hohoho

The tree is trimmed. The Yule log is burning. The twinkle lights are twinkling. The presents are wrapped and under the tree. The fridge will soon be stuffed with delights…just like the turkey. And I’m humming along to holiday favorites. Friends and family will soon be gathering.


rouge is ready. Now all that's left is to wait for Santa.


‘Tis the season for many wonderful things…including a good holiday break. So, you won’t find just a little rouge for the next two weeks. Fret not, I’ll be back after the festivities are over.

In the meantime…enjoy and be merry.


Happy hohoho!


xx rouge






For more about rouge, visit www.littlered.ca or check out past blogs at www.justalittlerouge/blogspot.com

sparkle and light

Last year, I went glam for the holidays (see last year’s blog). This year, it’s really all about using the same collection of decorations, which admittingly is getting large, in new combinations.

A more traditional feel in the living room where the real tree -- with white lights and white ornaments mixed in with sparkly silvery ornaments -- smells divine! (The white and sparkly ornaments were previously hung from a dowl over the threshold between the living room and kitchen.)

The tree is pulled together with a white and silvery tree skirt – rimmed with light grey fluffy faux fur! So awesome.

A silver star hung on the back of the door, silver bells on the door handles and a big wooden bowl filled with fresh pine cones rounds out the decorations in the living room. (The silver star was used as a tree topper last year.)

Much more colorful décor is in the kitchen/dining area. To fit with the existing décor, there are glass bowls filled with red and turquoise ornaments which serve as a centre piece on the dining table.

White candles top off the table setting offering a comfy and warm holiday glow. (The turquoise ornaments were my pop of color on the tree two years ago. The red ornaments are from at least 4 years ago...maybe more.)

Silver tissue paper flowers, with silver balls in the centers, line the staircase railing which leads to the second floor. (I made them last year for the holidays.)

This year, I added sparkly turquoise birds with feathers to help tie the flowers in with the overall color scheme. (These were part of the tree decorations two years ago.)

The new mud room features my vintage glam white feather tree with black ornaments. A silky white and black tree skirt hides the not-so-nice metal stand. (All new last year, when this was my only tree.)

The tree looks great with the bold black and white floor and the large metal sliding doors provide an excellent backdrop. To finish it off perfectly, a sparkly pink feather peacock sits near the top of the tree. (New this year...$1.25 at the Dollar Store.)

And outside? Well…that’s bit more traditional with lots of fresh spruce boughs in existing pots, a bit of a lime green ribbon, pine cones and little white lights.


This week’s decor lesson is finding creative ways to use what you already have. I’m often surprised at how easy it is to make existing decorations look like new by using them in different ways.


I hope you’re enjoying your festive spaces as much as I am! And don’t be afraid to get creative with what you already have.



For more about rouge, visit www.littlered.ca or check out past blogs at www.justalittlerouge/blogspot.com

wrap it up

I LOVE wrapping Christmas gifts. Love it.

For me, the presentation of the gift is just as important as the gift itself. Maybe because I take special care in it, or maybe it’s because I try to put lots of thought into it. Maybe it’s simply because I love wrapping!

This year’s color scheme is red and green, but it’s not traditional as you might think…it’s more fresh and modern and fun.

I found this great red paper with polka-dots, and a fresh shade of green ribbon. As I was looking through my stash of other papers, I realized that I already had a solid green paper that was a perfect match to the ribbon. So I added that tone-on-tone look into the mix.

I like to add a little something different or unexpected to my holiday gift wrapping…this year it was wooden ‘noel’s (that I think were meant to be painted and used as tree ornaments). I actually picked these up after Christmas last year at the Dollar store and had them safely tucked away. Yup…5 per $1 bag! What a find.

For my homemade gifts, I used plain, clear cellophane bags, the same green ribbon and pine cones I picked up last month along my favorite walk in the woods. They still smell divine!

For gift tags, I’m using the left-over papers from last week’s blog project. Simply cut to size, punch a hole in the corner to tie to the gift, and write your message on the back.

