Color Crush: Bold Cobalt
DIY: Gold Leaf Tortoise Shell
This week's DIY is up there as a favorite of mine — I've never attempted gold leafing before, but it was incredibly easy and only took an hour or so!
I've had my eye on the Nate Berkus for Target tortoise shell sculpture ever since it came out, but I hesitated to buy it. The colors weren't quite what I wanted, and the $40 price point seemed a bit steep for the quality. I kept my eye on it, and when it was still in stock months later, and on sale for $25, I bought this ochre colored one and knew I'd find a way to make it work.
Initially I thought about spray painting it, but happened to find instructions on how to use gold leaf, and knew it would give a more dimensional look and make the shell pop against our navy bedroom walls.
Metal leaf is available in many different types and colors, and you can find it sold in kits at any local art/craft store, like Michael's or Pat Catan's. It works on most porous or non-porous surfaces, so you can apply it to almost anything, and really bling-out your house!
Now for the how-to!
YOU'LL NEED:
Object of your choice / tortoise shell
Gold leaf kit (with leaf sheets, adhesive, and sealer)
Paintbrush
A soft cloth
DIRECTIONS:
1) Before shot - not bad, but not great either.
2) Using your paintbrush, spread the adhesive evenly over the surface. According to the package instructions, the adhesive needed to air dry for 30-40 minutes to become tacky enough for the leaf to stick.
3) Begin applying the gold leaf, one sheet at a time. The sheets come in small squares, and are very delicate. They might even break apart a bit before you place them on the shell — it's okay, keep the little pieces nearby for when you need to fill in small gaps.
Press the leaf gently onto the surface with your fingers, then smooth the leaf out carefully with a soft cloth. Work in sections, filling in the gaps with your scrap pieces as you go. The tricky part about the surface of the shell are all of the grooved lines — the full sheets won't reach down into the cracks, so you can fill those areas with leftover pieces after you finish the main body.
4) Using the cloth, smooth out the leaf, pressing carefully and moving in circles. The leaf won't look totally seamless, which is okay, it's what gives the finish more dimension! Once you've inspected the shell to make sure the gaps and sides are covered, you'll spread the sealer over the entire thing. The sealant keeps the gold leaf from coming into contact with the air, which prevents the gold from tarnishing.
Let the shell dry overnight before hanging or placing back among your decor.
And that's it! The whole project cost only about $35, and easily looks twice the price. I haven't been able to find anything with this impact anywhere else, and in such an accessible price range. Well worth the effort! Would you guys ever try gold leafing?
Back for Summer: Lake Erie Love Tanks
Gold Rush
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I have always been hooked on gold — I think it's the Leo in me. My prom dress was gold (ha!), my jewelry has (almost) always been gold, and there are accents of it all over my house. Accessorizing your closet with gold is easy — decorating with it poses a bit more of a challenge.
Gold in decor can be intimidating, as brass accents in the wrong places can say '80s mod, but in the right touches it can add a bit of unapologetic glam. A tip to pulling off the look is to keep silhouettes simple and modern — too much embellishment and detail can make gold come across as fussy and antiquated.
Pairing with white and neutrals keeps the look polished, and conversely, pairing with bright colors can create a global feel. Gold can also add a geological touch to rustic decor — this faceted table lamp would look great on a natural wood dresser. It can also glam up an everyday item — placing these gold playing cards out on your coffee table would entice anyone into a game of poker.
Have you embraced gold as a trend, and do you think it's here to stay?
Recipe: Cucumber Dill Salad
In the spirit of all things summer, I wanted to share one of my favorite refreshing recipes. This is a perfect side dish for grilling – the dill pairs especially well with a good salmon burger or barbecue chicken. I am also obsessed with dill pickles, so this salad is an easy favorite (although it doesn't taste exactly like a pickle – it's better)!
INGREDIENTS:
1 English cucumber, cut in half lengthwise and sliced 1/4" or thinner
1/4 cup Greek yogurt (the original recipe calls for sour cream, but either tastes the same)
1/2 a lemon
3 Tbsp fresh dill, torn
Salt and pepper
DIRECTIONS:
1) Cut and slice your cucumber, and place slices in a colander. You're going to sweat the moisture out of the cucumbers before you put the salad together. Sprinkle kosher salt over the dukes (be generous) and let the colander sit where it can drain (in the sink, for example) for 30-40 minutes. Give them a good shake about halfway through to redistribute the salt.
2) Rinse the salt off the cukes, remove from colander and lay out on paper towels. Pat them dry, then transfer to a large bowl.
3) Add in the yogurt (start with a small amount, depending on how creamy you want it) and the dill. Stir to combine. Juice the lemon half into a separate bowl, remove the seeds, then add the juice a little at a time to the salad. Depending on how much moisture your cucumbers contain, you don't want to add too much lemon juice and have the salad get watery. Season with salt and pepper, and you're good to go! Keep refrigerated until serving.
I typically don't make this too far in advance to prevent the yogurt and lemon mixture from breaking down, but it can sit nicely in the fridge for an hour or so, allowing the flavors to meld.
Aren't summer salads the best? I'd love to hear some of your favorites!
