Tag: home projects


Aug
2018

Making Candle Holders

categories: DIY, My Simple Home

For such a long time I have been wanting a set of wood candle holders, but the cost for three different sizes, just too pricey for me!

So you all know what I did, I made my own!

From this…

A basket full of various wood pieces and chunky chair legs.

To this….

Creating and gluing the wood pieces together.

To this…Love them!

After deciding on the placement of the different wood pieces, and gluing them together, I painted all with white chalk paint, distressed a bit by sanding, and sealed all with clear wax.

Topped with battery operated candles to finish.

So simple.

In the end, I was able to make all three for a little over the cost of buying just a small one.

The wood pieces I purchased at Michael’s and Hobby Lobby, using my 40% off weekly coupons.

I purchased the wood chair leg pieces at Home Depot, under $4.00 each.

They will be so festive for the upcoming fall and Thanksgiving season, surrounded by pumpkins and leaves.

When surrounded by evergreens and red berries at Christmas, they will make a lovely, amazing centerpiece.

Candle holders can be used so many places in a home, tables, dressers, buffets, side tables, and painted many colors.

So fun, so simple, and so pleased with the results, and the money I saved by making my own.

Also, so pleased and thankful, that God has given me a bit of creativity.

Creativity to fill my days with projects that give me so much joy in my heart, and add lots of enjoyment to my everyday life.

So blessed!

With love, until my next project!

 

 

 


Jul
2018

Thrift Store Finds – Loved Again!

categories: Flea Market Finds/Thrifting, My Simple Home

Last week, I worked on three small thrift store items, brought home to “relove”.

A beat up tin rooster, a wire basket, and a metal bulletin board.

Cleaned, scrubbed, spray painted, done!

The tin rooster was missing a wing, and could no longer stand up, but he caught my eye just the same!

A bit of cleaning, glue, and matte black spray paint, was all needed to love this tin rooster, and to find a special spot for him in my kitchen.

He is standing tall again, with that “farmhouse” look perfect for my simple kitchen.

The boring wire basket, just needed to be brighten up, and the metal bulletin board, in almost new condition, just needed to be cleaned.

Two coats of my favorite gold spray paint, Rust-Oleum metallic gold, really transformed the wire basket from dull to bright.

The basket is a great addition to the desk area in my spare bedroom.  Perfect to hold extra pillows or throws, or maybe another place to hold my many books.

I love beautiful books, they are one of the joys in my life.

The metal bulletin board caught my eye because of the really sweet scalloped, eyelet trim.

So cute!

Found a spot for the board above my Mom’s old rocking chair, displaying family photos, she would like that!

Displaying photos, another joy for me.

I am all about enjoying photos, using them whenever posssible, framing and placing around my home, or using them in any event or project.

Pleased with all my items, worth the total cost of $5!

Three items, found and loved, by me!

Happy day!

 


May
2018

My Quiet Place

categories: Home Projects, Living with MS

I have a place I go, a beautiful simple place, my quiet place.

I go there so many times throughout my days, to release stress, worry, loneliness, sadness, and sometimes to have a private cry.

It’s just a small outside corner at the back of my house.

An old, worn, chippy, picnic table, made into a potting bench for me, by my son on Mother’s Day, many years ago.

There is just something overwhelmingly calm about working with flowers, dirt, and old pots.

I am always adding fun things to this area, a sweet little bird, a garden sign, that is probably 20 years old, and of course, a banner of seed packets!  You all know I love to make banners!

How can anyone look at flowers and plants, and not believe in God?

It is rare when my husband complains about all the issues he deals with everyday, living with Multiple Sclerosis.

Yesterday, he told me the pain and burning in his right leg is spreading to his left leg.

What could I say or do?

He will not see a doctor, he does not believe they can help him, he knows there is no cure.

I went to my place of quiet to pray, as I often do, alone.

How can I help him?

I am thankful for this place I go, to sit sometimes, to be still, and know God is with us!

Thanks for letting me share such things, it helps!

Love all of you!

Hope you have that special place in your home, that is yours, to be still, to be quiet.

Have a blessed holiday weekend.

 


May
2018

Whimsy Flower Boxes

categories: Crafts, DIY, Flea Market Finds/Thrifting, Home Projects, Spring

Just loving the weather we are having!

