Tuesday, October 30, 2012

All Star Block Party #22 ~

Hiya spooky friends!

Happy Halloween!!



Also wanted to let all of you who have been affected by hurricane Sandy that you're in our thoughts and prayers!

This weeks guest host is none other than Cynthia from Cloches & Lavender!

My picks for this weeks features:


Karin at Art is Beauty shared this beautiful self portrait.  I'm always envious of those with the gift of oil painting. 


Kathy from Life on Lakeshore Drive shared these faux cupcakes.  Yes.  Faux!  Go see how she made them, I'm amazed!!



Amy from Amy's Cooking Adventures shared this amazing looking Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Frosting.  That piece on the cake stand... that one is mine!

If you were featured, grab a button:





I hope you all have a fun and safe Halloween!

Enjoy this weeks party!


Saturday, October 27, 2012

Talking tables, cords and OCD ~

Heya! 

I hope you're enjoying your weekend!

I've been busy baking for a bake sale to benefit a young family who lost their Wife and Mother from complications of childbirth. 



Count your blessings, my friends. 

You all saw this beauty in the stair project reveal, but I wanted to show you the before and afters. 

This is how she looked before:




I slapped on a couple coats of Oyster White milk paint and let the chipping begin.  I scraped and sanded a bit then added 2 coats of wax.  The next day I put it up on the landing and it actually kept on chipping.  Like flakes all over the floor kinda chipping.  I love a lot of chippiness, but it was almost getting to be too much for me.  So, I decided to put a coat of poly over it to stop the chipping.  I added some copper Rub 'n Buff to the hardware. 

I adore this table.  It's perfect for the space.  It's not easy to find a table like this that is long and narrow.  But, I got so lucky and it's perfect.  




While we are here. does anyone notice anything different??

I will give you a sec...







Maybe only those of us with OCD will notice the cord being gone. 

Thank God for Command hooks.  Took me a whole week, but I finally got that baby tucked out of view:


Truly, this makes such a difference to me. 


Right?!?!




One little cord {or lack of} makes such a difference.  Thank you Command Hook people.

This girl and I are still suffering from gnarly allergies.  We're snuggling and working on the piles of laundry.  Hoping our medicine kicks in soon. 


Mirasole

We think a nap is in order...

XOXO

Enjoy your weekend. 

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

All Star Block Party #21 ~

Hiya nutty party people!!

How are ya??

We're good here.

Glad the house is almost back in order.

It's party time!!



This week, we have the lovely Hilda from From Overwhelmed to Organized guest hosting!!


Thanks Hilda!!






Here we go.............


Gail at Purple Hues and Me shows us how to bleach leaves.  I think these are so gorgeous. I really want to give this a try.

Mary Beth from Cupcakes & Crinoline shared this darling polka dot pumpkin.  Bling and dots!  SO cute!!


Katie from Fun Home Things shared this super yummy Candy Corn Cookie bark.  Tell me that doesn't look good!

If you were featured, grab a button:


Let's move onto this weeks party!


Monday, October 22, 2012

Thee Networking Bloghop

Joining in this week on Thee Networking Bloghop!

                                           

Are you ready to network??

Are you prepared to make some new bloggy friends??

Well, here's your chance!

RULES:

Link up to the homepage of your blog.

....follow Host and Co-Hosts {pretty please} Feel free to follow by Facebook, Twitter,

or whatever works best for you!

....hop // network // have fun!

If you'd like to post this linky on your blog, grab the code below.

The more, the merrier! Wouldn't you agree? {yay!}



Sunday, October 21, 2012

I put a cushion on a bench ~

Hiya awesome nutty people!

Thank you SO much for all the love on the Stair Project!  I'm overwhelmed!


Remember how I said I was going to sit on my butt and watch TV?

Yeah... I'm a spaz.  Why is it so hard for me to do NOTHING?!?!

And that being said... why am I SO out of shape?  I'm NOT lazy!

One of the mysteries of the Universe that I'm sure I will never solve.

Do you remember the bench I got for $5 for the loft re-do?  The one I was going to upholster when I found my staple gun?  I found it!!  I decided today was the day.

Our kids are pretty darned spoiled.

You've seen the ginormous jungle gym in the loft, right?!?


They drink out of cups... not bowls:


We had some days where Nala was knocking a full cup of water over, for fun, and this was Drew's solution.  It's worked. 

We used to have one of those fun attached window beds for the kids to lie and watch all the goings on in the neighborhood, safely.  

It was well used.  It came crashing down in pieces one day.  We haven't replaced it. 

So, today I decided since I found the staple gun, I was going to finally make a cushy window seat for the kids.  

