Tidy Brown Wren, bringing order to your nest

Kitchen Remodel - Almost done

2013-04-04T07:05:00.001-04:00

Our kitchen remodel is almost done and I haven't posted photos in awhile. We had a delay in finishing the project when the floor guy never showed up. Our contractor had to bring in a different guy to complete the flooring with stain and 3 coats of finish.

Notice our new lighting - exterior lighting from Lowe's. We put in three lights - one over each window. We were still waiting for the cabinet maker to bring in our missing glass-front cabinet (see the empty space with phone wires sticking out on the left side?)

The ceiling fan purchase was quite a saga. One was ordered and paid for, order canceled, new one purchased, parts returned, ceiling fan installed, and finally hooked up. Whew, done! It is a Hunter ceiling fan hardwired to a wall switch but also has a remote control for fan speed and light control.

The flooring was finally finished and the glass-front cabinet installed. Dust and fumes for 3 days.

The guys did a great job with the transition from wood to brick floors.

We were able to get the fridge and stove installed in time to have Easter dinner. We pushed our old island into the middle of the kitchen temporarily - I'll be refinishing it soon to match the rest of the kitchen. Our youngest grandfella loves to help Papa wash dishes at the new sink.

Papa makes it look like so much fun.

Just a few more details to be finished and we'll be done with the kitchen remodel. It's been an interesting trip.

A Few Comforts During A Kitchen Remodel

2013-03-12T10:23:00.000-04:00

Just because your house is a mess doesn't mean that you have to feel like a mess yourself.

While this kitchen remodeling project continues (we're on week 7 now) I've worked very hard to keep a bit of civility and calmness in several areas of our home. I need quiet places to rest my eyes and my spirit amidst the chaos.

I'm so glad our Camellias are in full bloom right now. I'm able to keep fresh blooms in our foyer to cheer everyone up. (you might notice the dust below the vases, but I'm pretending it's not there)

One of my sweet little preschool students gave me an Amaryllis bulb as a Christmas gift. I planted it right after Christmas and was so pleased to see that it was beginning to bloom just when I needed it the most. It holds a blooming place of honor on the dining room table for everyone to enjoy. It's been blooming for over a month now.

I made it a priority to keep our bedroom as calm and clean as possible. I purposefully did not store any boxes or extra things in our bedroom to keep it clutter free. I bought an air purifier to help us breath better at night. I also damp dust and damp mop every day and wash the linens twice a week to keep us from sleeping in dust. I knew we needed a place where no sign of construction was going on as a retreat.

I wrote the words to one of my current favorite songs on the chalkboard inside my pantry. It helps to keep me focused in a positive direction - which I need to be reminded of frequently.

Kitchen Remodel: Making Progress With The Floors and Cabinets

2013-03-07T13:07:00.000-05:00

Well, the yellow pine floors finally made their appearance and they are perfect.

They won't have a finish until everything else is done.

You can see the difference between the old floor in the utility room and new floor in the kitchen.

The following day, the cabinet boxes went in. We had a local guy build the custom cabinets. It cost considerably less to have him build the cabinets than to buy them from a big box store. Plus, they are custom!

The stove will go to the far right. The fridge will go to the right of the window. A farmhouse sink will go under the window with the dishwasher to the left.

We have a nice glass-front upper cabinet ready to be installed to the left of the new window. With additional trim, it will look like a small china cupboard. Because of the extra trim it will be installed after the granite goes in.

Rough cut wood is being picked up right now to be used as a faux beam over each of the windows and upper cabinets to match the beams in the rest of the house.

A few hours after I took the pictures above, the cabinet guys came to install most of the drawers and doors and the hardware.

Here is the area where the stove will go. I bought the drawer pulls from Target and the door handles at Home Depot.

A few more hinges and pulls still need to be installed as well as the adjustable shelves. All of the drawers have the soft close sliders which I'm excited about.

I'm off now to purchase the lights we finally picked out and also some additional door pulls. I can't believe I didn't count correctly! Good grief. We've decided to reuse our old ceiling fan so I'm just going to pick up a new light kit - I'm thinking schoolhouse light. Of course, I'm going to spray paint the old fan to freshen it up.

Update On The Kitchen Remodel At Brown Wren Acres

2013-02-28T15:03:00.000-05:00

Whew! I finally have a chance to post an update on our kitchen remodeling project.

There is lots of wood and dust, nails and screws, bricks and sand.

Here is a view into the kitchen from the "keeping room" area in front of the fireplace. We have an open concept house, so it's hard to describe. To the right, through the doorway, is our utility room. The large plaid object to the right is our stove covered with a blanket.

The ceiling is bead board and the walls are being prepped for board and batten.

Here is the same view after the painters came and after Hubs and I removed the brick flooring.

This view was taken from the doorway to the utility room. Notice the new beams and the board and batten siding. The old walls and ceiling had been sprayed with popcorn ceiling texture - I'm not kidding - yes, in a kitchen. Every morning I came down to get coffee and found popcorn texture on my counters and floor.

Here is the same shot after the painters left. The new beams will be covered with rough cut wood to match the beams in the rest of the house. This was not the original plan for beam placement, but we decided we could live with the mistake. I really wanted them to be up against the ceiling, but they were installed while we were away at work, and we decided that it was too much work to correct the mistake. We're learning to like them where they are.

