This is the perfect gift for your husband/wife or parents if you can dig up some old pictures. The milestones I chose for my gift were our first date, our engagement, and our wedding.

All you will need is:

A picture frame with a mat

A marker

Pictures

 

I bought a calligraphy marker for this project but you don’t have to.  I was convinced I would teach myself calligraphy but that required more time than the hour I had before my husband got home. What I learned from the brief research I did is that you should first trace your letters in pencil, then use your marker.

 

Shade in your letters a few times (I did 3 times).

 

 

Also mix your fonts. I used larger cursive for the title of the picture and smaller capital print for the description.

If you don’t trust your own handwriting you can use scrapbook sticker letters. I almost went that route but I think doing it in your own handwriting makes it personal.

Can’t wait to give this to my husband on Christmas! Here’s to hoping he doesn’t read my blog!

Variations on the Milestone Picture Frame

·         Use it as a pregnancy announcement. Leave one open spot for “Future Grandchild” or a sonogram photo.

·         Frame each of your child’s footprints.

·         Surprise a pet lover and give them photos of their pets with their birthdays or adoption dates.

·         Remember all of your favorite family trips over the years.

·         Retake a childhood photo as an adult and place the photos side by side.

Sleek Sofa Table

 

 

 

When I designed this sofa table I thought it would work well between your sofa and the wall. A good place to charge your phone, hold your drink, set your books, or whatever else you need a sofa table for.

I need your help!! I can’t decide on the stain I should use to finish this piece. My options are Espresso, Red Oak, and Special Walnut. Here are some projects I’ve done in all 3 stains.

 

 

Kitchen Island in Espresso

 

Sofa Table in Red Oak

 

Sofa Table in Special Walnut

 

Let me know if you’re interested in this piece and you can chose your own stain!

Leave your comments below!

5 Holiday Money Saving Tips

Just because the holidays are coming up doesn’t mean the house expenses stop. We’re looking at solar panel installation, painting the guest bedrooms, and removing the asbestos in the basement all in the same month.

Spending my nights listening to Christmas music while peeling wallpaper.

 

 

Here are 5 Holiday Money Saving Tips that help me get through the festivities!

1.       Make your own beverage servers

 

Hosting a soiree? Bringing drinks to a holiday party? Don’t buy a costly drink dispenser, make one with any glass container and a chalkboard label.

 

I spray painted a label I got from the grocery store with chalkboard spray paint.

 

Apple Pie Sangria is always served best with a cinnamon sugar rim!

2.       Reuse gift bags

I know it sounds simple, but sometimes we forget to save bags, bows, and paper. Doing this can avoid spending extra money. Just check any gift bag tags to make sure there aren't any messages left from last year. My friend hosts an ornament swap every year and I always keep the little gift bag I get, perfect size for an ornament!

 

My prize from the ornament swap!

3.       Take your own holiday photos

 

Don’t have a photo budget? Use photos from your year to show your friends and family what you have been up to! Or just take your own! We considered using our GoPro to take photos but ended up using our Iphone. Both have a self timing setting and are fairly decent quality.

 

Tried taking our pic with Sam, didn't make the final cut :(

4.       Exchange experiences instead of gifts

Our friends helped watch our cat while we were away for Thanksgiving. I would’ve paid them but they insist that’s what friends are for. Instead of getting them a gift, we are asking them to come over for dinner and games. I dare you to try this out with friends or family and see who can come up with the most creative idea. How does this save money you ask? I don’t anticipate preparing dinner for two more people costing that much more money. And our board games are free. Maybe do a drinks and movie night. A bottle of wine won’t put you back too much either yet it’s a fun way to spend time together. These memories aren't something you'll want to return to the store December 26th.

 

5.       Clean out your grandmother’s basement

Lucky for me, my grandma literally let me and my brother clean out her basement. Any holiday stuff we wanted was ours. Doing this with your family members will totally help you save money on holiday décor. Offer to help your dad clean out the attic, or your aunt clean out the guest bedroom closets. Maybe those holiday heirlooms can find their way into your home.

 



How much would this cost in a store? I don't know! But I  do know mine was $Free.99! Thanks grandma!


Share your holiday money saving tips below! Skyping instead of flying to see family? Baking for your family instead of buying gifts? I would love to know!

 

Simple and Sophisticated Sofa Table

If you remember my post from a few months ago, Using a Dresser as a Sideboard, you learned that I repurposed an extra dresser and set it in my front hallway. Although I do miss the storage space, I finally got around to making the piece I envisioned. This project was so simple, just two pieces of wood connected by two kitchen island pillars. Lastly, I used trim to finish the top. Painted in Elegant Lace by Glidden.

 

 

 

Home Tour: Davie FL Minimalist Home

When my stepmother, Faby, sent me some pictures of her amazing second hand furniture transformation, I wanted to know more. 

