Hi everyone! I’ve been in grieving over my hard drive fail and it’s made it hard to focus on the blog. (For those of you just tuning in, I took my computer to the Apple store and they weren’t able to recover anything off of my hard drive. I lost four+ years of everything. Sob!) I’m trying not to beat myself up too badly for being a complete idiot and not backing anything up but that is proving difficult. Thanks for all of your sweet words on facebook and through email. You guys are the best!

Okay, on to happier things! I am working feverishly to finish my half bath and will have a full reveal in a few days. I have a long way to go on it. Right now it just looks like this….

…and this…

Yes, I have my work cut out for me this weekend!

My original plan was to do a tiled wall behind the sink like this:

I LOVE this look, but unfortunately our budget wouldn’t allow for it after the cost of having the entire bathroom rewired. So here is the new design plan:

And to add some storage, I will install shelves behind the toilet to look something like this:

via Pinterest no direct source found

We changed out the faucet from an oil-rubbed bronze to a shiny chrome. I know that ORB is still very popular, but I was tired of it and ready for a change. Below you can see a before picture of my towel and toilet paper holder.

I spray painted them with Champion Sterling Silver spray enamel and they look great! If you’re looking for a chrome/mirror-like finish this stuff rocks. You can actually see yourself in the finish! I’ve used this same can for several small projects, and I still have about half a can left. I highly recommend it.

Okay, I need to get back to painting and wallpapering! Hopefully all we be done and show-worthy soon!

Since I am at the mercy of my husband for computer access right now and unable to blog, I thought I would re-run this AMAZING decorating series for you. Yep, it’s Home Stories syndicated today . Seriously though, if you missed this series back in June, then you seriously missed out. It is fantastic! Enjoy!

A few days ago, I was chatting with some blog friends about taxes and realized that I really need to get the business side of my blog-act together. Like a responsible small business owner, I downloaded Quickbooks and was excited to get this baby organized. Well, my almost five-year-old MacBook’s archaic operating system didn’t like Quickbooks. So….I ordered a new operating system. Today while downloading said new operating system my hard drive totally crashed. It will not start. I ran some tests and it spit out a code that the Mac people say translates to “crash”.

After receiving the news, I looked like this—minus the pumps and black business attire. I think I was still wearing my pj’s and bathrobe at the time. Don’t judge. I’m still sick. And my hard drive just crashed!

I keep chatting this mantra to myself…..

…and me and my poor Mac are scheduled for surgery tomorrow evening with some of these guys…

Right now, I’m just praying I can recover everything off of my hard drive. No, nothing is backed up. Not. one. darn. thing. Sob! The moral of this story is to stop whatever you’re doing right now and back up your computers. I literally had “back up pictures to Carbonite” on my to do list. Right after installing Quickbooks. Guess I should have thought through that one a bit more, eh? Sigh. Live and learn.

I’ll be back soon. Probably with a brand new computer .

This is Ozzy & Sharon Osborne’s home via Home Bunch. The house is very ornate, very beautiful, and very French. But what I find the most fascinating is the difference between the magazine photos and the realty photos. We all know what a difference good photography makes, but this is a perfect example of what good lighting, good photo-styling, and good photography can do! Check it out.

Tonight I wanted to give a shout out to my friend and fellow PA girl, Stephanie of Geezees Canvas. I’ve been a fan of Stephanie’s for a long time now and wanted to help spread the word about her new products and recent snazzy site redesign.

Stephanie designs canvases that appeal to a variety of lifestyles and cultures and have been sold and displayed in homes across the globe. Her custom pieces have been recognized and celebrated amongst many top bloggers in home decor and wedding fashion; making Geezees unique art a highly coveted and talked about treasure in any home or office!

Want one for yourself? Tell Stephanie I sent you over and enter coupon code: GZA2Z10  to receive a 10% discount on your order of $45 or more! 

Now let’s see what you’ve been up to this week!

Party Rules

• Any tip or tutorial is welcome! Decorating, holiday ideas, room makeovers, cleaning tips, recipes, crafts, and sewing all count.
• Keep content fresh! Please do not link the same projects week after week. I will delete posts that you’ve linked up here several weeks in a row.
• If your post has been featured in a Tutes & Tips Not to Miss, please do NOT link it up again.
• Link back. I only feature those who link back to me within your post.

<div align="center"><a href="http://www.homestoriesatoz.com/" title="Home Stories A2Z" target="_blank"><img src="http://i916.photobucket.com/albums/ad2/bethcrabtree/tutorialsandtips.jpg" alt="Home Stories A2Z" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend! I’m home with a fever and the sniffles today which is a bummer but I had your tips and tutorials to keep me company while I rest. There are some gorgeous room transformations to ogle this week! Be sure to click on the links to see all of the pictures related to each post and be kind and pin to Pinterest from the original source! Thanks to everyone who linked up.

