Rain on a Tin Roof

Tag: homeright

How to Start a Fire Fast

This post is sponsored by HomeRight, however all opinions are 100% mine. Affiliate links may be contained in this post.

I didn’t fall in love with Grunt Labor on a fire pit night. But he definitely got a few brownie points the first time we set around a fire pit.

There are many things that seem to be imprinted on your DNA when you are born in the country. One of those things is a love for fire pit nights. There aren’t many things better than a weekend night spent around a fire pit with good friends, good drinks and good music. In fact, I feel I should also write you a fire pit playlist now that I think about it. But I digress. A good fire is imperative though to the night’s success. You need it big, but not too big and you don’t want to have to waste too much time starting it. So let me introduce you to the coolest new fire lighting tool you have ever seen…

HomeRight’s latest toy, the Electro-Light Fire Starter. The Electro-Light makes it possible for you to light up your fire pit, charcoal grill or anything else you want to add a little heat to in 2-3 minutes flat. Without lighting a single match.

Now, before we go any farther. Let’s get a few things straight. I am not responsible if you catch yourself on fire or catch something else on fire that wasn’t supposed to be set on fire. Follow the instructions included with the tool and use caution and common sense, y’all. Do not get too close to fires. Do not let children be around fires without supervision. Make sure there isn’t anything around the fire that could easily catch on fire. Got it?

All you do is plug it in (no lighter fluid or anything like that required) and push the red button. You will start to hear a sound that resembles a vacuum. The Electro-Light is actually blowing 1300°F air onto your wood or charcoal. After 2-3 minutes, you should have a good fire going. If the flames start to die out, just turn the Electro-Light back on and fan the flames.

We tested it out a few weeks back when the Circus insisted upon roasting marshmallows, but neglected to eat a single one of them that she roasted. #imaginethat

That picture was after we already had the fire going. I started taking a video after we had the Electro-Light going for about a minute before any of the fire had started. It’s really cool to see it light up.

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”2zLXF63I” upload-date=”Wed Jul 20 2016 13:33:20 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)” name=”Rain on a Tin Roof – How to Start a Fire Fast” description=”How to Start a Fire Fast by Rain on a Tin Roof”]

Isn’t that awesome? P.S. Great fire starter helpers are evergreen branches from old Christmas trees and lint. 🙂

This bad boy will probably be making the rounds as a gift to quite a few of our fire pit loving friends and grill loving guys. You can find it on Amazon.

Are you a fire pit lover?

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Disclosure: This post was a collaboration with HomeRight. However, all opinions and love of fire pit nights are 100% mine.

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February 15, 2016
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.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by HomeRight. However, all opinions and references to Granola Moms are 100% mine. This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

Friends, let me introduce you to the HomeRight SteamMachine Plus.

The only tool you will ever need to steam clean anything.

Let me reiterate only tool and steam clean anything.

Watch and learn friends, watch and learn.

I started out by cleaning the marble on my bathroom floors. All you need to do first is attach the cloth pad to the bottom of the steam mop head.

It simply attaches by velcro. So hard.

Next, fill up your water tank.

Squeeze the buttons on either side of the tank, twist off the cap and fill the tank with water. Replace the tank to the cleaner.

Plug the machine in and press the power button that is just above the water tank.

Once you power it on, it will light up with an orange-y color (photo on left). The steam is ready to go when the light turns blue (photo on right). Seriously y’all, I think it took about a minute for my water to heat up. This thing is fast.

Then go to work.

Pull the trigger button on the handle to release steam. Did you notice how flexible this thing is? It pivots like nobody’s business.

Oh, so you want to do some deep cleaning, eh?

No problem. The unit transforms into a handheld steamer at the click of a button. Push the button just above the blue portion to release the tank. Attach one of the included accessories as desired (I used the round brush scrubber for my tile). Hit the button on the back to release steam. On a side note, please turn the unit off as you are attaching the accessories. I, ummm, didn’t, and accidentally mashed the button at the same time I was putting on the brush, and well, steam burns…

You want to clean your hardwoods, you say?

