Spring into Summer Front Entry

Tomorrow is Mother’s Day and traditionally a day of family and flowers.

I have been out all morning planting seeds and gardening. Love the sight of that little seedling poking up through the soil.

While I was outside I decided it was time to give the front entry some lovin’ and freshen it up a bit for the season.

Did you know Costco has some lovely large white hydrangeas for $14.99 each ? They are fantastic ! I think I want to pick up a couple more they are so amazing.

Window Trim Update:   Construction is completed in regard to our window trim project, but we still need to paint. The bay window on the deck was a little tricky and took more work and time than we had anticipated. Now we need to pressure wash the deck and siding a bit and paint to finish it off. I will share when we are completely finished.

Happy Mother’s Day to all you Mommy’s, Mom and Grammie’s and Mimi’s out there. How blessed I am to have been called all of the above. Best job titles in the world I would say. As a mother of 4 and grandmother of 9, I wear the title with honor and humility. Grateful for the legacy and heritage from my Mom of how to love sacrificially and unconditionally and trust in Jesus. Living a life that passes that on to the next generation and the next and the next….. is what I’m praying for. Thankfully I see the blessing of that in the lives of my daughters with their husbands and children, loving Jesus and touching other peoples lives with generousity and compassion.               What more could a mother ask for?

So again… Happy Mother’s Day !

Linda

Window Trim Project

We’ve started another project that was on my ‘ home improvement to do’ list . This time it is trimming out the windows in the back of our home.

I think some builders cut corners with less trim work as to save money and knowing the house will sell anyway just trim the windows in the front of the house and not the back. That was the case at our house.

Front :

Back:

Somehow to me it just looked unfinished. We didn’t want to start a huge project but wanted to add some detail to the back of our house we thought this would help. So the project began yesterday.

Before:

So far:

This is just the beginning as we have 2 stories and the windows on the deck area to be wrapped and trimmed.

Here is where I need your help :

We are not sure how to trim out this area. Sort of a bay window ( there’s a 3rd window you can’t see from this photo on the far right side) and the windows aren’t evenly spaced from the corners. I am thinking we take off the white trim and totally retrim it as one big window and then we add the trim on the corners as needed above and below the window trim. We would need wider boards to cover the spaces between the window and the corners and no siding would be shown in the window area. Does that make sense? I don’t exactly know how to describe it and really not sure that is the best approach. I could really use some advice, needed before Saturday as that is when our friend will be back to finish up. HELP!

A friend of mine has this around a group of windows at her house:

Her home is one where they didn’t cut corners and the details are amazing. I am hoping for neat and finished with improvement from the current appearance.

Please post your suggestions and if you can attach a photo. I have searched Houzz and Pinterest and still can’t find a photo of exactly what I should do.

Thanks for any suggestions you may have,

Linda

Folding Chair Makeover

I was kicking around these old folding chairs in our garage for years and didn’t have the heart to throw them out but only used them when I was desperate for additional seating. I have World Market wooden folding chairs as well and they were the ones I grabbed first if needed while these metal ones sat collecting cobwebs and dust in the garage.

Until I saw someone had posted a repainting project with metal folding chairs. Viola’ ! ‘Light Bulb’ moment! I can do that!

How come when you get inspired to do something on the fly and get all excited about it, purchase all the needed supplies, it never goes quite as smoothly as you had envisioned? That was the case here.

First I had to remove the cushions so the metal frame could be painted. Well mine were riveted into the frame so they needed to be drilled out. Not thinking that through , but I will explain later.

Then I ran out and got the paint I wanted to use. 1 can of paint per chair (I had 4).

Then fabric to cover the cushions. My chairs had a little back cushion and a seat cushion to cover. I used home décor fabric but you could use anything that you think would hold up and not wear our too quickly.

First I spray painted the chairs, well my sweet husband helped me as he is more experienced at using spray paint than I am and I was having trouble with some drips.

Then I went about recovering the cushions. So far so good.

Then here is where things started to get a little frustrating. Time to attach the cushions to the chair. I thought at first I could just use little screws and reattach them… well NO!

Then I realized I needed to purchase a rivet tool and new rivets. I won’t tell you how many times we had to return to the store to get the right size. I will save you the trouble by letting you know you need to get 1/8″ diameter,1/4″ grip( see photo). I have just saved you hours of frustration and wasted time….You’re welcome!

The clips on each cushion that the rivets go into also needed to be drilled out and free of old rivet pieces. ARG! Hadn’t anticipated that.