Here is a view of the old sliding glass doors. They were old Anderson sliders that had warped and we could barely open them. I actually sealed off the one on the left by caulking around the whole thing and taking the inside handle off so it couldn't be opened.

Here's the doorway to the back porch after the old door was removed. It was a very chilly day and I ran around the house with my winter coat on all day.

These new doors are ThermaTru and they are very heavy. Only the middle doors swing open.

We hope to get them stained tomorrow so we can get the new hardware on them (oil rubbed bronze, of course). We struggled with the decision to get these doors. We needed to get very sturdy, airtight doors, but by doing so we knew we would be losing some of our view with the wider door trim. We have a passive solar house, so it was hard to find a good door that could still have the passive solar rating. The doors will be stained to match the beams and trim in the rest of the house.

To save some money, Hubs and I decided to remove the brick flooring (only in the kitchen). It was a time consuming job and we were happy to save ourselves hundreds of dollars by doing it ourselves. There is no light in the kitchen, so we brought in a lamp from the living room. How romantic!

After taking up a few rows, we realized that:
     1. We were getting quite a few bricks stacked up and they were getting in our way.

     2. The shortest way out of the house with the bricks was the back door - which couldn't be used because the door hardware wasn't installed yet (it was screwed shut).

     3. The flooring guys were coming in 2 days (which really ended up being 7 days).

Being the resourceful cheapos that we are, we decided to open the new kitchen window, carefully cover the new window trim with a blanket, and throw the old bricks out the window.

Half of the first few bricks we threw out broke and we had to come up with a new plan. We want to be able to use the bricks to pave the floor of the new greenhouse (on my wish list). We really like to recycle and we didn't want to break all of the bricks. So. . . Hubs got an extra piece of plywood and propped it up outside against the bottom of the window. Then we slid the bricks down the plywood and into a pile. We had 400 bricks pulled up and piled outside in less than 2 1/2 hours.

So, how did we do with all of our grandlittles at the house during one week of the remodel? Well, we did a lot of bouncing. Our little exercise rebounder is worth it's weight in gold. The boys thought all of the plastic sheets hanging up made a fun little fort and they looked forward to an occasional peek behind the plastic to see the progress. Eating "picnic style" on paper plates was also an added treat.

We should be getting our new floor tomorrow and getting the doors stained. Next week the cabinets are scheduled to be delivered and the counter top measurements taken for the granite. Hopefully we'll be done in 2 weeks. We'll see.

Wrensday: Lunchtime during a remodel

2013-02-13T05:00:00.000-05:00

What's one to do when your kitchen is torn up and it's time to feed hungry grandfellas their lunch?

Just heat it up in the microwave - as it sits outside on the porch floor.

Yum, yum. . .

I'm just glad there is an outlet on the porch! And the weather was warm and sunny.

*Many of you who know me know that I don't really like using a microwave oven. It's true. I don't. I'm making an exception in these coming weeks while things get put back together in our kitchen.

Here's why I think microwave ovens are not good for regular use.

Last night I actually took a premade lasagna that I froze a month ago to my daughter's house to cook it in her oven while I babysat the grandlittles. I have several more freezer meals ready to heat up in my crock pot or electric saucepan.

Starting The Kitchen Remodel: Demo and Dust

2013-02-09T17:10:00.000-05:00

Ah, nothing like a little dust and debris to make a dull winter interesting. We've begun the kitchen remodel and my kitchen no longer looks like this. . .

Wondering how I got that cool shot? Well I have a handy-dandy window that looks down into my kitchen from my bedroom. How cool is that? Not!

We're taking it out and boarding up the wall on both sides.

We had a sliding patio door that entered right into the kitchen. In fact, I could not open my oven door all the way because the door trim was in the way.

We're putting a window in it's place so that we can have more cabinets and counter space. The oven will move to where the fridge is now (or where it was last week). Our contractor had to widen the opening and frame up the bottom part to make room for the new window.

The old window above the kitchen sink was not too bad, but Hubs (the master dishwasher and pan scrubber in our home) requested a larger window above His sink.

Here are the two new windows in place. We're waiting for the electrical to be roughed in now. The whole kitchen had to be rewired. Only a few surprises were found behind the walls. Cabinets are ordered, faucet and sink have been ordered, and the cabinet hardware picked out. I haven't found lighting I like yet and we'll go this week to pick out our counter tops.

This is what the kitchen looked like a few days after Christmas.

Here's what it looks like today!

Oh, did I mention that we're watching our grandsons this week? While their parents are on a cruise? For a week? On a cruise? Good times!

Plans For A DIY Exercise Bike Stand

2013-01-25T19:55:00.001-05:00

Thank you to so many of you who emailed me about plans for the DIY Exercise Bike Stand. I apologize that it has taken me so long to get the measurements to you, but they are finally here!

The wood was purchased at Home Depot and the bike pegs were purchased at Walmart in the bike section.

The bike we used for this project is a 24" 12 speed bike (I'm a shorty). I used the hardest gear while riding, but this set-up does not allow you to really get much resistance (for building muscle). It was great for getting my legs moving after some nerve damage. I also wanted to burn calories and get my heart rate up and this did the trick.

If you have any questions, just shoot me an email.

Do You Know About MedicAlert Bracelets?

2013-01-22T11:27:00.000-05:00

This past summer, Hubs and I went on a wonderful hike. I promised you I would write about the MedicAlert bracelet I wore while hiking.

