What a beautiful spring day....

Yesterday was one of those days I just had to come home and ENJOY!  I had a ton of work I could​  do (and should do) at the apartments, but I just had to take a day to enjoy!  Lay in the swing and read a good book....cook my family a good meal (see here for today's simple but awesome dinner) and just soak in the wonderfulness of spring!

While I was laying in the swing reading I looked up and to my surprise there is the most beautiful cluster of lavender flowers on my wisteria.

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I have written about the nightmare of wisteria before...but for all it's "pain" it really can be beautiful and provide an abundance of shade over the pergolas.  But one of the reasons it is such a nightmare is because it grows soooo fast and just seems to take over! I have had to pull it out of my house siding and cut it out of the trees on several occasions.  ​This is a picture of the porch pergola from a few years ago...and this is AFTER I thought I had really trimmed it back....ha!  You trim a little, and the thing just goes mad!

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My wisteria rarely blooms.  The wisteria on the two swing pergolas just don't get enough sun but they create a nice little canopy, as long as I can keep it in check and out of the pine trees.   I assumed the wisteria on the big pergola covering my back porch  rarely bloomed because it was just too "lush."  I have always heard that if they have lots of green foliage, they probably won't produce flowers.  

But what I read today when I googled WHY I suddenly had a proliferation of blooms is that in order to get them to bloom, you have to prune them SEVERELY.  Which, in a fit of frustration with the monster's manic growth, I just happened to do this year....to the point I was a tad worried I might have done some serious damage!  But what I actually did was force it to bloom like crazy!​

Who woulda thought!  ​

I would seriously caution anyone who considers planting wisteria...it is HIGH maintenance!   Be prepared to have to trim it twice a year and read up on it as much as you can BEFORE planting.  There is a reason it is called "the bully of the garden."  If not properly and regularly pruned, or planted in the wrong place, it can indeed become a nightmare!​

And while the flowers won't last long, they are beautiful...and I can honestly say, I am grateful for the shade canopy the plant provides during the summer!​

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Simon the tabby was enjoying the lazy day with me!  He is such a sweetie!​

Sew awesome....

I really want, and honestly need, a sewing desk...some place I can store and use my sewing machine without having to set it up on my dining room table.  I found this sewing desk in a thrift store and man-oh-man was this thing seriously ugly!  

 I knew this desk could be a little treasure after the cruddy paint job was stripped away!​

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And even to my surprise, what a treasure it is...what I found under two layers of paint was beautiful mahogany. Initially someone had painted it a really disgusting green and then I guess they tried to improve it by painting it a flat black.  

This is a prime example of hurting a piece in a failed attempt to "enhance" it!  Truth be told, I felt a little guilty painting the base and drawers white.  But I could never live with myself had I not restored the top to it's prior glory!​

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Before I started refinishing, I cut the opening a little bigger to accomodate my sewing machine.  TIP ALERT:  when cutting veneer mark the cut with a pencil and then score the veneer with a utility knife. Then use a jig saw with a very sharp blade to cut  "inside" the score...if you don't, the veneer with split and splinter and you will make quite a mess! 

Normally I use Formby's Furniture Refinisher to strip latex paint and old varnish...but two layers of paint needed a little more muscle....so I used a citrus stripper. I will not use anything stronger on veneer (always use any stripper per the instructions and in a VERY well ventilated area!)    This piece didn't have a single chip in the veneer and I didn't want to risk hurting the piece by using industrial strength stripper!​  Took a little more time and more than one application but it was worth it.  

After removing all the old paint, I took 0000 steel wool and mineral spirits and gave the wood a "bath."  When stripping wood, regardless of what you use to strip it, always "wash" the piece with mineral spirits to remove all the "crumbs."  After it dries, take VERY fine sand paper or 0000 steel wool and sand lightly before applying stain or a finish.

TIP ALERT...keep old toothbrushes on hand to get into groves and corners when stripping furniture.  DIYers never throw away old toothbrushes, coffee cans, socks, old tshirts or towels...trust me, you will need them!

