Painting my wood floor white, and a change of mind.

 

 

Hello my friends,

 

When we bought our home 8 1/2 years ago there were a couple things that I didn't love about it, but knew that I could change them down the road a ways.

 

One was the tan trim and the other was the fact that the wood in the living room was different than the other wood in the house.

 

We recently replaced and added wood to more rooms.  I chose a chiseled walnut.  I debated about doing the same wood in the living room, but decided that I really wanted to try painting it.  I love the Scandinavian homes I see with white wooden floors.

 

This is what it looked like BEFORE.

 

 

Creating a shelf from an old drawer.

Hello my friends,

before I begin let me just say "thank you" for the outpouring of love and support from so many of you after the loss of our grand baby Warren.

Your comments and shared stories lifted my Heavy Heart more than you will ever know!!

Our hearts may be heavy, but life goes on and we have to look for the little things that bring us joy in life.

Little things do just exactly that for me!

After the last yard sale I helped host there was a small table that didn't sell.  It had a broken leg so I decide to donate it to charity.  But before I did, I removed the drawer.

I had a bare spot on the wall below my rusty pulley that I felt just needed a little something.  :)

Hubby added a shelf to the top of the drawer.  More space for displaying.  (wink)  I am always picking up old hinges and added this small one to the side.

My sister in law vacationed in France right about the time that I was diagnosed with breast cancer.  She returned home with a box full of trinkets for me.  Each one gave me such delight.  She also brought me some papers from France when she came home to visit last.  I Modge Podged some of them onto the back of the drawer.

I am having so much fun playing with this silly drawer!  I added a few Christmas treasures.

A pink Gurley Santa candle.  An unusual color, don't you think?  I love him!  Buttons, a folding ruler, and a crumb duster.

Little trinkets catch my eye and I am continually picking them up.  Just can't get enough.  lol!

I found this metal do-hickey (my mom use to say that) in my bag of junk and hubby added it to the side.  I tied a key with jute.



I have no idea what this is, but I simply adore the color!  I found it in the estate sale dig.  It collapses and looks like it should hold a light bulb, but there is nowhere to screw one in.

I thought it was the perfect place for a bird to build it's nest.  I can't get enough of these vintage bird ornaments!  I just bought three red ones on Vintage Yard Sale Utah.  Three for $12.  I was thrilled!  Haven't picked them up yet.

I'm sure many of you know my love for vintage deer.  Isn't he a beauty?  And one can never have a deer without a forest.  Even if it's a mini one.  My friend, Joyce gave me the date stamp one year for Christmas.

I'm looking forward to having fun with this drawer shelf throughout the seasons and holidays.

Perfect spot for displaying some of my trinkets and treasrues!

hugs,

Jann

Just a reminder that the 'Creating Christmas' link party will start Monday.

Also, the Cozy Christmas Holiday blog tour hosted by Katie is still going on this week.  Lots of inspiration!  I share the links

on my post.

I will be sharing with these lovely parties:

Vintage Charm

Sweet Dreams!

Hello my friends, today I am sharing a post by Merri, an interior designer.  I do not receive any compensation, but I think this is a fun project that my readers will enjoy.

Sweet Dreams: DIY Travel Memories Nightstand

By Merri Cvetan

 



 

It doesn’t matter if you travel once a year or once a decade—the memories you make while away from home are important. Relive those moments by keeping photos and souvenirs nearby. Instead of displaying your souvenirs in the living room, there are plenty of travel-inspired decorating ideas for your bedroom. Try creating a little shrine to your travels next to your bed.

Before you start, envision your final project. What do your vacation memories look like? Time spent relaxing on the beach, riding amusement park rides with the kids or dashing from museum to museum in a big city? I prefer the latter. I love big cities, especially old, historic ones with lots of museums, so I decided to go with a New York City-themed nightstand.



 

Before you start, envision your final project. What do your vacation memories look like? Time spent relaxing on the beach, riding amusement park rides with the kids or dashing from museum to museum in a big city? I prefer the latter. I love big cities, especially old, historic ones with lots of museums, so I decided to go with a New York City-themed nightstand.

 

 

I found a little nightstand at a resale shop. It’s in good condition, but a little dated. (Think country decor from the 80s!) I planned to cover the solid panel door with a map.

After gently sanding the old finish, I gave the nightstand three coats of a pretty turquoise blue. I chose a satin finish. You can also use semi-gloss, but it’s important to note that a shinier finish (like a gloss) tends to highlight flaws. I didn’t paint the front of the door since I planned to cover it up in a different way.

 

New York is one of my favorite cities. I love the hustle and bustle, the theaters on Broadway, the shopping and museums. I cut an atlas map of the city boroughs to fit the front panel of the door. A map of the subway system or Central Park would be fun alternatives, too.

I applied the map onto the door with a decoupage technique, using my fingers to smooth out the bubbles. Once the top coat was dry, most of the remaining bubbles disappeared.

I lucked out when I found a compass cabinet knob. How appropriate!

 

I pinned photos of special buildings and parts of the city on the wall. I plan to make it a revolving display by swapping out the pictures or postcards every month. On top of the nightstand, I displayed my collection of memorabilia, including Empire State Building souvenirs and a key chain—but you can gather any items that remind you of your trip or are important to you.



Now every morning, I can wake up thinking about my time in the Big Apple. This is the perfect way to keep your vacation memories alive!


　
Merri Cvetan is a crafty interior designer who likes to create beautiful one-of-kind pieces and write about them for The Home Depot. She provides step-by-step instructions on everything from spicing up your nightstand to creating your own backsplash. If you are looking for that special nightstand to jazz up your bedroom, visit The Home Depot.

hugs,

Jann