Painted bathroom litter cabinet...

I keep a list of projects I want to do on my refrigerator. Repair the irrigation line on the norths side of the house, wainscoting in the dining room, paint the trim, trim tops of windows and doors, paint the bathroom cabinet, add a flower bed around the backflow…and on and on it goes.

When something gets done, it gets marked off…when I think of something I want to do, I add it to the list!

It keeps me focused on what I want to get accomplished…eventually! And being able to check a project off my list feels amazing! (Sometimes if I do something that wasn’t on the list, I add it just so I can mark it off)

I’ve managed to get a few things done this week. The flower bed around the backflow is done. The dining room wainscoting is done (will share next week) and the littler box cabinet in the master bath has been painted.

Why did the litter box cabinet in the master bath need to be painted since I just painted it you ask?

Last year I painted the bathroom cabinets and in my opinion the two kind of clash…so it has bothered me for the last year.

So I wanted to paint the litter box cabinet but couldn’t decide on a color.

Last week I was cleaning out some drawers and found a little dish my daughter in law got me as a gift. I have no idea why it was stuck in a drawer, but it was my “inspiration” for the cabinet.

I have three cats…I would have more if Brian would tolerate it. My children know me well.

Anyway, I love pink. When I finally decorated my home office, I added a tiny bit of pink. I try not to over-saturate my house with pink because there is a guy living here, but I do like to throw it in there from time to time.

Pink…

Since I had already done all the sanding and repair and priming and all the other fun prep work before I painted it the first time (HERE I did a fairly decent tutorial for turning a cabinet into a littler box), all I did this time was remove the hardware, scuff the finish with 220 grit paper, tape off the inside and rolled and brushed on my new favorite paint…the BM waterborne alkyd.

Better than my “go to” white…not as stark as black. Shined up the brass hardware again and walla!

Love!

Check. One thing down, a dozen more to go! But that is okay…being able to check one thing off the list feels amazing!

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Styling a master bedroom....

It is no secret I have struggled to “restyle” my master bedroom for years. Truth is, it’s not that I struggled to “restyle” it…I struggled to give it any style at all!.

If you follow the links you can see the transformation over the years!

It started with my grotesquely expensive, heavy, dark and somewhat dated bedroom furniture I bought in 2001!

I don’t know why it took me so long to FINALLY paint it, but when I did it made a huge difference!

The next big change was the flooring…we finally installed hand scraped laminate flooring in both the bedroom and adjoining office.

I love this flooring but after living with it for a few years I will make one observation…avoid dark flooring if at all possible. It is beautiful but shows EVERYTHING…not a good thing if you have a big yellow dog who sheds…or kids with dirty feet! But this was the last room with carpet and I can not tell you how happy I am to have NO carpet in this house!

Next up, changing out the chairs.

LOVE them! But they were a bit on the “grey” side and the walls were more on the “cream” side…so….

Paint…finally got around to doing that.

At one point I even changed out the bed frame….

It had a “distressed” treatment and if you know me that is NOT my thing…but I kinda liked the look for a time.

All of the color choices stemmed from the one color inspiration I found on Pinterest….

It originated on designseeds.com. This site is a source of endless inspiration and in my opinion it is one of the first sites you should visit when designing a room. If you have an element you HAVE to decorate around it will help you find colors that will enhance and even mask it....like that ugly brown couch or the wing back chair your mom gave you.

You can see as I moved forward with each new element, I managed to work in these colors…on the walls, rugs, pillows, chairs, etc.

Eventually we transitioned to a king size mattress…so the queen bed frame no longer worked. I searched high and low for one I would love and finally settled on a simple frame.

I have said time and again…go “neutral” with the big ticket items. Use pillows, throws, rugs, art, and accent furniture to make your “design statement.”

On one of my Pinterest email feeds there was a link to the “Top 10 Fixer Upper Bedrooms.” The bedrooms featured are all “Fixer Upper” bedrooms. I love to look at sites like this because they give me inspiration.

This bed is very similar to mine yet the whole room looks SO much more cozy and inviting.

So why doesn’t my space look as cozy and inviting as this space?

I bet you look at blogs and Pinterest and see all the amazingly styled and perfect spaces…bedrooms, mud rooms, laundry rooms, kitchens…and you just know yours could never be as glam because, well, you live in your house…and so do your kids and animals and spouse…and there is NO WAY you could keep your space looking as dreamy and beautiful.

All the beds on Pinterest and on the blogs are beautifully staged and styled with the pillows, throws and blankets. Like no one every sleeps on it…no baby pees on it…no dog sheds on it…

I GET IT!!!

My room isn’t staged for photos…it is “real life.”

I have a real mental block when it comes to wall decor in my room. Seriously…if you followed the links and looked at the dates you may notice I have been trying to style this room for almost 5 years. To date, I have hung one round mirror…

a canvas…

and two other mirrors….

