home art: 2009

TDC Top Ten!

Well, here it is folks. The end of another year. I can hardly even believe it. It went by in a blink, didn’t it? I for one am really looking forward to 2010! :) So here is the list, in all it’s glory. This was my first full year of blogging, so I had more to pick from compared to last year’s list. I was going to go in order of comments, lowest to highest, but I’m running out of time today. I

Craftalicious

One of my sweet bloggy friends, who has a little old blog called The Lettered Cottage (maybe you’ve heard of her? Hmmm?), asked me today to share a few thrifty tips. I was happy to oblige, and as I was looking through old posts for ideas, I was feeling a little nostalgic about some of the cauuute projects I’ve worked on this year. I will do another recap of the year like I did last December (

Packing up Christmas

My second favorite time of the year is fast approaching Squeezies!! I’m so excited cause I get to harass you again soon about THROWING OUT YOUR CRAP!! Hooty hoo!! If you just found this blog over the past few months, you probably don’t know my issues love of organizing and decluttering. I give myself a pass during the holidays. I have to admit, I’m starting to twitch ever so slightly over the

Great expectations

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday! It feels like ages since I’ve done a post! I haven’t even been on the computer once since my sicky post Wednesday night. (Thank you all so much by the way!!) It was kind of nice to not be online. But I’m soooo ready to get back!If you are anything like me, you have grand expectations for certain holidays. My biggie used to be New Years Eve. When I was

Merry Christmas to me!

Uhhhh, NOT. As soon as we pulled out onto the highway to go to our Christmas with my family this evening, the Bub got sick. Three times. I guess I should be grateful it’s the first time that’s happened in more than three years. :) We turned around immediately, got him in the tub and I was feeling more and more iffy with each passing minute. I had felt a little off all afternoon, but at

Choo choo tree!

The very first tree we put up this year was a new one in the Bub’s playroom. The tree itself is old, it’s the one we used to use in the family room. I’ve always wanted a tree just for him, and last year I ended up getting a little three foot tree at a Deals store. It was a total SCORE because it was the only one left and it happened to be the display. I got the whole tree, with about $15 of

Ho! Ho! Ho! (A Santa craft.)

I worked on a craft project today that turned out sooooo caute, I could not resist going ahead with a post tonight. It was snowing all day (not like some of you are getting!), so it was a great day to sit down and craft while the Bub was napping and Hubs was watching a game. Snow makes me feel all Christmasy-like. ;)I saw some cute Santa hat/suit decor things in Stein Mart a couple months ago and

My fruity kitchen at Christmas!

Squeezies!! Aw, I missed you! It was so important for me to focus just on my family this week. It’s been a sad, happy, rough, inspiring, overwhelming week. I’ll leave it at that. And a reminder to hug and kiss your loved ones and let them know how you feel about them -- NOW. I’ve shown you my fruity kitchen before (it’s been defruitified a bit since that post). I had a goal to just have FUN with

A festive kitchen table

Again, I’m not quite sure what to say or how to tell you how much I appreciate your wonderful comments and emails. I wish I knew how to say thank you in a way that expresses it, other than just saying THANK YOU. Right now, the Bub is sleeping, my father-in-law is asleep on the sofa, and my hubby and his sis are both on their laptops, so I thought I would join the party. ;) Today is the first

When it rains...

Well, you know. It pours.I have been so thankful for your sweet comments, emails and messages about my father-in-law. It really has been so wonderful to have all of you surrounding us with a big virtual hug. :)On Saturday, we thought the worst we were going to have to deal with that weekend was our sick Bub, and that we were going to have to cancel his birthday party.Instead, we got a call that

A Christmas tree party!

Welcome to the party!(You can grab the button on the left of my site.)So glad you could join me to check out some fabulous Christmas trees! And all without any cleaning, cooking and I can stay in my comfy pants. ;)I showed you our family room tree last year, but I got a new tree for a steal after Christmas last year, so I have to show you again. It’s much taller and much skinnier, and I got it

For the love of Overstock

If you are looking for an inexpensive place to purchase home decor items, one company I always suggest is Overstock.com – I have shopped Overstock for years and have to tell you, I’ve never been disappointed. They are FAB. (And no, I’m not getting paid for this at all – but helloooooo Overstock!!) :) I recently bought a new bench for the dining room from the “O” that I have yet to show you,

How to take a great picture

I get questions and emails all of the time about the camera I use and my photography skills. I have to say, I’m completely honored that you would even ask. I must preface this post by saying, I know very little about photography and am NOT an expert in any stretch of the imagination. I would be offending professional photographers by claiming as much. I do love photography though, and have for

The JOY of red!

I’m quite obsessed with touches of red in my Christmas decor this year. I honestly don’t know what the deal is, it’s just appealing to me for some reason. I added bits of red to our family room mantel and it’s all over the kitchen, which I’ll show you soon. You can see our cutie little red and white kitchen tree here. Last week I showed you the decor I added to our bed of all places, and tonight

The dining hutch Christmasfied

So glad you loved the recipes! I bought more of the little cookies today at Target on sale – the snowmen cookies were $1.25, the reindeer were $1.75. (No more trees!) Not sure of the logic of the price difference, but I got a few more packages to make for a party this weekend. I may or may not have made some for myself tonight. Maybe. I finished decorating our dining room hutch last week and it

How I throw a Christmas party

I LOVE to entertain – it is my joy sharing our home and having friends and family here, eating great food, drinking good drinks and laughing. Lots of laughter. :) This year, we will host three parties this month, and the first was this past weekend. A few of my girlfriends and I get together every year for our annual ornament exchange. It’s been six or seven years now – none of can remember how

Sleeping under the stars

I made my bed for this post peeps. This is BIG. HUGE. I hate making our bed. So you know it’s something I really want to show you. :) I have to tell you, this is one of my most favorite Christmas decorations I’ve ever done. And it’s somewhere you would never guess – our bed! (Now now now – get your heads out of the gutter! This is a PG blog.) :) It all started with this photo I saw in the Pottery

The kitchen trees

Ain’t he caaaute?! For years I’ve wanted a fun little Christmas tree for the kitchen, and a couple years ago I found an itty bitty tree that I fell in LOVE with. I got it for about $12, which is more than I would normally pay, but it is so real looking, I couldn’t resist: I found itty bitty ornaments for the itty bitty tree, and this year I painted the plain pot red to make it a bit more

Deck the stairs

First of all, let me say my heart is FULL. I really can’t express how grateful I am for your sweet words and prayers. I feel so incredibly fortunate to have “met” you all through this blog. Our family is lucky to have you. I haven’t shown my husband quite yet, because I know he’ll be overcome by all of your support. I will show him very soon though, when the time is right. For now, I continue to

Full of thanks

This post was supposed to be written last week, in preparation for Thanksgiving, but life throws you curve balls that interfere with plans. And that was precisely the point I was going to make. It's how we deal with those curve balls that matter. I'm one of those -- an optimist, through and through. :) I can't help it. I think it stems from my teen years, which I've mentioned a bit on this blog.

Full of thanks

This post was supposed to be written last week, in preparation for Thanksgiving, but life throws you curve balls that interfere with plans. And that was precisely the point I was going to make. It's how we deal with those curve balls that matter.I'm one of those -- an optimist, through and through. :) I can't help it. I think it stems from my teen years, which I've mentioned a bit on this blog. I

A Christmas mantel, au naturale

I’m so glad you all loved the mantel inspiration photos! I was so inspired by the natural looks and all the “fluff” – I think it worked for our mantel as well. I spent much of today messing around and having fun with it. I’m so pleased with the final result, I hope you love it too! I started with natural looking pics of greenery from Big Lots – I used three at $3 each. I just laid one on each

Christmas mantels

Hello there! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We had a lovely day with scrumptious food – all made by moi thankyouverymuch. I done good folks. I don’t cook often, but when I do, it’s pretty darn great. (YES, you heard right Dad, I DO cook.) :) I’m getting closer with the Christmas decor – not sure it’s going to happen by Monday, but I’m having fun with it, and that’s what matters

Our holiday porch

I’ve always loved my tried and true Christmas decorating for our front porch and yard – it’s simple and elegant. (I told you how I do it back on this post.) But this year I was feeling like it needed a bit more fun…I think it’s because our son is getting older and becoming more and more obsessed with Christmas -- just like Momma. ;)So I wanted to make it a little more whimsical and

The hardest easiest DIY wreath ever

OK, so I have seen this all over blogland for the past year, so it’s nothing new. I believe Eddie Ross did it first. Then I think I saw it over at Rhoda’s last year. And Chris shared hers last week. The more I saw them, the more I was mesmerized by them. Then one of you lovelies (thanks Su!) suggested this wreath when I shared my Christmas dining table last week. I found a huge container of

Gorgeous jewelry giveaway!

**This giveaway is now closed. One of my favorite bloggy people is Beki at Pampering Beki. She is such a sweet person and blogger. She makes some beauuutiful jewelry to boot. :)Beki has some gorgeous new pieces I can’t wait to show you! The first is an ornament I just absolutely love. I know it’s because I’m in the Christmas clouds right now, but it just makes me smile:What a sweet way to

A glam christmas table

OK, a few things before I start this post. I’m writing this one in Live Writer for the first time ever, and holy canoly, it’s freaking awesome! I love how easy this is to work with, and that it’s so easy to change and move photos! So this post may look a little different. (Let me know if it works OK for you!)Second – YES, it’s a Christmas post. YES, I am decorating now. Well, this is the first of

How to test for lead.

