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My colorful girl’s bedroom

April 6, 2015 By Erica Deuel 10 Comments

Disclaimer: The wall stencil and stencil brush I received for free. Thank you Royal Design Studio Stencils for so generously gifting them to me. All opinions are very much my own.
royal_design_studio_stencilWhen I started dreaming of how I wanted to create my Reagan’s new bedroom, I knew I wanted lots of color, texture, patterns, and fun. I pictured fun color with pops of natural elements and black and white contrasts thrown in. What I did not take in account was my daughter having an opinion, and she had one.

She wanted a pink room.

What!? Everything in me screamed “nooooooooo!” I am much more a purple mom for a girl. I wanted to fight her, but it’s her room. I love her more than my hatred for pink. Together we decided one purple wall would be fun. So, I painted some samples on her wall and they lived like that for a couple months while holidays and other rooms were completed. Finally it was time to paint her room. She was THRILLED to see that pink go on the wall. I held my breath.

before_paint_jobchoosing_paint_colorlight_pinkIt was really bright. I had to try to envision the end result. I kept thinking this seems like a nursery for a pink ballet themed room. I just kept playing in my head “I love my daughter, I really love my daughter” as I painted every stroke. I fought that picture in my head with what I knew the end result could be.

I loved the purple wall, but it didn’t seem quite right. It was definitely a punch of color, but it was also a little just like a purple wall. I wanted it to have more jazz and fun. I knew I needed to stencil it up, just like I stenciled my boys accent wall.

painted_girls_roomI was so excited when I saw that Royal Design Studio Stencils had so many fun, girly stencils. I fell in love with the Petal Play Floral Damask Wall Stencil. It was the perfect mix of fun and beauty without being a cartoon flower or a formal old floral.

When this stencil arrived, I was thrilled to see that there was a special ceiling stencil included that helped fill in the pattern at the top of the wall. You may remember on my boys wall, I simply cut the stencil to create that piece, but this was all ready for me!

I used what I learned from stenciling my boys wall and just went at it. No fear this time!

royal_design_stencil

royal_design_stencils

stencilingThis stencil was so simple in the fact that I did not worry about it looking slanted when I stood back. Based on the pattern there was no fear of my stencil going crooked. What was a little more tricky was lining up the stencils, and that was only because the connecting pieces (petals) were smaller.

I ended up drawing a sharpie arrow on my stencil to a few bigger, stand out petals. This helped spot the connecting place quicker.

how_to_stencilI decided to use gold as the accent color for this stencil because it’s fun and also subtle. I wanted the wall to ultimately look purple but also fun and a true accent wall. The stencil created that look!

I did the stippling effect again. I loved it with the gold paint because it created a gold leaf look with shimmering highlights of metallic gold.

One thing that I did not realize until this project was what a difference the stencil brush makes! My boys room was the first wall stencil I have ever done, so I just used the same stencil brush I use to create little wood signs. Big mistake. I got my hands on on the 2″ All Over Stencil Brush from Royal Design Studio Stencils, and it made all the difference. This project flew in comparison to my boys room.

wall_stencilingThe process wasn’t fast enough for this sweet, exited girl.

It was worth it though! The wall came out better than I expected. I love it. It is that punch of fun, whimsical, pattern, and color that I was hoping to create in this room.

stenciled_girls_wallI love how this room can grow with her. It’s so fun now, but it can also last for years. I joke with her now about trading rooms. What I love most though, is she loves it as much as me. She calls her wall her golden flowers.Bohemian_decorBohemian_girls_roomAs I painted this room, I realized I really didn’t want to spend the paint or time to paint her closet. It was a clean light gray. It looked fine and was in good shape. There was really no need to paint it except that it would have this harsh line that might look like I took the lazy way out in not painting it, whenever the closet doors were open.

Let’s be honest.

They are open most of the time too. I toy with taking the sliding doors off at some point, but for now they are there. I decided to just make this element creative as well. I used some painters tape and added some jagged lines into the closet to paint the wall.

painted_closetBy doing this technique the wall looks intentional (not like a lazy mom), and it’s also a fun element all on its own! I really love it, and now I want to go back and do the same thing in my boys’ bedroom.

Reagan’s room is so close to being done. I have a window treatment idea still to do, and I also want to sew her a rag quilt like I did for my bed and then I will be ready for a full room tour!

color_is_so_funWhat do you think of all the color and splashes of fun? Does it make your heart go pitter patter as well?

I hope you feel brave and try going for it with color or some other crazy element in your life and home this week. The more I go with my gut and be bold with color…the braver I get to keep trying new things! Who knew you could find such bravery in you by a fresh coat of paint!?

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Boy Bedroom Stencil

February 24, 2015 By Erica Deuel 1 Comment

Disclaimer: The wall stencil I received for free. Thank you Royal Design Studio Stencils for so generously gifting it to me. All opinions are very much my own.

boy_royal_design_stencilPainting is therapeutic to me, but I usually do have to do a big build up to start a room. There is something about just getting over that hurdle that is hard for me. I often joke with Matt that I would pay someone to tape off the room and prep it for me. I don’t mind the actual painting, but the prep work is what takes more time and is harder for me. I’m messy, so I have to tape and lay a little paper. Otherwise I’m scrubbing carpet like crazy. I’ve done that in two rooms so far in this house :). Whoops!

