Home Stories A to Z

20 Tutorials and Tips Not to Miss

Beth — Fri, 24 May 2013 10:49:29 PDT

This post is much overdue! Here are 20 feature-worthy tutorials and tips I know you don't want to miss! I hand-selected all of these because each post offers helpful advice and instruction. For MORE of the best of the blogosphere. Be sure to check out my Tutes & Tips tab at the top of the main page of my blog. Enjoy!

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Hardwood Flooring Tips

Beth — Thu, 23 May 2013 10:11:02 PDT

My husband and I have been sleeping horribly for the last year or so. We have slept on a queen-sized bed for the last 14 years, but it is simply no longer working for us. Maybe it is because we will both be turning 39 this August. Perhaps it is because the uber-expensive "princess and the pea" mattress that I bought two years ago turned out to be crap. Whatever the reason, this last year I have developed nervous legs, TMJ, insomnia and back pain. Matt sleeps with his feet propped up on a pillow every night to try and reduce his own back pain. We are a big non-sleeping-mess and Matt has resorted to sleeping in the guest room many nights to get away from my incessant tossing-and-turning. We NEED a new mattress and more sleeping square footage so we can stop worrying while we (don't) sleep if we are bugging the other person. I have been researching king-sized mattresses and decided on one that I really believe will be the answer to our non-slumbering prayers!

Uh...what does this have to do with hardwood floors? Glad you asked! You know what a slippery slope decorating can be. I have the new king mattress ordered and on it's way. I have a king headboard and frame sitting in my dining room waiting to be installed. Then it dawned on me that if we are moving out the current bed, then now is the easiest time to replace the awful carpet on our master suite level and install hardwood flooring. The bed arrives June 5th and we aren't able to work on the project next week due to other commitments. That gives us a few days to move everything, rip out all of our carpet, and prep the floors for install. Eek!

But moving everything off of this entire level meant going through all drawers and closets and reorganizing everything. I managed to fill 7 ginormo black garbage bags with things needing to go to Goodwill. It looked like an episode of hoarders as I was trying to sift through our closest and three dressers. I'm proud to say that we are able to get rid of an entire dresser after my purging. I also needed to sell furniture on Craigslist that was in our current guest bedroom so that this bed could be moved in. And now that room will be need a complete makeover later this summer :). Slippery slope indeed! But I love it. Let's keep slipping down that decorating slope together, shall we? It's fun...like sledding but better.

I had to make a flooring purchase fairly quickly, so I reached out to a facebook group that I am a part of comprised of all talented DIY'ers and asked the following:

I'm looking at installing hardwoods on our bedroom suite level this summer. Does anyone have any tips on good places to shop for a deal and installation? We have a lot of closets and a hallway to do in addition to our bedroom so I'm leaning towards hiring out for install. I don't like the look of oak but love maple, hickory, and some others in mid to darker finishes. I've heard that too dark and they show every dust speck and hair so I'm steering away from that. Sources? Tips? Help :).

They came to my rescue and here is what I learned:

Tips on Choosing Hardwood Floors

(Click title of post to read the rest...)

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Tutorials & Tips Link Party {110} HAVEN TICKET GIVEAWAY

Beth — Mon, 20 May 2013 18:34:03 PDT

Welcome to the 110th edition of Tutorials & Tips! I have an exciting giveaway for you tonight. As some of you know, I am a planner for the Haven Conference which is a DIY/Home Blogger Conference that is taking place in Atlanta, GA, August 1-3. The conference is sold out but lucky for you I am giving away a ticket tonight! Follow the directions in the Rafflecopter widget below this picture in order to enter. (Sometimes Rafflecopter takes a minute to load.)

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5 DIY Summer Family Activities

Beth — Sun, 19 May 2013 11:10:30 PDT

It is that time of year again! Summer is just around the corner and before you know it your kids will be out of school on summer vacation. Don’t allow the phrase, “I’m bored” to even be part of your children’s vocabulary this summer. Prepare yourself ahead of time with our DIY Summer Family Activities ideas and ward off any summer doldrums on the spot! As a bonus, implementing these ideas will create some cherished family memories this summer.

