Paint...the easiest way to update a piece!

When I first started this site I posted every day. Seriously. Every. Single. Day.

That's okay when you are trying to catch up on 30 years of DIY projects...but after awhile it gets a tad tiresome. For a time I posted twice a week...very doable and since I usually have 2-3 projects a week in the pipeline, I always have something to share.

But life has gotten pretty busy around here the last few months. Katie's senior year (and all the hoopla that goes with that!) and then she and Matt's graduations....

Matt graduated from the UofA with his master's degree and a week later Katie graduated from high school with "highest honors."  Precious.... — Matt graduated from the UofA with his master's degree and a week later Katie graduated from high school with "highest honors." Precious....

And of course the apartments...seems the work around there hits in tidal waves...not just "waves" but darn near tsunamis. So the last few months I only found time to post about once a week...which means the projects have been piling up in my "blog files."

Right now I have hutch tops-turned-display cabinets, an antique dresser, a mid century dresser, an antique table, a side table, two chairs and much more...all piled up in the garage, finished and ready to share!

Today I thought I would share a few projects to show that a little bit of time and paint can completely change the look of a piece. I've shared similar projects in the past (tons to be exact...just cruise around this site!) but time and again I see people posting on several blog sites questions about "what can I do to make this better"..."help"..."blah, blah, blah.... bitch, bitch."

Dude. Seriously. Go buy a stinking can of paint! It really isn't hard to take a simple, "blah" piece of furniture and turn it into something worth having in your home.

Take this table for example....

...I see little tables like this at thrift stores and auctions for next to nothing. Or maybe your parents or grandparents gave you one when you started furnishing your own home. Solid little tables...usually in mahogany or walnut or even oak. (I have a similar one in my den that I painted and feature here.)

Let's be honest...not real appealing. I think this one sat in my booth for MONTH before I brought it home and gave it a bright chalk paint/distress treatment (My recipe for "chalk/plaster paint"... 2 1/2 TBS of Plaster of Paris, 1 1/2 TBS of water, mixed well then add 1 cup of latex paint)

I stuck it back in my booth and it only lasted a couple of days. Notice I didn't even invest in new hardware...I spray painted the existing handle with off-white paint!

This antique oak buffet was pretty "dated" as well. Again, something you might inherit from a family member or find in a thrift store or on Craigslist for not a lot of money!

(I took the picture after I had removed the mirror in the top piece)

Some people like the antique wood look and these pieces can be beautifully restored if you use this process.

I chose to restore the top since it was solid wood and paint and distress the rest of it....

I changed out the hardware...again, it only lasted a few days.

And another....

Sorry for the picture quality...phone camera!

This empire dresser was, as you can see, a hot mess. Literally falling apart but nothing a little glue and clamps couldn't fix right up.

Which reminds me...I was working on another dresser this week. Seriously people...dove tail joints were not nailed FOR A REASON!!! So don't try to fix them with nails. And silicone is NOT glue...so don't try to fix loose joints with silicone. My point, if you are going to fix something, fix it RIGHT. I spent over an hour just "undoing" someone else's "fix." If you don't know how to fix it right, GOOGLE IT! My daddy didn't teach me everything I needed to know about DIYing...but he did teach me to use my head and use available resources to find out how to do it RIGHT. And he didn't even have the internet!!!

Okay, rant over. So after some "rebuilding" and repairs on this dresser, I chalk painted and distressed it (again, Google it...you'll get around 1,170,000 results on chalk or plaster paint...I'm not kidding...I googled it and that is how many results I got)

The piece had nifty wood knobs...several were missing so I used a few from the buffet. I decided to give them a little facelift so I primed them and sprayed them with light blue spray paint.

I think it lasted a week!

And lastly, a mirror. I have featured a number of mirrors on here. IMO, they are one of the easiest things to update. This wood mirror had some interesting and intricate carvings but it was a bit dated and dark!

I decided to forgo my usual "boring off white" and give it a little pop of color.

For the time being, it is hanging behind the front door in what little "entry way" I have. Not sure I actually love it there but that is where it is...for now....

