Inspire Me Monday!! #4

Hello Friends! Happy Monday to you all! I had a great week and hope to get some more posts in to show you what I have been up to. For now a few things inspirational.

So I am sharing a picture of my laundry room on one of its better days for my own boost of inspiration. It looks oh so good in this shot but at the moment the dryer is covered in loose ends from pockets. Lots of shirts that are being spotted for stains and some more of this and that.... And if you could see the floor now it is littered in dirty clothes piles ready to wash..... needless to say.... I want my laundry room back and I'm going to get it done!

I love the chairs in this next picture. I've got two in my dining room to refinish and I am excited to get them done. 

This old chair is  a happy home for a few Cinderella pumpkins. It just needs some color like some pretty purple or red mums at the side. I am loving fall!

With hunting season full on I have to post this antler bowl. I have seen antlers in a lot of beautiful homes that aren't necessarily your typical rustic lodge home and it adds some fun natural elements. 

Not all things decor inspire me. This simple picture of a child's hand clinging to it's mother's hand speaks more that words can. These little hands are what inspire me most. I'm glad I get to care for my four beautiful children. These past few weeks I have really gone out of my way to find more time to really play with them and listen to them. To sit on the floor with them and laugh with them. 

I might not get all I want to get done in a day but I sure am glad I can spend it with them. I need to realize more often that the messes in a house can just wait and kids will be kids. They won't be kids forever. 

Someday I just might miss those fingerprints on the windows. Enjoy the moments that matter!

Hope you all have a great week and can conquer your to-do lists. 

It can be done!

-SADIE

Inspire Me Monday!!!! #3

Happy Monday Everyone! Hope you all had a great weekend! This last week was a busy one followed by a busy weekend. Glad to start fresh again. Here are some inspirations for you all! 

Inspire Me Monday!! #2

Another week has come and gone. Monday is here once again and I am rejuvenated and fueled for a new week ahead. I have a little list of goals this week and hope to tackle them with an attitude of excitement. Do you  have a few goals in mind? Here are a few things that have given me inspiration to keep me going with the  sometimes monotonous tasks a Woman can have.

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Paper Book Pumpkins

I want to introduce you to a creative blogger from Atlanta, Georgia named Katie. You may have heard of her blog Upcycled Treasures. She made these cute paper pumpkins for a fall tablescape to share. I asked her also to share 5 things about herself and I giggled at her quick response:

1. I'm getting married on Oct. 19th 

2. I can say the alphabet backwards 

3. I'm a vegetarian 

4. I'm afraid of the dark {I know I'm lame} 

5. My favorite drink is a Starbucks soy chai tea latte with no water and 2 pumps of vanilla

Her personally is great! A big congrats on her upcoming wedding and anyone that can say the alphabet backwards must make a mean paper pumpkin! {Learn more about her here}.

Now lets check out her skills!

Easy NO ZIPPER Slipcover Pillows Tutorial

Store bought pillows often have no zipper or way to remove the pillow cover when it needs washed leaving pillows looking dingy after time.  In this tutorial you will learn how to make your own pillows with good quality fabric that can be removed for washing with the convenience of no zipper to sew in. And my favorite part ..... IT WAS CHEAP!

Inspire Me Monday!!

I don't know about you but some Mondays I need need a little push and shove of inspiration to get my week going right. After the weekend tornado has come and gone it is always good to see some decor goodness to aspire to and get my home on the right track again. Seeing lovely things and spaces that are in order please my eyes! 

I also love before and afters of things askew. I think to myself "I can do that too!" (the putting things in order part.....believe me I can do askew!). I'm such nerd I go as far as taking photos of my own chaos and then snapping pics of the goodness that follows a hard days work of cleaning and rearranging. Someday I will get brave enough to show you my stash of pictures. I like to go through them once in a while. Sooooo.... enough rambling.... I would like to share some of the goodness I see that inspires me!

Entertainment Center Before and After

I was looking through my pictures the other day and found a picture of my entertainment center I bought from a friend last year. It was an all black three piece center that was really nice except for the color. I like white so much because it lets my small home feel more open. I loaded it up in the back of my van... (yes the whole thing fit!) and drove it to my Dad's shop to paint it.