Labor of Love Kitchen Reveal by Our Fifth House.

Kitchen Tour by Eclectically Vintage.

Peacock Bathroom Reveal by The Rooster and The Hen.

Vintage Coastal Bathroom Reveal by The Fairfield House.

How to Install Beadboard Paneling by 3 Meadowlake Cottage.

How to Build a Frame for a Flat Screen Television by Remodelholic.

How to Make a Teacup Lamp by Twigg Studios.

Re-working a Bookcase by Finding Home.

Cardboard Box to Chevron Under-bed Storage by Home Happy Home.

How to Add Style to a Small Bedroom by Worthing Court.

Tips to Stretch a Tight Renovation Budget by Blue Chateau Interiors.

If you haven’t already, don’t forget to enter the UPrinting FREE stretched canvas giveaway ending soon!

Have you entered the giveaway yet? Hop on over to my giveaway page and enter for your chance to win a free canvas! Cute to give away (yes, you can totally give away your giveaway!) or keep for your gallery wall. Click here to be taken to the giveaway.

Happy President’s Day Weekend everyone! I went out to do some belated Valentine’s Day shopping for Matt (I know, I’m a terrible wife!) and couldn’t believe how crowded the stores were. Traffic was terrible and it made me long for the convenience of my couch and computer. I heart online shopping!  So today let’s talk about a great place that takes care of all of your online printing needs including business cards, stickers, and canvas prints!

I had fun playing with the easy design tool that allows you to customize and design your print projects! You can upload any of your pictures to use as the canvas background and even use your choice of fonts if you’d like to add text. I think this is a fantastic tool to use if you want to add a printable or subway art to your gallery wall collection!

Uprinting is giving away a one (1) piece 11” x 14” stretched canvas print to one Home Stories reader! You’ll be able to choose from the 1.5” Gallery Wrap, or 1.5” Museum Wrap (White or Black). Shipping is free and you should allow a three business day turnaround. Sorry my lovely non-U.S. readers, but this giveaway is restricted to US residents 18 years or older.

If you would like to be entered for your chance to win an 11×14  stretched canvas prints, please follow the directions in the widget below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

As you know, I have been itching to paint my kitchen cabinets for a few YEARS now.

And as I know, some of you feel very strongly about keeping wood nice and woody. (I’ve heard you. Seriously, I have. No need to tell me again.)

My cabinets would have been white years ago, but I respect this guy’s opinion more than anyone else’s and he’s not crazy about the idea. Actually, he’s just not crazy about the chaos that it will cause our family for the few weeks it will take me to paint!

But assuming he warms up to the idea this year (come on babe!), I thought it would be fun to share with you the best tips from some of the best DIY bloggers, on all the best ways to paint your kitchen cabinets. Best. I felt like I needed to say the word one more time for good measure.

So let’s get to it! Here is a list of cabinet painting tips from my favorite DIY bloggers:

Spraying your doors and drawer fronts will save a ton of time! If you don’t want to invest in a paint sprayer you can certainly just use the roller and brush method, or you could spray paint them with cans of spray paint like Not Just a Housewife!  If you want to invest in a paint sprayer, here are some of the paint sprayers that were recommended:

• TrueCoat Plus Paint Sprayer This one was recommended for large expansive paint jobs and is reported to be very powerful. It was compared to a fire hose so might not be the best for small furniture jobs . It runs around $250.

• Earlex HV5500 Spray Station No one in the group had actually tried this sprayer but had heard good things about it from other DIY’ers. It is currently priced around $320 and the reviews I read online gave it 4 out of 5 stars.

The kind of primer and paint you use does indeed make a HUGE difference in your outcome. Oil based paints leave a wonderful finish but are harsher on your lungs, the environment, and your paint sprayer. There are pros and cons to all paints and everyone seemed to have their personal preferences so take all recommendations with a grain of salt. Here are the list of tried and true favorites:

• Zinsser 123 water based and Zinnser Stain Cover oil based primers seemed to come out on top. I have personally used both, and I prefer the oil based for it’s factory-like smoothness but the smell is STRONG. In fact, I just used this last night in the (very drafty) basement to prime some shelves for the bathroom and the entire house still smells. The 123 has mixed reviews on furniture/cabinets. You have to wait a long time for the paint to cure if you really want to do it right.

   

• Sherwin Williams Adhesion Primer This latex primer prevents the need to sand and sticks well to glossy surfaces. One DIY’er said that it is her go to primer for cabinets, built ins and furniture.

