My 2016 Flippin' Bucket List

Well 2015 has come and gone and I was one shy of a completed Furniture Flip Bucket List.  When I laid out my aspiring projects this time last year, I vowed to do my best but also give myself grace if I couldn't finish all the items on my list so...

Grace.

 Yeah I only got through 6 of the 7.  And that's ok.  Here's a look back on what I set out to do last year [with links to the ones I did actually complete]:

No.1: Build my own baker's rack
No.2: Wood shim surface treatment
No.3: Rivet something
No.4: Navy and gold dresser
No.5: Best vintage pull-down chart hack
No.6: White chippy dresser
No.7: Turn a swivel chair into an accent chair

Now even though I didn't get to finish every item on my list, I did decide I to lay out my intentions for another year of new challenges for myself.  First up, surprise surprise, I'm rolling over the DIY baker's rack from last year - but with a new stipulation.

Source: Timberwolf Bay

I think what kept me from starting this project last year was the cost.  Wood is straight up expensive yo when you're building from scratch.  Plus the best part of a vintage baker's rack is just that: it's VINTAGE.  So my spin for this flip list item for 2016 is to try to DIY a baker's rack with salvaged wood.  It might take me a while to collect all the wood I need so here's hopin' I can tackle it by the end of the year.

Source: Better Homes and Gardens

I have ALWAYS wanted to have the guts to reupholster a chair.  Yes I've done benches like this one, this one, and more recently this one.  But a whole chair is a whole nother animal.  I think what intimidates me most is the piping.  And the cushions.  And sewing in general.  So I'm finally pushing myself to give it a stab this year and document my successes or failures right here for your entertainment.

Source: Lambert & Fils

Now this one I'm rather excited about.  I've seen a couple folks build their own hanging light fixtures on pinterest lately and I want in.  I have an idea for how to do it but I have no idea if it will actually work.  So hopefully that will entice you to stay tuned ;)

Source: Ellen Dodd

Now my original artwork isn't going anywhere but lately I've been thinking that there's something... juvenile about it.  Maybe it's the scale or the placement, but this year I'm going to find out.  

Yes I know I've done teal & navy dressers before but I am ITCHING to do another one.  I just LOVE me some jewel tones.  And I may be turning into a bit of a jewel-tone-obsessed addict bent on feeding her habit one dresser at a time.

Source: West Elm

I've done a whole lot of wooden tapered legs but not metal legs.  So I'm hoping that this year, I'll find the right project to try this style out on.

Source: Knock Off Decor

And finally, the last item on this year's list is to experiment with some unconventional hardware.  And by unconventional I mean anything but your standard knobs and pulls.  I'm not sure if I'll try rope pulls like this one of Chelsea's or if I'll do something with agate slices but I just want to think outside the box.

Thanks friends for dropping by and I hope you check below on how these projects are coming along.

StyleMutt Hits the Stock[image] Market!

Psst! There's a new Etsy shop on the block!

BohoStock is a little dream I've had for about a year, when I started saving up for a legit camera. Last Winter I began taking a little bit out of every payment I received through StyleMutt Home opportunities and after spotting a mega deal on Ebay right before Christmas, bought a Nikon D3200! It's a whole new world, for sure.

But back to the dream - One of the strongest desires Cate and I have had for StyleMutt Home is to join in with others in this industry and be a part of something greater than our cozy corner of the web. We've been so blown away by how open and welcoming the design community has been, both local and global. Creatives supporting creatives isn't just beautiful, it's powerful!

For this reason, I've been wanting to find a way to support my fellow small business owners. I don't know a lot about designing and building an entire website, but I understand branding. A strong brand is vital to clenching that first impression and building a relationship with your supportive community, whether it's clients, sponsors, followers or readers. And if you're workin' with a phone camera, as many out there are, (until now our entire existence here at StyleMutt Home has been through the little eye of our iPhone cameras),  it's even more difficult to fill your site and social media with images that give the professional, clean look you desire.

I created BohoStock to offer images for other creative small business owners to use to strengthen their brand. Our ready-to-use images are clean, fresh and inspired by nature. Stock images have been growing wildly popular as the need for them continues to grow, but there are very few that appeal to the modern bohemian. If you prefer wood tones and fresh greens to black desk supplies or romantic blooms, these stock images are for you, my dears. Use them to refresh your logo, clean your home page, or send messages regarding upcoming events, giveaways, winners, etc to your business' following community. Many of these images are also designed with enough space for a print if you're in the art industry and would like a fresh, consistent way of displaying your prints for your own shop, (here is a fantastic tutorial on layering images in Pixlr if you need some help)!

The BohoStock Etsy shop is filled with 30 some images ready for immediate download, (free from text and watermark). Now, go and have your business your way!

Thank you all so much for stopping by!

Abstract Painted Ornaments, || a DIY by CSM

On every Christmas tree we had before the babes came along I liked to fill in around our small collection of ornaments with those red and gold glass balls. They're so classic and I love their vintagey look. We've decided to keep the glass balls boxed up the last 6 years because we truly want those kids to enjoy the tree as much as they can - Get up close, touch it, get pricked, watch the needles scatter across the floor. You know, the full experience. ;)

Anyways, I didn't even KNOW they sell non-breakable balls! But they're out there. When I found a box of gold ones for $1 at Dollar Tree, I grabbed it and a few tubes of acrylic paint. Then I told our kids, Colin, Shire and Mason, to have fun!!

These balls are now the bomb-diggity! I ADORE how the kids painted them! They're just perfect for our casual style and such a fun whimsical touch.

Our tree, Paul Pheiffer

Not an expensive or time consuming project, but certainly one that will be long lasting, (non-breakable), and meaningful for years to come. If you missed the full Christmas home tour you can check it out here!

I've done a few other DIY ornaments over the last few years if you'd like something different to try:

Gold Geometric Ornaments

Scrapbook Paper Ornaments

Thank you for stopping by!