Chandelier Makeover Part One Tutorial: REWIREING A CEILING LIGHT INTO A SWAG

Recently I transformed a regular ceiling mounted chandelier into a hanging light (swag light). I had gathered a few parts here and there to put together a customized light for  my kitchen. I will show you how I rewired the light fixture in a tutorial today.

Dining Wall Display

What a super day it is! 

My house is dirty, laundry needs washing, floors need mopped, and I get to organize my piles of papers in my office today!!........ I AM EXCITED!!!......... Don't let yourselves be fooled I am just giving myself a pep talk for events that will occur today. It really is a super day though. Got to get some fun in so I want to share a little display I have had on my wall in my Kitchen that was fun to put together. I have already changed my mind and am moving it somewhere else. I have Decorators A.D.D. or .... I don't know what you would call it. I just get tired of the same thing and move things once in a while.

 I am a big fan of pitchers and have collected just a few from various places. The problem is displaying them somewhere as I have little hands that would love to play with them and no china hutch or nooks to keep them in.

At a garage sale I found this white shelf  for a 50 cents. It has a chunk of wood missing and is all chipped up. Perfect! It is actually hanging upside down. It had a rod in it to hold towels. I flipped it and took out the rod because I liked the looks better and I could also stretch a strand of wire across it to keep my glass from falling out.

I found the plates at a Tia Pan Trading Store and the jars are old ones of my Great Grandma who canned  A LOT! I remember going into (well looking into) her spider infested root cellar and seeing all her rows of canned pickles, tomatoes, peaches, pears, carrots, beans.... you name it.

I love to display and decorate with meaning. I really appreciate the hard work of the life before my time that made it possible for me to be here.

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Chandelier update! 

I have been getting my hands dirty working on rewiring and assembling a chandelier for above my dining table.  I talked about the tutorial here and shared a few chandelier ideas.

Keep watching for the makeover. 

Have a great day and  now I am going to turn on my music and play housemaid! YIPPEE!

-SADIE

Pillow Covers and a WEDDING!

For a while now I have been debating on fabric to use for some throw pillows. All the fabric I love range from $20 to $40 a yard. Not really in my budget and I want a variety. Pillows for my couch have just been a dusty word on my to-do list until I was shopping for a few brief minutes at Joanne's the other day.

A Dresser Fix-up: Veneer Removal Tutorial

Meet my newest addition to the furniture family I have been collecting and reviving. This particular piece has a beautiful structure but is crying for a little cosmetic beauty and a few fix ups. 

In this post I will take you along as I begin transforming this oak serpentine dresser into that stunning lady no one can take their eyes off of. Get ready for a little lesson on.............. 

“Veneer Removal”!

Oh doesn't that just sound exciting!!!!! I'm a nerd for this stuff.

Lavender and Rain

Two of my favorite things today filled the air with a scent unmistakable to me as a reminder  of the simple blessings. For those who don't already know I love a good rain storm and everything that goes with it. Two days in a row our little valley has been gifted with the rain. By looking at the clouds rolling in I could tell it was going to be a big one. Outside I glanced at my lavender bushes that where almost already too far gone to preserve and quickly cut them down before the rain finished them off.

 I took a few shots of the heavy clouds moving in. I love the pre-storm pictures.

THERE'S A HOLE IN MY BUCKET!

I have a good friend who lives down the road from me and she is wonderful. She has been busy with a remodel in her pantry and laundry room!  (I swear these two rooms are the most crucial when it comes to running a smooth ship. Got to feed those kids and wash their clothes!) She called me the other day and was telling me about her progress. We talked about color and decor. She is smart and likes to use her resources. 

That a Girl!

She has an old galvanized pail that has been used to feed her family of goats with but it has a hole and no use for holding water anymore. She would like to incorporate it with her decor so last night I did some looking around and I found a lot of neat things for those buckets with or with out holes in them!

Grain Sack Savy: Bench Update

I showed you a sneak peak of a little project I did the other day. Take a look.

Life after Laundry: Two Toned Chalk Paint

I'm feeling the summer sun and loving it! I have been spending quality time with family while fishing and camping. After two weeks of family reunions my house was feeling the effects of packing and unpacking..... packing and unpacking!! 

I'm talking about a lot of laundry!

Finally... I got in the DIY mode and finished a few projects today. This was a two toned paint project that I used a new technique on.

