TIME TO GIVE BACK!!!

I remember being a single mother of 3 school age children and having to scrimp and scrape to afford school supplies!

Matt and I went shopping yesterday and he scolded me for even looking at the "off brand" crayons. Says he has traumatic memories of "cheap" crayons. I think (at least I HOPE) he was pulling my leg, but he reminded me of how tough it is to be a little guy and have to be "different" or do without.

This is my last year to have a child in public schools. Katie is a senior. No more crayons or tiny scissors or wood rulers or #2 pencils. After this year it will just be tuition, books, dorm expenses, meal plans....yikes! Oh well....

ANYWHO, it is time to GIVE BACK!!! Yesterday I gathered up some valuable Target coupons and bought 27 boxes of CRAYOLA BRAND CRAYONS! (No cheap stuff!) I will be giving these to a friend who is a teacher.

Did you know that many teachers spend money out of their own pockets to buy supplies for their classroom or their students? There are so many kids in our public schools whose parents really struggle to afford the basic supplies they need!

EVERY little bit helps. Pick up pencils, tissues, crayons, glue, rulers, scissors, etc. and donate them to your local elementary school or maybe your favorite teacher!

Have your younger child pick out supplies for their favorite teacher and deliver them to the classroom. Kids get the biggest kick out of "giving!"

Give back...even if you are still scrimping and scraping to buy supplies for your kids, buy an extra box of tissues or a glue stick.

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Refinishing a dining table...a tutorial!

Christina, at Operation Home did the ABSOLUTE right thing by attempting to strip and restore a set of beautiful mid century tables. Unfortunately, she made the same mistake many make...the absolute wrong finish. Poly. Sadly, she regrets it...been there, done that!

That is the great thing about DIY projects...live and learn! The fact that she tackled this project with an "I CAN DO THIS" attitude is what DIYing is all about and as we work from project to project, we learn what works and what doesn't! There are soooo many tutorials online about this type of project and at times it can be overwhelming. Who wouldn't be confused?!

This is the process that works for me and I hope it works for you!

I am first and foremost a die hard "wood fan." I believe in treating it with with love and respect...especially old pieces that are constructed of wood we just don't see much any more in new, affordable furniture...walnut, cherry, mahogany, teak, rosewood.

A great deal of MCM furniture was constructed of teak, walnut or rosewood and those pieces are my "first love." I infuse as many of these pieces as I can get my hands on into my decor. I have refinished MANY MCM pieces over the years and feel like I have developed a pretty good "process." Just do a "search" for "mid century" on my site...you will find many of the projects I have worked on over the years...my Lane Acclaim tables, television cabinet, barrel chairs, office chair, coffee table...and sooooo much more!

So I am going to share a few of my "die hard" rules for refinishing ANY old wood furniture. Doesn't matter in the end if you are going to paint or stain...if you are going to strip it first, this is the process that works for me! You may think you do not have to strip if you are going to paint...not always the case. I have stripped many pieces before I painted them for a number of reasons! Usually because it has a heavy finish on it or layers of "unstable" paint....regardless it is NOT as daunting as it sounds! And if you ask me, regardless of whether you are going to paint or stain, you will get a superior result if you first strip the piece down to bare wood!

Friday I stripped the dining room table I shared here. It was literally caked with old varnish so it is the perfect piece to share! You can really see the difference in the "before and after" pictures at the end!

It is truly an AMAZING piece but has me a bit stumped. I know how to strip it...I just don't know what type of finish I want on it right now. Or if it will even work with the plan I have in my head for this room. I still have these mid century chairs I want to refinish and I'm just not sure how it will fit in with them! Oh well.....

The table base has heavy, crackled varnish. At some point someone had stripped the top and the inserts, but not the base. So it was caked on pretty thick. It would seem like a daunting task to most, but honestly, it is the same process whether the piece has a little or a lot of old finish...well, not exactly, but we will get to that!

Remember, not all my "rules" apply to all furniture...and sometimes you have to use your judgment.

1) Refinish vs. Paint: The first thing you have to decide when "rehabbing" a piece of furniture is how can the piece be "enhanced?" Sometimes you really can enhance a piece by painting it, especially if the piece has a lot of water damage or broken or "bubbled" veneer that needs repair or missing trim pieces that have to be replaced. Or it is just an "outdated" piece with little value so it needs a POW of color!!! Those pieces may be better off painted. If a piece is solid and sound and stripping and refinishing it will ENHANCE or preserve the piece, it is not a hard process.

2) THERE ARE NO SHORT CUTS WHEN STRIPPING FINISHES...whether it is painted or stained! None...and if you don't do it right, your new finish will look like crud and you will have wasted your time. Settle in and do it right!

Word of warning...you are working with chemicals! WEAR GLOVES, EYE PROTECTION, LONG PANTS AND CLOSED TOED SHOES. Trust me...splash this stuff on yourself and it will leave a mark!