My point...stop looking at your dated, drab furniture and growling at it. Find some inspiration and roll up your sleeves.

Don't turn your nose up at those "dated" pieces your mom and grandmother want to give you...take them...again, find some inspiration and give them a simple facelift. There are countless super awesome ideas out there for every kind of project!

There are also unlimited tutorials out there on how to repair, paint, refinish, decoupage...if you can imagine it, a tutorial is out there to tell you how to do it!

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Organizing the junk drawer with dividers! Easy little project!

When I am trying to force myself to NOT start a big project, I find myself doing little projects.

My kitchen. I have a severe case of "Pinterest Envy" and I am trying desperately to avoid taking on a major project!

Little has changed in the last 16 years in my kitchen. I installed granite. I cut down the large pantry so it is only 12" deep rather than the hulking 24" deep, installed a different window and added under counter lighting (seriously, you HAVE to have it!) And of course there was the addition of the den which allowed for the addition of a bar!

Truth is, I loved the color of my cabinet stain 17 years ago and I still love it today. It is called "paprika cherry" and it really is a little more timeless than "honey oak" or "pickled" cabinets.

What do I WANT to do to this kitchen?

I WANT to pop up the cabinets flanking the stove and add 2 open shelves beneath them...maybe even make the upper cabinet on the left open shelving for displaying dishes. Maybe add cabinets all the way to the ceiling. I use to decorate on top of the cabinets but honestly, I got tired of having to crawl up there and clean everything several times a year...so now, not so much!

New appliances? Oh yeah...have to have new appliances...a counter-depth refrigerator...maybe the new "slate" stainless. (Un)fortunately all the appliances work perfectly!

I was thinking about removing the cabinets on each side and above the refrigerator and installing open shelving. I bought some awesome walnut "coffins" just for this purpose. Coffins you ask? Yep...actually the wood lids from antique sewing machines. I am in the process of refinishing them now and I can't wait to share them!!!

And then of course, paint! Paint the upper cabinets and stain the lowers a darker color. Add some stainless hardware!

But I am at that point in life where I don't want to do projects just for the sake of doing a project. I made a few changes in my den recently, but honestly, that was because I really needed new flooring in that room. Eventually I want to install the same flooring in my living room and that will be another major undertaking.

So while I would love to give the entire kitchen a "Pinterest makeover," I am working reeeeeal hard to be happy and grateful for what I have!

This is one of those "need vs. want" conversations I have with myself on many occasions!

Last week I decided to do something I have wanted (and honestly needed) to do for years...add drawer dividers and get my kitchen drawers a little more organized.

Everybody should have a junk drawer...it is just one of those necessities. If you have one and feel guilty about it, don't. Honestly, I am a fairly "organized" person and even I have a junk drawer.

Seriously, were else would you keep pencils, sharpies, utility knives, glue, zip ties, birthday candles, picture hangers and Lord knows what else.

I have tried to keep this drawer fairly organized...and several times a year I dump it out and clean it up a bit. The little plastic "organizers" are nice, but truthfully, they are a bit tacky! And since they don't fit the drawers perfectly, there is always that odd, wasted space on the sides!

So I decided to take on a simple little project to organize a few drawers in my kitchen. Three, to be exact. The two "utensil" drawers, and of course the junk drawer.

To do this, I first emptied each drawer and went through all the "stuff" that was in each drawer. Seriously, do I really need FOUR ice cream scoops or three sets of stainless measuring spoons. Um, no. And why am I keeping the turkey seasoning injector when one comes with the seasoning we buy every year! My point....this is the perfect time to do some serious purging.

Get rid of stuff you honestly don't use or need! Now, don't do what I did several months ago during one of my "purging" sessions....when I went to open a bottle of wine recently I found that I didn't have a cork screw. Why? Because I had 3 and I guess I got rid of ALL of them.

Take some time to really think about what you NEED and honestly use!

