Gilding Royalview’s Crown; Before and After Makeover

Gold Leafed Metal Crown. Gold Leaf Kit from Amazon.
https://amzn.to/4mvqjeG
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What would Royalview be without a crown, I ask? But you know what? I never really thought about a crown for Royalview. I just happened to be scrolling through FB and saw a post a few months ago about my friend Kelly’s new booth at Rosey Opals in New Waverly, and spotted this little cutie and knew immediately it was for Royalview.

In the photo of the crown, I could tell it was weathered. Must have been an outdoor decorative piece before, but I knew I wanted to give it new life for our indoor decor.

Before pic of Royalview's crown. Weathered and rusted.
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Once Willie cleaned off the chipping paint, it really revealed a lot of rust underneath. I knew I wanted to attempt my first ever gold leafing project, but it needed a fresh coat of paint first, so I began with white paint.

Royalview's crown transformation in progress: Painting it in white.
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Royaview's crown transformation in progress: Now painted in white.
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I now had a fresh surface to begin gold leafing Royalview’s crown. (Disclaimer: I am not a refinishing professional and do not have professional advice to administer. I am learning as I go, and all items are for our personal use in our private home.) I will tell you however, that all items I use are water based, so no harmful fumes. The paint used is an indoor acrylic paint and primer.

For the gold leafing, I used a product I found on Amazon, called Wadities Gold Leaf Gilding Set.

Wadities Gold Leaf Gilding Set from Amazon.
https://amzn.to/4mvqjeG
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I’m so glad I found this kit for my very first go at gold leafing. It came with everything I needed. The Gilding Adhesive, the Gold Leaves themselves, each individually wrapped in paper, the Varnish, and 2 cute little paint brushes. And as you can see, everything is water based, so perfect!

Gold Leaf sheets and paint brushes from my Wadities Gold Leaf Kit from Amazon.
https://amzn.to/4mvqjeG
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I watched several YouTube videos before I began my project, just to get an idea of how it all works. Looks pretty simple, so let’s dive in!

Before applying the gold leafing, I had to apply the gilding adhesive. I didn’t want full coverage gold leafing. I wanted to achieve a worn look, so I applied the adhesive sparsely, here and there, both to the front side and inside areas, as you can see completely through the open crown. I knew that there was no way to remember where the adhesive had been applied, but I knew the applied areas would be tacky to the touch. After applying the adhesive, I had to wait for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, our first sheet is going on!

Applying gold leafing to Royalview's crown.
https://amzn.to/4mvqjeG
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It was very easy to discern where I had applied the adhesive, as it was definitely tacky in those areas. I just took a sheet and touched it to the metal, and it stuck on contact, where the glue had been applied. I then took one of the little provided paint brushes and brushed over where I had applied the leafing.

It was surprisingly really fun! I was nervous at first, but it was so easy and I was not, in any way, trying to be perfect with the application, so I just went all-in placing gilding sheets everywhere, and not brushing everything until I had all the tacky areas covered.

Gold leafing Royalview's crown.
https://amzn.to/4mvqjeG
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You can see how random placement of the adhesive made it very easy to get a distressed, gilded look. The bits of gilding that do not stick, just flake away. I made sure to go over every surface area with the brush so that there was no more flaking.

Gold leafing applied: Before the varnish.
https://amzn.to/4mvqjeG
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After brushing it all down, I let it sit for the recommended 24 hours before applying the varnish top coat to seal it all in.

Applying the varnish was just as easy as everything else in this project, and it did not have a strong smell, which is a definite bonus.

And we’re all varnished!

Gilding project complete. Royalview's new crown!
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https://amzn.to/4mvqjeG

I’m super happy with the outcome, and the entire gold leafing process. So fun, and so easy. Willie really likes it to. He gave a big smile when he came in and saw it, and said it looked really good. So yay! 2 happy customers!

And now Royalview’s crown is displayed upon our living room coffee table, filled with (faux) white hydrangeas.

Royalview's gilded crown after pic.
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https://amzn.to/4mvqjeG

Love, love, love! I didn’t know how it would look after I got hold of it, but I’m certainly glad I was brave and gave it a try!

What project are you inspired to try? Do you love upcycling too? Feel free to leave a comment!

Till next time, always follow your joy! God is truly good!

