Mint & Pink Decor Part 1: DIY Spray Painting Chairs

1) Pre-DIY project: Gathering Inspirations

Michaela Noelle Designs

Image via Pinterest

After contemplating for several weeks and browsing through hundreds of images, I finally decided the color scheme for my daughters' new bedroom: Mint & Pink.  I prefer soft, muted hues as opposed to bright primary colors and I wanted to incorporate soft colors that are fresh, fun and calming to the senses.

Plus my younger daughter loves blue/mint while older daughter still loves everything pink, so my decision was fairly easy and mutual. :)

I needed a way to incorporate these two colors into their existing decor (mainly white, ivory and peachy colors) without buying expensive furniture. Nowadays good quality custom painted furniture seem too expensive and affordable ones are lacking in quality and design.

My solution? Finding old wooden furniture and painting them myself.

I'm still a beginner and had no idea DIY projects were so time consuming. My perfectionist tendencies do not help here as I find myself painting, re-painting and touching up constantly every time I find a slight flaw in an old furniture. I need to let go and learn to find perfection through imperfections.

Anyhow, I learned that no matter how well I prime, sand, paint & coat, imperfections are inevitable especially with used furniture. The upside to this is that old furniture tends to be much better quality compared to the wooden furniture sold in mass market these days, and I was fortunate enough to find this dinette set of superb quality at a local estate sale. It comes with a table, glass top (perfect for growing kids!) and six chairs.

These are made in Japan and well-crafted with solid, good quality wood. It's also in very good condition. The downside? It's ugly and so 1970's.

Yuck. After browsing through various DIY blogs I learned DIY projects are all about the VISION, CREATIVITY and POTENTIAL-- and I clearly saw the potential of this miniature-sized table and chair set, perfect for my growing kids. (Were people much smaller in the 70's? Because this dining set is tiny as if it's meant for teenagers, not adults).

2) DIY Part 1: Spray Painting Chairs

So here is the spray paint lineup. So far I've used *Valspar and Rustoleum spray paints and I like them both. I had one faulty bottle of Valspar Primer that stopped working halfway but I'm sure it's returnable (so be sure to save your receipts). Overall, both are good for beginners.

For me, Rustoleum sprayer feels easier to use but I seem to get drips more often than I do with Valspar.
(*Valspar can be found at Lowe's and Rustoleum can be found at both Lowe's and Home Depot.)

As you can see, the Mint paint is in flat and Hot Pink is in gloss. I didn't have a choice with the mint paint because it was the only bottle I can find in this particular color. The gloss sheen is much more vibrant and preferable for heavy use furniture like chairs in my opinion, so I ended up spraying the clear gloss on both colored chairs as top coat.

I then painted two more chairs with Rustoleum's Heirloom White so they can be more versatile and blend in with various decor.

A primer, 5 cans of spray paint and 3 cans of clear coat later- I now have these fabulous chairs that can be used in my daughter's room. I ended up using a bright pink instead of powder pink to avoid the room to look too nursery & Easter egg-like and I'm happy with the results.

Next up: Painting the table.

It's supposed to rain in Southern CA from tomorrow so I will have to put all my projects on hold temporarily. I've officially caught the DIY bug and am having so much fun with these various projects. I can't wait to clean out the whole house and start re-decorating!

Dreams & Fables: Korean Artist JeeYoung Lee

Childhood // Source Opion Gallery

Treasure Hunt 

Resurrection

The Little Matchgirl

Nightmare

Maiden Voyage

Treasure Hunt

Nightmare

Once in awhile I come across an artist whose dreams, imagination and fears parallel my own that I'm immediately drawn to it like magnet.

South Korean artist, JeeYoung Lee's recent collection of dreamlike and transcendental images is a perfect example of this and I'm awed at her ability to create such breathtaking scenes that are dark and beautiful at the same time.

She used her own dream scenes and traditional Korean folktales as inspiration for these images. 

The objects, props and backdrops used in each scene were created by hand and no digital manipulation was utilized. More strikingly, she used her tiny studio in Seoul (11.8'X13.5'X7.8') as blank canvas to depict her boundless imagination.  

