What to do....

Nothing is more exciting than having a vision and then seeing it come alive! Well I had a vision... (look at the picture below)

Source: kfddesigns.blogspot.com via Erica on Pinterest

and my vision DID NOT come alive!! Thursday I saw this amazing post on Pinterest and it inspired me! We have been wanting a new dining room table for little while. We both really love farm tables and we LOVE two from Restoration Hardware. I would LOVE to just buy the table we want but we need to be practical, we don't REALLY need a new dining room table. A while ago, Jason suggested that I fix up our current table until we decide to buy a new one. Honestly I didn't like that idea because I LOVE the farm tables so much that I didn't think I could achieve the style I was really going for. Fast forward to Thursday morning...the post I saw on Pinterest was like a light bulb for me!  Gray Washing blog    WOW... "gray-washing." what a great idea! I had heard of white washing but not gray washing.

An hour after reading this blogTyler and I were on our way to Lowe's to get some paint. I bought sample size paints because I knew I didn't need a lot. While the boys napped I started gray washing my table (wish a BIG smile on my face because I kept picturing how great it was going to look)!! WELL... an hour after gray washing two table legs and half of the top and side of the table I just wasn't feeling it! I wouldn't say I hated it but it was definitely NOT the look I was going for! It was NOT gray, it looked very BLUE! UGH!! BLUE is not a color in the Restoration Hardware catalog. Double UGH!

So I had Jason help me move the table out to our patio and I started standing off the BLUE and the original stain. I tried gray washing the "naked' wood... UGH it still was a bit BLUE!! There was nothing about it that looked gray or at least the gray I was looking for! Stay tuned for updates on this "easy" project that has turned out to be a big challenge! :)

Can you see the BLUE legs?? I know the picture is not great because of the sun!!

pictures...a nap time project

I have been toying with the idea of making photo canvases for a while. I mean, how could it be really? I searched on pinterest (my not so secret obsession) for some ideas. I did a test run on some pictures for Tyler's birthday party and since doing my test runs I am completely hooked! It was so easy and I just love the way they turned out.

Step 1. Buy a white canvas (I bought mine from Michaels, on sale)
Step 2. Buy some Mod Podge (I bought the larder jar in matte finish)
Step 3. Pick out a picture and have it printed in LUSTER (or matte) finish
Step 4. Paint the canvas (using a sponge brush) with the mod podge
Step 5. Place the photo onto of the mod podge and rub/push down all the edges and sides
Step 6.Paint over the photo with the mod podge, making sure you get the edges really well.
Step 7. Wait... it take  about a an hour for it to completely dry. You can do another coat if necessary.
Step 8. Hang and enjoy! :)

 Step 5... the pictures were just places on the mod podge and pressed down

Step 6. painting over the pictures. YES it is ok that it is white, no worries because it dries clear.

 This is what it looks like as it is drying...  this is about 30 minutes after it was painted

 All DRY. (I wanted to show you it was dry by placing my hand on it) It was about an hour after I started the project.

 the rest of the pictures..

A few of the canvases that I did earlier this week. I found some unfinished frames, painted them and put 8 x10 canvases inside. 

My other canvas project area! This is at the top of our stairs. I used 4-8x10 canvases, 2-12x12's, 1- 9x12, and 1-11x14. I just LOVE how it turned out!! 

If you have ever been to our house you know how much we love pictures of our family. This is a great way to hang larger pictures with out spending a TON of money on frames or professionally printed photo canvas prints.