DIY Holiday Tea Towel with Reindeer Embroidery Trim

My Mummu loves a good yard sale.  She loves going to them, she loves having them - she's even convinced my Mom and I to help schlep boxes of stuff to indoor community sales in the off season.  At our last yard sale, I noticed my Mummu was downsizing some craft supplies and I scooped up a ton of cute stuff: some beautiful lace appliques, a vintage clutch I have a plan for, and this gold embroidered reindeer trim, which I used to embellish a DIY linen tea towel for the holidays.

Supplies:

• Turquoise linen (this shade of linen is really pretty)
• Embroidered trim (not similar, but just as sparkly)
• Liquid stitch 

Because our local Fabricland was moving, they had some great deals on fabric and I bought some pale turquoise linen for 50% off.  Using our own tutorial for how to sew a mitered corner, my Mom and I quickly hemmed a simple rectangle tea towel - but you can always buy a plain tea towel to embellish.

I didn't want to fuss with sewing on the embroidered reindeer, so I decided to try Liquid Stitch instead.  

I had already washed and dried my linen, prior to sewing, so I was able to quickly get to the fun (and scary) part: gluing on the embroidery!  I hand-stitched the two lengths of embellishment together so they would line up and be easier to manage, then I placed my linen on a flat surface.  I put a plastic cutting board underneath, to protect my kitchen counter from any glue, but this adhesive is water soluble until dry so any drips washed off easily.

Following the directions, I shook the tub of Liquid Stitch well.  I spread the glue on the back of the embellishment, being careful not to bring it too close to the edges because I didn't want it to squish out.  Once I had glued everything, I went over all of the edges and anywhere it didn't seem stuck, I added a smidge more (that's the technical term) glue using a toothpick to carefully apply it.  I quickly pressed the reindeer down with my fingers and let it dry, undisturbed, for 30 minutes.  You can launder this fabric after 24 hours.  I will keep you posted on how well the glue holds over time - I am very curious about this Liquid Stitch.

I love how this turned DIY tea towel out! 

You know I'm not super festive over here, favoring "wintry" to "Christmassy" decor, but I do love the look of this glitzy tea towel in my turquoise kitchen.

If this seems like a heck of a lot of work (I hear ya), here are some cute BIY (buy-it-yourself) holiday tea towels that caught my eye: Black + White Deer Tea Towel | Gin Christmas Teal Towel | Illustrated Holiday Teal Towel  

I actually bought enough linen to make two tea towels - any ideas for the second one?

New Beachy Turquoise Knobs in the Hallway

When we updated our main hallway with fresh white paint, some art, and new interior door levers and exterior door knobs, we found some small little knobs for the two closet doors that matched so well!

Unfortunately, I quickly learned that the quality was garbage and they started to spin.  They were a "t" shape and the horizontal bar actually spun whenever we touched it.  I was certain it would break off and it was just so frustrating to use.  But I couldn't decided what to replace it with until a Canadian company, Sparroh, reached out about working together.  The owner, Alana, was kind enough to send me that sweet little felted wool basket for Hynda that you saw yesterday, and she also had a solution for my knob woes: a beautifully curated hardware selection.

Without having to comb through an inventory of 1,000,000 knobs, I found the perfect ones: the ocean aqua knobs!  At only $8.00 a piece, they are a steal for such a quality ceramic knob.  I love the turquoise - obviously - and the crushed "beach glass" effect is so interesting.  I have such a passion for texture these days: linens, tweeds, velvets - give me any kind of texture over pattern!  So these were definitely the perfect fit for my lakehouse.

It took two seconds to switch out my old knobs for these and I just love the impact.  Visually, it's small detail and I'm sure that in photos of the hallway, only we would notice that the knobs are different.  In real life, guests oooohh and aaaaah over them and, most importantly: day to day it's just so nice to have our closet knobs do their job, as intended (#itsthesmallthings).

Why, oh why, do Hubby and I sometimes wait forever to tackle these little improvements that have such a positive impact on our day to day lives?

If you're a fellow Canadian, take a peek at Sparroh and maybe you'll find the answer to a decor problem too!  Did I mention there's free shipping and free returns?  I work with so many US-based companies so I'm really thrilled when I can help promote a Canadian biz - be sure to follow Sparroh out on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest so you can be the first to know about sales and new inventory.   

Now, help me feel better and tell me about a project on your to-do list that would make your life easier - but that you've been avoiding... I want to hear all about it!