 

 

Faby moved in with my dad to find a quirky house: Rooster backsplash in the kitchen, fish tile in the bathroom, and blue plaid couches to start. I didn’t mind the interior design decisions because I grew up there but I could see how it wouldn’t appeal to someone else. Since my childhood house sold, they moved back into my stepmother’s house but not without changing a few things first. Now I couldn’t actually VISIT my dad and Faby for the home tour since we are going to my see my husband’s family for Thanksgiving, but she kindly sent some picture of her favorite designs.

DDD: Why did you want to remodel your home?

F: I wanted this house to be Tom and my house, nothing from my previous relationships. Our own space with something we like, nothing from the past. When I moved to his house it didn’t have my touch. I can’t live with clutter. I am minimalist.

DDD: What is your favorite part of your remodel?

F: The kitchen.

DDD: What was the most challenging part of your remodel?

The most challenging was tearing the walls door. I wanted three walls teared down. The pantry was way too big. I wanted two walls at a ninety degree angle.

DDD: How long did this take?

F: 3 months

DDD: What advice would you give someone going through a remodel?

F: I would suggest to go to family owned stores because when you go to places like Home Depot, huge, huge, places, it’s too much that you get overwhelmed. You have no idea where to start. I wanted someone to give you one to one service. I wanted to see a place that has classy style. I went to a store where the daughter and son owned the store.

DDD: What inspired you to reuse some pieces of furniture?

Because you know how I think, I believe in recycle, reduce, and reuse. So I said, Why am I going to buy something when I can do something?

DDD: What piece are you proudest of in your home?

F: I wouldn’t say proud. The piece I like the most is my Buddhas. The ones I have I call the Buddha of Silence and they remind me to be calm.

DDD: Are there any projects left to be completed?

F: Inside the house, no. Outside, we still need to do the yard.

DDD: How would you describe your personal style?

F: Minimalist. I get rid of… you have no idea. Bags and bags and bags. It took weeks to get rid of everything. The less I have, the better I feel.

DDD: Where do you think your style comes from?

F: My philosophy has always been the less you have, material things, the more you connect with your spiritual life. When you are occupied on what you can have, you will never have enough. There is always something new you will want to have. I want this, no it is ugly, no it’s out of style you will always be changing to keep up with everything on the outside. You get too buys in things that aren’t important so you don’t have time do to things that are really important.

 

 

Faby designed the kitchen with cabinets that opened up, rather than out. She also said that everything is white for a reason: white walls, cabinets, floors. She wants people to see her for who she is, white doesn't hide anything.

 

 

All of the following pieces were painted for $28. What a beautiful transformation!

 

 

This is what the pieces looked like before.



After

 

 

Guest Bedroom Paint Colors

After a housewarming party, baby shower, Halloween party, and new kitten, we are finally getting around to the first guest bedroom. Because of the lingering nightmares of taking down the wallpaper in the living room, see here, I was not excited to do that all over again. However…choosing paint colors usually gets me in the mood to start tearing down wallpaper. Plus, the current wallpaper was used in our Halloween party so the fake blood really won’t bode well for guests after October 31^st. Plus, it’s only one wall of wallpaper. It can't be that bad right?

 

 

 

The previous owners had somewhat of an idea of what we are looking to do, a feature wall. Their feature wall just happened to be wallpapered. We picked Polo Blue for the feature wall and were looking for a neutral for the three walls that was NOT GRAY. We already used Revere Pewter in the living room, a perfect greige (see here), and then Thunder, dark gray, in our master bedroom.

Our choices were Gray Sky (I know, I know), Sweet Innocence, and Genesis White. (All colors are Benjamin Moore by the way).

 

 

For me, the Sweet Innocence was a little too purple-y. And my husband thought it was a little gray. So we had to choose between Gray Sky and Genesis White. And we chose….

 

Gray Sky!

 

Gray Sky is on the left with Polo Blue right next to it.

Gray Sky is on the left with Polo Blue right next to it.

I guess we just can’t shake the gray! I really like it because I feel like its brightness will contrast well with the dark blue. And, it has a light blue sheen to it.

 Check back in with us soon for the final result!
 

2 Year Blogging Anniversary

This year, I will be gifting a student with a poetry inspired bookcase!

A little bit about this student, let's call her "A".  

A is a senior setting her sights on schools like Yale and Harvard (having interviewed with both).

She takes one of my classes and stays after class to talk to me about how she can help me with my other classes. She has mentored my younger students by sharing her poetry and helping them with their own writing.

 

Through some conversation I found out she has a desk but not a  bookshelf. I wanted to give her something compact that she would need and could take with her to a college dorm.

 

This poetry inspired bookcase is decoupaged with poems from some of her favorite authors. Then I hand painted some lines of poetry that I think speak to her character. She is a young woman who has had to go through a lot of challenges and will continue to work through any obstacles to get what she wants, a Journalism degree from one of our top Universities!

 

Good Luck A! I know you will make a difference in the world!