Oops... I meant 10 features!

If I don't write it down... I don't remember it [at least not until it's too late]. Anyone else have that problem?! Well, I failed to write down that Katie @ Wildwood Creek and Lisa @ A Room with a View also featured my DIY Artwork on their blogs!! And of course, I remembered it after the post went out. D'oh! Thank you so very much Katie & Lisa!!

OMG(osh): 8 Features!!

I am thrilled to have been featured by multiple blogs the last two weeks!! Every single feature is a blessing to this little-ol' blog, so thank you, thank you!

First, My $8 Lamp Makeover was selected by Jennifer Holmes for The CSI Project's top 10 list!! Woo-Hoo! What an honor :)

My DIY Artwork was featured by Jamie @ C.R.A.F.T. Thanks Jamie :)

Maryann at Domestically Speaking also put it in her weekly spotlight, which is super exciting!

And Wendy at The Shabby Nest also chose to feature it as well!! Thanks so much, Wendy :)

And I was also thrilled when Rebecca @ My Girlish Whims selected it too!! Wow!

And my painted tables from Thinking Outside the Box: Stencils were featured as well!

Jamie featured them on her Social Saturdays Party @ Day & Age Design- thank you Jamie!!

And another big thanks goes to Carolyn from Homework for selecting them too!!

Another featured project was my "tutorial" on How [not] to Upholster a Chair!! Kim at Too Much Time on My Hands featured them yesterday. So. exciting. Thanks Kim :)

Wow. I am so just thrilled! Thanks so very much :)

Monday (P)inspiration: Hanging Light Fixtures

Today I'm dreaming about light fixtures. My home is filled with standard, boring lights... not a terrible thing, but I do want to find more interesting [and budget-friendly, of course!] lights eventually. Here are some beauties that I found on Pinterest [that are NOT budget-friendly... but remember, we're just dreaming today]!!

These lights serve as a centerpiece in this kitchen from Amanda Nisbet Design. They are like two gorgeous earrings for your ceiling!!

These lights are from The Style Files, and I just love them. I'll stop writing now so you can just look at them and enjoy.... [ahhhhh].
I couldn't find a good source for this photo, but I'm still including it because this light is just so nice. A classic, simple look that still has a big impact due to it's size & scale. Plus, the entry way is not too shabby!

I have seen this chandelier in a couple different issues of House Beautiful, and I love it every time! Someday I intend to [attempt to] make one... someday... but for now I'll just admire this one [which can be purchased for the low, low price of $6,900...]


Decor Pad shares this gorgeous kitchen with an industrial, modern, and yet classic lighting choice. This is how you make an impact using all neutrals [plus- don't you just want those chairs?!]. So. nice.


Here's a really romantic room from Apartment Therapy. The hanging lights really add to the room's glamour and instantly create the right "mood."



Do-able lighting design plan for your home? Not really. Green & Earth-friendly design plan for you home? Hmmm, most likely not [can you imagine the electricity bill?!]. Beautiful eye candy for a blog? Oh yea! This is from Style Section LA and I just had to include it, because I really like it and it makes me smile!

My Followers Rock: Exhibit D

More reasons why I have the best followers [ever]: Exhibit D- Awesome Tutorials!! I love a good tutorial, and these don't disappoint :) Enjoy!

Lisa @ A Room with A View has a tutorial on how she made these adorable paintings with her daughters. I think they are so very cute, and creative... amazing job, Lisa!!

And you can also find a great tutorial on how to make these earrings from Rebecca @ My Girlish Whims. She makes it look easy... however, if you want the earrings [without the work] then she also sells them @ her etsy store!!


And Katie @ Sew Woodsy shows her readers how to make this fun iphone holder... who wouldn't love to have one of these?? So much fun!

See... I told you my followers Rock!

My $8 Lamp Makeover

Hey, guys- I'm getting soooo close to finishing my Mini Mega Office Makeover! Although the room has been operational for a while, I am finishing-up the last few [thousand] details for my big reveal next week... eek!! I'm really, really excited to share it with you all... and I'm really, really excited to be done with this room that never ends!
This week I turned my attention to this lamp. Yes, it is nice. But I wanted more than just nice, I needed it to be a "moment" for my room... and a moment, it was not.

Sooo I decided to paint it [that's not a shock, right?!] I carefully taped-off the silver, and used a white semi-gloss spraypaint. When painting glass think multiple, light coats, because you really don't want it to drip or run.