Since I knew I was painting the base and the drawers, I didn't strip them but I did sand and prime well before painting.​

And again...ALWAYS USE TACK CLOTH BEFORE PAINTING OR APPLYING FINISH...AND BETWEEN EVERY COAT!!  ​I seriously can not stress this enough! So many DIY tutorials tell you to "wipe down"...again, I challenge you...wipe down your piece with a clean cloth, and even some mineral spirits...then wipe it with a tack cloth!  You will be shocked at how much crud was still there!

Two coats of gloss white paint on the base and drawers.  A light coat of walnut brown stain on the wood to even out the color and give it a little more depth....4 coats of my favorite Formby's Tung Oil. New crystal knobs. Total awesomeness!​

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I can not stress how beautiful this wood is....I wish I was a better photographer.  And I wonder if I should have stripped and stained the drawer on the right...but then again, I kind of like the paint/stain contrast...I think I would love it either way!

I REALLY love tung oil.... it allows the grain of any wood to just shine!  And it is sooo easy to take care of and touch up when needed!  (Now I know why my father refused to use polyurethane)​  I think so many use polyurethane because they are concerned about durability....that is honestly not an issue with tung oil!  Try it...it is almost impossible to mess up the application (unlike poly) and it is extremely easy to touch up scratches in the future if necessary!  

This project was pure joy!  Anytime I can take something that has been so abused and turn it into a treasure it just makes me happy!  

Maybe now I will enjoy sewing just a little more!  ​

Master closet makeover....

​I'm almost too tired to type...this was a chore but the reward is being able to swipe "master closet" off the dry erase board on the fridge!!!

That and soooo much more storage in my closet.  ​

When both the boys left for college, I basically gutted their rooms.  I decorated with all their "stuff" and organized everything they left in their closets, but the entire room was made-over...new paint, flooring, bedding, window dressings!  Everything.​  And I even had a tad bit of space to store some of MY stuff!

And then they moved home.  And they brought more stuff!​

Anyone who thinks they are going to gain more storage or a hobby or craft room when their kid goes off to college is delusional.  Trust me...first, they leave all their "stuff" and second, they WILL come home!  And that is fine...the rule:  no kids, no spouse, no animals.  As long as they follow THE rule, they still have a room!  ​

So my closet has to stay pretty organized because it is storage central.  I built a large pantry where I keep all my office/business stuff and our personal "coupon stash."  Yes, I am one of those coupon people...but to my credit I only keep what I know my family  will use in the near future.  The rest is donated to the elementary schools!  Last year I donated over $7000 worth of products!  ​

I had a few issues with the closet...first, the flooring.  After 13 years, it was pretty nasty.  And I pretty much hate carpet!  So that had to go.  Second, I have 9' ceilings but all the shelving was standard.  So I basically had a TON of wasted space and plenty of room to add another self all the way around the closet.  I had too much "long" hanging space and not enough "double" hanging space.  Honestly, if I would move all my coats to the coat closet, I probably wouldn't need any long hanging space!  I seriously do not own a dress any more.​  

So here is the before and after...and then I will add some "in between" pictures in the tutorial.....​

Before....​

It wasn't THAT bad...I'm pretty good at cleaning out closets every so often.  My GOAL was to only put back about 1/2 of what I took out.  But honestly, I clean out my closets and donate about twice a year...so there wasn't that much pack-ratted away!  I just needed more shelving and it was due for a good makeover....​

After....​

So I have new laminate flooring, 25 l.f. of new shelving, paint,  more hanging space and new lighting.  And a backache, headache and feetache...and I still have a bit of a mess in my office.  But in the long run, I think it is ALL worth it!

I have posted a tutorial here... it will fill you in on exactly what I did!​

Do not shop with men....

I love it when Brian will "flea shop" with me!  Normally he won't go in the thrift stores ...says they smell funny...but he does like the little flea markets and antique stores. He keeps me from buying stuff I really don't need.  But occasionally he stops me from buying something I really want AND is priced well.​

Several weeks ago we went "flea shopping" at one of my favorite little shops in Rogers.  One of the vendors was having a 50% off sale...so the ceramic crock I have been desperately wanting for outdoor planting, which was priced at $125, was only $62.50!  No chips, no cracks, no flaws...exactly what I have been looking for!

