No Carve Marbled Pumpkins in Shimmery Teal | Minimalist + Modern Halloween Decor

It must be the lake's influence on me, because since moving to the shores of Superior I have really been gravitating toward designs with an organic vibe.  Ice dyeing, watercolor, dip dyeing - give me anything that calls to mind swirling water and waves. 
 
I had pinned a couple of marbled fabric ideas and was promptly inundated with DIY marbled pumpkins in my Pinterest feed - like these indigo ones, these pretty pastel ones, these densely marbled ones, these brightly colored ones, these blue/green preppy ones, and these super saturated ones (from way back in 2013)!  I couldn't get marbling off my mind, so I decided to make some marbled pumpkins of my own this year.

I loved the sparkly turquoise pumpkins I made last year - especially my last minute Pyrex-inspired pumpkin - but I have to admit that I also really loved the look of plain white mini pumpkins.  I actually hesitated before painting them turquoise, because they're just so cute.  This year I wanted to try something that was really subtle and celebrate the natural look of those cuties.  But of I couldn't find nice mini pumpkins of the fresh variety this year, so I took a chance on some faux ones from Amazon.  When they arrived, the green stems looked a little too faux and the beige color was a bit off so I just sprayed them all a crisp white and I love how they look.  It turns out that I don't really discriminate between real or faux pumpkins, I just love the look of a mini white pumpkin.  Plus the white helps my marbling really pop, while still keeping the overall look pretty minimal.  And I don't have to watch these beauties slowly rot!

Supplies:

• White pumpkins (real or faux - here's the link to mine)
• White spray paint (optional - find something designed for plastic)
• Nail polish (something inexpensive, I used half a bottle for six pumpkins)
• Plastic container (disposable)
• Toothpick
• Lukewarm water
• Twist ties  

How to Marble a Pumpkin: 

The first thing I did was spray paint my pumpkins white and then I let them dry overnight. 

Before marbling, I attached little twist ties to the stems so I could hang them to dry without touching them.  Actually doing the marbling was so easy, and only took a few minutes!

I grabbed my plastic dish and filled it with lukewarm water.  Then I just added a few drops of nail polish (I found my OPI Emerald Empowered bottle at the buck store!), swirled it with my toothpick and dunked the pumpkin quickly!  In and out, in one swift motion.  Then I hung my pumpkins to dry but the nail polish dried in minutes.  I gently wiped off any excess water with a paper towel.

So easy!  Such a perfect last minute, no carve pumpkin decorating idea because if you skip painting the pumpkin, these can literally be ready in five minutes. 

I liked the look of a half-dipped, marbled pumpkin but I did experiment with dipping from both ends - and also painting the stem the same color as the marbling. 

But in the end, simple won out and I favored my five little marbled pumpkins with their minimal vibe.  I love that little pop of swirly blue - they look perfect lined up on my kitchen window sill.

Have you tried marbling anything?  Have you decorated any pumpkins yet? 

I always wait until fall, if I can, because it just doesn't feel right until the leaves change color.  As a DIY blogger, I'm supposed to be doing this in the summer, but as someone who lives for summer, I can't bring myself to think about fall (or winter!) until well into October....

VQ Hepburn MK II: A Bluetooth Radio with Vintage Vibes

I've had a chance to review the VQ Hepburn MK II radio for the past few months and it is just the cutest thing ever!  I was expecting more of a turquoise, but the vintage-inspired teal green that came in the mail has definitely grown on me (it photographs much more blue). 

Even though Hubby and I both love music (really, though, is there anyone who doesn't?), we hadn't gotten around to buying a radio, even though it was on our wish list.  In the truck we splurge on an annual satellite radio membership because commercial-free music makes our hour long drive into town so much more fun.  In the lakehouse, though, we were listening to the commercial-free music channels on TV.  Those channels served the purpose for inside, but outside we were stuck with Hubby's old radio from 100 years ago.  Because the CD player was broken, we were limited to a few local radio stations and, frankly, silence is better than the jibber jabber and endless commercials - it's just not what we want to listen to when we're chilling out by the lake. 

We just couldn't decide what kind of radio to buy, because the options were dizzying.  We kept putting off the decision, as we too often do when we feel overwhelmed.  When VQ reached out, I was thrilled to discover a new-to-me brand offering a radio that ticked off all of the boxes for me:  easy to use, vintage styling, and great battery life - delivered right to my door! 

VQ makes different models with different features but the Hepburn MK II has been perfect for us.  It can play AM/FM stations - if I ever have an inexplicable urge to listen to an afternoon of Metallica while trying to win a cruise - but it also connects via Bluetooth to other devices, meaning we can easily access the playlists on our phones. 

 

I was really impressed with the Bluetooth connectivity - as opposed to a style that requires you to dock a phone - because it's great for parties.  After Hubby's holiday work party this year, some of his friends came over to our hotel room because we had the snazzy sunken living room.  Hubby's terrible music was immediately jettisoned and someone else quickly substituted their favorite playlist, without having to dock their phone - and risk leaving it behind by accident.  Better still, compatibility wasn't an issue - any phone with Bluetooth connects and the range is incredible.  I think the fact that we could easily connect a new device at 3am after imbibing way too much speaks volumes about the ease of use. 

