Moss Filled Urns

What to do when your summer plants are dying and the urns are starting to look awful?  Well, sometimes I love putting fall plants in the Urn, like mums or a mixture of cabbages.  The trouble is they dye so darn fast I really don't like spending the money and have to change them out in a month or less.  These days most of use are looking for something that stays looking nice for awhile and doesn't dye within one month...who has time.  So here is something that has worked for me and I'm not running to the store to change it out every month.

Here is one of Urns

You can use a roll of moss, but my personal opinion is to find individual bags of moss, because you get more texture.

Use foam balls in the Urn and a glue gun to get the height you want.

Now you can see the texture of the moss I used.  It looks much better.

Here is one I made before moving 2 years ago and you can't tell its 2 years old.

This is another option for inside an urn

See the different heights you can go!

Organizational Queen...Kitchen Essential

Yep...I'm an organizational queen!  I really can't stand disorder...I can't think straight!  I've been seeing organizational posts all over, but have never seen one to "FIT" an area.  This was when I decided to make an Herb Magnet board on the side of a cabinet that would open up space in a kitchen cabinet.  So, when I was doing the kitchen I contacted a Sheet Metal Worker in my area until I found someone who would take a piece of sheet metal and clamp the sides over (So they weren't sharp), then I could make a magnet board for herbs.  This cost me $38.00 to get done, once I gave him the exact size of the side of the cabinet (make sure its a perfect rectangle or square and not different sizes on the top and bottom), then you'll just needed to pick it up, bring it home and hang it.  I then attached magnet herb containers I got at World Market (They even come in colors...I just got stainless)!  I will tell you that they sell the same ones at Bed Bath and Beyond, but they are $2.99 a piece and at World Market they are only $1.99.   I then found these mesh magnet holders at T.J. Maxx ($4.99), they are great but only came in ugly colors, so I bought 4 of them anyhow...even thou they were ugly and spray painted them in a stainless steel paint and ...VOILA...FANCY PANTS MESH HOLDERS!
 

Here it is...Very hard to take a picture of!

I put mine on the side of the cabinet that holds the oven...It's convenient while cooking to have it here!

I made the HERB sign by getting metal letters at a craft store and using a glue gun to attach magnets to the back!

Here are the little metal Herb containers from World Market, I took a label maker and printed out the names of the herbs for each one!  Then I put the herbs alphabetical on the magnet board for easy access!

These are the mesh magnet containers I found at T.J. MAXX... I had to paint them thou.

These things are heavy duty and don't come off once on the board so don;t worry about them not being able to hold your junk...lol!

Backyard Clean-up

Sometimes, just a little elbow grease goes a long way in making things look and feel done.  The Colorado house is no exception. For starters, every piece of the exterior had not been maintained when we bought this a few years ago.  But, with a lot....and I mean a lot, of elbow grease and dirty laundry I was able to bring this yard back to life.  This is the backyard and I really didn't want to spend a ton.  I thought just cutting some of the scrub oak out and cleaning up the base of the trees would really make the backyard more inviting.  Our neighbor behind us was going to cut down some of her pine trees.  I asked her if I could have them and she responded, "Go ahead if you want to dig them up"!  Ha, Ha I bet she thought I wouldn't do it.  But, I did!  Three 6-8 foot pines trees got dug up and pulled over into place.  I watered them a ton and gave them some B Vitamins and they seem to be happy:)  I know I will enjoy them as they grow:).

The trees were a mess but I weeded them out!

Now the area is open a bit and the yard is...OH SO CLEAN:)

I was sure to lay down the weed guard so I wouldn't have to weed for awhile:)

Master Bath Redo...What's Next?

I had started a Master Bathroom project awhile ago and then got stuck!  Not with what to do next, but rather I just can't make up my mind on the flooring.  I go back and forth from the tile wood floor look to just normal tile.  I want a classic look that I won't get tired of in a few years, or more importantly, at this point, just a classic look for resale.  I keep gravitating toward the tiled wood floor look.  Thinking it's different but yet still is a classic.  Below is some pictures I have taken of the project and at what point I'm at now.  Do any of you lean toward a certain wood floor tile?  Which one do you like more?  I look forward to the emails!

