The Delectable Home

easy chicken tortilla soup

2016-11-03T17:09:00.002-04:00

It's been such a long time since I've written a blog post, I'm not even sure I remember how. But I made my favorite soup recipe tonight and wanted to share, and this seemed like a quick and easy way to get it out there. A friend shared this recipe with me last fall, so I don't know the origin. But what I love about it is that it is super quick to throw together and one that my entire family enjoys. Believe me, that is a rare thing with six kids!! You could also make it healthier by using fresh instead of canned.

So here it is:
1 package of chicken tenderloins (about 1-1/2 to 2#)
1 jar mild salsa
1 can of beans, any variety (I prefer Bush's Chili Beans, but black beans are good too.)
1 can of creamed corn
1 packet of ranch dressing mix
1 packet of taco or fajita seasoning (I use Wildtree Fajita seasoning)
1 cup of chicken broth

Throw it all in a crockpot and cook till the meat is done. Serve with tortilla chips or strips and sour cream if you like.

You can also make this with ground beef (browned) and beef broth instead of chicken. We tend to alternate to mix it up! What's your favorite soup recipe?

color trends {emerald}

2013-01-31T11:24:00.000-05:00

I love color trends. I love that some amazing group of designers and buyers somewhere meets in secret to decide on a new color, give it a cool name, and splash it all over all the latest fashions and home decor so we'll have to go shopping! This drives my husband crazy. He predicts they just let an intern throw a dart at the colorwheel. (No!)

2013's Pantone color is a trusty friend. Revived from 80's jewel tones and vintage green glassware, who doesn't love Emerald?

Sparking any ideas?

I must confess, while I can appreciate these inspiration pics, I'm not scheming on how I can work this in to my home or closet the way I did last year with tangerine. But with Saint Patty's Day around the corner, I'll do a little something fun and see if I get the bug.

So if you were the ~~intern~~ famous designer who got to name this color, what would you call it?

valentine's mantle

2013-01-25T15:25:00.000-05:00

Yay! A few snow & ice days stuck at home have pushed me to tackle my Valentine's mantle.

Last year was the first year I had done any special decorating for Valentine's Day. Being hopeless un-romantics, Charles and I usually don't mark the holiday. But having children who might someday marry someone of a different grain has prompted us to give it a little more attention, just so they will know how to go pick out roses and candies if necessary. Having a home blog certainly makes me look for any excuse to decorate too!

As it turns out, I actually fell in love with my birds + burlap mantle last year and was sad to take it down. I used several of the same elements from last year, plus my wooden blocks from Christmas. I also added a Keep Calm sign and a Mod Podge piece to give it a little more staying power. Our anniversary is March 2, so with a reference to our upcoming 17 years, I can keep it up for a couple more weeks, right?

{Linking up to a few of my favorite parties...}

friday faves {life as a thrifter}

2012-12-21T16:10:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite blogs is Life as a Thrifter. Holly has a great sense of style and a bold approach to color. She's also really great at staging her stuff and taking some fun photos.

If you haven't visited Holly @ Life as a Thrifter, I encourage you to hop over.

First stop, take the home tour that got her featured on Apartment Therapy. Then take a minute to go to to this post about her nomination for the Reader's Choice Top 10 House Tours of 2012. It will only take a couple of minutes more to vote, although you'll probably spend a lot longer perusing all the amazing homes in the running.

I've gotten so much great inspiration from Holly and really enjoy her blog, so I'd love to see her win this! Let's help her out.

JOY wood blocks

2012-12-18T21:50:00.000-05:00

From an old play set to a Christmas decoration, check out my JOY to the WORLD wood blocks!

Yes, I took several old 4x4s that had been lying around behind our shed from a play set demolition and made these. Here's how:

{materials}
4x4s, cut into square blocks (finished blocks measure 3.5" square)
power sander, if you have one
chalkboard paint
scrapbooking paper - cut four 3" squares for each block
letters to put on fronts (details below)
pictures to put on sides (details below)
Mod Podge - I used matte
sandpaper for distressing

I started by using my orbital sander to round down the edges and corners of each block. If you don't have a power sander, you could skip this step and just leave the edges square.

Next, paint each block with a couple coats of chalkboard paint. I can't remember if I primed these, which means probably not.

While you are waiting for the paint to dry, you can work on your letters in PicMonkey - I used white type on a black background. Then I chose some individual photos of my kids along with group pictures of our whole family from Christmases past and tied them all together with a sepia effect. The finished size of each image is 3" square.

