Chalkboard and Corkboard Cabinet Door

I try to be organized.  I really do.  It just seems like I’m always taking one step forward and two steps back when it comes to keeping things neat and tidy.  One of our (my husband and me both) worst problems is making lists, misplacing them and making more lists.  Then of course we have ten lists all over the house with everything from honey-do’s to groceries to reminders.  And of course there’s overlap between the lists.  Yep it’s bad.

You might think that having a smart phone would help.  But dang it, it’s not smart enough to read my mind!!  I actually have to find the time to input appointments, reminders and such.  Well, today I am making an attempt to at least have ONE place to put lists, important reminders and such.  And best of all, it’s hidden away inside the cabinet.



Check out the before pic… now that’s keeping it real.  Papers, boxes, you name it, get shoved into any open space when company is coming.  (Oh don’t pretend, you know you do it too!)  Only Martha Stewart keeps the inside of her cabinets neat all the time.  And if you do, wow, I am in awe!!  You are my hero.  Wanna come to my house? 

So this actually turned out to be a pretty easy (as in during nap time) project.
You need:
* a cabinet door
* screw driver to take it off and put it back on
* chalkboard paint
* painter’s tape
* cork board tile
* fabric of choice
* glue

First I took the cabinet off it’s hinges and taped off the area I wanted to paint.  Then I applied the first coat of chalkboard paint (I used three total) and let it dry. 




Meanwhile, I cut a cork-board tile down to size to fit in the door and a scrap of fabric a few inches larger.



I glued the fabric onto the board with Elmer’s glue, cuz face it, it’s cardboard and fabric.  No need for fancy glue… yet.


Then I did two more coats of chalkboard paint.  Actually, the first two coats I painted on with a brush to get a good coverage without a lot of overspray.  The third coat I sprayed on so I wouldn’t have brush strokes. It worked marvelously. 



I used wood glue to attach the covered cork tile to the inside of the door.  You could use Liquid Nails or any other strong glue that’s good with wood.



And here it is with the door re-hung.  LUV IT!!!  Nope, I still haven’t cleaned that cabinet out.  The kids are up from their nap.  No time now.  LOL!


Little by little I WILL get more organized!
Rebecca

Visit the party at:

Guest Room Bedside Table

Aside from an occasional overnight visit from one of my siblings or my husband’s folks, our guest room is mainly used by my mom and dad when they visit.  In fact, after my grandmother passed away, my dad grabbed up his favorite bed and mattress from her home and brought it to me so he would always have a good place to sleep when he stayed with me.  Well that was many years, a marriage, and several houses ago.  And I’ve recently moved the bedframe and side tables to our master bedroom.  Dad’s favorite mattress now sits on a metal frame and didn’t have any side tables… until now.


I found a bed tray/side table online that I really liked.  The top tray can be taken off and moved around.  It’s great for eating in bed.

~ I know because I got another one for my bedroom and 

hubby has used it to bring me breakfast in bed.  *big grin* ~

I added a basket with extra soaps, lotion, and other toiletries in case my guests forget something.  My mom, of course, is much more impressed by this than my dad.  LOL!  My dad is one who wrinkles his nose funny at fancy scented soaps.



On the other hand, Dad is the one who gets up to drink water during the night.  With this graceful decanter and tumbler set, he can now reach his water from the bed.  No more getting up and finding his way to the kitchen.



This bedside birdie is my little chipper chirper.  It sits by a nest of sweet little egg-shaped soaps in a dish.




But it ties in nicely with the bird theme on the pillow shams and blanket.



Do you like to provide a little extra touch when your guests come to visit?

Rebecca

New Year, New Look

I’ve decided on a fresh new look for my blog.  I’ve been wanting brighter colors in my life to inspire me.  And maybe I’m just a bit ready for spring to be here already.  But after an obscene amount of time trying to get the formatting to work, I’m finally happy with it.  It gives me a renewed energy and a sense of creativity.  I LOVE it!!!!

I’ve added a section on the right called A Few of my Favorite Things.  Here I will post pictures of things that make me feel joy and peace.  Things that make me truly happy.

Well here it is.  I hope you like it too.

Rebecca

Happy 1st Birthday

Wow, I can’t believe it’s already been a year since I started my blogging journey.  I had spent so long looking at other DIY blogs thinking, “I can do that.”  It just seemed natural to start a blog and share the projects I was already working on.  I’m so glad I did.  I’ve “met” some incredible women.  They keep me inspired and are so sweet.  Looking back, I love the posts I have done, but I sincerely wish I had been able to spend more time sharing my adventures in making my house into the home we love.  