Lee opens her first European exhibition at Opiom Gallery in Opio, France, aptly titled Stage of Mind starting February 7, 2014. 

You can view more of her work here. 

Middle of nowhere

Sunnies for Summer

I'm a huge sunglasses lover and for a good reason. I spend most of the week wearing nothing on my face but sunscreen and BB cream so having the right pair of sunnies is essential for me. It covers my flaws and instantly transforms my all-natural face (sometimes not so sightly) to one that is stylish, confident & chic.

I live in So Cal so it's often hard to find the exact model/color I'm looking for even at the most popular high-end department stores. New & popular models are often sold out or limited in stock so this time I decided to take my chances and search for them online.

I've been on the hunt for the perfect pair of sunnies for Spring/Summer of 2014 and after some research, I was able to gather some helpful information which I now want to share.

1) THE CLASSIC:

CELINE AUDREY SUNGLASSES

OLD CELINE AUDREY- MODEL NUMBER CL 41755/S
Photo credit Ma Chic Vie

Celine Audrey sunglasses have been popular for a few years now, and it comes in two models- CL 41755 and CL 41805. These are sold out and difficult to find at major department stores and very few online retailers carry them.

The above model with round bottoms are often referred to as 'Old Audreys' as this is the original design inspired by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's.

As expected it is classic and chic-- the perfect epitome of Hollywood glamour. I love its thicker frame and Celine's signature dots at the edges of the frame. It is truly a timeless piece, and will add a dose of glamour to any outfit.

CELINE NEW AUDREY CL 41805/S Havana/Brown

I recently purchased the Celine 'New' Audreys in turquoise to replace my brown Chanel's that I recently lost (heartbroken*). Celine Audrey in black is a timeless classic you can never go wrong with--but I wanted to try a different model & style so I took a leap of faith and decided on the revamped design.

The New audrey's have a more squared bottom and the top frame is slightly more cat-eyed. I love how effortless it looks in the above picture. It's oversized much like the original Audrey's and fits well on my face. I'm extremely happy with this style.

2) RETRO INSPIRED

I've been on the hunt for a retro-inspired round glasses for some time now and it's been nearly impossible to find the right shape/size that suits my face! I like my sunglasses slightly oversized (I feel that this is most flattering for all face shapes, making your face look more delicate and smaller) and most round glasses are too small, too old-school, too John Lennon-like.

Then I came across a few designs with good reviews- slightly oversized round glasses that are more modern yet still keeping true to its retro roots.

• KAREN WALKER SUPER DUPER STRENGTH

Photo credit Fashion toast

I absolutely LOVE the oversized round look with the perfect amount of classic, edgy & funky --and I recently purchased mine on Shopbop. I received it, loved it but it's a little too oversized for my slender face. Still debating whether I should keep it or not-- but will most likely return them for another round glasses. I highly recommend the Super duper strength for others though, and it makes any average face look 10 times smaller.

I definitely want to add a pair of Karen Walker sunglasses to my collection and here are a few models I particularly like.

Here are few more round frame sunglasses I'm lusting after. I recently ordered the Stella McCartney round ones- will post another review when I receive it.

• STELLA MCCARTNEY- ROUND SUNGLASSES

• ILLESTEVA- LEONARD I & II

ILLESTEVA Leonard I & II

Here is a helpful article about choosing the right glasses for your face type by Cutler and Gross, which by the way is another great designer for eyewear. 

I'm loving my new Celine Audrey's-- It's well made with distinctive sophistication. The Stella McCartney Round glasses are cute & retro and will look adorable with any casual summer outfit.

*UPDATE*

I ended up returning the Stella McCartney round glasses for another pair of round Celines. Model number is CL 41801/S.

By far these are my FAVORITE round sunglasses and my go-to pair. Smaller than Karen Walker's Super Duper Strength and with better shape than Stella McCartney's round pair. I've had these for about a year and still good as new.

Wearing Celine Round Sunglasses

Made for another world

I was made for another world.
But I have no choice but to be here.

