As you guys know, my new favorite happy place is my screened-in porch. Its colorful, its relaxing, and its the perfect place for a cheap beer or two. Or three. However, I am also digging these gorgeous outdoor living spaces.
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DIY Floating Curtain Panels
As you guys well know, I will stretch a dollar as far as I possibly can.
And then some.
The same is true with fabric.
When I started the colorful porch makeover, Grunt Labor had one request:
Curtains.
Well he had other requests too, like a fireplace and a television, but at the current moment, those aren’t attainable.
He was adamant on the curtains though. He thought it would make the space feel more homey.
Yes, that coming from a male who even refers to himself as Grunt Labor is a little odd, but he was right. And really, the man rarely asks for anything around here – there was no way I could say no.
My problem was that I only had three yards of fabric for the curtains. Typically, I would be lucky to get two curtain panels out of three yards – and they would be skinnier panels at that.
My other problem here was that even though the porch is screened-in, the curtains were still going to get dirty at the bottom pretty quickly.
Luckily at Home Depot one day, the lightbulb went off.
Does anyone else have moments of genius at Home Depot? I swear sometimes that’s the only place I get them. I will have ran in for one can of spray paint and by the time I get to the checkout line, I’m struggling to hold onto everything that I’ve picked up and apologizing for knocking over a display with the 10 foot piece of pipe I’m barely holding under my arm.
Yep, I’m that girl.
But it was that stroke of genius that solved both problems – I would make Floating Curtain Panels.
Colorful Screened-In Porch Makeover
As I write this post, I am sitting in the most colorful space in my home.
I dare you to step into the screened-in porch and not be happy.
Double Triple Dog Dare You.
And if you do step out here, and you aren’t happy, I’ve got a cheap beer for ya and a kid is bound to turn the corner at any moment riding a plastic pink flamingo.
Heck, you just smiled as you read that last sentence, didn’t you?
Sweet friends, who put up with way too much craziness from me, welcome to my back porch.
DIY Painted AstroTurf Rug
It all started with Nancy Drew.
The Hidden Staircase to be exact.
After reading the book as a middle schooler, and being a lover of all ghost stories and mysteries, I became convinced that a secret staircase was nearby.
Under my grandparent’s screened-in porch.
As I was walking around my grandparent’s house one sunny spring day collecting old glass I found buried in the ground (convinced it held a secret meant for only me), I stumbled onto their screened-in porch and began to examine it.
The porch was a simple square structure that came off their dining room. It wasn’t above their basement though, as the rest of the house was. It was supported by four sturdy walls of brick.
There had to be something under that porch, and there had to be a staircase that led to whatever was under there.
I immediately rushed up to the porch and started stomping my feet on the AstroTurf covered floor to find a hollow spot where a door leading to the staircase might be.
My feet were met by the sound of concrete.
I persisted, making my way to the outer edges of the porch where the AstroTurf carpeting ended.
I attempted to pull it up, but discovered it was securely glued down.
Darn the AstroTurf.
The secrets of the porch were never uncovered.
However, I’m now coming to love AstroTurf very very much.
Seriously, what other 6 ft. x 8 ft. rug can you find for $20?
Only AstroTurf baby.
Kate Spade Knock-Off Photo Frame for $5 in 15 minutes
You guys know I have a love for just about everything Kate Spade.
It all started with this Kate Spade inspired lamp.
These placemats and this party wreath also channel a bit of Kate.
And then Mama bought me this Kate Spade serving set* for mother’s day and I nearly peed my pants.
I saw this black and white Kate Spade photo frame* around Christmas and almost put it on my wish list, but then I realized I could easily do a Kate Spade Knock-Off on this picture frame.
7 {To Die For} White Kitchens
Ok, maybe not To Die For, but you know what I mean. They are good.
Way good.
Let’s talk about white kitchens for a moment, shall we?
First off, let’s define them. To me, a white kitchen is one that is mostly white of course. It doesn’t mean that all the cabinets have to be white, the backsplash white, or the countertops all white. To me, it just means that when you look at the overall space, it feels light and airy.
Personally, I love white kitchens. To me, they have the most clean lines and seem the most inviting.
Easy Happy Birthday Sign
Hi Friends!
I was secretly MIA last week on a beach vacation. It was great, but of course I’m playing catch-up. So today, I’m going to share the last of my DIY party decorations from the Care Bear & Rainbow Birthday party.
This Happy Birthday sign was easy to make and got the job done.
Painted Porch Floor
Last week, I showed a little sneak peek of this project when you saw the leopard print table.
I’ve been sitting over here antsy as all get out to show you the whole project.
I’m pretty pumped about how this painted porch floor turned out.
DIY Birthday Hat…Another reason I’m not the kid’s favorite parent…
There is no doubt in my mind that my kid loves her father much more than she loves me.
That’s ok, and really its no surprise.
With the exception of summer, she’s stuck with me for at least eight hours a day.
Eight hours of random dance parties, eight hours of DIY projects, eight hours of hearing me scream at the dogs, eight hours of reruns of Sex and the City.
Wait a minute, why doesn’t she love me the most? Obviously, I am the most awesome parent alive.
Although, maybe not the most award winning one…
Adding to her reasons of why I’m not her favorite would be this lovely birthday hat I made her.
I find it adorable.
She refused to wear it for more than 30 seconds.
