Friday, February 1, 2013

Winter Fireplace

This week I was determined to figure out what the heck to do with our fireplace. It was driving me insane.
Our fireplace has looked like this for almost a month now. I just could not figure out what I wanted to do with it after taking down Christmas other than to paint that mirror. I took down the larger mirror that is normally up there and replaced it with this taller skinnier mirror. I felt it was time to change things up after three years. 
I had The Hubster help me get the newest mirror down so I could paint it. This is what I came up with, an inexpensive trumeau mirror. I am not quite happy with it. The detail at the top is just not right to me so I think I am going to be looking for a more ornate piece to replace it. It had an awesome piece on it at some point in time because I could still see the outline of it. I hate that it was missing.
I wanted to age the mirror so I purchased some Looking Glass spray paint. I sprayed it on top of the mirror itself. If I go to age a mirror again I will NOT be doing it this way. The Looking Glass paint is not meant to be sprayed on top of items but inside of or the back of glass. So even though it looks awesome it comes off very very easily!:( 
 I ordered this faux vintage cow print back in November from The Antique Farmhouse. I originally was going to put it in the laundry room but it didn't make the cut in the end.
Next up I pulled out from the garage an old chippy corbel I purchased back after Christmas. I actually have four of them with no idea on what I will do with all of them but they were a must have!;) 
I am trying to lighten and brighten things up in our home and this Ralph Lauren pillow plus its twin hopped in my cart while at HomeGoods one day. I layered it with a cloth napkin I purchased from Pier One. I am thinking of making a pillow with it but for now I like it here.
My new little grain sack table that I shared last week found a home right here.
I added this cute little pillow from Decor Steals to complete the vignette.

I am not quite satisfied with it all just yet so do not be surprised if a week from now I am sharing the fireplace yet again but all changed up!;)

Linking up to the following parties:
Feathered Nest Friday
Be Inspired Fridays
Fabulously Creative Friday


Thursday, January 31, 2013

Treasure Hunt Thursday # 92 & Highlights

This past week just flew by! So many wonderful links last week. I was able to stop by and visit everybody but not able to leave a comment because I was working off of our ancient iPad and well it was not happy. Every time I would try and type it would cut off. Thank you to each of you for coming by to party each and every week!  You all are are what makes this party fun!:)
Valentines Day is on the way and I just could not resist picking out a few Valentine links. 
An Extraordinary Day
My 1929 Charmer

Next up were some amazing transformations!
Our Prairie Home
Stone Gable
Then there was this treasure.
Fern Ave Blog
If you have been featured please feel free to grab the "I have been featured" button to proudly display on your sidebar!:)

Now on to this weeks party!
What would be a HUGE help and encourage more comments not just from me but others as well would be for everybody to take off their required verification codes for leaving a comment. This seems to take just a few seconds of time but when you have to do it on 30 or more blogs it takes up a TON of time. Last week most everybody had turned off their Word Verification which made it so much easier for me to stop by everybody's links! Thank you!

READ THE RULES PLEASE!:)
Now on to this weeks party! 
As with all parties there are the normal rules. You must link back to From My Front Porch To Yours in your THT POST. Just common courtesy. If ya don't link back ya don't get to party. Only link up to your Treasure Hunt Thursday post and NOT your blog homepage. Please No advertising and PLEASE NO MORE than 3 links from the SAME party goer. Also NO MORE linking up to your own link parties. I am seeing more and more link ups of just people promoting their own linky parties. I know it takes time to go back and make a separate post to join the party but it is just the polite thing to do. If you find your post deleted it is not because I am a meany, I just have to make sure the rules are being followed. You can save some of your posts for the following weeks party!Please only link up new posts and not posts that you linked up the week before.
Also be sure to visit at least the link before you and after you to just say Hi! It makes partying all the more fun and remember if your link has had the most visits you will get featured on Tuesdays! If you are new around here I would love it if ya become a follower!:)


Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Most Viewed Links from THT #91

Hope everybody's week started off well. I have been working on a few projects here and there that I hope to be able to share soon. Till then here are the top three most viewed links from last weeks THT!
Postcards From The Ridge- Living Room

Curb Alert- Red kitchen

Uniquely Yours or Mine- Vintage sewing cabinet recycled

Thanx for linking up ladies and be sure to grab the "I've Been Featured" button if you have not already. See everybody back here tomorrow for THT #92!


