The First Impression...

Knock, Knock....Who's There?

What does your FRONT DOOR say about you?

There is nothing like a shiny black front door. I am obsessed with them, especially with all the gold hardware.  With just a little bit of money, you can add some serious "curb appeal" to the front of your house.

After all, it's THE FIRST IMPRESSION.

(Source)

The door I found here is simply delicious! The look is classic, noble, and polished.  I also have been known to like a red front door too...

This is what were working with...

I have tried painting my door like this several times and it has never came out like I had planned.

You can see the marks of the spray paint and the gloss--not so nice, huh?

I tried to achieve this look a few years ago with some semi-gloss acrylic paint.  I even tried my trusty black glossy spray paint last SPRAY PAINTING SEASON.  This year, I was going to get it right, so I took a trip down to my local Benjamin Moore store.

I do go to the Benjamin Moore store a lot.  I am on a first name basis with Mike, my trusty consultant.  Who is fantastic and never steers me wrong.  He even knows my kids names but that is another story (or post!)--well just say he is very quick to get me out of the store.

I explained to Mike how I lusted after a shiny black door and just as I am prepared for him to recommend a lovely oil based semi-gloss black paint for the job...he directs me to a semi-gloss acrylic paint.

No paint stripper, no oil paint just a semi-gloss acrylic water based paint.  Really?  Didn't I already try it that way?  He's the professional though, so I decided to go with it...

Mike then showed me a brochure with a grid and number system used for painting a front door.  Starting with the number 1, and working to number 5, working with each panel one by one.   Apparently you just can't slather your door in paint and expect it to look good.

(Source)

I had no idea! Isn't Mike great?

This is the paint he recommended...

Mike instructed me to use a dry brush to get the dust out of the grooves and wash the door with a large sponge--TWICE.

I did just as he said.  

Then I took the door off the hinges, laying it flat on a pair of horses(in the shade), and taped off the door hardware. Panel by panel, I painted with a brush.  Repeating to myself what Mike had said, "get the paint on  and then get out...don't mess with it too much."

When the door went back up on the hinges, I stood back, called the whole family out, smiled and---

it looked just like it did before I painted it.

I am NOT a quitter people!  Now it's personal...

I wasn't going to sleep until I got this right (seriously).  This time, I left the door on the hinges and used a roller brush on the panels, not the molding. I had an hour and a half before I had to pick my daughter up from school, so it was CRUNCH TIME!

 I followed the grid system just like the chart showed, but since I was in a rush--I used my blow dryer to quickly dry the paint after I painted each panel.

One by one, after I used the blow dryer the panels were drying shiny with no patchy spots.

Can you believe it? I don't know if it was the roller or the blow dryer and WHO CARES?!

Ding Ding... We Got A Winner!

I got a SHINY black front door!

This season, I am obsessed with boxwood's in pedestal pots...

To see what a little spray paint can do for your outside light fixtures and terra cotta-- click here

Don't forget the gold jewelry!

Hubby was nice enough to put these two pieces on for me.  It's always all about the details.

Installation took about 15 minutes...

What do you think?  Third time's  Fourth time's a charm!

Paint $15

Door Knocker $15

Door Bell $20

Do you have an obsession with a shiny black door or another color?
What does your front door say about you?
I would love to hear about it.

From my HOUSE to your HOUSE, HAPPY HUNTING!

linking to
Thrifty Decor Chick
Southern Hospitality
Shabby Nest
A Stroll Thru Life
Savvy Southern Style
Jennifer Rizzo

If you enjoy reading HOUSE by Holly, please click the "like" button at the top of the page for Facebook. Or visit http://www.facebook.com/HouseByHolly and hit "like".  I will be sharing extra tips and tricks on that Facebook page I created.  And as always, I love to hear from MY READERS!  Please leave me comments, post projects you have tried and feel free to ask me questions.

Let the Tag Sale Season BEGIN!!!

On your mark, get set, GO!

Every 1st Saturday of the month from May to October I take off very early in the morning.  It's the only time that I actually have to set an alarm to get up.  The early bird gets the worm!