It is important that I have medical information available at all times in case of an emergency. I researched different types of medical alert companies and felt that Medic Alert was the best organization for me and my family. I like that they are a nonprofit organization and I can update my information at any time.

If something were to happen to me while I was running errands, emergency personnel could look on my bracelet and find out the 3 most important medical issues I have (I'm allergic to sulfa drugs, I've had a kidney transplant, and I am immune suppressed). There is also a toll free number for them to call to find out what medications I am taking, who my doctors are, and who to contact in case of an emergency.

I am always wearing one of my bracelets - even when I'm in my own yard or house because emergencies can happen anywhere.

I ordered 2 bracelets when I signed up with MedicAlert. One that was practical and form fitting (the one picture above) to wear while gardening, hiking, or working on messy projects. I didn't want to have a bracelet that could get caught on branches, tools, or other things.

The other bracelet I ordered was a faux pearl bracelet that had a removable tag. I figured that pearls go with everything (I know this because I'm from the South). After wearing it every day for months, there came a fateful day. . .

The cotton string just couldn't hold up to my abuse. I knew I could fix it, but I had to get some more pearls and findings. When the bracelet broke, I lost some of them and didn't have any in my stash of craft stuff that was the same size.

So, not wanting to be unaccessorized. . .

I made one with black and clear beads that I had on hand.

Then I went out and bought some more beads and findings. . .

I just couldn't stop. They were so fun to make. . .

Here's another one.

And one in red.

Oh, yeah, I did get around to making another pearl one. I added some mini pearls that I had in my craft bin. Did you know that pearls go with everything?

A girl can never have too many accessories.

I asked a friend who is a firefighter/EMT about my bracelet. I wanted to make sure that emergency personnel would not mistake the bracelet for just a piece of jewelry but would be able to recognize it as an alert bracelet. He assured me that it would be found but told me that the best thing to do is to have a piece of paper with all of my medical issues and medications in my wallet. He also said it is wish to let your loved ones and those you work with know where your piece of paper is.

Anyone who has a medical condition such as diabetes, allergies, hypertension etc. should have some sort of medical alert/contact system - even if it's just that piece of paper in your wallet. You never know when it could save your life.

For those interested in making your own bracelets, I'll be posting a tutorial soon. I've also seen some bracelets at Cracker Barrel that are meant to be used with a watch face, but they would work just fine with a Medic Alert tag.

Wrensday: Growing Greens Undercover

2013-01-16T15:57:00.000-05:00

We've been eating greens from our garden all winter long.

How have we managed that?

By gardening undercover.

We're growing spinach, lettuce, pok choy, swiss chard, collards, and kale. You can see that some of our lettuce has gone to seed because it has been such a warm winter for us here in southeast Virginia.

We simply planted the veggies in October and covered them with floating row covers that were stretched over hoops made with pvc pipes.

The edges of the covers are weighed down with bricks around the edges. No watering, no weeding, no fertilizing.

Pearls and Pistols

2013-01-14T21:09:00.001-05:00

This may offend some of you. If you think it might offend you, please click to another post and read something else. Thank you very much.

This past weekend I did something that I never thought I would do.

I shot a handgun - while wearing pearls.

Yup, pearls and pistols.

My Christmas gift from my son was "a date to do whatever I wanted to do". I decided that I wanted my son to teach me how to shoot a handgun. It's something he is trained in and is very good at. I wanted to peek into his world and spend some time with him. So, off we went to the gun range on a drizzly Saturday morning.

I had to get over my fear of loud noises, guns in general, and unfamiliar surroundings.

My son made me learn how to load the gun, how to shoot it, and every single safety precaution to take with the gun and the gun range. *On a side note - I was having a very good hair day!

I was a pretty good shot and had a chance to shoot several different kinds of handguns. I've decided the 22 is my favorite.

Yup, that's my bulls-eye!

Hubs came along too - after all, we needed a photographer! He was able to get in a little bit of practice.

More instruction was needed. Our son is so smart! *Could my son have any more things wedged into his jean's waistband?

So here are my lessons for the day:

1. Spend time in your children's world - you'll learn a lot.

2. Enjoy a good hair day - they don't come along every day.

3. Be thankful we still have the right to carry and use a gun if we choose to do so.

4. You're never too old to learn something new.

New Ruffled Items In The Etsy Shop

2013-01-08T15:57:00.000-05:00

I've been having a great time upcycling skirts into fun things to sell in my Etsy shop.

First, this beautiful pillow was upcycled from a teen skirt.

This ballet bag was upcycled from a little girl's skirt.

This bag sold a few minutes after I added it to the shop. I'm mailing it off to a sweet little 3 year old who lives a few states away. It was made from a tutu and lined with a cute cherry fabric.

This cute purse is the perfect size to take to that fun theme park that everyone is visiting right now. Doesn't it remind you of a certain mouse?

How To Make A Firefighter Costume For Your Child

2013-01-04T20:29:00.000-05:00

In mid December our preschool went to the Children's museum in Portsmouth, VA. My grandfellas, who attend the school, had a great time. Their favorite area was the mock fire station, complete with Firefighter costumes.

I decided right then that the boys would be getting firefighter costumes for Christmas even though we had already purchased gifts for them.