Also, do not do this in any grass you are fond of...and put something disposable (paper, plastic, whatever) under the piece to catch all the drips and gunk!

If the existing finish (whether varnish, shellack, poly or paint) is really "heavy" I first coat it with a bit of Citristrip. I use a cheap "chip" brush to apply it. After letting that sit a bit, I scrape it with a flat, plastic scraper. ALWAYS scrape with the grain. You are probably wondering how you "scrape" all the turned legs and carvings...patience, I'll get there ;)

Sometimes the finish melts right off, other times it is pretty stubborn...just coat it again with the stripper, let it sit a bit, and then scrape it again! It may take 2-3 applications to get all the "heavy" finish off.

If the piece doesn't have a real heavy existing finish, you may not even want to use the Citristrip...use your judgment!

After removing the really heavy old finish or the majority of the paint, mix 1/2 acetone and 1/2 lacquer thinner and use it to scrub the entire piece with steel wool. This is also the best way to get the heavy finish and gel stripper off turned legs and etchings. I use 0000 steel wool and that lets me really scrub the piece without worrying too much about damaging the wood! This will melt the varnish right off the turns and carvings and remove the stripper you couldn't scrape off as well! Work from the top down, and don't be afraid to use this mixture liberally!

THIS is the real process for removing ALL the old finish!

Here is a little secret to properly stripping furniture. Toothbrushes. Seriously, use a toothbrush to get into all the corners and crannies...just dip it in the acetone/thinner mixture and scrub away! They are tough enough to scrub out the crud but won't hurt the wood! Have you ever seen a piece of furniture that has been refinished and all the corners and joints are dark...that's because they didn't get all the old finish off...use a toothbrush and you won't have that problem!

This process may take some time...and you may go through several steel wool pads. I usually mix a new batch of acetone/thinner (in a stainless bowl) and use a new steel wool pad on each side...2-3 times...whatever it takes to get it scrubbed clean of all the old finish and stripper! I probably went around this table 4-5 times just scrubbing with the mixture! (This is where one of those low shop stools on wheels is a back saver!)

I can not stress this enough...if you don't take this process seriously and REALLY get rid of all the old finish, you are wasting your time...because you WILL be disappointed. And while this stripping process may seem labor intensive, it is much easier than sanding an old finish off and you are much less likely to damage the piece...which brings me to rule #...whatever, I lost track!

SAND AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE. You should almost always use chemical strippers to remove ALL the old finish and only sand a tad (with the grain...if needed...220 grit) AFTER you have stripped all the old finish. Many old pieces (unlike this table) may have veneer...veneer can be thin and if you sand too vigorously you can do a lot of damage! Also, you will NEVER get all the old finish out of decorative carvings or turned legs (like this table) with sandpaper...not happening!

Also, palm sanders tend to leave little "swirly" marks...and as faint as they may seem, they are going to be glaring after a stain and finish is applied...save yourself the trouble...hand sand with 220 grit paper and steel wool on the ornate areas. SAND WITH THE GRAIN!! Cross grain marks WILL show up in your final finish!

Keep in mind too that once you strip all the old finish, you are REALLY going to see the "character" (grain) of the wood. A lot of old finishes were applied with a "multi-layer" process or were sprayed on and the stain may have been mixed in with the finish...they did this to give the piece a more "uniform" look and hide the "variations" in the wood grain.

If you like a uniform look, paint it because you are going to reveal the "character" of the wood when you strip it down to bare wood!

Also, there is a chance you could dissolve adhesives (glue) that was used on joints...that's not a huge issue...it is best to go ahead and strip and stain the piece BEFORE you do any major repairs...stain will not penetrate glue...so if you get any glue on the wood, it won't stain! (If you are going to paint a piece repair it BEFORE paint...if you are going to stain, repair it AFTER stain)

Okay, I have now spent 4 hours scrubbing off all the old finish (that is how long it took me to do this table!)

Now, wash the entire piece with clean rags and mineral spirits. I have a tenant who works for a commercial laundry service and she brings me old towels I use as shop rags! If you are going to refinish furniture, buy towels and rags at garage sales and thrift stores and cut them up into washcloth size pieces.

Which reminds me...WORD OF WARNING!!!! DO NOT THROW RAGS OR STEEL WOOL IN A TRASH CAN IF THEY HAVE ANY CHEMICALS ON THEM....LAY THEM OUT TO DRY IN THE SUN AND ONLY BAG THEM UP AFTER THEY ARE COMPLETELY DRY AND THEY HAVE AIRED OUT FOR A FEW DAYS! THEY CAN SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUST AND BURN YOUR HOUSE DOWN!!!! (Do not bag them with paper or cardboard and keep them separate from household trash!)

While washing it down with the mineral spirits you may find a few spots that need a little more "scrubbing" to remove the old finish...not a problem...just scrub it, then wash it down with the mineral spirits!