I’ll have to tell you about my homemade gift ideas later…many of my friends and family are avid readers of just a little rouge and I don’t want to ruin the surprise!

Until then, I’m imagining lots of these presents tucked under my tree, waiting for the recipients to enjoy. I’ll enjoy wrapping everything, I’ll enjoy seeing them under my tree, but mostly, I’ll enjoy giving a little something to the wonderful people in my life.

For other gift wrapping ideas, check out this style at home story: www.styleathome.com/how-to/simple-projects/5-fun-and-easy-christmas-gift-wrapping-ideas/a/38152

Happy wrapping.

 

For more about rouge, visit www.littlered.ca or check out past blogs at www.justalittlerouge/blogspot.com

DIY christmas decoration

Ok…well it’s not quite December, so I’m breaking my own “don’t think about Christmas until December 1st” rule.

I tried an easy, low cost decoration idea yesterday. I saw it in the latest Style at Home magazine (www.styleathome.com) first. Then, I saw it again after that. Then, it seemed that everywhere I look, I see these adorable little trees everywhere!

Here’s the project description how to:

• Gather a selection of patterned wallpapers in similar tones.
• Draw a circle in pencil on the back of a piece of wallpaper (the size of the circle will determine how tall the cone will be) and cut it out using scissors.
• Mark the mid-point and cut a seam to the mark.
• Bring the two edges of the seam together and continue to roll the paper to create a cone shape.
• Secure the outside edge to the cone with double-sided tape.
• Repeat with remaining papers.

Tips:

• I didn’t have wallpaper samples, so I picked up a few individual pieces of paper from the scrapbook section at Michaels (www.michaels.com). Be sure not to buy anything too thick, as it is difficult to roll without tearing.

• I used different sized pot lids and bowls to trace the circles on the back of my papers.

• I didn’t have any double-sided tape on hand…the glue stick works just fine!

The end result is a fun, low cost and easy DIY holiday decoration.

Cone-shaped trees of various heights can be highly impactful when displayed en masse. Imagine them as a centre peice for a table setting, placed on a shelf, or on a side table or coffee table. Anywhere that you have a bit of space to display them in bunches!


Here are just a few of the ones I didI choose some bright colors that fit with my decor, and some in the more traditional red and green but with patterns, textures and sparkles (of course!).

I rolled some of them the opposite way and you can see the layers, but I liked the effect, so I left some that way.

Can’t wait to put them out with my other decorations (but I will because after all, it’s NOT Christmas yet!!).

Enjoy!

For more about rouge, visit www.littlered.ca or check out past blogs at www.justalittlerouge/blogspot.com

bedroom makeover...the reveal

As per last week’s blog…this week’s project was to make over a bedroom…mine!

My goal was to give the room a significant makeover in terms of the look & feel, while using all the same accessories, sticking to a tight budget.


The new color scheme is a grey-ish lavender-ish (amorous AF-600, Benjamin Moore) and a beautiful grey-ish black (wrought iron 2124-10, Benjamin Moore). The wrought iron was painted over the existing paintable wallpaper and has become more of a feature wall than it was before, because it’s a different color than the rest of the room.


I am always amazed what a can of paint can do!

Next, I took another look at the other accessories in the room and culled through them. A chair (that only served as a place to throw clothes), and giant green palm leaves were taken out of the room.

To make my existing accessories work, I also did a few simple DIY projects to pull the look together.

Headboard – I already had two black velvet curtains in the house that I don’t use anymore, so I used one to do a quick and simple reupholster of the headboard. Layout the fabric right over the existing fabric, use staple gun to secure the fabric to the back of the headboard, pulling it nice and tight all the way around so there are no wrinkles, and you are done! A whole new look – plush, chic, and highlights the feature wall behind the bed. At the same time, it’s a nice backdrop to the all white bedding.

Nightstand – one of my existing nightstands was light blue…a perfect match to the old wall color. A couple of quick coats of white paint, and now it fits the new color scheme. And it matches the nightstand on the other side of the bed, too. I love the black and white look of the nightstands and the bedding against the black wall, headboard and lampshades.

