Firplace Makeover! (2)

Ok so between juggling groceries, taking care of a toddler, cooking, and trying to get this new house cleaned up and decorated I've finally made some progress concerning the fireplace.  While my daughter was sleeping this past week I'd sneak in a few paint projects and hopefully have them dry before she's up and running again.  I painted the fireplace mantle two layers of white and started to get the "almost" final project completed.

First I washed the mantle with a mild soap and warm water then I hand dried it.  I also let it air dry completely for a few minutes.  The water became so dark and murky because of how heavily used the fireplace was.  Here's the "after wash" photo.

I then applied the first coat of paint to one side and along one edge and left it to dry before flipping it over.

I finally waited until it dried and until my little monsterette fell asleep and put it back on the fireplace and added a few belongings here and there to make it look more warm and homey.

Note: I still have to paint the firebox with the black fire resistant paint that I mentioned before and add some candles before this makeover is completely complete. 

I'd love to know what you think of it so far.

Night! Night!

Photo Post: Love Roses

I love photographing roses and all florals really.  I've photographed at the Botanic Gardens in DC (i love that place and keep on going back for more).  I've also photographed at local parks, random sidewalks, the backyard, gas stations, bouquets at home, and just about anywhere I can find a floral.  Where do you guys photograph roses and/or flowers? What are the techniques that you use?  Here's a sample until I add some more.  Let me know which is your favorite too!

Pottery Barn Anyone?

There's no doubt that Pottery Barn is one of my favorite stores, however, their pricing is on the high side.  I was walking around the mall today and decided to check out their rug collection.  I've been wanting one of those jute rugs because of how sturdy they are but also because of how light and organic they look and feel.  To my surprise I found exactly what I was looking for and it's laying under my dining room table as I write this.  Will post pictures soon after I actually tidy up the dining room but here's a picture from the pottery barn website for now.

Chenille Jute Basketweave Rug



Fireplace Makeover!

I hated the yellowy glossy color that the fireplace used to be so i wanted to paint it white to match the panels in the adjacent room.  I first cleaned all the brick with a brush to make sure there's no dust or cob webs.  Then i scrubbed down the firebox with soap and water first then sprayed it with a TSP solution that I got from The Home Depot (This took forever!).  Make sure you have one of those huge sponges to absorb all "blackened" liquid and wash it as you go.  Then I Caulked parts of the interior that were missing grout with a fire resistant masonry caulk and let it dry overnight.  The next day i painted it two coats of Ultra Pure White from Behr in an eggshell finish.  You'll need to paint it with a roll first and then fill in the holes and cracks with a brush then smooth it out again with a roll.  Here's what it looked like and what it looks like for now.

My house's journey on becoming a home



This picture wasn't taken by me ~ It's my house though!

My hubby and I bought our first home less than two months ago and ever since it's been one minnie project after another.  I'm the DIY fan and I'm working on converting my hubby.  The first week we moved in I painted the living room/family room and the dining room.  They took forever because I have wainscoting on the bottom and only a brush would do the job right.  Then my preggo self needed a break so I just started up again this past Monday.  I painted the upper wall in the foyer/enterance, the top crown molding of that area, scrubbed down the dirtiest fireplace on earth (TSP solution is great after an initial scrub with soap and water), and i painted the fireplace exterior.  I'm planning on painting the inside with a heat resistant black paint so that it's usable.  I only intend to place candles in it though.  I will post pictures soon so that you may see what I'm doing to transform my "house into home" just as my husband put it before he kissed me goodnight last night.

Photo Post: Red Roses & White Lilies

So let me tell you the story behind these red roses and white lillies...I was getting out of class one night and when I got in the car i found this huge bouquet of red roses and white lillies with a cute note from my husband. It was so big that i later decided to seperate the two species and give them a photoshoot so preserve this romantic memory!

View the Complete album at www.facebook.com/mayuyasphotography and become a fan!

Photo Post: Boudoir Belongings

These are actually some of my personal items that I love.  They are so old world, charming, and romantic.  So I decided to give them a photoshoot.