The Big Reveal!

I'm so excited for the BIG REVEAL!

Can you see it? Can you see how fabulous it looks? No? Well, honestly, from here, neither can I! This has turned into another one of those projects that, unless I tell you, you probably would have no idea just how much blood, sweat and tears went into it. That is, unless you visit me often and get up close and personal with my kitchen. Then you will see it! There are no more grout stains that, no matter how much bleach and scrubbing you use, you can't get them clean!!

I must say that I am pretty proud of myself and this project. I have never done this before and I think I did a pretty good job. It is far from perfect but, the places that aren't so great are places where the tiles were either uneven to begin with or where there was hardly a grout line to begin with. My son-in-law dropped by yesterday and was asking me about what I was doing and I think I might even have impressed him a little with my tales of sawing out the old grout. That was a hard, messy job! In the end, this may be one of those cases where "if I had only known", I might not have moved forward but now that it is done, I am so glad that I did. Up close and personal it looks good! Of course, now it is like getting that brand new car and being a bit paranoid until you get that first ding or scratch...I don't want anything that isn't supposed to hitting these sparkly counters. Lol

Today is one of those days where I am running in ten different directions. Not because I have to but because I want to. I'm out in the yard then in the garage and then back to the house. Somewhere in all of that, I had an idea for a sign that I saw and thought I would give it a try.

I found a free pumpkin patch image to download (from sincerelysarad.com) and it was even editable so I could add my hometown. I thought that was fun. I didn't want to have to buy any supplies so I found a hunk of wood about 3/4' thick that would work but then also had some gallon paint stir sticks. For whatever reason, I decided to go with the sticks.

Out to the garage I went to my trusty friend, the miter saw. I just love that thing. I stacked up the sticks and in one swift swipe, they were all the proper length. Then, I used some wood glue for long time holding and hot glue for immediate hold to brace them all together.

I gave the back and the edges a coat of the Waverly antique gel stain.

When that was dry, I ModPodged on the sign and used my brayer to make sure there were no air bubbles.

It dried so nicely that I didn't put another coat of ModPodge on the top. But, I will say that it is about at this point that I realized that ALL of the letters on the sign are upper case except where I added my hometown. I really wish I had seen that earlier but, since this has gone so seamlessly so far, I decided to just go with it. I will say my OCD self was very tempted to just soak off the print and start over...but, somehow, I resisted that temptation. Lol

After this I decided that some distressing was in order so it looks like the sign has been hanging outside for awhile. I just used some orange, green and taupe colored chalk paint and dry brushed it on.

And this is where I got very excited. After all of the trouble I had rusting things last year, I had been on the look-out for a source so I didn't poison myself using chemicals that still didn't work to rust things like wire. I was absolutely giddy when I found some wire because I use wire all of the time...except that, since the day the wire arrived, I don't think I have done another craft that needed it...until today. And, of course, my trusty Dremel is so much more convenient than dragging out the "big gun" drill.

Once it was done, I looked for a home. It could definitely hang but I am not the hugest fan of small, hanging signs.

But, I thought I liked it better leaning up against something else. I actually found a few places but, nothing really jumped until I hit the foyer and realized that the weathered wood pumpkin with the rusty leaves would be the perfect place...and, the only place where the arrow actually pointed "into" the house. Not important but for some reason, a detail I couldn't ignore. Again, a little OCD over here.

Look how that beat up rusty sign just plays off of all of that other rust...sigh!!!

I'm still kicking myself over those lower case letters...and in all honesty, if I had not just spent the last week killing myself over that grout work, I probably would be re-doing it but I just don't have it in me. Know when to fold 'em! Stay safe and stay tuned.

Quick Peek at the Sunroom

I am still working on my kitchen counters so no "after" pictures to show yet. The upper counter of the bar area is giving me some shoulder issues because it is higher and more difficult to apply pressure. I am just doing it a bit at a time. I also have my grand dog Hazel here with me for a bit so, it is more fun to spend time with her. Also, the grout saw makes a noise worse than finger nails on a chalk board and it bothers her ears so I am letting it go until she leaves.

With all of that being said, I did manage to get up early today and make my son-in-law a batch of pumpkin donut holes for his birthday. It is always the first "pumpkin" flavored treat of the year and kind of a tradition. Now I just have to remember that Hazel is the food sneak. I need to have them out to cool somewhere that she can not reach...because, she will try! Ask me how I know. Lol

When Hazel and I went out early this morning, there was actually a hint of coolness in the air. Fingers crossed that it keeps on keeping on! But, I have pretty much lived my whole life in Florida so I know that might be too much to ask for just yet.