I looked online to quickly order some but was very disappointed to find that they were cheaply made or too expensive to purchase for short term use by two growing boys.

I checked around the web and found a few ideas for making my own. Here's the results.

I took a few pics at school today to get some close-up shots. First, I found some dark colored shirts/jackets at the thrift store and went to work.

I used a size 5 kids fabric raincoat for the younger grandson's jacket and a modified women's naval uniform shirt for the older one's jacket. I hemmed the uniform shirt and shortened the sleeves to help it fit better.

I used yellow duck tape around the bottom, middle, and sleeves as well as reflector tape on top to form the stripes. I also used iron on letters for their last names and iron on flag patches. I bought everything at Walmart.

The boys were really excited on Christmas morning.

It was a fun project to work on and I think they'll enjoy wearing their fireman jackets for several months. (My Father-in-law loved seeing the boys play on Christmas morning)

Speaking of Firefighters, I like to teach my grandfellas and my students at the preschool to stop and pray everytime they hear sirens. Just today, we stopped what we were doing in class, and prayed for the safety of the emergency workers and the people they were helping. My 3 year old students are very eager to pray for our community helpers.

My Favorite Projects of 2012

2012-12-31T16:44:00.000-05:00

I love looking back on the past year and being reminded of what I accomplished during the past 12 months. Getting back most of the feeling and function in my right leg was a big help in getting projects done. Yay for physical therapy!

Guest Room Redo:

Right after Christmas last year, I started working on the guest room on the 3rd floor our our home. This bedroom with a sitting area and 3 piece bathroom is perfect for guests. I was able to finish the room inexpensively by using things I already owned. I only spent money on paint and a new set of sheets.

Goat Feed Bag Grocery Sack:

I finally made use of the goat and chicken feed bags that had been accumulating in our barn. I turned a few of them into grocery sacks. I'm still making them and selling them in my Etsy shop, but they quickly sell out and I've had a lot of local customers buying them. I hope to add a few more into the shop soon.

Rocking Chair Into Wheelbarrow:

An old, broken rocking chair was my inspiration to remodel an old wheelbarrow.

Hanging Lanterns Without Using Nails or Screws:

I was thrilled to figure out how to temporarily hang my lanterns from my mantle without using nails and/or screws. I found some purse hooks at the dollar store and after a quick spray paint finish, held the lanterns perfectly.

Trash To Treasure Dining Room:

A trash-to-treasure project provided 4 nice chairs and 2 bar stools for my daughter.

Refinished Bedside Table:

After searching for weeks for the perfect bedside table for my bedroom, I found one in my garage (who knew). After refinishing it, it's just the right touch.

Window Seat Cushions Covered With Old Curtains:

Six months after starting this project, I finally finished the new comfy window seat cushions. I made slipcovers for the cushions with my old curtains. I felt like Maria in The Sound Of Music.

Floating Barnwood Shelves:

Hubs and I worked together to design the floating barn wood shelves that I asked for as a Christmas gift.

Organizing Christmas Wrap

2012-12-28T05:00:00.000-05:00

I'm not ready to put away the Christmas decorations yet, but the Christmas wrappings were driving me nuts and I had to do something - and fast.

My studio had become the dumping ground for gifts and wrappings and it was a total mess. Fortunately, I have a system, so it only took about 15 minutes to put everything away.

First, I gathered all of the bags, ribbons, wrapping paper, tags, and tissue paper together. Then I sorted it by type on the floor. I discarded anything that was damaged.

After everything was sorted I started to put each category of wrapping in it's storage place.

The tall rolls of wrapping, large bags, and collapsed boxes were filed into the bottom of the Rubbermaid wrapping container. It's extra tall to accommodate the tall rolls of paper.

I always use a recycled gift bag that I don't want to use again and store the folded tissue paper and small gift bags in.

Ribbon is folded and stored in a sturdy Christmas gift box. I've used this box for about 10 years now.

Another sturdy gift box holds tags, package decor, cards, and a few odd ribbons.

Package filler (is that what you call it?) goes into Ziploc bags and then I squish the air out to save space.

I add all of the small containers to the large storage container and put the lid on. Done!

I also took a few seconds to tidy up the regular wrapping that I use throughout the year. I use wrinkled gift bags to store tissue paper (on the right) and gift bags (on the left). The basket holds ribbon and package decor. The tall Rubbermaid container holds all occasion wrapping paper and also contact paper.

All of these wrapping containers slide into my closet on the second floor for easy access.

Where do you store your wrappings?

How To Build Floating Shelves Out Of Barn Wood

2012-12-27T16:29:00.001-05:00

I'm excited to show you the floating barn wood shelves Hubs made me for my Christmas present this year.

It started out as some barnwood Hubs found along the side of the road. Piles of old barn wood don't come along very often so you'd better snatch them when you find them.

He borrowed a rip saw from a friend at church and cut the wood down into narrow boards.

He also cut down an old piece of wood from our barn to make cleats to hang the shelves on. Here are the cleats screwed into studs in the wall.

He made the shelves using two 4 inch boards and one 2 1/2 inch board. The 4 inch boards form the top and bottom of the shelf and the 2 1/2 inch board is the strip you see in the front. There are also 2 small pieces on each end that measure 2 1/2 x 3 1/2. One shelf is 4 feet long and one is 6 feet long.

Here's another view. The right facing side is the front of the shelf. The back of the shelf is open.

