DIY: giving an old chair new life

i searched craigslist for about a month looking for an old armchair. i knew i wanted something for the guest room but couldn't find anything off the shelf that i really loved (or wanted to spend that much money on...armchairs are expensive!) so turned to craiglist for something previously loved. i found this guy for $40 from a woman who inherited it from her grandpa. it was no masterpiece but i knew it was a diamond in the rough. i spent a few days sanding, cleaning, scraping, gluing, removing rogue nails, etc...


i was mid-paint when i started wondering if i should paint it yellow to be a bright statement in the white/yellow/purple guest room...but decided to keep it white and repaint it later if i still wanted to.

and voila! the finished piece. there are a few more details, too, which i'll share later this week.

every city girl is just a little bit country

ball jars remind me of home. my mom used to make her own pickles and relish so we always had bazillions of ball jars of all shapes and sizes floating around the house. my mother in law uses them for glassware and i love how you get so much more liquid in one fill-up. as an homage to the two moms in my life, here are just a few ways you too can be a baller...

below: this ball jar lamp by midwest finds - $14 from their etsy shop - can be filled with whatever you like (i think i'd leave it empty) and topped with a shade of your choosing. so cute!

below: another great idea from midwest finds, this ball jar soap dispenser is so anthropologie-esque and is only $10 from their etsy shop.

below: use them as candleholders for your next party. i've been told only to use tealights that already have glass around them (yes, glass in glass) because the older jars have been known to shatter from direct heat.


below: these lanterns aren't available until later this fall due to all of the press artist alyssa ettinger received for her super cool "glow" collection. i have her bookmarked in my etsy favorites so i can hopefully snag one of these translucent porcelian beauties when she finishes her next batch.

below: throw 'em in your cabinet to use for drinks. you'll be so psyched when you've realized the number of refills (read: times you have to get up from the couch) have been cut in half. my mother in law makes koozies out of lonely socks whose partners have disappeared to the great beyond. genius.


below: fill a jar with those fresh flowers you just bought from the farmer's market.


below: try your hand at canning. this website has all sorts of tips, how-to's and recipes. maybe i'll follow in my mom's footsteps and attempt some relish on a rainy day...

interested in buying some plain ol' ball jars? they're all over amazon and i've seen them on craigslist, at flea markets and garage sales. or just ask mom to pull some out of the basement for you.