thing. The table was somewhat worn looking, and needed some TLC

Before

I followed Morgan's (The Brick House) instructions for refreshing vintage wood. It entailed cleaning the piece with Murphy Oil Soap, lightly sanding scuffed areas, treating with Danish oil and finishing with Howard's Feed-N-Wax. This recipe worked like a charm, and was easy to administer to the table.

After

New table needs new chairs.

I picked a four-set of these up for $50.

Not in the greatest shape, but I planned only to keep them temporarily until something better came along. Upon seeing them, Tyler informed me that he had those chairs at his kitchen table growing up, and was less than impressed with the new set-up.

The shopping spree continued, and I bought a vintage Persian rug from this website to bring a little color to this side of the room and help the new Danish marvel tie in with our red Chinese inspired buffet, which sits opposite.

Despite assuring Tyler that I would replace the chairs, and making excuses for them to recent house guests, I've secretly started to really love them and how they look with the table and rug. I decided to bite the bullet and try to spruce them up. The chrome was in pretty bad shape, rusted in some spots.

I totally disassembled the chairs, and gave the chrome a scrub down with a mixture of Bar Keepers Friend and water. It took some heavy manual labor...I broke a sweat and counted it as my exercise for the day.....but I got the chrome looking pretty shiny.

Next, I went to work on the wood portions of the chairs, cleaning, sanding and oiling.

The old chair seats need to be recovered, but I'm not sure what I want to do with them, so the old ones are back on for now. After all of my work....and all of your reading of this long post, here is what our new dining room digs look like in the room.

#388...french advertising

2011-09-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

While in Paris in 2008, I picked up a bunch of French magazines. I can't read any of them, but they are full of inspiring pictures. I have always really liked this wallpaper advertising campaign from the Septembre 2008 Maison Francaise.

#387...austin city limits

2011-09-19T07:47:00.000-07:00

I spent my birthday weekend this year at ACL music festival with friends and family. It was a great time.

#386...marbled jewelry box

2011-09-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

I recently wrote this post showing marble paper used as wall art. Well, I'm happy to say that I've found another use for marble paper.........as a decoupage medium. I decided to try it out on this banged-up wooden jewelry box.

box before

I started this makeover by giving the box a couple of coats of white enamel. Next, I cut a piece of marble paper to the size of the top of the box. I used matte Modge Podge to glue the paper to the top of the box. Using the same thin-coat, brushed-on application, I also used the Modge Podge as a top coat sealer for the paper.

box after

The box is going to live on top of my dresser...

...just below my newest piece of art....a watercolor of the exterior facade of

The Heights library, done by local artist Peggy Hoekman.

#385...my bath is famous

2011-09-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

After last year's photo shoot, my bathroom finally made its debut in Better Homes and Gardens "Real-Life Kitchen's and Baths" Special Interest Publication....(wow that is a mouthful for a magazine title). I picked up a copy of the magazine today at Home Depot. It will be sold until December 12, giving everyone lots of time to pick up a copy. I scanned the article for those who might miss it in person.

This is what the cover of the magazine looks like. I don't have any news yet as to whether my kitchen will make it into a future edition, but I really hope so!

#384...stringing along

2011-09-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

I'm considering a decorating project that I want to tackle involving the use of this baker's twine.

I've been researching the use of string, yarn and twine in home decor projects, and I found some really great ones.........like these outdoor chandeliers.

.....this rope lamp

.....these yarn wrapped letters

....these string adorned drawer pulls

....this astrology artwork

....this twine trivet

....this knitted twine dining set

While out searching on-line, I even came across my own yarn lampshade project, which I almost forgot about.

I also found this book, which reminds me of all the hours I spent in elementary school playing string games. I'm going to get it so that I can show my niece how to play Cat's Cradle when she gets a little older.

#382...ten- minute tiny table transformation

2011-09-09T09:56:00.000-07:00

I have a pair of these small green tables from the Target ReStyle brand that I got clearanced for about $4 a few years back. I've been looking for a side table for a nursery I've been helping with, and when I stumbled upon this green table in the attic, I thought that with a prettier top it may work.

I removed the legs from the table and cut a fabric circle about 3" larger than the top of the table. I cut slits into the fabric and worked my way around the underside of the table stretching and folding the fabric and hot gluing it to the table. The cut slits allow you to pull taut and smooth a curved surface.

