My Mary Engelbreit COPY

The REAL Mary Engelbreit table

I had this old maple end table that had been my son's. I try not to throw things out if I can use them.  I dragged it out of the garage and stared at it for a couple of months. The top was cracked and came totally off. It just sat on my patio as I looked at it for months. 

I had seen a Mary Engelbreit end table online and loved it. That was my inspiration! 

Took me 2 days - (100 degrees heat) Did the best I could to glue the tabletop - and toward the end, I confess to rushing to get it done and taking shortcuts - but that's me. I always do that! It isn't perfect but I like it. It's on the patio anyway. 

My Mary Engelbreit COPY

And the finished product turned out pretty good.

 

I am pleased with it. 

 

Rain and delivery delays

Our beautiful warm weather changed into some heavy rain and colder temps. The delivery keeps getting rescheduled.

 They deducted the delivery fee due to the delays. 

All my outdoor projects have stalled.  UGH, that means I have to do something inside and I am not "into" it. 

I could go clean up my craft room. 

I could do another spring clean on the whole house. 

More laundry (there's always laundry!)

I don't want to do any of that - I want to be outside. 

More projects

Home Depot let us know, that our supplies are delayed. 

Delivery won't be till the 12th! I was so looking forward to getting started. 

A few more days won't kill me. 

In the meantime, I am not without "projects" and many are half-finished. I seem to do that. I start something and then get interested in something else. It will get done. Soon... One such project is 2 old IKEA wicker chairs that I've had for 20 years. Since I do not like to throw anything out, I stripped one of them down and what I do, is I stare at it - okay I stare at it for DAYS to try and come up with how I want to repurpose it. 

At first, I thought I might just weave them making a homemade rag rope from old material to make a really cool chair - 
TOO MUCH WORK. 

I wouldn't want to use it outside. 

I have enough chairs! 

Rag design like this? 

Or something like this? 

Probably more like this. 

It's simple - staining the wood, and then placing potted plants on it.  I know, not a lot of imagination -  

It will be good for the time being. 

I just need some old fence boards for the seat part and voila, 

I have another place to display my potted plants. 

Fun times (work) ahead

I liked the one landscaper so much, (he is the gardener for one of our friends) that we just went with him. We clicked. Although it is a bit more than we had budgeted for we are only having them do the hard stuff; the lifting and hauling and some sprinkler work -  We'll plant shrubs ourselves next year. They will come on May 22. I am so excited. He will also totally cap off the sprinkler system on that part of the yard. Replace them with bubblers and drip lines.

Get rid of weeds

level out yard

fill with dirt

lay down weed barrier

river rocks. 

Tomorrow Home Depot will be dropping off supplies for us - some fencing materials, pavers, and bricks. There will be no vacation for us, this year. Maybe camping. That's fine with me. I'd rather stay at home. 

Oleanders

We're supposed to get into the H90's - maybe see our first 100. Then we'll drop down into the '70s. later in the week.  I like it when it does that. It gives us a break from the HOT temps. Soon, there will be no breaks. During the summer months, we stay in the 105+ for 40-60 days straight. Believe me, that gets OLD. 

Oleanders do well in here due to the heat. They are also drought-resistant and keep blooming throughout the summer. 

Pink Pomegranate 

The Pomegranate is blooming profusely - also because of the heat. 

Shasta daisies. 

The last leg of my garden table

I don't have any front photos of it - there it is to the right, near the gate. 

Years ago, I "dumpster-dived" for this shaker-type table I dubbed, "garden table."

This was Spring - you can see the legs are getting worn; needs some TLC

I've had this table for at least 25+ years old. 

It was pretty old when I found it. It's literally on its last leg. 

I won't let it go.

Yesterday, I decided to paint it - 

it was getting a bit too shabby looking and while I love shabby things, this was looking downright neglected. 

I looked for some spare paint in the garage and found some interior paint that I used to paint my kitchen cabinets. 

I will paint a second coat, sand it down and then put some water seal on it.

As I started to paint, it collapsed on me.  I sat there...

Should I just scrap it - use the wood for garden signs? 

Should I at least TRY to revive it? 

 The legs have dry rot. I continued to slap some paint on all the pieces and decided within the next couple of days, I will put it back together. I do know, that this is the last leg of my garden table that I have loved for many years.

 Do you have something old, that you love that everyone else thinks is junk?

