Pots, Plants, Colors
Not a very exciting day here, just more cleaning and trying to enjoy some sun. But I did do a bit more planting the other day. I painted some terracotta pots just up to the rim (by taping the rim off with painter’s tape) to add some more interest to the porch. I also chose a few white and yellow flowers to go with the red. I think it’s looking better all the time. Up by the door we used an old barrel to hold a few pretty flowers. We actually planted these in a plastic planter with an attached water catch at the bottom so as not to ruin the barrel.
P.S. The counter tops are in! We hope to have them picked up and possibly installed next Monday…so stay tuned! 🙂
Funky Chair Love
I found this guy on Flickr. Titled, “The Mysterious Vintage Chair,” by fetching. I love the shape and the detached headrest. Wouldn’t this chair be sweet in a bright, funky fabric!?
Bamboo For The Home
My dad brought back from his recent trip to Hawaii a bamboo cutting board for us! It is not only functional, but really pretty. The brand, Just Bamboo, says that bamboo is harder than Maple and is a natural antimicrobial.
This got me thinking about the other ways I have heard of bamboo being used in the home. Bamboo is now used in flooring, rugs, window coverings, and even sheets and bedding, towels, and other furniture and decor items! Bamboo is growing in popularity because it replenishes itself much faster that trees. Here are a few lovely pictures I uncovered while checking out the bamboo wares:
The bamboo floorings come in a variety of colors and finishes. I love this dark one!
These cabinets are made of bamboo.
These sheets are made of bamboo. The bamboo keeps germs away! This set comes from Bed Bath and Beyond- isn’t that color gorgeous!?
In the right room bamboo shades look great. I had them in my childhood room and loved them!
And who wouldn’t love a soaking tub like this??
Spring Cleaning
Like I said, last weekend we did some deep cleaning for spring. Yesterday on my Thursday off, I finally finished (as finished as housework ever gets!) the spring cleaning. I wanted the house to be spotless for my family coming into town to visit this weekend. So, here are some always great to remember spring cleaning ideas:
1. Clean the gutters. Spring is time for rain, rain will flood your basement if the gutters are overflowing! Or like us, you might have to walk through a waterfall to get out the door! So, Tony climbed the ladder, hauled a garbage can along with him, and cleaned the gutters.
2. Wash windows. I love clean windows, they even brighten up a room. But, at least this one time a year you should deep clean them, inside and out. I not only windex-ed them, but also took a Q-tip to the corners and tiny spaces. Fresh spring air is great flowing through clean windows!
3. Scrub the walls and untouched spots. Walls, especially in the kitchen, get grimy. Paint will look more its original color if gently washed clean once in a while, plus it keeps spider webs out of corners and in vents. Also, take a dish-soapy towel to the tops of cabinets and inside the cupboards. These rarely cleaned spots need it now and then!
4. Spray and scrub siding. We are still working a bit on this one. But, taking the hose to your siding will instantly freshen the outside of your house. On the porch I scrubbed stuck on dirt off with a wet cloth.
5. Move all furniture to clean/vacuum. I vacuum all the time. But, sometimes I am lazy and don’t move every piece of furniture. I actually never move the bed or couches. So, this time of year I try to move all things, even the big ones and clean or vacuum under them. You never know how much crud has built up under there.
6. And, finally, go through drawers and cupboards. We have a junk drawer that overflows every once in a while. Spring in particular is the time to go through these drawers, even clothes drawers of closets. Toss things you no longer want to keep, gather up the things you want to sell or take to Goodwill, and neatly arrange back the things you want to keep.
After taking these few steps your house should be spring ready (pretty much!). Take a deep breathe once you are done. Doesn’t that feel good? Fresh? Spring is the time for fresh starts! 🙂
And, while there are no pictures of dirty windows and gross gutter goo to show you, I do have a set of cute martini glasses for sale! They are plastic, and oh so cute!
So, what other good spring cleaning ideas do you all have?
Chair Love Sale
This week I thought I would feature a chair that is going in the shop! This robins egg blue shell chair is marked “Krueger Metal Products Green Bay, Wisconsin” on the bottom. Isn’t it just so cute?