When the paint is dry, mod podge all of the sides on. I put the photos to the right side of the letters on all the blocks so they would be in same position on each one. You could use more pictures instead of the scrapbooking paper too if you wanted.

Finally, I dry brushed a little chalkboard paint over some of my paper edges and distressed the joints a bit with a small piece of sandpaper (an emory board works great too). And there you have it! Pure JOY!

{Linking up to a few of my favorite parties...}

butterfly art

2012-12-10T21:04:00.000-05:00

I've been working on my older daughter's room for way too long now. Let's see, I started just before LAST Christmas! But I'm starting to see the pieces come together. I chose green paint for the walls, gray furniture, and turquoise bedding, and I was struggling a bit as to how to tie them together. Finally, a theme is emerging.

I started with the frame. I had originally bought this for my mother-in-law's 80th birthday celebration. I really didn't have in mind that I might use it anywhere else, but the dark silver seemed to want to be near the gray furniture. Seeing a chance to tie in the turquoise, I created a sign in Publisher using a turquoise background and had it printed at FedEx Kinko's to fit the frame. "Born to Fly" seems appropriate for both the butterflies and my daughter, who is a quite capable and independent young lady (and a daredevil to boot).

Next, inspired by Layla's mantle (below), I bought a butterfly punch for half off and went crazy with a couple of old magazines. I also found the larger paper butterflies on clearance at Hobby Lobby. I wasn't sure how I'd use them, but I bought them anyway and worked them in. A little hot glue and whole kaleidoscope was fluttering away. (Yep, I just glued them right to the wall.)

Source: theletteredcottage.net via Tisha on Pinterest

I love how all the colors in the butterflies pick up a hodgepodge of colors - the pink dollhouse, the purple mouse bedding, and all of Mary's books, pictures, and accessories - scattered around the room.

Soon I hope to finish my knockoff of Jessica's specimen art and a couple of capiz chandeliers. I'm working to have the reveal ready shortly after Christmas. Hopefully this Christmas!

{Linking up to a few of my favorite parties...}

coffee love

2012-12-08T21:19:00.000-05:00

One of the items on my 2012 to-do list was to create a coffee station in my kitchen. And look, I'm squeaking in just as it's time to start planning my list for next year. But I'm in L-O-V-E!

A little hand-painted sign and chalkboard labels on my Ball jars make this downright homey. Last time my in-laws were over they had two cups of coffee and that night I found a dime tucked between a couple of coffee cups. Too fun!

This area was a dumping ground for my purse, so it looks much more like a planned part of the kitchen now, and I've been hiding my purse in a large beverage tub in the corner.

I still need some ideas for the bulletin board. I want to cover it with fabric, I think, but I can't decide what color/style. Maybe a gray geometric pattern, sort of light like the walls? Any suggestions?

{Linking up to a few of my favorite parties...}

Christmas Card Preview

2012-12-03T12:37:00.000-05:00

My Christmas cards are going out this week, so I thought I'd share a sneak peek with you...

three cheers for Christmas

2012-11-25T21:53:00.002-05:00

Okay, I'm going to say it - decorating has been really low on my list of priorities this fall. Gasp! Summer projects are left undone, and most of the fall decor never even made it out of storage this year. I've missed it, but other things have been keeping me busy.

So Christmas decorating has been all the more special to me this year. I'm not pulling out all the stops, but I did kick my traditional Christmas red to go for some whimsical pink and turquoise. Today, I'm going to show off my mantle...

I started with some artificial greenery, a collection of ornaments from Walmart and the dollar store, a bunch of empty boxes and some wrapping paper, most of which I already had on hand. I'll add in some live magnolia branches a little closer to Christmas, but even as is, I'm pretty in love with this.

Hip, hip, hooray! (Do you count that as three cheers - one for each word - or just one for the hooray? Better give two more just to be sure...)
Hip, hip, hooray!
Hip, hip hooray!

Do you love your mantle? Please tell me why and give me a link to your site so I can check it out.

{Linking up to a few of my favorite parties...}

mr. main's makeover reveal! {bwob 5}

2012-08-27T06:46:00.000-04:00

This summer I've been on a journey of Blogging without Borders. And it's been a good thing. Without this challenge, I know I would not have gotten much done around the house this summer. I wouldn't have had as many laughs with my bwob buddies. I wouldn't have been as inspired. And I would have drunk less wine.