Artwork – my existing artwork no longer looked right in the room on the freshly painted wall. So, I took and old canvas and covered it in wrapping paper that I found in a really cool pattern and color. Popped it back into the frame, and it looks like vintage wallpaper! This serves as a big hit of color to the room…and is perfect, because when I get tired of it or feel like updating it to a different color, it will be a cinch to do!

Closet door/ curtain – the grey damask curtain with grommets covering the closet no longer looked right in the new color scheme. I had a set of sheer white tabbed curtains that I wasn’t using any longer (see…ALWAYS hang on to that stuff…you will find interesting uses for them at some point!). When hung by the tabs, you could still see into the top of the closet (ugh) and that looked messy. So, I flipped the curtain upside down, put the rod through the bottom hem and hung them like that. Because the length was perfect, I just carefully snipped off the tabs, and now the look is clean and crisp. Just like that material was made to cover the doorway perfectly.

Budget breakdown was:

• Paint and supplies -- $101 (Benjamin Moore’s Aura paints)

• Wall art (wrapping paper) -- $3.99 (I have tons left over to wrap presents!)
• Splurge (round, gathered black silk pillow) -- $12.99

Grand total was $117.98. Just under $120 bucks…how can you beat that!?!

I was going for chic, mixed with a bit of personality, and maybe even a little sexy thrown in and I think I achieved that goal.

I’m very happy with my refreshed room….hmmm…maybe I should just have a small nap now…

 

For more about rouge, visit www.littlered.ca or check out past blogs at www.justalittlerouge/blogspot.com

bedroom makeover

Well…I’m feeling quite uninspired this week, I’m afraid. I even cruised around Home Sense yesterday, and still, nothing. (Now that’s hard to do!)

Since I refuse to talk about all the wonderful holiday décor ideas until closer to Christmas, I’m keeping those ideas at bay for now. But I promise to start sharing them soon...
So, this week’s project will be a bedroom makeover – mine!

I’ve enjoyed the blue color scheme I used to decorate it when I first bought the house. It's crisp, fresh and fun. It's evolved some over  the last 4 years -- adding some greys, a dash of purple and some black -- as I think all good design should,  but I've decided that it’s time for a bigger change.

I’m on a tight budget, so I thought it would be a good one to blog about. My goal is to give the room a significant makeover in terms of the look & feel, while using all the same accessories.

That's a good challenge, but not an impossible one.

Playing with paint will be the answer. New color scheme is a grey-ish lavender-ish (amorous AF-600, Benjamin Moore) and a beautiful grey-ish black (wrought iron 2124-10, Benjamin Moore).

Amorous is described as "Intense without being overpowering, this soft shade of purple with red undertones imparts a sense of grandeur and opulence to any room".

I’m going for something more chic, mixed with a bit of personality and maybe even a little sexy thrown in.

This is a virtual bedroom from the Benjamin Moore website (http://www.benjaminmoore.com/) that allows you to virtually paint a room. Very helpful in getting a good idea of how the colors will come together.

You’ll be amazed what a couple cans of paint can do….check back next week to see the end result!



For more about rouge, visit www.littlered.ca or check out past blogs at www.justalittlerouge/blogspot.com

upcycled mirror

I found this wonderfully large mirror about two years ago…and it’s been on the “project list” in the basement ever since. When I say found, I really mean that I saw it on the sidewalk one day, out with someone’s trash. I know, I know…it’s not the first time this has happened.

And really, it doesn’t happen that often.

Anyway, I could see the potential. The frame was in great shape, albeit it has seen better days, but still solid wood with a simple style. The mirror was even in tact! The only piece a bit worse for was that the pressboard backing was a bit warped.

In the spirit of upcycling, I took it home. Finally, I found a use for it...the perfect fit for a friend’s cottage. So, the last time I visited the cottage, I packed up my stuff for the visit, and jammed in all the things I would need to do this project at the cottage in the car…

Here are the steps to this makeover project:

1. thorough clean with a damp cloth, wipe dry

2. place on a large drop cloth, in a well ventilated area (outside is best)

3. paint with awesome blue paint left over from another project. (Note: normally, I would recommend priming it first, then painting, but I forgot the can of primer and was too lazy to drive to the nearest town to buy some.)