In any case, let's take a quick look at the sunroom. This poor room is always pretty much the "ugly stepchild" of decor. It seems by the time I reach this room, I am tired. And, because we do use this room a lot and it is already full of lots of things that don't ever get moved -like plants- there really isn't a lot of decorating area. And, because the room is so long and narrow and mostly reflective windows, photographing it well is almost impossible. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Lol With that wonderful build-up, aren't you just dying to see it? Come on along then.

Wow. Not really anything to add to the pictures. There is enough in the sunroom so you don't forget that it is autumn but not so much that you can't pull out a chair and sit down without moving a dozen things first-which seems to be the norm in the rest of the house.

I am off to take my little friend out for some fetch time but I'll be back. There are still a few more rooms to show you and I'm hoping some kind of fall/Halloween crafting inspiration will hit soon as well. If it does, you'll be the first to know. Stay safe and stay tuned.

Not As Easy As It Looks!

 Definitely not as easy as it looks. Or, maybe when I see it on TV they are just applying the grout to new tile applications...not having to remove old grout first. I am mid way through day two and I already have blisters on both hands! Holding that grout saw is a job. Not only do you have to apply a fair amount of pressure but, like in most construction projects, there are places where the tool can not go the way it is intended and you end up having to use a less dominant hand and turn the tool any way possible for it to fit. But, I am moving along.

I have learned a few lessons along the way.

1: this is not something that I would enjoy doing every day of my life...more power to those who do. I am sure the more you do it, the easier it might become but, right about now, I am happy knowing that I will probably never have to do this again in my lifetime!

2: read directions...don't just watch You Tube...unless, the video is using the same supplies that you are. I watched a video about removing old grout...although the guy was using a totally easier tool than I have. He also was using dry grout mix so all bets were off on details like...don't get any moisture on the tiles! When I finally read the directions on my container of pre-mixed grout, the first thing I see is "wet the tiles". Hmmmmm

3: it is sometimes better to pay more for convenience. In this case, I really lucked out. I just knew that I was going to go the easiest route possible (short of paying someone else to do it...Lol). I didn't want to have to keep mixing grout. It just sounded like a step I could avoid so I grabbed the pre-mixed stuff even though it was kind of expensive. Then, when I got the first section done yesterday, I googled the differences between the two kinds of mixes...I know, a bit late but I am that "measure once, cut twice kind of a gal"...and I found out that the one I am using is so much superior-at least if you are a novice and don't really have a clue what you are doing. It is mixed with granite particles so it will not crack, it is stain resistant and it doesn't have to be sealed! One less step is definitely worth the extra expense. Sometimes you get what you pay for!

4: it takes a bit more muscle than you might expect to work the grout down into the lines but, again, because I am using the pre-mixed, cleaning the tiles is easier and this grout doesn't leave a film.

By the time I am done. I will probably have learned even more but I thought I would check in because the "after" picture will still be awhile in coming. As I post, I have most of the next section "sawed" and will be applying the grout after a lunch break. Oh yes, one more thing I learned. It is probably a good idea to lay down a drop cloth because no matter how careful you are, some of the grout will definitely hit the floor. But then again, it was an easy clean up-and I waited until I was completely done grouting and still no issue.

The hardest part...after everything I just said...is not having full use of my kitchen. I think I can start putting things back on the first section but not actually use the counter just yet. I did put down a towel when I made my coffee this morning because I sure didn't want any coffee splashes to hit that new grout if it isn't fully cured. Everything is a bit of a mess but I guess that goes with the territory.

It is really hard to get pictures with all of that white and artificial lighting because it's raining today but I think you might be able to see some of the grout removed in this picture.

This is the sink side that I am working on now so this will probably be the most challenging...but, I will get there. After this is just the desk and bar area and I can live without those for awhile. I also decided not to do the back splash. There are a few areas that get spots but nothing like the counters so I am giving myself a pass. I really think that working on a vertical surface would be so much more difficult so, I am just going to give the walls a good bleach scrubbing in a week or so and go from there. After that, I will be emptying all of the cupboards...one section at a time...and repainting the inside and relining the shelves. Wow...talk about a project! I need to be careful what I wish for. Lol Stay safe and stay tuned.

Be Careful What You Wish For

Those of you who are frequent readers of my blog know that I love to stay busy. Many times that need can be accomplished out in my yard. And, my yard is more than large enough to keep me going. But, you also know that I am NOT a lover of heat and Florida summers are not for the weak. Unless I am just doing a quick fix-up, floating in the pool or out there REALLY early, the outside will do nothing this time of year to help keep me occupied. And so, I am always looking for indoor projects.

And that brings us to this!