After I removed all the old finish and gave it a light sanding, I stained the top with a brown stain. This table has two inserts and I made sure I stripped those and stained them to match the table.

STAIN: Do not use stain that has a "finish" or "sealer" in it. If you don't like the color, you are pretty much stuck. Use a stain that has to have a finish applied...that way if you aren't real keen on the color you can immediately wipe it off with mineral spirits or even layer another stain color on top of it. In other words, you can make adjustments to the color after it is applied.

Different woods will stain differently. Your best bet is to stain a small "test" patch on the piece and have mineral spirits and a clean rag handy to wipe it off if you don't like the color.

After the stain dries, I personally prefer a tung oil finish. Super easy to wipe on...pretty much "idiot proof." I apply 3-4 coats, sand with 0000 steel wool and wipe with tack cloth between coats! The awesome thing about a tung oil finish is it is super easy to "fix" scratches and wear...just lightly "sand" it with 0000 steel wool and apply another coat of the finish! Here I discuss the (lack of) difference between oils.

I usually "re-oil" the tops of my tables once a year...or as needed.

For many reasons, Christina's issues being one, I NEVER apply poly to stained finishes! I have an old walnut dresser I refinished with poly and I regret it! Someday it will get refinished properly!

My original plan for this table was to stain the top and paint the base...but it is just so beautiful I hate to paint it. For now, I have moved it back into the dining room and I am just going to "mull it over" for a bit...

What to do, what to do...truth is I may not do anything until I get my mid century chairs done.

In the meantime, thanks Christina for inspiring me to "get it done." I hope this information helps you and others...YOU CAN DO IT!

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Lumber Liquidators...forget about it!

One of the great things about having your own website is you get to share your triumphs AND your tragedies.

This week was a "tragedy." As I shared here I have been on a quest to "remodel" my master bedroom and office and one of the things I FINALLY did was order new laminate. Unfortunately, I allowed myself to be swayed by "price" and ordered it from Lumber Liquidators...HUGE mistake!

When I ordered it three weeks ago, they said it would be here in two weeks...so I spent those two weeks stripping my floors and baseboards in my bedroom AND office a little at a time....

I also lined up help to install it. I can't afford to pay to have it installed so it was going to be a real DIY project...one that "takes a village." Unfortunately, the "village" was scheduled to help me this weekend, a full WEEK after I was assured it would be here...only to find out that it won't be here until NEXT week. In the meantime, the "village" is pretty booked until the holidays.

SOOOO...I have concrete floors, furniture and baseboards all over the place and no help to lay 500 square feet of laminate.

What was Lumber Liquidator's attitude about the bind they put me in by NOT getting my flooring here as promised?

Too bad. It will be here next week.

Can they hold it for me until I can get help in a few months, since I have already paid for it? Nope. Thirty days. Then they cancel the order. Course they can REORDER it...but as I have learned the hard way, their delivery dates are suspect, to say the least. And if it causes you any grief...forget about it.

They don't care.

So lesson learned from my "tragedy." Order your flooring from someplace that cares whether it would be a HUGE problem if it doesn't get there on time...or buy in stock.

Man, you would think after all these years of doing this stuff, I would know better.

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MY beef bourguignon....just as good and easier!

Over a year ago, I posted "my spin" on Julia Child's classic beef bourguignon recipe. I didn't post the actual recipe because you can pretty much Google it and find it...I just did a little "tutorial" on how I "tweeked" the original recipe.

Today I thought I would post my actual recipe, along with my commentary of what I do and why I do it. Julia's version is to die for...and just once in your life, you really should tackle it! But it is not an easy recipe to throw together for busy mom's.

My version is more of a glorified "pot roast" recipe, retaining most of her key elements and in my opinion just as yummy. It has become a family favorite!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 - 3 lb. pot/chuck roast

6-8 ounces of bacon

2-3 cups of mushrooms

1-2 cups of chopped Carrots

8-10 Pearl onions or regular chopped onion

Garlic

Olive Oil (regular cooking oil will work)

2 cans of beef broth/consomme

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2-3 cups red wine

Flour

Spices: salt, pepper, rosemary, bay leaf...or whatever YOU like!

Remember, I am a "pinch of this, toss of that" kinda cook. So follow along and feel free to "pinch and toss" to your own tastes! Or even eliminate anything you don't care for!

Bacon....10 or so slices, sliced into chunks. I use thick cut...just a preference!

Fry the bacon in a large skillet. When it is fairly done, add....

2-3 tablespoons of olive oil (or plain cooking oil) and 2-3 tablespoons of butter

1-2 cups of chopped carrots

2-3 cups of sliced mushrooms

8-10 peeled pearl onions, cut in half...or 1/2 regular onion, chopped.

2-3 gloves of chopped garlic or 3-4 tablespoons of chopped garlic from the jar (my go to!)

Sautee all this until everything seems kind of "tender."