I absolutely LOVE the 4 prints above the bed in the inspiration photo.

It has only taken me 18 years to find 3 square matted frames I like.

I did not like the artwork in the frames but I love the frames and the “3-D” matting. My original plan was to replace the prints with something “light and airy.” Maybe botanicals or black and whites. But I decided to pick out a few photos from our trips to Colorado…photos that have meaning….places we love!

If you have been around long enough you know I make my bed every day. I firmly believe that making your bed sets a positive tone for the rest of your day (and there is the whole “I might die and people will think I am a bum if my bed is unmade!” thing.) Since I might not be inclined to make my bed every day if it takes more than 60 seconds, I keep my bedding super simple…no froo-froo! Sheet, comforter, top quilt, throw for the animals (who never sleep on it) The dogs and cats sleep on the bed and pillows and yes, they all shed. So I need bleachable and washable bedding. I sleep with 4 pillows so there really is no time or room for fancy designer pillows and shams.

I brought my throw pillows down from the guest room and “staged” the bed…it looks AWESOME…but again, not happening…just too much froo-froo!

I really thought the guest room throw pillows would be the wrong color…but I like them and it has convinced me that I may have too much of the “frosted berry” in the room. I was going for a “pop” of color, but honestly, I think there is too much “pop.”

I really need new lamps…mine are Hobby Lobby lamps from 18 years ago that got a little paint treatment years ago. I couldn’t find lamps I love but I did find lamp shades I like better…unfortunately they aren’t “tall” enough…back they go!

I think big area rugs under the bed make a huge statement…I don’t have that. I went with two scatter rugs on each side of the bed. I did that primarily because this room has two distinct areas…the sitting space and the bed space. I threw down the rug Brian had in his living room and it works pretty well in the “sitting” space. I think maybe if I want to “cozy” up the entire space and make if feel a tad more cohesive I could use two identical rugs in the spaces. But again, serious mental block on what to use so I just live with what I have.

But again, the scatter rugs are the “frosted berry” color and now I’m kinda not liking that…that may be something I change in short order!

The paddle fans were pretty awesome (and expensive) when I hung them 18 years ago. Now they are kind of “meh.” I love the chandelier style lights in the inspiration room but honestly I HAVE to have a paddle fan above my bed…I just can’t be comfortable with out a little air movement. Since I have recess lighting I could probably change these out to a less “in your face” fan.

Window dressings! One of the things I noticed about all the “inspiration rooms” are the beautiful window dressings. Almost all have beautiful, full curtains. Truth is, I really don’t like curtains. Don’t know why. I only have curtains in the front window because sometimes I need to close them to block out the hot sun…but since I live at the end of a cul-de-sac I really don’t need them for privacy. And truth be told, the ones I have are too short…I believe I mentioned that here and yes, I have managed to ignore them for well over a year.

Truthfully I have been waiting on Candice Olsen or Joanna Gaines to come knocking on my door but since they have not, I guess I will have to keep trudging along in this space.

What is my point to this rambling post?

Life…life happens in our homes and while we would love to live in the “inspiration rooms” on blogs and Pinterest, we live in the “real world.” We have to style our spaces to fit our life styles and needs, in the time and budget we have available. We have to accept the fact that sometimes it can take years (or decades) to make a space feel “cozy and inviting”…and that is okay.

Yes, look to the blogs and Pinterest for inspiration…but don’t get frustrated when your space doesn’t look or feel like the inspiration photo after a weekend of hard work or a few trips to the home interior store.

I have been working on this space for 18 years and I still have a lot I want to do!

How do you eat an elephant…one bite at a time…how do you style a bedroom…one element at a time!

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A vintage chair makeover for the new house....

As I have mentioned before, it is important to do research on "vintage" or "antique" pieces before you take a can of spray paint to them...God forbid you find LATER that you have spray painted a potentially valuable piece.

Such was the case with this pathetic little chair....

Someone had painted a true "vintage" piece...a McGuire ratan chair. (At least I THINK someone painted it...I couldn't find any information indicating this chair would have originally been painted)

With a little bit of research I found a listing for this pair on 1stdibs selling for a small fortune!

The prices on 1stdibs and Chairish always seem a bit high for my tastes but I have found both sites to be excellent sources for researching vintage pieces.

When I first researched this coffee table (Drexel Declaration) I found it on one of these sites for around $1600. And this little cabinet for thousands.

This little chair sat out front of 410 Vintage for several weeks before I decided to tackle it. I wasn't drawn to it because of "what it is" but rather Matt needs a few little accent chairs. Since they sold it to me for $10 I didn't feel too guilty about painting it...the "true value" was pretty much toast in its current condition!

The strapping on the joints (strictly decorative) is actually leather, but it was all pretty dried out and one was broken...a little hot glue fixed it right up.

