Bookcase round up....

Get it..."round up." Okay, seriously, I give up trying to come up with clever titles...they aren't clever, they are just corny! 

I love sniffing around thrift stores and flea markets.  I shop those stores like I shop for clothes and shoes....I walk through the store and wait for something to "jump out at me."  Unfortunately I have very little interest in clothes or shoes, but I LOVE unique and interesting pieces of furniture! 

I have "googled" every possible description of this piece and can find nothing even close to it.  So I have no idea what style or period it is.  But I think it is so awesome and it gives me a unique and interesting way to display more of my book collection!  

I found this piece in the White Elephant Flea Market in Fayetteville and it is by far the most interesting piece I have ever discovered!  It was in mint condition so I didn't have to refinish it...and at $45, I thought it was a steal. 

I rarely have time to just "leisurely" shop thrift stores and flea markets!  Normally I just drop in for a quick walk through to see if there is anything new and interesting...or something that catches my fancy.  You don't have to take an entire afternoon to dig through these stores...just pop in and walk through...if a piece wants to go home with you, it will make itself known.  For me, shopping in thrift stores and flea markets is like cleaning out a closet...if I have to look at something for more than 10 seconds and ponder its usefulness, I don't need it! 

For some people, and especially novice DIYers, it may take a little longer to "see through" the grunge or imagine how a piece can be repurposed....but over time you will find that the more you have to "think" about a piece, the less likely you are to like it no matter what you do with it.   

Happy hunting!!! 

Bathroom makeover on the cheap....

I told you earlier in the week this time change thing would be the death of me. I. AM. DYING.  It makes me work too late in the day.  Today I started rebuilding my storage building door and painting the shutters...a project I will share when I am done.  Funny thing is, with all the work I do, I threw my back out this morning WASHING MY TRUCK!  Immediately went the chiropractor, came home and started taking down shutters and building a new door...and I wonder why I feel like death tonight!!!  Geez.

But on to something fun!!! Since I didn't get today's project ready to share, I'll share an oldie but definitely awesome!​

When I first bought my 1800 s.f. 4 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath home it was plenty for my family then.  After a year I added a den and a year later I added a "master suite."  But I have always known that a big master bathroom was something I could easily live without.  I basically shower, primp and do "other" business in there...rarely do I have time to lounge around in my whirlpool tub with candles and a good book.  As a matter of fact, I think I have tried out the whirlpool maybe twice in 13 years.​  When my house was under construction I added a glass block window over the tub before I tiled. (I bought the house while it was being built but did a lot of the finish work myself!) The mistake I made was not adding an operable window at the time.

While they were installing the GOLD shower doors, I was thinking "EWWWWW! What was I thinking when I picked THAT!" I disliked it from day one...but I attempted (unsuccessfully) to decorate around them for 12 years!  ​I also tried to add much needed storage by adding a little white cabinet.  But try as I might, I could never get the bathroom to "feel" and work the way I needed it to.  The ONLY thing I liked about it were the beautiful maple paprika cabinets I have throughout my house...to this day I still love my kitchen cabinets!  But in the bathroom...not so much!

So last year I decided to do a "semi" makeover in my bathroom.  I had just bought some beautiful granite at an auction...enough for my kitchen and all three bathrooms (again, I promise to tell you about that ubber sweet deal!) This is what I ended up with....​

​Okay, where do I start.  Very tight budget so I had to spend wisely!

Paint, that is a given in any room makeover...light, clean...gallon at the most! I did paint the ceilings but after 13 years, it was time!​

​All the tile was fine. Thank goodness because that can be costly!  But the shower doors HAD to go...gold...seriously, what was I smoking?  Removing old shower doors is seriously the EASIEST and one of the biggest changes you can make in a bathroom.  Remove the doors. Just lift up and tilt out.  Take a hammer and carefully knock the top bar "up."  Be careful that it doesn't hit you in the head (yeah, I really do learn these things the hard way).  Now, MOST shower doors have just 3 little screws securing the side brackets to the wall/tile/insert.  So take the little screws out and "pop" the side rails off the wall.  Usually silicone is used as an adhesive, so you may have to do a little prying on the side rails and the bottom rail, but they will come up.  After all the rails are removed, take a razor blade and gently scrap the silicone off the walls/tile/tub.  The three little holes...just take a little bit of silicone and "fill" them.   Haul the entire insert to the curb and say "bye, bye!" Buy a pretty rod and spa curtain and say good bye to soap scum and that nasty black crud that grows in the rails!