Remove all the veggies and bacon with a slotted spoon, draining the oil back into the skilled, and put them in your "roast pan."

Leave the "oil" in the skillet. Add a tad if you need to!

Cut the 2 1/2-3 lb chuck roast into 1" cubes (if you are a venison eater....gag...this would be a great use for venison roasts) Pat it with a paper towel to dry it off.

In a bowl, mix about 5-6 tablespoons of flour with about 1 teaspoon of both salt and pepper. Coat all the chunks of roast with the flour. Brown all sides of the roast cubes in the oil.

Place all the browned roast cubes, bacon and veggies in a dutch oven...or cast iron pot...or large casserole dish...whatever you have that you cook pot roast in!

Now, this is how I get ALL the flavor out of the pan and make it easier to clean it up. I pour 1 can of beef broth/consumme (Campbell's is fine!) (or use 1 cup of water) in the pan drippings, bring it to a rapid boil, scrapping the sides and bottom. After everything is off the bottom and sides, pour this little mixture over the meat and veggies!

In a large bowl, mix the other can of beef broth/consumme and heaping tablespoon of tomato paste (you can freeze left over tomato paste so you don't waste a whole can!) Throw in whatever spices you might like...salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, parsley, bay leaf...whatever YOU like!

I am a salt freak! But I would advise going low on the salt for the time being...there is a lot of salt in the consumme...and soooo much flavor in all the ingredients!

Pour about 1/2 bottle of RED wine into the broth mixture...maybe 2-3 cups. The actual alcohol will "cook out" as this dish cooks so you are NOT serving your family alcohol...just the wine flavor! I buy the cheapest bottle of red wine I can find at the grocery store!

Pour the broth/wine mixture over the roast and veggies. Top with just enough water to barely cover everything, if needed. Cover and bake for about 4-5 hours in a 325 degree oven. You can "peek" once, just to give it a quick stir and check the liquid...otherwise, leave it be!

I serve this with mash potatoes (YUM!) or noodles or rice...whatever you want!

If you compare this to Julia's, it is indeed different...but the flavor is just as good in my book! And soooo much easier to prepare!

Again, this would be a great recipe for venison or any other "game" meat, like elk. I think it would even be good with pork, but have never tried it.

I would think you could cook this in a crockpot. I haven't but plan to in the future. Let me know if you try it and how it turns out!

Again, JUST ONCE you should try the Julia recipe...if for no other reason than to say you have done it...but when you are scratching your head wondering what the heck a "lardon" is or where to buy it, don't call me...I still don't have a clue!

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Finding inspiration for a ladder shelf!!! And my master bedroom update!

One of the awesome things about the "blogisphere" is all the great inspiration and instruction you can find for just about anything you want to do!

A few weeks ago, my inspiration came from Kristi at "Making it in the Mountains." She built a ladder shelf for her back deck and it is awesome!!!

Someday I plan on making one exactly like this! I bought a few ladder shelves at an auction recently and when I priced them to see how much I should sell them for they were going for around $150! Craziness! And they aren't even fit for outdoor use like Kristi's!

Anywho, MONTHS ago I ended up with a beat up old desk from an auction...the auctioneers know us now so when no one bid on the poor old thing, he pointed at me and asked if I would pay a dollar...whatever...I figured I could do something with it. Heck, the awesome hardware is worth a buck!

I originally planned on restoring it but truth be told, it was pretty rough and I have learned that "rehabbing" these old desks really isn't worth the time and effort for resell. The top was laminate and the drawers were veneered. The only good solid wood was the leg and it was hanging on by a few flimsy nails!

But the drawers were well constructed...and the veneer was easily "patched."

So I decided to use the drawers and make a "modified" version of the ladder shelf...a drawer shelf!

I think it could be used as a storage shelf in a bathroom or laundry room...maybe toy storage in a kid's room! It's pretty sturdy so it can hold a lot of "stuff."

I painted the drawers with the "frosted berry" paint I bought for my room. Not that I think it NEEDED to be that color, but I have the paint and I like it! Rather than use the awesome hardware (I am hoarding those for a special project) or fill in the holes, I used rope on the two bottom drawers and a plain white knob on the top! It doesn't NEED pulls, but I want it to look like what it is...drawers!

I cut the top drawer down....I contemplated cutting the middle drawer down as well...no reason why I didn't...I just didn't!

Thanks for the inspiration Kristi!!!

(BTW, it sold within hours of putting it in my booth! Wow!)

MASTER BEDROOM PROGRESS!

As I mentioned in this earlier post, I finally broke down and bought the laminate I want for my master bedroom! Lumber Liquidators had a deal I just could not pass up! Fortunately, it will take two weeks to get it.