Waiting to be hung up in the house.

The shelves are fitted over the cleat and screwed in from the top. Hubs pre-drilled the holes in the shelves so the old wood wouldn't split.

The top piece of wood on this shelf had to have a fresh cut so we had to distress it to make it match the other wood. I used a mixture of baking soda and warm water, brushed on the wood, to age the color. Then I used hammers, screwdrivers, and awls to distress and dent the wood. It was a fun way to get some aggression out. I used the baking soda/water mixture a few more times to deepen the wood color. I also added a little bit of diluted brown paint to vary the grain color.

I can't tell you how happy I am with the new shelves. I couldn't wait to accessorize them. Christmas was the perfect time to do it!

I picked up these new accent pillows at the thrift store. The are Colonial Williamsburg pillow shams. Score! They are the perfect red accent.

I'm loving all of the extra seating in the family room with the window seat cushions and new furniture.

Just the right touch of rustic.

I'm waiting to get our family photos printed to put in this new picture frame (new from a consignment shop).

Linking up with :

Jennifer Rizzo

http://www.shabbynest.blogspot.com

Upcycled Window Seat Cushions

2012-12-21T11:28:00.000-05:00

Everyone loves sitting on our window seat when they visit. After all, not many homes have a window seat.

The problem with our window seat was that the cushions were too wimpy. I made them 7 years ago when we first moved into our home. I bought average cushion foam and it didn't hold up very well and it was too thin - especially for anyone not having enough padding of their own (if you know what I mean).

I've gone through a few different colors of pillows, trying to make the area more cozy. The back pillows are just bed pillows that I covered with upholstery remnants.

I bought new high density foam, 4 inches thick, on sale at Hancock Fabrics. It is a "green" foam that doesn't off gas. I bought 2 large pieces and cut them down to size, using the old cushions as patterns. I then wrapped each piece of foam with batting. I used a spray adhesive to attach the batting and it went very quickly.

Next, I covered the batting covered foam with a cover made from old sheets. I used one queen size and one twin size sheet to cover the four cushions.

Finally, I made zippered slip covers for the cushions. I used T-pins to hold the fabric in place while I pieced it together before sewing. I used large cushion zippers in the back or side of each cushion so I can easily remove the covers for laundering.

Where did i get the fabric? Well, see the curtains in the background of this photo? Yup, I took them down and covered the cushions with them (very Sound of Music, don't you think?). The fabric is machine washable and has a wonderful texture to it. I replaced the old curtains with thermal curtains.

I've got the some red pillows nestled in for Christmas along with Lammy the stuffed Lamb (a favorite of our littlest grandfella).

Ready for snuggling and reading.

What did I do with the old foam? I cut it up and used it to redo my daughter's trash to treasure dining room chairs. It was just enough foam to do the job.

What's So Scary About Buying New Furniture?

2012-12-20T10:26:00.000-05:00

I'm not usually afraid of many things. I used to be afraid of the dark, but I got over that.

(I'll admit I'm deathly afraid of frogs, but that has nothing to do with furniture).

What does scare me is buying new things - especially new, expensive, investment kind of things.

Like cars, and houses, and furniture.

When we moved into this house, our furniture didn't quite fit. Our sofa (a large, plaid, hide-a-bed), had to sit at an angle in the living area. Here it is with it's new neutral cover. The window seat is to the right and the open stairwell is to the left. The door behind the sofa is a closet that houses our HVAC unit.

The only large wall was covered up by a wall unit from our old house. It housed our TV, books, games, candles, vases, stereo, and various odds and ends.

Here it is with other furniture removed so I could polish the floors. The dining area is to the right and the window seat is to the left.

Here's a rather dark picture of the wall unit with other furniture near it. Everything is a bit tight!

We had planned on buying new furniture after we had lived in the house for a year, but the kidney disease diagnosis rocked our world and we didn't want to make any non emergency purchases in case I would be out of work for awhile. Now that I have a new kidney and can work (like a crazy woman) we thought it would be a good time to make some improvements.

Last Christmas was the straw that broke the stuffed room's back. On Christmas morning we had no room to move around with all of the family in the house. I declared that we needed more room for people - not things, and the large wall unit had to go.

I searched and researched for months to find the right furniture for the room. It needed to be sturdy and timeless because I only buy furniture every 25 years or so. I had to admit, I was scared. It was good money I was spending and I didn't want to make an unwise choice.

I finally settled on a sofa and chair from Lancer, a company is Star, North Carolina. Everything they sell is American made and built. I bought it through a local company (Great Bridge Furniture). They had a sample in the showroom that I could sit on and try out before ordering. They also offer a custom slipcover for only a few hundred dollars more. I bought one and now I can change up the look for spring/summer buy putting on the slipcover. I picked a neutral chenille for the main upholstery and a lighter cream Sunbrella fabric for the slipcover. I know I can add any color pillow and accessories to change up the decor and that helps to take the scary out of buying furniture.

I'm sure you must be wondering what I have on my wall over the sofa. I made a mock-up of some floating shelves Hubs is making for me out of barnwood. They should be finished next week. I put painters tape on the wall in the size I wanted the shelves to be and then I made paper artwork to add. I measured a bunch of my current frames and accessories and made templates of them to make sure there was enough space between shelves. This helps to take the scary out of hanging something new on your walls.