Cabinets.  I bought new cabinets. Big expense. But in a bit, I am going to share a way to change the entire look of your cabinets and bathroom without spending a lot of money!!!​  Seriously...you WANT this!  

I was going for "modern" so I decided to go with brush nickel fixtures and hardware.  I priced the cabinet hardware at a local home decor store....$28 A PIECE...​I only needed 7 but really...$28 for a stupid little handle?  That is when I discovered myknobs.com  Found the hardware for around $8 a piece....SWEET!

Originally I was going to put in two mirrors...but I bought this one on sale at Hobby Lobby for the hall bath and  it didn't work in there so I hung it in the master bath and loved it....so I put in the totally awesome pendant light fixture instead! Well, okay, my totally awesome son in law installed it when he put in the recess lights (not pictures)! 

There is only me...and it's a small bathroom...so two sinks was a waste in my opinion. I decided to add much needed storage and just have one sink.  I got the sink and faucet on Overstock.com!  They have great prices on bathroom fixtures.  Always check them before you buy any fixtures or lighting!

Again, great deal on the granite top.​ Glass tile back splash...yum!  A small amount of glass block in a bath back splash can add A LOT of style and class for very little! (That will be a great tutorial...it's super easy!)

The biggest change was the new window.  That required some pretty serious construction and vinyl and sheetrock repair but it was doable.  ​And having an operable window in a small bathroom is a must have in my opinion!!!  I put in one of those nifty "crank out" kinds and I loooove it!!!  It is so nice to be able to air out the bathroom on nice days!

And of course when you do a "remodel" there are always those "little surprises."  Like the wad of pine needles and leaves I found in the HVAC vent....no air was getting through those vents....but some critter obviously had during construction.  I also discovered that when the plumber installed the wall plumbing behind the cabinets (tech term, rough in) he tore out the sheetrock and insulation, and then the cabinet guys just set the cabinets right over the gaping hole in the wall....you could literally see daylight when I removed the vanity.  I always wondered why the floor was soooo cold!!  And I never could figure out how water pipes I KNEW were in the floor managed to freeze when it was bitter cold. ​

So I promised an inexpensive cabinet makeover....a process that will change the entire look of your bathroom and is ubber easy!!!​  Seriously, it is soooo easy that it totally offended my "craftsman" senses.  Keep in mind, I just came to terms with painting wood furniture...so "refinishing" cabinets with this process really offended my senses.  But I tried it in my kid's bathroom and my guest bath and I LOVE it!  My daughter has refinished her bathroom cabinets, I have used it in the kitchen in my manager's house, and one of my friends just refinished her entire master bath!  It is amazing!

I found this process on Pinterest....which linked me to "Monica Wants It."  Monica gives a GREAT tutorial on refinishing cabinets...follow it to the T...do not deviate. ​(Monica used this on oak cabinets...I have maple...worked great on both! I also used it on unfinished oak and it worked just fine!)  I have used it three times, and it has never failed me!  Nor my daughter nor my friend!  Totally awesome.   (I wish my photography did it justice...but it doesn't!)

If you need to make an inexpensive change in your bathroom, use this tutorial to refinish the cabinets (don't forget the hardware!), get rid of that nasty shower door, give the walls a fresh coat of paint and update your lighting!  You would be surprised what a few little changes will make!  ​And YOU CAN DO IT!

Oh, and one personal tip...over the years I have changed all my towels to WHITE!  Why?  Because I can bleach them and they always smell fresh...no more musty towels.  And they look awesome in my new bathroom!​ Very "spa" like!  And TJMaxx or Marshalls always have great prices on shower curtains and bath rugs!!!