• STIX Waterborne Binding Primer Again, no one in the group had actually tried this primer but the description sounds similar to the Sherwin Williams Adhesion Primer. It is an acrylic/urethane primer and is supposed to adhere well to even the toughest and glossiest of surfaces. It cures in low temperatures, is said to dry with a “hard film”, and can be easily cleaned up with soap and water. I definitely will be trying it out in the future.

• Purdy Everyone seems to agree that your Purdy brushes are worth the investment. There are differing views on what sizes are best for which projects but if you’re looking for a quality set of brushes that will withstand the years, invest in some Purdy brushes.

• If draping plastic everywhere is impractical or intimidating, it was suggested to brush paint your surround and island with primer and then use a paint sprayer for the doors and drawer fronts. Many also suggested that after everything is primed, use a roller/brush to apply your paint for the most even control.
• A few suggested priming and painting the surround/island yourself but contacting a professional to paint your doors and drawer fronts for you. This way you can ensure a professional finish on the most noticeable part of your cabinets without all the DIY work involved.

For some fantastic posts that give you step by step instructions on painting cabinets check out the following:

• How to Paint Your Cabinets (like a pro) by Evolution Style
• Painting Our Kitchen Cabinets by Beneath My Heart
• Painted Cabinets Revealed & a Video Tutorial by Miss Mustard Seed

One of the questions I am frequently asked is how to handle a negative blog comment. Unfortunately, if you blog long enough, you will eventually receive negative comments. It’s so sad but true . And unfortunately negative comments can still hurt no matter how long you’ve been blogging. For example, I recently received an email from a friend who has been blogging longer than I have, receives millions of pageviews each month, and received a few negative comments on an incredibly awesome post. The comments were rude, and even though there were literally HUNDREDS of positive comments appropriately raving about her project those two negative comments stung. In fact, in a sea of positive comments negative comments stand out as unusually stinky!

So before we explore how to handle negative comments, let’s do a little profile review of the most common types of negative comments bloggers receive. And since I’m a girl who needs visuals, I’ve created the following little chart for you!

Online communication is a tricky business ripe with misperceived comments and flagrant miscommunication. With the exception of the Troll, sometimes a perceived negative comment is simply a misguided attempt on the reader’s part to be helpful. Regardless of the motivation behind the comment, these types of comments are often perceived as negative so let’s talk about how to respond to each type. With any comment you have the following choices:

1. Delete.
2. Do nothing.
3. Reply.

1. The Troll: Blatantly mean comments intended to illicit a reaction from you. This type of comment is so blatantly mean and ridiculous that the delete button is typically the best way to handle it…followed by blocking the troll’s IP address if you are able. There is no need to allow this comment to inhabit your blog or your mind. Hit delete and do not ruminate on the words intended to harm. I treat these comments the same way I would a prank caller—-hang up and don’t give them any satisfaction of engagement. But Beth, shouldn’t you stand up for yourself and let them know you’re not going to take their crap? If they are an anonymous stranger to you, then no. Delete and block and don’t waste your words or emotional energy on such nonsense. They WANT attention and engagement. Don’t give it to them. If they are a known reader or fellow blogger, then yes, tell them firmly to stop and then treat them the same as above–delete, block, and move on.

What if you see a troll attacking a friend or blogger whom you love? Shouldn’t you stand up for that friend in a comment?  I am quick tempered and feisty. I have a mouth on me, and I frequently stick my foot in it . I am passionate and incredibly loyal to those I adore. Awhile back, a blogger I greatly admire was being viciously attacked by an anonymous blogger on one of her more personal posts. I did what any good friend would do and came to her aid. That person then turned on me and harassed me on my blog and through email for the next several months. Turns out he (not she like I had been falsely led to believe in the comment) was in no way anonymous and was actually an estranged family member of the blogger. I would have been better off staying out of it. My comment didn’t really “help” my friend, and in retrospect the troll’s attacks would have been better managed with silence and the delete button. If your friend is being trolled, text, DM, or private message her about the attack  and lend your support…but think twice before engaging the troll.

2. The Where’s Waldo: Looking at your pictures for a stray sock, misplaced item, or other flaw and pointing it out to you. Why would someone bother to let you know that they noticed something imperfect about your project or picture? Isn’t that rude? Well, let’s give the Where’s Waldo the benefit of the doubt, perhaps he was just trying to be helpful. Perhaps she is relieved to know that you are human after all and that your projects, home, children, pictures, life, etc. aren’t always “picture perfect”. Perhaps pointing out the flaw is her way of just teasing and connecting with you. If you receive a Where’s Waldo comment, just assume the intentions behind the comment are pure. Laugh it off and move on.

