HAND PAINTED GINGHAM WALL TUTORIAL

This tutorial has been a long time coming, I'm sorry it's taken so long to put together if you've been looking for it.  I'm so glad I took the time to record the key steps as I did them, because now, 3 months later, there's no way I would have remembered all of the details!

So many who scanned the reveal of my Powder Bath or saw it posted on Instagram commented about the wallpaper, which I guess is a compliment, but goodness... I worked hard painting that wall... wallpaper would have been a breeze!  Honestly, though, it was worth it and I'm still so, so happy with the finished product!

I don't want to make it sound too daunting, though.  Yes, there is a lot of math and measuring and marking and steps involved, but it's a totally doable project with a big payout for not much of an investment- just time and paint.  Turning the pattern diagonally and wrapping it around the room definitely added some difficulty (especially in this room that actually has 6 sides with a variety of weird angles), so if that's a little intimidating try a straight gingham pattern, even on one wall. Most of the steps here will still apply.  I tried my best to explain everything clearly, but if you have a question about anything please don't hesitate to ask!

To begin, I painted all of the walls white, which would be one of the colors in the pattern.  When I studied my buffalo check fabric, I noticed that other than the obvious white and black, one gray stripe between the two was darker than the other, so I decided to use two different gray paints.  So, with the white background,  I also used black, a darker gray, and a lighter gray.  A sample container from Sherwin Williams of each of those colors was plenty for this project.  Here's a complete supply list:

variety of desired paint colors (4)  ||  colored paper or card stock ||  painter's tape  ||  level- long and small were helpful  ||  laser level  ||  chalk line  ||  rafter square  ||  foam roller and paint tray  ||  paintbrush

I started by taping cardstock up to determine scale of pattern and placement.  My squares were 8" (I should have done one more step before proceeding with the 8 inch squares.  I'll explain that near the end of the post).

Be sure to tape off the ceiling (and baseboard if it applies) before starting.

Mark the center of wall that's your starting point right against the ceiling, and then draw a 45 degree line going down and out from that center mark.  I started on the wall with the mirror since I considered that the main focal point of the room.  It was vital to use the blue rafter square along with the small level to make sure the starting marks I made were straight and level- you can't trust your walls and ceiling to be square!

Use a longer level to draw the first diagonal line all the way down the wall.  The rafter square will help to get the line right to the corners of the wall.

Where the line stops in a corner, use that as a starting point to continue angle down the next wall, using the square and level again to make sure line is level even if your wall isn't square.

If you look hard you can see my starting line from the top left all the way down to the bottom right.

I usually don't truncate, but this post is SO long and detailed and photo heavy, please click over to continue reading...

19

DIY FAUX/REAL ORCHID ARRANGEMENT

Today I have a quick and easy idea for you.  Orchids are one of my favorite choices of flowers to buy.  If cared for well, the blooms last several months and put on quite a show!

I always feel bad about throwing the plant out once the blooms fade.  Usually I move them to my bathroom which has a big window and try to remember to keep watering them.  I've had good luck with a couple of them re-blooming, so I always feel like I should give them a chance.

I bought 2 especially pretty plants earlier in the summer, and the blooms finally gave out a few weeks ago.  As usual, I moved them to their sunny spot in the bathroom, until I had a better idea!  Last year I was in a fancy home where a decorator does everything and fresh flowers are rotated in and out on a regular basis, and there was the most beautiful, huge blue and white bowl filled with orchids. I filed that idea away for someday.

Then, recently during the most fun visit with Pam while we were perusing the aisles of Homegoods together, I came across the perfect bowl and I had to snatch it up.  I originally planned to do a faux orchid arrangement in it, but then I thought why not use the real plants while they're waiting to re-bloom?  By adding faux blooms to the real leaves and pots, the arrangement is a little more convincing even though the blooms are artificial.

To assemble it, I gathered 3 plants that had spent blooms, my new bowl, some faux orchid stems, and some spanish moss.  I had also saved the tiny clips off of the real orchid stems, adding them to the faux stems is another tiny detail helping them appear more real.

I used a little bit of putty to level out the plastic pots in the bottom of the bowl and slightly secure them, a layer of small gravel probably would have worked nicely too.

Then, I added the faux stems to the pots.  I used the mini clips to attach a wooden skewer to them, much like real orchids have some type of stick for support too.

