Transform Old Dishes Into Mercury Glass

After giving a pair of glass lamps a mercury glass makeover some years back, I now have a hard time looking at any clear glass decorative item without fantasizing about tackling it with some Krylon Looking Glass paint.   It's such a quick, easy, and fun project!

Decorate for Four Holidays with Two Pillows

Throw pillows are typically a quick and affordable way to transition the look of a space from one season to the next.  However, the cost and storage space for a year's worth of them can add up quickly, so DIY pillow covers are always my preference.  The ones I made recently using $7 IKEA pillow covers, printable iron-on transfer paper, and digital vintage holiday images that I purchased for pocket change on Etsy are my new favorites.  I designed them so I can simply flip them to display the next holiday's image when the other passes.  Talk about an easy transition!

I probably shouldn't admit this, but having a couple of new throw pillows ready for each of the next four holidays has given me a little peace of mind.  Creating them could not have been much easier, and now I know my home will feel a little cozier...

Large Scale Wall Art: Patent Drawing Engineering Prints

Large scale wall art tends to come with a large scale price tag, so I was pleased to find an affordable and visually satisfying solution for our two-story living room.  .ngineering prints of patent drawings have an industrial and graphic quality and are easy on the wallet!

Four Chairs Sitting Room Arrangement

Since we have a somewhat traditional family room with a sectional couch, fireplace, and our TV, our living room inspired me as a space where we could have a little fun.  We could determine how we wanted it to function and forego the standard couch and chair or couch and loveseat type arrangements.  We could get a couple of settees, or a chaise lounge, or...what else?

With other projects taking priority, I had time to consider our living room over the last couple of years and ultimately determined that an arrangement of four chairs circling a round coffee table would be best. 

DIY Custom Photo Ledges

With backsplash, shoe molding, and other projects dragging on a bit, Mike and I felt ready for some quick wins, some improvements that would provide significant impact and satisfaction with relatively small time and financial commitments.

The main one we chose to veer toward for a bit recently was DIY photo ledges for our family room.

Over a year ago I bought a couple of gallery wall kits, hung the templates on the walls on either side of our TV, decided I didn't love them, and stored them in our basement until a better idea came along. 

My goals for this wall included the following:

• get family photos on the walls
• decorate near the TV without making the TV the singular focal point of the wall
• not look messy or otherwise irritate me 

The better idea I was seeking came in the form of Ana White's $10 Photo Ledge plans. Mike has gotten pretty used to me texting links to such things with obnoxious statements like, "These would be easy, right?"  Someday I would like to see his face when he gets one of these messages.  Actually, it's probably best for both of us if I don't.

While those backsplash, shoe molding, powder room finishing, and other tasks sat (and still sit) on hold, Mike spent some time getting sawdust everywhere rekindling his love of woodworking and impressing me once again with his ability to make my visions a reality.

 

The frames from the two gallery wall kits create a pleasing uniformity.  I played around with them on our floor to determine the spacing between (18.5") and width (4') of the shelves before the project got underway. 

 

This was a hugely satisfying quick win as it met all of my goals for that wall.  On the other side of the entertainment stand I hung a 1924 map of Detroit that I bought for $15 on eBay and framed.  I think it balances that space appropriately.

My big goal for this summer is to get photos organized, albums created and ordered, and get pictures up on the walls.  Getting my hands on old family black and whites for these ledges is step one! 

Why We Bought Our Quartz Countertops From IKEA

In our kitchen we have new countertops!  However, I can't decide on a backsplash, so it's still not much to look at out there.  In case you are curious, though, the counter is quartz, London Grey by Caesarstone.  We bought it from Ikea for a couple of reasons.

Bathroom Storage Cabinet Turned 18" Doll Clothes Wardrobe

Along with a new hardwood floor, the kids' playroom will be getting the addition of a new doll clothes wardrobe.  Unlike the flooring, this improvement only cost us $6.99 since I used a bathroom storage cabinet that we had on hand.