Johanna and Willie

acrossthelake.blog

Home Decor, Upcycling, Trash to Treasure, Vintage Finds, Before and After Makeover, Gold Leafing, Gilding, On Metal, Easy DIY Project

September 21, 2025 0

Fall Decor Vignettes at Royalview

When we recently visited Hobby Lobby for Fall decor inspo, I wouldn’t have thought that I would be drawn in by a little Cinderella carriage, but I spotted this little cutie in what looked like a Fairy Tale section (that I had not seen before), and knew it had to come home to Royalview. We have a clock that we named Cinderella, so yeah, it was meant to be. You can see the bottom edge of Cinderella just above this carriage, so they are together. To decorate this little carriage, I thought a little white pumpkin was the perfect touch – you know, the pumpkin from the story was changed into Cinderella’s carriage — I knew you knew that! I simply put a few leaves in the bottom of the carriage and then placed the white (or cream) pumpkin inside. I purchased a couple of wooden risers at Hobby Lobby, so I placed the carriage atop one riser that I had first arranged with some white leaves (with pink and cream tones). I completed the look with some of the little acorns from a larger stem I purchased at Hobby Lobby as well. I think it turned out really pretty and girlie, and fall’ish, and definitely Cinderella’ish.

One of the main Fall focal points at Royalview, is located in our dining room. I posted a while back about the beautiful vintage curio cabinet that was handmade by Willie’s father, which now calls Royalview home. It is a wonderful piece that gains most of the attention in our dining area, as it is stunning, and I enjoy filling it with pretty items, so seasonal decor is certainly going to be happening in this area, year round.

I recently purchased some gorgeous rhinestone pumpkins from our friend Kelly of Sweet Magnolia Emporium (from her booth at Yesterday’s Treasures in Willis, TX), as well as some very beautiful clear glass lamps. I knew that I wanted to put all these items together for a lovely setting. I had first thought of putting the pumpkins on our dining room table, but once the lamps came into the picture, the curio cabinet it was.

As soon as I arrived home with these, I couldn’t wait to see how they would look arranged together.

I really think they compliment each other wonderfully. I added Fall floral embellishments to the lamps and larger pumpkin.

For the smaller pumpkins, I simply placed them a tier below and added a floral embellishment behind them.

I think it all came together beautifully. It is simple, yet elegant.

And the last little Fall decor vignette I wanted to share with you is our Butterfly Wall Table. This is just in a little corner nook that sits between our utility room and kitchen. This spot sat unattended for quite a while as we were getting settled in. It was consistently used for piling boxes as we were unpacking, but now it’s getting some decor love.

I just have a little collection of cute things I’ve picked up from vintage shops as well as Hobby Lobby, and I added a few Fall touches here with the little pumpkins and Fall ribbon. The Fall leaf ribbon is a Dollar Tree find.

And I bet you’re wondering, “Butterfly Wall?” Yep, one of my experiments.

Golden Butterfly Wall at Royalview, with metal butterflies from Amazon.
https://amzn.to/47UoDaW
acrossthelake.blog Visit for links to all butterflies used in this arrangement.

I bought an array of different types of gold metal butterflies, some thicker metal than others, some pretty light, and created a little wall vignette along with a gold framed mirror I picked up at Rosey Opal’s in New Waverly, TX. I think it’s so pretty. Willie really likes it too. I’ll post the links below to where I found them on Amazon. The larger butterflies and flower were actually a set. It seems that Royalview is taking on it’s own personality. The first decor intention was to be French Country Lake House vibe, but she seems to be going more royal botanical garden, and I’m loving it. I’m loving the entire journey and just seeing where it all takes us.

That’s what makes life fun anyway, right? Following our joy and finding what makes our hearts sing.

Till next time, always follow your joy. God is truly good!

Johanna and Willie

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Our Amazon Affiliate Links for Butterfly Decor:

3-Piece Metal Butterfly and Flower Set: https://amzn.to/4g1dA1z

48 Piece Metal Butterfly Set: https://amzn.to/4lNPloZ

48 Piece Butterfly Set (4 different styles, and these are thinner): https://amzn.to/4mQY6Qk

I used these gold thumbtacks to hang the butterflies: https://amzn.to/425jKbe

God bless! I hope you enjoy!

Fall Home Decor, Fall Vignettes, Cinderella Carriage and Pumpkin Decor, Butterfly Wall, Vintage Fall Decor, Rhinestone Pumpkins, Willis, Conroe, Texas

August 30, 2025 0

Royalview’s Fall Floral Makeover

Fall faux floral dining room table arrangement in creme, blue and light rust.
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The leaves are already falling here at Royalview, and we are getting in the mood. We love this time of year so much, with the warmer color tones, cooler temps (not yet arrived here in SE Texas), just the whole vibe of the season.

I’ve been trying to decide what color tones I’d like to incorporate for our first Fall season at Royalview. We are decorated in mainly blue, white, brown, and greys, and I did not want to deviate too far from what we’ve just put into place, but rather, add in some warm tones to give it the Fall feels.

After shopping around for ideas, I decided to go with creme, blue, brown, gold, and light rust (with a little bling as well, as in gold glitter and rhinestone pumpkins!).