"Back in the day" that would frustrate me. There was a time when I could pull the trim, remove the old flooring, lay the laminate, reinstall the trim and paint...all in ONE day...or at least a weekend. Now...not so much. I have been pulling carpet and glue-down hardwood for over a week! My back ache and sore legs make living in this disaster of destruction somewhat tolerable!

Please note that even when my room is in complete disarray, I still make my bed every day! I am thoroughly convinced that the first day I don't make my bed will be the day I die...it's a "thing" I have. (discussed in detail here)

I had to remove the base of the fireplace surround to remove the flooring. I stupidly laid the floor THEN built the fireplace surround...I know better than that. This is a prime example of WHY it is a problem to set cabinets and fireplace trim on top of flooring!!!! Chances are you will replace the flooring long before you replace cabinets or fireplace surrounds...and removing the old flooring will be very difficult if it is under the cabinets or surround!

I did find one neat thing...I guess when I built this room I painted "I "heart" you" on the floor. How sweet!

There is a downside to DIY projecting! The mess! But I have wanted new flooring for YEARS so it will be worth it!

I decided to reuse the existing trim and set it on top of the new flooring...so I have to pull all the trim, remove the nails and scrape off the old caulk.

I also decided to do the floors in the office...but right now I am only going to do the main bedroom and get it back in order before I tackle the office. The office is ALL glue-down hardwood and it will be a booger to get it all up! I played with gel staining the existing hardwood...and it would have worked had I stained it all at once rather than doing a big "test splotch." Unfortunately, you can see the "lap over" of the stain and it looks horrid. So it all comes up and new flooring goes down!

I am hiring my neighbor to remove all the old flooring in the office...it is a small room but after a week of working on the master bedroom and what I know will be a labor intensive 2-3 days of installing the new flooring, I am finally having to admit I am too fricking old to "do it all."

Curses.

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Flagstone....check!

That is one project I can check off my "to do" list! It is done...the project I started here. It took three trips to the "rock store" and two trips to Meek's for sand...and two trips to Lowe's for topsoil. But whatever...it is DONE!!!

Well, until it "settles." Seems no matter how well you pack the sand base, a few rocks always "sink" after a little rain and wear. No biggy...just pull it up, put a little sand under it and then reset it.

We had a 90% chance of rain Thursday (didn't happen!) so I wanted to get this project finished so the sand wouldn't wash away and the rock could begin "settling."

I had a bench sitting in one of my flower beds in the side yard...thought it would look great in the corner. The terracotta pot is one I bought at an auction last year and was just sitting around. I decided it would look better with a few plants!

This is another area that still needs a little "something." In time...for now, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT!!

Get ready for a BUNCH of pictures!!!

Again, there are hundreds of tutorials online for laying flagstone...it may seem laborious, but it really isn't that difficult and you won't regret it!

I will offer a few little "tips" for laying flagstone. Make sure you have a good sand base, well packed. After your rock is down, water the sand and rock well so the sand will wash down under the rock. After that, dump a mix of top soil and sand on top of the rock and sweep it into the joints. Then lightly water it again. Rain may wash it away a tad the first few times, so you may have to add a little more sand and soil over time....just dump the soil and sand on the rocks and sweep...eventually it will pack and stay put.

If a rock "sinks," lift it up (just pry it up with hammer), toss a little more sand under the rock to build it up and level it out, reset the rock and then fill the joint with the sand and soil mixture.

I have a tiny front porch and I love how this has opened up the front of the house a bit! It's still not that wrap around front porch I want, but it is a lot better than it was before! It eliminates an eye sore AND the need to crawl around every year filling it with plants! I just plant the pots and I'm done! Super simple to maintain!

I use to decorate the front of the house in the fall with hay bales, corn stalks, pumpkins and scarecrows. I quit doing it because I had to deal with mildewy hay bales after Thanksgiving...but I may have to start it again this year...this area would just be too cute with all the "harvest" decor!

Hum...guess we will see...fall will be here before you know it!

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Antique Oak School desk rehab....

Several weeks ago I found an old oak school desk at a garage sale. I have never found one like it at a flea market or auction...so I bought it. I always love "unique!"

The very next day, I found one almost identical to it at an auction. Imagine that! So much for "unique."

Both needed a little TLC...glue and clamps!

I started stripping the old finish and had intended to stain and apply an oil finish...but truth is, these are "novelty" pieces now and chances are a teacher will buy it for her classroom or a mom will buy it for her kid's playroom. So I decided to give them both a little chalk paint treatment and brighten them up a bit.

I painted the desk top of the red one with chalkboard paint...thought that would make it kind of fun for a little guy or gal.

But the top of the white one had too much "carved" history for me to cover it up. I'll let someone else cover up the historical vandalism.

Fun little pieces that would make a great addition to a play room or a classroom!

With the temperatures in the 70s this week, I have been projecting all over the place...pulling carpet and flooring in my room, working on the flagstone project I shared here....painting and prepping pieces I have piled in my garage! You couldn't ask for better weather!

