The Old House in Texas

I know it's not Christmas but just look what I happened upon...

2011-04-15T04:52:00.000-06:00

Linking to Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound

A perfect pop of pink...

2011-04-08T18:02:00.001-06:00

This is so cool and I love the pink door.

Linking to Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound

I must have one of these pink velvet thingies...

2011-04-01T04:42:00.000-06:00

What exactly would you call this piece of gorgeousness? It's not really an ottoman. It's not really a loveseat. Anyone?

Linking to Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound

Perfectly pristine pantry...

2011-03-27T08:56:00.000-06:00

Check out this awesome pantry make over at the House of Smiths.

Perfect pink...

2011-03-25T16:38:00.000-06:00

Linking to Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound

Sweet dreams...

2011-03-18T16:30:00.000-06:00

Linking to Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound

Sleeping in a fairy tale...

2011-03-11T04:19:00.001-07:00

Photos from the book Candice Olson on Design

Linking to Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound

How to paint vinyl floors has been inspirational to many...

2011-03-10T04:40:00.001-07:00

This has been the most well-received and inspirational of all my posts so I thought I would share it again.

How to paint vinyl floors; POST UPDATE:

This is an update to an older post so please indulge me and forgive the duplication.

Awhile back, I showed you how I painted my vinyl floors but reported that the paint I used had been discontinued. I think I may have found a solution. Check it out...

STIX Waterborne Bonding Primer is a premium quality, acrylic/urethane primer-sealer designed with a unique "Step Change Technology" that delivers unparalleled adhesion to the most challenging surfaces, such as.......PVC, Vinyl, Plastic, Glass, Tile, Glazed Block, Glossy Paints, Pre-Coated Siding, Fiberglass, and Galvanized Metals. STIX is also ideal for use on plaster, drywall, wood, and non-ferrous metals, where a low ambient or surface temperatures present a problem for conventional primers. It cures in temperatures as low as 35 F and offers an extremely hard film when cured. Use STIX on interior and exterior surfaces and topcoat with almost any type of coating including Alkyd, Acrylic Latex, Urethane, Epoxy, and Lacquer Finishes. STIX is a low VOC primer, which levels to a smooth surface and cleans up with soap and water.

Urethane Acrylic resins provide a tenacious bond to tough surfaces
White Pigmented
Accepts any finish coat
Applies easily with brush roller , or spray
MFG Brand Name : STIX
MFG Model # : SXA-110
MFG Part # : SXA110099-01

I found STIX at Home Depot.

Here's my original post...

When we moved into our 1980's house 9 years ago, the vinyl floors were hideous and in terrible shape.

Apparently, the former ranch hand chopped kindling with a hatchet on the kitchen floor. (We found the kindling but not the hatchet.)

Since we don't own the house, we didn't want to spend the money to replace them. So, I decided to paint them. The project cost $80 and it took me 11 days to complete the kitchen, laundry room, entry and bathroom. As you will see in a minute, they turned out great.

I found a paint that worked on floors and on vinyl siding so I thought it would be a good choice for vinyl floors. (The paint was McCloskey's All-in-One and I can't find it anymore.) I was right. Nearly 9 years after painting them, they are still in decent shape. And, let me tell you, our floors are used and abused.

Here's what I did...

Step 1) I gave the floors a very thorough cleaning by first sweeping, then vacuuming, then scrubbing them clean on my hands and knees with warm water.

Step 2) I rolled on three coats of off-white, letting the coats dry in between.

Step 3) Because there was already a square pattern stamped into the old vinyl, this step was much easier than if I'd had to measure. I taped off the inside of every other square with blue painter's tape then painted each with two coats of taupe, letting the coats dry in between.

Step 4) I carefully removed the tape.

Step 5) I applied five coats of water-based, satin Minwax Polycrylic with a brush, letting the coats dry in between.

POST UPDATE: I don't think the paint I used on my floors is available anymore. However, I saw a show on HGTV where they painted a vinyl bathroom floor. They used a high-adhesion primer first, followed by floor paint. I think a really important step with my floor was the Minwax Polycrylic on top, however, the paint I used was a matte finish. If you used a glossy floor paint, maybe you wouldn't need the shiny top coat.

When the homeowner saw my painted floors, he gasped because he thought I was going to hand him a bill for new vinyl. He was happy to reimburse me the $80 I spent on the project.

Here's the bathroom floor, 9 years later. This is the lowest-traffic area of all the areas I painted. I would have posted the kitchen but it's covered in muddy paw prints because we took a walk in the melting snow.

We're going for another walk tomorrow and the snow will be melting for awhile so I see no reason to clean it any time soon.

Red and white is dynamite...

2011-03-09T04:07:00.000-07:00

Creative idea for an old birdcage...

2011-03-08T06:02:00.000-07:00

Someone had the fantastic idea of turning an old birdcage into a chair. I would like to put shorter legs on one and use it for a dog bed. I'll bet the tiny pooch in the photo would agree.

Fabulous overload...

2011-03-06T04:32:00.002-07:00

I want this couch...