I shopped at Hobby Lobby, Amazon, Dollar General, and the Dollar Tree for faux florals. (The floral bouquet pictured above is filled with florals from Amazon and Dollar General.)

I purchased this box of very lovely faux floral in cremes, blues, and light rust from Amazon. I thought they arrived beautifully in their box. And I thought it was very unique to have the flowers separated from the stems. At first I wasn’t sure about that, but I quite enjoyed putting the flowers on my preferred stem, or leaving them off a stem to put at the base of my arrangement.

Beautiful Fall faux florals from Amazon, in creme, blue, and light rust.
https://amzn.to/45Cx4X0
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Here is the assortment of faux florals I chose from Hobby Lobby and the Dollar Tree:

Assortment of Fall faux florals from Hobby Lobby and the Dollar Tree.
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Instead of creating new Fall floral arrangements from scratch, I decided to transform already existing arrangements, with the exception of the arrangement on our dining room table (pic 1).

Here is a before picture of two arrangements from our living room entertainment center, and one from atop our grandfather clock, that I transformed/made over into Fall arrangements.

Blue, white, and purple faux floral arrangements to be transformed into Fall arrangements.
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And here is their after photo:

After photo of 3 arrangements transformed into Fall faux floral arrangements.
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You can see I kept most of their floral white and blue bases. I just took out some of the more Summery looking purples and blue frills, and simply added some creme, gold, and light rust florals, with a hint of acorns in the larger arrangement.

This was such an easy transformation, and I can do the same at Christmastime, with whatever color tones I choose then, and since I kept all the florals that I took out, I can choose to add those back in the Spring, or go in another direction. So many options, but yet keeping our base color tones in the arrangements.

I put the arrangements all back in their places, and added hints of Fall all around. With just a few subtle touches, Royalview is looking lovely, and ready for Fall.

Fall faux floral arrangement in blue, white, and gold.
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I added some of the warm florals, nuts, and berries to an existing garland atop our entertainment center.

White floral garland makeover into Fall decor.
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Fall decor, in white, brown, and blue tones.
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Fall faux floral arrangement in creme, blue, and brown.
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Here is a another (large) arrangement that I added to as well. This one has more of a Winter appearance to me, but I love this look so much, and it may become the inspiration for our Winter palette.

Large faux floral arrangement in white, green, and frosted lavender.
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I hope you enjoyed Royalview’s Fall floral makeover, and that it inspires you as well.

Till next time, remember to always follow your joy! God is truly good!

Johanna and Willie

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Making Fall faux floral arrangements, make over existing faux floral arrangements into Fall decor, Fall colors, Fall palette

August 28, 2025 0

Third and Final Vintage Mirror Makeover; White and Blue with Wooden Appliques

Vintage mirror makeover, after photo.
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This is the final one! My last mirror in waiting, now given her makeover.

This is how I found her, abandoned in a dirty storage building.

Vintage mirror before makeover. Salvaged mirror.
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I will not go into too many details on this makeover, since I’ve already posted in length about the previous two, but I’ll show you some of the process.

Of course the mirror had to be cleaned before any work could begin. Willie took care of most of that outside, and then I did the final wipe-downs inside right before painting.

Vintage mirror makeover, before picture.
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Willie removed the previous wooden appliques that were featured on this mirror, and I chose 2 appliques with roses for the top, and then 2 corner embellishments for the bottom.

Vintage mirror makeover, testing placement of wooden appliques.
Appliques from Amazon.
https://amzn.to/44nSFlu
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I got the mirror taped off, and then began painting. To be honest, I did not know how I wanted it painted. I only knew that I wanted it to be blue. I purchased peacock blue and teal paints, as I am wanting to bring in more of these types of blue tones into my office. I ended up using both tones of paint, along with white. I am not a professional painter, or makeover artist, I just jump in and go for it!

Vintage mirror makeover, painting the mirror.
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I began by first applying some white paint, then swiping over it with the blue tones. I went with teal down the sides, and and peacock along the top and bottom.

I ended up blending the blues, but I just wasn’t happy with how it was coming out. But not to dismay. I decided to go back over it with white paint again.

After a little back and forth, I am happy with the results.

Vintage mirror makeover, after photo. Painted in blue and white with wooden appliques.
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As you can see, I painted all the wooden appliques using the same type of method. These were a lot easier to do than the mirror. I just painted a white base coat, then dry brushed the peacock blue and teal paints across the raised edges.

Painting a wooden rose applique white and blue. Applique from Amazon.
https://amzn.to/44nSFlu
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Wooden rose applique from Amazon, painted in white and blue.
https://amzn.to/3GzUfr4
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I also painted a white plaster rose hanger, and an iron hat rack, using the same paints and technique.

Painting a white plaster rose hanger teal and white.
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Painting an iron hat rack teal and white.
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Now I have a cute out the door station in my office, with my purse, hats, and mirror, for last check.

