Be Inspired Features and Link Party #156

Happy Tuesday! Welcome back for features and party day!

It is finally feeling a bit like spring around here and I'm happily covered in paint again. And with our first tag sale of the year just one week away, that's a very good thing!

Now on to this week's party and fabulous features .....

Love this lush and full tulip wreath shared by Jennifer at From The Family - the perfect spring welcome! 

 A vintage dresser, a pretty color, great hardware and a fun banner too - all from Cassie at Primitive & Proper!

I'm always amazed by painted upholstery. Have you tried it? Check out this transformation from Simply Vintageous by Suzan!

Mary from Orphans With MakeUp used embossing plaster to create the beautiful details on this sweet dresser!

Check out the glamorous finish on this vintage dresser from Iris Abbey - wow!

Cristina from Finding Grace Interiors was ready for a change and completely transformed her dining room. It started with a farmhouse table and took off from there!

Lucy from Patina Paradise shared these super cute DIY faux enamel tags!

These Cherry Cheesecake Bars from Lou Lou Girls look so yummy!

And who could possibly resist "the greatest and easiest" Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting from Simply Suzanne's At Home!

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...

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

*A link back would be appreciated, especially if you'd like to be considered for a feature.

We'll be back next Tuesday with features and a brand new party!

Mason Jar Crates

Daffodils are a sure sign of spring, even if there is still snow on the ground!

I especially love daffodils in mason jars. 
And I decided I needed a few cute crates to add a little rustic charm!

I already had a huge collection of mason jars and plenty of scrap wood in the garage, so this was a pretty quick and easy project. The first step was to line up five mason jars and take a rough measurement so that the jars would fit comfortably inside the crate. The bottom and side boards were measured first. Mine were 17" long and 3 1/2" wide. 

Then I just capped the ends. Simple nails put it all together. My completed crate measures 18 1/2" long and 5" wide, but you could make any size you like. 

I painted my crates, distressed the edges and finished with a two coats of wipe-on poly. I chose poly over wax in this case  because I'd be adding jars of water and drips are inevitable.

Pretty cute, right?
And perfect for a little farmhouse style!

These daffodils are from the grocery store. But soon enough I'll be picking daffodils from the garden. I can hardly wait!

Hang in there, just one week until spring!

I'm sharing with .....

My Repurposed Life

Be Inspired Features and Link Party #155

Happy Tuesday! Welcome back for features and party day!

Things are about to get busy around here again as our first tag sale of the year is just two weeks away. It's our early spring sale and hopefully Mother Nature will cooperate. I'll have details coming up soon!

Now on to this week's party and fabulous features .....

Shanna from Restoration Redoux worked some serious magic on this beautiful vintage chair transformation! 

Last week I featured this  DIY hardwood floor photo prop from Gail at My Repurposed Life.

Well this week you can check out Gail's portable plank wall tutorial. Put them together and you are all set for staging your furniture beautifully!

If you've ever felt intimidated by the thought of stripping a piece of furniture, just check out this great tutorial from Reeves at The Weathered Door!

Jenna from 24 Cottonwood Lane made a bold color choice in her powder room and it works beautifully!

Brooke from Creative Country Mom's
 Vintage Home & Garden created a wonderfully warm and cozy rustic family room!

Kathleen from Charm Bracelet Diva used a reverse chalk transfer to create this pretty chalkboard with a really sweet message!

And this cozy tablescape from Ramon at Rowhouse Blog is the perfect farewell to winter!

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...

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

*A link back would be appreciated, especially if you'd like to be considered for a feature.

We'll be back next Tuesday with features and a brand new party!

Be Inspired Features and Link Party #154

Happy Tuesday! Welcome back for features and party day!

Well we've finally made it to March and we've already had an ice storm and there is more snow and ice expected over the next few days - in like a lion for sure!

But hopefully these awesome features will make you feel all warm and cozy .....

Jamie from Anderson + Grant shared her beautifully styled kitchen shelf with the coolest cutting board art project!

Wendy from Front Porch Mercantile shared a budget friendly bathroom update that will knock your socks off!

I love the pop of red on this vintage dresser from Angela at Number Fifty-Three!

 

Add a little sparkle with this mercury glass mason jar from Chas at A Woman's Haven!

I think this winter white burlap wreath from Lemon Peel would look pretty all year round!

Gail from My Repurposed Life shared a clever and thrifty DIY hardwood floor photo prop!

The talented Danielle from Finding Silver Pennies created a great little video to share how she uses paint to create a wash effect for her beautiful furniture projects!

And with St. Patrick's Day just around the corner, you'll definitely want to try these Minted Sugar Shamrock Cookies from Simply Suzanne's At Home!

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...

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

*A link back would be appreciated, especially if you'd like to be considered for a feature.

We'll be back next Tuesday with features and a brand new party!

February Book Review: The Light Between Oceans

This year, I'm inviting my blog friends to join my real life book club!

If you missed our January pick (Station Eleven) be sure to check out our review here. We are still talking about that book and recommending it to all our friends!

Our February pick was The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman.

1926. Tom Sherbourne is a young lighthouse keeper on a remote island off Western Australia. The only inhabitants of Janus Rock, he and his wife Isabel live a quiet life, cocooned from the rest of the world.

Then one April morning a boat washes ashore carrying a dead man and a crying infant - and the path of the couple's lives hits an unthinkable crossroads.

Only years later do they discover the devastating consequences of the decision they made that day - as the baby's real story unfolds ...

{via Random House Books}

The Light Between Oceans is a debut novel that quickly became a New York Times bestseller and the movie release from DreamWorks is scheduled for later this year. You can check out IMDb for the cast list.

Our thoughts ...

Well first of all, the cover of the book is beautiful and mesmerizing! Of course you can't judge a book by it's cover, but covers and titles are part of the package. Take a walk through a book store. Yes, a real book store! With so many books to choose from, it's the cover and title that often prompt you to reach out and pick up a book in the first place, don't you think?

The Light Between Oceans is beautifully written and life on Janus Island is richly detailed. It takes on an almost magical feel. And the meticulous work of the lighthouse keeper is fascinating. We felt like we were truly stepping back in time. But this is the heartbreaking story of love and loss. Decisions made with the best of intentions and from a place of love result in devastating consequences. 

If you are looking for a light uplifting read, save this for later. This is a book that pull at your heartstrings from the very first page. We all felt emotionally invested in the characters. We hoped for the very best for each and every one, but knew that was not entirely possible. 

The Light Between Oceans provided for a great discussion. Are right and wrong absolutes? What motivated each character to make the decisions they made? Can you imagine yourself in the position of the characters? What choices do you think you would have made?

If there was one thing we wished for, it was for more detail in the later chapters of the book. The early chapter were so detailed and we desperately wanted to know more about what happened to the characters after all the secrets were revealed..

Overall, The Light Between Oceans was a great read and one that we would recommend! Have you read it? We'd love to hear what you think!

Our next book pick is Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. 

Feel free to read along with us!