I can not tell you how many times these items have been in my cart at Lowes only to go back on the shelves before I checked out. Each time I considered the cost and the fact that I would really rather replace my kitchen counters than re-do them. And then there was yesterday. As I roamed the store looking for ideas, I realized that with all that was going on in the construction industry right now, new counters were probably not going to happen. I have two daughters in design work and the tales of how long it is taking to not only get supplies but to find people who can actually do the jobs, are scary and off putting. And so, this time the supplies made it home.

I am going to re-grout my tile kitchen counters. These counters were done many years ago and they have held up well. They have had a few mishaps - like the occasional can that has dropped and chipped it, the new sink replacement that cracked a tile or two, etc. - but for the most part are still intact and holding well. The only problem is the grout. I have cleaned these things so many times that I have pretty much worn away a lot of the grout and that means that they stain if you just look at them. I can spend a whole day with bleach and my little battery powered scrubber and get them looking like new and, literally, within a day of regular use, they are back to looking stained and horrible. I also painted the grout at one point. That lasted for a bit but not long enough.

I will admit that grouting is one of the few things I have never tried but, I have watched lots of people do it on HGTV and it looks easy enough. Lol I did just look at a short YouTube video and actually got a tip or two that I hadn't thought of...like DO NOT go over the cleaned out grout with anything even slightly damp or you have to wait a long time to make sure it is all dry again or the new grout won't hold well. Also, don't use the counter for about 36 hours after completing. That last one definitely put a crimp in my plans to knock this project out in a day.

Even though I thought I had worn out most of the grout in the heavy wear areas, I discovered just how much "sawing" I will have to do to just get started. It isn't a hard job...just tedious and a bit rough on my shoulder. Right now my plans are to start and do what I can and then just keep on keeping on until I get it done. If I remember to take pictures, I'll bring you along on the ride.

While I was at Lowes, I found some orange garden mums. They weren't what I wanted but I grabbed some when I saw them. And then, I had to hit WalMart for some chalk paint and found the color and size I really wanted...and for less. Of course, I grabbed some in there as well. And so, added to my to-do list today will be some planting of urns...in between grout sawing. Lol At least I will be busy! Lol Stay safe and stay tuned. 

Time to Dine

Today is looking like another kind of laid back day before the new week begins so I thought we might as well head into the dining room before I head off to find other projects.

I don't know if it is just because I love fall decorating so much or some other reason but this is one of the few times I like the way the niche looks.

Even though I am not at all good when flower arranging of any kind is involved, I'm pretty happy with the way the dough bowl looks. Of course, there really isn't much "arranging" involved but I'm proud of the way I "stuck in" the flower stems. Lol Definitely takes a knack and finesse. LOL!!! I also love that I can use some of my old jugs from days gone by. When my house was more country, these jugs stayed out all of the time. Now, for some reason, they just seem right to be to be out for autumn. I also love the "circle of strength" cross stitch that I made for my parents years ago and came back to me after their deaths. 

I didn't go back and reshoot all of the pictures but I thought I would throw in a reminder of the autumn leaf tweak.

Every time I look at a picture from this end of the room, I question if I could use that loveseat space in a better way. But then, I have family/friends over and I realize just how very often that seat is full. I actually even find myself sitting there for a quick minute several times a day as well. Guess it is safe for awhile longer.

So that is the dining room for this year...until it's not. Nothing is ever totally free from possible tweaks until it is actually coming down to make room for the next decor. I do have a dentist appointment tomorrow and then plan on running some errands while I'm out, so you never know what I might happen upon. Fingers crossed I can find some pretty pots of fresh mums! Stay safe and stay tuned.

 

Spicing Up the Week

As the week ended and I was once again looking for things to keep me busy, a few ideas popped into my head and I scrambled to see what I could do with what I already had around the house. I used to get so many of my ideas from magazines but, once they starting getting so expensive...and most of their content began showing up on sites before the magazines showed up in my mailbox...I discontinued most of my subscriptions. And, I am still OK with that. I do occasionally pick up decorating magazines when I see them and one of my favorites is Tuscan Style. I was just sitting perusing the pages the other day and I saw a couch with orange and hunter green velvet pillows. The colors really popped and I remembered that I bought the same pillows at PB not that long ago. I used the green ones for Christmas and St. Patrick's Day but I'm not sure why I didn't think of them for my sunflowers and autumn decor. Of course that sent me into daughter #1's closet...where many, many seasonal things are stored and, before I knew it, I had all sorts of things pulled out and I was roaming the house to find places to use them.

I actually started with some orange poppies that I had in an old mix of summer flowers. I haven't used them for years and, honestly, every time I come upon them I think about just tossing them but, for whatever reason, I haven't. I was looking for some "orange sherbet" colored flowers for the FR mantle but couldn't find any so I thought I would give these a try. And, to my surprise, I'm good with them. I know you haven't even seen the FR yet but here's a sneak peek. The flowers on the mantle are new but when we get in there, I'll show you why I went this route this year.

