A Furniture Redesign, Clients And A Sneak Peek!

I have been a busy girl lately! I have a few clients I am working with. A few furniture redesigns and a gorgeous home I am styling. Here is one of my furniture redesigns. A toddler bed...




It was a plain, old honey oak toddler bed. I used Annie Sloan's Old White Chalk Paint with Annie Sloan's clear and dark wax. I loved how beautiful it turned out.



My client was beside herself when she saw it! That makes all the work worth it! That is my favorite part of my job, even more than my paycheck...really! :)




She is using it for her son's room, which is decorated beautifully. And she shared a secret with me...she is pregnant with baby #2! And she has asked that I paint her baby furniture! And I gladly said YES! :)




I love when I hear someone else is pregnant...it instantly brings me back to my experience of being pregnant with my boys. I was the type who loved being pregnant! It was a beautiful experience for me.




I wish her the best pregnancy and birth...and I will be ready to paint that furniture once we figure out what she is having! A girl? A boy? It doesn't matter...she or he will be loved and treasured, I am quite sure!




I am so excited about the giveaway today. I will post the winner tonight! I wish everyone good luck! I am off to shop window treatments for the home I am styling! I have really loved working with this client. She is refreshing and fun! And her Mama, who is 92 (though looks 7o something) is a hoot and a breath of fresh air!

She lives with my client and her husband. Such a great family! Those are always the best to work with and even better to become friends with! I seem to always have luck with meeting clients who end up as friends! Another benefit to my job! :)




Here is a peek at a piece of furniture we moved to the hall...We are making a gallery wall with antique mirrors and old family photos! And look at that antique typewriter...I love that piece the most! Heck, I love a lot of her pieces! I will be sharing more of her lovely home as we go!




XoXo, Meme

Slipcovers, Swirling, and Hoarding , Oh My!

I finally finished six slip cover orders and had four picked up yesterday! It was a little hard to let one of them go...How can I get away with keeping it?...lol That was what I was thinking yesterday! ;)




It is a fun chair...It swirls around and around! And makes me feel like a kid again! I remember my Great Grandma Meme had one that swirled...and I loved it!


LIFE.

IS.

{Please excuse the lamp with no lamp shade...another "baseball" accident, I am quite sure...Oh, the life with boys is filled with surprises! That shade was made of stained glass and was a special gift from Mr. Screaming Meme...But a miracle happened...it is fixable...Life is truly good, huh?}

GOOD!!!!

Ahh! Life is good {and fun}, isn't it?...if we stop and play with life a little more...so swirl, dance and be silly...no one is watching...Well, not if you don't post it all over your blog...Nope...No one has to know if you dance and sing...leap, skip...or swirl around...just to feel the butterflies in your tummy once again! That is what curtains {and locks} are for...:) So, play with life...It is patiently waiting!

Yesterday was a fun day for me...I have been so busy with work...I finally had some time to myself...Well, an hour or so...But it was MY hour and I did what I do best...shopped! ;) I went to Goodwill & Target...I got a little annoyed at GW by some crazy old lady...She was very pushy {literally} and a little out of control...So much so I think the whole store was staying clear from her...It looked like she had had 9 cups of coffee or maybe on crack, I don't know the difference between the two? :D

But hey, she bought $150 worth of furniture...I know that because I bravely stood behind her in line...ready to karate chop her, if need be...I don't think her husband was very impressed...He LOUDLY confessed that they had a barn full of furniture that she will never fix or get to...and sadly, she doesn't sell any of it...It is stuff she wants to use herself...So, I guess she is a hoarder or something...Which is not funny...or is it? No, It isn't...hoarding is a horrible disease and one I try to remember when the deals are just too good...I literally have to stop myself...remind myself of the show, "Hoarders" and just walk away...I will only buy things I know I will be able to get to in a month...And if I don't...I sell it as is...Because that show scares me that much! haha! NOT kidding! I did buy four old farm house chairs at GW yesterday...that I will be keeping (I will post about them later this week).




So, I headed to Target and ended up buying the Shabby Chic Linen Duvet in robin's egg blue...I love the feeling of linen through my fingers, don't you? And the robin's egg blue is a perfect blue, I must say...I actually am returning it because I want something a little different and I may be the only one to be able to do that...I seem to never be able to get away from my sewing machine, Ole' Bessie Girl...She works harder than most sewing machines! And I am so hard on her! lol


Okay, back to my swirl chair, I mean my clients...hehehe ;)...originally I hated that chair...I thought it was going to be the hardest slip cover because of the odd shape and attached pillow...I worked with it and came up with a way for her to shine again...My client has a set...so, I made two slips...They were her grandma's chairs...I guess all grandmas have swirly chairs...Well, it is fitting...Grandmas are FUN! ;)


I added some piping and few ruffles...



