Peonies

Oh how I love the big blooms of peonies.  Since we are probably moving at the end of the year, I have hesitated to plant them here.  They will be at my next house.  So for now, I found these pretty fake ones at the HobLob.  They will work for now, especially when they are in this old blue mason quart jar.  Pretty good for fakes...

Summer Mantle

I love switching out the themes on my mantle, but after Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine's Day, and Easter, I was looking for something I wouldn't have to change through the summer.  This is what I came up with.  I am digging it.  It's a little coastal, a lot summer, and nice and bright.

I made the big wooden "flag".  I had a few pieces of 1x3 board, and I had J cut them into 2 ft. pieces, I attached them together with the Kreg Jig on the back after staggering them randomly.  To paint it, I used some leftover blue and white paint.  The white is just an acrylic white paint by Apple Barrel, and the blue was from our dresser update, found here, it is a Valspar color called Vintage Blue.  The metal stars were from a little garland that I pulled off, and spray painted white, then roughed them up to let the metal show through a bit.  I hot glued them on with huge globs of glue.

And to finish, I had to rough up the edges a little, and sealed it with a satin sealer.  I accessorized with stuff I already had, milk glass, candle holders, grapevine balls, a fat birdie, candles, and flowers.

I definitely think it will carry me through summer.  Plus, it was perfect for Memorial Day, and for the 4th since it's sorta patriotic.  Almost all of my patriotic stuff is now in the office since it's kind of our military themed room.

Dresser Salvage

I heart free stuff.  There was a house down the road (a single mom) who was moving, and to save some of the hassle, she was giving away certain things that they didn't want to move, or didn't fit in the new house.  J and I quickly snatched up this small dresser as I had big plans to use it as extra storage in my office/craft space.  It was a wooden dresser, unfinished, and in pretty bad shape, but I knew I could do something with it.  Two of the drawers were chewed by a dog, and there was no saving them.  The knobs were also unfinished wood.  I sanded it, painted it with a flat no-so-bright-white paint, stained the top with Rustoleum's Early American stain, and then roughed it up with the sander.  I removed the knobs and spray painted them with rubbed bronze spray paint, they turned out really pretty, and it saved me from having to buy 11 new knobs!  After painting, I sealed it with a a stain spray sealant.

For the empty drawer compartments, we used some Gorilla Glue and put in some thin white panels we had laying around from another project to make a shelf for some baskets, in place of the damaged drawers.

I looked for about a week, when I finally found these at Michael's.  I hadn't seen these the first trip, but they were the perfect size and fit nicely.  I like the different browns in the baskets, I think it ties the lighter top in with the darker knobs.

You can't beat free!  And the extra storage has been so nice!  Plus I have a better place to put my gargantuan printer.  The little plastic drawers it was sitting on were giving out.  I'm pretty proud of this project, I did (almost) all of it by myself:)  Jason helped a little.

My Summertime Table Box

The box that we made last fall needed an update.  I wasn't sure what I wanted to do for summer, so this is what I came up with.  I used the white candles I had, and stuck glass tube vases in between.  Add a few white and yellow daisies, and call it a day.

I like the brightness of the white and yellow against the dark wood.  It's great for the warm months.

This box is one of my favorite projects ever.  It has been so versatile, and it fits our table perfectly.

I like this centerpiece.  Even if I'm not a big fan of the hot summer months.  Oh, and please don't look at the dust on the rim of the box.  I told you that stupid drywall dust gets everywhere, and I'm not going to dust everything until all the sanding is done.  I dusted the table down at least, I just forgot the box.  Ooops.

Master Bathroom Project

Oh, what a mess we've made over the past week!  About a month and a half ago, I pulled all the batting strips off the walls in the master bath, thinking that would motivate J to do the drywall.  I finally convinced him it had to be done before our friends come visit on the 20th.  Crunch time!  He has been working so diligently after work/school, and over last weekend (man, I love him!).  As of today, there is only a little sanding left, and then clean up time!  You cannot even begin to imagine how much this forces the OCD into overdrive.  Even though we have closed it off, the dust still escapes.  And it gets.every.where.  But the drywall looks fabulous, and I am so excited to get painting.  We also got stuff to frame the mirrors and new light fixtures.  I'm wanting a light green in here.  I think it will look beautiful against the darker wood.

 

These are kind of the beginning/before pictures, right after J had put on the first layer of drywall goop (that is my very technical term).

 

This corner was difficult.  They do not sell 45 degree angle drywall joint pieces.  There was much hammering and bending involved, but once again, J didn't fail to impress me.  It's looking so good!  This is the corner that we are waiting on..it is taking twice the time to dry, so hopefully today will be the last sanding for it.  (This picture is right after he put the first coat on..it looks so much better now.)

Handsome working so hard.

 

Ummm..yeah.  This is why I'm cringing.  I hate this dust.  Hate it.  I cannot wait to get in there and wipe it all down, sweep it all up, and mop it all away.  It looks like a fine, smelly, gritty dusting of snow.  I would prefer snow, I think.

 

More pictures to come...

Unrelated

I have been on a major break from blogging.  I think my head is back in it now.  I just wasn't feeling it for a while, but I feel like it's time to pick it back up.  This post is just a few random pictures I had wanted to blog about, but never got to, so they kind of got mashed into this post together.  Random.

 

I am kind of obsessed with beauty/hair blogs and YouTube channels.  My mom directed me to TiffanyD who has wonderful tutorials.  The one I used for this hairstyle is here.  My hair is shorter than hers, but it still did exactly like she said it would.  And the Paul Mitchell Hot Off The Press spray is wonderful.  I love it, but it's kinda pricey.  I got lucky, and found some at a wholesale place that a friend of mine, that does my hair, has access to since she has her cosmotology license.  Much more reasonable price, and that makes me happy.

 

I made a new wreath for our front door with some neutral colors since the front door is in direct sunlight for most of the day, my wreaths seem to fade pretty quickly.  I used flowers from Hobby Lobby, and hot glued them into an oval grapevine wreath, and painted my last name initial wooden letter (also from Hobby Lobby) with Antique Parchment by Apple Barrel (acrylic paint).  It's attached with a cup hook on the back and some floral wire, and a little hot glue so it doesn't move too much.  I finished it with a light colored burlap bow.

Jason made me dinner awhile back (I just came actross this picture and it reminded me to give him some major kudos) on an evening that I was feeling a little blah.  Oh man.  It was so good.  He made bacon wrapped chicken bites with a cream of chicken dipping sauce, chunky mashed potatoes, and spicy green beans.  I could have eaten another plate it was so yummy, but I did have a little self control.  J is becoming quite the chef.  Sometimes his recipes flop, but when they turn out how he envisions them, they rock.  Cheesy sausage topped asparagus with toasted crackers was not a hit, but I love that he tries, and that he likes to cook for me.  Now his homemade southern mac 'n cheese.  That one has a solid place in our recipe book.  I am so lucky to be his bride:)