Who Has These In Their Home?

These are the cabinets in my bathroom. As a matter of fact, when I bought this house 15 years ago, ALL the cabinets in the house were this type. I'm not sure what they're called, but I know they were VERY popular about 20 years ago (which is when my kitchen was remodeled-before I owned it).
Not quite my style... I definately would have chosen something else. White laminate? Not me.

My entire kitchen had these beauties, too. (nothin' against those that have them and love them, mind you). But I really wanted something else. Luckily, the cabinets themselves are wood- it's just the doors that are faux. So about 12 years ago, I had someone come in to give me a quote on replacing the doors. An hour later and $7500 in debt looming, I picked myself up from the floor and thought again. Again, lucky for me, my Dad is an awesome carpenter. Self taught, just like me in most of the things I do (both of my parents are pretty awesome, come to think of it).

This is what I have in my kitchen now.... SOLID OAK.....and GORGEOUS. All I had to do was pay for the wood and buy a new router bit for my Dad (kinda' burned the other one up!) and I got all new cabinets for under $500 bucks! Love you, Dad-you're the best.

He even made the fake fronts for the drawers that really aren't. All I had to do is replace the hardware.

For the most part, my house has been on the "country" side for the past 20 years. After my divorce, my tastes started to change (in addition to lifestyle, money, blah blah blah). I re-designed my dining room a year ago like this; and just finished my home office here in styles that are kinda' out of my element. I know, just call me "rebel divorcee lookin' for a change" (sounds like an ad for the personals...NOT).

If my Dad were able, I know he'd be here tomorrow to hook me up. I'm just glad he's here period. So I'm thinkin' about making a few changes myself on the cheap. Look out master bath.

I'll be making friends with my new best bud... Kilz in a can. LOVE IT!

I'll let ya' know how it turns out.

If You're Scared...Say You're Scared!

This is the current project we're working on... and if these pics don't scare ya', I don't know what would! This is my washer/dryer area.... actually, it's not so much an area as it is a large closet. A large closet that is an eyesore, that is conveniently located in my kitchen for all to see. I know, you're wishing you had one too. I especially like the semi-blue walls (but only on some and only so far) and the capped off pipes from the old hot water heater that are just kinda' hanging out there. I can't tell you the pleasure I get just opening up those big ole bifold louver doors to do my laundry here.... joy, I tell you.

Another lovely wall behind the dryer. I will not tell you how many socks I found here.... let's just say the mystery of the "sock graveyard" has been solved!

This beautiful shelf holds all those laundry essentials... this, of course, is only functional if you purchase products in doll-house sized proportions. Anything larger resides ON TOP of the washer/dryer (watch out for that spin cycle).

But this..... this is my ABSOLUTE favorite part....

This is the air duct to the enclosed porch on the opposite side... yes, that is electrical tape holding it together and yes, it just kinda' hangs there without any support. Oh, and that area above the electrical panel...that's what is left of the CONTACT PAPER (that's right...) that surrounds the top and bottom. Who knew you used contact paper instead of drywall? There's a novel idea.

I won't tell you the contractor's name that put together this little jewel... but here's a hint: he doesn't live here anymore..... ya' know?

Luckily, I'm much loved by someone with a little more, shall we say, attention to detail....and anything but lazy. The tongue & grove boards have been purchased, and installation has begun. I wonder if this will change my outlook on the whole laundry thing...NOT.

Office Revamp Complete!

$99 file cabinet from Staples (and free shipping) and I'm IN there! Latteral file drawers have a lot more room than regular letter size, so I can fit everything in one piece. The sorter and in/out box are about 15 years old... I bought them at Sam's club (along with a file basket in another picture). I thought they could use some sprucing up, too, so I painted the wood frames on each black and left the wicker alone. Pretty cool to me!

This is my "re-purposed" chair (one of two) and my now organized desk. I made runners for all the pieces in here to match the chairs (cuts down on scratches and what not, and hides a multitude of sins on my old desk!). Artwork courtesy of Carson!

