the Decorating Chica

Th e start of a new year is the beginning of anything you want it to be. A new year and a world of new possibilities. This is the reason that millions of people make New Year's resolutions because all of us, no matter what the previous year held, want the new year to be fresh and the start of something new. But for most, within a few weeks into the new year our resolutions have faded and life has taken control over us once again. I am no different from the rest. I have big ambitions in anticipation of a new start. Hoping that this new year will be the start of something new. As 2011 is ending I have been visiting many blogs and doing a lot of research and reading. Why? I am wondering why I am blogging but most importantly, wondering what I have to contribute to the blogging world that would inspire others or teach others or even have a blog that is worth reading. Truth is I love to read others blogs. Admittedly I read blogs about DIY home projects, home renovations, and decorati...

Christmas is in the air, presents are wrapped. Lights are hung and tis the season to relax and enjoy! It sure has been hard to get into the Christmas spirit around these parts. No snow. Can you believe it? It was 50 degrees today on December 15 in Michigan. Geesh. Bookshelf winter redo A little bling for the cabinet. Mind you, I do like snow but I don't L O V E snow. So, snow around Christmas and New Year's is great and then I am done. But seriously, nothing. Fireplace mantel Well, let's get movin' on to the 2011 Christmas Tour of Homes. Isn't it exciting?? On to the pictures.   Red is my favorite Christmas color. I just can't seem to get away from it. Got this cute little lantern for $3, spray painted it and added an ornament. Walah! Ornaments are so cheap. These are all Dollar Tree ornaments thrown into a basket bought from Hobby Lobby on clearance. A little rustic Christmas to the top of my linen cupboard in the dining room. ...

My chairs after painting and reupholstering. It's been awhile and I've been awol enjoying the end of the summer and the start of school which can only mean...F O O T B A L L! From August through November my life is football. And that means driving to all parts of the nearby country, working in the concession stand, freezing in the bleachers cheering for my kids. But alas, it also means that I am absent from the blog world for a season. However it doesn't mean that I have been absent from my projects, it just means that my projects are taking f o r eveh!  Picture of the chairs that was on Craig's List Well, I have finally...well almost finally....finished my kitchen chair project. We have been without chairs at our kitchen table for a couple of months now. Really hard to eat that way! You might be wondering why. It is not because I've been painting and repurposing chairs it's because I sold the chairs that went with the table. Something I've wa...

This project is a combination of a couple of repurposed items. The black decorative element over the chalkboard frame is the top of an old mirror that came off of a dresser and the frame used to hang for years on a wall at my hubby's grandma's house. It was dark walnut brown with picture of a fruit basket. The project below is a great example of reusing and recycling to end up with a great wall vignette. It started with the frame you see below. When we were clearing out Jack's grandmas house, I quickly grabbed up this find. It was not much to speak of (wish I had pictures) but once I pulled out the print  and gave it a paint treatment it was great in my dining room. Originally there were 2 similar types of frames/print although not a match. I gave them the same paint treatment (the dining room wall color as a base coat with a white crackle finish over the top) and hung both together as empty frames. G R E A T conversation piece. Nobody could understand why I w...

Well, that really isn't true because if I've learned anything about myself over the years is that I like to change things up. It makes life interesting, keeps me smiling, and drives my husband crazy! But he loves me and he helps me out all the time with my little projects. God bless him. Well, the kitchen project was a biggie. Small renovation in the big picture but a huge transformation. There are still many things I would like to change. In a dream world, if money were no object, I would replace my cupboards, remove the counter bar area and put in an island. I would add quartz countertops, rewire above the sink for more lighting, replace my refrigerator. Dare I go on? But alas, this is not to be. So, I was able to change up my kitchen a whole lot and brighten it. You can see some of the before shots in this post , and the renovation shot s here. Folks, we had oak. Now I like oak. really. Okay, not so much. Let me rephrase, I used to like oak a  w h o l e  bunch but I g...

Inspired by Thrifty Decor Chick's "making something from nothing" July extravaganza, I started searching through the house and the shed and all over to see what kind of goodies I had laying around. I found a beauty in my pool house and something I had TOTALLY forgotten about buying. Bursting with excitement, I pulled it off the top shelf only to find the whole inside was plugged full of some kind of soft white, fluffy stuff. Finally dawned on me that was what happened to the stuffing from one of my lawn chair cushions that I found chewed up this past winter! Some critter was busy...and smart! Anywhoooo, I had my husband pull it all out. Yes, I am a bit of a chicken when it comes to mice. I have had my share of rodents this Spring and Summer. I had already found a dead, dehydrated mouse when cleaning out the motor of my garage freezer. Oh, and let's not forget the bunny nest I uncovered when demulching my landscaping beds. Could hear me screaming for blocks! Well, bac...

I have a very strange front entry. Now I am not an architect and maybe I couldn't have done it better but really. For one thing it's big. Now you might not think big is bad but in this case big is wasted. Because other than a walk-thru (walking through on the way to the 2nd story or on the way in from the front door) that is it's only use. It has a closet that juts out and transitions into the living room with these stupid half walls. I might add, that these walls have had these ugly spindle posts that make it look like a jail cell! Anyway, I'm digressing. I have been on a walk-thru journey with this entry trying to get it the way I want and I am finally 85% there! Yeah! On this journey I have had the walls many colors which has been challenging because all the walls connect to other walls in other rooms and on and on. Well, I did it. I finally found a color that I L.O.V.E.. Orange. Yes, orange. Here is the front door/closet area. Dark and ugly. This is my f...