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3. The English Nazi: Corrects your spelling and grammar. It’s disappointing when you work hard on a post only to receive criticism for misspellings and grammatical errors. But just like the Where’s Waldo, it’s safest to assume that the English Nazi is trying to be helpful. But what if he/she is attacking your slang and style of speaking? I like to use words like peeps, fantabulous, awesomesauce, decrapification, etc. This might drive some people crazy, but my blog is just that…mine. I like to have a conversational tone. I like to write informally. If someone asks you to stop using a certain phrase or speaking style, simply respond that you’re sad to hear that _______ is bugging them but that you hope the inspiration you offer will allow them to overlook any English fallacies committed.

4. Debbie Downer/Church Lady: Dishes out negative feelings to a group and sometimes moralizations intended to one-up and shame. There is a well known term in online forums called “thread crapping” where someone enters a conversation and completely derails it by offering a comment that goes against the initial intent of the thread. Debbie Downer/Church Ladies are thread crappers and the sound “wah waaaaaah” should follow their comments. For example, let’s say you do a post about some beautiful handmade jewelry and everyone in the comment thread is excited and enthusiastic about the creations. Then Debbie Downer/Church Lady comes in and replies, “Let’s remember that 1Timothy 2:9 states, ‘women adorn themselves in decent apparel, with modesty and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array.’ I think women look better without jewelry.” The comment adds nothing to the conversation and leaves a negative ickinesss in its wake. If you receive a comment like this, your relationship to the reader will determine your response. Perhaps Debbie Downer is having a really bad day and is taking it out on you. If  ”Debbie” is anonymous, you might just want to delete it and move on. If it’s attached to a name and email, delete the comment and respond to her off the blog if you feel it’s necessary.

thread crapping v. Thread crapping occurs when a person comes into a thread and posts something contrary to the spirit/intent of the thread, often derailing the discussion or turning it into an argument.

5. The All-About-Me: Gets angry when your post doesn’t apply to their specific needs. We are used to being consumers. We like getting our way and we like different blogs for different reasons. If a reader adores your posts about home decor and all of a sudden you switch it up by posting recipe after recipe, that reader might let you know his/her displeasure. Try not to take it personally. If you’re a professional blogger, try and view the All-About-Me from a customer service standpoint. Respond honestly but positively to the reader, “Aw, I’m bummed to hear that you’re not enjoying my series on recipes. Although I love DIY projects, cooking is another passion of mine and this blog is all about creating and sharing my passions with all of you. Rest assured that I’ll have more DIY projects in the future, but I also plan to share recipes from time to time. I respect that food blogging might not be for everyone, but it’s something I love so I hope you’ll respect my choice to blog about it.”  Typically, this type of response is all that is needed to quiet an All-About-Me.

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6. The One-upper: Gives you unsolicited advice and often shares something they’ve done which is bigger and better. Often times the One-upper masks their comment in language that appears neutral or even partly positive that really is a negative comment in sheep’s clothing…and sometimes (many times?) a One-upper just isn’t thinking before they speak. Give the One-upper the benefit of the doubt, have empathy, and if you need to respond, respond positively. Getting nasty or defensive will most likely lead to hurt feelings and unnecessary drama. Let it go (and vent to a girlfriend if you need to .)

So here are my final tips on how to respond to a negative comment:

• Are they a troll? Are they blatantly attacking you? If yes, DELETE, block, and move on. If you must reply, reply to the troll in a private message and not on your blog. Be direct and reply ONCE telling them to stop.
• If they are not a troll, are they just being blunt, direct, and honest? Give them the benefit of the doubt (even if it’s undeserved), respond with empathy and love, and try not to take the words personally. This does NOT mean that you never stand up for yourself, or set proper boundaries, but that you do so with grace.
• We are so used to being praised for everything we do as bloggers; however, there IS indeed room in comments for constructive criticism. Typically it is easier to hear from a friend than a stranger. If you are going to give suggestions to a blogger in areas for improvement, evaluate your relationship with the blogger before doing so. Your comment might not be taken in the spirit in which it was meant if the relationship is not well established beforehand.
• And most importantly, do not respond to a negative comment immediately. Take a deep breath, regain your own inner peace, and perhaps talk to some trusted friends about the comment before replying. This will ensure that you aren’t responding impulsively or out of anger. (This is a MUST for me. I admit that I’m sensitive and a total hot-head. My friends and husband help calm me down. )

I think Mother Teresa gives some of the best advice on responding to negative comments, so I’ll conclude with this:

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No go forth and be nice !