Why I Call My Guest Bedroom The MC Room!

 I love MacKenzie-Childs style and if you never heard of them or haven't visited their store or website, you are really missing out in my book.

The style is so fun and whimsical. I am especially attracted to their Courtly Check.

But I am not willing to pay their high prices! I find that it takes the joy out of owning something if it's just way over priced for me.

So I take my talents in sewing and painting and make my own versions of what inspires me about MacKenzie-Childs.

Here is a sampling of what I have done...

MacKenzie Childs Inspired Christmas Deer

Is it a gift or a curse? And it happens a lot...

Update on my MacKenzie Childs style guest bedroom!

If you are wondering what I mean with this title, then you missed this post HERE!

 

A Bit More Of A MacKenzie Childs Christmas

Based on my last post about getting rid of some of my overloaded Christmas decor, it was a split on people that believe that you can't have too much Christmas decor and others like me that want to simplify the huge process of storing so much stuff for 11 months out of the year and then killing themselves with putting it all out in record time to enjoy for...a month!

Wedding and Courtly Check Tea Service!

I took some time off from my blog to work on wedding things for my son's wedding. I was asked to make a couple of chalkboards and here is one, Friends of...

 I was also asked to make all the burlap table runners...

MacKenzie Childs Style Painted Pieces!

It's a known fact that I adore MacKenzie-Childs style, and Courtly Check is my favorite. Here I go again, painting some aluminum garage sale pieces inspired by M-C.

 A cake carrier...

My Take on A MacKenzie Childs Tree

I am thankful to be blog friends with Patti over at Pandora's Box.

She actually lives close to MacKenzie Childs farm and has even worked in their store this past year! Oh what a dream! Patti shared with me the actual tree that they had decorated in the store last year...

I think it is just 2-die-4 wonderful and whimsical. So this year I thought I would work even harder to replicate it than I did last year. I don't have even one thing that is an actual MC piece but have made plenty replicas of their items.

Another MacKenzie-Childs look!

If you are a Courtly Check MacKenzie-Childs lover, then you are really going to like this!

Initially, I painted this tiny lamp...

 

I painted it to resemble one of MacKenzie-Childs' pieces.  Then one day, the on and off switch broke and after fixing it, It broke again.

Coolest Sconce EVER!

Do you want to hear about the






Coolest Sconce Ever? 



 I happened on an absolutely huge garage sale from years of accumulation and living. In fact, it was more like a flea market! I found three of these in varying degrees of disrepair...

The Rest Of The Story...on our Pillars!

As you may have read my previous, The Pillar Story...if not you can go HERE.

We have SEVEN vintage columns and enjoy every one of them.

That was until our Kansas trip!


My grown son lives in Kansas and we go out yearly for a visit. He knows our taste and surprised us with this...

Yes, four more, truly awesome pillars on stand bases, capitals and with globes!

My Favorite Projects of 2011

I really can't believe how many projects that I completed in 2011, mostly because of this blog. I feel the need to continually show you something new and different that I have made or transformed. Later, you can check out my Before & Afters tab at the top of my blog page.

I decided to look back at what I have done, and pick my 12 favorite ones and tell you why...in no particular order.

Here we go...

1. This vintage dress form is a favorite because I have wanted one for so long. I found it unexpectedly for $2.50 at a garage sale. I then couldn't leave well enough alone and decoupaged it in book pages. It's a joy for me to look at and lives in my master bedroom. 

Christmas Trees Around The House!

Christmas 2011 Livingroom

Scene's around the living room...

Christmas 2011 In The DiningRoom

Fun decorating vignettes in the dining room...

Trying to give it a MacKenzie Childs flair!

My MacKenzie Childs Inspiration Christmas Tree 2011

I was lucky enough to find a pre-lit 5 foot Christmas Tree in a big red pot after Christmas last year while shopping at Marshall's. Don't you just love that place?

It was $50 and the only flaw was a small chip on the bottom edge of the pot. No worries, an opportunity for creativity right?

I am a huge fan of MacKenzie Childs and their Courtly Check design, I decided to paint the base of the red pot in that design. Combined with the upper red part, I think it looks fantastic and covered the flaw.

MacKenzie Childs Inspiration Ornament Tutorial

I have decided to have some fun with Christmas decorating this year and switch things up a bit.  I adore MacKenzie-Childs Courtly Check designs and try to replicate what they do. So this year, I have made my version of a MacKenzie Childs Christmas Tree complete with ornaments in Courtly Check design.

Here is a hint on what I did with my tree.

2011 Ornaments

Each year, I make ornaments for my family and this year I have taken on a MacKenzie Childs look. I hope they like them.

I purchased these wooden stockings unfinished at Hobby Lobby last year...after Christmas. Then I painted them this year. Do you think I captured the essence of MacKenzie Childs?

I also made the black and white check balls too and will share with you a tutorial on that soon.

I always put the name or initial of the person it is going to, the date on front or back and my name on back.

MacKenzie Childs Inspiration Table

As I have said many times,  
I love MacKenzie Childs style
and the whimsical way that they paint their products. I get such inspiration from them.