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Guesthouse Progress: Inside a Scandinavian Inspired Bunkie on Lake Superior

You already saw me spruce up the exterior and today I'm sharing a look inside our guesthouse!  Here's a look at the "before" (pop over to this post for more photos):

When we bought the lakehouse we were pretty enamored with this guesthouse, which boasts a three piece bathroom, sauna, and small sleeping area.  At first I waffled on the use of this space: I wanted the Etsy shop out there, but heating in the winter proved cost prohibitive - which is why my second idea, a sewing studio, didn't pan out either.  Instead, we cluttered it up, storing boxes for other people along with some furniture we no longer needed.  We finally got the room cleared out this fall and decided to make it a lovely guest space.  The sauna floor needs to be repaired and we have to build new benches, the bathroom needs some cosmetic upgrades, and the roof shingles need to be replaced (hey, guess who's going to learn some roofing skills next year?) which leaves me with a decor budget of approximately $0.  Not a problem!  I shopped the house to create a cozy space where guests can crash and I'll be slowly tackling some more projects throughout the winter. 



When I shared my to paint or not to paint the pine paneling dilemma, so many of you were Team Pine and I'm so happy I kept it natural because it saved me a lot of time and money.  Thanks for the excellent advice!  Because this is an impossibly small space there's no fooling the eye into thinking it's spacious.  The pine works with the small size and plays up the cozy factor, instead of trying to fake spaciousness.  To break up the pine just a little, I replaced the small mirror that was hanging beside the bed with my large DIY black and white painting:

 
We set up the bed (and all white bedding) from the townhouse guestroom and it just fits.  Making the bed is an aerobic activity (no idea how folks with bunk beds do it) and guests will have to clamber in from the end, but I didn't want to have to subject guests to a double.  This works! 

My Mom gave me the maple dresser I had been borrowing (which I hope weathers the winter okay out there).  Mom and I were going to sew new pillows but then I remembered I have the Marimekko pillows that used to live in the living room; they match perfectly with the freshly painted turquoise door and exterior trim!

(Behind the open turquoise door is the doorway to the three piece bathroom - to the left is the sauna).

I'd love to replace the old curtain rods but for now I just painted them a creamy white because they were super rusty.  Mom sewed really pretty sheers to offer guests a little privacy, without obscuring the lake view.  I didn't want the sheers to touch to electric baseboard heaters and, more importantly, there is literally no room for them to drape between the bed and the wall (it's a tight squeeze) so we decided to keep them short, which is such a change for me because I always prefer floor length curtains but they're just more functional at this length. 

From the outside, the sheers look much, much (much!) better than the forest green towels that used to cover the windows.  Is it me, or does the guesthouse feel more welcoming from the outside with these gauzy window treatments (you can compare against these exterior photos)? 

To add a little visual - and literal! - warmth to the space (and cover up some of that faux wood laminate flooring), I ordered this beautiful braided, 100% wool rug from RugsUSA.  I considered a natural jute rug, like this one, but ultimately I loved the look and feel of this soft wool rug.  It's a creamy neutral, which will complement any bedding or pillows down the road, plus it's really thick and cushy, so I hope it adds a little warmth underfoot because although this building is heated, it's not insulated very well.  I ordered the biggest rug that would fit and it runs under the dresser and bed, hopefully adding a little insulation to the floor.

Look at that gorgeous texture!  I want to incorporate some more soft textures into the room, so I'm currently dreaming about making a huge chunky blanket or maybe even a woven wall hanging for one of the other walls.  

The guesthouse has two overhead lights and one of the light switches is in the bulkhead, toward the wall with the hooks.  You have to stand on the bed to reach it, it's hilarious!  There's quite obviously no room for side tables in here, so maybe some wall mounted sconces are in order.  To facilitate bedtime reading as best I can, I added a lamp to the dresser - it's the old one from my office.  I haven't needed it since we gave the office a makeover, so I'm happy I can make use of it in here.  

I'm torn about decorating the dresser.  I want to add a tray and plants and make it homey, but there's SO little room in here that I think guests would just prefer a place to put their stuff because floor space is at a premium. 

I originally wanted a really spare, Scandinavian-inspired look with a black, white and pale wood color palette, but I deviated a little.  I couldn't help but add just a little turquoise ;)

I think it still has a Scandi cottage kind of vibe.  Although it's technically ready for guests, I want to tackle a few more projects over the winter so it feels even more inviting and cozy for next spring.  In addition to making a cozy throw for the bed and maybe some DIY sconces, my Mom had an idea for those hooks: add some kind of DIY felted wool pouches with long handles that people could use to stash a phone or book, in lieu of night stands.  Isn't that clever? 

Making some candles and stocking a drawer in the dresser with some essentials (snacks, some toiletries, flashlights, bear bangers, etc.) is on my to-do list too.  Some more art would enhance the coziness - or maybe some wall pockets with plants during the summer would be a nice touch.  Would I remember to go out there and water them, though?  There's also a boob light I cropped out of photos that needs a replacement.

