Countdown - Ten Most Popular Poppyseed Makeovers for 2015 - #1

Happy New Year everyone. May 2016 be as happy and bright as this pop of  Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Barcelona Orange.

Countdown - Ten Most Popular Poppyseed Makeovers for 2015 - #2

Down to #2 for 2015 - this cute dresser painted in ‪Annie Sloan‬ Chalk Paint‬ in ‪‎French linen‬ with pulls accented in ‪Scandinavian pink‬ and ‪‎Barcelona orange‬.

Countdown - Ten Most Popular Poppyseed Makeovers for 2015 - #3

Love the red and pink combo on this hutch. Done entirely in #AnnieSloan Emperor's Silk #ChalkPaint with a hint of Scandinavian Pink this piece sits in spot #3.

Countdown - Ten Most Popular Poppyseed Makeovers for 2015 - #4

Super excited about the last 4 pieces that make the top of the "most liked" list. 4th is this somewhat unusual dresser that kept me up at night as I collaged it in my mind. Definitely the kind of transformation that I plan on doing more of in 2016.

Countdown - Ten Most Popular Poppyseed Makeovers for 2015 - #5

This is one of my most recent works and quickly it collected enough likes to land in 5th place.

Countdown - Ten Most Popular Poppyseed Makeovers for 2015 - #6

With the clock slowly ticking away the hours of 2015 this turquoise cabinet lands in the 6th spot as voted by my Instagram followers.

Countdown - Ten Most Popular Poppyseed Makeovers for 2015 - #7

And as the countdown for the most popular Poppyseed furniture makeover for 2015 continues, spot #7 has been claimed by this desk painted in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Emperor's silk.

Countdown - Ten Most Popular Poppyseed Makeovers for 2015 - #8

#8 in this year's popularity contest is this bolt of sunshine. Merry Christmas my fine friends! 

Countdown - Ten Most Popular Poppyseed Makeovers for 2015 - #9

In 9th spot sits this three toned tallboy dresser with scalloped color transition. Good choice for someone who loves bright and cheerful colors in limited quantities.

Countdown - Ten Most Popular Poppyseed Makeovers for 2015 - #10

Starting the countdown towards 2016 with 10 most popular Poppyseed makeovers for 2015 as voted by my ‪#‎Instagram‬ followers. In 10th place is (my personal favorite) this decoupaged night stand done in a technique that I tried out for the first time this year and that turns "unattractive art" into home decor statement. This type of furniture piece does not have to match existing decor, it is a stand-alone conversation starter. 
Find it on Etsy and on the Poppyseed Website.

Pre Holiday Pop-Up Shop

This coming Saturday, on December 19th, I will be taking part at my first pop-up shop event. I have partnered with a few local Toronto makers to offer some last mixture shopping ideas to our customers. The event will take place at 592 Markham street between 10am and 6PM. We will have a nice selection of home decor items, art, jewelry, body care products, paper goods and small furniture.

Here are some of the items from my line that you can expect to see and all at super affordable prices.

Come by, say hi.  I would love to see you!

Two New Dresser Reveals

These two dressers have been freely refinished and are now both available for purchase on Etsy and the Poppyseed website. Both have been painted with Milk Paint which gives the surface a unique and soft finish. With the current Holiday promotion going on, they are both eligible for the 15% discount with free delivery within Greater Toronto area and to Montreal, QC. Act fast and they can be in your home well before this year is up!

Holiday Sale is ON!

With the Holiday Season upon us, I am happy to make the shopping a little bit easier by offering 15% off on all Poppyseed Creative Living product purchases. Simply head over to the website or to my Etsy shop and receive the discount by entering promo code holidays2015 on checkout. All existing and newly added products are eligible.

Exclusive Facebook/Instagram Promo

The time has come to make room for some new pieces that are in the making for 2016 but also to make furniture gift giving for the season a bit more affordable.

This offer is valid for all new and existing Facebook and Instagram followers and it features prices that can't be matched. If you are aren't my Facebook/Instagram follower by now, go to the site and follow me and if you are interested in any of the pieces, just send me a message

Instagram

Facebook

Special offer prices for each of the pieces are as follows:

Little Yellow Desk - $185CND 

Poppies Side Table - $200CDN

Blue Side Table -  $125CDN

Decoupaged Desk - $225CDN

Handmade Art - Guest post on Preloved

Preloved is of the largest classified advertising sites in the UK with hundreds of thousands of adverts in over 500 categories and when they asked me to become they guest blogger I was totally on board. My latest post talks about budget friendly and hand made art.