#381...outdoor mirror

2011-09-07T11:52:00.000-07:00

I saw an episode of Home by Novogratz on HGTV where they decorated the exterior of their country home in Massachusetts.

novogratz back patio

I thought the use of the outdoor mirror pretty clever, so I headed into my garage and scrounged up an old mirror I had once spray painted gray and then never used, and hung it on the back of my siding.

I paired the mirror with another unused item buried at the back of my garage....the malm occasional table from Ikea. I got the table in the scratch & dent section a while ago. It was in pretty terrible shape (see below), so I lightly sanded it and used a foam roller and exterior latex paint to transform into into a sunshine yellow console.

#380...portland pics

2011-09-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

1.2.3.4. Portland Rose Garden

5.6.7. Food Trucks at 9th & Alder

8.9. Portland Japanese Garden

10. View From Pittock Mansion

11. 12.13. Voodoo Doughnut

14. Columbia River Gorge viewed from Vista House

15. Multnomah Falls

16. Mt. Hood viewed from Timberline Lodge

17. 18. 19. Portland Aerial Tram to OHSU

20. 21. 22. 23. 24. Cannon Beach

#379...food truck city

2011-09-02T09:08:00.000-07:00

We are visiting my brother and sister-in-law in Portland, Oregon this week. The weather is such a nice break from the scorching Texas temperatures. Yesterday, we ventured to the neighboorhood known as the Pearl. There is a full city block of food trucks set up in an empty parking lot. It is a foodie's heaven as you can get everything from Indian food to BBQ. (I took these pics on my phone, which really does not do the food cart convention justice)

#378...rice krispie woes

2011-08-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

For the circus shower, I decided to make Rice Krispie balls dipped in chocolate. I'd never made Rice Krispie treats before, but it sounded like a quick, easy idea for our desert table. I found this blog post on chocolate dipped Rice Krispie balls, and followed it, omitting the peppermint part. Also, instead of dipping them and setting them chocolate side down on a plate, I wanted to try making a Rice Krispie ball bouquet, by sticking the skewers in floral foam.

All was going as planned until I noticed that the balls would not stay on the sticks. The heat and weight of the chocolate made them slide right down the bamboo skewers, or completely fall off.

After fighting with the ball bouquets for awhile, trying to get them to work, we... (Tyler really deserves credit for this project)... decided to just put them chocolate side down on plates.

Then, we ran out of time to continue the ball making, so we cut the rest into squares and dipped one edge. All in all it was a tasty result, but a messy project.

I planned to get a bouquet of balloons for the front porch on party day, but since the temp that day was over 105, the balloons would not have fared well. So, instead I dressed the big chalkboard bunny that we made a couple months ago as a clown, and propped him outside the front door welcoming guests.

#377...backyard photo booth

2011-08-29T08:39:00.000-07:00

For the circus themed shower this past weekend, I decided to set up a photo booth in my backyard. I got the idea from Smilebooth, a company that rents kits to create your own party photo booth. To create the photo booth I needed a backdrop and props. For a backdrop, I draped fabric from my loft deck toward the ground and printed a "say cheese" sign to give the draped fabric a look of purpose.

Since the shower was circus themed, I gathered circus related props like top hats, clown noses, balloons and a tiger hand puppet. I made a couple of mustache and bow tie props that I cut from paper and felt. I taped a skewer stick to the back for people to hold them.

I also made a giant letter "E", which is going to be the baby's first initial. I cut the "E" from foam board, sprayed adhesive on it, and sprinkled giant glitter confetti on the glue.

Here are a few shots from my homemade backyard photo booth. You can see all of the guests shots here on flickr. I had a really good time with this. I can't wait to do it again.

#376...circus party part deux

2011-08-26T07:22:00.000-07:00

This weekend we are hosting another baby shower for another couple of great friends. I decided that since the circus theme shower was such a hit earlier this summer, and I already had a lot of the decor....(see here, here, here), we would turn our house into the big top once more. Last night, my Mom and sister helped me fill popcorn boxes, and craft up some fabric flag garlands.

#375...holy rast-mania

2011-08-24T07:05:00.000-07:00

While researching painted dresser ideas for a client, I came across this amazing hack of the Ikea Rast. I can't believe that I have not seen this before now.

WOWSER.....Done, by Aubrey and Lindsay, this makes me want to drive recklessly toward Ikea to pick up a pair of Rast's...to hoard in my attic...for a bedroom I don't even have. Seriously, it blows my hacked Malm bedside tables out of the water.

Of course, this Rast find led me on a hunt for other hacked Rast's. There is some good stuff out there.