I covered everything up with a layer of spanish moss, making sure to tuck it in the center too and cover the rims of the plastic pots well.

That's it!  Now I'll try to remember to keep watering the leaves (I might try Gwen's tips for encouraging re-blooming), and still enjoy an arrangement while I wait for fresh blooms to come back!

In the past I've shared another DIY faux orchid arrangement with you, but in that post I told you about the best faux orchid leaves I've found if you don't have real leaves to use.  

5

CHOCOLATE OATMEAL NO-BAKE COOKIES

Boy, was it hard to come home from the cool temps of the mountains, it's been a scorcher around here (and it didn't help that we came home to this)!  Maybe it's pretty hot where you live, too.  How about a sweet treat that you don't need to heat up the oven for?  No-Bake Cookies to the rescue!

I realize No-Bake Cookies are nothing new and recipes for them are probably a dime a dozen, but I thought I'd share my version to remind you to make some, or encourage you to give them a try if perhaps you never have!  I'll bet you already have everything in your pantry that you need to make them, too.

My first memory of no-bakes is making them in 8th grade Home Ec. class.  Boy, were they tasty, but for whatever reason they never got made much at home.  Fast forward 15 years, just days after delivering our son, when a sweet friend from church brought us dinner with no-bakes for dessert.  I was reminded of what I had been missing out on by not making them!  They've been in our regular cookie-making rotation ever since.

Now, I'm pretty picky with these cookies.  I don't like them to be too sweet, and I ABSOLUTELY don't like them to be dry!  So, I've messed with the recipe I had until they're just about perfect, according to me.  :)

Chocolate Oatmeal No-Bake Cookies

1 stick butter
1 1/2  cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/3 cup peanut butter (I use creamy, but could use crunchy)
3 cups oats (not quick cook)
1/2 cup chopped nuts (pecans or peanuts, optional)



Begin by melting the butter in a large sauce pan and adding in the sugar, cocoa, and milk.  Stir to combine and heat to boiling, stirring often.  Boil for two minutes while continuing to stir.  Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and peanut butter, stirring to combine and melt peanut butter.  Add in oats and optional nuts.  Allow to cool in pan 5-10 minutes, and then scoop out onto waxed paper.  After cooling completely, store for several days in an air tight container to keep them from drying out.  

This recipe yields 2 dozen cookies when a 1 oz. scoop is used to form them.  A smaller bite-sized scoop will make more!  It's also a great recipe that the kids can help with.

A few recipe notes:  I guessed at the peanut butter measurement, I might actually put in a little more.  And, you could probably even cut back the sugar a bit more if desired.  The recipe is pretty forgiving.  I just thought as I was typing this, I might throw in some flax and chia seed next time.  I think they'll be undetectable and added to the oats will make the cookies even MORE healthy, right?  #kidding  #kindof

Disclaimer:  I'm not responsible for the pounds you might gain while stuffing your face with these delicious chocolate-y morsels.  ;)

Enjoy!  Do you have a favorite no-bake recipe?  How is it different than this one?

6

OUT OF THE OFFICE

Hey Friends!

I hope you enjoyed meeting Mallory from Style Your Senses and Eliesa from Pinterest Addict this week, I'm so grateful to them both for filling in for me and sharing their favorite projects with you while my family and I are on vacation.  (If you missed their posts, catch up with Mallory here and Eliesa here.)

I'm signing off for the rest of the week as we wrap up our vacation, look forward to seeing you all next week (if we can tear ourselves away from this beautiful place!)!

6

MY FAVORITE 5 {PINTEREST ADDICT}

Happy Wednesday everyone!  While we're vacationing this week I've invited a few of my blog friends to guest host here by sharing their all-time favorite 5 posts or projects with us.  Today in Red River, several in our group (not me) set off on a vigourous hike to reach the summit of Wheeler Peak, the highest point in New Mexico at over 13,000 feet, and come back down all in a day. (I'll participate in a less strenuous hike on another day-I'm more of a nature walk kind of girl than big hard hiker).  Those of us who stayed behind are planning a horseback ride (much more fun in my book!).  I'll plan a big trip report all about Red River when we return.  It's a WONDERFUL summer family destination!