4. Let dry. Paint second coat of blue paint and let dry.

5. Paint third coat of paint (argh. That’s what happens when you don’t use primer!) and let dry.

6. Flip over frame, place clean mirror into the frame.

7. Add the newly flattened backing into the frame. (I just put this under some heavy stuff for about a week or so to help straighten it out again. It wasn’t perfect, but when it was secured to the frame, you’d never know it.)

8. Secure the backing into the frame with small finishing nails around the entire outside edge.

9. Volia – you are done!

In the spirit of upcycling, I gave this old mirror a new life. I left it for the new owners to hang it on the wall...in case they decided to put it somewhere else.

I like it here because it reflects the light into a dark-ish area of the cottage (and is perfect if you really want to check out your cottage hair!) I think it fits perfectly in the cottage eclectic décor.

This 2 day project was done on a budget that breaks out like this:

 “vintage” mirror (random sidewalk) – $0

 paint – left over from past painting projects - $0

 finishing nails (Home Hardware) - $0.09

Now, that’s hard to beat!

For more about rouge, visit www.littlered.ca or check out past blogs at www.justalittlerouge/blogspot.com

bright whites

While I was wandering around Chapters (www.chapters.indigo.ca) last week, I noticed some fabulous new accessories that I wanted to tell you about.

Think white. Bright white. At first blush, you might think these accessories seem a bit bland. Boring, even.

But imagine solid white items in a sea of color. They stand out. They can be bold. They can be chic. They can offer a clean, crisp, fresh vibe to a room.

They can also add a touch of fun, silliness and whimsy.

And they go with EVERYTHING because, well, they are white. They can stand the test of time and find a place in your décor for a long, long time.

As much as I love black, I have an almost equal love affair with adding touches of white to every décor.

But remember, as with just about everything, moderation is key!

So, think white next time you are looking to freshen up your space…

In the meantime…Happy Halloween. Hope yours is spooky and safe!

 

For more about rouge, visit www.littlered.ca or check out past blogs at www.justalittlerouge/blogspot.com

monkey around

So, I don’t usually write much about kid’s stuff, but this is just too adorable to pass up.

The Monkey Show is a great little Halifax-based company (located at 1569 Dresden Row) where…you guessed it….you can make your own sock monkeys!

These guys are awesome…you can get your own sock monkey kit for $15 and have tons of choices to make sure your creation is totally unique. They also have Make your own Sock Bunny kits, and Make your own sock Monster kits.

They do birthday parties and other groups as well. What a fun way to celebrate a baby shower!

Whether you go as a group, pick up a kit to make your own great gift, or even to give a kit to someone else and let them make it, this is a fun and lovely gift to give.

Not to mention, anything that can be custom made can also be stylish! Put some extra thought into it when you chose colors and accessories…and a sock monkey that matches the décor, or is used as a jumping off point for a room, is bound to stick around for a long time!

Check them out at www.themonkeyshow.ca, at their Dresden Row location, or visit them at the Halifax Seaport Farmers Market on the weekends.

Now, who doesn’t like a sock monkey?!?

Even my kitty, Jimmy, has a sock monkey (aptly named monkey) that was given to him just after he came to live with me…and he loves it. He carries it from room to room, so I find it in lots of surprising places all around the house...and it makes me smile each and every time!

For more about rouge, visit www.littlered.ca or check out past blogs at www.justalittlerouge/blogspot.com

diy lampshade -- upcycle it!

Sorry about last week, faithful just a little rouge readers… I must have been in a turkey coma and forgot to post a blog!

This week is a little upcycling project that comes courtesy of my very smart and crafty friend, Brie. She had such wonderful results with her project, I decided to try it out for myself!

This is a simple and low cost way to upcycle a paper lamp shade. Paper lamp shades were/are quite popular and low cost. If you are starting to get a bit tired of the look, here’s a way to breathe some new life into it…

What you need:

• Paper lamp shade

• Plain white paper (8 ½ x 11 is fine)

• Paper cutter

• Glue gun & extra glue sticks

Cut a bazillion strips of paper approx 4 inches wide with the paper cutter. Ok…maybe not really a bazillion, but you’ll need a lot.