And made ribbon ties for the closure in the back...I think it adds charm to this ole' chair, what do you think?

I double knotted the ribbon ties to give it more structure...So, remember that if you have a slipcover that has ties....It helps give them more form...


Oh, darn it...I totally forgot to get a before picture...And my client was due any minute...so, I snapped a sexy leg picture right before she pulled up! At least I have that...LOL! I need to remember that!

So, a recap...swirl more, life is good, stay away from Crazy Ole' Ladies, don't be a hoarder and take an hour and just be YOU! It is priceless! Life is waiting...go play!

XoXo, Meme

Reminder...I am having a Chalk Paint Giveaway (2 cans), stop by and sign up!

Let's Have A Garden Party!

I have an old iron chair I found at an estate sale. "She" had all the right curves, but she looked a little pitiful sitting all by herself in the corner! lol! All she needed was some good ole' TLC and to be dolled up a little! So with a little imagination, paint and a sewing machine, I got to work!









I added a touch of french...a sprinkle of shabby...and a little bit of a garden chic to the design...and this is what I came up with! A french garden chic occasional chair...She could be used in the home...a feminine office/study, perhaps? A beautiful garden inspired boudoir (bedroom)?...Ohh la la! ;) Or as an accent/occasional chair in any living space!





But wouldn't be fun to add her to your back porch or even use her in your next garden party? She is all dressed up with a party dress! Lol! A little unexpected surprise and a little whimsy always makes for a great party or a nice, relaxing place to retreat...Don't you think?





I have to admit...I love her soo...I have moved her everywhere I could think of...But sadly, my home is too small! :( So, she is going to a new home...I am sure a quite beautiful one, too! She is painted, distressed and dressed! Ready to be loved & used...& maybe a little abused! ;) The more chips, nicks, and booboos she has...the more beautiful she will become!

Asking $150.00

If you are in the Houston area....Or want to find out about shipping...You can contact me for more information. screamingmemedesigns@gmail.com

Her humble beginning...she actually had a horrible fabric on the seat...I had to change it before I snapped this photo...I wanted for her to be just as beautiful while her dress was be laundered..

{Before} Meme dolled her up!

Remember to sign up for my $100,000 Giveaway here...okay, $100 Giveaway! But you can buy 100,000 different things with it...lol

Xo, Meme

Chairs Galore...

I have found a few chairs that I am going to try to incorporate into my home. If they don't make the cut. They will be sold to Craig, you know, the guy with all those lists! ;) I am hoping they work, though. I need chairs to be able to finish a few rooms. I am pretty sure the french chair will be great as a vanity chair or a side chair in my romantic garden inspired boudoir.

French chair {after}: Painted Martha Stewart's Robin's Egg Blue & Valspar's Sugar & Cream and glazed with Briwax Light Brown. Briwax is a great product to use...painted or wood...On painted pieces, uses as a glaze to age the look of the furniture and to protect it from elements. The 2 schoolhouse chairs will be tested in my Old Saloon Gameroom. I will mix a few more odd chairs for a laid back Saloon-y feel. I may even paint numbers on the backs for a little more fun and whimsy. I have an antique table that belonged to my mother, when she was a newly wed. She passed away when I was a teenager. I inherited it in 2006 from my Great Uncle. It means so much to have a piece of her furniture. Since, furniture and design is my passion. It hasn't been used in my home, yet. So, I have decided to use it as a game table for family games and my crafting. It is an oak table, I do plan on staining it darker or painting it.

Schoolhouse chairs {after}: Restore A Finish in dark walnut...I bought it at Home Depot.






I am the world's worst about getting before photos. I promise that I will practice learning that one. It is fun to see the before and afters...I have some that are more like "during or after"...lol


The lighter chair is a before and the darker one is the during. I added a few coats of the Restore A Finish to achieve the shade I wanted. I used a lint free cloth to rub it on. Super duper easy!