I got new pillows for my birthday from Steinmart. They are chocolate brown with white, cream, blue, rust, and yellow. I'll be adding some more pillows, but I'm trying to keep with the "more space for people - less space for stuff" rule.

Now, what to do with the TV and all of the stuff that goes with it. I went back to the local furniture store and found a floor model of a corner cabinet that I liked. It had the perfect wood finish to match the wood in our house and it fit perfectly in the awkward corner by the closet. The only time we have to go into that closet is to have a repairman fix our HVAC unit, so we made sure the piece could slide out easily. I can still fit a small arm chair and ottoman under the stairs for a cozy reading nook.

The corner cabinet sat flat on the ground and we needed it to be elevated so that air from the vent behind it could still circulate. I ordered bun feet from a company on line and stained them to match the wood. Hubs attached them and you'd never know the piece didn't come with them.

I'm very happy with our seating arrangement now. We should have places for at least 8 adults to sit comfortably on Christmas day. Keeping things neutral, taking my time, planning ahead, and researching options really helped to take the scary out of spending money on new furniture. I have to admit that it was time consuming, but worth every minute (and dollar).

Tomorrow, I'll be showing off the new cushions I made for the window seat and you won't believe what I made them out of!

The Christmas Card Saga

2012-12-18T05:00:00.000-05:00

As our family grows larger, we seem to have a harder time getting everyone together for a family picture. I was determined to get a good photo to use for our Christmas cards.

On the Sunday after Thanksgiving, all of the kids and grand kids came over after church and we gave it a shot.

After a yummy lunch and some clothing changes (the kid's clothes only stay clean for so long) we headed out into the back yard to set things up.

Hubs and I worked together to figure out the timer on the camera. It was pathetic - we had to read the book that came with the camera. In the end, Ashley just used her camera on my tripod.

Then we did a trial shot with Ashley setting the timer and running towards us before the picture was taken. While this was happening, Juan was chasing Nicholas (3 years old) around the backyard.

We took about 20 shots and this one turned out the best. Whew!

Back into the warm house, the grand littles gathered in Papa's chair in front of the Christmas tree. Jonathan loves his little cousin Charlotte.

Some one's not happy, and there's some weird reflection on every single photo. We turned lights on and off, moved the camera, moved shiny things out of the room - nothing helped. Oh, well.

This is how the afternoon ended up - probably because someone didn't get a nap.

I'd like to thank my family for putting up with my ideas to have family pictures. Next time, let's do it after a nap. Sorry, Nicholas.

My Home For The Holidays

2012-12-13T15:48:00.001-05:00

I'm a bit behind this year with my decorating. I didn't want to put out too many decorations because we'll be starting our kitchen remodel right after Christmas, so I'll need to pack everything up quickly and who wants a lot of extra stuff to pack up?

I love this little front door tree. It's only 6 feet tall and holds a lot of rustic (rusty) ornaments and natural elements. I have a wool banner near the top that says "keep Christmas in your heart".

Near the screened door I placed a hurricane with greenery in my fern stand and placed my favorite snowman beneath it. He's made from a wooden bowl and a piece of banister. I found him at a thrift store, laying on his side. I felt sorry for him and brought him home. In the background you can see the new hen house and fencing going up.

To the left of the door is our porch bench. I kept things simple and natural by hanging my wreath on a rod iron wreath holder and using pillows I already had. I bought a letter M at Michaels and painted it copper. I tied it to the pillow with a piece of raffia.

I love the colors.

In the dining room I've place some greenery and a collection of snow globes on the sideboard. A few cloches and pedestals add height and interest. Our tree is in the background with lots of "touchable" ornaments hanging on the lower branches since little grand-fellas will be running around the house.

On the kitchen widow sill I placed my favorite ornament and some dollar store trees.

I tiny little nativity set nestles on a table in the front hallway near the stairs.

Lining the stairs are our stockings. I can't hang them by the fireplace because we frequently have a wood fire going and the stockings would most definitely catch on fire. I have to make a new stocking this year for our newest little granddaughter and I'm going to change the cuffs on all of the stockings as well as the initials. I'll be posting about that soon.

I picked up this darling little card holder in a shop up in Richmond called Keep Good Company. It's the perfect card holder for Brown Wren Acres.

In our front foyer I have a simple vignette with a special figurine a dear friend gave me.

I placed a few pine cone plates and a pitcher on the shelves in the kitchen. I love these pieces that I picked up at a thrift store. The plates are manufactured but the pitcher is handmade. I think they go together very splendidly.

So, that's my simple home for the holidays. I hope you enjoyed visiting.

Want to see what I did in previous years?
Check out Christmas 2010. Check out Christmas 2011

I'm linking up with The Nester's Holiday Home Party

Monday Motivation: Trash To Treasure Dining Room

2012-12-10T20:08:00.000-05:00

Most of you know that I am a recycling kind of girl. I can't stand to watch perfectly good things go to the dump - especially when I know I can fix them up and make them like new.

Several years ago, I came across a metal dining set that someone had set out for the trash. It had 4 chairs, a table and a bench. I fixed up the bench here, saved the table legs in the garage, and held on to the 4 chairs until someone needed them.

A few months ago, I found 2 bar stools in another drive-by road side sighting.

Every piece I found was in pretty bad shape but that didn't scare me off. The pieces were sturdy but the finishes were ugly.

