Teacher Gift: Picture Bookshelf

I wanted to share a very special project with you guys today, one that is very near and dear to my heart.  As Livy and the rest of her class finish up their first grade year, the parents have been talking about just what the kids could do as an end of year gift to their teacher.  This is a super special year for this particular teacher, because Liv's class was not only her first ever first grade class, but her very first year of teaching!  As a way to commemorate this first year, and give her a memory that will last forever, the parents approached me to paint a bookshelf for her classroom, and each child would give a special book for the teacher to store on the bookshelf.  We even took it a step further and added pictures of all of the children to the sides of the bookshelf, using Modpodge.  A bit of fabric on the back wall added a delicate and pretty touch and we couldn't be Happier or more excited to present this special gift to this very special teacher, at the end of the year picnic.  Take a peek below and let us know what you think in the comments!

Happy Summer Everyone!

Clothespin Picture Frame

This is a crafty little gift I put together as part of my daughter's end of the year gift to her teacher.  Very simple project here; just a little paint, twine and a staple gun produced a sweetly unique and simple gift for a very special and very much appreciated, first grade teacher!

For those of you interested in how to do something similar, here are some quick directions:

Grab a frame, paint it your favorite color.  Use a fine grit sandpaper to distress the edges if you want a distressed look.  Once your frame dries, use a staple gun to attach twine to the back of the frame, making sure the twine is taught so that it holds up your pictures well.  Add any type of accent you like, in this case I used a paper flower purchased in a scrap-booking package from Joann Fabrics.  Mini-clothespins and some of our favorite school year pics topped off our project and you could use your frame for any type of occasion here; best friend, significant other, memorable event pics, the list goes on and on.

Hope you enjoyed this little project today!  Happy crafting everyone!

Client Project: Handmade Orchid Wreath

Just wanted to share a quick client project today!  A client asked that Happy Now design a wreath for her front door using the very silk orchids that adorned the festivities of her wedding day.  We couldn't think of a more thoughtful and unique way to continue the memory of someone's special day through a threshold wreath!

Along with the client's silk Phalaenopsis orchids, we used silk hydrangeas and peonies as accents and some feathery greenery to add soft character.  The wreath itself is twisted grapevine.

This is truly a home decor item she will treasure for many years to come!

Show us in the comments below what types of wreaths adorn your front doors!

Client Project: Restoring a Century Old Table

This restoration project was truly an experience to remember.  A client contacted me in hopes of bringing the life back to a gorgeous family heirloom: her grandmother's 100 year old farm table.  I have never worked with anything like this before and could not have been more excited to take on the project.  My client expressed her wish to leave as much of the table's character and charm in place and wanted merely to bring back the original shine and rich color of the wood.  She mentioned during our consultation that the discoloration and differentiation in the wood grain was something she wanted to live with, as it has been in her family for so long and the piece was very special to her.

Here are some Before's:

For this project we lightly sanded the table surface and gave the entire piece a good wipe down with a very soft, slightly damp cloth.  The table was cured using Miss Mustard Seed's Hemp Oil and two generous coats were used here.  Hemp oil does nothing more than moisturize dry, old wood surfaces and can even be used on old hardware and painted surfaces.  It is 100% natural and will continue to condition and protect a surface for many years.  You can see the difference just one coat makes below:

Because our client had never used the piece, it was given to us disassembled and we were more than Happy to put the table together for the big reveal.  This process involved working with hardware dating back to the 1920's and thanks to the very awesome crew over at Pointe Hardware in Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan, we were able to replace and repair certain items essential to the proper assembly of the table.

The results could not be prettier.  The hemp oil worked it's way deep into the wood's grain, giving a warm, golden hue to the antique wood and restoring the rich shine and depth the table once had.  We hope the client is as Happy as we are with the stunning results, and that she is able to enjoy her family's historical piece for years and years to come!

Quick Decorative Vase DIY

Today's post involves a quick, DIY project anyone with a little tape and spray paint can accomplish, and in less than an hour too!

As one of the last pieces to my Living Room Redo, this little project adds the perfect amount of shine and shimmer that my Happy little space needed!  If you've been on Pinterest lately, and let's face it, who hasn't spent at least an hour glued to your phone/computer/laptop/etc, Happily pinning away... you may have noticed how much the gold trend is showing up in home decor and accessories.  I LOVE the gold dipped look for accent pieces and I think this look is very fresh and polished and can be used for any decorative item in your home.  Table legs, vases, lamps, frames, the list goes on and on. In this case, I choose a small, circular vase I've had for years that holds beautiful silk roses and dried hydrangea leaves. I used Rustoleum spray paint in Metallic gold for an even and quick application. Here's a pic of the vase before:

Here are the steps:

1.  Choose your vase.  Scuff the surface with a fine grit sandpaper; in this case I used a 120 grit.

2.  Tape off the section that you do not want painted.  I used Frog tape and tried to make as even a line as possible.  Once I had all of my tape in place, I used my finger to firmly seal the tape edge so that no paint could leak through during application.

3.  Prime the vase.  I made sure to prime the vase using a Rustoleum primer in Flat White.  I've found that using a primer allows for a more even finish and allows the metallic spray to adhere perfectly to the surface. Once the primer dried, I applied to coats of the metallic paint.  Again, used Rustoleum Metallic Spray Paint here and I have to say, this is my favorite metallic paint ever.  In the history of metallic paint.

4.  Seal your vase.  After 2 hours of drying time I applied one coat of a spray gloss sealant to provide a durable, protective finish.  Once the paint and gloss had completely dried, I removed the tape slowly and carefully so as to not disrupt the paint edge.

The result was a unique, updated accessory for my living room and it did not cost a penny!  Can't beat a Happy little vase for a Happy little living room now, can we?

Let me know what you think of the new gold accent trend in the comments below!  

And, as always, have a Happy day!!!