Then it was on to the pillows. I love the extra pop of color and the dark green matches the stem of the pumpkin perfectly and just brings them all together.

And then there is the very old cake stand from Southern Living. I love this thing but, since I bake very few cakes these days, I don't think of this piece very often. Of course, it is definitely autumn with all of its leaf and acorn design and, because everyone -including me-is using "risers" in their decor these days, I once again walked around trying to find it a home. I tried several places before I got here. It does rise whatever is on it up pretty high so finding a place was difficult but, since I love the dough bowl candle so much, I decided to see how that looked. I think I'm OK with it...at least for now.

And, as I was saying, lots of risers are in use this year...

I found this one the other day in the Target $ Spot. I think I am about to wipe on a coat of antiquing gel and make it a bit darker...and, it probably won't stay here forever but I kind of like it near one of the cutting board displays.

Here is a riser I made. I have some cute trays for some seasons but when I couldn't find one I liked for August, I grabbed an unfinished wood plaque at HL, glued on some wooden balls as feet and stained it up. I actually like it because it is flat and easy to keep clean.

And here is the chunk of beauty that started me on my love for all big hunks of wood. I found this at Williams Sonoma years ago. I think it came out when the charcuterie phase was just starting but I love using it in all sorts of vignettes as a riser. I don't think I've used it for charcuterie even once. lol

So that is my stroll through my tweaks for this week. I was going to take you into the dining room but I think I will save that for another day. I'm off to see what other fun things I can find. Stay safe and stay tuned. 

Out I Went

What with the heat still pounding on us and the virus everywhere you turn, I really haven't been heading out much these days. All I can say is that it is a good thing that I can find so many ways to keep myself busy around my house. For once I am happy that I have a never ending to-do list.

But, occasionally, I do require some things that mean a trip away from home...like food. lol And so, with that in mind, I set out the other day and decided to do as many little stops as I could handle. It seems that I desperately needed a Clinique visit so, for only the second time since Covid began, I headed to our mall. I figured while I was there, I might as well load up on my favorite seasonal hand soaps and candles as well. Then, I was off to Home Goods, Target, Old Navy, Chicos and finally Publix. I definitely knew that I am out of "shopping shape". I used to be able to shop all day long. Maybe it is the heat or maybe it is just that I am getting older but these few stops wore me out. I didn't find any of the "big" things I was looking for but I did manage to find a few more autumn things to add to the already cluttered autumn decor I have going on.

Can one ever have too many leaves? I truly do not need any more leaves but, when I find some that are well made and look a little real, I always grab them. These came from the Magnolia section of Target. I really had no preconceived idea of where they would go but I like the pop of color added to the canister of twigs. If I see anywhere else they might go, I can always move them later. 

Then, for whatever reason, I was drawn to some small velvet pumpkins in the Target $ Spot. The first thing I thought was "I have to redo those horrible stems". But, when I brought them home and put them in the small dough bowl on my kitchen window sill, I just loved the way the stems mimicked the ones on the pumpkin can and, since there is also gold on that label, I was suddenly good with that tacky gold...go figure! It might change at some point but, for now, I'm liking it.

And, of course, if I spy orange tulips, they have to come home with me as well!

So, with my "travels" behind me, I was once again looking for something to do. I am not much of the "farm truck" kind of gal but I do enjoy them when they're full of seasonal things. I happened upon a free image that I downloaded of a truck full of pumpkins and leaves and, even though I knew it would be another of those "not my favorite" kind of craft, I decided to give it a try. And, with no new motivation coming to me, I decided to grab another piece of fence slat and try the tissue paper image again.

I pretty much followed the things I did on the Halloween one. I painted the wood with several colors of orange chalk paint and then decided that I should probably top them with white chalk paint. I did that mostly because I knew I wouldn't be able to cut too closely to the image...especially the wording...and was afraid the white tissue would show against the darker colors.

Then, I ModPodged the image on to the board and was still underwhelmed. I decided to see if I might have some small artificial leaves that I could add to give it a bit of dimension. And, I did. I actually found quite a lot to choose from but, in the end, I used some clear acrylic stickers that I had. They definitely help...just not quite enough to knock this craft into the "I love it" category but, enough to at least find a place to sit it. lol

It actually looks like it might have been made for just this spot as that pumpkin in the back of the truck looks suspiciously like the one on the shelf. Am I trying too hard to justify this craft? lol

So that is it for today. I'm off to tackle a few chores but I will be back. Stay safe and stay tuned.