Dining Room Re-do and China Hutch Transformation

I've been DIYing again.... scary, I know.  There are usually casualties and lots of brain cells that nearly explode each time I attempt it.  In all honesty, there are sometimes some tears, too.  I must say that this time, so far, it has gone pretty well.

I jokingly put on Facebook the other day that I wanted to re-do my entire home in blues, aqua, and greens.  I know those colors are very popular.  They have always been my favorites.  I got approval of such an attempt from several of my decorator friends.  Fabulous!   My teen-aged bedroom was decorated in those colors - wayyyyy back in the 70s.  I speak truth.

My living room, kitchen, and dining room are quite neutral.  I plan to continue to decorate with a lot of neutrals, because I think it is a classic look.  However, these rooms have too many browns, and the walls are a very light buttery color.  The dining room has a wall that is way too gold for me.  I eventually want to paint them all in a grays - since gray is the new cream. Haha.....

For the record, my living room has had turquoise/aqua in it for YEARS.  I was way ahead of the trend.  Yes, I was.  Proof:

My great-grandmother crocheted this beautiful doily in the late 1910s, and my grandmother framed it like this in the 1960s.  I never wanted to change it because I LOVED her bold style with that color, and I knew that some day I would have a room that matched it.  It has hung on my wall for years, even when it didn't match the decor because I'm bold that way.  Or, just lazy.  Or, sentimental?  Your guess.

I have had this hutch in my dining room since 1996, which I purchased at Salvation Army, with every intention of painting it, and every possible reason why I would mess it up.  So, I never tried, until Pinterest inspired me- yep!  Again! 

 I found information and inspiration from this blog, Lolly Jane:

I also found help on this one.  I really like Kimba's blog, "A Soft Place to Land" - I read it all the time!  Thanks, Kimba!  Here is one of her finished products:

She had a great tutorial on painting furniture.  I read many others as well.  Here is how I approached it:

I do not sand.  I bought Zinsser water-based Primer/Sealer.  I don't do oil-based paint, either. I'm a wimp.

I did two coats.  I really wanted it to be primed to death.  It took forevvvver.  I tried to tape off the many windows - didn't do great with that.  I had to do a lot of scraping afterwards.  Lesson learned.  Next time I think I'll just cut in.  I can often do that pretty well, but the tape I used kind of made it more frustrating.  I did not sand in-between primers.  Isn't that the point of using NO SANDING Primer?  Hmm.....

Sorry, some photos are a bit blurred from my Iphone.

I then used Valspar Crystal Aqua in their Signature line from Lowe's.  The paint lady at the store told me it would cover wonderfully.  It did ok.... I had to go over it in some areas where it didn't easily cover the primer.  In hindsight, I perhaps should have tried some of the Cabinet paint from Home depot or TruValue.  Apparently Lowe's doesn't have that type of line.

Here is the finished product:

The hardware is original all except the four round ones.  The knobs and pulls all match pretty well, I think.  Since I am NOT a very good photographer, the light doesn't really show very well what the color is.  Here is  a picture from my phone which shows the color a little better:

So, there you have it.  I love it very much!  I only spent 16 years hating it.  Great.

I also redid the tablescape on my antique buffet.  I have had this for about 25 years - it's at least 100, I think.  A woman gave it to me for $100 when it was worth WAY more.  She was moving to an RV and wanted it gone!  So, it went - straight to my house.  I love it.

Now it looks like this:

I dislike the wall color, but as I said it will eventually be painted.  I have been playing with these items to get the best look for them together.  I have been trading other things on and off the buffet to see what will work for now.  Got any suggestions?  I'm not sure sure if it works yet. I may get a table runner, too. What I really want it to look like is this, but I can't find the big vases/candleholders anywhere.  I went to about 5 stores.  Sigh.



Do you love this?  I love this window.  My friend, Kaylene, gave it to me a while back and I have been waiting for the right spot and right time to use it.  I love this:

So, there you have it.  I"m trying!

I am pleased with the progress.  I want the walls painted now.  They won't be, so.... 
I'll have to WAIT a little while.....

Master Bedroom A-comin' Along

So, my little sewing/office/craft room is doing ok.  I try to keep it clean.  I love to sit in it and work, and I love to sit in it and not work.   That's the truth.