Then I covered the lampshade. First, I made a pattern using craft paper: Line up the seam of your lamp with the edge of the paper, then roll the lamp while drawing a line along the top edge [your lamp seam tells you when to start/stop]. Next, go back to the beginning, line up your seam with the edge again, and line the top edge with your traced line. Roll the lamp again, tracing the bottom... this time making sure that your top edge stays on your line that's already drawn. Now you have the exact size of your lampshade... so add at least a half an inch to the top & bottom edges and cut it out.

Wrap your shad with your paper pattern... just to make sure :)

At this point you can pin the paper onto your fabric... unless you are awesome like me, then you'll just put a bunch of random heavy objects on it to keep it in place while you cut the fabric!

Now, using sray adhesive, spray the backside of your fabric and wrap it around the shade. Lastly- using a hot glue gun, just fold the edge down and glue to the frame.

And that's it!! Using just a 1/2 yard of fabric, spraypaint and glue I've completely transformed this lamp into great eye candy :)

I'm linking this one up to the .

How [Not] To Upholster a Chair

The blogosphere is filled with all kinds of great how-to’s, right?! Well, today I’m buckin’ tradition and sharing a how not to project here at Salvage Savvy. I can assure you this wasn’t my original intention for the chair… but, after a series of unfortunate events, this post was born!

It all started the moment that I pulled-off the chair’s trim and saw approximately 8,492 staples stuck waaaaay inside a tiny little groove.
D'oh. Now maybe you are the kinda’ gal who rolls-up her sleeves and figures out how to dig-out approximately 10,478 staples from the clutches of the abyss [and yes, the number of staples will continue to grow as this post continues]. Well, not me. I roll up my sleeves and figure out another way. And while working on this chair I had to figure out another way a-lot.
Sooooo. Now I shall share with you fine folks my how not to list:

1. When you have approximately 12,196 staples that are impossible to remove… don’t. Just leave ‘em. It’ll be fine. If ignorance is bliss… then denial is pure ecstasy.

2. Don’t bother measuring or making a pattern when upholstering. Just start cutting. [As long as you have lots of extra fabric] You’ll be fine.

3. And hey, If your second attempt at “cutting first” still doesn’t work, then just patch the darn thing [most likely that spot will be in the back anyway]. 4. Don't bother checking your supplies before beginning, you have plenty of staples. Just don’t worry about it… you won’t run out halfway into your project [like me].

5. Sometimes staples refuse to stick. When that happens, just use your hot glue gun… but only if you want the chair to look extra “classy.”

6. BTW- You have plenty of glue sticks too, don't bother checking those supplies either. And if you do happen to run out of them [like me], you can always use the smaller ones that don’t actually fit the gun [however, you will need to physically push them through the gun to make them work]. 7. Don’t bother measuring how much trim you’ll need for the chair. You can just figure it out at the store… they love it when you spread it out all over the isle trying to recreate the circumference of your chair on the floor.

And that's it. Despite all my [heartache and failures] fun... I actually like the final product! I just kept going [laughed at myself alot] and got extra funky and creative with my trim to hide a world of trouble [and approximately 21,187 staples]! And, no, I won't be turning the chair around anytime soon. The front is pretty. That's all we need to know :)

Monday (P)inspiration: Wallpaper

Today I'm looking at gorgeous wallpaper... and let me tell you, Pinterest has plenty of them! I had to narrow it down for today's (p)inspiration, so here are my top picks.
This photo from The Paris Apartment comes first because it's a fave. Here's what I love about it: subdued elegance.


Osborne & Little has this foil wallpaper that is amazing. I love the way it changes with the light and provides a bold look without overtaking the space.


Here's a great looking wallpaper from Domestic. I love silhouettes anyway, and this one does not disappoint!


I like this room because it shows how a small amount of wallpaper can make a huge impact when used correctly. Here it actually fuctions [visually anyway] as a headboard. Notice it's almost the only pattern used, yet this room in My Ideal Home feels full of life & energy.

Coco & Kelley shows how to get plenty of drama into your entry using wallpaper. This is a really big and bold print, yet it is gorgeous and sophisticated at the same time. So cute.

Here's an alternative use for wallpaper from Apartment Therapy. Someday I want to redo our staircase [super hero hubby, if you're reading this... don't worry... I said someday!] and I think doing something like this would be gorgeous.


And last, but soooo not least is this show-stopping room from Decorati. I love the flawless balance of bold colors & patterns. This is wallpaper done right. [But that painting kind of freaks me out... don't think I'd want to sleep next to that... but that's just me.]

Thinking Outside the Box: Stencils [or not, actually]

Do you like my newly salvage savvy-ed tables??


I found these stacking tables for only $20 at a local thrift store. Cute and functional, yes. But just not the right color/look for my room. Sooooo, I changed them... and it only took couple hours for the whole project!


