My husband had asked me what I wanted for my birthday, and I said I would like to celebrate with my friends and family. The guest list totaled seventeen which left us wondering how we could accommodate everyone (my birthday is in February no sitting outside). We eventually figured it out and had an amazing evening of fun, food, friends and family. Let's see how we did it! This is our dining room. I love it, but it would not hold seventeen people! This is our family room. No room here for seventeen people either unless you move all the furniture around in your house. We moved the family room furniture into the dining room. I have to say I am loving the wall color and chandelier with this furniture! Then we moved the dining room furniture into the family room. We added another table and chairs, which pays off when you refinish furniture and have seventeen chairs available to use. The seating was taken care of, leaving the menu which my husband was in charge of. It consisted of lasagna, roast pork tenderloins with cherry sauce, Greek chicken kabobs, maple mashed sweet potatoes, asparagus bundles wrapped in bacon, and tossed salad with homemade honey mustard dressing. He also baked two cakes, one chocolate and one white cake (the white one is my favorite). I know, right!! It was a perfect birthday celebration surrounded by my family and friends. The next day we moved everything back, rested and reminisced about the night before. Not everyone would want to move furniture to accommodate a large crowd, but for us it was the perfect solution. If you enjoyed this post, please give it a "like" and subscribe to receive new posts as they are

I tackled my linen closet today. It is one of those things I have put off and put off and put off! Maybe I was hoping elves would come along and do it for me. No such luck! I call it a linen closet, but it no longer resembles one. It has become a catch-all place with a few sheets thrown in. I really try to avoid it if I can. When I do go in there, I grab what I need and get out quick. My plan of avoidance was foiled when someone left the linen closet door open. I came upstairs and got a full-frontal assault. The view was not pretty and could no longer be ignored! So began my Sunday of cleaning, painting, and organizing my linen closet. This is the door that should have remained closed. The idea of all of you seeing this mess made me cringe. But, for the post's integrity, full disclosure was necessary. The first thing I did was remove everything inside. Much better! After emptying everything, I thoroughly cleaned the space. Then, I removed the shelves, making sure to number each one as a precaution in case they fit only in the original spot. Following this, I painted the sides and shelves with white paint and the back with gray chalk paint. Then, I added shelf liner from the Dollar Tree to all the shelves. This prevents scratching and looks nice. After all that work, it was time to have some fun! I picked up some baskets and storage containers at Home Goods. I already had these glass containers. I tried to use them for sugar and flour at one time, but they did not keep moisture out and the sugar lumped together. I fished them out and put soap, Q-tips, and eventually cotton balls will go in the third one when I get to the store. Here it is! So much better than it was before! I am not under any illusions that the linen closet will continue to look like this. But if the door should be left open, there are pretty things to distract your attention, so maybe you won't see the mess? Whoa, I am definitely naive. Oh well, for now, I am just going to look at my beautiful linen closet and take in the moment. If you enjoyed this post, please give it a "like" and subscribe to receive new posts as they are created.

There are jobs everyone hates to do. Cleaning the bathroom, picking up dog doo, cleaning litter boxes. Currently, I am in the process of doing a job I hate to do painting a ceiling. Usually, I paint ceilings every few years, unless someone tried to knock a spider off the ceiling with a shoe, which is what happened in this case. Besides craning your neck or having paint drip in your hair, the most frustrating part is losing track of where you already painted. If the ceiling you are painting is white and the paint is white, when it starts to dry, it is very difficult to keep track of where you left off. Because of this, I came up with a system to help keep me straight! Here is said footprint on the ceiling. I did try to clean it but being a matte finish it is hard to get out. I laid down plastic on the floor added an extension to my roller and was ready to go.                                        It is hard to see, which is why I use this system in the first place. I start in the corner and push my roller above the molding, making sure I get the paint right up to the edge then roll out about a foot. Keeping within that foot line, I go the length of the room. After finishing the length, I go back to the starting place, put my roller at the end of the first foot, and repeat the process down the room until the ceiling is completely painted. After I am done, I do not clean up until the entire ceiling is dry. This way, if I missed a spot, I would not have to take everything out again. If you enjoyed this post, please give it a "like" and subscribe to receive post as they are created. Products Used: Behr Ultra White Interior Ceiling Paint