Not a problem, either. If you follow me on Instagram, I posted a similar photo to the one above. The left photo was spilled milk. See, I was trying to be a better mom and actually feed the kid before leaving for preschool. Mistake. I turned around, wasn’t looking, and my arm slammed right into a sippy cup full of milk. I soaked some of it up, then decided I would give the SteamMachine Plus a whirl on it. It was heated up and had it cleaned in no time.

You want to freshen up your carpet now?

Yes, my friends, it can do that too. Attach the gliding accessory over the pad and go to town.

Thank you HomeRight SteamMachine Plus, for making me into a chemical-free floor cleanin’ fool.

I hear the kid. I have to go make sure we have cereal bars for breakfast. Or maybe a frozen sausage biscuit….

Need more cleaning tips? Be sure to see these then…

How to Get Pet Stains & Odors out of your carpet Without Chemicals – easy, easy, easy!

How I Steam Clean My Entire Kitchen – one tool cleans the entire kitchen!

How to clean that gross shower with one single tool – you WILL NOT believe just how gross my shower was!

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May 12, 2014
Accent Wall: Rich Navy Entryway

Hi, my name is Jenna and I’m an over-analyzer.

The last time I over-analyzed something was just ~~yesterday~~ this morning.

I am easy going on many things. Most of the time, I’m just a “It is what it is” kind of girl.

But then, I start thinking about fabric and paint swatches and should I place this brass golf ball here or maybe here or maybe it needs to be on top of a vintage book…

Sheesh…. it never ends.

Case in point: The new rich navy accent wall in my entryway.

Rich Navy Accent Wall

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by HomeRight. Y’all know how I roll though, all opinions and over analyzations are 100% mine. This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

This was one of the quickest and most simple projects I have ever done, yet it took me around two months to decide what I wanted to do with the wall.

It went something like this in my head:

Maybe I should stencil that tiger stripe on the wall from my bar cart makeover.

No, maybe I should do wide stripes.

No, stripes are everywhere.

Maybe I should do more faux moldings.

Maybe I should do a different stencil.

Maybe I should do vertical stripes.

Maybe, maybe, maybe……

Then one day, while in a stare down with said wall, telling it that it would not beat me on this, it dawned on me.

Why not just do one single, simple, solitary color for the accent wall?

And then as if it were meant to be, my brain responded with navy.

Seriously? It took two months to figure that out. Geez.

Once the decision was made, I tested out a few navy shades and went with Rich Navy by Behr. I used my and it took no time at all to do this wall.

That’s the same PaintStick I used on my Repose Gray walls, except its a smaller version and doesn’t twist, you just push it.

Push it real good.

Sorry, I couldn’t resist a little Salt ‘N Pepa action there.

The PaintStick Mini is great for small jobs and tight spaces (and its only $15!) – exactly what that accent wall was.

Everything just seems to pop beautifully off the navy.

The Rich Navy is also a perfect contrast to the Repose Gray in the rest of the main living area.

The moral of this story is don’t over-analyze. Seriously, y’all. Save yourself time. Sometimes the easiest and most dramatic look can be achieved with one color and one fabulous tool. My accent wall is the perfect example.

If you liked this accent wall, you may like my Leopard Print Accent Wall as well.

Need more accent wall ideas? I’m your girl – here are a slew of different ideas for painting your walls in all sorts of gorgeous colors and patterns!

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March 4, 2014
Waxing Furniture {The Easy Way}

DIY blogger confession time:

Until a couple weeks ago, I had only attempted to wax two pieces of furniture.

One turned out so-so.

The other was a complete failure.

In the end, the failure, the french country chest ended up with a light sanding and a coat of Polycrylic.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by HomeRight. Y’all know how I roll though, all opinions are 100% mine. This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

I would now like to announce that I am a waxing furniture pro.

Yes, after only one successful piece of furniture waxed two weeks ago, I am declaring myself a pro.

I don’t have an ego at all.

However, my pro-ness in the waxing furniture department depends on one thing.

