A big welcome if you're joining us from Donna's fabulous Saturday Nite Special. Don't forget to check out everyone else's wonderful entries.
Of course, I took time between memories to make a Thanksgiving dinner.We celebrated with my mom and my sister's family. My brother's family couldn't make it as they've all come down with the H1N1 virus. I feel for them, my house went through a bout of it and it's a nasty bug.
Also, I managed a little Christmas decorating and crafting! Look at me, Queen of Multi-tasking.
After only 3 months, guess what I've finally finished?
My dining room finally has things on the walls. Yippee!! I am so glad, now those hollow echoes will quit chasing me from the room when someone speaks. My neighbor gave me the old window, she has an entire stack of them in her basement and I think she thought I was insane when I asked her if I could have some of them to decorate with. I merely cleaned the glass and added a small ledge on the bottom of it.
I built these shelves not too long ago. These babies are 8 feet long! I love them and they're such a joy to decorate. Here they are, almost ready for Christmas. I think they could use a few more things. And I'm not sure about my garland ala The Nester style. It looks a little anemic in this photo.
Can you see that metal word? I got it at Michael's out of the $1 bin. It was a hideous neon green glittered covered atrocity that my daughter begged me not to buy. I didn't listen, obviously. Brought it home, sanded some glitter off and gave it a coat of Krylon's Brushed Metallic spray paint in Sesame Shimmer. I am so in love with this stuff-you'll see more of it in the following pictures.
Here's another word sign, but this one I left the glitter on and really liked how it turned out. A pleasant surprise. Those metal stars you see are from the Dollar Store. The hydrangeas are clip-ons I got at Big Lots a couple years ago for $0.35 a piece! Talk about a bargain.
Moving on to the kitchen...
While out, I stopped in at Homegoods and picked up the shadow box (it was slightly damaged and they gave me $5 off! Woo-hoo!) I promptly brought it home, took it apart, and started painting and decoupaging. Love how it turned out. And it proudly sets atop my $1.50 Goodwill shelf that I spray painted black.
Did you see this and it's mate in the photo above? Those are black frames that I picked up about 4 years ago at Gabriel Brothers for $1.99 a piece (no my memory isn't that good-they still had the price tag on the back). I took the cheap chipboard picture of an old soda ad, put a ($0.99 cent) piece of craft paper over it with Mod-Podge and hot glued a $1 ornament from the Dollar Store on it. I used Valspar spray paint to paint the frames and distressed them a bit to show the black. Loving them!!
But my favorite thing so far??
My hen!
I've had this wreath so long, I don't know where it's from or how much it cost. I'm guessing cheap, because it hasn't held up well at all. I picked up the hen, plunked the wreath on the tray, sit the hen back down and WOW! the change it made.
Want to see what I've been up to in the renovating department?
That's my kitchen counter and backsplash. That is also only about $32. A can of Valspar's Glossy Black paint, another can of High Shine Poly, and a roll of paintable wallpaper and I have brand spanking new counters and a backsplash. Can't beat that!
Now to conquer my fear of crown molding so I can redo my cabinets. The angles have got me perplexed, but as soon as I figure them out, I'll be sure to show you all.
Oh, and before I left for shopping yesterday evening, I tore down part of a wall to put in a doorway! The hubby is definitely loving that, let me tell you. Now to dig out the reciprocating saw and cut it out. Pictures to follow on that also.
So, what have you been up to?
19 comments:
It's just so pretty!!!
You put just the right mix of things on your walls. Did you lay them out first? That window is awesome, I love it!
Jeff is so, so impressed with the kitchen backsplash and counters. I couldn't figure out how you could paint them, but I guess polyurethane is a wonder. My mom ended up doing this same thing in her bathroom. It's pretty cool.
So you're going to put crown on the top of your cabinets?
Gillian, thank you! And, um, no I didn't lay anything out-my eldest and his friends stood behind me saying, "move that over there. Now put that there." Seriously. I do my little vignettes and he comes behind me and rearranges them and they always look so much better. He has a very artistic eye, so I take advantage of it. LOL.
Tell Jeff I said a huge, "Thank You!" I am so proud of the counter and back splash. I checked with the paint department at Lowe's and told them what I was doing and they told me what to use. And I love the shine on the counter!
I am planning on building up the top of the cabinets with crown-but I cannot wrap my head around the angles to cut them. Math and I are not good companions. I'll work my courage up though and jump in feet first, I'm sure. And I have the before pictures of the kitchen so I can show you what a big change I am going to make.
What fun finds! Your home is looking so beautiful for the holidays!... dee Dee
Holey moley... that wallpaper looks like real tin! What a fab idea! And your vignettes are awesome! I said wow out loud. :)
Thanks for linking up!
FJ Donna
Dee dee, Thank you! I am trying to make it festive and beautiful, which seems to be a never ending job with 3 kids and their friends (not to mention their dogs!) traipsing in and out.
Thanks for stopping by!! And, please, do come back again.
Donna, thank you! I love how the wall paper turned out. I merely used Min-wax stain in dark walnut on it and loved how it looked.
And a huge thank you on the vignettes. I read on this little blog where you should layer things to make them more interesting. So coming from you, WOW! am I complimented!
I am loving your decor. It looked awesome in person, but seeing it on here makes me think..."I was there!!" It looks great. Can't wait to see the door when you get it done.
Cheryl, you ought to see the mess! But the good news-the lathe inside the walls is the same hardwood as the floors!!!! How lucky is that?
You were lucky, not everyone gets to spend Thanksgiving being given a tour of the cheapness of their little sister, LOL. Love ya!
What a great and inexpensive solution to a new backsplash and counters! Love it! I'm dying to see the whole thing :)
I have the solution to your crown molding problem.
Home Depot sells a new crown molding that is the same on both sides. Stay with me here.....you make your first cut and when you turn over the second piece the angles are correct. Make another cut and then flip the second piece for the matching angle.
Uh huh. I'm not kidding.
They have better instructions than what I am giving. Go see their display...go, quickly.
You did a great job with this! The backsplash looks incredible!
Wow....I love it all,, the backsplash is wallpaper that you painted?/ Is that right? Tell me more? I love the look!
Lori E---I am shocked. Seriously. What a brilliant idea--I have got to get myself over to the Home Depot and check that out!
Lori E-you may have just saved my sanity! I will definitely check that out. Thank You!
Andrea, I will do a post on the wallpaper. But really, it's so simple it's almost pathetic.
You've been a busy girl! Love the window frame on your wall.
I like to use window frames and window screens for framing art.
Never heard of paintable wallpaper but it looks great.
I must see a tutorial on the countertop and backsplash...You have just blown my mind:)
yes-PLEASE do a tutorial on the backsplash.. was it already painted the base color, or did you have to paint it first, then stain it? what color of paint did you use? i am going to use green/brown in my kitchen, and this looks like just the thing i need to get started..!
HI, love,love the backsplash. Can't find your post on how you did it. In process of re-surfacing my countertops and want the same backsplash. Please help and thanks
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