I got all my supplies:


I had a memory foam piece from the guest room.  Can you see how the kids have scratched it like crazy??  Gah.  They are SO lucky we love them so much! 

At this point, I realized I couldn't find the STAPLES for the staple gun. 

I looked and looked.  

I wasn't about to NOT do this project today. 

I used little brad nails.  Yep.  I'm sure Drew as up in his office thinking "Oh Lord, what is she breaking NOW?"

I cut the foam with a sharp knife and used some leftover dropcloth.  Cut it to size and nailed the fabric taut.  Yes... I nailed it down.  I'm SO stubborn!! 

Easy peasy.  Not the prettiest thing ever, but the kids LOVE it!!


Haha.  It's a lazy {huh??} Sunday.  They were all off sleeping in their favorite cozy spots. 


A cloudy, chilly day doesn't make for the best photos. 





I love those stinky, destructive little boogers. 



XOXO

Saturday, October 20, 2012

The Stair Project ~ The Reveal




Hi, hi y'all!

Today is a BIG day here at Nutmeg Place!

It's the big stair reveal!

Can I get a "WOO TO THE HOO!!"???

First,

We had our awesome electrician come over this morning and install an outlet for a lamp, along with a couple other bits.

So yeah, as he was wiring inside the walls, this happened:


Yup.

That came out the wall, took out a chunk of chair rail and went straight through the floor.

*sigh*

He felt so bad.  Bad enough that he wouldn't let us pay him.  Not even $1.

We'll get that all fixed up.  For now, I just turned the rug the other direction and covered that hole up.

ANYWAY...

This project has been an ordeal.  From beginning to end.

If you're new to NMP {Welcome!!} here is what I started with:






Horrible, matted, ripped up and stained carpet.

Everything I had read told me that this would be a super easy project. Would only take a few days...

Lies.  All lies.

Got over the shock of exactly what I had done by ripping up that carpet by moving on and laying the paper... it was looking good!  I was jazzed!!


Then, I screwed it up, big time:


Lordy.  Looking at that still makes me cry.

I started over.

The 2nd time, it turned out AMAZEBALLS.

Wanna see??

Ok.





Paper bag floor/stairs: NAILED IT!!!



Be still my heart.

I kinda wanna do this throughout the entire main level.

Just kidding.  Actually, I kinda do.

Would you look at the color and texture?!?!

The pictures just DO NOT do this justice.

It's a dark stairwell, so I really had a hard time trying to show you the texture and depth of color.



I've put out a couple little baskets on each stair level.  To throw all that junk in that always seems to need to go upstairs.   I tend to put things on the stairs and it just sits there.  I thought a basket would make it easier to get all those little things back up where they belong.



So, yeah...

The cord is driving me crazy.  Even with the pretty Pottery Barn cord cover on it.  I think I'm going to need to attach those command hooks along the back of the table and get that cord out of view.

The runner is from... are you sitting down?  Wal Mart.

Yep.

It's a Better Homes & Gardens item, and I love this pattern.  I have several matching rugs in the house.  The color combo is my absolute favorite.

The table was a local yard sale find.  I painted it up with my trusty milk paint and let it chip-a-rip.
Funny thing...

The day after I put the table on the landing, Drew says "You know... that chipped paint look isn't my favorite." Hah, what the WHAT?!?

Ah well... you never know when we will get a crazy urge to repaint something... right?!?!

Yeah.  No.



The adorable basket and chubby little birdie {Drew has named her Kitty} I found at Hob Lob for 50% off.  Oh, the faux Chinese lanterns were from HL as well.   The blue jug I found at Homegoods.


Welcome, Kitty, to your new home.



From the landing, looking up toward the loft. 
IN a few very small places, I let the dark stain show through. For some randomness.


View from the loft.





Like a BOSS. 



**I've been asked many times how to do this.  I followed this tutorial by Lovely Crafty Home***

Let me leave you with some thoughts:


  • This wasn't easy.
  • This was scary, for me. 
  • Since I messed this up, it wasn't necessarily a cheap project.
  • My neighbor Mandy, rocks. 
  • I'm BEYOND proud of this project.
  • I still want to add that board & batten.
  • I still need to fix the broken rail. 
  • I'm going to sit on my butt now, for days on end and watch "The Walking Dead". 
  • It. Is. Done. 
It was 100% worth all the bruises, sweat and tears.

Before I go,

I want to thank you all.  Especially all my friends on Facebook.  I would still be staring at carpeted, nasty, plywood stairs if it wasn't for all your support and encouragement.  You turned my tears into tears of laughter at my failure.  All of you sending me words like "You CAN do this!!", thank you.

Excuse my language, but:

HOLY SHIT, I DID THIS!!! 

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