The AutoRight cordless detailing polisher, made by HomeRight.

Yes, I turned to the big guns to perfect my waxing skills and it was so worth it.

Last week, I showed you this beauty.

And when I showed it to you, I hinted around that I had discovered the easiest way to waxing furniture. There are only four steps.

The Easiest Way to Wax Furniture

#1 – Attach foam pad to the polisher and rub it around in the wax of your choice. If the can isn’t big enough to rub it around in, spread a little on the pad with a knife (that’s what I did.)

#2 – Can you push a button? You can? Good. That’s all you have to do to apply the wax to the furniture. Simply pull the trigger and watch that bad boy coat your piece in wax. The foam pad is great for getting into tight spots.

#3 – After letting your wax sit for a while, attach the cute little blue bonnet to the polisher.

#4 – Pull the trigger again and watched your piece become polished to perfection.

That’s it. This polisher makes waxing so much easier and now I can actually use wax on pieces!

Would you like your own? You can buy one on Amazon for around $55. Not too shabby for a tool that is life changing.

Need more furniture hacks and makeovers? You’re going to want to see these then…

Questions about painting furniture, trim, cabinets and more? Start here with the complete guide to painting EVERYTHING!

Questions about furniture topcoats in general? Head HERE.

Learn how to make furniture glaze in any color you want to HERE!

Want to get the details on using a paint sprayer for furniture painting? Go here then!

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February 19, 2014
Navy and Gold Chest Makeovers

Have I chatted with you about the guest bedroom before?

Why am I asking? I know the answer to this. Its no.

And why have you never heard of this guest bedroom before or seen photos of it?

Because its ugly.

Let’s be honest. What room is usually last on the list when it comes to decorating?

The guest bedroom.

Those poor guests. A.K.A my amazing in-laws.

Bless them. They deserve better.

And they will get it. It’s all starting with these navy and gold chest makeovers.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by HomeRight. Y’all know how I roll though, all opinions are 100% mine. This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

Sometimes, all you need to make something pop is the simple combination of two colors.

No frills. No intricate details. Just the simple combination.

And for me, that simple combination in this case was navy and gold.

Notice, I said makeovers in the title. Yep, there are two of these. A night stand and a chest of drawers. I think the night stand probably qualifies as a chest because it certainly doesn’t seem like a “stand.”

Both of these are pretty solid, but had some issues.

I think at some point, they may have been in some water. See the bottom of the big chest above?

And the top needed some love as well.

So, before any paint went on these, I sanded them well. And picked up all the sanding dust with a tack cloth.

And then I pulled out my beloved, my coveted, my just-go-ahead-and-bury-me-with-it, HomeRight Finish Max paint sprayer.

Heaven help. Why did I just show you that picture?

That would be one of those days when the circus went to preschool and I tend to go a little loco.

You don’t get to judge.

After a coat of primer, I painted the chests the same navy color I used on the $10 dresser turned buffet.

This is a really deep navy, so it took a few light coats to get the color uniform. The finish was still impeccable.

Wow, I don’t know that I’ve used that word before on the blog. Yay, Jenna for using big words!

But, that’s the beauty of the Finish Max, it has a fine finish that looks completely professional.

I was not parting with the hardware that these chests came with – I loved their vintage vibe. They got a coat of gold spray paint.

There was this inlay on the top of each chest. To highlight it, I went over it with a gold Sharpie paint pen.

Want to learn more about how to use the Finish Max paint sprayer? See this post then! Oh, you are worried about clean-up of the Finish Max? Don’t be. It takes less than 10 minutes to clean it and in only six steps! Read all about it here!

So, where is this guest bedroom headed?

My friends, that is a fabulous question.

Here’s what I know:

The Jonathan Adler inspired chair is staying.

The wall color is going.

Somewhere in all of it, there needs to be an office space.

And these chest makeovers were a fabulous start.

That’s about it.

Stayed tuned. It should be fun.

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December 13, 2013
How to Clean the HomeRight Finish Max Paint Sprayer

By now, you guys know that I love my HomeRight Finish Max Paint Sprayer.