Also, quick tip...while I am not a huge fan of having "stuff" on my counters, I do have a crock where I keep all my spatulas, serving spoons, wooden spoons, etc. in. This frees up a TON of drawer space...worth the investment (a whole $1 at an auction) and a little real estate on the counter! More importantly, the utensils are at my finger tips when I am cooking!

Adding dividers to your drawers is really not hard.

After emptying them and purging what I don't NEED, I put everything in the drawer to see how it would all fit. Then I marked where I wanted to put dividers to create "sections" with a pencil on the bottom of the drawer. Then I measured and drew it out on a piece of paper. Basically, I just measured the INSIDE of the drawer and then measured out where each of the dividers would go.

For example, in this drawer...

....small utensils that would get lost in my crock...paring knives, mixers, ONE ice cream scoop, biscuit and pizza cutters, etc. I knew I only needed two little dividers so my knives, beaters and basting brushes wouldn't get lost in the clutter. It is still a tiny bit cluttered, but the stuff I use every day are at my finger tips!!!

For the dividers I used 1/4" x 3" (actually 2 1/2") oak boards. You can find it at most home improvement stores. Since the inside of my drawers are a natural color, I just sprayed each board with polyurethane to seal them....no stain needed!

For this drawer I cut two pieces the exact width of the inside of the drawer with my chop saw. I applied A GOOD wood glue (that dries clear!) to the edges along the bottom and sides, then just slipped them into place. You may want to clamp them to hold them in place until the glue sets up. There is no need to nail. When the glue is dry, they are not going any where...besides, if you tried to hit a 1/4" wide piece of wood with a nail, you will probably fail and find yourself seriously frustrated (trust me on this one!)

The other two drawers were a little bit more challenging only because I have more dividers and I wanted to make sure the longer items had a place. Again, empty the drawer, purge and then lay out everything where you think you might want it. Mark the drawer with a pencil where you want the dividers, measure, and draw it out on a piece of paper so you know how long each board needs to be.

I know a lot of people hang their measuring cups and spoons on the inside of their cabinet doors. Nifty idea, but honestly, I don't want mine banging around every time I open the cabinet door...here, they are at my baking finger tips without the noise or knocking them off the door every time I take something out of the cabinet!

Now it was time for the dreaded "junk drawer." So much "junk." But honestly, MOST of the stuff is stuff I need from time to time. Unfortunately, it gets so "unorganized" that I can rarely find what I need or what I know I have!

THAT is one of the benefits of staying organized...being able to find what you know you have so you don't have to go out and buy it again!

I did the same thing with the junk drawer that I did with the others...I emptied it out, purged the stuff I don't need (seriously, do you really need a dried up sharpie or empty bottles of glue!) and then laid everything out in the drawer and marked where I wanted the dividers. I measured and drew it out on a piece of paper, and then cut the wood dividers to fit.

I glued the edges of each divider....

....and slipped them into place. Again, you may want to "clamp" then....or just set something with a little bit of weight on top of them...like a can of veggies. But if you cut them to fit, they should stay in place until the glue dries!

DO NOT get in hurry to fill the drawers back up....let the glue dry overnight!!! If you mess with it too soon, the glue will not have time to dry and the dividers will pop out of place...then you will have to scrape the half dried glue off and start over (again, trust me!)

Since this was a bigger drawer with lots of smaller pieces, I put in the longer pieces first, let those dry, then went back and put in a few smaller pieces to create small "cubbies".....

Everything has a place...and there is even a little room to spare just incase I need to add something in the future!!! (Like maybe another 30 or 40 pencils or highlighters)

The most important thing is it is all organized and finding an emory board, glue stick or the magnifying glass will no longer be a twenty minute ordeal!

I will no longer have to dig through the drawer to find things I use almost every day like my mixing beaters or a paring knife!

Truthfully, I was amazed by several things...first, there was a LOT of stuff in each of those drawers that just did not need to be there (except the cork screw that I will now have to buy!) Purging is important!!!

Second, getting everything organized and easy to find is a real time saver and when you factor in the fact that you don't have to go out and buy something you know you have but can't find, it is worth the few dollars and little bit of time you will spend on this simple project!

