Roben-Marie Smith

Roben-Marie Smith

 

 

 

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Roben-Marie Smith

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Entries in my style (13)

Sunday
Jan192014

go to paint and ink colors

This little post is in response to the dozens of requests I have had about my favorite paint colors. I have so many - but these are the few I seem to go most often!

In order from top to bottom, left to right ------>

LIQUITEX INKS - pyrrole red. quinacridon magenta. cadium yellow light hue.

GOLDEN ACRYLIC PAINTS- teal. quinacridone red. diarylide yellow.

ASSORTED ACRYLIC CRAFT PAINTS - I like the glossy colors too!

FolkArt- neon orange. Craft Smart- ocean breeze. Craft Smart- neon pink. Apple Barrel (gloss)- dandelion yellow. Craft Smart- neon yellow. Craft Essentials- apple tart. Craft Essentials- neon purple. Plaid Shiny- ultramarine blue.

GOLDEN HEAVY BODY NEON ACRYLICS - Fluorescent Green, Fluorescent Chartreuse, Fluorescent Orange, Fluorescent Red, Fluorescent Pink.

I hope this helps. As I choose new favorites I will post them here to share with you! Happy Creating!

Friday
Nov082013

newsworthy: win this pretty painted pouch

I gave a little peek of this here, when I talked about Roben-Marie's awesome Mixed Media Essentials stamps and what I did with them, but...

...I wanted to give you a few more shots of what this pretty painted pouch looked like.

You can win this in an auction over at Roben-Marie's blog next week, so be sure to stop over and read all about it!

Good Luck! ...But don't worry if you don't win this one - more coming to the etsy shoppe here soon!

Monday
Jun172013

tutorial: sweater band pillow

I know I have been absent lately, but summer is here and that means the kids are home and projects are in motion. You might have read here that I am in the middle of a bedroom makeover - part of decorating on a dime, shopping your home. In keeping with that I am making some new pillows for part of the redo. This one  is my favorite so far!

By the way - this is a sneak peek at part of the bedroom redo in progress...more to come soon. This pillow was super easy and fast. Here's how you can make one. Gather your supplies.

How much you need of each fabric will vary according to your pillow insert. Mine was 14" square. This was a quick and unorthodox way to make a pillow cover so tweak it to your needs as you see fit. You will need a long rectangle of fabric. One that will fold over and cover your pillow, twice. HEM SHORT ENDS OF FABRIC FIRST. Next, lay out your long rectangle of fabric and place your pillow just off center. Fold fabric over and line up sides and pin. Your pillow now looks as if you stuffed it into an envelope. Fold second end of fabric over, line up sides and pin almost all the way to the top, leaving just enough room to slip pillow out. This is an extra step to ensure our pillow flaps look good. Feel free to skip it if you have made one like this before.

Don't sew yet. Next grab your burlap and fold a rectangular piece in half once and then again. This piece will need to be as long as your outside facing pillow flap. Pin and stitch down each side.

Carefully remove pins (you will have to repin later, but this ensures are flaps are positioned correctly) and pin your finished burlap strip to one short hemmed end of your fabric. Next reposition your pillow and repin with RIGHT SIDES FACING. It should look like this so far.

Fold second flap over (this one should have no burlap edge) and line edges up. Pin one side and carefully remove pillow insert. Pin second side and stitch up both sides, being careful to reinforce where your two flaps overlap.  Turn right side out. This is what you should have now.

Next take your sweater and cut the bottom band off, keeping it as wide as you would like. My sweater had a ribbed band and so I had a nice guideline to follow, making it approximately 5 inches wide. Be careful when cutting to cut the exact amount of buttons and buttonholes that line up.

Now stuff your pillow insert into your new pillow cover and button your sweater band around it. I used the burlap as a guide, leaving that showing on the back for contrast.

All done! You can add an embellishment if you like. I made a little brooch out of leftover scraps of duckcloth, linen and lace. Lovely!

Once again, a pretty re-purposed project. AND we are decorating on a dime! Yea! Oh! And if you want to make one of these sweet crocheted baskets you can find a pattern here!

Saturday
Jun082013

on the worktable: crocheted baskets

As part of my yearly goal to decorate on a dime I am trying to shop my home and create things that I would normally buy. I loved these pretty crocheted baskets but had to stick to budget on my bedroom makeover so I decided to google a pattern instead.

I feel I should mention I am not a seasoned crocheter! I am self taught and I can tell you practice makes perfect. This was a very simple to follow pattern and at no point frustrating. I haven't added the fabric stiffener yet per the instructions, but I still might. I really wanted this basket to remain soft looking and I am worried the stiffener will change that look. We'll see. Anyway- I love it and I think I will make a few more and cluster them together on a nightstand or desk to keep things clutter free!