Here

#374...undecorate

2011-08-22T07:17:00.000-07:00

It has been awhile since I've gotten any new decorating books, so impulsively last week I ordered Undecorate by Christine Lemieux.

The book profiles 20 homes that take an unconventional, no-rules approach to decorating. By "no-rules" they mean that the houses don't follow any conventional decorating rules often applied by trained interior designers. The houses have a more mix-and-match feel, with regard to different styles of furniture and accessories that the homeowners have collected over time. I thought I'd really glean a lot from this book, as mix-and-match thrift store chic is quintessentially my own personal style. There are some good pics throughout the book, and I have not had time to read any of the the homeowner stories that accompany the pictures; however, overall I'm a little underwhelmed by the book. I skimmed through it pretty quick, and no picture really stopped me in my tracks. I guess I have gotten so used to seeing really inspiring interior pictures just a simple mouse click away, that I had higher expectations for something in print. To be fair, I need to give it a thorough read, but here are a few of my favorite shots that showcase the book's mix-and-match philosophy.

#373....overalls again

2011-08-19T10:45:00.000-07:00

I really like the fashion stylings of Steven Alan, but I was a little perplexed when I came across this image of overalls in the Fall 2011 line. Overalls??? really?? I know that fashion cycles every couple decades, but it has it really been enough years to warrant bringing them back?

.....my overalls circa 1996

#372...marble paper art

2011-08-17T06:10:00.000-07:00

I helped my cousin Natalie decorate her college apartment on Monday. We framed a piece of hand made marbleized paper in a Ribba frame from Ikea and hung it over her bed. It was a really inexpensive way to make a big statement in her room. We got our paper at the local art supply store, but you can also purchase marbleized paper at Paper Mojo online. I first saw the idea of framing marble paper here on Jenny's blog.

#372...mustard musings

2011-08-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

I made this pillow to add a punch of mustard to a white, lavender and black bedroom palette.

The pillow is for my Aunt Patty, and we found the fabric in store at JoAnn Fabrics.

I'm liking mustard and gray together as a more sophisticated version of the popular lemon yellow & gray color pairing. Here are a some pretty rooms with a bit of mustard.

All pics via decor pad

#371...hairpin end table

2011-08-10T07:31:00.000-07:00

I picked up this little hairpin leg end table for $15. The edges were stained plywood, and the top surfaces had a piece of flooring laminate glued to it. (I ripped those off before taking a pic). The table needed a little TLC with paint.

I left the stained portions alone, and cleaned them up with Murphy's oil soap and Howard Feed-N-Wax. I sanded the top portions and used my favorite primer and this satin alkyd enamel from Benjamin Moore in Golden Bounty.

Oil paint is really messy and hard to clean out of brushes, so between coats of oil paint, I wrap my brush in plastic wrap and foil and store it in the freezer. It keeps it from drying out, and often my brushes will stay workable in the freezer for months. You just have to remember to take out your brush and let it defrost for 10 minutes before re-coating.

#370...bloody mary morning

2011-08-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

We tried out a new Bloody Mary recipe this weekend, and it was mighty tasty.

To imbibe, first make a tomato mixture of equal parts V8 Spicy Hot Vegetable Juice and Clamato Juice. To this blend add a splash of olive juice, a tablespoon of Worcestershire, and a splash of Tobasco and mix together. Over ice pour 1 shot of Vodka and fill the rest of the glass with the tomato mixture. For flavor, add a pinch of horseradish and pepper. Garnish with skewered olives and pickled jalapenos.

#369...staying organized

2011-08-04T22:05:00.000-07:00

For the past several years, these four items have helped me run my life.

A Gold Fibre Writing Pad, (I'm picky about the spiral being on the top of the pad), a small Moleskine calendar, a fine black Sharpie pen, and Uniball hot pink pen. (I'm a little neurotic about this color combination for writing things down and crossing them out.)

A few months ago, I forgot my calendar while at a client's house, so I quickly figured out how to use Google calendar on my phone, and then later transferred my Google calendar entries into my paper calendar.....creating a new date keeping system for myself. I no longer bring my paper calendar with me, and at the end of the day I transfer everything from my phone into my paper security blanket.

This rewriting of my calendar is a pretty significant time waster. I was talking with my sister Julie about quitting the paper calendar, but I worry.... what if Google went down, or the Internet exploded....I'd have no idea where to be and when! She kindly told me that if the Internet blew-up, people would have a lot bigger problems than missing a decorating appointment with me....Point Taken!