But this room has come a looooong way from the pile of boxes and furniture - accented by forest green towels for curtains - we started with in the fall. 

I'd love to hear your ideas! 

I have to thank to RugsUSA for generously sending over the rug after I spotted it online and fell in love with the plush texture and Scandinavian vibe.  Right now it's kept securely in place by furniture, but on its own it would require a rug pad so RugsUSA sent along the perfect size comfort grip rug pad in case I decide to use this pretty handmade rug elsewhere:

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Pyrex Inspired Painted Pumpkin

Happy Halloween!

This weekend was suitably foggy and eerie for a Halloween weekend, so I got cozy inside.  I've already sold some of my beaded Christmas spiders so I really need to get cracking and make some more, but first I had to make one last Halloween craft: turquoise painted pumpkins, inspired by my favorite vintage Pyrex pattern, Blowing Leaves.

After painting a series of pumpkins turquoise for my easy turquoise rhinestone pumpkins, I started dreaming about a Pyrex-inspired painted pumpkin.  I eyed up my turquoise Pyrex collection and plucked the Blowing Leaves casserole from the top shelf. 

Using the Craft Smart Paint Pen (found at Michael's - this one is similar), I just freehand drew the design of mod leaves.  It is TRICKY to draw on a pumpkin because it's round and lumpy, and my design is admittedly a little wonky, but it turned out so adorably cute I wanted to share.

Hope everyone has a safe and happy Halloween!  If you're craving a sweet treat but can't stomach any more candy, I highly recommend baking up a batch of these easy chocolate raspberry hand pies tonight.

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20 Gorgeous Turquoise Kitchen Accessories to Love

Clearly, I love turquoise.

I've always loved turquoise, but it wasn't until moving lakeside that I felt liberated enough to really embrace the color.  In the townhouse I really played it safe because I was so concerned with resale.  My style, as you've seen, is actually much bolder when I'm not constrained by trying to create a space everyone will love.  I'm the gal who once painted my car lime green - I'm drawn to color.

After painting my kitchen cabinets turquoise, and realizing how HAPPY the room made me, I started to play pretty fast and loose with the color, peppering in some vintage blues and shades of green so it's not all aqua, all the time.  There's even a little bright orange here and there.  It's been almost three years since we moved to the lakehouse and Hubby and I both agree that our house feels happy and uplifting - and very "us". 

If you've been wanting to add a dash of aqua to your kitchen, without going all in like we did, I've rounded up my favorite cheery - and practical! - turquoise kitchen accessories.   There's tons of aqua kitchen accessories out there, from cutting boards to kitchens tools, but these are my favorites because they have that perfect mix of modern-retro I love.

Turquoise Bread Box:
Could this retro-inspired turquoise bread box be any cuter?  The shape reminds me of an Airstream trailer.

Turquoise Bakery Box:
If you don't have room for a breadbox - or want a matching set - this bakery box is too cute!   I'm eyeing it up for storing cookie cutters or kitchen odds and ends.

Kate Spade All in Good Taste Turquoise Kettle:
I love the retro look of this Kate Spade kettle and that soft turquoise hue is pretty perfect.  However, this turquoise kettle from Amazon is pretty cute too - its handle is even turquoise.

Turquoise Coffee Maker:
I still use my old porcelain Melitta pour-over brewer, but I'm tempted by automatic coffee machines.  I drink so little coffee at home (I'm an avid tea drinker at home, an insatiable coffee drinker when I'm out), but I'd be tempted with a beauty like this on the counter.  P.S. Keurig makes a cute turquoise coffee maker too.

Turquoise Pyrex 100 Year Anniversary Measuring Cup:
Don't laugh at me, but when Hubby and I drove to Minneapolis MN one year, getting this cup from Target was definitely one of my main objectives!  I also picked up a turquoise colander at the same time.

Turquoise Oven Mitt Set:
My oven mitts are so old and - SHOCKER - not aqua.  They're about the give up the ghost so I'm already casually shopping for another set and this seems like a good deal - 5 pieces for under $18!  This set of turquoise tea towels is pretty too.

Turquoise Metal Colander:
Perfect for instagram-worthy photos of freshly picked strawberries ;)

Turquoise Kitchen Canisters:
I found a second set of turquoise metal canisters, if plastic isn't your jam.  I am obsessed with keeping food in sealed jars because I'm terrified of pantry moths! 