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I REALLY wanted one of these crocks.  My mom has had one on her front porch for as long as I can remember.  And as I told you, I am constantly on the hunt for perfect, unique planters...and this fit the bill.​

But NOOOOOO, Brian talked me out of it...and being the kind and sweet person I am, I obliged.  (This is were I will remind you we are not married and I have my own money...we just have one of those respectful relationships...the kind that makes us not do things we want to do when the other poopoos the idea...at least while the other is around!)​

Last week when I was picking up my mega Brasilia find in Fayetteville, I found 2 of these crocks in their store...FOR TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS EACH!!!  I was rather annoyed that I didn't pick up the less expensive one, IN MINT CONDITION MIND YOU, weeks earlier!​

So today, having a few minutes to spare, I went back up to the flea market in Rogers...I was certain the crock would be gone since the vendor was selling out weeks ago...but there it was...waiting on ME!  I was sooooo thrilled!  ​

I bought it and promptly called Brian and told him that the bitterness and hostility I was secretly harboring was gone. He is one lucky guy!​

I also found this really cool mirror for $15.00...not sure what I am going to do with it...other than paint it!  I have this blank wall next to my front door that is crying out for SOMETHING and I am thinking this mirror might be a good "anchor" for some kind of wall decor thingy bopper....who knows.  I just liked it's "bones" and I know it will be nifty when I get it painted up! ​

Painting light fixtures and paddle fans....

See, I'm not even trying to be clever with my titles anymore...just too much brain work!​

When I bought this house 13 years ago, the "bronzed" look was all the rage...not so much now, or at least not to my taste!  I'm more into light, bright and somewhat "modern" looking! 

But who can afford to change out ALL their light fixtures when the old trends sour.  Not me...so it was time to get "creative."​

Paddle fans and dining chandeliers are probably the two biggest expenses in lighting.  And naturally, those are often the most noticeable!  

Since I was somewhat tired of the dining room light and the paddle fan in my office (and both would be expensive to replace), I didn't think I could do much damage if I took a can of spray paint to them...what is the worst that can happen...I have an excuse to buy new ones, right? ​

As with everything I paint, I first cleaned them and then "primed" them.  On metals, I use a metal primer...or even Kilz!  Just spray it on and then after it dries hit it lightly with 0000 steel wool...and then of course tack cloth it well before painting. (ALWAYS TACK BEFORE PAINTING!)

On the dining room light I used gloss black spray paint and the "brushed nickel" spray paint on the shades.  I used blue/grey spray paint on the fan blades...the same color I used on my dresser... and brushed nickel on the body and hardware of the fan.  I also added a new light globe to the paddle fan, just to update it a tad.

​The trick to painting light fixtures or paddle fans is taking them down and basically taking them apart...once you "disassemble" them, they are easy to paint!  BUT MAKE SURE YOU KEEP ALL THE HARDWARE AND SCREWS!  That is why I have plastic baggies on my materials list.  Any time you take ANYTHING apart, you need to put all the screws and hardware in plastic baggies and make sure you label them!  (Again, just trust me on these things!)  If you have never assembled light fixtures, and you don't feel real comfortable with the thought of getting it all back together, just take LOTS of pictures while you disassemble it.  I did that with my first upholstery job, and it helped a lot!