This was a picture I took before I ripped out cabinets!

In this photo I had already changed out all the door handles and hinges.  Now it was time to take out tile and re-stain cabinets.

Here is both sides of the Master bathroom, I'm needing to tile floors first.

In progress

I did videos of the process but because we are just picking out flooring at this point I'll only do the pictures portion and save you watching me remove tile (Boring)!  At this point you can see I have removed the green tile and sinks, removed the medicine cabinet out of the wall, built a new base for the old oak cabinets, Stained the cabinets using the Java Stain from General Finishes, cut new holes for the water supply lines.  WOW, I'm tired just typing it...Just Joking!

  Next, I dry-walled the hole where the old medicine cabinet was and decided to build a new open cabinet between the mirrors.  I've added the decorative molding and stained this to match the oak cabinets that have I have up-cycled.  I also replaced the brass faucets with nickle.  I have not added the counter tops because I want the floors to be decided on first.

So here we are ready for the tile to be chosen!

 Here is what I would love help with!  Should I do the barn wood tile on the left or the Walnut tile on the right??? Totally two different looks. I love the barn wood tile because each tile is SO different! But, then I think for resale maybe the walnut wood floor tile would be safer.  WHAT DO YOU THINK?  You can email me, leave a response on this blog or leave a response on Home Talk blog network.

Easter Egg Topiaries

I got an email today from a follower who was interested in making the Egg Topiary's I had posted on the blog sometime ago.  I think with moving I have lost all of the "How to" direction pictures, but found pictures of the actual Topiary's in some of my picture files.  I hope seeing the picture's help with anyone wanting to make them.  They are great to have around at Easter and I have used them for years now.   I have to say going thru the pictures makes me miss Minnesota even more.  Have a great day!

 Directions:

Find bases you like

Add a foam cylinder (purchased at Craft Store)

Use hot glue gun to glue into place

Find packages of different sized plastic eggs and feathers from (Craft Store)

Hot glue the Eggs on then Hot glue the feathers on in between the spaces !

There you have it!

As Easy As (Salt and Pepper)...Ha, Ha, Ha

 

   

DIY Bedroom Office Desk...Rustic Ralph Lauren Style!

I've been wanting to redo the little nook in my bedroom for sometime.  It seems I'm always last in this house.  Well...now when I blog or do any work up in my room I'm not sitting on the bed, but rather I'm sitting at my NEW DESK....WOOHOO!  I designed this desk from scratch wanting to try a Rustic Ralph Lauren Style.   I'm REALLY happy with the outcome.  I think you will like it too!  I started this project yesterday around 2:30 and had it complete by today around 12:00 (and YES...I slept)!  So about, 1 1/2 days.

New Desk Hand Built for only $53.00 with Tax

Before...I had just put these old chairs just to get me by until I had time to fix the area!

The Process

First, I measured the area to get a ruff idea of how big I wanted the desk to be!  Then off to Home Depot to find the wood I had in mind.  After I found what I was looking for I started to compare cost and wood type to be sure I kept this desk under $50.00!  I unfortunately went over my limit by $3.00.  Oh well... I could have done worse.

The Wood I bought!

 I purchased:

 2 ~ 4X4's

1 piece ~  Birch 2X4X1

I had nails, table saw and sander at home, last minute I added birch around the sides (but, I had this in my scrape pile)!

I did find the decorative bolts 4 for $1.97 at Lowe's

 

Started building the legs!

   Next, I started building the legs!  At first I was going to try this fancy crisscross design, but then decided I didn't want the desk not to have leg room so I went with the standard leg design.  This does look different thou because the wood I used was 4X4's and they really have an impact.  I wanted a modern Ralph Lauren Design that was timeless.  I really think this was achieved.