Well, here it is - the final installment and big reveal of Mr. Main's makeover. And remember, with the exception of the new sinks and faucets that my hubby bought for the project, no money was spent on this redo. I only used items that I had on hand! (Charles says that as a disclaimer I must mention that I also got new sink hardware by returning some unused things I had accumulated from other recent projects, but we all took a vote last time and decided that I was still within the parameters of the zero budget rule.)

The BEFORE photos...

And, drum roll please, the AFTER...

I'm especially fond of the new chevron floor mat. I used a sandwich of canvas drop cloth which I spray painted with a chevron design, a thick layer of cotton batting, and some PUL fabric leftover from my cloth diaper making phase. It's got a good weight and thickness to it, and I'm imagining it will prevent a slippery wet floor while also being easy to launder. I think I'll make another smaller one to go in front of the shower. But considering I threw this together yesterday to get ready for the reveal, I didn't have time to get the other one done.

Aahhhhh, the shower curtain. I'm a little too smitten with this. I use this bathroom now just to look at the shower curtain. I just hope my sister doesn't see this and decide she wants that fabric back.

And whatever you do, do not attempt to make these window treatments unless you are a highly skilled drapery professional! Seriously, can you see raw fabric edges and the pins holding these together? My sewing machine has been locked up for several weeks, and I've just been forgetting to run it out to the repair shop. So I've been using a little machine that I got for my daughter a couple of years ago, and as I sat down to work on the window treatments, it conked out too. So, I had this sheer fabric, and here you go. I'll get to the real window treatments next summer (another challenge, ladies?).

This picture has absolutely nothing to do with my bathroom reveal, except that this is how my 3-year-old kept busy while I was working. She definitely has more of a fashion sense than her mother!

Please visit my friends who are blogging without borders & see their big reveals today:

Amy @ Buffalo Roam, Cassie @Primitive & Proper, Dana @ Crafted Niche,

Debbie @ ReFresh ReStyle, Heidi @ Décor & More, Holly @ Life as a Thrifter,

Jaime @ Crafty Scrappy Happy, Jessica @ Stay At Home-ista,

Karah @ the space between, Kelly @ View Along the Way, Kirby @ Kirb Appeal,

Laura @Top This Top That, Shannon @ Fox Hollow Cottage

for marty - burlap panels

2012-08-15T06:47:00.000-04:00

My sister mentioned months ago that she was interested in burlap panels for her dining room. A good sister with a home decorating business and serious sewing skills would be making her some gorgeous custom panels. I, on the other hand, am going to write a post about it - show her a few pictures, provide a few links, and then call it a day.

Last year, I made some burlap panels for my living room and dining room. Inspired by The Nester's striped curtains, I pieced together two shades of inexpensive burlap to make my panels.

Inspiration from The Nester:

Source: thenester.com via Tisha on Pinterest

My version:

Source: delectablehome.blogspot.com via Tisha on Pinterest

Being the ~~discontent~~ fickle decorator that I am, I have never loved these like I wanted to. Maybe because shortly after I finished them, I spotted these smocked burlap panels over at KariAnne's place.

Source: thistlewoodfarms.com via Tisha on Pinterest

And just a last month I saw another pair of similar smocked drapes in our local symphony Show Home.
KariAnne's source no longer has the smocked jute panels in stock, but they do have NON-smocked jute panels:

Source: softsurroundings.com via Tisha on Pinterest

And NON-jute smocked panels:

Source: softsurroundings.com via Tisha on Pinterest

Here's what else I've drummed up...

Selections from Ballard Designs:
(A) Essential Panel; (B) Fringed Panel
You can click on the photos see buying info.

Jute smocked panel:
(Warning: this is not for the faint of heart at $225 per panel! But oh so pretty!)

Luxe linen panel:

And an etsy option:

I used the $3.99 a yard economy burlap (plus a half off coupon!) from JoAnn to make my panels, which is not the same stuff used for most of the commercial drapes. Theirs usually have a tighter weave and a lighter weight. When looking for burlap fabrics or doing an internet search, "jute" or "linen" may also yield good results. Just promise me you will not buy 84" curtain panels! I am proposing a consumer revolt against this standard manufactured length. These are just TOO SHORT! I would go at least 90" for 8-foot ceilings, and even 96" or 108", especially if your ceilings are 9' or higher. They will look so much better hung high and sitting lightly on the floor or even puddled at the bottom.

