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Transformation Tuesday

This week for Transformation Tuesday, I want to brag about one of my readers who tackled her own Trash to Treasure project. Deb from Deborah Jean's Dandelion House was inspired by the finish on my chandelier makeover, so she decided to update the knobs and hinges in her house with a similar finish.  She's featured her results on a French Door makeover on her blog. I love the angle of Deb's in-progress photo below.
Deb painted the door and then transformed the knobs. You'll find that you can achieve similar results when you use Rust-O-leum's oil rubbed bronze (ORB) spray paint. Check out Deb's results below, and then hop on over to her blog to see the full tutorial of her project and the rest of her photos.
Thanks Deb for the inspiration!

What Would You Do Updates

It's time to update you on the latest What Would You Do Wednesday ideas. 
Antique Scale

There were three ideas posted for the antique kitchen scale. I think I'm most likely to use the idea from the anonymous poster who suggested putting a basket on top to hold mail or odds and ends. Now I just have to find the right basket!

Over the Door Towel Rack
 Two weeks ago, I showed my towel rack turned magazine holder on my office door and I ask what unconventional thing you would do with it. I love the idea from Susan at Busy 'Lil Homemaker. She suggested displaying mini quilts on it.

I could also see it used on the back of a bedroom door as a valet. You could choose your outfit for the next day and hang hangers or loop pants over the bars. It isn't a decorating idea, but it's a functional way to reuse a piece. Or, imagine it on the back of the entry door with cute little clothespins for drying mittens and scarves. It's functional but decorative.

This week for WWYD, I'd like to know what you would do with a mish-mash collection of plates. It could be china, enamelware, or pottery. Maybe you broke the rest of the set, or you received a plate as part of a gift. Either way, you've ended up with odds and ends that don't go with sets. Imagine your plates in the picture below.
What do you do if you have just one of something but it has sentimental value? Or what if you have several one of a kind pieces but you're tempted to donate them to the thrift shop? How would you use the odds and ends in your cupboards? Share your WWYD comments below and let's see if we can come up with some "out of the box" ideas!

Tuesday Mini-Transformation

Sometimes the best transformations are not the ones that take days and hours to complete. Sometimes, the best trash to treasure projects take no more than an hour, but make a huge difference. Here is an example. 

I work with a laptop with a secondary monitor, keyboard and mouse attached. Sometimes, that leaves me with little space to put my papers. And I don't want to smother my laptop with books and papers. What papers you ask?  I guess I should admit that I cleaned up my desk a little for the photo.
So, I figured if I could find some way to get my laptop up off the desk a little, I'd have a little place to put papers I need handy while I'm working. I went down the basement to browse around in our stash of scrap lumber. I found a pine frame from a small cabinet door that was damaged in shipping and replaced by the manufacturer. I just couldn't throw it out after they sent me the new one. Now it looked like just what I needed.

Believe it or not, it is exactly the size of the laptop! I had my hubby help me put "legs" on it, which were just scraps of pine 1 by 2.
Sanding would have been smart, but I was in a hurry and didn't take the time. Bad example, I know!

Once the piece was put together, I grabbed a can of spray paint, left over from the deck furniture project, and quickly transformed it into a rich chocolate brown.
The opening in the frame also allows air to circulate under the computer and give me a place to slip cords through as needed.
With my hubby's help, I had this completed and in use in less than 45 minutes. I'm pretty handy with power tools myself, but he offered to do it while I made dinner. Win-win!

I'm so glad I found a use for something I almost threw away. Honestly though? I've had it in that lumber box for many many years. Like more than ten. I think that qualifies me for pack-rat, don't you think?

Inspiration Monday

Last Saturday, I got up before the sunrise so that my son and I could shoot some of his senior pictures at the lake. As a result, I captured some shots that I would have missed if I had slept in.

Happy Weekend

I took a little break from Trash to Treasure this week. With a funeral on Monday and another college visit with my son on Friday, that left a very short work week! But, I'm collecting new ideas all the time, and I'll be back next week.

Happy Weekend!

Photo of the Week- Flowers for Grandma

Today's photo is in memory of my grandma who passed away this past week and who we will lay to rest this afternoon. She always said, "Bring me the flowers when I'm alive, not for my funeral." She was always such a cheerleader for my creativity and my writing. I'll miss her.
 

Am I Unusual? Insane? Criminal?

It's Friday, so that means its link-up day. But before we get to the Follow Friday Blog Hop, I have to ask this question: Is there something wrong with me?

Here's why I wonder. I love to see inside homes as I drive by at night. Especially if they are big stately riverside homes with stained glass windows and winding staircases. There is something so cozy about seeing a home all lit up and cozy looking versus one with all of the shades drawn.

Now, just be sure you understand, I'm not a creeper. I don't sit outside of people's homes and stare in. But I love to observe as I drive by. My husband is going to have a heyday with this post since once of our biggest arguments is whether or not we should close the blinds in the living room at night. I say open. He says shut because people will look in. I've tried to convince him that no one looks in. Ahem. Except people like me.

So, when I recently finished my office paint job, guess what I did? Promise you won't think I'm insane, okay? I went outside to see how cozy my office looked from outside.

Am I the only one who finds it cozy and comforting to glance in windows as I drive by? C'mon. It's time to fess up.

Now that we've talked about glimpses in windows, how about giving us a glimpse into your blog by posting a link to your latest project, recipe, or hot topic.

