The Back Yard Down the Shore Before and After

The yard at the cottage down the shore used to be a maintenance  nightmare. The grass would always dry out from the hot sun, and it had sticky balls in it from the weeds we couldn't get rid of.

This is how it was, when we first purchased it. In the background you can see the seawall. This is before the township put up the concrete promenade over the rock seawall.

After a few years of this , we finally decided to rip all the grass out and completely EP Henry the yard.
I love it now. It's like one big patio.

This is how it is now.

This deck used to be an old worn out one, and we recently had it rebuilt  and I love that too.

If I can find some old pics of the deck before I'll post them later.

Even though that concrete promenade took some of my view from the yard and first floor, I've come to terms with it. I use that now to go for very enjoyable walks now down the coast!

We now use the entire yard, every inch. All the way back to the fence, where we have a firepit for the cool nights in May or September. That table in the pic is actually the firepit.  I love this because we can use it for a coffee table for drinks and stuff, when we don't have a fire burning.
And my daughters helped me build that little wall (under the fairy)in front of the fence, to create a little garden.



And then I decided that I wanted my porch to have more of an inviting, shabby chic, go ahead and fall asleep outside, feeling.  So I gathered up everything I had around the house to transform it from it's slightly tropical look to a place where you just were dying to sit and relax!!
First I started with the outside porch seating area

Which I added a ruffled white twin bedskirt to, and some fluffy pillow shams for the following effect:

and a duvet cover to the other side

Doesn't this look adorable?

And the best part is it held up with a group of 20 somethings down each weekend.

That was the true test. They started sitting out back more often because it was so inviting. 

And I thought 

" I'm going to have to readjust it every 5 minutes!!'

 But lo and behold.. I didn't have to ... and it stayed clean! I thought for sure it would be dirtied up inside a week, But NO. It looked this way from about early July till I dismantled everything in November when the weather around here gets kinda yukky. 

Now I can't wait for the nice weather to come back.

I'm playing at the linky party

Inspire me Tuesday

and 

Coastal Charm Party

Project 17 A night stand gets Beachified

Once again I am at the Florida house working on projects. I really wish I could stay longer, but i also have tons of stuff to get done back in Jersey.
So the first week was a vacation, hanging out with my kids. Now it's down to work. I decided to tackle the small courtyard in front of the house. But that will take alot more time.


 So today I have a teeny tiny project. A nightstand makeover.
This simple nightstand had no character.

What it had was good structure, so it seemed like a viable candidate for beachification.

I thought I would give it a nice coat of whitewash and get her looking like some driftwood.

So without further ado here she is.

I just could not get those little white plastic pegs out. See them on top? Anyone know how?
 I couldn't budge them with a plyers.
Anywho, she looks a bit more refreshed in white don't you agree?

i like her beachy look.

 It is also time for the adventures of Picky and Pickier to begin. 

My sis ( who is Pickier) is coming over  from the East coast of Florida, and we will go on a thrifting adventure up and down Tamiami trail.

Stay tuned!

Update on the nite stand, I listened to Bliss and turned it around so the pretty side was more visible.

 And clustered some shells around the plastic things that I can't pry out.

I like how it resembles an old storage crate this way. The inside can still be accessed for remotes and books!
Vintage Inspiration Fridays
Feathered Nest Friday

Project 13 and 14 of 2012 French Desk & Cottage Book case

I have to admit I have fun with these projects. I still jump in without taking before shots  quite a bit.
I'll have to work on that!
Here is my latest  2 bits of creativity.
A pretty French Provincial Desk.

I am a bit behind on my posting this picture is under the Valentine's window

 That window is actually dressed for Saint Patty's Day now and looks like this:

And now lets peek at one wall of my booth and that bookcase I re-did

 I did take before pics of that.. a skinny shelf with good bones..and a dark side.. He needed help in being repurposed.

He had been used and abused.

And just a coat of white beachified him enough for me to fall in love

 I hated to part with this one, but i am sure he will find a happy home

With lots of aquas and greens in my booth for  the coming spring.

Pretty soon the adventures of Picky and Pickier will begin again!! Yippee!!
 With my upcoming annual trip to Florida  and I get to hang out with my sis, drink mojitos, and hit every junk shop on the eastern seaboard!!
hmmmnn maybe one of these is in my future...

Happy Trails to you!

Joiing Linda's Party at Coastal Charm! Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays

Project 11 & 12 Decoupage French Ad Coffee Tray & Nautical Table

This old night table got a little bit of a change. I printed out some old map graphics that I found on the Graphics Fairy site and I gave her a nice French Grey chaulk paint.

 I used modpodge to fasten the maps and then when that was dry I covered the top in a thin coat of laquer for protection.

Now this is a table befitting a home at the shore.

Here it is when I found it.. the before. someone had given up on her.

Below is another very simple project of decoupage which is one of my favorite art mediums.

I came across one of those vintage trays for holding pyrex casserole dishes, and wanted to spruce up the bottom for use as a coffee table tray. I chose a graphic from The Graphics Fairy and printed it out on 2 pages.

Then applied modpodge to the tray and decoupaged the paper print out onto the tray. You have to smooth a lot to release air bubbles.
When it is all dry, another coat on top for protection and it is done!

I hope you like them, and give it a try,

Joining these blog parties
Brag Mondays
Between Naps on the Porch
Creative Me Mondays
Making the World Cuter
Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays

Feathered Nest Friday

French Inspiration at the French Cupboard

Inspiration Friday at the Picket Fence

Vintage Inspiration Friday

Project #6 Pottery Barn Decorative Ledge Copy

I love the copy cat challenges that Debbie has at her blog, Debbiedoos...  I have always been satisfied finding an alternative, more reasonable way to get the same look in home decor as those big expensive name brand catalogues.
Little by little I have been working on one of the bedrooms around my house and wanted a mantle in the guest room, but really don't have the space... or the mantle, so for my  copy cat challenge I chose as inspiration this Pottery Barn decorative shelf that costs a wopping $399.00.. Which was only about  $349.00 more than I was willing to spend!!

Pottery Barn Shelf $399.00

My version. Total cost 32.00

I wanted a wee bitty valentine slant so used some rose buds instead of votives

and a cupid votive holder.

Sorry these pics have shadows, the light is so poor in this room, 

and it just snowed so the skies are dark grey. 

It doesn't help that I am just learning this camera!

But I got this look with all stuff that I already had around the house, 

except for the chippy corbels, that I found at 

Home Goods for 15.99 each, fell in love with.. and drug home before I even knew what I would do with them!!

Isn't it fun and fulfilling to shop around your house and put things together?

That's why I love Debbies challenges, inspiration to create that mantle I wanted!

The simple floating shelf used to be in my office.

The vintage bottles I've had forever, hubby dug them up from the streets in Philly

The picture is one of my photos on canvas. ( coming soon in my etsy shop)

The carved wood decoration above used to be over my dining room door. I added that for interest, although it wasn't in the Pottery Barn version.

Have a great week, check out the fun party!

Magazine copy cat challenge 

Good Life Wednesdays @ A Beach Cottage

White Wednesday @ Faded Charm

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

Primp Your Stuff Wednesday @ Primp