Earlier this week Mallory from Style Your Senses was here, and today I'm happy to introduce you to Eliesa from Pinterest Addict.  Eliesa is a fairly new to me friend, but she's been around Pinterest for sure!  I realized as I perused her projects that in the past I had seen many of them as crazy popular pins on Pinterest, but I never put two and two together that she was the brains behind those projects!  Eliesa has a big family (human and furry!) and blogs about a variety of topics.  I know you'll find some things that will inspire your creativity, so here's Eliesa to share her favorites with us!

* * * * * 

Hi there! I'm Eliesa, from the blog Pinterest Addict. Most of the time on my blog, I share results from pins I've tried from Pinterest and lots of my own projects - and just a tiny bit of my life with four kids, 10 pets and a new house. We just adopted two little girls from the foster care system, so lately I've been writing about those experiences too. I'm so excited that Jennifer asked me to share my 5 favorite posts with you. In no particular order here they are...

DIY Herringbone Headboard My husband and I made this headboard for our son, and it's still one of my very favorite things we've ever done. I love that it has different colored wood stains, so it can work in just about any room we put it in. I love that he always is quick to point out to his friends that his parents made it for him when they say how awesome it is.

The post that put me on the map was when I used fabric spray paint to paint this chair instead of trying to reupholster it myself. I had only just started blogging, and Pinterest was still so new, that the post took off. To this day, it's still one of my most popular pins on Pinterest.

My favorite room in our house is our guest bathroom. Do you know how sometimes budgets, space, time restraints make it impossible to follow our vision? This was one of the few times I was able to pull off exactly what I had envisioned in my mind. It's a hit at parties too - our guests think it's funny that the artwork is staring at them... :P

The dinosaur bookends that we made for my daughter (she's studying to be a paleontologist) are perhaps the favorite handmade gifts I've ever given. My daughter loves books and dinosaurs, so this was the perfect gift - and super easy to make too.

And finally, our faux carriage garage doors have been a pretty popular post too. I found the hardware for just a few bucks, and painted on the windows - and created some instant curb appeal. I'm always amazed at how the smallest projects offer the most bang for the buck...

So that's it. My five favorite posts from my blog. I'd love for you to check out the rest sometime. Thanks Jennifer for inviting me to share with your readers!

* * * * *

OK, can we just discuss how fabulous that bathroom gallery is?  And I've already showed my husband the "carriage" garage doors, ours are similar and we might be able to totally pull off a similar look!  I especially loved this recent post of Eliesa's, because I'm in the same boat right now too!  #29daysuntilschoolstarts

Be sure to spend some time getting to know Eliesa at Pinterest Addict today.  Thank you, Eliesa, for sharing your favorite projects with us today while I'm away!

If you've missed any of my former guests in the My Favorite 5 series, catch up here:

Simple Details  ||  Savvy Southern Style  ||  Simple Stylings  ||  Less Than Perfect Life of Bliss  ||  Cuckoo for Design  ||  Design Post Interiors  ||  Goodwill Glam  ||  Dwellings by Devore  ||  Little Black Door  ||  Claire Brody Designs (formerly Honey Haven)  ||  Primitive and Proper  ||  Gold and Stripes ||  Driven By Decor  ||  Style Your Senses

2

STYLE YOUR SENSES {MY FAVORITE 5}

I mentioned in my last rambling post that my family is on vacation, we're relaxing and doing a lot of nothing in beautiful Red River, New Mexico this week.  Several years ago I started a guest post series called "My Favorite 5" (not to be confused with the other monthly series that started this year "My Five Favorites"...close names, but different themes!)  where I invited a fellow blogger to share 5 of their all time favorite posts or projects with us.  I thought it would be fun to revive that series with a few special guests this week while we're away.  I hope you meet some new friends and are inspired by some of the projects they share with us this week.  

Today I'm thrilled that my super sweet, amazingly talented, and oh-so-chic friend Mallory from Style Your Senses agreed to be my guest.   Mallory has been a friend for several years and it's been my privilege to hang out with her in person on several occasions, and let me tell you, this girl has it together!  I'm constantly impressed with her poise and kindness, and she can put together a room or an outfit like nobody's business.  So... meet Mallory, I know you'll immediately fall in love with her style, too!