On one of my garage sale hunts, I found this table and featured it in one of my Diamonds In The Rough! posts that you can see HERE.

Shown with all of its dirt and grime, I knew I had to paint this a certain way. Why?





Because my inspiration was this MacKenzie Childs table.

Another MacKenzie Childs Inspiration Piece!

Yes, I painted another MacKenzie Childs inspiration piece today. When we were in Kansas last week, we also went to some antique and thrift stores...how could I not? Anyway I found an aluminum cake cover with a glass tray for only $3. I couldn't pass it up and knew that I could do something fun with it. Asked many times how I paint this way, I free hand everything and make it up as I go along. If I am painting something inspired by the MacKenzie Childs designs, I open their catalogs before hand to get inspiration...then just start painting. It just flows out of me, a true God given talent since I am self taught. The varnish is not even completely dry on this piece yet, but here it is.

My newly painted cake cover with my hand painted teapot and a TJ Maxx plate.

Before

The varnish is not even dry before posting this picture!

Cake Cover with Glass Platter that came with it.

UPDATE: This cake cover was sold on ebay.

NOTE: You should be able to click on most of the pictures to enlarge to see further details.
These parties I love to link up to or check out my Blog Parties tab
Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps On The Porch
Make It For Monday @ Cottage Instincts
Thrift Share Monday @ http://apronthriftgirl.typepad.com
Motivate Me Monday @ Keeping It Simple
Just Something I Whipped Up @ The Girl Creative
Making The World Cuter @ Making The World Cuter
Amaze Me Monday @ Dittle Dattle 
Twice Owned Tuesday @ House Of Grace
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday @ Coastal Charm
Time to Shine Tuesday @ A Diamond in the Stuff 
Tuesday Treasures @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
 Trash 2 Treasure @ Sassy Sites
Power Of Paint @ Domestically Speaking
Swing Into Spring Wednesday @ DIY by Design
White Wednesday @ Faded Charm
Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style
Piece of Work Wednesday @  Primitive & Proper
Good Life Wednesday @ A Beach Cottage
Open House Thursday @ No Minimalist Here
Strut Your Stuff Thursday @ Somewhat Simple
Transformation Thursday @ The Shabby Chic Cottage
100 Ideas Under $100 @ Beyond The Picket Fence
Show And Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home
Furniture Feature Friday @ Miss Mustard Seed
Remodelaholic Friday @ Remodelaholic
Frugal Friday @ Shabby Nest
Look What I Found Friday @ Vintage Revivals 
VIP Party @ Designer Garden
Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage  
Vintage Inspiration Friday @ Common Ground
Saturday Nite Special @ Funky Junk Interiors
Strut Your Stuff @ The Saturday Morning Blog
Show and Tell Saturday @ Be Different, Act Normal 
Sunday Showcase Party @ By Stephanie Lynn 
It's Party Time @ So Very Cheri

MacKenzie Childs Placemat Inspiration

It would be an understatement to say that I adore everything MacKenzie Childs...especially Courtly Checks. I wanted their placemats that look like this...

But I didn't like the price of $60 for 4, plus shipping. I also liked that they are a hard surface, with a cork bottom and easy care.  I have four of these kind of placemats that have roosters on them, but I wanted to switch things up and have something different. And I didn't want to paint on my rooster ones. The moment came when I was at the thrift store an ran across two of these placemats for 50¢ each.

Ugly, Right? I thought so too. But these were the good cork bottom placemats that I wanted, even though there were only 2.  Heck, we are empty nesters, so two is all I really needed for this project. So I cleaned them, lightly sanded them, primed them, painted them and sealed them. Here is my version of MacKenzie Childs Placemats...

And the total cost...One Little Ol' Dollar + my time and paints. As a side note for all you MacKenzie Childs lovers, I have categorized all my MacKenzie Childs Inspiration Projects in the lower area on my right sidebar.

NOTE: You should be able to click on most of the pictures to enlarge to see further details.
These parties I love to link up to or check out my Blog Parties tab
Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps On The Porch
Make It For Monday @ Cottage Instincts
Motivate Me Monday @ Keeping It Simple
Just Something I Whipped Up @ The Girl Creative
Making The World Cuter @ Making The World Cuter
Twice Owned Tuesday @ House Of Grace
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday @ Coastal Charm
Power Of Paint @ Domestically Speaking
White Wednesday @ Faded Charm
Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style
Piece of Work Wednesday @  Primitive & Proper
Good Life Wednesday @ A Beach Cottage
Strut Your Stuff Thursday @ Somewhat Simple
Transformation Thursday @ The Shabby Chic Cottage
100 Ideas Under $100 @ Beyond The Picket Fence
Show And Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home
Furniture Feature Friday @ Miss Mustard Seed
Frugal Friday @ Shabby Nest
Saturday Nite Special @ Funky Junk Interiors
Strut Your Stuff @ The Saturday Morning Blog
Show and Tell Saturday @ Be Different, Act Normal
Sunday Showcase Party @ By Stephanie Lynn