The COVID pandemic has disrupted our daily routines and coping mechanisms. Personally, I find solace in keeping myself occupied to the point of exhaustion, which helps me avoid dwelling on the current situation. This has always been my approach. Fortunately, my understanding husband allows me the space to navigate through this in my own way. He trusts that I will eventually come to terms with the challenges we are facing. I have reached that stage now! I feel incredibly thankful and humbled to reside in a nation where individuals jeopardize their well-being to support and sustain our community. A heartfelt appreciation to all the healthcare professionals, essential workers, and service providers who are the backbone of our society during this crisis. Thank you! As I promised, I will keep writing my blog, with the hope that it brings you a little distraction in this strange time. Here we go: Today I am going to show you how the upstairs hallway has turned out. This is the hallway that began with reorganizing the linen closet and then painting all the doors from black to white. It somehow morphed to include painting the ceiling, walls, touching up crown molding, baseboards, door jambs, and changing light fixtures. Before I started painting the doors, I sanded around where the doorknobs because the new ones are smaller. I also noticed a couple of drips from when I painted the doors black and sanded those as well. Now we are ready for painting. I started by painting the doors with two coats of primer. This will help the regular paint adhere better and I will use less of the more expensive paint. The knobs I purchased for the doors were black, but the hinges on the door were silver. Instead of buying new I scuffed the hinges with steel wool then sprayed painted them black. To no surprise, after painting all the doors, the walls, and ceiling looked tired, so I repainted them as well. After refreshing everything, the next step was to replace the light fixtures that came with the house (no judging about the dust).  I began my search, but the options were all above my budget. I came across a fixture I liked the glass dome but was not a fan of the brassy gold. brassy gold color. The price was eight dollars and decided to take a chance on it. I painted the base black, installed it, and was blown away at how beautiful it was. The pattern on the ceiling and walls was breathtaking. With the doors, ceiling, walls and light fixtures done it was time for artwork. This was easy I just shopped our house. I placed the bicycle Giclee from our family room at the top of the stairs, the sepia prints also from the family on the large wall leading to the bedroom, and finally family photos which I mounted on two amazing shutters (with patina already on it) that I purchased at garage for four dollars. I am so happy with the final result; the space is now so calming. It's exactly what you'd want to see before going to sleep each night. If you enjoyed this post, please give it a "like" and subscribe to receive new posts as they are created. Products Used: Kilz Primer Paint Behr Interior Ultra-Pure White Paint Rust-Oleum Matte Black Spray Paint Flush Mount Ceiling Fixture

A few years ago, I placed a garden bench at the curb. My neighbor across the street ended up taking it and putting it in her own yard. Recently, she put the same garden bench at the curb, and to my surprise I was the one to pick it up. It needed some care, but I knew I could find a place for it somewhere. This is the bench. It needs to be cleaned up. But the patina is amazing! I tried spraying it with some paint I had left over, but I wasn't really feeling it. I switched gears and started to clean it with a wire brush. I was a little hesitant because I love the patina. To my delight, some of the patina stayed in the wood.       Using mineral spirits (all products used in this post will be listed at the end) and steel wool I was able to take off some of the blue spray paint and reveal the patina underneath.                             She is ready for a new life! But where to put her? One Hour Later: As I am dragging (it weighs a ton) this bench around my house, stopping to test it in different places, not liking it, then moving to another space, I am wondering what my neighbors think of me. Although maybe it's better if I don't know?                               I found the perfect spot in my front garden that seems like it was meant for it. I can't wait until the flowers start to grow around it; it will look amazing! If you enjoyed this post, please give it a "like" and subscribe to receive new posts as they are created. Products used: Klean Strip Mineral Spirits Rust-Oleum French Blue Spray Paint Rhodes America Fine Steel Wool

