My First Woodworking Project

Sweet Little Ava Marie turned one year old recently. Her mama said she needed some book storage, and being the book junkie that I am, I loved the idea. I looked around at lots of stores, but all I could find was cheap particle board stuff. I wanted something cute and durable, and I found what I wanted on Ana White's site.


I followed Ana's easy cutting and assembly plans and the final product came out better than I could have dreamed! And best of all, I didn't cut off any of my fingers in the process!

Here they are hanging in Miss Ava Marie's playroom.


So cute! I hope she turns into a little bookworm, too!

Glimpses of Home

I love these windows. They let so much beautiful sunlight into our living room. Just a few days ago, it got warm enough outside that we could open the windows. Guess who couldn't resist standing there and gazing at our front yard for what seemed like forever?

I also love this couch. It is my roost. I think its days are numbered because the cushions have lost their "cush", but it has served me well over the past couple of years. Oh, and see that box next to my roost? That's Wyatt's roost. He likes to climb into the very back of it and hide out. I wouldn't dream of throwing it out because it clashes with my decor; that ugly old cardboard box will stay there as long as my boy wants.

Today I'm participating in Glimpses of Home at Chatting at the Sky. If you've never checked out this blog, go there now! The photography and writing are top notch, and Emily, the blogger, makes you feel like she is speaking directly to you with each word.

Menu Plan Monday November 23

One of the most stressful parts of the day around here seems to come at 5:30 p.m. That's when the dreaded question is asked by either the hubby or me: What's for dinner? And it never fails that one of us will come up with a good idea only to find that we're missing one...or five ingredients. Argh.

So in an effort to alleviate this daily frustation, I've decided to try menu planning. I've done it in the past, but it was always just a list I jotted down on the fridge note pad. I'd rather try to put it in a more permanent place so that I can refer back to previous plans, so I decided this blog is a great place for it! And there couldn't be a more perfect week to start, seeing as how Thanksgiving is Thursday, so that day is already planned!

Thanks to I'm an Organizing Junkie for putting together Menu Plan Monday!



Okay, so here's my first Life on the 'Throw Menu Plan Monday entry:

MONDAY: Mexican night! Tacos and Quesadillas; salad on the side for me

TUESDAY: Chicken a la Vodka Farfalle, Steamed Broccoli, Garlic Toast

WEDNESDAY: Crock Pot Beef Stew, Bread, Green Beans

THURSDAY: Thanksgiving turkey for lunch and dinner!

FRIDAY: Pizza night

SATURDAY: Steak medallions, green beans, mashed potatoes

National Poetry Day

The fog comes
on little cat feet.

It sits looking
over harbor and city

on silent haunches
and then moves on.

-Carl Sandburg (1916)

Letter Sorter Therapy

What a sad-looking little letter organizer. Dull brown finish. Labeled a meager $1.99. Empty of all manner of junk mail or office supplies. Simply unable to fulfill its organizational destiny. (Can you hear the violin music?)

I was at the thrift store a few months ago and spotted this gem lying at the end of a checkout aisle. It was ugly, but that day happened to be Labor Day, which means everything is half price! So I purchased it and toted it home where it continued to exist in its depressed state until yesterday when I finally made it purty.

First, I spray painted it a nice off-white, neutral shade:

Yep, that's a glossy finish. This thing's going to sit on my kitchen counter, so it needs to be easy to clean.

Not so sad-looking anymore, but not necessarily chipper, wouldn't you agree? I decided it needed a little color, so I dug out some botanical print scrapbook paper and Mod Podged the backs of the slots:

Now that's an improvement! I added a few label holders and this little letter sorter looked like it was practically smiling at me! But it still wasn't fulfilling its organizational destiny, so...

I stuffed it full of all the items lying on the hot mess that is my countertop. Ah, no more sad little letter sorter. And no more messy landing pad. Now I just have to train the husband to use it!

I'm linking up to DIY Day at Kimba's A Soft Place to Land. Go check out oodles of creative projects!

Fall Porch Decor

Our side porch was in need of some attention this fall. The railings and posts were coated in mildew and the screen door's paint was peeling. Things were looking drab to say the least. So I touched up the screen door with a white paint marker, one of the easiest DIY projects ever. (If you don't have a white paint pen, go get one! They're so handy!) The posts and railings took more work; I had to scrub them with bleach, one of the grossest DIY projects ever. It was worth it, though. Look how clean and shiny they are! Now on to the fall decorations...I pulled this chippy red chair out of the storage area of my garage and it looked great on the porch. I love the pops of red; it's a color that works for multiple seasons. I plopped an old wooden pumpkin on there and hung an old grapevine wreath on the back. It needed something else, though. And then I saw the cover of this month's issue of Better Homes and Gardens. They used hedge apples as part of an adorable centerpiece. We have hedge apples aplenty around here, so I just went out and grabbed a few, sprayed them with a coat of sealant and arranged them in a basket. Much better! Total cost of this part of my fall decor: $0!

Okay, now I'll admit that I did spend a little money on my porch. I decided to make a wreath for the door, so I invested in a few fake fall flowers and ribbon. I used another old grapevine wreath (really, these things have a lot of uses!) and just stuck the flowers in where they looked nice. Nothing scientific about it, and no wires involved. My favorite part is the ribbon I used to hang the wreath. Ooo la la!
The last project I did was paint my sad-looking old door. The previous owners had painted the whole thing a depressing gray color, trim and all. I painted the trim a bright white and gave the door three coats of a wine-colored burgundy. Much better! It took a lot of time to tape it and paint it, but the payoff is well worth it. I love driving up to my cheery entrance now!

I'm linking up to the Fall Festival at the DIY Show Off. Go check out what other DIY-ers are doing to decorate for the season!
Edited to add: I'm also linking up to Kimba's DIY Day at A Soft Place to Land. Go check out some other great projects!

Clearance Shelf to Candle Holder

Never underestimate the potential of an item in the clearance aisle. On a recent trip to Hobby Lobby, I came across this naked little shelf/box thingamajig:


I had no idea what I might use it for, but I decided to get it because the price was too good to pass up:


Once I got it home, the poor thing sat in my office for over a month while I waited for inspiration! Then one day I was flipping through one of my favorite magazines, Country Sampler, and I saw a gorgeous candle holder that looked an awful lot like my thingamajig. So I dragged out the craft paint and a little wooden star that fell off of an old project. After a half hour of paint and glue gunning, this is what I came up with:


Ah, my little bargain bin item has a purpose in life now! And I have a cute candle holder to set on my dry sink. Everyone's a winner!

I'm linking up to Kimba's DIY Day on A Soft Place to Land. It's a wonderful site; go check it out and see what other DIY-ers have created!