I know, bor-ring topic! But this is pretty important to know, and it's sooo easy to do, so I figured I would share. I received a comment back on my post on fall decor about the plates I bought from Goodwill that concerned me. The reader mentioned the dishes were recalled years ago for possible lead content. By the way, YES, I read every comment and love them. ;)Well, there are a few things that

Comment love, a winner and announcements.

WOWZA peeps -- that was a HUGE response to the Scribble It giveaway. That was FUN! :) The winner (I feel like I need a drumroll for this one!) is...Kat at Measuring my life in loveYippee Kat! Please email me and I'll connect you with Cammi.I have a humongo favor to ask of you all! My son's nursery was featured on Design Dazzle awhile back and has been chosen as a Design Dazzler and one of the top

Sunday night.

It's about 10:15 and we're finally settled for the evening. A load of laundry is going, the football game is on, the Bub is back in bed for the third (!!) time tonight. ;)Most Sunday nights, I try to do a few things to make the start to our week a little less stressful. It's not much, and it's not so much organizing us for the week as it is clearing our minds of clutter.Some Sundays I do more

Fantastic vinyl giveaway!

**This giveaway is now closed!Well this is a good one folks. (Aren't they all?) I can't wait to share my latest fab giveaway with you!Although it's supposed to be an unlucky day today, it's going to be a great one for one of you Squeezies! Cammi at Scribble It has graciously offered one of YOU a gift card for her vinyl products! You know I love the vinyl -- I use it all over the place. The great

Table runner wall art.

OK, well I kinda lied about the not mentioning molding for another month thing. It wasn't deliberate, I swear. This project just kind of came to me today and molding was the perfect touch to finish it off. Sorry. Not really. :)So I was feeling the itch for a Goodwill trip today -- it's been about a week, and after that long, I start daydreaming about it, and getting hives at the thought of

Fall around the house.

I think it's time I show you the rest of my fall decor around here, because, well...I'll be honest...Christmas stuff is finding it's way out.Keeeeeel me. I love it. I don't apologize. Christmas decor is just dreamy, seeing it makes me giddy. Like, when it was out at Lowe's two months ago, GIDDY.So sue me. The fall stuff is going to be boxed up soon. :)I decorate on the cheap whenever possible,

The squares on my walls.

I hope you had a wonderful weekend! We had a great one -- full of marching band. ;) I swear I feel like I have 300 more children every weekend, I am so proud when I watch them perform. Sniff.Today I'm not feeling so great -- no fever thank goodness, just general crap. Hopefully I can sleep it off tonight. I cannot stand being down and out. Gives me hives!!So yes, this is yet another post about

The difference molding makes.

Well it's done. Not completely, but I gave up on "completely" when the Bub was born. ;) There are a few touch ups to do, but I'm sure I'll get to them next week, next month, in a few years.I am soooo pleased with how this project turned out. After looking at it now, I wonder why it took me so. many. years. for it to occur to me to add picture frame molding in this room. DOY. I had done the

How to install molding (with videos, yikes!)

For a few weeks, I've been feeling like something was missing in my life...an itch that needed to be scratched. I felt a longing for something, but I couldn't put my finger on what it was. Then, one day, looking around our house, it hit me...I haven't done a molding project for EIGHT months. Good God, that's like a millennium in Sarah time.I needed to squelch the need for molding STAT. I knew

Countdown to Christmas!!

This another "rewind" post of sorts and it includes a couple of my all time DIY Christmas projects that I did last year. I wanted to highlight these now so you would have plenty of time to work on them if you are so inclined. :)I'll show you a couple of my advent calendars and then show you some inspiration for advents. FUN! First up is my vinyl countdown. I had an Uppercase Living party just to

Before and After Party!

It's a par-tay people!! I feel like I should title this post "Lamp Pass and Lamp BIG FAT FAIL." I recently redid two lamps and only one turned out like I had hoped. The other...well...notsogood. The first started when I found this cutie little drum shade at Goodwill for $2.99:I am quickly becoming obsessed with drum shades. I just think they are uber cool. I had been wanting a new shade for the

Perfect.

I've been toying around with this post for quite some time now. I have held off because it shows a side of me I'm not so proud of. I decided to write it today because especially lately, more than usual, I've seen comments and posts here and there from bloggers about their home not measuring up...not being as beautiful as the next...not as perfect.This big bloggy world is one that has brought much

(Almost) free Halloween decor

I'm so stinking excited you all love my redo as much as I do!! It's GORG, eh? It just feels like "home" to me, like it always should have looked this way. ;)It hit me this week that, uhhhhh, Halloween is like, in two days and I hadn't shown you more of my decor. Maybe you can file some ideas away for next year, yes?Most of my Halloween decor -- well ALL of my Halloween decor -- was made by moi or

SURPRISE!!

Well hellooooo there!! Isn't it FAB?? (If you are reading this in Google Reader you may want to click over.) I've been thinking about my redesign for AGES and am so totally, completely giddy with how it turned out!! Shannon at Eightcrazy Design is fan-freaking-tastic! She took my inspiration -- my business card I had made up about six months ago -- and ran with it. It is so absolutely cool I

Temporarily Under Construction

*UPDATE* construction is now complete!

A dining room reveal!

Well, its not completely done, but I thought I would stop the torture and just show you already!! :)I have long said there are three rooms I think you can do totally dramatic and fun. Your laundry room, powder room and your dining room. The first two because they are usually small and can take pretty much whatever color you want. The last, because I think dining rooms should have a little bling

Metallic pumpkins!

This time of year, pumpkins have puked all over our house. In a really nice way. I have wood pumpkins: Hee. Aren't they precious?I have glittered pumpkins:(Take some glue, brush it on, and put on the glitter.)I have real pumpkins all over the place outside:I have metal pumpkins:And last year I used black paint and made some cauuute tags to make a set of "Welcome" pumpkins:But this year my

Another great giveaway!

Hello all! Hope you had a fantastic week and have a great weekend planned! It was a busy day for us, but hubs and I got a sitter tonight and took a couple hours to go out for a late dinner -- we don't do that enough! With his fall schedule, we were lucky to get those two hours. :)This weekend we have another fabulous giveaway here at TDC! This one is from Angie at ABCD Images. Angie's original,

How to reupholster dining room chairs!

Well, the time has come to reveal what was one of the most difficult DIY projects I've ever done. I mean, I think this was harder than tiling. Then installing molding, fo sho. It was rough. Let me rephrase that -- getting the backs off the chairs was rough. The rest was easy peasy Squeezy. Serious. Let's go through the process, shall we?First, you'll need needle nose pliers to really grip at the

The most beautiful light (and a winner!)

First of all, the winner (chosen by random.org) of the Joey and Chase Designs giveaway is number 17, Rebecca from Growing Up Our Style! Rebecca, please e-mail me and I'll connect you with Rachel!If you have a few minutes to spare, go take a look at the comments from that giveaway. I asked you to name an event you would put on the bracelet and you did not disappoint. Many of you mentioned you were

A mantel, spookified!

So Friday night, I got a wild hair to make our mantel look a little more Halloweeny, which I've never done. I always leave fall decor up there till November 1 Thanksgiving. I struggle with Halloween and fall decorating -- do I do all fall, then take it all down for Halloween, do I do both? Do Halloween, then fall?Oh, it's so hard being me. The stress of these decisions keeps me up at night. (

Giveaway weekend!

**This giveaway is now closed.Helloooo there! I am so pooped tonight -- I spent the whole evening spookifying our mantel. (You know, spookifying is exhausting.) It started out with a few cobwebs and and quickly became a big project, but I LOVE it! Can't wait to show you next week.This weekend, I have a fantabulous giveaway from Rachel at Joey and Chase Designs! I adore Rachel's jewelry -- she has

The table is set.

I am adding this to Susan's Tablescape Thursdays! :) First of all, can I tell you how much you are my Squeezies? Your responses to my cord covering post absolutely had me cracking. up. You guys get me. Double pound to the chest to y'all.So the dining room is turning out so great, I can barely stand it. I love it so much! I am getting there with the reupholstering of the chairs. I tore off the

Rewind: My nemesis (cords!)

So this post is going to be a few decent pictures and a whole lotta really bad, flash, boring pictures -- but this stuff is important people! If you are cray-zay like me that is. A long time ago I posted about my hatred of CORDS, and I thought I would share more of how I deal with them.There is nothing that ruins a gorgeous room to me more than CORDS. Ugh. I was watching a decorating show the

The Etsy site is LIVE!

Whew, that took FOREVA. I just got all my listings up on my new Etsy site! Sheesh, that wasn't quick. But it was kinda fun! To get to the shop, click here.Here's a sampling of my favorites...I am SO IN LOVE with these vintage snack plates. I have a few different plates listed, but this design is my favorite: I'm determined to gather enough of these to use for my small get togethers from now on. I

Stinkin' cute Halloween!

First of all, thanks so much for the birthday wishes!! I had a great, relaxing birthday weekend with family and friends. I am so blessed and really can't ask for more. I feel like I have gained a couple thousand (or so) new friends in the past year because of this blog, so it was extra special with all your sweet comments.I got the idea for this fun craft from one of my Halloween crafty mags. For

Free paint! Get yer free paint!