After photo of vintage mirror makeover.
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I hope my project inspires you to try something new yourself.

Till next time, follow your joy! God is good!

Johanna and Willie

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Helpful Links:

Wooden Rose Applique on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3GzUfr4

Wooden Decorative Appliques on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4klT8Jn

Vintage mirror makeover, upcycled mirror, salvaged mirror, painting project, home decor inspo, office decor, Conroe, Willis, Texas, lake house

July 8, 2025 0

Creating Floral Arrangements for the Office and Bedroom

Faux floral arrangement making supplies.
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I love floral arranging! I may not be a professional, and I’ve not taken any classes, as someone’s asked, but I certainly enjoy expressing my own creativity in making arrangements for our home.

I will also make a confession to you. I sometimes have to do them over twice, or more, to get them just the way I want them. But it’s always just a lot of fun for me.

I purchased an array of blue and white faux florals at Michaels this time. They were having 50% off all Summer florals. I could see a lot of empty shelves, and Halloween stuff now being brought in. It’s the same at Hobby Lobby now, too. It won’t be long till we’re all decorating for Fall!

When I begin an arrangement, I’m never quite sure how it’s going to come together, so I just start with pieces that I think will make a great focal point in an arrangement.

Making faux floral arrangements in blue.
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I thought these larger sprigs were really pretty, so I chose the variated Hydrangea for an arrangement for my office, and the other tall blue floral with multiple layers, for our bedroom.

I left these two larger florals in-tact, and began building around them.

That’s where I went wrong, but I did not realize it at the time. Here are my completed first attempts.

This first arrangement, I was calling Marie Antoinette. I suppose you can see why.

Blue, white, and purple faux floral arrangement, that ended up being re-done.
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The second one was way too heavy in the back.

Blue, white, and beige faux floral arrangement that ended up being redone.
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And, I made two other accompanying arrangements for each, in the glass vases.

Faux floral arrangements in white that ended up being redone.
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I lived with all of these arrangements for one night. They all got a makeover the very next day. And that’s the great thing about making floral arrangements (at least for me, the beginner, still learning), they can be redone very easily, or changed around.

I took everything out of all the vases/cans, and started anew. I did stick with a blue and beige toned theme for our bedroom, and went blue and purple for my office.

Ready for the made-over arrangements?

Blue and beige for the bedroom:

Made-over faux floral arrangements in blue, beige, and white.
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I like these so much better! I cut apart that really large blue sprig that had all the different layers of flowers, and dispersed them throughout the arrangement. It made everything more balanced. The arrangement in the glass jar received additional florals to fill it out more, plus I added one of the blue florals to make it cohesive with it’s partner.

A closeup of the larger arrangement:

Blue, white, and beige faux floral arrangement.
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And the smaller one:

Faux floral arrangement in white, beige, and blue.
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And for my office, I re-did the arrangement with the Hydrangea (Marie Antoinette), plus made an accompanying arrangement in the taller glass jar:

Blue, purple, and white faux floral arrangements.
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Do you recognize the blue florals in the glass vase? Yes, those are 2 cuttings from that really tall blue sprig. I put one in the jar so I’d know where it was, and I really liked the way it looked, being able to see all the florals inside the vase, so I added a few more cuttings from that sprig, as well as another with blue and purple, and thought that I really liked it kept simple, so I did keep it simple. It’s all a matter of what makes me smile.

So, here’s a closeup of the larger blue and purple arrangement. I purposely chose florals with lighter/brighter greens, as I plan to have more green and teal tones (along with blue) in the office.

Blue, purple, and white faux floral arrangement.
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And the simple arrangement in the glass jar:

Simple blue faux floral arrangement in a glass jar.
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Sometimes simple is best.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my floral making attempts, and that they inspire you to give it a try for yourself.

Till next time, be kind, and always follow your joy! God is truly good!

Johanna and Willie

acrossthelake.blog

Faux Floral Arranging, Floral Arrangements, DIY floral arranging, Blue, White, Beige, and Purple Faux Floral Arrangements

June 24, 2025 2

DIY Home Decor Project: Vintage Venice Inspired Mirror Upcycle Using Wood Appliques

DIY Home Decor Project: Vintage Mirror Makeover using Wood Appliques from Amazon, After Photo
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Amazon product link: https://amzn.to/4le3Xy8

Well, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to begin with the before, or the after photo. I’m opting for the after photo first. I’m so pleased with the outcome of this vintage mirror upcycle. I can’t believe I was able to achieve such a makeover all by myself. Well, with a little help from Willie, I suppose (winks!).

I found this old mirror in a building at Willie’s family business. Everything is being cleared out, so this would have most likely been thrown out if I had not salvaged it, especially in the shape I found it in.