If you don’t know that, then you have been living under a rock or you haven’t read about my toy chest makeover, french country chair makeover, black and gold french country desk, or the polka dot bed.

The one question that people always ask me about the Finish Max is whether or not its easy to clean.

And I don’t blame them a bit for asking. If there is any person in the world that understands their fear, it is me. If you read about the toy chest makeover, you know that I have dealt with my fair share of paint sprayers that were not easy to clean and didn’t even work well. I was even skeptical of the Finish Max at first.

I felt it was time to show you how to clean the HomeRight Finish Max paint sprayer and just how fast and easy it really is.

I’m a believe-it-when-I-see-it gal and I figured some of you were too.

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by HomeRight, but you know how I roll, all opinions are 100% mine. This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

Let’s do this!

**Update: It’s now even easier than this to clean a Finish Max Paint Sprayer! There’s a new attachment called the Rapid Clean that plugs right into your water hose and the paint sprayer and cleans it up in just a few minutes.

Step #1:

After you are done painting, discard or place back into the paint can any remaining paint in container. (Keep in mind if you thinned the paint with water, you may not want to put it back in the can with un-thinned paint. I do typically go on and put it back in the can because I know if I use the paint again, it will most likely be in the sprayer anyway and will need thinning.) Rinse out the container well and fill it up with water.

Step #2:

Twist the container back into place on the sprayer. Plug in the Finish Max and spray the water out.

Step #3:

Unplug the Finish Max. Unscrew paint container and suction tube, rinse well with water and set aside to dry.

Step #4:

Unscrew the nozzle (technical word is air cap ring) where the paint comes out. This will free the other two pieces of the nozzle (technical words: air cap and directional air cap) and rinse all three parts well.

Step #5:

Remove any remaining paint from around the brass fluid nozzle. You can do this with the included brush, or as I choose to do, my fingernail. Rinse brass nozzle with water. Also, unscrew and remove the brass nozzle and spray it well with water.

I also like to take my water hose and spray some water up the bottom of the sprayer and out the nozzle by depressing the trigger while spraying the water.

Step #6:

Lay it all out to dry. If you need to use it immediately, just dry off the parts with a towel and get going again!

BAM.

10 minutes or less and you are done.

So. not only did you just get an entire piece of furniture painted in half (or even a 1/4 sometimes) the time it would take to roll and brush, but you also did all the cleanup in less than 10 minutes.

And I know I’ve spent longer than 10 minutes just trying to get paint out of brushes and rollers before, not to mention cleaning the paint trays.

No excuses with the Finish Max. Its easy to use and easy to clean.

Need a step-by-step play on How to Use the Finish Max Paint Sprayer? Head here!

Want to see how fab of a finish the HomeRight Finish Max sprayer gives? Then check out these furniture makeovers.

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November 22, 2013
Black and Gold French Desk Makeover

Remember that fabulous french country chair that got a simple makeover last month?

This desk was its mate.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post by HomeRight. But, y’all know how I roll, all opinions are 100% mine. This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

Yep, I’m fully aware they do not match one another.
From the time I got both pieces, I knew they wouldn’t stay together. No matter how badly I wanted to keep both. I kept the chair and planned on selling the desk.

If you remember, both pieces had came from a yard sale. A dear friend found them for me. Here’s how this French desk makeover started out:

The desk was solid. It was just covered in some sort of sticky substance and a gross amount of cat hair.

Eww.

The inlay on top was pretty gross. There was no way that design would be staying.

First, I gave the entire piece a coat of primer with my HomeRight FinishMax.

Yes, I just referenced Carrie Bradshaw in that photo. If you know who/what she said it to, you are fabulous.

Next, I pulled out the gold spray paint to define the top edge of the desk and add some interest. I just went right over the top edges with the spray paint. Once it was dry, I took plastic wrap and painters tape and wrapped up the top.When the top was good and covered with plastic wrap, I loaded my FinishMax back up with black paint and went over the desk base and all the drawers. Then, I pulled off the plastic wrap and hand brushed and rolled the inlay black for some added contrast against the gold. Finally, the whole thing got a coat of polycrylic.

