My Bathroom Remodel

                     
     I purchased a small 1984 home in downtown Orlando Florida.  The house was pretty much in it's original condition including the Blue Bathroom.  I budgeted myself $1200.00 to remodel it.

 

Before and After

Yes folks, we are talking blue, blue fixtures, blue tub, and blue ceramic surrounding the tub, and then we kept the blue theme continuing with a blue towel and TP holder. 

I had to stay on a budget so to save money I did every inch of it myself,  with the exception of paying someone to spray the tub and surround white.  It is a process that involves using some kind of acid to prepare the tile and them spraying it.  It looks wonderful and they were even able to spray the silver handicap bar from the previous owners. 

  

This process was $450.00, but so well worth it and since it is the hall/guest bathroom it should last forever.  The guarantee is 15 yrs. for normal use.

The next thing I did was chipped up all of the old white tile and then wall papered with a Laura Ashley wall paper.  

Then on to installing new tile and base boards, yes I am a girl with power tools and I know how to use them!

I installed a shelf I purchased at an antique store

Then added some old drawer handles to hang the towels

I pulled out the standard issue vanity mirror and hung a new one

To match with the vanity

I also picked a smaller toilet to give a little more space in the room

This is a Rachel Ashwell  shower curtain I topped with a RA curtain valance.  Now, I think RA got this wrong because the ruffles were to be at the top, but I decided to reverse it and hang them at the bottom.

And then Hello! I love polka dots, so I attached pink ribbon with polka dots to the curtain between the ruffles.

Now what to do about the medicine cabinet?  I pulled the old cabinet out and then thought, OH HECK who needs a medicine cabinet in a hall bathroom anyway!  I put decorative trim around the opening and then added a shelf to the bottom and put in a cute cat picture.

Look at the fun vintage boxes for my guests reading enjoyment!

"Vigorets for all nervous and broken down men", and a little Salt Petre that was thought to stimulate sexual desire.

I was so lucky to find this vintage green food canister at a thrift store and then wallpapered the outside, the inside was the perfect green color

I found this at an antique store, I am not sure what it is.  I decided it was a TP holder I put on the side of the vanity.

A pretty flower picture from an antique store 

And there you have it my $1200.00 blood, sweat, and tears, bathroom!! And a great deal of satisfaction that I did it myself!

 Happy Creating!

Linked to Show and Tell Friday 

Linking with Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Carol

How To Make Polymer Clay Roses

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Making Clay Roses

Make it-Follow the tutorial

Win it- Leave a comment and follow my blog 

           Buy it- Available at my online store The Polka Dot Closet

 Usually with a new craft there is a considerable investment in supplies.  The great thing about making clay roses is that your investment is a toothpick and $1.29 block of clay.

Now, there are many kinds of clay, these little packs are $1.29 and a great way to start if you aren't sure if this is your craft. Be sure to get clay that you bake to harden.

I prefer the Sculpey, but there is no wrong choice.  Sculpy comes in a big block for around $7.00.

A note about color.  I get white and then paint it, I just don't dig any of the colors it comes in.  Here is the pink and green pre-colored clay.

Are you ready?  Here we go!

There are many ways to make clay roses, this is how I make them.

Take your clay and work it in your hands to get it softened up.  Now roll it into 5-6 little balls.

Take your little balls and flatten them into circles or closer to ovals.

You start by rolling the center bud, I make this one a little fatter then the rest.

Then keep adding your petals, alternate them so they don't all start and stop at the same place.  

As your layering the petals, make the outside edge of the petal thinner so the final layer is really thin just as it would be on a real rose when it is ready to drop off.

Note how the petals are curled.

You can add as many petals as you like, 5-7 for a good size rose and 3-4 for a bud. In the following picture you will see the rose in the front is more like a cabbage rose, I curled the petals a little more and pinched the petals here and there.  The roses in the back are more "Perfect" (I use that term loosely).  I like both styles.

When you have added all of your petals you can pinch off the bottom or cut it so it's flat.

Next make the leaf shape and then use a toothpick to put the lines in.  Be sure to curve some of the leaves before you bake them so that they are not all flat.

It's time to bake.  Each brand has a little different directions for baking.  I have found 270 degrees for 25-30 minutes works for me.  If you do not bake them long enough they will have a rubbery texture instead of being rock solid.

Let them cool, then it is time to paint.

  You could brush on acrylic craft paint, but I like to use spray paint as it is easier to get in all of the crevasses.

Spray the backs and then the front.  I use a brush to paint the leaves because I have not been able to find a spray paint in green that I like.

Ta Da!

 A Platter of Roses 

Platter available at my on line store The Polka Dot Closet

Now what are you going to do with your roses?

Add them to a picture frame?

How about a knob?

Well, I showed you how to Make it or you could Buy it ThePolka Dot Closet 

Here is a chance for my Bloggy Friends to 

Win it! 

 5 roses, one with a vintage jewel in the center (Just leave out the center bud and then insert the jewel after you paint) 5 leaves, and a 5 ft strip of imagine fabric. 

Imagine what you could do with these roses.

To Enter the Drawing on 5/29/10

The winner is Bird from BirdCraft

Become a new follower and leave a comment.

or

If you already follow, leave a comment and say "I already am"

Limited to the continental US and Canada

That's it kids.....Get Creating!!

Carol

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Painting cabinet knobs the easy way

Click here for the 4th Annual Cottage Giveaway

We have all painted knobs before, but when I was painting 22 of them for my kitchen I thought, there has got to be a better way!

Now for you speed readers, here's the tip styrofoam and Glaze

I took my 50 cent knobs and using the screw they came with and stuck them all in styrofoam.  The beauty of this is that you can turn them every which way to get them spray painted. Just a little tip, don't tempt fate and turn them upside down!

Here is my second tip

Not the cat, the Clearcote Hi-shine glaze by plaid.  If you have never used this you are in for a treat!  One or two coats of this thick glaze is like laying a sheet of polyurethane over your project.

Look at this shine!

When I did my kitchen knobs I painted a floral design on them, but today I felt like having fun! So I went to my stash of  goodies.

Now don't hate me, but last week I went to the closing of this antique store (junk store) and got this bag of goodies for $20.00 a fairly good deal after I picked out all of the cockroach parts.....Love Florida!

So, I added one of my new goodies to a knob.

Sorry for the bad picture

I love when I find this vintage porcelain jewelry, this was an earring.

A Flower decal

And a polymer clay rose.

So there you have a quick tip for painting knobs.

I have a question, would you like a quick tutorial next week on making a polymer clay rose or is this something that everyone already knows?

Happy Creating

Carol