The Crazy Painting Lady

Yes, thats me -The Crazy Painting Lady, or maybe I should say, the painting lady thats crazy! Either way, Ive been quite nutty lately while Ive been busy working hard and tackling lots of painting projects

From rooms to doors, from furniture to moulding, I have been non-stop painting for over a month. With the Summer in full swing, I was able to lessen my work load (slightly) and focus on spending time with my kids while off of school and some new DIY projects.

Most arent done, but come take a look anyway

After the staircase project, I dove right into painting the mouldings throughout the house. Its been quite an endeavour, but most of the first floor is done, which is a Big Checkmark off my to-do list!

I have quite a good how-to tutorial to come on this project, so stay tuned.

Onto the next painting project The newly painted crisp white mouldings got me thinking, which is how my royal blue revelation developed. Since then, the color was chosen and the room, I mean walls, are now complete. Ive got quite a few DIY projects coming up in this room, so its far from complete. In the meantime, heres a peak at the space

Quite a change, right?

Are you ready for more of my painting projects?

The next painting project developed from the newly painted blue room. The darker, faux-stained bookcases didnt look great anymore and just had to be white, so I jumped right on it. They are far from done, but heres a peak anyway

Do you see how my projects evolve? From one project (the stairs), started the next (the mouldings), started the next (the blue walls), and started the latest (the white bookcases). Story of my life, which is why my home is FOREVER changing, thus My Experimental Playground.

Completely non-related to all the above painting projects, I have been busy with adding a little color to one of the doors in my home. This is a neat and easy DIY project that I cant wait to show you.

The paint color in this picture looks horrible, but its only the first coat, so dont be too frightened.

I also (finally) jumped on the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint bandwagon and bought myself (for my birthday) some paint and wax to try. I have to be honest, I was really nervous to jump in and use this paint. Im not sure why, but I was. Anyway, I had a few hurdles to jump over, but the result wasnt bad. I have more to share in a future post, but for now, heres a peak

And last (but not least), Ive had this stepstool that I purchased at Ikea FOREVER ago, and its been in need of some clothes (a.k.a. paint, if you werent with me on my horrible joke). Heres a peak

I totally have Project ADD, but I find it easier to get similar projects done at one time. Once I have my painting clothes on, I am roaring to go!

The Art of Hanging Art: Tips for Hanging Art and Pictures

Ive written quite a few posts about hanging art, but when a friend recently moved into a new house and asked me what is appropriate to go where I decided to revisit the must-know tips to hanging art! Hanging pictures and artwork can be tricky and intimidating, and often result in bare walls, so dont let that happen to you! Here are a few helpful and foolproof tips for having beautifully designed walls!

Never have a tall (or short) person hang photos, as itll result in pictures being hung too high (or too low). The center of a larger photo /artwork (or the center of a grouping of photos) should (typically) be hung at an average persons eye level, which is between 5-3 and 5-6.

When laying out a grouping of photos, lay your arrangement on the floor and make a template of each photo using newspaper or brown craft paper. Make a tracing and cut them out. Then position and lightly tape the paper onto the wall. Move them around until your design and layout is perfect! Lastly, measure where the nail would be installed (the hanging hardware on every frame is different) and put the nail through the newspaper or craft paper. This will result in a perfectly hung photo.

When laying out a grouping of pictures on a wall, think of them as one unit. Use a continuous thread between the pictures, ie: different frames with all black and white photos, the same frame with all color photos, all black frames, all brown frames, all white framesyou get the idea. Even though the pictures are different and separate, this similar thread will allow them to relate and read like one. Try this same effect up the stairs = beautiful! Start something that you can continually expand on. You and your family are continually growing, and so should your pictures!

For narrow walls, choose one small picture or grouping of smaller photos. You should follow the same rule of thumb for larger walls. Choose a larger piece of artwork or grouping of larger photos for a wide wall. When hanging art/photos (or a grouping of pictures) over a piece of furniture, it (they) should not be longer than the width of the furniture. For example, the artwork shown in the photo below is in proportion with the size of the sofa, and keeps to the principle of being about 75% of the sofas overall width and equal to the ottoman width. Too many or too large of pictures / artwork will overpower the wall.