If you buy yourself some new burlap panels, especially a smocked version, I'd love to hear about it, since I'm going to ~~tolerate~~ enjoy my striped burlap panels a while longer.

NOTE: I have not seen, touched, or bought any of these curtains in person and therefore am not offering an endorsement of any particular product or company. These are just inspirations and ideas for your own research. Post includes affiliate links.

turquoise bathroom sink

2012-08-13T06:45:00.000-04:00

Welcome to my fourth installment of Blogging without Borders. Each member of the group is working on a project that should stretch her limits and include some things that she has never done before. For my challenge, I have chosen to redecorate Mr. Main Bathroom with a zero dollar budget (with the exception of the replacement sinks and faucets that my husband bought for the project). All of my supplies are being pulled together from my DIY hoard. So hopefully I'm getting a two-fer - redoing the bathroom and cleaning out the craft room & garage!

This week I am so excited to show our new old sink!

The sink cabinet in here has been disgusting. I couldn't store anything inside because it smelled really musty and old-lady-ish. And it was plain white with dirty, chipped paint and rusty hinges.

Before:

But despite the grossness of the cabinet, the first order of business was to change out the sinks. I really loved those high back ones we had, but the only replacement faucets for those are special order and rather expensive. As you may notice from the before photo, the faucets we had were two different styles, and several things were not working correctly on them, so they really needed to be replaced. Charles decided just to buy some new sinks and cheaper faucets instead of trying to get the special faucets for these.

Here is my hero installing the new sinks. He did not want me to take a picture of him and asked if he was going to get a cool disguise like D. How do you like it, dear?

While he worked on this, I was busy painting the cabinet. I decided to try to reclaim the storage space by removing the doors and center supports, then painting and sealing to trap in the musty smell. The paint color is a hodge-podge of paint leftovers from the garage - mostly a minty green-gray from our living room & dining room mixed with a bright turquoisey blue from a toy chest. I put a coat of paint on the bottom of a galvanized vase I had stored away, too.

I even painted the insides of the drawers (ooh, aah). Not trying to be fancy, just trying to cover the old toothpaste stains.

You'll notice I got new hardware. I had rounded up a few supplies and receipts that we had not used for previous projects, so I took those back to Lowe's and used the credit for these handles. Charles said this was cheating on the challenge. What? But I didn't buy anything!
"No," he said. "The challenge was not to buy anything." Hmmm. This communication in marriage thing is pretty tough. But they are already installed, so we're keeping them.
I moved the baskets from the nursery and stuffed them with toilet paper, bath toys, hand towels, and unmatched socks (I don't know).

LOVE!

Please visit my friends who are blogging without borders today:

Amy @ Buffalo Roam, Cassie @Primitive & Proper, Dana @ Crafted Niche,

Debbie @ ReFresh ReStyle, Heidi @ Décor & More, Holly @ Life as a Thrifter,

Jaime @ Crafty Scrappy Happy, Jessica @ Stay At Home-ista,

Karah @ the space between, Kelly @ View Along the Way, Kirby @ Kirb Appeal,

Laura @Top This Top That, Shannon @ Fox Hollow Cottage

On August 27, I'll show you the whole room with my summer-full of changes. The shower curtain is ready, and I'm working on some fun accessories for the big reveal!

{Linking up to a few fabulous parties:}

InLinkz.com

a painted chair

2012-07-31T05:45:00.000-04:00

"Big deal...a painted chair."
But what about a painted upholstered chair?
"You can't paint an upholstered chair," said my husband, my client, and her husband. "Can you?"

Awhile back, I pinned this...

Source: thebungalowblog.com via Tisha on Pinterest

And this...

Source: johnnyinadress.com via Tisha on Pinterest

(Okay, so the white sofa is vinyl, but I was still itching to try it.)

And my client had this...

which she wanted to match this...

So I did this...

{Linking up to a few fabulous parties:}

InLinkz.com

bathroom art & batten {bwob 3}

2012-07-30T06:43:00.000-04:00

Woohoo!! Welcome to the third installment of Blogging without Borders. This is a project that should stretch my limits and include some things that I have never done before. (And there is an unwritten rule that wine is supposed to play some role in the project, although I learned a long time ago that drinking and painting don't always pair well.) My challenge - to remodel our main bathroom using only the supplies I already have on hand in my garage and craft room. (My hubby is going to pitch in two new sinks and faucets, but I am supposed to stick to a ZERO budget.) So far, I've shown you the Before photos of Mr. Main and Step 1 of the wall makeover.