Bushel Baskets in White

I have had a hard time finding bushel baskets but was able to snag a few at some garage sales in the past few weeks for under $2.00. I love them because I use them in my house for added storage while decorating with a vintage theme.

Chalk Paint Label Tutorial

There is just something about chalkboards that give a space a vintage feel. For me it takes me back to my childhood sitting in our two classroom grade school. This little school welcomed students from K- 6th with two teachers. I remember watching my teacher write an assignment on the board with that white piece of chalk and the sound of chalk on the board is still crisp in my  mind. It was at that time that I wanted to be a school teacher so that I could write on the chalk board. 

Well decades later I am not a school teacher nor do I have a giant chalk board in my home to play with but I did find a way to relive a shadow of the past. The recipe for the trip down memory lane calls for 

RUST-OLEUM Chalk Board Paint and Shipping Labels!!

Take a look at the Chalk Board Label Tutorial.

Legs with Character

Hello Friends! I've been away from the blogging world for a few days but there has been progress behind the scenes!
Here is a look at an end table project I have been working on. I am still using the same color line of paint that I did for the NO. 7 Chair. See it here. I bought two of these tables at a thrift store. The layers caught my eye and the legs with character. ("Legs with character": that's what I told myself when I went the the swimming pool the other day with my white legs!)

 Here is a look at the before and after shots.

Dining Table Delights

What piece of furniture in your house could be more important than the dining room table? It is my favorite because it's a great place for a family to gather, share a meal, and "bond"! As a family grows their schedules get crazier. Being together in one spot is always a nice way to bring us all back to what matters most. Lets take a look at a few favorite pieces of mine I found that has given me inspiration for my own dining room.

Loving the white clean look and the windows. Another eye catcher for me is the shelving above.

Mixing Bowls and Chalk Paint: Chair Reveal

This little chair found a home with me as an extra item when I purchased a corner dining bench off of craig's list. I have been wanting to try out the Annie Sloan chalk paint but thought I would give it a try and be a little thrifty by making my own . So I did.

Grey Beauty

As a storm makes it's way into the quiet warm valley the shadows of heavy clouds cool the landscapes. There is nothing better than the quiet calm before a storm. Times like this I like to take a minute and enjoy the beauty of the grey. A shade of grey can complement all of its surroundings.  I took a few pictures of the quiet calm before the storm.

SLIPCOVERS: Barrel Chair Cushion and Upholstered Back

Remember the sneak peak of the slipcover project I was doing? I finished it the other day! 

This barrel chair was about to go to the landfill but I said without hesitation "I'll take it!!!!" It has been in a drabby velvet- like cream fabric with a few marker stains. 

I tried using the old cushion cover to make a pattern. The new pattern was successful but the seam allowances were way off making the cushion cover smaller than it should be. 

Saved From a Workshop

Hello Friends! I discovered a great little shelve at an Estate Sale. This piece was sitting in a workshop covered in dust and grease. I spotted it right away as the layers of paint revealed its age. I picked this up for a whopping $2.50.

A little Shabby Chic in Cleaning

I was sorting through my cleaners the other day and I realized I really have a lot of this and that. Some new cleaners yet to be used, some old ones I occasionally use, and a whole lot of different kinds that serve different purposes. Lets just say I have more that necessary. My blog motto is "Keeping it Simple and Keeping it Real". So here I am sharing a tip to simplify your cleaning closet and getting rid of those harsh chemicals.

Refinished Church Pew

Hello Friends! What a crazy few days I have had. Monday was a HUGE laundry day and cleaning day for me. Whenever I do a deep clean I find myself rearranging furniture. Moving furniture means rearranging decor. I had fun but by the time I was done and bedtime rolled around I was ready! Tuesday was a town day along with immunizations for the baby and Dentist appointments for my two other kiddos. After all that chaos was the groceries. I may have turned a few heads with my kids and food overflowing out of my cart. And here we are today!!!!

Over the weekend I finished staining one of my church pews. YES!! The weather was perfect to stain in. Thank you "Weather Man"! I learned a lot from this project that can help you in future projects. Be looking for the VINTAGE DARK WALNUT STAIN TUTORIAL. I could have gotten done a lot sooner with this project had I known some things before hand. But all is well when you can learn something new!