DIY: Gold Art Deco Mirror
I've been hoping to share this DIY post for a while, but have been holding off because I haven't had the slightest clue what happened to my process photos. Those are, you know, usually helpful so you'd at least have a clue how we made this mirror! But alas, I've searched all of my devices and come up with nothing. So I'm sharing the final results with some instructions, and since you are all just so talented, I know you can figure it out!
This is a great way to give a plain, old, or cheap mirror a new life. This mirror has somehow been dragged from place to place each time we moved, despite us never liking it/having a place for it. When I put together my vanity table, I thought it would be the perfect fit, but just needed a little glam-ifying :) It's perfect to share this week, too, since The Great Gatsby premieres tomorrow, and we'll all be having a love affair with Art Deco after that!
YOU'LL NEED:
A wood mirror
Fine grit sandpaper (300+)
Gold spray paint (or any color you choose)
Clear gloss spray lacquer
Blue painter's tape
Newspaper
Pencil and ruler
DIRECTIONS:
1) Gently run the sandpaper over the entire frame of the mirror, going with the grain of the wood. You're not trying to sand away imperfections, you just want to give a light buff to make it easier for the paint to stick. Wipe the dust off with a soft, dry cloth.
2) Put newspaper over the mirror area inside the frame, trying your best to tuck the newspaper under the wood frame to prevent any overspray from getting on the mirror. You don't need to tape it in place at this point.
3) Begin your measurements – start by measuring the dimensions of the entire mirror. Divide each length by two – this gives you your center points. Mark your center points on all four sides lightly with a pencil. You will do all of your measuring starting with those points and working your way out to the edges. Then, you'll want to do some simple math to determine where your stripes will be placed. Depending on how wide you want them to be (mine were about 1.5"), you can divide that into the space you have in each half (from center point to edge) to see how many stripes you can fit in. Then, you'll make pencil marks where your tape will go. It's tough to tape off diagonal lines, so I diagrammed it a bit below so you can get the idea:
4) Now, you'll tape off the areas where you want the wood to show through. Run the strips of tape around the inside lip of the frame and onto the newspaper (covering the mirror) to make a continuous line. Then, make sure your tape is sealed tightly to the surface of the wood by running your fingernail along the edge (key tip)! I left the areas around the center points untaped, to create a triangle shape. I think it adds that Art Deco touch, and makes the stripes look like they're radiating from those points.
5) Now, spray! You'll do two coats of gold, waiting a few hours between coats (or whatever is listed on the can). Let the gold paint dry overnight, then peel the tape off. Use a sharp x-acto blade to gently scrape any paint areas that might have snuck under the tape.You should hopefully be happy with the results, at this point, but it gets better!
6) Use the clear gloss lacquer over the entire frame (you'll need to re-set some newspaper back over the mirror), following the directions on the can. This not only sets the gold paint nicely, but gives the mirror a sealed, factory-like finish.
Let it dry, then hang and enjoy! I'm really happy we were able to give this mirror a second chance, because it was headed for the donation pile. The clear lacquer even makes the wood look richer than before, so it's a major improvement. I'm definitely happy to see it every morning when I get ready.
I think this would also be cool to do to a picture frame. That's why I love spray paint — you can use use it to transform just about anything. What have you guys been making over this spring? And who's going to see Gatsby?
the style letters' Re-Launch Party
You can see even more photos of the details and outfits over on the style letters. Congratulations, Maria, on being a super great client, having a brand new blog, and on a successful debut party!
The store we visited was located at Beachwood Place, so if you're local, be sure to stop in and say hello to Jen, Liz, and Bethany!
Blog Design: The Style Letters
I dove into the blog template to extend the columns for larger, more impactful photos, and to add in a specialty typeface (Josephin Slab) to make her words shine. For her branding typography, we went with two beautiful classics: Bodoni Bold, and Futura Light.
The entire blog was rebuilt over a fun (and delicious) working session at my house, with more candy than any person should ever consume, a mac and cheese pizza, and some spicy grapefruit margaritas.
The project came together without a hitch (so far!) and I'm so proud to have played a part in Maria's brand new look. You can read more about the process, photographers, and upcoming features on the style letters right here.
We'll be celebrating the launch with a Madewell shopping party at Beachwood Place this Sunday, from 3–6pm. Anyone is welcome to stop by and say hello! Perhaps I'll see you there, and if not, I'll be sharing plenty of photos here, and on Instagram. Cheers to fresh starts!
If you have a blog project of you're own you'd like to discuss, you can email me at novak.rachael@gmail.com.
Beer Sweet Beer
There are few things in this world I love more than beer. Close to the top are actually the things that make great partners with beer — namely pizza, burgers, anything salty, and summer. I'm craving summer so badly, it feels like torture.
For now, all I can do is stare at this print and dream. I recently got a tip from a pal that spotted it over on the Food Network blog for a St. Patrick's Day round-up — super exciting! If you're feeling like a lush, you can head over here to get yourself one, to further tempt you into warmer days.
What's your favorite summer beer? Do you see it in the print?
Meet Cooper
Needless to say I've been really preoccupied, even before his arrival, and I am totally behind on Daily Doodles and updates. Hopefully I'll be able to catch up today on my day off, with a napping pup by my side!