October 2017 – Loving My New Simple Life

Month: October 2017

30
Oct
2017

Simple Fall Gatherings

My kitchen window faces the front of my house. I can see folks coming and going when I am working at my sink.

A few days ago, I noticed the Amazon driver pulling into my driveway.

A younger woman walked up to my porch with one of my many orders.

I really love Amazon Prime!

After she placed the box near the front door, as she was walking away, she turned, smiling, she took several photos of my fall gatherings on the porch. So cute, putting a smile on my face too!

I thought I would share what she was smiling about.

Pumpkins, colorful mums, my rusty, gas can jack-o-lantern, and the sweet sign I purchased at the Country Living Fair in Columbus, Ohio. A simple fall gathering welcoming all coming up to my small front porch.

A beautiful fall wreath, which I have had for years, just added more fall color to my porch.

The back porch was changed for the season too!

Again, simple changes, all inexpensive.

New flannel pillows, in navy, with a bit of turquoise.

Painted a $4.00 wood tray from Hobby Lobby the same shade of turquoise, and filled it with bittersweet.

An orange throw added, for chilly fall afternoons, and some small pumpkins.

Love the navy and orange together.

The simple, bittersweet twig wreath, I had made a few weeks ago, found its way to the brick wall on the back porch.

Just a few simple items that added a smile to a stranger’s face, and in turn, one to mine!

Love you all!

Hope you are enjoying this colorful time of the year.

04
Oct
2017

DIY Light Fixture Makeover

categories: DIY, Home Projects

On my post today I am going to share an idea I found on Pinterest.

A DIY project of turning an inexpensive, galvanized outdoor light fixture, into a really beautiful bathroom fixture.

I have been working on a refresh of my upstairs bathroom for months. The bath is at the top of our steps and can be seen from my entry hall.

When you glance upstairs from the hall, the old, tired looking, light fixture was the first thing you would see. An updated fixture was needed.

The galvanized fixture I used for this project can be purchased at Lowe’s for $29.00.

To complete this DIY project I only used three cans of spray paint.

RUST-OLEUM, Painter’s Touch 2x, gloss white, and flat black, and also RUST-OLEUM, Specialty Metallic, gold.

I taped off and covered each section as I sprayed on each color.

The completed project looks so nice in the bathroom. It is simple and clean, but with an updated classy look you see today.

Added a new larger, round light bulb to the fixture.

I think you can see that this is a really dramatic DIY makeover.

The fixture is the farmhouse style I love and is so popular today.

The one tip I would like to stress is the importance of letting each color dry thoroughly before applying the next. I waited a day between colors. Patience is a lesson learned when using spray paint!

Hopefully, I can share the rest of my bathroom refresh with all of you soon.

Do you have a project you are working on? Hope so!

Completing a DIY project gives you the most satisfying feeling.

I try to remember, I am never too old to learn, or to do something new! Everyday!

Love to all.

02
Oct
2017

My Tin Can Pumpkin

categories: Autumn, DIY, Flea Market Finds/Thrifting

Recently I posted about my trip to the Country Living Fair in Columbus, Ohio.

The one item I really wanted to buy was an old galvanized oil can with a pumpkin face. Loved it, but it was priced at $68.95! I could not justify spending that amount. I tried to, but no!

Could not get it off my mind, so when I saw this old rusted can at the flea market for $9.50, I started thinking.

The old can was a beautiful rusty orange, perfect for a pumpkin face. I put it in my cart, it was mine!

I did not want to paint a face on my can, and I had no way to cut out a face, so I simply used a magnetic sheet I found at Michael’s, cut out the face with scissors, and placed on my can.

It was perfect!

God must have blessed my flea market trip for me to be able to find the perfect can for this project, and the fact that it was a rusty orange color was a bonus blessing.

Not sure of just where my tin can pumpkin will eventually end up, maybe near the front door with the mums and real pumpkins.

But our back porch area might be the best place.