 I bolted the legs together from the top down so no screws are visible anywhere on the piece, except for the bolts I added for "THE LOOK"!  Otherwise, this piece has clean lines!

Lilly is always the helper...NOT!

 Next, I added the top Birch piece and screwed this in from underneath as well.  Lilly thought she was helping me make this level.  I assure you she was NOT HELPFUL:)

At, this point I stood back and decided to add a 4" skirt around the tabletop to balance the ultra thick legs. After I finished the skirt, I distressed the top of the!  I took chains and a saw and "Beat" the desk up until I got the desired look I wanted.  Then I sanded the top, lightly so it blended well.

The stains I used!

I decided to get the "LOOK" I wanted I needed to mix a few stains together.  I LOVE the General Finishes Stain because the product is the easiest stain I have ever worked with.  I started with a Walnut water based stain, while the table was still wet I added the Rust-oleum Weathered Grey stain, then added the Burnt Umber Glaze effect over that and touched up with the Walnut stain again.   This seems like a lot but, I assure you it went quick.  After I let the piece dry for 4 hours I added a General Finishes Polyurethane!  Then, let it dry a bit again.  After it was dry to the touch I added the decorative bolts.   And YIPPEE... I have myself a Ralph Lauren Desk.

Here is  close-up

Here is another!

In these pictures below you can see the desk in the bedroom space.  I might add a rug at some point! But, for now I'm ONE HAPPY GIRL!  

I tried shutting the blinds for the picture but this is a hard one to get.

Ahhh. I can work at a desk in my bedroom now!  LOVE IT!

Blog away!

No desk of mine wouldn't be complete without a Tiffany & Co. BOX...lol!

Hope this gives you an idea!

 

"ROCK IT"...Literally!!

Yea, today I completed a couple day Hard-scape in the front yard.  It's rewarding, but exhausting at the same time.  I went and purchased the rock (hand picked everyone), and lugged them home, truck load at a time.  In all I have over 10,000lbs in 2 days, and moved that 10,000lbs twice so that's 20,000lbs...I call it "Tiffany's ROCK FIT CLASS" Just Joking!  But in all seriousness it's very exciting to have this project finished and the feeling of NOT having to maintain that area is SO exciting I can't even express my excitement. Here is the before and after pictures:)

This really is not a true before picture because I got done weed whacking this before I took the picture.

Love looking at all the stone at the Rock store!

Oh, this is when I REALLY get excited...The hard-scape ideas I have for this slate!  Oh, and they have a really pretty stone called COCO!  LOVED IT!  At this point I'm thinking, "Tiffany walk away from the stone"

So excited looking over to my right and seeing that area all cleaned up!  This Project makes me SMILE:)

In this picture you can just get a glimpse of all the rocks that is needed in this space!

A Pinterest Before/After shot

Curb Appeal Needed

What do you do when you buy a house that has zero curb appeal?  First thing is a major landscaping overhaul. I needed to drive up and feel like it was home and not pulling up to a bunch of scrub oak.  I feel like this house now has some curb appeal.

Is there a house in there?

You can see I started cutting the scrub oak down on day one.

The house is starting to appear!  I'm thinking to myself, "Yea, I can see it...keep going girl".

At this point I'm thinking, "How far back should I go?'  I kept going until I felt like it was visually appealing.

Then I thought, "I should make a sitting area out front, so began the patio project"!

I was liking it more and more as I went on!  I'm kinda a little determined when I want something!

Oh yea, I needed a watering system here!  So trenches needed to be dug! 

Woohoo!  Look at this patio, I even put the polymeric sand in-between the Chilton, so it looks like sand but acts like concrete and keeps the ants out as well.

Another picture...different angle.

Street view now!  Yep...more curb appeal than before!

This looks SO much better!  I feel like you can call it a home now!

Quick look photos:)

So glad I decided to add the patio!  It's a nice morning place to sit!