Printer stand (also known as a dresser). You can't tell from this angle, but I painted the fronts of the three drawers with black paint, too. Ties it into the other stuff in the room.

Sewing machine (love this cabinet- I've had it since I was a girl. Thanks M&D). This is a second chair from another room in the house that I painted black and covered in the same material... sure did get my money's worth out of that buy from WalMart!

This is the basket file drawer... so to speak.. that goes with the other two pieces. I painted the frame on this black, too and added the brown silk ribbon.

This is soap central... bought the shelving unit from WalMart (I know, again with the WalMart! But we live in a small area... not much shopping opportunities here and this is actually solid wood- not flimsy at all).

This is it looking in from the kitchen. I'm definately liking this MUCH better!

The other corner...

And my valentine's gifts from the boys.... there's a little one sitting on the lap of the bigger one. I won't tell you how many teddy bears I have... that's another post entirely!

Indulging Myself....

I go grocery shopping (the big shop) every two weeks. And I always hit the flower section (funny how it's right at the front door-impulse buy, anyone?). One store has a really nice floral department... you can get gladiolas, delphinium, lilies...you name it. At this time of year, it's usually roses- which is okay, too. I just like treating myself every couple of weeks, and putting fresh flowers out makes me feel better.

Sometimes they fade before they open up... that's okay, too. I just leave them in water until they dry out. Sometimes they'll stay whole, and sometimes they fall apart. But the ones that dry well?....


They become this... I love this arrangement in by bedroom. It's hard to tell from the picture, but the roses actually dried "yellowish" with pink tips.. and the hydrangea are green and purple.


I love these... I cut them from my sister's shrub last year (she gets zillions blooming every year!). These were actually BLUE when they were blooming, but dried this beautiful shade of green. Pretty cool, huh?

So go and buy yourself a treat today...just for you.

New Office Chair

As you know, I am currently attempting to set up my home office. A lot of the furniture and stuff are old pieces from other parts of my house that have wound up here. This chair is a prime example. (and look... there's another one of those cables hangin' out- Geeze! oh, and disregard the lovely stains on the chair pad... kids, ya know?)

This is it without the chair pad- even worse! There is like NO cushion left! Those of us with bony butts (and no, that is not a good thing) cannot sit on something this hard for hours on end. Your legs go numb after a while and you have to get up and walk around to get the circulation going! Needless to say, this was one of the first things I worked on this weekend.


I pulled it apart, added a LOT of batting for cushioning, painted it (who new Kilz came in a spray can? LOVE IT), and re-covered it in some of the fabric left over from another project.

This is the after, and I am much happier sitting "here" than "there". Ignore that stuff in the background- the whole room is a work in progress. But for those of you who have never recovered a chair and would like to, it's really a simple process. So go forth... and recover!

I Love to Collect...

I'm a glassware junkie... this I know about myself. Dishes, china, stemware... I love it all! But my real addiction is Depression Glass (hmmm... and Carnival Glass leads a close second).


My parents used to take me antiquing with them all the time when I was growing up... they're glass junkies, too. My Mom & Dad gave me my first piece of depression glass when I was 16 or so... I still have it. Purple of all colors....but I loved it.

When I finally got around to my dining room remodel, I discovered Ebay...BIG.MISTAKE. I also discovered that although I live in what is considered a "rural area", (that's what FedEx says, at least... no Saturday delivery and such) and REAL antique stores are far and few between, this wonderful Ebay place was willing to deliver the goods right to my door- Whoo HOO. Like I said BIG. MISTAKE.


This is ONE side of the wall... the other side has 3 more shelves... and lots more pink & green (I like that better now, rather than purple). And my dining room table?

I REALLY like it! So what do you collect?

French Postcards

I bought these postcard images a few weeks back when I was trying to come up with a new project for my office. I just love the handwriting and the different ink colors (beats the heck out of your standard Bic!).