When all else fails, using symmetry, both horizontally and vertically, is always a safe bet for a good designyou cant go wrong.

Try something unexpected and differenthave fun with your artwork and the way you display it! Use a combination of photos, artwork, and pieces youve collected. Make a statement!!

For a fun effect, just fill your ENTIRE WALL with photos!!

Another illegal front-yard garden, and this ones gorgeous!

This time, the craziness is in Quebec. And this time, the gardeners health is an issue. According to this story, the couple has lost a combined 100 pounds since they planted the garden in March! Expect to see a garden-to-lose-weight book coming soon, based on their experience.

They already have an online petition.

10 Things You Need To Know About HomeSavs Junior Graphic Designer; Ben Coles

Diving into one of the minds of HomeSavs creative team; Ben Coles, who always brings a whimsical fun flavour to the graphics you see appearing in HomeSav ads, Facebook time lines and company branding. Fresh from design school, Ben the jokester provides the team with new eyes to the latest and greatest in the graphic design world! Enjoy reading about Bens top 10!

Q1:
Whos style inspires you?

Graphic/Artistic style? One of my favourite movies is Exit Through the Gift Shop. If you havent seen it, you should defiantly watch it. Its about the street artist Banksy. If I watch that or even listen to the soundtrack, I am instantly inspired to create art or design. Fashion style inspiration, or lack thereof comes from my subscription to GQ and Esquire. My dcor style inspiration comes from the Ikea as is section And of course HomeSav!

Q2:
Where do you find inspiration?

Uh oh, did I already answer that? My inspiration comes from my friends. I would have given up a long time ago if they werent there to push me and keep me motivated. Plus most of my friends are better designers then I am so I have to try to keep up with them

Q3:
What are you listening to?

Florance and the Machines latest album, Ceremonials. Non stop!

Q4:
What is your favourite part of the design process and why?

The reaction on peoples faces when they see the final productWhen they like what they see. Theres nothing like the feeling of finishing a project that you are proud of and that the client loves too.

Q5:
What product on HomeSav.com is exciting you right now?

The Bughouse sale. Check them out. I Love their music inspired pieces. I need the turntable coffee table in my life.

Q6:
What would surprise people about you?

Thats a long a list. I dont think we have time for that.

Q7:
Who is your favourite graphic designer?

I like a lot of indie designers that I find on the internet. I havent really been influenced my many big named graphic designers except for my professors.

Q8:
What are you most proud of?

Leaving business school. I may have been kicked out of business school, but either way Im so glad that Im not doing that anymore.

Q9:
What is your favourite piece of home decor you own?

My bike. It looks great in my apartment, leaning up against the wall. Its hard as a student to find it in the budget to splurge on home dcor. I do however have a very nice, hand built wooden table made by girlfriends grandfather. I dont know what kind of wood its made out of but it has a really dark stain that still lets you see all the imperfections in the wood.

Q10:
What is the best present youve ever received?

The best gift I ever received would probably be my very first mp3 player. It had 64 megabites of memory, which is equivalent to about 14 songs. It was freaking awesome. If you were to ask someone in my family what the best gift I ever received is, they would probably tell you a story about one Christmas when I was given box of clementines. I ran around the house, I was so ecstatic to have a box of clementines that I didnt have to share with my brother or sister. I love eating those every winter

How To Make Old New: Antiquing Advice From The Pros

Hello Savvy Shoppers Alysha here! I sat down for my second round of Interior Design Chat on Twitter, and it was no surprise that I enjoyed myself. On Tuesday, we talked about antiques tips on how to use them when decorating, where to buy them, and how to judge their authenticity.

So, here are some tips when you go anitque-ing!

1. Less is more Antiques are wonderful. They are a beautiful piece that can really bring personality and character to a room. However, it is possible to have too much of a good thing. One person summed it up quite nicely: if you have too many antiques in one room it will start to look like a hoarders house!