I am currently obsessed with painting huge canvases, so I had a fun idea for the giant blank spot above the toilet. Initially, I planned to go with a turquoise & coral color scheme, but as I've been working on the room, Main has been talking to me. "No coral," he said. "Brown." Hmmm. Interesting.

flush. wash. brush. so simple, yet so necessary in a bathroom shared by six children.

You might notice that since last time I did paint the lower half of the wall white, and WAIT! That looks like batten! Yes, my hero husband did a garage clean out last weekend and found some planks hiding in a back corner. I was all set to go with KariAnne's great idea to do stripes, but I'll save that one for another day.

Anyway, back to the art. I built this canvas myself (sort of). We had a huge strip of MDF in the garage, so I had Charles cut the biggest square possible from it (because he wisely discourages me from using power saws), which turned out to be 30"x30". Then, to make it more lightweight, he cut out a square in the middle, leaving a 3-4" frame around the outside. I wrapped a large piece of heavy canvas (which used to be part of a craft table) over and around and stapled it to the back of the frame. I cut my letters out of an old roll of contact paper, stuck them on, and mixed and matched some leftover paints to create the colors.

And while we were cleaning, I found something that made my heart very glad. My plan has been to paint a shower curtain - canvas drop cloth with a turquoise damask design. Then I remembered my sister's old duvet cover that we had cut up to make some things for my niece's room (so cute - I'll have to chase down those photos), and guess what - it's a linen-y turquoise damask! I adore this fabric, and I think there's enough to get something ready for next time (Aug. 13). So, since I'm not painting my shower curtain now, I guess I can have that glass of wine.

Please visit my friends who are blogging without borders today. They all have super-cool projects going on!

Amy @ Buffalo Roam, Cassie @Primitive & Proper, Dana @ Crafted Niche,

Debbie @ ReFresh ReStyle, Heidi @ Décor & More, Holly @ Life as a Thrifter,

Jaime @ Crafty Scrappy Happy, Jessica @ Stay At Home-ista,

Karah @ the space between, Kelly @ View Along the Way, Kirby @ Kirb Appeal,

Laura @Top This Top That, Shannon @ Fox Hollow Cottage

{Linking up to some of my favorite parties:}

InLinkz.com

Between Naps on the Porch

for kelli

2012-07-24T17:09:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I spent a fun morning with a friend. Well, it was fun for me, but possibly nothing short of torture for her...

Kelli called me several months ago to get help with a slipcover. She had some pretty mean sewing skills and wanted to try a slipcover for her sofa, but she didn't know where to start. I helped her select some fabric and gave her a homework list: prewash the fabric, make enough covered cording for the whole sofa, & make the covers for the cushions. That was done, and she was ready to have me come over and help her layout the body pieces and give her some construction tips.

Like a dummy, I forgot to take pictures. It would have been fun to see us stretched out all over the floor with khaki duck cloth. We cut and pinned and basted for a few hours, then I left her on her own to wade through the rest. When I spoke with her last night, she had gotten an amazing amount done!

While I was there, we talked about her colors and decor. She has soft green walls with lots of great wood tones - wood floor, trim, mantel, table. Her sofas will be off-white & khaki and the window panels are solid off-white as well. Most of her photo frames are black as are the curtain rods. And she's clamoring for a touch of orange, which she is already using in her master bedroom and guest bath. She's also working on some cool gallery walls.

So, Kelli, here's a little inspiration for you!

Source: afpinteriors.com via Tisha on Pinterest

Source: houzz.com via Tisha on Pinterest

Source: ashbeedesign.com via Tisha on Pinterest

Source: potterybarn.com via Tisha on Pinterest

And for more green + orange ideas, check out one of my favorite bloggers, Holly @ Life as a Thrifter.

board & batten without the batten {bwob 2}

2012-07-16T06:32:00.000-04:00

My faithful followers know that I have been really lame about blogging this summer. When school got out, I announced to the kids that we would not be sitting around the house watching TV or playing video games. We were going to plan fun outdoor activities like swimming, bike rides, and camping trips. And we have! But that has left little time for me to be blogging or working on new projects.

Still, I'm not one to pass up a good challenge...

Blogging without Borders - this is a project that should stretch my limits and include some things that I have never done before. So I've planned to remodel our main bathroom with the stuff I have on hand in my garage and craft room. Last time, I showed you the BEFORE photos of Mr. Main.