Thanks to my fab readers Brenda and Katrina for the heads up on another paint giveaway from Glidden! Go here to register for your free paint. It's not quite as easy as last time -- you have to tear off a label from another paint can you already have and send it in to get the free paint. Here are the rules: Send us your completed registration form along with the brand name off any paint label.

It's my birthday and you all rawk!

**You all are awesome!! Thanks SO MUCH for your help on the chairs! I feel like I can actually do this now. Or, maybe just slipcover them, which I didn't even consider. ;) Thank you!**Well, tomorrow (Friday) is my 34th birthday. I'm writing this on Thursday night, but I celebrate for at least a week every year anyway, don't you? Drag it out as long as possible I say!My hubby is just a teensy bit

A dining hutch redo and fall fillers!

**You are all so awesome for voting over at the One Project Closer site!! I didn't think you could vote more than once, but I think some have been able to...so if you want, check it out. It takes about two seconds to vote...http://www.oneprojectcloser.com/before-after-2009-vote-for-the-best/ The contest goes through Friday night. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your vote. :) **So my

Fall favorites!

**My beadboard island was highlighted at One Project Closer a couple weeks ago (they are raising awareness of the Habitat for Humanity program) and now I'm up for the grand prize -- a $150 gift card to the home improvement store of my choice! Do you know what I could do with $150? :) If you get a second, I would really appreciate your vote! http://www.oneprojectcloser.com/before-after-2009-

Fall decor for the outdoors!

I hope you all had a lovely fall weekend!! We did -- it included just about all of my favorites of this season, which I'll tell you more about tomorrow. I am truly in fall nesting mode right now, and I love it!Every year I have more and more fun decorating the outdoors of our home for the different holidays and seasons. The front door and porch is my favorite area, but this year, because we made

Kortnei's kitchen consultation -- before and after!

One of the great joys of this blog has been to help some of you with your homes through my consultations. I am so incredibly tickled and proud when you send me pictures of your progress. You should love your home, and it is my goal to make that happen for each and every one of you with these consults. Well...maybe not ALL. How about a bunch?Take a look at how simple changes transformed Kortnei's

Let the Halloween crafting commence!

**I'm answering your questions about painting ceilings to my FAQ post -- you can find it on the right sidebar from now on!**Can you even believe tomorrow is October 1st?? I can't. I wanted fall to get here so badly, and here it is -- temps in the 60's, a trip to the pumpkin patch scheduled for this weekend, planning Christmas decorations...errr, um, Halloween decorations. Uh huh.I can't get

The fifth wall. (And another dining room reveal!)

OK peeps. I've been wanting to talk about this topic for awhile. It's something very few do, but it makes a HUGE impact in a room. (In my little bitty opinion.)The decorating element I love to add to a room is one most people never think of doing -- painting your ceiling. Not another coat of white -- a color. EGADS! Yes, I said it! Color on your ceiling! Ahhh, I've gone and lost my mind, right?

Fall door decor.

Yet again, I'm going to drill into your head that you can use what you already have to create some beautiful arrangements for fall! I've put a few together in the past week that all involve items I already had, and variety of filler -- or what I like to call "things you stick in."I already showed you how to make a beeeautiful fall wreath here:Some of you suggested using a frame for a rectangle

Exciting news!

I am so thrilled to announce I will be speaking at the Indianapolis Home Show early next year!It's been in the works for a while, but I haven't wanted to say anything until I knew for sure it was all set. I've been dying to tell you all!I'll be speaking a couple times a day, February 1-3. I am totally fareeeeeking out people. I am usually so comfortable talking in front of groups, but this one

Molding, bamboo and fabric, OH MY!

So next to the paint, the biggest change in my dining room was the windows. I swear these windows have been through more transformations than all the windows in this house put together. The first step in the redo is something I plan to do in the whole house -- can you guess what it is???? Ah DUH -- it's molding! Our home has no trim around the windows, just window sills: I heart thick, beautiful

A DIY fall wreath.

Well hellooooo there! Hope you had a great weekend! First of all -- I want to announce the winner of the fall goodies!! April in CT -- you are the winner, so e-mail me and I'll get the items out to you this week!I still haven't heard back from a couple previous winners -- the Bomobob art winner is Erin from Home is Where the Heart is and The Sheet Boutique pillow winner is Julianne Hendrickson.

How I accessorize.

ACK! I'm so thrilled at your response about my centerpiece! Yippee, I'm so glad you love it as much as I do! :) I love that WalMart and Target are going to sell out of mirrors this weekend. ;)Awhile back when I showed you my Ballard Designs shelves, I promised to show you how I accessorize. I struggle with filling spaces with stuff. I usually like the end result, but it takes much running around/

A new dining room centerpiece.

**The night picture has been added. ;)I have mentioned before that there were many things I didn't love about our dining room before:One of the biggies was the centerpiece. I don't do centerpieces. I'm OK with the little kitchen table, but big, long-A dining room tables I am totally at a loss for. I always imagine some gorgeous expanse of something...just never knew what that something was.Then I

Creating a warm fall glow.

When it comes to decorating for fall, there are three things you need for a fabulous result: different textures, layering of the textures and it's gotta smell gooooood! You can't go wrong if you incorporate all of these.I like to take items I already have and change them up for fall. For this display, I used a tray (Southern Living at Home, I love you!) I already had:I had the two larger

Taking care of some business.

I so loved reading your comments about NYC! I want to come visit all of you that live there, umkay? I'll just stay at your place next time -- OK with you? I forgot to tell you all the biggest reason I love New York -- we got married there. ;) We couldn't think of a better place to do it and it was one of the best days ever, in the best city ever.I also forgot to mention something important in my

My favorite place on Earth.

There is only one place I'd ever rather be than home. That place is New York City. If you've read this blog for a while, you know of my love for New York.Today is always hard for me, every year. I know it is for everyone in this country. I have a love for this city that I can't really explain. It was love at first sight, and I fall in love more every time I'm there. It's electric, it's alive,

How I paint.

**The paint color I used is Cinnabark from Behr. Sorry about that! :)

I've been teasing you so bad with my dining room redo. I know, I'm a big meany!! Totally! Because of the holiday sale on paint at Home Depot, I thought this past weekend was as good as any to start redecorating our dining room:
This has been the one room in our home that I cannot get settled with. I've struggled with it from

All I know about blogging.

If you haven't already, check out the Before and After Party below! I think I'll make this a monthly shindig. I'm highlighting some of the projects on my Facebook page, so join me there if you want to check them out. (You can find my button to the left of my site.)So a few days ago, Thrifty Decor Chick hit one million hits. Wowzers. I still can't even believe that. I mean, that's a lot.

Before and After Party!

If you've read this blog for one hot second, you know how much I lurve before and after pictures. I mean, I could just spend hours pouring over magazines full of just those pictures. I love to pick out both the big and teeny tiny changes that were made. Kind of like a Where's Waldo of decorating.I have a whole tab of before and afters, but I thought I would share a before I've never shown you (

Inspired by Ballard Designs again!

So you remember this cutie little table I picked up made my sister get from the neighbor's trash? Yeah, she still takes a lot of credit for this beaut:I mentioned then I had a Ballard project in mind for above this table to replace the art I had on the wall. I saw these in the catalog the day before I finished up that table and knew they MUST BE MINE:I knew as soon as I saw them they would be

What have I done in a year?

Well, I know. Plenty. But there are certain projects I have been meaning to tackle for at least a year now, and I haven't yet. Some are because they cost more than I want to spend, most I blame on my complete and utter inability to focus on one project at a time.First, to get what I'm saying here, you need to go read this post if you haven't already -- I don't heart you. Go ahead. I'll wait.Taps

This stuff is goooood.

Stay with me till the end for the Bomobob giveaway winner! :)Speaking of Bob, I had to brag about my advertisers yet again, cause you know -- they RAWK.My newest advertiser, Amanda at Imperfectly Beautiful, has the caaaaautest Etsy shop you ever did see. When I saw these on her blog, I had to have them. They were even packaged so sweetly when they arrived, I could just die: Squeal! I did! I

Open letter to a new Momma

Today we celebrated the upcoming birth of a new baby boy. The mom-to-be is one of my last friends to have their first child, and there is something so incredibly special about that. Something so special you just don't get when you are pregnant with that first baby. You wonder why everyone has constant big goofy smiles, fluffing all over you and can't keep your hands off your belly. :)And then you

Bomobob art giveaway!

Giveaway is now closed!Well hello there! I'm so happy you love my tile project as much as I do! I'm thrilled that I inspire you -- I've never done any tiling in my life, and I did it in a weekend on a wing and a prayer. I couldn't believe how well it turned out. YOU can do it too! For reals!To continue the month o' giveaways, my friend and advertiser Bob from Photos by Bomobob has offered one of

I can tile?

I pose that title as a question because the answer is questionable. The walls haven't come down yet, so I think I was successful. Maybe, YES, I can tile.There are a few large projects in our home that I have avoided because of FEAR. Plain, good old, I-am-a-big-huge-sissy fear. One of them is the marble that surrounded our tub. It has bothered me for over a year now, since I added the molding to

Interview at Houzz!!

I am just thrilled, honored and humbled that houzz.com has decided to feature little 'ol me on their site. I did a brief interview with them and when I went over this morning to check it out -- there are pics of my house on their front page!!Go here to check out the interview. If you do, and you comment at houzz.com, you can win this beauty from Ballard Designs (the big one!):Awwwww yeah, I told

A (cedar) chest redo.