(on sale from HomeSav.com)

2. Mix and Match Dont be afraid to bring your own style into this. Mix pieces of antiques with fitting pieces from contemporary, modern, traditional, etc. If youre into the modern style, a piece of advice given was to choose an antique piece and mix with modern to add quirkiness to a room.

(available on HomeSav.com)

3. Let it tell a story The beautiful thing about antiques is that you can feel their history when you see them. When choosing an antique, look at its time, condition, and history. Those are the most important factors. As someone mentioned in the chat, the best part is the story, even if you dont really know, you can always imagine

(available on HomeSav.com)

These are some pointers to consider when shopping for antiques. Do you have any tips for us about choosing antiques to decorate the home?

Top 5 Mod Picks For Your Home And Exactly How To Use Them

Here at HomeSav we are working hard on personalizing your shopping experience. We have recently launched our Find Your Style Quiz on HomeSav.com. By answering a few questions we help you determine what decor style you lean towards thus being able to offer you more cool products that you will actually want to put into your home!

If you havent taken the quiz yet click HERE. It is fun, fast and you might learn a little something about yourself.

If you have already taken the quiz and found out your style is MODERN then read on to find out what we have on sale that will suit your personal taste!

So youve found out your decorating style is modern:
You have something to say and know how to say it. Clean lines and loads of lacquer are your trademark paired with a shot of a bold saturated colour. You go weak in the knees when anyone mentions Eames and firmly agree that form follows function. You embrace technology and give nods to the past.

Here are the top 5 modern picks this week from HomeSav.com to help inspire you to get decorating! -click on the images to be taken directly to HomeSav.com sales!

(dark blue giant modern map I Screen You Screen)

Talk about bold colour! This giant map would be the perfect piece to start designing a room around! You could pull in other turquoise small accent pieces throughout a white room and voila! You would have a bit of punch while still maintaining the zen like feeling of a white room. Think about using a fun stamp or decorative thumb tacks to mark on the map where you have traveled. Try to fill the map! If you use one colour (hot pink) it will be more graphic and become a customized piece of wall art.

(album side table BugHouse)

I chose this as a great modern piece because it is a statement. It says I remember and am not embarrassed When decorating modern you need to choose a statement piece that speaks to you. Make it bold it may be hard to decorate around but use the colours, lines, textures that shape provides to pull together the look of your room. For example I I were to buy this piece I may have a white box living room. I would pull the orange from the cover and put it on one adjacent wall (only 1 wall). I would find shelving that mimic the pipe legs and make sire that wherever this little table lives, it is not overpowered by a competing piece. This piece can can accent a focal point of a room.

(full/queen duvet set Luxor Linens)

Who doesnt love a crisp set of sheets? When doing a modern interior play it safe with white. It opens a room up and makes it feel light and airy. Be careful not to overdo it, you may end up with the clinical look. I suggest you make white your anchor and play around with the other elements of a bed such as the head board and decorative pillows. Below is an idea to make the headboard the focal point of the room. Remember a key aspect in modern design is minimalism less is more.

(Espresso Vertical TV Mount Contemporary Living I)

This wall unit strikes me as modern for a few reasons first of all the colour is very mod bold and one tone. I like the fact that it appears to lean giving it a bit of personality and that it fits a flat screen along with all of the necessary television goodies. This is a great addition to a modern living room because the console itself is a piece of art. The clean lines lend itself nicely to be paired with a great set of beautifully designed wall mounted speakers like the ones below from Bang & Olufsen and sit back , relax and enjoy the movie!

(white Eames chair Retro Chairs)

Last, but certainly not least is the classic modern chair. Who can resist an Eames? Put this in a room and your friends will play shot gun to see who gets to lounge in this beauty! It is really hard to choose just one designer chair for a room when there are so many cool ones, but try to resist on going over board when buying classic iconic design again follow the rule less is more. Dont clutter around this chair and take away form its simplistic beauty The best accessory to keep this the focal point is an e-reader. I really like the Kobo and love the fact that you can take out e-books from the library! Spend your weeknights lounging with a glass of lemonade and your favourite stories!

I hope this advice helped you to get the idea juices flowing for how you use HomeSav to incorporate Modern Design into your home! Tell me about the struggle you may be experiencing and we can get an expert modern interior designer to weigh in!