The worst part was the seats. The base of each seat was a pressed board product that had swelled and gotten moldy. It went directly into the garbage can (luckily it was garbage day).

I sanded each piece with sandpaper and steel wool and wiped them down to remove the dust. Then, I spray painted everything with satin finish Rustoleum oil rubbed bronze spray paint. I used 3 coats to make sure everything was fully covered.

Hubs made new seat bases out of 3/4 plywood we already had in the garage. I recovered them with a vinyl fabric I found at Garden Ridge (yes, they have fabric in precut sizes). It looks like a tweed fabric, but wipes clean which is important for a family with young children.

After everything was put back together, I was pretty pleased with the end results. All in all, I spent $20.00 to fix up 4 chairs and 2 bar stools.

I like the satin finish. It is washable but not too shiny.

Nothing fancy, but nice and sturdy - and very easy to clean.

My oldest daughter was happy to put them to use in her home. I have to brag on how she put this room together. The dining table was our old one that we gave to her when she moved back to this area. The side board was reclaimed from my sister-in-laws storage unit, and of course the chairs came from the roadside. The black accents in the room bring it all together even though none of the furniture matches.

Remade Dollar Store Christmas Tree

2012-12-07T06:10:00.000-05:00

As I pulled out Christmas decorations from the storage bins this year, this sad little tree didn't make the cut. I had used it as part of a display of lit houses in the past, but lack of room caused me to relocate the houses to my daughter's house (she loves hand-me-downs).

I started to pitch the sad tree, but I needed something with height on a side table in the family room so I thought I would experiment with the tree and see what I could come up with.

I had some berry picks in the greenery bin that I wasn't using so I decided to use those. I like the natural colors of the berries.

I took the picks apart so that all of the berries were separate.

After fluffing the smooshed tree and straightening all of the branches, I wrapped individual berries around each branch.

I put the tree in a pot and set in on the side table next to the window seat. A small reindeer ornament keeps it company.

See the new window seat cushions? They were my summer sewing project that took F.O.R.E.V.E.R!
I'll post soon about how I made them and what I made them from - you know how I like to upcycle.

Just A Little Dab Of Paint

2012-12-04T05:00:00.000-05:00

I've had this set of candle sticks for several years. I think I bought them at JoAnne Fabrics, but I can't be sure. I was getting tired of the dark color, so I decided to add a bit of cream paint and see if I liked it. And. . . I liked it!

The candle holder on the left is the original color and the one on the right is the new and improved specimen. I simply used a small craft foam brush, dipped into acrylic craft paint, and brush onto each pinecone petal. (are they called petals?)

I like that I don't have to paint anything perfectly because "rustic and informal" fits in my home perfectly.

I used the candle holders on a tray with some berries and artificial fruit for my autumn decor. I also made new table runners out of a fabric remnant. It is black and white with birds and ferns.

Here's the same arrangement with Christmas greenery and berries added. I also added the little wren. I always try to make small and movable arrangements because this is my only table and we eat dinner at it every night.

If I decide that I don't like the color later (because I'm fickle like that) I can always whip out my brush and dab on another color.

Monday Motivation: Working On The Dining Room

2012-12-03T05:00:00.000-05:00

Here's our last month of Monday Motivations for 2012. If you've been following for the whole year, you would have cleaned and organized every room in your home and even your car. That's quite an accomplishment and deserves a prize - I'm grabbing some chocolate! You know how this works. . . below is a collection of posts from December 2011 for you to read at your leisure. Just be sure your leisurely reading doesn't get in the way of getting some work done.

Analyzing Your Dining Room:

How did your dining room function for you during the Thanksgiving holiday?

Does it need to be organized before Christmas?

For the month of December we'll check out how to organize and spruce up the dining room.

This week we'll do some brain storming about the purpose of the room

Next week we'll get our hands dirty with purging and rearranging.

The following week we'll look at storage solutions.

Our last week will cover decorating and inspirational ideas.

Source: architecturaldigest.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

So, let's do some brainstorming by asking some questions. . .

1. Is this room used daily or occasionally?

2. How many people use the room?

3. What activities take place in this room? (eating, homework, crafts, home office?)

4. What items need to be stored in this room? (dishes, linens, school/office supplies?)

5. How well does the lighting function? Does extra lighting need to be added?

6. Does the room need to be painted?

7. How well does the flooring function? Does it need to be cleaned or repaired?

8. How about the window treatments? Do they need to be changed out to allow more light in or do you need to add a light blocking option to make the room more comfortable?

9. How does the room flow? Would the room function better if some of the furniture was removed or rearranged?

So, get in your dining room and check it out with a discerning eye. Pretend like you're walking into someone else's home. How do you feel in the room? A little too cozy? A little too cold and sterile? Next week we'll roll up our sleeves and get to work.

How to Organize your Dining Room:

I've never really met a dish I didn't like.

Bowls, plates, pitchers, platters. I love them all.

The problem with loving dishes is that you have to have a place to store them.

This week the Monday Motivation will be to clean out your dining room in preparation for the holiday festivities.

Where to start?