I found that my swing pergola made the perfect spot to hang the fixtures (with a dog leash) while painting...see, you don't need anything "fancy."​

Note, I also used blue tape on both the fixture and the wires coming out of the ceiling to label what wires went where so I would know how to rewire it...AND DON'T FORGET TO TURN OFF THE POWER TO THE FIXTURE BEFORE TAKING IT DOWN OR PUTTING IT BACK UP!!!​

After 2-3 coats of paint on each of the components, I put 1-2 coats of spray on clear coat, just to give it a durable finish that would allow me to dust and clean them periodically! ​

This easy process allows you to be REAL creative!  It would be fun to paint the fan in your kid's room a fun and funky color...maybe with some interesting design element, like a chevron pattern or polka dots!  Just "think outside the box" and remember my motto...YOU CAN DO IT!  If you don't have the most creative mind, do what I do...Google it!  People post pictures of their projects...and no one is going to be offended if you "copy" their creativity!  It really is the greatest form of flattery! ​

I was kind of sick of my bedside table lamps too...and until I can afford the really awesome crystal lamps at TJMaxx, I got a little creative with those too!

As much as I had tired of this dining room light, it really did turn out great. And it has always been one of my favorite things to decorate during the holidays.  During Christmas it is perfect for the gold shades I painted and the garland and red berries!!  Sometimes, old is good...it just needs a little facelift from time to time!​

A new "before and after" by SIS....

Man oh man...what a difference a day...or just a few hours...can make in NW Arkansas.  Beautiful and warm this morning and now it is too cold to even work on my dressers.  Suppose to be in the 40s tomorrow, with a chance of snow...craziness!​

Anywho, since I can't project outside and I really don't want to do what I NEED to do IN the house because of this "spring fever" bug I have, I thought I would share one of Sister Sarah's projects.  As I have mentioned, Sarah (my oldest daughter) likes to "project" but with two active boys it is tough.  I remember (and MISS) those days!!  That time in your life when you want to be in the garage sanding and painting, but while you are doing that your youngest is locking himself in the dryer or taste-testing your sleeping pills (yes, that would be my youngest grandson!) 

But she does manage to get in a project or two...so I thought I would share this darling little nightstand she did...​

See how a little Kilz and a little paint can make a world of difference!  ​

Great job Sis!!!​

She also used the gel stain I told you about on her bathroom vanity and wall cabinet (see here)...totally awesome transformation. 

Swing into spring...

NOW is the time to do this project...too stinking hot in the summer and you will want to enjoy it during the lazy days of summer!​

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I have built 5 of these swing pergolas...two at my house, one at my daughter's first home, one at her current home and one for a neighbor.  It is not a difficult project to built but one that requires two sets of hands and a little muscle!  ​And with everything, patience!!!

I have posted a tutorial HERE​.  It is not a terribly difficult project and one I think most DIYers could easily manage.

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This is the SUPER sized pergola I built onto my house about 11 years ago...I won't even begin to tell you how it is constructed...but I can promise you, if the house is blown away, it will probably still be standing!  And notice the wisteria canopy...seriously, that stuff is CRAZY!​

Jewelry shine....

I found this awesome recipe for jewelry cleaner on line...wish I could remember where I saw it but it was one of those things I printed off and keep in my recipe scrapbook (awesome idea for all those "pinterest recipes"...I will share sometime!)  

It is super easy and a great way to shine up your rings!  ​

Boil 1 cup of hot water in the microwave.​

Put a piece of aluminum foil in the bottom of a bowl.​

Pour in hot water.  Add 1 tablespoon of salt, baking soda and dish detergent. Put jewelry on of the aluminum foil and let it soak for 5-10 minutes.  Then rinse and dry with a soft cloth.  If mine are really dirty, I take an old toothbrush to them...then rinse and dry!

HINT:​  DO NOT TRY TO RETRIEVE THE RINGS FROM THE BOWL OVER YOUR KITCHEN SINK!  ​Again, I do not tell you these things because I THINK something bad might happen.  After unsuccessfully trying to dig a family heirloom ring out of the garbage disposal, I finally had to take the entire thing apart....and of course the disposal was 13 years old so while I had the entire thing disconnected I might as well put in a new one...and of course all the hoses were old...those needed replacing.....

All because my rings were a tad dingy.  ​

Live and learn!​

USB a mess....

Everyone in my family has an IPhone, IPad AND a laptop...a few of us even have electronic readers.  I have this stuff because I get them as gifts or hand-me-downs, NOT because I intentionally go out and buy stuff that requires I learn a new skill!​ Frustrating but I eventually learn enough to make them useful!