Bathrooms are a great place to learn to DIY.  You can go big and do big, or you can start small and do a little at a time!  ​Budget, time and desire dictate!  

Have questions on how you can "change" your bathroom...email some pictures and I will give you some suggestions!​ beckcampbell@cox.net

Please sir, may I have some more pillows....

I'm telling you, even when I try to be clever with my post titles, all I do is show my age...grrr.

Pillows....LOTS of pillows. And for a reason, not just because I LIKE to sew...because honestly, I REALLY dislike sewing.  I can do it...and IMO everyone should know how to do the simplest things on a sewing machine. Sew a hem, make a decorative pillow, make curtains.  Simple stuff...not necessarily make a tailored jacket or Easter dress, but simple stuff.  My mom had me take sewing lessons when I was a teenager.  Didn't necessarily like them, but I am grateful I can use a sewing machine now.  If you can't, sign up for a class at your local craft or fabric store and learn.  Buy the cheapest, simplest sewing machine and learn how to use it. My machine basically sews straight stitch and zig-zag.  I think it does button holes too, but I don't...

So back to WHY I had to make a bunch of pillows. First, last year I decided I didn't like the big fluffy cushions on my couch.  Haven't really liked them since I bought the couch.  But they were expensive and filled with down fill.  If you have ever bought stuffing for pillows, you know it is expensive....not something to waste.  So I bought some inexpensive white cotton material, measured out 19 x 19 and 13 x 21 squares for pillow forms ( allowing for a 1/2" seam all around), sewed them together and stuffed them with the down stuffing from the too fluffy cushions.  I think they call that upcycling now....much better adjective than cheapo. I ended up with 5 oblong and 5 square ones....wow!  he reason I made and stuffed forms, is because as you may know, some down feathers are "pokey."  Having the form in the pillow helps protect your guests from being speared by a feather.  If you are just using plain old "fill" (without feathers) no need for the forms. Just make the pillows and stuff them!

Once I had all these pillow forms, I started digging through my leftover material from past projects.  Mostly upholstery projects.  I found enough to make these pillows....

I had material from the dining room chair recover, the peacock chair, my wingback chair and my daughter's houndstooth chair.  The white cable knit is actually a sweater I bought at Goodwill for $2, and used to make a pillow!  ​

Depending on the amount of material I had, I cut some 19 x 19 and some 13 x 21.  Two for each pillow.  ​

I trimmed all of them (except the cable knit) with piping.  YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DO THIS!  I just like the way it looks...start simple and forget the piping if this is your first attempt!

Now piping CAN be tricky.  You can buy it already made and ready to sew into your pillow....but that is a tad expensive....they have some inexpensive premade but they also have some really nifty ones with beads and all kinds of stuff!  If you have enough material, you can actually make your own piping.  But most people don't understand that piping material MUST be cut on the bias....which means it has to be cut at a 45 degree angle across the material or it puckers reeeeal bad...which means you have to have A LOT of material to make the bias for your piping.  Confusing, I know. 

Easiest, and by far the cheapest, is buy "premade" bias tape and cover piping with it.  It comes in all colors and you are sure to find one to accent any pillow you are making!

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Just iron the bias tape flat, fold in 1/2 and sew in the piping with your zipper foot (seriously, learn to sew a straight line!) and then sew it onto one side of your pillow....then pin the other side of the pillow, face down, and sew again...leaving an opening to stuff the pillow form or batting.  Then just "whip stitch" the opening. Seriously, NO biggy if you can do the basic stuff on a machine!  ​(Seriously, take a lesson or have a friend teach you!)

God knew what he was doing when he decided I would not have a lot of money.  He knows I am a creative person and would miss out on the joy of learning to do things like refinish furniture, painting a room, and designing and building if I had money to PAY someone to do it.  And honestly, if I won the lottery tomorrow, I would still do those things because I enjoy them.​

But I probably would never sew again....I just really don't enjoy it.  But I do enjoy having nice thing...little treasures throughout the house...and decorative pillows are little treasures. ​

So I sew......​

Black doors...