I had to throw the "cedar" part in there -- you know what I'm sayin'? (Hang in there till the end for the winner of The Sheet Boutique giveaway!) Remember this lovely I found last week for $40?:At first glance, it was perfectly lovely on it's own, but the lid had a yellowish paint on it, drip marks and a really awful stencil. I think the person that painted it put too much poly on top that

DIY weekend

This weekend resulted in a LOT of do-it-yourself projects I hadn't even planning on doing.They involved a few hours of this: A lot of this: An insane, I-never-want-to-touch-sand-again-in-my-life amount of this: Which resulted in a lot of this:No, that's not me. But I feel like it could be right now. So bear with me! I'll announce the winner of The Sheet Boutique pillow (contest is now closed)

Sheet Boutique Giveaway!

(This contest is now closed.)This is the Month-O-Giveaways here at TDC!! And this one is a great one -- it's all about sleep, which next to decorating, is my my all time favorite thing to do. And eat. Decorate, sleep, eat -- in that order.Cara at The Sheet Boutique is another one of my advertisers and has graciously agreed to a great giveaway for this weekend! In my opinion, a down comforter (

Rewind: Kitchen Island

I thought it would be fun to "rewind" every once and a while and show you some of my earlier posts and projects and then the updates I've made since.If you've been with me for about five minutes, you've seen my kitchen island. But it's one of my favorite changes rehabs I've done in our home and is also one of the cheapest and easiest.It started way back when, when all five of my friends read my

A-thrifting we will go!

So if you follow me on Twitter, I took you along on my trip through a few antique stores today. My friend Jen told me about the great shops in Pendleton, Indiana, and I have been waiting weeks for the right time to take a few hours to head out there.They did not disappoint! It was so fun, I wish you could all go with me! Well, not all of you. We'd be sure to break something, all thousands of us.

A Ballard Pear

Wow, you guys love a giveaway! I love me some vinyl, glad you do too! Hang in till the end and I'll announce the winner. (I'm mean like that.)So for at least five years, probably more, I've admired these Ballard Designs pears:I don't know what it is about them, but they make my heart all a-flutter. You know I love all things fruity, so it's probably just a personal thing I need to work out. But I

Because you RAWK, a giveaway!

I have the BEST readers, hands down. I mean, if there was reality show for blog readers, I'd give you all a rose. I definitely wouldn't extinguish your torch. And I totally would knock you down and pull your hair in a reality-star girl fight. You are that special to me.When I asked what I should do with my chalk storage for my DIY chalkboard, a few of you mentioned I should do an itty bitty cutie

A garage decrapification reveal.

First of all, I forgot to mention I hit 200 posts on Monday! Hooty hoo! Anyway, this isn't the prettiest of my projects, and I know I've hyped it up just a smidge. It's really not that fantabulous, but it has made a HUGE difference in our lives. The stress level when we walk or drive into garage has decreased significantly. Let's start with the most fun area -- the spot where we both had to do

A black door.

OK, I know I promised the garage redo, and it's coming, I cross-my-heart, pinkie swear. It's been at least 90 degrees with 900 percent humidity this weekend, so making the final little changes puts me in a full out sweat fest.It gets a bit nasty, and I think it's best I finish it up tomorrow. :)Anyhoo, I wanted to show you my favorite part of the garage -- our painted door. Who knew a black door

How to decorate your mantel.

It's an impromptu weekend post! Surprise!! :)As I get through all of the consultations you lovely people have purchased, I find it hard to describe how to decorate one of the biggest focal points in any room -- the fireplace. Those of you lucky enough to have them need to make them a highlight, the "Supastar!" of your room.To show you all what I find to be a great mantel -- I started looking

My chalkboard obsession.

I am starting to develop an itsy bitsy problem. It started a year or so ago with my first chalkboard experience, and I just keep adding to my collection. I'll show you my first one in a minute, but first, my most recent chalkboard from Goodwill...I showed you this goody on Twitter during a recent shopping trip: I actually passed by it a on a couple different occasions, and this time -- I saw the

DIY window boxes!

Before I show you how I made our new window boxes, I must introduce you all to my LOVAH...That would be my compound miter saw. Say hello Squeezies. You want him, I know you do. Don't be sceered, he's very gentle. I. love. him.These window boxes were so easy, I swear it was ridiculous. Crazy. Nuts. Wacky easy. Here are the steps...I used the leftover fence posts from my DIY shutters, measured the

Get dirrty.

Sorry, I couldn't resist channeling Christina for a second. I have so many little projects I have wanted to share with you, but when I asked on Twitter -- the vote was for the outdoor project, so here. we. go. This one isn't nearly isn't as fabulous as the deck, and again, I feel like I'm probably preachin' to the choir. I'm sure most of you already know these tricks, but I like to share with the

Got Holes?

I almost titled this post, "The most boring post ever in the history of mankind," or, "Read this to your kids to help them fall asleep tonight." Or, "Warning: Drowsiness may occur as a result of reading this post."But instead, I came up with "Got Holes?" Works, eh?So if the builder in your house was towel rod happy like ours was, you've probably got lots of these:I mean, they were giddy with

Making your plain books pretty.

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!! I have gotten a ton done, and hope to still get more done this evening. I've done about ten loads of laundry. TEN people. Hate it with a burning, searing passion.So for a little creative break, I worked on a quick project I've been wanting to do for a long time. Back when I showed you how to do my wallpaper art, many of you commented that you use wallpaper

Clearing out the clutter.

Every time I've ever started a new job, I've always asked for a week off between the end of the old one and the start of the new one -- does anyone else do this?I always felt like I needed a week to get my life completely in order before starting a new endeavor. It's like cleaning the house before you go on vacation -- I need my mind to be free of the stuff like laundry, crap, clutter, dishes,

When FAB happens by accident. (And for FREE.)

So I've never considered myself a dumpster-diver. I mean, I will dig through the Goodwill shelves with the best of them, but trash just ain't my thing. But a couple months ago on the way out of the neighborhood, I saw something sitting at the end of a neighbor's driveway with the trash. I couldn't really tell what something was...I just saw it had GREAT legs. Long, curvy, sexy legs. I slowed..but

No More Mondays

This post is about following your dreams. Doing what you love. Being happy every day. And No More Mondays. I love that phrase. I first heard it about a year ago from the evil great financial guru Dave Ramsey. A man named Dan Miller wrote the book with this title, about following your dreams and making your career what you love, not what you love to hate. That way there is no more dread on Sunday

The details of the deck.

OK, well if it tells you anything, it's midnight and I'm just now posting because I've spent the evening on the deck again. One of my best friends came over tonight to chill outside with us and we ended up spending three hours out there. Ahhhh...heaven. I wanted to show you some of the details of the transformation so maybe you can grab some of these deals while you can. This is the only good

A deck reveal!

Finally, I know!! I'm finally going to show you our deck transformation. If you've been following me on Twitter you know I've been talking about this for the past week, and I know I've mentioned it here just a few times over the past month or so.It started a month or so ago with a few ideas in my little head. We weren't planning on doing the big stuff till later on. We just thought it would just

I can't resist a par-tay!

I wasn't going to post tonight, but I can't stand missing a good party, so here I am! The Nester is having a Price Your Space party, so I wanted to share how I completed our entire master bedroom for what I think is a pretty good price. Many of you have seen this room about 15 trillion times, so bare with me.Our four poster bed is one of my favorite pieces of furniture in our house. As we built

Table runner pillows.

Well, no one won the dollar. (And don't doubt for a minute I wouldn't have sent it to ya.) Good guesses on what I made my new pillows out of, but no cigar folks. This time they were made of yet another table linen -- a runner!!Woweeee people, this one is almost as easy at the placemat pillows. It requires a teeny bit more sewing though. Hemming tape if you choose. Or glue. Maybe safety pins.

Placemat pillows

I have been wanting new pillows for our family room foreva. I was tired of the dark pillows we had in there so I've been looking for just the right fabric to make new ones for months. Last week I found a shower curtain that was perfect. (Yes, a shower curtain.) I left it at Homegoods (yes, I know better) and went back a couple days later and all four curtains in that print were gone. What the ??

Our unfinished finished basement.

OK, I make a big deal about this project, and for most of you it will probably totally boring. But I think it is the space in our home I am most proud of. AND it involves no molding. Shocking, I know. There's not even much decorating going on.But there was a TON of decluttering and organizing involved, which I'm a total sucker for. Our basement is pretty large, and last year I was feeling

I. am. pooped.

Well helloooo there! I hope you all had a fantastic Fourth!!We did! Missed (step)daughter all day but otherwise had a wonderful time with family and friends. I love being with my two favorite guys. Sigh.Tonight I am SO tired.Must.Sleep.Tomorrow I will show you my lastest finished project that only took a year to finish!!Yes. A year.Have a great Monday!

Retail therapy.