I remember, in the cold of winter, looking out my kitchen window, longing for the warmth, the green, the colors, the sounds, of this glorious time of the year.

It’s here, I am so pleased and thankful!

Love to add whimsy things to my porch and yard, simple fun things.

Found this plain wood box at the thrift store some time back, stashed it away, I knew I would find a way to use it eventually.

I also found this old flower box in my garage, from years ago, when I displayed at craft fairs.

It was a popular item I made and sold some 20 years ago!

Both boxes just needed a bit of sanding, some paint, and little time to turn into two whimsy flower boxes.

Take a look at my old boxes now!

Love them!

The addition of a knob from Hobby Lobby gave the plain box, now painted white, that little extra it needed to be special.

The picket fence box didn’t need much, I still loved the primitive look from so many years ago.  Just repaired the mini birdhouse on the fence, sanded and cleaned.

Adding flowers was the final touch.

Oh my gosh, to me, they are so beautiful!

Do fun, whimsy things today!

Giggle and love today!

See ya!


Apr
2018

Creating Simple Wall Art

categories: Home Projects

My sweet son recently painted my bedroom, gray of course!

Gray is my new white.

Light gray walls can be accented with all colors.

I purchased a new comforter set for our bed, black and white buffalo check, of course!

Love the simple, clean, farmhouse look it adds to a room.

Shopped around for some artwork for above our bed, but was unable to find anything I really liked, or could afford, so I created my own.

Using Pic Monkey, a photo editing site, that also allows you to create on a blank canvas, I came up with several simple sayings to frame.  Pic Monkey is free, check it out!

Once I created the prints, I used my home printer to copy, and then framed each one with frames I had used before.

They were perfect for over our bed.

I ended up only using three of the four prints due to the space available.  There should be no problem finding a perfect spot in my home for the fourth print, “live simply”.

This bedroom has two windows with a connecting window seat.

I am not sure what to add, curtains or not, more artwork or not, pillows, maybe not!

Once I decide what to do, I will share with all of you!

This project was so fun and easy to complete.

Hope you all enjoyed viewing my inexpensive project, and most of all, I hope you are enjoying creating fun things in your life!

Love you all bunches!

 

 

 


Apr
2018

Side Table Refresh

categories: Flea Market Finds/Thrifting, Home Projects

Hello friends!

Today I want to share a $12 thrift store side table refresh.

The table was in pretty good shape when I purchased it some time ago. Not much to do, some scratches and nicks to repair, especially on the wood top, and I wanted to change the color.

This is the before.

Here is the side table now.

Love it!

I wanted a table in our small upstairs hall, right in front of the hall bathroom. This table was the perfect size for the available wall space.

I used the same paint as the bathroom vanity I refreshed last year.

The knob is one that I already had, and I really like the way it looks on the table drawer.  Love the small bit of gold.

For now, I have placed a battery operated candle on the table, a perfect night light in the hall.

As with most of my projects, it was easy, simple, fun, and a great sense of accomplishment when completed.

Cleaning, sanding before painting, and staining the wood top, that was all I did to this table.

I am a picky thrift store shopper, cleaning all items thoroughly, and cleaning again, is a must for me.

Right now I am not buying and bringing home items that I do not need.  My home is not large, and I already feel I have hoarded enough stuff.

This table is my largest project to date.  It turned out amazing, at little cost.  A new table for this space would probably cost over $100.

I am pleased, so very pleased, with my small table refresh.

A few more items to finish before the weather warms, I so want to be outside working in my yard.

Love today, laugh today, be so thankful today!

 


Mar
2018

Organizing My Kitchen Cabinets

categories: Home Projects

Just take that first step.

Begin.

That was all I needed to do to complete a project I had put off, ashamed to say, for years!

With a busy life, I just felt I could let it go for later, wishful thinking, it just gets messier.

I started my kitchen cabinet organization project with the two baking cabinets above my stove, they needed the most work.

Yikes!

I know, I know, the before photos are horrible!

So to begin, I removed everything from my cabinets, sorted the good from the bad, the outdated, and gave the inside of the cabinets a good cleaning.