​As you see from my "to do" list, I have a few things I need to get done around here.  Today I am finishing up the nasty dresser I brought home last week (not even on my list) and I am finally making the pillows that have been piled on my dining room table for a week.  So later, maybe tomorrow, I will post about those two projects...for today I thought I would post the project I STARTED last fall...by that, I mean I still have the entire upstairs to do, but ohhhh what a difference it made downstairs.

Just Google "interior black doors"!  Oh. My Goodness.  Beautiful!​

Last fall I saw a thing on Pinterest about painting door knobs.  Thirteen years ago, brass was fab...not so much now and at $20 a pop, I wasn't about to change out all my interior door knobs.  So I took them all off, primed and painted them black with spray paint.  Looked pretty cool...

....until I saw some pictures of ALL black interior doors.  Now THAT is cool!​

Painting ALL your doors may seem like a daunting task.  So start out slow...do one room at a time.​

All my doors were already painted with a good quality oil based trim paint (AKA alkyd paint)....so I choose to use oil base when I painted them black. If your doors are already painted with latex, use latex. Again, latex paints are MUCH better than years past!  (Word of advice, if you are every changing the "type" of paint, make sure you prime FIRST! You can "tint" your primer so you only have to do one coat of the actual paint) Black is a VERY difficult color to mix, so I bought a premixed black in SATIN finish at Sherwin Williams.  I used a foam roller and high quality paint brush.  I made sure to tape off all the hinges and knobs.  ​ Also, trust me...the first coat will look beyond AWFUL!  Patience...paint a second coat before passing judgment...one coat of black on white WILL NOT cut it.  

Regardless of what kind of paint you use, always put paper (newspaper works great!) or a drop cloth under the door....trust me, black oil based paint is TOUGH to get off any type of floor (which is why I have black speckles under my doors....grrrr)​

Both the boys (yes my adult boys still "claim" their rooms!) want their closet doors red....I think it will look awesome, so I will do all the upstairs bedroom doors in black and their closet doors in red...someday...maybe.  I am kind of hoping this fad passes before I actually get to it.  After all, the only people who go up there are the kids....I only go up to retrieve dishes and dirty clothes...and that's only because I run out of dishes and don't want to get hit with 10 loads of laundry all at once!​

Off to finish pillows and the dresser....busy day!  ​

This is the first time in three months I haven't been busting it every day at the apartments....nice to finally have a little time at home to get some things done!!!  ​

Type A personalities should not blog......

It's not that I haven't been doing DIY projects for decades, it's that I have SOOOOO many I want to do and share NOW.  So I am going in 50 different directions trying to get a dozen little projects done so I can post them.​  A dresser, an ottoman, an old office chair, pillows, the 3 legged table, ANOTHER table I picked up at Goodwill today (it has all it's legs intact), cork boards...you name it, I've got it going on here.  It's madness and my house is a disaster....NOT a good thing!

Seriously, I think I have a few years left in me....I mean honestly, eventually I'll run out of things to post if I try to do it all right this minute....typical "type-A" personality.  ​

But I did get one project finished today....thank goodness.​

About a month ago my son asked me to spend a Saturday at an auction with him....I LOVE auctions but more than anything I love spending time with the kids when they actually WANT to spend time with me! And it was a cabinet shop going out of business...fun fun!!  Ask me how much of the stuff I bought I REALLY needed....ummm...probably NONE of it.  But I picked up a huge stack of cork board....and of course that stuff is not cheap and who doesn't need a cork board?​

So I set out searching for old frames...any interesting frame I could find.  Found most of them at Goodwill for next to nothing!

Pop the picture and glass out, cover the backing with cork board and paint the frame....PRESTO!!! Nifty cork board!