I have been going back and forth about the bedroom side of this project.  I couldn't decide what colors to use other than the wall color.  I bought a duvet cover and shams that I love, but what else was I going to do?  I've searched and Pinned and pondered.

Then, last Monday, I found a new designer that clicked for me!  She is an LDS mom and I found her... on Pinterest.  True story.  You must look at Sita Montgomery's boards and blog.  I saw her own kitchen posted and was immediately searching for more information about her work.

She did a design for a client, and posted the design board.  Then, I fell in love.

Design by Sita Montgomery

I already had the right wall color, and browns and white in the bedding I had purchased.  This is what took me to painting my new Goodwill lamps the color aqua.

And THEN, I got a really wild idea.  I have two very old nightstands.  One is from Goodwill and purchased years ago.  I always intended to paint it, but I didn't because I am a chicken.  

The other one was my parents'.  I love it.  It is sturdy and it reminds me of them.  I have never done anything to it.

  I decided to paint the Goodwill one a lovely blue - kind of a royal blue.  I NEVER decide to do something  in the morning and then complete it by that night.  NEVER - I usually have to stew and second-guess my decorating abilities over and over.  With the encouragement of my friend Traci, I decided to go for it. Hubby was out of town, and coming home the next day!  I had to get it done - I wanted to surprise him!  

First, I cleaned his stuff out of it.  Holy moly - what IS all that stuff??

I primed it with some oil-based primer from Lowe's (ew, so I used an old brush so I could just throw it out).  And then.....   I went for it!!

And what, you ask, is that little hole in there?  We must have cut it out for an electrical cord at some point.  

And, here it is in its proper location:

The little handle is... a ... paper clip.  Yes, I still need to spray paint the hardware.  I will, I promise.

You can see from the pictures that I have no bed skirt.  I am doing this a little at a time, ya'll. But, I did get the perfect accent pillow after buying and returning about 5 different ones.  That is the truth.

So, here is the room thus far:

I know, I may need to move stuff around, but I LOVE these colors and the flowers!

The "shrine", updated....

There's that perfect accent pillow...

The bed will hopefully soon look more like this:

This is found at The Yellow Cape Cod, another great blogger/designer.

Here's what I have left to do (since I'm sure you are all so very fascinated and curious):

~Paint the other night stand

~get a new bed skirt, or sew one

~get new sheets and a coverlet

~get new blinds

~sew some simple valances or curtains - I have a lot of muslin left over from the wedding events, so I may use that

~get a new pillow -dang, my neck has been hurting!

~find places for the redistributed files that were moved out of the new office area... dang, I don't know what to do with them!

~wall art - I have mostly none.

I want it done NOW!

But, as you know, I'll have to WAIT a little while.....

Master Bedroom Lamp Love - Or, Like.

I have become a DIY crazy woman lately.  Pinterest is a blessing and a curse - maybe I mentioned that before?  I have only spray painted things a few times, but while redecorating my bedroom, I decided that I really didn't want to spend a lot on lamps for my nightstands right now.  So, Pinterest helped with my plan.

I took a little trip to Goodwill.  I found the ugliest colored lamps possible that would have matched my home in 1985.  True story.  I have photos to prove it.  

Here are the ones I picked out:

3 buckeroos!

Aren't they so lovely?  

I wasn't even sure yet what color to paint them.  Sad, but so very true.  Low and behold, I found my new favorite blogger/designer, which I will spill about in my next post.  I chose aqua.  Oh, how I love aqua.  I primed them and then sprayed away with this lovely blue.

 And, after going to three stores,I found lampshades that don't fit very well, but they will have to do for now:

I love them like them enough for now.   Each lamp cost me about $13.

What else have I done?

You'll have to just WAIT a little while.....

We're Getting There....

My last post was to give a little hint about us working on some redecorating!  We have a master bedroom attached to what would have been a fourth bedroom, but the previous home owners had it attached to the master as a "sitting room".  While the thought of having a lovely, relaxing library-type room attached to our bedroom with comfy, overstuffed chairs and sofas sounds lovely, that is never what we've done with it.  Since we moved here 16 years ago, it has been a computer room, sewing room, scrapbook room, and general work room - and a BIG catch-all.  It has never functioned well with any of those activities simultaneously.  It became time to improve that situation, especially since I have become much more interested in sewing again, as has my daughter.