I repaired the broken seat strapping, primed the frame with Kilz, sanded a bit, sprayed it with black satin paint and made new cushions and pillows. I had some foam cushions stored away in my attic from an old couch and a few small pillow forms lying around so the only thing I had to buy was the paint and fabric.

Since Matt is a pilot and we are leaning towards an "aviation" theme in his living room, I thought this fabric choice for the pillows was down right clever...lol!

Not bad for a small investment.

So now Matt has a defaced "McGuire ratan" accent chair...of little value but perfect for his needs!

And cute as a bugs ear!

Closing is next week and I can't wait to get started...not sure if I am more excited about Matt buying his first home or getting all this "stuff" I have accumulated out of my house! I have most of the pieces ready to load and go! I am ready to roll out the rugs, set the furniture and hang the pictures.

In a few weeks I will post a few "project pieces" I have worked on for Matt's house. I can't wait to share what a few bucks and a little time and effort can do.

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A new house, a new project....

As I mentioned here, Matt is buying his first home.

I, of course, have been designated the "project manager." (Okay, so I appointed myself!)

As with any project, I start with the "inspiration." Since this is HIS house, I graciously allowed him to "pick and choose" what he would like to see in his home.

Any project, large or small, entire house, one room or just a piece of furniture, should start with "inspiration." Search Pinterest, magazines or HGTV shows, and find what YOU love!

In Matt's case, he also NEEDS a few "basics." A bed frame, a couch, table and chairs, appliances and of course the little things like waste baskets, towels, shower curtains, window coverings.

What he really wants to do is focus on the "projects." The house just received a little "fixer upper" but there are still a lot of things he wants to change...paint the kitchen cabinets and fireplace, replace the kitchen counter tops, open up the entry (like I did mine here), garage shelving, master bath walk-in shower and the exterior.

Age old battle between "need" vs. "wants." (When my kids start looking to buy ANYTHING, I always ask....is it a need or a want!?)

Always start with the basic must-haves...the "needs." He has a mattress and box springs and a few pieces of furniture, but he needs a refrigerator and washer and dryer and a couch and a rug for the living room and a bed frame. For now we can stick to basic window coverings like blinds.

Where do we start?

As I mentioned in this post, you start at the beginning....I've covered this process before so follow the links....

1) Inspiration

First we had to identify what Matt's "inspiration" is....what colors and styles he likes. Trust me, Pinterest is not just a "girl thing." As I mentioned earlier, Matt is like me and tends to be a bit "eclectic." In other words, he likes what he likes so that makes it easier to mix and match styles throughout the house.

2) Draw your space

As soon as the contract was in place I went and measured every room and drew up a little floor plan! I have the measurements needed for rugs, blinds and furniture! This step is super important! Trust me, you WILL NOT remember room dimensions or window sizes...have it on paper!

3) Assign a budget for every thing you want to do!

Know the "needs" and the "wants" and start assigning costs!

In his case he has very little so much of his "needs" can be chosen with his "inspiration" in mind. He "needs" a refrigerator...the other new appliances are stainless, so there you go.

He "needs" a washer and dryer...his laundry room is a blank canvas so he choose white.

He "needs" a couch and rug. He has an idea the style he likes so I suggested staying with a neutral color.

He "wants" to paint the brick fireplace, paint the kitchen cabinets and add glass doors and open shelving, open up the entry, scrape the popcorn ceilings...and of course the list goes ON AND ON. He has prioritized these projects and estimated the costs!

This is why finding your "inspiration" and working up a budget is super important! If you know you are eventually going to make changes, then those things, even if you can't do them right this minute, have to play a role in the decision you make now.

"What is there" and what won't change also influences decisions. The walls are freshly painted with a very neutral SW Accessible Beige and the trim is white. The living room and kitchen floors are oak hardwood and the carpet and tile in the bedrooms and baths are neutral. Truthfully, we could go with just about any color scheme.

Since the existing "pallet" is fairly neutral I decided to focus on the colors he wants to add....the biggest being the kitchen cabinets. They are oak and he wants to paint them...and since the kitchen is open to the rest of the living area, this is where we began to build his "color pallet."

He decided he wants blue/gray base cabinets and off-white uppers. I did what I do when choosing a color....I brought home about 50 samples of "blue/gray" and had him pick 3 he thought he might like. Then I painted them on a piece of primed oak and he choose the one he likes...Valspar Crucible. Perfect.

The off-white is a no-brainer for me...I always use BM Swiss Coffee. In my opinion, the perfect off-white with no glaring under-tones.

Now we have the existing wall color, blue-gray of the base cabinets, and an off-white of the uppers. Black is a great "neutral accent color" so I tossed that in there as well...great for picture frames and side chairs.

