diy
how to make a monkey’s fist (nautical rope door stop)
One of the first DIY’s I ever posted here on the blog was a Monkey’s fist, better known as a nautical rope door stop. I’ve made so many of them over the years for friends and clients and I even gave some away as favors at my baby shower! Not only are they super simple…
weathered oak stain
A LONG while back, I made a farmhouse table for our kitchen and then spent an equally ridiculous amount of time mixing stains trying to find the perfect weathered gray for it. I finally got the perfect mix and the table has been a beautiful addition to our kitchen ever since; it looks especially fabulous…
super easy fix for leftover christmas tree clippings!
When the first frost hits and I have to relocate the ginormous Boston ferns that flank my front door to shelter in the garage, the front porch looks always looks so incredibly empty, so I’m always on the hunt for ways to add some greenery that will last throughout the winter. The local nursery we…
diy: antique brass paint finish
My favorite DIY’s are those that take the least amount of time and are virtually impossible to mess up. This paint technique satisfies both requirements and the results are pretty impressive! I’ve heard a lot of wonderful things about Modern Masters metallic paints and have been wanting to give them a try for a while;…
diy: weathered wood paint treatment
After posting a few sneak peeks of some Queen Anne-style dining chairs I was working on a few weeks ago, I got a TON of emails asking about how I created the finish. Seriously, you guys are the best with all your sweet comments and emails and even though I was originally waiting to reupholster…
“aging” terra cotta pots
I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and got to celebrate Father’s Day with your dad/hubby! I was so lucky to have had my mom in town for the last week to help me overcome a particularly nasty case of mastitis and relax, regroup and refresh. There just are times when nothing but your…
book page wreath, 2.0
Insomnia is a funny thing at this stage of pregnancy….on the one hand, it’s good practice going without sleep for when Baby Girl gets here, but on the other hand, I just want to stick a fork in my eye to have something else to focus on besides the fact that it’s been a while…
diy: make your own linen/burlap picture frame mats
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend! We got so much accomplished in the nursery, I was sorry to see the long weekend come to an end. Now it’s just a waiting game….waiting for curtains and crib bedding to come back from the seamstress and for art to arrive so I can get…
diy: mini pumpkin candle holders
The best DIY’s are those that take little time and effort to whip up and the mini pumpkin taper candle holders I made for yesterday’s Fall table setting are no exception. These are so easy and add such a whimsical Fall touch to your table or mantle. All I used were mini pumpkins, my drill…
diy: reindeer moss wreath
With the exception of Christmas, I’ve never really been one to hang a wreath on my front door, but I wanted something bright and Autumn-inspired to greet guests when they came for my baby shower last weekend. My first thought was a preserved boxwood wreath, but they are a tad bit pricier than I wanted…
diy: cupcake flags
The simplest DIY’s always end up being the best and these simple cardstock flags are one of my favorite ways to spice up homemade cupcakes! I’ve used them for baby showers (here and here), birthday parties, and even as a birthday gift for friends (here). These took me less than five minutes to make, but…
whitewashing vs. dry brushing
I get a TON of emails with questions about whitewashing furniture – mostly wanting to know the difference between whitewashing and dry brushing and how to choose which technique for a piece. I’ve posted a step-by-step tutorial on how to whitewash furniture, but thought I’d give a breakdown on the difference between the two and…