Be Inspired Features and Link Party #25

Happy Tuesday! Welcome back for features and party day!

Wow, I can't believe this is our 25th party already! Thank you so much for taking the time to share all your wonderful projects here!  Here are just a few that caught my eye this week.....

Rachel from Thrifty Inspirations shared this beautiful depression era chest with the most amazing details!

Lauren from West Furniture Revival sure was having a very lucky day when she walked into a thrift store and found a card catalog. And just look at this beauty shine after Lauren worked her magic!

I have a weakness for cottage style dressers. Just look at this one from Melody from My Passion For Decor ~ so sweet!

Gail and her husband Charlie made this fabulous farmhouse table for their beautiful kitchen. Stop by Gails's Decorative Touch for all the details!

Sarah and her husband from Alderberry Hill also teamed up to create this cute headboard/footboard garden bench in a big bold color that really pops!

Cottage In The Oaks shared a dreamy summer mantel. I love all the details (you must check it out up close) and you just might find me filling my fireplace with books for the summer!

And Daune also shared an orange lemonade recipe that looks pretty and sounds so refreshing. I love homemade lemonade! Just another reason to visit  Cottage In The Oaks .

Thanks so much to everyone who linked up and linked back! If you've been featured, feel free to grab a cute little button from the sidebar!

Now on to this week's party! The guidelines are simple...

* Link up your furniture makeovers, DIY projects, home decor, crafts, recipes, thrifty finds, etc... We want to see whatever is inspiring you at the moment!


* Grab a party button and add it to your post or link back in some way!


* Be sure to follow along with us!


We'll be back next week with features and a brand new party.
Now let's share some inspiration!

Featured at Apartment Therapy!

I'm a long time fan and reader of Apartment Therapy. I receive their posts daily via email. So I wasn't at all surprised a few days ago to see their name on my email list. But wait, this was an actual email. Sarah was writing to let me know that my post on how I make my own chalk paint was being featured. Yes, featured on Apartment Therapy!

I use the homemade chalk paint recipe regularly and I love the results. It's a great option to have in your painting repertoire. You can check out all the details here.

A huge thank you to Sarah and the team at over at Apartment Therapy for the fabulous feature! And if you're visiting from Apartment Therapy, I hope you'll browse around and enjoy your stay!

The Tale of Two Desks

The tale of two desks started a few weeks ago when I saw an ad on Craigslist for a old schoolhouse teacher's desk. I could see she was a beauty and in the picture she looked like a pretty standard size desk. Well in person, she was even more beautiful, but also pretty darn big! I believe my husband's words were something like, "That thing is a monster!" He was thinking in terms of having to lift her, I was looking at how perfect she was. I actually needed just a moment to ponder, but of course you know I wanted her. She's pretty and in perfect condition, what's not to love? And I didn't for a moment even think about painting her!

So while I was pondering, the seller mentioned that he also had a secretary desk that he was about to list on Craigslist and did I want to take a look. Umm, absolutely! This one had some veneer issues and definitely needed some love. The guy had actually started it and decided it was more work than he wanted to tackle. But seriously, how could I say no to this one?

And the seller was actually pretty funny too. He said he was a fan of American Pickers and could be bundle the two desks. I told him I really had not come prepared to buy two desks, but needless to say, we struck a deal! It took an extra trip and a few strong backs, but it was so worth it!

I started out with a thorough cleaning and a light overall sanding. And no matter what type of paint I'm using, I always sand. It's the perfect opportunity to smooth out any rough edges and check for any needed repairs. You don't need to break out the electric sander for every project, a sanding sponge usually works wonders.

I used a very light gray for the inside and a darker blue gray for the outside. They were both oops paint finds, so no exact colors, but they were Behr paint and primer in one. I love using this with my homemade chalk paint recipe. For me, it works perfectly everytime. And after a light distressing and a coat of wax, this desk was perfect too!

I left the inside of the desk natural as a nod to the past.

I am crazy about that top curvy drawer ...

and these awesome pulls!

I think this one has tons of charm and character. She could be used as a traditional desk, as a charging station for a laptop or for great display and storage space in any room of the house. ... Can you tell I kind of want to keep her?

Megan thinks she would look really sweet in a bathroom.

Now that girl is definitely my daughter!

And there you have it, the tale of two desks!

*And if you are a regular here, you might notice that we have a fresh new look on the blog! I absolutely love it!  Thank you to my computer guru Megan for a wonderful blog makeover! There would be no blog without you!

I'm linking to...

Liz Marie Blog



Be Inspired Features and Link Party #24

Happy Tuesday! Welcome back for features and party day!

Gosh this month is flying by! I've been going back and forth between projects on our house and trying to get some furniture finished for our July tag sale. Today paint goes on our bedroom walls. Checking out all your projects has been a welcome break in the action. Looks like you have been busy too! Here are a few links that caught my eye this week .....

Can you imagine how great it would feel to complete a project that you'd been dreaming about for two years? Denise over at Pink Postcard decided to make her dream come true with these flirty Linen Slipcovers and Chairs Pads for her gorgeous dining room. Aren't they dreamy? I think they were worth the wait!

Aimee from Twigg Studios always shares the most wonderful projects with the best tutorials. I love these beautiful Thrifted Fabric Peonies. They look sooo real!

And while you are over at Twigg Studios, you'll also want to check out Aimee's Horchow Windowpane Pillow. The detail is amazing! And of course there is a tutorial!

Oops! Redone found the perfect mid-century dresser to paint in beautiful shades of gray for an ombre effect. Isn't it gorgeous?

From Generation to Generation totally transformed not just one, but two dusty old office chairs. The first one with a quilt.

And the second one with a vintage bedspread. Just beautiful!

This piece was a rescue from the dump. That would have been so sad! Thank goodness for a great save by Juniper and Roses!

And to end on a sweet note, these Butterscotch Brownies with Brown Sugar Icing and Pecans from Caramel Potatoes look like they would just melt-in-your-mouth!

Thanks so much to everyone who linked up and linked back! If you've been featured, feel free to grab a cute little button from the sidebar!



Now on to this week's party! The guidelines are simple...

* Link up your furniture makeovers, DIY projects, home decor, crafts, recipes, thrifty finds, etc... We want to see whatever is inspiring you at the moment!


* Grab a party button and please add it to your post!


* Be sure to follow along with us!


We'll be back next week with features and a brand new party.
Now let's share some inspiration!