C.D. Loken's Blog, page 11

A Table Do-Over!!

It can happen immediately after you're finished with a project, or months later-but when it happens (and it will), you'll know it. 

What am I referring to you?  Well...it's that moment when you ask yourself- "What in the world was I thinking??"

It happened to me this past weekend- I was moving furniture in and out of the foyer-trying to decide which piece worked best.  One of those pieces was the console table my mom had given me years ago-and that I'd made over a few months ago.




Hubby:  "I know you don't care what I think-but I like that table best."
Me:  "What was I thinking?"
Hubby:  "You're asking me?"
Me: "No, I'm asking me.  What was I thinking painting those drawers silver?  They look hideous!"
Hubby:  "They look fine.  Now can we move on here-otherwise the staircase is never going to get finished!"
Me:  "I can't finish the staircase until I decide how I want to decorate the foyer-and I can't decorate the foyer-until I decide which table I want to use."
Hubby:  "That makes no sense at all!"
Me:  "It would if you were inside my head!"
Hubby: Grunt-expletive.
Me: "And that color....it doesn't work at all!"
Hubby:  "I'm going to watch the race.  Call me when you're done re- painting the table!"
Me:  "Who said I was going to re-paint the table?"



Okay-so hubby knows me TOO well.  Yes, I did re-paint the table, and I absolutely LOVE how it turned out! 


After a bit of sanding-I gave the console table two light coats of American Decor-in Carbon.


The knobs got a good sanding too!  After the table dried completely-I did a little distressing. 


Now that I have the perfect 'piece' for the foyer-I can get back to the staircase!  Speaking of the staircase-we are currently putting trim on-and replacing the balusters!   I'll be honest-I can't wait until that project is behind me!!!


Have an AMAZING day!

Blessings and hugs,

CD

Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop #116

Welcome to our party!We are so glad you're here.Can hardly wait to see what you have for us this week but, first, let's see what you loved at LAST week's party ...
Most Viewed Choose Love Through Touch by Heaven Is Smiling Above
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Quick and Easy Breakfast Pizza!

Happy Monday!! I hope you all enjoyed a fabulous weekend!

I may have mentioned a time or two(hundred) that I am CRAZY about breakfast!!!  It truly is my FAVORITE meal of the day.  During the week I don't take time to make anything fancy.  A bowl of oatmeal-toast-yogurt...nothing special.  But on Sunday.....well, that is a different story.



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Sensational Sunday Love Links!

Hello, sweet friends!  I hope you all have been enjoying your weekend!  We've been busy working on the house, as usual!  Hubby is currently in the process of putting up drywall on the walls and ceiling in the kitchen-as well as, re-wiring all of the electric!  As for me....I'm still trying to finish the foyer staircase.  I swear every time I take a step forward(no pun intended), on this project-I take yet, another one back.

Our latest 'glitch' is with the balusters.  It appears when hubby was doing his measurements, he was a teensy bit off, and when we began putting them up on Friday night-they weren't lining up like they were supposed to.  So.... it was back to square one.  But that wasn't the worst of it.  Yesterday, I went back to Home Depot to pick up more balusters, and when I arrived home-excited to get them painted and installed-hubby advised me that I bought the wrong ones!!!  UGH!!  Oh well...another shopping trip this afternoon isn't such a bad thing, right??

But first I have a family brunch to get ready for.  I'll be sharing two of the recipes I'm serving-next week!!

Until then...I hope you are inspired by this week's favorites.

Enjoy!




1.  Favorite DIY- Larissa, from the blog, Prodigal Pieces  is a genius!!  Can you believe she actually made these GORGEOUS cotton branches for only $4????



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Spring Mantel and more!

“The sun just touched the morning;
The morning, happy thing,
Supposed that he had come to dwell,
And life would be all spring.”
― Emily Dickinson

Hello sweet friends!!  Happy Friday-and Happy first day of Spring!!!


With all the projects going on in our house (kitchen, foyer, and stairs),  I finally took some time yesterday morning to add a few touches of Spring to the dining room. After all- it may be the only room in our home (for awhile), that we can enjoy, because it won't be filled with dust, drywall, tools, and furniture from other rooms!!!



Blue's and greens are the theme for this years Spring mantel.  And believe it or not-this 'non-crafty' gal actually made the moss wreath that takes center stage!!!  I won't bore you with the details-but let's just say I was doing the happy dance when I finally completed it!!  Yes, it was a VERY messy process-but SO worth it in the end!!!



I also made a few bird nests! (GASP!)   Surprisingly, it was SUPER easy-and every time I look at this one-I can't help but smile!!  Don't you just love the cute little birdie??  I sure do!!


Sometimes, simple really is the best.  The branches are from our crab apple tree, and I cut them five minutes before I shot these photos.  No...they aren't in bloom yet, but they will be, and I can hardly wait to have their amazing fragrance fill our home!


After I finished the mantel, I decided to get a start on the dining room table-in preparation for our family brunch on Sunday.  I'm sure it will change before then-but I had to show another craft project!  I actually painted those eggs!!  Can you believe it?? The best part is-you can't even tell they are plastic!!!  And that bunny-CUTENESS!!

Last, but certainly not least...I had to show you that I really do have a green thumb! (Hubby once doubted that-with good reason!)  Sorry about the poor quality photo-but as I was taking this photo-the sun was SO bright!!!!  That's usually a good thing-and one reason I LOVE our dining room-but it's not so good for a photo shoot!!!

I'm sharing at these amazing parties-so stop over and be inspired!!!

Rooted in Thyme
Shabby Nest
Romantic Home
The Charm of Home
DIY Vintage Chic
Pieced Pasttimes
Crafts a la mode
Reasons to skip the housework
3 Little Greenwoods
Under the table and Dreaming
Nifty Thrifty Things
Thoughts from Alice
Life on Lakeshore Drive


Have an AMAZING Friday!!!

Blessings,

CD

Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop #115!

 So many new "faces" at last week's party! 

If you are new, or almost new, to our party, we would love it if you'd tell us in the comments. I am totally agreeable to you telling me the title of the posts you shared, as well. 
We had well over 500+ posts shared last week. 
Needless to say, I don't get to visit them all. But if you draw my attention to it in the comments, I am most likely going to go find you. Even give me the numbers to look for, please? 

Last week we had a fabulous turnout.
511 shares and many many views.
So, which ones got YOUR attention most? 


Most Viewed DIY Herb Pots with Label Markers from Premeditated Leftovers


Very Popular Want Your Picture To Show On Google? by Ducks 'n a Row
Repurposed Bed Spring Craft Storage from DIY Inspired
10 Ways To Save Money This Spring from Earning & Saving With Sarah FullerEditor's Pick
When I read the title of this post, it grabbed me!

Quit Screwing Up Your Pictures by The Champagne Supernova


Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop
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is on 10Popular Blogs!


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Sensational Sunday Love Links!

Hello, sweet friends!!   I hope you are all enjoying your weekend!  Hubby and I did a little shopping for the kitchen remodel on Saturday, and today we will be putting the finishing touches on the foyer staircase!  It's going to be a whopping 67 degrees here today-so I'm hoping we can break away from our projects- and spend some time outdoors too!

I hope this week's favorite inspire you as much as they did me!!!


Enjoy!!



1. Favorite DIY- Aren't these polka dot eggs adorable???  I think they are the perfect addition to any Easter vignette!

2. Favorite Front Porch Makeover- I love the tongue and groove ceiling, Kris put up on her front porch-and the paint color she chose for her front door......GORGEOUS!!!


3.  Favorite tips- Who doesn't like saving money??  I sure do-and Sarah has found 10 AMAZING ways to do just that this Spring!!!

4.  Favorite Kitchen-  I absolutely ADORE everything Dear Lillie does-and this kitchen definitely has me dreaming and drooling!!!



5.  Favorite re-purpose- Who would have thought to re-purpose old rusty farm tools into something that is not only unique, but useful???  Angie from Knick of Time, of course!!!! 



6.  Favorite furry friend- What more can I say.................SO CUTE!!!


7. Favorite blog-  I recently found Carolyn's blog while searching for garden inspiration!  Boy am I glad I did!!!  Her blog is filled with the most amazing and breathtaking photo's of her lovely gardens, tablescapes, and vignettes!!!