Also, the last time we painted our master bedroom and bought new linens was..... well, I think in the late 90's.  It was a lovely 90's shade of sage green, with fabrics of gold, green, and rosy-mauvy-something.  Of COURSE it was time for a re-do there as well!

So, "Before":

I have no idea why the bottom of this picture looks so weird... but here is the messy, dated room - and my kitty, Charlotte.

Hubby called this "a shrine".  Well, minus the plastic soap dishes (???) I do like this spot.
You can see to the left where the sitting room is.  

Lovely, green.  Ew.  So tired of it. Why, oh why, did I paint those doors and trim dark green??

And, here are some "during" pictures (the "after" photos are NOT ready because the rooms are NOT ready! Patience...
Ok, so the "during" photos are only of the "sitting room" in the process of becoming a wonderful office/sewing/crafting room.  I don't know what to call it yet!

The right table is the computer desk, and the left one will be my sewing table!

This wonderful structure is on its way to becoming storage below and a cutting board area on top -
kitty Georgie is on guard, of course.

Yes, a bit of a mess, but look at all those DRAWERS!  I don't even know what to do with them - I have never in my life had enough drawers.  EVER.  NEVER.

Sweet, dear hubby, putting together all the furniture!

 The walls are now my very favorite color - blue.  Well, they are actually more gray than blue, but I love them.
I wish I had more time to get it all together, but it is taking a long time.  I am very picky, and it takes me a long time to find accessories, fabrics, etc. when I re-decorate.  That is one of the reasons I don't do it very often.  I understand why my mother's and grandmother's homes didn't change much - it takes too dang much work!

I am so excited, though, to have these new spaces to create and to relax.

You'll just have to WAIT a little while to see how they turn out!

Changes, they are a comin'.....

OH, Ikea - there are times when I love and adore you!  <3

What am I doing with these big fun boxes, you ask?

You'll just have to WAIT a little while.....  but, for a little hint, check this out....

Dear Anonymous:

Great point - thank you for your comment.  I did NOT update everyone about the carpet and flooring, and how it went when "she" visited.  Thanks to "anonymous", I shall do so now.

I decided to just get the two kids' bedrooms and the bathroom flooring done before "she" came.  I allowed enough time for painting the master bedroom before the carpet guys came again to put those rooms' carpet down.  Well, due to busy lives and craziness, the painting never got done before the carpet came.  I just couldn't get to it.  Ugh.  It is still the same ugly outdated green.  BUT, I LOVE the carpet!  It is  a lovely shade of brown - better than the OLD brown.

OH, and "she"?  Well, her visit was lovely.  A very nice girl - I enjoyed her very much. 

Let the Wild Paint Start

OK, so I think I scared everyone off with the last ranting.  Sorry - I am calmer now.  Lara's suggestion was well-taken.  I postponed the carpet for our bedroom until the 7th of June.  I am taking time to plan the paint, etc.  The other two rooms will get carpet this Tuesday, which we can deal with.  Those rooms don't need paint for now.  I will then paint our room myself.  Yep - me.myself. and I.  I got a paint estimate that was more than the carpet, so I will do it myself.

  In fact, in preparation,  I am painting this - the only room in our house that has NEVER gotten any attention and still has the icky builder beige on it.  Our teeny master bath that I hate.  I think I have allowed MAYBE one or two friends to ever enter it's doorway.  It IS Gross:

NO cupboards, shelves, or cabinets.  What builder designs a room like that?  Craziness. I have plans, though.  That's why I'm showing it BEFORE.   I took out everything to prepare for painting.   Ok, a bottle or two remain.

Here is the best part, though:

NEW FLOORING!

Yep - lovely stone.  Ok, not really stone.  Fake Stone.  It's Vinyl made to LOOK like stone.  I love it.
So, we are getting there.  Baby steps.  I should be gardening.  Ahhh... my little gardens.  Haven't done a thing to those boxes except let the tomato plants regrow from last year.  Great.  I should have been painting during the BLIZZARDS!  Silly me.

I"ll have to wait a while....