Once clips were replaced back in the cushions we used the rivet tool to reattach them to the chair frame.

Haven’t decided if I will try and touch them up with paint or not.

Here is the finished project:

I also covered one with a different fabric:  ( it is taped on in this picture getting ready to attach with rivet tool )

They are pretty cute and I think I will use them more now that they have been ‘whimsified’. I went for colorful and whimsical but you could easily finish them in the color scheme of your choice. How about painted gray with a little yellow chevron stripe? Or you could finish each one in a different color? Or match your home décor ? I think you get the idea.

Now that I have taken the guess work out for you have at it and remake those old folding chairs something you have fun using.

Have a great weekend!

Linda

Linking to :

Little Girlie Necklace Tutorial

Oh Pinterest ! What have you done to me! I can’t even begin to tell you how many things I want to try and do because of the door you have opened !

I know I am not alone in this explosion of creativity sharing craziness. Come on admit it you have your ‘boards’ and list of ‘to do’s’ also.

My daughter Brianna showed me this one on her list and I thought it would be fun to do together. However the Pinterest picture just lead to a sweet Esty site not a tutorial. As great as that was I wanted to make my own. So I headed to the craft store for the supplies and was ready and waiting when Brianna arrived to try our hand at making these darling Little Girlie Necklaces.

Here are the supplies I purchased:

Beads , any size I used 5/8″

eye pins1 1/2″

small rings

metal ribbon clasps

5/8′ ribbon

Instructions:

First make a chain of 5 beads linked together.

Thread eye pin through the bead , snip off some of the extra length of the pin and then make a loop on the straight end the same size as the existing loop. Do this to all 5 beads.

Using a jump ring or any size ring you chose, connect the beads together make the little chain of bobbles.

Cut 2 lengths of ribbon ( I cut 24″ each) fold in have.You can adjust the length later before adding the ribbon clasps.

Attach the ribbon to the end ring and knot. Add a bow if you’d like. I tied mine and hot glued it on.

Now attach the ribbon end to the metal  clasps with a crimp of the plyers. You can add the little hook as well it comes in the package with the clasps.

So cute!

Caution: I wouldn’t let children under 3 wear it as it could become a choking hazard so keep that in mind.

I will be making these for Easter gifts for my little girlies this week.

Hope you will have fun making one for the little girlie in your life too.

Linda

linking to:

Porch Columns Update

I am finally getting around to posting about our one of many “To Do’s” for Spring. It was a “To Do” even if somebody else did it, I still get to check it off the list.

Last week the porch columns were remodeled and are awaiting painting. They look so much better now. They are more in scale with the stonework and the front of our home. The craftsman did a great job and as soon as the days are a tad bit warmer and a bit less rainy they will get painted.

Before :

After:

The funny thing was as much as I felt they needed a makeover, none of my friends even noticed them. They couldn’t remember what they looked like before and walked right by them and didn’t notice the improvement. So I guess that goes to show you what you think is so noticeable and need of a change, sometimes isn’t even observed by others. So unless you want to change it because it makes a difference to you (which to me it did) it may not be all that big of a change for the money. Oh well I like it so much better and I think when you compare the before and after , it is more obvious an improvement.  What do you think?

Have you ever had that experience when you did something you thought made a great improvement and yet nobody really noticed?

Well on to the next item on the list of “To Do’s”.

Linda

UPDATE ! THEY ARE PAINTED!

Spring Project : Porch Columns

As the sun shines a little more often and Spring is becoming a reality my eyes see all that needs to be done outside around here. It’s a bit overwhelming and the “to do” list could well out last any budget or time to get it all done.

So we decided that our front porch columns are one of the first things you see when you come to our house and they needed to be addressed.

First the house is 7 years old now and showing some wear in certain areas already. That sure happens fast! Maybe our climate here in the Pacific Northwest has something to do with it. A little too much moisture will effect the exterior paint and moss on the roof very quickly.

I have been looking on Pinterest  and Houzz to find examples of front porch columns that would work with the style of our house. I don’t want to start changing the style and get too elaborate but keeping it clean and simple.

I found these ideas:

Some are fantastic but a little too much trim for this house with out doing something different around all the exterior windows as well , not really ready to do that.

This is what our columns look like at the moment:

To me they are a little small for the front of the house and not trimmed out very well.

Here are some other pictures to give you a better idea of what I’m talking about.

This next week they will be getting a little makeover and I will post before and after pictures when the work is completed. I am hopeful it will add greater curb appeal when finished.

This is what I hope they will turn out like :

Just a little bigger and trimmed somewhat minimal is what I’m going for.