This week is all about fun projects! I made a gnome and a snowflake ornament using items from Dollar Tree. Not only are they simple and fun, but they would be great to do with kids. Let's see what I did: I have seen Gnomes (Pottery Barn) like this everywhere it's what gave me the idea to try and make it myself. I found a video online on how to make Gnomes and gathered all the materials I would need. The gnomes' bodies were made by filling clear treat bags (Dollar Tree) with wheat flour and stapling them shut. Then, a sock (Dollar Tree) was placed over each bag. Next up creating personality. I grabbed a second sock, cut off the bottom portion, and attached the upper part to the gnome's body using a glue gun. Next, I added a half-round wooden piece for the nose and braided twine (Dollar Tree) to create hair. To make shoes, I took large round furniture pads and glued on cardboard for the shape. After drying, I painted them black and added a festive bell. Lastly, with another sock and pom-pom from a Santa hat purchased at the Dollar Tree, I made a Tuque. How cute is she! I continued on to make two more Gnomes. Starting each by following the same steps as before to create the bodies. I decided to give this Gnomes beards, one white the other brown. After cutting the fur to size, I hot glued it to the body. Once it was dry added noses. The white bearded Gnome's hat was made from part of a sweater sleeve I purchased at Goodwill which I added navy pom-poms to. The hat for brown beard was actually a Santa hat that I deconstructed using the brown fur trim his beard and taking the other part and sizing it to his head. Once they were all done, I felt they needed arms, for the girl I glued them to her sweater for the boy's I attached them from under their hats. Waiting for Santa to come and give them a ride! If you enjoyed this post, please give it a "like" and subscribe to receive new posts as they are created.

One of the things I enjoy doing most during the holiday season is shopping for Christmas decorations post-holidays. I have gotten most of my decorations this way. When I first started, I was unaware of the fantastic deals available and had already spent most of my budget for the holiday season. Since then, I have tucked away funds specifically for these bargain purchases. Let's see what I found: My first stop was Good Will. I saw this storage container on a table and was curious as to what was inside. I couldn't believe my eyes when I opened it up! It was filled with beautiful glass Christmas ornaments that were in perfect shape; each had a unique ornament hook attached. I did have a dilemma, though. I had not picked up a cart on the way in, and I had let the cat out of the bag as to what was in the container, so I was not going to leave it to get a cart. I gently placed one end of the container on the floor and, keeping it as straight as possible, I pushed it through the store and got a cart. After that, I visited Joann's where I found all Christmas decorations at a 70% discount. I spotted a flocked garland that caught my eye, but I hesitated due to the way it can shed. I did the shake test and was pleased to find no shedding, so I decided to purchase six of them. I was excited to discover that the sale also included candles. I had been eyeing some mercury glass Christmas trees but was not willing to pay full price. However, at 70% off, I couldn't resist and ended up buying two! I would say that was a successful after holiday shopping excursion! The only problem is I can't use them until next year. If you enjoyed this post, please give it a "like" and subscribe to receive new posts as they are created.

In the past, I have purchased items that required a lot of work but were ultimately worth the effort. The French desk I recently bought from Facebook Marketplace for $35 definitely challenged my perception that giving pieces of furniture a second chance and almost rebuilding said furniture are two separate things. The end result was beautiful, but the amount of work and time involved made me question whether it was worth it. Let's see what I am talking about: This is the desk I purchased for $35. There were a lot of red flags, but I chose to ignore them. The top had fallen off before we arrived, which brought the price from $55 to $35. The veneer was peeling off everywhere, and it was a nice piece but not good quality. However, I was taken in by the lines and beauty, so we bought it. The veneer was coming off in a lot of places and needed to be glued down. I collected every size clamp we had in our garage to tackle this job. I also got out my wood glue syringes. They are easy to use. Simply fill the syringe with glue, put on a blunt needle, and then inject it into the area you want to glue down. I wasn’t kidding about the clamps! There are two small doors on the desk that have beautiful detailing. One was in great shape and the other not so much. I had to work really hard, but in the end, I was able to save it! The veneer on the drawers could not be saved. Some of it came off easily, but the rest was firmly stuck. To help loosen the veneer, I used a wet paper towel. Gradually, the veneer started to come off, I repeated the same process multiple times until it was all off. During the removal process, the raised molding also detached, but I managed to save and reattach it after sanding the drawers. There were some chips in the veneer that I had to fill. I used spackling to fill them in. After it dried, I sanded it smooth. Although it took a while, we have completed all the repair work and are now ready for painting. I knew I wanted to paint this desk black, but when I saw this picture, I also wanted gold accents. As I was painting, I realized the backer board was warped and needed to be replaced. I went to Home Depot for the board and while I was there, I had it cut to size. Before reattaching it, I thought it would be easier to paint the design on the back before putting it back on. I used a stencil and antique gold wax to create the design. Once it was dry, I reattached it and then finished painting. The finished project! It was a long road to get here, and it is beautiful, but as I stated at the beginning of the post, my belief that every project deserves a chance was a bit shaken. I still believe in that, but this project has forced me to be more realistic about it. My plan is to choose projects in the future based on their quality, feasibility, heed the red flags, and most importantly, not to feel bad if I choose to walk away. If you enjoyed this post, please give it a "like" and subscribe to receive new posts as they are created. Products used: Titebond II Wood Glue Dap DRYDEK Spackling Annie Sloan Athenian Black Chalk Paint Annie Sloan Clear Wax Annie Sloan Black Wax

