When we first moved into the lakehouse, we couldn't find a spot for the fireplace tool set my grandfather welded so we spray painted the set left with the house and used that instead. It turned out really well and looked so cute, but the handles were uncomfortably short, so our relaxing fireside evenings were punctuated with a lot of swearing as we singed our arm hairs trying to stoke the fire.
I love being thrifty - I relish the opportunity to make use of what I have and I love a good hand-me-down, but sometimes I just want something new. We decided to look for a new set and started our search at Canadian Tire, because that's where we found the chic fireplace doors we purchased for the townhouse. Sure enough, we quickly found a perfect, modern fireplace tool set:
It's the Preston Fireplace Tool Set, which also has a matching log holder. The vintage iron finish almost disappears against the charcoal painted fireplace - which is exactly what I wanted. The best part is that the handles are really long, plus there's a handy log grabber, which our last two sets didn't have.
You probably didn't notice a new fireplace tool set perched on the hearth in my tutorial for the bleached and dyed bottle brush trees (compare the photos above and below), but it's one of those little upgrades that just makes me smile every day! I'm planning on hibernating for the winter soon so I'll be logging a lot of hours fireside, which I'll enjoy even more now that it looks a bit more sophisticated.
Disclosure: This post is a collaboration with my friends at Canadian Tire. I was not prompted or encouraged to provide a positive review.
There are so many things to love about this beaded napkin ring project: it's easy, conducive to messy crafting (it doesn't need to be perfect to look good), and potentially very thrifty (you can snag beads on clearance or cut apart old jewellery and scavenge the beads). Plus it works as a cute DIY cuff bracelet, according to Vanessa - who suggested that this handmade napkin ring could be a fun take home favor for a casual dinner party with girlfriends.
Read on for step-by-step instructions with photos, or take a peek at the video below for quick instruction for making these napkin rings (and my dip dyed napkins.)
Bottle (empty, full - doesn't matter, it's to shape the cuff)
**A note about the beads: mine were drilled through the end, while most beads are drilled end to end. You can use any style or kind or bead you like, but to create the sea anemone feel, the end drilled beads stand up nicely. Check
your local craft stores, but if you're striking out, I did find some similar looking end drilled
coconut shell sticks online, in aqua and blue, that would look really beachy. These shell beads are also similar, but in a much more natural colour palette.
Steps:
To begin, cut about 14-16 inches of the 16 gauge wire and gently form a circle, wrapping the wire back on itself to secure the shape.
Take the circle you've created and flatten in a bit, so you've got a really elongated oval. Flatten the twisted ends a bit with your pliers, because you don't want them sticking up and poking your linens (or wrist). This is where two pairs of pliers come in handy.
Gently wrap the oval around a bottle to form a cuff shape. You can re-shape it later, so it doesn't need to be perfect. Make as many of these forms as you need and set aside.
To start wrapping, anchor the 24 gauge wire by wrapping it around one side of the cuff shape a few times. Flatten any pokey ends with the pliers. Wrap the 24 gauge wire once around one side of the 16 gauge wire cuff, then bring it across to the other side, wrap around the other side - back and forth. Because I was on a budget and happened to fall in love with the most expensive beads ever, I didn't wrap the beads all the way around. The bottom and sides are wire with a few turquoise beads here and there, while the dyed shell beads are really lush and full on the top. You can arrange the beads however you please and can start adding the beads anytime in this process.
Because I used beads with a hole drilled at one end of the long shape, I decided to "lift" the beads up a little and give them life so that the finished product has an organic feel - like some sort of sea anemone. To achieve this look, in the midst of wrapping the wire back and forth across the cuff, I grabbed a bead, twisted the wire, and kept wrapping. Every now and then I stopped to adjust the beads, twisting them a bit and nudging them into facing random directions.
This was my first time doing wire work like this, and my wraps aren't perfect but because I wanted a napkin ring that felt relaxed and organic, I am going to vehemently argue that the imperfections add to the casual, beachy look.
;)
This was a great craft project to do while my brain was otherwise engaged - perfect for in front of the television. Actually, I was dyeing a pair of jeans while I made one of these. I had to stay by the washing machine to keep setting the cycle back to ensure the jeans were agitated in the dye bath for a full half hour. I set my supplies on the washer and whipped one of these up standing in the laundry room. (Multi-tasking for the win.)
I love how these beaded napkin rings turned out! They catch the light beautifully and add the perfect beachy, seaside feel to a summery tablescape.
Here's another look at the napkin rings paired with the dip dyed napkins I made. I loved the beads because they tied together the blue and aqua accessories perfectly.
In January I spent a whirlwind weekend with Jen, Christine, and Vanessa - and the awesome folks at Canadian Tire. The four of us got an early look at the CANVAS line of patio furniture and outdoor accessories, showed off our DIY prowess, and were totally spoiled thanks to on-set hair and makeup provisions (hello, curls!)
The CANVAS line is about expressing your personal style and making
your home and outdoor spaces feel undeniably "you". Jen, Vanessa, Christine and I were invited to give the CANVAS products our own spin. We each devised a
theme for a backyard party, chose pieces we liked
from the new CANVAS line, and paired them with some easy DIY projects (small enough to fit in carry-on luggage!)
