decorating
How To Remove The Engraving On Slate Coasters
Slate coasters are popular gifts because they can be engraved with a personal or promotional message. But what if you want to remove the engraving on slate coasters? I can help with that. Our family recently completed a “fun” run together. If you have to put “fun” in the title of the event then it probably isn’t fun, but I digress. For completing the fun run we each received a promotional slate coaster with the name of the fun run engraved into the slate. I now had a set of 4 fun run slate coasters. They were a cool promotional gift, but not something I’d want to use in my…
Kitchen Peg Rail Adds So Much Functionality
We recently added a small kitchen peg rail to the end of our cabinets and I swear angels sang the Hallelujah Chorus when we finished installing it. This kitchen peg rail added a surprising amount of functionality and, dare I say, style to our kitchen. I didn’t take a true “before” picture of the peg rail, but I found it at the thrift store for $2. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that we live in a time and age where $2 doesn’t even buy you a cup of coffee in most places. I could not buy the materials to make a small kitchen peg rail for $2,…
Fun Fall Finds That Will Last Through Thanksgiving
I went online shopping for a friend’s birthday and ended up seeing a bunch of Fun Fall Finds that I liked for me instead. Gosh, I’m easily distracted. And now I’m about to distract you! You’re welcome. Here are the Fun Fall Finds that inspired me this month and really got my creative wheels turning for this fall season. Fun Fall Finds: Neutral Wreath I’m a sucker for things made out of wheat stalks. I wonder how hard it was to make this wreath? It’s gorgeous with all the varied textures. The other thing that would look pretty in a wreath like this is feathers! (image: Hearts Desire Floral via…
Reclaimed Kitchen Bar From An Old Piano
We created a reclaimed kitchen bar from an old piano. Yes, a piano. Are you surprised? No, the kitchen bar doesn’t look like a piano. Are you disappointed? If you’ve ever had the fortune (please note I did not say if it was good or bad fortune) to dismantle a piano, you will discover there’s a surprising amount of high-quality lumber inside. Old pianos are SOLIDLY built and typically made with gorgeous hardwood. Below is a picture of how our old piano started out. Please note this piano came with a house we purchased. We already owned a piano. There are a lot of things we need, even want in…
In Praise of Patchwork Quilts
Suddenly, I’m seeing patchwork quilts everywhere. Have you noticed this trend too? If nothing else, we can always count on everything old eventually becoming new again. Well, everything except us. I am not a quilting expert, but I do know that the patchwork part of a patchwork quilt simply refers to pieces of fabric that are stitched together in a pattern. This can also be called piecing. Quilting refers to the process of stitching a top layer, batting, and backing together to make a bedcovering. You could have a quilt that’s not patchworked or pieced. For instance, some coverlets that are solid colored are technically quilted because they have a top…
DIY Rustic Towel Bar From An Antique Harness
Who needs a rustic towel bar? Me, apparently. And maybe one of you. One of the things we found on our property was an antique harness that would have been part of the connection between a horse and a buggy or horse and a farm implement. At least, that’s what I think it is, but I could be wrong. From what I can tell, these harnesses go by different names: Singletree harness, Whiffletree harness, Whippletree harness, and leader-bars. Ours seems to be missing the center connection though. It looks like it could have been there and broken off, but that’s the only thing that makes me question whether or not…
Candid Photos of Our House That Give Me Warm Fuzzy Feelings
I’m one of those people who will walk through our house on a mission to get coffee, do chores, etc., and then some amazing scene or moment will catch my eye and the mission will be abandoned. Poof! Just like that, my easily distracted squirrel brain will be compelled to stop and snap a quick candid photo of the amazing scene or moment. Do you do that too? This situation occurs often enough that I need a sign on my back that says, “This person makes frequent stops to snap photos. Do not follow closely behind.” It’s probably also why I can’t find things (scissors, Kindle, laundry basket) because in…
4 Tips For How to Use a Headboard As a Room Divider
Have an awkward space and want to use a headboard as a room divider, but are wondering how to make that work? You’ve come to the right place. We recently used a headboard as a room divider and learned a few things the hard way along the way. Here are four tips for how to use a headboard as a room divider. Tip #1: Solid headboards work best for delineating spaces. I’m sure there’s an exception to every rule, but of all the pictures I’ve looked at and in our personal experience, a solid headboard seems to work best as a room divider. By that, I mean a headboard that…
Five Corkboard Ideas To Try
I have not one not two, but five corkboard ideas for you to try today! What can I say? I’m a giver. Corkboards can give off distinct 9 to 5 office vibes (boring!), but with a little creativity, you can take a drab corkboard and make it pop! Let’s take a look at some ideas to get your creative juices flowing. Corkboard Ideas: Add a Shelf. Add a shelf or ledge to turn a basic corkboard into something unique. This 2×3-ft corkboard cost $2 at the thrift store. Once the shelf or ledge piece on the bottom was added, it became a one-of-a-kind corkboard. It’s hard to tell in the…
The Key to Decorating With Kid Art
It’s taken me 15 years of being a parent, but I think I’ve finally figured out the key to decorating with kid art. Your kids have to stop making that cute handprint art, enter their teen years, start calling you “bruh,” and suddenly you’ll feel all nostalgic about that kid art and want to wallpaper your home with it. Bruh? Really, kids? *sigh* If this situation happens to you and you find yourself digging through bins and bins of childhood mementos wondering why you didn’t save more of your children’s art, don’t blame your earlier rational self. Your earlier rational self knew that you can’t keep every single piece of…