The painting is fun because you see a transformation right before you. To watch a space be dull and dead and come to life is so cool. It’s a high that makes me want to do it again and again. When we bought this house, I said I loved the paint color and would probably only paint the kids rooms. Now, I have painted three rooms and want to keep going.

With painting, I love a good stencil project. I have used stencils for years. I love making signs with them and painting small pieces of furniture like stools or a desk. I have even used them on clothing. There is something so fun about being creative yet having something to guide you and help pull off the project. I have never been super confident in painting font, so stencils have just made life easier to pull off ideas in my head. I love them.

I don’t know why when I dreamed up my boys bedroom then I started with researching wall paper. I looked for a long time to find a fun stripe, design, shape, etc. Everything I found (that I loved) was so expensive for this size wall. I finally had to scratch that idea and resorted to looking for a stencil.

Now, obviously stencils were not a new thing to me, yet I was terrified. Placing a stencil on a little piece of wood is one thing. Trying to continue that idea over such a large space-without going slanted and making sure it all looked uniform? That stressed me out, but I wanted to give it a try. We have to try new things and be brave to ever grow, right!? So, I went for it. I found this Asmir Triangle Wall Stencil on Royal Design Studio and loved it immediately. They have so many stunning, beautiful stencils, so if you when you think of stenciled walls you think of fruit on your childhood kitchen walls, you must check out the gorgeous options Royal Design Studio Stencils has to offer.

To give you a quick reminder, this was the previous owners office, so it was a gray/beige color.

boys_room2When my stencil arrived, I was impressed with the awesome directions it came with. They gave tips on how to stencil, which end was the top of it, and what pieces of the stencil were your connection pieces to build on when you have to move it. The directions broke it down for me, so literally my fear started to melt. They were great.

royal_design_stencilI got that stencil taped up and just went for it! I choose to go with a stippling effect that is much like my dry brush dabbing, so my wall would look a little more rustic. This was a beauty of not going with wall paper. I could make it my own! What I learned was using a roller might have saved some time, but it might have looked more like wall paper too. I wanted it to look more stamped, so not completely filled in solid.

stenciling_a_wall

dabing_paint_stencilMy hand got so tired. It started slow because I was really cautious to exam every little insert to see if they had the same “heaviness” of paint. It got faster as I became more confident. I got the hang of how much paint to put on the brush, how much looked right in a section, how to dab in the middle and then move out the sides with lighter dabs (so there was less likely a chance of paint oozing below the stencil). It got faster. My technique was to do about three or four stencil placements, before I would take a break. Usually at that point my kids needed me and my hand could use a break. This process took a couple of days. I didn’t work non stop on it because of life and the size of my wall, but I did want to get it done quickly, so my boys could stop camping out on the living room floor.

hanging_a_stencil

Process_of_stenciling_wallOne thing that I learned towards the end of my project was to just make it my own. The directions were so helpful, but at the end of the day this was my wall. Well, really it is my boys wall but you know what I mean. I cut my stencil up. I hated to do so, because I knew I loved the wall before it was even done-but it helped!

You can see in that picture right above, there are slots missing on the left side where the stencil wall meets the corner. I ended up cutting my stencil in half and then even into smaller like two triangle sections. It helped to go back and fill in the areas I needed too without trying to move the big stencil and making sure it was all level.

final_stencil_touches

stenciling_cornerThis wall was so worth it. I absolutely love it. My boys do too. It really has me rethinking our loft bunk bed idea. I wonder if I can convince them that twin beds are cool after the inspiration picture I showed them!? I don’t want to cover up the wall! We haven’t hung anything on it yet either. Except for my son’s beloved basketball poster. The wall inspires me, and I’m so proud I overcame a fear and tried something new. It looks great, right!? My walls are older and kind of bowed, so it’s not perfect, but you can’t tell.

fun_boy_bedroomI did go back with a small acrylic paintbrush and touch it up in a few places, but other than that I wanted it to look more stamped, rustic and I think we pulled that off. The boys love playing in their room.

stencil wall

chalkboard-Wall

boy_bedHave you ever stenciled a wall? I am so glad I tried this. I am now dreaming up Reagan’s bedroom and already have a stencil picked out for it. I can’t wait to start it!

boy_bedroomThank you so much for checking out my boys bedroom stenciled wall! Please feel free to share a picture from here on Pinterest and be sure to stop by Royal Design Studio and see what beautiful stencils they have to offer! You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter to stay in touch.

I hope you are having an awesome week! Get out and try something new this week. You wont regret it!

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Vintage School Desk Makeover

January 29, 2014 By Erica Deuel 1 Comment

Revamp an old school deskDo you ever just have the extreme urge to pull into a thrift store? Almost like the thrift store is calling to you? I get that craving. The other weekend my husband had to work late, and the kids and I had to get out of the house for a bit.

