Martha Stewart Shooting Star - Fun DIY

I made this star several years ago, from a picture in a Martha Stewart Magazine.  I believe now you can buy them from her website. 

It is simply a large star with garland I purchased at Party City, the star is wrapped in lights, and I used light strands for the tail.  I may have to make a few more, if Party City still has the stars.

My neighbor called the other day, and said her kids were waiting for me to put up my star.

I guess I better get busy.

The luminarias are only done on Christmas Eve, as we are on a luminaria tour.

Are you decorating yet?

Outdoor Kitchen -- Dreaming In Progress

Warning!! Ugly Pics Ahead!!

 

Ok, so we are outdoor kitchen and porch dreaming at this point.

 

This is our window from the house that faces outdoors -- tinted.

 

This is the other window old and not tinted.  I think I might add some tint.  Might even add a fake bar to mimic the windows on the other side.  This room is bright and hot in the summer time. Tint might help.  Tint might be expensive.  Not willing to do the expensive part.  Budget, not a bad word, I promise.

Then the Hubs wants this ugly sink to go under the windows -- there is a full faucet hookup behind that wall. Yep, that would mean cutting into the wall.  Yikes.  Always sounds like a good idea, until about 15 minutes in then it becomes a project.

You were warned, ugly photos.  Not glamorous.

So, if I tint the windows to match the others.  Then put a frost on the bottom to hide the sink from the inside.  Would it work?  I don't know if I can get past the ugly restaurant style sink.  Don't know if I want to waste any money on this project. 

Thoughts?

Closet Organization -- Beginning the Process

Help!!! I need closet organization.  Seriously, after the furniture is painted and drying, I will be closet organizing.  (Furniture pics will follow, as well as closet pics, I promise).

 

I am sure you have seen the episode of the Brady Bunch, where Carol and Mike use the high heeled shoe to settle who has which side of the closet?  You haven't, well let's just say, old houses, small closets.  The hubs even put in an organizing system.  However, he has, well lots of clothes.  He has 3/4 of the closet, and I have this little corner, underneath everything.  I am trading closets.  I want organization, and a hint of glam, and to spend no money or maybe $25 or less.

To this.  Even smaller, and used for storage, however, I won't be bending over and digging for my clothes, I can at least stand up.

Storage everywhere, where to put it? 

Seriously, we really do have stuff -- stuffed in every closet.

My weekend,  ahhhhh, yours?

Furniture Upgrade --French Provencial - Vampire Diaries Chic -- Romantic Minimalist

I am doing a furniture upgrade for my daughter.  She is going French Provencial, Romantic Minimalist, Vampire Diaries Chic.   Call it what you will, but it will be gorgeous.  Primer stage, hoping to spray over the weekend, weather permitting.  Please cooperate weather.  I am spraying, because we want a high gloss durable finish.  Some finishes I paing (my silver), but for this only spray will do.  If you don't have an outside area or garage area (I don't spray in my garage),  ask your paint department for a good paint that self settles and you can brush and get a good finish with minimal brush strokes - the tip on this is the newer the paint, and the better the brush, equal fewer brush strokes.  (I do admit, I don't mind brush strokes).

 

Drawers everywhere.  I take outside for a paint and sand, then bring in to dry and cure.  Yes, I am living with drawers everywhere.  Garage is too cold this time of year.  (Update -- borrowed a space heater and may get to use the garage-- yay).

Drawers everywhere.  Wink and smile.

I can't wait for the finished project. 

Oh, and not because of what you think, I can't wait for the finished project so I can do another couple for her house, I have several in the back burner, and am dying to get to them. 

Your weekend,  even if you are working, what are you working on?  I did the majority of this during the work week in the afternoon and evenings, totally relaxing.

Best Ever Photo Storage

Yes, I know most of you store your pics with a program, or on your computer, or hard drive, well, if you still have some old fashioned printed ones laying around---these tubs from the Dollar Store, really $1 are wonderful.  Pics fit perfectly, and best part, are sealed and not in those cardboard acid boxes that eat pics up. 

