Everybody loves a good repurpose project and I took on a repurpose challenge in the latest issue of VintageKC magazine. Every issue, a handful of creative bloggers and artists are tasked with creating a craft around a theme. The theme for this issue was to transform an old dresser drawer. I wanted to turn my dresser drawer into more than just something pretty. I wanted it to be something I would actually use. When I saw the wine bottles on my bar cart, inspiration hit. A wine rack is both functional and decorative. Win-win! If you want more details on how to make your own wine rack from an old dresser drawer, check out my tutorial. There are a bunch of other creative dresser drawer projects featured in the magazine, so be sure to check those out. You can see them all in the digital edition of the magazine. Related articles: Published in VintageKC Magazine: Spring 2016 Published in VintageKC Magazine: Winter 2015 Published in VintageKC Magazine: Fall 2015...
Published in VintageKC Magazine: Fall 2015
The tribal trend is everywhere this season and I showcased my take on this trend in the latest issue of VintageKC magazine. Every issue, a handful of creative bloggers and artists are tasked with creating a craft around a theme. The theme for this issue was tribal. Tribal may be on trend, but I’m much more of a neutral person. I tend to choose patterns for my home with great care—and sparingly. So, I wanted a small-scale project, where I could make something that I’d actually want to use in my home. I choose to paint plain feathers in simple tribal patterns. This project turned out to be just enough tribal for me. The painted feathers display bold patterns, but on a small scale. I can easily stick them in vases or add them to vignettes without the look going over-the-top tribal. If you want more details on how to make your own painted feathers, like the ones featured in the magazine, check out my painted feathers tutorial. There are a bunch of other creative tribal projects featured in the magazine, so be sure to check those out. You can see them all online or check out the digital edition of the...
Published in VintageKC Magazine: Winter 2014
I’m posting this a little late, but here are my latest contributions to VintageKC magazine. I love writing for this magazine. Every issue is packed with vintage fun for today’s home decorator. It’s fresh and full of inspiring home, fashion and DIY project ideas. For the Winter 2014 issue, I was lucky enough to participate twice. Check it out! For this issue, I got to take part in the DIY craft project that’s in every issue. This issue’s challenge was to create a snowflake out of unexpected items. I made a snowflake ornament out of wine corks! I love how the ornament turned out. The naturally varying colors of the corks look lovely. Plus, it’s easy to make! I also wrote a piece for the Vintage Recipes section. I interviewed my friend’s grandma who told me her story of learning to bake as a little girl. It turned out really fun. Plus, you can get her recipe for the perfect pie crust! Check out the full magazine in the digital edition. You’ll find my pieces on page 38 and page 44. Related articles: Published in VintageKC Magazine: Fall 2014 Published in VintageKC Magazine! Vintage Love: A Barnyard Wedding...
Published in VintageKC Magazine: Fall 2014
Although I don’t usually talk about it here on Red Leaf Style, I’m a writer, not just a blogger. I write professionally to earn a living and because I love it. For fun, I’ve been freelancing for VintageKC magazine, a local Kansas City magazine dedicated to decorating, DIY projects and fashion, all with a vintage focus. The magazine completely fits my style. It’s vintage for the modern girl (or guy). From glamping to the best paint to distress furniture, the magazine has a lot of great ideas for today’s vintage lover. I’m writing a regular column called Vintage Memories. Basically, every issue I interview someone interesting and build a story around a vintage photograph we dig up. It’s really fun. And I love how this issue’s column turned out. There’s Miracle Whip sandwiches and 50s dinner parties and a lot of other interesting tidbits from a lady who has lived in her childhood home for more than 60 years. Since I talk alot about vintage here on Red Leaf Style, I wanted to invite you to check out this issue’s column. You can find it in the digital edition on page 46. Related articles: Published in VintageKC Magazine! Vintage...
Weekend Finds: Friday Night Rummage Sale
This weekend I went to Kansas City’s First Friday event, an art walk held once a month in the Crossroads Arts District. In between checking out the art galleries, I came across a rummage sale. What luck! There’s nothing I like more than rummaging. Besides maybe the word “rummaging.” Rummaging. Rummaging. It’s an excellent word, no? Anyway, the rummage sale was held at Broadway & Penn, a local vintage-inspired clothing and home décor store. It was like an upscale garage sale. And of course I found a few goodies. Here’s what I found: Metal two-tiered basket: $10 Yellow plastic compost bin: $2 This metal basket is exactly what I’ve been looking for to hold fruit. We eat a lot of fruit. And I’m always moving bowls of fruit out of the way in our tiny kitchen. Now all of my fruit can live in one place! It’s so funny sometimes how you can find exactly what you need at secondhand sales. For weeks now I’ve been thinking about how I needed some sort of bin with a lid to keep my compost in. But I’m too cheap to buy a new compost bin. When I came across this yellow...
Decorating With Botanical Prints (Plus Free Printables!)
Maybe it’s the spring season, but I’ve been noticeably obsessed with botanical and nature art prints lately. I think my nature art kick actually started about a year ago. I was on vacation in Stockholm, Sweden. While shopping at a local outdoor store called Natur Kompaniet, I bought two small scientific posters of mushrooms and flowers. The posters are actually meant to help you identify poisonous and safe varieties. But when I spotted them, I knew I’d use them for decorating. (They wouldn’t do me much good anyway since I can’t read Swedish.) The combination of the vintage science poster look and the Swedish language makes them even more endearing to me. I’m obsessed! If you like the look of botanical prints, they’ll make a great addition to the art on your walls. Here are a few easy ways to score some of your own. 1. Scope out thrift stores It may take longer to find exactly what you’re looking for, but castoff art at secondhand stores and thrift shops is an inexpensive way to find botanical prints. Just look for a print you like. You can change the frames and matting later. 2. Search on Etsy A simple search...
Weekend Finds: Junk-to-Treasure Estate Sale
I hadn’t planned on checking out any estate sales this weekend, but I drove by an estate sale sign on Saturday so, of course, I had to stop. I’m sure the sale was great when it started on Thursday, but as of Saturday it was slim pickings. Don’t get me wrong. Usually I like junk. But, I like what I call, “good junk.” These are items that have the potential to be awesome but you can’t see it right away. Maybe because the item is covered in dirt or a bad paint job. Think chairs with a good structure but chipped paint or a picture frame without the glass. That’s “good junk.” What was left at this sale was just junk. (Or, really expensive items.) I thought I was going to leave empty-handed until I dug through a pile of fabric and pulled out a few sweet swatches. I love how they all go together. And, I also grabbed a small glass jar. Here’s what I found: Five fabric remnants: $3.75 Glass apothecary jar with lid: $1 The estate sale was held by one of my favorite estate sale companies in the Kansas City area, Brown Button Estate Sales....