Dear over-looked, under-appreciated, almost forgotten little room under the stairs,
I told you so.
I told you 2013 was going to be your year.
And I have to tell you…..you look amazing.Continue reading
11 February 2013 
Under Stair Office Reveal
BY 158 Comments
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5 February 2013 
Paint Stick Table Top
BY 72 Comments
I totally meant to show you a much better picture of this table…..before.
It would have made the after so much more rewarding.
*sigh*
But I got busy cutting paint stir sticks and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills was about to be on…..and I forgot to take a really good before picture.
A close-up of the table…….covered with splattered paint and rings of where the spray paint can used to be and scratches and big chips in the veneer.
Wobbly and woebegone and just waiting for a make-over.Continue reading
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4 January 2013 
I think that all true love stories begin with……once upon a time.
Once Upon a Time
BY 88 Comments
I think that all true love stories begin with……once upon a time.
My once upon a time began long ago.
Long before we jumped.
Long before anyone ever tried to cook pancakes.
Long before a brass button suit and Lee Press-On-Nails.
Back when there was just a dreamer…..
……and the girl who loved him.Continue reading
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29 June 2012 
Easy Tip to Keep Your Ivy Healthy
BY 54 Comments
Keeping an ivy alive and green and ready to take on the coat hangers of the world…. is really so simple.
Here’s the solution.
Ready?
Dish washing soap.
Here’s the proof.
Ivy circa April 12, 2011 Ivy circa June 28, 2011
Have you seen an ivy when it gets yellow and pale and the leaves start falling off?
It’s usually because of spider mites.
I don’t remember who told me to use dish washing soap to get rid of them.
And I don’t know why it works.
But it does.
The secret is cheap soap.
No fancy stuff.
No extra anti-bacterial nonsense.
Just soap.
Simply add 2 tsp. of soap to one pint of water.
Don’t add anymore soap or your topiary may not recover.
Then pour mixture into a spray bottle filled with water.
And if you do this….can you try to get a cuter spray bottle than mine?
Not just one from Wal-mart.
A really cute spray bottle.
Like this one.
Or this one.
Or at the very least make a cover for it like this.
Then take your really cute spray bottle and spray the leaves every two to three weeks.
That’s it.
Your topiary will thank you.
Your ivy will thank you.
And the spider mites will have to buy a Winnebago and take a cross-country trip to their condo in Florida 
PS If you want to know how to make a topiary….here’s a post where I used a coat hanger to create one!
PPS Here’s an article on using soap that has much better directions and tells when not to use soap under certain conditions.
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My Old Kentucky Home
BY 50 Comments
Some people have a Cricut.
Some people have a Silhouette Cameo
Nope.
Not me.
I have my very own personal vinyl cutter.
Her name is Greta and she is one fine vinyl cutter, but she is tough.
You see, when I talk there is a lot of hand waving and excited gesturing. As a matter of fact, truth be told, I am heavy on the exuberance and excitement and light on the follow-through.
Not Greta.
For example, I say, “Greta. I need the largest state of Kentucky possible you can create in vinyl. So I can create…..
……these.
Greta is not a hand-waver. Greta is not overly, unnecessarily exuberant. Greta is efficient and task-oriented and always follows through. And, of course, the next day a 12″ x 8″ vinyl Kentucky shows up at my house.
“I want to see it when you are through,” says my vinyl cutting task-master.
No pressure.
So I stop my hand-waving, curb my enthusiasm and get to work.
To complete this project I:
(1) Bought two canvases from Hobby Lobby. They came two to a package. I bought long canvases because Kentucky is a long state. People who live in long states or square states might want to take this into account when purchasing canvases from Hobby Lobby.
(2) I applied the vinyl of Kentucky to one canvas.
(3) I applied the outline of the vinyl to another canvas.
(4) I painted the two canvases with leftover paint samples from these projects.
(5) I waited one hour while I watched Project Runway All Stars and bemoaned the fact that Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn are not on the show.
(6) I peeled off the vinyl and debated if I should use them again, realized that Greta might frown on this, and threw the vinyl away except for one corner I saved.
(7) I cut out a star from that little piece of vinyl and added it to the canvas.
(8) Then I hung the canvases on the wall of the playroom at the top of the stairs with thumbtacks.
(9) I called Greta and tell her how wonderful she is and start hand-waving about my next project.
Really!
That’s it.
Easy peasy project.
Don’t even think about asking for Greta’s number though….
……it’s under lock and key
PS Don’t forget about our impossibility challenge. We would love for you to join us. Please note that while I do paint and sand and sew…..baking overwhelms me. See my attempts at homemade bread with all the other “impossibles” at our linky party on January 31.
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