So I was in a deep dark depression the day after the concert. OK, it wasn't deep dark but it was like a shallow grey depression. I know. I know. I've already heard enough slack from my Hubby. I know.It's just all the build up for months, looking forward to it, had a fantastic time...then it's done. Kaput. Sayonara. Kabosh. Buh bye. So on Tuesday, I took the Bub to daycare and decided to treat

Squares and stripes

First of all...bear with me. This is my sister dancing with Donnie. (About 30 seconds in.)Warning: Turn down the volume unless you are a fan. Lots and lots and LOTS of screaming:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7Qth0Rp0JoSniff. I'm so proud!! Oddly enough, she was only up there for 20 seconds or so. It felt like four minutes while we were there. This is a good thing, because it means I was only

It. was. awesome.

Oh my goodness people. I cannot even tell you how. much. fun. we had last night. I'm not even kidding. It was the time of my life!!! First, some pictures, and then you'll just die at the story at the end!!!!Our seats were AWESOME, thanks to a former coworker of my sister/second cousin of my best friend (long story). We were right behind the sound stage. Thank God I'm 11 feet tall: I kept standing

Check HER out!

I'm a total slacker. I know I was supposed to blog about my squares and stripes today, but the day got away from me and so did the natural light. Any self-respecting blogger does not take night pictures if they can help it. (Yikes.)So bare with me folks, I will post it first thing next week! Until then, I am sharing more inspiration with you. Some bloggy love for your weekend pleasure...You just

Free paint?!

Holy crap! If you go to:https://www.glidden.com/promotions/free-paint-giveaway.doPick a color online or at Home Depot and they will send you a free quart. That's it. And it's in my favorite finish -- eggshell. Swoon. The offer is good through July 2 or while supplies last. Get to it!!Ummmm....I gotta figure out what color I want!! The pressure, I can't take it!!! (Thanks Tara, Renee and Kari for

My fruity kitchen.

Our kitchen is ever-changing. I am always tweaking something. I have major Decorating ADD in this room. Issues people.I have noticed lately that many of my tweaks involve faux fruit and I'm starting to think it looks like the farmer's market on a Saturday morning. I thought I would share the room and my fruity obsession with you so you can decide for yourself. I know the rage right now is light -

Gumball fish tank

I saw this project at least a year ago, probably more. I fell. in. love. I knew, one day, it would be mine. Well, Thursday was that day!! I have been had my eye out for a gumball machine for all this time, and last week there it was, at Goodwill!

I squealed with glee! (Really, I did. Out loud.) It didn't matter if it was $30, I was gonna get it. But it was only $10. Scha-wing!!

So this weekend,

Giveaway! And another giveaway!

This weekend, I have two -- count 'em -- TWO fantastic giveaways for you chickees to enter! I am so excited to introduce you to my two of my latest advertisers. They both have graciously agreed to give away one of their items.

Squeal!

The first is my friend Beki, who has an Etsy site called Pampering Beki. It is filled with items you can pamper yourself with...I tried to find just a couple to

One dollar kitchen decor.

I was going to show you the start of my deck transformation today so I could link up to Kimba's party, but the rain is putting a major cramp in my style. I love rain, but when it interferes with my decorating, me don't likey.So instead, I did some spray painting in the garage. A couple weeks ago, I saw this project at Angie's place and fell in love with it!I was thinking of ways to try this out

The cutest little bench you ever did see.

I do love a garage sale, don't get me wrong. I do. But I find them hard to attend with a two-year-old. He loves to drive by them to look for "choo choos," but can't stand it when I try to run up a driveway real quick. Not a fan. He must see it all first hand.So obviously, lately it's just not something I do much. Last week, I realized I love Thursday garage sales. First, it's the first day of the

Another lamp transformation!

Ohhhh I am sooo excited about this! I have been looking for new bedside lamps for, like, EVER. Like ohmygawd forever!I found these for $20 each a month or so ago...and had to dwell on what I was going to do with them. I loved the shape of the bases and the shades, but the color was wrong for our bedroom:The color was an easy fix. I spray painted them with my oil rubbed bronze paint (all the

Constructive criticism (?!)

Do you Rate My Space? It's a fantastic spot for inspiration over at HGTV. I used to be quite obsessed with it. Like, blogging obsessed. I would post my rooms and wait by the computer for those first few comments and ratings, biting my nails....all a-flutter.Well, it wasn't quite like that. But it was exciting to get decent ratings. But about a year ago I was a little over it. There was so much

How to paint laminate.

I should have known better to attack this project. I have learned over the past year or so that laminate is my nemesis. He hate me. (Check my first post to understand.)I know how to paint stuff. I do. I even knew/know how to paint laminate. It just doesn't like me much, and from now on, I think we're gonna keep our distance. Hater.It started with the TV cabinet in the playroom/loft:I kept looking

All things PAINT!

Alrighty, I don't assume to know much. But I have picked up a few things about paint in da "biz" that I wanted to share with you. So here. we. go. OH, and I'll throw in a few of my paint colors in here to, so I can link up to Melissa's Paint Party!Family Room: Sisal, Ralph Lauren/BehrPicking out color:MOST of the time, it is helpful to start with some sort of inspiration and work off of that. A

Gettin' my craft on.

***I added some how to's for this project below, based on the questions! Hope it helps! Keep linking to the party here ladies! I may have to take down Mr. Linky in a few days and just put up the links -- the linky is causing major issues with my site. Either way, you'll be able to keep linking up! (Anyone out there happen to be a computer expert by the way? I would lurve you forever.)Anyhoo, my

It's a Goodwill Party!

Well helloooo ladies! OK, the party is finally here! I am calling this a Goodwill party, but you can link to anything you've purchased "second hand," meaning you purchased it at a thrift store, consignment shop, garage sale, your grandma's attic, whatever!If you have read this blog for one minute, you know I love me some Goodwill! I have three pretty good ones within a five mile radius, and the

Mother of two.

I have long considered myself a mother of two. Even before my son was born, I was a mother of one. One beautiful, sweet, lovely (step)daughter. It is hard for me to call her a stepdaughter. It just doesn't seem right. She has been in my life for such a long time, she feels like part of me, so I call her my child.Not in a freaky stepmother kind of way, mind you. I had one of those a long time ago

Using Ballard Designs as inspiration (part deux)

Here I go again! I tell you what, if you really look through the Ballard Designs catalog, you can find so many items you can make on your own, for a fraction of the price!I saw this one months ago, and I've had everything for a loooong time to make it on my own. I mean, a LONG time. I kept hesitating because of my new found fear of mod podge. I'm sceered. It bubbles up EVERY time I use it. It is

A playroom for the kids (that works for adults too!)

I know I've been talking about this space for a while, and today I realized I hadn't shown it to you yet! The playroom is our loft, and used to be just an adult space for watching TV, but we rarely used it for a number of reasons -- I'm not sure what those reasons are, but I'm sure there are a number of them. :)We used to have our son's toys in the downstairs office, but it was starting to give

I LOVE this country!

For so many reasons, I can't begin to list them all...One of the main reasons is the pride I feel for our military...so today, I say THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. Your dedication, pride and perserverance is what makes this country great and what keeps this country SAFE. And to the families of our servicemen and women -- thanks to YOU for your dedication as well. I am humbled by your

Take it off.

Now, don't get all dirty-bird on me people. Clothing is not optional here at TDC. Well...it's not optional for me...ya'll can wear whatever you want while you're reading.Ummmm....ewww.OK, anyhoo. After this post, I'm pretty sure I'm going to hear a huge, collective "DUH!" across the country.Or as we used to say back in the day, "No duh!" Or my personal favorite, "No doy!"Anyway, I find when I

ONE year of fun!!

ACK! Can you believe it? I've been blogging for a year today! Wicked crazy cool, eh? I don't really feel like it's my anniversary, because I didn't reeeeeally start blogging till about September (or so).I started this blog because I felt like that chick in the Lowe's commercial -- you know the one standing with her friends, them asking, "You did that?" "And THAT?" My girlfriends would want to

There's a horse in my bathroom.

A whole farm in the office:
An airplane in the family room:
A basketball court in the dining room:
A baseball diamond in the living room:Apparently an earthquake hit the playroom. (Strangely enough, I didn't feel a thing. Huh.):
A lawn mower in the bedroom:
And a mouse in the closet! Yikes! (At least he's cute! Huge, but cute.):
Our closets are clean, but the house is not. Tornado Bub hits

Wallpaper art.

I know! Finally, a post that's NOT about the kitchen island! Many of you have commented on my "art" above our master bedroom fireplace:I wanted large art, but didn't want to spend a lot of money for a huge piece. This was a VERY easy and cheap project. I didn't take pictures back when I did it, but it's so easy I can show you after the fact: You'll need canvases in whatever size you want. Then, a

Upholstering an unupholstered chair

First, the blasted vermin that is about to put me over the edge...
Gorg, huh? My azaleas are my pride and joy! Luuuurve them:
But. Last year, some blasted, nasty, hateful vermin dug into the ground and ate the root of my middle azalea. CRY! I don't think I'll ever find the exact bush I have, let alone one this big. These have been growing for five years now.
Here's a picture of the hole -- the

A beadboard kitchen island.

Well, I hope this lives up to the drama I've created around this thing. I do adore how it turned out, and I hope you do too. Oh my goodness, I luuuurve it.I added corbels to under the counters and love how it turned out. I bought scrolly fancy ones a while back just for this project, but they were too much. I love these simple corbels, they look like they are meant to be there: I used casing (

How to install beadboard.

