Can we talk? I’m frustrated with my bathroom. My downstairs bathroom is kinda narrow and it has no window. It’s hard to decorate and it’s even harder to photograph due to complete lack of natural light. Anywho … I gave it a makeover several months ago and wasn’t happy with it. So here I am…
Been workin’ on a few more bottles. Trying different looks and different techniques so creativity doesn’t get in a rut. Speaking of ruts, I saw a couple of bottles in ruts by the side of the road while I was out for my morning run. I’ve gotta remember to go back and get ’em ……
My find of the week was a small, unfinished crate. Raw wood, “plain pipe racks” as mi madre would say. It looked at me in the Goodwill store and said, “You know you want me!” So for fifty cents I made it mine. I failed to take a “before” shot but you’ve seen these plain…
This week I’ve been working on some more decoupage boxes and altered bottles in hopes of opening up a little shop on Etsy. And I have to confess, I’ve been procrastinating because I’m a little insecure about it. What if no one buys my stuff? What if I don’t price it right? “If at first…
White houses can be clean and modern, shabby and charming, stately and elegant, or classic and traditional. So here’s a salute to the All-American dream, the pride and joy of a well-loved home. All homes were photographed in Geneva, Illinois, where I spent the first 25 years of my life. Unfortunately, I didn’t grow up…
Lately I’ve been lovin’ bottles. I seek them out in boutiques. I search for them in flea markets. I hunt for them in the little dump in a hidden location at the forest preserve down the street from my house. I can’t get enough! My hope is to alter enough of them in a pretty…
My house is old. Circa 1875. Which means it has a little bit of charm coupled with quirks and oddities. It makes weird noises. Door frames and floors aren’t always straight. The layout doesn’t flow like today’s homes. But I have wide baseboards, divided windows, claw foot tubs, and solid wood doors. You gotta take…
My last trip to Goodwill resulted in a couple of finds that I knew could be transformed. The first project I shared was a little cherub for the wall, which you can see here. The second project is a little crock I transformed into a kitchen utensil holder, with a bit of French flair. I’m…
Shopping the Goodwill store is hit or miss, and in our area, it seems like there are more misses than hits. I think I still have a complex from my mother though, who would never be caught dead in Goodwill. “What do I want with someone else’s junk?” is what she would always say. She…
Several years ago I purchased an Ikea cabinet to house my computer. The pieces came in a box with illustrative assembly instructions (no text – just pics). I’m proud to say I put this cabinet together all by myself. Although the wood grain was pretty, I decided to paint and embellish it. This is the…
Have you heard of Trash the Dress? Apparently this is a new phenom where brides have a photo shoot of mucking up their wedding dress … after the wedding of course. My daughter Bridget trashed her dress in the city of Chicago last year after her October country wedding. (She didn’t really trash her dress…
“Butterflies are self-propelled flowers.” ~ R.H. Heinlein Two things I’m lovin’ these days … French Script … and Butterflies! So when I saw a beautiful French script butterfly wreath in one of my fave stores, I really wanted to buy it. But at $36 and some change, I just couldn’t bring myself to open…
Tonight was my first visit to the Na-Da Farm Barn Sale, and it did not disappoint. A few fellow bloggers were setting up booths at this market and I was especially looking forward to meeting them in person. All the wonderful eye candy and trinkets for sale were simply the frosting on the cake. Located…
I don’t know why, but I think one of the best arrangements of art on a wall is a medley of mirrors. In my humble opinion, they don’t have to match. Pair a contemporary mirror with an antique mirror. Tuck a rustic mirror next to a gilded mirror. Color doesn’t matter either … white, blue,…
My oldest daughter Stephanie gets married next June. As we plan for her formal wedding at Hotel Baker in St. Charles, I find myself looking back to my youngest daughter Bridget’s wedding this past October. While Stephanie’s wedding is all glitz and glam, Bridget’s wedding was a DIY rustic wedding held on a farm. We…
About 3 months ago I started a bottle collection. Some of the bottles I’ve left in their original state, and some I’ve been prettying up with paint and embellishments. This past Saturday I visited Cracker Jax in Dekalb and scored two finds. One was a creamy matelasse coverlet and another was this adorable little perfume…