Sunday, January 27, 2013

How I Found My Style Sundays: Number Fifty-Three



Hi everyone! I'm Angela from Number Fifty-Three. I'm passionate about decorating on a budget and transforming dated thrift store purchases into something spectacular for my home. I can usually be found painting, crafting and thrifting and I document it all on my blog.  I was so thrilled when Pamela asked me to participate in this series!


1- My decorating style is?

My decorating style is such an eclectic mix! I love a home that is collected. I love vintage, modern country and rustic glam.

Something that really draws me in is the play between things that have sparkle and old, worn, chippy pieces, and I incorporate this into a lot of my decorating. 

A big change for us recently has been lightening and brightening our rooms with paint. I'm really loving how this neutral backdrop makes all of our treasures look so special.


I also think it's really important to bring life and nature into my home.  So much sculptural beauty can be found just from a simple grouping of twigs.


2- How did you "find" your decorating style?

My style is constantly evolving; a lot of it being simple trial and error while decorating.  But, I have really honed in on what I love by looking at decorating magazines.  My favorite from the United States is Country Living.  But, I'm really a huge fan of British publications like Country Living and Ideal HomeBooks like Domino and Decorate (by Holly Becker) have also been a huge inspiration to me. As has Pinterest (you can find me pinning here).  Lastly, reading other blogs, especially those of designers that I love, like Emily Henderson, helps to point me in a specific design direction.


3- What has been your most treasured find for your home?

This is such a tough question to answer! My most treasured item I own is this blue velvet, wing back chair that belonged to my grandmother.  I never met her and it is really the only thing of hers that I have. Plus, this chair was always in our home while I was growing up. My Dad is no longer living and so this chair provides such an awesome connection to the past. Plus, I love that the blue velvet was something my Dad chose and it still looks amazing 30+ years later.


In terms of things I've personally found; did you see the painting above the wing back? That was a $6.99 thrift store find that I think is pretty amazing.


4- What tips do you have for creating a beautiful home?

Don't second guess yourself.
I find the times that I don't go with my first instinct I end up regretting my decision. 

Don't get stuck in a rut.
Realize that it's OK to move furniture and accessories from room to room. Experimenting and rearranging your possessions can create an entirely new look in your home. 


Take risks. 
I DIY a lot. I'm always crafting, painting and arranging.  But, there are plenty of times when even my best plan or project fails. But, I remind myself that this isn't life or death. It's just paint or paper or glue.  Just scrap what you don't like and start over. 

Get Creative.   
There are often times I see so many beautiful things that I want for my home.  There are projects and looks that I want to create, but in reality these are just not in my budget.  So, find pictures of what inspires you and figure out how to make it work for your home and your budget.  For example, my husband and I really wanted a new slip covered, modern shaped, well made couch, but couldn't justify the couple of thousand dollars it would have cost.  Our current sofa was structurally sound, but dated and the fabric was torn, so we began to brainstorm what we could do to update it.  We decided on a semi-fitted white slipcover and removing the gigantic attached pillows that made the couch look so dated.  Our real secret is that my husband replaced that cushioning with an egg crate mattress topper.  Would you ever have guessed?


A huge thank you to Pamela for this opportunity! It was so interesting to really think about the answers to these questions.  Sometimes I feel all over the place with what I love and want to use in my home, but this helped me see that I actually do have quite a bit of focus and a very defined style.  I hope you all will take the time to stop by Number Fifty-Three; I'd love to have you!






Thank you so much for sharing your home with us Angela!