I thought seriously about doing my makeup drawer and my silverware drawer. But honestly, I think I will stick with the plastic dividers in those for now. Those drawers need to be "cleaned" more often and I think the plastic dividers are easier to clean!

Not sure if this is enough to keep me from ripping down cabinets and breaking out the paint, but it is a simple project that may pacify my need for "change" until this urge passes!

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Display hutch...before and after!

Brian has long since stopped questioning my purchases at auctions. I think he has developed a little bit of faith in my ability to make something out of nothing. But occasionally I do question myself. I must have subconscious flashes of inspiration that, in the stark light of day, are forgotten because occasionally I will look at a piece I brought home and think "WHAT WAS I THINKING!!!"

This would be one of those pieces....

It's not a horrible piece...it's just very "ho-hum." Not an antique or even remotely interesting. Just...well...boring.... for lack of a better word.

Basically just a "pine and particle board" piece that is pretty dated...seriously, hunter green?

The upside to this piece is it did not need any major repairs...just a few nuts and bolts tightened here and there. The stained top, shelves and crown where in good shape and didn't need to be refinished.

Honestly, it just needed a little "facelift." A brighter color to update it a bit! I taped and papered off the stained areas, removed the ugly wooden knobs and gave it a little KSTP treatment (Kilz, sand, tack cloth and paint!)

My favorite teal spray paint and simple little black knobs and we are good to go!!!

I even "displayed" a few of my auction finds just so the pictures would have a tiny bit more interest! This piece would be an awesome addition to a kid's room, an office, or even in a kitchen!

Again, this is one of those "boring" or "dated" pieces you probably have floating around your house. Whether it be bedroom furniture, a little table, an old dresser, or even a dated light fixture, a couple of hours and a few cans of spray paint can make all the difference. You don't have to be even remotely creative...just find your inspiration and go for it!!!

I have a garage full of projects I have been working on since the weather warmed a bit! I can't wait to share...something for everyone!

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'Tis the season for graduation!

This is a big year in our house for graduates. And since both boys surprised me this week, Matt announced he IS going to walk for graduation and Mitchell came home for the weekend, I decided to take a minute this week to brag a bit on my awesome kids!

My baby, Katie, will be graduating (with high honors mind you) from high school! Wow...where has the time flown! She is an amazing young lady with incredible talent! I can't wait to see what the next chapter in her life holds!

My youngest son, Matt, will be graduating from the University of Arkansas with his masters! This has been a huge year for Matt. He received his professional pilot's certification AND his masters. So proud! And I would like to add that he will be the FOURTH generation to graduated from the UofA!

Mitchell completed his certification for EMT this past year and his girlfriend, Moira, will be graduating from law school this month! They graduated from USC together four years ago...again, where did the time go!

My oldest daughter, Sarah, is still trudging away at her degree. Tough to do with two kids, a home and a job (even with my favorite SIL, Joel, to help) but she is still pulling down As and working her way towards a lofty goal for a woman with just a few demands on her time and attention! Next year she will get the spotlight all to herself! In the meantime she has a huge cheering section rooting for her!!!

Brandon, Brian's son, will finish his under-graduate studies in December. He is an incredible young man and we are so blessed to have him as part of this family!

I don't think a day goes by that I am not thankful for the talented, intelligent, and kind children I have been blessed with. Amazing.

I remember thinking when they were babies...THIS is the best age. Infants learning to smile and laugh...toddlers learning to crawl then walk...little people learning to read and explore...teenagers showing off their talents and developing maturity.

Then they become "adults." Funny...as a mother I never stop seeing them as "babies" in my mind's eye. It's as if when I look at them they are still "little people." But I know they are "adults" now...finding their way in this world...working towards a place where they feel comfortable and confident. Happy.

And I think, THIS is the best age!

There are so many lessons I wish I could teach them before they have to figure it out themselves. Hard lessons. So many harsh realities I wish I could protect them from...but I can't.