 

Thursday
Jun062013

In my house: bedroom redo

...I get a wild hair once in awhile. Okay, often. I get a wild hair often. What else can I say? Stay tuned...

Saturday
May252013

art stuff: a new stencil & chevron pattern love

The Chevron Pattern is hot right now! I love this fresh and funky motif and gravitate to it over and over again. No shock then, when I saw this Heidi Swapp stencil, and I had to have it! This pattern is modern and chic and just plain yummy when added to an art journal page.

I have spotted this pattern all over this week. A few of my favorites are these colorful bouncy balls, I found here, and these delicious folding step stools that caught my eye here!

I think I will explore how I can incorporate this new favorite pattern into my home decor. Stay tuned!

Tuesday
May212013

in my house: living room redo part 2

So - I am finally ready to share my Living Room with you. Back in February I posted part 1-  what prompted me to redo my living room. I know it took me two months to get back to this, but I wanted it to be complete when I shared it with you again and with the exception of the finish on my coffee table it is all done!

Two items on my BUDGET BOARD were my intended focal point and grounded the room perfectly - this furniture and my antique chalkboard. I gave my old toss pillows a face lift with burlap & duckcloth shams, adding linen ruffles and medallions. The wreathe is one I made with recycled materials.

I tackled the dark laminate tv cabinet with one coat of this primer and two coats of this awesome paint which I had tinted to Natural White. Once dry, I sanded the cabinet roughly with an electric palm sander, creating deep grooves and rounded edges.

I loved the gray with the hard wood floors, so I opted to tie in a few antique pieces. I gave an old dresser a new coat of my favorite wax in Natural, and it now serves as added storage for games, coasters, and blankets. An oversized library table gets the same treatment and houses school and kids arts and crafts supplies.

I don't like things to be "matchy matchy" so I tied in a few old chippy painted pieces as well. I am in total love with this green side table. It just so happened to match my walls perfectly - which are painted a very pale shade by Ralph Lauren called Killington Traverse. This little round beauty still shows signs of the original floral tromp de l'oeil design visible on the table top surface.

I went ahead and bought the wooden lamp base at Target but found my burlap shade at Wal-Mart. The floor lamp also came from Wal-Mart. I just swapped out the original shade for this one.

 Because my Kitchen and Living Room are basically one giant room, it was mandatory that they tie together seamlessly, without being exactly alike. I was able to achieve that with color. The kitchen cabinets are a coordinating shade of white and the antique gold curtains picked up the warm hues of the wood and burlap. I like the cohesion this rug from Ikea gives the entire room and since my kids love to hang out on the floor I made two oversized floor pillows using duck cloth and left over linen and ribbon scraps from Christmas projects.

The small things on my BUDGET BOARD were easy. Metal trays and vintage ice buckets were picked up for pennies in local shops and at goodwill. Grainsack material covers a recycled oversized pillow. I had fun embellshing it with burlap and a hand crocheted flower with a vintage bling center. Books and more vintage trophies filled with flowers line the cubbies on the tv cabinet and giant metal stars I lugged back from PA years ago got a new coat of silver paint and hang on the walls.

I love it. That is a surefire way of saying I will tweak it down the road, no doubt, but I do love it.

Thursday
May022013

my style: art and a little R & R

I love all of my readers and am so grateful for the time that they give to my little corner of the web each day. With that said, I am overdue for a little art time and R & R, so I am headed to a little retreat for a few days. Nothing but art and laughter and rest....a perfect way to rejuvinate! See you in a few days!

Tuesday
Apr302013

my style: sneak peek fancy photoshoot fun

My baby was twelve last week. Not possible, but they tell me it is true. I surprised her this week with a trio of special friends and a fancy photoshoot and tea party! I will share more photos later, but could not resist this one sneek peek. Baubles, bubbles, crowns and glitter - what could be better?

Monday
Apr222013

my style: vintage bling & leather

I love bling. What girl doesn't? But I love leather too - good old fashioned chunky leather. I have some everyday leather cuffs I wear that are nice and wide and simple - and by simple I mean no bling.Like these little beauties.

 And then sometimes I want a little sumpin' sumpin' on my cuffs - like snazzy silky flowers

But then there are the days that I just need some good old fashioned BLING - lovely bling!

I think my leather just might be my favorite "jewel" now that I think about it. Paired with the right bauble or bling it is the perfect combination of "I can survive, I am a tough girl" and "dear me, I am feminine!" Just MY STYLE!