Armed with a pile of lumber from the garage, a pack of hooks I bought six months ago, and a few inspiration photos...

Source: cococozy.com via Tisha on Pinterest

Source: favoritepaintcolorsblog.com via Tisha on Pinterest

Source: vtinteriors.blogspot.com via Tisha on Pinterest

I added a little board & batten without the batten to a couple of Main's walls.

"Board & batten, hold the batten!" Sounds like an order in a greasy spoon. Maybe, "Board & batten, sans batten?" I do love a French country look.

Why not batten? I didn't have the wood on hand (sticking with the challenge, you know). My plan is to go back and add that later, along with a tile backsplash above the sink.

For now, I have painted the lower section of the wall with a beige that was a few shades lighter than the color on the top half of the wall. I wanted an ombre effect, but I don't think there is enough contrast between the colors. I'll probably go back and paint this white instead.

So far I've only used materials on hand, including all the paint. I even cut a corner out of the trim with a steak knife because we didn't have any blades for the utility knife!

So, what do you think so far (besides "wow, that's a lot of towels")? Paint the bottom white?

Please visit my friends who are blogging without borders today:

Amy @ Buffalo Roam, Cassie @Primitive & Proper, Dana @ Crafted Niche,

Debbie @ ReFresh ReStyle, Heidi @ Décor & More, Holly @ Life as a Thrifter,

Jaime @ Crafty Scrappy Happy, Jessica @ Stay At Home-ista,

Karah @ the space between, Kelly @ View Along the Way, Kirby @ Kirb Appeal,

Laura @Top This Top That, Shannon @ Fox Hollow Cottage

We'll be posting every other Monday (July 30, Aug. 13 & Aug. 27) throughout the summer with our changes. For my next bwob installments, I am painting our sink cabinet and making a new shower curtain, window treatment, and rug.

Also linking up at:

ballard art knockoff

2012-07-14T09:37:00.001-04:00

My latest project for my dear friend & client, Becky, is this large canvas art for her bedroom.

I started with a 36x36" art canvas which I got for 50% off at Joann's ($20), a handful of blue, green, white & brown acrylic paints I had on hand, and this inspiration from Ballard (Gold Swirls Abstract Print)...

Source: ballarddesigns.com via Tisha on Pinterest

I wanted this to be more blue than the Ballard one, and Becky wanted me to add the cross design. My dots are more heavy-handed and my shapes are a less vine-like, but overall I think the effect is still quite nice. And it was $230 cheaper than the original, so she's pretty happy with that!

The art really fills up the space and adds a punch of color above the bed, while also picking up the wall color. We're working on the rest of her bedroom too - the windows are done and such a huge change. As soon as I get her chair painted(!) I'll be showing you that side of the room.

Well, I'm no artist, but it was so fun to paint such a huge canvas that I have an itch to try another one. I just don't really have anywhere in my house for such a masterpiece. Anyone want to commission my next work?

a little help from my friends

2012-07-06T09:51:00.001-04:00

{What would you do if I sang out of tune...}

As part of the Blogging without Borders summer series, I am embarking on a bathroom remodel with no budget. I have been scouring Pinterest for some inspiration.

Source: georgianadesign.tumblr.com via Tisha on Pinterest

Source: denydesigns.com via Tisha on Pinterest

Source: dnjs.in via Tisha on Pinterest

Source: juxtapost.com via Tisha on Pinterest

Here's the thing - I have a lot of the stuff I'll need in my garage & craft room. But there are a few items I'm envisioning that I don't have on hand. {And I'll try not to sing out of key.}

Does anyone have a large damask wall stencil I could borrow for a few weeks? Do you have some extra no-slip rug padding that you are done with (or do you know of a good substitute)? How about one of those rubber floor mats (any size)? Finally, I'd love some blue silk hydrangeas if you have some stuck in a closet somewhere.

This is going to be a great project - all I need is a little help from my friends!

{Yes, I'll get by with a little help from my friends. Is everyone singing this now?}

bathroom makeover preview {bwob 1}

2012-07-02T08:14:00.001-04:00

Today is a very exciting day in our home. One of our most neglected rooms is finally going to see himself on the blog. So, who gets the next makeover? Drum roll, please...

(If you read the post title, I guess the suspense is lacking, but he deserves a little fanfare.)

Mr. Main Bathroom!

