HOLIDAY JOY SIGN and SIGN MAKING VIDEO

Had a great time at the Country Living Fair in Atlanta last week. One of the things I got to do was a LIVE video feed on how to make a vintage inspired sign. Can't believe it has over 86,000 views! You can follow this video for instructions on how to make your own sign. Or check our my step by step on DIY NETWORK for the JOY Sign you see here.  Either way -- just have fun! And show me your signs!   Joanne :)

LINK: https://www.facebook.com/CountryLiving/videos/

DIY NETWORK step by step Link: http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/make-and-decorate/decorating/how-to-make-a-hand-painted-vintage-sign

Make and Take Workshop at the Country Living Fair -- WHAT A BLAST!! :)  Paint: Repurpose ReColor by Cari Cucksey!

13 Halloween Must Makes...Having Some DIY Fun!

Seriously...who doesn't love Halloween?!?  It seems like it gets early and early that people start to see products for it. But me...I'm still a last minute seat-of-my pants gal. So, if you are like me, you are just scrambling to get your stuff out. So here are some fun, easy DIY's that I've made for myself and many I made for DIY NETWORK (link through for the Step by Steps). Pumpkin Topiaries, Creepy Signs for Your Walkway, Lanterns to Light it Up, Wreaths, Dream catcher, a fun party bar, and much more! Have a spooky and fun Halloween. Stay in Touch!  (See my social media links)  XOXO Joanne    

This easy Halloween Entrance Post is made from a vintage railing and some craft pieces. See it here on DIY NETWORK. http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/make-and-decorate/crafts/how-to-make-a-haunted-hotel-sign-for-halloween

Seriously creepy spider topiary -- so fun to make! See all the topiaries I made for DIY NEWORK here. http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/make-and-decorate/decorating/halloween-pumpkin-topiary-with-spiders

This Halloween Walkway Lantern is one of my very favorite I've done for DIY NETWORK. This was so easy -- some recycled picture frames, printed vintage bats, skulls and more, and some duck tape...you got it...duck tape.  See it here...http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/make-and-decorate/decorating/how-to-make-halloween-lanterns

A friend and I went out into the woods and got some vines, cut them down and wrapped them around a wooden floral form with wire. Then I sprayed it all black and hung some plastic spiders off of it...Seriously simple! Halloween wreaths...gotta love it!

This is truly an ancestor of mine. Not sure who it is...my Mom would know...Anyway...all I did was print it out with a vintage look (just changed the saturation of the color) and then squeezed in some moss and a spider than slide it all back together. This is at the entrance way so when the neighbors come by, they grab a cookie and a look at my genetic history!! :)

I call this my nightmare catcher. You can make them from an old bicycle tire rim, a vintage dollie painted black, some yarn and scraps of fabric. Hang them in the trees around the house, great for a Halloween party.

This Halloween Skull wall hanging took me less than 2 hours. I used a scrap of plywood we had lying around-- painted it black and then outlined a skull head in chalk, then using my drill, screwed in screws (only 1/2 way) and then wrapped the screws in orange yarn! Is there glow-in-the-dark yarn? Hmmmm...that would be cool too! 

I used an old restaurant cart for this project. A perfect bar cart for a Halloween party! See instructions here...http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/make-and-decorate/decorating/how-to-create-a-spooky-halloween-bar-pictures

This pumpkin topiary I made for DIY NETWORK does double duty-- great for the fall, Thanksgiving and Halloween. So pretty. http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/make-and-decorate/decorating/6-ways-to-make-a-pumpkin-topiary-pictures

Let's get this party started...with a faux pumpkin bonfire! This way you can bring it out year after year! http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/make-and-decorate/crafts/how-to-make-a-halloween-pumpkin-faux-bonfire

Craft time with the kids! This Halloween craft is so easy. Love making these! Recycled jars, paint the caps black. Spooky Terrariums!! Glue the stuff to the caps and inside the jar! See it on DIY NETWORK...http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/make-and-decorate/decorating/how-to-make-halloween-terrariums

Don't forget the flowers! These Halloween craft recycled bottles and jars are so fun to make. I just used yarns and a hot glue gun. If you are going to a party -- it makes a great gift and some awesome decorations.

Birds of a feather...stick together! Hope you enjoyed the blog post. This wreath is just one of dozens I've made for DIY NETWORK. This is an easy fall wreath. Recycled chicken wire, feathers and some faux birds! Want to make it creepier? Add some fake crows instead. Have fun and stay in touch! Joanne    http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/make-and-decorate/decorating/how-to-make-a-wreath-from-chicken-wire-and-feathers

I'd be pleased and honored if you wanted to PIN, FACEBOOK SHARE or LINK to this site for this post. Feel free to use this picture :)  Thanks! Joanne

The Making of a Giant Wall Mural -- Ice Cream Scoops, of Course!

I'm so excited that after years of dreaming about doing this design idea -- I actually got to do it in a recent project -- a giant wall mural. And even better, I got to do it with ice cream. 