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Weekend of projecting...the big flagstone project!!

I have been so focused on projecting furniture I have neglected a few little changes I wanted to make around the house. There were no good local auctions so we had two whole days to work around the house...yippeeee!

The first major change is my front flower bed. I don't even have any decent "before" pictures because I have seriously disliked this area for YEARS. It is right next to the entrance of the house, so I want it to look decent.

Over the years I have tried numerous different "landscape designs." I have tried planting, not planting, pots...nothing tripped my trigger! After years of composting and mulching, the volume of the bed had "grown." Earlier this spring, Matt and I pulled all the landscaping lights and metal edging and dug out all the dirt and mulch...

I didn't remember, until I looked at these old pictures, that I had beautiful daffodils in this bed...when you see what I have done, you will understand why this is an issue!

You can see the "contour" of the bed which was originally edged with landscape metal and lined with lighting. In the last few years, I haven't even planted in the bed. I just threw down some mulch and planted in the pots every year!

The only thing I left was the little Japanese Maple I planted 13 years ago and the ivy that has grown up around it.

If you have looked at my landscape pictures, you know I am a HUGE fan of flag stone. I bet there is 12-14 tons of flagstone in this yard...and I laid every bit of it!

Needless to say, I love flagstone...and I can honestly say I have never regretted using it anywhere! Occasionally I will have to pull a stone and reset it, but all in all, the stones are pretty maintenance free! They are perfect for creating walk-ways, edging ponds or flowerbeds or for areas that will just not grow grass or plants. The flagstone along the side yard under the pine trees is a perfect example. That area was NOT going to grow anything. Over the years, the tree roots and moles have caused the rocks to "pop up" here and there, but I chalk it up to a "natural riverbed" look and leave it as is!

When I was mulling over what I wanted to do with my front "flower bed" I decided I wanted to add flag stone!

My plan originally was to add a flagstone border, and then eventually fill in the rest and create a little "patio" type area. Darn me...I calculated wrong and actually had enough to begin filling in the bed...and since I have already started, I guess I'm going to have to go ahead and buy more rock and finish up the entire job...darn it.

Truth be told, the "Colorado Red" stone I am in love with is a tad pricey, which is why I originally planned to do a little at a time. But, it is so worth it!!!

Quick tutorial...honestly, you can get step by step tutorials on how to lay a flag stone walk or patio online...it's pretty simple! Just make sure you have some muscle handy!

Matt and Brian are my muscle! (Matt is still in his brace from his accident, but that comes off this week...yeah!)

The first thing we did was remove all the loose dirt and mulch, down to the "hard" dirt. You will want to have a good 2" bed of sand to set the rocks in and the rocks range from 1 1/2" to 2 1/2" thick...so make sure you dig down a good 3 1/2 - 4" below your final grade level.

As I mentioned earlier, we dug out the bed earlier this year...and of course it has rained heavily a few times, which is actually great because I got a good feel for how the water WANTS to flow in this area! And it packed the ground!

This weekend we put down the sand bed. I watered the sand and packed it down and then leveled it, making sure I had the grade I need away from the house, the front porch and sidewalk and around the side of the house....

Keep in mind, my original goal was to just get the border down...so that is all I originally prepped!

Once I realized I was going to have so much rock left, I went ahead and prepped and laid the rock in the front part of the bed....

Now you can see why I was so mortified when I looked at the old pictures and noticed my daffodils...because now they are under the new flagstone. I didn't dig them up when we dug out the dirt in the spring because they were still blooming and I wanted to wait for them to die back before I dug out the bulbs...and then I forgot.

The temperatures are suppose to be in the 70s this week! INSANE for July in Arkansas! But perfect for finishing up this project! All I need to do is put down more sand and then lay the rest of the rock...a few hours at most!

When I finish, I'll make sure I post more pictures. I'm thinking I might put my iron bench there and maybe add a few more flowering pots! This area gets TONS of sun so it is important that the plants are heat tolerant and don't require shade!

The rest of the bed has sand down and is ready for the flagstone!!

And the BIG news...I finally broke down and ordered the laminate for my master bedroom....yep, it's happening!

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Antique oak library table makeover...with my AWESOME daughter!

Years ago Matt called from college. He found a beautiful table/desk on Craigslist and wanted to know if I would go get it for him.

No biggy...I thought. Brian and I went and picked it up...in the snow. It was in the basement and we had to carry it up an icy walkway from the backyard. And let me tell you, that sucker was HEAVY! Massive, solid wood table...6' long and almost 3' deep. Not sure exactly what type of wood it is...the top looks like it could be constructed of several different types of wood. Regardless, after all the old, crackled finish was removed and a new oil finish was applied, it is simply beautiful!! Matt uses it as a desk and he seriously cherishes old wood like I do.

It has been a real "head scratcher" for me...I honestly couldn't figure out what exactly it was originally. Maybe a "farm house table" but it had two drawers on one side. And it didn't strike me as a "desk."

