When you live in an older home, circa 1950, with a basement laundry area, you just might not have all those wonderful modern, out-of-sight hook-ups for the washer and dryer. So what's a gal to do when she doesn't like looking at the vent and the water faucets? Create a cute laundry room skirt to hide the "unmentionables." It really is an easy solution. And a pretty cute one too!! Last year, I happened upon a bag of miscellaneous fabrics for $1 at the thrift store. It was truly a mixed bag. When I decided to create a skirt to hide the "unmentionables" in my laundry … [Read more...]
Hello, my name is Diane and I am enamored with chalkboard art. Chalkboards and chalk and I go way back. Last year at Christmas, I tried my hand at creating some chalkboard art. It wasn't magazine worthy by any stretch. However, that did not stop me from attempting to create some laundry room chalkboard art. [wink] You see I have this little laundry room makeover that I started last summer. And because I'm a finisher, I decided it was high time that I get the project done. So I started with giving you, and me, the ultimate inspiration, including a 'before' picture. … [Read more...]
It's been a busy week, but the laundry room makeover is almost complete! And today I'm going to show you some of the art that I created for my laundry room decor. As you come down the stairs and turn to the left, this wall is the focal point of the laundry area, here's the before shot. Because I wanted the area to look whimsical and inviting to do laundry, I decided on my zero budget to create art for my laundry room decor with what I had on hand; some clothespins, black cardstock, leftover paint, and a thrift store find. My laundry room decor began … [Read more...]
I have one of those rooms that many just dream about. A Studio. That's what I call it. Most would call it a craft room. A tiny 9x9 room in my house that is totally dedicated to my love of papercrafting. I have dropped hints that I might show it to you. Some time. And all these months later...I'm pretty certain that you wondered if I even had a craft room. Um. Studio. So without further ado.... Welcome to my Studio! Ahem. Craft Room. May I offer you a glass of ice water, lemonade, or lightly sweetened tea? Let's begin our tour of this modest … [Read more...]
Mouth. Watering. Delicious. Mmmm...Mmm! Three magic ingredients to set your taste buds to dancing. Three. You can guess what they are.... Bananas. {check} Chocolate Ice Cream. {check} But what's the third? Any guesses? Okay...I'll tell you. The magic ingredient is Banana Bread. But not just any banana bread....the best banana bread....tweaked a bit. You'll want to use this recipe. Because I can't stop tweaking even the best recipe...here are my adjustments for this time. Instead of butter I used organic … [Read more...]
It's time to display our red, white, and blue! Stars and stripes! Buntings, banners, garlands, wreaths, and.... Old Glory! It's time to get in the spirit of the holiday! Here's a simple, but festive way to.... Decorate a Vintage Window with a Patriotic Wreath and Garland for the 4th of July This garland might look a little bit familiar. I made a similar more simple star garland for my sunroom, which is all decked out for the Fourth of July! A handful of stars were left over from that project...just enough to create a garland for the vintage … [Read more...]
Do you decorate your home for Fourth of July? Generally, I add a few simple touches of red, white, and blue to my kitchen and great room. American flags are key to my decor inside and out. Then I pull out my Longaberger Baskets with red and blue accents, along with like-colored pottery. It's a fairly uncomplicated look, but evokes the spirit of patriotism for this fun, but very important national holiday. This year, I went all out in the sunroom. It might have something to do with the One Day, Three Ways :: Restyled Space Challenge. Yes, the one where seven fabulously … [Read more...]
Maybe you've seen it as you've cruised around blogland. Jennifer Rizzo hosted a blogger party where seven gals each took a room in their home and over three days, made over one room, decorating it three ways. There have been some amazing transformations! The series concludes with an invitation to all who wish to link up their transformed rooms. As you can no doubt imagine. I was pretty much inspired to jump on this bandwagon. My sunroom was languishing. The weather has been really warm, and the only frequenters of said room are the cats. The temperature in the sunroom might have been pushing 80 … [Read more...]
Happy Summer!! Summer officially rolled in to town at 1:04 EDT Friday morning. Fortunately or unfortunately it was still dark here, so I was unable to see the sun at its most northern exposure at that hour. This First Day of Summer did not disappoint! It was bright and sunny and warm. The perfect summer day! The only thing that would make it better....an Endless Pool in my backyard. A girl can dream....right? When the weather heats up, most of us don't want to be cranking up the oven or leaning over a steaming pot on the stove. And sure...there is that thing called air conditioning. But, if … [Read more...]
