Quickest party decorating idea ever!

February 25, 2013 Chelsea | StyleMutt Home

Hey everyone! Hope you had a fabulous weekend! We threw a little birthday shin-dig at our house for my brother and I learned a really fun party decorating trick that I couldn't wait to share! You know those paper lanterns that are all over the place? We were given some a year or so ago by a friend and I've hung them up for every birthday party we've held here, but this time I decided to just keep it simple and kept the lanterns flat!

Don't they look cool together?! The big white ones on the ends were another thrift store score last weekend for less than $2 ea! They were unused, unopened from Ikea!

The Happy Birthday banner I made for a special birthday party for my Mom 3 years ago. It has now been hung for 14 different birthdays, I believe, (including one in Florida) - and is still in great shape! Made from cereal box cardboard, silver ribbon, ivory crepe paper, and glitter glue.

Hanging it is one of my favorite birthday traditions now :)

Why bother gathering and displaying balloons when they're fun enough to kick around on the floor!

A fun treat for little ones, (and keeps them out of trouble at a party)!

Anyway, I just wanted to pass along the easiest party decorating idea I've ever stumbled upon.

Thank you for stopping by!

~Chelsea

This post was originally featured on Chelsea's Garage, now affectionately known as StyleMutt!

If at first you don't succeed...

February 21, 2013 Chelsea | StyleMutt Home

Hi All! It has been a b.u.s.y. week, let me tell ya. I'm running my fanny off in the mornings training for a 10 mile race that's coming up on March 3, (check out this fundraiser I'm running for here or at the link to the left), and then after giving lots of attention to my kiddos, feeding them lunch, and getting them all down to nap, I'm mustering up every last ounce of energy to finish some projects in the garage each afternoon, (and that's just the first half of the day)! But it's okay. This is a phase of life I will never have again and I don't want to waste the abundance of energy the Lord seems to be supplying me with at the moment!

There's been a surprising flow of custom orders in this typically slow season of the year, but I'm also working on building a fantastic stock for the next Chelsea's Garage sale event! The date is not set and rarely ever is until about a month before, but at the moment I am looking at mid-April. Already we've got some ahhhh-mazing pieces that I am so stinkin excited about. That's what is the best part of our Chelsea's Garage sales. Every single piece is intentional; I only bring home pieces that I find beautiful, unique, functional, and totally something I'd want in my own home. In fact, at the last sale I ended up kicking myself for selling a particular piece that I suddenly realized I really should have kept! I refinish each piece exactly how I want so I can stand behind it and be proud of the work.

That's what this post is about today; standing behind each piece, no matter the size, and being proud of the job accomplished. A little while ago I posted this table that was really kind of a tester for a new paint color I was given at Christmas.

As soon as I started brushing on the paint I knew I didn't like it. But I kept going with it because, well, I thought maybe it would grow on me. As soon as I was done I knew it just wasn't me.

The whole thing looked too abrupt. The bright teal atop the bright white was not my best choice. I really prefer softer, more earthy tones. When a friend came over one afternoon and was looking around at some pieces in the garage, I heard myself making fun of this poor little table and laughing at it! Now, this table could very well sell this way. There have been a very small handful of pieces that have sold in the past that I didn't truly love...and I've learned that getting paid for a job that I'm not all that proud of does not feel good at all. I want my customers and clients to feel like they're getting a true gem with every piece of mine that they take home.

To me this was no gem, and certainly not something I would keep in our home. It's not horrible, just not my particular style.

So, I set this table up in my work space once again for a re-do.

Now, I can stand behind it and feel so much better when someone deems it worthy of coming home with them.

It's not a large piece by any means, but anything that I'm going to stick a Chelsea's Garage price tag on had better be worthy of the space it takes up in my small garage! I think this softer monochromatic finish shows off the shape of the piece better. The muddy gray, distressed to reveal black undertones, gives this table a rich element of sophistication that I strive to achieve with all the pieces that I have free reign over.

A couple of my little ones enjoying a leisurely breakfast in the background.:)

The low-down:

-Spray painted in flat black

-Brushed on 2 coats of Paris Grey ASCP

-Mixed about 2TBSP of dark wax with about 1/4c Valspar Clear Mixing Glaze, (mix well until you've got an even consistency), and brushed over the entire piece for a richer, aged finish

-Used a very slightly damp sponge to wipe over my glaze mixture with clear wax to even out the finish and remove some of the dark wax where it was a bit much, (clear wax acts like an eraser over dark wax)

-Used a medium sanding sponge to smooth out the table top and lightly distress the edges, then used steel wool to lightly distress the legs

-Just because I really like the element of shine on such a small piece with such pretty detailing on the legs, I brushed on a coat of polyurethane clear high-gloss. This was not necessary for the purpose of protecting this table's finish since it already had clear wax; this step was purely for the shine.:)

Thanks for reading along as I thought out loud with this one! And please know that I appreciate styles and looks that are different from my own. I know many of you may even have preferred how the table looked the first go-around! I love that - personal style should be as unique as our DNA! If you liked the table before, the color used was Annie Sloan's 'Florence'. Go grab a can and have some fun!

~Chelsea

This post was originally featured on Chelsea's Garage, now affectionately known as StyleMutt!

~Before&After~ Oval desk

February 15, 2013 Chelsea | StyleMutt Home

Hey gang! Quick reminder that the next Chelsea's Garage sale will be on Saturday, May 4 from 10am-2pm..

This is an important event because it gives guests first picks on this fresh new stock. After the sale, any items that are left will go in my Etsy shop and get posted on Craigslist. So, mark your calendars and make a date with your friends to come by! I'll have complimentary refreshments, (because who doesn't enjoy shopping with a snack?!), and you are welcome to peruse as long as you'd like. I am located in Herndon, VA and will be happy to give the address to anyone who needs it - just email me at chelseasgarage@gmail.com.

Okay - This table is one of my all-time favorite transformations, which is funny because for the longest time I had absolutely no idea what to do with it. It definitely needed some TLC before I could even think about whipping out the paint brush!

{BEFORE}

So, in the garage it sat. And waited and waited. Then last week I needed to run to Sherwin Williams to have a stain matched and noticed an ad for their new Color of the Year, Aloe. I kid you not, I did not even see a paint chip of this color when I asked to purchase the quart size sample. The name alone had reeled me in. So thankful it wasn't a disaster. Not only was Aloe not a disaster, it was a home run! I have been all over looking for a soft green that isn't too blue, too yellow, too gray, too bright. Finally! What I've been looking for my whole life...;)

Ladies and gentlemen:

Aloe

I waited until I was home to pop open the lid and check out what I had just purchased, (for less than $5 - I used a monthly 25% off members coupon). Seriously, as soon as I saw this color I moved the oval table into position to start work. The lightbulb went on and I knew exactly what this table needed to be.

{AFTER}