Carpet Crazy

So, I am stressing.  Seriously stressing.  I should have talked to Kellie before I made a move.  Kellie was stressing over her oldest son and his new fiancee coming for the weekend.  She has great wisdom.  I started stressing a couple of weeks ago about B's "friend girl" coming (I hope she doesn't read this blog yet.... :) ).  Our house is about 16 years old and the carpet upstairs is horrible and old and needs replacing.   When I found out "she" was coming, I got this BRIGHT idea that I needed to finally get new carpet for the upstairs.  Great idea.  I even picked it out quickly!  Unheard of for me.  I even paid for half of it already.  It is written in stone.

So, then I get another GREAT idea that our bedroom needs painting.  It really does and has needed it for a while.  I thought - OOOH, I'll get a estimate for having it painted.  It's kind of a dark color currently.  Yea - the painting would cost more than the carpet.  So, I continue to stress.

I mean, who gets new carpet FIRST before painting?  I have spilled many a paint can in my days on new carpeting.  The first time was in high school when I helped the mom of my boyfriend paint walls at her daycare center.  Yes - Clutzo tripped over a HUGE 5 gallon paint can and.....you can imagine.  Embarrassment and carpet cleaners called.  But I digress....

So yes, now I am stressing over the fact that I will have to do the painting.  I don't want to do it, nor do I have the time before "she" comes and before the carpet is scheduled.  Hubby says to breathe and to quit worrying about it and just get the carpet.

BUT, just the carpet - do you know what that entails??  We have a small upstairs.  There is no way that we can move all the S T U F F  from 3 bedrooms (one with a large sitting room with all my craft, sewing, and office S T U F F ) out of the way for the carpet guys to come all in one day.  I need to divide it in to two days.   But, then, which room goes first?  And, how do we get it all back together before "she" comes? 

And, besides all THAT, I don't even know what colors I would paint!   Who paints when they don't have the whole plan together of the "look" they are going for?  I don't have " a look" decided on.   What the heck was I thinking??

And, I am also thinking, "she" really wouldn't have cared either.

So why did I??

I thought being 50 and all, I would have figured this out and not be losing my mind.  Wrong.

(And, if "she" is reading this, please don't tell me for about 5 years....if "she" is still reading then).

The One About the Blizzards

I am not sure if anyone who reads this (besides Kate S :) ) isn't a friend of mine already on Facebook.  So these photos may be old news.  Sorry - please keep reading.

Marylanders (no offense) are often made fun of due to the possible over-reaction to snow coming.  After living in Utah for over 4 years, we witnessed this first-hand.  We were newlyweds and new apartment dwellers in MD back in 1980-SOMETHING and one night we got a ton of snow.  The parking lot of our apartment complex had not been plowed much.  We were shocked about that, but more shocked that Hubby did not have to go to work!  NO work? Are you serious?

Those who are offended, relax and keep reading...

I didn't have a job yet, so we were happy to have a free day together!  Awesome - let's go shopping!  We dug out the car.  We drove to the mall and it was....closed.  We went to the grocery store, and it was....closed.  Mind you, we did not own a t.v. at this point.  It's true - NO T.V.  We obviously were young and free and not attached to the Weather Channel - OH wait, it didn't exist yet....

After a semester of driving to Springville, Utah from BYU to student teach 5th graders, every early morning regardless of weather with ne'er a delay nor a closing,  I was in disbelief.  And yet....I thought, ,"hmm.  I could get used to this!!".

I have now been a Marylander longer than I ever was an Arizonan or a Utahn.  Weird.  I have adapted.  I do however stay stalked up on toilet paper and milk so as to not have to brave the storm, so to speak, to fight for those items in the store.  I do have my pride.

These storms beat them all - not an overreaction, however - Marylanders could generally just kinda plan ahead better, don't you think?  Seriously - the hoarding at the grocery stores need not be necessary.

No offense intended, again. Really - and I mean it.

L has been home from school for a week now.  Hubby has been off work for a week as well.  He will work Saturday and on President's Day.  All my work has been non-doable as well.  And I mean my work at home as well as my work-from-home- JOB.  No traveling with it either - everywhere I  needed to go was closed.  I tried to be productive and I enjoyed the "down time" as well.   This kind of weather will do that to ya. 

Now for a few photos - first of Blizzard #1:

And now, Blizzard #2 - a few short days later:

Pushing snow out the window off of the roof above the porch - amazing!

And, after it is all over.....more shoveling.

 

 

 

 Still, my heart beats for the desert sun.