Katie has wanted a similar table to use as a desk for some time now...but Matt's is MASSIVE and I knew we would never be able to find anything similar that would be small enough for her room.

And then we did!

(Naturally I forgot to take "before" pictures until I had already started working on it!)

My neighbor Caroline, who use to own a flea market, knew immediately what it was...on old library table!

It is only 4' wide and would have had one drawer...which as you can see is missing. It is oak!

The top had veneer on it...and it was in pretty rough shape. So I started scraping it off.

Have you ever removed wallpaper? The first piece or two comes off in big sheets ...only to get to the 3rd piece and find that it comes off in pieces the size of your finger nail...even when you use steam and stripper!

Yeah, that is how this veneer came off! The first bit came off with NO problem...the rest of it took major work. I even used my iron with lots of steam (usually a no-no on wood)! When removing veneer, you have to be super careful not to damage the wood underneath!!

After the veneer was removed I had to deal with the water spot and the glue and the "knots" that had been filled before the veneer was applied!

When sanding raw wood ALWAYS start with a fine grit and work your way down until you see that you are making good progress! I started with 220, worked down to a 50 grit, then worked my way back up to a 220.

I managed to get all of the water spot off with a good sanding! Katie and I decided the knots were going to be the "character" on the top! In other words, we just ignored them!

After stripping the veneer off the top, I tested the finish on the sides and base to see what it was going to take to get the old finish off.

Man-oh-man. That was one tough old finish.

TIP: For years I have used Formby's furniture stripper to remove old varnish...but honestly, it is not cheap and I knew it would take 2 cans (at $16 a piece) to do this desk. I recently read something about using 1/2 acetone and 1/2 varnish remover to strip old varnish....works like a charm. Literally melts the old finish right off!!!

THIS is where Katie took over....I decided if she wanted a beautiful desk, this would be the perfect opportunity to find out what kind of work goes into a project like this! So I made her strip the entire thing! She used Citristrip first, then scrubbed the piece with an acetone/lacquer thinner mixture and steel wool to dissolve the old varnish! She used a toothbrush to get in the corners.

After Katie finished stripping all the old finish, we wiped it all down with mineral spirits and then we sanded the entire piece with 220 grit sandpaper.

One of the back legs kind of came apart after we stripped the piece. These legs were constructed of 4 pieces of wood glued together. Over the years, one of the joints had actually separated...so when we were applying the stripper, it got down in the joint and caused the leg to come apart. No biggy...that is what glue and clamps are for!!!

I constructed a simple drawer from oak I bought at Lowes. Nothing fancy! Katie picked out a simple knob out of my old hardware stash!

After sanding the entire table, I applied a dark stain. I really expected the top to stain much lighter than the base. Surprisingly, the top looked pretty similar to the base after it was all stained!

After the stain had dried over night, Katie and I wiped the entire piece down with tack cloth (a MUST before applying any finish or painting ANY piece!) and then we applied the first coat of the tung oil finish!

I almost always apply 3-5 coats of tung oil finish! Sometimes even more on tops I think will get a lot of use...like this desk! With oil finishes, it's almost a "look-see" process...I apply the finish until I get an even gloss finish on the entire piece...as long as any of the wood is still absorbing the finish, I keep applying it.

Katie wanted more of a "flat" finish...I have always used "high gloss" tung oil finish so I was a bit surprised when I got a "high gloss" finish from the "low gloss" tung oil! Hum...interesting...honestly, I don't see much difference. Pretty darn glossy if you ask me!

Between each coat, we sanded with 0000 steel wool and wiped it down with a fresh tack cloth!

In the end...A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.

It truly is a beautiful piece...I wish my photography skills did it justice!

I am always amazed when something so old and "neglected" turns out to be so beautiful.

Now it is in her room (here) and ready for another lifetime of use!

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I'm a mess....but I found my "frosted berry!" And an AMAZING dining table!

Why cut and color my hair? It's too hot to wear it down and I'm just gonna stick it in a ponytail. Why get a manicure? I'm only going to mess my nails up stripping and painting furniture. Why wear something decent? I'll just get paint all over it and get all sweaty mowing.

I dislike shopping and I dislike having to take an entire day to "get pretty." Shopping has never been my thing, but I did use to get my nails done once a week and my hair done every six weeks.

Lowe's...now that is my kind of shopping and I do like hitting the thrift stores! Grocery shopping is a necessary evil. Just about everything else can be ordered online and shipped to my front door. Just last week I bought a new set of sheets and a mattress cover...delivered to my front door step!

But seriously girls, there comes a time when you HAVE to go into a "brick and mortar" store . I can live with the paint covered shirts and shorts...but my "undergarments" were in major crisis! So my goal while I was in an actual department store was to find some decent shorts and tops for the summer...maybe get my nails done with the gift certificate my son got me for my birthday....SIX MONTHS AGO!