How did I do it so fast? Am I a super-hero stencil gal? No. [It would have taken me approximately 5 weeks to stencil them... yes, I'm that good at stencilling!] I just got creative, that's all. You see, I stumbled upon these placemats @ TJ Maxx [4 for $8].

However, when I saw them I didn't see placemats at all... I saw a perfect [and easy] way to dress-up my stacking tables! [On a side note: can you even imagine trying to clean these placemats after eating a real meal with real children? I'm seeing gunk in each and every crevasse... not kid friendly.] Ok. Now back to the business of savvy'n.

I simply measured-out my table tops & trimmed the placemats to fit.

Then I painted the tables white [see my Zebra Striped Table to learn tips for using spray paint on furniture]. Next, I spray painted the placemats [I really do like the green, but it didn't work in the room]. Finally, I had to wait for it all to dry completely [which is the hardest part for me], put the placemats on... and voila!! So easy. I thought outside the box and created a really fun look for very little $$ and very little time!

Spreadin' the love!

Guess what. This blog has been up and running for a little less than 4 months.
Guess what. While checking my stats I discovered that in less than 4 months I've had 42,712 pageviews. Wow, right?! [And I'm guessing that only 39,000 of those clicks were me checking my stats...]. I am overwhelmed by that number and feel so blessed by you all.
The only thing I can do is say thank you. Thank you to every reader, thank you to my followers & email subscribers, thank you to every blogger who has allowed me to share my projects at your link parties, and thank you to every person who has shared a Salvage Savvy post on facebook, posted a comment, pinned a project on your Pinterest board or said, "Hey, you should check out Salvage Savvy." to a friend. I am inspired by your kindness and I am so. very. appreciative. Thanks :)


Now it's time to send my shout-outs and thank you's to bloggers who have featured a Salvage Savvy project this month!
Thanks to Leigh at Tales from Bloggeritaville for featuring my Large Hand-Antiqued Mirror!
And Rachel at One Pretty Thing featured my Painted Glass Vases, which pleases me so very much :) Thank you Rachel.
Perfectly Imperfect has featured my Vintage Dresser and Zebra Table this month... wow!! Thanks so much.
The Handmade Home is a great blog that I've recently discovered, and I want to say thank you to Ashley for featuring my Zebra Striped table!
This week Kelsey @ Kelsey Inspired featured my Painting tutorial! Thank you Kelsey :)
And lastly, a big thank you to Leanne @ Organize and Decorage Everything for featuring my DIY Pillow Project!
Wow... that's not too shabby! I know these posts aren't the most fun... but they really are important to me!!

Monday (P)inspiration: Adding a Pop of Color

I love pops of color. Want'a know why? Because I love color, and yet... I am a scare.d.cat. I feel like bold colors can often end-up being trendy, and while I love decorating... I don't love wasting money on the lastest fads [cuz' I'm thrifty]. That's why pops of color are genius. Simply select a netural color pallet for the large items [wall color, furniture, etc.], then go in and add your color in bold yet small doses. Then, if you change your mind it's not a huge, expensive ordeal. I started looking for examples of gorgeous pops of color on Pinterest and got a little carried away...
Marie Claire Mansion has this breath-taking room that incorporates neutrals and bold colors flawlessly. This is one of my favorite rooms.

Tobi Fairley always does an amazing job of incorporating bold colors into decor without over-taking the space. I just love how calm this area feels, yet the artwork is so colorful and fun.

How could I do a Monday Inspiration post without including a room from House Beautiful? This is an excellent example of a completely neutral pallet used to showcase a few bold and trendy colors/patterns. We all know that fabric is beautiful. And we all know that it won't be in style forever [let's not kid ourselves... in the 80's I remember thinking that peach and seafoam green were so elegant and classy together. Surely they would never be out of style!].

This chandelier is... ooo I just want it. I want it right now! What a bold and yet elegant look from Chinoiserie Chic. Yup. I want it. That's about all I have to say.

Doors are an often overlooked way to add color into a room. Wide Open Spaces shows these fun and bold yellow doors. Doors don't take long to paint, and don't take a ton of paint... and if you have kids, there's a really good chance that your doors need painted anyway [especially the pantry door]. Go look. Yup, told ya'. [Don't feel bad, mine need painted too.]

I included this room from sfgirbybay.com because it's yet another example of quick, affordable color pops. This is great even if you aren't afraid of color at all, but you just like to redecorate alot [you know who you are].

Last, but not least is this great foyer from Young House Love. Isn't it just great?! I love that it is eclectic and colorful and still warm. Someday I will have a piece of furniture that color... someday.

Alright, so know I'm asking you... do you have great pops of color in your home? I could use more...