Thank you Lord for giving me healthy, intelligent, kind "little people."

I am so proud of them all. But more importantly, I am so grateful for every one of them!

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Paint your front door numbers...the right way!

Here I shared with you how to properly paint your front door. People may never see your pretty bathroom or awesome master closet, but anyone who comes to your home will probably see your front door! I have a small, simple front porch but I try to keep it "pretty" and clean!

My neighbor, Mary Ann, painted their address on their front door.

SUPER cute!

I decided I wanted my numbers on my door (imitation IS the sincerest form of flattery!) Since I am more into the "mid century/modern" look right now I asked for contemporary numbers.

Mary Ann knew exactly what I was talking about. She went online and found the font I wanted, resized the numbers and printed them out!

I use sewing trace paper when tracing anything onto walls and fabric and it worked perfectly on my door! I taped a piece of trace paper on the back of the paper template, measured, centered, taped it to the door, and then traced the numbers with a pen. Perfect....

Then I used tiny little craft brushes to paint the numbers with latex paint.

Such a simple little project that takes hardly any time at all...but gives the door a little "character!" And this is the perfect time of the year to get these little projects done!

As you can see, I have started planting my containers. As I mentioned in this post, I plant almost exclusively in pots now. So much simpler than crawling around on the ground, but still gives me those "pops" of color around the yard!

I am so grateful for the beautiful spring weather!!!

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Antique china hutch before and after....

I have had this china hutch in my booth at Midtown for several months.

Sadly, I probably paid WAY to much for it...first auction of the season and everything was going for WAY more than what they normally do. I bought it because I think it is beautiful, but truth be told, it really isn't the "style" people look for these days, as is.

I have debated for some time whether I should bring it home and paint it. I just wasn't sure that would be the answer.

Just this weekend I decided to go ahead and bite the bullet but I was still uncertain. Until I saw this....

Marian at MissMustardSeed featured this beautiful piece she painted. You can see the "before and after" on her site!

Sometimes when we see what others do, it is all we need to find our own inspiration and relieve any fears we might have of doing what needs to be done to enhance a piece!

I love the grey against the mahogany, but right now everyone around here seems drawn to the "whites" so that is what I went with!

I used my favorite off-white, Swiss Coffee, for the "plaster paint." I did not sand or prime before painting it with the plaster paint...no need unless the piece you are working on is really rough! I distressed it just a bit (220 grit sand paper) to bring out the detailing and sprayed the exterior with poly to seal it!

I had originally planned to leave the inside stained...but it still seemed a bit dark so I removed the shelves and painted the inside a soft "teal." I taped and papered off the exterior and primed the interior with Kilz, sanded, tacked and then applied two coats of spray paint! I left the shelving the original stain finish.

I absolutely adore the original hardware so I left it!

One thing Marian does is beautifully style her pieces for photos. I rarely have the energy (or back!) to haul a piece inside and "pretty it up" before I take pictures. As I have said before I am more about the process than the pretty. HOPEFULLY someone else can envision the piece in their home and can find their own inspiration for staging it! Someday I may have the energy and space to make a pretty "backdrop" in my shop (okay, so it is really my garage!) Until then, the best you are going to get is a halfway decent "before and after" shot and maybe a little bit of instruction.

The two top shelves are a little "bowed." They are thin enough that I think I can lay them out with some weights on them to flatten them!

The debate raging right now is whether to reinstall the door (I did not paint it!) or leave it open.

Hum....

If this gives you a little inspiration to "makeover" a piece in your own home you have fallen out of love with, I have accomplished my goal!

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The den makeover reveal...

Honestly, on the surface it doesn't look like much of a reveal.

I had plans...BIG plans. New couch and rug, paint, new flooring, fireplace makeover...teal, greys, whites.

I found my inspiration, made a plan and started the plan.

When it was all said and done, it really doesn't look like I have changed much. My back and checking account say otherwise!!!!

Two huge projects did get completed. I painted and refaced the fireplace with travertine tile...

....and installed new wood flooring!