It’s important to use a paper cutter to make sure all of your strips are the same length and width. (And who would want to do that by hand anyway??) I used plain white paper, so my strips were 8 ½ x 4.

Warm up the glue gun, and run a bead of glue along the outside of the paper shade, following the wire rim. Quickly stick the strips of paper to the shade (I say quickly, because glue from the hot glue gun dries fast!), slightly overlapping the next strip on the last as you go along.

Starting from the bottom, work your way all around the entire shade, making your way up to the top of the shade.

A good tip here is the find a place to hang the shade, so you can easily access all sides of it, turning as you go. I learned early on in this project that it’s hard to hold the shade, glue it, place the strips of paper, and turn it with only two hands!

Finally, I got smart and hung the shade from a piece of string from my overhead pot rack in the kitchen…worked like a charm!

Be patient…it’s going to take you a few hours to do this, but it’s worth it in the end.

Now my old paper shade is hanging in my bedroom and offers a very soft, interesting, mood light. If you didn’t actually touch it, my guess would be that you wouldn’t know it was paper. It looks like a more expensive, trendy light fixture now.

Shortly after my friend shared this gem of a DIY project, I saw something very similar on a home décor show….they started with a huge paper shade and glued cone-shaped coffee filters all the way around instead of paper strips. The finished product looked fabulous!


The entire project easily cost less than $10…so what have you got to lose? Give it a try…








For more about rouge, visit www.littlered.ca or check out past blogs at www.justalittlerouge/blogspot.com

mur*mur appliance decals

Have your appliances seen better days? Are these eyesores ruining your décor?



Now, even your refrigerator or dishwasher can now become a design statement, with Mur Mur appliance decals, which just hit Rona’s shelves (www.rona.ca) within the last few weeks.


These easy to apply decals are safe on your appliances -- MUR*MUR adds personality to your refrigerator or dishwasher. Gone are the appliances you wish you could hide. And since they’re economical and come in a variety of styles, you can change them up anytime you want to transform the entire room in minutes.


They are only available at RONA, where you’ll find these appliqués in a wide variety of styles and unique patterns, ranging from a field of poppies to a scene of Times Square in New York. They start at about $40 for a dishwasher and $70 for a refrigerator.


Personally, I like a more clean, crisp and sleek design, so if I was decorating with an unlimited budget, I probably wouldn’t make this part of my design. But, if I was attempting a more “artsy” look and feel…these would certainly make a bold design statement.


Regardless, I think this a very smart, fun, and cost efficient way to hide or update older appliances that you don’t like the look of anymore. And I think this product would be very effective for staging purposes to help breathe new life into a kitchen.


Just goes to show...absolutely anything can become a piece of art!






For more about rouge, visit www.littlered.ca or check out past blogs at www.justalittlerouge/blogspot.com

fall trend 2011

According to the fine folks at style at home, one of the top trends for Fall 2011 is wooden accessories.

I know that as the season changes, although I never seem to be ready for it, I get excited about warm, cozy sweaters and soft, extra layers on my bed.

So intuitively, it makes sense to me that trends for Fall would be all about warm, inviting spaces.

Using natural materials is one of the top three design trends of the season (to see more, check out www.styleathome.com/decorating-and-design/styling-secrets/fall-trends-for-2011/a/37120/2)

Wooden accessories are the perfect way to bring an earthy and warm tone to your home. Here are a few of my favorites that will bring a natural touch to your living space in no time!

Carpet tiles, tall vases, bamboo dry erase board, salt keepers, iphone case, and ceadar blocks (not pretty, but put a few in your closet for an eco-friendly way to guard against moths…they smell heavenly, too.)

Like any trend…probably best not to overdo it. Just a few accessories here and there will warm up your space just in time for those cold winter months!

For more about rouge, visit www.littlered.ca or check out past blogs at www.justalittlerouge/blogspot.com