DIY Leopard Print Table A.K.A. The (Almost) Bee Table
I’ve had this table in my basement for nearly a year. I loved its shape so much, but just couldn’t decide what to do with it. When I finally did decide what to do with it, it was an utter failure (I’ll get there in a minute). Luckily, it made a spectacular comeback with the help of a little leopard print goodness.
Easy Party Backgrounds for $10 or less (Video)
Having a great photography backdrop for any event or party is always fun for guests. Make this colorful rainbow backdrop in under an hour for just about $10.
Care Bear and Rainbow Party {I Survived….Barely}
Seriously y’all, I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy to have a birthday party over with.
Not that it wasn’t a great little party and yes, I’m a little sad the kid is growing up so fast, but party planning and party decorating for kids birthdays are just. so. exhausting.
Can I get an amen?
This year we opted for a Care Bear and Rainbow Party for the kid’s birthday. When I started planning it, she was really into her stuffed bears, by the time the party rolled around she was really into her stuffed dogs. Can’t go anywhere without a stuffed dog these days.
Kid changes her mind more than I do.
9 Nursery Ideas That Won’t Break the Bank
Let me go ahead and squash what all of you are thinking.
I am not pregnant.
Nor do I have any plans of being pregnant. I am a one and done parent. Or even a one and fun kind of parent. To all you other parents out there that have multiple children, my hat is off to you. The thought of having another one just makes me want to go take a nap. Grunt Labor, the kid, and I are perfectly happy as a unit of three.
Over the past week during the fiasco of preparing for the kid’s birthday party (details coming soon), I started thinking about her nursery and what all has worked in there for us, what didn’t work and what I would do differently. I thought some of you guys with kiddos on the way, may want to hear my words of wisdom.
Or not.
But trust me, my words of wisdom on nursery ideas and decorating is far better than my words of wisdom on actual parenting. At least I can admit it.
Industrial DIY Coffee Table from a Yard Sale Cart
Remember how I confessed that my latest chair makeover was a roadside find that sat untouched in my basement for nearly a year?
Yea, ummm, the same is true of this cart turned industrial DIY coffee table. I picked it up at a yard sale well over a year ago now. From the time I bought it, I had planned on turning it into a coffee table, but one thing led to another and it just now got completed.
Just like the chair though, I think this one was worth the wait.
14 Real Life Bedroom Ideas Anyone Can Do
Ok, ya know how sometimes when you are reading a magazine or browsing on Pinterest, and you see those perfectly gorgeous bedrooms? There is high end wall art, beautiful mirrors, comfy bedding, and perfect antique furniture.
And you know that the bedding alone probably cost $1000?
If you have $1000 to spend on bedding or on a mirror or wall art, by all means, go for it.
I don’t.
Hell, I can’t remember when the last time was that I had $1000 to spend on a whole room.
Oh, wait, yea, I haven’t ever had that.
So, for the rest of us that want beautiful bedrooms without breaking the bank, here are 14 real life bedroom ideas that anyone can do.
How I turned into a Chemical-Free Floor Cleanin’ Fool
Let me be honest with you for a moment.
I am not a “Granola Mom”.
I am not the mom that is worrying about her child getting too dirty or even eating dirt for that matter. Yea, it happened once.
I don’t worry too much about scheduling playdates – she has the dog.
Yes, I let my child eat frozen foods and things that have all sorts of preservatives and all those other big words people say are bad for you all the time. I figure I turned out ok, so what harm is it going to do? I don’t let her veg out on cookies all day, but if she wants a frozen waffle for dinner, who am I to say no? She doesn’t want me to heat it up first? Whatever. I mean Nick ate frozen french fries as a child. He’s ok. Kind of.
And if all we have time for on the way to preschool is a Nutri-Grain bar that she’s eating as we walk out the door, so be it. In my defense, this kid loves fruit and she eats the heck out of it all the time. That has to count for something.
Furthermore, I am not usually a “Granola Cleaner.” Y’all, I’m from the South. Buying Ammonia by the case for spring cleaning was is commonplace. They just check your id to make sure you aren’t a Meth maker. I’m pretty sure the 80 year old lady with perfectly coifed hair driving a Cadillac isn’t a meth maker, but hey, who am I to say? Those Cadys are pretty big – it could be a mobile Meth lab. I personally haven’t ever used ammonia – can’t stand the smell – but I’ve seen multiple women walking out of the Dollar General loaded down with Ammonia in their buggies.
Let me be clear for a second, I am not hatin’ on the Granola Moms. In fact, I commend you. I bow down in your presence. You are a far better mom and homemaker than I ever will be. I’m just lazy. Its much easier to reach for the Spic ‘N Span than whip up some organic concoction.
Until now.
I am happy to say that I am now a chemical-free floor cleanin’ fool.
Of course, I’m not whipping up any organic concoctions (I wouldn’t even know how to go about that), but I am using one chemical-free ingredient while cleaning my floors now.
Water.
10 of My Favorite Weapons of Choice for DIY Projects
By now, many of you could easily tell a perfect stranger what my favorite colors are, my favorite beverage of choice, and that I call my husband Grunt Labor.
And we’ve only met through the internet.
Most of you could probably whip up a list in under a minute of my favorite weapons – products and tools for DIY projects.
But, just in case you can’t and if you were wondering here is my complete list (at the moment) of my favorite weapons of choice.
Commentaries included.
Make Fabric Stain Resistant and Waterproof for Less than $10
Don’t chance your upholstery to kids or another red wine spill again! Learn how to make fabric stain resistant and waterproof it at the same time for only about $20.