Getting caught up . . . .

I had made a promise to myself that I would keep up to date on my posts but I fell of the wagon quick with that. Oh well, new habits are hard to acquire unless they are bad habits. Those I seem to pick up quick. Lol. I've been busy since my last post. Well I feel like I've been busy as time has just flown by on me. So here's a quick update . . .

After having nice warm weather in the middle of January, Mother Nature dumped 2 feet of snow on us in one storm on January 22nd.

My help getting home Saturday morning after doing snow duty.

Still snowing Saturday morning.

 

Snow was so deep Saturday I almost lost Rosie. 

During the storm it seems that everyone is taking their turn laying by the woodstove.
 

The snow finally stopped on Sunday so Rosie and I went out to play.

 

We finally got plowed out Sunday afternoon.
 

 Snow started melting on Monday.

The temperature rose up into the 50s and then we got a couple of days of rain. Getting home became a challenge.
 

Had to take the long way home.

The February prompt for Ali Edward One Little Word class is Practice. So I picked two things I want to develop into a daily habit - Daily Chores and Daily Creativity.

Practice - Daily Chores

Practice - Daily Creativity

 

Working on the daily practice has done me good. With the help of my new miter sawI was able to finish one of my UFOs - the bench for my bedroom. 

There's a whole lot more that I've been doing but I just wanted to do the highlights.  

 

Towel Hanger

I recently moved to a really great place. I am so excited. I found a 3 bedroom rambler on lot of land. Rosie & I are locing life. 

I finally got my towel hanger hung up. I think it looks great. 

So much done . . .

I've gotten much done, a lot not done and a lot planned to do. I get in these spurts of "get stuff done" and become wide open. Then I get lazy and get nothing done. Well, plan on what I want to do. But here what I've gotten completed since last post. 

I decided to create a single location to charge my electronics. So I created a charging station. Since I wanted it for my bedroom. And to match my decor I went with pink chalk paint and distressed with dark brown wax. I think looks great.

I got an idea from Pinterest for a farmhouse towel holder. I'm going to put in my downstairs bathroom. I also thinking of making another for my upstairs bathroom. I got the handle from Hobby Lobby and cut a weathered pallet to be the base for the handle.

I saw something similar in a flea market in Verona and decided to give making it a try using colors that would match my bathroom. I took a soup can and painted it Oil Brushed Bronze. Then found pip berries in the right colors and stuffed in can. The ribbon matches the shower curtain I'm making for my bathroom.

Here's my patchwork shower curtain I'm working on. I hung it up to get an idea of what it'll look like. I don't have much left to get complete. Just got to get my butt in my sewing room and get done. 

I've got a white storage cabinet in my bathroom I'm starting to chalk paint and distress. I've primed it and started painting but the color isn't right. It's too dark green. I need to go to Michael's and get another color. I want to do in a sage green and dry brush distress using a cream color. I want to redo the toilet tank shelf and the two regular shelves too. Just not sure what color I want to do. 

I also stared making a veggie bin for my kitchen. I got quite a bit done but the top was warped and couldn't get another cut yet. Weather too cold. But here's what I've got done And what the finished project to look like.  I'm going to finish in either black or dark red and distress it. 

I also started redecorating my house. I bought new furniture for my house. I got a new bed and table with benches. I'm planning on getting two chairs door the end so I can seat eight. 

I'm also planning on getting a hutch for my kitchen to replace the baking rack, two chairs for end of my table, wo end tables and a wardrobe for my bedroom. I'm thinking of trying to make the end tables myself but get the chairs, wardrobe and hutch from Simple Tymes.  I have a dresser in my bedroom that I'm thinking of chalk painting. The two end tables I think I'm going to chalk paint a white and distress with a dark wax. I'm not sure what color I'm going to do the dresser. 

DIY Wood Frame

I want to make a Family wall with pictures but the cost of wooden frames is a lot. So I want on line to Ana White blog site and found a great looking quick wooden frame plan. I did my "test run" and it turned out pretty good. I did see find ways to do better but that's what a test run is all about. All in all I think it looks good and I'm making more. Great thing about the plan is I can adjust the size as I need. 

Doin' Some More DIY

I finally got some more projects done. 

Homespun trashcan - I bought a metal bucket from Lowe's then distressed it soaking it in white vinegar for 24 hours. I had to soak the bottom then turn it over and soda the top. I layered blue checked homespun on top of a strip of burlap and tied in front. Indie glue the burlap to the bucket to keep in place. I may add some pip berries to front.

Before

After

Tissue Box Cover - I picked up an unfinished tissue box cover from Michael's and painted it with cream chalk paint and distressed with dark brown chalk wax. I took a strip of blue check homespun and tied around box and hung a red star from it. Looks pretty good. 

Frame - I also bought am unfinished wooden frame from Hobby Lobby. I painted with cream chalk paint then distressed with dark brown wax. I used to reframe a Paula Vaughan cross stitch picture I did awhile ago. I may add some pip berries to frame to give a prim look to it. 

Shelves

I had a couple of unfinished shelves in my downstairs bathroom that I wasn't sure what to do with. I didn't want to paint and distress them and I didn't want to stain them a dark color. I wanted something of a medium tone. So I decided to give the Dark Brown Chalk Wax on the shelves a try. Just wipe the wax on the shelf surface and lightly rub off. They turned out perfect. Just the right color. I also took the metal decorative parts off and sprayed painted them an Oil Brushed Bronze. Really set the shelves off. 

Believe Primitive Sign

I did another primitive chalk painted sign. Used the DecoArt Chalk Paint. I mixed it with Acrylic paint for color. I uses my Cricut to make a stencil, outlines the word and hand painted the letters.

Been Busy

I did some of my home decor stuff this week. Took the flowers out of watering can and put in a pip-berry garland and tied a homespun bow on handle.

Rearranged corner. Switched tulip wall hanging and Americana wall hanging. Hung the wooden flag I made next to it and put the letter holder with pip-berries under it. I think looks great.

I spray painted the wall candle holders oil-brush bronze.

I hung my "Believe in Family" primitive sign up in the living room. I'm going to hang family photos under it. I'm going to get wooden picture frames and chalk paint black then distress them. 

Revamping Cabinet

My daughter Laura gave me a white  cabinet that was just "too white". So I decided to revamp it by painting it using chalk paint and destressing it. I forgot to take a before pic when hanging on wall but have a picture I downloaded. I think it turned out great. 

Found My Picture

I found the Billy Jacobs "Antique Barn" picture today that I wanted for my bathroom. It looks great. I have to decide if I want to paint, stain or leave the shelf as is. I'm not sure. 

Making New Look Old

I read that White Vinegar would make shiny metal age so I thought I'd give a try. I have this shiny small bucket that I wanted to look old. I soaked the bucket in vinegar overnight and it worked. The bucket is no longer shiney. I love the new look. 

Changing Home Decor - Kitchen

Well, I've gotten the redo home decor bug. For every room. Get rid of the cluttered and overly lived in look and go for simple country/homespun/primitive look. It's slowly coming together. Problem is I'm not focusing on one room start to finish but jumping around room to room. But I'll get it done. For the kitchen I got new balances but now I have to figure out how to install a curtain rod on a steel door. Do i need a special drill bit? I don't know. I bought new blinds but of course got wrong size even though I measured. Typical. But here a pic of the somewhat finished kitchen window. I love these valances.