We have lived in our basement rancher for almost eight years, and the main bathroom has seen the least in improvements. Like, zero. In fact, this room has probably had un-provements (or is it de-provements?). I have taken down a towel bar and left the anchors exposed. The side strip came off the countertop laminate and was never replaced. Neither faucet works properly, and they both leak like crazy - we even had to turn the cold water off on one side. Currently there is no window treatment, no rug, no matching towels. Heck, there isn't even toilet paper on the roll in the "BEFORE" photos...

I guess I keep putting this off because I want to wait until I can go whole hog - I want to do it right, and there are so many changes I'd like to make. That, and maybe the fact that I never use this bathroom.

Luckily, I have some very motivating bloggy friends who came up with a fun idea for a summer project.

Blogging without Borders - this is a project that should stretch my limits and include some things that I have never done before. Hmmm, something I've never done before. Then my husband makes an announcement - "I'd really like to fix those bathroom sinks this summer."

I've never tried plumbing, but no way Charles is going to let me touch that. So maybe I could take the angle of a project where the budget would have no bounds - I would be free to do the remodel that I (& Main) have been waiting for!

Instead, our summer mantra is all about spending cuts. No new money. So here's my challenge: to remodel our bathroom with the sinks that Charles has planned (literally, sinks - just the basins and the faucets, no new cabinetry or countertops) and the stuff I have on hand in my garage and craft room. Now THAT is something stretching.

I may even try to do something about this...

Please visit my friends who are blogging without borders today:

Amy @ Buffalo Roam, Cassie @Primitive & Proper, Dana @ Crafted Niche,

Debbie @ ReFresh ReStyle, Heidi @ Décor & More, Holly @ Life as a Thrifter,

Jaime @ Crafty Scrappy Happy, Jessica @ Stay At Home-ista,

Karah @ the space between, Kelly @ View Along the Way, Kirby @ Kirb Appeal,

Laura @Top This Top That, Shannon @ Fox Hollow Cottage

And be sure to check back over the next few weeks to see Main's updates. We'll be posting every other Monday (July 16, July 30, Aug. 13 & Aug. 27) throughout the summer with our changes. I'm hoping to show you a little lumber in my next post.

I'd love to hear about your summer projects plans, too - do you have any projects you could tackle that would break some borders?

vanity makeover

2012-06-19T13:26:00.001-04:00

I guess I'd call myself a thrifter. Or upcyler sounds pretty good. My husband, however, would call me a junker. And perhaps our neighbor would agree.

I have been picking up curbside treasures from my neighbor's house for years. She owns a small booth in a local antique/thrift market and often brings home furniture pieces from yard sales or Goodwill to restore for her booth. Sometimes she over-buys and puts items out at the street for anybody who will take them off her hands. Lucky me!

One day she caught me hauling home a chest-of-drawers by myself and came out to help. When I laughingly recounted how many of her cast-offs had been taken into our home, she told me that she was in the process of cleaning out the garage and asked if I wanted to come take a look. Guess what I found...

Unfortunately, in my haste to transform this adorable little vanity I neglected to take a before photo, but I located this picture of a similar vanity at Charlotte's blog and asked if I could borrow it.

This piece was a perfect size for the girls' room, so I gave it a coat of white paint, mod podged "Waverly Duchess Damask Onyx" fabric to the drawer faces, and added some simple wood knobs that matched the other furniture in the room. Oh yeah, it needed some new mirror clips too, so $1.50 later that had been restored.

I'm not sure I could have found a more perfect dresser for this room! Thanks, Tamara!

{Linking up to some of my favorite parties:}

InLinkz.com

virtual summer mantle

2012-06-11T16:09:00.000-04:00

This summer, instead of creating a new mantle, I tweeked elements from my spring mantle which I love so much and don't want to part with just yet. However, I've seen so many great new things in my favorite catalogs that are just begging for a good knock-off, so I thought I'd share a few virtual mantle ideas in case you have an itch to try them.

Photo Sources: Ballard Designs perched birds, steepled birdhouse, calypso bottles, & Suzanne Kasler postcard mat

I would love to see a huge wall version of that postcard mat!

Photo Sources: Pottery Barn ocean pier sign, Ballard Designs Wellies planter, PB Bristol lanterns

I saw some cute lanterns at Target today for $5 & $10, and I bet you could find some cheap rubber boots at Goodwill to spray paint.

