In celebration of the upcoming Superbowl, I decided to make this game day wooden cooler stand for my husband’s birthday. We always have a blast at our annual Superbowl party with lots of food and drink to go around!

 

 

Although my husband’s team hasn’t seen the playoffs in a while, he’s still a true Dolphins fan even though we relocated to New England and everyone around us supports the Giants, Jets, or Patriots. Home Depot sells NFL team colors (seen here is Miami Teal) and many other professional sports teams colors.

Now taking orders! Contact me here for pricing.

Game Night Coffee Table

Have you ever seen something on the side of the road and think: I could use that! Or That’s such a nice piece. What could I use it for? Well pick it up!

I’m amazed at what my friends and family find on the side of the road ready for trash pick up.

This coffee table was one of those last minute finds. I knew the potential this coffee table had so I went to work!

Before

 After

Personally, I have a chalkboard piece in my home and we use it for game night all of the time or just to write little notes to each other to find after work!

Status: Sold!

Dimensions: 49 in. (l) x 28.5 in. (w) x 17 in. (h)
About: Chalk paint top (comes with the chalk); white milk paint base with an antique glaze; slightly distressed.

Tea Time Artwork

The owner of Elevenses Confections makes the sweetest treats. We worked together to make signage for her English inspired confections. If you’re not a Downton Abbey or Lord of the Rings fan, you may not have heard of the term “Elevenses”.

Elevenses: light refreshment (as a snack) taken in the middle of the morning (Merriam-Webster.com)

Since her confections are usually served with tea we decided on this cute quote:
“Would you like an adventure now, or shall we have our tea first?"  –Peter Pan

My favorite spot to shop for “antique” frames is in the clearance section of a home goods store. The clearance items are usually broken, scratched, or otherwise flawed. Our clearance find already had an antique look. You can easily make a new frame look old with paint and a sandpaper.

 

I created the quote using PicMonkey and did a test print to make sure the quote fit within the frame.

The guiding arrows in the corner helped me signify the direction I needed to put the paper in the printer.

I cut some cute antique map scrapbook paper to size and printed the quote directly onto the scrapbook paper.

Elevenses Confections new artwork is the perfect accessory to tea time. Her  favorite detail is the two ships battling over "Peter  Pan".

 

To see her work visit Elevenses Confections. I recommend the chocolate chip scones!

Home Tour: Gail Lane Country Log Cabin

I envy my grandmother’s decorating style. There are some parts of her home that I look at and think This could be a display for a store. When I interviewed her about her style she said she just knows when something will go together.

My earliest memories of my grandmother are going with her to garage sales. She would buy anything and everything, get them for dirt cheap, but clean them up so that you would never know the items were someone’s unwanted trash. My grandparents lived with my family growing up so I was able to watch her style throughout each season as she transformed my childhood home.

In my middle school years she moved from our home in Florida to build my grandfather’s dream home in the mountains of Georgia. Coming from Buffalo, NY and little money, my grandparents put in many hours in NY and FL to finally live quietly in their log home in their years of retirement.

Although you could call their home a log cabin, it’s more like a bed and breakfast. Its 4440 sq ft, 6 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, on 2 acres. I sat down with her to talk about her home in my first installment of Home Tours.

Home Tour: Gail Lane Country Log Cabin

December 26, 2015

DDD: How would you describe your style?

G: Country

DDD: Where do you think your decorating style comes from?

G: Myself.

DDD: What do you like about the country style?

G: The reason I like it is because I’ve seen so many country homes and I like them.

DDD: What do you mean?

G: Model homes.

DDD: What made you start going to garage sales?

G: To see if there is anything there I would like.

DDD: When did you start going?

G: When I lived in Florida.

DDD: You frequently brought me and TJ (my brother) to garages sales. Why?

G: Because you wanted to go.

DDD: What are some garage sale tips?

G: Well the way I’d look at it you’d be surprised at what you find at garage sales.

DDD: What did you find that was surprising?

G: I found a beautiful handmade country chandelier.

DDD: Do you have it?

G: Ya, its hanging in the living room. That big one there. It cost me $500.

DDD: How much do you think that would have been regular retail?

G: Close to $1,000.

DDD: What piece are you proudest of?

G: I think my homemade quilts. Friends gave me some.

DDD: What is your favorite part about your home?

G: It’s very country and big.

DDD: What’s something everyone must have in their home?

G: Hmm. Big kitchen with an island. Big island is very important. I like mine. I use it for everything. It has electric outlets on each end. I bake on mine. I bake cookies. You eat on it. Makes your kitchen very easy to work with.

Excuse me I have to take that pie out. (My grandmother gets up and leaves the interview. My brother already took the pie out for her but she had to check anyways)

DDD: Finish these phrases:

You can never have too much __________ in your house.

G: Sitting areas

DDD: The last thing I bought was __________.

G: New bed spread for the master bedroom. I can’t use it though. I have a dog.

DDD: I need to get rid of _________.

G: (laughs) A lot of my decoration.

DDD: The holiday I like to decorate for most is _____________.

G: Christmas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That pretty lady holding the baby is my grandmother and me!

 

Floral and Faded to Funky and Fresh Loveseat Makeover

 

Two words to describe my brother's couch are floral and faded.





 

 

The structure of the loveseat itself was intact but the fabric was worn and torn over time. Plus, I don’t think floral is really my brother’s style.

The loveseat was disassembled. New upholstery fabric was stapled to the arm rests and sewn over the cushions.

 

Loveseat arm

Originally the couch was free. The upholstery fabric cost about $70 for 5 yards (there was a 50% off sale).

 

 

So with a staple gun, needle and thread, and four hours of work, this couch was given a new life! Now I would describe the couch as fresh and funky and very my brother!