I want to build myself a table that looks exactly like it when it's time to salvage it. 

It's that Shaker-style. 

Straight lines.

Black and white is the color!

Yesterday I had 3 deliveries!  

I received my black and white buffalo plaid curtains that I will need to hem. and a stove shelf that is metal and attaches to the top of a freestanding stove with a heavy-duty magnet, and some Avon.

It looks so much better. It is just what that little space needed. 

The shelving is almost done. Ran out of wall screws for the last shelf.

I had wanted to just keep the wood natural. So I went to Lowes and I picked up what I thought was clear spray enamel. When I sprayed it on, it was BLACK! 

 I was not about to delay this project any more than necessary so I decided to keep it. My tables are black so why not?  Wish the brackets were black. Maybe one day when I have nothing to do, I will spray paint them. HA!

Yeah, I know there are some bare spots. I ran out of spray paint and had to find another black spray in the garage and then ran out of the 2nd can. I will touch it up. There will be so much stuff on it, no one will notice.

Yesterday I hit a Dollar Tree store here in my town that I haven't been to in years. The other three I go to, don't have a lot of the stuff, I have seen from other Dollar Tree Hauls. Pretty much, just the basics. 

Well this one, is HUGE. They have redecorated it and they have things I have never seen before. I finally found those little white pumpkins!

So today I have so much I want to do vs so much I probably should do. I wonder which one will win. It's another HOT day today. I don't feel much like gardening. I just want to do some FALL cleaning and crafting.

Moving right along...

Progress not Perfection

Today, my house is in disarray. 

Husband is installing shelving and we could only afford to do 1 and 1/2 walls.

 Bought the wood at Home Depot, and the metal brackets at Lowes. Man, things are expensive. We'll do the other 1 1/2 wall next month. At least after I varnish them, I can start cleaning and organizing my new craft/sewing room.  I'll have 3 shelves on each wall and then my other craft table will go underneath. We have an old carpet in that room so we plan to rip it out and I want to keep the concrete floor and seal and maybe paint it. Then I don't have to worry if I get paint on it.

Photo by Antic&Chic - Browse home office photos

Something like the above photo for the flooring. 

I did work on a couple of "crafts" but am not pleased with them.

 It's been such a while since I have actually sat down and worked on crafting, I am so out of practice. 

I enjoy it - that's the BEST part.

I took this scary little black kitten and tried my best to soften his
look - so I can keep him around past Halloween.

 I bought him at the 99 cent store. 

I could touch him up more...

Sometimes TRYING to get my house the way I want it is overwhelming. Plus with my husband's retirement date set for Dec. 6 -  I am working against the time. I can't expect to get everything done - yet I do expect a bit more than I have done. I thought he was going to wait for another 3 years.


Well off to get my house in order for tonight - my son and my future DIL are coming over for a simple dinner.

Rustic staining and the bathroom

Rustic Staining

Here's an article about this technique.

Giving Furniture a Chic Rustic Look

The bathroom has been painted and I still have some "fluff" I want to do, but it is done.  And some trim work. I decided to stain my cabinets with a rustic stain. I like it. 

This photo sucks. I'll get some later. The floor tile is not yellow as it shows in the photo. It is a sand color. Grrrrrrrrr.

Note the one cabinet door. I plan to replace all the hardware but my main focus was getting the walls and ceiling painted and the cabinet stained. So I took off the hinges and one of them has this little piece of metal. We lost it. Then my husband found it and doggone it, he lost it again. The hinges are over 20 years old and they don't make that same exact type anymore. My husband is good at "mickey mousing" some things when in a pinch. My budget is limited and I can't see going out and spending cash on hinges when I can spend it on a more important project.

We drove over to a specialized lumber place and priced plywood, that can be used for a kitchen countertop. $75. We'd need 3 of them. Hmmm, I don't know if that is such a great price but I still love the look of wood instead of granite. I just always go my own way, with fashion as well as home decor. 

Clothing: If I like it, I wear it. 

Home Decor: If I like it I find a way to utilize it in my decor. I figure I am the one living here (with the husband of course) and your home should be a place of comfort, surrounded by all the quirky things you love.

Bathrooms I like

I could totally do this- my kitchen cabinets are a similar color as these cabinets. 

Plus it would match my shower curtain. 

I like the knobs on the cabinet. 