(I blame my kids, ha ha!) 

I’m a stay-at-home mom to a 4 year old, a 2 year old and a 10 month old.  Obviously my life is about them.  But my blog is NOT.  My blog is about MY interests, joys, and hobbies (outside of my kids).  It is a place where I can be me: creative, fun, and impulsive.

But, of course, being  a mom of these three precious little ones also means that my posts are limited.  And they get written over several hours or days with MANY interruptions.

I have so many projects either in my head or actually started.  I have taken lots of “before” pics.  And I’m hoping that over this next year I will have more time to complete these projects and share them with you.  Stay tuned.  Lots of love to my followers and friends.

Rebecca

Lettuce in the Winter Garden

Coming home after spending the holidays with my folks always proves very fruitful.  We bring home a lot more than we left with.  My parents are so generous and we always have a great time with them on their little farm.  This year, in addition to Christmas gifts, we came home with an ice chest full of fresh meat (mutton and venison), pecans, black walnuts, and a bunch of baby lettuce starter plants. 
 
One of the things I love about living so far south is the ability to plant a winter garden.  We rarely get freezing temperatures and never far below freezing.  While many areas of the country are covered with snow, we occasionally are lucky enough to have a steamy fog on our pond in the morning.


More often we enjoy daytime temperatures in the 70s and great fun outside.  But don’t you be jealous if you’re knee-deep in snow.  Just remember how miserable and hot our summers are.  Well, we’ve planted the lettuce in our garden now and are looking forward to many fresh salads.

 

Looking forward to planting more things soon.
Rebecca

Merry Christmas!!!

Well I had certainly intended to share so much more with you this December.  Holiday traditions, decorations, and gift ideas, for example.  But, alas, this blog is an outlet just for me. My family come first.  So I spent the season very busy with the kids, family, and a little crafting.

I also found some time to do a little shopping at an antique store.  That’s where I found this beauty!  Merry Christmas to me from my mom and daddy.  :)
    

I decorated her for Christmas as soon as she got in the door.   I used ornament balls from the dollar store and the thrift store under the cake dome.  The doily underneath was made by my late Aunt Martha.   The tiny crochet stitches are so intricate and beautiful.

The Christmas dishes I inherited from my sister when she no longer wanted them.  Yes, there is a salad plate missing.


And some tatted and crocheted snowflake ornaments.  My mother is an avid tatter and made me a bunch of these.  I did the round crocheted ones.



I love having another area to decorate for the holidays, but my favorite part of the bakers rack is the chicken wire mesh doors.  Perfect place to store my home canned goods.



I wish all of you a very blessed Christmas.  I pray the peace of the Christ child will fill you and your families in the coming year.

Rebecca

Christmas Stockings and Family Traditions

Every year on December 6th my family celebrates a tradition passed down through our German heritage.  We hang our stockings on the fireplace and St. Nick comes to fill them with fruits, nuts, candy, and small trinkets.  The original tradition has children place a boot or shoe outside their door, but in America we seem to have combined it with the Christmas tradition of a stocking on the mantel.

~ These are all stockings I’ve made over the years. ~

The first one I made for my husband before we were married.  He loves hiking and the outdoors so of course he got a hiking boot stocking.


For mine I took my love of quilting and made a crazy quilt stocking.  I also added bells to mine to make sure no one would snitch my chocolate!!  heh heh..


When my son was born I wanted to make him a cowboy boot stocking.  I didn’t have a pattern and was a bit discouraged about making my own until my Nov/Dec 2006 edition of Country Woman magazine came and, Voila!  There on page 16 was the perfect pattern.  And just in time.  Here’s my version.


I took my love of all things Victorian and turned some of my favorite fabrics into a Victorian boot for sister #1.  I love this one so much I almost made another for myself.


And just in time for Saint Nick to come today, I finished the stocking for my 9 month old.  It’s her first Christmas so I had to come up with another “boot” idea and find/make a pattern.  She got a pretty ice skate stocking with hand embroidery and  snowflakes.


This year, I also told my kids that this is when St. Nick comes to make sure they are being good and to pick up their Christmas wish list letters.  You wouldn’t believe how good my 4 year old is being on account of Santa watching.  :o)

Why December 6th you ask?  It’s the feast day of Saint Nicholas, the true Santa Claus.
I can’t wait to see what he brings us!
Rebecca


Celebrating at the following parties:
Tools are for Women Too!
Thrifty Decor Chick's Before and After Party
DIY Showoff Project Parade
Making the World Cuter Mondays
The Girl Creative
Between Naps on the Porch Met Monday