I'm quitting my little paper calendar....tomorrow.

Coming off my high of learning how to use Google calendar, I decided to try the online list making application TeuxDeux. It is pretty nifty, and may work for me if I had an iPhone...but I don't. Also, there is something satisfying about hand-writing a list and crossing stuff off....(with a hot pink pen). I'll be hanging on to my spiral top notebook for awhile more.

In addition to my somewhat archaic calendar keeping habits, I also have pretty poor time management skills. Don't get me wrong, I am a highly productive person....my productivity is just not always in the direction it should be. People who manage themselves will agree that self-efficiency and properly prioritizing one's work day is a hard thing to master. You have to constantly self motivate without the persistence of someone breathing down your neck to stay on task...(not that that is a good feeling either).

Staying on task and prioritizing are two major challenges for me. You'd think after years of sewing, painting and general crafting, I'd have a good idea of how long a project should take. Nope....in my mind everything takes 10 minutes, and I have notoriously loaded myself down and taken on way more than I can accomplish in a given day, week, month. I have worked under the guise of "do the smallest project" first. The smallest project is not always the project with most urgency, and the smallest project usually takes me three times longer than I thought it would. This work method leaves me feeling like I am constantly putting out little fires, while melting under a bigger blaze.

A few months back, I decided to try to take some sort of control, to lessen my self-inflicted stress and have better balance in my day. I started using the Pomodoro Technique.

It basically breaks tasks down into manageable segments, and has helped me know when it is time to move on to something else. It has slowly made me realize that tasks like answering emails can take 2 hours of my day,...and e-boards take 6 - 8 hours no matter whether I break it up into small segments, or do it all at once. Also, I've learned a common sense lesson that client appointments involve more than face time... there is prep work, and travel time. I know this sounds like common sense....but it's sense I was missing... and am now trying to glean from a tomato timer.

I've manipulated the Pomodoro technique slightly for my unique career. The technique is really geared for desk/computer users, offering a widget for your desktop that ticks away until one unit of your task is done. Since my work varies in location...i.e. behind the sewing machine, or behind the computer, I have been using a small portable kitchen timer to help me carry out the Pomodoro technique. It has been enlightening and a little depressing undergoing the great realization of how long things take.

This is the longest post I have ever written....(and it is about a topic that I really dislike), but one I need to focus on a little more to better balance my projects. If you are still reading this long soliloquy on my work downfalls, please know that I really do love all of the projects I do, and while this post may sound a tiny bit like complaining,.... I really am writing this so that I can remember where I was before the Pomodoro fixed my life.

P.S. This blog post took 2 Pomodoros!

#368...summer e-boards

2011-08-03T06:34:00.000-07:00

I have been busy putting together virtual room design e-boards for a bevy of clients this summer. I consistently have 3 to 4 on my plate at a time, and am really pleased that people seem to like this product. Below are some I have worked on in the past few months. You can see more of my e-boards here, here and here.

young boy's bedroom

dining room...and adjoining living room

baby boy's nursery

living room

master bedroom

guest room/office

little girl's bedroom

#367...linen dishtowels

2011-08-01T08:09:00.000-07:00

I'm home from vacation, and have a little case of the "post vacation blues". I was unpacking, and came across these bright floral linen dishtowels that I found at a Goodwill in Pennsylvania. I'd forgotten I bought them early on in my trip, and they cheered me right up!

#366...beach bum

2011-07-28T08:48:00.000-07:00

Sunny skies and cooler weather finally blew in on the Jersey shore, making for a great week of vacation!

#365...greetings from the jersey shore

2011-07-25T08:59:00.000-07:00

We are vacationing with family on the Jersey Shore this week. I was hopeful it would be nice and cool here, but thus far the temperatures have topped 100 degrees, which feels just like home.

#364...vintage garden gallery

2011-07-22T10:12:00.000-07:00

I spent some time at my Aunt Patty's house this week playing around with updating her living room. Here it is before...

and after...

We pared down her accessories, and hung a gallery wall of vintage flower oil paintings that my great uncle painted in the 1960's. We removed the window drapery, and changed the sofa pillows to bring a dramatic pop of black to the room.

#363...thrifty

2011-07-18T07:05:00.000-07:00

Do you see the white lamp atop the vanity in my guest room?

well....I recently replaced it with this vintage beauty that I found at the Goodwill.

I love the wall shadows that the wicker shade makes at night.