1. First, go through any piles or "stashes" you have in the room. Dining rooms tend to be a dumping ground for items you don't know what to do with simply because it is a room that is not used frequently. If you've decluttered with me before, you know the routine. . .

a. set out a black garbage bag for trash

b. set out a box or bin for sorting your items (keep, donate or sell, return to another place in the house, return to another person, needs repair etc.) Your categories can be whatever works for you.

c. as you go through your items, sort each item into the proper category ( trash, donate, repair, as well as platters, linens, serving utensils, as well as any other categories for items that need to be kept in the room)

Look carefully at each item and decide if it is really worth the space it is taking up in your home. If it's something you never use, find a new home for it - a relative, friend, or stranger might just love to have your cut glass pitcher with hummingbirds engraved on it.

2. After every item has been sorted, decide where your items will live in your newly organized dining room. Keep like items together so they are easy to find.

3. Throw the garbage bag into the dumpster, place the donate bag into your car to drop off tomorrow, and place the items to be repaired in your work area to be repaired.

Storage Solutions For Your Dining Room

If you love linens and dishes as much as I do, then you know the challange of storing all of your treasures without being overwhelmed by them.

I found some creative ideas for dining room storage that should help you get started.

Here's an idea from Martha herself. Perfect for a narrow hallway. If you don't have room for folding and storing linens, then hanging them is the next best thing. I hang my ironed linens on hangers and store them in an extra closet. That way they are ready to use at a moments notice.

Source: themarthablog.com via Jen on Pinterest

I've always dreamed of having a cabinet with dowels to hold my tablecloths and runners. Hmmm. . . maybe one day.

Source: southernhospitality-rhoda.blogspot.com via Heather on Pinterest

Here's another option.

Source: bhg.com via Kathryn on Pinterest

I like the idea of a small buffet near the dining table to work as a storage solution as well as a place to serve food. Drawers are my preferred choice over cabinets because they make item more accesible.

Source: thelennoxx.com via Barbara on Pinterest

Tall china cabinets are a beautiful storage solution when you need to optimize a small space. I love how the back of the cabinet is stenciled.

Source: unskinnyboppy.blogspot.com via Beth on Pinterest

Looking for other storage solutions? How about using a storage ottoman at the dining table? I like the open shelves too. This would be a perfect option if you needed to use the room as a home office/dining room combo.

Source: younghouselove.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

If you've got something to hide - as in hidden storage - then a covered table is a great idea. I've done this very thing with filing cabinets. It worked great.

Source: brynalexandra.blogspot.com via Kelley on Pinterest

Speaking of an office/dining combo, here's a table that includes enough storage for dining and working. A quick cover - up with a tablecloth and formal dining can commence.

Source: sfgirlbybay.com via Suchandra on Pinterest

So there you have it. What creative storage ideas are you using?

Wrensday: Digging Holes

2012-11-28T05:00:00.000-05:00

There's always something that needs fixing here at Brown Wren Acres. Right now the most urgent project is a new fence enclosure for the chickens and goats before the weather gets too cold.

We had to move the chickens to the front of the property because the varmints who live in the woods out back were enjoying our flock as a drive through chicken dinner diner.

So, we (and when I say we, I mean Hubs and Son) tore down the old layers of fencing and started from scratch.

Son's shirt was an appropriate one to wear - it says "My Achen Back" which is from the summer World Changers trip he went on a few years ago to Achen, South Carolina.

One hole after another.

The "girls" are enjoying their new hen house and getting fresh air and sunshine within the safety and confines of the netted hoop houses.

The girls were happy to see the work being done - they are eager to be able to run free again.

As the weather quickly turns colder, the fence building continues and will hopefully be done soon.

Monday Motivation: Fixing Christmas Ornaments

2012-11-26T05:00:00.000-05:00

I'm reposting a post from last year about refurbishing your collection of ornaments. I've added a few notes which you'll find in italics.

This was the first year, in many years, that Hubs and I decorated our tree by ourselves. Our daughters are married and have homes and families of their own. Our son is away at Marine training (but will hopefully be home for a few days near Christmas). Said son is now a Marine Reservist while finishing college and working two other jobs so he still wasn't home to help with the tree decorating.

Without the kids around to fight over ornaments or step on each other's toes, the house was strangely quiet, except for the Christmas music playing in the background.

What I noticed when opening our box of ornaments was that several of them needed a bit of TLC. Over the years, I haven't really done much with the ornaments except unwrap, hang, unhang, re- wrap, and re-pack.

I decided that this year would be the time to repair and refurbish some of those little cuties. I put together a little kit to help with the process.

I used my Sparkle Cleaner, a jewelry polishing cloth, super glue, small sharp scissors, and a small paint brush. I also ended up using some clear finger-nail polish which I didn't show in the picture.

The sparkle cleaner and a soft cloth worked well for cleaning glass ornaments. The jewelry polishing cloth polished metal ornaments until they shone. Super glue reattached loose ribbon and trims, re- secured wobbly eye-hooks and wire hangers, and reunited broken pieces of ornaments. The scissors worked well for trimming loose threads and frayed ribbon.

I used the small paint brush to touch up some ornaments, using acrylic craft paints. The clear fingernail polish worked well as a top coat after the paint dried (leaves a shiny finish).

I found a few ornaments this year that needed new eye hooks so I rummaged through the garage and found some new ones. The shiny new hooks look much better than the rusty, dull ones.

I'm happy to have that little chore finished - it wasn't planned but I feel better that our family ornaments are looking good.

I also tossed out all of the old hooks which are probably over 30 years old and replaced them with new ones I purchased at post Christmas sales. Much better!