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!!!!!​

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

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!!!​