Happy Mother's Day! (Late.) I had a wonderful day with my two men (the little one and the big one), and then while Hubby had to do a high school musical (not the high school musical), my girl friend and I took her Mom and our four boys for a picnic, some playing at the park and a fun hike.My little family ended the day with a Kentucky Fried Chicken dinner -- it's what I wanted and Momma gets what

Why I always, always, ALWAYS use primer.

Now I always, always, ALWAYS use primer. Back in the day (even a year ago) I sometimes skipped this step. (Check out my very first post on this blog...)I sanded this island within an inch of it's life. I'm not kidding. Then I used liquid sander. You see what still happened when I started taking off the molding yesterday?:Peeled. right. off. Oh well, I'm redoing the island anyway, and I'm almost

Check HER out!

I have been thinking for awhile now that I need to pay it forward a bit more on this little ol' blog. So many of my bloggy friends have highlighted my projects and I think it's about time I start doing the same for others!I see so many projects out there I am completely inspired by, so I am going to start sharing them with you as well. Without further adue... ado? Adeu? Whatever, here we go...You

Don't hate me because my closets are beautiful.

So you thought I had forgotten to harass you about decluttering and organizing, eh?? Ohhh, you are soooo not getting off that easy. I am the Jillian Michaels of decluttering: My body looks exactly like hers too. (Cough.) There are a bunch of you who saw my title and her picture on your blogroll and came over just to see what the heck I'm doing, huh??Anyhoo, nice try ladies!! I'm not done with you

L. Herbert Designs Giveaway!

**I've extended the giveaway till 10 a.m. Monday morning!!I'm so excited to introduce you to my newest advertiser, L. Herbert Designs!I know many of you have seen Laryssa's beautiful work around blogland. It's just stunning. She creates beautiful watercolor art and is famous for her eggs and feathers: But she just added some new prints to her store (sheep, little birds, chickens and houses) and

God made iPhones for bloggers

I think I have died and gone to heaven.Remember my taped together phone from my last post? So many of you were so sweet and harassed me, made fun of me made me feel so much better about my crappy phone.You must know that I've been through about four phones in two years. I had a cute little pink one when our son was born. And it was soooo adorable when he would want to play with it and then eat it

The easiest, cheapest, custom drapes EVER.

Have you ever lived with something in your house for years and YEARS, not in love with it, but liking it OK, just fine with it?And then you change one little thing in the room and it sets you off on this roll that is very unbeneficial to the pocket book? That's me.I've been transforming our loft into the toy room and am trying to walk the very fine line between a cozy space for the adults and a

Little updates

ACK! I've been cleaning like a mad woman! I'm hosting a party just for the girls this weekend and am doing just what I swear I won't do every time we have a party. Freaking out. I mean, reeeeeally, my girlfriend's won't notice the dust bunnies in the corners. Right?! I've finished up a few projects over the past couple weeks I thought I would share with you this weekend. First, I got my tulips

A lamp transformation

I have found the only bad thing about buying from consignment shops is the no return policy. (Consignment shops are different from thrift shops like Goodwill.) This is bad, bad news for me because I once and a while, I suffer from what you may call buyer's remorse. I call it, Oh-it's-gorg!-I-must-have-it-right-now-screw-the-price-it's-gorg!-who-cares-if-it-won't-work-I-love-it-remorse.Hence this

U.G.L.Y. (DIY shower curtain)

It ain't got no alibi. Our shower is UGLY.

Yeah! Yeah! It's ugly!

The shower is the ONE item in our house I couldn't get our builders to budge on. The shower doors are CRAZY low. It's nuts! We both have to bend down to get out of the shower, or we'll bonk our heads. The builder swore up and down they couldn't get a taller shower door. Huh.

Anyhoo, until we completely tile the whole bathroom,

Garage sale season is here!

I know many of you are HUGE garage sale fans. I mean, you love garage sales like I love Goodwill. That's BIG people. And it's spring, so it's about that time. I didn't get into garage sales until the past couple years. I've hosted one for many years, but really realized the joy of a great garage sale find last year. My $15 chair in our bedroom is one of my favorites. I drove by this sale at least

A new room to decorate -- help me decide!

Stink Eye Sister, otherwise known as "Elizabeth," graduated college last year after only seven five and a half years of school. (I like to exaggerate that a bit.) She did an internship in Atlanta last summer and then came home to find "real" employment.I offered for her to stay with us...but the deal was practically written in BLOOD...only THREE months. I put my foot down and made this clear from

Make a sofa table for under $20. (For real.)

First of all, I hope you all had a wonderful Easter! We had a great one -- lounged all day. Well, I did. Hubby did some work outside and I napped, blew bubbles with the Bub and ate all day. A wonderful day with all of us at home, which is my favorite kind of day.As promised, I'm going to share how I made our sofa table in the living room I showed you here. Before I do that, I have to get on my

Transforming a Goodwill coffee table

Remember this find from a few days ago? A steal for $24.99 at Goodwill!Here she is, in all her glory! I removed the knob and replaced it with an extra I had from our kitchen: When I sanded it down I was beyond thrilled to find out it is REAL wood. Not laminate or veneer. Real knots in the wood and everything:I didn't poly the table, because being real wood, any scratches or nicks will add to the

I have...

been blogging for almost a year. ;)I have parasailed.I have been to the top of the Statue of Liberty, the London Eye, the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center.I have gone into labor five times.I have been in labor for 24 hours.I have given birth once. :)I have been married in New York City.I have snorkeled in Hawaii.I have been to four New Kid's concerts.I have sat front row once.I have

I will spray paint ANYTHING.

Soooo...I still have a cell phone held together by tape...but...I got my new bamboo shades for the family room! Whooty. Hoo. I love them. I shopped everywhere and ended up just getting them at Target for $35 each. Unfortunately/fortunately we have very tall windows, so I had to pay more for the 72 inchers:I am SO over our blinds. UGH. We have the bamboo shades in a couple other rooms as well and

The Great Debate: Laminate or hard wood?

We used to have carpet in the family room. Then this sweet little thang came into our lives:See her? Pee cat. We "rescued" her and she came to us hairless, a little beat up, with a tendency to PEE. There was a particular spot in the family room she visited a few times. When our son was born I told hubby I was DONE. We looked into getting hard floors installed. I looked at hardwood and laminate.

Easy drapery tricks

I've learned a few drapery tricks in the "biz" that I thought I would share with you. The "biz" is veeeeery slow right now, by the way. I mean WAY. SLOW. Darn it -- more time to blog!! Drats.So here we go! If you love the look of the look of pleated drapes -- something like this:You can "train" your drapes to do the same thing! Now this depends on the fabric, and it helps if they are lined and a

The transformation of a room.

This post could also be titled:How to work with 25-foot ceilings.ORHow to work with a paint color on 25-foot ceilings that you now hate. ORHow to work with a sofa you bought waaaay too fast you now can't stand. OK, so let's move on. Remember when I showed you how to cut and install molding here? Well, this is what I was working on: This wall goes up reeeeeally high, and when we moved in, I knew I

OMG!!!! (Squealing like a 13-year-old girl!)

THEY. ARE. COMING.Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! Finally the day has arrived! Yes, I squealed. Blew out my hubby's eardrums. My girlfriends and I are already planning how we are going to purchase the front row seats. Who do we know? Who can we bribe? Who can we steal borrow from? We will get them. Oh yes, we will.OK. Done. Back to our scheduled programming. Check out my five dollar projects below

Five dollar Spring projects!

Hope your weekend was GREAT! It snowed here today. Ugh. So it was fitting that I worked on Spring projects, eh?I'm joining Lindsay over at Living with Lindsay for her Five Dollar Challenge -- check out her site, so much fun!Money doesn't grow on trees?? No one sent me that memo. I should clarify -- one of these projects was FREE and one was only two bucks. Just sayin'. Let's start with one of the

How to install a dimmer switch.

If you read this blog waaaay back when, you know how much I luuuuv me some dimmers. I think lighting is one of the most inexpensive and easiest ways to create a mood in your home. And I just cannot express how much a dimmer switch will change the lighting in your room -- for as little as $7.

OK, now STOP shaking your head, thinking, "This Chick has gone and lost. her. mind. I cannot (and will

Four ca-ute projects under $5!

And three were under TWO BUCKS!! Awwwww yeah...And yes, some involved spray paint, of course. Remember the little tool box from the previous post? I got it for $3.99 at Goodwill and about peed. my. pants. when I saw it. I have been looking for one forever! (OK, just a few weeks, but...whatever.)I printed out my stencil:After I spray painted the whole thing brown, I added the stencil to the front:

You know what Spring means!!

Fresh air coming through the windows?Nah.Tulips finally poking out of the ground?HA!Short sleeves and capris? Snort.Noooooooo sillies -- it means we can spray paint outside again!!!!!!!!!!WOO-HOO!So let's get this party started!First of all -- a few of you have asked how to spray paint. My best advice is to use many thin coats and use very short bursts. Don't hold down and spray back and forth --

My most favorite room.

Our son's room is hands down my favorite room in our house. It was the only room in the house where I truly started from scratch -- every single thing was new. It turned out better than I could have ever dreamed -- and was truly a labor of love. We love it -- it is a bright, serene, classic space.A few of you have asked about it here and there, and it is a gorgeous day today, the sun was shining

My priorities are whacked.

