A Box of Crayons Can Change Everything!

Today is OFFICIALLY Crayola's Crayon Day.

This is a holiday I can get behind.

A new box of crayons is still one of my favorite things!!

White is my favorite crayon! Crazy?

You can do so much with a white crayon!

I just watched a video about Crayon Day that was being streamed from Times Square NYC.

Dandelion Yellow is retiring from the box  of 24 and a new blue is coming to replace it.

There will be a naming contest!!

So fun.

(I always say I want the job of naming paint colors!)

But, I have already participated in a different kind of Crayon Day.

I've blogged about it before.

I'm going to provide this link. 

I hope you go back and read it.

It is kind of shocking to realize the impact a box of crayons can make on a child's life.

Maybe we should focus on changing America one box of 24 at a time.

*This post was not supported or solicited by Crayola Crayons.

Neither was  my Crayon Day.

But I hope some one at Crayola reads it one day!

Back To My Roots...

This is not about genealogy.

It's about fabric. 

And paint.

Pigment. Dye. Whatever the choice may be.

I have a Bachelor of Visual Arts in Surface Design.

What I do in my daily job has zero to do with design.

(This is a peek at my "knock-off" project)

So, given the fact that my parents spent a fortune on my design degree 
(Thanks Mom and Dad!)
 and I'm not using it to earn a living I decided to go back to my roots.

And hand paint some fabric to use on a project.

I call this my #secretproject on IG.
I'll be able to share more soon but for now we will talk about jazzing up plain sheets or yardage for about $1.27. Yep, $1.27.

I used my jazzed up sheets as curtains and you'll find out why soon. 
I also used this process to perk up some pillowcases.

First, here is an idea of my inspiration textiles.

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 I am loving the hand painted/hand blocked  fabrics 
that are everywhere in decor these days.





 
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Here's what I did.
This is definitely a "do as I say not as I do" tutorial. ;)

I started late at night because that's how I roll 
and it makes taking "good blogger" photos harder. But this is what we have!

I draped my kitchen table in plastic dropcloths because it was really cold the 3 days I had to work on this so the big table on the porch was not an option.

I gathered up supplies.

My recycled palette - Chic Fil A Catering Nugget Tray, foam roller, and Sherwin Williams Acrylic Latex in the perfect blue.

I know all about textile medium and extender but I have lots and lots and lots of clothes with latex house paint on them and it doesn't wash out. So I feel good about skipping the textile medium on this project. And if they faded slightly it would only add to the handblocked look.

And it's 11:30 at night, so there's that. 
I compromise with myself very easily late at night.

There's the $1.27 stamp. 

Roll a thin coat of paint on the stamp and start stamping.

Again, the sheets or yardage should have been pressed (or at least tumbled- yikes) but it did not matter for the "look" I was after so I lazily skipped that step.

I just eyed the repeat pattern and did not worry about the stamp image being "perfect" every time. I wanted a hand made, worn type of look. I wanted that Anthro vibe for these.

I just kept stamping, blow drying, shifting the sheet and stamping some more

 until all the sheets were finished.

And the next morning everything looked pretty good in the daylight!
Off they went to the #secretproject, ironed and crisp looking!
(There will be a full reveal!! Soon.)

 And then I pulled out my favorite Sherwin Williams green paint - Talipot Palm - and decided to go green on a couple of sheets and pillowcases
 for the #secretproject with another $1.27 foam stamp.

I love the green, too!
Grab a foam stamp and some leftover paint and give something solid a new look!
It's fun!

UPDATE: The latest issue of Country Living had this great feature on block printing!!
Check it out!



*I am not affiliated or compensated ( too bad!) by Country Living magazine. 
I just wanted to share.

UPDATE: Be sure to check out my most recent hand blockprinting project here.

Total Game Changer!

If you follow along on my Instagram or this blog

then you know I love a good thrifting find
 - here and here  and here and lots of other posts, too.
#morecreativitythancash

I hit the jackpot (in my opinion) the other day!! 

I found 4, yes 4, of these in a new-to-me thrift shop!

They were sold as a set.

And what I hoped when I bought them,  worked out perfectly when I got home!!

(Cue angels singing!)

The TV remotes fit inside perfectly. 
All of them!

I stated on IG that I could sell them for a million bucks - 
Chinoiserie to hold your TV remotes and lots of readers agreed!! 
Even offering to buy the others!

So, BEFORE:



and, AFTER:

I talked about finding this great thrifted coffee table here.
You will notice on the top left of the table 
that the remotes have rubbed off some of the finish while laying around on the table.
 No more! 
They are contained in style!!

Move Over Finicky Fiddle Leaf Fig

Here comes the Banana Leaf Palm!!
My dream plant is everywhere in the design world 

and has an easy care personality!

And they go with every decor...

Hello, favorite black and white checked floors.

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This chic room in the NYC apartment of Fawn Galli 

was featured on One Kings Lane recently...

(check out that Banana Palm!)

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(and since Easter is approaching, how cute is that little gold bunny?)

Looks good with animal prints. (I knew it would.)

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And it goes well with our favorite blue and white.

Of course.

We already knew that Banana Palms looked fabulous as wallpaper.

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And as fabric.

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I used it in my first One Room Challenge Guest Room makeover 
and in my previous ORC, the Master Bathroom, as well.


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And Banana palms look great with pink!! Win-win!

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I'm definitely going to have at least one of these beauties
 (the live palm, not the $475.00 roll of Martinique wallpaper!)
 in my life this Summer.
 I wanted one last year and never did it!
In case you want one too:
 Here are some tips on how easy they are to care for.
I'll be posting on my IG whenever I find a great price on them and you can grab one too!!