Unfortunately, I got so focused on trying to find decorative pillows that would coordinate with the "frosted berry" paint I was set on for my bedroom (the room I have neglected for 14 years!) I only managed to get home with a few new pairs of panties. I guess the hair, nails and wardrobe will just have to wait.

This all stems from a desire to incorporate the "frosted berry" color into my master bedroom...

I have the blue on my fireplace wall (SW Silver Mist) and a bed spread and the tan and white in my decorative pillows and bedding. I use black instead of grey as an accent color. But the room really did need a little "pop" of color and the "frosted berry" color was perfect.

I found the perfect "red" in my paint fan thingy I inadvertently kept from Sherwin Williams. (seriously, I didn't MEAN to keep it!) The closest I could get was SW Enticing Red 6600. Not too red, not too blue, not too orange...

I wanted to use this little bookcase I bought at an auction last week...

It's actually an old record cabinet but I am always in need of bookshelves! And this was an easy fix...

I wasn't sure whether to use the Dunne white (used here on my furniture) on the outside and the berry color on the inside or visa-versa. I decided you won't be able to see much of the inside once I get all the books stashed in there and the whole purpose of using the berry color was to add an accent piece to the room...so I painted the outside berry and the inside the Dunne white!

The wood was in mint condition. All I had to do was scrub the nasty off. I removed the little trim pieces on the inside, sprayed it with Kilz and sanded and tacked. Then I sprayed the inside with my go-to white...Valspar Dunne. I used the "berry" color on the outside...mixed it up as a plaster paint, applied two coats and then distressed it a tad. Sealed the whole thing with poly. (Again, I do not wax...just poly)

I found two decorative pillows for the bed at TJ Maxx that were pretty darn close to the paint color. I even found a totally awesome beaded pillow very close to the SW Silver Mist blue!

The mirror. Okay, first, I have to say I love mirrors! Not because I am vain and want to look in them, but because I like how they brighten up a wall! This little mirror was doubly "bright" because the "frame" is little pieces of broken mirror set in some type of mortar. Normally I wouldn't buy something like this retail because I could easily find something at an auction that would work. But I LOVE IT and when I see a decor element I LOVE, I buy it! And it really wasn't that expensive at TJ Maxx.

I still want to add a few more things to this little corner to "stage" it properly, but I'm getting there. Again, I don't want something just to have it...I have to love it and/or it has to serve a real purpose. So in time I know I will find a few things that will doll up this little corner. And someday I might get my laminate!

One thing I have noticed while cruising around the "blogisphere." The little "design elements" really pull a room together...and while I have done a fairly decent job staging in most of my house, I have seriously neglected this room.

So I am taking my own advise and tackling one little corner at a time...maybe in another 13 years it will be the way I want it!

One thing I know I will have to change...the curtains! Right now I have brown (I have them pulled to the far left!) Not a good accent color any longer!

I set these little cedar boxes out just to show them off. SOOOO stinking darling!

The larger one is a little Lane cedar box I've had for awhile...they are one of the "Things I Love!" I bought the tiny little boxes at an auction yesterday, along with a few other goodies....

I don't know why I think little cedar boxes are just too stinking cute...but they get me every time! I will only keep one of the tiny little boxes. I'm sure I will find something to do with it just like I have the larger Lane boxes. One holds "stuff" on my dresser and the other went in my laundry room to hold dryer sheets! They are super easy to refinish...a quick scrub with varnish remover and then a few simple coats of tung oil finish...

Speaking of refinishing...I picked up a special something for myself yesterday.

I'm nervous...it's a HUGE change and I'm not sure I am up for it.

I featured a few little changes I made to my dining room here...I also shared a peek at some mid century chairs I bought here....

As I have said time and again, I obviously like eclectic. I know I want to use the mid century dining chairs, but I have grown tired of my Duncan Phyfe table. So I have been on the look out for a new table.

Well...yesterday I think I might have found it!

I had to use the camera flash to get a good picture of all the varnish crackling and the engraving details!

The top has been stripped and refinished at some point. Whoever did it, didn't bother with the two leaf inserts...they look original. And the base has never been touched as far as I can tell. The finish is very "crackled" and dark...which is pretty common with old varnish finishes.

I was thinking I wanted round...maybe a pedestal type table. Something along these lines...

This antique table would be a HUGE leap for me!

I honestly wanted something I could paint to brighten up the setting.

When I first spied the antique table I thought I could refinish the top and paint the base.

I know I won't paint the mid century chairs (gasp!) and the more I look at this piece, the more I'm not so sure I should paint it!

It is the perfect size and can easily be expanded with the two inserts during the holidays. I really like the fact that it is different. I know it would be beautiful when I am finished with it!

I could leave it against the wall, or find an awesome side table to go under the pictures and pull the table and new chairs out into the middle!

It could be a special piece in this setting....