It was such a treat to spend a weekend in a studio that felt totally
springy - especially in the middle of a blustery snowstorm - but it made
it that much more difficult to return to winter. I had to keep reminding myself, "it's still winter, this isn't real, you'll have to put your boots back on".
Because Hubby and I are spending money on renovations this year and travel is likely out of
the question, I wanted to create a backyard oasis. I was really inspired by our 2008 honeymoon to Greece (specifically, Athens, Santorini, and Crete). It was December, so we didn't have the typical beachy
holiday, but Greece was no less beautiful. Two of my degrees are in
philosophy, and I took many Greek philosophy and mythology courses,
so I was just excited to set foot in the places I'd read about - no
bikini required. Our trip was full of the nutty, can't-believe-we-didn't-end-up-on-the-news kind of adventures that make
the best stories. And our photo albums are packed with beautiful photos showcasing saturated colours and rich history.
The CANVAS line has great pieces, like a blue and white outdoor rug, a turquoise solar lantern
(swoon), and bright white melamine plates that made it easy to recreate
the feeling of my honeymoon. I also created dipped dyed napkins in
rich cobalt hues and made napkin rings out of shimmering turquoise
shell beads. I was adamant about getting some sliced lemons or oranges
to line clear glass flower vases because citrus fruit was everywhere in
Greece:
My CANVAS table setting transports me back to that holiday. The mix of saturated blues and yellows, bright white plates, and rustic modern furniture make me want to reminisce.
You can have a better look at my styled table by visiting the Canadian Tire website, where you can also check out the backyard festivities dreamed up by Vanessa, Jen, and Christine.
Tomorrow I'll share the tutorial for the dip dyed napkins (along with some useful Do's and Don't, learned the hard way as always) and then Thursday I'll share the tutorial for the beaded napkin ring. For now, enjoy two videos - including a painfully embarrassing video shot with a selfie stick. My gift to you...(although maybe you owe me - for not showing you all 1268 photos from the trip).
This is it...video day! This week and last, I shared the holiday-themed projects I created for Canadian Tire. The opportunity was perfect for me: free rein to create a bushel of neat projects, with the added bonus of revealing to you my super high-pitched voice, which is not unlike that of a 13-year-old girl.
As I type this, I'm torn between the "publish" and "delete post" buttons. Maybe you've forgotten that I ever uttered a word about videos? I'm trying to be a good feminist and not fixate on my appearance but it's so hard not to nitpick! When I run out of steam, I start to nitpick the projects, the house. If only I had just smoothed a ribbon here, fixed a bow there...oh, and washed the house exterior.
But I have to share these videos because the Canadian Tire team worked so hard on them! Filming these three, one-minute videos was actually really labor-intensive! There were many email and phone chats, plus a walk-though, before shooting even began. I didn't get to choose which projects were highlighted and even after decisions were made, some extra bits were filmed the day of, which had me hopping. We worked from 9:00am-6:00pm and it was a fast-paced and slightly exhausting day! I consider myself a pretty peppy person: I laugh a lot, make a few inappropriate jokes, and just generally have fun. But for these videos I had to be even peppier - real life peppiness was not peppy enough on film. My cheeks hurt from smiling and when everyone left for the airport (I don't envy their schedule, it was nuttiness!), Hubs and I collapsed on the sofa.
The whole experience was a little bit nerve-wracking, but also really fun. Having seven (!) people with cameras and equipment made the lakehouse feel very tiny, but everyone was so careful with the house, making sure not to break anything or cause any damage. Someone even swept the floors before they left. Seriously, they tidied. A very awesome group of people, indeed. Perhaps my assessment is skewed, though, because everyone was so complimentary about the house, which of course I always find endearing. Also, everyone loved Szuka, and that little gal's my weakness.
It was really eye-opening to see how professionals film a video like this - I was in serious awe! This team sifted through hours of footage to create what you'll see. It's just mind-boggling to have seen what was filmed and then see the result in its tidy little package. Self-deprecating critiques aside, I love how the videos turned out. And given how huge Canadian Tire is for us Canucks, and how I've frequented their stores since I was a kid (tagging along with my Dad), I'm so thrilled to have had the opportunity to collaborate with such a great brand!
You'll notice I'm a "blogger and design enthusiast". They wanted to
call me an "expert" and I vehemently refused! It was the only creative
difference we had, but I was adamant that while I'm enthusiastic about DIY and
home decor, but at the end of the day I'm no pro.
Okay, let's just do this:
If for some reason the embedded videos don't work, you can find them on youtube, using the links below:
I seriously want to make a million wreaths now. Filming the front door was an impromptu decision and I wish my new door had arrived. Between you and me, I still think this is the easiest DIY ever and maybe the construction didn't need a video...but I love the idea of hanging wreaths in less expected places - this isn't even necessarily a "Christmas" idea.
I love those rolling shots - especially the one up the ladder! This might be my favorite video just because the framed ornaments and rustic ladder look SO good.
That wraps up my holiday-themed DIY projects!It was my decision to space them out this way (I could have lumped them into one colossal post), but I worked so hard on these projects and photos that I didn't want to rush through. If you missed any posts or projects, here they all are:
