Category Archives: Uncategorized

The Mother of All Makeovers- A Vintage Handmade Kitchen table set 

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I’m super super excited about this makeover project!! It’s old and tacky but has character and it’s just the right size for my small kichen which currently has a big oval pedestal table that’s taking up far too much room. 

So I saw this little thing on a buy and sell group on Facebook  Friday night for a wonderful $30! I woke early on Saturday and made the one hour trip to pick it up and luckily it fit in my small car. 

  

  
    

When I got it home and started the daunting task of sanding I realized that the top of the table wasn’t solid wood. Instead it was some sort of faux wood panelling. A little disappointing but once the wheels in my head staring turning I got an even better idea and the cheap paneling became a blessing in disguise! 

    

So off it came and I was left with this frame…

 

So I got to sanding…

  
The table top frame is completely sanding and secured together (it originally had an insert but I won’t be using it) and is ready for the next step which begins tomorrow. So be sure to tune in again soon for an update. This is going to be so much fun!! 

Tshirt Wall Art DIY

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 I have a ton of projects to post from the past 11 plus months that I’ve been absent and I will get to them, in no particular order so get ready for lots of DIYs, makeovers, crafts and more, starting with these rocking DIY wall art. 

My oldest son, Keenan, is a rock star. No, not literally, but definitely in his proud Mama’s eyes. He’s a very talented guitarist, self taught, and can also play the bass and some piano. Before I go into details of the project I wouldn’t be a true cheerleader if I didn’t share this photo of my handsome and talented young man.  

Now, the project. While cleaning out Keenan’s drawers and closet he found several shirts, band shirts to be exact because I mean what other kinds are there, that were too small. 

 
We were packing them up to donate to our local thrift store when I had an idea. I had a set of damaged canvases that I had been going to throw out but hated to do so. So I got to work! I cut the tshirt into sections (front, back and sleeves) And slightly stretched the images over the canvases, securing them with hot glue on the back. The end result…..

Voila! Tshirt wall art! 

 

He loved it and so did I. He’s since moved back to the city, staying with his girlfriend’s family temporarily, and the bedroom that he shared with his little brother is now dominated by Kaleb but his tshirt wall art is packed safely away in a box waiting to be hung in his first apartment 🙂 

Frame Makeovers and Photo Collage 

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I have been having so much fun decorating my new place since the move. The kitchen is done, at least for now, as is the bathroom; my bedroom is well underway and I am tackling the kids room this coming weekend. The living room, however, still seemed bare and blah! I’ve got the basics down- a couch, loveseat, TV unit, and coffee and end table set that blend, as well as throw pillows, but the walls were still bare. I’ve been wanting to put up some family photos on the walls but didn’t have frames and couldn’t find any that were both a) what I liked and b) affordable. 

So, I did what I always do when looking for something I need on a tight budget- hit up the thrift stores, in this case, Value Village. While many of the items at Value Village, particularly their clothing ($7.99 for a used tshirt from WalMart that was only $10 new!) are outrageously priced, I find that a lot of their home decor isn’t. For example I found a set of curtains there for my living room for $9.99 and the brown faux suede shower curtain I now have in my bathroom for $6.99.  I was happy to find that frames were decently priced as well and found a huge supply of them in all sizes and all wood which made for easier makeover.  

I purchased 26 wooden frames for a total of $24- a steal!!

   

In hindsight, spray painting would have been much faster, however, it would have also cost more. Instead I used basic craft paint in deep red which I already had on hand (bonus!). 

 And then I used black paint marker and a damp rag to distress…. 

 Followed by a coat and sealer. 

The wooden LOVE letters were a yard sale find for $4. They were originally white (I forgot to take a before picture but you get the idea!) and I gave them a coat of black paint  which, again, I already had on hand. 

And the finished project….drum roll please…..  

 I know, some frames are a little squish. I’m still in the process of adjusting 🙂 

So, 26 frames and 3 days later, my living room is now closer to completion……

And I do not want to see another picture frame, like, ever!! Kidding, kidding. Yes, it was time consuming but so worth it in the end. I love my photo wall! 

Until next time… 

 

Beach Day With the Fam 

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Ahhh, I love summer…..

I just returned home from visiting my family for a few days.  I made the 3.5 hour trip on Tuesday and returned home to the city today. It was a great visit. The weather was  fantastic and we went to the beach and swimming at the pond a few times. 

Yesterday evening we did something that we haven’t done in well over 20 years. My sister and I took the entire family to the pond- myself and my 2 kids, Melissa and her son, and our Mom and Dad. 

My dad is somewhat disabled. He can no longer walk without assistance due to a back condition and during flare ups he has to use a wheelchair. This is just the beginning of his medical issues, however, it is the issue which prevents him from doing a lot of things- like going to the beach and getting in the water. His quality of life has decreased dramatically over the past decade or so. He spends hours a day sitting in a recliner and doesn’t get out very often. So, we decided we were going to take him to the beach. At his age and with his medical conditions we are painfully aware that we may not get many more opportunities to do this. 

So we piled into 2 cars- Dad, Kaleb, Meika (my fur baby) and I in my car and Melissa, Mom, Keenan and Hayden (my nephew) in the other- and headed to the beach.  It was 6 in the evening when we got there, the perfect time of day since the beach was nearly empty and this made it much enjoyable for my dad. He couldn’t swim of course, but he waded out into the water using his walker while my mom and I stood next to him just in case he stumbled. The water was just right- cool but not cold- and he loved it.  
  

The kids had fun as well swimming and playing in the water.   
  

Even Meika joined in on the fun.    

  
After Dad and Mom got out of the water they went for a stroll along the beach. 
  

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After a couple of hours at the beach we headed home, stopping for ice cream on the way. Dads expressed how much he had enjoyed himself as best he can. Because of paralyzed vocal cords he is unable to talk very well and can only speak in short intervals, with a break amidst sentences. Currently he awaiting a procedure to have the problem corrected, however, this will be the second procedure and, as with the first one which didn’t work, there are no guarantees. 

As I was sitting on the beach, my sister beside me, as we both watched our parents walk up the beach side by side, I was hit with an overwhelming urge to cry. Part of me was sad as I thought about how Dad was becoming more frail and how his quality of life is now so limited. Something we do so often- wading in the water at the pond- was such a treat for him, and while a part of me was feeling sad, and I actually fight back the tears as I write this, I also felt a small fraction of happiness because we had gotten to do this for him. It was an event that that might seem so small and insignificant to some, but to our family it was a memory that will last a lifetime and while every trip home to visit my parents is important, this trip is one that left a mark on my heart. 

Until next time… 

 

A Taste of Italy in Downtown St. John’s

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Hi there 🙂  As promised, I am back with lots to share. I’m going to catch you up on things, slowly but surely.  Since moving to the city we have been pretty occupied with making our new apartment home, however, … Continue reading →