DIY Vintage Mirror Makeover, Before Pic.
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Now, who wouldn’t want to bring this beauty home? I mean, it’s gorgeous home decor!

But yeah, I had been on the hunt for a large mirror for Royalview, and I found 2, perhaps not in the best condition, but I thought they had good potential.

Willie was very kind to get this all cleaned up for me before we brought it indoors for it’s makeover. It looked a lot better after a good cleaning.

DIY Home Decor Project: Vintage Mirror Makeover, Before Pic.
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I knew I wanted to add some beautiful decorative embellishment to this mirror. I was inspired by a Vlogger I follow, called Walk With Me Tim. He and his wife stayed in a beautiful hotel in Venice where they had these gorgeous old mirrors that were very ornate, and yet the mirrors themselves were aged. This mirror had the same feels for me with the aging of the mirror, so let’s turn it into a vintage Venice inspired mirror!

Ornamental decorative wood appliques onlays for vintage mirror makeover project. Easy to paint and apply to wood project. From Amazon. https://amzn.to/3FQvNl7
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I found a very lovely set of wooden appliques, or onlays, from Amazon. This set is offered in a small or large size, and in sets of 5 or 10. I opted for size large, in a set of 10. This is enough for 2 projects, should I desire. (The rose appliques are for another project up the line, and not included in the set of 10 I used for this project.)

Set of beautiful wooden appliques onlays from Amazon, https://amzn.to/3FQvNl7
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The detail on these appliques is very intricate, and they are a good heft, as well. They are lightweight, but not so thin that they are too fragile to work with. Just perfect!

Ornate decorative wood appliques from Amazon. https://amzn.to/3FQvNl7
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Now, as I was sorting through my appliques and getting ready to paint them, Willie went to work attaching the French Cleat Picture Hanger wall bracket set that I found on Amazon as well. This gadget was a life-saver when it came to figuring out how to hang this very heavy mirror. The mirror was originally attached to a dresser, so there was no original wall hanging hardware.

It seemed very easy for him to attach two of the brackets on the back of the frame, and then the other two to the wall, and they just slip one inside the other to hang. Fabulous!

French Cleat Picture Hanger, wall bracket hardware set from Amazon.
https://amzn.to/4nd5S7L
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I had a lot of fun painting the wooden appliques. I first painted them white, and then I went over them later (after they had dried), with a gold metallic paint, just sweeping it across the raised details.

Painting wood appliques from Amazon.
https://amzn.to/4k3dLdc
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After I had painted the appliques, I got to work painting the mirror frame. I first taped off the mirror using painter’s tape so that I would not get paint on the mirror itself. This is very easily removed after the paint dries, and it makes a big difference in getting a sharp edge on your paint, next to the mirror.

When I began painting the mirror, I wasn’t sure how I wanted it to look. White-washed? Fully painted? No… this has to look like it’s been around for centuries. The paint has begun to chip. That’s the ticket!

I began with a top coat, then I went back over it (in sections) with another coat. I let that second coat dry just a bit, till it was almost dry, then I rubbed across it with a slightly damp paper towel. Since I left the original varnish on the mirror, it was a little “slick” underneath my new paint, so I was able to get my (almost, but still not dry) second coat of paint to literally peel off on some of the raised areas, allowing the original brown color to come through. Since I wanted it to look like the paint has organically chipped off over time, I did not want any white-wash smudge, so I took another damp(er) paper towel and wiped the brown areas to bring back the original sheen.

Distressing paint to make it look like it chipped off over time.
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Here is the type of paint I used by Benjamin Moore (not sponsored). I’ve been using this same paint for all my recent projects. It has been wonderful to work with for all my paint effects. It is an Interior Acrylic Paint and Primer, in a Satin/Pearl finish. It’s not shiny or iridescent, as the name would make one think.

I completed the entire mirror, using this method, one side at a time. It really doesn’t take that long to do, and is quite fun!

Distressed/chipped paint effect on a vintage mirror.
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If I “messed up” I would just paint back over the area and wait for it to get almost dry, and rub away again. Only one area, right here in the above corner, gave me any trouble. I just couldn’t seem to get it the way I wanted, but it came out fine in the end. Probably no one but me would even notice. It’s supposed to be old and organically chipped, right?

Now jumping ahead, I used FolkArt Acrylic Paint in Pure Gold (from Amazon) to highlight the inside and outside edges of the mirror, as well as highlight all the raised areas of the wooden appliques.

Vintage mirror makeover, Venice inspired look, using ornate wooden appliques from Amazon.
https://amzn.to/4k3dLdc
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I then glued on all the wooden appliques. Hot glue works best, in my opinion. I first used super glue, but one corner came off after hanging, so hot glue to the rescue!