The large one is for Matt's girlfriend, Kaitlyn.  She is the mother of my grandpuppy, Beau.  Did you ever read "Marley and Me" or see the movie (OMG, if you want a good cry....)  That is Beau....silliest dog in the world but I just adore him.​

Anyway, when I went back to Hancock Fabrics today to buy the other THIRTY BOXES of pearl and bead strands (seriously, who could pass them up at 90% off....I just didn't realize they had soooo many left!) I found these nifty little 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 magnetic picture frames on clearance for .40....paint them up and they are cute as a bug on the cork board.  ​

Now, here is where I ran into a "design" problem.  When you run into a design issue, or your "best laid plans" aren't panning out, do what I do....wing it.   My PLAN was to put a strip of magnetic tape across the board, cover with the cute houndstooth ribbon and then stick the magnet photo frames on it.  No dice.  The magnetic tape was crap and NOTHING would stick to it and the magnets on the frames weren't any better.  To top it off, I soon found out that hot glue is NOT a good medium for cork board.  ​

So, I used regular glue to attach the ribbon onto the board, glued 3 super powerful magnetic "dots" on the ribbon, hot glued magnetic dots to the back of the frames, and PRESTO....we have take off!!!  Or at least we have some cute little frames that can easily be changed out from time to time!​

There are soooo many things you could do to spruce up a cork board.  Cover the cork in fabric, attach vinyl lettering or even paint on the cork, cover with ribbons and bow....just so many ideas...Google cork board imagines and you will be surprised at the ideas that are out there. ​

I have some old window panes I took out of an old house...they have three divides in them and I am going to put cork in one, metal for magnets in one and chalk board in the one....I'll post that if I ever get to it....but before I do that project, I am bound and determined to get some of the others completed!​

Ode to Joel....

I try to come up with clever post titles....Lindsey at Betterafter.net ​always has the most clever titles for her blog posts.  Just too much brain effort on my part.  Sometimes I am funny, but it is just because I say and do stupid things...not because I am necessarily "witty."   Besides, if you aren't over the age of 45, you wouldn't get the title of this post.  (Ode to Billy Joe....not so great song...even worse movie)

Anywho, it was one of those days I had a million errands to run, one of which was to Hancock Fabrics to pick up some piping for the pillows I am making (another post for another day...if I ever get around to it!) Always on a hunt for a bargain, (i.e. digging around on the back shelves)​ I found some 90% Christmas clearance.  CHRISTMAS IN MARCH!!! LOVE!!!   I love Christmas...I love decorating for Christmas.  And every single year I proclaim "THIS IS IT!!!  Not another thing!"  But then I find the bargains....

Seriously, who wouldn't love boxes of ornaments and gingerbread cookie cutters for .59 and strings of silver beads and pearls for 1.49 a strand!!!  And those cute little metal trees for 1.69!  Seriously, who wouldn't love finding this stuff in MARCH!!??? If I didn't love spring and fall so much I would be antsy for the Christmas holiday!!!

Anywho, taking this picture reminded me of how much I LOVE MY UNDER COUNTER LIGHTING....which brings me to my "Ode to Joel."  My FAVORITE son in law in the whole wide world.  Now, he will be quick to remind me that he is my ONLY son in law, but honestly, that is not the point.  He is my favorite.​

And not just because he is an electrician who is gracious enough to work during his visits.  See, I always have some electrical issue that is just a tad over my head...or rather one that I know would take him 4 hours to complete when it would take me 2 DAYS!  And who has time for that during the holidays...seriously! ​

So for YEARS I have wanted to put can lights in my kitchen.  I just thought they were so cool looking AND my kitchen felt a bit "dark" and "smallish" because of the lack of decent lighting.  But the "in" can lights right now are a little pricey and I knew I wouldn't be happy with the ones like I  have in my den...because, after all, those are not the "in" lights right now.  The "in" can lights are like the ones Joel installed in ​my bathroom last summer...that I love...but rarely turn on because you could land a jet in there now when both the vanity and can lights are on!