I decoupaged a dresser using rice paper a while ago, and I have been wanting to do it again. The dresser had been a massive undertaking, so this time around, I wanted something smaller. I purchased an old cigar box at Goodwill and thought it would be the perfect item to decoupage. I had the item, now I had to pick out the paper. After looking through hundreds of papers, I was drawn to one called the Bluebird Queen by “Decoupage Queen”. I had everything I needed, and it was time to get started! I love this paper. It is fun, quirky and mesmerizing! The outside of the box was given two coats of Waverly chalk paint in mineral and the inside was left as it is. Cut the edges of the rice paper before decoupaging. Start at the top, applying wallpaper paste in a small area, then position the paper on the box. Taking your time slowly smooth out wrinkles with hands or a large chip brush. Let the paper dry then cut off excess with an Exacto-Knife, keeping the extra pieces in case you need to patch up any areas later. Once it dried, I sanded the edges slightly for a smooth feel. There was not enough decoupage paper to cover the entire cigar box. I had initially planned to paint only the sides of the box but decided to expand the design by incorporating oil pastels, acrylic paint, and my trusty color wheel. First, I drew the tree and tail feathers. Then, I added color using a mix of oil pastels and acrylic paints, stepping back frequently to assess the progress and make any changes if needed. Once the artwork was done, I used the extra decoupage paper to fill in any empty spaces. These extended designs on both sides turned out beautifully. It was actually not as hard as I thought it would be, having the decoupage paper as a reference was a great help. Decoupage and cigar boxes make an incredible pair! If you enjoyed this post, please give it a "like" and subscribe to receive new posts as they are created.

You know what they say about the best-laid plans? July 2020 was the day we broke ground to start our addition/renovation. My mother-in-law was going to move in with us, and the addition part was for her. Due to health issues, my mother-in-law moved in before all the work was done. Of course, her health was utmost on our minds, and a lot of things were put on hold. Now that she is doing better, my husband was able to complete the wall unit she had been eagerly waiting for. It will hold all her antique collectibles. With the unit finished we were able to start unpacking her antiques. She asked for help with styling the shelves since she liked what I did with my front room shelves. While I was helping my mother-in-law, I thought I would share some of the tips and tricks I had learned over the years on styling shelves. The wall unit has a space for her television, a desk area for her computer, multiple shelves for her antiques and the bottom is for storage which will have doors soon. Audrey (AKA my mother-in-law) was like a kid in a candy store finally being able to bring out her treasures! These are just a few of the many boxes she has . My husband built custom shelves for three of her favorite pieces. The pieces looked wonderful but needed more height. I used an acrylic base for the woman playing the lute and wooden ones for the bronze statues. A trick I use to break up negative space is hanging something on the back of the shelf. In this case, I hung a decorative fan, but you can also use framed pictures. Because the fan is the focal point it allows you to place items on either side. Audrey wanted all her Asian pieces together. I used an acrylic riser to balance the larger pieces. To finish the shelf, three ivory pieces were added. The height of each item and the fan on the back of the shelf keep your eye moving so you appreciate each piece separately and as a whole vignette. The last shelf we worked on holds Audrey’s "Moss Rose" collection. Because the pieces were so small and were very much alike, I had to find a way break it up. Audrey had a small glass curio box I thought would be good for vertical interest. I also used two acrylic shelves at varying heights to bring your eye around. I am so glad I was able to help my mother-in-law to style her shelves. We worked hard to get three shelves done and there are still boxes to be opened. If you enjoyed this post, please give it a "like" and subscribe to receive new posts as they are created. As always, I love hearing your comments. Keep them coming!