A little TIP for wood or laminate flooring. This is an "engineered wood flooring" you glue down. The transition pieces for this flooring were about $50 for a 6' stick, and I need three pieces! I went to Lowes and found unfinished transition pieces for around $15 a stick and stained them to match the flooring. Much cheaper! When I did my master bedroom floors in laminate, I did the same with the existing transition pieces...just gel stained them to match the new flooring!

Those two projects alone made a world of difference!

I did what I always do when looking for the perfect paint color ...I painted two samples on the wall and looked at it...for weeks.

But when it came right down to it, even with the new flooring, I really love the original color. This is my "fall room." Fall is my favorite time of the year and I just love the colors associated with the season...burnt reds, oranges, yellows, etc!

So off to Sherwin Williams I went to see if they could mix a 15 year old color. God bless 'em...they mixed it right up. I painted over the "test patches" and gave the entire wall a fresh coat of the same exact original color.

I did infuse a few splashes of "teal" here and there. It all started with these little birdies I picked up at Midtown several months ago...

I THOUGHT I would like this table in teal...

Boy was I wrong....I really disliked it so when I cleared out the furniture to install the flooring, it went straight to the garage for another makeover...

I originally painted these candle sticks teal...nope, not happening. So again, back to the garage for a second makeover.

I did paint this lamp a soft "teal."

It's not really "my style" but it is different and I like that. And the shade is actually brass with a black exterior. I got a great deal on it at a design studio auction. It had the original $450 price tag on it. A little pricey even for a heavy brass lamp...but for my $15 bid it was worth it! Believe it or not, you can paint brass!! A little metal primer and a little spray paint!

After dinner with my super awesome girlfriends, we made our usual TJMaxx run! I found these awesome pillows and decided they will look perfect on the grey couch I want to eventually get for this room...eventually...someday.

Not sure they are "all that" on the old yellow couch, but they will inspire me to eventually "transition" this room into the vision I had in the beginning...greys, teal, whites. For now, I will leave the original pillows...they have a little bit of teal in them...just for the sake of the ratty old couch!

Not all "makeovers" happen over night. Sometimes, you have to take your time and do what your back and budget allow.

So yes, I still want to buy a new couch...and a new rug...a few new club chairs.

In time. For now, I will just enjoy the new floors and the "new" fireplace!

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Best laid plans....

The den...my nemesis.

If you have been following along, you know I am in the middle of a full blown "makeover" of my den!

I did all the right things...I gathered my inspiration, I drew up a plan and made a detailed list and then I started working that plan!

The fireplace makeover went well. I painted the wood mantel and surround and finished the tile work. I have my flooring picked out so I decided it was time to get down to business and pick a paint color.

My plan was to transition to "lighter-brighter" colors...greys, teals, and my favorite "white" trim color, Swiss Coffee.

When picking a paint color, I always try to narrow it down to 2 or 3 colors....

I picked out two pretty "teal" colors and set off to the paint store to pick up a few samples.

I always paint large swatches of the colors I MIGHT want on the wall and let them sit for a few days! This is the best way to pick a wall color...it allows you to see the color in all different lights, at different times of the day.

(I know they may look the same but one has a little more "green")

This is where I am stuck. Literally. The wall has looked like this for over a week.

Why?

Because after I removed the black marble and installed the lighter travertine tile around the fireplace, I kind of like the burnt red wall color again.

Truth is, I never disliked it. As I said before, I love this room. It gets a TON of natural light from all the windows so it can handle the darker wall color and black accents. I just have a bad case of "Pinterest Envy."

So I am stuck.

What to do. What to do.

Wait...that is what I will do. I am going to wait until I get the darker floors down and see how I feel about the wall color. I am replacing the Butterscotch Oak flooring with a darker "walnut" colored hardwood. Maybe after the flooring is down I will get a better feel for what wall color I really want.

I THOUGHT I wanted to paint this table teal because the stain color is too close to the color of the new flooring and I was afraid it would "disappear!"

I was wrong....

