Friday, April 25, 2014

Add a little butterfly flair around your space!

Spring is wonderfully here in Southwestern Michigan! And when we saw these paper butterfly embellishments, we had to add them around the office and bring a little of that springtime flair indoors.

The Graphics Fairy (one of our favorite sources for vintage graphics and more!) posted a blog using these wonderful paper butterflies.

ButterflyClothespin-Featured
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We simply followed the Graphic Fairy's blog directions (see her website for full instructions):

  1. Copy butterfly images from the Graphic Fairy's website (search butterfly and choose your favorites!) Make sure to make two of each image in the exact size.
  2. Cut out the butterflies, fold and glue.
  3. We used a glue stick and dabbed glue along the edges of the wings and pressed the glued edges into glitter that we spread onto a sheet of paper.
  4. Add a glue dot to the back of the butterflies and embellish away!
Here is where our butterflies landed:

The receptionist vase of flowers....



And her computer monitor....
and her office door....
There are many more possibilities with these beautiful glitter butterflies.
  • Add onto a wood skewer or popsicle stick for a plant poke.
  • Add to a barrette.
  • Stick on a spring candle.

What are your ideas?
Happy Treasure Hunting!

Friday, April 18, 2014

Staring at a Blank Wall?

Are you stumped on how to decorate a blank wall? You might be staring at a large wall, like in a room with a vaulted ceiling, or a long wall, like the hallway, or just a wall that needs to make a statement and need some inspiration. Our solution - empty picture frames! Goodwill is often the recipient of kindly donated pictures and picture frames. So we have grouped together some amazing ideas for decorating your space.
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We were inspired to do a blog on picture frames after seeing this idea put into practice by a new restaurant, Café Sabo,  in Paw Paw, Michigan (We have a Goodwill retail outlet right down the road!). They had a long hallway and beautifully filled the walls with empty picture frames in all shapes, colors and styles, and a few other objects tucked here and there. All of the pieces were bought at Goodwill!

Café Sabo
This is an eclectic style, and you don't have to do much to the frames other then maybe a little cleaning. Just group them as they are.

http://www.decorateyourspace.net/designstrategies/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/frames2.jpg
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powder room vintage frame gallery wall
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Of course, painting them all one color will really pop and it doesn't matter if the style of the frame is modern or decorative. Love how some of the inspirational quote is "framed".

Decorate Walls with Empty Frames 6 diy ideas
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Place your frame over something to highlight it like this stencil....

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Or a few branches...
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Or a bunch of fun little treasures...

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Empty frames can serve as a unique headboard.
Group frames together:
bedroom wall decorating ideas frames
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Hang a single, elegant, decorative frame:
floating-headboard
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The trio of white frames fit in nicely with this breezy charming bedroom:
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The wall behind your fireplace mantle can be a decorating challenge, and picture frames work well here too!
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how to decorate a fireplace mantel frames letters
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So let the treasure hunt for picture frames begin!  This is our Alcott (Kalamazoo) Store's bounty of frames this week!

 
 
HAPPY TREASURE HUNTING!

Friday, April 11, 2014

Milk Glass for Spring

Milk glass may be a common find at thrift shops and garage sales, but we have a round up of some uncommonly beautiful ways to decorate for spring with this inexpensive collectable.
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This cheerful mantlescape treats the milk glass vessels as art pieces leaving them unfilled.
Happy Spring!  Bright White Spring Mantel with Color Pops :: AnExtraordinaryDay.net
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The yellow flowers in the bright white milk glass make a beautiful table setting at this wedding.



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One bouquet of inexpensive grocery store flowers plus milk glass vases equals a colorful happy kitchen!
Vintage Milk Glass Spring Vignette
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We love this! These are sidewalk chalk eggs filling the milk glass!
easy Easter centerpieces with chalk eggs | madiganmade.com
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We hope you are inspired to bring out your milk glass for spring, and perhaps treasure hunt at your local Goodwill for more pieces.

A couple thoughts about milk glass:
How can you tell the difference between cheap and good milk glass?
Inexpensive milk glass will have a thin, pasty gray look. Like Fat Free Milk! This type of milk glass was commonly sold through florist for flower arrangements, and so it is plentiful and does not have a lot of value.

Good milk glass will be heavy and have a rich, thick color. Like Vitamin D Milk!

HAPPY SPRING AND HAPPY TREASURE HUNTING!