Constellation Table ||A Star-Crossed Love Story||

This is a love story.  A furniture love story.  The story of one table top and one table base who were destined to be together.  But first they had to figure up how to break up with their original table top and table base... And that's where I come in...

 

Ok guys, I'm no homewrecker.  In fact, I would more likely call myself a homemaker.  But in this case, I did have to break up two perfectly good tables to help them find their soul mates.  You may remember that a while back I scored a deal on this world market table:

My first impression of the table was that this combo was a little too dark and sad for my taste so I offered to give the base a makeover.  He got a full-bodied coat of gold spray paint and rub down with dark wax.  But I think his new look got him thinking he was too good for the ole plain wooden top.  And so he left her for this glamorous round mirrored tray and they made a beautiful bar cart together

But the rejected top took the break-up kinda hard.  She spent the next four months single... and aimless... and hiding underneath my couch.  

I tried to convince her that she didn't need a base.  She was a strong and beautiful wooden top who didn't need a base to feel useful.  I tried to fix her up with a pair of handles and make her into a tray, but she just wasn't into it.  She wanted a new look, a new life - something that would make that campaign bar cart jealous.  I suggested all sorts of makeovers.  But they were either too understated, too out-there, or too over-the-top for her liking. 

 But then one day... we found it...  Her perfect look.  

Source: Fab.com

Source: Fab.com

It was classy and elegant and simple.  Just like her.  

Meanwhile... I just so happened to meet this quirky base while out on a Home Goods run.  He was simple, sleek, three-pronged, and perfect for my wooden top.  Although he was with that crazy guitar-pick top at the time, I knew that wouldn't last.  I mean, she was laminate and a weird shape and (on closer inspection) severely damaged.  There was no way they would ever make it out of the store together.  I just had to intervene.

After getting a quick discount at the register for the damaged pair (always ask at Home Goods for a deal if you find a serious imperfection - you never know if you'll get a little money off!), I convinced them they would be better off seeing other people and the crazy top went on her way (into the trash can).  

I, being the perfect furniture wingman, told the base all about the wooden top.  He agreed to be set up on a blind date but needed a little sprucing of his own first.  So when the two finally met, it was like the stars had aligned:

The base was now a handsome gold.

His simple, clean lines perfectly complimented the top's celestial swirl of elegant constellations.

Her makeover took a combination of black sharpie, gold leaf pen, an orbital sander, and sealing wax.  When applying the wax, I accidentally discovered that it smeared the gold.  In the end, she liked that better because it gave her more of a "cosmic swirl" - don't you think?  

It is definitely NOT accurate so sorry all you sextants out there who were thinking of using this table to navigate the heavens while at sea. 

[My low-budget staging is brought to you by my $0.50 brass candle sticks and some photocopies of stellar maps and moon charts.  Winning!]

I picked out my favorite constellation - not sure what it really is, but I'm calling it Mufasa.  Can you spot it?

A winning combination don't you think?  

And they lived happily ever after...

Photo Mar 27, 10 55 02 AM.jpg

The piece has already sold, but there's no need to make sad puppy-dog eyes - we do custom orders!  Just email me at cate@stylemutthome.com and we can talk about how to get you your own heavenly table.

 
 

And friends, if you like what we are doing over here at StyleMutt Home, please help us reach more readers by voting for Chelsea's space in the #SOdomino contest!  We offer our eternal friendship and gratitude in return ;)

Easy DIY Teacher Gift Idea

Today is our kids' last day of preschool! Here they were all giddy to be wearing backpacks last Fall: 

And one school year later:

It's been a wonderful year and an awesome experience to watch how they've grown. As a parent, one of the many things I've learned about teaching is that it can be a challenging, messy job!

It's got to be one of the most emotionally draining, often times ridiculous, and overall exhausting jobs out there. I adore my children; they are absolutely three of my lifes greatest joys. But I don't expect them to be someone else's greatest joys. And yet, those who have devoted their time to teaching them with encouragement, patience and wisdom have done so with great joy that has been nothing less than genuine and sincere. 