After looking at it for a week, I had no doubt it was NOT what I wanted! I think it is hideous. So when I began clearing out the room to prep for new flooring, it was the first piece to hit the garage and get ANOTHER makeover. I will reveal the RIGHT color when I finally get the room done!

My point? Sometimes all the planning and picking and stressing turns out to be exactly what you DON'T want...and that is okay. No, it is not fun to have to repaint a piece ...but the good news is the prep work is already done. No it is not fun to repaint a wall...but it is better than living with a color you don't like.

What do I know I definitely want? The fireplace tile...I love it! The darker wood flooring...I have seen it in several homes and I know I will love it.

So once the floors are down I will step back and re-evaluate "the plan."

That is one good thing about getting older...20 years ago I would have wanted all this done in a weekend and I would have worked night and day to get it done. Now, not so much. I am perfectly content to sit here and look at a tri-colored wall and patched flooring.

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Spring is ALMOST here....

I say "almost" because our zone freeze date is April 11th...and I know from past experience that we can get some pretty cool temperatures even past that date. So I force myself to sit on my hands and NOT plant any tender annuals until well past that date.

But this week the hostas began popping their little heads up...and that is my sign to kick it into gear and at the very least start mulching beds.

My yard in the spring reminds me of why I don't want to sell my house...but after several days of raking and mulching, I am reminded of why I probably should sell it....man oh man!

Regardless, I love it. The daffodils have come and all but gone! But the Bradford pear trees are in full bloom and the vinca minor is showing off it's beautiful blue flowers!

Just beautiful!

I am still waiting on my tile to finish the fireplace. In the mean time I have been working on a few little knick knack projects for that room. With the weather warming up, I can also get out and start painting a few "projects" that have been languishing in the garage during the cold weather.

So much to do.

And I love it!!!

This past weekend Brian and I went to an auction at a home decor store that is going out of business. I have never been a big Easter decorator, but I did find some darling bunnies....

I like the little touches of "spring" in the house.

I hope you and yours have a wonderful Easter weekend!

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The fireplace...putting the plan in motion!

If you have been following along you know I am in the middle of a major overhaul in my den. Here I shared "Finding Inspiration," "Making a Plan" and "Putting It All Together."

My plan is pretty extensive....the fireplace, flooring, and paint....

One of the things you have to do when putting a plan in motion is know what you can afford to do immediately and what will have to wait. I know I can afford to reface my fireplace, replace my flooring and paint.

Knowing what you CAN do will determine the ORDER in which you do it.

I need to do my fireplace and paint before I do my floors! So.....

The first thing I did was remove the old black marble and paint the wood mantel and surround.

I know I originally painted the surround with oil-based paint. I always paint trim with oil based but if you aren't sure, you can easily test paint with alcohol and a cotton ball. Just rub the paint with a cotton ball with alcohol on it. If the paint comes off it is latex...if not, oil based. This is important because if you are changing the type of paint, you need to prime with a good primer!

Fortunately I didn't need to prime. I sanded the entire surround just enough to knock off the shine. I added a little Penetrol to my oil based paint and used a really good quality brush! Not a huge change but the paint lightened and freshened the surround up a bit!

When I removed the black marble, the sheetrock was intact. But honestly, I know the tile I am putting up is super heavy so I decided to replace the sheetrock with durrock. Durrock is a "concrete board" that is often used in wet areas. My sheetrock is 1/2" and durrock comes in 1/2"...perfect!!!

Durrock is super easy to install...measure, mark and score the board with a utility knife and "snap" it just like you would cut sheetrock!

I cut out the sheetrock above and below the fireplace, making sure the vertical cuts were on studs. This allowed me to fit the durrock without having "scab" in any brace blocking! (I did add a little insulation below the fireplace!)

I put a little construction mastic (Liquid Nail) on the framing boards and then screwed the durrock to the studs with screws. Again, I am looking for the "strength" factor of the durrock because the tile I am installing is HEAVY!

Even though the walls behind the fireplace are insulated, I used silicone caulk to fill and seal all the "gaps" between the durrock and sheetrock and around the fireplace!