Just in case you hadn't noticed.....I like graphic art. Something colorful for the holiday or the season that can easily be slipped into a frame to create a lovely 'moment' or vignette is easy to do, eye-catching, and whimsical. You'll laugh, I was thinking about creating a printable for the Fourth of July, but when I happened over to my Red, White and Blue Pinterest Board, well, it seemed rather unnecessary. I had already pinned several very nice 4th of July printables. It occurred to me that you might like to know about these too. So...here's a little round up of my favorites...just for … [Read more...]
Have you ever gone for a walk only to come back with a treasure from the roadside? Last spring I went for a lunchtime walk on an unseasonably warm and bright day. About a block and a half from my house I noticed a pile of disassembled furniture and other sundry items at the curb of a home that had recently been sold. Evidently the home was part of an estate and the remaining items had to be disposed. As I walked by slowly, I noticed some tall French provincial cabinet doors stacked on top of each other amidst the partially deconstructed cabinetry. As I continued my walk down that very long cul-de-sac, I … [Read more...]
Whenever I see my blue Mason jars I think of... sparkling blue waters of the Big Lake, summertime, and sea glass from the Mediterranean*. Decorating Mason jars can be one of the easiest ways to add a bit of summer to a corner that needs brightening, or even the table. Recently I created an extraordinary tablescape with my vintage Mason jars and book pages. That got me thinking that most of you didn't see this post of decorating Mason jars with burlap that I wrote late last summer. If you're looking for a splash of coastal color in your decor, you'll enjoy a few of these ideas. Be … [Read more...]
As the temperatures rise and the summer sun shines brightly.... what's one flavor that is cool and refreshing? Lemon! Enjoy this extraordinary round up of lemon beverages and delectable lemon delights sure to make your taste buds dance. Thirteen...Wow! All kinds of extraordinary lemony goodness! 1. Mini Frozen Lemonade Pies from What's Cooking in the Burbs 2. Orange Lemon Shake-ups from Love Grows Wild 3. Summer Citrus Shandy from Lemon Tree Dwelling 4. Strawberry Lemonade Frosted Cupcakes from Oh Mrs. Tucker 5. Lemon Poppyseed Muffin in a Mug from Cranberry … [Read more...]
One of the things I was taught when I was little was to keep all the best things to myself. Haha! You might have thought that since I am an only. But, it really is more fun to share. So with that, I have for you... And because I said it waaaaay before Martha ever did. It's a Good Thing! 1. Coconut Extract is made for Banana Bread. You may remember when I shared my Best Banana Bread Recipe during my blogiversary celebration. The other day I was in the midst of making more banana bread, when I realized I was out of vanilla extract. I surveyed the options in my cupboard. My … [Read more...]
Can you think of cleaning products in your kitchen that you can't live without? For me, I like chlorine free dishwasher detergent, absorbent dish towels, a natural and pleasant smelling dish soap, and a small pot scraper. These products may change based on their availability and my budget. But, I don't equivocate when it comes to these two things: Dobie Cleaning Pads and Bon Ami Powder Cleanser . They are in constant use in my kitchen. Honestly, I prefer these brands over other nylon scrubbies and powdered cleaners. A question I hear from my Longaberger customers is: "How do I … [Read more...]
Mason or Ball Jars are a quintessential summer favorite of mine. As I was cruising this week's Monday Funday Link Party, I noticed there were several terrific jar ideas. Here is a round up... Mason Jars 7 Ways! Starting at the top left and going counter clockwise here's our fabulous line-up: Posed Perfection: Patriotic Fruit Ice Cubes Shaken Together Life: {create this} mason jar BBQ sauce ~ Fathers’ Day gift Joy is at Home: DIY Travel Mason Jar Tutorial {5 minutes start to finish}! Clean and Scentsible: Cherry Lemonade Raspberry Slushie Love Grows Wild: How to Make Mason Jar Soap … [Read more...]
Can you believe this.... was this? Found clam turned glam with gold! Darlene of Fieldstone Hill Design has had a weekly post where she challenges her readers to {DITTO} something in home decor or fashion. Last month, she invited a select group of bloggers to her first bloggers' {DITTO} challenge. A few of my favorite bloggers like Edie and Melissa were in the group. For June, Darlene opened the invitation to anyone who wanted to participate in each month's design challenge. You, too are invited to take the challenge and link up your … [Read more...]