Wait a minute...a door to the outside? No thanks. 

Too much detail work on the walls for me to do. It's nice though. 

My kitchen a couple of years ago. Not "staged" and as it was on that day - 

I think that is a turkey on the stove top. 

I've decided- I'm painting the bathroom vanity the same color as the kitchen cabinets.

Painting Hall Bathroom

You can see where I tested some paint on the wall.

Looks like I will be painting the hall bathroom within a few days. Maybe tomorrow. The floor and new soaker tub were installed last year - the husband hates to paint and since my dad was a painting contractor years ago, the task always goes to me. 

I don't mind - I actually enjoy painting once I get through all the prep. Don't expect fast or even clean. In my old age, I've become slow and sloppy! 

I figure BIG DEAL. It's not like there is a camera crew from HGTV I have to be concerned with.

After I paint the walls and ceiling, I will paint the cabinets. They are those ugly drab oak builder-grade cabinets. I'm thinking of whitewashing them, kinda gives a beachy feel. We'll see. I do change my mind a lot.

In all honesty, all I care for is clean and put together. Less is MORE as far as I am concerned. Less stuff to wash and dust.

A list of accomplishments

Instead of listing what Home Improvements we didn't do the last 2 years - I want to encourage myself with all that we did.

New energy-efficient roof
replaced all the windows in our home
hardwood floor down the hall
painted living room, kitchen, dining, hall, office, master bedroom and laundry room.
replaced carpet in the living room and master bedroom.
new soaker tub in hall bath and new faucet
picket fence in the front yard
re-did our back patio and extended it toward the pond and waterfall
new washer and dryer
new stove
painted kitchen cabinets
new curtains in the living room
new curtains in the office
new shower curtain in the hall bathroom
new floor in bathroom and laundry room
Storage shelves in garage
sold our motorhome
new dining room chandelier
new living room ceiling fan and light
new entry fixture
new light fixtures down the hall
fixed backyard flooding problems

I no doubt, am forgetting some things but that is the list. Yeah okay, so we still have things to do. I'll actually put that into print tomorrow. Right now, I want to bask in that list of accomplishments. They weren't easy or cheap! The cost of a wonderful trip to Europe. NO REGRETS. Everyone is different in what they want out of life. I'm an introvert, so making my home a sanctuary is monumental to me. Making it a home that we can both grow old in comfortably and where our children can bring their families to visit.

Husband can retire in 5 years, Lord willing. That is the plan.

I'm pleased!

Painted the Patio

It's better than what it looked like before - so I'm pleased.

I haven't dropped off the face of the earth - time just got away from me. It flies, you know...

So the husband and I were starting a project - painting the patio with this textured paint. We moved everything onto the lawn - then he bends down and his back goes out. We spent Friday at the VA. They sent him home with muscle relaxers and he's been taking it easy.

So I decide I will do the patio all by my lonesome.

I am rolling this thick gravy-like paint on the patio when the roller stick breaks. I am sweating and have paint all over me. I am not about to clean up and go out and buy a new one so I sit down and roll with what is leftover. Oh, my aching back! Took me twice as long, but I did it. Then my shoulders and arms started to hurt. I missed some spots. BIG DEAL. 

Yesterday I went out and bought more paint and a new heavy-duty roller and stick

 - Used it this morning and it was so much easier. I think I am pretty much finished - with the exception of a few little spots I missed.

Now while I am doing this, my husband is sitting inside the sliding glass door, watching me. He didn't say a word but he was thinking...

I had told him, to just keep his mouth shut and no criticism, that at least it is getting done.

I know he could have done a better job, but once we put all our stuff back on the patio, who's going to notice????

I plan to get one of those patio rugs anyway - 

snipping, chopping, lopping, and pulling.

These OMG-sized junipers are being cut. Then we will pull out the rest of the plant - roots and all.

My dad planted these junipers and I guess when he died, that last year, mom just let them grow out of control. They are waist-high. They basically are a Hotel for Spiders. A couple of years ago, my husband cut them in front, and we had bare branches until this year. I kept wanting to spray paint them green, they looked so bad.

I was patient though.

We have to be careful when we pull the plants out - their roots are wrapped around, our irrigation pipes.

Just a regular gate

Pinterest

Such a beautiful gate. 

My husband will be done with the simple gate sometime tomorrow. It will be just a regular picket fence gate. 