Pic some up, you won't be disappointed.

Photo Collage Displaying Photos

How do you display your photos? Let's face it, everyone takes tons. But where do you display them? I love this idea. You could just use a large canvas, and attach them randomly, and add and subtract as needed or wanted. I like the idea of a large canvas because it seems more 3 dimensional. You could even print your photos all in black and white, as well as print them on the post-it photo paper so they just stick. How about an old crummy fridge? Print your photos on the post-it sticky photo paper and just stick to your fridge. When they get gross or old, print new photos. Just some fun random ideas. What a fun idea for any room.

So, how do you display your photos?

Zhuzh -- Zhush -- Guest Room -- Office

About a week ago, I did a quick zhuzh on my guest room. (You can see it several posts down). I have Jack and Jill rooms at the front of the house that my daughter used to live in, and they just never are quite right. Since it is an old house, most rooms can't be rearraged, they are small and once the furniture is there not much changing can be done (okay accessories etc for sure can be changed). However, I am a perpetual rearranger ( I think it is in illness) truthfully, having a bad day, I rearrange. Bored, rearrange.

So, I decided to re-zhuzh, the guest room and my office. Before pics several posts below. Now to do something with the old dark wood of the furniture. But you know a project, once you start you sometimes wish you hadn't (kind of worried about that with the dresser).
Taken from the doorway. Twin bed, and TV, dresser,etc. Back in it's old location, with stuff added, (accessories).

Taken from the bed, door is on the right. Moved the exercise equipment (sweater drying exercise equipment) out to another room, now it is just a guest room, or watch trashy tv room.

The other room, my tulle desk, and pleather desk. Lately I have totally loved white, yes, it is a color. Pic taken standing in door. (No befores, this room changes all the time).

Standing just in door and looking to the left, the clothing drying equipment, oops, exercise equipment is now back in here.

Also, all the stuff waiting to go on Ebay. I think I like it. I may leave it this way awhile.

White Tulle Tutu Desk

The Blog Absolutely Beautiful Things, showed a Black Tutu Tulle Desk, I loved it so much, I interpreted it in white for my office.

I used an old wicker cabinet that had seen better days. There is just cheap white fabric back, with layered tulle hot glued onto it, and then stapled onto the desk.
I left the back open so I could access the storage, and it has a glass top.

Glass top.

Super ugly before pic.

My daughter has one in black. When working with black tulle it is easier to sew, than use hot glue as the glue will show thru on the black.

Weekend projects. What are you working on?

Outdoor Dreaming

My super ugly side yard. Huge, and ugly, and a waste of water.

Sooooo I have been dreaming......

Parenthood TV Series, caught it on demand, and always love their outdoor spaces, of course I used to live in Walnut Creek, so I love the area too.

This got me thinking......

Some rocks and some bushes, I don't need the overhang, but maybe a potting area, or just my old wheelbarrow filled with flowers, and I could get the start of the look.

Now to kill the bermuda grass.......hmmmm......just dreaming.......

Farmhouse Table to Stylish Desk

My white pleather wrapped desk, after. And, yes I love the view outside my window.

The Farmhouse top before. Still useable if I change my mind.

So, I have an old farmhouse table, circa 1980's. Yes, I have been carting it around that long, move after move. Now, here in the southwest, ie. New Mexico, many put these on their back portal (porch, lani), you name it. However, I have wicked spiders, and the Hubs likes to hose the portal (ours is huge) off and leave standing water, so not very effective for us. However, I do have 3 tables and 2 loungers, and a cooking area, (I said it was huge). So I have been using this farm table as a desk for many years. I like the large work surface 48"x30", but I hate the look for a desk, great table not a desk. So I decided to cover it with pleather. You know that stuff that looks and feels like leather, but easily washable. Well, I went white. I love it. I should have taken better before pics, I just have one of the underside of the wood. But, anyway, I digress, I just stretched the pleather over the table, and stapled. Loves it, as they say. Any projects you are working on?