A few readers have asked about how difficult it is to clean up the FinishMax sprayer. Trust me, I understand your concerns. If you remember from my toy chest makeover, I told you I had tried out two other sprayers that I detested before I found my FinishMax. Part of the detested-ness was the clean-up. Fortunately, this sprayer takes less than 10 minutes to clean up and is super easy. So easy, I made you a little graphic to show you how.

Go here to get the simple instructions and photos for cleaning the Finish Max.

And now for the final reveal of the desk:

The classic contrast of the black and gold turned out better than I ever could have expected. The finish was professional and perfect, thanks to the FinishMax.

Liked this one? You might want to check these out too…

DIY Chippendale Desk – a gorgeous DIY desk that isn’t that hard at all to build!

How I Built a Desk from an Old Kitchen Table – it might be narrow, but it packs the storage!

And you can see all my Furniture Makeovers Here.

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October 9, 2013
French Country Chair Makeover

After using my HomeRight FinishMax Paint Sprayer to re-hab my daughter’s future toy chest, I was just itching to use it on something else too.

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

This thing was a total game changer. Enter the French Country Chair makeover. Luckily, I had this old chair waiting on me in my basement.

A friend had picked up this chair, along with that desk beside it, for me at a yard sale. The chair doesn’t look that bad in this image, but a quick removal of that cat hair ridden cushion….

Yep, the caning was shot. But before, I worried about that, I had to paint this bad boy.

After removing the fabric on the arms, I got it all set up to spray. With as many curves, nooks, and crannies as this thing has, I was not going to hand brush it.

I plugged in my HomeRight Finish Max Sprayer and got started.

The fabulous thing about this paint sprayer is that it doesn’t require an air tank to run, you simply plug it in to an electrical outlet.

After giving the chair a coat of primer, a couple coats of paint, (all of which I thinned with a little water), and topcoat of Polycrylic, I brought it in to start the job of re-upholstering it. Obviously, it needed a new seat bottom. I did not want to re-cane the chair and I didn’t want to just put wood strips there to hold a cushion in place, because I absolutley did not want to sew a cushion with that many curves. Grunt Labor decided he would just make a piece of wood to replace the broken cane in the shape of the seat. Bless his heart, he tried so hard, but just couldn’t get those curves right and the piece of wood just never would sit on there perfectly.

After an evening of failed attempts that almost ended our marriage, I finally got a piece of wood cut that fit pretty well.

I laid it on my foam padding, and cut the foam out.

I covered that with batting to smooth any rough edges, and there were many. I finished the seat off with green velvet fabric and some decorative trim that I just hot-glued to the bottom.

For the arms, I put a layer of batting, then the green fabric, stapled it down, and finally hot glued more of the trim around the edges to hide the staples.

Since the trim had that extra piece to glue around edges, I just cut it off close to the actual trim and hot-glued that side down.

And I love it.

I was worried I may have concentrated in some areas too much with the paint sprayer and caused some drips or runs.

But there isn’t a drip or run in sight.

Oh and no, nothing is wrong with the back.

I just like that pillow.

A lot.

The finish is just flawless.

Thank you, HomeRight for making my life so much easier.

The sad part:

The chair doesn’t work for the space I intended it for.

Boo.

But, I’m keeping it.

I. Will. Find. A. Place.

Oh, and by the way, cleaning the Finish Max is a breeze. It only takes 10 minutes!

UPDATE: This French Country chair has gotten a new, modern makeover! See it here!

More Chair Makeovers & Upholstery Posts:

How to Waterproof & Repel Stains on Fabric – trust me, you’re going to want to do this!

Polka Dot Painted Chair Makeover – learn how to paint upholstery!

How to Upholster a Cane Chair – a vintage can chair gets a modern look!

Upholstered Box Spring – a great way to cover your box spring without having to deal with a bedskirt!

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September 10, 2013