We pulled into a thrift store and I realized why I was there. I found this vintage school desk for $10. I have been eying them in magazines and pretty pictures for a while and wanted one. I never thought I would get one for $10! What a steal! We loaded our find into the van and brought it home.

thrift_store_shoppingI had so many ideas on different ways to make over this little desk. I decided to just start with a base color and do one step at a time to see which direction to continue going with it as I worked on it. I’m going to show you step by step how I revamped our school desk, so you can do it too! Switch out the colors or fabric (yes fabric!?) to make it more personal to you and your taste.

DIY_vintage_school_desk_makeoverI loved the old wood look right from the start, so I thought I was just going to paint the metal, but as I started working, the wood got covered up as well.

old schoolhouse deskI used Kilz and painted over every part of the desk but the top (writing surface area). I felt this would clean it and would be the best way to make sure that whatever design I came up with would last for a long time without chipping.

painting_an_old_schoolhouse_deskI knew I wanted it to be a fun, statement piece so I grabbed my Rustoleum hot pink spray paint and sprayed all the metal and underside of the desk with it. After spray painting it hot pink, my son was sad because it was so “girly” so I grabbed a deep red and spray painted over it again. It turned out that base hot pink coat probably was good for our red spray paint. The red stuck with one coat. Make sure to spray light coats, so the spray paint doesn’t start to drip.

spraypainting_school_deskAfter the red spray paint dried, I used a little acrylic teal bottle paint and squirted some in the cubby hole and spread it all around to paint the inside a fun pop of a new color. I ended up painting one of the back rest panels the same color.

painting_school_deskI wanted a couple of colors that worked and popped with one another. Once the teal paint was dry, I worked on the seat of my chair. I started with painting it a simple mustard yellow and then created my own tribal pattern on it. You can read the full tutorial on how to create your own tribal pattern here.

I then picked one of my favorite, small-scale print fabrics and used the same technique I did on this love sign to cover the top part of my chair.

upcycled school house deskI love how it all came together and how my new friend Heidi said, the desk has personality. It sure does. It is hanging out in our living room and will be where Caleb probably does most of his school work from now on. I see a cleaner kitchen table in our future as a result! Yes!

vintage_desk_makeoverHave you seen see any fun vintage school desks makeovers? Would you use crazy fun paint colors and fabric on it too? Or keep more of the natural rustic charm?

If you love this piece like me, please feel free to pin it and share it with your friends! Thanks so much for checking in!

**On another note, congrats to Cherie J. for winning a Spoonful Tribe craft kit! I will be in touch!**

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Create Your Own Tribal Patterns

January 27, 2014 By Erica Deuel 2 Comments

Old_school_desk_painted

Have you fallen in love with tribal patterns? I know I have. I have tribal leggins and everything. There is something so basic, simple, yet fun about the classic shapes creating a pattern.

I found this little old school desk at a thrift store for $10.00. I couldn’t pass it up. I brought it home and started working on it a little at a time. One thing led to another and I was creating my own tribal pattern! It was so fun. I want to show you the steps, so you can take this technique and put it to use on something of your own.

The first thing to do is to create a stencil with some basic shapes, if you don’t already have one. I didn’t need a circle, since I used this type of paint brush. I used a ruler, sharpie, and some stencil paper to measure two sizes of triangles and a square. I then cut the stencils out, and they were ready to use!

how_to_make_a_stencil

cutting_out_a_stencil

I used Frog tape as my paint tape to create some thick stripes. Note: FrogTape has some really fun shaped patterned tape. I received this chevron print in my Haven swag and have loved using it! Once, I had my stencil, foam brush, tape, and acrylic paint out, I was ready to start creating!

making_a_stencil

This was the fun part. I felt like a little kid in art class again, just playing around with what shapes and spaces looked good together. There is no right or wrong way to order them. You just need to start somewhere. I started with stenciling some big triangles. I then realized there was a lot of space in between them, so I went back and dabbed in a circle with my sponge brush. I literally created as I went. Two things to keep in mind: 1) its ok if theĀ  stencil and sponge marks are not solidly painted. It probably will look better if it has a rough, worn look. 2) remember to paint on either side of the tape if you want the tape to create a solid stripe. That way when you pull up the tape, you will see a nice solid stripe.

steps_to_paint_tribal_pattern

Once I pulled up my tape, I had a lot of empty spaces. So, I actually put some tape down on parts that were already dry, to allow me to create some more stripes closer together. It worked great. Since I was not wanting a thick paint job, everything dried fast too.

Painting_tribal_pattern_process

DIY_tribal_pattern

After I had my tribal pattern complete, I used Rust-Oleum clear gloss spray paint over it to protect it and make it look finished. I love the way it came out! I think you could use this idea on any piece of furniture, greeting card, sweatshirt, etc. So many ideas! Use your imagination and place a tribal pattern somewhere!

Thanks so much for checking in! I will be back on Wednesday to show you the rest of this school desk. If you haven’t had a chance yet, enter to win a Spoonful Tribe craft kit. The winner will be announced in the post on Wednesday.

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