Vintage mirror makeover, upcycle, from trash to treasure, using wood appliques, overlays, from Amazon.
https://amzn.to/44hVPWz
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Venice inspired vintage mirror upcycle using wooden appliques from Amazon.
https://amzn.to/44hVPWz
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I just love it. This is my favorite decor makeover that I’ve done thus far, and I love it now hanging over my makeup table in my office.

Completed DIY Paint Project. Venice Inspired Mirror Makeover in White and Gold, Using Wood Appliques from Amazon.
https://amzn.to/44hVPWz
acrossthelake.blog

I hope my salvaged project inspires you to create something fabulous for your space.

Till next time, be kind, and always follow your joy! God is truly good!

Johanna and Willie

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DIY Home Decor Paint Project, Venetian, Venice Inspired Mirror Makeover, Salvaged, From Trash to Treasure Home Decoration, Vintage Mirror Upcycle, Conroe, Texas, Lakehouse

June 21, 2025 0

Making Cheerful Faux Floral Arrangements on a Rainy Day

Blue, white, and purple faux floral arrangement in silver tin.
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It has certainly been rainy lately here in SE Texas, and I am loving it! Such a great reprieve from the heat, and a great time to do indoor crafts.

I had 4 floral arrangements in mind that I wanted to create for our dining room decor. One for the top of our grandfather clock, one for the top inside tier of our antique curio cabinet, and 2 for the second inside tier of the curio cabinet.

Places for the new floral arrangements at Royalview.
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I already had 3 of the “vases” here. Two little cute coffee cup planters that I painted several years ago, and a large glass mug that says Beer 5 cents, that was given to Willie by his younger brother, Thomas, many years ago, before we even met.

Faux floral arrangement supplies.
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The fourth vase, or planter, I found at Dollar Tree. I knew I didn’t want or need a pricey vase, as this arrangement will be going atop our grandfather clock, so it will not be well seen, plus it wouldn’t be tragic if it had an accidental fall from high up. This tin bin that says Flowers & Gardens is perfect. The perfect price point, height, and shape for this task.

Silver oval flower tin that says Flowers and Garden.
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I knew that I wanted the arrangement for atop the clock to have some downward flow.

Making a blue, white, and purple faux floral arrangement.
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I began with just blue and whites, but it needed a pop of color. How about a pop of purple?

Faux floral arrangement in white, blue and purple.
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There we go! I’m loving this!

The little cuties and beer mug had their makeovers as well. I kept these pretty simple, as they are going behind glass, in the curio cabinet. The white florals will help bring in much needed brightness.

Faux floral arrangements in various misc. vases/holders in blues and whites.
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The little mugs are just too cute! I call them Fifi and Penelope. They’ve become favorite keepsakes.

The beer mug now shines new light with it’s white wispy florals, pearls, and clear stones.

Beer mug with white floral arrangement.
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Such a beautiful way to add brightness (and lightness of mood) to this dark cabinet.

White nick-nacks in an antique curio cabinet.
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Fun note: If you spy the red Christmas light inside this cabinet, it’s there because Willie’s Father built this cabinet when he (Willie’s Dad) was in his 20’s, probably in the 1960’s. I’m guessing this was his way to bring brightness in. These lights are so fun and sentimental, I’ve opted to leave them in place, as he placed them in his beautiful creation.

And for our arrangement atop the clock, I think it ties everything in together very well.

Faux floral arrangement atop a grandfather clock.
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Everybody’s happy now in their new home. We’re making good progress with the dining room and curio cabinet decor.

Till next time, be kind, and follow your joy! God is truly good!

Johanna and Willie

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Faux Floral Arranging, Floral Arrangements, Vintage Style, Antique Furniture, French Country House, Lake House, Decor, Decor DIY, Keepsakes, Upgraded Home Decor

June 12, 2025 0

Vintage Mirror Makeover DIY Project: From Western Motif to French Country Home Decor

Western Motif Vintage Mirror Before Transformation.
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So, we’ve been on the look-out for mirrors for Royalview for a little while now. I, in particular, have been keeping an eye out for a full-length mirror for our bedroom, as well as a mirror for my office/make-up room.

Western Motif Vintage Mirror Before Makeover.
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The price tag that comes along with a beautiful large mirror is pretty large as well, we’ve noticed, so when I spotted this beauty at one of my favorite booth’s at Yesterday’s Treasures, I was definitely interested, and when Willie told me the price, I was sold. ($25.00)

It’s not quite the look and style as Royalview’s decor, as I’m sure you’ve noticed, but if you’ve been following our story here for a bit, you know I’m up for a challenge, armed with my can of white paint. So, yeah, after giving it a good look-over, I said, “I can paint it white!”.

It was listed as a Western Motif Mirror, and it does have some pretty designs. The frame is very large and ornate, so definitely something I can work with.