Exhibit A: My cell phone. It’s broken. I mean, broke. Like hanging on by a wire, broken. If I open it, it dangles on the wire…Yes I taped it. I’m putting off buying a new one as loooooong as possible.You see…I want new bamboo shades for the family room.Exhibit B: My half of the closet. This is just half of my half. And I wear about one tenth of what is in here. And that one tenth, I wear over and

How I stencil

I have seen some lover-ly signs out there that I've been wanting to steal copy for awhile now. I'm amazed at how detailed some get -- most ladies I have seen trace the letters on and then fill them in with paint by hand?!I am NOT that good.I usually make my own stencils, and have them throughout our home -- they look like the vinyl wall words unless you are right up on them.On a quick trip into

Giveaways, Contests and Facebook! (OH MY!)

I've been so excited to tell you about my new advertisers! Three lovely ladies have joined me here and I couldn't be happier. AND a couple of them have something for YOU too -- keep reading.Sacks by Syndy has the most adorable bags -- and you will fall.over.dead. at her prices. I mean, seriously. I loooove this one -- I'm a sucker for the pink. ACK! I love it: She also has diaper bags and these

Using Ballard Designs as inspiration

I saw these beauties in the latest Ballard catalog the other night and fell. in. love. I wanted a ton of them to place throughout the house...and then I looked at the price and kinda blacked out for a bit.The cheapest one is $50! The tallest one is up to $189! What WHAT?? (And it's only 18 inches tall!) So I started thinking and realized I could totally make these myself.My best friend makes so

How to deal with soaring ceilings

When we were shopping around for our home, we knew we wanted to build, and finding the perfect model was TOUGH. We are picky, me especially. I wanted something different. When I found our model, I knew the instant I walked in that this was the one. Our entry, living room, stairway, loft, master bedroom and bathroom and are all open to the top of the house, I've figured at least 25 feet at the

All about molding!

I haven't done a molding project in a while and my molding mojo was a callin' -- I took this opportunity to take pictures a long the way to show you how to pick out, cut and hang molding. (LOTS of pictures ahead!) Picking out moldingI use a ton of thin, picture frame-type molding. I use it for accents everywhere. (Click the picture on the side to see!)I've found that the easiest stuff to use is

Don't be afraid!

Of this. I used to sweat a little at the thought of actually sewing something. Then I realized there were things I just had to sew if I wanted to make them myself -- like pillows. Hemming tape doesn't quite do the job on these. DANG IT.So years ago I bought that little Shark sewing machine and it is AMAZING. At the time, it was only $20, now it's about $30. It is tiny but does a BIG job. It's

Little bit of Spring!

I don't usually decorate too much for Easter/spring -- the sad thing is it's only because the colors don't "go" with my house. Sad, sad, sad. But that's how I roll. You know how I am with Kleenex boxes, so you shouldn't be surprised.This year I decided I'm going to amp it up a bit. I saw these little whales birds over at Amanda's place (I thought they were whales when I first saw them and so did

I've been going to a deep, dark place...

It's down here... It's got floors like this -- EWWW!:There's usually a lot of this going on:Hide your eyes...it's scary...this is the worst part:AHHHHHH!!!!! I know!!!God Bless blogging...but it has created a bloggy butt on this Chick. Seriously...I say I've gained ten pounds in the past year...But really. It's only been since, maybe October, when I really got into the blogging stuff. That's what

In this chair.

Before my son was born, my best friend told me she had something special she was going to give me after he arrived.It was the book Love You Forever. She wanted to wait till after his birth because she knew it would have even more meaning then. She knew. I would hold his teeny tiny body in this chair, reading it to him, tears running down my face. It's about a Momma who picks up her baby while he

Where I write witty, brilliant things...

HA! Stop laughing! My friend Ellie Mae tagged me to show where I blog...well, I usually blog on the laptop, which is all over the house. But I do a lot of looking at blogs in our office, does that count?I painted the office last weekend. I was going for a rust color the first time I painted it and for about three years, I walked in every.day. and HATED the color. It wasn't right -- too orange,

Ten minutes to a room you'll love...

with fabric! The Nester is having a party that I almost completely missed. ME, miss a party? No way Joe-se.So thought this would be the perfect opportunity to show you all a few more of the quick, cheap updates I've made to our office. Earlier this week, I showed you the difference fabric made to the bookcase: STILL can't find more of that fabric. Grrrr....I know they can order more, but I don't

Twenty minutes and ten bucks!

I finished off the XOXO! Just in time to pack them up for next year! :)So...did you get some paint? Huh? Did ya? Yeah, I know, flat paint sucks. I have my own theory on flat paint I'll talk to you about soon. I did buy some paint to repaint our den -- one gallon of flat for the ceiling and another in eggshell for the walls. I have a growing obsession with painting ceilings and I'll show you that

Paint!

My scheduled post is on hold because my sweet Bub has run off with the camera.I'm starting to get a little freaked because usually I can find it in about two minutes, but it's been about ten this time. And still nothing. I'm sure he'll lead me right to it when he wakes from his nap. Yeah, that happens. Anyhoo, I had to tell you the great news!! Home Depot is having a FANTASTIC paint sale this

Questions for little ‘ol ME??

A few days weeks months ago my new friend Giorgina over at Décor Medley asked me to do an interview. This sweet woman put up with me and waited about three months for me to get back to her…I really hope it was worth it! Check out my interview here to find out more about me!So you may have noticed if you’ve asked me a question about one of my posts that I suck royally at getting back to you. I

Don't buy another thing!

Until you declutter your house.Last year when I went through the whole house I realized the massive amount of money I had been WASTING. I kept buying new things I already had because the originals were buried in piles and piles of crap:I found four of these:Don't you know you need one on every floor of the house, plus an extra? What?! You don't? I found three of these:At least ten of these (

Decorate a Table for a Dinner Party

This is a nice video on how to decorate a table for a dinner party. The suggestions are all cheap and easy. So, if you don't have a really nice table and need to know how to decorate yours so it looks nice this is a good video for you.

This blog is brought to you by dialysis nursing jobs.

Decorate a Table for a Dinner Party

This blog is brought to you by dialysis nursing jobs.

Crafting therapy

I needed some therapy for many reasons lately -- first because of my last post. Second, though much more trivial, because I have been decluttering and cleaning this house like a mad woman for the past few weeks. My creative mojo was calling out for some CRAFTS WOMAN, GIVE ME SOME CRAFTS!!!So I gathered the following for two easy, fun V-Day projects:For the first, I used my leftover rose petals

Baby Cora

I've followed their story for a couple weeks...since they found out their daughter had cancer...just two weeks. Baby Cora is with Jesus today.Please go give them your love...say a prayer for them.I don't know what to say.The Macs

FREE I tell you!

YES I'm going to blab about organizing again, but this one is fun!(By the way, if you were having problems with the link to my button on the right, it should link to the Organize and Declutter post now.)I've become a little obsessed with tags lately. I mark everything with my Dymo...I'll show you that illness later...but I've also been digging ca-ute tags lately too. A few weeks ago I made these

Decorate in the Current Style

Here is a video that talks about what is currently in style and gives a few ideas about how to decorate in that style.

This blog is brought to you by occupational therapy jobs.

Decorate in the Current Style

Here is a video that talks about what is currently in style and gives a few ideas about how to decorate in that style.

This blog is brought to you by occupational therapy jobs.

So fresh and so clean

Sooooo have you been decluttering?? Organizing? Cleaning?Huh? Have you?I have! I have! Whoooeee I love it! I wish they could make a pill that makes me feel like I do when I've filled numerous trash bags full of CRAP and removed them from our house.Luuuuv it!I'm completely done with two rooms, about halfway done with about six. (The whole room by room thing is thrown out the window this year -- I

Wondering why.

I was going to blog about cleaning, organizing and decluttering tonight...but I just can't. Something is more important tonight...many "things" actually.When I first started blogging, I was completely overwhelmed by how many creative women are out there. It quite literally leaves me sitting with my mouth hanging open in front of the computer screen...thinking, How cool is that? And, How did she

Putting odd wall space to use

I have a major staircase redo in the works, but until then, I'm adding this post to Beth's party!Thank you for your encouragement about my last post! You are all so wonderful and it warmed my heart. Thanks to those who have already gotten in touch with me -- I'm so excited about working with you all!!So you may have heard me complain about our lack of beautiful stairway railings in our house. (

It's about that time

So I’ve been debating on doing two things on this blog for a long time now… my mind started spinning when I started to get really into this bloggy thing a few months ago and I’ve been mulling over it since then.Because I spend more time blogging then on my real job lately (it’s only a part time job but…seriously) and because I have dedicated so much time to this site (and have loved every second

Decorate on a Budget – Buy Used, Budget, Buy Unfinished

The previous post on this blog talked about decorating on a budget by recovering furniture, replacing lampshades, and repainting.

Make sure you are taking advantage of used furniture stores, thrift stores, dollar stores, and used shopping websites such as craigslist and ebay. These are places where you can find wonderful deals on home decorating items, new furniture or accent items. You might have a hard time finding something very specific, but if you look through these places with an open mind you can usually find some killer deals that you can make work with your décor in a great creative way.

If you are planning a large redesign that you think will cost quite a bit and be something you will have to really plan for, make sure you make a budget for the project. List everything you will need to consider, and take time to consider how much you can spend in each category. This way you can rest assured that you will not end up in debt over your redesign.

Unfinished wooden products are usually much cheaper than the finished versions.