Now the fun part...installing the new tile!

I ordered a random travertine cut face tile from Wayfare.com.

It is BEAUTIFUL but there was a little problem. When the tile arrived there were several broken pieces. Since it was a little pricey, I didn't order a lot of "waste" and I knew I might not have enough if I couldn't use several pieces!

I honestly don't think it was the fault of the packing or shipping. Travertine is a "soft" tile and has a lot of "character" in it...so I think it is more susceptible to cracking than solid porcelain or ceramic tiles.

Regardless, I immediately emailed Wayfare.com and explained the problem. In less than 2 hours they had responded and set up a replacement shipment. Now THAT is amazing customer service!!!!!

Most wall tiles are installed with a premixed "mastic" but travertine wall tile is installed on walls with a special "no sag" thin set mortar you have to mix. You can buy it at any tile store. Travertine, like porcelain, glass or ceramic tile, also cuts beautifully with a wet saw. I have one but if you don't and you want to DIY tile, you can rent a wet saw!

My travertine is a "random cubic mosaic." The individual pieces of tile are fused together into sheets with a web backing and the sheets of tile fit together like a little puzzle! It is a "dry stack" tile which means there are no gaps between the pieces and no grout.

I made a "layout plan" and worked that plan!

I started at the top. I knew I might have to cut the entire horizontal edge of the tile and I didn't want to do that at the top because it is a "focal" point. And I don't have my floor tile yet so being the impatient person I am...well, I had to start at the top.

This tile is heavy so when I installed the top section I "braced" it with little boards, leveled and secured into the studs with sheetrock screws. I let the top section dry overnight before installing the side tile.

To install, I spread the "no sag" mortar onto the wall with a 1/4" x 1/4" notched trowel....

...and then just pressed the tile in place! (By the way, I would recommend cutting and "dry fitting" your tile BEFORE applying the thin set. That way you know if the tile is going to "fit" before you get the adhesive all over it!!!)

The process is the same for porcelain, ceramic or glass tile...only you will probably use a premixed "wall mastic" and a smaller notched trowel (always use the mastic and trowel recommended by the manufacturer!) And again, since this is a "dry stack" tile and there are no grout joints, you don't have to use spacers to space the tile. If you are installing a tile that has "grout joints" you will want to get little rubber spacers so all your grout joints are equal!

I learned real quick that these sections of tile are indeed VERY heavy, so it is best to only do a few sections at a time, brace them and let the thinset set up before removing the bracing and applying the next few sections.

I want the wall tile to sit snug on the floor tile so I will install the floor tile before I install the bottom wall pieces! As you can see, I ran out of tile...again, because some of the pieces broke.

So when my floor tile comes in next week I will get that down and then I will finish the face.

I could have installed the floor tile first and then worked from bottom to top. But again, I was afraid I might have to cut the vertical width of the wall tile, and I didn't want to do that at the top. I THINK I have it measured out where I won't have to cut the bottom tiles...I should have 1" between the wall tile and floor tile...perfect for the 1" wide tiles.

Installing decorative tile (whether travertine, porcelain, ceramic or glass) is NOT hard. It is just a "puzzle" you have to put together...slow and steady! Using the proper tools to cut tile is important as well as using the proper mastic!

There are a million video tutorials for installing tile so don't be afraid to DIY tile installation. And as I have said before, a little decorative tile, whether on a back splash or around a fireplace can make a huge impact for very little money!

My original plan was to paint the fireplace wall a pretty soft teal and add teal accents here and there. Truthfully, I love this wall color and now that the fireplace is "brightened" I am rethinking my plan.

What is the old saying..."The best laid plans..." Yeah, well, now I am rethinking some of my decisions (like the candlesticks I painted teal, only to repaint black! And I am not even going to show you the side table I painted teal...ick!)....and that is okay.

I know I still want new flooring and I am seriously thinking about getting those down before I make any decisions about paint colors. The flooring I picked out is a lot darker than what is there, so I may change my mind again!