Lawn Chair Project
It hasn’t stopped raining here for days, so please excuse the dark, dreary photos. But, I had to share the other garage sale day find with you. Lawn chairs! They were a steal, and they will be fixed up with some paint and cushions, so don’t be alarmed! Right now I think they kind of look like they belong next to some plastic flamingos in, well, not my yard. But, they will.
Really that shade of blue is bright and fun, and has started to grow on me. But, I think it would look out of place in our back yard. I’m not sure what color I am thinking, however. I know we always lean towards black. We are blah. But, black might bring them up to date and they could be dressed up and brightened with some bold patterned cushions. Yes? No? Ideas? Always something to work on, but I love it! 🙂
Also, I wanted to let you all know that I am going to start selling off some of our projects. I love to keep busy and remake fun things, but our house is getting full. So, I am going to keep doing what I love, but start selling the things I make or remake. Right now I have a coffee table in the works, so stay tuned. I will post befores and afters of the items I plan to sell. For now they will be listed on Craigslist, or you can contact me through the blog. But, we are thinking that in the future I might rent a booth at one of our local antique shops. Check back, and let me know if you are interested in anything, or are looking for something in particular! 🙂
Garage Sale Day Find
Garage sale day in our little town was Saturday! This day has to be one of my favorite spring days. Scouring someone else’s junk for that perfect treasure is a great way to kick off the season. I even got Tony in on the fun. We didn’t find much to bring home with us, but a few treasures makes the day worth it. We brought home a few vintage glass marbles and a couple large dice for the collection. But here is our bargain beauty:
This is an antique set of mailboxes from a post office in Champagne Illinois. I came back twice to check it out, and at the end of the day he said it was too heavy for him to carry back home, so he gave me a sweet deal! It took two men to load it into my truck and we took the drawers out to get it into the house, but since it is on wheels it is easily movable in the house. I love it right here in the kitchen. The drawers were the perfect addition to the “landing strip” area. Tony was thrilled to have his own drawer for his pocket junk. I love its mismatched drawers, and the vintage numbers and letters above the handles. I know, I know. Some of you probably think this guy is tacky (my mom didn’t like it!), but we think its great. And, the drawers are big enough to function in the house! Here it is in the landing strip area:
I’m not sure if the school desk should stay now or not. But, for now, this is what the area looks like. Suggestions?
Also- we did pick up one other thing at the garage sales, but that project will have to wait… 🙂
Chair Love Remake
Well, I did some hardcore spring cleaning yesterday. But, I will have to post about that later. For now, I stumbled upon this gorgeously shaped chair. It is beautiful in all its shabby glory, but even more beautiful after Cat remade it. This before and after comes from design*sponge. Cat used the doily technique and spray painted this cute little find:
Tomorrow is all town garage sale day in my little home town, so wish me luck as I try to find such a great chair to spruce up! 🙂
Kitchen Cabinets!
They are done. Yes, they are done! I love love it! Remember, as you look at the pictures, though, that the old white on white counter-tops look won’t last long. We will be getting the new dark counter-tops in a few weeks. Also, notice the new cabinet in between the stove and the fridge- now the dog food can be hidden! (It will also get a counter-top!) A before to freshen your memory:
Here you go:
Well? What do you think? I think it feels so nice and new and clean in there! Remember, things will keep changing for a while. In addition to new counter-tops there will be a hood where the old microwave is, and the cabinet above the fridge will change. We also have a few more projects for in here… like new lights and something to do with antique rolling pins… so let me know what you think, and stay tuned!
One More Sneak Peak- Countertops
So, I guess I should have, but I didn’t plan for the unexpected road blocks when finishing the kitchen. Like, accidentally buying a couple too few hinges! It is done, but not picture ready. So I have one more sneak peak for you until then. Here is the sample card for the counter-tops we are getting. I originally wanted pure black, but there is no standard laminate in pure black. I picked black because it was to look like slate. Laminate is, unfortunately, what we can afford right now. So, this was the most black laminate we could get. It is probably going to look like marble. This may be great to some, but I am concerned it is too far from my original vision. Will it look to country? It does tie in the browns from the floor and the white from the cabinets. It will take about two weeks to get them in since they are extra long… so please, ease my mind until then! No, really, give me your true opinions!
Make Mine Eclectic 
