Better After

9 In kitchen/dining

Old Blue Eyes

Happy President’s Day! Or Random Monday if you are outside the States! Shall we start the week off right with a little dose of kitchen goodness? Check out Kammy’s lovely makeover below.

Can I get a virtual fist bump for the single soothing shade of gray on the walls vs. the intense blue mega-border? It’s like that lady who just can’t let go of her 80’s eyeshadow. It’s dated and really blue, lady! It has to go! Kammy thought so, and so do I. Check it out on her blog Kammy’s Korner.

This post is sponsored by

PhotoJewelryMaking.com!

February 21, 2011 By Lindsey @ Better After

552 In Uncategorized

Shabby Apple Giveaway! (now closed)

***GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED***

Awesome giveaway alert!

The kind people at Shabby Apple have graciously offered one Better After reader a free dress from their latest collection!

(They actually offered me the chance to review one or give one away, and I chose to give it away. Wasn’t that sooo nice of me? It was actually really hard, because dang, I want this dress! But that’s how much I love you friend. Well, I love you even more than a free dress. But this free dress really does rock).

Check it out, it’s called Happy Talk!

Yes, this is the one! You could win this ridiculously cute dress!

An $88 value! So springy and fun! Do you love it? I hope so, because I love it.

If you haven’t browsed around through Shabby Apple recently, you really really should, because wow. I fell in lust with just about every single item for sale. Don’t even get me started on the little girls dresses. I want to both eat them and decorate my home with them, they are that adorable.

***

To enter once: leave a comment here! Any old comment will do. Tell me about the weather. Tell me about your weekend plans. Tell me about your Aunt Judy’s foot surgery (um, maybe not that one).

To enter twice: leave a comment here AND head over and ‘like’ Shabby Apple on Facebook. Doing so will also get you in on special promotions and exclusive discounts. Don’t forget to come back and leave another comment telling me you did so!
(Offer only good for US shipping addresses)

Can’t wait? Then get 10% off your order with the code: betterafter10off

Woot! Winner will be chosen Monday morning! I hope it’s you!

February 19, 2011 By Lindsey @ Better After

6 In kitchen/dining

Julie’s Jewel

I’m going to give Julie the benefit of the doubt and vote against ‘Julie and her family are a band of hobo squatters’ in favor of ‘Julie took these before pictures mid-renovation.’ In either case, this kitchen needed work. What was the purpose, pray tell, of that little platform?

But hey now, look at that old tile! It’s actually quite sensational! Wouldn’t it be a great backsplash? On further inspection, it kind of looks like linoleum, but whatevs dude, I like it. Anyhoo, let’s just get to the after! Prepare to have your socks rocked off!

Mucho fabulouso! Tres magnifique! Super duper! I’m normally not a fan of red, but this ruby red is perfect. It goes with the wood tones so well. Totally warms the kitchen up without making me feel like I’m in a whorehouse. Not that I’ve ever been in a whorehouse. But you know what I mean.

See more from the talented Julie on her blog Thrifty Chic Designs.

{and I’m sorry for using the phrase ‘whorehouse’ (three times!!!) in your feature Julie!}

This post is sponsored by

PhotoJewelryMaking.com!

{who probably are having second thoughts about sponsoring me for using the phrase ‘whorehouse’ (four times!!!) in this post.}

February 18, 2011 By Lindsey @ Better After

11 In tables/dressers

Eggcellent!

Hello, hello baby you called I can’t hear a thing,

but I am sick and tired of my phone ri-ring-ing…

Sorry, every time I see a telephone table I get that Lady Gaga song in my head. Speaking of, did you see her on the Grammy’s? Lame! After all of that hullaballo about incubating in her egg, I was fully expecting her to literally give birth on stage or something, but nope. Just a little song and dance and a fried egg hat. I repeat: lame.

Tangent over. Topic: cute telephone table! White paint and toile, you never let me down! (Unlike some people). From Sarah at Frills, Fluff and Trucks. Thanks Sarah!

This post is sponsored by

PhotoJewelryMaking.com!

February 18, 2011 By Lindsey @ Better After

12 In chairs/ottomans/seating

Benchyhana

“Minimalist gynecology bed from the future” is not the first thing you want people to think when they see your furniture. At least, that’s what I thought. So Liz livened up her plain little stool with some happy fabric and now everyone can relax! She even shows how she made a super easy pillow cover with the leftover fabric on her blog Just About Home.

And here is another bench gone from plain to hot dang! Better After reader Tamara was tired of her slowly deteriorating piano bench and whipped it into shape by sanding off the old stain, applying two different shades of white in several layers, sanding off spots in between, and rubbing on a black glaze. Looks great!

And finally, this bench didn’t offer much to reupholster, so Stacy added a fluffy foam seat and upholstered that!

Fun story about the fabric in the background: When Jayna was featured on this blog (her kitchen of lust HERE), Stacy noticed this fabric and emailed her asking about it. Long story short, Jayna sent her the leftovers! Isn’t the blogworld great?

Check out Stacy’s blog Re*Think Re*Style Re*Vamp for more!

This post is sponsored by

PhotoJewelryMaking.com!

February 18, 2011 By Lindsey @ Better After

10 In chairs/ottomans/seating

Here’s a clue.

It was Colonel Mustard, in the drawing room, with a candlestick! Actually, it was Sierra, in the garage, with a staple gun! She was attacking this mustard colored relic in hopes of reviving it from its velveted past. Just how far past? Well, she found evidence that this $15 thriftstore chair was manufactured in 1929!

I’m sure it is enjoying the current chapter of its life: flowery, distressed, accessorized with a ruffly pillow and loved! Check it out on Sierra’s blog Tattered to Flattered.