Turquoise Slow Cooker:
How adorable is this turquoise slow cooker (also this smaller turquoise slow cooker)?  When I bought one I had just moved cities and was moving into my first apartment with Hubby.  I was so overwhelmed with the ginormous list of things I still needed to buy, I hurriedly bought a huge white slow cooker with a farmhouse kind of vibe.  Much to my chagrin, it's one of the few appliances I haven't had to replace.  I hate it so, but it does work really well.  If you're thinking about a slow cooker DO IT - they make life so easy and there are some really fabulous gourmet slow cooker recipes out there.  Just invest in a cuter one than I did, because these things seems to last forever...

Turquoise Kitchen Timer:
Our kitchen timer just up and died one day - and I almost burned the Shepherd's Pie!  It was an awesome magnetic timer with multiple hours and two separate timers, which we used everyday.  I cannot find its replacement and I'm so bummed, but this turquoise kitchen timer might help me deal with the loss.

Turquoise Wall Clock with Timer:
This retro turquoise clock with timer is SO similar (I love how more of the aqua shows) but they're both cute, frankly! With a built-in kitchen timer - that's handy!

Turquoise KitchenAid Stand Mixer:
They position the candy-colored stand mixers right by the entrance of my local Canadian Tire and I stop to ogle them every. single. time.  I have a perfectly good turquoise hand mixer and a million bowls so I really can't justify this purchase but maybe when we renovate our kitchen and there's far less aqua, I'll splurge because it would look so good out on the counter.

Turquoise Pots and Pans:
I am still loving my turquoise Kate Spade non-stick pots (here's the sauce pan) and non-stick pans.  When I first used them I still used a little oil, but these days I barely use any - usually none - which has been fabulous because I liked being able to control the amount of cooking oil/fat I consume.  They are just so cheery and they look great on the stove top.  I swear, they make cooking more enjoyable!  Plus they wash up easily and seem to be great quality.

But this Urban Outfitters turquoise cookware set looks like a great deal too, and Rachel Ray has a great turquoise pot set as well.  Wow - I didn't realize until now how abundant turquoise pots and pans are!

Turquoise Blender:
I have a ridiculous number of blenders: three, to be exact.  My turquoise blender, another cheap blender from Costco when it looked like my turquoise one had failed (we fixed it!!), and a magic bullet for when I'm making smoothies solo.  We love a good protein smoothie around here, so I devote precious cabinet space to two of my three blenders.

Mint/Sofa Turquoise Toaster:
I used to love a toaster oven but when ours failed, my Mummu gave me a four slice toaster she got for free.  It's worth something like $200 and darn it if it isn't the best quality toaster I've ever used!  If it ever bits the dust, this turquoise toaster will be my first choice. I don't think I'll ever have the cash for a Smeg fridge, so I love the idea of getting one of these cuties at least, to capture that retro vibe.  Who else is craving waffles now?

Turquoise Toaster/Countertop Oven:
This countertop oven is pretty darn amazing. I wonder if I could somehow use it in the boat...

Kate Spade Turquoise & Wood Kitchen Tool Set:
I have recently added a mix of worn wooden spoons to my chrome and turquoise KitchenAid tools (which I store in a clear glass vase on the counter).  I've added a few wood accents all over the kitchen, actually, and I love how they've warmed up my turquoise kitchen without adding another color and breaking my mostly monochromatic palette. 

For just solid turquoise kitchen utensils like mine, this set is a good buy.  Mine are KitchenAid, which I bought piece by piece to replace my utensils that had worn out.  I didn't buy everything in the set, because it was already kind of expensive with shipping.  Now some of the prices are really high because it's discontinued but I get asked, from time to time, where I got my kitchen tools so here's what available: turquoise can opener, turquoise pizza cutter, turquoise whisk, turquoise slotted turner, turquoise short turner, turquoise spatula, turquoise vegetable peeler, turquoise kitchen shears, turquoise measuring spoons, turquoise mesh strainer, turquoise basting brush, turquoise tongs, turquoise ice scream scoop,

Turquoise + Bamboo Cutting Board:
Another way to pair up wood and turquoise: this sweet "dipped" bamboo cutting board!

Clean/Dirty Dishwasher Magnets:
Even though we can tell whether the dishwasher is clean or not because usually the little dishwasher puck caps flips when it's freshly washed, Hubby and I still ask each other, "is the dishwasher clean or dirty?" about three times a day.  We need one of these magnets!

Turquoise Kid's Play Kitchen:
I love this retro aqua kid's play kitchen SO much, it would be the best kitchen accessory of all time for a family with littles... Plus, it's under $100 with free shipping right now!


There are quite a few things on this list I'd love to add to my turquoise kitchen.  Have you found any cute kitchen accessories lately? 

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