Picture Frames Oh My...

I have a confession. I love picture frames. Empty picture frames. I know, right?

I love to put frame within frame. I love to paint them. I love to put framed pictures within empty frames. It's real!

This project is the wall at the bottom of the basement stairs. Which makes it real hard to get a good picture! These frames were found a consignment shops, garage sales, and a neighbors trash. I'll just leave that right here.

Painted with grey leftover paint and antiqued with ochre wax.

I may add more, I may not. Who knows?

Thanks for stopping by!

Linking to:

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

Can't Let Summer Go

Yup, it's November here in Michigan and the temps are going to drop into the single digits next week. My gardens are being put to bed for the winter and the leaves are all falling and being raked up and everything tucked away for another winter season. But, I just can't let go of summer. I am already longing for next summer, watching my gardens comes to life, opening the pool, and enjoying the long summer days.

So today, I'm taking one last look at summer and then it's time to say goodbye.

Love this cute potting shed!

Cute way to use an old box.

This house was gorgeous!

Beautiful shade garden

Great way to hang bird feeders and can stay up all year!

This house was my absolute favorite!

Add caption

Love ponds

 Well, the reminiscing is over and it's time to embrace the holidays and pull out Christmas decorations.

Happy Fall!

Linking up to:
Inspire Me Monday
Inspire Me Tuesday
Amaze Me Monday

Which vanity do you prefer?

Like you, I have my favorite decorating shows that I regularly watch. For some reason, of late, I noticed that everybody wants double vanity sinks in the master bathroom. Like, they think they cannot possibly survive any longer without a two sink vanity!

This, I think, is a perfect solution. I mean the real reason most of us want a double sink vanity is for the space, right? This has one sink but plenty of storage and space.

Love the rustic look of this but, don't know about you, open shelves would NEVER work in our house.

We have a double sink, I confess. Not that I choose it. Well, yes I choose the cabinet/counter/sink unit but I did not choose it to be a double. It was already plumbed that way and it is a set in area that would have been problematic to only put one vanity sink in.

Check out our master bath by reading this post. Guess I need to update the post as it has changed quite a bit since then.

Seriously though, we have lived with a double vanity sink unit for 21 years in two different houses and, every week, as I clean the sinks I wonder why? I mean, we only use one sink. VERY rarely are we ever in the bathroom at the same time as someone else in the family. Really? Who wants to share a bathroom sink while plucking eyebrows and shaving? 

How about you? Do you have a two sink vanity? Do you regularly use both sinks?

Note: first two pictures are courtesy of posts from Pinterest. No knowledge of the original author.

Linking up to:

Feathered Nest Friday 

Grace at Home 

Share Your Style

Raised Vegetable Planter and Poison Ivy

For several years I have been trying to find a good spot to plant vegetables. Unfortunately most of the sun that our property gets is where someone put the pool. So, other than a small area near the pool house, there is nowhere that really gets enough sun for a good vegetable garden.

The base (legs) are made with pine and the box is cedar.

The last two years I have planted this small area with tomatoes and peppers. The plants do great but they never grow many vegetables and they never get really big. 

Apparently the cedar will not rot from the moisture or dirt. We did not even stain it!

Last year, I saw this cool wood planter at one of the local home improvement stores and my husband bought the wood to build one for Mother's Day. Well life happened and the wood sat in the garage for that year. But this year? Yup, this year my husband spent the weekend of Mother's Day building my planter. It turned out great and I am so excited!

Tomatoes, green peppers, and beans oh my!

Oh but, yeah, I have poison ivy and it's only May. Sigh.

Linking up at:

Amaze Me Monday  
Feathered Nest Friday
Grace at Home 

Lessons Learned from the Garden

Each spring, as I am trying to banish the ravages of winter from my landscaping and gardens. I am reminded how hearty the weeds are and how invasive. Whether the weather is cold, we are in a drought, or if it is hot and humid, weeds adapt and often thrive! More importantly, they keep on growing and pushing through to wreak havoc in my gardens.

Marshal Garden Tour 2016

As I work in my flower beds, pulling the weeds and tilling the soil, I am often hit with the analogy of the weeds. Weeds are much like the 'bad' in life. They take constant work to keep them from overtaking my garden and they easily thrive in the worst of times. It takes constant energy and effort to keep the weeds from taking control.

Marshall Garden Tour 2016

Like the weeds, it is easy to let the negative creep in. A constant battle with Satan to banish the negative and keep focused on the good. But just like the weeds, if we persevere in keeping the negative from creeping into our minds, soon we will see the world with a different perspective. In our gardens, if we persist in pulling the weeds to allow the beautiful plants to grow, soon our gardens will flourish and the beauty will outshine the ugly.

Side yard garden

Yes, it takes time. It takes care. But it is worth all the effort. The Bible says 'in all things be content.' I believe that the road to contentment is to persistently work at pushing the bad and negative out and allowing the gratitude and gratefulness to flow in.

Time to get back in the garden! Enjoy your weekend.

Linking up to:

Feathered Nest Friday

Grace at Home 246

Should I Paint?

We have lived in this house since 2004 and 12 years I have been mulling over my brick fireplace. 

You see my house is a 70s built traditional 2-level house with the 'family' room in the back that has a brick fireplace that fills the. whole. wall. Seriously.

This is the fireplace in our back room. 

When we moved in the mantel was dark wood and the bookcases had dark brown paneling lining the back and the shelves and frame was all dark wood. Because the room has one patio door for natural light, this made for a VERY dark room. Additionally the wainscotting was also the same dark brown paneling. So in my efforts to lighten the fireplace and room I white washed the mantel and added the decorative element, painted the shelves white and actually added a gold metallic glaze over the top of the brick to make it shine and reflect light.

White washed mantel and painted shelves brighten the space.

I have been on the brink of an update but have hesitated every time. Why you might ask? Because once you paint brick there is no turning back (well unless you sand blast it!). So I wanted to be very sure that it was the right thing to do.

After seeing a Fixer Upper episode the last week of February of The Severn's I loved the shiplap and painted brick combo fireplace redo. Which has started me thinking it all over again and I realize it is time to take the plunge.

The Severn's home remodel and updated fireplace from Fixer Upper.

While this is my inspiration, the end result will be my own version of this. Besides, it is the first step in a whole room update which is long over due!

Stay tuned for the final results!

I would love to hear your thoughts. Have you ever painted and updated an old brick fireplace? Were you satisfied with the end result? Would you do it again?

Linking up to:

Feathered Nest Friday

Imparting Grace No. 239

What you see is what you get

Happy Spring my friends! Oh wait, it's only February but it has been the best. February. ever. No kidding. But know this, if it snows again, I am going to curl up and cry!

Thought I would share a few of the sprinter collections that I have created. You know that awkward time after Christmas but not yet spring. Sprinter.

Vignette on the corner of the kitchen. Adds a small ray of ambient light on a cold, dreary day.

Did I mention I love old boxes? I do.

Love cute little tea sets. This winter one was purchased at Cracker Barrel. They have some great stuff!

Be still. Wise words!

Buffet in eating area.

Have a great day!

Hooking up with:

Friday Favorites at Remodaholic

Grace at Home

Feathered Nest Friday