* * * * *

Hiya! I'm Mallory from Style Your Senses and I'm just tickled to be here with you today while Jennifer is gone. First, can we just pause for a minute and talk about how amazing Jennifer is??! I've spent a lot of time with her now and she's even more beautiful, funny and overall just a great person in real life. I'm super flattered that she thought of me to be here while she's off on vacation!

So here's the short...I'm Mallory...30-something, mama, wifey, creator, do-er and usually running around Charlotte like a chicken with my head cut off and a Starbucks in my hand. Style Your Senses if a Life + Style blog where I share what I'm wearing, how I'm decorating our home, and daily musings about our life in North Carolina. If you want the long version of that SEE HERE. I believe that great style doesn't have to cost a fortune and creating a beautiful, well styled life can absolutely be done on ANY budget. I blog about a mix of things, so my favorite 5 are a little all over the place, but I feel like they represent a great view of the blog as a whole. So here we go, my favorite (more recent) 5 posts:

#1 : Meet My Mom | An interview my mama and showing off her adorable style!

In honor of Mother's Day this year, I invited my mom to join me on the blog for an interview about all things motherhood. She also (against her will...hehe) got in front of the camera to show off her adorable Fashion Over 50 Style...proving that you don't have to sacrifice cute style with age.

#2: Tips for Packing for Long Trips | What I pack and why...

Just a few weeks ago my daughter and I headed home to Louisiana for two weeks and I decided to change my over packing ways. I shared my tips and tricks for packing efficiently, while still giving yourself plenty of options. I managed to get 15 outfits for myself, 15 for my daughter, beach gear, over 10 pair of shoes combined and lots of toddler essentials for TWO weeks into ONE checked bag, two carryon's and my purse. It was such a relief to feel organized. Also, you need the details on this monogrammed carry-on...everyone thinks it's Louis Vuitton ;)

#3 Master Bedroom Reveal | Transforming our Master and stepping out of my colorful comfort zone!

This past Fall, I took our "builder beige" Master bedroom and transformed it into a bright, airy and calming sanctuary for us to relax in every night. I'm normally one that gravitates towards lots of color and, for this project, I totally went the opposite way with lots of muted tones, pale blues and whites. It was scary at first because I felt it might be boring, but it's proven to definitely be the right decision for this space!

#4 One Classic Summer Dress: Two Ways | Showing how versatile a good Little Black Dress can be!

I posted this just a few weeks ago, but it was really popular on the blog. This classic summer black dress is such a cute fit, that's just a little flowy but still flattering and can be dressed up or down. I showed the versatility of the dress by styling it for a casual summer day or dressing it up for a Summer date night!

#5 Office + Playroom Combo | Showing how I combined the spaces for more functionality

Working at home isn't always super easy when you don't have a defined space that allows you to feel creative. It also isn't super easy when you also work for a 3 year old ;) I decided to put our bonus room to good use and transform it into a a creative space where both my daughter and I could love and enjoy together!

Thank you guys so much for having me today and thank you Jennifer for letting me hi-jack your blog! I hope that you'll visit me at Style Your Senses and find me on Instagram @styleyoursenses !

* * * * *

Aren't you just in love with Mallory's style?  How cute is she with her Mom?  Looking at everything I brought with us this week, I definitely need to put some of her packing tips to use, and can you even believe that playroom/office?  Whoa, it's pretty!  Please make sure to stop by and visit her, you'll also adore her patio makeover, the darling "Tea for Two" birthday party that she hosted for her cutie-pie daughter, and this dress is one of my favorites on her.  Thank you Mallory for sharing with us today!

If you've missed any of my former guests in the My Favorite 5 series, catch up here:

Simple Details  ||  Savvy Southern Style  ||  Simple Stylings  ||  Less Than Perfect Life of Bliss  ||  Cuckoo for Design  ||  Design Post Interiors  ||  Goodwill Glam  ||  Dwellings by Devore  ||  Little Black Door  ||  Claire Brody Designs (formerly Honey Haven)  ||  Primitive and Proper  ||  Gold and Stripes ||  Driven By Decor

5

FRIDAY FAVORITES- THE GAP, MY LIPSTICK, PIZZA DOUGH, AND A VISIT

Hip hip hooray for Friday!!  I have a few things I'm excited to share with you today.

Here's today's super sale special... get yourself to Gap!  I know every fashion blogger in the universe is promoting the Nordstrom Anniversary sale right now, and I love to buy from them online occasionally, but since we don't have a local Nordstrom it's not quite the same as dropping in and trying things on.  So, I'll tell you about where I shopped this week... Gap!

