decorating
Our Foyer – Come On In
When we lived in the Atlanta, Georgia area, I finally had the spacious foyer I’d always dreamed about having in a home. Always. The irony is not lost on me that while I finally had the spacious foyer, no one used it because the house was a ‘come in the back door right into my kitchen’ sort of home. *sigh* Our home in Ireland is definitely a ‘come in the front door’ type of home. The foyer is actually of decent size and is its own designated space, so people aren’t walking immediately into our living areas. Assuming that we’ve actually had people over. We haven’t. Note to self: need to…
Matchbox Car Magnet
Guys! I did some crafting! First time since we moved to Ireland. It felt good. So good. Plus, it was a 2-minute project, which is my favorite kind of craft project. Do you remember the sheet metal United States map I made for my son? It’s still one of my favorite projects. At the time, I thought it would be cool to make tiny magnets that my son could put on the map to show all the states he had visited. I just wasn’t sure how I was going to execute on that idea. Then we moved to Ireland. I should have made a world map. Ah, hindsight. It’s always there when…
Burl Wood Table
I grew up on a farm. Now, I can’t speak for all farms, but I can speak to my experience. When you have a lot of barns and outbuildings on the family farm, it’s easy to put stuff in these buildings because you might need it someday. That’s not hoarding. That’s, uh, that’s being practical. Waste not, want not. That sort of thing. I can also fix almost anything with baling twine, but that’s a farm story for another day. When the Junk Whisperer (aka my stepmom) came into the picture, she started unearthing these long forgotten treasures while cleaning out the farm’s outbuildings. Thanks to her hard work and ingenuity, I…
Clothespin Holder
I know this is no way to start a Monday, but I have laundry on my brain. I trust yours is all done, folded and put away. Mine is hanging on the line. For the first time in my life, I bought clothespins to use for their intended purpose: hanging clothes. What a novel concept! (These are just like my clothespins.) It got me to thinking about the Junk Whisperer’s (aka my stepmom) laundry room. She has a super cute vintage clothespin holder made to look like a dress. It’s darling, right? When I visited her home earlier this summer, I mentioned off-hand that it would be fun to make a clothespin holder like…
Bowling Ball Lawn Orb
What do you do when your local bowling alley is getting rid of old bowling balls for free? Uh, jump for joy? Not while holding the bowling balls though. I’ve heard bowling alleys often end up with cracked or damaged bowling balls and they’d rather give them away to DIYers than fill up their garbage cans. I imagine the garbage man likes it a lot better too. I’d like to know if this is true in places other than my small hometown. Let me know! One thing you can do with an old bowling ball is make a decorative lawn orb. It’s easy to make one, but it does require a…
Pallet Flag Tip
The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays – especially when I can celebrate with a good ol’ fashioned small town parade. Nothing screams “proud to be an American” like your local insurance agent throwing hard candy at little kids who run out into the street to grab these free treats. Seriously can’t wait. Now’s the time to get into the patriotic spirit with a little Americana decor, which brings me to this burning question. Is the pallet flag trend over? I don’t keep up with these things. I’m all about displaying what you love for however long you love it. It eventually all comes back into style anyway. I’m…
3 Creative Ways I Store Shoes
The one thing my kids are really consistent about (besides asking for a snack every 5 minutes) is taking their shoes off when they come in the house. I’m not sure if that’s because my husband and I did an exceptional job of training them or if my kids would just prefer to be barefoot. Hmm. Let’s go with the exceptional training. Yeah, I like the sound of that. In reality, if you only knew how many times I’ve left the house and one of my children wasn’t wearing shoes. *sigh* Anyway, shoe containment is a real problem. I’ve never lived in a house with a proper mudroom to hold…
DIY Wood Bench
Remember my son’s bedroom? He rests his head, for at least part of the night, on a knock-off Pottery Barn bed we made. For the other part of the night he transform into a stealthy ninja and plays musical beds. We never hear him coming. I blogged about the bed about a year after we made it. The only thing I don’t love about the bed is how heavy it is. This wouldn’t be a problem if we were the type to stay in one home forever. 4 years is our record. The moving itch is real, folks. The main reason the bed is heavy is because the mattress sits on a frame made…
Vintage Wood Gate
I found a wood gate recently. Actually, Handy Husband found it and said, “hey, you should do something with this.” That sweet talker. This gate is the real deal. Kind of like me. The gate has the weathered patina that can only come from years spent in the elements. Kind of like…uh…wear sunscreen kids. It got me thinking, what could I do with this gate? Use it outside? Use it inside? I liked the idea of inside, but that moment of spontaneity struck when Handy Husband wasn’t home. My girl muscles are impressive, but I could still only lift one end of the gate. Getting it in the house without…
Dining Table Refinish
It’s confession time. I try not to become emotionally attached to inanimate objects. It’s silly in the grand scheme of things. I do know this, but still…I really, really love my dining room table. It used to be the lunch table at one of my favorite jobs. Over time, one too many hot paper plates was set on the table and the finish started to wear off. I bought the table and 4 chairs for $150. I was over-the-moon excited. The legs on the table alone were worth it. They make my heart go pitter-patter. But I’m not emotionally attached or anything. The good thing about the finish wearing off the…