Last year I discovered an app for my phone called Yardsaletreasuremap.com.  I thought I had died and gone to heaven!  The app actually pings and maps out  all the tag sales within 30 miles of your house (that are advertised on Craigslist). Did I mention IN ORDER?!!!! Genius!  Why couldn't I have came up with that?

I have found some amazing things from the years of doing this.  I completely outfited a ski chalet my husband and I bought.  We rented a house 9 years ago with 6 bedrooms.  No problem!   Did I mention the Waterford, Wedgewood and Ironstone pieces I found?!

I love finding treasures from tag sales and thrift stores!  You truly never know what you will find.  One day, I hope to open a store with all the things I find.  Revamping them and turning around to sell them AGAIN.  How cool would it be to take my little blog House by Holly and turn it into a retail shop?  Big DREAM!

So this first Saturday, I passed up on selling my own junk in the neighborhood tag sale and hit the bricks to find some SHINY USED TREASURES.

Here's the goodies I found people!

What did I do with them?  I'm so glad you asked...

The popcorn bowl was $1.  While it would be super cute to hold popcorn for one, I had another idea...  Turn it around and plop a faux boxwood ball on top.  

After all, it looks just like the beautiful white porcelain that is so popular right now.  I would even consider putting an herb in it.  It can be our little secret...

This garden cloche was a steal for $2.  I just couldn't believe my eyes!  It's HUGE.

This cloche holds its true purpose in my landscaping--to protect my plants from the cold with some SERIOUS character.   Are you drooling, yet?  I am...

I am so into lanterns right now, why not snatch this one up too and keep it for my very own?

For $10 this is a no-brainer for a coffee table or dining table outside.

This little china bowl is gorgeous!  Look at the detail on the gold and the deep navy blue... AND I only paid $2 for it.

It's a PERFECT MATCH for my china and is a great addition to use as a serving piece.  Let's see... sugar cubes, after dinner mints, cranberry sauce to name a few things I would put in it...

This 3 level serving piece was $5 and is great for appetizers or little desserts.   

mmm...do you want a cookie?

I love the details on the plates!

AND you can switch the plates out for another set to kick it up a notch..  I think I will use these for Christmas.

Not bad for $20 buckaroos! Woot! Woot! Can I get a witness??

Whether you call it Tag Sale, Garage Sale, Yard Sale, Estate Sale, or Church Rummage Sale-- I can't wait to see what I will find next time. Do you have any Shiny Used Treasures that you are excited about?  I'd love to see them.  Click here to post them on House by Holly's Facebook page.

Until then--
From my House to your House, Happy Hunting!

Holly

If you enjoy reading HOUSE by Holly, please click the "like" button at the top of the page for Facebook. Or visit http://www.facebook.com/HouseByHolly and hit "like".  I will be sharing extra tips and tricks on that Facebook page I created.  And as always, I love to hear from MY READERS!  Please leave me comments, post projects you have tried and feel free to ask me questions.

Linking to
Southern Hospitality
A Stroll Thru Life
Savy Southern Style
Shabby Nest

Jewelry Feature--A MUST read!

You guys are in for a special treat today! It's time to take a little break from HOME DIY and do a little thing I like to call STYLE DIY.  Buckle up--I'm letting all my little JEWELRY SECRETS out of the bag.


That's right...get ready to HUNT through your jewelry boxes ladies...

This feature is about DIY embellishments for YOU.  Just in time for summer...

Antique jewelry and costume jewelry are some of my favorites.  I HUNT these pieces out every time I go to tag sales (aka taggin', as I like to call it), thrift stores and my moms jewelry box.

TIPS & TRICKS

Necklaces

The look of chunky necklaces are IN.  Here's a way to make your own with 2 necklaces...

Here's how: Keep the the long chain clasped together and fold it in half. 

Flip the necklace clasps so that a hook is on one side and the hook from the other necklace is on the other side.  Take the long chain hook and clasp it to the chunky necklace "ring".   Take the hook from the chunky necklace and hook it to the long necklace where you folded it.  You can adjust the part where you fold the long necklace and where you attach it.  For example, you may want one strip of the necklace  to hang lower and the other to hang shorter.  You may have to play around with it a little bit...  The last step: use one of the clasps to close the necklace.  

Genius! One of my favorite TRICKS! 