Photo Sources: Pottery Barn painted American flag & wood buoys; terrarium from BH&G

I've never done a red, white, and blue theme before, but this is really speaking to me. I can see a huge pallet flag, like this one at Jess' Journey through Life, Love, & Motherhood. Hop on over to see how she did it...

Any takers? I really hope someone will help me live out my dreams. PLEASE send me a link if you do it - I want to pin!

fresh front porch

2012-06-06T08:50:00.000-04:00

This post is brought to you by my friends Linda, Kelly, Karah and Karianne, without whose inspiration I never would have done this project...

I do not like to work outside. I'm not sure that that sentence completely captured my feelings, so let me try again. I DO NOT LIKE TO WORK OUTSIDE!! Seriously, if I were being held captive and tortured to learn some kind of enemy secrets (since I know so many), all that would be necessary is for me to be forced to work outside. I would cave in an instant.

Add this to the fact that no plant is safe with me. One month, maybe two tops, is the life expectancy of any green thing that comes to live with us.

My husband doesn't mind the outdoor labors, but his emphasis is definitely more on function than beauty. Nor does he have much of an interest in devoting funds to hiring out this type of thing. Needless to say, we don't win any "Yard of the Month" awards. So when this month's Mission Possible project was The Great Outdoors, I did not deliberate about what I would post. There would be no outdoors post, great or otherwise.

But I loved their projects, and I loved the links. I sat inside and looked at almost all of them. Then I glanced out my window to look at my sad little yard. Then I did this...

Okay, so I don't think we'll be drawing the attention of the neighborhood association for accolades just yet, but the folks who cast off that chair and those cute little fat birds may be taking a second look.

I'm a little worried that the petunias won't get enough direct light, but I'm an equal-opportunity plant killer, so we'll see how it goes.

And the best part of the project was that painting the chair and sewing the cushion covers took the better part of the day...INSIDE! Now, I just need to make a "beware of the kids" sign like this one at Bliss Ranch.

{Linking up to some of my favorite parties:}

InLinkz.com

owl nursery updates

2012-05-29T21:16:00.000-04:00

I don't know if I have writer's block, or blog burnout, or busy life, or what...

but lately I just haven't felt like posting. Do you ever get that way? For months, I spent way more time on the computer than I probably should have, pinning and playing with photos in Picnik, posting, editing, and commenting on every great project that I could find. I was constantly dreaming up new crafts and completing projects to write about.

Then, I went MIA. The last weeks of school got crazy, and it was all I could do to keep my head above water, much less decorate or post. And I was so close to putting the finishing touches on the girls' room, so....close....

If you've been watching my pinterest boards lately, you could guess what I was up to...

Source: etsy.com via Tisha on Pinterest

Gallery wall sources:
Alphabet art
Katie Daisy LOVE print (Thanks, Kelly!)
Owl art prints
"owl love you forever" free printable (I printed this on a transparency and framed it on top of fabric.)
Crystal doorknob from Hobby Lobby ($10 regular price, but I bought it on a sale day @ 50% off)

And you can check out these older posts on this room:
For my fabric sources, click here (you'll notice I've rearranged the furniture a bit).
Daisy lampshades - I like these SO MUCH BETTER since I've moved them and added the LOVE art.
Round mirror tutorial

More details on the over-the-crib decor when I finish a couple more stuffed owls (and maybe a crib skirt, and maybe a pillow...)!

{Linking up to some of my favorite parties:}

InLinkz.com

another hidden treasure

2012-05-24T09:53:00.002-04:00

Remember when I showed you these pillows that I bought at a rummage sale? You thought I was crazy until I showed you the down forms underneath the tattered covers.

Well, how about this chair? Look what was hiding under the slipcover...

show & tell features {16}

2012-05-13T08:26:00.001-04:00

A big thanks to everyone who linked up at last week's Show & Tell party! Here are some of the highlights...

Dining room updates @ The Velvet Door

Pillowcase skirt tutorial @ Daisyeyes

Gilded frames @ Oak Ridge Revival

Penny countertop @ Domestic Imperfection

Sharpie French graphic towel @ Setting for Four

Chair makeover @ the Bungalow Blog

Lake house rules coasters @ Crafty Scrappy Happy

Filing cabinet garage storage @ Trash to Treasure Blog

If you've been featured, feel free to hop over to my "buttons" tab and grab an "I've Been Featured" button.

Happy Mother's Day to everyone! Today I am remembering my mother, celebrating a dear mother-in-law, and rejoicing in my motherhood to six amazing children. I am thankful indeed.