I picked up a small round table and chairs for his breakfast nook. I had leftover sample pots from my master bedroom so I used that to paint the chairs and table base. SW Repose Gray is a great color that will blend well with all the other colors.

I also had a sample pot of SW Aviatrix and I used it on the drawer fronts of these two little dressers.... (here and here)

Both may be used somewhere in his house...so Aviatrix was added to the mix.

At this point, we have a "color pallet" taking shape.

This color scheme may seem a little bland and neutral, but at some point we can begin to add in "accent" colors with pillows, throws and curtains. Maybe a red or green or yellow...who knows. Having this simple and neutral color pallet on hand will allow us to add "pops of color" throughout the house!

He identified his "inspiration." The colors and styles he likes.

He knows the spaces he has to deal with.

He knows what his "must-haves" and "wants" will cost.

Everything is on paper and ready to go!

I am already working on pieces I know will work in the house and I know exactly what space we have and what colors we want to incorporate! I have already painted and stained the breakfast nook table and chairs. I found a totally AWESOME mid century dresser and chest I am working on this week. Picture frames are being painted. He picked up a super sweet bed frame on Craigslist. The couch and appliances are on order and the rugs are stacked in my garage!

How do you eat an elephant...one bite at a time. We are chompin' away!

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It's the little things!

Cheap and/or free are always my favorite way to add a little seasonal warmth to my home!

I shop sales, clearances, auctions, yard sales...it is always fun to find inexpensive little "treasures" I can use to decorate a space or add a touch of warmth or whimsy.

Last Friday I actually did something I really hate. I shopped "retail stores." I was specifically looking for cotton stems or cotton wreaths. Evidently decorating with cotton is all the rage this fall and I wanted some...but evidently that is another "fad" that hasn't hit our area because after hitting every home decor store in the area I came home empty handed.

My neighbor Tammy dropped by this week...she had visited her daughter in south Arkansas and brought home some REAL cotton stems from their farm.

Tammy to the rescue!!!! I couldn't believe she had a pile of cotton stems in her garage just sitting there for the "pickin!"

LOVE! I literally just snipped off the root ends and stuck them in a little vase. I probably should find a bigger vase, but I love how these REAL cotton stems fill this space!

Last year I feature some awesome little "coffins." Sounds morbid I know, but as I explained, they are actually the lids to antique sewing machines...and I absolutely love them! I used a couple for storing photo albums but I had one that was just sitting in the den.

My other neighbors, Kenny and Maryann, have these really cool trees in their backyard...they kind of look like Aspens and the bark is "whiter" than normal tree bark. I have no idea what they are but I used the branches in my little seasonal box I shared here. I decided to cut a few more of their branches and use those in this little coffin in front of the fireplace.

So simple!

Outdoors...an old galvanized bucket dressed for the season! Just drop a potted mum in it (no need to get your hands dirty!)....or if you don't want to spend the money on a mum, fill it with berry stems, pine cones and pine branches! Again, super simple!

My point? Adding seasonal touches to our home decor doesn't have to cost much, if anything. Just look to nature (and your neighbors!) We do it in the spring and summer when we bring in cut flowers. Fall gives us just as many ways to bring nature into our homes!

Green "horse apples," red berry bush stems, pine tree branches, tree limbs with colorful fall leaves...all ways to bring nature into your space. You can stick them in wood bowls or galvanized buckets or cheap vases or old wooden boxes.

Some of the prettiest seasonal decorations are free!

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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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Oh. My. Goodness....I can't believe I found one....UPDATE!

Okay, I told you about my absolute obsession with the mid century Lane Acclaim tables. So in my quest for all things "mid century" I stumbled upon a line of furniture that literally makes me drool....Brasilia by Broyhill. Manufactured in the 60s, this line of furniture is absolutely one of the most beautiful and desirable mid century designs floating around right now! I have always wanted a piece of this line, but honestly I could never find one in my budget!

So when I found a Brasilia hutch online for an unbelievable price, I just knew something had to be wrong with it it! It was at one of my favorite flea market haunts, White Elephant. Even though I was exhausted and already in my pajamas, I called my son, who lives a few blocks from the flea market, and told him to go stand guard in front of the hutch until I could get there and inspect it.

Beautiful. Near mint condition, less a few bumps and bings...but honestly, that is to be expected from someone in their 50s! And even though I really don't NEED or even want a dining room hutch, I just couldn't pass it up! Maybe I can trade it for the bedroom hutch I REALLY want!

I took a few days off this week but Monday morning, that puppy will be on it's way to my house!

It is now in my garage...it ended up costing me about $1200 damage to my truck! The hutch is still in mint condition...the trailer I used to bring it home can handle a lot of abuse...but the truck...not so much!

Today's lesson....do not forget you have a trailer on your truck and back out of the drive way. The corner of the trailer can do some serious damage to a side panel. Just another helpful hint.

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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!!!

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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

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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!

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......

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