Why would I buy a Church Pew?

Here is what I have been working on. I am sanding two of these old church pews that came from one of the first churches in Burley, Idaho. I am finishing them in a Dark Walnut. I love the way dark wood stands out when you pair it with a light colored wall.

Thrift Store + Spray Paint = New Life!

Today was another cold rainy day. I am grateful for the rain but it sure put a damper in my Church Pew Project. It was killing me all day to see it sitting out there hiding under a blue tarp all day. So I found a few projects to do inside.

 After I got done mopping my kitchen floor I brought the sander inside and sanded my dining table and put a coat of stain on. I know shame on me .... especially just after mopping! And who sands in the house!? i do. I couldn't help myself. I needed to do something to break up the monotony of cleaning and changing diapers.

Treasured Finds

Hello Friends! I did a little shopping this Memorial Day weekend.  There just so happened to be an Estate Sale only 20 minutes away from me! Why was I so excited for that.... because an Estate Sale near me is a rarity. Nobody sells their home around here. Most homes just stay in the family. I usually drive an hour to get where they are held more regular.

Breaking it Down.. a look at the slipcover process

Previously I posted the before and after shots of my slipcover that I made for my couch. I always like to see the in between stages so take a little look at some of the shots I took during the process.

Elements and Patience

Hello Everyone! I write to you  at the end of a not so warm day. I am really getting an itch to be outside and start  in on some paint projects. I have many on my list to do.

 First let me explain my refinishing headquarters. I live in a small house with no garage. Therefore I have no special "hobby room" or garage to paint in that I can just leave things out half way done to pick-up and work on the next day. Wouldn't that be so nice! When I paint it is outside at the mercy of the elements. Now I am not saying I don't ever leave an upholstery project out in my house because I do and my living room sometimes looks like it is temporarily under construction or something. And don't forget all of the kids toys laying around. I love my kids and everything that goes with them and I also love my projects. I get experience the best of both worlds in my house right. Lets just say that at the same time I dabble in the art of furniture I also dabble in the art of PATIENCE. 

Ahhhh... Blue and White All Natural

I read an article the other day that said how Blue and White are the two colors that will flatter any room no matter the size or function of the room. I love the Blue and White combo as it looks clean and fresh and can pair up with many other colors when you want to add a accent to your color palette. So many options! We are fortunate to be able to enjoy these natural colors outside as well.

I was outside today and was overwhelmed by the sweet smell of apple blossoms. The sky was beautiful and the sun showered a perfect light on the orchard. I was able to escape from the house for a few minutes to capture a few shots of this oh so trendy BLUE and WHITE!

Enjoy!!!!

Whats your favorite palette?

DYI Chandeliers

Do you have any old light fixtures looking drabby in your house? Have you spotted any at your local thrift store? Chandelier light fixtures are a fun DIY project that can save you money! Even if the wiring is cut or old there is still life in there. Don't toss it to the curb yet! Coming soon is a tutorial on re-wiring chandeliers and sewing a "chain cover" to hide those links. 

For now here is a few fixtures I found:

Using Rope: What a creative way to re-purpose a chandelier!

 

You can see  how to do this project here

Here is another  DIY chandelier using Mason Jars!

See the how-to here!

SLIPCOVERS: Before and After with a Supply List

I am so excited to have a slipcover made for my couch! I have been putting it off like a few other projects. WHY? Because I was afraid to mess it up! Let me tell you .... You are NEVER going to learn to swim by dipping your toe in the water. 

So last week I decided to just jump in and give it a try. I am giddy with the outcome. It's not PERFECT by any means but I like it much better than before. 

I had fun with this and learned some new things. I have a list of supplies you need to do this as well as a few tips I will be sharing later.

Here are the before and after pictures! Did I tell you I'm so glad to have it checked off my list of 'To-Dos' 

BEFORE......

...... and AFTER!

This is what was on my supply list:

• 10 oz weight cotton canvas ( used about 7 yards)
•  Dual Duty Heavy Thread ( used one plus some of the other spool)
• Fabric Scissors
• Sewing machine .. of course!
• Zipper Foot 
• Denim Needle
• Pins
• Cording
• Measure Tape
• Iron (optional)

Now time for you to jump in!!