impromptu antiquing

There’s a relatively new antique shop at Peachtree Battle, Peachtree Battle Antiques & Interiors that I've been wanting to check out. This weekend the shops 20% off sign finally inspired my first trip, and I’m glad I went. It ended up being their Winter Doldrums Party to benefit Atlanta Pet Rescue & Adoption.

Here are some of the items I loved:

Also, found out that there’s a new lamp shop coming that will be in the basement. It’s supposed to open sometime this month.

Update - Buckhead Lamp & Shade is now open, located below Peachtree Battle Antiques at 2398 Peachtree Street Atlanta, GA 30305.

weekend wrap up / barnsley gardens

You know that saying "a picture is worth 1,000 words?" Well, here it is - my weekend in one picture, worth 1,000 words.

art / my first hunting painting

This Christmas, I went with the that theory the best gifts are homemade and not from the store. I've been painting since I was a little kid and took painting classes all through out high school. My style of painting has always been abstract, so painting people to look like people has not been my expertise. So this year, when I decided to try out a painting with a person in it was a huge stretch. Especially since I was aiming to make the person look like my boyfriend hunting. 

I spent day after day before Christmas painting in my parent's TV room. I wish I could show you the evolution of this painting, but I think my Dad would kill me since he's in the background asleep on the couch in pretty much every one, ha. I'm pretty sure I was up until 2 am finishing up this painting to get the hunter to look like my bf on Christmas Eve, but it actually worked! Here's the final painting:

And my inspiration:

nye / happy 2012

Not a bad place to ring in the New Year.

Lake Burton, GA

gifts / a christmas surprise

Turns out the DIY trend is spreading to guys too. For Christmas, my boyfriend walked in with this gold wrapped present…any guesses?

...turns out, he’s crafty too. We did a wine club last year from Perrine’s Wine (my favorite wine store in Atlanta), and he used the bottle labels, some charcoal and watercolors to create this awesome artwork. 

antiquing / scott's antique market - atlanta, ga

This weekend, I took my first trip to Scott's Antique Market. For those of you who aren't familiar with it, it's a HUGE antique show that comes the second weekend of every month to the Atlanta Exposition Center in Jonesboro (about 30-45 mins outside the city). 

When I say huge, I'm talking two fully packed expo warehouses and outdoor parking lots with tents and tents of antiques. You can find anything there from things that looks like you pulled them out of your grandmother's basement to a really expensive pieces of furniture. I didn't come home with anything this weekend, but got a few idea starters for french antique chairs, bedroom benchs, and high-top tables.

DIY Filing Cabinet Makeover

Remember when getting mail used to be fun? Now the only mail I get are bills or statements and I need somewhere to put them. I've been using an arrangement of cardboard filing boxes, but I think it's about time for an upgrade. But what am I supposed to with this? This does not go with my decor. 

I found this awesome DIY on Design Sponge for how to makeover a filing cabinet, and wanted to give it a try. I went to Binders and picked out a patterned paper that is right up my alley. I love mixing white and gold together and I thought this print was fun but still classic and elegant. The neutral of the cabinet will make it easy to coordinate with my office decor.

Materials

Filing Cabinet 

Screwdriver

High Gloss Latex Paint

Brush (I used a rolling and foam brush)

Patterned paper or wallpaper

Mod Podge (I used Modge Podge Gloss All-in-One Decoupage Sealer / Glue / Finish)

Exacto Knife

Spray Paint or new hardware
Paint Tray

Here's where you start - with your standard gray filing cabinet. I mean seriously could 

you make this things any less appealing?  Pour some of the paint into your paint tray so the bottom is covered. Use your rolling brush, and start painting the gray cabinet. Follow the paint instructions to allow it to fully dry before applying a second coat. Since my cabinet was so dark and I painted it white, it took me about 6 or 7 coats. Also, make sure to paint the front of the drawers if your cabinet is dark, and your paper is light so the color does not show through.

Use a foam brush to evenly spread the Mod Podge to the front of the drawers, and carefully lay your paper on top. Use a plastic edge to smooth out the air bubbles and allow drying. Once dry, use the exacto knife to remove the excess paper. Apply a layer of Mod Podge on top of the paper and allow to dry. Air bubbles will reappear during this step, but you do not need to try and smooth them out. Once it dries they will disappear. Spray a layer of polycrylic over the entire cabinet to seal and protect. If using new handles, use your screwdriver to apply them.

If you are redoing the original handles, spray paint them with the desired color and allow to dry. This may take a few coats as well if original file cabinet color is dark. 

Doesn't this look so much better?