 (Please excuse my boo boo, I just had surgery.)  

This little frog pin was a total score for $20 at a church rummage sale.  It reminds me of a Faberge pin and I had to have it.

A chunky chain with big holes allows you to thread the pin through a few of the holes.  So if you have a pin you love and you want to use it-- this is a way to do it!

Hang on little guy!  I'm making a statement with this necklace!

I love that this piece is so much fun and the best part is you can change it out for something different.

You could also add it to a purse, a coat, a belt...

the possibilities are endless!

This is a beautiful metal rose pin that my mom gave me.

Attached to a long string of pearls wrapped a few times--it is a show stopper with a t-shirt and jeans or a cute dress.

Here's a little trick with Grandma's pearls--you know the kind with 5 or 6 rows that are all attached on one clasp.

These are a great silver gray color.  Just twist the layers and fasten.  It gives the necklace that popular "disheveled" look, then add your favorite pin to the side.  I chose a diamond pin...It's first class all the way!

TRICK--You can always take a couple of the rows off the necklace if you think it has too many rows.  Or better yet, take a row off and trade it with another row on the same side to give it the "disheveled" look.

Yes, you can even transform a bracelet into a necklace.

You may have seen these antique diamond bracelets...with a little cross grain ribbon you can take it to another level.

Here's how:  tread the cross grain ribbon through the back of the bracelet, so that when you put the necklace on it hides the clasps where you would fasten it.

Pull the ribbon across the back out to go over your head and then tie the ribbon behind your neck.  Voila!

This is very similar to some of the pieces I have seen at JCrew. 

 It's a keeper!

This is an old earring of my Moms.  While I don't care for the earring itself, I do like the bottom half of the earring.  You can wear this with a necklace and no one will ever know it was an earring.  

Here's how: Bend the top part of the earring off and thread through a chain.  It's as easy as that!

Turned around on the back and strung through a small gold chain it's a simple statement piece.

That's WHAT I'm saying!

Shoe & Purse Embellishments

I purchased these "puffs" last year at Burlington Coat Factory for a few dollars....I like to add them to my sandals, flip flops and my purses...

These are great because they have pins AND clips attached to the back.  

Clipped onto clutches for an evening out...

Again so simple...just the "right" touch for an afternoon or evening out.

The puffs take these shoes to another level too...

Fabulous for an afternoon or evening!

These diamond clip earrings were my Grandmothers and I wore them on my wedding day... ON MY SHOES!  

Just a little nifty trick to kick it up a notch.

Here's another use for the metal rose pin my mom gave me...

It's perfect with a silver clutch!  I mean Lancome make-up bag turned clutch....that's another little secret...

These rose pins were popular back in the day and I have a handful.  If you find one, you could spray paint one with silver spray paint or any other color that you'd prefer. 

Even more adorable on this little clutch.

Spray Painting Jewelry

It wouldn't be a good post without a little SPRAY PAINT...

These earrings are neat, but this pink color is not for me...

  No problem!  I am the spray painting QUEEN!

You could go black, silver, gold, or any other pop of color that you like.  I chose my SUPER gold spray paint......

If you enjoy reading HOUSE by Holly, please click the "like" button at the top of the page for Facebook. Or visit http://www.facebook.com/HouseByHolly and hit "like".  I will be sharing extra tips and tricks on that Facebook page I created.  And as always, I love to hear from MY READERS!  Please leave me comments, post projects you have tried and feel free to ask me questions.

Now get to DIYing your jewelry boxes ladies!


From my House to your House, Happy Hunting!

A SPECIAL THANKS to my 5 year old daughter, Hannah, who helped me take a lot of the pictures for this feature.  Such a special reminder that sometimes you can't do everything yourself-- A lesson that I need to practice over and over again!

**Since this post the fabulous Tori Spelling has come out with a beautiful DIY line of jewelry.  The pieces are amazing and have inspired me to pull together some Styled by Tori Spelling knock off's.  Stay tuned for some super easy tricks to get the look for nothing--just using what you already have!

Linking to:
Thrifty Decor Chick
Southern Hospitality
Watch Out Martha
Shabby Nest
Jennifer Rizzo
Savvy Southern Style
Tatertots and Jello