Perhaps my only complaint is that the speakers could be louder.  You can definitely crank up the tunes inside - and when we're hanging out by the fire pit it's just right - but I was hoping for something with a little more oomph.  For a petite little radio the sound quality is amazing though, and because the battery lasts such a long time it's easily transportable.  But it's not the kind of radio you can drive away neighbors with - just saying.  If you're in the market for a cute little radio for home or the office and are after something that looks as good as it sounds, I recommend checking out VQ.  It's a UK company but they've moved into other countries, including Canada, and lots of retailers carry their products now - and you can even find it on Amazon!     

This post was sponsored by VQ but I was not encouraged or prompted to provide a positive review - all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

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Wintry Tablescape + DIY Dyed Doily

Although I love my framed Hungarian embroidery, I can't say I'm a huge doily fan.  I never thought they'd pique my interest until one day my Mom mused, "I wonder how easily we could dye doilies..."  Excuse me, did someone say teal?  I'd never thought about dyeing doilies!!  Lucky for me, my Mummu had a stash of about 100 - every size and shade you could imagine - so I tried a little doily dyeing experiment.

I earmarked five doilies for dyeing and dyed them along with some napkins in my washing machine.  It was so easy!



Supplies:

• White or cream doilies (thrift stores, yard sales, etsy, Amazon)
• Rit Dye (Teal)
• 1 cup of table salt
• Washing machine
• Bleach (for cleaning the machine)  

Choosing Doilies to Dye in the Machine:

If you're machine dyeing, as opposed to hand dyeing, there's a risk that the doilies could become a bit stretched or mangled in the machine.  My machine is fairly gentle, but I've used washers that really whip the clothes around - even on a gentle cycle.  Choose doilies with a more dense, less frilly pattern, because they will hold up to washing better.  If you have a sentimental doily, use a hand dyeing method, just in case.  Cotton will take the dye better than synthetic doilies.

How to Machine Wash Doilies:
  
Set the machine to a small load and fill with hot water.  Add the cup of salt and dissolve.  While the machine is filling, soak the doilies in hot water and set aside.  When the washing machine is full, add 1 bottle of Rit Dye, close the lid, and let it agitate for a minute.  Then toss in the wet doilies, making sure they aren't folded or bunched - I also added some napkins.  In total, the weight of my fabric was a pound, so a half bottle of dye would be sufficient, but for bright/dark colours, doubling the dye is recommended.

I let the machine agitate for seven minutes, then removed a doily, rinsed it with cold water until the water ran clear, and then hung it up to dry.  I re-set the machine and again, after seven minutes, removed another doily and repeated the rinsing process.  I wanted subtle colour differences, but you could leave them all in there for the duration of the dye bath.  I kept re-setting the machine so the dye bath was always agitating and in total, it took about  30-45 minutes.  I then let the machine finish the cycle and hung up the doilies and napkins to dry.  Then I ran an empty load through the machine with bleach to clean it out.

After dyeing, the doilies felt a bitter stiffer but I was surprised how well they held up in the machine!  Either the agitation or the very hot water caused some to pucker ever so slightly, but that was easily remedied by misting the doilies with water and then steaming them flat with my iron.  No dye was released during this process and by coaxing them back into shape, they once again returned to their normal, flat selves - and they softened too.  Here's a look at the same doily pictured on the left, above, once it was ironed:

I layered the teal doilies on my teak dining table, along with a collection of white ones - I chose patterns that reminded me of snowflakes.  If you're really committed to a doily runner, you could easily stitch them together, or sew them on to a contrasting table cloth.  I just laid them down on top of each other - so simple!

I added some vintage plates, my matching napkins, a part of my Iittala Festivo candle holder collection, Iittala Kastehelmi mulled wine cups, my glittering Christmas balls, and - to warm up this wintry palette - my vintage bronze flatware.  Now I'm totally smitten with doilies and want to try dyeing a batch a brighter aqua or maybe mint or coral...

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I Need Your Thoughts: Half Bath, Round II

I recently received a new bathroom faucet to review, courtesy of American Standard.  I was able to choose from a few styles and this was my favorite because it was the most modern.  The second Hubby and I installed it though, it was evident that it's too good for our half bath, and that realization has set into motion a very mini re-vamp of the mini makeover...