Buying unfinished furniture is actually pretty great, because you get to choose any color of the rainbow to paint the furniture instead of being limited to what the normal colors generally are. It is more work of course, but in the end you’re getting a customized product for less money.

Check back soon for the next blog post about decorating on a budget.

This blog is brought to you by dialysis jobs.

Decorate on a Budget – Buy Used, Budget, Buy Unfinished

The previous post on this blog talked about decorating on a budget by recovering furniture, replacing lampshades, and repainting.

Unfinished wooden products are usually much cheaper than the finished versions.

Check back soon for the next blog post about decorating on a budget.

This blog is brought to you by dialysis jobs.

I'm baaaaack!!

Well hellooooo there! First of all, thanks for your sweet thoughts about my son! He's doing GREAT -- actually improved quite a bit within 24 hours. So I felt OK leaving town with my stepdaughter, more on that later. And I am overwhelmed by your comments on the pantry. Glad I wasn't the only one who was gaga over it!Before I tell you about our trip...I have to give you a rundown of my VERY VERY

My dream pantry...almost!

First I have to apologize for keeping you hanging...we found out this afternoon our toddler has pneumonia (!!) so we have been dealing with doc and pharmacy visits, breathing treatments, phone calls, etc., all night. He's only got a cough and otherwise is great...we just feel so awful for him. AND I'm supposed to go on a trip out of town this weekend and now I'm not sure if it will happen...time

An organization tease

So I realized after Aimee commented on my last title that it sounded like I was gettin' a little frisky with you all...with my "Valentine quickie." I thought I'd keep getting fresh with you with this one too...a little tease:I swear to you I have died and gone to the Organization Heaven, and that Heaven is called the Dollar Store. I'm almost done with this project. But I had a margarita with

Decorate on a Budget – Reupholster, Repaint, Replace Light Shades

The previous post on this blog talked about decorating on a budget by painting floors, hiding clutter, wallpapering, and using greenery inside.

Reupholstering furniture is a wonderful and extremely effective way to save money while refreshing your design look and furniture. Reupholstered furniture can last nearly as long as brand new furniture would have and all you have to invest is the money for new fabric and your time. The great thing about reupholstering is that once you get past the initial learning curve you can reupholster your next piece of furniture must more easily.

Dining room chairs are one of the easiest projects you can start with. If the wooden part of the chairs looks dinged up too consider sanding and restaining the wood before you start reupholstering. You could make slipcovers for your couches and easy chairs. If you are ambitious, consider making a few slipcovers for each furniture item, then you can switch them around seasonally or when you just need a change and wash them inbetween using them.

Replacing dingy light shades can make a big difference in the way a room looks. Buy a funky bright light shade for a different look without a big investment.

Repainting should almost be its own blog series, because it can have such a huge impact on how a home looks. Repainting is not overly expensive and it can really change your design.

Check back soon for the next blog post about decorating on a budget.

This blog is brought to you by physical therapy jobs.

Decorate on a Budget – Reupholster, Repaint, Replace Light Shades

The previous post on this blog talked about decorating on a budget by painting floors, hiding clutter, wallpapering, and using greenery inside.

Replacing dingy light shades can make a big difference in the way a room looks. Buy a funky bright light shade for a different look without a big investment.

Repainting should almost be its own blog series, because it can have such a huge impact on how a home looks. Repainting is not overly expensive and it can really change your design.

Check back soon for the next blog post about decorating on a budget.

This blog is brought to you by physical therapy jobs.

A Valentine quickie

Keep linking to the Organizing Party here! Mr. Linky has been grumpy, leaving the party here and there, but keep checking back if he's gone.I had grand plans to make a fluffy GORG Valentine's wreath this year, but I'm on a self-imposed spending freeze.Well, let's just say thaw...I planned on using a ton of red flowers to make a wreath, but when I figured how much I would need, it was getting a

All that kid stuff!

Keep linking to the party below!I was SO naive back in the day...before and when I was pregnant, I was one of those who swore that the baby and kid stuff would not take over our house.Stop laughing. I was serious. I succeeded for quite a while. Diapers, wipes and blankets were out of sight in my cool chest I showed you. I had a cute little wicker box for all of the baby toys in the office. Then..

Decorate on a Budget – Wallpaper, Paint Floors, Organize, Use Plants

The previous post on this blog covered decorating on a budget using wallpaper, mirrors, or by covering up imperfections strategically.

Wallpaper a wall to jazz it up, or frame pieces of cool wallpaper to hang on the wall. Framing series of the same or similar pieces of wallpaper can look really cool too.

Painting your floors is a cheap way to improve they way they look for a lot cheaper than it would be to replace the flooring. Painting flooring will probably not last as long as replacing the flooring would, but it is a trick you can use to improve the look of your floors inexpensively.

Organizing rooms really well can go a long way towards making the rooms look better. Decorating and organizing can be done at the same time with stylish wicker baskets that pull out of colorful shelves.

There are even modern looking shelves with different sized cubbies where pull out fabric or wicker baskets could be stored and where some vases and other decorative art pieces could be displayed.

Make sure you bring some of your garden plants inside when winter hits. This way you can reuse the plants as interior design elements without having to spend any extra money. Plants really brighten up a home. Fake flowers and plants look nice too, if you don’t have a green thumb but you still like the idea of having greenery displayed.

Check back soon for the next blog post which will be about decorating on a budget by recovering furniture, replacing lampshades, and repainting.

This blog is brought to you by physician staffing.

Decorate on a Budget – Wallpaper, Paint Floors, Organize, Use Plants

The previous post on this blog covered decorating on a budget using wallpaper, mirrors, or by covering up imperfections strategically.

Wallpaper a wall to jazz it up, or frame pieces of cool wallpaper to hang on the wall. Framing series of the same or similar pieces of wallpaper can look really cool too.

There are even modern looking shelves with different sized cubbies where pull out fabric or wicker baskets could be stored and where some vases and other decorative art pieces could be displayed.

Check back soon for the next blog post which will be about decorating on a budget by recovering furniture, replacing lampshades, and repainting.

This blog is brought to you by physician staffing.

Decorate on a Budget – Use Mirrors, Cover Imperfections

The previous post on this blog covered how to decorate on a budget using curtains, removing curtains, or by repainting cabinet doors.

Use mirrors to make a room seem brighter and larger.

If you had plenty of money, perhaps you would want to actually open up the room or put a window in, but mirrors can help if you can’t afford an expensive remodeling project. Framed mirrors can even look like windows. Place artistic items in front of mirrors to show them off. Mirrors can also be hung in patterns on the wall. If you love the idea of mirrors, you could even buy all sorts and sizes of mirrors at a used store or off of craigslist or ebay and then display them all on one wall pieced together about an inch apart mosaic style.

Cover up imperfections that you would otherwise have to pay to fix. This probably isn’t something you want to do permanently, but if you are struggling financially it is a way you could keep your home looking nice temporarily. If your floor has a stain you can put a rug over it or even rearrange your furniture to get by until you can afford to replace the flooring. If your wall has a dent or hole cover that spot with a tapestry or picture until you can fix the wall properly.

Check back soon for the next blog post which will be about decorating on a budget by painting floors, hiding clutter, wallpapering, and using greenery inside.

This blog is brought to you by occupational therapy jobs.

Decorate on a Budget – Use Mirrors, Cover Imperfections

The previous post on this blog covered how to decorate on a budget using curtains, removing curtains, or by repainting cabinet doors.

Use mirrors to make a room seem brighter and larger.

Check back soon for the next blog post which will be about decorating on a budget by painting floors, hiding clutter, wallpapering, and using greenery inside.

This blog is brought to you by occupational therapy jobs.

Our Mission: Declutter and Organize!

Welcome to the party ladies! I think I'm most excited about this one. Decluttering makes me giddy. Organizing makes me blissful. I heart them both, very, very much. If you decide to take on this mission, you will find out what I did last year --1. YOU HAVE WAY TOO MUCH STUFF.2. There is nothing quite as satisfying as throwing out trash bags filled with junk and taking weekly trips to Goodwill to

Decorate on a Budget – Refinish Cabinets, Use or Remove Curtains

Decorating is always more of a challenge if you are on a budget. On a budget you won’t have as many choices as when you have money to spend. However, if you are willing to be a little flexible in what you are looking for you can usually decorate for quite a lot cheaper. Here are some tips on how to decorate on a budget.

Instead of replacing cabinets reuse what you can out of the cabinets you have. If the doors are in decent shape but the paint is peeling or you are sick of the color, think about sanding them down and staining or painting them. If the doors are shot but the cabinet frames are good reuse just the frames and only buy new cabinet doors. The new doors most likely will not match the frames and boxes, but you can paint the frames and boxes either the same color, or a contrasting or complementary color to make sure they look exactly the same or different on purpose in a good way.

Remove curtains from windows that have nice views. Windows without curtains will have a cleaner more elegant look to them. Although, curtains can add more personality to a home and they can also help to add a seasonal feel. Gauzy curtains feel summery, while heavy curtains give a room a more cozy winter feel.

Check back soon for the next blog post which will be about decorating on a budget using wallpaper, mirrors, or by covering up imperfections strategically.

This blog is brought to you by dialysis jobs.

Decorate on a Budget – Refinish Cabinets, Use or Remove Curtains

Check back soon for the next blog post which will be about decorating on a budget using wallpaper, mirrors, or by covering up imperfections strategically.

This blog is brought to you by dialysis jobs.

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