Instead of my office (for now) I think they'd be perfect in the "re-purposed" frames I painted last week and placed with the wine label frames I just finished. Of course, I had to do SOMETHING for me... so I made a collage of all of them and framed it for my office. Now I just need to find a spot for it!

Finished Wine Labels

Here's a picture (albeit, a somewhat fuzzy one) of two of the frames I've finished so far. It's hard to tell, but they turned out pretty cool. I can't wait to put them up here and see what a difference it will make in all the "white space". I've also found a few baskets (go figure) that I could re-purpose with a little black spray paint to tie everything together.

When I painted the small alcove around the front window, I went with the same blue that I used on the opposite wall in the great room. Now I'm thinking a nice soft yellow.... candlestick lamp with red shade.... black accents to match the marble counters... a little "bistro feel", maybe.

I also found some way cool upholstery fabric (at WalMart of all places) with a cream background and a tan stripe... just $3.77 a yard! I'll use this for new cushions on 2 of the small occasional chairs in the great room. Right now they're sporting a lovely BROCADE fish scene... err, not quite me. Can't wait to finish that little project!

I just finished the fronts for our annual Easter Egg Hunt invites- hard to believe it's less than a month away! I'd better get my PAAS kit and basket stuff... as a matter of fact, I think I STILL have remnants of that oh-so-wonderful fake grass stuff embedded in the nooks and crannies of the boys' rooms. Something about that stuff makes it almost impossible to get rid of! Maybe this year we'll forgo the grass... that sounds like a plan.

View From Corolla

As many of you may not be aware... my family and I are extremely fortunate to live on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. My best friend (and Man of My Dreams) owns a house on the soundfront in Corolla, and we are regularly treated to some of the best views around.

Spring is almost here... and so is the season for the "visitors". We try and take advantage now of the quiet beaches, deserted streets, and the calm peacefulness that will be gone only too soon. We owe our livelihood to those that choose to vacation here... and we thank you all...but it sure is nice to have the place to ourselves for a little while longer.

If your next vacation brings you here, to you and yours we say "Welcome"... we hope you enjoy your stay!

I'll Show You Mine... If You Show Me Yours...

After yesterday's post, I got kinda' curious to know what other people's home offices look like. I need some inspiration here, so send me your ideas. And what does everyone else do with the massive tangle of wires you're stuck with between the computer, printer, scanner....on and on?

Maybe it's just my mother and I... but I have a real issue with cords of any kind being visible. Call me nuts, but I will go to great lengths to hide them behind/beneath anything close by just so I don't see black cords everywhere (and, no... white ones aren't any better!). Perfect example... one year I bought this really pretty Christmas wall hanging and I thought it was so cool because it came with a small string of Christmas lights that you inserted from behind into already cut holes so that it lit up. Unfortunately, the cord hung down about a foot and a half past the bottom to the plug below. Drove me NUTS every time I looked at it. And it was in my hallway, so I couldn't jam anything in front of the cord to hide it or we'd be tripping all over the place.

I ended up taking the lights out and just using it as a plain wall hanging... my sister cracks up every time she sees the one at my Mom's house (beautifully displayed with the cord hidden BEHIND her Christmas village) -nothing like paying twice what you normally would for something you don't use to being with!



I know... NUTS! So what's in your office?

Getting It Together...

I'm in the process of making a major "life change" on the employment scene in the next few weeks (but we can talk about that later, once the details have been finalized!). In the mean time I have been getting pretty stoked about the possibilities the future may bring for me (and my kids) and as a result the pressure has been on to get my home office in order.

My "office" is "home" to my sewing machine; fragrances, ingredients & molds (by the boat load!) for the soap I make; labels, paper products & packaging like you can't imagine; and my desktop computer (with very little desk to work on!). Oh.... and about 25 baskets of various types, sizes & designs hanging on the walls... I LOVE baskets for some reason. Especially old ones. But I digress..

What I NEED is office-stuff, like a real file cabinet to keep things organized (as opposed to the large basket I'm currently using for files); space designated for a little more hardware that's needed; better lighting... the list goes on. And while I'm excited at the prospect of getting it together, I can't stand the thought of my home office not looking like the rest of my home... ya' know?