I looked through Pinterest for different types of wooden gates.

Regular is easier!

That would take some work - plus I would be the one having to paint it. Pretty though...

Pinterest

Maybe in a few years...I could get my husband to make a unique gate. Most likely, he will not want to. Heck, I don't blame him. But they sure are pretty.

Pinterest

Our fence goes across our front in a straight line. We do not have a middle walkway. Our entrance comes in at the side of our driveway. So an arbor over the gate would not have looked right. So no arbor for us.

Pinterest

So pretty and could have worked with some tweaking to the picket fence. Love the color. You can get away with a colored solid wood gate with a white picket fences.

Pinterest

I have a thing for red gates. 

Pinterest

I love everything about this red gate. The walkway, the flowers...

It's fun to look through all the beautiful and creative gates - but I will be content with my regular gate. I've ALWAYS wanted a picket fence and a gate. I almost choose a ranch style, simply because it was easier. But my husband knew I always had my heart set on the picket fence and said he would be happy to install it. So why not?

I'm happy!

Perfection is Overrated and a lot of Work

I will add the rest of the black planters across the other two sections, eventually.

I'm in HEAVEN!  My picket fence is almost done. Just need the gate.

But it wasn't "heaven" painting it. 

Last week, we went to Home Depot to make the purchase. I wanted the pre-painted. 

A few dollars more, but worth it. 

They didn't have enough so I was forced to buy the unfinished. 

The husband had taken a week off from work so we could get this fence up. 

I wish now, we had pre-ordered it.

So that meant, I had to purchase the white paint. There goes the little savings, using unfinished. We bought the brackets, cement, and posts.

The deal was, the husband would install the posts - I got to paint. Normally I enjoy painting but this was hard. I had to get in-between the posts, painting dripping. 

The wood was rough and the application was messy and time-consuming. After the first 2 sections, my painting skills went downhill. I began to embrace my BFD attitude. I kept saying to myself, that I like the distressed look more and was not into perfection!

Our next project - removing the Junipers 

Trust me, my paint job was far from perfection. I even went out and bought a can of white spray paint to fill in the areas that I missed by brush.

Oh and by the way, if you are ever having to do this I recommend, a paint sprayer. We have one - the kind you use with a compressor. The instructions were hard for me to grasp, so I gave up on it, and decided to use a roller. By the end, I was so sick and tired of it, I was using the roller, a brush and a spray can of white paint.

 BIG DEAL - it looks fine.

Soon, I do plan to go out and touch up. Especially the outside of the fence that faces the street. You know, for curb appeal. <Barf>

I did think of my dad like I always do when I am painting. I know, he was rolling over in his grave, at the messy, unprofessional way I was painting, but HEY, it got done - it looks fine and I'm happy with it. 

White picket fence

26 Cheery White Picket Fence Ideas And Designs

Tomorrow we finally start installing our white picket fence in the front yard. We decided we would only do half the yard - so it will be cozier. I heard there may be some city code, that only allows us to fence half the yard. No biggie. We could have checked it out but I'm good with the new plans. The second half of the lawn will be bushes and flowers under the trees. We'll terrace it since it is on a slight downhill slope.

I know it sounds silly, but I have always wanted a white picket fence. Not the vinyl kind, wood.

Speaking of wood, Home Depot did not have the white sections in stock, so we had to get them unpainted which means, that will be my job; to paint the fence. I bought a paint sprayer and got home and realized we have 2 paint sprayers that are professional - they belonged to my dad who was a contractor. I have to use the compressor (which we have) and read up on how to do this. The other one goes back.

Oh well, the things I will do, for this white picket fence!

New Carpet makes HUGE difference

before

We started the day before -moving things out of the master bedroom and living room. The day of, only the furniture was left and we knew the installers help with that.

Just look at the cruddy carpet. You wouldn't know it, by looking at it, that I shampooed my carpet every other month. I tried so hard.

Everything all piled up

The dining room and garage (not shown) were the waiting room, for the furniture.

 My cat loved it. So much adventure; places to climb and sniff around.

I love lines on my carpet

Finally, after three hours -they are done. 

I feel like I am walking on a cloud, it feels so plush.

everything moved back in

Boy, what a difference it makes - everything is clean - Like I said, it feels so good on our feet and that's with shoes on.

I will LOVE vacuuming once again. 

Now on to the NEXT project.