For this project I did need to get the painters tape out and fully line all sides of the mirror to make sure not to get paint on the mirror itself.

Western Motif Vintage Mirror Before Painting, with Blue Painters Tape.
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I decided not to sand this, even though it seemed to have some type of varnish over the paint, and with 2 coats of white paint, the old brown, black, and gold tones were a distant memory.

Vintage Mirror Makeover. Painted White.
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I did allow some of the old tones to show through, to let it still have a vintage look, but this time I took things to the next level by adding blue paint to the little circle details. At first I was going to paint each one perfectly, but then I decided it would be better to give it an imperfect, distressed look.

Vintage Mirror Makeover in White and Blue.
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I’m very delighted how it turned out. It was a very easy project to do. The mirror just needed to be cleaned a bit and painted. It has a lot of character, and a new life now at Royalview.

The toughest things about this project came after completing the makeover: Deciding where and how to hang it.

The how to hang it has now being taken care of thanks to Amazon. I found a French Cleat Picture Hanger Kit that we will be trying out here very soon. This mirror weighs in at approximately 25 pounds. Yes, Willie weighed it. It feels much heavier to me. The kit(s) I found have different sizes for different weights. This is going to make hanging it so much easier and safer.

And for the where. My initial thought for this mirror was definitely for our bedroom wall.

Completed vintage mirror makeover.
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This is large enough to use as a full-length dressing mirror, but after I painted it, I looked into the living room and thought how beautiful this would be over our main sofa (hung horizontally). The wall over our sofa has been kept blank till we find the “perfect” item, or items to adorn that focal area.

Bare living room wall awaiting decor.
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I don’t know for sure yet where it will find it’s place.

I do have two more vintage mirrors that are awaiting transformation. These two I got for free, rummaging through one of the buildings at Willie’s family’s business that’s being cleared out.

Here are the two lovelies.

Vintage mirror awaiting transformation.
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Think I have my work cut out for me?

Vintage dresser mirror awaiting transformation.
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I know there will be a lot of cleaning involved, for sure!

But, I do have some ideas, and I’ve ordered some things already for these, including the French Cleat Hangers, of course. The brown one is off of a dresser, so it definitely will need hardware to hang.

That yellow mirror is so pretty, though. That one will either be in my office (the brown one will be over my dressing table in my office/make-up room) as a full length dressing mirror, or in our bedroom if the other goes over the sofa, so stay tuned!

I’m just so happy to be able to breathe new life into these almost lost mirrors. They are all good-sized mirrors, and in good shape mostly. I’m hoping once the dirt is wiped from these last two, that the mirrors themselves are good. From what I can see, they look like they will be ok.

Okay gang, till next time, please remember to be kind, and always follow your joy!

Johanna and Willie

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Vintage Mirror DIY Paint Makeover Project, French Country House Decor, Lake House Decor, Conroe, Texas, Arts and Crafts

June 10, 2025 0

Revitalizing a Charming Little Vintage Church Birdhouse into Shabby Chic Home Decor

Vintage Church Birdhouse Before Pic.
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So, I found this!

I actually saw it just a little while back while visiting Yesterday’s Treasures in Willis, TX. I first saw a historical church that this little birdhouse resembles, in New Waverly, TX. It is so beautiful. It’s named St. Joseph’s Catholic Church.

St. Joseph's Catholic Church, New Waverly, TX
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Soon after that I saw another historic church like this in Willis, Texas. I really love the style of architecture, so when I spied this little church birdhouse, I was immediately intrigued.

I came across a similar church birdhouse elsewhere, but the price was quite a bit, and when I saw the one I eventually purchased, the price was very good, but I wasn’t sure where I could use it in my decor.

Well, I woke up Saturday morning with the little church birdhouse on my mind, and we were headed out on a shopping adventure with Aunt Bunny that day anyway, so I decided to see if it was even still available, and, thankfully, it was.

When we went to pick it up, I didn’t realize the actual condition that the house was in, as I hadn’t fully examined it the first time. I decided to go ahead and purchase it as the price was good, and I knew I would have fun fixing it up.

This picture is after Willie cleaned it up a bit outside and removed the dirt dobber nest that was on the front facade. This birdhouse was evidently used outdoors as an actual birdhouse, and not for home decor, so it is the real deal. But this real deal needed a little TLC to get it to where we would want to display it indoors at Royalview. I do like the rustic, whitewashed look, but this was a little intense, even for me.

So, after giving it a good wiping down with damp paper towels, I got my water based white paint out once again to see if I could improve on the looks.

Vintage White Church Birdhouse After Repainting.
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The paint went on easily, and while it still has a worn look, it is much fresher now.

I added a little faux floral to give it even more charm.

Vintage white church birdhouse with fresh paint and faux florals.
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I’m very happy with the outcome. It’s amazing what a little bit of paint can do.