Follow Friday Blog Hop Party
Blog Party Instructions:
  • Be sure to link to a specific blog post not your home page so that we can find your fab projects and posts easier. 
  • It's always courteous to include a link to my site in  your blog post  OR Mention on your twitter account that you're linking up to Trash to Treasure for the blog hop and include a hyperlink to this post. If you tweet a link please mention my twitter name: @trash2treas in your tweet.
  • That's it! Now it's time to use the linky tool below to link up a blog post and a photo thumbnail.
P.S. I've been told that the button code on the side doesn't work. However, when I've tested it, it seems to work. It must be pasted into HTML for it to work (not in the compose screen).

Thrifty Thursday Idea

During my office face lift this week, I decided to hang my small bulletin board on the closet door. But it was lacking something and I went scrounging for something to add interest. I had these words that I had picked up at a dollar store, but one of them was broken. Actually, my husband broke it, and I like to tease him that he broke my dream.
I figured this dream could be fixed with super glue.
 Using that same super glue, I attached this word and the other one to the top of the bulletin board. 

Quick, easy, thrifty decoration!

WWYD Wednesday

I love your ideas for the antique food scale from last week! Check the comments on that post in a few days for the idea I declare my favorite. You still have time to add your idea.

This week for WWYD, I'm featuring an over the door towel bar. You find these at yard sales and thrift stores sometimes and I have one that I no longer use in the bathroom. In the photo below (from The Container Store) you'll see the traditional use for the towel bar. 
 I decided to hang mine over my office door and when I sort the mail, I put any magazine that I plan to read on the towel bars. It's easy to grab one to take with me to kill time in a waiting room when needed too.
 What would you do with it? Can you come up with something unique that you would use this towel bar for?

Leave your ideas in the comments below. No idea is too crazy or far out!

In the Mood to Transform a Space

After painting and decorating some rooms over at the camp where my husband works, I was in the mood to transform something at home. I had about half of a gallon of paint left from the pecan color I used on some of my recent posted projects. I was getting a little bored with the plain off-white in my office. Here's my work space:
 I really wanted to paint the wall behind my desk that has all the book shelves. However, I wasn't too excited about moving everything. Plus, I knew I'd have to go buy more paint. But then I got thinking that I'd just start with two walls and see what I thought before moving too much furniture. I give piano lessons in my office, so I wanted to inspire my students as well.

As I show you the project, I'll include some painting tutorial that might help you on your next painting project. So many people are afraid of paint. Don't be! It's the easiest and cheapest way to make a big difference in a space.

I started with cutting in, which is the process of painting the top and bottom edges with a brush, as well as around all of the trim on doors. When I cut in, I don't tape off or use special edgers. Those things just end up smudging anyway. I use a good brush with a chiseled edge and keep a damp rag on hand to immediately wipe away and boo-boos. For beginners, it's best to use a brand new brush.

The trick to getting a nice edge along trim is to load enough paint on your brush and then each time you dip your brush, you start the brush 1/2 inch to an inch away from the trim and then paint for an inch or two as you gradually move the brush closer to the trim. Keep going in long strokes not lifting the brush until it begins to run out of paint. Then dip again, back-track a few inches and start the brush away from the trim again.
Once that edge is established, you can go back and even out the streaks. If you use a darker color, it's likely you'll need a second coat, but you rarely need to get that close to the trim with the second coat. Speaking of dark colors, please raise your right hand and repeat after me, "I promise that I will not panic when I see the color I chose next to the white of my plain walls." Too many painters panic when they see this contrast as they are cutting in:
They retreat back to pastel land when they second guess their choice. Remember, you must see the entire wall painted before you get a really good idea of how the color will look. Those little test packets of paint can sometimes increase the panic level because people test them on light walls.

For my project, I decided to use a smaller roller than I normally use since I knew there would be so much painting around doors and cramped spaces. It takes more dipping, but I didn't have to manage a clumsy roller.
By the time I finished the two walls, I was nearly out of paint, so I had to make the decision- buy more paint, or stop with two walls. I decided that for right now, I'm happy with the two walls. I love how the color warmed up my space, yet while keeping two of the yellowish off-white walls, I kept some light in the space for cloudy days. I love it!
I like how it makes the piano look classy. I added one of my window designs above instead of the former artwork (which was also paintings I had done).
The basket hides the papers that need to be filed.
 I love how it brings out the colors in the rug too. I picked this rug up at a great price at a yard sale. The butter colored drapes were a $5 Goodwill find on a 1/2 price ticket day and I wanted to keep them since they blend with the wall so well.

This week, I'll be showing two other projects related to my office spruce-up, so watch for those on WWYD Wednesday and Thrifty Thursday.


So, what do you want to paint? What's keeping you from taking the plunge and just doing it? Color choices? Fear over the technique? Time? I know you can do it!

I'm linking up this week to these great blogs:

Creations by Kara




Oops...Pardon my omission on the link party!

I set up the Link Party before I went out of town and forgot to add the Linky Tool. So sorry! Here you go!

I was on a college visit with my son and had no internet access, so I returned home to find my mistake. Thanks for those who attempted to post anyway.

Follow Friday Blog Hop Party
Blog Party Instructions:
  • Be sure to link to a specific blog post not your home page so that we can find your fab projects and posts easier. 
  • It's always courteous to include a link to my site in  your blog post  OR Mention on your twitter account that you're linking up to Trash to Treasure for the blog hop and include a hyperlink to this post. If you tweet a link please mention my twitter name: @trash2treas in your tweet.
  • That's it! Now it's time to use the linky tool below to link up a blog post and a photo thumbnail.
 


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