February 2016

I was meandering through Pottery Barn a couple of weeks ago and saw a lovely looking book on their clearance table. So lovely was the cover, I was compelled to pick it up and thumb through it.

This kitchen was featured on the inside cover and later in the book. It sold me. I bought the book.

If I had a tiny, little cottage to get away to, this is the kitchen I would want. Simple. Unfussy. Calm.

I love the way they use the architecture of the old building to play into the aesthetic. I also love the neutral tones of the fixtures and kitchenalia.

I hope you find some inspiration.

Always,

Cindy

The Tale of the White Cotton Twill Tape

Simple shades for a few dollars form Lowes, simply covered with the twill tape and tied off.

Simple shades for a few dollars from Lowes, simply covered with the twill tape and tied off on the interior.

A lifesaver indeed. I had four lampshades that needed to be replaced. Two were for some vintage boudoir lamps and two were for a pair of wall sconces. All four were in both my bathrooms. I wanted something refreshed, not precious.

I looked online, but finding neutral shades in the right scale at the right price that weren’t 50 shades of boring became a larger task than you would think.

Then I had an epiphany. I had a 100 yard spool of 1 inch wide white cotton twill tape that I had ordered from Amazon by mistake. It occurred to me there may be some DIY synergy if I could somehow find a way to use it to re-purpose the shades I already had. At $29 for the twill tape, it would be incredibly cost effective and maybe, dare I say it…clever.

Judge for yourself.

I hope you find some inspiration.

All the best~

Cindy

Downstairs bathroom - Before. Sconces that weren't in the budget to replace, needed some updating. The shades were full of debris from the renovation and really couldn't be salvaged.

Downstairs bathroom – Before. Sconces that weren’t in the budget to be replaced and needed some updating. The old shades were full of debris from the renovation and really couldn’t be salvaged so I had to come up with something.

After. New shades, an old shelf and my collection of antique apothecary jars.

Still trying to get the hand of proper arrangement. It's an art, for sure and I haven't mastered it yet.

Still trying to get the hang of proper arrangement. It’s an art, for sure and I haven’t mastered it yet.

Oval Scalloped Shade – Before.

Downstairs sink – After. This vintage shade required a bit more work (Thanks, Mom). A few hidden basting stiches to keep the twill tape in place around the curves. It diffuses the light well.