French chair {during}: I lightly sanded the finish and had already taken the tapestry fabric off and had started painting it. That is Emily (Emme) , our 1 1/2 yr old golden retriever. She and the two other girls, Charlee Girl and Bella, are like our babies... She is a lot of help, can't you tell? ;)



French Chair {during}: Before I added the Briwax to tone down the brightness of the paint. I actually waited a few days for the paint to dry completely.


Xo, Meme

Creative Ways To Use Burlap & A How To Guide

I HEART Burlap...It brings texture and warmth to a room like no other material...I have made curtains, table cloths, covered walls, used it in all my Halloween, fall and Winter decorating... The creamy colored burlap is an excellent choice for those who want the texture...but don't want to darken the space...They have reds, blacks, greens, blues, neutrals, and creams...a color for every taste... I am drawn to the neutrals and creams...They calm the soul and have a restful feel to them...Here are some pictures of a neutral burlap on the walls... You can use glue, staples or nail heads or a combo of them to quickly get the job done...If you want to glue it to the wall...make sure to find a glue that will not discolor the burlap...

Screaming Meme's Burlap Wall Tips:

• Start at the top, pull tight and staple at the bottom...secure in the middle...

• Be careful with the staples, you don't want to see too many of them...For the most part they will not be seen...they should blend in...

• Don't use burlap near water or steam...It will discolor...A natural discoloring may occur...It is normal...It adds character...Don't if you don't like it...It is so easy to change out...

• Overlay the burlap as you go...about an inch or two over the other will work...

Have fun designing your wall...you can make a wainscoting, a full accent wall or go all the way...with a fully wallpapered burlap room...Walls are not your thing?...Use burlap in other ways...curtains, slip covered ottomans, pillows, bed skirts, table linens, piping for furniture, pillows, bedding and such...Use it to stage your home for parties, holidays and get togethers ! Use the burlap webbing to accent chairs (like the chair I made below), bulletin boards, pillows, accents rugs, and anything else you can wrap that stuff around!

The best part about burlap is it is cheap and easy to redo! So, have fun and get creative! XoXo, Meme

Coastal Farmhouse Chic Colors

I got a million billion emails requesting the colors that were used in Sharon's beautiful home...They are all Sherwin Williams...and on the same strip #31...So easy!


Sharon's Coastal Chic Dining Room...

The Dreamy Ceiling: The Gorgeous Dining Room Walls: Sharon's Faux Finished Hutch & Island: Were all dolled up with this PERFECT color: They are all on the same color strip #31 XoXo, Screaming Meme

My Home...Okay...A Client's Home...;)

I love my client, Sharon and her beautiful home! It is a place I could see myself in...Perfect in every way...The details and love that they poured into building this home is unbelievable and breathtaking! The photos could never give this beautiful home justice...But I am going to share them with you anyway!

Here is a space we are working on right now...The dining room...

We added a beautiful french style mirror...and creamy white plates...we wanted it to be simple, yet beautiful! I call her style is Coastal Farmhouse Chic! I think we are on the right track...Don't you think? I secretly want to dress all in black and sneak in there late at night to steal that mirror...But shhh!... I don't want her to ever know that...lol Just in case, that actually ever really happened...;) Though, I think their dog, Cooper, would make it too hard! ;) Here are a few other spaces in her home...Some have been redone since I took these photos...and some are yet to be done...Sharon has wonderful taste and has made a house a home...I am quite sure that there will be beautiful memories made there... She has since hung a beautiful abstract art above the fireplace...it is PERFECT! She had a faux artist paint the built in hutch and the island in a beautiful robin's egg...In love with the color and the look! We plan to play around with the accessories on the hutch! Fun! I still get choked up when I am in this kitchen...it SCREAMS Meme...or I guess in this case, Sharon...lol I love the granite, the custom cabinets, white subway tile, and that stove...My goodness! It was a sad day when I had to go back to my builder grade kitchen...though, I am grateful for her (my kitchen)...I am working on dolling her up a little this fall... I don't have a shot of the butcher pantry...BUT It is too die for! It is just off the kitchen...You can't see the fauxing on the island that good...But I promise it is perfect...:) Okay, I am off to clean my kitchen and tell her that I am sorry for talking behind her back...;) Did you do anything fun or creative this past weekend? Did you see my faux cupcake I made my Aunt Cake? I tried to decorate a cupcake and gave up and used stickers and bedazzled the darn thing...Shhh! I think my family thinks I really decorated it...lol ;) Sneaky, huh? My true gift to Cake was my words and my staged vignette... XoXo, Screaming Meme