But my biggest frustration was never having a convenient place to charge all these gadgets!  And to top it off, my kids were always stealing my charger cords and adapters when they misplaced theirs.  ​

So last year, when I was snooping around the electrical supply store looking for kitchen lighting, I found this AWESOME little outlet/USB port combo!  Totally cool and can easily be installed in an existing outlet!!!​ Not only can you use it to charge your gadgets without the bulky adapters, you still have functioning outlets!

Lowes has one that has one outlet and two USB ports, but I like this one because it has two outlets and two ports!  And seriously, YOU CAN DO THIS!!! It really is relatively easy!  I installed my daughter's today in less than 20 minutes...and took pictures while I did it!

​You will need the new outlet ($20-$25, depending on the type and where you get it), needle nose pliers if you have them and a phillips and flat head screw driver.  If you have an outlet tester that is great....if not, you can use a mixer or blow dryer to test the outlet.  Also, I keep these little "head lamp" lights handy just in case I need additional light while working. Soooo much handier than a flashlight!!!

After turning off the power at the box, CAREFULLY check the outlet with a tester or something (lamp, mixer, blow dryer) that requires power (I use the tester AND at least 2-3 things that require power).  Just make sure there is no power to the outlet.  And trust me, don't ask someone else to do this for you!!!​

​BEFORE YOU START ANY ELECTRICAL PROJECT TURN OFF ALL POWER TO THE AREA YOU ARE WORKING!!  ​Find your circuit box and flip the switches to OFF. If you only turn off the switches labeled for the area you are working, you are ASSUMING it is labeled correctly.  Not me!  I turn it ALL off (I need to reset all my clocks anyway!)  And if you are really paranoid, you can always call the electric company and see if they will turn off your city block.  They wouldn't do it for me, but you never know! 

Once you are certain there is NO power to the outlet, unscrew the cover and remove it.  Then unscrew the two little screws holding the outlet in the box, and pull the outlet out.  You will see either 2 black, 2 white and 1 bare wire attached to the outlet, or 1 black, 1 white and 1 bare attached.  If there are two black, two white and one bare, that just means there is power "coming in" to the outlet and there is power "going out" to another outlet. ​

The black will be on one side and the white will be on the other.  Remove all the wires from the old outlet! Unscrew the little screws and then carefully "pry" the wires off!

This is where needle nose pliers come in handy! Normally the wires are "looped" around the screw...you may have to pry the loop open a tad to be able to slip it off the screw!  Sometimes, the wires may be stuck into the back of the outlet.  If that is the case, just loosen the screw and pull the wire out of the back!

My son-in-law Joel taught me an easy way to remember what goes where..."black to brass."  So the black wire(s) will be attached to the brass screw(s) on one side and the white wire(s) will be attached to the silver screw(s) on the other.  The bare wire (neutral) will always attach to the little green screw!  If you have two sets of wires (2 black/2white/1bare) you will use both brass and both silver screws.  If you only have one set (1 black/1 white/1 bare) you will attach one black to a brass screw, the white to a silver, the bare to the green, and just tighten down the extra brass and silver screw. 

Working with electrical wires is NOT as easy as it looks...they are very stiff and a tad difficult to manipulate.  Needle nose pliers are great if you have stiff hands like mine!  Once you get the wires "hooked" around the screws, tighten the screws down! ​

​After all your wires are secure, carefully insert the new outlet back into the box, secure with the two screws at the top and bottom of the outlet and put the faceplate back on! 

Now you can turn all your power back on...sometimes you have to make sure you flip the switch all the way to OFF and then flip it back to ON.!  Test your outlet again, and make sure you have power!!!​

Whether you install this in your kitchen, bedroom or entry hall, you really will enjoy the convenience of being able to leave your charger cords in the ports and still have complete use of the outlet for normal stuff like lamps and clocks. 

Super easy project!!!  JUST MAKE SURE YOU TURN THE POWER OFF FIRST!!!!!​