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How to Do a Pedicure

Beth — Thu, 16 May 2013 20:30:48 PDT

Right now it is sunny, gorgeous, and in the 80's! Hooray! Summer is so close I can taste it. Soon we will be wearing shorts, tanks, swimwear, and cute wedges every day and enjoying the beach. But in order to get our feet flip-flop ready, we need to undo the damage of dry winter feet. Today, I'll show you step-by-step how to do a pedicure at home using some of my favorite products.

Now before we begin, I have to warn you that my feet are NOT my best feature. You might be saying to yourself, "Of course they aren't silly. All feet are ugly." But my feet are uglier than most ugly feet, so I apologize beforehand for subjecting you to them. Okay, the ugly-foot-disclaimer is taken care of so let's carry on.

Recommended Items Needed for Pedicure:

Before I begin my pedicure I gather the following:

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The Novogratz Brasil Collection for CB2 #CB2NovogratzBrasilSweepstakes

Beth — Wed, 15 May 2013 21:39:03 PDT

I love receiving my CB2 catalog in the mail! Although my design style is traditional with a pinch of farmhouse glam, I appreciate looking at more contemporary design. It helps break me out of my box and energize my creative juices. Recently, CB2 partnered with husband-and-wife design duo Robert & Cortney Novogratz on the Brasil Collection which debuted in stores on May 2nd. Have you seen it yet? If not, I am thrilled to be the first to show it off to you! This collection is filled with playful and modern pieces which were inspired by the couples' vacation home in Brazil. (More on that sweet vacation home in a minute! One of you might just get to party like a rock star in said vacation home. Squee!)

Here are some of my favorite pieces from the CB2 and Novogratz Collection:

The Botao sectional seats are vibrant and fun. I love how they easily mix and match to create completely different looks from conservative gray to candy-colored stripes.

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How to Add Warmth and Fight Mosquitos in the Backyard

Beth — Wed, 15 May 2013 07:40:43 PDT

This post brought to you by TIKI Brand®. All opinions are 100% mine.

I could not be more thrilled that the temperatures are finally warm enough to enjoy long days in the garden and cool evenings on the patio. As an outdoorsy girl, living in the city can be wearing on my nerves. We are blessed to live near the river and love to take family walks together, but we don't enjoy the small outdoor spaces surrounding our home as much as we should. This spring/summer, I am determined to get my family to eat more meals outside on our back patio!

Now, if I had my heart's desire, our back patio would look something like a page from a Pottery Barn catalog with plush seating, a water feature, and a fire pit.

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25 Tutorials & Tips Not to Miss

Beth — Tue, 14 May 2013 13:55:26 PDT

I absolutely LOVE to do round-ups of the best projects, tutorials, and tips from my weekly Tutorials & Tips Link Party. The creativity just does not stop week after week ,and I enjoy introducing you all to others' ingenuity. I hope you will bookmark or pin these bloggers' posts for future reference and inspiration. Show them some love by clicking through and pinning from the original source. You will make their day! Enjoy!

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Tutorials & Tips Link Party {109}

Beth — Mon, 13 May 2013 18:43:37 PDT

Welcome to Tutorials & Tips party! I’m excited to have you here. I hope you all had a [...]

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40 Presents for Her {mothers day}

Beth — Sat, 11 May 2013 18:33:12 PDT

My husband asked me this afternoon what I would like for Mother's Day. No need to rush these things when you have at least 4 hours before the big day, right? Lucky for him, I know myself pretty well and have no problem telling him what to have "the boys" buy me. If you struggle with picking out gifts (that don't suck) for either yourself or your mom, you might want to pin this post for future reference! I have put together 40 Presents for Her that I would be pleased to receive as gifts. The picture collages are numbered with their corresponding affiliate links below.

Phone cases are a fun accessory that every girl can use more than one of! I currently have three iPhone cases which I alternate depending on my mood. Charging stations and extra battery chargers are gifts she is sure to appreciate.

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