I will strive to be happy.
I will make it out okay.

Look again

It's winter and I'm not even sad

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping on your nose...

No Jack Frost here in So Cal, but it's been raining since last night and I'm loving this weather. I can't imagine living anywhere but here, and I'd be awfully depressed if I was settled in rainy Seattle. Here, the rain can be much anticipated and embraced even for someone who's prone to self-induced SAD like me.

I want to wear my rain boots with a big pull-over hoodie and let the cold air whip my hair around. Then I'll return inside, make myself a warm cup of tea, cuddle next to a fireplace and hibernate like a bear with no distractions or worry.

No demands, no chores, no routine, no boredom--
I'll travel to a place where only dreams reside.

Before I close myself let me ask you,
Will you be there?
If not, can you come find me,
because it's winter and I'm not even sad.

Let's be weird together

Been so busy lately. Days pass by swiftly and we're now two days away from Thanksgiving. I have much to be thankful for this year and will make the time to make a gratitude list.

Heading out to Disneyland with the kiddos so the list will have to wait. Meanwhile I know there is one thing I'm thankful for. That is, the courage to be myself no matter where and how I am. I know many people still struggle with this as I did but thirty something years later, I'm finally okay - and happy- with who I am.

I'm a little weird. I have unusual interests and have control issues. I turn into a total bitch when I'm hungry and hubby says I'm difficult to deal with sometimes. Sorry.  

Yet I like me. I like being uniquely me.

A letter to Virginia Woolf

"I just miss you, in a quite simple desperate human way. Oh my dear, I can't be clever and stand-offish with you: I love you too much for that. Too truly. You have no idea how stand-offish I can be with people I don't love. I have brought it to a fine art. But you have broken down my defenses. And I don't really resent it."

Vita Sackville West, from a letter to Virginia Woolf dated 21 January 1926.

Are these not the most beautiful words ever?

Today's Inspiration: Maya Angelou

Q: What makes a truly great piece of written word? 

Maya Angelou: The truth...It either tells the truth, or it's not of very much use. 

I came across this poignant interview by Maya Angelou, a writer, activist and thinker whom I have the utmost admiration and fasciation for. It is women like her who makes me hopeful that perhaps I still have a chance at writing something useful and valuable for the generation, or at the very least be one of many representative voices for Asian American women today.

Words connect us across gender, race and social lines, this much is true- but there are experiences that are uniquely ours that deserve its own representation rather than always having to borrow that of writers like Maya Angelou.

This is not to discredit her work and talent of course. She is unprecedented and her mastery with language cannot be duplicated by anyone, but a girl can only dream that one day, I can connect with other souls who yearn to speak out and strengthen her generation like Maya Angelou did for hers.

I always dreamed of this but my dream got muddled with life somewhere along the way. I never knew motherhood was so consuming but it is- and I've learned that I'm not one of those women who can put her career before her children. I wish I was, but I'm not.

But a girl can still dream...

I'm still suffering from this cold that refuses to leave me; my head feels stuffy and clogged, like no worthy thought can enter or leave. I'd rather have a fever than this dull headache. I feel lifeless, thoughtless, dumb and dead.

I must've slept over 20 hours in two days. Something in my body keeps knocking me out to slumber but instead of waking up refreshed, I wake up more tired and lifeless...

I had a dream last night that I was getting dressed for a wedding ceremony. Instead of the usual white wedding dress however, I was wearing this beautiful traditional Korean costume called Hanbok. Something wasn't going as planned and the wedding planner claimed she forgot the candles. What is the meaning of this, I don't know..but I looked beautiful in my reflection and the dress was so colorful, vibrant and exquisite unlike anything I've seen in real life.

Usually I think and overedit when I write but today I'm just gonna tell the truth. Hopefully the more I practice the better my truth will get, not better in fabrication but in honesty and honesty only.

First Day of March

Photo by Le Portillon

I'm dreaming of pretty things tonight. I'm delighted to see what kind of pretty things and pleasant moments Spring 2011 has in store for me.

Happy March everyone.