Although I was really keen to give the powder room a new look when we moved in, I didn't want to spend any money.  Maybe it's because it's one of the last temporary, budget-friendly makeovers we tackled, but by the time we got to it, I was just really done spending money on anything impermanent.  I've been anxious and sweaty about spending money on some impending, more permanent updates and I didn't want to divert funds, I guess.  In my penny-pinching efforts, the half bath was spruced up with leftover white wall paint, leftover grey cabinet paint, leftover tile paint, leftover everything, and then we hung up some art we already owned.  I didn't really put much thought into it beyond, "paint the oak," and "white walls, white walls, white walls".  The towel ring was another generous blog freebie (that I picked out).  I did spring for a new curtain rod, though, because I wanted both bedrooms and both bathrooms to have the same style (there's no curtain yet, though).  The result?  Perhaps unsurprisingly, although I'm much happier since the painting mayhem, it's still not a room that I loooovvve.   

Maybe because it's a smaller room, or maybe because it's beside the cheery laundry room and across from the even brighter kitchen, but I just don't love the grey cabinets in here - even though I really like the grey in the main bathroom.  Although I'm still in penny pinching mode (especially because we've started comparison shopping for the main bath reno - yikes!), I have decided to make one little change, even if it means opening up the old wallet:  I'm thinking about re-painting the cabinets.  It's a quick fix and I think a more dramatic or cheery colour will make me happier.  I don't want to paint/cover the counter because all of the solutions seem dusty and I actually don't mind the colour (strangely).  But I am open to painting the tile again (and am wondering if just painting it the same white as the walls, but in a semi-gloss, could be a simple solution?).   

I like the green abstract (by Hubby's grandpa) that is currently in the bathroom, but I'm not opposed to moving it elsewhere.  I also have a cool, sentimental ballerina print (in need of a more modern frame) and a collection of silhouettes, both without walls to call their own, so I can easily switch up the art, if need be.  

Here are my contenders for a cabinet makeover (along with my rambling thoughts, plus a photo for inspiration - aim high!  The photos are also handy if you'd like to skip my blah, blah, blah and just breeze on through):

The same dark, almost-black grey of the fireplace (but perhaps this is too dark for the small space, or maybe even just too much of a lateral move?):

A Beautiful Mess

Leftover aqua paint from the kitchen (free and coordinating - but even I can agree that perhaps, perhaps, it's too much of a good thing.  Just kidding, it's my favorite option, but it does clash with the green painting...)

I could also mix the cabinet colour with leftover white, for a mellower hue (this has the appealing combination of still being free, but helping me look just a little bit less insane):

House of Turquoise

 A deep teal, like our velvet chair and Emily Henderson's credenza has me taking a look at darker paint swatches (but Hubby thinks it's too dark):

Emily Henderson

A rich navy, something I have very, very little of in the lakehouse and which looks amazing in kitchens/baths with lots of white, not the bisque toilet and sink I'm saddled with (I think this option would generate more problems than it solves, but look how pretty!):

Emily Henderson

I'm also considering a basic white (but I worry that white would make the bisque sink and toilet look even more blah - yeah, I just don't love having to find something to work with the beige):

Apartment Therapy

I'm really liking the idea of a minty hue to complement the painting and make the mint counter look intentional.  Maybe a kind of a vintage Jadeite colour? (I like green and there's quite a bit in the townhouse, so it wouldn't be a jarring color departure):

One Kings Lane

Even a bright, apple green would work, or a muted leafy green (many shades can be pulled from the art):

Young House Love

 Or a pretty, more muted mint (then layer in some brighter colour in smaller doses):

A Lovely Lark

SF Girl by Bay

Here's the painting, as a refresher.  I always like pulling colours for a room from art, and there's lots of fabulous greens here that I could splash onto the cabinets...

 

Thoughts?  Here are the options again:  Darker grey? White? Teal? Navy? Turquoise (nudge, nudge)? Pale Turquoise? Apple Green? Mint Green? Grey Green?

Leave it as-is?  Other ideas?  Lay them on me!  Half baths seem to be my Waterloo - I'm always fiddling with them, never content.  Growing up we didn't have a powder room, so maybe this whole "guest half bathroom" concept is still foreign to me.  Or maybe it's the tiny scale?  Smaller rooms are trickier.

Thank you to American Standard for providing me the Speed Connect Times Square Monoblock faucet.  I was not otherwise compensated nor was I encouraged to provide any sort of positive review.  In fact, I'm quite peeved because this shiny new faucet was the ultimate catalyst for my dissatisfaction with the room ;)  It was a snap to install (minutes!) and we didn't have to use any caulk or putty, as promised (the Speed Connect faucets are said to be the easiest and fastest to install).  We haven't yet installed the drain - is it weird that I want to save it?  Although this isn't mentioned on the website, I have to say that an exceptionally awesome feature is the way this chrome finish cleans up.  Unlike my other chrome faucets, which required a designated chrome cleaner, the water spots buff right off of this faucet with only a soft dry cloth - you're not even supposed to use cleaners on it.  Hopefully this faucet will transition to our more permanent makeover down the road and be right at home.  For now, it's like pairing a sparkly tiara with yoga pants.  Really sad, kind of bagged out in the knee yoga pants.  So yeah, now I'm a little more willing to spend a tiny bit  - a very, very tiny bit - of money in here to make this powder room a little prettier - more like a good-ish pair of skinny jeans.

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