Recovered Ottomans and A Roadside Treasure

It's been a very productive weekend here at the Charlotte Cottage - thrift shopping, landscaping, rearranging furniture, and even some DIY'ing!  But the thing I am most excited about was a total surprise and super easy!  Check out this gorgeous roadside treasure I found on my way to the dog park - a rustic white iron fireplace cover!

Isn't it a huge change from this black one I had before? 

I loved the black one, don't get me wrong, it was a great buy from Target several years ago, but this white one seems to have really brightened up the entire room.  It's inspired me to lighten up things a bit and go for a more "summery" feel in the living space.   So, I'm on the hunt for some pillows and have been re-arranging furniture and accessories to get that look.  Which leads me to the next topic, the recovered ottomans.

This DIY project has given the room another fun summer touch.  I've been eyeing these little ottoman's from Target for a while now.  I love the curved crossing legs and I knew they would be super simple to recover.  So, when they went on sale, I finally broke down and ordered them - click here to find them on target.com (free shipping too!).

I had some pretty navy and white fabric with a fun coral pattern that I found on one of my Metrolina shopping sprees, so I decided to use it for the ottomans.  Other than that, all I needed was a good pair of scissors and a staple gun, and wah-lah!!!

And here's some pictures of how they fit into the room with the new furniture arrangement.  I love how this arrangement opens up the view to the fireplace and built-ins.  Plus it turned my 4-seater living room into a comfortable 6-seater!

PS - The curtains aren't installed yet.  I have them hanging over the shutters for now to see if I like them.  Are you digging it or does it feel like just too much blue & white pattern?  Hmmmm....

Old Shutter Becomes a Coat Rack

I've been wanting a place to hang coats and things by my front door for a while.  When I found this old shutter at one of my favorite places to shop, the Gibson Mill Depot in Concord, the light bulb went off...  Why not add hooks and turn it into my own cottage style coat rack?

Don't you just love the rustic edge and chippy blue paint? I can't seem to get enough of that look!

This turned out to be one of the easiest projects ever once I figured out what hooks to buy.  The piece itself was so unique and pretty in itself, I opted for some simple silver hooks from Home Depot.  I think they contrast nice with the shabby look of the shutter.  Only trick is that I had to get different screws, because the ones that came with the hooks were meant to go into a wall, and were too long. 

Once I had the supplies, I just made some quick measurements to make sure my hooks were spaced evenly, and drilled them in.  Then I added a couple d-hooks to the back of the shutter for hanging.  And here is the final outcome - functional and fabulous :)

April Craft Party {Fun with Moss}

For April, we gathered at Christina's house in Plaza Midwood and had some fun with moss, making topiaries and wreaths....

I created a couple mossy goodies... First, a wreath for my door.  I think it turned out kinda fun, but now that I see it in this pic, it needs more bright green on the left side (one more thing for my to-do list!).

Second, a little moss ball vignette. I couldnt decide where to put this.  I tried several places and liked it by this lamp at first, but felt it was too hard to appreciate all the pretty texture of them from so far away...

In the end, the coffee table in the screened in porch was the perfect spot.  It really tied in with the green color scheme and nature theme going on in there.  What do you think?

For some ideas, inspiration, and instructions, check out these great posts Christina shared with us:

• The Inspired Room
• Haute Apple Pie
• The Nester
• Imparting Grace
• It's Greener Over Here
• Get Your Martha On
• Save on Crafts

DIY Headboard

I've seen this done so many times in blog world, so I finally decided to give it a try.  With help from my good friend and DIY'r, Susan, we pulled it off!  It was actually pretty easy.  We used the instructions from Centsational Girl that can be found here.  Check it out! 

March Craft Party {On A String}

For the March Craft Party, we decided to go to the On A String Bead Shop in Myers Park and make our own jewelry! I had never done anything like this before and was super excited to see what it was like. I have to say after this experience, I am totally hooked and can't wait to go back for more!

Check out this beautiful shop and some of the fun stuff we made!



February Craft Party {Book Wreaths}

I am so excited to report that some of my girlfriends and I have officially kicked off a Craft Club where we get together each month to do some type of craft, drink some wine, and enjoy a night of being super girly.  With glue guns in hand, we each made our own book wreath, using these directions from Living with Lindsay.  Here are some pictures from one of the most fun nights ever :)

I love how each one turned out so pretty yet slightly different, almost matching each girl's personality. 

And here are a couple of them once they have brought them home...

I haven't quite decided where mine will end up yet, so for now it's just hanging here....

Can't wait for the next Craft Party!

I'm Flattered!!

I am totally flattered because Megan from Pink to Green gave me the Stylish Blogger Award!  It totally made my day that she would even think of me!

After receiving this award you have to pay it forward and follow the rules:

1) Thank and link back to the person who awarded you
2) Share 7 thing about yourself
3) Award 10 great bloggers that you have RECENTLY discovered
4) Contact those bloggers and tell them about the award

So here are the 7 things about myself in no particular order...

(1) Love some red wine and cheese, not only because it's so dang yummy, but because it reminds me of good times hanging out with good friends.  Speaking of good times with friends, I can't wait to share with you about a recent craft party where we made book wreaths, so keep your eye out for that!

(2) Target, can't get enough. 

(3) Hydrangeas, especially big fluffy white ones, are my favorite flower.  Check out this easy and cheap art work I made by taking pictures of the hydrangeas from my yard.

(4) I'm currently obsessed with Ikat fabric - on anything and everything.  I recently ordered some pillows from etsy with a red ikat pattern, and my homeade dining room curtains are an ikat pattern too.

(5) I think Starbucks, or any good strong coffee, makes me a better woman, haha.

(6) Love finding good deals at Garage Sales and can't wait for the good weather again so I can get up early on a Saturday morning, grab a cup of coffee (of course), and go treasure hunting.  One of my favorite finds is this old vintage suitcase for $1, see it on top of the white coat closet to the right of the art wall?

(7) I have a weird thing for architectural salvaged pieces, especially old shabby corbels like the one above.

Ok, I know I am now supposed to share the love with 10 new blogs I have discovered, but I have to admit that I'm kinda distracted by The Bachelor which is currently on, so I'm going to stick with my top 3 newly found blogs for now :)

Cottage and Vine

I Heart Organizing

Living with Lindsay

The Versatile Subway Tile

Some friends of mine are getting ready for a big kitchen renovation (so jealous!), and a debate came up on whether or not to use subway tiles for the backsplash.  Of course, I had to throw in my 2 cents which is that subway tiles are a classic, timeless choice.  And that they are super versatile, working for all different types of styles from cottage to contemporary.  So, I figured I should put my money where my mouth is and pull together a few examples of why I love the versatile subway tile... 

So, what do you think?  Would you use subway tiles in the kitchen?

Pictures from HGTV, My Home Ideas, Coastal Living, and Lonny Magazine