Blessings and hugs.

CD

Update on Foyer Staircase

I'm OVER THE MOON happy to say-that after almost a month of delays caused by the upstairs hallway (you can read about that here), I finally started working on the foyer staircase makeover this week!
If you've been following along-you know that I've been impatiently waiting to do this makeover ever since I first purchased this home!  The #1 reason was- I truly despised the carpet....
Spring 2014But there was another reason too- the fact that there was something VERY important to the look of the staircase that was missing!!!!  Yes folks-the balusters were gone!!!  Hubby and I searched every nook and cranny of this house-but unfortunately-no balusters could be found.  I'm not sure what happened to them-or why they were removed-but there you have it.  Before the staircase could be completed, we needed to find replacements.  We began our search at some of our local salvage and antique stores, because we wanted to find balusters that would look original to our old house.  Unfortunately, none had the amount of balusters that we needed.  So we went on Craigslist.  We found just the opposite conundrum there.  Most sellers had way more balusters than we could use-and with shipping, etc, the cost was a bit more than we wanted to spend. 
Which led us to the only option we had.......

We purchased 13 new balusters at Home Depot-for $2.79 a piece.  At first I was a bit leery about the wood grain-but after 1 coat of primer and 1 coat of Simply white paint-they actually don't look too bad.  I plan to give them one more coat with roller (to ensure there are no brush strokes), and they should be ready to install!!!


Then it on  to the stairs.  As you can see they weren't in the greatest of shape.  It would appear that the previous owners had used a runner, prior to the carpet-and not only were their nail and screw holes to deal with-but also deep grooves.  But it was nothing that a little wood filler couldn't handle.  And of course some major sanding! 


Next was the part I was a little worried(and hugely excited about)-the staining.  After researching the MANY tutorials online-I decided to use MINWAX POLYSHADES -in Espresso.

 During my research-I  did find several horror stories from folks who didn't have good luck with this product.  Some said it left the surface they were staining with streaks-and didn't cover well.  (That's where the worry part came in!)  But then I read Rhoda's from Southern Hospitality
post and all my concerns were gone.  (That's when I got excited). 

 So....without further delay-I grabbed the can of MINWAX-a few sponge brushes-and a pair of rubber gloves-and began the staining process.


One coat later-I couldn't definitely notice a difference!  As you can see- I followed the advice of several tutorials-and did every other step-so we could still get upstairs, and chose to stain first-and paint the risers last.   I also did light coats on each stair (wiping off the excess), because I knew that my stairs would require at least three coats-and I wanted to avoid that nasty stickiness that can sometimes occur if you 'over' stain.  Once the stairs I was working on had their first coat-I set about placing some painters tape on the one's we could walk on. (I know it should be obvious-but some of us older folks need a reminder-especially when coming down the stairs half asleep at 5 am!)


The directions say to allow 6 hours for drying between coats-but I let them dry overnight.  The next day I put another coat on, and was overjoyed to see the stair color FINALLY start to even out!

I have a few touch ups to do today on these stairs-and then I'll be putting the first coat on the other stairs, as well as, the railing!

Wishing you a blessed Friday the 13th!!!

CD

Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop #114

 Isn't it funny how a little sunshine and warm temps can change everything???  Today it hit a whopping 60 degrees-and it would seem everyone in our neck of the woods is FINALLY coming out of hibernation!  Folks are out walking-kids are riding their bikes-and the sound of their laughter and high spirits is truly a wonderful thing! 
As for me-I know I haven't been posting a lot lately-and for this I apologize.  I'm hoping within the next two weeks-once the rush at work is settled down-I can get back to posting every day.  I have MUCH to share with the completion of the upstairs hallway-foyer-and some Spring DIY projects-so get ready for some awesomeness!