They have a great in-store clearance going on right now, with an extra 40% off of the lowest marked price.  I got this cute lightweight striped popover for less than $20 (and the pretty turquoise green is even cheaper online), and am wearing it today as a matter of fact!

Be sure if you're shopping online to enter code TGIF for an EXTRA 35-40% off of your purchase (Friday only)!  If you're in OKC, Penn Square has the best clearance selection left, and don't miss the hidden room at the back with tons more women's and girls' clearance.

I also got this super comfy sweatshirt in gray (who cares if it's July???), a pair of unbelievably soft clearance pj pants that aren't online, some staple lightweight $9 sweaters for my guys (cheaper in my store than website price), and multiple sweaters and dressier t-shirts for my girl that were all less than $5 each (also cheaper in store than website shows).

My Lipstick.  I've wanted to share this with you for a while because I often get asked about it, but when I just told a friend about it and she loved it too (more than a super pricey version she had tried), I was reminded to share it with you!  Let me preface this by saying for the most part, except for a few Mary Kay items I like, I'm a drug store make-up girl.  Other than some Clinique in high school and college (that dates me for sure!), I've never used fancy or expensive brands.

So.... I've always been a bright colored lipstick wearer.  When my first baby was born, who just got his driver's permit this past Monday(!), I realized that I was going to have to figure out another option when I was leaving lipstick all over his cute cheeks when I kissed him, and occasionally smudging it on his clothes as I held him on my shoulder.  Way back then I tried the kiss-proof lipstick, and have worn it nearly every day since!

Several brands have come and gone since then, but now my go-to is Cover Girl Outlast.  The box comes with 2 tubes, one is the color that you apply with a wand, and the other is the clear topcoat that is like a traditional lipstick.  I always make sure that my lips are completely clean and dry before applying the color coat.  This is probably just a weird thing I do, but right after applying the color I rub my lips together a little, and then stretch them out (like I'm showing all my teeth) for several seconds to let it dry.  I think it helps it dry more evenly and prevents cracking.  After the color is dry (and your lips WILL be dry with just the color coat), use the clear top coat for shine and moisture.  I usually reapply the top coat once or twice throughout the day, but the color stays from morning until night.  It's nice too that you can just purchase single tubes of the topcoat, since you'll likely run out if it long before you do the color tube.

One more application note:  I NEVER use just one color!  I always start with a base color and then layer another color on top.  My base is usually pretty dark, then depending on what I'm wearing I use a red, pinkish, or even something more neutral on top.  Then, sometimes I add just a dot of this color to the center of my top and bottom lip (then rub them together to blend it in) for a little extra dimension and variation.

Here are my favorite colors:

#661 Cinnamon Stick-my hands down favorite and usually my base coat

(that photo doesn't look true to the color, but this one does)

#542 Brazen Raisin-another base color sometimes

#730-Radiant Red

#507 Ever Red-Dy- a true red lip

#559- Plum Berry- pinkier tone

#521 Eternal Flame

#621 Natural Blush

#577 Spiced Latte-used for center dot explained above

Moisturizing Top Coat

Tip:  I keep a photo on my phone of all of my favorite color numbers to refer to when I need a new tube.

OK, I'm sure that's more than you ever wanted to know about my lipstick!

Homemade pizza dough.  A couple of times over the summer we've had make your own pizza night.  I've tried several different dough recipes, but this one is BY FAR my favorite, and my entire family agrees!  It's super fast and the best tasting of all I've tried.  The first time I made it, I doubled the recipe and the 4 of us each made our own good-sized pizza.  I saved the left-overs in the fridge and made breadsticks out of it the next day.  Yum, YUM!!

Finally, today is so exciting for me...  I've "known" this sweet lady through our blogs since we both started around the same time almost 5 years ago, and today I get to hug her neck for real!  I'll post a few pics on Instagram and Facebook if you want to follow along with our fun!

Have a great weekend, everyone.  We're actually living it up in the mountains on vacation, but I've got several great posts to share with you next week.  See you then!


*Some affiliate links used for your shopping convenience.  I may earn a small commission through these links at no extra cost to you.  Thanks for supporting Dimples and Tangles to keep great content coming!

4