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When times are tough or budget is tight, it is often home decor purchases that get put on the back burner. Funds get allocated to things that matter most, and let’s face it, that is the proper way to go about life. But no matter how difficult the financial situation may be, we all know that weathering it is always easier if we are surrounded with pretty things, and they don’t have to cost a bundle! When it comes to art, it is in the eyes of the beholder. Art doesn’t only live in galleries and museums, you can easily find it on the street, at local markets, on magazine pages, even in kitchen supply stores.

Today I am sharing the story of a piece of “art” that has a central spot in my home; its original purpose was not to serve as décor. It is very much the reflection of my taste and a budget friendly alternative to the original I fell in love with.

A few years ago decorating with vintage bus scrolls was all the rage. I loved the rawness of them, and the fact that each one of them had a story and played a major role in communities. Many people depended on those signs on their daily commutes. I did in fact come across an authentic one in Melbourne, Australia, but the price tag of $1,000 was way out of my art purchasing budget. Not to mention that they are often very long and require an adequately high wall to display them on; none of which I have in my house.

It was in a novelty home decor store where I spotted the beautiful original scroll, and in the spirit of current decorating trends, they also had a selection of tea towels mimicking the scroll aesthetic.

I saw an opportunity here and purchased one of them for $18.00. The design had the shop’s name as the final destination, and the “stops” were the streets leading to the store. This was a perfect answer to my decorating desire and a beautiful way to remember my vacation! At home, I purchased a vintage frame for $5.00 at a thrift store, had a piece of glass cut to measure for an additional $10.00, and had created an original piece with my very own stamp on it for a mere $33.00!

If “tea towel art” isn’t an option for you, the alternatives are endless. There is no shortage of beautiful and inexpensive wrapping papers, fabrics, greeting cards, or vintage book pages you can use to decorate your home and make it uniquely yours, and here is the shot of my kitchen wall to prove it. On that wall you can find a selection of homemade items (the pom-poms and “happy” message sign), childrens’ art, vintage book illustration (the monkey), art market finds (the bear and dandy gentleman), concert ticket stub from 2004 (“lambchop”) and artsy greeting cards (the orange bird and clothes mannequin).

If you have an original art wall and want to show it off, please send me some pictures via Twitter (@Poppyseedliving) and I will share it through my blog and website. If you are yet to create one, I hope this post serves as inspiration.

Colourful Tallboy Dresser

This tallboy dresser is all about fun, inside and out. Colourful triangles add a modern touch to its simple vintage frame. The extra deep drawers are lined with colourful vintage wallpaper that will make you smile every time you open them. Not only is this dresser ideal to store bulky winter sweaters and blankets but would make a great addition to your child's bedroom or playroom.
Check it out on Etsy or Poppyseed Creative Living website.

Gray Dresser with Mismatched Pulls

All the fun about this dresser is right in front of your eyes. A solid wood built piece, with oodles of storage and character to match. I chose a neutral colour to allow the mismatched pulls to shine and give this dresser a one-of-a-kind look. The height of this piece is perfect to make it a suitable alternative as a change table. It is currently available on Etsy and at Poppyseed Creative Living website.

Tote Bags from from Vintage Oil Paintings

I love experimenting with crafts and trying out new things. This is how these tote bags came to exist. have used paintings on furniture in the past and wanted to see what it would look like if they are turned into bags. All the canvases are fairly sturdy on their own, but I felt that in order to be able to resist daily wear they need to be specially treated and reinforced. All bags are are lined with extra sturdy canvas, they all have a larger inside pocket and are flat (with no side gussets). Subtly frying is a part of their character. Straps are made of repurposed belts and some of them are vegan friendly.
Four bags are listed in my online store, so head on over to claim your own.

Sage Blue Desk

I haven't had a desk in stock for a while, so when this one came along I had to scoop it up. I opted to paint it in a pale blue-is -grey colour to appeal to those who love colour as well as to the customers that prefer neutrals. Drawers are all lined with retro wallpaper and the only pop of brightness are the two yellow and teal pulls in the centre.
The piece is listed in my Etsy store and the Poppyseed Creative Living website.