Until then-I'm SO looking forward to what you all have to share this week!!  Last week's hop was overflowing with inspiration-and I sure enjoyed visiting many of your blogs!!  Just a reminder-I (along with the other wonderful gals) share all our favorites from the hop on social media-including our Favorites board on Pinterest.  But I also share a few on my weekly Sensational Sunday Love Links posts!  You can check out three amazing link ups that I featured from last week's hop-here!
Now let's get to that party!!!!
Blessings and hugs,
CD
 
Last week's party was amazing! 
YOU are amazing. 
What great shares. 
So many great posts ... and lots of views, too. Fabulous!


But what was the one post you all loved the most?  Wait for it. Wait for it.OK...here it is!

Most Viewed Monthly Blog Stats and Helpful Hints from My Life Abundant



Very Popular Posts
8 Simple Beauty Tips That Make A Big Impact by My Beauty Box ReviewM&Ms Crispy Rainbow by Mommy On DemandFreezer Paper Stencil Craft Bag by My Life AbundantMint Brownie Cupcakes from Christy Cooking Creations 


Editor's Pick
Rainbow Jello Bible Snack from Christianity Cove

Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop 
appears on 
10
POPULAR
BLOGS!



 Simple Guidelines:

Please follow our host and co-hosts in as many ways possible (social media links below) PLEASE TWEET THIS PARTY !!!!  We want everyone to know about it!Add as many of your family-friendly posts as you would like, no giveaways please.Visit three or more others. Let them know you've been there! Visit our FEATURES and comment, pin or share -- do what you can to bless them!When you are PINNING, please remember to do it from the original post. ♥If you are new,  let us know in the comments so that we can follow you back. ♥And, thanks for joining us!
Follow our hosts as you can. 
Sinea of Ducks 'n a Row  (host)Blog / Bloglovin’/  Facebook / Google+ / Pinterest  /Twitter
Diane of Recipes For Our Daily BreadBlog / Facebook / Google+ / Pinterest / Twitter
Carrie of A Mother’s ShadowBlog / Bloglovin’ / Facebook / Google+ / Pinterest /Twitter
CD of CD's Country LivingBlog / Bloglovin'/ Facebook / Google+ / Pinterest 
Jaime of The Stay At Home Mom Survival GuideBlog / Bloglovin’ / Facebook / Google+ / Pinterest
Kim of 2JustByouBlog / Bloglovin / Facebook / Google+ / Instagram / Pinterest / Twitter
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Tammy of My Life AbundantBlog / Bloglovin’ / Facebook / Google+ / Instagram / Pinterest / Twitter
Brittany of Mommy On DemandBlog / Bloglovin’ / Facebook / Google+ / Pinterest / Twitter
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WORDPRESS CODE FOR INLINKZ

Sensational Sunday Love Links

Hello, sweet friends! I hope you are all enjoying a sensational Sunday!!  The weather in our neck of the woods is absolutely GORGEOUS-and we plan to spend as much time outdoors as we possibly can today-soaking up some of that amazing sunshine!!!

Spring is definitely on most folks minds lately-and I'm loving all the inspiration everyone is sharing!

Here are my favorites for this week!!

Enjoy!

1. Favorite tablescape:  I am totally crushing on those blue dishes, and that centerpiece-(drool) is stunning!!

2.Favorite front porch:  How lucky is Christine for getting a head start on her spring porch decor?  I'm loving all the natural elements-and that tree in the back ground is divine!!!


3. Favorite front door decor:  Tulips are my FAVORITE Spring flower-so it's no surprise that I'm in love with this wreath that Andrea made!!!  Isn't it just gorgeous against her shiny black door?


4. Favorite quote:  Doesn't the words in Dear Lillie's print  put a 'spring' in your step and a smile on your face???


5. Favorite furniture makeover- Speaking of smiles-I can always count on Suzanne to put one on my face, every time I read one of her blog posts!  In this post-she tells about a LOVELY chair makeover she totally forgot about, because she has too many irons(projects) in the fire!  We can all relate to that-but I certainly don't want you to miss how she transformed this french inspired chair!!!



6. Favorite recipe:  Chocolate and mint....what's not to love?  But if you're a chocolate addict like my hubby-DOUBLE is always better!!  Which is why I pinned these brownies so I can make up a batch just for him! (Okay-maybe I'll have one...or two!)


Have a great rest of your weekend!!

Blessings and hugs,

CD