So last fall,  I went to Lowes (again, my fav) and started looking at lighting options.  I have never been a fan of the little "pot" lights that go under cabinets...kind of thought they were silly looking...but I did like the LED strip lighting they had...and while an 18" strip was around $60, I only needed three!  ​And they last "a lifetime" and you never have to change the bulbs.  Hum....that is right up my alley. 

So that is what we bought.  Long story short, we created a new switch next to the disposal switch (that required adding a larger box and second switch and some unanticipated tile repair....good thing I keep spare everything!) The lighting was hardwired to the switch and Joel was able to run the wires behind the microwave and refrigerator so the wiring wouldn't show.  ​

Oh, My. Goodness!  I swear my kitchen doubled in size!!!​

It is just sooo difficult to appreciate what a difference this makes with pictures.  Joel installed them the day before Thanksgiving last year, and I swear my kitchen prep space doubled in size!  It made a huge difference in my usable space because the two corners were just always so dark and impossible to use as prep space. ​

Again, he only installed three...one over the coffee pot (far left), then ran the wiring behind the microwave to the left corner cabinets and installed one there, then ran the wiring behind the refrigerator to the corner in the right.  AMAZING!!  ​

I installed new granite counter tops two years ago (talk about the steal of a lifetime...for another time!) and these new lights just made them POP!!!  Seriously, it has "sparklies" in it I didn't even know were there.  Like little pieces of quartz all through it...I knew it was beautiful granite...but with the added lights, it is breathtaking...seriously! 

But the biggest difference, again, was the amount of usable counter space, which in a small kitchen is a huge plus!!!!​

So....Ode to my SIL Joel...not only is he a wonderful husband and father...but he is a pretty handy dude to have around when there is some serious electrical work to be done!  Is this a "DIY" project?  Yes...it very easily could be and I have no doubt I could have done it myself.  But honestly, he did it in a quarter of the time it would have taken me to do it, at a time when I was a bit busy making pies and stuffing.​

So in my book, that makes him the BEST SON IN LAW IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD!!!​

Little house projects...

When you get your miter saws this year, let me know and we will start on the bookcases and fireplace surrounds.  I built all these over the years and have NO doubt you can whip one up in a matter of days....lol!  Just kidding...I would never expect the average person to tackle this size of a project...but my point is, if I can do THIS, you CAN do the smaller, simpler projects! 

And I will let you in on a little secret...when I had to do the "inside corners" of the large crown molding on the den fireplace, I went over to a house being built down the street and paid the trim guy to do it.  I know there is a trick to cutting inside corners on crown molding...something about backwards, upside down, stand on you head...but I haven't ever gotten the hang of it.  Outside miter cuts on crown...no problem.  So when I do the tutorial on building up your door trim, not a problem.  But maybe we can get a "guest"  to help us learn the art of cutting inside corners on crown molding!  Or better yet, I'll just teach you how to build those cool little corner doodads that look so classy!

In the next few days, I will post some pictures of my staircase...stripped the carpet and put in new treads and risers...seriously, it isn't THAT hard.  And when you get your new tools, you CAN do it.  I will also posts pictures of my master bath...with just a teeny effort, you can completely change the look of your bathroom.   And I promise to show you before and afters on my kitchen under counter lighting...seriously, you can't imagine the difference it makes in your kitchen!  

Until then....

My den...I painted this wall 12 years ago when I built this room...perfect example of "paint it a color you love and you will always love it!"  It is true!  I've never had any desire to change this color!   Now the TV stand...that's another story and a project I look forward to doing in the VERY near future...just have to find a piece that speaks to me...

I built these built-in bookcases in my living room when the house was under construction.  Originally, there were just two walls with weird windows.  Had NO idea how to place furniture or decorate around them so I did the next best thing...just built some bookcases around them! Perfect spot for the Christmas tree, and I love decorating the arch window in the fall and at Christmas!

Can you tell I read...A LOT...these are just a few!     

Someday I MIGHT get around to putting up curtains...they are all the decorating rage. For now, I just enjoy waking up to the view...and the sun, if it is up before me...rare!