2011-03-04T16:01:00.000-07:00

Linking to Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound

Favorite photos of my grandparents...

2011-03-04T04:22:00.002-07:00

Visualizing...

2011-03-03T04:19:00.001-07:00

Fabulous...

2011-03-02T04:17:00.001-07:00

Best buds...

2011-03-01T04:27:00.002-07:00

Cowboy and Pete...

Love, love, love these mercury-glass pendants...

2011-02-28T04:14:00.000-07:00

These would be gorgeous in the Old House. I can picture them in a bathroom or walk-in closet.

We call this cow...

2011-02-27T08:18:00.005-07:00

"Don King."

Wow factor...

2011-02-26T21:02:00.004-07:00

Dress by Chrissy Wai-Ching

Cool fog this morning...

2010-10-24T09:18:00.003-06:00

Photo of fog on the hills, taken off from back steps this morning.

Hurts so good...

2010-09-25T14:24:00.005-06:00

My new shoes are slightly uncomfortable. And with 4.25" heels, they are way too tall. But they were half price for only $29.99. And they look fantastic with skinny pants.

You can get your own pair at JCPenney.

I love a bargain...

2010-09-05T10:03:00.005-06:00

This Nie + Zoe top was originally $139 at Anthropolgie. See, it still has the tags. I got it for $2 yesterday at a thrift store.

There's another one in rose which I did not buy. Should I go back and get it for my sister?

Trailer-park chic...

2010-08-16T04:41:00.000-06:00

This photo of Cyndi Lauper is one of my favorites. I think she's absolutely fabulous...

Linking to Rednesday and Mellow Yellow Monday

Funky-chunky-gypsy-cowgirl-junktastic belt buckles...

2010-08-12T19:50:00.008-06:00

I made another belt buckle, ya'll... and I finished it just in time for Pink Saturday.

I'm selling these in my new Etsy shop. The one below is a new buckle and features four vintage brooches and lots of beads, and faux crystals and pearls.

The one below is a vintage German silver Tony Lama cowboy buckle which I purchased from an antiques store in Buffalo, Wyoming. It also features four old brooches and lots of faux pearls and crystals.

Linking to Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound

Make it for Monday at Cottage Instincts

Metamorphasis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

Motivate Me Monday at Keeping it Simple

Make Your Monday at Twice Remembered

New Orleans Lemon Doberge Cake

2010-08-09T04:36:00.003-06:00

Story, recipe and photo from Cooking with Herb St. Absinthe

Lemon Doberge Cake

Last Sunday, we made a Chocolate Doberge Cake, the gold standard by which all New Orleans Doberge cakes are held. You could also combine to make a half/half Doberge Cake like Gambino’s Bakery (available for $74.50, including shipping).

Photo from the World-Famous Gambino's Bakery in NOLA

Follow the same recipe for the cake as Chocolate Doberge Cake. the filling is essentially a lemon curd recipe, I would bet that a straight lemon curd would be very good in this cake. The first frosting is a simple flavored decorator’s icing.

However, the traditional Doberge Cake uses a poured fondant frosting, the kind that “snaps” under the knife, I am also including that recipe for purists. I highly suggest that you make the frosting 24 hours before you are ready to assemble your cake. It is also wise to make the filling the day before so that it is nice and chilled when you go to spread it on your cake layers. EDIT: to get the fondant frosting to stick well, many bakers will frost with another kind of frosting first. Use the first frosting recipe as a first layer and then use the poured fondant for better coverage and a more professional looking cake. No one said we didn’t like sugar in New Orleans!

Lemon Filling

1 1/2 cup sugar
6 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup water
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons lemon peel
2/3 cup lemon juice

Mix sugar, cornstarch and salt in a saucepan and slowly add water. Bring to a boil while stirring, boil mixture for 1 minute. Add half of hot mixture to egg to temper, then blend in rest of mixture. Bring back to a boil and boil for another minute. Remove from heat and add butter, lemon peel and juice. Refrigerate before filling cake layers.

Lemon Frosting

1 box (1 lb.) confectioner’s sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1/2 cup shortening
2 egg whites
pinch of salt
yellow food dye

Sift sugar and cornstarch over shortening and mix thoroughly. Blend in egg whites, salt and flavoring. You may need to add a little water to thin this out, weather and humidity can affect this frosting. Add dye at the end, add as many drops to achieve desired hue of yellow.

Poured Fondant Frosting

2-1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup corn syrup

Heat sugar, water and corn syrup to the soft-ball stage (238°F; 114°C). Pour into a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Wash the candy thermometer well and reinsert into the syrup. Let the syrup cool undisturbed in the workbowl to 140°F (60°C), about 30 minutes. Remove the thermometer.

Add any coloring or flavoring (1 to 2 teaspoons lemon oil and/or 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel, 2 to 4 ounces melted unsweetened chocolate, etc.) and process 2 to 3 minutes, until the syrup completely converts from a glassy syrup to an opaque paste. When thoroughly cooled. store sealed at room temperature for 24 hours. Use or refrigerate for later use.

Linking to Mellow Yellow Monday