A few weeks ago I got an e-mail from a reader asking me to write a post about how our butcher block countertops are holding up. I have to admit, I'm a little embarrassed I didn't think of this myself....of course I should write a follow-up post. My main concern when we choose them was how they would hold up over time and I'm sure many of you are wondering the same thing. So here it is, a completely honest update on our wood counters.
Two years ago, in September 2011, I wrote a post about …
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How to Raise Your Kitchen Cabinets to the Ceiling
Let's talk about that space above your cabinets for a second...that useless space that does nothing but collect dust and cause design dilemmas. Do you decorate it? Leave it? I have always left it, I love to decorate but I'm not a fan of having stuff just for the sake of having stuff. When Adam and started the kitchen remodel I had a lot of ideas and things I knew I wanted, but my number one thing was to make those cabinets touch the ceiling, somehow. Adam and I found a solution...the perfect …
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Paper Bag Floors – A Tutorial
Those of you that are looking for an affordable, attractive, totally doable flooring solution have come to the right place! My husband and I are starting the remodel of our boys room, and I was feeling creative and wanted to try paper flooring. I had seen it before and thought it looked great...but mostly I liked the idea because it was so cost effective. My boys room is about 10 x 12 and I did the entire floor for about $80 (and I have enough supplies left over that the next room will cost …
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Farmhouse Kitchen on a Budget – The Reveal
(Update: I hadn't really intended for this to be my kitchen reveal post, I really just wanted to show y'all how I "decked out" my new floating shelves. Anyway, it has become fairly popular as a kitchen reveal post so I went ahead and added the prices for everything we have done so far in the kitchen to the end of the post.)
Well, my internet is working again and it's time to show you my shelves! They are decked out, colorful, and oh so functional. This post doesn't really have a story to go …
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The “Dirty Cowboy” Treatment
Ahh, the Dirty Cowboy...a great way to give your furniture some personality. That's right... furniture. Is that not what you were expecting? What kind of blog do you think I'm running over here?
So I didn't entirely make this technique up, it is really just dry brushing... or antiquing, or distressing with stain, or a variety of other names. I've tried to dry brush furniture a few different ways and this is the way I found worked the best, was the easiest and gave me the best result.
First …
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{Awesome} Paisley Stenciled Table
Let's talk stenciling.
Now, I've done my fair share of stenciling, but it's always been with a homemade stencil and it takes F.O.R.E.V.E.R. to do. Plus the final product always looks kinda wonky when you get up close and the design is very simple. Also it takes forever....that's worth mentioning twice. So when Cutting Edge Stencils sent me a stencil to review I was super excited. I just so happened to have a spare dining room table sitting on my front porch (what, you don't?) and it was begging …
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Penny Countertop
Last September we finished our butcher block countertops, but we didn't do our bar area. I mentioned in that post that I was open to suggestions and got the great idea to cover it in pennies and epoxy. Well, EIGHT months later it is finally finished!
This is one of those projects that if I was to do it again it would be super easy. I now know exactly what not to do, which means I'll fly through all the other penny coutertops I have planned. Oh wait...no, this was the only one. …
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How We Paid Off Our House In 3.5 Years
This February we paid off our house.
(excuse me for one second..OHMYGOODNESS, WE PAID OFF OUR HOUSE!!!!! WE'RE DEBT FREEEEEEEEEEE!!!)
And I'm back.
Now to be totally and completely honest, I wasn't even sure I should write this post. I don't want to come off as braggy or in your face about it. I know that there are a lot of people out there struggling just to make their mortgage payments and it's not my intent to make them feel crappy. If you are in that situation I want to encourage you. …
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The Less Mess Project: Pantry Reveal!
Well, I've spent the last week painting, stenciling, and organizing my pantry and I have to admit...it's one of the best things I've ever done. Not because it was particularly fun to do, but because the results make life so much easier. Seriously, if I had known how much less stressed having an organized pantry would make me feel I would have done it years ago.
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So, here it is...my organized masterpiece.
As a reminder as to how horribly disorganized I am, the before …
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