After completing the little birdhouse’s transformation, I thought it would be perfect as the focal point of our entertainment center’s vignette. So, yet another swap-out of decor! But that’s the fun of it!

Vintage white church birdhouse with fresh paint and faux florals displayed as home decor.
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So cute! And adds so much charm. I’m really loving it. It still has a rustic look, but not quite as shabby as before. Now I suppose it is shabby chic!

Vintage style white church birdhouse repainted with faux floral and displayed as home decor.
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I hope you’ll stay tuned for our next blog post. We enjoyed another fun dining and shopping adventure with Aunt Bunny.

Till next time, and I usually say stay safe, and I always will hope so for you, but this time I am going to sign off with a message that a little kindness can go a lot further than you can even imagine. God is truly good.

Johanna and Willie,

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Vintage Church Birdhouse, Bird House, White Church, Shabby Chic Home Decor, DIY Decor Transformation

May 27, 2025 0

Living Room Decor Update

Vintage style blue and white washable area rug great for French country decor from Amazon.
https://amzn.to/4k7SrUN
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Everything is still a work in progress here at Royalview, but it’s getting cozier and definitely feeling like home, more and more every day. I’m getting to where I do not want to leave. I want to stay home. Royalview is now definitely in my heart as home.

It’s been so much fun shopping for home decor, as well as doing my little crafts for things around the house. Royalview’s decor has been a “from scratch” project. Our decor theme and color scheme is completely different from our former home of 31 years. It’s been a great adventure for me to start from scratch. All new feel, all new memories.

Our entertainment center decor has been in constant evolvement. As we find new goodies, we’re always moving things around to see where they look best. The top of our entertainment center has now inherited the floral arrangement that I made to go in the dining room atop our antique curio cabinet.

Home entertainment center decor focal point.
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I put this floral arrangement together in a pedestaled white milk glass bowl I acquired at Yesterday’s Treasures Antique Mall in Willis, TX, as I did the cute black two-faced clock pictured here. Not sure yet if this will be where it (the floral arrangement) stays, but it’s here for now. Still deciding…

Above entertainment center focal point decor. Vintage style French country home decor.
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I found the white rose garland at Michaels, and I love how it ties everything together. I intertwined the garland with a strand of battery powered little ball lights. You can see them better in the closeup photo.

And, I’ve not yet introduced you to our wall clock, Cinderella. I found her at Yesterday’s Treasures Antique Mall upon our very first visit there, and knew immediately that she had to come home with us.

Mora style wall clock. Antique Mall find.
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Cinderella is a Mora style wall clock painted in white and gray. I did not give her a makeover. This is the way I found her and loved the look. She was actually the inspiration for the color that I painted Beauty (the tall candlestick holder). We have very high walls, so she goes perfectly, with her very tall stature.

I found a similar clock in style and color on Amazon for any who may be loving this style as much as I do. It’s a Howard Miller Lebanon II Wall Clock in Antique Gray. (I will be linking more similar Amazon finds here for all of you, for items I have acquired elsewhere that may be 1 of a kind as far as where I’ve found them, as I do receive requests from folks wanting to find similar items for themselves.)

And, for the promised look at the little house clock that I found at Hobby Lobby and repainted, Here it is:

Entertainment center decor. French country home style. After photo of house style clock.
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Willie also installed new clock works and hands. Here’s the before picture:

Before picture of house style clock.
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Such a fun and easy little makeover project, but it did make a big difference. I really like this little clock. It gives me birdhouse vibes.

And we cannot forget Willie’s favorite living room decor item, our Samsung 55-Inch Smart TV.

Samsung 55 Inch HDR Smart TV from Amazon. They will deliver and set it up for you.
https://amzn.to/3FnNZCa
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We both really do enjoy it. It’s very nice to see the action on the screen so well, and we love that we can watch our DVD’s very easily without having to switch back and forth. The DVD choice is located on the menu with all the other apps. This Amazon purchase was so fabulous also because they brought it here and set it up for us. That was very helpful.

We’ll be off on another antiquing spree with Aunt Bunny, coming up very soon. We’ll see what other treasures are to be found. My sights are now focused more on decor for my office and for our bathrooms. I’m so excited my new desk has arrived (from Amazon, of course). Willie is working to get that all put together as well as a storage cabinet for our utility room. There’s always some type of project going on over here, and we’re loving it!

Till next time, stay safe, and follow your joy! God is truly good!

Johanna and Willie

acrossthelake.blog

VIPBED 8×10 Vintage Style Blue and White Area Rug (Picture 1), from Amazon

Home Decor, French Country, Lake House, Decor, Amazon Finds, Amazon Associates, Antique Mall Finds, Shopping, Willis, Conroe, Texas

May 22, 2025 0