September 1999

New Stuff:

1. Guest writer “Rainie” gives her expert advice on Painting With Dark Paint  Colors.  She provides all the details of  “what you need to know to paint with success.”  You may want to visit “Rainie’s” web site at:  http://home.golden.net/~leroux/default.html   She has an interesting and informative site regarding painting techniques, and one of her specialties is – Painted Floor Clothes – If  you would like to learn more about these subjects, please visit her site.

2. New Pro Tricks

3. New Quick Tips

4. New “Best of the Web” sites listed.

New Plans:

Due to the overwhelming volume of questions being asked, we are planning on turning it into a discussion forum, where I can answer many more questions “online.”  It will also give all of the very knowledgeable readers out there an opportunity to respond to some of them.  There are so many good questions and I just hate the fact that I can’t answer them all.  I hope a discussion forum will help all of our new friends get their questions answered and provide an opportunity for everyone to enjoy sharing with each other.

We also have a game planned, which we will all have fun playing.  The weekly winner will receive a nice prize.  Everyone who has played will be eligible for a drawing, which will result in a bonus prize at the end of the month.  The game will be in the form of a hunt for “secret treasure.” Our webmaster will be in control of the game, and I won’t even know where the treasure will be.  It will be fun; I can’t wait to play!!

 

NEWSLETTER

I hope this month’s newsletter finds everyone doing well and looking forward to fall.  Although to some places around the country September is fall, but to us in Florida, it’s just another very hot month.  Our so-called "fall" doesn’t really happen until mid-October or later.  It is so hard to comprehend where the summer months have gone, time just keeps flying by!!

September to me represents “School time” and all the trimmings...  shopping for new school clothes for your children, letting them pick out that perfect back pack and lunch box, teaching them about school bus rules and classroom behavior... finally the day arrives and their off to school!!  This experience can be full of all kinds of feelings, relief, joy, sadness etc.  My children are all in their early 20’s, so I don’t experience all this anymore even though this time of year sure brings back many memories. 

As a result, I have developed a new type of decorating skill!  My daughter is beginning her third year as a 5th grade teacher and she called two weeks ago and asked me to help her with her classroom.  It seems she had started more bulletin boards than she thought possible to finish in time.  Of course, I was there ASAP.  I was amazed at the darling and practical ideas she had to decorate her classroom.  (This is the same daughter who never has shown much interest in decorating or learning too much about it.)  I now have the pleasure of watching her creativity bloom in another realm from mine.  She is extremely creative and talented, but just cares more about bulletin boards than curtains and furniture.  Well I cut, colored, punched, pasted, glued, and hung etc. until she felt like her projects were under control.  And by the way, I found it just as fulfilling to help her finish her creation as any million-dollar home I have ever decorated.   Thank you, Jennifer, for a wonderful day!! 

In writing this little story, I think I have been inspired to share several creative-decorating ideas in this month’s newsletter... "Creative decorating results in economical decorating!"  We're going to use our imagination, talent, items on hand, garage sale finds, a little paint, glue and you'll be on your way!!

Paint can be the biggest bang for your buck!!  Repainting a room, furniture, lamp, accessory etc. can work wonders in redecorating.   A $15-20 investment in a can of paint can totally transform any object or space into a new creation. 

You could paint a room, ceiling and trim for minimal expense and create a backdrop for a sophisticated formal room or cute child’s theme room.  Use your imagination and draw from your key/inspiration fabric or item as the catalyst for the paint color choices.  Be sure to test paint some samples before total application. 

Using the new paint techniques, such as faux painting, crackling etc., we can transform an old piece of furniture into a new work of art.  My mother did this with an old table we found at an antique store in poor shape.  She painted it solid with the crackling technique and then stenciled some flowers and vines on the table.  The end result was a new beautiful hall table!!  I’ve also used this technique in model homes when I found an old classic piece and had it redone in a similar way to complement the color scheme of the model.  The furniture piece can be a beautiful focal point for any room and a wonderful addition to your decorating. 

Spray paint can transform almost anything quickly and inexpensively!!  Use on old items which don’t match your decorating anymore.  Spray paint lamp bases, accessory items, vases etc.  –anything you can think of.   Try dabbing a little craft metallic gold paint on for glitz!  Most decorators will have an inventory of unfinished vases etc. or special order the above for their projects.  This is how we find the perfect match to the decorating!  It wasn’t an accident!!

Here are a few ideas to help you stretch the dollar on fabric purchases. This applies to window treatments, slipcovers, pillows, bedding accessories, chair seat covers etc.

First, we can make window treatments and other items from sheets. As mentioned before, paint can be a big bang for your buck.  Well, so can a king size sheet also be a big bang for the small investment. You can create a wide assortment of projects from the yardage provided in just one flat sheet. They will already have finished edges and hems, which can work perfectly for your projects. The top hem can be a rod pocket for draperies, and the length can easily be cut and hemmed for your window height, or left to puddle on the floor. For shirred window treatments, allow two and a half or three times the width of the window space for fullness to avoid a skimpy look. No one will ever know it’s a sheet!!

Look for remnants of decorator fabrics at your local fabric stores. Call design firms and find out if they have some remnants they would be willing to sell at a reduced price. Try antique markets and garage sales for vintage fabrics -- I sold a huge amount of left over fabrics from models at a garage sale. They were the hit of the sale!! These pieces are often large enough for chair seats, pillows, cornices, craft projects etc.

Look for fabrics that can be railroaded. This means the pattern is not strong or large enough to dictate using the fabric in traditional widths. The yardage requirements will be less, if the fabric can be railroaded. For example: if you find material that can be railroaded, you will be able to create a shirred bedskirt with half the material normally needed. You will save money on the quantity of fabric required for your projects.

There are so many ways to decorate your walls without always having to buy a special piece.  Here are some ideas.

1. Arrange a grouping of favorite travel souvenirs, like a map, framed book jacket and ticket stubs.

2. Group diplomas, certificates, awards and photos.

3. Hats of all kinds can be great fun in a room, especially in a child’s room.

4. Antique/sports equipment such as a catchers body pad, mask, golf clubs and hats.

5. Inexpensive framed mirrors make a wonderful grouping by themselves or added to groupings with pictures.

6. Children’s hand painted craft projects can be framed for personality and importance.

7. Use blackboards/bulletin boards in kitchens and children’s rooms.

8. Plates or other antique items are fabulous in groupings, either alone or with other things.

9. Family portraits can be grouped, or a large one can be used as a focal point.

Start looking around your home.  I am sure you will find some things that will look great on your walls!! 

HAPPY DECORATING!

This month, the winner in our monthly drawing for a Color Scheme Guide is Deborah of Ballwin, MO .  She chose to receive Color Scheme Guide - K from our list of eighteen Color Schemes Guides.  Don’t give up, you might be the next winner.  If you have a new project coming up, you might want to give some serious consideration to purchasing one of our kits.  They all have a no risk 100% money back guarantee (no questions asked), you simply cannot go wrong. 

August

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