Even at my real job, my desk area has baskets on top of my credenza, a really nice desk lamp, wicker in/out boxes.... just stuff I need in a shape or style I like. I'm trying to reconstruct my office at home into something practical yet eye appealing to me.

I found these on-line (check in out here http://www.carriagegifts.com/vindex.html) and thought they were perfect. Practical but pretty (I know, how girly!). But this way if it takes me a while to save up for the actual file cabinet, at least I can leave these out without having to look at the good ole' manila files & folders. MUCH better!

Indulgent Giveaway...Week 2

Okay, you lurkers, I know you're out there! Be one of the first 5 (I'm slowly, realistically, lowering my expectations...) to post a comment and receive a little something just for you (or someone you care about). Cone incense (a dozen total) in a cream pillow box and they smell wonderful. I light one in my bedroom each night when I get home from work just to do something nice for myself. So do something nice just for you & leave me a comment! (bad photo, I know... I'll try again later)

After dinner last night, I finished the first four of the wine label frames. They turned out really well so I think I'll make a few more in various sizes. I had a couple of cheap Dollar Store frames that were white with a gold trim, so I grabbed my black spray paint and went to work. I was surprised at how well those turned out too. Can't wait to set everything up this weekend... I'll keep you posted!

Kitchen Craft Project

It's hard to believe that February is almost over... in another couple of months it will be Memorial Day and the start of another rental season here, on the Outer Banks. May is also when the house in Corolla becomes a "rental house" once again, and will remain so until the fall.

Over the winter we've been working on the interior of the house... nothing major at this point, but some interior painting in the bedrooms and bathrooms, new bedding & window treatments and accessories to make things feel a little more "plush" and not so stark!

The master bedroom and bath are done now, and I'm moving onto the kitchen.

This is the "before".... not at all me. Too white and no personality. Definately needs some fixin' up! I've already replaced the two bar stools shown with a couple in a dark, almost black, wood that have tall backs and are much more comfortable. And what a difference that made... the dark color of the wood really brings out the contrast in the wood trim, white cabinets and dark (but beautiful) marble counters. I've also painted the small alcove where the arched window faces the street in a light blue to match the opposite wall in the great room and now I'm moving up-above the cabinets that is! All those white walls and white cabinets is just too much- I need something to bring the eye down a little.

As well as the dark stools worked out, I'm thinking of framing some vintage/various wine labels and putting them above the cabinets to break up the mototony a little bit. I've scanned a few already and bought some black wooden frames yesterday. I'll finish everything up this week and post some "after" shots after this weekend.

I think it should turn out pretty cool, don't you?

Happy Valentine's Day

Hope you all have a wonderful day.... and enjoy it with all the ones you love!

Indulgent Giveaway- Week 1

In addition to my "real job", I do a lot of side work to make ends meet (single Mom, $20,000 owed to me in back child support, and all that) and thought maybe I'd give a whirl to giving away some of the stuff I do on the side. Heck, if ya' like it... just let me know. Word of mouth can do wonders.

So, each Sunday for the next month or so we'll have an Indulgent giveaway.... something you normally would not buy for yourself, but might like to have anyway. Maybe you're a single Mom out there yourself and can't afford to pamper yourself, but surely deserve it (all the more!). Maybe you know someone who needs a "little something" to brighten their day...whatever.

Just be one of the first six people to leave a comment (six is my lucky number, and therefore should be yours as well) and I'll send you one of my Ocean Breeze Linen Sprays. I make them in a variety of fragrances, but this is one of the best. Nice and clean without being sweet. Spray it on your pillows before you go to bed, or around the house whenever you like. You'd be amazed at the difference it can make.

Attractively packaged in a 4 oz. aluminum spray bottle, it's yours just for leaving a comment. Just make sure to leave your name and mailing address. And check back each week... there will be something new to indulge in just for yourself!