10 Things You Need To Know About Seif Chief Marketing Expert At HomeSav

Another week, another look into the life of a HomeSav team member! This time we have a peek into the life of our in house marketing expert Seif Khemaissia. Seif is the life of the party and makes sure the word is being spread in all the right places about all of the fantastic deals we have on HomeSav.com! I think Seifs motto should have been (I work hard to play hard, but we like his answer) Enjoy the interview!

Q1:
What is your favourite small object?

a Rubik Cube.

Q2:
What was the last band you saw live?

Pussy Cat Dolls. Dont laugh! I was invited. lol

Q3:
If you had a motto, what would it be?

Believe it enough and your dreams will come true.

Q4:
What product on HomeSav is exciting you right now?

The Yellow Leaf Hammocks. Would wanna have one of those in the office and work in it with my laptop and a cold beverage.

Q5:
What is your favourite city? Why?

Pangkor Island, Malaysia. It used to be my getaway island. Awesome seafood, white sand, clear waters, hills to cycle on, waterfalls, friendly people.

Q6:
What do you do to celebrate a successful campaign?

Go spontaneous and have fun doing whatever comes to mind, from partying to swimming, to swimming while partying, to traveling, or just chilling.

Q7:
If your house was on fire, (heaven forbid) what would you bring with you?

The Rubik Cube. lol.

Q8:
What is your favourite movie?

The Revolver.

Q9:
What is the the most interesting thing about living in North America?

The diversity of cities.

Q:10
What is your favourite ad campaign?

OMG! So many!. hmmm.. old school favourite would be The Best Job in The World. It was a tourism campaign promoting a remote island in Australia (or thereabouts). It was a global contest where people from around the world had submit their resumes for a job which required them to chill on this heavenly beach for an entire year and document their lives there through a blog. Everything paid. Sadly, I wasnt shortlisted for the job

New school is a Nike campaign, theres a campaign running where they are trying to find raw soccer talents from the streets and give them a go at tryouts with top European clubs. They have weekly videos online, its freaking awesome. I love brands that do a community-driven campaign.

Sew to Serve Children With Benjamin Smiles

Benjamin Smiles is dedicated to bringing smiles to children in need through donations of bright andcheerful handmade pillows. The organization was started by Benjamins mother Vicki, who dedicatedthe heartfeltservice project to her son Benjamin, remembering himfor his loving smile. Thousands of pillows are made and donated each year through Benjamin Smilesto children all over the country. Read more about how you can help at the official Benjamin Smiles website.

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Glass Bottle Turned Candle

Ive been working on so many big projects lately (like the stairs, painting, and this chair) that I wanted to take a quick break and create something super quick and easy to share with you. One of my favorite drinks, especially in the summer, is Saratoga Sparkling Water. Since I live in the town where this water is manufactured, its available most everywhere and everytime I see the gorgeous cobalt blue bottle, I just stare at its beauty.

I never get the nerve to throw the bottles away and have been stockpiling them in my garage waiting for a DIY project to pop into my head. And finally, heres my first creation with the blue beauties

Cute, right? And its uber-easy to make. Heres how

I started off with:

* other glass bottles like wine bottles, spaghetti jars, mason jars, etc could also work to create this type of a candle. (check out the small Barefoot wine bottle in the pic below)

Once I was finished drinking my sparkly, I had the Mister drill a hole in the bottle cap (sorry no pic here because he did it while I was out n about). The hole should be slightly smaller than the wick so it fits snugly. Once the hole is drilled, the wick went in.

We then filled up the glass bottle with the lantern oil and tested out the new candle.

And it worked!

Then it was time to add some bling (nautical bling, not diamond bling). I love the Saratoga lettering, but decided to add some rope as an accent. Im probably the only DIY blogger who hasnt created something using rope, so here it goes.

Starting at the back of the bottle, I added a small dab of hot glue and attached the end of the rope.

I continued the rope around and around and around

and then once I was at the end, I trimmed the rope and added another dab of hot glue.

Complete and ready to enjoy!

And here are some details

Pretty simple to create, right?!