To give order, I gathered all the containers I had on hand, although I did purchase some new canisters with a gift card given to me by my brother, for my birthday.

I also found some great “Rae Dunn” look alike stickers to add to the front of the canisters.

New spice jars were needed, eliminating all the little cans of spices that were here and there, never able to find.

I filled the jars and labeled each one, found a great set of labels on Amazon.

Glass jars worked well for so many of my baking items.

I love that I can now clearly see the items.

Using glass jars and containers standardized my organization.

No more boxes and little cans.

You can now see that sustaining, keeping this order, should be easy, everything has a place, and all containers clearly recognized.

Pleased with the outcome of this project.

Now I am not embarrassed to open these cabinet doors.

They are clean, and organized in an easy simple way.

This is just the beginning of organizing all my kitchen cabinets, next step, dishes, cups, glasses.

Today might be a good day for you to take that first step on a project you have been putting off, just begin!

Love, blessings, joy, and laughter today.

 

 

 


Jan
2018

DIY Buffalo Check Tray

categories: DIY, Flea Market Finds/Thrifting, Home Projects

Oh my gosh, I am so finished with winter.

We have gone through snow, ice, and freezing temperatures, lasting for weeks.

Brrrr…………!

This weather has been horrible, a birthday spoiler, a cabin fever maker, a junk food eating enabler!

I did manage to pull myself away from our warm fire to work on a few projects, and also to have a bit of much needed alone time.  Love my husband bunches, but being together all day, everyday, for weeks, is difficult at times!

It only took one simple completed project, to get me feeling so much better.

You all know I love trays, and another favorite of mine is buffalo check things, especially black and white.

Using, of course, a thrift store frame, a small piece of leftover wrapping paper, and some Hobby Lobby handles, all that I needed to create and complete.

The first step was taking the frame apart and giving it a thorough cleaning, inside and out.  It was in new condition, so I did not need to paint the frame.

I did sand the edges, all around, so it did not seem so perfect, and added a bit of stain to my sanding.

The buffalo check paper was cut to the size of the inside mat, and a bit of glue added to secure.

Added the galvanized handles with some shallow screws from the inside, reassembled, and my project was complete!

Love the way it turned out, it really is as “farmhouse chic” as any tray I have seen in stores and online.

I really love the farmhouse look, so popular now, wish I lived in a small farmhouse home somewhere wonderful!

Trays can be used in so many ways, love it on my wicker chest at the foot of our bed.

Less than $5 to complete.

One step, one project, I feel better now, ready to move on to other fun creative things!

It is really true, that just taking that first step, can be the beginning of changing any part of our lives needing a push of encouragement.

Now maybe I can use my own words to encourage myself to get on that much needed treadmill!

The sun just came out, around 49 degrees today, “Oh Happy Day”!

Love you all!

 

 


Nov
2017

Bathroom Refresh

categories: Home Projects

If you can’t afford any large home improvements, like a new kitchen, which is my dream, then try small, inexpensive updates as a good way to bring a fresh look to your home.

Today I want to share my bathroom refresh project.

It has a clean and whimsy touch that I love!

Nothing terribly expensive, just paint and some new accessories.

My color palette was shades of gray, black, white, and some wood.

The star of this refresh is this kitty print, it’s my whimsy!

We love kitties in our house!

Purchased the print at Hobby Lobby, 50% off, of course.

I always forget to take my “before” photos, sorry!

This update is such an improvement over my old yucky blue bathroom.

Painted the walls a shade of gray that I had used in my kitchen, and added a new shower curtain from Target.

Painted my old wood vanity a darker shade of gray, and added new hardware.

New towels, towel ring, and also painted the small wall cabinet.

Would love to have a new mirror, but this one is perfectly fine for now.  Maybe after Christmas.

I have already posted about my light fixture makeover, and my DIY “Splish Splash” print.

Still love both so much!

Found these really different wall hooks, great for towels, outside the shower area, at Hobby Lobby, again, 50% off.

I would think that anyone coming into my bathroom would find something to smile about!

It is now just a fun bathroom!

My home is perfectly imperfect, that’s just fine with me.

Hope you smiled a bit looking at this post!

Have a really fun weekend.

Love to all.


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.