Our twins were only in preschool this past year, but it's not lost on me the effort that went into them. So, to thank the head teacher who embraced them, encouraged them, and has even squeezed our Mason into her class for next year, we made her a hand towel with their hands! We threw Mason's hands on there even though she hasn't taught him yet - she'll have her hands full with that one so this serves as both a 'thank you' and 'we're sorry in advance' gift. :) 

This was one of the quickest little projects I've done with the kids! Here's the low down:

||Supplies||
-2 pack of flour sack towels from JoAnns, ($5.99)
-1 bottle of black fabric paint from JoAnns, ($2.49)
-paper plate
-paint brush, any size
-old towel

||Steps||
-Spread the flour sack towel over the old towel so it's nice and flat. Smooth out wrinkles.
-Squirt some black paint onto the paper plate
-Using the paint brush, dip into the paint and then paint child's hand
-Have/help child press their hand flat onto the flour sack towel and then lift straight up
-Lay out flat to dry
-Launder as normal, (normal cold cycle, then throw in the drier)

That's it!!! Then you can wrap it however you please and tie on a clever tag.

Since we got 2 x 2pks of towels, I had some extras to play with! Here are some other designs I made.

This one was done with a ruler and a fine point sharpie! I just made long straight vertical stripes equal distance apart, and then free-handed the 'feathers' on them. This one was an easy copycat I saw on from Gardners 2 Bergers. I loved Becca's Anthro inspired fringed feather's towel, (and how they were hung on the rope!)

And here I literally just pressed my thumb into the black fabric paint and did an all-over polkadot pattern. I love how the dots came out a little uneven and misshapen. No two look the same!

Three simple ideas for a blank white flour sack towel.

The possibilities of a blank white flour sack towel are endless. What would you design?!

Thank you all so much for stopping by! 

Don't forget to vote for our StyleMutt Home living room submission to Domino's #SoDomino contest! Click here, click vote, and you're done!




Votin' for my Homies ||A Shameless Plug||

BIG NEWS ya'll!  From May 20th to June 30th, you can submit and vote for your favorite #SOdomino spaces at domino.com.  Now we love a good space as much as the next one (just check out our SPACES page) so pop on over there and have yourself an ogle and be sure to encourage your fave with a vote!  And hey, if you think of us as friends and want to love on our girl Chelsea while you're over there... give her space a vote - we won't be mad.  *winkwink*

Even if you don't think of yourself as more than a StyleMutt Home reader, Chelsea and I hope you know how much you mean to us.  Seriously guys.  Every one of you we have had the pleasure of coming in contact with have been so wonderful and encouraging and incredibly unique.  We want nothing more than to take all that you inspire us with and pour it back out as a resource for all breeds of style.

Whether you've tagged your photos with #stylemuttspaces and were featured on our SPACES page, sent us design conundrums for a second opinion on facebook, tipped us off to a fun giveaway or contest on instagram, or just left a sweet comment on a post - we count you as our friends, muses, cronies, pals, besties, and homies.  That's right, I said homie.  Can you roll with that?  

Alright, we get it.  You don't have to see us in the same way... yet.  Maybe what you need is more convincing.  So in a shameless effort to win your vote [and your friendship], we though that we'd make complete and happy fools of ourselves.  Here's to hoping the following photo reel will help you see us more as the homies you could roll wif...

So what do you think?  Could you be friends with this couple of style mutts?

Pleaseeeeeeeeeee...

So you're saying there's a chance?!

How 'bout now?  Is this helping?

It helps a little?  Ok good.

Then you should really like what's coming next...

Awwwwww cheah!  You wanna hang with this ridiculousness don'tcha?

[Can you tell it was hard to keep a straight face?]

Ok in all seriousness...

We didn't choose the thug life.  The thug life chose us...

We really do love you to pieces.  Even if this makes you want to run for the hills rather than be our friend or lend us your vote, we hope we could make you smile or laugh at some point.

But if we did prove that we could be your homies and you think the feeling might be mutual, show our gal Chelsea some love and vote for Chelsea's submission!

Just follow the link to click the vote button on the submission page!

And don't forget to enter your own photos on domino.com or tag your pics on Instagram using #SOdomino and @dominomag.  We'd love to cheer you on and vote for you too - even if it does toughen the competition ;)