hawaii wedding shoot by malia cano photography

southern grace styled shoot from elisa b photography

martha wedding magazine shoot

a lovely table setting

julie and sam on jose villa

spring bulbs

each day as the ground becomes warmer and little buds begin to sprout, i squeal with excitement as spring flowers begin to bloom. one of the things i get most excited about is having fresh cut flowers in my home and on my table. to me, there’s nothing more refreshing or beautiful than keeping flowers in the spaces where i spend the most time. i hope these springtime place settings will serve as inspiration for your upcoming gatherings!

wrap up: {blooms} {dinner} {flowers} {gathering} {party} {place} {setting} {spring} {table}

the moment i saw these painted table legs over at morning by folly, i started thinking about all the lovely ways this idea could be implemented. i just love the pop of color it gave her simple bed and couch! i’m always thrifting and picking up vintage odd and ends, and i think this would be especially darling on the 4 legs of a vintage chair. what do you think?

wrap up: {diy} {idea} {legs} {paint} {table} {wooden}

 
i have to admit, i was peaking through the windows into the back of the thrift store when i found this beauty.  i snagged her before anyone else even had a chance! i’ve always loved telephone tables, and the idea behind them. can’t you just see someone sitting there, chatting away? i haven’t had a land line in over 8 years!

 
so this is the after! the mirror, hat, telephone booth, vase, blanket and my orange boots are all thrifted.  i’ve become quite the skilled hunter!

the ‘scarf’ is a 1/4 yard of silk that i ran across at the fabric store. i wrapped it around my neck and called it a day.

and just in case you’re ‘ooh-ing and ahh-ing’ over my beautiful bag, it’s handmade from lightnest- and it’s one of my all time favorite accessories!

 
i’m using it as an entry way bench, with a place to hang our daily goodies above it, and a place for our boots underneath.

 
i love all the pops of color that meet me at the entry way. it sets the tone for the house and makes me feel welcome.

 
i spray painted this on using a stencil- then went over it with a stain that i quickly wiped off.

 
so there you have it! yet another piece of my home.  here’s to happy hunting!

wrap up: {before and after} {bench} {entry way} {foyer} {phone} {table} {telephone} {thrited}

i found this little tray table at the thrift store for $5. i love it’s little tapered legs and rolling wheels!

after painting it with yellow zig zags, it’s now a little planter table and adds the perfect splash of color to our dining room.

i used love natalie’s grow print as inspiration, can you tell?  though her shop is temporarily closed, {update! her shop is now open!} you can see all of her watercolor paintings and diy projects on her blog- love, natalie.

method:

i only bought one shade of yellow paint, but mixed up a little batch of it with some added white to make the lighter color.  i first painted the top light yellow, then used this technique of painting chevrons to tape off the design.  after painting the whole piece darker yellow, i removed the tape and finished it off with a top coat.

did you notice my little collection of blue bottles? i got inspired by johnny miller a while back, and have been collection blue and green bottles and jars ever since.  mine needs some work to be anywhere near as beautiful as his, but i think it’s pretty catching the afternoon light.

wrap up: {before and after} {blue} {bottles} {chevron} {collection} {planter} {table} {yellow} {zig zag}

more furniture reno! actually, there is much much more to come!

this little table and mismatching chairs came from our local thrift store, for about $20.

after being completely inspired by laurie’s herringbone wall design, i decided to go for it!  i used her same technique, but spray painted the table with gold paint before i taped off the design in beige and khaki.  i topped it off with a 3 coats of protective enamel, stained the legs cherry to match the chairs, and recovered the seats in an ivory and green leaf print.

trust me, i know our carpet it terribly ugly and we have doors everywhere, but hey, i’m working with it!  we’ll only be here until april, so the tacky stays.

a thrifted mirror in the center used as a tray for the essentials and a pretty fall bouquet for the centerpiece.

and one picture of toaster, just for kicks! i think we have a knack for turning our dogs into people..

wrap up: {before and after} {chevron} {dining} {furniture} {herringbone} {renovation} {reupholster} {table} {thrifted}

it’s just about that time of year! in the next three of four weeks we’ll be setting our festive tables and gathering around them for warm meals and family fellowship.  here are a few ideas from courtney russell at two straight lines on how to doll up your tables, diy style!

how very pretty are these leaves! made from cotton fabric and grocery bags (yes, grocery bags!) they are easy to make and have endless possibilities.

origami ships and pumpkin can vases make this table fun, festive and playful.

painted nuts, pretty place cards, simple napkin holders and a stamped runner make for a modern, classy and unexpected table setting.  whether you mix and match these ideas, take ‘em and run with them or come up with something on your own, a diy table setting this thanksgiving will be sure to make your guests oo and ahh!

visit two straight lines or the kitchen daily to read more of coutney’s creative tips for diy projects, recipes and more!

wrap up: {decor} {diy} {festive} {settings} {table} {thanksgiving}

hi dearies!  friday already, huh?  did you have a good week?  i sure enjoyed being back and think that i’m finally getting back in the swing of things!  i’m off to charlotte for a wedding tomorrow then meeting up with the hub for a night together in charleston. i haven’t been in years, so i’m really excited!  and, i have a confession to make.  i finally broke and though i had tried to not get involved, it happened.  last week i started reading twilight.  yup, that’s right, and now i can’t sleep because i can’t get my head out of these books!  i’m on page 176 of eclipse already, and my obsession is in full gear.  yes, i feel like i’m back in highschool, but boy am i loving it! ;)

onto what’s we’re really going to talk about today, a before and after project!

believe it or not, in our last house i used this table as-is for about a year.  under the tv it sat in it’s raw state.  but when we moved, i got the motivation to fix ‘er up!

now, isn’t that better?  here’s what i did:

i painted all the wood with a high gloss ultra white paint (standard at the hardwood store) with a brush, and let it fully dry. then i used one of my favorite gadgets from ikea, attached it to the insides of the table and then clipped the curtain to it (fabric is also from ikea).  within an afternoon, this gal had made a complete turn around!

wrap up: {before and after makeovers} {diy} {project} {table}