So how it began. Tim Williams, the owner of Archie's (a burger restaurant that I also designed the space for) asked me if I was ready to design an ice cream shop next door. Of course I was ready! HELLO! I was born ready...

First, I collected antique ice cream scoops wherever I went. If I was at a fair, I picked some up...at a volleyball tournament and stopping by an antique shop, I got some. It was easy because, for my salvage, vintage design presentations and book signings, I was at a lot of these places shopping anyway. It was fun to have a particular item to search for.  

Once I had them all, I picked out anantique board from my large board/prop collection -- I use a lot of these for backdrops for photo shoots. Then I laid the scoops on the board and marked their exact positions with a pencil dot under them.

Tim made some sample batches of the HOMEMADE ice cream to be used in the photo shoot. He wanted to make sure it was his ice cream we used and not just the flavors he was selling.

Then Susan Teare, my dear friend and photographer, came down to my house and we did some math -- or to say -- LIndsay Raymondjack (who photo-shopped the picture) and Kevin McGrath at Offset House (who was printing it) -- did the math. You see -- we could not take it as ONE giant picture--because where were blowing this up to 20 feet by 5 feet -- so the photo would have been too pixiilated (spelling?) and the picture was being put up as panels. So once the size and DPI was determined correctly, we went to work on measuring the board and putting everything into position.

AND -- the ice cream would have melted by the time we scooped the last few. 

So with a board that was taped off in sections -- we took photos of 3-4 scoops at a time. We had to make sure we slide the board down the floor on the EXACT same line.

Once the 4 pictures where done --Lindsay worked her magic (took out some board holes and splits, and fixed any small stray pieces of ice cream, etc... then got the images to Kevin at Offset and he then made sure they all lined up (with a small overlap on each picture to line them up. 

Then they where hung -- very carefully.

IPHONE PIC...Soon better ones to come of the whole shop :)

VOILA! By far the biggest hit in the shop (after the ice cream of course).

HAVE FUN MAKING YOUR OWN WALL MURAL--Thanks to OFFSET HOUSE, VERMONT, SUSAN TEARE and LINDSAY RAYMONDJACK and Tim Williams, THE SCOOP, SHELBURNE, VERMONT.

My best, Joanne

BEST FRIENDS AND FAMILY DEAL EVER!

So thrilled that W.W. Norton, the publisher of my books, has offered a special SUMMER SPLASH deal! You can get the books for 50% off! That's right 50% off (you get the wholesale price). AND EVEN BETTER, you get free shipping.  If you buy the book set, then you get 60% off (because the set is already 10% off) -- HOW AMAZING IS THAT. I don't know how long this little FRIENDS AND FAMILY DEAL will go on -- but I can't think it will last more than a week or two. SO DON'T MISS OUT!!  Go to their website -- wwnorton.com --- pull up my book (or books) and TYPE IN THE CODE: JOANNEP at the CHECKOUT in SPECIAL PROMO BOX.  (THAT'S RIGHT...I HAVE MY OWN CODE).

THANKS W.W. NORTON, You Guys are the BEST!!

Ciao, Joanne

REFRESHING BEDROOMS...Small Changes...Big Results

As the somewhat-still-new decorator/designer for Basin Harbor Club, I love the opportunity to make some refreshing changes while keeping the charm of this 130 year old family-owned resort on the shores of Lake Champlain. Slowly and carefully, we are going through all the cottages, lodge rooms and public spaces and making changes that will reflect what Basin Harbor Club is, while ensuring we enhance today's guest's experiences. This winter (when the resort is closed) we got to work on a few of the lodge rooms, cottages and the town hall. Hope you enjoy these pictures of the simple transformations of a couple of the bedrooms -- one in the lodge and one in a cottage. Visit Basin Harbor Club (www.basinharbor.com). It is truly an amazingly unique and special place!

This guest lodge room is very cute -- and has all the guests need. Cottage style room overlooking the lake -- but with a few minor changes, it was transformed. 

Same side tables, same bed, same chair, just a few small changes. The wainscoting was added -- which serves as a headboard -- the wallpaper was removed on a new one was put on the bed wall only. The carpet was updated as well as the bed skirt and and the nautical vintage-style lamps really give the room a nice goal. On the opposite walls (painted a calm blue) are old frames found throughout the resort's multiple attics. Photo by Susan Teare.

This is the not the actual before picture (since I forgot to take one) but very similar. Again, such a nice bedroom in one of the cottages -- that is perched on the edge of the lake -- but with some small changes -- big results happened in the Birches cottage.

The side tables were just painted--lovingly referred to as Basin Blue -- the vintage life throws I found at a vintage market -- the lamps are a great nautical look and the Vermont vintage-style map is a great interactive piece for the guests. The platform bed was made by a local Vermont company. Wallpaper removed and a calming tan color brightens the room. Photo by Susan Teare.

Hope you enjoyed the simple transformations...keeping what is so special about Basin Harbor...special!  I'll see you there!

My best, Joanne