I’ll let you know if this first of many ” to do’s” turns out as planned.

Have a great weekend and enjoy this sunny day!

Linda

Captivated By Old Doors

Yesterday I was drawn to a photo of an old door on Pinterest. Pottery Barn was posting emerald green items after Pantone announced that was their color of the year.

I love old doors , always have, and the ones that show the wear of time and history speak to me all the more. So I went on a search for pictures of old doors. Starting with blue and green.

Each door had a charm and story of it’s own and I was smitten with a desire to find more.

Maybe it’s the texture and patina or maybe it’s the wonder of what stories they could tell, or even the curiousity of who lives behind each one and what is on the other side of the door. I think it’s a little of all of that.

Can you tell I’m captivated?

Linda

New Year A New Start

I have to admit I have been away from this for a while trying to decide if I had anything creative enough to write about or projects to share.

Well I am going to try and start again. Twice in the last 2 days someone I ran into said ” I miss your blog”. That meant at least 2 people were reading my little patch of blogland.

So here goes!

Off to a new year and a new start.

Since my last post I have taken down Christmas and redecorated for the rest of winter, not quite Spring, but not all snowflakes and flannel either.

Out came the yellow pillows to brighten things up a bit and the cozy throws still over the sofa to snuggle up in when land for the evening and read.

I trimmed forsythia branches 2 weeks ago and put them in vases with luke warm water, they are busting out with cheery yellow blooms,that remind me of the promise of Spring. I can’t ever have enough flowers, the amaryillis from my parents for Christmas is still blooming bright red on the window sill.

I even have the touch of green and yellow in a bowl of pears, and yes they are real. I am not a fan of silk flowers or artificial fruit. Not when the real thing is affordable and brings life to a room. Not to mention little children tend to take bites out of things so why not give them the real fruit rather than a waxing imitation? Teagen( my little 1 1/2 year old grand-daughter) munched on 4 granny smith apples when she was here last week, tiny teeth marks in them all and I loved it. Granted she did eat half of one, but she thought it was fun that yummy fruit was sitting right out where she could get her little hands on it.

I have projects started that are waiting for the final touches before they are shared. Sea glass bottle updates and some other fun DIY pojects.

It would help motivate me if you would take a second and leave a comment . I really appreciate feedback and knowing you are taking some of my ideas and using them in your home.

So let’s wake up our homes after all the holidays and winter chill with a fresh start by adding some fresh fruit and flowers to our rooms. That’s a change you can easily make today when you stop by the market on your way home.

Have a great day!

Linda

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Tis the season for Christmas my favorite time of year.

This year I have kept the decorating pretty neutral ,using a cream,silver,and green color scheme. Since we live in the Northwest greenery abounds and I have plenty of access to cedar, holly, boxwood , fir and pine on our property. I love the smell of the fresh cut greens and have them tucked in everywhere. I even added sprigs of rosemarry to the mix.

First of all I started decorating our mantel. It was inspired by the simple snow globes I made right after Thanksgiving with some of my grandkiddos. They are everywhere on Pinterest and inspired by Anthropologie’s version ($40). Ours only cost a fraction of that , as I had the mason jars and purchased bristle trees and snow at Michaels for 40% off. I think they were less than $ 2.00 each.

This is how they look on the mantel .

I must have changed the mantel arrangement at least 4 times until I was happy wirh it. Sometimes I think I can over decorate and it looks too busy and not restful and calming. So I take it all down and start over until it feels right to me. I was having a little trouble until I cut the greens and started filling in the spaces with the cedar and boxwood. Ahhhhh , much better!

When I added the greenery everywhere and it really warmed up all the decore.

Nestled it between mercury glass trees and ornaments and it made all the difference.

So if you can get out and trim a little greenery native to where you live, do it ! It may be just the finishing touch your Christmas decorating needs.

Linda

Linda

Polyvore

So this morning I found this fun shopping and designing website called Polyvore and I think I might be hooked. I wondered how people put together such cute outfits and posted them on Pinterest and now I know. This is my first outfit I put together in my effort to learn how it all works and I must say it is way too fun.  You may be seeing more of ‘MY STYLE’ from time to time once I get the hang of it. I suggest you visit the site and start making a style file of your own.

Have fun!

LInda

Pumpkin Patch by lattegirl2 featuring straight fit jeans

Sweater
$105 - mexx.eu

Straight fit jeans
udobuy.com

Dune flat knee high boots
$260 - johnlewis.com

Puma shopping tote bag
puma.com